Acts 15:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Great is the obstinacy of the Pharisees, who after faith impose the law and do not obey the apostles. But see how these men speak meekly and without self-love. Such words are pleasing and make a stronger impression.

Do you see how they never care for eloquence, but prove things by deeds and by the Spirit? Even with such proofs they speak meekly. And observe: they do not go to accuse those in Antioch, but again take from this occasion the grounds for their arrangements.

Thus the ones who cared for love of rule were those who were condemned, and they acted without the apostles' intention. Nevertheless, the apostles said nothing of the sort. But when they had decided the matter, then they wrote with greater force.

Meekness is always a great good. I mean meekness, not coldness. Meekness, not flattery. These qualities differ greatly from one another. Nothing irritated Paul, and nothing irritated Peter. If you have proofs, why are you angry? Is it not so that you may make even those proofs ineffective?

An angry man can never persuade. Yesterday we discussed anger. Nothing prevents us from speaking of it today also. Frequent repetition may perhaps accomplish something. A medicine able to heal a wound will ruin everything if it is not applied often.

Do not think we often speak about the same things because we pay no attention to you. If we paid no attention, we would not speak. We speak of this now because we hope to bring you great benefit.

Would that we spoke continually about the same thing. Would that we had no other subject of conversation and no other concern than how to bridle our passions. Is it not strange? Kings live in abundance and such honor, yet at table and at other times they have no other conversation than how to defeat their enemies.

For this they hold councils every day, gather commanders and soldiers, exact taxes, and in civil affairs consider these two things necessary: how to defeat enemies and how to order their own people in peace. Yet we do not wish even in sleep to think about such matters.

We discuss every day how to buy a field, acquire slaves, and increase possessions. We know no satiety in these things. But concerning our own affairs, truly our own, we neither wish to speak ourselves nor to listen when others speak.

Tell me, then, about what do you wish to converse? About dinner? But speaking of this belongs to cooks. About money? That belongs to merchants and traders. About buildings? That belongs to architects and builders. About land? That belongs to farmers.

Our work is nothing other than how to gain riches for the soul. Therefore, let our word not be burdensome to you. Why does no one condemn a physician who constantly speaks about the medical art, or other craftsmen who speak about their crafts?

If our passions were so tamed that there was no need even to remind us of them, you might justly reproach us for ambition and vainglory. Yet even then you could not. Even if they were tamed, we would still need to speak, lest we fall into them again.

Physicians converse not only with the sick, but also with the healthy. They even have books of this kind, to heal some from disease and to preserve health in others. So even if we are healthy, we must not turn away, but do everything to preserve our health.

If we are sick, then these conversations are doubly necessary for us. First, they heal us from the disease. Second, once healed, they keep us from falling into it again.

Therefore today we shall speak according to the manner of healing, not according to what befits a healthy condition. How can this evil passion be torn out? How can this violent fever be calmed? Let us see where it came from, and let us destroy the cause.

From where, then, does it usually come? From arrogance and great pride. Let us destroy this cause, and the disease will be destroyed with it. What is arrogance? From where does it come? Perhaps we are in danger of finding yet another beginning.

Whatever cause reason shows us, against that let us turn, so that we may tear out the evil from its foundation and root. From where, then, does arrogance come? From our not examining ourselves.

Though we are not farmers, we try to learn the qualities of the earth. We learn the qualities of plants and of gold, though we are not merchants. We learn about garments and everything else. But concerning ourselves and our own nature, we do not try to do this.

But who, you say, does not know his own nature? Many do not, and perhaps all except a few. If you wish, I will begin the accusation from here. Tell me: what is man? If someone were asked how he differs from irrational creatures, how he is related to heavenly beings, and what can become of man, could he answer correctly?

I do not think so. As with any object, so also with man one may say: man is a being. Yet he can become both an angel and a beast. Do these words seem strange to you? But you have often heard them in the Scriptures.

There it is said of certain men, 'He is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.' And it says, 'They seek the law from his mouth' (Mal 2:7). Again: 'I send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me' (Mal 3:1).

Of others it is said that they are serpents, a 'brood of vipers' (Mt 12:34). Thus, according to his own disposition, he can be everything, both angel and man. Why do I say angel? Even a son of God. Scripture says, 'I said, You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High' (Ps 81:6).

What is still greater is that he himself has power to become both god and angel and son of God. Man even creates an angel. Perhaps these words astonish you. But listen to what Christ says: 'In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels' (Mt 22:30).

Again He says, 'He who is able to receive this, let him receive it' (Mt 19:12). In general, virtue makes angels, and virtue lies within our power. Therefore we can create angels, if not by nature, then by choice.

Without virtue, it profits nothing to be an angel by nature. The devil, who formerly was such, proves this. With virtue, it does no harm to be a man by nature. John, who was a man, proves this, as does Elijah, who ascended into heaven, and all who are to depart there.

The body did not prevent them from dwelling in heaven. But those, though bodiless, could not remain in heaven. Therefore let no one grieve or complain against his nature, as though it hindered him, but rather against his choice.

That lion became such from one who was bodiless. The Apostle says, 'Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour' (1 Pet 5:8). But we become angels from bodily beings.

Suppose someone found precious material, such as a pearl, or a jewel, or something similar. If he despised it because he was ignorant of such things, he would suffer great loss. So also, if we do not know our nature, we shall completely despise it.

But if we know it, we shall show great care and receive the greatest benefit. From it comes a royal garment. From it comes a royal dwelling. From it come royal members. From it comes everything royal.

Let us not misuse our own nature to our own harm. 'Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels' (Ps 8:6), that is, by death. But even this we received only for a little while. Therefore nothing prevents us from drawing near to the angels, if we wish.

May this desire be in us, truly may it be in us, so that, when we have completed our contest, we may send up glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Barnabas is placed before Paul, as also in verse 25, no doubt because he still stood closer to the Jerusalem community than Paul did. Compare Acts 9:27. They recounted the signs and wonders which God had wrought through them among the Gentiles when they converted them to Christ during their journey through Cyprus and the regions of Asia Minor, chapters 13-14. These accounts had to confirm and prove the undoubted truth of what Peter had said on the basis of his own experience. The conversion of the Gentiles to Christ apart from the Jewish law was the work of God and the will of God. It was attested by wonders and signs. Therefore Christians from the Gentiles need neither be circumcised nor compelled to keep the law of Moses. The impression made by Peter's speech must have been strengthened still further by their accounts.

As if in confirmation of what the Apostle Peter had said, Paul and Barnabas began to tell of the signs and wonders God had wrought through them among the Gentiles. Clearly, their accounts were inspired, vivid, and filled with the anointing of grace. This considerably softened many who were zealous for the law, not according to the mind of God, but according to their own conjecture and habits. The impression made by Peter's speech upon the whole assembly was decisive in calming and reconciling those who had been disputing. Thus the debate, mentioned in verse 7, ceased entirely and was not resumed. The Judaizers were struck and kept silence. This does not mean, however, that their false teaching was at once completely rooted out. No, it continued to live and terribly troubled the apostolic Church. Yet now, struck by the word of Peter's utterances, it was overcome here. Its defenders in the assembly of the Jerusalem Church fell silent, and the whole assembly fell silent. This was a good beginning for a happy outcome of the matter. Calmly and silently, without interruption and without disputes, the assembly listened to Barnabas and Paul. Their accounts had to confirm and prove the undoubted truth of what Peter had said on the basis of his own experience. The conversion of the Gentiles to Christ apart from the Jewish law was the work of God and the will of God. It was attested by wonders and signs. Therefore Christians from the Gentiles need neither be circumcised nor compelled to keep the law of Moses. The impression produced by Peter's speech must have been strengthened still further by these accounts.