Глава 13

“There was a certain man there who had been ill for thirty-eight years... The Lord said to him: Do you want to be healthy?” (cf. John 5:5–6). So he didn't want to. “The sick man said to him: I have no helper to lower me into the pool when the waters are troubled” (cf. John 5:7). The Lord asked differently, and the sick man answered differently, saying: “I have no helper to lower me, and while I am slowly approaching the pool, another is already coming down before me” (John 5:7) 197. And for thirty-eight years I did not find one. These words shame the Jews, who do not believe that baptism forgives sins. After all, if they believe that through the water of Siloam an Angel healed a sick person, then how much more should one believe that the Lord of Angels through baptism cleanses from all vice? And since they thought that water alone (could) help him, then (the Lord) said to him: “Get up, take up your mat and walk” (cf. John 5:8). He was a sinner and an unbeliever, as the Lord testifies, saying: “Sin no more” (John 5:14). Truth came and looked for faith on his lips, but did not find it; mercy healed him, so that grace would not pass (by him) in vain. “Get up on your feet, take up your bed and go to your house” (cf. John 5:8). Wasn’t it enough to say, “Get up, walk”? Wouldn't it also be a miracle if someone who had no strength to turn around on his bed suddenly got up and walked? But in order to show that he had given him perfect health, the Lord added the command to raise the bed. For he did not heal him in the likeness of the sick, to whom health gradually returns, and therefore he said: “get on your feet, take up your bed and walk” (cf. John 5:8). After all, if he had become silent, his bed would have cried out. When the Jews saw him, they said: “Who said to you: take your bed?” (cf. John 5:12). They omitted (kept silent), as Scripture shows, to ask him: “Who healed you?” - and they said: “Who commanded you to take your bed on the Sabbath day?” (cf. John 5:12) - O blind, foolish, deaf and insensitive, why do you miss one thing and ask about another? Since they asked like blind men, the one who was healed gave them an illuminating answer, because he was an intelligent and enlightened intercessor whom the wise Physician sent to lead those who were mistaken to the right path. “Who commanded you to take your bed upon yourself?” (cf. John 5:12) - Since they wanted to hide the miracle of healing and reproach the man who took the bed, this (the latter) openly announced his healing and (at the same time) condemned and refuted their unbelief. He told them not what they wanted to hear (from him), but what they refused to believe. “He... who... healed... me... said... to me: get up, take up your bed and go. They say to him: who is He? He said: I don’t know, because Jesus, when he saw the multitude of people, turned away from that place. And after a while I saw him... and said to him: Behold, you are made whole, sin no more, lest you need anyone else” (cf. John 5:11-14). - For he said: “I have no one (who would lower me into the pool)” (John 5:7). - “And then the man went and told the Jews that... Jesus was the One who healed me” (cf. John 5:15). When they accused the Lord for healing on the Sabbath day, then (the Lord) said to them: “My Father works until now, therefore I also work” (cf. John 5:17). And thus, the Jews persecuted the Savior not only because he healed on the Sabbath day, but “also... and... because... He called God His Father and He called Himself equal with God” (cf. John 5:18). However, notice that he did not answer: “Do not break the Sabbath,” but: “Break it as My Father in heaven” - “My Father... does, and I do” (John 5:17). After all, if creation, Angels, and lights, and dew, and rain, and springs, and rivers do not stop (in their activity) on the Sabbath day, if on the Sabbath day neither the Angels (do not cease) from their service and work, nor the heavens (do not cease) sending dew and rain, nor the luminaries (do not stop) moving, nor the earth (does not cease) to produce fruits, nor man to breathe and give birth to children - on the contrary, on the Sabbath day people are born all the more quickly because (this) is not prevented by any command, and on the eighth day they are circumcised - if by these examples and almost countless others the law is violated, if the creature does this, then how much more (can the Creator do this)? Therefore, “The Son of Man is lord... of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8). We find His answer similar to this in another place, when His disciples were rebuked for grinding ears of corn (Matthew 12:1-2); (then) said to them: “Have you not read what David did,... how he... ate the showbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him?” (cf. Matt. 12:3, 4). So, understand the meaning of these words and know the power hidden in them. “They persecuted Him,” he says, “because... He made Himself equal with God” (cf. John 5:18). When His disciples were accused, He offered them the testimony of David, who, although he was a prophet, a king and a righteous man, still remained a man, just as the apostles were men; After all, it was fitting for a slave to become a witness for his fellow servants; when they wanted to accuse Him Himself, it was not David, who was a man, who brought them as testimony, and not the testimony of heaven, which is creation, nor angels, nor seraphim, nor guardian spirits, all of which are sent to serve, but, leaving everything in heaven, hell and earth, and the heavens, and everything that is in them, pointed to the testimony of the Lord of all nature and the God of all creation, saying: “My Father works until now, and I I do” (John 5:17). In the same way, he sent a man blind from birth to wash himself in the pool of Siloam (John 9:7), firstly, in order to clearly show that the blind man did not doubt (him), otherwise he would not have been healed, and, secondly, so that if on the way the blind man was questioned, he would state (the whole) case, and thus his faith would again become known. Likewise, the words: “Arise, take up your bed” (cf. John 5:8), he said so that on the Sabbath day they would see the healed man and ask (about the healing). So, the Sabbath was established not for the sake of God, but for the sake of man; therefore whoever gave it is its lord. To the question: “Am I the giver of the Sabbath or not?” (cf. Matthew 12:8) - we see the answer in (His) works. Behold, the blind man serves as a witness, and the sick as heralds. The Lord usually kept all the laws, and by this showed that they must be preserved, so that the laws preserved by Him would condemn their violators. He destroyed some laws in the name of good (Matthew 12:12), in order to teach that He has supreme power over all things, and also through healing to reveal that He is the Lord of the law, since the creation showed obedience to Him who, by the will of the Father, has power over the Sabbath. So, from the breaking of the Sabbath we learn who is the One who said: “My Father is working until now” (John 5:17). Further, with these words he convicted the Jews that they were not breaking the law for the sake of good. After all, he did not reproach them for the fact that each (of them) took a donkey or cattle to water (on the Sabbath day), on the contrary, rather (by this) he taught them that it is good to do good on the Sabbath day (Luke 13:15). He took testimony for himself from them. Although they carefully watched Him and looked for cases when He would turn out to be an opponent of the commandments of His Father, but since they themselves did not observe the law at all, He rejected them. Notice the commandments that are sealed, which are approved and are in no way violated, and notice others that have been repeatedly violated by the Legislator Himself. When a people appeared who, of their own free will, began to do what was the purpose of the establishment of the Sabbath, then the Sabbath of necessity was abolished so that the cause of freedom could begin. Therefore, examine the true meaning of the Sabbath; It is by observing it that we learn what is the will of Him who gave the law of the Sabbath. Thus, if someone without a Sabbath (Sabbath law) voluntarily keeps the Sabbath, should not such spiritual freedom be more valued than the necessity of the Sabbath? 198. “As the Father has life in himself, so he has given it to the Son” (John 5:26). If the face of the Father were alien to life, which He, of course, has according to His nature, the same would have to be thought about the Son. And just as the Father Himself is integral life, and His life does not depend on any cause, so understand about the Son in the same way as about the Father, namely: that He also has life in His face. If, on the basis of the words: “So also he gave to the Son” (John 5:26), you think that apart from the gift of the Father, the Son does not have life in Himself, then you have distorted the first thought, since the face of the Son is so alien to life. But take into account His body and compare this (word) with it: He gave - together with what follows (further): “He gave Him power, that the Son of man should execute judgment” (cf. John 6:27). So, the saying: gave (John 5:26) - and the words: “gave authority” (cf. John 6:27) - understand this way. If the Father gives someone the life that He has in essence, then this (last) becomes not consubstantial with Him, but (only) something additional, and is not implanted in the Father as something similar (to Him). And if it is planted in Him, and as a result of this then becomes a partaker of His nature (2 Pet. 1:4), then it still distinguishes itself from His essence. And if the Father gives the life of His being to something that does not exist, then the same thing happens 199. But perhaps you will say: “Didn’t you give it?” 200. I said: take into account the reason of the body and listen without contradiction that the Father gave (life) to Him who received the power to judge. After all, even the prophet gives testimony about this (John 5:26) and about the power to judge, since he imputes to Him the power of freedom (freedom of power), saying: “His dominion is placed on His shoulder” (cf. Is. 9:6). “The Father... judges no one, but He has given all Judgment into the hands of His Son” (cf. John 5:22). This means that he who avenges himself obviously does injustice to the Lord of all vengeance, for he does not recognize the One who is more powerful than himself and (Who) brings criminals to His judgment seat. For this reason, Christ is called Judge, so that His disciples would not judge among themselves, and at the same time it is said that He will judge at the end of the world, so that from now on no one will avenge himself. Therefore, Christ was called the Head, so that His disciples, as members of (one) body, would have compassion for each other, (so that) the eyes would accuse the feet, and the heart, through repentance, would expose the belly and other members. So, look how reckless a person’s judgment is, even if he justly avenges himself, for thereby the Judge of the whole world is despised. “He is the lamp that is the light” (cf. John 5:35), which went out with the increase (of light), because it shone at night, so that they would know that with the advent of the sun's radiance, the rays of the lamp pass away and are extinguished. “I do not take any testimony from men, for I have a testimony greater than John’s” (cf. John 5:34, 36). However, if he does not take testimony from people, then why did John come before Him? But so that they would not be afraid of the greatness of Christ, He was preceded in various forms by insignificance. Baptism with water is prior to baptism with the Spirit, and the one who knew about his birth from the priest bears witness to Him whose conception from the Spirit was hidden, so that they might know that in the same Spirit the prophet John spoke about Him Whom the scribes reproached for breaking the laws of Moses. And if he does not accept testimony from people, then why did he turn to John to receive testimony from him? But John was sent by God. “He who sent me... spoke to me” (John 1:33). So, through John the Father testifies of Him, as He says: “Moses wrote about Me” (cf. John 5:46), and also: “Moses himself is your...accuser” (cf. John 5:45). He says: “Moses wrote about Me” (cf. John 5:46) - precisely when he said: “If a prophet... arises and does any sign or miracle, and if a miracle... comes true, then let him be accepted, because he is a prophet; if this does not come true, then do not believe, because he is lying” (cf. Deut. 13:1-3) * - in this place Moses wrote about Me. “Moses himself is ... your accuser” (cf. John 5:45), since you do not believe either his word or My works. “Which of you will convict Me of sin?” (John 8:46) - for I prophesy openly to you. And since it is written that a prophet must be accepted, no matter who he is, if (only) he has signs, he says: “the works that I do testify of Me” (cf. John 5:36). So, Moses himself accuses you, because everything he said was fulfilled, for (his) word coincides with (Mine) deed. And if I did not proclaim to you another God, but only said: “Hear Israel: The Lord your God is one Lord” (cf. Deut. 6:4), and if He Himself sent Me, and I pray to Him and I honor Him, if I taught you this too, then why don’t you believe Me?” How did Moses find faith in Egypt among his brothers and Pharaoh? Perhaps through signs? But the wise men performed (the same) signs as he did. So, how did they believe him that God had sent him, if no prophet testified to them about this, and (if) a voice from heaven did not descend to them? It must be said that they believed because of the signs and wonders, and because they heard that the God of their fathers had sent him, and (since) the rays from his face bore witness to the truth of his words. However, it would have been difficult for them to believe him because of those who opposed him, for “the wise men did... the same thing as he did” (cf. Ex. 7:11), if, finally, his signs had not achieved victory. Or did he find faith because God spoke to him? But they did not see this with their eyes and did not hear with their ears. If they believed for the sake of miracles, although they did not know (Moses), then Moses gave an answer for Christ that they should believe Him because of His signs and wonders. According to the degree of faith, healing occurred to the blind man, so that the Lord gave him invisible and visible eyes. He gave moderate vision to the moderate believer. When a moderate light appeared in his eyes, a great light shone in his soul. His inner faith improved and his outer vision improved. “You saw everything clearly” (cf. Mark 8:25). When he stood at the first and lowest level, the Lord strengthened his weak faith, but when it became firmer, then from this level of weakness he rose, as it were, by leaps and bounds to the level of perfection. Saint Ephrem, apparently, does not read John 5:4, as well as the Syriac text (according to Cureton's translation), as well as Sin., Vat. and many other codes. Those. From the fact that the Church, following the example of Christ, observes the Sabbath in its own way, although it is not bound by the Old Testament law, it is clear that God in the New Testament did not abolish the entire law on the Sabbath, but destroyed only the compulsion with which the law connected the observance of the Sabbath. Those. if God, in His essence, through creation gives life to those who did not previously exist, then through this they do not become consubstantial with God. Or will you object: “Isn’t it written that the Father gave life to the Son?” – To this objection, Saint Ephraim responds that the Father gave life to the Son in the same way as he gave Him the power of the Court, that is, not as God, but as a man. In Scripture the meaning is the opposite. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: