Беседа 7

1 Thessalonians 4:13 I do not want you, brothers, to be ignorant about those who have died, 7 so that you do not mourn like others who have no hope. Evidence of the Resurrection. – Transmigration of souls among the Greeks. 1. Many objects plunge us into grief simply because we do not know them, but when we know them well, we put aside grief. Pointing to this, Paul said: “I do not want you, brethren, to be ignorant about those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve like others who have no hope.” What do you not want them to know? The teachings, he says, are about the resurrection. But why don’t you talk about the punishment that awaits people for ignorance of the doctrine of the resurrection? Because this (by itself) is revealed from this teaching and is recognized by everyone. Meanwhile, this will also be of considerable benefit. He speaks to them this way, not because they did not believe in the resurrection, but because, despite this belief, they mourned (the dead). Precisely, otherwise he speaks to unbelievers, differently to them; and they, as can be seen from the fact that they studied the times and years, knew (about the resurrection). “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Where are those who reject the flesh? If he did not take flesh, he did not die; if he did not die, then he did not rise again. How does he lead us to faith? Will they think of him that he is a deceiver and a flatterer? If death is a consequence of sin, and Christ did not sin, then how can this serve as an edification for us? Moreover, why did he say: “Like others who have no hope”? He reasoned as if this: whom are you, people, mourning, for whom are you grieving—either for sinners, or simply for the dying? Those (who have no hope) mourn (the dead), because all the dead are nothing to them. “The firstborn,” he says, “from the dead” (Col. 1:18), that is, the firstfruits. Therefore, there must be others. Note that here he does not give a single proof from reason, because they were simple people. Meanwhile, when he wrote to the Corinthians, he first brought a lot of evidence from reason, and then added: “Foolish, what you sow will not come to life unless will die” (1 Cor. 15:36). (What is said here) has more power when the conversation is with a believer; but what power can it have for an unbeliever? “Even so God,” he says, “will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” Again the deceased - nowhere does he say: dead. But about Christ he said: he died, because he added: and rose again, and here: those who have fallen asleep in Jesus, meaning either those who have fallen asleep in the faith of Jesus, or that through Jesus (God) will bring those who have fallen asleep, that is, the faithful. Heretics say that here he means the baptized. But why did he use the expression “taco”? After all, Jesus did not fall asleep through baptism. Why does he say: dead? Because he talks not about the general, but about the private resurrection. “He will bring those who have fallen asleep in Jesus,” he says, and in many places he says this. “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not warn those who are dead” (1 Thessalonians 4:15). Speaking about the faithful, he said: “And those who have fallen asleep in Christ” and also: “the dead ... will rise.” Then he speaks not only about the resurrection, but about the resurrection and the honor with which they will be surrounded, being in a state of glorification. In the resurrection, he says, everyone will participate; but not all are in glory, but only those who have fallen asleep in Christ. And since he wants to console them, he consoles them not only by telling them about the resurrection - they already knew about it - but also about the great honor and speed (with which the resurrection will follow). Wanting to console them with the honor awaiting them, he further says: “and we will always be with the Lord,” and also: “we will be caught up in the clouds.” How do the faithful die in Jesus? Obviously, having Christ in you. And the words: “he will bring with Him” make it clear that they will be gathered from many places. “For this,” he says, “we speak to you by the word of the Lord.” I intended to say something unusual and therefore added the certificate. “By the Word of the Lord” he says, that is, we speak not on our own, but having learned from Christ, “we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not warn those who have died.” He also says in the letter to the Corinthians: “suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor. 15:52); but here, as evidence of the resurrection, he presented the method (in which way it should take place). 2. And since the matter seems difficult to accomplish, he shows that the dead can be raptured just as easily as the living. Having used the expression - we, he does not mean himself, since he did not intend to remain (alive) until the resurrection, but he means the faithful. Therefore, he added: “We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not warn the dead.” He seemed to be saying this: when you hear that those living then will not precede those who have decayed, those who have turned to dust, who have died in several thousand years, then do not imagine any difficulty in this - God creates this, and for Him it is just as easy to bring those who remain whole as those who have decayed. It is true that there are those who do not believe this because they do not know God. But tell me, what is easier, to bring into existence from non-existence, or to restore what has decayed again? But what are they saying? So-and-so was shipwrecked and drowned; Many fish grabbed the drowned man and each of the fish ate a piece. Then, of these same fish, one was caught in one bay, another in another bay, and one was eaten by one (man), and the other by another. And again, these people, who ate the fish that devoured the man, died in various countries, and themselves, perhaps, were eaten by beasts. How can a person come to life again after such confusion and dispersion? Who will collect these ashes? But why are you saying this, man? Why do you weave chains of empty fiction and believe that this cannot be resolved? Even if a man had not fallen into the sea, if he had not been swallowed up by a fish, and this fish had not again been eaten by thousands of people, but during burial he would have been placed in a coffin, and neither worms nor anything else would have touched him, then how, tell me, will that which has been destroyed be resurrected? How are dust and ashes connected? Where will the body color come from then? Is this explainable? If the Hellenes doubt this, then we can tell them quite a lot. What exactly? They have those who (teach) the transmigration of souls into plants, and into trees, and into dogs. Tell me what is easier, to perceive your own body or someone else’s? Others also say that (the bodies) decay in the fire and that then the restoration of clothes and shoes will follow - and they do not laugh at them! Others introduce atoms. But we do not address our speech to them, but to the faithful, if we must call the questioners faithful; However, let us point out the apostolic teaching that all life arises from corruption, all plants, all seeds. Don’t you see what a large trunk the fig tree has, what large shoots, and how many leaves, twigs and branches, how many roots, so wide and deep into the ground? And to such an extent it becomes high and wide from grain thrown into the ground and, at the same time, rotting. If it had not rotted and collapsed, then nothing would have grown. Tell me how it happens? So the grapes, so pleasant to the eye and taste, will be born from the same ugly embryo. Also, tell me, isn't the same water falling from above? How does it change into so many species? This is more amazing than the resurrection. There, whatever seed attracts your attention (your attention), the same one (emerges) - and you see the plant and the perfect resemblance (of the grain to the plant); and here, tell me, how is it that what has the same qualities and the same nature turns into so many species? In the vine (water) becomes wine, and not only wine, but also leaves and juice, because it feeds not only the grapevine, but also other parts of the vine; in olives it is made with oil, and many other things that cannot even be described. And - a wonderful thing! It becomes moist here, dry there, sweet here, sour there, sometimes astringent, sometimes bitter. How does it change into so many species? Give a reason. But you can't. And in yourself - this is closer - tell me how the ejaculated seed is arranged and transformed into eyes, as into ears, as into hands, as into a heart, as into so many members? Isn’t there an infinite variety of types, sizes, properties, positions, forces, compositions in the body? How many nerves, veins, muscles, bones, membranes, arteries, members, glands; How many other things besides them that are part of our nature, which doctors talk about in detail - and all this from one seed! Wouldn't it seem much more incomprehensible to you how what is moist and tender turns into hard and cold bone, how it becomes warm and moist blood, how it becomes a cold and tender nerve, how it becomes a cold and wet artery? How is it, tell me? Don't you understand this? Do you not see each day of resurrection and death in ages? Where did youth go? Where did old age come from? How does an old man, who cannot make himself young, give birth to another - a child, the youngest, and what he cannot give to himself, he gives to another? 3. The same thing can be seen in trees and animals, despite the fact that apparently anyone who gives something to another must first have what he gives. But only the human mind requires this. When God creates, then nothing is needed. If this is so incomprehensible to explain and even more than inexplicable, then how mad are those - they now came to my mind - who are trying to comprehend the incorporeal birth of the Son! What happens every day, what is at hand and has already been explored a thousand times, no one has ever been able to comprehend: how, tell me, can one hope to comprehend the ineffable and incomprehensible birth? Doesn’t their mind become exhausted from these futile efforts? Didn't he entangle himself in countless perplexities? Wasn’t he speechless (in amazement)? And yet they are not enlightened by this. Unable to say anything definite about the grapes and fig trees, they talk about God. In fact, tell me, how do leaves and branches develop from this grain of a grape berry? After all, this was not there and was not noticed in him before? But they say that this does not come from the grain, but from the earth. Why can’t the earth produce anything on its own without it? Let's stop being crazy! It does not come from the earth or from the grain; but from Him who is Lord of both the earth and the seed. Therefore, He arranged for this to happen both with and without them (seeds), in order to thus, on the one hand, demonstrate His power, for which He said: “Let the earth produce greenery and grass” (Gen. 1:11), on the other hand, so that, along with the manifestation of His power, he could teach us hard work and activity. Why did we say all this? Not without a purpose, but so that we would believe in the resurrection, and so that we would not be upset and annoyed if, again, despite our desire to comprehend something with our minds, we are not able to achieve this, but - prudently curbing and humbling our minds, we would find peace in the fact that God can do everything and not find obstacles in anything. So, having learned this, let us curb our thoughts and not transgress the limits and boundaries of knowledge that are set for us. “Because,” he says, “we all have knowledge; But knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” (1 Cor. 8:1). I am not talking about God only, but about every thing. For example, what do you want to know about the earth? What do you know, tell me? How long is it? What size? What's the position? What nature? What place? Where is it approved and on what basis? But you can't answer this; but you can only say that it is cold, dry and black - nothing more. What about the sea? And here you will encounter a bewilderment that you cannot resolve - you don’t know where it begins, where it ends, what it is carried on, what holds its bottom, what place it occupies, is the earth behind it solid, or does it end in water and air? Do you know anything about what is in it? Shall I ask again about the air, about the elements? You can't say anything. But let's leave it at that. If you want, we will choose the smallest plant. Tell me, how is this grain that does not bear fruit, which we all see, born? Are not its essence water, earth and dung? Why does it look so beautiful and why does it have such an amazing color? Why does this beauty fade? Of course, this is not the effect of water or earth. Do you see how faith is necessary everywhere? How does the earth give birth? What are the diseases of her birth, tell me? But you can't say anything to that. Study, man, what is below - here, and do not work in vain, do not be too curious about heaven - and if only about heaven, and even about the Lord of heaven! Tell me, you don’t know the land from which you were born, on which you were raised, on which you live, on which you walk, without which you cannot even breathe, but are you curious to know about such distant objects? Truly man is vanity! If someone ordered you to go down into the depths and find out what is at the bottom of the sea, you would reject the order; and you yourself, without any coercion, want to inherit the unsearchable abyss. Don't overthink it, please. Let us float on the surface, let us not follow the impulse of wisdom; otherwise we will soon get tired and drown. But using the divine Scripture, like some kind of ship, let us unfurl the sails of faith. If we sail on it, then we will have the word of God as our pilot; if we begin to sail on the wisdom of men, then there will be no (helmsman). Which of the swimmers is actually helped by the helmsman in this way? Consequently, we will be threatened by a double danger: on the one hand, that there will be no ship, on the other, that there will be no pilot. If a ship without a helmsman is in danger, then what hope of salvation is there when there is neither one nor the other? So, let us not be exposed to obvious danger, but let us sail in a safe place, anchored on a sacred anchor. Thus, despite the heavy load, we will reach the quiet harbor with perfect safety and receive the good things prepared for those who love Him in Jesus our Lord, with Whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory (for ever and ever. Amen). These conversations were delivered by the saint in Constantinople in 399. There is an inaccuracy in the Synodal translation. In the original “deceased” – κοιμώμενων. You might be interested in: