Истину и суд мирен судите во вратех ваших,... и клятвы лживыя не любите,... глаголет Господь Вседержитель (Зах.8:16–17)

“Gate”: this is the gate of the soul through which various thoughts and impressions enter it. “Yours”: these gates alone actually belong to man. “Judge”: the judge who sits at the gate and carries out judgment is our mind 319: he makes an analysis, or examination of thoughts and impressions when they come to the gate of the soul, in order to let into the church the souls of those who should be in it, and not to let in those who should not be. “Judge truth and peaceable judgment at your gates”: the mind, the judge, sitting and judging at the gates of the soul, must, when analyzing thoughts and impressions, accept only the true ones. A true thought, a true impression, that is, flowing from the Lord, Who is One - “Truth”, brings with it into the soul indescribable peace and silence, by this we recognize that they are from the Truth, from Christ, who gives His disciples peace, or (which is the same thing) humility, so that their hearts are not troubled by any earthly disaster. On the contrary, “thoughts originating from demons,” says the Great Barsanuphius, are, first of all, filled with confusion and sadness, attracting themselves secretly and subtly: enemies dress in sheep’s clothing, that is, they instill thoughts that are apparently right, but inwardly they are “predatory wolves” (Matthew 7:15), that is, they delight and “deceive the hearts of the gentle” ( Rom.16:18) by what seems good, but is actually evil. Scripture says about the serpent that he is the wisest: why constantly watch his head (Gen. 3:1, 15), so that he does not find a hole in you, and, having settled in it, does not cause devastation 320. The head of the serpent is the beginning of his thoughts or dreams. “You don’t like lying oaths.” The devilish thought, coming to the gate of the soul, tries to take on the appearance of righteousness, bringing countless excuses to the mind, this judge sitting and judging at the gate, in order to gain entry into the soul. But the Prophet does not command one to love these false assurances, this false oath. Not only should one not accept such thoughts and agree with them, but one should not even talk with them, but immediately, at the very first appearance of a sinful thought, resort to prayer to the Lord God, so that He would drive away the enemy from the gates of the soul 321 . Amen. According to the custom of the ancients, kings and other leaders held court in person, and for such a court they chose a place at the gates of the city. An example of this can be seen in the life of the Holy Great Martyr George. Chetii-Minei April 23. Barsanuphius the Great. Answer 59. Saint Isaac of Syria. Word 30. You might be interested in: