Hauing visited the Churches of Macedonia and Achaia (as he purposed Act. 19) and novv about to saile from Corinth tovvard Hierusalem, because of the Ievves lying in vvaite for him, he is constrained to returne into Macedonia, & And so 〈◊〉 Philippos taking boate, commeth to Troas, vvhere vpon the Sunday, vvith a sermon, and a miracle, he greatly confirmeth that Church. 13 Thence comming to Milétum, 17 he sendeth to Ephesus for the Clergie of those partes: to vvhom he maketh a Pastoral sermon, committing vnto their charge the stocke begūne by him there, and novv like to be seen of him no more, considering the troubles that by reuelation he looketh for at Hierusalem.
1And after the tumult was ceased, Paul calling to him the disciples and exhorting them, took his leave and set forward to go into Macedonia.Quietato che fu il tumulto, Paolo, chiamati i discepoli, e fatta loro un'esortazione, e detto addio, si partì per andare nella Macedonia.AND after that the tumult vvas ceased, Paul calling the disciples, and exhorting them, tooke his leaue, and set forvvard to goe into Macedonia.Postquam autem cessavit tumultus, vocatis Paulus discipulis, et exhortatus eos, valedixit, et profectus est ut iret in Macedoniam. 2And when he had gone over those parts and had exhorted them with many words, he came into Greece:E avendo scorsi que' paesi, e fattevi molte istruzioni, passò in Grecia:And vvhen he had vvalked through those partes, & had exhorted them vvith much speach, he came to Greece:Cum autem perambulasset partes illas, et exhortatus eos fuisset multo sermone, venit ad Græciam: 3Where, when he had spent three months, the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria. So he took a resolution to return through Macedonia.Dove avendo passati tre mesi, gli tesero insidie i Giudei nella navigazione, che era per fare verso la Siria: e prese il partito di ritornare per la Macedonia.vvhere vvhen he had spent three moneths, the Ievves laid vvait for him as he vvas about to saile into Syria: and he had councel to returne through Macedonia.ubi cum fecisset menses tres, factæ sunt illi insidiæ a Judæis navigaturo in Syriam: habuitque consilium ut reverteretur per Macedoniam. 4And there accompanied him Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus, of Berea: and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus: and Gaius of Derbe and Timothy: and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.E lo accompagnarono Sopatro di Pirro di Berea, e de' Tessalonicesi Aristarco, e Secondo, e Gajo di Derbe, e Timoteo: e gli Asiani, Tichico, e Trofimo.And there accompanied him So••pater of Pyrrhus, of Beroea: and of Thessalonians, Aristarchus, and Secundus: and Caius of Derbè, and Timothee: and of Asia, Tychicus and Tróphimus.Comitatus est autem eum Sopater Pyrrhi Berœensis, Thessalonicensium vero Aristarchus, et Secundus, et Gajus Derbeus, et Timotheus: Asiani vero Tychicus et Trophimus. 5These, going before, stayed for us at Troas.Questi essendo partiti avanti, ci aspettarono a Troade:These going before, staied for vs at Troas:Hi cum præcessissent, sustinuerunt nos Troade: 6But we sailed from Philippi after the days of the azymes and came to them to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days.Noi poi facemmo vela dopo i giorni degli azzimi da Filippi, e in cinque giorni li raggiungemmo a Troade, dove ci fermammo sette dì.but vve sailed after the daies of Azymes from Philippi, and came to them vnto Troas in fiue daies, vvhere vve abode seuen daies.nos vero navigavimus post dies azymorum a Philippis, et venimus ad eos Troadem in diebus quinque, ubi demorati sumus diebus septem.
7And on the first day of the week, when we were assembled to break bread, Paul discoursed with them, being to depart on the morrow. And he continued his speech until midnight.E il primo di della settimana essendoci adunati per ispezzare il pane, Paolo, che stava per partire il giorno dipoi, parlava ad essi, e allungò il discorso sino alla mezzanotte.And in the first of the Sabboth vvhen vve vvere assembled to breake bread, Paul disputed vvith them, being to depart on the morovv, and he continued the sermon vntil midnight.Una autem sabbati cum convenissemus ad frangendum panem, Paulus disputabat cum eis profecturus in crastinum, protraxitque sermonem usque in mediam noctem. 8And there were a great number of lamps in the upper chamber where we were assembled.Ed eranvi molte lampade nel cenacolo, dove eravamo adunati.And there vvere a great number of lampes in the vpper chamber vvhere vve vvere assembled.Erant autem lampades copiosæ in cœnaculo, ubi eramus congregati. 9And a certain young man named Eutychus, sitting on the window, being oppressed with a deep sleep (as Paul was long preaching), by occasion of his sleep fell from the third loft down and was taken up dead.E un giovinotto per nome Eutico stando a sedere sopra una finestra immerso in un profondo sonno, mentre Paolo tirava in lungo il sermone, trasportato dal sonno, cadde dal terzo piano a basso, e fu levato di terra morto.And a certaine yong man named Eútychus, sitting vpon the vvindovv, vvhereas he vvas oppressed vvith heauy sleepe (Paul disputing long) driuē by sleepe, fel from the third loft downe, and vvas taken vp dead.Sedens autem quidam adolescens nomine Eutychus super fenestram, cum mergeretur somno gravi, disputante diu Paulo, ductus somno cecidit de tertio cœnaculo deorsum, et sublatus est mortuus. 10To whom, when Paul had gone down, he laid himself upon him and, embracing him, said: Be not troubled, for his soul is in him.Ma disceso Paolo, si gittò sopra di lui: e abbracciatolo disse: Non vi affannate: l'anima sua è in lui.To vvhom vvhen Paul vvas gone dovvne, he lay vpon him: and embracing him he said, Be not troubled, for his soule is in him.Ad quem cum descendisset Paulus, incubuit super eum: et complexus dixit: Nolite turbari, anima enim ipsius in ipso est. 11Then going up and breaking bread and tasting and having talked a long time to them, until daylight, so he departed.E risalito che fu, spezzato il pane, e gustatone, e avendo bastevolmente parlato sino all'alba, così si partì.And going vp and breaking bread and tasting, and hauing talked sufficiently to them vntil day light, so he departed.Ascendens autem, frangensque panem, et gustans, satisque allocutus usque in lucem, sic profectus est.
12And they brought the youth alive and were not a little comforted.E rimenarono vivo il giovinetto, e furono consolati non poco.And they brought the lad aliue, and vvere not a litle comforted.Adduxerunt autem puerum viventem, et consolati sunt non minime. 13But we going aboard the ship, sailed to Assos, being there to take in Paul. For so he had appointed, himself purposing to travel by land.Ma noi entrati in nave, andammo ad Asson per quindi ricever Paolo: imperocché così aveva ordinato, dovendo egli fare quel viaggio per terra.But vve going vp into the ship, sailed to Asson, from thence meaning to receiue Paul. for so he had ordained, him self purposing to iourney by land.Nos autem ascendentes navem, navigavimus in Asson, inde suscepturi Paulum: sic enim disposuerat ipse per terram iter facturus. 14And when he had met with us at Assos, we took him in and came to Mitylene.Venuto che egli fu a noi in Asson, preso lui, andammo a Mitilene.And vvhen he had found vs in Asson, taking him vvith vs vve came to Mi•yléne.Cum autem convenisset nos in Asson, assumpto eo, venimus Mitylenen. 15And sailing thence, the day following we came over against Chios: and the next day we arrived at Samos: and the day following we came to Miletus.E di li fatta vela, il dì seguente arrivammo dirimpetto a Chio, e il giorno di poi prendemmo terra a Samo, e nell'altro dì giungemmo a Mileto:And sailing thence, the day folovving vve came ouer against Chios: and the other day vve arriued at Samos: and the day folovving vve came to Milétum.Et inde navigantes, sequenti die venimus contra Chium, et alia applicuimus Samum, et sequenti die venimus Miletum. 16For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, lest he should be stayed any time in Asia. For he hasted, if it were possible for him, to keep the day of Pentecost at Jerusalem.Imperocché avea stabilito Paolo di trapassare Efeso, per non esser trattenuto poco o assai nell'Asia. Conciossiachè si affrettava, affine di celebrare, se gli fosse stato possibile, il dì della Pentecoste in Gerusalemme.for Paul had purposed to saile leauing Ephesus, lest any stay should be made him in Asia. For he hastened, if it vvere possible for him, to keepe the day of • Pentecost at Hierusalem.Proposuerat enim Paulus transnavigare Ephesum, ne qua mora illi fieret in Asia. Festinabat enim, si possibile sibi esset, ut diem Pentecostes faceret Jerosolymis. 17And sending from Miletus to Ephesus, he called the ancients of the church.Ma da Mileto, mandò a Efeso a chiamare i seniori della Chiesa.And sending from Milétum to Ephesus, he called the Auncients of the Church.A Mileto autem mittens Ephesum, vocavit majores natu ecclesiæ.
18And when they were come to him and were together, he said to them: You know from the first day that I came into Asia, in what manner I have been with you, for all the time.I quali venuti da lui, e stando insieme, egli disse loro: Voi sapete dal primo giorno, che io entrai nell'Asia, in qual modo io mi sia stato con voi per tutto questo tempo,Vvho being come to him, and assembled together, he said to them, You knovv from the first day that I entred into Asia, in vvhat maner I haue been vvith you al the time,Qui cum venissent ad eum, et simul essent, dixit eis: Vos scitis a prima die qua ingressus sum in Asiam, qualiter vobiscum per omne tempus fuerim, 19Serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and temptations which befell me by the conspiracies of the Jews:Servendo al Signore con tutta umiltà tra le lagrime, e le tentazioni, che mi assalirono per le insidie de' Giudei:seruing our Lord vvith al humilitie and teares, and tentations that did chaunce to me by the conspiracies of the Ievves:serviens Domino cum omni humilitate, et lacrimis, et tentationibus, quæ mihi acciderunt ex insidiis Judæorum: 20How I have kept back nothing that was profitable to you, but have preached it to you, and taught you publicly, and from house to house,In qual modo io non mi sia ritirato dall'annunciarvi, e insegnarvi alcuna delle cose utili, sia in pubblico, sia per le case,Hovv I haue vvithdravven nothing that vvas profitable, but that I preached it to you, & taught you openly and from house to house,quomodo nihil subtraxerim utilium, quominus annuntiarem vobis et docerem vos, publice et per domos, 21Testifying both to Jews and Gentiles penance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.Inculcando ai Giudei, e ai Gentili la penitenza inverso Dio, e la fede nel Signor nostro Gesù Cristo.testifying to Ievves and Gentils penance tovvard God and faith in our Lord IESVS CHRIST.testificans Judæis atque gentilibus in Deum pœnitentiam, et fidem in Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum. 22And now, behold, being bound in the spirit, I go to Jerusalem: not knowing the things which shall befall me there:Ora poi ecco, che io legato dallo Spirito, vado a Gerusalemme: non sapendo, quali cose ivi mi abbiano ad accadere:And novv behold, being bound by the spirit, I goe to Hierusalem: not knovving vvhat things shal befall me in it,Et nunc ecce alligatus ego spiritu, vado in Jerusalem: quæ in ea ventura sint mihi, ignorans: 23Save that the Holy Ghost in every city witnesseth to me, saying: That bands and afflictions wait for me at Jerusalem.Se non che lo Spirito santo in tutte le città mi assicura, e dice, che catene e tribolazioni mi aspettano a Gerusalemme.but that the Holy Ghost through out al cities doth protest to me, saying: that bands and tribulations abide me at Hierusalem.nisi quod Spiritus Sanctus per omnes civitates mihi protestatur, dicens quoniam vincula et tribulationes Jerosolymis me manent.
24But I fear none of these things, neither do I count my life more precious than myself, so that I may consummate my course and the ministry of the word which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.Ma niuna di queste cose io temo: né tengo la mia vita per più preziosa di me, purché io termini la mia carriera, e il ministero della parola ricevuto dal Signore Gesù, per render testimonianza al Vangelo della grazia di Dio.But I feare none of these things, neither doe I make my life more pretious thē my self, so that I may cōsūmat my course & ministerie vvhich I receiued of our Lord IESVS, to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God.Sed nihil horum vereor: nec facio animam meam pretiosiorem quam me, dummodo consummem cursum meum, et ministerium verbi quod accepi a Domino Jesu, testificari Evangelium gratiæ Dei. 25And now behold, I know that all you, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.E ora ecco, che io so, che non vedrete più la mia faccia voi tutti, tra' quali io sono passato, predicando il regno di Dio.And novv behold I doe knovv, that you shal no more see my face al you, through vvhom I haue passed preaching the kingdom of God.Et nunc ecce ego scio quia amplius non videbitis faciem meam vos omnes, per quos transivi prædicans regnum Dei. 26Wherefore I take you to witness this day that I am clear from the blood of all men.Per la qual cosa vi prendo a testimoni in questo giorno, come io sono mondo del sangue di tutti.Vvherefore I take you to witnesse this present day that I am cleere from the bloud of al.Quapropter contestor vos hodierna die, quia mundus sum a sanguine omnium. 27For I have not spared to declare unto you all, the counsel of God.Conciossiachè io non mi son ritirato dall'annunziare a voi tutti i consigli di Dio.For I haue not spared to declare vnto you al the counsel of God.Non enim subterfugi, quominus annuntiarem omne consilium Dei vobis. 28Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood.Badate a voi stessi, e a tutto il gregge, di cui lo Spirito santo vi ha costituiti Vescovi per pascere la Chiesa di Dio acquistata da lui col proprio sangue.Take heede to your selues and to the vvhole flocke vvherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the Church of God vvhich he hath purchased with his ovvne bloud.Attendite vobis, et universo gregi, in quo vos Spiritus Sanctus posuit episcopos regere ecclesiam Dei, quam acquisivit sanguine suo.
29I know that after my departure ravening wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.Io so, che dopo la mia partenza entreranno tra voi de' lupi crudeli, che non risparmieranno il gregge.I knovv that after my departure there vvil • rauening vvolues enter in among you, not sparing the flocke.Ego scio quoniam intrabunt post discessionem meam lupi rapaces in vos, non parcentes gregi. 30And of your own selves shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.E anche di mezzo a voi stessi si leveranno su degli uomini a insegnare cose perverse, per trarsi dietro de' discepoli.and out of your ovvne selues shal arise men speaking peruerse things, to dravv avvay disciples after them selues.Et ex vobisipsis exsurgent viri loquentes perversa, ut abducant discipulos post se. 31Therefore watch, keeping in memory that for three years I ceased not with tears to admonish every one of you, night and day.Per la qual cosa siate vigilanti, rammentandovi, come per tre anni non cessai di, e notte di ammonire con lagrime ciascheduno di voi.For the vvhich cause be vigilant, keeping in memorie that for three yeres night and day I ceased not vvith teares to admonish euery one of you.Propter quod vigilate, memoria retinentes quoniam per triennium nocte et die non cessavi, cum lacrimis monens unumquemque vestrum. 32And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, who is able to build up and to give an inheritance among all the sanctified.E ora vi raccomando a Dio, e alla parola della grazia di lui, il quale è potente per edificare, e dare a voi l'eredità con tutti i santificati.And novv I commend you to God and to the vvord of his grace, vvho is able to edifie, and to giue inheritance in al the sanctified.Et nunc commendo vos Deo, et verbo gratiæ ipsius, qui potens est ædificare, et dare hæreditatem in sanctificatis omnibus. 33I have not coveted any man’s silver, gold or apparel, asL'argento, e l'oro, e le vestimenta, di nessuno non ho io desiderato,No mans siluer and gold or garment haue I coueted.Argentum, et aurum, aut vestem nullius concupivi, sicut 34You yourselves know. For such things as were needful for me and them that are with me, these hands have furnished.Conforme voi sapete: conciossiachè al bisogno mio, e di quelli, che sono con me, servirono queste mani.Your selues knovv that for such things as vvere needful for me and them that are vvith me, these hands haue ministred.ipsi scitis: quoniam ad ea quæ mihi opus erant, et his qui mecum sunt, ministraverunt manus istæ. 35I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring you ought to support the weak and to remember the word of the Lord Jesus, how he said: It is a more blessed thing to give, rather than to receive.In tutto vi ho dimostrato, come in tal guisa lavorando, conviene sostenere i deboli, e ricordarsi della parola del Signore Gesù, poiché egli disse: È maggior ventura il dare, che il ricevere.I haue shevved you al things, that so labouring, you must receiue the vveake, and remember the vvord of our Lord IESVS, because he said, • It is a more blessed thing to giue rather then to take.Omnia ostendi vobis, quoniam sic laborantes, oportet suscipere infirmos ac meminisse verbi Domini Jesu: quoniam ipse dixit: Beatius est magis dare, quam accipere.
36And when he had said these things, kneeling down, he prayed with them all.E dette che ebbe tali cose, piegate le ginocchia, orò con essi tutti.And vvhen he had said these things, falling on his knees he praied vvith al them.Et cum hæc dixisset, positis genibus suis oravit cum omnibus illis. 37And there was much weeping among them all. And falling on the neck of Paul, they kissed him,E fu grande di tutti il pianto: e gittandosi sul collo di Paolo lo bacciavano,And there vvas great vveeping made of al, and falling vpon the necke of Paul, they kissed him,Magnus autem fletus factus est omnium: et procumbentes super collum Pauli, osculabantur eum, 38Being grieved most of all for the word which he had said, that they should see his face no more. And they brought him on his way to the ship.Afflitti massimamente per quella parola detta da lui, che non erano per vedere mai più la sua faccia. E lo accompagnavano alla nave.being sorie most of al for the vvord vvhich he had said, that they should see his face no more. And they brought him going vnto the shippe.dolentes maxime in verbo quod dixerat, quoniam amplius faciem ejus non essent visuri. Et deducebant eum ad navem.
20:3
about the year A.D. 58.
20:6
Tirinus
We. From the change of the narration to the first person again, it would appear St. Luke had rejoined the apostle. This writer modestly omits the reason of his accompanying St. Paul, who tells us it was at his own request, (2 Corinthians 8:19.) that no suspicion might be entertained that he applied improperly the money, which he was commissioned to carry to the distressed brethren in Jerusalem. (Tirinus)
20:7
On the first day of the week.[Ver. 7. Una Sabbati; that is prima sabbati, en te mia ton sabbaton. St. Chrysostom says, hom. mg., kuriake en, erat dies Dominica.] The interpreters generally take notice with St. Chrysostom, that the Christians, even at this time, must have changed the sabbath into the first day of the week, as all Christians now keep it. Which change (even as to the manner of keeping one of God's ten commandments) was made by the Church.
Witham
To break bread, meaning the blessed sacrament, as it is commonly expounded. (Witham)
20:10
Witham
His soul is in him. He was taken up dead. (ver. 9.) These words then of St. Paul, may either signify that now he is again alive, or will be in a very short time, as when Christ said, (Matthew 9:24.) The girl is not dead, but asleep. (Witham)
20:12
Denis the Carthusian
Alive. This accident, which gave occasion to a great miracle, was ordained by the particular providence of God, in order to confirm the preaching of St. Paul, and to fix more deeply in the hearts of his disciples the words of their dear Master, who was just going to leave them. Admire likewise the apostle's solicitude for his neighbour's salvation, in prolonging his instructions through the whole night, which preceded his departure. (Denis the Carthusian)
20:17
Witham
He called the ancients of the Church. We might translate the bishops, as the very same persons in the 28th verse are called bishops. (Witham)
20:19
With all humility; that is, of heart, or mind, as the Greek word signifies. He knew, says St. Chrysostom, how necessary this virtue of humility was for the ministers of the gospel.
Witham
With tears of charity and compassion, under temptations, trials, and persecutions. (Witham)
20:20
I have kept back, etc. I have discovered to you every thing which can be useful to your salvation. Neither fear, nor any human considerations, have prevailed over me to disguise or suppress the truths, which might be serviceable to you. This is the model of a good pastor. Full of doctrine, and of zeal, he communicates what God puts into his heart, and charity inspires him to speak, with abundance, with discretion, without jealousy, without fear. A good shepherd, St. Bernard used to say, has always bread in his scrip, and his dog in his keeping. The dog is his zeal, which must be chained, governed and moderated. His scrip, full of bread, is his mind, filled with all knowledge, which he is always in the state of dispensing as food to his flock.
20:22
Witham
Bound in the spirit, led by inspiration of the Holy Ghost. (Witham)
Calmet
Chained, and forced, as it were, by the Holy Spirit, who offers me a sweet violence; or I am so strongly persuaded of the chains, which await me at Jerusalem, that I already feel myself bound in idea. (Calmet)
Tirinus
I now go to Jerusalem for the fourth time, attracted by the Holy Ghost, who is the author and governor of all my actions, that where I have shown myself the greatest enemy of the Church, there I may suffer tribulations in defence of the same Church, and for Christ, her divine spouse. (Tirinus)
20:23
In every city. There were in every city Christian prophets, who foretold to Paul the tribulations which awaited him. It appears, then, that the apostle did not know these things by immediate revelation made to himself, but by that made to the prophets. Of this we have a proof in the next chapter.
20:24
Witham
Neither do I count my life (literally, my soul ) more precious than myself, having consecrated all my endeavours, my thoughts, my life, my whole self, body and soul, to God's service. (Witham)
20:25
Calmet
I know, etc. It appears sufficiently evident, from many parts of St. Paul's epistles, that he not only designed, but likewise, according to the opinion of most able critics, actually did revisit the churches of Asia. Of this occasion, then, he only expresses his belief, his conviction, that he should see them no more, judging it impossible for him to escape all the dangers that were prepared for him. (Calmet)
Witham
All you. Although St. Paul might return again to the same place, he might truly say of so great an assembly, that all of them should not see him again. (Witham)
20:28
Witham
Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock. The ministers of the gospel must in the first place take care of the salvation of their own souls: and in the next place of the salvation of their flock, of the souls committed to their care, and to the Church; especially such ministers of God as are bishops,[Ver. 28. Episcopos, episkopous, from episkopein, or episkeptesthai, diligenter inspicere, etc.] placed, by divine institution, to govern the Church, or the churches under them. The word bishops, by its derivation, signifies overseers, or superintendants; but the signification is to be taken and expressed by the custom and ecclesiastical use of words. (Witham)
20:32
To the word of his grace, to the protection of God's grace, given to those that preach the gospel, and administer the sacraments instituted by Christ.
Witham
Who is able to build up, to finish that building, of which the foundation is laid by my preaching. (Witham)
20:34
Witham
These hands have furnished, by labouring to maintain myself, etc. (Witham)
20:35
Witham
It is more blessed to give than to receive. We find not these words of Christ in the gospels. St. Paul might have them from the apostles. (Witham)
Haydock
Among the many excellent good things our dear Lord said, and which are not mentioned in the gospel, this is one: "it is a more blessed thing to give, than to receive;" which did men justly weigh, they would be more ready to give alms, were it only for their own account. Thrice happy then are they who assist their indigent neighbour to the utmost of their power, and for the pure love of God! (Haydock)
20:37
Calmet
They kissed him. These marks of tenderness are dictated by nature, and have always been used between friends, who were separating from each other, or who meet after a long absence. The Scripture furnishes us with numberless examples of it. (Calmet)
Menochius
He likewise prayed, as he usually did, when he bade his last farewell. See his last adieus with the Tyrians, (chap. 21:5. 6.) where they all kneeled down to pray on the shore. This is also reasonable, and becoming a Christian. It is a sign of communion and mutual charity, and implores a prosperous voyage for those who were departing, whilst those who remained, cherish in their mind the remembrance of the virtues of their absent friend. (Menochius)
The mind of man cannot conceive a finer subject for the painter than this melting separation. After the discourse, we see St. Paul falling on his knees, and praying with them all for the last time; an general burst of tears takes place, when they are told that they are to see their father's face no more; they fall upon his neck and kiss him; and with hearts full of grief and gratitude, they accompany him on his way to the very ship which is to transport their father, friend, and benefactor, to other souls, who wanted the charitable assistance of the man of God.
20:7
And on the first day of the week.... Here St. Chrysostom and many other interpreters of the scripture explain, that the Christians even at this time, must have changed the sabbath into the first day of the week, (the Lord’s day,) as all Christians now keep it. This change was undoubtedly made by the authority of the church; hence the exercise of the power, which Christ had given to her: for he is Lord of the sabbath.
20:7
S. Paul did here breake bread on the Sunday as it is broken in the Sacramēt of the body of Christ, and had both before & after the celebrating of the Sacramēt a sermon to the people. Aug. ep. •6 ad Casulanū. Vener. Beda in 20 Act.
20:16
16. Pentecost.] The Christian Pentecost. Though the Apostles might desire to come to the Ievves Festiuities, by reason of the general concourse of people to the same, the better to deale for their saluation and •o spred the Gospel of Christ, yet it is like that they novv kept solemly the Christian Pentecost or vvhitsontide, for memorie of the Holy Ghost, and that S. Paul vvent to that Feast of the Christians rather then the other of the Ievves. And Ven. Bede saith here, The Apostle maketh hast to keepe the fifteth day, that is, of remission and of the Holy Ghost. For, that the Christians already kept the eight day, that is, Sunday. the Sunday or our Lordes day, and had altered already the ordinarie Sabboth into the same, it is plaine by the Scriptures (1 Cor. 16, 2. Apoc. 1, 10.) and by antiquitie. Iustin. Mart. Apolog. 2 ad Anton. Pium in fine. And it is as like that they changed the Ievves Pasche and Pentecost as that, specially vvhen it is euident that these Festiuities be kept by Apostolike tradition, Avg. ep. 118 c. 1. and approued by the vse of al auncient Churches and Councels.
•9. Rauening vvolues.] Rauening vvolues are the Heretikes of al ages. The gouernours of the Church are foretold of the great danger that should fall to the people by vvolues, that is to say, by Heretikes, vvhose cruelty tovvard the Catholikes is noted by this terme. They be knovvē by the forsaking the vnitie of the Church vvhereof they vvere before, by going out and dravving many disciples after them, and by their peruerse doctrine. Such vvolues came aftervvard in deede in diuers ages, Arius, Macedonius, Nestorius, Eutyches, Luther, Caluin, great bloudsucking vvolues, and vvasters of the flocke of Christ.
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〈Greek〉 That is, Priests as Act. 15. 4. See the marginal annot. there.
20:18
Concordanza Act. 19, 1
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Apostolike preaching commendeth not faith only but penance also to the people.
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Bishops or Priests (for then these names were sometime vsed indifferētly) gouernours of the Church of God, & placed in that roome & high functiō by the Holy Ghost.
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35. More blessed to giue.] Christs speaches not vvritten in the Gospel. Among many other infinite goodly things and speaches vvhich Christ spake and be not vvritten in the Gospels, this sentence is one: vvhich S. Paul heard of some of the Apostles daily conuersant vvith him, or els learned of Christ him self, or of the Holy Ghost. And it signifieth, that vvhereas the vvorld commonly counteth him happie that receiueth any benefite, as almes either temporal or spiritual, Great almesmen blessed. yet in deede he that giueth or bestovveth, is more happie. Vvhich if the vvorld did vvel consider, men vvould giue almes faster then they do, if it vvere but for their ovvne benefite.
20:1
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
(Recapitulation.) “And having embraced them,” it says, “he departed for to go into Macedonia.” (
20:2
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
… Accordingly, having done this, he goes into Macedonia, and then into Greece. For, it says, “when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, and there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.” (
20:3
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Thessalonians 4
… For he does not call his temptation a wavering. For he who admits his attack is shaken. Strange! how great is the affection of Paul! He did not regard afflictions, nor plots against him. For I think that he then remained there, as Luke says, that “he abode in Greece three months, when the Jews laid a plot against him.” (
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Eusebio di Cesarea † 339 d.C. The Church History of Eusebius 3.4.5
5. Luke also in the Acts speaks of his friends, and mentions them by name.
san Basilio † 379 d.C. The Letters 218
… by any other cause as to forget it, but now I wish to put you in mind to send some good man into Lycia, to enquire who are of the right faith, for peradventure they ought not to be neglected, if indeed the report is true, which has been brought to me by a pious traveller from thence, that they have become altogether alienated from the opinion of the Asiani
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
… 2, 3 .) Again he is persecuted by the Jews, and goes into Macedonia. “And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. These going before tarried for us at Troas.” (
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 3.14.1
… “for, sitting down,” he says, “we spake unto the women who had assembled;” and certain believed, even a great many. And again does he say, “But we sailed from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came to Troas, where we abode seven days.”
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 1
… xv. 10 .) And the reason is, that the author of this Book, that is, the blessed Luke, was his companion: a man, whose high qualities, sufficiently visible in many other instances, are especially shown in his firm adherence to his Teacher, whom he constantly followed.
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
… of Derbe, Timothy,” etc., these, he says, went before him to Troas, preparing the way for him. “And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 45
… 5 .)—See how great was the entreaty. And again they part with prayer. Also in Ptolemais they stay one day, but in Cæsarea many. ( v. 6–8 .) ( a ) Now that they are near to Jerusalem, they no longer hurry. For observe, I pray you, all the days. “After the day of unleavened bread” they came “to Troas in five days” (
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Origene † 254 d.C. Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 5.4
… Does not Wisdom herself say to those who are perishing, “I stretched out my words, and ye heeded not”? Do we not find Paul, too, extending his discourse from morning to midnight,
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
… This was his third coming into Macedonia, and it is a high testimony that he bears to the Philippians, which is the reason why he makes some stay there. “And upon the day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.” (
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Letters of St. Augustin 36.8
… The passage is as follows: “Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.”
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Of the Work of Monks 21
… Namely, when the day of his departure caused him to be in haste, being at Troas, even on the first day of the week when the brethren were assembled to break bread, such was his earnestness, and so necessary the disputation, that his discourse was prolonged even until midnight,
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
… And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him, said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.” (
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san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 17.31
31. I pass by the work wrought at Troas on Eutychus, who being borne down by his sleep fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead ; yet was saved alive by Paul
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 4
… How was it, moreover, that he contended and disputed successfully with those who tried to Judaize in Antioch? and how was it that that Areopagite, an inhabitant of Athens, that most devoted of all cities to the gods, followed the apostle, he and his wife? was it not owing to the discourse which they heard? And when Eutychus
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
… Such were their meals, that the hearers came away sober, and fit for hearing. But we, in what do we differ from dogs? Do you mark what a difference (between us and those men)? “And they brought the young man alive, and,” it says, “were not a little comforted,” both because they received him back alive, and because a miracle had been wrought.
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 4
… which was that his bare presence, even though he was silent, was terrible to the demons. But the men of the present day, if they were all collected in one place, would not be able, with infinite prayers and tears, to do the wonders that once were done by the handkerchief of St. Paul. He too by his prayers raised the dead,
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 2
… And the divine apostle at Troas, when all supposed Eutychus to be dead, said “Trouble not yourselves for his soul is in him.”
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sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Letters of St. Augustin 36.8
… “When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.”
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
… Such were their meals, that the hearers came away sober, and fit for hearing. But we, in what do we differ from dogs? Do you mark what a difference (between us and those men)? “And they brought the young man alive, and,” it says, “were not a little comforted,” both because they received him back alive, and because a miracle had been wrought.
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
… “And they brought the young man alive, and,” it says, “were not a little comforted,” both because they received him back alive, and because a miracle had been wrought. “And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Thasos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 45
… ( v. 6–8 .) ( a ) Now that they are near to Jerusalem, they no longer hurry. For observe, I pray you, all the days. “After the day of unleavened bread” they came “to Troas in five days” ( ch. xx. 6 ); then they there spent “seven;” in all, twelve: then to “Thasos,” to “Mytilene,” to “Trogylium” and “over against Chios,” and to “Samos” and “Miletus” (
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
… for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.” ( v. 13 .) We often find Paul parting from the disciples. For behold again, he himself goes afoot: giving them the easier way, and himself choosing the more painful. He went afoot, both that he might arrange many matters, and by way of training them to bear a parting from him.
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
… for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.” ( v. 13 .) We often find Paul parting from the disciples. For behold again, he himself goes afoot: giving them the easier way, and himself choosing the more painful. He went afoot, both that he might arrange many matters, and by way of training them to bear a parting from him.
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 43
… for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot.” ( v. 13 .) We often find Paul parting from the disciples. For behold again, he himself goes afoot: giving them the easier way, and himself choosing the more painful. He went afoot, both that he might arrange many matters, and by way of training them to bear a parting from him.
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 46.8
… If—as a wicked theory maintains—this holy place has, since the Lord’s passion, become an abomination, why was Paul in such haste to reach Jerusalem to keep Pentecost in it?
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 32
… 38 ) wherein was a fountain springing up, and watering, not the face of the earth, but the souls of men, whence not rivers only, but even fountains of
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
… I am a minister: nothing more. Having comforted them, that they might not grieve that he was so evil entreated, and having told them that he endured those things “with joy,” and having shown the fruits of them, then (and not before) he brings in that which would give them pain, that he may not overwhelm their minds. “And
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
… save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the Gospel of the grace of God.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 45
… And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.” ( v. 12 .) Many even besought him not to depart, and still he would not comply. “Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart?” ( v. 13 .) Do you mark? Lest, having heard that saying, “I go bound in the Spirit” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 30
… ix. 5 .) And it was customary of old for the thing to be so called. But as he has here added “of the Gospel,” on this ground we assert that he speaks not of money only, but of all other things. As if he had said, I know that when I come I shall find you with the honor and freshness of all good deeds about you, and worthy of countless praises in the Gospel.
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 32
… Fain would I see the tomb, where the armor of righteousness is laid up, the armor of light, the limbs which now live, but which in life were made dead; and in all whereof Christ lived, which were crucified to the world, which were Christ’s members, which were clad in Christ, were a temple of the Spirit, an holy building, “bound in the Spirit,” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Ephesians 8
… On what ground then, dost thou wish to attain the same end as they, if here on earth thou art traveling the contrary road from them? “And now,” saith Paul, “I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there; save that the Holy Ghost testifieth unto me in every city, saying, that bonds and afflictions abide me.” (
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san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 16.14
… And again, The Holy Ghost said , unto the Apostles who were in Antioch, Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them . Beholdest thou the Spirit living, separating, calling, and with authority sending forth? Paul also said, Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me
san Cirillo di Gerusalemme † 386 d.C. The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 17.31
31. I pass by the work wrought at Troas on Eutychus, who being borne down by his sleep fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead ; yet was saved alive by Paul . I also pass by the prophecies addressed to the Elders of Ephesus whom he called to him in Miletus, to whom he openly said, That the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
… 22–24 ). Wherefore says he this? By way of preparing them to be always ready to meet dangers, whether seen or unseen, and in all things to obey the Spirit.
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sant'Ignazio di Antiochia † 108 d.C. Epistle to the Tarsians 1
From Syria even unto Rome I fight with beasts: not that I am devoured by brute beasts, for these, as ye know, by the will of God, spared Daniel, but by beasts in the shape of men, in whom the merciless wild beast himself lies hid, and pricks and wounds me day by day. But none of these hardships “move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself,”
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose 63.24
73. Paul denied himself, when, knowing that chains and tribulations awaited him in Jerusalem, he willingly offered himself to danger, saying: “Nor do I count my life dear to myself, if only I can accomplish my course, and the ministry of the Word, which I have received of the Lord Jesus.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
(Recapitulation.) “Not knowing,” he says, “the things that shall befall me.” ( v. 22, 23 .) Then is this why thou departest? By no means; on the contrary (I know that), “bonds and afflictions await me.” That (there are) trials, I know, but of what kind I know not: which was more grievous. “But none of these things move me” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 4
… And when the devil finds a soul such as this, he can accomplish in it none of his works. For what? tell me, shall he threaten the loss of property, and degradation, and banishment from one’s country? But these are small matters to him who “counteth not even his life dear” (
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sant'Ireneo di Lione † 202 d.C. Against Heresies 3.14.2
… Therefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed, therefore, both to yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost has placed you as bishops, to rule the Church of the Lord, which He has acquired for Himself through His own blood.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
… both that “my face ye shall see no more,” for in heart I am with you: and that it was not they alone (who should see him no more): for, “ye shall see my face no more, ye all, among whom I have gone about preaching the Kingdom.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Philippians 15
Here some one may enquire, how when he had said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
… and that it was not they alone (who should see him no more): for, “ye shall see my face no more, ye all, among whom I have gone about preaching the Kingdom.” So that he may well (say), "Wherefore I take you to record (read διὸ μαρτ . for διαμαρτ .),—seeing I shall be with you no more—“that I am pure from the blood of all men.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Ephesians 11
… An account indeed we shall have to give of your souls; but it will be when we have been wanting on our part, when we fail to exhort, when we fail to admonish, when we fail to protest. But after these words, allow even me to say that “I am pure from the blood of all men” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on 2 Timothy 4
… If thou wilt not believe the future, O man, believe the present. If thou wilt not believe invisible things, believe things that are seen: or rather believe things which are seen, for so thou wilt believe things which are invisible. But if thou wilt not, we may fitly say with the Apostle, “We are pure from your blood” (
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 3
… We give you this advice, dear friend, in brotherly kindness. Receive it and you will do well. And if you hearken not we will say to you in the word of the apostle “We are pure.”
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 169
And if after this our entreaty your piety reject this doctrine, which was given in the presence of God, we will shake off the dust of our feet against you, and cry with the blessed Paul, “We are pure from your blood.”
papa san Gregorio I Magno † 604 d.C. The Book of Pastoral Rule 3.25
… xxv. 24 , &c.). Let them hear how Paul believed himself to be pure from the blood of his neighbours in this, that he spared not their vices which required to be smitten, saying, I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men: for l have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God (
papa san Gregorio I Magno † 604 d.C. Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 1.34
… Yet if thou declare it to the wicked, and he turn not from his iniquity and from his wicked way, he himself indeed shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul. Hence also Paul says to the Ephesians, My hands are pure this day from the blood of all of you. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God (
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
… for διαμαρτ .),—seeing I shall be with you no more—“that I am pure from the blood of all men.” ( v. 26 .) Do you mark how he terrifies them, and troubled and afflicted as their souls are, how hard he rubs them ( ἐπιτρίβει )? But it was necessary. “For I have not shunned,” he says, “to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” (
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Tertulliano † 220 d.C. To His Wife 2.3
… So far as I know, “we are not our own, but bought with a price;” and what kind of price? The blood of God.
Tertulliano † 220 d.C. On Modesty 7
… Else, what kind of (hypothesis) is it that the Lord, like a quibbler in answering, omitting the present subject-matter which it was His duty to refute, should spend His labour about one yet future? “But a ‘sheep’ properly means a Christian, and the Lord’s ‘flock’ is the people of the Church,
sant'Ippolito † 235 d.C. The Refutation of All Heresies 9.1
… concerning all heresies by us who, at all events, have not left any unrefuted, the greatest struggle now remains behind, viz., to furnish an account and refutation of those heresies that have sprung up in our own day, by which certain ignorant and presumptuous men have attempted to scatter abroad the Church, and have introduced the greatest confusion
san Pietro I di Alessandria † 311 d.C. The Genuine Acts of Peter 1
… But the grace of God which then protected them, will, I believe, protect you also. But why do I delay you longer, my very dear brethren, with the outpouring of my prolix discourse. It remains, that with the last words of the Apostle
sant'Efrem il Siro † 373 d.C. Ephraim Syrus: Three Homilies 2.5
… As long as thy life remains to thee, cleanse thy soul from wrath; for if it should go to Sheol with thee, thy road will be straight to Gehenna. Keep not anger in thy heart; hold not fury in thy soul; thou hast not power over thy soul, save to do that which is good. Thou art bought with the blood of God;
sant'Ambrogio † 397 d.C. On the Holy Spirit 2.13
… Let us now learn more expressly what we have touched upon above, that the Holy Spirit entrusts the same office as the Father and the Son, and appoints the same persons; since Paul said: “Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock in the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to rule the Church of God.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
… So, whereas he seems to be justifying himself, in fact he is terrifying them. “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers (or, bishops) to feed the Church of God (see note 3), which He hath purchased with His own blood.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 1
… 2 .) And in the Epistle to the Corinthians, he says, that “to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge” ( 1 Cor. xii. 8, 11 ); and that It divideth all as It willeth. And in addressing the Milesians, he says, “Over which the Holy Ghost hath made you shepherds and overseers.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Commentary on Galatians 1
… This appears in another place, from his ascription of the things of God to the Spirit, in the words which he addresses to the elders at Miletus: “Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in the which the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops.” (
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 54.4
… The same who is already your Lord. Your father will be sorry but Christ will be glad; your family will grieve but the angels will rejoice with you. Let your father do what he likes with what is his own. You are not his to whom you have been born, but His to whom you have been born again, and who has purchased you at a great price with His own blood.
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 146
… In the Acts of the Apostles Paul thus speaks to the priests of a single church: “Take heed unto yourselves and to all the flock, in the which the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops, to feed the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”
Sulpicio Severo † 420 d.C. The Doubtful Letters of Sulpitius Severus 1.6
… And that by my example in your behalf, ye yourselves also might be able to suffer; I suffered for you, that no man might hesitate to suffer for himself what God
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius 7.4
… “Shall a man afflict God, for you afflict Me?” If then we cannot think that the Lord was born of a Virgin because He who was born was anterior to her who bore Him, how can we believe that God had blood? And yet it was said to the Ephesian elders: “Feed the Church of God which He has purchased with His own Blood.”
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sant'Egesippo † 180 d.C. Fragments from His Five Books of Commentaries on the Acts of the Church 4
… Each of these leaders in his own private and distinct capacity brought in his own private opinion. From these have come false Christs, false prophets, false apostles—men who have split up the one Church into parts
sant'Atanasio di Alessandria † 373 d.C. Defence Against the Arians (Apologia Contra Arianos) 3
… deposed by the blessed Alexander, and because both he and the others were connected with the Arian madness, as well as on account of the charges which lie against them, the holy Council has unanimously deposed them from the Episcopate, and we have decided that they not only are not Bishops, but that they are unworthy of holding communion with the faithful.
san Basilio † 379 d.C. The Hexæmeron 2.4
… “Darkness” is the enemy of souls, the primary cause of death, the adversary of virtue. The words of the Prophet, they say in their error, show that it exists and that it does not proceed from God. From this what perverse and impious dogmas have been imagined! What grievous wolves,
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
… “And now behold,” etc. “Wherefore I take you to record, that I am pure from the blood of all men, because I have not shrunk from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God” ( v. 25–27 ): * * * that (counsel) which concerns the present matter. “For I know this,” etc. (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 45
What he does when writing in an Epistle, this he does also when speaking in council: from exhorting, he ends with prayer: for since he had much alarmed them by saying, “Grievous wolves shall enter in among you” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 53
… from our not hearkening to Paul, when we are eager to go somewhither, where he bids us not. For Paul is sailing even now with us, only not bound as he was then: he admonishes us even now, and says to those who are (sailing) on this sea, “take heed unto yourselves: for after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on 2 Timothy 9
… As Christ also did in saying, “They will deliver you up, and they will scourge you, and bring you before the synagogues, for My name’s sake.” ( Matt. x. 17 .) And this blessed man elsewhere says, “For I know this, that after my departures shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.” (
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 14.11
… Of which too the blessed Apostle speaks: “I know that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock, and of yourselves also shall arise men speaking perverse things so as to lead astray the disciples after them.”
Teodoreto di Cirro † 458 d.C. The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret 2.6
… and we have written to each of their dioceses, in order that the people of each church may be made acquainted with the innocence of their respective bishops, and that they may recognise them alone and wait for their return. Men who have come down on their churches like wolves
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 56
… For that they may not slumber, as sent unto peace and unto untroubled life, He shows many wars close upon them, from without, from within. Declaring this, Paul said, “Without were fightings, within were fears;” and, “In perils among false brethren;” and in his discourse to the Milesians too He said, “Also of you shall some arise speaking perverse things;”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
… but what? That there should rise up against you certain of another sort: he says not, “because of my departing,” but “after my departing:” that is, after his going on his journey.—And yet this thing has happened already: much more (then will it happen) hereafter. Then we have the cause, “to draw away disciples after them.” (
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 4
… Thou hearest too what the chosen vessel of Christ says to the Ephesian elders: “Wherefore watch ye, remembering that for the space of three years, I ceased not to admonish every one, night and day, with tears.”
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 6
… Yea, for He also wept, both over Lazarus, and over the city; and touching Judas He was greatly troubled. And this indeed one may often see Him do, but nowhere laugh, nay, nor smile but a little; no one at least of the evangelists hath mentioned this. Therefore also with regard to Paul, that he wept, that he did so three years night and day,
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 44
… Then we have the cause, “to draw away disciples after them.” ( v. 30 ). That there are heresies, this is the cause, and no other than this. Then comes also consolation. But if He “purchased” it “with His own blood,” He will assuredly stand forward in its defence. “Night and day,” he says, “I cease not to warn with tears.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 45
… And he does not say, From no man have I coveted the necessaries of life, that again it might not look like accusing them: but he covertly hints as much, seeing that he provided subsistence for others as well as himself. See how he worked with earnestness, “night and day” discoursing (to others), “with tears warning each one of them.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Commentary on Galatians 4
… And so he must needs weep, as the prophets do when in perplexity; for not only admonition but mourning also is a form in which solicitous attention is often manifested. And what he said in his speech to those at Miletus, “By the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one…with tears,” he says here also, “and to change my voice.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Ephesians 17
… and dost thou sit uttering witticisms, and “talking folly,” and uttering things “which are not befitting.” Full nobly then wilt thou be able to overcome him! We are in sport, beloved. Wouldest thou know the life of the saints? Listen to what Paul saith. “By the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Colossians 12
… Think of Paul’s squalidness within that prison-house, and thou wilt burn for that beauty, and deem this the extreme of ugliness, and wilt groan bitterly through longing for those bonds. Wouldest thou daub thee with pastes and pigments, and such like things? Think of his tears: a three-years space, night and day, he ceased not to weep. (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Thessalonians 4
… This is the mind of God. An abyss of water did not crush him, and a few tears crushed him. “What do ye, weeping and crushing my heart?” For great is the force of love. Dost thou not see him again weeping? Why weepest thou? Tell me. “By the space of three years,” he says, “I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
… The one is likely to happen, the other not so. For the wicked will possibly be punished, but the good cannot always be rejoicing. No one was equal to Paul, yet he passed all his life in afflictions, in tears and groanings night and day. “For the space of three years,” he says, “I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” (
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san Pietro I di Alessandria † 311 d.C. The Genuine Acts of Peter 1
… But the grace of God which then protected them, will, I believe, protect you also. But why do I delay you longer, my very dear brethren, with the outpouring of my prolix discourse. It remains, that with the last words of the Apostle
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on 2 Timothy 2
… He, who committed this to him, he says, will preserve it unimpaired. I suffer everything, that I may not be despoiled of this treasure, and I am not ashamed at these things, so long as it is preserved uninjured. Or he calls the Faithful the charge which God committed to him, or which he committed to God. For he says, “Now I commit you to the Lord.” (
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 45
… “Which is able to build you up.” He does not say, to build, but, “to build up,” showing that they had (already) been built. Then he puts them in mind of the hope to come; “to give you an inheritance,” he says, “among all them which are sanctified.” Then exhortation again: “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.” (
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Of the Work of Monks 13
… yourselves know, that to my necessities and theirs who were with me these hands have ministered. In all things have I shown you that so laboring it behoveth to help the weak, mindful also of the words of the Lord Jesus, for that He said, More blessed is it rather to give than to receive.”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 10.18
… “I have not coveted any man’s silver and gold; you yourselves know how for such things as were needful for me and them that are with me these hands have ministered. I have showed you all things, how that so labouring you ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said: It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 8
… For neither, because they fast and watch, do they think it meet to be idle by day; but their nights they spend in the holy hymns and in vigils, and their days in prayers, and at the same time in laboring with their own hands imitating the zeal of the apostle.
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 45
… “Silver, or gold,” he says. He says not, I have not taken, but, not even “coveted.” No great thing this, but what follows after is great. “Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that so laboring, ye ought to support the weak.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Corinthians 20
And why say I Peter? For this same Paul himself, after his incessant runnings to and fro and all those vast miracles, standing in a tent-maker’s shop, sewed hides together: while angels were reverencing him and demons trembling. And he was not ashamed to say, (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Corinthians 40
… or rather two or three masters one servant. But if this be grievous, consider them that have none and enjoy more prompt attendance. For God hath made men sufficient to minister unto themselves, or rather unto their neighbor also. And if thou believe it not, hear Paul saying, “These hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on 1 Timothy 11
… For this is poverty, to stand in need of others; and by this argument the king is poor, in so far as he stands in need of his subjects. But he that is crucified, to the world is not so; he wants for nothing; for his hands are sufficient for his subsistence, as Paul said, “These hands have ministered to my necessities, and to them that were with me.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
… But the cloak he requires, that he might not be obliged to receive one from another. For we see him making a great point of avoiding this; and elsewhere, when he was addressing those from Ephesus, he says, “Ye know that these hands have ministered to my necessities, and to those that were with me” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 44
… iv. 28 .) Here the Apostle bids not simply “work,” but to work so vigorously and laboriously, as to have thereby somewhat to give to others. And in another place the same saith again; “These hands have ministered to my necessities, and to them that were with me.” (
sant'Agostino d'Ippona † 430 d.C. Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 2.16
… should have from the gospel the necessaries of this life; but yet that he has not made use of this power. For there were many who were desirous of having an occasion for getting and selling the gospel, from whom the apostle wished to cut off this occasion, and therefore he submitted to a way of living by his own hands.
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 1.5
… “For these hands have ministered not only to me but to those also who are with me,” “Neither have we eaten any man’s bread for nought, but with labour and toil working night and day that we should not be burdensome to any of you.” And: “If any will not work neither let him eat.”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 23.5
… “Ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered to my needs, and to the needs of those who were with me,” or when in writing in the Thessalonians he testifies that he “worked in labour and weariness night and day.”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Conferences of John Cassian 24.11
… ‘We were not idle among you; neither did we eat any man’s bread for nothing, but in labour and in toil we worked night and day lest we should be chargeable to any of you. Not as if we had not power; but that we might give ourselves a pattern unto you, to imitate us.”
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papa san Clemente I † 99 d.C. The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians 2
Moreover, ye were all distinguished by humility, and were in no respect puffed up with pride, but yielded obedience rather than extorted it, and were more willing to give than to receive.
san Gregorio Nazianzeno † 389 d.C. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 40
… O easiness of the Covenant: This blessing may be bought by you merely for willing it; He accepts the very desire as a great price; He thirsts to be thirsted for; He gives to drink to all who desire to drink; He takes it as a kindness to be asked for the kindness; He is ready and liberal; He gives with more pleasure than others receive.
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 45
… “I have showed you all things,” he says: ye cannot take refuge in the plea of ignorance: “have shown you” by works “how that so laboring ye ought to work.” And he does not say, that to receive is bad, but that not to receive is better. For, “remember,” he says, “the words of the Lord which he spake: It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on Philippians 15
… This he doth, both that they who benefited him may not be lifted up with arrogance, and that they may become more zealous in well-doing, since they rather benefit themselves; and that they who receive may not fearlessly rush forward to receive, lest they meet with condemnation. For “it is more blessed,” He saith, “to give than to receive.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Thessalonians 6
… And this is the effect of working, that one does not receive of others, nor live idly, but by working imparts to others. For it is said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on First Thessalonians 8
… And again, “I think that I also have the Spirit of God.” ( 1 Cor. vii. 40 .) All those things therefore he spake by the Spirit, but this, which he now says, he heard even expressly from God. As also that which he had said discoursing to the Elders of Ephesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” he heard among things not recorded. (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. Homilies on 2 Thessalonians 5
This indeed he says here; but there, in the first Epistle, he says, “that ye may walk honestly towards them that are without.” On what account? Perhaps there was as yet no such thing. For upon another occasion also admonishing, he says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (
san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 44
… For they slander, so to speak, all Christianity, and cause it to be ridiculed on the score of idleness. First however, we must mention that saying of Paul. What saith he? “Remember the Lord, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (
san Girolamo † 420 d.C. The Letters of St. Jerome 52.16
16. Let us never seek for presents and rarely accept them when we are asked to do so. For “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 7.16
… and, not adapting their own life or understanding to the meaning of the Scripture, but making the meaning of Scripture bend to the desires of their own lust, they try to make it to correspond to their own views, and say that it is written, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Giovanni Cassiano † 435 d.C. The Twelve Books on the Institutes of the Cœnobia, and the Remedies for the Eight Principal Faults 12.25
… of others and not his own, it persuades him that it is much better for food and clothing to be provided for him by his own rather than by another’s means according to that text (which, as was before said, those who are rendered dense through such dulness and coldness of heart, cannot possibly understand), “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 45
… iii. 17 ), he added the declaration of Christ, Who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” He prayed over them while exhorting them: he shows it both by action,—“And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all,” (
Ecumenical Councils The Canons of the 318 Holy Fathers Assembled in the City of Nice, in Bithynia 20
All the churches did not, however, adopt this practice; for we see in the Acts of the Apostles (
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san Giovanni Crisostomo † 407 d.C. A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 45
… 36 )—he did not simply pray, but with much feeling: ( κατανύξεως ): great was the consolation—and by his saying, “I commend you to the Lord. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more.” (
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san Pietro I di Alessandria † 311 d.C. The Genuine Acts of Peter 1
… Then this most gentle teacher going to the rest of the clergy, who, as I have said, had come in to him to speak in behalf of Arius, spake to them his last consoling words, and such as were necessary; then pouring forth his prayers to God, and bidding them adieu, he dismissed them all in peace.
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EXHORTATUS EOS. — Graece tantum est προσκαλεσάμενος, id est vocans: unde ex Graeco excidisse videtur altera vox vicina καὶ παρακαλεσάμενος, id est et exhortatus; vel ut Syrus, consolatus eos: ideo enim vocavit eos, ut exhortaretur et consolaretur in tanta Demetrii seditione et tumultu. VALEDIXIT, — ἀπησπάσατο: Syrus, deosculatus eos; Pagninus et Tigurina, complexus eos. Solebant enim Christiani primitus se salutare in osculo sancto, id est amplectando sese invicem, uti etiamnum eorum exemplo faciunt Religiosi. Vide dicta ad illud: « Salutate invicem in osculo sancto, » I Cor. xvi, 20, et II Cor. xiii, 12. PROFECTUS EST, — sapienter cedens furori Demetrii et argentariorum, ne in Christianos omnes insurgerent eosque mactarent; se vero aliis provinciis et laboribus reservans. Ita S. Athanasius sciens se unum quaeri ab Arianis, ac in suo capite verti rem Christianam de homousio, prudenter ubique fuga se subduxit, vitamque pene omnem in exilio et latebris egit; ac fugiendo hostium furorem fregit et superavit. UT IRET IN MACEDONIAM, — inde iturus Hierosolymam, ut ipse destinavit cap. xix, vers. 21.
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3. FACTAE SUNT ILLI INSIDIAE A JUDAEIS. — Nimirum obsederunt vias, ut eleemosynas, quas deferebat fidelibus in Jerusalem, eriperent, ait Dionysius, et ut eum occiderent, ait Lyranus.
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4. COMITATUS EST AUTEM EUM. — Graeca addunt, usque ad Asiam. SOPATER. — Nonnulli legunt Sosipater, hic enim per crasin dicitur « Sopater. » Fuit hic cognatus Pauli, ut patet Rom. xvi, 21. Ita S. Chrysostomus, Theophylactus, Origenes et alii, in Rom. cap. xvi. Ascriptus est Sanctis in Martyrologio, 25 junii. PYRRHI, — scilicet filius; vel, ut Sedulius legit, pater. BEROEENSIS. — Beda hoc cognomen ad Sopatrem refert, non ad Pyrrhum, q. d. Sopater patria erat Beroeensis, sive natus Beroeae: licet Ado et Usuardus, in Martyrol., 25 junii, legunt Pyrrhi-Beroeensis, quasi civitas haec dicta sit Pyrrhi-Beroea. Verum de urbe hujus nominis, nihil uspiam reperi. TYCHICUS. — Hic fuit administer Pauli in perferendis litteris et mandatis ad absentes. Unde Paulus eum vocat charissimum fratrem, fidelem ministrum et conservum in Domino, Ephes. vi, 21; Coloss. iv, 7. Sanctis ascriptus est in Martyrologio Roman., die 29 aprilis. TROPHIMUS. — Hic fuit Ephesius ex Gentilibus oriundus: unde propter eum captus est Paulus, suspicantibus Judaeis quod Trophimum Gentilem induxisset in templum eorum, cap. xxi, vers. 29. De eo sic legimus, in Martyrol. Rom., 29 decembris: « Arelate natalis S. Trophimi, cujus meminit S. Paulus ad Timotheum scribens, qui ab eodem Apostolo Episcopus ordinatus, praefatae urbi primus ad Evangelium praedicandum directus est: ex cujus praedicationis fonte, ut S. Zozimus Papa scribit, tota Gallia fidei rivulos accepit; » qua de causa Arelatensis Ecclesia de primatu Galliae contendit, uti fuse hic narrat Lorinus.
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6. NAVIGAVIMUS POST DIES AZYMORUM. — Hinc patet, hoc tempore, puta anno Christi 58, adhuc apud Christianos viguisse legalia; saltem nomine et umbra tenus. Esto enim Christiani celebrarent Pascha, non tamen dies azymorum: hi ergo erant Judaici. Nota: Lucas hic mutat personam tertiam in primam, dicens navigavimus, idque facit usque ad finem libri. Unde liquet, Lucam hucusque abfuisse a Paulo; hic vero, cum ad Graeciam rediit Paulus, rursum ei adhaesisse: cum enim cum caeteris Paulus assumpsit socium itineris e Graecia Hierosolymam, indeque Romam. Vide dicta cap. xvi, vers. 10. Causam, cur Lucas hic rursum adhaeserit Paulo, silet Lucas ex modestia, sed explicat Paulus, II Cor. viii, 19, scilicet quod Lucas apud Graecos tum ex medicina, tum ex probitate et fide, tum ex scripto Evangelio celebris, ab Ecclesiis electus esset comes peregrinationis Pauli, ad perferendas eleemosynas fidelium Achaiae et Macedoniae in Jerusalem. Prudenter enim nolebat Paulus eas perferre, sed latorem designari ab Ecclesiis, ne quis suspicari posset eum quid ex iis in suos vel aliorum usus convertisse, ut ipse ibidem ait.
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7. UNA AUTEM SABBATI, — id est prima die hebdomadae (quae a praecipua die vocatur sabbatum), vel prima die post sabbatum, puta Dominica: unde in ea Paulus celebravit Eucharistiam, ad quam fideles de more convenerunt. Ita S. Chrysostomus, Beda et S. Augustinus, epist. 86. Vide dicta I Cor. xvi, 1. Fuit haec Dominica una ex iis quae inter 50 dies a Paschate usque ad Pentecosten intercurrunt; et hoc respectu a Chrysostomo vocatur Pentecoste: alioqui non fuisse ipsam Dominicam Pentecostes, patet ex vers. 16, ubi festinat Paulus, ut Pentecosten celebret Hierosolymae. AD FRANGENDUM PANEM, — non corporalem, ut vult Lyranus et alii; sed sacrum, puta ad celebrandam et sumendam Eucharistiam, et post eam Agapen. Ita Syrus et S. Augustinus, epist. 86, quin et Calvinus et Bullingerus hic. Vide dicta cap. 2, vers. 46. Nota hic primaevum morem celebrandi Missam in Dominica, ad quam conveniebant omnes fideles in eaque communicabant: quod deinde praecepto universali sanxit Anacletus Papa quartus a S. Petro, ut habetur in ejus decretis II, Quaest. VII, cap. Laici. PROTRAXITQUE SERMONEM USQUE IN MEDIAM NOCTEM. — Primitus enim exemplo Christi, Eucharistia celebrabatur vespere post sermonem sive exhortationem, eratque et vocabatur cena Dominica; Paulus ergo ultimum valedicturus, protraxit sermonem in mediam noctem. Ubi nota fervorem Pauli in praedicando, et vice versa populi in audiendo devotionem, « ut audirent tubam illam, et amabilem vultum intuerentur, » ait Chrysostomus. Porro incertum est an haec nox et vespera fuerit praevia, et principium diei et lucis Dominicae, an sequens, diemque terminans: festum enim habebat duas vesperas, puta primam et secundam, uti etiamnum habet in Officio Ecclesiastico. Terminantem accipere videtur S. Hieronymus, epist. 28 ad Lucinum, dicens: « Utinam omni tempore jejunare possemus, quod in Actibus Apostolorum diebus Pentecostes, et die Dominico Apostolum Paulum et cum eo credentes fecisse legimus. Nec tamen Manichaeae haeresis accusandi sunt (qui docuerunt die Dominico esse jejunandum, etiamsi nemo sit communicaturus), cum carnalis cibus praeferri non debuerit spirituali. » Jejunarunt ergo die Dominica, non ob praeceptum, sed ob reverentiam Eucharistiae, quam sumpturi erant. Jejunium autem nullum est die inchoante, sed finiente. Ergo, finiente die Dominica, celebrarunt Eucharistiam, non inchoante.
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8. LAMPADES COPIOSAE, — tum ad pellendas noctis tenebras, tum ad decoranda mysteria et celebrationem Eucharistiae, uti etiamnum cereis altaria collucent in Missa, de quo ritu vide Baronium hic.
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9. DUCTUS SOMNO, — κατενεχθεὶς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου, id est victus a somno, ait Budaeus. Nam sermo Pauli protrahebatur in mediam noctem. Celebre est exemplum Machetis in Collationibus spiritualibus pervigilis, apud Cassianum, lib. V De Institutis renuntiationis, cap. xxix.
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10. CECIDIT DE TERTIO CENACULO. — Syrus, de tertia contignatione. Casus et mortis Eutychi S. Chrysostomus auctorem facit diabolum, ut festum hoc gaudiumque Christianorum et fructum concionis Pauli interturbaret et tam tristi eventu funestaret. INCUBUIT SUPER EUM, — Graeca et Syrus, cecidit super eum, instar Eliae, III Reg. xvii, 21, et Elisaei, IV Reg. iv, 34, qui incumbentes puero mortuo, eum suscitarunt: ita Beda. ET COMPLEXUS. — Vox Graeca συμπεριλαβών, id est circumplexus, notat arctissimum circumquaque Pauli complexum, ut viscera suae compassionis, charitatis et misericordiae in eum effundere velle videretur. « S. Eutychus a S. Paulo resuscitatus, secutus est S. Joannem Evangelistam; Telae passus in Vaccaeis in Hispania, completo martyrio gloriosus migrat ad Dominum anno Christi 112, » ait L. Dexter in Chronico.
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11. SIC PROFECTUS EST. — Syrus, tunc profectus est.
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12. ET CONSOLATI SUNT NON MINIME. — Id est maximam consolationem acceperunt. Pulchre Beda: « Inter verba, ait, praedicationis occurrit occasio curationis, ut dulcedine miraculi et doctrinae sermo firmetur, et vigiliarum labor arceatur, et memoria magistri jam discessuri, arctius mentibus infigatur. »
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13. ASSON. — Urbs est in Aeolide juxta Troadem, alio nomine dicta Apollonia, ait S. Hieronymus in Locis Hebraicis. PER TERRAM ITER FACTURUS. — Chrysostomus, « pedibus per terram ingressurus; » hoc enim est πεζεύειν, nimirum pedibus incedere, vel pedestri itinere venire. Unde notat Chrysostomus Paulum pedibus iter fecisse, socios vero navigare jussisse, ne laborem pedestris itineris subirent. Ita S. Franciscus et viri Apostolici incedunt pedites, quantum possunt exemplo Christi, qui pedibus magno labore et fatigatione obambulabat Judaeam et Galilaeam, et discurrebat per vicos et castella, ubique evangelizando regnum Dei: nec unquam equitasse legitur, sed semel asino vectus, nimirum quando ut Messias, Rex Judaeae, solemni pompa ingressus est Jerusalem in die Palmarum. Pedes ergo ivit Paulus, tum ut pedestri itinere amicos fideles salutaret, tum ut utique evangelizaret, tum mortificationis studio et exemplo.
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14. ASSUMPTO EO, — Paulo scilicet, in navim nostram: ita Syrus. Omnia haec narrat Lucas in prima persona, quia ipse omnibus his interfuit, et horum pars magna fuit.
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15. CHIUM. — Insula est nota inter Samum et Lesbum, praestantis vini ferax, quod vulgo Malvasinum dicitur, de qua Plinius, lib. XIV, cap. vii. SAMUM. — Insula est in mari Ionio, patria Pythagorae et Sibyllae Samiae, inventrix vasorum fictilium, quae inde Samia vocantur. Unde illud Poetae: Fictilibus cenasse ferunt Agathoclea regem, Atque abacum Samio saepe onerasse luto. Agathocles enim ex figulo factus rex, in figulinis vasis cenabat, ut semper meminisset se figulum fuisse et figuli filium. Addunt Graeca, Syrus et S. Chrysostomus, ac divertimus Trogyllum. Porro Trogyllum est promontorium contra Samum, habens juxta se parvam insulam, Trogyllum pariter appellatam. Ita Strabo, lib. XIV. VENIMUS MILETUM. — Urbs haec fuit illustris Ioniae, patria Thaletis, lanarum optimarum fertilis: quae inde Milesiae dicebantur. De ea ait Paulus, II Timot. iv, 20: « Trophimum reliqui infirmum Mileti: » quod cum verificari non possit de hoc Pauli adventu Miletum, nam Trophimus Mileto comitatus est Paulum Hierosolymam usque, ac propter eum ibidem captus est Paulus, cap. xxi, 29, neque etiam de ejus itinere quo Hierosolymis vinctus, missus est Romam ad Neronem, quae prima fuerunt Pauli Romana vincula: in eo enim itinere non Miletum, sed Miletam, sive Maltam adnavigavit, cap. ultim., vers. 1; hinc sequitur, id contigisse post prima Romana Pauli vincula, postquam scilicet iis liber Hispaniam adiit. Ac Miletum aliasque Asiae urbes revisit: tunc ergo Mileti infirmum reliquit Trophimum. Unde consequens est epistolam secundam ad Timotheum non e primis, uti multi volunt, sed e secundis vinculis Romae a Paulo scriptam esse, ut ibidem docui.
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16. TRANSNAVIGARE (PRAETERVEHI) EPHESUM. — Vide Paulum hic instar fulguris, imo instar angeli tot urbes, tot gentes, tanta terrae marisque spatia celerrime pervolantem. Praeclare S. Chrysostomus, hom. 2 De Laudibus S. Pauli: « Paulus, ait, in terra gradiens sic se agebat in cunctis quasi angelorum societate frueretur. Nam passibili adhuc colligatus corpori illorum perfectione gaudebat, tantisque fragilitatibus subditus, in nullo inferior supernis virtutibus apparere certabat. Nam et tanquam pennatus totum docendo pervolavit orbem, et velut incorporeus labores omnes periculaque contempsit, et quasi jam coelum possidens cuncta prorsus terrena despexit, et tanquam cum ipsis jam incorporeis degeret, ita jugi mentis intentione vigilavit: et angelis quidem saepe diversarum gentium cura commissa est, sed nullus eorum ita creditum sibi gubernavit populum, ut Paulus universum gubernavit orbem. Michaeli gens commissa est Judaeorum, Paulo vero terrae ac maria, atque universi orbis habitatio. » Et mox: « Quomodo non admirabile hoc atque improvisum videtur, cum ex tenera lingua sermo prosiliens mortem fugat, peccata dissolvit, tenebras caecitatis illuminat, et mutatione mirifica terram convertit in coelum? » DIEM PENTECOSTES, — Christianae et ritu Christianorum, ait Epiphanius, haeres. 75, Hugo, Lyranus, Cajetanus et alii; non Judaicae, ritu Judaeorum. Vide dicta cap. II, vers. 1. Hinc patet antiquitas festi Pentecostes, scilicet a tempore S. Pauli.
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19. SERVIENS DOMINO CUM OMNI HUMILITATE. — Nihil enim admirabilius, quam in tanta Pauli sublimitate tanta humilitas. Rara avis in terris. Praeclare S. Gregorius, lib. II, epist. 54 ad Joannem Ravennatem Episcopum, pallium sibi arrogantem: « Decorari, ait, pallio volumus, forsan moribus indecori: dum nihil in Episcopali cervice splendidius fulget, quam humilitas, » praesertim si iis se humiliat, a quibus exagitatur et contemnitur, ut idem ait, lib. II, epist. 24, juxta illud Psal. ix: « Vide humilitatem meam de inimicis meis. » Vide S. Augustinum, lib. X Confessionum, cap. IV, et S. Bernardum, serm. 23 et 42 in Cantic. Memorabile est quod scribit Sophronius, vel potius Joannes Moscus in Prato Spirituali, cap. ccx: Duo, inquit, Episcopi erant in simultate; unus ex eis ut illam discuteret, cum Clero processit ad alterum, ad ejusque pedes procidit dicens: « Ignosce, Domine, servi tui sumus. » Ille victus hac humilitate: « Tu meus, ait, et dominus et pater es. » Concludit Moscus: « Et vos cum habetis inimicum, ita facite, et vincetis. Quare majorem habet gloriam humilis quam rex, quia ab omnibus laudatur. » Alia similia recenset cap. ccxviii et ccxix. Nota: Apostolus ait humilitatem esse servitium Dei. Nulla enim re magis quis se profitetur servum Dei, quam si se profunde non tantum ipsi, sed et hominibus quibusque propter Deum humiliet et substernat. « Magna potentia Dei solius et ab humilibus honoratur, » ait Ecclesiasticus, cap. III, vers. 21. Rursum nota tò « cum omni humilitate »: non enim sufficit se humiliare in una re obiter et semel, sed in omnibus profunde et semper. Humiliavit ergo se Paulus in corde, in verbo, in incessu, in salutatione, in victu, in vestitu caeterisque omnibus. Adde: tò « omni » accipi potest pro plena et perfecta humilitate, ut sit enallage qua totum universale ponitur pro toto integro, puta « omne » pro perfecto et omnibus partibus numerisque absoluto. Omnis ergo humilitas est plena, profunda, ima humilitas. Sic Exod. xxxiii, 19, ait Deus Mosi: « Ego ostendam omne bonum, » id est summum bonum, puta meipsum, « tibi. » Hanc didicit Paulus a Christo eamque verbo et exemplo docuit omnes fideles, Ephes. v, 1. Christus enim cum esset in forma Dei, propter eos exinanivit se per omnem vitam, nascens in praesepio, vivens in hospitio, non habens ubi caput Suum reclinaret, moriens in patibulo. Quocirca accedens ad Joannis baptismum, cum Joannes ex summa reverentia cum prohiberet diceretque: « Ego debeo a te baptizari, et tu venis ad me? » respondit: « Sine modo. Sic enim decet nos implere omnem justitiam. » Matth. III, 15. « Omnis justitia est humilitas, » ait Glossa, quae se non tantum superioribus et aequalibus, sed et inferioribus subjicit; sicut ex adverso omnis injustitia est superbia, qua quis etiam superiori se praeponit: jus enim et subjectionem debitam ei adimit. Sicut ergo in omni actu virtutis intervenit humilitas, qua quis Deo ejusque legi humiliter se subdit, ita in omni actu peccati se miscet superbia, qua quis superbe jugum legemque Dei excutit: humilitas itaque solvit, imo superat omnem justitiam omneque debitum quod debet Deo, proximo et sibi ipsi: Deo enim se subjicit per religionem, proximo per charitatem, corpus per continentiam subdit animae, animam spiritui, spiritum Deo. Secundo, S. Ambrosius, lib. I, in cap. III Lucae: « Haec, ait, est justitia, ut quod alterum facere velis, prior ipse incipias, et tuo alios horteris exemplo. Si pro nobis Christus lavit, imo nos in corpore suo lavit, quanto magis nos nostra delicta lavare debemus? » Hoc est quod clamabat Christus: « Discite a Me quia mitis sum et humilis corde, » Matth. XI. Tertio, « omnem, » id est summam justitiam implevit Christus et Paulus. Nam magna humilitas et justitia est subdere se superiori, major subdere se aequali, maxima subdere se inferiori: uti Christus, cum esset Sanctus sanctorum, caput tamen inclinavit Joanni ad baptismum, quasi petens ab eo purificationem et sanctificationem, tanquam peccator et poenitens, uti faciebant caeteri, qui baptizabantur baptismo poenitentiae a Joanne. Praeclare S. Gregorius: « Haec, ait, est summa justitia et sanctitas, si virtutis merito summi, humilitate simus infimi. » Hanc impense et continuo docuit Christus Dominus, qui est aeterna Patris Sapientia, ideoque e sinu Patris et summo coelorum in imum terrae uterumque Virginis descendit, ad hoc ut refutaret erroneum mundi judicium, quod falso docet, si quid habeamus sapientiae aut virtutis, ut id ostentemus, extollamus, ambiamus honorari et caeteris praeferri. S. Thomas Aquinas rogatus quo indicio vere sanctus et perfectus dignosci possit? respondit: Humilitate, contemptu sui, fuga honoris et laudis. Si ex adverso, inquit, videris aliquem dum negligitur, postponitur, irridetur, dare sensum doloris vel indignationis, dejicere vultum, nasum contrahere, rugare frontem, scito hunc non esse sanctum, non esse magnum, etiamsi miracula faceret. Ostendit enim in sui contemptu suam superbiam, tristitiam, iram, impatientiam, ac proinde vilem se facit et contemptibilem. Ex adverso S. Ambrosius, lib. V in Lucam, ad illud, Beati pauperes: « Humilitas spiritus, inquit, divitiae virtutum sunt. » Quarto, « omnem justitiam, » id est omne incrementum justitiae et humilitatis, ut scilicet quotidie magis magisque te humilies, donec ad culmen, aut potius ad centrum humilitatis pertingas. Sic Christus descendit e coelo in uterum, ex utero in praesepium, ex praesepio in Jordanem, ex Jordane in crucem, ex cruce in infernum; unde merito tanti descensus, ex inferno gloriosus ascendit et resiliit in coelum imo super omnes coelos; nimirum docuit te et me, ut, si ex uno loco, officio, gradu in quo eminebas, colebaris, honorabaris ab omnibus, mittaris et devolvaris ad alium locum, officium, gradum, in quo deprimaris, negligaris, despiciaris ab omnibus, libens eo descendas dicasque cum Christo: « Sic decet nos implere omnem justitiam. » Quod si feceris, certus esto te cum Christo in summum honoris gradum conscensurum, uti in summum coelorum sua humilitate conscendit S. Franciscus. Quocirca sapienter S. Augustinus, epist. 56 ad Dioscorum: « Huic (Christo humili, inquit) te, mi Dioscore, ut tota pietate subdas velim, nec aliam tibi ad capessendam et obtinendam veritatem viam munias, quam quae munita est ab eo qui gressuum nostrorum tanquam Deus videt infirmitatem. Ea est autem prima humilitas, secunda humilitas, tertia humilitas, et quoties interrogares, hoc dicerem; non quod alia non sint praecepta quae dicantur, sed nisi humilitas omnia quaecumque benefacimus, et praecesserit, et comitetur, et consecuta fuerit, et proposita quam intueamur, et apposita cui adhaereamus, et imposita qua reprimamur: jam nobis de aliquo bono facto gaudentibus totum extorquet de manu superbia. » Appositum dat exemplum: « Itaque sicut Rhetor ille nobilissimus (Demosthenes) cum interrogatus esset, quid ei primum videretur in eloquentiae praeceptis observari oportere, pronuntiationem dicitur respondisse: cum quaereretur, quid secundo, eamdem pronuntiationem; quid tertio, nihil aliud quam pronuntiationem dixisse. Sic si interrogares, et quoties interrogares de praeceptis Christianae religionis, nihil aliud respondere, nisi humilitatem liberet. Huic humilitati saluberrimae, quam Dominus noster Jesus Christus ut doceret, humiliatus est, adversatur imperitissima scientia, etc., ut docti eruditique videamur. » ET LACRYMIS. — Graece, et multis lacrymis, tum compunctionis, ob mea et omnium fidelium peccata; tum compassionis, ob tot Christianorum infirmitates et miserias; tum orationis, ut lacrymis a Deo impetrarem et quasi emerem gratiam toti Ecclesiae necessariam; tum zeli et charitatis, qua deflebam obstinationem Judaeorum et Gentilium, non tam Christo et mihi, quam sibi et suae saluti obluctantium. Vide de lacrymarum fructu S. Basilium, hom. 4 De Gratiarum actione, et ejus familiarem S. Ephrem, qui totus fuit vir compunctionis et lacrymarum, tom. II, in illud, Attende tibi, cap. ix, et ea quae dixi Jerem. cap. ix, vers. 1, et Thren. i, 2, et cap. iii, vers. 48. Pulchre Chrysostomus, hom. 2 De Laudibus S. Pauli: « Sicut, inquit, parentes qui mortibus filiorum vulnerantur, aliquid consolationis accipiunt, cum fletibus madent, magisque dolent, cum dolere prohibentur; sic Paulus nocte ac die consolationem accipiebat ex lacrymis: nullus siquidem tanto affectu mala propria, quam ille deflebat aliena. » Unde ait Rom. ix, 2: « Tristitia mihi magna est, et continuus dolor cordi meo. Optabam enim ego ipse anathema esse a Christo pro fratribus meis, qui sunt cognati mei secundum carnem. » Et II Cor. ii, 4: « Ex multa tribulatione et angustia cordis scripsi vobis per multas lacrymas (madefaciens epistolam), non ut contristemini, sed ut sciatis quam charitatem habeam abundantius in vobis. » Nam, ut ait Chrysostomus: « Tanta est vis spiritualium in parturitione dolorum, ut malit sexcenties defatigari qui talem partum enititur, quam unum ex his qui nati sunt, videre perditum ac corruptum. » Est haec Pauli testamentum, in quo eis ultima dat monita ideamque vitae suae, quam sibi infigant, jugiterque ad imitandum ob oculos ponant. Similia dedit Apostolis Christus, Joan. cap. xiii, xiv, xv, xvi, xvii, aeque ac Jacob, Moses, Samuel, David et Tobias morituri. Sunt enim ultima verba parentum efficacia, haerentque in mentibus filiorum, quasi « scrupulus abeunti, » ait Cicero, lib. IV De Finibus. ET TENTATIONIBUS, — vexationibus, angustiis, afflictionibus. Sic sumitur tentatio pro tribulatione, Hebr. xi, 37: « Lapidati sunt, secti sunt, tentati sunt, in occisione gladii mortui sunt. » Et Jacob. i, 2: « Omne gaudium existimate, fratres mei, cum in varias tentationes incideritis. » In tribulatione enim gaudendum est: de tentatione autem proprie dicta, utpote peccati illice, non gaudendum, sed dolendum est et pavendum.
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20. NIHIL SUBTRAXERIM UTILIUM, — puta eorum quae possent prodesse animabus vestris. Ita Syrus. « Sicut enim invidiae est quaedam abscondere, ita insipientiae est omnia dicere, » ait Chrysostomus. Unde Deus nonnisi utilia eloquitur. « Ego Dominus Deus tuus docens te utilia, » inquit ipse Isaia XLVIII, 17. Hoc imitentur Doctores et Concionatores, ut non speciosa, non curiosa, non blanda, sed utilia doceant, quae animae saluti conferant. Vide S. Basilium, hom. 11 Hexaemeron. Praeclare Sidonius Apollinaris, lib. VIII, epist. 4: « Modo, ait, tempus est seria legi, seria scribi, deque vita perpetua potius quam memoria cogitari; nimiumque meminisse nostra post mortem, non opuscula, sed opera pensanda. » Secundo, et magis genuine tò « utilium » referas non tantum ad doctrinam utilem, sed et ad alia quaevis saluti utilia. Unde Pagninus, Tigurina et Vatablus vertunt, « quomodo nihil suffugerim, vel detrectarim » (hoc enim est ὑπεστειλάμην) « eorum quae essent in rem vestram, » q. d. Nihil detrectavi neque periculi, neque laboris, qui modo ad vestram pertineret utilitatem. PUBLICE ET PER DOMOS. — Hinc patet non sufficere Episcopo et Pastori, ut publice in genere doceat, sed et debere privatim singulos in particulari docere et monere, ubi res exigit, praesertim cum rudes sunt, aut peccatis gravibus vel scandalosis irretiti. Imitari enim debet Pastorem ovium, qui singulas oves in particulari agnoscit, fovet, pascit, curat, medetur si aegrotent, uti faciebat Jacob pascens oves Laban, Genes. xxxi, 39. Hoc est quod monet Sapiens, Prov. xxvii, 23: « Diligenter agnosce vultum pecoris tui, tuosque greges considera. » Cura enim et providentia est rerum particularium, non universalium. Ita in Belgio vidi vigilantes Pastores parochiam suam obire domatim, ac singulos salutare, compellare, solari, monere, hortari; quod mirum eis subditorum amorem, confidentiam et reverentiam conciliabat. Id fecisse se ait Paulus, vers. 31: « Per triennium, ait, nocte et die non cessavi cum lacrymis monens unumquemque vestrum. » Nam, « Omnem prorsus hominem Deo exhibere cupiebat, et omnes quantum ad ipsum spectat, exhibuit: quasi enim universum mundum genuisset, sic perturbabatur, sic currebat, sic omnes in regnum Dei festinabat inducere docendo, pollicendo, meditando, tum pro ipsis etiam supplicando et terrendo, et daemones corruptores animarum fugando: aliquando epistolis, aliquando poenitentia, nunc sermone, nunc rebus, per discipulos, per semetipsum conabatur erigere labantes, stantes vero firmare, humi jacentes attollere, sanare contritos, torpentes oleo exhortationis animare, inimicis insonare terribiliter, hostes minaciter intueri more optimi cujusdam ducis, ac medici artis suae instrumenta gestantis: protector ipse bellantium, ipse sedulus aegrotorum minister, et unus omnium officiorum personas et exercitium ubique custodiens. » Causam subdit: « Cum celsus in omnium consisteret arce virtutum, omnem tamen flammam praecipuo charitatis ardore vincebat. Ut enim missum in ignem ferrum, totum profecto ignis efficitur; sic Paulus charitate succensus, totus factus est charitas: qui quasi communis totius mundi esset pater, ita in amore omnium ipsos eorum imitabatur parentes, imo cunctos non carnales solum, sed et spirituales patres sollicitudine ac pietate superabat; et pecunias, et verba, et corpus, et animam, pro his quos diligebat, impendens. »
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21. TESTIFICANS, — id est publice et libere praedicans, ait Chrysostomus. Apostoli enim fuerunt publici testes Christi et Evangelii. Vide dicta cap. x, vers. 42. IN DEUM POENITENTIAM. — Poenitentia, etsi non sit virtus theologica, sicut fides, spes aut charitas, quae directe et primario Deum quasi objectum respiciunt, tamen indirecte suo quoque modo tendit in Deum. Sicut enim peccatum est offensa Dei, ita poenitentia est reconciliatio Dei: quia ipsa est quasi satisfactio pro offensa Deo facta.
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22. ALLIGATUS SPIRITU. — Noster Mariana sic explicat, q. d. Spiritus praedicit fore, ut liger in Jerusalem. Alii, q. d. Scio mihi instare vincula: quare perinde habeo, atque si illis jam essem alligatus. Simplicius alii, q. d. Pergo Hierosolymam impellente me Spiritu Sancto, cui quasi alligatus et devinctus sum. Ipse enim me ita possidet, ut non tam agere, quam ab eo agi videar, juxta illud Roman. viii, 14: « Quicumque enim spiritu Dei aguntur, ii sunt filii Dei. » Porro Spiritus Sanctus mihi indit spiritum, id est impulsum, desiderium, ardorem eundi in Jerusalem; qui me ita valide eo impellit, ut ei alligatus, eo ferri videar; sicut nubes ita aguntur vento quaquaversum, ut ei alligatae videantur, juxta illud Oseae IV, 19: « Ligavit eum spiritus in alis suis. » Causa hujus impulsus fuit: prima, quia hoc eodem anno post paucos dies beata Virgo Hierosolymis migratura erat in coelum, uti dicam cap. xxi, 17. Impulit ergo Spiritus Sanctus Paulum in Jerusalem, ut ante migrationem beatam Virginem salutaret, eique tam suos fideles et Ecclesias quam instantes agones cum Judaeis et Nerone commendaret. Secunda, quia volebat Spiritus Sanctus Paulum Hierosolymis vinctum mitti Romam, ut cum S. Petro Romanam Ecclesiam fundaret et stabiliret.
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23. SPIRITUS SANCTUS PER OMNES CIVITATES MIHI PROTESTATUR, — per ora fidelium prophetantium; primitus enim fideles multi accipiebant donum prophetiae, ut vidimus cap. ii, 17, et xiii, 1. VINCULA ET TRIBULATIONES HIEROSOLYMIS ME MANENT. — « Ut ubi aliquando persequebatur Ecclesiam, ibi nunc pro Ecclesia decertet, » ait Beda. Hoc enim gloriosum erat tum Christo, tum Paulo.
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24. SED NIHIL EORUM VEREOR, — οὐδενὸς λόγον ποιοῦμαι, id est, nullius ex dictis rationem facio, nihili duco, non curo, non timeo. « Paulus, ait Chrysostomus, hom. 2 De ejus Laudibus, ad confusiones et injurias, quas ob praedicandi studium sustinebat, magis quam ad bonorum oblectamenta properabat; mortem potius quam vitam appetens; paupertatem, quam opulentiam: et multo magis laborem desiderans, quam alii requiem post laborem; ac moerorem magis eligens, quam alii voluptatem; studiosius pro inimicis orans, quam alii adversus inimicos. Converterat enim orbem terrarum, quem nos pervertimus. » Causam subdit: « Quia non tantum urbes, gentes, exercitus, provincias, pecunias, potestates, velut arenam vilia reputavit; sed et prae Christi dulcedine non Angelorum, non Archangelorum admiratus est dignitatem, nec quidquam simile concupivit. Quod enim majus erat omnibus, Christi amore fruebatur: cum hoc beatiorem se cunctis putabat, sine hoc autem neque Dominationum, neque Principatuum socius esse cupiebat; sed cum hac dilectione magis esse extremus optabat, imo etiam ex numero punitorum, quam sine hac inter summos et honore sublimes. Perfrui enim charitate Christi, hoc illi vita, hoc mundus, hoc angeli, hoc praesentia, hoc futura, hoc regnum, hoc promissio, hoc bona videbantur innumera; praeter haec vero nihil in tristium parte ponebat. Horum enim quae hic habentur, nihil asperum, nihil etiam suave reputabat. Sic despiciebat universa quae cernimus, ut solet herba jam putrefacta contemni. » Illi ergo vivere Christus erat, et pro eo mori lucrum. DUMMODO CONSUMMEM CURSUM MEUM. — Graeca addunt μετὰ χαρᾶς, id est cum gaudio. Gaudebat enim Apostolus dari sibi occasionem martyrii, quo evolaret ad Christum, quem magis quam cor suum et animam propriam diligebat. Unde ait: « Desiderium habens dissolvi, et esse cum Christo, » Philip. i, 23. Et die mortis martyriique instante, exultans: « Bonum, inquit, certamen certavi, cursum consummavi, fidem servavi: in reliquo reposita est mihi corona justitiae, quam reddet mihi Dominus in illa die justus judex, » II Timoth. iv, 7. EVANGELIUM GRATIAE DEI, — Quia Evangelium est annuntiatio et exhibitio gratiae Christi, tum per praedicationem efficacem Apostolorum, tum per Sacramenta quae gratiam conferunt ex opere operato, tum per exempla Sanctorum, tum per copiosam gratiam, quam sponte sua Christus in fideles suos instillat. Unde et vocatur lex gratiae. NEC FACIO ANIMAM MEAM PRETIOSIOREM QUAM ME. — « Animam, » id est vitam, metonymice. Legit Interpres τιμιωτέραν ἐμαυτῷ, id est « pretiosiorem me, » q. d. Vitam non pluris facio quam me: me autem consecravi Christo et Evangelio: ergo et vitam, tam hanc quam me pro Christo prodigere et perdere paratus. Jam Graeca habent τιμίαν ἐμαυτῷ, id est non habeo, non duco animam mihi pretiosam, aut charam; Syrus, nihilo mihi habetur anima mea, scilicet pro Christo, q. d. Paratus sum mori pro Evangelio. « Et tamen moriendo magis eam pretiosam faciebat, cui tantum meritum conquirebat, » ait S. Augustinus, Quaest. LVII in Levit. Sic David ait, Psal. cxviii, 109: « Anima mea in manibus meis semper, et legem tuam non sum oblitus; » q. d. Pro lege tua animam meam omnibus periculis expono, eamque quasi in manibus fero cuivis hosti obvio eam libenter daturus. Heliogabalus Imperator, teste Lampridio in ejus Vita, dicebat: « Basilice moriendum est, ut mors parem non viderit; » dixit, sed non praestitit: at Paulus dixit, et reipsa praestitit. Vide S. Bernardum, serm. 30 in Cant. Paulum imitentur viri Apostolici et Religiosi, ut prodigi valetudinis et vitae, se perditos aestiment, et utramque libenter, imo exultanter offerant Christo pro eoque prodigant. Hispanorum axioma est: « Capitaneum gloriae avidum, debere nihil ducere vitam. » Quid jam dicat miles, imo signifer Christi, et ambiens gloriam coelestem et aeternam, ut cum Christo regnet in omnia saecula? Nimirum Paulus praemeditatas in corde gerebat hasce aureas S. Nazianzeni sententias: « Sola virtus ducenda est vita. Mortem velut praesentem semper tibi ob oculos pone: ita enim fiet, ut cum ipsi occurrendum erit, superior existas. In sempiternum aevum thesauriza. Nil est vita haec quam fumus, herbae flos, insomnium, rota semper volubilis. Nudus omnino vitae pelagus sulca. Labora, ut animus natura sua volubilis, in te fixus sit et constans. Sepulcris opes tuas ne relinquas. Nullus enim funebris honor cum praeclara fama comparari potest. » Et illud ejusdem Nazianzeni, orat. 19: « Vita et mors improprie vocantur. Vita enim haec est mater corruptionis, adeoque continua mors; mors vero est janua vitae beatae. Una vita est, ad vitam respicere. Una mors, peccatum: est enim animae interitus. » Denique Paulo vivere Christus erat, et mori lucrum.
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26. MUNDUS SUM A SANGUINE OMNIUM. — q. d. Si quis vestrum pereat, sua culpa peribit, non mea. Ego enim meo officio perfunctus sum docendo, hortando, monendo. Hic verum est illud vulgo tritum: « A pastore requiritur cura, non curatio, » juxta illud angelorum, Jerem. li, 9: « Curavimus Babylonem, et non est sanata. » Alludit Paulus ad Ezech. iii, 17: « Fili hominis, speculatorem dedi te domui Israel. Si dicente me ad impium: Morte morieris, non annuntiaveris ei, etc., ipse impius in iniquitate sua morietur, sanguinem autem ejus de manu tua requiram. » Vide dicta cap. xviii, 6. Praeclare S. Gregorius, hom. 12 in Ezech., explicans illud: Speculatorem dedi te domui Israel, etc. Sanguinem ejus de manu tua requiram: « quia, inquit, ipse hunc occidit, qui eum tacendo morti prodidit. In quibus utrisque pensandum est, quantum sibi connexa sunt peccata subditorum atque praepositorum: quia ubi subjectus ex sua culpa moritur, ibi is qui praeest, quoniam tacuit, reus mortis tenetur. Pensate ergo, fratres charissimi, pensate, quia et quod nos digni Pastores non sumus, etiam ex vestra culpa est, quibus tales praelati sumus. Et si quando vos ad iniquitatem defluitis, etiam ex nostro hoc reatu est, quod obsistentes atque reclamantes in pravis desideriis non habetis. Vobis ergo et nobis parcitis, si a pravo opere cessatis; vobis et nobis parcimus, quando hoc quod displicet, non tacemus. O quam liber a commissorum sibi sanguine fuerat praedicator egregius, qui dicebat: Mundus sum a sanguine omnium! Non enim subterfugi, quominus annuntiarem omne consilium Dei vobis. Si enim non annuntiasset, mundus a sanguine non esset. Sed quibus omne consilium Dei annuntiare studuit, ab eorum sanguine mundus fuit. » Deinde idipsum sibi et suis applicans, subdit: « In qua voce nos convenimur, nos constringimur, nos rei esse ostendimur, qui sacerdotes vocamur, qui super ea mala quae propria habemus, alienas quoque mortes addimus; quia tot occidimus, quot ad mortem ire quotidie tepidi tacentes videmus. Sanguis ergo morientis de manu speculatoris requiritur, quia peccatum subditi culpa esse praepositi, si tacuerit, reputatur. Est ergo quod faciat, ut etiam moriente subdito se liberum reddat, surgat, invigilet, malis actibus contradicat, sicut scriptum est: Discurre, festina, suscita amicum tuum, ne dederis somnum oculis tuis, nec dormitent palpebrae tuae. »
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27. OMNE CONSILIUM. — Syrus, « omnem voluntatem, » id est omne quod Deus a vobis vult fieri, puta utilia ad vestram salutem, ut dixi vers. 20.
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28. ATTENDITE VOBIS, ET UNIVERSO GREGI. — q. d. Invigilate primo vobis vestraeque saluti et perfectioni, deinde caeterorum fidelium vestrae curae commissorum. Pastor enim primam sui curam gerere debet, deinde sui gregis. Nam quo magis se curat et perficit, tanto magis curabit et perficiet gregem: sicut mater quo magis se curat, plusque comedit, eo plus habet lactis quo lactet infantem. Unde S. Gregorius, ideam veri Pastoris pingens in Pastorali, primam ejus dotem ponit munditiem cordis: « Tantum, inquit, debet actionem populi actio transcendere Praesulis, quantum distare solet a grege vita Pastoris. Sit ergo necesse est cogitatione mundus, actione praecipuus, discretus in silentio, utilis in verbo: singulis compassione proximus, prae cunctis contemplatione suspensus: bene agentibus per humilitatem socius, contra delinquentium vitia per zelum justitiae erectus: internorum curam in exteriorum occupatione non minuens, exteriorum providentiam in internorum sollicitudine non relinquens. » Ita ipse initio Pastoralis, quae deinde singula ordine toto libro prosequitur. Sapienter Philo, in Legatione ad Caium: « Sicut, inquit, coelos regunt Angeli, coeli elementa, sic reguntur bestiae ab homine, ab anima corpus, res omnis inferior a superiore. » Melius S. Chrysostomus, lib. III et VI De Sacerdotio, Episcopum in populo doctrina et sanctitate eminere debere docet, sicut Angelus eminet inter homines, pastor inter oves, magister inter discipulos, et, ut ait Nazianzenus, Apologia de Fuga, sicut animus et caput in corpore. « Vita principis debet esse censura populi, » ait Trebellius in Valeriano. Quocirca Archiepiscopi gestant pallium: « Illud enim, ait Isidorus Pelusiota, amiculum ex lana contextum, quod illi gestant humeris, ovis illius, quam Dominus aberrantem quaesivit, inventamque humeris suis sustulit, pellem designat. » Vide dicta Ezech. iii, 4. IN QUO VOS SPIRITUS SANCTUS POSUIT EPISCOPOS — Episcopalis enim cura, officium, jurisdictio, potestas instituta est a Spiritu Sancto per Christum. Spiritus Sanctus ergo singulis Episcopis, dum Episcopatum ineunt, haec omnia largitur et imponit. Porro Ephesi unus erat Episcopus, scilicet Timotheus. « Episcopos » ergo vocat primarios Presbyteros: hi enim cum Episcopo quasi Episcopi invigilabant Ecclesiae eamque regebant. Unde, vers. 17, vocavit eos « majores natu, » id est Seniores et Presbyteros. Vide dicta Philip. i, 1. Jam vero Ephesinum Episcopum non advocavit, quia is erat Timotheus, qui erat cum Paulo, ut patet vers. 4 et seq. Adde Paulum advocasse plures revera Episcopos, nimirum eos qui erant Episcopi civitatum provinciae Ephesiae (metropolis enim erat Ephesus). Hoc enim est quod ait vers. 25: « Amplius non videbitis faciem meam vos omnes, per quos transivi praedicans regnum Dei. » Ita intellexit S. Irenaeus, lib. III, cap. xiv, dicens: « Paulus in Mileto convocans Episcopos et Presbyteros, qui erant ab Epheso et a reliquis proximis civitatibus, multa testificans eis adjecit, » etc. REGERE, — ποιμαίνειν, id est pascere, juxta illud quod a Christo dictum est Petro principi Pastorum: « Pasce oves Meas, » Joan. cap. ult. « Pasce verbo, pasce oratione, pasce exemplo, » ait S. Bernardus; ideo Christus ter Petro dixit: « Pasce. » Sic Psal. xxii, 1: « Dominus regit me; » Hebr. « pascit me. » Meminerint ergo Episcopi et Pastores ipsorum regimen esse pastum, regere esse pascere, non se, sed oves. ECCLESIAM DEI (Graece, Ecclesiam Domini et Dei; Syrus, Ecclesiam Messiae, sive Christi: unde sequitur), QUAM ACQUISIVIT (Christus) SANGUINE SUO. — Hinc patet Christum esse Deum, contra Arianos: ipse enim existens Deus, in carne assumpta effudit sanguinem, quo emit et redemit Ecclesiam. Inepte enim et distorte Erasmus Arianis arma ministrans, sic exponit: « In quo vos Spiritus Sanctus posuit Episcopos regere Ecclesiam Dei (Patris), quam acquisivit (Christus) sanguine suo. » Si hoc non est falsare Scripturam, quid erit? Porro « pretium tantum sanguinis Filii vehementer sollicitat et flagitat Pastorum custodiam et curam, monetque fore, ut princeps ipse Pastorum peculium diligentissime tueatur et servet, » ait Vigilius Episcopus, lib. II Contra Eutychem. Rursum hinc fideles monet Apostolus, dicens: « Empti estis pretio magno: glorificate et portate Deum in corpore vestro, » I Corinth. vi, 20.
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29. LUPI RAPACES. — Syrus, « feroces. » Haeretici sunt lupi, ait S. Ambrosius, lib. VII in cap. x Lucae, ad illud vers. 3: Mitto vos sicut agnos inter lupos: « Lupi, inquit, bestiae sunt quae insidiantur ovilibus, circa pastorales versantur casas, habitacula domorum intrare non audent, somnum canum, absentiam aut desidiam pastoris explorant, ovium guttur invadunt, ut cito strangulent: feri, rapaces, iidemque natura corporis rigidiores, ut se facile non possint inflectere, impetu quodam suo feruntur, et ideo saepe luduntur. Si quem priores hominem viderint, vocem ei quadam naturae feruntur vi eripere: si autem homo prius eos viderit, exagitari memorantur. » Et mox haec applicans: « Nonne lupis istis, ait, haeretici comparandi sunt, qui insidiantur ovibus Christi, fremunt circa caulas nocturno magis tempore quam diurno? Semper enim perfidis nox est, qui lucem Christi scaevae nebulis interpretationis fuscare conantur. Versantur ergo circa caulas, stabula tamen Christi intrare non audent. Explorant Pastoris absentiam, et ideo Pastores Ecclesiarum vel necare, vel in exilium agere contendunt, quia praesentibus pastoribus oves Christi incursare non possunt: mentis intentione duri ac rigidi, nequaquam solent a suo errore deflectere. Si quem versuta mentis suae circumscriptione praevenerint, faciunt obmutescere; si autem commenta impietatis ejus agnoveris, jacturam piae vocis timere non poteris. Animam petunt, guttur invadunt, vitalibus vulnus affigunt. Graves sunt morsus haereticorum, qui ipsis graviores et rapaciores bestiis, nullum avaritiae finem impietatisque noverunt. Vestitum ovis habent, facta praedonis: foris ovis, intus lupus est. Nonne vobis videtur lupus, qui humanae necis insaturabili crudelitate, fidelium morte populorum rabiem suam explere desiderat? Ululat iste, non tractat; qui negat vocis auctorem, et sacrilego sermone bestiale murmur interstrepit, qui non confitetur Dominum Jesum aeternae praesulem vitae. Audivimus ejus ululatus, cum in orbem gladius mitteretur; dentes asperos, ora tumida praeferebat, et putabat quod vocem omnibus abstulisset, quam solus amiserat. » Quocirca S. Clemens ex mente Apostolorum, lib. VIII Constitutionum, cap. xviii, jubet eos exstirpari ut insidiatores Ecclesiae, gregis labefactores, haereditatis contaminatores, qui Judaeos falsa religione, Graecos impietate superent.
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30. ET EX VOBIS IPSIS EXSURGENT. — Paulus hic verus fuit vates: nam adhuc eo vivente, contra eum insurrexerant Hymenaeus, Alexander, Phygellus et Hermogenes, uti ipse testatur I Timot. i, 20, et Epist. ii, cap. i, 15. UT ABDUCANT (τοῦ ἀποσπᾶν, abripiant dolo et fraude a Christo, qui unus omnium est magister, Matth. xxiii, 10) DISCIPULOS POST SE. — Fons enim haereseos est ambitio, et ambitus magisterii ac discipulorum. « Omnes (haeretici) tument, ait Tertullianus, lib. De Praescriptionibus, cap. xli. Omnes scientiam pollicentur. Ante sunt perfecti catechumeni, quam edocti. Ipsae mulieres haereticae quam procaces, quae audeant docere, » etc.
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31. VIGILATE. — « Oportet, ait Antiochenus, hom. 411, ut Pastor totus mens oculusque virgam seu baculum gestet oculatum et vigilantem, instar Argi, ut ne una quidem concreditarum sibi pecudum rejicula fiat. » Sic Cherubini pleni erant oculis, Ezech. i, 18, et Apoc. iv, 6. Vita ergo Pastorum vigilia. Vide S. Gregorium, lib. II, Indict. x, epist. 33, et S. Bernardum, serm. 76 et 77 in Cantic. PER TRIENNIUM. — non integrum et absolutum, sed duos annos integros, et tertium inchoatum per tres menses: tot enim resedit Ephesi, ut dixi cap. xix, 10. NOCTE ET DIE NON CESSAVI, CUM LACRYMIS MONENS UNUMQUEMQUE VESTRUM. — Vide hic, o Pastor, Pauli vigilantiam, assiduitatem, lacrymas in monendo et exhortando singulos, eamque imitare. Ita legimus S. Ambrosium, S. Bernardum, S. Dominicum poenitentes audivisse et monuisse cum lacrymis. Quod cor tam saxeum, ut hisce lacrymis non emolliatur? quis non fleat flente Paulo? Nam ut haec verba Pauli expendens ait S. Chrysostomus, hom. 12 in epist. ad Coloss.: « Ex quonam fonte tanta emanarunt fluenta, ut ex illius oculis lacrymae? » Et paulo post: « Quemnam fontem vis comparare cum his lacrymis? Eumne qui est in paradiso qui irrigat universam terram? Sed nihil dices aequale. » Nota tò « unumquemque »: esto enim directe alloquatur Paulus majores natu, tamen in illis alloquitur caeteros fideles, quos singulos habebat in corde et ore, q. d. ait S. Chrysostomus hic, in fine hom. 44: « Si liceret cor nostrum disrumpere ac ostendere, videretis intus esse in magna latitudine vos omnes, mulieres, pueros ac viros. Tanta enim charitatis vis est, ut coelo faciat animam latiorem. ‘Capaces nostri estote,’ dicebat Paulus, II Cor. vii, ‘non angusti estis in nobis.’ Totam Corinthum habebat ille in corde suo et dicebat: ‘Dilatamini et vos.’ » P. Gaspar Barzaeus, S. Francisci Xaverii discipulus et vicarius, imo in spiritu Apostolico alter in India Xaverius, ad Socios in Europam inter caetera haec scribit: « Saluto omnes et singulos e Societate in visceribus charitatis Christi: singulorum imaginem menti impressam gero, adeo vivam, ut ipsi eam intuentes, ex ea sola se agnoscerent: si cui id non obtingeret, id inde fieret, quod ipse ex humilitate alium se sibi in animo efformarit, nimirum vilem, abjectum, inutilem, cum ego eumdem mihi ut virtutibus donisque Dei conspicuum illustremque, in meo corde pinxerim et sculpserim. » Idipsum prae Gaspare, Xaverio aliisque omnibus factitabat Paulus, fideles omnes in memoria, mente et benevolentiae affectu, aeque ac beneficentiae effectu, quasi mater et nutrix assidue gerens et versans.
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32. ET NUNC COMMENDO VOS DEO, — orans ut ipse vos dirigat, custodiat, augeat. Discat hic Pastor a Paulo, sibi orandum esse pro ovibus sibi commissis. ET VERBO GRATIAE IPSIUS, — id est Spiritui Sancto, inquit Glossa Interlinearis; alii, Filio, per quem gratia et veritas facta est, Joan. i, 17; alii Evangelio, quod gratiam confert prae Mose et lege, ut sit prosopopoeia. Fingitur enim Evangelium quasi persona animata et spiritu plena, Spiritum et gratiam aspirare suis praeconibus, q. d. Evangelium ejusque spiritus vos dirigat et custodiat, formetque tales, ut digni sitis capessere haereditatem inter sanctificatos. Hic sensus est plausibilis placetque nostro Sanchez. Alii « verbo, » id est Evangelio ejusque praedicationi, ut sit hypallage: « commendo vos verbo, » id est commendo vobis verbum et praedicationem Evangelii per quam via ad gratiam aperitur, tum quaerendam, tum conservandam et augendam; tum si perdatur, recuperandam. Verum haec hiulca sunt et duriuscula. Sequitur enim: « Qui potens est. » Ergo « verbum gratiae » per hebraismum est ipsa gratia, sicut verbum Evangelii est ipsum Evangelium, q. d. Commendo vos Deo et gratiae ejus. Sicut dixit Lucas, cap. xiv, 25, Paulum et Barnabam ab Antiochenis traditos fuisse gratiae Dei. Gratiam vocat verbum, tum quia Hebraei omnem rem metonymice vocant verbum, tum quia gratia verbo a Deo per Christum nobis promissa est, tum quia verbo et jussu Dei datur. Sufficit enim ut Deus verbo dicat: « Esto sanctus, patiens, humilis »; et mox talis ero. Verbum enim Dei est efficax: Dei enim dicere est facere. Unde sequitur: « Qui potens est. » Ubi Syrus vertit, « quod potens est. » Tum quia verbo, puta Evangelio, gratia exhibetur et annuntiatur, q. d. Commendo vos Deo ejusque Evangelicae gratiae, quae verbo Dei promissa, verbo Prophetarum praedicta, verbo Christi exhibita, verbo meo vobis annuntiata est. Ita Mariana, qui tamen ait verbo per hebraismum redundare. Huc accedit Sanchez, qui sic explicat: « Commendo vos verbo gratiae, » id est divinae promissioni, quae gratiam omnibus liberaliter offert. Ac si dicat: Obsecro Dominum ut ipse vobis tribuat quod suis promisit, haereditatem scilicet suam his qui sanctificantur. Hoc vero nihil aliud est quam petere ut illi, a quibus discedebat Paulus, ita sanctificentur, ut digni sint quibus Deus praestet verbum gratiae, id est gratiam verbo, id est Evangelio promissam, seu verbum gratiosum. Denique verbum saepe sumitur in Scriptura pro facto et opere, quod potenti Dei verbo jussuque fit, q. d. Commendo vos Deo ejusque potentiae et potenti operationi gratiae ipsius: ipse enim potens est, et per gratiam suam potenter aedificabit Ecclesiam vestram, singulosque vestrum, ut fiatis domus, imo templum Dei, hic per gratiam, in futuro per gloriam. QUI POTENS EST. — Graecum ὅς Syrus et alii referunt ad λόγῳ, id est « verbum. » Planius Noster et alii referunt ad Deum. AEDIFICARE, — ἐποικοδομῆσαι, id est superaedificare, q. d. Ego aedificavi fundamenta Ecclesiae vestrae, rogo Deum, ut ille superstruat et fabricam ejus consummet, tum gratia, tum gloria et haereditate coelesti. HAEREDITATEM, — in coelis, quae est ipse Deus, quam nobis quasi filiis suis dabit. « Haeredes Dei sic sunt, ait S. Augustinus, serm. 119 De Tempore, ut ipse Deus sit haereditas nostra. Haec haereditas non minuitur copia possessorum, non fit angustior numerositate cohaeredum, sed tanta est multis, quanta paucis; tanta singulis, quanta omnibus. Non talis te fecit haeredem, cui mortuo succedas, sed cum quo in aeternum vivas; » imo, ut ait S. Ambrosius, in Psal. cxviii: « Manet emolumentum integrum, et eo magis singulis crescit, quo pluribus fuerit acquisitum. » Secus est in haereditate terrena, quae quo in plures dividitur, eo singulis fit minor. IN SANCTIFICATIS OMNIBUS. — Syrus: « in omnibus sanctis, » id est inter, vel cum omnibus sanctis: soli enim sancti hujus haereditatis sunt capaces.
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33. ARGENTUM ET AURUM, AUT VESTEM NULLIUS CONCUPIVI. — Idem fecit et dixit Moses, Num. 16, et Samuel, I Reg. xii. Hoc ergo Mosaicum, hoc Propheticum, hoc Apostolicum opus, « Gratis accepistis, gratis date, » ait Christus, Matth. x. Mira libertas, energia et auctoritas persuadendi praedicatori et confessario accedit, si omnia dona refutet. Praeclare S. Hieronymus ad Nepotianum: « Nunquam, ait, petentes, raro accipiamus rogati. Nescio enim quomodo, qui te precatur ut tribuat, cum acceperis, viliorem te judicat: et mirum in modum si rogantem contempseris, plus te posterius venerabitur. » Ita S. Columbanus objurgans Theodoricum, regem Gallorum de suis sceleribus, dapes regias ei a rege submissas refutavit, dicens: « Munera impiorum reprobat Altissimus, » Eccli. xxxiv. Vix autem verba protulerat, cum vasa omnia quibus dapes continebantur, disrupta sunt; qua re rex territus, se in ejus potestate in omnibus rebus fore pollicitus est. Similis fuit continentia et constantia S. Antonii de Padua: Ezelinus enim tyrannus, quem graviter ob caedes et rapinas increparat Antonius, misit ad eum quosdam ex suis cum praeclaris donis, quibus ita mandarat, ut precibus et omni importunitate id agerent, ut ea acciperet: quod si faceret, illico eum obtruncarent; si non acciperet, patienter ferrent quidquid ab eo diceretur. Illis igitur ficta humilitate instantibus ut dona admitteret, Antonius voce liberrima: « Abite, inquit, illico cum vestris impiis donis, ne vel ruente tecto, vel dehiscente terra nos quoque exitio vestro involvamur. » Ita illis dimissis, Ezelinus, re cognita, semper illum deinceps ut hominem sanctum veneratus est. Par fuit virtus S. Bernardini Senensis, qui libere in concione redarguens Ducem Mediolanensem, cum ab eo submissum esset poculum aureum auro plenum, ipse illud cum stomacho rejecit: cumque legati instarent ut acciperet, et urgendi finem non facerent, surgens Bernardinus eosque sequi jubens, ad carcerem perrexit quo obaerati tenebantur, quos eo die omnes, aere quod debebant persoluto, vinculis exemit.
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34. ET HIS QUI MECUM SUNT, MINISTRAVERUNT MANUS ISTAE. — Haec excellentia, haec gloria Paulo pene propria, quod in tantis laboribus et Ecclesiarum omnium negotiis, manibus tamen victum pararit non tantum sibi, sed et suis omnibus, qui saepe erant multi, ut vidimus vers. 4.
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35. OMNIA OSTENDI VOBIS. — « Omnia, » scilicet non tantum abstinentiam a donis, labores, lacrymas, aerumnas, praedicationem, sed et opus manuum, ut doceam vos suscipere infirmos, eorumque infirmitati consulere. Secundo, apposite Syrus et Vatablus restringunt tò « omnia » ad opus manuum, ut per graecismum intelligatur διά, id est « per, » q. d. Per omnia ostendi vobis, quoniam sic laborantes, sicut ego laboravi, oportet se accommodare infirmis in fide, nec ab illis quidquam accipere, ne ipsi pecuniae suae amantes putent eam quaeri, non se suamque salutem. De hac enim fidei infirmitate et animi pusillanimitate ad litteram loquitur Apostolus. Praeclare S. Gregorius, hom. 18 in Ezech.: « Quis, inquit, nostrum, si unum hujus mundi divitem ad omnipotentis Dei servitium convertisset, seque egere conspiceret, et illum sibi vitae subsidia non praebere, non protinus de ejus vita desperasset? Quis non incassum laborasse se diceret? Quis non ab ejus exhortatione obmutesceret, quem in semetipsum primum ferre fructum boni operis non videret? Sed Paulus per mansuetudinem in virtutum vertice solidatus perstitit, praedicavit, dilexit, et bonum quod coeperat, explevit, eaque portando et persistendo, discipulorum corda ad misericordiam perduxit. » Unde pro « suscipere, » Graece est ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι, quod, ait Vatablus, proprie est porrecta manu retinere lapsurum alioqui, vel abiturum. Paulus ergo ne ullius omnino jacturam faceret, cavebat ne quam ansam praeberet infirmis et alienandis a Christo, quod nollent gravari sumptu, sed potius eis porrigebat manum. Notent hoc Concionatores et Confessarii. A pari tamen potest idipsum ad quamlibet infirmitatem et quoslibet infirmos extendi: quamlibet enim tolerare, imo superare et sanare debet praedicator, et quicumque animabus mederi, easque salvare satagit: adeoque signum virtutis heroicae est, quamlibet proximi infirmitatem, sive corporis, sive animi sit, patienter et generose sufferre, uti multis ostendi Galat. vi. Praeclare S. Chrysostomus hic, hom. 40, in fine: « Exhibeamus, ait, nos ad colloquium faciles, expectemus proximos; ne dicas: Si videro aliquem exspectantem, deterior ego efficior: sed magis quando videris, assume et extingue ejus affectionem. Vides aegrotantem, et auges morbum? Hoc maxime faciamus, ut praeveniamus invicem honore. Itaque si praeveneris honore, teipsum magno honore ornasti, accelerans ut magis honoreris. Ubique primatus aliis concedamus: nihil eorum quae erga nos facta sunt malorum cogitemus, sed si quid bonum. Nihil sic facit amicum, ut lingua gratitudinis studiosa, os bene loqui solens, anima sine fastu, contemptus vanae gloriae, contemptus honoris. » Et paulo ante dicit hanc charitatis dilatationem esse signum, quod certo ostendat nos esse filios et discipulos Christi, sicut diadema et paludamentum ostendit regem. Haec magnitudo animi et dilectionis necessaria est Apostolo, ut ea absorbeat omnes fidelium et infidelium mores inconditos et insulsos, sicut mater magnitudine amoris absorbet omnes aerumnas et ineptias sui infantuli. AC MEMINISSE VERBI DOMINI JESU. — Hoc verbum nusquam scriptum extat: illud ergo dixisse Christum Paulus, Apostolorum traditione, vel revelatione accepit, ut et Clemens, qui idem Christi dictum citat, lib. IV Constitutionum, cap. III; licet S. Chrysostomus, Oecumenius et Lyranus illud deducant ex illo Christi: « Omni petenti te tribue, » Lucae VI, 30. Et: « Mutuum date, nihil inde sperantes, » ibidem, vers. 35. Et: « Cum facis convivium, voca pauperes, etc., et beatus eris, quia non habent retribuere tibi, » Lucae XIII (XIV), vers. 23. Tale est et illud Christi dictum, quod nusquam scriptum est, citat tamen Hieronymus, in cap. V ad Ephesios: « Nunquam laeti sitis, nisi cum fratrem vestrum videritis in charitate. » Plura citat Clemens, lib. II Constitutionum, cap. XL; Justinus, Contra Tryphonem; Ignatius, epist. ad Smyrnenses. Unde liquet non omnia Christi dicta esse scripta, sed nonnulla per manus tradita; ac proinde traditiones esse admittendas. BEATIUS EST MAGIS DARE QUAM ACCIPERE — temporalia bona. Nam in spiritualibus, ut Sacramentis, gratiam recipit accipiens, non dans, ideoque dante beatior est. Syrus, beatior, vel melior est ille qui dat, quam qui accipit. Primo, quia dare signum est abundantiae, accipere vero signum est egestatis, ait S. Augustinus, lib. III Contra Maximinum, cap. XIV. Ubi et addit, hoc axioma non habere locum in divinis. Esto enim Pater det, Filius accipiat a Patre divinitatem, tamen Filius tam beatus est quam Pater: quia Filius, inquit, a Patre accipit omnia, ac consequenter ipsam etiam copiam et aequalitatem. Secundo, quia dare signum est liberalitatis, accipere necessitatis aut cupiditatis, q. d. « Beatior est impartientis largitas, quam accipientis penuria, » ait Cassianus, lib. X De Institutis renuntiationis, cap. XVIII et XIX. Tertio, quia major est benefacientis ad beneficiatum amor, quam hujus ad illum: quoniam ille nobilius operatur, ait Aristoteles, lib. IX Ethicorum. Unde et liberior est: qui enim accipit, ob donum acceptum obligatus, et quasi alligatus est donanti. Quae major beneficii merces, quae amplior compensatio, quam beatitudinis incrementum? Quocirca Seneca, lib. I De Beneficiis, cap. V: « Beneficium, ait, eripi non potest: non enim res est sed actio. » Et inferius: « Potest eripi domus, et pecunia et mancipium, in quo haesit beneficii nomen; ipsum vero stabile et immotum est. » Hinc M. Antonius apud Rabirium poetam, cum fortuna sua excidisset, ac nihil sibi reliquum videret, exclamavit: « Hoc habeo, quodcumque dedi. » Quem secutus Martialis: Extra fortunam est quidquid donatur amicis: Quas dederis, solas semper habebis opes. Quamobrem Plinius, in Panegyrico Trajani, eum celebrat, quod acceptando imperium a Nerva, tantum ei dederit, quantum acceperat: « Imploratus, inquit, adoptione et accitus es. » q. d. Nerva tibi imperium dedit, tu illi reddidisti. Solus ergo adhuc es, qui pro munere tanto, paria accipiendo fecisti, imo ultra dantem obligasti: communicato enim imperio sollicitior tu, ille securior factus est. Hinc Plutarchus, lib. De Praeceptis gerendae reipublicae, amicos dicit esse reipublicae fulcrum, « quam tutatur amor, » ait Claudianus, lib. XII. Quocirca Alexander Macedo rogatus ubi haberet thesauros, amicos ostendit, quod ii soli veri thesauri censeri debeant. Hinc Hebraei hoc Christi et Pauli proverbium sic paronomastice efferunt: « Beatius est » מָשֵׂאת מִתֵּת misset, id est dare plus quam accipere, tollere, auferre: qui enim tollit, alium spoliat vel privat re sua. Beati autem est beare et ditare; non privare et egenum miserumque facere. Ita Franciscus Vallesius, Sacrae Philosophiae cap. LXXXVIII: Beatius, ait, est dare, quia liberalis largitionis extremum, non est bonorum vacuitas, sed adjectio potiorum, puta honestatis et honoris. Acceptio vero est egestatis, vel illiberalitatis. Atque hac de causa censet Aristoteles plus amare eos qui beneficia conferunt, quam in quos sunt collata, utpote magis inde bonum consecuti. Ita etiam a parentibus magis amari filios, quam ab eis redamentur. Contra qui receperint, citius recedere ab amicis, quam qui largiti sint, quod scilicet amissa utilitate, nihil illis restet in amicitia praeter illiberalitatis memoriam: his vero restet semper suavis recordatio beneficiorum. Haec ex Aristotele Vallesius. Quarto, quia honorabilior est qui dat, vilior qui accipit, ait S. Hieronymus ad Nepot. Celebre est illud P. Syri in Mimo: « Beneficium qui accipit, libertatem vendit. » Ex adverso in malis et injuriis, « beatius est eas accipere quam dare. » Unde S. Chrysostomus scripsit hom. 78 ad Popul. hoc titulo: Quod melius est injuriam pati quam inferre: « Patienti enim, inquit, Deus totum reserat coelum, Sanctorum civem efficit, a peccatis absolvit, coronat justitia. » Et mox: « Non es affectus injuria, sed coronatus, anima redditus sapientior, Deo similis constitutus, cura pecuniarum liberatus, coelorum regnum adeptus. » Et anterius: « Hoc ergo fac, et in coelum respiciens, cogita quod illic super Cherubim sedenti factus es similis. » Hoc ergo paradoxum Christi et Pauli, priori est antistrophon. Quinto, quia dare est regale et divinum, accipere plebeium et humanum. Deus enim omnia dat, et nihil accipit; atque in hoc consistit ejus beatitudo, opulentia et bonitas immensa, qua ut mare redundans sua effundit in creaturas: defectus enim miseriae et infirmitatis est, accipere; plenitudinis vero, beatitudinis et magnificentiae, dare, juxta illud Psaltis: « Dixi Domino: Deus meus es tu, quoniam bonorum meorum non eges, » Psal. XV (XVI), 1. Hinc Deus hebraice vocatur Saddai, id est cornucopia. Clemens Alexandrinus, lib. II Stromatum, cap. IX: « Dei, inquit, imago est homo benefaciens. » Et Nazianzenus, orat. 16 De Cura pauperum: « Nihil, ait, adeo divinum habet homo, quam benefacere. Esto calamitoso Deus. » S. Leo, serm. 10 De Quadragesima: « Ubi, inquit, Deus curam misericordiae invenit, ibi imaginem suae pietatis agnoscit. » Deus Pater dat Filio suam naturam: Pater et Filius eamdem dant Spiritui Sancto: Filius se nobis dedit in praesepio, et in cruce, ac quotidie se totum dat in Ven. Sacramento. Deum imitantur omnes ejus creaturae. Coeli enim dant lumen et influxum, ignis dat calorem, aer dat auram qua respiramus, terra dat fructus omnis generis, mare tot pisces, animalia dant lanam et carnes, sol omnibus dat radios, vigorem et vitam. Unde Leo Imperator homines beneficos comparabat soli, qui cunctis suum splendorem et calorem impertit. Jupiter, Mars caeterique ob beneficia inter Deos relati sunt, ait Plinius, lib. II, cap. VII. Quin et Ptolemaeus Philadelphus, secundus Aegypti rex, aiebat « regium magis esse ditare quam ditescere, » ait Aelianus. Et Artaxerxes Longimanus, rex Persarum, teste Plutarcho in Apophthegmatibus regum, dicebat sibi quasi principi, manum ad dandum, puta dextram, esse longissimam, alteram vero ad detrahendum, puta sinistram, contractam esse et brevissimam: « Regalius enim esse addere, quam adimere. » Ita Deus ad dandum est longimanus, ad accipiendum vero brevimanus, imo nullimanus. Sic Bion semper dicebat, « esse optabilius suam messem alteri largiri, quam alienam decerpere, » ait Laertius, lib. IV, cap. VII. Demosthenes rogatus, « quid Deo simile haberent homines? » respondit: « benefacere. » Ita Maximus, serm. 8. Xenophon dicere solebat: « Multo praeclarius ac laudabilius esse beneficiorum quam trophaeorum multitudinem post se relinquere. » Ita Stobaeus, serm. 46. Agesilaus « sibi jucundius esse dicebat ditare suos milites quam seipsum. » Ita Plutarchus in Laconicis. Sexto, quia qui accipit, accipit tantum temporalia; qui vero dat, a Deo recipit spiritalia, puta gratiam et gloriam; et ab accipiente recipit preces, benedictiones, gratiarum actiones Deique laudes. Quocirca Agapetus, Diaconus Romanus, inter monita quae dat Justiniano Imperatori, tom. II Bibliothecae SS. Patrum, hoc dat ordine 50: « Eos plus ama, qui accipere abs te beneficia supplicant, quam qui tibi contendunt offerre munera: hi enim debitor referendi gratiam efficeris, illi vero Deum dant tibi vadem, vindicantem sibi, pertinereque ad se putantem, quaecumque erga supplices contuleris, et remunerantem bonis retributionibus tuam tam piam quam perhumanam intentionem. Solis profecto partes sunt illustrare radiis orbem, principis vero virtus est egenorum misereri. » Dices: Ergo Religiosi mendicantes sunt infeliciores, utpote qui accipiunt; seculares vero et divites sunt feliciores, utpote qui eis dant eleemosynam. Respondeo negando consequentiam. Primo, quia illi non mendicant ex concupiscentia, aut inopia coacti, sed ex virtute et libera electione; elegerunt enim paupertatem voluntariam, ut sint similes Christo, qui eam verbo et exemplo suasit, quasi medium utilissimum ad perfectionem. Secundo, quia Religiosi simul et semel omnia sua dederunt Christo et pauperibus, cum ingressi sunt Religionem. Liberaliores ergo, et consequenter beatiores fuerunt divitibus, qui sensim et parce sua erogant, longeque plura sibi reservant. Unde S. Basilius, Syncletio senatori monasterium ingresso, sed nonnulla sibi reservanti, ne cui gravis esset, dixit: « Syncleti, senatorem perdidisti, et monachum non fecisti, » uti refert Cassianus, lib. VII De Institutis renuntiationis, cap. XIX. S. Hilarion, teste S. Hieronymo in ejus Vita, recusans munera Orioni: « Nemo, ait, melius erogat, quam qui sibi nihil reservat. » Vide Hieronymum Platum, lib. III De Bono status Religionis, cap. XX. Tertio, quia Religiosus plus dat diviti, quam ab eo accipiat, ut aiebat S. Franciscus; dat enim spiritualia, accipit corporalia; dat coelestia, accipit terrena; dat aeterna, accipit temporalia; dat coelum, accipit solidum, juxta illud Christi: « Facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis, ut cum defeceritis, recipiant vos in aeterna tabernacula, » Lucae XVI, 9. Praeclare Hermas, Pauli discipulus, lib. III, cap. III: « Sicut, inquit, vitis ulmo fulcitur, sic dives oratione pauperis juvatur. » Liber hic titulo Pastoris saepe a Patribus citatur et celebratur; sed a Novatianis inspersi videntur eidem errores de neganda relapsis poenitentia, unde a Gelasio Papa inter apocryphos rejectus est; extat tom. V Bibliothecae SS. Patrum, initio. Denique Paulus utrumque habuit: fuit enim pauper, et tamen dedit ut dives, quod est perfectissimum et beatissimum. Nam, ut ait Cassianus, lib. X De Institutis renuntiationis, cap. XIX: « Labore proprio non solum suae necessitatis sufficientiam, verum etiam quod tribuat indigenti pia sollicitudine parare festinat, duplici gratia decoratus, quod et perfectam nuditatem Christi universarum rerum suarum abjectione possideat, et munificentiam divitis labore suo exhibeat et affectu. » Sunt qui Sanctos in multis imitentur: solum hoc pulcherrimum Pauli exemplum vix habet aemulos, vix asseclam. Citant hic nonnulli Sixti III Pont. lib. De Divitiis, ubi varie ad objectionem jam factam respondet. Verum sciat Lector hunc librum inscribi Sixto III Pont., cum sit editus a Pelagianis, contendentibus Christianos omnes, etiam prolibus abundantes, debere a se abdicare divitias, esseque pauperes, qui fuit error Pelagii. Sic enim sextus haeresum ejus articulus, in Concilio Diospolitano condemnatus, habet: « Divites baptizatos, nisi omnibus abrenuntient, si quid boni visi fuerint facere, non reputari illis, nec eos habere posse regnum Dei. » Vide S. Augustinum, lib. II De Peccato originali, cap. XI, et epist. 106 ad Paulinum. Id primum de libro hoc notarunt Doctores Lovanienses, ac Lindanus, Baronius, Possevinus. Vide Baronium, anno Christi 440, cap. VII.
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36. POSITIS GENIBUS. — Familiare fuit Apostolis et priscis Christianis crebro per diem orare, idque flexis genibus, uti videtur fecisse S. Stephanus, Actor. cap. VII, vers. 59; et S. Petrus, cap. IX, vers. 40. S. Jacobus, frater Domini, ex genuflexione frequenti genua habebat callosa instar cameli. Addit S. Chrysostomus, hom. 3 in Matth., eum callosam quoque habuisse frontem, quod eam orans prostratus humo affigeret. In Vita S. Marthae apud S. Antonium et alios legimus, eam centies per diem et centies per noctem genibus flexis adorasse et invocasse Deum. Simile legimus de S. Bartholomaeo in ejus Vita apud Ribadeneiram et alios. Didicerunt hoc a Christo, qui « positis genibus orabat, dicens: Pater, si vis, transfer calicem istum a Me, » Lucae XXII, 41. Idem ante Christum fecit Daniel, cap. VI: « Tribus temporibus in die, inquit, flectebat genua sua, et adorabat confitebaturque coram Deo suo. » Quin et Salomon Regum magnificentissimus: « Utrumque enim genu (notent hoc nostri ignobiles et delicatuli, qui coram Deo unum genu flectunt instar Judaeorum) in terram fixerat, et manus expanderat in coelum, » lib. IV (III) Reg. cap. VIII. Sic S. Petrus Simonem Magum per aera in coelum volantem, orans flexis genibus praecipitavit, ejusque genua collisit, teste S. Maximo, tom. 5 De Natali SS. Petri et Pauli. Hic enim situs gestus est supplicis, rei, orantis et reverentis Numen. Mysticam physicamque causam dat Rupertus, lib. VI in Cantic., quod genua respondeant genis, easque per sympathiam moveant ad lacrymas: « Lacrymae autem paenitentium et orantium, vinum sunt angelorum. » Audi Rupertum explicantem illud Cantic. VI, 7: Sicut cortex mali punici, sic genae tuae: « In utero, inquit, nos ita natura formavit, ut genua genis opposita sint: unde et a genis genua dicuntur. Ibi enim cohaerent sibi, et cognata sunt oculis lacrymarum indicibus et misericordiae. Denique complicatum aiunt gigni formarique hominem, ita ut genua sursum sint, quibus oculi formantur, ut cavi fiant ac reconditi. Inde est quod homines dum se ad genua prosternunt, statim lacrymantur. Voluit enim natura nos maternum rememorare uterum, ubi considebamus in tenebris, antequam veniremus ad lucem. Profecto qui causam istam diligenter attendit, ille scienter atque rationabiliter laudat et approbat, sanctis et eruditis cogitationibus familiare esse, genua frequentius excelso Deo curvare, et genas lacrymosas genibus curvis applicare, ut respiciat ac recogitet Creator habitans in excelsis, qualiter nos in utero formaverit. Unde et illud S. Job commonefacit his verbis: Memento, quaeso, quod sicut lutum feceris me, et in pulverem reduces me. Nonne sicut lac mulsisti me, et sicut caseum me coagulasti? » Et paulo inferius ibidem: « Nec vero soli Deo, sed et hominibus dulcis visu, et amabilis est hujusmodi compositio: tantoque magis quis reverendus existit, quanto frequentius atque affectuosius genua curvans, genas suas vel oculos, vel totum caput demiserit. » Ita Rupertus. Porro Apostolis et Paulo id familiare fuit in abitu, ut valedicentes cum suis genuflexi pariter orarent, tum ut oratione suam doctrinam obsignarent, tum ut Deum invocarent ad eamdem in mentibus discipulorum conservandam et confirmandam contra omnes tentationum et persecutionum insultus. Unde Paulus idem fecit Tyri, cap. seq., vers. 5: « Positis, inquit Lucas, genibus in littore oravimus. » Esto enim tunc esset tempus paschale (festinabat enim Paulus, ut Pentecosten celebraret Hierosolymae, vers. 16) quo ob honorem resurrectionis Christi, stantes solent fideles orare, idque a tempore Apostolorum, ut tradit Justinus, quaest. CXV ad Orthodoxos; tamen tunc necdum introducta erat ista consuetudo. Ita Baronius. Adde consuetudinem istam standi tempore paschali, magis esse in publicis Ecclesiae precibus et officiis Ecclesiasticis, uti sanxit Concilium Nicaenum, canon. 28 vel 29, quam privatis, quales fuerunt hae Pauli. Unde etiamnum multi fideles tempore paschali in ecclesia orant genuflexi. Pauli exemplo solent nostri Olysippone in Indiam Evangelii causa soluturi, et Europae ultimum vale dicturi, cum sociis in littore orando extremum se salutare. Audi nostrum Nicolaum Trigautium oculatum testem, imo consortem in Vita Gasparis Barzaei, lib. I, cap. 5: « Solemne, inquit, tunc erat generosos illos totius mundi cives, velut olim Christiani Paulum, ad littus usque comitari, ac subinde positis genibus, Dei, Virginis et Sanctorum auxilium implorare » in signum communionis et charitatis, abeuntibus felix iter, sibi eorum memoriam et imitationem, utrisque uberem Dei gratiam comprecantes, nimirum magnes amoris est amor: si vis amari, ama. Hinc ad Gal. IV, 14, ait: « Sicut angelum Dei excepistis me, sicut Christum Jesum, etc.; quia, si fieri posset, oculos vestros eruissetis et dedissetis mihi. » Discant hic fideles, quo amore et reverentia prosequi debeant suos Pastores, Concionatores, Confessarios, etc.
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PROCUMBENTES SUPER COLLUM PAULI, OSCULABANTUR EUM. — Syrus, complexi sunt eum. Amplexus ergo vocatur osculum, quia caput capiti, et per illud quasi os ori jungit. Vide dicta de osculo sancto, II Corinth. XIII, 12. Mirus fuit amor fidelium erga Paulum, utpote qui esset doctor, Apostolus, pater, causa salutis omnisque boni eorum,
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v. 1 postquam autem cessavit tumultus, vocatis Paulus discipulis μεταπεμψάμενος ad se arcessivit, et ezhortatus eos valedixit et profectus est ut tret in Macedoniam; cf. 19,21; miserat antea Titum et alium fratrem Corinthum, ut certior fieret, quemnam fructum tulisset epistola quam per Corinthiorum legatos ad eos dederat, et Tito constituerat, ut ad se Troadem rediret. Sed seditione illa coactus citius quam decreverat )1 Cor. 16,8) Ephesum relinquere, Troade Titum nondum invenit, neque diu Troade substitit (2 Cor. 2,12. 13; 12,18), sed fidelibus valefaciens et sollicitus de conditione Corinthiorum profectus est in Macedoniam. Ibi Titum obviam habuit, qui eum de rebus Corinthiorum edocuit (2 Cor. 7,13). Quamvis aliqua satis laeta Titus nuntiare potuerit, nihilominus plura restabant reprehendenda, corrigenda; obviam eundum erat adversariorum in apostolum machinationibus; quare in Macedonia subsistens apostolus alteram quam habemus epistolam ad Corinthios dedit, ut scil. cuncta emendarentur quae emendari oportuit, ne ipse praesens durius in nonnullos agere cogeretur et ut ipse maiore cum fructu inter eos laborare posset (9 Cor. 2,1; 12,20). Diutius itaque in Macedonia versatus est. Nam aliquo tempore ante pentecosten Epheso profectus aestatem transegit in Macedonia, dein hiemem in Graecia, ubi per tres menses morabatur; tempore verno ante dies azymorum reliquit Graeciam;
Quantum periculum Paulo imminuerit, patet ₪ 91 et 2 Cor. 1,8 seq.; merito censuit Paulus esse cedendum, ne sua praesentia fideles quoque periculo involverentur;
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v. 2 cum autem perambulasset partes illas et exhortatus eos fuisset multo sermone, ecclesias Macedoniae visitabat omnes (cf. 16,19-17,18( et fideles diu et sedulo edocebat et in fide confirmabat, venit ad Graeciam, Ἑλλάς pro ᾿Αχαία hoc tantum loco (Bl.);
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v. 3 ubi cum fecisset menses tres ποιήσας cf. 15,33; 18,93; Corinthi potissimum laborasse censendus erit; eo tempore Corinthi scripsit epistolam ad Romanos (cf. Rom. 15,95; 16, 1. 23), factae sunt illi insidiae a Iudaeis navigaturo in Syriam, vo- | lebat apostolus itinere maritimo a portu Corinthi tendere in Palaestinam, uti iam antea proposuerat 19,91 et scripserat Romanis : nunc igitur proficiscar in Ierusalem ministrare sanctis (Rom. 15,25), vult scil. perferendam curare collectam eleemosynam quam ecclesiae Macedoniae et Achaiae fecerant. Quales struxerint ludaei insidias nescimus; eos voluisse apostolo mortem machinari, non est improbabile (cf. 23,129; 25,3); coniectat Calm. insidias esse structas, sive piratis corruptis, ut navim aggressi ipsum caperent pecuniamque quam deferebat raperent (sim. Dion.), sive latronibus dispositis per urbes quas pertransire necesse erat. Propter illorum insidias (cf. 2 Cor. 11, 26 periculis ex genere) itinere maritimo relicto terrestre iter elegit : habwttque consilium; altera lectione effertur; dixit illi spiritus, ἐδ reverteretur per Macedoniam, itinere sane terrestri (cf. Calm. Bels. Bl. Weiss). Lectio communis re nihil differt; non enim za: cigxa Paulus consilia capere solebat (B/.). Huius itineris comites habuit complures
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v. & comitatus est autem eum, proficiscentem in Macedoniam; ita sane ad v. 3 consequitur, Sopater filius Pyrrhi Beroeensis, unus in novo testamento graeco more appellatur adiecto patris nomine; puto quod domi nobilis erat (B/.); fertur in compluribus minusc. et versionibus Σωσίπατρος; cst ne idem qui cum Paulo Corinthi fuit (Rom. 16,91)? nomen esse idem, non est cur negemus; eundem quoque virum esse Patr. existimat; TAessalonicensium vero Aristarchus et Secundus, ille 19,29; hic plane ignotus; et Gaius Derbeus, proin non ille Gaius 19,29 et Timotheus, notus ille Pauli socius 16,1; Asian? vero, Ephesii (alt. lect.) Tychicus (Eph. 6,91. Col. 4,7; 9 Tim. 5,12. Tit. 3,12) et Trophimus (21,99. 2 Tim. ,א 20). Propter 19,29 necessariam censet 21. correctionem : Γάϊος, Δερ- . 60106 δὲ Τιμόθεος, « ne exsistat alter Gaius Derbensis, sed maxime ne intercidat Gaius Macedo, quem Pauli comitem fuisse e 19,29 didicimus ». Αἴ nullo teste suffragante mutatio est audacior. Insuper nomen Gaius satis frequens est (cf. 1 Cor. 1,15. 3 Ioan. 1) et cur Gaius Macedo non potuerit remanere Ephesi? Comites isti videntur ' esse legati ecclesiarum ad eleemosynam in lerusalem perferendam (cf. 1 Cor. 16,3. 9 Cor. 8,1 seq. 8,19. Rom. 15,26; Felt. Bels. Bi. Wendt). | | Comites hi Paulum proficiscentem Corintho usque Philippos comitati sunt, quos Philippis apostolus rogavit, ut sese praevertentes mariüimo itinere Troadem pergerent, ibique adventum suum opperirentur. lta Calm. neque aliter Patr. : « Paulus hos septem, qui Corintho cum ipso venerant Philippos, iussit praecedere Troadem interea, dum ipse aliquot etiam diebus Philippis maneret » et ita Beel. quoque narrationem intelligere videtur. Et eo modo satis commode, immo necessario colligitur ex v. 5 et 6 i. e. illos socios Philippis praecessisse Troadem, dum ex v. 3. & conficitur eos comites iüneris fuisse in Macedoniam (Philippos); id quod JZe/s. longiore disputatione probat. Unde etiam apparet illud ἄχρι τῆς ᾿Ασίας v. & nonnullorum testium esse spurium additamentum, quod etiam ex 21,29 et 27,2 elucet; qui verba haec defendunt, arguunt ea requiri ne Macedones Paulum solum usque in Macedoniam comitati esse videantur. Sed hoc nemini in mentem venire poterat qui legerit v. 5 hi i. e. socii ac comites, qui modo nominati sunt, cum praecessissent, sustinuerunt nos Troade, nos 1. e. Paulum, Lucam qui igitur Philippis (v. 6) iterum se Paulo adiungit; si ex modo narrandi in prima persona concludere licet, videtur Lucas Philippis remansisse, dum Paulus profectus est (cf. 16,17. 40). Poterant alii quoque socii illo nos comprehendi; Paulus et ipse narrator certe designantur (θεοί. Patr. Felt. Bels. Hild. Bl. Weiss); neque obstat illud nos in v. 13 (quod Wendt obiicit, qui vult illo Ai etiam Paulum comprehendi): ἔμενον ἡμᾶς exspectabant nos; eodem sensu manere etiam Latini adhibent (Livius 42,66 : ipse hostium adventum, elatus successu, mansit; Beel.); ad μένειν cf. Is. 8,47 LXN , 9 Mach. 7,80. Paulus autem dies paschales Philippis egit; mansit per aliquos dies apud fideles quos fratres suos carissimos et desideratissimos, gaudium suum 66 coronam appellat (Phil. 1,4); quare reversus ex Graecia iterum quantum licebat apud eos commorabatur
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v. 6 nos vero navigavimus post dies azymorum a PAilippts , notatur solummodo tempus; Paulum observasse ritum azymorum, ex hisce verbis nequit colligi (Beel.); alias. quoque tempus festis iudaicis designatur (12,3; 27,9); navigationem instituerunt ἃ Neapoli (cf. 16,11), quae res brevitatis studio omittitur (B/.); et venimus ad eos Troadem in diebus quinque «ἄχρι ἡμερῶν πέντε 1. e. ante dies quinque praeterlapsos, sub finem diei quinti (Beel.), die quinto; idem iter breviore tempore confectum est 16,11; fortasse ventum habebant contrarium et hic includitur temporis intelligi posse pro isto itinere (?), sed solum dici post quot dies sociis aliis se adiunxerint; ubi demorati sumus diebus septem; Troade ostium sibi apertum esse in Domino apostolus iam asseruerat, cum e Macedonia scriberet Corinthiis (2 Cor. 9,12). | Primam hebdomadae diem iam eo tempore fidelibus fuisse sacram, et 1 Cor. 16,2 et hic habetur indicium (cf. Apoc. 1,10 in dominica die)
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v. 7 una autem sabbati ἐν δὲ τῇ μία τῶν σαδδάτων primo die hebdomadis (cf. Marc. 16,9. Luc. 94,1. Ioan. 20,1); hebdomas dicitur 04+- 64-09 et σάξέατα (vide quae notavi ad Math. 28,1), cum conventssemus ad frangendum panem, ad coenam Domini, ad celebrandam eucharistiam (cf. 2,42; Bed. Dion. Salm. Cai. Lap. Calm. Beel. Patr. Felt. Wendt, Bl. Weiss) et interpres syrus pro pane vertit eucharistiam. Celebratio ipsa habetur demum in v. 11; antea Paulus diutius docuit : Paulus disputabat cum* eis διέλεγετο (17,2; 19,8) « colloquebatur cum eis; quaestiones eorum audiebat solvebatque dubitationes submovebat; si quid illis obscurum et difficile accidebat in nostris mysteriis, declarabat » (Calm.) profecturus in crastinum, protraxitque sermonem usque in mediam noctem; cur solito diutius loqueretur, iter imminens erat causa;
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v. 8 erant autem lampades, lucernae copiosae fn coenaculo à» τῷ ὑπερῴῳ in superiore conclavi (cf. v. 9), ubi eramus congregati; lumen copiosum ad sollemnitatem augendam et splendorem confert. Conclave fuisse refertum collige quoque ex
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v. 9 sedens autem quidam adolescens nomine Eutychus super fenestram, omni spatio proin occupato in conclavi ; fenestrae nullis scil. (quod saepe usu veniebat) clathris munitae (B/.), cum mergeretur somno gravi, καταφέρεσθαι etiam simpliciter significat obdormiscere (cf. Grimm, Lex. Bl.), disputante diu Paulo, ἐπὶ πλεῖον diutius, ductus somno, depressus somno, prae somno, vi eius degravatus (Bl.), cecidit de tertio coenaculo deorsum, de tristego (gig), de tertia contignatione, et sublatus est mortuus, ex verbis nequit dubitari quin revera mortuus fuerit (Patr. Felt. Weiss), et non solum periculum mortis incurrerit (Cassiod.). Iuvenem quidem ex naturae necessitate, non ex ignavia, dormitasse ait CAr., sed diabolum turbasse festum, nec praevaluisse. « Inter verba praedicationis occurrit occasio curationis, ut dulcedine miraculi et doctrinae sermo firmetur et vigiliarum labor arceatur et memoria magistri iam discessuri arctius mentibus infigatur » (Bed. Salm.)
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v. 10 ad quem cum descendisset Paulus, incubuit super eum et complerus cuyxepiafóv ab omni parte; idem fere agit quod olim prophetae Elias (3 Reg. 17,21) et Eliseus (4 Reg. &,34), dixit : nolite turbari, anima enim 1051006 tin ipso est ; neque dicit : σάλι in ipso est; ergo simul indicat eum fuisse mortuum (Beel.). Miratur Chr. apostoli modestiam, qui non dixerit : suscitabo eum. « Lucas non ait Eutychum statim surrexisse, sed continuo hoc, ut ita dicam, relicto Paulum in coenaculum regressum primaque luce profectum narrat; quae omnia, Pauli inquam verba modumque ac seriem narrationis si perpendas, concludes rem ita gestam, ut Eutychus vitam quidem illico receperit Paulo in eum incumbente, at sensum non item, sed sensim, neque omnino nisi post Pauli profectionem » (Patr.). Nunc tandem celebratur eucharistia, ad quam celebrandam convenerunt (v. 7),
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v. 11 ascendens autem frangensque panem visa; τὸν ἄρτον, τὸν per relationem ad v. 7 (Bl. VWeiss), ergo de coena dominica (cf. Augustinus ep. 36, cap. 19 n. 98; M. 33, 149) et gustans, uti in coena Domini et in agapis fidelium, ita hic quoque convivium adiunctum erat; γευσάμενος cf. 10,10. Ita animo et corpore refectus denuo docere et exhortari perrexit : satisque allocutus usque in lucem, non sibi satisfacere posse videtur; fortasse idem iam volvit animo quod postea v. 25 enuntiat, se putare ultimam esse occasionem qua suos possit alloqui, sic profectus est, οὕτως post participia, ut frequentissime quoque apud profanos ) 27.( Iuvenis autem ad omnium gaudium vivus sanusque restitutus est
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v. 12 adduxerunt autem puerum viventem, qui eum mortuum sustulerunt et curam eius egerunt, et consolati sunt non minime, οὗ μετρίως non mediocriter (gig), non modice (Parr.), scil. ceteri omnes. Fuisse criticos qui narrationem hanc conformatam esse dixerint et confictam ad similitudinem illius quod Petrus effecerit 9,&0, ne scil. Paulus ulla in re cederet Petro, nemo mirabitur qui illorum argutias noverit. Hanc vero narrationem esse fide diguam et a Luca fideliter « ex suo fonte » narrari contra illos Wendt asserit. .Accurate describitur v. 13-15 iter a 120806 Miletum;
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v. 13 nos autem Lucas aliique excepto Paulo ascendentes navem, legunt sat multi προελθόντες, uti v. 5; proin ante Paulum profecti sunt; habet enim iter maritimum Troade Assum , quod oppidum est in ora Troadis meridiana, circuitum longissimum; brevius est terrestre fere XL milium metrorum nostrorum (B/.), navigavimus in Asson adsinum Adramytüon, distans Troade a meridie XIX millia passuum (Tab. Peuting. Patr.), inde suscepturi Paulum in navem scil., sic entm disposuerat tpse per terram iter facturus, ut fideles ea in regione alloqui ac docere posset (Chr.); πεζεύειν de terrestri, non necessario pedestri, itinere (B/.);
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v. 1& cum autem convenisset nos in Asson, assumpto eo venimus Mitylenen; erat urbs primaria in insula Lesbo; distabat Asso LXX millia passuum, Troade XC m. p. ; urbs satis celebris erat, eam vocat Cicero (de lege agr. 2,16) et natura et descriptione aedificiorum et pulchritudine nobilem; pulchram vocat Horatius (Ep. 1,11,17( ; in nummis scribitur Μυτιληνη (Patr.);
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v. 15 et inde navigantes sequenti die venimus contra Chium, quae insula nunc Scio nomen habet, aequali fere distantia XLV m. p. inter Lesbum et Samum (Patr.); adversus Chium navis per noctem in ancoris stetit (Bl.), et alia, τῇ δὲ ἑτέρᾳ postridie; ἑσπέρᾳ vespere (B cat aliq minusc) applicuimus Samum παρεθάλομεν nos contulimus, traiecimus; insula est proxima continenti contra Ephesum. Additur a multis xa! μεί- γναντες ἐν Τρωγυλλίῳ cum pernoctassemus ad Trogillium; est promon- 'torium e regione Sami, et sequenti die venimus Miletum, in urbem quondam loniae caput; distat Epheso in meridiem XXX m. p. (Patr.). Cur tale iter Paulus elegerit, ratio affertur
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v. 16 proposuerat enim Paulus κεκρίκει iudicaverat , decreverat cf. 15,19; 16,5; transnavigare Ephesum , ne qua mora illi fieret 1n Asia; nam si Ephesum attigisset , fideles quam maxime apud eum institissent obsecrationibus, ut per aliquod tempus apud se maneret et Paulus noluit eos contristare (cf. CÀr.); festinabat enim, si possibile sibi esset, ut diem pentecostes faceret Ierosolymis; quae mora illi futura esset Ephesi, altera lectione indicatur : χατάσχεσις retentio, impeditio. Verum antequam ab Asia discederet, etsi non omnes fideles potuit alloqui, saltem eos voluit aliqua admonitione communire quorum erat curam gerere fidelium;
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v. 17 a Mileto autem mittens Ephesum vocavit maiores natu ecclesiae; iam Irenaeus refert esse convocatos episcopos et presbyteros ab Epheso et ἃ reliquis proximis civitatibus (adv. haer. 3,15,2; M. 7,914); idque plane exigitur v. 95 et 98 (cf. Felt. Bels.). Lucas urbis solum primariae mentionem facit ex qua in ceteras regiones evangelium erat propagatum, et cum modo mentionem fecisset Paulum voluisse consulto non attingere Ephesum, Ephesios antistites saltem esse ab eo advocatos explicite effert; alios quoque adfuisse ipsa oratione demonstrari visum est satis. In ea &utem oratione animus apostolicus praeclare elucet et sollicitudo illa tenerrima quam de omnium gerit salute. Primo eis in mentem revocat quanto studio ipse in salutem omnium procurandam ac promovendam incubuerit (v. 18-21); dein attingit praesentia, se petere Ierusalem paratum ad omnia subeunda, quae sibi instare Spiritus sanctus significaret (v. 22-24); tum futura prospiciens pericula fidelium, protestatur ἃ se praestita esse omnia quibus fidelium salus in tuto collocari potuerit; quare eorum pastores graviter monet, ut ipsi quoque sedulo fungantur officio, memores exempli quod ipse dederit, et ut ab omni avaritiae specie et studio lucri sint quam alienissimi (v. 25-35). Putabat enim apostolus sibi iam non fore. opportunitatem ad eos veniendi; unde quasi muneris sui quoque rationem reddit, et, ut olim Samuel (1 Reg. 19,3 seq.), suam coram omnibus integritatem cunctis notam esse profitetur. — Esse orationem genuinam , ex epistolis quoque apostoli comprobatur, in quibus similes sententiae reperiuntur; eam esse ad illam occasionem aptissimam et plane consentaneam rebus Ephesi gestis pariter constat. Incipit eodem fere modo, quo Thessalonicenses in epistola alloquitur et Corinthios (1 Thess. 1,3. 1 Cor. 2,1 seq.);
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v. 18 qui cum venissent ad eum οἱ simul essent , dixit eis : vos scitis, a prima die qua tngressus sum in Asiam, qualiter vobiscum per omne tempus fuerim; . bene dicit TAeoph. ἐνταῦθα χαραχτῆρα ξιδασχαλίας δείχνυσι. Notatu di-. gnum est in altera lectione tempus assignari plus triennio, quod ne repugnare videatur 19,8. 10, explicandum erit ex 18,19 : ab eo scil. tempore quo primum in Asia (Ephesi) incepit disserere de evangelio usque ad eius discessum (20,1) tale temporis spatium effluxit (Beis. Bl.); qualiter fuerit, iam declarat :
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v. 19 sereiens Domino cum omni humilitate, cf. Rom. 12,11; 15,18. Eph. 5,2. Phil. 2,3; simili modo profitetur 1 Cor. 2,3 et 1 Thess. 9,7, et lacrimis, cf. 2 Cor. 2,5, et tentationibus quae mihi acciderunt ex insidiis Iudaeorum; 19,9. 33; ad quas insidias videtur quoque alludere 1 Cor. 15,32 scribens se ad bestias pugnasse Ephesi (quamvis aliqui explicent eum in arena bestiis esse obiectum 6) miraculo servatum); de insidiis Iudaeorum acerbe quoque conqueritur Gal. 5,12. Phil. 3,9. 1 Thess. 2,15-16; cf. Rom. 15,31. Sed quamvis fuerit vexationibus obseptus, tamen strenue munere functus est
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v. 20 quomodo nihil subtraxerim utiltum οὐδὲν ὑπεστειλάμην quod verbum adhibetur de eo qui prae metu aliquid celat, reticet, dissimulat (Bee/. Felt. Bl.); itaque mediis in tribulationibus audacter omnia illa praedicavit quae fidelibus expediebat audire, quominus annuntiarem vobis et docerem vos publice et per domos, copiam et sedulitatem ostendit (CAr.); publice et privatim, coetum fidelium et singulos docere et exhortari non desistebat. Qua sedulitate non desistebat omnibus et Iudaeis et Graecis pro- 810026
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v. 21 festificans Iudaeis διαμαρτυρέμενος obtestatus, impense adhortatus; quantopere de suae gentis salute sollicitus sit, vide Rom. 9,1-5; 11,14. 1 Cor. 9,20, atque gentilibus in Deum poenitentiam et fidem. in Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum; duo illa publice et privatim docere et inculcare illi curae fuit quae 1 Thess. 1,9. 10 quoque effert; cf. Marc. 1,15 poenitemini et credite evangelio. lam ad praesentem animi habitudinem orationem defleclit
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v. 22 et nunc ecce alligatus ego spiritu, animi mei impetu impulsus (Beel. Patr. Felt. Bl.); alii explicant de impulsu Spiritus sancti (Didymus in cat. Lap. Calm. ; utrumque proponit Saím.); Oec. Theoph. πνεύματι referunt ad vado ; praescius per Spiritum sanctum; sed de Spiritu sancto accipi non posse ostenditur. v. 23, ubi tandem enuntiat quid Spiritus sanctus ea in re agat. Aliis placet explicare : iam se sentit quasi vinculis onustum (Wendt); ai simplicius est dicere cum Patr. voluntatem eius quasi alligatam esse quominus obsistere queat internae cuidam vi ipsum lerusalem pertrahenti; vado in lerusalem, quae in ea ventura sint. mihi ignorans,
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v. 93 nisi quod Spiritus sanctus per omnes civitates mihi protestatur, scil. per prophetas qui talia annuntiant : unum eiusmodi exemplum Lucas affert postea 21,11; idem iam antea quoque factum esse, ipsa hac oratione relata nos docet; quare minime opus erat, ut id antea in singulis civitatibus commemoraret. Utique aliqui critici volunt id debuisse commemorari antea; quod cum factum non sit, perperam ex 21,11 orationem esse confictam. Isti non attendunt Lucam et multarum rerum mentionem omnino non facere et merito existimare sufficere, ut rem semel! asserenti sibi fides habeatur; dicens per prophetas : quoniam vincula et tribulationes lerosolymts me manent; id utique scit; sed qualem eventum haec habitura sint, captivitatem perpetuam, mortem, haec ignorat v. 22. Nihilominus animo est forti ac generoso v. 9% sed nihil horum vereor nec facio animam meam pretiosiorem quam me ; videtur interpres legisse ἐμαυτοῦ pro ἐμαυτῷ ; clarus est textus graecus : nullatenus existimo vitam meam pretiosam mihi (Cai. Salm. Lap. Calm. Patr.
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Felt.), dummodo consummem cursum meum, ὡς τελειώσω, 561]. ut officium meum expleam; constitutum habeo vitam ipsam nihili ducendam mihi esse (Patr. Felt.) et eo modo iam Sa/m. (neque duco vitam meam pretiosam mihi) Ca:. Lap. graecum intellexerunt; et ministerium verbi quod accepi a Domino Iesu (cf. 1 Cor. 1,17; 9,16. Gal. 1,19) testificari evangelium gratiae Dei laetum scil. nuntium de gratia Dei quae hominibus offertur; cf. 15,3. Gal. 1,6. Tit. 2,1, et qualis 86 quanta sit haec gratia, in nuntio messiano, in praedicatione de Christo, omnibus ob oculos ponitur. — Qualem exitum habitura sint vincula et tribulationes, nescit (v. 22. 93); si ex eis evadere poterit, iter romanum animo praesagit (19,21); quare pronum erat concludere
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v. 95 et nunc ecce, ego scio quia amplius non videbitis faciem meam vos omnes, per quos transivi praedicans regnum Dei; ex qua allocutione clare apparet, non solum ephesios adfuisse; nam absentes interpellari : vos omnes, ab hoc sermone profecto alienum est. Loquitur apostolus secundum praesens suum iudicium et existimationem (Saím. Calm.), ex probabili coniectura (Bee/.) et prout ipse tum futurum putabat (Patr. Felt.). Postea iterum eas in regiones pervenit, uti evidenter patet ex 1 Tim. 1,3; 3,1&; 5,13; 2 Tim. 1,18; 4,13. 20; eandem spem se iterum eas regiones visurum esse, etiam exprimit in epistola ex priore captivitate romana data (Philem. 22). Cum itaque ab iis digressurus sit, ultima iis tradit monita in memoriam revocans illis, quantam de eorum salute sollicitudinem exhibuerit;
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v. 26 quapropter contestor vos hodierna die, μαρτύρομαι ὑμῖν, per Deum, graviter sancteque affirmo vobis, quia mundus sum a sanguine omnium; cf. 18,6; si quis vestrum perit, excidit a salute, 808 culpa peribit, non mea; alludit apostolus ad Ez. 3,17 seq. : speculatorem dedi te domui Israel; si dicente me ad impium : morte morieris, non annuntiaveris ci neque locutus fueris,... sanguinem eius de manu tua requiram (Lap.). Mihi enim, ait, interitus seu perditio imputari nequit, et tale testimonium vos omnes mihi dare debetis,
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v. 97 non enim subterfugi, quominus annuntiarem omne consilium Dei vobis οὐ Ὑὰς 0252-5020 non timiditate quadam me subduxi, neque unquam cessavi vobis inculcare quae Deus vos exsequi vellet; omnem Dei voluntatem circa ea quae ad salutem consequendam spectant vobis aperte demonstrabam. Suas igitur partes fideliter et intrepide egit. Restat, ut ipsi quoque eandem curam adhibeant, ut et seipsos et alios sibi commissos ad salutem adducant
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v. 28 attendite vobis (cf. 5, 35) et universo gregi, populus Dei, Ecclesia eo nomine saepe designatur; cf. Matth. 9,36. Luc. 12,32. Ioan 10,11. 16. 1 Petr. 5,2 et frequenter in vetere testamento (Ps. 23,1 hebr.; 78,13; 94,7; 99,3. Ez. 35,5. Mich. 7,1^ etc.) n quo vos Spiritus sanctus posutt episcopos regere ecclesiam Dei quam acquisivit sanguine suo, ποιμαίνειν pascere, dein regere, gubernare (cf. 2 Reg. 5,2. Mich. 5,6; 7,14. Apoc. 9,971 etc.). Cum sermo fiat de epicopis et de ecclesia Dei quam acquisivit sanguine suo , iterum in aperto est non agi de una ecclesia ephesia. Loquitur enim de tota ecclesia, de toto coetu fidelium, et declarat praesentes episcopos vocatos esse, utin hac ecclesia munere pastorum fungerentur (cf. 26. Felt.). Eam ecclesiam Christus sanguine suo sibi comparavit, quem scil. effuditin remissionem peccatorum (Matth. 26,98. Luc. 22,20); talienim pretio suos sibi emit (1 Cor. 6,20; 7,93); nam pretioso sanguine quasi agni immaculati Christi redempti sumus (1 Petr. 1,19) et similiter Eph. 1,7; 2,13. Col. 1,14. Hebr. 9,12. 1& etc. Lectio τοῦ Θεοῦ satis firmatur testimonio antiquitatis (vide lect. var.), ad quam lectionem referri potest quod scribit Ignatius martyr : ἀναζωπυρήσαντες ἐν αἵματι Θεοῦ (Eph. 1,1; M. 5,644) οἱ Tertullianus : pretio empti , et quali pretio? sanguine Dei (ad ux. 2,3; M. 1,1293). Hoc autem pretio immenso simul constat quam cara Christo Deo sit ecclesia et quanta sedulitate episcopos deceat in ea saluti animarum prospicere. Positi dicuntur a Spiritu sancto, cf. 13,2; 16,6.7; Spiritus enim varia dona et ministeria distribuit (1 Cor. 12,5), eo duce et magistro et adiutore evangelium praedicatur et propagatur (Ioan. 15,296. 1 Cor. 2,4. 13; 7,40. 9 Cor. 3,3. Eph. 2,22. 2 Tim. 1,15 etc.). | | Et quantopere necesse sit ut omni cura pastores vigilent, non sine animi dolore apostolus monet
20:29
v. 29 ego scio quoniam intrabunt post discessum meum, ἄφιξις debet esse d?scessus, sed quae pro ea significatione afferuntur exempla falsa sunt (B/.), lupi rapaces in vos, non parcentes gregi; cf. Matth. 7,15. Ioan. 10,12. lam expertus erat apostolus quomodo falsi doctores animos fidelium conarentur turbare et pervertere et Ephesi iam multos adversarios sibi negotium facessere scripsit Corinthiis (1 Cor. 16,9; ceterum cf. 2 Cor. 10,6 seq. Gal. 1,7; 5,19. 9 Thess. 2,9). Bene notandum est, quanta cum severitate de falsis doctoribus loquatur et hic et aliis in locis (cf. Rom. 16,18-20. 9 Cor. 11,13-15. Gal. 1,9; 5,12. 1 Tim. 1,19). [mmo
20:30
v. 30 et ex vobis ipsis ezsurgent vtri loquentes perversa, ut abducant discipulos post se; « id enim isti spectant et agunt : non Domino, sed sibimetipsis populum acquirere student, ut apud se glorientur, dum vulgatur et circumfertur in illis quos sibi adiunxerint, nomen ipsorum ex quo cognominentur, uti ἃ Manete Manichaei, ab Ario Ariani » (Theoph.). Et quam vere animo praesagierit talia apostolus, satis superque ex eius epistolis elucet, quas e captivitate romana et postea ad Timotheum dedit. Idem collige ex epistolis Petri, 10086, loannis et ex Apocalypsi (cap. 9. 3). Cum itaque periculum instet gregi, pastoribus sedulo est vigilandum ; eius vigilantiae exemplum praeclarissimum eis dedit ipse apostolus
20:31
v. 31 propter quod vigilate, memoria retinentes quoniam per irienntum nocte et die non 6655001 cum lacrimis monens unumquenmque vestrum ; talem de suis curam et sollicitudinem ctiam epistolae eius testantur; v. g. 2 Cor. 2,5; 11,98. 29. Gal. 5,19. Col. 2.1. 1 Thess. 2,11. 17. Verum cum iam ab cis recedendum sit, nihil aliud restat quam ut eos precibus suis Deo commendet v. 32 nunc et commendo vos Deo et verbo gratiae ipsius 1. e. ut Deus vos confortet , erudiat verbo gratiae suae, illis scil. veritatibus quas pro sua in nos gratia et benevolentia nobis revelare dignatus sit. Nam veritas liberabit vos (Ioan. 8,32) et evangelium est virtus Dei ad salutem (Rom. 1,16). Et qua fiducia eos Deo commendet exprimit : qui. potens est aedificare et dare hereditatem 1n sanctificatis omnibus ; metaphora aedificandi familiaris est apostolo (cf. Rom. 15,90. 1 Cor. 3,9; 8,1. 10; 10.23; 15,3. &. 5. 19.17. 26. 9 Cor. 10,8; 19,19; 13,10. Eph. 9,11; 4,12. 16. 1 Thess. 5,11 etc.). Fideles enim sunt domus et familia Dei; si crescunt fide, spe, caritate, templum Dei in iis magis exstruitur et exornatur. Heredes quoque sunt Dei et coheredes Christi (Rom. 8,17( utpote filii; quare aeternam salutem nomine hereditatis designat (Gal. 3,8. Eph. 1,14. 18; 5,5. Col. 3,94. Hebr. 1,1& etc.) item Christus dicit Matth. 5,& (graece). Hanc hereditatem dat Deus sancttficatis ἡγιασμένοις, qui scil. sanctitatem illam in baptismo receptam conservarint aut recuperarint et ita ut sancti tribunali iudicis sistuntur. Solet Paulus fideles appellare sanctos (Rom. 1,7; 8,97; 19,13; 16,15. Cor. 6,1 etc.). Baptismo enim in Christum (Rom. 0,3-7( abluti sunt, sanctificati sunt (1 Cor. 6,11). Uti hos commendat Deo, ita in epistolis quoque frequenter suas pro fidelibus ad Deum orationes commemorat (Rom. 1,10. 1 Cor. 1,4. Phil. 1,4. Col. 1,3. 1 Thess. 1,2). Demum necessarium esse censet eos monere ut ab omni cupiditatis et avaritiae specie sedulo caveant
20:33
v. 33 argentum et aurum aut vestem nullius concupivit, sicut
20:34
v. 3& 1psi scitis, quoniam ad ea quae mihi opus erant et his qui mecum sunt ministraverunt manus istae ; proin Ephesi quoque observabat quod apud Thessalonicenses et Corinthios se fecisse 5091216 (1 Thess. 2,9. 2 Thess. 3,8. 1 Cor. 4,12; 9,5 seq.); vult enim evangelium sine sumptu ponere (1 Cor. 9,18) et gratis evangelizare (2 Cor. 11,7) etita maiore vi et effectu sese opponere pseudoapostolis qui lucrum spectant (2 Cor. 11,20), dum ipse solum animas salvare studet : non enim quaero quae vestra sunt, sed vos (2 Cor. 19, 14). lloc suo exemplo ad succurrendum egenis excitentur oportet
20:35
v. 38 omnia ostendi vobis, quoniam sic laborantes oportet suscipere infirmos, egenis opem praestare (Oec. Theoph. Feit.); sed plerique explicant de infirmis in fide qui facile offendantur, si sumptu graventur aut suspicentur ministros agi spe lucri (cf. Lap. Beel. Caím. Patr. Bl.). Sed quae apostolus addit, priorem explicationem suadere omnino videntur : ac meminisse verbi Domini Iesu, quoniam ipse dixit < beatius est magis dare quam accipere ; hoc Christi verbum Paulus nobis servavit. Quia itaque beatius dicitur dare quam accipere, pastores adhortatur, ut quantum fieri possit potius aliis largiantur, quam ab illis accipiant; id quod suo quoque exemplo illis se ostendisse profitetur et quidem non sine magno suo labore (cf. χοξιῶντας). Quare illud succurrere infirmis eodem sensu erit accipiendum. lta sane quam efficacissime suspicio avaritiae avertitur. Censet criticus vir (Weiss) talem adhortationem nullatenus apte hic apponi! Adhortationem fusis precibus concludit id exsecutus quod modo v. 32 dixerat
20:36
v. 36 et cum haec dixisset, positis genibus suis oravit cum omnibus illis; cf. 1,59; nota morem precandi flexis genibus a prima ipsa Ecclesiae aetate apud Christianos obtinentem 21,5 (Patr.);
20:37
v. 37 magnus autem fletus factus est omnium et procumbentes super collum Pauli osculabantur eum καταφιλεῖν fortius est quam φιλεῖν (Bl), multum osculari. En quanto amore animos omnium sibi devinxit Paulus; ipse omnibus maximam exhibebat caritatem (v. 31). Discipulorum amor et dolor auctus est, quia suum apostolum iam non se visuros esse existimabant
20:38
v. 38 dolentes maxime in. verbo quod dixerat, quoniam amplius faciem eius non. essent visuri. Et deducebant eum ad navem.
20:2
Paolo ritornò a F. per la Pasqua del 56 o 57 (Act. 20, 6); quasi certamente nel viaggio attraverso la Macedonia di cui in Act. 20, 2; con molta probabilità, dopo la fine della prima prigionia romana (I Tim. 1, 3). Oltre queste visite, ci furono tra Paolo e F. rapporti epistolari (v. FILIPPESI, SPISTOLA 31) e per …
… Conquistata nel 146 a. C., fu dapprima aggregata alla Macedonia; fu elevata a provincia senatoria da Augusto nel 27 a. C., con capoluogo Corinto (v.) «totius Graeciae lumen» (Cicerone, Pro lege Man., 5). Dell'Acaia, distinta dalla Macedonia (Act. 20, 2), era proconsole Gallione (v.; Act. 18, 12) quando giunse s. Paolo, fuggitivo da
20:3
… La sua dimora nella capitale dell'Acaia fu abbreviata a causa delle insidie tesegli da alcuni giudei (Act. 20, 3). Per sfuggire ad un attentato, P. cambiò itinerario nel recarsi a Gerusalemme, ove intendeva portare la colletta che aveva raccolto con diligenza per i poveri di questa città (cf. …
20:4
Trascinato con Gaio (v.) nel teatro dalla folla irritata contro Paolo, corse rischio di essere massacrato (Act. 19, 29). Segui poi l'Apostolo per tutto il viaggio in Macedonia e Grecia, e ritornò con lui a Gerusalemme ove Paolo fu arrestato (Act. 20, 4). Con lui prigioniero viaggiò verso Roma (Act. 27, 2), ove gli fu fedele « compagno di prigionia » e di fatiche (Col. 4, 10; Philem. 24). Secondo il Martirologio romano, sarebbe stato …
… Al sorgere del cristianesimo vi era un'importante colonia ebrea, dove predicò con successo s. Paolo fuggiasco da Tessalonica (Act. 17, 10-14). Uno dei compagni dell'Apostolo, Sopatro, era di B. (Act. 20, 4).
3. - C. di Derbe figura al seguito di Paolo (Act. 20, 4) durante il suo viaggio di ritorno dalla terza missione. …
… Originario o abitante di D. era quel Caio, che accompagnava Paolo nel ritorno dal terzo viaggio apostolico (Act. 20, 4).
TICHICO (ΤΥΧΙΚΌΣ « FORTUNATO », TYCHICUS)
Compare la prima volta verso la fine della terza missione dell'Apostolo (a. 58) insieme con altri sei o sette (Act. 20, 4 sgg.; qui il cod. Claromontano, la versione copta-sa'idica e una glossa marginale della siriaca harclense lo dicono di Efeso), forse, come Trofimo, delegato delle Chiese dell'Asia che mandavano …
TROFIMO (ΤΡΌΦΥΟΣ, «NUTRITO», «ALUNNO»), SANTO
Era con l'Apostolo alla fine del suo terzo viaggio missionario, insieme a Tichico (v.) ed altri cinque o sei (Act. 20, 4-5), con lo stesso probabile incarico. …
20:5
… Infatti il «noi» non ritorna che in Act. 20, 5, verso la fine del terzo viaggio missionario. …
20:6
AZIMO (ἈΖΗΜΌΣ, DA À PRIV. E ΖΗ͂Ν, «SENZA FERMENTO»; EBR. MAṢṢĀH, PLUR. MAṢṢŌTH)
… miracoloso (v. PASQUA) la legge di cibarsi di pane non fermentato durante i sette giorni della solennità (Ex. 12, 15). La Pasqua era detta «festa degli a.» (Ex. 23, 15; 34, 18; Lc. 22, 1) o «giorni degli a.» (Mt. 26, 17; Lc. 22, 7; Act. 12, 3; 20, 6). Già nella prima Pasqua celebrata in terra palestinese (Jos. 5, 11) si osserva l'uso degli a.
Paolo ritornò a F. per la Pasqua del 56 o 57 (Act. 20, 6); quasi certamente nel viaggio attraverso la Macedonia di cui in Act. 20, 2; con molta probabilità, dopo la fine della prima prigionia romana (I Tim. 1, 3). Oltre queste visite, ci …
Nei tempi apostolici, Pietro a Ioppe ridà la vita alla defunta Tabitha (Act. 9, 36-42) e Paolo a Troade risuscita il giovanetto Eutiche che, addormentatosi sul davanzale della finestra durante il lungo discorso dell'Apostolo, era precipitato dal terzo piano (ibid. 20, 6-12).
20:7
… Si sa infatti, che i fedeli erano perseveranti nella dottrina degli Apostoli e nella preghiera non solo, ma anche nella fractio panis (Act. 2, 42; 20, 7; I Cor. 11, 2-34; Iud. 5, 12-13; Didaché, 14, 1; s. Giustino, Apol., I, 67, 5; PG, 6, 430). Con queste citazioni concorda la lettera di Plinio a Traiano (I. X, 97), che parla delle …
… E vi erano molte lampade nel cenacolo dove eravamo adunati » (Act. 20, 7-8). S. Paolo, adunque avrebbe approfittato della consueta adunanza settimanale, ricca di un certo apparato a causa dei misteri che vi si celebravano.
Ubbidienti al comando di Gesù: «fate questo in memoria di me», subito dopo la Pentecoste gli Apostoli iniziarono la celebrazione del mistero eucaristico in tutte le città delle loro conquiste evangeliche e così la «fractio panis» si celebrò a Gerusalemme (Act. 2, 42), a Tirante (Act. 20, 7-11), a Corinto (I Cor. 11, 17-34). E fu appunto in quest'ultima città che si verificarono quei disordini intorno al χυριαχόν δεῖτων che provocarono la lettera di s. Paolo, in cui …
FRACTIO PANIS (ἘΛΑ͂ΣΙΣ ΤΟΥ͂ ΔΡΥ͂ΣΟΥ)
… lago (ibid., 24, 41-43; « piscis ausus ») e durante il tempestoso viaggio verso Malta (Act. 27, 35) è oggi comunemente considerato un pasto ordinario, invece quella celebrata dai primi cristiani a Gerusalemme (ibid. 3, 42, 46) e da s. Paolo a Troade (ibid. 20, 7, 11) è ritenuta eucaristica. …
… Secondo l'esempio di s. Paolo, a Troade alla Cena eucaristica si premette la predicazione (Act. 20, 7-11); nelle Lettere Apostoliche si presuppone la lettura nelle assemblee (Col. 4, 16; II Pt. 3, 16); s. Paolo (I Tim. 2, 1-3) accenna a «suppliche, orazioni, voti, ringraziamenti per tutti …
… Tuttavia è indiscusso che al tempo in cui fu scritta la prima lettera ai Corinti (56) e al tempo della redazione degli Atti degli Apostoli (ca. 63), le riunioni liturgiche cristiane si tenevano la domenica (I Cor. 16, 2; Act. 20, 7) e che quest'uso fu costante ed universale alla fine del 1 e durante il 11 sec. (Apoc. 1, 10; Doctrina duodecim Apostolorum, cap. 14; Barnabae Epist., cap. 15; s. Ignazio d'Antiocchia, …
20:8
… Da ciò si spiega bene la circostanza che a Troade, dove s. Paolo presiedeva alla notturna «frazione di pane», il cenacolo era illuminato afarzosamente (Act. 20, 8). Per i cristiani questo tempo di accendere la luce coincideva con la veglia domenicale, e così il rito simboleggiava la Risurrezione di Cristo e la sua parusia.
20:15
… Fu in questo tempo che vi sostò s. Paolo, la prima volta durante il terzo viaggio (Act. 20, 15-18), quando vi riunì i capi della Chiesa di Efeso, e l'altra, sembra, dopo la prima prigionia (II Tim. 4, 22), quando vi lasciò il compagno Trofimo. …
20:17
APOSTOLI (GR. ἈΠΌΣΤΟΛΟΣ «INVIATO», DA ἈΠΟΣΤΈΛΛΩ)
… L'a. aduna accanto a sé i suoi presbiteri o vescovi (Act. 20, 17, 28). Alcuni protestanti riconoscono che gli a.
Di ritorno dall'Acaia a Gerusalemme Paolo convocò a Mileto i presbiteri efesini, ai quali, in un discorso di commiato, fece l'apologia della propria condotta (Act. 20, 17-35) ed annunciò che quello sarebbe stato l'ultimo incontro (Act. 20, 25, 38). Tornò, invece, a E. tra la prima e la seconda prigionia romana lasciandovi come vescovo Timoteo (I Tim. 1, …
… ministri delle mense (ibid. 6, 1-7), comunemente ritenuti diaconi (cf. S. Bihel, De septem diaconis, in Antonianum, 3 [1928], pp. 129-50). Nelle Chiese fondate da s. Paolo sono ricordati i diaconi (Philip. 1, 1; I Tim. 3, 8), i presbiteri (Act. 14, 22; 20, 17; I Tim. 5, 17, 19; Tit. 1, 5), ai quali viene promiscuamente dato il titolo di vescovi (Act. 20, 28; Tit. 1, 7). Anche tenendo conto dell'accesa controversia sull'esistenza o meno …
… Giacomo, fratello del Signore (Act. 11,30; 15, 2, 4, 6, 22, 23; 16, 4; 21, 18). Nelle Chiese fondate da s. Paolo viene regolarmente costituito dallo stesso Apostolo un collegio di p. per il governo spirituale della comunità cristiana (Act. 14, 22; 20, 17; I Tim. 5, 17; Tit. 1, 5). Poiché s. Paolo dà ad essi anche il nome di ἐκτάχαστοι (Act. 20, 28; Tit. 1, 7) fin dai primi secoli si è vivamente discusso sulla distinzione, per …
Sulla costituzione della Chiesa al primo secolo, ancora viventi gli Apostoli, vige un'annosa controversia determinata dalla sinonimia dei termini προεβύτεροι ed ἐκλογοῦσι (Act. 20, 17 e 28) e dal fatto che la monarchia episcopale non appare chiaramente costituita. …
20:25
Di ritorno dall'Acaia a Gerusalemme Paolo convocò a Mileto i presbiteri efesini, ai quali, in un discorso di commiato, fece l'apologia della propria condotta (Act. 20, 17-35) ed annunciò che quello sarebbe stato l'ultimo incontro (Act. 20, 25, 38). Tornò, invece, a E. tra la prima e la seconda prigionia romana lasciandovi come vescovo Timoteo (I Tim. 1, 3). Delle ultime cure di Paolo per
Act. 19, 8; 20, 25; 28, 23, 31; testi riguardanti la predi-
20:28
… diaconis, in Antonianum, 3 [1928], pp. 129-50). Nelle Chiese fondate da s. Paolo sono ricordati i diaconi (Philip. 1, 1; I Tim. 3, 8), i presbiteri (Act. 14, 22; 20, 17; I Tim. 5, 17, 19; Tit. 1, 5), ai quali viene promiscuamente dato il titolo di vescovi (Act. 20, 28; Tit. 1, 7). Anche tenendo conto dell'accesa controversia sull'esistenza o meno di veri vescovi nelle Chiese paoline, vivente ancora l'Apostolo (cf. A. M. Vellico, De Ecclesia Christi, …
dine sacro, rilevandone la capacità di conferire la Grazia (Act. 20, 28; I Tim. 4, 14; II Tim. 1, 6). Infine insiste nel notare il carattere simbolico del Matrimonio cristiano, che rappresenta l'intima unione fra il Cristo e la sua Chiesa (cf. Eph. 5, …
Spesso occorre anche nel Nuovo Testamento la metafora del p. e del gregge (Mt. 9, 36, 10, 6; 15, 24; Lc. 12, 32; Io. 21, 16-17). Il gregge del Signore è commesso ai presbiteri e ai vescovi (Act. 20, 28). Si comprende perciò come abbia avuto un grande sviluppo iconografico la parabola del B. P. (Io. 5, 1-18). Già nella voce Gesù Cristo L. Kollwitz ha illustrato quanto nell'iconografia …
… fondate da s. Paolo viene regolarmente costituito dallo stesso Apostolo un collegio di p. per il governo spirituale della comunità cristiana (Act. 14, 22; 20, 17; I Tim. 5, 17; Tit. 1, 5). Poiché s. Paolo dà ad essi anche il nome di ἐκτάχαστοι (Act. 20, 28; Tit. 1, 7) fin dai primi secoli si è vivamente discusso sulla distinzione, per l'età apostolica, dei due gradi (cf. L. Marchal, Evêque, in DBs, II, coll. 1298-1318). Qualunque …
Vi equivale spesso ἐπίσωπος (Act. 20, 28; v. VESCOVO;
Degli Atti degli Apostoli, che fanno eco ai Sinottici è sufficiente citare il testo seguente: « Lo Spirito Santo li pose (i Vescovi) a reggere la Chiesa di Dio, il quale se la guadagnò con il suo sangue » (Act. 20, 28). Augusto Sabatier (L'Apôtre et Paul, Parigi 1896, p. 366) scrisse che il dogma trinitario è estraneo al pensiero di s. Paolo. …
… magistrati (Is. 60, 17), gli ambasciatori regi (II Mach. 1, 46), lo stesso Dio (Iob. 20, 20; Sap. 1, 6). Nel Nuovo Testamento la parola ἐπίσκοπος è usata solamente cinque volte, di cui quattro per indicare i superiori della comunità cristiana (Act. 20, 28; Phil. 1, 1; I Tim. 3, 4; Tit. 1, 7), una per significare Gesù Cristo (I Pt. 2, 25: «episcopus animarum nostrarum»). …
20:31
… Dopo una breve visita alle comunità della provincia della Galazia, evangelizzate nel primo e nel secondo viaggio, P. fece una sosta straordinariamente lunga (ca. 3 anni, cf. ibid. 20, 31) ad Efeso. …
20:33
… (II Thess. 3, 7-13; cf. pure Act. 20, 33-35; Eph. 4, 28). Anche il diritto alla giusta mercede è oggetto della predicazione degli Apostoli. …
20:36
… 23, 6). S. Stefano s'inginocchiò nella sua ultima preghiera, s. Pietro e s. Paolo pregavano in ginocchio, e i cristiani che accompagnavano s. Paolo alla nave che lo portava lontano, s'inginocchiarono a pregare sulla riva del mare (Act. 7, 60; 9, 40; 20, 36; 21, 5).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · Douay-Rheims originale (Reims 1582), trascrizione EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Pubblico dominio.