252. Слово в храме святыя мученицы Татианы, при Императорском московском Университете

(Said Gen. 12; printed in the Works of the Holy Father, in the Moscow Ved., Provincial Ved. 1850 and in the collection 1861) And he said to man: This godliness is wisdom, and to shun evil is knowledge (Job 28:28). One of the Greek Kings, having created one of the most famous churches in Christianity, called it the Church of the “Wisdom of God”. What thought produced this name? – I think that our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the word of the Apostle, is “God’s wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:24), and that under the name “wisdom” (Prov. 8:27–29) He is depicted in the Writings of Solomon, with whom the Greek King in some way competed in the feat of church building. According to this reasoning, every Christian church, and consequently this one, in which we now find ourselves, is a church of wisdom. And this abode of knowledge, which built this church for itself, and in it now celebrates, remembers and sanctifies the day of its establishment, - which by its name proclaims itself to contain, or at least strives to contain in itself, all human knowledge, does not this seem to be the abode of wisdom? And so here, even involuntarily, the thought of wisdom should come. But the thought of wisdom that has come to you cannot be parted immediately. For I don’t know if there is a person who (unless he has completely lost human abilities), meeting wisdom, would not at least want to borrow something from her. I also wish now to take at least a small lesson in wisdom. And since I hardly deign myself more than to become her disciple, this time I take the righteous Job as my teacher. This seems to be a worthy teacher of wisdom. He passed the strict test for this degree with perfect success. Three competitors: Eliphaz, Baldad, Zophar, spent seven days and seven nights in silence with him, collecting their thoughts; then each of them repeatedly entered into an argument with him, and also the fourth competitor, Elius: and each time they all received a strong rebuff from Job. Finally, the Supreme Infallible Judge announced a decisive verdict on this competition: “You shall not say anything truly before Me, like My servant Job” (Job 42:7). True, when this Supreme Judge continued the test himself, and entered into a contest with Job “through the storm and the clouds” (Job 38:1): then Job’s wisdom became exhausted, and he admitted his inability to continue to withstand the test and even his insignificance: “Why am I still being stubborn, punished, and rebuked by the Lord, hear such a worthless one? What answer will I give to this? I will put my hand on my lips” (Job 39:34). But, apparently, there is some wisdom in recognizing one’s weakness and insignificance: because the Lord did not condemn Job for this recognition, but rewarded him; and thus ended another, even more difficult test of Job, in which hellish wisdom objected to his wisdom not with words, but with the most severe misfortunes: “The Lord will grant aggravation to Job first for aggravation” (Job 42:10). And so you will agree with me to take Job as a teacher of wisdom. Be attentive to the lesson he teaches us. So he is looking for wisdom: “Where did you find wisdom from? and what place is there for knowledge?” And it does not find it in a person. “Man does not know her way, but she is found among men” (Job 28:12–13). Those who believe that man himself is the source of wisdom, and that he spins knowledge out of himself like a silk worm spins a silk thread, would think about this, with the difference, not in man’s favor, that every worm can spin a silk thread, but the thread of wisdom is slowly, unevenly, fragilely spun by the entire human race. Job continues to seek wisdom: but he does not find it outside of man, in visible nature. “An abyss of speech: there is nothing in me; and the sea said, “It is not with me” (Job 28:14). Those who, through observation, experience, and research, try to traverse visible nature into its length and breadth and penetrate into its depth would think about this; who, by killing one type of matter with another, and dividing it into the finest parts, hope to reach the bottom and foundation of nature, and build wisdom on it. The study of nature has its benefit when it reveals its laws, and through this destroys the prejudices that dominate those who do not know these laws; when he discovers in it the forces and means that satisfy the needs of human life. The study of nature has its own dignity, and can become a path to wisdom, when, as the ancient book of wisdom says, “from the majesty of the beauty of creatures, their Creator is comparatively known” (Wisdom 13:5), when to the eye purified from passions, as the Apostle says, the “invisible” of God “is seen by the created being, and His eternal power and Divinity” ( Rom.1:20). But if we multiply and diversify knowledge about the material, without thinking about the spiritual: we delve into research about creatures, without rising to the Creator: then, even if our knowledge seems vast, like the sea, our research is deep, like the abyss, according to Job’s reasoning, we should be afraid that the one who seeks wisdom here “the abyss says: there is nothing in me; and the sea says: be with me." Meanwhile, Job highly values ​​wisdom, or, more precisely, puts it above any price. “Treasure will not be given for a thing, and money will not be given to change it” (Job 28:15). These words excite me to ask, if possible, this teacher, how he would judge a century in which people, who imagine themselves thinking and knowing more than others, hastily collect thoughts, or, in the absence of them, dreams of imagination, fill books with them, vigorously distribute them, solely in order to skillfully steal time from the readers, and take the price of silver. Would he admit that such mental and verbal works can at least somehow pave or level the path to priceless wisdom, or only clutter it? – My Teacher, in the distance of centuries, does not hear me and does not answer my questions. Perhaps silence is good when the answer would hardly be pleasant to this age. Finally, Job reveals where to find wisdom: “God knows her way well: for He Himself knows its place” (Job 28:23). If someone were to say that from this it is not yet clear how a person can achieve wisdom: I can complement the words of the Teacher. The “place” of wisdom known to God is His mind, His word, His spirit. And so follow the path that leads to God, and along the same path you will approach wisdom. The path to God is known: reverent meditation, prayer, faith. But our Teacher himself supplements his study of wisdom, pointing to the most faithful guidance to it, taught to man by God Himself. “And I say to man: This godliness is wisdom, but to shun evil is knowledge” (Job 28:28). What a simple guide to wisdom! Have godliness and you have wisdom; avoid evil and you have knowledge. One may fear that this teaching may be misunderstood and accepted by some because it is very simple. Will they really say that nothing more is needed? Should I give up all science? Is it really possible to close all the abodes of higher knowledge? No, beloved fellow disciples, piety is not a denial of science and knowledge: they tell you, and they say on behalf of God Himself, that “piety is wisdom”; and wisdom is the mother, educator, patroness of true knowledge and useful sciences. And piety is the vital, guiding and protective principle of true knowledge. Moving away from evil means lighting the lamp of enlightenment in the heart, and protecting the lamp of the mind from storms that can extinguish it or fan the fire. Who has not heard of the wisdom of Solomon? “The wisdom of Solomon greatly increased,” says the book of Kings, “more than the wisdom of all ancient men” (1 Kings 4:30). “The verb about the trees of the cedar of Lebanon, and even to the hyssop that comes out of the wall” (1 Kings 4:33): this one feature is enough to discern the vastness and variety of his knowledge. Who taught him this? - Piety. Solomon’s entire educational career, all his teaching aids are limited to the following: “Lord God, give me wisdom and understanding. And God said to Solomon, “Wisdom and understanding I give to you” (2 Chronicles 1:9-12). Not everyone will be able to achieve such success using just one method of teaching. And therefore, seeking knowledge and wisdom, listen to enlightened mentors; read solid and well-intentioned writings; meditate: but do not forget the lesson of wise Job; Do not forget Solomon’s way of teaching, which is also proposed by the Apostle: “If anyone lacks wisdom from you, let him ask from God, who gives to all, without partiality, and without reproaching, and it will be given to him. Let him ask in faith” (James 1:5–6). Amen. You might be interested in: