Беседа 4

1 Timothy 1:15–16. This is a true saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. But for this reason I received mercy, so that Jesus Christ in me first would show all long-suffering, as an example to those who will believe in Him for eternal life. Humility of the Ap. Pavel. - How to glorify God. 1. The blessings of God are so great and so surpass all human expectation and hope that they often do not even believe them. Indeed, (God) gave us something that he did not think about, that the human mind did not expect. Therefore, the apostles talk a lot about this in order to arouse in us faith in the gifts that are given to us from God. Just as when (receiving) great benefits, we come to such a state that, not trusting ourselves, we say: is this a dream? - so it is when (receiving) the gifts of God. What was it about them that could hardly be believed? The fact that enemies, sinners, those who did not find justification either in the law or through works, suddenly, with the help of faith alone, should have received such advantages. That is why (the apostle) talks a lot about this subject in the letter to the Romans, and also a lot here. “It is true,” he says, “a word worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first.” Since the Jews were especially keen on this, he convinces them not to become attached to the law, because without faith it is impossible to be saved through it. This is precisely what (the apostle) stands for, because it seemed incredible that a person, despite the fact that he spent his entire previous life in vain and in vain and spent it on evil deeds, could then be saved through faith alone. That's why he says: “the word is true.” However, some not only did not believe, but also reproached him, just as the pagans do today, saying: “And should we not do evil that good may come out” (Rom. 3:8). Since they heard him say: “When sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Rom. 5:20), then, perverting our (teaching), they preached in this way. In the same way, when we talk with them about Gehenna, they object: how can this be worthy of God? If a person, having seized his slave, who has sinned against him in many ways, leaves him (his guilt) and gives forgiveness, then will God really punish forever? And again, when we tell them about the font (baptism) and the remission of sins through it, they object: is it worthy of God that He forgives the sins of someone who has committed countless crimes? Do you see the corruption of their minds, how in everything they reveal their characteristic passion for argument? Namely: if remission of sins is evil, then punishment is good, and vice versa, if punishment is not good, then remission of sins is good; I say this in accordance with their opinion; but in our opinion, both are good. I’ll show you why at another time, since now it’s impossible to do this. (This subject), being profound and requiring detailed study, must in due time be offered to your love; For now, let’s turn to the present (question). “The word is true,” he says. How is it true? (This can be seen) both from the previous and the subsequent. See how he prepares (his listeners) in advance, and then, having prepared them, he proceeds to investigate. Having said that he, the blasphemer and persecutor, had mercy (God), he meant to prepare them. And not only, he says, He had mercy, but also made me a believer: to such an extent, he says, it is impossible to doubt that He had mercy on me. After all, no one, seeing a prisoner who lives in the royal palace, will doubt that he has been pardoned; the same thing could be seen in Paul. Therefore, he cites himself as proof and not only is not ashamed, calling himself a sinner, but he is also especially happy, since through this he could best demonstrate the great miracle of God’s care and the fact that he was honored with such great mercy. Why does he, having said in another place about himself: “in lawful righteousness, blameless” (Phil. 3:6), here says that he is a sinner and the first of sinners? Because in comparison with the righteousness of which God has made us (partakers) and which truly must be sought, even those who were (righteous) in the law are sinners: “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). Therefore, he did not just say: according to the truth, but: “according to legal truth.” Just as a person who has acquired a lot of money, although in himself seems rich, however, in comparison with the royal treasures turns out to be very poor, and the first poor person, so here, in comparison with the angels, people are sinners, even righteous ones. If Paul, who did righteousness according to the law, is the first sinner, then who else can be called righteous? That is why he says this not with the purpose of condemning his life, (recognizing it) as disorderly - no - but, comparing one (legal) righteousness with another (grace-filled), he shows the insignificance of (the first). And not only that, but he also recognizes as sinners those who have acquired legal righteousness. “But for this reason,” he says, “I received mercy, so that Jesus Christ in me first would show all long-suffering, as an example to those who will believe in Him for eternal life.” 2. Do you see how he again humbles and humiliates himself, giving another, more humiliating reason? Having said that he was pardoned because of his ignorance; he indicates that the pardoned person is not a very (great) sinner and should not be strictly condemned; and, having said that he was pardoned so that none of those who sinned would despair anymore, but would be sure that he too would receive the same, he represents a very great and very strong (accusation). Thus, when (the apostle) said: I am the chief of sinners, and a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and an annoyer, “and am not worthy to be called an Apostle” (1 Cor. 15:9) and the like, then even then he did not say anything so humiliating (for himself). Let's illustrate this with an example. Let us imagine a crowded city, all of whose inhabitants were evil people - some less, others more, but all worthy of condemnation; but among these many, there was one who would most deserve condemnation and punishment, and there was a person who experienced all types of crimes. If, suppose, someone had said that the king wanted to forgive them all, they would not have believed this news so easily until they saw that the most criminal of them all had received forgiveness: then there would no longer be any doubt. Paul also says the same thing - that God, wanting to assure people that He forgives them everything, had mercy on the one who sinned the most. If, he says, I have received forgiveness, then let no one doubt others. This is the same thing that everyone usually says: if God has forgiven this one, then He will no longer punish anyone else. Through this (the apostle) shows that he did not deserve forgiveness, but for the sake of the salvation of others he was the first to receive it. Therefore, let no one, he says, doubt salvation when I am saved. And notice the humility of this blessed one. He did not say: let him show long-suffering in me, but “all long-suffering,” as if saying this: over no one else (God) showed His long-suffering more than over me, and did not find another such sinner who would need all of His mercy, all of His long-suffering, and not partly, like those who only partly sinned. “As an example to those,” he says, “who will believe in Him to eternal life,” that is, for encouragement, to encourage them. But since (the apostle) said something great about the Son, and that He showed such love, so that no one would think that the Father is deprived of it, he then gives glory to Him, and says: “To the King of the ages, the incorruptible, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" (1 Timothy 1:17). For this, he says, we glorify not only the Son, but also the Father. So, let us ask the heretics: behold (the apostle), speaking of the Father, said: to the only God: is the Son really not God? And to the only incorruptible one: is the Son incorruptible? And does (the Son) really not have what he will give us in the future life? Yes, they say, the Son is both God and incorruptible, but not like the Father. What are you saying? Is He really not like that, is He really less perfect in essence? Therefore, is incorruption less perfect in Him? What do (the expressions) mean – more and less perfect incorruptibility? Incorruption is nothing other than liberation from corruption. True, glory can be greater or less, but incorruption is neither more nor less, just as health cannot be less or more, because every thing must either decay or not be subject to decay at all. So what, you say, will we really be incorruptible to the same extent? No, not at all. Why? Because He (the Father) has it by nature, but it was given to us from without. So, perhaps, the same (incorruptibility) is the Son? Not at all; on the contrary, He (has incorruptibility) by nature. What's the difference? The fact is that the Father, they say, did not originate (έγένετο) like this from anyone else, but the Son from the Father. And we confess the same. And we do not deny that the Son is incorruptible begotten of the Father. For this, they say, we glorify the Father, that He gave birth to such a Son. Don't you see that the father is especially glorified when his son accomplishes great things? What belongs to the son is attributed to the father. Therefore, since He gave birth to a strong one, and the same as He himself, the glory of the Son is not greater than the glory of the Father, because (He gave birth) original, self-satisfied and not devoid of power. And the words “to the King of the ages” are also spoken about the Son: “through whom also he made the ages” (Heb. 1:2); the same thing here. We separate one from the other, namely dispensation and creation, and one arranges, works and labors, and the other commands. Why is this so? Because (with us) the arranger occupies the lowest place. But that’s not the case there at all. There the dominion does not belong to one and the dispensation belongs to another. Therefore, when I hear: “through whom also he created the worlds,” I do not take away the creative power from the Father. In the same way, when I hear that the Father is the King of the ages, I do not take away the Lordship from the Son. This applies as much to one as to the other, because both belong to both. The Father created (everything) by begetting the creator - the Son; The Son reigns because He is the Lord of all creatures. He does not do this for a reward, as happens with us, and not out of obedience to another, as others do, but according to His characteristic goodness and love for mankind. So what? Did the Son ever seem (like this)? Nobody can say that. So, what does it mean: “to the incorruptible, invisible, only wise God!” And what does this mean when (the apostle) says: “For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12), and again: “And there is salvation in no one else” (Acts 4:11)? “Honor and glory,” he says, “forever. Amen." Honor and glory are not given in words. Therefore, since He honored us not with words, but with deed itself, then we will honor Him with deed itself. At the same time, honor (with which God honored us) has meaning for us; and that (which we render to Him) means nothing to Him, because He does not need (honor) from us, while we need (honor) from Him. 3. Thus, if we give honor to Him, then through this we will give honor to ourselves. Just as a person who opens his eyes in order to see the light of the sun benefits himself through this, marveling at the beauty of this luminary, and does not give him anything, because it does not make it brighter through this, on the contrary, it remains the same - so exactly, and even much more (happens when we turn) to God: whoever looks at God with surprise and gives honor to Him, gains salvation for himself and receives the greatest benefit. How? Such that, having acquired virtue for himself, he is awarded glory from Him: “I will glorify,” He says, “those who glorify Me” (1 Samuel 2:30). But how, it will be asked, is He glorified if He does not accept anything from the glory we bestow? In the same way as it is said about Him that He suffers hunger and thirst: He appropriates everything that is ours to Himself, in order, at least by this, to attract us - both honors and insults, so that, at least in this way, instill fear in us; and despite this, we do not approach Him. Let us glorify God, let us exalt God both in our body and in our spirit. How, you say, can one glorify in the body? And how are you feeling? The soul here is called spirit, as opposed to the body. How then does anyone glorify (God) in the body? And how is it in the shower? The one who glorifies in the body is the one who does not indulge in fornication, who does not get drunk, who is not satiated, who does not care about external adornment, who shows as much concern for himself as is necessary only for health, who does not commit adultery, just like the one who does not anoint herself with incense, does not paint her face with paint, who is satisfied with the appearance that God has endowed her with and does not add anything artificial to it. In fact, why, tell me, do you add something of your own to what was created perfect by God? Is it not enough for you that what (God) has created? Therefore, you, (considering yourself) a most skilled artist, are beginning to correct the work of God? This is not what you mean, but do you adorn yourself and insult the Creator in order to attract countless lovers? What should I do, you say? After all, I don’t want this either, but I am forced to do this for the sake of my husband. Usually the one who does not want to be loved is not loved. God created you to be beautiful in order to arouse in us amazement at Himself, and not so that we would offend Him. Do not repay Him for this with gifts, but with chastity and modesty. God created you to be beautiful in order to increase your feats of modesty through this. It is not to the same extent (it is difficult) to maintain chastity for one who arouses love for herself in everyone, and for one for whom no one feels inclination. Do you hear what the Scripture says about Joseph? That he was “handsome in form and handsome in face” (Gen. 39:6). How does it benefit us when we hear that Joseph was handsome? The one that makes us even more surprised by his beauty and modesty. Did God make you beautiful? Why are you disgracing yourself? Just as if someone began to smear dirty mud on a golden statue, so do those who use ointments. You cover yourself with earth, sometimes red, sometimes white. But will you say that the ugly ones act this way justly? For what, tell me? Is it to hide your ugliness? But they work in vain. When, tell me, did art and sophistication surpass nature? And why be sad at all because of ugliness, when it does not contain anything shameful? Listen to what one sage says: “Do not praise a person for his beauty and do not have aversion to a person for his appearance” (Sir.11:2). Therefore, be more surprised at God, the most skillful artist, but do not be surprised at the one (who has a beautiful appearance) at all, because what happened was not arranged by him. Tell me, what is the use of beauty? No, on the contrary (from her) there are great disputes, the greatest sorrows, dangers and suspicions. In fact, no one suspects a woman who is not so beautiful, but a beautiful woman, unless she is distinguished by special, extraordinary modesty, immediately becomes the subject of bad fame, and even her husband treats her with distrust; and what could be more painful than this? And he does not so much experience pleasure at the sight (of her beauty), as he suffers grief from his suspicion. And pleasure, as a result of habit, loses its power when the soul itself acquires the reputation of being careless, absent-minded, self-willed, when it becomes envious, when it is filled with great pride - because beauty especially leads us to all this. Meanwhile, we do not find that one who is not so beautiful has so many obstacles in herself (to lead a virtuous life). And the dogs do not attack her, but like a lamb, with a shepherd always present, she grazes in perfect peace; not a single wolf disturbs her or attacks her. It’s not harmful that one is beautiful and the other is not. It is harmful that one commits fornication, despite the fact that she is ugly, and the other is evil. Tell me, what is the virtue of the eyes? Is it that they are moist, mobile, round and blue, or that they are sharp and penetrating? I assert the latter, and this is obvious from the following. What is the advantage of the lamp? Is it that it shines brightly and illuminates the whole house, or is it that it is beautifully made and has a round appearance? Of course, in the first, we would say, because the last property has no meaning for us, and we are looking for the first. That is why we always say to the servant who is entrusted with this task: you have prepared the lamp poorly. So the purpose of a lamp is to give light. Likewise, the eye, whether it is this or that, does not mean anything, as long as it fulfills its purpose quite satisfactorily; in the same way, he is called bad when he sees poorly and does not have the proper structure, because we also say about people who do not see anything with open eyes that they have bad eyes. We call everything bad that does not do what it needs to do. And this is where the eyes are flawed. What is the dignity of the nose, tell me? Is it that it should be straight, pointed on both sides, and have corresponding proportionality, or that it should be capable of smell, be able to quickly perceive (impressions) and transmit them to the brain? The latter is obvious to everyone. We will continue our research and explain the matter using examples. Tell me, which pliers, which vessels we call well-made, those that can grip a thing well and hold it well, or those that are beautifully made? Obviously the first. And what kind of teeth do we call good? The ones that are sharp and easily crush the food, or the ones that are nicely arranged? Obviously the first. And in general, if we mentally carry out this study throughout our entire body, we will find that everything in it is healthy and good, as quickly as each member in it correctly performs its inherent purpose. Likewise, we call every vessel, every animal, every plant good, not because of its appearance or color, but because of its service. Likewise, of the servants, we call the one good who is accustomed to service, and not the one who is beautiful and delicate. Do you see how you can become beautiful? So, when we enjoy equally the greatest and most amazing (benefits), then we do not suffer offense in anything. Namely: whether we are handsome or not, we all see this world, the sun, the moon, the stars in the same way, we inhale the air in the same way, we use water and food in the same way. And if you need to say something worthy of surprise, it is precisely that the ugly ones are healthier than the decent ones. In fact, these latter, in order to preserve their beauty, do not devote themselves to work, but spend time in idleness and bliss, which is why the activity of their members is especially weakened; and the former behave simply and boldly and, since they do not have any concern for their appearance, they spend all their time on work. So let us glorify God; Let us exalt Him in our body, let us not adorn ourselves, because this is an unnecessary and useless concern; Let us not accustom our husbands to love appearance alone. If you decorate yourself like this, then he, accustomed to this, (looking) at your face, can easily be seduced by debauchery. On the contrary, if you teach him to love good manners and modesty, then he will not soon fall into adultery, because he will not find this in a harlot, but will find the opposite of it. So, do not teach him to be seduced by laughter or free body movements, so that through this you do not prepare poison for yourself. Teach him to find pleasure in modesty; and you can do this when you behave modestly. In fact, if you yourself are frivolous and voluptuous, then how can you start a decent conversation with him? Who won't find you strange and funny? How, therefore, can we exalt God in our body? When we practice virtue, we adorn our soul, in relation to which this is not prohibited. Then we glorify God when we are righteous in all respects; For this reason we ourselves will be glorified on that day, and not to the same extent, but much more. “For I think,” says (the apostle), “that the sufferings of this present time are not worth anything in comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18), - which may we all be deemed worthy to receive through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. These conversations were delivered by the saint, probably in Antioch around 397. You might be interested in: