Conversation on the apostolic words: “Know this, that in the last days difficult times will come” (2 Tim. 3:1)

“Conversation on the apostolic words: “Know this, that in the last days difficult times will come” (2 Tim. 3:1)” delivered by St. John Chrysostom, probably in August 386 in Antioch. It contains practical conclusions from the eschatological warnings of the Apostle Paul. At the beginning of the conversation, St. John talks about faith as the ability to see the unseen and be convinced of the unseen. And only then does the saint analyze the meaning of the apostolic words, showing that St. Paul has compassion not only for his present flock, but also for those who have not yet been born. The saint speaks of the Church as a single organism: “The body of believers is one. And... this body is not dissolved by either time or place, because we are connected to each other not by a connection of nerves, but are united on all sides by bonds of love.” *The title of the essay in Latin is In illud: Hoc scitote quod in novissimis diebus. 1. Although I am weak, and poor, and inexperienced in teaching, when I see your meeting, I forget about my weakness, I am not aware of poverty, I do not notice my inexperience: such is the power of your love! That is why I offer you my poor meal more diligently than the rich. The culprits of this courage are you, who with your zeal for listening excite the fallen in spirit, thirsting to listen and not taking your eyes off the lips of the speaker. So the chicks of swallows, when they see their mother arriving, lean out of the nest, hang their necks and thus take food from her; So you too, looking with great eagerness at the speaker, accept the teaching offered to you through his lips, and before the words fly out of our mouths, your mind already grasps what is being said. Who would not call both you and us blessed, because we speak “in the ears of those who hear” (Sir.25:12)? Common labor, common and crown; common benefit, common and reward. That is why Christ called the disciples blessed, saying: “Blessed are your eyes for seeing, and your ears for hearing” (Matthew 13:16). Let me say these words to you, since you also show the same zeal: “Blessed are your eyes that see, and your ears that hear.” However, what your ears hear is clear; and what your eyes see, as the disciples saw then, I will try to show, so that your bliss is not half, but complete. What did the disciples see then? They saw the dead raised, the blind receiving their sight, lepers cleansed, demons cast out, the lame walking, every injury to nature corrected. Now you too see this, although not with your physical eyes, but with the eyes of faith. Such are precisely the eyes of faith: they see what appears and contemplate what is still imperfect. How is it known that faith is the seeing of the invisible and the conviction of the invisible? Listen to Paul, who says: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). And it is surprising that the eyes of the body see the visible, but do not see the invisible; The eyes of faith, on the contrary, do not see the visible, but see the invisible. And that they really do not see the visible, but see the invisible, Paul explained this, saying this: “Our momentary light suffering produces eternal glory in an immeasurable abundance, when we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are unseen” (2 Cor. 4:17-18). How then can anyone see the invisible? How else, if not through the eyes of faith? So, in another place he says: “By faith we understand that the worlds were built by the word of God” (Heb. 11:3). How, when we don't see it? “So out of things that are invisible,” he says, “things that are visible were made” (Heb. 11:3). Do you want me to give another testimony that the eyes of faith see what is unseen? Paul in the Epistle to the Galatians in one place says: “Jesus Christ was marked out before your eyes, as if he were crucified among you” (Gal. 3:1). 2. What are you saying, blessed Paul? Did the Galatians in Galatia see Him crucified? Do we not all confess that His sufferings took place in Palestine, in the midst of Judea? How did the Galatians see Him crucified? With the eyes of faith, and not with the eyes of the body. Do you see how the eyes of faith see the unseen? At such a distance and after such a long time, they saw Christ crucified. So you also see the dead raised; so today you see the leper being cleansed; so you see the paralytic rising, and you see more than the Jews who were present then. They, while present, did not recognize the miracle; and you, even without being present, believed - so I rightly said about you that “blessed are your eyes that they see” (Matthew 13:16). If you also want to learn from another case that the eyes of faith see the unseen, but do not look at the visible - after all, they can only see the invisible except by ignoring what was said above - then listen to Paul's conversations about Abraham, how he saw the birth of Isaac with the eyes of faith and thus accepted the promise. What does the apostle say? “And, not having fainted in faith, he did not consider that his body, almost a hundred years old, was already dead” (Rom. 4:19). Great is the power of faith! Just as human judgment is timid and weak, so is faith strong and strong. “I didn’t think that his body, almost a hundred years old, was already dead.” Do you see how he neglected the visible, how he did not look at old age, although it was before his eyes? But he contemplated with the eyes of faith, and not with the eyes of the body. Therefore, he did not see Sarah’s old age or deadness: “and Sarah’s womb was dead” (Rom. 4:19). Here the apostle points us to barrenness. There was a twofold weakness: one from old age, the other from weakness of nature; not only was the body incapable of childbearing due to its age, but the womb itself was deadened, and the very natural container (of childbearing) was incapable even before old age due to infertility. Do you see how many obstacles there were? The old age of the husband, the old age of the wife; infertility, which is even more incapacitating than old age and especially prevents childbearing. And, however, Abraham ignored all this and with the eyes of faith rose to heaven, having the greatest proof of the fulfillment of the promise - the power of the Promised One. Therefore, he “did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but remained strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Rom. 4:20). Faith is, as it were, a strong rod and a safe harbor that delivers from errors of judgment and soothes the soul in great silence. “Blessed are your eyes for seeing” (Matthew 13:16), - this saying must be repeated again. Although the Jews saw what was happening at that time, the Lord does not call external vision blessed, because it is not external vision that sees miracles in itself, but internal vision. They saw a blind man and said: “Is this one”, - not this one, - let us call his parents (John 9:8-9, 18). Do you hear them doubt? Do you see that bodily vision is not enough to contemplate a miracle? Those who were present and watched said: “this... is, this is not”; and we, being absent, do not say: this one is not the same, but: he is the same one. Have you become convinced that absence does no harm when there are eyes of faith, and presence does not bring any benefit when there are no eyes of faith? What benefit did the Jews receive from what they saw? No. We see them more clearly. So, if your eyes see with that vision and your ears hear with that hearing that Christ called blessed, then we will now offer you the pearls of the Scriptures. As for the Jews, Christ did not resolve the questions, but further increased the obscurity, because they did not listen; so you too, because you are listening, need to clearly imagine the hidden. The disciples approached Christ and said in surprise: “Why do you speak to them in parables?” . He answered: “Therefore I speak to them in parables, because when they see they see not” (Matthew 13:10, 13). And since you see without seeing, it is necessary to speak to you not in parables; not like those who, while listening, do not hear. So, if you, who did not listen then, hear now no less than you would have heard then, then you should not be deprived of this meal. And Christ called the latter no less blessed than the first: “Because you have seen Me,” He says, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Therefore, do not be slow to practice virtue, because you are not living in those times, but now. If you want, then there will be no harm for you, just as many of those who lived then did not receive any benefit because they did not want to. 3. So, what did you read today? “Know this, that in the last days difficult times will come” (2 Tim. 3:1), Paul writes again to Timothy. A terrible threat; but let us take heart: he mysteriously points us to those times and to those following them, and to the times at the very end (of the world). “Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.” A short saying, but great power in it! Just as aromas emit fragrance not by their quantity, but by their nature, so the Divine Scriptures, not by the multitude of words, but by the power of what they contain, bring us every benefit. The aroma is fragrant in itself, by its own nature, and when you throw it on the fire, then it reveals all its pleasantness: so the Divine Scripture is very pleasant in itself, and when it penetrates our soul, as if falling into a censer, then it fills the whole house with incense. “Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.” He speaks of the end (of the world). But what does this matter to you, blessed Paul, what to Timothy, what to the listeners of that time, who were soon to die, to be freed from threatening disasters and evil people? I, he says, look not only at the present, but also foresee the future; I don’t regret the present flock, but I also worry and fear for the future. We hardly show concern for those people who live with us; and he shows great concern for those who have not yet been born. Likewise, an excellent shepherd not only warns when he sees wolves rushing towards the flock and being near the sheep, but also points out them when they are still far away. So Paul, as an excellent shepherd, sitting in a high place - in prophetic dignity - and with prophetic eyes seeing from afar the wild beasts running together, rushing at the very end (of the world) and attacking the flock, predicts and foretells this in order to prepare for wakefulness those who have not yet been born, and with such a prophecy to protect the entire flock. And a father who tenderly loves children, building a magnificent and huge house for his children, often builds it in such a way that it will not only be useful for them, but also for his grandchildren and those who follow them. Likewise, the king, surrounding his beloved city with an outer wall, makes it reliable, strong and durable, so that it serves not only his family, but is useful to all subsequent descendants, and so that it can withstand not only contemporary weapons of destruction, but also against subsequent attacks. So did Paul. The apostolic epistles are the walls of churches; he protects with them not only his contemporaries, but also future people; and he built this fence so firm and indestructible and with all its strength he placed it throughout the entire universe, so that it frees the people of that time, and those who followed, and those who are present, and those who will be after, until the coming of Christ, from any attack of enemies. Such are the souls of saints: loving, caring, love exceeding paternal disposition, conquering natural love, and surpassing maternal illnesses of birth, because they are filled with the Spirit and Divine grace. 4. Do you want me to prove from another circumstance that the saints do not care about their own needs and worry not only about the present, but also about the future? The Scripture says that Christ, who was sitting on the mountain, was approached by disciples, people who had already reached old age and who, after a short time, had to depart from this life. What are they asking Him about? What are they worried about? What are they afraid of? What do you ask the Teacher about? Is it about what will happen during their lifetime, or what will happen in those times? No. But, leaving all this behind, what do they say? “What is the sign of Your coming and the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3)? Do you see that they too ask about the end of the century and care about future people? The apostles, everyone in general and each one in particular, had in mind not their own needs, but those of others. Such was Peter, the supreme one in their host, the mouth of all the apostles, the head of that brotherhood, the primate of the whole universe, the foundation of the Church, who passionately loved Christ, because the Lord said to him: “Peter, do you love me more than these” (John 21:15)? For this reason, I praise him so that you will know that he truly loved Christ, because caring for slaves is the greatest proof of love for the Master; and it is not I who say this, but the Master Himself, whom he loved: “If you love Me,” He says, “feed My sheep” (John 21:16). Let us see whether he truly has the title of shepherd, whether he truly provides care, whether he truly loves the sheep, whether he truly has affection for the flock - so that we know that he also loves the Shepherd - since the first, said the Lord, is a sign of the latter. So, this Peter abandoned everything he had - I cut it and everything that was in the boat, left the sea, and the craft, and the house. Let us not look at the fact that this is not much, but at the fact that this is all his property, and let us praise his zeal. After all, she who put in two mites put in a small amount of money, and yet she showed a great wealth of zeal, just as Peter, in his great poverty, showed a great abundance of zeal. What for another is property, servants, houses, gold, for him there was land, the sea, a craft, a boat. Therefore, let us not look at the fact that he left little, but that he left everything. It is not required to leave a little or a lot, but to contribute no less than one’s strength allows. Thus, he left everything: the fatherland, and the house, and friends, and relatives, and safety itself; With such an act he armed the Jewish people against himself: “For,” says the evangelist, “the Jews have already agreed that whoever recognizes Him as Christ should be excommunicated from the synagogue” (John 9:22). From this it is clear that he did not doubt or fear regarding the Kingdom of Heaven, but was very confident, both by the evidence of the circumstances themselves, and even before the evidence of the circumstances in the words of the Savior, that he would certainly inherit the Kingdom. It was when he said: “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what will happen to us? , then Christ answered them: “You also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:27–28). I brought this up so that when I show that he was worried about his brothers, you would not say that he was afraid for himself. How could he fear for himself when He Himself, Who was to crown him, uttered a definition about the crown and rewards? So, this Peter, who left everything, confident of receiving the Kingdom of Heaven, when one rich man came and said to Christ: “What good thing can I do to have eternal life?” , and Christ answered him: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your property and give it to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me,” and then, when he was saddened at this, Christ said to the disciples: “Truly I say to you, it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven; and again I say to you: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God,” then Peter, who had nothing, was confident of receiving the Kingdom, was not afraid for his own salvation and clearly knew about the honor prepared for him there, after hearing this, said: “So who can be saved?” (Matthew 19:16, 21–25). What are you afraid of, blessed Peter, what are you worried about, why are you trembling? You have given up everything, abandoned everything; we are talking about the rich; what is said serves as an accusation for them; and you spend your life in poverty and non-covetousness. But I don’t mean my own needs, he says, but I seek the benefit of others. Therefore, being confident for himself, he proposed a question for others and said: “Then who can be saved?” . 5. Do you see the care of the apostles? Do you see how they formed one body? Do you see how Peter was worried about both the present and the future? So is Paul; That’s why he said: “Know this, that in the last days difficult times will come” (2 Tim. 3:1). And on another occasion he did the same. When he intended to leave Asia and go to Rome, and from there to go to Heaven - because the death of saints is not death, but a migration from earth to Heaven, from worse to better, from slaves like them to the Master, from people to Angels - and so, when he intended to go to the Lord of all God, he arranged everything that concerned himself. During his stay with the disciples, he taught them the doctrine with all care and said: “I am pure from the blood of all” (Acts 20:26); “I didn’t omit anything,” he says, “from what I had to do for salvation.” So what? Having brought into safety what concerned himself, without being condemned by the Lord for his times, did he neglect the souls that followed? No, but as if having to give an account for them, he expressed those words to them with all care, and these sayings that we will read: “Take heed,” he said, “to yourself and to all the flock” (Acts 20:28). Do you see how he was overwhelmed with concern for them? Each of us cares only about his own needs, and he, as the primate, cares about the needs of everyone. That is why he says about teachers: “They watch vigilantly for your souls, as those who must give an account” (Heb. 13:17). Truly, it is a terrible judgment at which one must give account for so many people! But, as I said, having called them, he said: “Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers” (Acts 20:28). What happened? Why do you exhort? Do you foresee any disaster? Are you foreseeing something terrible? Is there some danger, some misfortune, some war? Tell us; you stand above us, and you not only see the present, but also see the future. So, tell me: why do you proclaim this and exhort it? “I know that after I am gone,” he says, “grievous wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:28–29). Do you see how, as I spoke about, he worries and fears not only for those who were in his time, but also for those who were to be after his departure? “Wolves will come to you,” he says; and not just: “wolves,” but: “fierce wolves who do not spare the herd.” Double disaster: the absence of Paul and the attack of wolves; and there is no teacher, and the corrupters will appear. Look at the malice of the beasts and the cunning of wicked people: they were ambushed by the absence of the teacher, and then they attacked the flock. So what? Do you leave us defenseless and predict only disasters, and do not come up with any consolation? But by doing this, you further increase fear, confuse souls, weaken strength, and weaken the hands of your listeners. Therefore, he reminded them of the Spirit in advance: “The Holy Spirit has made you overseers.” Although Paul will not be there, he says, the Comforter will be present. Do you see how he inspired their soul, reminding them of the Divine Teacher, with whose help he himself was strong, being present there? Why does he bring them into fear? In order to drive away carelessness on the other hand. The adviser must do both, and not allow the listener to become arrogant, lest he become careless, and on the other hand, not frighten him, lest he fall into despair. So, recalling the Spirit, he warned against despair, and speaking about wolves, he warned against carelessness. “Dire wolves will come among you, not sparing the flock; “Watch therefore” (Acts 20:29, 31), he says, remember me. Indeed, it was enough encouragement to remember Paul. But he exhorts them not just to remember him, but to remember his deeds. And that he not only exhorted them to remember him, but that, remembering, they would imitate him, is clear from the words he added to his listeners: “Remembering that for three years I taught each of you day and night without ceasing with tears” (Acts 20:31). I wish, he says, that you remember not just about me, but also about time, and teaching, and diligence, and tears, and all these sighs. Just as the relatives of the sick, not having time to convince them with their many and long speeches to take the food and medicine characteristic of the sick, cry in order to quickly bow them down, so Paul did with his disciples: when he saw that the word of teaching was weak, then he used the medicine of tears. 6. Who would not be ashamed, even if he were more insensitive even than stones, to see Paul weeping and sighing? Do you see how he predicted the future there too? He does the same thing here, saying: “Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.” Why does he say this to Timothy, and not say this: let those who live hereafter know that “difficult times will come”? But: “Know this,” he says, so that you know that the student, like the teacher, cared about the future; if he had not cared, he would not have placed the same care on him. Christ did the same: when the disciples came to Him, wanting to know about the end (of the world), He told them: “You will hear about wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6). Meanwhile, they did not hear about it. But the body of believers is one. And just as those who lived then heard about what would happen after, so we know about what happened then. One, as I said, body - we and they, closely related to each other, although we occupy the last row of members; and this body is not dissolved by either time or place, because we are not connected to each other by a connection of nerves, but are united on all sides by bonds of love. Therefore, he speaks about us and we hear about them. It is also worth examining why the apostle everywhere says that sorrowful circumstances will converge at the end of this life. So in another place he says: “In the last times some will depart from the faith” (1 Tim. 4:1); and here again he says: “in the last days difficult times will come.” And Christ, foreshadowing something similar to this, said: at his death, “you will hear about wars and rumors of war... and there will be famines and pestilences” (Matthew 24:6–7). Why will there be a great confluence of disasters at the end? Some say that nature is exhausted and exhausted, just like an old body that experiences many illnesses, likewise, when it grows old, it will experience many calamities. But the body reaches old age through weakness and the law of nature; and infections, wars and earthquakes do not occur from the old age of nature. These diseases, “famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in places” (Matthew 24:7) will not occur because these creations will grow old; but because the will of people is corrupted, all these disasters are punishments for sins and the treatment of human diseases. Then human diseases will increase. Why, they will say, will they become stronger then? It seems to me that since the Court is delaying, the punishments are still coming and the Judge has not yet come, those who have to give an account become more careless. Thus, Christ says about the evil servant that this made him the most careless. My master is slow, said the slave, and therefore he beat slaves like himself and squandered the master’s property. That is why Christ did not say this to the disciples who came to Him and wanted to know about the day of death, wanting to keep us in constant fear with the uncertainty of the future, so that everyone, constantly expecting the future and in hope of the coming of Christ, would be more caring. Therefore, someone exhorts this: “Do not hesitate to turn to the Lord and do not put it off from day to day, for the wrath of the Lord will suddenly come upon you,” so that by slowness you do not perish (Sir. 5:8-9). The death is unknown, he says, and unknown so that you will always be caring. Therefore the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, not to steal us away, but to make us more careful. After all, whoever waits for the thief does not sleep, and, having lit a lamp, is constantly awake. So you too, having ignited the light of faith and righteous life, have clear lamps in constant vigil. Since we do not know when the Bridegroom will come, we must always be ready, so that when He comes He will find us awake. 7. I would like to continue my speech; but my bodily weakness, due to which I was separated from you for such a long time, barely allowed me to say this. This time is long for me, not in terms of the number of days, but in terms of the measure and mood of my soul. For lovers, even a short time of separation seems long and unspeakably long. Therefore, Paul, being separated from the Thessalonians for a short time, said: “But we, brethren, being separated from you for a short time in face, and not in heart, we tried all the more eagerly to see your face” (1 Thess. 2:17). If Paul, who knew how to philosophize better than anyone, did not endure “for a short time,” then how can we endure so many days (of separation)? Like him, I, unable to bear this any longer and still having remnants of the illness, ran to you, thinking of receiving the greatest healing in communication with your love. Indeed, for me, it is more useful than the assistance of doctors and any relief that comes from here to enjoy from your love, which may we be worthy to enjoy constantly, through the prayers and intercession of all saints, for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, honor, power, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith”