1:1 All That Jesus Began to Do and Teach
THE ADVANTAGE OF READING THE SECOND BOOK. CHRYSOSTOM: To many people this book, both its content and its author, is so little known that they are not even aware it exists. I have therefore taken this narrative for my subject, both to initiate those who are ignorant and so that such a treasure shall not remain hidden out of sight. For indeed it will profit us no less than the Gospels themselves, so replete is it with Christian wisdom and sound doctrine, especially in what is said concerning the Holy Spirit. Let us then not pass by it hastily but examine it closely. For here we can see the predictions Christ utters in the Gospels actually come to pass. Truth shines brightly through the facts themselves, and a great change for the better takes place in the disciples now that the Spirit has come upon them. For the words which they heard Christ sayââAnyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than theseâ1âand the events which he foretold, that they shall be brought before rulers and kings and be scourged in their synagogues, that they shall suffer grievous things and overcome all,2 that the gospel shall be preached in all the world,3 all these came to pass in this book exactly as predicted, and many other things which he told them while he was with them. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1.4
LOVER OF GOD. BEDE: Theophilus means lover of God or beloved of God. Therefore, anyone who is a lover of God may believe that this work was written for him, because the physician Luke wrote it in order that the reader might find health for his soul. Note also that he says, âall that Jesus began to do and teach,â first âdoâ and then âteach,â because Jesus, establishing the pattern of a good teacher, taught nothing except those things which he did. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1.1.5
TEACHING FIRST BY CONDUCT, THEN WORDS. CHRYSOSTOM: Consider how Christ validated his words through actions. âLearn from me,â he said, âfor I am gentle and humble in heart.â6 He taught us to be poor and demonstrated this through action, for âthe Son of man,â he says, âhas no place to lay his head.â7 Again, he commanded us to love our enemies and taught this lesson on the cross, when he prayed for those who were crucifying him. He said, âIf someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.â8 He gave not only his tunic but also his blood. He bid also the others to teach in this way. Therefore Paul also said, âas you have an example in us.â9 For nothing is more insipid than a teacher who shows his wisdom only in words, since he is then not a teacher but a hypocrite. For this reason, the apostles first taught by their conduct and then by their words. One may even say that they had no need of words, since their deeds spoke loudly. Even Christâs passion may be called action, for in his passion Christ performed that great and wonderful act, by which he destroyed death and effected all else that he did for us. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 1.10
THE REBUKE OF CONSCIENCE. JEROME: For teaching is put to the blush when a personâs conscience rebukes him; and it is in vain that his tongue preaches poverty or teaches almsgiving if he is rolling in the riches of Croesus11 and if, in spite of his threadbare cloak, he has silken robes at home to save from the moth. LETTER 127.4.12
THE SENSE OF ALL. AUGUSTINE: This statement teaches us that, previous to this, Luke had written one of those four books of the gospel which are held in the loftiest authority in the church. At the same time, when he tells us that he had composed a treatise of all that Jesus began both to do and teach until the day in which he commissioned the apostles, we are not to take this to mean that he actually has given us a full account in his Gospel of all that Jesus did and said when he lived with his apostles on earth. For that would be contrary to what John affirms when he says that there are also many other things which Jesus did, and if they should all be written down, the world itself could not contain the books.13 And besides, all agree that many things are narrated by the other Evangelists, which Luke himself does not mention in his history. The sense, therefore, is that he wrote a treatise of all these things to the extent that he made a selection out of the whole mass of materials for his narrative and introduced those facts which he judged fit and suitable to fulfill the duty laid upon him. HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS 4.8.9.14
PRACTICE BEFORE YOU PREACH. JOHN CASSIAN: Take care then that you do not rush into teaching before doing, and so be reckoned among the number of those of whom the Lord speaks in the Gospel to the disciples, âSo practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on menâs shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.â15 CONFERENCE 14.9.16