КЛЯТВА

Let us cut off frequent oaths from our lips, bridle our tongues - let no one swear by God. It does not require costs, does not require labor, does not require lengthy training: just want it and it’s all over, because it is a matter of habit. Yes, I ask and implore you, we will make every effort to do this. Tell me: if I ordered (you) to contribute money (for me), wouldn’t each of you willingly bring it to the best of your ability? If you saw me in extreme danger, would you not give up even a part of your body if it could be taken away? And now I am in danger - and in great danger, so that if I were in prison, or received thousands of blows, or was in the mines, then I would not grieve anymore. Extend a helping hand. Think how great the danger is when you cannot do even this extremely small task: I call it very small because of the work it requires. What will I say then in response to the accusations? Why didn’t you expose him? Why didn’t you command it? Why didn't he lay down the law? Why didn’t you restrain the disobedient ones? It will not be enough if I say: I exhorted. But it was necessary, it will be said to me, to use stronger censure. After all, Eli also exhorted, but God forbid comparing you with his children! And he exhorted, and he said: “My children, the report that I hear about you is not good” (1 Samuel 2:24); and yet the Scripture further says that he did not admonish his sons (see 1 Samuel 3:13), and says this because he did not admonish strictly and not reproachfully. Isn’t it strange that in Jewish synagogues the laws have such power, although everything is commanded by the one who teaches, but here we are in such disdain and contempt? I do not care about my glory (my glory is your good life); but about your salvation. Every day we cry, we proclaim in your ears, and while no one listens, we do not show any severity. I am afraid that for this inappropriate and great leniency we will not be given an answer on the day of the future Judgment. Therefore, in a loud and clear voice, I declare to everyone and beg that those who are guilty of this crime and utter words stemming from hostility (see Matt. 5:37) - and this is an oath - do not cross the church threshold. But let this month be assigned to you for correction. Don't tell me: necessity forces me because they don't believe me. Leave the habitual vows for now. I know that many will laugh at us, but it is better for us to be laughed at now than to cry then. Yes, and crazy people will laugh; in fact, tell me, who with a right mind would laugh at the fact that commandment (10) is being kept? Abraham and those who were with him concluded many agreements, made sacrifices, made offerings, but there was no oath yet. Where did the oath come from? When iniquities multiplied, when everything fell into extreme disorder, when [people] inclined towards idolatry, it was then - then, when they were no longer worthy of faith, that they began to call God as a witness, presenting them as a faithful guarantor in what they said. After all, this is what an oath consists of - a guarantee - because they no longer trust honesty. Consequently, it first of all serves as an accusation to the one who swears, if he is not believed without a guarantor, and, moreover, without a great guarantor, because from great distrust it happens that they demand not a person, but God, as a witness. Во-вторых, столько же виновен бывает и тот, кто принимает клятву, если он, споря об условиях, влечет Бога в поручительство и говорит, что не поверит, если не будет иметь Его [поручительства]. What extreme insensitivity! What a reproach! You are a worm, earth, ashes and smoke, attracting your Master to guarantee and forcing Him to be [the guarantee]. Tell me: if, while your servants were arguing among themselves and did not trust each other, one of the slaves said that he would not believe until he had a common master as a guarantor, would he not have received a thousand blows and would he not have learned that the master should be used for other things, and not for this? What am I saying about the slave [and the master]? Even if he had chosen [another] respectable person, would he not have considered such a choice a disgrace for himself? But you say, I don’t want to. Wonderful! In this case, do not force God, when it happens among people that if someone says: I will present such and such as a guarantor, you do not take on [this guarantee]. Well, you say, should I really lose what I gave? I don’t say this, but [I say] that you insult God. Therefore, the one who forces [an oath] will be punished even more inevitably than the one who swears, just as the one who swears when no one demands. And - what is especially painful - everyone swears because of one ovol, because of a small benefit, because of injustice. This [I'm talking about those cases] when there will be no perjury; if oath-breaking follows, then everything will be in extreme disorder, and both the one who took and the one who gave (the oath) will be to blame for everything. But sometimes something unknown happens, you say? And you provide for this and do not do anything frivolously; If you do something frivolously, then retaliate against yourself for the harm. It is better to suffer harm in this way than in any other way. Tell me, when you demand an oath from a person, what do you expect? Is it because he will break his oath? But this is extreme madness, because the punishment will fall on your head. It's better for you to lose money than for him to die. Why are you doing this to harm yourself and to offend God? This is characteristic of a brutal soul and a wicked person. But I [say] I hope that he will not break his oath? In this case, believe him without an oath. But many, you might say, decided to deceive without an oath, but after taking an oath, they didn’t. You're being deceived, man! Those who are accustomed to stealing and offending their neighbors often decide to trample on their oath. He who reveres an oath will be all the more afraid of causing offense. But will he do it unwillingly? In this case, he deserves forgiveness. But what do I say about these oaths, leaving the oaths [that are] on the market? There you cannot say anything like that, because because of the ten ovols there are oaths and perjuries. Since lightning does not fall from the sky, since not everything is overthrown, then you stand and keep God [with you]. For what? To get some garden greens to [take] shoes. For a few silver coins you call Him as a witness. But if we are not punished, we will not think that we are not sinning. This comes from God’s love for mankind, and not from our virtue. Swear by your son, swear by yourself; say: let the executioner come to my sides. But you are afraid [of this]. So is God more dishonest than your sides? Is He really more insignificant than your head? Say: let me go blind! But Christ spares us so much that he forbids us to swear even with our own heads, and we do not spare the glory of God to such an extent that we attract Him everywhere. Don’t you know what God is and with what lips you should call on Him? When talking about some virtuous person, we say: wash your mouth and then remember him; and yet the venerable name, which is above every name - a wonderful name throughout the whole earth, hearing which the demons tremble - we pronounce everywhere recklessly. Oh, habit! It was from her that [this name] is neglected. After all, if you forced someone to swear by the holy house, you, without a doubt, would consider it a terrible oath. Why does this seem so terrible if not because we use that [oath] indiscriminately, but not this one? Otherwise, shouldn’t one shudder when pronouncing the name of God? Among the Jews this name was so sacred that it was written on tablets and no one was allowed to wear these letters except the high priest; and now we pronounce this name everywhere as usual. If it is not permissible for everyone to simply call God, then tell me, what audacity, what madness, to call upon Him as a witness? After all, even if everything had to be abandoned, shouldn’t one willingly agree to it? So I say and urgently demand: leave these oaths that happen in the square, and bring everyone who does not obey to me. In your presence, I command those who are assigned to serve the houses of prayer, I instill in them and declare that no one is allowed to swear recklessly, or better yet, no matter what. So, bring [the swearer] to me, whoever he is, because this too should reach us as if you were little children. But God forbid that this happens! It's a shame if you still need to learn anything. Do you dare, without being initiated into the secrets, to touch the sacred meal? But what’s even worse is that you, initiated into the mysteries, dare to touch the sacred meal, which not all priests are allowed to touch, and thus you swear! When you leave [the house] you don’t even touch a child’s head, but you touch the meal and you don’t tremble or be afraid? Bring such [people] to me! I will carry out a trial and release them both with joy. Do what you want: I believe the law is not to swear. What hope of salvation is there when we humiliate everything so much? Is it really for this record, for this obligation, that you sacrifice your soul to them? Are you gaining as much as you are losing? Will you break your oath [to whom you have bound it]? You ruined both him and yourself. Didn't you violate it? And in this case, you destroyed him by forcing him to break the commandment. Let's remove this disease from our souls. First of all, we will drive it out of the market, from shops and from all other trading establishments. We will get more profit from this. Do not think that by violating divine laws, everyday affairs go better. But you say they don’t believe me? Indeed, I have sometimes heard from some people that if I do not utter thousands of oaths, they will not believe me. You yourself are the reason for this, because you swear frivolously. And if this were not the case and if everyone knew that you do not swear, then believe my words that you would only make a sign, and you would be believed more than those who use thousands of oaths. Now, tell me, whom do you believe more: me, although I do not swear, or those who swear? But you, you say, are a boss and a bishop? What if I prove that this is not why only [believe me]? Answer me with all sincerity, I ask you: if I swore often and always, would my position of authority help? Not at all. Do you see that this is not why [believe me]? And what benefit, tell me, do you finally gain? Paul suffered hunger; Make up your mind and it is better for you to endure hunger than to break any of God’s commandments. Why are you so unfaithful? Is it possible that even if you decide to do everything and endure everything in order not to swear, God will not reward you? After all, every day He feeds those who break oaths and (people) who often swear: will He really give you over to hunger because you listened to Him? Let everyone know that none of those who gather in this church swear! Let us be known for this, and not just for faith! Let this be our difference from the pagans and from all [people]! Let us receive the seal from heaven, so that we may appear everywhere as if it were a royal flock! Let them immediately recognize us as barbarians by our speech and language, and let us be distinguished from the barbarians by this, like those who know Greek! Tell me: how are so-called parrots recognized? Is it not because they speak humanly? So let us also be recognized by the fact that we speak like the apostles, we speak like the Angels. If anyone says: swear, then let him hear that Christ commanded not to swear, and I do not swear. This is enough to introduce every virtue. This is a kind of door to piety, a path leading to reverent wisdom, this is a kind of school (10). He who swears cannot help but break his oath, willy-nilly, and he who breaks his oath cannot be saved. A single violation of an oath can do everything and bring upon us the full punishment (10). You might be interested in: