John Chrysostom, on Acts 13:46

“Then Paul and Barnabas said boldly: To you it behoved us first to speak the word of God: but because you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold we turn to the Gentiles.”

“But see what boldness of speech! "It was necessary," he says, "that the word should have been spoken first to you, but since ye put it from you" - it is not put as affronting though it is in fact what they did in the case of the prophets: "Talk not to us," said they, "with talk": "but since ye put it from you" - it, he saith, not us: for the affront on your part is not to us. For that none may take it as an expression of their piety that he says, "Ye judge not yourselves worthy," therefore he first says, "Ye put it from you," and then, "We turn unto the Gentiles." The expression is full of gentleness. He does not say, We abandon you, but so that it is possible - he would say - that we may also turn hither again: and this too is not the consequence of the affront from you, "for so hath the Lord commanded us."”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.