Discourses on the Inscription of the Book of Acts

“Conversations on the Inscription of the Book of Acts” (4 conversations) delivered by St. John Chrysostom in the spring of 388 in Antioch. The first conversation begins with the words of St. John about the church, which was crowded the previous Sunday, but almost empty now: “If this congregation, small in number and consisting mostly of the poor, and that congregation, numerous and composed of more of the rich, if someone wanted to put both of these congregations on scales for weighing, he would find that the first has the advantage. You are smaller in number, but more honorable in zeal.” He calls those who do not attend church services worse than the Jews. The saint speaks out against theatrical spectacles and condemns the abuse of wealth. Using the example of the Apostle Paul's visit to Athens, St. John shows that even the titles of the Holy Scriptures should not be neglected. In the second conversation, the saint speaks of the Church as a stronghold against which all the efforts of paganism and heresy were defeated. It was created by the hands of the apostles on the basis of the prophets. St. John shows that a virtuous life is more useful than signs and wonders, because deeds, not miracles, open Heaven. Using the example of the miracle of healing of the lame man by the Apostle Peter, the saint proves that the deeds of the apostles are love, and not miracles. In the third conversation of St. John talks about the benefits of reading the Holy Scriptures. A person who reads the Holy Scriptures daily is “like a tree planted by streams of water.” The conversation contains an explanation of who the apostle is and an exhortation to the newly baptized. In the fourth conversation, the saint explains why the book of Acts is read during Pentecost and speaks about the duty of those who listen to the holy word in church to spread it among other people. *The title of the essay in Latin is In principium Actorum homiliae 1-4. About those who did not come to the church meeting; about the fact that the inscriptions of the Divine Scriptures should not be ignored; about the inscription on the altar and about the newly enlightened. The preacher complains that the church, which was completely overcrowded on the previous Sunday, was now almost empty, and especially that no rich people are visible in the church. – He, however, prefers a small number of poor people present. - Denunciation of spectacles. – It is the abuse of wealth that is to be condemned, not the wealth itself. “Those who do not attend church services are worse than the Jews.” – There is no need to neglect even the very titles of the Holy Scriptures, since the Apostle Paul, while in Athens, even used the inscription on the pagan altar. – What does the Acts of the Apostles mean? – The Apostle Paul overcame paganism just as David overcame the Philistine giant. – Who is a true neophyte? 1. What is this? The further our holidays extend, the smaller the gatherings become. But we, those present, will not be careless; the meetings are made smaller in number, but not less in zeal, smaller in number, but not less in location. They are made smaller, “so that those who are skilled may be revealed among you” (1 Cor. 11:19), so that we may know who comes to the annual holiday out of habit, some out of a desire for Divine sayings, and some out of desire to hear about spiritual things. On the previous Sunday, the whole city was here, the fences were filled, the people were like waves, ebbing and flowing; but for me your silence is more desirable than those waves, for me your calm is more worthy than that noise and confusion. Then it was possible to count the bodies present, and now - the souls filled with piety. If this assembly, small in number and consisting mostly of the poor, and that assembly, numerous and composed mostly of the rich, if someone wanted to put both of these assemblies on the scales for weighing, he would find that the first has the advantage. You are smaller in number, but more honorable in zeal. This also happens with things being weighed: if someone took ten gold staters and put them on one pan of the scales, and on the other pan a hundred copper coins, then the hundred copper coins would pull the scales to their side; but ten gold pieces, due to their superior properties, prevail over them, as the most important and most precious in their essence. So the few in number are more precious and useful than the many. But why am I presenting to you examples from ordinary objects when it is necessary to cite a saying of God testifying to this? What does it say? “Better is one righteous man who does the will of the Lord than a thousand sinners” (Sir.16:3). It happens, truly often, one person is equivalent to thousands. And what am I saying: one person is equivalent to thousands? It can be more important and more honorable than the universe itself. I will present evidence of this from the words of Paul. Having mentioned the poor, persecuted, insulted, and oppressed people, he says this: “They wandered around in sheepskins and goatskins, enduring disadvantages, sorrows, and bitterness; those of whom the whole world was not worthy” (Heb. 11:37–38). What are you saying? Was the world really not worth them, who suffered deprivation and bitterness and had no fatherland? Don't you see how few you are pitting against so many? I see, he says, that’s why I said that “the world was not worthy” of them. I know the properties of these coins well. Having placed the earth and the sea, kings and rulers, and in general the entire human race, and contrasted them with two or three poor people, I can safely say that these poor ones weigh more. They were expelled from their fatherland, but their fatherland was Jerusalem above; they spent their lives in poverty, but were rich in piety; they were hated by men, but loved by God. Who were they? Elijah, Elisha and all those like them. Do not look at the fact that they needed the necessary food, but at the fact that the mouth of Elijah closed and opened the sky, and his mantle turned back the Jordan. Imagining this, I both rejoice and grieve: I rejoice for you who are present, but I grieve for those who are not present; I am very sad, sad and contrite in heart. And who among the most insensitive people will not grieve when they see that the works of the devil are worthy of greater jealousy? Meanwhile, if they were rewarded with even equal zeal (with deeds of piety), then there would be no forgiveness for us, no justification; and when they are rewarded with much more, what excuse is left for us? People are invited to spectacles every day, and no one is lazy, no one refuses, no one refers to the multitude of activities; but, ready and free from all care, they all run: neither the old man is ashamed of his gray hair, nor the young man is afraid of the flame of his natural lust, nor the rich man is afraid of humiliating his dignity. And when it is necessary to go to church, then, as if descending from some high degree and humiliating his dignity, he hesitates and walks lazily, and then becomes arrogant, as if he had done some favor to God; he hurries to the theater, where he sees and hears depraved things, without thinking of humiliating himself, his wealth, or nobility. I would like to know where those who disturbed us that day are now, because their presence was the cause of disturbance; I would like to know what they are doing, what business, more necessary than what is occupying us now, has occupied them. But they have no occupation, but only vanity. What could be crazier than this? Why do you, man, become arrogant and think that you are doing us a favor if, having come here, you are attentive and listen to what relates to the salvation of your soul? What is this for, tell me? And what are you proud of? Wealth? Silk clothes? Don’t you think that they are strands of worms and inventions of foreigners, that they are used by harlots, and libertines, and tomb robbers, and robbers? Know true wealth and leave this arrogant and empty pride; think about the corruption of your nature. You are earth and dust, ashes and dust, smoke and shadow, grass and grass color. And tell me, are you proud of this kind of nature? What could be funnier than this? But are you in charge of many people? What is the use of this when you, while ruling over people, are yourself a captive and slave of passions? Just as if someone at home was beaten and received wounds from slaves, and outside, upon entering the square, he began to be proud of his superiority over others - so vanity scourges you, debauchery inflicts wounds on you, you are a slave of all passions, and are you proud that you are in authority over your fellow tribesmen? Oh, if you really were in charge of them, if you were equal to them in honor! 2. I say this to accuse not the rich, but those who make bad use of wealth. Wealth is not evil if we want to use it as we should; and evil is pride and vanity. If wealth were evil, then we would not all pray to enter into the bosom of Abraham, who had three hundred and seventeen slaves born in his house. Wealth, therefore, is not evil, but evil is its unlawful use. As before, speaking about drunkenness, I did not condemn wine - because “every creation of God is good, and nothing is blameworthy if it is received with thanksgiving” (1 Tim. 4:4); - so now I do not blame the rich and do not condemn wealth, but the bad use of wealth spent on debauchery. That is why it is called wealth (χρήματα), so that we dispose (χρησώμεθα) of it, and not it of us; That is why it is called acquisition (κτήματα), so that we own (κτησώμεθα) it, and not it us. Why do you make a slave your master? Why are you perverting the order? But I would like to know what those who have not come to the meeting are doing now and what they are doing. They either play dice or are certainly engaged in everyday affairs, filled with anxiety. And if you, a man, were present here, you would be at peace and in harbour; the steward would not come to disturb you, the steward would not disturb you, the servant would not disturb you with worldly affairs, and no one else would grieve you; spending time quietly, you would enjoy listening to Divine teaching. There is no excitement here, there is no confusion, but blessing, prayers, spiritual conversation, transference to Heaven; You would come out from here having received the pledge of the Kingdom of Heaven. Why did you, leaving this rich meal, move on to another, most unpleasant one, and, leaving the pier, exchange silence for anxiety? It is unfortunate that the poor who were then present are not here, but not as unfortunate as the fact that there are no rich here. Why? Because the poor, supporting themselves with the labor of their hands, have the necessary occupations, take care of daily work, take care of feeding their children, look after their wife, and if they did not work, they could not support their lives. I say this not to make a speech in their defense, but to show how much more condemnation the rich deserve. The more comforts they enjoy, the more they deserve condemnation, because nothing like that holds them back. Do you not see the Jews who are at enmity against God, who resist the Holy Spirit, who are stiff-necked? But those who did not come here are worse than all of them. If the priests order those not to do anything for seven, ten, twenty, thirty days, they do not contradict, although what could be more intolerable than such inaction? They lock the doors, do not light a fire, do not bring water, and do not allow themselves to do anything else of similar needs; they are connected by inaction, as if by a chain, and, however, do not contradict. But I don’t say anything like that, I don’t say: don’t do anything for seven days or ten days; but: give me two hours a day, and leave the rest for yourself - and you don’t give me even this part. It’s better to say: don’t devote these two hours to me, but to yourself, so that you can receive some consolation from the prayer of the fathers, so that you can leave here filled with blessings, so that you can leave protected on all sides, so that, having accepted spiritual weapons, you will become invincible and elusive to the devil. What could be more pleasant, tell me, than staying here? If you had to spend whole days here, what would be more desirable than this? What is safer than this place, where there are so many brothers, where the Holy Spirit is, where Jesus and His Father stand in the middle? Where will you find another such society, another meeting, another council? There are so many blessings here at meals, in teachings, in blessings, in prayers, in meetings - and you turn to other interviews? What excuse do you have? I did not say this so that you would listen - you have no need for such medicines, having proven your health and obedience by deeds, showing your love through zeal - but I told this to you so that those who are not here would hear from you. Don’t just tell them that I condemned those who didn’t come here, but tell them my whole speech from the very beginning. Remind them of the Jews, remind them of the affairs of life; tell me how much better the meeting here is; tell me how careful they are about worldly affairs; tell me what reward will follow for those who gather here. If you only say that I condemned them, then you will arouse anger in them, inflict a wound, but do not apply medicine; but if you explain to them that I condemned them not as an enemy, but as a lamenting friend, and convince them that “reproaches from a lover are sincere, and the kisses of a hater are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6), then they will accept the condemnation with great pleasure, because they will pay attention not to the words, but to the disposition of the speaker. So heal your brothers. We are responsible for saving you, those present, and you are responsible for saving those who are not present. We ourselves cannot have relations with them; we will communicate with them through you, through your instruction; let your love be a bridge to them for us; let our words reach their ears through your tongue. However, perhaps enough has already been said about those who did not come, and there is no need to add anything more. We could say more, but in order not to waste all the time on such condemnation, without delivering any benefit to you present, we will now offer you some unusual and new food - unusual and new, I say, not in relation to a spiritual meal, but unusual for your hearing. 3. In former days we spoke to you about the apostolic and gospel sayings, when we talked about Judas, we also spoke to you about the prophetic ones; Now we want to say from the Acts of the Apostles. That’s why I call this food both extraordinary and at the same time ordinary: it is ordinary because it follows the order of the Divine Scriptures, and extraordinary because your ears may not be accustomed to hearing about such a subject. This book is not even known to many, but to many it seems clear, and therefore is ignored, so that for some knowledge, and for others ignorance is a reason for carelessness. Therefore, in order for both those who do not know and those who consider themselves to know well to understand that it contains many deep thoughts, it is necessary today to correct the negligence of both. But first of all, you need to find out who wrote this book, because this is the order of the best research - to find out in advance the writer, whether he is a man or God. If he is a man, then we will reject him, because the Lord says: “Call no one on earth teacher” (Matthew 23:9), but if he is God, then we will accept him, because our teaching is from above, and such is the dignity of this spectacle - not to learn anything from people, but from God through people. So, you need to investigate who the writer (of this book), when he wrote, and about what, and why it was decided to read it on this holiday, because perhaps you do not hear this book read throughout the year. Genuinely, and this is useful to know, and then you need to investigate why it has such an inscription: “Acts of the Apostles,” because the inscriptions should not be ignored and not suddenly turn to the beginning of the work, but, first, should consider the title of the book. Just as with us the head makes the rest of the body known, and the face located at the top serves to reveal it, so the inscription placed at the top, before the work in its title, makes the rest of the Scriptures more known to us. Don’t you see on the royal images how at the top there is an image with the inscription of the king, and at the bottom at the base there are written trophies, victories, and exploits? The same can be seen in the Scriptures. A royal image is inscribed at the top, and victories, trophies, and exploits are written below. This is what we do when we receive a letter: we do not suddenly tear off the bandage and do not immediately read what is inside, but, in advance, we pay attention to the external inscription and from it we learn who sent it and who should receive it. How, isn’t it foolish to show such zeal in everyday affairs, and not be indignant and not worried, but do each task in order, and here be indignant and rush to get to the beginning as soon as possible? Do you want to know how much power there is in writing, how much importance, what treasure is in the titles of the Scriptures? Listen, so that you do not neglect the inscription of Divine books. Once Paul came to Athens. This very book has a story about it. He found in the city not the Divine Book, but an idol altar; He also found the following inscription: “to an unknown God,” and did not pass by, but through the inscription of the altar he overthrew the altar itself (Acts 17:23). So Saint Paul, who had the grace of the Spirit, did not pass by the inscription of the altar, and you do not pay attention to the inscriptions of the Scriptures? He did not ignore what the idolatrous Athenians wrote, but do you not consider necessary what the Holy Spirit wrote? What excuse can you have? But let's see how great the benefit comes from the inscription. When you see that such power was exerted by the inscription inscribed on the altar, you will understand that the inscriptions of the Divine Scriptures can mean much more. Paul entered the city and found an altar on which was written: “to the unknown God.” What should have been done? The inhabitants were all pagans, all wicked. What should have been done? Speak from the Gospels? But they would laugh. From the prophetic scriptures and from the law? But they wouldn't believe it. What did he do? He resorted to the altar and defeated them with the weapons of his enemies. Here what he says was fulfilled: “I made myself a slave to all,... to the Jews I was as a Jew,... to those who were strangers to the law, as one who was stranger to the law” (1 Cor. 9:19-21). He saw the altar, saw the inscription, and rebelled in spirit. Such is the grace of the Spirit: it produces that those who receive it benefit from everywhere; Such is our spiritual weapon, “we take into captivity,” he says, “every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). So, he saw the altar and was not afraid, but turned the altar to his advantage, or better yet, leaving the letters, he changed their meaning. Like a military leader in a war, seeing a brave warrior in a detachment of enemies, and then, taking this warrior by the hair, he would transfer him to his detachment and force him to fight for himself, so did Paul: having found an inscription inscribed on the altar, as if in a detachment of enemies, he transferred her to his detachment so that she would fight with Paul against the Athenians, and not act together with the Athenians against Paul, because this inscription was the sword of the Athenians, was the spear of the enemies, but this same sword cut off the enemies' heads. It wouldn't be so surprising if he won with his own weapons, because that's understandable; otherwise it is new and unusual when the weapons of the enemy and their evil tricks are turned against the enemy, when the sword they raise against us inflicts a mortal wound on them. 4. Such is the power of the Spirit. This is what David once did. He went out without weapons so that the grace of God would be clearly revealed. Let there be nothing human, he says, when God fights for us. So he went out unarmed - and overthrew that tower. Then, since he had no weapon, he ran up and grabbed Goliath's sword, and thus cut off the foreigner's head. This is what Paul did with this inscription. And so that the method of his victory becomes clearer, I will reveal to you the power of the inscription. So, Paul found an altar in Athens on which was written: “to the unknown God.” Who was this Unknown One if not Christ? Do you see how he “captivated” this inscription, not to the detriment of those who wrote it, but to their salvation and benefit? Well, they will say, did the Athenians really write it for Christ? If the Athenians had written it for Christ, it would not have been so surprising; It’s amazing that they wrote in one sense, but he could give the same thing a different meaning. First of all, it is necessary to say why the Athenians wrote: “to the unknown God.” Why did they write? They had many gods, or rather, many demons, because “all the gods of the nations are idols” (Ps. 95:5). They had gods both domestic and foreign. See how funny this is. If God exists, then he cannot be foreign, because He is the Lord of the entire universe. So, they received some of the gods from their fathers, others from neighboring peoples, such as: from the Scythians, from the Thracians, from the Egyptians, and if you were versed in external science, then I would tell you all these stories. Therefore, since they did not accept all the gods from the very beginning, but little by little gods were introduced to them, some from their ancestors, and others from their own generation, then, having gathered, they said to each other: just as we did not know these, and then later accepted and recognized, so it may happen that there is another unknown, the True God, but unknown to us, Who, due to this ignorance of ours, is neglected by us and is not revered. What happened? They set up an altar and wrote; “to the unknown God,” expressing the following inscription: if there is any other God, still unknown to us, then we will honor Him too. Look at the extreme superstition. That is why Paul, at the beginning of his speech, said: “I see from everything that you are, as it were, especially devout” (Acts 17:22), because you worship not only the gods known to you, but also those still unknown to you. For the reason stated above, they wrote: “to an unknown God,” and Paul explained it this way. They said this about other gods, and he turned the same thing to Christ, captivating the meaning (of the inscription) and placing it with him in his squad: “This,” he says, “whom you worship without knowing, I preach to you” (Acts 17:23), because the unknown God is none other than Christ. And look at his spiritual prudence. They could accuse him like this: you offer our ears a strange teaching, you introduce news, you introduce a God whom we do not know. Therefore, wanting to reject suspicion of innovation and show that he was not preaching a new God, but the One whom they had previously worshiped as a servant, he added: “This, whom you, without knowing, honor, I preach to you.” You, he says, warned me; your worship of God preceded my sermon. Do not accuse me of introducing a new God; I proclaim Him whom you, not knowing, worship, although unworthy of Him, nevertheless worship, because for Christ the altar is not erected like this, but animated and spiritual; but I can take you from this to that. Likewise, the Jews once revered God, but then they abandoned the sensual worship of God and moved on to the spiritual, believing everything. Do you see Paul's wisdom? Do you see his prudence? Do you see how he gained victory over them, not through the sayings of the Gospel or the Apostles, but through an inscription? Do not ignore, beloved, the inscriptions of Divine sayings. If you are attentive and circumspect, then you will find something useful in strangers; and if you are careless and careless, then the Divine Scriptures will not be of any use to you. Just as someone who knows how to extract benefit from everything gets it, so someone who doesn’t, even if he finds a treasure, is left with nothing. Would you like me to present you with another similar example of how someone spoke in a different sense, and the evangelist turned the power of what was said to his advantage? Listen carefully, so that you may understand how he also captivated the meaning (of speech) into the obedience of Christ, so that you may learn that if we can take into captivity the things of others, then all the more, by working on our own, we will receive benefit. The high priest that year was Caiaphas. And this was a consequence of the wickedness of the Jews, because they degraded the dignity of the priesthood by making the high priests corrupt. But before it was not so, but only with death did the priesthood of the high priest end; Then the living were deprived of this honor. So, the high priest that year was Caiaphas, who armed the Jews against Christ and said that he must die, although he could not accuse Him of anything, but was consumed with envy. Such is envy: this is how it rewards good deeds! Therefore, citing the reason for the malice, he said: “It is better for us that one man should die for the people, than that the whole nation should perish” (John 11:50). See how the power of this saying was on our side, so that you understand that, although these were the words of a priest, their meaning could become spiritual. “It is better for us that one man should die for the people, than that the whole nation should perish. “He said this not on his own,” says the evangelist, but because he was a bishop, “being high priest that year, he predicted” that Christ should die not only for the Jews, but also for all nations (John 11:50–51); That’s why he said that “it is better for us that one man should die for the people, than that the whole people should perish.” Do you see the power of God, how it makes the tongue of enemies speak for the truth? 5. So, enough has been said about not ignoring the inscriptions of the Divine Scriptures, if you remember. I would also like to say who the writer of this book is, when and why he wrote it. But for now let’s keep in mind what was said, and put it off for the next day, if God wills. I want to finally turn my speech to the newly enlightened. I call newly enlightened not only those who were baptized in two, three or ten days, but also in a year, and more, because they too can be called that. If we take great care of our soul, then we can be newly enlightened even after ten years, if we maintain the renewal brought to us by baptism, because it is not time that makes us newly enlightened, but pure life. And someone who is inattentive can lose the dignity of this name even in two days. I will also give you an example of how the newly enlightened one soon, after two days, lost both the grace and the honor of the newly enlightened one, and I will give an example so that, seeing the fall, you take care of your own salvation, because by the example of those who did not resist, but also those who fell, you need to be corrected and edified. Simon the Magus, the Scripture says, was converted and, having been baptized, remained with Philip, looking at the signs; but after a few days, he returned to his wickedness and wanted to buy salvation with money. What did Peter say to this newly enlightened man? “I see you filled with bitter gall and in the bonds of unrighteousness... pray to God: perhaps this wickedness will be forgiven you” (Acts 8:22–23). He had not yet begun his exploits, and had already fallen into an unforgivable fall. So, just as in two days you can fall and lose the name and grace of the newly enlightened, so after ten years, and twenty, and even until the last day, you can retain this bright and honorable name and state. A witness to this is the Apostle Paul, who in his old age shone even more. Since this renewal does not occur from nature, but we ourselves have the power to choose one state or another, it is up to us to remain young when we grow old. As for the body, even if someone used all his efforts, even if he took all measures and did not exhaust it, left it at home, did not burden it with labor and constant work, with all this, according to the law of nature, old age will certainly befall him; But it’s not so with the soul: if you don’t exhaust it and exhaust it with everyday labors and worldly worries, then it will forever remain bright, preserving its youth. Can't you see those stars in the sky? For six thousand years they have been shining for us, and not one of them has become darker. If, where nature acts, the light remains undimmed for so long, then is it not much more likely that where the will acts, the light can remain the same as it shone at the beginning? Or better - if we want, then it will not only remain that way, but will also become even lighter, so that it will be comparable to the rays of the sun themselves. Do you want to know how you can be newly enlightened even after a long time? Listen to what Paul says to people who were baptized a long time ago. “You shine as lights in the world, containing the word of life to my praise” (Phil. 2:15–16). You took off your old, torn clothes, anointed yourself with the spiritual world, you all became free; let no one return to their former slavery; your deeds are struggle and achievement. None of the slaves struggle, none of the servants fight; but if any slave is found, he will be excluded from the ranks of the warriors with punishment. And not only in military affairs, but also at the Olympic Games, the same custom prevails. After thirty days spent here, the wrestlers are taken out and paraded around the outskirts of the city, and when all the spectators have sat down to watch the spectacle, the herald proclaims: can anyone accuse this of anything? When in this way he is freed from any suspicion of slavery, then he sets out for exploits. If the devil does not allow slaves to perform his exploits, then how do you, being a slave of sin, dare to perform the exploits of Christ? There the herald says: Can anyone accuse this of anything; but here Christ does not say so, but even if everyone accused a person before his baptism, He says: I will accept him, free him from slavery and, having made him free, will lead him to exploits. Do you see the philanthropy of the hero of heroism? He does not examine the former, but demands an account in the future. When you were a slave, you had countless accusers: conscience, sins, all demons; but none of them, He says, stirred Me up against you, and I did not recognize you as unworthy of My exploits, but allowed you to fight - not for your dignity, but out of My love for mankind; do not retreat and strive, even if you have to run, even if you have to engage in hand-to-hand combat, even if you have to experience all types of warfare - and not secretly, not in vain, not in vain. Listen to what Paul did: as soon as he came out of the water, immediately after baptism he began to struggle, preached that “This is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20), and from the very first day he confused the Jews. But you cannot preach, you do not have the gift of teaching? Teach by deeds and behavior, by the light of deeds. “Let your light shine before men,” said the Lord, “so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Can't you confuse the Jews with your words? Make them be embarrassed by your behavior, make the pagans also be embarrassed by your change. When they see that the one who was formerly dissolute, vicious, careless, depraved, has suddenly changed, and after a grace-filled change shows a change in behavior, then will they not be confused and say, as the Jews once said about the blind man: “Is this not he,... is he, and others are like him” (John 9:8-9)? These are the words of people who are confused, who doubt what they know, disagree with themselves, do not believe their own consciousness and their own eyes. He got rid of bodily blindness, and you got rid of mental blindness; he began to look at this sun, and you look at the Sun of Truth. You have come to know the Master: do what is worthy of this knowledge, so that you may receive the Kingdom of Heaven, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father, with the Holy and Life-giving Spirit, be glory, honor, power, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. In a meeting that took place some time later in the ancient church, about the inscription of the Acts of the Apostles, and about the fact that a virtuous life is more useful than signs and wonders, and how activity differs from signs. Explanation of the words: “On this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” – This is the stronghold of the Church, against which all the efforts of paganism and heresy were defeated. – The Church was created by the hands of the apostles on the foundation of the prophets. – Why was the book of the Acts of the Apostles given this name, and not another? – Distinction between deeds and miracles. – Actions come from will and grace, miracles – only from grace; It is deeds, and not miracles, that open Heaven. – What the apostles do is love, not miracles. – Proof of this idea through an explanation of the miracle of healing of the lame ap. Peter at the door of the church. – Conclusion and admonition. 1. After a long time, we returned again to our mother, to this longed-for and dear church to all, to our mother of all churches. Truly, she is a mother not only because she is older than others in time, but also because she was founded by apostolic hands. Having often been destroyed for the name of Christ, it was again restored by the power of Christ, because it was not only the apostolic hands that founded it, but also the saying of the Lord of the Apostles protected it in a new and unusual way of fencing. He did not pile up wood and stones to build its fence; did not make a ditch from the outside, did not drive in piles and did not erect towers to secure it; but he uttered only two simple words - and this was enough for her instead of a wall, a tower, a moat and any fortification. What are these words that contain such power? “On this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Here is a wall, here is a fence, here is a fortification, here is a pier and refuge! You can see the indestructibility of this wall from the following. Christ did not say that only the attacks of people will not overcome her, but even the very evil tricks of hell: “The gates of hell,” he says, “will not prevail against her.” He did not say: “they will not attack her,” but: “they will not overcome her,” - they will attack, but will not defeat her. What does it mean: “the gates of hell”? Maybe this expression is not clear. Let us consider what the gates of the city are, and then we will find out what the “gates of hell” are. The gate of the city is the entrance to the city; therefore, the “gates of hell” are a danger leading to hell. Thus, the meaning of His words is as follows: even if such dangers rush and attack that they are able to drag us into hell itself, the Church will remain unshakable. He could not have allowed the Church to experience disasters: why did he allow it? Because it is much more important to allow temptations and to ensure that no evil comes from them, than to not allow them. Therefore, He allowed all temptations to make her more experienced, since “from tribulation comes patience, and from endurance experience” (Rom. 5:3-4). And to further show his power, He pulls it out from the very gates of death. That’s why He allowed the storm to happen, but He did not allow the boat to sink. Likewise, we are surprised at the helmsman not when he saves the boat, sailing with a fair wind, or when the wind blows against the stern of the ship, but when the sea is raging, the waves are angry, the storm is raging, and he, opposing the tendency of the winds with his art, delivers the ship from this storm. This is what Christ did. Having allowed the Church to rush around the universe, like a ship on the sea, He did not destroy the excitement, but delivered it in the midst of the excitement; He did not calm the sea, but secured the ship; while nations everywhere rose up like furious waves, and evil spirits attacked her like violent winds, and a storm arose on all sides, He brought great silence to the Church; and, what is truly amazing, not only did the storm not sink the ship, but the ship also tamed the storm: incessant persecution not only did not sink the Church, but itself crushed the Church. How, in what way and from what? From that saying that says: “The gates of hell will not prevail against her.” How many efforts did the pagans make to abolish this word, to make this saying powerless, and could not destroy it? Because this is a saying of God. Just as a tower built of adamantium stones and firmly bound with iron, attacking from all sides, enemies can neither shake the building nor destroy its bonds, but retreat without damaging the tower in the least or causing any harm, but only after exhausting their own strength, so exactly this saying, as if a high tower, firmly built in the middle of the universe, was attacked from all sides by the pagans, but only discovered its fortress, and they themselves, having exhausted their strength, died. What, in fact, evil intentions did they not commit against this saying? Troops came out, weapons were raised, kings armed themselves, peoples were agitated, cities rebelled, judges were irritated, all kinds of executions were invented, not a single type of punishment was omitted: fire, and iron, and the teeth of animals, and being thrown from cliffs, and drowning, and the abyss, and wood, and the cross, and the oven, and all the torments that had ever been seen were put into action; an inexpressible multitude of threats, innumerable promises of honors, in order to frighten the first, and weaken and seduce the last. Not a single type of seduction and violence was omitted. Fathers betrayed their children, and children abandoned their fathers, mothers forgot about the diseases of childbirth, and the laws of nature were violated. But the foundations of the Church did not shake even then, and although the war was raised by those closest to her, it did not touch its walls, according to the same saying: “The gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Don't look at them as words; but they are the words of God. With a word, God established the sky and with a word founded the earth on the waters (Ps. 33:6, 103:5), arranging it in such a way that solid and heavy matter rests on light and liquid, and the sea, uncontrollable in rage and rising with such waves, with a word He fenced off on all sides with a weak wall - sand. So, why are you surprised if the One who established heaven with a word, founded the earth and put a limit to the sea, with the same word protected the Church, which is more precious than heaven and earth and the sea? 2. But when the building is so unshakable, the wall is so indestructible, let us see how the apostles laid the foundations, how deep the ditch was dug, so that the building could be unshakable. They didn't dig deep; they had no need for such work. Why? Because they found the previous, ancient foundation laid by the prophets. Just as a person intending to build a large house, having found an old foundation, strong and unshakable, does not dismantle this foundation, does not touch the stones, but, leaving it motionless, erects a new and later building on it, so the apostles, intending to build this great building - the Church founded throughout the universe - did not dig into the depths, and having found the ancient foundation laid by the prophets, they did not dismantle it, did not touched their buildings and teachings, but leaving it motionless, they erected their teaching on it, this new faith of the Church. And so that you can be convinced that they did not touch the ancient foundation, but built on it, listen to the wisest builder, Paul, who explains this structure to us exactly, because he is a wise builder: “Like a wise builder,” he says, “he laid the foundation” (1 Cor. 3:10). Let us see how he laid the foundation. On another, he says, ancient foundation laid by the prophets. Where can you see this? “Therefore you are no longer strangers and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints... having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Eph. 2:19–20). Do you see the foundation and foundation, one from the prophets and the other from the apostles, laid on top? And what is surprising is that the apostles did not come immediately after the prophets, but after a long time. Why? Because the most excellent of builders do this: when they lay the foundation, they do not immediately erect a building on it, so that the unhardened and recently built foundation does not turn out to be unable to bear the weight of the walls. Therefore, they give the stones a lot of time to strengthen, and only then, when they see that the stones are well held together, they erect heavy walls on them. Christ did the same: He allowed the prophetic foundation to strengthen in the souls of the listeners and their teaching to become established, and when he saw that the building was unshakable and the sacred teaching was introduced so that it could withstand new wisdom, then he sent the apostles to erect the walls of the Church on the foundation of the prophets. Therefore, the apostle did not say: “built” (οικοδομηθέντες) on the foundation of the prophets, but “erected” (εποικοδομηθέντες), built on top. Let us build them as they were built. But how do we know this? Where, if not from the book of Acts, about which we talked with you in previous days? It seems that then there was a small debt left behind us, which needs to be paid to you today. What is this debt? We must interpret the very inscription of the book, because it is not simple and clear, as many people think, but requires interpretation. What is the inscription of the book? "Acts of the Apostles". Doesn't it seem clear? Doesn't it seem known and obvious to everyone? But if you delve into these words, you will see what depth there is in this inscription. Why didn’t the writer say: “miracles” of the apostles? Why didn’t he inscribe: “signs” of the apostles or: “powers and miracles” of the apostles, but: “Acts of the Apostles?” Deeds and signs are not the same thing; deeds and miracles are not the same thing; deeds, miracles and powers are not the same thing; but there is a great difference between the two. An act is a matter of one’s own zeal, and a miracle is a gift of Divine grace. Do you see the difference between an act and a miracle? An act is the fruit of human labor, and a miracle is a sign of Divine talent; the act originates from our will, and the miracle has its source in the grace of God; the latter is from heavenly help, and the former is from a lower location. An act is made up of both, both from our zeal and from Divine grace, but a miracle manifests only the highest grace, without any need for our labors. The act consists of being meek, chaste, moderate, curbing anger, conquering lust, giving alms, showing love for mankind, practicing every virtue; This is our deed, our labor, our effort. And a miracle consists of driving away demons, opening the eyes of the blind, cleansing the bodies of lepers, strengthening weak members, raising the dead, and performing other similar miracles. Do you see the difference between deeds and miracles, activity and signs, our zeal and God's grace? 3. Do you want me to show you another difference? For your sake, I offer this word today so that you will know what a miracle and a sign are. A miracle is greater and more terrible, and it surpasses our nature, and action and way of life, although less than signs, are more useful and fruitful, because there is reward for labor and reward for diligence. And in order for you to be convinced that an act is more fruitful and useful than a sign, remember that good activity even without signs elevated those who performed it to Heaven, but miracles and signs without a good life could not even lead to the threshold to it. And I’ll show you how it is; You notice how deeds take precedence in distributing rewards, how signs in themselves do not save those who perform them, but the deed itself, without anything else, brings salvation to those who perform it. “Many will say to Me,” says Christ, “on that day: Lord! God! Have we not prophesied in Your name?” This is a sign and a miracle. “Didn’t they cast out demons in Your name? and didn’t they do many miracles in Your name?” Do you see signs and wonders in all this? Let's see what God says. Since there are only miracles here, and no good works, then “depart from Me,” He says, “you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:22–23). But if You do not know them, how do you know that they committed iniquity? He said this so that you would know that the words: “I never knew you” do not mean ignorance, but alienation and disgust. "I Never Knew You". Why, tell me? “Didn’t they cast out demons in Your name?” Because, He says, I am alienated and turn away from you, because even with your gifts you did not become the best, because you, having received such an honor, remained with the same wickedness. “Get away from Me... I never knew you.” So what? Did in ancient times the unworthy receive gifts, and those who were depraved in life performed signs and were rewarded with Divine gifts, not caring about a virtuous life? They received according to God’s love for mankind, and not according to their own dignity. Then it was necessary that the teaching of piety be sown everywhere, because there was a beginning and the first experiments of faith. Like an excellent farmer, he takes great care of a newly planted tree, which he recently planted in the bowels of the earth and which is still tender, digging around it on all sides, fencing it with stones and thorns, so that it is not torn out by the winds or spoiled by animals, or suffers harm from anything else, and when he sees that it has become stronger and has risen in height, he takes away the fences, because the tree itself is already able to protect itself from any such harm - so it was with faith. When she was newly planted, when she was tender, when she was still recently planted in the souls of people, she was surrounded on all sides by great cares; and when it strengthened, took root and rose in height, when it filled the whole universe, then, finally, Christ took away the fences and destroyed the supports. Therefore, in the beginning, gifts were given to the unworthy, because in ancient times this help was needed for faith; now they are not given to the worthy, because the power of faith no longer needs such help. And in order for you to be convinced that they did not falsely, but actually performed signs, and that gifts were given to unworthy people, so that, in addition to the above, another goal was achieved, so that they, ashamed of the gift of God, would abandon their wickedness - remember Judas, one of the twelve apostles. Everyone admits that he performed signs, cast out demons, raised the dead, cleansed lepers, and yet he lost the Kingdom of Heaven. Signs could not save him, because he was a robber, a thief and a traitor to the Lord. This proves that signs, without good behavior, without a pure and strict life, cannot save; and that a good life, not receiving consolation from signs, and without their help, on its own, can boldly lead people into the Kingdom of Heaven, listen to Christ himself, who says: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). For what? Because they raised the dead, cleansed lepers, cast out demons? No; and for what? You have seen Me, He says, “for I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you accepted Me; I was naked, and you clothed Me” (Matthew 25:35–36). No miracles, but all good deeds. Thus, just as there are only miracles, and immediately punishment, because the miracles were without good deeds, so here there are only works, and no miracles, and immediately salvation, because good deeds in themselves can save those who have them. That is why this blessed, valiant and wondrous Luke inscribed his book: “Acts of the Apostles,” and not “miracles of the apostles,” although they also performed miracles. Miracles happened in their time and have passed, but everyone who wants to be saved must perform deeds at all times. And since we must compete not with signs, but with the deeds of the apostles, he wrote his book that way. So that you don’t say, or better yet, so that the lazy don’t say, when we convince them to imitate the apostles, and we say: imitate Peter, compete with Paul, be like John, follow James - so that they don’t say: we cannot, we are not able, because the apostles raised the dead, cleansed lepers - the apostle, curbing our shameless justification, says: shut up, don’t object; It is not miracles, but a good life that leads you into the Kingdom of Heaven. So, imitate the life of the apostles - and you will have no less than the apostles. It was not signs that made them apostles, but pure life. And that this constitutes the difference of apostleship and the sign of Christ’s disciples, listen to how Christ himself points to this sign. He, drawing the image of his disciples and showing what constitutes the distinctive sign of the apostleship, said: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples.” “By that” - from what? Is it to work miracles, to raise the dead? No, he says: from what? “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one another” (John 13:35). Love does not refer to miracles, but to activity, because “love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom. 13:10). Do you see the sign of Christ's disciples? Do you see the difference in apostleship? Do you see the pattern? Do you see the outline? Don't look for anything else. The Master himself said that love distinguishes His disciples. So, if you have love, then you have become an apostle and even the first of the apostles. 4. Do you want to learn the same thing from other places? Christ, talking with Peter, said: “Simon the Jonah! Do you love Me more than they?” (John 21:15). And in order to receive the Kingdom of Heaven, nothing can compare with how we find ourselves loving Christ the way we should love Him. Then He showed a sign. Which one exactly? In what ways can we love Christ more than the apostles? Is it by raising the dead, or performing any other miracles? No; but doing what? Let us listen to the very object of love – Christ. If you, He says, “love... Me more than they..., feed My lambs.” Here, too, activity is approved, because caring for others, compassion, intercession, not looking for one’s own, but for everything that a shepherd should have, all this relates to activity, and not to miracles and not to signs. But the apostles, you say, became like this because of miracles? No, not for miracles, but for life, and they especially shone with it. That's why Christ told them: “Let your light shine before men, so that... people will not see miracles, but “your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Do you see how activity shines everywhere and a virtuous life is approved? Do you want me to show you that Peter himself, this supreme of the apostles, who demonstrated the highest way of life and performed miracles that exceeded human nature, if we compare both - both miracles and his life - was honored more for his life than for signs? Listen to the next event. “Peter and John went together to the church at the ninth hour of prayer” (Acts 3:1). Do not read this narrative without attention, but stop immediately at the very introduction to it and notice what love, harmony and unanimity there was between them, what kind of communication they had with each other in everything, and how they were united by the union of divine friendship in all matters, and in meals, and in prayer, and in walking, and in everything else they appeared together with each other. If these pillars, strongholds, who had great boldness before God, needed mutual help and did everything with mutual assistance, then don’t we, weak, poor and insignificant, need mutual help much more? “A brother who helps brother,” says Scripture, “is like a strong city” (Prov. 18:20). And again: “How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together” (Ps. 133:1)? There were only Peter and John, but they had Jesus in their midst: “Where two or three are gathered in My name,” He said, “there I am in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Do you see how important it is to be together? But they weren’t just together: we are all together now; but must be together through a union of love, according to the disposition of the will; and just as our bodies are now close to each other and united in one place, so should our hearts be united. “Peter and John went up to the church together” (Acts 3:1). But the veil was torn, the Holy of Holies was empty, worship in one place was stopped; Paul cries, “I desire that men in every place say their prayers, lifting up clean hands” (1 Timothy 2:8). Why do they go to church to pray? Have they not returned again to Jewish weakness? Yes it will not; but they condescend to the weakest, fulfilling the saying of Paul, which says: “To the Jews I became like a Jew” (1 Cor. 9:20). They condescend to the weak so that they do not remain weak. On the other hand, the whole city gathered there. Just as skillful fishermen set their nets in those bays of rivers in which all the fish gather, in order to more easily obtain prey, so the apostles, these spiritual fishermen, hurried to that bay where the whole city gathered, in order to spread the net of the Gospel there and more easily obtain prey. They did this, imitating the Teacher, because Christ also says: “Every day with you... I was in the church” (Matthew 26:55). Why “in the church”? To convert those in the church to Himself. So the apostles went, as it were, to prayer, but intended to sow teaching there. “To the church at the ninth hour of prayer.” And this hour was not chosen by them in vain. I have often told you that at this hour Paradise was opened and the thief entered it, that at this hour the curse was destroyed, the Sacrifice was made for the universe, darkness was dispelled, light, both sensual and spiritual, shone. "At one o'clock... nine." When others were sleeping deeply after dinner and drunkenness, then they, sober and cheerful, burning with great zeal, hurried to prayer. If they needed prayer, such intense prayer, such fervent prayer, they who had such boldness before God, then what will we do, suffering from countless wounds and not applying the healing of prayer to them? The great weapon is prayer. Do you want to know how great a weapon prayer is? The apostles left care of the poor in order to have more time to exercise in prayer. “Choose,” they said, “seven people from among you..., and we will constantly remain in prayer” (Acts 6:3-4). 5. But, as I said, let’s not deviate from the subject, namely, that Peter showed activity, and performed miracles, and more deserved praise for his deeds - he entered the sanctuary to pray; and behold, there was a man lame from his mother’s womb, whom they brought to the door of the church (Acts 3:2). From birth his composition was damaged, and the disease was higher than the art of medicine, so that the grace of God would be revealed all the more. So, this lame man lay at the door of the church and, seeing the apostles entering, turned to them, wanting to receive alms from them. What about Peter? “Look at us,” he says (Acts 3:4). A glance is enough to ascertain poverty: no words, no evidence, no answer, no explanation are needed; the clothes already show you the poor. This is entirely the work of the apostle - to speak to the poor in such a way as not only to save him from poverty, but also to inspire him: you will see greater wealth. “I have no silver,” he says, “and I have no gold; and what I have, this I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk” (Acts 3:6). Do you see poverty and wealth: poverty in money and wealth in gifts? He did not eliminate poverty in money, but he corrected poverty in nature. Look at Peter's meekness. "Look at us". He did not reproach, did not blame, as we often do with those who approach us, reproaching them for laziness. Is this commanded to you, man? God commanded you not to reproach you for laziness, but to help poverty; He did not make you a denouncer of wickedness, but appointed you as a doctor of wickedness; not so that you condemn carelessness, but so that you give your hand to the one who is lying down; not so that you condemn the way of life, but so that you satisfy your hunger. But we do the opposite: without thinking of comforting those who approach us with alms, we still irritate their wounds by showering them with reproaches. But (the apostle) even apologizes to the poor and says meekly, according to Scripture: “Incline your ear to the poor without grieving and answer him kindly, with meekness” (Sir.4:8). “I have no silver or gold; and what I have, this I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk” (Acts 3:6). There are two circumstances here: a way of life and a miracle. The way of life in the words: “I have no silver and gold,” because it relates to life - not to value earthly objects, to reject property, to despise real vanity; and a miracle is to raise the lame, to heal damaged members. So here is a way of life and a miracle. Let's see why Peter is praised. What did he say? Was it that he performed miracles? Although even then he had already performed miracles, he did not say this, so what? “Behold, we have left everything and followed You” (Matthew 19:27). Do you see life and a miracle, but life receiving a crown? What did Christ answer? He approved and praised it. “Truly I say to you,” He said, “that you” (who left your houses and so on) - did not say: “you who raised the dead,” but: “you who left your property will sit ... on twelve thrones”; and everyone who renounces all his property will be awarded this honor (Matthew 19:28–29). Can't you raise up a lame man like Peter? But you can say like him: “I have no silver and gold.” If you say this, you will become close to Peter; or better - if you don’t say it, you will do it. Can't you heal a dry hand? But you can force your hand, which has become dry from inhumanity, to reach out out of love for humanity. “Let not,” says the Scripture, “let your hand be outstretched in receiving and closed in giving” (Sir.4:35). Do you see that it is not dryness, but inhumanity that bends the hand? Straighten her with philanthropy and alms. Can't you cast out a demon? But you cast out sin and you will receive a great reward. Do you see how life and good deeds always receive greater praise and greater reward than miracles? If you want, we will prove this to you in another way. Seventy disciples came to Him, says the evangelist, and rejoicing, they said: Lord! and the demons obey us in Your name." And he says to them: “However, do not rejoice that the spirits obey you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:17, 20). Do you see how life always receives praise? 6. Let us now repeat the above. “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one another” (John 13:35). It is in life, and not in miracles, that the sign of Christ’s disciples is indicated. Peter, “you love... Me more than these... feed My lambs” (John 21:15). Here is another sign that also applies to life. The third sign: “However, do not rejoice that the spirits obey you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20); and this is again a matter of life. Do you want to know a fourth proof of this? “So let your light,” said the Lord, “shine before men, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). This is where things come in. Also, when He says: “And everyone who leaves houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name’s sake will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29), then he praises activity and a strict life. Do you see how the disciples of Christ are known by the fact that they love one another; he who loves Christ more than the apostles is distinguished by the fact that he shepherds the brethren; those who have rejoice are commanded to rejoice not because they cast out demons, but because they are written in Heaven; Those who glorify God are those who shine in deeds, and those who receive life and a hundredfold reward receive this gift for rejecting everything present. Imitate them all too; then you can become a disciple of Christ, and be numbered among the friends of God, and glorify God, and receive eternal life, and the fact that you do not perform signs if you lead a strict life will not at all be an obstacle for you to receive all the benefits. And Peter himself received this name not for miracles and signs, but for zeal and sincere love: not because he raised the dead or healed the lame, he was named that way, but because he showed sincere faith with confession, he inherited this name: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church.” For what? Not because he performed miracles, but because he said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16, 18). You see that the very name of Peter originated not from miracles, but from fiery jealousy. But when I mentioned Peter, another Peter came to mind, our common father and teacher (i.e., Bishop Flavian of Antioch), who, having become the successor of the virtues of that Peter, inherited his chair. One of the advantages of our city is that in the beginning it had as its teacher the chief of the apostles. It was truly fitting that the city, which before the entire universe was adorned with the name of Christians, should have the first of the apostles as its shepherd. But, having received this teacher, we did not keep him until the end, but handed him over to reigning Rome; or better - and we held it to the end, because although we do not have the body of Petrov, we have faith in Petrov, as if it were Peter; having the faith of Petrov, we have Peter himself. Thus, looking at Peter imitating, we, apparently, look at Peter himself. And Christ called John Elijah, not because John was really Elijah, but because he came in the spirit and power of Elijah. Therefore, just as John was called Elijah, because he came in the spirit and power of Elijah, so this one, because he came with the confession and faith of Peter, can rightly be awarded such a name: affinity in life produces communion in names. Let us all pray that he will reach Peter’s old age, because the apostle ended his life in old age: “When,” the Lord said to him, “you are old,... another will gird you and lead you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). Let us also ask for a long life for him, because his continuing old age makes our spiritual youth even more blooming, which may remain forever blooming through the prayers of this and that Peter, and through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power with the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. That the reading of the Holy Scriptures is beneficial and that it makes the attentive one inaccessible to slavery and constrained circumstances; also that the name of the apostles is the name of many virtues and that the apostles received strength and power much greater than external rulers and the kings themselves, and finally to the newly enlightened. Introduction to a conversation in which the preacher praises his hearers for their zeal in hearing the Word of God and compares the Holy Scriptures to a delightful meadow and an inexhaustible spring. – A person who reads the Holy Scriptures every day is “like a tree planted by streams of water.” – The preacher gradually explains the Holy Scripture to his listeners so that, falling on their souls like pleasant rain, it better penetrates them. – Generalization of previous conversations and the subject of this conversation. - About what an apostle is. – The grace of apostleship embraces within itself the fullness of all the gifts of grace. – An apostle is an advisor in spiritual life. – Comparison between the apostle and the ruler. - An admonition to the newly baptized. 1. When I, being called to a conversation in front of such a multitude of people, look at the poverty of my mind, I am horrified and retreat; but when I look at your zeal and insatiable desire to listen, I am encouraged, excited and willingly enter the field of teaching, because with your zeal and desire to listen you could make a stony soul lighter than any pen. Just as animals living in caves and hiding in the rocks during the winter, seeing the coming summer, leave their shelters, gather together with other animals and have fun with them, so my soul, hiding, as it were, in some cave of the consciousness of its weakness, seeing the zeal of your love, leaves the cave, enters your meeting and, together with you, admires the beautiful delights of the Scriptures, in the spiritual and divine meadow, in the paradise of the Scriptures. Truly, reading the Divine Scriptures is a spiritual meadow and a paradise of sweetness, a paradise of sweetness superior to that Paradise. God planted this paradise not on earth, but in the souls of believers; He did not establish this paradise in Eden and did not limit it to one place in the east, but spread it throughout the entire earth and extended it to the ends of the universe. And that He spread the Scriptures throughout the whole universe, listen to the prophet about this, who says: “Their sound goes through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world” (Ps. 18:5). Even if you went to the Indians, who are the first to be illuminated by the rising sun, even if you went to the ocean, or to the British Isles, even if you sailed to the Euxine Pontus, even if you reached the northern countries, everywhere you will hear how everyone talks about what is contained in Scripture, in a different language, but not with a different faith, with different dialects, but with the same mind. Although the sounds of the voice are different, the image of piety is not different; although they remain barbarians in language, they are wise in thoughts; although they are strange in speech, they are pious in life. Do you see the vastness of paradise, stretching to the ends of the universe? There is no snake here; this place is free from wild animals, and is protected by the grace of the Spirit. This paradise, like that one, has a source - a source from which many rivers flow, not four. Not the Tigris, not the Euphrates, not the Egyptian Nile and not the Indian Ganges, but countless rivers pour out this source. Who says this? God himself, who gave us such rivers. “Whoever believes in Me,” He says, “as the Scripture says, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Do you see how from this source flow not four rivers, but countless rivers? And not only because of the multitude of rivers, but also because of its nature, this source is amazing, because it contains not streams of water, but gifts of the Spirit. This source is separated into every soul of believers, and does not decrease; is divided and not exhausted; is distributed and not diminished: it is found entirely in everyone, and in everyone entirely. These are the gifts of the Spirit. Do you want to know the properties of these waters, how they are not similar to those, but much better and more amazing than those? Listen again to Christ himself talking with the Samaritan woman, so that you can know the abundance of this source. “The water,” He says, “which I will give him, will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life” (John 4:14). He didn’t say “coming out”; did not say: “outpouring”; but: “flowing” (άλλομένου) - showing us its abundance with streams. Spring waters usually erupt and flow out from everywhere where the sources cannot hold them in their depths, but, being overcome by a constant influx, they spew them out from everywhere. Therefore, wanting to show the abundance of streams, He said: “flowing,” and not: “outgoing.” Do you want to know its properties? Learn from its use: it is useful not for present life, but for eternal life. Let us remain in this paradise, let us sit by this source, so that we do not suffer the same thing that Adam suffered and lose Paradise; Let us not accept harmful advice, we will not allow ourselves to be deceived by the devil; let us abide within, because there is great safety here; let us abide in reading the Scriptures. Just as those who sit by a spring, enjoying its coolness, and when the heat sets in, often immerse their faces in it, eliminate the suffocating heat with streams, and, if thirst bothers them, easily alleviate the torment, having medicine nearby in the spring, so the one who is at the source of the Divine Scriptures, if he feels the flame of obscene lust disturbing him, will easily extinguish the flame by immersing his soul in these waters; and if hot anger bothers him, igniting his heart like a cauldron being set on fire, then by sprinkling a little of this water, he will immediately tame his shameless passion; and from all vicious thoughts, as if from the midst of a flame, reading the Divine Scriptures delivers the soul. 2. Therefore, the great prophet David, knowing the benefit of reading the Scriptures, likens the one who constantly listens to the Scriptures and enjoys conversation with them to a plant that is always blooming, standing by streams of water, when he says: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked and does not stand in the way of sinners and does not sit in the seat of the wicked, but his will is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night! And he will be like a tree planted by streams of water" (Ps. 1:1-3). Just as a tree planted near sources of water, standing near the streams themselves, receiving constant irrigation, is safe from any unfavorable weather, is not afraid of fiery rays, is not afraid of dry air, because, having sufficient moisture within itself, it quickly reflects and repels the excess of any solar heat coming from outside, so the soul, standing near the streams of the Divine Scriptures and constantly watered by them, collects these streams within itself and the dew of the Spirit, is safe from all unfavorable circumstances; Even if illness, even reproach, even slander, even slander, even ridicule, even some kind of laziness, even if all the disasters of the universe attack such a soul, it easily reflects the flame of passions, finding sufficient consolation in reading the Scriptures. Truly, neither the greatness of glory, nor the height of power, nor the presence of friends, nor anything else of human things can console in sorrow as much as reading the Divine Scriptures. Why? Because those things are perishable and fleeting, which is why the consolation from them is fleeting, and reading the Scriptures is a conversation with God. When God comforts someone in sorrow, what of the present circumstances can plunge him into despondency? So, let us carefully engage in reading, not just these two hours - because simple listening is not enough for our safety - but constantly; and, having come home, let everyone pick up the Bible and delve into the meaning of what is said, if he wants to receive constant and sufficient benefit from Scripture. And that tree that stands by the streams does not communicate with the waters for two or three hours, but every day and every night. That is why this tree is decorated with leaves, that is why it abounds in fruits, although no one gives it water, because it stands near streams, attracts moisture to itself with its roots and, as if through some passages, transfers beneficial juices to its entire composition. So, one who constantly reads the Divine Scriptures and stands by their streams, even if he does not have any interpreter, by constant reading, as if by some roots, acquires great benefit for himself. Therefore, we, knowing your worries, entertainment, and many activities, slowly and little by little lead you to an understanding of the Scriptures, so that through the slowness of interpretation you can more firmly retain what is said in your memory. Likewise, heavy rain, pouring rapidly, washes the surface of the earth, but does not bring any benefit to its depth; and he who descends onto the face of the earth slowly and little by little, like oil, penetrates into the depths of it through passages, as if through some veins, and, filling its depths with moisture, makes it more capable of producing fruits. Therefore, we pour this spiritual rain into your souls little by little, because the Scriptures are like spiritual clouds, and their words and thoughts are like rain, which is much better than ordinary rain, and we pour this spiritual rain into you little by little so that our words penetrate to the very depths. Therefore, for the fourth day today, continuing the interpretation, we could not pass one inscription, but we are still revolving around it. It is better to dig up a small field and, penetrating into the depths, find a great treasure of what is needed, than to dig up many fields across the surface and work uselessly, in vain and in vain. I know that many are indignant at such slowness; but I do not look at their reproaches, but care about your benefit. Those who can walk faster should wait for the slowest of the brethren; those can wait for these, and the weakest cannot chase after those. Therefore, Paul says that we should not prematurely force the weak, who cannot equal the perfection of the strong, but we should be strong and bear the weaknesses of the weak (1 Cor. 8:9-13). We care about your benefit, and not about empty glory; That’s why we express our thoughts slowly. 3. Thus, on the first day I spoke about the fact that we should not ignore the inscriptions (of holy books), when I read to you the inscription on the altar, and showed you the wisdom of Paul, who transferred a foreign soldier who was in a detachment of enemies to his own detachment. This ended the entire teaching on the first day. Then on the second day we investigated who the writer of the book (Acts) was, and by the grace of God we found that it was Luke the Evangelist, and confirmed the investigation with many proofs, both clearer and more profound. I know that many of the listeners have not followed the last of the evidence mentioned; but, despite this, we will not stop touching on more subtle thoughts. The clearest will be useful for simple people, and the deepest for those who look more vigilantly. This meal must be varied and varied, because the tastes of those invited are different. So, on the first day we talked about the inscription, on the second day about the writer of the book, and on the third day yesterday we spoke to those present about the beginning of this book and showed, as those who listened, what activity is and what a miracle is, what life is and what a sign, miracle-working and power are, and what the difference is between the one and the other; how one is greater, and the other is more useful, and how one in itself brings the Kingdom (Heavenly), and the other, if not accompanied by activity, is left outside its threshold. Today we need to talk about the rest of the inscription and explain what the name “apostles” means, because that name is not simple, but it is the name of power, the greatest power, the most spiritual power, the highest power. But be careful. Just as in everyday affairs there are many authorities, but not all of them are of the same dignity, and some are greater, others are less, for example, if we start the calculation from the lowest, there is a city judge, there is a ruler of the people above him, after him there is another greater leader, there is also a military leader, there is a governor, there is also a higher authority, the authority of the consuls, and they are all authorities, but not all of the same dignity, so there are many spiritual authorities, but not all of them are of the same dignity, but all of them more – the dignity of the apostleship. Thus, you must be led from the sensual to the spiritual. This is what Christ did when, in a conversation about the Spirit, he mentioned water: “Whoever drinks this water,” He said, “will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst” (John 4:13-14). Do you see how He led the woman from the sensual to the spiritual? This is what we do too, ascending from the lowest to the highest so that speech can be clearer. Therefore, when talking about power, we mentioned not spiritual, but sensual power, in order to guide you from this to that. You have heard how many worldly powers we have numbered, how some of them are greater and others are less, and how the power of the consuls stands above all, as if the top and head of them; Let us also look at the spiritual authorities. Among the spiritual authorities there is the power of prophecy, there is another power - the evangelist, there is the shepherd, there is the teacher, there is the gift, there is the healing, there is the interpretation of tongues. All these are names of gifts, but in reality they are degrees of leadership and power. The prophet is the boss; We have a leader who casts out demons; For us, the shepherd and teacher are the spiritual leader; but the greatest of them all is the apostolic power. How can this be seen? From what is most excellent of all their apostles. As among the sensual authorities the consul, so among the spiritual authorities the apostle occupies the first place. Let us listen to Paul himself, who, when counting the powers, puts the apostolic in the highest place. What is he saying? “And God appointed others in the Church, firstly, apostles, secondly, prophets, thirdly, teachers; further, to others he gave miraculous powers, and also gifts of healing” (1 Cor. 12:28). Do you see the main one of the authorities? Do you see that the apostle stands on high and there is no one before or above him? “First, the Apostles,” he says, “secondly, the prophets; thirdly, teachers... and shepherds, to others he gave miraculous powers, also gifts of healing, help, administration, different languages.” And moreover, the apostleship is not only the beginning of other powers, but also the foundation and root. Just as the head, being above everything, is not only the beginning and power of the body, but also the root, because the nerves that control the body, proceeding from it and growing from the brain itself, and being animated by the spirit, thus control the entire animal composition - so the apostleship not only stands above, as the beginning and power of other gifts, but also, concentrating, contains the roots of all of them. A prophet cannot be both an apostle and a prophet; an apostle is certainly also a prophet, has gifts of healings, and kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues - therefore (apostleship) is the beginning and root of gifts. 4. And that this is so, I will present Paul to you as a witness. However, first we need to say what “different languages” are. What are “different languages”? In ancient times, someone who was baptized and believed immediately began to speak in different languages ​​for the manifestation of the Spirit. Since the people of that time were in a weaker state, and could not contemplate spiritual gifts with their fleshly eyes, we imparted to them a sensory gift so that the spiritual would become obvious: the one who was baptized immediately began to speak in our language, and in the language of the Persians, and in the language of the Indians, and in the language of the Scythians, so that the infidels could know that he had been granted the Holy Spirit. This was a sensory sign, i.e. such speech - because it was heard with a bodily sense - but this sensory sign made the spiritual and invisible grace of the Spirit obvious to everyone. Such a sign was called “diversities of tongues,” because a person who by nature had one tongue began to speak in different and foreign tongues by grace, and one could see how a person, one in number, was diverse in talents, and had different mouths and different tongues. Let us see how the apostle had this gift and all the others. He himself says this: “I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1 Cor. 14:18). Do you see that he had kinds of languages, and not only did he have them, but also in greater abundance than all other believers? He not only said: I can speak in tongues, but also: “I speak in tongues more than all of you.” He points to the prophecy that he had with the following words: “But the Spirit,” he says, “clearly says that in the last days difficult times will come” (1 Tim. 4:1, 2 Tim. 3:1); and that speaking about what will happen in the last times means prophesying, this is known to everyone. “Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Tim. 3:1). And again: “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not warn those who are dead” (1 Thess. 4:15); and this is a prophecy. Do you see how he had kinds of tongues and prophecy? Do you want to know that he also had the gift of healing? But perhaps there is no need to prove this in words, when we know that not only the apostles themselves, but also their clothing had the gift of healing. And that he was also a teacher of nations, he speaks about this in many places; he cared for the entire universe and governed the churches. Thus, when you hear: “First, the Apostles; secondly, prophets; thirdly, teachers... and shepherds; to others he gave miraculous powers, also gifts of healing, help, administration, and different languages,” then know that the whole sum of other gifts is concentrated in the apostleship, as in the head. Have you ever thought that the name of the apostles is simple? Now you know what deep meaning this name contains. We said this not to show our own strength; These are not our words, but the grace of the Spirit, which awakens the careless from laziness, so that they do not leave anything unattended. So, we have rightly called the apostolate a spiritual consulate. The apostles are leaders ordained by God; rulers who were not given to different nations and cities, but to whom the universe was entrusted together. And that they were spiritual leaders, and this I will try to prove, so that after the proof you know that the apostles are as much higher than the leaders of life as the leaders of life themselves are higher than playing children. Truly, this leadership is much higher than that and restrains our lives more, so that if it stopped, then everything would be upset and destroyed. What are the signs of management and what should a boss have? Power over prison, so that he has the power to bind some and release others, release some and throw others there; also the power to resolve monetary debts, so that he has the power to free some who were owed, and order others to pay their debts; also the power to condemn to death and free from death; or rather, this is the power not of the boss, but of the king alone, or even this gift does not entirely belong to the king, because it does not free someone who has already died from death, but only from condemnation to death: he can cancel the sentence, but cannot return him to life from death; the worst is in his power, but he has no better. Further, we distinguish the chief by his belt, by the voice of the herald, by the staff-bearers, by the chariot, by the sword; all these are signs of power. Let us see whether the apostolic power also has these signs. It has, and not the same, but much better. So that you know that these are only the names of things, and these are the truth of things, and so that you are convinced that between them there is the same difference as between children playing at being bosses and bosses who actually have power, I will begin, if you like, to count the power of putting them in bondage. We said that the boss has the power to bind and permit. Look: the apostles also have this power. “Whoever you bind on earth,” the Lord told them, “will be bound in heaven; and whomsoever ye shall loose on earth... shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18). You see the bonds, and the power over the bonds; but the name is the same, but the essence of the matter is not the same. Bonds there, bonds here too; but some are on earth, and others are in Heaven; Heaven for them is a place of bondage. Know the greatness of this power. Those on earth pronounce judgment, and the force of that judgment passes through the heavens. Just as kings, being in one city, pronounce sentences and laws, and the power of these sentences and laws flows around the entire universe, so then the apostles, being in one place, pronounced laws, and the power of these laws and these bonds not only flowed around the universe, but also rose to the very heights of heaven. You see the ties and ties; but some are on earth, and others are in Heaven, some for bodies, and others for souls, or better, both for souls and for bodies, because (the apostles) bound not only bodies, but also souls. 5. Do you want to know that the apostles had the power to forgive debts? And here you will see a great difference: they forgave not monetary debts, but debts of sins. “Whose sins you forgive,” said the Lord, “they will be forgiven; On whomever you leave it, it will remain on him” (John 20:23). After this, is it necessary to prove that they condemned both to death and returned from death, not only freeing from the sentence and leading to death, but also restoring the dead and those who had already undergone corruption from death? When did they condemn you to death? When were you freed from death? Ananias and Sapphira were convicted of sacrilege; although they stole their own money, but, despite this, their guilt was sacrilege, because after the promise this money no longer belonged to them. What about the apostle? Listen to how he, as if sitting in a court of law, brings the blasphemer to trial, interrogates him like a judge, and then pronounces the sentence, not before the interrogation pronounces the sentence, although the sin was obvious, but in order to convince us standing outside that he justly pronounces such a sentence, for this he interrogates and says this: “Why did you allow Satan to put in your heart the idea of ​​lying to the Holy Spirit and hiding from the price of the land? What you owned was not yours, and what you acquired by sale was not in your power? Why have you put this in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God” (Acts 5:3–4). What did he do when he heard these words? “He fell without breath” (Acts 5:5). Do you see that the apostles also have a sword? When you hear the words of Paul: “The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17), then remember this sentence, in which there was no sword, but the sacrilegious fell at the word. Do you see the sword, refined and naked? There was no iron, no handle, no hands; but instead of a hand, the tongue, extracting words instead of a sword, immediately killed the blasphemer. After him, his wife entered, and the apostle wanted to give her an opportunity for justification and a reason for forgiveness, why again asks: “Tell me, did you sell the land for so much” (Acts 5:8)? Although he knew that not for so much, but in order to bring her to repentance and confession of sins with a question, and to grant her forgiveness, he asks her; even after this she remained shameless, which is why she suffered the same punishment as her husband. Do you see the power to plunge into bonds? Do you see how they have the power to send to death? Let's look at the best: how they free you from death. Tabitha, a student distinguished by many acts of mercy, died, and they immediately ran to the apostles, because they knew that they had power over death and over life, they saw in them the power on high that had descended to the ground. What did Peter do when he arrived there? “Tabitha,” he said, “get up” (Acts 9:40). He had no need for anything, neither performers nor ministers, but his words were enough for resurrection; death heard his voice - and could not hold the dead one. Do you see what the words of these judges were? And the words of external judges are weak: even if one of them gave an order, if the minister does not carry it out, then the order remains in vain. But here there is no need for ministers: he said - and immediately it was fulfilled. You see their bonds, which serve as a sign of power; you see how they forgive sins, how they resolve death, how they bring you back to life. Do you want to know their belt? Christ sent them girded, not with skin, but with truth; this is a holy and spiritual belt, which is why it is said: “having girded your waist with truth” (Eph. 6:14); This is spiritual power, and therefore it does not require anything sensual: “All the glory of the daughter of the King is within” (Ps. 44:14). But what? Don't you want to see their executioners? Executioners are those who torture the guilty, hang them from trees, trim their ribs, punish, and torment. Do you want to see them? For the apostles, this was not people, but the devil himself and demons; clothed with body and flesh, they had ethereal forces serving. Listen with what authority Paul commanded them. Speaking about the fornicator, he wrote: deliver “to Satan for the destruction of the flesh” (1 Cor. 5:5). He did the same with other blasphemers: “Whom I delivered,” he says, “to Satan, so that they might learn not to blaspheme” (1 Tim. 1:20). What else remains to be shown? Was it that they also had chariots? And we have evidence for this. So, when Philip baptized the eunuch and instructed him in the sacred mysteries, and when he needed to return, the Angel of the Lord “took him away”, and from the desert “he found himself in Ashdod” (Acts 8:39-40). Do you see the winged chariot? Do you see the chariot, faster than the wind? Also: the apostle needed to go to Paradise; the path is too long and the distance immeasurable; and he, too, was suddenly caught up and transported there without difficulty and in a short moment of time. Such are the apostolic chariots! There was a herald's voice, and also worthy of this power. It was not man who preceded them, proclaiming them, but the grace of the Spirit; and the appearance of miracles announced them louder than any trumpet, and thus preceded them everywhere. And just as leaders are surrounded by great splendor, and private people do not dare to simply treat them, so it was with the apostles. “From outsiders,” says Scripture, “no one dared to pester them, but the people glorified them” (Acts 5:13). Do you see that they had the power to cast people into bonds and the power to forgive debts, they had a sword, and were girded with a belt, and they walked in a chariot, and they were preceded by a cry louder than any trumpet, and they were surrounded by great splendor? 6. Now it would be necessary to show all their valiant deeds and the good deeds that they performed for the universe, because this is also characteristic of superiors, in order not only to enjoy honor, but also to provide great care and protection to their subordinates. However, more than what is necessary has already been said. Therefore, postponing this for another conversation, I will try to offer an admonition to the newly enlightened. Let no one consider this advice untimely. I said before that not only after ten and twenty days, but also after ten and twenty years, those initiated into the mysteries can be called newly enlightened if they remain inattentive. What would be the best exhortation for them? That is when we would remind them of the type of birth, both the first and the second, natural and spiritual, and show them what the difference is between one and the other birth. However, they do not need to learn this from us; the son of thunder himself, John, beloved of Christ, will tell them about this. What is he saying? “And to those who received Him, to those who believed on His name, He gave power to become children of God” (John 1:12). Then, reminding them of the first birth, and in comparison explaining the importance of real grace, he says this: “Who were born neither of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). In one word he expressed their nobility. Oh, pure womb-bearing! Oh, spiritual birth! Oh, new childbearing, conception without a womb, birth without a womb, fruit without flesh, spiritual fruit, the fruit of God’s grace and love for mankind, a fruit filled with joy and gladness! But this is not the first birth; it begins with tears. As soon as the child leaves the womb and is taken out of the womb, his first cry is accompanied by tears, as someone said: “The first voice was found crying equally with everyone” (Wis. 7:3). With crying comes the entry into life, with tears, the beginning of it, with which nature foreshadows future suffering. Why does a child cry when he comes out into the world? Because before the Fall, God said: “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28), which was a blessing; and after the Fall he said: “In sickness you will give birth to children” (Gen. 3:16), which was a punishment. And not only are there tears at birth, but also swaddling clothes and bandages; tears at birth, tears at death; swaddling clothes at birth, swaddling clothes at death, so that you know that this life ends in death and strives towards this end. But this is not what spiritual birth is like. There are no tears or swaddling clothes here; but the one who is born is free and prepared for exploits; his arms and legs are free so that he can run and engage in warfare; there is no crying, no tears, but greetings, kisses and embraces of the brothers who recognize their own member in the newborn and accept him as if after a long absence. Since he was an enemy before enlightenment, and after enlightenment he became a friend of the Lord common to us all, we all rejoice with him, which is why this kiss is called “peace,” so that we know that God has stopped hostility and brought us closer to Himself. Let us constantly observe, let us preserve this peace, let us continue this friendship, so that we may reach the eternal abodes, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory, honor and power to the Father, with the Holy and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. About the fact that it is not safe for listeners to remain silent about what was said in church, and why the Acts are read at Pentecost, and why Christ did not appear to everyone after the Resurrection, and that He presented evidence of the Resurrection through the signs of the apostles more clearly than sight. It is the duty of those who hear the holy word in church to spread it to other people. – Every Christian can and should be a teacher, at least in his own home. – The wonderful condescension of the apostles and especially the Apostle Paul, when he became everything to everyone in order to lead everyone to Jesus Christ. – The apostles began to preach and perform miracles only after Pentecost; Therefore, reading the book of Acts is most useful at this time. – The Book of the Acts of the Apostles is also read immediately after the Resurrection, because the miracles performed by the apostles in the name of Jesus Christ constitute the best evidence of the Resurrection. – Extensive and eloquent evidence that the miracles performed by the apostles are irresistible evidence of the Resurrection of their Teacher. 1. Most of the debt that we incurred for the writing of the Acts of the Apostles, we paid you in the previous days; but since there was still a small balance left from it, I decided to pay you that too today. And whether you carefully keep what was said and observe it with great zeal, you know about this, having received silver and having to give an account of this silver to the Lord on the day when those to whom the talents were entrusted will be called and begin to give account - when Christ, having come, will demand this silver from the merchants with an increase. “Therefore it was necessary for you,” said the Lord, “to give my silver to the merchants, and when I came, I would receive mine with profit” (Matthew 25:27). Oh, the great and ineffable love of the Lord! Forbidding people to take interest, He himself demands interest. Why? Because that interest is disapproving and worthy of condemnation, but this one is commendable and worthy of great approval. That increase, I mean monetary, harms both the recipient and the giver, destroys the soul of the recipient and increases the poverty of the giver. Truly, what could be crueler than when someone benefits from the poverty of his neighbor and takes advantage of the misfortunes of his brothers; when does someone, showing an appearance of love for humanity, show every kind of inhumanity, and, apparently, stretching out his hand, plunges someone in need of help into the abyss? What are you doing, man? The poor man did not come to your door so that you would increase his poverty, but so that you would save him from poverty, and you are doing the same thing as those who mix poison with medicine. Just as those who mix poison into ordinary food make their intention invisible, so these, under the guise of love for humanity, hide their disastrous covetousness and do not allow those who drink this deadly medicine to notice the harm. Therefore, it is timely to apply what has been said about some sin to those who give on interest and borrow. What is said about this sin? For a time, it is said, “the mouth of another man’s wife drips honey, and her speech is softer than oil; but its consequences are bitter like wormwood, sharp like a two-edged sword” (Prov. 5:3-4). The same thing happens to those who borrow. When a needy person accepts money, he receives some small and temporary consolation; but later, when the growth increases and the burden becomes beyond his strength, then this pleasantness, which delights the larynx, will become bitterer than gall and sharper than a two-edged sword, when he is suddenly forced to lose all his father’s property. 2. Let us turn our speech from the sensual to the spiritual. “Therefore it was necessary for you to give my silver to the merchants” (Matthew 25:27), said the Lord, calling you silver merchants who listen to these words. Why did God call you merchants? In order to teach everyone to apply the same diligence to the study of what is said, which they show when examining the coins they accept. Just as merchants reject counterfeit and counterfeit coins, but accept real and true, distinguishing the inauthentic from the genuine, so do you: do not accept every word, but reject the wrong and bad from yourself, and put what is sound and saving in your soul. There are, indeed, you also have scales and a steelyard, not made of copper and iron, but consisting of purity and faith; with their help, search every word. That is why it is said: be skillful traders, not so that you, standing in the marketplace, count the silver, but so that you examine the words with all diligence. That’s why the Apostle Paul says: “Try everything, but hold fast to what is good” (1 Thess. 5:21). And not only because He called you merchants because you must explore, but also because you must use what you receive in business. If the merchants, having received the money, only locked it at home and did not give it to others, then all their trade would cease; exactly the same thing happens with listeners. If you, having accepted the teaching, keep it to yourself and do not pass it on to others, then all your work will be lost. That's why we see them in the market places every day, coming in and out. Let it be the same with teaching. Among the merchants we see how some give money, others immediately accept and leave, and this can be seen every day; which is why, although others do not have their own money, but by properly using the money of others, they acquire great benefit for themselves. Do the same. These sayings are not yours, but those of the Holy Spirit; but if you put them to good use, you will receive great spiritual benefit for yourself. That's why God called you merchants. Why did He call the teaching silver? Because, just as silver has the royal image imprinted on it - if it does not have it, then it is not genuine silver, but is called counterfeit - so the teaching of faith must have the image of the Word imprinted on it. On the other hand, the use of silver supports our entire life and serves as the basis for all contracts, and whether we need to buy or sell anything, we do all this through it. The same thing happens with teaching: this spiritual silver serves as the cause and basis of spiritual contracts. So, if we want to acquire something from God, we present the words of prayer in advance, and then we will receive what we ask; If we see a brother careless and perishing, we will gain him salvation and bring him life by offering him the word of teaching. So, we need to carefully preserve and observe everything in order to communicate this to others, because we are required to increase this silver as well. Let us accept it carefully so that we can impart this silver to others, because everyone, if they want, has the opportunity to teach. You cannot edify such a great church; but you can reason with your wife. You can't talk to so many people; but you can teach your son. You cannot offer words of teaching to such a people; but you can correct your slave. Such a gathering of disciples does not exceed your strength; such a measure of teaching does not exceed your understanding; but you can correct all of them even more conveniently than we can. I talk to you once or sometimes twice a week; and you constantly have disciples in your house: wife, children, slaves - both in the evening, and at meals, and all day long you can correct them. In addition, such healing can be more convenient. I, talking among so many people, do not know what spiritual passion is troubling you; That’s why I am forced to offer all kinds of medicine in every teaching; and you do not need to do this, but with less difficulty you can make a greater correction; you know well the sins of those living with you, and therefore you can effect a speedy healing. 3. So, beloved, let us not neglect those who live with us, because the greatest punishment and unspeakable torment will befall those who neglect their household. “If anyone,” says the apostle, “does not provide for his own, and especially for those at home, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel” (1 Tim. 5:8). Do you see how Paul strikes those who neglect their own household? And quite rightly so, because whoever neglects his own will care about strangers? I know that I have often suggested this to you; but I will never stop repeating this suggestion, although I myself am no longer subject to responsibility for the carelessness of others. “Therefore it was necessary for you,” said the Lord, “to give my silver to the merchants,” and did not demand anything else. I gave the silver, and therefore I am not subject to any responsibility; but although I am innocent and free from punishment in this regard, nevertheless, as if I were guilty and subject to punishment, I fear and tremble for your salvation. So, let no one listen to spiritual conversations without attention and with negligence. It is not without reason and not in vain that I make long introductions, but so that what has been said is better retained in your memory, so that you do not go home, having made only noise and applause in vain and in vain, because I do not care about your praise, but I care about your salvation. Those who strive for spectacle, as a reward for this, receive praise from the people; and we do not come here for this, but in order to receive the reward assigned for this from the Lord. This is why we constantly instill this in you, so that what is said will penetrate to the depths of your soul. Just as among plants those that have taken root in the depths do not sway from gusts of wind, so the thoughts, the deeper they lie in the soul, the more difficult they are to sway from the influence of circumstances. Tell me, beloved: if you saw your son languishing with hunger, would you ignore him and endure everything to satisfy his hunger? If you would not ignore someone who is hungry for bread, can you really neglect someone who is hungry for Divine teaching? How could you then deserve to be called a father? This hunger is all the more difficult because it ends in death, which is why more effort must be used here. “Educate them,” says the apostle, “in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). This is the best care of fathers; this is true parental care; there I recognize a natural kinship, where they provide greater care for the spiritual. However, enough said for the introduction; Now we need to pay off the debt. This is why I gave a big and long speech about this, so that you would accept what was proposed with all care. What is the debt that we previously owed? Maybe you forgot about it? In this case, we need to remind you and read in advance the receipt on which we previously made the payment, and say what has been paid, so that from what has been paid we can see what still remains to be paid. What was paid first? Then I said who is the writer of the book of Acts, who is the author of this word, or better, not the author of this word, but the minister, because he did not himself produce what was said, but he ministered to what was said. I also spoke about the Acts themselves, and what the name of the Acts means; He also spoke about the name of the apostles; Now we need to say why our fathers established that the book of Acts should be read at Pentecost. You may remember that we promised to talk about this then. It was not in vain, in fact, and not without reason that the fathers appointed this time for us, but they did so for some wise reason; not in order to subordinate our freedom to necessity, but so that, condescending to the poverty of the weak, we raise them to the wealth of knowledge. And that they actually kept the times for this purpose, not subordinating themselves to the need for observance, but trying to condescend to the weak, listen to what Paul says: “You observe the days, months, times and years. I fear for you, lest I labor with you in vain” (Gal.4:10-11). Didn’t you yourself keep the days, times and years? So what? If we see that the one who forbids the observance of days, months, times and years, himself observed them, what do we say, answer me? Is it that he contradicts himself and refutes himself? Yes it will not; but the fact that he, wanting to correct the weakness of those who observe the times, himself condescends to them with such observance. Doctors do the same: they themselves taste the food served to the sick first, not because they themselves need this food, but trying to heal their weakness. This is what Paul did: not having any need to keep the times, he kept the times in order to save those who observed them from the weakness of this observance. When did Paul keep the times? Listen carefully, I exhort you. “The next day,” says the Scripture, “they arrived at Miletus, for Paul decided to pass by Ephesus, so as not to delay him in Asia; because he hastened, if possible, to be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost” (Acts 20:15–16). Do you see how the one who says: “Why... observe the days, months, times and years” (Gal. 4:9-10), himself observed the day of Pentecost? 4. And not only did he keep the day, but also the place, because he was in haste not only to arrive at the day of Pentecost, but also to spend it in Jerusalem. What are you doing, blessed Paul? Jerusalem is destroyed, the Holy of Holies is devastated by God's decree, the former institutions have ceased, you yourself cry out to the Galatians: “You who hope to be justified by the law... have fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4); Why are you again leading us into slavery to the law? It is not an unimportant matter to find out whether Paul is contradicting himself. And not only did Paul keep the days, but he also kept the other commandments of the law; and meanwhile he appeals to the Galatians: “Behold, I, Paul, say to you: if you are circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing” (Gal. 5:2). Thus, the same Paul who says: “If you are circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all,” he himself, as you know, circumcised Timothy. The Scripture says that Paul found a certain young man in Lystra, “whose mother was a Jew, and his father was a Greek,... and... circumcised him,” because he did not want to send an uncircumcised man as a teacher (Acts 16:1, 3). What are you doing, blessed Paul? Do you destroy circumcision in words, but in deeds do you support it again? I don’t support him, he says, but I destroy him with my actions. Timothy was the son of a faithful Jewish wife, and his father was a Greek, from the family of the uncircumcised. But since Paul intended to send him as a teacher to the Jews, he did not want to send him uncircumcised, so as not to block the door to teaching from the very beginning. Thus, paving the way for the destruction of circumcision and opening the way for the teaching of Timothy, he circumcised him in order to destroy circumcision. That's why he says: “To the Jews I was like a Jew” (1 Cor. 9:20). Paul did not say this to be a Jew, but to convince those who remained Jews to no longer be Jews. That's why he circumcised Timothy, to destroy circumcision. So he used circumcision against circumcision. And Timothy accepted circumcision so that he could be accepted by the Jews, and so that, having come, little by little he could turn them away from observing circumcision. Do you see why Paul kept both Pentecost and circumcision? Would you like me to show you how he kept other provisions of the law? Listen carefully. He once came to Jerusalem, and the apostles, seeing him, said to him: “You see, brother Paul, how many thousands of believing Jews have come together: and all of them are zealots of the law. And they have heard about you that you teach all the Jews who live among the pagans to deviate from Moses, saying that they should not circumcise their children and should not act according to the customs. So what?... Do what we tell you: we have four people who have a vow. Having taken them, be cleansed with them, and bear the cost of the sacrifice for them, so that they may shave their heads, and everyone will know that what they have heard about you is unjust, but that you yourself continue to keep the law” (Acts 21:20-24). Do you see the amazing condescension? He keeps the times in order to destroy the keeping of the times; performs circumcision to stop circumcision; makes a sacrifice to destroy the sacrifice. And that he really did this for this purpose, listen to him himself: “He was like one under the law to those under the law, in order to gain those under the law; being free from everyone, I made myself a slave to everyone, in order to gain more” (1 Cor. 9:20, 19). And Paul did this in imitation of his Lord. How He, “being in the image of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:6–7); so this one, being free from everyone, enslaved himself to everything in order to gain everyone. The Lord, having accepted our nature, became a slave in order to make slaves free: “He bowed down the heavens and came down” (Ps. 17:10), in order to lift up those who were below to Heaven. "Tilted... the heavens"; It is not said: “left heaven and came down,” but “leaned down” in order to make it easier for you to ascend to heaven. Paul also imitated him whenever possible, which is why he said: “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 4:16). How did you, blessed Paul, become an imitator of Christ? How? So that I do not seek my own benefit in anything, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved, and “being free from everyone, I enslaved myself to everyone.” Truly, there is nothing better than this enslavement, because it brings freedom to others. Paul was a spiritual fisherman: “I will make you,” said the Lord, “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19), that’s why he did so. And the fishermen, seeing that the fish is grabbing the hook, do not immediately pull it out, but, having loosened it, release it at some distance, waiting for the hook to penetrate well, in order to more accurately pull out the prey; This is what the apostles did then: they threw the verbal bait of teaching into the soul of the Jews; these opposed in vain, holding to circumcision, festivals, keeping times, sacrifices, haircuts, and the like; the apostles followed them everywhere and did not retreat. You, he says, demand circumcision, I do not resist, but I will follow you; you want a sacrifice, I make a sacrifice; you want me, leaving my way of life, to cut my hair, I am ready to fulfill this demand; You command me to observe Pentecost, and in this I do not contradict; Wherever you lead me, I follow and yield, waiting for the sound of the word to deepen within you so that it is more likely to distract your entire people from their ancient service and way of life; For this purpose I came from Ephesus to Jerusalem. Do you see how much Paul was inferior in verbal fishing? Do you see how the apostles observed the times, agreed to circumcision and participated in sacrifices, not in order to return to the ancient way of life, but in order to lead those attached to images to the truth? He who sits on a height, if he constantly remains on a height, will never be able to lift up the one lying below; but this one must descend first, so that this one can then rise up. Therefore, the apostles descended from the heights of the gospel way of life in order to raise the Jews from the baseness of the Jewish way of life to this height. 5. From this it is clear that the observance of times and everything else was done with benefit and for good. Let us now see why the book of the Acts of the Apostles is read during Pentecost. We offered all this to you so that when you see the observance of the times, you will not think that the apostles suffered from the Jewish way of thinking. But listen carefully, I admonish you: what will be said is an important subject of study. On the Day of the Cross we read everything related to the Cross; on Holy Saturday again that our Lord was betrayed, crucified, died in the flesh, buried; Why don’t we read the Acts of the Apostles after Pentecost, when they happened and began? I know many people don't know this; therefore it is necessary to confirm this from the book of Acts itself, so that you know that the Acts of the Apostles did not begin with Pentecost, but in the time following Pentecost. Therefore, someone can rightly ask: why is it established to read about the Cross on the day of the Cross and suffering, but we read the Acts of the Apostles not on the very days and not at the time in which they were committed, but we warn this time? Not immediately after Christ was resurrected, the apostles began to perform miracles, but He remained with them on earth for forty days. Why - forty days, we will explain this at another time; Now let us turn to the subject of our speech and note that Christ did not immediately ascend to Heaven after the resurrection, but stayed with the disciples on earth for forty days, and not only stayed, but also interacted with them, took part in their meals, talked with them, and after forty days ascended to the Father in heaven; but even then they did not begin to perform miracles, but another ten days passed, and already after Pentecost was fulfilled, the Holy Spirit was sent to them; then, receiving tongues of fire, they began to work miracles. All this, beloved, we will confirm to you from the Scriptures; namely, that He stayed with them for forty days, that the Holy Spirit descended after Pentecost, that then the apostles received tongues of fire, that from that time they began to perform signs. Who is talking about all this? The disciple of Paul, the venerable and great Luke, began his speech like this: “I wrote the first book to you, Theophilus, about everything that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day on which He ascended, giving commands by the Holy Spirit to the Apostles whom He chose, to whom He also revealed Himself alive, after His passion, with many sure proofs, appearing to them for forty days and speaking about the Kingdom. God's. And He gathered them together and commanded them, “Do not depart from Jerusalem” (Acts 1:1–4). Do you see that after the Resurrection the Lord remained on earth for forty days, spoke about the Kingdom of God and communicated with the apostles? Do you see that He took part in their meal? "AND... commanded them,” he says, “do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for what was promised from the Father, which you heard from Me, for John baptized with water, and a few days after this you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5). The Savior spoke about this for forty days. “Therefore they came together and asked Him, saying, “Are You at this time, O Lord, restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: It is not your business to know the times or seasons that the Father has appointed in His authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth. Having said this, He rose up before their eyes, and a cloud took Him out of their sight” (Acts 1:6–9). You see how Christ stayed with them on earth for forty days and ascended into heaven. But let's see whether the Holy Spirit was sent at Pentecost. “When the day of Pentecost came,” the Scripture says, “suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and ... cloven tongues appeared to them, as if of fire, and rested, one on each of them” (Acts 2:1–3). Do you see a clear indication that Christ remained on earth for forty days and that the apostles had not yet performed miracles? And how could they work miracles without yet receiving the grace of the Holy and Life-giving Spirit? Do you see that Jesus ascended into Heaven after forty days? Do you also see that ten days after that the apostles began to work miracles? Because after the days of Pentecost were fulfilled, the Holy Spirit was sent down. Now it remains to decide why the Acts of the Apostles are read at Pentecost. If the apostles then began to perform signs, i.e. after the Resurrection of the Lord, then we should read this book: just as we read things related to the Cross on the day of the Cross, and similarly things related to the Resurrection on the day of the Resurrection, and on every holiday we read things related to this holiday, so we should read about the miracles of the apostles on the days of the apostolic signs. 6. Why do we not read about them then, but immediately after the Cross and Resurrection? Listen to the whole reason for this with attention. Immediately after the Cross we proclaim the Resurrection of Christ, and the proof of the Resurrection is the apostolic signs, and the apostolic signs are set forth in this book (Acts). Thus, which especially confirms the truth of the Resurrection of the Lord, the fathers established to read immediately after the Cross and the life-giving Resurrection. So, for this reason, beloved, immediately after the Cross and Resurrection, we read about the signs of the apostles, so that we have clear and undoubted proof of the Resurrection. You have not seen the Risen One Himself with your bodily eyes, but you see His Risen One with the eyes of faith; With these eyes you have not seen the Risen Himself, but with the help of those miracles you will see Him Risen. The manifestation of signs leads you to contemplation by faith. And the fact that signs were performed in His name was the best and clearest proof (of the Resurrection) than the appearance of the Risen One Himself. Do you want to know how this better confirms the truth of the Resurrection than if He Himself appeared before the eyes of all people? Listen carefully, because many ask about this and say: why did the Lord, having risen, not immediately appear to the Jews? This question is unnecessary and in vain. If there had been hope of converting the Jews to faith, He would not have failed to appear to everyone after the Resurrection. And that there was no hope that He, having appeared to them after the Resurrection, would convert them to faith, this is clear from the event with Lazarus. Having raised this four-day-old man, stinking and decaying, and commanded him, bound with bandages, to go out before the eyes of everyone, He not only did not convert them to faith, but also aroused hatred, because, having gathered, they even wanted to kill Him for this (John 12:10). If then, when He raised another, they did not believe, then if He, having resurrected Himself, appeared to them, would they not again go into a rage against Him? And although they could not have any success, they would show their wickedness with an attempt. Therefore, wanting to save them from excessive fury, He hid Himself, because He would have made them even more worthy of punishment if He had appeared to them after suffering on the cross. Therefore, sparing them, He hid Himself from their gaze, but showed Himself by the manifestation of signs, because hearing the words of Peter: “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk” (Acts 3:6), meant no less than seeing the Risen One Himself. And that this really is the greatest proof of the Resurrection and more conveniently leads to faith than the latter, and that the appearance of signs performed in His name could better convince the minds of people than the sight of the Risen Himself, this can be seen from the following: Christ was risen and appeared to the disciples; but among them there was also someone who did not believe, Thomas called Didymus, and he had to put his hands into the nail wounds, and he had to touch His ribs (John 20:24-25). If the disciple, who treated Him for three years, participated in the Lord’s Table, saw the greatest signs and wonders, listened to the Lord’s conversations, saw Him Risen, and did not believe before examining the nail wounds and spear wounds, then tell me, could the universe believe if it saw Him Risen? Who can say it? And not only from this, but also from the other side, we will show that the signs were more convincing than the sight of the Risen One. The people, having heard Peter saying to the lame man: “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise and walk,” believed in Christ, numbering three thousand, and then numbering five thousand men; The disciple, seeing the Risen One, did not believe. Do you see how the first led much more conveniently to belief in the Resurrection? Having seen the Risen One, His own disciple did not believe, but having seen the signs, His enemies believed. So, the latter was more valid and clearer than the first, and more disposed and assured them of the Resurrection. But what am I saying about Thomas? And the other disciples did not believe at the first vision. Listen to this carefully, but do not condemn them, beloved: if Christ did not condemn them, then do not condemn them either. The disciples saw a wondrous and extraordinary thing, they saw the First Born risen from the dead; and such greatest miracles usually amaze at first, until over time they become established in the souls of believers; the same thing happened then with the disciples. When Christ, who had risen from the dead, said to them: “Peace be with you,” then “they,” says the evangelist, “became confused and frightened, and thought that they saw a spirit. But He said to them, “Why are you troubled?” And then, showing them his hands and feet, “for joy they still did not believe and were amazed. He said to them: Do you have any food here?” , wanting through this to assure them of the Resurrection (Luke 24:36–41). You are not convinced, He says, neither by ribs nor by wounds; let the meal at least convince. 7. And in order for you to know more accurately what He said for this purpose: “Do you have any food here,” so that they would not think that before them is a ghost, or a spirit, or a ghost, but a true and actual Resurrection, listen to how Peter thereby proves the Resurrection. Having said: “This God raised up,... made Him appear... to us, witnesses chosen from God,” he then, giving proof of the Resurrection, added: “who ate and drank with Him” (Acts 10:40–41). Therefore, in another place, Christ, having raised the dead and wanting to assure her of the resurrection, said: “Give her something to eat” (Mark 5:43). So, when you hear that He “showed Himself alive,... appearing to them for forty days, and... ate with them” (Acts 1:3; Luke 24:43), then know the reason for this eating of food, namely: He ate food, not having any need for it, but wanting to correct the weakness of the disciples. From this it is clear that the miracles and signs of the apostles were the greatest proof of the Resurrection (of Christ). Why does He himself say: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do will he also do, and greater works than these will he do” (John 14:12). Since the previous Cross tempted very many, great signs were needed after that. If the deceased Christ had remained in death and in the tomb and had not been resurrected, as the Jews say, and had not ascended into heaven, then not only would great signs not have been performed after the Cross, but even those previously accomplished would have lost their power. Listen to me here with attention; what I say serves as proof of the certainty of the Resurrection; so I will repeat what I said. Christ first worked miracles, raised the dead, cleansed lepers, cast out demons; then He was crucified and, as the lawless Jews say, He did not rise from the dead. What will we tell them? Next: if He was not resurrected, then how were great signs performed in His name after that? No one living, when he died, performed great signs after death, but here after that there were great miracles both in the way they were performed and in their nature. They were great in nature, because the shadow of Christ never raised the dead, but the shadows of the apostles did many such things. There were great signs and in the manner of performance, because then He Himself performed miracles by command, and after the Cross His servants, calling on His venerable and holy name, performed greater and higher deeds, in which His power was more and more gloriously manifested. Indeed, it is much more important when another performed miracles by calling on His name than when He Himself performed the same by His command. Do you see, beloved, that the signs performed by the apostles after the Resurrection of Christ are great both in nature and in the manner of their execution? So, they are undoubted proof of the Resurrection. What I said, I will repeat again: if Christ, having died, had not been resurrected, then the signs would have to end and cease; and now they not only did not stop, but after that the most important and most glorious things happened. If Christ had not been resurrected, then others in His name would not have performed such signs, because the same power performed miracles both before the Cross and after the Cross, only before the Cross - through Himself (Christ), and after - through His disciples. And so that the proof of the Resurrection would be clearer and more glorious, for this purpose after the Cross there were greater and higher signs. But how do we know, the infidel will say, that there were signs then? How do we know that Christ was crucified? From the Divine Scriptures, you say. Indeed, it is known from the Holy Scriptures that there were signs then and that Christ was crucified; they talk about both. If the enemy says that the apostles did not perform signs, then their power and Divine grace will be even more demonstrated by the fact that without signs they converted such a universe to piety. This is the greatest sign and wondrous miracle that poor people, who had nothing, ignorant, unlearned, simple, despised and twelve in number, could without signs attract to themselves so many cities, tribes, peoples, kings, rulers, philosophers, rhetoricians and, so to speak, the whole earth. Do you want to see the signs that are happening today? I will show you signs even greater than the first: not one dead person raised, not one blind person seeing, but the whole earth that has overthrown the darkness of error; not just one leper being cleansed, but so many nations healed of sinful leprosy and cleansed by the bath of regeneration. What are you looking for even more than these signs, man, seeing such a sudden change in the universe? 8. Do you want to know how Christ gave insight to the universe? Previously, people did not consider wood and stone to be wood and stone, but called insensible things gods: so they were blinded; now they learned that it was a tree and that it was a stone, and they believed that it was God, because by faith alone this Immortal and Blissful Being is contemplated. Do you want to see another sign of the Resurrection? You will see it in the souls of the disciples; and this sign became greater after the Resurrection. Everyone knows that even someone who is well disposed towards a person during his lifetime may not even remember him after his death, and whoever is not well disposed towards a living person and abandoned him during his lifetime, even more so forgets about him after death. Therefore, none of the people, having left and abandoned a friend-teacher during his lifetime, will value him after his death, especially if for his attachment he sees countless dangers threatening him. But something that never happens to anyone happened to Christ and the apostles: those who denied and abandoned Him during His life, abandoned Him when He was taken, and fled, those, after countless reproaches and the Cross, began to reverence Him so highly that they laid down their souls for confession and faith in Him. If Christ, having died, had not been resurrected, then how can we explain that those who fled from the threatening danger during His life, after His death exposed themselves to countless dangers for Him? The others all fled, and Peter even denied Him three times with an oath; but the one who denied Him with an oath three times and was afraid of the threat of a simple servant, after His death, wanting to convince us by his very deed that he had seen the Risen One Himself, suddenly changed so that he was not afraid of the whole people, entered the meeting of the Jews and said that the Crucified and Buried One rose from the dead on the third day and ascended into heaven, and that he himself was not afraid of any disaster. Where did he get such courage from? Where else if not from the confidence in the Resurrection? Since he saw Him, talked with Him, heard His predictions about the future, he exposed himself to danger for Him, as if he were alive, and with such courage he decided on all disasters and received such great strength and such great boldness that he died for Him and was crucified on the cross upside down. So, when you see that great signs are being accomplished, and that the disciples who had previously abandoned Him began to have greater affection for Him and are showing greater boldness, and in all respects a most brilliant change of circumstances has occurred and everything has come to a reliable and joyful state, then be convinced by your own experience that the works of Christ did not continue only until His death, but that death was followed by the Resurrection, and that the Crucified One lives and abides constantly as the Unchangeable God. If He had not risen and come to life, then the disciples would not have performed greater signs after that than were performed before the Cross. Then the disciples also left Him; and now the whole universe is flowing to Him, and not only Peter, but also thousands of others, and even more after Peter: those who did not see Him, gave up their souls for Him, gave their heads to be cut off and endured countless calamities in order to die, keeping their faith in Him intact and intact. How then did the one who was dead and in the tomb, as you say, a Jew, manifest such strength and power in everyone, those who were and after the apostles, convincing them to worship Him alone and decide to endure everything and suffer so as not to lose faith in Him? Do you see in all this a clear proof of the Resurrection: in the signs then and now, in the disposition of the disciples then and now, in the dangers to which believers were exposed? Do you want to see that the enemies themselves were afraid of His strength and power, and were worried much more after the Cross? Listen to this with attention. “Seeing,” says the Scripture, “(the Jews) the courage of Peter and John, and noticing that they were unlearned and simple people, they were amazed” (Acts 4:13) and were afraid, not because they were unlearned, but because, being unlearned, they defeated all the wise men; “seeing the healed man standing with them, they could not say anything contrary” (Acts 4:14), whereas before they contradicted, seeing the signs being performed. Why then did they not contradict? Their tongue was held back by the invisible power of the Crucified One; He stopped their mouths; He curbed their insolence; That’s why they stood there, unable to say anything in spite of it. And when they spoke, look how they revealed their fear: “You want,” they say, “to bring on us the blood of that Man” (Acts 5:28). But if He is a simple man, then why are you afraid of His Blood? How many prophets have you killed, O Jew, how many righteous people have you killed, and you were not afraid of the blood of any of them: why are you afraid here? Truly, the Crucified One shook their conscience; and they, not being able to hide their embarrassment, involuntarily confess their own powerlessness in front of their opponents. When they crucified Him on the cross, they shouted: “His Blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27:25): so they despised His Blood! And after the Cross, seeing His shining power, they are afraid, embarrassed and say: “You want to bring the blood of that Man upon us.” If He was a deceiver and an opponent of God, as you lawless Jews say, then why are you afraid of His Blood? On the contrary, one should even boast about this murder if He really was like that. But since He was not like that, they tremble. 9. Do you see how everywhere the enemies themselves are confused and afraid? Do you see their confusion? Know also the love for mankind of the Crucified One. They said: “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27:25), but Christ did not do that, but, begging the Father, said: “Father! forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). If His Blood had been on them and on their children, then the apostles would not have been among their children, and three thousand and five thousand would not have suddenly believed. Do you see how cruel and inhumane they were to their children and renounced nature itself, and God was more humane than all fathers and more loving than mothers? His blood was on them and on their children, but not on all children, but only on those who imitated the wickedness and iniquity of their fathers, and only those who were their sons, not by succession of nature, but by arbitrary madness, were subjected to disasters. Notice also the goodness and love of God on the other side. He did not immediately bring punishment and disaster upon them, but forty or more years after the Cross. The Savior himself was crucified under Tiberius, and their city was taken under Vespasian and Titus. Why did He delay so long? He wanted to give them time to repent, so that they would forsake their sins and make amends for their crimes. But since they, having received time for repentance, remained unhealed, He finally brought punishment and disasters upon them, and, having destroyed the city, expelled and scattered them throughout the universe, however, showing in this His love for mankind. He scattered them so that they could see how Christ, crucified by them, was worshiped throughout the entire universe, so that, seeing the worship given to Him by everyone, and knowing His power, they would realize the excess of their own wickedness and, having realized it, turn to the truth. So the exile itself was an edification for them and the punishment was admonition, because if they had remained in the land of Judea, they would not have been convinced of the truth of the prophets. What did the prophets say? “Ask of Me, and I will give the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession” (Ps. 2:8). Therefore, the Jews had to reach the limits of the earth in order to see with their own eyes that Christ also possesses the limits of the earth. Also, another prophet says: “And He will be worshiped, every one from his place, by all the islands of the nations” (Zeph. 2:11). Therefore, they had to be scattered throughout all the places of the earth in order to see with their own eyes that everyone worshiped Him from their own place. And another said: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14). Therefore, they had to disperse throughout the whole earth in order to see it filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and the sea, i.e. these spiritual churches, full of piety. For this purpose, God scattered them throughout the whole earth, because if they had remained in Judea, they would not have known it. He wants them to verify with their own eyes both the truth of the prophets and His power, so that if they come to their senses, they will be led through this to the truth, and if they remain in wickedness, they would have no justification on the terrible day of Judgment. This is why He scattered them throughout the universe, so that we too would receive some benefit from here, i.e. seeing the fulfillment of those prophecies about their dispersion and the capture of Jerusalem, which were predicted by Daniel when he mentioned the “abomination of desolation” (Dan. 9:27), and Malachi when he said that “it would be better for one of you to lock the doors” (Mal. 1:10), and David, and Isaiah and many other prophets, so that we, seeing those who have angered the Lord so punished, deprived of domestic freedom and all their own laws and fatherly traditions, we knew His power, which predicted and fulfilled this - so that from our blessings our enemies would see His power, and from their punishments we would know His ineffable love for mankind and power, and throughout our lives we would glorify Him, so that we might receive eternal and ineffable blessings, through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom the Father, together with the Holy and Life-Giving One Spirit, honor and power, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen. This conversation begins a series of conversations, five in all, on the question of the inscription of the book of Acts; the first of them talks about the title of the book itself, the second - about the author, the third - about the beginning of the book and the difference between an action and a miracle, the fourth - about the benefits of reading the Holy Scriptures, the fifth - about why the book of the Acts of the Apostles is read on Pentecost. The second of these conversations has reached us only in an insufficient and even distorted form, which is why it was assigned by Benedictine publishers to the end of Volume III. You might be interested in: