ACC ~ Acts 4 v24

TRUE PRAYER. CHRYSOSTOM: “And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God.” That shout arose from joy and great emotion. Such indeed are the prayers that do their work, prayers filled with true philosophy, prayers offered up for such reasons by such persons, on such occasions, in such a manner. All others are abominable and profane. Notice how we hear of nothing that is superfluous, no old wives’ talk or fables. No, it is of his power that they speak. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 11.

THE PRAYER OF THE SPIRIT. IRENAEUS: These [are the] voices of the church from which every church had its origin; these are the voices of the metropolis of the citizens of the new covenant; these are the voices of the apostles; these are voices of the disciples of the Lord, the truly perfect, who, after the assumption of the Lord, were perfected by the Spirit, and called on the God who made heaven and earth and the sea—who was announced by the prophets—and Jesus Christ his Son, whom God anointed and who knew no other [God]. AGAINST HERESIES 3.12.5.

PRAYING TO THE CREATOR. ORIGEN: Let us, however, touch briefly on the Acts of the Apostles, where Stephen and the apostles direct their prayers to that God “who made heaven and earth” and who “spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets,” calling him “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,” the God who led his people out of the land of Egypt. These expressions undoubtedly direct our minds to faith in the Creator and implant an affection for him in those who have piously and faithfully accepted this truth in him. ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 2.4.2.

THE ONE TRUE GOD. DIDYMUS THE BLIND: Many of those with heretical views divide the Godhead, saying that the demiurge is one God and the Father of Christ another. From this they go on to divide the Scripture and say that the old covenant is of the demiurge and the new covenant of the Father of Christ. In accordance with their blasphemous view, they say that these gods are in opposition to each other, and their scriptures as well; that those who seek refuge in the Lord are enemies of the demiurge and better people obtain the latter; that people of the demiurge have been accused by Christ and his teaching. The present Scripture passage exposes their impiety by bringing in the apostles. After their release from the plot of the high priests and elders, they went to their friends, that is, to those who shared their faith. Together with them they sent up a hymn of thanks to the Creator of heaven and earth, mentioning that he spoke through the mouth of David (in the Holy Spirit, naturally) what is the second psalm, which begins, “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?” After all this it is clear that the demiurge and the Father of the Savior is the same God and that both covenants are given by him. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 4.25.

Acts