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Apostles at first dwell chiefly on Christ as Man,

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which we could not have known so surely as we now do, Acts I. 1, 2. if this Book had not existed, but the very crowning point of our salvation would be hidden, alike for practice of life and

for doctrine.

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The greater part, however, of this work is occupied with the acts of Paul, who laboured more abundantly than they 1 Cor. 15, 10. all. And the reason is, that the author of this Book, that is, the blessed Luke, was his companion: a man, whose high qualities, sufficiently visible in many other instances, are especially shewn in his firm adherence to his Teacher, whom he constantly followed. Thus at a time when all had forsaken him, one gone into Galatia, another into Dalmatia, 2 Tim. hear what he says of this disciple: Only Luke is with me. And giving the Corinthians a charge concerning him, he says, Whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the 2 Cor. Churches. Again, when he says, He was seen of Cephas, Cor. then of the twelve, and, according to the Gospel which ye 15, 5. 1. received, he means the Gospel of this Luke. So that there can be no mistake in attributing this work to him: and when I say, to him, I mean, to Christ. And why then did he not relate every thing, seeing he was with Paul to the end? We may answer, that what is here written, was sufficient for those who would attend, and that the sacred writers ever addressed themselves to the matter of immediate importance, whatever it might be at the time: it was no object with them to be writers of books: in fact, there are many things which they have delivered by unwritten tradition. / Now while all that is contained in this Book is worthy of admiration, so is especially the way the Apostles have of coming down to the wants of their hearers: a condescension suggested by the Spirit Which has so ordered it, that the subject on which they chiefly dwell is that which pertains to Christ as Man. For so it is, that while they discoursed so much about Christ, they have spoken but little concerning His Godhead: it was mostly of the Manhood that they discoursed, and of the Passion, and the Resurrection, and the Ascension. For the thing required in the first instance was this, that it should

Hom. in Princip. Act. p. 54. "First we must see who wrote the Book.... whether a man, or God: and if man,

let us reject it; for, Call no man master upon earth: but if God, let us receive it."

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forbearing to speak much of His Godhead,

HOMIL. be believed that He was risen, and ascended into heaven. 1. As then the point on which Christ Himself most insisted was, to have it known that He was come from the Father, so is it this writer's principal object to declare, that Christ was risen from the dead, and was received up into Heaven, and that He went to God, and came from God. For, if the fact of His coming from God were not first believed, much more, with the Resurrection and Ascension added thereto, would the Jews have found the entire doctrine incredible.

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Wherefore gently and by degrees he leads them on to Acts 17, higher truths. Nay, at Athens Paul even calls Him Man simply, without saying more. For if, when Christ Himself spoke of His equality with the Father, they often attempted to stone Him, and called Him a blasphemer for this reason, it was little to be expected that they would receive this doctrine from the fishermen, and that too, with the Cross coming before it.

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If

But why speak of the Jews, seeing that even the disciples often upon hearing the more sublime doctrines were troubled John 16, and offended? Therefore also He told them, I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. those could not, who had been so long time with Him, and had been admitted to so many secrets, and had seen so many wonders, how was it to be expected that men, but newly dragged away from altars, and idols, and sacrifices, and cats, and crocodiles, (for such did the Gentiles worship,) and from the rest of their evil ways, should all at once receive the more sublime matters of doctrine? And how in particular should Jews, hearing as they did every day of their lives, and having it ever sounded in their ears, The Deut. 6, Lord thy God is one Lord, and beside Him is none other : who also had seen Him hanging nailed on the Cross, nay, had themselves crucified and buried Him, and not seen Him even risen: when they were told that this same person was God and equal with the Father, how should they, of all men, be otherwise than shocked and revolted? Therefore it is that gently and little by little they carry them on, with much consideration and forbearance letting themselves down to their low attainments, themselves the while enjoying in more plentiful measure the grace of the Spirit, and doing

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until the Resurrection is believed.

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I. 1, 2.

greater works in Christ's name than Christ Himself did, ACTS that they may at once raise them up from their grovelling Homil. apprehensions, and confirm the saying, that Christ was 12, 3. raised from the dead. For this, in fact, is just what this Book is: a Demonstration of the Resurrection: this being once believed, the rest would come in due course. The subject then and entire scope of this Book, in the main, is just what I have said. And now let us hear the Preface itself.

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The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all v. 1. that Jesus began both to do and to teach. Why does he put him in mind of the Gospel? To intimate how strictly he may be depended upon. For at the outset of the former work he says, It seemed good to me also, having had perfect Luke 1, understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order. Neither is he content with his own testimony, but refers the whole matter to the Apostles, saying, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from Luke 1, the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.2. Having then accredited his account in the former instance, he has no need to put forth his credentials afresh for this treatise, seeing his disciple has been once for all satisfied, and by the mention of that former work he has reminded him of the strict reliance to be placed in him for the truth. For if a person has shewn himself competent and trustworthy to write of things which he has heard, and moreover has obtained our confidence, much more will he have a right to our confidence when he has composed an account, not of things which he has received from others, but of things which he has seen and heard. For thou didst receive what relates to Christ; much more wilt thou receive what concerns the Apostles.

What then, (it may be asked,) is it a question only of history, with which the Holy Spirit has nothing to do? Not so. For, if those delivered it unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word; then, what he says, is theirs. And why did he not say, 'As they who

Hom. cur in Pentec. Acta legantur, t. iii. p. 89. Ε. "The demonstration of the Resurrection is, the

Apostolic miracles: and of the Apo-
stolic miracles this Book is the
school."

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So too, they rest their testimony on sight.

HOMIL. were counted worthy of the Holy Spirit delivered them unto I. us; but Those who were eyewitnesses? Because, in matter of belief, the very thing that gives one a right to be believed, is the having learned from eyewitnesses: whereas the other appears to foolish persons mere parade and pretension. John 1, And therefore John also speaks thus: I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. And Christ expresses Himself in the same way to Nicodemus, while he was dull Id.3,11. of apprehension, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and no one receiveth our witness. Accordingly, He gave them leave to rest their testimony

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in many particulars on the fact of their having seen them, John 15, when He said, And do ye bear witness concerning Me, because ye have been with Me from the beginning. The Apostles themselves also often speak in a similar manner; Acts 2, We are witnesses, and the Holy Spirit which God hath given to those that obey Him; and on a subsequent occasion, Acts 10, Peter, still giving assurance of the Resurrection, said, Seeing we did eat and drink with Him. For they more readily received the testimony of persons who had been His companions, because the notion of the Spirit was as yet very much beyond them. Therefore John also at that time, in his Gospel, speaking of the blood and water, said, he himself saw it, making the fact of his having seen it equivalent, for them, to the highest testimony, although the witness of the Spirit is more certain than the evidence of sight, but not so with unbelievers. Now that Luke was a partaker of the Spirit, is abundantly clear, both from the miracles which even now take place; and from the fact that in those times even

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ordinary persons were gifted with the Holy Ghost; and 2 Cor. 8, again from the testimony of Paul, in these words, Whose praise is in the Gospel; and from the appointment to which he was chosen: for having said this, the Apostle adds, But also appointed of the Churches to travel with us with this grace which is administered by us.

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Now mark how unassuming he is. He does not say, The former Gospel which I preached, but, The former treatise have I made; accounting the title of Gospel to be too great for him; although it is on the score of this that the Apostle dignifies him: Whose praise, he says, is in the

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Gospel. But he himself modestly says, The former treatise Acts have I made-O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do 1. 1, 2. and to teach: not simply of all, but from the beginning to the end; until the day, he says, in which He was taken up. And yet John says, that it was not possible to write all: for were they written, I suppose, says he, that even the world John21, itself could not contain the books written. How then does 25. the Evangelist here say, Of all? He does not say 'all,' but of all; as much as to say, 'in a summary way, and in the gross;' and 'of all that is mainly and pressingly important.' Then he tells us in what sense he says all, when he adds, Which Jesus began both to do and to teach; meaning, His miracles and teaching; and not only so, but implying that His doing was also a teaching.

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But now consider the benevolent and Apostolical feelings of the writer: that for the sake of a single individual he took such pains as to write for him an entire Gospel. That Luke 1, thou mightest have, he says, the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. In truth, he had heard Christ say, It is not the will of My Father that one of these Mat. 18, little ones should perish. And why did he not make one book of it, to send to one man Theophilus, but has divided it into two subjects? For clearness, and to give the brother a pause for rest. Besides, the two treatises are distinct in their subject-matter.

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But consider how Christ accredited his words by His deeds. Thus He saith, Learn of Me, for I am meek and Ib. 11, lowly in heart. He taught men to be poor, and exhibited 29. this by His actions: For the Son of Man, He says, hath Ib.8,20. not where to lay His head. Again, He charged men to love their enemies; and He taught the same lesson on the Cross, when He prayed for those who were crucifying Him. He said, If any man will sue thee at the law, and take away Ib. 5,40. thy coat, let him have thy cloke also:

His garments, but even His blood.

now He not only gave
In this way He bade

others teach. Wherefore Paul also said, So as ye have us Philip. 3, 17.

• Ms. C. has οἰκτίρμονας, merciful; the rest, ἀκτήμονas, without possessions, which is certainly the true reading. Thus in the Sermon de futuræ Vitæ deliciis, where Chrys. discourses largely

on the harmony of Christ's teaching
and actions, he says, Πάλιν ἀκτη-
μοσύνην παιδεύων, ὅρα πῶς διὰ τῶν
ἔργων αὐτὴν ἐπιδείκνυται, λέγων, Αἱ
ἀλώπεκες, κ.τ.λ.

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