Cornelius a Lapide

Acts of the Apostles V

Table of Contents

Synopsis of the Chapter

First, St. Peter punishes Ananias and Sapphira with death, on account of the defrauded price of the field. Secondly, at verse 12, the frequent miracles of Peter and the Apostles are recounted. Thirdly, at verse 17, the Apostles are imprisoned, but freed by an angel: thence, while preaching in the temple, they are taken by the Magistrate to the council, where, upon being rebuked, they intrepidly reply: We ought to obey God rather than men. Fourthly, at verse 34, Gamaliel, a wise man, gives counsel on behalf of the Apostles. Finally, at verse 40, the Apostles are scourged; but exulting in these things, they preach Christ more eagerly and more boldly.

Vulgate Text: Acts 5:1-42

1. But a certain man, named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a field, 2. and by fraud kept back part of the price of the field, his wife being privy to it; and bringing a certain part of it, laid it at the feet of the Apostles. 3. But Peter said: Ananias, why hath Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Ghost, and by fraud keep back part of the price of the land? 4. Whilst it remained, did it not remain to thee? And after it was sold, was it not in thy power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God. 5. And Ananias hearing these words, fell down, and gave up the ghost. And there came great fear upon all that heard it. 6. And the young men rising up, removed him, and carrying him out, buried him. 7. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. 8. And Peter said to her: Tell me, woman, whether you sold the land for so much? And she said: Yea, for so much. 9. And Peter said unto her: Why have you agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of them who have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out. 10. Immediately she fell down before his feet, and gave up the ghost. And the young men coming in, found her dead, and carried her out, and buried her by her husband. 11. And there came great fear upon the whole Church, and upon all that heard these things. 12. And by the hands of the Apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 13. But of the rest no man durst join himself unto them; but the people magnified them. 14. And the multitude of men and women who believed in the Lord was more increased, 15. insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that when Peter came, his shadow at the least might overshadow any of them, and they might be delivered from their infirmities. 16. And there came also together to Jerusalem a multitude out of the neighbouring cities, bringing sick persons, and such as were troubled with unclean spirits; who were all healed. 17. Then the high priest rising up, and all they that were with him, (which is the heresy of the Sadducees,) were filled with envy. 18. And they laid hands on the Apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19. But an angel of the Lord by night opening the doors of the prison, and leading them out, said: 20. Go, and standing speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 21. Who having heard this, early in the morning, entered into the temple, and taught. And the high priest coming, and they that were with him, called together the council, and all the elders of the children of Israel; and they sent to the prison to have them brought. 22. But when the ministers came, and opening the prison, found them not there, they returned and told, 23. saying: The prison indeed we found shut with all diligence, and the keepers standing before the doors; but opening it, we found no man within. 24. Now when the officer of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were in doubt concerning them, what would come to pass. 25. But one came and told them: Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple standing, and teaching the people. 26. Then went the officer with the ministers, and brought them without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. 27. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28. saying: Commanding we commanded you, that you should not teach in this name; and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and you have a mind to bring the blood of this man upon us. 29. But Peter and the apostles answering, said: We ought to obey God, rather than men. 30. The God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom you put to death, hanging Him upon a tree. 31. Him hath God exalted with His right hand, to be Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. 32. And we are witnesses of these things, and the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to all that obey Him. 33. When they had heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they thought to put them to death. 34. But one in the council rising up, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, respected by all the people, commanded the men to be put forth a little while. 35. And he said to them: Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do, as touching these men. 36. For before these days rose up Theudas, affirming himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all that believed him were scattered, and brought to nothing. 37. After this man, rose up Judas of Galilee, in the days of the enrolling, and drew away the people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as consented to him, were dispersed. 38. And now, therefore, I say to you, refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this council or this work be of men, it will come to nought; 39. but if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest perhaps you be found even to fight against God. And they consented to him. 40. And calling in the apostles, after they had scourged them, they charged them that they should not speak at all in the name of Jesus; and they dismissed them. 41. And they indeed went from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus. 42. And every day they ceased not in the temple, and from house to house, to teach and preach Christ Jesus.

Verse 1: A Certain Man Named Ananias

1. ANANIAS. — In Hebrew it means the same as gift of the Lord, namely that which he offered to the Lord by vow; or poverty of the Lord, that is, dedicated to the Lord: but from Ananias he was made Cananias, that is, trader and merchant of the Lord, because he retained for himself, like a merchant, part of the price dedicated to God, and therefore in turn he was made Ananias, that is, affliction of the Lord, because by the Lord he was punished with death.

SAPPHIRA. — In Hebrew it means the same as numbering, namely the price; or, as the Syriac has it, beautiful, or sapphire-like.

A FIELD. — The Syriac קרית keritha, that is, field and farm: which word is derived from the Hebrew קריה kiria, that is, city, for which the Chaldeans say קרתא Karta: whence Carthage was called the new city, founded by Dido; for the Punic language is related to Hebrew, having sprung from it.

Verse 2: He Defrauded of the Price of the Field

2. AND BY FRAUD KEPT BACK PART OF THE PRICE OF THE FIELD. — ἐνοσφίσατο, that is, he craftily filched, by craftily removing from the eyes of the master or owner; the Syriac, took away. This therefore was theft and sacrilege of a thing dedicated to God. Therefore either he had expressly vowed, or at least had professed in words, or by the very deed itself, the full renunciation and offering of his goods and their price, just as Religious do today when they vow poverty. Cajetan, however, denies that the faithful then vowed it: the same is denied constantly by Calvin, Marlorat, and other heretics, enemies of vows and of religious life, saying that Ananias sinned only by a lie and by hypocrisy alone, in that he pretended to give the whole when he gave only a part, and therefore was punished with death. But that they err is plain, first, from the word "defrauded": for fraud is not committed in one's own property, but in another's, that is, when a thing given, sold, or promised to another is filched away. Whence in Greek it is ἐνοσφίσατο, that is, he craftily filched. He was therefore a thief and a sacrilegious man; because he violated the vow and profession of poverty which he had made. Whence S. Augustine, sermon 27 On the Words of the Apostle: "When, he says, from that which he had promised, he withdrew a part, he is condemned of sacrilege and of fraud. Of sacrilege, because he deceived God in his promise; of fraud, because he thought a portion ought to be withheld from gifts that should have been entire." Secondly, because Peter, blaming Ananias, says: "Why hath Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Ghost, and by fraud keep back part of the price of the land?" For if he had not vowed nor promised, it would have been only an officious, not a pernicious, lie, since it concerned his own property, and therefore venial; just as one who gives a friend a hundred gold pieces, saying: I would give more if I had it, but I do not have it, sins only by an officious and venial lie, and is not said to defraud, much less to lie to the Holy Spirit. Peter presses him more sharply: "Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart" so wicked, so sacrilegious? "Thou hast not lied to men, but to God." Therefore he had vowed and promised to God. For he is said to lie to God and the Holy Spirit who does not keep what he promised and vowed to Him. Thirdly, the same is plain from the penalty: for Peter punished him, equally as his wife, with death, and that sudden, public, and infamous. This was therefore a deadly and great crime: it was therefore a violation of a vow and sacrilege. For if they had not vowed, they could lawfully have retained the price, or part of it, for themselves, and even if they had said this was the whole price of the field, they would have done injury to no one, and therefore would not have sinned by deadly fraud, but only by venial lie. Fourthly, thus the Fathers teach everywhere. S. Basil, sermon 1 On the Institution of Monks: "Out of desire for human glory, Ananias had publicly consecrated to God whatever goods he had, in order to stir up men's opinion of himself." S. Augustine, in the words just cited; S. Chrysostom here, homily 12: "Why, he says, did you do this? Did you wish to keep it? You ought from the beginning to have kept it, and not to have promised; but now, after you have consecrated it, you have committed a greater sacrilege." S. Jerome, epistle 8 To Demetrias, clearly: "Ananias, he says, and Sapphira were timid stewards, indeed double of heart, and therefore condemned; because after their vow they took back as their own what was no longer theirs to whom they had once vowed, reserving for themselves a part of property already alienated." S. Gregory, book I, epistle 33 To Venantius: "Ananias, he says, had vowed his moneys to God, which afterwards, overcome by the persuasion of the devil, he withdrew; but with what death he was punished, you know." S. Fulgentius, epistle On the Duty of the Married, chapter viii: "How great an evil it is, and how anxiously to be fled, if anyone tries by deadly prevarication to retain or snatch back anything of what he has vowed to God, Ananias and Sapphira are an example." The same is asserted by S. Athanasius, sermon On the Passion and the Cross; Nazianzen, in his Poem on the Precepts of Virginity; Cyprian, book III of Testimonies, chapter xxx; Cassian, Conference XVIII, chapter vii, and commenting on this chapter Oecumenius, who calls Ananias's sin sacrilege; Arator, Bede, Hugh, Lyranus, and others everywhere, and even, what may surprise you, Beza, convinced doubtless by the all-too-clear light of truth.

Furthermore, if the earliest faithful, even those married, vowed poverty, much more had the Apostles vowed it, their leaders in virtue, masters of holiness and perfection, and heralds of the Evangelical counsels by example more than by word; and S. Augustine teaches this expressly, City of God, book XVII, chapter IV: "From the earth, he says, that man (Paul) was raised up, poor above all the rich, and from that dunghill that destitute one was lifted above all wealthy peoples, that he might sit with the mighty of the people, to whom He says: You shall sit upon twelve seats, giving them a throne of inheritance of glory. For these mighty ones said: Behold, we have left all and have followed Thee. This vow the most mighty had vowed. But whence had they this, except from Him of whom it is straightway said here: He who gives a vow to the vower?" And S. Thomas, II II, Question LXXXVIII, art. 4, ad 3: "The Apostles, he says, are understood to have vowed those things pertaining to the state of perfection, when leaving all things they followed Christ." The same is proved at length by Alvarus Pelagius, book II On the Lament of the Church, chapter ix, and from him our Hieronymus Platus, book II On the Good of the Religious State, chapter xx.

Moreover, although St Thomas in the place cited seems to deny that Christ vowed the same things, and Medina and Cajetan teach this expressly, yet many think the contrary: for although in Christ there was not that cause of vowing which exists in us, namely to strengthen the inconstancy of the will, which in Christ was none (which alone S. Thomas seems to have meant), yet there were many other causes, namely the first, that He might offer to God the noblest act of religion: for this is to vow and a vow, by which not only things and acts, but the very will itself is wholly consecrated to God, so that one can neither have nor will the thing; just as it is more to give the tree with its fruits than only its fruits, says S. Anselm, book On Similitudes, chapter LXXXIV. The second, that He, the master of perfection Himself, might give to His Apostles and to us a specimen and example which we should follow, Matthew xix, 21; Luke xiv, 33, where the Apostles assert that they followed Christ's example in poverty. The third, because perfect renunciation of wealth is not made except by vow: for by it the one vowing freely renounces not only present, but also future goods which he can have. The fourth, because the three vows of Religion are the three most excellent holocausts: Christ however offered Himself and His to God the Father as a most perfect holocaust. Whence this is His voice, Psalm xxi, 26: "My vows," that is, my promises, say there S. Basil and Theodoret, "I will pay in the sight of them that fear Him." Francisco Suárez deems this opinion most probable, III part., Question XL, disp. xx, sect. 2, and Salmeron, tome V, tract. 4. It seems therefore that Christ in the first instant of His conception offered and vowed Himself and all that was His to God, especially through poverty, chastity, and obedience. For He could not vow obedience to man, because He had no superior. So in the Life of S. Teresa it is set down as something illustrious, that she vowed that in any matter she would do what was more perfect.

Moreover, if the first faithful of Jerusalem vowed poverty, it is also very probable that they then vowed chastity, and afterwards abstained from their wives. This is proved first, because those who did the greater, did also the less. Now greater however it is to renounce all goods necessary for life, than to abstain from voluntary and unnecessary marriage, since many abstain from it because they do not wish to be bound by it, nor to suffer the troubles of a wife and household. Add that, for nourishing the offspring continually received from marriage, much wealth is needed, and consequently they cannot be renounced. Secondly, because today we see that those who make a vow of poverty also make one of chastity; but not vice versa: for many vow chastity who wish to enjoy their goods. Thirdly, the fervor of the Christians of that age, and the firstfruits of the Spirit which they themselves had drunk in, persuade this. Whence Luke says of them, chapter ii, 42: "They were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles;" and this was assiduous, and delivered not only precepts but also Evangelical counsels, among which one principal was that of Christ: "There are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it," Matthew xix, 12. For this castration signifies not only abstinence from the use of marriage, but also impotence for it, not physical but moral, which is brought about by vow, through which a man cannot lawfully use marriage. Fourthly, because of the same Luke says in the same place: "That they were persevering in the communication of the breaking of bread and in prayers." And verse 46: "Daily also continuing with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house." If they communicated daily, if they were perpetually in the temple praying, therefore they were continent. For this the Apostle commands, I Corinthians VII, 5. Fifthly, because for this reason the Corinthians thought that all the faithful ought to live celibate, because they saw the first faithful of Jerusalem living thus, and accordingly proposed this doubt to Paul: to whom he replies that celibacy is not a precept, but an Evangelical counsel, as appears throughout chapter vii of the first epistle to the Corinthians. Sixthly, because the Essenes, whom S. Mark instituted at Alexandria, after the model of the first faithful, whom he had seen instituted at Jerusalem by S. Peter, as S. Jerome teaches, On Ecclesiastical Writers, in Mark, the Essenes, I say, cultivated celibacy. Hear Pliny, book V, chapter xvii: "The race (of Essenes) alone in the whole world, beyond all others wonderful, without any woman, having renounced all sexual love, without money, companion of the palm-trees, is born again from day to day from the equal throng of newcomers, etc.: thus the race is eternal in which no one is born: so fruitful to them is the repentance of others' lives." And Solinus, Polyhistor chapter xxxvi: "The interior of Judaea the Essenes hold, who, endowed with moral discipline, have withdrawn from the rite of all peoples, destined, as I think, by the providence of His Majesty to this manner of life: no women are there, they utterly renounce sexual love: they know not money, they live on palms; no one is born there, yet the multitude of men does not fail. The place itself is devoted to chastity; to which very many from all nations hasten, none is admitted unless the faith of chastity and the merit of innocence accompany him. Thus, incredible to say, the race is eternal though child-bearings cease."

By the same arguments it is proved that the first faithful professed obedience to the Apostles and to S. Peter. Whence also they offered their goods, and themselves wholly with their goods, at the feet of the Apostles, chapter IV, verse 35. For God willed in these first ones to give the first and perfect exemplar of the Christian life, which all succeeding ages should look upon and imitate. They therefore led the religious life and were truly Religious, as S. Jerome teaches, On Ecclesiastical Writers, in Philo, whose words I have cited, chapter II, verse 44, and Cassian, book II On the Institution of Renunciation, chapter v, and Conference XVIII, chapter v, where he teaches that the institute of the Cenobites took its beginning from the time of the Apostles, since many, eager for perfection, were not content only with what all did, namely to bring all their goods into common, but, meditating things higher than these, withdrew into more secret suburban places, who, because they abstained from wives and from the company of their own, indeed from all the converse of the world, were therefore called from solitude Monks, from community Cenobites. Among these, the chief and master of the rest was S. Mark the Evangelist in Egypt; as in Ethiopia was S. Matthew, who consecrated to God in a monastery Iphigenia, the king's daughter, with her companions; in Greece S. Paul, who consecrated Thecla; at Rome S. Clement, who consecrated Flavia Domitilla; in Gaul S. Martha, who in the convent erected by herself with other women dedicated to God led a heavenly life. The same is plain from S. Dionysius, Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, chapter x, where he describes the rites of consecrating monks customary in his, that is the Apostles', age. Hence S. Chrysostom, book III Against the Detractors of the Monastic Life, teaches that the institute of Religious is Apostolic: so also S. Augustine, Eusebius, and others cited above. Let Religious therefore glory in these parents and leaders, and emulate their virtue and ardor, knowing that they pursue the primeval spirit of Christianity and the apex of perfection, that they may be holy and wholly consecrated to God, just as those first faithful are called holy by Paul and others everywhere.

Finally, how religious, holy, and exalted was the life of the first faithful is plain from the Essenes, whom S. Mark instituted at Alexandria after the model of those at Jerusalem. For they were called Essaei or Esseni as if from חסים chasim, that is, holy ones, says Eusebius, book VIII Preparation for the Gospel, iv, from Philo; or from Jesus, as if Jessaei, Jesuaei, Jesuini, Jesuits: so Epiphanius, heresy 29; although some think the Essenes of the Jews were so called from the Hebrew חזה chasa, that is, he saw, as if seers; or from chosen, for which Josephus, book III Antiquities, chapter IX, translates into Greek Essen, that is, the rational, which was on the breast of the high priest, on which were inscribed doctrine and truth, as if to say Rational ones, contemplatives, who were wholly free for reason, mind, doctrine, and truth, and for contemplating divine things; or rather the Esseni were named from the Hebrew חסיד chasid, and Syriac chasi, of which more presently. He judges them named from the Hebrew חסיד chasid, whence comes the Syriac chasi, and chosio, that is ὅσιοι, namely holy: which seems more probable than the eleven other etymologies which he there recounts; and indeed the same Eusebius, book II History, chapter xvii, where citing the words of Acts IV at the end, in which Luke depicts the common life and virtues of the first Christians, teaches that the Essaei were such. Whom again from Philo he describes thus: "This he attests above all, that those who had begun to philosophize renounced their possessions, and gave up the goods belonging to them, and abstained from all the cares of this life, and leaving the walls of the cities lived solitarily in the fields and gardens, knowing for certain that the company of those who followed a different manner of life was useless and harmful for those who at that time, as was fitting, were engaged in this matter. The aforementioned Philo, having attested these things, adds verbatim, saying: This kind of men is found in many regions of the earth (for it was fitting that participators of perfect good should be both Greeks and Barbarians); but in Egypt in each of the prefectures, as they call them, they abound, and especially around Alexandria. Then describing also their habitations, he says of the assemblies of that region: In each there is a sacred dwelling, which is called a monastery, in which they remain and celebrate the mysteries of holy life, bringing in nothing — neither drink, nor food, nor anything else of those things necessary for the sustenance of the body, but the laws and oracles of the Prophets, and hymns, and other things of this kind, by which knowledge and piety are increased and perfected. And a little later he says: All that period of time which is from dawn until evening is spent by them in exercise. For reading the sacred Scriptures they philosophize, and treat their ancestral philosophy allegorically. For they think that those things which are in the open exposition of the Scriptures are certain symbols of a hidden nature signified by figures. They have also commentaries of ancient men, who, since they were leaders of their discipline, left behind many monuments handed down in the form of things allegorically taught. They place continence first, as a kind of foundation in the soul, and then build up other virtues upon it. None of them takes food or drink before the setting of the sun. For they judge the study of philosophy worthy of the light, and the necessities of the body worthy of the darkness. Whence they give to the former the day, and to the latter only a modest portion of the night. Some of them for three whole days take no thought of food, in whom the desire of knowledge is greater than that of food. Some so rejoice and delight to be fed by wisdom, which dispenses doctrines opulently and abundantly, that they abstain for double the period of time, and scarcely take food during six days, only tasting what is necessary. He further adds that among those of whom he speaks, women also are found, of whom the greater part are aged virgins, who keep their chastity not by necessity, as do certain priests of the gentiles, but rather of their own will, on account of zeal and pursuit of wisdom: whose intercourse studiously cultivating, they spurn the pleasures of the body, since they prefer to have immortal children, whom only the soul that loves God can beget of itself, rather than mortal ones. What need is there to add to these things, how, gathered into one, and the men separately, and the women separately, they conversed, and what exercises were practised by them, which still endure among us, and which especially around the feast day of the saving passion, in fasts and nightly vigils, and in the reading of divine discourses, we are accustomed to exercise? And that one out of all, rising up in the midst, sings a psalm in noble strains, and that to him singing one verse, the whole multitude responds; and that on those very days reclining on the ground, none of them at all even tastes wine, nor any kind of flesh: but only water is their drink, and bread with salt or hyssop their food. He adds also how the priests, or ministers, exhibit their offices, or what above all is the seat of the Episcopal apex."

Such therefore and so great were the Essaei, namely the first faithful both at Jerusalem and at Alexandria, of whom Gregory of Nyssa truly said, at the beginning of his treatise What Is Meant by the Name of Christian: "Christianity is the imitation of the divine life." And Nyssa's brother S. Basil, as if to say, Assimilation to God, insofar as the frailty of human nature can attain to it. Art thou pledged by a vow to be a Christian? Then delay not to become like to God: put on Christ." And S. Augustine, book I On the Creed for Catechumens, chapter v: "A Christian is the temple of the Holy Spirit." The same (or whoever is the author: for he does not seem to be S. Augustine), in the book On the Christian Life, chapter 1, tome VI: "A Christian is an imitator of Christ." And chapter vi: "A Christian, he says, is the name of justice, of goodness, of integrity, of patience, of chastity, of prudence, of humility, of humanity, of innocence, of piety; and how dost thou defend and claim that name for thyself, in whom of so many things not even a few subsist? A Christian is one who can with just voice say: I have harmed no man, I have lived justly with all." And chapter xiv: "A Christian is one who shows mercy to all, who is not at all moved by injury, who suffers not a poor man to be oppressed in his presence, who succors the wretched, who comes to the aid of the needy, who grieves with those who grieve, who feels another's pain as his own, who is moved to weeping by the weeping of others, whose house is common, whose door is closed to no one, whose table no poor man is ignorant of, etc., who serves God day and night; who meditates on His precepts unceasingly; who becomes poor to the world, that he may become rich to God; who among men is held inglorious, that he may appear glorious before God and His angels; who seems to have nothing feigned or false in his heart; whose soul is simple and immaculate, whose conscience is faithful and pure, whose whole mind is in God, whose every hope is in Christ, who desires heavenly things rather than earthly; who spurns human things, that he may have divine ones." S. Ambrose has similar things, in his sermon On the Day of the Lord's Ascension, and Irenaeus, book II Against Heresies, chapter LVII, near the end.

Of the price of the field, — reserving a part for themselves, that by human prudence they might provide for themselves in the time of necessity, e.g. of persecution, flight, or old age, distrusting God. Hence S. Jerome, epistle 8 To Demetrias, calls them "Timid stewards, and fearing the famine which faith does not fear." Lyranus adds that they wished to have the expenses in common from one half of the price, like the rest, and from the other to live more lavishly in secret; and so by this they defrauded the community.

BRINGING A CERTAIN PART, — the half, says Didymus, book I On the Holy Spirit, and Lyranus, and even Cassian, Conference VI, chapter xi; for he holds that he brought the larger part of the price, and reserved some small portion for himself. But for "a certain part," the Greek is μέρος τι, where τι is a diminutive, and signifies one part out of many, that is, a particle, or a small piece had been brought by him: he therefore retained for himself many parts of the price, and brought only one. Whether Peter accepted this part of the price is uncertain. S. Chrysostom, in his last homily on the Epistle to Titus, hints that he did not accept it, and that in detestation of the sacrilege. Hence S. Gregory and others, whom I shall presently cite, seem to have followed this example of his, in casting the price of property-holders into their sepulchres, crying out: "Let thy money be with thee unto perdition."

Verse 3: Why Hath Satan Tempted Thy Heart

3. But Peter said, — as if the first of the Apostles and the head of the Church. So the Gloss and Hugo.

WHY HATH HE TEMPTED. — In Greek ἐπλήρωσε, that is, he filled. So also the Syriac, as if to say, says Bede: The heart and mind of man can be filled by God alone: why therefore hast thou allowed it to be filled, that is, fully possessed by the devil, and by his evil suggestion and counsels; when he himself, even if he should wish, cannot truly fill it? Our text, with S. Epiphanius, heresy 39, reads ἐπείρασε, that is, tempted, that is, by tempting overcame, and impelled into crime and sacrilege: for the word "tempted" is taken in a perfect and consummated act, as often happens among the Hebrews. For otherwise it was no sin to be tempted by the devil, nor was it in Ananias's power to bring it about that he should not be tempted by him. Thus Christ in the Lord's Prayer commands us to pray: "And lead us not into temptation," namely so that we are not overcome by it, as if to say: Permit us not to be conquered by temptation, but give grace by which, when it assails, we may conquer it. Yet "tempted" can secondly be taken simply as an act begun, as if to say: "Why hath Satan tempted," that is, why by your cupidity and avarice have ye given occasion to the devil, that he might tempt you to this theft? For the devil is not wont to tempt us except in that vice to which he sees us to be prone, and so able easily to be overcome: just as the leader of an army assaults a city on the side where it is weaker. So those who gaze upon women give occasion to the temptation of lust, and tacitly will themselves to be tempted by these things by the devil. Note here the prophetic spirit in Peter, by which he came to know Ananias's hidden crime by revelation from God.

SATANAS. — St. Justin, Against Trypho; Irenaeus, book V, chapter 21; Bede, on Matthew chapter 16; Oleaster, on Genesis chapter 26 — derive the name Satanas from שטוד sata, that is, he turned aside, fell away, apostatized, so that "Satanas" is the same as "apostate." Now the first apostate from God was Lucifer and his attendant demons, to whom therefore the name Satanas belongs by antonomasia. St. Justin adds that Satanas is derived from sata, that is, he withdrew, apostatized; and nas, which by crasis is the same as נחש nachas, that is, serpent — so that "Satanas" is the same as "apostate serpent." But in Hebrew he is called שטן Satan: whence his proper etymology is from satan, that is, to oppose, which Zacharias expressed in chapter III, 1: "Satan stood at his right hand (of Jesus the high priest) to oppose him." In Hebrew לשטנו listeno, from the root שטן satan, that is, he opposed; q. d. Satan, that is, the adversary, was standing, that from his name and office he might oppose Jesus. The same is meant by St. Peter, Epistle I, chapter V, verse 8, when he says: "For your adversary the devil (Satanas), as a roaring lion, goeth about, seeking whom he may devour." So Origen, tract 1 on Matthew, and St. Jerome, in his letter to Marcella. Hence it appears less true what Justin adds, and after him Hilary in chapter IV of St. Matthew, that the name Satan was first imposed on the devil by Christ when He tempted him, Matthew IV. For long before Christ, Zacharias in chapter III, 1, called him "Satan." Therefore "Satanas" is almost the same as devil, for which the Dorians say Zabulus (for the Dorians say ζά for διά), that is, slanderer, from διαβάλλω, that is, I slander. Finally, because Satan in Hebrew means any adversary or opponent, hence Christ called Peter, who was opposing His passion, "Satan," saying: "Get thee behind me, Satan," Matthew XVI, 23. Finally, not every sin is committed at the prompting of the devil, as some have thought, because innate concupiscence drives us to many things; yet often the devil insinuates himself into it, and excites and inflames it, because he burns with incredible hatred toward God and envy toward men, and is the most clever and keenest investigator of our concupiscences, that through them he may drive us to ruin, as Cassian teaches in Conference V, chapter 15. He, then, who from his knowing is called demon, from his slandering devil, the same is from his opposing called Satan.

TO LIE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. — In Greek it is "to lie to thee the Holy Spirit" (accusative); the Syriac, "to lie thee against the Holy Spirit"; and some Greek codices have εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. But all these signify the same thing, namely what Our (Vulgate), the Tigurine, Pagninus, and others clearly render: "to lie to the Holy Spirit" (dative). For the Greeks and Latins often put the accusative for the dative, as in "I bless thee" for "I bless to thee"; "I evangelize thee" for "to thee." Add that ψεύδεσθαι signifies not only to lie, but also to deceive and to defraud. Whence it may be rendered, "to deceive" or "to defraud thee the Holy Spirit." Otherwise Vatablus and Cajetan: q. d. "Why hast thou lied," that is, why didst thou pretend to have the Holy Spirit, and to have made this offering of the price and this fraud at His prompting, when rather thou didst it at the instigation of Satan, who tempted thy heart, as the preceding text says? Further, to lie to the Holy Spirit is to deny to the Holy Spirit a thing promised and bound to Him by vow, or to break faith given to Him, and, as the Apostle says in I Timothy V, 12, to make it void. Whence in explanation he adds: "And to defraud of the price of the field." So all the Fathers whom I cited at verse 1. Let those who make vows learn here how strictly they ought to keep their vows: for if they violate them, they lie to the Holy Spirit. He therefore lies to the Holy Spirit who, having vowed obedience, when ordered by his Superior to do something less pleasing or less honorable, answers, "I cannot," instead of "I will not."

Verse 4: Was It Not, Remaining, Remaining to Thee

4. WAS IT NOT, REMAINING, REMAINING TO THEE. — It is a Hebraism, q. d. The price was wholly thine; thou wast free either to offer it to me or not to offer it, namely if thou hadst not by the obligation of vow and promise renounced the proprietorship of the goods; q. d. Why didst thou bind thyself by a vow, if thou wished to violate it? For thou couldst have refrained from vowing, and so reserved to thyself the ownership of the field and price. Wrongly therefore does Cajetan infer from this place that Ananias did not make a vow. The Syriac renders, "Was not the field thine before it was sold?"

AND BEING SOLD. — In Greek, καὶ πραθέν, namely the field, that is, having been sold, was in thy power. So the Syriac, Tigurine, and Pagninus. You will say: if the field had been sold, it was no longer in the power and ownership of the seller Ananias, but of another who had bought it. I answer: the word "sold" can first be taken materially for the thing sold; q. d. The thing sold, namely the field, before thou didst sell it, was in thy power; q. d. No one compelled thee to sell the field: thou couldst have kept it for thyself: why then didst thou sell it and vow its price to God, when thou wished to keep the greater part of its price for thyself contrary to the vow? Secondly, the word "sold" can be taken formally; but then "field" is taken metonymically for the price of the field, q. d. The price of the field sold by thee was in thy power, namely before thou didst vow it and offer it to God. Why then didst thou vow it and offer it to God, when thou wast thinking of defrauding and stealing away part of it? Hence it seems that Ananias sold the field before the vow, and made the vow in the offering of the price. For when the faithful laid the prices of their possessions at the feet of the Apostles, they professed, either expressly or tacitly, that they renounced from themselves their entire substance and transferred it to God and the Church, so that it might pass into His right and ownership, to be afterwards distributed among the faithful as the Apostles, their leaders, should judge. The community therefore, namely the Church, became the owner of these goods offered by the faithful. But the Apostles, since they had themselves professed poverty, were not owners, but dispensers, as Generals, Provincials, and Rectors of Religious Orders are now.

WHY HAST THOU CONCEIVED IN THY HEART? — "Heart" is either the intellect or the will. To place in the heart is therefore either to think — whence Vatablus renders, "why hast thou conceived?" — or to will and resolve: whence the Tigurine renders, "why hast thou induced into thy mind? why hast thou determined and decreed this thing, this sacrilege and breach of vow?"

NOT TO MEN HAST THOU LIED (namely, only or principally: for otherwise Ananias did truly lie to Peter and the Apostles), BUT TO GOD, — namely the Holy Spirit, as he said a little before, to whom thou didst vow thy goods. Whence the Fathers rightly infer against Macedonius that the Holy Spirit is God. So St. Athanasius, in the book On the Common Essence; Gregory of Nyssa, oration On the Son and the Holy Spirit; Jerome, on Isaias chapter LXIII; Ambrose, book III On the Holy Spirit, chapter X, and others. This sin of Ananias, then, was a sacrilege and an injury against the Holy Spirit. But properly it was not the sin which Christ in Matthew XII, 31, calls a sin against the Holy Spirit. For that is when works of the Holy Spirit, e.g., miracles, are attributed to Beelzebub and the demon, as is clear from that same passage.

Note: Ananias could be said to have lied also to the Father and the Son, yet he is properly said to have lied to the Holy Spirit: First, because after Christ's ascent into heaven, the Holy Spirit, sent at Pentecost upon the Apostles and the Church, became its lord, spouse, shepherd, indeed its soul and life: wherefore the fraud committed by Ananias against the Church is reckoned as committed against the Holy Spirit. Secondly, because to the Holy Spirit, as to the first and uncreated Love, are attributed all graces, virtues, and good works, especially heroic ones, such as consecrating oneself and one's possessions to God. The Holy Spirit therefore moved Ananias to this so sublime consecration and vow: wherefore he, drawing back and violating the vow, deceived the Holy Spirit, its Author. Thirdly, because the Holy Spirit had liberally poured Himself out upon Ananias and all the faithful, giving them all gifts of grace, both sanctifying and freely given; wherefore Ananias was ungrateful to Him, when he withdrew and stole away his small possessions promised to Him. For this was great indignity, avarice, and ingratitude; just as if a recipient should defraud a prince giving him a thousand talents of gold and deny him one obol that had been promised. This is what God indignantly complains of in Isaias LVII, 17: "For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry, and I struck him; I hid My face from thee, and was indignant; and he went on wandering in the way of his heart." For it is signal and most wicked avarice to deny oneself and one's goods to God, who has given all things, to whom we are bound by a thousand titles, and to whom we owe all that we possess, indeed all that we are. Fourthly, because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, whom Christ gave to the Church, that He might teach her all truth, John XVI, 13. To truth, however, falsehood is opposed, such as was this lie of Ananias. Again, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of candor and sincerity, to which dissimulation and hypocrisy are repugnant, such as was this conduct of Ananias.

Verse 5: Ananias Hearing These Words

5. HEARING. — Hence Porphyry accused St. Peter of cruelty and murder, because he had killed Ananias. To him St. Jerome, in epistle VIII, replies, denying that Peter killed him, since he did not even threaten or intend death against him. Whence Origen, tract 9 on Matthew, judges that Ananias, struck by Peter's so grave and unexpected rebuke, breathed out his soul through immense shame and grief — as we read of many others that they died of excessive sadness. Indeed Pliny, book VII, chapter LIII, testifies that a certain Diodorus, a professor of dialectics, died suddenly of shame because he could not at once resolve a playful question. It is truer that he perished, struck by a lethal blow divinely inflicted at the voice of Peter. For this death of his was not natural, but the punishment of sin and a blow inflicted by God. Whence Dionysius the Carthusian says that Ananias and Sapphira were secretly killed by an angel. The voice of Peter therefore was only the occasion or instrumental cause of the killing, and that not physical but moral, as is clear. Whence Tertullian, in book On Modesty, chapter XXI, judges that it was a figure of excommunication.

Origen (tract 8 on Matthew), St. Augustine (book III Against Parmenian, chapter 1), Cassian (Conference VI, chapter 1), and Isidore of Pelusium (book 1, epistle 181) note that this penalty of death was inflicted on Ananias by God for the terror of the newborn Church, that thereby public discipline might be sanctioned as the number of the faithful increased: yet Ananias was not damned eternally; rather, by the destruction of the flesh provision was made for the spiritual and eternal salvation of him and his wife. They therefore repented when they heard Peter's rebuke, before they expired; and perhaps they expired from contrition and excessive grief, as happened to that wicked man who was hearing a sermon of blessed Vincent Ferrer, as is related in his Life — unless you say that they made not an express vow, but only a tacit renunciation of their goods by their offering itself; and accordingly that, being still inexperienced in evangelical matters, they had judged that they could without grave sin keep something of these for their own uses, and so were excused by ignorance and offended only venially: so Peter Damian, epistle 15, chapter III. For thus God struck Uzzah for touching the ark, namely because he had supported it as it was falling, I Kings VI, 7. So He killed the prophet by a lion, because he had eaten in Bethel against His command, seduced by another prophet who claimed that the contrary had been revealed to him, III Kings XIII, 24, where there seems to have been only a venial sin. The contrary is intimated by St. Augustine, sermon 27 On the Words of the Apostle: "Ananias," he says, "lost both his life and his salvation alike." And St. Basil, sermon 1 On the Institutes of Monks, says: "He could find no opening for repentance," since struck by sudden death.

Morally, hence let Religious learn how strictly they must observe the vow of poverty; likewise let executors of testaments learn how zealously they must carry out pious legacies, and not divert them to their own or profane uses: for God is a most severe avenger of this sacrilege. St. Jerome, in epistle 22 to Eustochium, On Virginity, writes that the profession of poverty among the monks of his time was so strict that no one was permitted even to ask for necessities, although the diligence of the superiors kept watch lest anything necessary should be lacking to anyone. And he adds that on one occasion in a certain monastery of Nitria there was found a monk now about to die, who had kept back several solidi for himself; on account of which it pleased Macarius, Isidore, and other elders that the coins should be buried with the dead man, all crying out: "Thy money be with thee unto perdition. Nor let anyone, he says, think this was done cruelly: so great a terror seized everyone throughout all Egypt that to have laid aside one solidus was reckoned a crime." The same was done by St. Gregory in a similar case, as he himself relates in book IV of the Dialogues, chapter IX. Indeed, the Church once punished property-holding Religious by denying them burial. For Clement III, in the canon Super quodam, On the State of Monks, decrees that a regular Canon who has not resigned his property is to be denied Christian burial in death, and, if buried, to be exhumed. The same is decreed by Innocent III in the Lateran Council, as is held in the same place, in the chapter Monachi.

Furthermore, the vow of poverty properly consists in this, and binds under mortal sin to this: that one is permitted to have nothing as one's own, or without the permission of a Superior, who is the dispenser of common goods. Whence St. Augustine, On the Common Life of Clerics, as quoted in chapter Non dicatur, XII, Question 1: "It is certain," he says, "that they ought to have, possess, give or receive nothing without the license of a Superior." The same, on chapter XXVIII of III Kings: "But if," he says, "anything is given to someone, such as a garment, let it be reduced to the common property, and given to whoever may need it. But if anyone has concealed a thing given to him, let him be condemned by the judgment of theft." And St. Basil, in the Monastic Constitutions, chapter XXXV: "Theft," he says, "is private possession." You will say, from whom does he steal? St. Basil replies: "For the despoiling of the community is the withdrawal of any thing from any source whatever to private use." Wherefore the same St. Basil, as Cassian relates in book VII On the Institutes of Renouncers, chapter XIX, said to a certain senator who, having renounced his dignity, the world, and his wealth, had professed monastic life, but in such a way that he kept back some things for himself lest he should be forced to work with his hands like the other monks: "You have both lost the senator and not made the monk." The Author of the sermons to the Brethren in the Desert, in volume X of St. Augustine (for it is certain that these sermons are not by St. Augustine), in sermon 5, relates that a monk Januarius had secretly kept for himself a hundred shekels, which when the brethren found after his death, they cast into his tomb, lamenting and saying: "Thy money be with thee unto perdition. For it is not lawful for us, the servants of God, to set it in food, or in clothing, or in the work of monks, because it is the price of damnation."

Caesarius relates a similar thing in book IX of his Memorable Histories, chapter LXIV, about a property-owning monk whom the brethren, exhuming and casting out into a field with his five solidi, cried out over: "Thy money, which secretly from us thou didst possess against thy profession, be with thee unto eternal perdition." Our Alphonsus Rodriguez recounts many things similar to these in his treatise On Poverty, at the end. On poverty and private property see St. Augustine, epistle 109, and St. Basil in the place cited, and St. Bernard in the treatise On the Manner of Living Well, chapter XLVIII. For the scholastic and didactic treatment, see our authors Suárez, Lessius, and Thomas Sanchez in their treatises On the Vow of Poverty.

From this passage St. Boniface (and after him all Bishops when they are ordained), when he was being ordained Bishop of Mainz by Gregory II, took with this formula the oath of obedience and fidelity to him: "That if (which God forbid) I should attempt in any way, by any device or occasion, to do anything contrary to the tenor of this my promise, may I be found guilty in eternal judgment, may I incur the punishment of Ananias and Sapphira, who presumed to commit fraud against you (that is, against blessed Peter) even in their own goods." Here he seems to indicate that they were damned. Again, St. Gregory, by the example of Ananias, rebukes Venantius, who from a monk had become a Patrician and Chancellor of Italy. For thus he writes to him, in book IX, epistle 33: "Ananias had vowed money to God, which afterwards, overcome by diabolic persuasion, he withdrew; but with what death he was punished, you know. If then he was worthy of the peril of death who took away from God the money he had given, consider with how great a peril in the divine judgment you will be worthy, you who have withdrawn from Almighty God not money, but your very self, to whom you had vowed yourself under the monastic habit?"

Moreover, from the ruin of Ananias let Confessors learn not easily to permit their penitents to make vows, especially of the whole and perpetual kind, unless they have long and thoroughly tested their constancy. Rather let them persuade them to partial and temporary vows, e.g., to vow that they will give this or that alms, or perform some pious work, or that they will keep chastity for a month or a year; and when this has elapsed, to make a new vow for a new month or year, if it has gone well before. For thus they will have the merit of a vow without the danger of sacrilege.

Verse 7: His Wife, Not Knowing What Had Happened

7. HIS WIFE, NOT KNOWING WHAT HAD BEEN DONE. — Because, as Chrysostom says, "no one dared to announce what had happened: so much did they observe and revere Peter and obey him."

Verse 8: He Said to Her

8. HE SAID — "To the woman as she greeted him," says Cajetan. More simply, the Syriac, instead of "answered," renders "said," as does Our (Vulgate). For thus the Hebrews take "to answer" for "to say" and to begin a discourse.

FOR SO MUCH. — Peter expressed the amount of the price which had been offered by Ananias. So Lyranus; yet Luke is silent about it.

Verse 9: Why Have You Agreed Together

9. WHY HAVE YOU AGREED TOGETHER. — Τί συνεφωνήθη ὑμῖν, that is, what was agreed among you? what have you contracted? Tigurine and Pagninus: what have you conspired among yourselves.

TO TEMPT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD. — "Spirit" here can first be taken as the prophetic Spirit, q. d. Why have you wished to tempt and try whether I am endowed with a prophetic spirit and know your hidden fraud and theft? For although they themselves did not intend this temptation, in fact they were tempting. So Cajetan. Secondly, "Spirit" here can be taken for the judgment, condemnation, zeal, and indignation of the Lord, from whom they had stolen the price that had been offered, q. d. Why have you wished to experience the judgment, indignation, and punishment of the Lord? Whence follows:

BEHOLD THE FEET OF THEM WHO HAVE BURIED THY HUSBAND, AT THE DOOR. — q. d. The young men who have buried thy slain husband are at the door, that in like manner they may carry thee out and bury thee; for by the divine Spirit I see them returning from thy husband's burial, and approaching with their feet the door of this house.

Verse 11: There Came Great Fear

11. AND THERE CAME GREAT FEAR. — "No one," says Chrysostom, "groaned there, no one wailed, since they reverenced the divine judgment and learned that God is not to be despised."

AND UPON ALL, — over all. So Pagninus. Therefore this fear pervaded even the Jews who did not believe in Christ: for they thought, if Peter has so struck and killed the faithful, then he can also strike and kill us, if we offend him.

Verse 12: By the Hands of the Apostles

12. NOW BY THE HANDS OF THE APOSTLES, — that is, through the Apostles, as through wonder-working instruments of the omnipotence of God; for the hand is the organ of organs, as Aristotle says in the book On the Parts of Animals. Add that in fact many miracles were done by hands, namely by blessing, by stretching out, by raising, or by contact of hands; as Peter, raising up the lame man with his hand, restored him to health, in chapter III, verse 7.

IN SOLOMON'S PORCH, — that they might preach there more freely and to more people. For this porch was in the court of the Gentiles, as I said in chapter III, verse 2, to which entry was open to all, even to the unclean and to the Gentiles; whereas the court of the Jews lay open only to clean and undefiled Jews. Add that this porch was very spacious, and therefore capable of holding the many thousands now converted to Christ, who flocked to the Apostles for the sake of prayer, the Eucharist, and preaching.

Verse 13: But of the Rest No Man Durst

13. BUT OF THE REST NO ONE. — First, some explain thus, q. d. No one of the still-unbelieving Jews dared to give his name to Christ and to join the Church and the Apostles, out of fear of the rulers who were persecuting the Apostles. But what follows is against this: "And the multitude of believers in the Lord was the more increased." Secondly, others explain, q. d. No one of the faithful who had not yet renounced their goods dared to associate themselves with the Apostles: for they feared lest they should fall into the case of Ananias and Sapphira. But this is little probable: for from the case of Ananias they were rather incited to the contrary, namely to liberally offering all their possessions to the Apostles; for in doing this, they were certain that no evil would befall them; but in not doing it, they were doubtful and fearful. I say therefore that the sense is, q. d. The Apostles alone dwelt in Solomon's porch; none of the others dared to join them, to insert themselves among them, to profess himself an Apostle or familiar with the Apostles; and this partly out of fear of the Magistrates, partly out of admiration and reverence for the Apostles, because they doubted that they could rise to their dignity and virtue. For they were, as Chrysostom says, "as admirable as angels," undismayed before threats and dangers, finer than wealth and delights, breathing divine fire, venerable in gravity, lovable in affability, fervid in charity, heavenly in prayer, divine in morals. Whence follows: "But the people magnified them."

Verse 14: Believers in the Lord

14. OF BELIEVERS IN THE LORD, — that is, of those believing the Lord, namely Jesus Christ. It is a Hebraism, namely the beth of contact, which the Hebrews join to all verbs which signify any touch, whether bodily or spiritual. For they say "to touch in the hand," that is, to touch the hand; "to strike in the head," that is, to strike the head; "to believe in the Lord," that is, to believe the Lord. For believing signifies a spiritual contact; for he who believes extends his mind through faith to Him in whom he believes, and so spiritually touches Him by his faith. See what is said on Exodus chapter XII, verse 31.

Verse 15: That at Least His Shadow Might Overshadow

15. THEY BROUGHT OUT INTO THE STREETS; — they were carrying out into the streets: for this is the Greek ἐκφέρειν. q. d. So great was the multitude of miracles, so great the throng of sick rushing to the Apostles, that they could neither carry them to the Apostles, nor could the Apostles go to them house by house; wherefore they carried them out into the streets through which the Apostles were going to pass, that they might be cured there by them. So Cajetan. A grabatum is a simpler and humbler kind of bed, the portable one of the poor and the sick, on which, as they lie, they are carried by porters or beasts of burden to a hospital or transferred elsewhere. So Cicero, in book II On Divination.

THAT WHEN PETER CAME, AT LEAST HIS SHADOW MIGHT OVERSHADOW ANY OF THEM. — Wonderful thaumaturgy of Peter: not only by his body, but even by the mere shadow of his body, which is a thing void and a mere privation of body and light, he heals the sick. Behold here that saying of Christ fulfilled: "He who believes in Me, the works that I do he also shall do, and greater than these shall he do." For Peter performed greater miracles than Christ. Now it was not the shadow, but the body of Peter touching the sick through his shadow, that healed them, as the instrument and instrumental cause of Almighty God, whether physical or rather moral. Bozius notes, in book XVIII On the Notes of the Church, chapter 1 (and St. Chrysostom hints at this), the phrase "any of them," and judges it to mean that, when Peter's shadow touched but one, all the others who were near him or laid out in the same street were healed, even though they were not touched by Peter's shadow. For it follows in the plural: "And they were freed from their infirmities." The whole context of our Latin version inclines to this sense; but not the Greek, nor the Syriac; for both omit that phrase: "And they were freed from their infirmities." The simpler and more certain sense, then, is, q. d. They all eagerly strove to insert themselves into Peter's shadow: for as many as were touched by it were healed. So St. Vincent Ferrer, in his sermon on Good Friday, says some judge that for this reason only one thief, who was on the right hand of Christ crucified, was converted, because the shadow of the crucified Christ touched him alone. The cause is given by St. Ambrose, book III of the Hexaemeron: "This greenness of grace ever flourishing in Christ, he says, the Church through the ages declares in Canticles II: In His shadow I delighted and sat. The Apostles received this prerogative of the greening gift, of whom not even a leaf could ever fall away, so that even their shadow cured the sick. For the faith of the mind and the flowering merits of virtues overshadowed the infirmity of the body."

Symbolically, Bede judges that by the shadow of Peter is signified the Sacraments of the Church (which are as it were the veils of grace), by the contact of which in this present life, which is shadowy and passes by like a shadow, we are justified, and so by them we are led to the heavenly realities which are figured by these shadows. Again, St. Augustine, in sermon 29 On the Saints, infers: if the shadow of Peter could do so much, how much will his chains and relics be able to do? "If so curative," he says, "was the overshadowing of the visitor, how much more the chain of the binder? etc.; for the bonds of his passion, impressed with iron weight upon his sacred limbs, deserved to draw more healing power from the body." Again, if a shadow could do this, what will an image of Peter be able to do? For a shadow is the natural image of the body, but empty and fleeting; whereas an image is real and stable. Whence Clement of Alexandria, in the Exhortation, after Pliny, teaches that the art of painting and portraying arose from a shadow.

Finally, Peter's shadow teaches prelates that they ought to reside, that being present they may take care of their subjects, overshadow, cover, and rule them. Physically, Pliny in book XVII, chapter XII, teaches that bodies communicate their quality to their shadow: wherefore a great power is in the shadow in both directions, and so in planting trees an exact account must be had of it. "The shadow," he says, "of walnut trees is heavy and harmful, even to the human head, and to all the crops nearby, etc. That of figs is light, though spreading; and so they are not forbidden to be planted among vines. That of elms is light, even nourishing whatever it overshadows. That of plane-trees is pleasant, though dense. The poplar's is none, with its playing leaves. The alder's is rich, but feeds the crops. The vine suffices for itself, with its mobile leaf and frequent flutter tempering the sun by its shadow. The shadow of nearly all is light whose stalks are long. This knowledge is not to be despised, nor to be placed in the lowest rank, since to each and every plant the shadow is either nurse or stepmother. Indeed of the walnut, the pine, the spruce, and the fir, whatever they have touched is undoubtedly poison." The same, in book VIII, chapter XXX, writes: "By contact with the shadow of the hyena, dogs become dumb." In like manner the shadow of Peter and of the Saints is salutary to the good, harmful to the wicked, not by natural force, but by divine. God therefore, in this miracle of Peter's shadow, alluded to the natural property of shadow now recounted.

Verse 16: Troubled by Unclean Spirits

16. TROUBLED (ὀχλουμένους, that is, disturbed, perturbed, agitated) BY UNCLEAN SPIRITS, — namely the demoniacs either possessed by demons, or obsessed and tormented. They are called unclean, because they burn with pride, anger, and hatred of God and of men; and because they solicit men to gluttony, lust, and every kind of sin. Hence too when they appear, they appear only in the form of asses, goats, cats, swine, and similar foul and unclean animals.

Note: Here and in the Gospels frequent mention is made of those possessed by demons, whom Christ and the Apostles cured: indeed, more frequently than in the whole Old Testament; because in the time of Christ the heresy of the Sadducees was flourishing, which denied that there were angels and spirits, and to refute this God permitted the demon to possess human bodies and in them to display himself and his power. And this sometimes without fault, sometimes for the punishment of fault — of the possessed or of their parents — especially of grave and mortal fault; yet sometimes also for venial fault, such as moderate gluttony, anger, sloth, of which examples exist in St. Gregory, book I of the Dialogues, chapter IV; in Cassian, Conference VII, chapter XXVII, and others. For a similar cause God now permits so many witches and magicians, and so many of their evil works, against the atheists, who likewise deny all spirit, indeed all divinity.

Furthermore, among the other gifts and marks of the Church conferred by Christ, one outstanding one is the power of casting out demons, as from continual experience St. Justin objects to the Gentiles in his dialogue against Trypho, and St. Anthony, as quoted by St. Athanasius. Whence the Church ordains exorcists for this purpose, that by sacred exorcisms they may expel demons; whereas on the contrary Luther, in the year 1545, wishing to cast out a demon, was reduced by him to the most extreme straits, as is related by his then disciple but afterwards enemy Staphylus in his Reply Against Smidelin, and by Bredenbach, book VII of Conferences, chapter XL, who in chapters XLII and XLIII recounts many other similar examples.

WHO WERE ALL CURED. — It is likely that many of these, having seen the miracles of the Apostles, believed in Christ, and when they were baptized, by the power of baptism — in which an exorcism is used to expel the demon — were freed from the demon. For that this happened to many others is related here by our Lorinus; and Prudentius, in his Apotheosis, and Lactantius, book IV, chapter XXVII, relate that those who after baptism were seized by the demon were accustomed to be freed from him by the power of the sacrament of Confirmation, which they received.

Verse 17: Which Is the Heresy of the Sadducees

17. WHICH IS THE HERESY, — that is, the sect; the Tigurine, faction, as is clear from Acts chapter XXIV, verse 14.

OF THE SADDUCEES. — The Syriac: "who were of the doctrine of the Sadducees"; q. d. The High Priest with his men, who in sect were Sadducees, persecuted the Apostles because they preached the resurrection, which they themselves, being Sadducees, obstinately denied. He intimates that the High Priest was likewise a Sadducee, and therefore indignant at the Apostles.

THEY WERE FILLED WITH ZEAL. — Pagninus, with emulation; the Syriac, with envy; q. d. They put on the zeal of their own sect, namely of defending Sadduceeism, and so they envied the Apostles who were attacking it by miracles and as it were triumphing over it, and they sought to oppress them; but the zeal of the Apostles, being heavenly and divine, conquered and overwhelmed the earthly and perverse zeal of the Sadducees.

Verse 18: In the Common Prison

18. IN THE COMMON PRISON, — δημοσίᾳ, that is, the public and plebeian one, in which were held imprisoned thieves and robbers and other low and base evildoers, that they might affect the Apostles with the greater ignominy and pain, as if they were similar to other evildoers — as in guilt, so also in punishment. For nobles were placed in a more honorable and convenient secret prison, says Hugo.

Verse 19: An Angel of the Lord

19. NOW AN ANGEL OF THE LORD. — Some judge that it was St. Michael, to whom is committed the care of the Church, and therefore also of its head, namely the Pope, such as St. Peter was. So Pantaleon Chartophylax in his Encomium of St. Michael, which is extant in Surius for September 29; Sophronius, in volume II of the Library of the Holy Fathers, in his Encomium of the Angels, and others. Arator adds that this angel came glittering with vast light, and by it illumined the prison and the night; for otherwise the Apostles could not have seen him.

OPENING THE DOORS OF THE PRISON. — Rupert, Dionysius, Gagnaeus, and others judge that the doors were not really opened, but only by phantasy; for the angel led them out of the prison with the doors closed, by the penetration of dimensions (as Christ at His birth penetrated the closed womb of His Mother, and at His Resurrection penetrated the stone with which the sepulcher was closed), but so easily, as if he had led them out through the opened gates of the prison: whence it seemed to them that they had gone out through opened doors. But the contrary is truer, namely that the angel really did open the prison: for an angel cannot make one body penetrate another; but as soon as he led them out, he again shut the doors: whence the ministers of the Magistrate found them shut, verse 23.

Morally, learn here that God is most especially present to His own in straitened circumstances, and then shows His power, even by miracle, in defending them: therefore no one is then to despair, but rather to sharpen his hope in God, and to invoke His help with the greatest confidence, as there is no doubt that the Apostles did here.

Verse 20: Go, and Standing Speak

20. GO, AND STANDING, — as it were standing firm in the faith and the preaching of Christ. For standing is a symbol and gesture of constancy and of the constant. Whence in Wisdom chapter V, verse 1, it is said of them: "The just shall stand in great constancy against those who have afflicted them." Note here how great a liberty and generosity God and the angels require of His heralds, namely that they should oppose themselves to the whole council, and preach against its will, fearing neither its threats, nor torments, nor death.

SPEAK, etc., ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LIFE. — "Of life," that is, of the institution, namely of Christianity; secondly, "of life," namely Christian life; thirdly, "of life," namely eternal life: which, of course, show the way and lead to salvation and eternal life.

Verse 21: They Entered the Temple at Daybreak

21. THEY ENTERED THE TEMPLE AT DAYBREAK. — The Syriac: "at the time of beauty." For dawn is most beautiful, both from the gold-tressed sun rising, and from the song of birds, and from the sweet breath exhaling through the light and warmth from flowers, herbs, sprouts, and dew. Plato writes, in book X of the Laws, that all the Greeks, equally with the Barbarians, adore God both at the rising and the setting of the sun: wherefore Clement, in book II of the Constitutions, chapter XXIV, sharply rebukes Christians who go late to the temples, since the Gentiles and the Jews frequent their synagogues at daybreak; and indeed the Wise One, in chapter XVI, verse 28, teaches that the manna from heaven had snowed at daybreak: "That it might be known to all," he says, "that one must anticipate the sun for Thy blessing, and adore Thee at the rising of the light." Thus here the Apostles, released from prison, at first daybreak go to the temple, both for the sake of prayer and thanksgiving, and for the sake of preaching, knowing of course that the Jewish hearers would, by custom, come to the temple at daybreak for prayer.

Climacus, the great master of the spiritual life, in step 26, excellently teaches that everyone ought to begin and end the day with prayer, so that one may awake with God and fall asleep with Him: for upon this depends the whole remainder of either the day or the night; and so the evening demon lies in wait for us in the evening, and the morning demon in the morning: "As often," he says, "as we have lain down on our bed for the sake of rest, the unclean spirit comes and hurls iniquitous and sordid thoughts at us like darts, so that, when through sloth we do not rise to prayer, nor more swiftly arm ourselves against him, we fall asleep in sordid thoughts and see sordid dreams." Then he adds concerning the morning: "There is one of the spirits who is called the forerunner, who immediately receives us as we rise from sleep, and tries to defile our first thought. Give the Lord the first-fruits of your day. For the whole day will belong to him who has occupied it first. A certain very excellent workman spoke a memorable word: 'From the very morning hour,' he said, 'I know the whole course of my day.'" Therefore, the faithful, as soon as they awake, in the manner of birds and with the birds, should begin to give jubilant praise to God.

COMING, — to the place appointed for the council.

THEY CALLED TOGETHER THE COUNCIL. — The Syriac: his associates and colleagues, namely the lesser pontiffs, who were his counselors, just as Cardinals are now to the Pope.

Verse 24: The Captain of the Temple

24. The captain of the temple, — στρατηγός, that is the leader of the soldiers, and as it were the praetor of the temple, as I said from Chrysostom and Bede in chap. IV, verse 1.

WHAT WOULD BECOME OF THEM? — τί ἂν γένοιτο τοῦτο, what could this be?; or, what had become of them? So the Syriac; the Tigurine: what could this mean? Vatablus: how could this have happened? Namely whether the Apostles had bribed the prison guards with money to open it for them, or had broken open the prison by force, or had escaped from it by magical sleight — as Apollonius of Tyana seems to have done, who, having been imprisoned at Rome by Domitian, suddenly appeared at Puteoli, as Philostratus testifies, in book VIII of his Life, chap. IV. Linus translates differently: what was about to come of this? — as if to say, they puzzled over what would result from this matter, what outcome it would have.

Verse 26: He Brought Them Without Violence

26. HE BROUGHT THEM WITHOUT VIOLENCE. — The Apostles obeyed the Magistrate, or Praetor, although they were not bound to do so and could have repelled his violence with the help of the people who were attached to them, in order to give an example of Evangelical humility, patience, integrity, constancy and obedience toward Magistrates, even unbelieving and hostile ones, according to Christ's command, Matt. chap. X, verse 12, and John chap. XIV, verse 27. For a good conscience fears nothing, leaning on God and certain of His help and protection, "who like birds was always snatching them (the Apostles) from their (the Jews') hands," says St. Chrysostom.

Verse 28: With Strict Charge We Charged

28. With strict charge we charged. — as if to say: Plainly, gravely, and severely, under heavy penalties, we charged you.

AND YOU WISH TO BRING UPON US. — as if to say: You wish to impute to us and lay upon us the crime of homicide, namely that we have impiously and unjustly killed Christ, the true, innocent and holy One, and so to bring upon us infamy and danger of life, both among the people and among the Romans, the masters of affairs, who are powerful as well as just avengers of crimes. For to bring the blood of someone upon another is to make him guilty of homicide, and to demand from him the penalties for it, namely that he should give his own blood, and his life, for the blood of another which he unjustly shed. "The Prince of the Priests has forgotten," says Bede, "the debt which he had imprecated upon himself and his own, saying: His blood be upon us and upon our children."

Of this man, — of Jesus Christ, whom they disdain to name, either on account of His glory, says the Glossa: because indeed they envy Him and try to obscure and abolish His name; or on account of hatred: for those whom we hate, we cannot bear to see, hear, or name.

Verse 29: We Ought to Obey God Rather Than Men

29. BUT PETER AND THE APOSTLES ANSWERING. — Lyranus thinks that Peter alone spoke for the rest, lest, if all were to speak, there would be a confusion of voices that could not be understood. Better, Hugo, Dionysius and others think that, when Peter began the response, the others backed him up and each confirmed the response: for they were full of zeal and ardor, both for preaching and confessing Christ, and for suffering for Him.

WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN. — This is a golden maxim, modest and strong, to be engraved on all hearts, which demands daily and continual practice in every place and time. Trusting in this, the Apostles and Martyrs opposed themselves to the edicts of Emperors concerning the worship of idols and other things forbidden by God, even to fires, crosses and beasts. Thus the Maccabees answered Antiochus, who commanded them to eat the flesh of swine against the law of God: "I do not obey the command of the king, but the command of the Law, which has been given to us through Moses," 2 Macc. chap. VII, verse 30. Similar to this is the axiom of Plato in the Phaedrus: "It is lawful for no man to depart from that office which God has commanded him." For, as the same says in the Euthyphro: "That is holy which is acceptable and pleasing to God."

Secondly, the Apostles tacitly by this saying and the following one rebuke their judges and pontiffs: "For with great wisdom they show that those men are fighting with God," says St. Chrysostom.

Verse 31: This Prince and Saviour

31. THIS PRINCE AND SAVIOR. — σωτῆρα, concerning which St. Augustine, in book III On the Trinity, chap. X: "He who is in Hebrew Jesus," he says, "in Greek σωτήρ, but in our speech Savior." Thus the Gentiles surnamed Antiochus 'Soter,' from the salvation he brought to his own people.

Exalted, — from earth to heaven through His glorious Ascension, says St. Chrysostom, just as in verse 30 "He raised" the same from death through the Resurrection. Again He exalted Him on earth through our preaching, by giving Him glory of name, and by gradually subjecting to Him Jews and Gentiles, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father," Phil. chap. II, verse 11.

TO GIVE REPENTANCE, — that through Christ, and through Christ's merits, for His glory, He might give Israel place and means of repentance, and through it the remission of sins, namely justice and salvation: not because our justification consists wholly in the remission of sins by Christ's righteousness imputed to us, as Calvin raves, denying habitual grace and infused virtues, whose error therefore the Council of Trent condemns in session VI, canon 11; but because our justification in this life consists rather in the remission of sins than in the perfection of righteousness, says St. Augustine in book XIX On the City, chap. XXVII. For after original sin has been remitted in baptism, mortal sins committed after baptism are remitted to us in the sacrament of Penance; after that we frequently relapse, from innate concupiscence, into at least venial sins, for whose remission we pray daily by Christ's command, saying: "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors." See Bellarmine, book II On Justification, chap. III and VI.

Furthermore Peter, above the other gifts of Christ and Christianity, sets before the judges the remission of sins, because he was charging them with a most grave sin, namely that they had killed Christ; lest then they should despair of His pardon, he asserts that God, through Christ, will forgive them all sins whatsoever, even this Christ-killing, if they repent and believe in Christ. For "Christ," says Oecumenius, "having been exalted by God, forgets injuries."

Verse 32: We Are Witnesses of These Things

32. And we are witnesses of these words, — that is of these things and mysteries (for word is put for the thing signified by the word, by metonymy), namely of Christ's resurrection, ascension and exaltation, and of repentance and remission of sins, promised by God to those who believe in Christ. So Lyranus.

AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. — In Greek καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα δὲ τὸ ἅγιον, that is, as Pagninus and the Tigurine: "and moreover also the Holy Spirit," as if to say: Not only are we witnesses of Christ, but also the Holy Spirit, who through us fearlessly utters this testimony concerning Christ, and who works through us so many signs and miracles for confidence in this His testimony, indeed He communicates Himself to all who believe in Christ, and so He will also communicate Himself to you, though you be Christ-killers, if you believe in Christ. Furthermore the Holy Spirit gave testimony of Christ not only through the Apostles, but also through Himself, both because in the form of a tongue, fire, and wind He visibly descended upon believers in baptism; and because He inwardly suggested to the mind of believers faith, hope and love toward Christ. What sort and how great a witness the Holy Spirit is, St. Cyril teaches in book X on John, chap. XXXIII.

Verse 33: They Were Cut to the Heart

33. When they had heard these things, they were cut to the heart. — The Syriac: they tore themselves apart with fury; others: they gnashed and ground their teeth, as if they were drawing a saw through their mouth. Our Vulgate excellently has "they were cut asunder," as though cut and sawn through the middle of the heart by the saw of wrath and fury; for this is the Greek διαπρίεσθαι. For great grief, envy and anger is, as it were, a saw cutting asunder the angry man's mind, and tearing it into a thousand thoughts, motions and surges of impatience and indignation. On the contrary, the Apostles, gentle and strong, set in the midst of their enemies, enjoyed the highest peace and serenity of mind. So great a thing is a mind conscious of right and fixed on God.

THEY WERE THINKING, — ἐβουλεύοντο, that is, they were consulting, as the Tigurine and Pagninus translate.

Verse 34: A Pharisee Named Gamaliel

34. A Pharisee. — Pharisee in Hebrew means the same as expositor, explainer, namely of Holy Scripture and the divine law; or separated from others, namely by religion and loftiness of life. For they were considered among the Jews most expert and most observant of the law. Whence Paul too before his conversion was a Pharisee, chap. XXIII, 6, and Philip. III, 5. See what is said there.

GAMALIEL. — He was the teacher of St. Paul, St. Barnabas and St. Stephen, who afterwards believed in Christ and publicly professed His faith, and is listed among the Saints in the Martyrology on August 3, together with his son Abibo, as is clear from Lucian in the Account of the finding of the body of St. Stephen, Nicodemus, Gamaliel and Abibo, which Baronius recounts. For Gamaliel appearing to Lucian revealed the place of his burial and that of his companions. Therefore even now he secretly favored Christ and the Apostles; indeed St. Clement, in book I of the Recognitions, chap. IX, and after him Bede, assert that he was already a Christian (though Chrysostom denies it), but at the Apostles' urging concealed his faith, that in the council he might defend the Apostles and disperse the counsels of the Pontiffs against them, as St. Sebastian did for the Christians under Diocletian. Furthermore Gamaliel in Hebrew means the same as "my retribution is God," or "weaned of God," or "my strong camel," says Pagninus in the Hebrew Names, all of which fit Gamaliel excellently.

HONORABLE, — τίμιος, that is, held in esteem. So the Tigurine and Pagninus, and that both on account of his wisdom, and on account of his virtue and gravity of manners.

HE COMMANDED THE MEN TO BE PUT FORTH FOR A SHORT TIME. — q. d. He suggested to the President of the council that he should order the Apostles to be led out of the council for a short time. So the Syriac: both lest he should cast suspicion upon his colleagues that he secretly favored the Apostles, if he had excused them in their presence, says St. Chrysostom; and that he might more effectively defend them in their absence. So Lyranus.

35. TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES. — He soothes the fury of the judges, urging mature deliberation, as if to say: Do not hasten the sentence out of passion and anger, lest you afterward, but too late, repent of it. So St. Chrysostom. Wisely Aristotle, in book VI of the Ethics, chap. IX, asserts that "things deliberated upon must indeed be done quickly, but with deliberation we should take counsel slowly."

Verse 36: Theudas Arose

36. THEUDAS AROSE. — Others: Theudas. This one is different from the Theudas of whom Josephus speaks in book XX of the Antiquities, chap. II, who under Cuspius Fadus, Procurator of Judaea, that is in the fourth year of Claudius Caesar, feigned himself a prophet, many years after this oration of Gamaliel (for Gamaliel said these things in the 34th year of Christ, which was the 18th of Tiberius Caesar: whom then Caius Caligula succeeded, and Claudius succeeded Caius). In this Eusebius is mistaken, in book II of his History, chap. XI, as also Bede, Dionysius and others; unless one says that Josephus errs in the chronology of Theudas, and that Theudas stirred up his rebellion among the Jews long before Claudius — which however is difficult to believe, namely that Josephus erred by so many years in a matter of his own age; for he himself was a contemporary of Claudius. Perhaps the Theudas of Josephus was the son or nephew of our Theudas, who tried to revive his suppressed rebellion and to avenge the killing of his father or uncle, as we see done even today.

SAYING HIMSELF TO BE SOMEBODY. — The Greek adds μέγαν, that is great; the Syriac: saying himself to be Rab, or Rabbi, that is some great teacher and prophet. The people were persuaded, from the oracles of the Prophets and from the scepter being transferred from Judah to Herod the foreigner, that the time of the Messiah was at hand, who would restore the kingdom to the Jews and would rule the whole world. Tacitus too mentions this persuasion in book XXI, as do others. Many imposters therefore seized that opportunity to set themselves forth as the Messiah, among whom this Theudas seems to have been one. Hear concerning him from Josephus: "In Judaea a certain trickster named Theudas persuaded a great multitude of the common people to take their possessions and follow him to the river Jordan (for he boasted himself a prophet), promising that he would split the river Jordan with a word and provide an easy crossing, and by such a promise he seduced many. But Fadus sent against them squadrons of cavalry, who, attacking by surprise, killed many of them, took many alive, and among them Theudas himself, whose severed head he brought back to Jerusalem." For whether the Theudas of Josephus and the Theudas of Gamaliel here be one and the same, or different, certainly each was of similar genius and disposition.

Who agreed with him, — ᾧ προσεκολλήθη, that is, to whom he was glued; Pagninus, to whom he adhered.

Verse 37: Judas the Galilean

37. AFTER HIM AROSE JUDAS THE GALILEAN. — From this you may again gather that our Theudas was different from the one of Josephus; for the latter was under Claudius, ours under Augustus: for he was before Judas the Galilean, who began to rebel against the Romans at the birth of Christ. Thus Origen, in book I Against Celsus, and tract 21 on Matthew, teaches that Theudas was before the birth of Christ, but Judas a little after it, namely at the census which Augustus made at the birth of Christ. Thus also Lucius Dexter in his Chronicle, at the second year of Christ, which was the 753rd of the city of Rome, has these words: "Three suns appeared in Spain gathered into one. Augustus adopts Tiberius and Agrippa as sons. Judas the Galilean exhorts the Jews to rebel against the Romans;" indeed Luke too here, or rather Gamaliel, saying: "After him arose Judas the Galilean in the days of the enrollment," that is in the days of the census, as I shall presently say. Others, who hold our Theudas to be the same as the one of Josephus, and therefore later than Judas the Galilean, reply that "after this man" is the same as "besides this man": for the Greek μετά does not always mean order of time, but the connection of things. But this exposition seems harsh and strained: for in Greek μετὰ τοῦτον properly means "after this man," as the Vulgate, the Tigurine, Pagninus and others everywhere translate, not "besides this man."

In the days of the enrollment, — ἀπογραφῆς, that is of the description. So the Tigurine. The Syriac: in the days when men were enrolled at the head-tax, namely head-by-head in the census. For in the census these three things were done: first, each one professed himself a subject of Caesar Augustus; second, they paid him the tax as a sign of subjection; third, they were registered by the prefect in the Imperial registers, in order to compute the number of Jews and other nations, which professed themselves subject to Caesar, that from that Caesar might know how great the strength of the provinces was, both for paying tribute and for conscripting soldiers, or even for imposing them, lest the provinces, relying on their multitude and strength, should rebel against Caesar. This is the census of which Luke, chap. II, 1, speaks: "There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This first enrollment was made by Cyrinus, governor of Syria: and all went to be enrolled, each into his own city. And Joseph also went up, etc." Therefore Judas, having seized the occasion of this census, began to stir up the Jews to rebel against the Romans, saying that it was unworthy that a faithful nation, and the sons of Abraham hitherto free, should begin to serve the unfaithful Caesar and the Romans. He added that it was forbidden them by the Law to pay tribute to the Romans. For Deut. XXIII, after verse 17: "There shall not be a harlot," etc., the Septuagint adds: "There shall not be a τελεσφόρος from the daughters of Israel," which Tertullian, in the book On Modesty, chap. IX, and St. Jerome, epistle 146, translate: "There shall not be one paying tribute from the sons of Israel;" for τέλος signifies tribute. But wrongly; for this sentence is not had in the Hebrew text, nor in the Latin and others. Wherefore it seems to have been added by the Septuagint to explain the preceding law: "There shall be no harlot among the daughters of Israel, nor any whoremonger among the sons of Israel," namely that by harlot and whoremonger here are chiefly understood those who sacrilegiously dedicated themselves and their disgrace to Venus and Priapus — such as the mother of Asa, king of Judah was, and the effeminate, of whom 3 Kings XV, 12 and 13 speaks; for τελεσφόρος is derived not so much from τέλος, that is tribute, as from τελετή, that is consecration. Whence St. Augustine, in book X On the City, chap. IX, says that by this word of teletae are signified certain consecrations, which were truly the deceitful rites of demons, in which namely harlots and effeminate persons offered gifts and especially a part of the price and gain of their disgrace to Venus or Priapus, just as the kanephoroi did among the Athenians; and clearly τελεσφόρος seems to be said of a woman, not of a man. For there follows, "of the daughters of Israel." And presently: "And there shall not be a τελισκόμενος, that is an initiate, of the sons of Israel." Where Theodoret, Question XXVIII on Deuteronomy, says: "Telesphoron he calls him who initiates into the mysteries; teleskomenon him who is initiated," that is, is consecrated as a priest of Venus or Priapus, or as a worshiper male or female. For such were called in Hebrew kades kadesca, which our Vulgate in Deuteronomy translates as harlot and whoremonger; but elsewhere as effeminate. For kades properly means holy and consecrated to some deity, as here the harlot to Venus. So also St. Cyril, in book XV On Adoration.

Judas therefore here was the founder of the sect of the Galileans, who, for the defense of their liberty, refused all tribute and dominion of Caesar, even with death set before them. See Josephus, book XVIII of the Antiquities, chap. I, who also in book XX, chap. III, adds that the sons of Judas, James and Simon, under the Emperor Claudius, were crucified for the same cause. But hear the same author writing about the obstinacy of the Galileans, even of children, in book VII of the War, chap. XXIX: "Every kind of torment and vexation of body was contrived against them, for this only, that they might confess Caesar as lord — but no one yielded, nor seemed willing to say it; but all preserved a resolution stronger than that necessity, as if it were with brute bodies and not with souls that they were undergoing tortures and fire. But especially the age of the children was a marvel to the spectators: for not one of them was moved to name Caesar as lord, to such a degree did the force of audacity overcome the weakness of the body."

This sect long flourished among the Jews, and so far broke out into open war, by which the Jews were subjected and destroyed by Titus and Vespasian. For this reason Christ and the Apostles, because they began to teach about the same time, and because they were Galileans just like Judas and his followers, came under suspicion of their heresy among the Jews and Romans; and therefore, in order to show themselves estranged from it, they everywhere teach and command that the faithful obey rulers, even unbelieving ones, and pay them due honor and tribute. See St. Paul throughout chap. XIII to the Romans. Indeed even Christ for this reason willed to pay tribute, although not bound to it, Matt. XVII, 27. Hence too the Scribes tested Christ, that they might accuse Him before Pilate, saying: "Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" Matt. XXII, 17. So St. Jerome there.

These are the Galileans whom Pilate slew by mingling their blood with their sacrifices, Luke XIII, 1. Of the same Hegesippus speaks in book II On the Destruction of Jerusalem, chap. V, where however he calls them Samaritans. But I answer that they were Galileans by origin, Samaritans by sect, and therefore separated from the Jews in temple, religion and sacrifices. Or certainly they were a mixture of Samaritans and Galileans. Furthermore, with what end and meaning Gamaliel cites the rebellions of Theudas and Judas, will presently be evident.

HE TURNED AWAY THE PEOPLE. — In Greek ἱκανόν is added, that is much. So also the Syriac.

They were scattered, — their sect and rebellion was annihilated, because all were either killed or scattered, as if to say: In like manner this sect of the Apostles will be annihilated, if it tends toward sedition or any other crime: for once that is detected, the Roman Praeses will arrest and punish them, just as we Pontiffs and Scribes, who watch over their doctrine and morals, will; but if their sect is pious and from God, we cannot, nor ought we to, resist it, as he himself adds in verse 38. Wherefore let us not hasten counsel and judgment, but let us wait and see whither their affair will turn out: thus we shall sin in no way; for neither by the people or the Praeses can we be charged with negligence, nor by God with imprudence and rashness. This is what he adds:

Verse 38: Depart from These Men

38. AND NOW THEREFORE I SAY TO YOU: DEPART FROM THESE MEN. — That is, as the Syriac, Tigurine and Pagninus, abstain from these men. As if to say: Do not mix yourselves with their preaching: as you do not approve it, so neither disapprove it: time, which is the master of truth, will teach us whether it be from God or from a human spirit; hitherto they have harmed no one, nor have they taught anything impious or perverse: for they do not teach the worship of idols, nor blaspheme the God of Israel: therefore as yet we have no action against them, no right of persecuting or punishing. "Depart" then, in Greek ἀπόστητε, that is, withdraw and desist from your inquisition against them, do not judge their affairs and deeds, do not hinder their sermons, lest, if they be new Prophets sent by God, you be injurious to God, and be punished by Him; but if they are driven by a human spirit of sedition or ostentation, that will betray itself, and will make them contemptible to the people and guilty before the magistrates, who will then restrain and punish them; and so this work and counsel of theirs will be dissolved and fall in upon itself.

Verse 39: But If It Be of God

39. BUT IF IT IS FROM GOD, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE (neither physically, nor morally either, as if to say: You cannot lawfully, nor ought to) TO DESTROY IT. — Whence there follows: "Lest perchance you be found also to fight against God." Gamaliel could have said: It is certain that this work of the Apostles is from God, and so many of their miracles prove it. But because he saw the judges plainly turned against them, indeed raging against them, he prudently kept silent about that, lest he both betray his own affection toward the Apostles, and rouse up the Jews' fury more, and create danger of life for himself and the Apostles. He therefore speaks conditionally: "But if it is from God (as indeed it is), you will not be able to destroy it;" so that, by injecting the fear of God like cold water, he might mitigate and quench their fury, which he could not entirely extinguish and suffocate. At the same time, by this saying he hints that they should seriously and without passion inquire whether this work be not from God: for if they would consider their holy morals and miracles, they would easily see that this is God's work, as if to say: "Believe that you will not be able to destroy it," says St. Chrysostom. For granted that the Apostles taught a new law and a new Testament, by which the old law and sacrifices were to be abrogated, yet this very thing had been foretold by the Prophets. And that the time of this change was now at hand, the Apostles proved by many Scriptures and miracles.

Heretics misuse this saying of Gamaliel, saying that, when we are accused before Magistrates of new doctrine, we must answer them: If this work is from men, it will be destroyed; if from God, you will not be able to destroy it. But wrongly: for it is certain that every heresy is heresy, that is, false and pestilent doctrine, condemned by God and the Church, which therefore Magistrates ought immediately to cut off, lest it spread and infect and destroy many. It is well known how much the truces granted by Charles V, under compulsion, to the heretics in Germany until the general Council have harmed the Church and propagated heresy, so that even now it has not been possible to eradicate it. "For their word spreads like a cancer," 2 Tim. II, 17. Wherefore God commanded them to be killed at once, Deut. XIII, 5. It was otherwise here with the Apostles; for it was certain to Gamaliel that their doctrine was holy and divine. To the Scribes and judges, however, the same thing, if not certain, certainly ought to have been doubtful on account of so many signs and prodigies, which they daily heard or saw concerning the Apostles. But in such great doubt they could not in good conscience condemn the Apostles; and since out of preconceived prejudice and aversion against them they would not absolve them, they ought by all means to have followed Gamaliel's counsel, namely: Abstain from these men, since if this work of theirs is from men, it will be destroyed; but if from God, you will not be able to destroy it. For what else can you advise a man raging and rushing into crime?

And they consented to him, — namely, not to kill the Apostles, as they had a little before in their fury thought, verse 33; yet their fury was not so quenched but that they scourged them and ordered them to abstain from preaching Christ, as follows.

Verse 40: Having Beaten Them

40. Having beaten them, they charged them; — therefore they scourged or beat the Apostles with rods; the Syriac, they whipped. The Greek δείρω means to beat and to flay. They did this, because somehow "they wanted to satisfy their lust, lest they should seem to have done nothing, and to have unwisely attempted those things which were impossible for them," says St. Chrysostom. Furthermore St. Clement, in book V of the Constitutions, chap. II, makes Caiaphas, Annas and Alexander the authors of this beating, and asserts that the Apostles were beaten by them not once but many times. Truly St. Athanasius in his epistle to the Orthodox in persecution: "To suffer scourges," he says, "belongs to Christians; to inflict them, to Caiaphas and Pilate." Here is fulfilled the oracle which Christ foretold to the Apostles: "In their synagogues they will scourge you," Matt. X, 17. Excellently St. Nazianzen, oration 23 in praise of Heron: "The soul of a philosopher is rendered more generous by what he has suffered; and as glowing iron is by the sprinkling of cold water, so he himself is hardened by dangers."

THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SPEAK IN (that is, about) THE NAME OF JESUS, — that they should not preach about Jesus, namely that He had risen and is the Savior of the world.

Verse 41: They Went Rejoicing

41. THEY WENT REJOICING. — "So strong," says Chrysostom, "and unconquerable a thing is virtue; and while it suffers, it conquers those who afflict it." And presently: "For it is the most excellent degree of fortitude not only to bear adversity patiently and willingly, but also gladly. This is total joy: to fall into various trials," as James says, chap. I, verse 2. And he adds that this fortitude and gladness in stripes is more marvelous than all signs and miracles.

Cassian, in Conference XII, chap. XIII, narrates that a certain Christian was vexed by Gentiles, and when they petulantly asked: "What miracle has your Christ, whom you worship, performed?" he replied: "That, even if you inflict these and greater things, I am not moved, nor offended by injuries."

Thus St. Paul everywhere exults and glories in his chains, beatings, scourgings, stonings. See the whole of chap. XI of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians.

Whence St. Chrysostom, homily 4 on 2 Cor.: "Blessed Paul," he says, "when he saw temptations daily descending like heaps of snow, rejoiced and exulted no otherwise than if he had been living in the midst of paradise." And St. Augustine, in book LXXXIII, Question II, asserts that "the just, even with the hope of the future life set aside, are tortured for the love of truth more delightfully and joyfully than the luxurious feast for the desire of drunkenness."

Thus on the gridiron St. Lawrence exulted, mocking the tyrant: "It is roasted; turn it over and eat."

Thus on the rack and in the most bitter torments St. Vincent exulted, by his gladness conquering and afflicting Dacian the judge and tormentor.

St. Tiburtius, treading on glowing coals with bare feet, said "that he was walking on roses."

St. Theodore Martyr, on November ninth, with his whole body torn, was singing: "I will bless the Lord at all times."

St. Boniface, on May 14, lacerated with iron claws, was jubilantly proclaiming: "I give You thanks, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God."

St. Ignatius, condemned to the lions, hearing them roaring in the Roman amphitheater, exulting cried out: "I am the wheat of Christ; let me be ground by the teeth of the beasts, that I may be found pure bread."

St. Barlaam, his hand full of incense, placed in the fire by the executioners before the idol, so that, if he should withdraw his hand from the fire and shake the incense into the fire, he would seem to have offered incense to the idol, kept his burning hand motionless in the fire, singing: "Blessed be the Lord my God, who teaches my hands to fight, and my fingers to war." So St. Basil, in his oration on St. Barlaam.

John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, condemned by Henry VIII, schismatic king of England, to death, as he was being led to execution, was singing the hymn: "Te Deum laudamus."

Our Campion did the same, when condemned in the tribunal; to him Sherwin, his companion in condemnation, joining in, broke forth into this jubilee of mind and voice: "This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." This is what Jeremiah says, Lam. III, 30: "He shall give his cheek to him that strikes him, he shall be filled with reproaches," as though hungering for them and feeding himself on them and exulting. See what is said there.

Wherefore St. Saturninus, undergoing in martyrdom the hard agony of pains, was saying: "Briefly I suffer, willingly I suffer; I give thanks, nor am I sufficient to give thanks. Christ, grant endurance. To You be praise, to You be honor." So his Life has it in Surius on February 11.

Mark of Arethusa, lacerated under Julian the Apostate because he had broken an idol, pierced with styluses, smeared with honey and hung up to be eaten by wasps, mocked his torturers and said that they were abject and crawled on the ground, but that he was upright and placed on high. By this constancy and alacrity he converted them. So Theodoret, book III chap. VI. The same was lately said by a certain Martyr in England, suspended from on high.

Because they were counted worthy. — For it is a great gift of God, as the Apostle teaches, Phil. I, 29, to suffer for Christ, and consequently great is the dignity, praise and glory. See what is said on Phil. I, and St. Cyprian, in his treatise On the Exhortation to Martyrdom, and his ninth epistle to the Martyrs, where he calls them most strong, most faithful, blessed, most blessed. See also Tertullian, in his book to the Martyrs, where he calls them champions of truth, soldiers of Christ, conquerors of the world. The same, in his book On the Soul, chap. XXXII: "The whole key of paradise," he says, "is your blood," O Martyr. The same, in his book On the Dress of Women, at the end: "The robes of the martyrs are being prepared," he says, "sustained by angels who bear them." And Clement of Alexandria, in book IV of the Stromata: "Martyrdoms," he says, "are exemplars of glorious conversation."

For the name of Jesus. — This is the cause of so great a dignity of sufferings and patience, namely that they suffer for the name, honor and love of Jesus. This is the honey, which sweetens every gall of sorrows. Hear St. Augustine, in the Soliloquies, chap. XXII: "You, Lord, are inestimable sweetness, through whom all bitter things are made sweet. For Your sweetness sweetened the stones of the torrent for Stephen; Your sweetness made the gridiron sweet to blessed Lawrence; for the sake of Your sweetness the Apostles went rejoicing from the sight of the council, because they were counted worthy to suffer reproach for Your name. Andrew went secure and rejoicing to the cross, because he was hastening to Your sweetness. For this Your sweetness so filled the very chiefs of the Apostles, that for it the one chose the gibbet of the cross, and the other also did not fear to lay his head beneath the smiting sword. For purchasing this Bartholomew gave his own skin. For tasting this also intrepid John drank the cup of poison. But when Peter tasted it, forgetful of all interior things, he cried out as if drunk, saying: Lord, it is good for us to be here; let us make here three tabernacles: here let us remain, let us contemplate You, because we need nothing else: it suffices us, Lord, to see You, it suffices, he says, to be sated with so great sweetness. For he had tasted but one drop of sweetness, and despised every other sweetness. What do you think he would have said, if he had tasted that great multitude of the sweetness of Your divinity, which You have hidden for them that fear You! This Your ineffable sweetness that virgin (St. Agatha) too had tasted, of whom we read that she went most joyfully and gloriously to prison, as if invited to a feast. This, as I reckon, he had tasted who said: How great is the multitude of Your sweetness, Lord, which You have hidden for them that fear You! and who admonished: Taste and see, for the Lord is sweet. For this is that beatitude, Lord our God, which we await You to give us, for which we, Lord, continually wage war for You; for which we are mortified for You all the day, that in Your life we may live for You."

TO SUFFER REPROACH. — Truly St. Jerome: "Do not seek glory, and you will not grieve when you are inglorious: he who does not seek praise, does not feel reproaches either." That is to be seen here in the Apostles, who by spurning reproaches obtained true glory. For what is more glorious than to suffer for God and by one's own passion to make God's glory shine? What more glorious than to expend life and pour out blood for Him who gave it to us? What more glorious than to repay Christ, who suffered so many and such hard things for us (as Tertullian says, in the book On the Resurrection of the Flesh), to render stripes for stripes, reproaches for reproaches, blood for blood? For although His blood is of infinitely greater price than ours, yet ours is likewise of greatest price to us: for we have nothing more precious which we may repay Him. Hence those laurels, those crowns, those triumphs of the Martyrs in the Church both militant and triumphant. Most holy men, like St. Francis, St. Xavier, St. Antony of Padua, eagerly desired martyrdom, and so went forth to the Barbarians; but God did not deem them worthy of this gift: hence the Martyrs, who were counted worthy of it, gave thanks to God for this, as is clear from the Acts of St. Agnes, St. Lucy, St. Agatha, St. Polycarp, St. Mark and Marcellianus, and other Martyrs. Wherefore St. Ignatius, the founder of our Society, having been cast into chains for the cause of Christ, when Francis Mendosius, afterwards Bishop of Burgos and Cardinal, asked him whether he bore that prison and those chains with sorrow, replied: "Does prison seem to you so great an evil? But truly there are not so many fetters at Salamanca, not so many chains, but that I would desire more for Christ." So Ribadeneira, in his Life, bk. I, ch. xv. To the same man asking, "What is the shortest way to perfection?" he replied: "To suffer many things for Christ," and to ask this constantly of God.

Rightly therefore St. Jerome, in his epistle to Hedibia, Question XI: "The triumph of God," he says, "is the passion of the Martyrs, and the shedding of blood for the name of Christ, to stand with marvelous perseverance amid torments, to be tortured and to glory in their own torments. Therefore the fragrance is spread among the nations, and a silent thought arises: unless the Gospel were true, they would never defend it with their blood." This Michael, illustrious martyr in Japan in the year of the Lord 1609, understood. Hear his spirit and ardor, from the letters which he wrote from prison to his own people: "I cannot," he says, "in words equal the kindness of God toward me, in that I have been seized for His faith; for indeed from that day that most august Majesty deigned, as it were, to enter and take possession both of my soul and of my body: thence I was in the highest peace. My heart was burning with inexpressible desire to conform itself to His every nod, in prosperity and adversity, to perfection." And after a few things interposed: "Now I understand that mockeries, contempts, scorn, and finally injuries of every kind borne with an even mind for the love of God are to be preferred by infinite degrees to all the scepters and diadems of kings and emperors. For four years I was in prison so joyful and eager that it seemed to me I had been there but a single day." Behold, these are the spirits of the primitive Church, growing warm again in the new Church of Japan, which the new wine of the Holy Spirit is rousing up.

Verse 42: Daily They Did Not Cease

42. AND DAILY THEY DID NOT CEASE. — Marvel here both at the fortitude of the Apostles and at the stupor of the High Priests and Magistrates. A little before, having scourged them, they had ordered them no longer to preach Christ: nevertheless they themselves preach everywhere and publicly, and yet the High Priests and Magistrates are silent, just as if they were tongueless and nerveless: for indeed God was binding their mind, hand, and tongue.

FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE, — κατ' οἴκους, through the houses, from house to house; the Tigurine, household by household; Pagninus, in individual houses. Thus good Pastors not only feed their sheep and teach publicly in the temple, but also visiting privately the homes of individuals, they instruct, console, exhort, and urge them on to every good work.

Note: At about this time, on the occasion of the persecutions of the Jews, the Apostles, by the impulse of the Holy Spirit which they had recently received for this purpose at Pentecost, began to think about fulfilling the testament of Christ: "Going into the whole world, preach the Gospel to every creature," Matt. xxviii. Wherefore Lucius Dexter, Praetorian Prefect of the East, in his Chronicle recently published (if indeed it is genuine), which he dedicated to St. Jerome, just as in turn St. Jerome dedicated to him the treatise On Ecclesiastical Writers, writes thus concerning these matters: "In the thirty-fourth year of Christ (in which He died, rose again, and ascended into heaven); on the last day of June, the holy Apostles of God, more or less thirty-eight days after the coming of the Holy Spirit (that is, after the Octave of Pentecost), gather together in the Cenacle of Sion (which was the house of Mary, mother of John, surnamed Mark), and after holding counsel and casting divine lots, they divide among themselves the provinces of the world for the sake of preaching. And it fell to St. James, the son of Zebedee, Spain; to John, Asia; to Matthew, Ethiopia; to Thomas, India; to Philip, Scythia and Gaul (perhaps Gallograecia, or Galatia). At this time the Canons are issued and the Apostolic Constitutions composed, for the economy of the Sacraments and of the whole Church," and much more so the Apostles' Creed. Whence he adds that in the year of Christ 37, which was the third after Christ's ascent into heaven, St. James set out for Spain and there evangelized, of which more in chap. viii, 1.

Dexter adds: "The sacred Virgin Mary presides over the Apostolic college by counsel, by the light of doctrine, and by the wonderful example of her life, and they undertake nothing of weight which they do not undertake by her counsel and guidance." And shortly after: "In the thirty-seventh year of Christ, the Blessed Virgin appears in spirit to James, who was pouring forth prayers at Saragossa upon a pillar, with John the Theologian also coming." And a little before: "James erected the first temple or oratory to the Blessed Virgin, by her command and in her presence, upon the pillar at Saragossa." And further down, at the year of Christ 86: "Among the Messinese the memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated, a sweet letter having been previously sent by her." And again at the year of Christ 35: "To her (the Blessed Virgin) frequent pilgrimage was made from Spain." For this very reason Christ willed that His mother survive Him, that, as it were His Vicar, she might be the consolation of the Church, the teacher of the Apostles, and the comforter of the faithful. But of these things elsewhere. That after Pentecost the Apostles departed from Jerusalem into their own provinces is held by Gaspar Sanchez, Christopher a Castro, and other learned men; concerning which matter, what seems to be the right view, I shall say in chap. xii.