A Word about the Meeting of our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as about the Mother of God, and about Simeon

Our Lord Jesus Christ not only puts on flesh, but also, in accordance with the law, is circumcised in order to take away the limit of Jewish unbelief. He goes to the law for the sake of the law, in order to free the disciples from the law through faith: he takes on flesh and is circumcised along with the Jews. He had fellowship in the flesh, and he had fellowship in the circumcision; strengthened the kinship so that they would not renounce the seed of Christ, who came from David, for whom they were waiting, showed proof of the kinship. In fact, if they said, although He was circumcised: “We do not know where He comes from” (John 9:29), then if He had not been circumcised in the flesh, their denial would have had a good pretext. So, “after eight days, when the child should have been circumcised” (Luke 2:21), Jesus expected the organ to enlarge. “After eight days have passed, when it was necessary to circumcise,” since the law commands circumcision on the 8th day, and if the 8th day comes, then the doctor goes out into the middle and takes an iron instrument in his hands and shows his skill, and for the sake of circumcision he neglects the Sabbath. Let us ask the Jews: Saturday is rest; this day is perfect rest; why does the 8th day replace the seventh? Why does the 8th day become higher than the 7th? But the Jews, of course, do not know about Jewish affairs; The Church of Christ knows Christ and Jewish teachings. The child is circumcised on the 8th day, because on the 8th day there was to be a resurrection, that is, the Lord's circumcision of the whole world. Why didn't Moses command circumcision on the 6th day? Why not in the 9th or 10th? The 8th day is clear, on which the Lord rises. So, if anyone does not believe in the resurrection, he is not circumcised in heart, he is alienated from God through unbelief. Circumcision is the true knowledge and understanding of faith. Therefore, beloved, circumcision is transmitted to the faithful through holy baptism, and holy baptism is an image of Christ’s resurrection. Therefore, move from the flesh to the spirit, rise from the bodily to the spiritual, and you will find there carnal circumcision, and here spiritual circumcision and cleansing of sins. 8th day – circumcision; 8th – also resurrection; and baptism is an image of resurrection; ascent occurs from small things to large ones, from bodily ones to more spiritual ones. Therefore, let the Jews come and succeed, since it is necessary to succeed in comparison with the physical, and not remain with the same thing. Of course, our Lord Jesus Christ, who came “not to destroy... the law, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17), was circumcised along with the Jews. Therefore, the evangelist says: “After eight days, when the Child should have been circumcised, they gave Him the name Jesus, which the angel had called before He was conceived in the womb” (Luke 2:21). We are called after birth, but Jesus is called before birth, because He was before conception. He was called Jesus because he had the work of a savior. “And when,” says (Scripture), “the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled” (Luke 2:22). Whose purification? Mary and Joseph, because the law commanded the wife-parent to remain separately from the pure, to wait for certain days and not leave the house. So, “when the days of purification were fulfilled ... according to the law of Moses (although this was not necessary for the Virgin, but, nevertheless, the law was fulfilled) they brought Him to Jerusalem to present before the Lord, as is prescribed in the law of the Lord" (Luke 2:22-23). Where we talk about bodily cleansing, (Scripture) says: “according to the law of Moses”; where - about the presentation of the saint, he says: “as prescribed in the law of the Lord” - not because the law of Moses was not the law of the Lord, - after all, if the prophet speaks, speaking with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, he speaks not himself, but the Lord inspires - but, however, since the cleansing had a bodily image, then (Scripture) speaks about the Mosaic law, and since the firstborn Child was coming, he says: according to the law the Lord, honoring what is born: as it is written in the law of the Lord: “as it is prescribed in the law of the Lord, that every male child who opens the womb should be dedicated to the Lord” (Luke 2:23). So, this word, and the whole law, and the reason for the law - everything was supposed to be false for the sake of Him who had to open. All first-born beings from animals and people never opened their lies, but were only first-born. Who did the Virgin give birth to? He alone opened the falsehood. So, pay attention, I ask, to the establishment of the whole law for the sake of Him alone who was born of the Virgin. How could the Jews understand this institution? Being carnal, they could not be further removed from comprehending thoughts that require spiritual understanding. Then they come to give “the sacrifice according to the law of the Lord, two turtle doves or two chicks of doves” (Luke 2:24). This also happened educationally in accordance with the law, so as not to leave anything in the law unfulfilled. These allegories agree with the law, but let’s move on to the gospel narrative: “Then there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was a righteous and pious man...and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It was foretold to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he saw Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:25–26). There was Elder Simeon, and he was waiting for the fulfillment of the gospel; he remained in the church, speaking to himself like this: “Wherever He is born, in any case He will come here.” This elder “came by inspiration to the church” at that hour “when the parents brought the Child” (Luke 2:27). He often came, but on his own business; then, guided by the Holy Spirit, he comes in due time so that what was promised to him would be fulfilled. “He took Him in his arms, blessed God and said: Now you are letting Your servant go, O Master, in peace, according to Your word” (Luke 2:28–29). Where are you releasing from? From the ditch of this life, because its circumstances are sad, this life is a prison. So, he wanted to be released; If anyone considers removal from here to be a punishment, he is not yet perfect in faith. And so he said: “Now you are releasing Your servant, O Master, according to Your word, in peace,” because He who has come to bring peace to the world has appeared; the Peacemaker came, connecting heaven with earth, and appeared, making the earth heaven through the mediation of the Gospel teaching. Simeon exclaims: “Now you are releasing Your servant, O Master, according to Your word, in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation” (Luke 2:29-30) - he says. What does what he said mean? This means: “Formerly I believed by thought and knew by thought; now my eyes have seen and what I expected in my heart, now my eyes have seen it already accomplished.” So what? “My eyes have seen Your salvation,” which one? “Which You have prepared before the face of all nations” (Luke 2:30–31), not just one nation and not Israel only, but “before the face of all nations,” because the one born is the Teacher of the whole universe. “A light to enlighten the Gentiles and glory to Your people Israel” (Luke 2:32). Why light? Because the nations were in darkness and because He enlightened the nations immersed in darkness. "A light for the enlightenment of the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel". Here is glory and there is revelation; there is the beginning of learning, and here is the subsequent teaching. "The glory of your people Israel". But, of course, someone will say: “Where are the Israelis? You have Peter, you have Paul, you have John, “you have three thousand people” (Acts 2:41), “you have five thousand people” (Acts 4:4), you have the Jerusalem church, you have the Jews who believed,” since this people was among those who believed. “If the Lord of hosts had not left us seeds, we would have been like Sodom, we would have become like Gomorrah” (Is. 1:9). God says: “Nevertheless I have left among the Israelites seven thousand [men]; none of these bowed the knee to Baal” (1 Kings 19:18). Thus, the seed of faith was preserved in this people, and the whole people did not perish. It won't happen! And all the Jews did not perish, since even now in this blessed state and title, although “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 20:16). Christ called the whole world and prepared the holy food of the Gospel. But when he comes the second time, he will enter and make a choice and carefully examine those reclining; and if he finds that one of those reclining does not have a wedding robe, he will say to him: “friend! How did you come here not wearing wedding clothes?” (Matthew 22:12). And he will reject him, just as we heard in the gospels. So, there was a choice there, and there will be a choice here. Based on the fact that we are called, should we really behave arrogantly, as if we had achieved perfection? Let the fall of the first people be our safety. Thus, beloved, not all of this people perished, and not all of them were corrupted, and not all of them showed unbelief, and not all of them persecuted the apostles, but through the apostles three thousand believed, not counting women and children 1 (Acts 2:41). And in Jerusalem there was a church of many thousands, when the church had not yet been destroyed, when the Jews had not yet been expelled, when Jerusalem had not yet been destroyed. The church was created, and John's words turned out to be the obvious truth: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Therefore Simeon, being a prophet, says: “Glory to your people Israel.” The glory of those who waited was the meeting of the One who was expected. Joseph and Mary glorify what was said; the angel preached the gospel, the wise men knew, the shepherds listened, the armies of angels triumphed, the star from above pointed, Simeon prophesied, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, prophesied, the earth rejoiced, the sky through the star announced, the wise men refused to obey the tyrant, the shepherds bowed to the Archpastor, everything was known, the Mother knew, Joseph heard, they trembled at such deeds, after the outcome of the affairs they understood. And I blessed Simeon and spoke to Mary, His Mother: “Behold, this One is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel and for a sign that cannot be reproached 2” (Luke 2:34). Whose fall? It is clear that - unbelievers, bickering, crucifying. Whose uprising? Those who recognize and wisely confess Him. And a sign that can be disputed. What is the controversial sign? The sign of the cross, which the church knows as saving the world, is a sign against which the Jews are at enmity, which was often proclaimed by heaven. Controversy meets this sign so that truth may win, because without controversy victory is not complete. It was necessary for a dispute to take place, so that the Judge would patiently pronounce judgment throughout all eternity. Therefore (Scripture) says: and a sign is contradicted; It is the disbelievers who discover the bickering. And you, says (Scripture), are considered His Mother. So, will you not be subject to temptation, after you have confessed that you are the Mother, after you have given birth to Him, after, you believe, you have contained Him for a while in your womb? Your womb was a vessel for the action of the Spirit. Will you remain impervious to temptation after you have become the Mother of God, after you have conceived, being unartificial, and after you have become the Mother of your Creator? Will you remain immune to temptation? Even you will not remain immune from the latter, but “a weapon will pierce your own soul” (Luke 2:35). - Why, Lord? How have I sinned? - You, of course, have not sinned in anything: but when you see that He is hanging on the cross, when you see that He suffers for the world, when you see that His hands are outstretched on the cross and nailed to the tree, then you will begin to doubt and say: “Is this really the One about whom the angel talked to me? Is this really the One in relation to Whom My miraculous conception happened? I was a virgin and gave birth, and remained a Virgo. Why is He crucified? “And a weapon will pierce your very soul.” So, no one remained immune from temptation, according to the prophecy of the righteous Simeon. Peter, the chief of the apostles, denied three times; the other disciples, leaving Christ, ran away. The shepherd does not need protection from the sheep by driving away the wolves; and the Champion had no need of helpers, but everyone retreated; Christ was alone, like a hanging ram. So the weapon and her soul passed away; namely, temptation and doubt. And a weapon will pierce your very soul, “so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:35). So, Jesus suffers to expose unbelief, to confirm the good thinking of believers. The sign meets controversy, so that those who argue because of their wickedness may be exposed. If the truth did not encounter any contradiction from people, then piety would have to be untested; the assumption of controversy means that the already tested truth is chosen. The sign meets the enemy, since otherwise how would the martyrs be tested during the persecution? How would they compete, showing themselves to be winners due to their toughness? Look how much benefit wrangling has brought; it created not just the faithful, as others may say, but also such witnesses who went forward to the point of torment and death and with their patience presented evidence in favor of Christ’s grace. So, when Simeon says: “This one is set for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is to be reproached,” then one must think that He neither causes the fall nor forcibly causes the uprising; but it is meant to fall for those who stumble over the stumbling block, but to rise up for those who believe of their own free will; lies as if someone said: “The light is shining so that those who are healthy can see, and so that those with sick eyes will flee even more from the rays of light.” How would some who were worthy of exposure fall, and others would rise up, having good hopes of their own free will, if the sign were not contradicted? As Simeon says: “and it is a sign that can be contradicted”? So that the bickering does not seem strange to believers. And that even the truth of God meets with contradiction with the permission of God is clear, since no one could show contradiction if God did not allow it; This permission is necessary so that those who are worthy become obvious. There will be a time when there will be no room left for arguing, because when a sign shines from heaven, then “every knee will bow, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confesses that Christ is Lord... to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11). The sign itself only appears and serves as a sign, and the sign is contradicted until He is in any way visible. Who is signified, and after the signified One Himself is revealed at His second coming, then no one will dare to contradict the sign, since the Signed One will appear against those who argue, having a deity obvious to everyone. Then those who accepted the sign will be glorified by the One who was signified, and those who contradicted the sign will be condemned by those who appeared; doubt, the end of unbelief, the beginning of rewards for exploits and crowns, which, oh, that we would all achieve in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. “not counting women and children” is absent in Acts 2 and is taken by analogy with the story of the miracle of the multiplication of loaves (Matthew 15:38) - I.I. In Russian translation inaccurate: “subject of controversy”. Since Chrysostom here and further speaks specifically about the sign, I considered it necessary to leave the exact translation as in glory. – I.I. An allusion to the sacrifice of Abraham, who sacrificed a ram in place of his son. This word in Minya's edition belongs to the category Spuria, that is, unfoundedly attributed to St. I. Chrysostom.