Беседа 75

John 14:15–17. If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him... 1. It pleases God that His creatures love Him. – Against the Sabellians and those who deny the Holy Spirit. – 2. About the greatness of the power of the Holy Spirit in the apostles. – 3. Confirmation of the disciples by Jesus Christ. – 4. In what ways is the Father superior to the Son. – 5. The strength, power and effectiveness of the Holy Spirit. - Unnaturalness of vices. – Submission of the flesh to the spirit is the best means for acquiring eternal blessings. 1. We need deeds everywhere, and not verbal assurances, because it is easy to talk and promise to anyone, but not so easy to do. Why did I say this? Moreover, there are now many people who say that they fear God and love Him, but by their actions they show the opposite. But God requires love to be shown in action. That is why he said to his disciples: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Since He said: “If you ask anything, I will do it,” so that they would not think that it is enough just to ask, He added: “if you love Me,” that is, in this case I will do it. And since the disciples, having heard: “I am going to the Father,” naturally became confused, He says that love does not consist in this, not real confusion, but in obedience to His words. I gave you a commandment that you love one another, that you do to each other as I did to you. Love consists in doing this and imitating the one we love. “And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter.” Again the speech is adaptive. Since the disciples did not yet know Him, and therefore, naturally, they strongly desired to be with Him, to hear His speeches, to see Him in the flesh, and did not find consolation in anything, grieving over His departure, what does He say? “And I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Comforter,” that is, another one like me. Let those infected with Sabellius’ illness, and those who have an inappropriate understanding of the Holy Spirit, be ashamed! What is especially surprising about this saying is that it overthrows completely opposite heresies with one blow. Having said: “other,” indicates the difference in His hypostasis; and saying: “Comforter” - to the unity of the being. Why does He say: “I will ask the Father”? Because if he had said: I will send, they would not have believed so much; and now He was concerned that they should believe Him. Subsequently, He expresses that He Himself sends Him, saying: “receive the Holy Spirit”; and here he says: “I will ask the Father” to make the word reliable for them. After all, John says about Him that “of His fullness we have all received” (John 1:16); How can He accept from another what He has? And again: “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16). What advantage would He have over the apostles if He had to beg the Father in order to bestow the Spirit on others, while the apostles often did this, apparently without prayer? And if the Holy Spirit is sent from the Father through prayer, then how does He descend by itself? And how can He be sent from another who is omnipresent, who of himself divides (gifts) “to each one individually, as He pleases” (1 Cor. 12:11), and says with authority: “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 13:2)? Although these servants served God, He called them with authority to their own work, not because the work to which He called them was different, but in order to show His power. So, what do you say it means: “I will ask the Father”? The time of the coming (of the Holy Spirit) is shown. When He cleansed them with sacrifice, then the Holy Spirit descended. Why didn’t He come at the time when (Christ) was with them? Because the sacrifice has not yet been made. When sin had already been destroyed, and the apostles, having received the command to go into danger, were preparing for the fight, then the One who strengthens them for exploits had to come. Why does the Spirit not come immediately after the resurrection? So that the apostles would desire Him more and receive Him with more love. While Christ was with them, they were not in sorrow; when He departed, they, having lost Him, were in great fear and, naturally, had to receive the Holy Spirit with great zeal. "May he be with you." This means that even after death he will not leave. And so that they, having heard about the Comforter, would not assume another new incarnation and would not hope to see Him with their own eyes, Christ, rejecting them from this, says: “Whom the world cannot accept, because it does not see Him.” He will not be with you as I am. But He will dwell in your very souls; this means: “it will be in you.” And by calling Him the Spirit of truth, He thereby points to the images that were in the Old Testament. "May he be with you." What does it mean: “may he be with you”? The same thing that He says about Himself: “I am with you” (Matthew 28:20). Moreover, He also hints at something else, namely: He will not endure what I have endured and will not depart. “Whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him.” But tell me, who else can see Him? No; He speaks here about knowledge, which is why he adds: “and does not know Him.” He usually calls sight also exact cognition. Since vision is clearer than other senses, it always means accurate knowledge. And by world He means evil people here. Thus He consoles the disciples that He will give them a special gift. Look how He exalted this gift: He said that there is another, the same as I am; said: He will not leave you; said: He will come to you alone, just as I did; said: “It will be in you.” And yet, despite all this, he did not destroy the sadness in them. They wanted to see Him and have Him with them. That is why, satisfying their desire, He says: “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18). Don't be afraid, he says; It is not because I said: I will send another Comforter, because I myself am leaving you forever; I didn’t say “it will be in you” because I won’t see you anymore. No, I myself will come to you: “I will not leave you orphans.” Just as he said at the beginning of his speech: “children,” so here he says: “I will not leave you orphans.” 2. At the beginning, Christ said: you will come where I am going, and: “in My Father’s house are many mansions”; but here, since that time was far away, he gives the Spirit. But since the disciples, not understanding the meaning of His words, were not sufficiently comforted by them, He says: “I will not leave you orphans,” because this is what they especially desired. And since the saying: “I will come to you” indicated the coming, so that they would not again expect exactly the same coming as was before - look how He, without clearly saying this, nevertheless made it clear. Having said: “Just a little while, and the world will see Me no more,” He added: “But you will see Me” (John 14:19). As if he were saying this: I will come to you, but not in the same way as before, when I was constantly with you every day. And so that they do not ask: how did You say to the Jews: “You will not see Me from now on” (Matthew 23:39)? - He, in resolving this objection, says: “to you” alone, just like the Spirit. “For I live, and you will live” (John 14:19). The cross will not separate us forever, but will hide Me only for the shortest time. And by life He means, as it seems to me, not only the present life, but also the future. “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” (John 14:20). In relation to the Father, this is said about the being, and in relation to the disciples - about like-mindedness and help sent from God. But how, you ask, is it possible to allow this? How is it possible to allow the opposite? After all, there is a great and even infinite distance between Christ and the disciples. And don’t be surprised that the same words are used. Scripture, speaking of God and people, often uses the same words in different senses. So we are called both gods and sons of God; but these names do not have the same meaning when applied to us and to God. Likewise, the Son is called image and glory, just like us, but in a completely different meaning. And again: “you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor. 3:23); but Christ is not in the same sense of God as we are of Christ. So what do those words mean? When I am resurrected, he says, then you will know that I am not separate from the Father, but have the same power, and that I am always with you. Since at that time the very events will proclaim the help given to you from Me, enemies will be tamed, you will receive boldness, dangers will disappear, preaching will flourish every day and everyone will yield and submit to the word of piety. “As the Father sent Me, I send you” (John 20:21). Do you see that here the same expression does not have the same force? If we accept it in one meaning, the apostles will be no different from Christ. Why did He say: then “you will know”? Because then they saw Him risen and abiding with them, and then they knew true faith, since great was the power of the Spirit, which taught them everything. “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me” (John 14:21). This means that it is not enough just to have, but we also need to carefully observe. But why does He tell them the same thing many times, namely: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15), and: “whoever has My commandments and keeps them” (John 14:21), and also: if anyone hears My word and “keeps” it, he “loves Me”; and whoever “does not keep My words” does not love Me (John 14:23–24)? I think He is hinting at their grief. Since He had already spoken a lot to them about death, for example: “Whoever hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life” (John 12:25), and: “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38), and, moreover, intended to tell them even more than this, now, reproaching them, he says: Do you think that your sorrow comes from love? But it would be characteristic of love not to grieve. This is precisely what He wanted to prove to everyone by what He said, and that is why He further concluded His speech with this. “If you loved Me,” He said, “you would rejoice that I go to the Father” (John 14:28). So you are now grieving with fear; and fear of death is not characteristic of those who remember My commandments. You should have crucified yourself if you truly loved Me, because My word warned you not to be afraid of those who kill the body. The Father loves such and such, and so do I. “And I will appear to them myself.” Then Judas said: “What is it that You want to show Yourself to us” (John 14:22)? 3. Do you see how their souls were oppressed by fear? Judas was confused, alarmed and thought that they would see Him the same way we see the dead in a dream. So, in order to deviate them from this opinion, listen to what He says: “(I) and My Father... will come to him and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). As if he were saying this: just as the Father himself appears, so do I. And not only did he destroy their unjust opinion, but also with the words: “We will make an abode with him”; this is no longer a dream. But pay attention to the student: he is embarrassed and does not dare to clearly say what he wants to say. He did not say: woe to us, - You are dying and want to appear to us as dead; no, he didn’t say that, but said: “What is it that You want to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” (John 14:22). To this (Christ) says: I especially love you, because you keep My commandments. He tells them in advance about His appearance so that when they see Him later, they will not consider Him to be a ghost. And so that they do not think that He will appear to them as I said, He also states the reason, that is, the observance of His commandments - He says that the Spirit will appear in the same way. If, even after living with Him for so long, they still could not bear such a manifestation of His being and did not even understand it, then what would have happened to them if He had appeared to them like that from the very beginning? That is why He ate food with them, so that they would not consider His appearance to be a ghost. If they thought this way when they saw Him walking on the waters, despite the fact that He appeared in the same form and was not long before separated from them, then what would they not have thought if they had suddenly seen Him risen, while before they saw how He was taken and bound: For this reason He often tells them that He will appear, and why He will appear, and how, so that they would not consider His appearance to be a ghost. “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; But the word that you hear is not Mine, but of Him who sent Me” (John 14:24). This means that whoever does not listen to these words not only does not love Me, but also the Father. If the proof of love is obedience to the commandments, and the commandments are from the Father, then, obviously, whoever obeys them no longer loves not only the Son, but also the Father. How then is it both Thine and not Thine (word)? This means that I do not say anything without the Father and do not say anything of My own, different from what is pleasing to Him. “I told you these things while I was with you” (John 14:25). Since all this was not clear and they did not understand otherwise, and doubted many things, so that they would not again become confused and begin to ask: what are the commandments? - delivered them from all anxiety, saying: “The Comforter... whom the Father will send in My name, he will teach you” (John 14:26). Perhaps what I have now told you is not clear; but that Teacher will explain this to you. And with the words: “he remains with you” (John 14:17) hints at His departure. Then, so that they would not grieve, he says that while He remains with them and until the Spirit comes, they will not be able to comprehend anything great and lofty. He says this in order to prepare them to courageously endure His departure, since it will be a source of great blessings for them. And he constantly mentions the Comforter because they were then overcome with grief. But since, even after these words, they became confused at the thought of sorrows, struggles, and His departure, then see how He again consoles them, saying: “Peace I leave with you” (John 14:27). As if he were saying this: what harm will come to you from the turmoil of the world when you have peace with Me? This world is not like that (as usual). The external world is often harmful, sterile, and useless for those who have it; and I give such peace that you will live in peace with each other, and this will make you especially strong. And since He again said: “I leave,” which indicated His departure and could lead them to confusion, He again says: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). Do you see that they were embarrassed partly from love, partly from fear? “You have heard that I said to you: I am going away from you and will come to you. If you loved Me, you would rejoice that I said: I am going to the Father; for My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28). What kind of joy and what consolation could this bring them? What do these words mean? 4. The apostles still knew nothing about the resurrection and did not even have a proper understanding of Christ. Is it really possible that they had this concept when they did not even know that He would rise again? But they recognized the Father as great. Therefore, Christ says: if you are afraid for Me, as if I am not able to defend Myself, and do not hope that after the cross I will see you again, then nevertheless, as soon as you heard that I was going to the Father, you should have rejoiced, because I am going to something greater and capable of destroying all disasters. You have “heard what I said to you.” Why did he say this? I am so far from fear, says Christ, so confident in events that I even predicted them. And this is what will happen after, “I told you before it happened, so that when it happened, you might believe that I am (John 14:29). As if he were saying this: you wouldn’t know if I hadn’t said it; but I wouldn’t say it if I wasn’t completely sure. Do you see that those words were spoken accommodatively? So it is when He says: “Or do you think that I cannot ask the Father, and He will present Me with twelve legions of Angels?” (Matthew 26:53). – speaks adaptably to the opinion of the listeners. Of course, no one, even the most frantic one, will say that He could not help Himself, but had a need for angels. They thought of Him as a man; That’s why He says: “twelve legions of Angels.” Meanwhile, He only asked those who came to take Him - and threw them back. If someone calls the Father great in the sense that He is the author of the Son, then I will not contradict this either; but this does not at all mean that the Son was of a different being. His words mean this: as long as I am here, it is natural for you to think that we are in danger; if I go there, believe that there is no danger, because no one can overcome Him. Yet He spoke this in adaptation to the weakness of the disciples. I myself, he says, am completely calm and do not care about death; That’s why he said: “I told you about it before it happened.” But since you cannot yet accept the word about this, I will borrow consolation for you from the Father, Whom you recognize as great. Having consoled them in this way, He again speaks of sad subjects. “It’s already a little time for me to talk to you.” Why? “For the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in Me” (John 14:30). Speaking about the prince of the world, he means the devil and evil people, because the devil does not rule over heaven and earth - otherwise he would overthrow and overthrow everything - but rules over those who themselves surrender to him. Therefore (Scripture) calls him the prince of the darkness of this age, again meaning here by darkness evil deeds. So what? Does this mean the devil will kill you? No; he “has nothing in Me.” Why will they kill you? Because I want it so, and let the world know that I love the Father. I, he says, am not subject to death and do not belong to it, but I endure it out of love for the Father. And this is said in order to again encourage the disciples and show them that He does not go against His will, but voluntarily, goes to death, and that He despises the devil. In fact, He did not limit himself to saying: “I will not be with you for a long time” (John 7:33), but often repeats these sad words. And in order to make them acceptable, He rightly mixes joyful words into them. That is why He sometimes says: “I go from you and will come to you” (John 14:28), also: “so that you also may be where I am”, and also: “You cannot follow Me now, but afterward you will follow”, also: “I am going to the Father”, and: “My Father is greater than I”, and: “I told you these things before they came to pass” (John 14:29), and also: I am not of necessity I endure this, but out of love for the Father, - thereby instilling in the disciples that His death is not disastrous and not harmful, as both the one who loves Him dearly and the one loved by Him quickly deigns to do so. So, mixing joyful words for this purpose, He often spoke about sad subjects in order to accustom their minds to it. After all, with the words: “It will be in you,” and: “It is better for you that I go” (John 16:7), He also consoled them. That is why He said a lot about the Spirit in advance, such as: “he is with you,” and: “the world cannot accept,” and: “He will remind you of everything,” and: “He is the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,” and: “it is better for you,” so that they would not grieve, as if they no longer had any intercessor and helper. And with the words: “better” it shows that (the Holy Spirit) will make them spiritual. 5. And we see that it really came true. The timid and fearful, upon receiving the Spirit, rushed into the midst of danger and fearlessly went into iron, and into fire, and into animals, and into the depths of the sea, and into any kind of torment. Unbookish and simple, they spoke with such boldness that they amazed their listeners. From the meager the Spirit made them iron, gave them wings and did not allow them to fall into any human weakness. Such is the grace of the Spirit! If she finds sadness, she destroys it; if it is evil lust, it destroys; if there is fear, it expels it; and whoever has been vouchsafed it is no longer allowed to be a man, but, as if transferred to heaven itself, is disposed to think only about what is in heaven. That’s why “no one called anything of his possessions his own,” but they continued unceasingly in prayer, “in joy and simplicity of heart” (Acts 4:32, 2:46). This is what the Holy Spirit primarily demands: “the fruit of the Spirit is... joy, peace,... faith, meekness” (Gal. 5:22-23). However, would you say that people who are filled with the Spirit often grieve? But this sadness is sweeter than joy. Cain was also sad, but with worldly sadness; Paul also grieved, but with sorrow for God. Everything spiritual brings the greatest benefit, just as everything worldly brings extreme harm. Let us attract to ourselves, through fulfilling the commandments, the irresistible help of the spirit - and we will be no less than angels. After all, they are not such because they are incorporeal (otherwise none of the incorporeal would be evil); but everywhere the cause of everything is free will. That is why among the disembodied there were those who were worse than people and even dumb, and among those clothed with flesh there were those who were better than the disembodied. So all the righteous, although they lived on earth and had a body, nevertheless accomplished great deeds. On earth they lived as strangers and wanderers, and in heaven as citizens. So don’t you say: I am clothed with flesh, I cannot overcome (it), I cannot take upon myself the labors of virtue. Don't blame the Creator. After all, if because we wear the flesh, virtue becomes impossible for us, then we are no longer guilty. But that this does not make it impossible is proved by the countenance of the saints. Thus, the carnal nature did not prevent either Paul from being what he was, or Peter from receiving the keys of heaven. And Enoch, being in the flesh, “was carried away... and he was not” (Heb. 11:5). Likewise, Elijah was caught up in the flesh, and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob shone forth, being clothed in flesh; with the flesh also Joseph stood against that slutty wife. And what am I saying about the flesh? Even if you put shackles on the flesh, then there would be no harm. Although I am in bonds, says Paul, “yet there is no bond for the word of God” (2 Tim. 2:9). And what am I talking about bonds and shackles? Add prison and imprisonment, and all this will not be an obstacle to virtue. This is exactly what Paul taught. The shackles of the soul are not iron, but slavish fear, covetousness and countless passions. This is what binds, even if the body is free. But you say passions are also born from the body? This is an empty apology and a worthless excuse. If these passions were truly born from the body, then everyone would be subject to them. Just as no one can avoid fatigue, sleep, hunger and thirst, because all this is natural, so no one could avoid submission to passions, if they were such. If many avoid them, then it is clear that such shortcomings are born from the carelessness of the soul. So, let us cut off carelessness and not blame the body, but subordinate it to the soul, so that, having it in obedience, we may achieve eternal blessings, according to 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” You might be interested in: