Беседа 18 на псалом 49 66

Ps.49:1–2. Psalm of Asaph. The God of gods, the Lord, spoke and called the earth from the east of the sun to the west. Who is meant by the name of gods in this Psalm and other places of Holy Scripture? – The general subject of the Psalm is the image of God judging the Jewish people. – Glory to Zion, as a place of revelation of divine goodness, love for mankind and mercies. – In contrast to the first, not obvious to everyone, coming of the Son of God to earth, the Psalmist depicts His second, obvious descent for judgment before heaven and earth. - Why are those who are subject to judgment called saints? – Divine truth in condemning the Jews who did not believe in Christ; Why did they crucify Christ? – What events pointed them to His divinity? – The Lord accuses the Jews not for the small number of sacrifices (they were established out of condescension only for the weakness of the Jews), and not because the Lord of all that exists has a need for them. – Which sacrifice is truly pleasing to God? - “And (then) call upon Me in the day of your tribulation.” ( Ps. 49:15 ) A sinner should not teach others divine laws. – But since everyone is in sin, and God forbids a sinner to “test His statutes,” then who will proclaim them? – Grave sins indicated by the Psalmist, incompatible with the title of teacher of the divine law, and moral instructions (not to allow one to fall into sin, not to slander or blame someone who has not done anything bad, not to harm oneself by taking revenge on one’s neighbor). – The Psalmist’s reproof and warning to sinners; a means to mitigate God's wrath and obtain salvation. 1. And in another place the same prophet says: “God became in the company of gods”; and again: “I said: you are gods” (Ps. 82:1, 6). Also Paul: “there are many gods and many lords” (1 Cor. 8:5), and Moses: “do not slander the judges or the ruler” (Ex. 22:28), and in another place: “then the sons of God saw the daughters of men” (Gen. 6:2), and he also: “whoever curses his God will bear his sin...; “Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord must die; all the congregation will stone him” (Lev. 24:15, 16). Also: “the gods who did not create heaven and earth will disappear from the earth and from under the heavens” (Jer. 10:11). To whom does Scripture refer by this name in these testimonies and what gods is it talking about here? About the rulers. That’s why it adds: “Do not curse the judges and do not revile the ruler of your people” (Ex. 22:28). It also calls those who descended from some pious ancestor. Thus Enos, distinguished by great virtue, was called by the name of God; and when his descendants and his brother’s descendants began to mingle with each other, the Scripture called those descended from this virtuous man sons of God. “Then they began, they say, to call on the name of the Lord God” (Gen. 4:26). Also, the Jewish people are honored by this name in the words: “I said: you are gods and all are sons of the Most High” (Ps. 82:6). God called this people this way because of his love for mankind. This way the following saying is explained: “whoever curses his God will bear his sin..., i.e. whoever curses the ruler, the blasphemer of the name of the Lord must die, the whole community will stone him,” i.e. who assigns the name of the true God to false gods. Such a sin is unforgivable, which is why the punishment for it is severe. The pagan gods are also called by this name, but not according to their dignity or right to such a name, but because of the deception of those who have gone astray and called them by this name. That is why Paul says: “although there are so-called gods” (1 Cor. 8:5), expressing that they are not true gods and are not called so according to their dignity. What gods is the prophet talking about here: God of gods? It seems to me - about the pagans, not as true, but as revered as such by people who have gone astray. Since the Jews were still rude and not completely alien to idolatry, but were inclined towards idols and had many remnants of iniquity, he cleanses their thoughts from this, showing that God is the Lord of those gods. Indeed, He is the Lord and the demons, i.e. their very being; and evil thoughts and all evil come from them. It seems to me that this psalm has a connection with the previous one. And here is written the reproof and condemnation of sinners; only there the prophet called the entire universe to listen, and here - the elements themselves, spread throughout the entire universe. Here is another spectacle, another gathering: there are peoples, earth-born, rich, poor; here are heaven and earth, and God himself appears to be judged and justified before the Jewish people. Therefore, we need to have more attention. Another prophet does the same - he represents God as being judged and calls upon the wilds and foundations of the earth to judge: “Hear, he says, the mountains, the judgment of the Lord, and you, the solid foundations of the earth: for the Lord has judgment with His people, and He competes with Israel” (Mic. 6:2); and again: “I will go to court with you again, says the Lord, and I will go to law with your sons’ sons” (Jer. 2:9). And in many places in the Scriptures one sees such a picture; it is especially amazing, worthy of God’s love for mankind, and shows the ineffable goodness of God, who condescends to go to court with people. “From Zion is the beauty of His beauty” (Ps. 49:2). This saying contains something both prophetic and historical, because in the Old Testament this was also where His splendor came from. The temple, the holy of holies, all the worship and institution of the Old Testament legislation, many priests, sacrifices; and burnt offerings, sacred hymns and psalms, and everything else from here; and the image of future benefits was destined there. When the time came for the truth to come, it was again revealed there at the beginning. From there the cross shone forth; from there are countless blessings. That is why Isaiah, describing the law of the new covenant, says: “The law will go out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Is. 2:3). Here he calls the whole country and the city lying in it, the capital of the Jews, Zion. From there the apostles, like fleet-footed horses from some fence, were sent into the whole universe; from there they began to perform signs; there was the resurrection and ascension (of Christ); there is the threshold and beginning of our salvation; there the ineffable dogmas initially began to be proclaimed; there the Father was first revealed, the Only Begotten Son was known, such grace of the Spirit was given; there the apostles began preaching about incorporeal objects, about gifts, powers and promises of future benefits. Presenting all this, the prophet calls “His beauty,” because the beauty and beauty of God is His goodness, love for mankind and goodness to all. “God will come clearly, our God, and will not be silent: a fire will burn before Him and a strong storm will surround Him” (Ps. 49:3). You see how he gradually clears up his speech, reveals the treasure, casts the brightest ray: “God is clearly coming,” he says. When did He come invisibly? When? At His first coming. Then He came without noise, remaining unknown to many and not revealing himself for a long time. What am I saying - for many, when the Virgin herself, who bore Him in her womb, did not know (all) the unspeakable secret, and His brothers did not believe in Him, and the imaginary father did not think to see anything great in Him? 2. But what am I saying about people? And the devil himself did not know Him, because if he had known, he would not have asked Him after so much time on the mountain: “if you are the Son of God,” saying this once, twice and three times (Matthew 4:3, 6). Therefore, to John, who began to reveal Him, He said: “Leave now, that is, keep silent now, because the time has not yet come to reveal the secret of the economy; I still want to hide from the devil; keep silent, for so it behooves us” (Matthew 3:15). Also, coming down from the mountain, He commanded not to tell anyone that He is Christ (Matthew 17:9). Then He came, like a shepherd, to find the lost sheep and catch the wild prey, which is why He covered Himself. Just as a doctor does not suddenly reveal himself to be terrible to a patient, so He wanted to reveal himself not at the very beginning, but little by little and gradually. That is why the same prophet, depicting His quiet coming, later said: “He will come down like rain on the fleece and like a drop falling on the ground” (Ps. 72:6). He came not with noise, without causing confusion, without shaking the earth, without throwing lightning, without shaking the sky, without sending a multitude of angels, without tearing apart the firmament and without descending on the clouds, but peacefully carried in the womb of the Virgin for a period of nine months, born as the son of a carpenter, laid in a manger and poor swaddling clothes, endures persecution and flees with his mother to Egypt. Then, after the death of the wicked man, he returns, walks here and there, seemingly like one of the ordinary people, having poor clothes and meager food and constantly traveling, so constantly that he even gets tired on the way. And after that He will not come in this way, but so clearly that His coming will not even need a herald. Therefore, He Himself, showing the evidence of His future coming, said: if you hear: “Behold, He is in the desert,” do not go out; “Behold, He is in the secret chambers,” do not believe it; for as lightning comes from the east and is visible even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:26–27); it will show itself and announce itself. And the same thing happens with lightning: we do not need anyone to announce it; but as soon as it appears, it becomes visible to everyone, and at the same time to everyone. So Paul says: “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel and the trumpet of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). So the prophet saw Him carried on the clouds, a river flowing before Him, a terrible seat and an inexorable judgment (Dan. 7:9). Then there will be a time of judgment and condemnation; Therefore, then He will no longer appear as a doctor, but as a judge. Thus Daniel saw His throne and the river flowing in front of His seat, and all this appeared to him as fiery, both the chariot and the wheels. And at the beginning, at His first coming, He did not show anything like that, neither fire, nor a river, nor anything else like that, but then there was a manger, an inn, a hut and a poor mother. On the other hand, the prophet here expresses His immutability and immutability. Since he said that He who sits on the throne has hair as pure as waves and clothes as white as snow, so that you do not mean hair and clothes, but purity and lightness, he represents everything in fire. “A fire will kindle before Him, and a great storm will surround Him.” With such similarities, this prophet expresses the immutability, immutability, lordship and inaccessibility of God. He does not limit himself only to fire, but, wanting to show the strength of His punishment, he adds: “a strong storm.” In a word: “storm” (cataigìV) is called either a heavy block of snow, which carries away and overthrows everything it meets, or a strong tendency of the wind, which does the same thing and is unbearable for those walking towards it. Wanting to express the severity of this punishment, he uses such comparisons. “He will call the heavens above and the earth to judge His people” (Ps. 49:4). Again he mentions the elements, from which countless benefits have come for the human race, not only in relation to life and the composition of the body, but also in relation to the knowledge of God. In fact, the beauty, greatness, arrangement and essence of these elements and everything that comes from them, which happens in general at all times, and which often occurs in individual phenomena, all this nourishes and arranges our bodies and guides us to the knowledge of the Creator. That is why Paul says: “His invisible things, His eternal power and Godhead, have been visible from the creation of the world through the consideration of creation” (Rom. 1:20); and again: “when the world through its wisdom did not know God in the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:21), i.e. wisdom, which appears in creatures and constitutes not small, but very great and very clear admonition. And what happens through them, although daily, seems to take place according to the natural order of things, but also proclaims the Creator. Truly, the Lord is the creator of nature. 3. Do not be surprised that the prophet, speaking about the general judgment, turns his speech to the Jews. So Paul says: “Wrath and anger, sorrow and distress to every soul of a person who does evil, first the Jew, then the Greek!” ; and again: “those who, not having the law, sinned, are outside the law and will perish; and those who have sinned under the law will be condemned by the law” (Rom. 2:8, 9, 12). “Gather together for Him His saints, who have accepted His covenant regarding sacrifices” (Ps. 49:5). Why does he here call reverend those whom he intends to accuse and judge? In order to strengthen the accusation and indicate their dignity to express greater punishment. Likewise, when we see someone who has sinned and want to reproach him more strongly, we call him by his rank, in order to thereby make the condemnation more severe for him, and we say: call a deacon or priest. The Jews were called the royal priesthood and the chosen people, and were much extolled for this: hence he reveals the importance of their crimes. “Those who accepted His covenant regarding sacrifices.” Since they, committing countless sins, allowing so many types of evil, stealing the property of others, indulging in greed, killing, committing adultery, mixing blood with blood, thought that they were doing a lot of good and fulfilling the law and covenant when they sacrificed sheep and calves, then he reproaches them from this side and, laughing at them, says: “those who accepted His covenant about the sacrifices,” i.e. who think that to save them it is enough to sacrifice the bodies of dumb animals. “And the heavens will declare His righteousness, for God is the Judge” (Ps. 49:6). Here again, wanting to show the lightness, clarity, evidence, indisputability, knowledge of the truth of God, he represents the inanimate elements proclaiming it in the same way as was said before. “For God is the Judge,” i.e. determining what everyone deserves. It was not in vain that he used the word “Judge” here, but in order to show that God Himself is righteous and rewards others with the same. About God, the word: “judge” is used instead of: “righteous,” as Paul expresses himself in the words: “For otherwise how can God judge the world?” (Rom. 3:6) This is what judgment primarily consists of, and this is what it means to be a judge, not only to pronounce a sentence, but to pronounce it fairly. Both the Jews who lived then and those who sinned later in the new covenant will be judged: the former will have nature and the law as their accusers, and the latter will also have everything that Christ did for them. Indeed, what can they say, or what reason can they present, why they did not believe? But, I ask you, listen to my words, so that you can stop the mouths of your opponents. It is better for them now to suffer defeat from us and correct themselves, rather than to go there, considering themselves victors, and to be condemned by the common Judge of the universe. What can the Jews say why they killed Christ? What fault, small or great, do they find in Him? “Because You, being a man, make Yourself God” (John 10:33)? But these were not their words during His suffering on the cross, but others; Then they did not say: “You make yourself God,” but: “Whoever makes himself a king is adversary to Caesar” (John 19:12). Meanwhile, they often wanted to make Him king, but He hid. But before, you will say, they accused Him of making Himself God. So what? If He had called Himself God falsely and unjustly, without actually being God, then the accusation would have had basis; if it is fair, then He should have been worshiped, and not crucified. Let us see whether He, without being God, made Himself God, i.e. showed and named. But where do you want to know this? Are they from events that were then, or present, or those that happened at His birth? Who was ever born of a Virgin? Who showed such a star? Who led the Magi in this way, not by force and coercion, but by conviction and revelation? Do you see how all creation recognized the Lord? Nature first yields, does not resist, does not contradict, does not say: I do not allow such a birth, I do not know how to produce a child from a virgin womb, I cannot make a mother without marriage, but she retreats and goes beyond her limits, because she has recognized her Master. Потом, когда Он родился, сошли ангелы, возвещая, что Живущий на небесах явился на земле; the earth became heaven, since there was a king here, and the wise men worshiped Him, coming from afar; the baby lay in a manger in Palestine, and those who came from a barbaric country showed Him such honor and reverence as should be shown to God. However, perhaps they will not accept these signs, but will demand others that were in the present generation. But we have no shortage of such evidence. This is the truth: it abounds in evidence. Here especially they cannot present any shadow of refutation. So, although you were not there when He was born of the Virgin, you must believe the prophet who says: “Behold, the Virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel” (Is. 7:14). Although you were not there when He, clothed in flesh, walked the earth, and the Master dealt with the slaves, ask Jeremiah, and he will tell you this: “This is our God, and no one else can compare with Him. He found all the ways of wisdom and gave it to His servant Jacob and His beloved Israel. After this He appeared on earth and spoke among people” (Bar.3:36-38). 4. And regarding all other events, the prophets, whose books you have hitherto been in vain revising and turning over for this purpose, clearly proclaim everything. However, we have often expressed refutations against the Jews, and will continue to do so; Now let's turn to our subject. “And the heavens will declare His righteousness, for God is the Judge.” Here, it seems to me, he speaks of His truth, of His great care, of His love for mankind towards the Jews themselves, of His manifold and varied providence for all people, through creation, law, grace, visible, invisible, prophets, angels, apostles, punishments, benefits, threats, promises, the order of things in time. “Hear, My people, and I will speak to you, O Israel! And I bear witness to you: I am God, your God” (Ps. 49:7). Look again at the kindness and meekness at the very beginning of the speech. Just as a person would say to a restless and disorderly person: if you listen, then I will speak, if you listen, then I will speak, so the Master says to the slaves: if “you listen to Me, then I will speak.” Indeed, they were lazy and careless and did not calmly apply their ears to the reading of laws even for a short time. Expressing this, one prophet who lived in Persia said: “You are to them like a funny singer with a pleasant voice” (Ezek. 33:32). They often told the prophets not to prophesy, and even drove them away and seemed displeased. And the king threatened one prophet and ordered him not to preach to the people (Jer. 32:3). "I am God, your God". It is not in vain that repetition is used here, but since He spoke to people who were insensitive, hardened and blinded, He reminds us of His sovereignty, laying an excellent beginning for further instruction and instilling in them that they owe Him freedom, and, in justice, should have repaid their debt to Him, as slaves to the Master, as creatures to the Creator, as those who have received the greatest benefits and have been awarded such honor. “I will not reproach you because of your sacrifices; your burnt offerings are always before Me” (Ps. 49:8). This is how other prophets denounce them, because they, having despised the most important part of virtue, placed the hope of salvation in sacrifices. To justify themselves, they were ready to say: we make sacrifices, we make burnt offerings. But, says God, I did not come to judge you for this, nor to accuse you of this, as if you despised it. Isaiah reproaches them even more strongly: “Why do I need the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord. I am satisfied with the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle, and I do not want the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before Me, who demands of you that you trample My courts? ( Isa. 1:11, 12 ) Although (the law) says a lot about sacrifices, God gave laws about them not because he especially desired them, but out of condescension for the weakness of the Jews. Also Jeremiah says: “Why do I need the incense that comes from Sheba, and the sweet-smelling reeds from a far country?” (Jer.6:20) In general, all the prophets say that there is nothing important in this. Therefore, God himself, beginning his speech, says this: “I am God, your God,” expressing by this that that way of serving is not worthy of Him. Truly, God should be honored not with smoke and stench, but with a good life, not physical, but spiritual. This is not what pagan demons do; they even demand sacrifices for themselves. One of the Greek poets expresses this when he says: “we have received this lot” (Iliad 4:49). But that is not how our God is. Those, thirsting for the blood of people, wanting to little by little accustom them to murder, constantly demanded this; and He, wanting little by little to turn them away from killing dumb animals, only made them indulgent and allowed sacrifices in order to destroy the victims. “I will not accept bulls from your house or goats from your flocks. For all the animals of the forest, the cattle on the mountains and the oxen are Mine. I know all the birds of the air, and the beauty of the fields is always before Me” (Ps. 49:9-11). See how He little by little raises the thoughts of those bowed to the ground, purifying their blinded minds and instilling in them that He did not institute sacrifices because He needed them, and did not establish them in the law because He approved of them. If, he says, I wanted to accept such a service, then, having in My power the whole sunflower and being the Creator of everything, I would have appointed the most abundant sacrifices for Myself to offer. Further, laughing at them and shaming them in order to make the reproof more striking, He says: “If I were hungry, I would not have told you (about this): for the world is Mine and what fills it” (Ps. 49:12). Since He allowed sacrifices in order to gradually turn the Jews away from them, and they became attached to such an unimportant thing and did not receive any benefit from such indulgence, then, talking with them somewhat sensually and humanly, He says: “If I were hungry, I would not have told you (about this),” i.e. I do not hunger, because God “hungry, he is weary” (Is. 40:28); and if I wanted to accept such a service, I would not lack countless sacrifices and burnt offerings. All this is before Me in great abundance; but being the Lord and Master of everything, I want to receive Mine from you, so that in this way I can attract you to My love and turn you away from attachment to empty things. 5. Then, again raising them to the highest, He says: “Shall I eat the flesh of oxen and drink the blood of goats?” (Ps. 49:13) I, he says, forbade people to do this and appointed the greatest punishment for those who eat blood (Lev. 7:26): how can I need blood when I turn My servants away from such food? Having thus rejected all this, showing that it was unworthy of Him, adding to reproof and ridicule, He does not stop there, but shows another way of sacrifice, which constitutes a kind of the most excellent healing, turning away from things that are useless and applying to wounds that which can heal them. Having finished speaking about the above, he says: “offer a sacrifice of praise to God and fulfill your vows before the Most High” (Ps. 49:14). How? Without blood, because such a sacrifice is especially worthy of God. Therefore, having said: “offer to God,” he adds: a sacrifice of praise, i.e. gratitude, sacred chants, glorifying Him through deeds. The meaning of his words is as follows: live in such a way that your Master is glorified. Christ taught this, saying: “Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). “Praise” is nothing more than praise, glory, glorification. Live in such a way that your Master is glorified, and you will make the perfect sacrifice. Paul also demands such a sacrifice when he says: “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God” (Rom. 12:1); and the same prophet in another place says: “I will praise the name of my God with song, I will magnify Him with praise. And (this) will please God more than a young calf with growing horns and hooves” (Ps. 68:31, 32). Job made such a sacrifice when, after blows that exceeded human nature, he gave thanks and said the following words: “The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away; [as the Lord pleased, so it was done;] blessed be the name of the Lord!” ( Job 1:21 ). “And fulfill your vows before the Most High.” Here the prophet speaks of prayers, so that we constantly remain in prayer and hasten to render to God what we have promised. He said well: “fulfill it,” because after a promise, the deed becomes a duty. So Anna gave her son as the greatest debt (1 Samuel 1:28). So you, if you make a vow of mercy, a chaste life, or something else similar, hasten to fulfill it. If someone fulfilled exactly what he promised, then, even if he did not make other vows, deeds of virtue are obligatory for him. Inspiring this, Christ said: “they did what they had to do,” and at the same time he told a parable about a servant who was assigned the smallest work, but after completing it he was ordered not to lie down, but to walk and serve (Luke 17:7-10). And someone else says: “When you make a vow to God, do not hesitate to fulfill it, because He does not take pleasure in fools: what you have promised, do it” (Eccl. 5:3). Have you made a vow? Fulfill it so that death, when it comes, does not interfere. But what, you say, do I care about this when I have no power in my life? That’s why you shouldn’t hesitate, because you don’t know your end, because you have no control over your life and death. Thus, an apparent justification serves as an accusation. It is not death that causes the failure to fulfill a vow, but your belatedness and slowness. “And (then) call on Me in the day of your trouble, and I will deliver you, and you will glorify Me” (Ps. 49:15). Do you see the great excess of reward? What can compare with such love for mankind, when God gives rewards for virtue itself, rewards much greater than labor, and, moreover, gives at the most necessary time? Why did He say: “Call Me”? Why does He expect us to call Him? In order to produce in us greater affection, the most ardent love for Him through what He will give, and we will call on Him and receive. Truly, virtue produces attachment to God, and retribution produces the same, and prayer also strengthens this attachment. That is why He says: give to Me, and I will give to you. Even as you give, you receive, because He does not need anything. So, if you are meek, moderate, chaste, then you do not add anything to God, but make yourself pure and better - and yet for this He assigns you the greatest rewards and crowns, as if you had benefited Him. And even before those crowns, you enjoy no small pleasure, taking advantage of the peace of conscience and being inspired by good hopes. The prophet here calls “the day of tribulation” not days of misfortune or unfavorable circumstances, but the time when sin attacks you, when the devil besieges you, instilling evil wishes, you will receive, he says, great help. “And I will deliver you, and you will glorify Me.” And again God says this not because He needs glorification from us - how can the God of glory need it? - but because during chanting of thanksgiving there is a remembrance of the good deed, the most ardent affection for Him is aroused, and, above all, the highest bliss is obtained. 6. The one who says that the prophet here also calls the future day a “day of tribulation” will not be in error: there will be unceasing tribulation. Here, approaching death ends disasters, and comforting friends, and a desired end, and often hope for a change in circumstances, and length of time soften the suffering of the soul, as well as the misfortunes of neighbors, because to have participants in sorrows and to see other similar examples seems to be a great consolation for many. But there is nothing like that there; there is no one to console, but everyone is friendless; neither the length of time softens the suffering, because how can this be if the flame acts constantly? - neither the hope of liberation, - because this punishment is eternal, - nor the expectation of death, - because this torment is endless and the punished bodies are immortal, - nor what seems to many to be a consolation, i.e. to see others suffer. Firstly, it is impossible to see other sufferers there, because the darkness, like some kind of fence, obscures vision; Moreover, excessive suffering does not even allow one to feel such consolation. So the rich man did not receive any consolation from here, nor did the gnashing of teeth. “God said to the sinner, “Why do you preach My statutes and keep My covenant with your mouth?” (Ps.49:16). Do you see a perfect lyre, a harmonious zither, emitting a harmonious song in various sounds? The same idea can be found in the apostles and other prophets; and Paul also suggests that it is of no use to him to teach others who has not first taught himself. Since the Jews exalted themselves both in sacrifices and in the fact that they had the law, and called themselves teachers of others, he proves that they receive little benefit from this if they themselves remain ignorant, and, strongly reproaching them, says: “How is it that you, teaching another, do not teach yourself? While preaching not to steal, are you stealing? When you say, “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” are you committing adultery? By abhorring idols, are you blasphemous? You boast about the law, but by breaking the law you dishonor God?” (Rom.2:21-23). Therefore, he said about himself: I am afraid, “by preaching to others, I myself will not remain unworthy” (1 Cor. 9:27), bringing down the pride of those who exalted themselves in eloquence, but themselves were alien to virtue. He addresses the same speech from the other side to the Jews when he says: “for when the pagans, who do not have the law, by nature do what is lawful, then, not having the law, they are a law unto themselves”; and again: “It is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be justified” (Rom. 2:14, 13). And the prophet says: “The teachers of the law did not know Me” (Jer. 2:8); and again: “the lying reed of the scribes turns him into a lie” (Jer. 8:8). Why? Because “the stork under the sky knows its definite times, and the turtledove, and the swallow, and the crane observe the time...; but My people do not know the decree of the Lord” (Jer. 8:7). And this prophet says that he who does not observe virtue not only does not receive any benefit by teaching others, but he himself is deprived of his advantage. If in worldly courts the one who sins is punished by the dishonor of silence, then how, he says, in the general school can one who is devoted to sin have a voice? Это училище гораздо важнее того судилища. There the condemned receive punishment, but here everything is done so that those who have sinned are not punished, but correct their sin through repentance. And in the royal palaces, none of those convicted of depraved life can be the interpreter of the royal word. Why do you “preach My statutes” and teach others, while you yourself do the opposite, refuting your words with your life, and turning away those who would like to listen to you? After all, you do not teach so much with words as you ward off with deeds. Therefore, Christ praises that teacher who teaches perfect teaching both in deeds and in words: “Whoever does and teaches, he will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:19). So, let your life teach the same with a clear voice; тогда, хотя бы ты заградил свои уста, ты будешь провозглашать громче трубы не только для при­сутствующих, но и для находящихся вдали. Thus, the sky proclaims the glory of God, without having lips, without moving its tongue, without breathing out breath, but by the beauty of its appearance it invites the viewer to marvel at the Creator. What is the beauty of the view in heaven, let the same be virtue in your soul. If you, being yourself defiled and having many accusers against you and, above all, your own conscience, strive to occupy the chair of a teacher, then when you begin to expose vices, you will expose not so much others as yourself. “And you will keep My covenant with your mouth,” because the heart is alien to the fruits that come from here, and the lips move in vain and even to the condemnation of the speaker himself. And if anyone looked into his soul, he would see a great struggle. “After all, you hated instruction and turned back My words” (Ps. 49:17). Here he calls “instruction” the study of the law, which corrects the soul, drives away vice and inculcates virtue. How can you undertake to sow it in others when you yourself do not have it in your deeds? You “hated the cart,” he says, “and you turned back My words.” 7. Thus, you not only did not receive any benefit from studying the law, but you also distorted what you have from nature. The principles of what we should do and what we should not do are implanted in us by nature; but you have rejected them and do not keep them in memory. “If you saw a thief, you hastened with him, and had part with the adulterer” (Ps. 49:18). Since it is impossible to find a person who is completely sinless, about which someone said: “Who can say: “I have cleansed my heart, I am clean from my sin?” (Prov. 20:9), and Paul, having said: “Although I know nothing about myself, he added: yet I am not justified by this” (1 Cor. 4:4), and “the righteous accuses himself of speaking first,” i.e. their sins (Proverbs 18:17), so that no one can say: if everyone is in sin, and God forbids a sinner to “preach His statutes,” then who will proclaim them? – чтобы кто-нибудь не сказал этого, пророк исчисляет роды грехов в частно­сти. “Sin leads to death” (1 John 5:16), just as Eli said: “If man sins against man, they will pray to God for him; If a person sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” (1 Samuel 2:25) And according to the law, some sins were incurable, so they were punished by death, while others received very quick healing. So Christ in the New Testament says: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone; If he listens to you, then you have gained your brother; But if he does not listen, take with you one or two more, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established; if he does not listen to them, tell the church; and if he does not listen to the church, then let him be to you as a pagan and a publican” (Matthew 18:15–17). At another time, when Peter asked: “How many times should I forgive my brother who sins against me?.., he heard the answer: up to seventy times seventy times” (Matthew 18:21, 22); and here Christ teaches that after two suggestions, sin becomes great, and does not allow one to wait any longer. So what? Doesn't one contradict the other? No; but “up to seven times,” he says, “seventy times” then, if he repents. But how will anyone let someone go who does not admit that he has sinned and does not repent? Likewise, we show the wound to the doctor from whom we wish to receive medicine. What kind of sinner is Scripture talking about here? Let's listen carefully. The Prophet describes it as follows: “If you saw a thief, you hurried along with him, and took part with the adulterer. Your lips have multiplied slander, and your tongue has woven deceits. I sat (in the assembly) and you slandered your brother and set a stumbling block for your mother’s son” (Ps. 49:18-20). Do you see the features of vice, depicted as if in a picture, and how through vices the wicked becomes like a beast, distorting the nobility of his nature? Therefore, we will not take a superficial look at this picture, but will consider it carefully and in detail. “If you saw a thief,” he says, “then you hurried along with him.” This is the cause of all evil; This especially harms virtue and weakens the zeal of many for good, when some not only do not reprove sinners, but even rejoice in them. This is no less than sin itself. Listen to Paul, who says: “not only do they do them, but they also approve of those who do them” (Rom. 1:32). Another important sin is when someone, although he himself does not do evil, rejoices in evil. A sinner can point to extremes, refer to poverty, although such excuses are not solid, but why do you approve of what he has done, even without receiving any pleasure from it? He may repent; and you close these doors for yourself, reject this medicine, deprive yourself of this consolation, blocking the path to repentance from all sides. When he sees that you, who are not involved in sin and are obliged to reprove, not only do not reprove, but also cover up, and not only cover up, but also contribute, what will he think about himself, what about the act he has done? Many people often judge not only by their own considerations what should be done, but also by being tempted by the opinions of others. If a sinner sees that everyone is turning away from him, he will think that he has done great evil; а если увидит, что другие не только не оскорбляются и не отвращаются, но кротко сносят и благосклонно обращаются с ним, то, исказив суд своей совести, при содействии одобрения многих неправому его мнению, на что он не решится? When will he judge himself and stop sinning fearlessly? So, whoever does evil must condemn himself, because this is the path to moving away from evil; and whoever does not do good should praise goodness, because readiness is the path to activity. And here the prophet speaks of a man who approves of the sins he commits, and therefore rightly denounces him with all his might. If vice, being denounced, flourishes so much, and virtue, being glorified, barely calls its workers to heroic deeds, then what would happen if this did not happen? The same can often be seen in the host of priests. But if this is a grave sin in students, then even more so in teachers. 8. What are you doing, man? The law has been broken, chastity has been neglected, so many sins have been committed by one of the sanctified persons, everything has been corrupted, and you are not worried? The Prophet calls on even the inanimate elements to take a strong part in crying about all sins in general: “Marvel at this,” he says, “heaven,” and tremble and be horrified” (Jer. 2:12); and again: “the juice of the grape is crying; the vine hurts” (Isaiah 24:7). Inanimate creatures cry, sigh and are angry along with the Lord; and you, a rational being, do not grieve, do not denounce, are not a formidable avenger for the divine laws, but still communicate with sinners? How can you receive forgiveness? True, God does not require an avenger, does not need helpers; but He wants to have you as His servant in this matter, so that you yourself do not fall into the same thing, become more chaste from indignation at another, and through this show Your love for Him. When another sins, and you pass by, do not reprove and do not grieve, then you make your soul more careless and prone to falling, and you dispose it to very often fall into the same sins; and you harm him no little with your untimely condescension, making it more difficult for him to account for the future and in the present accustoming him to greater carelessness. This is said not only about thieves, but also about all sin; the prophet pointed out the lesser of the sins, so that you would know that he who has not received forgiveness for this sin will certainly not receive such consolation from another. And then, listen to what he says: “and had participation with the adulterer,” he moves on to the most important sin, since that one is less than this. Comparing these sins, someone said: “A thief is not allowed to go free if he steals to satisfy his soul when he is hungry” (Proverbs 6:30). If theft is unforgivable, then even more so is adultery. Here he calls fornication “adultery.” So, if you find out that someone from the same flock with you commits fornication and begins to practice the mysteries, then say to the one serving when distributing them: such and such is not worthy of the mysteries; remove your sacrilegious hands. In fact, if he is not worthy to “tell the excuse,” then imagine what kind of punishment he will be subjected to if he still touches the sacred meal, and not only he, but also the one who covers him. The prophet did not say: “and committed adultery,” but “he had participation with the adulterer.” Oh, what a great evil it is to cover up the rotten wounds of others, if he imposes punishment on the one who covers it along with the sinner, and on him no less than on him! He can plead passion, although such an excuse is not respectful, just as a thief can plead hunger; and you can’t say even that. Why do you, without receiving pleasure, share the punishment with another and become his accomplice? Therefore, worldly judges punish not only those who committed a crime, but also their servants, about whom it is known that they knew about the crime, and the masters who betray them would willingly drink their blood and eat their flesh, attributing to them the guilt of the crime no less than to the wife who committed adultery. They, without lifting the veil, gave greater freedom to secret affairs; They dishonored the adulterer, the offended husband, and the adulterer himself, because if they had announced this in advance, if they had made it known, they would have stopped all fishing. And just as those who predominantly cast prey into nets set up nets, guard future prey, hide their cunning in every possible way and try not to allow any noise or anything else that could drive away the beast, so here too, if you sit next to a net set by the devil and, seeing an adulterer ready to fall into it, do not make noise and confusion, then predominantly you are destroying him. Don’t tell me these words filled with great insensibility: “Why should I worry? “I take care of mine.” Then you will especially take care of your own when you seek yours in the benefit of your neighbor. That’s why Paul says: “Seek no one’s own, but each one the benefit of another” (1 Cor. 10:24). In order for you, he says, to find yours, look for what is useful to others. “Your mouth multiplied slander, and your tongue weaved deceits. I sat (in the assembly) and you slandered your brother and set a temptation for your mother’s son.” Let no one say: “I do this out of love for humanity.” What kind of philanthropy is it not to stop and hold back someone who is ready to fall into the abyss, to favor criminal pleasure, to not pay attention to someone who drinks fatal poison? However, you cannot say that either. If this really comes from love of humanity, and not from drowsiness, negligence and laziness, then why do you, leaving the guilty one, slander your brother, who is not guilty of anything? Why do you slander someone who has done nothing wrong and has not sinned in anything? You see to what extreme extent your vice reaches on both sides. You do not prevent someone who is drunk with lust from getting drunk, and you do not admonish him; but you harm someone who has done nothing wrong. “I sat (in the meeting) and you slandered your brother and set a temptation for your mother’s son.” 9. See how the prophet intensifies the reproof with his very expressions. The one, he says, who caused birth pain to the same mother as you, was born from the same womb, shared a house, table and food with you, grew from the same root, received the same origin as you, was raised with you from an early age - you slander, and not only slander, but also bring your slander into action. This is the meaning of the words: “believed temptation.” If you should not slander someone who is united to you by natural birth, then much more by spiritual birth. So, do not allow anyone who is inclined to sin to fall; and do not slander or reproach him who has done nothing bad. One comes from envy, the other from insensitivity; not to hold back someone who is ready to fall is characteristic of insensibility, but to overthrow someone who is standing is characteristic of envy. And note: he describes not just a slanderer, but one who does it with cunning and deceit: “I sit,” he says, “you slandered your brother.” Cain, having killed his brother, deprived only him of real life; and these people with their slander destroy many, and, above all, themselves. Truly, they harm not only those whom they slander, but also others, or, better said, only those who accept their slander. In fact, the one who hears false slander about himself not only does not suffer harm, but will also receive the greatest reward. It is not the one who suffers, but the one who does evil, who deserves punishment; so certainly not the one who hears about himself, but who utters slander, will be punished, unless the one who hears has given a fair reason for his condemnation. Let us therefore try not so that we do not hear anything bad about ourselves - since this is impossible, and, moreover, there is a saying of Christ: “Woe to you when all people speak well of you” (Luke 6:26) - but so that we ourselves do not give reasons for this. He who wants everyone to speak well of him often destroys his soul by nourishing the love of human glory, rendering services to people in what he should not do, pleasing him in what he should not do, in order to buy himself their favor. On the other hand, the one who despises the general bad rumors about himself destroys himself. Just as it is impossible for a virtuous person for everyone to speak well of him, so it is impossible for everyone not to speak ill of him who in many respects gives many reasons for bad rumors about himself. If, despite your impeccable behavior, those who slander you appear, then the greater the reward awaits you, as was the case with the apostles and other valiant men. However, it should be noted that, even if we were reproached in a matter for which our conscience does not reproach us, we should not despise the reproacher and the harm he causes, but with due caution take all measures to destroy unfounded rumors. That is why Paul, in financial matters, sent many to carry food for the poor (1 Cor. 16:3), and the reason for this is given as follows: “being careful lest we be reproached by anyone with such an abundance of offerings” (2 Cor. 8:20). Knowing that others could be tempted, he did not ignore or neglect this, but since it was in his power to destroy the temptation, he took care in advance of those who were being tempted. Also in another place he says: “If food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Cor. 8:13). Despite the fact that these things are indifferent, if, to say, they produce temptation, then, although they do not harm me myself, I do not neglect the salvation of those who are tempted. If the harm (from adapting to others) is greater than salvation, then do not look at the one who is tempted; if not, then do not neglect it. Let this be a general rule and guide when one should ignore those who are tempted, and when one should not. For example: the Jews were tempted because Paul did not keep the law, and therefore many thousands backslid and wavered in the faith. What is he doing? Wanting to stop the temptation - because the salvation of so many thousands was more important - and to correct their hesitation, he did not allow them to remain in the opinion that he did not keep the law; and this was very important. On the other hand, they were tempted by the fact that he preached the Crucified One (1 Cor. 1:23); but in this case he did not pay attention to those who were tempted, because the benefit of the sermon was much more important. This is what Christ did. When He was talking about food and some were tempted by His words: “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person... Every plant that My Father in Heaven has not planted will be uprooted” (Matthew 15:11, 13). When they demanded taxes from Him, although He knew that He should not pay, but since the time had not yet come to reveal His dignity, He said: “So that we do not tempt them, go to the sea, throw a hook, and take the first fish that comes across, and when you open its mouth, you will find a statir; take it and give it to them for Me and for yourself” (Matthew 17:27). When He gave the law, full of great wisdom, and they remained incurable, then rightly He did not pay attention to them and abolished the (old) law; and when they were not yet able to accept the teaching about His dignity, then He justly condescends to them and by paying a tax covers the teaching about His deity. “I sat (in the meeting) and you slandered your brother.” In order, you say, to fix it? 10. But for this you should not slander him secretly, but call and correct him in private, as Christ commanded. Convictions expressed before everyone often make those denounced more shameless, and many sinners, if they see that they can be unnoticed, easily decide to correct themselves; and if they have already lost the good opinion of many, then some of them fall into despair and indulge in shamelessness. But are you offended by him? Why do you still offend yourself? He who takes revenge raises the sword against himself. If you want to do good to yourself and take revenge on him, then speak well of the one who insulted you - then you will make many accuse him instead of yourself, and you yourself will receive a great reward; If you speak poorly, then no one will believe you, suspecting enmity in you. Thus, your efforts turn against yourself. You want to damage his good name, but the opposite happens, because this goal is achieved by praise, and not by blame; but you do exactly the opposite, and you dishonor yourself even more, and your arrows do not touch him. Enmity, touching the souls of those listening, does not allow them to accept what they hear, and the same thing happens as in court verdicts. When someone objects at the court, he will ruin everything; So here, too, suspicion of enmity will not allow the review to be accepted. So, do not slander, lest you defile yourself; do not mix manure with mud and clay, but weave crowns of roses, violets and other flowers; do not carry droppings in your mouth like beetles - and this is what slanderers do, being the first to experience the stench - but stick to flowers like bees, and make honeycombs like they do, and be friendly to everyone. Everyone turns away from a slanderer as one who emits a stench and feeds on the misfortunes of others, like a leech on blood and a beetle on dung; and a person who has a good mouth is accepted by everyone as a common member, as a brother, as a son, as a father. But what am I saying about the present and about people's opinions? Imagine a terrible day, an incorruptible court, and the fact that by lying, you add new sins to your sins. “I tell you, the Lord speaks, that for every idle word that people speak, they will give an answer on the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). At least, he says, what you said was fair, and in this case you will not escape condemnation by revealing the misfortunes and shame of your neighbor. Remember the Pharisee. He was not a publican, but he became more sinful than the publican because he uttered a slander against the publican. The publican was not a Pharisee, but became more righteous than the Pharisee because he condemned himself. “You did this, but I was silent; you thought iniquity that I would be like you. I will reprove you and bring your sins before you” (Ps. 49:21). 11. Do you see indescribable love for mankind? Do you see the greatest goodness? Do you see the boundless wealth of long-suffering? The prophet here calls long-suffering “silence.” Ты осмелился сделать, говорит, столько грехов, и я не нака­зывал тебя, но терпел и переносил, давая тебе возможность покаяться. And you, not only did not derive any benefit from this, but you indulged even more in vice; Not only have you not changed, not only have you not been ashamed and have not condemned yourself for your deeds, but you have also begun to think that I, who was long-suffering, who waited, who was silent and who endured so much, am enduring this not out of long-suffering and love for mankind, but because I don’t want to correct this and am not upset by such things. “Understand this, you who forget God, lest He snatch (you), and (then) no one will deliver” (Ps. 49:22). What exactly? What has been said. What does it mean: “understand”? Take a closer look, what is said here that is hidden and requires special attention? The very type of teaching indicates a new way of life. Having said a little about sacrifices, he proposes gospel laws; and on the other hand, since his listeners were covered with the great impurity of sins, he, wanting to extract them from wickedness, as if from a swamp, and cleanse the former path of their vicious inclinations, like pus from the eyes, encourages them to remember what happened before, so that, having consigned it to oblivion, they would not be left without fruit. Truly, a sinful habit produces great blindness in the soul, makes people reckless and darkens the bright eye of the mind. “So that He does not take away (you), and (then) no one will deliver.” Oh, inexpressible love for humanity! These are the words of a tenderly loving mother, or, better, words of goodness that infinitely surpasses such love. Having made such an accusation, showing such anger, he himself warns them. Having said: “I will reprove you and bring your sins before your face,” having pronounced a condemning sentence, he again cancels the decision, not handing them over to punishment as condemned, but, as those who have to correct themselves from admonition and advice, restraining and admonishing with fear: “so that, he says, he does not snatch up like a lion, and (then) no one will deliver. The sacrifice of praise will glorify Me: and this is the way by which I will show him My salvation” (Ps. 49:23). Having shown His love for mankind, made an admonition, advice, threat, instilled fear, imposed severe punishment and given a warning, He also indicates the way in which one can correct what has been done: “the sacrifice of praise,” He says, “will glorify Me.” The meaning of His words is as follows: she will not only stop My anger, cancel the condemnation, but will also glorify Me. You see how great this work is if God is glorified through it. “And this is the way by which I will show him My salvation.” Do you see the unspeakable reward? Do you see extreme humanity? Promises to show the way of God and the true salvation of God to those who do so. Let us submit to the One who promises and glorify Him with our right life and sacrifice of praise. This path, through such a sacrifice, leads to salvation, which may we all be worthy of, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Him be glory and power, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. The psalms in the text are translated by P. Yungerov - Editorial office of the ABC of Faith You might be interested in: