Беседа 26

Acts 12:1–3. At that time, King Herod raised his hands against some of the church to do them harm, and killed James, John's brother, with the sword. Seeing that this pleased the Jews, he took Peter also; then were the days of unleavened bread. Sorrow is a great blessing. - You need to stay awake. – Prayer destroys sins. 1. What time is (the writer) talking about? Of course, about what follows. It’s like this here (it must be understood), but in other places it’s different. When Matthew says: “in those days John the Baptist comes,” he does not mean the following days, but those in which the story happened (Matthew 3:1). In Scripture, such an image (of speech) is usually used that sometimes the immediately following events are presented in order, and sometimes what is about to happen much later is narrated as immediately following. He says it perfectly: “King Herod,” since this was not the one who lived under Christ. Here is another temptation. And look, as I said at the beginning, how things are arranged, how everything is made up of joys and sorrows. It is no longer the Jews and not the Sanhedrin, but the king raises his hands to “do them harm.” Here is the highest power, the most difficult warfare, especially since it took place to please the Jews. "He killed Jacob, John's brother, with the sword." Without reason and without analysis. If someone asks: why did God allow this? - then we will say: for their own sake: firstly, to convince them that (believers), even when killed, win, as was the case with Stephen; secondly, to allow them to satisfy their rage and then restrain themselves from fury; thirdly, to show that this happened by His permission. “Seeing that this pleased the Jews, he took Peter also.” O great wickedness! Did he please them by committing murders without reason and in vain? "Then were the days of unleavened bread". Again (visible) the excessive pickiness of the Jews (in days); however, they did not prevent killing, but they did it even at such times. “And when he detained him, he put him in prison, and ordered four teams of soldiers to guard him” (Acts 12:4). This came from anger and fear. “He killed,” says (the writer), “Jacob, John’s brother, with the sword.” Do you see the courage of them (the apostles)? So that no one says that they boldly and fearlessly go to death because God delivers them from it, for this purpose He allows them to be killed, and especially by the Supreme One, thereby teaching those who kill that even this does not stop them or hinder them. “So Peter was kept in prison, while the church diligently prayed to God for him” (Acts 12:5). They were now in the most dangerous position. They were frightened both by the fact that he was killed and by the fact that this one was put in prison. “When Herod wanted to bring him out, that night Peter slept between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and the guards at the door kept watch over the prison. And behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared, and light shone around the prison. The angel, pushing Peter in the side, woke him up and said: get up quickly. And the chains fell from his hands” (Acts 12:6–7). Look, on this very night I delivered him. “And the light shone around the prison,” so that he would not think that it was a ghost; and no one saw the light except him. If at the same time he thought that he was seeing a ghost, because of the surprise, then even more so (he would have thought) if this had not happened: so he was ready to die! And this happened because he remained there for many days without receiving deliverance. Why, they will say, (God) did not allow him to fall into the hands of Herod, so that he could then be delivered? Because it would terrify them; and this happened for them too. They would have thought that (the apostles) were not people if He did everything divinely. What didn't He do to Stephen? Did not (his face) appear to them “like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15)? What, in general, was missing here? “And the Angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your shoes” (Acts 12:8). Here (the writer) again shows that this was not done with malice; He who is in a hurry and intends to go out stealthily does not make such preparations as to put on his shoes and girdle. “He did this. Then he says to him: put on your clothes and follow me. Peter went out and followed him, not knowing that what the Angel was doing was real, but thinking that he was seeing a vision. Having passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gates leading into the city, which opened to them of their own accord” (Acts 12:8-10). Here is the second sign. When the angel was no longer with him, then Peter understood (what he had seen). “They went out and walked one street, and suddenly the Angel was not with him. Then Peter, coming to his senses, said: Now I truly see that the Lord has sent His angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from everything that the people of the Jews were waiting for” (Acts 12:10-11). Now, he says, I have understood, and not before. Why is this being done, and why does Peter not understand what is happening, although he was already so free after all (the chains) were removed from him? So that he would receive deliverance suddenly and then, after deliverance, he would feel it. And the fact that the chains fell from his hands is a clear sign that he did not run away. “And having looked around, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John, called Mark, where many were gathered and praying. When Peter knocked at the gate, a maid named Rhoda came out to listen, and recognizing Peter’s voice, she did not open the gate for joy” (Acts 12:12-14). Look: Peter does not immediately leave (Jerusalem), but communicates the good news to his people in advance. “Running in, she announced that Peter was standing at the gate. And they said to her: are you out of your mind? But she maintained her point” (Acts 12:14–15). 2. See how the maids also were filled with piety. Out of joy she did not open the entryway; but even after that they did not believe. “But she,” said (the writer), “claimed her own. They said: this is his angel. Meanwhile, Peter continued to knock. When they opened it, they saw him and were amazed. He, giving a sign with his hand to remain silent, told them how the Lord brought him out of prison, and said: notify Jacob and the brothers about this. Then he went out and went to another place” (Acts 12:15–17). But let's turn to the above in order. “At that time,” says (the writer), “King Herod raised his hands against some of those belonging to the church.” Like a wild beast, he attacked everyone without reason and indiscriminately. Here what Christ said is fulfilled: “You will drink the cup that I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized” (Mark 10:39). “He killed,” he says, “Jacob, John’s brother, with the sword.” Why, they will say, didn’t he kill Peter then? The writer gave the reason: “then,” he says, “were the days of unleavened bread,” and he wanted to kill him with greater solemnity. The Jews themselves, on the advice of Gamaliel, now refrained from killing, and, moreover, did not find reasons for this, but through others they did the same. Since there was another Jacob, the brother of the Lord, he signified this by saying: “brother of John.” Do you see that these three (apostles) were the main ones, especially Peter and James? This serves to further condemn the Jews. After all, it was already clear that their preaching was not human, and what was truly said was fulfilled: “they are counted as sheep that are being slain” (Ps. 43:23). “Seeing,” he says, “that this pleased the Jews, he immediately took Peter.” It was a pleasure to kill, and an unjust murder at that. Great is the madness of Herod; he served their wicked passions. It would be necessary to do the opposite and restrain their fury; and he excited and was, as it were, some kind of executioner of the sick, and not their doctor, although he had many examples - both grandfather and father Herod, of whom the first suffered many disasters for killing babies (Matthew 2:16), and the second, who killed John the Baptist (Matthew 14:10), waged a cruel war. “And, having detained him,” he says, “he put him in prison.” He was afraid that Peter would hide from fear (on the occasion of the murder) of Jacob, and in order to be sure to have him in his hands, he put him in prison. The more careful the guarding was, the more surprising the event. This served Peter - to become even more glorious and show his courage. “Meanwhile, the church,” he says, “prayed diligently.” This prayer is a sign of love. Everyone prayed for the father, the meek father. “Diligently,” he says, “I prayed for him.” Listen to how they were disposed towards the teachers. They were not indignant, did not create unrest, but turned to prayer, resorted to this irresistible champion. They did not say: I am not great and would pray in vain for him; they did it out of love and therefore did not think of anything like that. Do you want to know what (the Jews) did against their will? They made those the most glorious, and these the most zealous. And look: temptations befall them on the holiday, so that they may appear most glorious. “When Herod wanted to take him out,” says (the writer), “Peter slept that night.” You see: Peter sleeps, does not indulge in either despondency or fear. On that very night when they wanted to lead him (to death), he slept, betraying everything to God. Not only did he sleep, but he slept among the warriors and was tied up. “Between two warriors,” he says, “bound by two chains.” Do you see how carefully they guarded it? “And so,” he says, “the Angel of the Lord appeared and said: get up quickly.” The guards were also asleep, and therefore did not hear anything that happened. “And the light shone around the prison,” so that Peter would see and hear, and not think that it was a ghost. And so that he doesn’t slow down, he “pushes” him “to the side.” And he didn’t just say: “get up,” but added: “quickly,” - so he slept soundly! “Thinking he sees a vision,” says (the writer). "After passing the first and second watch". Where are the heretics now? Let them tell us: how did it go? But they couldn't (tell). Meanwhile (the angel) commands him to gird himself and put on shoes, in order to convince him that this is not a ghost, so that he will wake up from sleep and be convinced that this is the truth; For this reason, the chains immediately fell from his hands, and it was said: “Get up quickly.” These are words that do not confuse, but convince you not to hesitate. “Not knowing,” he says, “that what the Angel was doing was real, but thinking that he was seeing a vision.” Of course, due to the emergency of the event. 3. Do you see how extraordinary the sign is? How does it amaze the beholder? How incredible does it seem? If Peter thought he was seeing a ghost at a time when he himself was girded and shod, then what would not have happened to everyone else? “Having passed,” says (the writer), “the first and second guards, they came to the iron gates leading into the city, which opened to them of their own accord: they went out and walked one street, and suddenly the Angel was not with him.” What happened inside was more miraculous; and this subsequent one is more ordinary. When there was no longer any obstacle, then the angel was no longer with him. Peter (alone) would not have passed through so many obstacles; because it was amazing, truly amazing. “Now,” he says, “I truly see that the Lord sent His Angel and delivered me from the hand of Herod and from everything that the people of Judah were waiting for.” Now, and not when I was in chains. “And having looked around, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John.” What does it mean: “looking around”? Wondering where he is. Either he was thinking about this, or about what he should not simply withdraw from, but give back to the benefactor; Thinking about this, he came to Mary’s house. Who is this John? Maybe the one that has always been with them; therefore (the writer) added his nickname. Look what a blessing sorrow was, what success their prayer had during the night, how vigilant they were. Do you see the fruits of the murder of Stephen? Do you see the benefit of this prison? Truly, God does not show the greatness of the Gospel preaching to take revenge on their persecutors, but for the persecutors themselves, although they do not tolerate anything unpleasant, He shows how great the sorrows are in themselves, so that we do not try in every possible way to get rid of them or take revenge for them. Notice how their maids were equally honest with them. “For joy,” she says, “she didn’t open it.” This was done well in the sense that, when they suddenly saw him, they would not be afraid or begin to doubt, but so that their thoughts would be prepared. And as is usually done with us, so now she did it: she hastened to bring the good news herself - and in fact it was good news. “And they said to her: Are you out of your mind? But she asserted her point. They said, “This is his angel.” Hence the (obvious) truth is that each of us has an angel. How did they then come to the idea that this was an angel? According to the time, they judged it this way. Meanwhile, Peter “continued to knock,” says (the writer), “and when they opened it, they saw him and were amazed.” He “gave a sign with his hand” and established great silence so that they would listen to him. How desired he was now for the disciples, not only because he had been delivered (from prison), but also because he immediately came and appeared before them! Then everyone will clearly recognize their own people, and strangers would also recognize them if they wanted to believe; but they didn't want to. So it was under Christ (John 7:12, 31). “Notify about this,” he says, “Jacob and the brothers.” Look how he is not vain. He did not say: make it known everywhere; but: "brothers". “Then, leaving, he went to another place.” He did not tempt God and did not expose himself to danger; This they did only when they were commanded. So, they were told: “Go and stand in the church, speak to the people all these words of life”: they listened to this and immediately obeyed (Acts 5:20-21). But the angel did not tell him this, but only retreated in silence and led him out at night, giving him the opportunity to leave. This also happens so that we learn that much was done then in a human way, and so that he will not be in danger again. And so that they do not say after his departure that this is his angel, for this they express it in advance, and then they see him himself, in refutation of such a thought. If it had been an angel, he would not have pushed the door and would not have gone “to another place.” They are also assured of this by the fact that it was not during the day. Thus, those freed from bonds were in prayer, and those bound were in sleep; if he accepted what was happening as reality, he would be afraid and would not remember (what happened); and now, as if dreaming, he remained unperturbed. “We came,” says (the writer), “to the iron gates.” Look how strong they were. “Having passed through the first and second guards,” he says, “they came to the iron gates.” And why, they will say, is this not accomplished through the (apostles) themselves? Why? Because God also honors them by delivering them through the angels. Why wasn't it the same with Paul? There for the purpose of making the prison guard believe, but here only one apostle was to be delivered; and on the other hand, because God arranges everything in different ways. There Paul sang praises, and here Peter slept (Acts 16:25). Therefore, let us not hide the miracles of God, but let us try to make them known both for our benefit and for the edification of others. In fact, if (Peter) was amazing when he wanted to be bound, then he was even more amazing when he did not leave before announcing everything about himself in advance. “And he said,” he says, “notify Jacob and the brothers about this.” Why does he command to proclaim it? So that they would rejoice, so that they would not grieve, so that they would learn from these, and not these from those: this is how he cared for the lowest members! Truly, there is nothing better than moderate sorrow. What do you think their soul was like then? Which one is filled with joy? Where are the wives now who sleep through the night? Where are the men who don’t even want to turn around on their bed? Do you see the waking soul? With their wives and children and maidservants they sang, having become purer than heaven through grief. And now, as soon as we see a small danger, we fall (in spirit). There is nothing brighter than the Church of that time. Let's imitate, let's compete. The night was not given for us to sleep through it and be inactive. Witnesses to this are artisans, mule drivers, traders, the Church of God, rising in the middle of the night. Arise, you too, look at the chorus of stars, at the deep silence, at the great silence, and marvel at the deeds of your Master. Then the soul becomes purer, lighter and more vigorous, and is especially capable of soaring and elevating itself; The darkness itself and complete silence are very conducive to tenderness. If you look at the sky, speckled with stars, as if with countless eyes, you will receive complete pleasure by immediately thinking about the Creator. If you imagine that those who make noise during the day, laugh, play, jump, offend, covet, annoy, and do countless evils, are now no different from the dead, then you will understand the insignificance of human pride. The dream came and showed nature as it is; he is the image of death; he is the image of death (the world). If you look outside, you won't hear a single voice; If you look in the house, you will see everyone lying as if in a coffin. All this can excite the soul and bring to mind the end of the world. 4. My word is to husbands and wives. Kneel, sigh, pray to your Lord to be merciful to you; He especially bows (to mercy) with night prayers, when you make the time of rest a time of weeping. Remember the king, as he said: “I am weary with my groanings, every night I wash my bed, I water my bed with my tears” (Ps. 6:7). Whatever pleasures you have, you will have no more; no matter how rich you are, you will not be richer than David. But he says in another place: “at midnight I rose to praise You for Your righteous judgments” (Ps. 119:62). Then vanity is not a concern; and how (can it bother you) when everyone is sleeping and can’t see? Then laziness and carelessness do not attack; and how (can they attack) when so much excites the soul? After such all-night vigils there are pleasant dreams and wonderful visions. Do this too, husband, and not just the wife. Let the house become a Church, composed of husbands and wives. Do not consider the fact that you are only one husband and that she is only one wife to be an obstacle to this. “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). And where Christ is present, there is a great multitude; Where Christ is, there are necessarily angels, archangels, and other powers. Therefore, you are not alone when the Lord of all is with you. And also listen to what the prophet says: “Better is one righteous man than a thousand sinners” (Sir.16:3). There is nothing more powerless than many sinners, and nothing stronger than one living according to the law of God. If you have children, then raise up your children too, and let the whole house become a Church during the night; if they are young and cannot bear to be awake, then (let them listen to) at least one prayer or two, and calm down; Just get up, just make it a habit. There is nothing more beautiful than a home in which such prayers are performed. Listen to what the prophet says: “I remembered You on my bed, in the morning hours I thought about You” (Ps. 62:7). But, you say, I got very tired during the day, and I can’t. This is an excuse and a pretext; no matter how much you work, you will not work harder than a coppersmith, who lowers such a heavy hammer from a great height, splashes sparks, is saturated with smoke all over his body, and yet spends most of the night doing this. And you wives know, when you need to go to the field, or come to a night meeting, that they spend the whole night there without sleep. So let you also have a spiritual forge, to build not cauldrons and frying pans, but your soul, which is much better than any work made of copper and gold. Throw her, outdated from sins, into the furnace of repentance; strike it from a great height with a hammer, i.e. confession of sins; ignite the fire of the Spirit. Your art is much better. You are not fashioning golden vessels, but a soul more precious than all gold, just as a forger of copper makes his work. You are not preparing a material vessel, but you are freeing the soul from all worldly cares. Let a lamp stand before you, not this burning one, but the one that the prophet had with him when he said: “A lamp for my feet is your law” (Ps. 119:105). Inflame your soul with prayer; if you see that she has enough (of fire), then take her out (from this crucible) and arrange her as you want. Believe me, it is not so much fire that destroys rust (of metal), as night prayer that destroys the rust of our sins. Let us be ashamed, if of no one else, then of the night guards. They, obeying human law, go around during cold weather, shouting loudly and walking through the streets, often in the rain and numb (from the cold), for you, for your safety and to protect your property. He takes such care of your property; but you do not (provide) even about your soul. And besides, I do not force you to walk, like him, in the open air, nor to scream loudly and strain yourself; but, being in the same dwelling, in the same bedroom, kneel down and turn to the Lord in prayer. Why did Christ Himself stay on the mountain all night (Luke 6:12)? Is it not in order to set an example for us? Then the plants restore their strength, i.e. during the night; then especially the soul absorbs the dew even more. What is caught by the sun during the day is refreshed at night. Night tears, better than any dew, descend on wishes and on any ardent kindling, and do not allow anything harmful to be tolerated. If she does not feed on this dew, she will be burned during the day. However, may none of you be burned by that fire, but staying cool and under the cover of God’s love for mankind, may we all be granted freedom from the burden of sins, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. These conversations were delivered by the saint in Constantinople in 400 or 401. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: