Беседа 15

2 Cor.7:8. If I saddened you with my message, I don’t regret it, although I did regret it. Sadness about sins is useful. – A boss needs love for his subordinates. – Amaxovii, nomads and gymnosophists. - Properties of church authorities, their superiority over civil ones. 1. Since (the Corinthians) had made amends for their sin, and therefore it was possible to speak more kindly to them without fear, then (the apostle) apologizes to them for his previous message and shows its benefit. He did the same above, saying: “Out of great sorrow and an oppressed heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to grieve you, but so that you might know the love that I have in abundance for you” (2 Cor. 2:4). He does the same thing here, but only expresses it more expansively. And he didn’t say: “Before I repented, but now I don’t repent”; but how? “I do not regret now, although I did regret it” (“I will not repent even if I did.”) “Even if,” he says, “what I wrote was such that it exceeded the measure of (due) reproof, and prompted me to repent, but the great benefit that came from it does not allow me to repent. I said this not because I actually reproached beyond measure.” them, but to increase their praise. “You,” he says, “showed such a correction that if I happened to punish you too severely, I would have to blame myself for it, but, looking at the consequences, I would now begin to praise myself.” Just as we fearlessly caress children after some difficult method of treatment has been applied to them, such as an incision or cauterization, or bitter drink, so does Paul. “I see that the message saddened you, but only for a while. Now I rejoice not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved to the point of repentance" ("I see that this message, even at the hour, offended you. Now I rejoice, not because you were soon grieved, but because you were offended to repentance") (2 Cor. 7:8-9). Having said, “I do not repent,” he presents the reason for this, showing the benefit of the message, prudently justifying himself and saying: “however, for a while” (“even if it’s only an hour”), because the sadness was short-lived, but the benefit was long-lasting. One should say: “Even if I insulted you for a while, but through that I brought you joy and benefit forever.” However, he does not say this; but before talking about the benefits, he begins to praise them again and show his care for them, saying: “Now I rejoice, not because you were sad” (“I rejoice now, not because sorrow was quicker”) - and what benefit does your sadness have to me? - “but that you were saddened to repentance” (“but because you were offended to repentance”), i.e., that your sadness bore fruit.” Just as a father, when he sees his son being cut, rejoices not because his son is in pain, but because he is being healed, so he too rejoices. And notice how he attributes the entire success of the business to them: he attributes sadness to the message when he says: “that message saddened you, but only for a while” (“even if it had offended you in an hour”), and gives them credit for the benefit from it. He did not say: “because the message corrected you,” although this was in fact the case, but: “you were saddened to repentance; for they were saddened for God’s sake, so that they did not suffer any harm from us” (“as if you were offended in repentance. You were offended by God, but you will take nothing away from us”). Do you notice his indescribable prudence? “If we had not done this,” he says, “we would have harmed you,” the correction attributes to them, and to himself, the harm that would have occurred from his silence. “If we had not rebuked you when it was possible to correct us by reproof, we would have caused you harm, and the damage would have been not only for you, but also for us. Just as someone who does not give a merchant the means to sail harms him, so we would harm you if we did not give you a reason to repent.” Do you see that not rebuking sinners is harmful for both teacher and student? “For sorrow for the sake of God produces unchangeable repentance leading to salvation” (“Sorrow, even according to God, produces unrepentant repentance for salvation”) (2 Cor. 7:10). “That’s why,” he says, “although I repented before I saw all the fruit and benefit of the message, I do not repent now.” This (fruit) was “sorrow for Bose.” Now talking about sadness, he shows that it is not always bitter, but only when it becomes sadness for the world. What does it mean: “sorrow in the world”? When you grieve about property, about fame, about the deceased - all this is sadness in the world. That's why she causes death. He who grieves over glory is envious, and, of necessity, often comes to ruin. Cain and Esau grieved with such sorrow. So, by sadness in the world, he means that which harms the mourners themselves. Only sorrow for sins is useful; and this is clearly evident from the following. He who mourns the loss of wealth does not compensate for the loss; one who grieves for a dead person does not resurrect him; a person who grieves because of an illness not only does not get rid of the illness, but also intensifies it. Only one who grieves over sins gains benefit from grief, because it exhausts and destroys sins. Sorrow is a medicine prepared for this one case; therefore, only here it has power and provides benefits, but in other cases it harms. 2. “But Cain,” they will say, “was sad because God did not favor him.” No, not for this reason, but because I saw my brother shining (with virtues). Otherwise, if he complained for that reason, he would have to compete and rejoice with his brother; but he, on the contrary, in his sorrow discovered sorrow for the world. David, Peter, and each of the righteous did not grieve that way, which is why they pleased God, grieving over the sins of either their own or others. Is it true that what is heavier than sadness? But when it happens to be sorrow for God, it is much better than worldly joy: this latter turns into nothing, and it “produces unchanging repentance leading to salvation.” What is also worthy of surprise in it is that none of those who mourned it ever repented, whereas repentance is most characteristic of worldly sadness. Indeed, what is more desirable than your own son? And what is more sad than his death? However, the fathers, who during times of intense grief did not accept any consolation and tormented themselves, later repent of having grieved beyond measure, because they realize that not only did they not receive any benefit from it, but they upset themselves even more. This is not grief for God! On the contrary, it has a twofold advantage: firstly, it does not make you regret what you grieve about, and, secondly, the fact that sadness itself turns into salvation. Worldly sadness lacks both of these benefits. In it they grieve to their detriment, and after intense grief they condemn themselves, and this serves as the strongest proof that those who grieve through it only harm themselves. Completely opposite (the consequences of sadness) for God; and therefore he said (the apostle) that it “produces unchangeable repentance unto salvation.” No one will condemn himself for grieving, crying and lamenting over sin. That is why blessed Paul, speaking about this, did not need to cite extraneous examples to confirm what was said and present those who mourned from the Old Testament history, but points to the Corinthians themselves and from what they did, borrows evidence in order, along with praise, to give them instruction, and also to attract them more to themselves. “For the very thing,” he says, “that you were saddened for the sake of God, look what zeal has produced in you”? ("Behold, this very thing, even if you were offended by God, how much diligence have you done?") (2 Cor. 7:11). “Your sadness,” he says, “not only did not bring you to repentance, as if you had grieved in vain, but, on the contrary, made you even more concerned about yourself.” Then he shows signs of diligence: “but the answer” (“apology”) is before me; “but indignation” at the sinner; “but fear” - such diligence and very quick correction showed that they were very afraid. And so that you don’t think that he is praising himself, look how he immediately softened his speech, saying: “what desire” (“but lust”) - that is, to me; – “but jealousy”, – that is, towards God; - “what punishment” (“but vengeance”), since you punished those who violated God’s law.” “In everything you have shown yourself to be pure in this matter” (“In everything you imagine being pure in things”), that is, not only by the fact that you yourself did not dare (to commit the same crime) - of which there was no doubt - but also by the fact that the one who committed it was not condoned. Since in the first letter he said, “And you became proud” (1 Cor. 5:2), here he says: “you cleared yourself of this suspicion when you not only did not praise the sinner, but also expressed your censure and indignation to him.” “If I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender and not for the sake of the insulted one” (“If I also wrote to you for the sake of not the one who offended, less for the sake of the one who was offended”) (2 Cor. 7:12). So that they would not say: “Why do you rebuke us when we are pure in this matter?” - (the apostle), having in mind such an objection and warning it, used the above words: “I do not regret, although I regretted it.” “I,” he says, “are very far from repenting now of what was written to you then; on the contrary, I repented more then than now, when you showed yourself to be correct.” Do you see again his ability to compete and force agreement? Do you see how he gave his speech a nasty turn? By what they thought to shame him, namely with seemingly vain reproaches, in view of the success (they had shown), thereby he proves that he had the right to deal with them so freely. He no longer refuses to boldly say nice things to them when it became possible. Previously, he said that “whoever has sex with a harlot becomes one body with her” (“Behold the filthy one, for there is one body”) (1 Cor. 6:16); and: “Deliver him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh” (1 Cor. 5:5); also: “every sin that a man commits is outside the body” (“every sin that a man commits, except the body is") (1 Cor. 6:18), and the like. How does he say here: “not for the sake of the offender and not for the sake of the offended” (“not for the sake of the offender, lower than for the sake of the offender”)? How do you agree? He really wanted to show his love for them. He does not deny, therefore, that he cared for the fornicator; but at the same time it shows, as I noticed, the love that he had for them, as well as the fact that he was even more afraid for the whole church, since he was afraid that evil would spread and, going further, would embrace the entire Church. That’s why he said: “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Cor. 5:6). But this (said) then; now that they have corrected themselves, they express the same thing not in this way, but in a different way; and although he expresses the same thought, but with greater pleasantness, saying: “so that our care for you may be revealed to you” (“for the hedgehog to show our care for you”), “to you,” that is, “so that you can see how much I love you.” This is one and the same with the former, but, being differently expressed, apparently has a different meaning. And to see that they are one and the same, analyze his thoughts and you will not find any difference. “Since I love you very much,” he says, “I was afraid that you would not suffer trouble from this (tempting example) and would not be forced to grieve for yourself.” Likewise, when he said: “Does God care for oxen?” (“Does God provide food for the will?”) (1 Cor. 9:9), did not understand that God does not provide for the oxen, because not a single thing can exist without God’s providence; but that He gave the commandment primarily not for the sake of the oxen. So it is here: “I wrote, firstly, for you, and then for him. I loved you internally even before my message; but through this message I wanted to show my love to you and everyone in general.” “For this reason we were comforted” (“For this reason we are comforted”) (2 Cor. 7:13), - that is, because “we showed our care for you, and everything was fulfilled according to our desire.” Similarly, in another place he says: “for now we are alive, while you stand in the Lord” (“now we live, if you stand in the Lord”) (1 Thess. 3:8); and again: “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of praise? Aren’t you too?” (“Who is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting? Is it not you?”) (1 Thessalonians 2:19). The success of students for a prudent teacher is life, consolation, and joy. 3. Indeed, nothing shows the good side of a boss as much as love for his subordinates. Likewise, in order to be a father, it is not enough just to give birth, but, having given birth, you need to love. And if love is required where nature (acts), then even more so is it needed where grace (acts). Thus did all the ancients shine, thus did all those glorified by the Jews achieve glory. This is how Samuel showed himself to be great when he said: “And I also will not allow myself to sin before the Lord so as to stop praying for you” (“Let it not be a sin for me to stop praying for you”) (1 Samuel 12:23). So David, Abraham, Elijah, and each of the righteous, both in the old and in the new testament. So Moses, out of love for his subordinates, left great riches and innumerable treasures, preferring to suffer together with the people of God, and even before his election he showed himself in affairs to be the ruler of the people. That is why that Jew said to him extremely recklessly: “Who made you a leader and a judge over us?” (“Who has made you a prince and a judge over us?”) (Exodus 2:14). What are you saying? You see things, but you doubt the name? It is as if someone, seeing a skilled doctor making an incision and helping a diseased member of the body, said: “Who made you a doctor and ordered you to cut?” - “Art, my dear, and your illness.” So Moses was made so by his knowledge. After all, leadership is an art, and not just a dignity, and, moreover, the art is the highest of all arts. But if external (civil) leadership is the best art and knowledge of all (arts and knowledge), then even more so is this (spiritual). This leadership is as superior to external ones as the latter is superior to other arts, or even much more. If you like, let's explore this in more detail. There is the art of agriculture, weaving, construction; and all of them are very necessary and most of all support our life. Other (arts): blacksmithing, carpentry, cattle breeding only serve to help them. But of these arts, the most necessary is the art of agriculture, which is why God was the first to introduce after the creation of man. Indeed, one can live without shoes and without clothes, but it is unthinkable without agriculture. Such, they say, are the Amaxovians (living in wagons), the nomads of the Scythians, and the gymnosophists of the Indians. They abandoned the arts of building, weaving, sewing shoes, and are engaged only in agriculture. Shame on you, who use superfluous craftsmen for your life - cooks, bakers, goldsmiths and thousands of others. Be ashamed, you who have introduced vain art into human life. Be ashamed, faithful ones, of these barbarians who have no need of the arts. God has arranged it so that our nature can be quite content with little things. However, I do not force or legitimize living like this, but (at least live like this) as Jacob asked. What did he ask for? “If God... will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear” (“If the Lord gives me bread to eat and clothing to wear”) (Gen. 28:20). So Paul commanded: “Having food and clothing, we will be content with these” (“having food and clothing, we will be satisfied with these”) (1 Tim. 6:8). So, agriculture is the first art, weaving is the second, building houses is the third, and shoe-making is the last of all; and we have many servants and farmers who live without shoes. So, these are useful and necessary arts! Now let's compare them with the art of leadership. This is why I brought up the most important of all the arts, so that when the art of leadership turns out to be the best of them, it will have an indisputable victory over the others. But how can we prove that it (the art of leadership) is more necessary than all the arts? Because without him and others there is no benefit. If you wish, then, leaving the others, let us take as an example one agriculture, which is higher and more necessary than all. So, what will be the use of many agricultural hands when people begin to fight among themselves and rob each other? Now their fear of the boss holds them back, and protects what they get. And if you take away the boss, your work will be in vain. But whoever delves deeper will find another leadership, which is the mother and union of the external authorities. What kind of boss is this? That according to which everyone must control himself and rule over himself, taming low passions in himself, and nourishing and growing in himself with all possible diligence all branches of virtue. There are different kinds of authorities: one is that by which people rule over nations and cities, organizing civil life; Paul pointed to him, saying: “Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God” (“every soul must be subject to those in authority, for there is no authority except from God” (Rom. 13:1), and, showing the benefit of this authority, he added that “the ruler of God is a servant for good,” and further: “God’s servant, an avenger in punishment of those who do evil.” ("God's servant is an avenger of the wrath of those who do evil.") (Rom. 13:4). Another authority is that by which every rational person rules over himself; and Paul pointed out this last point with the words: "Do you want not to be afraid of authority? Do good" ("If you want not to be afraid of authority, do what is good") (Rom. 13:3), - speaking about a person, in charge of himself. 4. But we also have another leadership, much higher than the civil authorities. Which one? The authorities in the church, which Paul also mentioned, saying: “Obey your leaders and be submissive, for they are vigilantly watching over your souls, as those who are obliged to give an account” (“Obey your leaders and repent; for they are watching over your souls, so that they will reward the word”) (Heb. 13:17). This leadership is as superior to the civil authorities as the sky is above the earth, and even much more. And, firstly, it primarily means not how to punish for sins committed, but how to prevent sins from occurring. Then, if they have already been committed, then he tries not to excommunicate the sufferer, but to destroy (the sins). It is concerned with everyday things very little; on the contrary, all its concern is with heavenly things. “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20), and our life is there, “because,” he says, “it is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3). And our rewards are there, and our exploits are because of the crowns there, because this life of ours does not end with death, but then (after death) it shines even more. That is why those who have this leadership are invested with greater honor not only in comparison with the highest leaders, but also with those dressed in diadems, since they form people in the highest and for the highest. But neither those who strive for civil leadership, nor those who seek spiritual leadership will be able to rule well if they do not first learn to rule over themselves, as they should, and do not fulfill civil and spiritual laws with all accuracy. Just as the authority over many is twofold, so the authority of each over himself is also twofold. Again, as shown above, here too the spiritual authorities are higher than the civil authorities. But one can see that some arts also have the appearance of superiority, especially agriculture. The farmer is like a boss over plants: he prunes some and prevents (them from growing), he looks after others and helps (their growth), just as skillful leaders punish and cut off evil people and those who harm others, and exalt the good and meek. That is why Scripture compares rulers to vinedressers. What, really, is the matter if plants do not make a sound, just like those that are abused in cities? Their very appearance testifies to resentment when they wither, being constrained by harmful herbs. And just as among people vice is punished by laws, so here, with the help of agricultural art, the bad quality of the earth and the coarseness and wildness of the plant are corrected. And you will find everything that is in human morals here - rudeness, tenderness, timidity, arrogance, inconstancy; Some of the plants grow luxuriantly ahead of time and to the detriment of their neighbors, others suffer from shortages and insults, when, for example. or the fence grows to the detriment of the plants closest to it, or when other barren and wild trees, growing tall, impede the growth of those beneath them. And just as rulers and kings have opponents of their power and enemies, so the farmer suffers from the attacks of animals, from unfavorable changes in the air, from hail, dew, rain, drought and the like. Nevertheless, this happens so that you always place your hope in God. Other arts also owe their success to the diligence of people; but agriculture has the greater part (of success) from the will of God, and depends almost entirely on it. It requires rain from above, and proper proportionality of the seasons, and, above all, it requires providence (of God), because “both he who plants and he who waters is nothing, but God makes everything grow” (1 Cor. 3:7). Like people, there is death and life, illness during childbirth, and birth. Plants are cut, bear fruit, die, and the dead begin to live again, with which the earth reminds us of the resurrection in many ways and clearly. In fact, when a root bears fruit or a seed sprouts, is this not resurrection? And if anyone examines all this in detail, he will see the great providence and wisdom of God watching over this authority. But I wanted to tell you that this leadership extends to the earth and plants, and ours refers to the healing of souls. And as great as the difference between the soul and the plant is, the authority over the soul is superior to the authority over the plants. The rulers, again, over earthly life are so much lower than the rulers over spiritual life, how much better it is to rule over the free than over the involuntary. Such leadership is also more consistent with (human) nature. In fact, everything there is done out of fear and necessity; but here by free will and reasoning. And it is not only because of this that the spiritual authorities are superior to the civil authorities, but also because they are not just authorities, but also paternal, one might say, power, because they have paternal meekness and act more with convictions. The civil commander says: “If you fall into adultery, you will be punished by death”; and the spiritual one threatens with the greatest punishments even if you look with shameless eyes. That is why this judgment seat is worthy of all respect; it corrects not only the body, but also the soul. 5. So, just as the soul differs from the body, so the spiritual authorities differ from the civil ones. This latter judges only obvious crimes, or rather, not all of them, but only those caught, and often covers up these latter ones; on the contrary, the spiritual judgment seat teaches those who enter it that the One who judges us will lay everything bare, declare us before the face of the whole universe, and it is impossible to hide from Him. Thus, Christianity is much better than external laws in keeping our lives in order. In fact, if fear for hidden sins makes a person more careful than fear only for obvious ones, and the demand for an account even for small offenses is more motivating to virtue than punishment for important faults, then it is obvious that this kind of authority strengthens our life more than any other. But if you want, let’s look at how these and other bosses are appointed. And here you will see a great difference. In fact, it is not the one who gave the money who can receive spiritual leadership, but the one who showed an exemplary lifestyle. The person appointed to this leadership is not for human glory, not for his own peace of mind, but for labor and sweat, and for the benefit of many. That is why he receives great help from above from the Spirit. There the authorities limit themselves only to ordering what needs to be done; and here it itself assists with prayers and grace. Moreover, there is no word about philosophy; there is no one who would teach what the soul is, what the world is, what will happen to us after this life, where we will move from here, and how to achieve virtue; there they only talk about contracts, about alliances, about money, and there is no concern at all about these subjects; Meanwhile, in church they are always talked about. That is why it would be quite fair to call the church a judgment seat, a medical clinic, a school of wisdom, an educator of the soul, and a school where it experimentally learns to ascend to heaven. And that the spiritual authorities are at the same time the most meek, despite their greater exactingness, this can be seen from the following. The civil ruler, if he catches an adulterer, immediately punishes him. Meanwhile, what is the use of it? This does not mean destroying a vice, but rejecting a wounded soul. The spiritual leader, having found the culprit, hastens not to punish him, but to expel passion from him. You do the same thing as if, when there was a pain in your head, you didn’t try to subside the disease, but cut off your head. I don’t act like that, but cut off the disease itself. I remove him from the Mysteries and the sacred fence, and when he rises, is cleansed of sin and corrected through repentance, I accept him again. “But how is it possible,” you say, “to drive out the sin of adultery?” It is possible, and very possible, if someone submits himself to (church) laws. The Church is truly a spiritual bath, washing away not the impurity of the body, but the defilement of the soul, in many different ways of repentance. If you let (a sinner) go unpunished, you make him even worse, and if you punish, you leave him uncured, but I do not leave him unpunished, and I do not punish as you do, but at the same time I impose the punishment that is fitting for me, and I correct what was done to him. Do you want to know even more how you, by drawing a sword over criminals and pointing them to the flame, bring about a small healing in them, while I bring them to perfect health without it? I don't need reasoning or words here; I present as testimony the sea and the earth, and human nature itself. Investigate what human affairs were like before this judgment took place; then they did not even know by name those virtues that are practiced today. Who dared to die? Who neglected wealth? Who despised fame? Who, having fled from worldly troubles, loved the mountains and the desert - the mother of wisdom? Where then (is it known) was the name of virginity? All this and many other more important things were the result of this trial, the work of this authorities. So, seeing all this and knowing that from here comes everything useful for life and the correction of the entire universe, come more often to the local meetings to listen to the word of God and to pray. And if you arrange yourself this way, then, having demonstrated a life worthy of heaven, you will be able to receive the promised blessings through grace and love for mankind (Our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen). You might be interested in: