Беседа 16

Eph.4:31–32. Let all irritation and rage and anger and shouting and slander along with all malice be removed from you; but be kind to each other, compassionate, forgive each other, just as God in Christ forgave you. Virtue must be inculcated and vices eradicated. – The best revenge is repaying good for evil. 1. If you need to receive the kingdom of heaven, then it is not enough to free yourself from sin, but you also need to practice a lot in virtues. One must refrain from vicious actions in order to free oneself from Gehenna; and in order to inherit the kingdom (of heaven), it is necessary to acquire virtue. Don’t you know that this also happens in secular courts, when a case is being examined and the whole city flocks to the meeting? And there was an ancient custom - to crown with a golden crown not the one who did no harm to the city - because for this he is not punished - but the one who did many good deeds. This is the path to this honor! But I don’t know how it happened that what almost needed to be told to you almost escaped me; I will restore the first part of this section, making a small amendment to it. When I said that in order not to fall into Gehenna, it is enough for us to abstain from evil, then while I was speaking, some terrible threat came to mind, promising punishment not for those who dared (to do) any evil, but to those who omitted (to do) something good. What kind of threat is this? When the terrible day of the Lord comes, it is said, the Judge, sitting on the seat, and placing the sheep on the right side and the goats on the left, will say to the sheep: “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and you gave Me food” (Matthew 25:34-35). This is wonderful, because they should have received such a reward for such great mercy. But when those who do not give to the needy from what they themselves have are punished not only by deprivation of goods, but also sent into the fire of Gehenna, what is the point of this? Of course, the meaning here is no less decent than in the previous one. Through this we learn that those who do good will enjoy good things in heaven; and those who cannot be convicted of anything bad, but who (omitted) to do something good, will be thrown into the fire of Gehenna along with those who did evil. We can say that not doing good is already partly evil, because it shows laziness, and laziness is a (component) part of evil, or rather, not a part, but a reason for evil and the root of evil. After all, idleness has taught every evil. After this, are we not reckless in asking questions like this: what place will he take who has done nothing bad and nothing good? Not doing good means doing evil. Tell me, in fact, if you have any servant who is not a thief, not an insolent person, not a rude person, who also abstains from drunkenness and everything else, but who constantly sits idle and does nothing that a servant is obliged to do for the master, will you not subject him to scourging and torture? Of course, you say. Meanwhile, he did nothing wrong. This means that this is the worst thing (that he did nothing good). But, if you like, let’s talk about another way of life. Let’s take a farmer as an example: let him not cause any damage to our property, not slander, not steal, but only sit at home with folded hands - not sowing, not making furrows, not harnessing oxen, not caring for the vineyard, and not taking any care of the land at all. Shouldn't we punish such a person? And yet he did no wrong, and we have nothing to accuse him of. But by this very (inaction) he committed a lie, because, according to the general concept, he who does not take part in the common cause acts unrighteously. What, tell me, if each of the artists and craftsmen did no harm at all, neither to those who are engaged in a craft different from him, nor to those who are the same, but were only inactive, would not his whole life be ruined and lost for you in this way? If you wish, we will extend our speech to the body: so, let the hand not hit the head, do not tear out the tongue, do not gouge out the eyes and generally do not do any such evil, but only remain idle and do not perform its service to the whole body: would it be unfair to cut it off, instead of wearing it idle and harmful to the whole body? Or, if the mouth does not eat hands, does not bite breasts, but only does nothing that it should do, isn’t it much better to clamp it? So, if in relation to workers, and in relation to artists, and in relation to the whole body, there is great injustice - not only the commission of any evil, but even inaction in good - then all the more it happens (unjustly) on the part of (members of) the body of Christ. 2. That is why blessed Paul, distracting us from unrighteousness, leads us to virtue. And what good, tell me, is it if all the thorns are pulled out, but no useful seeds are sown? The work will again serve us to the same harm if it remains unfinished. That is why Paul, deeply concerned about us, gives us commandments not only about cutting off and removing evil deeds, but also encourages us to soon show the planting of good deeds. Having said: “All irritation and rage, and anger, and shouting, and slander, with all malice, be removed from you,” he added: “but be kind to each other, compassionate, forgive each other,” because these are skills and dispositions, and it is not enough to move away from one skill in order to acquire another (opposite) one instead, but again some movement and striving is needed, no less than with moving away from evil deeds in order to acquire good deeds. And in relation to the body, black, having freed himself from this quality, does not suddenly become white. However, we will not talk about physical objects, but we will give an example from the moral world. He who is not an enemy is not a complete friend either: there is something in between enmity and friendship, in which relationship most people predominantly find themselves towards us. He who does not cry does not always laugh, but there is an average state. So here too, whoever is not annoying is not yet completely kind, and whoever is not angry is not entirely sympathetic. But special effort is still needed to acquire such a benefit. And look how, according to the requirements of better agriculture, Blessed Paul cleanses and cultivates the land entrusted to him by the Farmer: he threw away the rotten crops, then exhorts them to acquire the proper plants. “Be...kind,” he says. If, after the thorns are plucked up, the land remains idle, then useless herbs will grow again. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the rest and idle state in advance by sowing good seeds and plants. (The Apostle) destroyed anger and put in kindness; destroyed annoyance - put in place compassion; he tore out anger and slander, and planted pardon. The words: “forgive each other” – this is exactly what they mean. Be, he says, inclined to forgive (offenses), because such mercy is greater (than that which turns out to be) in monetary matters. He who forgives money to someone who borrowed money from him does a wonderful and amazing thing; but such mercy (concerns) the body, although he accepts reward for himself with spiritual and soul-related treasures. But the one who forgave sins brought benefit to the soul - both his own and the one who received forgiveness, because in this way he made not only himself, but also him, more meek. It is not so much that by persecuting those who have offended us, we hurt their souls, but that by forgiving them, we bring them into embarrassment and shame. Meanwhile (by acting vindictively) we do not benefit either ourselves or them, but, on the contrary, we harm both them and ourselves, losing “bribes from” (Is. 1:23), like the rulers of the Jews, and kindling anger in our enemies. If we pay for injustice with meekness, then, having satisfied all the anger of him (the enemy), through this, in front of him, we, as it were, sat down at the judgment seat, deciding the matter in our favor and what condemns him more strongly than us. He himself will blame and condemn himself, and will look for every opportunity to repay for the share of generosity shown to him with an even greater measure, knowing that if he repays in equal measure, he will turn out to be lower, because he was not the first to begin, but received an example from us, and then brought less (us). and so that the damage that has suffered from time to time by those who were previously subjected to suffering (from offense) may be made common through extreme meekness. People, if they are grateful, do not so much complain about evil as about the good that they receive from those offended by them, because it is wicked, shameful and ridiculous, when receiving benefits, not to repay in kind. When the victim of evil does not repay the same, this attracts praise, applause and approval from everyone; That is why especially (those who receive such benefits) are hurt by this. So, if you want to take revenge, take revenge in this way; repay good for evil in order to make him (the enemy) a debtor and win a wondrous victory. Have you suffered evil? Do good, and thus take revenge on the enemy. If you persecute him, then everyone blames both you and him; if you endure (the insult), then, on the contrary, they will applaud you and be surprised, and they will blame him. 3. What could be more unpleasant for an enemy than to see that everyone is surprised and applauded by his opponent? What is more bitter for an enemy than to see that everyone condemns him in the eyes of his enemy? If you take revenge on him and perhaps accuse him, you will take revenge alone; and if you forgive him, then everyone will take revenge on him for you, and this (i.e.) - to have so many avengers for the enemy - is more painful than to endure evil. If you open your lips, they will be silent; if you remain silent, you will strike him not with just one mouth, but with thousands of others, and thus you will take much more revenge. When you begin to reproach (the enemy), many will condemn you, they will say that these are words of passion; and when someone who has not been offended by anything begins to shower him with reproaches, then vengeance is completely free from all suspicion. And, indeed, when those who did not suffer anything unpleasant because of your excessive meekness grieve with you as if offended, then this vengeance is free from any suspicion. Well, they will say, does no one really take revenge? It is impossible that people were made of stone, so they would not be surprised at the sight of such wisdom. And even though they did not take revenge at that time, later, being able (to do this), they will do it: they will laugh at him and blaspheme him. Yes, if no one else is surprised at you, he himself will be completely surprised, although he will not say so. After all, the concept of good, even if we have fallen into the very abyss of evil, remains with us unharmed and indestructible. Why, do you think, does our Lord Christ say: “But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:39)? Is it not because the more someone is generous, the more he and himself will benefit greatly? For this purpose, He commanded to turn the other one (lanita) in order to fulfill the wish of the enraged one. Who is such a beast that he does not finally come to his senses? They say that dogs do the same thing: when they bark and attack someone, then if he falls on his back, they will do nothing, and this extinguishes all their fury. So, if they are ashamed of the one who shows readiness to suffer evil from them, then even more so is the human race, which is more intelligent. But it is worth mentioning something that came to my mind a lot before and was cited as proof. What is this? We talked about the Jews and their leaders, that they are accused (by God) as seeking bribes (Isa. 1:23). Although the law allowed them to do this: “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” (Lev. 24:20), it was not so that they would gouge out each other’s eyes, but so that out of fear of suffering (also mutually) they would restrain their insolence, not do anything bad to others, and they themselves would not tolerate the same from others. (The words): “An eye for an eye” are said in order to tie his hands, and not in order to direct yours against him - and not in order to protect only your eyes from harm, but also in order to keep his eyes intact. But, as I already asked, why, if revenge was allowed, were those who actually used it exposed to accusations? What does it mean? This is aimed against rancor. The victim of evil was allowed to immediately act (in accordance with it), in order, as I said, to restrain the offender; but it was by no means allowed to remember evil. Memory is not a matter of anger or ardent passion, but of deliberate malice. God condescends to those who are suddenly insulted and rush to revenge; That’s why they say: “An eye for an eye.” And in another place: “On the way... evil is... death" (Prov. 12:28). If, despite the fact that it is permissible to tear out an eye for an eye, such punishment is prescribed for those who are vindictive, then will not those who are commanded to be prepared to endure evil suffer much more? So let us not be vindictive, but let us extinguish our anger in order to be worthy of mercy from God. “With what measure do you measure, “- He says, “with this they will measure it to you” (Matthew 7:2). Let us be philanthropic and compassionate towards our fellow servants, so that in this life we ​​may escape snares, and in the day to come we may receive from Him forgiveness, grace and love for mankind (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). You might be interested in: