Atos 23
Origen of Alexandria · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Atos 23:2
We read in the Acts of the Apostles that someone, ordered by Ananias the high priest, struck Paul because he said, "God will strike you, oh whitewashed wall." And even to this day, the Ebionites, under orders from their illegitimate high priest, strike the apostle of Jesus Christ with their calumnies, and Paul says to such a high priest of the Word, "God will strike you," and such a high priest is beautiful from without and a whitewashed wall but "within full of dead bones and every filth." But why do I speak about Paul …? It is my Lord, Jesus Christ, himself who speaks: "I have given my back to scourgings, and my cheeks to slaps, and my face I did not turn from the shame of being spit upon." The simple know of these things as happening at one particular time, when Pilate scourged him, when the Jews plotted against him. I, however, see Jesus daily giving his back to scourgings: go into synagogues of the Jews, and see Jesus scourged by their blasphemous speech. See those gathered from among the nations plotting against the Christians, how they seize Christ, and he gives his back to scourgings. Consider the Word of God insulted, reviled, hated by unbelievers. See that he gave his cheeks to be slapped, and after he taught "Should someone slap you on one cheek, offer him the other," that he himself did the same. — HOMILIES ON JEREMIAH 19.12
Atos 23:11
Scripture says, "Fear not to go down into Egypt," which means, When you come against "the principalities and powers and rulers of the darkness of this world"10—those figuratively called Egypt—do not fear or recoil. If you wish to know why you should not fear, listen to my promise: "There, I will make of you a great nation, and I shall go down into Egypt with you, and I shall call you back from there in the end." He is, therefore, not afraid to go down into Egypt. He fears neither the combats of this world nor the trials of demonic adversaries. Hear, then, what the apostle Paul says: "More than those others have I labored, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." Even in Jerusalem, when a plot had been set in motion against him and he toiled in combat for the word and the preaching of the Lord, beside him the Lord stood and said these same things that are said to Israel: "Fear not, Paul, for just as you have been my witness in Jerusalem, so you must also be my witness in Rome." — HOMILIES ON GENESIS 15.5