Беседа 3

Hebrews 1:6–8. Also, when he introduces the Firstborn into the universe, he says: and let all the Angels of God worship Him. About the Angels it is said: You create flaming fire with Your Angels and Your servants. And about the Son: Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; The scepter of Your kingdom is the scepter of righteousness. . 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ calls His coming in the flesh the exodus, for example, when He says: “Behold, a sower has gone out to sow” (Matthew 13:3); And again: “I came from the Father and came into the world” (John 16:28) and in many places you can see this. And Paul calls His coming an entrance: “when,” he says, “he introduces the First-born into the universe,” meaning by this introduction the incarnation. Why do they express themselves differently about the same subject, and why do they say so? This is clear from the meaning of the expressions themselves. Christ rightly calls his coming an exodus, because we were outside of God. Just as prisoners who have offended the king are usually outside the royal palace, and the one who wants to reconcile them (with the king) does not bring them inside (the palace), but himself goes outside and talks with them until he makes them worthy to appear before the king’s eyes, so did Christ. He came out to us, i.e. having taken on flesh and taught us what was pleasing to the King, he then brought us in, cleansing us from sins and reconciling us (with God). That is why He calls (his coming) the exodus. And Paul calls it an entrance, borrowing this figurative expression from the example of heirs receiving possession of some property; to say: “when he introduces the First-born into the universe” means to show that (God) handed over the universe to Him; He then took it all into his possession when he was known. This is not said about God the Word, but about Christ incarnate; and indeed, if He “was in the world,” as John says, “and the world came into being through Him” (John 1:10), then how else could He be introduced into the universe if not in the flesh? “And let all the Angels of God worship Him,” he says. Intending to say something great and lofty, he prepares the listeners for this and disposes them to the most convenient acceptance (of the truth), representing the Father introducing the Son. And look: above he said that (God) spoke to us not through the prophets, but through the Son, and showed that the Son is superior to the angels, proving this both by the very name (of the Son) and by the fact that the Father himself introduced the Son. And here he proves the same thing in a different way. Which one? Worship, which shows how much superior he is to the angels, how much superior the Master is to the slave. Just as if someone, leading someone into the king’s dwelling, commanded those present there to immediately worship him, so does the apostle, speaking about coming into the world according to the flesh, and adding: “And let all the Angels of God worship Him.” Are they really just angels without other powers? No; listen further: “It is said about the Angels: You create flaming fire with Your Angels and Your servants.” To the Son: “Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever.” This is the greatest difference: they are created, and He is not created. Why is it said about the angels: he who creates, but about the Son it is not said: he who creates? Because in this way the difference between them is clearly expressed. That is why it is said about angels: “he who creates His spirits with His angels”; and although it is said about the Son: “The Lord created me” (Prov. 8:22), and also: “God made this Jesus Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36), but neither this is said about Christ the Lord the Son, nor this about God the Word, but refers to the incarnation. Wanting to show the true difference between them, (the apostle) means not only angels, but also all the heavenly ministering powers. Do you see with what clarity he distinguishes between creatures and Creator, servants and Master, slaves and Heir and true Son? He says about the Son: “Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever”; вот знак царствия! “The scepter of Your kingdom is the scepter of righteousness”; here is another sign of the kingdom! Then again (turns) to the incarnation: “You loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore O God, your God, anointed you” (Heb. 1:9). What does it mean: “Thy God”? Having said great things, (the apostle) again softens his speech. Здесь он опровергнул и Иудеев, и последователей Павла Самосатскаго, и ариан, и Маркелла, и Савеллия, и Маркиона. How? Jews - by showing in one and the same (Christ) two beings - God and man; second, i.e. последователей Павла Самосатскаго, – тем, что сказал о вечном бытии и несозданном существе Его, так как в проти­воположность выражению: «Ты творишь» , присовокупил: «престол Твой, Боже, в век века» ; ариан – тем же самым, равно и тем, что (Сын) не есть раб, а если бы Он был тварью, то был бы рабом; Marcellus and others - in that (the Father and the Son) are two persons, different hypostatically; Marcionites - by the fact that it is not the deity that is anointed, but humanity (Christ's). Then he says: “...more than Your partners.” Who are these participants if not people? Those. “For Christ did not receive the Spirit by measure” (John 3:34). 2. Видишь ли, как (апостол) с учением о несозданном Существе везде соединяет учение о домостроительстве? What could be clearer than this? Do you see that creation and birth are not the same thing? Otherwise he would not have distinguished them; в про­тивоположность выражению: «Ты творишь» , он не прибавил бы: «о Сыне: престол Твой, Боже, ( ό Θεός ) в век века" ; и не назвал бы имени – Сын преславнейшим именем, если бы оно означало то же самое (что и тварь). В самом деле, чем бы оно было преславнее? Если бы сотворение и рождение означали одно и то же, а ангелы сотворены, то (Сын) чем был бы их превосходнее? Вот опять употребляется о Нем слово: «Бог" , с членом 3 . “And: in the beginning You, O Lord, founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands; they will perish, but You remain; and they will all wear out like a robe, and you will fold them like a garment, and they will be changed; but You are the same, and Your years will not end” (Heb. 1:10–12). So that you, hearing the words: “when he introduces the Firstborn into the universe,” do not think that (the Son) was subsequently given this as a gift, (the apostle) warned above against such a thought, and now he warns again, saying: “in the beginning,” not now, he says, but from ancient times. Here he also again deals a mortal blow to Paul of Samosata and Apius, attributing to the Son what is also attributed to To the Father. At the same time, he inspires something else, the most important; namely, he depicts the change of the world: “and they will all wear out like a robe, and they will be rolled up like a garment”; just as in the Epistle to the Romans, he says that (God) will transform the world (Rom. 8). As a man rolls up a garment, so (God) will roll up and change the world. If He so easily accomplishes the transformation and change of the world into a better and higher state, then could He have needed someone else during the lower (initial) formation of the world? How long will you not be ashamed (to say this)? At the same time, it is very comforting to know that the world will not always be in its present state, but everything will receive a transformation and everything will change; Himself (God) remains always alive and infinitely living. “And your years,” he says, “will not end. To which of the Angels did God say, “Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool?” (Heb. 1:12–13). Behold, he again encourages (the believers) that their enemies will be defeated; and their enemies are the same as Christ’s. And again this is a sign of the kingdom, a sign of equality, a sign of honor, and not of impotence (of the Son), that the Father is angry for (insults) caused to the Son; this is a sign of the Father’s great love and closeness to the Son. And indeed, if He is angry for Him, then how can He be alien to Him? “Until I put down your enemies.” So the second psalm says: “he who dwells in heaven will laugh; the Lord will mock him. Then He will speak to them in His anger and with His wrath will throw them into confusion” (Psalm 2:4-5). And (Christ) himself says: “Bring here my enemies who did not want me to reign over them and kill them before me” (Luke 19:27). And what are these His words, listen to how He says in another place: “How often have I wanted to gather your children, like a bird gathering its chicks under its wings, and you did not want to! Behold, your house is left to you empty” (Luke 13:34–35); and again: “The Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people bearing its fruits” (Matthew 21:43); and also: “Whoever falls on this stone will be broken, and whoever it falls on will be crushed” (Matthew 21:44). On the other hand, if He judges the enemies there, then all the more will they give account for the insults inflicted on Him here. Thus, the words: “until I make Your enemies Your footstool” are spoken solely to the honor of the Son. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who are to inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14). Is it surprising, he says, that they serve the Son if they also serve for our salvation? See how (the apostle) elevates the minds of his listeners and points out the great honor given to us by God, who has appointed such a service to the angels who are higher than us - a service for us; he seems to be saying this: angels are used for the purpose of their service: to serve God for our salvation. Thus, the job of the angels is to fulfill everything for the salvation of the brethren. Although this is the work of Christ himself, He saves us as a Master, and they as slaves; and we, although slaves, are also fellow servants of the angels. Why, he says, are you surprised at the angels? They are servants of the Son of God, they are sent everywhere for us, they serve for our salvation; therefore they are slaves like us. Look how little he considers the difference between creatures; although the difference between angels and people is significant, he places them close to us, and seems to say: they work for us, they flow everywhere for us, one might say, they slave to us. Служение их состоит в том, что они всюду посылаются для нас. 3. By such examples the old covenant was fulfilled, and the new covenant was fulfilled. When angels preach the gospel to the shepherds, when they appear to Mary, when they appear to Joseph, when they sit at the tomb of Christ, when they are sent to say to the disciples: “Men of Galilee! Why are you standing and looking at the sky? (Acts 1:11) - when they free Peter from prison, when they talk with Philip, is it not clear that they serve us? Imagine what an honor it is to us when God sends angels to serve us as his friends, when an angel appears to Cornelius, when an angel frees all the apostles from prison and says: “Go and stand in the church, speak to the people all these words of life” (Acts 5:20). But what am I saying about others? Самому Павлу являлся ангел. Видишь ли, как они служат нам для Бога, и служат в делах весьма важных? That’s why Paul says: “Either the world, or life, or death, or the present, or the future, all is yours” (1 Cor. 3:22). And the Son was sent, but not as a slave, not as a minister, but as the only begotten Son, as one who wants the same thing that the Father wants; or better to say, He was not sent, because He did not move from one place to another, but took on flesh, and they change places, leaving some places in which they were, then moving to others in which they were not. Это говорит (апостол) для того, чтобы ободрить их. Чего (говорит) вы страшитесь? Ангелы служат нам. Having spoken about the Son, about the works of economy, creation and the kingdom, proving the equality (of the Son with the Father) and the fact that (the Son) rules as Ruler, not only over people, but also over the powers above, (the apostle) further exhorts them, instilling in them that we must be attentive to what is said, and says: “Therefore we must be especially attentive to what we hear” (Heb. 2:1). Here he wants to say that one must pay attention “especially” to the law, but he is silent about this; he explains this in evidence, and not in the exhortation or advice itself, because it was better that way. “For if,” he says, “the word proclaimed through the angels was established, and every crime and disobedience received a righteous reward, then how can we escape, neglecting so much salvation, which, having been first preached by the Lord, was established in us by those who heard from Him” (Heb. 2:2-3)? Why should we be “especially” attentive to what was said? The former is not the same Is it from God, like the present? Here he commands to be attentive either “especially” to the law, or very much; but he does not at all condemn (the law), - no. Since (the Jews) had a high opinion of the old testament for its antiquity, so that the present one, like the new one, is not subject to contempt, he strenuously proves that the latter should be heeded even more? after; now he briefly points out this, and then he states it more clearly when he says: “For if the first covenant had been without lack,” and also: “that which grows old and grows old is close to destruction” (Heb. 8:7, 13), and much more like that. But at the beginning of his speech he does not dare to say anything like that until he has prepared and won over the listener with many proofs. So, why, tell me, is it appropriate for us to “especially” pay attention? Yes, not when, he says, we will fall away, that is, so that we do not perish, do not fall away. Here he shows the severity of falling away - how difficult it is to restore something that has fallen away again when it happens from negligence. And he borrowed the expression itself from Proverbs: “My son! “, says (the Wise One), “do not miss” (Proverbs 3:21), expressing both the ease of falling away and the severity of destruction, i.e., that disobedience is not safe for us. By the very evidence (the apostle) suggests that the punishment will be very great. However, he leaves this as a subject for research, and does not give it as a conclusion. This way of speaking makes the reproof less harsh, i.e. when the one who denounces does not always pronounce a decision on his own, but leaves it to the will of the listener to give his own voice; this makes (listeners) more reasonable. Так поступает в ветхом завете пророк Нафан, а у Матфея Христос, когда говорит: «что сделает он с этими виноградарями?» (Matthew 21:40) - challenging (the disciples) to pronounce judgment themselves. This is the greatest victory. Далее (апостол), сказав: «если через Ангелов возвещенное слово было твердо» , – не присовокупил: тем более глаго­ланное Христом; но, оставив это, сказал более кротко: «то как мы избежим, вознерадев о толиком спасении» . И смотри, как он делает сравнение: «если , – говорит, – через Ангелов возвещенное слово» ; there – “Angels”, and here – “Lord”; there – “word”, and here – “salvation”. Then, lest anyone say: Is this what you say, Paul, of Christ? – он предупреждает это и доказывает достоверность сказанного, доказывает достоверность как тем, что он слышал это от Господа, так и тем, что и ныне Бог гово­рит это, не гласом, просто произносимым, как было при Моисее, но посредством знамений и удостоверяющих событий. 4. What does it mean: “if the word proclaimed through angels was established”? In a similar way he says in the epistle to the Galatians: “taught through angels, by the hand of a mediator” (Gal. 3:19); and in another place: “they received the law in the ministry of angels and did not keep it” (Acts 7:53); and everywhere he says that (the law) was taught through angels. Some argue that Moses is meant here, but this is not valid, because he calls angels here in the plural; Moreover, he speaks here about heavenly angels. What can I say to this? The fact that he either speaks about the ten commandments alone - since then Moses spoke, and God answered - or that angels were present when God taught the commandments, or speaks about everything said and done in the old testament - since angels took part in it. Why does it say in another place: “for the law was given through Moses” (John 1:17), but here: angels? Because (and Moses) says: and God “descended” into darkness (Exodus 19:20). “For if the word spoken through the angels was established.” What does it mean: “it was established”? This means it is true and true, because everything that was said came true at the appropriate time. Either he says this, or that the word was firm and the threats were carried out, or he calls commands by the word, because many commands were given without law by angels sent from God, as for example at the place of mourning, before the judges, under Sampson (Judges 2:1, 8:3). That is why the apostle did not say: the law, but: “the word.” It seems more likely to me that he means here everything arranged through angels. What do we say? That then there were angels to whom the people (Jewish) were entrusted, who produced trumpet sounds, fire, darkness, and so on. “... and every crime,” he says, “received righteous reward.” received, and the other did not, but: “all sorts of things.” Nothing, he says, remained unpunished, but “received righteous reward”, - ("retribution") instead of - punishment. Why did he put it that way? Paul is usually not too strict in his choice of expressions, but sometimes he uses indifferently less precise ones instead of more precise ones, as, for example, in one place he says: “We take into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5); and in another place he uses “retribution” instead of punishment, just as here he calls punishment “retribution”: “For it is right,” he says, “in the sight of God, to repay those who insult you with sorrow, and for you who are insulted, with joy” (2 Thess. 1:6, 7). Those. the truth has not lost its power, but God fulfills it and subjects those who have sinned to punishment, although not all sins are obvious, but only those that directly violate the commandments. So - “how,” he says, “will we escape, neglecting so much salvation”? By this he expresses that before there was no great salvation; and therefore he added well: “about so much.” Now, he says, God will not deliver us from war, will not give us land and earthly blessings, but there will be the destruction of death, the destruction of the devil, the kingdom of heaven, eternal life. He briefly expressed all this in the words: “having neglected such salvation.” Further, he speaks about the authenticity of what was said: “having been first preached by the Lord,” i.e. received its origin from the very source, because it was not man who brought this (salvation) to earth, not a created power, but the Only Begotten himself. “It was established in us by those who heard from Him" (Heb. 2:3). What does it mean: “established”? That is, faithfully taught, or carried out; we, he says, have a guarantee; it was not destroyed, did not cease, but is preserved and victorious; and the reason for this is the active divine power. What does it mean: “by those who heard”? That is, those very ones who heard from the Lord established us. This is a great work and reliable. In the same way, Luke says at the beginning of the Gospel: “as those who were from the very beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word” (Luke 1:2). How is it “established”? And what will they say if those who heard it were made up by themselves? Бог не свидетельствовал бы о них, если бы они сами измыслили что-ни­будь. They testify, and at the same time God testifies. How does He testify? Not in a word, not in a voice, although that would be true, but how? “...by signs and wonders, and by various powers.” Well he said: “various powers,” expressing the abundance of talents; the ancients did not have such and such different signs. We believed them not simply, but because of the evidence of signs and wonders; therefore, they believed not them, but God himself. “And by the dispensing of the Holy Spirit according to His will.” How is it when both sorcerers perform signs and the Jews said about Christ that “He casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub” (Luke 11:15)? But they did not perform such signs; That’s why (Paul) says: “by various powers.” Those signs are not power, but powerlessness, fiction and empty actions; That’s why he says about these: “...And by the distribution of the Holy Spirit according to His will.” 5. Here, it seems to me, (the apostle) hints at something else; Probably there were few people there who had spiritual gifts, which became impoverished because the believers became less zealous. Therefore, in order to console them in this and protect them from falling, he attributes everything to the will of God: God himself, speaks, knows to whom what is useful, and thus distributes grace. He says the same thing in the letter to the Corinthians: “But God arranged the members, each one in the composition of the body, as He pleased” (1 Cor. 12:18) and again: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone for the benefit”, according to His will (1 Cor. 12:7), - proves that gifts depend on the will of the Father. Often many did not receive gifts for their unclean and careless lives; and sometimes people who led a good and clean life did not receive them; for what? So that they do not stumble, so that they do not become proud, so that they do not become careless, so that they do not become too proud. After all, if even without gifts the very consciousness of a pure life can arouse pride, then all the more (this is possible) when grace-filled gifts are added. That is why they were communicated more to humble and simple people, and especially to simple people who were, as Scripture says, “in joy and simplicity of heart” (Acts 2:46). Thus (the apostle’s admonition) could have a stronger effect on them and, if they were careless, excite them. A humble person who does not think much about himself becomes more zealous when he receives a gift, like a person who did not receive what he deserved and considers himself unworthy; and whoever thinks that he has shown merit considers the talent due and is exalted. Therefore, God arranges this matter with benefit in this way. This can be seen in the Church: one has the gift of teaching, while the other cannot even open his mouth. But let no one grieve because of this: “the manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone for the benefit.” If a person, a householder, knows who to entrust what to, then how much more does God, who sees the human mind and knows everything before it is done. Only one thing is worthy of sorrow - sin, and everything else - not at all. Don't say: Why don't I have wealth? - or: if I had it, I would give it to the poor. You don’t know, if you had, you wouldn’t become even more covetous; Now you say this, but in reality, having received it, perhaps you would have become different. Thus, when we are full, we think that we can fast; and when a little time passes, then other thoughts arise in us. Also, when we are not drunk, we think that we can overcome this passion; and when we surrender to it, we no longer (think). Don't say: why don't I have the gift of teaching? - or: if I had, I would edify many. You don’t know if you had, whether it would not serve to condemn you, and whether envy or laziness would force you to hide your talent. Now you are free from all this, and if you do not give the measure of torment, you are not subject to condemnation; and then you would be guilty of many things. However, even now you are not completely devoid of talent. Show us in small things what you would be like if you had (more): “unfaithful in small things,” says (the Lord), “unfaithful in many things... who will believe you” (Luke 16:10, 11)? Show me like a widow; she had two mites, and donated everything she had. Are you looking for wealth? Show that you despise small (property), so that I can entrust you with large things; and if you do not despise the first, then much less will you (despise) the last. Also regarding the gift of speech, show that you will properly use it for exhortation and persuasion. Do you have no external eloquence? Don't have a lot of thoughts? But you know the general (truths); you have a son, you have a neighbor, you have a friend, you have a brother, you have relatives; if you cannot make a long speech before the people in church, then you can exhort them in private; there is no need for floridity and lengthy speeches; show them that if you had the gift of speech, you would not be careless. If you are not diligent in small things, then how can I trust you in great things? And that everyone can really do this, listen to how Paul commanded this to the laity: “Encourage,” he says, “one another and edify one another” (1 Thess. 5:11); and again: “Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:18). God knows how much to give to each. Are you better than Moses? But listen to how he complained: “...did I,” he said, “carry all this people in my womb, and did I give birth to him, that You say to me: carry him in your arms, as a nanny carries a child?” (Num. 11:12). What about God? He separated it from the spirit and gave it to others (Num. 11:17), showing that if before he led (the Jews), it was not from his own gift, but from the Spirit. If you had a talent, you would often exalt yourself, often you would fall; you don't know yourself the way God knows you. Let us not say: what is this for, and what is it for? – when everything is arranged by God; Let us not demand an account from Him; this is extremely wicked and insane. We are slaves, and slaves, far removed from the Lord, not even knowing what is under our feet. Let us not test the advice of God, but let us preserve what he has given us, even if it is small, even if it is extremely small, and then we will certainly deserve praise; or better, (let’s not consider) any of God’s gifts to be small. Do you complain that you do not have the gift of teaching? But tell me: which gift seems greater to you, the gift of teaching or the gift of healing? Of course, the last one. But doesn’t giving sight to the blind seem more important to you than healing diseases? Doesn't raising the dead seem even greater to you? Well, tell me: doesn’t doing this with shade and towels seem more important to you than doing it with words? What do you want, tell me, to raise the dead through shadows and towels or to have the gift of teaching? Of course you will say: resurrect the dead through shadows and towels. 6. But if I prove to you that there is another gift that you can acquire that is much greater than this gift, and that, without acquiring it, you rightly lose the others, then what do you say? Moreover, such a gift can be acquired not by one, or two, but by everyone in general. I know that you are surprised and amazed, hearing that you can have a gift that is much greater than the gift of raising the dead, giving sight to the blind and doing what was done under the apostles; perhaps you even think it’s implausible. What kind of gift is this? Love. Trust me; These are not my words, but the words of Christ who spoke through Paul. What exactly is he saying? “Be zealous for great gifts, and I will show you an even more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31). What does it mean: “even more excellent”? His words mean the following: the Corinthians were then proud of their gifts and, having the gift of tongues, which is the least of the gifts, were proud of others. Therefore he says: Do you want to have gifts? I will show you the path to talents, not only the best, but also the most excellent. And then he says: “If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but do not have love, then I am a ringing gossamer or a sounding cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries, and have all knowledge and all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but do not have love, then I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13:1, 2). Do you see (what a) gift this is? Try to get it. It means more than raising the dead; it is far superior to all other gifts. And that this is really so, listen to what Christ says in his conversation with his disciples: “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Explaining how they learn, he did not say: by miracles, but why? “...if you have love for one another.” Also (in prayer) to the Father He says: “And they may be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:21); and He said to the disciples: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another” (John 13:34). Таким образом (человек любящий) превосходнее и славнее тех, которые воскрешают мёртвых, – и справедливо, – потому что последнее происходит всецело от благодати Божией, а первое вместе и от твоего усердия; первое свойственно истин­ному христианину, и доказывает, что он ученик Христов, распявшийся (для мира) и не имеющий ничего общего с землею; без этого самое мученичество не может принести никакой пользы, Чтобы тебе убедиться в этом, обрати внимание на следующее: блаженный Павел в двух отношениях достигнул высоты добродетелей, или лучше сказать, в трех, – в знамениях, в мудрости и в жизни; but without love, he says, all this is nothing. А каким образом это ничто, я объясню: «И если я раздам , – говорит, – все имение мое и отдам тело мое на сожжение, а любви не имею, нет мне в том никакой пользы» ( 1Кор. 13:2, 3 ), потому что и раздающий имение и расточающий деньги может не иметь любви. I said enough about this in the place where I spoke about love; I send those who want there. Let us, as I said, try to acquire this gift, we will begin to love each other, and we will not need anything else to succeed in virtues, but everything will be easily accomplished for us without effort, everything will be accomplished with great success. But, you say, we still love each other; one has two friends, another has three, and another has four. But this does not mean loving for God, but in order to be loved yourself; whoever loves for God does not have the same impulse to love, but is disposed towards everyone as to his brothers - he loves those of the same faith as his own brothers, but he pities heretics, pagans and Jews as his brothers by nature, only as unkind and useless, he laments and cries for them. We can become like God if we love everyone, even our enemies, and not if we perform signs; We are surprised at God, it is true, even when He works miracles, but much more when He shows humanity and mercy. If in God this is especially worthy of admiration, then even more so in people, and, therefore, it is obvious that this gives us special respect. Let us take care of this, and then we will have no less than Paul, Peter and others, who raised many dead, even if we could not heal fevers; and without love, even if they performed signs greater than the apostles themselves, even if they exposed themselves to countless dangers for the faith, there will be no benefit to us. It is not I who say this, but the pet of love himself knows this; we must trust him. In this way we will be able to receive the promised benefits, which may we all be worthy of 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. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” Some of the Arians argued that the word - God with a member (ό Θεός) is used in St. The Scriptures are only about God the Father, and from this they concluded that His Son, Jesus Christ, is not the true God. The saint refutes such wrong teaching here and in other places. You might be interested in: