Беседа 57

John 9:6–7. Having said this, He spat on the ground, made clay from the spit, and anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and said to him: Go, wash in the pool of Siloam... 1. Faith of a man born blind. – The goodness of God to all people without distinction. – 2. The need for faith. – There is a bad peace and there is a good war. – 3. Must avoid evil people and stick to good ones. – A society of evil people is more harmful than an ulcer. 1. Those who wish to receive some fruit from what is read should not leave a single word unattended. This is why we are commanded to search the Scriptures, because many things that seem simple at first glance contain a deep hidden meaning. This is the real place. “Having said this,” it is said, “He spat on the ground.” What is “this”? Let the glory of God appear, and: “I must do the works of Him who sent Me” (John 9:4). Not without intention, the evangelist reminded us of these words, and then added: “spit,” but in order to show that He confirmed the words with deeds. But why did you use spitting instead of water for shaving? He wanted to send a blind man to Siloam, and therefore, so that you would not attribute anything to the source, but would recognize that it was the power that came from His mouth that formed and opened the eyes, He spat on the ground. The evangelist also points to this with the words: “he made clay out of spitting.” Then, so that they would not think that the healing came from the earth, he ordered them to wash themselves. But why didn’t he do it right there, but sent it to Siloam? So that you can see the faith of the blind and make the unbelief of the Jews unrequited. Naturally, everyone saw him as he walked with his eyes anointed with clay. With such unusualness, he could not help but attract the eyes of everyone, acquaintances and strangers, and, of course, everyone looked at him with attention. Since it is not easy to admit that a blind man has received his sight, then (Christ) prepares in advance many witnesses by the distance of the journey, and by the extraordinary nature of the spectacle - attentive spectators, so that, having noticed well, they can no longer say: this is he, this is not him. In addition, by sending to Siloam, he also wants to show that He is not alien to the law and the Old Testament. And, finally, there was no fear that the glory would be attributed to Siloam. Many have washed their eyes in it many times, but have not experienced anything like this. No, and here the power of Christ was at work, making everything possible. That is why the evangelist adds an interpretation to us. Having said: “to Siloam,” he added: “what does it mean: sent,” so that you would know that Christ healed him here too, as Paul says: “for they drank from the spiritual stone that followed; and the stone was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:4). This means that just as Christ was the spiritual stone, so was Siloam the spiritual. But it seems to me that the sudden appearance of water points us to an incomprehensible mystery. Which one exactly? To an unexpected and unexpected appearance (of Christ). But pay attention to the soul of the blind man, obedient in everything. He did not say: if clay or spitting can give sight, then what need do I have of Siloam? And if Siloam is needed, then why clay? Why did you anoint my eyes? Why did you order me to wash myself? No, he did not think anything like that, but he only cared about obeying the Commander in everything, and was not tempted by anything that happened. If someone asks: how did he receive his sight, putting off clay? - then he will not hear anything else from us except that we do not know how this happened. So what's surprising if we don't know? Neither the evangelist nor the healed man knew this. He only knew what happened, but he couldn’t understand how. And when they asked him about this, he said: “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see” (John 9:15); but how this happened, he cannot say, even if they asked him a thousand times. “The neighbors who had seen before that he was blind said: Isn’t this the one who sat and begged for alms? Others said, “It is he” (John 9:8–9). The extraordinary nature of the event even led them to disbelief, despite the fact that so much had been done to eliminate all distrust. Some said: “Isn’t this the one who sat and begged?” Oh, how great is God’s love for mankind! How Christ did not condescend when he healed the poor with great kindness and thus stopped the mouths of the Jews! He honors not only the glorious, the famous, and those in power, but also the simple ones with equal care, because he came to save everyone. And what happened to the paralytic, the same happened to the blind man. Neither he knew who the one who healed him was, nor this one. This happened because Christ withdrew, and He always withdrew after healings, in order to remove all suspicion from miracles. Those who did not know who He was, how could they actually favor Him and help in arranging these affairs? As for this blind man, he was not one of those who walk everywhere, but sat at the gates of the church. But while everyone is perplexed about him, what does he himself say? "It's me" . He was not ashamed of his former blindness, was not afraid of the rage of the people, did not refuse to announce himself in order to proclaim the Benefactor. “They asked him: how did your eyes open?” He answers: “A man called Jesus” (John 9:10–11). What are you saying? Is it human to do such things? But he did not yet know anything great about Him. “A man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes.” 2. Look how truthful he is. He didn’t say what he made the clay from: what he doesn’t know, he doesn’t talk about. He did not see that (Christ) spat on the ground; and what he anointed, he knew by feeling and touch. “And he said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash” (John 9:11). The sense of hearing told him this. But how did he know His voice? From His conversation with his disciples. Thus, he tells all this based on the evidence of the case itself, and yet cannot say about the method of healing. If faith is needed in relation to the sensible and tangible, then even more so in relation to the invisible. “Then they said to him: Where is He? He answered: I don’t know” (John 9:12). They asked: “Where is He?”, already plotting murder against Him. But notice: how far Christ is from the desire for vain glory! He did not stay with those who were healed because He did not want to gain fame, nor to captivate the people, nor to show off Himself. Notice also how the blind man answers everything in accordance with the truth. The Jews wanted to find Christ to take Him to the priests; but since they did not find Him, they take the blind man to the Pharisees for more strict interrogation. That is why the evangelist notes that it was Saturday, to show their evil intent and the reason why they were looking for (the Savior), that is, they believed that they had found an opportunity to slander the miracle - with an imaginary violation of the law. And this is evident from the fact that as soon as they saw the blind man, they did not say anything else to him, but only: “How did you open your eyes?” (John 9:26). And notice what they say. They didn’t say: how did you receive your sight? - but: “How did I open your eyes?” - presenting him with an opportunity to slander Him for such a thing. But he answers them briefly, as if they were people who have already heard everything. Without mentioning either his name or the words said to him: “Go, wash,” he directly says: “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see” (John 9:15), as if they had already greatly slandered Him and said: look what Jesus does on the Sabbath—he anoints him with clay. But you better pay attention to how the blind man is not embarrassed. When his neighbors asked him and he answered without being exposed to any danger, then it did not mean much to tell the truth. But the surprising thing is that even now, being in great fear, he does not refuse, does not say anything that disagrees with his previous words. What about the Pharisees, or better, what about others along with them? They brought him in, believing that he would refuse, but they heard the opposite - what they did not want - and, more precisely, they found out the whole matter. This was the case with them during all the miracles; but we will show this more clearly later. What did the Pharisees say? “Some... said (not all, but more daring ones): This Man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath. Others said: how can a sinful man perform such miracles?” (John 9:16). Do you see that they were attracted by miracles? After all, they sent before to bring Him, but now, listen to what they say, although not all. Being leaders, they fell into disbelief from ambition. However, many of the leaders believed in Him, but they did not express it openly. The common people were neglected, since they were not important in their host; but the bosses, being more famous people, had great difficulty in deciding to speak frankly. Some were held back by their lust for power, others by timidity and fear of the crowd. That is why (Christ) said: “How can you believe when you receive glory from one another?” (John 5:44). These people said about themselves that they were from God, despite the fact that they sought unjust murder, and about the one who heals the blind, they say that He cannot be from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath. Others objected to this that a sinner cannot perform such signs. Thus, the first maliciously kept silent about the wonderful event and presented an imaginary violation of the law, since they did not say: he heals on the Sabbath, but: “he does not keep the Sabbath.” But the latter, for their part, responded weakly. While it was necessary to show that the Sabbath was not broken, they refer only to signs; and this is natural, because they still considered Him a man. Otherwise, they could say in His justification that He is the Lord of the Sabbath and Himself established it. But they still had no such idea about Him. However, none of them dared to say directly what they wanted; they spoke hesitantly, but with doubt, some due to lack of courage, others due to lust for power. “And there was contention between them.” This discord began first among the people, and then spread to the leaders. “Some said that He is good; and others said, “No, but he deceives the people” (John 7:12). Do you see that the leaders are more foolish than the people and divided among themselves after (the people)? But even having divided, they did not show any firmness, seeing the insistence of the Pharisees. And if they were completely separated, they would soon know the truth. After all, division can be good, which is why Christ said: “I did not come to bring peace on earth, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). Sometimes agreement is bad, sometimes disagreement is good. Thus, those who built the tower agreed among themselves to their own detriment, and they again, albeit unwittingly, divided to their own good. And Korah's accomplices did not agree among themselves for good, and therefore they were divided for good. Judas also did not agree with the Jews for good. This means that disagreement can be good and agreement can be bad. That is why (Christ) says: “if... your foot causes you to sin, cut it off,... if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out” (Matthew 18:8-9). If it is necessary to cut off a member that, being connected to us, harms us, then shouldn’t it be much more necessary to distance ourselves from friends when connection with them does not lead to good. So, agreement is not always good, just as disagreement is not always bad. 3. I say this so that we avoid evil people and look for good ones. If we cut off rotten and incurable members, fearing that the whole body would not be subject to the same infection, and we do this not out of disdain for them, but out of a desire to protect other parts of the body, then all the more should we do this in relation to people whose company is harmful to us. If we can correct them and not suffer harm ourselves, then we must use every effort to do so. If they do not correct themselves and we receive harm, then it is necessary to reject them and abandon them. From this they themselves often receive much more benefit. That is why Paul urged in this way: “Cast out the wicked one from among you,” and: “That he who has done such a thing may be taken out from among you” (1 Cor. 5:13, 2). It is harmful, truly harmful, to treat evil people. The infection does not stick as quickly and the scab destroys those exposed to this disease as the evil morals of vicious people. “Bad communities corrupt good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). And the prophet also says: “flee from among” them and depart (Jer. 51:6). Let no one have a vicious friend. If we abandon vicious children, and do not respect either nature, or its laws, or its connections, then all the more should we run away from vicious friends and acquaintances. May we not receive any harm from them; but still we will not be able to avoid bad rumors. Outsiders do not peer into our lives, but judge us by our society. I command this to both wives and virgins. After all, it is said: “Be careful about what is good” not only before God, but also “before... men” (Rom. 12:17). Let us try our best not to tempt our neighbor. Even if our life was the most righteous, but if it serves as a temptation for others, it loses all its value. But how is it possible for a righteous life to seduce? (This happens) when being in company with other people brings bad rumors to her. When, relying on ourselves, we treat vicious people, then, even if we ourselves do not suffer harm, we seduce others. I say this to husbands, wives, and virgins, leaving it to their conscience to find out exactly how much evil is born from this. Let me not suspect anything bad, nor does anyone else who is more perfect; but the most simple-minded brother suffers harm from your perfection. But we must pay attention to his weakness. But if he does not suffer harm, then the pagan will suffer. And Paul commanded: “Do not give offense either to the Jews or to the Greeks, or to the church of God” (1 Cor. 10:32). I do not suspect anything bad about a virgin, because I love virginity, and love does not think evil. I absolutely love this way of life, and I can’t think of anything bad. But how will we convince outsiders? And we need to take care of them too. Let us behave in such a way that no one, even one of the infidels, can find a reason to rightly reproach us. Just as those who lead a righteous life glorify God, so, on the contrary, those who live badly give rise to blasphemy against Him. But God forbid that there should be such among us, but let our deeds shine so that our Father “who is in heaven” is glorified, and so that we can enjoy His glory, which we all will be worthy of, according to the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: