0' I answer, that he has a fault of a different kind, vainglory or sluggishness of mind, or not being in earnest about his salvation, but thinking that all the circumstances of his life are mere chance-medley and haphazard. But by `him that worketh righteousness,
0' Peter means, him that is blameless in all things (comp. infra p. 151.)
`How is it then,
0' you will say, `that impure persons have been accounted worthy to have the Gospel preached to them (kathciwqhsan tou khrugmatoj)?
0' Because they were willing and desirous. For some, even which are in error, He draws, when they become cleansed from their vices; and others coming of their own accord, He repulses not: many also have inherited their piety from their ancestors."
0' it is written, `My Name is blasphemed among the Gentiles,
0') let us cause the very opposite to be said, by having our conversation worthy of Him that calleth us, and (worthily) approaching to the baptism of adoption. For great indeed," etc. In C. it is: "teacher of wickedness. Let us cause the very opposite to be said. For great indeed." etc. B. "teacher of wickedness. For great indeed," etc. But the genuineness of the latter clauses, aciwj tou kalountoj politeuomenoi kai tw thj uioqesiaj prosiontej baptismati, which are also needed by the following context, is attested by A. which retains them; for this Ms. abridges much, but never borrows from the modern text.
0' say you, `those (are to be had) without labor, these with labor.
0' Away with (such talk): it is not, no it is not so, but if one must say the truth, those (objects) are more yoked with toils, and are achieved with greater toil: but these, if we choose, easily."
6 The word proswpolhmpthj-"respector of persons"-(personarum acceptor Vulg.) is a term founded upon the phrase, lambanein proswpon, an imitation of the Hebrew synp )#&nlt/
to accept the person, the presence; to have a favorable or partial regard to the outward appearance,-as opposed to synp by#&he
to turn away the face (of the petitioner) i.e. to deny him favor or acceptance (1 Kgs. ii. 16, 1 Kgs. ii. 17, 1 Kgs. ii. 20; 2 Chron. vi. 42; cf. Gen. xxxii. 21; 1 Kgs. v. i.)-G. B. S.
7 The pertinent comments of Dr. Gloag may here be fitly introduced (v. 35): "Peter is here speaking of the admissibility of the Gentiles into the Church of Christ; and he here asserts that there is no natural obstacle in the way of any one who fears God and works righteousness; that there is now no barrier such as circumcision, no external hindrance, but that all are equally acceptable to God. As Meyer well puts it, dektoj autw estin indicates the capability in relation to God to become a Christian, but not the capability to be saved without Christ; or, as Bengel observes, non indifferentssimus religionum, sed indifferenta nationum hic asseritur." (Gloag, Com. in loco).-G. B. S.
8 There is no sufficient reason for the statement of Chrys. that those to whom Peter spoke did not know Jesus. It is meant that they were acquainted with the chief facts of his life. Grammatically Ihsoun (38) must be construed as the object (resumed in another form) of umeij oidate (37). Residents in Caesarea must have heard of Jesus' teaching and miracles, during his lifetime on earth. Moreover, the apostles had taught m the neighboring cities and wrought miracles, and probably Philip had been for some little time residing and laboring in Caesarea itself (Acts viii. 40).-G. B. S.
9 'Enteuqen deiknusi pollaj phrwseij diabolikaj kai diastrofhn (B., diastrofaj) swmatoj (Cat., swmatwn) up ekeinou genomenaj. The term phrwsij here includes loss of sight, speech, hearing, palsied or withered limbs. "He shows that these are diabolical, and that they are a violent wrenching, or distortion, of the body from its proper condition, caused by him." The sense requires either diastrofaj or genomenhn. The next sentence, wsper kai o Xristoj elegen, omitted by Edd., though, except E., all the mss. and Cat. have it, may refer to such expressions as that in Luke xiii. 16. Or, it may be in its proper place after the following clause, "For God was with Him:" again, a lowly expression: just as Christ spake: "for My Father is with Me."
10 The letters denote the order of the parts in the mss. and Edd.
11 kai dogma tiqhsi (E. Edd. eiagei) kai politeian. i. e. "it is assumed, or the case is put, that the person has the right doctrine, of the One True God (that feareth God), and that he is of a right conversation (that worketh righteousness.)"
12 kai dogma tiqhsi (E. Edd. eiagei) kai politeian. i. e. "it is assumed, or the case is put, that the person has the right doctrine, of the One True God (that feareth God), and that he is of a right conversation (that worketh righteousness.)"
13 In the mss. and Edd. the order is confused. In the old text: "The word-Lord of all. First he discourses-with ardor. Yet for all this He did not spare them. Then he proves how He is Lord of all. Which He sent, preaching good tidings, not bringing judgment. [3.] He is sent from God to the Jews. Then He shows this withal from the things which He achieved," etc. So, with verbal alterations, the modern text, except that it omits the clause, ou mhn oude outwj efeisato.
14 Here also the order in the mss. is confused. "Again proof. How God-with power. Whence does this appear? who went about-of the devil. Then from the good that He did, and the greatness," etc. The modern text has the same order, and the alterations do not affect the sense.
15 Perhaps it should be fantasuh, "that he (Cornelius) may not imagine," etc., therefore he mentions first the Divine Mission, then the Crucifixion.
16 tauthj de ouden outw shmeion meizon hn, wj to fagein kai piein. Cat. rightly omits meizon hn. E. Edd. outwj eij apodeicin meizon, wj.
17 The original reporter seems to have misunderstood what was said. If eipe moi be retained, we must read ouxi autoj. The sense is, "Take heed lest any lay the blame of your evil doings upon God. For you know what would be said of a magistrate who should let a murderer go unpunished; that he would be held responsible for all the murders that may be afterwards done by that man, or in consequence of his impunity. Dread lest through your misconduct God be thus blasphemed." But-as if Chrysostom's meaning had been, Since God's purpose in forgiving us our sins was, that we should lead more virtuous and holy lives, therefore let none presume to say that God, by forgiving us, is the cause of the evil doings of which we are afterwards guilty"-the modern text (E. D.,F. Edd.) goes on thus: "For say, if a magistrate, etc. is he judged to be the cause of the murders thereafter committed? By no means. And how is it that we ourselves, while, by the things we dare to do, we expose God to be insulted by godless tongues, do not fear and shadder? For what," etc.
18 E. D. F. Edd. "Therefore, that it may not be possible for Him through us to be called, etc., and lest by the very fact of His being thus blasphemed; we ourselves become liable to the punishment thereof (`For through you,
19 Here all the mss. have Ti feugeij; ti tremeij; ti deoikaj; (Edd. omit the two latter clauses,) which, being out of place here, and required below, we have transposed to the beginning of the set of questions Mh gar ouk eni k. t. l.-Below, he laments that the Catechumens, while delaying their baptism, if possible, to their dying hour, think themselves no way concerned to lead a virtuous life: of the baptism he distinguishes three classes: 1. those who received the sacrament in infancy; 2. those who were baptized in sickness and fear of death, but afterwards recovered: both which sorts, he says, are alike careless (the former because baptized in unconscious infancy), the latter because they did not think to survive, and had no hearty desire to live to the glory of God; 3. those baptized in mature age, and in health; and these also, if at the time their affections were kindled, soon let the flame go out.
20 ouden prospoihsontai, meaning perhaps, "they will pretend to make no account of that: they will say that that makes no difference." Edd. from E. only, oude outwj afistantai, "they do not desist for all that."-Below: kai auta tauta diaplattekai ruqmize: i. e. Christ does not require you to abandon your calling in life, but these same occupations and duties of your station He bids you to mould and bring into entire conformity with His commandments:-ton apragmona bion zhn kai akindunon: something is wanting, the sense being, "making it your object (not to obtain distinction, wealth, etc. but) to lead a quiet life in godliness and honesty." Savile reads zhqi.
21 Kai epi prosqhkhj mesei, d prohgoumenwj ekeinoj: kai ouk eiden, fhsi, dikaion k. t. l. The modern text (E. D. F. Edd.) inverts the meaning: Kai ekeinoj men oude en prosqhkhj merei, outoj de kai prohgoumenwj. "And the former does not even by way of additional boon (hold out this), the latter (Christ) as the main thing." Adding, "I have been young, saith (the Psalmist), for indeed I am become old: and I never saw," etc.
22 E. D. F. Edd. "`Yes,
23 #Wste mh proj touto eqizete eautouj, proj to lusin zhtein. A. b.c. Sav. But the modern text has monon for proj touto, and adds alla kai proj to mh zhtein: "therefore accustom yourselves not only to seek the solution (of the questions), but also not to raise the questions."-Below: wste touto manqanomen (so a.d. F. Sav. the rest, manqanwmen) mallon zhtein, ouci (Edd. h) ta zhthqenta luein.