Шестое отделение. О дарах Святого Духа в Церкви (1Кор.12 – 1Кор.14)

In the primal church, the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit were manifested with special force in the believers, which made it clear to the whole world that only Christianity is the one true Faith. Among these gifts, the most obvious was the gift of speaking in tongues. The Apostles themselves, after the descent of the Holy Spirit on them, immediately began to speak in other tongues; in Cornelius the centurion, as soon as the Spirit of God descended on him, the gift of speaking in tongues was revealed; the same thing was revealed to those 12 who had never heard before whether there was a Holy Spirit, and received Him after baptism and the laying of hands on them by the Apostle Paul in Ephesus. The same thing probably happened in all other places, and the same thing in Corinth. Here, as can be seen, the believers possessed many gifts, and among them not a small number also possessed the gift of tongues. The use of other gifts was determined by these gifts and proceeded in order; and the use of the gift of tongues was more free than others, which is why deviations from reasonable order were discovered in it and required admonition. This is the reason why St. Paul speaks about this. Blessed Theodoret explains it this way: “In ancient times, those who received the Divine preaching and were worthy of saving baptism were clearly given the effectiveness of spiritual grace; and some began to speak in different languages, which they did not know by nature and which they did not learn from others; others performed miracles, healed diseases; others received the prophetic gift and predicted the future, and sometimes made it obvious what was happening in secret, revealing the power of the grace dwelling in them. For when the majority were enslaved by demonic delusion, it would have been impossible for these ignorant people living in poverty to believe and learn the truth so easily if Divine grace had not clearly revealed itself and presented miracles, as if as a guarantee for the truth of faith. The Corinthians, along with other believers in the universe, used these gifts, but they did not use what was given to them as they should. For out of curiosity, rather than out of need, they demonstrated the effectiveness of grace. What primarily inflated them with their arrogance was the gift of tongues; and although there was neither a listener nor an interpreter, they spoke in different dialects and did it out of order, but at the same time two, three and four. Therefore, the blessed Paul wrote about this, teaching the Corinthians proper deanery.” Saint Chrysostom says the same thing about this occasion, adding one more feature to what was said: “Just as the Apostles first of all received this sign (speaking in tongues), so the believers received the same gift of tongues, and not only this, but also much more. So many raised the dead, cast out demons, and performed many other similar miracles. However, some had fewer gifts, others more. More often than not, they had the gift of tongues. This was the reason for disagreement between them, not on the merits of the matter, but on the foolishness of those who received the gifts. Those who received more gifts were proud of those who received less; but these mourned and were jealous of those who received more, as Paul further proves. By violating mutual love through this, they received a mortal wound, which he tries with great care to heal.” So, the reason for discussing the gifts of grace was mainly the unreasonable use of the gift of tongues, then some unpeace due to the difference and unevenness in receiving gifts of grace, and finally, the violation through this of the main law of Christian life - love. Accordingly, the Apostle writes 1) about gifts of grace in general, explaining how they are necessary and equivalent both in source and in their meaning in the church (1 Cor. 12); 2) about love as a container and at the same time a condition for gifts (1 Cor. 13); 3) about the use of the gift of tongues (1 Cor. 14). 1. About gifts of grace in general (1 Cor. 12) In this chapter, the Apostle primarily directs his speech to ensure that no one considers his gift to be unimportant, no matter what this gift may be, and that he would pay all his attention only to acting as it should. He explains this b) by comparing the structure of the Church, which contains various gifts, with a body composed of different members (1 Cor. 12:12-26). But he puts first the basis of this main subject: a) an indication of the source, purpose and variety of the gifts of grace (1 Cor. 12:1-11); and in its appendix c) he lists the various bearers of these gifts who exist in the church, or says how the previous discussions are carried out in the church (1 Cor. 12:27-31). a) Indication of the source, purpose and variety of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12: 1-11) When starting to discuss these subjects, the Apostle places something like aa) a preface (1 Cor. 12:1-3). “This place is very unclear,” says Saint Chrysostom. It seems that Saint Paul intended to remind the Corinthians that they were formerly pagans. That faith was dumb, empty, giving nothing (1 Cor. 12:2); but in Christ Jesus you receive the Spirit, and even one who speaks. But as the Corinthians were also aware of other speaking spirits, so that they would not confuse one with the other, he shows them a test: by the true Spirit the speaker confesses the Lord Jesus; He who does not confess Him does not have a good spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). 1 Corinthians 12:1. As for the spiritual, brethren, I do not want to mislead you. By spiritual here we mean not people, but spiritual gifts, χαρισματα (Ecumenius, Theophylact). Saint Chrysostom calls this signs: “The Apostle called signs spiritual, because they are the actions of one Spirit, and human efforts do not contribute in the least to their accomplishment.” We must assume that the Corinthians themselves asked about this. The time has come to this subject, and the Apostle says: as for spiritual gifts, I really wish that you have a sound understanding of that subject, of course, in order to act accordingly later. But weren’t there people among the Corinthians who appropriated to themselves the title of spiritual, and weren’t there some of them who spoke different languages? 1 Corinthians 12:2. Vesta, as if you were never faithful to the best, as if you were led by a dumb idol. When, he says, you were in paganism, you were drawn to silent idols as if someone was drawing you to them, tying them with ropes. The pagans were entangled in the darkness of meaning and so deceived that when they saw they did not see that before them was a soulless and voiceless idol, made by them, in which there was no power, and they hoped to have everything from it. The enemy entangled them in such a way, keeping them in delusion and not allowing them to look at the matter sensibly; flattered by empty hopes, he was drawn to them like a snake. Habit from childhood and commonality of activity gave much strength to this attractive charm and made the darkness that covered it impenetrable. The Corinthians arose from this devilish network and passed from the realm of Satan to God. Their eyes were now opened, and they saw what foolishness the former attraction to idols had been. The Apostle says to them: there is news. What is said here about evil faith also leads to sinfulness. Sin also entangles, and the sinner is led after it as if led, and yet he sees neither his charms nor his coherence. After he turns to virtue, he clearly looks at the sinful state, how bad it is and how binding it is, not allowing freedom to get rid of it. The enemy's charm is the same both in pagan beliefs and in sinful life. Theodoret depicts the charm of idolatry in this way: “The Apostle wants to both expose the senselessness of the Hellenic fables and show the truth of piety. For the demons, having delighted and appropriated the name God, led people into great error because, having turned away from the right path and abandoning the true God, they began to give divine honor to many and thought that not every god could do everything, but they recognized one as the giver of wisdom, another of military experience, and another of nautical skill. This is what the divine Apostle expressed in what he said, namely: before you accepted the light of piety, still serving a lie, like the dumb, you were led hither and thither, being enslaved by the charms of insensible idols.” Saint Chrysostom draws attention to the other side of the subject, namely, that idolatry was maintained, among other things, by the soothsayers in a frenzied state. The prophecies came either from people who were in a frenzy, or even from idols. This wonder attracted people to idols. Saint Chrysostom deliberately explains the difference between these ecstatic prophecies and true prophecies in order to show that the gifts of the Spirit, about which speech begins, have nothing in common with the ugly wonders of paganism. He says: “In the churches of idols, when someone was possessed by an unclean spirit and prophesied, then, as if led and bound, he was carried away by the spirit and was not at all aware of what he was saying. It is common for a soothsayer to be in a frenzy, to endure coercion and violence, to get carried away and go berserk, like someone possessed by a demon. But a prophet is not like that, but he says everything with a sober soul and sound mind, knowing what he is saying. So distinguish between an ecstatic soothsayer and a prophet. When someone introduced a demon into a person through various sorceries and rituals, then this person began to prophesy and, while prophesying, tear and torment himself, unable to endure the violence of the demon; finally he began to shout: untie, untie my crowns, sprinkle my feet with clean water and blot out my features so that I can walk. All this and the like, for much more could be said, proves both the coercion with which demons are held and served, and the violence endured by people who have once surrendered themselves to them and are at that time deprived of common sense. Hinting at all this and the like, Paul said: “they are known.” Since he spoke to those who understood the matter, he does not set out everything in detail, so as not to burden them, but only reminds them. He does not explain ours either, that is, what concerns the prophets; for the Corinthians knew this too; and among them were prophets who prophesied as they should, with reason and perfect freedom. They had the power to speak and not to speak, for they were not forced, but along with honor they retained their will. This is the first difference between a frenzied soothsayer and a prophet.” 1 Corinthians 12:3. Moreover, I tell you that no one speaks by the Spirit of God, says the anathema of Jesus; and no one can speak of the Lord Jesus, except by the Holy Spirit. The connection between these words and the previous one is not so clear. “I’ll say the same,” he says, as if drawing a conclusion from the previous one; but how it comes out is not visible from there. Is it so: even in paganism some marvels are presented, such as, for example, prophecies in a frenzy that demons uttered through the mouths of people; and these are like unusual talents, only demonic, ungodly; if you want to make sure, make the madman confess the name of the Lord Jesus, and you will see the difference. “When you see that someone does not pronounce the name of Jesus, or even anathematizes Him, then he is infuriated; and when you see another who speaks about everything with His name, then know that he is a true Spirit-Bearer” (St. Chrysostom). “In whom the Divine Spirit operates, it is impossible to say that Christ is alien to the Divine nature; It is impossible for anyone to sincerely confess Him as God unless he is enlightened by grace” (Theodoret). The believers were surrounded by idolaters, who sometimes showed something that could amaze. The Apostle has already indicated a sign of deception in the state of frenzy of their soothsayers. Now another (Saint Chrysostom) points out that they cannot tolerate the name of Jesus, they blaspheme Him, slander Him, and say to Him: anathema. He who is filled with the Spirit of God cannot say a bad word about Jesus; and no one can confess Jesus as Lord, as he should, by himself, and if he confesses, it is not otherwise than by the Holy Spirit. True faith that the Lord Jesus Christ is God in the flesh and Savior is imprinted on the heart by the Spirit of God. There are various kinds of calling Jesus Lord; They call Him this way sometimes only by language, sometimes by memory, sometimes by thought; but scolding with the heart is completely different from all this. And the demons said to the Lord: “We know You who You are, the Son of God” (Mark 1:24; Luke 8:28). But there was nothing sincere here, but there was a cunning and an intention to deviate from the Lord in another way. In our time, a similar trick was hidden among spiritualists; At first they spoke well about the Lord, then they forbade talking about Him, and now some openly began to blame Him, and others to assure that He was from their party. Having thus shown the essential difference between that which among the pagans appears ghostly to go out of the ordinary order, from that which operates supernaturally in the Church, in the form of extraordinary gifts, Saint Paul now speaks bb) about their source (1 Cor. 12:4-6), c) purpose (1 Cor. 12:7) and d) variety (1 Cor. 12:8-11), “discussing this not simply, but in such a way that stop the disagreement that arose from here and convince those who received less not to grieve, and those who received more not to be arrogant” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 12:4–6. The divisions of gifts are the essence, and the same is the Spirit; and the divisions of services are, and so is the Lord; and divisions of actions are the essence, and God is the same, acting all in all. “In these words the Apostle showed that although the gifts are numerous and varied, their source is one. One and the same thing, he says, is given by the All-Holy Spirit, and by the Lord, and by God the Father. For he called the same gifts gifts and ministries and actions. They are called “gifts” because they are given through the generosity of God, and “ministries” because they were given through people appointed to this priestly service (appointed to serve others). And he also called talents “actions,” as they receive effectiveness from the divine nature. For the Apostle did not say that, as other foolish heretics assumed, that some things are brought into effect by the Spirit, and others by the God of all; on the contrary, he showed that the giver of the same gifts is the Holy Trinity. With this he consoles those who have received, as it seemed to them, lesser talents, teaching that both those and other talents come from the same source” (Theodoret). “First of all, he admonishes the one who received a lesser gift and therefore grieves. What does he say you are grieving about? About not receiving as much as the other? But remember that this is a gift, not a duty, and you will receive consolation in sorrow. Therefore, from the very beginning he put it this way: “divisions of talents are the essence.” He did not say: signs or wonders, but: “gifts,” by the name of the gift convincing not only not to grieve, but also to feel gratitude. At the same time, he says, imagine that, although you received a gift of a smaller measure, but having been worthy to receive it from the same place from where you received more, you have the same honor with him; you cannot say that the Spirit gave him, and the Angel gave you; for both you and him have been given the Spirit. Therefore he adds: “and the same is the Spirit.” Although there is a difference in the gift, there is no difference in the Giver, for both you and he received from the same source” (St. Chrysostom). " “And divisions of ministries are the essence, and so is the Lord.” In order to strengthen the consolation, the Apostle brings both the Son and the Father. He calls the gifts themselves here by a different name, wanting to give greater consolation through this. That is why he says: “divisions of ministries are the essence.” Hearing about the gift, the one who received less would perhaps begin to grieve; but having heard about the service, he will not; for this word means labor and work (that is, gifts for ministry). Why do you grieve? says, “If God commanded someone else to work harder, but spared you” (St. Chrysostom). " “And the divisions of actions are." What is, you say, “action”? What is “gifting”? What is “service”? - Only different names, but the objects are the same. For he (in other places) calls both gifting and service action. Do you see how he does not posit any difference between the gifts of the Father (and the Son) and the Holy Spirit, not confusing Their persons, but showing the equality of the being? What the Spirit bestows, he says, God produces The Father divides and appoints. If one were less than the other, he would not have said this and would not have consoled the mourner in this way” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 12:7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of everyone. The “goal” is not the distribution of gifts, but the uneven distribution. Why is this done? - Because it is to this extent, and not to another, to receive a gift, and it is precisely such a gift that is useful to the one who receives it. That every gift is given for the benefit of the Church is self-evident, for it could not be revealed otherwise than by bringing benefit to others. But the Apostle’s goal is to say to the recipient of the gift: if you have a lesser gift, then this was required by your own benefit. This is how all our interpreters understand benefit. The words: “the manifestation of the Spirit” mean the obvious action of the Spirit, His detection, noticeable to everyone. The Apostle did not say: grace is given, but: “the manifestation of the Spirit”; because even now grace is given to those who have been worthy of all-holy baptism, but not clearly; and then they immediately began to speak in different languages ​​and perform miracles, by which they were taught and confirmed that the teaching was true. Of necessity, the Apostle said that the manifestation of the Spirit is beneficial, encouraging the saddened Corinthians and teaching that the One who clearly knows and wisely distributes to everyone what is useful to whom (Theodoret). Saint Chrysostom has the same thought, who says: “The Apostle here consoles the mourner in another way, precisely by the fact that the measure of gifts given to him, although small, serves him in favor. Lest anyone say: what if it is one and the same Spirit, one and the same Lord, one and the same God, when I received less, the Apostle says that this is “for the good.” He calls (manifest) signs “the manifestation of the Spirit,” and rightly so. I, a believer, know who has the Spirit, namely the one who is baptized, but for an unbeliever this is not visible from anywhere except from (obvious) signs. And from here again follows considerable consolation: although the gifts are different, the revelation is the same; even if you have a lot, even if you have a little, you are equally revealed (to those who bear the Spirit), so that if you want to show that you have the Spirit, you have enough for this. So if there is one who gave, and what is given to you is a gift, and the manifestation of the Spirit can be from Him, and this is most useful to you, then do not grieve as if you were despised. God did not do this to dishonor you, not to humiliate you before others, but out of condescension towards you and a desire to benefit you. For to receive more and not be able to bear it is what is not useful, harmful and worthy of sorrow.” 1 Corinthians 12:8–10. To one is given the word of wisdom by the Spirit, to another the word of understanding about the same Spirit; to another faith, by the same Spirit; to others the granting of healings, about the same Dus; to another the actions of powers, to another prophecy, to another spiritual reasoning, to another the generation of tongues, to another the telling of tongues. Such is the diversity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit! “What does “word of wisdom” mean? - The one that Paul had, the one that John, the son of thunder, had. What about the “word of reason”? “That which many of the believers had, although they had knowledge, but were not able to teach and conveniently convey to others what they themselves knew” (St. Chrysostom). “The “word of wisdom” the Apostle does not call eloquence, but true teaching, the grace of which was received by the divine Apostle himself, and the godly Evangelist John, and the most divine chief of the Apostles Peter, and the first of the martyrs, blessed Stephen. For fishermen, feeding on the labor of their hands, not knowing literacy, could not dare to publicly speak and write, moreover, fulfilling their words and scriptures the greatest possible power, if they had not received true wisdom from the Divine Spirit. Others of those who believed, although they had knowledge, were not able, like them, to speak to the people, and this was the gift of knowledge, by the grace of the Holy Spirit" (Theodoret). Theophylact puts forward the following reason why it is so necessary to understand the word of wisdom: wisdom, - σοφια, it is called the clarifyer - σαφεια, - since it clarifies, - διασαφουσα, the hidden. But perhaps the word wisdom can be understood as an active word, from spiritual experience, about the secrets of spiritual life; and under the word of reason - the word of knowledge, speculation, about the same objects, as much as is accessible to the mind. What is “faith”? - This is “not faith in dogmas, but miraculous faith, about which Christ says: “If you have faith like the grain of a mountain, you say to this mountain: move away from here, and it will pass away” (Matthew 17:20). And the Apostles asked for it when they said: “Add faith to us” (Luke 17:5). For she is the mother of miracles” (Saint Chrysostom). “Here the Apostle does not mean the general faith, but the one about which he speaks a little lower: “and even if I am the whole faith, even the mountains are abolished” (1 Cor. 13:2). For due to the prevailing unbelief (the Apostles and other believers) they performed many such amazing miracles, and they led the infidels to the truth” (Theodoret). What are “gifts of healings”? – Theodoret writes: “The Apostle means by this the healing of the sick, the granting of walking to the lame and the return of light to those deprived of sight. For this happened at that time, of which the history of Acts is a witness. So it is said about the God-wise Peter that many sick people were laid on the hay “on their beds, so that the coming Peter may still overshadow someone from them” (Acts 5:15); and about the divine Paul, that the sweat of his clothes drove away diseases (1 Cor. 19:12).” What are “actions of forces”? – Saint Chrysostom says: “Having “actions of powers and gifts of healing” is not the same thing. He who had the gift of healing only healed; and he who had the power to act could also punish, for by power not only healing, but also punishment, as for example, Paul blinded, Peter struck with death.” Theodoret did the same: “This gift often imposed punishments, like deprivation of light on Elymas, and premature death on Ananias and Sapphira.” The ecumenium applies here the power to “hand over to Satan, so that they may learn not to blaspheme” (1 Tim. 1:20). What is "prophecy"? – This is the gift of seeing the future, discovering the hidden, finding out what’s in someone’s heart. “And many were then partakers of this gift, not only men, but also wives” (Theodoret). The daughters of Philip prophesied; a certain Ananias predicted the bonds of Saint Paul, etc. What is “spiritual reasoning”? - Theodoret writes: “Since at that time there were soothsayers (at the suggestion of demons) who deceived people, then some kind of grace was given to others by the Divine Spirit to convict those possessed by an opposing spirit.” Saint Chrysostom says that “Spiritual reasoning is the knowledge of who is spiritual (filled with the Holy Spirit) and who is not spiritual (only speaking from himself), who is a prophet and who is a deceiver. At that time there was great danger from false prophets, because the devil tried in every possible way to contrast lies with truth.” What is the “birth of languages”? – The gift of speaking in different languages ​​does not come from learning them, but by gift from the Spirit of God. The Roman Empire was filled with multilingual peoples. So that no one would be deprived of the opportunity to hear the gospel, the gift of speaking in different languages ​​was given everywhere. This gift and the gift of the word of wisdom were the most necessary. “The Apostle gave him the last place, and the first place for the gift of teaching, because for both of these gifts others were given, so that preaching would be acceptable with faith” (Theodoret). “This gift (of tongues) was considered great; The Apostles received it first of all, and many of the Corinthians had it, but the gift of teaching is higher. The Apostle established it first, and speaks about this at the end, for this one is for this (the gift of teaching), as well as everything else, and prophecies, and works of powers, and the gift of healings - and nothing can be equal to it, as he himself says: “Let the elders who are diligent in doing good be counted worthy of special honor, especially those who labor in word and doctrine” (1 Tim. 5, 17)" (Saint Chrysostom). What are “tales of tongues”? – The gift of interpreting for others what is said in foreign languages. “Some people themselves knew what they were saying, but could not interpret them to others; and another had the ability to do both” (St. Chrysostom). “And it was a spiritual gift. For often one who knows only the Hellenic language, when another spoke in Scythian and Thracian, translated it to those listening” (Theodoret). “Sometimes those who spoke in tongues themselves had this gift and interpreted themselves” (Ecumenius). Enumerating such gifts, the Apostle explained that they are given either “by the same Spirit”, sometimes “by the same Spirit”, “teaching that although the streams are different, the source is undoubtedly the same. But even this he recognized as insufficient, but added” (Theodoret): 1 Corinthians 12:11. All this is acted by one and the same Spirit, dividing power to each as he wants. “With all this the Apostle consoles those who have received lesser gifts, teaching them that these are also gifts of God’s Spirit, and the Spirit of God gives as He pleases; What is useful to Him pleases” (Theodoret). “This is the main reason for consolation: we receive everything from the same root, from the same treasury, from the same source. That is why he constantly uses this word, and thereby equalizes imaginary inequality and consoles. Above, he said that the Spirit, the Son, and the Father bestow gifts, but here he speaks only about the Spirit, so that you would know from here that they have the same dignity. And he not only consoles with this, but also stops the enemy’s mouth with the words: “dividing everyone as he wants”; for, while comforting, it is necessary to admonish, as he does in the Epistle to the Romans, when he says: “Who are you against answering God” (Rom. 9:20)? So it is here: “sharing power to each as he wishes.” At the same time, it shows that what belongs to the Father also belongs to the Spirit. For as he said about the Father: “And at the same time God acts all in all”; So it is about the Spirit: “all this acts in one and the same Spirit.” But he acts, you say, under the influence of God? – Nowhere did the Apostle say this, and you are making it up yourself. When he says about God the Father: “act all in all,” he says this about people, and does not at all consider the Spirit with people, even if you repeated it a thousand times like crazy. Since he said above: “By the Spirit” (δια του Πνευματος, - “the word of wisdom is given”), then, so that you do not think that this expression means the humiliation of the Spirit, or the dependence of His actions on another, he adds that the Spirit “acts”, and is not prompted to action, and acts “as He wills,” and not as command Him. Just as the Son says about the Father that “He raises the dead and gives life,” equally about Himself that He “lives what He wills” (John 5:21); so it is said about the Spirit in one place that He does everything with authority, and nothing hinders him, for the words: “where he wills, he breathes” (John 3:8), although they are said about the wind, they prove this too; and here it is said that He acts as He wills. And from another place you can see that He is not a being through whom one acts, but He Himself acts; “Who knows,” says the Apostle, “what is in a man, even the spirit of a man? taco... and no one knows God’s message, but the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:11). The human spirit, that is, the soul, does not need any extraneous impulse to know its own; everyone knows this; therefore, the Holy Spirit is to know God, for, he says, the Holy Spirit knows the mysteries of God just as the human soul knows its secrets. If in this case He is not prompted to action by anyone else, then, knowing the depths of God and acting without outside influence in distributing gifts to the Apostles, He Himself is all the more not dependent. - Let’s not be discouraged, grieve and say: why did I receive this, but didn’t receive that? Let us not demand an account from the Holy Spirit, for if you know that He gives according to His providence, and you realize that according to the same providence He gives to a certain extent, then be satisfied and rejoice in what you have received; do not be upset by what you did not receive, but also give thanks for what you did not receive beyond your strength” (St. Chrysostom). b) Comparing the structure of the Church, which contains different gifts and those with different gifts, with a body composed of different members, reconciles with the unevenness of gifts (1 Cor. 12, 12-26) 1 Corinthians 12:12. Just as there is one body, and there are many bodies, but all the bodies of one body, being many, are one body: so is Christ. Saint Chrysostom says: “Having consoled the Corinthians with the fact that every gift is a gift of grace, that everything is given by the same Spirit and is given for benefit, that the Spirit is revealed in lesser gifts, and at the same time stopping their lips with the conviction that they must submit to the power of the Spirit, the Apostle consoles (and admonishes) them with another well-known comparison, a comparison with the body, with which (by comparison) he tries to prove that none of the Christians is humiliated before others (although they received an unequal gift). For a faint-hearted person who has received less than others, nothing consoles him more and encourages him to leave grief than the conviction that he is not humiliated before others. Therefore, the Apostle proves this: “like God,” he says, “there is one body and there are many souls.” Do you see his deep wisdom? He proves that the same thing is one and many. Expanding this subject even further, he adds: “all of them are of one body, many exist, they are one body.” He did not say: many members belong to one body, but: the one body itself is many, and its many members are one. If the many are one and the one is many, then where is the difference, where is the advantage, where is the humiliation? “All,” he says, “are one,” not just “one,” but, being considered in relation to the composition of the body, they are all one; and when they are considered separately, then there is a difference and, moreover, a difference in all of them. Not one of them can by itself constitute a body, and each is equally insufficient to constitute a body, but their union is necessary for this, for when many become one, then one body is formed. Expressing this, he says: “all of you are of one body, being many, they are one body.” He did not say: higher and lower, but: “there are many beings,” which refers to everyone in general. How can they be one? - When, leaving the difference between them as members, you consider them in relation to the body. For as the eye, so is the leg, in that they are members and constitute the body; in this there is no difference between them. You cannot say that one member constitutes a body in itself, and another does not; in this respect they are all equal, and they are all one body” (St. Chrysostom). “Having said and clearly proven this according to the common common sense of all, the Apostle adds: “so is Christ.” It would be necessary to say: so is the Church, for this followed from the previous one; but he did not say so, but instead of the Church he named Christ, using a more exalted expression and more shaming the listener. The meaning of his words is as follows: so is the body of Christ, which is the Church. Just as the body and the head constitute one person, so the Church and Christ, he says, are one; That’s why he names Christ instead of the Church, meaning here His body. Just as our body is something one, although it consists of many members, so in the Church we all constitute something one, for although it consists of many members, these many are one body” (St. Chrysostom). “Thus, having calmed and encouraged by the well-known example of one who considered himself humiliated, the Apostle leaves ordinary subjects and moves on to another subject - a spiritual one, which could bring even more consolation and clearly show the equality of honor (among the members of the Church). Which one? (Saint Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 12:13. For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jews, Greeks, slaves, or free; and let us all drink of one Spirit. “The meaning of his words is as follows: one Spirit made us into one body and regenerated us, for it was not with another Spirit that one was baptized, but with another. And not only is the Spirit who baptized us one, but also that into which He baptized, that is, for what He baptized, is one; for we were not baptized in order to constitute different bodies, but so that we would all exactly constitute one body, that is, we were baptized in order that we might all be one body. Thus, both He who made us is one, and that into which He made us is one. And the Apostle did not say: so that we belong to one body, but so that we are one body: “we are all baptized into one body.” He also said well: we are all, including ourselves. And I,” says the Apostle, “have no advantage over you in this regard; and you are a body just like me, and I am like you, and we all have the same Head and were born by the same birth, and therefore we make up the same body. - "Even the Jews." But why am I pointing out the Jews? And God brought the pagans, who were so far from us, into one body. “Whether Jews, Greeks, slaves, or free.” If we, who were previously so far from each other, united and became one, then all the more after the union we should not grieve and become despondent, for there is no longer room for difference. If He has vouchsafed the same thing to both pagans and Jews, both slaves and freemen, then, having vouchsafed it, will He begin to divide us, whereas the very communication of gifts serves for the most perfect unity?” (Saint Chrysostom). “And let us all drink of one Spirit.” This infusion is different from baptismal regeneration. There a spiritual being is obtained; here the spiritual being is fed with the Spirit. When is this? - In the sacrament of confirmation, - with the Apostles through the laying on of hands. In this sacrament, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given, which is the feeding of the Spirit. Ecumenius writes: “Through the one Spirit we have the grace of spiritual gifts.” Theophylact said that this infusion takes place during communion, but then added: “But it is more true to understand here the influx of the Holy Spirit upon us, which we are granted after baptism and before communion of the Holy Mysteries.” Obviously, he means holy confirmation. This is the thought of Saint Chrysostom, from whom they both borrowed their interpretation. And he, having first mentioned the Holy Mysteries, then adds: “However, it seems to me that he is talking here about the influx of the Spirit that occurs over us at baptism (after baptism) even before the sacrament of communion. “Let’s get drunk,” he said because this figurative expression is very suitable for the real subject, as if he were talking about plants and a garden, that all the trees are watered by the same source, the same water. In the same way, he says, we too will be made to drink by the same Spirit, we will be made worthy of the same grace. So, if one Spirit composed us into one body, united us all, for this is what the words mean: “we are baptized into one body”; if then he communicated the same irrigation to all of us, for this is what the words mean: “we are filled with one Spirit,” and united those who were so distant from each other together, and if many only form a body when they become one, then what difference do you insist on? If you say that there are many members and they are different, then know that this is the most amazing thing, and is the peculiarity of the body, that in it many and different things make one; and if there were no multitude, then it would not be so surprising and wonderful that the body is one, or better, then there would be no body.” 1 Corinthians 12:14. For the body is not one, but many. “The body is not a simple thing, but a complex one, made up of many parts” (Theodoret). Therefore, diversity is necessary here. But with all the diversity there must be unity, otherwise the body will not be formed; unity is that each member does everything only for the whole body, forgetting about itself, and for this it receives everything from the whole body. The living conditions of the body are many; they are performed by different members, and because they are performed, the body lives, and the living body also lives them. That's why the body has not just one member, but many! 1 Corinthians 12:15–16. If the foot says that the hand is not from the body, “Is food for this reason not from the body?” And if the ear says, as if the eye is not, it is not from the body: food for this reason is not from the body? The Apostle’s thought is that already when the body is formed, then whether he wants or not, every member becomes what it is. Therefore, he must not rush out of the body, because he is a smaller member, but maintain his place and his significance. Saint Chrysostom says: “If the fact that one is smaller and the other is larger prevented it from entering into the composition of the body, then the whole body would not exist. Therefore do not say: I am not of the body, because I am less than others; the leg occupies the lowest place, but it is also part of the body. To be or not to be in the composition of a body does not depend on position in one place or another - this produces only a difference in place - but on connection or non-connection; to be or not to be from the body depends on connection with it or non-connection. And notice the wisdom of Paul with which he represents our members uttering these words. As he said above: “I transformed Apollos into this in myself” (1 Cor. 4:6), so here, in order to make his speech even more meek and acceptable, he introduces the very members as speaking, so that the readers, hearing the answer to themselves from nature itself, convicted by experience itself and general common sense, could no longer contradict. At least, he says, you said the same thing, and no matter how much you object, you cannot be outside the body, for both the law of nature, and even more so the power of grace, observes and preserves everything. And look how he avoids excess: he does not speak about all members, but only about two, and the extreme ones at that, about the highest - the eye, and about the lowest - the legs. In addition, he represents the leg as speaking not to the eye, but to the arm, which is slightly higher than it, and the ear to the eye. Just as we usually envy not those who are too superior to us, but those who are not much higher than us, so he makes his comparison.” Theodoret leads with this: “The Apostle again urges those who have received lesser gifts not to be upset, but to love what is given. For if you perform the function not of the hands, but of the feet, and you perform the service not of the eye, but of the ear, you should know that this is also necessary for the body.” 1 Corinthians 12:17. If the whole body is an eye, where is the hearing? After all, it’s all just hearing, where’s the hoot? This desire to reach out to the higher members leads to the abolition of the lower ones, and this leads to disorder of the body and general destruction. If such a desire were to be satisfied, then everyone would have to be made (for example) into eyes or ears, the noblest members; and the whole body would become eyes or ears. What does this look like? “If the whole body begins to have only one member, even the most sufficient one, then it will undoubtedly be useless for anything, as if it is deprived of other members” (Theodorit). “Since he pointed out the difference in members, mentioned legs, arms, eyes and ears, and thereby suggested the idea of ​​lower and higher dignity, then see how he again consoles and shows that this is useful, that the body is predominantly a body because it has many and different members. If they were all one, then they would not constitute a body, which is why he says below: “If they were all one, where is the body?” And here he expresses something much more, namely, that in this case not only would there be no body, but there would be no other members either” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 12:18. Now God put the ouds, one of them in the body, as He willed. This is what would come out according to your desire not to be what it is, but to be something higher! But God judged differently: He appointed many members to exist and assigned each member its own place; from this the body lives and every member feels good. So, “love everyone what is given; for if God divided the acting forces into the parts of the body, then he who does not remain within the established limits goes directly contrary to the One who set these limits” (Theodoret). And this is not entirely safe. “If God willed it this way, then don’t ask why it’s like this and why it’s not like that. Even though we could imagine thousands of reasons, we cannot prove in any way that it is good as much as in words: as the highest Artist wanted, so it happened, for He wants it in a way that is useful. If we should not be too inquisitive about the members in our body, then even more so in the Church. The Apostle said well: “every time,” expressing the benefit of all of them. You cannot say that the Lord created such and such a member, and not such and such, but each one was placed this way according to His will; and it is useful for the leg to be in that exact place, and not just the head (in its own); and if any member, having changed position, left his place and moved to another, then although he would apparently take a better place, he would ruin and upset everything; he would have lost his place and would not have reached someone else’s” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 12:19–20. If everything were one, where is the body? Now there are many, but there is one body. “From what they concluded about the inequality of honor, that is, that there was a great difference between them, from this same thing he proves that they have equal honor. The meaning of these words is this: if there were no great difference between you, then you would not be a body; without being a body, you would not be one; and not being one, you would not have equal honor. Conversely: if you all had equal honor (without relation to the body), you would not be the body; without being a body, you would not be one; and not being one, how could you have equal honor? Now, since you have more than one gift, you make up a body; and, being a body, you are all one and do not differ from each other in any way in that respect that you constitute a body. Consequently, it is precisely this difference that produces equality of honor. Imagining this, we too will abandon all envy; Let us neither envy those who have more talents, nor despise those who have less. It was so pleasing to God; Let's not grumble. If you are still embarrassed, then think that another is often not able to fulfill your task, and therefore, although you are less than him, you are superior to him in this respect; and although he is greater than you, he is less in this respect, and thus you are equal. And in the body, apparently unimportant members perform not unimportant actions, but often cause destruction to important ones if they are separated from them. Take away one finger, and you will see that the others will be less active and will not fulfill their purpose in the same way” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 12:21. The eye cannot say to the hand: You do not need me; or again the head of the feet: do not demand my nature. “Having denounced the envy of the lower ones and destroyed their sorrow, which they might have had because others were awarded greater gifts, the Apostle now humbles the pride of those who received more. He did this before, when he talked with the first, precisely when he instilled that talent is a gift, and not a merit; but now he does the same with greater force, continuing the same comparison. From the body and its unity, he comes to comparing the members themselves with each other, which the Corinthians especially needed to know, for it was not so much that could console them that they all constitute one body, but the conviction that even with the gifts that they received, they were not in the least humiliated. And lesser talent is also necessary. Just as without the great there would be a great lack, so without the little the fullness of the Church would be disrupted. He did not say: he does not speak, but: “he cannot speak”; that is, even if it wanted, even if it said, it is impossible due to the very essence of the matter. He takes the two extreme members and stops his speech on them, citing as an example, firstly, an arm and an eye, and secondly, a head and a leg. Indeed, what is more unimportant than a leg, or what is more honorable and necessary than a head? The head actually makes up a person. However, she in itself is insufficient and cannot do everything alone, otherwise we were given legs in vain” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 12:22–24. But much more than that, the bodies that seem to be weaker than being, are the most necessary essence. And we consider them to be the most dishonest beings of the body, and herewith we attach great honor. And our ugliness has the greatest advantage; but our good looks are not needed. “Some think that Paul here calls the weakest and most necessary members, less noble and those that enjoy greater care, the eyes and the legs, namely under the first - the eyes, since they are weaker in strength, but more excellent in use, and under the second - the legs, about which a lot of care is attached. He said well: “those who imagine” and: “those who imagine,” expressing that such a situation is not based on the essence of things, but on the opinion of people. There is nothing dishonest about us, because it is all God’s work. God has arranged it so that some members by nature do not need anything, while to others we must provide what is not given to them by nature; and yet, because of this, they are not dishonest, like animals, by their nature, for the most part they do not need anything, neither clothing, nor shoes, nor shelter, and yet our body is not more dishonest than their body because it has a need for all this. Truly, if we look closely, we will see that these members (though not so beautiful) are by their nature honorable and necessary, as the Apostle himself hints at, pronouncing his judgment about them not on the basis of our attention and greater care for them, but on the basis of the very essence of things; for, calling them weak and less noble, he says: “those who pretend to be”; and calling them necessary, he does not add: imaginary, but pronounces his own judgment and says that they are “most necessary.” Further, so that there is no exaggeration on the other side, he says: “but we don’t need our appearances.” Lest anyone say: what, is it really necessary to leave the noble members in disdain, and take care of the less noble ones? - he says: we do this not out of disdain for them, but because they have no need for it” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 12:24–25. But God dissolved the body, giving greater honor to the worst, so that there would be no strife in the body, but let the people also take care of themselves (equally one about the other). “Dissolved” - like wine and water are dissolved. Imaginary thinness and care are taken into account. What is lacking in imaginary goodness is made up for by greater care, and where more goodness is imagined, care is proportionately diminished. And they all came out equal. St. Chrysostom says: “If God dissolved the body, then he did not leave it possible to distinguish what was less noble in it, for what was dissolved becomes one, so that it is no longer visible what it was before; otherwise it could not be said to be dissolved. And look how everywhere he only slightly mentions shortcomings, expressing himself: “the worst” (υστερουντι - diminished in something). He did not say: dishonorable or shameful, but “worst” (something against someone else who has nothing). “To the worst,” he says, “giving great honor,” showing that God beneficially bestowed less and honored more. “Let there be no strife in the body.” Truly, there would be great inequality if some members, both from nature and from us, enjoyed great care, while others did not have this on either side; Then they would fall apart, not being able to maintain the union between themselves, and if some fell away, then the others would suffer harm. You see how he proved that the less perfect members should have been given more honor (i.e. care). If it were not so, then everyone would have died. But perhaps someone will say: about the body it can definitely be said that the less perfect members received more honor, but how can this be seen between people? – You can see this even more between people. Thus, those who came at the eleventh hour were the first to receive a reward; for the lost sheep the shepherd left ninety-nine others, went after it and, having found it, carried it, and did not drive it away; the prodigal was awarded more care than the one who behaved honestly; the robber was crowned and glorified before the Apostles. So, knowing this, the higher ones do not oppress the lower ones, so that you yourself do not suffer harm before them, for if they separate, then the whole body will be destroyed. The Apostle demands not only that we should not be separated from each other, but that we should be united with each other in the most intimate way. For having said: “let there be no strife in the body,” he was not satisfied with this, but added: “let them also take care of themselves.” God arranged this not only so that the members would not be separated from each other, but also so that there would be great love and harmony between them. For if everyone should care about the salvation of their neighbor, then do not talk to me about superiors and inferiors; there is no higher and lower here. Do not say that such and such a member is not important, but remember that it is a member of the same body that contains everything. Therefore, the Apostle demands equal care for everyone” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 12:26. And if one oud suffers, all ouds suffer with it; If one ud is famous, all uds rejoice with him. “For this purpose,” he says, God established mutual care for each other, establishing unity in such diversity that everything that happens would be common to everyone. If the salvation of everyone depends on caring for one’s neighbor, then it is necessary that both glory and sorrow become common to everyone. Thus, the Apostle offers here three commandments: not to be divided, but to be in close unity, to have equal care for each other, to consider everything that happens as common. In everything that happens, both pleasant and unpleasant, the members mutually sympathize with each other. When, for example, a thorn pierces the heel, the whole body feels pain and is alarmed, the back bends, the belly and thighs are compressed, the hands, like squires and servants, stretch forward and take out the thorn, the head bends and the eyes watch with great care. Again: when the eyes hurt, then all the limbs suffer, everyone falls into inactivity, the legs don’t walk, the hands don’t work, the belly doesn’t accept normal food, although the disease is in the eyes. Remembering this, let us all imitate the mutual love of bodily members and not act contrary to this. The head is crowned and the whole person is glorified. This also happens in the Church: when some are distinguished, then the whole society acquires good fame. If someone is distinguished by the gift of eloquence, then his enemies praise not only him, but the entire Church. They don’t say: so-and-so is worthy of surprise, but what? – Christians have a teacher worthy of wonder, and they make this treasure common. So the pagans unite, but you divide, fight against your own body and rebel against your own members? “Don’t you know that everything is overthrown through this?” “The Kingdom,” says the Lord, “divided into all... will not become” (Matthew 12:25)” (St. Chrysostom). c) Application of the previous considerations to what is in the Church (1 Cor. 12:27-31) 1 Corinthians 12:27. You are the body of Christ, and partake of it. “Lest anyone say: What does the example of the body have to do with us? It is structured this way by nature, and our perfections depend on the will. The Apostle applies this example to our circumstances and shows that by will we must have the same agreement that the members of the body have by nature: “but you are the body of Christ,” he says. If there should be no discord in our body, then much more so in the body of Christ, and even more so since grace is stronger than nature” (St. Chrysostom). All together you are the body of Christ, and each individually a member of this body. But the body of Christ itself is “the entire universal Church, and not just the Corinthian Church. By adding: in part, he gives them to understand: your church is part of the universal Church, this mysterious body of Christ, made up of all the Churches; so you are obliged to be at peace not only with each other, but also with the entire universal Church, if you are truly members of the whole body” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 12:28. And God placed them in the Church first, first the Apostles, second the prophets, third the teachers, then the powers, the same gifts of healing, intercession, government, and the birth of tongues. "God put it down." The organizers of churches and the keepers of order in them were not established by themselves: they are of heavenly origin. Therefore, the existing dispensation in the Churches must be accepted with complete submission, as a direct institution of God (Theophylact). Saying: “first, second, third,” the Apostle assigns church ranks according to their dignity. "First of the Apostles". “The most excellent rank becomes higher than all, for the Apostles had all the gifts in themselves” (St. Chrysostom). “They are the beginning of the leaders of the faith” (Ecumenius). “Conductors of all spiritual benefits and treasures” (Theophylact). “He means not only the twelve, but also the seventy, and others who were subsequently granted this grace. For he himself, being subsequently called, accepted this ordination, also the divine Barnabas, and besides them many others” (Theodoret). "Second Prophets". “He understands those who were not before grace, but under grace. Among them was Agabus” (Theodoret). “Both the daughters of Philip and those of the Corinthians prophesied, about whom he says: “Let two or three prophets speak” (1 Cor. 14:29). In general, there were much more prophets then than in the Old Testament, because this gift was not sent down to ten, twenty, fifty or a hundred people, but this grace was poured out abundantly, and each Church had many prophets. If Christ says: “the law and the prophets until John” (Matthew 11:13), then he speaks of those prophets who foretold His coming” (St. Chrysostom). "The Third of Teachers". “And they brought great benefit, and rightly they are immediately assigned to the prophets” (Ecumenius). “Inspired by Divine grace, they proposed the teaching of Divine dogmas and gave moral instructions” (Theodoret). “He who prophesies speaks everything from the Spirit, but he who teaches sometimes speaks from his own mind. Why does the Apostle say: “Let the elders who practice goodness be granted special honor; especially those who labor in word and doctrine” (1 Tim. 5:17). He who speaks everything from the Spirit “does not labor,” which is why the Apostle appointed a teacher after the prophet, since the work of the latter is entirely a gift, and the work of the former is human labor; the teacher speaks a lot from himself, although, of course, in accordance with the Divine Scriptures” (St. Chrysostom). “Then the powers, also the gifts of healing.” Previously he pointed to the persons who received gifts, but now he began to indicate only gifts - which does not make any difference in the course of speech, for these gifts were also sent to certain persons. “Do you see how he again separates the gift of healing from power, as he did before? This is because the power is greater than the healing. He who has power both strikes and heals, but he who has the gift of healing only heals” (St. Chrysostom). Perhaps “powers” ​​also means a gift, revealed in extreme power over the forces and elements of nature. “The Apostle put teaching ahead of these gifts, not simply, but teaching that these gifts are for the sake of teaching, and not for their sake; because the teaching contributed to salvation. since they did not accept it without signs, then, out of necessity, miracles were performed for those who came, as if as a kind of guarantee” (Theodoret). “Intercessions”, αντιληψεις. – They stand up for those who are offended and suffering violence. If we take this meaning more fully and go through everything that a weak person can suffer from, and as a result demand intercession, then a lot can be understood by this gift. They suffer from human injustices, they suffer from poverty and illness, they endure violence and oppression from demons. Accordingly, the gift of intercession will be either the gift of courage and wisdom in defending the oppressed before the authorities, or the gift of care for the poor and sick, or the gift of power over demons. What is more appropriate in this case? Our interpreters did not give this word a strict definition, therefore everything can be understood. But closer is intercession from evil people and demons. "Boards", κυβερνησεις. – The gift of managing private Churches is shepherding. Theodoret puts government and intercession together and says: “This Apostle depicted the economy of the Churches.” Theophylact says the same about both together: ““Intercessions, government,” that is, to intercede for the weak and manage, or arrange the affairs of the brethren. Although this depends on our zeal, the Apostle calls them gifts of God, teaching us to be grateful to God for them and to look to Him, and not to be lifted up.” St. Chrysostom says: “What is “intercession”? - That to help the weak. Is this really a gift? - Without doubts, to help and manage spiritual objects (here Saint Chrysostom also says the word: “government”) is a gift of God - However, the Apostle calls many of our virtues gifts, not so that we indulge in carelessness, but in order to show that we always need God’s help, and in order to incite gratitude, make us more zealous and arouse the souls of our listeners.” "The Birth of Languages". “The Apostle put this gift in last place not simply, but because the Corinthians thought highly of it and immoderately used it for show, and not as needed. For this is why the Apostle also presented the order of the gifts, and said which of them is the first, which is the second, and which is the third, so that care should be taken for the more necessary” (Theodoret). 1 Corinthians 12:29–30. Food all the Apostles? Are all the prophets eating? Are all the teachers eating? Eating to the fullest? Food, all gifts have healing? Food speaks all languages? Everyone will say the food. “With this the Apostle again consoled those who had received gifts, which in their opinion were lesser, and clearly taught that it is impossible for everyone to have the same gifts, and that they need each other, just as bodily members need mutual assistance” (Theodoret). “Since by enumerating the gifts he again showed the great difference between them and aroused the illness of those who received lesser gifts, then, finally, after presenting a lot of evidence that they were not too humiliated, he turns to them with very strong reproof and says: “Food are all the Apostles?” and so on. He does not dwell on one gift or another, but counts everything down to the last, expressing either that everyone cannot have everything, or at the same time adding something else to the word of consolation. What is it? - That smaller gifts, like larger ones, should equally constitute an object of desire, because they are not given to everyone in general. Why, he says, do you grieve because you do not have the gift of healing? Think that those who have more often do not have what you have, even if it were less. Just as God did not give all the great gifts to everyone, but to one such and to another another, so He did the same with the lesser ones, not giving everything to everyone. And He did this in order to inspire great harmony and love, so that everyone, having a need for their neighbor, would be more closely united with him. He did the same in the arts, and in the elements, and in plants, and in our members, and in everything in general” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 12:31. Be jealous of great talents; and even by superiority I will show you the way. This text stands at the transition to the next word about love. Having said everything about the extraordinary gifts of grace that were manifested in the Church, and having pacified everyone who was embarrassed by receiving gifts that were smaller in comparison with others, the Apostle seemed to say to them: Do you want better gifts? - Look. But I will tell you that the point of Christian life is not gifts. All gifts can cease in the Church. There is something in Christianity that is above all gifts. And this is what I want to show you now. “The superior way,” the most excellent way, that is, the way of life, the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Photius in Ecumenius says: “I am showing you the path on which, without needing any of the talents shown, you will nevertheless prove to be the best and most perfect of all. What is this? – Something that is simplest, most effortless, and most easily achieved, namely love. He who acquired pure love became higher than everyone, surpassed everyone. But whoever does not have it has fallen lower than everyone else, and, moreover, is empty (of all spiritual blessings). Having acquired love, you will no longer look cowardly with envy at the highest talents of others.” These are the words of Saint Chrysostom. “He did not say: be jealous of the highest talents, but κρειττονα, the best, that is, the most necessary, the most useful. He did not say: a gift, but a way, in order to further exalt what he intended to talk about; not one, not two, not three gifts, he says, I will show you, but one path leading to all of them, and not just a path, but a most excellent path, open to everyone in general. This is not like other gifts, of which some are given to some, others to others, and not all to all, but it is a universal gift.” 2. About love as the highest path (Chapter 13) First, the Apostle shows: a) the superiority of love over all gifts and exploits (verses 1-3); then b) depicts her bright face, indicating in her the fullness of virtues and the rejection of all passions (verses 4-7); finally c) says that it never ceases (verses 8-13). a) The superiority of love over all gifts and exploits (1 Cor. 13: 1-3) 1 Corinthians 13:1. Even if I speak the tongues of men and the tongues of angels, I am not an imam of love, but they are like ringing brass, or a clanging cymbal. Love is the inner force of life. Immersed in God and filled with God, she relies on God’s everything, including her own, on her brothers, in whom she also lives not in thought, but in her heart, considering everything that concerns them as touching herself. This is the self-crucified life, the inexhaustible source of all good. Speaking in tongues is a completely external matter, and in the natural order only memory is occupied with it, but in the grace-filled order even that is not the case, for even the donkey could speak when it was necessary, and the stones would cry out, says the Lord, when there was no one to utter the will of God. A speaker without the presence of inner life is definitely a ringing brass, or a clanging cymbal. The first expresses a monophonic sound, like hitting a piece of copper, or a copper thing, and the second expresses changes in tones, but without meaning. In Greek - αλαλαζον, - lallats, but does not say anything definite. “The apostle, making a comparison of gifts, put the gift of tongues first of all, because, according to the Corinthians, it was more important than the others. It was considered the most important, because before all others it was given to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost at the descent of the All-Holy Spirit. He says: if I recognize all human languages, and moreover the languages ​​of invisible Powers, but do not have love for my neighbor, then I will be no different from inanimate instruments” (Theodoret). “And look where he begins: first of all, with what they considered amazing and great, that is, with the gift of tongues, and, speaking about this gift, he presents it not as what they had, but much greater. He did not say, “Even if I speak in tongues,” but, “Even if I speak in the tongues of men.” What does “human” mean? - The languages ​​of all the peoples of the universe. Not content with this increase, he adds another, much greater one: “and angelic,” he says. Do you see how he exalted this gift and how later he brought it down and humiliated it? I didn’t just say: then I was nothing, but: “like ringing brass,” something insensitive and soulless, making a sound in vain, without purpose and without any benefit, and not only bringing no benefit to anyone, but for many seeming restless, painful and unbearable (κυμβαλον - means also a rattle) (St. Chrysostom). What is this angelic language? – Blessed Theodoret writes about him: “By angelic languages ​​he means not sensual, but certain mental ones, in which the Angels of all Gods sing songs and talk with each other. For Isaiah heard them singing, and Ezekiel, and also Daniel, Zechariah and Micah heard them talking. The divine Apostle expressed this exaggeratedly, with the intention of showing the superiority of love.” Saint Chrysostom says: “Speaking about the language of angels, the Apostle does not attribute bodies to Angels, but expresses the following: although I will speak as Angels usually talk to each other, without love I am nothing and even burdensome and unbearable. Likewise, in another place, when he says: “every tribe of heavenly ones will worship Him” (Phil. 2:10), he does not attribute knees and bones to the Angels - let it not be, but by the likeness of our worship he wants to express the zealous worship of the Angels. So here he speaks of tongue, meaning not a bodily member, but in our well-known way of conversation, expressing their mutual conversation with each other.” 1 Corinthians 13:2. And even if an imam prophecy, and I know all the secrets and all the mind, and even if an imam has all the faith, even if he leaves behind mountains, I am not an imam for love, I am nothing. These gifts are internal and indicate greater closeness to God. Despite all this, they do not touch the very depths of our nature, and do not mean an essential combination with God. Prophecy - with full knowledge of the mysteries of God in the structure of the kingdom of grace and with complete knowledge of the structure of the world and all creatures, at the beginning of them, during time and for the purpose to which everything is leading - and such a prophecy still has its seat in the head, and, when necessary, God can teach it to the mind, without considering what is happening in the heart, just like making a donkey talk. Consequently, even at the same time, the inner may be alien to God and neighbors, alien to true life. Miraculous faith, which transcends mountains, presupposes great boldness before God; but since the deeds performed by her are external, and not her own, but God’s, and God, for the purposes of providence, can act through imperfect instruments, not having them in mind, but others, then this gift can be revealed in a completely external way, not be a decisive confirmation of internal unity with God and with the brothers in God. In the ordinary course of spiritual life, one cannot have such a prophecy or such a faith without perfect purity and sincere communication with God; but God, according to His purposes, when the need is urgent, can communicate both this and that to such persons who, according to their internal structure, could not have them. It follows from this that acts of this kind are not certifiers of spiritual true perfection, which combines everything in love, that is, one can be without love even with them, and, therefore, be nothing. The Lord Himself confirmed the possibility of such phenomena when He said: “Many people will say to Me on that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and in Your name we have cast out demons, and in Your name we have created many mighty powers? And then we will confess to them, because I have known you no more: Depart from Me, you who practice iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23). I never knew you, he will say, because “the Lord is His message.” By this the Lord expressed that, despite such signs, those who performed them were not His own, and were not His own because they did not do His will, or, what is the same, did not have love. Thus the word of the Apostle agrees with the word of the Lord. The Apostle’s thought is not to say that such gifts never indicate a sincere closeness to God of those who manifest them, but that even with them the absence of such closeness is possible, and without it everything is nothing. Saint Chrysostom expressed the following thoughts in this place: “The Apostle does not stop at the gift of tongues, but points to other gifts and, having shown their insignificance without love, then draws its image. And as he wanted to gradually strengthen his speech, he ascends from less to more; what he put last when counting the gifts, that is, the gift of tongues, he now puts in first place, ascending, as I said, from the least to the greatest. Having spoken about tongues, he immediately moves on to prophecy and this too is presented in a superlative degree. For just as there he pointed not only to tongues, but to the languages ​​of all people, and even to the languages ​​of Angels, and then said that this gift without love is nothing, so here he speaks not only about prophecy, but about prophecy of the highest degree. Having said: “if the imam has prophecy,” he adds: “and I know all mysteries and all my understanding,” presenting this gift in a superlative degree.” “Then the Apostle moves on to the other gifts, and in order not to seem burdensome, counting them separately, points to the mother and source of all of them, and again in the superlative degree: “and if,” he says, “the imam of all faith.” Not content with this, he also adds what Christ recognized as great: “as I set aside mountains, but I am not an imam of love, I am nothing.” Look how here again he disparages the gift of tongues. From prophecy he shows great benefits, namely, knowledge of the mysteries and all understanding, and equally important work from faith, namely, the rearrangement of mountains, but he only mentioned the gift of tongues and said nothing more about it. Notice also how in brief words he embraces all the gifts, that is, in prophecy and faith; this is because miracles are either in words or in deeds. He attributes the rearrangement of mountains to faith, not because all faith could do only this, but because to rude people it seemed great because of the weight of the mountains. The Apostle thus exalts the subject, and the meaning of his words is as follows: if I have all faith, even if I can move mountains, but do not have love, then I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:3. And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give up my body, it will be burned, but love will not be of any use to me. The Apostle moves from gifts to the highest types of exploits - distributing property and giving himself up to be burned. The Apostle looks at them as deeds performed externally, in which the internal mood may not correspond to the dignity of the external. You can give everything away without love, and decide to die without having love either. If God looks at the heart and values ​​deeds according to it, and the price of deeds is entirely from love, then it may turn out that such great deeds will have no value before God, that is, they will not bring any benefit. The Apostle’s thought is not to say that deeds are so insignificant, but that their entire value comes from love; and not one in which one can love and not do such things when necessary. He has one thought - to imagine through such comparisons that love alone gives value to all gifts and all exploits, and that if it is not there, everything is worthless. Saint Chrysostom says: “What amplified speech! And here he presents everything in superlatives. He did not say: if I give the poor half of my estate, or two, or three parts, but: “all my estate.” He did not say: I will give, but “I will distribute” - ψωμισω (to feed someone with your own hands), expressing, in addition to the use of property, the most zealous helpfulness. He also did not say: if I die, but again he expresses himself strongly, represents the most cruel death, that is, burning alive, and says that such death without love is not an important matter. But the full power of the Apostle’s words will be revealed when I bring Christ’s testimony about alms and death. What kind of evidence? - Christ said to the rich: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor; and have treasure in heaven” (Matthew 19:21); also, talking about love for one’s neighbor, he said: “Greater love has no one to sow, but whoever lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). From this it is clear that in the eyes of God such love is the highest. But I affirm, says Paul, that if we lay down our lives even for God, and not only lay down our lives, but are also burned, then even then there will be no benefit to us if we do not love our neighbor. It is not surprising that gifts without love do not bring any benefit - they are even lower than a good life; because many who possessed gifts will be punished as wicked, such as those who prophesied in the name of Christ, cast out demons and performed many miracles, like Judas the traitor. So, it is not at all surprising that gifts need love; but for the most serviceable life to mean nothing without it, this may seem an exaggeration and lead to bewilderment, especially when Christ attributes great dignity to these two virtues, that is, non-covetousness and martyrdom. Why does he say this? What can I say to this? “Or that Paul assumes the impossible to be possible, as he usually does when he wants to say something extraordinary; for example, in the Epistle to the Galatians he says: “If we, or an angel from heaven, bring you good news, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:8). Neither he himself nor the Angel, of course, could do this; but, in order to depict the subject in the most intense way, he presupposes something that will never happen. He does the same here. So, either this must be said, or”... But let’s take this second thought from Theodoret, who expresses it more briefly, but in agreement with Saint Chrysostom. He says: “You must know that the righteous Judge looks not only at the righteous deed, but also at the goal of this deed. Many do very much for the sake of human glory.” How can one suffer without love? An example of this was given by a certain Saprikius, a priest of Antioch. He was on the most friendly terms with one layman Nicephorus. Then they fell out because of something, and very much so. Nikifor, however, soon came to his senses and sought reconciliation, but to no avail. It was in this state that they were persecuted into the kingdom of Valerian. Sapricius was taken; He stood firm in the faith and was tortured in various ways for this, and finally condemned to beheaded. Nikifor, having learned about this, hurried after him and asked for reconciliation; but he refused him this. For this reason, grace departed from him, and he renounced Christ the Lord at that moment, as he was about to completely bow his head under the sword. Behold, he suffered, and was ready for anything, but had no love; and received no benefit from the suffering (see Cheti-Minea on February 9). b) Love is the fullness of virtues and the rejection of all passions (1 Cor. 13: 4–7) 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. Lyuba is long-suffering and merciful; does not envy anyone; love is not exalted, is not proud, does not act outrageously, does not seek its own, is not irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice in untruth, but rejoices in the truth; loves (covers) everything, has faith in everything, trusts in everything, endures everything. “Having proved that without love there is no great benefit either from faith, or from knowledge, or from prophecy, or from the gift of tongues, or even from a perfect life and martyrdom, the Apostle describes, as was necessary, its unparalleled beauty, decorating its image, as if with some kind of paint, with various kinds of virtues and carefully combining all its parts. Therefore, beloved, be attentive to what is said and delve into every word with great care, in order to see both the perfection of the subject and the art of the painter. Look where he started and what he made the first cause of all good things. What exactly? – Long-suffering” (Saint Chrysostom). “Love is patient.” Compassionately endures all troubles, insults and lies, without succumbing to the movements of anger or revenge. “Long-suffering is the root of all wisdom; therefore, the Wise One says: “A man who is long-suffering is wise in understanding, but a man who is faint-hearted is greatly foolish” (Proverbs 14:29); and further, comparing this virtue with a strong city, he says that it is stronger than it. This is an indestructible weapon, an unshakable pillar that easily repels all attacks. Just as a spark falling into the sea does not cause him any harm, but immediately disappears, so everything that is unexpectedly unpleasant, striking a long-suffering soul, soon disappears, but does not outrage it. The long-suffering one, as if staying in a harbour, enjoys deep tranquility; if you harm him, you will not move this stone; if you offend him, you will not shake this pillar; if you strike him, you will not crush this adamant; That is why he is called long-suffering, μακροθυμος, because he has, as it were, a long and great soul, for what is long is also called great. This virtue is born of love, and it brings great benefit to those who have it and use it well. Do not tell me that lost people, doing evil (to the long-suffering) and not suffering evil for it, become worse: this does not come from long-suffering, but from those very ones who do not use it as they should. Therefore, do not tell me about them, but remember about the more meek people who receive great benefit from this, for when they, doing evil, do not suffer evil for it, then, marveling at the patience of the sufferer, they receive the best lesson of wisdom” (St. Chrysostom). “He is merciful” χρηστευεται, he is blessed: he suffers troubles from others, but not only does he not cause anything sorrowful to anyone, on the contrary, he considers all the sorrows of others to be his own, and, entering into sympathy with their sorrow, he tries in every possible way to alleviate their grief; She is like oil for wounds, so she is for every need, sorrow and weakness of her neighbor - she does not calm down until she consoles, helps, pacifies; he grieves for everyone, especially for the needy and suffering; even in those ways that cause her trouble, she tries to put a peaceful disposition into her soul; “He deals meekly with those who are burning with anger in order to tame and extinguish it, and not only with courageous patience, but also with pleasing and exhortation he heals the wound and heals the ulcer of anger” (St. Chrysostom). “He does not envy love”, neither talents, nor external well-being, nor differences, nor success in business, nor any good or advantage of another over oneself. This is contrary to her nature, her being is both to desire and to do one good thing to others, and, moreover, every kind; therefore, he does not seek to be happier than others, but to ensure that everyone is as happy as possible; she will let everyone through to the good that is presented, so that everyone can taste it, not caring whether anything goes to her share, as long as everyone else gets it. “Love is not exalted”, ου περπερευεται, is not included. Arrogant in words, judgments, manners, in behavior, in deeds, he allows a lot of imprudence, because he acts from the shoulder, in the confidence that everything that comes from him is wonderful and should leave only amazement and praise in others; he hovers, not stopping at anything, which is why he cannot produce or advise anything useful, he interferes in everything with his judgment and, apart from confusion, leaves nothing on his own. Love doesn't float like that; she acts slowly, looking out and making sure where, what, how she can do something useful, and does it, without noise or statements. Saint Chrysostom says: “Love is not “extolled” (not arrogant), that is, he does not act frivolously. It makes the lover prudent, sedate and thorough. Arrogant frivolity is characteristic of people who love with carnal love, but he who loves with true love is completely free from this; love, abiding in the soul, like some skilled farmer, does not allow any such evil thorn to grow in the field of the heart.” Theodoret writes the same thing: “He who loves does not agree to act rashly in anything.” Ecumenius: “Does nothing rashly: περπερος γαρ προπετης.” Theophylact has the same thought: “Love does not act rashly, but acts self-absorbed and attentive. Περπερος - soaring, μετεωριζομενος - light in thoughts, words and deeds. “Not proud”, ου φυσιουται, - does not get inflated from φυσαω - I blow, I inflate, for example, a bubble. No matter what perfections love may have, it thinks that it has nothing better in comparison with others, and no matter how much good it does in its circle, it does not think at all that it has done anything. Just as a mother caring for her children, no matter how much she works on them, acts as if she had done nothing, and while doing something, she does it again as if she had started doing it for the first time: such is love. “She doesn’t think much about her kindnesses” (Ecumenius). “He does not exalt himself above his brethren” (Theodoret). “But he is humble in his wisdom, despite the fact that he has high perfections” (Theophylact). “We see that many are proud of their very virtues, that is, the fact that they are not envious, not evil, not cowardly, not reckless (these vices are associated not only with wealth and poverty, but also with the kindest qualities by nature), and love completely purifies everything” (St. Chrysostom). Summarizing all the previously mentioned qualities under one review, Saint Chrysostom notes the following: “Note: the long-suffering is not always merciful; if he is not merciful, then his good quality becomes a vice and can turn into maliciousness; but love, delivering medicine, that is, mercy, keeps this virtue pure. Also, a merciful person is often frivolous, but love corrects this shortcoming. The merciful and long-suffering are often proud, but love destroys even this vice. On the one hand, it produces virtues, on the other, it destroys vices, or, better, does not allow them to arise. The Apostle did not say this, for example: although she has envy, she overcomes envy, or: although she has pride, she tames this passion; but says: “he does not envy, he is not proud”; and, what is especially surprising, she effortlessly does good, erects a trophy without struggle or resistance. For whoever has it, it does not force him to work in order to achieve the crown, but without labor gives him a reward, because where there is no passion opposing a virtuous disposition, what kind of work can there be? The last word of St. Chrysostom about good deeds that are effortless and unhindered by passions is remarkable. Love is the negation of all passions and enters the heart after they are expelled. This exile in others, directly after conversion, at the moment of rebirth, is accomplished by the Holy Spirit, who at the same time pours out perfect love into the heart. Just as we now come to the consciousness of Christian obligations quite a long time after baptism, then, as the passions killed in rebirth have time to revive again and rise with strength, then we, before our hearts are filled with complete love, must still struggle with the passions and overcome them in order to freely do all good. The good of love is the desired good for us. Saint Isaac the Syrian calls love paradise, which is on an island in the sea. We are still sailing there. And oh, when would I get there! “He does not act outrageously”, - ουκ ασχημονει, - does not hate, does not disdain, does not disdain anything, as long as the good of his neighbor requires it; no matter how humiliating it may seem in the eyes of people, she does not stop at it, but willingly decides to do it just to do good to her beloved. So are all our interpreters! Theodoret writes: “He does not refuse to do anything humiliating for the benefit of the brethren, nor does he consider such an action indecent for himself.” Ecumenius: “Although sometimes she has to endure something shameful for her beloved, she does not put him to shame.” The same with Theophylact. But here is the lengthy word of Saint Chrysostom: “What am I saying,” the Apostle continues, that love does not inflate? She is so far from this passion that even when she suffers extreme hardships for her beloved, she does not consider it a dishonor for herself. He didn’t say again: although he endures dishonor, he endures it courageously, and he doesn’t even feel the dishonor at all. Let us look at Christ in this regard and see the truth of what was said. Our Lord Jesus Christ was subjected to spitting and scourging from miserable slaves, and not only did not consider this dishonor, but he also rejoiced and considered it glory; He brought the thief and murderer together with Him into paradise before others, talked with the harlot, moreover, in the presence of all His accusers, and did not consider this shameful, but even allowed her to kiss His feet, wet His body with tears and wipe with her hair, and all this before the eyes of enemies and opponents; because love, ουκ ασχημονει, does not disdain anything. Therefore, even fathers, even if they were the wisest and most eloquent of all, are not ashamed to babble along with their children, and no one who looks at it condemns them, but, on the contrary, it seems such a good thing that it even deserves praise.” “Not looking for his si.” “Having said: he does not commit dishonor, he also shows how love does not tolerate dishonor. What kind? - “She’s not looking for her siblings.” Her beloved is everything to her, and she considers it a dishonor to herself when she cannot save him from dishonor, so that if she can help her beloved with her own dishonor, she does not consider this a dishonor for herself; the beloved for the lover is the same as himself. Love is such that the lover and the beloved are no longer two separate persons, but one person, which nothing but love can do. Therefore, do not seek what is yours, so that you may find what is yours, for whoever seeks his own does not find what is his. That’s why Paul says: “Let no one seek his own, but every man’s neighbor” (1 Cor. 10:24). The benefit of each person is the benefit of his neighbor, and the benefit of his neighbor is his benefit. God arranged it this way so that we would be tied to each other” (St. Chrysostom). “Does not get annoyed”, - ου παροξυνεται, - does not get upset. When encountering something unpleasant from the very person to whom he strives to do good, he is not upset by it, or is not upset by the failure of his labors for the benefit of someone else, and does not cease to look for ways to achieve his goal in this regard; or as Theodoret writes: “Even if he encounters something unfortunate from someone, he endures it generously because of the ardor of love that he has in himself.” Saint Chrysostom says the same thing: “See again how she not only destroys vices, but does not even allow them to begin. For he did not say: although he is irritated, he overcomes irritation, but: “he is not irritated.” It does not allow grief to arise. “Does not think of evil” - ου λογιζεται το κακον - does not take into account evil, and does not even think at all that there is evil in the actions of another, does not see evil in evil; others see, but she does not see; for someone who loves everyone, everyone seems good, and just as he does not intend anything for others except good, so he never suspects anything evil in the actions of others towards himself. So Theodoret: “Excuses sinful actions, assuming that it was not done with a bad intention.” Another thought: he does not plot evil in revenge, will be a direct consequence of the previous one, and can be visible here, but in connection with that (Theophylact). Saint Chrysostom does not mean plotting evil, in addition to the insults received, but this: “Not only does he not do, but does not even plot anything evil against his beloved. And really, how will she do evil when she does not allow even a bad thought? And here is the source of love.” 1 Corinthians 13:6. He does not rejoice over untruth, but rejoices over the truth. Untruth and truth here define themselves mutually. As you understand untruth, so, by contrast, you must understand the truth, and vice versa. Interpreters understand these words in such a variety of ways that, putting everything together, one has to understand by untruth all evil, and by truth all good. Saint Chrysostom says: “He does not rejoice when others suffer from any evil (moral); He rejoices over those who are well-ordered in life. Or is the same thing contained here that is said elsewhere: “rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15). That’s why she doesn’t envy, that’s why she’s not proud: she recognizes the benefits of others as her own. Do you see how love makes your pet almost an Angel? For if he has no anger, is free from envy and is pure from all harmful passions, then it is obvious that he is already above human nature and has achieved the dispassion of the Angels.” Theodoret writes in accordance with this: “He hates what is illegal, he rejoices in what is good.” Theophylact is somewhat different: “He does not rejoice when someone is untruthed, offended and harmed; he rejoices with well-ordered people, while the truth prospers, considering this to be its glory.” 1 Corinthians 13:7. loves (covers) everything, has faith in everything, trusts in everything, endures everything. “Loves everything,” – στεγει, – covers. Saint Chrysostom says: “Love “covers everything”, in its long-suffering and meekness, no matter what regrettable and difficult happens, even if it were insults, even beatings, even death, or something else like that. This can be seen from the example of blessed David. What could be more painful than to see a son rebelling, seeking power and thirsting for the blood of his father? But blessed David endured this too; he did not even want to utter a reproachful word against the murderer, but, leaving everything else to the military leaders, ordered his life to be spared; his foundation of love was so strong! Therefore, the Apostle says: “covers everything.” With these words he expresses the power of love.” Theodoret writes: “For love he endures even sorrowful things.” It can also be like this: στεγη - roof. Hence the thought: love serves as a cover for everyone, everyone resorts to it and in it they find protection and cover from all adversity. Shelter also gives the thought of cover: hence love covers the sins, infirmities, shortcomings and weaknesses of others; Not only does he not disclose it, but he covers it all up with a kind word. “He has faith in everything.” “He considers his beloved to be undeceitful” (Theodoret). “He believes everything that his beloved says; and not only does she not say anything with cunning slyness, but she does not even suspect that anyone else would say so” (Theophylact). "All Hopes". When doing good and encountering failure, he does not stop, but invents new methods and, if these do not lead to the goal, he takes on others, and so on, inspired by the hope that God will finally bless this labor of love with success. Theodoret writes: “If he sees a loved one inclined to evil, he expects a change for the better.” She herself does not sit idly by, but uses for her part all possible means to correct him and, using them, “does not despair, but hopes that he will finally return to something better” (Theophylact). “Everyone endures” all the labors necessary in doing good, he willingly undertakes it, courageously overcomes obstacles, endures troubles complacently, and endures everything that he encounters on the path of goodness, having one goal - to do good to his loved one, that is, to every person; tolerates even the most failure in goodness. “If it happens that the beloved does not succumb to her worries and remains on his evil path, complacently endures his falls” (Theophylact). “And no matter what is in the beloved, or on his part, nothing can tear the lover away from love for him” (Theodorit). Saint Chrysostom combines all these three: “hopes, believes, endures,” into one speech and says: “Without despair, he expects all the good from his loved one and, even if he is bad, does not cease to correct him, care for him and take care of him, and not just hopes, but with confidence, because he loves him very much; and even if good did not happen beyond her expectations, and even her beloved would become even worse, she endures this too.” 1 Corinthians 13:8. There is no longer any need for love. “The Divine Paul, having depicted the above-mentioned properties of love in particular terms and noticing that his language is insufficient to praise love, briefly adds: “love never disappears,” that is, it does not deviate, but always remains constant, motionless, abiding forever. For this the Apostle makes clear in the words added to this” (Theodoret). “Do you see how he completed the image, and what is especially excellent about this gift? - The fact that it never disappears, that is, it does not stop, does not weaken from what it endures, because it loves everything. He who loves can never hate, no matter what happens: this is the greatest virtue of love. Such was Paul himself. How much harm the Jews did to him! But this not only did not cool his love, but even more elevated it to the point that he prayed “to be excommunicated from Christ according to his brethren” (Rom. 9:3)” (St. Chrysostom); “or: it does not cease in this life, it will pass into the next century and remain there, although everything else will be abolished” (Theophylact). c) Love endures forever (1 Cor. 13:8-13) “Having proven the superiority of love by the fact that both talents and good deeds need it, having counted all its perfections and showing that it is the basis of true wisdom, the Apostle shows its dignity from another, third, side” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 13:8. If the prophecies will be abolished, if the pagans will be silent, if the mind will be destroyed. This should be read in connection with “no longer disappears”. Let all this happen, but love will not fall away. What time is the Apostle referring to here? Tongues have fallen silent, but the gift of prophecy is still active in the Church, and even more obviously, reason. And there is no reason to assume that this will not be the case until the end of time. Therefore, we must assume that the Apostle here means the future century. “The future age has no need for this (these gifts): prophecy is unnecessary when the things themselves are evident; and knowledge of languages ​​is useless after their differences are destroyed; The lesser knowledge will also cease when the greater is taught” (Theodoret). “If prophecies and tongues were sent down for the sake of faith, then with its spread everywhere, their use is no longer necessary. But love for each other will not cease, but will increase even more, both here and in the next century, and then even more than now. Here, love weakens many things: money, everyday affairs, bodily passions, mental illnesses - but there will be nothing of the kind. However, there is nothing surprising in the fact that prophecy and tongues will be abolished; and that knowledge will be abolished seems strange. How? Will we then live in ignorance? - No; It is then that knowledge must especially increase, just as he said: “Then I will know, just as I was known” (verse 12). Therefore, so that you would not think that it too would be abolished, like prophecies and tongues, after the words: “if reason is abolished,” he did not stop, but showed the method of abolition, immediately adding” (St. Chrysostom): 1 Corinthians 13:9–10. In part we understand, and in part we prophesy. When the perfect comes, then the part will be done away with. “Consequently, it is not knowledge that will be abolished, but the incompleteness of knowledge, because we will know not only this, but also much more. So, let me explain this with an example, now we know that God is everywhere, but we don’t know how, that He created everything that exists out of nothing, and we don’t know how; We know that He was born of a Virgin, but we don’t know how. Then we will know this more and more clearly” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 13:11. When a child was born, like a child he said, like a child he was wise, like a child he was wise; When the husband came, he rejected the baby. “Having said that when perfect knowledge comes, then knowledge will partially cease, now to explain this he gives an example, which at the same time shows how great the distance of present knowledge is from that time. Now we are like babies in knowledge, but then we will become men. “Like a child in verbs,” he said, hinting at the gift of tongues; “like a child in wisdom,” hinting at the gift of prophecy; “I think like a child” - for the gift of knowledge. With the words: when the husband rejected the child, he makes it clear that in the next century we will have knowledge as perfect as the knowledge of the husband before the knowledge of the child; then this infantile knowledge that we now have will be abolished” (Theophylact). “For upon reaching adulthood, those who adorn themselves with intelligence and prudence have no need for adolescent knowledge. So, the Apostle likened the knowledge given to us in this present life to the knowledge of children, and that expected in the future life to the knowledge of perfect men, teaching, again, by this, not to think highly of their knowledge to those who dissected the Church because of knowledge” (Theodoret). When he says: “I rejected,” he suggests that of the current views, even the most wise ones, hardly anything will remain in the next century. Both earth and heaven will be new; new conditions of existence and mutual relations. Everything will appear in a different form, in a different meaning, and will be understood. What is to happen in the next century is predicted to us through comparisons. Just as comparisons are taken from the things of this age, but he ceases, such comparisons do not allow anything to be understood in its present form, but only stimulate fortune-telling. This is what the Apostle says after this. 1 Corinthians 13:12. We see now like a mirror in fortune-telling, but then face to face; Now I understand in part, but then I will know as I was known. “The Apostle explains the same thing with another example: “we see,” he says, “now like a mirror.” But since the mirror represents the visible object quite clearly, he adds (as well as then): “in fortune-telling” in order to show that real knowledge is extremely incomplete” (St. Chrysostom). “The present is a shadow of the future, for in holy baptism we see the image of the resurrection, and then we will see the Resurrection itself. Here we see a substitute for the Lord’s body, and there we will see the Lord himself. This is what the words mean: “face to face.” Let us see not His invisible nature, invisible to everyone, but what He received from us” (Theodoret). ““Face to face,” the Apostle said, not because God has a face, but in order to express more clearly and more clearly (the perfection of the knowledge of that time compared to the present). Do you see how all our knowledge will increase?” (Saint Chrysostom). God is always hidden and will remain; Even the highest beings do not see Him directly, but only in the manifestations of His glory. There will be no greater and more perfect sight of God than that which believers will be rewarded with in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the ineffable mercy of God towards us. He wants us to see Him in every possible way, but even though this cannot be done directly, He pleased the Only Begotten Son of God to be incarnate, so that those worthy could see God in His eyes. In our eyes the soul sees the soul and soul unites with soul. We have experience in those who have fallen in love with each other. They feel that through the eyes the soul seems to flow into the soul. Thus, through the eyes of the Lord, believers will communicate more closely with the hidden Divinity. And this is all their bliss. Now, even from what we already have, much is hidden, perhaps because much here appears only in the beginnings, but then it will appear as it is. Who can say what is the renewal of our nature? But it exists, and it is in action, it is coming to an end, it is maturing, and it will appear in the next century. Why does Saint John the Theologian say: here we are children; but “not having appeared that we shall be” (1 Cor. 1 John 3:2). Our current knowledge regarding the future is similar to the Old Testament knowledge regarding the present. This is how Saint Chrysostom understands it. “In order to explain this difference to you at least a little and introduce into your soul at least some ray of understanding of this subject, remember now, when grace has shone, about the times of the law. Before grace, what was then seemed something great and amazing, but after grace it became small. But in order to make what I said clearer, let’s take one of the sacred rites of that time, and you will see the difference. Imagine, if you want, the Old Testament and the New Testament Easter, and you will understand the advantage (of the latter over the first). The Jews performed it, but they performed it as if in a mirror and fortune telling; they never even had ineffable mysteries in their minds, and did not know what their actions represented; they saw the slain lamb, the blood of the dumb and the doors anointed with it; and that the incarnate Son of God will be slain, will deliver the entire universe, will give His Blood to the Greeks and barbarians as food, will open heaven for everyone, will offer the blessings there to the human race, will lift up the bloody flesh above heaven and the sky of heaven, and in general above all the heavenly armies, Angels, Archangels and other Powers, and will seat it on the very royal throne at the right hand of the Father in the radiance of ineffable glory, none of them could have imagined this in their minds then.” What do the words mean: “then I will know as I was also known”? – And this also explains the highest measure of future knowledge compared to the present. The then “I know as I was known” will replace the current one: “I understand in part.” Consequently, “as if I were known” explains the measure of knowledge at that time. For this is already a done thing. What is it? What is the meaning of the words: “as I was known”? – Saint Chrysostom says: “Just as He Himself knew me in advance and Himself descended to me, so I will reach Him then much more than now. He who sits in darkness, before he sees the sun, does not himself come to its beautiful rays, but they reveal themselves to him when they shine; and when he accepts their radiance, then he himself strives for the light. The same meaning in the words: “as He was known,” not that we know Him as He knows us, but just as He Himself has descended to us now, so we too will reach Him then, we will learn many things that are now hidden, and we will be worthy of the most blessed conversation and wisdom.” Theodoret understands it this way: “The Apostle does not say that I will know Him as I myself am known by Him, but that I will see Him more definitely as one who has become His own. For the word: “known” was used by the Apostle instead of the word: appropriated. So the Lord said to Moses: “I know you better than all” (Ex. 33:17), and the Apostle says: “The Lord knows Him who is His” (2 Tim. 2:19), that is, He honors them with greater providence.” The Apostle used this word more than once, and it is all rather dark. It is true, and this belongs to objects that will then be known in perfect clarity. 1 Corinthians 13:13. Now faith, hope, love, these three abide; more than these love. Saint Chrysostom says: “Here is a new praise of love. Not content with what was said before, the Apostle tries to find something else in it. Look: he said that love is a great gift and the most excellent path to gifts; said that without it, talents do not bring much benefit; painted her image with abundant features, and now he especially wants to elevate her and show her greatness by the fact that she does not stop. “Now,” he says, “faith, hope, love, these three abide; greater than these are love.” Why is there more love? - Because they pass away. Faith and hope cease when the goods that constitute the object of faith and hope appear.” Theodoret writes the same thing: “In the future life, faith is unnecessary when the things themselves become manifest. If “faith is the knowledge of hope” (Heb. 11:1), then after the appearance of the things themselves, there is no longer a need for faith. Hope is also unnecessary there. For “the hope that is seen is not hope: for whoever sees even hope” (Rom. 8:24)? But love has more power there when passions are at rest, bodies become incorruptible, and souls do not choose one thing today and another tomorrow.” Theophylact compares these virtues with gifts of grace and says: “Now there are both prophecies and tongues, because they are necessary for the establishment of faith. But when faith spreads everywhere and is established, then those gifts will cease, but will remain: faith, hope and love, they will remain until the end of the age. At the end of the age, faith and hope will cease, but love will pass into the next age.” New interpreters believe that the Apostle says about all three virtues that they will not only outlive all the gifts in this century, but all three will also pass into the next century: there will be their own objects for both faith and hope, and not for love alone. Then we will see, and until then we will adhere to the patristic interpretation, according to which present faith will pass into the contemplation of what is believed, and hope into the possession of what is hoped for, and love will remain love as it is. If faith and hope receive other objects, then although they will be, they will not be those that here revive and inspire us. There is, therefore, no need to split hairs. 3. On the use of the gift of prophecy and tongues (1 Cor. 14) The Apostle's purpose in this chapter is to incite the Corinthians to seek and use in their assemblies the gift of prophecy rather than the gift of tongues. For this purpose, a) first convinces them of the superiority of the gift of prophecy over the gift of tongues (1 Cor. 14:1-25), then b) writes rules about the use of both in the Church (1 Cor. 14: 26-38), finally c) puts a brief conclusion to the entire discussion about these gifts (1 Cor. 14: 39-40). a) The superiority of the gift of prophecy over the gift of tongues (1 Cor. 14:1-25) aa) he who prophesies more than he who speaks in tongues, because he edifies the Church, but he only edifies himself (1 Cor. 14:1-5). bb) But if we begin to act in such a way that we only create ourselves, then how will the salvation of the world be arranged? Here I am, the Apostle, if, having come to you, I began to speak in a language you did not understand, who would believe? It would be the same as if a military leader gave a sign with a trumpet, which none of the soldiers understood. The warriors would not move. Likewise, I would not have converted any of you (1 Cor. 14:6-11). cv) So you also look for gifts that are useful to the Church, I mean the gift of prophecy. If anyone already has the gift of tongues, then let him pray that he may also be given the speaking of tongues. Then, praying in spirit, he will then begin to pray with his mind in a way that is clear to others, and therefore both his spirit and mind will be fruitful (1 Cor. 14:12-19). d) And without this, using the gift of tongues in the Church, when no one understands it, is infancy, acting without purpose (1 Cor. 14:20); there is action, without consideration of those before whom they act, for it is necessary to speak in tongues to unbelievers, but here are all believers (1 Cor. 14:21-22); there is an act that can lead to the ridicule of the faithful and damage to faith (1 Cor. 14:23-25). With all this, the Apostle convinces and persuades us to give priority to the gift of prophecy and seek it, and to abandon the high opinion of the gift of tongues, recognizing it as erroneous. 1 Corinthians 14:1. Hold on to love, be zealous for the spiritual, and above all, let yourself prophesy. “Hold on,” - διωκετε, drive, strive, search hard for love. “Be zealous”—seek diligently for “spiritual” gifts, and most of all, those to prophesy. To prophesy means, at the movement of the Spirit of God, to speak to believers for their edification in a language they understand. Its subject could be dogma, moral teaching, consolation, prayerful praise, and prophecy itself. Saint Paul primarily encourages us to seek this gift, although he does not say it before, but from the words that follow it is clear that it is before the gift of tongues. Saint Chrysostom says: “Having thoroughly demonstrated all the dignity of love, the Apostle finally convinces them to zealously achieve it; That’s why he says: “hold on,” drive.” You need to chase after it and strive hard for it; So she flies away from us, and there are so many obstacles to the desire for her! Therefore, we need great efforts to achieve it. To express this, Paul did not say: seek love, but: pursue love, motivating and inflaming us to achieve it. For she often moves away from us because we do not treat her properly and are ready to prefer everything else to her. Further, so that they would not think that he was talking about love in order to humiliate talents, he adds: “Be zealous for the spiritual, and above all let you prophesy.” His thought is this: “Since love is such a great asset, consider its acquisition a great deed; However, do not remain negligent about spiritual gifts, and prefer prophecy to others. Obviously, the Apostle again humbles the arrogance of those who boasted of the gift of tongues” (Theodoret). 1 Corinthians 14:2. For he who speaks in tongues speaks not to man, but to God; No one hears, but in the spirit he speaks secrets. “Speak in tongues,” - whoever speaks in a language unknown to those gathered in the Church, “does not speak with men,” does not speak for these people; for them this is completely foreign speech; they have no idea whether something is being said for them, or perhaps the one who spoke in his mind did not have anything to say to them, and spoke so only because the movement to speak came, which, however, he could control - “but to God,” who sees everything and hears the most intimate, what happens and is said in the mind and heart, - God alone understands him, “no one else hears”; they hear, but do not understand, all they do is not hear, his words do not enter the ear and through the ear into the mind, but beat the ear from without, without communicating inside; “hear” here means to listen and understand. - “But he speaks secrets by the Spirit,” or moved by the Spirit of God, or in himself, in his spirit and to himself, to his spirit (Ecumenius), he speaks secrets, what has been communicated to his spirit, the secrets of faith and life, hidden for others. The Apostle’s speech is such that it does not disparage the gift, but does not properly lead the one who uses it to admonition. “He produces both together. The Corinthian accuses him of covetousness and makes him see the need for talent. It was given to preachers because of the different languages ​​of people, so that, having come to the Indians, they would offer a divine sermon, speaking their language, and also talking with the Persians, Scythians, Romans and Egyptians, preach to them the Gospel teaching in the language of each people. Therefore, it was unnecessary for those talking in Corinth to speak in the languages ​​of Scythian, or Persian, or Egyptian, which the Corinthians could not understand” (Theodoret). “The Corinthians greatly extolled the gift of tongues and considered it a great gift - they considered it great because the Apostles received it first of all and with such solemnity. But that didn't make him superior to others. Why did the apostles receive it first of all? - Because they had to go everywhere. Just as during the pandemonium one tongue was divided into many, so then (during the time of the Apostles) many tongues often belonged to one person, and the same one spoke in many languages, according to the inspiration of the Spirit. This gift was called the gift of tongues. See how the Apostle both humbles him and exalts him; with the words: “He speaks not by man, no one hears,” he humbles, showing that this talent is not unconditionally useful, but with the words: “He speaks mysteries by the Spirit,” he again elevates it, so that it does not seem unnecessary, useless and given in vain” (St. Chrysostom). For from these words it follows that, although it is incomprehensible to others, he nevertheless speaks the mysteries of God and speaks by the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:3. Prophesy, man says creation and consolation and affirmation. “Prophesy”, who also speaks according to the movement of the Spirit of God, speaks the mysteries of God, but it is clear for people who hear, he speaks not only to himself and to God, but also to people, and brings spiritual benefit to them - creation, consolation, confirmation. “Creation” - οικοδομη, in general, restores a good mood of the spirit inside, in all parts, or mainly in the moral; “consolation” – παρακλησις, exhortation, persuasion, persuasion, mental benefit; “affirmation” - παραμυθια, actually consolation, pacification of the heart, healing of its illnesses. “Do you see from which side he proves the superiority of this talent? In terms of its general usefulness. And everywhere he prefers what benefits many. And those, tell me, didn’t they tell people? – To people; but not for edification, not for admonition, not for consolation. To be inspired by the Spirit is equally common to both, the one who prophesies and the one who speaks in tongues; but the first, that is, the one who prophesies, has an advantage over the last in that he is also useful to the listeners. Those who did not have this gift did not hear or understand those who spoke in tongues” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 14:4. For if you speak in tongues, you build yourself, but if you prophesy, you build the church. He who speaks in tongues only understands himself; That’s why he only edifies himself, but everyone in the Church understands the one who prophesies, and everyone is edified. And this is the purpose of gifts. They are given for the needs of the Church, or for the multiplication of its members through their conversion to faith, which is also served by the gift of tongues, or for the building up of those who believe, which is primarily served by the gift of prophecy and preaching. Some believe that those who spoke in tongues did not understand themselves; but how could they edify themselves if they did not understand themselves? “The Apostle talks about those who knew what they were saying - they knew it themselves, but could not convey it to others” (St. Chrysostom). How did the one who prophesied edify others? And in general by the revelation of the mysteries of faith and life, or sometimes and more particularly “through the revelation of thoughts and the discovery of what is happening secretly” (Theodoret). This kind of speech had to be kept strictly attentive to everyone, for fear of being embarrassed in front of everyone. Maybe not always, but occasionally it happened; Yes, at least once only, and this could not help but keep everyone in good spirits. From here came edification, not for one moment, but for a lifetime. Having compared the benefits of both gifts, we see that “what is the difference between one and the Church, the same difference is between these gifts. You see how the Apostle does not turn this gift into nothing, but shows that although it brings benefit, it is small, limited only to those who possess it” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 14:5. I want all of you to speak in tongues, but rather let you prophesy: ​​more prophesy than speak in tongues, unless (someone) says, let the church accept creation. Since there were many speaking in tongues in Corinth, the Apostle more precisely defines his thought about the comparative dignity of gifts. I am not a persecutor, he says, of the gift of tongues: God grant that you all speak in tongues; but I argue about what is better, and I wish you the best, namely, “let you prophesy.” He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues. I wish you more. He is greater than this, judging by the benefit he brings to the Church. Only in this case will the one who speaks in tongues stand on an equal footing with the one who prophesies when he explains in an understandable language what he speaks in an incomprehensible one. For then he will equally edify the Church. The sameness of benefits will equalize them, and without this the latter cannot be compared with the former. Saint Chrysostom says: “The expressions “more” and “more” do not mean opposition, but advantage. The apostle does not condemn talents, but guides his listeners for the better, showing his care for them. And he is ready to give approval to this gift, “if he says” - if the one who possesses it is capable of this, that is, of interpretation, then, he says, he becomes equal to the prophet, because then many benefit. It should be especially noted how he seeks benefit in everything first of all.” Theophylact adds: “If he can interpret his speech, then the one who speaks in tongues is equal to the one who prophesies. For he also then edifies the Church by interpreting what is not clearly spoken by the tongue. And telling with tongues was a gift, which was given to some of those who spoke with tongues, but to others it was not given.” Theodoret writes: “The Apostle made it clear why he said: “more.” I do not belittle, he says, talent, but I am looking for something more useful. When there is no translator to tell the story, then prophecy is better, because it is more useful.” Then the Apostle explains at length how it is useless to speak to others when no one understands. He does this because all his admonitions and all orders regarding the use of these gifts are based on this. Just understand well how absurd this is, and you will no longer fall into such a mistake. 1 Corinthians 14:6. Now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what benefit will I do to you, unless I speak to you either by revelation, or by reason, or by prophecy, or by teaching? He brings to their memory how he was with them, and, despite the fact that he spoke in tongues more than anyone else, he spoke to them in their language, and not in someone else’s. This really calms them down and makes them understand. He gave a turn of phrase as if suggesting only a possible case. If, he says, I myself came to you and began to speak in tongues, there would be no benefit; but he was already with them, and they know how he held conversations with them. He suggests that if I myself had acted like this among you, I would not have praised this way of acting. The words: “unless I tell you,” and so on, do not mean that neither revelation, nor reason, nor anything else is communicated in tongues: all this could be offered by one speaking in tongues; but the fact is that, even if all this was contained in my speech, you would not have received any revelation or anything like that, because, speaking to you in an incomprehensible language, I, too, would not have said anything like that. “The meaning of his words is as follows: if I do not tell you anything that can be understandable and clear to you, but only show that I have the gift of tongues, then after listening to tongues, you will walk away without receiving any benefit; for what is the use of words which you do not understand?” (Saint Chrysostom). The words: “revelation, reason, prophecy, teaching” make it clear what those who prophesied proposed in their speech, and like them, those who spoke in tongues when interpretation accompanied their speech; therefore, everything by which the Church was edified. Therefore, their precise definition is desirable. Saint Chrysostom does not concern himself with this. Theodoret writes in general: “What benefit will I bring you if I do not teach you teachings, revealing hidden secrets to you, guiding you to the divine and offering decent advice for you?” Theophylact explains these words fully: ““In revelation,” that is, what is usually said to those who receive revelations from God, which also includes if everyone’s thoughts are revealed in the presence of everyone; “in the mind,” that is, what those who have knowledge and expound the mysteries of God to those who listen can speak; “in prophecy,” that is, saying what was, is and will be: a comprehensive prophecy of revelation; “in teaching,” that is, in the form of a teaching word, when there is a conversation about virtue, about dogmas.” 1 Corinthians 14:7. However, a soulless voice that gives, even a sniffle, even a harp, even if it doesn’t make a difference by squeaking, how reasonable will squeaking or buzzing be? “What am I saying,” continues the Apostle, “that this is useless with us, and that only what is clear and understandable to the listeners is useful? The same can be seen with soulless musical instruments; if, for example, you blow a pipe or strike a harp without proper harmony and harmony, but in a mixed and disorderly manner, you will not give pleasure to any of the listeners, for some clarity is required from inarticulate instruments, and if you strike a harp or blow a pipe without skill, you will not do anything. If we demand such clarity, harmony and separation from soulless things, if we try and strive to give great meaning to meaningless sounds, then all the more is comprehensibility required from animated and rational people and spiritual gifts” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 14:8. For if the trumpet sounds unknown, who will prepare for battle? “The Apostle moves from unnecessary things to the most necessary and useful and says that you can see the same thing not only on the harp, but also on the trumpet. For it also produces harmonious sounds, sometimes meaning war, sometimes something else, sometimes a call to attack, sometimes to retreat; and whoever does not know this is in extreme danger. In order to explain this and indicate this danger, he says: “Who will prepare for battle?” And whoever does not do this destroys everything” (Saint Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 14:9. So, even if you do not give a word wisely with your tongue, how will you understand what is being said? You will be talking in the air. “The word is not prudent,” - μη ευσημον, - a word that does not have a clear meaning, is incomprehensible. If, he says, you speak in such words, who will understand you? You will speak into thin air. “For when those present do not understand, words flow in vain into the air” (Theodoret). “That is, you will not say anything, you will speak for no one” (St. Chrysostom). Just like a military trumpet, if it blows indistinctly, its sound will carry through the air, and none of the soldiers will move, so are your words, spoken in a foreign language and incomprehensible. As if this were hinting: do you want the trumpet of your word, pronounced in a foreign language, not to make sounds into the air? - Connect it with your own interpretation or through another. Theodoret writes: “What a harmonious measure is for a harp and a military sign for a trumpet, so is a “legend” for tongues.” Saint Chrysostom suggests the same thought: “For the gift of tongues to be useful to others, it is necessary to combine interpretation with it. This gift is good and necessary, but only when someone explains what was said. Art will not be revealed if there is no substance; A substance will not be formed unless a form is given to it. Put voice in the place of substance, and clarity (intelligibility) in the place of form, without which there can be no benefit from the substance.” He says this about the interpretation of a word spoken in a foreign language. 1 Corinthians 14:10. There are so many voices in the world, and not a single one of them is voiceless. “The birthplace of voices” - languages ​​and dialects. Voiceless - undead, not silent. They speak in all of them and communicate their thoughts to each other: “So many languages, so many dialects, Scythians, Thracians, Romans, Persians, Moors, Indians, Egyptians and many other peoples!” (Saint Chrysostom). Monolinguals speak to monolinguals, but why do you speak among your own people in what dialect you don’t know? And you make yourself strangers to them, and them to you. 1 Corinthians 14:11. If we do not learn the power of the voice, I will be a foreigner who speaks; and the one who speaks is a foreigner to me. “If we do not understand the power of the voice,” if I do not understand the language of the one who speaks to me, then I am a stranger to him, - βαρβαρος, and he is the same for me. Speaking incomprehensibly, what you did was that you went into someone else’s direction and moved among foreigners, and made yourself the same for them: not understanding your speech, and others have the right to consider you foreigners. This is how absurd it turns out! (Thought of Photius in Ekumenia). “In saying this, I do not blame language, but I show that it is useless to me as long as it is unclear. Notice how everywhere he tries to show that the gift itself does not deserve blame, but transfers the guilt to those who received it” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 14:12. So you too, who are zealous in spirit by nature, ask (seek) for the building of the church, so that you may abound. “Zealots of the Spirit,” that is, spiritual gifts. The second half of the text should be presented like this: seek and abound in what serves to build the Church. Are you jealous, he says, of spiritual gifts of grace? - Okay, be jealous; but look for those by whom the Church may be edified. “Do you see his constant goal, how he constantly and in everything has one thing in mind, the need of many, the benefit of the Church, setting this as some kind of rule? And he did not say: seek so that you may receive gifts, but: “may you abound” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 14:13. In the same way, speak with your tongue, let him pray, let him speak. “Let him pray, let him speak,” let him pray in order to receive the gift and interpretation of what he says in a foreign language. “Ask,” says the Apostle, “He who gave you the gift of languages, to add the gift of storytelling, so that you can benefit the Church” (Theodoret). “The apostle shows that it depends on them to receive the gift: “let him pray,” he says, that is, let him apply what is in his power. For if you ask hard, you will receive. So, ask that you have not only the gift of tongues, but also the gift of interpretation, so that you can be useful to everyone, and not contain the gift in yourself alone” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 14:14. Even though I pray with my tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. “The Apostle calls the gift the spirit, and the mind the explanation of what is said” (Theodoret). The mind bears fruit when, understanding what, it conveys it to others, and thereby benefits them. This benefit is the fruit of the mind. Speaking in foreign languages, they offered everything said above, revelation, reason, prophecy, teaching, and often prayer. “My spirit,” says the Apostle, “in the person of everyone who speaks in tongues, my spirit, excited by the Spirit of God, prays in a foreign language, the gift of God is in action, it corrects its work, but my mind remains fruitless, because it does not convey to others in an understandable language what it itself receives from the Spirit of God. If I did this, I would benefit others, and then my mind would not be fruitless. “The benefit for the speaker is the benefit of the listeners. The Apostle said this in his Epistle to the Romans: “that I have some fruit in you also, as in the rest of the nations” (Rom. 1:13). Therefore, speaking in another language and not offering interpretation to those present, I will not have any fruit, because they will not receive any benefit” (Theodoret). Speaking about prayer in tongues, the Apostle takes only an example, but generally means speaking in tongues. “If I speak with a tongue, and at the same time do not interpret, then my spirit, my soul in itself, receives benefit, but my mind is without fruit, because it does not benefit others” (Theophylact). 1 Corinthians 14:15. What else is there? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the mind; I will sing in spirit, and I will also sing in mind. “What the hell?” So what should we do? What to do? – It is necessary to do so in a foreign language, according to the movement of the Spirit, to pray and sing, and then to do the same in a language that is understandable. How to do this? – The Apostle has already indicated this: either let someone else interpret it, or ask yourself for such a gift. So Blessed Theodoret: “The Apostle says that the one who speaks in another language, whether in psalmody, or in prayer, or in teaching, must either himself be a translator for the benefit of those listening, or take someone else who is capable of this as a collaborator in the teaching.” 1 Corinthians 14:16. Even if you bless with spirit, fulfill the place of the ignorant, what does Amen say, according to your thanksgiving? It’s still unknown what you say. “Ignorant” - ιδιωτης, the Apostle calls a simple layman. “The meaning of his words is this: if you bless in a foreign language, without knowing how to interpret it, then a layman cannot answer: “Amen,” for without hearing (not understanding) the final words: “forever and ever,” he will not say: “Amen” (St. Chrysostom). This suggests that the primates themselves, who were entrusted with the edification and care of the believers, were guilty of the unreasonable use of the gift. It is also noteworthy that the laity also took part in church prayer. It was impossible for everyone, he says, to pray; but some said prayers, because God gave them prayer, while others listened to that prayer and expressed their agreement with it with the word: Amen - so be it, proving by the fact that their hearts also prayed with the prayer of the primate. 1 Corinthians 14:17. You thank me kindly, but another one will not be created. “So that it does not seem as if he is demeaning the very gift of tongues, he says: “You therefore give thanks”, for you speak at the inspiration of the Spirit, but the one who does not understand anything from what has been said stands there, not receiving any benefit” (St. Chrysostom). “I know that, inspired by God’s grace, you sing hymns to God, but those who do not know the language do not understand what is being said” (Theodoret). The benefit is limited to you alone. You can receive it by praying silently, within yourself. 1 Corinthians 14:18. I thank my God, speaking in tongues above all of you. “So that they would not think that he humiliates them because he himself is deprived of this gift, he says: “I speak in tongues more than all of you.” Therefore, do not be arrogant, as if you alone have this gift, and I have it, and, moreover, much more than you” (St. Chrysostom). How the Apostle acted among the believers, they knew this; but they may not have known about his gift of languages ​​if he did not use it unnecessarily, and the necessary opportunity did not present itself while he was among them. Therefore, mentioning this was not inappropriate; but it should have had an extremely intelligible effect on the Corinthians. For they could not help but see in the Apostle an example to follow. 1 Corinthians 14:19. But in church I want to speak five words with my mind, and I use others than these many words with my tongue. “Before you, I was vouchsafed this gift, and through me you also received this grace. However, caring for the benefit of many, I prefer clear teaching to unclear” (Theodoret). “What does it mean: “I speak with my mind and use others”? - Say what I understand, what I can interpret to others, speak clearly and teach the listeners. “Than the words of the tongue.” Why? “Yes, I use others too,” he says. The former brings only external glory, but the latter brings great benefit. Everywhere he looks for one thing - the common good. Although the gift of tongues was extraordinary, and the gift of prophecy was ordinary, ancient, and already belonged to many, while it became known then for the first time, Paul did not consider it very desirable for himself, and did not even use it, not because he did not have it, but because he was looking for the most useful. He was alien to any vanity and had only one thing in mind, how to make better listeners. That is why he could see what was useful both for himself and for others, because he was free from vanity; and whoever has enslaved himself to this passion cannot see what is useful not only for others, but also for himself (St. Chrysostom). The Apostle has already sufficiently proven his thought that the gift of tongues should not be used in the Church when no one understands that language; Now he is collecting a few more ideas in order to completely reject them from such action, finding out how ugly it is. 1 Corinthians 14:20. Brothers, do not have children in your minds, but be childish in malice, but have perfect minds. “After many explanations and proofs, the Apostle now rightly uses stronger speech, combined with great reproof, and gives an example consistent with the subject. Children are surprised and amazed at the sight of small things, but at the sight of very great things they are not so surprised. In the same way, those who had the gift of tongues, which was the least of all, thought that they had everything, which is why he says: “be not children,” that is, do not be foolish where you should be reasonable, but be simple children where there is untruth, where there is vanity, where there is pride. He who is a child in evil must also be wise; just as wisdom with malice would not be wisdom, so simplicity with foolishness would not be simplicity; in simplicity we must avoid foolishness and in wisdom we must avoid malice. Just as medicines that are more properly bitter or sweet do not bring benefit, so do simplicity and wisdom in themselves. Therefore, Christ, commanding to unite both, said: “Be wise as a serpent, and purposeful as doves” (Matthew 10:16). What does it mean to be “infant with malice”? “You don’t even know what evil is.” He wanted them to be both husbands and children: children in evil, but men in wisdom. And the husband will then be a man when at the same time he is a child; and until he is a child in evil, he will not be a husband, because an evil person cannot be perfect, but can be unreasonable” (St. Chrysostom). Having expressed such a thought, the Apostle does not explain it and does not make any application from it to his subject. For this was self-evident. He wanted to tell them, as we often say: to act as you do means to be childish. “Do not pervert the order and compete not with small-mindedness, but with the kindness of children; and from those who are perfect in age, borrow not guile, but prudence” (Theodoret). 1 Corinthians 14:21. In the law he writes: For with other tongues and with other lips will I speak to this people, and neither will they listen to Me, says the Lord. By law here we mean the Old Testament Scripture in general, for the words quoted are taken from the prophet Isaiah (1 Cor. 28:11-12). God taught His people through the prophets, and as long as they obeyed, they were content with this means of admonition and correction. When he reached the point where the prophetic word no longer had any effect on him, then He threatened them: do they not listen to the prophets? - so I will speak to them in a different language, that is, I will send a strange people against them. “And not even one will listen to Me,” but they will still remain stubborn. St. Paul compares only two features: the prophets spoke to the people while they listened to them; prophecy, therefore, is a sign that those to whom prophetic speech addresses are obedient, faithful, and believing. On the contrary, the appearance of people with an alien language is a sign that those they came to have abandoned obedience to God and are unfaithful to Him. Taking this into account, he says: 1 Corinthians 14:22. Moreover, the pagans are a sign not for believers, but for unbelievers; and prophecy is not to those who disbelieve, but to those who believe. He says, as it were: what an inconsistency you have made! From the circumstance indicated in the writings of the prophet Isaiah, it turns out that when you speak in a language alien to the congregation, this means that before you are all stubborn unbelievers who have abandoned obedience to God; but in reality these are all sincere believers, ready to listen, thirsty for edification. It is necessary to speak to them not in alien languages, but in a prophetic language, with which God spoke to His people in ancient times, while they were faithful to Him and obeyed the prophets. You are completely perverting the order! Your way of acting makes such an absurd comparison! In our meeting there should not be a foreign sound, but one prophetic word should be heard. 1 Corinthians 14:23. If the whole church is dreamed of, and all tongues speak, and they come in with foolishness or unfaithfulness, do they not say that you are mad? This does not stand in connection with the previous one, but separately; a new, third inconsistency is indicated in the way the Corinthians acted. Suppose, he says, that your entire Church has gathered, and everyone who has the gift of tongues will begin to speak them, first one, then another, or even several together. And that in itself is ugly. But if foolish people, simpletons, peasants, or infidels come to you, what will they think if they listen to one, the other, or several together? “Won’t they say that you’re going crazy, crazy?” And you will push away from the doors of salvation those who came to seek salvation, and, moreover, in such a way that even after you will no longer attract them to listen to the truth, and not only them, but also many others, to whom they will tell about the outrages happening in your assemblies. 1 Corinthians 14:24–25. Even if everyone prophesies, someone unfaithful or ignorant comes in, is convicted by everyone, and is tortured by everyone. And the secret of his heart is revealed; and so he fell on his face and bowed down to God, proclaiming that truly God is with you. Your meeting will have a completely opposite effect on the simpleton or the unbeliever, when, having come to you, they will meet you prophesying one after another, that is, speaking in a language that everyone understands, what the Spirit of God inspires to whom, whether prophecy, reason, revelation, teaching, or prayer. No matter what anyone says, Christian truths are all of such a kind that they are capable of disturbing the conscience, arousing the fear of God and converting every unbeliever and sinner to the good path. The one who enters will be exposed and tortured by everyone, not through judicial interrogations. No; everyone will speak without knowing what is in the souls of those who enter, but the truths themselves are of such a kind that they convict the one who hears. Words inspired by the Spirit of God fall on the conscience, and it, awakening, produces complete conviction, which no one can see. But one reproof in itself is bleak, and if only this alone produced Christian conversation, then there would be little fruit from it. The power lies in the fact that this conversation always offers those convicted a consoling way of salvation, for the essence of the conversations is salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ - and whatever you start talking about, everything will come to the Lord, the only consolation of all the contrite. Therefore, the one who is convicted is not only convicted, but also accepts the hope of salvation and comes to the decision, without delay, to take the path of salvation. The grace of the Spirit, which overshadows everyone in the assembly and penetrates the very words of those speaking, completes the work. And behold, the infidel, internally changed under the influence of the prophetic word, invisibly to anyone, falls on his face and worships the Christian God and confesses that in the assembly of Christians, in the Church, God truly exists, is present and active! “You see how the power of prophecy changed a rude man, taught him and led him to faith” (St. Chrysostom). b) Rules on the use of the gifts of prophecy and tongues in the Church (1 Cor. 14, 26–38) First he expresses aa) the general law: everything is for creation (1 Cor. 14:26), then he writes bb) rules α) for those speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 14:27–28); β) for prophets (1 Cor. 14:29–33); γ) for women (1 Cor. 14:34–36), finally applies c) general conviction to the fulfillment of what was said (1 Cor. 14:37–38). aa) General law: everything is for creation (1 Cor. 14:26) 1 Corinthians 14:26. What is it, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you should have a psalm, have a teaching, have a tongue, have a revelation, have a legend: let everything be for creation. “What the hell is there?” What comes of all this? What should you do? - That's how it is! Are you going to church? everyone has something of the Spirit of God; who is a “psalm”, any kind of prayerful appeal to God, petition, thanksgiving, praise to God our Savior, in the Lord Jesus Christ, by the grace of the Holy Spirit; who is “teaching”, dogma, moral teaching, advice, solution to perplexities; who is “revelation” - insight into the future, vision of the hidden in the present or past, the removal of the secrets of the heart: “prophecy is called revelation” (Ecumenius, Theophylact); who is “tongue”, is a gift, everything shown speaks in an alien language; who is a “legend”, the gift of interpreting what is said in an incomprehensible language. So, you have gathered in church with all this spiritual wealth: here is the general law for you to use it: “let everything be for creation.” Remember that no one receives anything exclusively for himself, but whatever he receives he receives for the entire congregation of believers. He must share with him, not seeking his own glory, but fulfilling God’s instructions regarding what was given. In the gift itself, God seems to say to everyone: take it and give it away. Saint Chrysostom says to this: “Do you see the foundation and rule of Christianity? Just as it is the work of an architect to build, so it is the work of a Christian to benefit his neighbors in every way. Some have a psalm, some have a teaching, some have a tongue: but all this, he says, let it tend to one thing - to the edification of one’s neighbor; let nothing be done in vain, for if you do not come for the edification of your brother, then why do you come? For me, the difference in talents is not very important; my worries and efforts tend only to one thing, that everything should be done for edification; then even one who has a small gift will surpass one who has a great one, if he uses it with edification. Gifts are given for this reason, so that everyone receives edification; if this does not happen, then the gift will even serve to condemn the one who received it, for tell me, what is the use of prophesying, what is the use of raising the dead, if no one receives edification? If this is the goal of gifts, which can be achieved in another way without gifts, then do not exalt yourself with signs and do not consider yourself unhappy, not having talents.” bb) Rules for those blessed with gifts (1 Cor. 14:27–36) Applying this general law to possible cases in the congregation, the Apostle says: α) To those who speak in tongues (1 Cor. 14:27–28) 1 Corinthians 14:27–28. If anyone speaks with his tongue, he says in twos, or multiplies in threes, and in parts; and let him alone speak. If there is no speaker, let him remain silent in the church; let him speak to himself and to God. Speak in tongues in the congregation only when there is a speaker, interpreter, or translator, and when he is not there, remain silent, speaking to yourself and to God. “In twos, or multiplied by threes, and in parts..”. It doesn’t mean that two or three can speak at once, but that one or two, many, many, and a third should speak to the whole assembly, and not suddenly, but separately, one after another (Ecumenius). “Let him speak to himself and to God.” That is, “speak to yourself, in your mind, secretly and without noise” (St. Chrysostom); In your mind before God, go over what you would like to express with your tongue, and go deeper into it. “He who speaks in tongues is not sufficient in himself; therefore, if anyone has the gift of interpretation, let him speak; if he does not have it, but wants to speak, then let him do it in the presence of an interpreter. If there is no speaker, let him remain silent, for nothing should be done in vain or out of ambition. “You are not gathering,” he says, “in order to show that you have a talent, but in order to edify your listeners” (St. Chrysostom). β) To the prophets (1 Cor. 14, 29–33) 1 Corinthians 14:29. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the friends reason. “Prophets” are those who received revelation, intelligence, and teaching from the Spirit of God in order to convey it to the congregation in a common language. “Two or three shall speak,” that is, one after the other. “As before regarding languages, so here he demands that these be kept separate” (St. Chrysostom). “Let friends reason,” let them listen to what they hear and go deeper, assimilating what they hear, for only in this way can what is revealed to one or another become common property. Or the words: “let them reason” give occupation to those who had the gift of reasoning in the spirit. So Blessed Theodoret: “The Divine Apostle already counted “spiritual reasoning” among spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 2:10). Here he says that those who have been worthy of this gift should judge about what is being said, whether it is said by the action of the Spirit of God. For the devil opposed false prophets to the prophets, and false apostles to the apostles; and the Apostle makes this clear in his second letter to the Corinthians, for he says: “such are the deceitful apostles, the workers of deceit” (2 Cor. 11:13).” Saint Chrysostom understands the same thing: “The Apostle said this to warn the listeners, so that there would not be a misunderstanding between them. He commanded to beware of this at the beginning, and now he commands us to distinguish and observe the same thing, so that nothing of the devil should creep in.” 1 Corinthians 14:30. If it is revealed to another who sits, let the first one remain silent. “What do these words mean? If, he says, while you are prophesying and speaking, the Spirit of another stirs him up, then you must remain silent. For why should you continue speaking when another is excited to prophesy? But shouldn't both of them have been told? “It would be inappropriate and would make a mess.” Shouldn't the first one (continue until he finishes)? - And this is inappropriate, because for this reason the Spirit aroused the other when the first one spoke, so that he too would say something (and he would fall silent). Then, as a consolation to the one whom he commands to remain silent, he speaks” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 14:31. You can all prophesy in one way, so that everyone learns and everyone is comforted. It’s like this: let this one, again excited, talk, then the one who was interrupted can talk again, if there is still something left to say. Why such a preference for the newly aroused? – Because such a person’s speech is more fiery, more heartfelt, and therefore more influential. Since the purpose of the Apostle’s instructions is that everyone learns and is comforted, it is fair to give such a person a place to speak as quickly as possible; and the one who spoke before is assumed to have received good suggestions before the meeting, during home prayer and contemplation of God; Consequently, they are not new to him, they were repeated more than once in his mind and are offered more from memory. But this change also had to happen in order. Theodoret writes: “Let nothing be done haphazardly or with confusion, because each of you can offer a prophecy to those gathered, and through this bring them benefit. This order has remained in the Churches to this day, and some of the teachers talk with the people at one solemn meeting, and others at another.” 1 Corinthians 14:32. And the souls obey the prophet’s prophecies. “Do you see how he again gives the reason why he commands this? – So that a person does not object and resist (preventing himself from the uncontrollability of the Spirit), he says that the gift itself obeys (the one who received it). “Spirit” here he calls the action (of Him). If “the Spirit obeys,” then all the more you, who have received it, have no right to object” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 14:33. There is no disorder from God, but peace, as in all the churches of the saints. “Proves that God wants it this way too. Do you see how many reasons he encourages silence and consoles those who yield to another? - Firstly, by the fact that in this case it is not excluded: “you can,” he says, “all prophesy in one way”; secondly, because this is characteristic of the Spirit, for “the souls of prophecy obey the prophets”; further by the fact that this is in accordance with the will of God: “for there is no disorder with God, but peace”; thirdly, by the fact that this rule extends to the entire universe and that he does not command anything new: “as,” he says, “in all the churches of the saints” (I command). Could there be anything more amazing than this? The church was heaven then; The Spirit arranged everything among the people, guided and inspired each of the primates. And now we have only signs of the talents of that time. And now we say, but all these are only signs and monuments of the past. In ancient times they spoke not according to their own wisdom, but according to the inspiration of the Spirit. And now it’s not like that; I speak my mind. Now the Church is like a woman who has lost her former wealth, retaining in many places only signs of the original prosperity and showing containers and storehouses of golden treasures, but not having the wealth itself; The Church has now become like such a woman. I say this, meaning not talents - it would not be too regrettable if it were only this - but also life and virtue” (St. Chrysostom). γ) To the wives (1 Cor. 14:34–36) 1 Corinthians 14:34. Let your wives be silent in churches; For they were not commanded to speak, but to obey, just as the law says. Since the Apostle is all about teaching in the church, then of course the same thing is said here. It is true that the women also became inspired and, relying on the fact that in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female, they stood up in the assembly and spoke for the edification of all. Saint Paul finds this inappropriate and prohibits it, placing a seal of silence on their lips by the law of obedience in relation to men. Saint Chrysostom says: “Having exposed the disorder that arose from tongues and from prophecies, the Apostle moves on to the disorder caused by women and suppresses their inappropriate daring. Here he does not exhort, does not advise, but commands with authority, citing the ancient law about this. Which? – “Your address is to your husband, and he will possess you” (Gen. 3:16). Do you see the wisdom of Paul, how he brought such a testimony that commands them not only to remain silent, but also to remain silent with fear, and moreover, with such fear as a servant should be silent? – If they should be like this in relation to husbands, then even more so in relation to teachers and fathers and the general meeting of the Church. They should listen to what they should, and ask their husbands at home about doubtful things.” 1 Corinthians 14:35. If they want to learn something, they ask their husbands at home; It’s a shame for a wife to say in church. “It is not permissible for them, he says, not only to speak openly in church, but also to ask about anything. If it is not permissible to ask, then it is all the more permissible to speak. Why does he place them in such subordination? – Because a wife is a weaker creature, fickle and frivolous. Therefore, he appoints husbands to them as teachers and benefits both: he makes the wives modest and the husbands attentive, since they must accurately convey to their wives what they hear. Further, since they considered it an honor to speak in the assembly, he again proves the opposite and says: “It is shameful for a woman to speak in church”; He proves this first by the law of God, and then by universal human judgment and custom, as he did when he talked to them about hair. And everywhere you can see such a way of speaking that he denounces not only Divine Scripture, but also well-known customs. In addition, he borrows reproof from the agreement of everyone and from the ubiquity of the commandments, as he does here” (St. Chrysostom). 1 Corinthians 14:36. Or has the word of God gone from you? Or are you the only ones who have achieved it? “Here he expresses that the other Churches observe the same law, and thus suppresses disorder by pointing to innovation and makes his words more convincing by pointing to the voice of all. He says, as it were: you are not the first, and you are not the only faithful, but (such is) the whole universe. You, he says, cannot say: we were teachers of others and we should not learn from others; here the doctrine of faith has only been established, and we should not imitate the example of others. Do you see how many arguments he brought to denounce them? He cited the law, showed the shamefulness of the matter, and presented the other Churches as an example” (St. Chrysostom). Current interpreters and the words: “as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 14:33) connect with: “let your wives keep silence in the churches.” So, both at the beginning and at the end, the imposition of silence on women in the Church is protected by the community of such a law throughout the Church. It is true that some kind of disobedience in this regard was expected, which could be prevented by the certainty that by acting in this way they would set themselves apart from everyone else and therefore act to their disgrace: for peculiarities in Christianity disgrace, and do not elevate. cc) General conviction to fulfill what was said (1 Cor. 14:37–38) 1 Corinthians 14:37. If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him understand that what I am writing to you is because of the Lord these are the commandments. With this, Saint Paul confirms his orders regarding the functioning in the Church of the gifts of prophecy and tongues. So, he says, you who speak in tongues and prophesy, take heed carefully to what I write, and do it exactly, for these are the Lord’s commandments. “God commands this through me” (St. Chrysostom). I do not offer this to you as advice, but I give it on behalf of the Lord, as a commandment to fulfill. “It was not on my own that I was moved to say this” (Ecumenius). Who is this spiritual here with the Apostle? – In general, by spiritual we can mean someone “in whom the Spirit of God dwells” (Theodorite), or “who has some kind of spiritual gift” (Ecumenius, Theophylact). But here, in the flow of speech, it seems closer to understand someone who has the gift of tongues. For the Apostle spoke all about him with prophecy, and this final suggestion addresses them. 1 Corinthians 14:38. If anyone does not understand, let him not understand. The thought is dark! If, he says, one of those to whom he is speaking does not understand that these are the Lord’s commandments, let him not understand, as if it were so: as he wants, his will, I do not force him; but let him also take upon himself the responsibility that lies with those who resist the will of God. “I said it was necessary; he who wishes, obey, and he who does not wish, do as he wants” (Ecumenius, Theophylact). And Saint Chrysostom says almost the same thing: “Why did he add this? – To show that he is not forcing and does not want to compete. And in another place he said similar to this: “If anyone thinks of being contentious, we are not imams of such a custom” (1 Cor. 1:16). However, he does not act this way everywhere, but only where the offenses were not very great.” Theophylact also puts forward such an idea. In advance he said: “Let him who is spiritual understand”; here he says: if “anyone does not understand,” the same thing as if someone is not spiritual, “let him not understand,” is the same as remaining unspiritual. This turn of phrase will force everyone to obey this order, so as not to expose themselves as unspiritual. c) Conclusion of all that has been said about the gift of prophecy and tongues (1 Cor. 14: 39–40) 1 Corinthians 14:39–40. Moreover, my brethren, be zealous to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. Everything is nice and in order, yes. Having begun to talk about these gifts, the Apostle first proved that the gift of prophecy is better and more useful for the Church than the gift of tongues; now concludes: therefore, be zealous for the gift of prophecy, but when someone is given the gift of tongues, do not forbid using it, with the restrictions that I have made. Then the Apostle wrote rules on how to act in the Church with these gifts; and in conclusion, he mainly attaches the words to this: only everything is decent and in order; and how gracefully and in order it would be, he depicted this in the rules laid down. Saint Chrysostom says: “The Apostle returns to the previous subject, which gave him the reason to talk about it. And do you see how he completely observes the difference (between these gifts), and how he inspires that the first is very necessary, and the last is not so necessary? - About the first he says: “be jealous,” and about the last: “do not forbid.” Then, as if offering all these rules together, he adds: “Let everything be done in an orderly manner and in order.” “The rank of this Apostle gave to be seen in what was said before (that is, in the rules)” (Theodoret). You might be interested in: