Беседа 34

Love removes all evils. - Praise of love. – Benefit received from the poor. – Origin of wealth and poverty. 1 Corinthians 13:8. Love never ceases, although prophecy will cease, and tongues will be silent, and knowledge will be abolished. 1. Having proved the superiority of love by the fact that both talents and everyday exploits have a need for it, having counted all its perfections and showing that it is the basis of true wisdom, (the apostle) shows its dignity from another - third side. He does this both to convince those who considered themselves humiliated that they can receive the most important sign and have no less than those who received gifts, and even much more than them, if they have love, and to humble those who had great gifts and were proud of them, and to inspire them that they have nothing if they do not have love. Thus, they would have to love each other, as soon as envy and pride were destroyed between them, and by loving each other, they would drive these passions far away from themselves, because “love does not envy, it is not proud.” So he protected them on all sides with an indestructible wall and various incentives to unanimity, which destroys all diseases and therefore acquires great strength. That is why he brought many proofs that could console them in sorrow: the same, he says, the Spirit gives, and gives for benefit, and divides as He pleases, and divides by grace, and not by duty; although you received little, you are also part of the body and also enjoy great honor; he who received more needs you, who received less; and the greatest gift and the most excellent way is love. With these words, he wanted to connect them with each other in two ways: with the thought that with love they are no lower than others, and with the idea that those who resort to it and contain it within themselves are no longer subject to any human weaknesses, both because they have the root of talents, and because they can no longer envy others, even if they themselves had nothing; He who is once captivated by love is free from envy. Therefore, by showing them what benefits they receive from love and depicting its fruits, he alleviates their illnesses with his very praises; every word of his serves as sufficient medicine to heal their wounds. So: “he is long-suffering,” he says, against those who have quarrels with each other; “merciful” - against those who disagree and secretly war with each other; “does not envy” - against those who envy those who have more than them; “not exalted” - against those who are divided; “not proud” - against the vain; “does not behave outrageously” - against those who do not want to condescend to others: “does not seek his own” - against those who despise others; “does not get irritated, does not think evil” - against those offended by insults; “he does not rejoice in untruth, but rejoices in the truth” - again against the envious; “loves everything” - against those who are upset by slander; “hopes for everything” - against those who despair; “endures everything..., never ceases” - against those who easily fall into hostility. When in this way he has shown the greatness of love from all sides and with all his strength, then he does the same from another most important side, extols its dignity through another comparison and says: “even though prophecies will cease, and tongues will be silent.” If these two gifts were sent down for faith, then with its spread everywhere, their use is no longer necessary. But love for each other will not cease, but will increase even more, both here and in the next century, and then even more than now. Here many things weaken love - money, (everyday) affairs, bodily passions, mental illness; and there will be nothing like that there. However, there is nothing surprising in the fact that prophecy and tongues will be abolished; but that knowledge would be abolished seems strange, but that’s exactly what he added: “and knowledge will be abolished.” How? Will we then live in ignorance? No, then in particular knowledge must increase, as he said: “Then I will know, even as I am known” (1 Cor. 13:12). Therefore, so that you would not think that it too would be abolished, like prophecies and tongues, he, after the words: “and knowledge will be abolished,” did not stop, but also showed the method of abolition, immediately adding: “We know in part, and we prophesy in part; But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will cease” (1 Cor. 13:9-10). Consequently, it is not knowledge that will be abolished, but the incompleteness of knowledge, because we will know not only this, but also much more. So, I’ll explain this with an example, now we know that God exists everywhere, but we don’t know how; We know that He created everything that exists out of nothing, but we don’t know how; We know that He was born of a Virgin, but we don’t know how. Then we will learn about this more and more clearly. Then he shows what the difference is (between one and the other knowledge), and what (now) is missing quite a bit: “when,” he says, “I was a baby, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, reasoned like a child; and when he became a man, he left behind his children” (1 Cor. 13:11). And he further explains the same with another example: “now we see as through a glass darkly” (1 Cor. 13:12). 2. Further, since the dark glass still somewhat represents a visible object, he adds: “fortune-telling” to show that real knowledge is extremely incomplete. “Then face to face,” not because God has a face, but to express it more clearly and more intelligibly. Do you see how all our knowledge will increase? “Now I know in part, but then I will know, even as I am known.” Do you see how he humbles their pride in two ways - by the fact that knowledge is incomplete, and by the fact that even such knowledge they do not have from themselves? It was not I, he says, who knew Him, but He Himself knew me. Just as He Himself knew me in advance now and He Himself condescended to me, so I will reach Him then much more than now. He who sits in darkness, before he sees the sun, does not himself come to its beautiful rays, but they reveal themselves to him when they shine; and when he accepts their radiance, then he himself strives for the light. The same meaning in the words: “just as I am known” is not that we know Him as He knows us, but just as He Himself has condescended to us now, so we too will reach Him then, we will learn many things that are now hidden, and we will be worthy of the most blessed conversation and wisdom. If Paul, who knew so much, was a baby, then imagine what (future knowledge) will be like; if (the present is) glass darkly and fortune-telling, then understand from here what the face itself is like. In order to explain this difference to you at least a little and introduce into your soul at least some ray of understanding of this subject, remember now, when grace has arisen, about the times of the law. Before grace, what was then seemed something great and amazing; but after grace, listen to what Paul says about this: “that which is glorified is not even shown to be glorious from this side, because of the preponderance of glory” (2 Cor. 3:10). But to make what I said even clearer, let’s take one of the sacred rites of that time, and you will see the difference; imagine, if you want, the Old Testament and the New Testament Easter, and you will understand the advantage (of the latter over the former). The Jews performed it, but they performed it as if in a mirror and fortune telling; they never even had ineffable secrets in their minds, and did not know what their actions represented; they saw the slain lamb, the blood of the dumb and the doors anointed with it; and that the incarnate Son of God will be slain, deliver the entire universe, give His Blood to the Greeks and barbarians for food, open heaven for everyone, offer the blessings there to the human race, lift up the bloody flesh above heaven and the sky of heaven and generally above all the heavenly armies - angels, archangels and other powers, and will seat it on the very royal throne at the right hand of the Father in radiance unspeakable glory - none of them and even none of the other people knew this then and could not imagine in their minds. But what do people who dare to do anything say? They say that the words: “Now I know in part” were spoken (by the apostle) about matters of economy; and he seemed to have perfect knowledge about God. How does he call himself a baby, how does he see in a mirror and tell fortunes, if he had complete knowledge? Why does he attribute such knowledge exclusively to the Spirit and to no other created power when he says: “For what man knows the things that are in a man, except the spirit of man which dwells in him? Likewise, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:11)? And Christ also attributes this to Himself alone when he says: “It is not that anyone has seen the Father except Him who is from God; He saw the Father” (John 6:46), calling vision the clearest and most perfect knowledge. And how can he who knows the being (of God) not know the works of His economy? After all, knowledge of the first is higher than the last. Therefore, they will say, we do not know God? No, we know that He exists, but we do not know what He is in His essence. To make sure that the words: “Now I know in part,” (the apostle) did not say about works of economy, listen to what he added further: “And then I will know, even as I am known”; and he is not known by the works of the economy, but by God. So, let no one consider this crime to be unimportant and insignificant, but double, triple and multiple, because it is foolish not only that they boast of the knowledge inherent in the one Spirit and the only begotten Son of God, but also that they consider themselves to have achieved everything through their own speculation, while Paul could not even have this understanding in part without revelation from above; and they cannot point out that Scripture anywhere tells us about this. However, let’s leave their madness and move on to the subsequent words about love. Not content with the above, (the apostle) adds: “And now these three remain: faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13). 3. Faith and hope cease when the goods that constitute the object of faith and hope appear. Paul explained this when he said, “But hope when it sees, is not hope; for if anyone sees, what can he hope for?” (Rom.8:24). And again: “faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen” 56 (Heb. 11:1). Therefore they cease when they appear; and then love especially grows and becomes stronger. Here is a new praise of love. Not content with what was said before, (the apostle) tries to find something else in it. Look: he said that love is a great gift and the most excellent way to gifts; said that without it, talents do not bring much benefit; painted her image abundantly; and now he wants to elevate it in a different way and show its greatness by the fact that it does not stop. “And now,” he says, “these three remain: faith, hope, love; but love is the greatest of them." Why is there more love? Because they pass. If such is the power of love, then he rightly further adds: “pursue love” (1 Cor. 14:1); we need to chase and strive hard for it: so it flies away from us, and there are so many obstacles to the desire for it! Therefore, we need great efforts to achieve it. To express this, Paul did not say: seek love, but: pursue it, encouraging and inflaming us to achieve it. And God took many measures from the beginning to plant it in us. He gave us all one head - Adam. Why don't we all come from the earth? Why don't we become perfect like him? So that birth, upbringing and descent from each other bind us to each other. Therefore He did not create a woman from the ground. Since the unity of nature would not be enough to motivate us to unanimity, if we did not have one progenitor, He did this too. If we are now, separated only by places, alienated from each other, then all the more would it be so if our race had two origins. That is why He united, as if with one head, the entire body of the human race. And since in the beginning, apparently, there were two persons, see how He again united them and united them into one through marriage: “Therefore,” said God, “a man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave to his wife; and they will become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). He did not say: wife, but: man, because in him the attachment is stronger; and he made her the strongest so that by the power of this love he could bend the most excellent being and bind him to the weakest. Since marriage had to be established, He made the wife’s husband the one from whom she came. For God, everything is lower than love. If at the same time the first man soon fell into such madness and the devil sowed such enmity and envy, then what would not have happened if they did not come from the same root? Further, having arranged for one to obey and the other to command, since equality of honor often produces enmity, He established not a popular government, but a royal one, and just like in an army, the same order can be seen in every house. The husband takes the place of the king; the wife is the place of the ruler and military leader; children received power of the third degree; then the power of the fourth degree belongs to slaves, because they also have power over the lower ones, and often one person is placed above everyone, replacing the master, being, however, himself a slave; then, between them again, there are still other degrees of power: one for wives, another for children, and for the children themselves they are also different, depending on age and gender, because among children the female sex has unequal power (with the male). Everywhere God has arranged degrees and diversity of authority, so that everything may be in unanimity and great harmony. Therefore, even before the proliferation of our race, when there were only the first two people, He commanded one to rule and the other to obey. So that (the former) does not despise and reject (the latter) as inferior, see how God honored and united her with him even before creation: “Let us make him a helper” (Gen. 2:18), He said, expressing that she was created for his benefit, and thus uniting him with the one who was created for him, since we are especially disposed to what is done for us. So that she would not again begin to be exalted as being appointed to help him, and would not dissolve these bonds, God created her from his rib, suggesting that she was a part of the whole body. And so that the husband would not become proud of this, He did not leave the future to him alone, as the previous one belonged to him alone, but did the opposite of that, arranging childbirth, in which, although he gave preference to the husband, he did not leave everything to him. 4. Do you see how many bonds of love God has created? In all this there are natural guarantees of unanimity. Truly, the unity of nature leads to it, since “every animal loves its own kind” (Sir. 13:19), - the origin of a wife from her husband, and children from both of them. From here come many kinds of love: we love one as a father, another as a grandfather, one as a mother, another as a nurse, one again as a son, grandson, or great-grandson, another as a daughter or grandson, one as a brother, another as a nephew, one as a sister, another as a niece. However, why count all types of kinship? (God) also used another incentive to love: by prohibiting marriages between relatives, He turned us to strangers, and endeared them to us. Since they are not united with us by natural kinship, He united them differently - through marriage, coupling entire houses through one bride and bringing together entire genera with childbirth. Do not marry, He said, your sister, nor your father’s sister, nor any other girl who has such a relationship with you that prevents marriage, listing by name the types of such relationship (Lev. 18). It is enough for your love for them that you were born from the same womb, or connected with them in some other way. Why restrict the breadth of love? Why is it more appropriate to strengthen the disposition to love here, then how can you get another reason for love by taking a wife from strangers and with her a number of relatives - mother, father, brothers and their neighbors? Do you see how many ways (God) has connected us? But He was not satisfied with this, but also arranged that we need each other, in order to unite us in this way, since need especially produces communication. This is why He did not allow everything to be everywhere, in order to force some to have communication with others. Having arranged it so that we needed each other, He also made communication convenient. If this had not happened, then troubles and difficulties would have arisen again; If, for example, someone who needed a doctor, carpenter or other artisan had to travel long distances, then everything would perish. That is why He built the cities and gathered everyone together. And so that we could travel comfortably to those living far away, He spread the sea between (the cities) and sent fast winds, thus making communications convenient. At the beginning, He settled everyone in one place and scattered them not before the first people who received this gift abused their consent. So He united us in all ways - by nature, by kinship, by language, and by place! He did not want us to lose paradise - after all, if he had wanted to, he would not have settled the primordial man in it - but he who violated the commandment is guilty of this; He also didn’t want us to be multilingual, otherwise he would have done it in the beginning, but then “in all the earth there was one language and one speech” (Gen. 11:1). Therefore, when it was necessary to destroy those living on earth, He did not even then create us from another substance and did not transfer the righteous man (to heaven), but, leaving him in the midst of the flood, as if some spark of the universe, again kindled our race from blessed Noah. In the beginning He established one authority, placing the husband over the wife; but when our race fell into great disorder, He established other (powers) - lords, rulers; and this is also for love. Malice corrupted and destroyed our race, so He planted judges among the cities, like doctors, so that, destroying evil, like some kind of infection of love, they would gather everyone into one. And so that there would be great harmony not only in the cities, but also in every home, He honored the husband with power and advantage, and armed the wife with passion, and between both he placed the gift of childbearing, using in addition other bonds of love. He did not give everything to the husband, and not everything to the wife, but he divided everything between both, giving her the house, and him the marketplace, leaving him to earn food - he cultivates the land - and for her to arrange clothes - it is yarn and weaving that is the work of the wife, He gave her the art of spinning. But let the love of money perish, which violates such an order! The delicacy of many turned their husbands to yarn and gave them weaving shuttles, wefts and crosses into their hands. However, even at this, the industry of divine economy shines. And we really need a wife for other essential things, and we need inferiors to support our life: this need is such that even if someone was richer than all people, he still cannot shun communication with others and not need the poorest. Not only do the poor need the rich, but also the rich need the poor, and the former even more need the latter than the latter need the former. 5. In order for you to see this more clearly, let us build, if you wish, two cities, one consisting of the rich, and the other of the poor; let there not be a single poor person in the city of the rich, and not a single rich person in the city of the poor; Let us carefully separate one from the other and see which of them will be more able to satisfy ourselves. If we find that a city of the poor can do this, then it is obvious that the rich will need them more. In the city of the rich there will not be a single craftsman, nor a builder, nor a carpenter, nor a shoemaker, nor a baker, nor a farmer, nor a blacksmith, nor a ropemaker - not a single one of these people. And who among the rich will ever want to take up such work, if those who do it themselves, when they get rich, cannot stand the difficulties of such work? How will this city exist? For money, you say, the rich will buy all this from the poor? Consequently, they do not satisfy themselves if they need the poor. How will they build houses? Or will they buy them too? But this is essentially impossible. Therefore, it is necessary to invite artisans here and break the law that we decreed at the beginning when we inhabited the city; remember, we said that there should not be a single poor person in it. But need, against our will, called and settled them here. From this it is clear that it is impossible for a city to exist without the poor; and if the city continues not to accept any of them, then it will no longer be a city and will perish. So, he will not satisfy himself if he does not gather the poor, as it were, some saviors. Let us now look at the city of the poor, whether it too will be in such need, having lost the rich. But first, let’s define wealth and explain what it consists of. What is wealth? Gold, silver, precious stones, silk, purple and gold clothes. Having explained what wealth is, let us cast it out of the city of the poor if we want to build a purely city of the poor; let not even in a dream you see gold and golden clothes, and if you want, then silver and silver things. Well, tell me, will the inhabitants of this city live in need? No. Whether it is necessary to build a house, this requires not silver, gold and pearls, but art and hands, and not just hands, but calloused, calloused fingers, great strength, wood and stones; whether it is necessary to weave clothes, this again requires not gold and silver, but hands, art and women capable of working; Is it necessary to dig and cultivate the land, and who is needed for this - rich or poor? Obviously the poor. If we need to forge iron, or do anything else similar, we especially need such people for this. When can we need the rich? Surely it would have been when it would have been necessary to destroy the city? Truly, if with their appearance these wise people - I call them wise people who do not seek anything superfluous - fall into a passion for gold and pearls, indulge in idleness and luxury, then they will destroy everything. If, you say, wealth is useless, then why was it given by God? How do you know that wealth comes from God? Scripture, you say, says: “The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,” “and to whomever I want, I will give it.” ( Hag.2:8 ). Here, if it weren’t for shame, I would laugh loudly, to the derision of those who say this; just as little children sitting at the royal table, along with such food, put into their mouths everything that happens, so they, along with the words of the divine Scriptures, bring their own inventions. I know that the words: “My silver and my gold” were spoken by the prophet; but the words: “and to whomever I want, I will give it” were not added, but introduced by these ignoramuses. And why they are said, I will explain to you. The prophet Haggai often promised the Jews that, upon their return from Babylon, the church would be restored to its former form, but some did not believe his words and considered it almost impossible that the house (of God) would again appear the same from ashes and dust; therefore, in order to destroy their unbelief, he speaks to them on behalf of God, as it were: Why are you afraid? Why don't you believe? "My silver and my gold"; I do not need to borrow from others to decorate My house. In confirmation of this, he added: “the glory of this last church will be greater than the first” (Hag. 2:9). So, let us not weave cobwebs into the royal clothes: after all, if the one who was convicted of mixing worthless threads into the purple would be subjected to cruel execution, then even more so in spiritual objects such an act is an important sin. But what am I talking about adding and subtracting? From one point and from one incorrect reading (of Scripture) many absurd thoughts were often born. 6. Where do you say the rich come from? After all, it is said: “poverty and wealth are from the Lord” (Sir.11:14). But let us ask those who object to us: is all wealth and all poverty from the Lord? Who can say it? We see that many amass great wealth through theft, grave-digging, sorcery and other similar methods, and, while in possession of it, are not even worthy of life. Well, answer me, can we say that this wealth is from God? No. Where from? From sin. The harlot, by desecrating her body, becomes rich; a handsome young man, often selling his beauty, shamefully acquires gold; the grave digger, tearing up graves, collects unrighteous wealth; so is a thief, digging into walls. So, is all wealth from God? What, you ask, should we say to the aforementioned saying? Listen first to the fact that sometimes poverty is not from God, and then let’s turn to the aforementioned saying. When some incontinent young man wastes his wealth on harlots, on sorcerers, or on some other similar whims, and becomes poor, is it not obvious that this did not happen from God, but from his own intemperance? Also, if someone becomes poor from idleness, if someone falls into poverty from recklessness, or from undertaking dangerous and lawless deeds, then is it not absolutely clear that none of them and others like them were brought into this poverty by God? So does Scripture tell a lie? It won't happen! But those who do not study everything written with due care are mistaken. After all, if it is known that Scripture is not false, and if it is proven that not all wealth is from God, then bewilderment arises from the guilt of inattentive readers. Here, having freed Scripture from criticism, we should stop in order to punish you for neglecting Scripture; but since I feel very sorry for you and cannot see you in confusion and anxiety for a long time, I will now offer a solution, explaining in advance who said the words mentioned, when and to whom. God does not speak to everyone in the same way, just as we do not speak to children and adults in the same way. When was this said, by whom and to whom? Solomon, in the Old Testament, to the Jews, who knew nothing except sensory objects, and by them judged the power of God. They said: “Can He also give bread?” (Ps. 77:20). And also: “what... sign” will you show us? “Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness” (John 6:30–31). “Their god is their belly” (Phil. 3:19). Thus they judged God; therefore (the Wise One) tells them that it is possible for Him to do both rich and poor, not because He necessarily does this, but can do it when He wants. Thus (the prophet) says: “He rebukes the sea, and it dries up, and all the rivers dry up” (Nahum.1:4); but that never happened. How does the prophet talk about this? Not as something that always happens, but as something that He can do. What kind of poverty does He send and what kind of wealth? Remember the patriarch and you will know what wealth is sent by God. He made Abraham rich and after him Job, as the latter himself says: “Shall we really accept good from God, and not accept evil?” ( Job 2:10 ). And Jacob's wealth came from here. There is also poverty from Him, worthy of approval, which He once offered to the rich in the following words: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor;... and come and follow Me” (Matthew 19:21); also - to the disciples, when he gave them the following commandment: “Take with you neither gold, nor silver, ... nor two coats of clothing” (Matthew 10:9-10). So, do not say that He gives all wealth; it is known that it is collected through murder, theft, and many other ways. But let's return to the previous question. If the rich are not at all useful to us, then why do they exist? What can I say to this? The fact that those rich who have made themselves rich in such ways are useless, but those enriched by God are very useful. You can learn this from their very deeds. Abraham possessed wealth for the benefit of all strangers and those who had need. When three men, as he thought, came to him, he killed the calf and kneaded three measures of wheat flour; remember how he, sitting at the gate at noon, generously and diligently shared his property with everyone, offering, in addition to property, physical service, and, moreover, in such an old age; it was a haven for wanderers and those in need, and did not consider anything his own, not even his own son - by the command of God, he gave him up too; He gave himself and the whole house along with his son when he hurried to save his nephew; Moreover, he did this not to acquire property, but solely out of love for mankind, since when those he saved made him the manager of the spoils, he gave up everything, “even thread and shoe straps” (Gen. 14:23). 7. Such was the blessed Job. “My doors,” he says, “I opened to the passer-by” (Job 31:32); “I was the eyes of the blind and the feet of the lame; I was a father to the poor” (Job 29:15–16); and “the stranger did not spend the night on the street” (Job.31:32); “Have I refused to those in need their requests?” ( Job 31:16 ) “Have I allowed the weak to leave my doors with an empty bosom?” 57 ( Job 31:34 ). And much more than this - so that we now do not have to count everything - he constantly did, using all his wealth on the needy. Don’t you want to look at those who became rich not from God, and find out how they used their wealth? Look at (the rich man mentioned) with Lazarus, who did not even spare a grain; look at Achaab, who appropriated the vineyard; look at Gehazi; look at all these people. Those who acquire righteously, having received (wealth) from God, use it in accordance with the commandments of God; and those who insult God in acquisition do the same in consumption, squandering it on harlots and idle parasites, or burying it and locking it up, and not giving anything to the poor. Why, you say, does God allow such people to become rich? Because He is long-suffering and wants to lead us to repentance; because He prepared Gehenna and appointed a day on which He would judge the world. If He immediately punished those who enriched themselves unrighteously, then Zacchaeus would not have had time to repent and give back four times what he stole, with the addition of half of his own property; Matthew could not have changed and become an apostle if he had not had the proper time, and many others like that. Therefore He is patient, calling everyone to repentance. If they do not want (to repent) and continue in the same way, then Paul said about them that they, “because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart,” are storing up wrath for themselves “for the day of wrath and revelation of righteous judgment from God” (Rom. 2:5). In order for us to avoid this wrath, let us gather up the riches of heaven and seek poverty worthy of praise. Then we will receive future benefits, which may we all be worthy of, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. These conversations were delivered by the saint in Antioch around 390. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” Here the synodal text does not at all express the thought contained in the original. The Slavic translation: “Faith is the revelation of things hoped for, the proof of things unseen” is much closer, but also not entirely accurate. In general, this place is very difficult to translate. Gr. ελεγχος, translated in Slavic as “reproof,” Chrysostom understands in the sense of “rejection,” as opposed to υποστασις - glory. "notice". In general, the thought can be rephrased as follows: “the action of faith consists in the confirmation of expected things and the elimination of the invisible,” i.e., turning into the visible - and. I. You might be interested in: