ACC ~ Acts 3 v12

THE APOSTLE’S HUMILITY. CHRYSOSTOM: They increased their glory even more by despising it. They revealed that what had just taken place was not a human act but was divine and that they were worthy of joining the beholders in admiration and not of receiving it from them. Do you see how free of ambition he is and how he rejects the honor paid to him? This is what the ancient fathers also did, as Daniel said, “not because of any wisdom that is in me.”HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 9.

THE GLORY IS GOD’S. CHRYSOSTOM: But what is it that he means? I [Peter] am able, he declares, to speak of far greater miracles, but I am unwilling, for fear that the greatness of the miracles should raise too high a notion of me among people. For this reason Peter also, when they had restored the lame man and all were wondering at them, in order to restrain the people and persuade them that they had exhibited nothing of this power of themselves or from their native strength, says, “Why do you look so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?” HOMILIES CONCERNING THE STATUES 1.17.

TRUE EXCELLENCE. JOHN CASSIAN: Nor did they think that any one should be renowned for the gifts and marvels of God but rather for the fruits of his own good deeds, which are brought about by the efforts of his mind and the power of his works. For often, as was said above, people of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the truth, both cast out devils and perform the greatest miracles in the name of the Lord. CONFERENCE 15.6.

THE POWER OF THE KINGDOM. CASSIODORUS: 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.

THE AUTHOR OF LIFE HAS LIFE FROM HIMSELF. CHRYSOSTOM: Notice again how discreetly he speaks of Christ’s power, showing that he raised himself. In his earlier speech he said, “because it was impossible for him to be held in its power;” and here he says that they “killed the Author of life.” Thus, it was not from another that he had his life. For the author of evil would be the one who gave birth to evil, the author of murder, the one who gave birth to murder, and likewise the author of life must be the one who has life from himself. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 9.

Acts