Acts 12:25–13:12

"And the word of God," it says, "grew," i.e. in consequence of this, "and multiplied." Do you mark God's providential management? "But Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark."

"And Manaean, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch." Behold the customs of each of them: not even the fact of being brought up together saves them both. See how absolutely evil Herod was, for he did not want to be converted. But his foster brother Manaean certainly changed a great deal, because he was considered worthy of the gift of prophecy.

"Now there were in the Church that was at Antioch, certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul." He still mentions Barnabas first: for Paul was not yet famous, he had not yet wrought any sign.

Behold the character of each one, and not the upbringing from childhood saves. For see what company Manaen kept, who was esteemed a companion of prophecy. [AMMONIUS]

He mentions Barnabas first, since Paul had not yet become famous and had not yet performed any sign. But it should be noted that both Paul and Barnabas were numbered among the rank of the apostles. "Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch." Here is what the character of each person means, and upbringing does not have an influence: look how Herod remained such a wicked man, while his foster-brother Manaen changed so much that he was even deemed worthy of the gift of prophecy.

It must be noticed that the Holy Spirit does not speak to those who happen to be there by chance but to those who serve him and observe fasting. And it must be noticed again that they did not lay hands on the deacons at random but on those who were previously fasting and praying.

Separate for me Barnabas and Saul for the work, to which I have called them. It seems that Saul, according to the order of history, in the thirteenth year after the passion of the Lord, received the apostleship with Barnabas and the name of Paul. But in the fourteenth year, according to the agreement of James, Cephas, and John, he set out to teach the Gentiles. Nor does the ecclesiastical history contradict, saying that the apostles were commanded to preach in Judea for twelve years.

The Holy Spirit said: Set apart for me Barnabas and Paul for the work to which I have called them. This seems to have happened after the death of Herod, who died in the third year of the reign of Claudius, which, according to the chronicles, is the thirteenth year after the passion of the Lord. Since it is clear that Paul, along with Barnabas, was set apart for the apostleship after so much time had passed since the Lord's passion, it becomes evident that those who wrote or accepted the book we mentioned above about the death of Saint Mary are greatly mistaken. For it is written in that same fabrication, as we have often said, that in the second year after the Lord's ascension, when that most blessed Mother of God was about to die, the apostles, who had already been dispersed throughout the world to preach, suddenly came together in a cloud to visit her; among them was Paul, recently converted to the faith, and immediately made an apostle to the Gentiles with Barnabas. But it happened very differently: that is, he was not ordained an apostle in the second year after the Lord's passion, but in the thirteenth. Anyone who believes blessed Luke understands this; and thus the aforementioned book about the death of blessed Mary, being obviously mistaken in its timing, also proves to be of dubious faith in other respects.

"As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." What means, "Ministering?" Preaching. "Separate for Me," it says, "Barnabas and Saul." What means, "Separate for Me?" For the work, for the Apostleship. See again by what persons he is ordained. By Lucius the Cyrenean and Manaen, or rather, by the Spirit. The less the persons, the more palpable the grace. He is ordained henceforth to Apostleship, so as to preach with authority.

But mark also the authority of the Holy Ghost: "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul." What being would have dared, if not of the same authority, to say this? "Separate," etc. But this is done, that they may not keep together among themselves. The Spirit saw that they had greater power, and were able to be sufficient for many. And how did He speak to them? Probably by prophets: therefore the writer premises, that there were prophets also. And they were fasting and ministering: that thou mayest learn that there was need of great sobriety. In Antioch he is ordained, where he preaches. Why did He not say, Separate for the Lord, but, "For me?" It shows that He is of one authority and power.

What does "they were worshiping" mean? That is, of those preaching.

"Set apart for me for the work." That is, to a mission. By whom, then, is he ordained? By Lucius and Manaen, but more by the Spirit. He is ordained so as to preach with authority.

And in every place is it written concerning them that they fasted and prayed. "And while they were fasting and praying, the Holy Spirit said to them, Separate ye unto Me Paul and Barnabas for the work whereunto I have called them."

What does "when they served" mean? It means "preached." And the expression "for the work" is used instead of "for apostleship." By whom is Paul ordained? By Lucius and Manaen, or rather by the Holy Spirit. He is ordained so that he might preach with authority. How then does Paul himself say: "chosen not by men nor through man" (Gal. 1:1)? This is in the sense that no man called him and converted him.

"And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." Seest thou what a great thing fasting is? A great, yes a great good is fasting: it is circumscribed by no limits. When need was to ordain, then they fast: and to them while fasting, the Spirit spake.

The Lord, upon appearing to Paul from heaven, said, "Go to Damascus, and you shall be told that you are my chosen vessel," because [the Lord] had established him as the herald of the gospel to all the world. Then Ananias said to him, when he arrived in Damascus, "Brother Saul, see once more: the God of the fathers has preordained you."8 And lest you think this word [i.e., God] refers to Christ, he adds, "to do his will and to know his just one Jesus." [Paul], making this calling and preordaining a title, says, "Paul a slave of Jesus Christ, called apostle."10 Then he says something else regarding this calling, "Set aside for the gospel of God." The Acts of the Apostles taught that the Spirit directed the setting aside, for it says, "While the apostles were fasting and praying, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set aside for me Paul and Barnabas for the work to which I have called them.' " If the Lord, the God of the fathers, chose him whom he had preordained, while the Son called him forth, and the Spirit, using the operation of [the divine] nature, set the same one aside, how is there a difference of nature in the Trinity in which an identity of operation is found?

They ordained not as they did deacons, but "having laid hands on them" after preliminary fasting and prayer, so that from this one may conclude that Barnabas and Paul through such ordination received a higher hierarchical rank than that of deacons.

"So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus." It shows that the Spirit did all.

As soon as they were ordained they went forth, and hasted to Cyprus, that being a place where was no ill-design hatching against them, and where moreover the Word had been sown already. In Antioch there were (teachers) enough, and Phoenice too was near to Palestine; but Cyprus not so. However, you are not to make a question of the why and wherefore, when it is the Spirit that directs their movements: for they were not only ordained by the Spirit, but sent forth by Him likewise. "And when they were come to Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews." Do you mark how they make a point of preaching the word to them first?

In Seleucia they do not make any difficulty, knowing that from the neighboring city they would reap great benefit.

They do not stop in Seleucia, knowing that its inhabitants could gain much benefit from the neighboring city, but hasten to fulfill what was urgent.

They preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. Due to ignorance of the places, I believed it should be noted once: Wherever you see a synagogue of the Jews, know that occurrences in the city are described.

There is, besides, another John mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, with the surname Mark, whom Barnabas and Paul attached to themselves as companion, and of whom again it is said: "And they had also John to their minister." But whether this is the one who wrote the Revelation, I could not say. For it is not written that he came with them into Asia.

"And when they were come to Salamis," the metropolis of Cyprus, "they preached the word of God." They had spent a year in Antioch: it behooved that they should go hither also (to Cyprus) and not sit permanently where they were (the converts in Cyprus): needed greater teachers. See too how they remain no time in Seleucia, knowing that (the people there) might have reaped much benefit from the neighboring city (of Antioch): but they hasten on to the more pressing duties. When they came to the metropolis of the island, they were earnest to disabuse the proconsul.

Whose name was Bar-Jesus. It is incorrectly read as Barjesus, when it should be read as Bar-Jew, that is, sorcerer, or in evil. I believe that the name Jesus is written with the same letters but with a mark above. For it is not fitting for a wicked man and sorcerer to be called the son of Jesus, that is, the Savior, whom conversely Paul calls the son of the devil.

They found a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, whose name was Barjesus. In Greek it adds more: Which is interpreted as Elimas.

"And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith." Again a Jew sorcerer, as was Simon. And observe this man, how, while they preached to the others, he did not take it much amiss, but only when they approached the proconsul. And then in respect of the proconsul the wonder is, that although prepossessed by the man's sorcery, he was nevertheless willing to hear the Apostles. So it was with the Samaritans: and from the competition the victory appears, the sorcery being worsted. Everywhere, vainglory and love of power are a (fruitful) source of evils!

Both he and that other magician, who was with Sergius Paulus, (since he began opposing himself to the same apostles) was mulcted with loss of eyes. The same fate, I believe, would astrologers, too, have met, if any had fallen in the way of the apostles.

Smitten were both Ananias and Elymas -Ananias with death, Elymas with blindness-in order that by this very fact it might be proved that Christ had had the power of doing even such (miracles).

As Sergius Paulus, proconsul of Cyprus, was the first to believe in his preaching, he took his name from him because he had subdued him to faith in Christ.

But that it is no flattery that (the writer) says, "he was with the proconsul, a prudent man," you may learn from the facts; for he needed not many discourses, and himself wished to hear them.

What is remarkable about the proconsul is that, having already been previously captivated by the sorcerer's magic, he still desired to listen to the apostles.

However, Elymas the magician (for so his name is interpreted) withstood them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith. And this too is more in the Greek: Because he was gladly listening to them.

Many attempts were also wrought against the apostles by the sorcerers Simon and Elymas, but the blindness which struck (them) was no enchanter's trick.

But pay attention also to the sorcerer: when the apostles were preaching to the other people, he was not very indignant; but he became especially indignant when they came to the proconsul.

The apostle Paul, who was previously called Saul, had no other reason, it seems to me, for choosing this name but to point out his own smallness as the least of the apostles. Hence, in order to praise this grace of God, he frequently fought courageously and vigorously against the proud and the arrogant and those who relied on their own works. After all, the grace of God was really seen more clearly and more obviously in him.

Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit. From Sergius Paulus the proconsul, because he subjugated him to the faith of Christ, he took the name of Paul. And the subsequent sections of this account deal with the miracles of Paul. For it was fitting that he should give the completion to apostolic acts, whom the Lord had long chosen despite him kicking against the goads.

But Saul, who is also Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, and so on. Just as Barnabas' name was changed immediately after his renunciation, so that instead of Joseph he was called Barnabas, which is, instead of "increased," "son of consolation." For after he was increased and added to the number of the elect, he immediately deserved to be both called and to be "son of παράκλησις," that is, "of consolation" through the received grace of the Spirit; so Saul, after receiving the rank of apostleship, was named Paul. Because he had become humble from being proud, he was rightly called Paul instead of Saul: for Saul was named after the impious and persecutor king Saul, but Paul is named from humble and small spirit. For Paul means "small." Hence, interpreting his own name in a certain way, he himself would say: For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God (I Cor. XV).

"Then Saul, otherwise Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, said. "This continues what started above. While Sergius the proconsul and Paulus the prudent man listened, the apostle Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, vigorously reproved Bar-jesu the false prophet; and to show that his invective had been for the love of the Lord, he said to him: "Thou shalt be blind, and shalt not see the sun at all for a time." Then a dark mist coming upon him shut up his natural sight in such a way that he sought someone else's hands to help him leave. The performance of this miracle being ascertained, the judges who saw it were converted, believing that a doctrine proven to be displayed by such miracles was truly that of the supreme God.

"But Saul, who is also Paul,"-here his name is changed at the same time that he is ordained, as it was in Peter's case.

"Saul, who is also Paul." So that Paul might not seem lesser than the other apostles in this respect, God changed his name, and calling Saul Paul, and whatever preeminence the chief of the disciples possessed, he also obtained, and received a position of greater familiarity. [CHRYSOSTOM]

Therefore to show that Paul's words to Elymas the sorcerer were not spoken in anger, he anticipated and said, "filled with the Holy Spirit." For these words were not of punishment but of conversion. If they had been disciplinary, he would have made him blind forever; now, however, not that, but for a time, that he might convince the proconsul. [CHRYSOSTOM]

Here, together with Saul's ordination, his name is also changed. He was renamed so that in this respect too he would be no less than the apostles. And as for the preeminence that the chief of Christ's disciples, Peter, had, Paul too, it seems, enjoyed the same esteem and had occasion to win even greater favor.

"Filled with the Holy Ghost, looked upon him, and said, O full of all guile and all villany, thou child of the devil:" and observe, this is not abuse, but accusation: for so ought forward, impudent people to be rebuked "thou enemy of all righteousness;" here he lays bare what was in the thoughts of the man, while under pretext of saving he was ruining the proconsul: "wilt thou not cease," he says, "to pervert the ways of the Lord?" (He says it) both confidently, It is not with us thou art warring, nor art thou fighting (with us), but "the ways of the Lord" thou art perverting, and with praise (of these, he adds) "the right" ways.

Observe, how he said nothing to the sorcerer, until he gave him an occasion: but they only "preached the word of the Lord." Since (though Elymas) saw the rest attending to them, he looked only to this one object, that the proconsul might not be won over. Why did not (Paul) perform some other miracle? Because there was none equal to this, the taking the enemy captive. And observe, he first impeaches, and then punishes, him. He shows how justly the man deserved to suffer, by his saying, "O full of all deceit": ("full of all,") he says: nothing wanting to the full measure: and he well says, of all "deceit," for the man was playing the part of a hypocrite.-"Child of the devil," because he was doing his work: "enemy of all righteousness," since this (which they preached) was the whole of righteousness (though at the same time): I suppose in these words he reproves his manner of life. His words were not prompted by anger, and to show this, the writer premises, "filled with the Holy Ghost," that is, with His operation.

No kind of subtlety, he says, remained which you did not possess. He rightly said "all subtlety," because the sorcerer was a flatterer and a liar. And he calls him "son of the devil" because he was doing the devil's work.

Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind. The Apostle, mindful of his own example, knew that it was possible to rise from the darkness of the eyes of the mind to light. For he did not deserve to have the eyes of the flesh, who labored to take away the eyes of the mind from others.

And immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him. The name of darkness in Greek is placed in the singular number σκότος, which the Latin interpreter did not follow, because this name does not have a singular number in Latin as we have similarly taught above.

Be reasonable now. What happened to the magician through the intervention of the apostle is not contrary to the divine commandment that commands us to love our enemies. But since that man distorted the ways of preaching and drove the proconsul away from the faith through which the entire multitude could easily have been admitted to salvation, Paul punished that blasphemer on the basis of his own way of working things out. After he was warned by being blinded he was then led to knowledge. Indeed he was taught through Paul to cure his infidelity with a remedy, just as Paul cured the contradictions of the law. After he set the limit "until the right time" for judgment so that it might cause in itself the recuperation of the man, he changed his ways for the better.

"And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind." It was the sign by which he was himself converted, and by this he would fain convert this man. As also that expression, "for a season," puts it not as an act of punishing, but as meant for his conversion: had it been for punishment, he would have made him lastingly blind, but now it is not so, but "for a season" (and this), that he may gain the proconsul. For, as he was prepossessed by the sorcery, it was well to teach him a lesson by this infliction (and the sorcerer also), in the same way as the magicians (in Egypt) were taught by the boils. "And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness: and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand."

"And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee." It was not vengeance then, but healing: for it is as though he said: "It is not I that do it, but the hand of God." Mark how unassuming! No "light," as in the case of Paul, "shone round about him." "Thou shalt be blind," he says, "not seeing the sun for a season," that he may give him opportunity for repentance: for we nowhere find them wishing to be made conspicuous by the more stern (exercise of their authority), even though it was against enemies that this was put forth: in respect of those of their own body (they used severity), and with good reason, but in dealing with those without, not so; that (the obedience of faith) might not seem to be matter of compulsion and fear. It is a proof of his blindness, his "seeking some to lead him by the hand."

He first convicted the sorcerer (and showed), what he was; and that he was such, the sign showed: "thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun" this was a sign of the blindness of his soul: "for a season": he says, to bring him to repentance.

For the phrase "for a time," giving a limit to the sentence, means that the way in which he received the light is to be altered for the better; for he who had been led to the worse was now to be brought to this as well. Accordingly it was not punishment but healing.

It is not with us, says Paul, that you wage war and fight, but you turn people away "from the straight paths of the Lord. And now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you: you shall be blind and not see the sun for a time." By the same means by which he himself was converted, he wanted to convert him as well. Therefore, this was not a punishment, but a healing, because Paul said: "It is not I who do this, but 'behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you.'" And "for a time" was evidently the word not of one punishing, but of one converting, because if it had been the word of one punishing, Paul would have made him blind permanently; but here it is not so, but rather "for a time." He speaks thus in order to make an impression on the proconsul, for he gives him to understand by this that it depends on the sorcerer himself to receive his sight again: he needs to change his way of life for the better.

"Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord." But observe, how they do not linger there, as (they might have been tempted to do) now that the proconsul was a believer, nor are enervated by being courted and honored, but immediately keep on with their work, and set out for the country on the opposite coast.

And the proconsul sees the blindness inflicted, "and when he saw what was done, he believed:" and both alone believed not merely this, but, "being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord": he saw that these things were not mere words, nor trickery. Mark how he loved to receive instruction from his teachers, though he was in a station of so high authority.

"Turning here and there, he sought a guide." This is proof of his blindness. It was necessary through precisely such a punishment to bring to his senses the one who had previously been carried away by magic. In this way, punishments served, as it were, to bring even the sorcerers to their senses.