Cassiodorus — Commentary on Scripture

Acts 1:6

"They therefore who were come together, asked him," etc. He says that the Lord Christ was asked by them who were come together if the restoration of the Israelite kingdom, which he promised was to come, would take place at that time. It is evident that an indication of the precise time was withheld for our greater benefit; but, instead, he foretold them that on the fiftieth day they would receive the power of the Holy Ghost, so that they might bear witness throughout the earth to the wonderful works of perfect faith.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 1:9

"And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight," etc. Luke declares that, with those words which he said above, while the apostles looked on, the Lord suddenly ascended to heaven; and, lest anyone should think that such a miracle was a figment of imagination, he says that angels of God stood by them, saying: "Why do ye wonder at these things? He will so come for the Judgement as he was manifestly taken from the midst of you." Then Luke says that the apostles returned from Mount Olivet, where all this took place, to Jerusalem, and entered an upper room, where eleven men, whose names he gives, were staying together. They were persevering in their prayers with holy women, and Mary the Lord's mother and his brothers, so that he who was seen to have been taken up should not go away from them.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 1:15

"And in those days Peter rising up in the midst of the brethren, said, "etc. At that moment blessed Peter, quoting Psalm 108, said in the midst of the brethren, who were about a hundred and twenty in number: "Now that Judas the traitor is gone, we must think of the twelfth apostle," for the perfect number to be completed. Then, having placed Joseph and Matthias in the middle and said a prayer, they cast lots, and the election fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered as the twelfth apostle.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 2:1

"When the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place," etc. When fifty days had passed, as the Lord Christ had promised them, there was suddenly a mighty sound from heaven as the Holy Ghost came, and heavenly fire appeared above the heads of all who were sitting in the house, and they began to speak the tongues of various nations. As the news spread, men from various peoples who had gathered in Jerusalem came and wondered at them who, being Galileans, spoke of the wonderful works of God in the tongues of the peoples. Some, looking at the phenomenon reasonably, thought rightly that it had been granted by a gift of God; others, stupidly mocking, rather ascribed it to drunkenness.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 2:4

“He heard a tongue which he knew not.” We must interpret tongue here as the precepts of the New Testament, for if you understand it as “language,” how did the Jewish people hear a tongue that they did not know, when we are sure that the Lord Christ spoke in Hebrew? So the passage means that in the gospel they heard a tongue or precepts that their earlier knowledge did not embrace; alternatively it refers to the time when the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in unknown and varied tongues.

EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 80.6

Acts 2:14

"But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them," etc. But blessed Peter, standing up with the eleven apostles, spoke with a loud voice, saying that, seeing it was but the third hour of the day, they were not, as some thought, drunk with must, but rather filled with the honor of the Holy Ghost. He also supported this claim with a quote from the prophet Joel, so as to declare to them that the knowledge exhibited by the disciples was not to be ascribed to intoxication but truly to divine mercy. Then, he condemned the wickedness of the Jews, who chose to crucify the Lord Christ, whom God, loosing the laws of hell, raised up from the dead. This is also supported by an example from Psalm 15.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 2:25

I foresaw the Lord always in my sight:
He passes on to the unique remedy by which to avoid sins, for the person who with the mental eye always gazes on the Lord in no way turns to sins.

for he is at my right hand, so that I may not be moved:
It was fitting for Him to speak of the Lord as being at His right hand, for if the Lord does not occupy that place the Devil will at once seize it for ambush. As was written of Judas, Set the sinner over him, and let the Devil stand at his right hand (Ps. 109:6).

Acts 2:26

Because implies that the Lord stood at his right hand, and He testifies that delight has arisen in His thoughts and joy on His tongue. Perfect joy is that which is both conceived in a joyful heart and brought forth in eager speech. Just as He used the word moreover of His evils, so he repeated the word of His blessings, so that humanity might be thought to have received heavenly joys according to the measure of His human troubles. For He says that His joy has welled over His gladness because the suffering flesh which He took up for the salvation of all of us has corruption.

Acts 2:27

nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption:
For it happened on the third day that His flesh was given fresh life, it was demonstrated that it could not have suffered corruption.

Acts 2:28

He overcame the opposition of the world because he moved not an inch from contemplation of the Father. There He has laid aside the hardships of this world; and His humanity is filled with the glorification of His whole majesty and rules united to the Word with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever.

Acts 2:29

"Ye men, brethren, let me freely speak to you of the patriarch David," etc. And since the apostle Peter had mentioned David, who was regarded by the Jews as a venerable prophet, Peter, taking from David an opportunity for his preaching, showed that David had nonetheless died, and said that his sepulcher was with them while David himself had prophesied that the Lord Christ's flesh would never be subject to corruption. For God raised him again from the dead, and he received the Father's promises in the fullest truth. Peter asserted that the gift which was seen to have been granted had come from the Lord Christ, for it was proven by the example of David's Psalm 109 that he was the Lord. Luke declares that three thousand men, moved to compunction by this preaching, made penance and were baptized.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 2:42

"And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles," etc. As those who had converted continued devoutly in the doctrine that they had embraced, and as the apostles frequently performed great miracles, the fear of the Lord and the number of the faithful people increased daily. There was great concord among the believers, such that everyone would sell their own possessions and a brother would unfailingly be provided with whatever he stood in need of. Great also was their devotion to meeting in the temple. They would, too, take their food in simplicity of heart and with thanksgiving. That is why the Lord, favorably inclined towards them, always increased their number. Once, when Peter and John went up to the temple for prayer, they took the hand of a man who had been lame from his mother's womb and made him walk with firm steps. The people, seeing this, were filled with inexpressible wonder, and their eagerness to see more grew greater and greater, with vehement devotion.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 3:12

It is through the saints’ preaching that God’s might and the glory of the kingdom are made known, in case they might be perhaps less sought if people did not know of them. His might was also made known when Peter and John made the man lame from birth walk, and they said, “Men of Israel, why marvel at this, as if by our strength or devotion we had made this man to walk?” And a little later they say that he was made whole in the name of Christ Jesus. The might of the Lord was also made known when the apostles invoked his name and made manifest diverse powers.

EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 144.12

Acts 3:12

"But Peter seeing, made answer to the people," etc. The apostle Peter, seeing religious zeal roused among the people, said that they ought not to look upon him himself for such actions, but they ought to glorify the Lord Christ, whom they had decided to crucify. Blaming them for all the other things they did in the Lord's passion, he said that the Lord was the one who had enabled things that clearly exceeded human power. He urged them to convert to the Lord before the time of Judgement in order to gain forgiveness for their error, for the Lord must be obeyed in all things, as Peter proved with Moses's testimony: it was promised that from Abraham's seed would come the Lord, who would be able to save every man from his own wickedness.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 4:1

"And as they were speaking these words to the people," etc. The princes and the priests, and the rest of the high-ranking men among the Jews, seeing that about five thousand men had believed the apostles, decided to jail them, to prevent the whole crowd believing them. On the next day, they brought the apostles before the council and asked them by what power or by what name they had been able to perform such miracles. The apostle Peter, as usual, declared out loud that the miracle had been performed by the name of Christ, who is the "corner stone", as can be read in Psalm 117, whom the Jews thought should be crucified, but whom God raised from the dead. Then the council wondered at the confidence of the apostles, who they did not know were literate; and they knew, too, that they had been with Christ. Perturbed by the truth itself, they ordered them no more to preach in the name of Jesus Christ.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 4:19

"But Peter and John answering, said," etc. Peter and John replied to the priests and the whole council that they ought to obey the Lord's commandments rather than men's threats. On account of the people, whom they had rendered favorable by their deed, they were sent away from the council; and, coming to their own company, they informed them of what had happened to them. Then, giving glory to God, they said with a loud voice that which is written in Psalm 2, "Why have the Gentiles raged", etc. They confirmed that the things that had been written had come to pass in Jerusalem according to God's counsels, and they asked for a greater grace of preaching and of miracles to be granted to them. After this prayer, they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and were preaching the word of the Lord with unrelenting strength. And all the believers had but one heart and one soul, so that no one among them was afflicted by any want, but those who possessed something gladly gave what would be useful to everyone collectively.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 4:36

"And Joseph, who, by the apostles, was surnamed Barnabas," etc. Here are given examples of faithful and of deceitful people: Joseph, who was surnamed Barnabas, went away unhurt, because he brought the entire price; Ananias, on the other hand, and his wife Saphira, who kept back by fraud the price of the land they had sold, were cursed, and gave up their unfortunate souls in front of everyone; and the same people carried out the husband and later his lifeless wife. After this event, everyone's fear and faith increased, and the apostles' preaching kept intensifying. None of their opponents dared to join them, since the people's favor towards them kept growing, when sick people were cured by a word from the apostles and by Peter's shadow as he passed by. Not only the people of that city, but also people from neighboring cities would try this with growing faith.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 5:17

"Then the high priest rising up, and all they that were with him," etc. Having learned of those events, the high priest and the rest of the heresy of the Sadducees were filled with great envy and, detaining the apostles, they threw them into the common prison, setting guards at the door. But an angel of the Lord opened the doors and led them out, telling them to teach the people in the temple in their usual manner. Unaware of this, the princes and priests sent ministers to the common prison on the following day. These found the prison carefully guarded, yet none of those whom they had thrown into it on the previous day were inside. They found out by others' report that the men whom they were looking for were in the temple preaching the wonderful works of the Lord to the people. Then the officer, going to the synagogue, brought them without any violence before the council, and they tried a second time to forbid them from their habitual preaching. Then Peter and the apostles, filled with confidence, persisted in proclaiming the word of the Lord. Greatly angered by this, they plotted to…

"Then the high priest rising up, and all they that were with him," etc. Having learned of those events, the high priest and the rest of the heresy of the Sadducees were filled with great envy and, detaining the apostles, they threw them into the common prison, setting guards at the door. But an angel of the Lord opened the doors and led them out, telling them to teach the people in the temple in their usual manner. Unaware of this, the princes and priests sent ministers to the common prison on the following day. These found the prison carefully guarded, yet none of those whom they had thrown into it on the previous day were inside. They found out by others' report that the men whom they were looking for were in the temple preaching the wonderful works of the Lord to the people. Then the officer, going to the synagogue, brought them without any violence before the council, and they tried a second time to forbid them from their habitual preaching. Then Peter and the apostles, filled with confidence, persisted in proclaiming the word of the Lord. Greatly angered by this, they plotted to kill them; they plotted secretly, because the people were to be feared.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 5:34

"But one in the council rising up, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, said. "Gamaliel, whom the apostle Paul also praises, spoke publicly to persuade them that they should desist from persecuting the apostles, saying: "If their preaching be from men, it will undoubtedly fail, as did that of Theodas and of Judas of Galilee; if, on the other hand, it be from God, it cannot possibly be destroyed by any power." Then they scourged the apostles and let them go, charging them that they should no longer be involved in such preachings; but they kept preaching the word to the nations. Meanwhile, there arose a murmuring of the Greeks, saying that their widows were treated with despicable contempt in the daily ministration. Because of this matter, seven chosen men were appointed as deacons so that they should manage matters of this sort with moderate authority, while the apostles should devote themselves only to preaching. This office was also consecrated on them by the imposition of hands. A multitude of the priests, too, hastened at that time to obey the Lord.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 6:7

"A great multitude also of the priests obeyed the faith," etc. One of those who had been chosen for the management of tables, one called Stephen, did great signs and wonders by the power of the Lord Christ; and since none of the unfaithful could withstand his preachings, false witnesses were brought against him to say that he had spoken words of blasphemy against God and Moses. Setting him before the council, they tried to inquire about such statements. Then he, having found an opportunity, narrated the sequence of events in the Old Testament that pertained to the Lord Savior, expounding the truth.

Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles