ACC ~ Acts 28 v3

ANOTHER DISPLAY OF HIS HUMAN NATURE. CHRYSOSTOM: See how active [Paul] is, how he never works miracles simply for the sake of it but only in time of need. In the storm, when there was a reason, he prophesied, and it was not simply for the sake of prophesying. Here too, he puts sticks on the fire, not for vain display but to save them and to enjoy some warmth. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 54.

THE FIRE OF CHARITY. BEDE: When the apostle came out of the sea, he kindled a fire on account of the cold, for with the heat of love he warmed the hearts of those whom by his teaching he had saved from the waves of the tempests. For the sticks are any things said in his exhortations which, having the power to enkindle charity, are plucked from the fullness of the Scriptures as though they were cut from sprigs of foliage. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 28.3A.

DEMONS ATTACK THE TEACHERS OF TRUTH. BEDE: Because an unclean spirit is driven out of the hearts of the faithful by the flame of the virtues, it strives to pour out the venom of its persecutions on teachers of the truth, so that it can in this way wound their hand, that is, hinder the work of spiritual teaching. COMMENTARY ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 28.3B.

THE DEVIL’S WAYS NOT CHANGED. ARATOR: You wickedly hurtful serpent, why do you still wish to call [us] back from the Lord and contrive your old pillaging on the newness of the law? O lover of death, whose very parent you are, why do you renew your warfare upon the redeemed? You come as a plunderer, but you lie there as plunder, and, bringing death [from a tree],you are destroyed by the branches of a second tree, O evil one, and since the cross of Christ, death is your portion of the wood. ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 2.

THE FULL ARMOR OF VIRTUE. THEODORET OF CYR: And so the viper, which drove its teeth into the apostle’s hand, since it did not find any entry of sin in him, immediately released him and threw itself into the fire by inflicting on itself a punishment, because it had made an attack against an impenetrable body. Therefore let us fear the beasts, if we do not possess the full armor of virtue. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 28.3.

FEAR LESS THE BEASTS THAN FAITHLESSNESS. BASIL THE GREAT: The beasts prove your faith. Do you believe in the Lord? “You will tread upon the asp and the adder, you trample down the lion and the serpent.” And you have the power to walk over snakes and scorpions. Don’t you see that the snake that bit Paul as he gathered sticks did him no harm, since the holy man was found to be full of faith. If you have no faith, fear less the beast than your own faithlessness through which you make yourself susceptible to every type of corruption. HOMILIES ON THE HEXAEMERON 9.6.

Acts