He lodges with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside: he shall tell you what you ought to do.
Read Chapter 10
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Do you mark how the Apostles, for love of solitude and quiet, affected the retired quarters of the cities? With one Simon a tanner: how then if it chanced that there was another? Behold, there is another token, his dwelling by the seaside. All three tokens could not possibly coincide (elsewhere). He does not tell him for what purpose, that he may not take off the intense desire, but he leaves him to an eager and longing expectation of what he shall hear. And when the Angel which spoke unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; and when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. (v. 7, 8.) Do you see, that it is not without purpose that the writer says this? (it shows) that those also who waited on him continually were such as he. And when he had declared the whole matter unto them: observe the unassuming character of the man: for he does not say, Call Peter to me: but, in order also to induce him to come, he declared the whole matter:— this was so ordered by Providence;— for he did not choose to use the authority of his rank to fetch Peter to him; therefore he declared the matter; such was the moderation of the man: and yet no great notion was to be formed of one lodging with a tanner. And on the morrow, as they journeyed, and drew near to the city
