Беседа 35

John 4:40–43. And therefore, when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And an even greater number believed at His word. And they said to that woman: We no longer believe because of your words, for we ourselves have heard and learned that He is truly the Savior of the world, Christ. After two days He left there and went to Galilee. 1. The Samaritans, being more receptive to grace than the Jews, having seen and heard Jesus Christ, recognize that He is the Savior of the world. – 2. Healing of the son of the courtier Herod. – 3. One should not demand miracles from God, or proof of His omnipotence. – We must glorify and love God under all circumstances: in joy and sorrow, in health and illness, and endure everything out of love for Him. 1. There is nothing worse than envy and hatred: there is nothing worse than vanity. They usually destroy countless blessings. The Jews, who had more knowledge than the Samaritans and were raised by prophets, here found themselves inferior to the Samaritans. The Samaritans, based on the wife’s testimony alone, believed and, not seeing any miracle, came to ask Christ to stay with them. And the Jews, who had seen miracles, not only did not keep Him with them, but even drove Him away and did everything in such a way as to completely remove Him from their country. Although His coming actually took place for them, they persecuted, while the Samaritans asked that He stay with them. So, tell me: shouldn’t you have gone to them when they asked and demanded it, and, remaining with those who plotted and rejected Him, should you not have given yourself to the people who loved Him and wanted to keep Him with them? No, that would be unworthy of His providence. That is why Christ accepted their request and stayed with them for two days. They would like to keep Him forever 28; however, He did not allow this to happen, but only stayed with them for two days. And in these days many more believed in Him. Although it would seem that it was not easy for them to believe, because they had not seen any miracle and were at enmity with the Jews, but, as they correctly judged His teaching, this did not hinder them, but on the contrary, they had an understanding of Him that was above these obstacles, and vied with each other more and more to show Him their surprise. They said to their wife: “We no longer believe because of your words, for we ourselves have heard and learned that He is truly the Savior of the world, Christ.” The students surpassed the teacher. They could have justly condemned the Jews, both because they believed and because they accepted Christ. The Jews, about whom He took every possible care, often threw stones at Him; on the contrary, the Samaritans attracted Him to themselves, although He did not go to them. Those, even after miracles, remain incorrigible, but these, even without miracles, showed great faith in Him; and this is precisely their honor, that they believed without miracles, but the Jews did not cease to demand miracles and tempt Him. So in everything we need a good intention of the soul; if the truth touches such a soul, it conveniently takes possession of it; and if it does not take over, then this does not occur from the weakness of the truth itself, but from the foolishness of the soul. So the sun, when it touches clean eyes, illuminates easily; if it does not provide light, then this is not a sign of the impotence of sunlight, but of eye disease. But listen to what the Samaritans say: “they knew that He is truly the Savior of the world, Christ.” Do you see how quickly they realized that Christ’s intention was to attract the universe to Himself, that He came to accomplish common salvation and wanted not to limit His providence to the Jews alone, but to sow His word everywhere? This is not what the Jews did, but “being anxious to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:3). The Samaritans confess that all people are guilty, as if expressing the apostolic teaching that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace” (Rom. 3:23-24). Saying: “Savior of the world,” the Samaritans of course meant a lost world, and not just a Savior, but in very great deeds, because many came to save - both prophets and angels; but the true Savior “He truly,” say the Samaritans, “is the One who gives true salvation, and not just temporary. Such is the spirit of sincere faith! Therefore, in both respects, the Samaritans are worthy of surprise: firstly, that they believed, and secondly, that they believed without miracles. Christ pleases such people, saying: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Moreover, they believed sincerely, although their wife still told them with doubt: “Isn’t this the Christ?” But they do not say like her: and we assume this, or: and we think so, but they say: “they learned,” and not just, but “that He is truly the Savior of the world.” They did not confess Christ as an ordinary person, but as a true Savior. Whom did they see saved by Christ? They heard only His words, but they speak as if they had seen many and great miracles. But why don’t the evangelists tell us what Christ talked to them about and what was so wonderful to them? Know that the evangelists omit many of His great sayings, but explain everything by the very outcome of things: and here Christ turned the whole people and the whole city to Himself with His word. And where people were not convinced by His words, there (the evangelists) were forced to expound His teaching, so that, due to the negligence of those listening, someone would not condemn the Preacher. “And after two days He departed from there and went into Galilee, for Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country” (John 4:43–44). Why is this added? Because He did not go to Capernaum, but to Galilee, and from there to Cana. And so that you don’t try to find out why He didn’t stay with his own people, but with the Samaritans, the evangelist presents the reason that they didn’t listen to Him there. That’s why he didn’t go there, so that they wouldn’t be condemned even more for it. 2. And His fatherland, I think, is called Capernaum here. That there really was no honor for Him there, listen to how He himself says: “And you, Capernaum, who were exalted to heaven, will be cast down to hell” (Luke 10:15). He calls Capernaum His Fatherland either in relation to His incarnation, or because He spent most of his time there. So what? - you say, - don’t we see that many enjoy honor among their own? We see, of course; but one should not judge by rare cases. If some people were revered in their own country, then in a foreign country they were much more revered, because habit makes one treat them with disdain. “When He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, seeing all that He did in Jerusalem on the feast, for they also went to the feast” (John 4:45). Do you see that the people who are most condemned turn out to be the more zealous towards Him? One said: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Another: “look and you will see that no prophet comes from Galilee” (John 7:52). And this was said to reproach Him, because many thought that He was from Nazareth; They also reviled Him in the name of a Samaritan, saying: “You are a Samaritan and... you have a demon” (John 8:48). But, to the shame of the Jews, both the Samaritans and the Galileans believe in Him. The Samaritans, however, turn out to be even better than the Galileans. The Samaritans accepted Him based on the testimony of His wife alone, and the Galileans accepted Him only when they saw the miracles He performed. “Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee, where he turned water into wine” (John 4:46). The evangelist brings the miracle to the listener’s memory, thereby exalting the glory of the Samaritans. The Galileans accepted Him after the miracles He performed among them and in Jerusalem, and the Samaritans only for His teaching. So, the evangelist only said that Jesus came to Cana, but did not add the reason why he came. He retired to Galilee because of the hatred of the Jews; but why to Cana? The first time He was called there for a marriage; but why and for what purpose have you come now? It seems to me, in order to strengthen the faith produced by the miracle even more by His presence and attract even more by the fact that He Himself voluntarily came to them, left His fatherland and preferred them. “There was a certain nobleman in Capernaum whose son was sick. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he came to Him and asked Him to come and heal his son” (John 4:46-47). This husband either was from the royal family, or had some kind of dignity of power, so (royal) called. Some think that this is the same one mentioned in Matthew. But that this is another person can be seen not only by his dignity, but also by his faith. That one, when Christ Himself wanted to come to him, asked Him not to go, but this one, although Christ did not promise him anything like that, drags Him into his house. He says: “I am not worthy for You to come under my roof” (Matthew 8:8); and this one even urges, saying: “Come, before my son dies” (John 4:49). Also in Matthew, Jesus, having descended from the mountain, comes to Capernaum, and here the husband of the kings approaches Him when He came from Samaria, and not to Capernaum, but to Cana. This one's boy was in a state of relaxation, while this one's was in a state of fever. “He came to Him and asked him to heal his son, who was about to die” (John 4:47). What about Christ? “You will not believe,” he says, “unless you see signs and wonders” (John 4:48). However, even this already showed faith that he came and asked; and even later the evangelist testifies to this, saying that when Jesus said: “Go, your son is well. He believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went away” (John 4:50). What do the words (of Christ) mean? He said them either in praise of the Samaritans, since they believed in Him without miracles, or in reproach for their imaginary city of Capernaum, where that man was from. So another person mentioned in Mark said: “I believe, Lord! help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Thus, although he believed, he did not believe completely or firmly. And this is evident from his curiosity about the time at which the illness left his son. He wanted to find out whether this happened by itself, or at the command of Christ. When he learned that this had happened the day before at seven o’clock, he and his whole house believed. Do you see that he believed then when the servants told him, and not when Christ said? So, Christ denounces his thought with which he came and spoke such words; and thus attracted him even more to faith, because before the miracle he was not very inclined to believe. But that he came and asked Christ is not surprising, because parents, out of great love (for their children), usually turn not only to doctors in whom they completely trust, but also consult with those in whom they have little hope, not wanting to miss anything. Moreover, this man only came to Christ by chance, when Christ came to Galilee, then he only recognized Him. And if he had firmly believed, he would not have been lazy, as soon as his son was dying, to come to Judea; if he was afraid, then this is not excusable. But notice how the very words reveal the weakness of this person. It would be necessary, if not before, then at least after his thoughts were exposed, to receive a high concept of Christ - meanwhile, look how he still grovels below. “Come,” he says, “before my son dies,” as if Christ could not resurrect him if the boy had died, and as if Christ did not know what the state of the boy was. That is why Jesus denounces him and touches his conscience itself, showing that miracles are done mainly for the sake of the soul. Here He also heals the father, who is no less weak in soul than his son, teaching us to listen to Him not for the sake of His miracles, but for the sake of His teaching - because miracles are performed not for the faithful, but for unbelievers and rude people. 3. Then this man, out of grief, did not really listen to the words of the Savior, except those that concerned his son; after that he had to internalize what was said and receive the greatest benefit from it. And so it happened. But why did Christ himself voluntarily promise to come to the centurion, but here he does not even respond to the call? Because the centurion had perfect faith; and Christ promised to come to him so that we would know the good intentions of this man, but he did not go to this, because he was not yet perfect. And since he forced Jesus in every possible way, saying: “Come,” and did not yet clearly understand that He could heal even when absent, Christ shows that this is also possible for Him, so that from the very absence of Jesus’ visit, he would learn about Him what the centurion knew by himself. When he said: “You will not believe unless you see signs and wonders,” he expressed the following: you do not yet have the proper faith, but you still treat Me like some kind of prophet. So, revealing Himself, and showing that one must believe in Him even without miracles, He said here the same thing that He said to Philip: “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me?... but if not so, then believe Me because of the very works” (John 14:10–11). “On the road his servants met him and said, “Your son is well.” He asked them: at what time did he feel better? They told him: yesterday at seven o'clock the fever left him. From this the father knew that this was the hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son is well, and he and all his house believed” (John 4:51-53). Do you see how the miracle was revealed? Not just, not in an ordinary way, the boy got rid of danger, but suddenly, so that, obviously, this did not happen by natural order, but by the power of Christ. The boy, being at the very door of death, as the father himself expressed it, saying: “Come before my son dies,” suddenly freed himself from the disease, which aroused the attention of the household servants. They probably went to the meeting not only to announce it, but also because they considered the coming of Jesus to be unnecessary: ​​they knew that their master had gone to Jesus, which is why they met the master on the same path. Then this person, freed from fear, finally bows to faith; but wanting to show that this was a consequence of his journey, he also takes care that his work would not be considered unnecessary; That’s why he wants to find out everything carefully. “And he and all his house believed.” The evidence (of the miracle) was no longer subject to any doubt. Although his servants were not present there, did not hear Christ’s conversation, did not even know the time (when it took place), however, having learned from their master that it was at that very time (when the boy was healed), they already had undoubted proof of the power of Christ: therefore they also believed. What can we learn from this? Don’t expect miracles, don’t look for guarantees of God’s power. I see that even now many only become more pious when they receive some consolation either in the suffering of their son or in the illness of their wife. But it is necessary, even without receiving consolation, to always equally thank and glorify God. This is the quality of well-meaning slaves; It is common for faithful servants who love their Lord as they should, to resort to Him not only when He has mercy on them, but also when He punishes them. And the latter is a matter of divine providence. “The Lord punishes whomever he loves; and he beats every son whom he receives” (Heb. 12:6). Whoever serves Him only when he is safe does not show by this a great sign of love and does not purely love Christ. But what am I talking about health, abundance of goods, poverty or illness? Even if you heard about Gehenna, or about any other disaster, then do not stop praising the Lord: everything must be endured and endured out of love for Him. This is the duty of faithful slaves and unshakable souls. He who does this will easily endure present sorrows, and will receive future blessings, and will have great boldness before God, which may we all be worthy of, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” as can be seen from the words of the evangelist: “they asked Him to stay with them.” You might be interested in: