Беседа 27

2 Corinthians 12:11. I have reached the point of foolishness in boasting; you forced me to do this. You should be praising me. The apostle praises himself for the salvation of his disciples. – The versatility of apostolic love. “There is nothing more useless than a person who does not know how to love.” – Envy is an unbearable evil. 1. Having finished his speech about praising himself, (the apostle) did not stop there, but again defended himself and asked for an apology for what he said, saying that he did it out of necessity, and not of his own accord. However, despite the necessity, he calls himself senseless. At first he said: “accept me, although as foolish” (“accept me as if I were mad”), or: “as if in foolishness” (“as if in madness”); and now, having dropped the “how,” he directly calls himself meaningless. He achieved what he wanted with his speech, and therefore he boldly and without mercy attacks this shortcoming, teaching everyone never to boast unnecessarily, when he, Paul, even boasting out of need, called himself foolish for that. Then he lays all the blame for what was said not on the false apostles, but on the disciples: “you forced me,” he says, “to do this” (“I am nudiste”). If (the false apostles) had boasted, but thus would not have led you into error and destruction, then I would not have reached the point of allowing myself such words. But since they corrupted the entire church, then, caring for your benefit, I was forced to become meaningless.” And he did not say: “I was afraid that, having taken precedence over you, they would not sow their teaching among you”; He said about this before: “I am afraid that, just as the serpent deceived Eve with his cunning, so your minds will be corrupted” (“I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve..., so your minds will also be corrupted”) (2 Cor. 11:3); but here he speaks not so, but with greater dignity and with greater authority, having become bolder as a result of what was said. “You should have praised me” (“I should have praised you”). Then he presents the reason for this; and again he speaks not only about revelations or miracles, but also about temptations. “For I lack nothing against the highest Apostles” (“The chief apostles lacked nothing more”). Look how here again he speaks with greater authority. Previously, he said: “I think that I lack nothing” (“I have no desire to be deprived of anything”); but here he speaks positively, because, as I have already noticed, after the evidence presented, he became bolder. However, he still does not deviate from moderation and from his custom. But as someone who said something extraordinary and higher than his dignity, because he ranked himself among the apostles, he again uses a modest expression, and adds: “although I nothing, the signs of the Apostle appeared before you” (“Even though I am nothing, the signs of the Apostle were wrought in you”) (2 Cor. 12:11-12). “Look,” he says, “not at the fact that I am insignificant and small, but at whether you received from me what you should have received from the Apostle.” And he did not say: “insignificant”, but - what is even lower: “nothing” (“nothing”). What, really, is the benefit of being great and not benefiting anyone? So there is no benefit from a skilled doctor who has not cured a single patient. “So,” he says, “don’t argue that I don’t mean anything; but look at the fact that in everything that served for your good, I did not lag behind others, but, on the contrary, gave proof of my apostleship. So I didn’t need to talk about myself.” He did not say this in order to really seek praise - how could someone who considered heaven itself small in comparison with the love of Christ need praise? - but because he wanted the salvation (of his disciples). Then, so that they would not say: “What is it to us, if you are in no way inferior to the chief apostles?”, he added: “The signs of the Apostle appeared before you with all patience, signs, wonders and wonders” (“the signs of the apostles were done in you, with all patience and signs and wonders”). Oh, what an abyss of perfection he expressed in a few words! And look what comes first. Patience - because the sign of an apostle is to endure everything generously. And he expressed himself briefly about patience, in one word, while about the signs that were not accomplished by his own power, he expressed himself in a few words. But imagine how many bonds, how many blows, how many dangers, how many slander, what a multitude of temptations he meant here, how many internal and external battles, how many sorrows, how many attacks he expressed in one word - “patience.” And with the word “signs,” did he not again depict how many dead he raised, how many blind people were healed, how many lepers were cleansed, how many demons were cast out? Hearing this, we too will learn, even if we are forced by the need to talk about our merits, not to dwell on them, as he himself did (Paul). 2. Then, so that someone would not say: “Although you are great and have done much, yet not as much as the apostles in the other churches,” (Paul) added: “For what do you lack in comparison with the other churches?” (“What is it that you have lost more than other churches?”) (2 Cor. 12:13). “And you,” he says, “in comparison with other churches, participate in no less grace.” But maybe someone will say: “Why does he transfer the speech to the apostles, leaving the fight with the false apostles?” In order to arouse their attention more and show that he is not only better than them (false apostles), but also not lower than the great apostles. That is why, speaking about them (false apostles), he says: “I am greater” (“more than I”); and when he compares himself with the apostles, he considers it sufficient for himself to be no lower than them, although he has worked harder than them. At the same time, he shows through this that (the Corinthians) offend the apostles themselves when they place their equal below the false apostles. “Is it just that I myself was not a burden to you?” ("Do I really mean that I myself am not cold for you?"). The apostle again gives (the Corinthians) a severe rebuke; and the subsequent words are even stronger: “Forgive me for this guilt” (“give me this untruth”). But even with all the severity, they express love and praise (to the Corinthians), if only they themselves consider it an insult that the apostle did not agree to take anything from them, and did not dare to receive food from them. “If,” he says, “you accuse me of this, then (I didn’t say: “unfairly accuse,” but much more favorably) I apologize, forgive me this sin.” And notice, what prudence! Since this reproach, often repeated, brought dishonor upon them, he softens it each time. So, having said above: “According to the truth of Christ in me, I will say that this praise will not be taken away from me” (“the truth of Christ is in me, for this praise will not be withheld from me”) (2 Cor. 11:10), then he says: “Is it because I do not love you? God knows! ...so as not to give a reason to those who are looking for a reason, so that when they boast about something, they will turn out to be the same as us" (“Don’t I love you? God knows...; But let me cut off the guilt of those who want guilt, and let those who boast about it be found as we are” (2 Cor. 11:11-12). And in the first message: “What is my reward for? Because, preaching the Gospel, I preach the gospel of Christ freely" ("What reward is there for me? Let me preach the gospel without reward") (1 Cor. 9:18). And here again he says: “Forgive me this guilt” (“give me this untruth”). Everywhere he tries not to show that he does not take because of their weakness. Therefore, here he says: “If you blame me for this, then I apologize.” And by speaking in this way, he both inflicts a wound on them and heals it. Don’t say: “If you want to hit me, then why are you apologizing? If you want to heal, then why do you strike?” This is the prudence to both cut and bandage the wound. Then, so that they do not think, as I said before, that (the apostle) often turns to the same thing with the intention of receiving something from them, he rejects such suspicion, just as in the first epistle, when he said: “I did not write this so that it would be so for me. For it is better for me to die than for someone to destroy my praise” (“I did not write that this would be done for me; for it is better for me to die than for someone to destroy my praise”) (1 Cor. 9:15). (The same thing, only) nicer and more supportive, (he expresses) here too. How exactly? “Behold, for the third time,” he says, “I am ready to go to you, and I will not burden you, for I am not looking for yours, but for you. It is not children who should gather up wealth for their parents, but parents for their children” (“Behold, I am ready to come to you, and I will not grieve you; for I do not seek yours, but you. Children should not gather wealth from their parents, but parents from their children”) (2 Cor. 12:14). The meaning of his words is this: “I don’t come to you not because I don’t take; on the contrary, I came another time, and I’m ready to go a third time, and again I won’t be a burden to you.” And the reason for this is good. He did not say: “I don’t want to be a burden to you, because you are stingy, because you will be burdened with this, because you are weak.” But what does he say? - “For I am not looking for yours, but for you” (“I am not looking for yours, but for you”). But I’m looking for more: instead of money, souls, instead of gold, salvation.” Then, since there was still room for suspicion that he was upset by them, he presents a reasoning. They could naturally say: “Isn’t it possible to look for both us and ours?” Therefore, he justifies them with great favor, saying: “It is not the children who should collect property for their parents, but the parents for their children” (“the children should not be the parents of the family, but the parents should not be the parents of the children”). Instead of the names “teachers and disciples,” he uses the words “parents and children,” and shows that he charges himself with an obligation to do something to which he was not obliged, since Christ did not give such a command, but (the apostle) says this out of condescension (to the Corinthians). That’s why he adds something more: he said not only that children should not earn property for their parents, but also that parents are obliged to do this. So, if parents are obliged to give, then “I,” he says, “will willingly spend what is mine and exhaust myself for your souls” (“I am dependent on sweetness, and I will be dependent on your souls”) (2 Cor. 12:15). “The law of nature commanded parents to gather property for their children, and I,” he says, “not only do this, but even give myself.” The height of generosity is not only not to take anything, but and to give one’s own, and to give not simply, but with great zeal, even when there is a lack. The apostle indicates this with the expression “to exhaust myself” (“I will be dependent”) “Even if I had to exhaust the very flesh, I will not spare it for the sake of your salvation.” loving, I love less.” “And this,” he says, “I do for those whom I love, and who do not love me in the same way.” So, look now how many degrees there are: he should have taken it, but he didn’t take it - this is the first merit; did not take, being in poverty - this is the second; did not take it when I preached to them - this is the third; he gives it to them - this is the fourth; and not only gives, but in abundance - this is the fifth; gives away not only his property, but also himself - this is the sixth; gives himself for those who do not love him very much - this is the seventh; and whom he loves very much - this is the eighth. 3. Let us also compete with him. It is a great sin to (hate and) not have love; but it is an even greater sin if someone does not respond to love with love. If he who loves a lover has no advantage over tax collectors, then he who does not have this is worse than the beasts themselves. What are you saying, man? Do you not love the one who loves? What are you living for? What are you good for after this? Which matters - public or private? No use. Truly, there is nothing more useless than a person who does not know how to love. Robbers, murderers, and thieves often obeyed the law of love; having only tasted salt together, they became different, and at the common table they changed their disposition. And you, having communication with another not only over salt, but in words and deeds, in inputs and outputs, do not love him? Those who indulge in shameful love waste all their property on dishonest women; and you, having honest love, are so cold, weak, powerless that you are not able to love even when it does not cost any costs? “But who,” you say, “would be so pitiful, who would be so beast-like, that he could turn away and hate the one who loves him?” You do well, but, due to the inconsistency of the matter, you do not believe. But if I show you many people of this kind, then how can we endure such shame? In fact, when you slander someone who loves you, when, hearing bad things about him, you do not defend him, when you envy his good fame, then what kind of love is this? Of course, not being envious is not yet sufficient proof of friendship, nor is not being at enmity or persecuting; We must support the one who loves us and promote his benefits. When a person says and does everything in order to destroy his neighbor, then what could be more unfortunate than such a soul? Yesterday and this morning you were a friend, shared a conversation and a table with him, and then suddenly, seeing that your member is prospering, you throw off the guise of friendship, become hostile, even go mad - because it is obvious madness to be tormented by the well-being of your neighbor. This is characteristic only of stupefied and rabid dogs; like them, and irritated with envy they attack everyone. It is better to have a snake coiling in the womb than envy nesting inside. The snake can also be vomited with medicine, or pacified with food; but envy does not nest in the womb, but lives in the very depths of the soul, and is a disease that is difficult to cure. The snake, which is in the entrails, when there is other food for it, does not touch the human body; envy, even if they offered her a thousand food, devours the very soul, gnaws, torments and tears it from all sides; for her it is impossible to find any sedative that would reduce her fury, except for one thing - misfortune with the prosperous. Then she calms down. Or rather, even that (means) is invalid. Let this one suffer; but, seeing another prosperous, she is consumed by the same torments; for her there are wounds from everywhere, blows from everywhere, because living on earth it is impossible not to see happy people. And the power of this disease is so great that those who are susceptible to it, even if they are confined inside the house, envy the former, already dead people. It is a great evil that people living in the world suffer from envy, although this is not so terrible; but when people who are already freed from worries are possessed by the same disease, it is the hardest of all. I wish I could remain silent; but if silence also eliminated the shame caused by deeds, then it would be useful not to speak. And if, although I remain silent, the deeds themselves cry out louder than my tongue, then there will be no harm from my words, since we expose the vices to shame, and some benefit and benefit may occur. This disease has also affected the church, perverted everything, dissolved the union of the body, and, armed with envy, we rebel against each other. From here came great corruption. Indeed, if even with the common creation of all it is not easy to achieve that those who are being edified stand firm, then what will be the end when we destroy everything? 4. What are you doing, man? You consider it useful to destroy your neighbor's well-being; but before him you destroy your own. Don't you see how both gardeners and farmers all strive for the same goal? One digs the ground, another plants a plant, another covers the root, another waters what is planted, another fences and surrounds it with a wall, another drives away the cattle - and everyone cares about one thing - to protect the plant. But that’s not the case here. On the contrary, I plant, and another shakes and weakens what was planted. At least give it a good strengthening so that it acquires the strength to resist slander. You are not ruining my business, but upsetting your own. I planted it, you had to water it. If you begin to shake what is planted and pull out even the very roots, then you will have nothing to water. But do you see that the planter is honored? Don’t be afraid - neither you nor I mean anything, because “neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything” (1 Cor. 3:7); the whole matter belongs to God alone, so that you rebel and are hostile to God if you uproot what is planted. So, we must finally come to our senses, come to our senses. I am not so much afraid of external war as of internal struggle. If the root is well established in the ground, it will not suffer damage from the winds; and if it staggers, because it is undermined by a worm inside, then the tree will fall, even if no one touched it. How long will we, like worms, eat away at the root of the church? Truly, such thoughts are born from the earth, or better to say, not from the earth, but from impurities, because they have rottenness as their mother, and are not far removed from the most disgusting feminine functions. Let us someday become valiant men, let us become devotees of philosophy, let us repel the strong desire of these evils! I see that numerous children of the church are now cast down like a dead body. And just as in a body that has recently died, although you can still see eyes, and arms, and legs, and a neck, and a head, but not a single member corrects its work - so are those present here. Everyone here is faithful, but their faith is ineffective. We quenched jealousy and made the body of Christ dead. It's scary to say this; but it's much worse to see in reality. We are brothers in name, but enemies in deeds; We are all called members of one body, but are alien to each other like animals. I say this not to put our deeds to shame, but to shame and turn us away from them. Someone entered the house and was received with honor; You should thank God for the fact that your member is respected, and God is glorified in it, but you do the opposite: you speak ill of it to the one who honored it, in order to dump both of them, and bring shame upon yourself. Why, unfortunate and pitiful man, do you grieve when you hear that your brother is praised either before husbands or before wives? Add your own praise, and then you will receive praise for yourself. If you deny praise, then, first of all, you speak badly about yourself, bringing upon yourself a bad reputation, and you elevate him even more. When you hear praise from another, try to make sure that they apply to you too, if not for your life and virtue, then at least for the fact that you rejoice at your brother’s perfections. One praised you, and you are surprised: then he will praise you as a well-intentioned and truthful person. Do not be afraid that you will humiliate yourself by praising another; Your condemnation will most likely lead to this. People are capricious, and when they see that you speak badly, they persist in praising you, thereby wanting to hurt you and make your accusers appear as liars, both in their own eyes and in front of others. Do you see what shame we bring upon ourselves, how we destroy and disperse our flock? Let us finally become members and form one body. Whoever is praised, let him refuse the praise and let him refer it to his brother; and whoever hears the praise of another, let him rejoice over it. If we are in such a close union, we will attract the Head of the body to ourselves; if we are separated, we will lose Her help; and without Her the body, not being supported from above, will suffer great harm. So, to prevent this from happening to us, let us reject hatred and envy, and, despising human glory, let us embrace love and harmony. In this way, let us become partakers of both present and future blessings, of which may we all be worthy 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 to the ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: