Christian faith and life according to the teachings of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church

Contents About the knowledge of God. About Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition. About the Triune God. About God the Creator and Provider of the world Preface Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church, from whose works extracts are given in the first issue 1. In theology, it is necessary to observe timing, measure and reverence a) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 27th word, about the first or preliminary theology, and the 28th word about the second theology b) Him from the poem “On Humility, chastity and abstinence" 2. The truth of the existence of God by St. John of Damascus from the 1st book of the "Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith" 3. On the incomprehensibility of the being a) St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 6th catechetical word b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 45th word - on Holy Pascha c) St. Basil the Great from the conversation "On Faith" d) St. John Damascene from the 1st book of “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith” 4. About the names of God a) St. Basil the Great from the 1st book “Refutation of the defensive speech of the evil Eunomius” b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 30th word, about the theology of the fourth d) St. John of Damascus from the 1st book of “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith” 5. Isn’t there a contradiction in the fact that the Gospel says “No one has seen God anywhere,” and the prophets, apostles and even the Lord Himself claim otherwise? St. Epiphanius of Cyprus from “Panaria”, 59, 6–8 6. About the possibility - and given the incomprehensibility of the essence of God - of the relative knowledge of God from the 28th word of St. Gregory the Theologian, about the theology of the second 7. About the fact that the desire and ability to know God are given to man along with the image of God, about their darkness and perversion in the Fall and about the means of knowledge of God for man in his current state St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the “Word on the Gentiles” 8. Visible nature is a book that teaches everyone about God a) St. John Chrysostom from the 9th discourse on statues 9. Why not everyone equally understands the broadcasts of the visible nature of Blessed Augustine from his “Confessions”, book. 10, ch. 6 10. Self-knowledge also gives guidance to the knowledge of God a) St. Basil the Great from a conversation on the words Listen to yourself (Deut. 15:9) 11. The soul is Christian by nature Tertullian a) from the Apology (chap. 17). The highest revelation about God is communicated by the incarnate Word, the Son of God a) Blessed. Augustine from the work “On the City of God”, book. 11th, ch. 2nd b) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the “Sermon on the Incarnation of God the Word and His Coming to Us in the Flesh” 14. On the necessity for the knowledge of God of faith a) St. Basil the Great from the letter to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium b) Blessed. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, from “Healing Hellenic Illnesses”, word 1 15. The power of faith of St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 5th catechism 16. Perfect knowledge of God, to the best of one’s ability, is possible only in the future life a) St. Basil the Great from the letter to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium b) St. Maximus the Confessor from the chapters “On theology and incarnation of the Son of God to Thalassia” Issue II. About Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition I About Sacred Scripture 1. Why were we given the Holy Scriptures? a) St. John Chrysostom from the 1st conversation on St. Matthew the Evangelist b) Rev. Macarius of Egypt, conversation 39. Why has God given us the Divine Scripture 2. About the inspiration of the Holy Scripture a) St. Gregory of Nyssa from the 7th book of “Refutations of Eunomius” b) St. Basil the Great from the preface to the interpretation of the prophet Isaiah c) Blessed. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus 1) from the commentary on the 44th Psalm 2) from the commentary on the 59th Psalm 3) from the commentary on 2 Tim. 3:16 d) St. Clement, Bishop of Rome, from the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians (45 chapters) 3. The benefits of reading the Holy Scriptures a) St. John Chrysostom from the 3rd conversation on the inscription of the book of Acts b) St. Basil the Great from the Epistle to St. Gregory the Theologian c) St. Ephraim the Syrian from the word about patience, the end of the age and the second coming. About diligent reading of the Divine Scriptures and the benefits of silence 4. It is necessary to always read the Divine Scriptures, even without sufficient understanding at the beginning of St. John Chrysostom from the 35th discourse on the book of Genesis 5. It is necessary to delve into the Divine Scripture with all zeal, calling on the grace of the Holy Spirit of St. John Chrysostom from the 21st discourse on the book of Genesis 6. About the books accepted by the Church of St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the 39th Easter Epistle 7. About the translation of the seventy interpreters of St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 4th catechumen 8. The Old and New Testaments are different between themselves, but not opposite a) St. John Chrysostom from the second conversation on the words of the apostle “having the same spirit of faith” (2 Cor. 4:13) b) Blessed. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, from the "Abridged Exposition of Divine Dogmas", ch. 17 9. The Psalter is especially important. Why are psalms sung in song? a) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the letter to Marcellinus on the interpretation of the psalms b) St. Basil the Great from a conversation on the first part of the first psalm 10. About the Gospels: why four Gospels? How to look at the differences in the narratives of the Evangelists? a) St. Irenaeus of Lyons from the 3rd book of “Controversies and Refutations of False Knowledge” (chapters 1 and 11) b) St. John Chrysostom from the 1st conversation on St. Evangelist Matthew 11. About the messages of St. Apostle Paul St. John Chrysostom from the preface to the discourses on the Epistle to the Romans 12. For the true understanding of what is said in Scripture, a good life, a pure soul and Christ-like virtue are needed. St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the “Tale on the Incarnation of God the Word” 13. The Holy Scripture belongs to the Church and is only explained in it properly a) St. Irenaeus Lyonsky from the 4th book of “Convictions and refutations of false knowledge” (chapter 33) b) St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, from a letter to Yubayan II. About Sacred Tradition 14. Tradition has equal force with Holy Scripture a) St. Basil the Great from the book “On the Holy Spirit” to St. Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium b) St. Epiphanius of Cyprus from “Panaria”, 76 15. True Tradition - in the Catholic Church - the truth must be learned from it a) St. Irenaeus of Lyons from “The Refutation and Refutation of False Knowledge” b) Tertullian from the book “On the Recusal of Heretics” 18. General, ancient and consistent Tradition there is a sure way to distinguish the truth of the universal faith from the falsity of heretical errors. Vincent of Lirinsky from his “Reminders” 19. Sayings of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church on the meaning of tradition Holy fathers and teachers of the Church, from whose works extracts are given in the first issue Issue III. About the Triune God 1. This is a universal faith, that we honor the one God in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity a) St. Gregory the Theologian from the “Mysterious Hymns”, word 1 “On the Principles” b) St. Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop of Neocaesarea, symbol c) From the symbol attributed to St. Athanasius of Alexandria d) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the “Exposition of Faith” 2. God is one a) St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 4th catechumen b) Blessed. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, from the "Abridged Exposition of Divine Dogmas", ch. 1 c) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the “Word on the Gentiles” d) St. Gregory of Nyssa from the preface to the “Great Catechetical Homily” 3. God - with the unity of being - is trinitarian in Persons a) St. Gregory the Theologian from the word of the 39th - on the holy lights of the appearances of the Lord b) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the 1st letter to the bishop Serapion c) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 29th word on the theology of the third d) Rev. Maximus the Confessor from the 2nd hundred “On the theology and incarnation of the Son of God to Thalassia” 4. The meaning of the concepts of being and hypostasis, and the Persons of the Holy Trinity in relation to Their Divine essence a) St. Basil the Great from a letter (38th) to Gregory’s brother (Bishop of Nyssa) b) St. Basil the Great from a letter (228th) to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium c) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 31st word on theology of the fifth 5. Hypostatic properties of the Persons of the Holy Trinity and Their mutual relationships a) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the 4th letter to Bishop Serapion b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 25th word, in praise of the philosopher Iron c) St. Basil the Great from conversations against the Sabellians, Arius and Anomeans 6. About God the Father of St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 7th catechetical word 7. About God the Son a) St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 10th and 11th catechetical word b) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the 3rd word on the Arians c) St. Basil the Great from the 2nd book “Refutations of the defensive speech” the evil Eunomius” d) St. Basil the Great from a conversation on the words “in the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1) e) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the 1st word on the Arians 8. The meaning of the concept of “consubstantial” of St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the letter “On the definitions of the Council of Nicaea” 9. About God the Holy Spirit of St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 16th and 17th catechism b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 41st word - on Holy Pentecost c) St. Basil The Great from the book “On the Holy Spirit” to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium 10. The birth of the Son of God and the procession of the Holy Spirit are incomprehensible a) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the letter “On the Decrees of the Council of Nicea” b) St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 11th Catechetical Homily c) St. Gregory the Theologian from the word “On the Ordination of Bishops and the Holy Dogma” Trinity" 11. Equality of persons of the Holy Trinity a) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 40th word - for holy baptism b) St. Basil the Great from the conversation “On Faith” 12. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not three Gods a) St. Basil the Great from the book “On the Holy Spirit” to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium b) St. Basil the Great from a letter (8th) to the Caesarea monks 13. Graduality in the disclosure of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity a) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 31st word, about the theology of the 5th b) St. Gregory of Nyssa from the word about the Holy Spirit 14. Similarities in nature for understanding the dogma of the Holy Trinity of St. Gregory the Theologian from the 31st word, about the fifth theology 15. General conclusion from the patristic teaching about the Holy Trinity of St. John of Damascus a) from 1st book of “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith”, ch. 8th b) From the second part of the “Source of Knowledge” - “On Heresies in Brief” Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church, from whose works extracts are given in the third issue, Issue IV. About God the Creator and Provider of the world 1. The meaning of the first words of the story of Moses in the book of Genesis (Gen. 1: 1): in the beginning God created heaven and earth. St. John Chrysostom from the 2nd conversation on the book of Genesis The initial words of the book of Genesis must be accepted as the words of the Lord Himself, not experiencing what is higher than us, but humbly believing 1. The world with its improvement testifies to the highest creative Mind a) St. Clement of Rome from 1 Corinthians, ch. 20th Harmony and harmony in nature as the action of the all-ruling will of God b) Minucius Felix from Octavius, ch. 17–18 The beauty of the sky. Correct change of seasons. Expediency in the structure of the earth's surface and in the nature of animals. Beauty and expediency in the structure of the human body c) St. Basil the Great from the 5th conversation on the Sixth Day Each blade of grass is capable of causing surprise at the art and expediency of its design. Nothing was created in vain or without benefit. Diversity of plants according to their structure and fruits. Richness of colors 3. The world could not have happened by chance. St. Dionysius of Alexandria from the book “On Nature” The view of some Greek philosophers on the universe as a random combination of atoms. A refutation of this view is by pointing out that not a single human work is accidental (a piece of matter, a house, a city, a ship, a chariot). If the essence and nature of atoms is one and the same, then how could objects of the most varied form and value be composed of them? The view that atoms are united by natural affinity is untenable. Atoms cannot produce the rising and setting of the sun and moon and the harmonious movement of the stars, otherwise they would have to be given divine worship. The origin and structure of man also strongly speaks against the doctrine of atoms being discussed. People (especially philosophers) find pleasure in the good deeds of others, and the gods, if they do not provide for peace, are deprived of this pleasure 4. The world is the creation of God a) St. Basil the Great from the 1st conversation on the Sixth Day Diversity of philosophical teachings about the origin of the world. The truth lies in the words: God created heaven and earth. The falsehood of the idea that the world is beginningless and will not end. First, the invisible and intelligible world was created, and then the real world. God is not only the cause of the existence of the world, but its Creator b) Blessed. Theodoret of Cyrus from the “Abridged Exposition of Divine Dogmas”, ch. 4 Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testaments teaches that the world is the creation of God 5. God created the world out of nothing a) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the word about the incarnation of God the Word The diversity in the universe testifies that it did not happen by chance. To assert that God created the world from ready-made uncreated matter means to attribute powerlessness to God. Divine teaching recognizes that the universe was created by God out of nothing b) St. Basil the Great from the 2nd conversation on the Sixth Day. The inconsistency of the view that God created the world from pre-existing invisible and unstructured matter. Observation of the ways in which people create things is not applicable to the Creator c) Blessed. Augustine from his Confessions, book. XI, ch. 4–7 6. God created the world according to His goodness. St. Gregory the Theologian from word 45 - on Holy Pascha, God, in His goodness, first created the angelic forces, and then the material and visible world and, finally, man, as a combination of mind and feeling 7. The creation of the world in time, and what God did before the creation of the world a) Blessed. Augustine from his Confessions, book. XI, ch. 10–14 How to reconcile the creation of the world in time with the eternity and immutability of God? Questioning what God did before He created heaven and earth. There was no time when God was inactive, because time itself is His creation b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the “Mysterious Hymns”, word 4e The Thought of God, before the creation of the world, contemplated the luminosity of the triscenium Divinity and the images of the world composed in the Divine Mind 8. About the Divine Providence of St. John of Damascus from the 2nd book of the “Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith”, ch. 29 The concept of divine providence. The reality of providence and its types 9. The necessity of Divine providence a) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the “Word on the Gentiles,” 40–45 The world is governed by the Divine Word. The need for industry about the world follows from the fact that the nature of created things is fluid, weak and mortal. The Word contains everything, revives and preserves everything, puts everything in order and harmony b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 14th word - about love for the poor. Without industry, the world would collapse and return to its original chaos and disorder. God is especially concerned about the fate of people c) Blessed. Augustine from the work “On the book of Genesis, literally”, book. 4, ch. 12 If the power of the Almighty ceased to govern, then nature would perish. The words of the Lord: My Father is doing this - indicate precisely the activity of the Father, by which creation is controlled and supported 10. The reality of divine providence a) St. John Chrysostom from the word to those who are tempted by the misfortunes that have occurred. One must believe that everything is controlled by divine providence. The contemplation of nature offers doubters convincing proof of this truth. The benefit of the stars guiding us from the heights of the sky. The beauty of the sun and the benefits of each of the different parts of creation. About the benefits of winds and night. About different types of fish and wild animals. The great proof of providence is that God gave us natural and written law and sent His only begotten Son into the world to save people. God's providence is clearer than the sun and its rays. And at every time and in every place, in the desert, and in populated areas, and in the uninhabited, and on land, and in the sea, and wherever you go, you will see clear and sufficient traces of this industry, both ancient and new, and they testify to this with a more powerful voice than the voice of our reason, and they tell whoever wants to listen about all His care. That is why the prophet, wanting to show us the extraordinary power of these voices, said: speech is not the essence, lower than words, their voices cannot be heard (Ps. 18:4). After all, our language is understandable only to those who speak the same language and incomprehensible to those speaking other languages, but the language of creation is understandable to all peoples throughout the universe. b) Blazh. Theodoret from the 2nd word on Providence Those who do not believe in providence are like people who would argue that the ship moves without the help of a helmsman and rudder c) St. Ephraim the Syrian from “Reproaching oneself and confession” Well-being in the world must lead to the knowledge of providence 11. Various types of divine providence a) St. Ephraim the Syrian word 123rd The providence of God is expressed in favor when we live virtuously, in admonition when we fall into mistakes and sin, and in tolerance when those admonished do not convert c) St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 8th catechumen word God contains everything by His power and allows much according to His will. He turns evil intentions into a reason for the salvation of the faithful. Nothing is excluded from the action of God's power c) St. John Chrysostom from the 1st conversation about the powerlessness of the devil God's punishments constitute one of the types of providence 12. On the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the good St. John Chrysostom from the 1st conversation to the people of Antioch about statues Why does God allow the saints to suffer and be subject to various disasters? Eight reasons for the disasters of the saints. Why did God give Job's body to the power of the devil? We must thank God for the trials sent down 13. Doesn’t the existence of wicked rich people and righteous poor people contradict divine providence? Blazh. Theodoret of Cyrus from the 6th word on providence Against the reality of providence, they indicate that the vicious are getting rich. Prosperity does not lie in wealth, but in virtue. It is not easy for those who possess wealth to excel in virtue. The bad thing is not wealth in itself, but its improper use. Why did the Creator determine a life of wealth for some, and give poverty to others? People are equal to each other in the most important things - in birth, in the structure of the body and in its life, in death. For the rest, one should not be curious and blaspheme, but with faith glorify the Creator and worship His providence b) St. John Chrysostom from the 5th conversation about Anna There is no need to grumble at God’s providence due to the uneven distribution of wealth between people in view of the fact that the poor have access to the temporary goods necessary for life. Advantages of the poor over the rich 14. Participation in the creation and providence of the Son of God and the Holy Spirit a) St. Basil the Great from the book “On the Holy Spirit to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium,” ch. 16 In creation, the primary cause is the Father, the creative cause is the Son, and the perfect cause is the Spirit b) Blessed. Augustine from the work “On True Religion” ch. 7 All rational, spiritual and physical creation has its existence from the creative Trinity and is governed by It; all together and each being individually created by the Father through the Son by the gift of the Holy Spirit Holy Fathers and teachers of the Church, from whose works extracts are given in the fourth issue About the knowledge of God. About Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition. About the Triune God. About God the Creator and Provider of the world The church hymn calls the holy fathers luminaries on earth, through whom the Lord instructs us in the Knowledge and preservation of the true faith. In other hymns they are called multi-bright stars, church helms, unshakable pillars, organs of grace and harps of the Spirit. These names alone clearly indicate the extremely great importance, according to the Church, of the holy fathers and their works in the matter of religious knowledge. Ecumenical councils, when drawing up their definitions of faith, after the Holy Scriptures, always turned to the teachings of the fathers, made more or less extensive extracts from their works and placed the patristic teaching as the basis of their definitions of faith: “following the divine father, we all unanimously teach to confess”, “according to the teaching of the holy fathers”, “following the divine teaching Holy Fathers,” these are the most common and common expressions in the acts of ecumenical and local councils, which constantly expressed that “this is the faith of the fathers,” as the Orthodox Church solemnly proclaims to this day. Thus, the Holy Fathers, by the Church itself, deliberately stand out as the most reliable leaders in religious knowledge, as exponents of the correct understanding of the teachings of Christ in their written works, through which they speak to Christian generations of all times, teaching Christian truth and inspiring them to implement it in life. The Church recognizes the Holy Fathers as primary witnesses and faithful interpreters of her teaching because they were the closest successors of the apostles, continuers of their work, imitators of their zeal, builders of the universal Church in the early centuries of its historical life. They were distinguished by high talents, extensive and deep education, embracing both spiritual and secular sciences - this is a reliable guarantee that church teaching was fully understood by them and presented with the accuracy possible under modern conditions. The scientific education of the Church Fathers found its greatest affirmation in the holiness of their lives. The mysteries of spiritual and religious life can be comprehended and clearly and correctly presented to others only by those who conform their lives to the known truth, who “study in the law of the Lord day and night,” who consider the teaching of Christ to be a heavenly good, a divine gift. For the Fathers of the Church, the truth of the Gospel was not only the light that enlightened their minds, but also the life from which they drew extraordinary strength to serve the Church. They loved this life-giving truth, fed their souls with it, sought to pass it on to their brothers in faith and to bring those who were strangers to it. According to the requirements of the circumstances of their time, the holy fathers revealed and illuminated with the possible clarity almost all the essential questions of church teaching and life, and their creations constitute a precious treasure and an inexhaustible source from which all subsequent Orthodox theology flows in its immediate purity and integrity. But the works of the Fathers of the Church have always produced an irresistible and beneficial influence not only by the richness of their doctrinal content, but also by their vital and practical side, accessible not only to the educated, but also to ordinary believers: why are they revered as a constant guide in spiritual life, as the best instruction for the correct understanding, assimilation and implementation of the truly Christian meaning of life, indicating the means and ways to achieve its high goal: here everyone can find encouraging examples, teaching for personal salvation and for solving general modern religious and moral problems, instructions in what, where and how to look for the realization of eternal truth and the righteousness of God. This veneration of the patristic works, this search in them for guiding teaching for all times, has its deepest basis in the fact that the ways and means of religious aspirations and experiences in Christianity remain unchanged in their innermost essence, and the holy fathers knew the secrets of spiritual life, the sweetness of the hidden asceticism of Christ through their own experience, spent many years in the exploits of salvation, and therefore can give wise advice more successfully and reliably in the dispensation of salvation and for the fight against sinful thoughts. Our Russian people have become familiar with the treasury of patristic wisdom from the very first days of their Christian life; his initial education and then growth in Christianity took place under the constant guidance of the patristic creations; His religious and social consciousness drew the foundations of its moral and spiritual structure - to a large extent - from the deep and healthy source of patristic writing. Translations of the works of the Church Fathers constituted the most extensive section of our ancient writing. This was the favorite and main reading material for our ancestors. Here we see translations of the works of almost all the most famous Greek and some of the Western Latin fathers and teachers of the Church. Sometimes, instead of entire works, extracts were selected and translated from the paternal works, excerpts that formed special collections or “collections”, such as, for example: Zlatostruy, Shestodnev, Chrysostom, Margarit, Izmaragd, Golden Chain, Golden Matitsa, Bee and similar “Fatherland”. Our ancestors loved mainly works of a moralizing nature: this corresponded both to the level of their development and to modern life needs, where issues of moral life were of particular importance. At the present time, the conditions of religious life in Russia, when unbelief and sectarianism with its heretical fabrications in the field of doctrine are spreading in a wide wave, when the desire to darken the light of the apostolic teaching is clearly revealed, and the very apostolic writings are subject to fussy interpretations, encourage us to highlight the instructions of the holy fathers of a dogmatic nature. The dogmatic works of the Fathers of the Church, in addition to their important and fundamental significance for the clarification and revelation of the positive truths of the doctrine of the Church, contain rich material for refuting modern false teachings, since it is indisputable that the newest errors contain, only with some modifications, repetitions of previous errors already refuted in the writings of the Fathers of the Church. There is no doubt that the best way to become acquainted with the patristic teaching would be to carefully and constantly read the works of the fathers in their entirety: only such reading can introduce one into the treasury of deep thoughts and spiritual experiences of the fathers of the Church, into the spirit of their creations, make one become close to them, feel directly the breath of their high and holy life. But, unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to do this, both due to the lack of extremely extensive patristic writing at hand, and due to lack of time. The proposed publication aims to come to the aid of those thirsty for patristic teaching in the faith and Christian life and to provide selected passages from the works of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church, in which this or that truth, or a number of them, found the most clear and complete disclosure. These extracts will be arranged in the order usually accepted when presenting Christian doctrine and moral teaching in the system, and each issue will contain the disclosure of a certain range of related and interconnected issues. Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church, from whose works extracts are given in the first issue Blazh. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in North Africa, b. November 13, 354, † August 28, 430 St. Athanasius the Great, Archbishop of Alexandria, b. OK. 295, † 2 May 373 St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia, b. OK. 330, † 1 January 379 St. Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople, b. OK. 329, † c. 390 g. St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, b. OK. 335, † ca. 394 St. Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis on Fr. Cyprus, b. OK. 315, † 403 St. John of Damascus, b. at the end of the 7th century, † approx. half of the 8th century St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, b. OK. 347, † 14 September 407 St. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, b. OK. 313, † in 386 St. Maximus the Confessor, b. OK. 580, † in 662 Tertullian, presbyter of Carthage, b. OK. 160, † after 220 Blazh. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, b. OK. 393, † in 457 St. Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, † c. 182 1. In theology it is necessary to observe timing, moderation and reverence a) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 27th word, about the first or preliminary theology, and the 28th word about the second theology Not everyone can philosophize about God—yes, not everyone. This is not acquired cheaply and not by crawling on the ground! I’ll add one more thing: you can’t always philosophize, not in front of everyone and not touching on everything, but you must know when, in front of whom and how much. Not everyone can philosophize about God, because people who have tested themselves, who have spent their lives in contemplation, and who have first of all purified, or at least purified, both soul and body, are capable of this. It may be unsafe for an unclean person to touch a pure one, just as it is for someone with weak eyesight to touch a ray of sunlight. - When is it possible? – When we are free from external mud and rebellion, when what is sovereign in us (i.e., the mind) does not merge with worthless and wandering images, like the beauty of tribes mixed with bad tribes, or like the fragrance of the world mixed with dirt. For, indeed, we must cease to understand God (Ps. 45:11), and when we take the time, judge the correctness of theology (Ps. 74:3). - In front of whom can you? - Before those who deal with this carefully, and not along with other things, they talk about it with pleasure and about it after horse shows, shows and songs, to satisfy the belly and what is worse than the belly, for for the latter it is part of the fun to argue about such subjects and distinguish themselves by the subtlety of objections. – What should one philosophize about and to what extent? - About what is available to us, and to the extent to which the state and ability of understanding in the listener extend. Otherwise, just as excessive sounds or foods harm the hearing, some the body, or, if you like, just as heavy loads are beyond the strength of those who lift them and heavy rains are harmful to the earth, so listeners will lose their former strength if, I say, they are burdened and suppressed with the burden of difficult teachings. And I’m not saying that we shouldn’t always remember God (may people not attack us for this, ready and quick!). Remembering God is more necessary than breathing, and, so to speak, one should not do anything else. And I am one of those who approve of the word that commands us to study day and night (Ps. 1:2), evening and morning and noon (Ps. 55:18), and to bless the Lord at all times (Ps. 33:2). And if it is necessary to add what Moses said, then when lying down, and standing up, and walking along the path (Deut. 6:7), and correcting other matters, one must remember God, and with this remembrance raise oneself to purity. Thus, I forbid not to remember God, but to theology unceasingly; I even forbid not theology, as if it were not a pious matter, but timelessness, and not the teaching of doctrine, but non-observance of the measure. Honey, despite the fact that it is honey, if taken in excess and to the point of satiety, produces vomiting. And the time of every thing, as I reason with Solomon (Eccl. 3:1). Even the beautiful is not beautiful if it is produced out of order; as, for example, flowers in winter, male attire on a woman and female attire on a man, geometry during crying and tears at a feast are completely inappropriate. Are we really going to value time at nothing only where it is most necessary to respect timing? No, friends and brothers! Let us not reason like this, let us not run further than the goal, like hot and uncontrollable horses, throwing off the rider - reason, and rejecting the good rein - reverence, but let us begin to philosophize, without going beyond the limits assigned to a Christian, we will not move to Egypt, we will not allow ourselves to be drawn to the Assyrians, we will not sing the song of the Lord in foreign lands (Ps. 137:4), that is. in the hearing of everyone, both outsiders and ours, and enemy and friend, both well-intentioned and malicious, who carefully watches us beyond measure, and would like every spark of evil in us to turn into a flame, he himself secretly ignites it, fans it, lifts it with his breath to the sky, above the Babylonian flame that scorches everything around it. Let us not expose before those who have defiled ears what we should not divulge to everyone. We will not allow those who worship demons, the servants of shameful fables and things, to be worthy of greater respect in comparison with us; because they too would rather shed their blood than reveal their teaching to the uninitiated. Let us know that there is some decency, both in clothing, food, laughter and gait, and in speech and silence; especially since we, in addition to other names and powers, honor the Word in God. He (the theologian) should be, as much as possible, pure, so that the light is acceptable as light, to philosophize before zealous people, so that the word, falling on a barren earth, does not remain fruitless - to philosophize when there is silence within us and are not spinning around external objects, so that our breathing does not stop, like those who are sobbing - and to philosophize as much as we ourselves comprehend and can be comprehended. After such explanations for this, when we renewed God’s fields for ourselves so as not to sow on thorns (Jer. 4: 3), and leveled the face of the earth, having formed ourselves and formed others in the image of Scripture, we will proceed to the presentation of theology. Let us leave the administration of the word to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, about whom we have the word—may the Father be pleased with him. - Let the Son help him, - Let the Spirit inspire him; It’s better to say, let there be a single illumination of the one Divinity on him, connectively divided, and divisively combined, which is beyond understanding! But now, when I willingly ascend the mountain, or, to be fair, I wish and at the same time I am afraid (I wish out of hope, I am afraid out of weakness) to step inside the cloud and talk with God (for God commands this) - now, whichever of you is Aaron, come up with me and stand close, but be content with the fact that he needs to stay outside the cloud; and if Nadab, or Abihu, or one of the elders, ascend also, but stand from afar, according to the dignity of your purification: whoever belongs to the people and among those unworthy of such heights and contemplation, if he is not pure, do not approach at all (because this is not safe), and if purified for a while, stay below; and listen to one voice and trumpet, that is, to the bare words of piety, but look at the smoking and lightning mountain as a threat and at the same time a miracle for those unable to ascend. But whoever is an evil and indomitable beast, who is not at all capable of containing within himself what is proposed in speculation and theology, do not hide in the forest with the evil intention of accidentally attacking, catching some dogma or some word, and tearing apart sound teaching with your blasphemies, but stand even further, retreat from the mountain. For the word, having withdrawn from such, wants to be inscribed on tablets of hard and stone, and, moreover, on both sides of the tablets, because of the open and hidden meaning in the Law - open, which is needed for many and those who remain below, and hidden, which is intelligible to the few and those who reach out to grief. b) Him from the poem “On Humility, Chastity and Temperance” The first and most important thing for you is to know God and sincerely honor Him in word and deed, because for everyone there is one and the same source, one salvation. God is contemplated for others, although somewhat; however, no one will say, and no one can hear from anyone, what He is, even if someone were too sure that he knew it. For with every thought about God there is always, like darkness, mixed in with something mine and visible. How can I penetrate this darkness and enter into communication with God, so that, without working any more, I can possess and be sure that I have what I have long wanted to acquire? The most destructive thing is not to honor God and not to know that He is the first fault of all, from whom everything came into being and continues to be observed according to the ineffable order and law; but imagining oneself knowing what God is is a corruption of the mind, it is the same as, having seen the sun’s shadow in the water, thinking that one sees the sun itself, or, being amazed by the beauty of the vestibule, imagining that one has seen the ruler of the inner palaces himself. Although one is somewhat wiser than the other, because he attracted more rays of light to himself, because he peered more closely; however, we are all lower than God’s greatness, because God is covered by light, and His cover is darkness (Ps. 17:12). Whoever cuts through the darkness is illuminated by the second barrier of the upper light. But it is very difficult to penetrate the double cover. The One who fills everything and is Himself above all, Who makes the mind wise and avoids impulses of the mind, carrying me to new heights with the very thing that constantly eludes me - especially keep this God in mind and honor, proving your love by zeal for the commandments. But it is not necessary to seek out what He is everywhere and not always, and it is not convenient to speak a word about it in front of everyone. Say something different about God, however, with fear; and let others remain inside, and, silently revered, be honored in secret by the mind alone; for others, only open your ears if the word is being taught; for it is better to endanger your hearing than your tongue. Let us pray for the rest, so that we may know this clearly, having renounced the whiteness of the flesh; and now, as much as possible, let us cleanse ourselves and renew ourselves with a bright life. Thus you will receive the intuited God into yourself; for it is certain that God Himself comes to the pure, because only the pure can be the abode of the pure. Conclusions lead little to the knowledge of God, for to every concept there is another opposite, and my teaching does not tolerate complaisant faith. It is very important to adhere to what has been said: whoever loves will be loved; and whoever is loved, God dwells in him (John 14:21, 23). And in whom God is, it is impossible not to be granted light; The first advantage of light is to cognize the light itself. Thus love brings knowledge. This path to truth is better than the path of the mind and its subtleties, respected by many. And what can be said, let us reveal it. Beginningless, Beginning, Spirit - the venerable Trinity. Guilty-free, Begotten, Proceeding, and the first is the Father, the second is the Son and the Word, the third is not the Son, but the Spirit of one essence - one God in three and common worship. They are released from the mortal cast. And you be a worshiper of Them, keep Them in yourself, rejecting all impurity of life with a long honest life, true teaching and hatred of fiction, and commit yourself to heaven. And I would like you to become richer than me and to have greater boldness. St. John of Damascus from the 1st book of “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith” That God exists, those who accept the Holy Scriptures, that is, the Old and New Testaments, as well as many of the Hellenes, do not doubt this; for the knowledge that God exists is given to us by nature. But the evil of the evil one so dominated human nature, and plunged some into such a terrible and worse abyss of destruction than all evils, that they began to say that there is no God. Convicting their madness, the seer David said: he is foolish in his heart: there is no God (Ps. 13:1). That is why the disciples and apostles of our Lord, made wise by the All-Holy Spirit, and by His power and grace performing divine signs, through their network of miracles brought such people from the depths of ignorance to the light of knowledge of God. In the same way, the successors of their grace and dignity, shepherds and teachers, having received the enlightening grace of the Spirit, and by the power of miracles and the word of grace, enlightened the darkened and converted the erring. And we, having received neither the gift of miracles nor the gift of teaching - for, having become addicted to sensual pleasures, we turned out to be unworthy of this - having called upon the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit for help, we will now say something about this subject, although not much of what the prophets of grace taught us. All beings are either created or uncreated. If they were created, then, without a doubt, they are changeable, for what being began with change, then it is necessary and will be subject to change, either decaying, or changing at will. If they are uncreated, then by the very sequence of inferences, of course, they are unchangeable; for what being is opposite, the image of being is opposite, that is, its properties. Who would not agree that all beings, not only those who are subject to our sense, but also angels, change, are altered and are transformed in various ways, for example, mental beings, that is, angels, souls and spirits, by their will, more or less succeeding in good and moving away from good, and other beings, changing both by their birth and by disappearance, and by increase and decrease, by change of properties and by local movement? And what changes is, of course, created, and what is created is, without a doubt, created by someone. The Creator must be an uncreated being; for if He had been created, then, of course, by someone, and so on, until we reach something uncreated. Therefore, the Creator, being uncreated, undoubtedly exists and is unchangeable: and who is this other than God? And the very composition, preservation and management of creatures show us that there is a God who created all this, maintains, preserves and provides for everything. For how could elements hostile to each other, such as fire, water, air, earth, unite to form one world, and remain in complete inseparability, if some omnipotent force did not always unite them inseparably? Who is it that arranged in certain places everything that is in heaven and that is on earth, that is in the air and that is in water, and that which precedes all this: heaven and earth, air and nature, both fire and water? Who connected and separated all this? Who gave them movement and striving unceasing and unhindered? Isn’t this the artist who laid down the law for all things, according to which everything is done and everything is governed? Who is this artist? Isn’t it the one who created all this and brought it into existence? We cannot attribute such power to blind chance, for even if it happened by chance, who brought everything into such order? “We’ll give in, if you like, to chance; who observes and preserves according to the same laws according to which everything was first created? - Someone else, of course, and not blind chance. But who is this other than God? 3. On the incomprehensibility of a being a) St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 6th catechetical word Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 1:3). Blessed is His only begotten Son. Together with the idea of ​​God, unite the idea of ​​the Father, so that the glorification of the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit is accomplished inseparably, because there is no different glory with the Father, and no different with the Son, but one and the same with the Holy Spirit. since the Father is the only begotten Son, then when the Father is glorified, the Son also receives glory, because the glory of the Son is the honor of His Father; and reciprocally, when the Son is glorified, then the Father of such a close Son is honored. Thought comprehends very quickly, but language requires utterances and a long explanation of intermediary concepts. The eye is suddenly enveloped by a great host of stars, but if someone wants to explain in detail what the morning star is, what the evening star is, and what each star is separately, then he will need a lot of words. Likewise, the earth, and the sea, and all the limits of the world in the shortest moment of time are comprehended by thought, but what it comprehends so instantly, it explains in many words. The example I have presented is great, but it is still weak and insufficient. For about God we do not say everything that needs to be said (this is known to Him alone), but only what human nature can accommodate and what our weakness can bear. What God is, we cannot explain; We consciously confess that we do not have exact knowledge of Him. In relation to God, it is a high knowledge for us to admit our ignorance. Therefore magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together (Ps. 33:4) - all together, because one does not have sufficient strength to do this; it is better to say that if we all unite together, we will not fulfill this as we should. I am not saying this about you alone, who are present here, but if all the sheep of the entire Ecumenical Church, both present and future, gather, they will not be able to worthily sing to their Shepherd. But someone will say: “If the being of God is incomprehensible, then why are you discussing this?” “Is it really because I can’t drink the whole river that I shouldn’t take from it as much as it’s useful for me?” Is it really because I cannot contain the sun in my eye, according to its structure, that I should not look at the sun, how much is this enough for my needs? Or because, having entered a large garden, I cannot eat all the fruits in it, do you want me to leave the garden completely hungry? I praise and glorify Him who created us. For there is a Divine commandment for this, which says: let every breath praise the Lord (Ps. 151:6). I will now undertake to glorify the Lord, and not to portray Him in words. Although I know that I will not have the strength to glorify Him according to his dignity, I nevertheless consider even one attempt at this to be a matter of piety. For the Lord Jesus comforts me in my weakness, saying: No one has seen God anywhere (John 1:18). “Well,” another will say, “is it not written: “The little angels will always see the face of My heavenly Father” (Matthew 18:10)? But the angels see God, not what He is in Himself, but how much they contain. For Jesus Christ Himself says: not as any man hath seen the Father, but he that is from God, in this sight of the Father (John 6:46). Therefore, the angels see as much as they can, and the archangels as much as they can see; thrones and Dominions are seen more in comparison with the first, but less in comparison with the dignity of God. Only the Holy Spirit can see how it should be; because He tests all things, He knows, He knows also the depths of God (1 Cor. 2:10); just as the only begotten Son, together with the Holy Spirit, knows the Father as much as he should. For it is said: no one knows the Father but the Son, and if the Son reveals it to him (Matthew 11:27). He sees God as much as he should, and together with the Spirit and through the Spirit he reveals him to everyone, as much as anyone can contain, because the only begotten Son, like the Holy Spirit, have fellowship in the Divinity of the Father. Before the years of eternity (2 Tim. 1:9) He who is born dispassionately knows his Kinsman, and he who gives birth knows his Begotten. And therefore, since the Angels do not know (for, according to what has been said, the Only Begotten, together with the Spirit and through the Holy Spirit, reveals to everyone according to his ability), let none of the people be ashamed to confess their ignorance. Now I speak, and everyone speaks in turn; but, as we say, we cannot explain this. How will I be able to portray the One who gave the gift of speech? Having a soul and not being able to express its distinctive properties, how can I describe in words the One who gave me the soul? For piety, this alone is enough for us - to know that there is God, the One God, the One God who is eternal, always similar to Himself, God, of whom no one else is the father, of whom no one is more powerful, of whom no successor will deprive him of the kingdom; God is many-named and omnipotent, having nothing heterogeneous in His being. For if he is called good, righteous, Almighty, Host of hosts, then there is therefore no difference between others; but, being one and the same, it reveals the numerous powers of the Divine, not being abundant in one, and not being scarce in another, but remaining similar to Himself in everything. God is the forerunner of all things, He is Holy, He is the Almighty, surpasses all in goodness, is greater than all, wiser than all. We are not able to depict either the beginning, or the image, or the appearance of Him. You have neither heard His voice anywhere, nor seen His vision (John 5:37), says the Divine Scripture. Therefore, Moses says to the Israelites: provide your souls with strength, for you have not seen the like (Deut. 4:15). If it is completely impossible to imagine even similarities, then how can thought approach the being? One must believe that God is perfect in everything, according to the word of the Savior: Your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). Perfect in sight, perfect in strength, perfect in greatness, perfect in foreknowledge, perfect in goodness, perfect in righteousness, perfect in philanthropy; He is not limited by place, but He is the Creator of the place itself: He is in everything and indescribable by anything. His throne is heaven, but He who sits on the throne is above heaven. The earth is the foundation (Isa. 66:1), but the power extends to the grave. He alone is everywhere, sees everything, understands everything and arranges everything through Christ, for all things were by Him, and without Him nothing would come into existence (John 1:3). He is the most abundant and inexhaustible source of all good, a river of blessings, an eternal, inexhaustibly shining light, an irresistible power applied to our weaknesses. It is difficult for us to even hear His name. Either you have found the trace of the Lord,” says Job, “or you have reached the last thing that the Almighty created (Job 11:7). If even the last of creatures are incomprehensible, will He who created everything be comprehended? Eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and the heart of man has not sighed, what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9). If what God has prepared is incomprehensible to our understanding, then can we comprehend the One who prepared it? Oh, the depth of the wealth and wisdom and mind of God! For His judgment has not been tried, and His ways have not been tried, says the apostle (Rom. 11:33). If judgments and ways are incomprehensible, how will He Himself be comprehensible? b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 45th word - on Holy Easter God has always been, is and will be, or, better said, always is, for the words was and will mean the divisions of our time and are characteristic of a transitory nature, but He is always. And He calls Himself by this name when talking with Moses on the mountain (Ex. 3:14); because it concentrates in Himself the entire existence, which did not begin and will not cease. Like a certain sea of essence, indefinite and infinite, stretching beyond any concept of time and nature, with one mind (and this is very unclear and insufficient - not in reasoning what is in Himself, but in reasoning what is around Him), through sketching out some outlines, He is shaded into one kind of image of reality, escaping before it is caught, and escaping before it is imagined, just as much illuminating what is sovereign in us [i.e. mind], if it is purified, how quickly does the speed of flying lightning illuminate the gaze. And this, it seems to me, is in order to attract the comprehensible to Oneself (for the completely incomprehensible is hopeless and inaccessible), and to surprise the incomprehensible, and through surprise to arouse greater desire, and through desire to purify, and through purification to make God-like; and when we have become such, we can already talk as with friends (the word dares to say something bold) - we can talk to God, who has entered into unity with the gods and is known by them, perhaps as much as He knows those known by him (1 Cor. 13:12). So, the Divinity is limitless and difficult to contemplate. This one thing is completely comprehensible in Him - His infinity. c) St. Basil the Great from the conversation “On Faith” To constantly remember God is pious, and in this a God-loving soul does not know satiety; but to describe the divine in words is impudent, because thought is far from reaching the dignity of the object, and again the word does not clearly depict what is represented by thought. And therefore, if our thought is in many ways lower than the greatness of the subject, and words are lower than thought itself, then how could silence not be necessary, so that otherwise this miracle of theology would not turn out to be close to danger from the baseness of speech? Therefore, although in all rational beings the desire to glorify God is instilled by nature, speaking about Him according to his dignity is still not enough. We surpass each other in zeal for piety, but no one is blinded or self-deceived to such an extent that he begins to consider himself to have reached the very height of understanding. On the contrary, the more someone seems to succeed in knowledge, the more he will feel his weakness. Such was Abraham, such was Moses. When they came to the state of seeing God, as much as a person can see, then each of them humiliated himself most of all - Abraham, calling himself “earth and ashes” (Gen. 18:27), and Moses, calling himself “thin-voiced and tongue-tied” (Ex. 4:10), because he saw the weakness of his tongue, unable to serve the greatness of what was understood. But since now every ear is open to hearing theology, and the Church cannot be satisfied with such hearing, confirming the word of Ecclesiastes that the ear of hearing will not be filled (Eccl. 1:8), then it is necessary to speak to the best of one’s ability. Let’s talk about God, not what He is like in Himself, but how much we can talk about Him. Just as because we cannot grasp with our eyes the entire space between heaven and earth, we no longer refuse to look at it as much as we can, so now let us enclose piety in a few words, and let us yield to the greatness of Nature the victory over every word. For both angelic languages, whatever they may be, and archangelic ones, even in conjunction with all intelligent nature, cannot depict even the slightest part, not only compare with the whole. And you, if you want to talk or hear about God, renounce your body, renounce your bodily senses, leave the earth, leave the sea, make the air lower than you, pass the seasons, their orderly order, the decorations of the earth, become higher than the ether, pass the stars, their miracles, their beauty, size, benefit that they bring to the whole, improvement, lightness, position, movement and how much connection they have with each other, or distances. Having gone through all this with your mind, having gone around the sky and becoming higher than it, with one thought survey the beauties there: the heavenly armies of angels, the principalities of the archangels, the glory of dominions, the chairs of thrones, powers, principles, authorities. Having passed all this, leaving all creation below your thoughts, raise your mind beyond this, imagine in your thoughts the nature of God motionless, untransformed, unchangeable, impassive, simple, uncomplicated, indivisible, unapproachable light, ineffable power, boundless magnitude, radiant glory, longed-for kindness, immeasurable beauty, which greatly affects the wounded soul, but cannot dignity is depicted to be a word. - There is the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit - uncreated nature, sovereign dignity, natural goodness. d) St. John of Damascus from the 1st book of “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith” God is nowhere to be seen. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, is the one who confesses (John 1:18). So, the Divinity is ineffable and incomprehensible; for no one knows the Father except the Son, nor the Son except the Father (Matthew 11:27). Likewise, the Holy Spirit knows God, just as the human spirit knows what is in man (1 Cor. 2:11). Apart from the very first and blessed Being, no one has ever known God, except the one to whom He Himself revealed it - no one not only from people, but even from the supermundane powers, from the cherubim and seraphim themselves, I say. However, God did not leave us in complete ignorance, for He Himself planted the knowledge that God exists in the nature of everyone. And the very creation of the world, its preservation and management proclaim the greatness of the Divine (Wis. 13:5). Moreover, God, first through the law and the prophets, then through His only begotten Son, Lord and God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, imparted to us the knowledge of Himself that we can comprehend. Therefore, everything that the law and the prophets, the apostles and evangelists gave us, we accept, know and honor; and above that, we do not test anything. For if God is good, then He is the giver of every good, and is not involved in envy or any other passion; for envy is not characteristic of the nature of God as passionless and the only good. And therefore, He, as omniscient and providing for the good of everyone, revealed to us what we need to know, but what we cannot bear, He kept silent about. We should be content with this, abide in this and not transgress the eternal limits (Proverbs 22:28) and the tradition of God. So, it is obvious that God exists. But what He is in essence and nature is completely incomprehensible and unknown. That He is incorporeal is clear. For how can something be a body that is infinite and limitless, has no image, cannot be touched, is invisible, simple and uncomplicated? For how can something that is limited and subject to passions be unchangeable? And how can something that is composed of elements and is again resolved upon them not be subject to passion? – For unification is the beginning of warfare, warfare is the beginning of division, division is the beginning of disintegration: but disintegration is completely alien to God. How will it be fulfilled that God penetrates and fills everything, as the Scripture says: I will not fill the heavens and the earth with food, says the Lord (Jer. 23:24)? For it is impossible for a body to pass through bodies without dividing them and being itself separated, without mixing and combining with them, just as liquids merge and dissolve together. If we assume, as some say, that the body is not material, similar to the one that the Greek sages call the fifth body, which, however, is impossible, then it will, of course, be movable, like the sky, for it is this that is called the fifth body. But who moves this body? (Of course, another being) - for everything that is movable is set in motion by another. Who is moving and this is different? And so on to infinity, until we meet something immovable. But the first mover is the immovable, which is what God is. If He were movable, how would He not be limited by space? Therefore, God alone is immovable and by His immobility moves everything. So, it must be necessary to admit that the Deity is incorporeal. However, this does not yet define His essence, just as neither ungeneracy, nor beginninglessness, nor immutability, nor incorruptibility, nor everything that is said about God or about His existence. For all this shows not that God is, but that He is not. Whoever wants to express the essence of a thing must say what it is, and not what it is not. However, it is impossible to say about God that He exists in essence, but it is much more typical to talk about Him through the denial of everything. For He is not one of the things that exist, not because He does not exist at all, but because He is above everything that exists, above even being itself. For if knowledge has as its object existing things, then that which is higher than knowledge is, of course, higher than being, and again: what exceeds being is higher than knowledge. So, God is infinite and incomprehensible, and one thing about Him is comprehensible - His infinity and incomprehensibility. And what we say about God affirmatively shows us not His nature, but what pertains to nature. For whether we call God good, or righteous, or wise, or anything else, we are not expressing His nature, but only what relates to nature. a) St. Basil the Great from the 1st book of “Refutations of the defensive speech of the evil Eunomius” There is not a single name that, having declared the entire nature of God, would be sufficient to fully express it. But many and different names, taken in their own meaning, constitute a concept, of course, dark and very meager in comparison with the whole, but sufficient for us. Of the names said about God, some show what is in God, and others, on the contrary, what is not in Him. For in these two ways, that is, by denying what is not and confessing what is, a kind of impression of God is formed in us. For example, when we call him incorruptible, it is as if we were saying to ourselves or those listening: “do not think that God is subject to corruption”; and when we call him invisible, it is as if we were saying: “Do not suppose that He is comprehensible by the sense of sight”; and when immortal: “do not hold on to the thought that death can touch God.” And also when we call it unborn; We say: “don’t think that God’s existence depends on any reason or on any principle.” And in general, with each of these names we learn not to fall into indecent concepts in our opinions about God. Therefore, in order to recognize the predominant property of God, we forbid each other in judgments about God to transfer thoughts where they should not, so that people do not think in any way that God is among the corruptible, or visible, or born. Thus, with all these prohibitive names, a kind of denial of what is alien to God is effected, and as the thought becomes clearer, it alienates thoughts about what does not belong to God. Again, we call God good, righteous, creator, judge, and we give Him names similar to these. Just as in previous names the words meant a certain abolition and prohibition of concepts alien to God, so here they mean confirmation and implementation of what is characteristic of God and decently imagined about Him. Therefore, each type of name teaches us either about what belongs to God, that it is in God, or about what does not belong, that it is not. b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 30th word, on the theology of the fourth The deity is unnamable. Not only reason shows this, but, as one can guess, the wisest and most ancient of the Jews. For those who honored the Divinity with special inscriptions and did not tolerate that the name of God and the names of creatures that are lower than God were written in the same letters, so that the Divinity was incommunicable with them even in this, could they ever decide to pronounce in a scattering voice the name of the indestructible and unique nature? Just as no one has ever inhaled all the air into himself, so neither the mind has completely contained, nor the voice has embraced God’s essence. On the contrary, in the image of God, borrowing some features from what is around God, we form some kind of unclear and weak idea, piecemeal collected from both, and our best theologian is not the one who found everything (these bonds [i.e., the human body] will not contain everything!), but the one whose idea is more extensive, and who has formed in himself a more complete likeness, or shade (or whatever you want to call it) of the truth. Therefore, as far as is comprehensible to us, the names He and God are in some way names of the essence, especially the name He, not only because He who spoke to Moses on the mountain, when asked about the name, how to call Him, He Himself called Himself this name, and commanded that the people say He sent me (Ex. 3:14), but also because we find this name most characteristic of God. We are looking for a name that would express the nature of God, or originality, and being, not connected with anything else, and the name truly belongs to God and entirely to Him alone, and not to anyone before or after Him, because it was not and will not be limited or suppressed by anything. As for the other names of God, some obviously mean power, others economy, and the last, partly before the incarnation, partly after the incarnation. For example, the Almighty and King of either glory (Ps. 23:10), or ages (1 Tim. 1:17), or powers, or beloved (Ps. 67:13), or kings (1 Tim. 6:15), and the Lord of hosts, or, which is the same, the Lord of armies (Isa. 3:15), or powers (Am. 6:8), or rulers (1 Tim. 6:15), are clearly names of power. A. The God of salvation (Ps. 67:21), the God of vengeance (Ps. 93:1), or peace (Rom. 10:20), or righteousness (Ps. 4:2), the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob” (Ex. 3:6) and of all spiritual Israel who sees God—these are the names of the economy. since we can be controlled through the fear of punishment, the hope of salvation, as well as glory, and through the exercise of virtues, then the previous names are borrowed from here, and the name of the God of vengeance instills fear in us, the name of the God of salvation instills in us hope, and the name of the God of virtues instills asceticism, so that whoever succeeds in any of the above, as if carrying God within himself, will all the more hasten to perfection and rapprochement with God through virtues. Moreover, these names are the general names of the Divinity, the proper name of the Beginningless One is the Father, the Beginningless Begotten is the Son, and the Unbegotten-Descended or Coming-Out is the Holy Spirit. About what is attributed to God. The deity is simple and uncomplicated. But what is made up of many and different things is complex. So, if we call uncreation, and originlessness, and immortality, and eternity, and goodness, and creative power, and the like, essential properties of God, then a being made up of such properties will not be simple, but complex, which (to talk about the Divine) is extreme absurdity. So, about every property attributed to God, one should think that it does not mean anything essential, but shows either that He is not, or some relation of Him to what is different from Him, or something accompanying His nature, or His action. Of all the names assigned to God, it seems that the highest is He, just as He Himself, answering Moses on the mountain, says: He is the son of Israel, He sent me (Ex. 3:14). For He contains all existence within Himself, as if it were a kind of sea of ​​essence - unlimited and limitless. The second name is God. It comes either from running, because God flows around everything, or from burning, because God is a fire that consumes all evil, or from seeing, because nothing is hidden from God, and He sees everything. For He contemplated all things before their existence, representing them in His mind from eternity; and each thing receives its existence at a predetermined time, in accordance with His eternal thought, united with desire, which is predestination and image and plan. So, the first of these names shows that God is, and not that He is; the second indicates His action; and the names: beginningless, incorruptible, unborn, uncreated, incorporeal, invisible and the like show that He does not exist, that is, that He has no beginning to His existence, is not subject to corruption, is not created, is not a body, is not visible. Goodness, righteousness, holiness and the like accompany nature, and do not express His very essence. Names: Lord, King and the like mean a relationship to that which is different from God; He is called Lord of that which He rules, King of that which He reigns, Creator of that which He has created, and Shepherd of that which He shepherds. About what is said about God in a bodily way. Since we find that in the Divine Scripture very much is said symbolically about God in a corporeal way, we must know that it is impossible for us, humans and those clothed with gross flesh, to otherwise understand or speak about the divine, high and immaterial actions of the Deity, except through images, types and symbols, as consistent. Therefore, what is said about God in a very corporeal way is said symbolically and contains a very high meaning, since the Divinity is simple and has no form. So, by the eyes of God, knowledge and sight we must understand His all-contemplating power and His knowledge, which is inevitable (for no creature), since through this feeling we also acquire the most perfect knowledge and conviction. Under the ears and hearing is His favor and acceptance of our prayer, just as we, when we are asked, more mercifully inclining our ears to those asking, through this feeling we show our favor to them. Under the lips and speech is the expression of His will, since we, through our lips and speech, reveal the thoughts of our hearts. Under food and nutrition - our desire for His will, since we, through the sense of taste, satisfy the necessary needs of our nature. Under the sense of smell is that which shows our thought directed towards Him, since we also sense fragrance through the sense of smell. Under the face is His revelation and revelation of Himself through actions, since our face also serves as our expression. Under our hands is His active power, since through our hands we also perform useful, especially our most noble, actions. Under His right hand is His help in just cases, since we, when doing things that are more important, noble and require greater strength, act with our right hand. By touch is His most accurate knowledge and understanding of the smallest and most hidden things, since even for us the things we touch cannot have anything hidden in themselves. Under feet and walking - His coming and presence either to help those in need, or to take revenge on enemies, or for some other action, since we also come somewhere through our feet. Under the oath is the immutability of His decision, since we also confirm our mutual agreements with an oath. Under anger and rage - His hatred and aversion to evil, since we also hate what is not in accordance with our thoughts and are angry about it. Under oblivion, sleep and slumber - postponing vengeance on enemies and slowing down ordinary help to His friends. In short, everything that is said about God in a bodily way. contains a certain hidden meaning that teaches us, through what is ordinary for us, what is above us, excluding only what is said about the bodily coming of God the Word; for for the sake of our salvation He took on the whole man, i.e. the rational soul and body, the properties of human nature and natural immaculate passions. About divine names. The Deity, being incomprehensible, will, of course, be nameless. Not knowing His essence, we will not seek the name of His essence. For names must express their subject. God, although good and so that we could be participants in His goodness, called us from non-existence into being and created us capable of knowledge, nevertheless did not communicate to us either His essence or the knowledge of His essence. For it is impossible for a (lower) nature to fully know the nature that lies above it. Moreover, if knowledge relates to what exists, then how can the essential be known? Therefore, God, by His ineffable goodness, deigns to be called in accordance with what is characteristic of us, so that we do not remain completely without knowledge of Him, but have at least a dark idea of ​​Him. So, since God is incomprehensible, He is nameless, as the Author of everything and in Himself containing the conditions and causes of everything that exists, He is called according to everything that exists, even the opposite of one another, such as light and darkness, fire and water, so that we know that in essence He is not like that, but is subsubstantial and nameless, that as the Author of everything that exists, He takes names for Himself from everything by Him produced. Therefore, some of the divine names are negative, showing divine supremacy; are as follows: insubstantial, childless, carefree, invisible - not because God is less than anything, or that He is devoid of anything, for everything is His, and from Him, and through Him everything came into being and will take place in Him, - but because He surpasses everything that exists in a predominant way, for He is not anything that exists, but above everything. Other names are affirmative, speaking of Him as the Creator of everything. As the Author of everything that exists and every being, He is called both being and essence; as the Author of all reason and wisdom, reasonable and wise, and is himself called Reason and reasonable, Wisdom and wise; as well as - Mind and intelligent, Life and living, Strength and strong, in a similar way He is called in accordance with everything else. It is most characteristic of Him to take names from things that are noblest and closest to Him. Thus, the immaterial is nobler and closer to Him than the material, the pure than the impure, the holy than the foul, since it is also more characteristic of Him. Therefore it is much more fitting for Him to be called sun and light rather than darkness, and day rather than night, and life rather than death, and fire. And air and water, as life principles, rather than earth; primarily and more than anything - good rather than evil, or, what is the same, existing rather than non-existing, for good is being and the cause of being, evil is the deprivation of good and being. And these are denials and affirmations. From both of them comes a most pleasant combination, such as a super-essential being, a pre-divine Deity, a pre-primary principle, and the like. So, God is called Mind and Reason, and Spirit, and Wisdom, and Power, as the Author of this, as immaterial, omnipotent and omnipotent. And this, expressed affirmatively and negatively, is said generally about the entire Divinity, as well as about each Hypostasis of the Holy Trinity, in the same and in the same way, and without any diminution. 5. Is there no contradiction in the fact that the Gospel says, “No one has seen God anywhere,” and the prophets, apostles, and even the Lord Himself say otherwise? St. Epiphanius of Cyprus from Panaria, 59, 6–8 The All-Holy God, in His power, is loving towards His own creation, so that some of the unbelievers would not think that what is said about God exists only in words and is not true, and what God proclaimed in words is not fulfilled in practice. The Apostle says: it is fitting for him who comes to God to believe, as He is, and He is a rewarder of those who love Him (Heb. 11:6). So, in order to encourage the man He created, God reveals Himself to His saints and those worthy to see Him, so that they may know God by nature, be established in their thoughts and hope truly, and proclaim Him truly and certify the believing person. Meanwhile, the sons of the Hellenes have an idea of ​​God in words and in imagination. But we truly know the true God, the truly existing one, the incomprehensible King, the Creator of all things, the one God, and from Him the only begotten Son, in no way different [in essence] from the Father, and His Holy Spirit, in no way different [in essence] from the Father and the Son. We have often said and do not deny that God appears to people. For if we began to deny the divine Scripture, then we would not be just and would find ourselves falling away from the truth. If we rejected the Old Testament, we would not belong to the Catholic Church. The Gospel says: God is neither seen nor destined, the Only Begotten Son of that confession (John 1:18). And the same divine Scripture says: God appeared to Abraham, who was in Mesopotamia (Acts 7:2). And the Lord Himself in the Gospel says: for their angels see the face of My heavenly Father (Matthew 18:10). But maybe someone will say: Divine Scripture says that the prophets saw God, but only with their minds, as can be concluded from the words: Their angels see the face of my heavenly Father, and also from the following: blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8). If someone combines these sayings in his thought, he would perhaps say that everyone sees God with their mind, and not with their eyes. But this is refuted by the word of God, spoken by the prophet Isaiah: O accursed me, for I was touched, as a man having unclean lips, among men having unclean lips, I live and have seen the Lord of Hosts before my eyes (Is. 6:5). He did not say: with his mind or thought, but with his eyes, confirming the truth and certainty of faith. So what do we say? The Gospel says that no one has seen God anywhere, but the prophets, apostles and even the Lord himself claim the opposite. Does Divine Scripture really contradict itself? It won't happen. But that the prophets and apostles saw God is true; They saw as far as they could see and as far as it was possible for them, and God appeared to them as He wanted; for all things are possible with Him. And that God is invisible and incomprehensible is clear and recognized by everyone; but, on the other hand, He is strong to do what He wants, for no one will resist His will. So He is invisible by nature and incomprehensible in glory. When He desires to appear to man created from Him, nothing can resist His will. For the Divinity is not subject to such constraint that it cannot do what it wants, or do what it does not want (because the one who does what it wants is omnipotent), but He does what is appropriate for His Divinity; and in general there is nothing that would hinder His will, so that He could not fulfill what He wants, in accordance with His Divinity. However, it is impossible to see God, and the visible is not able to see the invisible. But the invisible God, in His love for mankind and omnipotence, deigns to strengthen the weak with His strength, so that it can see the invisible. And it sees the invisible and limitless, but not as limitless, but as far as the nature of the powerless, reinforced for the perception of the strong, can accommodate. So there will be no disagreement in the divine Scripture, and no belief will be in conflict with another. The matter seems like this: if someone looked at the sky through the smallest hole and said: I see the sky, then he would not lie, because he really sees the sky. And if someone shrewd had told him: “You have not seen the sky,” then he would not have lied, because the one who says that he sees does not lie, and the one who told him that he does not see the sky also speaks the truth, for he does not see either the longitude or the breadth of the sky. And the one who saw told the truth, and the one who objected that he did not see, did not lie, but was fair. Often we, standing on the top of a mountain, see the sea. And if we say that we saw the sea, we will not lie, and if someone, on the contrary, says: you have not seen the sea, he will not lie either; for what is its breadth, what is its length and depth, and where are the limits of the abyss - this, being a man, he cannot know. If this is the case with us in relation to creatures, is it not much more so in relation to the grace that God bestowed on the prophets and apostles? They really saw God and did not see it, but they saw how much nature could endure, and then by the power of grace with which the Almighty strengthened them in everything, for the sake of His love for man who truly serves Him. But if anyone thought that God had hands, or eyes, or something else, because in this form He appeared to the prophets and apostles, such people, carried away by a passion for controversy, are exposed to the truth. But what is said in the Divine Scripture, he must believe that it is really so, and how it happens, He alone knows. There is no doubt that He really appeared, but He appeared as He wanted, and when He appeared, He truly appeared. For God can do everything, and nothing is impossible for Him. He is incomprehensible, being a Spirit inaccessible to the mind, he embraces everything, but he himself is not embraced by anything. And as is the Father, such is the Son, such is the Spirit according to Divinity. The One Only Begotten, having come into the world, put on flesh, in which he was resurrected, which he united in spiritual unity with the Divine and sat down in glory at the right hand of the Father, according to the Scriptures (Eph. 2:6; Heb. 8:1). And just as He is incomprehensible and inaccessible to understanding, so everything that is said about Him is true; just as God is incomprehensible, so everything that is said about Him is incomprehensible; but incomprehensible in relation to what God is in himself and how He is in incomprehensible glory. To the best of our ability, we expressed it for the glory of God in human language. For we cannot use for this purpose other sounds than those that are given to us by God to a certain extent, although with our minds we imagine incomparably more about God. But our lips, confined to a certain extent and constrained by bodily organs, cannot express as much as the mind comprehends. Therefore, God condescends, accepting from us knowledge of Him and praise, even when it extends beyond our strength, not so that we give anything to God, but so that we glorify the Divine to the best of our ability, think piously about Him and do not fall away from His grace and truth. 6. On the possibility - and given the incomprehensibility of the being of God - of relative knowledge of God St. Gregory the Theologian from the 28th word, on the theology of the second What happened to me, friends, mysteries and lovers of truth like me? I walked in order to comprehend God, with this thought, having renounced matter and the material, gathering as much as I could into myself, I ascended the mountain. But when I stretched out my gaze, I barely saw the back of God (Ex. 33:22–23), and then covered with the Stone (1 Cor. 10:4), that is, the Word made flesh for us. And having leaned a little, I contemplate not the first and pure nature, cognizable by Himself, that is, by the Trinity itself, I contemplate not that which is inside the first veil and is covered with cherubim, but one extreme one and extending to us. And this, as far as I know, is that greatness, or, as the divine David calls it, that splendor (Ps. 8:2), which is visible in creatures created and governed by God. For all this is the back of God, which after God gives us knowledge of Him, just as the reflection and image of the sun in the waters shows the sun to weak eyes that cannot look at it, because the liveliness of the light amazes the senses. So you too, theologize, although you will be Moses and God to Pharaoh, although you will ascend with Paul to the third heaven and hear inexpressible verbs (2 Cor. 12:4), although you will become higher than them, having been awarded the angelic or archangelic face and rank! For everything that is heavenly, and other things beyond heaven, although in comparison with us is much higher in nature and closer to God, is nevertheless further removed from God and from His perfect comprehension than it is higher than our complex, low and low-gravitating composition. So, again we must go back to the beginning. “It is difficult to understand God, but it is impossible to express it,” - this is how one of the Hellenic theologians philosophized 1 and, I think, not without a cunning thought; so that they would consider him to have comprehended, he said: it is difficult, and in order to avoid reproof, he called this ineffable. But, as I argue, it is impossible to say, and even more impossible to understand. For what is comprehended by the mind, perhaps even a word will explain to someone who has not completely damaged hearing and a dull mind, if not quite sufficiently, then at least weakly. But not only people who are numb and bowed down, but even very exalted and God-loving ones, as well as every born nature, for which this darkness - this coarse flesh, serves as an obstacle to the understanding of the truth, have absolutely no strength or means to comprehend such a great subject. I don’t know whether this is possible for higher and spiritual natures, which, being closer to God and illuminated with complete light, perhaps see Him, if not completely, then more perfectly and definitely than us, and, moreover, according to their rank, some are greater and less than others. But I won’t go into this further. As for us, not only the peace of God surpasses all mind and understanding (Phil. 4:7), not only the peace prepared according to the promises (1 Cor. 2:9; Is. 64:4) for the righteous cannot be seen by eyes, nor ears can hear, nor can a thought be imagined, but it is even hardly possible for us to have an exact knowledge of creation. For here too you have only shadows, as he assures that he said: I will see the heavens, the works of your finger, the moon and the stars (Ps. 8:4) and the constant law in them, for he speaks not as one who sees now, but as one who hopes to someday see. But in comparison with creatures, much more inconceivable and incomprehensible to the mind is the nature that is higher than them, and from which they originated. What I call incomprehensible is not that God exists, but that He is. For our preaching is not in vain, our faith is not in vain, and this is not what we teach. Do not turn our sincerity into a reason for godlessness and slander, do not exalt yourself over us, who confess our ignorance! There is a very big difference between being sure of the existence of something and knowing what it is. There is God - the creative and meaningful cause of everything; in this our teachers are both vision and natural law, vision turned to the visible, which is beautifully established and goes on its way, or, I will say, motionlessly moves and rushes, natural law, from the visible and well-ordered, infers about the Beginning of its Leader. For how could the Universe be formed and stand if it were not for God who brought about and contained everything? Whoever sees a beautifully decorated harp, its excellent structure and arrangement, or hears the harp itself being played, imagines nothing else other than the one who made the harp or who plays it, and goes back to him in thought, although perhaps he does not know him personally. Likewise, the creative power that moves and preserves what has been created is clear to us, although it is not comprehended by thought. And he is extremely foolish who, following natural instructions, does not ascend to this knowledge by himself. However, God is not yet what we imagined under the concept of God, or with what we depicted Him, or with what our word described Him. And if anyone has ever embraced Him with his mind to any extent, how can this be proven? Who has reached the final limit of wisdom? Who has ever been awarded such a gift? Who has opened the mouth of understanding and attracted the Spirit (Ps. 119:131), so that, with the assistance of this Spirit, who searches and knows everything, even the depths of God (1 Cor. 2:10), he comprehended God, and he no longer needs to stretch further, because he has the last of what he desires, to which all life and all the thoughts of a high mind strive? But what concept of God will you form, who puts yourself above all philosophers and theologians and boasts beyond measure, if you entrust yourself to every path of speculation? Where will your inquisitive mind lead you? The Deity is incomprehensible to human thought, and we cannot imagine Him in its entirety. And He remains incomprehensible not because of envy. For envy is far from God’s nature, impassive, the only good and sovereign, especially envy of a creature, which is more precious to God than others, because for the Word what is preferable to verbal creatures? Moreover, our very creation is the height of goodness. And also the reason for this is not the own honor and glory of Him who is filled (Is. 1:11), as if incomprehensibility could give Him venerability and greatness. For to pave one's way to primacy in order to prevent others from achieving it is characteristic of the sophist alone, but it is alien not only to God, but also to any man of any good morals. But if there are other reasons for this, then perhaps those closest to God know them, seeing and delving with their minds into His unsearchable destinies, if only there are people who have succeeded to such an extent in virtue and, as has been said, walk in the footprints of the abyss (Job 38:16). How much we can comprehend, who measure the difficult to contemplate with small measures, this is necessary, perhaps, so that the convenience of acquisition does not make the loss of what has been acquired convenient. For usually, just as we more easily keep what we have acquired with difficulty, we most likely despise what we have acquired conveniently, in order to acquire it again whenever possible. Therefore, those who have intelligence consider the very difficulty of obtaining a benefit to be a benefit. Perhaps this is also necessary so that we do not suffer the same fate as the fallen star, so that, having received the whole light into ourselves, we do not harden our necks before the Lord Almighty (Job 15:25) and do not fall from exaltation in the most pitiful fall. Or maybe it is also necessary so that those who have purified themselves here and patiently waited for the fulfillment of their desires will also have something left there as a reward for their hard work and a bright life. That is why this bodily darkness stands between us and God, like the ancient cloud between the Egyptians and the Jews. And this means, perhaps, putting darkness behind your roof (Ps. 17:12), that is, our whiteness, through which not many and not many can see. But whoever is concerned about this, let him be wise, let him rise to the heights of reflection. And we, the prisoners of the earth, as the divine Jeremiah says (Lamentations 3:34), we, covered with this coarse flesh, know that just as it is impossible to overtake your shadow, no matter how much one hurries, because it moves upward as much as it is captured, or how vision cannot get close to visible objects without the mediation of light and air, or just as the species that swim in water cannot live outside the water, so those who are in in the body there is no possibility of being in communication with the intuited without the mediation of something corporeal. For something will always surpass ours, no matter how much the mind intensifies to cleave to what is familiar and invisible, detaching itself as much as possible from the visible and secluding itself into itself. And we will see this from the following. Spirit, fire, light, love, wisdom, mind, word and the like - aren’t these names of the first nature? So what? Do you imagine either spirit without movement and expansion, or fire not in matter, without upward movement, without its characteristic color and shape, or light not mixed with air, separately from what, as it were, gives birth to it, that is, what shines? How do you imagine the mind? Abiding in something else? And the thoughts that are at rest or appear, in your opinion, are they not movements? Can you imagine any word other than the one that is silent in us or that is poured out (I hesitate to say, disappearing)? And wisdom, in your concept, what is it besides the skill of reasoning about Divine or human objects? And also truth and love - aren’t they praiseworthy dispositions that oppose - one to untruth, and the other to hatred, and just as they themselves become more intense and weaker, arise and cease, so they make and change us alike, producing in us the same thing as colors in bodies? Or is it necessary to consider the Divinity, as much as possible, in Itself, stepping away from these images and collecting from them some single idea? But what kind of mental structure is this, which is assembled from these images, and not what they are? Or how will a single entity, uncomplicated and indescribable by its nature, contain all these images, and each one is perfect? It is so difficult for our mind to get out of the circle of physicality, as long as it, in its weakness, considers what exceeds its strength! Since every rational nature, although it strives for God and the first cause, nevertheless cannot comprehend it, according to what I have explained, then, exhausted by desire, being as if in the throes of death and not enduring these torments, it sets off on a new voyage in order to either turn its gaze to the visible, and from this make something into a god - according to a bad calculation, however; For what is visible that is higher and more godlike than the seer, and in such a way that the seer worships and the visible receives worship? - or from the beauty and comfort of the visible, to cognize God, to use sight as a guide to the invisible, but in the splendor of the visible, not to lose sight of God. For this reason, they began to worship, some the sun, some the moon, some the many stars, some the sky itself along with the luminaries, which were given to rule the world both in the quality and quantity of movement; and some to the elements: earth, water, air, fire, since they are necessary for everything, and without them human life cannot last; others - whatever they encountered in a series of visible things, recognizing as God everything that seemed beautiful to them. Some began to worship even picturesque images and statues, first of relatives - and these were people who indulged in grief and sensuality without measure and wanted to honor the dead with monuments - and then strangers - and this was done by the descendants of the first, distant from them by time, they did it because they did not know the first nature, and the honoring that came to them by tradition became, as it were, legal and necessary when the custom approved by time turned into law. But I think that others, wanting to please the rulers, glorify power, express surprise at the beauty of what they revered over time to become a god, and some fable was added to facilitate the seduction. Those of them who were more devoted to passions recognized passions as gods, or as gods they began to honor anger, murder, lust, drunkenness, and I don’t know, maybe something else close to this, because in this they found (of course, unkind and unfair) justification for their own sins. And some gods were left on earth, others (which is prudent) were hidden underground, and others (a ridiculous division) were elevated to heaven. Then, submitting to self-will and the whims of a wandering imagination, they named each fiction the name of some god or demon and, erecting idols that lured to themselves with their great value, legalized them to be honored with blood and fat, and some even with the most vile deeds, extravagances and murder. For such honors were fitting for such gods! They even dishonored themselves by giving God's glory to sea monsters, four-legged creatures, reptiles, to what is most vile and ridiculous in these species, so that it is difficult to determine whether those who worshiped were worthy of greater contempt, or what they worshiped. But it is more likely that the servants of such gods are more despicable, and also because, being by nature rational and having received God's grace, they preferred the worst to the best. And this is one of the tricks of the evil one, who turned good itself into evil, just as there are many other examples of his evilness. In order to attract people under his power, he took advantage of their misdirected desire to find God and, deceiving them in what they wanted, leading them like a blind man seeking his own path, scattered them along different rapids and cast them into one abyss of death and destruction. That's how it was with them. But our leader is reason. And since we, although we also seek God, do not allow anything to happen without a leader and ruler; Therefore, the mind, having examined what is visible, having surveyed everything that was from the beginning, does not stop there. For there is no reason to assign dominion to that which, according to the testimony of the senses, is of equal honor. And therefore, through the visible, he leads to that which is higher than the visible and which gives existence to the visible. For by what were the heavenly and earthly things, which are in the air and under the water, brought into the structure, or better yet, what is more primary than this - heaven, earth, air and water nature? Who mixed and separated it? Who holds in mutual communication, affinity and agreement (I praise the one who said this, although he is not ours!)? Who set this in motion and leads it in a continuous and unhindered flow? Isn’t he the artist of everything, isn’t he the one who put the law into everything, according to which everything moves and is controlled? Who is the artist of this? Is it not the one who created and brought into being? For such power should not be attributed to chance. Let us assume that being comes from chance, from whom does order come? If you like, we will give in to chance, but who observes and preserves those laws according to which everything happened initially? Is it someone else, or a case? Of course, it’s different, not chance. Who is this other than God? Thus, from the visible, the God-given and innate reason of all raised us to God - this original law in us and given to everyone! Let's repeat what was said at the beginning. God, that He is by nature and essence, no one has ever found and, of course, will not find; and if he ever finds it, then let those who want to look for it and think about it. It will find, as I reason, when this god-like and divine, that is, our mind and our word, unite with what is akin to itself, when the image ascends to the Prototype, to Which it now strives. And this, as I think, is expressed in that very wise teaching, by which we know at one time how much we ourselves are known (1 Cor. 13:12). And what reaches us in this life is a thin stream and, as it were, a small reflection of the great light. 7. About the fact that the desire and ability to know God are given to man along with the image of God, about their darkness and perversion in the Fall and about the means of knowledge of God for man in his current state St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the "Word on the Gentiles" The Creator of the world and the King of kings, God, who is above all essence and human imagination, as good and surpassing everything in kindness, created the human race in His own image, with His own Word, our Savior Jesus Christ, and through likening Himself, made it a contemplator and knower of things, giving him the thought and knowledge of His own eternity, so that man, while maintaining this similarity, would never remove from himself the idea of God did not retreat from cohabitation with the saints, but, having in himself the grace of the Giver, and having his own strength from the Father’s Word, he was happy and conversed with God, living an innocent, truly blessed and immortal life. Without any obstacle to the knowledge of God, man, in his purity, constantly contemplates the Father’s image - God the Word, in whose image he was created, and comes into amazement, understanding the Father’s providence through the Word about everything, rising in thought above the sensory and above any bodily concept, touching with the power of his mind the divine and mental in heaven. When the human mind is not occupied with bodily objects and is not mixed with the external lust they excite, but it is all grief and collected in itself, as it was in the beginning: then, having transgressed the boundaries of the sensory and everything human, it soars in the heavenly things and, looking at the Word, sees in Him the Father of the Word, enjoying the contemplation of Him and being renewed in love for Him. Likewise, the sacred Scriptures about the first created man, who in Hebrew is called Adam, say that in the beginning, with shameless boldness, his mind was directed towards God and cohabited with the Saints in mental contemplation, which he had in the place that Saint Moses, in a figurative sense, called paradise (Gen. 2:8). And in order to see God in oneself, spiritual purity is enough, as the Lord says: blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8). This is how, according to what has been said, the Creator made the human race and wanted it to remain the same. But people, having neglected the most perfect and were too lazy to comprehend it, more willingly sought what was closer to them; Closer to them were the body and bodily feelings. Therefore, they turned their minds away from the mental and began to consider themselves. And considering themselves, preoccupied with the body and other sensual things, and deluded by this as their own property, they fell into self-lust, preferring their own to the contemplation of the divine, and becoming rigid in this, not wanting to leave the one closest to them, their soul, confused and outraged by all sorts of lusts, was suppressed by carnal pleasures; Finally, they forgot about their powers, bestowed by God in the beginning. That this is true can be seen in the first-created man, as the Holy Scriptures say about him. While his mind was directed towards God and the contemplation of God, he turned away from looking at the body. When, on the advice of the serpent, he abandoned the thought of God and began to consider himself, then he fell into carnal lust. And urazumesha, like nazi besha (Gen. 3:7), and when they understood, they were ashamed. They recognized their nakedness not so much by the lack of clothing, but also because they were distracted from the contemplation of the divine and turned their thoughts to the opposite. For, having deviated from the mental aspiration to the One and Existing (I mean God) and from love for Him, we have already delved into the various and private desires of the body. Then, as usually happens, having allowed themselves to lust for every thing and suddenly many things, they began to have attachment to the lusts themselves, and therefore began to be afraid to leave them. Like someone who closes his eyes, when the sun has risen and the whole earth is illuminated by its light, he imagines darkness for himself, although there is no darkness, and then walks, wandering as if in darkness, often falling, approaching rapids, but he himself remains in the thought that there is no light, but there is darkness; - for thinking that it looks with its eyes, it does not see anything at all with them: so the human soul, having closed the eye with which it can contemplate God, has imagined evil for itself, and turning its activity towards it, does not know that, imagining itself doing something, it does nothing, because it imagines something that does not exist, and no longer remains as it was created, but in what confusion it has brought itself, it turns out to be so. For she was created to contemplate God and to be illuminated by Him; she, instead of God, sought out corruption and darkness, as nowhere does the Spirit say in writing: God create a right man. And these sought the thoughts of many (Eccl. 7:30). The human soul, not content with conceiving evil, gradually began to delve into even worse things. Having learned the differences in pleasures, having established itself in the oblivion of the divine, enjoying bodily passions, and having in mind only the present and respect for it, the soul thought that there was nothing more than the visible, but only the transitory and bodily - for it good. Having turned away from the path, and having forgotten about herself that she was created in the image of the good God, she no longer contemplates, with the help of the powers given to her, that God - the Word, according to Whom she was created, but, having become outside herself, her thoughts stop on the non-existent and imagine it. And this, as it were, is a mirror in which alone she could see the Father’s image, having hidden within herself the multitude of crowded bodily desires, and, confused by respect for the sensual, finally, that God, Whom she had consigned to oblivion in the mind, imagines in the bodily and sensual, appropriating the name of God to the visible, and glorifying that one thing, which seems pleasing to her and what she looks at with pleasure. So, evil precedes idolatry as a cause. People, having learned to imagine non-existent evil, also imagined non-existent gods. It was not just that people fell into idolatry, but to the extent that they became ossified in the old ways, they invented new superstitions for themselves, and not knowing satiation in their previous bad deeds, they became satiated with new ones, succeeding in shame, further and further extending their wickedness. Divine Scripture also testifies to this, saying: when the wicked comes into the depths of evil, he is negligent (Prov. 18:3). As soon as the human mind retreated from God, people, falling in concepts and thoughts, first of all gave divine honor to the sky, the sun, the moon and the stars, thinking that they were not only gods, but also the culprits of everything else. Then, descending even lower with darkened thoughts, they called the ether, the air, and what is in the air gods. Having acted further in evil, they exalted the elements and principles of bodily composition as gods: heat, cold, dryness and moisture. And just as those who have completely fallen drag along the earth like earth snails, so the most evil of people, having fallen and humiliated in the concept of God, finally included among the gods people and images of people, both still living and those already dead. And having desired even worse things and having stopped there in thought, they transferred the divine and worldly name of God to stones, to trees, to reptiles in water and on land, and from dumb ones to fierce animals; they began to be given all kinds of divine honor, but they turned away from the true, truly existing God the Father of Christ. And, oh, if only the insolence of the foolish would stop there, and they would not defile themselves with greater wickedness, extending even further! For some have become so debased in thought and darkened in mind that they have invented for themselves, and together deified, even that which never existed at all, and which is not visible among created things. Having mixed both the rational and the dumb, combining with each other things that are dissimilar in nature, they bow to him as if they were gods. This was as it should be, because, having lost their mental aspiration towards the one God, people fell into many and different things; having deviated from the true Word of the Father, the Savior of all Christ, their thoughts rush about many things. Just as those who have turned away from the sun and are in a dark place, circle along many impassable paths, and those who are in front of them are not noticed, and those who are not, they are imagined to be standing in front of them, and seeing they are not seen - so, in the same way, those who have turned away from God and are darkened in the soul, the mind is in a whirlwind; They, as if drunk and unable to see, imagine the non-existent. For knowledge and accurate understanding of the truth, we need no one else, but only ourselves. The path to God is not so far from us as God himself is above all; it is not outside of us, but within ourselves, and its beginning can be found by us, as Moses taught, saying: the word of faith is in your heart (Rom. 10:8; Deut. 30:14). And the Savior, making it clear and confirming the same thing, said: the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21). Having faith and the kingdom of God within ourselves, we can soon see and understand the King of the universe - the Father's Saving Word. Let the Hellenes who serve idols not make excuses, and in general, let no one else deceive themselves, as if they do not have such a path, and therefore they have an excuse for their atheism. We have all embarked on this path, and it is open to everyone, although not everyone follows it; but for many it is desirable to leave it, because they are attracted to outside worldly pleasures. And if someone asks: what kind of path is this? I answer: the soul of everyone and in it the mind; because with one mind God can be contemplated and understood. Will the wicked, just as they have renounced God, also renounce the fact that they have a soul? This would be the fairest thing to say to them, because those who lack only intelligence tend to deny their Creator and Creator - God. If they are sure (as well as the right to be sure) that there is a soul in them, and have a high concept of their rationality, then why, as if they do not have a soul, do they dare to act contrary to reason, do not philosophize, as they should philosophize, but put themselves above the Divine? For they themselves, having an immortal and invisible soul, liken God to visible and mortal things. Or why, just as they retreated from God, will they not again resort to Him? Just as they turned away from God and began to imagine non-existent things as gods, so they can rise in the mind of their souls and turn to God again. It will be possible for them to turn to God if they cast off the filth of all lust in which they have clothed themselves, and wash themselves to such an extent that they reject everything alien to the soul and what has entered into it, and present it as pure from all impurities, as it was created, and thus come to the state of contemplating in it the Father’s Word, according to which they were created in the beginning. For the soul was created in the image and likeness of God, as the Divine Scripture makes clear about this, speaking on behalf of God: Let us make man in Our image and likeness (Gen. 1:26). Therefore, when the soul casts off all the filth of sin that has been poured out on it, and preserves within itself one pure image, then (as it should be) with its enlightenment, as in a mirror, it contemplates in it the image of the Father - the Word, and in the Word understands the Father, whose image is the Savior. Or, if the teaching of the soul is not enough, because its mind is darkened by the external, and it does not see the best, then the knowledge of God can also be borrowed from the visible; because the creation, with order and harmony, as if in writing, makes it clear and proclaims its Lord and Creator. God is good, loving, and considerate of the souls He created, and since by nature He is invisible and incomprehensible, above all created essence, and the human race, which came from nothing, would not have achieved knowledge of the uncreated Him, then for this reason He Himself brought creation by His Word into such a structure that He, invisible by nature, could be known by people even through deeds. For it is not uncommon for an artist to be discovered from work whom we have never seen. They say, for example, about the sculptor Phidias that his works, by their proportionality and mutual correspondence of parts, show Phidias in themselves, although he is not in front of the audience. So, from the order in the world, one can know the Creator and Creator of it - God, although He is invisible to bodily eyes. No one dares to say that God used the invisibility of His nature to harm us, and left Himself completely unknowable to people. On the contrary, according to what was said above, He brought creation into such a structure that, although invisible by nature, it is nevertheless known from deeds. For, looking at the celestial circle, at the currents of the sun and moon, at the positions and rotations of other stars, which occur differently and in opposite directions, however, in such a way that, despite all the diversity, the same order is observed by the stars - who will not come to the thought that they did not bring themselves into structure, but there is another Creator who brings them into structure? And looking at the sun that rises daily, at the moon, which appears at night, according to an unchanging law, in exactly the same number of days, waxing and waning, also at the stars, some of which wander and change their course in various ways. and others move in an inexorable direction - who does not form the idea that, without a doubt, there is a Creator who rules over them? So, since in everything it is revealed not disorder, but order, not lack of measure, but proportionality, not disorder, but improvement and the whole harmonious combination of the world, then it is necessary to conclude and formulate for ourselves the concept of the Lord, who united and fastened everything, brought about harmony in everything. Although He is invisible to the eyes, the order and agreement of opposite things make it possible to understand their Ruler, Manager and King. Who is this Creator? Who is this if not the Most High and Above all essence, the Father of Christ? He, as the best helmsman, with His own Wisdom and His own Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, savesly governs and disposes of everything in the world, and creates everything as He Himself recognizes as best. And it is beautiful, how quickly it was created, and we see what was created, because this too pleases Him. And no one should doubt this. For if the movement of creation were not rational, and the universe rushed about as it had to, then others could rightly not believe what we have affirmed. If creation is brought into being by the word, wisdom and knowledge, and there is order throughout the whole world, then it is necessary for the rector and builder of this to be none other than the Word of God. 8. Visible nature is a book that teaches everyone about God a) St. John Chrysostom from the 9th discourse on statues His invisible [i.e. “God,” says [the Apostle Paul], “from the creation of the world His being was conceived, visible, and His everlasting power and Divinity (Rom. 1:20). The meaning of the words is this: before the eyes of everyone, He proposed the creation to be concluded from its works to the Creator. About which another (wise) one said: from the majesty and beauty of creatures, their creator is known comparatively (Wis. 13:5). Have you seen greatness? Marvel at the power of the Creator. Have you seen the beauty? Be amazed at the wisdom of the Decorator. Explaining this, the prophet said: the heavens will tell the glory of God (Ps. 18:2). How, tell me, will they tell? They have no voice, they have not received lips, they have no tongue: how can they tell? By the very sight. When you see beauty, greatness, height, position, appearance, such a long-term existence, then, as if hearing a voice and being taught by the sight, you bow to the Creator, who created such a beautiful and wonderful body. The sky is silent, but its appearance makes a sound louder than a trumpet, teaching us through sight, and not through hearing, for that feeling, by its very nature, is truer and clearer than this. If God began to teach through books and writing, then those who know how to read and write would understand what is written, and those who do not know, without outside instruction, would not receive any benefit from this; Moreover, a rich man would buy a book, but a poor man could not buy it. Again, someone who knows this language, which is signified through writing, would understand what is contained in them, but the Scythian, and the barbarian, and the Indian, and the Egyptian, and everyone who does not know that language, would not know anything. But this cannot be said about heaven: on the contrary, a Scythian, a barbarian, an Indian, an Egyptian, and every person who walks the earth will hear this voice, because it reaches our mind not through the ears, but through the sense of sight: the knowledge of visible objects through the eyes is the same for everyone and does not differ as much as knowledge through tongues. This book can be looked at equally by a simple person and a wise man, and by a poor and a rich man; and wherever anyone goes, he only looks at the sky and receives sufficient instruction from this look. And the prophet himself, hinting at this and showing that creation emits a voice intelligible to barbarians, and to Greeks, and to all people in general, said this: speech is not the essence, lower than words, their voices are not heard (Ps. 19:4). This means: there is no people, no language that could not understand this voice; but such is the sound (of heaven) that it can be heard by all men; and such is the sound not only of the sky, but also of the day and night. How is it - day and night? The sky, with its beauty, grandeur, and everything else, amazes the audience and makes them wonder at the One who created it; but day and night - what can they show us? Nothing like that, of course; but there is something else that is no less than that - harmony, the strictest order. When you think about how they divided the whole year among themselves and, as if on a scale, they measured the length of all time, you will be surprised at the One who established this order. Like a brother and sister, who with great love divided their father’s inheritance among themselves, and did not offend each other in the slightest, so day and night with all precision divided the year between themselves in such equal measure, and they keep their limits and never drive each other out. And what can we say about the harmonious order of the yearly times, just as they, like maidens in a round dance, very orderly walk one after another circle, and do not cease to gradually and quietly move through the middle ones to the opposite ones! Who will be so pitiful and miserable that, seeing the sky, seeing also the sea and the earth, seeing such a precise arrangement of the seasons and the unchanging order of day and night, will think that this happened by itself, and will not worship the One who arranged all this with due wisdom? 9. Why not everyone understands visible broadcasts in the same way St. Augustine from his Confessions, book. 10, ch. 6 Not with doubt, but with firm conviction, I love You, Lord! You touched my heart with your word, and it loved you. So heaven and earth, which are in them, from everywhere inspire me to love You and constantly convince all people to do so, even if Rome is unrequited to them. 1:20). But you will have mercy all the more, if you have mercy on him, and you will show mercy, if you will spare him (Ex. 23:19; Rom. 9:15), although heaven and earth proclaim your praises to the deaf. What exactly do I love about You? Not physical beauty, not temporary glory, not the brilliance of light with which You delight my eyes, not the gentle melodies of all kinds of melodies, not the pleasant smell of flowers and aromas, not manna and honey. In God, something non-spatial shines for the souls of people, and something that is not measured by time resounds, something that is not carried in the air smells, and saturates something with which one cannot be satiated, and the immensity is embraced. This is what I love, loving God. But what is my God? I asked the earth, and she said: “It’s not me”; and everything on earth repeated the same thing. I asked the sea and the deep, and all the living creatures that lived there, and they answered: “We are not your God; look above us." I asked the winds of the air, and the air with all its inhabitants said to me: “Anaximenes is mistaken: I am not God.” I asked the sky, the sun, the moon and the stars, and they answered: “We are not the God you are looking for.” And I said to everything that was subject to my bodily senses: “You told me about my God that you are not gods - tell me something about Him!” And they exclaimed with a loud voice: He created us, not we (Ps. 99:3). My question was my inquisitive eye; their answer was their appearance. And I turned to myself with the question: “Who are you?” and answered: man! Here I am made up of body and soul: one is outside, the other is inside. In which of them, in the body or in the soul, should I seek my God, Whom I have already sought with external feelings from earth to heaven, wherever I could send my messengers - the gaze of my eyes? Of course, the inside of my being is better than the outside. To the spirit, as chairman and judge, the bodily senses announced all the answers of heaven and earth and everything that is in them, answers of the following content: “we are not God, but He created us,” the inner man realized this with the help of the outer man, - I, the inner man, knew this, I, the spirit, through the medium of the bodily senses. I asked the universe about God, and it answered me: “I am not your God, but He created me.” Doesn't the same picture of the universe present itself to all beings with healthy sensory organs? Why doesn't she tell everyone the same thing? Both large and small animals see the universe, but cannot question it, because they do not have a mind that discusses what the senses proclaim - they cannot question nature so that the invisible properties of God, revealed in creatures, become visible (Rom. 1:20). As for people, although they are gifted with such a judge - reason, due to their excessive passion and passion for creatures, they cannot judge them properly. Creatures proclaim the properties of God not only to those who question, but also to those who discuss; they do not use their voice, i.e. of one's own kind, so that one may appear so. But for others it’s different; but, appearing to everyone in the same form, their nature is silent for one, eloquent for another - one can even say that it is eloquent for everyone, but it is understood only by those who compare the voice heard from the outside with the broadcast of the truth that dwells within. But the truth says to me: “Your God is neither heaven nor earth, nor anything corporeal; the very nature of these things speaks about this to those who see them. It is a mass in which the part is less than the whole. Of course, you, soul, are much better, because you form the mass of your body, inspiring it with life, which nothing material can provide to the body. And your God is for you the life of your life.” So where did I find You to know You? Where could I know You if not in You Yourself above me? It is impossible to say where; there is no space - we retreat and approach, and there is no space. Everywhere, O Truth, You are present in all those who think about You, and together you give an answer to all those who think wrongly. You answer clearly, but not everyone hears clearly. Everyone philosophizes in accordance with their desires, but they do not always listen in accordance with their desires. Your best servant is the one who does not try to hear from You what is in accordance with his desires, but himself strives to conform his will to what he hears from You. 10. Self-knowledge provides guidance to the knowledge of God a) St. Basil the Great from a conversation on the words Listen to yourself (Deut. 15:9) Accurate observance of yourself gives you sufficient guidance to know God. For if you pay attention to yourself, you will not have the need to look for traces of the Creator in the structure of the universe, but in yourself, as if in some small world, you will see the great wisdom of your Creator. From the incorporeality of the soul within you, understand that God is also incorporeal. Know that He is not limited by place, because your mind does not have a preliminary residence in any place, but only because of its connection with the body finds a certain place. Believe that God is invisible, having known your own soul; because she too is incomprehensible with bodily eyes. It has neither color nor appearance, is not encompassed by any bodily outline, but is recognized only by actions. Therefore, in thinking about God, do not seek to observe with the help of your eyes, but, leaving faith to the mind, have a mental concept of God. Marvel at the Artist, how He tied the power of your soul to your body, so that, stretching to its extremities, He brings the most distant members into one agreement and communication. Consider what power is imparted to the body by the soul, and what sympathy returns from the body to the soul; how the body receives life from the soul, and the soul receives painful sensations from the body, what treasures of knowledge it contains; why the knowledge of the past does not darken what is being studied again, but the memories remain unmerged and separate, being inscribed in the sovereign soul, as if on a copper pillar; how a soul, crawling into carnal passions, destroys its inherent beauty, and how again, having been cleansed of sinful shame, it ascends to likeness to the Creator. 11. The soul is Christian by nature Tertullian a) from the Apology (chap. 17) What we worship is one God. He created the entire universe with all the wealth of elements, bodies and spirits from nothing by the word with which He commanded, by the mind with which it created order, by the power with which it could do everything, to adorn His greatness. Therefore, the Greeks called the world “cosmos” - decoration. He is invisible, although He is seen, He is intangible, although He appeared by His mercy; It is incomprehensible, although it is comprehended by the human mind. Therefore He is true and great. For what can usually be seen, touched, comprehended, much less the eyes that see, and the hands that embrace, and the mind that comprehends. And what is incomprehensible is known only to oneself. That which is, makes it possible for God to be comprehended, although He does not accept comprehension. So greatness makes Him both known and unknown to people. This is the main fault of those who do not want to know Him, Whom they cannot help but know. Do you want us to show Him from His works, so numerous and so great, which surround us, support us, amuse us and frighten us, or from the testimony of the soul itself? Although the soul is imprisoned in the body, although it is darkened by perverted teachings, although it is deprived of vigor due to passions and lusts, although it slavishly serves false gods; however, when he comes to his senses, freed as if from intoxication or sleep or some kind of illness, and becomes healthy again, he pronounces the name “God”, and this name alone, since the true God really is one. Everyone says: God is great, God is good and God will give. The soul testifies to Him as a Judge when it says: God sees, I commit to God, God will reward me. Oh, the testimony of a soul that is Christian by nature! And, saying this, she turns her gaze not to the Capitol 3, but to the sky. She, of course, knows the dwelling of the living God: from Him and from there she descended. b) Him from the book “On the Testimony of the Soul” If anyone wants to borrow evidence of Christian truth from all the most commonly used writings of philosophers or poets or any other teachers of pagan science and wisdom, in order to prove with their own writings that its enemies and persecutors are guilty of their errors and injustice to us, then for this he needs great curiosity and even greater memory. Some of our 4, who have preserved both the works of curiosity and the strength of memory in relation to previous literature, actually compiled small works for this purpose. They clearly speak and testify to the beginning, origin, teaching and evidence of those opinions, from which it can be seen that we have not accepted anything new or monstrous, regarding which general and domestic literature would not agree with us, although we have rejected some errors and introduced some truth. I call upon a new witness, but he is more famous than any literature, more effective than any (scientific) system, more widespread than any books, more than all man - he is everything that makes up man. Soul! stand in the middle. Whether you came from the sky, or emerged from the earth, whether you were made of numbers or from atoms, whether you begin with the body, or enter the body after, why and how you make a man, a rational being, capable of feeling and knowing - but I do not call you the one who spews out wisdom, having been educated in schools, having worked in libraries, having been satiated in academies [- the schools of the followers of Plato] and Attic porticoes [- the schools of the Stoic philosophers]. I am addressing you as simple, rude, uneducated, ignorant, as you are among those who have only you, as you are on the streets, at crossroads, in factories. I need your ignorance because no one believes your little knowledge. I demand from you what you bring with you into a person, to feel that you have learned either from yourself or from your Creator, whoever He is. You, as I know, are not a Christian; for the soul usually becomes a Christian, and is not born 5 . However, Christians now demand testimony from you, a stranger to us, against yours, so that they may at least be ashamed of you, because they hate us and laugh at us for what your own consciousness testifies to. They don’t like us because we preach that there is only one God, that this name belongs to Him alone, that everything came from Him, and everything is subordinated to Him. If you, soul, know this, then testify. After all, we hear that you preach openly and with complete freedom, which we do not have, at home and outside the house like this: what God will give, and if God pleases. With these words you express that there is Someone, and you recognize all the power of the One on whose will you direct your gaze, at the same time you affirm that there are no other gods, since you call them by their proper names: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus 6. After all, you say that there is only one God and you call Him only God. Although you sometimes call those gods, however, it seems to me that you use this name as if it were someone else’s and as if borrowed. Tell us also about the nature of the God whom we preach; and it is not hidden from you. God is good, God is good, and man is evil. With this contrast you indirectly and covertly indicate that a person is evil because he has moved away from the good God. Also, what we consider to be the most important dogma of our teaching and life, namely, that the God of goodness and kindness is the source of blessing, you so readily pronounce, as a Christian should pronounce it: God will bless you. But when you exchange God’s blessing for a curse, then in agreement with us you acknowledge that all His power is over us. There are those who, although they do not reject God, do not believe that He is omniscient, governs everything and judges everyone, for which, of course, we are most despised, since we hasten to accept this teaching, fearing the foretold judgment. They honor God in such a way that they free Him from the worries of industry and from the labors of punishment. They do not even attribute anger to Him. For if God, they say, is angry, then He is subject to destruction and suffering; and what suffers and what is destroyed can perish, which is unacceptable in God. But admitting elsewhere that the soul is divine, and that it came from God, they contradict the above opinion according to the testimony of the soul itself. For if the soul is either divine or given by God, then it, without a doubt, knows its Giver, and if it knows, then, of course, it fears Him, such a great Giver. How can she not be afraid of Him from Whom she wants benevolence rather than anger? So, where does the soul’s natural fear of God come from if God does not know wrath? How does He who knows no insults arouse fear? What is there to be afraid of if not anger? Where does anger come from if not from the right to punish? Where does the right to punish come from, if not from the court? Where does the court come from if not from the authorities? Who owns power if not God alone? Therefore, you, soul, have to say the following at home and outside the home, without any irony and without any hesitation, in a clear conscience: God sees everything, I hand it over to God, God will reward, God will be the judge between us. Where did you get this from, you're not a Christian? Oh, testimony of the truth, which makes you a witness of Christians in the face of the demons themselves! The more true these testimonies of the soul are, the simpler; the simpler, the more popular; the more popular, the more general; the more general, the more natural; the more natural, the more divine. I don’t think they could seem stupid or funny to anyone. if he reflects on the greatness of nature, by which the dignity of the soul is valued. As much as you give it to the teacher, so much will you award to the student. The teacher is nature, the student is the soul. Everything that she taught or that one learned was communicated by God, the Teacher of the teacher herself. What the soul can imagine about the original Mentor, it is able to recognize in you from the soul that is in you. Feel the soul that makes you feel. Know the prophetess in predictions, the interpreter in signs, the clairvoyant in events. Is it surprising if a soul, originating from God, communicates prophecies to man? Is it surprising if she knows the One from whom she came? She, despite the machinations of her enemy, remembers her Creator, and His goodness and commandments, and her end, and her enemy himself. Is it surprising if she, who came from God, preaches what God made known to his own? 12. The necessity for the knowledge of God of purity of the soul a) St. Theophilus of Antioch from the first book of Autolycus If you say to me: “show me your God,” then I will answer you: show me your man, and I will show you my God. Show that the eyes of your soul see and the ears of your heart hear. For just as the bodily eyes of sighted people see the objects of this earthly life and perceive the difference, for example, between light and darkness, between white and black, between the ugly and the beautiful, between the right, proportionate and incorrect, disproportionate, between excessive and insufficient, or as the ears distinguish sounds that are subject to hearing - sharp, heavy or pleasant: so in the same way there are ears of the heart and eyes of the soul to see God. And God is visible to those who are able to see Him, whose spiritual eyes are open. Everyone has eyes, but for others they are covered in darkness and do not see sunlight. And although the blind do not see, the light of the sun still exists and shines, and let the blind complain about themselves and about their eyes - so you, my friend, the eyes of your soul are darkened by your sins and evil deeds. A person must have a soul as pure as a shining mirror. When there is rust on the mirror, then a human face cannot be seen in the mirror: so a person, when there is sin in him, cannot contemplate God. So, show yourself whether you are an adulterer, a fornicator, a thief, a robber, a kidnapper, a molester of children, whether you are not quarrelsome, slanderous, angry, envious, arrogant, proud, violent, a lover of money, disobedient to your parents, a seller of your children. For God does not reveal himself to those who do this unless they first cleanse themselves from all filth. All this brings darkness, and just as illness in the eyes does not allow them to turn to the light of the sun, so you, my friend, are darkened by iniquities so that you cannot see God. Will you say to me: “You who see, describe to me the appearance of God”? Listen, my friend: the appearance of God is indescribable and inexplicable, for it cannot be seen with carnal eyes. His glory is infinite, his greatness is immense, his height is incomprehensible, his power is immeasurable, his wisdom is unsearchable, his goodness is inimitable, his benefits are ineffable. For if I call it light, then I will speak about His creation; If I call Him the Word, I will speak of dominion; whether I call Him mind, I will speak about His wisdom; whether I call Him Spirit, I will speak about His breath; If I call it wisdom, I will speak about His generation; whether I call it a fortress, I will speak about His power; Whether I call it power, I will speak about His activity; Whether I call it providence, I will speak about His goodness; If I call it a kingdom, I will speak of His glory; If I call Him Lord, I will call Him Judge; If I call Him a judge, I will call Him righteous; if I call Him father, I will speak about His love; If I call it fire, I will speak of His wrath. God is beginningless because he did not come into being, unchangeable because he is immortal. He is called Lord because he rules over everything, - Father, because he exists first of all, - Creator and Creator, because he created and created everything, - Most High, because he is above all, - Almighty, because he rules and contains everything. For the heights of the heavens, and the depths of the abysses, and the ends of the universe are in His hand, and there is no place for His rest (Isa. 46:1; Acts 7:49). The heavens are His work, the earth is His creation, the sea is His creation, the sun, moon and stars are His elements, created for signs, in times, days and years, for the service and benefit of people; and God created everything from non-existence into being, so that from His works His greatness could be known and understood. Just as the soul in a person is invisible and invisible to people, but is known through the movement of the body, so God cannot be seen with human eyes, but He is contemplated from His providence and actions. b) St. Gregory of Nyssa from the 6th word “On the Beatitudes” Blessed be the pure in heart, for they will see God What is natural to feel when looking from some lofty peak at some vast sea, my understanding suffered the same, as if from the top of some mountain, from this lofty saying of the Lord, stretching my gaze into the inexplicable depth of thought. In many coastal places you can see a semi-truncated mountain on the coastal side, cut off in a straight line from top to bottom, while its upper edge, leaning from a height, hangs over the abyss. As naturally happens to someone who, having stood on such a watch, looks into the depths of the sea from a great height, my soul is now spinning, perplexed by this great saying of the Lord. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God.” God is offered to the eyes of those who have purified their hearts. But, as the great John says, God is nowhere to be seen (John 1:18). Paul also confirms this with great understanding, saying: Whom no one has seen is from man, but below he can see (1 Tim. 6:16). It is a smooth and insect-proof stone, showing no trace of the ascent of thoughts; Moses also affirmed about Him that He is inaccessible to those who intend to teach the doctrine of God, because our understanding cannot in any way approach Him due to the decisive denial of any possibility of comprehending Him. For Moses says: It is impossible for anyone to see the face of the Lord and live (Ex. 33:20). But to see God is eternal life, and these pillars of faith: John, Paul and Moses recognize this as impossible. Do you see the whirling by which the soul is drawn into the depth of what is perceived in the word? If God is life, then whoever does not see Him does not see life. And that it is impossible to see God, the God-bearing prophets and apostles testify. What is human hope based on? But the Lord strengthens the falling hope, as He did with Peter, who was in danger of drowning, again placing him on solid water that did not yield to the pressure of his feet. Therefore, if the hand of the Word stretches out to us and places those thoughts that are not firmly standing in the depths on a firm thought, then we will be without fear, firmly holding on to the Word that guides us. For it is said: blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8). Therefore this promise is such that it exceeds any limit of bliss. For after such a good thing, will anyone desire anything else, having everything in what he has seen? Because to see, according to the usual usage of words in Scripture, means the same as to have: for example, in the words: see the good things of Jerusalem (Ps. 127:5), Scripture means: you will find. And in what was said: let the wicked be lifted up, let him not see the glory of God (Is. 26:10), in a word: he does not see, the prophet expresses that he will not partake of it. Therefore, whoever sees God, in this vision already has everything that is in the list of blessings - endless life, eternal incorruptibility, immortal bliss, an endless kingdom, unceasing joy, true light, spiritual and sweet food, unapproachable glory, unceasing joy and every good. Therefore, it is so important and abundant that the promise of this blessedness is offered to hope. But since, in order to see the Lord, the way is shown in advance, namely to have heart purity for this, then my understanding again becomes weak; And isn’t this purity of heart something impossible for us, and doesn’t it exceed our nature? For if in this way God is seen, and Moses and Paul did not see God, and claim that they themselves and no one else can see, then what is now proposed by the word about bliss is apparently something impossible. Therefore, what benefit does it give us to know how to see God, if with understanding there is no possibility? This is the same as if someone called it blessed to be in heaven, because there a person will see what is not seen in this life. If some kind of instrument for ascending to heaven were indicated in advance in the word, then it would be useful for the listeners to learn that it is blissful to be in heaven. And since ascent is impossible, what benefit will the knowledge of heavenly bliss bring, which only upsets those who know what we are missing out on due to the impossibility of ascension? Therefore, does the Lord really command that which is outside our nature, and exceeds the measure of human strength in the greatness of the commandment? No. For he does not command those whom he has not fledged to become birds, nor those whom he gave life on land to live under water. Therefore, if for all others the law is consistent with the powers of those who receive, and nothing is forced by the supernatural, then, of course, as a result of this, we will understand this in such a way that what is not hopelessly foreshadowed in bliss. And John, and Paul, and Moses, and anyone else, if similar to them, are not deprived of this high bliss - which consists in the sight of God, are not deprived - and the one who said: the crown of righteousness is kept for me, and the righteous Judge will reward it to me (2 Tim. 4:8), and the one who fell to the Persians of Jesus, and the one who heard the Divine voice: I know you above all (Ex. 33:17). Therefore, if for those who proclaim that the comprehension of God is beyond strength, there is no doubt that they are blessed, and bliss consists in seeing God, and vision is given to the pure in heart, then it means that purity of heart is not impossible, in which one can become blessed. Therefore, how can one say that they are speaking the truth, in agreement with Paul, who claim that the comprehension of God is beyond our strength, and that the Lord’s word does not contradict them, promising that with a purity of heart God will be visible? The nature of God, in itself, in its essence, is higher than any comprehending thinking, as inaccessible to fortune-telling thoughts and not close to them; and no power has yet been discovered in people to comprehend the incomprehensible, and no means have been invented to understand the inexplicable. Therefore, the great apostle calls the ways of God unsearchable (Rom. 11:33), meaning by this word that human thoughts cannot ascend to the path that leads to the knowledge of God’s essence, so that almost none of those who have passed this life before us have left any trace of comprehending thought, which would be signified by the knowledge of that which is higher than knowledge. But being such by nature, He Who is above all nature, This invisible and indescribable, in another respect is visible and comprehended. There are many ways to understand this. For even by the wisdom visible in the universe one can divinely see Him who created all things in wisdom. Just as in human works the mind in some way perceives the creator of the exhibited creation to have put art into his work, but it is not the nature of the artist that is seen, but only the artistic knowledge that the artist put into the work, so we, looking at the beauty in the creation, imprint in ourselves the concept not of the essence, but of the wisdom of the Most Wise Creator. If we talk about the reason for our life, namely, that not out of necessity, but out of good will, God began to create man, we again say that in this way we saw God, having comprehended goodness, and not essence. Likewise, everything else that leads us to the concept of the better and more sublime, like this we call the understanding of God, because every sublime thought represents God to our vision. For power, and purity, and immutability, and non-combination with the opposite, and everything like this, impresses on the souls the idea of ​​​​a certain divine and sublime concept. So from what has been said, it is revealed that the Lord is true in His promise; for what is invisible by nature becomes visible in actions, seen in something that is around Him. But the meaning of what has been said about bliss is not limited to the fact that based on any action one can make similar conclusions about the actor. For even the wise of this age, perhaps, due to the structure of the world, can comprehend the highest wisdom and power. But the greatness of bliss, it seems to me, gives something else as advice to those who are able to accept it in order to see what they want. The idea that presented itself to me will be explained with examples. In human bodily life, health is a certain good, but blissful is not only knowing what health is, but living in health. For if someone, praising health, takes in food that brings bad juices and harmful to health, then, oppressed by illnesses, what benefit will he receive from praising health? Therefore, let us understand the word proposed in this way, namely, that the Lord calls not knowing anything about God, but having God in oneself, bliss, for bliss is pure in heart: for they will see God. But not as a spectacle, it seems to me, before the face of a cleared spiritual eye, that God is offered; On the contrary, the height of this saying, perhaps, represents to us the same thing that the Word more openly stated, saying to others: the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21), so that we learn from this that he who has cleansed his heart from every creature and from a passionate disposition, sees in his own beauty the image of God’s nature. And it seems to me that in the little that has been spoken, the Word concludes this advice: all of you, O people, in whom there is any desire to look at what is truly good, when you hear that God’s splendor is above heaven, and the glory of God is inexpressible, and the beauty is ineffable, and nature is inconceivable, do not fall into hopelessness, as if it is impossible to see what you want. For you have within you the measure of comprehension of God, Who created you in this way, immediately realizing such goodness in nature, because in your composition He imprinted the likeness of the blessings of His own nature, as if He had imprinted carved images on wax. But vice, having washed away the god-like features, rendered the good, covered with vile veils, useless. Therefore, if by a zealous life you again wash away the impurity that has settled on your heart, then God-like beauty will shine in you. As it happens with iron, when the rust is removed from it with a grindstone, having recently been black, in the sun it casts some rays from itself and emits a shine: so the inner man, whom the Lord calls the heart, when the rust of impurity, which appeared on his image from bad love, is cleansed, he will again take on the likeness of the prototype, and will be good; because what is like good is without a doubt good. Therefore, whoever sees himself sees in himself what he desires, and thus the pure in heart becomes blessed, because, looking at his own purity, he sees the prototype in this image. For just as those who see the sun in a mirror, although they do not look at the sky itself, nevertheless see the sun in the radiance of the mirror no less than those who look at the very circle of the sun, so you, says the Lord, although you do not have the strength to see the light, but if you return to that grace of the image that was communicated to you in the beginning, then you have in yourself what you are looking for. For purity, dispassion, alienation from all evil is Divinity. Therefore, if this is in you, then, without a doubt, God is in you. When your thought is pure from all vice, free from passions and far from any defilement, you are blessed in your sharpness of vision, because, having purified yourself, you have seen what is invisible to those who have not purified yourself and, having removed the material darkness from the eyes of your soul, you clearly see a blissful sight in the pure sky of your heart. What exactly? Purity, holiness, simplicity and all such luminous reflections of God’s nature in which we see God. And that this is really so, we have no doubt based on what has been said. But what was difficult for our word at the beginning remains with the same inconvenience. If everyone agrees that the one who is in heaven is involved in heavenly miracles, then, since the method of ascending there is impossible, agreement in this does not bring us any benefit: it is also certain that, after the purification of the heart, a person becomes blessed; but how can he cleanse it from what defiles it, this is almost completely equivalent to ascending to heaven. Therefore, is there any Jacob’s ladder, any fiery chariot, similar to the one that carried the prophet Elijah to heaven, on which our heart, having risen to the heavenly wonders, would lay down this earthly burden? If anyone imagines the necessary mental suffering in his mind, he will recognize it as difficult and impossible to escape from the evils associated with it. Our very birth begins immediately with suffering, with suffering comes growth, life ends with suffering, and evil in some way dissolves with nature through those who initially allowed suffering into themselves and through disobedience instilled illness into themselves. But just as the nature of living beings continues through the succession of what belongs to each genus, so that, according to the law of nature, what is born is the same as the one who gave birth: so also from a man is born a man, from a passionate person a passionate person, from a sinner a sinner. Therefore, in those who are born, sin is formed in some way, which is both born, and growing, and ending with the limit of life. On the contrary, that virtue is inconvenient for us to acquire, that with numerous sweats and labors with diligence and exhaustion we barely succeed in it, we learn this from many places of Scripture, hearing that the path leading to the kingdom is narrow, and that leading to destruction through a vicious life is wide, sloping and trampled, however, that an exalted life is not at all impossible, Scripture has confirmed this to us, in the sacred books, presenting to us the wonderful deeds of so many men. But since the promise to see God contains a double meaning - one to know the nature that exceeds everything, and the other - to enter into unity with Him through the purity of the heart, then the first kind of understanding, according to the word of the saints, is recognized as impossible, but the other is promised to human nature in the present teaching by the Lord, saying: blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God. And how to become clean - you can learn ways to do this from almost any gospel teaching. For, moving on to the subsequent commandments [of the Beatitudes], you will find a clear teaching about the purification of the heart. The Lord, having divided vice into two types, those visible in deeds and those formed in thoughts, punished the first type, that is, untruth revealed in deeds, according to the old law, but now he drew the attention of the law to another type of sin, not punishing the bad deed, but providing for it not to begin with. For to remove vice from will itself is much more important than to make life alien to evil deeds. Since vice is many-parted and diverse, the Lord in His commandments contrasted each of the forbidden deeds with a special medicine. And as the disease of anger throughout life most often and most clearly befalls a person, it begins to heal the prevailing, legitimizing, first of all, non-anger. You have been taught, he says, by the old law: you shall not kill, but now learn to remove from your soul anger towards your fellow tribesman (Matt. 5:21–22); for the Lord did not completely forbid anger, because sometimes such a desire of the soul can be used for good, but to ever be angry with a brother without any good purpose - such an ignition was extinguished by the commandment, saying: everyone should be angry with his brother in vain (Matthew 5:22). For the addition of the word in vain shows that the discovery of irritation is often well-timed, when this passion boils up during the punishment of sin. This kind of wrath was in Phinehas, as the word of Scripture testified, when by the defeat of the wicked he appeased the indignation of God against the whole people. Then the Lord proceeds to heal the sins of voluptuousness, and with His commandment removes from the heart the inappropriate lust of adultery. So you will find that subsequently the Lord corrects everything in order, establishing laws against each type of vice. He forbids unrighteous hands to dispose of themselves, not allowing them to take revenge. He drives out the passion of covetousness, ordering the one who is deprived of clothes to add the rest to what is taken away. He heals fear, commanding him to neglect death. And in general you will find that in each commandment, cutting like a plow, the word pulls out bad roots from the depths of the heart, and thereby clears the thorns from growing. So, both are beneficial to nature, both by the fact that good is commanded, and by the fact that teaching about the present subject is offered to us. If, in your opinion, striving for good is difficult, then compare it with the opposite life and you will find how much more difficult vice is, if you take into account not the present, but what will happen after. For whoever has heard about Gehenna will no longer with any difficulty or effort move away from sinful pleasures; but on the contrary, fear alone that has taken possession of his thoughts is enough for him to drive out passions from himself. It is better to say that those who have comprehended what is implied in what is not said also benefit from the fact that they receive the strongest desire from it. For if the pure in heart are blessed, then, of course, those who are defiled in mind are pitiful, because they see the face of the enemy. And if in a virtuous life the features of the Divine itself are imprinted, then it is clear that a vicious life becomes the image and face of the enemy. But if God, according to various ideas, is called everything that we imagine is good, light, life, incorruptibility, and everything of this kind, then, of course, and vice versa, the inventor of vice will be called the opposite of all this - darkness, death, corruption, and everything that is homogeneous and related to this. So, having learned from what both vice and a virtuous life are formed in us, since, by free will, we have been given the power to do both of these, let us avoid the devil’s image, reject this bad personification, let us take upon ourselves the image of God, let us become pure in heart in order to become blessed, as soon as the image of God is imagined in us through a pure life, in Christ Jesus our Lord. 13. Insufficiency of natural knowledge of God. The highest revelation about God is communicated by the Word incarnate, the Son of God a) Blessed Augustine from the work “On the City of God”, book. 11th, ch. 2nd It is a great and extremely rare thing - having understood and learned from experience the variability of all creation in general, corporeal and incorporeal, to abstract from it by the effort of the mind and rise to the unchangeable being of God, and there to learn from God himself that all nature, which is not what He is, was created by Him. In this case, God does not speak to man through any corporeal creation, making a noise in the bodily ears by shaking the air space located between the speaker and the listener, and not through anything sensible that would take a form similar to bodies, as in dreams, or in any other similar way; for even in this case He speaks as if to bodily ears, because He speaks as if through the body and as if there were gaps between the places of the bodies, since visions of this kind are in many ways similar to bodies. But He speaks with the truth itself, if anyone is able to listen with the mind and not with the body. In this case, He speaks to that part of man that is better in man than the rest, of which, as we know, man consists, and better than which only God himself. For as soon as there is a direct conviction, and if it is impossible - at least faith, that man is created in the image of God, then the part by which he comes closest to the supreme God will, of course, be that part of him by which he rises above his lower parts, which he has in common even with animals. But since the mind itself, which by nature has reason and understanding, is weakened by certain darkening and inveterate vices, then not only in order for this unchanging light to attract it, giving it pleasure, but also in order for it to endure it, the mind must first of all be watered and purified by faith, until, day by day renewed and healed, it becomes capable of perceiving such great happiness. But in order for a person in this faith to move more reliably towards the truth, the Truth itself - God, the Son of God, having assumed humanity and without losing the Divinity, strengthened and established this very faith, so that it would be the path to the God of man through the God-Man. He is the Mediator between God and man – the man Jesus Christ. That is why He is the mediator, why He is the man, why He is the way. If there is a path between the one who strives to achieve somewhere and the goal towards which he strives, then there is also hope of achieving the goal. And if there is no way, or the path that should be taken is unknown, then what is the use of knowing where to go? The only absolutely reliable way against all errors is that He is God and man: as God, He is the goal towards which they go, as man, He is the path along which they walk. b) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from “The Sermon on the Incarnation of God the Word and His Coming to Us in the Flesh” God, who possesses everything, when He created the human race with His own Word, also seeing the weakness of human nature, namely, that it does not have enough strength to know the Creator by itself and generally acquire knowledge of God, because God is unborn, and creatures came from nothing, God is incorporeal, and people in the body were created somewhere down, and in general, everything created lacks much in understanding and knowledge of the Creator, noting, I say, this and, having again taken pity on the human race, as the Good One, did not leave people deprived of knowledge of Him, so that existence itself would not become useless for them. For what is the use of being created and not knowing your Creator? Or how could people be verbal without knowing the Word of the Father by whom they were created? They would be no different from the dumb if they knew nothing but earthly things. Why would God have created them if He had not wanted them to know Him? Therefore, so that people do not remain ignorant of God, like the Good One, He communicates to them His own image - our Lord Jesus Christ, and creates them in His image and likeness, so that with such grace, imagining the Image - I mean the Father's Word - they could acquire the concept of the Father himself and, knowing the Creator, live a prosperous and truly blessed life. But foolish people, having also neglected the grace given to them, deviated so much from God and became so darkened in their souls that they not only consigned the concept of God to oblivion, but began to invent one thing instead of another. For instead of the truth, they built idols for themselves, they preferred the non-existent to the existing God, serving the creature instead of the Creator, and what’s worse, they transferred the honor of God to trees, to stones, to every substance, and to people, and did even worse than that. They reached such wickedness that they finally began to worship demons and, fulfilling their wishes, called them gods and, constantly becoming more entangled in the frantic passions that the demons aroused in them, to please them they began to sacrifice dumb animals and slaughter people. Therefore, they learned magic from them, and in places they seduced people with soothsayers; They began to attribute the reasons for their birth and existence to the stars and everything in the sky, not thinking about anything other than what was visible. In general, everything became full of wickedness and lawlessness, only God and His Word were not knowable, although He did not hide Himself from people in obscurity, and did not just give them knowledge about Himself, but revealed it to them in a variety of ways and times. For although the grace communicated in the image of God was sufficient to lead to the knowledge of God the Word, and through Him to the knowledge of the Father, yet God, knowing the weakness of people, provided for them even in the event of their negligence, so that even if they neglected to know God in themselves, they would not remain ignorant of the Creator, having before their eyes the works of creation. since negligence gradually descended to the worse, God did not again leave such human weakness without His providence, giving the law and sending prophets known to people to people, so that if they were lazy to raise their eyes to heaven and know the Creator, they would have teaching near them; because people are closest to learning the best from people. So, looking at the greatness of the sky and considering the harmony of creation, it was possible for people to know the leader of creation - the Father's Word, Who through His providence makes it possible for everyone to know the Father, and for this purpose sets the universe in motion, so that through Him everyone knows God. Or if this was difficult for them, then they could talk with the saints and from them learn the Creator of all God and the Father of Christ, learn that the worship of idols is godlessness and is full of all wickedness. And having learned the law, they could also stop all lawlessness and live a virtuous life. For the law was not given for the Jews alone, and it was not for their sake alone that the prophets were sent; but although they were sent to the Jews and were persecuted by the Jews, nevertheless, for the whole universe they served as a sacred school of knowledge about God and inner life. Such was God's goodness, such was his love for mankind. However, people, overcome by momentary pleasures, demonic dreams and delights, did not raise their gaze to the truth, but burdened themselves with an even greater number of evils and sins, so that they no longer seemed like verbal creatures, but in their morals one could recognize them as dumb. Therefore, when people became so speechless, and demonic delusion everywhere overshadowed and hid the knowledge of the true God, what should God have done? Should all this pass in silence? Should we allow people to be deceived by demons and not know God? What was the need to create man in the beginning in the image of God? It was necessary simply to create him dumb, or he who was created verbal should not have lived the life of the dumb. What was the need for man to acquire knowledge of God in the beginning? If now he is not worthy of this acquisition, then it should not have been given to him in the beginning. What did God who created need this for, or what glory is there in Him, if the people He created do not worship Him, but recognize others as their creators? It turns out that God created them not for Himself, but for others. The king, although a man, does not allow the cities he founded to be given into slavery to others or resorted to by anyone else; but he reminds them with writings, often sends friends to them, and if need demands, he himself comes to shame them, finally, with his presence, so that they do not servile others, and his work would not be in vain. Will not God all the more spare His creatures, so that they do not deviate from Him and serve the non-existent, especially when such deviation becomes the cause of death and destruction for them? Shouldn't those who had once become partakers of God's image have to perish? So what should God have done? Or what had to happen if not the renewal of what was created in the Image, so that through this Image people could again know God? Could this have happened if the Image of God Himself, our Savior Jesus Christ, had not come? This could not happen through people, because they themselves were created in the image, and it could not happen through angels; because they are not images either. Therefore, God’s Word came in person, so that He, as the Father’s Image, could be recreated in the image of created man. On the other hand, again this would not have happened if death and corruption had not been destroyed. Therefore, the Word needed to take upon Himself a mortal body, so that by Him death could finally be destroyed, and people would again be renewed in the image. So, no one else was sufficient for this work except the Father’s Image. Since the face painted on the tree became invisible from external impurities, it was necessary to come again to the one whose face it was, so that the image could be renewed on the same substance; for for the sake of the depicted face, the very substance on which it is written is not thrown away, but the face is restored on it. Likewise, the all-holy Son of the Father, as the Father’s image, came to our countries to renew man created in this Image, and, as it were, to seek the lost by the remission of sins, as He Himself says in the Gospels: He will come to seek and save the lost (Matthew 18:11). Why did He also say to the Jews: unless someone is born (John 3:3), not meaning birth from a woman, as they understood, but meaning rebirth and re-creation in the soul of that which is in the image. Since idolatry and atheism took possession of the universe, and the knowledge of God became hidden, who could teach the universe about the Father? If they say - to a person; then it was impossible for people to go around the entire sunflower - by their nature they would not be able to complete such a journey, they would not be able to earn the credit for this, they would not have sufficient strength to resist such demonic seduction and dreams on their own. since everyone was spiritually amazed and confused by demonic delusion and idolatry vanity, how could people change the faith of the human soul and the human mind when they could not even see them? And what someone doesn’t see, can it be transformed? But perhaps they will say that the creature was enough for this. But if there had been enough creatures, so many evils would not have happened. There was a creature, but nevertheless people were mired in the same delusion about God. Therefore, in whom was there a need again, if not in God the Word, Who sees both the soul and the mind, sets everything in motion in creatures, and through creatures makes it possible to know the Father? The One who, through His own providence and the order of the universe, teaches about the Father, had to renew this teaching. How would this happen? They will say, maybe this could have been done in the same way, that is, to again show by the works of creation what you need to know about God. But this was no longer reliable, and not at all reliable, because people had already ignored this, and their eyes were no longer directed towards grief, but down. Therefore, wanting to provide faithful help to people, the Word of God comes as a man, taking upon Himself a body similar to human bodies, and helps those below, that is, with His bodily deeds, so that those who did not want to know Him from His providence about the universe and from governing it, although from His bodily deeds, came to know the Word of God in the flesh, and through Him the Father. As a good teacher, caring for his students, condescending to those who are not able to use higher knowledge, of course, teaches them lower knowledge; So did the Word of God, as Paul also says: Because in the wisdom of God, not the understanding of the world, through the wisdom of God, God deigned to save those who believe by the violence of preaching (1 Cor. 1:21). Since people, having shied away from speculation about God, and, as if plunging into the depths, fixed their eyes downward, sought God in things that are born and sensible, imagining mortals and demons as gods, then the man-loving and common Savior of all, God's Word, takes upon himself the body, as a person lives among people, and turns upon himself the feelings of all people, so that those who imagine God in the bodily from what the Lord makes bodily By their deeds, they understood the truth, and through Him they came to the thought of the Father, and so that they, like people, having everything human in their thoughts, would see that, wherever they turn their feelings, they are everywhere warned by these deeds, and everything teaches them the truth. If you were amazed at the creation, you will see that the creation confesses Christ the Lord. If their thought was biased in favor of people, and they revered them as gods, then from the deeds of the Savior, compared with the deeds of men, it will become clear that the only Savior among people is the Son of God, because those recognized as gods do not have such deeds as were accomplished by the Word of God. And if they were prejudiced in favor of demons, then, seeing how the Lord casts them out, they will know that He alone is God’s Word, and demons are not gods. If their minds were occupied by people who had already died, and therefore they worshiped heroes and those whom the poets called gods, then, seeing the resurrection of the Savior, they confess that those gods are false, and that there is one true Lord - the Father’s Word, who rules over death. For this reason, the Lord was born, and appeared as a man, and died and rose again, by His deeds humiliating and darkening the deeds of people who had ever lived, in order to distract them from everything that people were prejudiced against, and to teach them the knowledge of His true Father, as He Himself says: He will come to seek and save the lost (Matthew 18:11). Since human thought once descended into the sensible, the Word deigned to make Himself visible through the body, so that, having become a man, he could draw people’s attention to Himself, distract their feelings to Himself, and when they see Him as a man, by the deeds that He performs, they would finally convince them that He is not only a man, but also God, the Word and Wisdom of the true God. Intending to express this, Paul says: rooted and founded in love, that you may be able to understand with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and understand the love of Christ that surpasses understanding, so that you may be filled with all the fulfillment of God (Eph. 3:17-19). For the Word, having spread everywhere, both mountain and valley, both in depth and in breadth, mountain in creation, valley in incarnation, depth in hell, and breadth in the world, filled everything with the knowledge of God. And therefore, He does not immediately upon His coming make a sacrifice for everyone, giving up the body to death, and resurrecting it, and making Himself invisible bodily; on the contrary, with his very body he attracts the eyes of people to himself, being in the body and doing such deeds and showing such signs that showed in him no longer a man, but God the Word. For the Savior, by His incarnation, demonstrated His deep love for mankind, both by destroying death in us and renewing us, and by the fact that, being unknown and invisible, He revealed Himself in deeds and showed that He is the Father’s Word, the Leader and King of the universe. That is why he cried out to the unfaithful Jews, saying: If I do not do the works of My Father, do not have Me faith: if I do, even if you do not believe Me, you will believe by My work: that you may understand and know that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father (John 10:37-38). Just as, being invisible, He is known from the works of creation, so, having become a man, and invisible under the cover of the body, through His works He makes it known that the one who performs these works is not a man, but God’s Power and God’s Word. For it is not human work, but God’s, to command demons and cast them out. And seeing how He healed the diseases into which the human race was plunged, who would honor him as a man and not as God? He cleansed the lepers, gave the lame strength to walk, opened the hearing of the deaf, made the blind see, in general, drove away all kinds of illnesses and all kinds of infirmities from people. And from this everyone could discern His Divinity. For seeing that He returned to man what was missing from birth, and opened the eyes of the one born blind, who would not conclude from this that human birth itself is subordinate to Him, that He is its Creator and Creator? Whoever gives back to a person what he did not have from birth, it is clear, without a doubt, that He is the Lord of human birth. That is why, at the beginning, coming to us, he creates for himself a body from the Virgin, in order to show everyone in this no small sign of his divinity; because the One who created this body is the Creator of other bodies. And seeing that the body comes from a single virgin without a husband, who would not come to the thought that He who appeared in this body is the Creator and Lord of other bodies? Also, seeing that the essence of water is changed and transformed into wine, who will not conclude that the one who created this is the Lord and Creator of the essence of all waters? Therefore, as the Lord, He steps on the sea, and walks on it as on dry land, and in this showing to those who see a sign of His dominion over everything. Feeding a large number of people with a small amount of food, and from a lack making an abundance, so that five thousand people were satisfied with five loaves, and the same number remained - nothing else was meant by this, but the very fact that He is the Lord of the providence of the universe. Nevertheless, it was pleasing for the Savior to create, so that people who did not know His providence about all things and did not understand His Divinity from creation, even if aroused by His bodily affairs, would raise their gaze to Him, and through Him acquire for themselves the concept of knowledge about the Father, from the particular concluding about His providence in the whole universe. For, seeing His power over demons, or seeing that demons confess Him as their Lord, who else will hesitate from the thought that He is God’s Son, God’s Wisdom and Power? He did so that creation itself did not remain silent, but, what is most wonderful of all, at the time of death, or better yet, during His triumph over death, that is, on the cross, all creation confessed that the one who is known and suffers in the body is not just a man, but the Son of God and the Savior of all. For when the sun turned away its gaze, the earth shook, the mountains fell apart, everyone was horrified; then this showed that Christ Crucified on the Cross is God, and all creation is His servant, testifying with their fear to the presence of the Master. So, in accordance with the purpose, God's Word took upon Himself the body and used the human instrument in order to vivify the body, and just as It is known in creation from works, so it acts in man and reveals Itself everywhere, leaving nothing deprived of His Divinity and knowledge of Itself. For, again, I repeat the same thing, returning to the former, namely: the Savior did this so that, just as He, being present everywhere, fills everything, so everything would be filled with the knowledge of Him, which is what the Divine Scripture speaks of: the whole earth would be filled with the knowledge of the Lord (Is. 11:9). For if anyone wants to look at heaven, let him see its improvement. And if he cannot look at heaven, but only gazes at people, let him see His power in deeds, incomparable with human powers, and recognize this one God among men - the Word. If anyone is seduced by demons and is surprised by them, then let him see how He drives out demons, and conclude from this that He is the Lord of demons. If anyone is immersed in the watery nature and thinks that this is God (as the Egyptians honor water), then let him see how He transforms water and know that the Lord is the Creator of waters. If someone descends into hell, he will marvel at the heroes who descended there as if they were gods; then let him see His resurrection and victory over death, and conclude that among them one Christ is the true Lord and God. The Lord touched all parts of creation, freed the universe from all delusion, and exposed, as Paul says: He stripped off principalities and powers, exposed them on the Cross (Col. 2:15), so that no one could be deceived, but would find the true Word of God everywhere. So man, enclosed from everywhere, and everywhere, that is, in heaven, in hell, in man, on earth, seeing the revealed Divinity of the Word, is no longer deceived in the reasoning of God, but worships the one Word and through Him sufficiently knows the Father. 14. On the necessity of faith for knowledge of God a) St. Basil the Great from the letter to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium Do you honor what you know, or what you don’t know? If we answer: what we know, that is what we worship, they have a new question ready: what is the essence of the worshiped? If we admit that we do not know the essence, then again, turning to us, they say: therefore, you worship what you do not know. And we say: the word “know” is significant. For we affirm that we know God’s greatness, God’s power, wisdom, goodness, and the providence with which God cares for us, and His justice, but not His very essence. Therefore the question is tricky. For whoever claims that he does not know the essence does not yet admit that he does not know God, because our concept of God is formed from many things that we have calculated. We claim that we know our God by his actions, but we do not promise to get closer to the essence itself. For although His actions descend to us, His essence remains inaccessible. But they say: “If you don’t know the essence, then you don’t know God.” Say the opposite: “if you claim to know the essence, then you have not known God Himself.” And I know that God exists. But what His essence is, I place this above understanding. So how can I be saved? Through faith. But faith is content with the knowledge that God exists (and not what He is) and He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Heb. 11:6). Consequently, the consciousness of the incomprehensibility of God is the knowledge of God’s essence, and we worship what has been comprehended not in the sense of what kind of essence it is, but in the sense that this essence is. b) Blazh. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, from “Healing Hellenic Ailments”, word 1 Both the body and the soul need medical benefits, because both the former and the latter suffer from frequent illnesses, but the former is involuntary, and the latter is voluntary. Seeing this, the all-wise God, the Creator of souls and bodies and everything else, prescribed medicines suitable for both natures; and he appointed doctors, teaching some this and others another art, and commanded them to fight and overcome diseases. But those depressed by bodily ailments hate their illness, desire healing and obey doctors not only when they give pleasant medicines, but also when they cut the sick members of the body, or burn them, or force the sufferers to languish with hunger, or offer drink dissolved with disgusting substances. Having received healing, despite such a difficult method of healing, they still give reward to those who treated them so cruelly, and being healed, they do not investigate how the medicines are prepared, because those who want healing do not need to know how they receive it. On the contrary, those infected with the disease of unbelief not only do not feel the full severity of their illness, but also imagine themselves to be completely healthy. If any of those who know how to heal wanted to give them a saving medicine, they would immediately reject it, like madmen who avert all healing and run away from medicines like ulcers, and fight off those who take part in them with their hands and feet in a fit. Despite their stubbornness, however, doctors either put them in shackles, or forcefully apply lotions to their heads, or invent some other way to heal the disease and bring them back to their previous state. We should do the same and take every possible care for those who are possessed by some kind of illness. For, although there are few who are infected with this mental illness, we must not leave them unattended and allow them to become even more infected with this ulcer, but must use all methods in order to disperse the darkness that surrounds them and enlighten them with reasonable light. First of all, we will try to cure the disease of arrogance, for some, having become acquainted with the works of poets and orators and tasted Plato's eloquence, neglect the divine Scripture, because it does not contain a pompous manner of expression, and consider it low to learn the truth from fishermen, while they themselves, using the fruits of any art, do not care about what language the artists themselves speak. In the mere study of the truth they do not want to remain illegible, but they consider it dishonorable if it is taught to them in simple language. And this kind of pride is infected by people who not only have not reached the heights of Greek wisdom, but have touched it, as they say, only with their lips. Moreover, by condemning the word belief (for I also heard from you that we do not prove our dogmas with anything, but force them to be taken at word and on faith), you are clearly slandering our teaching, for we always confirm the truth of our teaching with deeds, and in this case you again, as they say, stab yourself with your feathers. You know, without a doubt, Pythagoras 8, the son of Mnisarchov and student of Pherekidov, the founder of the Italian school. He, they say, prescribed such a law to his disciples that for five years they would remain silent and listen only to his teaching, accepting what they heard without any research or dispute and believing that everything was as it should be. Following this, his disciples, when someone demanded clarification of a subject from them, used to say he said it himself, showing that the words of Pythagoras are stronger than any proof. If, therefore, the fact that Pythago taught this way was enough to convince the listeners, then who would be so reckless and insane that he would still want to doubt when the God of all speaks, and will have much less confidence in His words than how much his followers had in the words of Pythagoras? How is it now, my friends, not sad to hear from you that we insult you by convincing you to believe the teachings of God? For aren’t these words Plato’s: “to talk about other spirits and to know their origin is beyond our strength; however, we must believe those who spoke about this before, claiming about themselves that they come from the gods, and knew their ancestors well.” This is what Plato says in the Timaeus about poets and forces one to believe Homer, Hesiod 9 and others, without hiding the fact that they do not present any evidence about this, while he himself often laughs at the tales of the same poets. If, therefore, Plato commands that we have confidence in the inventors of all sorts of nonsense and obscene fables, then, without a doubt, it is much holier and more just to believe in the divine prophets and apostles, who say nothing base, nothing fabulous, nothing incredible, but teach only what is worthy of God, holy and saving. But that the followers of the philosophers themselves, also, under the guidance of one faith, accepted the opinions of some of those, and others of other philosophers, this will also be known to anyone who carefully considers the difference in their teachings. Some, for example, said that the soul is immortal, others said that it is mortal; others called her something mixed, saying that she was partly mortal, partly immortal. And all that was visible was considered by some to be unborn, and by others to be born; some argued that it was composed of earth, others - from matter, others - from atoms. Finally, some thought about the world itself that it was animate, others that it was inanimate. All these sages, although they spoke differently about the same subjects, yet there were people who believed their words and opinions. And in this case, again, some would not recognize this, and others would not recognize the other as true, if faith did not convince them to accept what was said. Therefore, Socrates 10 (in Plato’s Gorgias), having spoken about the punishments that the wicked suffer in hell, and about the rewards received there by the good, added: “By faith alone, I recognize all this as most just.” Thus, although Socrates himself did not see all this, and it was completely unknown to most people, and only a few spoke about it, he nevertheless sees that it is true, and just as he himself does not present evidence of his faith, neither do those who listened to him demand it. And Plato himself, in the first book of laws, confirmed the need for faith, saying: “although everything related to the laws is already sufficiently defined for you, let the following be included among the best laws: so that not one of the young people is allowed to examine what is good and what is bad in these laws, but so that they all unanimously and as if with one mouth affirm that everything is good in these laws.” So Plato does not allow anyone to interfere in these matters, but orders that all legal decisions be accepted with full faith, without entering into the proceedings whether they are good or bad. So Empedocles 11, when discussing objects that are not subject to the senses, say: “we cannot see this or touch it with our hands, but there is a well-known way for us by which the most hidden objects reach our understanding.” Antisthenes 12, the head of the cynical sect, clearly testifies about the God of all things: “He is not known from an image, is not contemplated by the eyes and is not like anyone else, which is why no one can form an idea about Him in any Likeness.” In agreement with this, Xenophon of Athens, a student of Socrates, son of Gryllus, speaks about God 13: “that he who sets everything in motion, but himself remains motionless, is great and strong - this is clear, but what image He has is unknown.” So, in order to comprehend objects comprehended by the mind, it is necessary to have rational eyes. For just as to contemplate visible things we need physical eyes, so to comprehend divine things we need faith; because faith in the mind is the same as the eye in the body, or better: just as the eye has a need for light, without which it cannot otherwise see, so the mind needs faith, which reveals to it divine objects and retains a living impression of them. Listen also to how Plato condemns those who do not want to contemplate what is comprehended with one mind. “Be careful,” he says, “so that none of the unenlightened hear this. These are those who believe that nothing exists except what they can firmly hold with their hands.” You also belong to this class, for which I apologize; for clinging to only visible things and worshiping idols made by human hands, you do not accept the doctrine of the invisible nature. Moreover, you must know that in order to learn the divine, you must throw out ridiculous teachings from your head. Plato clearly speaks about this in these words: “it is indecent for a pure person to borrow from an unclean one.” Indeed, how can one teach divine teaching to those who are not prepared for it? How can someone be prepared for this if he does not accept the dogmas taught by teachers with faith? But is it possible for anyone to have faith if he does not expel from his mind all the evil teaching implanted in him? So, friends, none of us should condemn faith, which Aristotle 14 called a sign of truth, and Epicurus 15 calls it a prejudice of the mind, but one that, having risen to the level of knowledge, turns into knowledge. According to our definition, faith is the voluntary consent of the soul, the contemplation of the hidden, the comprehension of the invisible, and the reckless predisposition of souls to the objects offered. But faith has a need for knowledge, just as knowledge needs in faith; for there can be neither faith without knowledge, nor knowledge without faith. Moreover, faith precedes knowledge, and knowledge follows faith; after knowledge comes desire, and after desire comes action. For first one must believe, and then learn; having learned, one must desire. And if you wish, act. It is impossible to learn the initial elements of a language without first believing the teacher that this is the name of the first letter, this is the name of the second, this is the name of the third, etc. For if the student begins to contradict, saying that the first letter cannot be called alpha, but by some other name, then he will never learn what he should, but will be mistaken, accepting a lie instead of the truth. But if he, trusting the teacher, follows his suggestions when teaching, then knowledge will follow faith. Likewise, a geometer must be believed when he says that there is a point that has no parts, and there is a longitude that has no latitude. No one can ever prove this in words, for if longitude is deprived of latitude, then along with latitude longitude will immediately escape the eye, but the geometer tells us to understand this, and anyone who wants to learn linear figures easily believes this and is convinced. Likewise, students believe astronomers when they either count the number of stars, or measure the distances that are between one and the other, or determine how many thousand stadia the visible sky is distant, although regarding this distance the astronomers themselves disagree among themselves, when some put the distance between heaven and earth at four hundred and seventy thousand stadia, others less, and some much more, and yet the disciples obey their teachers and trust them. And regarding the sun itself there is great disagreement between them. And such a disagreement between them is not in reasoning of any small measure, but infinitely different, which cannot be expressed in words. And yet, there are people who hold certain opinions, and some of them say this, and others say that. So, why do you approve of that senseless faith, and reject our only faith, which is alien to this kind of fable and which accepts the divine and rational rationally? At the same time, it is necessary to take into account that each of the people who wants to learn any art turns to someone who knows how to teach, and what he learns from him, he accepts. For example, a shoemaker shows how to hold a knife and cut leather, then sew it and fit it to the last. And the student believes what he is told. And it does not contradict the teacher, and one of them has knowledge of what he is doing, while the other is based on faith alone, and in a short time through this faith reaches knowledge. So the builder of ships teaches those who want to adopt this art how to stretch a cord, how to drive a saw, how to wield an ax, a chisel and a drill, and the student learns all this, doing what he is ordered, and considers the words of his teacher to be law, in the confidence that under his guidance he will completely comprehend this art. Likewise, a doctor not only teaches the art of healing, but also heals the sick; and although he himself understands the method of treatment, and the one obsessed with the disease does not comprehend it, yet this latter believes that through the art of medicine he will be freed from the disease. Likewise, only those who have been taught this art know how to steer a ship, and those sitting on the ship believe that with the helm of the helmsman they will reach the desired pier. So, my friends, faith is a common subject for everyone - those who want to learn any art, those who swim, those who engage in agriculture, and those who entrust themselves to doctors; knowledge is not characteristic of everyone, but only of those who understand this science. So, if, for example, we wanted to recognize good and pure gold, we do not test it ourselves, but take it to someone who is experienced in these things, and he, having tried it on a whetstone or in fire, determines whether it is real or counterfeit. In the same way, when buying precious stones, we do not trust our choice to ourselves, but to those whom time and experience have taught this art. Likewise, if someone wants to buy silk, multi-colored and gold-embroidered clothing, he orders experienced weavers to evaluate its value. Also, whoever wants to know the weight of gold and silver vessels or coins, he brings them to the weigher and from him finds out how much they weigh, relying on his word. So, knowledge does not belong to everyone, but only to those who acquired it through long-term and experienced management; faith is characteristic of everyone who wants to learn something. So, faith is the original foundation and support of knowledge. Your philosophers also liked to call faith the voluntary consent of the soul, and knowledge - a solid rational habit. Therefore, it would be very incongruous, while teachers in all other sciences assimilate knowledge, and students acquire faith, to pervert this order in the teaching about divine things and place knowledge before faith; for in order to contemplate those things which we cannot see with carnal eyes, we have all the greater need of the eyes of faith. Therefore, the divine apostle clearly says: it is fitting for one who comes to God to believe, for He is, and He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Heb. 11:6). For this reason, we first of all offer the teaching of faith to those who come to us and want to learn divine things from us, and then, when they are instructed and admonished in it, we reveal what mysteries are contained in its simple, apparently, events, as it happens with you. For even among us not everyone knows your sacred secrets; but the people see only what happens before their eyes; the priests perform rituals befitting a famous festival. And one high priest knows the reason why something happens, and explains it only to those whom he recognizes as worthy. Thus, if these unclean and vile rituals were known not to everyone, but only to the high priests, then it would be obvious unreasonableness in the purest divine sacraments to require knowledge before faith. So, faith is the leader, and knowledge will follow it. For to those who believe from a pure and sincere heart, God, in whom they believe, gives knowledge; knowledge, combined with faith, constitutes knowledge of the truth, which whoever achieves should consider himself not only happy, but also the happiest. Plato expressed this very thing in his laws, saying: “Whoever wants to be happy and blessed must first of all take care to become a partaker of the truth, so that he can live with it as much as possible.” For those who are partakers of the truth and lead a life worthy of it are destined for heaven and dwelling in the dwelling of the blessed, and those who do not devote themselves to it and spend their entire lives without participating in the divine and purest sacraments will not only be deprived of these such great benefits, but will also be subjected to eternal torment. This is confirmed again by Plato (in Phaedo), when he says: “everyone who has not participated in the sacraments and has received little instruction in them, having descended into hell, will lie in the mud; on the contrary, a pure and perfect person, having come there, will dwell together with the gods.” So, my friends, believe at least your philosophers, who admonish you and teach you the same things that we teach, although they themselves are like those talking birds who, imitating the human voice, do not know, however, the meaning of the words they pronounce; because even philosophers, speaking about divine things, did not comprehend the truths that they themselves expressed. But I, for my part, excuse them, for they were not previously enlightened by either prophetic or apostolic light, but followed the guidance of one nature, in which the ancient writings of God were erased from the prevailing wickedness. However, the Creator Himself supported some of these writings and did not allow them to be completely destroyed, thereby revealing to people His providence for them. The Apostle Paul shows this very thing when, preaching in Lystra, he said, among other things: who in the past generations would have left all tongues to walk in their ways, and for that reason he has not left himself untestified, doing good, giving us rain from heaven, and fruitful times, filling our hearts with food and joy (Acts 14:16-17). Thus, the Ruler of all, having given the tribe of Abraham his divine law and raising up prophets from among them to guide them on the path of truth, led other nations to piety through nature. And just as He, the Generous One, for the benefit of the human race, sends down rain primarily on cultivated fields, and out of abundance and generosity also rains on deserts and mountains, so the gift of knowledge is primarily sent down to pious people, and to those who are not such, it is given, like rain, to deserted wild places, which therefore sometimes produce something eatable, in the likeness of fruits from cultivated fields; but what a difference it makes when they are deprived of prophetic cultivation! Their fruits are coarse and bitter! But those who know how to distinguish between objects, choosing what is useful, usually leave everything else without attention. For example, rose bush growers pick only the flowers and leave the prickly needles behind. Nature gave the same law to bees. Sitting not only on sweet, but also on bitter flowers, they suck out the sweetness and leave the bitterness, and from various substances, bitter, sour and others, they prepare the sweetest honey for people. Imitating these bees, we also collect sweet honey for you from your bitter meadows. And just as physical doctors prepare healing medicines from poisonous animals, even spreading out the snakes themselves, one of them is thrown away, and the other, leaving behind, is used as a means to drive away various diseases; Likewise, we, having at hand the works of your poets, historians and philosophers, leave some of them, and combine others with our teaching, preparing for you through that saving medicine, so that the very ones whom you consider our opponents become defenders of your words and teachers of faith. Hoping for God's help in this regard, we will give you another instruction. But you, having learned the whole necessity of faith, will love that Pythagorean silence and listen to us with attention, accepting with faith what we are going to talk about, for in this way you can learn the truth in a short time. St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 5th Catechetical Sermon There is a message of faith to those who trust, revelation of things unseen; in this testimony there was an ancient Not only among us, who bear the name of Christ, the dignity of faith is great, but everything that is accomplished in the world, even by those who are alien to the Church, is accomplished by faith. By faith, the laws of marriage combine those who are distant from each other into one. And by faith in marriage obligations, a stranger becomes a participant in the possession of the slaves and property of another. Agriculture also depends on faith. Who does not believe that he will receive fruit. He won't endure the trouble. By faith, people go to sea. Having entrusted themselves to a small tree, they exchange the hardest of elements, the earth, for the fickle striving of the waves, indulging in unknown hopes and having only faith, which for them is more reliable than any anchor. Therefore, most of human affairs are supported by faith, and, as has been said, not only we are confident in this, but also those who are outside the Church. For although they do not accept the Scriptures, they give out their own teachings, but they also accept these teachings by faith. The former reading also calls you to true faith today, showing you the way, just as you should please God. For it is said that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Will a person ever decide to serve God if he does not believe that He is a giver? Will a young woman keep her virginity, and a young man keep chastity, if they do not believe that there is an unfading crown for chastity? Faith is the eye that enlightens every conscience and imparts understanding, for the Prophet says: and if you do not believe, you will not understand (Is. 7:9). Faith stops the mouths of lions (Heb. 11:33), like Daniel; for the Scripture speaks of him: and Daniel was brought out of the pit, and all corruption was not found in him, for he had faith in his God (Dan. 6:23). What's worse than the devil? But against him we have no other weapon except faith, this immaterial shield against the invisible enemy. The devil throws various arrows at us in order to shoot those who are not sober in the darkness (Ps. 10:2). But, when the enemy is invisible, we have a strong defense - faith, in the words of the Apostle: having received the shield of faith over everyone, in it you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:16). The devil often throws the kindled arrow of lust for shameful pleasures, but faith, recalling judgment and cooling it, quenches this arrow. The word about faith is long, and a whole day will not be enough for us to convey it. But for now it is enough for us to point to Abraham alone from the Old Testament as an example; because we became his sons by faith. He was justified not only by works, but also by faith. He had many merits, but it was not for them that he was called a friend of God, but when he believed (James 2:23). And he did every work he did by faith. By faith he left his parents, by faith he left his fatherland, and country, and home. Therefore, just as he was justified, so you too will be justified. He was already dead in body to bear children, because he himself was old and had an elderly wife, Sarah, and there was no longer any hope of having children. God promises the old man the birth of a son. And Abraham did not faint in faith, neither did he see his flesh already slain (Rom. 4:19); looking not at bodily weakness, but at the power of the One who gives the promise, since He who promised was faithful (Heb. 11:11), from bodies that were as if dead, beyond hope, he acquired a son. And after the acquisition, when he received the command to sacrifice his son, although he heard it said: In Isaac your seed will be called (Gen. 21:12), offers his only begotten to God, believing that God is able to raise from the dead (Heb. 11:19). Having tied up his son and laid him on the firewood, he brings him at will; and only by the goodness of God, who, instead of a child, gives a ram, accepts a son alive. And besides this, being faithful, sealed in righteousness, he received circumcision, the seal of faith, even in uncircumcision (Rom. 4:11), receiving together the promise that he would be the father of many nations. Let's see how Abraham is the father of many nations? There is no dispute that he is the father of the Jews by carnal succession. But if we pay attention to carnal succession, we will be forced to recognize this saying as false, because Abraham is not the father of us all according to the flesh; on the contrary, his example of faith makes us all sons of Abraham. Why and how is this? It is an incredible thing for people to resurrect from the dead, just as it is incredible for dead elders to expect childbearing. But we believe in Christ, about whom it is proclaimed that He was crucified on the tree, died and rose again. Thus, by being likened in faith, we are adopted as sons of Abraham, and then, as a result of faith, like him, we accept the spiritual seal, circumcised in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, by circumcision not of the body, but of the heart, as Jeremiah says: circumcise to God the circumcision of your heart (Jer. 4:4), and according to the word of the Apostle: in the circumcision of Christ, burying Him by baptism, etc. ( Col. 2:11–12 ). If we keep this faith, we will not be condemned and will be adorned with virtues of every kind. For faith is so strong that it makes people light, and they can walk on the sea. Peter was a man similar to us, flesh and blood, who supported life with the same food as we do; but Jesus said, “Come,” and he, having believed, walked on the waters (Matthew 14:29), because for him faith on the waters was more reliable than any support, and his heavy body was lifted upward by the lightness of faith. But as long as he believed, he walked safely on the waters; and as soon as he wavered in his faith, he began to drown. With gradual exhaustion of faith, his body was drawn into the water. And seeing his weakness, Jesus, the healer of spiritual infirmities, said to him: You of little faith, why did you doubt? And again, strengthened by Him who held his hand, as soon as he believed again, guided by the Master, he again received the same power to walk on the waters. For the Gospel did not directly mention this, saying (Matthew 14:31): and they climbed into the ship. He does not say that Peter sailed and then boarded the ship, but does not mean that Peter walked the same distance on his way to Jesus, the same distance he walked back and boarded the ship. Faith has so much power that not only the believer is saved, but by the faith of some others were saved. The paralytic of Capernaum had no faith; but those who brought it and hung it from the roof believed. For in a sick person, along with the body, the soul was also sick. And don’t think that I’m accusing him in vain; The Gospel itself said: seeing Jesus not his faith, but their faith, he said to the paralytic: Arise (Matthew 9:2, 6). Those who brought them believed, and the paralytic took advantage of the healing. Do you want to know more reliably that by the faith of some others are saved? Lazarus died. A day passed, two and three; His bodily ties fell apart, and rottenness had already begun to consume his body. How could a four-day-old dead man believe and beg the Savior for himself? But what the deceased lacked was made up by his own sisters. For the sister fell at the feet of the Lord who had come, and when asked: where will you put him, she answered: Lord, it already stinks; for there is a four-day life, - the Lord says: if you believe, you will see the glory of God (John 11: 34, 39-40). As if to express this: “you fill the lack of faith of the deceased.” And the faith of the sisters prevailed so much that she summoned the dead from the gates of hell. So others, having believed for others, were able to raise the dead; Will you not benefit all the more if you sincerely believe for yourself? But even if you are not faithful or have little faith, then the Lord loves mankind and bows to you who repent. Just say and be grateful: I believe, Lord, help my unbelief (Mark 9:24). If you consider yourself a believer, but do not yet have the perfection of faith, then you, like the Apostles, need to say: Lord, add faith to us (Luke 17:5). For if you have what is from you, you will receive much more than what is from Him. The concept of faith is one by name, but is divided into two types: one type of faith is dogmatic faith, the agreement of the soul on something. And it is useful to the soul, as the Lord says: listen to My words, and believe in Him who sent Me, to have eternal life and not to come into judgment (John 5:24); and one more thing: he who believes in the Son is not condemned (John 3:18), but will pass from death to life (John 5:24). God's truly great love for mankind! The righteous pleased God for many years; but what they acquired by prospering in many years of good pleasure, Jesus now gives you in one hour. For if you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that God raised him from the dead, having been saved (Rom. 10:9), and by the One who brought the thief into paradise, you too will be translated into paradise. And, without hesitation, believe that this is possible. For in one hour He who saved the thief who believed on this holy Golgotha ​​will Himself save you who believed. Another type of faith is faith given by Christ as the gift of grace. 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 another the gift of healing (1 Cor. 12:8-9). This faith, bestowed by grace by the Spirit, is not only dogmatic, but also effective beyond human strength. If anyone has this faith, he will say to this mountain, “Leave from here to there,” and it will pass away (Matthew 17:20). For as soon as someone says this by faith, believing that it will really happen, and does not think about it in his heart (Mark 11:23), then he then receives grace. It is said about this faith: if you have faith like grain of peas (Matthew 17:20). Just like a mustard seed is small in size, but strong in effect, and when sown in a small space, it spreads large branches around, and when it grows, it can shelter birds; Likewise, faith in the shortest moment produces a lot of good in the soul, because the soul imagines God, and being illuminated by faith, as far as it is possible, it contemplates God, also flows around the boundaries of the world, and before the end of this age it already sees judgment and reward according to the promises. Therefore, have that faith in God that is from yourself, so that you can also receive from Him that which is effective beyond human strength. As for the faith you study and profess, acquire and maintain the one that is now handed over to you by the Church 16 and is confirmed by all Scripture. Since not everyone can read the Scriptures, but simplicity prevents some, and some occupation prevents others from acquiring knowledge, so that no soul perishes from ignorance, we conclude the entire teaching of faith in a few verses. And it is desirable for me that you remember it word for word, and with all diligence repeat it among yourself, not writing it down on paper, but having written it in memory in your heart, beware that while you are engaged in this teaching, none of the catechumens hears what has been dedicated to you; It is also desirable that this confession of faith serve as a parting guide for you at any time in your life, and that you do not accept another confession besides it, even if we changed our thoughts and began to say the opposite of what we teach now, or if an opposing angel wanted to seduce you, transforming into a bright angel. For if we, or an angel from heaven, preach the good news to you, let him be accursed (Gal. 1:8-9). And for now, remember the very sayings of this confession that you hear, and in due time, listen to the confirmation from the Holy Scriptures for each saying contained in it. For the exposition of the faith was not compiled according to human reasoning, but the most essential was selected from all Scripture, and from this one doctrine of faith was compiled. Just as a mustard seed contains many branches in a small grain, so this statement of faith explains in a few words the whole knowledge of godliness contained in the Old and New Testaments. So you see, brethren, keep the traditions (2 Thess. 2:15) which you now accept, and write them on the tablet of your heart (Prov. 7:3). Observe with reverence, so that others, when they unite, are not plundered by the enemy, and so that some heretic does not corrupt the one who is devoted to you. For faith is the lending of silver to the merchants, which we have now acquired (Luke 19:23), and God will demand an account of this pledge. I will testify (1 Tim. 5:21), - as the Apostle says, - before God, who gives life to all things, and Christ Jesus Who testified under Pontius Pilate to the good confession, keep this faith delivered to you undefiled, even until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 6:13-14). Now the treasure of life has been entrusted to you, and the Lord will demand a pledge of this at His appearing, who in holy times will reveal the blessed and only strong King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, and in the light lives unapproachable, which no one has seen is from man, who can see below (1 Tim. 6:15-16). To him be glory, honor and power forever and ever! Amen. 16. Perfect knowledge of God, to the best of one’s ability, is possible only in the future life We have been given the judgment seat of the mind to understand the truth. But there is the ultimate truth - our God. Why should the mind initially know our God, to know as much as the infinite greatness can be known by the smallest creature. For if the eyes are determined to perceive the visible, then it does not follow from this that everything visible is brought under sight. The vault of heaven is not visible in an instant; but apparently we can comprehend his gaze, in fact, much (not to say everything) remains unknown to us, for example: the nature of the stars, their size, distances, movements, connections, deviations, other positions, the very essence of the firmament, its thickness from a concave circle to a convex surface. However, because of this unknown, we will not say that the sky is invisible. On the contrary, it is visible because of the limited knowledge we have about it. The same should be said about God. If the mind is damaged by demons, it will turn to idolatry or some other type of wickedness. And if he has surrendered to the assistance of the Spirit, then he understands the truth and knows God. He will know, as the Apostle said, in part, and in the future life more completely. But when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part will be done away with (1 Cor. 13:10). Why is the judgment seat of the mind beautiful, given for a useful purpose - for the knowledge of God; however, his activity extends to such a measure as the mind can accommodate. b) St. Maximus the Confessor from the chapters “On theology and the incarnation of the Son of God to Thalassia” The work of salvation is to constantly meditate on God and seek Him, as we are commanded to do. For we, seeking the Lord, although we cannot in this life penetrate the very depths of God, at least we can hope that we will touch its edges and see the holiest of saints and the most spiritual of the spiritual. There is One God, beginningless, incomprehensible, having within Himself the complete, all possible existence and in no way allowing Himself to be thought of when and how He exists, for He is unapproachable to everyone, and none of those who exist can form a concept about Him from the contemplation of nature. Everything that exists is subject to the mind, since the concept of it can be subsumed under principles, but about God it cannot be said that He is subject to the mind, but only from things that are subject to the mind do we ascend to belief in His existence. And therefore nothing that is subject to the mind can in any way be compared with Him. Knowledge of existing things naturally includes evidence in order to indicate the laws of existence inherent in them, according to which they have a certain outline in accordance with nature. In relation to God, through the laws noted in things, we learn only to believe in His existence. God has granted to the pious that which is stronger than any proof—faith and confession of His self-existent existence. Faith is true knowledge, established on unprovable principles, because it is confidence in what is higher than mind and words. God, according to the expression of the Holy Scriptures, is the sun of righteousness (Mal. 4:2), shining with rays of goodness on everyone without distinction. But the soul, according to its disposition, is either wax, when it is God-loving, or clay, when it is attached to matter. Clay, by nature, hardens from the sun, and wax, by nature, softens; Likewise, every soul that loves matter and the world, imprinting the instructions received from God on mental clay, becomes hardened and, like Pharaoh, exposes itself to destruction. And every soul that loves God becomes soft like wax, and, receiving impressions and marks from God, becomes God’s spiritual dwelling. Whoever has enlightened his mind by thinking about God, accustomed his word to constantly glorify the Creator with divine songs and sanctified his feelings with pure views, has added moral kindness to the natural beauty that is in him in the image of God, in the likeness of God. A person would keep his soul pure before God if he would encourage his mind to reflect on the one God and His perfections, if he would make his word a faithful interpreter and preacher of His perfections, and if he would train his feelings to look with reverence at the visible world and everything in it so that they would represent to the soul the superiority of the laws inscribed in the creatures of the world. The soul can never rise to the knowledge of God unless God Himself, condescending, touches it and leads it to Himself. For the human mind does not have the strength to rise so high as to receive any divine illumination, if God himself did not draw it to Himself, as high as a person can be drawn, and if he did not illuminate it with divine rays. As long as a person lives in the seventh world, until then he, even if he has achieved the perfection possible in real life in activity and contemplation, has only a certain part of knowledge, prophecy and the guarantee of the Holy Spirit, and not the fullness of them. Someday, at the end of time, he will enter that state of perfection, having been awarded it, he will begin to contemplate the original Truth face to face. Then he will have not only part of the fullness, but the entire fullness of grace, to the extent that he can contain it. Then,” says the divine apostle, “all those who are saved will reach a perfect man, according to the age of the fulfillment of Christ (Eph. 4:13), and in him are all the treasures of wisdom and perfect understanding, upon the acceptance of which, in part, will be abolished (1 Cor. 13:10). Issue II. About Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful. to correction, to punishment in truth, may the man of God be perfect, prepared for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16–17) 1. Why are we given the Holy Scriptures? a) St. John Chrysostom from the 1st conversation on St. Evangelist Matthew In fact, we should not have any need for the help of Scripture, but should lead a life so pure that instead of books, the grace of the Spirit serves our souls, and so that, just as those are written with ink, so our hearts are written with the Spirit. But since we have rejected such grace, we will at least use the second path. And that the first way was better, God showed this both in word and deed. In fact, God spoke with Noah, Abraham and his descendants, as well as with Job and Moses, not through writing, but directly, because he found their minds pure. When the entire Jewish people fell into the very depths of wickedness, then writings, tablets and instructions through them already appeared. And this happened not only with the saints in the Old Testament, but, as is known, in the New. Likewise, God did not give the apostles anything written, but promised to give the grace of the Spirit instead of the scriptures. He, He told them, will remember everything to you (John 14:26). And so that you know that this way (of God’s communication with the saints) was much better, listen to what He says through the prophet: I am making a new covenant with you, giving my laws in their thoughts, and I will write them on their hearts, and they will all be taught by God (Jer. 31:31-34, John 6-45). And Paul, pointing to this superiority, said that he received the law (written) not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of the heart of flesh (2 Cor. 3:3). But since over time some deviated from the true teaching, others from purity of life and morality, the need for written instruction arose again. Consider, then, what folly it will be if we, who should live in such purity as to have no need for Scripture, but instead of books present our hearts to the Spirit, if we, having lost such dignity and having a need for Scripture, do not use, as we should, even this second medicine. If the fact that we need Scripture and do not attract the grace of the Spirit to ourselves is worthy of reproach, then what, think, will be our guilt if we do not want to take advantage of this benefit, but despise Scripture as superfluous and unnecessary, and thus incur even greater punishment on ourselves? To prevent this from happening, let us delve more carefully into what is written, and consider how the Old Law was given, and how the New Testament was given. So, how, when, and where was the ancient law given? After the death of the Egyptians, in the desert, on Mount Sinai, in the fire and smoke coming out of the mountain, with the sound of a trumpet, amid thunder and lightning, after the entry of Moses into the very darkness. But in the New Testament it is not like this: not in the desert, not on the mountain, not among smoke and gloom, darkness and storm, but at daylight, in the house, when everyone was sitting together, everything happened in deep silence. For rude and unbridled people, sensual amazing phenomena were needed, such as a desert, a mountain, smoke, the sound of a trumpet, and the like, but for people who were more elevated, more submissive and rose above sensual concepts, there was no need for anything like that. If there was a noise over the apostles, it was not for their sake, but for the sake of the Jews present, for whose sake the tongues of fire appeared. In fact, if the latter, despite this, said (about the apostles) that they were filled with wine (Acts 2:13), then all the more they would have said so if they had not seen anything like that. Further, in the Old Testament, God came down when Moses went up the mountain (Exod. 19:3); here the Spirit descended when our nature ascended to heaven, or better yet, to the royal throne. If the Spirit had been smaller, then the phenomena (which accompanied His coming) would not have been more majestic and wonderful, and yet the New Testament tablets are much more excellent than the Old Testament, just as the events are more glorious. In fact, the apostles did not come down from the mountain with stone tablets in their hands, like Moses, but carrying the Spirit in their souls, and went everywhere, exuding a treasure and source of teachings, spiritual gifts and all kinds of blessings, becoming by grace animated books and laws. Thus they attracted three thousand (to the faith), then five thousand, and thus all the nations of the world, because through their mouth God spoke to all who came to them (Acts 2:41, 4:4). b) Rev. Macarius of Egypt, conversation 39. Why God gave us the Divine Scripture Like a king, having written messages to those to whom he wants to give letters and gifts, he lets everyone know: “try to come to me as soon as possible and receive royal gifts from me”; and if they do not come and do not receive, then reading the messages will not benefit them; rather, they will become guilty of death for not wanting to come, to receive honor from the royal hands: so the King God offered the divine Scriptures, like messages, to people, declaring with them that those who called on God and believed would ask for and receive a heavenly gift from the hypostasis of His Divinity. For it is written: that they may be partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). If a person does not come, does not ask, does not accept, then there will be no benefit to him from reading the Scriptures, but on the contrary, he will become guilty of death because he did not want to accept the gift of life from the heavenly King, without which it is impossible to achieve immortal life, that is, Christ. Glory to him forever! Amen. 2. On the inspiration of Holy Scripture a) St. Gregory of Nyssa from the 7th book of “Refutations of Eunomius” Inspired Scripture, as the divine Apostle calls it (2 Tim. 3:16), is the Scripture of the Holy Spirit. Its purpose is the benefit of people; for he says: all scripture is inspired by God and is profitable; This benefit is manifold and manifold, as the Apostle says, for teaching, for reproof, for correction in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16). But this benefit cannot be obtained by those who read it the first time; the divine, as if by some kind of veil, is hidden by the body of Scripture, since legislation and history seem to cover what is contemplated by the mind. That is why the apostle says about those who look only at the body of Scripture that they have a veil over their hearts (2 Cor. 3:15) and cannot see the glory of the spiritual law, since they are hindered by the veil placed on the face of the lawgiver. Therefore he says: writing kills, but the spirit gives life, showing that the interpretation of what is written at first glance, if not understood in its proper sense, often produces the opposite of the life manifested by the spirit. We, secretly guided by the Apostle, move from the killing letter to the life-giving spirit, taught by those initiated in paradise into the ineffable (2 Cor. 12:4), that everything that the divine Scripture says are the verbs of the Holy Spirit. Thus, having said to the Roman Jews: good is the Holy Spirit of prophecy, he cites (Acts 28:25 et seq.) the words of Isaiah (Isaiah 6:9–10); and in the epistle to the Hebrews, introducing the Spirit, saying: in the same way, as the Holy Spirit speaks, he extensively cites (Heb. 3:7 et seq.) the words of the psalm (Ps. 94:7-11), spoken on behalf of God. Likewise, we were taught by the Lord Himself (Matthew 22:43) that David, not being in himself, that is, speaking not by human nature, proclaimed heavenly mysteries; for how could anyone, being a man, know the heavenly conversation between the Father and the Son? But being in the Spirit, he said that the Lord spoke to the Lord what he had spoken (Ps. 109:1); If David, by the Spirit, says Scripture, calls Him Lord, what kind of Son is he (Matthew 22:44-45)? So, God-bearing saints are inspired by the power of the Spirit, and all Scripture is called inspired by God because it is the teaching of divine inspiration. If you remove the bodily veil of the word, then what remains is the Lord, life and spirit, according to the teaching of the great Paul and according to the Gospel word. Because Paul said that he who turns from the letter to the spirit no longer accepts killing slavery, but the Lord, Who is the life-giving Spirit, and the sublime Gospel says: the verbs that I spoke to you are spirit and life (John 6:63), as if naked from the covering of the body. b) St. Basil the Great from the preface to the interpretation of the prophet Isaiah The great and first gift, which requires a thoroughly purified soul, is to contain within itself divine inspiration and prophesy about God’s mysteries, and the second gift after this, which also requires no small or easy diligence, is to listen to the intention of what is prophesied by the Spirit and not to err in the understanding of what is proclaimed, but to be led directly to this understanding by the Spirit, according to whose economy the prophecy is written, and who Himself guides the minds of those who receive the gift management How did pure and enlightened souls prophesy? Having become, as it were, a mirror of God’s action, they showed in themselves a clear, unfused image, not darkened by carnal passions. For the Holy Spirit abides in everyone, but reveals His actual power in those who are pure from passions, and not in those who have dominion over their souls [i.e. mind] is darkened by sinful impurities. In addition to cleanliness, they must show in themselves the balance of a well-ordered state. For he is not pure who behaves unevenly in relation to chastity, but he who has subordinated the wisdom of the flesh to the Spirit. Just as we see images of faces not in every substance, but only in smooth and transparent substances; Likewise, the action of the Spirit is not reflected in every soul, but only in souls that have nothing obstinate or corrupt in themselves (Prov. 8:8). The snow shines, but does not show the image of those who look at it, because it is rough and made of frozen foam. Milk is white, but does not take on images, because it also contains some small bubbles. And in the water, due to its smoothness, even a black image is visible. Likewise, the unevenness of life is not capable of receiving God’s action. Therefore, when the soul, having devoted itself to every feat of virtue, with strong love for God constantly preserves in itself the remembrance of God imprinted in it and thus makes God as if living within itself, then, from a strong desire and ineffable love for God, having become inspired by God, it becomes worthy of the prophetic gift; because God gives divine power and opens the eyes of the soul to understand the visions that He pleases to communicate. Therefore, the prophets were formerly called seers (1 Samuel 9:9), for they saw the future as if it were the present. But prophets see not only the future, but also the unseen in the present, as Paul says (1 Cor. 14:2425); Even if you prophesy, someone unfaithful or ignorant comes in, and the secret of his heart is revealed; or as Elisha says (2 Kings 5:26): Did not my heart walk with you when the man returned with his chariot to meet you? Prophecy also includes foreknowledge through dreams, as was revealed to Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon. But why did both Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar have such foreknowledge? Because, ruling the state of worldly affairs, they had to foresee in order to arouse faith in others. Why do both Balaam and Caiaphas prophesy? Because they also had people who obeyed them - one as a bishop, and the other as a sorcerer (Joshua 13:22). Here the reason is not the purity of the soul, not the enlightenment of the mind, which contemplates God and draws strength from Him, but the word imparted to them economically, not according to merit, but according to the demands of the time. You will also ask: should we recognize what we read in Isaiah and Ezekiel as phenomena that they saw through their corresponding representations, or as theology, which through the divination of the Spirit proclaimed to us the properties of the Divine? Some say that they prophesied in a frenzy, so that the human mind was eclipsed by the Spirit. But it is contrary to the promise of God's influx - to make the inspired one amazed, so that when he fulfills Divine instructions, he goes out of his natural mind and, when he benefits others, he himself does not receive any benefit from his own words. And in general, is it in any way consistent with reason that the Spirit of wisdom should make a person like one devoid of reason, and the Spirit of knowledge should destroy rationality in him? But light does not produce blindness, but on the contrary, it stimulates the power of vision given by nature. And the Spirit does not produce darkness in souls, but on the contrary, excites the mind, cleansed of sinful defilements, to the contemplation of mental things. Therefore, it is not incredible that the evil force, plotting against human nature, brings the mind into unity; but it is impious to say that the presence of God's Spirit produces the same effect. Moreover, if the saints are wise, then how could they not comprehend what they prophesied? For it is said: a wise man understands from his own lips, but with his lips he carries understanding (Prov. 16:23). If, on the basis that Isaac was horrified when his son came (Gen. 27:33), and that David spoke in his frenzy (Ps. 116:2), they imagine an eclipse of mind in the saints, then let them know that astonishment is also called frenzy, as for example: the heavens were terrified, the earth trembled (Jer. 2:12). c) Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus 1) from the interpretation of Psalm 44 My tongue is the reed of a scribe (Ps. 44:2). “I do not utter anything of my own,” says the Prophet, “and I do not offer the creation of my own mind; my tongue is an instrument of another power, and it is likened to a cane; the grace of the Spirit, like a cursive writer, writes to them what is pleasing to it. 2) from the interpretation of Psalm 59 God spoke in His holy things (Ps. 59:8), that is, He spoke through the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, using the language of the prophets instead of an instrument. 3) from the interpretation of 2 Tim. 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable (2 Tim. 3:15). And, more precisely defining, the apostle distinguished it from the writings of human wisdom; it was spiritual writing that he called inspired, because God’s grace was spoken through the prophets and apostles. d) St. Clement, Bishop of Rome, from the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians (45 chapters) Look into the Scriptures - these are the true words of the Holy Spirit. Please note that they do not contain anything unfair or perverse. 3. Benefits of Reading Scripture a) St. John Chrysostom from the 3rd conversation on the inscription of the book of Acts When I, being called to a conversation in front of such a multitude of people, look at the poverty of my mind, I am horrified and retreat; but when I look at your zeal and insatiable desire to listen, I am encouraged, excited and willingly enter the field of teaching, because with your zeal and desire to listen you could make a stony soul lighter than any pen. Just as animals living in caves and hiding in the rocks during the winter, seeing the coming summer, leave their shelters, gather together with other animals and have fun with them, so my soul, hiding, as it were, in some cave of the consciousness of its weakness, seeing the zeal of your love, leaves the cave, enters your meeting and, together with you, admires the beautiful delights of the Scriptures, in the spiritual and divine meadow, in the paradise of the Scriptures. Truly, reading the divine Scriptures is a spiritual meadow and a paradise of sweetness, a paradise of sweetness that is more excellent than that paradise. God planted this paradise not on earth, but in the souls of believers; He did not plant this paradise in Eden and did not limit it to one place in the east, but spread it throughout the entire earth and extended to the ends of the universe. And that He spread the Scriptures throughout the whole universe, listen to the prophet about this, who says: Their messages went out into all the earth, and their words went out to the ends of the world (Ps. 18:5). Even if you went to the Indians, who are the first to be illuminated by the rising sun, even if you went to the ocean or to the British Isles, even if you sailed to the Euxine Pontus, even if you reached the northern countries, everywhere you will hear how everyone talks about what is contained in Scripture in a different language, but not with a different faith, with different dialects, but with the same mind. Although the sounds of the voice are different, the image of piety is not different; although they remain barbarians in language, they are wise in thoughts; although they are strange in speech, they are pious in life. Do you see the vastness of paradise, stretching to the ends of the universe? There is no serpent here, this place is free from wild animals and protected by the grace of the Spirit. This paradise, like that one, has a source - a source from which many rivers flow, not four. Not the Tigris, not the Euphrates, not the Egyptian Nile, and not the Indian Ganges, but countless rivers pour out this source. Who says this? God himself, who gave us such rivers. Believe in Me, He says, as the Scripture says, rivers of living waters will flow out of His belly (John 7:38). Do you see how from this source flow not four rivers, but countless rivers? And not only because of the multitude of rivers, but also because of its nature, this source is amazing, because it contains not streams of water, but gifts of the Spirit. This source is separated into every soul of believers, and does not decrease; is divided and not exhausted; is distributed and not diminished: it is found entirely in everyone, and in everyone entirely. These are the gifts of the Spirit. Do you want to know the properties of these waters, how they are not similar to those, but much better and more amazing than those? Listen again to Christ himself talking with the Samaritan woman, so that you can know the abundance of this source. “The water,” He says, “I will give to the believer; there will be in him a fountain of water flowing into an eternal belly (John 4:14). Didn't say "coming out"; didn’t say “outpouring”; but “flowing,” pointing us with streams to its abundance. Spring waters usually erupt and flow out from everywhere where the sources cannot hold them in their depths, but, being overcome by a constant influx, they spew them out from everywhere. Therefore, wanting to show the abundance of streams, He said flowing and not “outgoing.” Do you want to know its properties? Learn from its use: it is useful not for present life, but for eternal life. Let us remain in this paradise, let us sit by this source, so that we do not suffer the same thing that Adam suffered and lose paradise; Let us not accept harmful advice, we will not allow ourselves to be deceived by the devil; let us abide within, because there is great safety here; let us abide in reading the Scriptures. Just as those who sit by a spring, enjoying its coolness, and when the heat sets in, often immerse their faces in it, eliminate the suffocating heat with streams, and, if thirst bothers them, easily alleviate the torment, having medicine nearby in the spring, so the one who is at the source of the Divine Scriptures, if he feels the flame of obscene lust disturbing him, will easily extinguish the flame by immersing his soul in these waters, and if hot anger bothers him, igniting the heart like a cauldron being set on fire, then by sprinkling a little of this water, he will immediately tame the shameless passion; and from all evil thoughts, as if from the midst of a flame, the reading of the Divine Scriptures delivers the soul. Therefore, the great prophet David, knowing the benefits of reading the Scriptures, likens the one who constantly listens to the Scriptures and enjoys conversation with them, to a plant always blooming, standing by streams of water, when he says: blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, and does not stand in the way of sinners, and does not sit in the seats of the destroyers, but his will is in the law of the Lord, and his law is taught day and night and it will be like a tree planted by the rising waters (Ps. 1:1-3). Just as a tree planted near sources of water, standing near the streams themselves, receiving constant irrigation, is safe from any unfavorable weather, is not afraid of fiery rays, is not afraid of dry air, because, having sufficient moisture within itself, it quickly reflects and repels the excess of any solar warmth coming from outside, so the soul, standing near the streams of the Divine Scriptures and constantly watered by them, collects these streams within itself and the dew of the Spirit, is safe from all unfavorable circumstances; Even if illness, even reproach, even slander, even slander, even ridicule, even some kind of laziness, even if all the disasters of the universe attack such a soul, it easily reflects the flame of passions, finding sufficient consolation in reading the Scriptures. Truly, neither the greatness of glory, nor the height of power, nor the presence of friends, nor anything else of human things can console in sorrow as much as the reading of the divine Scriptures. Why? Because those things are perishable and fleeting, which is why the consolation from them is fleeting, and reading the Scriptures is a conversation with God. When God comforts someone in sorrow, what of the present circumstances can plunge him into despondency? So, let us carefully engage in reading, not just these two hours - because simple listening is not enough for our safety - but constantly; and having come home, let everyone pick up the Bible and delve into the meaning of what was said, if he wants to receive constant and sufficient benefit from Scripture. And that tree that stands by the streams does not communicate with the waters for two or three hours, but every day and every night. That is why this tree is decorated with leaves, that is why it abounds in fruits, although no one gives it water, because it stands near streams, attracts moisture to itself with its roots and, as if through some passages, transfers beneficial juices to its entire composition. So, one who constantly reads the divine Scriptures and stands by their streams, even if he does not have any interpreter, by constant reading, as if by some roots, acquires great benefit for himself. Therefore, we, knowing your worries, entertainment, and many activities, slowly and little by little lead you to an understanding of the Scriptures, so that through the slowness of interpretation you can more firmly retain what is said in your memory. Likewise, heavy rain, pouring rapidly, washes the surface of the earth, but does not bring any benefit to its depth; and he who descends onto the face of the earth slowly and little by little, like oil, penetrates into the depths of it through passages, as if through some veins, and, filling its depths with moisture, makes it more capable of producing fruits. Therefore, we pour this spiritual rain into your souls little by little, because the Scriptures are like spiritual clouds, and their words and thoughts are like rain, which is much better than ordinary rain, and we pour this spiritual rain into you little by little so that our words penetrate to the very depths. b) St. Basil the Great from the letter to St. Gregory the Theologian The most important way in which we find what duty obliges us to do is by studying the inspired Scriptures; because in them we find rules of activity, and in them the lives of blessed men, presented in writing, like some animated pictures of life according to God, are offered to us for imitation of good deeds. Therefore, no matter what one perceives oneself to be insufficient in, studying Scripture, in it, as in some general medicine, one finds a cure suitable for one’s ailment. And the lover of chastity often rereads the story of Joseph, learning chaste actions from him, finding him not only abstaining from pleasures, but also skillfully disposed towards virtue. And he learns courage from Job, who, during the unfortunate upheaval of his life, in an instant becoming from rich to poor and from blessed to desolate, not only did not change in himself, maintaining an exalted way of thinking in everything, but even without grief endured the fact that his friends, who came to console him, scolded him and aggravated his grief. Again, anyone who has in mind how to be both meek and generous at the same time, so as to act with anger against sin and with meekness against people, will find David courageous in military exploits, but meek and unshakable in retribution to his enemies. Such is Moses, who with great anger rebels against those who sin before God, but with a meek heart endures slander against himself. And just like painters, when they paint a picture from a painting, often peering at the original, they try to transfer its features into their work; Thus, one who is zealous about becoming perfect in all parts of virtue must, in every case, peer into the lives of the saints, as if into some moving and acting statues, and what is good in them, then make it his own through imitation. c) St. Ephraim the Syrian from the word about patience, the end of the age and the second coming. On Diligent Reading of the Divine Scriptures and the Benefits of Silence My brother, to the best of your ability, force yourself to read the Scripture as often as possible, so that it gathers your thoughts, which the enemy scatters with his malice, putting evil thoughts into you, while he either inflicts frequent sorrows on you, or gives you a lot of success and worldly conveniences, because he does this out of his malice, with the intention of removing a person from God. For often, if he was not able to lead someone to evil and overthrow them with thoughts, he then brings sorrow to that person in order to darken his mind, and then be able to sow in him whatever he wants, and begins to inspire and repeat with oaths the following thoughts: “Since I began to strive in goodness, I have seen bad days; I will do evil so that good may come.” Then, if someone does not turn out to be sober, the enemy, like hell, will swallow him up alive. And if even with this he cannot lead to evil, then he gives him all the comforts of life, exalts him and leads him into great seduction, which is more dangerous and worse than all passions, for it makes a person proud and insane, drags the mind into the abyss of voluptuousness, causes a person to open blasphemous lips to heaven; for it is written: Set your mouth in heaven (Ps. 72:9); means that a person does not know God, does not know his weakness and does not think about the day of death. This deception serves as the path to all evil. Whoever loves to walk this path will come to the innermost depths of death. This is the path about which the Lord said: lead the wide and broad path into destruction (Matthew 7:13). You have heard, my brother, why the enemy sometimes brings convenience to life, and sometimes brings sorrow. Whatever he notices in a person, he takes up arms against it in order to fight with his untruths. Therefore, my brother, be sober with all caution and try to always diligently engage in reading, so that it teaches you, as it should, to avoid the snares of the enemy and achieve eternal life; because reading the divine Scriptures brings the wandering mind into focus and gives knowledge of God. For it is written: Be ye void, and understand that I am God (Ps. 45:11). Do you hear, my brother, that the knowledge of God is acquired by those who practice reading the Divine Scriptures with a pure heart. Therefore, brother, do not be careless about your soul, but practice reading and prayer, so that your mind will be enlightened, and so that you may become perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:4). Others boast of conversations with nobles, princes and kings; and boast before the angels of God that in the holy Scriptures you converse with the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit speaks through them. So, try to read the divine Scriptures and constantly remain in prayer. For every time you converse with God through them, your body and soul are sanctified. So, knowing this, my brother, try to practice them more often. If your hands are not idle, pray with your mind. This is how blessed Anna, the mother of the prophet Samuel, prayed, and only moved with her lips (1 Samuel 1:13). But her prayer entered the ears of the Lord of hosts, and her “petition” was given to her (1 Samuel 1:27). Therefore, my brother, although your hands are not idle, pray with your mind. If you do not know how to read, do not move away from where you can listen and benefit, for it is written: if you see a man of understanding, pray to him, and let your foot rub the degrees of his doors (Sir.6:36). This is useful, my brother, not only for those who cannot read, but also for those who can; because many people read and do not know what they are reading. Take care and seek how you can please God in order to be worthy of the blessedness of the saints. For it is written: Blessed are they that experience His testimonies, they will seek Him with all their hearts (Ps. 119:2). Make sure that when you want to read, the enemy does not interrupt you, making you despondent and throwing you into distraction, and saying: “Do such and such a thing first, since it is not great, and then you will read with a calm spirit.” When the enemy suggests this and gives zeal to needlework, then he suggests these thoughts in order to distract you from reading. For when he sees that his brother reads diligently and benefits from it, he attacks him, trying to hinder him with these and other pretexts. So, do not believe him, but be like a deer, thirsty and wanting to come to the springs of water, that is, to the Divine Scriptures, in order to drink from them and quench your thirst, which burns you with passions. But soak into them, I will say, the benefits, so that when the Lord grants you to read and learn a word from the Scriptures, you do not pass it by, but you learn with your mind, imprint it on your heart and retain it indelibly in your memory. For it is written: I will learn from your justified (Ps. 119:16); and he also says: I have hidden Your words in my heart, so that I will not sin against You (Ps. 119:11); and one more thing: how will the youngest correct his path? always keep Your words (Ps. 119:9). You see, brother, by remembering His words man corrects his path. Who remembers the Word of God and does not correct himself? - is he an inexperienced and pathetic person? But such a person does not remember anything at all - on the contrary, he has forgotten what he imagines himself to be remembering. To such a person God says: How will you tell My justifications, and accept My covenant with your lips (Ps. 49:16)? Therefore, he commands us to take away from him what he himself thinks he has. Such a one thinks of himself that he has faith, because he calls himself a Christian, but by his deeds he denies this, and he is worse than an infidel, therefore God commands that the Holy Spirit be taken away from him, which he received on the day of deliverance and, as he thinks, has in himself. And such a person becomes like an earthen vessel of wine that has cracked and lost the wine through it. Anyone who sees it and does not know what happened thinks that it is full; but when it comes to it, it will become obvious to everyone that it was empty. So this man, according to examination on the day of judgment, will turn out to be empty. And then it will be clear to everyone what he is like. Such people will say to the King on that day: Lord, was it not in Your name that we prophesied, and in Your name we have done many mighty works (Matthew 7:22). And the King will answer them: Amen, I say to you, I do not know you. Do you see, brother, that such a person has nothing at all? Therefore, remember the words that you hear and correct your path. Be careful not to allow the birds of the air to fly in and eat the seed of the Son of God. For He Himself said: the seed is the word which you have heard (Luke 8:11). Hide the seed in the depths of the earth, that is, hide the word inside your heart, so that you can bear fruit to the Lord with fear. When you read, read with diligence and diligently, with great attention, dwell on each verse, and not only try to turn over the pages, but, if necessary, do not be lazy and read the verse twice, three times, and several times in order to understand its power. And when you sit down to read or listen to someone reading, first pray to God, saying: “Lord Jesus Christ! Open the ears and eyes of my heart, so that I may hear Your words and do Your will, because I am a stranger on earth. Hide not Your commandments from me, O Lord, but open my eyes, and I will understand the wonders of Your law (Ps. 119:18-19). For I trust in You, my God, that You may enlighten my heart.” Yes, my brother, I beg you, always pray to God to enlighten your mind and reveal to you the power of His words; because many, relying on their understanding, fell into the error of being wise and foolish (Rom. 1:22), not understanding what was written. If while reading you come across a word that you don’t understand, be careful that the evil one doesn’t teach you to say to yourself: “That’s not how it’s said, for is it possible to say that?” - or say something similar. On the contrary, if you believe in God, believe His words. And say to the evil one: “Follow me, Satan, I know that the words of God, the words are pure, like silver, tempted by the earth and purified by the sevenfold (Ps. 11:7); I am senseless and do not understand. So, I know that they are written spiritually. For the apostle says that the law is spiritual (Rom. 7:14). Or look at heaven and say this: “I believe, Lord, Your word, I will not contradict, but I undoubtedly believe the words of the Holy Spirit. So, You, Lord, save me, so that I may find grace before You; and I, O Compassionate One, do not seek anything other than salvation alone, so that I may be worthy of Your mercy.” 4. It is necessary to always read the divine Scripture, even if without sufficient understanding at the beginning St. John Chrysostom from the 35th discourse on the book of Genesis It is a great blessing, beloved, to read the divine Scriptures. It makes the soul wise, it transfers the mind to heaven, it disposes a person to gratitude (before God), it does not allow him to become addicted to anything real, it makes our mind constantly dwell in heaven, encourages us to do everything in the hope of the reward of the Lord and strive with the greatest zeal for deeds of virtue. Here (in Scripture) you can clearly learn how quick God’s providence is to help (us), (learn) the courage of the righteous, the goodness of the Lord and the abundance of rewards. They can stimulate themselves to compete and imitate the wisdom of valiant men and (not allow themselves to) weaken in the exploits of virtue, but firmly rely on the promises of God even before their fulfillment. Therefore, I ask, let us engage in reading the divine Scripture with the greatest care. Thus we will acquire knowledge (of it) if we constantly turn to what is contained in it. It is, in fact, impossible for someone who studies the word of God with zeal and every effort to be ever neglected (by God); on the contrary, even if we do not have a human mentor, then the Lord himself, penetrating into our hearts, enlightens the mind, illuminates the meaning, reveals to us the hidden and thus becomes a mentor for us in subjects unknown to us, as long as we want to do what depends on us. Do not be reproached, says Scripture, teachers of the earth (Matthew 23:8). So, when we take a spiritual book in our hands, then, concentrating our minds, collecting our thoughts and removing from ourselves every worldly thought, we will thus read with great reverence, with full attention, so that we are worthy to be guided by the Holy Spirit in understanding what is written and receive great benefit from it. So the eunuch of the Ethiopian queen, a foreigner, even at a time when he was rushing in a chariot with such splendor, not neglecting to read (the Scriptures), but holding the (book of) the prophet in his hands, diligently read it, although he did not understand what it contained. But since he used everything on his part - diligence, diligence, attention, he received a leader. Think, please, how much it meant that he did not neglect reading (the Scriptures) even while traveling and, moreover, sitting in a chariot. Let those hear this who do not want to do this at home, but think that reading the Divine Scripture is unnecessary for them, and that it is not convenient for them to diligently engage in this reading because they lead a married life, and are obliged to do military service, and they are responsible for caring for children, caring for servants and other things. Here is a eunuch, a man of a foreign tribe: both were enough to plunge (him) into complete carelessness; and to this (also added) great celebrity, enormous wealth and the fact that he was on the road and rushing in a chariot (after all, it is not entirely convenient, on the contrary, it is even very difficult to read while making a journey in this way); and yet good disposition and great zeal overcame all these obstacles, and he busied himself with reading (the Scriptures), and did not say what many now say: I do not understand what is contained there, I cannot comprehend the depth of what is written, why should I take the trouble of reading in vain and in vain, when I do not have (a person) who could guide me? This ignoramus did not think anything of the kind with his tongue, but wise in mind - no, thinking that he would not be despised (by God), but would soon receive help from above if he only did what depended on him and what he could (do), he diligently occupied himself with reading. Therefore, the philanthropic Lord, seeing his good disposition, did not despise him, did not ignore him, but immediately sent him a mentor. Pay attention also to the wisdom of God, how (God) first allowed him to do everything that depended on him, and then showed him His help. When the eunuch had done everything on his part, then the angel of the Lord appeared and said to Philip: get up and go on the road going down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is empty. And behold,” he continues, “the husband of Murin, the strong eunuch of Candace, the queen of Murinsky, who came to worship in Jerusalem, and he returned, sitting on his chariot and honoring the Prophet Isaiah (Acts 8:26-28). Look how the writer of the book told us in detail: having said that he was an Ethiopian, so that we knew that he was a foreigner, he then says that he is a nobleman, and was invested with an important rank and splendor: “he came,” he says, “to worship in Jerusalem.” Look at the purpose of his journey, which already sufficiently shows the God-loving disposition of his soul: this is the path he takes in order to worship the Lord! Back then they still thought that worship could be performed in only one place (Jerusalem); Therefore, they offered their prayers there, making distant journeys for this. That is why that man also came to where the church was, and where Jewish worship was performed, in order to worship the Lord. And when he had fulfilled his desire, he, says the Scripture, returned and sat in his chariot, honoring. Then Philip came up to him and said (Acts 8:30): Do you understand what you mean? Do you see a caring soul who, even though she does not understand what is contained (in a book), is nevertheless engaged in reading and willingly wants to find a mentor who would enlighten her? The Apostle, with his question, immediately awakens this desire in him. And that he was worthy to receive guidance for understanding what was contained (in the book), this is clear from his very answer. When the apostle, approaching him in poor clothes, asked him: Do you understand? - he was not upset by this, did not show indignation, did not think of being offended, which happens to many unreasonable people who are often ready to remain in ignorance forever, ashamed to admit their ignorance and learn from those who can instruct them. But this (man) was not like that; no, he answers with complete meekness and respect, thereby revealing the state of his soul: how can I,” he says, “except someone to instruct me (Acts 8:31)? Not only did he answer with meekness; no, he did not go further, but, showing us even more clearly the kindness of his character, (this) nobleman, a foreigner, carried in a chariot, who said those words, invited a man who looked completely poor, in low clothes, to get into (the chariot) and sit with him. Do you see the zeal of his soul? Do you see his great reverence? Do you see the God-loving disposition of the foreigner, with which he actually fulfilled the word of a certain sage: if you see something reasonable, pray to him and the extent of his doors, let your foot rub (Sir. 6:36)? Do you see how justly he was not despised by God? Do you see how worthily you received help from above? Do you see how he left nothing out that he should have done himself? Therefore, having finally received a mentor, he learned exactly the meaning of the words (of the prophet) and enlightened his mind. You see what a blessing it is to read the Divine Scripture with attention and diligence! This is why I offered you a story about this foreigner, so that none of us would be ashamed to imitate the Ethiopian, the eunuch, who did not stop reading the Scriptures during his journey. This foreigner can be a teacher for all of us - both for those who lead private lives, and for those who are engaged in military service and invested with nobility, and in general for everyone, not only for men, but also for women, not only for those who live in families, but also for those who have chosen the monastic life; everyone can learn from this that no time can serve as an obstacle to reading the word of God, that not only at home, but also while walking in the marketplace, and traveling, or being in a crowded meeting and doing business, we can practice this reading, so that, having done our best, we will immediately receive a guide. Seeing our disposition towards spiritual (knowledge), our Master will not despise us, but will give insight from above and enlighten our mind. Let us not, I ask, neglect reading (the Scriptures), but whether we understand what is contained (in it) or not, (in any case) we will turn to it as often as possible. The constant exercise of reading imprints indelibly in the memory (what is read) and often, what we could not understand while reading today, we suddenly understand when we start reading again tomorrow, because the humane God invisibly enlightens our mind. 5. It is necessary to delve into the divine Scripture with all diligence, calling on the grace of the Holy Spirit St. John Chrysostom from the 21st discourse on the book of Genesis I ask all of you not to ignore what is offered in the divine Scripture, because everything written here contains a great wealth of thoughts. Since the blessed prophets spoke at the inspiration of the divine Spirit, therefore the sacred books written by the Spirit contain hidden treasure. There is not a single syllable, not a single line in Scripture, in the depths of which there is not a great treasure. Therefore, we must not approach divine words unless we are guided by grace from above and have received enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. To understand what is contained in the divine Scripture, we need not human wisdom, but the revelation of the Spirit, so that we, having learned the true meaning of what is written, can receive great benefit from it. If in everyday affairs, the writings compiled by people, being damaged by time, receive great significance from the indication of time at the beginning of this written monument and from even one syllable, then all the more can this be found in the divine Scripture composed by the Holy Spirit, if only we are careful and do not skim through it superficially, but, having strained our minds, let us consider everything carefully and do not yield in this to those who show so much zeal about sensual objects. So those who dig ore do not stop at the surface, but, having descended very deeply and having found grains of gold, with great labor and effort they separate them from the earth, and after such great labor they receive, however, little reward for their labors. Although they know that they are receiving benefits that do not correspond to their labors, and often, even after great vigils and efforts, they are completely deceived in their expectations, they do not stop there either, but, feeding on hope, they do not feel the labors. So, if they show so much zeal for corruptible, transitory, and very unreliable objects, then for us, who are offered both inalienable wealth and inexhaustible treasure, and it is impossible to be deceived in expectations, all the more we need to have the same and even greater zeal so that we can achieve what we want and, having received benefit from here and knowing God’s ineffable love for mankind, were grateful to our Lord, and having thereby attracted His favor to ourselves, we became elusive to the devil's snares. 6. About the books accepted by the Church St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the 39th Easter Epistle Since we have mentioned heretics as dead, and ourselves as having the divine Scriptures for salvation, I am afraid that some of the simple people, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, through the cunning of some, will deviate from simplicity and purity and begin to read other books called apocryphal 17, being deceived by the similarity of their names with true books; then I beg you to endure it patiently, if, as you yourself know, I write about the same thing as a reminder to you, both out of necessity and for the benefit of the Church. Intending to write this reminder, to confirm my boldness, I will use the example of the Evangelist Luke, saying myself: some people began to repair the so-called apocryphal books for themselves and mix them with the undoubtedly inspired Scripture, as they handed over to the fathers who were from the very beginning the eye-witnesses and servants of the former Word: it was good for me, convinced and taught by sincere brothers, to count from the beginning in order all the books included in the canon, handed down to us as divine and recognized as such, so that anyone, if involved in deception, condemns those who misled him, and if he remains pure, rejoices at this new reminder. So, all the books of the Old Testament are twenty-two in number (and according to legend, as I heard, the Jews have the same number of letters). These books follow each in this order and under this name: first, Genesis, then Exodus, then Leviticus, followed by Numbers and, finally, Deuteronomy; after them Joshua and the Judges. After the book of Judges Ruth, and again after her the four books of Kings, and of these the first and second are counted as one book, and likewise the third and fourth also as one; after them the first and second books of Chronicles, again considered one book, then the first and second books of Ezra, also considered one book. After these the book of Psalms, and after it Proverbs, then Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs. On top of this there are books: Job and, finally, the Prophets, and precisely twelve, counted as one book, and then Isaiah, Jeremiah and with him Baruch, Lamentations and the Epistle, and after Jeremiah - Ezekiel and Daniel. Hitherto the books of the Old Testament have been named. But let’s not be lazy to talk about the books of the New Testament; they are as follows. Four Gospels: from Matthew, from Mark, from Luke, from John, then after them the Acts of the Apostles and seven apostolic Epistles, called Council Epistles, namely: one of James, two of Peter, then three of John, and after them one of Judas. Besides this, there are fourteen letters of the Apostle Paul, listed in this order: the first to the Romans, then two to the Corinthians, after them to the Galatians, and after that to the Ephesians, then to the Philippians and to the Colossians, and after these two to the Thessalonians and the letter to the Hebrews, immediately after that two to Timothy, one to Titus and the last to Philemon, and also the Apocalypse of John. These are the fountains of salvation, so that the thirsty may be given something to drink from the words contained in them. In them alone the doctrine of piety is preached. Let no one add to them or take anything away from them. Understanding these Scriptures, the Lord shamed the Sadducees, saying: You are deceived, not knowing the Scriptures (Matthew 22:29), and exhorted the Jews: Try the Scriptures, for they are the ones who testify about Me (John 5:39). But for greater accuracy (writing this also out of necessity), I add that besides these books there are others, not included in the canon, which, however, were established by the fathers to be read by those who are newly coming and wishing to be informed by the word of piety - these are: the Wisdom of Solomon, the Wisdom of Jesus, the son of Sirach, Esther, Judith, Tobias, the so-called Doctrine of the Apostles and the Shepherd 18. However, beloved, while some books are included in the canon, and others are offered for reading, there is no mention anywhere of apocryphal books; they are the inventions of heretics who write them when they want, but attribute them to antiquity and add years, so that, passing them off as ancient, they have an opportunity to deceive those simple-minded people. 7. About the translation of seventy interpreters St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 4th Catechetical Sermon The inspired Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments teach us this (i.e., the dogmas of piety). For there is one God of both testaments, who in the Old foretold Christ, who appeared in the New, and through the law and the prophets led to Christ. Before the coming of faith, we were under the law and the law was guided by us in Christ (Gal. 3:23-24). And if you hear that some heretic is blaspheming the law and the prophets, then answer him with a saving word: Jesus did not come to destroy, but to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). With curiosity, and that from the Church, acquire information about which books are of the Old and which of the New Testament, and do not read books that are not recognized by the Church. For, not knowing what is recognized by everyone, why do you needlessly torment yourself with doubts? Read the Divine Scriptures, the twenty-two books of the Old Testament, translated by seventy-two interpreters. For, after the death of the Macedonian king Alexander, and after the division of the kingdom into four powers - Babylonia, Macedonia, Asia and Egypt, one of the reigning in Egypt, Ptolemy Philadelphus, as a king who was very fond of learning, collecting books from everywhere, as from the guardian of the book depository, Demetrius of Phalerea, heard about the Divine Scriptures, which contain the law and prophecies, and decided that it was much better to acquire books not by force from those who do not want to give them, but to gain the favor of those who have books through gifts and friendship (for he knew that in what is forced, since it is given involuntarily, there is often a forgery, and what is voluntarily given is brought as a gift in all truth), - to the then bishop Eleazar he sent very many gifts to the local Jerusalem temple and achieved that they were sent from the twelve tribes of Israel, six people from each tribe were brought to him for transfer. Then, in order to test whether the books were truly divine, and to prevent those sent from agreeing with each other, at the so-called Pharos, located near Alexandria, he assigned each of the arriving interpreters a special house and demanded that each translate all the Scriptures. When they completed this task in seventy-two days, having collected together all the translations that they had made in various houses, without agreeing with each other, I found them to agree not only in thoughts, but also in sayings. For this was not a consequence of the sophistication of words and not a matter of human wisdom. On the contrary, the translation of the Divine Scriptures, spoken by the Holy Spirit, was completed by the Holy Spirit 19. 8. The Old and New Testaments are different from each other, but not opposite a) St. John Chrysostom from the second conversation on the words of the apostle “having the same spirit of faith” (2 Cor. 4:13) Why did the apostle say: the same? He wants to show the great similarity of the New Testament with the Old, therefore he reminded us of the prophetic saying, saying: having the same spirit of faith, and adding: according to the written faith, with the same words. Previously, and many years ago, David said the same thing (Ps. 115:1) that Paul brought now, declaring that the same grace of the Spirit both in him then and in us now has rooted the power of faith, and as if he had said: the same Spirit of faith that spoke in him also works in us. Where now are those who condemn the Old Testament, dissolve the body of Scripture, attribute the New Testament to one God, and the Old to another 20? Let them listen to Paul, who stops ungodly lips, curbs the godless tongue, and shows that the same Spirit is in both the Old and New Testaments. Moreover, their very names show us the great agreement between the covenants. The New is called so in relation to the Old, and the Old in relation to the New, just as Paul says: “But sometimes the first speaks new, after the first has become old” (Heb. 8:13). And if they did not belong to the same Lord, then they could not be called either this one new or that one old. So this difference in names shows the affinity of both covenants; and this very difference is not in essence, but in the change of time: only for this reason the new differs from the old; the change of time does not mean either a difference in dominance or a derogation of one over the other. Christ also expressed this when he said: For this reason every scribe, having learned the kingdom of heaven, is like a housewife, who wears out of his treasure the new and the old (Matthew 13:52). Do you see different acquisitions, but one power? Just as there the same owner can endure the new and the old, so here it is also possible that the New and Old Testaments belong to the same God; This is the most special thing and shows His wealth and abundance, that He not only creates new things, but also reveals abundance in the old. Thus, there is only a difference in name between the covenants, and not a contradiction or opposition. The old is old with the new; but this does not mean a contradiction or an opposition, but only a difference in name. I will even allow myself such an exaggeration that even if the laws of the Old Testament were opposite to the laws of the New, I would argue with greater insistence that even then there would be no need to introduce another God. If He instituted opposite laws at the same time, to the same people, living in the same state, being in the same circumstances, then such wisdom would perhaps have some basis, but if some laws are prescribed to one, and others to another, to one at one time, and to another, to one in one circumstance, and to that in another, then what is the need, due to the difference in laws, to introduce two opposing legislators? I don't see any; if the heretics can say it, then let them say it; but they won’t be able to either. Likewise, a doctor often does a lot of opposite things, not out of opposition in thoughts, but with the same and the same thought. He often cauterizes the same body and does not cauterize it, and cuts it and does not cut it, gives it bitter or sweet medicine to drink, the actions are opposite, but the thought by which this is done is the same and the same, because he has one goal in mind - the health of the patient. Therefore, isn’t it absurd not to blame the doctor for doing many things that are contrary to the nature of the same body, but to blame God if He gave different instructions to different people at different times? So, from here it is obvious that even if these laws were opposite, then even then one should not blame (the Old Testament); but that they are not opposite, but only different, let us take the laws themselves into our hands. Hear,” said the Lord, “as it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not kill (Matthew 5:21). This is the Old Testament law, let's look at the New Testament: I tell you that if anyone is angry with his brother in vain, he is guilty of judgment (Matthew 5:22). Tell me: are these commandments opposite? What man with any sense can say this? If the previous law commanded not to kill, and this one commanded to kill, then perhaps someone would say that there is a contradiction between them; if he commands not to kill, and this one commands not even to be angry, then the latter law is a strengthening of the first, and not a contradiction to it. That one destroyed the fruit of anger - murder, and this one tore out the root - anger; that one stopped the flow of wickedness, and this one dried up its very source, because the source and root of murder is rage and anger. That law prepared our nature, and this one, coming, filled the lack. Where is the opposite, when one law stops the end of evil, and the other the beginning? That one cleansed the hand of blood, and this one frees the mind itself from vicious desires. This is characteristic of laws that are consistent with each other, and not contradictory, which is what the enemies of truth are trying to find everywhere, not noticing that, in this way, they bring upon the New Testament God the great guilt of frivolity and negligence, because in this case it will turn out (may this blasphemy be turned on the heads of those who force us to say this!), That He arranged our affairs untimely; But how is it, I’ll tell you. The guidance of the Old Testament is like feeding milk, and the wisdom of the New Testament is like solid food; no one, without feeding with milk, serves solid food; and this is what the God of the New Testament would have done, if He had not been the giver of the Old. Before He fed us with milk, the guidance of the law, He would have led us to solid food. And not only this accusation, but also another even greater one, they subject Him to, as if He only began to provide for our race after more than five thousand years. If He were not the one who, through the prophets, patriarchs and other righteous men, arranged everything that concerns us, but someone else besides Him, then it would turn out that He began to provide for us late and recently, as if moved by some repentance. But it would be unworthy not only of God, but even of an ordinary person, if He, having allowed so many people to perish for such a long time, finally, in recent times, also began to provide for the few. Do you see what blasphemies are uttered against God by those who say that one is the legislator of the New Testament, and the other of the Old? But all this stops when we admit that there is one God of both Testaments. Then it will turn out that He wisely arranged matters concerning us - first through the law, and now through grace, and not recently, not in recent times, but from ancient times and from the very first day He began to provide for us. Since the Jews, by their malice, deprived themselves of freedom and lost their nobility, God raised them in constant fear, like foolish slaves, punishing them with vengeance and threats. So now many fathers raise their children, not as children, but with the fear characteristic of members of the household, and the fault is not of the fathers, but of the children, who forced the fathers to treat the free as slaves. So God raised the people of that time with such fear and vengeance as was typical for raising an unreasonable member of the household; and this serves neither to condemn God, nor to accuse the law, but of the unbridled Jews, who needed a stronger rein. However, in the Old Testament itself there are many who were brought up differently - for example: Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Elijah, Elisha and all the others who were jealous of the wisdom of the New Testament. In fact, it was not as a result of fear and punishment, or threats and revenge, but through divine love and a fiery attraction to God that they became what they were. They did not need any commandments, nor commandments and laws in order to choose virtue for themselves and avoid evil, but, like noble children and free ones, recognizing their own dignity, they themselves indulged in virtue without any fear or punishment, while the rest of the Jews turned into evil and therefore needed the reins of the law. So, when they made the calf and bowed to the image, then they heard: The Lord thy God is one Lord (Deut. 6:4); when they committed murder and corrupted the wives of their neighbors, then they heard: do not kill, do not commit adultery, and everything else in the same way. Thus, it is not the fault of the law - the introduction of punishment and vengeance, the education and admonition of the Jews as foolish household members, but also the greatest glory and no small praise that the law could, by its own insistence, remove people devoted to such wickedness from wickedness, soften them and make them obedient to grace and lead to the wisdom of the New Testament. The same Spirit arranged everything, both in the Old and in the New Testament, although in different ways. That is why Paul said: having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, with the same words (2 Cor. 4:13). b) Blazh. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, from the "Abridged Exposition of Divine Dogmas", ch. 17 We know the one Establisher of both the Old and New Testaments, and He clearly teaches us this through the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah. For he says (Jer. 31:31-33): I make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that their father commanded, on the day that I take their hand, that I bring it out of the land of Egypt. But I will bequeath to them a new covenant, giving My laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. With these words he made it clear that he who gave the Old Testament also gives the New Testament; for he said: I do not bequeath according to the covenant, but I have bequeathed it. And through the mouth of the prophet Isaiah he spoke: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, O faithful saint of David (Isa. 55:3). And also the prophet David cries: rise, Lord, let no man be strong, let the nations be judged before Thee. Set, O Lord, a lawgiver over them (Ps. 9:20–21). If they do not believe the prophecies, then let them hear how the Lawgiver Himself does not destroy the old laws, but gives them greater severity. For the one who destroys should have said: It was said to the ancients: You shall not commit adultery, but I say to you: Thou shalt commit adultery; and it was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not kill; but I tell you: kill. The Lord, by His laws, clearly teaches that He does not destroy the Old Testament, but introduces the strictest way of life. And just as one who teaches literacy to those beginning to learn explains the difference in the outline of letters, but to those who have learned this he offers the addition of words, and, teaching rules to some for adding words, and to others for harmonious reading, does not introduce the opposite laws of teaching, but teaches lessons in proportion to age, so the Lord Christ gave laws in accordance with each generation. He inscribed the necessary and first things in human nature itself; because everyone has the ability to distinguish between good and evil; and by doing what we ourselves do not want to tolerate, we proclaim that what we are doing is bad. Therefore, whoever kills or commits adultery knows that what he is doing is evil. For not only does he not want to be killed, but he even uses every means to prevent this from happening to him. And if the wife has fallen into adultery, she accuses the one who took the bed; and if he himself has been slandered, he brings a complaint for the insult. And having examined everything else in this way, we will find every person knowing that bad is bad. So, God, who created us, laid down these laws in nature itself, but gave others in each generation differently. For he gave the law about the tree to Adam, to Noah about eating meat, to the patriarch Abraham he legalized circumcision, and he wrote other laws by the hand of the great prophet Moses, in the divine Gospel, leaving laws about unimportant things, like the study of some letters, and gave the most perfect laws. Just as mothers give newborn babies breastfeeding, and after a few years chewed food, and when they become children and young men, they offer solid food, so God offers the most perfect lessons to those who have been taught one thing. However, we also respect the Old Testament, like a mother’s breasts, although we do not accept milk, because the milk of the one who nursed becomes superfluous for those who are fully grown, but they honor the nurse, as if raised by her. Likewise, we do not agree to preserve circumcision, the Sabbath, sacrifices, sprinklings, but we derive other benefits from the Old Testament, because it teaches us precise lessons about piety, about faith in God, about love for one’s neighbor, truth and courage, and presents examples of the Old Testament saints for imitation. 9. The Psalter is especially important. Why are psalms sung in song? a) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the letter to Marcellinus on the interpretation of the psalms I praise you, beloved Marcellinus, for your will in Christ; because you endure the present temptation, in which you suffered a lot, complacently and do not abandon your academic studies. For, having asked the bearer of the letter how you spend your time after your illness, I learned that you are studying all the divine Scriptures, but much more often you are reading the book of psalms and trying to understand the meaning contained in each psalm. This is why I approve of you now, because I myself have great love for the same book, as for all Scripture. With such love, I once met a certain hardworking old man, and I intend to write to you what this old man told me about the Psalter, holding it in his hands. His speech is as thorough as it is not alien to some eloquence. Exactly, he said this: All Scripture, that is, both the Old Testament and the New Testament, which we have, my son, according to what is written, is inspired by God, and is useful for teaching (2 Tim. 3:16); The book of psalms for those who are attentive contains something worthy of special note. Each book serves its own purpose; and are set forth, for example: in the Pentateuch - the origin of the world, the acts of the patriarchs, the descent of the Israelites from Egypt, and the order of the tabernacle and priesthood; in Triple Books 21 - the division of the earth by lot, the acts of the Judges and the genealogy of David; in the books of Kings and Chronicles - the acts of kings; in the book of Ezra - the end of the captivity, the return of the people and the building of the temple and city; Prophetic books, prophesying about the coming of the Savior, contain reminders of the commandments, reproaches to those who transgress them, and also prophecies to the pagans. The Book of Psalms, like a garden, containing within itself the plantings of all other books, with sweet singing conveys what is stated in them, and singing about it again shows its own characteristics. The book of psalms in almost every psalm announces the coming of the Savior, and that He will come as the real God. Thus, in the forty-ninth psalm he says: God, our God, will come, and will not remain silent (3); and in Psalm one hundred and seventeen: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: blessed are you from the house of the Lord (26). God is the Lord, and appear to us (27). About the fact that the Savior is the Father’s Word, he sings like this in the hundred and sixth: I sent His Word, and I healed, and I delivered from their corruption (20). For the coming God is the sent Word. Knowing that this Word is the Son of God, in the voice of the Father he sings in the forty-fourth psalm: My heart will vomit the Word for good (2); and also in the hundred and ninth psalm: from the womb before the morning star I gave birth to Thee (3). For what else will anyone call the Father’s birth, if not God’s Word and God’s Wisdom? And the book of psalms, knowing that the Savior is the Father’s Word, by which God said: let there be light, firmament and all (Gen. 1:3 et seq.), in the thirty-second psalm it said: By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth all their power (6). Nor was the coming Christ himself unknown to her; on the contrary, he says a lot about Him in the forty-fourth psalm: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the rod of righteousness, the rod of Your kingdom (7). Thou hast loved righteousness, and thou hast hated iniquity: therefore, for the sake of Thy anointing, O God, Thy God is more than a partaker of Thy with the oil of joy (8). And lest anyone think that He will come in a dreamy form, He makes it clear that He will become a man, and is the very One by whom everything was brought into being, for He says in the eighty-sixth psalm: Mother Zion says: man, and man was born in her: and He is the foundation and the Most High (5); and this is equivalent to what was said: and God is the Word. All the same. And the word became flesh (John 1:1, 3, 14). Therefore, the book of psalms, knowing the birth from the Virgin, did not remain silent about this, but immediately makes it clear, saying in the forty-fourth psalm: hear, daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and the house of your Father (11). For the King desired Thy kindness: before Thy is Thy Lord (12); and this is again similar to what Gabriel said: Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you (Luke 1:28). For, having called Him Christ, He immediately reveals His human birth from the Virgin, saying: Hear, daughters. And just as Gabriel, being a stranger to the Virgin by birth, calls Her by name Mary, so David, since the Virgin is born from his seed, calls Her daughter. Having said that the Lord will become a man, in accordance with this, the book of psalms depicts Him both as suffering in the flesh and... Seeing the malice of the Jews, he sings in the second psalm: Where are the nations reeling, and people having learned in vain (1)? the kings of the earth appeared, and the princes gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ (2). And in the twenty-first psalm he speaks about the very nature of death on behalf of the Savior: You brought Me into the dust of death (16). Because many people have overcome Me, a host of evil ones have overcome Me: they have dug My hands and My nose (17). You have cut up all My bones: but they have looked upon and despised Me (18). I divided My garments for myself, and cast lots for My clothing (19). But whoever says: My hands and my feet are graven, what else does that mean but the cross? And the book of psalms, opening this, adds that the Lord suffers this not for His own sake, but for our sake, and on His behalf speaks again in the eighty-seventh psalm: Thy wrath is established on me (8), and in the sixty-eighth: even if you did not delight, then you reward (5); because He did not die for guilt, but suffered for us, and bore the wrath that came upon us for transgressing the commandment, speaking through Isaiah (Is. 53:4): This one bears our sins. And as we say in the one hundred and thirty-seventh psalm: The Lord will reward me (8); This is what the Spirit says in the seventy-first psalm: He will save the sons of the poor and humble the slanderer (4). For deliver the beggar from the hand of the mighty, and the wretched, he has no helper (12). Therefore, the book of psalms foretells the Lord’s ascension with flesh into heaven, and says in the twenty-third psalm: Lift up your gates, O princes, and lift up the everlasting gates: and the King of glory will come in (9), and in the forty-sixth psalm: God is gone with a shout, the Lord with a sound of a trumpet (6). He also proclaims sitting on my right hand, saying in the hundred and ninth psalm: The Lord said to my Lord: sit on my right hand, until I will make your enemies your footstool (1). In the ninth psalm he also adds about the death of the devil, and exclaims: you sat on the throne, judge the truth (5). You rebuked with your tongue, and the wicked perished (6). The Book of Psalms did not conceal the fact that the Lord received all judgment from the Father, but foreshadows in the seventy-first psalm that He is coming to be the Judge of all: God, grant Thy judgment to the King, and Thy righteousness to the King's Son (1): judge Thy people in righteousness, and Thy poor in judgment (2); in the forty-ninth psalm he says: He will call the heavens from above and the earth to judge His people (4). And the heavens will declare His righteousness, for God is the Judge (6); and in the eighty-first psalm: God is in the assembly of gods, but in the midst the gods will judge (1). The book of psalms has this amazing feature that it describes and depicts the movements of each soul, the changes in these movements and their direction for the better, so that anyone can borrow a model from this book, like from a picture, clearly imagine it in the mind and imprint himself in the form described in it. In other books, a person hears only the law, which prescribes what he should do and what not to do, or hears prophecies, from which he learns about the coming of the Savior, and listens to narratives, from which he can learn the deeds of kings and saints. In the book of psalms, the listener, just as he learns this, also understands and studies the movements of his soul, and depending on what he suffers from and what he is obsessed with, he can choose in it an image depicted in words, and not one that one can only listen to and pass by, but which teaches how one should speak and act in order to heal one’s weakness. And in other books we will find threats prohibiting doing bad things; in the book of psalms it is depicted how one should abstain from evil. For example: there is a commandment that one must repent, and that to repent means to cease from sin; but here it is depicted both how one should repent and what one should say when repenting. And Paul also said: tribulation makes perseverance work for the soul, but perseverance is skill, and skill is hope; but hope does not put to shame (Rom. 5:3-5). But in the psalms it is described and clearly presented how one should endure sorrows, and what one should say to one who is in sorrows and what after sorrows, and how skill is acquired by everyone, and what speech is appropriate for those who trust in the Lord. There is also a commandment to give thanks in everything (1 Thess. 5:18); but what the one who gives thanks should say, the psalms teach. Also, hearing in other books that everyone who wants to live godly in Christ will be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12), in the psalms we learn with what thoughts we should flee, what words should those who are persecuted and those who are saved by persecution lift up to God. We are commanded to bless the Lord and confess to the Lord, but in the psalms we are given examples of how we should praise the Lord and what words are appropriate for someone confessing. So, in any case, you will find divine chants adapted to us, to our movements and states. In the psalms, the following is also worthy of surprise: in other books, what the saints say and what they talk about, the readers refer to those precisely about whom it is written, and those who listen distinguish themselves from the described persons about whom they are talking, and if they are surprised and compete with the narrated deeds, then all this ends in imitation. But in the psalms (an amazing thing!), whoever reads everything else, except for the prophecies about the Savior and about the pagans, seems to pronounce his own sayings, and everyone sings the psalms, as if written about him, and so accepts and rereads them, as if no one else spoke, and no one else understood, but remains in the thought that he is speaking about himself, and what is said in the psalms, he lifts up to God on his own behalf, as if speaking about what what he himself did. For the psalm words, not like the sayings of the patriarchs, and Moses, and other prophets, will be pronounced without fear, because in the psalms both he who kept the commandment and the one who transgressed it are described, as well as the deeds of both; and since every person necessarily belongs to one or another clan, then as one who has kept the commandment, or as one who has broken it, he can use the words written about each. And it seems to me that the psalms serve as a kind of mirror for those who sing them; in them he recognizes the movements of his soul, and with this thought he pronounces them. And he who listens to the reader accepts the psalm as a song about himself, or he who is convicted by his conscience brings repentance with contrition of heart, or, hearing about trust in God and about such grace shown to believers, he rejoices and begins to thank God. And everyone, when he sings the third psalm, looking at his own sorrows, considers the words contained in the psalm as his own, and when he sings the eleventh and sixteenth psalms, he utters, as it were, his own hope and prayer. Also, when he sings the fiftieth psalm, as if he were pronouncing the repentant words of this psalm on his own, and when he sings the fifty-third, fifty-fifth, fifty-sixth and one hundred and forty-first psalms, then he does it with such a disposition of spirit, as if it were not another who is being persecuted, but he himself is suffering and comes into such a state of spirit and sings these words to God as if he were truly his own. And in general, each psalm is so complex and spoken by the Spirit that, according to what was said before, in the psalms we recognize the movements of our soul, and all of them seem to be spoken about us, and they are, as it were, our own words, serving to bring to memory the movements that took place in us and to correct our own life. For what the psalmists spoke can serve as a model and a mark for us. These are the distinctive features of the book of psalms, which contains for the benefit of people in some psalms serving to correct the movements in each soul, and in others, as said before, numerous prophecies about the coming in the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ. But it is necessary not to pass over in silence and why such words are sung in a smooth and songlike melody. For some of our simple people, although they believe that the very sayings are inspired by God, nevertheless think that psalms are sung out of euphony to delight the ears. And this is unfair. For Scripture does not care about pleasantness and sweet speech, and singing is established for the benefit of the soul, both in general and especially for the following two reasons. Firstly, it was proper for the divine Scripture to praise God not only with consistent speech, but also without strict consistency. Thus, in coherent speech, everything belonging to the law and the prophets and everything narrative is said, with the inclusion of the New Testament; in speech that does not have a strict order, it is said that it is contained in psalms and hymns; and this is what is required by the law, that people love God with all their strength and strength. Secondly, just as the harmony of sounds is produced by bringing pipes into harmony, so, since there are various movements in the soul, there is a thinking, lusting and irritable force in it, and their movement produces the activity of bodily members, then reason demands that a person should not be in disagreement and discord with himself, so that he can think well, but do worse. Therefore, in order for no such confusion to occur, reason demands that the soul, according to the word of the Apostle, having the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16), use this leader, and with it restrain what is passionate in it, and rule over the bodily members, bringing them into obedience to reason, and that, as the rattling in harmony, so the man himself, having become a psalter, and listening to the spirit, is entirely in He was obedient to all his limbs and movements and served God’s will. A similarity and image of such a serene and calm state of thoughts is the pronunciation of the psalms, brought to orderly proportions; because, just as we make our spiritual thoughts known and express them through the words we pronounce, so the Lord, wanting the sweet sound of words to serve as a symbol of spiritual harmony in the soul, established to sing decorously and recite psalms in chanting. And this is the need of the soul, so that it can be in a good disposition, according to what is written: If anyone is happy in you, let him sing (James 5:13). This is how the disturbing, rough, disorderly in the soul is eliminated, and the sorrowful is healed when we sing: in what way are you sorrowful, my soul? And how do you confuse me (Ps. 41:6,12)? Thus, she recognizes the sin, saying: “My nose does not move in the distance” (Ps. 72:2). Thus he strengthens the fearful with hope when he says: The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man does to me (Ps. 118:6). Therefore, those who do not read divine songs in this way sing psalms foolishly, they delight themselves and incur censure, because praise is not beautiful in the mouth of a sinner (Sir. 15:9). But those who sing in the manner described above - so that the euphony of their utterances comes from the well-being of the soul and from its agreement with the spirit - although they sing with their lips, but, chanting together with their minds, they bring great benefit not only to themselves, but also to those who want to listen to them. Thus, blessed David, singing before Saul, himself pleased God, and removed confusion of spirit and fit of fury from Saul, and brought his soul to rest. Thus, the priests, chanting, called on the souls of the people to serenity and unanimity with those rejoicing in heaven. Thus, the pronunciation of psalms in chanting does not show an effort for euphony, but serves as a sign of harmony of thoughts in the soul, and reading brought to a harmonious measure is a symbol of a well-disposed and undisturbed state of mind. For praising God on the cymbals of good accord, the harp and the ten-stringed psalter, was also a symbol that the bodily members were brought into the correct combination, like strings, and the thoughts of the soul became like cymbals, and all this was already set in motion and enlivened by the voice and the spirit of the mouth, so that, according to what is written, man lives by the spirit and mortifies the deeds of the flesh (Rom. 8:13). Thus, whoever sings well brings his soul into harmony, and, as it were, turns an unequal one into an equal one, and the soul, having come to a state in accordance with its nature, is not afraid of anything, but becomes all the more capable of vivid ideas and acquires a greater desire for future benefits; because, tuned by the euphony of words, she forgets passions, and, thinking better, joyfully turns to the mind that is in Christ. Therefore, child, everyone reading this book should read everything in it with sincere disposition, because everything in it is inspired by God, but moreover, extract from it, as from a garden, for his benefit exactly what he sees as a need for himself. For, in my opinion, this book measures and describes in words the whole of human life, mental dispositions, and movements of thoughts, and beyond what is depicted in it nothing more will be found in man. Whether repentance or confession is needed, whether sorrow or temptation has befallen someone, whether someone is persecuted, or has gotten rid of evil intentions, whether someone has become sad or confused, and suffers something similar to what was said above, or sees himself prospering and the enemy brought into inaction, or intends to praise, give thanks and bless the Lord - for all this there is instruction in the divine psalms. For one must choose what is said in the psalms for each such case, and read it as if it were written about the reader himself, and having brought oneself into a disposition in agreement with what is written, lift it up to God. And let no one clothe this with the words of external eloquence, let no one try to alter or even change the expressions, but let him simply read and sing what is written as it is written, so that the saints who served us in this, recognizing their own, pray with us, or better yet, so that the Spirit himself, who spoke in the saints, seeing the very words that He inspired in the saints, becomes our helper. For to the extent that the life of the saints is better than the life of others, in the same way it can rightly be said about the sayings they used that they are better and stronger than those composed by us. For by this they pleased God and, by saying all this, as the Apostle said, they conquered kingdoms, did righteousness, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the sharp edge of the sword, became strong from weakness, became strong in battle, put to flight foreign armies, received women from the resurrection of their dead (Heb. 11:33–35). Therefore, even now, when pronouncing psalms, let everyone be confident that God will soon hear those who ask with the psalm word. For if anyone grieves, reading them, he will see great consolation in them. If he endures temptation and persecution, chanting psalms, he will appear well-skilled, and will be protected by the Lord, Who protected the one who spoke the psalm, with them he will put the devil to flight and repel his demons. If anyone has sinned, by reading them he will come to his senses and stop sinning. And if anyone has not sinned, he will see himself rejoicing that he competes with those who preceded him, and by singing psalms he will prevail in the struggle, and he will never waver in the truth, but will expose those who deceive and intend to deceive. His guarantor in this will be no other person, but the Divine Scripture itself. For God commanded Moses to write a great song and teach the people, and he, who was appointed leader, commanded him to write Deuteronomy and to always have the sayings of this book in his hands and study them, because the words contained in them are sufficient to remind them of virtue and help those who study them with sincere disposition. And indeed, when Joshua entered the land of promise, then seeing that the hordes of enemies and all the kings of the Amorites came together to fight, instead of weapons and swords, reading Deuteronomy aloud to everyone, reminding them of the sayings of the Law, and arming the people with them, he overcame the enemies. And King Josiah, when he found the book and read it aloud to everyone, was no longer afraid of his enemies. And if, when the people of God had a war, the ark preceded everyone, containing the tablets of the Law, and they were enough to help instead of any militia, unless there was any prevailing sin and hypocrisy in those wearing the ark and in the people themselves; because people needed faith and their own disposition for the Law to help them fulfill what they asked. Therefore, the elder said, I heard from wise men that in ancient times the Israelites, by reading only the Scriptures, drove out demons and exposed the intrigues they perpetrated on people. And therefore, he continued, those who, abandoning this and composing for themselves beautiful speeches borrowed from outside, are worthy of all condemnation, and for this very reason call themselves exorcists. For they are more childish and give themselves up to the demons to ridicule, which is what happened with the Jews mentioned in Acts (Acts 19:13-16), the sons of Sceva, who in this way set out to conjure demons. Therefore, the demons, hearing their spells from such people, mock them. But the words of the saints are terrible for the demons, and they cannot bear them, because in the sayings of Scripture it is the Lord Himself, whom the demons, not tolerating, cried out: I pray to You, do not torment me before the time (Luke 8:28). For, seeing only the presence of the Lord, they were burned. So Paul also commanded the unclean spirits; so the disciples were subjugated by demons. And the hand of the Lord was upon Elisha the prophet, and he prophesied to the three Kings about the waters, while the singer sang according to the commandment (2 Kings 3:15). So now let the same be read over those who suffer; In this way, help will be provided to the sufferer more quickly, and the reader will show his true and firm faith, and therefore God, seeing it, will give perfect healing to those who ask. Knowing this, the saint said in the one hundred and eighteenth psalm: I will learn from Your justifications; I will not forget Your words (16); and again: Thy vindication was born to me in the place of my coming (54). For in them the saints acquired salvation, saying: Had it not been for Thy law, my teaching, then I would have perished in my humility (92); just as Paul also protected his disciple, saying: learn from these, abide in these, so that your progress may be revealed (1 Tim. 4:15). By learning this and reading the psalms in this way, you, guided by the Spirit, will be able to comprehend the meaning of each one, and you will desire the same kind of life that the God-bearing holy men who spoke them had. b) St. Basil the Great from a conversation on the first part of the first psalm All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful (2 Tim. 3:16), for this purpose it was written by the Holy Spirit, so that in it, as in a common physician of souls, all of us, people, would find a cure, each for his own ailment. For it is said: healing will satisfy great sins (Eccl. 10:4). But the prophets teach differently, the writers of everyday life teach differently; in one the Law instructs, and in the other it is offered in the form of admonition, but the book of psalms contains in itself what is useful from all books. She prophesies about the future, brings events to memory, gives laws for life, offers rules for activity. In short, she is a common treasury of good teachings and carefully seeks out what is beneficial to everyone. She heals the old wounds of the soul, and gives quick healing to the recently wounded, and restores the painful, and supports the undamaged; in general, as much as possible, it destroys the passions that dominate souls in human life under different forms. And at the same time, it produces in a person some kind of quiet pleasure and pleasure, which makes the mind chaste. The Holy Spirit knew that it is difficult to lead the human race to virtue and that, due to our inclination towards pleasure, we are careless about the right path. So what does it do? The pleasantness of sweet singing is added to the teachings, so that along with what is sweet and euphonious to the ear, we inconspicuously accept what is useful in the word. Likewise, wise doctors, when giving bitter medicine to drink to those who are disgusted by it, often coat the cup with honey. It is for this reason that these harmonious hymns of psalms were invented for us, so that children of old age, or those who have not matured in morals at all, apparently only sang them, but in reality taught their souls. Hardly any of the common people, especially the careless ones, will leave here, conveniently keeping in mind the apostolic and prophetic commandment; and verses from psalms are sung in houses and proclaimed in marketplaces. And if someone, like an animal, becomes enraged with anger, as soon as his ear is delighted by the psalm, he will go away, immediately taming the ferocity of the soul within himself with sweet singing. Psalm is the silence of souls, the dispenser of peace; he calms rebellious and agitated thoughts; it softens the irritability of the soul and disciplines intemperance. The psalm is a mediator of friendship, unity between distant people, reconciliation of those at war. For who can still consider as an enemy the one with whom he raised one voice to God? Therefore, psalmody gives us one of the greatest benefits - love, inventing corporate singing instead of a knot to unity and bringing people into one consonant face. The psalm is a refuge from demons, entry into the protection of angels, a weapon in night insurance, repose from daytime labors, safety for babies, decoration in blooming age, comfort for the elderly, the most decent decoration for wives. The psalm inhabits the deserts, makes the marketplaces healthy. For newcomers it is the beginnings of learning, for those who are successful it is an increase in knowledge, for those who are perfect it is confirmation; this is the voice of the Church. He makes the festivities bright; it produces sadness, just like Bose. For the psalm even compels tears from a stony heart. Psalm is the occupation of angels, heavenly cohabitation, spiritual incense. This is a wise invention of the Teacher, who arranged for us to sing and learn useful things together. Because of this, the lessons are better imprinted on souls. For what is learned under compulsion does not remain in us for long, but what is accepted with pleasure and pleasantness takes root more firmly in our souls. What can't you learn from the psalms? Do you not learn from here the greatness of courage, the severity of justice, the honesty of chastity, the perfection of prudence, the form of repentance, the measure of patience and every kind of blessing that you cannot name? Here there is perfect theology, the prediction of the coming of Christ in the flesh, the threat of judgment, the hope of resurrection, the fear of punishment, the promise of glory, the revelation of the sacraments. Everything, as if in a great and general treasury, is collected in the book of psalms, which the prophet adapted from many musical instruments to the so-called psalter, giving those, as it seems to me, to understand that in it the voices of grace are heard, given from above - from the Spirit; because in this one of the musical instruments the cause of sounds is located above. In the zither and in the lyre, the brass sounds below the bow, and the psalter has the reasons for the harmonic modes at the top, so that we too take care to seek the things above, and do not be carried away by the pleasantness of singing into carnal passions. Moreover, the prophetic word, as I think, is profound and wise, by the very design of this instrument showed us that people with a beautiful and well-disposed soul can comfortably ascend to the heavenly. 10. About the Gospels: why four Gospels? How to look at the differences in the narratives of the Evangelists? a) St. Irenaeus of Lyons from the 3rd book of “Convictions and refutations of false knowledge” (chapters 1 and 11) We learned about the arrangement of our salvation not through anyone else, but through those through whom the Gospel came to us, which they then preached (orally), then, by the will of God, handed over to us in the Scriptures, as the future foundation and pillar of our faith. It is indecent to assert that they preached before they received “perfect knowledge,” as some dare to say, posing as the correctors of the apostles. For, after our Lord rose from the dead, and they were clothed from above with the power of the descending Holy Spirit, filled with all (His gifts) and received perfect knowledge, they went out to the ends of the earth, preaching the good news (given) to us from God, and proclaiming heavenly peace to people who, both together and individually, have the Gospel of God. Thus, Matthew published the scriptures of the Gospel among the Jews in their own language, while Peter and Paul preached the gospel in Rome and founded the church. After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, gave us in writing what was preached by Peter. And Luke, Paul's companion, set forth in a book the Gospel he preached. Then John, the disciple of the Lord, reclining on His chest, also published the Gospel during his stay in Ephesus of Asia. It is impossible for there to be more or fewer Gospels than there are. For, since there are four countries of the world in which we live, and four main winds, and since the Church is scattered throughout the whole earth, and the pillar and foundation of the Church is the Gospel and the Spirit of life, then it must have four pillars, breathing incorruption from everywhere and reviving people. From this it is clear that the Word that organizes everything, sits on the cherubim and contains everything, having revealed itself to people, gave us the Gospel in four forms, but permeated with one spirit. Like David, praying for His appearance, he says: “You who sit on the cherubim have appeared” (Ps. 79:2). For the cherubim have four faces and their faces are images of the activity of the Son of God. “The first animal,” it is said, “is like a lion,” and characterizes His effectiveness, dominion and royal power; “the second is like an ox” and means His sacred and priestly dignity; “the third had the face of a man,” and clearly depicts His appearance as a man; “The fourth is like a flying eagle” (Rev. 4:7) and indicates the gift of the Spirit hovering over the Church. Therefore, the Gospels agree on what Christ Jesus sits on. For one of them sets forth His original, efficient, and glorious birth from the Father, saying thus: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And all things came into being through Him, and without Him nothing came into being” (John 1:1–3). Therefore, this Gospel is full of all authenticity, for such is its character. The Gospel of Luke, bearing a priestly character, begins with the priest Zechariah making a sacrifice to God. For the well-fed calf was already ready, which was to be slain in order to obtain a younger son. Matthew announces His human birth, saying: “The genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham.” And also: “the birth of Jesus Christ was like this” (Matthew 1:1-18). This Gospel depicts His humanity, therefore, throughout the Gospel He appears to be a humbly sensitive and meek person. And Mark begins with the prophetic Spirit coming from above to people, saying: “The beginning of the gospel, as it is written in the prophet Isaiah” (Mk. 1:1), and points to the winged image of the Gospel, therefore, he made a concise and fluent story, for such is the prophetic spirit. And the Word of God Himself conversed with the patriarchs who were before Moses in accordance with His Divinity and glory, and for those under the law It represented the priestly and liturgical rank, after which, having become man, He sent down the gift of the Holy Spirit to the whole earth, covering us with His wings. As is the mode of action of the Son of God, such is the form of the animals, and as is the form of the animals, such is the character of the Gospel. The animals are four-shaped, and the Gospel and the activity of the Lord are four-shaped. And, therefore, four main covenants were given to humanity: one under Adam before the flood, the other after the flood under Noah; the third is the legislation under Moses, the fourth, which renews man and reduces everything in itself, through the Gospel, lifting and, as if on wings, lifting people into the Kingdom of Heaven. In this state of affairs, all those who distort the idea of ​​the Gospel and introduce types of the Gospel more or less than what have been said are vain and ignorant and, moreover, impudent. That those Gospels alone are true and reliable and there can be no more or less than those mentioned above, I have already proven this with many arguments. b) St. John Chrysostom from the 1st conversation on St. Evangelist Matthew Matthew rightly called his work the Gospel. In fact, he proclaims to everyone - the enemies, the ignorant, sitting in darkness - the end of punishment, the remission of sins, justification, sanctification, redemption, sonship, the inheritance of heaven and affinity with the Son of God. What can compare with such gospel? God on earth, man in heaven, everything is united: angels made one face with people, people united with angels and other heavenly forces. It became obvious that the ancient warfare has ceased, that the reconciliation of God with our nature has been accomplished, the devil has been put to shame, demons have been cast out, death has been bound, heaven has been opened, the oath has been abolished, sin has been destroyed, error has been removed, truth has returned, the word of piety is sown and growing everywhere, heavenly life is planted on earth, the powers on high are in friendly communication with us, angels continually descend on earth, and great hope for the future appeared. That is why Matthew called his story the Gospel, as if to imply that everything else, such as rich property, greatness of power, superiority, glory, honors, and everything else considered by people as good, constitutes mere empty words, and the promises given through the fishermen should be called in their proper and primary sense the gospel. And this is not only because they are lasting and permanent benefits and surpass our dignity, but because they are given to us without any labor on our part. It was not through labor and sweat, not through effort and suffering that we got what we have, but solely because of God’s love for us. But why, we ask, with such a large number of disciples, only two of the apostles and two of their companions write, since in addition to John and Matthew, one disciple of Paul and another disciple of Peter wrote the Gospels? Because they did nothing out of ambition, but everything for the benefit. So what? Couldn't one evangelist have written everything? Of course, he could, but when four people wrote, they did not write at the same time, not in the same place, without communicating or conspiring with each other, and, however, they wrote as if everything was uttered by the same mouth, then this serves as the greatest proof of the truth. And, however, you say, the opposite happened, since they are often exposed in disagreement. But this very thing is the surest sign of truth. In fact, if they had agreed exactly on everything - both regarding the time, and regarding the place, and the words themselves, then none of the enemies would have believed that they wrote the Gospels without agreeing with each other and not according to the usual agreement, and that such agreement was a consequence of their sincerity. Now, the disagreement that appears in small details frees them from all suspicion and speaks brilliantly in favor of the writers. If they wrote something differently regarding place and time, this does not in the least harm the truth of their stories. In the main thing, which contains the foundation of our life and constitutes the essence of preaching, they do not disagree at all with each other. What exactly? The fact that God became man, performed miracles, was crucified, buried, resurrected, ascended to heaven and will come to judge; that He gave saving commandments, introduced a law not contrary to the Old Testament, that He is the Son, the only begotten, true, consubstantial with the Father, and the like. In all this we find complete agreement among the evangelists. If, regarding miracles, not everyone said everything, but one described some, another described others, then this should not bother you. If one evangelist said everything, the rest would be superfluous; If each one wrote something different and new compared to the others, then the proof of their agreement would not be obvious. That is why they said a lot together, and each of them chose something special, so as not to turn out to be, on the one hand, redundant and writing without a purpose, and on the other, to present us with true proof of the truth of their words. Thus Luke also indicates the reason why he begins to write the Gospel. So that you have, he says, about them you have learned all these words, affirmation (Luke 1:4), that is, so that you can be convinced of what you have been taught, and remain in firm confidence. John himself kept silent about the reason (for writing the Gospel), but, as the tradition that has come down to us from the fathers says, he began to write not without a reason. Since the first three evangelists primarily tried to expound the history of the earthly life of Christ, and the teaching about His deity was in danger of remaining undisclosed, John, prompted by Christ, finally began to write the Gospel. In the same way, Matthew, as they say, at the request of the believing Jews who came to him, wrote to them what he had spoken orally, and compiled the Gospel in Hebrew. At the request of his disciples, Mark did the same in Egypt. Where each of the evangelists wrote, there is no particular need for us to deal with this issue; but that they did not contradict each other, we will try to prove this in all our interpretation. If you blame them for disagreeing, you are doing nothing more than forcing them to speak in the same words and use the same way of expression. I'm not even talking about the fact that many of those who boast of knowledge of rhetoric and philosophy, having written many books on the same subjects, not only disagreed, but also contradicted each other - it’s another thing to disagree, another thing to contradict. I’m not talking about this anymore: I don’t need to take advantage of their foolishness to defend (the evangelists) and I don’t want to confirm truths with lies. But this is what I would gladly ask: how did the discordant scriptures deserve faith? How did they win? How could people who contradicted each other deserve surprise, faith and glory throughout the universe? Many were witnesses to their preaching; many, moreover, were enemies and adversaries. Having written the Gospels, they did not hide them in one corner of the universe, but distributed them everywhere, on land and sea, in the hearing of everyone, as now, they were readable even in the presence of enemies, and nothing said in them tempted anyone. And quite naturally, because everything in everyone was produced and accomplished by divine power. Otherwise, how could a publican, a fisherman, an unlearned man, think so wisely? What the pagan sages once could not even imagine in a dream, they preach with great confidence and persuasiveness - and not only during life, but also after death - not to two, not to twenty people, not to hundreds, not to thousands and tens of thousands, but to (entire) cities, tribes and peoples, land and sea, Greece and barbarian countries, inhabited land and desert, proclaiming a teaching that far exceeds ours nature. Leaving the earthly, they talk about the heavenly, offering us another life and a new way of life, another wealth and another poverty, another freedom and another slavery, another life and death, another world, another rule of life - everything is different. (They teach the rules of life) not in the same way as Plato, who composed the notorious “Polity” 22, or Zeno 23, and other writers on social order and compilers of laws. All of them, by their very works, proved that their souls were inspired by an evil spirit, a fierce demon fighting against our nature, an enemy of purity, an opponent of good morals and a destroyer of all order. Indeed, what else can be said about them, when they ordered everyone to have wives in common, to parade naked girls to men during the lists, to arrange secret marriages, when they overthrew and destroyed all order and perverted the rules of nature itself? That all this is the invention of demons and is contrary to nature, nature itself can testify to this, which does not tolerate anything like that. And they wrote about this not amid persecution, not among dangers, not among battles, but with complete safety and freedom, often using, in addition, many other embellishments. Meanwhile, the preaching of the fishermen, persecuted, scourged, spending their lives amidst dangers, was eagerly accepted by simpletons and sages, slaves and freemen, barbarians and Greeks. And you cannot say that the teaching of these fishermen was acceptable to everyone because it was unimportant and low. No, it is even much more sublime than the teachings of philosophers. They could not even think about virginity, for example, even in a dream, about such a name, nor about non-covetousness, nor about fasting, nor about any other highest virtue. Meanwhile, our teachers not only eradicate lust, not only punish (criminal) actions, but also condemn shameless looks, insulting words, obscene laughter, clothing, tread, and shouting, and extend severity even to the smallest. They planted the seeds of virginity throughout the universe. They instill concepts about God and heavenly things that could never even occur to any philosopher. And how could people who idolized images of beasts, reptiles and other despicable creatures have such concepts? And, however, such a lofty teaching (of the apostles) was accepted and deserved faith, flourishes to this day and grows every day, but the teaching of the philosophers has become obsolete, perished, disappeared more easily than a spider’s web. The teaching of the philosophers is child's play, but the teaching of the apostles is the truth itself. They appointed heaven as the place for this life, and they recognized God as its leader and legislator, as it should be. The rewards for this life are not a laurel wreath, not an olive branch, not a feast in Prytaneia 24, not copper images, not such empty and useless things, but endless life, adoption to God, rejoicing with the angels, standing before the royal throne and constant abiding with Christ. The leaders in this life are publicans, fishermen and monasteries, who did not live for a short time, but always live, which is why even after their death they can provide the greatest help to their followers. Those who struggle in this life will have to fight not with people, but with demons and ethereal forces. That is why their leader is not some man, not an angel, but God himself. And the weapons of these warriors correspond to the nature of the battle: they are made not of leather and iron, but of truth, righteousness, faith and every kind of wisdom. This very life is also written about in the Gospel of Matthew. Everything he says is not his words, but Christ himself, who legitimized this life. Let us be attentive, so that we too may be worthy of being included in this life and shining together with those who have already passed through it and received unfading crowns. 11. About the messages of St. apostle paul St. John Chrysostom from the preface to the discourses on the Epistle to the Romans Constantly listening to the reading of the epistles of Blessed Paul, twice every week, and often three and four times, when we commemorate the holy martyrs, I rejoice, enjoy the spiritual trumpet, am delighted and inflamed with desire, recognizing the voice dear to me, and it almost seems to me as if he has appeared and is present before me, and I see how he is conversing. But, on the other hand, I grieve and lament that not everyone knows this man as they should know, and some are in such ignorance that they do not clearly know the number of his messages. And this happens not because of a lack of teaching, but because they do not want to constantly talk with this blessed one. And we understood what we know (if, indeed, we know anything), not with the help of natural ability and sharpness of mind, but due to the fact that we were constantly close to this man and zealously followed him. Those who love know the affairs of their loved ones more than anyone else, since they truly care about them. And blessed Paul, showing this, spoke to the Philippians: for it is right for me to philosophize this concerning you all, for I have it in my heart, in my bonds, and in the answer and announcement of the gospel (Phil. 1:7). Thus, if you want to diligently listen to the reading, you will not need anything else, because the word of Christ is not false, Who said: seek and you will find, seek and it will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7). But since most of us gathered here have taken upon themselves the care of raising children and taking care of their wives and taking care of the house and, as a result, cannot agree to devote themselves entirely to this work, then at least try to accept what others have collected and pay as much attention to listening to what is said here as to collecting estates. True, although it is a shame to demand only this from you, it will be nice if you do not refuse this. After all, from here, from ignorance of the Scriptures, countless disasters arose: from here grew the great infection of heresies, from here - careless lives, useless labors. Just as those deprived of this light cannot walk straight, so those who do not look at the ray of divine Scripture are forced to sin much and often, since they truly walk in the deepest darkness. To prevent this from happening, let us open our eyes to the radiance of the apostolic verbs; After all, the language of the Apostle Paul shone brighter than the sun, he surpassed all others with the word of teaching and received the abundant grace of the Spirit, since he worked more than others. And I affirm this not only on the basis of messages, but also on deeds. If somewhere there was a convenient opportunity for preaching, everywhere they provided him, which is why even unbelievers called this apostle Hermes (Acts 14:12) - for his perfection in speech. Such was the holy soul of Paul; she embraced the entire universe and contained everyone within herself, considering kinship in God to be the highest. Paul loved everyone as if he himself had given birth to them, or rather, he showed love more than any father. Such is the grace of the Spirit: it conquers bodily illnesses and creates the most ardent love. This can be especially seen in the soul of Paul, who, as if having received wings, under the influence of love, tirelessly walked around everyone, did not hesitate or stop anywhere. He knew that Christ, having said to Peter: love Me? Feed My sheep (John 21:15), indicated by this the highest degree of love, and therefore he himself discovered it in abundance in himself. So, we, competing with Paul, will edify, if not the whole world, not entire cities and nations, then at least each one - his own home, his wife, his children, friends, neighbors. And let no one say to me: I am unskilled and ignorant. There is no one more unlearned than Peter, and no one more unskilled than Paul. He himself admits this and, without shame, says: even if he is ignorant in word, but not in understanding (2 Cor. 11:6). However, the ignorant Paul and the ignorant Peter defeated thousands of philosophers, silenced countless speakers, having accomplished all this with their own zeal and the grace of God. What excuse can we find for ourselves when we find ourselves unable to teach even twenty people and be useful to those living with us? This is an empty excuse and an empty excuse. It is not lack of learning, not lack of education, but laziness and sleep that prevent us from teaching. Therefore, having shaken off this dream, let us take care of our own members with all diligence, so that by instructing our neighbors in the fear of God, we here too will enjoy complete tranquility, and thus become participants in countless blessings, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. 12. For a true understanding of what is said in Scripture, a good life, a pure soul and Christ-like virtue are required St. Athanasius of Alexandria from “The Sermon on the Incarnation of God the Word” To study and truly understand what is said in Scripture, a good life, a pure soul and Christ-like virtue are required, so that the mind, having succeeded in this, is able to achieve what it wants and acquire it, to the extent that knowledge of God’s Word is possible for human nature. For without a pure mind and without imitating the lives of the saints, no one will be able to understand the words of the saints. Whoever wishes to see the light of the sun will, without a doubt, wipe and make his eye clear, bringing himself to almost the same purity as what he wishes to see, so that in this way the eye itself becomes light and sees the light of the sun. Or, whoever wishes to inspect a city or country will, without a doubt, go to the very place to inspect it. So, whoever wants to comprehend the thought of theologians must first purify and whiten the soul with life, and by becoming like the saints in deeds, come closer to them, so that, leading the same way of life as them, understand what is revealed to them by God, and finally, as if uniting with them, avoid sinful dangers and fire for sins on the day of judgment, and perceive the blessings intended for the saints in the heavenly kingdom: theirs the eye cannot see, and the ear cannot hearing, and the heart of man did not sigh, what God has prepared for those who live virtuously and love God the Father (1 Cor. 2:9), in Christ Jesus our Lord. 13. Holy Scripture belongs to the Church and is only properly explained in it a) St. Irenaeus of Lyons from the 4th book of “Convictions and refutations of false knowledge” (chapter 33) True knowledge is the teaching of the apostles, and the original structure of the Church throughout the world, and the sign of the Body of Christ, consisting in the succession of bishops, to whom they (the apostles) transmitted the Church existing everywhere; and it has come down to us in its entirety with a genuine observance of the Scriptures, without accepting any addition or subtraction: here is a reading (of the Scriptures) without distortion and a correct and careful interpretation of the Scriptures, safe and free from blasphemy, and an excellent gift of love, which is more precious than knowledge, and more glorious than prophecy, and more excellent than all other gifts. b) St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, from a letter to Yubayan The church, like paradise, encloses within its walls only fruitful trees; every tree that does not bear good fruit is torn out of it and thrown into the fire. She irrigates these trees with four rivers, that is, with the four Gospels, and with the heavenly overflow of their waters she abundantly gives them the grace of saving baptism. But can someone who is not inside the Church be watered by the springs of the Church? And is it possible to serve the healing and saving drinks of paradise to someone who, having been corrupted and condemned by himself and excommunicated from the sources of paradise, has dried up and languished with the dryness of eternal thirst? The Lord loudly calls for everyone who is thirsty to come and drink from the springs of living water that flowed from His womb. Where should a thirsty person go? To the heretics, who have neither springs nor a river of life-giving water, or to the Church, which is one? She alone guards and possesses all the power of her Bridegroom and Lord. We preside over it, we stand up for its honor and unity, we defend its grace and glory, faithful to our vow. By the grace of God, we will give water to the thirsty people of God, we will guard the borders of life-giving springs. If we retain the right to our possession and recognize the sacrament of unity, then why should we be traitors to the truth and traitors to unity? The true and saving and holy water of the Church can neither be spoiled nor defiled, since the Church itself is uncorrupted, pure and chaste. Likewise, brethren, stand and keep the traditions, learn it, or in words, or our message (2 Thess. 2:15) 14. Tradition has equal authority with Holy Scripture a) St. Basil the Great from the book “On the Holy Spirit” to St. Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium Of the dogmas and sermons observed in the Church, some we have in the teaching set forth in Scripture, while others, which have come down to us from the apostolic tradition, we have accepted in secret. But both have the same power for godliness. And no one disputes the latter, even if he is somewhat knowledgeable in church decrees. For if we decided to reject customs not set forth in Scripture, as not having great power, then in an unnoticeable way we would distort the most important thing in the Gospel, or better yet, we would turn the sermon into an empty name. For example (let me first remind you of the first and most general), who taught those who placed their trust in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in writing to sign themselves with the sign of the cross? What Scripture taught us to turn to the east in prayer? Which saint left us in writing the words of invocation when showing the Bread of Thanksgiving and the Cup of Blessing? For we are not content with those words mentioned by the Apostle or the Gospel, but both before and after them we pronounce others, as having great power to perform the sacrament, having accepted them from teachings not stated in Scripture. Let us bless the water of baptism, the anointing oil, and even the person being baptized - according to what rules set out in Scripture? Is it not according to a silent and mysterious tradition? What else? Did any written word teach you how to anoint yourself with oil? Where does the triple immersion of a person being baptized come from? From what scripture are other things related to baptism taken - to deny Satan and his angels? Is it not from this unpublicized and hidden teaching, which our fathers observed in unquestioning and modest silence, very well understanding that the venerability of the sacraments is protected by silence? What is not permissible for the uninitiated to even look at, would it be proper to display this teaching in writing? Or with what intention did Moses not make everything in the church accessible to everyone, but placed the defiled outside the holy enclosures, allowing entry into the first courtyard to those who are more pure, calling only the Levites worthy servants of God, and leaving the slaughter, burnt offerings and other sacred rites only to the priests, allowing one chosen one of them into the sanctuary, and not always, but on only one day in the year, and on this day assigning him a certain hour for entry, so that, out of inaccessibility and unfamiliarity, he would look with amazement at the Holy of Holies? Moses knew very well in his wisdom that what is trampled upon and given of its own accord is close to contempt, and what is taken out of use and rare naturally becomes the subject of intense search. In a similar way, the apostles and fathers, who at the beginning laid down the law regarding the Church, kept the respect for the sacraments in secrecy and observance in silence. For in general, it is no longer a sacrament that is divulged aloud to the people and everyone they meet. This is the reason why things other than those set forth in Scripture have been handed down, so that the effortless knowledge of dogmas, out of habit of them, would not become despised by many. For one is dogma, and another is preaching. The dogma is kept silent, and the sermon is made public. But one of the types of silence is the obscurity that Scripture uses, making the meaning of dogmas, for the benefit of the readers, difficult to understand. Therefore, during prayers, we all look to the east, but not many know that at the same time we are looking for the ancient fatherland, paradise, which God planted in Eden on the east (Gen. 2:8). On the first day of the week we pray while standing upright, but we don’t all know the reason for this. For not only, as those who have risen with Christ and are obliged to seek those on high, on Sunday we remind ourselves by the erect position of our bodies during prayer of the grace given to us, but we also do this because this day, apparently, is a kind of image of the age we are waiting for. Therefore, being the beginning of days, Moses calls it not first, but one. For it is said: there was evening, and there was morning, one day (Gen. 1:5); because the same day comes back many times. Therefore, he is both one and eighth, representing the truly one and truly eighth day, which the psalmist mentioned in some of the inscriptions of the psalms (Ps. 6 and 11), that is, the state that will follow the present time, that unceasing, non-evening, unchanging day, that endless and ageless age. Therefore, the Church, of necessity, teaches her pupils to perform prayers standing on this day, so that with the frequent reminder of endless life, we do not neglect to provide ourselves with parting words for resigning into it. But all of Pentecost is a reminder of the resurrection expected in eternity. For that one and first day, multiplied seven times by the number seven, completes the seven weeks of holy Pentecost; because, beginning with the first day of the week, it also ends with it, according to the fifty-fold circulation of similar, middle days between them. Therefore, it imitates the age in a similar manner, as if in a circular movement, beginning with the same signs and ending with the same signs. On this Pentecost, church regulations taught us to prefer an upright position of the body in prayer, with this clear reminder, as if moving our mind from the present to the future. But with every kneeling and bowing down from the earth, we actually show that through sin we fell to the earth and were called to heaven by the love of Him who created us. Not even a day will be enough for me to recount all the sacraments of the Church that are not set forth in Scripture. I'll leave the rest. But the very confession of faith in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is from what Scriptures do we have? For if, in conformity with piety, on the basis of the tradition of baptism, being obliged to believe as we are baptized, we set forth a confession similar to baptism, then let us, according to the same conformity, be allowed to give glory similar to faith 25. And if they reject this image of doxology as not set forth in Scripture, then let them give us the evidence set forth in Scripture for the confession of faith, and for everything else that we have calculated. Given that there is so much that is not set forth in Scripture, and it has such power in the mystery of piety, will they not allow us one saying that came to us from the fathers, which we found preserved as a result of an unintentionally observed custom in the Churches intact, and which has no small basis, and provides no small reinforcement to the power of the sacrament? I consider it an apostolic rule to adhere to traditions not set forth in Scripture. For it is said: I praise you, brethren, because you remember all my things and keep the traditions that I gave you (1 Cor. 11:2), and: keep the traditions that you have learned, either by word or by letter (2 Thess. 2:15). b) St. Epiphanius of Cyprus from Panaria, 76 As for the commemoration of the names of the deceased, the Church must perform this commemoration having received tradition from the fathers. Who can break a mother's commandment, or a father's law? Solomon says: hear, son, the words of your father, and do not deny your mother’s commandments (Prov. 1:8). These words show that the Father, i.e. God, the only begotten Son and the Holy Spirit taught, both in writing and unwritten, that our mother Church had covenants laid down in her, indestructible, and cannot be destroyed. These covenants were established in the Church and are all beautiful and amazing. 15. True Tradition is in the Catholic Church - and the truth must be learned from it a) St. Irenaeus of Lyons from “The Exposure and Refutation of False Knowledge” 1) True Tradition is preserved in the Church by succession from the apostles. III, 3, 1–3. All who wish to see the truth can learn in every church the tradition of the apostles, revealed throughout the world; and we can list the bishops appointed by the apostles in the churches, and their successors before us, who taught nothing and did not know anything that these (heretics) invent. For if the apostles had known the secret mysteries, which they communicated to the perfect separately and secretly from others, they would have handed them over especially to those to whom they entrusted the churches themselves. For they wanted those whom they left as their successors and to whom they transferred their position of teaching to be perfect and impeccable in everything, since great benefit should come from their correct action, and from their fall the greatest misfortune. In this order and in such succession, church tradition from the apostles and the preaching of the truth have reached us. And this serves as the most complete proof that the same life-giving Faith has been preserved in the Church from the Apostles to the present day and has been handed down in its true form. III, 4, 1–2. With such evidence, one should not seek from others the truth, which is easily obtained from the Church, for the Apostles, like a rich man in a treasury, completely put into it everything that relates to the truth, so that everyone who wants to takes from it the drink of life. She is precisely the door of life, and all others (teachers) are thieves and robbers. Therefore, one must avoid the latter, but with the greatest care choose what pertains to the Church and accept the tradition of the truth. So what? If a dispute arose about some important issue, would it not be appropriate to turn to the most ancient churches in which the apostles were converted, and from them to obtain what is reliable and clear regarding the present issue? What if the apostles had not left us the Scriptures? Should they not have followed the order of Tradition given to those to whom they entrusted the churches? This order is followed by many tribes of barbarians who believe in Christ, who have their salvation without charter or ink, written in their hearts by the Spirit, and carefully observe the ancient Tradition, believing in the One God, Creator of heaven and earth and everything that is in them, through Jesus Christ the Son of God, who, out of excellent love for His creation, condescended to be born of a virgin, uniting man through Himself with God, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was resurrected, taken (to heaven) in glory, and will come with glory as the Savior of those being saved and the Judge of those condemned, and will send into the eternal fire the distorters of the truth and the despisers of His Father and His coming. Those who accepted this faith without writing are barbarians in relation to our language, but in relation to doctrine, character and way of life, according to their faith, they are very wise and please God, living in all truth, purity and wisdom. And if someone began to preach heretical fabrications to these people, speaking to them in their own language, they would immediately, covering their ears, run away as far as possible, not even tolerating hearing blasphemous conversation. Thus, as a result of that ancient apostolic Tradition, they do not even allow the monstrous speech of heretics to enter their minds. 2) It is necessary to follow the elders in the Church, who have the succession of episcopacy from the apostles. IV, 26, 2–5. Therefore, the elders in the Church should be followed by those who have succession from the Apostles and, together with the succession of the episcopate, by the good will of the Father, have received a certain gift of truth, while others who deviate from the original succession and gather anywhere should be suspected, either as heretics and false teachers, or as schismatics, proud and self-indulgent, or as hypocrites who act so for the sake of self-interest and self-indulgence. vanity. All such people have fallen away from the truth. Heretics who bring alien fire to the altar of God, that is, alien teachings, will be burned by heavenly fire, like Nadab and Abihu (Lev.10:1-2). Those who rebel against the truth and stir up others against the Church of God will remain in hell, swallowed up by the earth, like the adherents of Korah, Dathan and Abiron (Num. 16:33). But those who dissect and tear apart the unity of the Church will receive from God the same punishment as Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:10 et seq.). But those who are considered by many to be elders, but serve their own pleasures and do not present the fear of God in their hearts, but behave with contempt for others and are proud of their presiding, and do evil in secret, saying: “no one sees us” (Dan. 13:20), will be convicted by the Word, which judges not by appearances and looks not at the face, but at the heart. One must move away from all such; to adhere to those who preserve the teaching of the apostles and, together with the rite of presbytery, lead sound speech and a temptation-free life to the confirmation and correction of others. So, where the gifts of the Lord are, there we must learn the truth from those who have ecclesiastical succession from the apostles, a sound and blameless life, and an undistorted and undamaged teaching. For they preserve our faith in the One God, who created everything, and partake of love for the Son of God, who for our sake fulfilled such great orders, and safely present to us the Scriptures, without blaspheming God, without dishonoring the patriarchs, without disparaging the prophets. 3) The Church, having received the teaching of faith from the apostles, carefully preserves it unchanged; the agreement of this teaching in all parts of the universal Church, explained throughout the world, testifies to its unconditional truth. V, 20, 1–2. All (heretics) are much later than the bishops to whom the apostles entrusted the Church. Therefore, heretics, being blind to the truth and having gone astray, necessarily wander along different roads, and therefore the traces of their teaching are scattered here and there without any agreement or connection. The path of those who belong to the Church goes throughout the whole world, because it has a firm tradition from the apostles and allows us to see that everyone has the same faith; for everyone accepts the same God the Father, and believes in the same dispensation of the incarnation of the Son of God, and knows the same gift of the Spirit, keeps the same commandments, and contains the same image of the structure of the Church, and expects the same coming of the Lord, and allows the same salvation of the whole person, that is, soul and body. And the preaching of the Church is true and firm, since it (the Church) indicates the same path of salvation throughout the world. For she has been entrusted with the light of God, and therefore the “wisdom of God,” through which she saves all people, is sung as she goes out, openly makes her voice heard in the streets, preached on high walls and constantly spoken at the gates of the city (Proverbs 1:20–21). For the Church preaches the truth everywhere, and she is a seven-branched lamp bearing the light of Christ. Therefore, those who leave the preaching of the Church expose the ignorance of the holy presbyters, not realizing how much more important a simple believer is compared to a blasphemous and shameless sophist 26 . And such are all heretics and those who dream of finding something other than the truth; following the above-mentioned (teachings), not firmly walking along many and different roads, not always agreeing with each other regarding the same things, they, like the blind, are led by the blind and deservedly fall into the pit of ignorance unnoticed by them, always seeking and never finding the truth. Therefore, one must avoid their teachings and carefully observe so as not to suffer harm from them, but must resort to the Church and be educated in its bosom and feed on the Lord's Scriptures. For the Church is planted (as) paradise in this world. Therefore, you can eat from every tree of paradise, says the Spirit of God (Gen. 2:16), that is, eat from every Scripture of the Lord, but do not eat with an arrogant mind and do not touch heretical differences of opinion. For these people preach about themselves that they have the knowledge of good and evil, and exalt their wicked minds above God who created them. They think beyond the measure of understanding. Therefore, the apostle says: do not philosophize more than you ought to philosophize, but philosophize wisely (Rom. 12:3), so that, having partaken of their “knowledge”, which philosophizes more than it should, we will not be cast out from the paradise of life. The Lord introduces into this paradise those who obey His commandments, heading in themselves all things heavenly and earthly (Eph. 1:10). By heavenly we mean the spiritual, and by earthly we mean the economy regarding human nature... He headed this in Himself, uniting man with the Spirit and putting the Spirit into man, He Himself became the head of the Spirit and gives the Spirit as the head of man, for through Him (the Spirit) we see and hear and speak. I, 10, 1–2. The Church, although scattered throughout the entire universe even to the ends of the earth, received from the apostles and their disciples faith in one God the Father, the Almighty, who created heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that is in them, and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate for our salvation, and in the Holy Spirit, who through the prophets announced the whole economy of God - both the coming and the birth of the Virgin, and the suffering and resurrection from dead and the ascension in the flesh into heaven of the beloved Christ Jesus our Lord, and also His appearing from heaven in the glory of the Father to head all (Eph. 1:10) and to raise up all flesh of all mankind, so that before Christ Jesus our Lord and God, Savior and King, according to the good pleasure of the invisible Father, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess Him (Phil. 2:10), and may He bring righteous judgment on all: spirits of evil and angels who have sinned and fallen away, as well as ungodly, unrighteous, lawless and blasphemous people He will send into eternal fire, - on the contrary, He will grant life to the righteous and holy, who kept His commandments and remained in love for Him from the beginning or through repentance, and will create eternal glory. Having accepted this teaching and this faith, the Church, although scattered throughout the whole world, as I said, carefully preserves them, as if living in one house, equally believes it, as if having one soul and one heart, preaches it, teaches and conveys it in agreement, as if it had one mouth. For although the languages ​​of the world are different, the power of tradition is the same. The churches founded in Germany, in Spain, in Gaul, in the East, in Egypt, in Libya, and in the middle of the world do not believe differently, and have no different traditions. But just as the sun - this creation of God - is the same throughout the world, so the preaching of the truth shines everywhere and enlightens all people who want to come to the knowledge of the truth. And not one of the church leaders who is very strong in words will say anything different in comparison with this teaching, for no one is higher than the Teacher, nor will one who is weak in words belittle the Tradition. For since faith is one and the same, he who has much to say about it does not add, and he who has little to say about it does not detract. III, 24, 1–2. The preaching of the Church is constant everywhere and remains unchanged and has testimony from the prophets and apostles and all disciples in the beginning and in the middle and last times and in the entire dispensation of God and His firm action regarding the salvation of man, which is contained in our faith: having received it from the Church, we observe it, and it always through the Spirit of God, like a precious treasure in a beautiful vessel, retains its freshness and makes the very vessel in which it is contained fresh. For this gift of God is entrusted to the church, as the breath (of life) is given to the first-created man, so that all members who receive it are quickened, and this contains communion with Christ - that is, the Holy Spirit, the guarantee of incorruptibility, the confirmation of our faith and the ladder for ascent to God. For in the church - it is said - God has placed apostles, prophets, teachers and all other means of the action of the Spirit, of which all those who do not agree with the Church do not participate, but deprive themselves of life with bad teaching and the worst way of acting. For where the church is, there is the Spirit of God; and where the Spirit of God is, there is the Church and all grace, and the Spirit is truth. Therefore, whoever does not participate in Him does not feed for life from his mother’s breasts, does not use the purest source emanating from the body of Christ; but such people dig broken wells for themselves (Jer. 2:13) from the ditches of the earth and drink rotten water from the mud, withdrawing from the faith of the Church, so as not to be converted, and rejecting the Spirit, so as not to come to their senses. Having become alienated from the truth, they are naturally carried away by any error, excited by it, at times thinking differently about the same objects and never having solid knowledge, wanting to be more sophists of words than students of truth. For they are not founded on one stone, but on sand, which contains many stones. Therefore they invent many gods and always have an excuse to seek (the truth), since they are blind, but they can never find it. b) Tertullian from the book “On the Recusal of Heretics” 1) The true teaching should be considered that which is in accordance with the Tradition of the Apostolic Churches. If the Lord Christ Jesus sent the apostles to preach, then one should not accept other preachers as those whom Christ appointed, because no one knows the Father except the Son and the one to whom the Son revealed it (Matthew 11:27); and He did not reveal it to anyone else except the apostles, whom He sent to preach, of course, what He revealed to them. What they preached, that is, what Christ revealed to them, this, in my opinion, should be proven in no other way than through the same churches that the apostles themselves founded, when they themselves preached to them, and through the living word, as they usually say, and then through the epistles. If this is so, then there is no doubt that every teaching that is in agreement with those apostolic churches, the mothers and founders of the faith, should be considered true, since it, without a doubt, contains what the churches received from the apostles, the apostles from Christ, Christ from God, on the contrary, every teaching should be considered fictitious, which contradicts the true teaching of the churches and apostles of Christ and God. We have fellowship with the apostolic churches because there is no difference in doctrine. This is evidence of the truth. 2) The apostles knew the entirety of Christian teaching and communicated the entire content of the rules of faith to the Church. But this proof is so brief that if we present it now, there is no need to argue about anything else. If we do not present it, then we will now give the other side the opportunity to present something to weaken our objection, if it wants. They usually say that the apostles did not know everything. Being exposed in this madness, by which they turn the highest into the lowest, they say: although the apostles knew everything, they did not tell everyone everything. In both cases, they blame Christ, since He made apostles of people who were either taught little by Him or were little frank. What sane person can believe that those whom the Lord made teachers, who were inseparable from Him on the way, in teaching, in life, to whom He separately explained everything dark, saying that it was given to them to know secrets that the people could not understand, did not know anything? Was anything hidden from Peter, who was called the stone, who received the keys of the kingdom of heaven and the power to bind and bind in heaven and on earth? Was anything hidden from John, who was the most beloved disciple of the Lord, who reclined on His breasts (John 13:25), to whom alone the Lord pointed out the traitor Judas, whom He adopted as the son of Mary instead of Himself (John 19:26)? Did the Lord want something not to be known by those to whom He even showed His glory, and Moses and Elijah, and, in addition, the voice of the Father from heaven (Matthew 17:1 et seq.; Mark 9:1 et seq.; Luke 9:28 et seq.)? He seemed to reject the other disciples, but only because with three witnesses every word stands firmly (Deut. 19:5; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1). So, those who, after the resurrection, on the way, were worthy of explaining all the Scriptures (Luke 24:27) did not know? True, He once said: I still have much to say to you, but you cannot accept it, but He immediately added: when that Spirit of truth comes, He Himself will guide you into all truth (John 16:12-13). The Lord showed that those to whom He promised to reveal all truth through the Spirit of truth knew everything. And, of course, He fulfilled the promise, for the Acts of the Apostles testify to the descent of the Holy Spirit. Those who do not accept this book of Holy Scripture cannot have the Holy Spirit, since they cannot know that the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. Those who do not have evidence of when and in what cradle the Church was founded cannot say that they defend it. It costs them so much not to have evidence for what they are defending, just to avoid accusations of what they are making up. But it is equally insane to assert that the apostles did not reveal everything to everyone, for they (as if) entrusted one thing openly and to everyone, and another secretly and to a few, because Paul in his letter to Timothy used the following expression: O Timothy, keep what was committed to you (1 Tim. 6:20), and in another place: keep a good deposit (2 Tim. 1:14). What is this pledge that is kept so secret that it can be considered an entirely different doctrine? Can it be considered the will of which the Apostle says: I entrust it to you? My son, is this a testament (1 Tim. 1:18)? Can it also be considered as the command of which he speaks: I charge you in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and Jesus Christ, who testified under Pontius Pilate to a good confession, to keep the commandment (1 Tim. 6:13)? What is this commandment and what is this testament? From what has been said above and below, it should be seen (I know perfectly well) that these words do not indicate a mysterious teaching, but rather the prohibition of any teaching other than that which he heard from himself and, moreover, I believe, he spoke these words clearly in front of many witnesses (2 Tim. 2:2). If by these many witnesses they do not want to mean the Church, then this does not matter, for what was preached before many witnesses was not a secret. But if Paul wanted Timothy to entrust this to faithful people who would be able to teach others, then this should not be interpreted as proof of the existence of some secret Gospel. For when he says this, he is talking about what he is now writing about, but about the mysterious things known to him, he would not say this, but that. Even Paul should have told the one to whom he entrusted the work of the Gospel that it should not be used everywhere and without reflection, in accordance with the words of the Lord Himself: do not cast pearls before swine and do not give holy things to dogs (Matthew 7:6). The Lord spoke clearly, without any hint of any mysterious doctrine of faith. He Himself commanded: if you hear anything in darkness and secretly, then preach in the light and on the housetops (Matthew 10:27). By comparison, He pointed out that they should not hide a single word of Him in secrecy without benefit. He Himself taught that a candle is usually not hidden under a vessel, but placed on a candlestick so that it gives light to everyone who is in the house (Matthew 5:15). The apostles either neglected this or did not understand, if they had not fulfilled this, hiding something from their light, that is, from the word of God and from the faith of Christ. They were not afraid of anyone, as far as I know, neither Jews nor pagans; in the same way, of course, those who were not silent in synagogues and public places preached freely in the Church. On the contrary, they could neither convert the Jews nor lead the pagans if they had not set out in order what they should believe. Moreover, they would no longer deprive the believing churches of anything that they would especially entrust to a few others. Although they talked about certain subjects, so to speak, in the family, it must not be believed that this was such as to introduce another rule of faith, different and opposite to that which they preached to everyone everywhere, so that they proclaimed one God in the Church and another in the home, one being of Christ was depicted openly, and another in secret, one hope of the resurrection was proclaimed to all, and another to a few. After all, they themselves begged in their epistles (1 Cor. 1:10) that everyone would say the same thing, and that there would be no divisions and disagreements in the Church, since both Paul and all the others preached the same thing. In addition, they remembered what was said: let your word be: yes, yes, no, no, for whatever greater is from the evil one (Matthew 5:37), so as not to examine the Gospel in different ways. 2) It is impossible to allow the Church to distort the truth received from the apostles. So, if it is incredible that the apostles did not know the fullness of the sermon, or that they did not communicate the entire content of the rule of faith to everyone, then it could be assumed that although the apostles preached sincerely and fully, but through their own fault the churches did not accept what they preached. Know that all this is presented by heretics as an incentive to dangerous care. They indicate that the apostles rebuked the churches: O foolish Galatians, who has deceived you (Gal. 3:1)? And in another place: you walked so well, who stopped you (Gal. 5:7)? And at the beginning he says: I am amazed that you are so quickly moving on to another gospel from Him who called you by grace (Gal. 1:6). It is also written to the Corinthians that they are still carnal, that they still feed on milk and are not yet capable of eating solid food, that they think that they know something, when they do not yet know how they should know (1 Cor. 3:1 et seq.; 8:2; 10:19). If they censure the churches, then let them believe in their correction. But let them also know those churches, whose faith, knowledge and life the Apostle rejoices and thanks God, and which, however, still have common rights to a single teaching with those churches set on the path. But it is now possible that all the churches were mistaken, that the apostle was also deceived, giving good testimony, that the Holy Spirit did not take care of any church to guide it to the truth, although He was sent by Christ for this purpose and was asked of the Father to guide it to the truth (John 14:26). The ruler of God's property, the Vicar of Christ, neglected his duty, allowing the churches to now understand differently, to believe differently in what He Himself preached through the apostles. Is it probable that so many and so large churches should err in the same faith? With a large number of people there is no one result. The false teaching of the churches would have had different results. But the fact that a large number of people have the same teaching is not a delusion, but a tradition. So, will anyone dare to say that those who betrayed the teaching were mistaken? No matter how one was mistaken, error, of course, reigned as long as there were no heresies! Truth was waiting for some Marcionites and Valentians for its liberation 27! Before their appearance, a false gospel was preached, the faith was false, thousands of thousands of people were baptized incorrectly, so many works of faith were performed incorrectly, so many miracles were performed incorrectly, so many gifts were received incorrectly, so many priestly duties and church services were performed incorrectly, and finally, so many martyrdoms were crowned incorrectly! If all this was done correctly and not in vain, then how did the works of God appear before it became known to which God they belonged? How did Christians exist before Christ was found? How did heresies appear before true teaching? But, of course, in all matters the original precedes the copy, the likeness comes after. It is quite unreasonable, of course, to believe that heresies existed before the true teaching simply because it announced in advance that there would be heresies and that they should be avoided. To the Church that had this teaching, words were written, or better to say, the true teaching itself wrote them to the Church: even if an angel from heaven preached the gospel to you differently than we preached to you, let him be accursed (Gal. 1:8). 4) Heresies appeared after the true teaching and are exposed in their falsity by disagreement with the apostolic teaching. But I return from this digression to prove that truth appeared before lies, by citing an unknown parable (Matthew 13:37 et seq.), which teaches that the good seed of bread was sown by God before the enemy, the devil, was allowed to sow the bad seed of tares. For in this way, in fact, it depicts the difference in teachings, since in another place the word of God is compared to a seed. Therefore, the chronological sequence shows that only that which came from the Lord is true, that which was transmitted at the beginning, but that which appeared later is alien and false. This position is valid against all later heresies, which do not have any firmness based on good faith so that they can defend the truth. But if any heresies dare to attribute themselves to the times of the apostles, so as to seem that they were handed down by the apostles, since they were with the apostles, then we can say to them: therefore, show us the founders of your churches, reveal to us the successive series of your bishops, going from the very beginning in succession, so that the first bishop has as his guarantor and predecessor one of the apostles or men of the apostles, however, one who remained with apostles to the end. For the apostolic churches thus prove their origin. Thus, the Church of Smyrna declares Polycarp, appointed by John, as its bishop, and the Roman Church declares Clement, appointed by Peter, as its bishop. In the same way, other churches point to men who were appointed bishops by the apostles and through whom they have the apostolic seed. Heretics must invent something of this kind for themselves. What is not permissible for them after their blasphemy? But even if they thought of something like that, they would not go far. For their very teaching, being compared with the teaching of the apostles, its difference and opposition will testify that it did not come from the apostles and not from the apostolic men, since the apostles did not communicate teachings that were different from each other, and the apostolic men did not preach anything contrary to the apostles. Those who had learned from the apostles were not to preach otherwise. In this way, those churches will also be considered which, although they do not claim as their founders any of the apostles or apostolic men, because they are of later origin, which are still constantly being founded, nevertheless they agree with this very teaching and are considered no less apostolic for their unity in teaching. Thus, heresies, being called to debate by our churches, can defend themselves in both ways, whether they consider themselves apostolic on the basis of one or the other of them. But they do not have these methods, and they cannot prove what they do not have, and the churches, for whatever reason apostolic, do not have peace and fellowship with them, and they are by no means apostolic because of the difference in their teaching. Our teaching did not appear later; on the contrary, it is before all teachings, and this is evidence of truth, which has primacy everywhere. It is nowhere refuted by the apostles - on the contrary, it is defended by them, and this is an indicator of legal ownership. For if those who condemn every foreign teaching. Nowhere do they condemn our teaching, but by this they show that it is their teaching, and therefore they accept it under their protection. You, who wish to exercise more curiosity in the matter of your salvation, go around the apostolic churches, in which the very pulpits of the apostles still stand in their places, in which their authentic writings are read, showing their opinions and representing the personalities of each of them. If Achaia is closest to you, then you have Corinth. If you are not far from Macedonia, then you have Philippi. If you can go to Asia, then you have Ephesus. If you have Italy next door, then you have Rome, from where comes the authority of teaching for us [i.e. for North African churches]. How happy is this church, in which the apostles sealed all the teaching with their blood, in which Peter was equal to the Lord in the form of suffering, in which Paul was crowned with the death of John the Baptist, in which the Apostle John, after being immersed in boiling oil, did not feel any suffering, was exiled to an island! Notice what she has learned, what she has taught, when she is in friendly contact with the African churches. She knows only one God, the Lord, Creator of the universe, and Christ Jesus. Born of the Virgin Mary, Son of the Creator God, and the resurrection of the flesh. It connects the law and the prophets with the Gospels and the epistles of the apostles. From here she draws her faith, seals it with water, clothes it with the Holy Spirit, nourishes it with the Eucharist, exhorts her to martyrdom and does not accept anyone who is in conflict with this teaching. This is the teaching that (I don’t even say) announced in advance that there would be heresies, but that from which heresies arose. And yet they have not been from him since the time they went against him. Also, from the olive pit, which is soft and oily, a rough, wild olive tree necessarily arises, and from the grains of a pretty and pleasant fig, a light and empty fig tree grows. So are heresies: from our tree, but not from our family, although from the grain of truth, but they became wild from lies. 5) Heretics do not have the right, in support of their teaching, to refer to the Holy Scriptures, because the latter constitutes the inalienable property of only the Church. If all this is such that the truth is awarded to us, since we keep the rule of faith that the Church received from the apostles, the apostles from Christ, Christ from God; then the rational basis of our position is firmly established that heretics should not be allowed to appeal to Holy Scripture, since we prove without Scripture that they have no relation to Scripture. For if they are heretics, then they cannot be Christians, since they did not receive from Christ the teaching that they followed by choice, which is why they received the name of heretics. They, as non-Christians, do not receive any ownership rights to Christian writings. The Church can rightfully ask them: who are you? When and where did you come from? What are you doing on my land when you are not mine? For example, Marcion, by what right do you cut down my forest? You, Valentin, with whose permission are you giving a different direction to my sources? You, Apelles 28, by whose authority do you change my borders? The property belongs to me. How can you others sow and graze here at will? The property is mine, I have owned it for a long time, I owned it before, I have a strong deed of transfer from those very people to whom the estate actually belonged. I am the heir of the apostles. I own as they determined in their will, as they entrusted to faith, as they confirmed by oath. Of course, they disinherited you forever and rejected you as strangers, as enemies. Why are heretics strangers to the apostles and their enemies, if not because their teachings are different? Each one either composed it or accepted it contrary to the apostolic teaching. 18. Universal, ancient and consistent Tradition is a sure way to distinguish the truth of the universal faith from the falsity of heretical errors Lecturer Vikenty Lirinsky from his “Reminders” 1. The need for Tradition along with Holy Scripture and the definition of true Tradition. – Often, with all diligence and the greatest attention, I turned to very many men adorned with holiness and the gift of teaching with the question: how could I, in some faithful and seemingly royal and direct way, distinguish the truth of the universal faith from the falsity of heretical deviation, and always and from almost everyone I received an answer of this kind: if I or anyone else would like to recognize the deceptions and avoid the machinations of emerging heretics, and remain in sound faith safe and sound, then must, with God's help, protect his faith in two ways: firstly, by the authority of Holy Scripture, and secondly, by the Tradition of the universal Church. But, perhaps, someone will ask: after all, the canon of sacred books is all-perfect and is always completely intelligible when one place of it is compared with another; In this case, what is the need to add to it (also) the authority of church understanding? The need is that the Holy Scripture, by its very sublimity, is not understood by everyone in the same sense, but one interprets its sayings one way, another another; so almost as many heads as there are, apparently, just as many meanings can be extracted from it. And therefore, as a result of so many twists and turns of extremely diverse errors, it is absolutely necessary to direct the thread of interpretation of the prophetic and apostolic writings according to the norm of church and universal understanding. In the universal Church itself, special care must be taken to contain what was believed everywhere, what has always been believed, what everyone has believed in, because this is the only thing truly and in its proper sense that is universal, which, as the very meaning and meaning of this word shows, embraces everything as far as possible. And we will be faithful to this rule on the only condition that we follow universality, antiquity, and agreement. To follow universality means to recognize as true only that faith that is professed by the entire Church on the globe; to follow antiquity means in no case to deviate from the teaching that our holy fathers and ancestors undoubtedly approved; to follow, finally, agreement means in ancient times to accept the definitions and explanations of all, or at least almost all, shepherds and teachers together. What, therefore, will an Orthodox Christian do now if any part of the Church is separated from the communion of the universal faith? Not otherwise, of course, than he will prefer the health of the whole body to the harmful and infected part. And what if some new infection tries to sully not just a small part of the Church, but the whole Church at the same time? Then he will take care to stick to antiquity, which, of course, can no longer be deceived by any treachery of novelty. What if, in ancient times itself, there turns out to be a delusion of two or three people, perhaps an entire city or even some region? Then he will try in every possible way to prefer the tenacity or recklessness of a few, if they are so, to the whole Church, which were decreed by common consent in ancient times. And if in the future some kind of question is encountered that in ancient times it was not possible to find a solution to it, decided by common consent? Then he must try to compare and discuss the collected opinions of his ancestors, namely those only who, although they lived in different times and in different places, certainly remained in faith and communion with the one universal Church and were respected teachers; and if he learns that (regarding the question that has arisen) not just one or two, but all together unanimously contained, wrote, taught something like this - openly, often, invariably, then let him understand that he should believe in it without any doubt. 2. One must be wary of the sin of changing faith and violating Orthodoxy. We must be extremely afraid of the sin of changing our faith and violating Orthodoxy. May not only the deanery of church practice, but also the decision of apostolic authority turn us away from this! Everyone knows how strongly, how threateningly, how persistently the blessed Apostle Paul reviles those who, with amazing frivolity, so quickly turned from Him who called them into the grace of Christ to another gospel, there is no other (Gal. 1:6-7), who chose teachers for themselves according to their own whim, turned their ears away from the truth, turned to fables (2 Tim. 4:3-4) and are subject to condemnation for the fact that rejected their former faith (1 Tim. 5:12). Concerning those who deceived them, the same apostle writes to the Roman brethren: I beseech you, brethren, beware of those who cause divisions and temptations, contrary to the teaching which you have learned, and turn away from them; for such (people) do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and with flattery and eloquence they deceive the hearts of the simple (Rom. 16:17–18). They creep into homes and deceive women, drowning in sins, led by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 3:6-7); they are empty talkers, deceivers and corrupt entire houses, teaching what they should not, for shameful gain (Tit. 1:10-11), people depraved in mind, ignorant in the faith (2 Tim. 3:8), proud and ignorant, but infected with a passion for competitions and word disputes (1 Tim. 6:4), they are alien to the truth, believing that piety to serve for profit (1 Tim. 6:4-5), and at the same time idle, but talkative, curious, saying what they should not (1 Tim. 5:13); rejecting a good conscience, they suffered shipwreck in faith (1 Tim. 1:19); Their obscene idle talk greatly promotes wickedness, and their word spreads like cancer (2 Tim. 2:16–17). It is good, however, that further is written about them: but they will not have much time, for their madness will be revealed to everyone, as happened to those (Jannies and Jamvi) (2 Tim. 3:9). When some of this kind of people, walking with their corrupt delusions through the regions and cities, also came to the Galatians, and when the Galatians, having heard enough of them, felt as if some kind of aversion to the truth and began, throwing away the manna of the apostolic and ecumenical teaching, to enjoy the impurities of heretical novelty, then Paul used the full authority of his apostolic authority and with the greatest severity determined: but if we “, he said, “or if an angel from heaven brings you good news, let him be anathema (Gal. 1:8). What do his words mean: but what about us? Why didn't he say: but else? This means: even if Peter, even Andrew, even John, even if, finally, the whole host of the apostles preached to you something different from what we preached, let him be anathema. Amazing threat! In order to confirm the immutability of the former faith, the apostle did not spare either himself or the other apostles. Moreover, even if, he says, an angel from heaven brought you the news, let him be anathema. To preserve his once-devoted faith, it was not enough for him to mention beings of human nature, but he also embraced angelic superiority. Or we,” he says, “or an angel from heaven.” This does not mean that saints and heavenly angels can really sin, but this is what he wants to say by this: if, that is, even the impossible happened, whoever would be the one who attempts to change the once betrayed faith, let him be anathema. But perhaps the apostle said these words by chance and said them, rather, out of human passion, and did not ordain them by the will of God? Not at all. In his further speech, with redoubled insistence, he repeats the same thing again and inspires with special force: as I foretold, and now I say again: If anyone preaches the gospel to you more than he eats, let him be accursed (Gal. 1:9). He did not say: if anyone proclaims to you anything other than what you have previously accepted, let him be blessed, glorified, accepted, but - let him be anathema - let him be, that is, excommunicated, separated, cast out, so that the fierce plague of one sheep does not stain the blameless flock of Christ with a poisonous infection. But perhaps this was prescribed only to the Galatians? If so, then it means that what is further mentioned in the same epistle is: if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit; Let us not be vain, irritate each other, envy each other (Gal. 5:25–26), etc., is it also prescribed only to the Galatians? But this is ridiculous; These moral commandments are equally obligatory for everyone, - therefore, the above warning regarding faith is equally obligatory for everyone, and just as it is not permissible for anyone to irritate another or envy another, so it is not permissible for anyone to accept anything that the Church universal does not preach everywhere. Or, perhaps, to anathematize those who would have proclaimed something other than what was announced at first, was commanded only then, but is no longer commanded now? If so, then the following is what the apostle says here: I say, walk in the Spirit, do not commit carnal lusts (Gal. 5:16), - it was also commanded only then, but now it is no longer commanded! But to think so is wicked and at the same time destructive. And from this it necessarily follows that if the last precept must be observed at all times, then the law regarding the immutability of faith is also established for all times. Consequently, it was never allowed, never is allowed and will never be allowed to proclaim to Orthodox Christians something that they have not previously accepted, and it has always been necessary, always must and will always be allowed to anathematize those who proclaim anything other than what has been accepted once and for all. If so, then who will be so bold as to dare to proclaim something that has not been previously announced in the Church, or so frivolous as to accept anything other than what he received from the Church? The chosen vessel (Acts 9:15), the teacher of languages ​​(Gal. 2:9), the apostolic trumpet, the herald of the universe, the heavenly secret place (the Apostle Paul) says in his writings, says to everyone, says for all times, to all places, and again repeats his voice: whoever proclaims a new dogma, let him be anathema! And on the opposite side, some toads, pugs, dying flies are buzzing to the Orthodox: we are the founders, we are the establishers, we are the exponents - condemn what you supported, you maintain what you condemned, reject the ancient faith, paternal decrees, testaments of ancestors, and accept instead of them - but what will you accept? - I’m afraid to say it, because all this is so arrogant that it seems that it is impossible not only to affirm, but also to refute it without desecrating oneself. He is truly and truly Orthodox who is to the Church, who is to the body of Christ, who is committed to the truth of God with all his soul, who places nothing above the divine religion, above the universal faith: neither authority, nor talents, nor eloquence, nor the philosophy of any person, but, despising all this and remaining in the faith firm, constant, unshakable, considers it his duty to maintain only that and believe only that which is known to be true. of antiquity, according to the entire Church of the Ecumenical, and what he learns that it was later introduced by someone besides all the saints, or contrary to all the saints, as new and unheard of, he recognizes as relating not to religion, but more to temptation, also taking into account in particular the saying of the blessed Apostle Paul, who in the first letter to the Corinthians writes: it is fitting for heresies to exist, so that temptations may appear in you ( 1 Cor. 11:19). It’s as if he says this: for this reason, the perpetrators of heresies are not immediately eradicated by God, but temptations may appear, that is, so that it can be seen how firmly, how faithfully and unshakably everyone loves the universal faith. And indeed, as soon as some new thing appears, the heaviness of the grains and the lightness of the chaff are now visible. Then, without much effort, everything that was not supported by any weight is swept away from the threshing floor: some fly away completely, no one knows where; others are so alarmed that they are afraid to die and are ashamed to come to their senses - confused, half dead, half alive, because they have taken into themselves such an amount of poison that does not kill, but is not digested in the stomach, does not cause death, but does not allow life. Oh, a state to be pitied! With what ebbs and flows of worries, with what anxieties they are troubled! Either with the intensification of delusion they rush wherever the wind blows, then, having come to their senses, they beat back like waves, then with blind courage they rush to what is obviously unknown to them, then with unreasonable fear they are afraid of what is completely known, and they do not know at all where to go, where to return, what to look for, what to run, what to hold on to, what to leave. However, this confusion of a wavering and indecisive heart - if only they wanted to delve into it - is a medicine given to them by God's mercy. Outside the safest haven of the universal faith, they are tormented, executed and almost completely languished from various stormy thoughts, so that they lower the raised sails of an arrogant mind, which they had inopportunely spread to the wind of novelty, return and again stand in the safest haven of the serene and good mother (the Church), spewing out the bitter and alarming waves of delusions, in order to then drink the life-giving streams of spring water. Let them study well what they did not know well, and let them comprehend what in the entire content of the dogmatic teaching of the Church can be comprehended, and let them believe in what is not possible. And when this is so, then again and again reflecting and pondering to myself about this subject, I cannot be quite amazed at such madness of some people, such wickedness of a blinded mind, such, finally, a passion for error that they are not content with the once faithful and anciently accepted rule of faith, but every day they look for something new and new, and they always yearn either to add something to religion, or to change it, or to subtract from it, as if it were not heavenly. a dogma that only needs to be revealed once, but an earthly institution that can only be improved by constant amendments or, better to say, refutations! Meanwhile, divine broadcasts say: do not change the limit that your fathers set (Prov. 22:28), do not judge higher than the judge (Sir. 8:17); he who destroys the fence will be bitten by serpents (Eccl. 10:8). The same is said by the following saying of the Apostle, with whom, as if with some spiritual sword, all the criminal novelties of all heresies have been and should always be cut off many times: O Timothy, preserve the tradition, avoiding the vile novelties of words and the contradictions of the false mind, which boasts of nonsense, sinning in faith (1 Tim. 6:20-21). After that, there are people who are so hardened like a block, inflexible like an anvil, stubborn like flint that they do not succumb to such pressure from heavenly words, are not broken by such weights, are not crushed by such hammers, and finally do not decay under such lightning! “Avoid,” says (the apostle), “the nasty newness of words,” he did not say antiquities, he did not say antiquity, on the contrary, by contrast he clearly showed what to follow: if it is necessary to avoid newness, then one must adhere to antiquity; if novelty is obscene, then antiquity is sacred. And the contradictions, he says, of the falsely named mind. Indeed, in heretical teachings the names are false: ignorance is called reason, fog is called clarity, darkness is called light. About him, he says, he boasted about nothing but sinned about his faith. What did they sin by boasting about, if not a new, whatever it was, and unknown teaching? Listen to any of them, what they say: “Go, foolish and pitiful, usually called Orthodox, and learn the true faith, which no one understands except us, which was previously hidden for many centuries, but has recently been discovered and become apparent; but learn furtively and secretly, it will give you pleasure.” And again: “When you learn, then teach secretly, so that neither the world hears nor the Church knows, because only a few are given the ability to understand such an incomprehensible mystery.” Is this not the voice of the harlot, calling to her, in the Proverbs of Solomon, passers-by going their way? Here are her words: whoever is the most insane of you, let him turn away to me. And she persuades the foolish, saying, touch the hidden bread into sweetness, and drink the sweet water of the Tatba. What's next? “He,” says (the Wise One), “doesn’t know that her earthly creatures are perishing.” (Prov. 9:16–18). The apostle explains who these earthly creatures are. These are those, he says, who have erred in faith (1 Tim. 6:21). But it is worth the effort to consider this entire passage from the apostle with special attention. Oh, Timothy,” he says, “preserve the tradition, avoiding the bad newness of words. ABOUT! This exclamation means both foreknowledge and love: the apostle foresaw the errors that were to come and mourned them in advance. Who is Timothy now, if not the entire Church in general, or not the entire community of its primates in particular, who are obliged both to guard themselves and to communicate to others an intact knowledge of the divine faith? What does it mean: keep the tradition! This means: watchmen, because there are thieves, there are enemies, so that among the good seed of wheat, which the Son of Man sowed in His field, they do not sow tares while people sleep (Matthew 13:37-39). Tradition, he says, keep it. What is legend? What has been entrusted to you, and not what you have invented, what you have accepted, and not what you have invented, is not a matter of the mind, but of teaching, not of private possession, but of nationwide transmission, a matter that has reached you, and not discovered by you, in relation to which you should be not an inventor, but a guardian, not a founder, but a follower, not a leader, but a follower. Tradition, he says, keep, that is, keep the talent of the universal faith intact and undamaged. What has been entrusted to you, let it remain with you, then you pass it on. You received gold, give gold back. I don’t want you to give me something else instead of one; I don’t want you to brazenly represent lead instead of gold, or deceitfully copper; I don’t want gold to look like, give me real gold. O Timothy, O shepherd, O writer, O teacher! If the gift of God has made you capable in mind, in education, in learning, then be Bezalel (Ex. 35:30) of the spiritual tabernacle, carve out precious stones of divine dogma, adjust them correctly, distribute them wisely, give them brilliance, grace, and charm. Try so that, as a result of your clearer presentation, they understand more clearly what they previously believed not so clearly. Achieve that posterity will consciously glorify what was previously taught to you, and when speaking something new, do not say anything new. 3. The possibility - and with the immutability of devoted faith - of the advancement of religion. Perhaps someone will say: so, in the Church of Christ there should be no advancement of religion? Of course there must be, and, moreover, the greatest. For who is so jealous of people and hateful of God that he decides to reject this? Only this success must really be prosperity, and not a change of faith. Progress is when this or that object improves in itself, and change is when something ceases to be what it is and turns into something else. So, let the understanding, insight, wisdom, both of each individual (Christian) and of everyone together, both one person and the entire Church, grow and succeed to the highest degree over the years and centuries, but only in the same kind, that is, in the same dogma, in the same sense, in the same understanding. Religion is a matter of the soul; let it be likened to bodies in this respect. With the increase of years, bodies, although they open and develop their members, nevertheless remain the same as they were. The blossoming time of childhood and the mature age of senility are very different from each other; however, the same people who were formerly children become old; so that, although the stature and appearance of the same person change, nevertheless his nature remains unchanged, his personality remains the same. The penises of babies are small, those of young men are larger, but they are the same. As many members as there are in babies, there are as many in adults, and if anything is added over the years, then all this already existed in the embryo, so that later nothing new is discovered in the elders that was not already hidden in the children. Consequently, the true and correct law of prosperity, the immutable and most magnificent order of growth, is undoubtedly the one when the passage of years develops in more mature ages the same components and forms that the wisdom of the Creator ordained in the little ones; so that if the appearance of a person were subsequently transformed into some image not of its own kind, or even if only something were added to the number of its members, or decreased in it, then the whole body would inevitably either perish, or become ugly, or, at least, become weaker. The same law of progress must also be followed by the dogmatic teaching of the Christian religion, that is, let it strengthen over the years, expand over time, rise with age, but let it remain indestructible and undamaged, whole and perfect in all the divisions of its parts, in all, so to speak, its members and feelings, but beyond this, let there not be the slightest change in it, no loss in its content, no change in its definitions. Let me give you a comparison. In this church field, our ancestors in ancient times sowed the seeds of wheat - faith. It is unfair and inconsistent with the essence of the matter that we, their descendants, instead of bread - the genuine truth, should leave behind substituted tares - errors - for our heirs. On the contrary, since the end and the beginning should not be mutually contradictory, it is lawful and consistent that from the increase in wheat sowing we reap the fruit of dogmatic wheat as well. Let the initial plantings, gradually developing over time, be fertilized and cultivated even now, but the properties of the sprouts cannot be changed in any way. Let them be given appearance, shape, and separateness, but the nature of each variety must remain the same. For example, the rose bushes of the universal teaching should not be turned into thorns and thistles. It should not, I say, happen that in this spiritual garden a cockle or a buttercup suddenly grows from the shoots of a cinnamon tree or a balsam tree. What was planted in our Church through the agriculture of God according to the faith of the fathers, let the same be cultivated and preserved through the efforts of the sons, let the same bloom and ripen, let the same prosper and improve. Thus, the ancient dogmas of heavenly philosophy should be strengthened, smoothed, cleaned over time, but they should not be changed, they should not be cut off, they should not be mutilated. Let them be interpreted, explained, more precisely defined - this is permissible; but their completeness, integrity, quality must remain unchanged, this is necessary. Indeed, if you once give free rein to wicked untruth in this regard, I am horrified to say what a terrible danger will follow of the destruction and destruction of religion. Then, having rejected one part of the universal dogma, as if according to custom, and with permission, they will gradually begin to reject, one after another, its other parts. And then, when the parts are rejected separately, what else will follow, finally, if not the cumulative rejection of the whole? On the other hand, if they begin to mix the new with the ancient, the foreign with their own, the indecent with the sacred, then this custom will necessarily spread throughout everything, so that after that there will be nothing left of the Church untouched, nothing undamaged, nothing whole, nothing unsullied, but where previously there was a sanctuary of pure and immaculate truth, there will finally be an indecent house of ungodly and vile errors. May this goodness of God turn away lewdness from our minds! Let it remain the madness of the wicked! The Church of Christ, a caring and cautious guardian of the dogmas entrusted to its custody, never changes anything in them, does not reduce anything, does not add anything - it does not cut off what is necessary, does not add what is superfluous, does not lose its own, does not appropriate what belongs to others, but with all diligence cares only about the fact that, reasoning about the ancient truthfully and wisely, if anything was destined and founded in ancient times, then complete and finish, - if something has already been explained and interpreted, then strengthen and confirm, - if something has already been confirmed and defined, then preserve. What else, finally, did she always try to achieve by conciliar definitions? Isn’t it just that they should later believe with prudence the same thing that they previously believed in simplicity; so that afterwards they persistently preach the same thing that they preached gradually before; so that they then cultivate with caution the same things that were previously cultivated safely? I do not hesitate to say, and will always say, that the universal Church, prompted by the novelties of the heretics, through the definitions of its councils did nothing else than precisely what it had previously received from its ancestors according to tradition, then confirmed for posterity with its own written certificate, concluding in a few lines a large number of objects, usually expressing, for the clearest understanding, with one or another new name, not a new meaning of faith. 4. On the relationship between Holy Scripture and Tradition. Now, perhaps someone will ask: do heretics really also use the testimony of divine Scripture? They really do use it, and they use it unusually a lot. They, mind you, scour all the books of the divine law - the books of Moses, the books of Kings, the Psalms, the Apostles, the Gospels, the Prophets. Whether with their own people or with others, privately or publicly, in oral conversations or in writings, in home meetings or in public gatherings, they almost never say anything about themselves that they would not try to highlight at the same time with the words of Scripture. But we must beware and fear them all the more, the more secretly they hide under the shadow of the divine law. They know that hardly anyone will soon like their stench if they are left to evaporate as they are, and therefore they sprinkle them with the aroma of heavenly words, so that those who could easily despise human error will not easily turn away from divine messages. They act like those who, wanting to soften the severity of some drink for a child, first usually smear his lips with honey, so that an inexperienced child, having sensed the sweetness, is not afraid of the bitterness. In the same way, others try to embellish bad potions and harmful juices with the name of medicine, so that no one suspects poison where they read from the inscription that it is medicine. That is why, finally, the Savior proclaimed: take heed to yourselves from lying prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). What kind of sheep's clothing is this if not the sacred sayings that the prophets and apostles, with sheepish deceitfulness, wove, as if some kind of fleece, for the spotless Lamb who takes away the sin of the world? Who are these wolves-predators, if not heretics, who, with their fierce brutal inventions, constantly attack the sheepfolds of the Church and torment the flock of Christ wherever they can, and in order to sneak up more unnoticed on the simple-minded sheep, they hide their wolfish appearance, without abandoning the wolf’s ferocity, and, like a fleece, are wrapped in the sayings of divine Scripture, so that, feeling the softness of the wool, no one Aren't you afraid of their sharp teeth? But what does the Savior say? By their fruit you will know them (Matthew 7:16). That is, when they begin to not only display those divine sayings, but also reveal them, not only show them from the outside, but also interpret them, then you will feel bitterness, astringency, cruelty, then you will feel the stench of innovation, then obscene novelties will be revealed, then you will already see that the fence is being ruined, the boundaries of the fathers are being transgressed, the universal faith is being tempered, the dogma of the church is being torn to pieces. Such were those whom the Apostle Paul struck in his second letter to the Corinthians, describing them: such are they, he says, deceitful apostles, workers of flattery, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ (2 Cor. 11:13). What does it mean to be transformed into apostles of Christ? This means: the apostles cited evidence from divine Scripture, and they also cited it. The apostles cited evidence from the psalms, and they did too. The apostles cited sayings from the prophets; They also cited exactly the same thing. But when they began to interpret what they cited like the apostles, not like the apostles, and the difference between the true apostles and the imaginary ones, the genuine ones from the counterfeit ones, the right ones from the perverted ones, and finally, from the false ones, was revealed. And it’s not surprising,” the Apostle continues, “For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. It is not great if his servants are transformed as ministers of righteousness (2 Cor. 11:14–15). So, whenever false apostles, or false prophets, or false teachers cite the sayings of divine Scripture in order to falsely interpret them to confirm their errors, they undoubtedly, according to the teaching of the Apostle Paul, imitate the crafty tricks of their leader, to which he, of course, would never have resorted if he had not known from experience that when it is necessary to reinforce deception with an indecent error, then There is no easier way to deception than by referring to the authority of the word of God. But where is it clear, someone will say, that the devil is in the habit of using the testimony of Holy Scripture? Read the gospels. It is written there: then they will give Him drink, i.e. Lord the Savior, the devil, and set Him on the church wing, and said to Him: If you are the Son of God, look down from below, for it is written, as if His angel commanded you to keep you in all your ways. They will take you in their arms, even if you dash your foot against a stone (Matt. 4:5–6; cf. Ps. 91:11–12). What did the one who attacked the Lord of Majesty Himself with evidence from the Scriptures not do to the poor people? If,” he says, “you are the Son of God, look down below.” Why? It’s written,” he says. We must especially notice and remember the instruction contained in this place, so that, knowing such an example of evangelical authority, when we see that some bring apostolic or prophetic sayings to refute the universal faith, we do not doubt in the least that it is the devil who speaks through their mouths. In fact, as then the head spoke to the Head, so now the members say to the members: members, that is, of the devil, to the members of Christ, treacherous to the faithful, wicked to the pious, heretics, and finally to the Orthodox. What exactly are they saying? If, they say, you are the Son of God, cast yourself down, that is, if you want to be the son of God and inherit the kingdom of heaven, then cast yourself down, that is, throw yourself from the heights of the Church, which is also the church of God, and leave its teaching and tradition. And if someone asks some heretic who instills this in him: how can you prove, on what basis do you teach that I must leave the ancient and universal faith of the universal Church, he will immediately answer: it is written, and will immediately present you with a thousand examples, a thousand proofs from the Law, from the Psalms, from the Apostles, from the Prophets, so that, having interpreted them in a new and bad way, he will overthrow the unfortunate soul from the universal ark into the pool of heresy. As for even those very promises that are indicated after (after the words it is written that there is), it is amazing how the heretics are able to deceive simple-minded people with them. After all, they dare to promise and teach that in their church, that is, in the crowd of their consent, a great, special, perhaps some kind of special, grace of God is given, so that everyone who belongs to it, without any labor, without any zeal, without any effort, even if they do not ask, even if they do not seek, even if they do not push, enjoys such favor from God that, being carried in the arms of angels, - protected, that is, by the protection of angels, he can never dash his foot against a stone (Ps. 90:12), that is, he can never be deceived. What, someone will say, should Orthodox people, the sons of the Mother Church, do, when both the devil and his disciples use divine verbs, sayings, and promises, some of whom are false apostles, others are false prophets and false teachers, and all of them are heretics? How can they distinguish truth from falsehood in view of the sayings of Holy Scripture? – Just as, according to the tradition of saints and learned men, we said at the beginning of this Reminder. Namely, they must certainly ensure that the Holy Scripture is interpreted in accordance with the traditions of the entire Church and according to the instructions of the universal dogmatic teaching, while in the universal and apostolic Church itself, they must necessarily follow universality, antiquity, and agreement; so that if ever a part rebelled against the whole, newness against antiquity, the sinful difference of opinion of one, or even a minority, against the consent of all, or at least the decisive majority of the Orthodox, then they should prefer the infallibility of universality to the sin of the part; in the very universality, the piety of antiquity is the indecency of novelty; finally, in ancient times, to the recklessness of one, or a very limited number of persons, first of all - the general definitions of any ecumenical council, if there are any on a given subject - and if there are none, in that case - what is closest to them, that is, the mutually agreed judgments of the majority of great teachers. If, with God’s help, we observe this correctly, sensibly and diligently, then without much difficulty we will discern all sorts of criminal errors of the heretics who appear. 5. How to understand the agreement of ancient teachers? After this, it follows, I see, to show with examples how it is necessary to recognize and condemn the obscene novelties of heretics by citing and comparing the judgments of ancient teachers that agree with each other. It should, however, be noted that we are obliged to study with the greatest diligence these consonant judgments of the ancient holy fathers and follow them not regarding all any unimportant issues of the divine law, but mainly only regarding the rule of faith. On the other hand, not always and not all heresies should be denounced in this way, but only new and recent ones, that is, those that appear for the first time - before they have time, due to the very shortness of time, to pervert the rules of the ancient faith, and before they try, with the further spread of poison, to distort the writings of their ancestors. As for long-standing and chronic heresies, we do not have the slightest need to approach them this way, because for a long time we have constantly had the opportunity to take advantage of the truth. No matter how ancient the obscenities of this kind of heresies or schisms may be, we must either defeat them, if necessary, only with the authority of Holy Scripture, or flee from them without hesitation. As from the shepherds of the Church who have long been stricken and condemned. So, when for the first time the rottenness of some harmful error begins to appear and, in order to protect oneself, to steal some words from the holy law and falsely and insidiously explain them, then when interpreting the rule of faith one must immediately collect the judgments of one’s ancestors and, with their help, on the one hand, clearly reveal, and on the other hand, condemn without new consideration everything that turns out to be new and indecent. But we must endure the judgments of only those fathers who, living, teaching and abiding in the faith and in Catholic communion holy, wisely, constantly, were deemed worthy to either rest with faith in Christ or die blessedly for Christ. And one must believe them according to the following rule: that only either all of them, or the majority of them unanimously accepted, supported, transmitted openly, often, unshakably, as if by some prior agreement among the teachers, then be considered undoubted, faithful and indisputable; and what someone thought about, whether he was a saint or a scientist, or a confessor and a martyr, disagrees with everyone or even in spite of everyone, is classified as personal, secret, private opinions, different from the authority of general, open and popular belief; so that, leaving the ancient truth of the universal dogma, according to the wicked custom of heretics and schismatics, with the greatest danger regarding eternal salvation, we do not follow the new error of one person. Lest anyone imagine that he can boldly despise the holy and catholic consent of these blessed fathers, the apostle says in the first letter to the Corinthians: And God hath made them in the church, first apostles (to which he himself belonged), second prophets (which, according to the Acts of the Apostles, was Agabus), third teachers (1 Cor. 12:28), sometimes called interpreters, and by the same apostle sometimes called prophets (1 Cor. 14:29) on the basis that through them the secrets of the prophets are revealed to the people. So, whoever despises those appointed from above in the Church of God at different times and in different places, who, according to Christ, think something regarding the universal dogma, he despises not man, but God. And so that no one moves away from truthful agreement with them, the same apostle earnestly asks, saying this: I pray you, brothers, that you all speak the same words, and that there be no strife in you, that you may be affirmed in the same understanding and in the same thought (1 Cor. 1:10). And if anyone departs from agreement with their beliefs, let him listen to the following word of the same apostle: God is not disorder, but peace (i.e., not one who will depart from unanimity, but those who will remain in peace of agreement), as I teach in all the churches of the saints (1 Cor. 14:33), i.e. catholic, who are holy because they stand firmly in the union of faith. And so that someone would not brazenly try to ensure that, leaving others behind, they would listen to him alone and believe him alone, the apostle says a little lower: or did the word of God come from you? Or did he reach you alone (1 Cor. 14:36)? And so that this would not be considered to have been said thoughtlessly, he added: “Whoever,” he says, “believes to be a prophet of existence or is spiritual, let him understand what I am writing to you, that the commandments are the Lord’s” (1 Cor. 14:37). Not just any (other) commandments are meant here, but specifically those that every prophet or spiritual person, i.e. the teacher of spiritual subjects, with the greatest zeal, cared for uniformity and harmony, so that, that is, he did not prefer his own opinions to others and did not deviate from the thoughts of everyone. If anyone, he says, does not understand the commandments about this, he will not understand (1 Cor. 14:38); that is, whoever either does not study the unknown, or despises the known, will not understand, that is, God will consider him unworthy to be among those united by faith and equalized by humility. I don’t know if it’s possible to imagine a misfortune worse than this. 19. Sayings of the Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church on the meaning of tradition a) This is the true teaching and this is the sign of true teachers, as the fathers betrayed, to confess the same things in agreement among themselves and not to enter into disputes either with each other or with their fathers, and those who are not so disposed can rather be called unfit than true teachers. Saints and real preachers of truth agree with each other and do not differ from each other; for although they existed at different times, they all mutually strive for the same thing, being prophets of one God and preaching one word in agreement. (St. Athanasius of Alexandria in the message “On the Definitions of the Council of Nicaea”). b) Let no one require me to confirm what we admit with evidence, for to prove our word it is enough to have the tradition that has come to us from the fathers, like some kind of inheritance, communicated in order from the apostles through subsequent saints. (St. Gregory of Nyssa in Refutation of Eunomius, 4, 5). c) We will forever preserve the tradition that we received from our fathers, firm and immovable; Let us seek a protective word for faith from the Lord, and if we find it from anyone who has grace, then we will thank the Giver of grace; if we do not find it, we will nevertheless have unshakable faith in what we recognize (St. Gregory of Nyssa in his letter to Avlavius ​​about the fact that there are not “three Gods”). d) Stay in what the Holy Spirit will lead you to, walking after God, without being attached to flesh and blood, without giving some a reason to boast (of you), so that they do not boast in you, and their love of glory does not increase from your life. Remember the holy fathers to whom you were entrusted by your blessed father and whom we have been honored by the grace of God to be successors. Do not transgress the limits that our fathers set, do not neglect the language of simpler preaching and do not give preference to various subsequent teachings, but agree with the ancient rule of faith, and may the God of peace be with you, healthy in soul and body (St. Gregory of Nyssa in his letter to Eusaphia, Ambrose and Basilissa). e) One must also use tradition, for not everything can be borrowed from Divine Scripture. Therefore, the holy apostles betrayed one thing in the scriptures, and another in the traditions, as the holy apostle says: as I have given it to you, keep the traditions (1 Cor. 11:2), and in another place: so I teach and so I have delivered in the churches (1 Cor. 7:17), and even if you hold the faith unless you believe in vain (1 Cor. 15:2) (St. Epiphanius of Cyprus in Panaria, 61, 6). f) We are shown the limits and foundations and knowledge of faith, and the tradition of the apostles, and the holy Scriptures, and the succession of teachers - and the truth of God is fenced off from everywhere. And no one should be deceived by new fables (St. Epiphanius of Cyprus in Panaria, 59, 3). g) Therefore, brethren, stand firm and keep the traditions which you have learned either by word or by our message (2 Thess. 2:15). From this it is clear that (the apostles) did not betray everything through letters, but they communicated a lot without writing, meanwhile, both of them are reliable. Therefore, we must recognize church tradition as reliable. There is a tradition, do not look for anything else (St. John Chrysostom in the interpretation of the second letter to the Thessalonians, demon. 4, 2). h) Not only through messages did the apostle instill in the disciple what he should do, but also in words. He expresses this in many other places, when, for example, he says: either by word, or by message, as if sent from us (2 Thess. 2:2, 15); but it is much clearer here (2 Tim. 1:13). Have the example of sound words, which you heard from me, in faith and love, even the good testament about Christ Jesus, kept by the Holy Spirit who lives in us. So, let us not think that the teaching was not taught to them enough; He taught the student a lot without writing; which he reminds him of, saying: “Have the image of sound words; you have heard them from me.” What do these words mean? As painters do, he says, so I drew you an image of virtue and everything pleasing to God, and, as it were, some kind of rule, prototype and outline, put it into your soul. Have this; Whether you need advice about faith, or about love, or about chastity, borrow models from there - you will not need to look for a model from others, because everything is contained there. (St. John Chrysostom in the interpretation of the second letter to Timothy, demon. 3, 1) i) O Timothy, preserve the tradition (1 Tim. 6:20). Don't reduce it; it is not yours, you have been entrusted with someone else’s, do not diminish it (St. John Chrysostom in the interpretation of the first letter to Timothy, demon. 18, 1). i) We consider it useful to bring to your unfeigned ears how clearly those who blame us for our dogmas are slandering us. We do not deny that we have sinned very much in other respects, but we have kept the dogmatic teaching of the apostles until now undistorted, and for this alone we hope to be rewarded with compassion and condescension on the day of the Lord’s appearance: for for it (the dogmatic teaching) we constantly fight against all kinds of heresies, we constantly offer it to the pupils of piety, through it we brought thousands of wolves to the Archpastor and Savior of us all, transforming them into sheep. This was conveyed to us not only by the apostles and prophets, but also by Ignatius [the God-Bearer], Eustathius [of Antioch], Athanasius [of Alexandria], Gregory [the Theologian], John [Chrysostom] and other lamps of the universe, who expounded their writings, and - before them - the holy fathers who came together in Nicaea: we preserve their confession of faith as a paternal heritage inviolable and those who dare to violate these dogmas we call deceitful and enemies of the truth. (Blessed Theodoret of Cyrus in a letter to the patrician Florentius). Lecturer Vincent of Lirinsky, presbyter of the monastery on the island of Lirin (now the island of St. Honorat) in the Mediterranean Sea, † c. 450 g. Rev. Ephraim the Syrian, b. Early 4th century, † 373 St. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons (in Gaul), † c. 202 St. Clement, Bishop of Rome, † 101 St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, † September 14, 258 Lecturer Macarius of Egypt, b. OK. 300 g, † approx. 390 g. Issue III. About the Triune God 1. This is a universal faith, that we may honor one God in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity a) St. Gregory the Theologian from the “Mysterious Hymns”, word 1 “On the beginnings” I know that on a fragile boat I set off on a long voyage, or on small wings I am carried away to the starry sky - I, in whom the idea was born to discover the Divinity, or the definitions of the great God, and the key for everything, while the heavenly minds do not have the strength to revere God as much as they should. However, since the Divine is often pleased with the gift not so much of a full hand as of a hand pleasing to Him, albeit meager, I will boldly speak the word. Spirit of God! You awaken my mind and tongue in me, make them a thunderous trumpet of truth, so that all who cling with their hearts to the entire Divinity may delight. There is one God, beginningless, guiltless, unlimited by anything, either previously past or having to be after, both in the past and in the future, embracing eternity, boundless, the good, great, only begotten Son, the great Father, Who in the birth of the Son did not suffer anything inherent in the body, because He is the Mind. There is one other God, but not another in Divinity - this Word of this God, the living seal of the Father, the one Son of the Beginningless and the Only One, equal in everything to the Father (except that one is entirely the Parent, and the other the Son), the World Maker and Ruler, the power and thought of the Father. One Spirit is God from the good God. May everyone perish who has not been so imprinted by the Spirit that He may reveal His Divinity, who has either evil in the depths of his heart or an unclean tongue - these half-bright, envious people, these self-taught wise men - this blocked source (Prov. 25:27), a lamp placed in a dark place (Luke 11:33.)! b) St. Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop of Neocaesarea, symbol One God, Father of the living Word, hypostatic Wisdom, and eternal power and image, perfect Parent of the perfect, Father of the only begotten Son. One Lord, one from one, God from God, the mark and image of the Godhead, the active Word, the wisdom that embraces the composition of all, and the power that builds all creation, the true Son of the true Father, the invisible of the invisible, the incorruptible of the incorruptible and the immortal of the immortal, the eternal of the eternal. And there is one Holy Spirit, having existence from God and appearing through the Son [that is, to people], the image of the perfect Son, the perfect life, the guilt of the living, the holy source, the shrine, the giver of sanctification. He is God the Father, who is above all and in all, and God the Son, who is through all. The Trinity is perfect, in glory, eternity and kingdom, indivisible and inalienable. So, in the Trinity there is nothing created or auxiliary, there is nothing introduced, as if it did not exist before, but came later. Neither the Father was ever without the Son, nor the Son without the Spirit, but the Trinity is immutable, unchangeable and always the same. c) From a symbol attributed to St. Athanasius of Alexandria 29 If anyone wants to be saved, he must first of all maintain universal faith. And if anyone does not observe it soundly and blamelessly, then, without any doubt, he will perish forever. This universal faith consists in honoring the one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity, without merging the hypostases and without dividing the essence. For there is another hypostasis of the Father, another hypostasis of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have one Divinity, equal glory, and coeternal majesty. As is the Father, so is the Son, so is the Holy Spirit. The Father is uncreated, and the Son is uncreated, and the Holy Spirit is uncreated. The Father is incomprehensible, and the Son is incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit is incomprehensible. The Father is eternal, and the Son is eternal, and the Holy Spirit is eternal. However, there are not three eternal ones, but one eternal one; just as there are not three uncreated and not three incomprehensible, but one uncreated, one incomprehensible. Likewise, the Father is Almighty, the Son is Almighty, the Holy Spirit is Almighty, but not three Almighty, but one Almighty. So, the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God; however, there are not three Gods, but one God. And also the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord; however, there are not three Lords, but one Lord. For just as Christian truth encourages each Hypostasis to be separately confessed as God and Lord, so universal piety forbids us to say that there are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is not created, not created, not begotten from anyone. The Son from one Father is not created, not made, but begotten. The Holy Spirit is not created, created, or begotten from the Father, but proceeds. Therefore, there is one Father, and not three fathers, one Son, and not three sons, one Holy Spirit, and not three holy spirits. And in this Trinity there is no first or last, no greater or lesser, but three Hypostases, one to the other, entirely coeternal and equal; so that, according to what was said before, in everything one should give worship to the Trinity in one and one in the Trinity. Therefore, whoever wants to be saved should understand this about the Holy Trinity. d) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the Exposition of the Faith We believe in one unborn God the Father, Almighty, Creator of everything visible and invisible, having existence from Himself. And in the one Only Begotten - the Word, Wisdom, the Son, born without beginning and eternally from the Father - not an oral and mentally pronounced word, not an outpouring of the perfect, not cut off and not the offspring of an impassive nature, but a self-perfect, living and active Son; the true, equal and equal image of the Father; for it is said that such is the will of the Father: that as they honor the Father, so they honor the Son (John 5:23); true God from true God, as John says in his conciliar epistles: And that we may be in His true Son Jesus Christ: This is the true God and the eternal life (1 John 5:20); The Almighty from the Almighty - for whatever the Father rules over and possesses, the Son also rules over and possesses all of them, wholly from wholly, like the Father, as the Lord says: He who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9). He was born beyond words and beyond comprehension: for who can confess His generation (Is. 53:8)? In other words: no one. And at the end of the ages he descended from the bosom of the Father, and from the Most Pure Virgin Mary received our man, Christ Jesus, Whom, of his own free will, he gave up to suffer for us, as the Lord says: no one will take my soul from me; the imam will lay down the region, and the imam will again accept the region (John 10:18). It is because of this man that He was crucified and died for us, He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Created for us at the beginning of our paths (Prov. 8:22), while on earth, showed us in darkness light, salvation from error, life from the dead and entrance into paradise, from which Adam was expelled, and into which he again entered through the thief, as the Lord said: today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43), into which Paul also ascended, - showed entry into heaven, where the Forerunner appeared about us The Lord's man (Heb. 6:20), in whom he will judge the living and the dead. We equally believe in the Holy Spirit, who searches all things, and the depths of God (1 Cor. 2:10), anathematizing all teachings that are contrary to this. We do not imagine the Son-Father, like the Sabellians, 30 calling Him one-existent, and not consubstantial, and thereby denying the existence of the Son. We do not attribute to the Father the painful body that the Son bore on Himself for the salvation of the whole world. The Three Hypostases must be presented as inseparable from each other, as we imagine people physically, so that we, like the pagans, do not introduce polytheism; but imagine, as it were, a river, which, starting from the source, is not separated from it, although there are two types and two names. For the Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Father, because the Father is the Father of the Son, and the Son is the Father’s Son. Just as a source is not a river, and a river is not a source, but both are one and the same water flowing from the source into the river, so the Divinity from the Father inexhaustibly and inseparably abides in the Son, as the Lord says: I departed from the Father, and I go to the Father (John 16:28). He who is in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18) is always with the Father; and in the bosom of the Father the Divinity of the Son was never exhausted, for it is said: I built with Him (Prov. 8:29). We do not imagine that God, the Son of God, the Creator of the universe, the Son of God, who is from Being, One from One, was created, or created, or came from something that does not exist, because glory and power equal to Him were eternally begotten from the Father; for whoever has seen the Son has seen the Father also. Everything was created through the Son, but He Himself is not a creature, as Paul says about the Lord: everything was created by Him, and He is before all (Col. 1:16-17). He does not say that he was first created, but that he is before all; and the word created refers to the word all, and the expression is, first of all, applies to one Son. So, He is by nature a perfect birth from a perfect birth, born before all the hills, that is, before any verbal and rational essence; as elsewhere Paul calls Him the firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15); but by calling him firstborn, he shows by this that He is not a creature, but the birth of the Father; for it is strange to use the predicate about His Divinity: creature. All things were created by the Father through the Son; One Son is eternally begotten of the Father, therefore the firstborn of all creation is God the Word, unchangeable from the unchangeable. God's Word created everything, Himself not being a creature, but a Birth; because among the number of creatures He created nothing equal or similar to Himself. To give birth is fitting for the Father, and to create is fitting for an artist. The work and creation is the body that the Lord bore upon Himself for our sake, Who became for us, as Paul says, wisdom from God, and sanctification, and truth, and deliverance (1 Cor. 1:30), although the Word was before us and before every creature, and was and is the Wisdom of the Father. The Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father, always dwells in the hands of the sending Father and the bearer of the Son, and with Him He fills all things. The Father, having existence from Himself, as we said, begat the Son, but did not create it - He begot it like a river from a source, like a plant from a root, like radiance from light, yet we see this inseparable in nature. a) St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 4th catechetical word First of all, let the dogma about God be laid down in your soul, namely, that God is only one, unborn, without beginning, immutable, unchangeable, not born from another and has no other successor of life, did not begin to live in time and will not ever die, and also that He is good and righteous. And as soon as you hear a heretic who says that another is righteous and another is good, immediately remembering this, recognize the poisonousness of heresy; for some have dared to wickedly divide in the concept of one God. And some, teaching foolishly and wickedly, said that there is one creator and ruler of the soul, and another of the body. How can one person be a slave of two masters, when the Lord says in the Gospel: no one can work for two masters (Matthew 6:24)? Therefore, there is only one God, one Creator of heaven and earth, Creator of angels and archangels. He is the Creator of many, but of One only is the Eternal Father - His only Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom He created everything, visible and invisible. This Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is not described by any place and no less than heaven: His dusty works are the heavens (Ps. 8:4), and He contains the whole earth with His handful (Ps. 40:12). He is in everything and beyond everything. Do not think that the sun is brighter than Him or equal to Him. For the one who originally created the sun must all the more be incomparably larger and brighter than the sun. He is the forerunner of the future and the most powerful of all, He knows everything and creates as He pleases; not subject to the sequence of things, neither birth, nor chance, nor fate. He is perfect in everything and possesses virtue of every kind in equal measure, does not decrease, does not increase, but always has the same thing, and in the same way. He has prepared punishment for the sinful and a crown for the righteous. Many, deviating from the one God, have fallen into various errors. Some deified the sun so that, after setting the sun, they would remain godless during the night; others deified the moon so as not to have God during the day; others idolized other parts of the world, even works of art, food and pleasure. But whoever in his heart places the doctrine of the unity of God as the basis of everything and is convinced of it, will suddenly put an end to every harmful tendency of idolatry and heretical error. Therefore, with the help of faith, make this first dogma of piety the foundation in your soul. b) Blazh. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, from the "Abridged Exposition of Divine Dogmas", ch. 1 Both the Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures teach that the beginning of everything is one, the God of all and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, unborn, incorruptible, eternal, endless, indescribable, limitless, uncomplicated, incorporeal, invisible, simple, good, righteous, mental light, power, unknowable by any measure, measured by a single divine will; because he can do whatever he wants. And the prophet clearly taught us this, for he says: The Lord has created everything that the Lord wills (Ps. 113:11). The teacher of what was said above about the unity of God is the Divine Scripture. For we hear that at the beginning of the law God says: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Let there be no gods for you other than Me (Ex. 20:2, 3); and again: hear to Israel: The Lord your God is one Lord (Deut. 6:4). In accordance with this, God teaches through the mouth of the prophet Isaiah, for he says: I am God first, and I am hereafter, besides Me there is no God (Is. 44:6); before Me there was no other God, and after Me there will not be, and there is no God (Is. 43:10, 11); and again: I am God, and there is nothing else (Is. 45:6); and: I am God, and there is no other except Me: righteous, Savior, there is no other besides Me (Is. 45:21). This clearly says that neither before Him nor after Him there is another God, but He is both the first and the last. The divine teaching of the Holy Gospel is in agreement with this. Our Savior and Lord, fulfilling all righteousness for us, (for He Himself spoke to John [Matt. 3:15]: leave now: so it is fitting to fulfill all righteousness), as a man, he accepted the need for prayer, and asked the Father to teach it to the Apostles, and in the form of a prayer he outlined the teachings of theology to his disciples. For he says: Behold, this is the eternal life, that they may know Thee the one true God (John 17:3), and again: Confess, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden this from the wise and prudent, and revealed it as a child (Luke 10:21). And the divine Apostle says this: to the king of ages, the incorruptible, invisible, one God, be honor and glory forever and ever, Amen (1 Tim. 1:17); and one more thing: there is one God, and one mediator for God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5); and also: there is one God the Father, from Him are all things (1 Cor. 8:6). But you can find quite a lot of other places that prove the agreement of the Old and New Testaments and preach one God. Moreover, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments teach that God is invisible. For in the Old Testament God says to Moses: no one will see My face and live (Ex. 33:20); and in the sacred Gospel the Lord said: no one has seen the Father: only He is from God, in this form the Father (John 6:46). This is what the God-wise Evangelist also cries out: God is nowhere to be seen (John 1:18); shows how he knew this: the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, is the one who confessed. Yes, and the Apostle cries out: to the incorruptible, invisible, one, all-wise God, glory and honor forever and ever, Amen; and one more thing: No one has seen Him, but man can see below (1 Tim. 6:16). We learned both the infinity and the indescribability of God from the Old and New Testaments. And in the Old Testament God says: Do I not fill the heavens and the earth with food? says the Lord (Jer. 23:24); and again: heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool: what house will you build for Me, says the Lord, and what is the place of My resting place? (Isa. 66:1) Yes, and the divine David cries: for in His hand are all the ends of the earth (Ps. 94:4); and as he called the effectiveness of God’s power by hand, he showed that God Himself is indescribable, but everything depends on His providence. And in another song David says to God: Where will I go from Your Spirit? and will I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend to Heaven, You are there; If I descend into hell, There You are: If I take up my wings early, and dwell in the last of the seas, and there Your hand will guide me, and Your right hand will hold me (Ps. 139:7-10). This shows the indescribability of both the essence and power of God. And the prophet Isaiah calls: maintain the circle of the earth, and those who live on it like springs (Is. 40:22). And also, denouncing the powerlessness of idols, the Prophet offered us the following teaching about the God of all: who, he says, measured water with his handful, and the sky with a span, and the whole earth with a handful? who put the mountains in measure, and the hills in weight? Who understood the mind of the Lord, and who was His adviser, who instructed Him? Or who shows Him judgment? or the way of understanding who shows Him? (Isa.40:12–14) Then, as far as is possible for the human mind and the tongue of earth, it represents the infinity of power; for he says: Even if you are Gentiles, like a drop of cadi, and like the weight of a man, and like spitting, are counted: to whom will you liken the Lord, and to what likeness will you liken Him? (Isa. 40:15, 18) If the heavens and the waters contain within themselves every created nature, and the measure of all this is the measure of the hand of God, then let those who undertake to measure God with their lips comprehend in their minds the infinity of His nature, meaning by hand not a part of the body, but self-activity, which organizes and governs everything. So, this is what the Old Testament Scripture teaches about the God of all. And others will find other places similar to those cited, revealing to us the indescribable nature, wisdom, and power of God. In the Holy Gospel, the Lord taught the Samaritan woman a similar concept of God. Since she assumed that the Divinity can be described by place, and therefore said: our fathers bowed down in this mountain, and you say that it is fitting to bow down in Jerusalem (John 4:20), then the Lord taught her the opposite teaching and taught her the indescribable nature of God. For he said to her: Amen, I say to you, woman, that the hour is coming, even now, that you will worship the Father, neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem (John 4:21). And thus, having taught that worship is not limited to any places, he added: The Spirit is God: and whoever worships Him is worthy to worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Thus he showed at the same time the incorporeality and infinity of the nature of God. And that the God of all is eternal, this is taught by blessed David, either saying: from everlasting to everlasting you art (Ps. 89:3), then crying out: God will hear, and He will humble me before the ages (Ps. 54:20). The prophet Isaiah also teaches, crying out: the eternal God, the God who built the ends of the earth, will not hunger, nor will he be weary, nor is the invention of His wisdom (Is. 40:28). And the divine apostle confesses Him as the Creator of the ages (Heb. 1:2). The Lord says that not only the very nature of God exists before creation, but also the Kingdom of the saints is prepared before the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34). We learned this about the Beginning of all things from the Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures. c) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the “Homily on the Gentiles” Since in everything it is not disorderliness, but order, not lack of measure, but proportionality, not disorder, but improvement and the whole harmonious combination of the world that is revealed, then it is necessary to conclude and formulate for ourselves the concept of the Lord, who united and consolidated everything, brought about harmony in everything. Although He is invisible to the eyes, the order and agreement of opposite things make it possible to understand their Ruler, Manager and King. If we see that a city inhabited by many different people, large and small, rich and poor, also old and young, men and women, is governed decently, and the inhabitants, although different from each other, are of the same mind: neither the rich rebel against the poor, nor the big against the small, nor the young against the old, but everyone lives evenly in peace - if, I say, we accept all this, then without a doubt we will understand that unanimity is supported by the presence of the city ruler, although we don't see him. For disorder is a sign of lack of authority, and order proves that there is a ruler. And in the body, noticing that the members agree with each other - the eye does not oppose the ear, the hand does not rebel against the foot, but each member serenely performs its service - of course, we conclude from this that there is a soul in the body, the ruler of the members, although we do not see it. Thus, seeing the order and harmony of the universe, it is necessary to imagine the Ruler of the universe, God, and, moreover, one, and not many. And the very order of world government, and harmony in everything, prove not many, but one World Ruler and Leader - the Word. If creation had many rulers, then such order would not be observed in everything, but everything would again fall into disorder, because each of the many would bend everything to his own intention and oppose others. Just as polytheism is atheism, so polytheism will necessarily be without authority. since each destroys the power of the other, then no one will be in charge, but everyone will be without authority. And where there is no boss, there will certainly be disorder. And vice versa, a single order and unanimity of many and different prove that they have one boss. If someone from a distance hears a lyre on which there are many different strings, and marvels at their harmonious harmony, because the sound is not the one string with a thick sound, and not the one with a thin sound, and not the one with a medium sound, but they all sound in equal proportion to each other; then, of course, he will conclude from this that the lyre does not set itself in motion, and that not many strike the strings, but one is a musician, although you do not see him, and with his art he dissolves the sound of each string into a single harmonious harmony. So, since in the whole world there is an all-order order - neither the upper one rebels against the lower, nor the lower against the higher, but everything strives for one order - then one should imagine not many, but one Ruler and King of all creation, Who illuminates everything with His light and sets it in motion. d) St. Gregory of Nyssa from the preface to the “Great Citation” When there is an interview with one of the Hellenistic people, it is good to start the speech like this: ask whether he assumes that there is a Deity, or does he agree with the teachings of atheists? If he claims that there is no God, then let those who skillfully and wisely manage the world be brought to the recognition that there is a certain power, showing by this about itself that it is above all. If there is no doubt that God exists, but is inclined to assume a plurality of deities, then we will reason with them in this order: does he recognize the Deity as perfect or insufficient? And since he will probably attribute perfection to the nature of God, I will demand from him perfection in everything that is intelligibly represented in the Divinity, so that it does not appear to be a mixture of opposites, of insufficient and perfect. But whether it is subject to speculation in relation to power, or in relation to the concept of good, or in relation to wisdom, incorruptibility and eternity, and any other godly idea, on the basis of this reasoning, according to the nature of God, we recognize that perfection is seen in everything. When this is conceded to us, then it will not be difficult for the mind, entertained by the multitude of gods, to lead to the confession of a single Divinity. For if one agrees about the subject to recognize it as perfect in everything, but affirms that there are many perfect ones whose distinctive features are the same, then by all necessity it will be necessary for those who do not differ in any modification, but are represented in the same features, either to indicate the peculiarity, or, if the thought does not find anything special, not to invent differences in that in which there is no distinguishing feature. For if it does not look for such a difference that one is greater and the other is less, since the concept of perfection does not allow for a minority, nor such that one is worse, the other is preferable, because no one will assume the Divinity in that which is not at all alien to the name of the worst, nor such that one is old and the other is new, for that which does not always exist does not fit under the concept of the Divine, - on the contrary, the very concept of the Divine is one, because, according to reason, neither in which no peculiarity is found: the erroneous idea of a plurality of gods, of all necessity, is forced to limit itself to the confession of a single Divinity. If goodness and justice, wisdom and power are equally attributed, incorruptibility and eternity are recognized in the same way, as well as every pious idea of ​​the mind, then by eliminating any difference in every respect, the thought of a plurality of gods is necessarily eliminated from dogma, since identity in everything elevates faith to a single dogma. But just as the word of piety and in the unity of nature sees a certain difference in hypostases, so that by the dispute with the Hellenes our teaching is not carried away into Judaism, some skillful distinction of concepts must again correct the errors in this too. 3. God – with the unity of being – is threefold in Persons a) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 39th word - on the holy lights of the appearances of the Lord When I pronounce the word God, you are illuminated by a single and triple light - triple in relation to special properties, or to Hypostases, or to Persons - single in relation to the concept of essence and, consequently, Divinity. God divides, so to speak, inseparably, and combines separately; because the Divinity is one in three, and the one is the Three in which the Divinity is, or, more precisely, which are the Divinity. As for excess and shortcomings, we will do without them, turning neither unity into unity, nor division into alienation. May Sabelli's reduction and Aria's 31 divisions be equally far from us; for both in the opposite sense are bad and equally wicked. For why is it necessary - either to wickedly merge God, or to cut into unequals? We have one God the Father, from Him are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ, from Him are all things (1 Cor. 8:7), and one Holy Spirit, in Whom are all things. In the words: from Him, by Him and in Him, we do not separate natures, but we distinguish the personal properties of a single and unmerged nature. And this is evident from the fact that the distinguished ones are again brought together into one, if you not without attention read the following words from the same apostle: from Him, and in Him, and in Him are all things; to Him be glory forever, Amen (Rom. 11:36). The Father is the Father and is beginningless, because he has no beginning from anyone. The Son is the Son and is not without beginning, because he is from the Father. But if you understand the beginning in relation to time, then the Son is without beginning, because the Creator of times is not under time. The Spirit is truly the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father, but not as the Son; because what happens is not something that is born, but something original, if for clarity it is necessary to use a new word. Meanwhile, neither the Father is deprived of unbegottenness, because he begat, nor the Son is deprived of birth, because from the Unbegotten (for how can they be deprived?), nor the Holy Spirit changes either into the Father or into the Son, because he proceeds and because God - although it does not seem so to the godless. For personal property is immutable; Otherwise, how could it remain personal if it were offered and transferred? b) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the 1st letter to Bishop Serapion Let's look at the very original tradition, at the teaching and faith of the universal Church - the faith that the Lord betrayed, the apostles preached, and the fathers observed. For the Church is founded on it, and whoever falls away from it cannot be or even be called a Christian. So, there is a Holy and perfect Trinity, cognizable in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, having nothing alien or given from the outside, not made up of the Creator and the creature, but entirely creative and creative. She is similar to Herself, inseparable by nature, and Her action is one. For the Father creates all things by the Word in the Holy Spirit. This is how the unity of the Holy Trinity is maintained. This is how it is preached in the Church: there is one God, who is above all and through all and in all (Eph. 4:6), - above all, as the Father, the beginning and source, through all - in the Word, and in all - in the Holy Spirit. The Trinity, not only by name and manner of expression, but in truth and essence itself, is the Trinity. For just as the Father is He, so He is God above all - His Word, and the Holy Spirit is not alien to existence, but truly exists and abides. And the universal Church does not subtract anything from this wisdom, so as not to fall into the teaching of the present-day Jews, imitating Caiaphas, and into the teaching of Sabelli, and does not invent anything more, so as not to fall into pagan polytheism. And to certify that such is the faith of the Church, let them know that the Lord, sending the Apostles, commanded to lay precisely such a foundation for the Church, saying: go and teach all languages, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19); This is what the apostles taught, this is what they preached throughout the entire celestial Church. And if God is trinitarian (which is true), and it has been proven that He is an indivisible and not dissimilar Trinity, then it is necessary that the holiness of the Trinity be one, and Its one eternity, and its immutable nature. For, just as the faith in the Trinity handed down to us is one, and it unites us with God, and whoever takes away anything from the Trinity, and is baptized in one name of the Father, or in one name of the Son, or in the Father and Son without the Spirit, does not accept anything, but those who are baptized, and whoever imagines himself to be administering baptism, remain vain and uninitiated, because secrecy is performed in the name of the Trinity: so also whoever separates the Son from the Father, or reduces the Spirit to creatures, has neither the Son nor the Father, but is godless, worse than an infidel, and rather everything but a Christian. As there is one baptism taught in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and one faith in the Trinity, as the Apostle said (Eph. 4:5); so the Holy Trinity, identical with Itself and abiding in unity, has nothing created in Itself. Such is the indivisible unity of the Trinity, such is the united faith in It. c) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 29th word on the theology of the third We honor unity of command, however, not that unity of command that is determined by the unity of a person (and one, if it is in discord with itself, will constitute a multitude), but that which constitutes the equality of unity, the unanimity of the will, the identity of the movement and direction towards the one of Those Who are from the One (which is impossible in a created nature), so that although They differ in number, they are not divided in power. Therefore, the One, which from the beginning moved into duality, stopped at trinity. And this is ours – the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father is a parent and producer, giving birth and producing dispassionately, outside of time and incorporeally; Son - born; The spirit is the exhausted, or, I don’t know, what someone who distracts from everything visible would call it. For we do not dare to call this an overflow of goodness, as one of the wise Hellenes dared to call it, who, philosophizing about the first and second culprit, clearly expressed himself: “like a cup pouring over the brim” 32. We do not dare for fear of introducing involuntary birth and seemingly natural and uncontrollable ejection, which is least consistent with the concepts of the Divine. Therefore, without leaving the limits given to us, we introduce the Unbegotten, Begotten and Coming from the Father, as God Himself, the Word, says in one place (John 15:26). “But when is this birth and procession?” - First of all, when. If it is necessary to express it a little more boldly: then, like the Father. But when is Father? - It has never happened that the Father was not there. And also it never happened that there was not a Son, and there was not a Holy Spirit. You will ask me again, and I will answer you again. When was the Son born? – When the Father was not born. When did the Spirit depart? – When the Son did not come forth, but was born outside of time and unspeakable, although we cannot imagine what is above time, even wanting to avoid expressions meaning time; because the words when, before, after, first do not exclude time, no matter how much we emphasize it; Shall we take eternity, that is, a continuation that extends along with the eternal, and is not divided into parts and is not measured by any movement or flow of the sun, which is characteristic of time. “But if the Son and the Spirit are co-eternal with the Father, then why are they not co-eternal”? Because they are from the Father, although not after the Father. It is true that the beginningless is eternal, but the eternal does not need to be without beginning, since it is soon raised to the Father as to the beginning. So, the Son and the Spirit are not without beginning in relation to the Author. But it is known that the culprit does not need to be more original than those for whom he is the culprit; because the sun is not more original than light. Therefore, the Son and the Spirit are at the same time beginningless relative to time. For they are not under time, from whom time 33. d) Rev. Maximus the Confessor from the 2nd hundred “On theology and the incarnation of the Son of God to Thalassia” There is one God, for there is one Divinity, beginningless, simple, essential, uncomplicated and indivisible. It is Unity and at the same time Trinity; it is all Unity and all Trinity - all Unity in essence, and all Trinity in Hypostases. For the Divinity consists of three Persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, but both in the Father and in the Son, equally in the Holy Spirit, there is one essentially one Divinity. It is in all the Father, and the Father is also all in all the Godhead. It is all in the whole of the Son, and the Son is also all in the whole of the Godhead. It is all in the whole Holy Spirit, and the Spirit is also all in the whole Godhead. It is all the Father and in all the Father; the whole Father is in the whole Godhead and contains in Himself the whole Godhead. Equally, the Son is all in all the Divinity, and the Divinity is all in all the Son; The Son contains all of the Divinity within Himself. And all in all the Divinity and in all the Holy Spirit; and the whole Holy Spirit contains in Himself the whole Divinity and is in the whole Divinity. For not only any part of the Godhead is in the Father, i.e. The Father is not partly only God. Likewise, in the Son there is not only one part of the Divinity, i.e. and the Son is not partly only God. Likewise in the Holy Spirit, i.e. The Holy Spirit is not partly only God. Since the Divinity is indivisible, the Father is therefore not incomplete God, nor are the Son and the Holy Spirit; but the whole Divinity is entirely in the whole Father, and also entirely in the whole Son, and finally, everything is entirely in the whole Holy Spirit. Therefore, the whole Father is wholly in the whole Son and Spirit; likewise the Son is wholly present in all the Father and the Spirit; likewise, the Holy Spirit is entirely present in all the Father and the Son. Thus, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God, i.e. one and the same essence, one and the same power, one and the same activity is in the Father and in the Son and in the Holy Spirit, so that none of these three Persons of the Godhead exists or can be imagined separately from the other. 4. The meaning of the concepts being and hypostasis, and the Persons of the Holy Trinity in relation to Their Divine essence a) St. Basil the Great from a letter (38th) to Gregory’s brother (Bishop of Nyssa) Since many in the mysterious dogmas, without making a distinction between essence in general and the concept of hypostases, are confused by the same meaning and think that there is no difference to say: essence or hypostasis (which is why some of those who use these words indiscriminately decided to assert that there is one essence, so there is one hypostasis, and conversely, those who recognize three hypostases think that according to this confession the division of essences into an equal number should be allowed), then for this reason, so that and you will not fall into anything like that, I remind you briefly, in a few words, that the concept of the mentioned sayings is as follows. Some names, used about many and numerically different objects, have a certain general meaning - such as, for example, the name man. For the one who uttered this word, denoting a general nature by this name, did not by this saying define one particular person, actually designated by this name; because Peter is no more a man than Andrew, and John, and James. Therefore, the community of the signified, equally extending to all those subsumed under the same name, has a need for division, through which we recognize not man in general, but Peter or John. Other names have a particular meaning, by which is meant not the commonality of nature in the denoted, but the outline of an object according to its distinctive property, which does not have the slightest commonality with a similar object; such, for example, is the name Paul, or Timothy. For such a saying does not at all relate to general nature, but depicts by names the concept of certain specific objects, separating them from the collective meaning. Therefore, when suddenly two or more are taken, for example, Paul, Silouan, Timothy, then it is necessary to form an understanding of the essence of these people, because no one will give a different concept of the essence in Paul, another in Silouan and another in Timothy, but with what words the essence of Paul is indicated, the same words will befit others; for entities subsumed under one concept are consubstantial with each other. When, having studied the general, someone turns to the consideration of the distinctive, by which one is separated from the other, then the concept leading to the knowledge of one object will not be in all respects similar to the concept of another object, although in some features there will be something in common between them. Therefore, we affirm this: what is named separately [about a specific person] is expressed by the phrase “hypostasis.” For the one who uttered the word “man”, by vagueness of meaning, conveyed to the ear some kind of extensive thought, so that, although nature is visible from this name, it does not signify the subject and actually named object. And he who pronounced the word “Paul” indicated the proper nature of the object designated by this name. So, “hypostasis” is not an indefinite concept of essence, which does not stop at anything in terms of the generality of the signified, but a concept that depicts and limits the general and indefinite in some object with visible distinctive properties. Therefore, whatever concept you have acquired about the difference between essence and hypostasis in us, transfer this to the divine dogmas, and you will not sin. Whatever you ever think about the being of the Father (for the soul cannot rest on one separate thought, being sure that this being is above all thought), imagine the same about the Son, and likewise the same about the Holy Spirit. The concept of the uncreated and incomprehensible is one and the same in the reasoning of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One is no more incomprehensible or created, and no less than the other. But when in the Trinity it is necessary to formulate an unfused distinction based on the distinctive features, then to define the distinctive we will take what is not generally represented, such as, for example, uncreatedness, or inaccessibility by any concept, or something similar to this, but we will look for that one thing by which the concept of Each is clearly and without confusion separated from what is represented together. Therefore, it seems to me that it would be good to explain this concept this way. There is a certain Power that exists unbornly and without beginning, and It is the guilt of the guilt of all beings. For from the Father is the Son, by whom all things came into being, and with whom the Holy Spirit is always inseparably imagined. He who is not illuminated by the Spirit cannot even think about the Son. So, since the Holy Spirit, from Whom every alms is poured out on the creation, is good, since it is united with the Son, with Whom it is inseparably represented, and has an existence dependent on guilt - the Father, from Whom it proceeds, then the distinctive sign of His hypostatic property is that it is known through the Son and with the Son and has existence from the Father. The Son, who by Himself and together with Himself makes the Spirit proceeding from the Father known, having alone shone forth from the unborn Light, according to His distinctive signs has nothing in common with the Father or with the Holy Spirit, but alone is known by the mentioned signs. And He alone, above all, has that predominant sign of His hypostasis, that He is the Father, and His existence is not due to any guilt; and by this again, He is, in fact, known. For this reason, we say that in the general concept of essence the signs seen in the Trinity, which express the distinctive property of the Persons about whom faith teaches us, are not united and communicable, because each Person is represented by us differently according to His own signs; so that by the mentioned signs the difference of hypostases is recognized. And as for infinity, incomprehensibility, uncreatedness, uninvolvement by place and everything like this, there is no difference in the life-giving nature - I mean the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - but some kind of continuous and indissoluble communion is seen in Them. And in whatever concepts anyone can imagine the greatness of one of the Persons confessed in the Holy Trinity, let him proceed indifferently to the contemplation of glory in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, without wandering in thought along any gap between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, because there is nothing intercalated between Them, nor anything independent and different from God’s nature, so that this nature can to be separated from Itself by the insertion of an extraneous person, nor by the emptiness of any unfilled space, which would produce interruptions in the unity of God’s essence with Itself, dividing the continuous with empty intervals. But whoever imagined the Father in his mind, he also imagined Him in Himself and at the same time embraced the Son in thought. And whoever has the Son in his thoughts does not separate from the Son and the Spirit, but in relation to order consistently, and in relation to nature unitedly, he impresses upon himself the fused faith in the three Persons. And whoever named only the Spirit, in this confession also includes Him Whose Spirit it is. since the Spirit is Christ (Rom. 8:9) and He is from God, as Paul says (1 Cor. 2:12), just as he who takes hold of one end of a chain draws its other end, so, according to the word of the prophet (Ps. 119:131), he who draws the Spirit through Him draws together both the Son and the Father. And whoever truly receives the Son will have Him in himself, bringing down both His Father and His own Spirit. For He who is always in the Father cannot be cut off from the Father, and He who produces everything about Him can never be separated from his own Spirit. And equally, whoever has received the Father has effectively received both the Son and the Spirit. For it is impossible to mentally imagine any section or division, so that either the Son is imagined without the Father, or the Spirit is separated from the Son; but on the contrary, we find between Them some kind of indescribable and unthinkable, both communication and division; neither the difference of hypostases dissolves the continuity of nature, nor the community of essence merges the distinctive features. Have you ever seen the glow of an arc in the clouds in the spring? I mean the arc that, according to common usage, we are accustomed to calling a rainbow. Those who know about this say that it is formed when some kind of moisture is dissolved in the air; because the force of the winds bends everything moist and condensed in evaporation, already formed into a cloud, into rain. And a rainbow is made, as they say, in this way. When a sunbeam, passing indirectly through the thickness and darkness of the clouds, then directly hits some cloud with its circle; then it is as if there is some bending and the light returning to itself, because the light from the wet and shiny goes back in the opposite direction. For, since fire-like reflections have the property, if they fall on something smooth, bending over, returning again to themselves, - and the image of the sun produced by a ray in moist and smooth air is round - then, of necessity, in the air adjacent to the cloud, the glowing radiance describes something similar to the image of the solar circle. Thus, the same light is continuous in itself and divided. Being multi-colored and multi-shaped, it is inconspicuously painted with different colors, in an inconspicuous way for our eyes, concealing the mutual merging of unequally colored particles, so that between blue and fiery color, or between fiery and purple, or between this latter and amber, it is impossible to recognize the middle in which different colors are mixed and separated from one another; because the reflections of all colored rays, visible together, are white, and, concealing the signs of mutual contact, remain indistinguishable, so that it is impossible to find where a fiery or emerald ray ends in a colored radiance, and where it begins to be no longer what we see in a white radiance. Therefore, just as in this similarity we clearly recognize the differences in colors, and cannot distinguish with our senses the distance from one color to another, so consider the possibility of imagining something similar regarding divine dogmas. Although the hypostatic properties, like a certain color visible in the rainbow, shine in each of the Persons confessed in the Holy Trinity, however, in reasoning about the natural properties, it is impossible to imagine any difference in one Person with another, but with a common essence, distinctive properties shine in each Person. For even there, in the likeness, there was one essence emitting this multi-colored radiance, and it was refracted in the sun’s ray, but the color of the phenomenon is multi-faceted. Likewise, through creation, reason teaches us not to find strange in the teaching of dogma, when, having encountered something difficult to understand, we become perplexed as to whether to agree to what is said. Just as in the reasoning of what is visible with the eyes it turned out that experience is better than the concept of cause, so in dogmas that exceed reason, in comparison with what the understanding comprehends, faith is better, which teaches us about what is separate in hypostasis and what is united in essence. So, since our word revealed both the common and the distinctive in the Holy Trinity, the concept of community is raised to essence, and hypostasis is the distinctive attribute of each Person. b) St. Basil the Great from a letter (228) to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium Both essence and hypostasis have the same difference between themselves as there is between the general and the individual, for example, between a living being and such and such a person. Therefore, we confess one essence in the Divinity and do not define the concepts of being differently; and we confess the hypostasis in particular, so that our thoughts about the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are unified and clear. For if we do not represent the distinctive characteristics of each Person, namely: fatherland, sonship and shrine, and confess God under the general concept of being, then it is impossible for us to sensibly present the teachings of faith. Therefore, adding the distinctive to the general, one must confess faith like this: the Divinity is general, the fatherland is special. Combining this, we must say: I believe in God the Father. And again we must act similarly when confessing the Son, combining the particular with the general, and say: I believe in God the Son. And in a similar way, about the Holy Spirit, combining the sentence according to the same model, we should say: I believe in God the Holy Spirit, in order to completely maintain unity by confessing the Divinity, and to confess the distinctiveness of Persons by distinguishing the properties assigned to each Person. c) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 31st word on theology of the fifth We have one God, because there is one Godhead. And those who exist from God are raised to the One, although they believe in the Three; because just as One is no more, so the Other is no less is God; and One is not before, and the other is not after: They are not separated by will, and are not divided by force, and all that does not take place that only happens in divisible things. On the contrary, to put it briefly, the Divinity in the divided is indivisible, as in three suns, which are contained one in the other, one dissolution of light. Therefore, when we have in our thoughts the Divinity, the first cause and the unity of command, then what we represent is one. And when we have in our thoughts those in whom the Divinity is, those who exist from the first Cause, and those who exist from It before time and equally, then the Worshiped Ones are three. They will say: “What? Isn’t it the same Godhead among the pagans, as those of them who were more philosophic than others teach? And we have a whole race - one humanity. However, the pagans, like us people, have many gods, not just one.” - But there, although the community has unity, represented, however, mentally, there are still many indivisibles, and they are divided among themselves by time, passions and strength. For we are not only complex, but also opposite, both to each other and to ourselves; not to mention our whole life, we are not even one day exactly the same, but we constantly flow and change both in body and soul. But I don’t know if the angels and every heavenly nature other than the Trinity are perhaps the same, although they are simple and, due to their closeness to the Supreme Good, are firmly established in goodness. On the contrary, each of the Persons of the Divine, by the identity of essence and power, has the same unity with the United One as with Himself. Such is the concept of this unity, as far as we comprehend it. 5. Hypostatic properties of the Persons of the Holy Trinity and Their mutual relationships a) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the 4th letter to Bishop Serapion The Father is always the Father, and the Son is always the Son, and the Holy Spirit is always there and is called the Holy Spirit. This does not exist in human relations, although the Arians imagine it. As it is written: God is not like man (Num. 23:19), so we can say that people are not like God. Among people, a father is not always a father, and a son is not always a son. He who is a father to a son was himself the son of another, and the son of fathers, being a son, becomes the father of another. Abraham, being the son of Nahor, became the father of Isaac, and Isaac, being the son of Abraham, became the father of Jacob. Each, forming part of a clan, is born a son, but he himself becomes the father of another. But in the Divinity it is not the same, because God is not like a man. The Father is not from the Father, therefore he does not give birth to a father who will give birth to another. The Son is not a part of the Father, therefore it is not a birth that would itself give birth to a son. And therefore, in the one Godhead, the Father, being the Father in the proper sense and the only Father, is, and was, and will always be the Father; and the Son is in the proper sense the Son and the only Son. About them it is certain that the Father is and is always called the Father, and the Son is always the Son, and the Holy Spirit is always the Holy Spirit; and we believe that He is the Spirit of God, and is given through the Son from the Father. Thus, the Holy Trinity, cognizable in the one Divinity, remains unchanged. b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 25th word, in praise of the philosopher Iron Teach to know both the one unbegotten God - the Father, and the one begotten Lord - the Son (called God when He is spoken of separately, and Lord when He is called with the Father, God - by nature, Lord - by unity) and the one Holy Spirit, who proceeded or proceeds from the Father, God for those who understand wisely is offered (Prov. 23:1), disputed by the wicked, but those who are higher than them, recognized, and even more spiritually preached. Teach us not to make the Father subordinate (so as not to introduce something that is more primary than the original, and which will pervert the existence of the original), and not to make the Son or the Holy Spirit without beginning (so as not to take away from the Father what is characteristic of Him). For they are not without beginning, and together in a certain respect (which is the difficulty) they are without beginning. They are not without beginning in relation to the Author, because, like light from the sun, so They are from God, although not after Him. But They are also beginningless in relation to time, because they are not under time, otherwise the fluid would be older than the permanent and the dependent - independent. Teach not to introduce three principles, so as not to introduce anything pagan or polytheistic, and even when introducing one, not to introduce any Jewish principle - meager, envious, powerless, or assuming that the Divinity is absorbed by itself (as it pleases those who, although they produce the Son from the Father, but again resolve into the Father), or (which is what modern sages like) humiliating the nature of the Son and Spirit and alienating from the Divine, as if It were afraid of confrontation and does not have the power to produce anything higher than creatures. Teach not to recognize the Son as unbegotten (because the Father is one) and the Spirit as the Son (because there is one Only Begotten). Let these Divine properties belong to Them in an exclusive way, namely: to the Son - sonship, but to the Spirit - procession, and not sonship. Teach to truly call the Father Father and in a much more true sense than what our earthly fathers are called; because He is the Father in the only sense, that is, uniquely, and not in the likeness of the carnal fathers, - the Unique Father, that is, not in combination with anyone, - the Father of the Only Son, that is, the Only Begotten, - the Father exclusively, that is, not previously being the Son, - the Father of the entire Son (which cannot be reliably said about our fathers), - the Father from the beginning, that is, not subsequently becoming the Father. Teach to truly call the Son the Son, because He is the only Son of the One and Only Father, the Son in the only sense and exclusively, and not together with the Father, the Son entirely and entirely of the Father, the Son from the beginning, who never began to be the Son; because not as a result of the use of advice - His Divinity, but as a result of prosperity - His deification, so that the Father was never Father and the Son - Son. Teach to call the Holy Spirit truly Holy; because no one else is holy in this way and to such an extent, and the Holiness of the Spirit is not something subordinate, but self-originating, it is not something increasing or decreasing, something beginning and ending in time. What is common to both the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is the non-beginning of being and Divinity; but it belongs to the Son and the Spirit to have their being from the Father. And the distinctive property of the Father is ungeneracy, and the Son is begotten, and the Holy Spirit is originality. When you strive to comprehend the image (of birth and procession), then what do you leave to them themselves, who, according to the testimony of Scripture, only know each other and are known to each other (1 Cor. 2:11), or what do you leave to those of us who will subsequently be enlightened there [i.e. heavenly] light? First do one of the things that has been said or something similar, and then you will know as much as They know each other. Now teach us to know this only: the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in the worshiped Unity, in Which both separateness and unity are incomprehensible. Do not be afraid that, by confessing birth, you will attribute passion to the Divine. The deity, although it gives birth, does not suffer. And I guarantee you this, that It gives birth divinely, and not humanly, because His being is not human. Be afraid to attribute time and creation to God; for if it occurred in time, then it is not God. Be afraid that, unnecessarily standing for God, you do not reject God, making into your fellow creature the One who is equal to the Father in Divinity, Who will free you from slavery if you sincerely confess His sovereignty. Do not be afraid to confess the procession, because God, who is abundant in everything, has no need to either not to exhaust or to exhaust. Fear alienation and the threat that was announced not to those who theologize, but to those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31,32). c) St. Basil the Great from a conversation against the Sabellians, Arius and Anomeans Do not be afraid of the confession of Persons, but call the Father, call two names, but from each naming recognize a special thought. For it is terrible ingratitude to not accept the instructions of the Lord, Who separately presents to us the difference of Persons. He says: I will ask the Father, and He will send you another Comforter (John 14:16). Therefore, the Son is suppliant, the Father is supplicated, and the Comforter is sent. Isn’t your shamelessness clear when you hear about the Son: I am, about the Father He is, about the Holy Spirit is Other, and you mix everything up, merge everything, attach all the names to one? However, do not turn the division of Persons into a reason for wickedness. For although two in number, they are inseparable by nature; and whoever says two does not introduce alienation. One God, He is also the Father, One God and Son. And not two Gods, because the Son has identity with the Father [in essence]. For I do not contemplate another Divinity in the Father, but another in the Son; not another nature is the Father’s, but another is the Son’s. Therefore, in order to make clear to you the distinctiveness of the Persons, consider the Father especially and the Son especially, but in order not to fall into polytheism, confess a single essence in both. But when I name one essence, do not imagine that one is divided into two, but that the Son is from the Father, as from the beginning, and not the Father and the Son from one supreme beginning. For we do not call brothers, but we confess the Father and the Son. And the identity of essence is that the Son was not produced from the Father by command, but was born from nature; He was not separated from the Father, but the perfect one shone forth from the one who remained perfect. And you, who either did not fully comprehend what was said, or came with the intention of ridiculing us, not looking to borrow something useful from us, but looking to see if it is possible to become attached to any of what was said, do not rush to say: “he preaches two Gods, proclaims polytheism!” There are not two Gods, because there are not two Fathers. Whoever introduces two principles preaches two Gods. Where there is one beginning and one thing from the beginning - one prototype and one image - there the concept of unity is not violated. Therefore, the Son, being born of the Father, and naturally imprinting the Father in Himself, as an image, is indifferent to the Father, but as a birth, retains in Himself those of one essence with Him. Whoever looks at the royal image in the marketplace and says that what is depicted in the picture is a king, recognizes not two kings, that is, the image and the one whose image; and if, pointing to the person painted in the picture, he says: “this is the king,” he will not deprive the prototype of the royal title, or rather, by recognizing the image he confirms the honor given to the king. For if the image is a king, then all the more should the one who served as the cause of the image be a king. But here wood and wax, and the art of the painter produce a corruptible image - an imitation of the corruptible, and an artificial one - an imitation of the created. But there, when you hear the word image, understand the radiance of glory. What kind of radiance is this? And what kind of glory? The Apostle himself soon interpreted this, adding: and the image of the Hypostasis (Heb. 1:3). Therefore, the Hypostasis is identical with glory, and the image is identical with radiance. Therefore, just as glory remains perfect and does not diminish, so the radiance emanates perfect. And in this case, the concept of the image, taken divinely, leads us to the unity of the Divine. For the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Father; therefore the Son is the same as the Father, and the Father is the same as the Son. Thus the two remain in unity, because they do not differ, and the Son is understood not in a different form or in a new image. So, again I say: One and One, but the nature is indivisible, perfection without flaws. There is one God, because in the Father and the Son a single form is contemplated, which is entirely revealed in One and the other. What I said about the Son, namely, that the special Person of the Son must be confessed, I must say the same about the Holy Spirit. For the Spirit is not the same as the Father, although it is written: the Spirit is God (John 4:24); and again, not one Person of the Son and the Spirit, although it is said: if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. Christ is in you (Rom. 8:9–10). For from this some have falsely concluded that the Spirit and Christ are one and the same Person. But what can we say to this? The fact that from this the affinity of nature is revealed, and not the unity of Persons. For there is a Father who has a perfect and inexhaustible existence, the root and source of the Son and the Holy Spirit. But there is also the Son, the living Word in full Divinity and the in no way scanty Birth of the Father. But the Spirit is also full. He is not a part of anything else, but is perfect and complete, contemplated in Himself. And just as the Son is inseparably united with the Father, so the Spirit is united with the Son. For there is nothing that demarcates or dissects the eternal union. No age lies between Them; and our soul does not allow even the thought of separation, so that either the Only Begotten would not always be with the Father, or the Holy Spirit would not exist together with the Son. Therefore, when we unite the Trinity, do not imagine as if there were three parts of one inseparable one (such reasoning is evil), but understand the inseparable coexistence of the Three incorporeal perfect ones. St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 7th Catechetical Sermon Let us accept the saving teaching of the true faith, combining with the dignity of unity of command both the Fatherland and the Fatherland in God and believing in one God the Father. For not only must we believe in one God, but we also piously accept that this one God is the Father of our Only Begotten Lord Jesus Christ. Through this, in our way of thinking we will become higher than the Jews, who, although they include among their dogmas that there is one God, do not accept that He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, thinking contrary to their own prophets, who say in the Divine Scriptures: The Lord speaks to Me: You are My Son, today I have begotten You (Ps. 2:7). The Jews to this day reel and gather together against the Lord and His Christ (Ps. 2:1), they think that it is possible to please the Father without pious faith in the Son, they do not know that no one will come to the Father except by the Son (John 14:6), Who says: I am the door (John 10:7), and I am the way (John 14:6). Therefore, whoever renounces the path that leads to the Father and renounces the door, will he be worthy of entry into God? But let the Jews, when it pleases them, suffer from their usual unbelief, and we accept the pious teaching of faith, worshiping the one God, the Father of Christ (for it is wicked to deprive Him of the One who gives everyone the power to give birth), and we believe in the one God the Father, so that before we teach the doctrine of Christ, by the very fact that it is said about the Father, the soul of those who hear is in no way separated from teachings about the Father, faith in Christ. The name of the Father, together with the pronunciation of this naming, makes it possible to understand the Son, just as the one who names the Son immediately imagines the Father in thought. For if the Father, then, of course, the Father is to the Son; and if the Son, then, of course, the Father's Son. Therefore, so that when we say this: in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible, and we add later: and in one Lord Jesus Christ, another would not make the wicked assumption that the Only Begotten has a second place in order after heaven and earth - before naming heaven and earth, we called God Father, so that, together with the idea of the Father, we would represent in our thoughts and Son, because between the Father and the Son there is nothing separating them. God in an improper sense is the Father of many, but by nature and in reality he is the Father of one only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. He acquired this not in time, that He might be a Father, but He is always the Father of the Only Begotten; He was not childless before and did not subsequently become a Father; but before any hypostasis, before any sensation, before time and all centuries, the Father has paternal dignity, being adorned with it more than all other dignities, and he became the Father not by passion, not by copulation, not in ignorance, not because he suffered an expiration, diminished, changed. For every gift is perfect, coming down from above from the Father of lights, but with Him there is no use or change (James 1:17). The perfect Father gave birth to a perfect Son, and gave everything to the Begotten; for, He says, all things were handed over to Me by My Father (Matthew 11:27). And the Only Begotten honors the Father: “I honor the Father,” says the Son (John 8:49); and again: just as I have kept the commandments of My Father, and abide in His love (John 15:10). Therefore, we say, like the apostle: Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of generous gifts and the God of all joy (2 Cor. 1:3). And we bow our knees to the Father, from Him the whole family in heaven and on earth is named (Eph. 3:14, 15), glorifying Him together with the Only Begotten (for whoever rejects the Father, rejects the Son also), and again: confess that he has a Son and a Father (John 2:23), and knowing that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father ( Phil. 2:11). So, we worship the Father of Christ, the Creator of heaven and earth, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in whose honor the former church here in front of us was built 34. For we will not tolerate heretics who cut off the Old Testament from the New, but we will believe in Christ, who speaks of the sanctuary: Do you not know that in those who are My Father I am worthy to be (Luke 2:49), and also: Take this from here and do not make My Father’s house a purchased house (John 2:16). And this most clearly confirms that the former image in Jerusalem was the house of His Father. If anyone, out of unbelief, wants to have even greater proof that the Father of Christ is also the Creator of the world, then let him hear what Christ also says: are not two birds valued by one assar? And not one of them will fall to earth without My Father, who is in heaven (Matthew 10:29). Also: look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them (Matthew 6:26); and My Father works hitherto, and I work (John 5:17). But lest anyone, out of simplicity or cunning, assume that Christ is equal in honor to righteous people, because He Himself says: I ascend to My Father and your Father (John 20:17), it is best to explain in advance that although the name of the Father is one, the power of the meaning of this name is different. And knowing this, Christ prudently said: I will ascend to My Father and your Father. He does not say: to our Father, but first divides and names His Father: to My Father, that is, to the Father by nature, then adds: and to your Father, i.e. To the father by assignment. For, although we have been privileged to say in our prayers: Our Father, who art in heaven (Matthew 6:9), this is a gift of love for mankind. Not as those born by nature from the heavenly Father, we call Him Father, but we are privileged to say this with ineffable love for mankind, as by the grace of the Father through the Son and the Holy Spirit we were brought from slavery to sonship. If anyone wants to find out in what sense we call God Father, then let him listen to the excellent mentor Moses, who says: Is not this your Father who acquired you, and created you, and created you (Deut. 32:6), and also the prophet Isaiah: and now, O Lord, art thou our Father, but we are clay, the work of all things by thy hand (Is. 64:8). Prophetic grace very clearly depicted that we call God our Father not by nature, but by the grace of God and by appropriation. And in order to know more precisely that in the Divine Scriptures more than one is certainly called a father by nature, listen to what Paul says: Even though there were many who cared for Christ, yet there were not many fathers in Christ, for I gave birth to Jesus by the gospel (1 Cor. 4:15). Paul was the father of the Corinthians, not because he begat them according to the flesh, but because he taught them and regenerated them spiritually. Listen to Job, who says: I was a father to the weak (Job 29:16). He called himself a father not in the sense that he gave birth to everyone, but in the sense that he took care of them. And the Only Begotten Son of God Himself, during the suffering of the cross, nailed in the flesh to the tree, seeing Mary, His Mother according to the flesh, and the most beloved of the disciples, John, said to the disciple: behold your mother, and to Mary: behold your son (John 19: 26, 27), thereby teaching proper love, and indirectly resolving what was said in Luke: both his father and his mother miracles (Luke 2:33), which the heretics seize upon, saying that Christ was born of a man and a wife. For just as Mary is the mother of John out of love, and not because she gave birth to Him, so Joseph is called the father of Christ not because he gave birth to Him (for, according to the Gospel, without knowing her, he gave birth to his first-born Son (Matthew 1:25)), but for his care in raising him. Let this now be told to you in passing, as if for memory. But let us add other evidence to prove that God is not called the Father of men in the proper sense. When Isaiah addresses God: If you are our Father, before Abraham saw us and Sarah did not bear us (Isaiah 63:16), is it necessary to go into further inquiry about this? And if the psalmist says: let them be troubled at the presence of Him, the Father of the orphans and the Judge of widows (Ps. 67:6), then is it not obvious to everyone that God, who is called the Father of orphans who have recently lost their fathers, is so named not because He Himself gave birth to them, but because He cares for them and protects them. But as it is said, He is the Father of men not in the proper sense, but He is the Father of the one Christ by nature, and not by appropriation, and the Father of men in time, and the Father of Christ before time, as He Himself says: and now Thou, Father, glorify Me with thee with the glory which I had with thee before the world was not (John 17:5). So, we believe in one God the Father, unsearchable and inscrutable. None of the people saw him, but the Only Begotten confessed (John 1:18). For he is from God, he is in the form of God (John 6:46). His Face is constantly seen by the Angels in heaven, but each one sees it according to his own rank, but the fullness of seeing the Father is clearly observed to the Son with the Holy Spirit. a) St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 10th and 11th ecclesiastical words Having learned to believe in one God the Father, the Almighty, we must also believe in the only begotten Son. For if you reject the Son, you will not have the Father (1 John 2:23). “I am the door,” says Jesus (John 10:9). No one will come to the Father except by Me (John 14:6). If you reject this door, then knowledge will be closed for you, leading you to the Father. No one knows the Father except the Son, and to whom the Son will reveal it (Matthew 11:26). If you reject the Giver of revelation, you will remain in ignorance. The Gospel states a definition: whoever does not believe in the Son will not see the life, but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36). For the Father is angry when the only begotten Son is humiliated. It is intolerable to the king if even a simple warrior is dishonored. And when one of his eminent bodyguards or friends is dishonored, then his anger increases even more. If someone insults the Tsar’s only begotten son, who will plead with the father, angry at the insult to his only begotten son? Therefore, if anyone wants to honor God piously, then let him worship the Son; otherwise the Father does not accept service. The Father cried from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17); The Father favored the Son. If you do not show favor, you will not have life in you. Do not be carried away by what the Jews slyly say: “There is one God,” but, having come to know the one God, know that there is also the only begotten Son of God. I was not the first to say this, but the psalmist on behalf of the Son says: The Lord speaks to Me: You are My Son (Ps. 2:7). Therefore, pay attention not to what the Jews say, but to what the prophets say. Why are you surprised if those who stoned and killed the prophets regard prophetic broadcasts as nothing? Believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. We call one Lord Jesus Christ, and the sonship will be the only begotten. We call him one, so that you do not assume another son. So that the multitude of names does not make you think that there are many sons, and because of the error of the heretics who claim that one is Christ, another is Jesus, another is the door, and so on, the creed warns you, beautifully speaking: in one Lord Jesus Christ. For although there are many names, the Named One is one. The Savior is beneficial to everyone in a special way. To those who need joy He is a vine. For those who need to enter, He is the door. For those who need to offer prayers, He is the Intercessor and the Bishop. Also for those who have sins there is a sheep to be slain for them. He is everything to everyone, but He remains within Himself, as He is by nature. For being such and having the truly immutable dignity of sonship, as the best physician and compassionate mentor, He adapts to our infirmities, while He is in reality the Lord, not because of drunkenness He received the right to rule, but by nature has the dignity of rule, and not in any improper sense, as we are called masters, but in truth itself is called Lord; because, at the behest of the Father, He rules over His own creations. We rule over our equals and subservients, and often over our elders, and often a young master rules over old servants; but this is not the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ; on the contrary, He is first the Creator, and then the Lord; first he created everything according to the Father’s will, and then he rules over what comes from Him. One must not simply believe in Christ Jesus, and one must accept this not as one of many improperly named Christs, for those were Christs transformatively, but this is the true Christ; and He is not a man who through success has reached the priesthood, but always has priestly dignity from the Father. And that is why the creed, warning us against the assumption that He is one of those who are called only Christ, adds to the confession of faith that we believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. And again, when you hear the name Son, understand not a son by appropriation, but a son by nature, the only begotten Son, Who has no other brother. For He is called the only begotten, because in the dignity of the Divinity and by birth from the Father He has no brother. We call Him the Son of God not on our own, but because the Father Himself called this Christ Son. And the name that fathers give to their children is true. Our Lord Jesus Christ then became man, but was unknown to many. Wanting to teach the unknown, he gathers disciples and asks: Who do they say that I am, the Son of man (Matthew 16:13)? He asks not out of vanity, but wanting to show them the truth, so that, being with God, the only begotten of God, they would not neglect Him as if they were some simple person. When the disciples said: some Elijah, others Jeremiah (Matthew 16:14), then he answered them: “It is excused for not knowing; and you, the apostles, who in My name cleanse lepers, cast out demons and raise the dead, must not fail to know the One by whom you perform miracles.” When everyone was silent (for what was taught exceeded human understanding), then the foremost of the apostles and the supreme preacher of the Church, Peter, not resorting to refined words and not being convinced by human reason, but having a mind enlightened by the Father, said to Him: You are the Christ, and not just the Christ, but the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16). And this saying (it was truly above human understanding) will be followed by satisfaction, and the seal of what was spoken will be served by what the Father has revealed. For the Savior says: blessed are you, Simon var Jonah, for flesh and blood have not been revealed to you, but My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 16:17). Therefore, whoever confesses our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is a partaker of bliss, and whoever denies the Son of God is poor and pitiful. And again, when you hear the name Son, do not take what you hear in an improper sense, but understand the actual Son, Son by nature, without beginning, not from slavery gradually reaching sonship, but Son from eternity, born of an unknown and incomprehensible birth. Therefore, when you hear what the Gospel says: the book of the relationship of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1), understand birth according to the flesh. For the Son of David is at the end of the ages, and the Son of God is before all ages, without beginning. And he perceived one thing, but had not had it before; and the other has, and has forever, being born of the Father. He has two fathers - David according to the flesh and God the Father according to the Divinity. But the birth according to David is subject to time and is sought and produced according to genealogy; birth according to the Divine is not subject to either time or place, and has no genealogy. For he who confesseth his generation (Isa. 53:8) The Spirit is God (John 4:24). And since He is Spirit, He gave birth spiritually, as if incorporeal, by an unknown and incomprehensible birth. The Son Himself speaks of the Father: The Lord speaks to Me: You are My Son, I have given birth to You today (Ps. 2:7). The word today does not mean a moment, but the eternal today, pre-temporal - that which is before all ages. From the womb before the star I gave birth to Thee (Ps. 109:3). Therefore, believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, and the only begotten Son, according to what is said in the Gospel: for God loved the world, as He gave His only begotten Son to eat, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16) And again: whoever believes in the Son will not be condemned (John 3:18), but will pass from death to life (John 5:24). ); But whoever does not believe in the Son will not see the life, but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36); because he did not believe in the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18). Testifying about Him, John said: and we have seen His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, filled with grace and truth (John 1:14). The trembling demons said: leave it to us and to you Jesus (Luke 4:34), the Son of the Living God (Mk. 5:7)? Therefore, the Son is true God, has the Father in Himself, and was not transformed into the Father. For it was not the Father who became man, but the Son. Let the truth be spoken freely! It was not the Father who suffered for us, but the Father who sent Him who suffered for us. We will not say: it was when there was no Son, we will not accept sonship, but we will follow the royal path, we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left (Num. 20:17). Just as, thinking to honor the Son, we do not call the Son Father, so, thinking to honor the Father, we will not assume that the Son is one of the creatures. But may we worship one Father through one Son, and may worship not be divided. Let the one Son be proclaimed, who before the ages sat at the right hand of the Father, and who did not receive these neighbors for success over time through suffering, but who have them forever. Seeing the Son, seeing the Father (John 14:9); because the Son is in every way similar to the One who begot, being born life from life, light from light, power from power, God from God, and the distinctive properties of the Divinity are not interchangeable in the Son. He who is worthy to see the Divinity of Son enjoys the contemplation of the One who gave birth. This is not my word, but the only begotten Son: I have been with you for so long, and I did not know Me, Philip; seeing Me, seeing the Father (John 14:9) And I will say in short: we will neither divide nor merge. Do not say that the Son is sometimes alien to the Father; do not agree with those who claim that the Father is sometimes the Father and sometimes the Son. Such teachings are alien, ungodly and do not belong to the Church. On the contrary, the Father, having given birth to the Son, remained the Father and does not change. He gave birth to Wisdom, but He Himself did not become wise; having given birth to Power, He did not faint; Having given birth to God, He Himself did not lose the Divinity. And He has lost nothing by diminishing or changing, and the Begotten One has no lack of anything. The Begotten is perfect, the Begotten and the Begotten God are perfect, and the Begotten is God. He is the God of all, but He calls the Father His God, for He is not ashamed to say: I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God (John 20:17). Therefore, the Son of God is the true God, inexplicably born before the ages. I tell you the same thing over and over again so that it will be imprinted on your mind. And that God has a Son, believe this, but how he has it, do not try to find out; because if you look for it, you won’t find it. Do not rise up, lest you fall (Sir. 1:30). Whatever you are commanded, understand this (Sir. 3:22). Tell me first who is the Begotten, and then find out about the Begotten. If you cannot understand the nature of the One who was born, then do not be curious about the method of birth. For piety it is enough for you to know that God has only one Son, the only one born naturally, who did not begin to be when he was born in Bethlehem, but who existed before all ages. Listen to what the prophet Micah says: and you, Bethlehem, house of Ephrath, have you little food to be among the thousands of Judah? From you will come forth for Me an Elder who will shepherd My people - Israel, and He will go forth from the beginning from the days of the age (Mic. 5:2; cf. Matt. 2:6). Therefore, do not pay attention to Him who is from Bethlehem now, but worship Him from all eternity who was born of the Father. Do not agree with those who attribute a temporal beginning to the Son, but know the Father, a pre-temporal beginning, because the beginning of the Son is pre-temporal, incomprehensible, without beginning, namely, the Father, the source of the river of righteousness of the Only Begotten, the Father who begot Him, as He alone knows. And do you want to know that our Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal King? Listen again to what He Himself says: Abraham your Father would rejoice, that he might see My day, and be glad (John 8:56). Then, when the Jews found it difficult to accept this, he says that it was more difficult for them: before even Abraham did not exist, I am (John 8:58). And he also says to the Father: and now you, Father, have glorified Me with yourself with the glory that I had with you, before the world was not (John 17:5). By this He clearly said: “Before the world was broken, I had glory with You.” And again, saying: Because you loved Me before the foundation of the world (John 17:24), he clearly expresses: “I have eternal glory with You.” Therefore, we believe in the One Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who was born of the Father, the true God before all ages, and in Him all things were. For if there be thrones, if there are dominions, if there are beginnings, if there are powers (Col. 1:16), all things were created by Him (John 1:3), and nothing created was taken out of His power. Let the tongue that blasphemes against Christ, the Son of God, be silenced. Let those who assert that the sun is Christ be silent, for He is the Creator of the sun, and not the visible sun. Let those who claim that the world is the creation of angels, and those who intend to steal dignity from the Only Begotten, be silent. For whether visible or invisible, whether thrones, whether dominions, or anything else that is named, everything was brought into being by Christ. He reigns over those created by Him, not a stranger by taking captivity, but reigning over His creatures, as the Evangelist John said: all things were by this, because the Father works through the Son. Whether you call it angels, or archangels, or dominions, or thrones, Christ created everything - not because the Father was not able to create by Himself, but because He was pleased that the Son should reign over what He had created, Himself giving Him the destinies of what was being created. For the Only Begotten, honoring His Father, says: The Son cannot do anything for Himself unless He sees the Father doing it; Whatever He does, the Son also does likewise (John 5:19). And again: My Father works hitherto, and I work (John 5:17). And at the same time there is no contradiction in what is being done; for all that is mine is yours, and yours is mine (John 17:10), says the Lord in the Gospel. This can be clearly seen from the Old and New Testaments. For the one who said: Let us create man in Our image and likeness (Gen. 1:26), without a doubt, was talking with someone Co-existing. The psalmist said much more clearly: That was what he said; He commanded it, and it was created (Ps. 32:9); since the Father commands and speaks, and the Son, at His behest, creates everything. So, Christ is the only begotten Son of God and the Creator of the world. For in the world there was no, and the world was. And He will come, as the Gospel teaches us (John 1:10, 11). Not only the visible, but also the invisible Creator, at the behest of the Father, is Christ. For, according to the word of the Apostle, by Him all things were created, both in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, even thrones, even dominions, even beginnings, even powers; everything was created by Him and about Him and is before all, and everything will take place in Him (Col. 1:16, 17). If you name the eyelids themselves, then these too, by the will of the Father, the Creator is Jesus Christ. For in the last days of these words He spoke to us in the Son, and set Him as an heir to all, and in Him also created the worlds (Heb. 1:1). b) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the 3rd word in Arians I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me. The Son is in the Father, as far as this can be comprehended, because the entire existence of the Son actually belongs to the Father’s essence; The Son is from the Father, like a radiance from light, like a stream from a source. Therefore, whoever sees the Son sees and imagines what actually belongs to the Father. Thus, the existence of the Son, being from the Father, is in the Father. And the Father is in the Son. For what is truly from the Father is the Son. He is in the Son as the sun is in the radiance, as the mind is in the word, as the source is in the stream. Thus, whoever sees the Son sees and represents what actually belongs to the Father’s essence; because the Father is in the Son. Since the existence of the Son is the Father's image and the Father's Divinity, it follows that the Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son. Therefore, the Savior rightly said before: I and the Father are one (John 10:30), added: I am in the Father, and the Father in Me, to show the identity of the Divinity and the unity of essence. They are one not in the sense that one is divided into two parts, which themselves constitute one; and not in the sense that one is named twice, so that the same one is sometimes the Father, and sometimes the Son of Himself. On the contrary, two are in number, because the Father is the Father, and He is not the Son, and the Son is the Son, and He is not the Father; but the nature is one, because Birth is not unlike the One who gave birth and is His image, and everything that belongs to the Father also belongs to the Son. Therefore, the Son is not another God, for he was not invented from outside. Otherwise, without a doubt, there would have been many gods, if an alien Deity had been invented, besides the Deity of the Father. If the Son is anything other than birth, then He is the same as God. He and the Father are one, as it has been said, by the nature and affinity of nature and by the identity of the one Divinity. For radiance is light, and not second to the sun, not another light, not light according to the communion of light, but entirely its own generation. The same generation is necessarily one light, and no one will say that these are two lights; but although the sun and radiance are two, yet there is one light from the sun, shining everywhere in radiance. So the Divinity of the Son is the Divinity of the Father, and therefore it is inseparable; and thus there is one God, and there is no other besides Him. Since They are one, and the Divinity is one and the same, then, in addition to the name “Father,” the same thing is said about the Son that is said about the Father; for example, the Son is called God: and God is the Word, - Almighty (Rev. 1:8), - Lord: there is one Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 8:6). It is said that the Son is light: I am light (John 8:12); - blots out sins: but let him know, it is said, that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins (Luke 5:24). And you will find much more. For the Son Himself says: all that the Father has is Mine (John 16:15), and again: Mine is Thine essence (John 17:10). Whoever hears that what is characteristic of the Father is said about the Son, through this he will see the Father in the Son; He will also see the Son in the Father, when what is said about the Son is also said about the Father. Why is it said about the Son that it is characteristic of the Father? Is it not because the Son is the Father's birth? Why does that which belongs to the Son also belong to the Father? Is it not again because the Son is the own birth of the Father's essence? Being the own birth of the Father's essence, the Son rightly calls His own what belongs to the Father. Therefore, appropriately and in accordance with what was said: I and the Father are one, he added: Yes, you understand that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me, and before that he also said: he who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9). And these three sayings have the same meaning. Thus, whoever understands that the Son and the Father are one, knows that the Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son, because the Divinity of the Son is the Divinity of the Father, and it is the same in the Son. And whoever comprehends this believes that he who sees the Son sees the Father, because in the Son the Divinity of the Father is contemplated. Since the Son is the image of the Father, it is necessary to imagine that the Divinity of the Father and His inherent existence is the existence of the Son. This is what it means: Who is in the image of God, and the Father is in Me. And not only in part is the image of the Divinity, but the fullness of the Father’s Divinity is the being of the Son, and the Son is entirely God. Therefore, being equal to God, it is not by rapture that one is equal to God (Phil. 2:6). And also, since the Divinity and image of the Son belong to no one else but the Father, this means what is said: I am in the Father. So God is in Christ, reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor. 5:19). For the Son is the property of the Father's essence, in Him creation is reconciled with God. So, what the Son did, all these are the works of the Father. For the Son is the image of the Father's Deity, which accomplished the works. Thus, whoever looks at the Son sees the Father; for in the Father's Divinity the Son is and is contemplated, and the Father's image in the Son shows the Father in Him, and thus the Father in the Son. And what is characteristic of the Father and the Divinity in the Son shows the Son in the Father and the fact that the Son is always not separated from the Father. And whoever hears what is said about the Father, or sees how it is also said about the Son, not in the sense that by grace or by communion this has ascended into the essence of the Son, but in the fact that the very existence of the Son is the own birth of the Father’s essence, he, as noted above, will well understand what is said: I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, and: I and the Father are one. The Son is the same as the Father, because he has everything that is characteristic of the Father, and therefore is implied with the name of the Father; no one calls him Father when there is no Son. Whoever calls God the Creator does not necessarily mean the created, because the Creator is before the creatures; but whoever calls God Father, together with the Father, also implies the existence of the Son. Therefore, whoever believes in the Son believes in the Father, because he believes in the inherent essence of the Father. And thus, one thing is faith in the One God. Whoever worships the Son and honors Him, in the Son he worships the Father and honors the Father, because the Divinity is one. Therefore, there is one honor and one worship, namely that which is given to the Father in the Son and through Him; and the one who worships thus worships the One God, because God is one, and there is no other besides Him. Therefore, when one Father is called God, and it is said that God is one: I am, and there is no God except Me (Deut. 32:39), and: I am the first and I am hereafter (Is. 44:6); then this is said beautifully, because there is one God, the only and the first. But this is not said to deny the Son. Let this not happen! For He is in the one and first and only, as the only Word of the one, and first, and only, His Wisdom and radiance. But He Himself is the first and the fulfillment of the first and only Divinity, the complete and perfect God. c) St. Basil the Great from the 2nd book of “Refutations of the defensive speech of the evil Eunomius” The God of all is the Father from infinite eternity, and did not ever begin to be a Father. For the lack of strength did not prevent the fulfillment of His will, nor did He wait for the expiration of some centuries, so that, like people and other living beings, having reached a mature age, when the power of childbearing would come, he could receive what he wanted (only crazy people can think and talk about Him in this way): on the contrary, He has in Himself, if I can call it that, a patronymic coextensive with His eternity. Therefore, the Son, pre-existing and always existing, did not begin to be at any time; but when the Father, then the Son, and with the thought of the Father the thought of the Son is immediately united, for it is obvious that the Father is the Father of the Son. – There is no beginning for the Father; and the beginning of the Son is the Father: and between Them there is nothing in between. How then did He not exist from the beginning, Who has nothing before Himself that could be conceived except the Father, from whom He has existence, and Who does not exceed Him by any distance, but appears before Him only as a cause? Therefore, if it is proven that the communion of the Son with God and the Father is eternal, since our thought directly, without encountering any emptiness, passes from the Son to the Father, and without any interval unites the Son with the Father, then how can He, who is not separated from the Father by any middle place, be touched by the blasphemy of false teachers, who say that He was brought into being out of nothing? Consider the divine sayings, with what accuracy and clarity they testify to the eternal birth of the Son. After Matthew explained the Nativity in the flesh, as he himself says: the book of the kinship of Jesus Christ, the son of David (Matthew 1:1); after Mark delivered the sermon to John with the beginning of the Gospel, saying: the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, is the voice of one crying in the wilderness (Mark 1:1-3); after Luke proposed bodily principles and then began to theology, there was still a need for evangelism, and the Evangelist John, who began to write after the others, having elevated his mind, or, better yet, having been lifted up by the power of the Spirit above everything sensible and above the time that accompanies sensory things, began to the Most High Himself, so that it was possible for him to testify about himself: even in the mind according to the flesh of Christ, but now no one we understand (2 Cor. 5:16). Having reached the very beginning, and having left all bodily and temporal concepts below his theology, he louder than previous preachers proclaims the mysteries corresponding to the height of his knowledge. The beginning was not from Mary (says), and not from now. - But what? – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God, and God was the Word (John 1:1). In these few sayings he combines everything - being from eternity, and passionless birth, and the unity of nature with the Father, and the greatness of nature; and by applying the phrase: be, it leads back to the beginning, as if in order to stop the mouths of those who blaspheme and say: “He did not exist,” and long ago to stop all the paths of their false thinking. d) St. Basil the Great from a conversation on the words “in the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1) Godfully understand the Word. For he who speaks with you about the Only Begotten calls Him the Word, just as a little later He calls Him light, and life, and resurrection. And you, hearing the saying light, do not turn to this sensory and visible light; and hearing the saying life, you do not understand this common life, which the dumb also live; So, when you hear the word spoken, beware lest, due to the weakness of your thoughts, you be carried away into thoughts that creep on the earth and are base, but examine the meaning of the saying. Why the Word? To show that it came from the mind. Why the Word? Because he was born dispassionately. Why the Word? Because the Son is the image of the One who was born, completely showing the One who gave birth in Himself, not separating anything from Him, and Himself perfect in Himself, just as our word depicts our whole concept. For whatever we thought in our hearts, we spoke the same; and what is spoken is an image of the heart’s thoughts; because the word is spoken out of the abundance of the heart. Our heart is, as it were, a certain source, and the spoken word is like a certain stream flowing from this source. Therefore, as much flows away as was originally drained; as is the hidden, so is the revealed. So, I called it the Word in order to depict to you the dispassionate birth of the Father, to expound the theological teaching about the perfect existence of the Son, and through this showed the pre-temporal unity of the Son with the Father. For our word is also a product of the mind, born dispassionately; it is not cut off, is not separated, does not expire; but the whole mind, being in its own composition, produces a whole and perfect word; and the word that comes into existence contains within itself all the power of the mind that gave birth. Why, what is pious, take the word from the saying into theology about the Only Begotten; and what you find dissimilar and apparently incongruous, avoid it, and try by all means to avoid it. e) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the 1st word in Arian With boldness from the Divine Scriptures we propose pious faith and, as if on a candlestick, we place a lamp, saying: the true by nature and most sincere Son of the Father is actually belonging to the Father’s essence, the only begotten Wisdom, the true and only Word of God, not a creature, not a work, but the own birth of the Father’s essence. Therefore He is true God, as being consubstantial with the true Father. All others, as he said: Az reh: you are gods (Ps. 82:6), have this grace from the Father only through the communion of the Word through the Spirit; because He is the image of the Father's Hypostasis (Heb. 1:3), light from light, power and true image of the Father's essence. The Lord also said this: he who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9). He always was and is, and was not when He was not. Just as the Father is eternal, so His Word is eternal, or His Wisdom is eternal. 8. The meaning of the concept “consubstantial” St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the message “On the Definitions of the Council of Nicaea” The Son is consubstantial with the Father, meaning that the Son is not only similar to the Father, but is from the Father, identical with Him in likeness, and to show that the likeness and immutability of the Son are different from what we call likeness, which we achieve as a result of virtue through keeping the commandments. Bodies similar to each other can be separated and located far from one another; such, for example, are the sons of men and those who gave birth to them, as it is written about Adam and Seth, who was born by him, that Seth was like Adam in appearance (Gen. 5:3). since the birth of the Son from the Father is different from human nature, and the Son is not only similar, but also inseparable from the essence of the Father, the Son and the Father are one, as the Son himself said (John 10:30). The Word is always in the Father and the Father is in the Word, just as radiance and light are inseparable (for this is what is expressed by this saying); then, therefore, the council 35, imagining this, beautifully wrote: consubstantial, in order to overthrow the evil of the heretics and to show that the Word is different from created things, and, having written this, immediately added: and whoever says that the Son of God is from the non-existent, or is a creature, or is changeable, or is a work, or is from another essence, the saint anathematizes them and universal Church. Having said this, the Fathers clearly expressed that the sayings: from essence and consubstantial serve to eradicate the words introduced by wickedness, which are the essence: creation and work, created, changeable; was not until he was born; for whoever philosophizes in this way will contradict the council, and whoever does not philosophize according to Arius necessarily philosophizes and understands like the council, clearly seeing what the relationship of radiance to light is, and from here borrowing the image of truth. Let every bodily thought be taken away from here; having become above all sensory ideas, with pure understanding and a single mind, we will imagine the sincere communication of the Son with the Father, the property of the Word with God, the indistinguishable similarity of radiance with light. As birth, as the Son, he is called such, and really such, not in a human way, but as befits God. In the same way, hearing the saying: consubstantial, let us not, descending to human sensory ideas, think about the fragmentations and divisions of the Divine, let us not begin to divide the unity of nature and the identity of light. For this is the property of the Son with the Father, and this proves that God truly is the Father of the Word. For this purpose this image of light and radiance is again necessary. Who dares to say that the radiance is alien and unlike the sun? Or better: who, looking at this relationship of radiance to the sun and the identity of light, will not boldly say that light and radiance are truly one, and light appears in radiance, and radiance has existence in the sun, so that whoever sees one sees the other? The same unity and natural property, as believers and those who see correctly will call it, is it not a consubstantial birth? The birth of God, in its proper and proper manner, can anyone imagine it as anything other than the Word, not Wisdom, not Power, which to call alien to the Father is illegal, and even in thoughts to imagine not eternally abiding with the Father is not permissible. For by this Birth the Father created everything and through Him has mercy on everything, extending His providence to everything. And thus the Son and the Father, as it is said, are one. St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 16th and 17th catechumens We truly need spiritual grace to talk about the Holy Spirit, and not only to say on our own something worthy of the Spirit (this is impossible), but even to comfortably repeat and convey what was said in the Divine Scriptures. For truly great fear is inspired by what is written in the Gospel, where Christ clearly said: whoever speaks a word against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the next (Matthew 12:32). And one must often be afraid, lest, either out of ignorance or out of imaginary reverence, saying something inappropriate about the Spirit, one will receive condemnation. The judge of the living and the dead, Jesus Christ, said that there will be no abandonment. Therefore, if someone falls, what hope does he have left? Therefore, may it be the work of the very grace of Jesus Christ to give strength both to us to speak without omission, and to you to listen with understanding, because understanding is needed not only by those who offer the word, but also by those who listen to it, so that, hearing one thing, do not imagine something else in the mind. So, let us say only what is written about the Holy Spirit. If something is not written, let’s not be curious about it. The Holy Spirit Himself spoke the Scriptures, He spoke about Himself, whatever was pleasing to Him, or whatever we could accommodate. Therefore, let it be said that He spoke, but what He did not speak, we will not dare to talk about. There is only one Holy Spirit, the Comforter, just as there is one God the Father and there is no other Father, and just as there is one Only Begotten Son - God’s Word, and He has no brother; so there is only one Holy Spirit, and there is no other Spirit equal to Him. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is the greatest Power, He is Divine and unsearchable, because He is alive, intelligent, and sanctifies everything that God does through Christ. He enlightens the souls of the righteous, He is in the prophets, He is also in the apostles in the New Testament. Let those who dare to separate the power of the Holy Spirit remain hated. One God the Father, Lord of the Old and New Testaments; there is one Lord Jesus Christ, prophesied by the prophets in the Old Testament and come in the New Testament; one Holy Spirit, who through the prophets preached about Christ, and after the coming of Christ descended and showed Christ. Therefore, let no one separate the Old Testament from the New; Let no one say that another Spirit is there, and another is here, otherwise he will offend the Holy Spirit Himself, honored with the Father and the Son and co-received during holy baptism in the Holy Trinity. For the only begotten Son of God clearly spoke to the apostles: go and teach all languages, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Our trust is in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We do not proclaim three Gods. On the contrary, together with the Holy Spirit, through one Son, we proclaim one God. Faith is inseparable, piety is indivisible. We do not introduce division into the Holy Trinity, as others do, we do not allow fusion. But we piously know the one Father, Who sent us the Son as Savior; we give in to the one Son, Who promised from the Father to send the Comforter; we know the Holy Spirit, who spoke in the prophets and descended on the apostles in the form of tongues of fire at Pentecost here in Jerusalem, in the high Apostolic Church. Let us turn to the divine Scriptures, drink water from our vessels - the holy fathers and from our wells of the spring (Prov. 5:16); by drinking the waters of life (John 7:38), flowing into the eternal belly (John 5:14); with the Savior speaking about Dus, those who believe in Him want to receive Him (John 7:39). For look at what he says: believe in Me, not just, but as the Scripture says (referring you to the Old Testament), rivers of living waters will flow from his belly (John 7:38), not sensual rivers that fill only the earth, which produces thorns and trees, but rivers that enlighten souls. And in another place he says: the water that I will give him, there will be in him a fountain of water flowing into an eternal belly (John 4:14). This is new water, living and flowing for the worthy. And why did he call spiritual grace water? Because everything is made up of water; because water has vegetative and life-giving power; because rainwater comes down from heaven, because, although it descends in one form, it produces various effects. One spring waters a whole garden; the same rain in the whole world, but it turns white in lilies, scarlet in roses, purple in violets and hyacinths, different and multi-colored in all kinds of plants. One is in a date, another is in a bunch of grapes, and all - he is in everything, while he is one in himself, and not another with himself. The rain does not change and does not fall one way or another, but, applied to the structure of those who receive it, it is useful to every thing. So the Holy Spirit, one, unique and indivisible, shares grace with everyone as he wishes (1 Cor 12:11). And just as a dry tree, having received water into itself, bears shoots, so a sinful soul, through repentance having been granted the Holy Spirit, bears grapes of righteousness. The One Spirit, by the beck of God and in the name of Christ, produces many virtues. One uses the tongue to speak wisdom, another enlightens the soul with prophecy, gives another the power to drive away demons, and gives another the gift of interpretation of the divine Scriptures. In others it strengthens chastity, in others it teaches almsgiving, in others it is taught to fast and strive, in others it is taught to neglect the body, and in others it prepares for martyrdom, in others it produces other things, but He is indifferent in Himself, as it is written: the manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone for the benefit. 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 another the gifts of healing, about the same Spirit: to another the actions of powers, to another prophecy, to another spiritual reasoning, to another the birth of tongues; all this acts as one and the same Spirit, dividing power to each as he wills (1 Cor 12:7-11). Everything is directed by Him to the good and saving. And, firstly, His coming is gentle, the sensation is fragrant, the burden is very light. His coming is illuminated by rays of light and knowledge. He comes with the compassion of a sincere caregiver, because He comes to save, heal, teach, enlighten, strengthen, console, enlighten the mind, first in the one who received Him, and then through him in others. And like a person who was previously in darkness, and then suddenly saw the sun, his bodily gaze is enlightened, and what he did not see, he sees clearly; So the soul of one who is worthy to receive the Holy Spirit is enlightened, and he perceives what he did not know and what is higher than man. His body is on earth, and his soul contemplates heaven; like Isaiah, he sees the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted (Is. 7:1); like Ezekiel he sees Jehovah on the cherubim (Ezek. 10:1); like Daniel he sees thousands and tens of thousands (Dan 7:10). A small man sees the beginning of the world, and the end of the world, and the entire continuation of time in the middle, he recognizes the succession of kings, which he has not studied, because the true enlightener is with him. A person is confined within walls, but his power of knowledge extends far, and he sees what others are doing. A truly precious gift is the Holy and Good Spirit. We are rightly baptized into the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Man, while still wearing his body, fights many fierce demons. And often that demon, which many do not restrain with iron bonds, he alone subjugates to power with his prayerful words, by the power of the Holy Spirit abiding in him. And a simple breath of the caster becomes fire for the invisible. This means that we have from God a great Supporter and Patron, a great Teacher of the Church, a great Intercessor for us. We will not fear either demons or the devil. Because our Defender is greater than him, we will only open the doors to this Defender. He walks around looking for those worthy, looking for someone to give gifts to. He is called the Comforter because He consoles, encourages, and helps our weakness. For what let us pray, as we should, we do not know, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us, obviously before God, with groanings that cannot be uttered (Rom. 8:26). Often someone is offended, unjustly mocked for Christ; he faces martyrdom; torture, fire, sword, beasts, the abyss threaten from everywhere, but the Holy Spirit inspires him, saying: be patient with the Lord (Ps. 26:14), what befalls you is unimportant, but what is given to you is great; labor for a short time, and you will be with the angels forever. We are not worthy of the passion of this present time for the glory that desires to appear in us (Rom. 8:18). The Spirit depicts to man the heavenly kingdom and also shows a paradise of sweetness (Gen. 2:15). And the martyrs, although their bodies, of necessity, stand before the judges, but by the power of the Spirit they are already in paradise, and they despise visible cruelties. You have seen the power of the Spirit in the whole world - do not remain on earth any longer, but ascend to what is above. Ascend to the first heaven and look there at such innumerable myriads of angels. And if possible, raise your thoughts higher. Look at the archangels, look at the spirits, look at the powers, look at the principalities, look at the powers, look at the thrones, look at the dominions. The beginning is the leader given to them by God, the Teacher and Sanctifier of them all - the Comforter. Among people, Elijah, Elisha, and Isaiah have need of Him. Among the angels, both Michael and Gabriel have need of Him. Nothing created is equal to Him. All the generations of angels, all their armies, taken together, cannot be compared with the Holy Spirit. The all-good power of the Comforter overshadows all this. Angels are sent to serve, and the Spirit tests the depths of God, as the apostle says: For the Spirit tests all things, even the depths of God. Who is the message from man who is in man, even the spirit of man living in him? In the same way, no one knows God’s message, but the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:10, 11). He preached about Christ in the prophets; He acted in the apostles; He seals souls in baptism to this day. And the Father gives to the Son, and the Son gives to the Holy Spirit. It is not I who say this, but the Lord Himself who says: all things have been handed over to Me by My Father (Matthew 11:27). And He also says about the Holy Spirit: when He comes, the Spirit of truth, etc., He will glorify Me, for He will receive it from Mine, and will tell it to you (John 16:13, 14). The Father gives everything through the Son and the Holy Spirit. Not other gifts of the Father, but others of the Son, and others of the Holy Spirit. For there is one salvation, one strength, one faith. There is one God the Father, one Lord, His only begotten Son, one Holy Spirit, the Comforter. And it is enough for us to know this; do not be curious about nature or hypostasis. If it were written, we would say; and what is not written, we do not dare to speak about. For our salvation it is enough for us to know that there is a Father and a Son and a Holy Spirit. b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 41st word - on Holy Pentecost To speak about the works of the Spirit, may the Spirit come upon me, and may He give the word as much as I desire, and if not to the same extent, then as much in proportion to the time - it will come without a doubt sovereignly, and not slavishly, and not waiting for commands, as some think. For He breathes where He wants, on whom, when and as much as He pleases. The Spirit inspires us to think and speak this way. Whoever reduces the Holy Spirit to the ranks of creatures is a scolder, an evil servant, and the worst of the evil. For it is common for evil slaves to reject dominion, rebel against domination, and freely make slaves like themselves. Whoever recognizes Him as God is divine and bright in mind. The Holy Spirit always was, and is, and will be; He did not begin and will not cease to exist, but is always ranked and numbered with the Father and the Son. For it was indecent either for the Father to ever be without the Son, or for the Son to ever be without the Spirit; It would be extremely inglorious for the Divine, as if, as a result of a change in His advice, to come to the fullness of perfection. So the Spirit was always accepting, not accepting; doing, not being done; filling, not being filled; sanctifying, not being sanctified; leading to deification, and not leading to deification. He is always one and the same for Himself and for Those with whom He is committed; invisible, not subject to time, incontainable, unchangeable, has no quality, no quantity, no form, intangible, self-moving, ever-moving, free, autocratic, omnipotent (although, like everything belonging to the Spirit, it is raised to the first Guilt); He is life and life-giving; He is light and the Giver of light; He is the original goodness and the source of goodness; He is the right and sovereign Spirit (Ps. 51:12,14), the Lord (2 Cor. 3:17), the sender (Acts 13:4), the separateer (Acts 13:2), the builder of a church for Himself (Col. 2:22), the instructor (John 16:13), the one who acts as He wills (1 Cor. 12:11), dividing gifts, the Spirit of sonhood (Rom. 8:15), truth (John 14:17), wisdom, understanding, knowledge, godliness, counsel, strength, fear, according to those who are counted (Is. 11:3.4). Through Him the Father is known and the Son is glorified (John 16:11), and through Him alone we know one work, service and worship, one power, one perfection and sanctification. But why expand? Everything that the Father has belongs to the Son, except ungeneracy; everything that the Son has belongs to the Spirit, except birth. And unbornness and birth do not distinguish essences, in my opinion, but differ in one and the same essence. The Holy Spirit acted, first of all, in the angelic and heavenly powers - in those who are first in God and around God; for their perfection and illumination, and intractability or immobility to evil, came from none other than the Holy Spirit, then, He acted in the fathers and prophets, some of whom saw or knew God in images, while others foreknew the future, since the Spirit imprinted this on their minds, and they saw what was to be before them as present, for such is the power of the Spirit; after that, He acted in the disciples of Christ (I will not say - in Christ, in Whom He remained not as active, but as an attendant of equal honor), and in them three times, according to their acceptability, and at three different times - before the glorification of Christ by passion, after the glorification by resurrection, and after the ascension into heaven, or after the dispensation (Acts. 3:21), or whatever else it should be called; - this shows the first cleansing from diseases and spirits, which was carried out, of course, not without the Spirit, also after the completion of the economy, the breath of Christ, which, obviously, was Divine inspiration, and, finally, the current division of the tongues of fire, which we celebrate. But the first was not clear, the second is more obvious, and the present is more perfect, for it is no longer an action, as before, but is essentially present, and, as another would say, the Spirit coexists and cohabits. For just as the Son conversed with us bodily, so it became the Spirit to appear in a bodily form; and when Christ ascended into His glory, then it was necessary to descend to us, it was necessary to come, because He is not adversary to God. For such sayings show unanimity more than the division of nature. c) St. Basil the Great from the book “On the Holy Spirit” to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium Who, having heard the name of the Spirit, does not perk up in soul and delight in thought to the Highest nature? For He is called the Spirit of God (Matthew 3:16), and the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father (John 15:26), the right Spirit, the Sovereign Spirit (Ps 50:12, 14). The Holy Spirit is His main and proper name. And it, above all others, is the name of something incorporeal, purely immaterial and uncomplicated. Therefore, the Lord, in a conversation with his wife, who thought that God should be worshiped in a certain place, teaching her that the incorporeal is infinite, says: The Spirit is God (John 4:24). Therefore, hearing the word Spirit, it is impossible to imagine in thought a nature that is limited, or subject to change and alteration, or generally similar to creation, but, reaching out with thoughts to the Highest, it is necessary to imagine an intelligent essence, infinite in power, limitless in greatness, immeasurable over time or centuries, inexhaustible in the blessings that it has. Everything that needs sanctification is turned to the Holy Spirit; Everything that lives virtuously desires Him, being, as it were, irrigated and assisted by His inspiration to achieve its own and natural end. He perfects others, but He Himself has no need for anything. He lives without renewal of strength, but is the Giver of life; He does not grow through addition, but is suddenly complete, established in Himself and omnipresent. He is the beginning of sanctification, mental light, which provides every rational power, in the search for truth, with some kind of evidence. He is unapproachable by nature and tractable by goodness; although He fulfills everything with His power, it is nevertheless communicated to only those worthy, and is not accepted by them to the same extent, but shares the action according to the measure of faith. He is simple in essence, diverse in strength, all present in everyone, and all everywhere. He, when shared, does not suffer, and when they partake of Him, he does not cease to be entirely, like the sun’s radiance, the one enjoying the pleasantness of which, as it were, alone enjoys it, while this radiance illuminates the earth and the sea and dissolves with the air. Likewise, the Spirit dwells in each of those who receive Him, as inherent in Him alone, and sufficiently pours out the full grace that those who partake enjoy, according to their own acceptability, and not according to what is possible for the Spirit. The assimilation of the Spirit with the soul is not a local rapprochement (for can the incorporeal be approached in a bodily way), but the elimination of passions that entered the soul as a result of its attachment to the body and alienated it from its affinity with God. Therefore, whoever has cleansed himself of the shame that he created in himself through sin, returned to natural beauty, and through cleansing, as it were, returned the ancient appearance to the royal image, he alone can approach the Comforter. And He, like the sun with which a pure eye meets, will show you in Himself the image of the Invisible. And in the blissful contemplation of the image you will see the indescribable beauty of the Prototype. Through the Spirit - the uplifting of hearts, the guidance of the weak, the improvement of the successful. The Spirit, shining forth cleansed from all filth, makes them spiritual through communication with Himself. And just as shiny and transparent bodies, when a ray of light falls on them, they themselves become luminous and cast off a new ray, so spirit-bearing souls, being illuminated by the Spirit, themselves become spiritual, and pour out grace on others. Hence - foreknowledge of the future, understanding of the sacraments, comprehension of the unseen, the distribution of gifts, heavenly residence, face-to-face with the angels, endless joy, abiding in God, becoming like God and - the extreme limit of what is desired - deification. These are (if it is enough to offer a little out of many) our concepts of the Holy Spirit, which of the very words of the Spirit we have learned to formulate for ourselves about His greatness, dignity and actions. 10. The birth of the Son of God and the procession of the Holy Spirit are incomprehensible a) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the letter “On the Definitions of the Council of Nicaea” God creates, and people are said to create; God is He, and it is said about people that they have existence, and have it, having received it from God. But does God create like people? Or does existence belong to God as much as to man? Let this not happen! We accept these sayings about God differently and understand them differently about people. God creates, calling things that are not things that are” (Rom. 4:17), and having no need for anything for this; and people process the finished substance, having previously sought and received knowledge to complete the work from God, who created everything with His own Word. And one more thing: people cannot exist by themselves; they are limited by place and supported by God’s Word; God has existence by Himself, embraces everything and is not encompassed by anything; He abides in everything by His goodness and power, and also beyond everything by His own nature. Therefore, just as people do not create in the same way as God creates, and people do not exist in the same way as God does: so the human birth takes place differently, and the Son is born differently from the Father. Human creations are, as it were, parts of those who give birth, because the very nature of bodies is not something simple, but fluid and composed of parts; When people give birth, they exude from themselves, and what is brought in with food also flows into them; for this reason, people eventually become fathers of many children. And God is not divided into parts; He is the indivisible and dispassionate Father to the Son. In the Ethereal there is no outflow; There is no flowing into Him, as happens with people; but, being simple in nature, He is the Father of the one and only Son. Therefore, the Son is only begotten and one in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18). And that He alone is from the Father, this is shown by the Father, saying: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17). He is the Word of the Father, in whom one can imagine the dispassion and indivisibility of the Father; because not only God’s, but also the human word is not born painfully and not through division into parts. Therefore He sits at the right hand of the Father, as the Word; for where the Father is, there is His Word: and we stand judged by Him as creatures. He is venerable because He is the Son of the venerable Father; and we worship Him, confessing Him as Lord and God, because we are creatures and one with Him. The birth of the Son exceeds and exceeds human ideas in the following: we become fathers of our children in time; because they themselves, having no existence before, subsequently came into being, but God, who always exists, is always Father to the Son. And in human birth it certifies the similarity of those who give birth and those who are born; but since no one knows the Son except the Father, neither does anyone know the Father except the Son, and if the Son reveals him (Matthew 11:27); then the saints, to whom the Son revealed this, communicated to us a certain image, borrowed from the visible, saying: Who is the radiance of glory and the image of His hypostasis (Heb. 1:3), and also: For with You is the source of life, in Your light we will see light (Ps. 35:10). And the word reproaching Israel says: You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom (Bar.3:12); and the Source Himself says: You left me, the source of living waters (Jer. 2:13). Although the similarity is small and extremely weak in depicting what is desired, however, from it one can understand the advantage over human nature, and no longer consider our birth and the birth of the Son equal. For who can even imagine that the radiance never existed, so as to dare to tell you that the Son is not from eternity, or that the Son did not exist until he was born? Or who is able to separate the radiance from the sun, or imagine the source ever deprived of life, so that in your madness he can say to you: out of non-existence the Son comes into being, Who says: I am life (John 14:6), or alien to the Father’s essence - He Who says: He who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9)? The saints, wanting us to understand this way, also communicated similarities. And when we have such images in Scripture, it will be absurd and extremely wicked to formulate our concept of the Lord according to other images that are not in Scripture and which do not have any pious meaning in themselves. b) St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 11th catechumen He who is born of the Father is God's Son by nature, and not by appropriation. And he who loves him who is begotten, loves him who is born of Him (1 John 5:1); and he who humiliates the Born insults the Born. When you hear about God giving birth, do not lower yourself to carnal notions and do not imagine a perishable birth, lest you fall into wickedness. God is Spirit, and birth is spiritual. From bodies bodies are born, and the giving birth bodies need the medium of time; in the birth of the Son from the Father, time does not mediate. Here, what is born is born imperfect; and the Son of God was born perfect. What He is now is the same in the beginning, having been born without beginning. Having been born, we move from infantile ignorance to a state of intelligence. Your birth, man, is imperfect; As prosperity comes, there is also acquisition. Do not imagine the birth of the Son of God in this way, and do not accuse Him who gave birth of weakness. For if you gave birth to an imperfect person, and the Son acquired perfection over time, then you accuse the Begotten of weakness. Just as time gave something later, then, according to your words, the Parent did not give it in the beginning. Therefore, do not believe that the birth of the Son of God is human, and the Father begat Him, like Abraham Isaac. For Abraham gave birth to Isaac, but he did not give birth to him as he himself willed, but as another gave him. When God the Father gives birth, there is no room for either ignorance or reasoning. To say that He did not know the One to be born is the greatest impiety; and to say that He reasoned for a long time and subsequently became the Father is just as impious. God was not previously childless, but always has a Son, having given birth to Him, not as man gives birth to man, but as He alone knows, having given birth to the true God before all ages. For the Father, as the true God, begot a Son like Himself, the true God, not as teachers beget disciples, not as Paul says to some: For in Christ Jesus I have begotten the gospel (1 Cor. 4:5). Here he who is not a son by nature has become a son by training; and there is the natural Son, the true Son, not like you who are enlightened, who are now becoming sons of God. For you also are made children, but appropriately by grace, as it is written: And the little ones received Him, and gave them the right to become children of God, who believe in His name, who were not born of blood, nor of the lust of the flesh, nor of the lust of men, but of God (John 1:12, 13). And we are born of water and the Spirit, but this is not how Christ was born from the Father. And the Father, during baptism, proclaiming and saying: This is My Son (Matthew 3:17), did not now say: He became Mine, but says: This is My Son, letting those know that He was the Son even before the effectiveness of baptism. The Father gave birth to the Son, not as with people the mind gives birth to a word, because with us the word, having been spoken and spread in the air, disappears. We know that the born Christ is not a spoken word, but a hypostatic and living Word, not spoken through the mouth and scattered, but eternal, ineffable and born in Hypostasis. For in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God, and God was the Word (John 1:1), sitting at the right hand, the Word, understanding the will of the Father and at His command creating all things, the Word descending and ascending (and the word spoken and spoken does not come out and does not ascend), - the Word speaking and uttering: I, having seen with My Father, I say (John 8:38), – The word is powerful and reigns over everything; because the Father gave everything to the Son (Matthew 11:17). Therefore the Father begat Him, not as any man could imagine, but as He alone knows. And we do not promise to say how He gave birth, but only affirm that He gave birth in a wrong way. And not only do we not know the birth of the Son from the Father, nor does every created nature know. Command the earth, whatever he says (Job 12:8). If you interrogate everything that exists on earth, it will not be able to tell you, because the earth cannot tell about the being of its Sculptor and Sculptor. And not only the earth cannot, but also the sun; because the sun was created on the fourth day and did not know what happened three days before it, and without knowing what happened on these three days before it, it will not be possible to tell about the Creator Himself. Even the heavens do not know this, even the heavens, at the behest of the Father, by the power of Christ, are established like smoke (Is. 51:6). Neither the heavens know the heavens, nor do the waters know this, which are above the heavens (Ps. 149:4). Why are you depressed, man, if you don’t know what heaven doesn’t know? And not only does heaven not know this birth, but all angelic nature does not know. For, if it were possible for someone to ascend to the first heaven and, having become acquainted with the state of the angels there, approach and ask: “how did God beget His Son”? then they will equally say: “There are greater, higher ones above us,” ask them. Ascend to the second and third heavens, reach up, if you can, to thrones, to dominions, to principles, to powers.” But if someone reached out to them, which is impossible, they would refuse to tell because they don’t know. And I have always marveled at the inquisitiveness of the daring, who, out of imaginary reverence, fall into wickedness. For, not knowing the thrones, dominions, principles and authorities, these creatures of Christ, they undertake to inquisitively find out about their Creator Himself. Tell me first, most daring one, how thrones differ from dominion, and then inquisitively inquire about Christ. Tell me what is the beginning, what is power, what is strength, what is an angel? And then inquisitively inquire about the Creator. For all this was (John 1:3). But you don’t want or can’t ask for thrones and dominion? Who else knows the depths of God (1 Cor. 11:10), except the one Holy Spirit, who spoke the divine Scriptures? But the Holy Spirit Himself did not speak in the Scriptures about the birth of the Son from the Father. Why do you find out about things that the Holy Spirit did not write down in the Scriptures? Without knowing what is written, you inquisitively find out about the unwritten. There are many questions in the divine Scriptures, but we do not even comprehend what is written; Why bother asking about things that haven’t been written? It is enough for us to know that God begat one Son. Do not be ashamed to admit ignorance, because you do not know along with the angels. One who is born knows the one who is born, and one who is born by him knows the one who is born. The Begotten knows Whom He gave birth to, and the Holy Spirit of God testifies in the Scriptures that the Begotten is God without beginning. Who is the message from man, even in man, exactly the spirit of man living in him. In the same way, no one knows God’s message, but the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:11). Just as the Father had life in Himself, so the Son also had life in Himself (John 5:26). And let all honor the Son as they honor the Father (John 5:23). And just as the Father wills and lives for them, so the Son also wills and lives for them (John 5:21). And the Begotten suffers no loss, and the Begotten lacks nothing. I know that I have told you this more than once, but I spoke about it often for your approval. And the Begotten has no father, and the Begotten has no brother. And He who was begotten was not changed into the Son, and He who was begotten was not made Father. From one only Father there is one only begotten Son. There are not two unbegotten, and not two Only Begotten, but one Father is unbegotten. For he who does not have a Father is not born. And one Son was eternally begotten of the Father - not born in time, but born before the ages, not growing in growth, but such was He born, as He is now. Therefore we believe in the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father, the true God. For the true God, as it is said, does not give birth to a false one. Without judging at first, he later gave birth, but he gave birth eternally, he gave birth much sooner than our word or our thought comes. For when we pronounce the word in time, we spend time on it, but for the Divine power birth is timeless. And, as has been said many times, he did not bring into being from non-existence and did not adopt as a son the one who was not previously a son, but, as the eternal Father, he eternally and ineffably begat the one Son, Who has no brother. Not two beginnings, but the head of the Son, the Father, is one beginning. For the Father begot Son, the true God, who is called Immanuel. And Emmanuel is interpreted: God is with us (Matthew 1:23). c) St. Gregory the Theologian from the words “On the installation of bishops and the dogma of the Holy Trinity” We worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, separating personal attributes and uniting the Godhead. We do not mix three (Hypostases) into one, so as not to fall into the illness of the Sabellians, and we do not divide the one into three (entities), heterogeneous and alien to each other, so as not to reach Aryan madness. For why, like a plant that is crooked on one side, bend with all your might in the opposite direction, correcting the crookedness with the curvature, and not be content with straightening it only to the middle and stopping within the limits of piety? When I speak about the middle, I mean the truth, which alone should be kept in mind, rejecting both inappropriate confusion and even more absurd division. For in one case, out of fear of polytheism, having reduced the concept of God into one hypostasis, we will leave ourselves with only bare names, recognizing that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one and the same, and affirming not so much that they are all one, but rather that each of them is nothing; because, passing and changing into each other, they cease to be what They are in themselves. And in another case, dividing the Divinity into three essences, or (according to Ariev, beautifully so-called madness), one alien to the other, unequal and separate, or without beginning, not subordinate and, so to speak, anti-God, then we will indulge in Jewish poverty, limiting the Divinity to one unborn, or we will fall into the opposite, but equal to the first evil, presuming three principles and three Gods, which is even more absurd than the previous one. One should not be such a lover of the Father as to take away from Him the property of being a Father. For whose Father will he be when we remove and alienate from Him, along with creation, the nature of the Son? One should not be such a lover of Christ that one does not even retain His property of being the Son. For whose Son will he be if he does not relate to the Father as the author? One should not diminish the dignity of the Father - to be the beginning that belongs to Him as the Father and Parent. For it will be the beginning of something low and unworthy if he is not the author of the Divinity contemplated in the Son and Spirit. – All this is not necessary when it is necessary to maintain faith in one God, and to confess three Hypostases, or three Persons, moreover, each with His personal property. In my opinion, faith in one God is observed when we attribute both the Son and the Spirit to the one Author (but not add them up or confuse them with Him) - both according to the same (I will call it that) movement and will of the Divine, and according to the identity of essence. We also maintain faith in the three Hypostases, when we will not imagine any confusion or fusion, as a result of which, for those who honor one more than they should, everything could be destroyed. Personal properties will also be observed when we imagine and call the Father beginningless and the beginning (the beginning, as the Culprit, as the source, as the ever-present Light), and the Son – not at all beginningless, but also the beginning of all things. When I say “beginning”, do not introduce time, do not put anything in between the One who gave birth and the one who is born, do not divide the nature by putting something bad between the coeternal and the coexistent. For if time is older than the Son, then, without a doubt, the Father became the author of time before the Son. And how would the Creator of time be He Who is Himself under time? How could He be Lord of all, if time anticipates Him and possesses Him? So, the Father is without beginning, because he did not borrow existence from anyone else, not even from Himself. And the Son, if you imagine the Father to be the culprit, is not without beginning (because the beginning of the Son is the Father, as the culprit); if you imagine the beginning in relation to time, it is beginningless (because the Lord of times has no beginning in time). And if from the fact that bodies exist in time, you conclude that the Son must also be subject to time, then you will attribute the body to the incorporeal. And if, on the basis that what is born among us did not exist before, but then comes into being, you begin to assert that the Son also had to come from non-existence into being, then you will equate the incomparable with each other - God and man, the body and the incorporeal. In this case, the Son must both suffer and be destroyed, like our bodies. You conclude from the birth of bodies in time that God is born in this way; and I conclude that He is not born this way, from the very fact that bodies are born this way. For what is not alike in being is not alike in birth; Can you really admit that God is subject to the laws of matter in other respects, for example, he suffers and grieves, thirsts and hungers, and endures everything that is characteristic of both the body and both the body and the incorporeal. But your mind does not allow this, because we have a word about God. Therefore, allow no other birth than Divine. But you ask: if the Son was born, how was he born? - Answer me first, persistent questioner: if He was created, then how was He created? And then ask me: how was He born? But you say that everything is composed by word and will. That speech, and that was it. He commanded it, and it was created (Ps. 32:9). When you assert that everything was created by God’s word, then you are introducing a non-human creation. For none of us does what he does with words. Otherwise, there would be nothing lofty or difficult for us, if we only had to say it, and the word was followed by the execution of the deed. Therefore, if God creates what He creates with the word, then He does not have a human image of creation. And you, either show me a person who would do something with a word, or agree that God does not create like a man. And if God does not create in a human way, then how can you demand that He give birth in a human way? You never existed, then you began to be, and then you yourself give birth, and thus bring into being that which did not exist, or (I will say something more profound) perhaps you yourself do not produce that which did not exist. For Levi, as the Scripture says, was still in the loins of his father (Heb. 7:10) before he was born. And let no one catch me on this word; I do not say that the Son came from the Father in the same way as having previously existed in the Father and then coming into being; I’m not saying that He was at first imperfect and then became perfect, which is the law of our birth. Making such connections is typical of hostile people who are ready to attack every spoken word. We don't think that way; On the contrary, confessing that the Father has existence unbegotten (and He always existed, and the mind cannot imagine that there was never a Father), we confess together that the Son was begotten, so that the existence of the Father and the birth of the Only Begotten coincide with each other, from the Father who exists, and not after the Father, unless we allow consistency in only the idea of ​​the beginning, and of the beginning as the Author. But if you accept the birth of the Son, or His independence, without inquisitiveness, then do not be inquisitive about the procession of the Spirit. It is enough for me to hear that there is a Son, that He is from the Father, that one thing is the Father, another thing is the Son; Do not be curious about this anymore, lest you fall into the same situation that happens to a voice that is interrupted by excessive stress, or to vision that catches a ray of sunlight. The more and in more detail someone wants to see, the more the sense is damaged, and to the extent that the object being examined exceeds the volume of vision, such a person loses the very ability of vision if he wants to see the whole object, and not such a part of it as he could have seen without harm. You hear about birth: do not try to know what the manner of birth is. You hear that the Spirit comes from the Father: do not be curious to know how it comes. 11. Equality of persons of the Holy Trinity a) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 40th word - for holy baptism First of all, keep the good pledge for which I live and bear my title, which I would like to have as a companion when leaving the world, with which I endure all the sorrows and despise all the pleasures of life; keep your confession of faith in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. I entrust this confession to you now, with it I will immerse you in the font, and with it I will lead you out. I give him to you for the rest of your life as a comrade and protector - one Divinity and one Power, Which is found in the Three individually and embraces the Three separately, without distinction in essences or natures, does not increase or decrease, through additions and decreases, is everywhere equal, everywhere the same, like the one beauty and the one greatness of the sky. It is the Three Infinite, an infinite co-naturalness, where Each, intelligible in Himself, is God, as the Father and the Son, the Son and the Holy Spirit, with the preservation of personal properties in Each, and the three, intelligible together, are also God; the former because of consubstantiality, the latter because of unity of command. Before I have time to think about one thing, I am illuminated by three. I don’t have time to separate the three before I ascend to the one. When one of the three appears to me, I regard it as a whole. It fills my vision, and more escapes my sight. I cannot comprehend His greatness in order to add more to what remains. When I unite the three in contemplation, I see a single luminary, without being able to divide or measure the combined light. You are afraid of birth, lest the impassive God suffer something; but I fear the creature, lest I lose God through insult and unrighteous cutting, cutting off either the Son from the Father, or the essence of the Spirit from the Son. For the strange thing is that among those who weigh the Divinity poorly, not only is creation introduced into the Divinity, but the creation itself is again cut into itself. By these low and prostrate ones, just as the Son is humiliated before the Father, so again the dignity of the Spirit is humiliated even before the Son; so that both God and creation are mocked by this new theology. In the Trinity, venerable ones, there is nothing slavish, nothing created, nothing extraneous, as I heard from one of the wise 36 . Even if he were still pleasing to man, he would never be a servant of Christ (Gal. 1:10). If I had still worshiped the creature, or been baptized into the creature, then I would not have been deified and would not have changed in my first birth. I would be ready to call the Father greater, from Whom both equality and being have equals (on which everyone will agree), but I am afraid lest I make the Beginning the beginning of the lesser and offend by preference. For there is no glory to the Beginning in the humiliation of Those Who are from Him. Moreover, I suspect that, due to your immoderation, by taking up the word greater, you will bifurcate nature, attaching the concept of greater to everything. The father is no longer by nature, but by guilt; because among those who are equivalent in relation to essence there is neither greater nor less. I would be ready to prefer the Son to the Spirit as the Son, but the baptism that completes me with the Spirit does not allow this. b) St. Basil the Great from the conversation “On Faith” The Father is the beginning of everything, the reason for the existence of creatures, the root of living things. From here came the source of life, wisdom, power, the indistinguishable image of the invisible God, the Son begotten of the Father, the living Word, who is God and who is with God, who exists and is not ascended, who exists before the ages and is not subsequently acquired; Son, not acquisition; The producer, not the work; Creator, not creature; being all that the Father is. Son, I said, and Father. Pay attention to these personal characteristics. Being in the fact that He is the Son, He is everything that the Father is, according to the saying of the Lord Himself, Who says: All that the Father has is Mine (John 16:15). For indeed everything that is in the Proto-Image belongs to the Image. We see, says the evangelist, His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father (John 1:14). That is, it was not by gift and grace that His wondrous properties were given to Him, but by natural communion, the Son has the dignity of the Father’s Divinity. For to receive is the common property of the creature; but to have by nature is characteristic of the Born. Therefore, as the Son, He naturally possesses what belongs to the Father; as the Only Begotten, He has everything in Himself collectively, sharing nothing with others. Therefore, from the very name Son we learn that He has a common nature with the Father; He was not created by command, but from His essence He shone forth inseparably, not in time united with the Father, equal to Him in goodness, equal in strength, sharing glory with Him. For what else is He but the seal and image showing within Himself the entire Father? And what after this, organizing the salvation of people, which He showed by appearing to us in the flesh, He tells you regarding the bodily dispensation, calling Himself sent (John 5:36), unable to do anything about Himself (John 5:30), having received the commandment (John 10:18), and the like; then let this not give you a reason to humiliate the Only Begotten Divinity, because condescension to your weakness should not be a belittlement of the dignity of the Strong One. On the contrary, consider nature to be godly, and accept derogatory words in relation to the economy. Thought, when it is able to cleanse itself of material passions, leave behind every intelligible creature below itself and, like some fish, emerge from the depths to the very surface, becoming in the purity of creation, there it will see the Holy Spirit, where the Son is and where the Father is, it will see that the Spirit, co-essentially and by nature, has everything - goodness, rightness, holiness, life. For it is said: Your Spirit is good (Ps. 143:10), and also: the Spirit is right (Ps. 50:12), and also: the Holy Spirit (Ps. 50:13). And the apostle says: the law of the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2). All this was not acquired by Him, and did not subsequently arise; but just as it is inseparable from fire that it heats, and from light that it shines; so inseparable from the Spirit that He sanctifies, gives life, that He is goodness, righteousness. Therefore, the Spirit consists there, there, in the blissful nature; It is not numbered among the multitude, but is contemplated in the Trinity, proclaimed individually, and not included in combinations of many. For just as the Father is one and the Son is one, so the Holy Spirit is one. The ministering spirits in each rank represent to us a barely countable multitude. Therefore, do not look for in creatures the One who is above creation; Do not relegate the one who sanctifies to the ranks of those who are being sanctified. The Spirit fills angels, fulfills archangels, sanctifies forces, gives life to everything. He, shared by all creation, and acceptable to each in his own way, is not diminished by the multitude of participants. Although He gives His grace to everyone, it is not wasted on those who partake, but those who receive are filled, and He Himself does not become scarce. And just as the sun, illuminating bodies and having them as partakers in various forms, is not diminished by the multitude of those who partake; so the Spirit, communicating His grace to everyone, remains undiminished and inseparable. He enlightens everyone to the knowledge of God, inspires the prophets, makes lawgivers wise, perfects priests, strengthens kings, brings goodness to the righteous, beautifies the chaste, imparts the gift of healing, revives the dead, looses prisoners, adopts strangers. It does this through being born again. 12. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not three Gods a) St. Basil the Great from the book “On the Holy Spirit” to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium The Lord, telling us about the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, did not rename Them, for He did not say: into the first, second and third, or into one, two and three; but in the holy names he gave us the knowledge of faith, leading to salvation. Therefore, what saves us is faith, and the number was invented as a sign showing the number of subjects. Meanwhile, people who derive harm from everything and use the ability to count against faith, and although they know that everything else does not change from the addition of number, yet in the reasoning of God's nature they are afraid of number, so that for its sake they do not transgress the measures in honoring the Comforter. But what is inaccessible, O wise ones, especially let it be greater than the number! So the ancient reverence of the Jews inscribed with special signs the unspoken name of God, and thereby showed its superiority over all names. And if it must be calculated, then at least there is no need to damage the truth in this. Either silence the almost ineffable, or piously count the sacred. There is one God and Father, and one Only Begotten Son, and one Holy Spirit. We proclaim each of the Hypostases separately; but when it becomes necessary to count, then we will not allow ignorant calculation to lead us to the concept of polytheism. We do not count through addition, by increasing from one to many, and saying: one, two, three, or: first, second, third. I am God first, and I am unto this (Isa. 44:6). We have never heard of the second God even until now. In worshiping God from God, we confess the distinction of the Hypostases, and remain under unity of command, without dividing theology into fragmented multitudes, because in God the Father and in God the Only Begotten we contemplate one, as it were, image, imprinted in the immutability of the Divinity. For the Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son; because the Son is the same as the Father, and the Father is the same as the Son, and in this they are one. Why, according to the distinctive property of Persons, are one and one, but according to the commonality of nature, both are one. And why, although there is one and one, are there not two Gods? Because the image of kings is also called king, and not two kings; for neither the power is cut, nor the glory divided. Just as there is one principle ruling over us and one power, so our glorification is one, and not many, because the honoring of the image passes to the prototype. But what is imitatively an image here, is there naturally the Son. And just as in artificial works the likeness is in the image, so in God’s uncomplicated nature the unity is in the communion of the Divine. But the Holy Spirit is one, and He is proclaimed separately; through the one Son He is united with the one Father and with Himself completes the revered and blessed Trinity. His unity with the Father and the Son is sufficiently expressed by the fact that He is not placed on a par with the multitude of creatures, but is pronounced separately. For He is not one of many, but one. As there is one Father and one Son, so there is one Holy Spirit. Therefore, He is as far removed from created nature as the individual is unlike the composite and having multitudes within itself. It is united with the Father and the Son insofar as the unit has properties with the unit. But not only from this are the proofs of His communication by nature taken, but also from those places where it is said that He is from God, not like everything else from God, but as coming from God, coming not through birth, like the Son, but as the Spirit of the mouth of God. Without a doubt, the mouth is not a member, and the Spirit is not a dissipated breath; but on the contrary, the lips are understood to be divine, and the Spirit is a living essence, the mistress of the shrine; from which, although His unity with God is revealed, the image of the procession remains inexplicable. He is also called the Spirit of Christ, as united with Christ by nature. Therefore, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His (Rom. 8:9). Therefore, He alone worthily glorifies the Lord. For the Lord said: He will glorify Me (John 16:14), not as a creature, but as the Spirit of truth, clearly showing the truth in Himself, and as the Spirit of wisdom, in His greatness revealing Christ, God's power and God's wisdom. And as the Comforter, He shows in Himself the goodness of the Comforter who sent Him, and in His dignity reveals the greatness of the One from whom He came. Therefore, there is some kind of natural glory, like the glory of the sun - light, and there is some kind of external glory, judiciously rewarded to the worthy, according to free will. But she is again in two minds. For it is said: the son glorifies his father, and the servant his master (Mal. 1:6). So, one of them, the slave, is rewarded by the creature; and the other, I will say this, home, is accomplished by the Spirit. For the Lord, as He said about Himself: I have glorified You on earth, having done the work that You gave Me, that I might do it (John 17:4), so also about the Comforter He says: He will glorify Me, for He will receive it from Mine, and will tell it to you (John 16:14). And just as the Son is glorified by the Father, Who says: I have glorified, and again I will glorify (John 12:28), so the Spirit is glorified, because of communion with the Father and the Son, and according to the testimony of the Only Begotten, Who says: all sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to you by man: but what is blasphemed against the Spirit will not be forgiven (Matthew 12:31). But as soon as, with the assistance of the enlightening power, we direct our gaze to the beauty of the Image of the invisible God and through it we are raised to the contemplation of the Proto-Image, which surpasses all beauty, the Spirit of knowledge is inseparably present, Who gives the observers of the truth in Himself a secret visual power to contemplate the Image, and does not show It outside of Himself, but in Himself introduces it into knowledge. For just as no one knows the Father except the Son (Matthew 11:27), so no one can speak of the Lord Jesus, only in the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). For it is not said: by the Spirit, but: in the Spirit 37. And: The Spirit is God: and whoever worships Him is worthy to worship in Spirit and truth (John 4:24); as it is written: in Your light, that is, in the enlightenment of the Spirit, we will see light (Ps. 35:10), the true light that enlightens every person who comes into the world (John 1:9). Therefore, the Spirit in Himself shows the glory of the Only Begotten, and in Himself communicates to the true worshipers the knowledge of God. Therefore, the path of knowledge of God is from the one Spirit through the only begotten Son to the one Father. And conversely, natural goodness, and natural holiness, and royal dignity from the Father, through the Only Begotten, extend to the Spirit. Thus, the Hypostases are confessed, and the pious dogma of unity of command does not fall. And those who allow calculation, saying: first, second and third, let them be recognized in undefiled Christian theology as introducing the polytheism of Hellenic error. For this clever introduction of calculation does not lead to anything else, but only to confessing the God of the first, second and third. But for us the order proposed by the Lord is sufficient; whoever mixes it up will sin no less than these wicked people. b) St. Basil the Great from a letter (8th) to the Caesarea monks One must confess God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, as the words of God taught and those who sublimely understood them. And let it be said to those who reproach us for tritheism that we confess one God not in number, but in nature. For everything that is called one in number is in reality not one and is not simple in nature: but everyone confesses about God that He is simple and uncomplicated. Therefore, God is not one in number. What I said is explained this way. We say that the world is one in number, but we do not say that it is something single in nature and simple; because we divide it into the elements of which it consists - fire, water, air and earth. Man is also called one by number, for we often say: one man, but even he, consisting of body and soul, is not simple. Likewise, we say about the angel that he is one in number, but not one by nature and not simple, because we imagine the angelic hypostasis as an essence in which there is a shrine. Therefore, if everything that is one in number is not one in nature, then what is one in nature and simple is not one in number. And we call God one by nature. How do they introduce number to us when we completely exclude it from this blissful and intelligent nature? For number is an accessory of quantity, and quantity is associated with bodily nature; Therefore, number is an accessory to the corporeal nature. And we believe that our Lord is the Creator of bodies. Therefore, every number means something that has received a material and limited nature as its destiny; and singularity and unity are a sign of a simple and boundless essence. Therefore, whoever confesses the Son of God or the Holy Spirit as a number or a creature, secretly introduces a material or limited number. I call limited not only the nature that is encompassed by place, but also that nature that He who had the power to bring it from non-existence into being embraced with His foreknowledge, and which can be embraced by knowledge. Therefore, everything is holy, if its nature is limited, and holiness is acquired, and can admit vice in itself. And the Son and the Holy Spirit are the source of holiness, from which every rational creature is sanctified, according to the measure of its virtue. Moreover, according to true teaching, we do not call the Son either similar or dissimilar to the Father; for both are equally impossible in relation to Them. Something relative to qualities is called similar and dissimilar, and the Divine is free from qualitative definitions. Confessing the identity of nature, both consubstantial beings are acceptable, and we avoid complexity, because in essence God and the Father begat in essence God and the Son. For this proves consubstantiality: in essence, God is consubstantial with God in essence. It is true that man is called god, something like: Az reh: bozi este (Ps. 81:6), and a demon is called god, something like: bozi is the tongue of the demon (Ps. 96:5); but some are called so by grace, while others are deceitful. The One God is essentially God. And when I say: one, I mean the holy and uncreated essence of God. For the word “one” is said both about a person and simply about nature taken as a whole; about some person, for example, you can say about Paul that he alone was caught up to the third heaven and heard inexpressible verbs, which it is impossible for a man to speak (2 Cor. 12:2, 4): about nature - taken together, when, for example, David says: man is like the grass of his days (Ps. 103:15); because here it does not mean any person, but the totality of nature taken; for every person is temporary and mortal. Thus, what has been said about nature also means the following: you alone have immortality (1 Tim. 6:16); and to the only wise God (Rom. 14:26); and no one is good except one God (Luke 18:19); for here the word “one” is identical with the word “only”, and: the vast one is the sky (Job 9:8); and again: You will worship the Lord your God, and serve Him alone (Matthew 4:10); and: Is there no God (Deut. 32:39). For the word “one” and “only” are used in the Scriptures about God not in distinction from the Son or the Holy Spirit, but in relation to invalid gods, falsely called gods, for example: the Lord is the only leader of them, and God is not alien to them (Deut. 32:12); and: the children of Israel rejected Baalim, and the oak groves of Astyroth, and served the only Lord (1 Sam. 7:4); and Paul also says: as there are many gods and many lords: but to us there is one God the Father, from Him are all things; and there is one Lord Jesus Christ, who is all things (1 Cor. 8:5–6). 13. Graduality in revealing the doctrine of the Holy Trinity a) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 31st word, on the theology of the 5th Over the course of centuries, there were two famous transformations of human life, called two covenants and, according to the well-known saying of Scripture, earthquakes of the earth (Hag.2:6). One led from idols to the Law, and the other from the Law to the Gospel. I also preach the good news about the third shock - about the transfer from here to there, unshakable and unshakable. But the same thing happened to both covenants. What exactly? They were not introduced suddenly, not on the first occasion. For what? We needed to know that we were not being forced, but persuaded. For what is not arbitrary is not durable, just as a stream or a plant is not long held by force. Voluntary is both stronger and more reliable. And the first is the business of the one who uses violence, and the last is actually ours. The first is characteristic of violent power, and the latter is characteristic of God's justice. Therefore, God determined that good should not be done to those who are unwilling, but good should be done to those who are willing. Therefore, He, as a teacher and doctor, abolishes fatherly customs, and allows others, allowing others for our pleasure, just as doctors give medicine to the sick, skillfully seasoned with something pleasant, so that it is accepted. For it is not easy to change what has become a custom and has been respected for a long time. What do I mean? The fact that the first covenant, having prohibited idols, allowed sacrifices, but the second, having abolished sacrifices, did not prohibit circumcision. Then, those who once agreed to the abolition, they also conceded what was ceded, some - sacrifices, others - circumcision, and from pagans they became Jews, and from Jews Christians, being drawn towards the Gospel by gradual changes. Let Paul convince you of this, who from circumcision and cleansing has already reached out to what he said: But, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted (Gal. 5:11)? This was necessary for house-building, and this for perfection. I would like to liken Theology to this, only in the opposite respect. For there transformation was achieved through cancellations, and here perfection - through additions. But the fact is that the Old Testament clearly preached the Father, and not with such clarity the Son; The New One revealed the Son and gave instructions about the Divinity of the Spirit; Now the Spirit abides with us, giving us the clearest knowledge of Him. It was not safe, before the Divinity of the Father was confessed, to clearly preach the Son, and before the Son was recognized, (to put it somewhat boldly) to burden us with preaching about the Holy Spirit and expose us to the danger of losing our last strength, as happens with people who are burdened with food taken in excess, or who still have weak vision and direct their eyes to the sunlight. It was necessary for the Trinity light to illuminate those who were being enlightened with gradual additions, as David says, ascensions (Ps. 83:6), income from glory to glory and prosperity. For this reason, I think, the Spirit descends on the disciples gradually, commensurate with the strength of those who receive, at the beginning of the Gospel, after suffering, after ascension - sometimes it accomplishes powers through them (Matthew 10:1), sometimes it is given to them through a breath (John 20:22), sometimes it appears in tongues of fire (Acts 2:3). Yes, and Jesus proclaims Him gradually, as you yourself will see if you read carefully. “I will pray,” he says, “to the Father, and to send you another Comforter” (John 14:16.17), so that you do not consider Him an adversary to God and speaking from some other authority. Then, although he uses the word poslet, he adds: in my name (John 14:26), and leaving the word: I pray, he retains the word poslet. Then he says I will send (John 15:26), showing his own dignity. Then he said he will come (John 16:13), showing the power of the Spirit. You see the insights gradually shining upon us and the order of theology that it is better for us to observe, not suddenly expressing everything, and not completely hiding everything; for the former is careless, and the latter is ungodly; and with some you can defeat strangers, and with others you can alienate your own. I will add to what has been said what, although it may have already occurred to others, I still consider it to be the fruit of my own mind. The Savior, even after He preached much to the disciples, had something else that, as He himself said, the disciples (perhaps for the reasons I stated above) could not then wear (John 16:12), and which therefore He himself hid from them. And the Savior also said that we will be taught everything by the descending Spirit (John 16:13). This is where I include the Divinity of the Spirit itself, clearly revealed later, when this knowledge had already become timely and suitable, after the glorification of the Savior, after they began to accept the miracle not with unbelief. And what more than this would either Christ have promised, or the Spirit have taught, if it is necessary to recognize both the promised and the preached as great and worthy of God’s greatness? I myself am so sure of this, and I would like that with me everyone who is my friend would honor God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, three Persons, one Divinity, inseparable in glory, honor, essence and kingdom, as one of the God-bearing men who lived not long before us philosophized. Either, as the Scripture says, he does not see the shining day (Job 3:9), nor the glory of future illumination, who believes otherwise, or, taking into account the circumstances, is one or the other, and does not judge the most important subjects sensibly. If the Spirit is not worthy of worship, then how does He make me god in baptism? And if we worship, then how can we not? And if we are venerable, then why not God? Here one thing is supported by another; this is truly a golden and saving chain. From the Spirit we have rebirth, from rebirth we have regeneration, from regeneration we have knowledge of the dignity of Him who recreated. b) St. Gregory of Nyssa from the word on the Holy Spirit From the beginning, humanity fell into error regarding the knowledge of God, and, leaving the Lord to the creatures, some, deceived, began to serve the elements of the world, while others began to revere the nature of demons, and to many, even hand-made images of idols seemed to be deities, and to serve these false gods they built altars, and churches, and dedications, and sacrifices, and sacred groves, and churches. But the Lord of creation looked with the eye of humanity at the damage to human nature and gradually again elevates human life from error to the knowledge of truth. For just as those who, with some knowledge of the art of medicine, restore the strength of those exhausted by long-term hunger, do not suddenly allow them to be satisfied, sparing their weakness; but when they gain strength through proportionate consumption of food, then they allow themselves to be filled with food as much as they like; in the same way, when human nature was exhausted by a terrible famine, the economy (of God) established a gradual approach to the mysterious food, so that people, always ascending to perfection in a certain sequential order, thus reached the limit of perfection. For what saves us is the life-giving Power, which we believe under the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. But those who are incapable of fully perceiving this truth, as a result of the weakness that has befallen them from spiritual hunger, are first of all distracted from polytheism by the prophets and the Law, learn to look at the one Divinity, and in the one Divinity they understand only the one and only power of the Father, being incapable, as I said, of perfect food. Then, for those who have become more perfect through the Law, the only begotten Son is revealed through the Gospel; after this, we are offered perfect food for our nature - the Holy Spirit, in Whom is life. 14. Similarities in nature to understand the dogma of the Holy Trinity St. Gregory the Theologian from the 31st word, about the fifth theology Whatever I considered with myself in my loving mind, whatever I enriched my mind with, wherever I looked for a similarity for it [i.e. sacraments of the Most Holy Trinity], but did not find anything further that could apply God’s nature. If some small similarity is found, then much more slips away, leaving me down, along with what was chosen for comparison. Following the example of others, I imagined a spring, a spring and a stream, and reasoned: are not the Father similar to one, the Son to another, and the Holy Spirit to a third? For the spring, the spring and the stream are inseparable by time, and their coexistence is continuous, although it seems that they are separated by three properties. But I was afraid, firstly, so as not to allow some kind of flow in the Divinity that never stops, and secondly, so as not to introduce numerical unity with such a similarity. For the spring, the spring and the stream are one in relation to number, but they are different only in the image of representation. I again took into consideration the sun, the ray and the light. But here, too, there is a fear lest in an uncomplicated nature one should imagine any complexity noticeable in the sun and in that which is from the sun; secondly, lest, by attributing the essence to the Father, one would deprive the other Persons of their independence and make them the powers of God, which exist in the Father, but are not independent. Because both the ray and the light are not the sun, but some solar outpourings and essential qualities of the sun. Thirdly, so as not to attribute to God both existence and non-existence (to which conclusion this example can lead), and this is even more absurd than what was said before. I also heard that someone found the desired similarity in the reflection of the sun, which appears on the wall and is shaken by the movement of waters, when the ray, collected by the air and then scattered by the reflecting surface, comes into a strange vibration; for from numerous and frequent movements he runs from place to place, making up not so much one as many, and not so much many as one; because due to the speed of rapprochement and divergence, it escapes before his gaze catches it. But in my opinion, this cannot be accepted either. Firstly, because what sets things in motion is too visible here, but there is nothing more primary than God that would set Him in motion, because He Himself is the cause of everything and does not have a cause that would be more primary than Him. Secondly, because this similarity suggests the previous thought about movement, about complexity, about an unstable and unsteady nature, while nothing of the kind should be imagined about the Divine. And in general I find nothing that, when considering what is represented, would stop the thought on the selected similarities, unless someone with due prudence takes one thing from the image and discards everything else. Finally, I concluded that it is best to abandon all images and shadows, as deceptive and far from reaching the truth, to adhere to a more pious way of thinking, focusing on a few sayings, to have the Spirit as a guide, and whatever illumination is received from Him, then preserving to the end, with him, as with a sincere accomplice and interlocutor, to go through the present century, and to the best of his ability, to convince others to worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit - one Divinity and one Power. 15. General conclusion from the patristic teaching about the Holy Trinity St. John of Damascus a) from the 1st book of “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith,” ch. 8th Divine properties of the one God. We believe in one God, one beginning, beginningless, uncreated, unborn, incorruptible, equally immortal, eternal, infinite, indescribable, limitless, omnipotent, simple, uncomplicated, incorporeal, alien flow, impassive, unchangeable and immutable, invisible, the source of goodness and truth, a mental and unapproachable light - in force, by any measure indefinable and only measurable by one’s own will - for everything that pleases, perhaps, the creator of all creatures, visible and invisible, who embraces and preserves everything, provides for everything, is all-powerful, rules over everything and reigns over an endless and immortal kingdom, having no rival, filling everything, not being comprehended by anything, but embracing everything, containing everything and the all-exceeding one, which penetrates all essences, while itself remaining pure, remains outside the limits of everything and is removed from the ranks of all beings, as the most essential and above all existing; pre-divine, most good, full, which establishes all principalities and ranks, and itself is above all principalities and ranks, above essence, life, word and understanding, which is light itself, goodness itself, life itself, essence itself, since it does not have from another either being or anything that exists, but itself is the source of being for everything that exists, life - for everything living, reason - for everything rational, the cause of all goods for all beings, - in a power that knows everything before the existence of everything, one essence, one soul, one power, one will, one action, one beginning, one power, one dominion, one kingdom, in three perfect Hypostases, cognizable and worshiped by one worship, believed and revered from every verbal creature (in hypostases), inseparably united and inseparably divided, which is incomprehensible, - into the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in whose name we were baptized, for this is how the Lord commanded the apostles to baptize, saying: baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). About God the Father and the Son. (We believe) in one Father, the beginning of everything and the cause, not begotten of anyone, who alone has no cause and is not begotten, the Creator of all things, but the Father, by nature, of His one only begotten Son, Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ; and in the Producer of the all-holy Spirit. And in one Son of God, the only begotten, our Lord, Jesus Christ, begotten of the Father before all ages, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, unmade, consubstantial with the Father, through whom all things came into being. Speaking about Him: before all ages, we show that His birth is timeless and without beginning; for it was not out of non-existence that the Son of God was brought into being, the radiance of glory and the image of the Hypostasis of the Father (Heb. 1:3), living wisdom and power, the hypostatic Word, the essential, perfect and living image of the invisible God; but He was always with the Father and in the Father, from Whom He was born eternally, without beginning. For the Father never existed unless the Son existed, but together the Father and together also the Son, begotten of Him. For the Father without the Son would not be called Father; if he had ever existed without the Son, he would not have been the Father, and if later he began to have a Son, then also later he became the Father, without having previously been the Father, and would have undergone a change in that, without being the Father, he became Him, and such a thought is more terrible than any blasphemy, for it cannot be said about God that He does not have the natural power of birth, and the power of birth consists in the ability to give birth from oneself, that is, from one’s own essence, a being similar to oneself in terms of nature. About the birth of the Son from the Father. So, it would be impious to assert about the birth of the Son that it happened in time, and that the existence of the Son began after the Father. For we confess the birth of the Son from the Father, that is, from His nature. And if we do not admit that the Son initially existed together with the Father, from Whom He was born, then we will introduce a change in the Hypostasis of the Father in that the Father, not being the Father, later became the Father. True, creation came into existence afterward, but not from the essence of God, but by the will and power of God it was brought from non-existence into existence, and therefore no change occurred in the nature of God. For birth consists in the fact that from the essence of the one who gives birth, that which is born is produced, similar in essence; creation and creation consists in the fact that what is created and created comes from the outside, and not from the essence of the creator and creator, and is completely unlike in nature. Therefore in God. Who alone is impassive, unchangeable, immutable and always the same, impassive both birth and creation. For, being by nature passionless and alien to flow, because He is simple and uncomplicated, He cannot be subject to suffering or flow, either in birth or in creation, and has no need for anyone’s assistance. But birth (in Him) is beginningless and eternal, since it is the action of His nature and comes from His being, otherwise the one who gives birth would have suffered a change, and there would have been God first and God subsequent, and multiplication would have occurred. Creation with God, as an action of will, is not co-eternal with God. For that which is brought from non-existence into being cannot be co-eternal with the Beginningless and always Existing. God and man create differently. Man does not bring anything from non-existence into existence, but what he does, he makes from pre-existing matter, not only having desired, but also having first thought through and imagined in his mind what he wants to do, then he acts with his hands, accepts labor, fatigue, and often does not achieve the goal when diligent work does not work out the way he wants, God, only having willed, brought everything from non-existent into being, and in the same way, God does not give birth in the same way and man. God, being flightless and beginningless, and passionless, and free from flow, and incorporeal, and one only, and infinite, gives birth flightless and without beginning, and passionless, and without flow, and without combination, and His incomprehensible birth has neither beginning nor end. He gives birth without beginning because He is immutable, without expiration because He is passionless and incorporeal; - out of combination because, again, he is incorporeal and there is only one God, who has no need for anyone else; - infinitely and unceasingly because it is flightless, and timeless, and infinite, and always the same, for what is without beginning is infinite, and what is infinite by grace is by no means without beginning, like, for example, angels. So, the ever-present God gives birth to His Word, perfect, beginningless and endless, so as not to give birth in time to God, who has a higher time and nature and existence. Man, as it is obvious, gives birth in the opposite way, because he is subject to birth, and decay, and expiration, and reproduction, and is clothed with a body, and in human nature there is a male and female sex, and the husband has a need for the support of his wife. But may He be merciful who is above all and who surpasses all thought and understanding. On the consubstantiality and equality of the Son with the Father. So, the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church teaches both about the Father and about His only begotten Son, born from Him without flight, without flow, dispassionately and incomprehensibly, as only the God of all knows. How both fire and the light that comes from it exist together - not first fire, and then light, but together; and just as light, which is always born from fire, is always in the fire and is never separated from it, so the Son is born from the Father, in no way separating from Him, but always abiding in Him. But light, inseparably born from fire and always abiding in it, does not have its own hypostasis in comparison with fire, for it is a natural property of fire; The only begotten Son of God, born from the Father, inseparably and inseparably and always abiding in Him, has His own Hypostasis, in comparison with the Hypostasis of the Father. So, the Son is called Word and radiance, because he was born from the Father without any combination and dispassionately, and without flight, and without flow, and inseparably; (called) the Son and the image of the Father's Hypostasis because He is perfect, hypostatic and in everything like the Father, except unbornness, (called) the only begotten because He alone was born from one Father in a unique way, for no other birth is like the birth of the Son of God, and there is no other Son of God. The Holy Spirit, although it comes from the Father, does not follow the image of birth, but the image of procession. Here is another way of being, as incomprehensible and unknown as the birth of the Son of God. Therefore, everything that the Father has, the Son also has, except ungeneracy, which does not mean a difference in essence or dignity, but a way of being, just as Adam, who was unborn, for he is God’s creation, and Seth, who was born, for he is the son of Adam, and Eve, who came from Adam’s side, for she was not born, differ from each other not by nature, for they are people, but by the way of being. The Father alone is unborn, because He does not exist from any other Hypostasis; and the Son alone was born, because from the essence of the Father he was born without beginning and without flight, and the Holy Spirit alone proceeds, because from the essence of the Father he is not born, but proceeds. This is what Divine Scripture teaches, although the image of birth and procession remains incomprehensible to us. You should also know that the names of fatherland, sonship and procession were not transferred from us to the blessed Divinity, but, on the contrary, were transferred to us from there, as the divine apostle says: for this reason I bow my knees to the Father, from Him is all fatherland in heaven and on earth (Eph. 111,: 14, 15). If we say that the Father is the beginning of the Son and is greater than Him (John 14:28), then we do not show that He takes precedence over the Son in time or in nature; for through Him the Father made the eyelids (Heb. 1:2). It does not take precedence in any other respect, if not in relation to the cause, that is, because the Son was born from the Father, and not the Father from the Son, that the Father is the author of the Son by nature; just as we do not say that fire comes from light, but, on the contrary, light from fire. So, when we hear that the Father is the beginning and greater than the Son, we must understand the Father as the cause. And just as we do not say that fire is of one essence, and light is of another, so it is impossible to say that the Father is of one essence, and the Son is another; but (both) are the same. And just as we say that fire shines through the light coming out of it, and we do not believe that the light that comes from fire is its ministerial organ, but, on the contrary, is its natural power, so we say about the Father that everything that the Father does, he does through His only begotten Son, not as through a ministerial instrument, but as through a natural and hypostatic Power; and as we say that fire illuminates, and again we say that the light of fire illuminates; So everything that the Father does, the Son does likewise (John 5:19). But light does not have a special hypostasis from fire; The Son is a perfect Hypostasis, inseparable from the Father’s Hypostasis. It is impossible for an image to be found among creatures that in all similarities shows in itself the properties of the Holy Trinity. For what is created and complex, fleeting and changeable, describable and imageable and perishable - how can we accurately explain the all-important Divine essence, which is alien to all this? And it is known that every creature is subject to most of these properties and, by its very nature, is subject to decay. About God the Holy Spirit. In the same way, we believe in one Holy Spirit, the Lord, the life-giving one, who proceeds from the Father and rests in the Son, who is worshiped and glorified by the Father and the Son as consubstantial and coeternal; in the Spirit from God, the right and ruling Spirit, the source of wisdom, life and sanctification; in God, with the Father and the Son who is and is called, uncreated, completeness, Creator, Almighty, all-perfect, omnipotent, infinitely powerful, possessing every creature and not subject to dominion, in the Spirit who creates God and is not created by God, who fills and is not filled, who communicates, but does not borrow anything, who sanctifies and who is not sanctified, the Comforter, as accepting the prayers of all, in everything similar to the Father and Son, emanating from the Father, through Son given and perceived by all creation, through Himself creating and realizing everything without exception, sanctifying and preserving, hypostatic, existing in His own Hypostasis, inseparable and inseparable from the Father and the Son, having everything that the Father and the Son have, except unbornness and birth, for the Father is innocent and unborn, because he is not from anyone, but has existence from Himself and from what He has, has nothing from another; on the contrary, He Himself is for everything the beginning and cause of the image as it exists by nature. The Son is from the Father - according to the image of birth; The Holy Spirit, although also from the Father, is not in the manner of birth, but in the manner of procession. That, of course, there is a difference between birth and procession, we have learned this; but what kind of difference there is, we cannot comprehend this in any way. (We only know that) both the birth of the Son and the procession of the Holy Spirit occur simultaneously. So, everything that the Son has and the Spirit has from the Father, even being itself. And if anything is not the Father, then it is neither the Son nor the Spirit, and if the Father did not have something, the Son and the Spirit do not have it; but through the Father, that is, because the Father exists, the Son and the Spirit exist, and through the Father the Son, also the Spirit, has everything that he has, because, that is, the Father has all this - except ungeneracy and birth and procession. For it is only by their hypostatic properties that the three holy Hypostases differ from each other, inseparably distinguished not by essence, but by the distinctive property of each Hypostasis. Mutual relations of the Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity. We say that each of these three Persons has a perfect Hypostasis, so that we do not mistake the perfect nature for one - composed of three imperfect ones, but for one simple essence in three perfect Hypostases, which is higher and ahead of perfection. For everything composed of imperfect things must necessarily be complex; but from perfect Hypostases addition cannot occur, which is why we do not say that the form is from Hypostases, but in the Hypostases. They said that from the imperfect, that is, from that which does not represent the whole type of the thing that is made up of it, so stone, wood and iron are in themselves perfect by nature, but in relation to the house that is built from them, each is imperfect, because each, taken separately, is not a house. So, we call the Hypostases (of the Holy Trinity) perfect, so as not to introduce complexity into the Divine nature, for addition is the beginning of discord. And again we say that the three Hypostases are mutually located in one another, so as not to introduce multitudes and crowds of gods. Confessing the three Hypostases, we recognize the simplicity and unity (in the Divinity); and confessing that these Hypostases are consubstantial with one another, and recognizing in them the identity of will, action, strength, power and, if we can say, movement, we recognize their inseparability and the fact that God is one; for God, His Word and His Spirit are truly one God. The Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one in everything, except ungeneracy, birth and procession, but separated by thought; for we know one God, but we notice with our thoughts the difference only in properties, that is, patronymic, sonship and procession, just as we distinguish between a cause, something dependent on a cause, and the perfection of a hypostasis, or way of being. For in relation to the indescribable Divinity, we cannot talk about local distance, as in relation to us, because the Hypostases are one in the other, not merging, however, but uniting, according to the word of the Lord, who said: I am in the Father and the Father in Me (John 14:11), - nor about the difference of will, or thought, or action, or strength, or anything else that produces in us an effective and complete separation. Therefore, we speak about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit not as three Gods, but, rather, as one God, the Holy Trinity, since the Son and the Spirit are raised to one Author, but do not add up and do not merge, as Sabellius said; for They unite, as we said, not merging, but being together with each other and penetrating each other without any confusion or fusion, and in such a way that they do not exist one outside the other or are not separated in essence, according to the Apian division; for, to put it briefly, the Divinity is indivisible in the divided, just as in three suns, closely adjacent to each other and not separated by any distance, there is one mixture of light and one fusion. Therefore, when we look at the Divinity, at the first cause, at autocracy, at the unity and identity of the Divinity and, so to speak, at movement and will, at the identity of essence, force, action and domination, then we imagine one thing. When we look at that in which there is Divinity, or, to say more precisely, what there is Divinity, and at that which from there - from the first cause exists eternally, equivalently and inseparably, that is, at the Hypostasis of the Son and the Spirit - then there will be three, Whom we worship. One Father is Father and without beginning, that is, guiltless, for He is not from anyone. One Son is a Son, but not without beginning, that is, not innocent; for He is from the Father; if we take the beginning in time, then it is beginningless; for He is the Creator of times and is not subject to time. One Spirit is the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father, but not in the image of a son, but in the image of procession. So neither the Father lost his ungeneration through what he begot, nor the Son lost his birth through what he was born from the unborn - for how could it be otherwise? - neither the Spirit was transformed into either the Father or the Son through the fact that He came into being and because He is God. For the property is unchangeable; Otherwise, how could it remain a property if it were changed and transposed? – If the Father is the Son, then he is no longer the Father in the proper sense; for in the proper sense there is only one Father; and if Son is the Father, then He is not in the proper sense the Son; for there is one Son in the proper sense; one and the Holy Spirit. You should know that we do not say that the Father comes from anyone, but we call the Son Himself Father. We do not say that the Son is the cause, nor do we say that He is the Father, but we say that He is both from the Father and the Son of the Father. And about the Holy Spirit we say that He is from the Father, and we call Him the Spirit of the Father, but we do not say that the Spirit is also from the Son, but we call Him the Spirit of the Son, as the divine apostle says: if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His (Rom. 8:3), and we confess that He was revealed to us and is taught to us through the Son; for it is said: I breathed and said to them (His disciples): receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22); just as the ray and radiance (comes) from the sun, for it is the source of both the ray and radiance; but the radiance is communicated to us through the beam, and it illuminates us and is accepted by us. About the Son we do not say that He is the Son of the Spirit, nor that He is from the Spirit. b) From the second part of “The Source of Knowledge” - “About heresies in brief” We believe in the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one Godhead in three Persons, one will, one action, but equally in three Persons, incorporeal wisdom, uncreated, immortal, incomprehensible, beginningless, immovable, unchangeable, indestructible, indescribable, equal glory, equal power, equal greatness, equal strength, one nature, all-essential, most blessed, three-light, three-solar, three-spreading. The Father is holy, the Son is holy, the Holy Spirit is holy. The Father is wisdom, the Son is wisdom, the Holy Spirit is wisdom. There is one God, not three Gods. There is one Lord - the Holy Trinity, cognizable in three Hypostases. The Father is Father and uncreated; The Son is the Son, begotten, but not made, for He is from the Father. The Holy Spirit is not born, but proceeds, for from the Father. Nothing created, nothing first or second, nothing master-slave. But the Unity is also the Trinity - and was and is and will be forever, known and worshiped by faith - by faith, and not by research and not by research, and not by proof. For the more it is explored, the more it is not known, and the more it arouses curiosity, the more it is hidden. So let the faithful worship God with simple reason. Believe that God is in three Persons. But how, this is beyond any image, for God is incomprehensible. Don't tell me how the Trinity exists as a Trinity? For God cannot be searched. If you are curious about God, then first of all tell me about yourself and what concerns you. How does your soul exist? How does your mind move? How do you create a word? How do you exist, mortal and at the same time immortal? If you do not know what is inside you, then how can you not shudder to explore the highest of heaven? The thoughts of the Father are like the source of the life of the Son, like a river giving birth; The Holy Spirit is like the sea, for the source, the river, and the sea are one nature. The thoughts of the Father are like a root, the Son is like a branch, the Holy Spirit is like fruit, for in three of them there is one nature. The Father is the sun, having the ray of the Son, the warmth of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is much higher than any image or outline. Having heard about birth from the Father, do not think about physical birth. Having heard about the Word, do not understand It in the sense of a bodily word. Having heard about the Spirit of God, do not understand the wind or the breath. The Creator is known by analogy with His creations. By doing this, you will be a right honorer of the Holy and Unconfused Trinity, the Father, and Son, and the Holy Spirit, the one Divinity, to Whom be glory and honor and worship forever and ever. Amen. Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church, from whose works extracts are given in the third issue St. Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop of Neocaesarea, † c. 270 g Lecturer Maxim the Confessor, b. OK. 580, † in 662 Issue IV. About God the Creator and Provider of the world 1. The meaning of the first words of the narrative of Moses in the book of Genesis (Gen. 1: 1): in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth St. John Chrysostom from the 2nd conversation on the book of Genesis The opening words of the book of Genesis must be accepted as the words of the Lord Himself, not testing what is above us, but humbly believing Listen, I ask you, with attention to our words, because we will not speak on our own, but what the grace of God will inspire us for your benefit. What is this? In the beginning God created heaven and earth. Here, first of all, the appropriate question is why the blessed prophet (Moses), who lived many generations after the event, tells us this? Not without reason and not without purpose. In the beginning, God, who created man, Himself talked with people, as long as people could hear Him. This is how He came to Adam, this is how He denounced Cain, this is how He talked with Noah, this is how He visited Abraham. When the entire human race fell into great wickedness, even then the Creator did not turn away at all from the entire human race; but since people have become unworthy of conversation with Him, then, wanting to resume communication with them, he sends Scripture to people, as if to those far away, in order to attract the entire human race. This scripture was sent by God and brought by Moses. What does Scripture say? In the beginning God created heaven and earth. See, beloved, this is the special excellence of this wonderful prophet. All the other prophets spoke either about what was supposed to happen after a long time, or about what was supposed to happen at the same time, but he, the blessed one, who lived many generations after the creation of the world, was honored, by the guidance of the highest Hand, to utter what was created by the Lord of all even before his birth. That is why he began to say this: in the beginning God created heaven and earth, as if calling to all of us with a loud voice: “I do not say this because of the teaching of people; Who called these heavens and earth from non-existence into being, He is the one who inspired the deed and my tongue to tell about them.” So, I ask you, let us listen to these words as if we were hearing not Moses, but the Lord of the Universe himself, speaking through the mouth of Moses, and let us say goodbye for a long time to our own reasoning: for human thoughts are fearful, and their plans are sinful (Wis. 9:14). With great gratitude let us accept what Moses said, without going beyond our boundaries, and without testing what is above us, as the enemies of the truth did, who wanted to comprehend everything with their minds, without thinking that human nature cannot comprehend the creation of God. And what excuse can you have, what excuse, when you are mad and dreaming of what is above your nature? To say that everything came from a ready-made substance, and not to admit that the Creator of the universe produced everything from nothing, would be a sign of extreme madness. So, stopping the lips of the foolish, the blessed prophet at the very beginning of the book said this: in the beginning God created heaven and earth. When you hear: do, then do not invent anything else, but humbly believe what is said. It is God who creates and transforms everything, and arranges everything according to His will. At the same time, he (Moses) and all the heresies that appear in the Church like tares are plucked out with these same words: in the beginning God created heaven and earth. Whether Manichaeus, who claims that matter existed before, or Marcion, or Valentinus 39, or any of the pagans, comes to you, say to them: in the beginning God created heaven and earth. “But he doesn’t believe the Scriptures?” So turn away from him as from a frantic and insane person. Whoever does not believe the Creator of the universe and, as it were, accuses the truth of lying, how can he ever deserve forgiveness? These people have a feigned appearance, and, putting on the mask of meekness, hide a wolf under a sheep's skin. But do not be deluded, but hate this one even more for the very fact that before you, a slave just like him, he pretends to be meek, but has raised a battle against the Lord of all, God, and does not feel that he is going against his own salvation. We will hold on to the indestructible foundation and turn again to the beginning: in the beginning God created heaven and earth. 1. The world, with its improvement, testifies to a higher creative Mind a) St. Clement of Rome from 1 Corinthians, ch. 20th Harmony and harmony in nature as the action of God’s governing will The heavens, moving by His order, obey Him (God) in the world: both day and night carry out the course determined by Him, without interfering with each other. The sun and the faces of the stars, at His command, in agreement, without the slightest deviation, penetrate into their appointed paths. The fruitful earth, according to His will, at certain times produces abundant food for people, animals and all the animals found in it, without slowing down or changing anything that is prescribed to them. The unsearchable and incomprehensible regions of the abyss and the underworld are held by the same dictates. The boundless sea, according to His design, united into large masses of water, does not push beyond the barriers set for it, but does as He commanded. For He said: “You will come this far, and your waves will be broken within you” (Job 38:11). The ocean, impassable for people, and the worlds beyond it are governed by the same commandments of the Lord. The seasons - spring, summer, autumn and winter - peacefully give way to one another. Certain winds - each in its own time - carry out their service without hindrance. Inexhaustible springs, created for pleasure and health, continually supply people with the moisture they need for their lives. Finally, the smallest animals live together peacefully and harmoniously. All this was commanded to be in harmony and peace by the great Creator and Lord of all, who does good to everyone, and especially to us who resort to His mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and majesty forever and ever. b) Minutius Felix from Octavius, ch. 17–18 The beauty of the sky. Correct change of seasons. Expediency in the structure of the earth's surface and in the nature of animals. Beauty and expediency in the structure of the human body Those people who think that this entire well-ordered world was not created by the divine mind, but was made up of certain parts connected to each other without any purpose - they, it seems to me, have neither reason, nor thoughts, nor even eyes. In fact, if you only lift your eyes to heaven and consider what is under it and on it, then can anything be clearer and more reliable than the truth that there is some Being of the most excellent intelligence that penetrates, moves, preserves and directs all nature? Look up to the sky. How widely it spreads! What rapid movement takes place there! Look at it at night, when it is speckled with stars, or during the day, when it shines with the bright rays of the sun, and you will know in what amazing, divine balance the Supreme Manager keeps it. Pay attention to how the year is made from the movement of the sun, and how the moon, now waxing and now waning, measures the months. But let us leave it to the astronomers to say in more detail about the stars, how they control the movements of sailors or determine the time of sowing and harvest: all this not only could not have happened, formed and come into order without the Supreme Artist, without the most perfect Reason, but even cannot be perceived, inherited and comprehended without the greatest effort and activity of the mind. What can we say about such regularly occurring changes in the year and fruits? Do not spring with its flowers, summer with its harvests, autumn with ripe and pleasant fruits and winter abounding in olives 40 point us to its Culprit? Such an order would easily be upset if it were not supported by a higher Reason. And what foresight is visible in the fact that spring and autumn are given to us with their own average temperature, so that winter does not torment us only with its cold, and summer does not scorch us with its heat, and that the transitions from one season to another are imperceptible and insensitive! Turn your attention to the sea - it is limited by the law of the shore! See how all plants receive their life from the interior of the earth. Look at the ever-turbulent ocean, at these always flowing springs, at these rivers that never stop in their flow. What can be said about these regularly located elevations of mountains, about the windings of the hills, about the vast stretch of plains? What can we say about the diversity of animal defenses against each other? Some of them are armed with horns, others are equipped with sharp teeth, others are protected by hooves, others have a sharp sting, some cover themselves with the speed of their running, others with the speed of flight! Especially in the beauty of our image it is revealed that God is an artist: an upright posture, a gaze directed upward, eyes placed high, as if on a watchtower, and all other senses located, as if in a fortification. But let's not dwell on the details. In general, it must be said that in the human composition there is not a single member that does not satisfy some need and does not serve to decorate, and, what is most surprising, despite the common appearance we all have, each has some distinctive features. Thus, we are all similar to each other, and at the same time differ from one another. God cares not only about the whole, but also about the parts. For example, Britain lacks the sun, but is warmed by the warmth of the sea, which surrounds it on all sides; the Nile River moderates the dryness of Egypt; The Euphrates fertilizes the soil of Mesopotamia, the Indus, they say, moistens and makes the countries of the East fertile. When, upon entering a house, you see taste, order, and beauty everywhere, then, of course, you will think that it is controlled by the owner, and that he is much more excellent than all these blessings; Think, then, that in the house of this world, when you look at heaven and earth and find in them providence, order and law, there is the Lord and Father of all, Who is more beautiful than the very stars and parts of the whole world. c) St. Basil the Great from the 5th conversation on the Sixth Day Each blade of grass is capable of causing surprise at the artistry and expediency of its design. Nothing was created in vain or without benefit. Diversity of plants according to their structure and fruits. Richness of colors I would like to more firmly root in you wonder for creation, so that no matter where you are, and no matter what type of plant you encounter, you will always renew in yourself a clear memory of the Creator. One piece of grass or one blade of grass is enough to occupy your whole thought with consideration of the art with which it is produced, for example, a stalk of wheat is girded with knees so that they, like bundles, comfortably support the weight of the ears when, full of fruits, they bow to the ground. The stem of oats is completely empty, since its top is not burdened with anything. Nature protected the stalk of wheat with special bundles, enclosed the grain in a cell so that it could not be stolen by birds, and with long spines, like needles, prevented harm from small animals. What should I say and what should I keep silent? In the rich treasuries of creation it is difficult to find what is preferable to others, and if we leave something unattended, the damage will be irreparable. Let the earth sprout the former herbs. Together with the nutritious, the harmful also grew, along with wheat and hemlock, and together with other nutritious plants - hellebore, wrestler, mandrake and poppy juice. So what? Will we really refuse to give thanks for what is useful and begin to blame the Creator for what is destructive to our lives? Should we not consider that not everything was created for our womb? On the contrary, just as what is prescribed for our food is at our fingertips and is known to everyone, so every created thing in the whole creation fulfills some special law of its own. Since ox blood is poison for you, is it really necessary for this very reason either not to create this animal, or to create the ox bloodless, although we need its strength for so many needs in life? But the reason living within you is enough for you to protect yourself from harmful things. If sheep and goats know how to avoid what is harmful to their lives, distinguishing what is harmful through one sense, then tell me, is it really difficult for you to avoid what is poisonous for you, who has both reason and medical science, indicating what is beneficial, and the experience of your predecessors, inspiring you to avoid what is harmful? But even from this nothing was created in vain and without benefit. For it either serves as food for some animal, or with the help of medical science it is discovered to be suitable for ourselves, serving to alleviate some ailments. Starlings feed on hemlock and, due to the structure of their bodies, do not tolerate harm from poison; Having thin holes in their hearts, they seem to digest what is absorbed before the cooling it produces touches the main members. Hellebore serves as food for quails, and by their constitution they remain unharmed. But these same plants are sometimes useful to us. Doctors use mandrograss to induce sleep, and use opium to soothe severe pain in the body. And some used hemlock to pacify the rage of lust, and hellebore eradicated many long-standing diseases. Therefore, what you thought to blame the Creator for, the same thing turned into an incentive for you to be more grateful. Let the earth sprout the old ones. And the earth, observing the laws of the Creator, starting with a sprout, in a short moment of time went through all types of growth and immediately brought vegetation to perfection. The meadows were filled with abundant grass, the fertile plains, rising from the harvest, retained the semblance of a wavering sea in the swaying of the ears. Every kind of greenery and every kind of vegetable, everything that grows as a bush and that bears legumes, appeared then in abundance on the earth. For nothing then stopped the growth; the inexperience of farmers, the lack of solubility in the air and any other reason did not harm what came out of the earth. Condemnation has not yet hindered the fertility of the earth; all this was before sin, for which we were condemned to eat bread by the sweat of our brow. But it is said: And a fruitful tree, which produces fruit, has its seed in it, according to its kind and likeness upon the earth. According to this verb, the bushes thickened, all the trees grew out of the ground, usually reaching extreme heights: spruce, cedars, cypresses, pine trees; all the small trees suddenly became branched and dense, and the plants used for crowns appeared - roses, myrtles and laurels. None of this existed on earth before, and everything came into being in one instant of time, with a property belonging to each, with an obvious difference from foreign plants and with characteristics characteristic of each. But the rose was without thorns; Subsequently, thorns were added to the beauty of color, so that not far from the pleasantness of pleasure we would have ready-made sorrow, remembering sin, for which the earth was condemned to grow thorns and thistles for us (Gen. 3:18). How many genera of fertile plants arose then, suitable for creating blood, for building ships, for burning! And here again, in each tree, the structure of its parts is diverse, but on the other hand, it is hardly possible to find the property of each tree, and to discern the mutual differences between trees of different types. Why do some of them take root deep into the earth, while others spread along the earth's surface? some grow straight and have one trunk, others are low and from the very root are divided into many shoots? Why do trees that have long branches and spread far in the air have deep roots and extend around a large space, as if nature had laid foundations commensurate with the weight of the upper parts? How many differences there are in tree bark! Some trees have smooth bark, others have wrinkled bark; Some have a single layer, while others have a multi-layer. And what’s surprising is that in plants you will find signs similar to human youth and old age. For on young and healthy trees the bark is tightly wrapped around it, but on old trees it wrinkles and hardens. Some trees, being cut, sprout again, others, having been cut, as if it were death for them, remain without succession. There is so much variation in the fruiting of fertile plants that it is impossible to describe it in words. For not only are the fruits of different trees different, but there are many differences even in the same type of tree. There is a different distinctive feature of the fruit on a male plant, and another on a female plant, as gardeners distinguish, who even divide date trees into two sexes - male and female. There are so many differences in the manner of birth of fruits, to say the least of many things! But who will describe the variety of fruits themselves, their appearance, color, properties of juices and the benefits of each? Why do some ripen naked in the sun, while others come to fullness covered in shells? Why is it that those whose fruit is tender, have leaves that are rough, like those of a fig tree? and those whose fruits are closed, are their leafy clothing light, like that of a hazel tree? Because the former, due to their weakness, need more help, and the latter, a denser shell would be harmed by the shadow of the leaves. What cuts are there on the grape leaves so that the grapes are protected from the harmful effects of the air, and, due to the rarity of the leaves, receive the sun's rays in abundance! Nothing is without a reason, and nothing is by chance, some kind of unspoken wisdom is visible everywhere. What word can be sufficient for this? How does the human mind examine everything in detail in order to discern properties, clearly distinguish mutual differences, and present hidden causes without lack? The same water, attracted by the root, feeds the root itself in a different way, the bark of the trunk differently, the wood differently, and again the core in it differently. The same thing is made into a leaf and divided into branches and branches, bringing growth to fruits; The sap in the plant and the moisture flowing out from it come from the same reason. What is the difference between all this, no word can explain. There is a different moisture flowing from the mastic plant, and a different sap from the balsam tree; and some backgammon in Egypt and Libya exude a different kind of juice. They also say that amber is the juice of plants, hardened into stone. And this opinion is confirmed by blades of grass and small animals found in amber, which, being captured when the juice was still soft, remain in it. And in general, anyone who has not experienced the differences between juices in relation to their quality will not find a word to explain their actions. How is it that wine is made from the same moisture in grapes and oil in olives? And it is surprising not only how the moisture in the grapes became sweet, but in the olive fat, but also that in sweet fruits the difference in qualities is incalculable. For there is another sweetness in the grape, and another in the apple, the fig tree, and the date tree. And I want you to think about this question: why is the same water either soft to the senses, when, being in certain plants, it becomes sweet, or hard to the taste, when, having passed through other plants, it is oxidized, and again turning into extreme bitterness, unbearable to the senses, when it is in wormwood and scammonea 41; and in acorns or in the fruit of a tree it turns into a pungent and astringent quality, while in turpentine plants and nuts it changes into a tender and oily quality? And is it necessary to talk about something little known, when in the same fig tree the water turns into opposite qualities? The same moisture is very bitter in the tree sap, and very sweet in the fruit itself; and in grapes it has the most astringent taste in the branches, and the most pleasant in the berries. But how many differences there are in colors! You can see in the meadows that the same water is blush in one flower, crimson in another, blue in this, and white in this. And again, there is even more variety in smells than there is in colors. But I see that my word, from an insatiable desire to survey everything, exceeds the limit, and if I do not put bonds on it and bring it to the necessary law of creation, then I will not have enough day to depict before you the great wisdom hidden in the most unimportant things. Let the earth sprout a fruitful tree, producing fruit on the earth. And immediately the tops of the mountains were overshadowed with curls, gardens were arranged, and the banks of the rivers were decorated with thousands of genera of plants; and some prepared to decorate the human table with themselves, while others offered both leaves and fruits for food to the cattle. But they also provide us with medicinal benefits in their juices, moisture, twigs, bark, and fruits. And in a word, what long-term experience revealed to us, collecting useful things from particular cases, suddenly brought into being the all-encompassing providence of the Creator, having foreseen it from the beginning. And you, when you see garden or wild plants, vegetating in water or on land, bearing flowers or colorless ones, recognizing the great in small things, constantly deepen your surprise and grow in love for the Creator. Let the earth sprout. This brief command immediately became a great nature and artistic word, producing countless properties of plants faster than our thoughts. The same command, still operating in the earth, encourages it, at the end of each year, to reveal its power, which it has for the production of herbs, seeds and trees. Like a kubar, according to the strength of the first blow given to it, it makes subsequent revolutions when it describes circles, keeping the center motionless; so the successive order of nature, having received its beginning with the first command, extends throughout all subsequent time until it reaches the general end of the universe. Let us all hasten to him, bearing fruit in good deeds and being filled with them, so that we may plant them in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our God (Ps. 91:14) in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. 3. The world could not have happened by chance St. Dionysius of Alexandria from the book “On Nature” The view of some Greek philosophers on the universe as a random combination of atoms. A refutation of this view is by pointing out that not a single human work is accidental (a piece of matter, a house, a city, a ship, a chariot). If the essence and nature of atoms is one and the same, then how could objects of the most varied form and value be composed of them? The view that atoms are united by natural affinity is untenable. Atoms cannot produce the rising and setting of the sun and moon and the harmonious movement of the stars, otherwise they would have to be given divine worship. The origin and structure of man also strongly speaks against the doctrine of atoms being discussed. People (especially philosophers) find pleasure in the good deeds of others, and the gods, if they do not provide for the world, are deprived of this pleasure Is there one universe, and is it a harmonious whole, as it seems to us and the wisest of the Greeks, Plato 42 and Pythagoras 43, the Stoics 44 and Heraclitus 45, or does it consist of two principles, as others also thought, or even it is an infinite multitude (of worlds), as it seemed to others, who, falling into various errors and inventing various (new) names, tried to fragment the essence of the universe and consider it limitless, and unborn, and not subject to providence? Of the latter, some, pointing to atoms as some kind of indestructible and smallest bodies, countless in number, and having imagined some kind of empty space, unlimited in size, argue that these atoms rush by chance in empty space, collide with each other due to the disorder of movement and, connecting with each other due to the diversity of their forms, mutually hold each other in these connections and thus produce the world and everything that is in it, or better – boundless worlds. Epicurus 46 and Democritus 47 held this opinion; Moreover, they disagreed only in that the first considered all atoms to be very small and therefore inaccessible to the senses, and Democritus believed that there are some very large atoms. But, in the opinion of both, they are atoms and are called so because of their indecomposable strength. Others, by the name of atoms, mean bodies without (constituting) parts, which are parts of everything (existing), from which, as from indivisible things, everything is composed, and into which everything is resolved. But can we listen to these people who claim that creatures full of wisdom and therefore beautiful are accidental creatures? Each of them individually, as well as all together, turned out to be beautiful in the eyes of the One who commanded them to be. See, it is said (in Genesis 1:31), “God has created everything, every tree, and every good thing.” Meanwhile, they are not enlightened by even those small, ordinary and well-known examples, from which they can learn that not a single necessary and useful work is created without effort and by chance, but is constructed and prepared by the hands of (man) for proper service; on the contrary, when it turns into unnecessary and useless, then it decomposes and dissipates continuously and at random, since it is no longer occupied with or disposed of by the wisdom through which it could appear. Indeed, a piece of material does not appear without a weaver, the warps are not composed by themselves and the transverse thread is not woven by itself; and when it wears out, the tattered rags spread out in all directions. The house and the city are not created in such a way that some stones themselves fall into the foundation, while others rise to the upper parts of the building, but the builder places them in order, each stone in its place; after the destruction of the house, each of them falls down and falls at random. And during the construction of a ship, the keel does not position itself (down the ship), the mast does not rise to the middle on its own, and each of the other trees does not by itself take the position that befalls it. In the same way, for example, the hundred logs of the 48 chariot were not united each in that empty place that they themselves found, but the builder in both cases fitted all the logs into their place. If a ship at sea, or a chariot rushing along the land, is destroyed, then the trees will be thrown apart, as it happens, some by waves, others by a strong push. So atoms, they should have been told, remaining unprocessed, unprocessed and unused, are carried around without any use. However, let us leave them to consider these invisible things and comprehend these incomprehensible (atoms) differently than the one who confesses what God has revealed to him before Him in the words (Ps. 139:16): My eyes have seen what you have not done. And when they say that the most elegant fabrics, which, according to them, arose from atoms, were created by these very atoms without the participation of wisdom and creation, then who will want to hear about these countless atoms, which even a spider, weaving a web from itself, surpasses in wisdom? Or who can agree that this great building, consisting of heaven and earth and called the cosmos due to the greatness and abundance of wisdom invested in it, was brought into order by atoms rushing about without any order, and disorder became order? How did correct movements and paths arise from random throwing? How was the harmonic dance of the celestial bodies made up of discordant and inconsistent instruments? How is it that, given the same essence of all things, with the same incorruptible nature, with only one (as they say) difference in size and shape, some of the bodies - as they themselves would say - are divine, pure and eternal bodies? They, of course, will say that the reason for the difference in the stability of bodies is the different compounds of atoms; Some bodies, according to them, are united and connected by atoms in such a way that they have become completely indecomposable compounds, while in others the contact of atoms is more or less weak and unstable, which is why sooner or later these bodies lose the (former) harmonious form in which the atoms were connected (in them). Moreover, some bodies, they say, were composed of some atoms having such and such a shape, and others from other atoms arranged differently. But, the question arises, who examines, collects and arranges - and combines some atoms in a certain way into the sun, and others in a different way (collects) so that the moon appears, and chooses everything in accordance with the nature of each star? After all, of course, neither the solar atoms, united in such and such and such a way, came together to create the moon, nor did the combination of lunar atoms once become the sun, and the brilliant Arcturus did not begin to be proud of the fact that for some time now he possessed the atoms of the Morning Star, and the Pleiades - the atoms of Orion 49 . – Paul distinguished the stars perfectly, saying (1 Cor. 15:41): there is another glory for the sun, and another glory for the moon, and another glory for the stars; for one star differs from the other in glory. If their bringing together, as soulless bodies, occurred without the participation of (their own) consciousness, then an intelligent builder was necessary for them; if their union, as devoid of (only) reason, occurred not by their will, but by necessity, then in any case some wise shepherd gathered and arranged them; if, finally, they came together voluntarily for their business, then it means that some amazing architect distributed the work between them in advance, or, like an experienced commander, left not a disorderly and huddled army, but placed the cavalry in one place, in a special heavily armed infantry, separately spearmen, especially archers and, where necessary, slingers, so that warriors of the same type of weapon would help each other. If there is no ruler over the atoms who would speak to them, or choose, or put them in order, but they themselves, of their own free will, emerge from the great chaos resulting from disorderly movement into their proper place, leave behind them great noise from various collisions, and are directed like to like not by God, as the poet says 50, but they themselves flock and gather together, knowing those who are related to themselves: - then how amazing is this self-government of atoms?! Friends greet and embrace each other and rush to settle down in one common place of residence and some of themselves are intertwined into the sun - the great luminary (Gen. 1:6) to produce the day, and others into numerous, perhaps, pyramids of stars to crown the whole sky, and others are placed around to give it some hardness and bring out the ether with a vault for the ascension of the luminaries, and so that groups of these simple atoms choose their dwellings and divide the sky into houses and their places of residence. But these unreasonable people do not even see the obvious and, of course, are even more unable to see the secret. Apparently, they do not suspect the rising and setting of the luminaries established (in nature), even the most magnificent sunrises and sunsets, and do not take advantage of the amenities that come from these luminaries for people - during the day, adapted for work, and at night, which overshadows (us) darkness for rest. A man will go out, says Scripture (in Ps. 103:23), to his work and to his work until the evening. They also do not notice the other revolution of the sun, by which it produces certain times, favorable weather and constant solstices, driven by the atoms of which it is composed. And even if pitiful people did not want this, as the righteous believe, great is the Lord who created the sun. He confirmed his movement with His words. Blind people! Do atoms really bring you winter and rain so that the earth can produce food for you and all the animals that depend on them? Do atoms really bring summer to you so that you can enjoy the fruits of the trees? Why don’t you worship the atoms and make sacrifices to those in charge of the fruits? Ungrateful! you do not dedicate to them even a few of the firstfruits of the numerous gifts that you have from them. And this populous and motley crowd of stars, created by wandering and always scattered atoms, by common consent divided places (in the sky), as if they were choosing colonies or a common place of residence for themselves - divided without any owner or steward and reverently and peacefully observes the rights of neighborhood in relation to the nearest stars and does not overstep the limits accepted from the very beginning, as if being under the control of the royal atoms?! But atoms do not control, for how can they control when they do not even exist? But listen to the divine sayings (Sir. 16:26, 27): His works were judged by the Lord from the beginning, and from His creation you divided their parts, adorned your works forever, and began them throughout their generations. Or what kind of phalanx 51 passed through the plain in such regular order, with no one moving forward, no one going astray, no one interfering with the others, no one remaining behind those stationed next to him? How does this united, continuous, calm and unobstructed army of stars always move forward at the same speed and in closed ranks? True, when they go down and dodge to the side, they also have invisible movements. Let it be so, but people who study this subject always observe time and know in advance the place from which each of them ascends. So, let these people, who divide the indivisible, find parts in the partless, unite the incompatible and comprehend the incomprehensible, tell us where the circular and coordinated movement and circulation of the celestial bodies comes from, and not a single connection of atoms is thrown recklessly, but such a huge circular choir rhythmically traverses equal spaces and forms a general circle with its movement? How did it happen that numerous satellites, not controlled by anyone, not possessing free will and not knowing each other, began to make coordinated circular movements? The prophet rightly ranked it among the impossible and unprecedented that even two who do not know each other should come together: will two people, he says (Amos 3:3), enter into one room if they do not know each other? These teachers do not look at themselves or at what concerns them. But if one of the representatives of this wicked teaching began to reflect on himself, who he is and where he comes from, then, perhaps, as if having come to consciousness, he would become more prudent and would cry not to the atoms, but to his Father and Creator: Thy hands have created me and created me (Ps. 119:73). Perhaps he would have understood the amazing way of creating his own: either you have not crushed (poured) me like milk, you have strewed me like cheese, you have clothed me with skin and flesh, you have sewn me together with bones and sinews, you have laid life and mercy on me, but Your visitation has preserved my spirit (Job. 10:10–12). Among the members (of the human body) there is not a single one that is inactive or useless, since even the smallest members, for example, hair and nails, all contribute either to the strength of the body or to the beauty of the appearance. In fact, Providence cares not only about benefits, but also about beauty. Hair is protection and cover for the entire head, and a beard is an adornment for a philosopher. And He composed the nature of the entire human body from all the necessary parts and communicated to all members the connection with each other and determined their proper position in relation to the whole. The meaning of the most important of these members is known from experience even to ordinary people. The head is in charge; the external sense organs are located around the brain and guard it, like a ruler on the acropolis; the eyes are in front; ears serve as messengers; the mouth delivers food supplies, the sense of smell, as it were, tracks and searches; touch puts everything at our disposal in order. Hands are at the service of man: with the help of hands a person performs various works and engages in various arts; with their various abilities they are adapted to one service. The shoulders are designed to carry weights, the fingers are for grasping, the bends of the elbows turn towards and away from the body so that they can be used to attract and push away from oneself. The legs also serve man: thanks to them, all earthly creatures have submitted to us, with their help we cross lands, swim across the sea, cross rivers and carry out mutual relations. The womb, the receptacle for food, distributes food from itself as needed to all organs correctly located near it and throws out excess. All other organs perfectly support the structure of the entire human body. The wise use these organs equally with the foolish, but their knowledge is not the same. Some attribute this structure to the Deity who cares about everything and is very beneficial for them, no matter how they consider it, and they believe that this structure is the work of a higher and truly divine thought and power; others recklessly attribute such an amazing, most beautiful creation to a random coincidence of atoms. The doctors, who more carefully examined these members and the arrangement of the internal organs, were struck with amazement and recognized divinity in nature. Who created all this structure with such properties, tall, straight, proportionate, endowed with feelings, mobile, adapted to various actions and all kinds of activities? An unreasonable number of atoms, they say. But these atoms, having converged in one place, could not even mold a clay image, or carve a stone statue, or cast a silver or gold idol. All these arts and crafts were invented by people skilled in making bodies. If, without (the assistance of) wisdom, simple similarities and shadow marks could not appear, then how could the true prototypes of these beings arise by themselves? Where did the philosopher’s soul, mind and word come from? Did all this really come from soulless, unreasonable and dumb atoms, and each of them inspired him with some concept and opinion? And is it really possible that, just as in the myth of Hesiod, Pandora comes from the gods, 52 human wisdom also comes from atoms? And all poetry, and all music, and astronomy, and geometry, and other arts, the Hellenes will no longer consider inventions and the offspring of the gods: now only wise atoms-muses have appeared. After all, the Epicurean gods, descended from atoms, are expelled from the boundless worlds and are lost in the boundless chaos. Activity, management, charity, care and similar activities may be burdensome for the lazy, foolish, weak and wicked. Epicurus counted himself among them, having thought the same about the gods. For the diligent, capable, prudent and reasonable, as philosophers (and even more so gods) should be, all this is not only not burdensome and not difficult, but very pleasant and easy; negligence and slowness in doing something useful is a shame for them, as the poet reminds them of this 53 when he gives advice: “not to put it off until the next day,” and adds: “a slow husband always remains at a loss.” And the prophet teaches us even more impressively when he calls our deeds that are consistent with virtue truly divine and when he curses those who neglect these deeds, saying (Jer. 48:10): cursed is (a man) who does the work of the Lord with negligence. Then, a feeling of heaviness during classes still occurs in people who have not learned any art and have not improved in this art, due to the novelty of the experience and the lack of skill in the matter. But those who go forward in the matter of success, and even more those who have achieved perfection, due to the fact that they easily succeed in their pursuits, they experience pleasure from them and would prefer the execution and accomplishment of their ordinary affairs to the possession of all human goods. So, everyone who knows how to produce products useful for life rejoice, helping their fellow tribesmen, and seek praise and reward for their labors for the common good, some for delivering food, others for steering ships, others for treating, others for serving the state. Meanwhile, the gods whom poets praise as “givers of blessings” are praised by these philosophers with ridicule for the fact that they cannot bestow any blessings on anyone and are not themselves involved in them. And in his books, Epicurus uses thousands of oaths and spells, even in discussions about subjects that have no meaning in our eyes. He constantly swears with the words: “yes, I swear by Zeus,” or “no, I swear by Zeus,” and conjures his readers and interlocutors with the gods. But this does not mean at all that he was in any way afraid of them or afraid of committing perjury. Obviously, after the death of Socrates 54 he was afraid of the Athenians and, in order not to seem to them the atheist that he really was, he invented and drew for them the pale shadows of ghostly gods. Nor did he look up to heaven with his intelligent eyes to hear the wondrous voice coming from above, prompting the attentive viewer to testify that the heavens tell the glory of God, but the firmament proclaims His handiwork (Ps. 18:2). He did not descend in thought to the earth, where he would have learned that the earth is full of the Lord’s mercies (Ps. 33:5), that the earth is the Lord’s and its fulfillment (Ps. 23:1), and that the Lord, as the Scripture says (Sir. 16:30, 31), has looked upon the earth and filled it with His goodness; the soul of every animal is covered over its face. If they do not want to be completely blind, let them look at the great variety of different animals, earthly, feathered and living in the water, and let them consider how true the testimony of the Master was when surveying the universe: “and according to His command everything turned out to be beautiful.” 4. The world is God's creation a) St. Basil the Great from the 1st conversation on the Sixth Day A variety of philosophical teachings about the origin of the world. The truth lies in the words: God created heaven and earth. The falsehood of the idea that the world is beginningless and will not end. First, the invisible and intelligible world was created, and then the real world. God is not only the cause of the existence of the world, but its Creator In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1). The amazingness of the thought binds me to the word. What to talk about first? Where to start the interpretation? Should we expose the vanity of the pagans? Or magnify the truth of our teaching? The Greek sages talked a lot about nature, and not a single one of their teachings remained firm and unshakable, because subsequent teachings always overthrew the previous ones. Therefore, we have no need to denounce their teachings - they themselves are sufficient for each other to cause their own overthrow. For those who did not know God did not admit that the origin of all things depends on a rational cause, but in accordance with this fundamental ignorance they concluded about other things. Therefore, some resorted to material principles and attributed the cause of all things to the elements of the world; others imagined that the nature of visible things consists of atoms and indivisible bodies, heaviness and porosity, because birth and destruction occur when indivisible bodies either come together or separate, and in bodies that exist longer than others, the reason for their long stay lies in the strongest cohesion of the atoms. Those who write this and suggest such small and weak principles of heaven, earth and sea truly weave a web of cobwebs. They did not know how to say: in the beginning God created heaven and earth. Therefore, the atheism that had taken hold of them instilled in them the false idea that everything was without control and structure and was set in motion as if by chance. So that we would not be subjected to the same thing, the one who describes the universe directly, in the first words, enlightened our understanding with the name of God, saying: in the beginning God created. What a wonderful order! First he mentioned the beginning, so that others would not consider the world to be without beginning; and then he added: create - to show that what was created is the smallest part of the Creator’s power. Just as a potter, who made thousands of vessels with the same skill, did not exhaust either his skill or his strength, so the Creator of this universe, having a creative power not sufficient for the world alone, but infinitely more excellent, brought all the greatness of the visible into existence with one wave of his will. And if the world has a beginning and is created, then we ask ourselves: who gave it the beginning, and who is its Creator? It is better to say, so that you, seeking this through human reasoning, do not somehow deviate from the truth, Moses preceded with his teaching, instead of a seal and barrier to our souls, imposing the venerable name of God when he said: in the beginning God created. This blessed Nature, this unfailing Goodness, this Kindness, dear and much desired for every being gifted with reason, this is the Beginning of beings, this Source of life, this spiritual Light, this unapproachable Wisdom - this is Who created heaven and earth in the beginning! Therefore, man, do not imagine the visible as beginningless, and from the fact that bodies moving in the sky describe circles, and in a circle our sense, at first glance, cannot notice a beginning, do not conclude that the nature of rotating bodies is beginningless. Yes, and this circle, that is, an outline described on a plane by one line, we should not assume to be without beginning because it runs away from our senses, and we cannot find where it began and where it ended. On the contrary, although this escapes our sense, in reality, whoever described a circle from the center and at a certain distance, undoubtedly began it from somewhere. So you, seeing that the bodies describing circles return to their previous position, do not restrain yourself from the uniformity and continuity of their movement from that false thought that the world is beginningless and endless: for the image of this world passes away (1 Cor. 7:31), and: heaven and earth pass by (Matthew 24:35). A foreshadowing of the dogmas about the end and change of the world is what is now briefly given to us in the very beginnings of the inspired teaching: in the beginning God created. What began with time, out of all necessity, will end in time. If the beginning is temporary, then do not doubt the end. But to what end do geometry, arithmetic methods, studies of thicknesses and the notorious astronomy lead - this much-needed vanity, if those who have studied these sciences have reached the conclusion that this visible world is co-eternal with the Creator of all things - God, and if that which is limited and has a material body, they have elevated it to the same glory with the incomprehensible and invisible nature, not being able to understand that where they are subject to damage and alterations of the part, will the whole necessarily undergo the same changes as its own parts? But they became so vain in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened, and the words of wisdom became foolish (Rom. 1:21-22), that some asserted that heaven existed from eternity together with God, while others said that it is God, the beginningless and endless, the cause of good order in the parts of the universe. And without a doubt, the excess of worldly wisdom will one day bring for them an increase in heavy condemnation for the fact that, delving into empty objects with such caution, they were arbitrarily blind in the understanding of the truth. But they, who measured the distance of the stars, described the northern stars, always visible to us, as well as the stars located near the southern pole, and visible to those living there, but unknown to us, divided the northern latitude and the zodiacal circle into thousands of parts, accurately observed the return of the stars, their positions, declinations and general movement to their former places, as well as the time at which each of the planets completes its period - they did not find one of all ways to understand God, the Creator of the universe and the righteous Judge, rewarding everyone worthily according to their deeds, and how to accommodate in the mind the thought of death that follows from the concept of judgment; because the world needs to change if the state of souls is to move into another kind of life. For just as present life has qualities akin to this world, so the future existence of our souls will receive a lot characteristic of its state. But they are so unwilling to listen to these truths that they even greet us with loud laughter, who herald the end of this world and eternal rebirth. Since the beginning naturally preceded that from the beginning, the one who talks about things that came into being in time necessarily introduced this expression to everything: in the beginning create. There was something, most likely, before this world; but this, although comprehensible to our understanding, is not introduced into the narrative, as it does not correspond to the powers of the newly taught and infants by reason. Even earlier than the existence of the world, there was a certain state befitting the supermundane forces, transcending time, eternal, ever-continuing. In it, the Creator and Creator of all things created creations - mental light, befitting the bliss of those who love the Lord, rational and invisible natures and all the decoration of intelligible creatures that surpass our understanding, so that it is impossible to invent names for them. They fill with themselves the essence of the invisible world, as Paul teaches us, saying (Col. 1:16): for by this all things were created, whether visible, whether invisible, whether thrones, whether dominions, whether principalities, even powers, and the armies of angels, and the rulers of archangels. And when it became necessary to add this world to the existing one - mainly a school and a place for the formation of human souls, and then in general a place of residence for everything that is subject to birth and destruction, then a succession of time akin to the world and the animals and plants found in it was produced, always hastening and flowing, and never interrupting its flow. Isn’t time such that in it the past has passed, the future has not yet arrived, and the present eludes the senses before it is known? And such is the nature of what happens in this world; it either necessarily increases or decreases, and clearly has nothing solid and permanent. Therefore, it was fitting for the bodies of animals and plants, which are necessarily connected, as it were, to some stream, and are carried away by movement leading to birth or destruction, to be contained in the nature of time, which received properties akin to changeable things. For this reason, he who wisely explains to us the existence of the world, speaking about the world, very opportunely added: in the beginning you created, that is, in this beginning, in the beginning of time. For, of course, it is not in evidence that the world, in its primordial nature, precedes everything created, calls it what happened in the beginning; but speaks of the beginning of the origin of these visible and sense-perceivable things after the invisible and intuitable. The wise Moses, wanting to show that the world is a work of art, subject to contemplation by everyone, so that through it the wisdom of its Creator is known, he did not use any other word about the world, but said: “in the beginning create.” Not “made”, not “produced”, but “created”. And since many of those who imagined that the world existed from eternity with God, agreed not that it was created by God, but that it was realized by itself, being, as it were, a shade of God’s power, and therefore. although they recognized God as the cause of the world, but as an involuntary cause, just as a body is the cause of a shadow, and a shining thing is a radiance, the prophet (Moses), correcting this false thought, used the words with particular precision, saying: “in the beginning God created.” God was not just this for the world - not only the cause of existence, but as good he created the useful, as wise - the most beautiful, as powerful - the greatest. The Prophet showed you in God almost an artist who, having approached the essence of the universe, adapts its parts one to another, and produces a corresponding, consonant and harmonious whole. In the beginning God created heaven and earth. He designated the essence of the universe by two extremes, attributing seniority in existence to heaven, and saying about earth that it occupies second place in essence. Without a doubt, if there is anything in between heaven and earth, then it was created along with these limits. Therefore, do not look for a narrative about each element, but in what is said, also imply what is silent. b) Blazh. Theodoret of Cyrus from the “Abridged Exposition of Divine Dogmas”, ch. 4 The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments teach that the world is the creation of God And we ourselves have been taught, and we teach others, that the God of all created everything with the only-begotten Word and the All-Holy Spirit, because by the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth all their power (Ps. 33:6). And in another place, having mentioned the visible and invisible creation and commanded to sing songs of praise to the Creator, David added (Ps. 32:9): as He spoke, and it happened; He commanded it, and it was created; and again (Ps. 103:2, 3): stretch out the sky like a skin. Cover Thy supreme waters; and in a few words (Ps. 103:5): Found the earth on its firmament, and also (Ps. 135:5, 6): Who created the heavens with reason, who established the earth on the waters. And before David, the great Moses teaches us even more definitely that this God created heaven and earth with all the elements, that He created the nature of light and adorned the sky with luminaries, and the earth with forests, meadows and harvests; He also produced the kinds of animals, and assigned the air as a place of residence for birds, separated the moist essence for those who float, and the land for cattle and beasts, and after all this he created human nature. All the prophets teach us in accordance with this. Isaiah cries: You who made the heavens and set them up, establish the earth and what is on it, and give breath to people and spirit to those who walk on it (Isaiah 42:5); and again: He made the sky like a tent, and stretched it out like a tabernacle (Is. 40:22). And God Himself speaks through his mouth: he spread out the heavens alone (Is. 44:24). And blessed Jeremiah said this: this God, who showed the earth (Isa. 45:18), will fill it with two-legged and four-legged cattle; send the light, and he goes, calling on it, and listening to Him with trembling (Bar. 3:32–33). But I have no need for prophetic sayings, because nature itself taught this to people before the law and the prophets. And this ancient Melchizedek said this, blessing Abraham: Blessed is Abraham by the highest God, who created heaven and earth (Gen. 14:19). And the patriarch himself said the same to the Sodomites: I will lift up my hand to God on high, who created heaven and earth (Gen. 14:22). And Abraham, sending a servant to arrange the bride, said to him: put your hand under my thigh, and I will slay you by the Lord God of heaven and God of earth (Gen. 24:2-3). And the courageous Job, who even before the establishment of the law was distinguished by virtue, recognized the true God as the Creator, for he says (Job 9:8): the sky is one, and he walks on the sea as on the earth. And the Ascetic himself teaches this victorious ascetic much about creation. But so that those who do not accept the Old Testament Scripture do not have an opportunity to contradict what has been said, let us move on to the New Testament Scripture and show that it speaks in accordance with the Old Testament. Thus, it turns out that both currents have the same source. Therefore, let us listen to how the wise John says what was brought into being by the Word, for he says (John 1:3): without Him nothing came into being. Let us also listen to the divine Paul, who cries out (Col. 1:16): for by Him all things were created, visible and invisible; and again (Heb. 1:2): In it also did the Father make the eyelids. And speaking to the people in the Areopagus, St. Paul said this: God, who created the world and all that is in it, this heaven and earth, this Lord, does not live in churches made by hands, nor does he accept pleasure from the hands of men, demanding that, He Himself gives to everyone life and breath and everything: from one blood He created the whole language of man to live on all the face of the earth (Acts 17:24-26). And in Lystra those who intended to sacrifice St. Paul said the following: we, too, are men subservient to you, preaching good news to you from these vanities, turning to the living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and everything that is in them (Acts 14:15). And the words that follow contain the same idea. But it is unnecessary to dwell on this and cite much evidence from Divine Scripture, because even among the Hellenes, those who were especially distinguished for their wisdom asserted that God is the Creator. And Socrates, the son of Sophronis, and Plato, the son of Ariston, and their successors, and very many others, held this opinion - only they argued that God borrowed the means for creation from a ready-made substance. Therefore, in this regard, we will show the superiority of church dogmas. 5. God created the world out of nothing a) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from the word on the incarnation of God the Word The diversity in the universe shows that it did not happen by chance. To assert that God created the world from ready-made uncreated matter means to attribute powerlessness to God. Divine doctrine recognizes that the universe was created by God out of nothing Many people explained the creation of the world and the creation of the universe in different ways, and everyone came up with the concept they wanted. Some say that everything happened by itself and by accident. Such are the Epicureans who say against themselves that there is no providence in the universe, asserting this directly contrary to what is obvious and visible. For if, as they claim, everything happened by itself without providence; then everything had to happen in the same way, and be similar, and not different; in the universe, as in one body, everything had to be the sun or the moon, and among people the whole body had to be either a hand, or an eye, or a foot. Now this is not the case; but we see that one is the sun, another is the moon, and another is the earth, and in human bodies too, one is the leg, another is the hand, and another is the head. And such a routine makes it clear that this did not happen by itself, it even shows that there was a reason that preceded it, from which one can understand God who put the universe in order and created it. Others, including the great Plato of the Hellenes, reasoned that God created the universe from ready and uncreated matter, because it would have been impossible for God to create anything if there were no ready-made matter, just as a woodworker must have a ready-made tree in order for him to work anything. But those who say this do not know that they attribute powerlessness to God. If He himself is not the culprit of matter, but, in general, every being creates from ready-made matter, then it is clear that He is powerless, because He is not able to produce anything real without substance, just as in the tree-maker, without a doubt, his powerlessness is the reason that, not having wood, he cannot make any necessary thing. And in this assumption - that if there were no substance, then God would not have produced anything - can one already be called a creator and creator who received the opportunity to create from another, namely from matter? If we accept this assumption, then, according to them, God will only be an artist, and not the creator of existence, if He processes the finished substance, and not the culprit and the substance Himself. In general, He cannot be called a creator if He does not also create the substance from which what was created came into being. But the heretics invent for themselves another Creator of the universe other than the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in their blindness they talk a lot about this. The Divine teaching and faith of Christ reject their idle talk as godlessness. They recognize that the universe did not come into being by itself, because there is providence about it, and was not created from a ready-made substance, because God is not powerless, but from nothing, a universe that did not exist before was brought into being by God with the Word, as Moses said (Gen. 1:1): in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And in the very useful book “The Shepherd” 55 it says: “first of all, believe that there is one God, who created, arranged and brought the universe into being out of nothing.” Making this clear, Paul says (Heb. 11:3): by faith we understand that the word of God has been perfected for eternity, in which those things which are not seen are made to be. God is good, or better yet, He is the source of goodness. In good things there can be no envy towards anyone. Therefore, not envying anyone in existence, He created everything out of nothing with His own Word, our Lord Jesus Christ. b) St. Basil the Great from the 2nd conversation on the Sixth Day The inconsistency of the view that God created the world from previously existing invisible and unstructured matter. Observing the ways in which people create things does not apply to the Creator Those who counterfeit the truth, who have not trained their minds to follow Scripture, but on the contrary, at their own discretion, transform the meaning of what is written, say that these words (Gen. 1:2: the earth is invisible and unstructured) mean matter. For matter, they reason, is by its nature invisible and unstructured, because taken in itself it is without quality, has no form or shape; and having taken it, the Artist, according to His wisdom, formed and put it in order, and thus made visible things from it. So, if matter is not created, then, firstly, it is equal to God, as being awarded the same advantages. But what could be more wicked than this? Unqualified, without form, extreme ugliness, uneducated vileness (to use these teachers’ own expressions) should be given equal preference with the all-wise, all-powerful and most beautiful Creator and Maker of all things! Secondly, if matter is so capacious that it can accept into itself everything known to God, then through this they equate the essence of matter in some way with the unsearchable power of God, as soon as matter is sufficient to measure the entire mind of God. And if matter is small for God’s action, then even in this case their teaching will turn into absurd blasphemy; because by the insufficiency of matter they will force God to remain inactive and not complete His works. But they were misled by the poverty of human nature. Since with us each art works on one particular substance separately, for example: blacksmithing on iron, carpentry on wood; because in these arts one thing is matter, another is form, and another is produced according to form, and the substance is taken from the outside, the form is adjusted by art, and the work is something composed of both - from form and from matter, then they reason in the same way about God's creation, that form was given to the world by the wisdom of the Creator of all things, and the substance was from the Creator from outside, and a composite world came into being, which has matter and essence from another beginning, but received its outline and image from God. As a result of this, they deny that the great God has full power in the organization of all things, and they represent Him as if he participated in the collaboration and contributed only a small part of Himself to the existence of beings. Thus, due to the arrogance of their speculations, they cannot reach with their gaze the height of truth; because here arts are later than substances, having been brought into our life at the request of necessity; first there was wool, then the art of weaving was born to make up for the lack of nature. There was also wood, but the art of construction, taking and processing this substance for every need that presented itself, showed us the benefits of wood, providing sailors with an oar, farmers with a winnowing shovel, and warriors with a spear shaft. But God, before anything that is visible now existed, having put in his mind and moved to bring into being what did not exist, he simultaneously conceived what the world should be like, and produced matter corresponding to the form of the world. For heaven He separated a nature suitable for heaven, and into the form of the earth He put an essence peculiar to the earth and necessary for it. He gave fire, water, air and the forms that he wanted, and brought them into essence, as the mental representation of each of the created things required. And He united the whole world, consisting of heterogeneous parts, by some indissoluble union of love into one communion and one harmony, so that the parts, by their position very distant from one another, seem united through sympathy. Therefore, let those who, in the weakness of their own reasoning, measure a power incomprehensible to understanding and completely inexpressible in human language, stop their fabulous constructions! c) Blessed Augustine from his Confessions, book. XI, ch. 4–7 We see that heaven and earth exist; they loudly preach for themselves that they were created because they were subject to change. That which exists without being created does not contain anything other than the constant and unchangeable, because in the realm of the uncreated nothing can be added, subtracted, or changed. They also testify that they did not create themselves and could not create themselves. “We exist,” they tell us, “because we were created. We did not exist before our existence. How could we create ourselves?” And their voice is the obvious truth. So You, Lord, created them and gave them existence. They are beautiful because You Yourself are beauty, they are extremely good (Gen. 1:31), because You Yourself are goodness (Matt. 19:17); they exist because You are (Ex. 3:14; Rev. 1:8). But in them there is neither beauty, nor kindness, nor existence in such completeness as everything is found in You, their Creator, so that in comparison with You they are only a reflection or reflection of Your perfections. We understand this and thank You for it. And with all this, our knowledge in comparison with Your knowledge is ignorance. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). How did You create them, and what means, what preparations, what mechanism did You use for this enormous task? Of course, You did not act like a human artist who forms some thing from a thing, according to his own understanding, having the opportunity to give it such a form as the considerations of his mind indicate to him. Where could the soul of this artist receive such an ability, if not from You, who created it? Moreover, he gives form to matter that already exists in order to produce from it another thing, at his discretion; For this he uses either earth, stone, wood, gold and other similar objects. Where would these objects have come into being if You had not created them? This human artist owes everything to You. You arranged his body in such a way that it performs actions through various members, and so that these members were capable of activity, You breathed into his bodily composition a living soul (Gen. 2:7), which moves and controls them; You also provided him with material for his artistic work; You also gave him the ability of mind to comprehend the secrets of art and to comprehend in advance what he intends to produce; You also endowed him with bodily senses, which serve as a conductor between his physical and spiritual nature, so that the physical world and the spiritual world are in communication with him through these feelings - the soul in its actions communicates with the body to carry them out, and the body in its actions communicates with the soul to verify and evaluate the truth inherent in it, whether the fulfillment followed well. All this testifies that You are the Creator of everything. But how do You create all this - how did You, Almighty God, create heaven and earth? Of course, You did not create heaven and earth in heaven or on earth, neither in the airy countries, nor in the depths of the sea, because both air and water belong to heaven and earth; This could not have happened anywhere in the whole world, so that peace could be created in the world, because the world did not exist before its creation, and it could not in any way be the field of its creation. Did You not have some matter at Your fingertips from which You could create the heavens and the earth? But where would this matter come from, which was not created by You, and yet served as material for Your creativity? By allowing such matter Your omnipotence would inevitably be limited. And if You Yourself previously created matter for this purpose, then we must assume one of two things: either that this matter was produced by You from something previously given, which is also not in accordance with Your omnipotence; either that You created this matter, or simply without it - heaven and earth, out of nothing, by Your omnipotence alone. What comes out of this if not that before Your creation there was nothing but You, and that everything that exists depends on Your existence? So, by the word of the Lord, both heaven and earth were established, and by the spirit of His mouth all their power, as He spoke, came to be; You commanded it and it was created (Ps. 33:6-9), and You created everything with Your word (John 1:3). But what was this word of Yours, with which You created the world - what was it expressed in? Was it really like the voice once heard from heaven: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:17; 17:5)? Don't think. This voice was similar to the voice of our ordinary speech, a transitory voice, having a beginning and an end. The sounds of His syllables also successively appeared and disappeared, one after another, the second after the first, the third after the second, and so on until the last, replaced by silence and silence. It is clear that this voice was a temporary action of the creature, serving to carry out Thy eternal will. And these temporarily heard Thy words were transmitted through external (bodily) hearing to the rational soul, to which the inner (spiritual) hearing perceived them, relating them to Thy eternal word. Comparing these words, which sounded temporarily, with Your Word, eternal in silent silence, the soul reasoned like this: “No, these words and Your word are not the same thing; there is an infinite difference between them. Those words are far below me; one cannot even call them existing, because they are so fleeting that they immediately disappear; the word of my Lord is infinitely higher than me and endures forever.” So, if the act of creating peace was accomplished through the medium of an articulate word, requiring both a voice for pronunciation and time for the sequential transmission of sounds, and thus You created heaven and earth; this means that even before the appearance of heaven and earth, some similar creation must have already existed, through which such a word could be expressed. But before the creation of heaven and earth there was no creature; and even if there was something like that, then, of course, not with the help of a fleeting word. You would create a fleeting word, through which you would command heaven and earth to be; and this could not have happened from anyone but from You. What kind of word was it? - again I speak involuntarily with the same question - what kind of word was it that was supposed to serve as the organ of Thy highest will when You created this creation? With the words of the Writer of Genesis about the world-making and reflection on them, You call us to understand That ineffable Word of Yours, Which from time immemorial dwells in You, God, and Itself is God (John 1:1), spoken by You from eternity, and by Him all things are spoken from eternity (John 1:3), in which there is no continuity, no beginning, no end, but all together and always, otherwise in In the Divine we allow time and change, in place of His inherent eternity and immutability. I comprehend this, my God, I comprehend and thank You; and everyone who does not close his eyes from the light of immutable truth will understand and thank You. We see, Lord, we see and know that every transition from being to non-existence is the disappearance of what was, and the transition from non-existence to being is the appearance of what was not. But in Your Word there is no such rebirth, there is no disappearance or appearance, because It is immortal and eternal. And therefore, through Your Word, Which is co-eternal, everything that You utter, You utter at one and eternal moment, and everything accepts being that You call with this Word from non-existence into being, so that Your Word alone is sufficient for peace, although all Your creations, created in this way, appear not suddenly, but gradually, and not from eternity, but in time. 6. God created the world out of His goodness St. Gregory the Theologian from word 45 – for Holy Easter God, in His goodness, first created the angelic powers, and then the material and visible world and, finally, man, as a combination of mind and feeling Because for goodness it was not enough to exercise only in contemplation of Oneself, but it was necessary that goodness spread, go further and further, so that the number of those benefited was as large as possible (for this is characteristic of the highest goodness); then God invents, first of all, angelic and heavenly powers. And the thought became a deed, which was filled with the Word and accomplished by the Spirit. This is how the second Lordships arose, servants of the first Lordship. They are not moved towards evil and have only movement towards good, as those who exist around God and are directly illuminated by God (for earthly things use secondary illumination); But Dennitsa convinces me to recognize and call them not motionless, but unmovable, by virtue of his lordship, but because of his exaltation, he became and is called darkness, with the apostate forces subordinate to him, which, through their removal from good, became the perpetrators of evil, and draw us into it. So, for such reasons, God created the intelligent world, as much as I can philosophize about it, weighing the great with a small mind. And since the first creatures were pleasing to God, he invents another world - material and visible; and this is the harmonious composition of heaven, earth and what is between them, amazing for the beautiful qualities of each thing, and even more worthy of surprise for the harmony and harmony of the whole, in which one thing to another, and everything to everything is in a wonderful relationship, serving to the completeness of a single world. And by this, God showed that He is able to create not only a kindred nature, but also a completely alien nature to Himself. Akin to the Divine are natures that are intelligent and comprehended by one mind, but completely alien are creatures that are subject to feelings, and even of these latter, creatures that are completely inanimate and motionless are even further removed from the divine nature. So, the mind and feeling, so different from each other, became within their limits and reflected the greatness of the creative Word, like silent praisers and clear-spoken preachers of splendor. But there has not yet been a confusion of mind and feeling, a combination of opposites - this experience of the highest Wisdom, this generosity in the formation of natures; and not all the wealth of goodness has yet been discovered. Having desired to show this too, the artistic Word creates a living being, in which both are brought into unity, that is, invisible and visible nature, creates, I say, man; and from the already created substance, taking the body, and putting life from Himself (which in the word of God is known under the name of the soul and image of God), creates, as it were, some kind of second world, great in small things, places on earth another angel, a worshiper made up of different natures, a spectator of the visible creation, the secret of the intellectual creature, a king over what is on earth, subordinate to the heavenly kingdom, earthly and heavenly, temporary and immortal, visible and contemplative, an angel who occupies the middle between greatness and baseness, one and the same spirit and flesh - spirit for the sake of grace, flesh for the sake of exaltation, spirit to abide and glorify the Benefactor, flesh to suffer and, suffering, remember and learn how much he has been disadvantaged by greatness; creates a living being, here prepared and transferred to another world and (which is the end of the mystery) through the desire for God achieving deification. For the light of truth moderated here serves for me to see and bear the lightness of God, worthy of Him who binds and looses, and unites again in the most excellent way. 7. The creation of the world in time, and what God did before the creation of the world a) Blessed Augustine from his Confessions, book. XI, ch. 10–14 How to reconcile the creation of the world in time with the eternity and immutability of God? Questioning what God did before He created heaven and earth. There was no time when God was inactive, because time itself is His creation. Are not those who tell us: “What did God do before He created heaven and earth?” are they too preoccupied with the antiquity of their origin? If He remained in idleness and perfect peace, then why did He not remain in the same state forever? If, however, some new movement occurred in God and a new will to create something that He had not created before, then how can one reconcile with the immutability of His eternity the appearance of this will, which until that time did not exist in Him? The will of God is inherent in God and precedes every creation; no creation could have happened if the will of the Creator had not preceded it. The will of God belongs to the very essence of the divine. And, having allowed something incidental in the essence of God that did not exist before, it cannot be called in the true sense an eternal essence. If, finally, it was the will of God from eternity to create heaven and earth, then why is His creation not eternal? How far they are still from the truth! Those who speak in this way do not comprehend You, the Divine Wisdom, illuminating with Her light the minds created by Her, they do not understand how Your works are accomplished in You and through You, and meanwhile they strive to comprehend the incomprehensible, philosophizing about the eternal. But their soul, appearing among the changing continuity of things between the past and the future, is lost in the vanity of its thoughts. And who can put himself, even for a minute, in such a state as to be imbued with the all-encompassing light of this unchanging eternity and compare it with times that have no constancy, the reflection of which is nothing more than an intermittent and constantly changing flicker, and then see what an infinite difference between time and eternity? The duration of time is composed in no other way than from a succession of different moments that cannot pass together; in eternity, on the contrary, there is no such passage, but everything is concentrated in the present, as if on the face; whereas no time in its entirety can be called present. All the past is made up of the future, and all of our future depends on the past, yet all the past and all the future are created from the present, always existing, for which there is neither past nor future, which we call eternity. And who is able to understand and interpret how eternity, which is invariably present in the present, for which there is neither future nor past, meanwhile creates times both future and past? Is it really possible for my pen or my tongue to solve this great problem with a weak word? What answer should I give to those who ask me: “What did God do before He created heaven and earth”? I will not answer them the way I once answered, they say, one cunning man, who escaped with a joke from the difficulty of an impossible question. “God threatened,” the answer read, “with eternal torment for those who dare to experience the depths of incomprehensible mysteries.” It is another thing to reason, and another to publish; no, I don't want to answer like that. I would sooner admit that I don’t know what I don’t know, than resort to caustic witticisms to arrogantly laugh at the one proposing difficult questions, and get away with an evasive answer. So, I affirmatively say that You, Lord our God, are the only Creator of the universe, and if by the name of heaven and earth are meant all the creatures created by You, then I boldly affirm that before the creation of heaven and earth, God did not produce anything; otherwise, what would His works consist of if not in creation? Oh, if I knew everything I need to know, as clearly as the fact that before the creation of the world there was no world! But if anyone, carried away by a flying imagination, wanders through the boundless spaces of time, as if the Almighty, the Almighty, the Creator of everything, the highest Architect of heaven and earth, remained inactive for countless centuries of eternity before embarking on this huge and majestic creation, then let him curb his imagination, let him sober up his mind and judge sensibly how groundless and vanity it is. surprise. Indeed. How could countless centuries pass before creation if You had not yet created them, being the Creator and Creator of all ages? Or, what times could there be that You did not create? Or how could they pass when they were not there at all? Since You are the Creator of times, how do those who allow some time before the creation of heaven and earth say that You did nothing at that time, before creation? Who could create time if not You? And how could it exist and complete its passages before its creation? And since there was no time before the creation of heaven and earth, is there any question: what did You do then? Without time it is unthinkable even then. And You do not precede time with time, otherwise You would not precede all times. But You precede all past times with Your beginningless eternity, always inherent in You, and with it You experience all future times, which, as soon as they come, immediately turn into the past, while You are the same, and Your years do not become scarce (Ps. 101:28; Heb. 1:13). Your years do not pass away and do not pass away, like ours, which are replaced by one another, until all have passed. Your years are unchangeable, because they are all common and modern; and since they have neither past nor future, except for one present, they are not replaced by one another; our years will only receive their fullness when everyone is exhausted, that is, when they no longer exist. Your years, O Lord, are like one day (2 Peter 3:8; Ps. 89:5), and Your day is not composed of different days, because it does not take the place of yesterday and does not give way to tomorrow, but is always present, present, present; and this ever-present day of Thy or everlasting Thy now is Thy eternity. That is why You said to the One Whom You gave birth to as Your co-eternal: You are my Son. Today I gave birth to You (Ps. 2:7; Heb. 1:5) You created all times, and You are above all times; and before their creation, of course, there was no time. So, there was no such time (this is only a deceptive idea), there was no time when You remained inactive, because time itself is Your creation. And there is no coeternal time for You, because You remain always the same, unchangeably; and time would cease to be time if it did not change. b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the “Mysterious Hymns”, word 4e The thought of God, before the creation of the world, contemplated the luminosity of the triscendent Deity and the images of the world composed in the divine Mind I ask: since inactivity and imperfection cannot be attributed to God, what was God’s thought occupied with before the Almighty, reigning in the emptiness of centuries, created the universe and adorned it with forms? – She contemplated the longed-for luminosity of Her goodness, the equal and equally perfect luminosity of the triscendent Deity, as the only Deity knows it, and to whom God revealed it. The World-Generating Mind also considered in His great mental representations the images He himself composed of the world, which was produced later, but for God even then was real. God has everything before his eyes - what will happen, and what was, and what is now. For me, such a division is established by time, that one is ahead, the other is behind; but for God everything merges into one, and everything is held in the muscles of the great Divinity. 8. About Divine Providence St. John of Damascus from the 2nd book of “An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith,” ch. 29 The concept of divine providence. The reality of fishing and its types Providence is God's care for existing things. In other words, industry is the will of God, by which everything that exists is properly governed. Since providence is the will of God, it is absolutely necessary that everything that happens according to providence should undoubtedly be the most beautiful and most worthy of the Divine, such that it could not be better. In fact, it is necessary for one and the same person to be the Creator of existence and the Provider, for it is indecent and inconsistent with reason for one to be the Creator and the other the Provider. After all, then it would be obvious that both would be powerless - one powerless to create, the other powerless to provide. Thus, God is both the Creator and Provider, and His creative, containing and providential power is His good will. In fact, whatever the Lord willed, the Lord created in heaven and on earth (Ps. 134:6), and no one resists His will. He wanted everything to happen - and it did. He wants the world to preserve its existence, and it does, and everything happens according to His will. And that God provides and provides wonderfully, this can best be verified in the following way. God alone is good and wise by nature. As good, He provides, for he who does not provide is not good. After all, both people and irrational animals naturally take care of their children, and whoever does not care is subject to censure. Further, like a wise man, God takes care of things in the best possible way. Taking all this into account, we must marvel at all the works of providence, glorify all of them and accept all of them without inquisitiveness, even if they seem unfair to many, for God’s providence is invisible and incomprehensible to us, and our thoughts, deeds and future are known to God alone. All this, as I say, is not in our power; for what is in our power is not a matter of industry, but of our free will. What depends on industry happens either by the good will of God or by permission. By the grace of God, what is undeniably good happens. By permission, that which is not indisputably good. Thus, God often allows a righteous person to fall into misfortune in order to show others the virtue hidden in him; this was the case, for example, with Job. Sometimes God allows something strange in order to accomplish something great and wondrous through an apparently incongruous action - thus, the salvation of people was achieved through the cross. In some cases, God allows a holy person to suffer grievously, so that the saint does not fall away from the right conscience or he does not fall into pride because of the power and grace given to him - this was the case with (the Apostle) Paul. For a while, God leaves a person to correct another, so that others, looking at him, will be corrected - this is what happened with Lazarus and the rich man. In fact, seeing others suffer naturally makes us humble. God leaves one person for the glory of another, and not for his or his parents’ sins, just as a man blind from birth was blind for the glory of the Son of Man. God also allows someone to suffer in order to arouse jealousy in another, so that, seeing how the glory of the victim has been magnified, others may fearlessly suffer in the hope of future glory, because of the desire for future benefits - this is what happened with the martyrs. Sometimes God allows a person to commit a shameful act in order to correct another, even worse passion. Thus, let us assume that someone is exalted in his virtues and righteousness; God allows such a person to fall into fornication so that through this fall he will come to the consciousness of his weakness, humble himself and come and confess to the Lord. It should be borne in mind that the choice of affairs is in our power, but their outcome depends on God. Moreover, the outcome of good deeds depends on divine assistance, for God, according to His foreknowledge, righteously assists those who, according to a right conscience, choose what is good. The outcome of bad deeds depends on divine permission, on the fact that God, again according to His foreknowledge, righteously leaves a person, leaving him to his own strength. There are two types of abandonment of a person by God: one is saving and admonishing, the other means final rejection. Saving and admonishing abandonment occurs either for the correction, salvation and glory of the sufferer, or for arousing others to zeal and imitation, or for the glory of God. Complete abandonment occurs when a person, despite the fact that God has done everything for his salvation, remains, of his own free will, insensitive and unhealed, or, better said, incurable. Then he surrenders to final destruction, like Judas. May God protect us and deliver us from such abandonment! It should be borne in mind that there are many ways of divine providence, and they can neither be expressed in words nor comprehended by the mind. It should also be borne in mind that all sorrowful events, if people accept them with gratitude, are sent to them for their salvation and, without a doubt, benefit them. It should be borne in mind that God first of all wants to save everyone and achieve His kingdom. In fact, as a good one, He created us not to punish, but so that we could be partakers of His goodness, but as a just one, He wants sinners to be punished. His first desire is called his preliminary will and good will and depends only on Him. The second desire is called subsequent will and permission and has its cause in us. In this case, permission, as we said above, is of two types: salvation and admonishment, and permission, meaning the rejection of a person by God and leading to complete punishment. All this is not in our control. As for those who are in our power, God wants good deeds by His preliminary will and favors them; He does not want bad deeds either by His preceding or by His subsequent will, but He allows free will to do evil, for what is done under compulsion is unreasonable and is not virtue. God provides for all creation, showing us benefits and admonishing us through every creation, even through the demons themselves, as can be seen from what happened with Job and the pigs. 9. The Necessity of Divine Providence a) St. Athanasius of Alexandria from “Homily on the Gentiles,” 40–45 The world is governed by the Divine Word. The need for industry about the world follows from the fact that the nature of created things is fluid, weak and mortal. The Word contains everything, revives and preserves everything, puts everything in order and harmony. It is absolutely necessary for our faith to be pious, and for the God whom we worship and whom we preach to be the one and true God, the Lord of creation and the Creator of every being. Who is this if not the all-holy Father of Christ, who is supreme over every created being? He, as the best helmsman, with His own Wisdom and His own Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, savesly governs and disposes of everything in the world, and creates everything as He Himself recognizes as best. And it is beautiful, how quickly it was created, and we see what was created, because this too pleases Him. And no one should doubt this. For if the movement of the creature were not rational, and the universe rushed along as it had to, then others could rightly not believe what we affirm. If creation is brought into being by the word, wisdom and knowledge, and there is order throughout the whole world, then it is necessary for the rector and builder of this to be none other than the Word of God. I mean the living and active God, the original Word of the Good and the God of all, the Word, which is different from created things and from every creature, and is the own and only Word of the Good Father, who brought this universe into order and illuminates it with His providence. As the good Word of the good Father, It improved the order of the universe, combining opposite with opposite and arranging from this a single agreement. Like God's power and God's wisdom, It rotates the sky and, having hung the earth supported by nothing, set it up with His wave. For them the sun became luminous and illuminates the universe. From Him the moon has its measure of light. By him the water is suspended on the clouds, and the rains flood the earth, and the sea is enclosed within limits, and the earth is adorned with all kinds of plants and produces greenery. If any unbeliever, hearing what we affirm, asked whether God’s Word really exists, then by doubting God’s Word he would show his madness. Meanwhile, he has visible proof that everything took place by God’s Word and God’s Wisdom, and nothing created would have been established if it had not, according to what has been said, been produced by the Word and the Word of God. But, being the Word, It is not combined from syllables, like a human word, and is the unchangeable image of Its Father. People are composed of parts and created from nothing - they have a word that is composed and decomposed. But God is He and uncomplicated; therefore His Word is He; It is not complicated, but there is one and Only Begotten God and the Good One, who came from the Father, as if from a good source - It brings everything into order and contains. And truly wonderful is the reason why the Word, and God’s Word, descended to created things; it shows that it would have been indecent to have done this differently, and not in the way it actually happens. The nature of created things, as having come from nothing, taken in itself, is something fluid, weak, mortal. The God of all is by nature good and above all kindness, and therefore loving of mankind, because in goodness there can be no envy of anyone. That is why He does not envy anyone in existence, but wants everyone to enjoy existence, and He can show His love for mankind to everyone. So, seeing that every created nature, as much as it depends on the reasons contained in it, is something fluid and disintegrating, in the end, so that the universe would not undergo destruction and would not be resolved again into non-existence, having created everything with His eternal Word and realizing the creation, He did not allow it to be carried away and overwhelmed by its own nature, from which it would be in danger of falling into non-existence again, but how the Good One controls the universe and supports it in being by His Word, Who Himself is God, so that creation, illuminated by the dominion, providence and good order of the Word, could stand firmly in being, as a participant in what truly exists from the Father of the Word, and assisted by Him in being, and would not be subjected to what it could have been subjected to (i.e., non-existence) if it had not been observed God the Word, Who is the image of the invisible God, is the firstborn of all creation: for by Him and in Him are all things, visible and invisible, created: and He is the head of the Church (Col. 1:15-18), as the servants of truth teach in the Holy Scriptures. This omnipotent, all-perfect, holy Father's Word, descending into the universe, spread His powers everywhere, illuminating both the visible and the invisible, containing and holding together everything in Himself, leaving nothing deprived of His power, but reviving and preserving everything in everything, and each thing in particular, and suddenly everything in the aggregate; The principles of every sensory essence, which are: heat, cold, moisture and dryness, dissolving into one, makes It not opposing, but producing one consonant harmony. By Him and His power it is done that fire does not oppose cold, and humidity does not oppose dryness, but on the contrary, these, in themselves opposite elements, coming together as friendly and related, produce visible things from themselves and serve as the principles of the existence of bodies. By submitting to this God's Word, some things are brought to life on earth, and others are realized in heaven. By His power the whole sea and the great ocean move within their own limits, and all the land is clothed with greenery and decorated with all kinds of plants. And in order not to waste time, naming each known thing specifically, I will say: of all that exists and happens, there is nothing that happened or took place not in the Word and not by the Word, as the Theologian says (John 1: 1, 3): In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God, and God was the Word. Everything was by Him, and without Him nothing would be. Just as a musician, tuning a lyre, and skillfully combining thick sounds with thin ones, and medium ones with others, produces one required sweet voice, so the Word - God's Wisdom, holding the universe like a lyre, and what is in the air, bringing together what is on earth, and what is in heaven - with what is in the air, combining the whole with parts, and turning with His wave and will, beautifully and harmoniously produces a single world and a single order in the world; Itself remains motionless with the Father, and sets everything in motion by His condescension into the universe, so that every thing is pleasing to His Father. For in this is revealed the wonderful action of His Divinity, that with one and the same wave, not at different times, but suddenly, and all together, straight and round, upper, middle, lower, wet, cold, warm, visible and invisible, it converts and brings into order, in accordance with the nature of each thing. For by one and the same wave of His the straight moves as straight, the round turns as round, and the middle is set in motion as it is, the warm is warmed, the dry is dried, and everything, in accordance with its nature, is revived and brought into being by Him; and in this way he produces a wonderful, and truly divine, harmony. For by the wave and forces of the ruler and sovereign in the universe of God and the Father's Word, the sky rotates, the stars move, the sun appears, the moon revolves, the air is illuminated by the sun, the ether is warmed, the winds blow, the mountains raise their peaks to heights, the sea is agitated and nourishes living creatures, the earth, remaining motionless, bears fruit, man is formed, lives and then dies; in a word, everything becomes animated and moves, fire burns, water cools, springs flow, rivers flood, years and seasons flow by, rain falls, clouds accumulate, hail falls, snow and ice harden, birds fly, reptiles fly, those living in the waters swim, the sea carries ships, the earth is sown and at a certain time is covered with greenery, trees grow, etc. is renewed, some mature, others, having reached perfect age, grow old and die, one disappears, another is born and appears. Yet this is much more, which in its multitude we cannot even describe, the wondrous and miraculous Word of God, illuminating and reviving, with His wave sets in motion and improvement, creating one world, and not leaving the invisible Forces outside of Himself, because, as the Creator, embracing them as a whole, He also contains and revives them with His wave and providence. And nothing can justify not believing this. For just as by providence Words and bodies grow, and the rational soul moves, thinks and lives (there is no need to give much evidence for this, because we see this in practice); so again, the Word of God, with one and simple wave, by His power, sets in motion and contains both this visible world and invisible forces, imparting to each being its characteristic activity. Why are divine forces set in motion divinely, and visible things - how we see them. The Leader and King of all, confirming everything with Himself, does everything for the glory and knowledge of His Father, and by the deeds that He does, as it were, he teaches and says: from the number and beauty of creatures, the relative Creator is known (Wis. 13:5). How, having looked at the sky and examined its decoration and the light of the stars, we should ascend in thought to the Word, by Whom everything is brought into order; Thus, imagining with our minds the Word of God, it is necessary for us to imagine His Father God, from Whom proceeding the Word is rightly called the interpreter and Angel of His Father. We can see this in ourselves. When a word comes from a person, we conclude that the source of the word is thought, and delving into it, we see the thought signified by the word, especially in the highest ideas and in incomparable superiority, seeing the power of the Word, we form for ourselves the concept of His good Father, as the Savior himself says: having seen Me, the form of My Father (John 14:9). b) St. Gregory the Theologian from the 14th word - about love for the poor Without industry, the world would collapse and return to its original chaos and disorder. God is especially concerned about the plight of people We must believe that there is God the Creator and Creator of all creatures, for how could the universe exist if someone did not realize it and bring it into order? We must believe that there is a providence that contains everything and connects everything in the world; for for those beings for whom a Creator is necessary, a Provider is also necessary, otherwise the world, carried by chance, like a ship in a whirlwind, should, due to the disorderly movements of matter, instantly collapse, crumble and return to the original chaos and disorder. We must also believe that our Creator or Creator (it doesn’t matter whether you call Him by one name or another) cares in a special way about our fate, although our life is spent among various oppositions, the reasons for which, perhaps, remain unknown, so that we, without comprehending them, are all the more amazed at the sublime Mind above everything. For everything that we easily understand, we easily neglect; but, on the contrary, what is higher than us, the more inconceivable it is, the more it excites surprise in us; and everything that runs away from our desire thereby ignites the strongest love for itself. c) Blessed Augustine from the work “On the book of Genesis, literally”, book. 4, ch. 12 If the power of the Almighty ceased to control, then nature would perish. The words of the Lord: My Father does what He does - indicate precisely the activity of the Father, by which creation is governed and supported God rested from the creation of new generations of creation, ceasing to create any new generations, however, but He has been continuously working until now (and then later), providing for those generations that were then established, so that even on the very seventh day His omnipotence did not abandon the control of heaven and earth and with all created things; otherwise it would all collapse instantly. For the power of the Creator and the power of the Almighty and Almighty serve as the reason for the existence of all creation; if this power ever ceased to govern, its species would cease to exist, and all nature would perish. When an architect, having completed a building, leaves it, the building he has produced continues to exist without him, or even in peace: he could not have stayed even for the blink of an eye if God had deprived him of His providence. Therefore, what the Lord said: My Father works hitherto (John 5:17) indicates some ongoing activity of the Father, by which all creation is supported and governed. Otherwise, it would be possible to understand Him if He said: “and now does” - in that case there would be no need to understand His words as continuing activity; but we must understand Him differently when He says until now He does, i.e. has been doing since he created everything. In the same way, if we correctly understand what is written about His Wisdom, which reaches from end to end firmly and governs all good (Wisdom 8:1), and also that Her movements are more mobile than any movement (Wisdom 7:24), then it will be sufficiently clear that She manifests this incomparable, ineffable and, so to speak, unchangeable movement of Hers in the good management of things, with the removal of which, if She stopped this Their activities, they will immediately die. The same is true of what the apostle says when preaching about God to the Athenians: in Him we live, we move, and we are (Acts. 12:28), being understood correctly, as far as is possible for the human mind, favors the opinion on the basis of which we both believe and say that God acts continuously in the world He created. However, we do not exist in Him as His essence, in the sense as it is said about Him that He has life in Himself (John 5:26); but since we, without a doubt, are other than He Himself, we exist in Him in the sense that He does this, this is His work, He contains everything, and His Wisdom reaches from end to end firmly and controls all good, and it is by virtue of this control that we live, move and are. It follows from this that if He takes away this work of His from things, we will not live, move and exist. So, it is clear that God did not stop His providential action for the world for a single day; otherwise, the World would instantly lose its natural movements, by which it is controlled and so animated that all its creatures retain their being, and what it is, and everything would instantly cease to exist if that movement of the Wisdom of God, by which She governs all good, were taken away from the world. Therefore, we understand the expression that God rested from all His works that He had created to mean that He did not create any more new creatures, and not to mean that He ceased to preserve and manage those already created. Hence it is true both that He rested on the seventh day and that He still does. 10. The reality of divine providence a) St. John Chrysostom from a word to those who are tempted by the misfortunes that have occurred One must believe that everything is controlled by divine providence. The contemplation of nature offers doubters convincing proof of this truth. The benefit of the stars guiding us from the heights of the sky. The beauty of the sun and the benefits of each of the different parts of creation. About the benefits of winds and night. About different types of fish and wild animals. The great proof of providence is that God gave us natural and written law and sent His only begotten Son into the world to save people. God's providence is clearer than the sun and its rays. And at every time and in every place, in the desert, and in populated areas, and in the uninhabited, and on land, and in the sea, and wherever you go, you will see clear and sufficient traces of this industry, both ancient and new, and they testify to this with a more powerful voice than the voice of our reason, and they tell whoever wants to listen about all His care. That is why the prophet, wanting to show us the extraordinary power of these voices, said: speech is not the essence, lower than words, their voices cannot be heard (Ps. 18:4). After all, our language is understandable only to those who speak the same language and incomprehensible to those speaking other languages, but the language of creation is understandable to all peoples throughout the universe. So, for God-thinking people, the evidence from the works of this one voice of God is sufficient and even more than any proof to not only show the providence of God, but also His great love for us. After all, He not only provides for us, but also loves us limitlessly - with a passionless love, but fiery and strong, sincere and indestructible, which can never go out. And Holy Scripture, wanting to show this, gives examples from among people, provides many testimonies about this love, about this industry and care. It does not even want us to just dwell on these examples, but to subject them to our own understanding, and it cites these examples not as sufficient to show love, but as the most familiar to listeners, those that can show this better than anything else. For God-thinking people, as I said, this is enough; but since there are people who are stubborn, resisting, unbelieving and devoted to the flesh, we will show God’s providence, as far as possible for us, from His very works. All industry, and even most of it, would not be easy to show: it is so endless and ineffable, manifested in small and great, in visible and invisible. Therefore, we will present evidence only from what is visible. He created this wonderful creation for no one else but for you, a creation so beautiful and great, so varied and varied, so rich, suitable and in every way useful for nutrition, and for maintaining the body, and for the wisdom of the soul, and for bringing to the knowledge of God - He did all this for you. After all, the angels do not need this, because they already existed before the creation of the world. That they are really much older than the world - listen to what God says to Job (Job 38:7): when the stars were created, My angels praised Me with a great voice, i.e. They were amazed by the beauty and usefulness, variety, brilliance, lightness, harmony and everything else that they know better than us. And He adorned the world not only with stars, but also with the sun and the moon, so that at all times He could give you great pleasure and great benefit from both. In fact, what could be more beautiful than the sky, sometimes illuminated by the sun and moon, sometimes looking around the earth with countless stars through the pupils of the eyes and giving guides and guides to sailors and travelers? When the waves are raging and angry waves are rushing towards the ship, when the wind is blowing furiously, and a dark and moonless night sets in, then the navigator, cutting the sea and sitting on the stern, trusts himself to the guidance of the sky, and the star located on high, despite the distance separating it, seems as if not far away, guides him with precision and leads him to the pier, without giving a voice, but by its very appearance showing him the way and allowing him to cut the sea, shows him with precision time, so that he either kept the ship in the pier, or confidently launched into the depths of the waves and, out of ignorance of the future, was not unreasonably exposed to a storm and shipwreck. The stars not only measure years for us and indicate the signs of the times, but with great accuracy indicate the hour and movement of each night, show whether it has passed or not reached half of its course, and vice versa, which is useful not only for sailors, but also for travelers in general, so that they do not set off at night at an unfavorable time, or so that they do not continue to sit at home at a favorable time. Observations of the stars and the course of the moon show this with precision. Just as the sun sets the hours of the day, so the moon sets the hours of the night, delivering many other benefits, giving the air a beneficial flow, producing dew useful for seeds, and generally bringing many benefits to people's lives. Occupying the middle between the choir of stars and the brilliance of the sun, it is smaller than the sun, but much larger and more beautiful than the stars. In general, a lot of pleasure and benefit for the audience stems from diversity itself, so that we receive great benefit from times, and from hours, and from measure, from great and small, from all the diversity of the unspeakable. One is smaller, the other is larger and lighter, and they all appear at different times. The truly incomparable wisdom of God everywhere shows great variety in its works, giving proof of its wonderful power, and at the same time caring for the benefit of the spectators, delivering great and ineffable benefit, and at the same time pleasure. After all, what could be more pleasant than the sky, either like a pure and transparent canvas spread over your head, or like a multi-colored meadow shining with its crown? But it is not as pleasant to see a meadow during the day as it is pleasant to see the sky at night, decorated with numerous colors of stars, flowers that never fade, always showing beauty. Or maybe it would be more pleasant when, after the night has passed, although the sun has not yet risen, the sky is covered with a purple curtain, and turns red when the sun appears? What could be more beautiful than the sight of the sun itself, when, chasing away the dawn, in a short period of time it illuminates the entire earth, the entire sea, all the mountains, valleys, hills, the entire sky with sheaves of rays, when, removing the night veil from the visible, it reveals everything before our eyes? Who could sufficiently express delight at the sight of his movements, his order, his unchanging and inviolable service for so many years, his ever-blooming beauty, his brilliance and brightness, his purity that touches so many bodies and is never desecrated? Moreover, it is extremely useful for seeds, plants, people, four-legged animals, fish, birds, stones, herbs, earth, sea, air - in a word, everything visible. Everything needs it and benefits, and from its influence not only plants and bodies become better, but also waters, lakes, springs, rivers, and the very nature of the air becomes lighter, cleaner and more transparent. Therefore, the psalmist, wanting to show his beauty, his constant clarity, his undiminished charm, his never-fading color, all the greatness of his beauty, his unceasing service, said this: set your dwelling in the sun (Ps. 18:5), that is, in the very heavens. It would be possible, if one were not tired, to show God’s providence from other things: from the clouds, from the seasons, from the solstice, from the winds, from the sea, from the various rocks in it, from the earth and the four-legged animals, reptiles, birds of the air and those resting on the earth living on it, from amphibians living in lakes, springs and rivers, from the inhabited universe and from uninhabited countries, from growing seeds, trees, herbs growing in deserts and non-deserts, growing in plains and valleys, on mountains and on hills, from those that grow spontaneously and from those that grow as a result of labor and agriculture, from animals, gentle and not gentle, wild and tame, small or great, from birds, quadrupeds, fish, plants and herbs that appear in winter, summer, or autumn, from the phenomena of day or night, from rains, from the course of the year, from death, from life, from the labor imposed on us, from sorrow, from joy, from the food and drink given to us, from crafts, from the arts, from trees, from stones, from mountains containing metals, from the sea suitable for navigation and from the unsuitable for it, from islands, from piers, from rivers, from the surface of the sea, from the depth of the waters, from the nature and elements of which our world consists, from the distribution of times, from the different lengths of day and night, from the illness and health of our members, from the condition the soul, from the art and wisdom manifested in the human race, from the benefit of dumb plants and other creatures that serve us, from the smallest and most insignificant animals. What could be smaller and uglier than a bee? What is more insignificant than an ant and a dragonfly? Meanwhile, these insects loudly testify to the providence, power and wisdom of God. Therefore, the prophet, who was so honored with the Holy Spirit, surveying the works of creation and naming only some of them, expressed surprise at them with great delight, exclaiming (Ps. 103:24): How great are Thy works, O Lord, that Thou hast done all things with wisdom. And all this, man, is for you. And the winds are for you (say, again, returning to the beginning of my reasoning), to refresh a body worn out by work, to drive away dirt and dust and get rid of the trouble caused by smoke, stoves and all sorts of unhealthy fumes, to moderate the warmth of the rays of the sun, to make the heat lighter, to nourish seeds, to give vegetation to plants, to accompany you at sea and serve on land, there sending ships faster than arrows and thus making sailing easy and fast, and here helping you purify the air, separate the chaff from the grain and make your hard work easier; to make the air pleasant and light for you, to amuse you in various ways, now producing a weak and pleasant murmur, now slightly agitating the grass, setting the foliage of trees in motion, so that in spring and summer it will bring you a dream more pleasant and sweeter than honey itself, so that, as happens with trees, it will do the same on the seas and on rivers, and, raising waves in the air, will give you both a beautiful sight and great benefit. They are also useful for waters, not allowing them to rot from stagnation, but constantly moving, exciting and agitating them, reviving them and making them more suitable for food for the animals living in them. If you wanted to be curious about the night, you would see the great providence of the Creator here too. She calms your weary body, restores your members worn out by daily labor, revives them with her return, gives them new vitality with her peace; and not only that, but it frees you from everyday sorrows, frees you from untimely worries; often it eases the sick person’s fever, gives sleep instead of medicine, directs the art of doctors to a favorable goal and frees them from many labors. Such is its suitability, such is its usefulness, so that often the very day turns out to be lost for those who were deprived of peace during it. If someone were to mentally eliminate this tranquility, this peace, this rest during the night, which revives everything - both the weary soul and the exhausted body, gives us the opportunity to take on the day's work in a better mood, then he would see that life itself would become useless. If someone, during the night, as well as during the day, began to stay awake and work, or even do nothing, and this for a considerable time, he would soon die; and even if he does not die, then, being exposed to a long illness, he will not benefit from his own activities due to complete exhaustion of his strength. If we were to extend our reasoning to the countless number of fish that live in ponds, springs, seas, convenient or inconvenient for swimming, or to the endless breeds of birds that fly in the air, stay on the ground, live equally on land and in water - after all, some of them lead such a dual life - which are tame or wild, which are wild by nature, but are capable or incapable of becoming tame, edible or inedible, and would consider the beauty of the feathers and the melodious voice of each, if we examined some of the differences they present to us in relation to singing, food, type of life, habits and morals, if we surveyed all the benefits that we derive from them, all the services they provide us; if we talked about their greatness or smallness, about the pains of their birth, about all the great and infinite variety found in them, if we went into detail about fish, if from here we moved on to the plants growing throughout the earth and to the fruits each of them bears, if we examined their use, their fragrance, the arrangement of leaves, color, shape, greatness or smallness, their benefits, the ways in which they manifest their qualities, the difference in their bark, in their trunks, in their branches; if we examined the meadows and gardens, if, finally, we talked about all the places that produce them and the way they are found, cared for and cultivated, and how they serve us as medicines - and after all this, if we again turned to the mountains, so numerous and so rich in metals, and turned our research to all other objects, even more numerous than what we see in nature, then what reasoning, or how much time would be enough for a detailed study of all this! And all this, man, is for you: art for you, and crafts, cities and villages, and sleep for you, and death and life for you, and so many natural phenomena, and not only the present world for you, but an even better one for you. And that there is a better world and it is also for you, listen to what Paul says: for the creation itself will be freed from the work of corruption (Rom. 8:21), that is, from corruptible existence. How is this honor intended for you? Explaining this, he added: in the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Rom. 8:21). If my word had not been too long and too big, then I would have philosophized a lot about death, and in it I would have fully demonstrated the wisdom and providence of God, I would have said a lot about this corruption, about this rotting, about these worms, about these grave ashes, which most cause complaints and sorrows in most people; from the fact that our bodies are destroyed into dust and dust and become prey for worms - and from here I would show God’s ineffable providence and care. After all, from this very providence, from this goodness, which created everything that did not exist, from it came the law commanding death and such an end. Although these are different things, they all come from the same goodness. And he who departs from here receives no harm, and he who lives receives the highest benefit, reaping benefit in another body. When a person sees how the one who yesterday or yesterday walked next to you has now become the prey of worms and is being destroyed into dust, into dust and into ashes, then even if he had the pride of the devil, he will fear and tremble, become more sedate, learn to be philosophical and let humility, this mother of all blessings, into his soul. Thus, neither the one who departs suffers any harm, because, having taken off this body, he will receive an incorruptible and immortal body, nor the one who is still in life loses anything from this, but, on the contrary, gains the greatest benefit. It is not by chance that death entered our lives as a teacher of philosophy, cultivating the mind, taming the passions of the soul, calming the waves and establishing silence. So, knowing both from what has been said and from many other things that God’s providence shines brighter than light, do not be curious in vain, do not indulge in a vain attempt to explore the causes of everything. He gave us our very existence out of His goodness, without needing our service. And we must reverence and adore Him not only because He created us, or gave us an incorporeal and rational soul, and not because He created us better than all others, and not because He gave us dominion and granted power over everything visible, but because He Himself does not need us at all. The wonder of His goodness lies in the fact that He did all this without at all needing our service; Before we, the angels, and the higher powers appeared, He already had His own glory and bliss, and created us according to His love for mankind alone, and not only created everything for us, but even more. For this reason, He gave us written laws, sent prophets, performed miracles, and before all this, creating man. He gave him a special teacher, an innate law, like a helmsman for a ship, like a rider for a horse, placing him above our mind. Therefore, Abel already knew him, although writing did not yet exist, there were no prophets, no apostles, no written law, but only innate law. Cain too - he also knew this law, and both of them knew it, recognized its dominance. Although they did not both follow the same path, but one the path of evil, and the other the path of virtue, however, even then God did not abandon Cain, wanted to raise him from his fall and gave him the opportunity to enjoy care, first admonishing him and giving him advice, and then teaching and edifying him with fear and apprehension. Although many people rejected such a great benefit, i.e. This is a natural knowledge that has such great benefit for us, however, even then God did not abandon them, did not give them up to destruction, but continued to edify and admonish them through works, through benefits, through punishments, through all creation, which daily performs its work, performing ordinary tasks, through extraordinary and unforeseen events, through the righteous who lived in the beginning. For this purpose, He transferred the most worthy people and full of wisdom from place to place. So He ordered Abraham to move to Palestine, then to Egypt, and Jacob to Syria; Moses again to Egypt, the three youths to Babylon, as well as Daniel and Ezekiel, and Jeremiah to Egypt. Then He gave the law, sent prophets; He struck down and again raised up His people, gave them into slavery and freed them, and from beginning to end he did and accomplished everything for our race. Not limiting himself to edifying us through the voice of nature alone, since many people, carried away by the general madness, did not receive any fruit from here, He began new methods of admonition, and finally, to complete His benefits, sent His Son, the true Son, the only begotten, and He, being of the same nature with Him, becomes like me, walked the earth, moved among people, ate and drank, walked around the earth, teaching, edifying, admonishing, working miracles, he prophesied for them, he exhorted them, he taught them advice, he suffered for them, he endured for them, he was reproached for them, he was betrayed for them. He presented one thing to them already here, and put the other aside for the future. But His promises were true and were confirmed by the miracles He performed while He was still on earth, and the fulfillment of all the predictions. Who will proclaim the mighty powers of the Lord? Have all His praises been heard (Ps. 106:2)? Who would not be delighted, who would not be amazed at the ineffability of His care, at the thought of how, because of ungrateful servants, He put His Only Begotten Son to death, a terrible, shameful death, characteristic of the most daring robbers, the death of the unrighteous? After all, He was nailed to the cross, subjected to spitting and strangulation, they beat Him on the cheek and mocked Him, and instead of gratitude for His good deeds, He was buried and His tomb was sealed; and He suffered all this for you, for the sake of caring for you, in order to destroy the tyranny of sin, in order to destroy the stronghold of the devil, break the bonds of death, open the gates of heaven for us, free us from the curse that weighed on you, cancel the original condemnation, teach patience and educate in strength, so that nothing would upset you in this life - no insults, no insults, no shame, no whips, no reproaches from enemies, no adversity, no attacks, no slander, no evil suspicions, and nothing else like that. For this, He Himself endured all this, experienced it together with you, and He triumphed over all this, teaching you not to be afraid of anything like that. But, not content with this, He, having departed to heaven, gave you the ineffable gift of St. Spirit and sent the apostles to spread His teachings. And seeing how these preachers of life suffered thousands of evils, were scourged and insulted, were drowned, suffered hunger and thirst, were daily in danger, daily exposed to death, He endured all this for you, out of love for you. For you, man, He has prepared a kingdom, He has appointed for you an unspeakable good, this inheritance in heaven, these various and manifold gifts, this bliss that cannot be explained in any word. Having so much evidence of God’s providence, evidence in the Old and New Testaments, evidence in this life and in the future, evidence that already exists, that will be, that each of the days we experience, evidence from the very beginning of creation, evidence in the middle and at the end, constant evidence, evidence from the body, from the soul - seeing whole clouds of evidence supplied from everywhere, proclaiming His providence - do you still doubt? No, you don't doubt it; you believe in industry, you are convinced of its existence. So, do not be curious any more, seeing clearly that you have a Lord who is more loving than fathers, more caring than mothers, more full of love than the bride and groom, rejoices at your salvation, and rejoices even more than you would rejoice if you were delivered from the danger of death (as he showed through Jonah), and seeing all these proofs of the love that only a father can have for his children, or a mother for her children, a gardener for her plants, a steward to his art, a newlywed to a newlywed, a young man to a maiden, and wishing to remove from you all evil, as far as the east is from the west, as far as the sky is higher than the earth (which we have shown), and not only this, but much more than that - as we have shown, touching on everything in words and giving various examples not only from understandable images, but also from those that surpass understanding itself. Truly, God's providence is inexplicable, His care is incomprehensible, His goodness is inexpressible, and His love for mankind is unimaginable. b) Blazh. Theodoret from the 2nd word on Providence Those who do not believe in providence are like people who would claim that a ship moves without the help of a helmsman and rudder. Those who do not believe that there are reins of the fishery, but extremely recklessly claim that this world - heaven and earth - moves with such harmony and in such an order without a Reinder, it seems to me, are like a man who sits on a ship, crosses the sea, sees how the helmsman, holding the helm, turns the rudder where necessary, then tilts it to the right, then turns it to the left - and directs the boat to the pier he desires, but, asserting an obvious lie and openly arguing against the truth, he will deny that there is a helmsman on the ship, that the boat has a rudder, that it is guided by the movement of the helm, and does not rush by itself, overcomes the impulse of the waves, overcomes the attack of the winds, having no need either for the help of sailors or for a helmsman who would give orders to the oarsmen for the common benefit of all. For they too clearly and with all evidence see that the common Master of all rules over the creation He has created, leads and moves everything in order and in order, they see proper harmony in everything that is done, together beauty and benefit in each creation, and the combined manifestation of both in each part of the creation, and they are arbitrarily blind, or better yet, looking at this, they indulge in shamelessness, accepting the gifts of Providence, they mock what what they accept and what they use, for the same reason they rebel against the Trustee. c) St. Ephraim the Syrian from “Self-Reproof and Confession” Improvement in the world must lead to knowledge of fishing I see buildings and infer the creator; I see the world and know the fishery, I see that a ship is sinking without a helmsman, I saw that human affairs do not end in anything if God does not control them. I see the city and the various structures of civil societies, and I know that everything is held together by God’s order. The flock depends on the shepherd, and everything that grows on earth depends on God. It is in the will of the farmer to separate the wheat from the thorns; in the will of God, the prudence of those living on earth is in their mutual unity and like-mindedness. Place regiments of warriors in the king's ox; in the will of God - a definite statute for everything. There is nothing on earth that is not headed, because God is the beginning of everything. Rivers come from sources, and laws come from God’s wisdom. The earth bears fruit; but, if there is no rain from the sky, it cannot produce anything from itself. The day contains the essence of light, but for its completion it needs the sun. Likewise, good deeds are performed by people, but are brought to completion by God. The sun has light within itself, but for its own peace it needs the sky; Likewise, the pious need God for their restoration. And light is not without fire, and darkness is not without darkness; because everything has mutual need of each other; one requires the other. 11. Various types of divine providence a) St. Ephraim the Syrian word 123 God's providence is expressed in favor when we live virtuously, in admonition when we fall into mistakes and sins, and in tolerance when those admonished do not convert. Everything is from God, both good and sorrowful and unworthy; but one is by good will, the other by economy, the third by permission. And by good will - when we live virtuously, for it pleases God that we lead a sinless life, live virtuously and piously. According to the economy, when, falling into mistakes and sinning, we are admonished; by allowance, when even those admonished we do not convert. God was pleased that man should be saved, just as the angels cried out, saying (Luke 2:14): Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Again, economically, God admonishes us who sin, so that we are not condemned with the world, as the apostle says (1 Cor. 11:32): if we are judged, we are punished by God, lest we be condemned with the world. And there are evils in the city that the Lord does not create (Am. 3:6), such as: famine, plagues, illnesses, defeats, battles; for all this serves to cleanse from sin. But God allows and completely forsakes those who either do not want to live without sin, or those who are admonished do not convert, but remain in sin, as it is written (John 12:40): God has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, and (Rom. 1:28) gave them over to an unskilled mind, that is, he allowed them to do things that were not like them, also (Ex. 4:21): I hardened Pharaoh’s heart, i.e. I will allow him to become bitter because of his disobedience. c) St. Cyril of Jerusalem from the 8th catechetical word God contains everything by His power and allows much by His will. He turns evil intentions into a reason for the salvation of the faithful. Nothing is exempt from God's power Divine Scripture and the dogmas of truth know one God, who contains everything by His power and endures much by His will. He also supports idolaters in His power, but He tolerates them out of condescension. He also possesses the heretics who reject Him, but leaves them out of long-suffering. He also possesses the devil, but leaves him out of long-suffering, and not out of impotence, as if he were being conquered. For the devil, the beginning of the creation of the Lord, was created not by God (this is unworthy of Him), but by the angels (Job 40:14), created by Him. God allowed the devil to live for two purposes: so that he, who was defeated, would be more ashamed, and people would be crowned. All-wise, truly God's providence! He turns evil will into a reason for the salvation of the faithful. Just as God turned the brotherly-hating will of Joseph’s brothers into a reason to show His own economy, and, allowing them to betray their brother out of hatred, took from this an opportunity to make the king whom He wanted, so He allowed the devil to wage war so that the victorious would be crowned, and after the victory was accomplished, the devil was more disgraced, as defeated by the inferior, and people deserved great glory, as those who defeated the one who once was archangel. Therefore, nothing is excluded from the action of God's power. Scripture speaks of God (Ps. 119:91): all things work for You. But if all things work for Him, then His one Son and His one Holy Spirit are beyond all this; and everything that works for Him serves the Master through the one Son in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, God possesses everyone and tolerates murderers, robbers and fornicators, having long-suffering determined the period when he will reward everyone, so that those who are given the longest term and who have an unrepentant heart will be subject to greater condemnation. Human kings reign on earth, but not without power from above. Nebuchadnezzar once experienced this for himself, saying about God (Dan. 4:31): His power is eternal, and His kingdom endures forever. c) St. John Chrysostom from the 1st conversation on the powerlessness of the devil God's punishments constitute one of the types of industry May you always have a firm and unshakable thought that God is good and philanthropic, not only when He does good, but also when He punishes, because His punishments and punishments constitute the greatest portion of good deeds, the most important type of providence. So, when you see that there have been crop failures and plagues, and droughts, and floods, and disorderly changes in the air, or other similar scourge of human nature, then do not express annoyance and indignation, but bow to the Creator, marvel at His care. He does this and punishes the body in order to enlighten the soul. And this, you say, is God doing? Yes, God does it; and let the whole city appear here, let the whole universe, I’m not afraid to say it. Oh, if only I had a voice stronger than a trumpet and could stand on a high place and exclaim before everyone and testify that God is doing this! I am not saying this out of madness, but I have a prophet on my side, who exclaims with me and says: There is no evil in the city except the Lord do it (Am. 3:6). But since the word “evil” has two meanings, I want to tell you its exact meaning on both sides, so that you, due to the ambiguity of the name, mixing up the very objects, do not fall into blasphemy. So, there is evil - real evil, fornication, adultery, covetousness and countless vices worthy of extreme condemnation and punishment. Again there is evil, or better yet, not there, but called evil, hunger, ulcers, death, illness, and the like: all this cannot be (true) evil - that’s why I said that it is only called evil. Why? Because if all this were evil, it would not bring good things to us, would not curb pride, would not eradicate carelessness, would not excite us to diligence and would not make us more attentive to ourselves. Whenever I have killed, says Scripture, then I will seek Him, and turn and pray to God (Ps. 77:34). What is meant here is the evil that enlightens us, makes us valiant and more diligent, leads to wisdom, and not that which is worthy of damnation and condemnation; This is not God’s work, but an invention of our will, otherwise it serves to destroy it. Here the suffering caused to us by punishment is called evil, and it is called so not by its own nature, but by adaptation to the opinion of people. Since we are accustomed to calling evil not only theft and adultery, but also misfortunes, then (God) called suffering so, applying it to the opinions of people. So, from everything it is clear that (God) calls punishment here evil, and that He Himself sends these punishments to us, revealing in them the most important form of His Providence. And the doctor is worthy of praise not only when he takes the patient out into gardens and meadows, or to baths and swimming pools, or when he offers him a luxurious table, but also when he forces him to remain without food, torments him with hunger and thirst, - when he chains him to his bed, and makes the house a prison, deprives the patient of the light itself and closes the room on all sides with veils, - when he subjects him to cutting and burning, and prescribes bitter medicines: and then he is the same doctor. Therefore, isn’t it strange to call someone who causes so much trouble a doctor, and God, if he causes one such trouble, for example. will bring famine or death, blaspheme and not recognize the Provider of the universe? And He alone is the true doctor of souls and bodies. That is why He often, having taken into His care our nature, which leaps from the fullness of happiness, and yet is possessed by a sinful fever, relieves it from diseases of poverty, hunger, death, and other disasters, and other medicines that He knows. But, you say, only the poor feel hungry? No, He punishes not just hunger, but also countless other disasters. He often admonishes the poor with hunger, and the rich and abundantly living with dangers, illnesses and premature deaths, because He is inventive and has various medicines for our salvation. 12. About the prosperity of the evil and the suffering of the good St. John Chrysostom from the 1st conversation to the people of Antioch about statues Why does God allow the saints to suffer and undergo various calamities? Eight reasons for the disasters of the saints. Why did God give Job's body to the power of the devil? We must thank God for the trials sent down You have heard many people ask: why, in fact, one, being a humble and meek person, is every day brought to court by some criminal and villain, suffers many disasters - and God allows this? Why did another, falsely accused, die unjustly? One, they say, was drowned, the other was thrown from a cliff; and we could name many saints who lived both in our time and in the time of our ancestors, who suffered many varied and heterogeneous torments. In order to understand the meaning of all this, and not to be embarrassed ourselves, nor to allow others to be tempted, let us pay careful attention to what will now be said. I can point out to your love eight reasons for every kind and kind of saints’ disasters. Therefore, intensely strain your attention, knowing that there will be no excuse or justification for us if we are tempted by the disasters that happen, if, given the existence of so many reasons, we become confused and anxious, as if none of them existed. So, the first is that God allows them to endure troubles, so that, due to the greatness of their merits and miracles, they do not quickly fall into pride. The second is that others should not think of them more than is human nature, and should not assume that they are gods and not men. The third is that the power of God should be powerful, conquering and multiplying the preaching through weak and bound people. Fourth, so that the patience of them themselves is more clearly revealed, as people who serve God not because of reward, but show such good-will that even after great disasters they reveal pure love for Him. Fifth, so that we philosophize about the resurrection. In fact, when you see that a righteous man, filled with great virtue, suffers endless misfortunes and leaves this world, then you will involuntarily be forced to think about the judgment there, because if people do not allow those who work for them to leave without reward and reward, then God will much more not want to ever let go uncrowned of those who have worked so hard; and if He never wants to deprive them of reward for their labors, then there must be some time after death here, during which they receive rewards for their labors here. The sixth (reason) is that all who are exposed to misfortunes have sufficient consolation and relief by looking at them and remembering the disasters that have happened to them. Seventh, so that when we call you (to imitate) their virtue and say to each of you: “Imitate Paul and compete with Peter,” you, due to the excessive height of merit, do not think that they were people of a different nature, and do not fearfully refuse to imitate. Eighth, so that when we need to please and regret, we know who should be considered blessed and who should be pitiful and miserable. These are the reasons. But they all must be confirmed from the Scriptures, and it must be shown with precision that everything said is not an invention of human thoughts, but the thoughts of the divine Scriptures. Then our word will be more trustworthy and will sink deeper into your souls. That sorrows help the saints to be meek and humble, and not to be puffed up by signs and merits, and that therefore God allowed them to be, listen to how the prophet David and Paul speak about this very thing. The first says (Ps. 119:71): It is good for me, for thou hast humbled me, that I may learn by thy justification, and the second, having said that he was caught up into the third heaven and taken up into paradise, added (2 Cor. 12:7): and for the many revelations, let me not be arrogant, for the foul of the flesh, the angel of Satan, was given to me. does dirty tricks. What is clearer than this? Let me not be arrogant,” he says, “for this reason God allowed Satan’s angels to torment me. He does not call the angels of Satan any demons, but people who serve the devil - infidels, tyrants, pagans, who constantly oppressed him and constantly persecuted him. In his words, the meaning is this: God, as he says, could stop the continuous persecution and oppression; but when I was caught up to the third heaven and ascended to paradise, so that because of the excessiveness of these revelations I would not become proud and arrogant, God allowed these persecutions and allowed the angels of Satan to torment me with persecutions and sorrows so that I would not become arrogant. Although the companions of Paul and Peter, and everyone else like them, are holy and worthy of admiration, they are still people and need great caution so as not to easily fall into pride. And the saints most of all (need this); because nothing attracts pride more than the consciousness of merit and a daring soul. So that they would not tolerate anything like this, God allowed temptations and sorrows to exist, which could humble them and encourage them to observe moderation in everything. And that the misfortunes of the saints greatly contribute to the manifestation of the power of God, listen to this from the same apostle who said this earlier. So that you do not say, as the infidels think, that God, who allows these disasters, is powerless, and that, not having the power to deliver his (readers) from dangers, allows them to constantly suffer, look, as Paul showed, that what is happening not only does not testify to His powerlessness, but even more demonstrates His power to everyone. Having said: “Here I am, a dirty tricker of the flesh, the angel of Satan, is playing dirty tricks on me,” and pointing with these words to continuous temptations, he added (2 Cor. 12:8–9): for this I prayed to the Lord three times, that he would depart from me; and I said: My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. Then, he says, My strength is revealed when you are in weakness, and through you, when you seem weak, the word of preaching grows and spreads everywhere. So, when, after countless blows, he was taken to prison, he captured the prison guard. The feet were in the stocks, the hands were in chains, but the prison shook at midnight when they sang (the apostles). Do you see how His power is made perfect in weakness? If Paul had been free and had shaken the prison, then what happened would not have been so surprising. Therefore, God says: remain in chains, and let the walls shake on every side, and let the prisoners be released from their chains, so that My power can be more visible when through you, bound and shackled, all the prisoners are freed. And the prison guard was then struck precisely by the very fact that, being held so tightly, Paul alone with prayer could shake the foundations, open the doors of the prison and release all the prisoners. But not only here, but also with Peter and with Paul himself, and with the rest of the apostles, one can see that this constantly happens, that (i.e.) the grace of God is always revealed in persecution, appears in oppression and loudly proclaims its power. Therefore He says: My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. God allowed them (the saints) to be constantly persecuted, to receive scourgings, to be exposed to illnesses, so that extreme bodily weakness and an abundance of temptations would convince those living then that those who performed such great miracles were still people and did not bring anything of themselves, but that everything was accomplished through them by grace alone. For if they considered as gods people who committed insignificant and insignificant deeds, then they would have been much more suspicious of these, who did such deeds as no one had ever seen or heard of, if the latter had not experienced anything characteristic of people. Even if, despite the fact that they were subjected to scourging, overthrown, imprisoned, expelled, faced with dangers every day, some still fell into this wicked opinion, then they would have thought much more if they had not tolerated anything characteristic of people. This is the third cause of disasters. The fourth is to prevent people from thinking that saints serve God out of hope for real happiness. In fact, many, living dissolutely, being often reproached by many and called upon to perform exploits of virtue, and hearing about the praise of the saints for courage in adversity, begin to slander them on this occasion. And not only people, but the devil himself suspected the same thing. In fact, when Job owned great wealth and enjoyed complete abundance, that evil demon, being reproached by God for him, having nothing to say, neither to justify himself in his crimes, nor to cast doubt on the virtues of the righteous, immediately resorted to this defense, saying: food tune Job honors You? You have protected his inner and outer (Job 1:10). For the reward, he says, enjoying such abundance, he is virtuous. What about God? He, wanting to show that the saints did not serve Him for a reward, deprived him of all his wealth, betrayed him into poverty and allowed him to suffer a serious illness. Then, reproaching the devil, that he suspected in vain, he says (Job. 2:3), that (Job) would still adhere to innocence, but you declared in vain to destroy his property. For saints, serving God itself is a sufficient reward and reward, just as for a lover, that reward is enough to love whom he loves, so that he does not seek anything more than this, and does not think that there is anything more than this. If this happens in relation to man, then much more in relation to God. Therefore, God, wanting to show this, allowed more than the devil demanded. He says (Job 2:5): send your hand and touch him, but God does not do so, but says: I hand him over to you (Job 2:6). Just as in worldly competitions, strong and healthy athletes do not appear when they are shrouded in clothes moistened with oil, but enter the arena, having thrown it off, naked, and then they amaze the spectators with the full proportionality of all their limbs, when nothing hides their bodies; so did Job: when he was surrounded by all that wealth, it was unknown to many what he was like; when he threw it away, like an athlete takes off his clothes, and went out naked to the feat of piety, then in such a naked form he so amazed all the spectators that the angelic army itself, seeing this, exclaimed loudly, seeing the firmness of his soul, and applauded the winner. As I just said, he was visible to people not when he owned all that wealth, but when, having thrown it off like clothes, he found himself naked in the middle of the universe, as if in a theater, and everyone was amazed at the good state of his soul, and not only thanks to this nakedness he showed himself, but also thanks to his struggle and patience in illness. As I said earlier, it was not God himself who struck him down, so that the devil would not again say: “You spared and did not bring such a temptation as was necessary,” but gave the devil himself both the destruction of the herds and power over the body. I, He says, am confident in the fighter; therefore, I do not prevent you from using whatever fighting techniques you want with him. But just as good fighters who fully rely on their art and strength of body often enter into a fight with opponents, not standing upright and not on equal terms, but allowing them to intercept themselves in the middle in order to make the victory more brilliant, so God allowed the devil to grab the saint in the middle, so that when he wins after such an advantage of the fight (on the side of the devil) and spreads it over the earth, the crown would be more brilliant. Gold tested; Torture him as you wish, try him as you wish, you will not find dirt in him. But (God) shows us not only the courage of others, but also presents us with another great consolation. What does Christ really say? Blessed are you when people revile you, and ridicule you, and say all sorts of evil things about you lying. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is abundant in heaven. This is what their fathers did to the prophets (Matthew 5:11, 12). From this it is obvious that our life is not limited to the boundaries of present existence. And this becomes clear from temptations. God would never have tolerated that those who have endured so many great calamities and spent their entire real lives in temptations and countless dangers were not rewarded with much greater gifts. If He would not tolerate (this), then it is obvious that He has prepared some other, better and brighter life, in which He must crown the fighters of piety and glorify (them) in the eyes of the entire universe. So, when you see that the righteous is in need, suffers disasters, is exposed to illness, poverty, and concludes his present life with many other disasters, then tell yourself that if there had been no resurrection and judgment, then God would not have allowed the one who suffered so many evils for Him to leave here without experiencing anything good. It is obvious from this that He prepared for them another life much more pleasant and happier than the present one, because if it were not so, then He would not have allowed many wicked people to live in luxury during this life, and He would not have allowed many righteous people to remain in countless disasters. But since another age is prepared, in which He intends to reward everyone according to their dignity, to one - the reward of wickedness, to another - the reward of virtue, then He endures, seeing how one is in poverty, and the other is luxurious. So, having the opportunity to point out so many reasons for the suffering of the saints, let us neither grumble in temptation, nor doubt, nor be embarrassed, but let us begin to educate our own souls and teach others this. No one, deciding to compete, expects to win a crown without wounds; therefore, you, too, having begun to fight the devil with all your might, do not pursue a life that is safe and full of pleasures, because it was not here that God promised you rewards and promises, but everything glorious in the next century. Therefore, when you yourself, having done something good, get into trouble, or see that another has suffered this, then rejoice and rejoice, because this serves you for greater reward. Don’t lose heart, don’t give up your zeal, don’t become lazy, but, on the contrary, apply even greater zeal. And the apostles, when they preached, then, being subjected to scourging, stoning, constantly living in prison, not only after being delivered from dangers, but even in the very dangers, they proclaimed the preaching of the truth with great zeal. And you can see how Paul, in the very prison, in the very bonds, teaches, instructs the mysteries, and at the trial again does the same thing, and during the crash, and in the storm, and among many dangers. And you compete with these saints - while you are able, do not give up good deeds, and even if you saw that the devil interrupts you an infinite number of times, never lag behind. You, carrying the money, perhaps suffered a crash; and Paul, carrying that which was worth more than any money - the word, went to Rome, was shipwrecked and suffered many disasters. And he himself expressed this, saying: “We would like to come to you many times, but Satan forbid us” (1 Thess. 2:18). And God allowed this, abundantly demonstrating His power and showing that even though the devil presented countless obstacles, the work of preaching did not suffer any damage from this and did not stop. Therefore, Paul thanks God for everything, knowing that through this He made him more glorious, and in everything he revealed the great power of his zeal, not being restrained by any obstacles. Therefore, no matter how many times failure befalls us, we will each time begin spiritual affairs, and we will not say: why did God allow obstacles? That is why He allowed you to show more of your jealousy to many and your great love, since it is most characteristic of a lover to never give up what the beloved likes. The weak and cowardly lose heart immediately at the first blow, but the strong and cheerful, even if he endlessly encounters obstacles, will be all the more devoted to the works of God, doing everything that he should, and giving thanks for everything. Let's do this too. Gratitude is a great treasure, great wealth, an invincible good, a strong weapon, just as blasphemy intensifies the present loss and makes us lose even more beyond what we have already lost. Have you lost your property? If you give thanks, then you have gained a soul and taken possession of a greater treasure, gaining greater favor from God. If you blaspheme, you have lost your salvation, and you have not returned that, and the soul that you had, and you have killed that one. 13. Doesn’t the existence of wicked rich and righteous poor contradict divine providence? Blazh. Theodoret of Cyrus from the 6th word on providence It is pointed out against the reality of providence that the wicked are getting richer. Prosperity does not lie in wealth, but in virtue. It is not easy for those who possess wealth to excel in virtue. The bad thing is not wealth in itself, but its improper use. Why did the Creator determine a life of wealth for some, and give poverty to others? People are equal to each other in the most important things - in birth, in the structure of the body and in its life, in death. Otherwise, one should not be curious and blaspheme, but with faith glorify the Creator and worship His providence Repeatedly with the prophet I spoke to the transgressors, do not commit iniquity: and to those who sin, do not lift up your horns, do not lift up your horns on high, and do not speak untruths against God (Ps. 74:5-6), claiming that He left the creation He created without control. But those who are extremely unappreciative are not convinced by either the heavens, according to the word of the prophet, which tell the glory of God (Ps. 18:1), nor the sun, like a bridegroom, going out from his palace (Ps. 18:6) and reaching to the ends of the universe with both light and warmth, nor the changing moon, arranging the measures of time, nor the stars, rising and setting, showing the way to sailors, exciting farmers to harvest and sowing; neither the succession of annual times, nor the turns of the sun, nor the opportune and proportionate generation of clouds, nor the harmony of land and sea, nor the flows of rivers, nor the outpourings of springs, nor the abundance of fruits, nor the variety and usefulness of animals, nor the structure of the body befitting a rational being, nor the immortality of the soul and the wisdom that governs the body, nor the multitude of all kinds of arts that provide not only what is necessary, but even what is beyond the need - nor everything else, what the Greatly Gifted One bestows on human nature every day. But taking advantage of all this, they indulge in frenzy and go mad, call great care for everything negligence, expose us to wealth and poverty, and complain about the lack of monotony in life. Therefore, having accepted as an assistant to the word the One who wisely rules the boat of the universe, let us resist these attacks, resolve the objection and show that the complaint they weave is the same as the fabric of a spider. They say: why do the most vicious people get rich, thousands of blessings flow to them from everywhere, driven by a fair wind, they go through the path of life and receive streams of wealth as parting words of untruth? Because abundance feeds the flame of covetousness in them, and vice, having taken wealth as a collaborator, ignites the greatest fire, and the force added to desire makes evil unbearable. But the practitioners of virtue live in poverty, oppressed by disasters, lacking the most necessary things, exhausted, not washed, with their eyes cast down on the ground, mocked, ridiculed, enduring thousands of all sorts of sorrows. Therefore, first of all, let us ask them: what is the top of their well-being? And if they say: in wealth, we will immediately expose their lies. For how can one be the creator of well-being for one who, according to them, serves as an accomplice to untruth? If those who live viciously, because of wealth, raise their eyebrows, become arrogant, rushing around on horses and chariots, bring the market into commotion, despising others as much as they themselves are worthy of contempt, cause offense, are given over to covetousness, appropriate what belongs to others, desire what does not belong to them, take away property from their neighbor, enjoy other people's goods, profit from the misfortunes of the poor, and do all this by taking advantage of promoting the power of wealth; then will wealth be the height of well-being, the basis of happiness? If they call virtue the most excellent of goods and say that an ardent lover of virtue and an assiduous practitioner of it is at the very top of goods, then why do they look at wealth and call those who become rich worthy of competition? An abundance of money and an excess of success in virtue are directly opposed to each other. Wealth, with many rebellions, with worries of all kinds, with thousands of different anxieties, serves as a slanderer and not as an assistant to virtue. For how can one succeed in chastity who constantly serves the belly, is devoted to feasts, prepares treats, is concerned with the arrangement of beds and tables, who does not lose sight of the bakers, cooks, cake makers, incense of wines, glasses, bowls, all kinds of vessels and various supplies? Whoever drinks undissolved wine greedily overburdens the belly, extinguishes the last spark of rational strength in himself, always gives new food to the flame of passions, kindles in himself as much as possible indecent voluptuousness, arouses his irritability to the highest degree on those who serve him, makes the ruler of passions their slave, turns the ruler into a servant of the belly, who has received from the Creator the right of dominion over life, reduces to slaves of lust, the prince delivers his subjects into captivity, makes the reinder's horses drag him along the ground, the helmsman no longer holds on to the helm, does not rule the whole boat, but gives it over to the disturbances of passions, flooding and drowning the boat - such a person, of course, is not only devoid of prudence, but even devoted to all lewdness; not only does he lack courage, but has already become a slave to hostile passions. Should anything be said about justice, when the opponents themselves agree that those who want more and more acquisitions do not want to know the difference between truth and untruth, but on the contrary, for such people everything is disordered, uncertain, indifferent? Therefore, for those who are extremely fond of arguing, it is not difficult to understand from what has been said that it is not easy for those who use wealth as an assistant to succeed in virtue. And that poverty promotes wisdom and without it it is impossible for a person to succeed in the most perfect virtue, we will now learn this. Firstly, the lack of what is necessary forces the passions to submit to rational force, does not allow them to ignite and break the reins, as happens with luxurious and gluttonous people. And then the soul, freed from unnecessary burdens, free from external rebellions, enjoying all silence and silence, deepened into itself. sees her own dignity, recognizes the slavery of the passions subject to her and, using the right of dominion, subject to her, prescribes deanery, and punishes the disorder of one or another of them through them themselves: either she opposes the fiery irritability of lust and the compliance of the latter weakens the impetuosity of the first, then this same orderliness in punishment turns to lust and the scourge of irritability reduces his further desire. Equally, labor also contributes to bringing the passions into order. For the need of poverty stimulates hard work, and the lack of what is necessary leads to work, and the burdensomeness of work, weakening the passions, does not allow them to ignite, depleting what feeds them. Why do you become stagnant in ingratitude, seeing the combination of poverty with the righteous, and degrade this instrument of virtue, acting like one who praises the seats, benches, beds, doors and beauty of buildings in the house, but laughs at the tools of the housebuilder and carpenter, condemns the axe, the drill and everything else that is used to make every thing in the house? And the children of wickedness themselves testify to the fact that it is much more convenient to succeed in virtue in poverty than in wealth; The Hellenes also testify that they were lovers of wisdom, and had the natural law as their only teacher. For all of them, in poverty, succeeded in moral virtue, and, moreover, not yet having heard the words of God, clearly crying: whoever does not renounce all his possessions cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:33). However, even nature was enough for them to learn; because God’s word does not teach new lessons, but reminds us of natural laws, and the very writings of nature, which through the negligence of people time has spoiled, the Creator of nature inscribes again through His preachers. And we say this, not condemning wealth, not healing evil with evil. For if wealth is bad, then blasphemy falls on the One who gave it. On the contrary, we say that wealth and poverty are offered to people by the Creator Himself as certain substances or tools; and people, having them, like artists, can either sculpt an image of virtue, or mold an idol of vice. But with wealth, hardly anyone sculptures even a few members of virtue in all their beauty; and in poverty, many can produce a whole image. Therefore, let us not ridicule poverty, this mother of virtue, and condemn wealth, but let us accuse those who do not use it as they should. And iron was given to people to be an assistant in building a house, in agriculture, in navigation, and as an assistant in other arts necessary for life. But those who furiously attack each other do not allow the iron to be used only for necessary needs, but use it to kill each other. However, we do not blame iron for this, but we condemn the wickedness of those who use it for evil. Likewise, the use of wine is given to people for fun, and not for the madness of the heart; but those who love excess and indulge in drunkenness make this the parent of joy the father of madness. And we, pronouncing a fair sentence, call those who use God’s gift for evil wine drinkers, drunkards, bad people, but in wine we see a God-given gift. This is how we will judge both wealth and those who use wealth: we will free the former from blame, and the latter, if they are fair stewards of it, we will crown with great praise; and if, having transformed the order, they turn out to be slaves of wealth, fulfilling every command of wealth and serving in every bad deed, then we will draw up a sentence against them, accusing them of bad behavior, because they were appointed rulers, violated the right of dominion and exchanged domination for slavery. But you are extremely angry that not every person receives streams of wealth from everywhere, not everyone lives in magnificent houses, not everyone adorns their body with the distinction of official and military clothing, not everyone rides horses and mules, not everyone has a multitude of people who come and go, and a swarm of servants ready for all kinds of services, not everyone has gilded boxes, a soft and gentle bed, skilled cooks, invented pleasures, amusements flowing from everywhere, igniting voluptuousness. The ruler of all kinds had equality in mind. Firstly, He gave everyone the earth as a common platform, a common dwelling, a common nursery and mother, and a common coffin, He gave everyone a single source of origin, this foremother - dust, spread a common roof over everyone - the sky, gave everyone the sun, moon and other luminaries as common light-bearers; he poured air in the middle, and offered it to everyone as common wealth; because the rich inhale it no more than the poor; on the contrary, poverty here receives an equal, or better to say, larger share, its fosterlings are more numerous, and their feelings are stronger, and free from unnecessary burdens. Rivers and springs also pour out common currents for everyone. And again God created the bodies of the rich and the poor the same, or better yet, in this the poor have an advantage; because their bodies are healthier. Poverty, according to the wisest of doctors, is the mother of health; labor and physical exercise, according to the same teacher, are promoters of health. And the souls of the rich and the poor are of the same nature. For both, there is one image of conception; one basis of origin is marriage and the number of months of pregnancy is equal. Time does not respect the abundance of property and does not agree, being ashamed of wealth, to bring a baby into the world before the established limits or to keep him longer in the mother’s womb, but equally for both the rich and the poor a baby comes into the world, the birth of both happens in illness; It’s better to say, if you believe experience, the poor woman’s childbirth is easier and she has fewer birth illnesses, because the habit of work makes these illnesses easier for her, which is why doctors prescribe necessary labor to those living in luxury, on the days of pregnancy. Therefore, the rich and the poor, although they bear the same in the womb, yet give birth unequally; but where there is the consolation of wealth, there is greater difficulty; and where there is a scarcity of necessities, nature helps, consoling with ease; It’s better to say that the Creator of nature Himself equalizes these inequalities, and in case of difficulty in childbirth, which comes from contentment in everything, He gives consolation in doctors and healing, and for those deprived of this benefit, due to poverty, He makes nature a helper. See what the scales of the truthful Judge are, and move your lips to sing His praises. Look, those who are born alike come into the world naked. And the child of the rich is not clothed in scarlet, and the child of the poor is not born in rags; but both are born naked, by which the Creator proclaims their equality. They inhale the same air; they fall equally to the breasts; a poor baby is fed with no other milk, and a rich baby is offered no other milk; but both of them feed equally on the same food. Not only is the entry into life the same for all of us, but also the exit is the same. The same death awaits us all. She is not afraid of wealth, does not fear spearmen, does not tremble in scarlet, does not value the walls and towers and royal palaces, penetrates into the bridal chamber, does not have mercy on the weeping, does not show pity to the suppliant, is not bribed with gifts, is not restrained by the art of medicine, the powers of healing are invalid, often does not allow an order to be made, to announce a successor to the inheritance, but kidnaps, carries away, separates the soul from the body. Therefore, both those who are puffed up by wealth and those living in poverty have a common end, and the same is true for them both after their death and after their departure from here. Equally rottenness follows, pus spreads, worms are born, the majestic eye fades and decays; the insatiable mouth and frantic tongue become the food of worms, the proud neck not only bows, but is also destroyed, the arrogant cheeks not only fall off, but also turn into a small amount of dust, the complexion withers and disappears, the fingers that write slyly lie scattered, without any articulation. So all this, as something common, is presented to both rich and poor. Therefore, in everything that happens, seeing God’s care, do not be curious about how it is done. And if you want to do this, then accept piety as an accomplice to your curiosity. Let it guide your progress, let it guide you in exploring what you are looking for. Submitting to Him, take advantage of every occasion to sing the songs of the Creator. Imitate the three youths who, being thrown into the cave, called upon an inanimate creature to participate in the praise, and attracted the tormentor who mercilessly threw them into the cave to the sight of a miracle, and by this miracle-working forced him to worship God, against whom he rebelled. And the furnace did not force them to raise their tongues of blasphemy, but, devoted to the flames, they honored the Benefactor with chants. But neither the cave nor the lions force you to blaspheme; on the contrary, while enjoying God-given blessings, you do not feel the gifts. But if you listen to me and decorate your tongue with piety, then you will praise the creation, and you will glorify the Creator, and you will worship His inherent providence everywhere; for to Him be glory and dominion, now and always, and unto ages of ages! b) St. John Chrysostom from the 5th conversation about Anna There is no need to grumble at God’s providence due to the uneven distribution of wealth between people in view of the fact that the poor have access to the temporary goods necessary for life. Advantages of the poor over the rich What, tell me, do you blame God’s providence for? Is it that one has more money and the other less? What if we prove that all people have the most necessary things, much more important (than wealth), and which form the basis of our lives, equally? Will you then recognize God’s providence? (Recognizing this) is absolutely necessary. In fact, if you use as proof of the invalidity of providence only the fact that not everyone has one thing equally, i.e. money, then when it is proven that they still use not just one thing, and, moreover, such an unimportant one, but very many and much more important ones, then you, obviously, and involuntarily, will be forced to recognize the providence of God. So, let's talk about what supports our life; let us examine this with precision, and see whether in this the rich have an advantage over the poor. A rich man, for example, drinks Fasian (wine) and many other similar drinks, skillfully composed and prepared with great sophistication. But water sources are open to everyone equally - both rich and poor. Perhaps you chuckled when you heard about such equality? But consider how much better, more necessary and healthier water is than any wine, and then you will change your mind and know the true wealth of the poor. If you destroy the wine, it will not do much harm to anyone, except the sick. But if someone blocks the sources of water and destroys this element, he will destroy our entire life and destroy all arts; We will not then be able to live even two days, but immediately we will all die a pitiful and most painful death. So, the things that are necessary and form the basis of our life are available to the poor no less, even, to say something surprising, even more than to the rich. It is known that many rich people, due to the disorder of the body that occurs in them from luxury, for the most part cannot drink water, but the poor man freely enjoys this moisture throughout his life, resorting to sources of water, as if to sources of honey, and receiving true, pure pleasure from there. What about fire? Is it not more necessary than countless treasures and all human wealth? But this treasure is equally open for use by both rich and poor. But air, so necessary for our life, and sunlight - is it more accessible to the rich and less available to the poor? Do the former see the light with four, and the latter with only two eyes? After all, this cannot be said. This means that both the rich and the poor are destined to enjoy this in equal measure, or better yet, and here one can find a greater advantage on the side of the poor, due to the fact that they have keener senses, sharper vision and more perfect powers of perception. Therefore, they receive significant pleasure, and more joy and pleasure from viewing nature. And not only in these elements, but also in everything else that nature gives us, one can see equality (of the poor with the rich), and better advantage of the poor (over the rich). Thus, sleep, which is more pleasant and necessary and healthier than any food, is usually easier for the poor than for the rich, and not only easier, but also stronger. These latter, because they have a lot of fun, eat when there is no hunger, drink when there is no thirst, and sleep when you don’t want to sleep, in the end they find no pleasure in anything, because the pleasantness for us of this or that thing depends not so much on its properties, but on our need for it and its (timely) use. It is not as pleasant to drink sweet and fragrant wine as it is pleasant to drink water when you are thirsty; It’s not as (pleasant) to eat sweet pies as it is to eat when you’re hungry; it’s not as (pleasant) to sleep on a soft bed as to sleep when you’re feeling sleepy. And all this happens more among the poor than among the rich. And what concerns physical health and well-being in general, doesn’t this belong equally to the rich and the poor? Can anyone say or prove that some of the poor are sick, while the rich are always in good health? On the contrary, it can be seen that the poor are rarely subject to incurable diseases, but among the rich they affect the whole body. Gout and headaches, relaxation and incurable nerve disorder, malignant and harmful relaxations of all kinds, usually most torment these people who live luxuriously and anoint themselves with aromas, and not those who work, work and earn the necessary food through daily labor. In one respect, those living in luxury are more miserable than even the poor; Even the rich will not reject this. Often a rich man, lying on a soft bed, surrounded by servants and maids, and receiving many services from everyone, hearing a poor man screaming in the street and asking for bread, will cry, groan and wish it would be better to be the same, only healthy, than rich and sick. And not only in health, but also in fertility, the rich also have no advantage over the poor. Both rich and poor alike may have many children or none. Or rather, even here the rich give way to the poor. A poor man, even if he is not a father, does not feel great sorrow, but a rich man, the more his property increases, the more he is tormented by the lack of children and finds no pleasure in not having an heir. The inheritance of a poor person, if he dies childless, without raising a dispute due to its unimportance, goes to his friends and relatives. And the rich man’s inheritance, attracting the eyes of everyone, often passes into the hands of the enemies of the deceased, and since he sees this in others during his lifetime, he leads a life more terrible than any death, expecting that the same will happen to him. But isn’t death equal to both? Do not both rich and poor die premature deaths? And after death, isn’t it the same for both of them, the body is destroyed, turns into dust and ashes and gives birth to worms? Not the same, you say, burial? But what's the use? However, if we analyze not only this, but everything else in detail and study it with precision, we will find that the poor have much more advantages over the rich. Considering all this with attention and examining everything else: give, it is said, wine to the wise, and the wisest will be (Proverbs 9:9), and constantly remembering that a lot of money does not give the rich anything more than worries and worries, except fears and dangers, let us think that we have no less than the rich. Indeed, let us only be vigilant, and we will have much more than they, both in divine things and in all things present. Pleasure and security, good fame and bodily health, purity of soul, good hopes and disinclination to sin - you will find more among the poor than among the rich. So, let us not grumble like ungrateful slaves and blame the Lord, but let us thank (Him) for everything, and consider only one thing evil - sin, and good - truth. With this way of thinking, neither illness, nor poverty, nor dishonor, nor any other imaginary disaster will befall us, but having received pure pleasure from everything (in this life), we will be rewarded with future blessings, according to the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory forever and ever. 14. Participation in the creation and providence of the Son of God and the Holy Spirit a) St. Basil the Great from the book “On the Holy Spirit to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium,” ch. 16 In creation, the original cause is the Father, the creative cause is the Son, and the perfect cause is the Spirit. You can also know the communication of the Spirit with the Father and the Son from what was originally created. For the pure, spiritual and supermundane powers are holy and are called holy, as having acquired holiness through the grace given by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, although it is silent about how the heavenly powers were created, because through one sensory one the Creator who described the creation of the world revealed to us; However, you, having the ability to infer from the visible about the invisible, glorify the Creator, by whom all things were created, whether visible, whether invisible, whether there are beginnings, whether there are powers, whether there are powers, whether they are thrones, whether they are dominions (Col. 1:16), and what other rational, unnamed natures there are. In their creation, imagine the original cause of what was created - the Father, and the creative cause - the Son, and the perfecting cause - the Spirit; so that ministering spirits have existence by the will of the Father, but are brought into being by the action of the Son, and are brought into being by the presence of the Spirit. The fulfillment of Angels is a shrine and abiding in a shrine. And let no one think that we affirm that there are three superior Hypostases, and that the action of the Son is imperfect. For there is one Principle of beings, creating through the Son and working in the Spirit. And in the Father, who acts all in all, the activity is not imperfect, and in the Son the creation is not insufficient, if it is not completed by the Spirit. For neither the Father, who creates by one will, would have need of the Son, but nevertheless wants through the Son; neither the Son, acting like the Father, would have any need for assistance, but He also wants to do things through the Spirit. By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth all their strength (Ps. 32:6). The Word is not a significant modification in the air, produced by verbal instruments, and the Spirit is not the vapor of the mouth, expelled by the respiratory members; but the Word, which is in the beginning with God, is also God (John 1:1), and the Spirit of the mouth of God is the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father (John 15:25). Therefore imagine the Three - the commanding Lord, the creating Word and the affirming Spirit. b) Blazh. Augustine from the work “On True Religion” ch. 7 All rational, spiritual and physical creation has its existence from the creative Trinity and is governed by It; all together and each creature individually were created by the Father through the Son by the gift of the Holy Spirit The essence of the religion we are to follow is the history and prophecy of the divine dispensation of salvation for the human race to be transformed and prepared for eternal life. As soon as this is the subject of our belief, a way of life consistent with the divine commandments will purify our mind and make it capable of knowing spiritual things, which are things that are neither past nor future, but eternally and equally abiding and not subject to any change, that is, to know the One God Himself, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having known this Trinity, as far as it is given to us to know this in this life, we, without the slightest hesitation, admit that every rational, spiritual and physical creature, as far as it exists, has its being and its appearance from this creative Trinity and is governed by it in the most perfect order; Moreover, it is not necessary to understand that one part of creation was created by the Father, another by the Son, and a third by the Holy Spirit, but so that all together, and each creature individually, was created by the Father through the Son by the gift of the Holy Spirit. For every thing - whether we call it essence, or nature, or some other term - simultaneously has in itself both this, that, and the third, so that it is something unified, and differs from the rest in its appearance, and does not stand out from the order of things. Holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church, from whose works extracts are given in the fourth issue St. Dionysius the Great, Bishop of Alexandria, b. at the end of the 2nd century, † in 265 Venerable Ephraim the Syrian, b. OK. 306, † in 373 St. Clement, Bishop of Rome, † in 101 Minucius Felix, Latin ecclesiastical writer, lived in the second half of the 2nd century. The famous Greek philosopher Plato (born between 430 and 427, died in 348 or 347 BC) in Timaeus Greek philosopher of the 6th century BC, who taught that the beginning of everything is air, boundless, living, creating everything with its eternal movement, alternating expansion and condensation. Hill in Rome with the temple of the pagan god Jupiter and other gods. The Capitol was considered the greatest shrine of the pagan Romans. Of course, the defenders (apologists) of Christianity who wrote before Tertullian (Codratus, Aristides, Justin the Philosopher, Athenagoras, Melito, Theophilus of Antioch and others.) These words do not contradict the previously stated statement that the soul is by nature a Christian, since by saying here that the soul is not a Christian, and that it becomes a Christian, Tertullian notes the state of the soul when it has not yet been baptized, has not yet received specifically Christian instruction. If an unbaptized soul from itself, without teaching, professes the Christian teaching about the unity of God and His providence, about the existence of demons, about the continuation of life after death, about eternal rewards and punishments, then this confirms the position expressed by Tertullian that the soul is Christian by nature. Such understanding is also required in the course of speech. Names of Roman pagan gods. Those. in modern St. Basil of the Eunomian heretics, who claimed that they knew the being of God, and that this being is “unborn.” Greek philosopher of the 6th century BC. - founder of the Pythagorean school in southern Italy (Magna Graecia). The most ancient and famous Greek poets. Famous Greek philosopher (469–399 BC). Greek philosopher of the 5th century BC. Greek philosopher of the 5th century BC, founder of the cynical philosophical school. Greek historian and philosopher of the 5th–4th century BC. Famous Greek philosopher (384–322 BC). Greek philosopher (342–270 BC) Apocryphal books are false writings, often even heretical, to which their unknown compilers, however, try to give the character and meaning of sacred and inspired writings. There are apocryphal Jewish books (for example, the Book of Adam, the Book of Enoch, the Testament of Abraham, the Ascension of Moses, the Testament of Solomon, etc.), there are also Christian ones (apocryphal gospels, apostolic acts, apostolic epistles, apocalypses). This refers to “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles” - a work of the end of the 1st century, and “The Shepherd” of Hermas - a work of the first half of the 2nd century. Our Slavic translation is made from the Greek translation of the Seventy. Of course, some of the ancient Christian heretics, who attributed the Old Testament to one God - a righteous or even evil one, and the New Testament to another - a good God, found contradictions between them and had a negative attitude towards the first. Those. books of Joshua, Judges and Ruth. Greek philosopher (born between 430 and 427, died in 348 or 347 BC). “Polity” is an essay on the structure of the state. Greek philosopher (c. 340–265 BC) The Prytana was a building where ceremonial dinners were given in honor of distinguished citizens. St. Basil the Great understands the conclusion of the doxology in prayers in the form: the Father with the Son and with the Holy Spirit, while his opponents considered this an innovation, not justified by Holy Scripture. And they preferred to give glory to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit. Of course, in this case, such an educated person prefers external brilliance and cunning constructions of speeches to a sincere and conscientious search for the truth. Heretics of the 2nd century, who got their name from the founders of heretical teaching - Marcion and Valentinus. Valentinus, Marcion and the latter's disciple Apelles are gnostic heretics of the 2nd century. The symbol is later, compared to the time of St. Athanasius of Alexandria and St. Does not belong to Athanasius; but from ancient times he has enjoyed great respect for his clear, precise, definite and concise expression of the Orthodox teaching about the Holy Trinity. The Sabellians are heretics who received their name from the presbyter Sabellius (first half of the 3rd century), who taught that “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” are only different forms of the revelation of the one God, and not the actual three persons of the Holy Trinity. The Alexandrian presbyter Arius was a heretic of the 4th century († 336), who taught that the Son of God is not consubstantial with the Father and is not coeternal with Him, but was created in time and, therefore, not God in the proper and exact sense, but a creature, although above all other creatures. Greek philosopher of the 3rd century AD. Plotinus (born in 204, died in 269) Consequently, in relation to time, the Son and the Holy Spirit are coeternal with the Father. Old Testament Temple in Jerusalem. Of course, the first ecumenical council, which took place in Nicaea in 325. Of course St. Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop of Neocessary; see above (pp. 4–5) for its symbol. St. Basil the Great adheres to the letter of the Greek text, where the word corresponding to the Slavic and Russian Spirit appears with a preposition. St. Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop of Neocaesarea - see his symbol (pp. 4–5). Manichaeism is a heresy that arose in the 3rd century and spread especially in the East in the 4th and 5th centuries. Marcion and Valentinus are heretics of the 2nd century. Minucius Felix wrote in Rome. From the genus of packweeds, it produces a spicy and milky juice from the root, which has a strong laxative property. Greek philosopher, b. between 430 and 427, d. in 348 or 347 BC. Greek philosopher of the 6th century BC. Stoicism is a Greek philosophical school, the founder of which was Zeno (c. 340–265 BC) Greek philosopher, b. between 540–530, d. OK. 470 BC. Greek philosopher, b. in 342, d. in 270 BC. Greek philosopher, b. OK. 460, d. OK. 360 BC. The Greeks often used 100 to denote an indefinite large number. Arcturus, Pleiades and Orion are constellations. Ancient Greek poet Homer in the Odyssey (XVII 218) Combat formation of troops in closed lines in several rows. Of course, there is an ancient Greek pagan legend that Hephaestus, the god of fire, who was considered a skilled craftsman in working metals through fire, by order of the god Zeus, the lord of the sky, created a beautiful woman from the earth; each of the gods awarded her with special gifts and powers, with the help of which she was supposed to bring disorder into the lives of people as punishment for stealing fire from the sky. It was Pandora. Ancient Greek poet Hesiod. The famous Greek philosopher Socrates was accused of renouncing the state religion and, sentenced to death, drank a cup of poison in 399 BC. The book “The Shepherd” was written by the “apostolic man” Hermas, probably in the first half of the 2nd century.