and having favor with all the people. By the "bread," it seems to me, he means to signify also the fasting here and the hard life; for they partook of food, not of luxury. From this, beloved, learn that it is not luxury, but food that provides enjoyment; and how those who live in luxury are in sorrow, while those who do not live in luxury are in joy. Do you see that the words of Peter also contained this, the sobering of the life? Thus, there cannot be exultation if there is not simplicity. And how, he says, did they "have favor with all the people?" Through what they were doing by way of almsgiving. For do not—if the high priests stood against them out of envy and malice—look to that; but look to the fact that they had favor with the people. And the Lord added those who were being saved daily to the Church.
All the believers were together. Thus, harmony is good everywhere. He testified with other words. He said this to show that what had been said was not enough; or rather, that those things were spoken so that they might be brought to faith, while these things were spoken so that they might know what the believer ought to do. And he did not say, "At the cross," but, "Let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ." Nor does he remind them continually of the cross, so that he might not appear to be upbraiding them, but simply, "Repent," he says, "and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." And indeed, the law of the tribunals here is different; but in the preaching, when the sinner confesses, then he is saved. See how Peter did not pass over the greater thing; 58 but having first spoken of the grace, he then added that also, saying, "You shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." The word is credible from the very fact of what they themselves had received. For he speaks first of what is easy and has much gift, and then he leads them to the life, knowing that it will be a motive for zeal for them, to have already tasted of such great good things. And since the hearer longed to hear what was the main point of the many words, he adds this too, showing that it is the gift of the Holy Spirit. Those, then, who received the word praised the things that were spoken, although they were full of fear, and only after their agreement do they come to baptism.
But let us see the things mentioned from the beginning. They were, he says, "continuing in the teaching." From this it is evident that it was not for one day, nor two or three, but for many that they were taught, as having moved to another life. "And fear came upon every soul." If upon every soul, then upon those who had not believed as well. And it is likely that they experienced such a sudden change upon seeing it; perhaps also from the signs. He did not say, "Together," but "with one accord," since it is possible for people to be together but not with one accord, being divided in their judgments. "He exhorted them with words." And not even here does he state the teaching, cutting short the discourse; but it is possible to learn that they were nourishing them like young children with spiritual food. And they became angels suddenly henceforth. "And they distributed as anyone had need." They saw that the spiritual things are common, and no one has more than another, and they quickly came to distributing their own to all. "All the believers were together." That they were not together in one place is clear from what he added, saying, "And they had all things common." All, he says, not one and not another. This is the angelic citizenship, to say nothing of their things is one's own. From this the root of evils was cut out, and through what they were doing...