Беседа 10

Col. 3:18–25, 4:1. Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, be obedient to your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, so that they do not become discouraged. Servants, obey your masters according to the flesh in everything, not only serving them in appearance as people-pleasers, but in simplicity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it from the heart, as for the Lord, and not for men, knowing that as a reward from the Lord you will receive an inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. And whoever does wrong will receive according to his unrighteousness; He has no partiality. Masters, show your slaves what is due and just, knowing that you also have a Lord in heaven. About the relationships between husbands, wives, parents, children, masters, and servants. An example of the prayer of one holy man. - Bonds are not a hindrance to preaching. In praise of Pavlov's bonds. – Against excess in women's jewelry. 1. Why does (Paul) command this not everywhere and not in all his epistles, but here and in the epistles to the Ephesians, Timothy and Titus? Because disagreements probably occurred in these cities, or because other things were perhaps done well in them, but in this they sinned - so they should have heard about this too. It would be fairer to say that (the apostle) says this as much to them as to all (Christians). This letter is very similar to the letter to the Ephesians. In other places he does not do the same - either because the men, already pacified, who, as those who did not know the high dogmas, should have learned them, should not have written about it, or because those who received consolation in temptations were unnecessary to hear about it. These considerations allow me to guess that here the Church was already firm and that he says this at the end (of his life). “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord,” instead - obey for God, since this adorns you, he says, and not them. I do not mean obedience (slavish) to masters and not that which depends on nature, but which happens for God. “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” See how he exhorts to observe mutual relationships. Just as it inspires fear and love there, so it does here, because even a lover can be upset. So, his words mean: do not quarrel; there is nothing more distressing than the hostility to which a wife is exposed from her husband; enmity directed against loved ones is the most bitter; it shows that grief is great when someone rebels against his member. So, loving is the job of husbands, and yielding is the job of wives. Therefore, if everyone fulfills his duty, then everything will be strong; Seeing herself loved, the wife is friendly, and when faced with obedience, the husband is meek. Look, this is how nature works, so that the husband loves and the wife is obedient. When the ruler loves the subordinate, then everything is well-ordered. Love is not so much required from the subordinate as from the superior to the subordinate, but from the subordinate (required) obedience. And the fact that beauty is in the wife, and desire is in the husband, shows nothing more than a dispensation for love. Therefore, when a wife submits, do not be proud; and you are a wife, when your husband loves you, do not be arrogant; Let neither the friendship of a husband excite pride in his wife, nor let the submission of a wife make her husband proud. God subjected her to you so that she would be more loved; and He inspired his husband to love you, wife, so that it would be easier for you to obey. Don't be afraid of submission; It is not at all difficult to obey a lover. Don't be afraid of love; (your wife) is yielding to you. Union is possible in no other way. You have the power necessary by nature; Have a union of love, (the same union) allows you to tolerate the weakest. “Children, be obedient to your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.” Again he believes - “to the Lord”, he lays down the laws of obedience, he admonishes, he humbles. “For this,” he says, “is pleasing to the Lord.” Look how he wants us to do everything not according to nature alone, but also according to the will of God, so that we may receive a reward. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, lest they become discouraged.” Here again - submission and love. He didn’t say: love children, because that would be a superfluous word; nature itself leads to this; but corrected what should have been, namely, that love here is stronger, just as obedience is greater. After all, nowhere does he set an example of a husband and wife - but what? Listen to what the prophet says: “As a father has mercy on his sons, so the Lord has mercy on those who fear Him” (Ps. 102:13); and again Christ says: “Is there such a person among you who, when his son asks him for bread, would give him a stone? and when he asks for a fish, would you give him a snake?” (Matt. 7:9–10)? “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, lest they become discouraged.” What he knew would be especially sensitive to the fathers, he himself posits and amicably teaches the command, without citing God anywhere; by this he arouses the feelings of the parents and softens their hearts. The expression: “don’t irritate” means don’t make them arguers. There are cases in which you must yield to them. Then he moves on to the third (subject) of authority: “slaves,” he says, “obey in everything your masters according to the flesh.” Here, although there is something related to love, this love is not prescribed by nature, as was above, but by custom, and is required on the one hand by power, on the other by deeds. Here, in this way, the beginning of love is reduced, and the beginning of obedience is strengthened, and this expresses the desire that what the former have by nature, the latter should repay to them out of obedience - so that here (Paul) talks not for the masters with only slaves, but for themselves (the slaves), so that they become desirable to the masters. However, this is not expressed explicitly; otherwise I would have left them bewildered. “Slaves,” he says, “obey in everything your masters according to the flesh.” 2. And look how he always puts names - wives, children, slaves - in the sense of the obligation to obey; and so that you do not grieve, he adds: “to your masters according to the flesh.” Your best, he says, your soul is free; slavery is temporary. Submit your body to it, so as not to be a slave to necessity. “Not in the eyes of only serving them as people-pleasers.” Make it so, he says, that slavery from the law is slavery from the fear of Christ. Even if the master did not see that you are doing what is right for his honor, you still do it for the sake of the never-slumbering Eye. “Not only in the eyes,” he says, “serving them as people-pleasers,” since (working only in front of the eyes) you are exposed to harm. Listen to what the prophet says: “God scattered the bones of people-pleasers” (Ps. 53:6). See how he spares them and organizes them. “But in simplicity of heart,” he says, “fearing God,” because to have one thing in the heart and do another, to appear differently in the presence of the master, and differently in the absence, is not simplicity, but pretense. Therefore, he did not just say: “but in simplicity of heart,” but “fearing God.” This is precisely what it means to fear God when we do nothing bad, even if no one sees us; if we do, we fear not God, but people. Do you see that he organizes them? “And everything you do,” he says, “do it from the heart, as for the Lord, and not for people.” By this he wants to save them not only from pretense, but also from laziness. If they do not need supervision from masters, then through this he makes them free instead of slaves. “From the heart” means with good will, not with slavish necessity, but freely and voluntarily. And what's the reward? “Knowing,” he says, “that you will receive an inheritance as a reward from the Lord, for you serve the Lord Christ,” therefore you will receive a reward from Him. And that you work for the Lord can be seen from the following: “Whoever does wrong,” he says, “will receive according to his unrighteousness.” Here (Paul) confirms what was said before: so that his words do not seem like flattery, he says: “he will receive according to his unrighteousness,” that is, he will receive punishment, because God has no partiality. What if you are a slave? Don't be ashamed. However, this should have been said to the masters, as in the letter to the Ephesians; but here, under the name of masters, it seems to me, the pagans are meant. What if he is a pagan and you are a Christian? It is not persons who are tested, but deeds, so in this case too one must work with good will and from the heart. “Masters, give your slaves what they deserve and what is fair.” What is truth, what is an equation? Provide them with everything in abundance and not allow them to need anything, but reward them for their labors, since if I said that they will receive a reward from God, then it does not follow that you should deprive them of their reward. And in another place he said: “moderating severity” (Eph. 6:9), wanting to make them more meek, since they were perfect. That is: “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:2). And the words: “no partiality” apply to them, but they are applied to those who accept it, since when we say something concerning one to another, then we correct not so much him as the guilty one. “And you” are with them, he says. Here he makes slavery common. “Knowing,” he says, “that you also have the Lord in heaven. Be constant in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:1-2). Since staying in prayer is often the cause of negligence, he says, “while being awake,” that is, being sober, and not turning back and forth. The devil knows, knows well, what a great blessing prayer is, and therefore weighs heavily (on the person praying). Paul also knows how careless many who pray are, and therefore he says: “Be constant in prayer,” as in a difficult matter, “watching in it with thanksgiving.” This, he says, let it be your business - in prayers to give thanks both for the obvious and for the hidden, and for those benefits that (God) performed for you at your request, and for those that were given to you against your desire, and for the kingdom, and for Gehenna, and for sorrow, and for its relief. This is how saints usually pray and give thanks for common blessings. 3. I know one holy man who prayed in such a way that before this word he did not say anything, but directly cried out: “we thank you for all your blessings shown to us unworthy from the first day of our life until the present - we thank you for everything that we know and what we do not know, for everything obvious and implicit, revealed by deed and word, done according to our will and against our will, for everything that happened to us unworthy, for sorrow and weakening of sorrow, for Gehenna, for torment, for the kingdom of heaven. We pray to You to keep our soul holy, pure, conscientious and completely worthy of Your love for mankind. Who loved us so much that He gave up Thy Only Begotten for us, deign us to be worthy of Thy love. Grant us wisdom in Your word, and in Your fear, Only Begotten Christ, breathe into us the strength that comes from You. Who gave the Only Begotten for us and sent Your Holy Spirit for the remission of our sins, forgive us and do not condemn us if we have sinned in any way, willingly or unwillingly. Remember all who call on Your name in truth. Remember everyone who wants and doesn’t want good for us, because we are all human.” Then, joining the prayer of the faithful and offering up a prayer, as if some kind of head and common voice of all, he fell silent. In fact, God creates many good things for us against our will, and He does many and even more without our consciousness. When we pray to Him for something, and He does the opposite of it, then, obviously, He does good things beyond our consciousness. “Pray for us also.” Look what humility is like: it places itself after them. “That God might open a door for us to speak, to proclaim the mystery of Christ” (Col. 4:3). (Prayer) calls the entrance and foundation of boldness. Oh, such an ascetic did not say: let me get rid of the bonds, but, being in bonds, he asked others, and asked for a great deed, in order to receive boldness! There are two great things here: the quality of the face and the quality of the deed. Oh, what dignity! “The mystery,” he says, “of Christ,” showing that for him there is nothing more desirable than preaching about it. “For which I am in chains, so that I may reveal it as I should proclaim it. With great boldness, he says, and without holding anything back. You see, bonds show it, not hide it. With great, he says, boldness. Tell me: are you tied up and asking others? Yes, he says; but the bonds give me greater boldness, and I demand only God’s help, because I heard the word of Christ: “When they betray you, do not worry how or what to say” (Matthew 10:19). And look how allegorically he says: “So that God will open the door for us to speak.” Look how alien to arrogance he is, how humbly he speaks in chains, in order, that is, to soften their hearts. And he said this not for himself, but he expressed it humbly in order to inspire boldness in us; he asked for what he already had. By calling (the Old Testament) a shadow in this epistle, he thereby shows why Christ did not come then: “the body is in Christ” (Col. 2:17), he says, so one had to get used to the shadow. At the same time, he discovers the greatest proof of his love for them. So that you, he says, hear about my bonds. Again it brings to mind the bonds that I love very much, that excite my heart and always lead to the desire to see Paul bound and in bonds, writing, preaching, baptizing, catechizing. He, the bound one, heard about all the Churches, and he, the bound one, edified thousands (of Christians). Then rather he was released (from the bonds). Listen to what he says: “And most of the brethren in the Lord, being encouraged by my bonds, began to preach the word of God with greater boldness without fear” (Phil. 1:14). He again testifies to this, saying: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). That’s why he said: “But the word of God has no bonds” (2 Tim. 2:9). He was in bonds with evildoers, with prisoners, with murderers; he was bound with the teacher of the universe, who ascended to the third heaven and heard unspeakable words. But then his running was even faster. The bound one was then allowed, and the unbound one was bound; he did what he wanted, but this one did not interfere with him and did not fulfill his own intention. What are you doing, crazy? Is this a carnal messenger? Is he struggling in our field? He dwells in heaven. He who runs in heaven cannot be bound and held by earthly things. Can't you see this sun? Place bonds on its rays and stop its flight. But you can't. So (you cannot hold back) Paul, and even less than the sun - because he is protected by a greater providence than the latter - after all, he brings us not such (material) light, but true. Where are now those who did not want to endure anything for the sake of Christ - but what am I saying, endure? – didn’t even want to sacrifice money? Paul was once knitted and thrown into prison; but as soon as he became a servant of Christ, he began to boast not in action, but in suffering. And such is the miracle of preaching that it was stimulated and increased not by (the activity of) those who do evil, but by (the suffering) of those who suffer. Where have such feats been seen? The evildoer wins, and the evildoer experiences defeat. The first comes out more glorious than the last and preaches through bonds. I am not ashamed, but on the contrary I boast, he says, preaching the Crucified One. Just think: the whole universe leaves the unbound and comes to the prisoners, turns away from those who bind and honors those in chains, hates the crucifiers and worships the Crucified One. 4. It’s not only amazing that the preachers were fishermen, simple people, but also that other obstacles were encountered, obstacles by nature, and yet the business was successful. Simplicity not only did not interfere, but it especially made the sermon noticeable. Listen to what Luke says: “And having noticed that they were unlearned and simple people” (Acts 4:13). And the bonds also not only did not interfere, but also made (the apostles) more daring. The disciples were not so bold when Paul was free as when he was in chains: “And they spoke,” he says, “the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). Where are the objectors who say that this sermon was not Divine? Was simplicity not enough to expose them? Shouldn't they have been scared in this state? After all, you know that the common people are driven by two feelings: vanity and timidity. Simplicity prevented them from being ashamed; the dangers, of course, should have made them timid. But they say they worked miracles. So you believe that they performed miracles. What if they didn’t create it? This is a miracle greater than those that were performed - that without miracles people were brought to Christ. Socrates was also associated with the Hellenes. So what? Didn't his disciples immediately go to Megara? Of course, because they did not accept the doctrine of immortality. But look how it is here. Paul was bound, and his disciples became all the more bold. This was as it should be, because they saw that this did not interfere with the sermon; tongues cannot be tied, and tongue especially accelerates it. Just as you will not hinder the running of a messenger if you do not tie his feet, so you will not hinder the running of the evangelist if you do not tie his tongue; and just as he runs and rushes faster when you tie his thighs, so this one preaches more and with greater boldness when he is in chains. A prisoner is afraid if he looks only at the bonds; and whoever despises death, how can he be tied? They did the same thing as if, for example, they had bound the shadow of Paul and stopped its mouth. It was shadow wrestling. The name of the bonds on himself, as a reward for courage, (Paul) became more desirable for his own, and more honorable for his enemies. The crown adorns the head and makes it more glorious, and does not disgrace it. They reluctantly crowned him with their bonds. Tell me: can iron frighten someone who was not afraid of the adamantium gates of death? Let us be jealous of these bonds, beloved. All you wives adorned with gold necklaces, desire Pavlov's bonds. It is not so much the shine of these ornaments on your necks as the beauty of the iron bonds on his soul. And whoever desires the latter, let him hate the former, because what is the relationship between cowardice and courage, bodily adornment with wisdom? These bonds are respected by the angels, and they look upon them as children's toys. These bonds usually draw from earth to heaven, and those from heaven bring down to earth. Truly, these bonds are not like those: these are an adornment, and those are bonds; Those, together with the body, crush the soul, and these, together with the body, adorn the soul. Do you want to know that these are really decorations? Tell me, who attracted the audience more - you or Pavel? But what am I saying - you? The queen herself, all covered in gold, cannot attract more spectators. If both Paul in chains and the queen had happened to enter the church at the same time, everyone would have directed their eyes from the latter to the former. Yes, it should be so, because to see a husband who stands above human nature, who has nothing human, but is an angel on earth, is more curious than to see a dressed up woman. The latter can be seen in theaters, and in ceremonial meetings, and in baths, and in other places, but a person imprisoned in bonds, who considers them the greatest decoration and is not afraid of bonds - to see such a person means to be at a spectacle not on earth, but worthy of heaven. The soul, whose body is hung with jewels, observes who looks at them, who does not look, is replenished with arrogance, shows anxiety and is agitated by many other feelings; on the contrary, he who is burdened with bonds is not arrogant, his soul is calm, free from all worries, cheerful and looks at the sky as if inspired. If someone had given me the freedom to see Paul descending from heaven and speaking a word, or emerging from prison, then I would prefer his coming out of prison, because when he was in prison, they came down to him from heaven. Paul's bond is the bond of preaching; his shackles are the foundation. Let us also wish for these bonds. 5. But how is this possible, you say? If we crush and break (those decorations). There is no benefit from these bonds, but rather harm. They will make us prisoners there; and Pavlov’s bonds will free us there from bonds. The soul bound by these bonds here will be bound hand and foot by imperishable bonds there; and she who is bound by the bonds of Paul will then have them on her as an adornment. Release yourself from bonds and the poor from hunger. Why are you knitting chains of sins? As you say? So that you accumulate gold, and the other perishes; You save a lot of gold to acquire vain glory, while others have nothing to eat. Isn’t this how you tie up sins? Put on Christ, not gold. Where there is mammon, there is no Christ, and where Christ is, there is no mammon. Do you really not want to put on the King of all? If someone gave you purple and a diadem, would you not accept it instead of all gold? I am not giving you a royal adornment, but I am inviting you to put on the King himself. But how to put on Christ, you tell me? Listen to what Paul says: “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27); Listen to the admonitions of the Apostle: “Do not turn cares for the flesh into lusts” (Rom. 13:14). So, he who does not please the flesh to the point of lust puts on Christ. If you put on Christ, then the demons will fear you; and if in gold, then people will laugh at you; if you put on Christ, then people will respect you. Do you want to appear beautiful and decent? Be content with the way the Creator gave you. Why do you hang gold, as if correcting the image of God? Do you want to appear decent? Put on mercy, put on humanity, put on chastity, put on humility. All this is more valuable than gold; all this makes the beautiful even more decorous, and the ugly more beautiful. Whoever looks at a face expressing kindness will express his opinion out of love, but no one can call an evil (face), even if it is beautiful, beautiful: an indignant heart does not pronounce the right opinion. That Egyptian woman was decorated, and Joseph was also decorated; but who is more beautiful? But I’m talking about the time when the first was in the royal palace, and the last was in prison. This one was naked, but was clothed in the robe of chastity; and she was dressed, but she turned out to be more shameful naked, because she did not have chastity. When you, a woman, decorate yourself too much, then you are more shameful when naked, because you take away your decency. Eve was also naked; but she became more shameful when she put on clothes, because, being naked, she was adorned with the glory of God, and having put on the clothing of sin, she became shameful. Likewise, you, having put on the accessories of dandy, are more shameful, because luxurious clothes are not able to reveal good looks; on the contrary, dressed in it can be more shameful than naked. I ask: if you ever put on the accessories of a flute player or a dancer, wouldn’t you be ashamed? Although these clothes are gold, that is why you are ashamed that they are gold, since stage luxury befits tragedians, comedians, mimics, dancers and gladiators; and to the faithful wife another garment was given from God—the only begotten Son of God himself. “All of you,” he says, “who were baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.” Tell me: if someone gave you a royal robe, and you took and put on a helot’s rags on top of it, would you not have suffered punishment for this, in addition to shame? Have you clothed yourself with the Lord of heaven and angels, and are you still revolving around the earth? I said this with the purpose of showing that ostentation in itself is a great evil, even if nothing else came from it and even if one could indulge in it safely. But it leads to vanity and arrogance, and then from embellishment many other things are born - obvious suspicions, untimely expenses, reproaches, reasons for covetousness. Why are you decorating yourself, tell me? To please your husband? So do it at home. But here it turns out the opposite. If you want to please your husband, don’t like others; and when others like you, you cannot please your own. So, when going out into the square, or entering the church, you had to put aside all decoration. Moreover, the husband doesn’t like him for the same reason that he likes harlots, but especially for the reason that he likes honest wives. What, tell me, is the difference between a wife and a harlot? Because this one looks at only one thing - how to attract a loved one with the beauty of the body; and she manages the house, and treats the children, and (manages) everything else. If you have a daughter, be careful that she doesn’t borrow anything harmful from you: children love to imitate the morals of their teachers and imitate the morals of their mothers. Be an example of chastity for your daughter; adorn yourself with this decoration, and be careful not to neglect it. This is a real decoration, otherwise it is a disgrace. Enough said. May God, who created beauty and gave us the adornment of the soul, adorn us and clothe us with His glory, so that we all shine with good deeds and, living for His glory, send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: