Acts 26:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See how he prays: "I would pray to God," he says, "to God," not "almost," that is, that there should be no "almost." He does not simply pray, but prays earnestly. "Not only you," he says, "but all." Not only you, but all, "might become such as I am." Then he adds, "except for these chains." He said this not because the chains burdened him or because he was ashamed of them. On the contrary, he counted them as glory for himself no less than anything else. Rather, he spoke in keeping with their understanding. Therefore he added, "except for these chains." He did not say, "I do not want this," but, "I would pray to God that, whether almost or altogether, not only you but all." So free from flattery are his words. "I would pray to God that those who hear me today might become such as I am, except for these chains." See how the man who boasted in his chains and displayed them like a golden chain now prays that they may not be present. Do not be amazed at this. His hearers were still very weak, and his speech was suited to them. But that he valued his chains highly, hear how everywhere in the epistles he sets them above all else. Thus he says, "I, Paul, have become the prisoner of Jesus Christ" (Eph 3:1). Again, "I am bound with these chains, but the word of God is not bound" (Acts 28:20; 2 Tim 2:9). Again, "even to chains, as a criminal" (2 Tim 2:9). See, he does not say only "to chains," but adds, "as a criminal," thereby exalting the glory of the chains. The suffering was double, both because he was bound and because he was bound as a criminal. If he had been bound for a good deed, this would have given some consolation. But now he is bound as a criminal and as one convicted of grave crimes. Yet he cared nothing at all for this. Such is a soul winged by heavenly love. Those who foster shameful love consider nothing important or precious. They regard as glorious and precious only what serves to satisfy their passion. The object of their love is everything to them. How much more do those embraced by this love consider nothing more precious? It is no wonder if we do not understand these words. We are still so inexperienced in wisdom. Truly, one embraced by the fire of Christ becomes as a man would be if he lived alone on earth. So little does he care for glory or dishonor. As a man living alone on earth would care for nothing, so he too cares for nothing. Trials, punishments, and chains he despises as though he suffered them in another's body, or as though he had a body of adamant. He laughs at life's pleasures and is as insensitive to them as we are to dead bodies, or as though we ourselves were dead. He is as far from surrendering to any passion as gold purified by fire is untouched by filth. As flies fly away from fire so as not to fall into it, so the passions do not dare even to approach him. I would like to bring examples of this from among ourselves. But since we cannot present them, we must turn again to Paul. See what he was like in relation to the whole world. "The world has been crucified to me," he says, "and I to the world" (Gal 6:14). That is, I am dead to the world, and it is dead to me. Again, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal 2:20). Paul alone could say this. As for us, who stand from him as far as earth from heaven, we should hide ourselves and not dare even to open our mouths. Hear how he says that he lived as though in a desert and looked upon everything present in this way: "We look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen" (2 Cor 4:18). What are you saying? Does not the opposite of what you say happen in fact? We do not see invisible things, but we do see visible things. But you had eyes given by Christ. As our eyes see only visible things and do not see invisible things, so those eyes are the opposite. He who sees invisible things does not look at visible things. He who looks at visible things does not see invisible things. Does something similar not happen even with us? When we concentrate the mind and meditate on something invisible, our eyes are lifted above external impressions. Let us, then, despise glory. Let us rather desire to be laughed at than praised. The one who is laughed at suffers no evil. The one who is praised suffers great harm. Let us not think highly of those who bring fear upon people. Let us act in this matter as we do with children. When we see someone frightening children, we are not at all amazed at him. He frightens only children, but he cannot frighten any mature man. Those who frighten children do this either by raising their eyebrows or by distorting their face in some other way. If they kept an ordinary and gentle look, they could not do it. So too these people accomplish their effect by distorting the spiritual part of their soul. No one fears a man who is meek and good in soul. On the contrary, we all respect him, honor him, and love him. But do you not see how hateful and repulsive to us all is the one who brings fear upon others? Do we not turn away from everything that can frighten us, whether beasts, sounds, looks, places, air, or darkness? Let us not be exalted, then, if people fear us. First, no mature man will fear us. Second, even if they do fear us, it is no great thing. Virtue is a great good. See how great it is. We count the circumstances amid which it is acquired as calamities, but we marvel at virtue itself and bless it. Who will not bless a wise man, even though poverty and the like are counted as calamities? If virtue shines amid what is counted as calamity, then see its excellence. Man, are you exalted by authority? But what authority, tell me, has been given to you? You have received authority from men. Obtain authority within, in yourself. A ruler is not the one who is called such, but the one who truly is such. As even a king cannot make someone a physician or rhetorician, so he cannot make him a ruler. A document and a title do not make a man a ruler. Suppose, if you wish, that someone builds a hospital, gathers pupils, acquires instruments and medicines, and visits the sick. Is this enough to make him a physician? No. Skill is also needed. Without it, all these things not only bring no benefit, but even do harm. It is better for one who is not himself a physician not to have medicines. He who does not have them can neither heal nor harm. But he who has them and does not know how to use them can harm. Healing depends not only on the nature of medicines, but also on the skill that prescribes them. When that skill is absent, everything is distorted. So too with a ruler. Suppose he has instruments, that is, voice, anger, executioners, exiles, honors, gifts, and praises. Suppose he has medicines, that is, laws. Suppose he has the sick, namely people and servants. Suppose he has a workshop, the tribunal. Suppose he has pupils, soldiers. If he does not know the science of healing, all this will bring no benefit. A judge is a physician of souls, not of bodies. If the healing of the body requires such care, how much more the healing of the soul? For the soul is more important than the body. Thus to bear the name of ruler is not yet to be a ruler. Some are called by great names, such as Paul, Peter, James, and John. But these names do not make them what they are called. For example, I myself bear the same name as that blessed Apostle, but I am not the same as he. I am not John, but only called so. So too they are not rulers, but only called rulers. There are rulers even without this name. Likewise a physician, even if he does not apply his skill to practice but has it in his soul, is a physician. Rulers are those who know how to govern themselves. Three things are related to the soul: the house, the city, and the universe. In all there is an order of ascent. Whoever wishes to be ruler of a house and govern it well must first order his own soul. For the soul is his nearest house. If he is unable to govern himself, where there is one soul, where he himself is master, and where he is always with himself, how will he govern others? Whoever can order his soul and make one part in it ruling and another subject will be able to govern a house. Whoever can govern a house can govern a city. Whoever can govern a city can govern the universe. But if someone cannot govern his own soul, how can he rule the universe? I have said all this so that we may not be exalted by authority, and so that we may know what authority is. Otherwise it is not authority, but mockery, slavery, and it could be called by thousands of similar names. Tell me, what truly belongs to a ruler? Is it not to benefit and do good to those subject to him? What then, if this is absent? How can one who has not done good to himself benefit others? How will one in whose soul countless passions rule restrain them in others? Likewise pleasure does not consist in what people usually think, but in something else. As the ruler is not the man who is called so, but another, so too the man who enjoys pleasure is not the one who gives himself to pleasures, but another. People think pleasure consists in surrendering to pleasures and gratifying the belly. It does not consist in this, but, on the contrary, in having an admirable soul and being content. Let someone eat, drink, and live luxuriously, and then experience despondency and sorrow. Can it be said that he enjoys pleasure? Therefore pleasure does not consist in eating and drinking, but in feeling contentment. Let another have nothing but dry bread, yet be nourished by it with joy. Is this not pleasure, and therefore enjoyment? Let us see, then, to whom it is accessible, to the rich or to the poor. Not directly to either. It belongs to those who so order their soul that they have no occasions for discontent. What kind of life is this, someone may ask? I see that you have all become attentive and wish to hear what this life is, free from displeasure. Let each of you first be convinced that pleasure and enjoyment consist in this: that discontent does not trouble me. It does not demand from me meat, wine, refined dishes, silk garments, or a luxurious table. But if I show such a life, estranged from all this, then love this pleasure and this life. Truly, many sorrows come upon us because we do not reason about this as we should. Who has more sorrows, the one who cares about none of these things, or the one who cares about them? The one who fears changes of fortune, or the one who does not fear them? The one who is in danger from envy, hatred, slander, enmity, and ill will, or the one who is free from all this? The one who needs many things, or the one who needs nothing? The one who servilely obeys thousands, or the one who obeys no one? The one who is subject to thousands, or the one who is independent? The one who fears one master, or the one who fears a countless multitude of them? This, then, is where the highest pleasure consists. Let us strive for this and not be attached to present goods. Let us despise all the vain greatness of the present life and keep moderation in all things. Thus we may pass this life without sorrow and be counted worthy of the promised 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. Paul did this not from timidity or fear, but from great wisdom and spiritual prudence. How this is so, I shall now say. He was conversing with a pagan, an unbeliever, and one who did not know our teaching. Therefore he did not wish to persuade him by pointing to difficult things. But as he said of himself, "to those outside the Law, as outside the Law" (1 Cor 9:21), so he acted here also. If, says the Apostle, the judge hears of chains and sorrows, he will immediately flee. For he does not know the power of chains. Let him first believe. Let him taste the preaching.

Although chains for the name of Christ are worthy of glory, Paul added these words, that is, "except for these chains," adapting himself to the understanding of those present.

What are you saying, blessed Paul: "except for these chains"? What boldness have you if you are ashamed of chains and avoid them?

Do you not everywhere in your epistles boast of your chains and call yourself a prisoner? Do you not everywhere display fetters before us instead of a diadem?

What, then, has happened that you put the chains away from yourself?

He says: I myself neither put them away from myself nor am ashamed of them. I speak thus by condescension to the weakness of the hearers, because they cannot yet receive my praise.

From the Lord I learned that no one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment (Mk 2:21). This is why I spoke so.

He added that he preached nothing new, but only what Moses and the prophets had foretold. Namely, Christ the Messiah had to suffer, rise from the dead, and proclaim light to the whole world, to Jews and Gentiles.

Paul could suppose that all this was known to the king and beyond doubt for him. But to a Roman it seemed strange. It was also strange to the cold governor that Paul said all this with such animation.

He saw in it nothing more than fantasy. "Your great Jewish learning," the procurator said to Paul, "is driving you mad!"

But Paul answered with renewed assurance: "I am not speaking madness. My words are words of truth and sound reason."

To Festus, this inspired speech of the Apostle seems the product of fantasy and madness. Yet it makes such an impression on Agrippa that it almost persuades him to become a Christian. As for the question of Paul’s guilt, the judges drew from his speech the conviction that he was completely innocent. Therefore he could have been released, had he not himself demanded Caesar’s judgment.

But this laughter was immediately suppressed when the Apostle, with all the fervor of a sincerely loving heart, exclaimed: "I would pray to God that, whether soon or long, not only you but all who hear me today might become as I am, except"—he added, lifting his chained hand—"except for these chains."

They saw that he was no ordinary prisoner. A man who could present such arguments as he presented and speak as he spoke was plainly a person they had never before seen or known, either in the world of Judaism or in the world of paganism.

To this witticism Paul answers with dignity, with special heartfelt warmth and tenderness. He says that he would pray to God that, whether much or little, all might become Christians as the Apostle is.

This means not only the king, but also those present there. "Except for these chains," adds the wise and innocent sufferer and confessor of Christ, pointing to the chain that was upon him.

The chains were Paul's praise (Eph 3:1; Eph 4:1; Phlm 1; Phil 2:17 and following). Yet, of course, he did not wish all Christians, his beloved children, to be always in chains; cf. Chrysostom and Theophylact.

What Agrippa said resembles a frivolous joke. Yet the Apostle takes it seriously and expresses his readiness to pray to God that all who hear him may be convinced, at least in some small measure, of what he preaches.

He also prays that they may become like him, except for his chains. In this too one may see a jest, but only one that plainly shows how out of place jesting is here.

"See," says Saint John Chrysostom, "how he prays, that is, that this 'little' may not remain little. He does not simply pray, but intensely: 'that they might become,' he says, not only he, but all, 'as I am.'

Paul took the word 'soon' as meaning 'almost,' and therefore he answers this also. So straightforward was he.