Interpretation of the New Testament by Theophylact of Bulgaria. Interpretation of the Acts of the Holy Apostles, briefly selected from the interpretations of St. John Chrysostom and some other fathers by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Bulgaria Interpretation of the Gospel of the Acts of the Saints

1.1. Preface by Luke (1:1-3)

1:1 I wrote the first book to you, Theophilus, about everything that Jesus did and taught from the beginning

1:2 until the day on which He ascended, giving commands by the Holy Spirit to the Apostles whom He had chosen, 1:3 to whom He also revealed Himself alive, after His passion, with many sure proofs, appearing to them for forty days and speaking about the Kingdom God's.

Both the first part of his work - the Gospel (Luke 1:1-4), and the second - the Acts of the Apostles, the author begins with an appeal to Theophilus, who was probably a Christian (Luke 1:4), since Luke intended to entrust him distribution of both books. We can say that Theophilus played the role of Luke's publisher.

In a short preface, the author conveys the content of the Gospel, citing only its beginning and end. At the same time, the description of the ascension of Jesus is a kind of link, connecting the Gospel with Acts. For us, two aspects are essential.

Firstly, From the very beginning, Luke pays special attention to the apostles, whose lives and deeds he intends to tell in the future, and in connection with which the book received its name. And although it is unlikely that it was given to it by the author himself, it is still obvious that it is the apostles who are important to Luke. After all, Jesus chose them through the Holy Spirit and sent them to spread the Good News (Luke 24:47-49), after they personally met the Risen One. That is why the testimony of the apostles about Jesus is so important for the evangelist: His life and teaching; His death, resurrection and ascension. The testimony of such people grew in importance as false claims about Christ and Christians began to spread. Anyone who sought to obtain accurate information about Jesus Christ (Luke 1:4) had to rely on the veracity of the accounts of these eyewitnesses. By the way, it is important to note that Luke, Paul’s friend and associate, nowhere calls this outstanding evangelist an apostle.

Secondly, from Acts. 1:3 we receive new information about the period between the resurrection and ascension of Jesus: over the course of forty days, Jesus appeared to His disciples. Looking into the Symphony, we see the significance of the number forty in the Bible: for forty days and nights God allowed the flood to fall; The Israelites wandered through the desert for forty years; Moses remained on Mount Sinai for forty days; after forty days the Israelite spies returned from the promised land; Nineveh receives a forty-day period for repentance. In addition, one can see an analogy between Moses' time on Mount Sinai in communion with God and Jesus' meetings with the apostles after the resurrection. Just as God declared His will to Moses on Mount Sinai, so now the apostles, the leaders of the New Testament people of God, receive commands from Christ. We also learn that at this time Jesus appeared to them, speaking about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). It remains unknown what exactly He said then, but we must take it on faith: this was an introduction to the teaching of the apostles, as well as an entry into the new covenant. Evangelist John emphasizes that the meaning of some events in the life of Jesus was revealed to the disciples only after His resurrection (cf., for example, John 12:16 - the entry of Christ into Jerusalem). Only after some time had passed after meeting the Risen One did they realize what had happened. Describing Jesus' meeting with his disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35), Luke tells how the Teacher opened their eyes to God's plan and God's will. And today, wanting to know what the Lord wants from us, we must turn to the Old and New Testaments. Only there will we find the reliable word of God: through Scripture the Lord speaks directly to each of us.

Luke paid very great attention to the teaching of the apostles (see Acts 2:42) and saw its organic connection with the speeches and teachings of Christ Himself. Luke in Acts tells how the Good News spread throughout the world, being reflected in the life of the Church.

(1:4-11)

1.2. Ascension of Christ (1:4-11)

1:4 And having gathered them together, He commanded them: Do not separate ma, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard from me,

1:5 For John baptized with water, but a few days after this you will be baptized Holy Spirit.

1:6 Therefore they came together and asked him, saying, “Are you at this time, O Lord, restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

1:7 And he said unto them, It is not your business to know the times or seasons which the Father hath appointed in his own power;

1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.

1:9 Having said this, He rose up before their eyes, and a cloud took Him out of their sight.

1:10 And as they looked up to heaven as He ascended, suddenly two men clothed in white clothes stood before them

1:11 And they said, Men of Galilee! Why are you standing and looking at the sky? This Jesus, who has ascended from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him ascending into heaven.

What was this last meeting with His closest disciples like for Jesus? It is known that the Lord encountered misunderstanding on their part in his earthly life, but, alas, His resurrection did not clarify much for them (see Luke 24:21). “But others doubted,” Matthew tells us about how the disciples received the command of Jesus Christ about missionary service. Luke shows the extent to which His disciples tied their expectation of promised salvation to the earthly world (Acts 1:6; cf. Matt. 28:17).

However, let's look at everything in order. Art. 4 and 5 tell the story of Jesus' command and the promise He made to His disciples. John the Baptist already knew that the baptism he was performing would not be the last, and he predicted: “...He who comes after me... will baptize... with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11). Presumably, the sequence “by water - by the Holy Spirit” represents a kind of ascent from lower to higher. While John the Baptist used a transitory element in baptism, that is, water, the apostles were to be baptized by God's Spirit himself. It is noteworthy that baptism

The Spirit, which is now so often spoken of, is mentioned in the entire New Testament only in prophetic words John the Baptist (Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33) and in the words of Christ (Acts 1:5). The authors of the New Testament attach much greater importance for the life of the entire Church and every Christian to baptism in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. But the rare mention of the baptism in the Holy Spirit does not mean its insignificance. On the contrary, John the Baptist speaks of him with reverence, echoing the Old Testament promises of the outpouring of God's Spirit at the end of time (see Isa. 32:15; Ezek. 39:29; Joel 2:28ff; Zech. 12:10) . Jeremiah does not mention the Spirit anywhere, but speaks of a new covenant that God wants to make with Israel (Jer. 31:31 et seq.).

For the Jews, as for their pagan surroundings, baptism was in no way surprising. Along with ritual ablutions that served to restore cult purity (see, for example, numerous references to ablutions in the book of Leviticus or during the earthly life of Christ - Mark 7: 3 et seq.), the Jews knew the so-called ablution of proselytes, which was supposed to anyone who wants to become a Jew can do this. This washing was essentially a baptism that a person performed on himself. All types of pre-Christian ritual ablutions were dominated by the idea of ​​liberation from impurity, but they did not have the meaning of a public profession of faith.

If the Jews perceived ablution (especially in the Qumran community) as a human action performed on oneself for the purpose of renewed participation in the prayer community of Israel, then already in early Christianity both the form and content of ablution-baptism change.

Although here the main aspect remains purification, baptism is performed through an intermediary. Added to the idea of ​​liberation from uncleanness is the teaching that baptism represents death and resurrection with Christ (Rom. 6:1 - 14). When the person being baptized is completely immersed in water, he finds himself separated from everyone around him (“dead”), and then, as a “new creation,” he is resurrected to new life. This interpretation is based on the fact that Christ Himself understood His death as “baptism” (Matthew 20:22). Christian baptism is a sacred act (sacrament) of God performed by Him over a sinful person, which is not carried out according to the latter’s merits and must be perceived by faith.

The disciples' reaction indicates that they understood the eschatological meaning of Jesus' command to baptize (Acts 1:6). The disciples relate the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to the promised restoration of the great Kingdom of Israel, especially since Christ connected the outpouring of the Spirit specifically with Jerusalem (Acts 1:4), in which devout Jews had trusted since the reign of David. In this city, which God Himself chose (2 Chronicles 6:6), where a pious king once ruled (2 Kings 5:5), where Solomon built the Temple of the Most High (ZKings 6), in a city that was praised by the righteous in their prayers (Ps. 121:6; 127:5; 137:6 et seq.), which the prophets, starting with Isaiah, speak of as the place of eschatological salvation of all nations (Is. 2:2-4; 24:23; 27 :13; Zech. 1:17; 9:9: 14:1-11), where the Son of God Himself, the Messiah of Israel, had to stand trial, there was always hope for a glorious future for Israel. No wonder Jesus' disciples had similar thoughts!

Jesus Christ directly tells His followers: ...it is not your business to know the times or seasons which the Father has appointed in His authority (Acts 1:7). This prohibition remains in force today: Jesus limits human curiosity. There is no need to try to calculate anything, but you should always be ready to meet the Lord. Church of Jesus

Christa always found it difficult to accept this limitation, especially during difficult times for her. Unfortunately, under the influence of certain circumstances, people sometimes still make attempts to determine the date of the Second Coming. However, as one might expect, none of these dates turned out to be correct. The Church of Christ must bear the burden of this ignorance in order to continually watch for the Lord. At the same time, she should learn to discern the “signs of the times” (Matthew 16:3), but not at all in order to engage in any calculations.

The church must make the best use of the limited time before the Lord's return to preach the Gospel (Acts 1:8). Thus, Jesus simultaneously warns against false enthusiasm and calls for the worldwide preaching of the Gospel (8): ...but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.

Researchers have concluded that Luke used these words of Christ as an outline for the composition of Acts. In general, the plan of the book included three aspects: geographical - the spread of the Moist message from Jerusalem (Acts 1-7) through Samaria and the coastal cities of Palestine and Syria (Acts 8-12) right up to the center of the Roman Empire (Acts 13-28) ; personal (Acts 1-12 tells about Peter, and chapter 13 about Paul) and theological: from preaching to the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea (Acts 1-7) through missionary activity among the “half-pagans” or “half-Jews” (Acts. 8-12) to evangelize the Gentiles (Acts 13). The fact that these aspects are sometimes intertwined gives the work a special sublimity and integrity. Luke wanted to show us that the history of the development of Christianity from the ascension of Christ to the arrival of Paul in Rome is completely consistent with the commission of Jesus.

The disciples are to be witnesses of Jesus. In the original Greek the word used here is derived from tsartgh; [m’arthus] - “witness”, which from about the middle of the 2nd century. n. e. takes on the meaning “martyr”, since believing in Christ and testifying about Him was tantamount to accepting martyrdom.

In Paul's time, this was the word most often used to describe Christian evangelists. According to Hebrew law, the witness himself had to bring charges against the person who committed the crime. The witness had great responsibility, since the verdict was based on the concurring testimony of at least two eyewitnesses (see Lev. 5:1; Num. 35:30; Deut. 19:15 and Matt. 26:60). In the case of a death sentence, the witnesses were to be the first to raise their hands and stone the condemned man (cf. Deut. 17:7 and Acts 7:57 et seq.). Thus, they themselves became guilty if their testimony turned out to be false. Therefore, the witness had to have a strong belief in what he was stating. His testimony was not merely an expression subjective opinion, but had to have a real justification. Moreover, witnessing was not a matter of free choice, but a sacred duty (I Cor. 9:16). Only on this basis can we understand why Paul (see 1 Cor. 15:3-8) is so important to irrefutable legal point visual testimony about the central event of his sermon - the resurrection of Christ. For the same reason, the apostle does not mention women - according to Jewish law, they did not have the right to act as witnesses. In general, Paul sees a very close connection between God's plan of salvation and faith. Therefore, the disciples of Jesus at all times should be exactly such witnesses as described above. After all, only those who are convinced of something themselves are able to convince others.

So, in order to fulfill this commission of Jesus, the witnesses had to become partakers of the Holy Spirit. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you... - Christ promises His disciples. The concept of strength in the original Greek is conveyed by the word Sovapic; |d'yunamis] - “strength”, “ability”, “miracle”. Aovapiq - God's power acting in history for the salvation of man. And the miracles performed by Jesus were, without a doubt, acts of salvation. Christ rejects the possibility of a quick judgment through a miracle, which took place, for example, during the ministry of the prophets Elijah and Elisha (Luke 9:51-56). Receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit and His power is not ultimate goal Christian, but serves only as an auxiliary tool in the spread of the Good News. The disciples of Jesus, armed with this power, must testify for Him, starting from the center of the Jewish world - Jerusalem, then in semi-pagan Samaria and, finally, in the capital of the Roman Empire. Probably, Luke wanted to say by this that Christianity would spread from Rome further - to the ends of the earth (this was also the preaching strategy of Paul, who usually created a community in the capital city, so that from there the teaching would spread throughout the province). It is obvious that Luke, a well-educated and well-traveled man, could not consider Rome to be the outskirts of the inhabited civilized world; simply, the one who owns the capital owns the entire empire.

So, the last words of Christ to the disciples before His ascension are the command to wait in Jerusalem for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and then testify about their Teacher. Having said this, He rose up before their eyes, and a cloud took Him out of their sight (1:9). The story of the ascension of Christ has always caused bewilderment, as, indeed, His birth from a virgin. In both cases, the immanent and the transcendent intersected at a single point, which was difficult to accept, especially for people of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Scientists were calculating the speed of the ascension of Jesus Christ, astronauts were looking for Him in the Universe and thus sought to prove the implausibility of the biblical legend. People have always tried to understand: where is God, what is “heaven”? Scripture does not explain this point, but does affirm that God intervenes tangibly in history, and in these cases the immanent can coincide with the transcendent. However, the Bible does not attempt to localize God's dwelling place, although it may have been temporarily revealed to the elect (see Isa. 6; 2 Cor. 12). Scripture also does not speak about the date of the Second Coming of Christ. God visits the soul of every person in due time. But if this is so and we recognize this ability of God the Creator, then the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven is not a natural scientific problem, but should be perceived as a theological problem.

It's interesting that the cloud is mentioned here. In both the Old and New Testaments, its appearance has a special meaning: the cloud hides the glory of the Lord from human eyes. In the desert, God always appeared to the people hidden in a cloud (see Ex. 16:10 et seq.; Ps. 96:2), during the transfiguration of Jesus the Lord spoke to the disciples from the cloud (Matthew 17:5), and at the Second Coming The Son of Man is coming on a cloud (Luke 21:27). The Apostle John also observed something similar (Rev. 1:7; 10:1; 14:14). In this case, this means: if the cloud took the resurrected Jesus, it means that He entered the glory of the Lord, moving from the immanent to the transcendent.

So, the students were left alone. It is not difficult to imagine how they stood, helplessly looking at the sky. Luke does not give in his book detailed description ascension, does not even try to explain this event. He leaves us with the disciples before a fact that we have yet to comprehend. They, like us, knew the Old Testament parallels of such a transition to another world (Enoch in Genesis 5:24; Elijah in 2 Kings 2:9-11), which, however, does little to overcome the feeling of being abandoned by God. However, even here, on the Mount of Olives (Oleone), the Lord comes to the aid of His disciples. Two men dressed in white suddenly appear before them. Although Luke does not provide any details about these men, the reader understands that these are angels. Usually. God spoke to His people through the mouth of prophets, but sometimes He still resorted to the help of special messengers, who, according to the book of Hebrews, are “ministering spirits” (Heb. 1:14). The birth of Jesus was announced by angels (Luke 1:26ff; 2:8ff), His resurrection was also confirmed by heavenly messengers (Luke 24:1ff); His ascension was accompanied by the message they brought (Acts 1:10 et seq.). Thus, we see that angels take part in especially important events.

As with the resurrection, the message they brought after the ascension of Christ, in its meaning, goes beyond the scope of the event itself and promises a new meeting with the Lord (see Mark 16:7; Acts 1:11). Following Jesus does not mean being immersed in sentimental memories of special revelations or wondering about His present whereabouts, but consciously moving towards His Second Coming (see Luke 21:27). Jesus will come to our earth again, not in the form of a slave or unnoticed, but in the power of the Lord and clearly. Until then, we must watch, pray, and act while the day lasts.

Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 1 (1:12-14)

1.3. A Brief Account of the Life of the Early Christians (1:12-14)

1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath's journey away.

1:13 And when they came, they went up into the upper room, where they stayed, Peter and James, John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the brother of James.

1:14 All of them continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with some of the women and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

You should first clarify certain points, without which understanding the text will be difficult. Mount of Olives (Mount of Olives) is located east of Jerusalem. It is a hilly ridge with three small peaks that rise above the city and even the Temple Mount. In ancient times, the Mount of Olives was probably covered with olive orchards. Referred to in the Old Testament as the “Mount of Olives,” it was already a place of worship for God in the time of David (2 Samuel 15:30-32; see also 3 Kings 11:7). This mountain played a special role in prophetic predictions to Israel (see Ezek. 11:23; Zech. 14:4). By the time Jesus appeared, it was probably already considered religiously unclean, since pilgrim graves appeared here. Luke reports that the Mount of Olives (or more accurately, the site of Jesus' ascension) was within a Sabbath's journey from Jerusalem. Based on what was said in Ex. 16:29 it was believed that on Saturday one should not move more than two thousand cubits (about one kilometer) from the site of this holiday. Theoretically, a Jew should not have left the place where he was located on the Sabbath. Thus, the Mount of Olives, as the site of the ascension of Jesus, is mentioned in close connection with the holy city of Jerusalem.

It remains to explain the word upper room (Greek gzherfou hk) per’oon] - “upper room or floor”). We know that houses in the East in those days were one-story with flat roofs, and they remain so now, unless built according to modern Western models. A superstructure made of lightweight material, reminiscent of a mezzanine, was often built on the roof. The family spent most of their time on the lower floor, the upper chamber served as a resting place: there they could find solitude for communication with God (see Dan. 6:10-11; Acts 10:9 et seq.).

Now let's return to the apostles who remained after saying goodbye to Jesus. Their journey from the Mount of Olives, covered with graves, to the holy city of Jerusalem became the first stage of the movement of the Good News to people. We can call it a prototype of the formation Christian Church, moving from the “cemetery of this world” to the heavenly Jerusalem. The students had a lot to do along this path. They were given a commission that seemed absolutely impossible to fulfill for a man of that time: to preach the Gospel to the whole world! None of the apostles could imagine how to carry out “missionary work” on such a scale. At first the good news was simply passed from person to person at every opportunity until Paul introduced the method of centralized evangelism, which will be discussed below. From the point of view of modern Christians, perhaps the disciples, in a state of spiritual elation, should immediately go to the square in front of the Temple and begin to preach the gospel. But they didn't. Their first route through the fool did not lead to the podium, but to the upper room (1:13; see Matt. 6:6). The young congregation prepared for the sermon in an atmosphere of quiet congregational prayer before the face of God. In this, the early Christians can serve as an example for us, who believe that God’s commission can be carried out in haste and in haste. Before talking to people about God, you should talk to the Lord about these people. And besides, it is not enough to develop concepts of missionary activity in modern conditions at countless meetings; one must evangelize in practice. One of the serious problems of modern evangelical churches is a peculiar division of labor, when some people only plan, while others directly preach the word of God.

In the early Christian community of Jerusalem this problem did not exist. Jesus' followers prayed and worked together. But who were these people? Luke gives a list of the names of the disciples; we find similar lists in the Gospels (see Mark 3:16-19 and Luke 6:14-16). He probably does this because Acts was published separately from the Gospel of Luke. In any case, as a historian, it is important for Luke not to miss the opportunity to report on people whose names serve as evidence of the reliability of the tradition about Jesus. These eleven names (Judas Iscariot was no longer among them) are presented in a sequence that corresponds to the degree of their significance, which is characteristic of antiquity. First on the list is Peter, followed by the sons of Zebedee. Even during the Lord’s stay on earth, Peter was a kind of speaker among the disciples (see Matt. 16:16 and John 6:67-69), and Peter, James and John formed a narrow circle of His followers (see Matt. 26: 37, as well as Matthew 17:1 and Mark 5:37). The name of Peter also heads the list of witnesses of the risen Christ in 1 Cor. 15:5 et seq. What were the people who stood at the origins of Christianity like?

Peter's name was Simon before he met Jesus; he was the son of Jonah (see John 21:15). Together with his brother Andrew, Peter came from Bethsaida, a small town located on the border between Galilee and Golan Heights where the Jordan flows into Lake Gennesaret. The name Peter (“rock”), given to him by Jesus and gradually replacing his own, symbolizes the destiny that Simon was destined to fulfill: he, who was the first to confess Christ as the Son of God, was to become the foundation of the Church (Matthew 16:13 et seq. ). Peter was probably one of the very first disciples of Christ. From the Gospels we know that he had a hot temper (see John 18:10 et seq.), and sometimes overestimated his capabilities (Matthew 26:33-35). Peter was an indirect witness to the interrogation of Jesus by the high priest (John 18:15) and, out of fear, denied the Lord, but after the resurrection of Christ he was again accepted by Him. Jesus entrusted him with the leadership (John 21:15ff) of the first Christian community in Jerusalem. After his arrest and miraculous release (Acts 12) in the mid-40s. under Herod Agrippa 1 Peter left Jerusalem. He is also mentioned in Acts (Acts 15:7), where he speaks with James about the Gentiles and the law. Perhaps Peter preached the gospel in Babylon, where there was a large Jewish diaspora3 (see 1 Pet. 5:13). But the only fact that can be considered established is that Peter, in connection with the persecutions inflicted by Nero, suffered martyrdom in Rome in the mid-60s. The details of this event are unknown to us. Peter is an example of a hot-tempered and wavering man whom Jesus, despite all his weaknesses, calls to serve and puts to good use!

James, like his brother John, was the son of Zebedee. They both lived on the northern shore of Lake Genniearet and, like Peter and Andrew, were fishermen (Luke 5:1 - 11). Jesus called them to ministry, tearing them away from their daily work, and without hesitation they left their nets and boats and followed Him. This readiness to breastfeed for the glory of the Lord never left them. Jesus called them “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17), when they wanted, like Elijah, to destroy with fire the Samaritan village, whose inhabitants refused to accept the Lord and the disciples (Luke 9:51-56; see 2 Kings 1:9 etc.). The exceptional trust that the Teacher placed in them awakened in them dreams of a special position among other disciples (Matthew 20:20-28). After the resurrection of Christ, James became one of the leaders of the Church, for which he was executed by Herod Agrippa I under circumstances unknown to us c. 44 AD >.

John, brother of James. It is assumed that he was Jesus' favorite disciple (John 13:23). Like Peter, John left Jerusalem and, according to church tradition, settled in Ephesus. His close ties with the churches of Asia Minor are evidenced by the Revelation he wrote (Rev. 1:4 et seq.), although, contrary to crowbar, the three letters of John that have come down to us do not contain any mention of the Asia Minor area. During the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96 AD), John was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he received a revelation from Jesus Christ. The Gospel he wrote, as well as his Epistles and Revelation, give reason to assume that he stood out among the New Testament authors for his intellect. It was he, who was at first a simple fisherman, who entered into the fight against the emerging Gnosticism and made his contribution to overcoming it. John died at an old age.

Andrei appears before us as if in the shadow of his brother Peter. And yet it was he who brought Peter to Jesus (John 1:41ff.). It is not only celebrities who do something extraordinary and become part of history who are significant in the kingdom of God. Andrei is an example for us that the Lord needs small ones in order to attract the great ones to Himself. According to church tradition, after leaving Jerusalem, Andrei was a preacher in Scythia (Northern Black Sea region, south of modern Ukraine).

Philip, Bartholomew, James Alphaeus and Judas, the brother of James, are the four apostles about whom we know very little. Philip was from Bethsaida (John 1:44). From the Gospel of John (John 12:20 et seq.) it is known that some “Greeks”, wanting to meet Jesus, turned to Philip with this request. It is not known whether this refers to real Greeks (i.e., pagans) or whether we are talking about Jews of the Diaspora who spoke Greek. In any case, Philip seems to have maintained contacts with the Greek-speaking world. There is some debate as to whether Philip the evangelist (Acts 6:5) and the Apostle Philip existed or whether they are talking about the same person.

About Bartholomew, the Church historian Eusebius of Caesarea reports that on his missionary journey the apostle reached India and brought the Gospel of Matthew to the Indians in Hebrew4. It is difficult to say whether this news is reliable.

We know practically nothing about Jacob and Judas.

Thomas had the nickname Gemini. According to Eusebius of Caesarea, the field of his missionary activity was mainly the Parthian kingdom, the main rival of the Roman Empire in the East. We know Thomas as a doubting man, capable of believing only what he sees or touches (John 20:24 et seq.). But Jesus, after his ascension, paid special attention to this disciple, which served as a stimulus for his spiritual renewal.

Matthew may be none other than the publican Levi, whom Jesus called to follow Him (see Matt. 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27 et seq.). Tax collectors were extremely unpopular with the Jews because they collaborated with the Roman authorities, while not forgetting about their own pockets. Not without reason, they were considered unclean

hand. Jesus nevertheless called one of them to follow Him, and it is to this tax collector that we owe the origins of the Gospel of Matthew. Thanks to Jesus, a businessman became a writer - this is no miracle!

Little is also known about Simon the Zealot. It is noteworthy that before his conversion, Simon belonged to the national-religious movement of the Zealots, “zealots God's honor", the most radical group of which, the Sicarii, with their villainous murders struck fear into all Jews loyal to Rome. The Zealots in the time of Christ were a kind of terrorists. Nevertheless, a supporter of this movement was part of the narrow circle of His disciples, although, in all likelihood, no longer belonged to the Zealot party at that time, since he was transformed by the Teacher, Who, as we know, did not approve of the actions of this group (see Matt. 22:15-22).

Thus, Jesus gathered around Him a rather motley company, which became the core of His Church: “hot-tempered”, “intellectual”, “skeptic”, former “businessman”, former “terrorist”... In the Church of Christ these differences do not disappear, but do not interfere with unification of people. This is how Jesus transforms us!

Along with the apostles, or rather, after them, Luke always mentions women who were in Jerusalem from the very beginning. Among them was the mother of Jesus, Mary.

The message of Christ invariably attracted women. Luke in his Gospel names some of them (Luke 8:1-3). Women were the first witnesses of the Risen One, His most faithful followers even when men (like Peter) denied. They were at the cross of Jesus at the crucifixion, at His tomb at burial and on the morning of the resurrection. But, by the will of the Lord, men took leadership positions in the young Church. Later, in Corinth, a city of Hellenistic Christianity, the Apostle Paul decisively rejected women's claims to leadership by pointing to the place assigned to women at the creation of the world (1 Cor. 11).

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is rarely mentioned and, in any case, is not given special veneration anywhere. Jesus does not insist on honoring His mother, pointing out what is truly significant (Luke 11:27ff.). Mary herself humbly identifies herself in a song of praise in Luke. 1:46-55 “servant” of the Lord (Luke 1:48). After the dramatic events that took place at the end of Jesus' earthly life (Mark 3:31-35), we meet her at the foot of His Cross (John 19:25-27), and later she was in His community.

The question of Jesus' brothers initially caused a lot of controversy. In Matt. 13:55 their names are indicated: Jacob, Joseph, Simon and Judah, and there is also talk about the sisters. The Catholic Church calls these people cousins ​​of Jesus in order to establish the dogma of the “perpetual virginity” of Mary. This point of view (albeit for other reasons) in Lately supported by some members of evangelical churches. But the author of this Commentary is of the opinion that Jesus had natural brothers and sisters. Of these, the most famous are James and Jude, each of whom is the author of the New Testament epistles.

James took over the leadership of the first Church after Peter had to flee. He had a great influence on the development of early Christian theology. The Jews called him righteous, which indicates his high authority among the adherents of Judaism. His execution drew sharp condemnation from them6. James is known primarily as Paul's opponent on issues of evangelism among the Gentiles. His Epistle testifies to how strong the influence exerted on him by the Old Testament was, which is why it was so difficult for this devout Jew who converted to Christianity to allow pagans to enter the Church, bypassing communion with the chosen people, i.e. circumcision. However, in the future it was he, according to Acts. 15:13 et seq., put forward a proposal that contributed to the achievement of mutual agreement.

Judas, on the contrary, does not seem to have played a leading role in the Church. The members of Jesus' family had to undergo significant internal changes in order to abandon their original opinion of Him (“He lost His temper,” Mark 3:21) and recognize Jesus as the Messiah by the time of His Ascension.

Thus, the first evangelists were a very diverse group of people who were sent to conquer the world. Outwardly, these were unrepresentative and unknown people. But the point was not who they were, but who sent them and what they did. They all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication... - writes Luke. Here for the first time we encounter the word unanimously, Luke’s favorite word, which he uses to designate the atmosphere that reigned within the community (see Acts 2:46; 4:24; 5:12; 15:25). They were focused on Jesus. This was probably the secret of their success.

Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles Chapter 1 (1:15-26)

1.4. Election of Matthias (1:15-26)

1:15 And in those days Peter stood in the midst of the disciples, and said

1:16 (there was a meeting of about one hundred and twenty people): Men and brethren! What had to be fulfilled was what the Holy Spirit foretold in the Scriptures through the mouth of David about Judas, who was the leader of those who took Jesus;

1:17 He was numbered among us and received the lot of this ministry;

1:18 But he acquired the land with unjust wages, and when he fell, his belly was split open, and all his entrails fell out;

1:19 And this became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that that land in their native dialect was called Akeldama, that is, the land of blood.

1:20 And in the book of Psalms it is written: Let his court be desolate, and let no one dwell in it; and: let another take his dignity.

1:21 Therefore it is necessary that one of those who were with us all the time that the Lord Jesus remained and spoke with us,

1:22 From the baptism of John until the day in which He ascended from us, He was a witness with us of His resurrection.

1:23 And they appointed two: Joseph, who was called Barsaba, who was called Justus, and Matthias;

1:24 And they prayed and said: You, O Lord, are the knower of the hearts of all; show of these two the one whom You have chosen

1:25 to accept the lot of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas fell away, in order to go to his own place.

1:26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

When reading the story about the acceptance of Matthias into the circle of the apostles, the question arises: why was such a choice made?

We know that Jesus, along with a fairly large number of adherents in Judea and Galilee, also had a number of followers who accompanied Him on his travels. We know about the seventy disciples whom He sent to preach the gospel and heal (Luke 10:1 et seq.). We also know about Jesus’ inner circle, which consisted of twelve disciples (see Matthew 10:2-4 and parallel passages). In all lists of names, only one always appears at the end: the name of the traitor Judas. The reward for his betrayal turned against him (Matt. 27:3-10). Perhaps he imagined the course of events after the arrest of Jesus quite differently. In any case, after a desperate attempt to absolve himself of guilt, Judas could no longer find peace and eventually committed suicide (Matthew 27:5 and Acts 1:18). The eleven apostles could simply leave his place free, because the Lord who called them did not give any instructions regarding additional elections. The further history of the development of the early Church indicates that Paul should be considered the twelfth apostle, because Matthias, who was chosen by the apostles, is not mentioned anywhere else, and Paul becomes one of the most zealous executors of Christ’s command to evangelize. However, it is strange that it is Luke, Paul’s disciple, who devotes half the chapter to describing the elections - this gives us the basis for a more detailed study of this event.

The initiative for choosing the twelfth apostle comes from Peter (1:15). In his short speech, which is addressed to a community of almost 120 people, the Apostle Peter proposes to choose one of the disciples of Christ in the place of Judas, saying: Therefore it is necessary ... (1:21). At the same time, he uses the Greek word dei [day - “necessary”, “necessary”, “necessary”, which is sometimes used when speaking about the fulfillment of God’s plan. In the true sense of the word, it was necessary for Christ to suffer and die for us (Luke 24:26). Therefore, for the fulfillment of God's plan for salvation, it is necessary that there be twelve apostles, Peter believes. It was no coincidence that Jesus called exactly twelve disciples in his time; He saw in them symbolic representatives of the twelve tribes of Israel. That is why the election of another apostle was required to restore the original state.

There is another reason. Peter justifies both the departure of the traitor and the election of another person in his place using quotations from the Old Testament (1:20). We will not be mistaken if we assume that Peter made the proposal for elections after a careful study of the Scriptures. In what happened to Judas, he sees the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. The quotations from the psalms placed in the middle of the passage relate both to the previous one (1:16-19) and to the subsequent texts (1:21-26). However, it is obvious that these quotes in a certain sense contradict each other - after reading Ps. 68:26 we can expect that the place left by Judas will remain vacant, while in Ps. 108:8, on the contrary, calls for someone worthy to occupy it. Since Peter’s speech must be considered as a single whole, the word mi [kai] - and, connecting both quotations (1:20), should be understood not as a connective, but as an adversative conjunction, translating it with the words “on the other hand”, “in same time" or "but". In this case, Peter’s words would take on approximately the following meaning: although the traitor Judas dropped out of the number of the twelve, as was predicted in the Old Testament (Ps. 68:26), at the same time Old Testament contains an indication that he should be replaced by a successor (Ps. 109:8).

The first part of Peter's speech (1:16-19) is dedicated to the death of the traitor Judas Iscariot. In accordance with the Gospels, Luke says that Judas, who handed Jesus over to the guards, was a full member of the circle of the twelve (1:16 et seq.). In Matt. 27:8 there is a phrase land of blood (1:19), which was understood ambiguously by the evangelists. It is noteworthy that Luke gives the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic name AkeA.5arakh [Akeldam'ah| and at the same time gives the translation: land of blood. This fact, as well as the use of different Greek terms by Matthew and Luke to denote the word "earth" (Matthew 27:8 uses the Greek aypoq [agr'os] - "field", Luke in Acts 1:19 - xoplov | chorus 'ion] - “locality”, “country”, “place”) indicates that both of them in this case were dealing with an Aramaic source. Both Greek words mean, however, the same concept. (Note that the Greek translation, which might seem out of place in the mouth of the Galilean Peter, is undoubtedly Luke's.)

The matter becomes more complicated when we turn to the account of the death of Judas. If Matthew says: “And having thrown away the pieces of silver in the temple, he went out, went and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5), then Peter (in Luke’s account) speaks about it this way: ... but he acquired the land with an unrighteous bribe, and when I cast down the land , his belly was split open, and all his entrails fell out... (1:18). At first glance, we are talking about two different versions, but one does not exclude the other. Matthew7 also speaks about the acquisition of land (through the mediation of the high priests) (Matthew 27:5-7). The hanging in Matthew and the fall in Luke do not contradict each other. We don't know the details, but why not assume that the hanged man fell and cut his stomach? You should not focus on places with apparent contradictions.

In the second part of his speech, Peter (1:20-22) reflects on the consequences of Judas' departure. It is obvious that many in the community were concerned about his betrayal. The words of Scripture on which Peter is based are taken from two psalms in which the psalmist complains about and curses his enemies (see, for example, Ps. 109:17-20).

Next, Peter names the requirements that the new chosen one must meet. They are of particular interest to us, since they show what distinguished the disciples who were close to Jesus, and why they could reliably testify about Him. Only those who were constantly with Christ from the moment of His baptism in the Jordan until the ascension could belong to the circle of twelve (1:21 et seq.). It should be noted that the testimony of the three evangelists that the first disciples were called only after the baptism of Jesus coincides. However, only John clearly indicates the close connection between the baptism of Jesus and the calling of the disciples (John 1:35 et seq.).

The meaning of this sequence is clear: the chosen one must report information about Jesus based on his own experience, that is, be a true witness. He must certainly be an eyewitness of His resurrection. Already in those distant times - and we are mentally still in the year when He was resurrected - this event was considered the focus of the Christian message. Paul writes about the same thing twenty years later in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 15:12 et seq.). However, the assumption of modernist theologians that the message of the resurrection and the call to faith are in no way connected with the problem of the historical reliability of the tradition of Jesus seems incorrect. Peter (Acts 1:21 et seq.), like Paul (1 Cor. 15:1 - 10), understands perfectly well that the news of the resurrection of Christ only rings true when this fact is historically reliable. Paul confirms the indisputability of the resurrection by listing the eyewitnesses of this phenomenon, without, however, mentioning the first witnesses - women, since according to Jewish laws their testimony was not taken into account in court.

So, we are dealing with evidence of the resurrection, but these facts do not detract from the importance of faith. God acts in history, but we must reverently await our salvation. At the same time, it is important for us to have strong historical evidence of the resurrection. If we approach the study of the evidence for the resurrection with an open mind, we would have to agree with many scholars who believe that it would be difficult to find another “historical event that would be supported by such reliable and varied evidence as the resurrection of Christ.”8 The news about this event cannot remain just interesting information that has no relation to reality. And in fact, Jesus is in our lives, He wants us to follow Him, and this requires faith.

It is obvious that among the followers of Jesus there were many who met the above requirements. From Acts we learn that the lot was to be drawn by two contenders (1:23). The name of one of them that has come down to us is mentioned in all sources: Matthias (in Hebrew, possibly Mattia or Mattitya). We have received conflicting information about another candidate. According to fairly reliable sources, his name was Joseph, but the Aramaic name Barsabas was also mentioned, as well as his Latin nickname Justus (Righteous). In some texts he is called Barnabas and is thus identified with the one mentioned in Acts. 4:36 a companion of Paul who appears later in Luke's account. Presumably the speech is still

it is about two individuals who, due to the similarity of names, the scribes considered to be one and the same person.

After the congregation (in one of the oldest Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, known as the Beza Codex, Peter is meant, since instead of “set” it says “set”) has made a preliminary choice, the final word is left to the Lord, who at one time called the other disciples. The short prayer (1:24-25), perhaps the oldest known prayer to the ascended Lord, is addressed to the One who judges not by appearance, but as the Knower of the Hearts of all (see Luke 16:15 about God). He himself must make a decision. Even then, Christians understood that different criteria apply in the Kingdom of God than in this world, and that the owner of the most outstanding qualities does not necessarily have to become the best minister.

So, the chosen one had to combine two types of activity: this ministry and the Apostleship (G.25). We see that specific functions and positions were already differentiated in the community. By ministry is probably meant the “ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4), that is, the preaching of Jesus, which the apostles intended to follow exactly. It should be noted that apostleship as such is mentioned here for the first time. This was precisely service in the modern sense of the word, associated with certain legal powers. The Jewish institution of Shal Yacha served as a model for him. It was the highest Jewish publicizing body in Jerusalem and communicated with numerous communities in the Diaspora through "messengers" (s'gnbo [shelukh'im]) who carried messages and instructions to Jews throughout the world. The orders of these envoys were to be obeyed as orders of the Sanhedrin. Now it becomes clear to us what significance the apostles and apostleship had for the early Church. Apostles are people who are able to communicate reliable information about Jesus and, with their authority, determine the life and teaching of the Church. This opinion is indirectly confirmed by the fact that Paul, before starting his work, secured the consent of the Jerusalem apostles (Gal. 2:2) and subsequently took into account their opinion on the most important issues.

By lot it fell to Matthias to take the place of Judas (1:26). The custom of drawing lots was generally accepted in ancient times (see, for example, Mark 15:24) and was especially popular among the Jews. It was believed that in this way a person gained what he could not achieve on his own. We don’t know exactly how the lots were cast. In any case, a general idea of ​​this can be given by those places in the Bible (1 Chron. 25:8 et seq.; 26:13 et seq.) where it is said that positions were distributed precisely by lot. So, the circle of twelve was restored.

Brief summary of the interpretation of chapter 1 of the Acts of the Apostles.

Let's summarize after reading chapter 1 of the Acts of the Apostles.

1. Luke writes this historical work as an addition to the Gospel. He describes the path of the Good News, starting from Jerusalem, the spiritual center, and ending with Rome, the most important political center of the time.
2. After the ascension of Jesus to the Father, His Church becomes the bearer and preacher of the Gospel. Before His ascension, Jesus commissions her to preach the Good News and announce the descent of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, from Luke's point of view, the history of the Church is a reasonable continuation of the history of Jesus Christ.
3. But before they begin to preach, the small circle of Christ's followers needs preparation. This occurs through corporate prayer, study of Scripture, and the restoration of the circle of the twelve apostles who represented the true Israel. On the eve of Pentecost we see the readiness of the early Church to begin fulfilling the mission of the Lord.

1. I spoke the first word about everyone, about Theophilus.

Luke reminds Theophilus of his gospel to indicate his very careful attitude to the matter; because at the beginning of his work he says: I also deigned to follow the above, all tentatively, in order to write to you, and not somehow, but like this, “as if she betrayed to us those who were first seen as witnesses and servants of the former Word”(Luke 1:2-3). So he reminds us of the Gospel in order to remind us of the care with which it was written; and he remembers this in order to, having in mind the same careful attitude to the matter when compiling this book, be as attentive as possible to what is being written. Therefore, he did not need any other approval this time; for he who is honored to write about what he has heard, and who is believed in what he has written, justly deserves much greater faith when he states not what he heard from others, but what he himself saw. Therefore he does not say: the first is the gospel, the hedgehog of good news, but: first word; since he was alien to arrogance and humility and thought that the name: gospel higher than his labor, although the apostle calls him this for his labor: “whose praise is in the gospel in all the churches”(2 Cor 8:18). But in his own words: about everyone he seems to contradict the Evangelist John. He says that it was not possible to describe everything; and he says: I created for everyone from the beginning even to the ascension. So what do we say to this? What is expressed about everyone Luke points out that he did not omit any of the essential and necessary things from which the divinity and truth of preaching is known; because both Luke and each of the evangelists in their gospels placed at the head of everything that from which the divinity and truth of the sermon is known, and, moreover, in such an exact form, as if according to some model. John the theologian himself spoke about all this in a similar way. They did not omit any of those features through which, on the one hand, the ministry of the Word according to the flesh is known and becomes an object of faith, and on the other, His greatness shines and is revealed according to divinity. John says that if we were to describe in parts and briefly everything that the Lord said and did, then even then the world would not be able to contain the books that would be written; but it would be all the more impossible to contain if someone wanted to set out in writing all the deeds and words of the Lord with an investigation of their meaning; because the meaning of them and the reasons why the Lord worked and spoke cannot be comprehended or comprehended by the human mind, for the reason that everything that He created in human nature, He created as God; from this side, it is impossible to express the deeds and words of Christ either in words or convey them in writing. However, I also admit that this addition is a hyperbolic turn of phrase and does not certainly mean that the world could not accommodate the books being written if the presentation were more extensive. It can also be said that this Evangelist John, who developed theoretical contemplation more than others, really knows all the creations and deeds of the Savior - not only those that He revealed in the flesh, but also those that He performed from eternity, both without a body and with a body. If anyone dared to describe the features of nature, origin, differences, essence, etc. each of these cases; then, even if we admit the possibility of this, it would be impossible for the world to contain written books. If anyone by the word begins to understand not just the world, but a person lying in evil and thinking about worldly and carnal things, because the word is understood this way in many places of Scripture; and in this case, John correctly says that if someone wanted to describe all the miracles performed by Christ, then such people, inclined to come to unbelief rather than to faith because of the multitude and greatness of Christ’s works, would not be able to accommodate what was written. And that is why it is the evangelists who often pass in silence a whole crowd of healed people and bypass many miraculous actions, denoting only the general fact that many were delivered from various diseases, that there were many miracles, etc., but they are not listed; because for people incapable of understanding and deceived, the enumeration of many miracles in parts usually served as a reason for unbelief and reluctance to listen to the sermon, rather than for belief and the disposition to listen.

Jesus began to create and teach.

Understands miracles and teaching, - however, not only this, but also what Jesus taught in practice; because he not only exhorted people in words to do this or that, but did not do it himself, but through the deeds that he himself did, he convinced them to imitate Him and be zealous for virtue. It should be known that Theophilus was one of those converted to faith by Luke himself. And don’t be surprised that Luke showed so much concern for one person that he wrote two full of books; because he was the custodian of the famous saying of the Lord, which says: “It is not the will of my Father that one of these little ones perish”(Matt. 18:14). Why, writing to Theophilus alone, did he write more than one book, but divided the subjects into two books? For the sake of clarity and in order not to confuse the reader; Yes, they were also divided in content; and therefore he rightly divided the subjects of the narrative into two books.

2. Even to the very day, having commanded the apostles with the Holy Spirit, whom he chose, he ascended.

Having commanded by the Holy Spirit, that is, speaking to them spiritual verbs; there was nothing human here; because he commanded them by the Spirit. Just as the Lord himself, out of humility and adaptability to the listeners, said: “If I have the Spirit of God I will cast out demons”(Matthew 12:28): so here the commandment by the Spirit is said, not because the Son had need of the Spirit, but because where the Son creates, the Spirit also cooperates and is co-present as one in essence. What did he command? “Go and teach all languages, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the things given to you in the commandments.”(Matt. 28:19-20). Having commanded, they say, he ascended. He did not say: he has ascended, but he still speaks as about a man. From here we see that Jesus taught his disciples even after his resurrection: but no one accurately conveyed the time of this. John spent more time with Him than others; but no one announced all this clearly; because the disciples were turning their attention elsewhere.

3. Before them, set yourself alive after your suffering, in many true signs, for forty days.

Having spoken first about the ascension, he then speaks about the resurrection. Since you have heard that He ascended; So that you do not think that He was taken by others, Luke added: before them and set yourself alive; because if He appeared before them, performing a greater miracle, then He was much more able to perform a smaller one. Denmy forty, and not forty days; because he was not with them constantly, as before the resurrection, but appeared and departed again, elevating their thoughts and not allowing them to cling to Himself in the same way as before. With greater caution and wisdom, He gradually developed two sides in them - faith in His resurrection and the conviction to consider Him higher than man, although one contradicted the other; because from the belief in the resurrection the idea of ​​many aspects of humanity should have arisen, and from the fact that He is higher than man, the opposite. However, both of these were confirmed in due time, namely, over the course of forty days, starting from the day of resurrection and until the day of ascension into heaven; During these days He ate and drank with them, showing by this that He was the one who was crucified and buried and rose from the dead. Why did He not appear to everyone, but only to the apostles? Because to many who did not understand this ineffable mystery, His appearance would seem like a vision. If at first the disciples themselves did not believe and were embarrassed, even needing to be touched by the hand and to share a meal with Him; then how should His appearance strike the crowd? Therefore, He makes the proof of His resurrection undoubted and general through the miracles that the apostles performed by the power of the grace they received; so that the resurrection became an obvious fact not only for them, who had to see it with their own eyes, but also for all people of subsequent times.

Appearing to them and speaking about the kingdom of God: 4. With them, the poisonous one commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from Me.

The Lord Himself called the kingdom in which He promised the disciples to drink a new cup with them, the kingdom of the Father, calling the new drink that which He drank with them after His resurrection; at this time He ate new food with them - he ate it not in the same way as he ate and drank with them before before the resurrection; because then, having become like us in everything except sin, He ate and drank like us, voluntarily leaving the flesh to demand the necessary consumption of food; therefore, he voluntarily allowed himself to be in a state of hunger. After the resurrection, he drank and ate no longer out of necessity, but only so that everyone would believe in the truth of His bodily nature, and also in the fact that He suffered voluntarily and rose again, as befits God. So, new food and new drink he called that unusual food that He ate, and that unusual drink that he drank with the disciples after the resurrection; because it is said: forty days are with them and poisonous, that is, by eating common salt and common food with them. How it is is not for us to explain; because it was something extraordinary, it was not because nature required food, but out of condescension, with the goal of proving the resurrection. And revealing to them secrets, even about the kingdom of God, he commanded them, etc. Why did he command them to do this? Before, when they were afraid and trembling, He brought them out into Galilee, so that they could listen without fear to what He had to say to them; since they were ready to abandon the work to which they were called; Now that they had listened and spent forty days together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem. Why is this? Because, just as no one allows warriors who have a great force to attack their opponents to go out against them before they have time to arm themselves, and just as no one agrees to release the horses before the driver sits down, so the Lord does not allow the apostles to appear at the competition so that the vast majority does not defeat them and capture them. However, the Lord does not allow them to leave Jerusalem, not only for this reason, but also because many here believed, and thirdly, so that no one would say that, having left their own, they went to seek glory from strangers. Therefore, they spread undoubted evidence of the resurrection among the very people who killed the Lord, who crucified and buried Him, and in the very city where they had the audacity to commit such lawlessness. When did they hear such a command? Then when He told them: “If you have no food, but I am going: if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you.”(John 16:7); and further: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter”(John 14:16). Why did the Comforter not come with Him and not immediately after His departure, but after eight or nine days, that is, at the time when the day of Pentecost arrived? Moreover, how, when the Holy Spirit had not yet descended, He said: "receive the Holy Spirit"(John 20:22)? To this it must be said that He spoke this way with the goal of preparing in them the desire, readiness and ability to receive the Holy Spirit; and they received Him when He came down; - or he spoke about what was about to happen as if it were already existing and present, just as when He spoke about the possibility of stepping on the serpent and the scorpion and on every force of the enemy. However, it should also be said that the gifts of the Spirit are different and diverse: there is the gift of purification and perfection, the gift of sanctification and sanctifying power, the gift of tongues and prophecy, the gift of miracles and interpretation, and many other gifts. So, given the diversity and diversity of the gifts of the Spirit, nothing any longer prevented the apostles from receiving the grace of the Spirit in different ways. But the complete communication of the Spirit, which made the apostles perfect and capable of perfecting others, was at Pentecost, when He descended on them in the form of tongues of fire and completely filled them with His power. The Lord departed, and then the Holy Spirit came, and came at the time of Pentecost, and not immediately, so that they would be imbued with desire and then receive grace. But if the Holy Spirit had come with the Son, and then the Son had departed, but the Spirit remained, then there would not have been so much consolation for them; because they were very reluctant to be separated from their Master. Therefore, He ascends and the Spirit does not come immediately, so that after some despondency, He awakens in the disciples the desire and consciousness of the necessity of the promise given to them, and so that during the descent they experience pure and complete pleasure. However, it was necessary first for our flesh to appear in heaven and complete reconciliation be accomplished, and then the Holy Spirit should descend. Know, then, what necessity the Lord placed upon them to remain in Jerusalem by this promise. So that after the Ascension they do not scatter again, by this expectation, as if by some kind of bonds, He holds them all there and with the promise of more profitable hopes disposes them to the strongest desire for these hopes, even though they are unknown. But no one would be wrong if he said that even then they received some power and grace of the Spirit, not such as to raise the dead, but they received the power to forgive sins. That's why he added: “Whose sins you forgive, their sins will be forgiven” etc. (John 20:23), showing by this what kind of power he bestows upon them. Then He clothed them with this very power; and after forty days he grants them the power to perform miracles; That’s why he says: you will receive strength, etc.

5. For John already baptized with water, but you must be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days ago.

Having told them to wait for the promise of the Father, which they heard from the Lord, He added: for John baptized with water, etc., and by this he clearly shows his difference from John and is no longer as secretive as before, when he said: I am in the kingdom heavenly, greater than him is> (Matt. 11:11). Now he clearly says: John baptized with water, but you must be baptized with the Holy Spirit, and he shows that even they began to more than John; since they also had to baptize with the Holy Spirit. He did not say: Imam to baptize you with the Holy Spirit, but: imam to be baptized, leaving us everywhere examples of humility; since from the testimony of John it is already known that the Lord was the baptist: “the one you baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire”(Matt. 3:11). How is it said: you should be baptized when there was no water in the upper room? This is said because here the actual baptism of the Spirit is meant, through which the water itself becomes effective, just as it is said about the Lord himself that He was anointed, whereas He was never anointed with oil, but received the Spirit. However, it can be proven that the apostles were baptized not only with the Spirit, but also with water, only at different times. For us, both baptisms are performed at the same time, and then they were performed separately; because the apostles were first baptized by John with water, and then with the Holy Spirit. Why didn’t the Lord announce when the Holy Spirit would come, but only said: not after many days? Not for many of these days - he speaks so that they do not fall into despondency; but did not say specifically when the Holy Spirit would come, so that, while waiting for Him, they would constantly be awake. So, is it surprising that He does not tell them about the final world, when, for the reason we have indicated, He did not want to announce even this near hour? The expression: to be baptized means abundance and, as it were, the richness of the communication of the Holy Spirit, just as someone who is baptized in water, immersing his whole body, sensually feels it, while he who simply receives water is not irrigated entirely, not in all places of his body. So in what is now said there is no contradiction with what is said in the divine gospels; for it is clear that although, after the resurrection of Christ from the dead, it was said to the apostles: receive the Holy Spirit, and they received Him; but it says there that they received the Holy Spirit. Here the expression: to be baptized in the Spirit means the outpouring and richness of grace to guide others, which the Lord granted to them by ascending to the Father. Just as, having faith, they come to Him and say: add faith to us: so here, in addition to the communion of the Spirit that they already had, they received, after the descent of the Holy Spirit on them, the addition of a stronger unity with Him.

6. They then came together to ask Him, saying: Lord, will you establish the kingdom of Israel in this year? 7. He said to them: You cannot understand the times and years that the Father has laid down in His power: 8. But you will receive the power that the Holy Spirit has brought upon you.

Intending to ask, they come to the Teacher together in order to influence Him with their numbers; since they knew that His previous answer was: “nobody knows about those days”(Matt. 24:36), was such an answer not due to ignorance, but due to evasion of the answer. So they ask again. When they heard that they were about to receive the Holy Spirit, then they wanted to know about it and get rid of disasters, already as worthy; because they did not want to expose themselves to extreme dangers again. They do not ask: when, but: if in this year you will establish the kingdom of Israel? , They say. They longed for this day so much. It seems to me that it was still unclear to them what this kingdom was; since there was not yet the Holy Spirit to guide them. They don’t ask: when will it come, but: what if you arrange it yourself? They already thought so highly of Him. Therefore, He talks to them without insistence; because he no longer says that no one knows about those days, not even the Son; but what does he say? It is your understanding of the times and summers. Not because he attributed to the Father the knowledge of the fulfillment of times, because he himself did not know, but because the question itself was unnecessary; and therefore He answered it with silence for their benefit. His goal was to suppress the extreme curiosity of his disciples; since He sent them to preach the kingdom of heaven, and not to indicate the number of times. He does not tell them about this time, while he taught them much more, for the purpose, as we have mentioned more than once, to force them to stay awake, and because, not knowing about it, they did not lose anything; since He revealed to them truths much higher than this - revealed that He is the Son of God, that He is equal with the Father, that He has risen, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, that judgment will come, and that He is seated at the right hand of the Father. Tell me, what is more important - to know that He will reign, or when? Pavel learned what was not “a man is old to say”(2 Cor. 12:4); Moses learned the beginning of the world and when and in how many centuries it was created and calculates the years, although it is generally more difficult to know the beginning than the end. However, the apostles asked the Lord not about the final completion of times, but: will you establish the kingdom of Israel in this year? But He did not reveal this to them either, and as He answered before, turning them away from thinking about it, so that they would not think that deliverance from disasters was near, but would know that they would still be exposed to many dangers, so He answers now, only softer: but you will receive strength. . Then, so that they would not ask Him again, He immediately ascended. In addition, so that they do not ask: why do you leave us in bewilderment regarding this subject?, the Son says: what the Father has put in his power. But the power of the Father is, of course, also the power of the Son; because just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so the Son gives life to them as He wills. If, in those cases where something extraordinary and miraculous needs to be accomplished, the Son creates with the same authority as the Father, then even more so in cases where knowledge is required; because to raise the dead and, moreover, with power equal to the power of the Father, is much more important than knowing the day. Why did Christ not answer what the disciples asked, but said: “Will you receive power?” In response, He said to them: “It is not your understanding; and then he added: but you will receive strength. These words explain in some way the descent and, so to speak, outpouring of the Holy Spirit. - Here we should mention the Phrygian heresy, which believed that the Comforter was sent, two hundred years after the Ascension of Christ, to the wives considered to be prophetesses, Priscilla and Maximilla, and to Montanus, infected with the same madness as them; Then, they say, the promise was fulfilled: I will send you the Comforter (John 16:7). - Why does he announce to them what they did not ask, namely: you will receive power? Because He is a teacher; The teacher’s calling is to teach not what the student wants, but what is useful to know.

And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the last of the earth.

Since he said before: “Do not go into the way of the tongue and do not enter the city of the Samaritans” (Matthew 10:5), wanting the word of God to be preached first to the Jews, and now it should spread throughout the entire universe: then he adds in a timely manner: in Judea and Samaria, then: and to the last of the earth. The saying: you will be my witnesses is both an admonition and an immutable prophecy; because they testified to their preaching to the utmost ends of the earth.

9. And this river is taken away by them that see, and the cloud is lifted from their sight. 10. And whenever I look at the sky, I go to Him.

He rose in such a way that they did not see; they saw His ascension; since the vision this time did not resolve everything; they saw the end of the resurrection, but did not see its beginning; saw the beginning of the ascension, but did not see its end. Why? Because it was unnecessary to see the beginning there; since the Risen One Himself was before them and spoke about this, and since the very tomb showed that He was not in it; here it was necessary to know the end; since the entire height is inaccessible to the eyes and vision could not decide whether He ascended to heaven, or, having risen to a certain height, stopped. Therefore, the angels, appearing before them, reveal to them what they could not understand through sight. And the cloud lifted Him up because it is a symbol of the Lord and Divine power; since in the cloud one cannot see the symbol of any other power. This is why David says about the Father: "Cast the clouds for your rising"(Psalm 103:3), and elsewhere: “The Lord sits on a light cloud”(Isa. 19:1), and many other places speak of the same thing. However, the Lord did this not simply and not without purpose; for, knowing that if He ascends invisibly for them, as He descended and, even more so, as He descended, then even when the Spirit appears, they will not believe that this is the same Spirit that He promised to send a few days before, - knowing , that in this case He would prepare in them the suspicion that He Himself did not come from heaven, knowing finally that in this case, if, having ascended invisibly, He then called Paul from heaven, if He also sent from there to Peter the shroud not made with hands (Acts 10:11), then they would not have believed that He was doing this after His departure from them in the flesh - knowing all this, He ascended to those who saw. From the cloud of the Virgin He enters the cloud and, through the cloud, ascends to where he was before. Expression: understand not in the sense of place, and not in the sense that He laid aside His flesh and that His incarnate deity became, as before, incorporeal; no, the expression: “where was,” - listen to me - indicates the height of incorporeality in corporeality, the greatness of incorporeality in fleshiness, the self-existent value of His voluntary humility in the embodiment of His immutability, the fact that He no longer visibly turns or lives among people.

And behold, two men stood before them in white clothing, 11. Like and rekosta: men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? This Jesus, who ascended from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him going into heaven.

They used a visual way of expression, saying: this Jesus, who ascended from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him going into heaven. He did not say: lifted or carried, but walking. If before the cross He, clothed with a body still subject to suffering and heavy, walked on the waters, then no one should doubt that He, after taking on an incorruptible body, cut through the air. He will come, they say, not: he will be sent. He will also come, that is, with a body. This is what they wanted to hear about, and also that He would come again in the days of judgment on the cloud. He calls angels men, showing the event in the form in which it appeared to the eye; since the angels actually took on the image of men, so as not to frighten them. The two husbands appeared because “When two or three witnesses have spoken, every word will become”(Matt. 18:16). Having said: that you stand with your eyes on heaven, they did not allow them to remain in place any longer and hope to see Him again, but urged them to finally return to Jerusalem for the work of preaching. Angels serve Him everywhere as the Lord, both at birth, and at resurrection, and at ascension, and before that, before His appearance in the world in the flesh. But the angels appeared so that people could see them. The expression: in white clothing indicates either the purity of the angels, or the illumination that was granted to the holy apostles. Otherwise, you need to look at the expression: to those who see. Knowing that people with damaged minds will appear who will say that He is not from heaven, or did not come from heaven and did not ascend to heaven, but was transferred to some place beyond the earth, including the followers of the Vitaliy sect, - Knowing this, the Lord ascended before the eyes of the apostles as they gazed at the sky.

12. Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, having the way of the Sabbath.

Then. When? When they heard what the angels said; because they would never have left the place if the angels had not informed them about the second coming. And I think it happened on Saturday; because Luke would not have indicated the distance in this way: from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, the Sabbath has a way. The length of the journey that the Jews were allowed to travel on the Sabbath day was determined. Josephus, in his twentieth book of antiquities, relates that the Mount of Olives was eight furlongs distant from Jerusalem. And Origen in the fifth book says: . And the holy tabernacle with the ark preceded the camp at such a distance and was located at such a distance from it that the worshipers were allowed to pass on Saturday. This distance is one mile.

13. And when they came down, they went up into the upper room, where they abided, Peter and James, and John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James Alpheus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Jacob. 14.

He endured all these things with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and with His brethren. Prudently lists students. Since one of them betrayed, the other denied, the third did not believe; this shows that everyone except the traitor was present. But what does he say: with the Matter of Jesus? Although it is said:“And from that hour the disciple gave drink to himself”

15. (John 19:27), but this does not at all contradict the previous one; because if this student himself was here, then nothing prevented her from being present. How does he not mention Joseph here? He doesn’t mention it because Joseph had already died; because if the brothers believed and were present, who had previously often expressed disbelief, then Joseph, who never expressed any doubt, would have been much more faithful and would not have wanted to leave the face of the apostles if he were still alive. And in the days of thy Peter the disciple stood up in the midst, and said: 16. And the names of the people together are like a hundred and twenty: men and brethren, it is fitting that this scripture should come to an end, which the Holy Spirit spoke from the mouth of David concerning Judah. former leaders eating Jesus: 17.

In the days of Ty, that is, in the days before Pentecost; Peter stood up as a fiery disciple and one to whom Christ entrusted his flock, and finally as the first. But pay attention: he does everything with the general consent and nothing arbitrarily and autocratically. He convinces even on the basis of a prediction and does not say what David said, but: the Holy Spirit is the mouth of David; then about Judas, who was the leader of those who ate Jesus. Notice here the wisdom of this man - notice how in the story he does not insult and does not say: about Judas despised and most despicable, but simply states what happened; and does not say that the Jews acquired it, but: this village acquired this acquisition, and justly; because in fairness the one who contributed the money should be considered the master, even if others also bought. And the payment was his; Listen:

18. This money-grubber sat down from the bribe of unrighteousness, and fell on his face in the midst, and his whole womb was poured out. 19. And it is wise for all who live in Jerusalem.

Talks about the punishment that Judas suffered in real life, and not about future punishment; because the souls of weak people do not pay as much attention to the future as to the present. Observe: he spoke not about the sin, but about the punishment for it; because Judas did not die in the noose, but lived even afterwards; as he was captured before he hanged himself. Papias, a disciple of John, talks about this more clearly in the fourth book of the explanation of the words of the Lord; he says this:

As if that village was called by their tongue Akeldama, which is a sheltered village. 20. It is written in the book of psalms: let his court be empty, and let there be no one living in it, and let another receive his bishopric.

The Jews gave this name to the village not for this reason, but because of Judah. Peter cites this fact here, presenting as witnesses the enemies who gave the village such a name. The words: let his court be empty were spoken about this village and about the house of Judah. And the words: let another receive his bishopric indicate the rank of priesthood. Let his yard be empty. What could be more empty than a cemetery and a public cemetery, which is what this village has become?

21. It is fitting, therefore, from the men who came together with us every year, when the Lord Jesus came in and came out into us, 22. Begun from the baptism of John even to the day when he ascended into heaven from us, the witness of His resurrection to be with us alone from these.

Presents the matter as common to them and the brethren, so that it does not meet with objections and does not give rise to competition. Therefore, at the beginning of the conversation he said: “brothers, men should be chosen from among you,” he gives a choice to everyone, and at the same time he gives honor to the chosen ones and he himself is freed from criticism from anyone. And that this was how it should have been, he himself speaks about this and brings the prophet as a witness. Who should be chosen from? From those who came together with us every summer; because it was necessary and had to be. And he did not say: from the local people who are with us; because then it would seem that he was insulting others. And now the matter was decided by time. The witness of His resurrection to be with us, so that the face of the disciples would not be truncated on any side. He says: to be a witness of the resurrection, and not of anything else; for whoever appears worthy to testify that the Lord who eats and drinks is with us and the crucified Lord has risen, he can and should be much more entrusted with testifying about other events; because what was sought was the resurrection, since it happened in secret, and the rest was done openly.

23. And he set up two, Joseph, who was called Barsabbas, who was called Justus, and Matthias. 24. And having prayed, he decided: You, Lord, knower the hearts of all, show why you have chosen from this two one, 25. Accept the lot of this ministry and apostleship, from where Judas fell, go to your place. 26. And the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered among the ten apostles.

And I'll put two. Why not many? So that there is no more disorder; Moreover, the matter concerned only a few. In good time they call upon the Knower of the Heart in prayer. They do not further say: choose, but: show him whom you have chosen, knowing that God has determined everything before the thoughts of man. Everywhere he calls election a lot, showing by this that everything happens according to God’s love for mankind and according to God’s election, and reminding them of ancient events; because God chose both the Levites and them by lot. What kind of men were they? Perhaps they were from among the seventy who were with the twelve apostles, and from other believers, but they believed more fervently and were more pious than the rest. Such were Joseph and Matthias. He calls Joseph both Barsavo and Just, perhaps because they called one person by these names; but, perhaps, due to a change in lifestyle, a new name was given; finally, the nickname may have been assigned to a way of doing things. Why doesn’t James, who accepted the bishopric in Jerusalem, begin the word, but cedes the right to speak to the people to Peter? Because he was imbued with humility; Then they did not think about anything human, but had in mind the common good. For the same reason, the apostles yield the pulpit to him, and do not compete with him or argue with him. Go to your place. The place that Matthias had to occupy worthily, Luke calls his own, or his own; because just as Judas, even before he fell from him, from the time he fell ill with the disease of love of money and betrayal, was already alienated from this place, so exactly even before Matthias took this place, from the time he made himself worthy such a gift, it became his property. Why do they prefer election by lot? Because they did not yet consider themselves worthy to learn about this through any sign; and the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon them; and there was no need for a sign; because the lot was of great importance. If neither prayer nor the wisdom of men helped in determining the correct opinion regarding Jonah, but on the contrary, the lot meant so much, then even more so in this case. And in other words: to his own place: each one prepares for himself either a good or a bad place by his deeds. So when Luke says this, he says that Judas went to his evil place, which he had arranged for himself by betraying Jesus; because places are not good or bad for us by nature, but by our deeds we make a place for ourselves. So I’m still afraid of Jewish women "God, make for yourself dwellings"(Ex. 1:21); and the wicked hear this: “walk by the light of your fire, and by the flame that you kindled”(Isa. 50:11). The word: place has many meanings. It means, by the way, some kind of position; so we say: the place of a bishop, or presbyter. One can see the same thing from the opposite, depending on how everyone prepares his own place by his actions: thus one can have the place of a false teacher and a false apostle, as well as a tyrant and the perpetrator of other criminal deeds. So, since Judas, carried away by the passion for the love of money, took the place of a traitor; then it is rightly said about him: go to your place. Having lost his place among the apostles for his actions, he made his own place.

Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Bulgaria

Interpretation of the Acts of the Holy Apostles

INTRODUCTION

This book is called "The Acts of the Apostles"; because it contains the acts of (all) the apostles together. And the person who narrates these acts is the Evangelist Luke, who also wrote this book. Being an Antiochian by birth and a doctor by profession, he accompanied the other apostles, especially Paul, and writes about what he knows quite thoroughly. This book also tells how the Lord ascended to heaven at the appearance of angels; further tells about the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and on everyone present then, as well as the election of Matthias instead of Judas the traitor, the election of seven deacons, the conversion of Paul and what he suffered. In addition, he tells about the miracles the apostles performed with the help of prayer and faith in Christ; and about Paul's journey to Rome. So Luke sets out the acts of the apostles and the miracles performed by them. The miracles he describes are as follows: 1) Peter and John heal in the name of the Lord a man lame from birth, who was sitting at the door called red. 2) Peter exposes Ananias and his wife Sapphira for withholding part of what they promised to God, and they immediately died. 3) Peter restores the paralytic Aeneas. 4) Peter in Joppa resurrects the deceased Dorcas with prayer. 5) Peter sees a vessel coming down from heaven filled with animals of every kind. 6) Peter’s shadow, falling on the weak, heals them. 7) Peter, held prisoner in prison, is released by an angel, so that the guards do not see this; and Herod, eaten by worms, gives up the ghost. 8) Stephen performs signs and wonders. 9) Philip in Samaria casts out many spirits and heals the lame and paralytic. 10) Paul, approaching Damascus, sees the apparition and immediately becomes a preacher of the Gospel. 11) The same Philip meets a eunuch reading on the way and baptizes him. 12) Paul in Lystra, in the name of the Lord, heals a man lame from birth. 13) Paul's vision is called to Macedonia. 14) Paul in Philippi heals a wife (youth) possessed by an inquisitive spirit. 15) Paul and Silas are imprisoned and their feet are secured in stocks; but in the middle of the night an earthquake occurs and their bonds fall away. 16) On the weak and demon-possessed, ubrusti from the body of Paul was placed, and they were healed. 17) Paul in Troas resurrects Eutychus, who fell from the window and died, saying: his soul is in him. 18) Paul in Cyprus condemns the sorcerer Elymas, and this sorcerer becomes blind. 19) Paul and all those with him on the ship are overtaken by a fourteen-day storm on their way to Rome. And when everyone expected death, the Lord, appearing to Paul, said: for your sake I will give them life; and everyone was saved. 20) When Paul got off the ship, he was stung by a viper, and everyone thought that he would die. And since he remained unharmed, they considered him to be God. 21) Paul, by the laying on of hands, heals the chief Poplius, who was suffering from dysentery, on the island; He treats many other patients.

TRAVELS OF SAINT APOSTLE PAUL

Paul began his journey from Damascus and came to Jerusalem; from here he went to Tarsus, and from Tarsus to Antioch, and then again to Jerusalem, and again for the second time to Antioch; from here, having been assigned together with Barnabas to the work of the apostle, he arrived in Seleucia, then in Cyprus, where he began to be called Paul; further (went) to Perga, then to Pisidian Antioch, then to Iconium, then to Lystra, Derbe and Lycaonia, then to Pamphylia, then again to Perga, then to Attalia, then again for the third time to Syrian Antioch, then again to the third time to Jerusalem regarding the issue of circumcision, then again for the fourth time to Antioch, then again a second time to Derbe and Lystra, then to Phrygia and the country of Galatia, then to Moisia, then to Troas and from there to Naples, then to Philippi, the city Macedonian; then, having passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, he came to Thessalonica, then to Beria, then to Athens, then to Corinth, then to Ephesus, then to Caesarea, then a second time to Pisidian Antioch, then to the country of Galatia and Phrygia, then again to the second time to Ephesus; then, having passed through Macedonia, he again arrived at Philippi for the second time and from Philippi again to Troas, where he resurrected the fallen Eutychus; then he arrived in Asson, then in Mytilene; then he landed on the shore opposite Khiy; then he arrived in Samos and from there to Miletus, where he called the Ephesian elders and talked with them; then he went to Con (Koos), then to Rhodes, from here to Patara, then to Tire, then to Ptolemais, and from here to Caesarea; from where he returned to Jerusalem again for the fourth time. From Jerusalem he was sent to Caesarea, and finally, having been sent as a prisoner to Rome, he thus arrived from Caesarea to Sidon, then to Myra in Lycia, then to Cnidus, and from here, after many hardships, he arrived on the island on which he was stung by an echidna, then to Syracuse, then to Rigia Calabria, then to Potioli, and from here he came to Rome on foot. Here, at the Appian marketplace and three innkeepers, believers met him. Arriving in this way in Rome, he taught here for a sufficient time, and finally, in Rome itself, he suffered martyrdom after the good deed that he labored here. The Romans erected a beautiful building and basilica on his remains, annually celebrating his feast day on the third day before the Kalends of July. And before this blessed man gave a lot of advice regarding honesty of life and virtue, and also gave a lot of practical instructions; moreover, what is especially important, in his fourteen messages he set out all the rules of human life.

MAIN SUBJECTS OF THE BOOK OF THE ACTS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES

About the teaching of Christ after the resurrection, about the appearance of His disciples and the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit to them, about the form and image of the Ascension of the Lord and about His glorious second coming.
Peter's speech to his disciples about the death and rejection of Judas the traitor.
About the divine descent of the Holy Spirit on believers on the day of Pentecost.
About the healing in the name of Christ of a man lame from birth; The edification made by Peter on this occasion is favorable, exhorting and conducive to salvation.
On the unanimous and complete communion of believers.
About how the apostles imprisoned in prison were brought out of it at night by an angel of God, commanding them to preach Jesus without restraint.
On the election and ordination of seven deacons.
Revolt and slander of the Jews against Stephen; his speech is about God's covenant with Abraham and about the twelve patriarchs.
About the persecution of the Church and the death of Stephen.
About the sorcerer Simon, who believed and was baptized with many others.
That the gift of the Holy Spirit is not given for money and not to hypocrites, but to those who believe according to their faith.
That God favors salvation for good and faithful people is clear from the example of the eunuch.
About the Divine calling of Paul from heaven to the work of the apostleship of Christ.
About the paralytic Aeneas, healed in Lydda by Peter.
About how an angel appeared to Cornelius, and how again there was a proclamation from heaven to Peter.
How Peter, condemned by the apostles for associating with the uncircumcised, tells them in order everything that happened, and how at the same time he sends Barnabas to the brethren who were in Antioch.
the prophecy of Agave about the famine that was going to happen throughout the entire universe, and the help (provided by the Antiochian believers) to the brethren in Judea.
Murder of the Apostle James; here about the punishment of the guards and about the bitter and disastrous death of the wicked Herod.
About Barnabas and Saul, sent by the Divine Spirit to Cyprus, and about what they did in the name of Christ with the sorcerer Elimas.
Paul's rich edification in Christ, based on the law and the prophets, with a historical and evangelical character.
About how, preaching Christ in Iconium, the apostles were expelled from there, after many believed.
About the healing by the apostles in Lystra of a man lame from birth; as a result of which they were accepted by the inhabitants for the gods who had descended to them; Paul is stoned.
That we should not circumcise converted pagans; reasoning and decree of the apostles.
About the instruction of Timothy and the revelation to Paul to go to Macedonia.
About the disturbance that occurred in Thessalonica as a result of the (evangelical) sermon, and about the flight of Paul to Beria and from here to Athens.
About the inscription on the altar in Athens and about the wise preaching of Paul.
About Aquila and Priscilla, about the quick faith of the Corinthians and about the foreknowledge of God's favor towards them; which was communicated to Paul by revelation.
About the baptism of those who believed in Ephesus, about the communication of the gift of the Holy Spirit to them, through the prayer of Paul, and about the healings performed by Paul.
About the death and calling to life of Eutychus through the prayer of Paul in Troas; Pastoral exhortation to the elders of Ephesus.
The prophecy of Agabus about what will happen to Paul in Jerusalem.
James exhorts Paul not to forbid Jews to be circumcised.
About the indignation aroused in Jerusalem against Paul and how the captain took him away from the hands of the crowd.
About what Paul suffered when he appeared before the Sanhedrin, what he said and what he did.
About the plots that the Jews were plotting against Paul, and about their denunciation of him to Lysias.
On the accusation of Paul by Tertillus before the hegemon and on his acquittal.
About Felix Fist's successor and the latter's mode of action. Arrival of Agrippa and Vernicias and communication of information about Paul to them.
Paul's sea voyage to Rome was filled with many and very great dangers.
How Paul arrived in Rome from Miletus.
About Paul's conversation with the Jews who were in Rome.

Our Holy Father John Chrysostom forewarning to the Acts of the Holy Apostles

Many people, and not just anyone, know neither the book itself nor the person who compiled and wrote it. Therefore, I considered it necessary to undertake this interpretation, with the goal of both teaching those who do not know and not allowing such a treasure to be unknown and hidden under a bushel; because no less than the Gospels themselves, the penetration of such wisdom and such right teaching, and especially that accomplished by the Holy Spirit, can bring us benefit. So, let us not ignore this book; on the contrary, let us study it with all possible care; because in it one can see those prophecies of Christ that are contained in the Gospels actually being fulfilled; in it one can also see the truth shining in the very deeds, and a great change for the better in the disciples, brought about by the Holy Spirit; in it one can find dogmas that would not be so clearly understood by anyone if it were not for this book; without it, the essence of our salvation would remain hidden and some of the dogmas of the teaching and the rules of life would remain unknown.

But most of the content of this book consists of the acts of the Apostle Paul, who labored more than anyone else. The reason for this was that the writer of this book, blessed Luke, was a disciple of Paul. His love for his teacher is evident from many other things, but especially from the fact that he was constantly with his teacher and constantly followed him; while Demas and Hermogenes left him, one went to Galatia, the other to Dalmatia. Listen to what Paul himself says about Luke: Luke is one with me(2 Tim. 4:10); and sending a letter to the Corinthians, he says about him: (2 Cor. 8:18); also when he says: appeared to Cephas, also to the one ten, according to the gospel, and received(1 Cor. 15, 1, 5), means his gospel; so that no one will sin if this work of Luke (the book of Acts) is attributed to Him; saying: to Him, I mean Christ.

If anyone says: why did Luke, being with Paul until the end of his life, not describe everything?, then we will answer that this was enough for the zealous, that he always focused on what was especially needed, and that the primary concern of the apostles was not in writing books, since they conveyed much without writing. But everything contained in this book is worthy of surprise, especially the adaptability of the apostles, which the Holy Spirit instilled in them, preparing them for the work of housebuilding. Therefore, while talking so much about Christ, they spoke little about His divinity, but more about His incarnation, His suffering, resurrection and ascension. For the object to which they aimed was to make the hearers believe that He had risen and ascended into heaven. Just as Christ himself tried most of all to prove that He came from the Father, so Paul tried most of all to prove that Christ was resurrected, ascended, departed to the Father and came from Him. For if before the Jews did not believe that He came from the Father, then the whole teaching of Christ seemed much more incredible to them after the legend of His resurrection and Ascension into heaven was added to it. Therefore, Paul imperceptibly, little by little, brings them to an understanding of more sublime truths; and in Athens Paul even calls Christ simply a man, without adding anything more, and this is not without purpose: because if Christ himself, when He spoke of his equality with the Father, was often attempted to be stoned and was called for this a blasphemer of God, then with difficulty could have accepted this teaching from the fishermen and, moreover, after His crucifixion on the cross.

And what can we say about the Jews, when the disciples of Christ themselves, listening to the teaching about more sublime subjects, were confused and tempted? That's why Christ said: The imam has spoken a lot to you, but you cannot wear it now(John 16:12). If they could not wear it, they who had been with Him for so much time, who were initiated into so many mysteries and saw so many miracles, then how did the pagans, having abandoned altars, idols, sacrifices, cats and crocodiles (because that this was the pagan religion) and from other unholy rituals, could they suddenly accept an exalted word about Christian dogmas? How did the Jews, who read and heard daily the following saying from the law: Hear to Israel: The Lord your God is one Lord(Deut. 6, 4), and isn't there any other way for me?(Deut. 32:39), and at the same time they saw Christ crucified on the cross, and most importantly, they crucified Him and laid Him in the tomb, and did not see His resurrection - how are these people, hearing that this very man is God and equal to the Father , could not be embarrassed and not fall away completely and, moreover, faster and easier than everyone else? Therefore, the apostles gradually and imperceptibly prepare them and show great skill in adapting; and they themselves receive more abundant grace of the Spirit and in the name of Christ they perform greater miracles than those performed by Christ himself, in order in one and another way to raise them prostrate on the earth, and awaken in them faith in the word of the resurrection. And therefore this book is primarily proof of the resurrection; because by believing in the resurrection everything else was conveniently perceived. And anyone who has thoroughly studied this book will say that this is primarily its content and its whole purpose. Let us first listen to the very beginning of it.

CHAPTER FIRST

1. I spoke the first word about everyone, about Theophilus.

(Luke) reminds Theophilus of (his) gospel to indicate his very careful attitude to the matter; because at the beginning of his work he says: I also deigned to follow the above, all tentatively, in order to write to you, and not somehow, but like this, as she betrayed to us, who were originally the witnesses and servants of the former Word(Luke 1, So he reminds us of the Gospel in order to remind us of the care with which it was written; and he remembers this in order, having in mind the same careful attitude to the matter when compiling the present book, to be as attentive as possible to what is written. Therefore, he did not need any other approval this time, since the one who was honored to write about what he heard, and who is believed in what he wrote, rightly deserves much more; greater faith when he states not what he heard from others, but what he himself saw. Therefore, he does not say: the first is the gospel, the hedgehog of good news, but: first word; since he was alien to arrogance and humility and thought that the name: gospel above it (labor), although the apostle calls him this way for this labor: His praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches(2 Cor. 8:18). But in his own words: about everyone he seems to contradict the Evangelist John. He says that it was not possible to describe everything; and he (says): I created for everyone from the beginning even to the ascension. So what do we say to this? What is expressed about everyone Luke points out that he did not omit any of the essential and necessary things from which the divinity and truth of preaching is known; because both Luke and each of the evangelists in their gospels placed at the head of everything that from which the divinity and truth of the sermon is known, and, moreover, in such an exact form, as if according to some model. John the theologian himself spoke about all this in a similar way. They did not omit any of those features through which, on the one hand, the ministry of the Word according to the flesh is known and becomes an object of faith, and on the other, His greatness shines and is revealed according to divinity. John says that if we were to describe in parts and briefly everything that the Lord said and did, then even then the world would not be able to contain the books that would be written; but it would be all the more impossible to contain if someone wanted to set out in writing all the deeds and words of the Lord with an investigation of their meaning; because the meaning of them and the reasons why the Lord worked and spoke cannot be comprehended or comprehended by the human mind, for the reason that everything that He created in human nature, He created as God; from this side, it is impossible to express the deeds and words of Christ either in words or convey them in writing. However, I also admit that this addition is a hyperbolic turn of phrase and does not certainly mean that the world could not accommodate the books being written if the presentation were more extensive. It can also be said that this evangelist (John), as having developed theoretical contemplation more than others, really knows all the creations and deeds of the Savior - not only those that He revealed in the flesh, but also those that He performed from centuries, both without a body and with a body. If anyone dared to describe the features of nature, origin, differences, essence, etc. each of these cases; then, even if we admit the possibility of this, it would be impossible for the world to contain written books. If anyone by the word “world” begins to understand not just the world, but a person lying in evil and thinking about worldly and carnal things, because the word “world” is understood this way in many places of Scripture; and in this case, John correctly says that if someone wanted to describe all the miracles performed by Christ, then such people, inclined to come to unbelief rather than to faith because of the multitude and greatness of Christ’s works, would not be able to accommodate what was written. And that is why it is the evangelists who often pass in silence a whole crowd of healed people and bypass many miraculous actions, denoting only the general fact that many were delivered from various diseases, that there were many miracles, etc., but they are not listed; because for people incapable of understanding and deceived, the enumeration of many miracles in parts usually served as a reason for unbelief and reluctance to listen (to the sermon) rather than for belief and the disposition to listen.

Jesus began to create and teach.

He understands miracles and teaching - not only this, but also what Jesus taught in practice; because he not only exhorted people in words to do this or that, but did not do it himself, but through the deeds that he himself did, he convinced them to imitate Him and be zealous for virtue. It should be known that Theophilus was one of those converted to faith by Luke himself. And do not be surprised that Luke showed so much concern for one person that he wrote two complete books for him; because he was the custodian of the famous saying of the Lord, which says: not the will of my Father, that one perish from these little ones(Matt. 18:14). Why, writing to Theophilus alone, did he write more than one book, but divided the subjects into two books? For the sake of clarity and in order not to confuse the reader; Yes, they were also divided in content; and therefore he rightly divided the subjects of the narrative into two books.

2. Even to the very day, when he commanded the Apostle with the Holy Spirit, whom he chose, he ascended.

Commanded by the Holy Spirit, that is, having spoken to them spiritual verbs; there was nothing human here; because he commanded them by the Spirit. Just as the Lord himself, out of humility and adaptability to the listeners, said: If I have the Spirit of God I will cast out demons(Matt. 12:28): so here commanded by the Spirit It is said not because the Son needed the Spirit, but because where the Son creates, the Spirit also cooperates and is co-present as one in essence. What did he command? Go and teach all languages, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all the commandments given to you(Matthew 28, Having commanded it says ascended. Didn't say: ascended but he also talks as about a person. From here we see that Jesus taught his disciples even after his resurrection: but no one accurately conveyed the time of this. John spent more time with Him than others; but no one announced all this clearly; because the disciples were turning their attention elsewhere.

3. Before them, set yourself alive after your suffering, in many true signs, forty days.

Having spoken first about the ascension, he then speaks about the resurrection. Since you have heard that He ascended; So that you do not think that He was taken by others, Luke added: before them and set yourself alive; because if He appeared before them, performing a greater miracle, then He was much more able to perform a smaller one. Denmy forty, and not forty days; because he was not with them constantly, as before the resurrection, but appeared and departed again, elevating their thoughts and not allowing them to cling to Himself in the same way as before. With greater caution and wisdom, He gradually developed two sides in them - faith in His resurrection and the conviction to consider Him higher than man, although one contradicted the other; because from the belief in the resurrection the idea of ​​many aspects of humanity should have arisen, and from the fact that He is higher than man, the opposite. However, both of these were confirmed in due time, namely, over the course of forty days, starting from the day of resurrection and until the day of ascension into heaven; During these days He ate and drank with them, showing by this that He was the one who was crucified and buried and rose from the dead. Why did He not appear to everyone, but only to the apostles? Because to many who did not understand this ineffable mystery, His appearance would seem like a vision. If at first the disciples themselves did not believe and were embarrassed, even needing to be touched by the hand and to share a meal with Him; then how should His appearance strike the crowd? Therefore, He makes the proof of His resurrection undoubted and general through the miracles that the apostles performed by the power of the grace they received; so that the resurrection became an obvious fact not only for them, who had to see it with their own eyes, but also for all people of subsequent times.

Appearing to them and speaking about the kingdom of God: 4. With them, the poisonous one commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from Me.

The Lord Himself called the kingdom in which He promised the disciples to drink a new cup with them, the kingdom of the Father, calling the new drink that which He drank with them after His resurrection; at this time He ate new food with them - He ate it not in the same way as he ate and drank with them before before the resurrection; because then, having become like us in everything except sin, He ate and drank like us, voluntarily leaving the flesh to demand the necessary consumption of food; therefore, he voluntarily allowed himself to be in a state of hunger. After the resurrection, he drank and ate no longer out of necessity, but only so that everyone would believe in the truth of His bodily nature, and also in the fact that He suffered voluntarily and rose again, as befits God. So, new food and new drink he called that unusual food that He ate, and that unusual drink that he drank with the disciples after the resurrection; because it says: denmi forty with them and poisonous, that is, by eating common salt and common food with them. How it is is not for us to explain; because it was something extraordinary, it was not because nature required food, but out of condescension, with the goal of proving the resurrection. And revealing to them secrets, even about the kingdom of God, he commanded them, etc. Why did he command them to do this? Before, when they were afraid and trembling, He brought them out into Galilee, so that they could listen without fear to what He had to say to them; since they were ready to abandon the work to which they were called; Now that they had listened and spent forty days together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem. Why is this? Because just as no one allows warriors who have a great force to attack (opponents) to come out against them before they have time to arm themselves, and just as no one agrees to release the horses before the driver sits down, so the Lord, before the descent of the Holy Spirit, did not allows the apostles to appear in competition so that the vast majority does not defeat them and take them captive. However, the Lord does not allow them to leave Jerusalem, not only for this reason, but also because many here believed, and thirdly, so that no one would say that, having left their own, they went to seek glory from strangers. Therefore, they spread undoubted evidence (of the resurrection) among the very people who killed the Lord, who crucified and buried Him, and in the very city where they had the audacity to commit such lawlessness. When did they hear such a command? Then when He told them: If you have no food, but I go: if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you (John 16:7); and again: I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter (John 14:16).

Why did the Comforter not come with Him and not immediately after His departure, but after eight or nine days, that is, at the time when the day of Pentecost arrived? Moreover, how, when the Holy Spirit had not yet descended, He said: receive the Holy Spirit(John 20, 22)? To this it must be said that He spoke this way with the goal of preparing in them the desire, readiness and ability to receive the Holy Spirit; and they received Him when He came down; - or he spoke about what was about to happen as if it were already existing and present, just as when He spoke about the possibility of stepping on the serpent and the scorpion and on every force of the enemy. However, it should also be said that the gifts of the Spirit are different and diverse: there is the gift of purification and perfection, the gift of sanctification and sanctifying power, the gift of tongues and prophecy, the gift of miracles and interpretation, and many other gifts. So, given the diversity and diversity of the gifts of the Spirit, nothing any longer prevented the apostles from receiving the grace of the Spirit in different ways. But the complete communication of the Spirit, which made the apostles perfect and capable of perfecting others, was at Pentecost, when He descended on them in the form of tongues of fire and completely filled them with His power. The Lord departed, and then the Holy Spirit came, and came at the time of Pentecost, and not immediately, so that they would be imbued with desire and then receive grace. But if the Holy Spirit had come with the Son, and then the Son had departed, but the Spirit remained, then there would not have been so much consolation for them; because they were very reluctant to be separated from their Master. Therefore, He ascends and the Spirit does not come immediately, so that after some despondency, He awakens in the disciples the desire and consciousness of the necessity of the promise given to them, and so that during the descent they experience pure and complete pleasure. However, it was necessary first for our flesh to appear in heaven and complete reconciliation be accomplished, and then the Holy Spirit should descend. Know, then, what necessity the Lord placed upon them to remain in Jerusalem by this promise. So that after the Ascension they do not scatter again - with this expectation, as if by some kind of bonds, He holds them all there and with the promise of more profitable hopes disposes them to the strongest desire for these hopes, even though they are unknown. But no one would be wrong if he said that even then they received some power and grace of the Spirit, not such as to raise the dead, but they received the power to forgive sins. That's why he added: whose sins you forgive, theirs will be forgiven, etc.(John 20:23), showing by this what kind of power he bestows on them. Then He clothed them with this very power; and after forty days he grants them the power to perform miracles; That’s why he says: you will receive strength, etc.

5. Just as John baptized with water, but you must be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many of these days.

Having told them to wait for the promise of the Father, which they had heard from the Lord, He added: for John baptized with water, etc., and by this he clearly shows his difference from John and is no longer as secretive as before, when he said: I think in the kingdom of heaven, there is more of it(Matt. 11:11). Now he clearly says: John baptized with water, but you must be baptized with the Holy Spirit, and shows that even they became greater than John; since they also had to baptize with the Holy Spirit. He did not say: the imam baptize you with the Holy Spirit, but: mate to be baptized, leaving us everywhere examples of humility; since from the testimony of John it is already known that the Lord was the baptist: the one you baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire(Matt. 3:11). As it is said: mate to be baptized when there was no water in the upper room? This is said because here the actual baptism of the Spirit is meant, through which the water itself becomes effective, just as it is said about the Lord himself that He was anointed, whereas He was never anointed with oil, but received the Spirit. However, it can be proven that the apostles were baptized not only with the Spirit, but also with water, only at different times. For us, both (baptism) are performed at the same time, and then they were performed separately; because the apostles were first baptized by John with water, and then with the Holy Spirit. Why didn’t the Lord announce when the Holy Spirit would come, but only said: not after many days? Not many days ago- says so that they do not fall into despondency; but did not say specifically when the Holy Spirit would come, so that, while waiting for Him, they would constantly be awake. So, is it surprising that He does not tell them about the final world, when, for the reason we have indicated, He did not want to announce even this near hour? The expression: to be baptized means abundance and, as it were, the richness of communion of the Holy Spirit, just as someone who is baptized in water, immersing his whole body, sensually feels it, as it were, while someone who simply receives water is not irrigated entirely, not in all places (of his body). So in what is now said there is no contradiction with what is said in the divine gospels; for it is clear that although, after the resurrection of Christ from the dead, it was said to the apostles: receive the Holy Spirit, and they received Him; but it says there that they received the Holy Spirit. Here the expression: to be baptized in the Spirit means the outpouring and richness of grace to guide others, which the Lord granted to them by ascending to the Father. Just as, having faith, they come to Him and say: add faith to us: so here, in addition to the communion of the Spirit that they already had, they received, after the descent of the Holy Spirit on them, the addition of a stronger unity with Him.

6. And they came together and asked Him, saying: Lord, will you establish the kingdom of Israel in this year? 7. He said to them: You cannot understand the times and years that the Father has laid down in His power: 8. But you will receive the power that the Holy Spirit has brought upon you.

Intending to ask, they come to the Teacher together in order to influence Him with their numbers; since they knew that His previous answer was: no one knows about those days(Matthew 24:36), was such an answer not due to ignorance, but due to evasion of the answer. So they ask again. When they heard that they were about to receive the Holy Spirit, then they wanted to know about it and get rid of disasters, already as worthy; because they did not want to expose themselves to extreme dangers again. They don’t ask when, but: “Isn’t it now,” they say. They longed for this day so much. It seems to me that it was still unclear to them what this kingdom was; since there was not yet the Holy Spirit to guide them. They don’t ask when it will come, but: Or do you arrange it yourself? They already thought so highly of Him. Therefore, He talks to them without insistence; because he no longer says that no one knows about those days, not even the Son; but what (says)? You don't understand the times and summers. Not because he attributed to the Father the knowledge of the fulfillment of times, because he himself did not know, but because the question itself was unnecessary; and therefore He answered it with silence for their benefit. His goal was to suppress the extreme curiosity of his disciples; since He sent them to preach the kingdom of heaven, and not to indicate the number of times. He does not tell them about this time, whereas he taught them much more - for the purpose, as we have mentioned more than once, to force them to stay awake, and because, not knowing about it, they did not lose anything; since He revealed to them truths much higher than this - revealed that He is the Son of God, that He is equal with the Father, that He has risen, that there will be a resurrection (of the dead), that judgment will come, and that He is seated at the right hand of the Father. Tell me, what is more important - to know that He will reign, or when? Pavel found out that a man is not old enough to say(2 Cor. 12:4); Moses learned the beginning of the world and when and in how many centuries (it was created) and counts the years, although it is generally more difficult to know the beginning than the end. However, the apostles asked the Lord not about the final completion (of times), but: Will you establish the kingdom of Israel in this year? But He did not reveal this to them either, and as He answered before, turning them away from thinking about it, so that they would not think that deliverance from disasters was near, but would know that they would still be exposed to many dangers, so He answers now, only softer: but you will receive strength. . Then, so that they would not ask Him again, He immediately ascended. In addition, so that they do not ask: why do you leave us in bewilderment regarding this subject?, the Son says: what the Father has put in his power. But the power of the Father is, of course, also the power of the Son; because just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so the Son gives life to them as He wills. If, in those cases where something extraordinary and miraculous needs to be accomplished, the Son creates with the same authority as the Father, then even more so in cases where knowledge is required; because to raise the dead and, moreover, with power equal to the power of the Father, is much more important than knowing the day. Why did Christ not answer what the disciples asked, but said: “Will you receive power?” In response to them He said: I have no idea; and then he added: but accept the power. These words explain in some way the descent and, so to speak, outpouring of the Holy Spirit. - Here we should mention the Phrygian heresy, which believed that the Comforter was sent, two hundred years after the Ascension of Christ, to the wives considered to be prophetesses, Priscilla and Maximilla, and to Montanus, infected with the same madness as them; Then, they say, the promise was fulfilled: I will send you the Comforter(John 16:7). - Why does he announce to them what they did not ask, namely: you will receive power? Because He is a teacher; The teacher’s calling is to teach not what the student wants, but what is useful to know.

And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the last of the earth.

As I said before: do not go into the way of the tongue, and do not enter into the city of Samaritan(Matthew 10:5), desiring that the word of God should first be preached to the Jews, and now it should spread throughout the entire universe: then he adds in a timely manner: in Judea and Samaria, then: and to the last of the earth. The saying: you will be my witnesses is both an admonition and an immutable prophecy; because they testified to their preaching to the utmost ends of the earth.

9. And this river is taken away by those who see, and the cloud is lifted from their sight. 10. And when I look up to heaven, I go to Him.

He rose in such a way that they did not see; they saw His ascension; since the vision this time did not resolve everything; they saw the end of the resurrection, but did not see its beginning; saw the beginning of the ascension, but did not see its end. Why? Because it was unnecessary to see the beginning there; since the Risen One Himself was before them and spoke about this, and since the very tomb showed that He was not in it; here it was necessary to know the end; since the entire height is inaccessible to the eyes and vision could not decide whether He ascended to heaven, or, having risen to a certain height, stopped. Therefore, the angels, appearing before them, reveal to them what they could not understand through sight. And the cloud lifted Him up because it is a symbol of the Lord and Divine power; since in the cloud one cannot see the symbol of any other power. This is why David says about the Father: rely on the clouds for your ascension(Psalm 103:3), and elsewhere: The Lord sits on a light cloud(Isa. 19:1), and many other places speak of the same thing. However, the Lord did this not simply and not without purpose; for, knowing that if He ascends invisible to them, as He descended and, even more so, as He descended, then even when the Spirit appears, they will not believe that this is the same Spirit that He promised to send a few days before, - knowing , that in this case He will prepare in them the suspicion that He Himself did not come from heaven - knowing finally that in this case, if, having ascended invisibly, He then called Paul from heaven, if He would have sent from there to Peter the shroud not made with hands (Acts 10:11), then they would not have believed that He was doing this after His departure from them in the flesh - knowing all this, He ascended to those who saw. From the cloud of the Virgin He enters the cloud and, through the cloud, ascends to where he was before. The expression: “where was,” understand not in the sense of place, and not in the sense that He laid aside His flesh and that His incarnate deity became, as before, incorporeal; no, the expression: “where was,” - listen to me - indicates the height of incorporeality in corporeality, the greatness of incorporeality in fleshiness, the self-existent value of His voluntary humility in the embodiment of His immutability, the fact that He no longer visibly turns or lives among people.

Interpretation of the Acts of the Holy Apostles and the Council Epistles of the Holy Apostles James, Peter, John, Jude

With the blessing of Metropolitan of Tashkent and Central Asia VLADIMIR

Published by: Blagovestnik, Commentary on the Acts of the Holy Apostles and on the Council Epistles of the Holy Apostles James, Peter, John and Jude by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Bulgaria. SPb., 19 11.

Interpretation of the Acts of the Holy Apostles,

an abbreviated selection from the interpretations of St. John Chrysostom and some other fathers

Introduction

This book is called “The Acts of the Holy Apostles” because it contains the acts of all the apostles. And the person who narrates these acts is the Evangelist Luke, who also wrote this book. Being an Antiochian by birth and a doctor by profession, he accompanied the other apostles, especially Paul, and writes about what he knows quite thoroughly. This book also tells how the Lord ascended to heaven at the appearance of the Angels; further tells about the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and on everyone present then, as well as the election of Matthias instead of Judas the traitor, the election of seven deacons, the conversion of Paul and what he endured. In addition, it tells about the miracles the apostles performed with the help of prayer and faith in Christ and about Paul’s journey to Rome. So, Luke sets out the acts of the apostles and the miracles performed by them. The miracles he describes are as follows:

1) Peter and John heal in the name of the Lord a man lame from birth, who was sitting at the door called Red. 2) Peter exposes Ananias and his wife Sapphira for withholding part of what they promised to God, and they immediately died. 3) Peter raises the weakened Aeneas to his feet. 4) Peter in Joppa resurrects the dead Tabitha with prayer. 5) Peter sees a vessel coming down from heaven filled with animals of every kind. 6) Peter’s shadow, falling on the weak, heals them. 7) Peter, held prisoner in prison, is freed by an Angel, so that the guards do not see this, and Herod, eaten by worms, gives up the ghost. 8) Stephen performs signs and wonders. 9) Philip in Samaria casts out many spirits and heals the lame and paralytic. 10) Paul, approaching Damascus, sees the apparition and immediately becomes a preacher of the Gospel. 11) The same Philip meets a eunuch reading on the way and baptizes him. 12) Paul in Lystra, in the name of the Lord, heals a man lame from birth. 13) Paul is called by vision to Macedonia. 14) Paul in Philippi heals a woman (youth) possessed by an inquisitive spirit. 15) Paul and Silas are imprisoned and their feet are placed in stocks; but in the middle of the night an earthquake occurs and their bonds fall away. 16) Ubrists - aprons - from the body of Paul were placed on the weak and possessed, and they were healed. 17) Paul in Troas resurrects Eutychus, who fell from a window and died, saying: His soul is in him (Acts 20:10). 18) Paul in Cyprus condemns the sorcerer Elymas, and this sorcerer becomes blind. 19) Paul and all those with him on the ship are overtaken by a fourteen-day storm on their way to Rome. And when everyone expected death, an angel appeared to Paul and said: Behold, God has given you all those who sail with you (Acts 27:24) - and everyone was saved. 20) When Paul got off the ship, he was stung by a viper, and everyone thought that he would die. And since he remained unharmed, they considered him to be God. 21) Paul, by laying on of hands, heals the father of the chief Poplius, who was suffering from dysentery, on the island; He also treats many other patients.

Travels of Saint Paul the Apostle

Paul began his journey from Damascus and came to Jerusalem; from here he went to Tara, and from Tarsus to Antioch and then again to Jerusalem, and again, for the second time, to Antioch; from here, having been assigned together with Barnabas to the work of the apostleship, he arrived in Seleucia, then to Cyprus, where he began to be called Paul; Then he went to Perga, then to Pisidian Antioch, to Iconium, to Lystra, to Derbe and Lycaonia, then to Pamphylia, then again to Perga, then to Attalia, then again, for the third time, to Syrian Antioch, for the third time - to Jerusalem regarding circumcision, then again, for the fourth time, he arrived in Antioch, then again, a second time, to Derbe and Lystra, then to Phrygia and the country of Galatia, then to Mysia, then to Troas and from there to Naples, then - to Philippi, a city of Macedon; then, having passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, he came to Thessalonica, then to Beria, to Athens, to Corinth, to Ephesus, to Caesarea, then, for the second time, to Antioch of Pisidia, then to the country of Galatia and to Phrygia, then again, in the second time, to Ephesus; then, having passed through Macedonia, again, for the second time, he arrived at Philippi and from Philippi - again to Troas, where he resurrected the fallen Eutychus.

Then he arrived in Asson, then in Mytilene; then he landed on the shore opposite Khiy; then he arrived in Samos and from there to Melitus, where he called the Ephesian elders and talked with them; then he went to Con (Koos), then to Rhodes, from here to Patara, then to Tyre, to Ptolemais and from here to Caesarea, from where again, for the fourth time, he returned to Jerusalem.

From Jerusalem he was sent to Caesarea and, finally, being sent as a prisoner to Rome, he thus arrived from Caesarea to Sidon, then to Myra in Lycia, then to Cnidus and from here, after many hardships, arrived on the island on which he was stung by an echidna ; then he headed to Syracuse, then to Rigia Calabria, then to Potioli, and from here he walked to Rome. Here, at the Appian marketplace and three taverns, the believers met him. Arriving in this way in Rome, he taught here for a sufficient time and, finally, in Rome itself he suffered martyrdom after the good deed that he labored here. The Romans erected a beautiful building and basilica on his remains, annually celebrating his feast day on the third day before the Kalends of July.

And before this blessed man gave a lot of advice regarding honesty of life and virtue, and also gave a lot of practical instructions; moreover, what is especially important, in his fourteen messages he set out all the rules of human life.

Main Subjects of the Book of Acts

About the teaching of Christ after the resurrection, about the appearance of His disciples and the promise to them of the gift of the Holy Spirit, about the form and image of the Ascension of the Lord and about His glorious second coming.

Peter's speech to his disciples about the death and rejection of Judas the traitor.

About the Divine descent of the Holy Spirit on believers on the day of Pentecost.

About the healing in the name of Christ of a man lame from birth; The favorable, admonishing and salvation-disposing edification made by Peter on this occasion.

On the unanimous and complete communion of believers.

About how the apostles imprisoned in prison were brought out of it at night by the Angel of God, commanding them to preach Jesus without restraint.

On the election and ordination of seven deacons.

Revolt and slander of the Jews against Stephen; his speech is about God's covenant with Abraham and about the twelve patriarchs.

About the persecution of the Church and the death of Stephen.

About the sorcerer Simon, who believed and was baptized with many others.

That the gift of the Holy Spirit is not given for money and not to hypocrites, but to believers according to their faith.

That God favors salvation for good and faithful people, as can be seen from the example of the eunuch.

About the Divine calling of Paul from heaven to the work of the apostleship of Christ.

About the paralytic Aeneas, healed in Lydda by Peter.

About how an angel appeared to Cornelius and how again there was a proclamation from heaven to Peter.

How Peter, condemned by the apostles for associating with the uncircumcised, tells them in order everything that happened, and how at the same time he sends Barnabas to the brethren who were in Antioch.

The prophecy of Agave about the famine that was going to happen throughout the entire universe, and the help provided by the Antiochian believing brethren in Judea.

Murder of the Apostle James; here about the punishment of the guards and about the bitter and disastrous death of the wicked Herod.

About Barnabas and Saul, sent by the Divine Spirit to Cyprus, and about what they did in the name of Christ with the sorcerer Elimas.

Pavlov's rich teaching about Christ based on the law and the prophets, with historical and evangelical characteristics.

About how, preaching Christ in Iconium, the apostles were expelled from there after many believed.

About the healing by the apostles in Lystra of a man lame from birth; as a result of which they were accepted by the inhabitants for the gods who had descended to them; Paul is stoned.

That we should not circumcise converted pagans; reasoning and decree of the apostles.

About the instruction of Timothy and the revelation to Paul to go to Macedonia.

About the disturbance that occurred in Thessalonica as a result of the gospel preaching, and about the flight of Paul to Beria and from there to Athens.

About the inscription on the altar in Athens and about the wise preaching of Paul.

About Aquila and Priscilla, about the quick faith of the Corinthians and about the foreknowledge of God's favor towards them, which was communicated to Paul through revelation.

About the baptism of those who believed in Ephesus, about the communication of the gift of the Holy Spirit to them through the prayer of Paul and about the healings performed by Paul.

This book is called “The Acts of the Holy Apostles” because it contains the acts of all the apostles. And the person who narrates these acts is the Evangelist Luke, who also wrote this book. Being an Antiochian by birth and a doctor by profession, he accompanied the other apostles, especially Paul, and writes about what he knows quite thoroughly. This book also tells how the Lord ascended to heaven at the appearance of the Angels; further tells about the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and on everyone present then, as well as the election of Matthias instead of Judas the traitor, the election of seven deacons, the conversion of Paul and what he endured. In addition, it tells about the miracles the apostles performed with the help of prayer and faith in Christ and about Paul’s journey to Rome. So, Luke sets out the acts of the apostles and the miracles performed by them. The miracles he describes are as follows: 1) Peter and John heal in the name of the Lord a man lame from birth, who was sitting at the door called Red. 2) Peter exposes Ananias and his wife Sapphira for withholding part of what they promised to God, and they immediately died. 3) Peter raises the weakened Aeneas to his feet. 4) Peter in Joppa resurrects the dead Tabitha with prayer. 5) Peter sees a vessel coming down from heaven filled with animals of every kind. 6) Peter’s shadow, falling on the weak, heals them. 7) Peter, held prisoner in prison, is freed by an Angel, so that the guards do not see this, and Herod, eaten by worms, gives up the ghost. 8) Stephen performs signs and wonders. 9) Philip in Samaria casts out many spirits and heals the lame and paralytic. 10) Paul, approaching Damascus, sees the apparition and immediately becomes a preacher of the Gospel. 11) The same Philip meets a eunuch reading on the way and baptizes him. 12) Paul in Lystra, in the name of the Lord, heals a man lame from birth. 13) Paul is called by vision to Macedonia. 14) Paul in Philippi heals a woman (youth) possessed by an inquisitive spirit. 15) Paul and Silas are imprisoned and their feet are placed in stocks; but in the middle of the night an earthquake occurs and their bonds fall away. 16) Ubrists - aprons - from the body of Paul were placed on the weak and possessed, and they were healed. 17) Paul in Troas resurrects Eutychus, who fell from the window and died, saying: “His soul is in him” (). 18) Paul in Cyprus condemns the sorcerer Elymas, and this sorcerer becomes blind. 19) Paul and all those with him on the ship are overtaken by a fourteen-day storm on their way to Rome. And when everyone expected death, an angel appeared to Paul and said: “Behold, I have given you all those who sail with you.”(), - and everyone was saved. 20) When Paul got off the ship, he was stung by a viper, and everyone thought that he would die. And since he remained unharmed, they considered him to be God. 21) Paul, by laying on of hands, heals the father of the chief Poplius, who was suffering from dysentery, on the island; He also treats many other patients.

Travels of St. Paul the Apostle

Paul began his journey from Damascus and came to Jerusalem; from here he went to Tarsus, and from Tarsus to Antioch, and then again to Jerusalem, and again, for the second time, to Antioch; from here, having been assigned together with Barnabas to the work of the apostleship, he arrived in Seleucia, then to Cyprus, where he began to be called Paul; Then he went to Perga, then to Pisidian Antioch, to Iconium, to Lystra, to Derbe and Lycaonia, then to Pamphylia, then again to Perga, then to Attalia, then again, for the third time, to Syrian Antioch, for the third time - to Jerusalem regarding circumcision, then again, for the fourth time, he arrived in Antioch, then again, a second time, to Derbe and Lystra, then to Phrygia and the country of Galatia, then to Mysia, then to Troas and from there to Naples, then - to Philippi, a city of Macedon; then, having passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, he came to Thessalonica, then to Beria, to Athens, to Corinth, to Ephesus, to Caesarea, then, for the second time, to Antioch of Pisidia, then to the country of Galatia and to Phrygia, then again, in the second time, to Ephesus; then, having passed through Macedonia, again, for the second time, he arrived at Philippi and from Philippi - again to Troas, where he resurrected the fallen Eutychus. Then he arrived at Asson, then to Mytilene; then he landed on the shore opposite Khiy; then he arrived in Samos and from there to Melitus, where he called the Ephesian elders and talked with them; then he went to Kon (Koos), then to Rhodes, from here to Patara, then to Tire, to Ptolemais and from here to Caesarea, from where again, for the fourth time, he returned to Jerusalem. From Jerusalem he was sent to Caesarea and, finally , having been sent as a prisoner to Rome, he thus arrived from Caesarea to Sidon, then to Myra in Lycia, then to Cnidus, and from here, after many hardships, arrived on the island on which he was stung by an echidna; then he headed to Syracuse, then to Rigia Calabria, then to Potioli, and from here he walked to Rome. Here, at the Appian marketplace and three taverns, the believers met him. Arriving in this way in Rome, he taught here for a sufficient time and, finally, in Rome itself he suffered martyrdom after the good deed that he labored here. The Romans erected a beautiful building and basilica on his remains, annually celebrating his feast day on the third day before the Kalends of July. And before this blessed man gave a lot of advice regarding honesty of life and virtue, and also gave a lot of practical instructions; moreover, what is especially important, in his fourteen messages he set out all the rules of human life.

Main Subjects of the Book of Acts

About the teaching of Christ after the resurrection, about the appearance of His disciples and the promise to them of the gift of the Holy Spirit, about the form and image of the Ascension of the Lord and about His glorious second coming. Peter's speech to his disciples about the death and rejection of Judas the traitor. About the Divine descent of the Holy Spirit on believers on the day of Pentecost. About the healing in the name of Christ of a man lame from birth; The favorable, admonishing and salvation-disposing edification made by Peter on this occasion. On the unanimous and complete communion of believers. About how the apostles imprisoned in prison were brought out of it at night by the Angel of God, commanding them to preach Jesus without restraint. On the election and ordination of seven deacons. Revolt and slander of the Jews against Stephen; his speech is about God's covenant with Abraham and about the twelve patriarchs. About the persecution and death of Stephen. About the sorcerer Simon, who believed and was baptized with many others. That the gift of the Holy Spirit is not given for money and not to hypocrites, but to believers according to their faith. About the fact that salvation is disadvantaged for good and faithful people, as can be seen from the example of the eunuch. About the Divine calling of Paul from heaven to the work of the apostleship of Christ. About the paralytic Aeneas, healed in Lydda by Peter. About how an angel appeared to Cornelius and how again there was a proclamation from heaven to Peter. How Peter, condemned by the apostles for associating with the uncircumcised, tells them in order everything that happened, and how at the same time he sends Barnabas to the brethren who were in Antioch. The prophecy of Agave about the famine that was going to happen throughout the entire universe, and the help provided by the Antiochian believing brethren in Judea. The murder of the Apostle James is also about the punishment of the guards and the bitter and disastrous death of the wicked Herod. About Barnabas and Saul, sent by the Divine Spirit to Cyprus, and about what they did in the name of Christ with the sorcerer Elimas. Pavlov's rich teaching about Christ based on the law and the prophets, with historical and evangelical characteristics. About how, preaching Christ in Iconium, the apostles were expelled from there after many believed. About the healing by the apostles in Lystra of a man lame from birth; as a result of which they were accepted by the inhabitants for the gods who had descended to them; Paul is stoned. That we should not circumcise converted pagans; reasoning and decree of the apostles. About the instruction of Timothy and the revelation to Paul to go to Macedonia. About the disturbance that occurred in Thessalonica as a result of the gospel preaching, and about the flight of Paul to Beria and from there to Athens. About the inscription on the altar in Athens and about the wise preaching of Paul. About Aquila and Priscilla, about the quick faith of the Corinthians and about the foreknowledge of God's favor towards them, which was communicated to Paul through revelation. About the baptism of those who believed in Ephesus, about the communication of the gift of the Holy Spirit to them through the prayer of Paul and about the healings performed by Paul. On the death and calling to life of Eutychus by the prayer of Paul in Troas; Pastoral exhortation to the elders of Ephesus. The prophecy of Agabus about what will happen to Paul in Jerusalem. James exhorts Paul not to forbid Jews to be circumcised. About the indignation aroused in Jerusalem against Paul and how the captain took him away from the hands of the crowd. About what Paul suffered when he appeared before the Sanhedrin, what he said and what he did. About the atrocities that the Jews plotted against Paul, and about their denunciation of him to Lysias. About the accusation of Paul by Tertill before the hegemon and about his acquittal. About Felix Fist's successor and the latter's mode of action. The arrival of Agrippa and Bernice and the communication of information about Paul to them. Paul's sea voyage to Rome was filled with many and very great dangers. How Paul arrived in Rome from Melitus. About Paul's conversation with the Jews who were in Rome.

Our Holy Father John, Archbishop of Constantinople, Chrysostom, forewarning to the Acts of the Holy Apostles

Many, and not just anyone, knew neither the book itself nor the person who compiled and wrote it. Therefore, I considered it necessary to take up this interpretation with the goal of both teaching those who do not know, and not allowing such a treasure to be unknown and hidden under a bushel, because no less than the Gospels themselves, insight into such wisdom and such right teaching can bring us benefit, and especially that which is accomplished by the Holy Spirit. So, let us not ignore this book; on the contrary, let us study it with all possible care, because in it we can see those predictions of Christ actually fulfilled, which are contained in the Gospels; in it one can also see the truth shining in the deeds themselves, and a great change for the better in the disciples, wrought upon them by the Holy Spirit. In it you can find things that would not be so clearly understood by anyone if it were not for this book; without it, the essence of our salvation would remain hidden and some of the dogmas of the teaching and the rules of life would remain unknown. But most of the content of this book consists of the acts of the Apostle Paul, who labored more than anyone else. The reason for this was that the writer of this book, Blessed Luke, was a disciple of Paul. His love for his teacher is evident from many other things, but especially from the fact that he was inseparably with his teacher and constantly followed him, while Dimas and Hermogenes left him: one went to Galatia, the other to Dalmatia. Listen to what Paul himself says about Luke: "Only Luke is with me"(); and, in the Epistle to the Corinthians, says of him: “They sent... a brother, praised in all churches for his gospel”(); also when he says that “he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve; I remind you... the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received.”(), means his Gospel; so no one will sin if this work of Luke (the book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles) is attributed to Him; When I say “to Him,” I mean Christ. If someone says: “Why did Luke, being with Paul until the end of his life, not describe everything?” - then we will answer that this was enough for the zealous, that he always focused on what was especially needed, and that the primary concern of the apostles was not writing books, since they conveyed a lot without writing. But everything contained in this book is worthy of surprise, especially the adaptability of the apostles, which the Holy Spirit instilled in them, preparing them for the work of housebuilding. Therefore, while talking so much about Christ, they spoke a little about His Divinity, and more about His incarnation, His suffering, resurrection and ascension. For the object to which they aimed was to make the hearers believe that He had risen and ascended into heaven. Just as Christ Himself tried most of all to prove that He came from the Father, so Paul tried most of all to prove that Christ was resurrected, ascended, departed to the Father, and came from Him. For if before the Jews did not believe that He came from the Father, then the whole teaching of Christ seemed to them much more incredible after the legend of His resurrection and ascension into heaven was added to it. Therefore, Paul imperceptibly, little by little, brings them to an understanding of more sublime truths; and in Athens Paul even calls Christ simply a man, without adding anything more, and this is not without purpose, because if Christ Himself, when He spoke of His equality with the Father, was often attempted to be stoned and was called for this a blasphemer of God, then with difficulty could have accepted this teaching from the fishermen, and, moreover, after His crucifixion on the cross. And what can we say about the Jews, when the disciples of Christ themselves, listening to the teaching about more sublime subjects, were confused and tempted? That's why Christ said: “I still have much to tell you; but now you can’t contain it”(). If they could not “accommodate,” they who had been with Him for so long, who were initiated into so many mysteries and saw so many miracles, then how did the pagans, having abandoned altars, idols, sacrifices, cats and crocodiles ( because this was the pagan religion) and from other unholy rituals, could they suddenly accept an exalted word about Christian dogmas? How did the Jews, who read and heard daily the following saying from the law: “Hear, O Israel: Our Lord, the Lord is one”(), I and there is no God except Me" (), and at the same time they saw Christ crucified on the cross, and most importantly, they crucified Him and laid Him in the tomb and did not see His resurrection - how are these people, hearing that this very man is God and equal to the Father, could they not be embarrassed and not fall away completely, and moreover, faster and easier than everyone else? Therefore, the apostles gradually and imperceptibly prepare them and show great skill in adapting, while they themselves receive more abundant grace of the Spirit and in the name of Christ perform greater miracles than those performed by Christ Himself, in order in one way or another to raise them, prostrate on the earth, and awaken faith in them into the word about the resurrection. And therefore this book is primarily proof of the resurrection, because by believing in the resurrection everything else was conveniently perceived. And anyone who has thoroughly studied this book will say that this is primarily its content and its whole purpose. Let us first listen to the very beginning of it.