TRV
John Chrysostom
Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 7,356 passages across 56 books
Commentary
Acts 28:20
For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
For it is for your sakes "that I am bound with this chain." So far am I, he says, from any hostile feeling towards you.
Acts 28:21
· 2 passages
And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.
Then they also were so subdued by his speech, that they too apologized for those of their own nation: "And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came showed or spake any harm of thee." Neither through letters, nor through men, have they made known any harm of thee.
Observe them also speaking more mildly to him. "We beg," say they: and wish to speak in exculpation of those at Jerusalem. Whereas they ought to accuse them, they plead for them: by the very fact of their exonerating them, they do in fact accuse them. For this very thing was a proof that they knew themselves exceedingly in the wrong. Had they been confident, they would at any rate have done this, so that he should not have it in his power to make out his story in his own way, and besides they shrank from coming.
Acts 28:22
· 2 passages
But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.
"As for this sect, it is known to us," say they, "that it is everywhere spoken against." True, but people are also everywhere persuaded.
Nevertheless, we wish to hear from thyself: "But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest": and then forestalled him by showing their own sentiments. "For as concerning this sect, it is known to us, that everywhere it is spoken against."
Acts 28:23-24
· 3 passages
And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
See again how not by miracles but by Law and Prophets he puts them to silence, and how we always find him doing this. And yet he might also have wrought signs; but then it would no longer have been matter of faith. In fact, this itself was a great sign, his discoursing from the Law and the Prophets.
"And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets, from morning till evening."
Then he did not immediately answer, but gave them a day, and they came to him, and he discoursed, it says, "both out of the Law of Moses, and out of the Prophets."
Acts 28:24
And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
"And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not." They said not, we speak against it, but "it is spoken against."
Acts 28:25
· 4 passages
And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
"Well said the Spirit:" as much as to say, It is not me that ye disbelieve. But God foreknew this from the first. "He discoursed," it says, "with boldness, unhindered": for it is possible to speak with boldness, yet hindered. His boldness nothing checked: but in fact he also spoke unhindered.
"Well spake the Holy Ghost," etc. But this saying, "The Spirit said," is nothing wonderful: for an angel also is said to say what the Lord saith: but He the Spirit not so. When one is speaking of the things said by the angel, one does not say, Well said the angel, but, Well said the Lord. "Well said the Spirit:" as much as to say, It is not me that ye disbelieve. But God foreknew this from the first.
Then that you may not deem it strange that they believed not, he introduces the prophecy which saith "Hearing ye shall hear and not understand," more now than then: "and ye shall see and not perceive" more now than then. This is not spoken for the former sort, but for the unbelievers. How then? Was it contrary to the prophecy, that those believed? "Go," it says, "unto this people" that is, to the unbelieving people. He did not say this to insult them, but to remove the offence.
"And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." But when they departed, as they were opposed to each other, then he reproaches them, not because he wished to reproach those that believed not, but to confirm these that believed. "Well said Esaias," says he to them. So that to the Gentiles it is given to know this mystery. No wonder then, if they did gainsay: this was foretold from the first.
Acts 28:28
· 2 passages
Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
"Be it known then," he says, "unto you, that unto the Gentiles is sent the salvation of God. They," says he, "will hear it too." Then why dost thou discourse to us? Didst thou not know this? Yes, but that ye might be persuaded, and that I might exculpate myself, and give none a handle against me.
Then again he moves their jealousy on the score of them of the Gentiles. "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it."
Acts 28:29
And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
"And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves." The unbelieving were they that withdrew. But see how they do not now form plots against him. For in Judea they had a sort of tyranny.
Acts 28:30-31
· 2 passages
And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
"And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. Amen." It shows the freedom he had now: without hindrance in Rome, he who had been hindered in Judea; and he remained teaching there for two years.
"Discoursed," it says, "the things concerning the kingdom of God:" mark, nothing of the things of sense, nothing of the things present.
Amos 2:11
And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the LORD.
[This was the reason why] the Lord accused the Israelites more severely and showed that they deserved greater punishment, because they sinned after receiving the honors that he had bestowed on them. He said, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will visit upon you your iniquities,” and again, “I took of your sons for prophets and of your young men for consecration.” And before the time of the prophets, when he wanted to show that sins received a much heavier penalty when they were committed by the priests than when they were committed by ordinary people, he commanded as great a sacrifice to be offered for the priests as for all the people. This explicitly proves that the priest’s wounds require greater help, indeed as much as those of all the people together. They would not have required greater help if they had not been more serious, and their seriousness is not increased by their own nature but by the extra weight of dignity belonging to the priest who dares to commit them.
Amos 3:2
You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
For this very cause God accuses the Israelites more vehemently, and shows that they were worthy of greater chastisement, because they sinned after so many honors had come to them from Him.