Мысли при чтении апостольских посланий

Conciliar Epistle of the Holy Apostle James Chapter 1, v. 6 and 7. Whoever does not have living faith in his prayers and is wavered by doubts, besides the unpleasant comparison with the waves of the sea, raised and broken against the rocks by the wind, is a double-minded person, fickle, windy in all his affairs or, according to the Apostle, not firm in all his ways. What a wonderful, unique, accurate comparison of a person who doubts prayer with the waves! So you see that the soul of such a person either rises to God with the desire and hope of receiving the good he asks for from Him, then suddenly falls and loses its hope in this worldly sea. And his double-mindedness! Why does a person have this firm, unshakable confidence that he will accept what is asked? Is it not because his soul is as hard as adamant, because it has become stronger under the yoke of need and misfortune; Is it not because he is aware of all his need for the good he asks for, because he himself is a straightforward, non-two-minded person. Therefore, whoever doubts that he will receive what he asks for is probably a weak person, does not have strong needs, and, in addition, is a crafty person. Chapter 4, v. 7–10. Submit to God; resist the devil [glory: Obey... God, resist the devil], and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you; Cleanse your hands, you sinners; straighten your hearts, you double-minded. Lament, weep and howl; Let your laughter turn into crying, and your joy into sadness. Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will exalt you. How distorted the order of moral life is in our country! We obey someone whom we should resist with all the strength of our soul, and sometimes we resist with all our strength the One to whom we owe perfect obedience. Our Creator has an inalienable and indisputable right to our perfect obedience to Him as the Author of our life and our well-being; and let this obedience be painful and painful for us, like the obedience of slaves to a cruel master; Let our Lord receive at least some benefit from this obedience at the expense of our benefits, our well-being. But no one can say this: sincere obedience to the Lord is easy and life-giving, like the obedience of kind, gentle children to the most tender parents; The Lord, Who Himself gives life and breath and everything to everyone, gains nothing from our obedience to Him; Not only do we not lose anything by childishly obeying Him, but on the contrary, we gain everything. Just as good parents refuse nothing to their good and obedient children, so is the Heavenly Father, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort [2 Cor. 1:3], spares nothing for His obedient children: He gives them His love, which is dearer and more pleasant than anything in the world, gives peace to their soul, which surpasses all understanding [Phil. 4:7], and life-giving joy, which no one can take away from them and which serves as a guarantee of future endless joys in the bright abodes in heaven. Isn’t it much better, therefore, to take a firm intention to obey God in everything, and to resist the devil without fail and with all our might, to the point of bleeding, as a creature, moreover, hostile to God, which has absolutely no right to our obedience to it, which, on the contrary, as fallen and being in irreconcilable enmity with God, we are obliged at birth, in the sacrament of baptism, to resist with all measures. Let us resist him in everything, and he will run away from us. If we are constantly in captivity with him, if he is constantly with us, it is precisely because we do not resist him at all. And how many wonderful means we have to defend ourselves from it: the sweetest and all-powerful name of the Lord Jesus, His Life-giving Cross constitute horror and a terrible scourge for the devil and his angels; You just need to say with consciousness and faith a short prayer to the Lord more often: Lord, have mercy and save me, and make an image of His Life-giving Cross on yourself. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you; Cleanse your hands, you sinners; straighten your hearts, you double-minded. Lament, weep and howl; Let your laughter turn into crying, and your joy into sadness. God is always ready to accept us, like a father of children, into the arms of His love. But we ourselves, unfortunate ones, flee to a country far from Our Heavenly Father, enduring there, far from Him, all the disasters that must necessarily befall a rational creature that has abandoned His Creator, the Source of spiritual light, life and bliss. We run away from Him with our mind, which thinks only about the world and what is in this world, about its vain pleasures and about the means to gain and increase them; we run away from Him with our heart, which becomes attached to this life and its blessings, to people connected to us by ties of blood or property, or to temporary benefactors who have shown some unimportant benefits in family or social life; We flee from Him, finally, by our own will, which does not love to fulfill the law of God, but loves to do the lust of the world and the devil. Draw closer, draw closer to God, and He will again approach you with His peace, joy and bliss! [Vv. 13-14.] Now listen to you who say: “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and we will live there one year, and we will trade and make a profit”; you who do not know what will happen tomorrow: for what is your life? steam that appears for a short time and then disappears. Our life is in the hands of God: we cannot predict for certain whether we will be alive tomorrow. We are a weak and fleeting creature; our life is like steam, appearing for a short time and then disappearing. What an incentive to use every minute of life wisely, valuing time [Eph. 5:16 ], according to the apostle. Chapter 5. An appeal to the rich with deep regret about the bitter fate that is about to befall them and their beloved metal, and with reproach for their oppression of the poor - and to the poor, with a fatherly conviction: to endure until the coming of the Lord. [9–10]. Do not complain, he says, brothers, against each other, so as not to be condemned: behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and long-suffering, take, my brothers, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. The first conciliar letter of St. Peter the Apostle Chapter 1, 17 [-19]. And if you call Father the One who impartially judges everyone according to their deeds, then spend the time of your pilgrimage with fear, knowing that you were not redeemed from a vain life with corruptible silver or gold... but with the precious Blood of Christ, as an immaculate and spotless Lamb. We know that there will be a Last Judgment, at which everyone will be rewarded according to their deeds; despite the fact that we behave here so unworthily, as if we would never have to give an account of our actions; Moreover, it’s as if we don’t know at all that each of us with our whole being must try to do good, be devoted to the truth and have purity and love, as if we forget that heavenly truth and holiness delivered us from our vain life, not with corruptible silver or gold... but with the precious Blood of Christ, as an immaculate and pure Lamb, Who expressed readiness before His Heavenly Father to redeem us from sin and death before this visible world began, although it appeared recently. Ch. 2, 11 [-12] art. Beloved! I ask you, as strangers and pilgrims, to move away from carnal lusts that rise against the soul, and to lead a virtuous life among the pagans, so that for what they slander you as evildoers, seeing your good deeds, they glorify God... It is indecent for a wanderer and stranger on the way to become conceited with those objects that meet him during his pilgrimage: otherwise he will lose sight of his goal - the fatherland to which he goes, and collects goods, which he, acquiring here through the talents given to him by God, must take care of and bring to his homeland. And carnal lusts deprive us of this product. If the world, which lies in evil, begins to blame us for not doing what it does, and begins to brand us with the name of evildoers, let us not pay attention to this, but let us live virtuously; the world will see its injustice, looking at our good life, and sooner or later it will glorify God for showing such people in the world. Chapter 2, 20, [21, 24] art. For what is praise if you endure being beaten for your wrongdoings? But if, while doing good and suffering, you endure, this pleases God. For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered... He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we, having been delivered from sins, would live for righteousness. Chapter 3, Art. 8. Be all of one mind, compassionate, brotherly loving... 4 chapters, 1 tbsp. Just as Christ suffered... then arm yourself with the same thought; for he who suffers in the flesh ceases to sin. Art.8. Most of all, have fervent love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 5 chapters, 5 tbsp. About humility and pride. 6. Conviction to humility and trust in God; about being awake over oneself (the enemy... walks). Second Council Epistle of St. Peter the Apostle [Ch.] 1.4 tbsp. Great and precious promises have been given to us, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 10 [-11] art. Brethren, strive more and more to make your calling and election sure; By doing this, you will never stumble, for in this way a free entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be opened for you. Chapter 2. About false teachers who are rejected by the Lord who redeemed them. Their judgment, says the apostle, has long been ready, and their destruction does not sleep. The proof is very strong - from examples of God’s righteous judgment: 1) over demons, 2) over the first world, 3) over the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. So, it is undeniable that God watches over unrighteous people [to suffer] on the day of Judgment. Chapter 3. About scoffers who claim that God's promise about the second coming of the Lord is unjust; that the present earth and heaven are reserved for fire for the day of Judgment and destruction of wicked people. One day with the Lord is equal to a thousand years and a thousand years is equal to one day. The Lord does not delay... but is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish... About the day of the Lord... How He will come... About the transformation of the elements. The first conciliar letter of the Apostle John the Theologian [Ch.] 1. The holy apostle and confidante of Christ begins his message with a story about what he himself heard, saw with his own eyes and touched with his own hands. Art.2. About the Animal Word 17, eternal, Hypostasis, which was with the Father and appeared to us. For life has appeared, he continues, and we have seen and testify, and we proclaim to you this eternal life, which was with the Father and appeared to us - what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you... What the greatest degree of certainty! How can one not believe the apostle’s story about what he himself saw, heard and touched! Here, for every carnal person, there is sufficient assurance of the truth. [Article 9]. If we confess our sins, then He, being faithful and righteous, will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And so every time: as soon as you sin, sincerely confess your sin before God - and it will be forgiven you. Breathe, grieve, and healing is sure. Speak out your iniquities first, so that you may be justified 18. Chapter 2, Article 17. And the world passes away, and its lusts, but he who does the will of God abides forever. Art.25. The promise that He promised us is eternal life. The Messenger of the Most Incarnate Truth testifies that this Truth, God the Word, promised us eternal life after death in heaven. What a consolation for every virtuous person: after labors and exploits there will come eternal consolation, eternal peace! Ch.3, [v.1–2]. See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called and be children of God. The world does not know us because it did not know Him... We are now children of God; but it has not yet been revealed what we will be. We only know that when it is revealed, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is. It must be certain that we will be like Him when He appears to us: children must be like the Father with whom they will be together; otherwise how can one see the invisible and indescribable Deity! Only a creature endowed with some resemblance to Him can see such a Being. To see, for example, a person, you need to have an organ of vision capable of translating into our soul the features of a visible person, by which we form an idea about him; or to see ciliates, you need a microscope, or an instrument that would make an insignificant creature invisible to the naked eye visible and legible; in a word, what is the object, so should be the instrument of vision, that is, there must be a correspondence between the object of vision and the organ of vision itself. Since God is the Purest Spirit, it is natural that to contemplate Him one needs not a material white eye, but a completely different vision - spiritual; and since this spiritual vision is now closed by our bodily shell, which is material and rough, it is necessary to believe that this shell will become refined to the point that it will not prevent us from contemplating the objects of the spiritual world, and will itself be spiritual. So, when God appears to us again, we will certainly be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. 3 tbsp. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, since He is pure. 10 tbsp. Anyone who does not do righteousness is not from God, nor does he love his brother. 14th century We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers; He who does not love his brother remains in death. [Verse.] 16. We know love in this, that He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. God is love: there can be no stronger proof than the death of the Lord for us. Ch.4, [v.6, 9–10]. We are from God; He who knows God listens to us; He who is not from God does not listen to us... God's love for us was revealed in the fact that God sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might receive life through Him. This is love, that we did not love God, but He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. We are from God because we confess that God the Word Jesus Christ was on earth in the flesh. God loves us. How was this love expressed? ABOUT! This love was expressed in the most gigantic proportions, or, better, it was expressed infinitely: so that we would not perish forever, He sent His Only Begotten Son into the world - for what? May he taste death for everyone, although he himself did not deserve it - and where? - On the Cross. God's love for us was revealed in the fact that God sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might receive life through Him forever and ever. This is the whole greatness of God’s love for us, that He loves us so ardently, boundlessly, while we do not deserve it because of our sins, because of our aversion from Him. This is love, that we did not love God, but He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 17th century Love reaches such perfection in us that we have boldness on the day of judgment... How will we have the courage to stand at Judgment just because we are here in love? – So, whoever abides in love abides here in God, and God knows His beings, who, in turn, have evidence in themselves that they are God’s. How can one who has love here for everyone not have boldness on the day of Judgment? Because we act in this world as He does. Therefore, we will have courage at the Judgment, because while we strive in this world and express our love for Him and for people, He - also in this world - is inherent in us, sees all our deeds, thoughts and feelings. And He is our future Judge. We fulfill His commandment, we love Him and our brothers - why should we fear His Judgment? And then He will be with us, just as He is now. 18th century There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because in fear there is torment... 19. Let us love Him because He first loved us. Chapter 5, Article 3. For this is love for God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not grievous. Art.5. Who overcomes the world if not the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? How can one not conquer the world who believes that Jesus Christ is an almighty God, who is able to fulfill His promises and can never deny what He has promised? How can one who believes that he will sit on the same throne with the Son of God not conquer the world? To him who overcomes I will give to sit with Me on My throne [Rev. 3:21]. Art.12. He who has the Son (of God) has life; He who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (Because there is eternal life in the Son of God.) He speaks of the wicked people who appeared at that time, turning the grace of our God into filth and rejecting the only Master God and our Lord Jesus Christ; about the certainty of judgment over them, which proves: 1) the judgment over the people of Israel who perished in the desert from unbelief, 2) the judgment over the Angels who did not keep their home, but left their home, 3) the judgment over Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which, having suffered the penalty of eternal fire, were set as an example [v. 7]. 20 [-21] art. And you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, awaiting mercy from our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. Epistle to the Romans of St. Paul the Apostle Chapter 2, [vv.5–11]. Due to your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of righteous judgment from God, who will reward everyone according to his deeds: to those who, by persistence in good deeds, seek glory, honor and immortality - eternal life; and to those who persist and do not submit to the truth, but indulge in unrighteousness - rage and anger. Tribulation and distress to every soul of a person who does evil, firstly, Judah... glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good... For there is no respect of persons with God. Look, a man who is hard and coarse in soul, fleshy, stony, a man with an unrepentant heart! You are gathering trouble on your own head. Sooner or later you will die; after death, the righteous judgment of the greatest Judge immediately awaits you, and then, also, in all likelihood, not after a very long time, the Last General Judgment, the great day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God to the whole world. What will you do then, where will you be? I am afraid for you, unfortunate one: and it’s scary to imagine this greatest day in time. I am horrified at the thought of the final Judgment. Here, with my mind, I contemplate the terrible and [brilliant] Judge, before whom the whole heaven, all the angelic ranks stand in fear, the omniscient judge, who does not need to convey who is guilty of what among the defendants, the all-righteous judge, who will reward everyone according to their deeds and who will say to sinners: I gave my only begotten, my beloved Son to die for you, to make you a holy people, the royal priesthood, new people, and you were not ashamed to commit lawlessness even when this My Only Begotten Son from the Cross, drenched in blood, tormented, completely exhausted for your sake, called you to put off the old man, which is decaying in the lusts of deceit, and to put on the new man, created by God in the righteousness and honor of the truth. I did everything for your eternal well-being, but you were so tough and unrepentant that you did not want to use the invaluable gifts of My goodness: so go where you have been going all your life - to eternal Tartarus, to eternal torment. I have no place for such worthless creatures. Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels [Matt. 25:41]. Sorrow and distress to every soul of a person who does evil. 21 Art. How can you, while teaching another, not teach yourself?.. You have been given the right to teach - and you teach others, publicly, in church, solemnly, to live in purity and holiness, in a Christian way. Do you yourself do what you teach others? After all, you teach others for the sake of action, that is, so that they practice what you teach; Why don’t you yourself, earlier in your life, implement the rules of life taught by you, while teaching others, you don’t teach yourself? 27 [v.] And being uncircumcised by nature... will you not condemn you, a transgressor of the law under the Scripture and circumcision? You grew up in the Orthodox faith and boast of your knowledge of your faith and the rules of Christian activity, you say that you confess one baptism for the remission of sins. But if you do not fulfill the law of God, do not act like a Christian, then be careful that the very uncircumcision (pagan) of nature, who fulfills the law, does not condemn you, a transgressor of the law under the Scripture and circumcision (you who have and know the Scripture and were baptized for salvation). What then will your title 19 Christian, your communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, all of Christianity, serve? By breaking the law, you yourself have refuted everything that you had, just like a pagan - with him you will go to your place. Chapter 3, [v.] 17 and 18. And I have not known the way of peace. Do you know the peaceful path? Go constantly to God, think about Him, love Him and trust in Him - this is the way of peace. There is no fear of God before their eyes. You have driven this saving fear from your heart. Think carefully about the need to install it in your heart. 20 tbsp. and further. By the works of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now, apart from the law (of God), the righteousness of God has appeared, to which the law and the prophets testify, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ in all and on all who believe, for there is no difference, because all have sinned, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God offered as a propitiation in His blood through faith, to demonstrate the truth... Can works according to the law justify a person? No: because the law made us know what sin is; without the law we would have no concept of sin. Can there be a justifying force in the law, which has shown us the line separating good from evil? A person can be justified only by the justification of Jesus Christ through faith in His merits. Rom. Ch.4, [v.15]. The law produces wrath, because where there is no law, there is no crime. Further on the justification of Abraham through faith in the promise of God. 5 chapters, 20 art. The law came after, and thus the crime increased. The law was given so that people would know about their sins, how numerous and how serious they are, and without the law they could not know this. Chapter 6, [Article 1]. About sin. What shall we say? Should we remain in sin so that grace may increase? No way... 22-23 [v.] But now that you have been freed from sin and become slaves of God, your fruit is holiness, and the end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Chapter 8, Art. 6 To be carnally minded is death (because the flesh is mortal!), but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for they do not obey the law of God, and indeed cannot. Art.10 [-14]. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So, brethren, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh; For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the flesh, you will live. Art. 31 If God is for us, who can be against us? [32]. He who did not spare His Son, but gave Him up for us all, how can He not give us everything with Him?.. Yes, He will give us everything, even heaven and earth. Chapters 9, 20 and 21. And who are you, man, that you argue with God? Will the product say to the person who made it: “Why did you make me this way?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, so that from the same mixture he can make one vessel for honorable use, and another for low? Your job, man, is to completely submit to the Lord, your Creator: to resist you is unnatural and very disastrous. By the will of God man exists; the will of God, good and perfect, gave him the best rules, or laws of life. If he does not fulfill them, then he goes against the purpose of his existence, against his own good. He himself, of course, cannot establish the best laws for himself: darkened by sin, he is more likely to invent rules that can harm him and upset his internal and external well-being. How many whims does a person have that undermine his well-being! Chapter 10, 9–11. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, because with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation. For the Scripture says: Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame. Save me, saving faith of Christ. May faith instead of works be imputed to me, O my God, so that you do not seek works that justify me. But let that faith of mine prevail instead of everyone, let that one answer, that one justify me 20... 16th century But not everyone obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says: Lord! who believed what they heard from us? As it was before, so it is now: very many do not listen to the words of the gospel. [Vers.] 20 and 21. Isaiah boldly says: Those who did not seek Me have found Me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask about Me. Of Israel he says: All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and stubborn people. Oh, how infinitely great is Your mercy, Lord, towards us sinners. We are not looking for You, and You Yourself appear to us; We are not submissive to You, we argue with You - and You, as the most tender Father, lift up and stretch out Your hands to us! Rom., chapter 11. This chapter is perhaps the only one in the epistles of the Apostle Paul in terms of the height of contemplation of the apostolic mind. It conceals the deep secret of the salvation of the whole world. How? Will the whole world really be saved? We need to read this chapter more often and reflect on its contents. The Apostle, one might say, spoke out here in full, with all the apostolic secrets, revealed the Divine treasures of faith. Understand this chapter according to Chrysostom’s concept, and not according to your own. Chapter 12, 11–13. Do not slacken in zeal; be on fire in spirit; Serve the Lord; be comforted by hope; be patient in sorrow, constant in prayer; take part in the needs of the saints; be zealous for hospitality. 16 [-19] art. Do not be arrogant, but follow the humble; don't dream about yourself; Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but strive for good in the sight of all people. If possible on your part, be at peace with all people. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but give room to the wrath of God. For it is written: Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. [Verse] 21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Ch.13, [vv.8–12]. He who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not covet someone else’s, and all the others are contained in this word: love your neighbor as yourself. Love does not harm one's neighbor; so love is the fulfillment of the law... now salvation is closer to us... The night has passed, and the day has approached... Ch.14, [v.4]. Who are you, judging another man's slave? Before his Lord he stands or falls. And he will be raised up, for God is able to raise him up. We ourselves fall according to our free, evil will. And the omnipotent God raises us up with His grace. 7 [-8] art. None of us lives for ourselves, and none of us dies for ourselves; and whether we live, we live for the Lord; Whether we die, we die for the Lord: and therefore, whether we live or die, we are always the Lord’s. The majority of people usually think that they live in this life for themselves, for their relatives, for society - and only: they do not extend the goals of their life further or higher. But this view of life is very limited and unfavorable for real life. With such a view, where is the encouragement for faith and virtues, for the conscientious fulfillment of public, even family, duties? If in this life only we hope in Christ, then we are the most miserable of all people [1 Cor. 15:19]. Meanwhile, our most holy heavenly mother on earth is the Church, and the most chosen living people believe and firmly confess that on earth, no matter how long someone lives, no one... lives for himself, and no one dies for himself, but lives or dies of the Lord, as a servant of the Master, who gave him life, and strength, and property and everything, that we completely belong to our Lord. If we fall, then we fall to Him; if we stand, we stand to Him. 9 [-10] art. For for this purpose Christ died, and rose again, and came to life, that he might rule both over the dead and over the living. Why are you condemning your brother?.. We will all appear at the judgment seat of Christ. Why should we pronounce judgment on our neighbors when we will all undoubtedly appear at the Last, the only righteous Judgment of Christ? 12 [-13 st]. Each of us will give an account to God for ourselves. Let us no longer judge each other, but rather judge how not to give your brother any chance of stumbling or temptation. Since each of us will give an answer to God for ourselves, we should not judge the actions of others, but think more often about how not to seduce our brother, so as not to destroy both him and ourselves. 17th century The kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Ch.15, [v.1–3]. We, the strong (in strength), must endure the weaknesses of the powerless [glory: weak] and not please ourselves. Each of us must please our neighbor for good and edification. For Christ did not please Himself, but, as it is written: The slander of those who slandered You fell on Me. So, following the example of Jesus Christ, we must certainly bear the infirmities of the weak and not think about our own benefits when it comes to helping our neighbor. And how good it is to do it! In this case, we imitate the Lord Himself, Who, of course, will divinely reward the zeal of His faithful servants who serve their brethren, and His verbal sheep, for whom He came to earth, suffered and died. The first letter to the Corinthians of St. Paul the Apostle 1 chapter, 20 tbsp. and 21. Has not God turned the wisdom of this world into foolishness? For when the world through its wisdom did not know God in the wisdom of God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. What does the wisdom of this world mean? This is elemental, earthly wisdom, which does not see or understand anything beyond the narrow limits of the earth for the spirit, which is wise to harm a person, to arrange his eternal destruction, and is completely blind and stupid in order to lead him to true happiness. Since, due to her blindness, she does not see the light of heavenly wisdom and cannot accept it, then in her stupid conceit she considers heavenly wisdom to be a riot 21, something unwise, absurd. But does the wisdom of God, which saves people, suffer anything from this? Not at all. Since man in his primitive state, when he possessed the wisdom of God and had a clear and bright mind, did not understand God through this wisdom and fell, God deigned to save believers at the end of the centuries by a riot of preaching; whoever did not know how to use the wisdom of God as it should to know God had to be given over to a corrupt mind - to do indecent things [Rom. 1:28 ], so that he would learn what a great treasure wisdom is for man, and no longer through wisdom, but through the violence of preaching, lead him to the knowledge of God, about the works of His economy. In addition, the universe, full of the wisdom of God, has always been open to people; before them were the Scriptures, filled with wisdom: the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. If they did not understand God in these works of God’s wisdom, then how was it necessary to lead them to a saving knowledge of Him? Nothing other than the violence of preaching - a means contrary to the wise of the world, but in its essence the wisest of God: the foolish things of God are wiser than men... God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the strong things; God chose the base things of the world and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no flesh should boast before God [vv. 25, 27-29]. Ch.2, [vv.7–9]. We preach the wisdom of God, secret, hidden, which God destined before the ages for our glory, which none of the authorities of this age (the world's first horse breeders 22) knew; for if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written: I did not see it with my eyes... Listen, man, more often to this wisdom - in it there is joy and consolation for you in the sorrows of this fleeting earthly life. This wisdom is the salvation of the world through the death on the cross of the Son of God. Ch.3, [vv.16–17]. Do you not know that you are the church of God, and the Spirit of God lives in you? If anyone destroys the church of God, God will punish him: for the church of God is holy; and this church is you. Be afraid, man, to desecrate your body with anything: it is God’s church; it is not your property, because it was created by God, and most importantly, it was purchased along with your soul at the price of the Blood of the Son of God. That is why the Spirit of God dwells in us, because we are not our own, but the property of the Son of God. Let us keep ourselves in purity, befitting the all-purifying, all-perfect, life-giving Spirit. ????????? [from Greek: Let it be considered]. Ch.4, [v.1–4]. So everyone should understand us... It means very little to me how you judge me or how other people judge me; I don’t judge myself... the Lord is my judge. How important is it that others say this or that about me? They can interpret my good actions in a bad way. I must only behave conscientiously and not pay attention in this case to people’s judgments about myself: they are erroneous and fickle; and it’s not people’s place to judge us. The Lord is my judge. To him I must give an account of all my deeds, words and thoughts, and to no one else. Ch.6, [v.2–3]. Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is to be judged by you, are you really unworthy to judge unimportant matters? Do you not know that we will judge angels, much less the deeds of this life? This is the honor that awaits the saints who believe in the Son of God. They will judge the world; Moreover, they will judge the demons who in this world have such power in wicked people! Strive, man, for this glory. Art.13–17. The body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. God raised the Lord, and He will also resurrect us by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I, then, take away the members of Christ to make them members of a harlot? It won't happen! This is how you need to look at your body. Or do you not know that whoever has sex with a harlot becomes one body with her? for it is said: the two will become one flesh. And he who is united with the Lord is one spirit (and not flesh, because the Lord is Spirit) with the Lord. 19th century Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit living in you, which you have from God, and you are not your own. Chapter 7, 21 [-23] art. Whether you are called to be a slave, do not be embarrassed; but if you can become free, then use the best. For the servant who is called in the Lord is the freeman of the Lord; likewise, he who is called free is a servant of Christ. You are bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. No one should complain in Christianity: the Lord gave extremely much to everyone and did not harm anyone. You slaves, do not be sad: although you are slaves for the earth, you are not slaves for the sky. 29–31 art. The time is already short, so those who have wives must be as if they had not; and those who weep as if they were not weeping; and those who rejoice, as if they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as if they did not acquire; and those who use this world as if they do not use it; for the image of this world passes away. The apostle’s thought is that since upon acceptance of the grace of Christ the entrance to the eternal Kingdom of Christ in heaven is open to all earthly beings, then everyone should actively strive for it and not be bound by any worldly ties. Now, he says, the end of worldly, earthly cares is over, it’s time to think about heaven: The time is already short, so those who have wives must be as if they did not have... and those who buy as if they did not acquire; and those who use this world as if they do not use it; for the image of this world passes, that is, live in the world and submit to its circumstances, but as much as can be allowed to a temporary wanderer who is preoccupied with the journey to the mountainous fatherland. If you have a wife, live with her in love and harmony, but do not become attached to her with all your soul until you forget God and that life in which they neither marry nor encroach; do not make her the goal of your life and the primary subject of your concerns: those who have wives should be like those who do not have them. You, merchant, buy and sell, but do not make your trade the purpose of your life, do not become too attached to money: those who buy (let them be) as those who do not acquire. Do you want to live in peace and enjoy its pleasures? – Taste them if you want, but do not get satiated with them (I mean the permitted pleasures). Do not live only for them: those who use this world, as if they do not use it. Chapter 9, Article 7. Who, having planted grapes, does not eat its fruit? Who, while tending a flock, does not eat milk from the flock? 10–12 tbsp. He who plows must plow with hope, and he who threshes must thresh with the hope of receiving what he expects. If we have sown spiritual things in you, is it great if we reap bodily things from you? If others have power over you, are we not more so [Church Glav.: If others of your power (property) partake, are we not more so]? However, we did not use this power, but we endure everything, so as not to put any obstacle to the gospel of Christ. So, we reap the flesh of our flock with dignity and righteousness. The Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments are for us. [Verse 9] For in the Law of Moses it is written: You shall not muzzle an ox that is threshing... So, this is written for us (and not for the sake of the oxen: does God care for the oxen?). 17th century For if I do this (preaching the gospel) voluntarily, I will have a reward; and if it is involuntary, then I perform only the service entrusted to me. If I preach of my own free will, the Lord will give me a reward for it. 26 and 27 art. I don’t fight just to beat the air; but I subdue and enslave my body, so that, while preaching to others, I myself may not remain unworthy. Help me, God-wise apostle, to strive in the same way as you: to enslave my body to my soul. [Rom.] ch.11, [vv.5–6]. At the present time, according to the election of grace, a remnant (of the Jews) has been preserved. But if by grace, then not by works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. But if it is by works, then this is no longer grace; otherwise the matter is no longer a matter. So, if I am saved by the grace of God, then not by my works, because if I were saved by my works, it would no longer be by grace. For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. [Eph. 2:8–9]. So, let faith instead of works be imputed to me, O my God! But also grant me the strength to please You with good deeds. All good things come from You: I have nothing of my own except sin. Art.11, 12 et seq. Ch.15, v.13–23. The truth of the resurrection of Christ is in the closest connection with the truth of our future resurrection at the end of the world - so if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not risen (and who is so unfaithful as to claim that Christ has not been resurrected?), and vice versa - if Christ has risen from the dead, then the resurrection of the dead is certain. Why is this so - the resurrection of the Lord is an undoubted guarantee of our resurrection from the dead? Because, having risen from the dead, He became the firstfruits of the dead or the beginning of the resurrection of people from the dead; because as death is through man, so through man (by the Lord) is the resurrection of the dead. Just as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will come to life... the firstborn Christ, then those of Christ at His coming. 25 and 26 Art. For He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. - Your destinies, O Lord, I will tell with the Psalmist, the great abyss [Ps. 35:7]. Do You, the almighty King of the world, have enemies with whom You need to fight and conquer them? Couldn't You have long, long ago destroyed these with a single wave of Your will? What am I saying? “Couldn’t You not have given them existence at all, since You foresaw their evil from eternity? So, everything is possible for You; nothing is possible for You. But You did not want to leave them in insignificance precisely because over time they would use their existence and their strength for evil. You have so many good things that you wanted them to enjoy the sweetness of their existence, Your contemplation and the contemplation of Your beautiful creatures. Demons were created by bright Angels, and Dennitsa 23, their leader, was the spirit closest to God. Although not for long, they also tasted the sweetness and life-giving nature of blissful communion with God, and they tasted that the Lord is good [Ps. 33:9]. If they fell and became enemies of God, it is their own fault: they did not want to remain in their rank and left their subordination. Why didn’t they, with their bright minds, restrain the lawless impulses of their strong will? And among us, among people, Judas was a person close to the God-man. But he also fell from the evil arbitrariness of his will. So, my God, You could not have given them existence at all, but in Your goodness You did not want their evil to surpass Your goodness. Let them know and by their very fall preach louder than any trumpet that You are good, and that they are ungrateful, impudent creatures; let them know that if You have not yet completely subdued them under Your feet, although You can do this in an instant, You did not do this solely because of Your goodness and You endure them to the end; let the very length of the reprieve of their punishment be their retribution. The last enemy, that is, the human one, will be destroyed - death. There should not have been death in the creation of the Living God, but sin introduced it. Therefore, when sin is destroyed with the coming of the Lord, death will also be destroyed along with it. Do you want to prove in the clearest way the truth of our resurrection from the dead and the image of the resurrection - read the 15th chapter of the First Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, verse 50. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, and corruption does not inherit incorruption. The Kingdom of God is completely different from the human, earthly kingdom. Since God is Spirit, His kingdom is completely spiritual, and the subjects of this kingdom are also spiritual beings. Flesh and blood, in general everything perishable, cannot have a place in this kingdom. 53 art. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. My God! What a wonderful transformation You are preparing for our bodies. My body will be transformed from corruptible and transitory into incorruptible and eternal, from mortal and destructible into immortal and never, forever and ever, indestructible. So, am I, earth and ashes, facing eternal existence? - Yes, eternal; but it can be twofold: blissful or painful. God! By your destinies, save me, Thy unworthy servant! Second Epistle to the Corinthians of St. Paul the Apostle Chapter 1, verses 3 and 4. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which God comforts us! God's consolation to the apostles in all their sorrow was so great, it was poured out in such abundance into their hearts that they were able to console others in any sorrow, no matter how great it was, with the same most joyful and joyful truths that were communicated to them from God. Who at the present time has such an ability to console others, I do not say, in all sorrows (because now in other sorrows those who mourn will not even listen to the comforter), but even in some, not very strong sorrows? Who himself possesses such fullness of Divine consolation that he can pour out its abundance in the consolation of others? Very few, and few precisely because rarely do any of the comforters themselves possess the gift of Divine consolation; and in order to possess it, you need to earn it from God. Chapter 4, 17 and 18 art. Our short-term, light suffering produces eternal glory in immeasurable abundance [glory: the burden of eternal glory is accomplished] when we look not at what is visible, but at what is invisible: for what is visible is temporary, but what is invisible is eternal. Who will give me this bright eye of the apostolic mind, which could look through the curtain of the visible world into the highlands of the invisible world? Who will give me this living conviction of earthly sorrows and sufferings for the sake of truth, that they will bring me the burden of eternal glory? But what am I? – I don’t have these sorrows. I live in the comforts of the world. My God! If It pleases You to visit me with such sorrows, then grant me this living conviction of Your Apostle that my slight sorrow is preparing for me the weight of eternal glory; grant me then, and even now, to more often direct the gaze of my soul to the region of the invisible world, to Your Kingdom of Heaven, and not to dwell with my gaze on the visible, sensory, material: the visible is temporary - sooner or later everything earthly will pass, end - but the invisible is eternal. Chapter 5, [v.1–9]. For we know that when our earthly house [glory: our earthly church], this hut, is destroyed, we have from God a dwelling in heaven, a house not made with hands, eternal. That is why we groan, wanting to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling... For we, being in this hut, groan under the burden... and since we know that, while at home in the body, we are removed from the Lord - for we walk by faith, and not by sight - then we are content and wish better to leave the body and be at home with the Lord. And therefore we zealously strive, whether in or out, to be pleasing to Him. Human bodies are churches, houses in which beings of heavenly origin live. These churches are perishable, but the creatures living in them are eternal. If the church is destroyed, they will still be alive and whole and will enter another, eternal, church not made by hands - only in heaven. We must desire this heavenly dwelling with all our souls, both because it is luminous and eternal, and especially because, living in this rough, mortal body, we stand at some distance from the Lord, because we cannot see Him, His Kingdom, the sons of this glorious Kingdom, as well as many other objects of the spiritual world, but we can only approach Him by faith and assimilate to our soul the truths of this world. Therefore, we are pleased to wish better to leave the body and enter into the Lord: the soul, having renounced the body as a material shell that hides the spiritual world from us, will then contemplate, if it is worthy, the Lord, and the holy Angels, and holy men - in a word, the spiritual world will then appear to it in all its light. Since living on earth, in the body, and departing from the earth or being separated from the body, we equally belong to God, Who is righteous and holy, we try, whether living in the body or being separated from it, to be pleasing to our Lord and the future Judge: we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive according to what he did while living in the body, good or bad [v. 10]. [Art.] 17–19. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation... All things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, because God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to people, and gave us the word of reconciliation. We bear the name Christians: have we become a new creature, have we changed our nature, or are we still the same as the pagans once were? If Christianity has not reborn us, how much benefit does it give us? God, through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ, reconciled the world to Himself. What was this reconciliation worth? The Son of the Father's love had to exhaust Himself to the last possibility - to death, and death on the cross. Great is the sacrifice - great are its fruits: for all ages the Lord left sanctified persons on earth, to whom He transferred His right and power to reconcile sinning people with God. He gave us the ministry of reconciliation and placed in us the word of reconciliation, or the word of God. Ch.6, [v.] 3–10. We do not cause anyone to stumble in anything, so that the service is not blamed, but in everything we show ourselves as servants of God, in great patience, in adversities, in needs, in difficult circumstances, under blows, in prisons, in exiles, in labors, in vigils, in fasting, in purity, in prudence, in generosity, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in the word truth, in the power of God, with the weapon of righteousness in the right and left hand, in honor and dishonor, with blame and praise: we are considered deceivers, but we are faithful; we are unknown, but we are recognized; we are considered dead, but behold, we are alive; we are punished, but we do not die; we are saddened, but we always rejoice; We are poor, but we enrich many; we have nothing, but we possess everything [Church Glav.: Not a single one stumbles in anything, but the service will be blameless, but in everything we imagine ourselves as God's servants, in patience, in sorrow, in troubles, in cramped conditions, in wounds, in prisons, in disorder, in labor, in vigils, in fasting, in purification, in mind, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in the word of truth, in the power of God, the weapons of righteousness with the right hand and soul, with glory and dishonor, with curses and with praise: as flatters, and as truth, as we know not, and as we know: as we die, and behold, we live, as we are punished, and not We are put to death, as though we mourn, we rejoice forever]. What did the apostles of Christ not sacrifice for the faithful service of God and human salvation! The holy apostle, of course, has not yet expressed everything that happened to him, but there is also a lot of what has been said. Trying to faithfully and diligently serve the Lord, the apostles at the same time took care in every possible way to ensure that they did not cause anyone to stumble in anything, so that their service would be completely blameless. Like ladders, and truth. About Jesus Christ, the incarnate Truth, the Pharisees said that He flatters the nations; Of course, people said the same thing about the apostles, seeing the fascinating pleasantness and power of their teaching; meanwhile, apparently the flatterers, they were extremely true. As we are unknown and known. As simple, humble people, the apostles were not distinguished by worldly fame, but as apostles of Christ the Savior, the Living God, as miracle workers and preachers of a wonderful faith, they were known everywhere and by everyone, so that their names became known over time in all ends of the universe. And most importantly, they were known by God, who wrote their names in heaven in the Book of Eternal Life. As if we were dying, and behold, we live. The circumstances of the external life of the apostles were, as the apostle just said, so cramped that they, one might say, died several times, and the apostle himself says that he experienced many deaths. However, despite all the cramped conditions, God’s Providence also supported the external life of the apostles; allowing them to suffer, He did not allow them to die, so that they, as if killed, still remained alive; Mainly, they remained alive and life-giving in the soul by the power of grace and faith, which dwelt abundantly in the chosen vessels of God. As if we are punished, not killed. The Apostle Paul in another letter says about himself that they beat me with sticks three times, once they stoned me [2 Cor. 11:25], and much more. The Lord allowed the earthly authorities and people to punish His apostles, but never to kill them ahead of time. As he mourns, he always rejoices 24. What a combination, a community of sorrow and joy! The apostles endured much patience, in sorrows, in troubles, in distress, in wounds, in prisons, and yet, what? - they constantly rejoiced: as though they grieve, they rejoice forever. This is how good it is to grieve and suffer for and for Christ. But look at secular people: they seem to be having fun, living in every open space - and yet, what? - are constantly dissatisfied with themselves and are often bored during the pleasures themselves - in general, one might say, they are constantly grieving internally. Like the poor, the many become rich. People looked at the apostles as beggars, and indeed, following the example of their Teacher and Lord, they had no place to lay their heads [Matt. 8:20; OK. 9:58 ]; but, poor and beggars according to the concept of the world, they were extremely rich according to the concept of heaven, while the rich and glorious of the world were mere poor according to the same concept. Apparently having nothing, because they hid their treasure in their souls, the apostles enriched very many with their spiritual treasure, so that those enriched by them were considered worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. As if it has nothing, but contains everything. Apparently having nothing, the apostles had everything, one might say - heaven and earth. According to the concepts of the world, those who have a lot or all have a lot of money, land, and various property that serve not only the conveniences and benefits of earthly life, but also its various pleasures. For money they can get everything and have everything. According to the concept of heaven, such people have nothing, because what good does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but loses his soul? [Matt. 16:26]. And the rich of the world almost inevitably always neglect their souls, for which no ransom can be given. The apostles in the worldly sense had nothing, but in the true sense they had everything: they acquired for themselves forever their soul, all heavenly and eternal blessings; they had the whole earth in their hands, because they could move its mountains from place to place and command its elements. Glory to Your power, Lord! Glory to you, holy apostles, faithful servants of Christ our God! Grant me, O Lord, ignorance, sorrow, poverty and impartiality to the world of Your apostles, so that I too may have their fame, their joy, their wealth, their possession of everything necessary for my happiness, temporary and eternal salvation. Animal (church glory) – having life in itself, giving life. “Rise up, O my soul... ye with boldness in your deeds and thoughts for Christ, and be justified” (Great Repentant Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, read on Monday of the First Week of Great Lent, 4th hymn). Titlo (Greek) - naming according to rank, honorary title. Prayer 8, to the Lord Jesus Christ from a study of morning prayers. Riot (church glory) – unreason, stupidity. Horse breeders (colloquially) – leaders, instigators. Dennitsa - lit.: morning star or dawn. Lucifer, the chief of the fallen angels, was so named from his brilliant perfections with which he was endowed by God. Ever (Church Glorious) – always, unceasingly. You might be interested in: