Acts 25:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He seems to instruct and defend himself, yet at the same time he preaches with great dignity. Let us not, then, regard plots as something disastrous. If we do not act against ourselves, no one can catch us in his plots. Or rather, they can plot against us, but they cannot harm us. On the contrary, they will even bring us the greatest benefit. For we ourselves are the cause of whether we suffer evil or do not suffer it. Yes, I bear witness openly and proclaim more loudly than a trumpet. If it were possible, I would not refuse to ascend some high place and announce that no man living on earth can harm a Christian. What do I say, no man? Neither can the demon, the tormentor, the devil, if the Christian does not harm himself. Whoever wishes to harm us will labor in vain. As no man can harm an angel dwelling on earth, so no man can harm such a man. Nor can he himself harm another, so long as he is good. What can compare with such a man, who can neither suffer harm nor harm another? The latter, that is, not wishing to harm another, is no less than the former. Such a one is, as it were, an angel, and is like God, for God is such. Yet He is such by nature, while that man is such by choice. Therefore a Christian can neither suffer harm nor harm another. Yet do not understand the words "cannot" as impotence, for impotence signifies the opposite. Here I mean a lack of inclination. By his own nature he is disposed neither to suffer harm nor to do evil to another. And this latter too is harm. We harm ourselves even when we do evil to another. The greater part of our sins comes precisely from our unwillingness to seek our own good. Thus a Christian cannot suffer harm because he cannot harm another. How, then, do we harm ourselves by harming others? Let us explain this by particular examples. Suppose someone wrongs another, insults him, or extorts from him. Whom has he harmed? Has he not first of all harmed himself? Certainly. The one wronged has suffered loss in money, but the wrongdoer has suffered loss in his soul. His soul is subjected to destruction and punishment. Again, suppose someone hates. To whom has he done evil? Has he not done it to himself? Such is the nature of the evil inflicted, that it first grievously harms the one who did it. It harms the other little, or rather not at all, but benefits him. Have I said something incredible? Let us suppose, for example, and this is the chief point, that a poor man has little money and scarcely obtains necessary food. Another is rich, lives in abundance, and has great power. Let the latter seize the poor man's property, strip him of his clothing, and leave him hungry. Let him himself live luxuriously on what he has unjustly taken. He has not only failed to harm the poor man, but has even benefited him. He has not only failed to benefit himself, but has harmed himself. How so? First, he is tormented for his evil. Daily he is gnawed by conscience and condemned by all. Then he will be judged at the future tribunal. Yes, you say, from this it is clear that this man suffers harm. But tell me, how does the other receive benefit? He suffers evil and bears it nobly. This is a great gain. Patient endurance of evil earns forgiveness of sins. It is an exercise in wisdom and a school of virtue. Let us see, then, which of the two is in evil, this man or that one? The one, if he is wise, bears it nobly. The other is daily tormented by fear and suspicion. Who, then, receives harm, this man or that one? You say, these are fables. If a man has nothing to eat, if he is compelled to grieve and struggle with calamities, or goes to beg alms and receives nothing, does he not suffer in soul and body? No. You speak fables, but I speak fact. Tell me, are none of the rich sorrowful? What then? Is poverty the cause of this? But he does not suffer hunger? What of that? It is worse that this happens to him while he is rich. Wealth does not make a man great-souled, nor poverty small-souled. Otherwise none who live richly would experience sorrows in life. And none of the poor would curse his poverty. That what you say is truly fable, I shall explain as follows. Tell me, did Paul live in poverty or in wealth? Did he suffer hunger or not? He himself says, "in hunger and thirst" (2 Cor 11:27). Did the prophets suffer hunger or not? They too suffered calamities. But, you say, you again put before me Paul, and again the prophets, ten or twenty men. Whom, then, do you want? Put before me, you say, someone from the common people who has endured calamities courageously. Such people are always rare, and excellent people are few. But if you wish, let us examine the matter in itself. Let us see whose cares are greater and more tormenting, and whose are lighter. Is it not true that one man cares only about necessary food, while the other, amid many affairs, forgets even food? The rich man does not fear hunger, but he fears many other things, often even for his very safety. The poor man cannot avoid caring about food, but he has no other cares. He enjoys security, calm, and fearlessness. On the other hand, if insulting others is not evil but good, why are we ashamed? Why do we hide? Why, when reproached for it, do we become indignant and distressed? If being insulted is not good, why do we make it known, boast of it, and justify ourselves? Do you wish to see how the latter is better than the former? Look at people in both conditions. Why are there laws? Why tribunals? Why punishments? Are they not for the former, as for the sick and suffering? But, you say, this is a great pleasure. Let us not speak of the future, but look at the present. What is worse than a man under such suspicion? What is more hopeless or more pitiable than he? Is he not in continual turmoil? Even if he does something just, he is not believed. Everyone condemns him for his oppression. All who live with him are his accusers. He cannot enjoy friendship. No one will dare to be the friend of a man with such a reputation, lest he bring the same opinion upon himself. Everyone withdraws from an unjust man as from a beast, a destroyer, an enemy, a murderer, one who rises up against nature. If he is brought to trial, no accuser is needed against him. Instead of every accuser, rumor accuses him. It is not so with the man who suffers insults. On the contrary, everyone protects him, pities him, and extends a helping hand. He dwells in safety. If insulting others is good and safe, let someone admit that he is an insulter. But if he does not dare do this, why does he continue to inflict insults as though they were something good? Let us see how much evil arises even within ourselves when something similar occurs in us. If anything within us oversteps its proper measure at the expense of another, what then? If, for example, the liver, not content with its own place, wishes to occupy another's place along with its own, tell me, is this not disease? Again, if the fluid that forms the humors within us fills the whole body, is this not dropsy? Along with this, bile must spread, and blood must pour everywhere. Likewise in the soul, do not anger, desire, and such things harm the man himself when they exceed measure? So also food, if taken in greater quantity than can be digested, subjects the body to diseases. Whence come gout, paralysis, and trembling of the body? Is it not from excess in food? Likewise, if the eye wished to take in more than is proper, that is, to see more than has been appointed to it, or to receive more light than is proper, this excess would harm it rather than benefit it. If, then, light is good, and yet the eye finds destruction when it wishes to see more and more clearly, consider what happens with evil. If hearing receives a loud sound, the mind is struck. If the mind begins to think on a matter beyond its strength, it is astonished. If it strains beyond what is proper, it is utterly lost. Covetousness consists precisely in wishing to possess more than is proper. So it is with possessions. When we wish to gather more and more of them, without noticing it we feed a wild beast within ourselves. Having much, we need much. We bring countless cares upon ourselves and furnish the devil with many occasions. Therefore the devil has no need to work hard over the rich. Wealth makes them entirely ready for a fall. It is not so with those who live in poverty. It is entirely the opposite. These things, then, are destructive in themselves. Therefore I exhort you to abstain from such desires. Thus you may escape the snares of the evil one and, having loved virtue, be counted worthy of eternal blessings. By the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Wishing to show courtesy to his guest, Festus proposed that Herod hear Paul's case. Herod also professed the Hebrew faith and therefore was more capable of understanding the matter than Festus, the Roman procurator. As Festus observed, Paul's accusers disputed with him over certain questions of their own worship of God; vv. 13-27.

Saint Luke clearly says that Agrippa and Bernice entered the praetorium solemnly. She was no doubt radiant with all her jewels, and he in his purple robe. Both had golden circlets on their heads and were accompanied by a large retinue in all the splendor of eastern dress.

"In Caesarea, the residence of the provincial governor, there were five cohorts of soldiers and therefore five commanders of thousands. There were also many representatives of the administration of the whole province. This was therefore a numerous and splendid gathering of representatives of Caesarea's military and civil departments. At their head were the king and his sister, together with the provincial governor. Into this splendid assembly Paul was brought in chains."

When summoned there, as Saint John Chrysostom says, "he did not say, 'What is this? I have already appealed my case to Caesar, and I am judged so many times. How long will this continue?' But what did he do? He was again ready to give an answer, even before the one who knew the affairs of the Jews best. He now defends himself with greater boldness, since his judges had no authority over him. Yet he gives an answer and a detailed explanation of everything."