Предисловие (Рим. 1:1–17)

a) Inscription and greeting (Rom. 1:1–7) The inscription and greeting, like those in the Epistles to the Galatians and Titus, also have in this Epistle the peculiarity that they contain introductory provisions of high dogmatic dignity. It was enough to say, as Saint Paul usually did everywhere: “Paul the Apostle to those who are called saints in Rome, grace and peace” (Blessed Theodoret and Ecumenius). But he is not content with this, but introduces thoughts about his special election, about the foreshadowing of the Gospel in the Old Testament and about the God-manhood of Christ the Savior. Explaining this, Blessed Theodoret writes: “The Apostle placed all this between those words with the intention of showing whose preacher he was appointed, what he was commanded to preach about, and to whom he was appointed to offer the sermon.” – It can also be assumed that Saint Paul had the intention of foretelling in a short word what the Epistle would be about. He had to write about the only way of salvation for everyone in the Lord Jesus Christ - and delineates His face as the God-man; he had to explain the providential plans of God in ending the peculiarity in which the Jews had hitherto been a power - and he says in advance that this was foretold from ancient times; He then mentioned his election to preach to the tongues in order to say that if he writes to them without seeing or knowing them, then he is not being illegally forced into someone else’s area, but is fulfilling his duty. It can also be assumed that such additions involuntarily found their way into the word. The thought of the salvation of all mankind in the Lord deeply embraced the entire consciousness of Saint Paul, and he could not resist pointing out his first words addressed to those to whom he was disposed to write about this. Rome. 1:1. Paul, servant of Jesus Christ, is called an Apostle, chosen for the gospel of God. The Apostle puts his name in front, according to the custom of that time. So Lysias, writing to Felix, begins: “Lysias to the venerable ruler Felix” (Acts 23:26) (Photius in the Ecumenium). – But what about Paul from Saul? Our interpreters all give this change of name a heavenly origin. Thus, Saint Chrysostom believes that God Himself changed the Apostle’s name, and only decides the question of why He did this: “Why did God change his name and rename him Paul from Saul? So that in this he will not be less than the Apostles; on the contrary, whatever advantage the supreme of the Apostles had, Paul also received the same, for the closest union with Him.” Blessed Theodoret writes: “he calls himself Paul, not initially receiving this name from his parents, but having been awarded it by calling, just as Simon was called by Peter, the sons of Zebedee - sons of thunder.” – Others think so too. Nothing substantial can be said against this. The fact that this is not mentioned either in the Acts or in the Epistles is no reason: for Saint Paul himself says that he had many revelations about which he kept silent. Others explain it naturally. Of the eastern ones, Origen does this. He writes: “Why is Saul – Paul? We find in Scripture that, as in the Old Testament, the names were changed, for example, Abram and Sarah - into Abraham and Sarah; so in the new grace Simon was renamed Peter, the sons of Zebedee - the sons of thunder. But this was done according to the command of God, but we do not see such a command regarding Saint Paul. Why should we look for a simple human explanation for such a change? Others thought that the Apostle took this name from the proconsul of Cyprus Paul, as a sign of submission to his faith, as victorious kings sometimes took names from the vanquished. You don’t have to give up this thought; but since we do not find such a custom in Scripture, we need to resolve this issue with our own examples. We find in Scripture that some had two, and others even three, names: for example, Solomon - Jedidiah, Zedekiah - Joahin (2 Kings 12:25; 2 Kings 25:27); and in the Gospel: Matthew - Levi (Matthew 9:9; Luke 5:27); Thaddeus - Lebway (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18). – Matthew says this, but Mark or Luke says differently. The Evangelists were not mistaken; but since it was customary to bear different names, one, one, and the other, another, used the name of some of the Apostles. – According to this custom, Paul also had two names. And while he acted among his people, he was called Saul, and when he moved among the Greeks and Romans, he began to be called Paul. Scripture itself, when it says: “Saul, like Paul” (Acts 13:9), makes it clear that it was not only then that this name was given to him, but that it had long belonged to him.” “But if the Lord renamed him at the beginning of his conversion, then this will be a long time ago.” "Servant Jesus Christ". “Instead of a great honorary title, he uses the title of slave” (St. Chrysostom). “The rulers of the regions and military leaders at the beginning of their writings put the names of their merits, being proud of this and, according to their rank, elevating the proud thought of themselves; but the divine Paul... calls himself “a servant of Jesus Christ,” Whom all unbelievers called dead, crucified, the son of Tecton, while the Apostle loved His slavery more than any kingdom” (Blessed Theodoret). Slave has the usual pejorative meaning here. since he had something great to say about himself, he prefaces it with something humble in order to impress upon him that if he speaks great things, he speaks not out of self-aggrandizement. I am a slave, he says, of Christ, as if he were the last in His house, not an independent steward, but an obedient servant, fulfilling only commands. Whatever I say or do, I say and do because it is so ordered. Or in that thought he confesses himself to be a slave of Christ, having previously waged war against Him. With what ardor and with what arrogance he pursued this name! and now, he says, “I am a slave, defeated, captured; and I do not mourn the bonds of slavery, but am magnified by them, considering it the highest good for myself that I am a servant of Jesus Christ. Whom I persecuted, I now wholeheartedly slave to. "Zvan Apostol". And Saint Paul calls all Christians called, just as he did the Romans; but that calling is a calling only to faith, so that the whole Church is the totality of those called (St. Chrysostom). He says about himself here that he is called not only to the faith, but also to the Apostleship (Ecumenius). For him, both titles were accomplished at one moment, just as it was with the twelve Apostles. As the Lord told them: “Follow Me, I will make you... fishers of men” (Mark 1:17) - at the very beginning of their faith - so He showed this same grace to Saint Paul. He himself talks about this in his speech before Agrippa and Festus, saying that when the Lord appeared to him on the way to Damascus, he immediately said: “For you have appeared, to make you a servant and a witness, even as you have seen and as I will show you, taking you away from the people of Judah and from the tongue, to them I will send you, opening their eyes, that they may turn from darkness into the light and from the realm of Satan to God, so that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among the saints through faith in Me” (Acts 26:16–18). But why did he add: “called,” when the word “Apostle” already implies a title? With this word, he places himself among the twelve whom the Lord Himself personally called and sent to preach. At that time, many were called Apostles, who preached the gospel either out of their own zeal, or on behalf of other Apostles and believers. But the real Apostles, the legislators and founders of the faith and the Church, were only twelve, chosen and sent by the Lord Himself. Just as Saint Paul was chosen like them and sent like them; That’s what he says about himself: “called an Apostle.” This is the same as in the Epistle to the Galatians: “I am an apostle, neither of men nor of men, but of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:1). For what purpose is this mentioned here? On the one hand, this is a continuation of the expression of the same humble feeling, which is evidenced by the words: “servant Jesus Christ.” “I didn’t look for it myself and found it; but he was called and obeyed” (St. Chrysostom and Blessed Theophylact). Both what to preach and what to preach about - nothing depends on me. In this I am not the executor of my own will. Why, writing to the Corinthians, he said: “I have no boast in what I preach; the building has been delivered to me” (1 Cor. 9:16, 17). But on the other hand, by this he also hints at his great dignity and speaks thus, exposing a praiseworthy trait in himself, after expressing his humility (Saint Damascus). For it is not all the same, no matter who you are called or what you are called to. Called Saint Paul; but by God and the Lord, and called to the Apostleship, a task higher than which nothing on earth has ever been and never will be. Saint Chrysostom says: “and the faithful are all called, but they are called only to believe, and Paul was also given the Apostleship - a ministry that contains thousands of perfections, combining and surpassing all talents.” Thus, Saint Paul here combined humility with dignity; He inspires both to listen and obey his preaching. I am an apostle, but I am not an impostor in this rank. I do not admire the Apostleship, but I accepted it from the Master, who said to me: “Go, for I will send you to a faraway land” (Acts 22:21) (Blessed Theodoret). “Call” and I do the will of the one who called and sent. since He who called and sent is the God of all, then submit unquestioningly to my word. For the general law everywhere is to receive an ambassador as if he had sent. Who dares to contradict God? Do not dare to resist my word. – The Apostle does not suggest such a suggestion in the same sense as in the Epistles to the Galatians and Corinthians. There he explained at length the image of his title of Apostle, because there were those who did not recognize it, but here he speaks about this only to attract the attention of those who have not seen it, but only heard about it. This same suggestion continues in the words that follow: “chosen for the gospel of God.” “Chosen”, άφωρισμένος, - assigned. “Just as in the house everyone is assigned to a special task, so in the Church the lots of service are different” (St. Chrysostom). Saint Paul was appointed to preach the gospel, or to be an Apostle. Therefore, these words: “chosen for the gospel” serve as an explanation of the previous ones: “called an Apostle.” With both these and these he says, as it were: “I did not take this upon myself, but from God himself I received the ministry of preaching” (Blessed Theodoret). He says this “at the very beginning, arousing the attention of the listeners” (Saint Damascus). “Since he wrote to the vain Romans, who were arrogant to everyone, he inspires everywhere that he was appointed by God, that God Himself called, He Himself chose him. He inspires in order for his Message to be recognized as worthy of faith and accepted” (St. Chrysostom). When and by whom was he assigned to preach? At the very beginning he was destined for this by the Lord Himself; then by Him, who appeared to him in the church, he was directly charged; for the Lord said: go to the Gentiles and preach the good news (Acts 22:17–21). This for Saint Paul was the same as for the other Apostles: “Go and teach all languages” (Matthew 28:19). Then dispatching him to preach, at the inspiration of the Spirit of God, from Antioch was only the fulfillment of the previous decree of the Lord (Acts 13:2). But all this, which happened in time, was the fulfillment of what was predetermined before time. If Saint Paul at least once realized that he was chosen before he came into the world (and he did (Gal. 1:15)); then it cannot be denied that he did not have such a thought every time he spoke about his election. Why does Saint Chrysostom say: “I think that Paul means here not only the choice to serve, but also the predestination to it even before birth. So Jeremiah testifies to himself that God said about him: “Before he brought you out of falsehood, he sanctified you, and made you a prophet among the tongues” (Jer. 1:5).” "For the Gospel of God". “The holy Apostle calls his preaching the gospel; because he did not come with any sad news, as the Prophets came with denunciations, reproaches, threats, but with good news, with the good news of God about countless treasures, constant and immutable benefits - not only the present, but also the future” (St. Chrysostom). The Gospel is the same as the message to the sick about recovery, to the captive - about redemption, to the prisoner - about the granting of freedom. The Apostle's sermon was, as it is depicted in the Epistle to the Romans, as follows: you are sinners, you are under the wrath of God and after death you must go to hell to eternal torment; God took pity on you and sent His Only Begotten Son, so that by His death He would atone for your sins and open you the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven. Believe and be baptized, and you will receive remission of sins, and you will receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that you can live holy and come out of this life blameless and go to where our Savior is. Those who believed received all this and had confirmation in themselves that everything they had and belonged to them forever. Why does Blessed Theodoret write: “he called the sermon gospel because it promises the granting of many blessings, it preaches reconciliation with God, the overthrow of the devil, the remission of sins, the cessation of death, the resurrection from the dead, eternal life, the Kingdom of Heaven.” He calls the gospel “Godly” because “it is given from God and gives true knowledge about God” (Blessed Theophylact) - that it “is not something human, but Divine, ineffable, above all nature” (St. Chrysostom). Rome. 1:2. He had already promised His prophets in the writings of the saints. All these words can be replaced with the following phrase: into the gospel previously promised. Much attention has already been aroused by what he said about himself - that he was chosen from above and sent to evangelize God. Now the Apostle strengthens it, saying that its gospel is not new, but was suggested from ancient times. The thought of news of a teaching shakes confidence in it and requires stronger evidence from those who propose it. On the contrary, the indication that it was predicted long ago disposes the mind to submission. Why has it always been considered and is one of the strongest proofs of the Divinity of the Christian revelation that it was foretold by the Prophets. And Saint Paul often used it. So, in a speech to Herod with Festus, he says that he silently testifies to the truth of God “both small and great, saying nothing, except even the prophets who wanted to be and Moses” (Acts 26:22). He suggests the same thing here, in order to pave the way for his word into the hearts of both Jews and pagans. The Jew could not even hear anything new; on the contrary, he became a submissive lamb when the word of his fathers and the Prophets was spoken to him. This could not incline a pagan to faith, for it was not his fathers who foretold; but he could not help but honor the teachings so long foretold and foreshadowed. Foreshadowing, according to the common concept of all, is the work of God; God's work - and the fulfillment of what was foretold. Whoever proclaims such a teaching cannot but be from God’s realm and immediately obliges one to believe. Moreover, among the pagans, as Suetonius and Tacitus assure, there were rumors then that teachers were about to emerge from Judea who would conquer the whole world with their teaching. Hearing the words of the Apostle: “even before I promised,” they could not help but think: surely, this is what they are hearing about; and having thought so, they could not help but say to themselves: you need to listen, if you don’t believe it right away. Saint Chrysostom says to this: “Don’t ignore why this was foretold for so long. If God prepares something great, he predicts it a long time in advance, in order to prepare the ear to accept it when it is fulfilled.” The apostle says that the gospel was promised. And so it was. Moses gave the law, but immediately said: look, God will send us another Prophet, listen to him. The prophets convinced the people to be faithful to this law, but at the same time they said that God would give them another law, which would be inscribed on their hearts. Saint David foresaw how “the Lord will give the word to those who bring good news with much power” (Ps. 67:12), and Saint Isaiah also prefigured the red feet of those who bring good news (Is. 52:7). But the gospel is good news because it announces good things. Therefore, the promise of the gospel was a promise of benefits to the human race. That is, not only a good word was promised, but also a good deed itself. Such a promise precisely began immediately after the fall and in all subsequent times did not stop, but went on continuously, revealing the good deed that was about to be accomplished in all its details. The Gospel events, as in a picture, are all pre-depicted in the Old Testament. God-enlightened men knew that something wonderfully great was being prepared, and they wanted to personally see the event, but they did not see it (Matthew 13:17). Only Abraham alone was given the ability to see everything in a special way. “And I saw and rejoiced” (John 8:56). For foreshadowing, God raised up Prophets, enlightened their minds with the Holy Spirit, and they saw the future and spoke about what they saw. “And they not only spoke, but also wrote what they said” (St. Chrysostom). Thus, the gospel was promised by the Prophets in the Scriptures of the Saints. Rome. 1:3, 4. About His Son, who was from the seed of David according to the flesh, called the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, from the resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. This is the subject of the gospel, both promised and accomplished—the Only Begotten Son of God incarnate! Getting to this, Saint Chrysostom calls out: “What are you doing, Paul? Where do you delight our souls, to what heights do you raise them, what lofty and indescribable objects do you reveal to our contemplation?!” "About His Son". This word is deliberately placed in front in order to give the idea in advance - that when they hear: He was from the seed of David, they should not think that He only began to exist here, but in order to convey that He was before, as the Son of God and God, then He deigned to become the Son of David, hiding the light of the Divine under the cover of human nature, through which, however, the greatness of the Divinity shone, and was recognized and confessed by everyone. He then reinforces the same truth with the word: according to the flesh. For this makes it clear that if He is the son of David, then only by one nature, and that, therefore, another nature must be confessed in Him, not created, preceding His appearance into the world through birth from the seed of David. “By the mouth of all the Prophets the Father foretold of the Son, who was begotten by Him by nature before the ages; called the Son of David, as having received human nature from David’s seed; Therefore, having mentioned David, out of necessity the Apostle added: “according to the flesh,” so that they would not consider Him the Son of David by nature, but the Son of God by grace. For this addition: “according to the flesh” makes it clear that He is indeed the Son of God and the Father according to Divinity; since we do not find that in the reasoning of those who are not more than what is visible in them, this is added: according to the flesh. The blessed Evangelist Matthew is a witness to this. For, having said: “Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob. And Jacob begat Judas" (Matthew 1:2) and having laid out the entire genealogy in order, he did not add anywhere: "according to the flesh." It was not appropriate for them, as people, to make such an addition. But here, since God the Word became man is not only a man, but also the eternal God, the divine Apostle, having mentioned the seed of David, of necessity added: “according to the flesh,” thus clearly teaching us in what sense He is the Son of God and in what sense He is called the son of David” (Blessed Theodoret). “So, the Gospel is not about a simple man: for it is about the Son of God, and not about a naked God: for it is about him who was of the seed of David according to the flesh, - about the same one, who was both - the Son of God and the son of David. Let Nestorius be ashamed” (Blessed Theophylact). “But why did the Apostle begin from birth according to the flesh? Because Matthew, Luke and Mark begin this way. And in order to lead someone to heaven, it is necessary to lead him from the bottom up. This was indeed the case. The Son of God was first seen on earth as a man, and then recognized as God. And whatever method of teaching He Himself used, His disciple also paves the way leading to Him. First he speaks of birth according to the flesh, not because it was the first, but in order to lead the listeners from it to the fact that He exists without flesh” (St. Chrysostom). "The Named Son of God". - Named ορισθέντος, - decided. How, looking at a sovereign walking from afar, at first they see in him only the image of a man, and then, when he comes closer, they recognize him as some kind of nobleman; when he gets very close, looking at him, they exclaim: sir! - this was also the case in relation to the Son of God, “the form of a servant” who took on the sake of our salvation (Phil. 2:7). At first, everyone looked at Him as a man, the son of a treemaker (Treemaker is a carpenter), except, perhaps, only the words of the Lady Theotokos, who composed all the words about Him about Him, in Her heart, and then, when He revealed Himself to the world and began to reveal the Divine power in Himself, everyone asked in amazement: “Who is this?..” (Matthew 8:27), recognizing, however, only Him an extraordinary person: “a prophet of great joy” (Luke 7:16). Towards the end of His visible sojourn on earth, they saw that no human greatness could compare with that which Jesus Christ, the Lord of hosts, reveals in Himself, but what He is was still not determined. The apostles confessed Him as the Son of God, but this enlightenment of faith did not remain at the same height, and the greatness of the Lord was obscured by earthly thoughts. Already after His resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit, when foreseeable signs began to be performed everywhere in His name by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles and believers, everyone understood that He, in whose name all this was happening, is the Only Begotten Son of God and God. The face of the Lord was finally revealed, and all who saw it by faith exclaimed with Saint Thomas: “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). “This is what it means: “Let us be named!” Indicated, revealed, confessed by the court and sentence of all” (St. Chrysostom). Blessed Theodoret writes: “Before the cross and suffering, not only other Jews, but also the Apostles themselves were not sure about the Lord Christ that He was God. The human thing that was a stumbling block for them in Christ was when they saw that they were eating, drinking, sleeping, working out; and miracles did not lead them to confidence in this. Therefore, for example, having seen a miracle on the sea, they said: “Who is this man, for both the winds and the sea listen to Him?” (Matthew 8:27). Why did the Lord tell them: “The imam has spoken many things to you, but you cannot bear them now: when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:12, 13). Therefore, before suffering, the Apostles had such thoughts about Him, but after the resurrection and ascension into heaven, after the descent of the All-Holy Spirit and after miracles of every kind, which they performed, calling on the venerable name of Christ, all believers knew that Christ is God and the Only Begotten Son of God. Therefore, here too the divine Apostle taught that he who was called the Son of David according to the flesh was called and revealed as the Son of God according to the power by which the All-Holy Spirit acted, after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself from the dead.” The words: “with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, from the resurrection of the dead” indicate the sources from which the faith of believers drew its conviction in the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. “In power” - indicates the wondrous signs that the Lord performed by His own, and not by grace received by force (Ecumenius), and especially which were then performed by the Apostles and believers in His name: for these latter are more convincing than the first. “According to the Spirit of holiness” - indicate the renewal of believers by the Holy Spirit with the addition of special gifts of grace. Through the sacraments, believers became completely different, filled with a new life, which placed them above everyone around them, both in morals, and in the enlightenment of the mind, and in manifestations of power. Everyone experienced this within themselves and showed it to everyone. What proof is more convincing than this, that He, by faith in Whom all this is given, is the Lord of all? “From the resurrection of the dead” - indicates the resurrection of the Lord by His own power, and moreover, in such a way that He no longer saw death: death does not possess Him. This most convincing proof acquired amazing power when faith led the believer into the contemplation of the general resurrection of all, which had to be accomplished by the Lord, the foundation and power of which He laid with His resurrection: for the Apostles taught that the risen Lord resurrected everyone. Saint Chrysostom asks: “How is it proven that the incarnate (who was from the seed of David in the flesh) is the Son of God?” And he answers that, after the above-mentioned fulfillment of all the prophecies on Him and the wonderful, exceeding the statute of nature, His birth from the Ever-Virgin, this is proven, “thirdly, by the miracles that Christ performed, thereby proving his extraordinary power; which is expressed by the word: “in force.” Fourthly, by the Spirit, which He gave to those who believed in Him, and through Whom He made all holy, which is why it is said: “according to the Spirit of holiness”; since it is characteristic of God alone to distribute such gifts. Fifthly, by the resurrection of the Lord, because He was the first and only to resurrect Himself; and He Himself calls this a sign, above all others, sufficient to stop the lips of even the shameless. For he said: “Destroy this church, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). And again: “When you lift Me up from the earth, then you will understand that I am” (John 8:28). And in another place: “This generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matthew 12:39).” This is how all our interpreters understand these words. The words: “Jesus Christ our Lord” - in Slavic stand depending on: “resurrection” - like this: “from the resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.” But it is better to put them in relation to the word: “about His Son,” so that it comes out: “about His Son, who was... named...” that is, about Jesus Christ our Lord. For the whole Gospel and all the preaching of the Apostles is about Him. Rome. 1:5, 6. By whom we received grace and apostleship for the obedience of faith in all nations, in whose name you also are, calling Jesus Christ. I have already said that I am called and chosen; now he points out that this was accomplished not by a verbal purpose alone, as happens with people, but even more by the donation of powers above human powers, by the granting of all-conquering grace, which even those who oppose the truth cannot resist. The Lord, he says, has clothed us with grace, but not so that we alone would enjoy it, but so that we would go and make others participants in it. Why is this grace a special grace? All believers receive grace, but we have been given Apostolic grace, by which we are endowed with power from above to conquer all nations to faith. “Notice the gratitude of the servant (of Christ in the Apostleship); he does not want to attribute anything to himself, but attributes everything to the Lord. It was not through our own efforts and labors that we achieved becoming Apostles, but received grace; and the Apostleship is a gift from above” (St. Chrysostom). “It is a matter of the highest dispensation and providence of God for our race” (Saint Damascus). Why is “grace and apostolate” the same as grace for apostleship (Ecumenius) or Apostolic grace. We, he says, are “priyah”. Who are we? More directly, it seems that Saint Paul means himself alone here; but one might think that he speaks this way on behalf of all the Apostles and depicts the power and significance of the Apostolic rank in general. Or, having the need to speak about himself alone, he expressed himself in such a way that he conveyed the thought about all the Apostles, as it were: as they are, so am I, or I, as they are. For just as the Lord said to them: “Go and teach them all languages” (Matthew 28:19), so also to him: “Go, for I will send you far into the languages” (Acts 22:21). Blessed Theodoret writes: “He (the Lord Jesus Christ) made us preachers, entrusting us with the salvation of all nations and bestowing grace corresponding to this preaching, so that those who accepted the preaching would obey us and believe the word.” "In obedience to faith among all nations". - “In obedience” - so that everyone hears about faith and, having heard, obeys faith or believes. In one word, Saint Paul wanted to express that the purpose of the Apostles was to carry the name of the Lord throughout the entire universe, but not only so that everyone would hear about Him, but so that they would submit to Him - so that among all nations there would be those who truly believe in Him and who sincerely work for Him in the faith. The Word came from the mouth of the Apostles; grace came along with the word and conquered the hearts of the elect to faith. Saint Chrysostom says: “the success of preaching depended not on the Apostles, but on the grace that preceded (and accompanied) them. Although their job was to go and preach, the conviction was carried out by God Himself, who acted in the Apostles. So Saint Luke said: “Open your heart” (Acts 16:14).” And therefore, obedience to faith should be considered a work of God’s power, because signs accompanied the preaching. They certified that preaching is a work done according to the will of God, and therefore they demanded obedience to what was preached, despite its incomprehensibility. “The power from above is evidence of the truth of the teaching, so that because of it, what seemed incredible in the sermon would be unquestioningly accepted by faith” (Ambrosiastes). If the Apostolic sermon is in obedience to faith, then before it one must lay down the instruments of the mind and present one’s soul as a pure charter for the unhindered printing of the truths of faith on it. The apostles accepted it without further ado and pass it on as they accepted it; and those who listen to their word should accept it without being clever. Saint Chrysostom says: “He did not say: for research and proof, but: for obedience. We were sent, he says, not to draw conclusions, but to convey what has been entrusted to us. When the Lord says something, those who listen should only accept His words, without analyzing or reinterpreting them themselves. And the Apostles were sent to retell what they heard, without adding anything to it from themselves, so that we too might believe it.” "In all languages". This is the purpose of the Apostleship, to carry the preaching of the Gospel to all nations. Did they carry it through? Throughout their lives, the Apostles did nothing but spread the word of the Gospel, and carried it everywhere they could reach or as far as their lives could reach. But even after their death, their preaching does not cease, through their Scriptures and through the spoken word of their successors. Saint Chrysostom says: “What is this? Did Paul really preach to all nations? From the Epistle to the Romans it is clear that he preached to many: for he went around all the countries, from Jerusalem to Illyricum, and from there again reached the last borders of the earth; however, even if he was not among all nations, what he said was not at all false. Because he is not talking about himself alone, but about the twelve Apostles and about all those who preached the word with them. Meanwhile, it is impossible to dispute what was said, meaning it applies to Paul alone, if we imagine Paul’s zeal and the fact that after his death he did not cease preaching throughout the entire universe. Do not ignore how much Paul extols the gift of the Apostleship, shows its greatness and greater superiority over the Old Testament. The promises of the Old Testament extended to one nation; and the Apostleship attracted land and sea.” "About His Name". This expression is all-encompassing. It means: both by His name, and in His name or glory, and relying on His name, and about Him, and in Him. For in the faith of Christ everything comes from the Lord and everything returns to Him and stands on Him. Saint Chrysostom says: “about His name” - means that we should not delve into His essence, but believe in His name. For this name worked miracles. “In the name of Jesus Christ,” says Peter, “rise and walk” (Acts 3:6). It itself requires faith: and all this cannot be comprehended by reason.” - The ecumenium adds: “faith was in His name. For they did not see Him Himself, but believed because of the gospel alone about His name. Truly full of grace was the Apostleship of the disciples, when they convinced the nations to believe and submit to Christ, being unlearned people, simple fishermen.” “You are also in them.” If, speaking before this about the Apostleship: “I have received grace” and so on, St. Paul only understood himself, then with the words: “In whom you also are,” he says: you also belong to my region, and in you I must apostle, subduing you to the faith and establishing you in it. Theodoret writes: “And you are among these nations, the work of which has been entrusted to me. For do not think that I am appropriating what is alien to myself and delighting in the fields provided to others. The Lord has appointed me as a preacher to all nations.” If there he spoke generally about the Apostleship, then here he expresses: you are not forgotten by God, and He had a providential determination to subdue you to the faith through the Apostolic word, which has already reached you. As much as this inspires and cheers them up, it also humbles them. Why does Saint Chrysostom say: “Do not leave without remark how far Pavlov’s soul is from all flattery. Addressing the Romans, who were, as it were, the head of the entire universe, he does not give them any advantage over other peoples. Although the Romans then ruled and dominated; but Paul does not say that they had any more spiritual gifts. But just as we preach to all nations, he writes, so we preach to you, placing them along with the Scythians and Thracians. And if this was not what he wanted to say, then the words would have been unnecessary: ​​“in them you also are.” He does this in order to bring down their arrogance, humble the arrogance of the mind and teach them not to be proud of others. For this purpose I added the words: “In whom you also are, calling Jesus Christ,” that is, with which you too are called. He did not say that Christ called others with you, but says that he called you with others. For if in Christ Jesus there is neither slave nor free, much less king nor commoner, then you also were called, and did not come of your own accord.” “Call Jesus Christ”, in Greek, Jesus Christ. The thought is the same: the Lord Jesus Christ called you to Himself through the gospel that reached you; and you have become called to Christ. It’s as if the Apostle wanted with this word, after the previous humbling phrase, to lift them up somewhat, making it clear, however, that there is no place for exaltation here. If it is great and honest to be called to the king only for a conversation: how much higher and more honest is it to be called to the Lord, not only to see Him and hear, but to be one with Him and in Him with God the Father by the grace of the Holy Spirit? So he lifts them up and seems to bring them on a level with himself; but at the same time it does not distract them from humble thoughts about themselves; for he says: “Call,” and they did not themselves reach and enter, and “he who is called is still only destined.” The title of greatness is not a reason to boast, but an incentive to work hard to prove worthy of the title. Rome. 1:7. To all who are in Rome beloved of God, who are called saints: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. To all beings in Rome. Equal goodwill shows everyone and thus continues to keep everyone in humble feelings. “Among the believers there were probably prefects, consuls, the poor, and commoners; but Saint Paul, not paying any attention to the difference in ranks, sends one greeting to everyone. For if slaves and freemen equally participate in everything most necessary and spiritual, such as: the love of God, calling, gospel, adoption, grace, peace, sanctification and everything else; then wouldn’t it be extreme madness to distinguish by earthly belongings those whom God has united and made equal in the most important things? Therefore, at the very beginning, the Apostle, driving out this serious illness, confirms the Romans in humility, which is the mother of all good things. Humility made servants better, teaching them that slavery does not harm those who have true freedom, and turned masters to moderation, admonishing them that there is no benefit in freedom if they are not distinguished primarily by faith” (St. Chrysostom, the same with Blessed Theodoret). "Beloved of God, called saints." “This is how often St. Paul uses the word: “called!” Such a repetition, however, is not unnecessary: ​​the Apostle wants through this to root God’s good deeds in the memory of the Romans” (St. Chrysostom). God has loved His elect from all eternity; He actually approaches them with the grace of love through calling. “No one will come to Me unless my Father in heaven draws him” (John 6:44), says the Lord. Vocation is attraction to the Lord. The one who, having heard the calling voice, followed it, should be considered called and called, and not the one who heard only it: for such, having heard, can despise it and go his own way. Those who followed the voice of the caller, where are they going? To the Lord Savior, so that through Him we can come to the Father: for, he says, “no one will come to the Father except by Me” (John 14:6). This is the cycle of the title. The Father's love called to the Lord, the one called went to the Lord, through the Lord came to the Caller and united with Him. In such, the love of the Father rests and is satisfied with them; in relation to the disobedient, love extends over all of them, without entering inside, for they are locked in themselves. When Saint Paul calls the Romans beloved of God, he means this love of God, saturating them and satisfying them. The Romans felt it and clearly understood in their hearts what the Apostle was telling them. "Called saints". They were called, believed, were renewed by faith in baptism, having received the beginnings of spiritual life, and then through the laying on of hands (now Confirmation) into the vessel of their renewed nature they received the grace of the Holy Spirit and became saints; in the way of thinking, in the endeavors of the will and in the feelings of the heart, we became the holy church of God. Is it not because they are so beloved of God that they are so holy? Yes, no differently. How is this possible? Holiness comes through changes in spirit as a result of calling; calling itself is a matter of love. Consequently, love precedes that which makes one God-loving. “The Lord knows His message and loves them, according to foreknowledge, that they will listen to His calling and receive the sanctification given by His dispensation; He loves them as pure and holy, and those who are not yet pure and holy, but have the power to love purity and holiness and become holy and blameless by the grace of the Spirit. "Grace and peace to you". They already had both grace and peace. Therefore, the meaning of this benevolence is the same as that directly expressed by Saint Peter: “let grace and peace abound” in you (1 Pet. 1:2). You have entered under the streams of grace - may it pour out on you more and more and may it fill you more and more abundantly; you have perceived peace with God, you have become at peace within yourself, you have united with love in a mutual union of peace - may this goodness enter into you, penetrating you and all your relationships deeper and deeper. Blessed Theodoret writes to this: “he asks the Romans: firstly, the grace of God, because with its help all who believed received salvation, then, peace, by which he means all progress in virtue. For he is at peace with God who has loved the gospel life and zealously strives to please God in everything.” Saint Chrysostom says: “a greeting that brings countless benefits. Thus, Christ commanded the Apostles that when they entered a house, this word should be spoken first. So Paul always begins with the same: “Grace to you and peace.” The battle that Christ stopped was not easy, but from different sides, in all sorts of ways, and disturbed us for a long time: it was stopped not by our labors, but by His grace. And just as grace is given to love and peace by grace, the Apostle, following precisely this order in his greeting, prays for the continuous and inviolable presence of love, grace, peace, so that a new war does not flare up again, and asks the Giver to preserve them immutable.” "From God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." “Here the Apostle shows that the Giver of these gifts is not only the Father, but also the Son: which fully teaches us the equality of the Father and the Son” (Blessed Theodoret). “For he did not say: Grace to you and peace from God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, but says: From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, how omnipotent is the love of the Lord! Enemies and outcasts suddenly became saints and sons. For the Apostle, calling God Father, made it clear that they were sons; and calling them sons, he revealed the whole treasure of blessings. So, let us not cease to demonstrate a life worthy of the gift - to preserve peace and holiness” (St. Chrysostom). b) The beginning of the Epistle (Rom. 1:8–17) At the beginning of the Epistle, as is usually done in letters, Saint Paul places such thoughts as are strong to favor the Epistle and make one want to read it. For this: aa) praises the faith of the Romans, thanking God for it (Rom. 1:8), and: bb) testifies to his disposition towards the Romans, expressing a desire to see them and make them partakers of the benefits of his Apostleship (Rom. 1:9-13). Pointing out: c) the reason for such a desire in the duty that lies on him to enlighten everyone by faith (Rom. 1: 14-15), he moves on to: d) the subject of the entire Epistle - that salvation is achieved only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ ( Rom. 1: 16-17). aa) The Apostle praises the faith of the Romans (Rom. 1:8) Rom.1:8. First of all, I thank my God Jesus Christ for all of you, for your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. “An introduction befitting a blessed Apostle!” (Saint Chrysostom). Having the need to praise the Romans, he praises them in such a way, however, that at the same time he takes away any reason for exaltation: for he does not attribute to them the good he praises in them, but to God, the source of all good. By saying: I thank God for your faith, he also excites them to thanksgiving, diverting attention from himself and riveting it on God’s good deeds and God’s love. With this, the Apostle “sufficiently instructs everyone that the beginnings of good deeds and words should be dedicated to God and thank Him not only for one’s successes in good, but also for the successes of others. Through this the soul becomes pure from envy and ill will, and the grateful are attracted to the greater favor of God” (St. Chrysostom). "I thank my God." “With what ardor he thanks! He said not just: “God,” but: “My God.” This is what the Prophets do, appropriating for themselves what belongs to everyone. And should the Prophets be surprised at this? Isn’t this what God Himself apparently always observes regarding His servants, calling Himself exclusively the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?” (Saint Chrysostom). Perfect God-fearers and lovers of God have God as their own in the feelings of their hearts and themselves as God’s. Feeling the great love of God for themselves personally and being flaming with love for God, they naturally appropriate God to themselves and themselves to God. And this is the full expression of true communion with God, not mentally imagined, but established in fact between the spirit of the believer and God. While God is seen as something alien and common, faith is still weak and has not yet come into force. Likewise, whoever does not serve God with all his might, but is attached to something else, cannot have God as his God. “I give thanks...by Jesus Christ.” Everything from God descends to us through the Lord Jesus Christ, and everything from us to God must ascend through Him; We do not dare to appear before God without bearing the seal of Christ, without having Him in our minds and hearts with faith, hope, and devotion. Why did the Lord command to approach God in prayer - in His name, assuring that if anyone prays like this, he will certainly receive what he asks for (John 14:13, 14). And God does not accept any sacrifice from us except the Lord. Everywhere they make sacrifices to God. What do we, Christians, bring? small bread and a small cup of wine mixed with water. Should we bring that much?! But this bread and wine are made by the Body and Blood of the Lord, and through this our sacrifice, so insignificant in itself, becomes priceless. God was pleased to arrange it this way. – If we have nothing to appear before God except through the Lord Jesus Christ, then with thanksgiving. This is what the Apostle suggests when he thanks God for the Romans through Jesus Christ. “He is the mediator of thanksgiving to our God, not only because he taught us to thank God, but also because He Himself brings our thanksgiving before God” (Blessed Theophylact). “I thank my God... for your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.” “Notice what Paul gives thanks for - not for earthly and perishing things, such as: for power, power, glory - this is not worth attention; but for true blessings, faith and boldness (before God)! (Saint Chrysostom). Gives thanks that faith is proclaimed; but just as it would not have been possible for her to be proclaimed if she were not firm, bright and perfect, then, expressing gratitude for the proclamation of their faith, he at the same time recognizes these qualities for her, making it clear that she is high both in knowledge of the objects of faith and in deeds corresponding to faith, and at the same time she is so inspired that she does not hide, but boldly reveals herself to everyone. But the very proclamation of faith is a subject worthy of thanksgiving: for the example of the Romans could have a victorious effect on the admiration of the faith of all who heard about it. “The Apostle said this not to please them, but according to the very truth. For what happened in Rome could not be hidden from those living throughout the universe. Since ancient times, Roman kings had their court in it; From there the rulers of the nations were sent and those who collected tribute from the cities; All those who sought royal favors also flocked to it, and they all made it known everywhere that the city of Rome had accepted the teachings of Christ. And this brought very great benefit to those who heard. Why did the blessed Apostle glorify the Lord for this” (Blessed Theodoret). "Proclaimed throughout the world". “How is this? Has the whole earth really heard about the faith of the Romans? According to Paul, all; and this is not at all strange. Rome was not an unimportant city, but, being placed, as it were, at a certain height, it attracted everyone’s attention. And he did not say: it has become obvious, but: “it is announced,” that is, it is the subject of conversation for everyone” (St. Chrysostom). “Imagine the power of preaching, how in a short time it conquered the first of the cities through publicans and fishermen, and how several Syrians became teachers and mentors of the Romans. Paul testifies here to the double success of the preaching: that the Romans believed, and believed with complete firmness, so that their fame spread throughout the whole earth. The Romans, having recently gained control of the universe, dreamed too much about themselves, lived richly and luxuriously, and the sermon was brought by Jewish fishermen, people who belonged to a despicable people, whom everyone abhorred. And these fishermen commanded to worship the Crucified One, brought up in Judea; and these teachers instilled in people, pampered and immersed only in the present, a strict life along with this teaching; and these preachers were poor, unlearned people, lowly people. And yet, all this did not hinder the success of faith. Such was the power of the Crucified One that the word spread everywhere. The sermon did not stop anywhere, but faster than fire it engulfed the entire universe” (St. Chrysostom). bb) The apostle testifies to his affection for the Romans (Rom. 1:9–13) Rome. 1:9, 10. God is my witness, and I serve Him with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, as I continually create remembrance of you, always praying in my prayers, so that I may hasten by the will of God to come to you. Having now praised his goodwill towards them, Saint Paul testifies by the fact that he remembers them and rushes towards them. He remembers, which means he always carries them in his thoughts; rushes towards them, which means that he is not content with mental communication alone, he seeks live communication face to face, he longs for the embrace of love. Both are evidence of the warm disposition and ardent love that these and subsequent words breathe. The matter itself is not so great and important, namely that Saint Paul remembers the Romans and rushes to them; but it is a matter of great importance so that no one doubts the sincerity of the Apostle’s words about this: for this doubt could then spread to the entire Epistle. That is why, speaking about this, the Apostle called God as a witness, God, to Whom his whole life is dedicated, before Whom, therefore, he cannot allow himself to think or say anything that is not true. “My witness,” he says, “is God.” “Of course, this is the language of the Apostolic spirit and heart, an expression of paternal guardianship; but what exactly do these words mean and why does Paul call God as a witness? He was talking about his affection; and since he had not yet seen the Romans, he calls not people as witnesses, but the One who searches the heart. “Having said: “I love you” - and as proof of this, presenting that he always prays and wants to come to them, which, however, was not known to them, he resorts to reliable testimony” (St. Chrysostom). “Him I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son.” “I mentioned the gospel to show the type of ministry. For there are many different types of service in general, as well as service to God. As with earthly kings, although everyone is subordinate to one sovereign, however, not everyone serves equally; but the service of one consists in commanding an army, another in governing cities, and another in keeping the treasury: so in spiritual matters, one serves and works for God by believing and strictly observing his life; the other by the fact that he obliged himself to serve strangers, and the other by the fact that he took it upon himself to intercede for the needy. Likewise, among the Apostles themselves, Stephen and his co-servants worked for God by providing for widows, and another served as a teacher of the word, as was Paul, who served God in preaching the Gospel. This is the nature of his ministry, this is what he was assigned to! Therefore, he not only calls God as a witness, but also says what has been entrusted to him, letting those know that, having been awarded such a power of attorney, he will not falsely call the One who entrusted him as a witness” (St. Chrysostom). So, the ministry with which St. Paul served God was evangelism. How did he correct this service? “With my spirit,” he says, “my spirit.” What does it mean to serve God in evangelism in the spirit? The gift given to him. Saint Chrysostom partly understands this when he says: “By this the Apostle shows us both the grace of God and his humility; God’s grace lies in the fact that he has been entrusted with such a task, and his humility in the fact that he attributes everything not to his own zeal, but to the help of the Spirit.” – But Blessed Theodoret expresses this idea more clearly: “there are many types of service to God. They serve Him: those who pray, and those who fast, and those who listen to Divine words, and also those who care about serving strangers. And the divine Apostle said that he serves God, offering the gospel of His Son to the people, and serves in spirit, that is, by the gift given to him.” So do other interpreters. The fact that Saint Paul calls this spirit his own does not prevent us from seeing under this word the gift of the Holy Spirit: for a spiritual gift is acquired by the one to whom it is given. The apostle could say so, meaning: by the spirit of grace given to me. This idea is supported by the fact that he served in the gospel with this spirit; in the gospel, everything—zeal, strength, and the very truths—comes from the Spirit. One can understand by how Saint Paul served God with his spirit in the gospel: with all my being, with all my strength, with all sincerity, or, as he says about himself to Saint Timothy, “with a clear conscience” (2 Tim. 1:3). One can also believe this: the Apostle serves God not only with his body and soul, but even more so with his highest part, that is, with his spirit: for he distinguishes these three in a person, writing to the Thessalonians: “May your spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). In whom the spirit is restored in its rights by the grace of the Spirit, in him it rules over soul and body and draws them after him; and such, serving God in spirit, serves with his whole being. Such a thought cannot be considered alien to the mind of the Apostle in the above expression. By service of the spirit we can also understand spiritual service, as opposed to carnal service - the Old Testament, as in the Epistle to the Philippians the Apostle says: “We are of the circumcision; Saint Chrysostom says: “with the words: “with my spirit” - the Apostle also inspires that his service to God is much higher than the pagan and Jewish. For the pagan service is false, and the Jewish service, although true, is carnal; The service of the Church to the pagans is opposite, and to the Jews is incomparably higher. Because in our service to God, neither sheep, nor calves, nor smoke, nor incense are offered, but the spiritual soul is offered, which Christ depicted when he said: “The spirit is God: and whoever worships Him is worthy to worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).” So are our other interpreters. Evangelism is the most spiritual service. “In the gospel of His Son” - either about the Son, or which is from the Son. The Gospel is all about the Son: how he came, became incarnate, suffered, died, rose again, ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father, and, as the Head of the Church, rules over it and all for its good. But it also comes from the Son: for He began the gospel, and entrusted it to the Apostles to carry it throughout the world; Although the Spirit acted in the Apostles, He received everything from the Son. Saint Chrysostom says: “Having attributed the gospel above to the Father, he now attributes it to the Son; they speak so indifferently about the Father and the Son! For the Apostle, according to the blessed saying of Christ, knew that the Father belongs to the Son and the Son to the Father. “All is mine,” says Christ, “Your essence, and Yours is Mine” (John 17:10).” So are all our interpreters. “As I continually create a memory of you, always praying in my prayers.” “This is true love! Apparently, speaking about one thing, Paul combines four thoughts here: he remembers, he remembers constantly, he remembers in prayers, he remembers by praying for a matter that is pleasant for them. Not once, twice or three times, but constantly; It is impossible to constantly carry someone in your memory without great love. So consider what affection and love means – to remember in prayers, and to remember unceasingly” (St. Chrysostom). “Praying, if ever I will hasten by the will of God to come to you.” This is the mood of God-devoted souls - not only to create what pleases God, but also to create in a way that pleases God. Such was the Apostle. “Maintaining precision, he said not simply that he asked God to come to them, but by the will of God, that is, if this pleases the Ruler of all” (Blessed Theodoret). “The Apostle strongly desired to see the Romans, but he did not decide to do so against the will of God, but tempered his desire with the fear of God. No matter how much he loved them, no matter how attracted he was to them; however, he did not want to see them against the will of God. That’s how abundantly he was filled with both – the fear of God and zeal for the Romans! His strong love was revealed in the fact that he prayed unceasingly, praying even when he did not receive what he asked, and the fear of God was that, loving, he did not cease to be submissive to the beck of God. Paul once asked the Lord three times, but did not receive what he asked; and, having not received what he asked, he considered it a great mercy that he was not heard. How devoted he was to God in everything! Now, although I received what I asked for, it was not at the time I asked, but after; but he wasn’t upset about it either. I say this so that we will not grieve when we are not heard or are heard later. We are no better than Paul, who recognizes both as mercy; and quite rightly so. Having once given himself to the all-governing Hand, he submitted to it like clay to the potter; and always followed the guidance of God” (Saint Chrysostom). “If the salvation of so many thousands was in mind, the divine Apostle did not ask unconditionally, but compared the will of God with the request; then are we worthy of any apology when, both reasoning and praying about sensual things that concern us, we do not make this dependent on the will of God” (Blessed Theodoret). Rome. 1:11. I wish to see you, so that I may give you some spiritual gift for your strengthening. Having said that he prays to God that he may have the good fortune to stay with them, he now explains in what sense he wants this. He wants to stay with them not as travelers, in order to be curious about what is in the city, or to marvel at their life in the capital - and not at all for the sake of anything human, but all in the form of that spiritual work, which he is called upon to instill in the souls of everyone everywhere. “He wants to take a trip to them for a reason, not like many people travel now without purpose and need; on the contrary, he was prompted by necessary matters that required extreme haste, although he does not want to say this clearly, but only hints” (St. Chrysostom). What word is it hinting at? “Yes, I will give you a certain spiritual gift.” What kind of talent he does not say, but says: “some” - something from the treasury of the Apostleship. The apostles were the bearers of all graces, and when they appeared somewhere, the Lord distributed through them everything that turned out to be necessary for those living there: to whom faith, to whom confirmation in it, to whom consolation, to whom some kind of supernatural benefit for the soul or for the body, to whom grace through the sacraments. The apostles did not give what they wanted, but whatever the Lord wanted to take from their treasury and pass on to others, that was passed on. They are not managers, but executors of higher orders. That is why the Apostle does not say directly what exactly he will give, but expresses himself vaguely: “a certain gift,” although there is no doubt that it will be from the circle of Apostolic gifts. In relation to this, he also used the verb: “I will give”, μεταδω, - which means: I will convey. As the owner orders his clerk: give this to this, and give to that, - and the clerk will never think that he himself gave: so the Lord suggested to the Apostles where to pour out the grace, and they poured it out and did not dare to think and say that they themselves were distributing, but only passing on: for even if they themselves wanted to give something, it would not have been given if it did not agree with the will of God. That is why St. Paul says here: let me convey, “letting those know that he will not give them his own (and not of his own free will), but will pass on what he has received (and what will be inspired to pass on to him)” (St. Chrysostom). “These words are filled with humble thoughts about oneself; I didn’t say: I want to give, but: yes, I will give (transfer); for I convey what I myself received (blessed Theodoret). Why does this one word bring to mind three: God the giver, the Apostle the transmitter, and the believers who receive (Ambrosiastes). “To your approval.” Whatever the Apostle tells them from the gracious treasury of his Apostleship, all this will serve to strengthen them in the faith and in life according to faith. This is the usual fruit of the contact of the Apostles with believers. This, perhaps, is expressed only by the Apostle, without implying that anything should be affirmed in them. Or maybe it was, as Saint Chrysostom says: “having said: “to your approval,” he secretly makes it clear that the Romans must be corrected in many ways. For this is what he wants to tell them: from a long time ago I wanted and asked God to see you for no other reason, but to establish, confirm, make you motionless in the fear of God, so that you would never waver.” - But even without this assumption, Saint Paul could say so, because there is no degree in life at which some kind of affirmation would not be required. Every degree brings its own needs and bewilderments; satisfying these needs and solving perplexities is the affirmation of the spirit in the order of one’s life. Rome. 1:12. This is what you have, to be comforted by your common faith, yours and mine. What will the Apostle talk about when he comes to them? Of course, about faith and everything related to it. At the same time, when faith is reconsidered on all points, believers will see that everything in their relationship to faith is in proper order, and they will be greatly consoled - both by the fact that this is so, and by the fact that on behalf of the Apostle they will receive the seal of confirmation of their faith by the highest authority. And this will serve as a consolation if something turns out to be faulty and is corrected: for who, seeking saving faith, does not want to believe in the most perfect way? For the Apostle, the consolation here will be that he will find them in good order or correct what is faulty. For if he was exhausted along with those who were exhausted, how could he not be comforted when he met those who were strong in faith, or those who thirsted for correctness in everything and were corrected? Why does he say, as it were: yes, just the fact that when we meet we will be comforted by our common faith, there will be no small spiritual gift; for this too is all of the Spirit and spiritual. Saint Chrysostom reveals how especially comforting it was then for Christians to see the Apostle among them because of the cramped conditions in which Christians found themselves almost everywhere at that time. “It is as if the Apostle said: do not suspect what I said (words: “for your confirmation”) in your accusation. My words were not spoken with such disposition. What did I want to express? That you are surrounded by persecutors and suffer much oppression; why did it become desirable for me to see you in order to console you, or, better said, not only to console you, but also to accept the consolation yourself. – How can we mutually console each other? “By common faith, yours and mine.” What happens with fire is when someone lights many lamps together, thereby intensifying the flame: the same usually happens with the faithful. When we are divided among ourselves, then we are weaker in spirit. And when, looking at each other, we mutually support ourselves, then we receive much consolation. Do not judge by the present times, when, by the grace of God, both in the village, and in the city, and in the desert itself, there are numerous hosts of the faithful, and all wickedness has been driven out; on the contrary, imagine how in those days it was a desire for the teacher to see his disciples, and for the brethren to meet with the brethren who had come from another city. To make this clearer to you, I’ll give you an example. If it happened (which God forbid) that, due to some circumstances, they would take us to Persia, or Scythia, or another barbarian land and scatter us in twos and threes in the cities there, and then we accidentally saw someone arriving from here; then imagine how much consolation we would be filled with! Haven't you seen how prisoners in dungeons, having met someone from their household, jump up and jump for joy? And don’t be surprised if I compare those times with captivity or prison. Christians then suffered much greater misfortunes: the scattered, persecuted suffered hunger and warfare everywhere, the daily fear of death; they did not dare to rely on friends, family, relatives; they were like strangers in the whole world, or, better to say, they endured more difficulties than those living on a foreign side. That is why the Apostle says: “to your confidence” - and: “be comforted by the common faith.” But he did not say this in the sense that he himself needed their assistance; not at all. For what does the one who was the pillar of the Church, the hardest of iron and stone, a spiritual adamant, who had the strength to preach in a thousand cities, need? If someone says that in this case the Apostle was consoled and cheered by the growth of faith in the Romans and that Saint Paul needed this, then such an explanation of the words will not be sinful.” Rome. 1:13. I do not want to tell you, brethren, that many desires will come to you, and were forbidden until now, so that I have some fruit in you, as in other nations. Strengthens the speech: not only did he want to visit them and prayed about it, but he actually attempted to do so - he tried, and there were still obstacles. He doesn’t say what the obstacles are. Writing to the Thessalonians, he says the same thing: once or twice he attempted to come to them, but Satan rebuked him (1 Thessalonians 2:18) by inciting hostile Jews against him. Before that, he wanted to go from Galatia and Phrygia to Asia, but was forbidden by the Holy Spirit, as Saint Luke testifies (Acts 16:6), by any notification, whether internal or external. “Here he doesn’t indicate anything like that, but only says: “hitherto forbidden.” It must be assumed that this prohibition was arranged by the circumstances and course of his Apostolic ministry. Below he mentions that the reason he has not yet come to them is that he has not visited everyone in these countries; Now, since I have been here everywhere, I am going to you (Rom. 15:22ff.). The apostles were strictly attentive to the instructions of God's providence in the circumstances of their ministry. They believed that the word of grace reveals all the power of its action over both people only at a time determined by God. Therefore, they did not force events and did not rush through their barriers to preach anywhere, but on the contrary, they were accepted into the leadership of where to direct their procession. They all didn’t go where they wanted, but where they were led, like followers. It was precisely this thought that St. Paul wanted to instill here when he said: “I was forbidden.” “And he showed his intention and allowed God’s vision to be seen. For he says: I am controlled by Divine grace as it pleases” (Blessed Theodoret). Saint Chrysostom expounds this thought in greater detail. “But they will ask: if you wish, you pray, you hope to receive consolation and give it; what prevents you from coming? To resolve this bewilderment, Paul only adds: “he was forbidden hitherto.” This is a measure of slavish obedience and an example of deep gratitude! He only says that there were obstacles to him; he doesn’t say which ones. Because he does not examine the commands of the Lord, but only obeys; although it was natural to wonder why God prevented such a famous and extensive city, on which the eyes of the whole universe were turned, from using such a teacher for so long. Having captured the main city, it is easier to attack others; and having passed the capital, to conquer the cities subject to it means not caring about the most important thing. However, the Apostle does not reason about anything like this, but indulges in incomprehensible providence, thereby revealing the good disposition of his soul and teaching us all not to inquire from God in the least about the reasons for His deeds, even if they apparently confused many. For the master must command, and the slave must obey. Therefore, although Paul says that there were obstacles to him, he does not say what. I don’t know myself, he reasoned, and don’t ask about God’s intention and will. “The food says to the one who created it: why did you create me?” (Rom. 9:20). - And tell me, why are you trying to find out? Don't you know that God takes care of everything? Why is He wise? What does nothing without purpose and in vain? What loves you more than your parents and incomparably surpasses your father in love and your mother in compassion? So ask no more, extend no further; and this is enough for your peace of mind. The fate of the Romans has hitherto been wisely arranged. If you don't know which ways, don't worry. All the more will you prove your faith when, not knowing the ways of God’s economy, you nevertheless recognize the ways of providence. – So, Paul achieved what he cared about. What exactly? He proved that it was not out of negligence about the Romans that he did not come to them, but that there were obstacles to him, no matter how much he wanted to come. Having rejected the criticism of carelessness and assured that no less than them wants to meet with them, he brings new evidence of his love. Despite all the obstacles, he says, I did not stop trying; and although with all the harassment he constantly encountered obstacles, he did not abandon his intention; Although I do not oppose the will of God, I also preserve love. By the fact that he was determined to come and did not abandon his intention, the Apostle proved his zeal for the Romans; and by being held back and not resisting, he revealed all his love for God.” “Yes, I have some fruit in you as well as in other nations.” These words must be placed in front: “I was forbidden”, - after: “I will come to you in multitudes” (Ecumenius). They show what prompted the Apostle to rush towards them. “Although above I already presented the reason for my desire and showed how much it is appropriate for the Apostle (“may I bestow some spiritual gift”); however, here he gives the reason for this again, so that no suspicion remains in them. Since Rome was glorious, the only city on land and sea, and the mere curiosity to see it attracted many to travel; then Paul constantly repeats the reason for his desire, so that they would not conclude the same about him and would not suspect that he wants to visit Rome solely with the intention of becoming famous for his communication with the Romans” (St. Chrysostom). “Yes, I have some fruit in you,” says the Apostle in relation to the parable of the talents. The grace of the Apostleship is like a talent. Putting this talent into circulation and acquiring profit from it means: sowing faith in the hearts of those who do not know God, teaching them good behavior, sanctifying them with grace - in a word, making people saved. The more people lead people on the path of salvation, the more his talent brings profit or fruit. All the Apostles were chosen for this purpose, to bear fruit, as the Lord says: “I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and your fruit should remain” (John 15:16). The Apostle Paul has already brought his fruit to the Lord in many places; but this is the fruit he wants to bear among the Romans. There, although faith had already been implanted, there was still something to work on in the believers themselves, and even more so on those who did not believe. It is to bear such fruit of the Apostleship that he rushes to Rome. It is self-evident that the thought here is the same as in the words: “may I bestow some spiritual gift.” He who distributes what is entrusted to him brings worthy fruit to the one who entrusted him to do it. Saint Chrysostom with particular force reveals the moral side of the words: “as in other languages.” “The Apostle placed the rulers on an equal footing with the subjects; despite the thousands of trophies, despite the victories, despite the celebrity of state dignitaries, he placed the Romans along with the barbarians. And quite fair. For where there is nobility of faith, there is neither barbarian, nor Greek, nor foreigner, nor citizen, but everyone stands on the same level of honor. “Don’t think,” he says, that since you are rich and have more than anything else, I make less effort about others. We are not looking for the rich, but for the faithful. – The sermon is offered to everyone in general, without observation and distinction of ranks, and the advantage of nations and the like. It requires faith alone, not speculation. What makes it especially worthy of surprise is that it is not only useful and life-saving, but easy, convenient, and understandable to everyone. This is especially the effect of God's providence; because God offers His gifts to everyone without distinction. As He disposed of the sun, moon, land, sea and the like, He did not give a large share to the rich and wise, but to the poor, on the contrary, He allowed them to use everything equally; This is how I ordered the sermon, and much more, since the sermon is more necessary than everything listed above.” cc) The Apostle points out his duty to enlighten everyone by faith (Rom. 1:14, 15) Rome 1:14. I must be Greek and barbarian, wise and foolish. Having rounded off his desire to see the Romans by indicating his tension, goals, and obstacles, he now sets forth his main basis in the consciousness of his duty to preach to everyone: “I must.” I am a steward, he says, my job is to distribute life-savings to everyone in due time (Luke 12:42 Slavic text). The Lord was pleased to clothe me with the rank of Apostleship and provide me with its graces so that I would pass it on to people. In this transmission is my life; in detention - death. I strive to convey this to everyone, because this is my urgent duty. “The Apostle says this, explaining to the Romans that he is not showing them any mercy, but fulfilling the command of the Lord, teaching them to give thanks to the God of all” (St. Chrysostom). By “Greeks” he means the educated; as well as under: “wise”. And by “barbarians” he means the uneducated, as well as by: “unreasonable.” By this he wants to say that he must eat to everyone without distinction, both peoples and individuals. Anyone can demand teaching from him as a duty; and he realizes that he is obliged to repay this debt. “I have been appointed teacher of all nations. Therefore, I am obliged to repay the debt of teaching to everyone, not only to the Greeks, but also to the barbarians. For this reason, the grace of the Spirit has given us different languages, and this debt must be paid by both those who think highly of their education and those who are uninitiated in the sciences of words. For he calls those who boast of skill in speech wise, and foolish those whom their so-called wise men call such because of their lack of education” (Blessed Theodoret). Rom.1:15. This is what it is according to my zeal to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome. This is where, he says, my zealous desire to be with you comes from - from a consciousness of duty. When the fountain is in operation, water flows out of it without stopping. So the consciousness of my duty to preach is in constant action and, setting my heart in motion, kindles in it zeal to seek out those who would like to listen to the word. So, as for me, my heart is always boiling with zeal to preach the gospel. “Even according to my zeal”, τό κατ᾿ έμέ πρόθυμον - as for me, I always have a readiness to evangelize, a readiness that thirsts for the gospel and strives for it. As for everyone, so for you. Don't doubt it. But the Apostle did not pay attention to the contacts of the gospel, to the worthwhile labors, to the dangers from unbelievers, to the resistance of the ill-intentioned, to the ever-present death. My job, he says, is to preach the gospel, as soon as I find and meet listeners; and whatever is connected with this, God will arrange everything for good. “A truly noble soul, undertaking a task filled with so many dangers, undertaking a journey by sea, subject to temptations, slander, attacks! For, intending to preach in such a city where wickedness reigned, it was natural to expect a storm of temptation. But the expectation of such disasters did not cool his zeal; on the contrary, he was in a hurry, tormented by impatience, burning with desire” (Saint Chrysostom). d) The main subject of the Epistle (Rom. 1:16, 17) Rome 1:16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for the power of God is for salvation to everyone who believes, but to Jews first and to Greeks. “I’m not ashamed...” “What are you saying, Pavel? It was necessary to say: I boast, I honor myself, I exalt myself; but not only do you not say this, but you also say something less, namely that you are not ashamed, as we usually say about something not very important. So, what do Pavlov's words mean? Why does he express himself this way, although he valued the gospel more than heaven?” (Saint Chrysostom). Ahead he said: I am ready to preach the gospel to you too, and now he adds: for I am not ashamed of the gospel. There can be two thoughts: I am not ashamed to enter into personal communication with you. There are people with whom a decent person is ashamed to do business. The Apostle says, as it were: if you were so low in position in society or among other nations that it would be a shame to communicate with you, even then I will not be ashamed to preach the gospel to you. My duty is not to sort out faces, but to sow the word of the gospel, so long as ears are open to hear, no matter whose ears they may be. Another thought: I am not ashamed to come to you with such good news. You are so tall, and the word of the gospel is so simple and so incongruous at first, that it doesn’t seem to suit you; but I'm not ashamed to offer it. No matter how high the listeners may be, I always boldly preach “Christ is crucified,” although I know that this is a temptation for the Jews and foolishness for the Greeks (1 Cor. 1:23). Saint Chrysostom says: “The Romans were too committed to the worldly pursuit of wealth, dominion, victories and their very kings. They were very arrogant; and Paul had to preach Jesus, the imaginary son of a carpenter, who was raised in Judea, in the house of an ignorant woman, did not have armor bearers with him, did not make money, but, on the contrary, died with the villains, like a criminal, and suffered many different insults. And it was natural for the Romans to be ashamed of all this, who did not know the ineffable and great secrets. Therefore, the Apostle says: “I am not ashamed,” teaching them, among other things, not to be ashamed. For he knew that, having succeeded in this, they would soon strive for more and boast. Therefore, when you hear the question: do you really worship the Crucified One? - do not be ashamed, do not lower your eyes, but boast and be magnified, with a bold gaze, with your forehead raised up, confirm your confession. And if they ask: do you worship the Crucified One? - answer again: but not an adulterer, not a parricide, not a child killer, which are all the pagan gods; but on the contrary, he defeated the demons with the cross and destroyed thousands of their sorceries. For the cross for us is a matter of indescribable love for mankind, a sign of great care. - Moreover, since those who are famous for their ornateness and imbued with worldly wisdom become arrogant; then, Paul says about himself, having forever abandoned such speculations, I go to preach the cross - and I am not ashamed of it.” “The power of God is for salvation.” That's why I'm not ashamed! How can someone who brings them healing medicine be ashamed in front of the sick? Or before those imprisoned in bonds to one who comes to help them break these bonds? The gospel is not only a word, but also a power. Here we must understand by it more than one set of mysteries revealed in Christ Jesus, or divinely revealed New Testament truths; but the whole economy of human salvation is in Christ Jesus. The Apostles came with him everywhere and brought believers into him. They told everyone: we are irresponsibly sinful before God; and there is no salvation for us. An unwashed court awaits us (Neumytyny – incorruptible, impartial) and punishment according to the court. But God took pity on us and sent His Only Begotten Son, who became incarnate and suffered for us, and took away our guilt; after the resurrection, having ascended into heaven and sat at the right hand of the Father, he sent down the Holy Spirit from the Father, who renews all those who believe in the Son and makes them strong to fulfill every good will of God and to please Him, so that, having labored here, they may be worthy to be accepted into the place where the Son of God became incarnate. Here is your way of salvation! Those who listened were inspired by hope and became morally tense and ready for anything. But if the gospel were limited to that, then this moral power would soon evaporate, and everyone’s life would again take on its former unpleasing form. Therefore, those who believed and were so inspired, it led to the sacraments and in them renewed and filled them with grace-filled powers. After the sacraments, the believer not only had inspiration, but was filled with a feeling of strength, which, after several experiences, turned into boldness, unshaken by anything. Everyone has experienced this; but already by faith and acceptance of grace in the sacraments. And all the believers were witnesses that the gospel - the economy of salvation, the faith of Christ - is definitely the power for salvation. – For the first time, what is the power: believe in the Crucified One and you will be saved? But then it immediately opened and was felt - just believe and accept the sacraments. The humiliation of Christ, covering the power of the economy with impenetrable darkness, divided those who heard the gospel from Christ the Lord with an entire abyss. Faith dispelled the darkness and led us across this abyss. But how faith was born and is born, this is the mystery of God. The Lord said that no one will come to Him unless the Heavenly Father draws him. This is both then and now, among those who do not bear and bear the name of Christ: for not all Christians are Christians. - So, whoever passed this first barrier, the power of the gospel was immediately revealed to him; and for the first time it appeared humiliated. The mustard seed is small and cold; but whoever bites through it and chews it will immediately feel how great the power of its burning sensation is. Blessed Theodoret explains the secret of the power of the gospel with a similar comparison. He writes: “I look,” says the Apostle, “not at the apparent dishonor, but at the good deed that results from it. For those who believe reap salvation in him. So in many sensual things, one’s own strength is hidden. For pepper has a cold appearance and, to those who do not know, does not show the slightest sign of its intoxicating properties. But whoever chews it with his teeth feels it, like fire, an inflammatory force. That’s why doctors only call potentially intoxicating that which is not apparently so, but may turn out to be so. Likewise, a grain of wheat can be a root, a straw, an ear, but it does not appear to be such until it is sown in the furrows of the earth. Therefore, the divine Apostle rightly called the saving sermon the power of God, since its power is revealed to believers alone and grants salvation.” – And Saint Chrysostom says: “How is the gospel the power of God? Listen to this: “to everyone who believes.” Not just everyone, but those who accept. Although you are a Hellenic, although you are immersed in all vices, although you are a Scythian, although you are a barbarian, although you are a real beast, deprived of any rank, burdened with thousands of sins; but as soon as you accepted the word of the cross and were baptized, you made amends for everything.” The gospel is power for salvation for everyone who believes, but, says the Apostle, “the Jews first.” He presented the Jews to the Greeks, because Christ was from them, from them were the Apostles, and they kept the promises (Blessed Theodoret). But in the matter of salvation they have nothing extra. Access to Christ the Lord is open to everyone - and everyone receives from Him everything that is due according to the economy of salvation; carnal origin has no influence on this. If there is a measure, then it is determined by faith. Saint Chrysostom says: “Why does Paul say here: “But to the Jews first and to the Greeks”? What is this difference? He himself often said that circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing; How can he now differentiate and place the Jew above the pagan? What does it mean? The first does not receive more grace just because he is the first. The same gift is given to Jew and Gentile, and the word “first” means only order. The Jew no longer receives justification, but is honored only to receive it first. The enlightened all proceed to baptism, but not all are baptized at the same time; however, although one is first, the other is second; but the first receives no more than the second, and the second no more than the next; on the contrary, everyone is served the same thing. So, with the word: “first” - here primacy in the order of speech is expressed, and not any advantage in grace.” Rome. 1:17. The truth of God appears in him from faith to faith, just as it is written: the righteous will live by faith. He said that the gospel is the power of God for salvation, but not to everyone without distinction, but only to the believer, whether he is a Jew or a pagan. Now it confirms both, both that the gospel is the power of God for salvation, and that it is such power only through faith. That it is power, this is confirmed by the words: “The truth of God appears in him,” and that it is power through faith, this is confirmed by the words: “from faith to faith,” and the subsequent prophetic testimony. But the Apostle does not reveal both positions in detail, but only expresses them. His entire Epistle is dedicated to explaining them, so it is rightly recognized that in this place the Apostle indicates the main subject of the entire Epistle. However, we must definitely understand the content of this place, so that we can see what to expect from the subsequent speech. "The truth of God appears". - “The truth of God” - can mean the property of God - that God is righteous, always and in everything acts righteously; and can mean Divine righteousness - complete and perfect, communicated from God to man and making him righteous and holy. Which one is it, of course? In the course of speech, the last one is more direct. For these words confirm what was said above, that the gospel is the power of God for salvation. And this is not confirmed by anything so much as the fact that it makes those who accept it with faith righteous and holy. Saint Chrysostom finds it marvelous, famous and glorious in the gospel that through it the adulterer, the sensualist, the sorcerer is suddenly not only freed from punishment, but also becomes righteous. But from this we cannot help but move on to the thought of truth as a property of God: for God showed us such boundless mercy righteously, deigning that the Only Begotten Son of God, having become incarnate, died for us and thereby opened the way for us to the all-sanctifying action of the Holy Spirit. Blessed Theodoret writes: “the gospel “is the truth of God,” not only given to us, but also clearly shown in the very mystery of the economy. For God did not arrange our salvation by power, nor did He crush the power of death by command or word, but He mixed mercy with righteousness. And the Only Begotten Word of God itself, having put on the nature of Adam and keeping it pure from all sin, brought this for us and, having repaid the debt of nature, paid the common duty of all people. “The divine Paul explains this more clearly later.” So, the holy Apostle, saying that the gospel is the power of God because the truth of God appears in it, makes it clear that through the gospel economy God makes us, by His grace, righteous and holy according to the immutable laws of His truth, or righteously makes us righteous and holy. “The truth of God appears” is made obvious to everyone. If, with the word: “the truth of God,” we have in our thoughts the righteousness and holiness communicated to believers, then: “the truth appears” will be: it will be revealed to everyone how the unrighteous become righteous, as soon as they believe the Gospel and by faith receive grace in the sacraments. An angry person becomes meek: anger falls away from the heart, and he becomes meek like a lamb, so that you cannot make him angry; the prodigal becomes chaste: all lust disappears, so that when his old comrades again try to commit fornication, he answers: I am no longer the same. Likewise, every other unrighteous disposition disappears, and righteous and holy dispositions take their place. The power of God is palpably visible in this. If, with the word: “the righteousness of God,” we dwell on the thought of the righteousness of God or on the fact that, forgiving us sins and making us righteous according to the economy of salvation, He acts righteously, then: “the righteousness appears” will be: through the gospel it is revealed how, by virtue of the economy of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, the righteousness of God appears in all its power. God has mercy righteously: for His righteousness is satisfied by the death of the Only Begotten Son of God. This is a secret hidden from time to time and from birth. And no one would have thought of it if the Gospel had not announced it. It was hidden in the prophetic Scriptures and in the images of the law; there was a cover over it all. The Prophets themselves were perplexed about many things that the Spirit showed them. But even before the Prophets, the Council about this was hidden in God. By the coming of the Lord in the flesh, the cover of the Old Testament was removed, and it became clear to everyone what was hidden there; The Eternal Council of God about our salvation also became revealed. Blessed Theodoret writes: “St. Paul teaches us that from ancient times God planned for us and foretold about this through the Prophets, and before the Prophets, the Council about this was hidden in Himself. For this is what the Apostle says in another place: “the mystery hidden in God who created all things” (Eph. 3:9); and again: “with the verb the wisdom hidden in mystery, which God hath ordained before the world for our glory” (1 Cor. 2:7). So here the Apostle said: “the truth appears,” because what was previously hidden is made manifest.” Both truths appear together in those who receive the gospel and with it assimilate all the power of economy. True, sanctification and deliverance, realized by the grace of God in believers, are obvious not only to them, but also to everyone who sees them; so that they can rightly be called “the light that shines before men” (Matthew 5:16); The divine truth in the arrangement of this wondrous good deed becomes apparent only in the minds of believers, when, having received the gospel through mental faith, they then partake of its benefits, and, having become pure and holy, they enter into a faith of feelings - tangible, although not comprehended by the mind of the tangible - and are introduced to the contemplation of the hidden mysteries of God. But in these wondrous actions and changes everything is conditioned by faith. By faith the gospel is received, by faith the power of economy is assimilated, for the sake of faith the nature of man is sanctified, and by faith he is led into the contemplation of the mysteries of God. The Apostle expresses this with the words: “from faith to faith” - and then with the following prophetic saying. It is impossible not to see that the indication of faith was the Apostle’s goal in this place; for, leaving without confirmation how the truth of God appears in the gospel, it only confirms that it appears under the condition of faith. The Apostle said not simply: from faith, but: “from faith to faith,” in order to show that in the gospel economy everything is from faith: it begins with faith, it continues with faith, it ends with faith, and, upon reaching the end, it stands on faith, just as the prophetic saying confirms that the righteous does not only begin to live, but also continuously lives and will live from faith. One could limit ourselves to this understanding of the saying: “from faith to faith”; but since it seems somewhat special, and because of this peculiarity it attracts attention, our interpreters considered it not useless to clarify why it is said: “from faith to faith.” Their common idea is that in the matter of our salvation, which is arranged according to the Gospel, everything is conditioned by faith, but faith not standing at one level, but rising higher and higher, as, of course, everyone actively deepens in the accomplishment of their salvation. This general thought is expressed by Blessed Theophylact: “therefore it is said by the Apostle that faith must grow into greater and greater faith; for it is not enough to first believe, but we must ascend from the initial faith into the most perfect faith, that is, into an unshakable and firm state, just as the Apostles said to the Lord: “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5).” What ascents in degrees or changes to higher and higher levels must faith undergo? Ecumenius writes: “the truth of God,” says the Apostle, appears in the gospel, that is, complete virtue through the Gospel comes to perfection; for virtue is often called truth. How does it appear and in whom? In those who approach the gospel with faith. The Gospel preaches virtue to everyone and convinces everyone to embrace it (Yatisya - here: grab hold of, hold on to) it; but he reveals the beauty of virtue and makes lovers of it only those who approach it with faith. So what? Does faith cease when virtue copes? Not at all, but it rises to the most perfect and highest degree. The first faith was a kind of contrition and readiness of the soul (to give up sin and begin to virtue). Faith, which is increased and perfected by doing virtues, is conviction (tasting the truth by feeling) unshakable and immutable. This one is like sowing, and this one, which acts in the practice of virtues, is fruit-bearing. The same one, which through them ascends to perfection, is blissful repose and reverence (from labors). This is how the truth of God in the gospel appears from faith to faith. The Apostle calls virtue God’s truth because it is something Divine and all good is from God.” “We can understand it this way: the truth of God is in the gospel that God, having taken our initial faith as a seed, grows it and roots it and perfects us in this very faith. This will truly be God’s truth when God, having taken only the beginning and the reason in our will (to believe), does everything else Himself. Since Saint Paul said above that the gospel is the power of God for salvation, lest anyone object: how can one believe this, hearing about suffering, about the cross and death? - he added to this: “the truth of God appears in him,” as if to say: do not dwell on such pretexts; for as soon as you show your will (to believe), you will be amazed at God’s care for you and His favor towards you; because, having taken your faith only at will, He will increase it in you - transforming it into faith, rooted in the feeling of the heart, firm and unshakable. Then, so that you do not think that something new and unheard of is being said here, the Apostle cites the testimony of the Prophet. The ancient prophet Habakkuk asserts the same thing when he says that the life of the righteous is embraced by faith, which, beginning with faith, arising in will, then ascends to faith through the influence of God on the heart and its hidden evidences” (Ecumenius). Saint Isaac the Syrian in his writings points to different degrees of faith as follows: “faith in God is naturally implanted in our spirit, as well as the knowledge of good and evil in the conscience. This faith, awakening, gives birth to fear; this fear revives the conscience and gives birth to repentance. All this together compels us to desire and seek the Savior and salvation in Him. Having heard the gospel, he willingly approaches it by faith. This initial faith is only faith from hearing. When he enters the realm of the Gospel order of life, then he will experience the benefits of the Gospel, and his faith will be transformed into faith of feeling. But this faith is only faith in the mysteries of God - in dogmas. Ultimate faith is confidence in God and reverence in Him. Thus, the ascent from faith to faith is inevitable. That, however, there is at the same time a manifestation of the truth of God or His power, acting for our salvation in the gospel order. Ecumenius gives other opinions about the meaning of the words: “from faith to faith.” “This also means that the work of a holy and righteous life, just as it begins with faith, must be characterized by faith and stand on it. Having entered into the gospel order, one should not inquisitively examine everything seen in them, but accept everything by faith. Or this: we must believe the Prophets and draw from them guidance to the faith of the Gospel. Otherwise: the one who believes in Christ the Lord and who has received the grace of baptism through this is led to believe undoubtedly in future blessings - the resurrection of the dead, eternal life and the Kingdom of Heaven. For one must believe that God appeared on earth in the flesh, which is the beginning, and that the inheritance of believers will be the Kingdom of Heaven, which is the end of faith. (The last two opinions are taken word for word from Blessed Theodoret.) Or like this: “from faith to faith” - for the Jew, from legal faith in the faith of Jesus Christ, and for the Greek, from natural faith in the same faith in Jesus Christ (opinion of Akaki). All these understandings are not alien to edification for those who seek it. But nevertheless, they boil down to instilling that in the matter of salvation everything comes from faith - which, one can assume, is what the Apostle meant to instill. For, following this, citing prophetic testimony in confirmation of the thought he expressed, he brought one that simply speaks of faith: “as it is written: The righteous shall live by faith” (Hab. 2:4). He seems to say: the gospel is the power of God for salvation, but to the one who believes; through him the righteousness of God appears in everyone, or everyone is made righteous, but from faith to faith. So, believe and believe. He who believes will live a holy and righteous life; and the unbeliever remains in the realm of death, sin that kills and destroys everyone (words of the Lord (John 3:15–18)). True life is righteous life; but the righteous can live righteously only by faith. Without faith there is no true righteous life, and there is no salvation. This is confirmed by the Prophet when he says: “The righteous will live by faith.” The words of the Prophet do not require much explanation; they are clear by themselves. We will only apply the following guidance. - A person can do the deeds of truth on his own - not to offend, not to appropriate someone else's property, to be self-controlled, to help those in need - and in all his behavior he can be right and honorable. But with all his righteousness, while one remains, he looks like an idol, properly carved, but soulless. Faith breathes into his soul by attracting grace, which revives every truly righteous person. The righteousness that precedes this, if it exists, is only a preparation for the acceptance of grace through faith, makes one a vessel capable of receiving grace-filled revival, and does not finish the whole thing. Take a Jew who walks perfectly according to his law: he must be considered righteous. Take a pagan who regularly lives according to the principles of righteousness written in his heart - and he will be righteous. But neither one nor the other should be considered animated by true life. This life will appear in them when they are worthy of revival by Divine grace through faith in the Lord Savior. Cornelius the centurion provides the most obvious evidence of this. He was righteous, but he became truly alive when the Holy Spirit descended on him. Saint Chrysostom accompanies the words of the Prophet with the following guidance: “let the heretics hear this spiritual voice! Theorizing, like a labyrinth and vultures (Vulture - Greek: γρίφος - riddle), has no end anywhere, does not allow thoughts to settle on stone and begins from self-praise. Those who are ashamed to admit faith do not know heavenly things and are whirled in a whirlwind of countless speculations. A pitiful poor man, worth crying for you incessantly! It is indecent for you to argue and be untimely curious. And what about the members of the faith? We are freed from the very vices of real life only through faith. Those who had lived hitherto shone with faith: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. By faith the harlot was saved (Rahab (Heb. 11:31)). She did not begin to discuss how these captives, fugitives, and vagabonds would be able to overcome the city, protected by walls and towers. If she had reasoned like this, she would have destroyed herself and them, just as the predecessors of those saved by Rahab actually died. For they, seeing tall and strong people, began to look for ways to defeat them, and they all died without war or battle. Do you see what an abyss of unbelief and how solid the wall of faith! Unbelief brought countless people to destruction, but faith not only saved the harlot wife, but also made her the patroness of the people of Israel. Knowing this and many other examples, let us never seek the reason for the works of God; but without research and excessive inquisitiveness, let us begin to accept the commandments of God, even if they seem incompatible with human reason. For, tell me, what seems more incongruous than for a father to kill his only begotten and beloved son himself? However, the righteous man, having received such an order, did not argue about it, but accepted the command solely according to the dignity of the commander and obeyed. But another, having received a command from God to beat the Prophet, thought about this matter and simply did not obey. For this he was punished with death, but the one who beat him pleased God (1 Kings 20:35–37). And Saul, who saved people’s lives against the will of God, was dethroned and subjected to severe execution. It is not difficult to find many other examples that teach us never to seek the reasons for God’s commands, but to simply obey them without resisting. If it is dangerous to delve into what is commanded, and extreme punishment awaits the curious, then what excuse will those who judge incomprehensible and terrible objects, for example: how the Father gave birth to the Son, have? what is His essence (how did He become incarnate and save our race by His death?). So, knowing this, let us accept with all good will the mother of all blessings - faith, so that we, as those sailing on a serene harbour, may observe the correct teaching and, directing our lives with all safety, receive eternal blessings.” Having thus established the attention of the Romans, and with them all of us, on faith, the Apostle further explains and expounds in detail its essence, with all the connections that make up the doctrinal part of the Epistle. You might be interested in: