Беседа 7 на слова пророка Исаии: «Я образую свет и творю тьму, делаю мир и произвожу бедствия» (Ис.45:7).

1. There are few words, but there is a sweet source of honey in them - honey that does not produce satiety. Real honey gives pleasure only to the tongue and spoils; and the honey of teaching penetrates the conscience, bringing constant joy and leading us to immortality. That one is collected from plants, and this one is compiled from the Divine Scriptures. With this today you have been satisfied by the one who spoke beautifully, who received obedience as a reward and showed the power of love and the nobility of faith 8 . And now we will again offer you the usual meal with great zeal; We are very glad that, while brilliant exercises are taking place on the horse lists, so many flocked here, disdaining the pastime there. That is why we place a cup filled with great abundance, a cup that does not produce intoxication, but brings chastity. Such is the wine of the Scriptures, such are the dishes of this table; they do not make the flesh fat. However, we say this without humiliating the nature of the flesh, but preferring the nobility of the soul to it, not rejecting use, but curbing excess. When we philosophize, we must philosophize in such a way as not to give rise to the lips of heretics. This body, although lower than the soul, is not disgusting to the soul; and the soul, although simple, serves the needs of the body. An excellent Artist - God did not compose this universe from one, two or three substances, but put into it various and varied entities, showing in the variety of creatures the abundance of His wisdom. He created not only the sky, but also the earth; not only the earth, but also the sun; not only the sun, but also the moon; not only the moon, but also the stars; not only the stars, but also the air; not only the air, but also the clouds; not only clouds, but also ether; not only the ether, but also lakes, springs, rivers, mountains, groves, hills, meadows, gardens, seeds, plants, different kinds of herbs, different species, different forces and different entities that everyone can see everywhere, surveying the world; and when he runs through the composition of the universe in thought, he will say together with the prophet: “How majestic are Your works, Lord! You have created all things with wisdom” (Ps. 103:24). So, if you want to see a spectacle, then, leaving the satanic one there, come to this spiritual one; if you want to listen to the lyre, then, leaving the singing there and straining the strength of your mind, come listen to this, awakening your thoughts, strengthening your mind. See how different sounds and separate strings from all sides raise one and completely harmonious singing to the excellent Artist - God. Just as some spiritual sound, consisting of various sounds, emits one harmonious song, praise to the Creator, so these strings sound on their own, and sound together with one another. And in order for you to find out how they sound on their own, strike the string of heaven with your thought, and you will hear how it makes great sounds and glorifies God. The prophet understood this and said: “The heavens will tell of the glory of God, and the firmament will tell of the work of His hands” (Ps. 18:2). From this string, go to the string of day and night, and you will see how they, too, produce sounds more pleasant than any lyre or harp, especially when someone who knows how to strike these strings. But how do you say they make sound? The sky has no lips, no tongue, no palate in the mouth, no teeth, no lips; How does it make sounds? What does the day say? There are no organs here that produce sounds, but the passage of the sun and the moon, day and night, the change of time. So that some of the more rude people, hearing this, do not doubt or be confused, listen to how the prophet himself tries to explain what was said. Having said that “the heavens will tell of the glory of God,” and that “day pours out word to day, and night proclaims knowledge to night” (Ps. 18:3), he did not stop there, but added: “there is no dialect or tongue where their voices are not heard” (Ps. 18:4). The meaning of his words is as follows: day and night and heaven not only have a voice, but also a voice that is more sonorous, clearer and stronger than the human voice. How and in what way? Listen to his words for yourself: “There are no dialects or languages ​​where their voices are not heard.” What is this? Approval of the voice, praise of the sound. My voice is understandable to someone speaking the same language as me, but not to someone speaking another language; for example: when I speak Greek, then whoever knows this language will understand me; but a Scythian, a Thracian, a Moor, an Indian - no, because the difference in language does not allow my speech to be understandable to him. 2. Also, when a Scythian or a Thracian speaks, I cannot understand him, and another - the language of another. In heaven, day and night, it’s not the same, but their voice is such that it is audible, understandable and clear to every language, every dialect, every people. Therefore, the prophet, having said that “day pours out word to day, and night proclaims knowledge to night,” added: “there are no dialects or languages ​​where their voices are not heard.” The meaning of these words is as follows: such is the dialect, such is the voice of day, night, heaven and all creatures, that all languages, all peoples understand their voice. “There are no adverbs,” he says, i.e. there is no people, no language, where the voice of heaven is not heard; but a Scythian, a Thracian, a Moor, an Indian, a Sauromatian, and every dialect, every language, every people can understand this voice. How and in what way? Now listen to this so that you will know how heaven speaks silently. When you see this beauty, greatness, position, constancy, brilliance, and, having reflected on all this in yourself, glorify the Creator, praise the Creator, then heaven gave a voice and brought glory to God through your tongue. This is the meaning of the words: “The heavens will tell of the glory of God.” How and in what way? Conquering the viewer with the beauty of its brilliance, one can marvel at the Creator. When you see such a creature, you say: glory to You, God, what a great body You created and placed in the middle! - then the heavens gave this glory, using your tongue and arousing wonder through your sight. So they silently give glory to God and everyone hears this voice. Since one can know this not through hearing, but through sight and contemplation, and everyone has the same vision, although the language is different, then the barbarians, the Scythians, the Thracians, the Moors, and the Indians hear this voice, that is, looking at such a miracle, amazed at the beauty, brilliance, grandeur and everything else that is in heaven, they bring glory to the Creator, if they think sensibly. The same must be said about day and night. Just as the sky, arousing amazement in the viewer with its beauty, position, grandeur, splendor, constancy of time, benefit, activity and everything else, disposes him to glorify the Savior, so do night and day. When you notice the harmonious order of these times, how the day, having fulfilled its measure, does not strive to expel the night from its own limits, does not show any covetousness and, although it is brighter than it, does not try to occupy all the time, but retreats; in the same way, the night, having completed its course, gives way to day, and this happens over the course of so many years, without any confusion or confusion; and the latter did not drive out the first, and the first did not take anything from the latter, although one is lighter, the other is darker - then again, marveling at the harmonious order, will you not give glory to God? Just as sisters who love one another, dividing their father’s inheritance in measure and weight, do not take the slightest part from each other, so night and day, dividing all the time between themselves, maintain such equality, without taking away the slightest part from each other, as you know from your own experience. Let the covetous and those who deprive brothers of their inheritance hear this; let them be ashamed of the harmonious order of times, the harmony of night and day, and be healed of their illness. Thus, “day pours out word to day, and night to night proclaims knowledge,” without uttering a voice, but with its order, harmony, equality and unhindered proportionality, louder than a trumpet, proclaiming the Creator not in just one corner of the universe, but everywhere where the sun illuminates the earth. These sounds are heard throughout the universe, since everywhere is the sky, everywhere is day, everywhere is night; and they spread their instruction over land and sea. Therefore, the prophet did not simply say: the heavens proclaim the glory of God, but: “they will tell,” i.e. They also teach others, have the human race as their disciples and are spread out in plain sight, like the greatest school, instead of books and letters, offering both the simple and the wise and everyone to contemplate the beauty of their nature, teaching the teaching contained within themselves, as if in a book, about the wisdom and power of God. So people not only with words, but also silently glorify God through others: that is why Christ said: “So let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Just as someone, seeing the bright life of another, even if the living one is silent, gives glory to God, so in the same way, looking at the beauty of the sky, they glorify the Creator. That is why the prophet said: “The heavens will tell of the glory of God, and the firmament will tell of the work of His hands. Day pours out word to day, and night to night proclaims knowledge” (Ps. 18:2-3). What kind of “knowledge”? Understanding of the Holy Creator. Just as the day brings a person to work, so the following night gives him rest from many toils, relieves him of worries and, calming tired eyes and squeezing his eyelashes, prepares him to again meet the sun’s rays with fresh strength. Likewise, the night brings a person no small, but very great benefit. If it did not give a person rest from many labors, succeeding the day, then the day that takes him out to work would not bring him any benefit - because, with his nature exhausted from constant labor, this living creature would get sick and die, and there would be no benefit to him from the sun's rays. Therefore, making the day useful for a person, through her service she especially guides the flow of those who use her towards the knowledge of God. Thus, when someone considers what is the benefit of the day and what is the benefit of the night, how they replace each other, alternating, as if in a round dance, and alternately preserve our race, then, even if he were the dumbest of all people, he can, through his own reflection, recognize the wisdom of the Excellent Artist-God, which He revealed through day and night, assigning us the first for activity, and the last for rest from work. 3. We began to talk about all this from the very beginning; but since, perhaps, something from what was read to us today confuses many of those who are inattentive and inexperienced in the Scriptures, let us now turn to this with great haste. It was read about a bleeding woman who, by touching Christ’s robe, stopped the flow of blood and, by the power of faith, stole such a treasure. Truly, her action was a kidnapping, but a commendable kidnapping, and the kidnapper was approved after exposure; Jesus himself, from whom it was stolen, praised this wife (Matthew 9:20–22). They also read about Paul's sufferings, about wounds, prisons, being brought to trial, shipwrecks, bonds, chains, various and constant intrigues against him, daily mortal dangers, hunger, thirst, nakedness, daily conspiracies against him. But what am I doing? I need to run with great haste, so that Paul will not again detain me and deviate me from the subject. You know how often, walking and turning in the other direction, he stopped me in the middle of a speech, and held me so that I was forced to end my conversation with him. Therefore, so that the same thing does not happen to us today, with great haste let us throw, as it were, a bridle on the word that is carried there, and thus distract it and lead it to a prophetic utterance. What is this saying? “I form light and create darkness, I make peace and bring disaster” (Isaiah 45:7). You see how it was not in vain and not without reason that we turned to this place and, leaving everything else, sought to come here. These words can cause great confusion in an inattentive person. Wake up, strain your ears and, leaving all worldly worries, listen to my words. Today I want to reward you for your presence here and send you away with spiritual food, so that those who are absent will actually know what a loss they have suffered; and they will know when you, having carefully accepted what was said, are able to convey it to them. “I form light and create darkness, I make peace and create disasters.” I keep repeating the same thing to imprint it in your mind and then offer resolution. This prophet is not the only one who says this, but another, expressing himself in agreement with him, said: “Is there a disaster in a city that the Lord would not allow?” (Amos.3:6). What do these words mean? One permit must be offered for all such places. What is the resolution? We will receive it if we delve into the power of these sayings. But listen carefully; It is not in vain and not without reason that we constantly remind you of this, but because we are finally approaching deep thoughts. Of all objects, some are good, others are evil, and others are something in between; Some of them seem to many to be evil, but in fact they are not, but that is what they are called and considered. However, in order to more clearly imagine what I am talking about, let me explain what I have said with examples. For many, poverty seems to be evil, but in reality it is not, but on the contrary, if one is attentive and wise, it even serves to destroy evil. Wealth seems good to many, but in fact it is not really good unless someone uses it as he should. If wealth were directly good, then those who own it should also be good; but if not all rich people are virtuous, but only those who use wealth well, then it is obvious that wealth in itself is not directly good, but some means to virtue, occupying a middle place. Look: in the body there are properties by which those who have them are called; for example, whiteness is not an essence, but a property and an accidental accessory to the essence; and to whom it belongs we call white. Also, illness is a certain property and an accidental affiliation; and whoever it belongs to, we call him sick. Therefore, if wealth were a virtue, then the one who owns wealth should be called virtuous; if a rich person is not always virtuous, then wealth is not a virtue or directly good, but is such according to the spiritual mood of the one who uses it. Also, if poverty were evil, then all poor people would have to be evil; if many of the poor reached heaven, then poverty is not evil. 4. What, another will say, if many blaspheme out of poverty? They do this not out of poverty, but out of their own madness and cowardice. Proof of this is blessed Job, who, being in extreme poverty, being cast into the very abyss of poverty, not only did not blaspheme, but continued to bless God and said: “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 ). But for the sake of wealth, you say, many become predators and covetous? Not for the sake of wealth, but for the sake of his own madness; and a witness to this is the same husband, who, with such wealth, not only did not steal someone else’s, but also gave away his own, and made a haven for strangers: “My doors,” he said, “I opened to the passer-by” (Job.31:32). And Abraham, having such wealth, spared nothing for those who came; and wealth did not make either one of them a covetous person, just as poverty did not make either Job or Lazarus a blasphemer; but both of them, not even having the necessary food, became so famous that one received a testimony from God, who truly knows what was revealed, and the other was carried from here by previous Angels, became a cohabitant with the forefather and was awarded the same benefits as he. Consequently, middle objects include poverty and wealth, health and illness, life and death, glory and honor, slavery and freedom, and the like. There is no need to list everything so as not to spread the conversation too much, but, having given you a reason for your own reflection, you should move on to what is most necessary. “Give instruction to a wise man,” says Scripture, “and he will be even wiser” (Proverbs 9:9). So, all these objects are average, so that those who use them can use them for both good and evil. And that they are really average, such as wealth, this was proven by Abraham, who used it properly; This was also proven by the rich man who lived under Lazarus, who squandered his property to the death of his own head. Thus, wealth is neither good nor evil. If it had been directly good, and not something in between, then the rich man who lived under Lazarus would not have been so punished; if it had been evil, then Abraham would not have become so famous, having been rich. Disease is something similar. If illness were evil, then the one who has it should also be evil; Therefore, Timothy, who suffered from a serious illness, should have been angry: “Drink a little wine,” the apostle told him, “for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments” (1 Tim. 5:23). If he not only was not evil because of this, but also made his illness a means to increase his reward, enduring it courageously, then it is obvious that illness is not evil. And another prophet was constantly sick with his eyes, and yet this did not make him evil, but he also prophesied and foresaw the future, and illness did not serve as the slightest obstacle to virtue. And health is not a direct good if someone uses it not in the proper way, but for bad deeds, or for insane actions, which is also not innocent. That’s why Paul said: “If anyone does not want to work, let him not eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). All this is average, and, depending on the people who use it, sometimes it is one way and sometimes another. But why talk about health and illness, wealth and poverty? Even that very thing that for many seems to be the head of good and the height of evil, namely, life and death, and they are not exactly like that; but they also belong to intermediate objects, which can be both according to the mental mood of those who use them. For example, life is good when the one who uses it uses it properly, but when he uses it for sins and iniquities, then it is no longer good, but it is better for such a person to die. And, on the contrary, what many people think should be avoided can bring countless benefits when there is a proper reason for it. This is proven by the martyrs, who became the most blessed of all because of death. That is why Paul wanted not just to live with Christ, but because this was the fruit of the work for him. “I don’t know what to choose. “I am attracted by both,” he said, “I have a desire to resolve myself and be with Christ, because this is incomparably better; but it is more necessary for you to remain in the flesh” (Phil. 1:22–24). That is why the prophet says: “honorable before the Lord is the death of His saints” (Ps. 116:6), not just death, but just such a death; and in another place: “the death of sinners is cruel” (Ps. 33:22). You see that this too is something in between, not directly good and not directly evil, but depending on the mood of those experiencing it. Therefore, the wise Solomon, considering the mean between one and the other useful, philosophizing about them and showing that not directly the first is good, but the last is evil, but it also happens to be good at the right time, although it seems difficult when it happens at the wrong time, says: “There is a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted” (Eccl. 3:2). And rejoicing is not always useful, but sometimes it can be harmful; and mourning is not always good, but is sometimes deadly and disastrous. Proving this very thing, Paul again says: “Godly sorrow produces unfailing repentance leading to salvation, but worldly sorrow produces death” (2 Cor. 7:10). 5. Do you see that this also belongs to the middle subjects? Consequently, the opposite of this also belongs to middle objects, i.e. joy. Therefore, the apostle commanded not just to rejoice, but to rejoice “in the Lord” (Phil. 4:4). However, we have already explained enough of the average subjects, if only the listeners were attentive; Now we need to move not to the average, but to the good ones, who cannot be evil, and to the evil ones, who cannot be good. All of the above objects are sometimes one thing and sometimes another, for example, wealth is sometimes evil when it serves for covetousness, and sometimes good when it is used for alms, and everything else in the same way. But there are objects that sometimes cannot be evil, and their opposites are always evil and can never be good; These are: impiety, blasphemy, debauchery, cruelty, inhumanity, gluttony, and the like. I am not saying that an evil person can never become good, and a good person can never become evil, but that these very objects cannot be such. They always remain the same, some good, others evil; and when a person chooses the first, he becomes good, and when he chooses the opposite, he becomes evil. So, objects are of three kinds: some are good and cannot be evil, such as chastity, alms, and the like; others are evil and can never be good, such as depravity, inhumanity, cruelty; still others are sometimes one thing, sometimes another, depending on the mood of those who use them. Wealth sometimes serves for covetousness, sometimes it is used for alms; but it depends on the mood of the person using it. Poverty is sometimes a reason for blasphemy, sometimes for praise and wisdom. Therefore, it is now necessary to begin to resolve it, since many of the foolish call evil not only real evil, which can never be good, but also some of the middle objects, for example, poverty, captivity, slavery, which, as we have shown, are not evil, but something in between; since many, as I said above, call this evil, whereas it is not evil, the prophet speaks about these objects that are considered and called evil by many, but in fact are not evil - about captivity, about slavery, about hunger and the like. And that they really are not evil, but still serve to exterminate evil, we will imagine in advance the famine, which seems terrible and terrible to everyone. Find out how he is not evil, and learn to be wise. When the Jewish people reached the extreme degree of wickedness, then Elijah, truly great and worthy of heaven, wanting to destroy the disease of negligence and cure it, said: “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand! In these years there will be neither dew nor rain, except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1), - and the one who had only one mantle concluded heaven: such was his boldness before God! Do you see that poverty is not evil? Otherwise, the poorest of all people living on earth would not have the courage to show such strength with just one word. Having said this, he brought on hunger, as an excellent teacher and destroyer of former evils; and just as happens to a body that has been exposed to a strong fever, the very veins of the earth dried up, the springs and plants became scarce, and the bowels of the earth became barren. Then the people received considerable benefit: they were restrained from striving for lawlessness, they were curbed and became more obedient and submissive to the prophet. Those who resorted to idols and sacrificed their children to demons, during the beating of so many priests of Baal, were not indignant and did not murmur, but endured what happened in silence and fear, becoming better from hunger. 6. Do you see that hunger not only is not evil, but also destroys evil, healing diseases like medicine? If you want to see that captivity itself is not evil, then imagine what the Jews were like before the captivity, and what they were like during the captivity, and you will learn that neither freedom is directly good, nor captivity is evil; when they enjoyed freedom and had their own fatherland, they did such things that the prophets denounced them every day for breaking the laws, for worshiping idols, for violating the commandments of God; and when they were taken to a foreign land and lived in the land of foreigners, then they humbled themselves, became better and kept the law, as can be seen from the psalm, which must now be cited so that you may know the fruits of captivity. What is this psalm? “On the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our organs on the willows among it. For there those who captivated us asked us about the words of the songs and led us away about the singing: “Sing us (something) from the songs of Zion!” How can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” ( Ps. 136:1-4 ). Do you see how captivity humbled them? Before him, they did not listen to the prophets, who taught not to break the law; and after him, despite the demand of foreigners, the encouragement and coercion of the rulers to break the law, they did not agree, but said: “How can we sing the song of the Lord in a foreign land,” when the law does not allow this. Look at the three youths: not only did they not suffer any harm from the captivity, but they also became more glorious from it, just like Daniel. And Joseph? What evil did he suffer by becoming a stranger, a slave and a prisoner? Isn’t that the only reason why he rose and became famous? And that foreign wife, who lived in wealth, splendor and freedom, what benefit did she receive from this? Was she the most unhappy of all because she did not want to use it as she should? So, we have clearly shown what is good, what is evil, and what is in between; They also explained that the prophet speaks about average objects, which are not really evil, but only seem so to many, about captivity, slavery, exile. Why this is said needs to be shown. The humane God, quick to show mercy and slow to punish and torment, so as not to subject the Jews to punishment, sent prophets to them, frightening them with words, so as not to punish them by deed itself, as He did with the Ninevites. There He then threatened to destroy the city, not in order to destroy it, but so as not to destroy it, as indeed happened. He did the same with the Jews then, sending prophets, threatening invasion of foreigners, wars, captivity, slavery, exile, life in a foreign land. Just as a child-loving father who has a stubborn and careless son, wanting to bring him to sense, looks for belts, threatens with ropes, saying: “I will tie, flog, kill,” and becomes terrible in words in order to thus curb the vices of the young man, so God constantly threatened, wanting to make the Jews better through fear. The devil, seeing this and wanting to prevent the correction that came from such a threat, sent false prophets, and while the prophets threatened captivity, slavery, hunger, they predicted the opposite: peace, fertility, enjoyment of countless blessings. Therefore, condemning them, the prophets said: “Peace! peace!”, but there is no peace" (Jer. 6:14). Anyone who studies the Holy Scriptures knows how everything happened with the prophets with false prophets who weakened the zeal of the people. When in this way they weakened and corrupted the people, God spoke through the prophets: “I make peace and bring about disasters; I, the Lord, do all this" ( Isaiah 45:7) What kind of evil is that about which it is said above: captivity, slavery, and the like, and not adultery, lewdness, covetousness and anything like that. Therefore, when the other prophet says: “Is there any evil in a city that the Lord would not allow” (Am. 3:6), he means the same evil, hunger, illnesses, wounds sent from God. So when Christ says: “Enough for every day of his life.” worries” - meaning labor, fatigue, exhaustion (Matthew 6:34). 7. So, the prophet says the following: do not let false prophets corrupt you; God can give you peace and deliver you into captivity. This means: “I make peace and cause disasters.” But in order for you to be convinced that this is fair, let us consider in detail the expressions themselves. Having said above: “I form light and create darkness,” He then added: “I make peace and create disasters” (Is. 45:7). And above He presented two opposite objects, and then two opposite objects, so that you might know that He is not talking about adultery, but about misfortunes. What is the opposite of peace? Obviously - captivity, and not debauchery, not adultery, not covetousness. Just as above he presented two opposing objects, so it is exactly here; and the opposite of peace is not adultery, not fornication, not debauchery and other vices, but captivity and slavery. But the impression the elements make on people is the same as the circumstances. For example: God created both light and darkness; and yet for many light seems pleasant and darkness unpleasant, and they condemn the night as something bad; This is exactly what they do with circumstances. Meanwhile, one should not condemn either night, or darkness, or slavery alone, or captivity. Tell me, what is bad about darkness? Doesn't it provide rest from work, calm from worries, quenching sadness, and restoration of strength? If there were no darkness and night, would we ever enjoy the light? Wouldn't this living creature, a person, be upset and die? And just as darkness seems evil to the foolish, and yet is not evil, but brings us benefit in relation to the day itself, making us more capable of daytime labor after rest, so is not evil and captivity, about which the prophet speaks in the words: “I make peace and bring about disasters,” but it is very useful for those who use it as they should; it makes them more prudent and obedient, destroying pride. Virtue is not subject to slavery and nothing can overcome it, neither slavery, nor captivity, nor poverty, nor illness, nor death itself, which is the strongest of all. The proof is provided by all those who endured all this and became more glorious because of it. What harm did Joseph suffer from slavery (nothing prevents us from again pointing to the same husband), what from imprisonment, what from bonds, what from slander, what from intrigues, what from life in a foreign land? What harm did Job suffer from the destruction of oxen and herds, from the violent and premature death of children, from damage to the body, from a crowd of worms, from unbearable sorrow, from sitting on rot, from the slander of his wife, from the reproaches of friends, from the reproach of slaves? What harm did Lazarus suffer from lying at the gate, being licked by the tongues of dogs, from constant hunger, from the contempt of the rich man, from wounds, from unbearable pain, from the lack of patrons, from the contempt of those who could have given him help? Or what harm did Paul suffer from many prisons, tortures, deaths, drownings and other temptations that cannot be counted in words? Reflecting on all this, let us avoid vice and follow virtue; let us pray so that we do not fall into temptation; and if when we fall, we will not lose heart and become despondent, because this is a weapon of virtue for those who use it as it should, and we will be able to glorify ourselves through everything if we are attentive, and we will achieve eternal blessings, which may we all be worthy of in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Of course, Bishop Flavian, or some other preacher who spoke before St. Chrysostom. You might be interested in: