Беседа 6

Hebrews 3:7–11. Why, as the Holy Spirit says, now, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the time of murmuring, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, where your fathers tempted Me, tried Me, and saw My works for forty years. Therefore I was indignant at this generation and said: they continually err in heart, they have not known My ways; therefore I have sworn in My wrath that they shall not enter My rest. 1. Having mentioned hope, and said that “we are His house, if we hold fast the confidence and the hope in which we boast, firmly to the end,” Paul further proves that we must have sure hope, and assures of this by the testimony of the Scriptures. Be careful, because he expressed this somewhat unclearly and incomprehensibly. Therefore, having said in advance everything that is necessary on our part and briefly outlined to you the whole essence of the subject, we will then turn to what is written; and as soon as you learn the intention of the apostle, you will no longer have need of us. He talked about hope and what the future should expect and that there would certainly be some reward, retribution and peace for those who worked here. Now he proves it by the testimony of a prophet. What is he saying? “Why, as the Holy Spirit says, now, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the time of murmuring, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, where your fathers tempted Me, tried Me, and saw My works for forty years. Therefore I was indignant at this generation and said: they continually err in heart, they have not known My ways; therefore I swore in My wrath that they should not enter My rest.” He says that there are three kinds of rest: one is the rest of the Sabbath, in which God rested from his works; the other is Palestinian peace, when the Jews (having entered Palestine) had to calm down from many disasters and labors; the third and true peace is the Kingdom of Heaven, which whoever has achieved truly calms down from labors and sorrows. Thus he mentions here three (kinds of rest). Why, when discussing one, did he mention three? To show what the prophet said about the latter; He didn’t talk about the first one, since that one happened a long time ago; and not about the second one, which was in Palestine, since this one has already ended, but he says: “They will not enter My rest.” There remains a third one, which he is talking about. However, these historical events need to be told to make the words clearer. (The Jews) having come out of Egypt, having made a long journey and having received thousands of signs of the power of God, in Egypt, on the Red Sea, in the desert, they wanted to send spies to observe the properties of the (promised) land. When the messengers, returning, expressed their surprise at this land and said that it bountifully bore excellent fruits, but that it was possessed by strong and invincible people, then the ungrateful and insensitive Jews, instead of remembering the previous benefits of God and how He not only delivered them from danger when they were surrounded by Egyptian troops, but also gave them the opportunity to take possession of the spoils, also how in the desert He cut stone and gave abundant streams of water and sent down manna and, remembering all these and other miracles that He performed, having faith in God, they did not think about any of this, as if nothing had happened, and, giving in to fear, they wanted to return again to Egypt, saying: God brought us here to destroy us with our children and wives (Ex. 17:3; Number 20:4). Therefore, God, angry that they so quickly forgot about the past, swore that the generation that said this would not achieve peace - and indeed, they all died in the desert. If David later, after this generation, said: “Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as at the time of murmuring,” - for what? - so that you do not suffer the same thing that your forefathers suffered and lose peace, it is clear that he was pointing in his words to some other peace. If he were talking about the peace they had achieved, then why would he again tell them like this: “Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the time of murmuring”? What other rest is this than the kingdom of heaven, of which the Sabbath is the image and likeness? Having laid out the whole testimony, which is this: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the time of murmuring, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, where your fathers tempted Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore I was indignant at this generation and said: they continually err in heart, they have not known My ways; therefore I swore in My anger that they would not enter My rest,” (the apostle) further says: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil and unfaithful heart, lest you depart from the living God” (Heb. 3:12). Unbelief comes from cruelty. Just as hardened and rough bodies do not yield to the efforts of doctors, so hardened souls do not obey the word of God. Probably among them there were those who did not believe in the truth of what was said; That’s why he says: “See to it, brethren, that there is not an evil and unfaithful heart in any of you, lest you depart from the living God.” Since speech about the future is not accepted with the same conviction as speech about the past, he reminds them of historical events in which faith was also lacking. If, he says, your fathers, not trusting as they should have hoped, suffered such calamities, then much more will you (suffer), because what was said applies to them too. The word “now” means “always” as long as the world stands. “But instruct one another every day, as long as you can say, “Today,” i.e. edify one another, correct yourselves, so that (to you) the same does not happen. “Lest any of you become hardened by being deceived by sin” (Heb. 3:13). 2. Do you see that sin produces unbelief? Just as unbelief is the cause of a vicious life, so on the contrary, when the soul descends into the depths of evil, it becomes disobedient, and having become disobedient, it does not want to believe in order to drown out the fear within itself. “And they said,” says (Scripture), “the Lord will not see, and the God of Jacob will not know” (Ps. 93:7); and again: “Our mouth is with us; Who is our master” (Ps. 11:5)? and again: “Why does the wicked despise God” (Ps. 9:34)? and again: “The madman said in his heart: “There is no God.” They have become corrupt and have committed vile deeds” (Ps. 13:1); and again: “there is no fear of God before his eyes”; and again: “for he flatters himself in his own eyes, as if he seeks out his iniquity in order to hate it” (Ps. 36:2, 3). And Christ expresses the same thing when he says: “For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light” (John 3:20). Then (the apostle) continues: “For we have become partakers of Christ” (Heb. 3:14). What does it mean: “became partakers of Christ”? We have become, he says, partakers of Him; we and He have become one; He is the Head, and we are His body, joint heirs and co-fellows; we are one body with Him, of His flesh and of His bones. “If only we firmly preserve the life we ​​have begun to the end.” What does it mean: “begun life”? He speaks here of faith, by which we exist, and are born, and become, so to speak, one being (with Him). Then he adds: “until it is said: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the time of murmuring”” (Heb. 3:15). Here he makes a transition; and then he says this: “Therefore let us be afraid, lest, while the promise of entering into His rest remains, any of you may be found to be late. For it was announced to us as well as to those; but the word they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with the faith of those who heard it” (Heb. 4:1, 2). “As long as it is said: “Today, when you hear His voice.” Here - “now” means: always. Then he adds: “but the word they heard did not benefit them, not being mixed with the faith of those who heard” (Heb. 4:2), explaining why the word did not benefit them, precisely because they did not benefit because they did not apply (their faith). Further, wanting to frighten them, he expresses the same thing in the following words: “For some of those who heard grumbled; but not all who came out of Egypt were with Moses. With whom was He indignant for forty years? Is it not on those who sinned, whose bones fell in the wilderness? Against whom did he swear that they would not enter His rest, if not against the disobedient? Therefore we see that they could not enter because of unbelief” (Heb. 3:16–19). Having repeated the testimony, he adds a question to make his words clear. “Why, as the Holy Spirit says,” says, “now, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the time of murmuring.” Which hardened ones does he remind of, which unbelievers? Isn't it about the Jews? The meaning of his words is as follows: they also heard, he says, just as we hear, but they did not receive any benefit. So, do not think that you will benefit from just hearing a sermon; and they heard, but received no benefit, because they did not believe. But Caleb and Joshua (Joshua), who did not mingle with the unbelievers, i.e. did not agree, they escaped the punishment that befell them. And here’s what’s remarkable: it doesn’t say: they didn’t agree, but: they didn’t mix, i.e. did not take part in the indignation, while all the others unanimously rebelled. Here, it seems to me, (the apostle) is hinting at some kind of confusion. “But we enter into rest,” he says, “we who have believed” (Heb. 4:3). Then he confirms this by adding: “since He said: “I swore in My wrath that they should not enter My rest,” although His works were completed at the beginning of the world.” Since another could say that these (words) show not that we will enter, but that they did not enter, then what does (the apostle) do? First, he tries to show that just as the first peace did not prevent the other from being called peace, so this one does not interfere with heavenly peace; and then wants to show that (the Jews) have not achieved peace. And that he really says this is clear from the following addition: “For nowhere is it said about the seventh day like this: and God rested on the seventh day from all His work. And here again: “they will not enter My rest” (Heb. 4:4, 5). Do you see how the first did not interfere with the second peace? “Therefore,” he says, “just as it remains for some to enter into it, but those who were previously told did not enter into it because of disobedience, he still determines a certain day, “now,” speaking through David, after such a long time, as it is said above: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb. 4:6, 7). What do these words mean? Since someone, he says, must certainly enter, but they did not enter, then (God) determines another third rest. And what should enter and someone will certainly enter, it is he, let’s listen to how he proves it. (Proves) by the fact that “after such a long time, David again says: “Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, there would have been no mention of another day after that” (Heb. 4:7, 8). Obviously, he says this because someone will receive future reward. “Therefore there still remains a Sabbath for the people of God” (Heb. 4:9). Where can you see this? From the commandment: “Do not harden your hearts.” If there had been no other Sabbath, they would not have been commanded and commanded not to do the same, so as not to suffer the same, if the same fate did not await them. How could those who possess Palestine suffer the same fate if there were no other peace? 3. Well (the apostle) concluded his speech; did not say: peace, but: “Saturday”, he actually used the name that pleased his listeners and pleased them. And by Sabbath he means the kingdom. Just as on the Sabbath it was commanded to abstain from all evil deeds and to engage only in works of service to God, which were performed by the priests and brought benefit to the soul, and nothing else - so (it will be) then. However, that’s not what he said, but how? “For whoever has entered into His rest has also rested from his own works, just as God did from His” (Heb. 4:10). As God rested, he says, from His works, so he who entered into His rest (rests). Since he spoke to them about peace, and it was very desirable to hear when this peace would come, he concludes his speech in this way. The word: “today,” he said so that they would never lose hope. “But instruct 6,” he says, “one another every day, as long as you can say: “today”” - that is, if anyone sins, let him have hope as long as “today” exists. Let no one despair while he is alive. Especially, he says, “so that there may not be in any of you an evil and unfaithful heart”; if it does, then let no one despair, but correct himself, because while we are in this world, “now” takes place. Here he speaks not only of unbelief, but also of murmuring. “Whose bones,” he says, “fell in the wilderness.” Then, so that no one would think that then there would simply be no rest given, he adds punishment, saying: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any sword double-edged: it penetrates to the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). Here he speaks of hell and punishment, he says, passes to the innermost places (refuges) of our heart and penetrates the soul. Here there will no longer be a fall of bones, no deprivation of the earth, as there, but (the loss of) the kingdom of heaven and surrender to eternal Gehenna, endless punishment and torment. “But instruct (comfort) one another.” Notice his meekness and kindness; did not say: reproach, but: “instruct (comfort).” This is how we should deal with those who are overcome by grief! He says the same thing in his letter to Thessalonians: “Admonish the disorderly”; As for the faint-hearted, it is not so - but how? – “comfort the faint-hearted, support the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thess. 5:14). What does it mean: “comfort”? In other words: do not deprive him of hope, do not lead him to despair, because whoever does not console someone oppressed by sorrow leads him into greater bitterness. “So that none of you becomes hardened, being deceived by sin.” Here he either means deception from the devil - because truly deception is not to expect anything in the future, to think that our deeds are not accountable, that we will not suffer punishment for our deeds here, and that there will be no resurrection - or here flattery means carelessness or despair - because in fact deception - says: what can I do? I sinned once and have no hope of reforming. Further (the apostle) instills hope in them: “For we,” he says, “have become partakers of Christ,” as if he were saying: He who loved us so much, deigned us to have such blessings that he made us his body, will not despise those who are perishing. Let us think, he says, what we have been worthy of: we and Christ are one. Let us not harbor disbelief towards Him. Here he again hints at what he said elsewhere: “if we endure, we will also reign with Him” (2 Tim. 2:12); This is exactly what the words mean: “they became partakers,” i.e. we have a share in the things that belong to Christ. He borrows convictions either from pleasant objects: “we have become,” he says, “partakers of Christ,” or from sorrowful ones: “let us fear lest, while the promise of entering His rest remains, any of you will be late,” because this is reliable and known. “They tempted Me,” he says, “and they saw My works for forty years.” Do you see that you should not demand an account from God, but believe Him, whether He saves you from disasters or not? And he now reproaches those for tempting God. After all, anyone who wants to receive proof of power, or providence, or care (of God) does not yet believe that He is omnipotent and loving of mankind. (The apostle) also hints at this in this epistle, since they, perhaps, wanted to receive confirmation and proof of His power and providence for them in temptations. Do you see how irritation and anger always come from unbelief? What does he say (further)? “Therefore there still remains a Sabbath for the people of God.” Notice the order of his entire speech. (God) swore, he says, to the ancients that they would not enter into rest, and they did not enter. Then, long after them, turning to the Jews, he said: “Do not harden your hearts, as in the time of murmuring, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, where your fathers tempted Me.” From this it is clear that there is another peace, because it is not about Palestine that is being spoken here - they already owned it - and not about the seventh day - we are not talking about this day that happened a long time ago. Therefore, it points to some other, true peace. 4. Indeed, this is a peace in which there is no illness, no sorrow, no sighing, in which there are no worries, no labors, no sorrows, no fear that strikes and shakes the soul, but there is only the fear of God, filled with joy. The words are not heard there: “By the sweat of your face you will eat bread,” and: “It will bring forth thorns and thistles for you” (Gen. 3:18, 19); there are no thorns and thistles; I can’t hear: “You will give birth to children in illness; and your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you” (Gen. 3:16). Everything is there - peace, joy, fun, sweetness, goodness, meekness, truth, love. There is no envy, no hatred, no illness, no physical death, no spiritual death, no darkness, no night; everything there is day, everything is light, everything is pleasure; there is neither fatigue nor satiety, but there will be a constant desire for the same benefits. Would you like me to give you some picture of the conditions there? This is impossible; however, I will try to depict it to you as best as possible. Let us turn our gaze to the sky when it, not darkened by any cloud, reveals its crown to us; then, after contemplating its beauty for a long time, let us imagine that under us the land will not be the same as it is now, but as much better as a golden roof is better than clay roofs; Let us further imagine the next, then even higher roof, then angels, archangels, innumerable hosts of ethereal forces, the very royal dwelling of God, the throne of the Father. But it is impossible, as I said, to depict everything in words; must be experienced and known through experience. Tell me: how do you think Adam lived in paradise? And that life will be as many times better than this life as heaven is better than earth. But let's look for another comparison. If it happened to the ruler now to take possession of the entire universe, then not to have worries either from wars or from worries, but only to receive honors and enjoy, surround himself with many spearmen, receive streams of gold from everywhere, and be in glory, then what state do you think his soul would be in if he saw that wars had stopped throughout the whole earth? Something similar will happen then. However, this still does not give us a sufficient image (of the future life); therefore we need to look for another (comparison). Imagine that a royal child, who does not feel anything while in the womb, would, upon emerging from there, suddenly ascend to the royal throne and not gradually, but suddenly receive everything. This will be the situation then. Or (it will be similar to the state of) a prisoner who, having suffered many evils, would suddenly be elevated to the royal throne. But even in this way we still do not present an accurate image, because here, no matter what benefits someone receives, even the kingdom itself, on the first day he feels a living joy, and on the second, and on the third, over time, although the joy still remains, but not the same, from habit it always decreases, no matter what it is; and there (joy) not only does not decrease, but even increases. Think what it will be like when the soul, having departed from here, does not expect either a cessation or a change in those benefits, but, on the contrary, an increase, and (enjoy) a life that has no end, free from all danger, from all care and sorrow, filled with pleasures and countless benefits. If we, going out into the field and seeing there the tents of warriors dressed in veils, and spears, and helmets, the bulges of shields shining with brilliance, we come to admiration from such a spectacle; if, having been worthy to see the king walking among them, or riding on a horse with golden weapons, we think that we have achieved everything, then what do you think will happen when you see the eternal shelters of the saints established in heaven - after all, it is said: “they have received you into eternal abodes” (Luke 16:9), - when you see that everyone shines brighter than the rays of the sun, not from copper and iron, but from that eternal glory, the brilliance of which the human eye cannot see? And it will be with people; and what can we say about the darkness of angels, archangels, cherubim, seraphim, thrones, dominions, principalities, powers, whose beauty is inexplicable and surpasses all imagination? However, how long should I try to portray the incomprehensible? “Eye has not seen,” says (the apostle), “ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Therefore, there are none more worthy of pity than those who are deprived of these benefits, and none more blessed than those who receive them. May we also be worthy to be among these blessed ones, so that we may receive eternal blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord, 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” This word can also be translated as "comfort" (παρακαλειτε), a meaning closer to Chrysostom's interpretation. – I.N. You might be interested in: