Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsActs 20
English College of Douai–Rheims
Read Acts 20 in the BibleActs 20:29
Ravening wolves.
◦ The governors of the Church are foretold of the great danger that should fall to the people by wolves, that is to say, by Heretics, whose cruelty toward the Catholics is noted by this term. They be known by the forsaking the unity of the Church whereof they were before, by going out and drawing many disciples after them, and by their perverse doctrine. Such wolves came afterward indeed in diverse ages, Arius, Macedonius, Nestorius, Eutyches, Luther, Calvin, great blood-sucking wolves, and wasters of the flock of Christ.
- ◦ Ravening wolves are the Heretics of all ages.
Acts 20:35
More blessed to give.
[1] Among many other infinite goodly things and speeches which Christ spake and be not written in the Gospels, this sentence is one: which S. Paul heard of some of the Apostles daily conversant with him, or else learned of Christ himself, or of the Holy Ghost. And it signifieth, that whereas the world commonly counteth him happy that receiveth any benefit, as alms either temporal or spiritual, [2] yet indeed he that giveth or bestoweth, is more happy. Which if the world did well consider, men would give alms faster than they do, if it were but for their own benefit.
- 1 Christ's speeches not written in the Gospel.
- 2 Great almsmen blessed.
Original Douay–Rheims Annotations — English College of Douai–Rheims. CC0 1.0
Acts 20:16
Pentecost.
[1] Though the Apostles might desire to come to the Jews' Festivities, by reason of the general concourse of people to the same, the better to deal for their salvation and to spread the Gospel of Christ, yet it is like that they now kept solemnly the Christian Pentecost or Whitsuntide, for memory of the Holy Ghost, and that S. Paul went to that Feast of the Christians rather than the other of the Jews. And Ven. Bede saith here: The Apostle maketh haste to keep the fiftieth day, that is, of remission and of the Holy Ghost. For, that the Christians already kept the eighth day, that is, the [2] Sunday or our Lord's day, and had altered already the ordinary Sabboth into the same, it is plain by the Scriptures (1. Cor. 16, 2. Apoc. 1, 10.) and by antiquity. Justin. Mart. Apolog. 2. ad Anton. Pium in fine. And it is as like that they changed the Jews' Pasch and Pentecost as that, specially when it is evident that [3] these Festivities be kept by Apostolic tradition, and approved by the use of all ancient Churches and Councels.