Беседа 23

Conversation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Rom 13.1. Let every soul obey the powers that be. (The Apostle) talks a lot about this subject in other epistles, when he talks about the obedience of servants to masters and subordinates. And he does this in order to show that Christ introduced His laws not to overthrow the general civil order, but to better correct it, and together he wants to teach us so that we do not undertake unnecessary and useless wars. We have had enough of the intrigues that are being built against us for the truth, and we should not add unnecessary and useless tests. Notice how opportunely the apostle started talking about this subject. After he has offered his listeners the various demands of philosophy, he has disposed them to live in peace with friends and enemies, he has taught them to be useful to the happy, to the unfortunate, to the needy, and, in short, to everyone, after he has inculcated a life befitting the angels, exhausted anger, humbled arrogance and completely softened their hearts, after all this he offers instructions on obedience to authorities. Indeed, if those who do wrong must be repaid with those who do the opposite, then all the more must those who do good be obeyed. But (the apostle) postpones this encouragement to the end of his exhortation, and for now he does not present such evidence as I mentioned, but calls us to do this out of a consciousness of duty. And, wanting to impress upon everyone that this is commanded, not only to the laity, but also to priests and monks, he announces this at the beginning, saying this: “let every soul obey the powers that be”; even if you were an apostle or an evangelist, even if you were a prophet or someone else, submission to authority does not undermine piety. And (the apostle) not only said, “let her be obedient,” but, “let her obey.” The first basis for such a law, which also satisfies correct rational arguments, is that the authorities were established by God. There is no power if not from God, - says (the apostle). How is this? Is every ruler really appointed by God? That’s not what I’m saying, answers (the apostle). Now I am talking not about each boss individually, but about power itself. The existence of authorities, whereby some are in charge and others are subordinate, and the fact that everything does not happen by chance and arbitrarily, so that people rush here and there like waves - I call all this the work of God's Wisdom. That is why (the apostle) did not say that there is no leader who has not been appointed by God, but discusses in general the essence of authority and says: There is no power if it is not from God, but the powers that exist are created by God. Likewise, the Wise One, when he says that “from the Lord a wife is married to her husband” (Proverbs 19.14), means here that marriage is established by God, and not that God matches everyone who marries, since we see that many marry with a bad intention and not according to the law of marriage, and we, of course, cannot impute this to God. But what did Christ say: “Having created from time immemorial, I created male and female; and saying: For this reason a man will leave [his] father and mother and cleave to his wife” (Matthew 19.4–5), the Wise One understood the same thing. Since equality often leads to quarrels, God established many types of authority and subordination, such as: between husband and wife, between son and father, between an old man and a young man, a slave and a free man, between a superior and a subordinate, between a teacher and a student. And why are you surprised at this in relation to people, when God arranged the same thing in the body? And here He did not make all the members equal in honor, but He made some smaller, others more important, some for control, others for subordination. The same can be seen among the dumb: bees, cranes, and herds of wild sheep. Even the sea is not without such amenities, and there many species of fish are controlled by one, which leads the others and under whose command they go on distant journeys. And lack of authority is evil everywhere and is the cause of disorder. The Apostle, having said where authorities arise from, added: Rom.13:2. Likewise, if you resist authority, you resist God’s command. Look where he is leading the matter, how he frightens and how he proves that it is our duty to obey. So that the believers do not say: you humiliate us and make us despicable by subordinating those who should receive the kingdom of heaven to the rulers, (the apostle) proves that in the present case he is not subordinating them to the rulers, but again to God, since he who submits to the authorities obeys God. However, (the apostle) does not say this in such words, for example: whoever obeys his superiors obeys God, but he frightens him with the opposite and confirms the same thing with greater force, saying: whoever does not obey his superiors resists God, who legitimized it. And he tries to instill this everywhere, i.e. that we do not give obedience to the authorities, but fulfill our duty. With such instructions (the apostle) he encouraged the believers to obey, and he disposed the unbelieving leaders in favor of (Christian) piety. After all, then rumors were flying everywhere, accusing the apostles of rebellion and innovation, and also that they were trying in word and deed to undermine all social laws. And by proving that our common Master commands everyone to observe these laws, we can stop the mouths of slanderers who accuse us of innovations, and defend the true teaching with greater courage. So, do not be ashamed of such obedience, says (the apostle). This law was given by God, who threateningly takes revenge on those who violate it. If you disobey Him, He will punish you not with random punishment, but with the most severe, and no excuses will save you, and you will suffer the most severe punishment from people, because no one will stand up for you, and you will greatly anger God. This is what the apostle suggests when he says: Those who resist themselves will accept sin. Then, after fear, (the apostle) proves the benefit of obedience and convinces on the basis of rational arguments, saying this: Rom.13:3. Princes are not afraid of good deeds, but of evil. Previously, he dealt a strong blow and brought fear to the listeners, but now he again makes an easing and, like a wise doctor, gives a soothing medicine, consoles and says: what are you afraid of, what are you terrified of? Does a boss punish someone who does good? Is he terrible for someone who cares about virtue? Therefore (the apostle) adds: If you want not to be afraid of power, do good, and you will receive praise from him. Do you see how he reconciled a good doer with his superior, showing that the superior was appointed to praise him? Do you see how he eliminated all anger? Rom.13:4. God is... is... a servant for your good. The boss is not only not scary for you, but also praises you, not only does not interfere with you, but also helps you. If you have a helper and praiser in him, then why don’t you obey? In general, he makes virtue more attainable for you, since he punishes the wicked, and shows benefits and honors to the good, and thereby promotes the will of God, which is why (the apostle) called him a servant. Look: I give you advice regarding chastity, and he requires the same according to the laws; I admonish you that you should not be covetous and steal, and he has been appointed judge over the same. Thus, he is our collaborator and helper, and this is what he was sent for by God. This means that he is worthy of respect in two respects - both because he was sent by God and because he was assigned to the same task as us. If you do evil, be afraid. Thus, it is not the boss who creates fear, but our depravity. No one is crazy about carrying a sword. Do you notice how (the apostle) presents him armed, like some kind of warrior, in order to make him terrible for sinners? He is a servant of God, an avenger of the wrath of those who do evil. And so that you, having heard about punishment, vengeance and the sword, do not run away, (the apostle) again confirms that the ruler fulfills God's law. So what if he doesn’t know it himself? But God arranged it that way. So, if the boss, whether he punishes or rewards, is God’s servant, because he protects virtue and drives out vice, which is what God Himself wants, then why do you resist the one who produces so much good and contributes to the success of your affairs? After all, many first learned virtue for the sake of their superiors, and later clung to it out of fear of God. Rougher people are affected not so much by the future as by the present. Therefore, the one who by both fear and honor predisposes the souls of people so that they are able to receive the word of teaching is rightly called God's servant. Rom.13:5. Moreover, there is a need to obey not only for anger, but also for conscience. What does it mean: “not only for anger”? You must obey, says (the apostle), not only because, by not obeying, you resist God and bring upon yourself great disasters from God and people, but also because the ruler, as the guardian of peace and civil order, is your greatest benefactor. After all, the authorities provide countless benefits to states; if they are abolished, everything will perish, and neither the city, nor the village, nor the house, nor the marketplace, nor anything else will stand, but everything will be overthrown, since the stronger will swallow up the weaker. Thus, even if disobedience were not followed by anger, then even then you would have to obey, so as not to turn out to be unscrupulous, as well as ungrateful towards your benefactor. Rom.13:6. For this reason you give tribute,” continues (the apostle): for they are servants of God, and this abides in truth. Without enumerating in particular all the benefits that states owe to their governments, such as decorum, peace and other services derived from military authorities and from those in charge of public affairs, (the apostle) provides one further proof for all this. By paying tribute to the government, he says, you thereby testify that it is benevolent to you. Notice the wisdom and prudence of blessed Paul. What was recognized as burdensome and burdensome, that is, taxes, he turns into evidence of the guardianship of the authorities. Why, he asks, do we give tribute to the king? Is it because he cares for us, and do we not give this reward to the ruler for his care? Of course, we would not have paid tribute if we had not known in advance that the patronage of our superiors would be useful to us; Therefore, from ancient times, by common consent, it was accepted by all that rulers should be supported at our expense, because they, leaving their own affairs, take care of public affairs and spend all their time on ensuring that our property is inviolable. But, having spoken about external incentives (to recognize the authorities), the apostle again returns to his previous proof, because in this way he could more conveniently attract believers to his side, and again shows that this is what pleases God, with which he concludes his admonition, saying: “For they are servants of God.” Then, depicting the worries and labors of the bosses, he adds: “in this present time abiding,” i.e. Their whole life is dedicated to this, and all their concerns are directed towards this, so that you can enjoy the world. Therefore, in another letter (Paul) commands not only to obey the rulers, but also to pray for them, and, showing the general benefit of this, he added: “Let us live a quiet and quiet life” (1 Tim. 2.2). After all, the bosses help us a lot in organizing real life by using weapons, repelling enemies, pacifying seditionists in cities, and resolving all sorts of quarrels. Do not tell me that others use power for evil, but pay attention to the orderliness of the system, and you will see great wisdom in the one who legitimized it in the beginning. Rom.13:7–8. Give to everyone what is due: to him a lesson, a lesson, [and] to him a tribute, a tribute: [and] to him fear, fear: [and] to him honor, honor. You should not be anything to anyone, just love each other. The apostle continues his speech about the same thing and commands that the rulers should bring not only money, but also honor and fear. How did he say above: “If you want not to be afraid of power, do what is good” (Rom. 13:3), and now he says: “Reward... fear?” Here by fear he means the highest degree of respect, and not fear arising from a bad conscience, as he meant above. And he did not say: give, but: “reward”; moreover, he added: “due”, since the fulfillment of this is not a gift, but a duty, and if you do not fulfill it, you will be punished as ungrateful. Do not think that the dignity of your wisdom is humiliated and damaged if you stand up or reveal your head in the presence of your superior. If (the apostle) legitimized this when the rulers were pagans, then much more should it be now, when we have believers as rulers. If you say that you yourself have been entrusted with more, then know that your time has not yet come, because you are still a wanderer and an alien, and there will be a time when you will be brighter than everyone else. Now “your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col 3.3-4). So, do not seek reward for yourself in this temporary life, but even if you had to appear before your superior with fear, do not think that this is unworthy of your nobility. It is God’s will that the ruler who has received power from Him should have his own power. If one who is not aware of anything bad in himself appears before the judge with fear, then the one who does evil should fear all the more. And you will be even more honored from this, because humiliation is created not by the fact that you show respect to another, but by the fact that you do not show it. And the boss will be more surprised at you, and even if he was unfaithful, he will glorify your Lord. “You must be with no one else, just love each other.” (The Apostle) again turns to the mother of all blessings, to the mentor in everything said above, to the creator of all virtue, and says that love is our duty, but not like a tax or rent, but permanent. He wishes that this debt would never be paid, or rather, that it would always be paid, but not completely, but so that we would constantly remain in debt. After all, this is the kind of debt that must always be paid and always owed. Having said how one should love, (the apostle) also indicates the benefits of love, saying: love your friend, fulfill the law. And do not consider this a mercy, since this is also a duty; you are obliged to love your brother because of your spiritual relationship with him, and not only by kinship, but also because we are members of each other, and if the love in us becomes scarce, then everything will be destroyed. So love your brother. If from loving him you gain the benefit that you fulfill the law, then you are obliged to love him because you have been blessed by him. Rom.13:9. Hedgehog: do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, ... and if any other commandment is fulfilled in this word, in the hedgehog: love your sincere one as you love yourself. (The Apostle) did not simply say “it is fulfilled,” but “it is accomplished,” that is, the entire composition of the commandments is briefly and briefly contained, since the beginning and end of virtue is love; it is both the root and the necessary condition and the pinnacle of virtue. And if love is the beginning and completeness, then what is equal to it? However, (the apostle) demands not just love, but love to the highest degree, since he did not just say: “thou shalt love thy sincere one,” but added: “as thyself.” And Christ said that the law and the prophets are based on love (Matthew 22.40), and, having indicated two types of love, look what a high place he gave to love for one’s neighbor. Having said: “thou shalt love the Lord thy God, ... this is the first... commandment,” he continued: “the second,” and here he did not remain silent, but added: “like it: thou shalt love thy sincere one as thyself.” What can compare with such great love for mankind, with such meekness? Although we are infinitely distant from God, He nevertheless places our love for each other close to the love for Himself and calls one similar to the other. Therefore, for both loves He set almost equal measures, and about love for God he said: “with all your heart and with all your soul,” and about love for your neighbor - “as you do yourself” (Matthew 22.37-39). And Paul says that if there is no love for one’s neighbor, then love for God is of little use. Just as we, when we love someone, say that if you have loved him, then you have loved me, so Christ, expressing this, said: “like her,” and to Peter: if you love Me, “feed My sheep” (John 21.16). Rom.13:10. Love does not do evil to the sincere: the fulfillment of the law of love is. Do you notice that love has both perfections - abstinence from evil ("it does not do evil," it is said), and doing good (it is said that it is "the fulfillment of ... the law"), not only briefly presenting for us the teaching of what one should do, but also making it easy to do it. She not only makes sure that we understand what is useful for us (the law also does this), but also greatly assists us in fulfilling our duties, fulfilling in us not just any part of the commandments, but all virtue in its entirety. Therefore, let us love one another and thus love the God who loves us. It happens with people that when you love someone, the other person who loves him takes up arms against you; but God demands that you also join in love, and hates those who do not share love with Him. Human love is filled with envy and malice, but God's love is free from all passion. That is why God is looking for partners of love. Love with Me, He says, then I will love you more. These are the words of an infinitely loving one! If you love those loved by Me, then I see that you love Me diligently. God strongly desires our salvation and has proven it from the very beginning. Listen to what He said when He created man: “Let us make man in the image” of God (Gen. 1.26), and also: “Let us make him a helper... it is not good for him to be alone” (Gen. 2.18). And then, when the first man fell into crime, notice how God meekly reproached him, He did not say to him: unclean and lawless, having received so many good deeds from Me, even after all this you believed the devil and, leaving the Benefactor, listened to the demon! But what does he say? “Who can tell you that you are naked, except from the tree of which you were commanded not to eat?” (Genesis 3.11)? This is what a father would say to his son, whom he ordered not to touch the sword and who, disobeying, wounded himself: why are you wounded? Because he didn't listen to me. Do you notice that these are the words of a friend more than the Master, a friend who was insulted, but for all that did not cease to love? Let us also imitate God and, when we begin to reproach others, we will maintain the same meekness. With the same condescension, God reproaches the wife, and more correctly, the words addressed to the wife were not reproach, but advice, admonition and warning for the future. Therefore, God does not say anything like that to the serpent, since he was the inventor of evil and could not lay the blame on another. But God severely punished him and did not even stop there, but subjected the very earth to a common curse with him. If He expelled man from paradise and condemned him to labor, then for this in particular we should worship Him and be amazed. Since a life spent in pleasure leads a person to negligence, God stops joy for him and with sorrows, like a wall, protects negligence so that we return to His love. What did He do with Cain? Is it not with the same meekness? Being again offended by him, He does not respond with offense, but exhorts and says: “How has your face fallen” (Gen. 4.6)? Although Cain’s act does not deserve any apology, as the younger brother proves, yet for all this God does not reproach him, but says: “Have you not sinned? Keep silent, do not apply his address to you, that is, your brother, and you will have this” (Gen. 4.7). If you are afraid, says God, that for the sake of this sacrifice I will forever deprive you of your birthright, then take heart: I am giving full power over your brother into your hands, just correct yourself and love your brother, who has not offended you in any way. I care about you both. And what pleases Me most of all is that you should not be at enmity with each other. Thus, God, like a child-loving mother, uses all means and measures so that no person is torn away from another. And in order for you to understand more clearly from an example what I said, think about Rebekah, how she was worried and resorted to various methods when the eldest son was at enmity with the younger. After all, although she loved Jacob, she did not turn away from Esau, which is why she said: “Let me not be childless from both of you on one day” (Gen. 27.45). By the same impulse, God said to Cain: “Have you not sinned? Be silent, his message is to you,” wanting to prevent the murder and trying to establish peace between the brothers. Even when Cain killed his brother, God did not deprive him of His providence, but again with meekness turns to the fratricide and says: “Where is Abel your brother” (Gen. 4.9) - in order to at least in this way force him to confess to the crime. But Cain, as before, and even with greater and grosser shamelessness, persists. But even after this, God does not leave him, but in the words of an insulted and neglected friend says to him: “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me” (Gen. 4.10). And together with the murderer he again smites the earth with a curse, pours out His wrath on it and says: cursed is the earth, “because he opened his mouth to receive the blood of your brother” (Gen. 4.11), imitating in this case those who weep for the dead. David did the same when he learned that Saul had fallen; he cursed the mountains that received the blood of Saul, and exclaimed: “mountains of Gilboa, let not the dew fall, let not the rain fall upon you: ... for there the shield of the mighty was cast down” (2 Samuel 1.21). So God, as if proclaiming a funeral hymn to Abel, says: “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me; ...and now you are cursed from the earth, even though you opened your mouth to receive the blood of your brother from your hand.” With these words, God wanted to tame Cain’s seething anger and arouse in him love at least for the deceased. You quenched his life, says the Lord, why don’t you quench the enmity? But what else does the Lord do? He loves both Abel and Cain because He created them both. What should He do now? Leave the killer unpunished? But this could make him even worse. Or punish him? But God is more loving than any father. So, look how He punishes Cain, and in the punishment itself reveals love, or better said, does not punish, but only corrects. He did not put him to death, but bound him with trembling, so that he could make amends for his guilt, so that at least in this way he could return to the bosom of God’s love and be reconciled with Abel, although he was dead, since God did not want Cain to leave this world in enmity against his dead brother. This is what lovers do, who, when they cannot arouse love towards themselves through good deeds, resort to strict measures and threats, prompted to this not by the instillation of their will, but by love, in order, at least by this means, to attract to themselves those who despise them. Of course, such love arises in others under the influence of coercion, but they are also consoled by it, due to the strength of their love. Thus, punishment is also a consequence of love, because those who are not offended by being hated do not want to punish. Paul confirms this very thing in his Epistle to the Corinthians, saying: “If anyone makes me glad, let him receive sorrow from Me” (2 Cor 2.2)? Thus, whenever punishment is increased, then love is also proven. So the Egyptian woman, out of strong love, cruelly punished Joseph. But she punished out of an evil motive, because her love was shameless, and God punishes with a good purpose, because His love is worthy of the lover. And so that you understand the power of His love, God does not refuse to use harsher expressions, to attribute human passions to Himself and to call Himself jealous. “I am... God is jealous” (Exodus 20.5), He says. Therefore, let us love Him as He desires—this He considers a great thing. Even if we turn away from Him, He does not cease to call us; even if we do not want to convert, He punishes because He loves, and not in order to punish us. Listen to what He says in Ezekiel to the city that He loved and despised Him: “I... will gather against you... all your lusts,... and will deliver you into their hands; ...and they will stone you and flog you, ...and my zeal will be taken away from you, and I will give up on no one” (Ezek 16.37-42). Could a passionately loving friend, despised by his beloved and despite this still burning with love for her, say more than this? God does everything to incline us to love Him; For this reason He did not spare His Son. But we are adamant and hard-hearted. Let us finally become meek and love God as we should love, so that we can enjoy virtue with full pleasure. If the one who has a beloved wife does not feel at all the daily sorrows, then imagine what pleasure the one who loves with Divine and pure love will enjoy. In this, precisely in this lies the Kingdom of Heaven, in this is the enjoyment of blessings, pleasure, fun, joy, bliss, or rather, no matter what I say about it, nothing will be able to depict it, but experience alone can introduce it. That is why the prophet said: “Delight yourself in the Lord” (Ps 36.4), and in another place: “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps 33.9). So let us obey and enjoy His love. And then, here we will see the Kingdom, we will live an angelic life and, while staying on earth, we will have no less than those who live in heaven, and after moving from here, we will appear brighter than anyone else before the Throne of Christ and will enjoy the ineffable glory, to be participants in which may it be given to all of us by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: