And (even) this (He seeks), only that we may not become unprofitable, since even without this He could have freed us from them: but like as we (with the same view) devise and arrange many things for our servants to do, so does He in the matter of our salvation. "Let us anticipate His face with thanksgiving." (Ps. xcv. 2. "Let us come before His presence." E.V.), since He is good and kind. But if thou call not upon Him, what will He do? Thou dost not choose to say, Forgive; thou wilt not say it from thy heart, but with thy mouth only. What is it, to call in truth? (To call) with purpose of heart, with earnestness, with a sincere mind; just as men say of perfumes, "This is genuine, and has nothing spurious," so here. He who truly calls on Him, he who truly prays to Him, continually attends to it, and desists not, until he obtain (his request): but he who does it in a merely formal manner (aphosioumenos), and even this only by way of fulfilling a law, does not call in truth. Whosoever thou art, say not only, "I am a sinner," but be earnest also to rid thyself of this character; say not this only, but also grieve. If thou grievest, thou art in earnest: if thou art not in earnest, thou grievest not: if thou grievest not, thou triflest. What sort of man is he who shall say, "I am sick," and not to do all to be freed from his sickness? A mighty weapon is Prayer. "If ye," saith the Lord, "know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more your Father?" (Luke xi. 13.) Then wherefore art thou unwilling to approach Him? He loves thee, He is of more power than all besides. Both willing is He and able, what is there to hinder? Nothing. But then, on our part, let us draw near with faith, draw near, offering the gifts that He desires, forgetfulness of wrongs, kindness, meekness. Though thou be a sinner, with boldness shalt thou ask of Him forgiveness of thy sins, if thou canst show that this has been done by thyself: but though thou be righteous, and possess not this virtue of forgetfulness of injuries, thou art none the better for it. It cannot be that a man who has forgiven his neighbor should not obtain perfect forgiveness: for God is beyond comparison more merciful than we. What sayest thou? If thou sayest, "I have been wronged, I have subdued my anger, I have endured the onset of wrath because of Thy command, and dost Thou not forgive?" [850] Full surely He will forgive: and this is plain to all. Therefore let us purge our soul from all resentment. This is sufficient for us, in order that we may be heard; and let us pray with watching and much perseverance, that having enjoyed His bountiful mercy, we may be found worthy of the good things promised, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now and ever, world without end. Amen.
[837] Mod. text hemeis de oude en hapalois k. t. l. but Sav. justly rejects oude, and even Ben. omits it in the Latin.
[838] The explanation of Chrys. that Paul and Silas could not have known that the doors were open, else they would have escaped, is clearly out of harmony with the narrative. The unwillingness of Paul (v. 37) to go forth from the prison without an explicit vindication from the authorities who had imprisoned him without just cause, shows that he was not bent upon an escape. This would be all the more true in view of the miraculous interposition in their behalf.--G.B.S.
[839] i.e. "The miracle amazed him, but he was more astonished at Paul's boldness, was more moved to admiration by his kindness." But besides the transposition marked by the letters, the clauses of (a) may perhaps be better re-arranged thus: "He more marvelled at Paul's boldness, in not escaping etc., he was amazed at his kindness in hindering," etc.
[840] The report seems to be defective, but the meaning may be, that in taking this high tone with the magistrates the Apostle was not influenced by personal feelings; but acted thus for the assurance of Lydia and the other believers, by letting it be seen that they were not set at liberty upon their own request. In the recapitulation another consideration is mentioned, viz. in respect of the jailer.--Mod. text "perhaps for the sake of Lydia and the other brethren: or also putting them in fear that they may not, etc., and that they may set the others also in a posture of boldness." Then, Triploun, agapetoi, k. t. l. the third point being kai demosi& 139;. We reject this kai though all our mss. have it. We have also transferred the agapetoi, which is out of place here to the beginning of the recapitulation.
[841] ta aphoreta ergazomenoi: perhaps, "in imagination wreaking upon their enemies an intolerable revenge."
[842] Mod. text "And why did not Paul shout before this? The man was all in a tumult of perturbation, and would not have received (what was said). Therefore when he saw him about to kill himself, he is beforehand with him, and shouts saying, "We are all here." Therefore also, "Having asked," it says, "for lights, he sprang in, and fell before Paul and Silas." The keeper falls at the feet of the prisoner. And he brings them out, and says, "Sirs," etc. But the question, Dia ti me pro toutou; evidently cannot be meant for eboesen ho Paulos. The meaning is, "Why did he not sooner ask, What shall I do to be saved?' Observe his first impulse is to kill himself--such was the tumult of his thoughts. Suddenly awaked, he sees the doors open, and supposes the prisoners were escaped. Therefore Paul shouted to him, to reassure him on that point, until he could satisfy himself with his own eyes: as, it says, He called for lights,' for that purpose: and then indeed, relieved of that fear, he is overcome with awe: and falls down at the feet of his prisoner saying, What shall I do to be saved?' Why, what had they said? Nothing more: but the religious awe now seizes him: for he does not think all is right and no need to trouble himself any further, because he finds himself safe from the temporal danger." For this is the meaning of hora aupon ouk, epeide diesothe, epi touto stergonta, alla ten dunamin ekplagenta: not as Ben. vide illum non ab hoc diligere quod servatus esset, sed quod de virtute obstupesceret.
[843] This is the sequel to what was said above: "It is not so much miracles that overpower or convince us (hairei), as the sense of benefits received." For, they saw the miracle of dispossession wrought upon the girl, and they cast the doers of it into prison: whereas here the jailer sees but the doors open (the prisoners safe, the Apostle's manliness in not escaping, and their kindness to himself), and he is converted. The doors were open, and the door of his heart (like Lydia's) was opened: the prisoner's chains were loosed, and worse chains were loosed from himself: he called for a light, but the true light was lighted in his own heart.
[844] hepsen ekeinos to phos. Edd. (from D. F.) ekeino.
[845] ethrepse kai etraphe: probably meaning the Holy Eucharist immediately after the baptism. So above p. 219, tosauta musteria, in the case of Lydia.
[846] Edd. "Having believed, that he may not seem to be liberated," etc., as if this (b) were said of the jailer. (Here again the method of the derangement is 1, 3, 5: 2, 4, 6: as in p. 213, note 5, 220, note 2).
[847] In two respects the treatment of Paul and Silas at Philippi was unjust. It was contrary to natural justice to punish them "uncondemned"--without a fair and impartial trial. Moreover the Lex Valeria (254 U. C.) forbade the punishment of Roman citizens with whips and rods. It was this last violation of law which, upon reflection, the magistrates wished to hush up. Hence their eager desire that Paul and Silas go free forthwith. Every hour of detention was an accusation against themselves.--G.B.S.
[848] All our mss. desmophulakos, but Savile desmotou. adopted by Ben. We retain the old reading--Mod. text "What say the heathen? how being a prisoner," etc. Then: "Kai tina, phesi, peisthenai echren, e miaron k. t. l. And what man (say they) was (more) to be persuaded than, etc. Moreover, they allege this also: for who but a tanner tis gar e burseus)....believed?"--We take tina to be acc. plur. sc. dogmata. The heathen objection is this, You may see by the character of the first converts, such as this jailer, what is the character of the doctrines: "Since what doctrines behooved (a man like this) to be persuaded of?" St. Chrys. says, "Let us bear in mind this jailer--not to dwell upon the miracle, but to consider how his prisoner persuaded him: how he induced a man like this not only to receive the doctrines, but to submit to the self-denying rule of the Gospel. The heathen raise a prejudice against the Gospel from the very fact, that such men as these were converted. What, say they, must be the teaching to be received by a wretched creature like this jailer? The doctrines were well matched with their first converts, tanner, purple-seller, eunuch," etc. (So in the remarkable argument on this same subject in the Morale of Hom. vii. in 1 Cor. p. 62, E. "but it is objected: Those who were convinced by them were slaves, women, nurses, eunuchs:" whence it seems, as here, that the case of the eunuch, Acts viii. was made a reproach, as if he must needs be a person of inferior understanding).
[849] houto kai hemeis: which mod. text needlessly expands into: "(Thus also we) act in the case of those who ask of us: we then most oblige them, when they approach us by themselves not by others."
[850] kai su ouk aphi& 219;s; Mod. text, ouk aphesei kai autos; "will not He also forgive?"