Беседа 23

Eph.6:14. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. Heretical teachings about matter. – He who gathers treasures on earth prepares food for the eternal worm. 1. Having organized such an army, awakening a warlike spirit in it (and both were needed, i.e., not only soldiers, but also a warlike spirit in them) and having encouraged it (and this was also necessary), finally (Paul) arms this army. After all, weapons will be of no use if the warriors are not first gathered and courage is not aroused in their souls. First, they must be armed from the inside, and then from the outside. If this happens in relation to warriors fighting against external enemies, then even more so it should be in relation to spiritual warriors, who tend to arm themselves not from the outside, but entirely from the inside. And (the apostle) awakened and kindled courage, gave them courage, put them in good order - and then armed them. But look how he clothes them in the very weapons. “So stand,” he says. The first task of combatants is to be able to stand well: a lot depends on this. Therefore (the apostle) often talks about what should stand. So, in another place he says: “Watch, stand still” (1 Cor. 16:13); and again: “Stand fast in the Lord” (Phil. 4:1); or again: “whoever thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12): and also: “so that you may be able to endure everything” (1 Cor. 10:13). And note: he is not talking about any simple standing, but about a slender standing. Those experienced in military affairs understand what it means to be able to stand. If a teacher, above all else, teaches the art of standing to fist fighters and wrestlers, then this is much more necessary in battles, and in military affairs in general. He who stands straight stands without having fun and without bending towards anything. There is a strict directness in standing. So, they really are straight. And those who are not standing do not maintain an upright position, have fun and indulge in absent-mindedness. The one who seeks pleasure is not in an upright position, but in an inclined position, likewise a voluptuous person and a money-lover. To someone who knows how to stand, standing itself can serve as some kind of support, and everything related to the fight will seem easy to him. “Stand therefore,” he says, “having your loins girded with truth.” The apostle is not talking about sensual girding; in this place he expresses himself allegorically. And notice what he does: first he puts a belt on the warrior. What does it mean? He curbs a man who is distracted and devoted to desires, whose thoughts are directed downward, by means of a girdle, thus preventing him from being hindered by the clothes covering his legs, and giving his legs complete freedom to run. “Stand therefore,” he says, “having girded your loins.” He speaks here about the loins, because just as the keel is for ships, so are the loins for us: they are the support of the whole body. According to doctors, they constitute the foundation, and on this foundation the whole (body) is built. When he girdles the loins, he thereby strengthens our soul, because he does not mean bodily loins, but loins in the spiritual sense. And just as the (bodily) loins serve as the foundation for the lower and upper parts of the body, so do the spiritual loins. Often patients, placing their hands on them, like some kind of support, thereby strengthen themselves. Likewise, the belt is used for this purpose in war, to preserve and protect our foundation. To make it easier for us to run, we girdle ourselves: this provides our strength. Let the same, says (the apostle), be observed in relation to the soul, and then in all our affairs we will have more strength. This is especially appropriate for warriors. Yes, they will say, but we gird our bodily loins with a leather belt; and what shall we gird ourselves with here? The head of our thoughts, that is, the truth. “Having girded your loins,” he says, “with truth.” So, let us leave behind all lies, let us act in everything according to the truth, let us not deceive each other. Let us seek glory, true glory, or desire life, true life. the untrue is from the earth. This is evident from the fact that all external (pagans) serve passions, following their own wisdom. Therefore, if we are sober, we will not need the teaching contained in the writings of the Hellenes. Do you see how weak and powerless they were, how they could not accept a single sound and transcendental concept of God? They were not girded with the truth. That is why their loins were weakened by this receptacle of generative seeds, this strengthening of thoughts. There is nothing more powerless than them. 2. Do you not see, on the other hand, how the Manichaeans boldly speak about everything according to their own wisdom? It was impossible, they say, for God to create the world without matter. Where can you see this? This is what they say, crawling down, borrowing it from the earth and from what is characteristic of us (people). After all, a person, they say, cannot do otherwise. Then listen to what Marcion also says: God, having taken on flesh, could not remain pure. How can this be seen? Because this doesn’t happen to people. Valentin, in turn, having thoughts turned to the earth, also thinks in earthly terms; Paul of Samosata and Arius teach in a similar way. For example, what does (the last one) say? The born God could not be born dispassionately. Why did you dare say this, Arius? Because (he began to talk about God) in a human way. So, do you notice that everyone’s thoughts are directed downwards, that they are all weakened and breathing the earth? Such are (heretics) in relation to the teaching of faith. As for activity, they are fornicators, lovers of money, they are attached to the earth, to fame and everything else. They do not have strong loins, such that, in case of illness, they could find support in them. When they become sick, they do not lay their hands on them, and do not stand upright, but become weak. On the contrary, he who is girded with truth, firstly, will never feel faint; secondly, even if he is tired, he will still receive reinforcement in the same truth. Indeed, tell me, will poverty make him suffer? Not at all. The thought of true wealth will calm him, and poverty will remind him of true poverty (spiritual). Wouldn't slavery seem hard to him? Not a little, because he knows true slavery. Perhaps an illness? And she doesn't. “Let your loins,” says Christ, “be girded, and let your lamps be burning” (Luke 12:35), so that you may have unquenchable light. This was also commanded to be done during the exodus from Egypt—those who girded then ate the Passover. Why, they ask, was it like this? Do you want to know the basis for this from history, or from considerations? I will say both, and you will remember. I’m not just doing this to answer the question, but with the idea that our words will turn into action for you. They were, it is said, girded, having rods in their hands and boots on their feet, and thus they ate the Passover (Ex. 12:11). A terrible and terrible mystery, and also containing a lot of depth. If the mystery is so terrible in the type, then even more so in the truth itself. They leave Egypt and eat Passover. Pay attention: this is the image of wanderers. To have boots on your feet and wands in your hands and to eat standing up means nothing more than just that. What do you want to hear first—the story or the thoughts? Better story. So what does history say? The Jews were ungrateful and constantly forgot the benefits of God. Therefore, wanting to at least forcefully bring (good deeds) to their memory, (God) legitimizes this way of eating Easter. For what? In order for each year, if necessary, to observe this law, it is also necessary to remember the God who brought them out. Not only at the time (Easter) God wanted to remind them of His benefits, but also in the very way of eating it. This is why they eat, girded and shod, so that when they are asked about this, they will answer that we were ready for the journey and intended to leave Egypt for the promised land. This is the meaning of the image according to history; but here is the truth: we also eat the Passover, that is, Christ, “Our Passover,” as it is said, “Christ was sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). Therefore, we also eat Easter, which is much more excellent than the legal Easter. Therefore, we must also eat it with shoes on and girded. For what? In order for us to be ready for the journey, for the departure from here. None of those who eat this Passover should think about Egypt; on the contrary, they should strive for heaven, for the highest Jerusalem. This is why you eat girded and shod, so that you remember that when you begin to eat Easter, you are obligated to go on the road and travel. This means two duties: firstly, the duty is to leave Egypt and live (on earth) as if it were a foreign country to us, because it is said: “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20); secondly, the duty is always, throughout our lives, to be ready so that when they call us, we immediately say: “Our heart is ready” (Ps. 107:2). However, this could be said by Paul, whose conscience was not stained by anything. As for me, I cannot say so, because I need a lot of time to repent. And what to be girded means to have a watchful soul, listen to this, as God says to one righteous man: “Now gird up your loins like a man: I will ask you, and you explain it to Me” (Job 38:3). He says the same to all the saints, and the same to Moses. Even he himself is girded in Ezekiel. Angels also appear to us girt, as if they were real warriors. To stand courageously, you need to girdle yourself. But, on the other hand, there is no other way to gird yourself than by standing. Let us also gird ourselves. And we also have to go out, and then we will have to experience many difficulties. When we pass through this area, the devil immediately appears, begins to use cunning, to use all measures to ensure that people who got rid of Egypt, crossed the Red Sea, were freed from demons and innumerable troubles - to take and destroy. But if we stay awake, then we too will have a pillar of fire - the grace of the Spirit, which illuminates and overshadows us - there will be manna, or better to say, not manna, but something that is superior to manna - there will be spiritual drink, and not water flowing from a stone, there will be a camp for us who live even now in the desert. Yes! The earth, at present, is a complete desert, due to the lack of virtue, even more desert than that. For what reason did they flee that desert? Is it because she had and still has scorpions? They say no man has passed through it. Despite all this, the desert was still not as barren as human nature. 3. Now in this desert there are how many scorpions, how many snakes, how many spawn of echidnas - which we have already talked about! However, this should not frighten us. Our exodus (from Egypt) is led not by Moses, but by Jesus. But, again, under what conditions will we avoid this? If we don’t do the same, then we won’t suffer the same fate. They grumbled and were ungrateful. Therefore, we should not allow ourselves to do this. Why did they all fall? Because they neglected the land they wanted so much. Why were you so lazy? After all, they were in awe of her? Because they came out pampered and did not want to endure inconvenience (travelling) for her sake. Therefore, let us not neglect the sky: this is neglect. Fruit has been brought to us from heaven - not fruit like the bunch of grapes that is carried in baskets, but the betrothal of the Spirit, the rule of heavenly life, which was taught by Paul and the entire apostolic group, these wonderful farmers. It was not Caleb the son of Jephoniah, nor Joshua the son of Nun, who bore this fruit; but Jesus, the Son of the Father of bounties, the Son of the true God, brought with Him all prosperity and sent down to us from above all the fruits - I mean heavenly songs. The very thing that the cherubim say to the mountain is what we are commanded to say: “Holy, holy, holy.” He brought us the life of angels. Angels neither marry nor encroach: the same goodness is planted here. Angels do not like money or anything like that: and this is sown among us. Angels do not die: and it is given to us; death has now ceased to be death, but has become a dream. Listen to what (the Lord) says: “Our friend Lazarus fell asleep” (John 11:11). Do you see the fruits of the heavenly Jerusalem? And what is especially surprising is that (the Lord) granted us all this before the promise, before the end of the war. The Israelites, upon entering the Promised Land, were faced with military labor, although, however, they might not have to work; they had only to obey God, and they would have taken all the cities without weapons or regiments; for example, they conquered Jericho, looking more festive than military. And when we enter the land of promise, i.e. to heaven, then we will not need to wage war. It continues only as long as we are in the desert, that is, in real life. “For whoever has entered into His rest has also rested from his own works, just as God did from His” (Heb. 4:10). “Let us not become weary in doing good” (Gal. 6:9). And we will reap in due time, if we do not weaken. Do you see that the way the Lord led them (the Israelites), the same way he leads us? It is said about the manna in the wilderness: “And he who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortage” (Exodus 16:18). And we are commanded not to lay up treasures on earth. If we collect, then it will no longer be the sensual worm that will destroy them, as was the case with manna, but the co-eternal fire. So, let's take every precaution to avoid preparing food for worms. “And he who gathered much had nothing to spare,” it is said. This phenomenon can be repeated between us every day. All of us, of course, are obliged to observe one, certain measure when the stomach is full, and excess will only add to the crazy troubles. This is exactly what the Lord wanted to convey with the words: “Every day’s trouble is sufficient” (Matthew 6:34). He taught the same thing above. And yet, His rule was not learned (by people). But we will not be insatiable, ungrateful, and we will not build magnificent houses. We do not have a permanent home here, we are on the move. And whoever remembers that real life is, as it were, wandering and military service, that this is - as some put it - a pit, he will not acquire magnificent chambers for himself. And really, who, tell me, would dare to build shiny houses in a pit, even if he were a terribly rich man? Nobody. That would be ridiculous; it would mean building for enemies and, all the more, attracting them to you. If we have reason, then we need to act this way. Real life is no different from military service and is like a pit. So, I beg you, let us take all measures to ensure that we do not collect treasures here. Then, if the thief comes, it will be easier for us to leave. “So, stay awake,” says (the Lord), “for you do not know at what hour ... the thief will come” (Matthew 24:42-43), - then He calls death. Therefore, before it comes, it is better to send us all (our belongings) to our fatherland. Here we will walk well girded, in order to overcome our enemies and for this on that day we will be awarded crowns of imperishable glory, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom is the Father with the Holy Spirit (glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen). You might be interested in: