Слово на Пасху. Св. Иоанна Златоустого

The holiness of Christ was indicated by the Easter sacrifice with the spotless lamb, the salvation of people in the suffering of Christ was indicated by the salvation of the firstborn, given through the Easter sacrifice, and sanctification was indicated by the eating (of the sacrifice). From what is specified in the law, one should consider how one who will receive consecration should prepare oneself, how to begin to partake of the shrine, what kind of life to lead after becoming a communicant and accomplice of the saint. And so, how one who intends to be an accomplice of Christ should be prepared, the legislator figuratively showed us in circumcision, saying: this is the law of the Passover: let every foreigner not eat of it: and every slave or bought man, circumcise him, and then let him eat of it (Ex. 10:43, 44). Circumcision then was only partial. not being useful in itself, because a circumcised person did not seem any better than an uncircumcised one. On the contrary, the Israelites were even reproached by God on this matter: for all the nations were not circumcised in the flesh, but the house of Israel was not circumcised in their hearts (Jer. 9:26). True circumcision is the circumcision of all flesh, making him acceptable and acceptable to God who is circumcised in heart, from whom the veil of flesh is removed, which we have by inheritance from our parents and which must be removed from us; The law, commanding to perform carnal circumcision, indicated in advance the symbol of birth and the covering that accompanies us from birth. So, whoever does not abandon the carnal way of life will not achieve fellowship with Christ. We are the circumcision, say Christ's partners, who serve God by the Spirit, and do not have hope in the flesh (Phil. 3:3). Only a heart free from all carnal things can truly serve God and be united in spirit with Christ. The beginning of this circumcision is the suffering of the Lord for us, who despised His flesh and accepted circumcision for our sake; This sacrament is imprinted on us in baptism, and is fulfilled in life in accordance with Christ. Circumcision, they say, was made quicker by circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of sin from the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, being buried by Him in baptism (Col. 2:11, 12). Therefore, until you have left your carnal habits, you, as a foreigner and stranger, will not be a participant and accomplice with the saint who came from heaven, Christ: he himself must be heavenly who wants to approach the heavenly, but no one can become heavenly without leaving the earthly. Thus, having first put to death the old man within yourself through the grace of baptism, through zeal in spiritual matters you will approach Christ and join Him. Secondly, we need to see what all those who participated in the Passover were according to the law, in order to find out what we must be like to participate with Christ. The tits, it is said, are taken away: your loins are girded, and your saps are on your feet, and your staffs are in your hands (Ex. 12:11). Traveling clothing, worn and well belted, indicates a quick readiness to go to meet the promise of God, just as Israel then, ready to set off on the road, set off for the land of promise. Pay attention to the spiritual traveler, what advantage he has over him. He does not rush to this distant land of promise, does not pursue temporary blessings, does not exchange land for land, not Judah instead of Egypt; but what does such a traveler say about his journey? Forgetting what is behind, reaching out to what is before, I pursue with zeal for the honor of the highest calling (Phil. 3:13, 14). Behold the loins girded with truth, according to the Apostle (Eph. 6:14)! So, precisely, you will be nimble in the good current if you leave everything present - empty and false; if you begin to seek the future truth and yearn for it. Feet - shod, - says the law, - with the readiness of the gospel of peace, capable of every good running, by which peace with God is strengthened for us, as the Apostle says: peace imams to God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1), and also: with patience let us strive for the task set before us (Heb. 12:1), and again: so I run that I may attain (1 Cor. 9:26). The staves in their hands are hope or confirmation of the soul in God, so as not to be shaken in sorrow, as Paul said (1 Thess. 3:3), but to be firm. Carry with care: the Passover is the Lord's (Ex. 12:11). This food is not for the careless, not for pleasure, but for those who are careless and prone to inactivity, but for those who have a vigorous and tense spirit, which is why it gives us the escape of destructive vengeance when the Lord sends it. Therefore it is said: Passover is the Lord’s, which one translator directly interpreted: “passing over to the Lord.” Thirdly, after such acceptance of Divine food, we will see what the life of the one who accepted this holy food should be like. This is precisely what unleavened bread and the days of unleavened bread indicate. The Jews take care of unleavened bread and think that the seven days of unleavened bread give them something special, they do not eat leavened bread and do not keep it for themselves, not being able to indicate any benefit from this matter, because they are fulfilling an image and not the truth. You understand unleavened bread according to the word of the Apostle and as we have shown, namely, so that the soul is pure and not stained by any crime, so that there is a new way of life without any previous vices. Obviously, this is how you need to understand these words: let not even a trace of anything like this appear in your houses: whoever eats leaven, that soul will be destroyed from Israel (Ex. 12:19). A return to former depravity is death for one who has been transferred to a new life. If you live according to the flesh, it is said, you are about to die (Rom. 8:13). What is the symbolic meaning of the seven days (unleavened bread)? For seven days, they say, eat unleavened bread. Seven days, as it really is, signify all time, because after the seventh day, which is peace, the return of the first begins, and this circle of time goes forward, turning into itself after seven days. At all times, of course, you should live in simplicity and purity, and this is truly saving. If, it is said, you put to death the deeds of the flesh by the spirit, you will live (Rom. 8:13). The character of one who does not seek the carnal is simple, gentle, not evil, alien to everything bad and hateful. Why does he call the first day and the seventh holy, saying: the first day will be called holy, and the seventh day will be holy for you (Ex. 12:16)? Because just as the first day shows the beginning into which we are sanctified through the acceptance of the Holy Spirit, so the seventh day marks the end, when it is we, freed from the body, who are with Christ and come to the Lord, having left our earthly wanderings and are completely transferred to holiness. Because he lives, it is said, in the body, we depart from the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6). The law requires that these days be free from work: you must not do any work on them, it says (Exodus 12:16). This shows that the soul should not deviate towards earthly concerns and remain in slavery, inappropriate to serving God, but that it should do only one thing with zeal, only use effort for that which is beneficial for it. The following expression also indicates the same thing: if the great things of every soul are created, even so let them be created for you (Ex. 12:16). Therefore, the Lord, leading to an explanation of rest according to the law, since peace was sought in rest from vain affairs, and not in what relates to the benefit of the soul, suggested to the Pharisees: is it worthy to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? save the soul, or destroy it (Mark 3:4)? If you want to observe the Sabbath and holiday rest correctly and in accordance with Christ, abstain from worldly worries and activities, and take care of that and do what relates to God and the good of the soul. And then you will truly and correctly observe the Sabbath and celebrate the holy feast, a type of that of Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen 214. Full Assembled. created St. Chrysostom in Russian transl., ed. 1902, vol. VIII., pp. 934–937. In the Migne edition this word is classified as spuria. 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