Acts 2:22–36

Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God, and so on until you afflicted and killed Him. Like a learned teacher, he first admonishes the unbelievers, whom he pities, to give advice of salvation later when pierced by just fear. And because he speaks to those who know the law, he shows that Christ Himself is the One promised by the prophets. However, he does not first call Him the Son of God by his own authority, but a man approved, a just man, a man resurrected from the dead, not in the common resurrection along with the others, which is delayed until the end of the world, but celebrated on the third day, so that the assertion of a singular glorious resurrection might bear the testimony of eternal divinity. Since the bodies of others are proven to have undergone corruption after death, this one, of whom it is said: You will not let Your Holy One see corruption (Psalm XV), is shown to be free from human frailty, and proven to have surpassed the merits of human condition, and therefore more deserving to be ascribed to God than to humans. You will learn from the story of Cornelius the centurion and in the sermon given by the Apostle Paul in Athens what kind of introduction the apostles use in their preaching to the Gentiles.

For Peter said, "Ye men of Israel, hear my words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God among you by powers, and wonders, and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, by the hands of wicked men ye have slain, affixing [to the cross]: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holden of them. For David speaketh concerning Him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face; for He is on my right hand, lest I should be moved: therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also, my flesh shall rest in hope: because Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou give Thy Holy One to see corruption."

"Ye men of Israel": it is not for flattery that he uses this term; but, as he has borne hard upon them, he relaxes a little, and puts them in mind of their great ancestor Israel. Here again he begins with an introduction, that they may not become excited, now that he is going to make express mention to them of Jesus: for in what preceded, there was no reason why they should be excited, while the Prophet was the subject of discourse: but the name of Jesus would have given offence at the very outset. And he does not say, "Do as I bid you," but, Hear; as being not at all exacting. And observe how he forbears to speak of the high matters, and begins with the very low: "Jesus," he says: and then straightway mentions the place He belonged to, being one which was held in mean estimation: "Jesus of Nazareth": and does not say anything great about Him, nor even such as one would say about a Prophet, so far: "Jesus," he says, "of Nazareth, a man proved (to be) from God among you." Observe; what great matter was this, to say that He was sent from God? For this was the point which on all occasions both He and John and the Apostles were studious to show.

"Jesus of Nazareth, a man proved (to be sent) from God unto you": one, of whom, by reason of His works, there can be no doubt; but who, on the contrary, is demonstrated. Thus also Nicodemus said, "No man can do these miracles which Thou doest. By miracles, and wonders, and signs which God wrought by Him in the midst of you": not secretly. Setting out from facts notorious to those whom he was addressing, he then comes to things hidden.

Since Peter had urged them vehemently before, he now lets them go, not by flattering them, but by giving them rest and regarding them worthy of relief. Therefore he also makes a preface and recalls the forefather David, so that he might not alarm them, since he had introduced Jesus with his speech. For when they heard the prophet at his feet, they held back. And if merely the name of Jesus had been brought forward to people who kill, it would immediately have stood against them. For this reason he did not say "Be persuaded," but "listen." So that it might be more gently brought in. For this reason he also speaks more humbly concerning Jesus.

"Jesus," he said, "of Nazareth," that is, naming him from a low and despised homeland. Then, "attested," not one about whom any doubt could be held, but demonstrated by the works "which God did through him," because he was from God. For although God worked, he worked through him, and "to you," not secretly nor in a corner, but with you as witnesses.

Therefore, since the Jews still contend that the Christ is not yet come, whom we have in so many ways approved to be come, let the Jews recognise their own fate, -a fate which they were constantly foretold as destined to incur after the advent of the Christ, on account of the impiety with which they despised and slew Him.

Also Peter, in the Acts of the Apostles, speaks of Him as verily human (when he says), "Jesus Christ was a man approved of God among you." These passages alone ought to suffice as a prescriptive testimony in proof that Christ had human flesh derived from man, and not spiritual, and that His flesh was not composed.

Then why not His names also? When, therefore, you read of Almighty God, and the Most High, and the God of hosts, and the King of Israel the "One that is," consider whether the Son also be not indicated by these designations, who in His own right is God Almighty, in that He is the Word of Almighty God, and has received power over all; is the Most High, in that He is "exalted at the right hand of God," as Peter declares in the Acts; is the Lord of hosts, because all things are by the Father made subject to Him; is the King of Israel because to Him has especially been committed the destiny of that nation; and is likewise "the One that is," because there are many who are called Sons, but are not.

In (Peter) himself the Church was reared; that is, through (Peter) himself; (Peter) himself essayed the key; you see what (key): "Men of Israel, let what I say sink into your ears: Jesus the Nazarene, a man destined by God for you," and so forth. (Peter) himself, therefore, was the first to unbar, in Christ's baptism, the entrance to the heavenly kingdom, in which (kingdom) are "loosed" the sins that were beforetime "bound; "and those which have not been "loosed" are "bound," in accordance with true salvation; and Ananias he "bound" with the bond of death, and the weak in his feet he "absolved" from his defect of health.

This word is not flattery; but since Peter had strongly rebuked them, he now condescends to them and reminds them of the forefathers, persuading them to recall their faith, and begins again from the beginning so as not to upset them, since he intended to remind them about Jesus. Previously, listening to the prophet, they could not be upset. And see how he says nothing about lofty truths, but begins from aspects that speak of the great humility of Jesus. "The Nazarene," he says, calling Jesus by His homeland, which seemed very insignificant. Just as in those cases when Christ is called the Power of God and the Wisdom of God, we refer these names to His Divinity, so in those cases when He is called a man and one who died for our sins, we refer these names to His flesh. And He Himself once said: "You seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth" (John 8:40), and another time said: "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). From this, on the basis of the first text, arose the Samosatian heresy, which held that Jesus was a mere man. "By powers and wonders and signs." This same thought is also expressed by the words of the Apostle Paul, that He "was declared to be the Son of God with power" (Rom. 1:4), that is, the Son whose deeds and miracles proved that He is truly the Son of the Father, because there is no difference between the statement "to declare the Son of God with power" and the statement "to attest to Him by powers and wonders and signs, which God performed through Him." Truly God acts as if through the Son, because through Him He also "made the ages" (Heb. 1:2). And by the expression "among you" he calls them as witnesses of what he says; "among you" means not secretly, not in a corner.

Also, permitting himself to suffer in accordance with the law of flesh born from the womb of a mother, he himself preferred to die in order that the world might not lose life. But that which was born of a child-bearing virgin, that died. Innocent, he was hung from a tree, and the burden of the tree [of Adam] was removed. Thus the wound of the unrighteous [Adam] became the medicine of God.

By the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, this man was handed over to you, and with the help of wicked men, you put him to death by nailing him to the cross. The Greek has one more word which pertains significantly to the cause: "Foreknowledge of God handing him over." For he was handed over by the governor into their power with the condition that they could choose either him or the robber; and they, having received this option, granted life to the robber and, by their own shouts and prayers, put Jesus to death through the hands of the soldiers.

Then, having fallen upon the mention of that their sacrilegious outrage, observe how he endeavors to quit them of the crime: "Him," he says, "being by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God delivered up": adding however, "ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain": for though it was predetermined, still they were murderers. "By the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God:" all but using the same words as Joseph did; just as he said to his brethren; "Be not angry one with another by the way: God sent me hither." It is God's doing. "What of us, then?" (it might be said,) "it was even well done on our part." That they may not say this, therefore it is that he adds, "By wicked hands ye have crucified and slain." Here then he hints at Judas; while at the same time he shows them that it was not from any strength of theirs, and would not have been, if He had not Himself permitted it: it was God that delivered Him up. He has transferred the evil entire upon the head of Judas, now already parted from them; for he it was that delivered Him over to them by the kiss. Or, "By wicked hands," refers to the soldiers: for neither is it simply, "Ye have slain," but, By wicked men ye have done this.

Thereupon in saying, "By the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God," he shows that it was not because they had the power to do it, and that there was a wisdom and a Divine arrangement in the event, seeing it was from God. He rapidly passes over the unpleasant part.

Since they advanced in their daring by means of the cross, he also attempts to free them by saying, "and foreknowledge of God," at once showing that his suffering was voluntary and that he ministered to the predestined, but even while clearing them he does not entirely abandon the charge against them.

For he urges, saying, "you delivered him up and denied him by the hands of lawless men;" for it is through the hands of the lawless, namely Judas and the soldiers. For if indeed those who wandered were wicked, certainly those who killed were also so. And when he had therefore gradually rebuked them, taking up thereafter greater boldness he rebukes them more plainly, saying:

Then, having attacked their lawlessness, he tries to relieve them of responsibility for it and says: "by the determined counsel," showing by this that they did not do what they dared by their own power, but because He Himself consented to it and because it was determined from above. Furthermore, lest it should seem that they were innocent — since although this was determined, yet they were the murderers — lest it should seem so, he adds: "by the hands of lawless men," that is, either through the traitor Judas, or through the soldiers who crucified Christ. Although it is known that those who nailed Him to the cross committed lawlessness, nevertheless Peter first speaks of this unclearly, so as not to drive them to despair.

Light's glittering morn bedecks the sky, heaven thunders forth its victor cry, the glad earth shouts its triumph high, and groaning hell makes wild reply:

While he, the King of glorious might, treads down death's strength in death's despite, and trampling hell by victor's right, brings forth his sleeping Saints to light.

Fast barred beneath the stone of late in watch and ward where soldiers wait, now shining in triumphant state, He rises Victor from death's gate.

Hell's pains are loosed, and tears are fled; captivity is captive led; the Angel, crowned with light, hath said, 'The Lord is risen from the dead.'

Accordingly what is here said, `Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him,' answers to Peter's words in the Acts, `Whom God raised up, having loosed the bonds of death, because it was not possible that He should be holden of it.' For as Paul has written, `Since being in form of God He became man, and humbled Himself unto death, therefore God also hath highly exalted Him,' so also Peter says, `Since, being God, He became man, and signs and wonders proved Him to beholders to be God, therefore it was not possible that He should be holden of death.' To man it was not possible to succeed in this; for death belongs to man; wherefore, the Word, being God, became flesh, that, being put to death in the flesh, He might quicken all men by His own power.

After having said that "Christ was put to death in the flesh, and quickened in the spirit," the apostle immediately went on to say: "in which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime were unbelieving, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water;" thereafter he added the words: "which baptism also now by a like figure has saved you." [1 Peter 3:18-21] This, therefore, is felt by me to be difficult. If the Lord when He died preached in hell to spirits in prison, why were those who continued unbelieving while the ark was a preparing the only ones counted worthy of this favour, namely, the Lord's descending into hell? For in the ages between the time of Noah and the passion of Christ, there died many thousands of so many nations whom He might have found in hell. I do not, of course, speak here of those who in that period of time had believed in God, as, e.g. the prophets and patriarchs of Abraham's line, or, going farther back, Noah himself and his house, who had been saved by water (excepting perhaps the one son, who afterwards was rejected), and, in addition to these, all others outside of the posterity of Jacob who were believers in God, such as Job, the citizens of Nineveh, and any others, whether mentioned in Scripture or existing unknown to us in the vast human family at any time. I speak only of those many thousands of men who, ignorant of God and devoted to the worship of devils or of idols, had passed out of this life from the time of Noah to the passion of Christ. How was it that Christ, finding these in hell, did not preach to them, but preached only to those who were unbelieving in the days of Noah when the ark was a preparing? Or if he preached to all, why has Peter mentioned only these, and passed over the innumerable multitude of others?

It is established beyond question that the Lord, after He had been put to death in the flesh, "descended into hell;" for it is impossible to gainsay either that utterance of prophecy, "You will not leave my soul in hell," — an utterance which Peter himself expounds in the Acts of the Apostles, lest any one should venture to put upon it another interpretation — or the words of the same apostle, in which he affirms that the Lord "loosed the pains of hell, in which it was not possible for Him to be holden." Who, therefore, except an infidel, will deny that Christ was in hell? As to the difficulty which is found in reconciling the statement that the pains of hell were loosed by Him, with the fact that He had never begun to be in these pains as in bonds, and did not so loose them as if He had broken off chains by which He had been bound, this is easily removed when we understand that they were loosed in the same way as the snares of huntsmen may be loosed to prevent their holding, not because they have taken hold. It may also be understood as teaching us to believe Him to have loosed those pains which could not possibly hold Him, but which were holding those to whom He had resolved to grant deliverance...

As to the first man, the father of mankind, it is agreed by almost the entire Church that the Lord loosed him from that prison; a tenet which must be believed to have been accepted not without reason, — from whatever source it was handed down to the Church — although the authority of the canonical Scriptures cannot be brought forward as speaking expressly in its support, though this seems to be the opinion which is more than any other borne out by these words in the book of Wisdom. [Wisdom 10:1-2] Some add to this [tradition] that the same favour was bestowed on the holy men of antiquity — on Abel, Seth, Noah and his house, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the other patriarchs and prophets, they also being loosed from those pains at the time when the Lord descended into hell...

But seeing that plain scriptural testimonies make mention of hell and its pains, no reason can be alleged for believing that He who is the Saviour went there, except that He might save from its pains; but whether He did save all whom He found held in them, or some whom He judged worthy of that favour, I still ask: that He was, however, in hell, and that He conferred this benefit on persons subjected to these pains, I do not doubt...

You perceive, therefore, how intricate is the question why Peter chose to mention, as persons to whom, when shut up in prison, the gospel was preached, those only who were unbelieving in the days of Noah when the ark was a preparing — and also the difficulties which prevent me from pronouncing any definite opinion on the subject.

Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains, just as it was impossible for Him to be held by it. The sense of this sentence seems to be that the pains of punishment were loosened when the Lord descended to the lower regions, that is, they were not able to touch Him at all. But if we look at the Greek authority, where it is written: Whom God raised up on the third day, loosening the pains of death through Him, just as it was not possible for Him to be held by it, it is clear indeed that He says that the pains of the underworld were loosened by the Lord, or of death, that is, through His descent to the lower regions the saints were freed from the places of the underworld, who, although they were in Abraham's bosom, that is, in the consolation of quiet rest, nevertheless were not entirely free from the pain of death or of the underworld. They did not yet deserve to see and enter the heavenly joys, until what was said through the prophet to the Lord was done: You also, by the blood of your covenant, have brought forth your prisoners from the pit where there is no water (Zech. IX). For if the saints in the pit of the infernal regions were utterly free from the pain of death, why does he say they were prisoners until they were brought forth by the blood of Christ? He therefore loosed the pains of death through Him, just as it was impossible for Him to be held by it. For just as He Himself was immune from the power of death, so He was also powerful enough to rescue whomever He wanted from the dominion of death.

Having loosed the pangs of death; and in like manner he calls the future state the ascent into heaven and the times of refreshing.

He cried to the Father, saying, Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit [Luke 23:46]; I commend it, that I may take it again. And having said these things, He gave up the ghost [Matthew 27:50]; but not for any long time, for He quickly rose again from the dead.

The Sun was darkened, because of the Sun of Righteousness [Malachi 4:2]. Rocks were rent, because of the spiritual Rock. Tombs were opened, and the dead arose, because of Him who was free among the dead; He sent forth His prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water [Zechariah 9:11].

But tomorrow assemble for me all your citizens, and I will preach in their presence and sow among them the word of God, concerning the coming of Jesus, how he was born; and concerning his mission, for what purpose he was sent by the Father; and concerning the power of his works, and the mysteries which he proclaimed in the world, and by what power he did these things; and concerning his new preaching, and his abasement and humiliation, and how he humbled himself, and died and debased his divinity and was crucified, and descended into Hades, and burst the bars which from eternity had not been broken, and raised the dead; for he descended alone, but rose with many, and thus ascended to his Father.

But since it was also meet that He should implant in our nature the power of rising again from the dead, He becomes the "first-fruits of them that slept" and the "first-born from the dead," in that He first by His own act loosed the pains of death, so that His new birth from the dead was made a way for us also, since the pains of death, wherein we were held, were loosed by the resurrection of the Lord. Thus, just as by having shared in the washing of regeneration He became "the first-born among many brethren," and again by having made Himself the first-fruits of the resurrection, He obtains the name of the "first-born from the dead," so having in all things the pre-eminence, after that "all old things," as the apostle says, "have passed away," He becomes the first-born of the new creation of men in Christ by the two-fold regeneration, alike that by Holy Baptism and that which is the consequence of the resurrection from the dead, becoming for us in both alike the Prince of Life, the first-fruits, the first-born.

This, he says, is the form of the servant, and this the necessity of the Word of God coming down into the womb of a virgin. But he says it is not sufficient that the Perfect Man, the Word, has entered into the womb of a virgin, and loosed the pangs which were in that darkness. Nay, more than this was requisite; for after his entrance into the foul mysteries of the womb, he was washed, and drank of the cup of life-giving bubbling water. And it was altogether needful that he should drink who was about to strip off the servile form, and assume celestial raiment.

And observe how everywhere they make it of great importance that the Passion should first be confessed. "Whom God Raised Up," says he. This was the great thing; and observe how he sets it in the middle of his discourse: for the former matters had been confessed; both the miracles and the signs and the slaying. "Whom God," says he, "raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be kept in its power." It is something great and sublime that he has hinted at here. For the expression, "It was not possible," even itself is that of one assigning something. It shows that death itself in holding Him had pangs as in travail, and was sore bestead: whereas, by pains, or, travail-pangs, of death, the Old Testament means danger and disaster: and that He so rose as never more to die. For the assertion, "Seeing that it was not possible that He should be holden of it," means this, that His rising was not common to the rest.

"Having loosed the pangs of death." He that gives Death trouble, may much more give trouble to them that crucified Him: however, nothing of the kind is here said, as that He had power to slay you. For one that is in pain like a woman in travail, does not hold the thing held, and is not active but passive; and makes haste to cast it off. For it is always a point of great importance with them to show that He was once dead. Though ye should deny it, says he, those present will bear witness to the fact.

Sheol saw me and was shattered, and Death ejected me and many with me. I have been vinegar and bitterness to it, and I went down with it as far as its depth. Then the feet and the head it released, because it was not able to endure my face. And I made a congregation of living among his dead; and I spoke with them by living lips; in order that my word may not be unprofitable. And those who had died ran towards me; and they cried out and said, Son of God, have pity on us. And deal with us according to Your kindness, and bring us out from the bonds of darkness. And open for us the door by which we may come out to You; for we perceive that our death does not touch You. May we also be saved with You, because You are our Savior. Then I heard their voice, and placed their faith in my heart. And I placed my name upon their head, because they are free and they are mine.

"But God raised him up, releasing the pangs of death." That is, that even death was afflicting and holding him with pangs, and in a manner he suffered terribly.

For the pains, the Old Testament declares dangers and misfortunes. As in the passage, "Pains of death encompass me." (Ps. 116:3) And by the phrase, "because it was not possible that he should be held by it," it presents his greatness, and that he no longer dies. On these matters he also cites the prophet David saying, as has been said before, not concerning himself, but concerning him, that is, Christ. And here from the humbler sayings, and in the humblest style he advanced the prophecy, being words of more introductory character. "because it was not possible." For he said himself, "No one takes my life from me. But I lay it down of my own accord, and I have power to take it again." (Jn. 10:18)

If, on the other hand, as it reads in some manuscripts, "even in those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression," this death, namely that which was keeping souls bound in the underworld, is said to exercise dominion, then we shall understand it to mean that even the saints had fallen prey to that death certainly under the law of dying, even if not under the punishment of sin. But it was on this account that Christ descended into the underworld, not only because he would not be held by death [Acts 2:24], but also in order that he might release those who were held there, as we said, not so much through the crime of transgression as much as by the condition of dying. As it is written, "Many bodies of saints who were sleeping were resurrected with him and entered into the holy city." [Matthew 27:52-53] In this as well the prophet's sayings were fulfilled, in which he said of Christ, "In ascending on high he led captivity captive." [Ephesians 4:8-9] Thus by his own resurrection he has already destroyed the dominions of death, which is also why it is written that he set captivity free.

I have greatly rejoiced with you in our Lord Jesus Christ, because ye have followed the example of true love [as displayed by God], and have accompanied, as became you, those who were bound in chains, the fitting ornaments of saints, and which are indeed the diadems of the true elect of God and our Lord; and because the strong root of your faith, spoken of in days long gone by, endureth even until now, and bringeth forth fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sins suffered even unto death, [but] "whom God raised from the dead, having loosed the bands of the grave." "In whom, though now ye see Him not, ye believe, and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;" into which joy many desire to enter, knowing that "by grace ye are saved, not of works," but by the will of God through Jesus Christ.

Peter said, "God has made this Jesus both Lord and Christ" and said too, "This Jesus whom you crucified God has raised up." Now it was the humanity, not the Godhead, that became a corpse, and he who raised it was the Word, the power of God, who said in the Gospel, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." So when it is said that God has made him who became a corpse and rose from the dead both Lord and Christ, what is meant is the flesh, and not the Godhead of the Son.

"God raised Him." How did he dare to say among the murderers that Christ was risen? And if it is said that the Father raised Him, this is because of the weakness of the listeners, for through whom does the Father act? Through His power, and the power of the Father is Christ. Therefore, He raised Himself, even though it is said that the Father raised Him. "Having loosed the pains of death." He shows that death too was in travail and suffered terribly when it took hold of Him, because the Old Testament calls the pangs of death in travail a danger and calamity for it. A woman in travail does not retain what is within her, and does not act, but suffers and hastens to be delivered. Peter beautifully called the resurrection a loosing of the pains (bonds) of death, so that one may say: having burst open the pregnant and travailing womb, Christ the Savior appears and comes forth as if from some birthing womb, that is, from the bonds of death and from the midst of Hades. Therefore He is also called the firstborn from the dead. The anointed wrestlers were elusive to their opponents, and the anointed snake charmers were safeguarded and protected from the teeth of the serpent. When Christ, mystically anointed by His Spirit, entered into combat with death and submitted to this destroyer, then the adversary who appeared was crushed, because it was "not possible for death to hold Him." It was not possible because it was found that He was born of God, and that all manner of change or alteration was foreign to Him, and that He rose again so as to die no more.

Peter says (Acts 2:24): "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, as it was impossible that He should be held by it." Therefore it seems that He remained in hell until the hour of the Resurrection.

I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, that I should not be moved. Coming, he says, into the transient things, I did not take my eye off Him who always remains, foreseeing this, that after passing through temporal things I should turn to Him, because He favors me, so that I may remain steadfastly in Him, and I attribute this, that I did not commit sin nor was deceit found in my mouth (I Peter II), not to humanity, but to divinity; on account of this, there is joy in my thoughts, and rejoicing in my words, because of the resurrection, namely, because through it the world has been delivered.

For David says in reference to Him, that is, in His person: I foresaw the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, that I may not be moved. By explaining what the Mediator of God and men did, He gives us who are pure men advice on how to avoid sins. For whoever continuously looks upon the presence of his Creator with the eye of his mind in no way turns to sins. He also states the reason why he was not moved. Since indeed with the Lord helping at the right hand, the left side does not prevail; but the soul that He guards perseveres more firmly in Him. Appropriately, he was saying that the Lord is at his right hand, because if He does not hold this part, the insidious devil will immediately occupy it, as it is written about Judas: And the devil stood at his right hand (Ps. CVIII).

I foresaw the Lord always in my sight: He passes on to the unique remedy by which to avoid sins, for the person who with the mental eye always gazes on the Lord in no way turns to sins.

for he is at my right hand, so that I may not be moved: It was fitting for Him to speak of the Lord as being at His right hand, for if the Lord does not occupy that place the Devil will at once seize it for ambush. As was written of Judas, Set the sinner over him, and let the Devil stand at his right hand (Ps. 109:6).

And it is well said: "For David saith in reference to him"; that you may not refer that saying to the Prophet.

For the assertion, "Seeing that it was not possible that He should be holden of it," means this, that His rising was not common to the rest. Then, however, before their thoughts can enter at all into his meaning, he brings David upon them, an authority which sets aside all human reasoning. "For David saith (with reference) to Him." And observe how, once more, the testimony is lowly. For therefore he begins the citation further up, with the matters of lowlier import therefore was death not in the number of grievous things [because], says he, "I foresaw the Lord always before my face, that He is on my right hand that I should not be moved:" and, "that Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell."

Next he brings forward David, who surpasses all human reason, because this kind of thing is prophecy, and says: "For David says concerning Him," and not concerning himself; and again he begins from the side of humility. Although this has been accomplished now, it was foreordained from of old: God consented to this from the beginning and foreordained it from the beginning. "I saw the Lord before me always." He calls the Father the Lord of Jesus, because Jesus took on the form of a servant. If it is said here that the Father is "at the right hand" of the Son, while in other places it is said that the Son is "at the right hand" of the Father, this signifies their equality.

Moreover, my flesh will not fail in destruction, but will sleep in the hope of resurrection. For You will not leave my soul to be possessed by Hell, nor will You allow Your Holy One's body, through which others too are sanctified, to see corruption.

For this reason my heart was delighted, and my tongue exulted. For this reason, because He, indeed, stood at the right hand, and He attests that in His thoughts, joy and exultation arose in His tongue. And indeed, as the passion was threatening, He said: "My soul is sorrowful unto death," and He began to fear and be weary (Mark 14). But He was sorrowful to show that He was truly man in soul and body, and truly passible; but His soul and tongue exulted because He knew that by His passion the human race was to be saved.

Moreover, even my flesh will rest in hope. Indeed, He was rejoicing that He could not be moved or overcome by enemies; but beyond this joy, He declares that His joy increased even more in that He was to provide an example of resurrection in His flesh, by which He saved us through His death.

Because implies that the Lord stood at his right hand, and He testifies that delight has arisen in His thoughts and joy on His tongue. Perfect joy is that which is both conceived in a joyful heart and brought forth in eager speech. Just as He used the word moreover of His evils, so he repeated the word of His blessings, so that humanity might be thought to have received heavenly joys according to the measure of His human troubles. For He says that His joy has welled over His gladness because the suffering flesh which He took up for the salvation of all of us has corruption.

Again, David expressly (or rather the Lord in the person of the saint, and the same from the foundation of the world is each one who at different periods is saved, and shall be saved by faith) says, "My heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced, and my flesh shall still rest in hope. For Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell, nor wilt Thou give Thine holy one to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the paths of life, Thou wilt make me full of joy in Thy presence." As, then, the people was precious to the Lord, so also is the entire holy people; he also who is converted from the Gentiles, who was prophesied under the name of proselyte, along with the Jew.

"Even my flesh shall rest in hope." Since Jesus, having accepted death, put off that flesh which He had assumed according to the plan of the economy, in order to raise it again from death, it is fitting that His flesh nourished itself with hope in expectation of the resurrection.

But does He bring them down to hell and bring them up again? It is without controversy among believers that we best see both parts of this work fulfilled in Him, to wit our Head, with whom the apostle has said our life is hid in God. "For when He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all," in that way, certainly, He has killed Him. And forasmuch as He raised Him up again from the dead, He has made Him alive again. And since His voice is acknowledged in the prophecy, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell," He has brought Him down to hell and brought Him up again.

Because you will not abandon my soul in hell, nor will you let your holy one see decay. It is certain that the soul of the Lord was not abandoned in hell, which, having taken away those for whom He descended there, soon returned to the heights above; it is certain that nor was His flesh corrupted, which was glorified by a swift resurrection. But it must be asked how He says in another psalm, reproaching the impenitent and the stubborn, the suffering of His passion: "What profit is there in my blood, while I go down into corruption?" (Psalm 29). This is solved because there He says He descends into corruption when His body is penetrated by the piercing of nails and the lance, for the transfixion of the solid body itself may not unreasonably be considered a kind of corruption spoken of. Here, however, He rightly denies that corruption, that is, putrefaction, not happening, which generally devastates human flesh, but it had no power to come upon His most sacred body.

nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption: For it happened on the third day that His flesh was given fresh life, it was demonstrated that it could not have suffered corruption.

Truly the prophet David also, according to the interpretation of the great Peter, said with foresight of him, "You will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you suffer your holy one to see corruption," while the apostle Peter thus expounds the saying, that "his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption." For his Godhead, which was the same before taking flesh and in the flesh and after his passion, remains immutably the same, being at all times what it was by nature and so continuing for ever. But in the suffering of his human nature the Godhead fulfilled the dispensation for our benefit by severing the soul for a season from the body, yet without being itself separated from either of those elements to which it was once for all united and by joining again the elements that had been thus parted. [By this was given] to all human nature a beginning and an example that it should follow of the resurrection from the dead, that all the corruptible may put on incorruption, and all the mortal may put on immortality, our firstfruits having been transformed to the divine nature by its union with God, as Peter said, "This same Jesus whom you crucified, God has made both Lord and Christ." And we might cite many passages of Scripture to support such a position, showing how the Lord, reconciling the world to himself by the humanity of Christ, apportioned his work of benevolence to humankind between his soul and his body, willing through his soul and touching them through his body. But it would be superfluous to encumber our argument by entering into every detail.

Although the words "You will not leave my soul in Hades" are accepted by some as words spoken in the person of David, without, however, having the ability to prove their thought, nevertheless they rightly and piously say that the body rose to be incorruptible and spiritual, since the risen flesh after the resurrection is a spiritual and incorruptible body.

For You have made known to me the paths of life, by which we proceed to eternity. In these, after the sorrow of passion, You will fill me with joy with Your face (Psalm XV). And ascending to heaven, You will give the delights of Your right hand continually. Because He was neither left in Hell. Thus Christ indeed descended according to the soul to Hell, to aid those who needed it, but He was not left in Hell, for He quickly returned to claim His resurrected body.

You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy with your face. These words are rightly understood not only of the Lord, who did not need any other guide to overcome the kingdom of death, but, once receiving the fullness of divine power and wisdom, he was able to destroy death by himself, rise to life, and ascend to the right hand of the Father; they also truly apply to his chosen ones, who, with His gift, find the path of truth through which they return to the life that they lost in the first man, and who themselves will be filled with joy with the face of God the Father; because this is our perfect happiness, that we have merited to see Him face to face, as Philip understood well when he said: Lord, show us the Father and it is enough (John XIV). For it is enough joy to see the face of the Lord, nor is anything further required, because neither will there be anything more required, when He who is above all is seen. And these are the things that follow in the psalm: Pleasures at your right hand forever (Psalm XV).

He overcame the opposition of the world because he moved not an inch from contemplation of the Father. There He has laid aside the hardships of this world; and His humanity is filled with the glorification of His whole majesty and rules united to the Word with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever.

"The path of life," that is, that path which the souls of the righteous traversed together with the Redeemer, coming out from the nethermost places. In the words "You will fill me with joy before Your face," by "face" one should understand the manifestation of the Lord in the Divine image and His regard toward us, by which He more closely regarded us.

I know it seems to some that the death of the Lord brought to certain just souls the same resurrection that is promised to us at the end of time, since it is written that by the earthquake that occurred at his passion the rocks were rent and the graves opened and many bodies of the saints arose and were seen with him in the holy city after his resurrection. But, if these did not resume their sleep by the reburial of their bodies, and if so many preceded him in that resurrection, we must certainly examine and find out how Christ is the "firstborn from the dead." The answer to this might be that it was said by anticipation, but it meant that the tombs were opened by the earthquake, while Christ hung on the cross, while the bodies of the just did not rise then, but later, after he had first risen, although it was added to that sentence by anticipation, as I said, so that we should unhesitatingly believe that Christ was the firstborn from the dead, and that it was then granted to the just to rise to eternal incorruption and immortality following his leadership. In that case, there still remains this difficulty, how Peter could say—and he said it with absolute truth, since he asserted that Christ, not David, was foretold by that prophecy—that his flesh did not see corruption, but he added that the tomb of David was still with them. And this would certainly not be a convincing argument, if David's body were no longer there, because, if he had risen at the time of Christ's death, his flesh would not have seen corruption, but his tomb would still be there. It seems hard that David should not have been in that resurrection of the just, when Christ was of his seed, as is so often, so distinctly and so honorably repeated to his praise. Those words also would be made ineffective that were said to the Hebrews concerning the just people of old: that they provided better things for us "that they should not be perfected without us," which would happen if they were established in that incorrupt resurrection that is promised for our perfection at the end of the world.

"Ye men, brethren, let me freely speak to you of the patriarch David," etc. And since the apostle Peter had mentioned David, who was regarded by the Jews as a venerable prophet, Peter, taking from David an opportunity for his preaching, showed that David had nonetheless died, and said that his sepulcher was with them while David himself had prophesied that the Lord Christ's flesh would never be subject to corruption. For God raised him again from the dead, and he received the Father's promises in the fullest truth. Peter asserted that the gift which was seen to have been granted had come from the Lord Christ, for it was proven by the example of David's Psalm 109 that he was the Lord. Luke declares that three thousand men, moved to compunction by this preaching, made penance and were baptized.

Then, having finished the citation from the Prophet, he adds; "Men and brethren." When he is about to say anything great, he uses this opening address, to rouse and to conciliate them. "Let me be allowed," he says, "to speak freely to you of the patriarch David." Remarkable lowliness, in a case where he was giving no hurt, nor was there any reason why the hearers should be angry. For he did not say, This is not said concerning David, but concerning the Christ. But in another point of view: by his reverential expression towards the blessed David, he awed them; speaking of an acknowledged fact as if it were a bold thing to say, and therefore begging them to pardon him for saying it. And thereupon his expression is not simply "concerning David," but "concerning the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried:" he does not also say, "and is not risen again," but in another way (though this too would have been no great thing to say), "And his sepulchre is with us unto this day," he has said what comes to the same thing.

Fulfilling the prophecy, Peter begins again with a different preface. "Men," he says, "brothers." For whenever one is about to say something of great importance, he employs a familiar preface, calling them brothers. As Stephen also: "Brothers and Fathers, listen." (Acts 7:2)

Then he says, "I may speak freely to you concerning the patriarch David." There is no harm there; he uses considerable moderation. For if he had said so plainly that these things were not spoken concerning David, but concerning Christ, it would have seemed harsh, and would have provoked their anger rather than rendered them obedient. But giving much honor to the blessed David, he constructs an unacceptable argument, namely that the testimony concerns Christ, and in this way the whole passage is managed.

For he did not add to David's death and burial that he did not rise, but that "his tomb is with us," which is equivalent to "David did not rise."

Having set forth the testimony of David, he adds "men and brethren." When he intends to say something great, he preliminarily employs this expression to encourage and conciliate them. But where there was nothing that could be harmful, he speaks with great moderation. If he had simply said: "This was said by David," he would have appeared harsh and would have aroused their anger rather than made them obedient. But by showing great honor to the blessed David, he achieves the result that the idea that this prophecy was spoken about Christ becomes readily acceptable. His entire speech is constructed in this same spirit. Thus, having said that David "both died and was buried," he did not say "and did not rise," but: "and his tomb is with us to this day." This is equivalent to the expression "and did not rise." Further, he does not pass directly to Christ, but again glorifies David, and through these praises of David the purpose of the discourse is achieved, because this is said so that the Jews, for the sake of the honor they show to David and for the sake of his lineage, would accept the word about the resurrection of Christ, so that if this were not the case (that is, if they did not accept the word about the resurrection), they would both show disregard for the prophecy and undermine respect for themselves.

Therefore, being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn to him with an oath that of the fruit of his loins one would sit on his throne, he spoke foresightfully about the resurrection of Christ, etc. In the Greek it is more: To raise the Christ from the fruit of his loins and to sit on his throne. But in what follows: Foresightedly he spoke of the resurrection of his Christ, because neither was he left in hell; it is more consistently in the Greek: Because neither was his soul left in hell. And Saint Fulgentius, writing to Thrasamund, puts it this way: "For he also immediately added about the raising of his body from the dead, saying: Nor did his flesh see corruption." As also the prophet encompassed both, saying: For you will not abandon my soul to hell, nor let your holy one see corruption (Psalm XV).

Then he proceeds to speak confidently to them concerning the patriarch David, that he was dead and buried, and that his sepulchre is with them to this day. He said, "But since he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his body one should sit in his throne; foreseeing this, he spake of the resurrection of Christ, that He was not left in hell, neither did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus," he said, "hath God raised up, of which we all are witnesses: who, being exalted by the right hand of God, receiving from the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, hath shed forth this gift which ye now see and hear."

Then - and even so he does not come to the mention of Christ, but what next? - he goes on with his encomium upon David, "Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that with an oath God had sworn unto him." But this he says, that were it but on account of the honor shown to David, and the descent from him, they may accept what is said concerning Christ's resurrection, as seeing that it would be an injury to the prophecy, and a derogating from their honor, if this were not the fact. "And knowing," he says, "that with an oath God had sworn unto him" - he does not say simply "promised" - "of the fruit of his loins after the flesh to raise up Christ, to seat Him upon his throne." Observe how he has again only hinted at what is sublime. For now that he has soothed them with his expression, he confidently adds this: The prophet saith it "of His resurrection, that neither was His soul left in hell, nor did His flesh see corruption." This again is wonderful: it shows that His resurrection was not like that of other men. For though death laid hold on Him, yet it did not its own work then.

"Therefore being a Prophet, and knowing," etc. Do you observe how he now interprets the prophecy, and does not give it bare of comment? How did He "seat Him upon" David's "throne?" For the kingdom after the Spirit is in heaven. Observe how, along with the resurrection, he has also declared the kingdom in the fact of His rising again. He shows that the Prophet was under constraint: for the prophecy was concerning Him. Why does he say, not, Concerning His kingdom (it was a great matter), but "Concerning His resurrection?" And how did He seat Him upon his (David's) throne? Why, He reigns as King over Jews also, yea, what is much more, over them that crucified Him. "For His flesh saw no corruption." This seems to be less than resurrection, but it is the same thing.

And even so it did not apply to Christ; rather David is praised again by the phrase "Being therefore a prophet," so that through the honor paid to him and his offspring the one from him, they may accept the account concerning the resurrection of the Christ.

And he did not say that God had promised him, but it was greater and sacred, the, He sworn. But the phrase, "did his flesh," is proclaimed insofar as Christ is also God, and he always exists with the Father. And all things are committed to the Father, so that the things spoken may first be received. But how did he sit upon the throne of David? Because he reigns over all, both Jews and Gentiles being won over to his faith and worship. And the statement, "nor did his flesh see corruption," nonetheless indicates the work of the resurrection.

Peter shows manifestly from this Psalm that the kingdom of Christ is not earthly, but heavenly.

Now, since He is the blossom of the stem which sprouts from the root of Jesse; since, moreover, the root of Jesse is the family of David, and the stem of the root is Mary descended from David, and the blossom of the stem is Mary's son, who is called Jesus Christ, will not He also be the fruit? For the blossom is the fruit, because through the blossom and from the blossom every product advances from its rudimental condition to perfect fruit. What then? They, deny to the fruit its blossom, and to the blossom its stem, and to the stem its root; so that the root fails to secure for itself, by means of the stem, that special product which comes from the stem, even the blossom and the fruit; for every step indeed in a genealogy is traced from the latest up to the first, so that it is now a well-known fact that the flesh of Christ is inseparable, not merely from Mary, but also from David through Mary, and from Jesse through David. "This fruit," therefore, "of David's loins," that is to say, of his posterity in the flesh, God swears to him that "He will raise up to sit upon his throne." If "of David's loins," how much rather is He of Mary's loins, by virtue of whom He is in "the loins of David? "

"God promised with an oath." He did not say "promised," but "promised with an oath," indicating by this the immutability of the promise. "To set on the throne." Throne is used in place of Kingdom in many places of Divine Scripture; for example: "Thy throne, O God, is forever" (Ps. 44:7). But in what way does He sit on the throne of David? In that He is King both of the Jews, and all the more of those who crucified Him.

These and similar passages clearly point out that God the Word assumed not only a body but also a soul.

"To raise up Christ in the flesh." He says this because according to His Divinity He has from eternity and always sat together with the Father; and he ascribes everything to the Father, so that the listeners might more easily accept what is being said.

"This Jesus" - observe how he does not call Him otherwise - "hath God raised up; whereof all we are witnesses. Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted": again he takes refuge with the Father, and yet it had been enough to say what precedes: but he knows what a great point this is. Here he has hinted at the Ascension also, and that Christ is in heaven: but neither does he say this openly. "And having received," says he, "the promise of the Holy Ghost." Observe how, in the beginning of his discourse, he does not say that Jesus Himself had sent It, but the Father: now, however, that he has mentioned His signs and the things done to Him by the Jews, and has spoken of His resurrection, he boldly introduces what he has to say about these matters, again adducing themselves as witnesses by both senses: "He hath shed forth this, which ye do see and hear." And of the resurrection he has made continual mention, but of their outrageous deed he has spoken once for all.

"And having received the promise of the Holy Ghost." This again is great. "The promise," he says; because promised before His Passion. Observe how he now makes it all His "He hath poured forth this", covertly making a great point. For if it was He that poured it forth, it is of Him that the Prophet has spoken above, "In the last days I will pour forth of My Spirit on My Servants, and on Mine handmaids, and I will do wonders in the heaven above." Observe what he secretly puts into it! But then, because it was a great thing, he again veils it with the expression of "His having received of the Father." He has spoken of the good things fulfilled, of the signs; has said, that He is king, the point that touched them; has said, that it is He that gives the Spirit.

"He hath poured it out," he says; not requiring worthiness: and not simply gave, but with abundance.

Again he points to the Father, although the previous indication was sufficient. But he knew how beneficial this was for the listeners in their acceptance of what was especially necessary.

Therefore also the Lord Jesus Christ Himself not only gave the Holy Spirit as God, but also received it as man, and therefore He is said to be full of grace, and of the Holy Spirit. And in the Acts of the Apostles it is more plainly written of Him, "Because God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit." Certainly not with visible oil but with the gift of grace which is signified by the visible ointment wherewith the Church anoints the baptized. And Christ was certainly not then anointed with the Holy Spirit, when He, as a dove, descended upon Him at His baptism. For at that time He deigned to prefigure His body, i.e. His Church, in which especially the baptized receive the Holy Spirit. But He is to be understood to have been then anointed with that mystical and invisible unction, when the Word of God was made flesh, i.e. when human nature, without any precedent merits of good works, was joined to God the Word in the womb of the Virgin, so that with it it became one person. Therefore it is that we confess Him to have been born of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary. For it is most absurd to believe Him to have received the Holy Spirit when He was near thirty years old: for at that age He was baptized by John; but that He came to baptism as without any sin at all, so not without the Holy Spirit. For if it was written of His servant and forerunner John himself, "He shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb," because, although generated by his father, yet he received the Holy Spirit when formed in the womb; what must be understood and believed of the man Christ, of whose flesh the very conception was not carnal, but spiritual? Both natures, too, as well the human as the divine, are shown in that also that is written of Him, that He received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, and shed forth the Holy Spirit: seeing that He received as man, and shed forth as God. And we indeed can receive that gift according to our small measure, but assuredly we cannot shed it forth upon others; but, that this may be done, we invoke over them God, by whom this is accomplished.

Exalted therefore by the right hand of God, because the Psalm had said: "Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." And having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this, which you both see and hear. You see the fiery tongues, you hear in our speech. But that which He says, that He received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father and poured it out, shows both natures of the same Christ, because He received as man, and poured out as God.

And having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out this which you see and hear. In Greek it is translated thus: He has poured out this gift which you now see and hear. Indeed, concerning Jesus, whom the Jews crucified and whom God raised, He taught that He is the Christ; but now gradually leading the listeners to higher belief, He signifies that this is the true God, by confirming that He has poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit, which any wise person recognizes to be of divine power alone. And fittingly, He used the same word 'pouring,' which the prophetic statement previously mentioned has the Lord say, to teach them from this that it is the same Lord Jesus Christ who both before taking flesh was accustomed to speaking in the prophets; who disposed the future ages according to His will; who gave signs and wonders in the heaven and on earth; who would save all invoking His name, and fulfill the other things described in prophetic discourse as the Son of God and true God.

And again Peter ascribes the event to the Father. For he knows that this will draw on the listeners. Having spoken, "Having been exalted," and having approached the matter of the ascension, and that he is in the heavens. Therefore he did not speak plainly, saying that he is in the heavens. Since he proceeded so far, and remembered his signs and the resurrection, he next introduces, "He has poured out." For at first he was saying that this had been promised not about Christ but through Joel the prophet. But when he remembered the marvelous things concerning Christ, he now boldly says that he has poured him out.

Therefore he was not speaking of the Father, saying "I will pour out," but of Christ. "Receiving the promise," he says, from the Father, or that which he himself promised to us the disciples, namely, "And I will send another Comforter to you," (Jn. 14:16) or that which the Father promised him before his passion, through the words, "And I glorified, and I will glorify again." (Jn. 12:28) He attributes the promise to the Father, shading the statement toward the listeners' easier acceptance. For whatever one might say, if it does not end in benefit, he speaks ineffectively and in vain. He therefore shows that the cross not only did not diminish him, but made him more glorious. For what the Father promised through John the Baptist before the cross, namely, "He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and with fire," (Matt. 3:11) he gave after the cross.

Who then was exalted? The lowly or the most high? And what is the lowly if it be not the human? And what is the most high save the divine? But God being most high needs no exaltation, and so the apostle says that the human is exalted, exalted that is in being "made both Lord and Christ." Therefore the apostle does not mean by this term "he made" the everlasting existence of the Lord but the change of the lowly to the exalted that took place on the right hand of God. By this word he declares the mystery of religion, for when he says "by the right hand of God exalted" he plainly reveals the ineffable economy of the mystery that the right hand of God, which created all things, which is the Lord by whom all things were made and without whom nothing consists of things that were made, through the union lifted up to its own exaltation the manhood united to it.

By the expression "having been exalted," David indicated the ascension and that He (Jesus) is in the heavens, but even this was not clear at first. Look: at the beginning of his speech, when he also brought the prophet Joel as a witness, he did not say that Christ sent the Holy Spirit, but said that the Father sent Him. But when he had reminded them both of the signs of Christ and of what had been done against Christ, and when he had boldly declared the truth about His resurrection, then at last he says that Christ poured out the Holy Spirit, that consequently the prophet spoke of Him: "And it shall come to pass in the last days" (v. 17). By "promise" he means either the one He Himself promised to the apostles, or the one which the Father promised to Jesus before the cross and sufferings. And since Peter was about to declare a great and lofty truth—that Christ poured out the Holy Spirit—he obscures it by saying that the Father gave Him this promise, because no matter what anyone says, if he concludes his word without benefit, he speaks in vain and to no purpose. Peter also shows that the cross not only did not humble Jesus, but gave Him even more splendor. If then, according to the voice of John: "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matt. 3:11), the Father gave Him the promise, then now He has fulfilled the promise.

"And He had in His right hand seven stars." He said that in His right hand He had seven stars, because the Holy Spirit of sevenfold agency was given into His power by the Father. As Peter exclaimed to the Jews: "Being at the right hand of God exalted, He hath shed forth this Spirit received from the Father, which ye both see and hear." Moreover, John the Baptist had also anticipated this, by saying to his disciples: "For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him. The Father," says he, "loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hands." Those seven stars are the seven churches, which he names in his addresses by name, old calls them to whom he wrote epistles. Not that they are themselves the only, or even the principal churches; but what he says to one, he says to all. For they are in no respect different, that on that ground any one should prefer them to the larger number of similar small ones. In the whole world Paul taught that all the churches are arranged by sevens, that they are called seven, and that the Catholic Church is one. And first of all, indeed, that he himself also might maintain the type of seven churches, he did not exceed that number. But he wrote to the Romans, to the Corinthians, to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, to the Thessalonians, to the Philippians, to the Colossians; afterwards he wrote to individual persons, so as not to exceed the number of seven churches. And abridging in a short space his announcement, he thus says to Timothy: "That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the Church of the living God." We read also that this typical number is announced by the Holy Spirit by the month of Isaiah: "Of seven women which took hold of one man." The one man is Christ, not born of seed; but the seven women are seven churches, receiving His bread, and clothed with his apparel, who ask that their reproach should be taken away, only that His name should be called upon them. The bread is the Holy Spirit, which nourishes to eternal life, promised to them, that is, by faith. And His garments wherewith they desire to be clothed are the glory of immortality, of which Paul the apostle says: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on mortality." Moreover, they ask that their reproach may be taken away-that is, that they may be cleansed from their sins: for the reproach is the original sin which is taken away in baptism, and they begin to be called Christian men, which is, "Let thy name be called upon us." Therefore in these seven churches, of one Catholic Church are believers, because it is one in seven by the quality of faith and election. Whether writing to them who labour in the world, and live of the frugality of their labours, and are patient, and when they see certain men in the Church wasters, and pernicious, they hear them, lest there should become dissension, he yet admonishes them by love, that in what respects their faith is deficient they should repent; or to those who dwell in cruel places among persecutors, that they should continue faithful; or to those who, under the pretext of mercy, do unlawful sins in the Church, and make them manifest to be done by others; or to those that are at ease in the Church; or to those who are negligent, and Christians only in name; or to those who are meekly instructed, that they may bravely persevere in faith; or to those who study the Scriptures, and labour to know the mysteries of their announcement, and are unwilling to do God's work that is mercy and love: to all he urges penitence, to all he declares judgment.

We know that Christ took his seat at the right hand of the Father after his resurrection from the dead and his ascension into heaven. It is already accomplished. We do not see it, yet we believe it. We have read it in the sacred Books, we have heard it preached, we hold it by faith. And by the very fact that he was the son of David, he has become David's Lord. That which was born of David's seed is so honored that he is also David's Lord. You wonder at this as if such things did not happen in human affairs. For if it should happen that someone became king, though his father was a commoner, would he not be the lord of his father? It is wonderful that it can happen: not only does the son of a commoner become king and thus the lord of his father, but the son of a layman becomes a bishop and thus the father of his father. Therefore, by the very fact that Christ took on flesh, that in the flesh he died, that in the same flesh he rose again, and in the same flesh he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father, and in the same flesh now so honored and glorified, transformed into a heavenly condition, he is still the son of David and also the Lord of David.

For David did not ascend into the heavens. He himself says: "For these latter things, blessed David predicted, not about himself, but about his Lord's ascension, who would be sent forth from Zion, that is, from David's royal lineage, and would rule in the midst of his enemies;" so also understand those previous things he mentioned, which pertain not to David, but to Christ's death and resurrection.

The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand." The first name of the Lord among the Hebrews is the Tetragrammaton, which is properly used for God; the second, which is common to mortals, is that by which both kings and other men are called. If the Arian heresy wishes to oppose us with this difference, making the Son lesser, and the Father greater, we will respond that the inferior name belongs to him to whom it is commanded to sit. As blessed Peter explained: "For God made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." For it was not the divinity that was crucified, but the flesh. And this indeed can be done, which could be crucified.

For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says: The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand. Certain codices have 'The Lord says,' but Greek exemplars in both this book and the Psalter have 'The Lord said.' Most clearly, blessed Peter explains through this psalm how to understand what he previously assumed from another psalm, that the Lord swore to David to raise Christ from the fruit of his loins and to set him on his throne, namely, because this throne of the kingdom is not to be understood in earthly Jerusalem where David reigned, but at the right hand of His majesty in the heavens. Here he evidently asserts both natures of our one Redeemer from the prophetic scriptures: the human, from the fruit of David's loins through the virgin, and the divine because ascending into heaven, the man was received at the right hand of the Father. In this truly, He is the son of David, in that He is the Lord of David, for which reason he congruously added:

And at Pentecost so as to presignify the kingdom of heaven as He Himself first ascended to heaven and brought man as a gift to God.

The Savior has revealed the meaning of these words in the Gospel when He asked: 'If the Christ is the Son of David, how then does David in the Spirit call him Lord? (Mt. 22:43)' The Lord was interrogating the Pharisees because they were acknowledging Christ simply as the son of David.

Henceforth after the mention of His giving the Spirit, he confidently speaks also of His ascension into heaven; and not only so, but again adducing the witness, and reminding them of that Person concerning Whom Christ once spake. "For not David," says he "ascended into the heavens." Here he no longer speaks in lowly phrase, having the confidence which results from the things said nor does he say, "Be it permitted me to speak," or the like: "But he saith himself; The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." Now if He be David's Lord, much more shall they not disdain Him. "Sit thou on My right hand;" he has set the whole matter here; "until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool:" here also he has brought upon them a great terror, just as in the beginning he showed what He does to His friends, what to his enemies. And again, as to the act of subjugation, not to provoke unbelief, he ascribes it to the Father.

And that God the Father of all would bring Christ to heaven after He had raised Him from the dead, and would keep Him there until He has subdued His enemies the devils, and until the number of those who are foreknown by Him as good and virtuous is complete, on whose account He has still delayed the consummation-hear what was said by the prophet David. These are his words: "The Lord said unto My Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. The Lord shall send to Thee the rod of power out of Jerusalem; and rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies. With Thee is the government in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of Thy saints: from the womb of morning have I begotten Thee." That which he says, "He shall send to Thee the rod of power out of Jerusalem," is predictive of the mighty, word, which His apostles, going forth from Jerusalem, preached everywhere; and though death is decreed against those who teach or at all confess the name of Christ, we everywhere both embrace and teach it. And if you also read these words in a hostile spirit, ye can do no more, as I said before, than kill us; which indeed does no harm to us, but to you and all who unjustly hate us, and do not repent, brings eternal punishment by fire.

He no longer speaks with withdrawal. For from what has been said he has confidence. But what does he say? That David says: "The Lord said to my Lord," and therefore shows him higher than David. And if David calls him Lord, much more will they not refuse him.

The words "Sit on my right hand" he speaks as to man, for they are not spoken to him that sits ever on the throne of glory, God the Word after his ascension from earth, but they are said to him who has now been exalted to the heavenly glory as man, as the apostles say, "for David is not ascended into the heavens, but he himself says that the Lord said to my Lord 'Sit on my right hand.' " The order is human, giving a beginning to the sitting; but it is a divine dignity to sit together with God "to whom thousand thousands minister and before whom ten thousand times ten thousand stand."

"He himself says: 'The Lord said to my Lord…'" Here Peter speaks already without fear, since what was said above emboldened him. But what is the meaning of the words "The Lord said to my Lord!"? If David himself calls Him (Jesus) Lord, then all the more the Jews should not deny this. In the words "Sit at My right hand" we perceive the equal honor of the Father and the Son, since the concepts of "right" or "left" are inconceivable in relation to an incorporeal essence.

"Until I make your enemies your footstool." This is what Peter elsewhere said about the Lord: "Whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things" (Acts III). For then, when all times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord, He will send Jesus Christ, who was preached to us from royal thrones, to judge the living and the dead (Wisdom XVIII).

And he sets before them a fear by the phrase, "until I make your enemies." And so that they may not disbelieve, he assigns the submission to the Father.

By David's words "until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet," Peter instilled fear in them as a means of conquering them. And so as not to undermine their faith in him, he ascribes everything to the Father. After having spoken of great matters, he brings his discourse back again to the deeds of Jesus' humility. And who these enemies are, the apostle explains, crying out: "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death, for He hath put all things under His feet" (1 Cor. 15:26–27).

It was not the Godhead, but the flesh, that was crucified. This, indeed, was possible, because the flesh allowed of being crucified. It follows not, then, that the Son of God is a created being.

just as the angel who announced the glad tidings to the shepherds says, 'To you is born to-day a Saviour, Who is Christ the Lord.' (Luke 2:11)

Therefore, let all the house of Israel know most certainly, that God has made him both Lord and Christ. For he proved him to be Lord from the word of David, which says: The Lord said to my Lord; and from what the prophet Joel said: And it shall come to pass, in the last days, says the Lord: I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh (Joel II), when He declared that this truly happened on that very day. He also taught that he is Christ by the word of the same David, which sings as said to him by the Lord: Sit at my right hand, and also from the fact that speaking through the prophet he declared that his Holy Spirit is Spirit, and that he could give it to men by his own power. For indeed, who but an infidel would doubt that this could pertain to no other man at all, except the Mediator of God and men, man Jesus Christ? For how could it be thought that he was not truly Christ, that is, believed rightly to be anointed with all the fullness of the Holy Spirit, who was proven by the same Spirit to give to whomever he willed? Therefore, he says that God has made him both Lord and Christ. Is not the Lord Christ both God and man, one person existing in two natures? In divinity, he was eternally born from the Father; in humanity, he was made from time by the Father, when He willed him to be incarnate in the womb of the Virgin by the working of the Holy Spirit.

And the Lord, he says, He made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Because Jesus is the proper name of that man whom the Jews crucified, just as Aaron or David are proper names of men: however, Lord is a term of power and majesty, to which every creature should rightly be subject, about which He Himself said to the disciples after appearing post-resurrection: All power is given to Me in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, Christ is a title of royal or priestly dignity. For priests and kings were accustomed to be anointed with holy oil by law, and for that reason to be called anointed, a figure indeed of Him who was anointed with the oil of gladness, that is, the Holy Spirit above His companions by God, made to be our King and great Priest: a priest, namely, so that by the sacrifice of His passion He might cleanse us from all sin, so that, placed at the right hand of God, He might intercede for us even now; a king, however, so that, with all our adversaries defeated, He might lead us to an immortal kingdom.

For on Christ our Savior we confess the anointing to have been performed, not however figuratively, (as formerly on kings by the oil,) and as if by prophetic grace, but the Savior as man in the form of a servant, was anointed by the Holy Spirit as God He Himself by His Holy Spirit anoints those that believe in Him.

The Apostle Peter says, "God made this Jesus, Whom ye crucified, Lord and Christ." We, learning this from him, say that the whole context of the passage tends one way,—the Cross itself, the human name, the indicative turn of the phrase. For the word of the Scripture says that in regard to one person two things were wrought,—by the Jews, the Passion, and by God, honour; not as though one person had suffered and another had been honoured by exaltation: and he further explains this yet more clearly by his words in what follows, "being exalted by the right hand of God." Who then was "exalted"? He that was lowly, or He that was the Highest? and what else is the lowly, but the Humanity? what else is the Highest, but the Divinity? Surely, God needs not to be exalted, seeing that He is the Highest. It follows, then, that the Apostle's meaning is that the Humanity was exalted: and its exaltation was effected by its becoming Lord and Christ. And this took place after the Passion. It is not therefore the pre-temporal existence of the Lord which the Apostle indicates by the word "made," but that change of the lowly to the lofty which was effected "by the right hand of God."

For David has not ascended into the heavens; but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, until I make Thy foes Thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made [that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." And when the multitudes exclaimed, "What shall we do then?" Peter says to them, "Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Thus the apostles did not preach another God, or another Fulness; nor, that the Christ who suffered and rose again was one, while he who flew off on high was another, and remained impossible; but that there was one and the same God the Father, and Christ Jesus who rose from the dead; and they preached faith in Him, to those who did not believe on the Son of God, and exhorted them out of the prophets, that the Christ whom God promised to send, He sent in Jesus, whom they crucified and God raised up.

Since then these are great things that he has uttered, he again brings his discourse down to lowly matters. "Let therefore," he says, "the whole house of Israel know assuredly": i.e. question ye not, nor doubt ye: then also in the tone of command it follows; "that God hath made Him both Lord" - this he says from David - "and Christ," this from the Psalm: For when it would have been rightly concluded, "Let therefore the whole house of Israel know assuredly that" He sitteth on the right hand of God, this, which would have been great, he forbears, and brings in a different matter which is much more humble, and the expression "Hath made;" i.e. hath ordained: so that there is nothing about communication of substance here, but the expression relates to this which has been mentioned. "Even this Jesus, Whom ye crucified." He does well to end with this, thereby agitating their minds. For when he has shown how great it is, he has then exposed their daring deed, so as to show it to be greater, and to possess them with terror. For men are not so much attracted by benefits as they are chastened by fear.

But he brings these great things back again to the humbler point: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ." The word "has made" instead of "has appointed and established," he says, but not instead of "has made essential." He might somehow have said "higher" concerning the Christ, and as applying to those present: "Therefore let all Israel know for certain, that he sits at the right hand of the Father."

These then testified both that Jesus was the Son of God, and that being the Son, He was anointed by the Father. Christ therefore must be the same as Jesus who was anointed by the Father, and not the Father, who anointed the Son. To the same effect are the words of Peter: "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ," that is, Anointed.

"God has made this Jesus both Lord and Christ." The expression "has made" is used instead of "appointed," because the speech is not about existence nor about hypostatic being.