Беседа 8 на слова пророка Иеремии: «Знаю, Господи, что не в воле человека путь его, что не во власти идущего давать направление стопам своим» (Иер.10:23).

1. Just as on the material and public path some places are smooth and comfortable, while others are difficult and inconvenient, so in the Divine Scriptures some places are in themselves understandable to everyone, while others require more research and labor. When we follow a smooth and comfortable path, then we do not need great caution, but when we walk along an inclined, narrow path, extending to the very top of the mountain and bounded on both sides by abysses, then we need a cheerful and cautious soul, because the difficulty of the terrain does not allow us to be careless; here, if someone looks even a little and only one foot slips, the whole body falls into the abyss, and if he looks down into the abyss, he becomes dizzy and falls down. So in the Divine Scriptures, some passages are easy and convenient for understanding and can be traversed without difficulty, while others are difficult, inconvenient and cannot be traversed so easily. Therefore, everyone should stay awake and be attentive when we pass through such places, so that we are not exposed to extreme danger. For this reason, we sometimes exercise you in easy places, and sometimes we lead you to the most difficult ones, in order to both give you rest from work and eliminate carelessness. Just as those who are constantly doing easy things become lazy, so those who are constantly forced to do hard things are exhausted from labor; Therefore, it is necessary to diversify the types of teaching and sometimes communicate one thing, sometimes another, so that our mind does not relax too much, and on the other hand, does not break down from excessive tension and refuse to work. Therefore, we, recently talking with you about Paul and Peter and the debate that took place between them in Antioch and showing you that their apparent disagreement was more useful than all the world, led you along an inclined and difficult path; but when they noticed your fatigue, the next day they moved on to another, lighter subject, spoke in praise of Blessed Eustathius, and after him they praised the glorious martyr Romanus, and we had a brilliant spectacle, great applause and many exclamations. Just as a tired person, having come to a meadow, rejoices and is delighted, not seeing any labor or exhaustion here, but rest, pleasure and great peace of mind, so you were in a similar state with me then; after labors and difficulties in hearing about that subject, moving on to praise the martyrs, as if to a meadow; You were filled with joy with great calm. Then there were no objections, no refutations, no attacks, no retreats, but without any obstacle the speech flowed by itself easily, naturally and freely. That is why she was brilliant and solemn and received many praises. When the mind of the listener easily follows the conversation, then, filled with great pleasure, it is more likely to praise the speaker. Therefore, since we have given you enough rest these days, without offering your love anything difficult and difficult, today we will again turn you to the previous exercise, we will lead you to the most difficult passages of the Scriptures and requiring great attention, not in order to tire you with labor, but through exercise to make you able to pass through these passages with safety. And just as then at first there seemed to be some disagreement and debate between the apostles, and when we rose above these rocks, we saw above “the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace” (Gal. 5:22), and our work was not in vain and unnecessary, but ended with joy, so today, through your prayers, I hope that if with diligence and great patience we complete the path ahead of us and are able to reach the very top, then we will find everything there smooth, light and comfortable. What's next for you now? Read today from the prophet: “I know, Lord, that a man’s way is not in his will, that it is not in the power of the one who walks to give direction to his steps.” Here is a subject for investigation; Just as you showed your zeal then, be attentive now; this subject is no less than that, but requires even more attention. Why? Because the apparent disagreement between Paul and Peter, which, however, is not disagreement, was known to few, and therefore no great harm could come from ignorance of it; and this saying is repeated everywhere, in houses, in squares, in villages, in cities, on land, at sea, on islands, and wherever you go, everywhere you will hear many who say: it is written: “His way is not in the will of man”; and not only do they repeat this saying, but add to it other similar ones, namely: “not from him who wills, nor from him who runs” (Rom. 9:16), and, in addition, also: “unless the Lord builds a house, the builders labor in vain” (Ps. 126:1). They do this in order to cover up their own negligence with the Divine Scriptures and in order to deprive us of salvation and hope with such words. By this they want to prove nothing more than that nothing is in our power. Everything we have perishes; the promise of the Kingdom is in vain, the threat of hell is in vain, laws, punishments, rewards, advice are in vain. 2. Why admonish someone who has no authority in anything? Why promise to someone who is deprived of all power? Just as someone who has done good deeds is not worthy of praise, so someone who has sinned is not subject to punishment and torment if the deeds do not depend on us. But when people have such a conviction, then after that no one will either adhere to virtue or move away from vice. If now, when we every day proclaim about Gehenna, talk about the Kingdom, imagine unbearable torments, rewards that exceed the human mind, advise, exhort, use all methods of persuasion - as soon as some decide on exploits of virtue, barely lag behind sinful pleasures, then when you cut off this sacred anchor, will not the whole ship sink, and will not everyone perish, completely immersed in the waves? won't there be many shipwrecks every day? There is nothing, truly nothing, that the devil tries so hard as to convince the human soul that it is not subject to punishment for sins, nor is it worthy of praise and crowns for good deeds, so as to weaken the hands of the zealous and cool the zeal, and to strengthen cowardice and increase negligence in the careless. Therefore, you need to listen carefully to what is said; there will be an abyss and an abyss on both sides if we read this saying without attention. What should we say? Did the prophet tell a lie? But it's not safe; the prophet speaks no lies; because he speaks the words of God. So, the prophet did not tell a lie, and therefore the matter is not in our power? And our affairs are in our power, and the prophet did not tell lies; we will prove both, if you pay attention. This is why I showed the abyss on both sides, so that we would carefully walk the path ahead of us. We examine not only this saying: “his way is not in the will of a man,” but also the entire course of speech - about whom it is said, by whom, to whom, for what, when and how. It is not enough to say about something that it is written in the Scriptures, and it should not directly, snatching words and tearing members from the body of the inspired Scriptures, take them separately and without their mutual connection and arbitrarily and unconsciously distort them. Thus, many wrong opinions have entered our lives, through the action of the devil, who teaches careless people to misinterpret what is contained in the Scriptures and, by adding or subtracting, darken the truth. Therefore, it is not enough to say about something that it is written in Scripture, but must be read in the whole connection of speech, because if we break the totality and connection of sayings with each other, then many bad opinions will arise. For example, Scripture says: “There is no God” (Ps. 13:1); also: “he turned away his face so that he would never see” (Ps. 9:32); and again: “He will not demand” (Ps. 9:34). Well, tell me, is there no God? Doesn't He see earthly affairs? Who dares to say this or listen? Meanwhile, this is written in Scripture; but find out how it is written. “The madman said,” it says, “in his heart: “There is no God.” This is the thought and judgment not of Scripture, but of the mind of a madman; Scripture did not express its own opinion, but conveyed the opinion of another. And again: “Why,” it says, “has the wicked angered God?” Because he said “in his heart: “He will not require it.” And here again it sets forth the thought and judgment of a wicked and depraved man. Likewise, doctors are in the habit, when talking with healthy people, of talking about the misdeeds of sick and insane people in order to make the former more cautious. Since the health of the soul is piety, and its illness and extreme illness are ignorance of God, the Scripture sets forth the words of the wicked so that we not only listen, but also abstain ourselves. It says what the madman said so that you would become prudent and not allow such words; speaks of what the wicked said, that you should flee wickedness. Moreover, one must not only not break the connection of speech, but also quote the sayings of the Scriptures as a whole and not add anything to them. Many repeat some other passages from the Scriptures, misinterpreting them. It is written, they say: if you are inflamed, then get married. But nowhere is it written that way; but look exactly how it is said. “To the unmarried and widows I say: it is good for them to remain as I do. But if they cannot abstain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to be inflamed” (1 Cor. 7:8-9). Isn’t it the same thing, they say, in the words: if you are inflamed, then get married? Even if the words meant the same thing: if you are inflamed, then get married, then you should not, by tearing them off, distort the entire saying of Scripture and convey the thoughts of Scripture in your own words; but here we will find a great difference. When you simply say: if you are inflamed, then get married, then you give permission to everyone who decides to remain in virginity, in case of awakening of lust, to break the covenant with God, run over to the marriage state and forget their previous vow. 3. But when you find out to whom Paul is saying this, namely, not to everyone in general, but to those who have not yet made vows, then you can destroy such a harmful and disastrous permission. “I say,” says the apostle, “to the unmarried and to widows,” who have not taken a vow of widowhood, but have not yet decided on either one or the other, but are in some intermediate state between one and the other intention. For example: if some wife has lost her husband and has not yet judged within herself and has not decided whether she should remain a widow or enter into a second marriage, he says, I suggest that it is better to remain so; if she cannot bear this burden, then let her marry; but those who have already defined themselves and registered themselves as widows and entered into a covenant with God, no longer have the power, he says, to enter into a second marriage. Therefore, writing about them in his letter to Timothy, he says this: “Do not accept young widows, for they, falling into luxury in opposition to Christ, want to marry. They are condemned because they have rejected their former faith” (1 Timothy 5:11–12). Do you see how here he reproaches and punishes them and recognizes them as worthy of judgment and condemnation because they violated the covenant with God and betrayed the vow? Thus, it is clear from this that the above saying does not apply to those who have made a vow. Therefore, one must not only pronounce it, but also know those persons to whom the Scriptures address. In a similar way they repeat another saying, without distorting its composition, but adding to it something that has not yet been written. Such is the wickedness of the devil that he introduces harmful opinions either by adding, or subtracting, or distorting, or reinterpreting the subject. What is this saying? “The silver is Mine,” says God, “and the gold is Mine,” and I will give it to whomever I want (Hag. 2:8). Here one thing is said, and another is not said in Scripture, but is added from without. The words: “My silver and my gold,” said the prophet; and the words: “and to whomever I want, I will give it,” are not found, but they are repeated due to the ignorance of many. What harm comes from this? Many villains, deceivers, debauchees and such people who are not worthy to even see this sun, neither to live nor to breathe, enjoy great prosperity, perverting everything, plundering the houses of widows, robbing orphans, offending the lowest. Therefore, the devil, wanting to convince people that all wealth comes from above and is given from God, in order to utter a great blasphemy against the Lord through this, taking from Scripture the saying: “Silver is Mine and Gold is Mine,” added to it another, which is not in Scripture: and to whomever I want, I will give it. This is not what the prophet Haggai says. When the Jews returned from the land of foreigners and wanted to restore the church and bring it to its former splendor, but found it difficult because they were surrounded by enemies, were in great poverty and did not see any help from anywhere, then the prophet, wanting to arouse good hopes in them and convince them not to doubt the completion, says on behalf of God: “My silver and My gold... the glory of this last church will be greater than the first” ( Hag.2:8–9). But, tell me, how does this relate to the subject? It follows from this that one should not quote the sayings of the Scriptures simply, one should not upset the sequence and break the connection of speech and, by snatching sayings separately and without connection with subsequent or previous ones. It is not reckless to reinterpret and distort them. Isn’t it truly reckless - in a court of law, when discussing everyday matters, to present all the reasons, to point out places, and times, and persons, and reasons, and much more, and, when we are dealing with eternal life, to cite passages from the Scriptures simply and as it happens? And no one will read the royal law simply and as it happens, but if he does not speak about the time, does not point to the legislator, does not pronounce it in the original and in its entirety, then he is condemned and subjected to extreme punishment; and we, reading not the human law, but brought from above from heaven, will allow such carelessness as to tear its members and parts? Is this worthy of any justification and forgiveness? Perhaps I have exaggerated the speech, but not in vain, but in order to divert you from a bad habit. Let us not be burdened until we reach the end; We were created not just to eat, drink and dress, but to avoid vice and adhere to virtue, guided by Divine wisdom. And that we were really created not to eat and drink, but for other, much higher and better purposes, listen to God himself, who also represents the reason why He created man. When creating him, He said this: “Let us make man in our image [and] according to our likeness” (Gen. 1:26). 4. But we become like God not when we eat, drink and dress - because God neither eats, nor drinks, nor dresses - but when we do the truth, show love for mankind, are kind and meek, show mercy to our neighbors, and practice every virtue. Eating and drinking is something we have in common with the nature of dumb people, and in this we are no better than them. What is our advantage? The fact that we are created in the image and likeness of God. So, let us not be burdened by talking about virtue, but having proposed a prophetic saying, we will carefully examine it and see who expressed it, about whom, when, to whom, in what circumstances, and in general we will analyze everything that can serve to explain it. The prophet Jeremiah said this, but not about himself, but praying for others, for the ungrateful, insensitive, incorrigible Jews, worthy of condemnation and extreme punishment, about whom God told him: “You do not ask for this people and do not offer prayers and petitions for them, and do not intercede with Me, for I will not hear you” (Jer. 7:16). Some claim that this is said about Nebuchadnezzar. When this foreigner set out to attack the Jews, destroy their city, take them and take them captive, then the prophet, wanting to convince everyone that he would take possession of the city not with his own strength and might, but for their sins, with the permission of God, who controls the war and leads him to his city, said: “I know, Lord, that his way is not in the will of man, that it is not in the power of the one who walks to give direction to his steps” ( Jer.10:23). The meaning of his words is as follows: this path that the enemy is now taking to attack us is not from him, and this war and victory does not depend on him, but if You had not betrayed us into his hands, he would not have defeated us, would not have won. Therefore, he says, I ask and beseech you, when it pleases You, to carry out the punishment not without measure: “Punish me, O Lord, but in truth, not in Your anger” (Jer. 10:24). But since some do not agree to this and argue that this is not about a foreigner, but about human nature in general, it is necessary to answer them too. What should I tell them? The fact that the prophet prayed for sinful people, for whom it was often forbidden to pray; That’s why he makes the city itself cry in advance. Since God constantly said: “Do not pray for them,” he introduces the city in advance as asking for humanity, in order to receive from here some pretext and a fair reason to pray for them before God, turns his speech to the city and says: “Woe to me in my contrition; my wound is painful"; Then he also says: “Truly, this is my grief, and I will bear it; my tent is desolate, and all my ropes are torn; my children have left me, and they are no longer there: there is no one to pitch my tent and hang up my carpets, for the shepherds have become senseless and have not sought the Lord, and therefore they acted foolishly, and all their flock is scattered.” Rumor spreads: here he comes, and there is a great noise from the country northern, to make the cities of Judah a desert, a dwelling for jackals" (Jer. 10:19-22). Further, when he (i.e., the city) mourned his own misfortune, he (the prophet) says: “I know, Lord, that his way is not in the will of man.” As a result of crying, would you say that he introduced a harmful opinion into the universe, taking away our freedom and asserting that affairs do not depend on us? No; and amidst the crying he is out of such danger. Having said: “His path is not in the will of man,” he did not remain silent, but added: “It is not in the power of the one who walks to give direction to his steps.” The meaning of his words is as follows: not everything depends on us, but some things depend on us, and others depend on God. To choose the best, to desire, to try, to undertake any work - this depends on our will; and to bring your desires to the end, to prevent falls and achieve success in business - this depends on the highest grace. God shared virtue with us, did not leave everything to us, so that we would not become proud, and did not take everything upon Himself, so that we would not fall into carelessness, but, leaving a little to our labors, He Himself does most of it. But really, if everything depended on us, then many would become proud and indulge in arrogance; let’s listen to what the Pharisee said, what pride he fell into, how he exalted himself and placed himself above the entire universe (Luke 18:10-14). Therefore, God made it so that not everything depended on us, but provided something for us, so that we would have a plausible reason to crown us justly. He explained the same thing with that parable in which he says that the master, having found people at the eleventh hour, sent them to work in the vineyard (Matthew 20). What could they do at the eleventh hour? But even this short time was enough for God to give them a full reward. And so that you can be convinced that the prophet speaks the truth and does not take away our freedom, but is wise here about the end of things, listen to his further words. Having said: “His way is not in the will of man,” he immediately adds: “punish me, O Lord, but in righteousness, not in Thy anger.” If absolutely nothing depended on us, then in vain he would have said: “Punish me, Lord, but in truth” (Jer. 10:23–24). 5. Indeed, what could be more unfair than for those who are not in control of their affairs to be punished, and for people whose path and life are not in their power to be condemned? Thus, when he appears praying to God that their punishment should not be too cruel, he expresses nothing more than that they are worthy of condemnation and punishment; and this shows nothing more than the freedom of their will. If they were not in control of their affairs, then there would be no need to ask that they be subjected to a lighter punishment, or even to punish them completely; or better yet, there would be no need for a request, because God does not need anyone to ask him not to punish the innocent. But what do I say: God, when even a prudent person does not do this? So, when the prophet appears asking for the Jews, it is obvious that he is asking for sinners; and sin occurs when we, having the power not to transgress the law, transgress it. From all this it is clear that our good deeds depend both on us and on God. Such is the following saying: “Pardon does not depend on the one who wills, nor on the one who runs, but on God who has mercy” (Rom. 9:16). Why, you say, should I strive, why should I want, if not everything depends on me? In order to desire and strive to attract the help and blessing of God, so that He would provide assistance, stretch out His hand and bring it to the end. And if you leave this and stop wanting and striving, then God will not stretch out His hand, but He will also retreat. How is this known? Listen to what He says to Jerusalem: “How often have I wanted to gather your children together, as a bird gathers its chicks under its wings, and you did not want to! Behold, your house is left to you empty” (Matthew 23:37, 38). Do you see how God also backed down for what they did not want? Therefore, we need to both want and strive in order to acquire God’s favor. This is what the prophet says, i.e., that the successful completion of affairs does not depend on us, but on the help of God, but election depends on us and on our will. So, you say, if the completion of the matter depends on the help of God, then I, without finishing the matter, should not be subject to any accusation; when I do everything on my part, and show my desire, and choose, and begin the task, but He, on Whom the end depends, does not help me and does not stretch out His hand, then I am free from all condemnation. No, not like that; It is impossible for God to leave us when we want, choose and decide. If He inspires and advises those who do not want to wish and want, then all the more He does not leave those who decide. “Look at the ancient generations,” says the Wise One, “and see: who believed the Lord - and was ashamed? Or who was in fear of Him and was abandoned? Or who cried out to Him and He despised him?” (Sir.2:10). Paul also says: “Hope does not disappoint” (Rom. 5:5), i.e. trust in God. It is impossible for someone who trusts in God with all his soul and does everything on his part not to reach the end. And again: “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, so that you can endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). That is why one wise man offers the following admonitions: “My son! if you begin to serve the Lord God, then prepare your soul for temptation: guide your heart and be strong, and do not be embarrassed during your visit; cleave to Him and do not retreat, so that you may be exalted in the end” (Sir.2:1-3). And in another place the admonition is offered: “He who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22). All these are rules, laws and immutable definitions; It must be firmly implanted in our souls that it is impossible for anyone who makes efforts, cares about his salvation and does everything on his part, to be ever abandoned by God. Do you not hear what the Lord says to Peter? “Simon! Simon! Behold, Satan asked to sow you like wheat, but I prayed for you, so that your faith would not fail” (Luke 22:31-32). When He sees that the burden exceeds our strength, then He stretches out His hand and eases the temptation; but when He sees that we, through our own carelessness and laziness, are losing our own salvation and do not want to be saved, then He retreats and leaves us, because He does not use violence and does not force, and as He did in the teaching, so He does here. Just as He did not force or force those who did not want to listen and those who walked away, but He resolved the unclear to those who were attentive and made the parables clear, so it is exactly in business: He does not force or force careless and unwilling people, but He attracts those who decide voluntarily with great power. That is why Peter says: “Truly I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation whoever fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him” (Acts 10:34-35). And the prophet inspires the same thing when he says: “If you want and obey, you will eat the blessings of the earth; But if you deny and persist, the sword will devour you” (Isa. 1:19-20). So, knowing this, knowing that it is up to us to want and strive, and that by desire and striving we attract God to our aid, and having attracted Him, we reach the end of things, let us arise, beloved, and show all our zeal for the salvation of our soul, so that, having worked here for a short time, in an endless and immortal life, we may achieve eternal blessings, of which may we all be worthy, by the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Explanation that the ambiguity of the prophecies about Christ, the Gentiles, and the Fall of the Jews is helpful 1. Today I want to offer you a prophetic meal and prepare to take the word out into the sea of ​​Isaiah’s wisdom. But what will happen to me? I am perplexed and afraid that, having left the pier and entering the depths of prophetic thoughts, we will not suffer the dizziness that inexperienced sailors experience. Those, when they leave the earth, on either side of the ship they see the abyss of the sea and nothing more than the sea and the sky, they fall into a painful darkness and think that their ship is spinning along with the sea. But such dizziness does not come from the properties of the sea, but from the inexperience of the swimmers, because other swimmers, even with a naked body, throw themselves directly into the waves and do not experience anything like this, but, having plunged into the very depths, they are safer there than those on land, and although the salt water penetrates into their mouths, and into their eyes, and into their whole body, they are not worried. This is the benefit of exercise; such is evil - inexperience; Thus, the former teaches one to despise the terrible, while the latter makes one fear and suspect danger even in the safe. Some, sitting on the high benches of the ship, feel dizzy from the mere spectacle of the sea, while others are not embarrassed even among the waves themselves. The same thing happens with our soul. And she is often attacked by waves of passions that are fiercer than the waves of the sea, such as the storm of anger that overthrows the heart, and the winds of evil lust that produce great confusion in the soul. When a storm of anger begins, the inexperienced and inexperienced immediately becomes confused, lost, confused and leaves the soul to drown in passions and be shipwrecked; and someone who is experienced and has learned to endure this courageously, placing his reason above passions, like a helmsman at the helm, does not cease to use all efforts until he has brought the boat to the calm haven of wisdom. What happens at sea and what happens in the soul, the same happens when the Scriptures are explained: confusion and anxiety are inevitable when we enter this sea, not because the sea itself is scary, but because we are inexperienced swimmers. And that indeed speech, although easy in nature, can be difficult due to the inexperience of the listeners, I will present you with Paul as a witness of this. He, having said that Christ was a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek, and examining who this Melchizedek was, added: “We should talk a lot about this; but it is difficult to interpret” (Heb. 5:11). What are you saying, blessed Paul? Is it really incomprehensible to you, who have spiritual wisdom, who have heard ineffable verbs, who have been caught up to the third heaven? If it is incomprehensible to you, then who can understand it? For me, he says, “it is difficult to interpret,” not because of its own difficulty, but because of the weakness of the listeners. Therefore, having said: “it is difficult to interpret,” he added: “because you have become unable to listen.” Do you see that not because of the properties of the word, but because of the inexperience of the listeners, what was not difficult became difficult? And the short word becomes not only difficult, but also extensive for the same reason; That’s why he said that it was not only “difficult to interpret,” but also “many,” pointing out the reason for both its vastness and difficulty in the weakness of the listeners. Just as the sick should not be offered a meager and hastily prepared meal, but different dishes should be prepared; so that the sick person, if he doesn’t want to take one, takes another, and if he doesn’t like this, he takes another, and if he rejects this too, he takes on something else, and so that with such a variety of dishes we can overcome his dissatisfaction and with the variety of meals heal his gloomy mood, we often need to do the same in relation to spiritual food. When we are weak, we need to prepare an extensive and varied speech, in which there would be comparisons, examples, proofs, descriptions, and much more, so that it would be easier for us to choose what is useful from all this. However, although the apostle had a speech that was both extensive and difficult to explain, he did not deprive his listeners of the teaching about Melchizedek, but said the words: “It would behoove us to speak a lot; but it is difficult to interpret,” he aroused their jealousy so that they would become more diligent in listening, and by offering a meal, he satisfied their desire. 2. We will do the same. Although the sea of ​​prophets is limitless and there are many abysses there, we will venture into this sea at the risk of our lives to the best of our ability; better - according to the measure not of our strength, but of the grace given to us from above; Let us dare to enter this sea not because of our boldness, but for your benefit, imitating Paul in this too. And that he did not deprive them of the word about Melchizedek, listen to the following. Having said: “It would behoove us to speak a lot; but it is difficult to interpret,” he added: “for Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, the one who met Abraham and blessed him, returning after the defeat of the kings, to whom Abraham divided tithes from everything - first, by the sign of the name, the king of righteousness, and then the king of Salem, that is, the king of the world, without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end life, being made like the Son of God, he remains a priest forever” (Heb. 7:1-3). Didn’t Paul trouble your ears by talking about man and saying: “without father, without mother”? But what am I talking about: about a person? If this were said about Christ, then wouldn’t it give us a reason to ask many questions? After all, if He is without a father, then how is He a son? If without a father, then what about the Only Begotten? A son must have a father; otherwise he would not be a son. But the Son of God is both without father and without mother. How? Without a father - by earthly birth, without a mother - by heavenly birth, because He had no father either on earth or a mother in heaven. "Without pedigree". Let those who carry out research into His being listen to this. Some think that the words “without genealogy” are spoken about His heavenly birth. However, some of the heretics do not even allow this, and they carry out research and research about that birth; while others, more modest, agree to attribute these words to that birth, but do not think that the expression “without genealogy” was also said about earthly birth. Let us prove that Paul said this about both births, both heavenly and earthly. It’s genuine, and it’s amazing, and it’s mysterious. That is why Isaiah says: “Who can explain His generation?” (Isa.53:8). But this, they say, is said about the heavenly birth. What do we answer to Paul, who spoke about both births and then added: “without genealogy”? Having said at first: “without father, without mother,” he then added: “without genealogy,” so that you would believe that Christ has no genealogy, not only by the birth by which He is without a mother, but also by the one by which He is without a father, i.e. according to the earthly. Therefore, the apostle, having mentioned both births, then said: “without genealogy.” After all, this earthly birth of Him is incomprehensible, so that we do not even dare to look at it. If the entrance to the church is so scary and inaccessible, then how can anyone try to enter the sanctuary? I know that the Son of God was born of the Father; but I don’t know how. I know that He was born of a Virgin; but even here I don’t comprehend the image of birth. His birth according to one and the other nature is confessed; but regarding the image of both births it is silent. And just as here, in relation to the Virgin, although I do not know how He was born from the Virgin, I nevertheless confess that He was born, and do not reject the event itself out of ignorance of the method of birth, so do you in relation to the Father: although you do not know how He was born, confess that He was born. And if a heretic says to you: How was the Son born from the Father? - you bring his thought down to earth and tell him: come down from heaven and show how He was born from the Virgin, and then ask about it. Retain him and curb him, and do not allow him to escape or deviate into the labyrinth of conclusions, but restrain him and defeat him not with your hand, but with your word, and do not let him make the rhetorical distinctions and twists that he desires. That is why heretics confuse those with whom they reason, that we follow them, and do not bring them under the laws of the Divine Scriptures. So, surround him on all sides with a wall, with testimonies from the Scriptures, and he will not be able to open his mouth. Tell him: how was (Christ) born of a Virgin? – I will not retreat and will not leave behind. He could not figure out the method of this birth, even if he used thousands of efforts, because when God concludes, who will open? Such deeds are acceptable only by faith alone. If you do not hold back, but demand mental proof, then I will tell you what Christ said to Nicodemus: “If I told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?” (John 3:12). I spoke about the birth of a Virgin, and you do not know and do not dare to open your lips; how do you want to explore the sky? However, oh, if only you would strive to comprehend (only) heaven, and not the Lord of heaven! “If I have told you about earthly things, and you do not believe.” He did not say: “you are not convinced,” but: “you do not believe,” showing us that even earthly things require faith. If earthly things require faith, then heavenly things are much more so. Meanwhile, He then talked with Nicodemus about a much smaller birth - namely, it was about baptism and spiritual rebirth - and yet he said that this too could be accepted (only) by faith. He called it earthly not because it was earthly, but because it takes place on earth and, in comparison with the heavenly birth, ineffable and surpassing all understanding, it is earthly. So, if it is impossible to know how I am reborn from water, but must accept it by faith alone and not investigate the method, then what madness would it be to strive with human considerations to comprehend the heavenly birth of the Only Begotten Son and demand an explanation of the way in which this birth took place? 3. However, it has already been sufficiently shown how the Only Begotten Son of God is without a father and without a mother, and how He has no genealogy by either birth; Let us now return to our subject, postponing the conversation about Melchizedek until another day, and let us intensify our attention, intending to listen to the prophetic parables. Prophetic sayings are like parables; there is much that is difficult in the Old Testament and these books are difficult to understand; and the New Testament is clearer and more understandable. Why, you say, is it arranged this way, although the New Testament speaks about more important subjects - about the Kingdom of Heaven, about the resurrection of bodies and about inexplicable benefits that are even above the human mind? So what is the reason that prophecies are unclear? They predict many disasters for the Jews: that they will be rejected, but we will be accepted, and that their church will be destroyed and will no longer be restored, and Jerusalem will fall and will be accessible to everyone, and that the Jews, having become wanderers, will be scattered throughout the entire universe and, having lost the city, will no longer have the ancient civil structure, but everything that was before will be taken away from them - prophecies, and sacrifices, and the priesthood, and kingdom. And not only about this, but also about many other similar things, the prophets predicted, placing in their books many regrettable tales. Therefore, so that the Jews, having clearly heard about this at the beginning, would not kill those who spoke, they covered their predictions with incomprehensibility and left the events in great darkness, so that the obscurity of what was said would bring safety to them - those who spoke. How is this known? After all, we must also present evidence, although we are talking among friends, because perhaps there are many here who are not friends. Let them also know this, so that they too may become friends. I said that if the Jews had heard about the disasters that were about to befall them, and that Jerusalem would be destroyed for Christ and destroyed forever and irrevocably, if they had clearly heard about this from the prophets, they would have immediately killed those who spoke about it. How is this known? First of all, from the very morals of the Jews, because they were violent and bestial. This is a people who have always thirsted for the blood of the prophets; their hands became accustomed to killing saints. The great Elijah reproaches them for this when he says: “Lord, you have destroyed your altars and killed your prophets with the sword” (1 Kings 19:10). Likewise, Christ says: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to you” (Matthew 23:37). In accordance with this, Isaiah, denouncing them, cried out: “your hands are full of blood” (Is. 1:15). And in turn, Christ said: “you are the sons of those who killed the prophets,” and “build tombs for the prophets:... complete the measure of your fathers” (Matthew 23:29–32). Do you see how both the Lord and the slaves testify to the murderous tendencies of the Jews? What does it mean: “fill up the measure of your fathers”? Kill, he says, Me too; add to the blood of slaves the murder of the Lord. Although they killed many people, they were all slaves like them; when they stretched out their hands to the Lord, the measure was fulfilled - and justly. Until they killed the Lord, they still had hope of salvation and could expect that the Lamb of God would come and take away the sin of the world; but when they killed the Doctor, trampled on the very sacrifice of propitiation and turned away from Him who came to forgive sins, then they already lost all hope. That is why He says: “Complete the measure of your fathers.” So, you say, many testimonies have proven that they are murderers and wicked; but how is it clear that they would not have spared the prophets if they had heard that Jerusalem would be destroyed, that the law would cease, that the Old Testament would be abolished? Although this is very clear from what has been said, I will present an even more obvious proof from the Scriptures themselves. If when they heard a prophet who said that Jerusalem would undergo temporary destruction, then, instead of repenting and turning away the wrath of God, they poured out their rage on such a prophet. And that this is true, listen to the stories yourself. Once the Persians besieged their city, and an army of foreigners surrounded it; the danger was not unknown, but the city of Jerusalem was then already among the network, since the enemies were all armed and stood around; However, despite such obvious danger, when Jeremiah came and told them that the city would be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans, and while this was not even a prophecy - because they saw with their own eyes what was going to happen - while he said the obvious and obvious, these wicked, insensitive and ungrateful to benefactors became so furious that they considered him a traitor and destroyer of the city, and said that he was “weakening the hands of the soldiers who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, speaking to them these words” (Jer. 38:4). Meanwhile, he encouraged them, aroused jealousy in them and turned them to God, protecting them with an indestructible and insurmountable wall. But they, without thinking about any of this, demanded his death. And they always gave such rewards to their benefactors. And although the king forgave, they did not stop raging, but, not having the power to kill the prophet, they threw him into a dirty ditch. 4. If they could not bear the news of temporary captivity, how would they listen to the prediction of permanent slavery? If when Jeremiah said: “You will be taken to Babylon,” they could not patiently hear it, but punished the speaker, then when they heard from the prophets: “You will not be taken to Babylon, but will be scattered throughout the entire universe and will not return from now on,” would they not even drink the blood of those speaking? If this still seems like a guess, then I will present you with clear proof that it was not safe to tell them about the future, i.e. about our honor and about their falling away. Why, tell me, was Stephen, the first fruit of martyrs, stoned? Did they not blame him for this and say: “We heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God”? He said, they said, “that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us” (Acts 6:11, 14), and for that they stoned him. If then they could not patiently hear this, when circumstances already convinced them of this, then how would they tolerate the prophets who predicted this? You heard, beloved, that for words about the church and changing customs they stoned Stephen - listen to how they blamed Christ for the same thing. “He,” they said, “said: I can destroy the church of God and build it in three days” (Matthew 26:61; John 2:19). Do you see how the destruction of the church and the change of customs always aroused their anger? Therefore, although the prophets spoke about this, they did not speak clearly. They wanted to kill Paul because he convinced them to change their customs. How is this known? “You see, brother,” they told him, “and they have heard enough about you, that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to apostatize from Moses” (Acts 21:20–21). Believers could not listen patiently to the teaching about the apostasy of the law: how could those who had not yet believed patiently hear that the law would cease? Thus, we have proven that the Jews would have killed the prophets if they had clearly predicted something like this by the testimonies of the blessed Jeremiah, the first martyr Stephen, Christ himself and the Apostle Paul. They blamed everyone for the same thing, and for this they were killed. And that they would have burned the prophetic books themselves if they had known what was said in them, and I will try to prove this with one historical event, which is hidden to you, but will immediately be very clear, because this is how I will try to present it. What an event this is, listen. “In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: Take you a book scroll and write in it all the words that I spoke to you about Israel and about Judah and about all the nations, from the day that I began to speak to you, from the days of Josiah until this day” (Jer. 36:1-2), i.e. all the disasters that I think to cause them. Look how loving and caring God is. Since they did not want to patiently listen (to My threats) in parts, then collect, he says, all this and increase fear, so that in this way they will correct themselves. Remember the promise: we proposed to prove that they would have destroyed the books themselves if they had realized everything that had now come true. “Perhaps the house of Judah will hear of all the evils—after all, history must be adhered to—that I am planning to do to them, so that they may turn each one from his evil way” (Jer. 36:3). “Perhaps,” says God. Really, tell me, He doesn’t know the future? Didn’t He know whether they would listen, He who knows everything before being, tests hearts and bellies, judges desires and thoughts, before whose eyes everything is naked and open? Why did he say: “Perhaps the house of Judah will hear”? And you need to know this for the sake of those who accuse the Only Begotten of ignorance. So the Father uses expressions characteristic of the one who does not know, because the word: “perhaps” is characteristic of the one who does not know; meanwhile He does not know. Therefore, when you hear the Son saying something similar, then understand it in the same sense, because, like the Son, He imitates the Father in everything. But let us postpone these disputes for a time, so that we do not deviate from the real subject; Now let’s say: why does He say: “Perhaps... he will hear”? If he had said that they would listen without the "maybe" it would have been false because they did not want to listen. If He told the truth that they would not listen, then it would be in vain to send a prophet to those who would not listen. And not only for this reason, but also so that His foresight would not be considered any necessary reason for disobedience, He used vague expressions, so that someone would not say: God foretold, and it certainly had to be fulfilled, as they say about Judas. The Lord predicted, they say, that he would be a traitor, and therefore he became a traitor. Oh madness! Oh, shamelessness! No, man, it is not the foreknowledge of God that is the cause of evil - let it not be - it is not the necessary cause of what is about to happen, but there is only foreknowledge. It was not because Judas became a traitor that Christ predicted this, but because Christ predicted that he would become a traitor. Therefore, here too, so that they would not say that God, having said that they would not listen, blocked their path to repentance, He first rejected this pretext and said to the prophet: “maybe.” 5. Remember the promise; I often remind you of this so that, while I am talking about related subjects, you do not forget the main subject we proposed at the beginning. What was this object? The one that if the Jews knew that the disasters that befell them would happen to them, i.e. the disasters that they are now suffering, they would destroy the books themselves and would not even spare the Divine Scriptures. But let's return to history. Jeremiah, having heard this, calls his disciple Baruch, the son of Neri, and says to him: write in the book all those who are about to suffer disasters (Jer. 36:4). What does it mean? God commanded you, and you send a disciple? Aren't you shy? Aren't you worried? Aren't you afraid? If you are afraid, how will the disciple dare? But nothing of the kind happened, and the reason is given here. Having said: write and read, Jeremiah added: because I am kept in prison (Jer. 36:4-5). Oh, generosity! He was in prison and did not leave the prophecy! Let us pay attention to the courage of the righteous man and the wisdom of his soul. He did not say to himself: so much grief has befallen me for these bold speeches. I spent countless words and had no success, and did not gain anything for myself, except that I was put in bonds, and God had not yet delivered me from these bonds, when he again sent me to the same beasts. He didn’t say anything like that and didn’t even think about it, but had only one thing in mind, how to fulfill the command of the Lady; and since he himself could not, he fulfilled it through a disciple. He says: read to them and declare all disasters, because “I am imprisoned.” Thus, Jeremiah spoke, and Baruch wrote in the book. It was the time of Lent when this happened; a holiday was approaching, calling everyone to the capital; there should have been a general meeting, since the necessary subjects had to be discussed in the meeting. Baruch came to the leaders and read into the ears of the leaders “the words of Jeremiah written in the scroll in the house of the Lord”; He also said the reason: “Perhaps,” he says, “they will offer humble prayer before the Lord” (Jer. 36:7, 10), so that they would not think that he spoke as an accuser, but, having learned that he had come to heal them, they would become more meek. What are they? When they should have expressed gratitude, praise and wonder, they did nothing of the kind, but went and reported to the king about what was written in the book, and placed the book in Elisham’s house. “The king,” says Jeremiah, “sent Jehudiah,” one of those standing before him, ordered to bring the book. “The king at that time, in the ninth month, was sitting in the winter house” (Jer. 36:21–22), i.e. in November. Calls it the ninth, counting from March; this must be known precisely because if he had counted from September, then it could not have been winter then. Why is this added? You will learn this clearly from what follows. “And a brazier was burning before him”; The coals were hot, he says, because it was cold. Do you see how nothing is omitted from Divine Scripture? And fiery burning coals were before him; and the nobles stood near him. A book was brought, filled with predictions of countless blessings (because the prediction of disasters was deliverance from disasters), and was read. Please remember the promise. “When Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them on the fire in the brazier until the entire scroll that was in the brazier was destroyed by the fire” (Jer. 36:23). Do you see how they don’t even spare books? How do they not even abstain before the Divine Scriptures? Since the book spoke of the captivity of Jerusalem, he cut it up, and, not finding the prophet, poured out his anger on the book. And whoever is so furious against inanimate things, what would he not do if he found someone gifted with a soul? Just as wild animals, having caught those fighting with them, after they run away, leaving their skins in the mouths of the animals, tear the skins themselves to satisfy their anger, so did the king. He did not find the person to whom the scroll belonged, and he cut up the scroll itself, and not only cut it up, but also threw it into the “fire in the brazier” so that no trace of those writings would remain. But you have not yet learned all of his rage; You’ll recognize it completely if you carefully delve into the story. It is not said that he read the entire book and then burned it; but: “I read three or four columns, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them on the fire.” I didn’t even wait to finish reading, but at the very beginning I immediately became embittered. Therefore, it was not safe for the prophets to clearly predict all future disasters for the Jews. If the king could not patiently listen about temporary captivity, then how would he bear it if he learned about permanent captivity? But he did not stop there either, but sent, they say, to look for the prophet everywhere; however, he did not find it because God hid it. God then covered this one up with a place, and the other prophets with the obscurity of their stories. 6. And not only from this will it be clear to us that speaking to the Jews about the future honor and glory of the pagans, and about the dishonor awaiting them themselves, was an act too bold and characteristic of a soul clearly rushing into danger, but also from the words of Paul. He, seeing one of the prophets who revealed a little of these prophecies and spoke more clearly than the others both about our blessings and about the misfortunes of the Jews, was amazed and surprised at his courage, and said this: “But Isaiah boldly says: Those who did not seek Me found me; I have revealed myself to those who did not ask about Me” (Rom. 10:20). “I have revealed myself to those who did not ask about Me; Those who did not look for Me found Me. “Here I am! Here I am!” “I spoke to the people who were not called by My name” (Is. 65:1). And if the prediction were not associated with danger, then why did Paul say: “But Isaiah boldly says: Those who did not seek Me have found Me”? This is truly the greatest accusation against the Jews. Those who did not seek found, and those who sought did not receive; those who did not hear believed, but those who heard crucified (Christ). That's why he called Isaiah brave. Indeed, the greatest courage was to stand among those exposed and pronounce accusations without mercy, clearly in his prophecy depriving them of honor, and giving others the glory due to them. The court of his listeners all consisted of his accusers; and with hostile judges, who can avoid danger? That is why the apostle says: “But Isaiah speaks boldly.” However, I want to prove this to you even more clearly. The Scriptures speak unclearly about the Jews and about us so that the Jews would not understand what is being said ahead of time. As a witness of this too, I present the most noble-voiced Paul, who spoke from above, the trumpet of heaven, the chosen vessel, the friend of the Bridegroom - Christ. “I have betrothed you to one husband,” he says, “in order to present you to Christ as a pure virgin” (2 Cor. 11:2). I present to you such a witness, who clearly states that it is for this purpose that something, but not everything, is hidden in the Old Testament Scripture. If everything had to be unclear, then it would have been in vain to proclaim it to the people of that time. But the prophecies also speak of the temporary wars of that time, pestilences, famines; It also talks about what is happening now, about the calling of the Church, the rejection of the synagogue, the abolition of the law. It pleased God that the Jews should not know about the latter; and they knew about the first one that happened in their times. This is what I will try to prove, i.e., that God left unclear only the circumstances concerning us and the synagogue, real events and the abolition of the law; This they should not have known from that time. If they had first known that the law was given for a time, they would of course have despised it; That's why God made it hidden. And that not every prophecy was unclear, but only this part was covered up, listen to Paul, who clearly shows us both, that is, that the law was covered up, and only in this part. In his letter to the Corinthians, he says this: “Having this hope, we act with great boldness, and not as Moses, who put a veil on his face, so that the children of Israel would not look at the end of this passing thing. But their minds are blinded: for the same veil remains untaken to this day when the Old Testament is read, because it is removed by Christ” (2 Cor. 3:12-14). These words may not be clear; Therefore, we need to explain them by reminding you of the story itself. When Moses, having received the tablets on the mountain, intended to descend from there, such an indescribable and wondrous glory shone from his holy face that none of the people could approach him and talk with him. Therefore, in order not to be completely inaccessible to the people, he put a veil over his face and thus gave the Jews the opportunity to handle him without fear. He wore this veil when talking with the people, and when turning to God, he took it off again. This happened both so that the legislator would gain trust from those who were to receive the law he brought, and at the same time so that the image of the truth would be predetermined in it and the reason for the economy of Christ would be predetermined. Since some had to say: why did Christ come not with naked Divinity, but clothed in flesh? - then long before, through the face of the slave, all such objections were warned. If the Jews were not able to see the glory of the slave, which was later given to him, then how could they then look at the naked Divinity? 7. And not only does the veil of Moses show us this, but also that the Jews also experience the same thing in relation to the law that they then experienced in relation to the face of Moses. Just as they did not behold the glory of the face of the lawgiver because the veil lay in the way, so they cannot now see the glory of the law. We also need this against heretics. Thinking that what was said served to condemn the law, they seized on this place of the message; Having heard that the law has a “veil” and that it “passes away,” and taking this as a reproach, they left the Scriptures to be guided by their own speculations. Meanwhile, this very thing testifies to the greatness of the law. Just as then the fact that he had a veil on his face did not serve to condemn Moses, but showed the weakness of the Jews, but for Moses it was even the greatest praise when his face shone with such glory that he needed a veil for slaves like him, so it happened with the law. If the law did not have an unapproachable glory, then there would be no need for a veil. Therefore, when the apostle says that “the veil remains unlifted until now when reading the Old Testament,” he expresses its vagueness. When he says: “Because it is removed by Christ,” he points us to that part of the law that is not clear. That part of the law that taught us life and behavior was not unclear, otherwise it would have been given in vain, but only those parts of it were hidden, from which we could learn that the law was abolished through Christ. Truly, and this was the work of the wisdom of God - to introduce a law that says about itself that Christ, having come, will abolish it, and that in Christ it will cease. So, that part of the law that says that in Christ the law will cease - this is the only thing that is not clear. And clarifying this very thing, the great Paul added: “To this day it remains unremoved, because it is removed by Christ.” So that you, having heard that “the same veil remains unlifted to this day when reading the Old Testament,” do not think that it is all unclear and hidden, the apostle corrects such bewilderment with this addition. Having said: “the veil remains untaken to this day,” he added: “because it is removed by Christ.” That very thing, he says, is not revealed, which was to be abolished in Christ; however, it is not open to those who have not begun to believe; and he who has approached and received the grace of the Holy Spirit no longer sees the law under a veil, but contemplates its revealed glory. The glory of the law is that it could teach that in Christ it is abolished, so that you might know this too. Do you see the glory of the law? His true glory is when he can lead you to Christ, and he leads when he makes clear that he himself will be abolished. Consequently, from here too a mortal wound is inflicted on heretics. If the law were contrary and hostile to Christ and not given by Him, then Paul should not have called the glory of the law that it can teach those who approach it that through Christ it is abolished. On the other hand, if the law were bad, then the veil should not be removed from it, but it should remain covered even after grace. If grace makes those who approach it more discerning in understanding the law, so that from here they receive the beginnings and all the incentives to faith in Christ, then what better proof could anyone give of the affinity of the law with grace than that Christ opens the eyes of those who approach Him so that they can see the guidance of the law, and the law, having been revealed and made clear, can with great ease guide those who understand the works of Christ? Thus, this shows that neither Christ is at enmity against the law, nor the law against Jesus, but quite the opposite: the law prepares people for this great wisdom, and Christ accepts them from there and elevates them to the height of perfection. For all this, let us give thanks to the philanthropic God, who arranges everything in due time and works out our salvation in many ways, and let us lead a life worthy of His philanthropy and such providence as we can, so that we may receive future blessings, which may we all be worthy of by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, honor, power, forever and ever. Amen. More about the obscurity of the Old Testament, and about God’s love for mankind, and about the fact that “we should not judge one another” 1. The shepherd rejoices when he sees his herd of oxen healthy and fat; The farmer also rejoices when he sees his fields blooming; but the farmer does not rejoice in his fields, and the shepherd in his oxen, as I now rejoice and admire, looking at this beautiful threshing floor, filled with these spiritual sheaves. When the word of piety is sown in so many and such listeners, then abundant and ripe ears of obedience must quickly grow. When someone makes furrows in deep and rich soil, then, even if he did not scatter the seeds with a generous hand, he will receive abundant fruits, because the property of the terrain with its own power makes up for the scarcity of seeds. Likewise, the one who sows into obedient and pious souls, even if he sows meager seeds of teaching, will see a rich harvest, because the wisdom of the listeners covers the poverty of the speaker. The same thing happens in fishing. Even if the fishermen were inexperienced, if they cast nets into a bay rich in fish, they easily retrieve the catch, because the multitude of fish that flocked covered their inexperience. If in such fishing the multitude of those who are to be caught often rewards the inexperience of the fisher, then all the more so it will happen in this spiritual fishing. Those fish, as soon as they see the nets being thrown, immediately deviate and run away; but you do the opposite: when you see someone standing up and spreading the net of teaching, then not only do you not shy away or run away, but you go further inward, flocking from all sides, and each, pushing and crowding his neighbor, tries to be the first to approach and get into the net. Therefore, we never retrieved the net empty, not because of our experience, but because of your diligence. So, the tongue, which exudes genuine and pure gold and has springs of honey on the lips, has already sufficiently delighted us, or better yet, with the sweetness of spiritual teaching surpassing the sweetness of every honeycomb - I mean the language of blessed Paul. But since you, according to your characteristic philosophy, do not disparage what I have, poor and meager, but, marveling at the most excellent, come to listen to the words of our poverty, then I went out with zeal to repay you the debt that I promised before, but did not fulfill, because the vastness of the teaching prevented us from reaching the end. What kind of debt is this? It is necessary to remind you about the beginning of the loan, so that, knowing the subject more clearly, you can study it. We examined then why the Old Testament is darker than the New - you, of course, remember this - and expressed only one reason - the rudeness of the listeners, and brought Paul as a witness, who says: “For the same veil remains untaken until now in the reading of the Old Testament, because it is removed by Christ” (2 Cor. 3:14). We have shown that just as Moses the lawgiver had a veil, so the law had a veil - obscurity; but this veil did not serve either to reproach the legislator or to condemn the law, but exposed the weakness of the listeners, because Moses had the veil not for himself, but for those who could not bear the glory of his face; when he turned to the Lord, then he took off the veil. So the law, not yet being able to teach the teachings perfect and filled with wisdom, the teachings about Christ and the New Testament - all of which was contained in the Old Testament Scripture, as if in a treasury - had a veil, condescending to the Jews, and for us keeping all the wealth, so that this veil would be removed when Christ comes and we turn to Him. So, you see to what dignity the coming of Christ brought us—it elevated us to the level of Moses. But perhaps someone will say: why then was something announced that could not be clear to them? In order for it to benefit subsequent people. The virtue of prophecy is not to announce present events, but to predict future ones. When a prophecy is expressed in secret, then after the fulfillment the event becomes clearer, but before the fulfillment it does not. Thus, being expressed in secret, it was dark, but when the events were fulfilled, what was said became clearer. And so that you can be convinced that a prophecy, expressed even for a long time, but expressed in secret, is unclear while awaiting the fulfillment of events, I will show you this from the example of the disciples themselves (Christ). “Destroy this church,” Christ said to the Jews (John 2:19). Precisely, when He drove out those who desecrated the church with trade, they said: “What sign will you prove to us that you have the power to do this?” To this he replied: “Destroy this church, and in three days I will raise it up... But He spoke of the church of His body” (John 2:18–19, 21). This was some kind of prophecy, because there had not yet been either the Cross, or the destruction of the Church, or the three-day resurrection that He himself performed. And look at how accurately He expressed both of them - both the audacity of the Jews and His own strength. But, however, they did not understand what was being said. And it is not at all surprising that the Jews did not understand, when even His disciples, as the Scripture says, did not understand until He rose from the dead; and then “they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus spoke” (John 2:22). 2. You see that they needed the fulfillment of events so that the prophecy would become clear, and that the Jews were not guilty of not understanding those prophecies about Christ before the coming of Christ, because with His coming the prophecies would become understandable and clear. Listen to what Christ Himself says: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin” (John 15:22). Why would they not have sin when the prophecies were foretold? Because although they foretold, they were not clear and understandable before the coming of the One about whom it was predicted. If even then the prophecies were clear and understandable to the Jews, then it is obvious that even before His coming they would have had sin; if they had no sin, then it is obvious from the obscurity and secrecy of what was said. Moreover, before the coming of Christ, faith in Christ was not required of them. Why was it predicted then? So that when He comes, they will have home teachers to guide them, and they will know that these events are not new and this dispensation is not recent, but that it was foretold about it long ago, for a long time; and this could attract them to faith quite a bit. So, here is one reason for the ambiguity (of the prophecies), which we confirmed with many testimonies in the previous conversation. But in order not to bore you by saying the same thing again and again, you need to leave it and talk about another reason, which makes the Old Testament not dark and incomprehensible, but more difficult for us - after all, it is another thing to not understand anything of what is proposed and to see the veil lying, and another thing to comprehend what is said, but only to comprehend with difficulty. So what is the second reason why the Old Testament is more difficult than the New? The Old Testament that we have is not written in our natural dialect: it is written in one language, and we read it in another; At first it was written in Hebrew, but we accepted it in Greek. But when they translate from one language to another, then they encounter many difficulties. Those knowledgeable in many languages ​​know well the extent to which it is impossible to convey with all clarity the speech of one’s natural language when translated into another language. This was the reason for the difficulty of the Old Testament. Three hundred years before the coming of Christ, under the Egyptian king Ptolemy, the Old Testament was translated into Greek; and it was very useful and necessary. While he belonged to one Jewish people, he remained in the Hebrew language until then, because no one else would then listen to him, since the rest of the human race was in extreme rudeness. When Christ was about to appear and call the whole universe to Himself not only through the apostles, but also through the prophets - after all, they also lead us to faith and knowledge of Christ - then finally God made the prophecies, as if some entrances and paths, previously blocked by the obscurity of language, open on all sides through translation, so that everyone, flocking from everywhere from among the pagans and with great convenience passing along these paths, could come along them to King of the Prophets and worship the Only Begotten Son of God. Therefore, even before the coming of Christ, they were all translated; if they remained only in the Hebrew dialect, and meanwhile David said: “Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thy inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Thy possession” (Ps. 2:8), then how could a Syrian, or a Galatian, or a Macedonian, or an Athenian, know what was being said, given the ambiguity of Scripture? Also, when Isaiah cried: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearers is silent” (Is. 53:7); and again: “to the root of Jesse, which will become like a banner for the nations, the Gentiles will turn, and its rest will be glory” (Is. 11:10); and again: “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Is. 11:9). Also, when David again said: “All nations, clasp your hands, shout to God with a voice of joy” (Ps. 46:2); and again: “The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool” (Ps. 109:1). 3. Therefore, since in the Old Testament it was predicted about suffering, and about the resurrection, and about the ascension, and about sitting on the right hand, and about the second coming of Christ, and about everything in general that is contained in the New Testament, so that this would not remain unknown to subsequent peoples and so that they would not be ignorant of the power of prophecy, the grace of God, even before the coming of Christ, prepared the translation of the Scriptures and made them useful not only to those converted from the Gentiles, but also to those Jews who were scattered throughout the entire universe and no longer used the Hebrew language. Thus the Gentile also believed, looking at the signs of the Jews. In turn, how could the apostles convert the Jew if they had not introduced him to a home teacher-prophet? If Paul, having come to Athens, needed the inscription inscribed on the altar, and from it he extracted a lesson to the Athenians, hoping to more easily defeat them with their own weapons, which happened, then even more so, when talking with the Jews, he needed help from the prophets, so that they would not accuse him of offering something new and strange to their ears. But why, you say, shouldn’t there be one language so that we don’t encounter any difficulties? Yes, man, in ancient times there was one language, and just as people have one nature, so everyone had one language. In the beginning there was no foreign language, there was no contradictory language, there was no Indian, no Thracian, no Scythian, but everyone spoke the same language. What, you say, was the reason (differences in languages)? We, always unappreciative of the Benefactor, turned out to be unworthy of this one language. What are you saying? Have you found yourself unworthy of language? And dumb animals all have their own language; sheep bleat, goats bleat, a bull moos, a horse neighs, a lion roars, a wolf howls, a dragon whistles; each of the wordless retained its own sound, and I alone lost my language? Wild and meek, tame and indomitable animals remained each with their own language, which was inherited to them in the beginning, and I, their ruler, am deprived of this honor? Their honor is unchanged, but I have lost the gifts of God? What sin, so great, have I committed? Were the previous punishments really not enough? God gave me Paradise - and expelled me from Paradise; I led a life free from sorrows and labors - He condemned me to sweat and exhaustion; the earth provided me with everything without sowing and without a plow - He commanded it to grow thorns and thistles, and turned me back into it; He punished me with death, and subjected the female sex to the diseases of birth and labor as punishment. These punishments were not enough - He took away my tongue, deprived me of this honor, so that I would turn away from my brothers and sisters, like wild animals, separating myself with my tongue from communication with them. I have extended this objection so that when I bring the solution, the victory will be all the more brilliant. If God wanted, you say, to deprive me of all this, then why did he give it to me in the beginning? Do you want me to extract a solution from here, from this very objection? There are so many excuses for God that the very objection of the enemy, without any addition on our part, is enough to refute the accusations. If he wanted to deprive me of all this, then why did he give it to me in the beginning? And I will say the same thing: if He wanted to deprive you of all this, then why did He give it? This means that He gave it to you in the beginning because He did not want to take it away from you. What happened? It was not God who took it away from you, but you yourself who lost what was given to you. Be amazed at His love for mankind, for which He gave, and blame yourself for the frivolity for which you did not keep the gift. Thus, it is obvious that the one who gave the bail is not at fault; and he is subject to prosecution who has lost his bail. God proved that He loved, was philanthropic and wanted to give, while no one forced Him or forced Him - not out of surprise at your merits, and not having the need to reward you for any work, but immediately after creating you, immediately He gave you this advantage in order to show that this gift was not a reward for merit, but grace alone. If you did not keep what was given, then blame yourself, and not the One who gave you the gift. But can we only say this for the Lord? Of course, this justification is enough; but His infinite goodness and ineffable love for mankind presents us with many other justifications. It’s not just that we can say that He gave and you lost, although the Giver is thus freed from accusations, or better yet, still worthy of the greatest surprise for the fact that, even foreseeing how you would lose, He did not deprive you of the gift; but I can say something else, much more. What is it? The fact that even after you lost through your own frivolity, He again returned to you what was lost, or better yet, not only what was lost, but much more than that. You lost Paradise, but He gave you Heaven. Do you see how gain is greater than loss, how much more abundant is this wealth? He gave you Heaven in order to demonstrate His love for mankind and to wound the devil, showing that even though the devil makes thousands of intrigues against the human race, he will not achieve any success, since God always leads us to the highest honor. So, you lost Paradise, and God opened Heaven to you; you are condemned to temporary labor - and awarded eternal life; He commanded the earth to bring forth thorns and thistles, and the soul brought forth for you the fruit of the Spirit. 4. And look to what extent God’s love for mankind has descended. Those who have lost something of their possessions, even if they have acquired more and more precious things, still try to find what they lost, and are not satisfied until they have returned it. So to you, when you lost Paradise, God gave not only Heaven, but also Paradise and Heaven. “Today you will be with Me in Paradise,” He says (Luke 23:43), in order to console the grieving soul not only with the addition of more, but also with the return of what was lost. However, if you like, let’s turn to the very subject of our speech and see how we lost our language. History contributes no little to security; whoever knows the state of previous security will be more careful in other respects. It is necessary to tell you everything, namely, that in ancient times all people had one language and that later it split into many. How long was he alone and when did he split into many? And did that same language disappear when others came into use, or did it remain when others came into use? Why was it mixed and for what reason? Then in which of these many languages ​​was the Old Testament written - because of which we touched upon all this - was it ancient and primitive, or those that came later? But don't be afraid; although we cannot tell you all this today, we will, of course, tell you later. Why, without intending to tell you everything today, did we list to you the contents of all our debts? So that when you expect payment, you always have us in your mind. After all, someone who has lent money to someone and has a debtor who has not yet paid the debt, thinks everywhere about his debtor at meals, at home, in the square, and on his bed; The love of money makes the debtor, along with the money, constantly inherent in the soul of the lender. Therefore, we have declared our debts, so that from the hope of payment we will always be in your souls, both at home and in the square, and wherever you are; but today we will not pay all our debts, so that through waiting for what remains, we will leave you with a reason to remember us. Truly, a strong support for us is to constantly use your love, the love of such and such a great people. He who uses love will, of course, also use prayer; and how great this benefit is can be seen from the following. That Paul, who was caught up to the third heaven, heard unspeakable words, conquered all the needs of nature, being finally in perfect safety, still needed the prayer of his disciples and said: “I beseech you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive with me in prayers for me to God” (Rom. 15:30); and again: “Pray with all prayer and supplication at all times in the Spirit, and strive for this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints and for me, that the word may be given to me” (Eph. 6:18-19). And everywhere you see that he either asks for prayers from his students, or thanks them upon receipt. And lest anyone say that Paul resorts to the prayers of his disciples out of humility, he also shows their power when he says this: “Who also delivered us from so close death, and is delivering, and in whom we hope to deliver again, with the assistance of your prayer for us, so that for what has been given to us, through the intercession of many, many may give thanks for us” (2 Cor. 1:10-11). If the prayer of the people saved Paul from danger, then how should we not expect great fruits from such intercession? When we pray on our own, we are weak, but when we come together, we become stronger; That’s why we pray to God publicly and with mutual help. Likewise, a king often, having condemned someone to death, does not bend to the request of one person for the condemned person; but if the whole city begs, then it relents, and due to the large number of those pleading, it frees the one led into the abyss from condemnation and returns to life. Such is the power of popular prayer. This is why we all gather here, to more successfully bend God to mercy; praying on our own, we, as I said above, are weak, but when we offer prayer in a union of love, we beg God to grant us what we ask for. I say this not in vain and not only for myself, but so that you always hurry to meetings, so that you do not say: well, can’t I pray at home? You can pray, but this prayer does not have as great power as that which is performed together with fellow members, when the entire body of the Church unanimously and unanimously sends out a petition, in the presence of priests offering the prayers of the whole people. 5. Do you want to know what is the power of prayer performed in the Church? Peter was once imprisoned and bound with many chains. “The Church diligently prayed to God for him” (Acts 12:5), and immediately freed him from prison. What could be stronger than this prayer, which benefited the pillars and strongholds of the Church? Paul and Peter are the strongholds and pillars of the Church: and on one of them she broke the bonds, and opened the mouth of the other. But in order to show its profound power not only from the events of that time, but from those taking place every day, we will remind you of the prayer itself performed by the people. If one of the ordinary people ordered you, each on his own, to pray for the salvation of the bishop, then each, of course, would refuse as a burden exceeding his strength. When you all together hear the deacon commanding this in the words: let us pray for the bishop, and for old age, and for intercession, that the word of truth may rightly rule, and for those who are here and everywhere, then do not refuse to fulfill the command, but, realizing the power of your congregation, diligently offer up prayer. Those initiated into the mysteries know what I am talking about; this has not yet been granted to the prayers of the catechumens, since they have not reached such boldness, but the one serving during prayers commands you to offer them both about the universe, and about the Church, which extends to the ends of the earth, and about all the bishops who govern it - and you obey readily, testifying with your very deeds that the power of prayer is great, according to the people offered in the church. However, let us return to our subject, to the fact that in ancient times there was one language. So, how do we know that there was one language? “In all the earth,” it is said, “there was one language and one speech” (Gen. 11:1). These words are not clear. Does the earth have mouths? No; what and what is being said here? It is not this insensitive and motionless earth that is spoken of here, but this is what Scripture called the entire race of people, reminding them of their own nature, reminding them of the mother from which they came. This is a living being, i.e. Man, dually, consists of two natures, sensory and spiritual, i.e. from soul and body, and has an affinity with both heaven and earth. With his spiritual nature he has communication with higher powers, and with his sensory nature he comes into contact with earthly objects, forming a certain close connection between one and the other creation. Therefore, when he does something pleasing to God, he is called spiritual, receiving this name not from the soul, but from another higher dignity - from the action of the Spirit - since the soul is not enough for us to do good deeds if we do not receive that help. And so that you can be convinced that to do good deeds our soul is not enough for us - but what am I saying: to do good deeds? Even to be able to understand the verbs (of God), the apostle says: “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:14). Just as he calls the one carnal who is servile to the flesh, so he calls the one spiritual who entrusts matters to human reasoning and does not accept the actions of the Spirit. But we are called, as I said, spiritual when we do good deeds; and when we sin, fall and do something unworthy of our nobility, then Scripture calls us by our lower nature - it calls us earth. So here too, intending to condemn some, namely those who built the tower, exalted themselves with pride, began to think of themselves above their dignity - intending to condemn their pride, it called them by their lower nature, saying: “The whole earth had one language.” And so that you are convinced that it calls us this way when we sin, God called Adam this way after sin, saying: “For dust you are, and to dust you will return” (Gen. 3:19), although Adam was not only earth, but also had an immortal soul. Why is it called earth? Because I sinned. And when God created him, he didn’t call him that, but how? “Let us make man in our image [and] after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, [and over the beasts,]... and let all the beasts of the earth fear and tremble at you” throughout the whole earth (Gen. 1:26, 9:2). Do you see what are the advantages of nature (human), what are the honors, what are the praises? But this is a shame; and after sin: “you are dust and to dust you will return.” Listen to how Malachi foreshadows the same thing, or better yet, God through the prophet: “Behold, I will send you,” He says, “Elijah the prophet.” Why will he send it? “And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Mal.4:5-6). Since that terrible and terrible judgment is about to take place, so that the Judge does not condemn some unrequited ones to punishment, and so that Elijah, having come and predicted that the approach of judgment is close at the door, makes people prudent - after all, what has been said for many years is usually neglected - then the named prophet will come to renew this in our memory. However, now it is necessary to prove that those who sin are called earth. 6. So, having said: “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,” God added: “lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” And He strikes those who sin. Do you see that those who sin are called earth? And, in turn, in another place, preaching about Christ, the prophet said this: “And righteousness will be the girdle of His loins, and truth will be the girdle of His thighs” (Is. 11:5). Not because God has ribs and loins - after all, the Deity is incorporeal - but by this he points us to the incorruptibility and infallibility of the Judge’s verdict, to the fact that He has no place for slanderers, offenders, bribery with money, or ignorance of the truth. In these courts, the innocent are punished, and the guilty escape punishment, because the truth is often distorted; and when the Righteous and Infallible Judge comes, girded with righteousness around His loins and entwined with truth around His side, then everyone will receive their due with accuracy. “And with the rod of his mouth he will smite the earth” (Is. 11:4). And so that you can be convinced that he is not talking about the earth, but about sinners, he added: “And with the breath of his mouth he will kill the wicked.” Do you see that here too sinners are called earth? Knowing this, when you hear that “he was throughout the whole earth,” you, in turn, will understand human nature. With this, Scripture reminds us of our own insignificance, because it is a great good to consider our kinship and know what we are made of. Consideration of nature is a sufficient teaching of humility; it can tame all passions and bring peace to the soul. Therefore, someone offered this admonition: “take heed to yourself,” reflect on your nature and its structure, and this is enough for you to constantly humble yourself (Deut. 15:9). Therefore, righteous Abraham constantly contained this thought within himself and never became arrogant. Conversing with God, having such boldness before Him and receiving from Him evidence of his virtue, he said: “I am dust and ashes” (Gen. 18:27). And the other, wanting to pacify an arrogant man, does not expand much, but only reminds him of his nature and strongly admonishes him, saying: “Why is earth and ashes proud?” (Sir.10:9). But are you telling me about what happens after death? Tame him while he's alive. Now he does not know that he is earth and ashes. He sees the beauty of the body, sees the power, the helpfulness of the flatterers, the parasites accompanying him, dresses in precious clothes, puts on great signs of power, and this ghost seduces him and makes him forget about nature. We know that we are earth and ashes, but we, the humble, know; and he does not expect proof of this at his death, does not go to the graves and tombs of his ancestors, but looks at the present, without thinking at all about the future. Teach him here that he is earth and ashes. Wait, he says; I will teach him not this, but another, much more humiliating one, so that when he becomes vain, he will recognize his insignificance, so that he can receive medicine during his lifetime. Having said: “Why are the earth and ashes proud?” - he added: “and during his life his entrails are erupted” (Sir.10:10). What does it mean: “and during his lifetime his entrails are erupted”? These words may not be clear. He calls the insides the womb, he calls the belly filled with feces, a lot of uncleanness and stench, not in order to condemn nature, but to lead to humility. “And during his lifetime his entrails are erupted.” Do you see the humiliation and decay of the creature? Do not wait until the day of death to be convinced of your weakness; but look at a person while he is still alive, delve into his insides with your thoughts - and you will see all his insignificance. However, don't be discouraged; not out of hatred towards us, but sparing us, God arranged it in such a way as to give us a great reason for humility. If a man, being earth and ashes, dared to say: “I will ascend into heaven” (Is. 14:13), then where would he not have been carried away by his thoughts if he had not had a bridle by nature? So, when you see someone being puffed up, raising his head, raising his eyebrows, rushing on a chariot, expressing a threat, throwing him into prison, putting him to death, causing offense, then tell him: “Why is the earth and ashes proud? And during his lifetime his insides are erupted." This can be said not only about a private person, but also about the person sitting on the royal throne. Look not at the scarlet robe, and not at the diadem, and not at the golden clothes, but examine nature itself - and you will not see in it anything more than among ordinary people; or better, look, if you want, at the purple, and the diadem, and the clothes, and all this pomp, and you will again see that this too consists of earth. “All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field” (Isaiah 40:6). Now, all this decoration turns out to be even below the ground. Do you see how pride tames, how all arrogance is overthrown by reflection on nature itself? It is enough just to think about what we are and what we are made of - and the arrogance of thoughts will immediately disappear. This is why God created us from two natures, so that when you exalt yourself with pride, the baseness of the flesh will humble you; and when you think of something ignoble and unworthy of the honor bestowed upon you by God, the nobility of your soul would lead you to compete with the powers of heaven. 7. Not only is the examination of nature useful for the destruction of pride, but when some other passion angers us, for example, the passion for money, or this obscene and debauched passion for bodily beauty, it can tame the passion. Therefore, when you see a beautiful woman, with a bright gaze, cheerful, with shining cheeks, with extraordinary beauty in her face, inflaming your thoughts and arousing desire, then imagine that the object of your surprise is the earth, that the ashes ignite you - and your soul will cease to rage. Open the skin of her face, and then you will see all the insignificance of her beauty; do not stop at the surface, but penetrate deeper with your thoughts - and you will not find anything more than bones, nerves and veins. But isn't that enough? Imagine that she has changed, grown old, fell ill, that her eyes are sunken, her cheeks drooped, all her former color has faded; think about why you are surprised, and be ashamed of your judgment. You are surprised by the dirt and ashes, you are set on fire by the dust and dust. I say this without condemning nature - let it not be - without humiliating it or exposing it to contempt, but I wanted to prepare medicine for the sick. God created her this way, so humble, in order to show both his own strength and his care for us, by the frailty of nature, disposing us to humility and taming all our passions, and at the same time revealing his wisdom, by which he could form such great beauty even in dirt. Therefore, when I despise nature, I discover the art of the Creator. Just as we are more surprised at a sculptor not when he produces for us a beautiful statue of gold, but when he produces an accurate and perfect image from a dirty substance, so we are surprised and praise the highest Artist - God, because He put extraordinary beauty into ashes and dirt and revealed some ineffable wisdom in our bodies. And He did this not only in our body, but in all creation. Having created creatures mostly from insignificant substances, He put into them a clear proof of His own art, and at the same time imprinted on them some signs of the frailty of nature, so that you would be amazed at the Creator by the art and beauty, and by the frailty and insignificance of nature and nature you would not worship the creatures. The sun is brilliant when it shines and illuminates the entire universe; but with the onset of night it becomes eclipsed. “What,” says the Wise One, “is brighter than the sun? But it is also eclipsed” (Sir.17:30); and not only at night, but also during the day. The sun often disappears during the day so that you marvel at the Artist for his art and do not bow to the creature due to its weakness. Do you see the sky, how large this body is, how beautiful it is, how brilliant and superior in appearance to our bodies? But it is soulless. Do you see both proof of skill and revelation of weakness? Do you see the warnings offered to you from both sides? So that you do not accuse the Creator of weakness, He created beautiful creatures; and so that you would not worship creatures as gods, He created them partly weak. Remember this always. We explain the Scriptures not only so that you understand them, but so that you can correct your morals. If this does not happen, then we read in vain, we explain in vain. Just as a wrestler who comes to the wrestling school, anoints himself and uses the guidance of the teacher, would come to this school in vain if, when the fight comes, he does not use his art, so you, who come here and study all the tricks and intrigues of the devil, would come here in vain if, when the time of exploits comes, you fall, seeing a handsome face, or being exalted with pride, or being carried away by some other vicious thought. Remember these words, spoken not against our nature, but against obscene desires; It is not nature that we condemn with our speech, but desires. This is how you subdue your anger, this is how you tame your lust, this is how you curb your pride. “The whole earth had one language and one speech” (Gen. 11:1). This is the subject of our research. It is not about the earth that is spoken here, but about the fact that all people had one language. Why is the language called “one dialect”? Scripture usually calls speech this way, i.e. tongue. And this is necessary to know for the sake of heretics who condemn God’s creation and say that the body is evil. Since the evil movements of the heart in Scripture are signified by the names of bodily members, for example: “they have sharpened their tongue like that of a serpent” (Ps. 139:4), “their tongue is a sharp sword” ( Ps. 56:5), that is why some think that this is talking about the tongue. We are not talking about the tongue here - let it not be, it is, after all, a creation of God - but about murderous words that kill people and strike more powerfully than the sword. “Their tongue is a sharp sword”; and again: “flattering lips (speak) from the heart, and from the heart they speak evil” (Ps. 11:3), - this is not said about a bodily member, but about crafty speech. So here, in the words: “on all the earth there was one language,” Scripture does not teach that all people had one mouth, but it called the tongue lips; therefore, after the words: “there was one language throughout the whole earth,” it added: “and one dialect.” In the same way, when it says: “Their larynx is an open tomb” (Ps. 5:10), it condemns not the larynx, but the evil speeches emanating from it, the dead teaching; it really is a coffin, a receptacle for dead bones and bodies. Such are the lips of those who reproach the Creator; Such are the mouths of those people who speak shamefully, slander, and vomit from their throats words that are foul and obscene. 8. Fill your throat, O man, with fragrance, and not with stench; make it a royal treasury, and not a satanic tomb. If it is already a coffin, then at least close it so that the stench does not come out of it. Do you have bad thoughts? Do not endure them through words; let them lie below, and they will soon die out. We are people who often harbor many vicious, obscene and shameful thoughts; but let us not allow these thoughts to turn into words, so that, squeezed below, they weaken and perish. Like the one who threw various ferocious animals into a pit, if he closes this pit from above, he will easily strangle them, and if he leaves at least some way out and even a small opportunity to breathe, then he will give them great relief and not only will not strangle them, but will make them even more ferocious; this also happens with vicious thoughts when they arise within. If we block their exit to the outside, we will soon destroy them; and if we release them through words, allowing them to catch their breath through the tongue, then we make them stronger and from engaging in shameful words we soon fall into the abyss of obscene deeds. That is why the prophet called the larynx not just a coffin, but an “open coffin,” condemning the very thing I said; whoever utters shameful words not only disgraces himself, but spreads a great infection between his neighbors and those who treat him. And just as, by opening the coffins, we would fill the cities with infection, so bad lips, opened with shamelessness, infect everyone who deals with them with a grave disease. Therefore, a door, a lock, and a bridle must be placed on the mouth. Thus we have sufficiently proved that there was then one language. Next, it is necessary to say why many languages ​​were introduced. However, for now let’s engage in a moral conversation. Let us teach our tongue to wear a bridle and not simply utter everything that is in our soul, not to blame our brothers, not to bite and devour each other. Much worse than those who bite the body are those who do it with words. The former bite the body with their teeth, but the latter gnaws at the soul with words, inflicts a wound on good fame, and inflicts an incurable wound. Therefore, he will be subjected to the greater punishment and torment, the more severe the remorse he causes. And not only for this reason will the scolder be deprived of forgiveness, but also because he cannot present either a fair or unfair pretext for his vice. Other sins, although unfounded, have reasons, but they do exist - for example, a fornicator is carried away by lust, a thief wants to get rid of poverty, a murderer satisfies anger; and the scolder cannot provide any excuse. Indeed, what excuse, tell me, is there in an abundance of money? What wish does he satisfy? He has no other reason than envy, which has neither a fair nor an unfair reason. Therefore, he will lose all forgiveness. Do you want to blame? I offer you a useful item for this. Do you want to slander? Blame your sins. “Remember Me,” says the prophet, “we will go to court; speak so that you may be justified” (Is. 43:26). Do you see reproach that brings crown, praise and justification? And again: “He who is first in his own case is right” (Prov. 18:18), - himself, and not another. If you become a critic of another, you will be punished; and if - yourself, then you will be crowned. And so that you know how great it is to condemn your fall into sin, this is why it is said: “He who is first in his litigation is right.” If he is a righteous man, how can he be a blamer? And if he is a scolder, how will he be righteous? The righteous is not subject to blame. And so that you know that a sinner, blaming his sins, becomes righteous through his very censure, this is why it is said: “He who is first in his litigation is right.” What does "first" mean? Listen carefully. In trials there are two sides: one – the informers, the other – those who are denounced; one – the accusers, the other – the accused; one – the guilty, the other – the innocent; and the beginning of the speech is left to the accuser, the innocent. But here it’s the opposite. You, the guilty one, anticipate the beginning of speech, so that you may become innocent; don't wait for the accuser. Even if you belonged to the guilty, but before you hear anything like that from the accuser, blame your own sins. Language is a subtle sword; but we will not use it to hurt others, but will cut out our own rotten ulcers. Do you want to know that the righteous usually did not blame others, but themselves? Listen to Paul, who cries: “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he has considered me faithful, having appointed me to serve, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and an offender” (1 Tim. 1:12–13). Do you see how he blames himself? And again: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first” (1 Tim. 1:15). And in another place: “I am the least of the Apostles, and am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Cor. 15:9). 9. Do you see how everywhere he blames himself? He knew the benefit of this censure, he knew that it provided justification. So, when he needed to blame himself, he blamed mercilessly; and when he saw that someone condemned the vices of others, then look with what severity he stopped his mouth, saying this: “Do not judge before the time, until the Lord comes, who will illuminate the hidden things in darkness and reveal the intentions of the heart” (1 Cor. 4:5). Leave judgment to the One who knows the secrets of the heart. Even though you, in your opinion, knew exactly the affairs of your neighbor, your judgment is erroneous: “What man knows what is in a man except the human spirit that lives in him?” (1 Cor. 2:11). How many of the despised and insignificant will shine brighter than the sun? How many of the great and glorious will turn out to be dust and a crushed grave? Have you heard how Paul reproaches himself, with force and even exaggeration, constantly remembering sins for which he was not condemned? He was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and a troublemaker before his baptism, and baptism blotted out those sins; however, he remembers them, not because he had to give an account for them, but to show God’s love for mankind, and how God, who was like that, arranged him, making him an apostle from a persecutor. If he remembers the sins that have been blotted out, then all the more should we remember the sins we committed after baptism. What kind of justification or forgiveness will we have when he constantly remembered deeds that were not subject to condemnation, and we don’t even remember those for which we will have to give an account, but, leaving our own vices, we occupy ourselves with those of others? Listen to what Peter says: “Depart from me, Lord! Because I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). Listen to how Matthew also condemns his former life, calls himself a publican and is not ashamed to openly condemn his former behavior (Matthew 10:3). Having nothing for which to condemn themselves after baptism, they remember the past, teaching us not to form any judgment about the vices of others, but to care and constantly think about our own. No, there truly is no other cure for healing from sins than the constant remembrance of them and their constant condemnation. So the publican could get rid of countless sins by saying: “God! be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). So the Pharisee lost all justification for the fact that, abandoning the thought of his iniquities, he began to condemn the universe, saying: “God! I thank You that I am not like other people, robbers, offenders, adulterers, or like this publican” (Luke 18:11). Therefore, Paul exhorted this way: “Let each one test his own work, and then he will have praise only in himself, and not in another” (Gal. 6:4). Do you want to know how the righteous condemned themselves in the Old Testament? Listen, and they spoke in agreement with those. So David said: “My iniquities have gone beyond my head, like a heavy burden they have weighed me down” (Ps. 37:5). And Isaiah cried: “Woe is me! I'm dead! for I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). And the three youths, being in the oven and giving up their bodies to death for God, counted themselves among the extreme sinners and said: “We have sinned and acted lawlessly” (Dan. 3:29), whereas what was brighter than them, what was purer? Here, if they committed any sins, then the nature of that flame blotted them all out. However, they did not look at their good deeds, but thought about their sins. So did Daniel after the lion’s den, after the countless sufferings that he endured - and he condemned himself, but no one condemned his neighbor. Why? Because he who blames himself appeases Him and wins Him over; this censure makes the righteous even more righteous, and delivers the sinner from condemnation and makes him worthy of forgiveness. So, knowing this, let us worry not about strangers, but about our own vices; Let us examine our conscience, remember our whole life, examine each of our sins, and let us not only blame others, but even listen to those who blame. After all, condemnation and the greatest punishment are due for this. “Do not listen,” says Scripture, “to empty hearing” (Ex. 23:1). It is not said: do not believe vain rumors; but: and do not accept it; block your ears, block the entry of censure, show that you, the listener, yourself feel no less hostility and disgust towards the censure, as does the one whom he censures. Imitate the prophet who says: “Whoever secretly slanderes his neighbor, I have driven him out” (Ps. 100:5). He did not say: I did not believe or did not accept his words; but: and drove him away as an enemy and adversary. 10. But there are people who, consoling themselves with vain consolation, say this: “Lord, do not make this a sin for me, because I must respond to what I have heard!” What is this excuse for? Why such an apology? Keep quiet and you will be spared accusations; say nothing and you will be free from fear. Why do you bring trouble upon yourself both before God and before people? Why are you making yourself subject to accusation? Why do you impose the heaviest burden on yourself? Isn’t it enough for you to give an account of your own vices, that you pile on yourself the sins of others? This excuse is in vain; Not only will you be held accountable for your hearing, but reproach will also be imputed to you; If you, having heard, do not remain silent, then you will be responsible not only for hearing, but also for censure. “By your words you will be justified,” says the Lord, “and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37). I say and declare this, fearing not for those who are blamed, but for those who are blamed. The one who is blamed does not suffer any insult or harm; on the contrary, if what is said about him is false, he will receive another reward; and if it is fair, even then he does not suffer any harm from your censure. After all, the Judge will pronounce his sentence not because of your slander. And, if something amazing has to be said, the one who generously endures the censure will receive even the greatest benefit, just like the publican; and the one who blames, even if he justly blames his neighbor, does a lot of harm to himself. There is no need to prove that he died if he is slandering; but for everyone, of course, it is also obvious that, even if he speaks the truth, he prepares the strictest judgment for himself by divulging the misfortunes of his neighbor, becoming the cause of temptation, revealing to everyone what should be hidden, and preaching about the sins of his neighbor. If he who seduces one will inevitably be punished, then whoever seduces many with evil rumors will not be punished? And the Pharisee did not lie, but spoke the truth, calling the publican a publican, however, he was condemned. So, knowing this, beloved, let us avoid blame. There is no sin heavier and at the same time lighter than this sin. Why? Because it occurs faster than any lawlessness and soon captivates an inattentive person. Other sins require time, costs, waiting, and helpers, and are often stopped by the length of time. For example, if someone decides to kill, or to steal or turn someone else’s property into his own favor, he will have a lot of trouble, and because of slowness he often loses his anger, abandons a vicious desire, abandons a disastrous thought, and does not add the deed itself to his desire. But with reproach it is not so, but if we are not very vigilant, we easily get carried away. We don’t need any time, no waiting, no expenses and no hassle to say something bad, but it’s enough just to make up your mind, and the desire immediately turns into action - because here only language is required. Therefore, if this evil is quick, if this sin is easily attacked, if the punishment and torment for it is severe, and there is no benefit, neither great nor small, then we will avoid this disease with great care, we will cover up the vices of others, and not disclose it, we will admonish those who sin, as the Lord says: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him the truth between you and him alone” ( Matthew 18:15). The secrecy of denunciations will make healing easier. Let us not torment, let us not corrode the wounds of others; Let us not imitate flies, but let us compete with bees. Flies land on wounds and eat them away; and the bees fly among the flowers. Therefore the latter make honeycombs, and the former cause pain to the bodies on which they sit; these are disgusting, but those are desirable and worthy. Let us, therefore, force our soul to fly through the meadow of the virtues of the saints and constantly spread the fragrance of their exploits, and let us not corrode the wounds of our neighbor. But if we see people doing this, we will stop their mouths, holding them back with fear of punishment and reminding them of their kinship with their brothers. When they do not listen to anything like that, then we will call them flies, so that at least the humiliation of this name will keep them from doing something bad, so that, leaving this bad activity, they will spend all their leisure time looking at their own vices. In this way, the fallen will also rise, remembering their undisclosed sins, and, constantly thinking about their own vices, will easily lag behind them, through the recollection of previous sins, becoming slower to commit others, and those constantly representing the virtue of the saints will receive the greatest zeal to imitate them. And when through all this the whole body of our Church is corrected, then we will be able to enter in its entirety into the Kingdom of Heaven, of which may we all be worthy by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: