Homily on the words of the Apostle: “For there must also be differences of opinion among you, so that those who are skillful may be revealed among you.”

“Homily on the words of the Apostle: “For there must be differences of opinion among you, so that those who are skilled may be revealed among you” (1 Cor. 11:19)” consists of 5 chapters. The year and place of the conversation are unknown. It says that the apostle did not consider it necessary for heresy to arise, as if for some objective reason. The word "ought" is to be understood as a prediction made by the apostle, and the word "that" often in Holy Scripture indicates not the cause, but the effect. The Apostle Paul is not talking about heresies in the proper sense of the word, but about differences of opinion that, under the influence of pride, occurred between the rich and the poor in Corinth. *The title of the work in Latin is In dictum Pauli: Oportet haereses esse. The word “must” should not be understood in this text in the sense of any necessity; but this is merely a prediction made by the apostle. The Greek word ίυα in the text does not indicate the cause, but the event itself. - In this place ap. Paul is not talking about heresies in the proper sense of the word, but about differences of opinion that, under the influence of pride, occurred between rich and poor in Corinth. – Description of the Christian love supper in the early times of the Church. - Ap. Paul rebukes the rich strongly, yet gently. – Continued interpretation of the text. - Conclusion. - Exhortation. 1. Recently, this spiritual spectacle of ours was quite excited when I depicted to you in words Jerusalem, crying and announcing its own disasters. Then I saw how your sorrowful eyes shed streams of tears, I saw from this lamentation that everyone’s soul was filled with sighs and contrition. Noticing this, I immediately stopped such a deplorable image, interrupted my speech and restrained the cry that was ready to break out of everyone’s heart. A soul overwhelmed by sadness cannot say or listen to anything sensible. But why did I remind you of this now? Because what is to be said today is similar to what was said then. Just as it was aimed at eliminating our carelessness in life and correcting laziness in actions, so exactly what we say now about careful observance of dogmas can make us more firm, perfect in everything and attained, in the words of the divine Apostle, “to a perfect man, to the measure of stature” (Eph. 4:13). Then we healed your body, and now we will heal your head, then with the words of Jeremiah, and now with the words of Paul. What are these words of Paul that we have to explain today? “For there must be,” he says, “there must also be differences of opinion among you, so that those who are skillful may be revealed among you” (1 Cor. 11:19). This is an important subject. Indeed, if in the form of advice Paul says: “There must also be differences of opinion,” then the leaders of heresies are not guilty. But this is not so, not so; These are the words of someone who does not advise, but who predicts the future. Just as a doctor, seeing a sick person devoted to overeating, drunkenness and other forbidden activities, says that this disorder should produce a fever - he speaks not in the form of a law or advice, but in the form of a prediction about the future, judging by the present; and as a farmer or helmsman, seeing an accumulation of clouds and strikes of thunder and lightning, says that these clouds should produce bad weather and heavy rain - he speaks not in the form of advice, but as a prediction about the future: in this sense Paul also used the word “ought”. So often, when we see people quarreling among themselves and showering each other with grave slander, we say that there should be a clash between them and their imprisonment - we do not speak in the form of admonishment or advice to them - can this be? – but concluding in the present about the future. Likewise, Paul does not say in the form of advice: “there must be differences of opinion,” but predicting and prophesying about what is going to happen. And that he does not advise heresies is proven by the words that he himself says: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:8). He himself rejects circumcision, since it was already untimely to observe it, and it would violate the purity of preaching, and says: “If you are circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all” (Gal. 5:2). How, you say, did he add the reason, saying: “so that those who are skilled may be revealed among you.” The word “so that” in the Scriptures often means not the cause, but the effect of the matter. For example, Christ came and gave sight to the blind; this one bowed to Him; and the Jews, after his healing, did everything to overshadow this miracle and persecuted Christ. Then He said: “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind” (John 9:39). Did He really come so that they would become blind? He did not come for this, but it happened, and He expressed this effect in the form of a cause. Also: the law was given in order to prevent the commission of sins, in order to make those who received it more modest. But due to their negligence, the opposite happened - their sins multiplied; That’s why Paul says: “The law came after, and thus the transgression increased” (Rom. 5:20); Meanwhile, he “came” not for this purpose, but to reduce his sins. And this happened due to the corruption of those who accepted it. Likewise, here the word “so that” does not mean cause, but effect. About the fact that there was another reason for heresies, that heresies were not for this purpose, “so that the clever ones might be revealed among you,” and that they happened for other reasons, listen to Christ, Who explains this to us: “The Kingdom of Heaven,” He says, “is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; while the people were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat” (Matthew 13:24, 25). Do you see that the heresies were because people were asleep, careless, and did not carefully listen to what was said? So, lest anyone say: why did Christ allow this? – Paul says: this permission does not harm you at all; if you are skilled, you will be even more so. It is not all the same to stand in the right faith when no one causes stumbling blocks or tempts, or to be firm and unshakable amid the attacks of countless waves. Just as the pressure of the winds, shaking trees from all sides, makes them stronger if they are well and firmly rooted; Likewise, souls established on the basis of the right faith, no matter what heresies attack them, are not corrupted, but become stronger. What, you say, happens to the weak, those who are easily corrupted and fall? And they are exposed to this not due to the attack of heresies, but due to their own weakness; I mean not a natural weakness, but one that comes from the will, worthy of condemnation, punishment and torment, which we ourselves have the power to correct. Therefore, when we correct it, we receive praise, and when we do not correct it, we are punished. 2. And so that you can be convinced that nothing can harm those who are attentive, I will try to show this in another way. What could be more evil and criminal than the devil? But this evil, treacherous and having great power, attacking Job with all his intrigues and exhausting his entire quiver of arrows on the house and body of the righteous, not only did not overthrow him, but made him even more glorious. Thus, Job did not receive any harm from the devil himself; and Judas, being careless and careless, did not receive any benefit from communication with Christ, but remained a traitor, after many admonitions and suggestions; The reason is that God does not force or force anyone who does not want (to do good), as He did with him. Thus, if we stay awake, the devil cannot harm us; If we do not stay awake, but are careless, then we will never receive benefit from what is useful, but we will even suffer the greatest harm. This is evil - carelessness. So the Jews not only did not receive benefit from the coming of Christ, but even suffered harm; however, not from Christ, but from his own carelessness and negligence. Listen to this as Christ Himself says: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin” (John 15:22). Do you see that His coming deprived them of forgiveness and took away their justification? Such is evil - not being attentive to yourself and not adjusting yourself as you should. The same can be seen on the bodies; For those who suffer from eyesight, the sun itself is usually darkened, but to a healthy person even darkness cannot harm. It is not in vain that I am expanding on this, but because many, instead of blaming their own carelessness and correcting their negligence and insensibility, do not do this, but in every possible way seek various excuses for themselves and say: if there were no devil, we would not have perished; if there were no law, we would not sin; if there were no heresies, we would not have fallen. These are your false excuses and pretexts, man! Nothing ever harms an attentive person, just as nothing brings any benefit to someone who is asleep, careless and not caring about his own salvation. Paul expresses this very thing when he says: “So that those who are skilled may be revealed among you,” i.e. do not be embarrassed and do not be afraid, heresies cannot harm you at all. Thus, it is obvious that even if we were talking about heresies, even then his saying would not present any difficulty; it is a prophecy, not advice, a prediction, not an exhortation; and the word: “so that” means the effect, not the cause. But that now he is not talking about dogmas, but about the poor and the rich, about eating and not eating, about the intemperance and satiety of the rich, and about their oblivion of the poor, for this purpose let me repeat what he said a little higher; otherwise his words cannot be clear to you. When the apostles began to sow the word of piety, immediately three thousand, and then five thousand people were converted, and all of them “had one heart and one soul.” And the reason for such agreement, which cemented their love and united so many souls into one, was contempt for wealth. “And no one called anything of his property his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32). When the root of evil was plucked out - I mean the love of money - they surpassed all blessings, and they were closely united with each other, since nothing separated them. This harsh expression, which produced countless wars in the universe: “mine” and “yours,” was expelled from that Holy Church, and they lived on earth like Angels in Heaven: neither the poor envied the rich, because there were no rich, nor the rich despised the poor, because there were no poor, “but they had everything in common; and no one called anything of his property his own”; It was not so then as it is now. Nowadays those who have property give to the poor, but then it was not so, but by refusing to own their own wealth, putting it in front of everyone and mixing it with the common, those who were previously rich were even unnoticed; so, if any pride could be born from contempt for wealth, then it was completely destroyed, since in everything they had equality, and all wealth was mixed together. And not only from here, but also from the very method of giving away property, one can see their piety. “For all who owned lands or houses, selling them, brought the price of what was sold and laid them at the feet of the apostles” (Acts 4:34, 35). It is not said that they gave them into the hands of the apostles, but “laid them at the feet of the Apostles”, thereby expressing the respect, reverence and reverence that they had for the apostles. They saw the matter less as giving and more as receiving. This especially means despising wealth; this actually means feeding Christ, when you do not do it with arrogance and pride, when you give as if by doing so you are benefiting yourself more than the recipient. If you are not so inclined, then don’t give it; If you don’t consider this more receiving than giving, then don’t give alms. Paul testifies to this in another place, where he says this: “We inform you, brethren, of the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia, for in the midst of great trial and tribulation they abound with joy; and their deep poverty abounds in the wealth of their hospitality. For they are willing according to their strength and beyond their strength - I am a witness: they very convincingly asked us to accept the gift and their participation in serving the saints,” they fulfilled (2 Cor. 8: 1-4). Do you see how he is more surprised at them because they generously gave away their property with gratitude, asking and pleading? 3. Therefore, we are surprised at Abraham, not only because he killed the calf and kneaded the flour, but also because he received strangers with great pleasure and humility, going out to meet them, serving them, calling them masters, believing that he had found a treasure of countless blessings when he saw a stranger passing by. Thus, there is double almsgiving when we give, and, moreover, we give willingly: “God loves a cheerful giver,” says the Scripture (2 Cor. 9:7). If you give away even thousands of talents with pride, arrogance and vanity, you will destroy everything, just as the Pharisee, who gave a tenth of his property, but was arrogant and arrogant about it, left the church, destroying everything. It was not so with the apostles, but with joy, with joy; and, considering it the greatest acquisition for themselves, the believers brought money and considered it desirable for themselves if the apostles deigned to accept it. Just as those who are entrusted with high positions and who go to live in capital cities completely sell all their property and thus move, so did the people of that time, having received a call to Heaven, to the highest capital and to the Kingdom there. They knew that Heaven was their true fatherland; and therefore, turning their property into money, they sent it there through the hands of the apostles. Truly, it is extremely insane to allow any of our property to remain here, while we ourselves must move from here after a short time; and what remains will be damage. So, let everyone be forwarded in advance to where later we will live forever. Imagining this, the believers gave away all their property, and a twofold good deed was accomplished: they alleviated the poverty of those in need, and made their property larger and safer, transferring their treasures to Heaven. From such a law and morality, a wonderful custom arose in the churches at that time: all the assembled faithful did not immediately go home after listening to the teaching, after prayers, after receiving the Mysteries, after the meeting was dismissed, but the rich and more sufficient, bringing with them bread and food from home, invited the poor, arranged common meals, common treats, common suppers in the church itself, so that both from communication in the meal and from reverence for the place, and from everything their love was strengthened, and great pleasure and great benefit occurred for them. The poor received considerable consolation, and the rich received great favor both from those fed and from God, for Whom they did it - and, thus acquiring great grace, they went home. From this habit came countless benefits, and most importantly: in each meeting their friendship became more and more ardent, after both the benefactors and the benefactors united with each other with such friendliness. Over time, the Corinthians began to violate this custom; The rich, treating themselves to each other, despised the poor and often did not expect those who came later, slowed down and delayed by everyday needs, such as the poor have. Because of this, it happened that when they arrived late, they left in shame, since the meal had already been taken, because they were in a hurry, and these were late. Therefore, Paul, seeing in this circumstance many evils both in the present and in the future - because the rich had contempt for the poor and great disdain, and the poor had discontent and enmity towards the rich, and many other things that could arise from these evils - corrects this bad and deplorable practice. And look with what prudence and meekness he begins to correct. At the beginning he says this: “I do not praise you because you are planning not for the best, but for the worst” (1 Cor. 11:17). What does it mean: “not for the best”? Ancestors, he says, and your fathers sold their property, estates and possessions, had everything in common and had great love for each other; and you, who should have imitated them, not only do nothing of the sort, but you have also lost the only thing you had, i.e. suppers celebrated in the congregation. That’s why he says: “You are planning not for the best, but for the worst.” They provided all their property for the benefit of the poor, but you, who provided them only with food, deprived them of that. “First of all, I hear that when you gather for church, there are divisions among you, which I partly believe” (1 Cor. 11:18). 4. Look again how wisely he makes the correction. He did not say: “I don’t believe,” or “I believe,” but used the middle expression: “I partly believe”; I don’t completely believe, and I don’t completely disbelieve; to be one way or the other, it is completely in your power. If you correct yourself, then I don’t believe it; and if you remain the same, then I believe. Thus he did not blame them, and accused them; He did not accuse them completely, in order to give them hope for correction and time for repentance, and did not leave them without accusation, so that they would not remain with the same carelessness. I still don’t fully believe it, he says, because that, of course, is what the words mean: “I partly believe.” This is what he said, wanting to incite them to conversion and correction, so that they would reject him too - to believe, at least in part, something similar about them. “There must also be differences of opinion among you, so that those who are skillful may be revealed among you.” Tell me: what are these heresies? Here listen with attention; It is not about dogmas that the words “there must be differences of opinion among you,” but about disagreement at meals. Having said: “there must also be differences of opinion,” he added what these heresies consist of: “you gather together in such a way that this does not mean eating the Lord’s Supper” (1 Cor. 11:20). What does it mean to “eat the Lord’s supper”? “This does not mean,” he says, “to eat the Lord’s Supper,” meaning the Supper that Christ gave on the last night, when all the disciples were with Him. At this Supper the Lord and the servants all reclined together; but you are all slaves, and yet you act discordantly and separate from each other. He did not drive out the traitor either, because Judas was with them then, but you are driving away your brother. That is why the apostle says: “It does not mean to eat the Lord’s supper,” calling the Lord’s supper that which is celebrated in agreement and in a general meeting of all. “For everyone hastens to eat his food before others, so that some are hungry, and others are drunk” (1 Cor. 11:21). He did not say: “one hungers, another eats”; but the name of intoxication touches them more. Both here and here, he says, there is immoderation. You are exhausted from satiety, and he is exhausted from hunger; you use more than you need, but he doesn’t even get what he needs. He calls this double evil, resulting from the violation of equality, “heresies”, because they were hostile to each other and caused strife, and one hungered, and the other got drunk. He said well: “you are going.” Why, he says, are you meeting? What is this gathering for, what is the general meeting for, if the meal is not shared? The benefits that we have received are the Lord’s: let them be offered inseparably to slaves who are the same as us. “Have you no houses to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate the poor?” (1 Cor. 11:22). You think, he says, that you are insulting only your brother; but this insult extends to the place, because you neglect the whole church. It is called a church because it accepts everyone in general. Why do you bring the vanity of your home into the church? If you despise your brother, then be ashamed of your place, because the church is also offended by this. And he didn’t say, “You deprive the poor,” or, “You don’t spare the poor,” but what? “You humiliate the poor,” expressed their intemperance in the most powerful way. The poor man, he says, is not so much concerned about food as about insult. Look how meekly he justifies the poor and how strongly he reproaches the rich. “What should I tell you? Should I praise you for this? I won’t praise you” for this. What does it mean? After explaining the heinousness of the act, a slight reproach follows; and quite rightly, so that they do not become more shameless. Before showing the vileness of the act, he expressed a decisive verdict: “I will not praise”; and when he had thoroughly proved that they were guilty of many sins, he used a light reproach, leaving the arguments and explanations themselves to produce the strongest conviction. Then he turns his speech to the mysterious Meal, wanting to arouse even greater fear in them. “For I received from the Lord Himself what I also passed on to you” (1 Cor. 11:23). What is the sequence here? You are talking about a common evening, and yet you are reminding us of the Terrible Secrets? Yes, he says, if these spiritual Mysteries, if this terrible Meal is offered to everyone in general, both rich and poor, the rich and no less the poor enjoy it, but everyone has one honor, one access, and while everyone is worthy and partakes of this spiritual and sacred Meal, what is offered is not taken away, but all the priests stand, waiting for both the poorest and the lowest of all, then all the more should this be done during a sensual meal. That's why he recalled that Lord's Supper. “For I received from the Lord Himself what I also conveyed to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread and, having given thanks, broke it and said: Take, eat, this is My Body, broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me. He also took the cup after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood” (1 Cor. 11:23-25). 5. Further, having said a lot about those who unworthily partake of the Mysteries, strongly reproaching and denouncing them, and teaching that those who receive the Blood and Body of Christ without attention and how it happens will be subjected to the same punishment as the murderers of Christ, he again turned his speech to the proposed subject and said: “Therefore, my brethren, when you gather for supper, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you do not gather together to face condemnation” (1 Cor. 11:33, 34). Look how quietly he condemned their gluttony. He did not say: “if you are hungry,” but: “but if anyone is hungry,” so that everyone, ashamed of being guilty of these sins, would first correct himself. He concluded his speech with a threat of punishment, saying: “so that you do not gather for condemnation,” i.e. not to condemn or shame. This is not food, he says, this is not a meal that is combined with shame for a brother, with contempt for the church, gluttony or gluttony. This is not joy, but punishment and torment. You bring upon yourself great condemnation by insulting the brethren, by neglecting the church, by making a holy place a private home by eating food separately among yourselves. Having heard this, you, beloved, stop the mouths of those who use the word and teaching of the apostles without attention, correct those who use the Scriptures to harm themselves and others. You have learned what is said in the words: “there must be differences of opinion among you,” namely, about the disagreement that occurred during meals, since “some are hungry, and others are drunk.” And together with the right faith, we will demonstrate a life that corresponds to the dogmas, showing great love for the poor, great care for those in need; Let us make spiritual purchases and not look for anything more than what we need. This is wealth, this is acquisition, this is inexhaustible treasure - to transfer all your property to Heaven and then be sure of the preservation of what you have put aside. We will receive two benefits from alms: the one that we will no longer be afraid for the property given away, lest robbers, thieves or worthless slaves steal it, and the fact that what was put aside will not remain fruitless; but, just as a root planted in rich soil bears ripe fruits every year, so silver placed in the hands of the poor, not only every year, but every day brings us spiritual fruits, boldness before God, forgiveness of sins, closeness to the Angels, a clear conscience, the joy of spiritual triumph, unashamed hope, wondrous blessings that God has prepared for those who love Him and with a warm and fiery soul awaiting the mercy of His coming Him, which may we all be worthy of, having lived a real life pleasing to God, as well as the eternal joy of those who are saved, by the grace and bounty of the true God and our Savior Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory and power, with the Father and His All-Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.