Acts 15:33Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

There is no longer strife or disagreement. Then, it seems to me, they received the apostles' right hands, as Paul himself says: 'they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship' (Gal 2:9). He also says, 'they added nothing to me' (Gal 2:6), because they accepted his opinion and approved it with respect.

Again, so that this obedience might be according to the law, the one group spoke in this way and the others fulfilled it, and they did so 'in peace.' Let the heretics not scandalize us either. See how many scandals there were at the beginning of the preaching of the gospel.

I do not speak of external scandals, for these meant nothing, but of internal ones. First there was Ananias, then the murmuring, then Simon the Magician, then the indignation against Peter because of Cornelius, then the famine, and finally this, the chief of evils.

Indeed, as soon as some good appears, it is impossible that evil should not be mixed in. Therefore let us not be troubled if some are scandalized. Let us even give thanks to God for them, because He makes us more experienced.

Do not grieve only. The temptations themselves make us more glorious. If no one leads astray the one who holds to the truth, he would not be a strong lover of truth. But when many lead him astray, then he becomes glorious.

What then? Do scandals happen for this purpose? I do not say that God produces them. May it not be. But even through this evil He benefits us, though He Himself in no way wills it. He says, 'Grant them, that they all may be one' (Jn 17:21).

If scandals occur, they do not harm them at all, but bring benefit. Those who drag the martyrs to martyrdom benefit them unwillingly, while God in no way urges them to do it. So it is here also.

Let us not look at the fact that many are scandalized. The very fact serves as a sign of the superiority of our doctrine, that many imitate it falsely. If it were not good, they would not pretend to imitate it.

I will make this clearer to you. Fragrant oils have counterfeiters, such as the leaf of amomum. Because these oils are rare and necessary, many counterfeit versions arise. No one will counterfeit some other cheap thing.

So also pure life has many counterfeiters. No one ventures to seem to abide in impurity, but to abide in monastic life. What, then, shall we answer the Greeks? Suppose a Greek comes and says: 'I want to be a Christian, but I do not know whom to join. Among you there are many disagreements, disputes, and great confusion.

Which teaching should I choose? Which should I prefer? Each one says, I hold the truth. Whom should I believe, when I know absolutely nothing in the Scriptures? And those heretics present the same thing.' Certainly, this happens among us.

But if we said that one must believe reasonings, then you could justly be troubled. Yet if we say that one must believe the Scriptures, which are simple and true, then it is easy for you to find what is required. Whoever agrees with the Scriptures is a Christian. Whoever does not agree with them is far from this rule.

But what if he comes and says: 'The Scripture says this, but you say something else, and you interpret the Scriptures differently, corrupting their meaning.' Tell me, do you not have mind and reason?

He will say, 'How can I judge when I know nothing of your matters? I want to be a disciple, and you are already making me a teacher.' If he says this, you ask, what shall we answer? How shall we persuade him?

Let us ask whether this is pretense and an excuse. Let us ask whether he condemns the Greeks. In any case he will say something, because if he did not condemn them, he would not have come to us. Let us ask why he condemns them, for he does not condemn them in vain.

He will, as everyone knows, say this: because their gods are created beings, and not the uncreated God. Good. After this, if he finds the same thing in other heresies, and the opposite among us, is there any need to say more?

We all confess that Christ is God. Let us see who agrees with this and who does not. We, calling Him God, also speak about Him in a manner worthy of God. We say that He has authority, that He is not a slave but free, and that He creates all things by Himself. The heretic says the opposite.

Again I will ask: when you wish to learn the medical art, tell me, do you simply accept whatever is taught, as it happens? There are many opinions among physicians. If you simply accept everything you hear, that is unworthy of a man. But if you receive it with mind and judgment, you will certainly learn what is good.

We call Him Son, and we truly confess Him as we say. The heretics call Him this, but do not confess it. To speak more clearly, they have certain men by whose names they are called, that is, by the name of the founder of their heresy. Every heresy is like this. But with us, no man gave us our name, but the faith itself.

Therefore this is pretense and an excuse on your part. Tell me, when you wish to buy a garment, though you do not know the art of weaving, you do not say, 'I do not know how to buy. They deceive me.' Instead, you do everything to become knowledgeable.

When you wish to buy something else, you try in every way to obtain reliable information. Yet here you say this. Judging by these words, you do not wish to receive anything at all.

Let someone who has no doctrine say what you say about Christians: 'There are so many of them, and they hold so many different teachings. One is Greek, another Jew, another Christian. No doctrine should be received, because they contradict one another. I am a disciple. I do not wish to be a judge, and I cannot condemn any doctrine.'

But such an excuse has no place with you. If you were able to reject the false, then, having come here, you will be able to assess the true. One who condemns no doctrine can easily say this. But one who has condemned something, even if he has not yet chosen another, can in time learn what is needed.

Let us not pretend and invent excuses. Everything is easy. If you wish, I will show you that this is only an excuse. You know what must be done and what must not be done. Why then do you do what must not be done, instead of what must be done?

Do what must be done, and with right thoughts ask God, and He will surely reveal it to you. Scripture says, 'God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him' (Acts 10:34-35). One who listens without prejudice cannot fail to be persuaded.

When there is a measure by which everything can be determined, there is no need for great arguments. It is easy to expose the one who measures falsely. So it is now also.

Why, then, do they not see? Prejudices and human motives contribute much to this. But you say that they say the same thing about us. How so? Did we separate from the Church? Do we have founders of heresy? Are we called by the names of men?

Do we have some leader as they do? One has Marcion, another Mani, another Arius, and another some other head of heresy. Although we also have a known name, we do not have founders of heresy, but our presidents and rulers of the Church.

We have no teachers on earth. May it not be. We have the One 'who is in heaven' (Mt 23:9). But you say that they claim the same. Yet they have a name that condemns them and shuts their mouths.

There were many Greeks, and no one proposed such questions. Among the philosophers it was the same, yet this did not hinder any who had sound teaching. Therefore concerning the Jews too, when they were occupied with this, people did not say: 'There are these and those among them. Which of them should we believe?' Rather, they believed as they ought.

Let us also be subject to the laws of God. Let us do in all things what is pleasing to Him, and walk according to His will as long as our present life continues. Then, having lived virtuously for the remaining time of our life, we may receive the good things promised to those who love Him.

May we be counted worthy of honor with those who have pleased Him, by the grace and love for mankind of His Only-begotten Son and of the All-holy and Life-giving Spirit, the one and true Godhead, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

"They were all sent away by the brethren in peace, probably after a solemn church assembly of the Antiochian brethren. In peace means with a feeling of peace in their souls after the disturbance had been pacified, and with good wishes of peace for those departing."

What is said about Judas is absent from many Greek texts, but it is found in certain variant readings noted by Reineccius.