V. Осуждение и оклеветание

“Judge not, lest ye be judged” (Matthew 7:1, Luke 6:37). "Hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5, Luke 6:41). A log has a greater defect, and a small knot here means. “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her,” says Christ to the scribes and Pharisees who brought a wife taken in adultery (John 8:7). “Do not curse one another, brethren: whoever curses a brother or judges his brother curses the law and judges the law” (James 4:11). “There is one Lawgiver and Judge, able to save and destroy; and who are you who judge another? (James 4:12). “You are inexcusable, every man who judges another, for by the same judgment with which you judge another you condemn yourself, because in judging another you do the same” (Rom. 2:1). “Who are you, judging another man’s slave? Before his Lord he stands or falls. And he will be raised up, for God is able to raise him up” (Rom. 14:4). “Why are you judging your brother? Or are you also why you humiliate your brother? We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Rom. 14:10). “Do not judge in any way before the time, until the Lord comes, who will illuminate what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the heart” (1 Cor. 4:5). Even if we did not commit any other iniquities, one thing could plunge us into the abyss of Gehenna, that we, not feeling the heavy logs in our eyes, always carry out strict judgment on the sins of others, and spend our whole lives on a curious review and re-judgment of other people’s affairs, without reasoning about what Christ threatens: “With the same judgment you judge, you will be judged” (Matthew 7:2 - In book 1 about tenderness, to Demetrius the monk). He should not condemn others who are themselves subject to the same vices (Conversation 22 on the Evangelist Matthew). Even if someone was worthy of condemnation, he should only judge him if he himself does nothing worthy of condemnation (Conversation 22 on the Evangelist Matthew). Do not judge others, but try to correct yourself so that you yourself are not worthy of condemnation, for you will suffer a greater punishment if you accuse others of neglecting something that you yourself do not do, and condemn them for the sin to which you yourself are subject. If righteous people are not allowed to defame others, then much more should sinners refrain from condemning themselves (Conversation 64 on the Evangelist Matthew). Even if you condemn your neighbor and speak righteously against him, and even if you discredit his well-known deed, you will not escape punishment for that, for God will judge you not by his deeds, but by your words. He says: “You will be condemned by your words” (Matthew 12:37). The Pharisee spoke righteous and well-known things, but for that he accepted punishment. If well-known cases should not be used to expose others, then much less doubtful ones, for each sinner has his own Judge. You must not steal the honor of the Only Begotten Son of God; To him alone is the throne of judgment determined (Conversation 42 on the Evangelist Matthew). It is not commanded to you, O man, that you judge others, but that you correct yourself; Why then do you steal the office of your Lord? It belongs to him to judge, not to you (Conversation 11 on 1 Corinthians). What good is it if we abstain from birds and fish when we bite and eat each other? Every slanderer and slanderer bites and eats the flesh of his neighbor (Conversation 11 on 1 Corinthians). Not only should one not blaspheme one’s neighbor, but one should not listen to others who vilify him (Conversation 11 on 1 Corinthians). Even if we ate ashes, such a strict life will not bring us any benefit if we do not refrain from reproach, for what goes into the mouth does not defile a person, but what comes out of the mouth (Conversation 11 on 1 Corinthians). A slanderer and slanderer often grieves, fears, repents, and bites his own tongue, fearing that a word once spoken to another would cause him great misfortune; and he who abstains from slander always lives in great peace and joy (Conversation 11 on 1 Corinthians). Slanderers are like flies: just as flies fly to other people’s wounds, so slanderers look for other people’s mistakes in order to divulge them (vol. 2 p. 247). It is not only arrows that wound a person, but reproachful words hurt him even more severely than arrows (Discourse 8 on the Epistle to the Romans). What kind of evil is there that does not come from reproach? This is where hatred is born, this is where enmity and disagreement come from, this is where evil suspicions come from, which give rise to countless evils (Conversation on Psalm 100). He who loves slander serves the devil (Conversation on Psalm 100). Just as a preacher of truth saves many people with his word, so, on the contrary, a slanderer with the same word destroys many, uttering destructive words and using the sword of speech for human destruction. Moreover, the slanderer kills not only the body, but also the soul itself, when with his flattering tongue he instills false and lawless opinions in it (Conversation on Psalm 51). We must not resist those who oppress us and slander us; but we must endure everything patiently, knowing that the Lord will not despise us all, for He says: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (Rom. 12:19 - Conversation 57 on Genesis 31). Generous patience with reproach can lead to glory (Homily 2 about Anna). Discourse on slander and condemnation Slander and condemnation occur for various reasons: First. From pride, for the proud, exalting and honoring himself, judges and humiliates others; or, wanting to cover up his own vices, he slanderes others so that people who hear about him think that he does not have such vices. Second. Sometimes they are out of malice, for an evil person, not being able to take revenge on his neighbor, torments his glory with slander and slander. Third. Sometimes out of envy, because the envious person, impatient to see how his neighbor is revered, discredits and reviles him with a dishonorable name. Fourth. Sometimes it happens because of an evil habit, rage, anger and impatience. The root of all this is pride and hatred of one’s neighbor. Reasons why you should not judge your neighbor. First. Because those who condemn their neighbor admire the dignity of Christ, Who alone is the Lawgiver and Judge - which is difficult and terrible. Second. Our neighbor is God’s servant, not ours, “he falls before his Lord” (Rom. 14:4), and therefore it is also difficult to judge God’s servant. Third. God's servant is judged before God, who is omnipresent and watches over everything. It is unbearable for the master when we judge and scold his slave in front of him; all the more is God annoyed when His servant is judged before Him, being themselves evil. Fourth. He who judges his neighbor condemns himself, for by judging, he himself does the same. Fifth. It often happens that many are sinners in front of people, but inside they are righteous. Also, and vice versa, many are righteous, but inside they are sinners and therefore hypocrites, and according to Scripture, he who calls the unjust righteous and the righteous unrighteous is unclean before God (see Isa. 5:20). Sixth. Often bad rumors are spread falsely by evil or envious people and haters, and so the condemned often suffers in vain. Seventh. He who judges will himself be judged, according to the word of Christ (Matthew 7:1). Eighth. The commandment of Christ: “Do not judge,” is ruined. Ninth. The neighbor is greatly offended by this, no less than if someone struck him with a rod, and even more, for a wound on the body will heal sooner than an ulcer on the soul. Just as the body is wounded by a rod or other weapon, so the soul is wounded by a defamatory word. From this wounding will follow sadness, and from sadness death. Tenth. The more honest and significant the person vilified, the greater the ulcer, and the greater the sin for the slanderer. Eleventh. When a boss is condemned and slandered, then the respect for him from his subordinates decreases, and from this will follow contempt, from contempt disobedience, and from disobedience all discord and confusion in society. Twelfth. It often happens that although someone has truly sinned, he has already repented, and God forgives the repentant, and therefore it is very sinful for us to condemn someone whom God forgives, allows, and justifies. Hear this, you slanderers, and correct your vices, for which you will be punished; and don’t touch other people’s vices, which you have no need for. A Guide to Avoiding Conviction First. Everyone should know themselves, and not others, but examine and correct their own vices. Second. Throw away anger, envy, hatred. Third. To a brother who has fallen or is falling in the spirit of love, sympathize with him and behave more carefully in the face of his fall. Fourth. Pray to the merciful God to raise up the fallen and convert the lost, and not allow you to fall into the same vices. Fifth. Remember that for judging your neighbor you yourself will be judged, according to the word of Christ (Matthew 7:1). Sixth. Avoid indecent conversations in which only people argue, and one or the other’s glory is tormented. Seventh. Move away from those who have the evil habit of judging others. Eighth. Those who have this evil habit need to pray to the Lord: “Lord, keep my mouth guarded” (Ps. 140:3), and remember the above reasons. Consolation to those suffering slander, reproach and slander First. Christ Himself innocently endured all kinds of reproach and slander. The Holy Gospel testifies to this. Second. The saints of God did not escape the same, as Saint David testifies about himself in the psalms, Moses, the prophets, the apostles and others. Third. The same thing happens now to the servants of God: so you are not the first to whom this happens. Fourth. One must endure righteous and unrighteous reproach. Righteous because we deserve it for ourselves; unrighteous, because, although they are not guilty of what they are slandering, they have sinned in another. Fifth. It may be that they themselves slandered, condemned and slandered someone, because “with the measure they measure, they measure it to us” (Matthew 7:2). Sixth. The love of many has already dried up, hatred has multiplied, they embitter each other, deceive, slander, slander, and weave intrigues. What more can you expect at such a cruel time? Seventh. For the sake of coolness, resort to the living source of God’s words: “Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and slander you in every way unrighteously for My sake” (Matthew 5:11). Eighth. We are humbled by slander and slander, and our self-esteem is humiliated. This is how a slanderous tongue is given to us, like “the angel of Satan, let us not be arrogant” (2 Cor. 12:7). Ninth. Take consolation from the holy psalms. You might be interested in: