Беседа 14

John 1:16. And from His fullness we have all received and grace upon grace... 1. What we have received from the fullness of Jesus Christ. – 2. The difference between the old and the new law. – The meaning of the words: “grace upon grace.” – God always precedes us with his good deeds. – 3 and 4. The types of the Old Testament were fulfilled in the new. – Explanation of some of these prototypes. – In public competitions, not those who have been defeated are encouraged to compete, but only courageous fighters. – On the contrary, in spiritual exploits they encourage and inspire both of them equally, because those who were defeated can recover and still achieve victory. – The bitterness of medicines should not depress anyone: their benefits will be revealed later. – Both sinners and righteous people all need medicine, correction and good edification. 1. We recently said that John, resolving the bewilderment of those who would begin to reason with themselves about why Christ, having come to preach after John, became more important and more glorious than him, adds: “because he was before me” (John 1:15). This is one reason. But the evangelist also presents another, which is now expressed (in the Gospel). Which one? “And from His fullness,” he says, “we received grace upon grace.” Then he gives another reason. Which one? “For the law was given through Moses; But grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). But what do you say, what do the words mean: “And from His fullness we have all received”? This is what we must now turn our attention to. He, says the evangelist, does not have a borrowed gift; but He is the very source, the very root of all good things - self-existent life, original light, self-perfect truth. He does not retain the abundance of goods in Himself, but pours it out on all others, and by pouring it out, He Himself always remains full with interest; while indulging others, He Himself does not diminish in anything; always exuding and communicating these benefits to everyone, remains in the same perfection. And what I have in myself (says John), this is borrowed, since I received from another, - this is something small of all and, as it were, a meager drop before the inexpressible abyss and the boundless sea. It’s better to say - and this similarity cannot depict what we are trying to express. Separate a drop from the sea, and the sea will thereby decrease, although the decrease is not noticeable. But this cannot be said about that source: no matter how much one exhausts it, it does not decrease at all. So, we need to move on to some other similarity: and it, of course, will be weak and cannot explain to us what we are looking for, but at least it will lead us closer to the first thought. Let’s imagine a source of fire, and a thousand, two, three or more lamps are lit from it. Doesn't the fire remain in the same fullness even after imparting its power to so many lamps? Everyone knows this. If, however, in bodies that are divisible and diminished through the removal of (particles) there is something that, even after imparting its powers to other bodies, does not decrease at all, then to a much higher degree it must be incorporeal and immortal power. If what is perceived here 15 is both essence and body, and is divisible and not divisible, then when we are talking about power, and moreover, power emanating from an incorporeal essence, it is much more certain that it is not subject to anything of the kind. That is why John says: “And of His fullness we have all received,” and he connects his testimony with the testimony of the Baptist. The words: “And of His fullness we have all received” belong not to the Forerunner, but to the disciple (Christ). These words mean this: do not think that we, as people who spent a lot of time with Him and shared meals with Him, testify only out of gratitude. Here is John, a man who had not even seen Him before and had not interacted with Him, but who saw him together with others only at the time when he was baptizing - and he cried out: “He was before me,” saying this all. Meanwhile, all of us - twelve, three hundred, five hundred, three, five thousand and tens of thousands of Jews, all of us in general, the multitude of believers of the then, present, and future times, received from His fulfillment. What did you receive: “grace upon grace.” What grace instead of what grace? New instead of old. Just as there was righteousness and righteousness (“according to legal righteousness,” it is said, “blameless” (Phil. 3:6)), – faith and faith (“from faith to faith” (Rom. 1:17)), – adoption and adoption (“to whom the adoption belongs,” it is said (Rom. 9:4)), – glory and glory (“if that which passes away is glorious, how much more glorious is that which endures” (2 Cor. 3:11) )), law and law ("the law, - it is said, - the Spirit of life ... has set me free" (Rom. 8:2)), - service and service ("if service", - it is said (2 Cor. 3:7), and in another place: "those who serve God in the Spirit" (Phil. 3:3)), - covenant and testament ("I will make ... a new covenant, not such a covenant as I made with their fathers" ( Jer.31:31-32)), - sanctification and consecration, baptism and baptism, sacrifice and sacrifice, church and church, circumcision and circumcision - so there is grace and grace. But here one thing is samples, and the other is truth; both are only something co-nominal, and not unambiguous. And in photographs and images, it is called a person who is painted with both black and white paints, just like someone who has his own natural color. And statues, whether the statue is gold or clay, are equally called statues. But the other is the image, and the other is the truth. 2. So, from the similarity of names, do not conclude about the identity of things, as well as about their difference. If there was an image, then it was not alien to the truth; only if it contained a shadow, then it was lower than the truth. What is the difference between all these concepts? Would you like us to engage in the interpretation of one or two of the concepts expressed? In this way, the others will be clear to you, and we will all see that some of them were lessons for children, and others for mature and strong people; that some were laid down only for people, others - as if for angels. Where should we start? Do you want it from the very adoption? So, what is the difference between Old Testament and New Testament adoption? That was an honor in words, but this is in reality. It is said about this: “I said: you are gods, and you are all sons of the Most High” (Ps. 82:6); about this: “we were born of God” (John 1:13). How and in what way? “The washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). Those with the name of sons had in themselves the spirit of slavery - they were honored by this name, remaining slaves; We, having become free, received this honor not only in name, but in reality. Pointing to this, Paul said: “We did not receive the spirit of slavery to live again in fear, but we received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry: “Abba, Father!” (Rom.8:15). As born again and, so to speak, recreated, we are therefore called sons. And if anyone wanted to know the Old Testament and New Testament images of sanctification, then again here too they will see many differences. The ancients were called by this name (of saints) when they did not serve idols, did not commit fornication, did not commit adultery; and we become saints not only through abstinence from those (vices), but also through the acquisition of higher perfections. And first we receive this gift from the very influx of the Holy Spirit; and then through his own life, which is much higher than the Jewish one. And that these words are not self-praise, listen to what is said to those: do not practice magic, do not cleanse your children, since you are a holy people (Deut. 18:10, 13). Thus, for them, holiness consisted in removing themselves from pagan customs; but with us it is not so, but “to be holy,” it is said, “in body and spirit” (1 Cor. 7:34). “Pursue to have peace with everyone and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). And: “performing holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). The word: saint, does not express the same thought about everyone to whom it is applied. God is also called holy, but not in the same way as we are. Look what the prophet says when he hears the voice coming from the seraphim: “Woe is me! I'm dead! for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people also of unclean lips” (Is. 6:5), - and the prophet was holy and pure. But if we judge our holiness by the example of what is above, then we turn out to be unclean. Angels and archangels are holy, and seraphim and cherubim are also holy; but there is again a difference in holiness between us and the higher powers. I could follow all the other concepts, but I see that the word is becoming too long. Therefore, leaving further research, we leave you to judge for yourself about the remaining objects: you can compare them at home, understand the difference between them, and similarly trace everything else. “Give instruction,” it is said, “to a wise man, and he will be even wiser” (Proverbs 9:9). Thus, you will finish what we started. And we need to return to the previous word order. Having said: “And of His fullness we have all received,” the evangelist adds: “grace upon grace,” and thereby shows that the Jews are also saved by grace. It is not for the sake of your increase, says (God), but for the sake of your fathers that I have chosen you. And if they were not chosen by God for their own merits, then it is clear that they received this honor by grace. Yes, we are all saved by grace - just not like them, not to the same degree, but to a much more important and sublime degree. Thus, grace with us is not like that. We have been granted not only the remission of sins (we have this in common with them: “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23)), but also justification, sanctification, adoption, and the grace of the Spirit, incomparably more luminous and abundant. Through this grace we have become dear to God, no longer as slaves, but as sons and friends. That is why it is said: “grace upon grace.” And the rule of law was a work of grace, and our very origin was from non-existence; It was not for any previous merits that we received this reward - how could this be when we were not there at all? - but this was so because God, in any case, precedes us with His good deeds. And not only our origin from non-existence, but also the immediate, after origin, teaching of what we should do and what not to do, the incorporation of this law into our very nature, the introduction into us of an incorruptible judgment seat of conscience - all this is a matter of the greatest grace and ineffable love for mankind. The work of grace is also, after the damage of this law, its renewal through the written law. Those who violated the commandment, once given, should be subjected to punishment and torment. But this was not done; and (followed) again correction and forgiveness was granted not by right, but by mercy and grace. And what is by mercy and grace, listen to how David says: “The Lord brings righteousness and justice to all who are offended. He showed His ways to Moses, and to the children of Israel His works” (Ps. 102:6-7). And in another place: “The Lord is good and righteous, therefore he guides sinners in the way” (Ps. 24:8). 3. So, receiving the law is a matter of mercy, compassion and grace. Therefore, the evangelist, having said: “grace upon grace,” further proves the greatness of the gifts when he adds the following words: “for the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." You see how John the Baptist and the disciple (of Christ) little by little and imperceptibly raise their listeners to the most sublime understanding, having first prepared them for this with simpler thoughts. The Baptist, comparing with himself the One who is without comparison superior to everyone, thus shows His superiority, and for this he says: “He who comes after me,” and then adds: “he stood in front of me.” And the evangelist expresses much more than that (the Baptist), however still below the dignity of the only begotten Son; The evangelist makes a comparison not with John, but with the one who was held in greater esteem by the Jews, meaning Moses. “For the law,” he says, “was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." But note prudence. He compares not faces, but deeds. And as soon as the superiority of one’s deeds over another is shown, then the ungrateful, of necessity, had to accept such a teaching and inspiration about Christ. When the deeds themselves testify - those in which one cannot at all suspect either partiality or enmity towards anyone, then irrefutable evidence is presented even for unwise people. These cases turn out to be the way the culprits themselves arranged them. Therefore, the evidence of such cases is the most indubitable. Look also at the comparison the evangelist makes, which is accessible even to weak people. He does not depict in words the superiority (of grace over the law), but only in the very names shows their difference, contrasting the law - grace and truth, and the word: “given” - the word: “happened”. And there is a big difference between one and the other. “Dan” - this expression refers to a minister who received the law from another and delivered it to those to whom it was commanded to give; and grace and truth “happened” - this depicts the King, who by His power forgives all sins and distributes His gifts. Therefore (the Lord) said: “Your sins are forgiven.” Also: “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, get up, take up your mat and go to your house” (Mark 2:10–11). Do you see how grace came through Him? Notice the same thing about truth. But grace indicates that circumstance, and the events with the thief, and the gift of baptism, and the grace of the Spirit given through Him, and much more. And we will understand the truth more clearly if we study the images. The economy that was to be accomplished in the new covenant was predetermined by images as prototypes; and Christ, with His coming, accomplished it. So, let’s look briefly at some images; at present it is not possible to trace all the images. But you, having studied some that I will present, will understand others from them. So, would you like to start with the suffering itself? What does foreshadowing say? “Take for yourselves lambs according to your families and sacrifice them, as the Lord has commanded and decreed” (Ex. 12). But Christ did not do that; He does not command this, but he himself becomes like a sheep, offering himself to the Father as a sacrifice and offering. 4. See also how the image was given through Moses, and the truth was made perfect through Jesus Christ. During the attack of the Amalekites on the Jews on Mount Sinai, the arms of Moses were stretched out, and supported by Aaron and Hur, who stood on either side; and Christ himself held his hands outstretched on the cross. Do you see how the image was given and how the truth was fulfilled? The law also said: “Cursed is he who does not fulfill the words of this law” (Deut. 27:26). What does grace say? “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). And Paul: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13). So, having received such great grace and truth, let us not become careless because of the very greatness of the gift. The more honor we receive, the more virtuous we should be. He who, being a little favored, shows a little jealousy in himself, does not deserve so much condemnation; but whoever, having been elevated to the highest degree of honor, discovers in himself low qualities and humiliating deeds, will deserve a much greater punishment. But God forbid anyone ever assume this in you. We trust in the Lord that you have soared with your souls to heaven, have renounced the earth and, being in the world, are not given over to the passions of the world. However, even with such confidence, we often do not cease to inspire you with the same thing. In physical wrestling, all spectators also urge (the fighters) not to fall, not to lie prostrate, but to be cheerful and stay on their feet; but those who, despite admonitions, cannot stand up, are one day forever deprived of victory, and, as incapable of exploits, are left in this position with contempt. But here you can expect something good not only from you who are awake, but also from the fallen, if only they want to improve. This is why we do everything, beg, pester, reproach, and praise, in order to arrange your salvation. And therefore, do not be annoyed by our frequent exhortations to live a decent life. We speak not as condemning your negligence, but as having the best hopes for you. Moreover, what has been said so far and will be said in the future concerns not only you, but also us who speak. And we ourselves need the same edification, and although we speak ourselves, nothing prevents us from turning the same speeches to us. The Word, having met the one guilty of sins, corrects him; He takes those who are not involved in sin and are free from it even further away from it. After all, we are not clean from sins either. So, healing is the same for everyone, and medical benefits are offered to everyone. But the cure is not the same for everyone, but is proportionate to the will of those who use it. Therefore, whoever uses medicine as he should, receives relief from healing; and whoever does not apply medicine to a wound strengthens the evil in himself and turns it to the most unfortunate consequences. So, let us not be annoyed when we are healed, but rather let us rejoice, even if the method of teaching causes us bitter sorrows, because later it will bear the sweetest fruit. Let us do everything so that, clean from the wounds and ulcers inflicted on the soul by the wounding of sin, we pass into the future age, in order to be worthy of the sight of Christ and to be devoted not to cruel and vengeful forces, but to those who can lead us into the heavenly inheritance prepared for those who love Him - which may we all receive, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 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