Cassiodorus : "But Peter seeing, made answer to the people," etc. The apostle Peter, seeing religious zeal roused among the people, said that they ought not to look upon him himself for such actions, but they ought to glorify the Lord Christ, whom they had decided to crucify. Blaming them for all the other things they did in the Lord's passion, he said that the Lord was the one who had enabled things that clearly exceeded human power. He urged them to convert to the Lord before the time of Judgement in order to gain forgiveness for their error, for the Lord must be obeyed in all things, as Peter proved with Moses's testimony: it was promised that from Abraham's seed would come the Lord, who would be able to save every man from his own wickedness. — Complexiones on the Acts of the Apostles Cassiodorus : It is through the saints' preaching that God's might and the glory of the kingdom are made known, in case they might be perhaps less sought if people did not know of them. His might was also made known when Peter and John made the man lame from birth walk, and they said, "Men of Israel, why marvel at this, as if by our strength or devotion we had made this man to walk?" And a little later they say that he was made whole in the name of Christ Jesus. The might of the Lord was also made known when the apostles invoked his name and made manifest diverse powers. — EXPOSITION OF THE Psalms 144.12 Irenaeus : Then, when a multitude had gathered around them from all quarters because of this unexpected deed, Peter addressed them: "Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this; or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified His Son, whom ye delivered up for judgment, and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he wished to let Him go. But ye were bitterly set against the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; but ye killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses. And in the faith of His name, him, whom ye see and know, hath His name made strong; yea, the faith which is by Him, hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did this wickedness.... But those things which God before had showed by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, and that the times of refreshing may come to you from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, prepared for you beforehand, whom the heaven must indeed receive until the times of the arrangement of all things, of which God hath spoken by His holy prophets. For Moses truly said unto our fathers, Your Lord God Shall raise up to you a Prophet from your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, whosoever will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. And all [the prophets] from Samuel, and henceforth, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first, God, having raised up His Son, sent Him blessing you, that each may turn himself from his iniquities." Peter, together with John, preached to them this plain message of glad tidings, that the promise which God made to the fathers had been fulfilled by Jesus; not certainly proclaiming another god, but the Son of God, who also was made man, and suffered; thus leading Israel into knowledge, and through Jesus preaching the resurrection of the dead, and showing, that whatever the prophets had proclaimed as to the suffering of Christ, these had God fulfilled. — Against Heresies Book III John Cassian : Nor did they think that any one should be renowned for the gifts and marvels of God but rather for the fruits of his own good deeds, which are brought about by the efforts of his mind and the power of his works. For often, as was said above, people of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the truth, both cast out devils and perform the greatest miracles in the name of the Lord. — CONFERENCE 15.6 John Chrysostom : But to show that many would be too often ready to imagine things of them above human nature, unless they saw them enduring such afflictions, hear how Paul was afraid on this very point; "For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool, but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me." But what is it that he means? I am able, he declares, to speak of far greater miracles; but I am unwilling; lest the magnitude of the miracles should raise too high a notion of me among men. For this reason Peter also, when they had restored the lame man, and all were wondering at them, in order to restrain the people, and persuade them that they had exhibited nothing of this power of themselves, or from their native strength, says, "Why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?" — Homily 1, Concerning the Statues John Chrysostom : There is greater freedom of speech in this harangue, than in the former. Not that he was afraid on the former occasion, but the persons whom he addressed there, being jesters and scoffers, would not have borne it. Hence in the beginning of that address he also bespeaks their attention by his preamble; "Be this known unto you, and hearken to my words." But here there is no need of this management. For his hearers were not in a state of indifference. The miracle had aroused them all; they were even full of fear and amazement. Wherefore also there was no need of beginning at that point, but rather with a different topic; by which, in fact, he powerfully conciliated them, namely, by rejecting the glory which was to be had from them. For nothing is so advantageous, and so likely to pacify the hearers, as to say nothing about one's self of an honorable nature, but, on the contrary, to obviate all surmise of wishing to do so. And, in truth, much more did they increase their glory by despising glory, and showing that what had just taken place was no human act, but a Divine work; and that it was their part to join with the beholders in admiration, rather than to receive it from them. Do you see how clear of all ambition he is, and how he repels the honor paid to him? — Homily on Acts 9 John Chrysostom : "And when Peter saw them, he answered." Again it is he who acts, and addresses the people. And in the former instance, it was the circumstance of the tongues that aroused them to hearing, now it was this miracle; then, he took occasion to speak from their accusations now, from their supposition. Let us then consider, in what this address differs from the former, and in what it agrees with that. The former was held in a house, before any one has come over, and before they themselves have wrought anything; this, when all are wondering, and the healed man is standing by; when none doubt, as in the other case where some said "These men are full of new wine." At the one, he was surrounded by all the Apostles as he spoke; but at this, he has John alone; for by this time he is bold, and become more energetic. Such is the nature of virtue; once started, it advances, and never stops. — Homily on Acts 8 John Chrysostom : Observe also how it was divinely ordered, that the miracle should take place in the temple, that others also might wax bold, while the Apostles work not in holes and corners, and in secret: though not in the interior of the temple either, where the greater number were. — Homily on Acts 8 John Chrysostom : In the first place, he establishes the point that the miracle was performed by them; saying, "Why marvel ye?" And he will not let the assertion be disbelieved: and to give it more weight, he anticipates their judgment. "Why look ye," he says, "so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?" If this troubles and confounds you, learn Who was the Doer, and be not amazed. And observe how on all occasions when he refers to God, and says that all things are from Him, then he fearlessly chides them: as above where he said, "A man approved of God among you." And on all occasions he reminds them of the outrage they had committed, in order that the fact of the Resurrection may be established. — Homily on Acts 9 Oecumenius : The name Israel suggests two things to the understanding, namely the praise of Jacob which was assigned the name Israel because of his obedience to God, (see Gen. 32:28) being raised from lower things to higher, heavenly, divine and intelligible things; and the accusation of his seed since the exodus from Egypt, which could never be appeased, a people always provoking. He therefore gave them the name Israel from both these things: on the one hand, shame, because they did not obey God as their ancestor had done; on the other hand, ruin, because they left Egypt and were not preserved to the promised inheritance. The remembrance of both, effected through the name, will on the one hand provide zeal, and on the other will cause imitation to flee from like destruction, by attention to what will be said. This discourse is moreover full of greater bluntness, not because it feared before, but because, being harsh and bold, those others would not have endured. From this beginning of that account Peter effects a turning back to them through the preface, saying, "let this be known to you, and give heed to my words" (Acts 2:14); but here he does not need such a construction. For I did not act gladly, but the sign of the lame man turned them all back, and filled them with fear and astonishment. See how by striking aside the glory about them through the signs he speaks nothing great about himself, since he humbles himself concerning the great deeds accomplished by him, thereby drawing the hearer more. Therefore, having despised human glory themselves, they rather glorified themselves, showing that what happened was not human but divine. — Commentary on Acts Oecumenius : "As by our own power." Note the saying, that he says he was healed not by human power but by divine. Therefore the Nazarene is God, whose name healed him. — Commentary on Acts