Chapter 1

Holy Bible

PREPARATION FOR THE BIRTH OF THE CHURCH Now, after the price has been completely paid, the Lord Christ was risen from the dead, confirming the acceptance of God the Father of the sacrifice of the Cross, and that humanity then had the right to enjoy entrance into the heavenly places through the righteousness of Christ risen from the dead. This chapter clarifies the practical preparation of the birth of the Church of Christ on the day of the Pentecost, as a Church led by the Holy Spirit Himself. 1- Drawing the disciples toward the Kingdom 1 - 3 2- The promise of a divine leader 4-- 8 3- The ascension of the Head to heaven 9 - 14 4- The consummation of the number of disciples 15- 26 1- DRAWING THE DISCIPLES TOWARD THE KINGDOM OF GOD: After presenting the book to Theophilus, St. Luke the Evangelist clarified the work of the Lord Christ with His disciples during the forty days between His resurrection and His ascension: drawing their hearts to the Kingdom of God, and flaring them to reach it. His resurrection altered their view of Him, as He was no longer living among them day and night, practicing the daily human life, but he encountered them in apparitions, as His natural place after resurrection is heaven. With every apparition, their longed more and more to the new resurrected life in order to taste the advance payment of the heavenly matters, until the day comes to encounter Him on the clouds, to receive the fellowship of eternal glory. “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach” (Acts 1: 1). The introduction to the gospel (Luke 1: 1-4) serves the two books as though they are one book in two volumes. Whereas the introduction to the book of Acts (Acts 1: 1-2), binds the two books together. In his first account, he presented a parade of the sayings and works of the Lord Christ. It was not possible for any book to register the details of all the sayings, miracles, and salvation works (John 21.25), but it registered the essence of all of them.  “He does not say "all," but "of all," as much as to say, "in a summary way, and in the gross"; and "of all that is mainly and pressingly important"1”. St. John Chrysostom St. John Chrysostom comments on the words of St. Luke: “Of all that Jesus began both to do and teach” (Acts 1: 1), that, by letting the work precedes the words, he showed himself as an example of the true teacher.  “But consider how Christ accredited his words by His deeds. Thus He says, “Learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart” (Matt 11: 29). He taught men to be poor, and exhibited this by His actions: “as the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His 1Hom. on Acts. Hom. 1. 43 head” (Matt 8: 20). Again, He charged men to love their enemies; and He taught the same lesson on the Cross, when He prayed for those who were crucifying Him. He said, “If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also” (Matt 5: 40). Now He not only gave His garments, but even His blood. In this way He bade others teach. Wherefore Paul also said, “Join in following my example” (Phil 3: 17). For nothing is more frigid than a teacher who shows his philosophy only in words: this is to act the part not of a teacher, but of a hypocrite. Therefore the Apostles first taught by their conduct, and then by their words; nay rather they had no need of words, when their deeds spoke so loud. Nor is it wrong to speak of Christ's Passion as action, for in suffering all He performed that great and wonderful act, by which He destroyed death, and effected all else that He did for us1” (St. John Chrysostom)  “For teaching is put to the blush when a man's conscience rebukes him; and it is in vain that his tongue preaches poverty or teaches alms-giving if he is rolling in the riches of Croesus and if, in spite of his threadbare cloak, he has silken robes at home to save from the moth2”. (St. Jerome)  And so keeping up that diligence in reading, which I see that you have, endeavor with all eagerness to gain in the first place a thorough grasp of practical, i.e., ethical knowledge. For without this that theoretical purity of which we have spoken cannot be obtained, which those only, -who are perfected not by the words of others who teach them, but by the excellence of their own actions, can after much expenditure of effort and toil attain as a reward for it. For as they gain their knowledge not from meditation on the law but from the fruit of their labor, they sing with the Psalmist: “Through Your precepts, I get understanding” (Ps 119: 104), and having overcome all their passions, they say with confidence: “To You, O Lord, I will sing praises. I will behave wisely in a perfect way” (Ps 101: 1-2). For he who is striving in an undefiled way in the course of a pure heart, as he sings the Psalm, understands the words which are chanted3". (Abbot Nesteros) “Until the day in which He was taken up, after He, through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen” (Acts 1: 2). In His valedictory speech, He clearly promised them the gift of the Holy Spirit, the comforter, who will provide them with the whole truth, open up their minds to the knowledge of the Holy Books, and draw the world to know Him, rebuke on sin, on righteousness and on judgment. He also breathed on the faces of His disciples, and granted them the breath of the Spirit, so that if they forgave the sins of any, they would be forgiven them, and if they retained the sins of any, they would be retained. But after His resurrection, He “commanded them by the Holy Spirit”. He probably concentrated most of His talks on the Holy Spirit, so their hearts flared with love toward the heavenly matters. They probably wondered, openly or secretly: How could we ever be able to walk 1Hom. on Acts. Hom. 1. 2 Letter 127 to Principia, 4. 3 John Cassian. Conferences. 14.9. 44 in fellowship with the One resurrected from the dead? The Lord Christ’s response to this was: “By the Holy Spirit!” The Evangelist St. Luke has not mentioned the talks of the Lord concerning the Holy Spirit, but he let the events that came in the book reveal the things promised by the Lord to them, and what they enjoyed through the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in them and in the newly born Church.  “After He, through the Holy Spirit, had given commandments to the apostles”: i.e. they were spiritual words that He spoke to them, nothing human; either this is the meaning, or, that it was by the Spirit that He gave them commandments. Do you observe in what low terms he still speaks of Christ, as in fact Christ had spoken of Himself? “If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God” (Matt 12: 28), for indeed the Holy Ghost wrought in that Temple. Well, what did He command? ”Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matt 28: 19-20). A high encomium this for the Apostles, to have such a charge entrusted to them, I mean, the salvation of the world, words full of the Spirit! It appears then that He also taught the Disciples after His resurrection, but of this space of time no one has related to us the whole in detail. However, we have learnt these things through the Apostles, for what they heard1”. (St. John Chrysostom). “To whom He has presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1.3). The Evangelist St. Luke Presented to us the ministry of the Lord to His disciples by appearing to them several times during the forty days, confirming that He is living by many proofs, and speaking to them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. His ministry in this period was totally different from His ministry during the past three years. He no more healed the sick or raised from the dead, delivered sermons to the multitudes, or talked with them. He proclaimed by every means the nature of His Person, that He is the Conqueror of the evil world, of death, and of the devil. Whoever acquires Him, will acquire the victory and conquest, and will enjoy the new resurrected life that is a crossing-over to the down payment of heaven, and an enjoyment of the inner heavenly glory. The Greek expression of the two words “manyproofs” means “committing signs”, “indisputable signs”, or “infallible proofs”. If resurrection is the backbone of faith and salvation, without which the cross looses its role, the Lord Christ introduced many proofs to confirm it. These indisputable proofs or signs are: 1- His appearances to various persons, and at different times (1Cor. 15), during a period of forty days, were proclamations that could not carry any sort of deceit, but have attracted all those He has met. The Lord connected His appearances to His suffering and crucifixion, having revealed the glory of the cross by confirming His resurrection. Therefore, the disciples were proud to say, “After His suffering”, as they could not enjoy the glory of those divine appearances, and the realization of the truth of 1Hom. On Acts. Homily 1. 45 the nature of the Person of the Lord Christ and His mission, if He did not pass through this passion. It is the way of His glory, namely, the way of the realization of His mission as our Savior. By and with Him, We pass through the suffering to cross over to the glories. “If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Rom 8: 17). “Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ who was in them (the prophets) was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow” (1 Pet 1:11). So, pain became the path to the true glory, as the apostle says, “But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Pet 4: 13)1. Here, we realize the secret behind the pride of the Church in the expression “Your life-giving passion”, and repeating it daily in the prayers of the hours, and in the liturgies, as a secret of our salvation and our eternal glory. 2- His resurrection was unexpected (Luke 24: 19-24; John 20: 25). This confirms that His apparitions were not products of fantasies or imaginations that were beforehand in their minds.  “He spent forty days with them after His resurrection, going in and out, and eating and drinking: not indeed that He had any experience of hunger and thirst, but even by such evidences confirmed the reality of His flesh, which no longer needed, but still possessed the power, to eat and to drink. …but He was no longer with them in the fellowship of human infirmity2” (St. Augustine) 3- He appeared to them as a friend and companion, but on a new and exalted level. He ate and drank with them, but not as normal daily life activities, as He used to do before His resurrection. 4- His encounter with His disciples in Galilee as He instructed them. They saw the One with whom they very closely lived for about three years. 5- Submitting His body to touch: to let everyone of them cry out in his depths, together with the apostle Thomas, saying, “My Lord and my God.” 6- His apparitions to them were always accompanied with His talk about the kingdom of God, which they began to comprehend with a new concept, after enjoying the One risen from the dead, and His debates with them. The Kingdom of God: What the Lord Christ presented to His disciples through that period was a living deposit for their preaching, the revelation of His cross and the enjoyment of the power of His resurrection. He presented Himself to them as the Crucified and the Risen from the dead. Thus, the kingdom of God became seen, heard, and touched, through the Christ raised from the dead; and the disciples sang, “… which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled concerning the Word of life” (1 John 1: 1). The practical testimonial to His resurrection from the dead is the practical aspect of the experience of the kingdom of God in us; In other words, the kingdom of God, in its essence, is a union with Christ, the crucified, the risen from the dead, and the ascending to heaven. Before the Lord’s resurrection, the disciples were unable to comprehend His secrets. That is why He says to them, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16: 12). But once the resurrection had become a 1 To know about showing Himself to the disciples, see: Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty. On the Gospel of John. 2002. 2 In Joan. Tr. 64.1. 46 perceptible actuality, He no longer said to them, “Do you not yet understand?How is it you do not understand” (Matt 16: 9, 11)? But, “He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures” (Luke 24: 45).  "He was not always with them now, as He was before the Resurrection. For the writer does not say "forty days," but, "during forty days." He came, and again disappeared; by this leading them on to higher conceptions, and no longer permitting them to stand affected towards Him in the same way as before, but taking effectual measures to secure both these objects, that the fact of His Resurrection should be believed, and that He Himself should be ever after apprehended to be greater than man. At the same time, these were two opposite things; for in order to the belief in His Resurrection, much was to be done of a human character, and for the other object, just the reverse. Nevertheless, both results have been affected, each when the fitting time arrived1”. (St. John Chrysostom) St. Augustine believes that our life on earth is represented by the figure 40: We are committed to keep the Ten Commandments, in order to reach the perfection of blessings, And to practice them in all the 4 corners of the universe (East, West, North, and South), namely, wherever we are (10x4 = 40).  “Now this number (forty) signifies the life wherein we labor in this world2”. (St. Augustine) Some may ask why the Lord did not appear openly to everyone, as He did when He was crucified, instead of appearing only to the disciples, the apostles, and to certain groups of people. 1- It was imperative, in order to proclaim His love for humanity, to be crucified publicly, being the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Whereas the resurrection is a gift, only given to those longing for it and to those honestly seeking to recognize the Person of Christ, the resurrected from the dead. 2- St. John Chrysostom believes that if the Lord appeared publicly to all, all would probably assume that it is merely an apparition of His person, and not a true resurrection from the dead. The disciples themselves, although they heard several times about His resurrection before He was crucified, were greatly confused by His appearance to them, touching Him, and sharing a meal with Him, as it was not easy to accept that anybody could be raised from the dead. That is why, the lord intended by every possible means to confirm to them His resurrection, in order that they would be witnesses to it in their future preaching to the whole world3. Even after His resurrection and His continuous appearances to them, as they were still confused, feeling the heavy responsibility, and the apparent impossibility to realize the mission allotted to them, He talked to them about the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, but, not like His talks prior to His resurrection, but practically, by revealing His Person to them, to comprehend that the kingdom of God is in recognizing Him, enjoying His love, and the fellowship with Him; The kingdom is a practical living encounter with Him. He revealed to them as well, that He is sending them the Holy Spirit, who will 1Hom. On Acts. Homily 1. 2 Sermons. Sermon 1.32. 3Hom. On Acts. Homily 1. 47 dwell in them and give them the strength to testify to Him, that the kingdom of God would be realized in the hearts of many in the whole world.  “Since the disciples both had been distressed and troubled at the things which already had taken place, and were about to go forth to encounter great difficulties, He recovered them by His discourses concerning the future1”.  He does not speak at great length with them after the Resurrection“2”. (St. John Chrysostom) 2- A PROMISE OF A DIVINE LEADER “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, ‘which’, He said, ‘you have heard from Me”(Acts 1.4). Some believe that in place of the Greek word for ‘assembled with them’ that came in several documents, it was translated as ‘eating salt with them’ in the Herculean Syrian version, or ‘eating bread with them’, in the Beshita Syrian version. According to St. John Chrysostom, it came as ‘While He was with them at the dinner table’. That is why the disciples were proud that they ate and drank with Him after His resurrection, as a confirmation of the fact of resurrection (Luke 24: 42; Acts 10: 40-41). Like Abraham, who received the divine promise from God, during a meal, with two angels around Him (Gen 18: 1-8), the children of Abraham, likewise, received the promise of the Holy Spirit, who sets from the stones children to Abraham from all nations, during a meal with the Lord. “The promise of the Father” has been promised through the prophets in the Old Testament (Isa 32: 15, 44: 3, Joel 2: 28-32). The Lord Christ has also promised that the Father would send it, or that the Lord Christ would send it from the Father, five times in the gospel of John 14-16. Why did not the Holy Spirit come upon the disciples while the Lord Christ was on earth, or directly after His ascension? St. John Chrysostom believes that the disciples were committed to stay in Jerusalem, until the Holy Spirit dwelt on them, for the following reasons: 1- They were like an army of God, who could not enter the spiritual battle, without carrying weapons, to get ready for the fight; or, they were like the stallion that could not go to war, without being mounted by a horseman or a charioteer. 2- It was imperative for several of the inhabitants of Jerusalem to receive faith, so that the disciples would not preach the Crucified and the resurrected from the dead, to strangers, But, if some of those who crucified the Lord believed, their faith would be a strong testimonial to the resurrection of the Lord, in the same city where He was crucified and buried, and the disciples would mute the mouths of the opponents. By the faith of some of those who crucified Him, the apostles would confirm more strongly the fact of His crucifixion, and also of His resurrection.  “The Apostles should say, How shall it be possible for us to live among wicked and bloody men, they so many in number, we so few and contemptible, observe how He drives away their fear and distress, by these words, “But to wait for the promise of 1Hom. On Acts. Homily 1. 2Hom. On Acts. Homily 2. 48 the Father, ‘which’, He said, ‘you have heard from Me” (Acts 1: 4). You will say, When had they heard this? When He said, “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you” (John 16: 7). And again, “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14: 16). 1”. (St. John Chrysostom) 3- St. John Chrysostom says that the disciples were in need of a period of preparation to receive the Holy Spirit. If Daniel fell down on his face when he saw an angel (Dan 8: 17), how would be the condition of the disciples when they receive such a great gift? 4- In the presence of the Lord Christ, the disciples did not feel the need for another Helper, and their hearts did not yearn to receive the Holy Spirit, but after His departure in the flesh, they felt the need for another Helper, and waited with great longing for the dwelling of the Holy Spirit.  “It was fit that they should first be brought to have a longing desire for that event, and so receive the grace. For this reason Christ Himself departed, and then the Spirit descended. For had He Himself been there, they would not have expected the Spirit so earnestly as they did. It is the same with us also; for our desires towards God are then most raised, when we stand in need2”. (St. John Chrysostom) 5- As the work of the Holy Spirit is to prepare the bride to bear the icon of her Groom, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples after Christ’s ascension to heaven, in order that they would bear His heavenly features, and would long for the union with Him, not to stay with Him here on earth, but in heaven.  “It was fit that our nature should be seen in heaven, and that the reconciliation should be perfected, and then the Spirit should come, and the joy should be unalloyed. For, if the Spirit is being already come, Christ had then departed, and the Spirit remained; the consolation would not have been so great as it was3”. (St. John Chrysostom) “For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1: 5). This, which was already proclaimed by St. John the Baptist (Matt 3: 11), was realized on the day of Pentecost, and during the preaching of the apostles (Acts 11: 15-17, 19: 1-6). The Baptism of St. John was for repentance, as a preparation for approaching the kingdom of God (Matthew 4: 17).  "But now He says plainly, “John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit”. And he no longer uses the testimony, but merely adverts to the person of John, reminding the disciples of what he had said, and shows them that they are now become greater than John; seeing they too are to baptize with the Spirit. Again, He did not say, I baptize you with the Holy Ghost, but "You shall be baptized" teaching us humility. For this was plain enough from the testimony of 1Hom. On Acts. Homily 1. 2Hom. On Acts. Homily 1. 3Hom. On Acts. Homily 1. 49 John, that it was Christ Himself Who should baptize: “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Luke 3: 16) 1". (St. John Chrysostom).  "But why does Christ say, "You shall be baptized," when in fact there was no water in the upper room? Because the more essential part of Baptism is the Spirit, through Whom indeed the water has its operation; in the same manner our Lord also is said to be anointed, not that He had ever been anointed with oil, but because He had received the Spirit. Besides, we do in fact find them receiving a baptism with water [and a baptism with the Spirit] and these at different moments. For in the beginning they were baptized by John2". (St. John Chrysostom)  "And the Layer (font) of Baptism helps not a whir to procure for us a milder punishment. And consider: a man has gotten grievous sins by committing murder or adultery or some other crime: these were remitted through Baptism. For there is no sin, no impiety, which does not yield and give place to this gift; for the Grace is Divine.“For the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable” (Rom 11: 29). But for those committed after Baptism he suffers a punishment as great as he would if both the former sins were brought up again, and many worse than these. For the guilt is no longer simply equal, but doubled and tripled. Look: in proof that the penalty of these sins is greater, hear what St. Paul says: “Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much punishment, do you suppose, will he thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace” (Heb 10: 28-29)? 3". (St. John Chrysostom)  "Jesus therefore went up into heaven, and fulfilled the promise. For He said to them, “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper” (John 14: 16). So they were sitting, looking for the coming of the Holy Ghost; and when the day of Pentecost was fully come, here, in this city of Jerusalem, the Comforter came down from heaven, the Guardian and Sanctifier of the Church, the Ruler of souls, the Pilot of the tempest-tossed, who leads the wanderers to the light, and presides over the combatants, and crowns the victors.  But He came down to clothe the Apostles with power, and to baptize them; for the Lord says, “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1: 5). This grace was not in part, but His power was in full perfection; for as he who plunges into the waters and is baptized is encompassed on all sides by the waters, so were they also baptized completely by the Holy Ghost. And wherefore do you wonder? Take an example from matter; poor indeed and common, yet useful for the simpler sort. If the fire passing in through the mass of the iron makes the whole of it fire, so that what was cold becomes burning and what was black is made bright, -if fire which is a body thus 1Hom. On Acts. Homily 1. 2Hom. On Acts. Homily 1. 3Hom. On Acts. Homily 1. 50 penetrates and works without hindrance in iron which is also a body, why wonder that the Holy Ghost enters into the very inmost recesses of the soul? 1" (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1: 6). This verse is considered as an extension of verse 3. It was greatly difficult for the disciples to get rid of what has stuck to their minds about the kingdom of God, through the literal Jewish thought, according to which the people sought the Messiah as an earthly king (John 6: 15), and looked at the people of God as a political kingdom with temporal authority. All along the 40 days between the resurrection of the Lord and His ascension, He was drawing the minds of the disciples from the human earthly concepts to the heavenly divine thought. Every hope in setting Jesus a king has been destroyed. Has His resurrection restored into them the hope that He would occupy that same position with that same concept? The question of the disciples to the Lord reveals the magnitude of the danger of those erroneous thoughts with their roots running deep in their minds. Despite the long time the disciples lived during the ministry of the Lord, His resurrection, and His talks to them about the heavenly kingdom, for 40 days, their old deep-rooted thoughts still lingered in them. They were thus in need of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, to occupy their depths, to renew their thoughts, and to set them free of their old erroneous thoughts. Their question reveals their confusion, As in their minds, the Messianic era was closely connected to the appearance of the glorious kingdom of Israel, and its victory over the nations and peoples. As the Holy Spirit had not yet dwelt on them, it was not possible for them to recognize the ‘kingdom of Christ’ as it really is. Will Jesus occupy the chair of Moses, in place of the high priests and the Pharisees? Will Jesus, the risen from the dead, sit on the throne, to grant Israel the conquest over the nations? Is it then the time to expel the Romans, and to realize the independence of Israel? The expression “to restore” meant to bring the situation back to how it should be2. “And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1: 7). This last talk of the Lord Christ to the disciples before His ascension was when their hearts were not yet lifted up with Christ, to seek the heavenly kingdom. While the Lord presented to them the promise of the Holy Spirit, to bring them up, as though with the wings of a dove, to heaven, their hearts were still attached to temporal and earthly glories. They were still harboring in their hearts a strong longing for the earthly kingdom of Israel. Having been about to ascend to heaven, His last commandment to them was not to preoccupy themselves with times and seasons, but to have their hearts open to eternity, and their thoughts soaring above the limits of time. 1 CATECHETICAL LECTURES. Lecture 17.13-14. 2 CF. Adam Clerke. Acts, Preface 51 The Lord Christ intended for them not to know the times and the seasons, to spare them from falling into pride because of this knowledge; He wished that they be modest. And as St. Augustine says: “You wish that I should manifest the kingdom now; let me first gather what I may manifest; you love elevation, and you shall obtain elevation, but follow me through humility1”. What does He mean by the ‘times and seasons’? By the times, He means knowing the time of the setting of the messianic kingdom. Instead of seeking the kingdom of God, and enjoying its potentialities, man preoccupies himself with temporal reckoning, something that has preoccupied many believers along the centuries. As for the seasons, it means thinking about the coming events, what will happen until the ultimate coming of the Lord Christ. In our present time, feeling the closeness of the end, many scholars got preoccupied with times and seasons, as for example:  When will the world come to an end?  What will become of Israel? Will they accept the faith in Christ? Will they reign over the whole world?  How can we interpret the events of September the eleventh, 2001 in the light of the book of revelation, and the prophetic books in the Old Testament?  Should we expect a devastating world war?  Who would take part in this war?  How would be the coalitions in this war? Many have turned from studying the Holy Book with its two testaments, into thinking about the times and seasons, against which the Lord Christ has warned in His final words to His disciples, just before His ascension. During the 40 days between His resurrection and His ascension, they realized exalted things that they had not so far realized, like the following:  That He is the Son of God, equal to the Father in dignity (John 5: 17-20).  There will be resurrection from the dead (Matt 17: 9).  He who ascends will sit on the right hand of the Father (Luke 22: 69).  He is worshipped by the angels, and He will come again (Mark 16: 19).  What will happen on the Day of Judgment (Matt 16: 27), when they would sit to judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 21: 27).  The Jews will be driven out, to be replaced by the Gentiles (Matt 19: 28). Then, all the Lord’s sayings before His crucifixion began to be clear before them through His miraculous apparitions. However, they had not yet completely get rid of the materialistic Jewish thoughts since they did not yet have the Holy Spirit who carries them to the heavenly matters to experience the new resurrected life. St. Jerome discerns between what we have known and what we are in no need to seek. As an example, the Psalmist prays saying, “Lord, make me to know my end” (Ps 1 In Joan. Tr. 25.3. 52 39: 4), as an important issue to know what God has planned for us. On the other hand, as far as the origin of the human soul and its beginning is concerned, this is not our concern. Is it born from the parents, like the body, or not? This should not concern us. The excellent example for this discernment is what the apostle St. Paul has seen and heard when he was taken up to the third heaven, But whether he went there with his body or outside it, that was not his concern, nor did he inquire about it from God1.  "So eager were they for that day. Indeed, to me it appears that they had not any clear notion of the nature of that kingdom; for the Spirit had not yet instructed them.For there they were still affected towards sensible objects, seeing they were not yet become better than those who were before them; here they have henceforth high conceptions concerning Christ. Since then their minds are elevated, He also speaks to them in a higher strain. For He no longer tells them, “Of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13: 32) But he says, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1: 7). You ask things greater than your capacity, He would say. And yet even now they learned things that were much greater than this. And that you may see that this is strictly the case, look how many things I shall enumerate2". (St. John Chrysostom)  "“Of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13: 32). The Son is ignorant, then, of nothing which the Father knows, nor does it follow because the Father alone knows, that the Son does not know. Father and Son abide in unity of nature, and the ignorance of the Son belongs to the divine Plan of silence seeing that in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. This, the Lord Himself testified, when He answered the question of the Apostles concerning the times, It is not yours to know times or moments, which the Father has set within His own authority (Acts 1: 7). The knowledge is denied them, and not only that, but the anxiety to learn is forbidden, because it is not theirs to know these times3". (St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitier)  ““The day of the Lord,” Says the apostle, “so comes as a thief in the night” (1 Thess 5: 2). Therefore watch by night that you be not surprised by the thief. For the sleep of death-(if you will it or not)-it will come4”. (St. Augustine)  "The things then which are seen shall pass away, and there shall come the things which are looked for, things fairer than the present; but as to the time let no one be curious. For it is not for you, He says, to know times or seasons, which the Father has put in His own power (Acts 1: 7). And do not venture to declare when these things shall be, nor on the other hand supinely slumber. For he says, “Watch therefore for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming, Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matt 24: 42, 44). But since it 1 Cf. Letter 144, to Alypius and Augustine. 8. 2Hom. On Acts. Homily 2. 3On the Trinity. 9.75. 4 Sermons on the Mount. 43.8. 53 was needful for us to know the signs of the end, and since we are looking for Christ, therefore, that we may not die deceived and be led astray by that false Antichrist, the Apostles, moved by the divine will, address themselves by a providential arrangement to the True Teacher, and say, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age” (Matt. 24: 3)? We look for you to come again, but Satan transforms himself into an Angel of light; put us therefore on our guard, that we may not worship another instead of you. And He, opening His divine and blessed mouth, says, “Be careful, do not be deceived by anyone”, And this word exhorts you all to give heed to what is spoken; for it is not a history of things gone by, but a prophecy of things future, and which will surely come. Not that we prophesy, for we are unworthy; but that the things which are written will be set before you, and the signs declared. Observe, which of them have already come to pass, and which yet remain; and make yourself safe1". (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”(Acts 1.8). By saying “But”, the Lord Christ corrects the way of thinking of the disciples, Instead of their flaring wish to know the times and seasons which are in the authority of the Father, He directs them to recognize their own mission, having been called to have the power to testify on the level of the whole world, through the WORK of the Holy Spirit that will come upon them. When they were still looking forward to the kingdom of Christ in a material way, hoping soon to see the day when He will be enthroned a King of Israel to reign over the whole world, He talked about enthroning Him a King over the hearts of the whole world. This would not be realized except by the authority of the Father, by which He draws the hearts to His crucified Son through the work of His Holy Spirit. They inquired about the day; whereas, He diverted their thoughts to the authority that they will have from the Father for preaching. They inquired about Israel; while, He told them about the new Israel that will embrace Jerusalem, all Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth. This is what the prophet David has prophesied (Ps 2: 8), and also the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek 21: 27). Because what the disciples sought to know, concerning the day, would not benefit them in the least, He diverted their vision to what is for their edification. St. John Chrysostom likens this situation to a kid who cries out asking to have something that would not benefit him, to which we respond by hiding it, and showing our hands empty, as though we do not have it, then we give him instead what would be useful to him. Thus, when the disciples inquired about the day, He told them that that knowledge is in the authority of the Father, as though He is empty-handed of that authority. Then, He presented to them what is of more importance to them; that is, having the power and authority for the serious work ahead of them to set that kingdom. St. John Chrysostom says that He is the Teacher who provides His students, not with what they choose, but with what is of benefit to them, and what they should learn and know. 1 Catechetical lectures. 15.4. 54 “Power”: They will have a divine power, that does not stop at performing signs and miracles in the name of the crucified Jesus, but they will have the power to draw the soul with all its energies to believe in the Lord Christ, and to enjoy the experience of the new life, the resurrected from the dead. It is only the Holy Spirit who can penetrate the heart and thought, and work in the soul, declaring war against sin (Acts 2: 37), and shining in it with the splendor of the Holy Trinity, to receive joyfully the work of God.  “And that they might not be frozen with fear, they burned with the fire of charity” (the Holy Spirit) 1". (St. Augustine) “And you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1: 8). The book of Acts proclaims the realization of that divine promise: In the first seven chapters, the testimony was confined to Jerusalem; with the beginning of the eighth chapter, it started in Judea and Samaria; and with the eleventh chapter (Acts 11: 19), the ministry set forth outside those frontiers, until it reached to the capital of the Roman empire, that reined over the world at that time. Here, the Lord Christ refers to all mankind at that time: 1- The Jews, who hold fast to the Mosaic Law and the worship in the temple with all its rites in stiff literality. 2- The Proselytes, who, although converted to Judaism, yet in their depths, they do not care for the circumcision according to the flesh, for the literality of the law, or for the temple with its huge building. 3- The Samaritans, who used to mix between worshipping the living God and the worship of idols. 4- The Gentiles with their worship of idols, and practicing various rites according to the customs of each nation. The testimony started in Jerusalem, as, according to St. John Chrysostom, the world accepts faith when it sees some of those who crucified the Lord, believe in His resurrection. It would be a sure proof of the resurrection of the Lord, when it comes from His opposing enemies who became believers in Him. In the Book of Isaiah, it is written: “Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2: 3). In Jerusalem, about 3000 men believed after hearing one sermon (Acts 2).  Because the Lord loved Jerusalem and had compassion on it, He commanded to start preaching in it. No wonder, as by this, He wipes the hatred away from its roots, as in Jerusalem the murderers of Christ live2. (St. Augustine) Having been about to leave them in the flesh, He presented to them what would bring joy to their hearts, support them in the realization of their mission, and comfort them amid their sufferings.  “In truth, they were yet weak. But to inspire them with confidence, He raised up their souls, and concealed what was grievous. Since he was about to leave them very shortly, therefore in this discourse He says nothing painful3”. 1 The City of God. 18.50. 2 In Joan. Tr. 2.3. 3Hom. On Acts. Homily 2. 55  The Lord Christ sent His apostles, as the sun sends forth its rays, as the flower spreads its sweet aroma, and as the fire emits sparks. The power of Christ is being known through their virtues, as the sun twinkles in its rays, as the flower proclaims its fragrance, and as the fire emits its sparks. Who would not praise the teacher when he sees the students well educated1? (St. John Chrysostom)  The gospel came to you as it did to the whole world, and had fruits. The Son of God Himself said, “You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth” 2 . (St. Augustine) Giving the good news of the birth of the incarnated Word of God, the angel Gabriel presented the promise: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you , and the power of the highest will overshadow you, therefore also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1: 35). St. Mary brought forth the incarnated Son of God, and enjoyed that unique motherhood to Him, together with her perpetual virginity. Now, the incarnated divine Word, Jesus Christ, presents a promise of the birth of His bride, the holy Church, the virgin mother, by the power of the Holy Spirit, who would come upon mankind: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me” (Acts 1: 8). The first Newborn is the Holy incarnated Son of God, born by the Holy Spirit, by a power from the highest; and the second Newborn is His bride, the Holy Church, likewise born by the Holy Spirit by a power from the highest. The first birth was realized from the Virgin St. Mary after sanctifying her, and the second, from the apostles and disciples, also after sanctifying them. In the first birth, the Heavenly became human to dwell among us, and in the second, the earthly creatures bear the features of the Heavenly, and in His divine bosom they enjoy the heavenly blessings. The first newborn became for our sake a fetus, then a child, and “the child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2: 40). The second newborn, his bride, the church, ”had peace, were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied” (Acts 9: 31). The first newborn led many to praise God, like St. Mary, Elizabeth, Simon the Elder, etc., and the second newborn turned humanity into a praising congregation (Acts 2: 47). 3- THE ASCENSION OF THE HEAD TO HEAVEN “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” (Acts 1: 9). St. Luke confirms, ”When He had spoken this …while they watched”. In His resurrection, He was not seen by anyone. Yet nature testified to Him, together with the empty tomb, and the claim of the guards that His body was stolen while they were asleep, something although ridiculous, yet it confirmed His resurrection, Then the apparitions of the Lord to many, and at various times, speaking and debating with them, so as not to 1 In Sanctum Matt. Ch10.1. 2 Letters. 185.1-5. 56 think that what they were seeing was no more than a beautiful dream, or a fantasy. They would not have believed the fact of His ascension, had not they seen it by their own eyes. They had to watch His ascension, and speak with the two angels, to realize that the kingdom of Christ is not a temporary earthly kingdom, but an eternal heavenly one, and to realize that His mission on earth is finished (John 17: 4, 19: 30), and that it was fitting for Him to return to His glory that is His with the Father (John 17: 4-5; Phil. 2: 6, 9-10). When the Lord consummated His mission on earth, He ascended to send the Holy Spirit to guide His Church in the whole world. He ascended to the Father, to prepare for us our glory through His atoning intercession to the Father, for the forgiveness of our sins, and our justification in Him, being the Highest Priest (Heb 9: 7-8, 11-12, 25), and to proclaim the opening, for the first time, of the gates of heaven, before the One bearing the human nature, which gives us the right to ascend together with Him. The Evangelist Luke gave us this actual impressive and amazing scene of the ascension of the Lord Christ to heaven, when a cloud received Him out of their sight. The Psalmist says, “Who makes the clouds His chariots, Who walks on the wings of the wind” (Ps 104: 3), and the prophet Daniel says, “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him” (Dan 7: 13). The clouds refer to the exaltness and the divine splendor (Deut 4: 11; 2 Sam. 22: 12; Ps 97: 2). It also refers to the ‘Shekinah’, as a glory that represents the divine presence (Exod 33: 7- 11, 40: 34; Mark 9: 7). “He was taken up”: As the body of the Lord became glorified by His resurrection from the dead, the gravity had no more authority over the body risen from the dead. It became natural for it to be taken up, and to lift up with Him everyone who became attached to Him or became a member in Him, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth will draw all peoples to myself” (John 12: 32). After His resurrection, His body became clothed with glory and light. But for our sake, He hid that from the eyes, in order that His disciples and all those around them would come in touch with Him, and come to be convinced of His resurrection. He granted a special grace to His disciples to see Him being taken up, He who, when appeared to ‘Saul’ of Tarsus, on his way to Damascus, Saul trembled with confusion, “Suddenly a light shone around him from heaven, then he fell to the ground” (Acts 9: 3-4). He hid His glory from the eyes of those who encountered Him, until He was taken up in a cloud before their eyes, then the veil was lifted up from His glory, and it became impossible for the human eye to see Him, except when He grants us the resurrection of our bodies, to come to be like His glorified body, “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13: 26).  We were granted this because of “the body” presented by the Lord. He presented to the Father the ‘Firstborn of our nature”. And because of the dignity of the ‘Presenter’, and the perfection of the ‘Receiver’, the Father found the Gift acceptable, received It by His hand, and embraced It, saying to the incarnated Lord, “Sit on My right hand” (Luke 20.42). Has not ‘the humanity united with the Deity” ascended to what is beyond heavens! 57 Is this not a non-measurable dignity! Our nature was lifted up in the Person of the incarnated God, beyond the heavens, exalted above the arch-angels and the Cherubim, soared above the Seraphim, higher than all heavenly hosts, and found comfort in the divine throne alone In the past, the behavior of our race has been so evil, to the extent that all human races became in danger of being wiped out from the face of the earth. But now, we, who were counted before as unworthy of remaining on earth, are now being lifted up to heaven. We, who were before unworthy of the earthly glory, are lifted up now to the heavenly kingdom, and enter heaven to take our place before the divine throne. Our nature, against which the Cherubim once guarded the gates of paradise, is now lifted up over the Cherubim! How can we pass over such a great event (the feast of ascension), so swiftly! Having offended such great mercies, that we became unworthy of the earth itself, and fell down from every authority and dignity, how could we be worthy of being lifted up to such exalted dignity! How did the struggle come to an end! Why did God’s wrath come to an end! It is really amazing: Peace has come, not through the work of those who have aroused the wrath of God. But He, who has been reasonably angry on us, is Himself calling us to peace, the apostle says, “Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us” (2 Cor. 5.20). What does this mean? Despite our offense against Him, It is He, who seeks us and calls us to peace. It is really amazing, It is God, the loving God Who calls us1!  This too was a sure sign that He went up to Heaven. Not fire, as in the case of Elijah, nor fiery chariot but “a cloud received Him” which was a symbol of Heaven, as the Prophet says; “He makes the clouds His chariot” (Ps 104: 3). it is of the Father Himself that this is said. Therefore he says, "on a cloud;" in the symbol, he would say, of the Divine power, for no other Power is seen to appear on a cloud. For hear again what another Prophet says: “Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud” (Isa. 19: 1).Also on the mount [Sinai], the cloud was because of Him: since Moses also entered into the darkness, but the cloud there was not because of Moses2. (St. John Chrysostom)  “Who makes the clouds His chariots, which walks on the wings of the wind” (Ps. 104: 3). By this He refers to His divine care that reaches everywhere, riding on winds and clouds. By Himself, He controls and guides every thing, and at the right time He grants the resulting benefits. He also refers to the fact that the divine nature is present everywhere, searching everything, as the wind is the swiftest of all material things, crossing from the west to the east , and from east to west in a twinkle. Finding no closer analogy to swift motion than the wind, he says that God walks on the wings of the wind. 1 In Ascensione. 50. 2Hom. On Acts. Homily 2. 58 We also see the God of all, making His personal appearance to the children of Israel in the tabernacle, in a cloud (Exod 13: 21, 40: 34). And when King Solomon dedicated the new temple, a cloud covered it (2 Chron 5: 13-14). Christ the Lord on the mountain, together with the three apostles, gave a glimpse of a bright cloud around Him (Matt 17: 5), And in His ascension, “a cloud received Him out of their sight1”. (Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus)  “He ascended into heaven and is no longer here. He is there, indeed, sitting at the right hand of the Father; and He is here also, having never withdrawn the presence of His glory2". (St. Augustine)  “And when He had thus shown them that there is truly a resurrection of the flesh, wishing to show them this also, that it is not impossible for flesh to ascend into heaven (as He had said that our dwelling-place is in heaven), “A cloud received Him out of their sight”, as He was in the flesh3”. (St. Justin) “And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel” (Acts 1: 10). Longing for ministering and testifying to Him, two angels appeared to testify to His ascension. They were probably the same two angels who, in the tomb, testified to His resurrection4. They saw two angels, human-like, clothed in white apparel, as though clothed in light, a sign of purity, joy, and glory, the way angels used to appear (Matt 28: 3; Mark 16: 5; John 20: 12). The redeemed appear in heaven walking together with the Savior, clothed in white apparel, as it is said, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments” (Rev 3: 5, 7: 9, 13-14).  "Inasmuch, however, as the sight of their eyes even here was not all-sufficient; for in the Resurrection they saw the end, but not the beginning, and in the Ascension they saw the beginning, but not the end: because in the former it had been superfluous to have seen the beginning, the Lord Himself Who spoke these things being present, and the sepulchre showing clearly that He is not there; but in the latter, they needed to be informed of the sequel by word of others: inasmuch then as their eyes do not suffice to show them the height above, nor to inform them whether He is actually gone up into heaven,the Angels themselves inform them. Observe how it is ordered, that not all is done by the Spirit, but the eyes also do their part5" (St. John Chrysostom)  “Again, the outward appearance is cheering "in white apparel". They were Angels, in the form of men6”. (St. Chrysostom) 1 Comment. On Ps. 104. 2 Joan .Tr. 50.13. 3On the Resurrection. 9. 4 Barnes. Notes on Acts. 1.10. 5Hom. On Acts. Homily 2. 6Hom. On Acts. Homily 2. 59  “And yet the space between angels and men is great; nevertheless he brings them down near to us, all but saying, For us they labor, for our sake they run to and fro: on us, as one might say, they wait. This is their ministry, for our sake to be sent every way 1". (St. John Chrysostom)  “And when He comes, loaded with victory and with trophies, with His body which has risen from the dead, then there are certain powers which say, “Who is this who comes with dyed (red) garments from Bozrah?” Then those who escort Him say to those that are upon the heavenly gates, “Lift up your heads, O you gates, and be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in” (Ps 24: 7) 2". (The Scholar Origen)  Today, the feast of ascension, the angels got back those whom they lost a long time ago. Today, the archangels saw those whom they longed to see, a long time ago. Today, they saw our nature (as the Son, the Word, united with it) in the divine throne, glittering in an eternal beauty and an everlasting glory. That was what the angels have so long wished to see. That was what the archangels anticipated. Although the human nature exalted above them in dignity, yet they rejoiced for the good that came to us, having been sad when we were punished. Despite the fact that the Cherubim stood guarding the gates of paradise (when we were driven out), they were grieved for our affliction, Just like, when a slave holds the hand of a fellow slave in the presence of his master, to put him in prison, and guard him, yet he grieves for the affliction of his friend. This is to demonstrate how the Cherubim were sad for the fate of humans; the heavenly hosts are definitely more compassionate than humans. Who among humans does not grieve, when he sees others punished, even if the punishment is justified for what they have committed! This compassion is something to commend, as despite their knowledge of the offenses of humans, and their realization that they have committed a serious crime, the Cherubim grieved for them from their hearts. This is also demonstrated by Moses, who, after his people committed idolatry, said to God, “And now, if You will forgive their sin – but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written” (Exod 32: 32). What do you mean Moses? Despite their idolatry, you grieve to see them punished! He responds saying: Yes I do, I grieve to see them punished, despite their horrible offense! If Moses, Ezekiel (Ezek 9: 8), and Jeremiah (Jer 10: 24), all grieved for the sake of sinners, do you find it strange that the heavenly hosts show compassion for the sake of our afflictions? They consider our affairs as though their own; that is why, their joy is immense when they see our reconciliation with God. They would not so rejoice, if they did not grieve for our sake in the first place. Their joy is clear from the words of the Lord Christ Himself, “I say to you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents“(Luke 15: 7). If the angels rejoice when they see one sinner going back to God in repentance, how could they not greatly celebrate when they see the whole human nature, in its Firstborn, ascending today to heaven! 1Homilies on Hebrews. Hom. 3.4. 2 Comm. On Joan. 6.37. 60 Listen also, in another situation, to the joy of the heavenly hosts, when we resume our friendship with God. When our Lord was born in the flesh, knowing that, from this moment on, God’s friendship with mankind replaces animosity, or else, He would not have come down among themHaving seen that, a heavenly legion praised, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2: 14). Do you want to know the extent of their joy, as they watched Christ ascending to heaven? Listen to His words about them, how they perpetually ascend and descend, as though they are anticipating a new amazing thing to happen. And where were they ascending and descending? Listen to the words of the Lord, “Hereafter, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (John 1: 51). That is the sign of the compassionate hearts, full of love, not waiting for the preassigned time, but acting in precedence of the hour of joy. They kept on ascending and descending with yearning and love, anticipating that new and amazing revelation, concerning the incarnated God, who appears in heaven. Because of that, angels appeared when He was born; when He resurrected; and when He ascended to heaven; the Holy Book says, “Two men stood by them in white apparel” which proclaims their joy. They said to the disciples, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? The same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven…” (Acts 1: 10, 11). Concentrate with me! Why did they say that to the disciples? Have not the disciples seen what occurred before them? Did not the Evangelist say, “While they watched, He was taken up?” Why then, did the two angels stand by them and told them about His ascension to heaven? This was for two reasons: 1- Because the disciples started to feel sad because Christ was leaving them …”None of you asks Me: Where are you going? But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts” (John 16: 5-6). That is why the angels stood by those who were sad, to assure them that He was going to come again: “The same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1: 11). Are you sad because He ascended? Do not be, because He will come again. So they said, so that they would not do like Elisha who tore his own clothes, when he saw his Master Elijah going up into heaven (2 kings 2: 12), There was no one to tell him that he will come again. To spare them from doing that, the two angels stood by them, to comfort them, and to take away the sorrow that filled their hearts. 2- The second reason is not less important than the first one, as they added: “The same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven …” As the distance between them and heaven is vast, and their sight could not follow as His body is taken up there, the two angels stood by them, to clarify the situation, so that they would not assume that He was taken up to where Elijah is; He actually ascended to heaven. “He, who was taken up from you into heaven”: That was not added without reason: Elijah, being just a servant, was taken up, (as though) to heaven; Whereas Jesus, the Lord, was actually taken up to heaven (where the divine throne is). Elijah was taken up in a chariot, whereas Jesus was taken up in a cloud. When the servant was called, a chariot was sent to him, whereas the Son has the divine throne -the throne of His Father. It came in the Book of Isaiah: “…Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud” (19: 1). 61 As Elijah was taken up, his cloak fell upon Elisha (2 Kings 2: 13); whereas, when Jesus ascended, He sent grace to all His disciples, and not to one prophet, but to many like Elisha, and to those who are even more glorious than him. Let us stand up, beloved brethren, and lift up our eyes toward Him, who will return, as Paul says, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess 4: 16-17). Yet, not everyone will enjoy that. Some will ascend to heaven, while others will be left back. … Listen to the words of Christ: “Two women will be grinding at the mill, One will be taken and the other left” (Matt 24: 41). Shall we be among those who will ascend? When I say “we”, I count myself as (unworthy) of being among them; for, I am not without feeling or understanding to disregard my sins. And for fear that I would spoil the joy of this holy feast, I cry with bitter tears, when I recall in my mind those words, and remember my sins. Not wishing to take away the joy of this feast, I shall bring this sermon to an end, leaving the joy of this feast radiating in your minds. So, let the rich not rejoice much in their riches, and the poor, let them not be sad for their poverty. Let every man do his work, whatever it is, according to his own conscience. The happy man is not the rich, nor the poor is miserable, But He is blessed, and even three times blessed, who is found worthy to ascend upon the clouds, even if he is the poorest of all. And he is truly miserable, and three times miserable, who is counted among the lost, even if he is the richest of all1. (St. John Chrysostom) “They also said: ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1: 11). As their hometown was Galilee, the angels called them ‘Men of Galilee’. There is no event in the history of mankind that can amaze man, like the ascension of the Lord Christ over the clouds, which is just the same way as His second coming, to carry His Church in an exalted heavenly procession, and bring her into the eternal glories. Why were they gazing up into heaven? (Acts 1: 11) . 1- All of them had their eyes lifted up to watch their Lord ascending to Heaven, probably anticipating in their depths what would happen after that. They were confused: What is His role? And what would be theirs after His ascension? 2- Some believe that they, having been debating with the lord Christ about the time when the kingdom would be restored to Israel, they assumed that it was high time for Him to reign, and to set the people free from the Roman occupation. But now, as He is ascending before their eyes, they were in great doubt that this would ever happen. 3- Having told them beforehand, that He is ascending to heaven, then coming back, they probably assumed that as he ascended, he is coming back at once, so they kept gazing in anticipation of His soon return. 4- The scene of His glorious ascension was so incredibly fascinating; they kept gazing up into heaven, as though trying to keep it engraved in their minds, the same way 1 In Ascensione. Pg.50. 62 as it happened during the event of the transfiguration, when St. Peter asked the Lord, “It is good, O Lord, to be here”. The angels appeared in white apparel to prepare those present for the ultimate coming of the Lord Christ. They talked to them as though His coming would take place in one day or few days, as the angels were not preoccupied with time, but with encountering their God. They wanted the heart of the Church to kindle yearning to the coming of her Groom, as though He is coming within few moments. And as the apostle says, “It is the last hour”, now, after 2000 years, we are yearning to see Him coming, as though we are in our last moments.  “God has gone up with a shout, The Lord with the sound of a trumpet” (Ps 47: 5). To consummate all that, God first became human, cast away the avenging devil, then ascended to heaven with the heavenly hosts, preceded by the angels. To those on earth, it was said, “The same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1: 11); Whereas, those in the highest, will say, “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors” (Ps 24: 7) 1. (Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus)  “His ascent from earth to heaven, and again, His descent from heaven to earth, are manifestations of the energies of His circumscribed body2”.  “And when He was received again into Heaven He was borne towards the East, and thus His apostles worship Him, and thus He will come again in the way in which they beheld Him going towards Heaven; as the Lord Himself said, “For as the lightening comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matt 24: 27). So, then, in expectation of His coming we worship towards the East. But this tradition of the apostles is unwritten. For much that has been handed down to us by tradition is unwritten3”. (Fr. John of Damascus). While gazing up in amazement, two angels drew their hearts to another similar scene, when the Lord Christ will come on the clouds, as though by a divine chariot, to carry His holy bride, with Him to the heavenly home, the home of matrimony, to live in the divine bosom.  As they were amazed to see Him ascending to heaven, they were equally overjoyed, because the lifting up of the head is the hope of the other body members. Moreover, they heard the angelic message: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1: 11). What is the meaning of “will so come in like manner?” He will come in the same shape, to fulfill the Scripture: “They shall look on Him whom they pierced” (Zech 12: 10; John 19: 37). He will come to mankind, in a human shape, as an incarnated God; He will come both as a true God and a true Man, to make out of men what is like God. He ascended into heaven as a judge, So let us be justified, so as not to fear the coming judgment4. 1 Comment on Ps. 47. 2 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith. 4.1. 3 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith. 4.12. 4 Sermons. 265.1. 63  "In what manner did they see Him go? In the flesh, which they touched, which they handled. the wounds even of which they proved by touching; in that body in which He went in and out with them for forty days, manifesting Himself to them in truth, not in falsity; not a phantom, or shadow, or ghost, but, as Himself said, not deceiving them, “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Luke 24: 39). That body is now indeed worthy of a heavenly habitation, not being subject to death, nor mutable by the lapse of ages. It is not as it had grown to that age from infancy, so from the age of manhood declines to old age: He remains as He ascended, to come to those to whom He willed His word to be preached before He comes. Thus will He come in human form, and this form the wicked will see; both they on the right shall see it, and they that are separated to the left shall see it: as it is written, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced” (Zech 12.10; John 19.37). God hidden in the body they will not see: after the judgment He will be seen by those who will be on the right hand1".  “That is, in the form of man in which He was judged, will He judge, in order that also that prophetic utterance may be fulfilled, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced” (Zech 12.10; John 19.37). But when the righteous go into eternal life, we shall see Him as He is; that will not be the judgment of the living and the dead, but only the reward of the living2. (St. Augustine)  "If He is about to descend, on what account shall we be caught up? For the sake of honor. For when a king drives into a city, those who are in honor go out to meet him; but the condemned await the judge within. And upon the coming of an affectionate father, his children indeed, and those who are worthy to be his children, are taken out in a chariot that they may see and kiss him; but those of the domestics who have offended remain within. We are carried upon the chariot of our Father. For He received Him up in the clouds, and "we shall be caught up in the clouds." Do you see how great is the honor? And as He descends, we go forth to meet Him, and, what is more blessed than all, so we shall be with Him3”. (St. John Chrysostom) Pope Athanasius the apostolic4 believes that this is a confirmation that we worship the ascending incarnated Lord, who will also come in a like manner, As some have stumbled in Christ because of His body. “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey” (Acts 1: 12). That scene flared their heart, and “they returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24: 52). The distance between the Mount and Jerusalem was “a Sabbath day’s journey”, namely, one kilometer. Although not fixed by the law, yet according to the Jewish tradition, this distance was about 2000 steps, as it was not allowed for anyone, including the Levites, to dwell more than 2000 steps away from the tabernacle, to be able to walk to the tabernacle to worship on the Sabbath. 1 Joan. Tr. 21.13. 2 Joan. Tr. 36.12. 3Hom. On Thess. Hom. 8. 4 Epistles, 60 to Adelphium, 5. 64 The Lord’s ascension brought them an inner joy, as they began to realize that the kingdom of Christ is in heaven; and where He reigns they will also do. That inner joy granted them strength to challenge all circumstances, as it is said, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh 8: 10). All what preoccupied their minds was to testify to Him before the whole world, to be “looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Pet 3: 12). The apostles did not ask the two angels about the time when the Lord would come again, as their thoughts were absorbed by Him who ascended to heaven, and they realized the meaning of what the Psalmist has said before, “The (clouds) and the Darkness under His feet” (Ps 18: 9). They realized that He is the Lord of heaven, and as St. John Chrysostom says, “For as a king is shown by the royal chariot, so was the royal chariot sent for Him1”. “And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the brother of James” (Acts 1: 13). The list of the twelve apostles came in (Matt 10: 2; Mark 3: 16; Luke 6: 14). Simon the Canaanite, namely of Caana, was also called the Zealot, having been a member of the Zealot group, that sought freedom from the Roman occupation through the use of force, drawing their principles from Phinehas who showed zeal for the house of the Lord (Num 25: 10-13). Josephus, the Jewish Historian, believes that they were connected to ‘Theudas” the revolutionist (Acts 5: 37), who led an uprising against the Romans in the year 6 AD. Although he failed, his followers continued to adopt his lead, and carried out an uprising in the year 66 AD, that ended by the entry of Titus into Jerusalem in the year 70 AD, and the burning and complete destruction of the temple. They used to assemble in the upper room of the house of Mary the mother of St. Mark the apostle, that seemed to be big enough to accommodate a great number of them, as is said, “Where they were staying”. The women might have stayed in the lower floor, while the upper room was for the men. And when the Holy Spirit came down from heaven as a rushing mighty wind, it filled the whole house. St. John Chrysostom says that the disciples did not show any sign of distress when the Lord Christ ascended to heaven, unlike Elisha who tore his clothes when his master Elijah was taken up to heaven (2 kings 2: 12). The Evangelist St. Luke says, “They worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God” (Luke 24: 52, 53). It seems that the secret of their Joy was what the angel said, “He will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1: 11). His ascension and their hope in His Second Coming have turned their life into continuous praise in the temple of God. “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers” (Acts 1: 14). The words “continued” in prayer and supplication, in Greek, do not mean just keeping on doing that, but carry the sense of doing that with a flaring zeal, with honesty, and loyalty. That most probably means praying those ritual prayers of the hours, with all what they include of 18 supplications or blessings. The book of Acts reveals the nature of the Church, being a holy congregation, continuously praying and supplicating with one accord. 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 2. 65  ”For this is a powerful weapon in temptations; and to this they had been trained.["Continuing with one accord." 1”. (St. John Chrysostom) The Church embraced “women”, who followed Him from Galilee (Luke 8: 1-3): those who were with Him at the crucifixion and the tomb (Matt. 27: 55-57), as well as, “many other women who came up with Him of Jerusalem” (Mark 15: 41). His brothers, according to St. Jerome, were the sons of His aunt (Mark 15: 40). 4-THE CONSUMMATION OF THE NUMBER OF DISCIPLES “And in those days, Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said” (Acts 1: 15). The expression “stood up”, means that he set forth to do something. Why did St. Peter play that role, when he was not the Bishop of Jerusalem? Some believe that this was because he was the eldest of them all, while others believe that it was because he was zealous by nature. Anyway, the disciples were not preoccupied by whom among them to stand up and do something. Choosing the twelfth disciple, to replace Judas Iscariot, took place in the presence and fellowship of the whole congregation (about 120).  “The priest should be chosen in the presence of the people under the eyes of all, and should be approved worthy and suitable by public judgment and testimony; as in the book of Numbers the Lord commanded Moses, saying, “Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor,in the sight of all the congregation” (Num 20: 25- 27). God commands a priest to be appointed in the presence of all the assembly; that is, He instructs and shows that the ordination of priests ought not to be solemnized except with the knowledge of the people standing near2”. (Martyr Cyprian) As to mentioning the figure 120, it is because, according to the Jewish tradition, this is the smallest number that qualifies any group to be called a congregation that has the right to manage its own affairs. That does not mean that there were no other believers in the Lord Christ, but those were the ones who assembled in the upper room. They were called ‘disciples’, as they counted themselves students in the school of the Lord Christ. St. Peter the apostle stood up to talk to the congregation about God’s choice of a disciple to replace Judas Iscariot. St. John Chrysostom wonders “Why did he not ask Christ to give him some one in the room of Judas? It is better as it is. For in the first place, they were engaged in other things; secondly, of Christ's presence with them, the greatest proof that could be given was this: as He had chosen when He was among them, so did He now being absent. Now this was no small matter for their consolation3”.  “Again, consider the moderation of James. He it was who received the Bishopric of Jerusalem, and here he says nothing. Mark also the great moderation of the other Apostles, how they concede the throne to him, and no longer dispute with each other. For that Church was as it were in heaven: having nothing to do with this world's affairs: and resplendent not with wails, no, nor with numbers, but with the zeal of 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 2 Epistles. 67.4. 3Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 66 them that formed the assembly. They were "about a hundred and twenty," it says. The seventy perhaps whom Christ Himself had chosen, and other of the more earnestminded disciples, as Joseph and Matthias. There were women, he says, many, who followed Him (Mark 15.41)1”. (St. John Chrysostom) In his comment on that event, St. John Chrysostom compares between what happened at that time and what was going on in his days. At the time of the apostles, there was no controversy between those chosen for the apostolic or Episcopal work, as the Episcopate is the receiving of the burdens of others, and not the enjoyment of comfort and dignity.  "But let me say why it is that the thing has become a subject of competition: it is because we come to the Episcopate not as unto a work of governing and superintending the brethren, but as to a post of dignity and repose. Did you but know that a Bishop is bound to belong to all, to bear the burden of all; that others, if they are angry, are pardoned, but he never; that others, if they sin, have excuses made for them, he has none; you would not be eager for the dignity, would not run after it. So it is, the Bishop is exposed to the tongues of all, to the criticism of all, whether they are wise or fools. He is harassed with cares every day, nay, every night. He has many to hate him, many to envy him. Talk not to me of those who curry favor with all, of those who desire to sleep, of those who advance to this office as for repose. We have nothing to do with these; we speak of those who watch for your souls, who consider the safety and welfare of those under them before their own2".  "I do not think there are many among Bishops that will be saved, but many more that perish: and the reason is that it is an affair that requires a great mind. The loss of one soul carries with it a penalty which no language can represent. For if the salvation of that soul was of such value, that the Son of God became man, and suffered so much, think how sore a punishment must the losing of it bring! Do not tell me, that the presbyter is in fault, or the deacon. The guilt of all these comes perforce upon the head of those who ordained them3".  “I mean, that even if you have sinned, but in your own person merely, you will have no such great punishment, nothing like it: but if you have sinned as bishop, you are lost4”. (St. John Chrysostom) “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus”(Acts 1: 16). “Men and brethren” is an expression directed to someone of dignity and integrity, whether man or woman.  "Men and brethren," says Peter. For if the Lord called them brethren, much more may he. ["Men," he says]: they all being present. See the dignity of the Church, the 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 2Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 3Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 4Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 67 angelic condition! No distinction there, "neither male nor female." I would that the Churches were such now! None there had his mind full of some worldly matter1”. (St. John Chrysostom)  The reference to the prophecies concerning Judas Iscariot, and his ultimate destiny (Ps. 41.9), proves that those events, of utmost importance, happened according to a divine plan. It also reveals that the Church since its early days was preoccupied with all the prophecies of the Old Testament. (St. John Chrysostom) Here, St. Peter presents to us the way of divine comforts; the enjoyment of the prophecies of the Old Testament gives comfort to the soul, and assurance that the faith we live, is an indisputable truth, as all those events were previously proclaimed by God through the prophets, hundreds and in some cases thousands of years before the coming of the Lord Christ. A scholar can recognize by the Spirit, all the events of salvation, from the Old Testament, that was, and still is, in the hands of the Jews before the coming of the Lord Christ. That is concerning the salvation plan of God for the whole world, through which we realize the care of God for the salvation and glory of every one of us personally.  “This Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before”. Always he comforts them by the prophecies. So does Christ on all occasions. In the very same way, he shows here that no strange thing had happened, but what had already been foretold2”. (St. John Chrysostom) This is the secret of our comfort on the level of the world, the Church, and the individual himself; what comforts us is that the Holy Spirit Himself is the Leader of the Church since its beginning. That is why St. Peter did not say: “spoken by David”, but “which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David” , being the true leader along the generations, to carry the Church of God, both in the Old Testament, and the New Testament, to the eternal glory. St. John Chrysostom comments on this phrase, “Do you see, that it was not for nothing that I said in the beginning of this work, that this book is the Polity (leadership) of the Holy Spirit?3” St. John Chrysostom often commented on what the gospels and the book of Acts said about Judas, as the evangelists, and here also St. Peter, speak about him, referring to the events and the prophecies without mocking from their sides. St. Peter presents the bare fact, not accusing him as a traitor to His Lord, or describing him as a miserable creature. The speech of the apostle confirms that what the prophet David said about him in the psalms was inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Wherever the Word is, there is also the Spirit. The Spirit is not separated from the Son. When the word came to the prophet, the prophet was talking by the Spirit, about the issues given to him by the Word. Thus, in the book of Acts, it was written that Peter said, “This Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before” (Acts 1: 16). And Zechariah, when the word came to him, he said, “Yet surely My 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 2Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 3Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 68 words and My statutes which I commanded My servants the prophets” (Zech. 1: 6). And when he rebuked the people, he said, “Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts has sent by His Spirit through the former prophets” (Zech 7: 12). The Lord Christ spoke in Paul, as he said about himself, “Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me” (2 Cor: 13.3). No one could grant him the strength to talk except the Spirit that he had, as he said, “through the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (in me)” (Phil. 1: 19). And also when Christ spoke in him, he said, “… except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me” (Acts 20: 23). Because the Spirit is not outside the Word, but as He is the Word, He is in God by the Word. The spiritual talents are so granted in the Trinity1. (St. Athanasius)  The action of the Trinity is one. The apostle does not mean that what is given (2 Cor. 13: 13) is given various and divided, but is so given in the Trinity, and all of One God. Therefore when the Word is given to prophets, they prophesy by the Holy Spirit; and when the Book says, “… to whom the word of the Lord came” (Jer 1: 2; Mic 1: 1). This means that he is prophesying by the Holy Spirit2. (Pope Athanasius the apostolic) “For he was numbered with us, and obtained a part in this ministry” (Acts 1.17). Our Lord Jesus Christ has chosen Judas as an apostle (Luke 6: 13-16); thus, he was counted as one of the apostles, But he was not a believer true in his faith, as before betraying his Master, the Lord called him “a devil” (John 6: 70). The Lord Christ definitely knew about him, So why did he choose him, and handed him the treasury, when he knew that he was a robber and a thief? Some believe that the Lord Christ chose Judas despite His foreknowledge of what he was going to do, because, at that time, he was ready to believe in the Lord, and to follow Him; that is, he had some good in him. The Lord did not deal with him on account of what he would be, but on account of what he was, at the time he was chosen. St. Augustine believes that the Lord Christ chose him and did not judge him, even at the time of the actual treason, to teach the Church not to be much preoccupied with judgment, but with the positive aspect of preaching, of ministry, and of the proclamation of love, so as to give the chance, even to the traitors, to return to God in repentance, if they intend to. God allowed the presence of Judas among the disciples, and did not publicly reveal his identity as a traitor and a thief, until the end, so as to let us realize that it is not only among the ministered, but even among the ministers themselves that we find tares and not wheat, and that it is not for us to uproot the tares as long as they are hidden among the wheat, until the time comes to sort them out. God allows even the evildoers to work, and being a Sanctifier of the freedom of man, He would not commit them to repent. If they do repent, that would be for their own edification and glory, but if they persist on their evil, He will turn even their evil for the edification of many. He also allowed the presence of Judas among the disciples, to give a lesson to all generations, about the danger of greed and the love of money, even among the ministers of the word, as there would never be a more serious crime in history, than that of Judas, the lover of money. It is an old sin that had and still has authority on many. 1On the Holy Spirit. 3.5. 2On the Holy Spirit. 1.33. 69 God warned us against it, as He brought up His people into Canaan, when Achan the son of Carmi hid the silver, the garment, and the wedge of gold, breaking the commandment of God, for the sake of his love for money, and he perished (Josh 7: 21). And here, Judas betrays his Lord, and Simon, in the Book of Acts, seeks to acquire the power of the Holy Spirit for money. The Greek word “numbered” means ‘a pebble or a tiny stone’, as pebbles were used in counting. He calls the choice of somebody a “part”, -lot- as man has no favor in his being chosen as a minister, but it is the grace of God that chooses and works in whom it does, if they faithfully walk in their call.  “He calls it everywhere "lot," showing that the whole is from God's grace and election, and reminding them of the old times, inasmuch as God chose him into His own lot or portion, as of old He took the Levites1”. (St. John Chrysostom) “(Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity, And falling headlong, He burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out)”(Acts 1: 18). The Evangelist St. Matthew mentioned how Judas gave back the silver to the chief priests and the elders, feeling remorse for betraying innocent blood, yet with no hope in the Lord the Forgiver of sins. They refused to take it back, counting the money as his, and probably because they felt as well that it is the price of innocent blood. When Judas threw down the pieces of silver in the temple, they bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in it. St. Peter considered as though it was purchased by Judas himself. In the Greek version ‘Lostkot and Hort’, came the phrase “purchased a field with the wages of iniquity”, between brackets, indicating that it is not said by St. Peter, but is rather a comment by St. Luke the author of the Book of Acts. The Lord Christ covered up for Judas all along those years, Yet Judas did not cover up for himself, he was exposed before the world, as he will be in the great day of the Lord. His body entrails gushed out, as well as those of his soul that were corrupted by his betrayal to the Lord Himself. There were different theories as far as Judas’ death is concerned: 1- The prevailing theory was that Judas committed suicide by hanging himself, but, because of his weight, the rope was torn, and Judas fell headlong, probably on a rock, burst open in the middle, and all his entrails gushed out. 2- He hanged himself in a waste land, where his body rotted, his belly swollen, and then burst open, and the stray dogs came and violated his remains. 3- Having been overcome by despair and terror, he threw himself down from the roof of his house, and his belly burst open. 4- The scholar Lightfoot believes that, as the devil entered into him, he carried him up in the air, and then cast him down to the earth, to have his belly burst open. 5- The scholar Wakefield believes that he died because of his intense grief. Yet, some other scholars give a symbolic interpretation of the death of Judas by hanging, and the gushing of his entrails, that this refers to his falling down from his exalted position as an apostle of the Lord Christ, to the bottom of the abyss, as a betrayer 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 70 to the Lord. He lost his position and dignity, became in shame and disgrace before everyone, as his entrails gushed out to be despised by all. “And it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem, so that field is called in their own language, ‘Akel dama’, that is, (field of blood)” (Acts 1: 19). Some believe that Judas, intending to carry the image of piety and love, even while negotiating treason, he claimed before the Jewish leaderships that he was going to use the pieces of silver to purchase a field to bury strangers. Throwing the silver down in the temple, they realized his wish and counted it as though he himself has done the purchase, as it was his own money. The Jews probably spread such news among the people, to proclaim that, because Judas did not ask for the silver as a price for handing over his Master, out of greed, but for the sake of doing a service to the strangers, they realized his wish even after his suicide. That field was called in the Chaldean- Syrian language (Syro-Chaladic), ‘Akel Dama’; that is, (field of blood), on account that it was purchased with the price of the Lord’s life, or of His blood shed on the cross. This name remained testifying to the crime of treason that was committed by Judas, for several generations to come. “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘Let his habitation be desolate, and let no one live in it’, and, ‘let another take his office” (Acts 1: 20). What is mentioned here came in psalms 69: 25, 28, 109: 8, and was not said by St. Peter to judge Judas or to defame him, but out of a feeling of responsibility to fulfill the command of the Lord Christ to him, “When you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22: 32). He felt committed to consummate the number of the apostles to twelve, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22: 29-30): “And I bestow upon you a kingdom just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on the thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” The prophecy about Judas in (Ps 69: 25, 28), came in the plural form, as it does not only refer to Judas alone, but to all those who followed his lead, namely the chief priests and the elders of the people. That applied to all of them, and having committed treason, they were deprived of their priestly work and their ministry as overseers of the temple or the new house of the Lord. That field became his dwelling place that he purchased with the silver he earned for betraying his Master; It became a burying field for the strangers who die in Jerusalem. With his silver, they purchased that field full of desolation, and which is, according to St. John Chrysostom, a prelude to what was going to happen to Jerusalem as a whole, when it turned into a field of blood for a great multitude of Jews, by the hands of ‘Titus’ the Roman leader in the year 70 AD. The word “his office” in Greek means (his Episcopate); that is, acting as an Overseer. “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time That the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John to the day when He was taken up from us, One of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection”(Acts 1: 21, 22). What are the qualifications of the one called to that ministry? 1- He must have been a contemporary of the Lord Christ, watched His baptism, listened to Him, and was enlightened by His teachings. 71 2- The expression “went in and out” refers to being in the company of that person in every aspect of life. He must have accompanied the Lord Christ until the day of His crucifixion, and must have accompanied the disciples. His choice is not to be just a realization of the figure 12, but he should be well qualified for the apostolic work. 3- By saying: “a witness with us of His resurrection”, St. Peter concentrates on his enjoyment of the experience of resurrection with Christ, that truly changed the believers’ concepts and their capabilities, as St. Peter says in his epistle, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet 1 :3).  “He said not, a witness of the rest of his actions, but a witness of the resurrection alone. For the other matters were manifest and acknowledged, but the resurrection took place in secret, and was manifest to these only. And they do not say, Angels have told us; but, we have seen. For this it was that was most needful at that time: that they should be men having a right to be believed, because they had seen1”. (St. John Chrysostom) “And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surname Justus, and Matthias” (Acts 1:.23). Those two were most probably characterized by being prudent, wise, and pious, and might have been older than others. As it was difficult to choose one of them, they resorted to God to do the choice, by casting their lots after praying. Here we notice how God gave His Church the freedom to choose the ministers, based on commitment to criteria that are fitting for them. “Joseph called Barsabas” or ‘Bashaba’ means who is born on a Sabbath, or the son of the Sabbath. Some believe that ‘Barsaba’ is derived from two Syrian words: ‘Bar’, meaning (son), and ‘Sabas’, meaning (comfort, calmness, and captivity). Some believe that he is the same person mentioned in Acts 4.16, by the name of ‘Barnabas’, but there is no proof of that. Whereas the scholar Lightfoot believes that he is the son of Alpheus, James' younger brother, and that he was chosen because of his relation to the Lord Christ. He was called Justus, a Latin name meaning (righteous), probably because of his straightforward personality. Eusebius of Caesarea tells about Philip of Sidon: that Pabius tells about the virgin prophetesses daughters of Philip (Acts 21: 9), that Justus drank the venom of a snake in the name of our Lord Jesus, and was not harmed, challenging some of those who denied the faith, depending on the promise of the Lord, “If they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them” (Mark 16: 18). Matthias means (God’s gift). We know nothing about his background or his person, more than that he shared with the apostles their labor, suffered persecution, and got the blessing of preaching the gospel. According to Eusebius of Caesarea, he was one of the 70 chosen by the Lord Christ, and preached in Ethiopia2. St. John Chrysostom comments on mentioning Matthias after Joseph called Barsabas, saying, “Again, it is not without reason that he puts Matthias last; he would show, that frequently he that is honorable among men, is inferior before God 3”. 1Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 2H.E. 3.39. 3Hom. On Acts. Hom. 3. 72 “They prayed and said: ‘You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen” (Acts 1: 24). They resorted to the spirit of prayer to God who knows the hearts, to show which of these two was more qualified for the work. Knowing the hearts is something only for God. “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind” (Ps 139: 1, 23; Jer 17: 10). Our Lord Jesus Christ was described by this divine trait that is only His: “All the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts” (Rev 2: 23). Some believe that this procedure -that was followed in the Old Testament- was no longer followed after the dwelling of the Holy Spirit on the day of the Pentecost, who intervenes in the life of the Church, to seek the counsel of God, as it came in separating Barnabas and Saul to minister among the Gentiles (Acts 13: 2-3). “O Lord”: After the crucifixion, the disciples used to address the Lord Christ as ‘The Lord” or “God”, with no discerning between the two titles (John 20: 28; Acts 1: 6, 7: 59). “To take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place” (Acts 1: 25). Judas fell from his ministry to desolation, and was replaced by Matthias, to enjoy the ministry of glory. The word “lot” or ‘Tov’, in the Coptic versions, in the Vulgate, and Bezae, meant (position) or to occupy his apostolic position. “… That he might go to his own place”: When Judas purchased the ‘field of blood’, or the chief priests and the Pharisees purchased it on his behalf, Judas gave away his apostolic position to go to the place that he purchased by the silver of treason. Some believe that the word “his own place” here refers to his original place. When he was chosen as an apostle, he left his place among his family to become a member of the divine family, but having practiced treason of his own accord, he returned to his family and old friends. Other people believe that the expression “that he might go to his own place” is a common one, and refers to death, by which one goes to his final place, whether it is with Christ, or in hell with the devil, until the ultimate day of the Lord. That is why, according to the Jewish interpretation of the expression1: “Then Balaam rose and departed and returned to his place” (Num 24: 25), that he returned to hell, his destiny. In the Targum, namely, rewriting the Chaldean version of the phrase that came in the book of Ecclesiastes (6: 6) “Even if he lived a thousand years twice over – but has not seen goodness” (without studying the law and practicing justice), on the day of his death, his soul will go down to the abyss – the place where all sinners go. In a letter from St Ignatius to the Magnesians, he says, “Seeing, then, all things have an end, these two things are simultaneously set before us-death and life; and every one shall go unto his own place.” Thus, Judas went to the place that fits his greed and treason, as he had no place in the Church of Christ here, and in paradise, where the Lord Christ is. By saying “his own place”, the Holy Book reveals that the evildoers have no right to complain, as they go to the place that they have chosen for themselves, and that fits their persons. They cannot cross over to heaven, where they have no place. 1 Jewish Tract. Baal Urim. 73  “He went to his own place” (Acts 1: 25): that evil man himself chose to be a sinner, he did what he would, and suffered what he would not. In that he did what he would, his sin is discovered; in that he suffered what he would not, the order of God is praised1”. (St. Augustine) “And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1: 26). Actually the mere death of Judas was not the reason for the need for filling his apostolic position, as when the apostle James was martyred by the sword of Herod, the disciples did not assemble to choose an apostle in his place, but the falling down of Judas from the apostleship and his treason created the need for this. We do not know exactly how the lot was done, but it was the custom to bring two pieces of wood, metal, or paper, write the name of one of the two persons on one of them, and the name of the other person on the other piece, then put them in a pot. After prayers and supplications, someone would put his hand and draw a piece, and the name on it would be God’s choice. It was not for the sake of the completion of the figure 12, but because the figure 12 in both the Old and the New Testaments refers to the kingdom of God on earth, where the Holy Trinity (3) reigns on the four corners of the earth (4), to end up with the figure 12.  “The number remained a sacred number, a number containing twelve: because they were to make known the Trinity throughout the whole world, that is, throughout the four quarters of the world. That is the reason of the three times four. Judas, then only cut himself off, not profaned the number twelve: he abandoned his Teacher, for God appointed a successor to take his place2”. (St. Augustine) St. Augustine believes that the Lord Christ, as the ‘Light of the World’, is symbolized as (the Day), and the disciples, as the ‘children of the day’ are symbolized as the 12 hours of the day. Christ is the Day or the Light, who dwells among the twelve hours of the day. As Judas became darkness, he was separated from the twelve hours, to be replaced by Matthias3. St. John Chrysostom says that Joseph Barsabas was not disturbed by the choice of Matthias, as every one had his own qualifications and mission. Not choosing him had not deprived him of his role. John Chrysostom reveals the bitterness of his soul because of the concept of the Episcopate in his time, when people used to fight for what they saw in it of authority and dignity, instead of realizing that the Episcopate is actually the receiving of the burdens of others, and bearing the criticism of all: the prudent and the idiots. Despite caring for every one -day and night, he is the object of hate and envy of many. Some may wonder: how could Judas fall in betraying his Lord, having realized His divine power and authority, and when he had in his hands the treasury, to steal from it at leisure? Scholars present several interpretations, of which: 1 Sermon on the Mount. 75.5. 2 In Joan. Tr. 27.10. 3 In Joan. Tr. 29.8. 74 1- Judas, like the rest of the disciples and apostles, even after the resurrection of the Lord, and up till the moments of His ascension, was anticipating a temporal kingdom. And when Judas realized that Jesus flatly refused to become a king, even if it is the request of the multitudes, his hopes were completely destroyed. 2- As someone who loves silver, it was not difficult for the chief priests and the Pharisees, to bait him with silver to betray his Lord. 3- He probably, realizing the authority of His Lord, assumed that he could take the bribe and benefit from it, while nobody could lay his hand on the Lord, or harm Him, on whom death has no authority. Although he would indeed guide them to Him, the Lord would undoubtedly take care of Himself. The perpetual preparation for setting the church and its growth Having gone through what came in this chapter, we can deduce that the Lord Christ has prepared his disciples and apostles and all those around Him, for the birth of the Church; He has prepared them to become His holy Church. This preparation was not a historical event that passed with time, but was a daily preparation and experience, that is fitting for the Church to live, in order to remain a fertile mother, to grow all the time, to become an icon of its Christ, and to embrace every day those who are saved, until the ultimate coming of the Lord. This preparation, as we saw, is the following: 1- We bear our Christ who works and teaches (Acts 1: 1), and share this trait with Him, through translating our faith into a work of love, and a true practical testimonial to the sweetness of salvation. 2- We see Him with His disciples, and get in touch with Him every day of our temporal life (the 40 days), to proclaim surely that He is living in us, by true practical proofs (Acts 1: 3). 3- We respond to His Holy Spirit, His greatest gift, or even the Giver of gifts, whom we got in the water of Baptism and the anointment of the Myron (Acts 1: 5), to lead us all the days of our sojourning, in our daily life, and in our testimony before many. 4- To avoid being preoccupied by the vain knowledge, as for instance, getting to know times and seasons, but to seek the strength and authority given to us, to live by the Spirit of power, not by that of failure and weakness (Acts 1: 7-8). 5- We should have always the unique scene of the ascension before our eyes that brings joy to our hearts, and lifts them up to the bosom of the heavenly Father, looking forward with great yearning, to His ultimate coming on the clouds, to carry us with our whole being to His eternal glory (Acts 1: 9-11). 6- We should practice the Church life, as though in the upper room, together with the disciples and the whole congregation, and keep praying with one accord (Acts 1: 13- 14). 7- We should supplicate all the time to God, to send ministers to testify to His resurrection, as He chose Matthias to be numbered with the eleven apostles (Acts 1: 24- 26). 75 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF ACTS 1 TOWARD A NEW BEGINNING  Your apostle Luke presented to us the story of how Your Church started. With every morning we see in this book how Your Church started. Although it is an old story, it will always remain new, Crying out: ‘Let us start well’.  Your speech about the kingdom is sweet and enjoyable Because it is a proclamation of Your Person, O the perfect love. You are specifically the kingdom, and without You, there is no kingdom.  You promise me not to depart from Jerusalem Until I am clothed with a power from the highest. You fulfilled Your promise, and granted me Your Spirit, the fire and the light. Your Spirit makes me an unquenched lamp and a consuming fire. My soul will not find rest before I see all mankind in Your bosom.  Let me go out with You to the Mount of Olives; What an amazing scene to see You ascending to heaven! The gravity has no effect on Your body risen from the dead. The heaven with all its hosts was waiting for Your ascension. Carry my heart with You, In it I see Your throne, And realize the secrets of Your glory. My heart is ready My Lord, It is ready; Lift it up with You, so that all my being would also be lifted with You.  There, in heaven, You are preoccupied with the salvation of the world, And on earth, Your apostles are preoccupied with testifying to You, You are preoccupied with us, and we with You, O Savior of all!  Blessed is Your apostle Peter, and blessed are all the other apostles with him. With his heart flaring with zeal, he seeks someone to bear the portion of Judas. He sought that, not with the spirit of authority, But with the spirit of love, and the motivation of ministry and preaching. Blessed are his brethren, among whom the thought of envy did not sneak, But, with the spirit of modesty, they all walked together. Nobody sought dignity, and nobody sought temporal glory. All are members in Your body, O the heavenly Head.  I am perplexed! Shall I bless Matthias, whom You have chosen an apostle? Or shall I bless Joseph Barsabas, who rejoiced for the choice of his friend! Blessed are both of them, as they are witnesses for the resurrection of the Lord. Blessed are you Matthias, for your strife as an apostle; And blessed are you Joseph for your strife with the talents that the Lord gave you.  And now, O Lord listen to my prayer: Let us start well with each new day! Let us listen to Your secret talks in the heart! 76 Let us trust in Your promise, that Your fiery Spirit would work in us! Let our eyes steadfastly look at Your joyful ascension! Let us, together with Your apostles, seek ministers with fiery Spirit! And finally, let us find no rest before we see the world becoming heaven!

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