Acts 5:41Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Those clothed with great authority do not feel calamities, however many may occur, but continue rejoicing. So too the apostles rejoiced still more because of the calamities themselves. Truly, it is impossible to express in words the delight granted to those who suffer for Christ. They rejoice more amid misfortunes than during prosperity. If anyone has loved Christ, he understands what I am saying. But what then? Could they have avoided calamities for their own safety? Tell me, who, even possessing boundless wealth, could avoid great dangers while dealing with so many peoples for the transformation of a state? Yet they accomplished everything as though by a royal command. Better still, they did it far more easily. A royal command would not have achieved so much as all their words achieved. A royal command imposes the necessity of obedience. They converted people by their desire, by their good will, and by a sense of great gratitude. What royal decree could have persuaded people to renounce all property and life itself? What decree could make them leave house, fatherland, relatives, and personal safety? Yet the exhortations of fishermen and tentmakers accomplished this. Therefore they rejoiced and were more powerful and stronger than all. Yes, someone will say, this was because they worked signs. But tell me, what signs were worked by the three thousand and five thousand who believed? Yet they too lived in great joy. Indeed they did, because the cause of all distress had been destroyed: the possession of property. It is property that is the cause of wars, discord, grief, sorrow, and every evil. It makes life burdensome and more bitter. You will find far more causes of distress among the rich than among the poor. If this seems false to anyone, it is so only in his opinion, not in the nature of things. If the rich also have certain pleasures, this is not at all surprising. Those afflicted with scabies also feel great pleasure. The rich are no different from them. Their soul is in the same condition, as is clear from this: cares torment them, yet they willingly give themselves to them for a momentary pleasure. But those who have been freed from cares are healthy and cheerful. Tell me, what is more pleasant and more secure? Is it to care for bread and clothing alone? Or is it to care for a multitude of slaves and free persons, and not to care for oneself? As the poor man cares for himself, so you care for everything you have brought upon your own head. Why then, they say, do people avoid poverty? For the same reason many avoid other good things. It is not because these good things are in themselves worthy of rejection. It is because, in experience, they appear difficult. So poverty too is not rejected in itself, but because in experience it is difficult. If someone can bear it, he will not reject it. Why did the apostles not loathe it? Why do many choose it, and not merely fail to loathe it, but even flee to it? What is truly worthy of rejection is not chosen, except by madmen alone. But if wise and exalted people flee to poverty as to a secure and painless refuge, it is no wonder that it does not seem so to the rest. In my judgment, a rich man is nothing other than a city without walls, built in a plain and drawing enemies to itself from every side. Poverty is a secure fortress, enclosed by a great bronze wall and inaccessible. But, they say, the opposite often happens. The poor are often dragged into court, wronged, and subjected to grievous misfortunes. No, not simply the poor, but the poor who wish to be rich. I am not speaking about them, but about those who wish to live in poverty. Tell me, why does no one drag into court those who live in the mountains? If poverty is easy to oppress, they should be the first to be brought to trial, since they are poorer than all. Why does no one drag beggars into court? Why does no one oppress or slander them? Is it not because they stand in a safer place? Yet to many this seems unbearable: to be in poverty and ask alms. Indeed, tell me, is it good to ask alms? It is good only if there are compassionate and merciful people, and if there is someone to give. Everyone knows that such a life is free from cares and secure. Still, I do not praise this. Far be it. I urge only that we not pursue wealth. Tell me truly, whom shall I call more blessed: those who are near virtue, or those far from it? Without doubt, those near it. But which of the two is more capable of receiving what is useful and excelling in wisdom? Is it this man or that one? It is clear to everyone that it is the former. If you do not believe, then listen. Let someone be brought from the marketplace, one of the beggars. Let him be blind, lame, and maimed. Let another be handsome in appearance, strong in body, entirely healthy, rich, noble by birth, and possessed of great authority. Let us bring them into the school of wisdom and see which will better receive the subjects taught. Let us propose the first commandment: be "meek and lowly," as Christ commanded (Mt 11:29). Which of them will be better able to fulfill it, the former or the latter? "Blessed are those who mourn." Which will be more attentive to this saying? "Blessed are the meek." Which will hear it better? "Blessed are the pure in heart," "blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness," "blessed are those persecuted for righteousness' sake" (Mt 5:5-11). Which of them will more readily receive all this? If you wish, let us apply all this to each of them. Is not the one always proud and puffed up? Is not the other always meek and humble-minded? Certainly so. Among the outsiders, the pagans, there is a saying on this subject: Epictetus, a slave, maimed in body, an Irus in poverty, yet a friend of the immortal gods. Epictetus was a Greek philosopher. Irus is the proper name of a beggar in Homer. Such is the poor man. But the soul of the rich man is full of every evil: pride, vainglory, countless desires, anger, fury, greed, injustice, and the like. Clearly, the soul of the former is more capable of wisdom than the latter. But you want to know what is more pleasant. As I see, this is what many especially care about: which life is more pleasant? There should be no doubt even here. Whoever is healthier also lives with greater pleasure. And tell me, who is more capable of fulfilling the rule I wish to instill, the law concerning oaths: the poor man or the rich? Who is more likely to swear? Is it the one who grows angry at servants and has dealings with countless people? Or is it the one who asks only for bread or a single garment? The latter has no need at all of oaths, if he wishes. He passes his whole life without cares. Better still, anyone who has learned not to swear will often despise wealth as well. He will see how, from this good, all paths to virtue open. They all lead to meekness, contempt for wealth, piety, peace of soul, and compunction. Therefore let us not be careless, beloved. Let us again apply great zeal. Those who have been corrected should preserve themselves corrected, lest they somehow fall away and turn back. Those who still remain behind should rise and strive to supply what is lacking. Meanwhile, let those who have been corrected stretch out their hands to those who have not yet reached this. Let them receive them into the harbor free from oaths, as they would swimmers in the sea. What signs are more wondrous than this? Nothing like this happened among the ancients, though Jeremiah was scourged for the word of God, Elijah was threatened, and the others likewise. Here, however, by this very thing, and not by signs alone, they manifested the power of God.

They were not asked how they had come out of prison. They were asked why they preached about Him Whose name was hateful to them. But the apostles, without hesitation, said that one must obey God rather than men. They preached the resurrection of Jesus and the witness of the Holy Spirit.

The Sadducees could bear this no longer. They wanted to kill the apostles. But the voice of the learned Pharisee Gamaliel, respected by all the people, served the work of God. They were only punished and released.

The apostles, however, departed from the Sanhedrin rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Lord Jesus. Despite the Sanhedrin’s increasing prohibitions, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus Christ every day in the temple and from house to house.

“They feared when they looked only at the hardships and did not penetrate further. But they rejoiced when they clearly saw the end of Christ’s path, for it leads to heaven, to God the Father Himself.

“As Jesus Christ Himself says: ‘I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father’ (Jn 16:28).

“But if our Lord goes to His Father, He will bring us with Him to the Father and make us partakers of the divine nature.”