Беседа XIII

“And the Lord God planted Paradise in Eden in the east, and brought there man, whom he had created” (Gen. 2:8). 1. Seeing how insatiable your desire is, how great your zeal is and how intense your mind is, how willingly you all listen attentively to spiritual teaching, I, although I am aware of my great poverty, nevertheless try, constantly and every day, to offer you this wretched and meager meal, in the confidence that, inflamed by zeal, you will willingly accept (our) words, as is the case with sensual food - which everyone knows. When guests have a good appetite, then although the meal is poor and the host is not rich, they eat what is offered with great pleasure; and if the guests have a weak appetite, then, although the meal will be luxurious and plentiful with various dishes, there will be no benefit due to the fact that (the guests) cannot consume what has been prepared. And here, since you, by the grace of God, are inflamed with zeal for the spiritual meal, we speak with great zeal, knowing that we are offering this Divine teaching to attentive listeners. And the farmer, when he finds a fat and fruitful field, applies all his diligence to it - he draws furrows, plows with a plow, pulls out thorns, generously throws seeds and, already feeding on good hopes, waits every day for what he has sown to grow; monitoring the productivity of the land, he prepares to reap much more than he sowed. In the same way, we, seeing how your zeal increases every day, your desire increases, your zeal intensifies, we place good hopes for you, and we ourselves, with great zeal and zeal, try to do everything we can for the edification of your love, for the glory of God, for the praise of the Holy Church. So, if you like, let’s repeat something from the previous conversation, and then consider the current reading in order. What we discussed last time, how far we extended the word and where we stopped it - this must be said. “And God created man,” says (Moses), “and took away dust from the earth, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life: and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). What I said then, I will repeat now and will always say - namely, that the love of the common Master of all for our family is great and unspeakable. Truly, for the sake of our salvation, He made a great condescension and bestowed great honor on this animal, i.e. person; and in words and deeds he proved that he cared about him more than about everything visible. Nothing prevents us today from considering the same subject before your love. Just as fragrant substances, the more they are rubbed with our fingers, the more they emit an incense, so it is with Scripture: the more one tries to delve into it, the more one can discern the treasure contained in it and acquire from it great and unspeakable wealth. “And God created man,” it is said, “and removed dust from the earth.” See the difference from the very beginning of the speech. Blessed Moses, when he wanted to show us how all other creatures were created, said: “God said: let there be light, and there be light; let there be firmament"; and: “let the waters be gathered,” and: “let there be lights; may the earth produce the old herbs”; and: “let the waters of the creeping things destroy the souls of the living”; and: “let the earth destroy the living soul.” Do you see how everything was created by the word? Let us now see what he says about the creation of man: “and God created 69 man.” See how this adaptability in the words that he used for the sake of our weakness shows both the method of creation (of man) and the peculiarity, i.e., that, humanly speaking, he was, as it were, formed by the hands of God, about which another prophet says: “With your hands you created me and you will create me” (Job 10:8). After all, if God had simply commanded man to appear from the earth, would it really be possible, tell me, that this command would not have been fulfilled? But in order to teach us the everlasting lesson in the very image of creation - not to dream of ourselves beyond measure, for this (Moses) narrates everything with such care, and says: “God created man, remove the dust from the earth.” 2. See in this very honor (conferred upon the person). God takes not just earth, but “dust,” the thinnest, so to speak, part of the earth, and by his command transforms this very “dust from the earth” into a body. Just as He brought forth the very essence of the earth from non-existence, so now, when He desired, He transformed the “dust from the earth” into a body. Here it is appropriate to exclaim in the words of blessed David: “Whoever speaks of the mighty powers of the Lord, all His praises will be heard” (Ps. 105:2), because He created such an animal from dust, raised (it) to such honor and already shows him so many benefits from the very beginning, demonstrating His love for mankind in everything. “And I breathed into his face,” he says, “the breath of life: and a man became a living soul.” Here, some foolish people, carried away by their own considerations, not thinking about anything godly, not paying attention to the adaptability of expressions (of Scripture), dare to say that the soul originated from the being of God. Oh, fury! Oh madness! How many paths of destruction have the devil opened for those who want to serve him! And to understand this, look at the opposite paths these people take. Some of them, seizing on the expression: “I will blow,” they say that souls come from the essence of God; others, on the contrary, claim that they turn even into the essence of the lowest dumb ones. What could be worse than such madness? Since their minds have been darkened and they have not known the true meaning of Scripture, they rush, like those who have lost their spiritual eye, into opposite abysses; some elevate the soul above what it deserves, while others lower it below what is proper. If, because the Scripture says: “I will blow into his face,” they want to attribute the mouth to God, then it will be necessary to give Him hands, because it is said: “Make man.” But, so that we, wanting to expose their idle talk, do not ourselves be forced to speak indecently, let us leave their insane and extremely reckless teaching and follow the instructions of Divine Scripture, which explains itself, unless we attach importance to the coarseness of 70 expressions, but let us keep in mind that the reason for such coarseness of words is our weakness. Otherwise, i.e. Without such an adaptation of words, it would be impossible for human hearing to accept them. So, reflecting both on our weakness and on the fact that the words (of the Scriptures) refer to God, let us accept these last words as it is proper to speak about God, not attributing to the Divine a bodily form and a set of members, but thinking about everything in a Godly manner. The deity is simple, uncomplicated, has no form, 71 therefore, if we set out, judging by ourselves, to attribute to God the totality of members, then we will imperceptibly fall into Hellenic impiety. So, when you hear that Scripture says: “God create man,” understand these words in the same sense as the expression: “let it be,” also when you hear that God “will breathe into his nostrils the breath of life,” understand that He, as He produced incorporeal forces, was so pleased that the body of man, created from dust, had a rational soul that could use bodily members. This body, having been created at the command of the Lord, lay like an instrument that needs an engine, or - better said - like a lyre that needs someone who, with the help of his art and intelligence, could, with the help of his members, like strings, raise a decent song to the Lord. “I will breathe,” he says, “into his face the breath of life. And I will be a man living in my soul." What does it mean: “I will breathe in the breath of life?” That He willed and commanded that this created body should have a vital force, which in this animal “is... a living soul,” that is, active and capable of demonstrating its art through the movement of its members. 3. See also in this the difference between the creation of this wonderful intelligent animal and the creation of dumb ones. God says about them: “Let the waters take away the creeping things of the living souls” - and immediately animate animals emerged from the waters. And regarding the earth again in the same way: “let the earth produce living souls.” It was not so with man, but first a body is created from dust, and then life force is given to it, which constitutes the essence of the soul. Therefore, regarding the dumb, Moses said that “his blood is his life” (Lev. 17:11). But in man there is an incorporeal and immortal essence, which has a great advantage over the body, and exactly what it is proper for an incorporeal to have over the body. But perhaps someone will say: why, if the soul is higher than the body, the lower is created first, and then the highest and most important? Do you not see, beloved, that it was the same with the (other) creation? The heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, and everything else, as well as the irrational animals, had already been created, and after all of them, man, who was to rule over all these creatures. In the same way, during the creation of man himself, first the body appears, and then what is more precious (him) is the soul. Just as the dumb, intended both for his benefit and his service, are created before man, so that the one who was supposed to use them would have a ready-made service, so the body is created before the soul, so that when, according to the ineffable wisdom of God, the soul is created, it can show its activity by the movement of the body. “And God,” he says, “planted Paradise in Eden, on the east side, and placed there the man he created,” having already shown His love for mankind and given existence to the one for whom he created everything visible. The Lord immediately begins to shower His blessings on him. “And God,” he says, “planted Paradise in Eden in the east.” Look here too, beloved, that if we do not understand the words (of Scripture) in a Godly manner, we will inevitably fall into a deep abyss. What would those who dare to understand everything that is said about God say about this saying in human terms? “And plant,” he says, “God is Paradise.” Well, tell me, didn’t he need a spade, farming, and other work to decorate Paradise? It won't happen. And here again the word: “planted” should be understood to mean that (God) commanded Paradise to be on earth so that created man could live in it. And what exactly God created Paradise for him, listen to this, as Scripture itself says: and “God planted Paradise in Eden on the east, and put there the man he created.” For this purpose, blessed Moses wrote down the name of this place, so that those who love idle talk could not deceive ordinary listeners and say that Paradise was not on earth, but in heaven, and rave about such mythologies. If already, and with such thoroughness (in the words) of the Divine Scripture, some of those who were puffed up with their eloquence and external wisdom did not refuse to say contrary to the Scripture that Paradise is not on earth, and, introducing many other things 72, began to philosophize not as it is written, but to go a different way and relate what was said about earth to heaven; then to what extent they would not have reached if blessed Moses, guided by the Holy Spirit, had not used such condescension in words, although Holy Scripture, when it wants to teach us something like this, explains itself and does not allow the listener to be mistaken. But since many listen to what is offered not in order to benefit from the Divine Scripture, but for the sake of pleasure, therefore they rush not to those who can benefit, but to those who can please. Therefore, I pray, let us block our ears from all such (false teachers) and follow rule 73 of the Holy Scripture. And when you hear, beloved, that “God planted Paradise in Eden on the east,” then understand the word: “plant” about God in a God-appropriate way, i.e., what He commanded; and regarding the following words, believe that Paradise was definitely created in the very place where Scripture intended. Not believing what is contained in the Divine Scripture, but introducing something else from your mind, this, I think, exposes those who dare to do such a thing to great danger. “And place there the man you created.” 4. Look what honor God immediately shows to man! Having created it outside of Paradise, He immediately introduces it in order to make it feel His good deed. so that it could be seen in practice what kind of honor He shows him, he introduced him into Paradise: “and place there the man he created.” And the word: “set” again we will understand as if it were said: he commanded a person to live there, so that both the look (at Paradise) and his stay in it would give him great pleasure and arouse him to a feeling of gratitude, at the thought of how much he has been blessed, although he himself has not yet done anything. Let this word not amaze you: “set”, since Scripture always has the custom, for our sake and our benefit, to use human expressions. And in order for you to be convinced of this, look, as before regarding the creation of the stars, it used the same expression: “and I placed ... in the firmament of the heaven” (Gen. 1:17), not so that we would think that they were set up in heaven (after all, each of them completes its course, moving from place to place), but to show that God commanded them to be in heaven, just as a person lived in Paradise. “And from the earth,” he says, “God will cause every red tree to grow for vision and good for food: both the tree of life in the midst of the garden, 74 and the hedgehog tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen. 2:9). Here is another good deed with which God honored the created one. Having desired for man to live in Paradise, God commanded that various trees grow from the earth, which could both amuse him with their appearance and be suitable for food. “Every red tree in vision”, i.e. in appearance, “and good food”, i.e. able to amuse the eye, and delight the taste, and with their multitude and abundance bring great pleasure to those who use them. In a word: God made “every tree” you can imagine grow. Do you see what a carefree place it is! See how wonderful life is! Man lived on earth like some kind of angel - he was in the body, but had no bodily needs; like a king, adorned with scarlet and a diadem and clothed in purple, he freely enjoyed the heavenly dwelling, having abundance in everything. “And the tree,” he says, “of life in the midst of paradise, and the tree that knows the good and the evil.” Having shown us that the earth, at the command of the Lord, brought forth every tree, both “red for vision” and “good for food,” (Scripture) then says: “and the tree of life in the midst of paradise, and the tree of knowledge of the good and the evil.” The humane Lord, as the Creator, foreseeing what harm could occur over time from great freedom, grew both “the tree of life in the middle of paradise, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil,” from which (the tree), a little later, he will command man to abstain, so that he would know that he enjoys everything by grace and love for mankind (of God), and that there is a Lord and Creator as his nature and everything visible. That is why (Moses) mentioned this tree here, and further tells us about the names of the rivers and their, so to speak, division, and that from the river that watered Paradise, others separated and formed four principles, thus demarcating the countries of the earth. Perhaps those who love to speak from their wisdom, and here they do not admit either that rivers are really rivers, or that waters are just waters, but they inspire those who decide to listen to them, so that they (under the name of rivers and waters) represent something else. But we, please, will not listen to these people, we will close our ears to them, but we will believe the Divine Scripture, and following what it says, we will try to keep sound dogmas in our souls, and at the same time lead a correct life, so that life testifies to the dogmas, and the dogmas impart firmness to life. Just as if we, holding the right dogmas, begin to live carelessly, it will not benefit us; so also when, living well, we neglect the right dogmas, we cannot acquire anything for our salvation. If we want to get rid of Gehenna and receive the Kingdom, then we must adorn ourselves with both – the correctness of dogmas and the severity of life. Indeed, what good is it, tell me, if a tree has grown high and is covered with leaves, but does not bear fruit? Likewise, right-wing dogmas will not bring any benefit to a Christian if he is careless about his life. That is why Christ blessed such people: “Blessed is he who created and taught” (Matthew 5:19). Teaching by deeds is much more convincing and reliable than teaching by words. Such a one, both silently and remaining invisible, can teach: some - by those who look at him, others - by what they hear about him; and he will have great favor from God for this, glorifying the Lord not only in himself, but also through those looking at him. Such a one with a thousand tongues and many lips will offer thanksgiving and hymns to the God of all, because not only those close to him and witnesses of his life will marvel at him and his Lord, but also those who do not know him personally, but only heard about him from others and live very far away, not only friends, but also enemies will honor his high virtue. The power of virtue lies in the fact that it stops the lips of its enemies and bridles the tongue. And just as weak eyes do not dare to look at the rays of the sun, so vice can never look at virtue, but will withdraw, indulge in flight and admit itself defeated. Having convinced ourselves of this, let us follow virtue, organize our lives correctly and abstain from sins - both in words and in deeds, even if they seem small and insignificant. If we abstain from small sins, we will never fall into big ones; and over time, with the help of Heaven, we will achieve the highest virtue, avoid future torment and receive eternal blessings, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. ῎Επλασεν formed, formed. (external – ἀσχημάτιστον) Πολλὰ ἕτερα τῶν εἰρημένων; by εἰρημένων we probably mean the legends of pagan peoples about the creation of the world, called mythologies above by Chrysostom. Zlat. ἐν μέσω τοῦ παραδείσου, according to Lucian. sp., instead of: ἐν μέσῶ τῶ῀ παραδείσῶ, as in Alexander. sp. You might be interested in: