Atos 11
Theophylact of Ohrid
Atos 11:1-3
You see what zeal they had concerning the law. They were not ashamed before Peter's dignity, nor the miracles that had taken place, nor that wonderful preparation that had been made for the reception of the word, but began to dispute about such trifles. Those of the circumcision disputed, not the apostles. And they do not say "why did you preach?" but "why did you eat?" Peter did not dwell on this trifle, but based himself on what was of great importance. If, he says, they received the Spirit, then how could one not impart this to them? By this defense he shows that he is in no way at fault, but the author of everything and in all things is God, to Whom he attributes all. Because, he says, He showed the vessel, and I objected to Him. And again He spoke, and I did not obey even then. The Spirit commanded me to go. I went without haste, and did not immediately perform the baptism, but again the Spirit accomplished everything. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:4-10
Peter did not dwell on this trifle, but based himself on what was of great importance. If, he says, they received the Spirit, then how could one not impart this to them? By this defense he shows that he is in no way at fault, but the author of everything and in all things is God, to Whom he attributes all. Because, he says, He showed the vessel, and I objected to Him. And again He spoke, and I did not obey even then. The Spirit commanded me to go. I went without haste, and did not immediately perform the baptism, but again the Spirit accomplished everything. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:7
"I heard a voice saying to me." The appearance of the sheet alone would have been sufficient to convince him; but to this, however, a voice was also added: "Rise, Peter, kill and eat." — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:8
"But I said: no, Lord." You see, says Peter, I did my part. This is an apology against what they said: "you went to uncircumcised men and ate with them." And he, nevertheless, defends himself, and does not use the authority of a teacher. Because the more meekly he answers them, the more he calms them. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:12
He could have said nothing that would have revealed his humility more than his appeal to the testimony of the brethren. He does not speak of what the Angel said to Cornelius: "your prayers and your alms" (Acts 10:14), nor does he recount the righteousness of this man, nor does he report that he did so because the Spirit sent him, that God commanded him, having called him from there through an Angel, but confirms with the words "These six brothers also went with me." Because this in itself was undeniable proof. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:15-16
But he is not content even with what was said above, and recalls also the saying of the Lord: "You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Nothing new happened, he says, but only what He had foretold. But, they will say, there was no need even to baptize; yet baptism was performed. And he does not say "I commanded them to be baptized," but shows that he did nothing new. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:17
What we had, he says, they also received, for "God gave them the same gift as He gave to us." To shut their mouths, he says: "as to us." God does not allow, he says, that they should have less, if He gave an equal gift to those who believed. And he does not say "as to you," but "as to us." What do you find unworthy, when we call them partakers? — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:18
"Who was I to be able to hinder God?" Defending himself against his accusers, he strongly and harshly puts them to shame. I could not, he says, forbid this. From these words they became meek and fell silent. Do you see that thanks to Peter's speech to the people, everything turned out well when he recounted what had happened? From this time, at last, the doors were opened to the Gentiles for entry into the Church. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:19
No small service to Christianity was rendered by the persecution against Christians, because "all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28). For when Stephen was being killed, when Paul was twice in danger, when the apostles were scourged, then the Gentiles were being received into the Church. This Paul also says: "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46). — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:20
"They spoke to the Greeks." Perhaps they were called Greeks because they did not know Hebrew. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:21
The expression "the hand of the Lord was with them" shows that they were performing miracles. Do you see why miracles were needed now as well? So that they would believe. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:22
"They commissioned Barnabas to go to Antioch." Why did they not write about this to Paul, but sent Barnabas? Because they did not yet know about the virtue of this man. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:24
"He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith." It is not the same thing to say that God is good and that a man is good. The former is good by essence, being the beginning and source of all good things, while a man is good not by essence, but by virtue. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:25
"Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul." Barnabas was a very good and simple and condescending man. He sought, says Luke, a fighter, a commander. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:26
"For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great number of people." It is no small praise for the city that it, before all others, enjoyed his mouth for such a period of time. "The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch." And this speaks of the success of Paul's preaching, when he raised Christianity here to such a height that it was possible to give Christians this name as a kind of distinguishing mark. Where three thousand believed, where five thousand, where such a multitude — yet there was nothing of the sort like this name, but people were simply called those of "the Way." Here, however, they were first deemed worthy of this name. It is remarkable that Antioch was especially deemed worthy of the chief primatial see precisely because there Christians were first called by this name. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:27
In what sense does Christ say that "all the prophets and the law prophesied until John" (Matt. 11:13)? He speaks of those prophets who foretold His coming. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:28
"He foretold by the Spirit." Lest they think that the famine occurred because Christianity had appeared, the Holy Spirit also predicts this, because Christ too had predicted it. Not because "there will be a famine throughout all the world" as though it had to occur by virtue of a predetermination spoken from the beginning, but on account of the evils that were inflicted upon the holy apostles. And since these continued, the "great famine" also appears, foretelling to the Jews the calamities that were to come. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:29
"Then the disciples determined, each according to his ability." Look: for them even famine becomes an occasion for salvation, an opportunity for mercy. Look: they become believers and bring forth fruits worthy of faith – they show mercy not only to those near, but also to those far away. — Commentary on Acts
Atos 11:30
"To send relief to the brethren." From this it becomes clear that the apostles held the dignity of elders as well, although, besides this, they were at the rank of deacons and bishops. — Commentary on Acts