Conversations about St. Apostle Paul

The first six "Conversations about St. Apostle Paul" were pronounced by St. John Chrysostom in Antioch around 390. The year and place of the seventh discourse are unknown. These conversations enjoyed extraordinary popularity both in the Christian East and in the Christian West. In them, the saint speaks about the spiritual beauty of the Apostle Paul: “He would not sin if he called Paul’s soul a meadow of virtues and a spiritual paradise.” He united in himself everything that is great and good, not only between people, but even between angels. Ap. Paul, who acquired the perfect love of Christ, appears as the highest example of virtue: “Indeed, whatever valor the prophets, patriarchs, righteous, apostles, martyrs showed, he had all this together to such a high degree that none of them individually possessed the gift that each of them had.” Despite the fact that for his preaching of Christ the “apostle of the tongues” suffered numerous hardships, insults and persecutions, he only boasted about them and considered them a great honor. Ap. Paul loved his enemies and those who did him harm; he desired the salvation of the Jews who persecuted him. The saint praises the greatness of his love for mankind, which inspired him with great tenderness both for his compatriots and for foreigners, the desire for the salvation of all people, and encouraged him to generously help those in need. St. John also tells of the apostle's conversion, his initial preaching in Damascus, his journey to Rome, and the decisive role he played in spreading the gospel throughout the world. *The title of the work in Greek is Εἰς τὸν ἀπόστολον Παῦλον. *The title of the work in Latin is De laudibus sancti Pauli apostoli homiliae 1-7. Spiritual beauty of St. Apostle Paul. – He united in himself to an extraordinary degree everything that is great and good, not only between people, but even between Angels. – He had all the virtues of Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, Moses, David, Elijah and John the Baptist, as well as the Angels. He would not have sinned if he called Paul's soul a meadow of virtues and a spiritual paradise: he flourished so abundantly in grace and showed a wisdom of soul so worthy of grace! Since he became a chosen vessel and cleansed himself well, the gift of the Spirit was poured out on him abundantly. From here he gave us wondrous rivers, not only four, like the source of paradise, but much more numerous, which flow daily and do not irrigate the earth, but excite human souls to bear the fruits of virtue. What word will be sufficient to depict his perfections, or what language will be able to adequately depict his praise? When all human virtues are combined in one soul, and all in abundance, and not only human, but also angelic, then how will we find praise equal to its greatness? However, because of this we will not remain silent, but for this very reason and most of all, we will speak. This is the greatest kind of praise, when the greatness of perfection exceeds the art of words in its superiority, and then defeat is more glorious for us than a thousand trophies. So, where would be the best place to start praising? Where else, if not to first of all show that he had the virtues of all (saints)? In fact, no matter what the valiant prophets, patriarchs, righteous men, apostles, martyrs did, he had all this together to such a high degree that none of them individually possessed the gift that each of them had. Look: Abel made a sacrifice (Gen. 4:4) - and for this he is glorified; but if you imagine Pavlov’s sacrifice, it turns out that it is as much superior to that as heaven is to earth. Which one should I point you to? Because his victim is not alone. Every day he sacrificed himself, and again he made this sacrifice doubly - both dying every day and carrying death in his body (1 Cor. 15:31; 2 Cor. 4:10). He constantly fought against dangers, and tempered himself with his will, and so mortified his carnal nature that he was no less in the state of tempered victims, but even much more. He did not bring oxen and sheep, but he slaughtered himself twice as much every day. That's why he dared to say: “For I am already becoming a sacrifice,” calling his blood a sacrifice (2 Tim. 4:6). However, he was not content with these sacrifices, but, completely dedicating himself, he offered (to God) the universe, land and sea, Hellas and the barbarian country, and all the land in general that the sun illuminates; He, like some kind of bird, flew all over it, not just bypassing, but destroying the thorns of sins, sowing the teaching of piety, driving out error, spreading the truth, making angels out of people, or better yet, making people out of demons into angels. Therefore, preparing to depart after his many labors and incessant victories, he said to his disciples as a consolation: “If I become a sacrifice for the sacrifice and service of your faith, then I rejoice and rejoice with all of you. In this very thing you also rejoice and rejoice with me” (Phil. 2:17-18). What can compare with this sacrifice, which he slain with the sword of the Spirit, which he offered on the altar that is above the heavens? Abel was treacherously killed by Cain (Gen. 4:8), and therefore became famous; but I have counted your many deaths - as many days as this blessed one (apostle) spent in preaching. If you want to know about the death that actually befell him, then Abel fell at the hands of his brother, to whom he did neither offense nor good, and Paul was killed by those whom he tried to save from countless evils and for whom he endured all his suffering. Noah was righteous and perfect in his generation, and he was the only one among all (Gen. 6:9). But Paul was like that only among everyone. He saved only himself and his children; and this one, when a much stronger flood engulfed the universe, pulled out from among the waves, not through an ark made of planks, but instead of planks, composing messages - not two, three or five relatives, but the entire universe, which was ready to be plunged into them. And this ark was not such as to remain in one place, but reached to the limits of the universe, and from then until now Paul brings everyone into this ark, because it is built in proportion to the multitude of those being saved and, accepting those who are more senseless than dumb animals, makes them similar to the highest powers - and thus surpasses that ark. He, having accepted the raven, released the raven again (Gen. 8:7) and, having accepted the wolf, did not change his atrocity; but this one is not so, but, having accepted wolves, made them sheep, having accepted hawks and kites, released them as doves, eliminating all dumbness and bestiality from human nature, introducing meekness of spirit; and to this day this ark remains floating and is not destroyed. The storm of wickedness could not break its boards, but on the contrary: he, swimming in the midst of the storm, tamed its ferocity; and very natural, because these boards were not coated with putty and pitch, but with the Holy Spirit. Everyone is surprised at Abraham, because when he heard: “Get out of your land, from your kindred” (Gen. 12:1), he left his fatherland, and home, and friends, and relatives - God’s command was everything to him. We are surprised at this too; but what can compare with Paul? He left for Jesus not his fatherland, home and relatives, but the world itself, or rather, he despised heaven itself and the Heaven of heaven, and sought only one thing - the love of Jesus. Listen to how he himself expresses it when he says: “Neither the present nor the future, neither height nor depth, ... will be able to separate us from the love of God” (Rom. 8:38-39). He, exposing himself to danger, delivered his nephew from foreigners; and this one stole not a nephew, not three or five cities, but the entire universe from the hands of not foreigners, but the demons themselves, exposing himself every day to countless dangers and through his own deaths bringing great safety to others. There, the height of virtue and the extreme degree of wisdom is the sacrifice of a son; but here too we will find an advantage in Paul, because he sacrificed not his son, but himself a thousand times, as I said above. What is surprising about Isaac? Besides many other things, especially his kindness, the fact that he, digging wells and being expelled from his borders (Gen. 26), did not resist, but endured, seeing the wells being filled up, and constantly moved to another place, never arming himself against those who offended him, but yielding and everywhere abandoning his own property, until he satisfied their unrighteous greed. But Paul, seeing not the wells filled with stones, but his own body, did not only yield, as he did, but tried to raise those very ones who threw stones at him to Heaven; The more this source was filled up, the more it broke through and constantly poured out the most abundant rivers. Scripture marvels at the patience of the son of Isaac. But what adamantine soul can show Pavlovo’s patience? He worked not twice for seven years, but all his life for the bride of Christ, enduring not only the heat of the day and the cold of the night, but enduring countless clouds of temptations, now accepting scourging, now undergoing stoning, now fighting with beasts, now struggling with the sea, constantly enduring hunger and cold day and night, falling into dangers everywhere and snatching sheep from the jaws of the devil. Joseph was chaste. But I’m afraid it won’t be ridiculous to praise Paul for this, who crucified himself to the world, and not only looked at physical beauty, but also looked at all things the way we look at dust and ashes, and was insensitive to them, like a dead person to a dead person. So he, carefully taming natural desires, never had any predilection for anything human. All people are surprised at Job, and quite rightly: he was truly a great ascetic and can be equal to Paul himself in patience, in purity of life, in confession of God, in a strong struggle, in the wondrous victory that followed the struggle. But Paul did not spend a few months in such exploits, but many years, not pouring pus on lumps of earth, sitting on a rotting spot, but constantly falling into the very mouth of an invisible lion and, struggling with countless temptations, he was harder than any stone; and not from three or four friends, but from unbelieving false brothers he suffered insults, spitting and slander. How great was Job's hospitality and care for those in need? And we will not refute this; but we find that it is as much below Pavlov’s care as the body is below the soul. What he did for those suffering in body, this one did for those who were weak in soul, correcting all those who were tempting and blind in mind and clothing the naked and indecent with the garment of wisdom; and in relation to bodily needs he was so much superior to him, how much more important it is to help those in need when you yourself suffer poverty and hunger than to do it out of excess. His house was open to everyone who came; but this one’s soul was open to the entire universe and accepted all peoples. That’s why he said: “You are not cramped in us; but your hearts are cramped” (2 Cor. 6:12). He was generous to those in need, having countless sheep and oxen; and this one, having nothing but his body, worked with this very body for those in need: “These hands have served my needs,” he says, “and the needs of those who were with me” (Acts 20:34), that is, through bodily work he provided support for the hungry and thirsty. Did worms and wounds cause Job cruel and unbearable torment? I admit this too; but if you contrast this with the scourging that Paul endured for so many years, his incessant hunger, nakedness, chains, prison, dangers, intrigues against him from his own, from strangers, from rulers, from the whole universe, and at the same time even more difficult, namely, sorrow for those who fell, concern for all the churches, the fiery anxiety that he felt for each of those who were tempted - then you will see how the soul that endured this was stronger stone and was superior (in strength) to iron and adamant. Thus, what he endured in body, this one endured in soul, and more than any worm, his soul was consumed by grief for each of those who were tempted. Therefore, he constantly shed sources of tears not only during the day, but also at night, and for each of them he suffered more deeply than any wife giving birth; That’s why he said: “my children, for whom I am again in the throes of birth” (Gal.4:19). Who can be surprised after Job? Of course, Moses. But Paul surpassed him in many ways. There is much great in him, but the main and highest dignity of this holy soul is that for the salvation of the Jews he himself agreed to be blotted out from the book of God (Ex. 32:32). But he decided to die along with others; and Paul decided not to perish with others, but so that others would be saved, and he himself would lose eternal glory. This one fought with Pharaoh, and this one fought with the devil every day; that one labored for one people, and this one for the whole universe, shedding not sweat, but blood instead of sweat, and correcting not only inhabited lands, but also deserted ones, not only Hellas, but also a barbarian country. Then it would be necessary to introduce Jesus (Joshua), and Samuel, and other prophets, but in order not to spread the conversation too much, let’s move on to the most important of them, because when he turns out to be higher than these, then there will be no doubt about the others. So, who are the most important? Who, after the above, if not David and Elijah and John, of whom one is the forerunner of the first, and the other is the forerunner of the second coming of the Lord, and therefore are called one by the name of the other? What's great about David? Humility and love for God. But who more, or at least who no less than Paul’s soul, had both? What's surprising about Elijah? Was it that he closed the sky, caused famine and brought down fire? No, I think, but the fact that he was zealous for the Lord and was stronger than fire in this. But if you look at Paul’s zeal, you will see that he is as much superior to Elijah as he is superior to the other prophets. What can really compare with the words that he spoke, zealous for the glory of the Lord: “I would like to be excommunicated from Christ for my brothers who are related to me according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:3)? Therefore, while heaven, crowns and rewards were ahead of him, he was in no hurry, he hesitated and said: “It is more necessary for you to remain in the flesh” (Phil. 1:24). Therefore, he did not consider any of the visible or invisible creatures sufficient to express his love and jealousy, but looked for another, non-existent one, in order to express what he wanted and desired. John ate locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4). But Paul lived among the universe as he did in the desert - not eating locusts and wild honey, but having a much poorer meal and even needing the necessary food out of zeal for preaching. Did he show great courage in denouncing Herod? But this one stopped the mouths of not one, two or three, but countless others like him, or better yet, much more ferocious than that tyrant. Finally, it remains to compare Paul with the Angels: therefore, leaving the earth, let us ascend to the vaults of heaven. Let no one consider our speech impudent. If Scripture calls John and the priests an angel, what wonder is it when we compare with these powers the one who is most excellent? What is great about them? The fact that they completely obey God, about which David speaks with surprise: “Mighty in strength, doing His word” (Ps. 103:20). Truly, there is nothing equal to this, even if they were a thousand times incorporeal, since this is what makes them especially blessed, that they obey the commands (of God) and do not disobey anything. But you can also see in Paul how he observed this exactly: he not only fulfilled the word of God, but also all the commands and even beyond the commands, as he himself expressed it, saying: “What is my reward for? Because when I preach the Gospel, I preach the good news of Christ freely” (1 Cor. 9:18)? What else does the prophet say with surprise about Angels? “You make Your angels spirits, Your servants a blazing fire” (Ps. 103:4). But this can also be seen in Paul, because he, like spirit and fire, flowed around the entire universe and cleansed the earth. But he has not yet reached Heaven? It is surprising that he was like this on earth and, having been clothed with a mortal body, was equal to the incorporeal forces. What kind of condemnation are we worthy of if, while one person combines all the virtues, we do not try to imitate him even in the slightest part? So, thinking about this, let us try to rid ourselves of condemnation and imitate his zeal in order to be worthy to receive the same benefits through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The Holy Apostle Paul practiced virtue in all its relations and fulfilled it without any regard for earthly retribution, or even for heavenly ones. – He did not avoid suffering, but even sought it out and enjoyed it; grieved for the salvation of everyone in general and each individual. – He lived on earth as if he were in Heaven. – He was granted the greatest mercies and the most significant gifts of grace. – Finally, he is an excellent example of virtue, which is not inaccessible to all of us. What a person is, what the nobility of our nature is and what virtue this being is capable of - Paul showed himself more than any other person. From the time he became (an apostle), until now, with a loud voice he justifies the Lord against everyone who condemns Him for such a dispensation of us, encourages us to virtue, stops the shameless lips of detractors and shows that there is not a great distance between Angels and people if we want to be attentive to ourselves. He did not receive a different nature, did not have a different soul, did not live in a different world, but was raised on the same land, in the same country, under the same laws and customs, and surpassed all people who have existed since the time people began to exist. Where are those who say that virtue is difficult and vice is easy? Paul states the opposite to them: “For a moment’s light affliction,” he says, “...works out eternal glory in an exceeding abundance” (2 Cor. 4:17). If sorrows are light, then even more so are inner pleasures. And not only is it surprising about him that, due to an excess of jealousy, he did not feel the labors raised for virtue, but that he was not devoted to this latter for the sake of reward. Even with the upcoming rewards, we cannot stand the work of virtue; and he fulfilled and loved it without reward, and overcame apparent obstacles to it with all ease, without citing either the weakness of the body, or the multitude of affairs, or the power of nature, or anything else. Despite the fact that he was burdened with more worries than all the military leaders and kings on earth, he nevertheless increased every day in strength, and with the increase of dangers for him, he acquired new zeal, as he himself expressed it when he said: “Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead” (Phil. 3:13); and, expecting death, he called for participation in this joy, saying: “Rejoice and rejoice with me” (Phil. 2:18); and at the sight of dangers, insults and all dishonor, he also rejoiced, and in the Epistle to the Corinthians he said: “Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with needs, with persecutions” (2 Cor. 12:10). He called all this the weapon of truth, expressing that from here he received the greatest benefit, and was elusive to enemies on all sides. Everywhere he encountered blows, insults, slander, he, making a kind of solemn procession and erecting continuous trophies throughout the whole earth, admired and gave thanks to God, saying: “But thanks be to God, who always makes us triumph” (2 Cor. 2:14). He sought dishonor and insult for preaching more than we do - honor, death more than we do life, poverty more than we do wealth, work more than others peace, and not just more, but much more, sorrow more than other joys, and prayers for enemies more than other prayers against enemies. In this way he transformed the order of things, or better yet, we transformed it, and he observed it as God had established. The first is natural, but the last is the opposite. Who serves as proof of this? Paul, who was a man and yet sought the former more than the latter. Only one thing was scary and dangerous for him - to offend God, and nothing more; equally, what he desired was nothing other than to please God; I don’t say: nothing from the present [was desirable for him], but even from the future. Don’t tell me about cities, peoples, kings, armies, weapons, wealth, leadership and power - he didn’t even consider this a web; but imagine what is in heaven, and then you will see the power of his love for Christ. Nurturing this love, he was not surprised at the dignity of either the Angels, or the Archangels, or anything else like that, because he had in himself that which is above all - the love of Christ - and with it he considered himself most blessed of all, and without it he did not want to be with the Dominions, or with the Principalities, or with the Authorities; with this love, he would rather be among the last and punished than without it among the highest and receiving honors; the only punishment for him was to lose this love: for him it was hell, torment, the height of evil; just as it was a pleasure to have her: in this for him there was life, peace, an angel, the present, the future, the kingdom, the promise, the height of good things. He considered everything else that did not belong here either regrettable or pleasant, but he despised everything visible like rotten grass. Rulers and nations breathing wrath seemed to him like mosquitoes, and death, executions and countless torments were child's toys, except perhaps when he suffered because of Christ: then he admired them and was magnified in chains in a way that Nero was not magnified, having a diadem on his head, and lived in prison as if in Heaven itself, and accepted wounds and scourgings with greater pleasure than others grab rewards. He loved labor no less than reward, considering the labor itself to be a reward for himself, which is why he called it grace. Look: to be resolved and to be with Christ was a reward for him, and to remain in the flesh was a feat; however, he chooses the latter preferentially over the former, and says that this is more necessary for him. To be separated from Christ was for him a feat and labor, or rather, higher than both feat and labor, and to be with Christ was a reward, however, for Christ he chooses the first preferentially over the last. But perhaps someone will say that all this was pleasant to him for the sake of Christ. And I also say that he took great pleasure in the fact that it causes us grief. But why do I talk about dangers and other disasters? He was constantly in sorrow, and therefore he said: “Who is faint, with whom would I not faint? Who is tempted, for whom would I not be inflamed?” ( 2 Cor. 11:29 )? Someone will say that there is pleasure in sorrow; for example, many, having lost children and having the freedom to cry, find consolation, and if they are prevented from doing so, they become sad. So Paul, shedding tears night and day, found consolation in them, because no one cried for his own misfortunes as he did for strangers. What do you think he felt when, seeing that the Jews were not being saved, he asked that he himself be deprived of the highest glory so that they could be saved (Rom. 9:3)? From this it is clear that their failure to save them was much more difficult for him, because if it had not been more difficult, he would not have asked for it; he chose that (deprivation of heavenly glory) as the easiest and most comforting, and not only desired, but also cried out like this: “which... is sorrow and... torment to my heart” (Rom. 9:2). So, who, so to speak, cried every day for those living throughout the entire universe, and for all peoples and cities in general, and for each one separately, with what can be compared? With what hardware? With what adamant? What can this soul be called? Gold or adamantine? It was harder than any adamant, more expensive than gold and precious stones; he surpassed the former in his hardness, and the latter in his preciousness. What can you compare it with? With nothing existing. If adamant became gold and gold adamant, then some kind of likeness would be formed from them for her. But why should I compare it with adamantium and gold? Set the whole world against her, and then you will see that Pavlov’s soul is more important than his. In fact, if about those who wandered in mantles, in caves and in a small part of the universe, he says that “the whole world was not worthy” of them (Heb. 11:38), then we can say much more about himself that he was equal in dignity to everyone. But if the world is not worth it, then who is? Maybe heaven? No, and it is small, because if he himself preferred the love of the Lord to heaven and what is in heaven, then much more the Lord, Who exceeds him in goodness as much as good is higher than evil, will prefer him to the multitude of heavens. He loves us not as much as we love Him, but so much more that it is impossible to express in any word. Look at what He honored Paul even before the future resurrection: he took him into Paradise, ascended to the third Heaven, told him such secrets that cannot be told to anyone of human nature; and quite rightly, because while he was still walking on earth, he did everything as if he lived in the company of Angels, being bound by a mortal body, he demonstrated their purity and, being subject to such infirmities, tried to be in no way inferior to the highest powers. Truly, like a bird, he flew around the universe, and, as if incorporeal, he despised labor and danger, and, as if he had already reached Heaven, he neglected everything earthly, and, as if dealing with the incorporeal forces themselves, he was constantly alert. Although various nations were often entrusted to the Angels, not one of them created such a people entrusted to himself as Paul did for the entire universe. Don’t tell me that Paul was not the organizer of it, I agree with this too. But even if he himself did not succeed in this, then even in this case one cannot deprive him of praise for this, since he made himself worthy of such grace. Michael was entrusted with the Jewish people, and Paul was entrusted with land and sea, inhabited and uninhabited countries. I say this not to humiliate the Angels, no, but in order to show that, even as a person, you can be with them and stand next to them. And why was this not entrusted to the Angels? So that you have no excuse for your negligence, and do not refer to differences in nature to justify your carelessness. Meanwhile, something even more wonderful happened. Indeed, isn’t it amazing and strange that a word pronounced by a mortal tongue drives away death, resolves sins, corrects damaged nature and makes the earth heaven? That is why I am amazed at the power of God, that is why I am amazed at Paul’s zeal, that he accepted such grace, that he prepared himself in such a way. And I exhort you not only to be surprised, but also to imitate this example of virtue, because in this way we can become participants in the same crowns as him. If you are surprised to hear that, having done the same, you will receive the same, then listen to how he himself says: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; and now there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:7-8). Do you see how he encourages everyone to participate in the same? So, if the same thing awaits everyone, let us all try to become worthy of the promised benefits; Let us look not only at the greatness and excellence of his deeds, but also at the strength of his zeal, with which he acquired such grace for himself, and at the affinity of nature, by which he had everything that we have. Thus, even what is very difficult to do will turn out to be convenient and easy for us; and, having labored in this short time, we will be worthy to wear an incorruptible and immortal crown, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. The greatness of the philanthropy of St. Apostle Paul. “He loved his enemies and those who did him harm, he wanted the salvation of the Jews who persecuted him. “This love of humanity instilled in him great tenderness for both his compatriots and foreigners, a desire for the salvation of all people, and encouraged him to generously help those in need. “He was not only animated by love for humanity, but he himself was love incarnate. – We must imitate the great apostle in this most important virtue. Blessed Paul, expressing the power of human zeal and the fact that we can reach to Heaven itself, leaving Angels, Archangels and other powers, sometimes commands only to imitate Christ: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1); and sometimes without himself he raises them to God Himself: “Therefore, imitate God, as beloved children” (Eph. 5:1). Then, wanting to show that nothing constitutes this imitation so much as a generally useful life and trying to be useful to everyone, he adds: “Live in love” (Eph. 5:2). Therefore, having said: “Be imitators of me,” he immediately begins to talk about love, expressing that this particular virtue brings one closer to God. All others are lower than it, and all have to do with one person, for example, the fight against lust, the war against the womb, resistance to the love of money, the battle with anger; and love is what we have in common with God. That is why Christ said: “Pray for those who oppress you, ... that you may be” like your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:44–45). And Paul, recognizing this as the chief of blessings, performed it with great zeal. Truly, no one loved his enemies so much, no one benefited those who plotted his intrigues so much, no one suffered so much for those who insulted him - because he looked not at what he himself suffered, but thought about the community of nature, and the more they raged, the more he regretted their fury. Just as a father grieves for his son who has fallen into madness, and the more the sick man insults and beats him, the more he regrets and mourns him, so Paul, judging by the excessiveness of the demonic actions, concluding about the strength of the illness of those who insulted him, was disposed to take greater care of them. Listen, with what meekness, with what compassion he tells us about those very ones who scourged him five times, stoned him, bound him, thirsted for his blood and daily wanted to tear him to pieces: “For I testify to them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2). And in another place, curbing those who exalted themselves over them, he says: “Do not be proud, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, see if He will also spare you” (Rom. 11:20–21). Since he knew the decree of the Lord pronounced against them, he did everything that was in his power - he constantly cried for them, grieved, stopped those who wanted to attack them and, if possible, tried to find for them at least a shadow of an apology. And since he could not convince them with a word, due to their stubbornness and bitterness, he turned to incessant prayers: “Brothers! “- he said, “my desire ... and prayer to God for them is 1 for salvation” (Rom. 10:1). He also reminded them of good hopes: “For unrepentant,” he said, “are the gifts and the calling of God” (Rom. 11:29), so that they would not despair completely and perish. All this was a sign of his solicitude and great ardor for them, as well as his next words: “The Deliverer will come from Zion and will turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (Rom. 11:26). He suffered so much and was tormented seeing those dying! Therefore, I tried to find for myself a lot of consolation in such sorrow, and said: “...The Deliverer will come and turn away wickedness from Jacob,” and also: “so they also resisted your mercy 2 so that they themselves might receive mercy” (Rom. 11:31). Jeremiah did the same, trying and using all his strength to find some kind of justification for sinners, and said: “Our iniquities testify against us, ... do to us for Your sake 3” (Jer. 14:7), and also: “that it is not in the will of a man his way, that it is not in the power of the one who walks to give direction to his steps” (Jer. 10:23). And in another place it says: “remembers 4 that we are dust” (Ps. 102:14). This is what those who pray for sinners usually do: if they cannot say anything solid, then they come up with some shadow of justification, which, although cannot be accepted as an immutable truth, nevertheless consoles those who grieve for the lost. Therefore, we will not exactly examine such justifications, but remembering that these are the words of a grieving soul seeking to say something for sinners, we will accept them. But was he like that only in relation to the Jews, and not like that towards outsiders? No; he was the most compassionate of all, both towards his own people and towards strangers. Listen to what he says to Timothy: “The servant of the Lord should not quarrel, but should be friendly to everyone, teachable, gentle, instructing his opponents with meekness, lest God give them repentance to the knowledge of the truth, so that they may be freed from the snare of the devil, who has ensnared them in his will” (2 Tim. 2:24-26). Do you want to see how he talked with those who sinned? Listen to what he says in the Epistle to the Corinthians: “For I am afraid that when I come I will not find you such as I do not desire” and a little after: “lest again, when I come, my God will despise me from among you, and lest I should mourn for many who have sinned before and did not repent of the uncleanness ... and lasciviousness that they did” (2 Cor. 12:20-21). And in the Epistle to the Galatians he says: “My children, for whom I am again in the throes of birth, until Christ is formed in you!” (Gal.4:19). Listen, how he grieves for the fornicator no less than he himself and intercedes for him, saying: “Show him love” (2 Cor. 2:8), and when he excommunicated him, he did it with many tears: “Out of great sorrow,” he says, “and a troubled heart, I wrote to you with many tears, not to grieve you, but so that you might know the love that I have in abundance for you” ( 2 Cor.2:4); and again: “to the Jews I was as a Jew, ... to those under the law I was as one under the law, ... to the weak I was as weak, ... I became all things to all, that I might save at least some” (1 Cor. 9:20, 22); and in another place: “to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:28). Do you see the soul that is higher than all the earth? He wanted to present every person like this - and, for his part, he introduced everyone. Truly, as if he himself had given birth to the entire universe, he worried, worked, tried to bring everyone into the Kingdom, healing, exhorting, promising, praying, begging, frightening demons, driving away those who corrupt, with his presence, messages, words, deeds, through his disciples and himself personally raising those who were falling, strengthening those who stood, restoring the downtrodden, healing the broken, stirring up the careless, crying out terribly against enemies, looking menacingly at opponents; like some military leader or an excellent doctor, he himself was a squire, a shield-bearer, a protector, and an assistant, he himself was everything to the army; and not only about spiritual needs, but also about bodily ones, he showed great care, great care. Listen to how he writes about one woman to a whole people: “I present to you,” he says, “Phoebe, our sister, deaconess of the Church of Cenchrea. Receive her for the Lord, as is fitting for saints, and help her whatever she needs from you” (Rom. 16:1-2). And one more thing: “you know the Stefano family: ... and you obey 5 of them”; and again: “honor such” (1 Cor. 16:15–16, 18). The love of saints tends to help in these needs. So Elisha not only provided spiritual benefit to the woman who accepted him, but tried to reward her with material benefits; That’s why he said: “Shouldn’t I talk about you with the king, or with the military leader?” (2 Kings 4:13). Is it surprising if Paul used intercession in his letters and, calling someone to himself, did not consider it unworthy to take care of what was necessary for them on the way and mention it in the letter? Thus, in his Epistle to Titus, he says: “Take care to send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos in such a way that they lack nothing” (Titus 3:13). If he took such careful care when making assignments, then all the more would he have done everything when he saw those in danger. Look how he takes care of Onesimus in his Epistle to Philemon, how wisely and how zealously he writes about him. If, however, he did not refuse to write a whole letter about one slave, who, moreover, ran away and carried away much from his master, then imagine what his attitude towards the others was. There was only one thing he considered shameful - to neglect something necessary for salvation. Therefore, he used all means and spared nothing for those being saved, neither words, nor property, nor body; sacrificing his life many times, he would not have spared property if he had it. But what am I saying: if I had? Despite his lack of property, it can be proven that he did not spare it. Do not take these words as a riddle, but listen again to how he himself says: “I will gladly spend my time and exhaust myself for your souls” (2 Cor. 12:15). And in his speech to the Ephesians he says: “You yourselves know that these hands have served my needs and the needs of those who were with me” (Acts 20:34). Being great in the main virtue - love, he was stronger than any flame; just as iron thrown into fire becomes all fire, so he, blazing with the fire of love, became all love; and as the common father of the entire universe, he treated everyone like parents, or better, he surpassed all parents in caring for bodily and spiritual needs, sparing nothing for his beloved - neither property, nor words, nor body, nor soul. That’s why he called love the fulfillment of the law, the union of perfection, the mother of all good things, the beginning and end of virtue, and that’s why he said: “The goal of exhortation is love from a pure heart and a good conscience” (1 Tim. 1:5); and again: “For the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not murder, ... and all the others are contained in this word: love your neighbor as yourself” (Rom. 13:9). So, if the beginning and the end, and all blessings, are in love, we will compete with Paul in it too, because through it he too became so. Do not point out to me the dead whom he raised, or the lepers whom he cleansed: God will not require anything like that from you. Acquire Pavlova’s love and you will receive a perfect crown. Who says this? Himself who nourished love within himself; he placed it above signs, and wonders, and much more. Since he was completely guided by it, he knew exactly its power. Through her, he himself became like this, and nothing gave him so much dignity as the power of love - which is why he said: “Be zealous for great gifts, and I will show you an even more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31), calling love this excellent and convenient way. Let us also constantly walk this path, so that we may see Paul, or better yet, the Lord Paul, and be worthy of incorruptible crowns, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. The calling of St. Apostle Paul to the apostleship. - The loyalty that he maintained to his former calling from above. – Reasons for the successful spread of faith in the world, despite the weakness of preachers. - Courage and success. Paul in preaching the Gospel. Blessed Paul, who today gathered us and enlightened the universe, was once struck by blindness during (his) calling; but his blindness served to enlighten the universe. Since he had a bad look, God blinded him well so that he could gain his sight: with this He presented proof of His power, and foreshadowed the future in suffering, and taught the way of preaching - that he, having rejected everything that was previous from himself and closing his very eyes, should follow (Christ). Therefore, he himself, expressing the same thing, exclaimed: “If anyone among you thinks to be wise in this age, he must be foolish in order to be wise” (1 Cor. 3:18); so that it was impossible for him to receive his sight well without first becoming blind, without rejecting his own thoughts that outraged him, and without completely surrendering to faith. However, no one, hearing this, should think that his calling was forced; he could return again to what he had fallen behind. Many, having seen even great miracles, returned to the former, both in the New and Old Testaments, such as Judas, Nebuchadnezzar, Elymas the Magus, Simon, Ananias and Sapphira, and the entire Jewish people. But Paul is not like that; but, having regained his sight, he rushed to the pure light and soared to Heaven. If you want to know why he was blinded, listen to him himself: “You have heard,” he says, “about my former way of life in Judaism, that I cruelly persecuted the Church of God, and devastated it, and prospered in Judaism more than many peers in my generation, being an immoderate zealot for the traditions of my fathers” (Gal. 1:13-14). Since he was strong and stubborn, he needed a very strong rein so that, carried away by a gust of jealousy, he would not disobey what was told to him. Therefore, the Lord, wanting to restrain his rage, first tames the waves of his stormy passion through blindness, and then talks with him, showing the incomprehensibility of His Wisdom and the superiority of knowledge and teaching that from Whom he fights, from Him he cannot endure not only punishment, but also good deeds, since it was not darkness that blinded him, but an excess of light that darkened him. Why, you say, was this not done at the beginning? Do not ask about this and do not investigate, but leave the need of time to the incomprehensible Providence of God. This is what Paul himself does when he says: “When God, who took me from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me” (Gal. 1:15-16). Therefore, do not investigate anything further when Paul says this. Then, then it was timely, when the temptations were stopped. And we will learn from here that none of those who were before (Paul), nor he, found (Christ) by himself, but Christ revealed Himself, which is why he said: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you ... you” (John 15:16). Otherwise, why did Paul not believe when he saw the dead raised in His name? Seeing the lame man walking, the demons taking flight, the paralytic strengthening, he did not receive any benefit, and the one who watched the apostles so closely could not have known this, and when Stephen was stoned, he was there and saw “his face like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15), but even from this he did not receive any benefit. Why didn't he get any benefit from this? Because he hasn't been called up yet. However, when you hear this, do not think that the calling is forced. No, God does not force, but leaves (us) even after the calling, sovereign in his dispositions. Thus, He revealed Himself to the Jews when it was necessary, but they did not want to accept Him out of love for human glory (John 12:43). And if one of the unbelievers says: how can it be seen that He called Paul from Heaven, and this one believed, why didn’t He call me too? - then we will answer him the following: you, man, tell me, do you believe this? If you believe, then this is enough proof for you; and if you do not believe that the Lord called Paul from Heaven, then how do you say: why did He not call me? If you believe that He called, then this is enough proof for you. Believe; and He calls you from Heaven, if your soul is obedient; and if you are disobedient and depraved, then the voice coming from above will not be sufficient for your salvation. How many times did the Jews hear a voice coming from Heaven, and they did not believe! How many signs have we seen in both the New and Old Testaments - and have not become better! On the contrary, in the Old Testament they merged the calf after countless miracles; and the harlot of Jericho, who had not seen anything like this, showed amazing faith in front of the spies. And in the Promised Land, with signs, they remained more insensible than stones; and the Ninevites, as soon as they saw Jonah, believed and repented, and rejected the wrath of God. In the New Testament, during the very coming of Christ, the thief, seeing Him crucified, confessed Him; and they, seeing Him raising the dead, tied him up and crucified him. What about in our time? The fire that came from the foundations of the Jerusalem temple did not strike the builders and thus did not deter them from the then lawless enterprise - and yet they did not change and did not abandon their stubbornness? How many other miracles were there after that - and yet they did not receive any benefit from it? Such, for example, is the lightning that fell on the roof of the church of Apollo, the answer of the very demon who forced the then king to move the martyr who was lying nearby, saying that he could not prophesy as long as he saw the tomb of the martyr close to him, since it stood next door. Then the uncle of this king, who had desecrated the sacred vessels, died eaten by worms; and the one in charge of the royal treasury, for another lawlessness he committed in relation to the Church, died, bursting in the middle (of the womb). Also, our springs, which surpassed the rivers in their flow, suddenly disappeared and dried up, which had never happened to them before, but (happened then) when the king desecrated the country with sacrifices and libations. What can we say about the famine that happened under this king in cities all over the world, about the death of the king himself in the Persian country, about his madness before his death, about the army left among the barbarians, as if in some net and nets, and his amazing and extraordinary return from there? And when the wicked king died in a pitiful manner, and another pious one succeeded him, then immediately all disasters ceased, and the soldiers, who had fallen into the net and could not find any way out anywhere, finally, by the will of God, freed from the barbarians, returned with complete safety. Who is not able to attract to piety by all this? Isn’t the present much more amazing than the past? Is it not the Cross that is preached and the universe flocks together? Is it not diarrhea death that is announced and everyone comes running? Were not thousands of people crucified? Didn’t two thieves hang with Christ himself? Were there not enough wise people? Were there not enough strong ones? Whose name has ever had such power? And what am I saying about the wise and strong? Weren't there famous kings? Who took control of the universe in such a short time? Do not tell me about various and varied heresies: they all preach the same Christ, although not all are sound; but everyone worships Him, crucified in Palestine under Pontius Pilate. Does not all this provide a clearer proof of His power than that voice that came down from Heaven? Why has no king achieved such a victory as He did, and, moreover, despite countless obstacles? After all, kings fought, and rulers armed themselves, and all nations rebelled - and yet ours was not defeated, but became even more glorious. Where, tell me, does such power come from? He was, you might say, a sorcerer. So, was He the only one such a sorcerer? You, of course, have heard that both the Persians and Indians had many magicians, and now there are still more; but even their name is not heard anywhere. But, you say, the Tian deceiver and sorcerer also became famous. Where and when? In a small part of the universe, for a short time, and soon disappeared and died, leaving neither a church, nor a people, nor anything else like that. But what am I saying about the missing magicians and sorcerers? Why are all the churches of the gods deserted, both Dodon and Klariya, and all these wicked soothsayers are silent and have closed their mouths? Why do demons tremble not only of the Crucified Himself, but also of the bones of those who were killed for Him? Why do they take flight as soon as they hear about the Cross? It seems that they should laugh, because is the Cross something glorious and famous? On the contrary, it is shameful and blasphemous: he is the instrument of the death of a criminal, the very last death, cursed among the Jews, blasphemous among the pagans. Why are demons afraid of him? Is it not true that from the power of Him crucified on him? If they were afraid of the Cross in itself, then this too would be very unworthy of the gods; but many before Him and after Him were crucified, and two even with Him. What if someone begins to call on the name of the crucified thief, or this or that someone else, will the demon run away? No, but he will still laugh. And when you mention Jesus of Nazareth, they run away as if from fire. So what do you say? Why does He have such power? Is it not because He is a deceiver? But these are not His commandments; Moreover, there were many deceivers. Is it not because He is a sorcerer? But this is not what His teaching testifies; and there were often great numbers of Magi. Is it not because He is wise? But there were often many wise men. So who had this power? No one ever, even to a small extent. From here it is obvious that it was not because He was a sorcerer or a deceiver, but because He was a corrector of such and a certain Divine and invincible power, and that is why He Himself overcame everything, and in this screen-maker (Paul) he breathed such strength, which is evidenced by the very deeds. In fact, the man who stood in the marketplace, engaged in the leather craft, exerted such power that in not even thirty years he led the Romans, the Persians, the Indians, the Scythians, the Ethiopians, the Sauromatians, the Parthians, the Medes, the Saracens, and the entire human race in general to the truth. How, tell me, did this simple man, who lived in a workshop, worked with a chisel, begin to philosophize so much himself, and teach others - peoples, cities, and countries, without revealing eloquence, but quite the opposite, being distinguished by extreme lack of art? Listen to how he himself, without shame, says: “Although I am ignorant in speech, yet not in knowledge” (2 Cor. 11:6). He had no wealth; He himself said about this: “Even to this day we suffer hunger and thirst, nakedness and blows, and we wander” (1 Cor. 4:11). But what can we say about wealth when he often needed the necessary food and did not have clothes to clothe himself? And that he was not famous in his craft, and this is shown by his disciple: “And, due to the sameness of the craft,” he says, “he remained ... with Aquila and Priscilla; for their trade was to make tents” (Acts 18:3). He was not famous by his ancestors - how could he be so engaged in such a craft? - neither according to the fatherland, nor according to one’s people. And yet, having set out and only appeared, he threw everything into confusion among the enemies, upset everything and, like fire falling into brushwood and hay, destroyed the deeds of demons and changed everything into what he wanted. And not only is it surprising that he himself, being like this, had such strength, but also that most of his disciples were poor people, simple, unlearned, suffering from hunger, ignorant and descended from ignorant people. He himself testifies to this and is not ashamed to talk about their poverty and even ask for alms for them: “I am going,” he says, “to Jerusalem to serve the saints” (Rom. 15:25); and again: “On the first day of the week let each of you put aside and save for himself... so that you will not have to make preparations when I come” (1 Cor. 16:2). And that most of them consisted of common people, he says about this in his Epistle to the Corinthians: “Look, brethren, who you are called: not many... wise according to the flesh, not many strong, not many,” he says, “noble”; and not only were they base, but also very humble: “God chose the weak things of the world,” he says, “and the things that are not, ... to bring to nothing the things that are” (1 Cor. 1:26–28). But, being simple and unlearned, was he not persuasive in words? And this was not the case, as he himself again shows when he says: “And...I came to you, brethren,...to proclaim to you the testimony of God, not in the excellency of word or wisdom,” declaring to you the testimony (of God), “for I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified...And my word and my preaching were not in convincing words of human wisdom” (1 Cor. 2:1-4). But wasn’t the subject of the sermon attractive? On the contrary, listen to what he says about this: “For both the Jews demand miracles, and the Greeks seek wisdom; But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks” (1 Cor. 1:22-23). But did he not enjoy security? On the contrary, he never had any rest from danger. “And I,” he says, “was with you in weakness and in fear and in great trembling” (1 Cor. 2:3). And not only he himself, but also his disciples endured the same: “Remember,” he says, “your former days, when you, having been enlightened, endured the great feat of suffering, either yourself, among reproaches and sorrows, serving as a spectacle..., then taking part in others who were in the same state; for you...received the plunder of your goods with joy” (Heb. 10:32–34); and in the Epistle to the Thessalonians he says: “For you also suffered the same from your fellow tribesmen as those from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and His prophets, and drove us out, and do not please God, and oppose all men” (1 Thess. 2:14-15); and in the Epistle to the Corinthians he says: “For ... the sufferings of Christ are multiplied in us”; and as you share in suffering, so also in consolation (2 Cor. 1:5); and to the Galatians: “Have you suffered so much,” he says, “to no avail? Oh, if only there was no benefit!” (Gal.3:4). So, if the preacher was a commoner and poor and ignorant, and the subject of the sermon had no attractiveness, even represented a temptation, and the listeners were poor, weak and insignificant, and dangers followed each other for both teachers and students, and the preacher was the Crucified One, then what helped him win? Is it not obvious that there is some Divine and ineffable power? It is absolutely obvious, and this can also be seen from the opposite. In fact, when we see that everything opposite to this has been combined: wealth, nobility, the nobility of the fatherland, the power of eloquence, security, and great benefits, and yet everything undertaken is immediately destroyed, and the opponents have won, then, tell me, what would be the reason for this? Here the same thing would happen as if a king with an army, weapons and military skill could not defeat the barbarians, and some poor man, naked and alone, having neither a spear nor clothes, came and did what others could not do with weapons and shells. So, do not be foolish, but meditate on this daily and worship the power of the Crucified One. If you saw that someone builds fortifications, draws ditches, places machines against the walls, forges weapons, gathers warriors, has countless amounts of money, and yet cannot take one city, and yet another fights with a naked body, uses only his hands, and goes through not one, not two, not twenty cities, but countless numbers throughout the universe and takes them with their very inhabitants, then would you say that this is a matter of human strength? So, obviously, here too. Therefore, God allowed the thieves to be crucified (together with Christ), and to appear before Him to some deceivers, so that through comparison the superiority of the truth would be revealed to the most insensitive, and so that you would know that He was not one of them, but between Him and them there is a great and boundless difference. And nothing could darken His glory - neither communication (with robbers) in the same sufferings, nor the fact that He lived at the same time (with deceivers). If the demons were afraid of the Cross, and not the power of the Crucified One, then those who speak like this are blocked by two robbers; and if (they say) that everything was favored by the circumstances of the time, then the followers of Theudas and Judas speak against this, who at the same time attempted to assassinate us, even with the help of many signs, and were exterminated. This, as I said, God allowed in order to show His works in abundance. For this reason He allowed false prophets to appear among the prophets, and false apostles among the apostles, so that you would know that nothing could darken His works. Should I present to you, on the other hand, the wondrous and extraordinary power of preaching, should I show you how it grew and spread through the enemies themselves? Some, having once been hostile to Paul, began to preach his teachings in Rome. Wanting to irritate Nero, who was hostile to Paul, they themselves began to preach, so that, with the greater spread of the teaching and the multiplication of disciples, the tyrant’s anger would inflame even more and this beast would become even more furious. Paul himself speaks about this in his Epistle to the Philippians: “I desire, brethren, that you know that my circumstances contributed to the greater success of the gospel, so that most of the brethren..., encouraged by my bonds, began to preach the word of God with greater boldness, without fear. Some, however, out of envy and strife, while others preach Christ with a good disposition. Some, out of selfish strife, do not preach Christ purely, thinking to increase the severity of my bonds; and others out of love, knowing that I am appointed to defend the gospel. But what about that? No matter how Christ is preached" (Phil. 1:12, 14-18). Do you see how many preached out of envy? However, truth also won through enemies. Along with these there were other obstacles. Thus, the ancient laws not only did not help (the sermons), but also opposed them, and (against Christians) both the malice and the ignorance of the slanderers rose up: they had, they said, Christ as King - because they did not know His high Kingdom, terrible and endless, but slandered Christians, as if they were introducing tyranny into the universe, and persecuted them for public reasons all, and for private ones - each individually: for public reasons, as if (by Christians) the state structure is being undermined and laws are being overthrown, and in private cases - because every home is being dissolved and upset. Then the father rebelled against his son, the son renounced his father, wives from their husbands, husbands from their wives, daughters from their mothers, relatives from relatives, friends from friends, and many different and varied struggles took place, invading homes, dividing relatives, confusing councils, disturbing courts of justice, since paternal customs were destroyed, festivals and service to demons were destroyed, about which the ancient legislators cared more than anything else. At the same time, suspicion of tyranny also resulted from the fact that Christians were persecuted everywhere. And no one can say that this was how things went on among the pagans, but that there was peace among the Jews; on the contrary, the latter attacked even more fiercely, because they too accused Christians of overthrowing the state structure. “He does not cease,” they said (about Stephen), “to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and against the law” (Acts 6:13). But then, as flames rose from everywhere - from houses, from cities, from fields, from the desert, from pagans, from Jews, from rulers, from subordinates, from relatives, from the land, from the sea, from kings, and everyone incited each other to cruelty and attacked more fiercely than any beast, blessed Paul, having fallen into such ovens, standing among wolves and receiving blows from all sides, was not only not deposed, but and he converted all those to the truth. I will also say about other wars, the most difficult ones; this is a war with false apostles and, what saddened him most, a war with the weak among his own, because many believers were corrupted - but he overcame this too. How and by what force? “Weapons ... are ours,” he says, “not carnal, but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds: with them we cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor. 10:4-5). From this, everything suddenly changed and transformed. Just as when the fires are lit, the thorns, being destroyed little by little, give way and disappear before the flame and leave the fields clean, so exactly when Paul’s tongue spoke and embraced more and more powerfully than the fire, everything gave way and disappeared - service to demons, and festivals, and celebrations, and paternal customs, and violation of laws, and the fury of nations, and the threats of rulers, and their intrigues, and evil deeds. false apostles; or better - as at sunrise and darkness disappears, and wild animals hide and go into lairs, and robbers run away, and murderers go into caves, and sea robbers leave, and tomb robbers run away, and adulterers, and thieves, and robbers, fearing to be exposed by the light, go somewhere far away and hide, and everything becomes clear and bright, both land and sea, because rays from above illuminate everything: seas, mountains, countries, cities - just like that, when the sermon that Paul sowed everywhere appeared, error disappeared, and truth was established; stench and smoke, cymbals and timbrels, drunkenness and gluttony, fornication and adultery, and so on, committed in idol churches, which is indecent to even speak of, ceased and were destroyed, just as wax melts from fire, or as straw is consumed by flame, and the bright flame of truth rose brightly and high to Heaven itself, being exalted by those who most opposed it and strengthened by obstacles, and neither danger stopped its uncontrollable striving and overflow, nor the power of an old habit, nor the power of paternal customs and laws, nor the inacceptability of the teaching of the commandments, nor anything else from what has been said. And in order for you to be convinced of how important this is, threaten the pagans, I don’t say - with danger, death and hunger, but with a small deprivation of property, and you will see that they will immediately change. But ours are not like that; but, while they were all cut up, killed and persecuted everywhere by various means of persecution, they became even more cheerful. And what can we say about today’s pagans, low and despicable? Let us imagine those who were once famous and famous for their wisdom, Plato, Diagoras 6, Clazomenian (Anaxagoras) and many others like them, and then you will see the power of (evangelical) preaching. After Socrates took poison, others withdrew to Megara, fearing to suffer in the same way; others lost both their fatherland and freedom, without winning over anyone to their side except one woman; and the Kittean (Plato), having left his politics in writing, died with that. And although at that time there was nothing in the way - neither danger nor ignorance, but, on the contrary, they were strong in eloquence, and possessed wealth, and belonged to a fatherland that was glorified by all, but they did not manage to do anything. This is the property of delusion - that it dissipates even when no one disturbs it; and such is the property of truth - that it rises even when many rebel against it. Reality itself testifies to this: no words or speeches are needed when the universe calls from everywhere - cities, villages, land, sea, inhabited and uninhabited countries, and mountain tops. The Lord did not leave the desert without participating in His benefits, but filled it with the benefits that He, coming from Heaven, brought to us through the language of Paul, through the grace given to him. Since he had a zeal worthy of this gift, grace shone abundantly in him and most of what was said was accomplished through his lips. So, if God so honored our race that one person was worthy to become the author of so many valiant deeds, then we will also compete, imitate and try to be like him, and we will not consider this impossible. I have often said and will not stop saying that his body was the same as ours, and the food was the same, and the soul was the same; but he had a great will and fiery jealousy. This is what made him like this. Therefore, let no one be discouraged, let no one despair. If you prepare your soul, then nothing will prevent you from receiving the same grace, because God is no respecter of persons. And He created Paul, and He created you; just as He is his Lord, so He is yours; just as he glorified him, so he wants to crown you. Let us give a promise to cleanse ourselves, so that we, having received abundant grace, may be worthy of the same blessings, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Praise to the virtues of St. Apostle Paul. “No obstacle could either weaken or stop their accomplishments.” - The means that the apostle used to achieve his goal. - Forms in which his zeal for the salvation of all people was expressed. – Applying them to times and persons, as far as possible. Where are those now who blame death and say that this passionate and corruptible body serves as an obstacle to virtue for them? Let them hear about the deeds of Paul - and leave this evil slander. What harm did death cause to our family? What obstacle to virtue has corruption served as? Look at Paul and you will see that mortality has brought us even the greatest benefit. If he had not been mortal, he could not have said, or better yet, could not have shown what he expressed by deeds: “I die every day: I am testified of this by your praise... which I have in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 15:31). We must have spiritual diligence in everything, and the fact that we are subject to the above will not be at all an obstacle. Wasn't Paul mortal? Wasn't he a commoner? Were you not poor and did not obtain food through daily labor? Did you not have a body subject to all natural needs? And what prevented him from becoming what he was? Nothing. Therefore, let none of the poor lose heart, let none of the common people lose heart, let none of the humiliated mourn, but only those who have a weakened soul and a weakened mind. There is only one obstacle to virtue - depravity of the soul and relaxation of the mind, and besides that, nothing else. This is clear from the example of the blessed (apostle) who has gathered us today. Just as the above did not harm him at all, so, on the contrary, neither eloquence, nor abundance of wealth, nor the nobility of the family, nor the greatness of glory, nor power brought any benefit to the pagans. What can we say about people? Or better yet, why talk about the earth for a long time, when we can talk about the higher powers, the Principalities, the Authorities and the rulers of the darkness of this age? What benefit did they receive from receiving such a nature? Will not all these powers appear to be judged by Paul and others like him? “Don’t you know,” he says, “that we will judge angels, much less the deeds of this life?” (1 Cor. 6:3). So, let us not grieve over anything other than vice alone, and let us not rejoice or rejoice over anything else except virtue alone. If we zealously practice it, then nothing will prevent us from becoming like Paul. And he became so not only by grace, but also by his own zeal, and by grace because he was zealous. He had both in abundance - and the gifts of God were communicated to him, and his own disposition was in him. Do you want to know the gifts of God? Demons were afraid of Paul's clothes. But I am not surprised at this, nor at the fact that Peter’s shadow drove away illnesses; I am surprised that he appeared doing wonderful things even before receiving grace, from the very threshold and from the very beginning; not yet having such power and having not received ordination, he was inflamed with such zeal for Christ that he turned the entire Jewish people against himself. Seeing himself in such danger that they even began to guard the city, he went down the wall in a basket and left (Acts 9:24–25; 2 Cor. 11:32); but even then he did not fall into carelessness, timidity and fear, but from this he became even more jealous and, prudently avoiding dangers, without however avoiding any feat of preaching, but taking up the cross again, he followed, although he had the example of Stephen before him and saw that the Jews most of all breathed hatred against him and wanted to devour his very flesh. Thus, he did not recklessly expose himself to dangers, and on the other hand, while escaping them, he did not remain inactive. He loved real life very much because of the benefits that came from it, but he also greatly despised it because of the wisdom he achieved through this contempt, or because of his strong desire to go to Jesus. And this is what I always say about him, and will never stop saying: no one, falling into opposite circumstances, turned this way to the benefit of both; no one loved real life so much, even among those who deeply love their soul, and no one despised it so much, even among those who violently kill themselves. So he was pure from every desire and was not addicted to anything real, but always agreed his desire with the will of God; sometimes he said that life was more necessary than union and communion with Christ, and sometimes he considered it so difficult and unbearable that he sighed and sought to renounce it. He wanted only what benefited him according to God, although sometimes this was the opposite of his previous actions. He was unequal and varied, not out of hypocrisy - let it not be - but he was everything that the benefit of preaching and the salvation of people required, imitating his Lord in this. And God appeared as a man, when it was necessary to be this, and in fire, when this circumstance demanded it - (appeared) now in the form of an armed warrior, now in the form of an old man, now in the wind, now as a traveler, now as a real man, and did not even refuse to die. When I say: this had to be, then let no one consider what was said as a necessity (for God), but only as a matter of His love for mankind. Sometimes He sat on the Throne, and sometimes on the Cherubim: but He did all this for the purposes of economy, which is why He spoke through the prophet: “And He multiplied visions, and used parables through the prophets” (Hos. 12:10). So Paul, imitating his Lord, is not subject to condemnation for the fact that he appeared either as a Jew or as one who did not know the law; sometimes he kept the law, sometimes he disregarded the law; sometimes he valued real life, sometimes he despised it; sometimes he asked for money, sometimes he rejected those offered; He made sacrifices and cut his hair - and again cursed those who did the same; sometimes he performed circumcision, sometimes he rejected circumcision. These actions were opposite, but the thought and intention with which this was done were very consistent and agreed with each other. He sought one thing - the salvation of those who listened and saw. That is why it is he who either exalts the law or rejects it, since it was unequal and varied not only in deeds, but also in words - without changing his thoughts and not becoming one thing or another, but remaining what he was, and adapting each of his words to given circumstances. Do not blame him for this, but, on the contrary, especially glorify and crown him for this very thing. Likewise, a doctor, when you see how he either cauterizes, or makes poultices, or uses iron, or medicine, sometimes deprives the patient of food and drink, and sometimes allows the patient to be completely satisfied with them, sometimes envelops him from all sides, and sometimes orders the same patient, when he is warmed up, to drink a whole vessel of cold water - you will not blame him for the variety and constant change of means, on the contrary, then you will especially praise art, seeing how The very thing that seems disgusting and harmful to us, he uses with confidence and offers safely. This is how a skilled person acts. If we approve of the doctor for his opposite actions, then much more should we glorify the soul of Paul, which was so adapted to the suffering, because those suffering in soul, no less than those sick in body, need art and various benefits, and if we go straight to them, then all hope of their salvation will be lost. And what is surprising if people do this, when God Almighty uses the same method of healing and does not always directly talk to us? Since He wants us to be good by our own will, and not by coercion and violence, then a variety of actions was necessary for Him, not because of His powerlessness - let it not be - but because of our weakness. For Him it is enough just to make a wave, or rather, just to want, in order to do whatever He wants; and we, having once become masters of ourselves, do not agree to submit to Him in everything. Thus, if He began to drag us against our will, He would take away what He Himself had given, i.e. freedom of will. Therefore, to prevent this from happening, many methods of action are necessary for Him. We did not say this simply, but in view of the varied and wise actions of Blessed Paul. So, when you see him avoiding dangers, be astonished at him as when you see him going towards them; just as the latter is a sign of his courage, so the former is a sign of wisdom. When you see him speaking highly of himself, be astonished as when you see him humiliating himself; just as the latter is a sign of humility, so the former is a sign of generosity. When you see him boasting, be astonished as when you see him rejecting praise from himself; the latter is a sign of a non-proud character, and the first is a loving and philanthropic one, because he did this, arranging the salvation of many, which is why he said: “If we lose our temper, it is for God; if you are modest, then for you” (2 Cor. 5:13). Truly, no one else had so many reasons for pride, and yet no one else was so pure from arrogance. Look: “knowledge puffs up” (1 Cor. 8:1), and we can all say this with Paul. And he had as much intelligence as any other person who has ever existed, but he does not exalt himself with it, but in this very thing he humiliates himself. Thus, he says: “We know in part, and we prophesy in part” (1 Cor. 13:9); and again: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have attained” (Phil. 3:13); and again: “Whoever thinks that he knows something still knows nothing” (1 Cor. 8:2). Fasting also puffs up; This is shown by the Pharisee who said: “I fast twice a week” (Luke 18:12). And Paul, not only fasting, but also enduring hunger, called himself a monster (1 Cor. 15:8). What can we say about fasting and reason, when he had such and such frequent conversations with God, which none of the prophets or apostles had, and yet therefore he humbled himself even more? Don’t tell me about the conversations that were written, he kept silent about most of them: he didn’t say about all of them, so as not to attribute great glory to himself, and he didn’t keep silent about all of them, so that the lips of the false apostles wouldn’t open. He did nothing in vain, but did everything for a just and thorough reason, and with such wisdom did he do opposite things that in everything he turns out to be worthy of equal praise. When I say this, this is what I mean: it is a great good not to say anything great about yourself; but Paul did this in such a timely manner that he deserves more praise when he spoke than when he was silent, and if he had not done this, he would have deserved condemnation more than those who untimely praise themselves, because if he had not boasted, he would have destroyed and betrayed everything, and would have exalted the works of his enemies. So he always knew how to use time, to do what was forbidden with the right thought and with such benefit that he deserves no less praise for this than for fulfilling what was prescribed. Truly, Paul, by boasting, earned more approval than another - hiding his good deeds, since none of those who hid their deeds did as many good deeds as he, who spoke about his own. And what’s even more surprising here is that he not only talked about them, but also talked as much as was necessary. When circumstances gave him great freedom to talk about himself, he did not use it immoderately, but knew to what extent he had to go. And he did not limit himself to this, but in order not to seduce others and not incline them to self-praise, he calls himself crazy for this, because he himself did this at the request of need. It could happen that others, looking at him, would use his example in vain and unwisely, as often happens with doctors when one uses some medicine at the right time, and another, using the same untimely, causes harm and takes away the power of the medicine. To prevent this from happening here, look at the precaution he uses when intending to praise himself: he not once or twice, but repeatedly avoids: “Oh, if only you,” he says, “were somewhat lenient towards my folly!” (2 Cor. 11:1); and again: “Whatever I say, I will not say in the Lord, but as if foolishly... And if anyone dares to boast about anything, then (I will speak foolishly) I dare too” (2 Cor. 11:17, 21). Having said this, he did not limit himself to that, but, intending to start praising (himself) again, he hides himself and says: “I know a man,” and also: “In such a way ... I can boast; “I will not boast about myself” (2 Cor. 12:2, 5), and after all this: “I have reached the point of foolishness,” he says; you...forced me” (2 Cor. 12:11). So, who is so reckless and extremely insensitive that seeing how this saint, even when demanded by such necessity, hesitates and avoids saying anything great about himself - like a horse that, running up to a ravine, constantly jumps back - even intending to accomplish a great deed, will not with all his might avoid praising himself and only resort to it when circumstances require? Do you want me to present you with something similar in it? Truly, it is also surprising that he did not consider the testimony of conscience sufficient, but he also taught us how everyone should begin to do this, not only justifying himself by the demands of circumstances, but also teaching others - not to avoid praise in case of need, and on the other hand, not to resort to it untimely. In fact, with the words that he spoke, he seemed to express the following: it is a great evil to say something great and wondrous about yourself; a sign of extreme madness, beloved, to dignify oneself with praise without any need or urgent need; this does not mean speaking according to the Lord, but rather serves as a sign of stupidity and deprives us of any reward for many exploits and labors. Paul said all this and more to everyone when he justified himself (in self-praise) and in times of need. But what is even more important is that, even if necessary, he did not express everything, but kept silent about what was larger and more important. “For I will come,” he said, “to the visions and revelations of the Lord; but I restrain myself, lest anyone think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me” (2 Cor. 12:1, 6). With these words, he teaches everyone that, even if necessary, we should not express everything that we are conscious of, but only what is useful for the listeners. So did Samuel; and it is not superfluous to mention this saint, since his praises also serve in our favor; he also once praised himself and expressed his good deeds. But which ones? Those that were useful for listeners to know. He did not talk about chastity, or humility, or forgetfulness of malice, but about what? About what the ruler at that time especially needed to know - about justice and about having hands clean from gifts (1 Samuel 12:3). Also, when David boasted, he boasted of what he could correct the listener; and he did not talk about any of his other virtues, but pointed to the bear and the lion (1 Samuel 17:34-37), and nothing more, because to talk about oneself more than is proper is characteristic of an ambitious and vain person, but to say what may be necessary for real benefit is characteristic of a person who loves mankind and has in mind the benefit of many. Paul did the same. They slandered him, as if he was not a true apostle and had no power. Therefore, it was necessary to turn to what especially proved his dignity. Do you see how he taught the listener not to boast in vain? First, by explaining that he did it out of necessity; secondly, by the fact that he even called himself crazy and put forward many excuses; thirdly, by the fact that he did not express everything, but kept silent about more, and only when necessity required; fourthly, by speaking from another person, saying: “I know a man” (2 Cor. 12:2); fifthly, by the fact that he showed not all of any virtue, but that side of it that was especially needed for the present case. And not only when he praised himself, but also when he reproached others, he was like that. Although it is forbidden to reproach a brother, Paul did this so decently that he earned praise more than those who approved. Thus, he calls the Galatians foolish once and twice (Gal.3:1, 3), and the Cretans - idle and evil beasts (Titus 1:12); however, for this too he is glorified, because he taught us the rule and law - not to favor people who neglect God, but to address them with accusatory speech. And he has a measure for everything; That is why he is worthy of praise for everything he does or says: whether he reproaches or praises, whether he turns away from someone or cares, whether he exalts himself or humiliates himself, boasts or humbles himself. And why should you be surprised if reproach and censure bring praise, when murder, deceit, and cunning brought praise, both in the Old and in the New Testament? So, having examined all this carefully, let us marvel at Paul, and glorify God, and ourselves use him (by example) in such a way as to achieve eternal blessings, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. A refutation of some of the reproaches made by St. to the Apostle Paul because on some occasions he was afraid of blows and death; sometimes he allowed himself to utter curses and insults. - All this not only does not humiliate the great apostle, but contributes to the exaltation of his glory. Do you wish today, beloved, that we, leaving aside the great and wonderful works of Paul, would present what some seem to deserve some blame? We will see that the latter, no less than the former, makes him glorious and great. What is it about him that deserves censure? They once saw how afraid he was of beatings. Indeed, they saw him being beaten with belts, and not only then, but also in another place, at the porphyry seller, when he even defended himself before those who wanted to take him out; in doing this, he had no other goal than to provide himself with safety, and so as not to be subjected to the same thing again. What shall we say? The fact that nothing shows him as great and wondrous as this said, because having, as it were, such a soul, not daring and not desperate, and a body so sensitive to blows and trembling with beatings, he despised, no less than incorporeal forces, everything that seemed terrible when the time demanded it. So, when you see him before the blows, surrendering to fear, then remember those words with which he surpassed the heavens and competed with the Angels: “Who will separate us,” he said, “from the love of God: sorrow, or distress, or persecution, or famine, ... or danger, or the sword?” (Rom.8:35). Remember those words with which he expresses the insignificance of such disasters: “For our momentary affliction,” he says, “produces eternal glory in an exceeding abundance, when we look not at what is seen, but at what is unseen” (2 Cor. 4:17-18). Add to this daily sorrows, deaths every day and, imagining this, marvel at Paul, and do not give in to despair yourself. This most visible weakness of nature serves as the greatest proof of his virtue, when he turned out to be so, not being alien to many needs. Since the excessiveness of the dangers could inspire the opinion of many and, perhaps, would incline them to suspect that he was higher than people and therefore became so, then he was allowed to suffer, so that you would know that by nature he was one of many, and through jealousy he became not only higher than many, but also one of the Angels. With such a soul and with such a body, he endured thousands of deaths and despised the present and the future, which is why he uttered these great and for many incredible words: “I myself would like to be excommunicated from Christ for my brothers who are related to me according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:3). In fact, it is possible, if we only want, to overcome every natural weakness by the power of will, and there is not a single one of the commandments of Christ that would be impossible for people to fulfill, because if we show such zeal as we can have, then God will give us great help, and thus we will remain invincible for all the disasters that happen. It is not the fear of beatings that is worthy of condemnation, but the commission of something unworthy of piety because of the fear of beatings, so that the fear of beatings makes the one who is invincible in his exploits more worthy of surprise, compared to the one who is not afraid of them. Through this, the power of desire shines through more, because to be afraid of beatings is characteristic of nature, and not to do anything indecent out of fear of beatings is characteristic of the will, correcting this deficiency of nature and overcoming its weakness. So, it is not reprehensible to grieve, but it is reprehensible to say or do something displeasing to God out of sorrow. If I had said that Paul was not a man, then you could rightly point out to me the shortcomings of his nature, in order to thereby expose my speech; if I say and affirm that he was a man and was no higher than us by nature, but became higher by will, then in vain you present this to me, or better yet, not in vain, but in favor of Paul. Indeed, by this you show what he was like, if, having such a nature, he could do what is above nature; and you not only extol him, but also stop the lips of the careless, not allowing them to refer to the violence of nature, but directing them to the exercise of the will. But, they will say, (Paul) was once afraid of death? So; but this also depended on nature; and yet the same one who was afraid of death said: “For we, being in this tent 7, groan under a burden” (2 Cor. 5:4); and again: “we ourselves... groan within ourselves” (Rom. 8:23). Do you see how he contrasted willpower with natural weakness? Likewise, many martyrs, being led to death, often turned pale and were filled with fear and trembling; but this is why they are especially amazing because, fearing death, they did not avoid death for the sake of Jesus. So Paul, fearing death, does not even refuse Gehenna out of love for Jesus, and, fearing death, wants to renounce (the body). And he was not the only one, but the chief of the apostles, who often said that he was ready to give his soul, was very afraid of death. Listen to what Christ tells him about this: “And when you are old, ... they will gird you and lead you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18), expressing the weakness of nature, not will. Nature exerts its influence (on us) against our will, and it is impossible to overcome its weaknesses even if one really wants and tries to do so; but from here we do not receive any harm, and we also become more amazing. What kind of guilt is it to be afraid of death? And isn’t it commendable to fear death and not do anything unworthy of a free person out of fear? The fault is not in having a nature with shortcomings, but in subserviently to these shortcomings, so that the one who overcomes its weakness by the power of will is great and worthy of wonder; by this he shows what the power of the will is, and stops the lips of those who say: why were we not created good by nature? What difference does it make to be this way by nature or by will? And isn't the latter better than the first? It is as much better as it brings crowns and bright glory. But the action of nature is firm? And if you try to have a courageous will, then the latter will be stronger than the first. Don't you see in the bodies of the martyrs, cut by swords, how nature yielded to iron, but the will did not yield to it and was not put to shame? Do you not see, tell me, in Abraham how the will conquered nature when he was commanded to sacrifice his son, and how the former appeared more powerful than the latter? Do you not see how the same thing happened to the three youths? Don’t you also hear the worldly proverb that says that the will becomes second nature from habit? And I would say that it was the first, as can be seen from the above. Do you see that it is possible to have the strength inherent in nature if the will is courageous and vigorous, and that the one who chose and wanted to be, and not under compulsion, became good, deserves more praise? This is goodness par excellence. Therefore, when Paul says: “I put to death my body and make it into slavery” (1 Cor. 9:27), then I especially praise him, seeing that he did not perform virtues without difficulty, and therefore the ease (of this matter) for him cannot serve as an excuse for laziness for those living after him. And when he also says: “I am... crucified to the world” (Gal.6:14), then I crown his will. Perhaps, truly, it is possible for the zeal of the will to compete with the power of nature. If we imagine (Paul) this very pillar of virtue, we will find that he tried to impart the strength of nature to the good he acquired by will. Thus, he felt pain when he was struck, but he despised their no less ethereal forces that did not feel pain, so that one could hear words from him that made one think that he was not even of our nature. Namely, when he says: “to me the world is crucified, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14), and again: “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20), then what else can be said other than that he has renounced the body itself? What do his words mean: “a thorn was given to me in the flesh, an angel of Satan” (2 Cor. 12:7)? This is nothing more than an indication that such suffering was limited to his body, not because it did not extend within, but because by the power of his will Paul rejected and drove it away. And what does it mean when he says many other things, more amazing, when he rejoices amid the scourgings and boasts of his bonds? What else could this mean, if not what I said, i.e., that the words: “I subdue and enslave my body, and I fear, lest, while preaching to others, I myself should remain unworthy” (1 Cor. 9:27), show the weakness of nature, and the previous ones cited by me show the superiority of the will? Both were said so that you would not attribute to him a different nature for greatness and would not begin to despair, and would not reproach the holy soul for humiliation, but so that through this, too, having abandoned despair, you would surrender to better hopes. That is why he points to the grace of God in abundance, or better yet, not in abundance, but with a good thought, so that you do not consider anything to belong to you, and he speaks about your zeal so that you, having placed everything on God, will not indulge in sleep and negligence. In Paul you will find measures and rules for everything, carefully defined. But, they will say, he once reproached the coppersmith Alexander (2 Tim. 4:14). What then? These were not words of anger, but of sorrow for the truth: he grieved not for himself, but for the fact that the coppersmith resisted the sermon. “For he strongly opposed,” he says, “not to me, but to our words” (2 Tim. 4:15), so this reproof not only showed his love for the truth, but also served as a consolation for the disciples. Since everyone could be tempted if the opponents of the truth did not tolerate anything, he says this. And once he prayed to God against some others, saying: “For it is right in the sight of God to repay those who insult you with tribulation” (2 Thess. 1:6). But he did not want them to be punished - let it not be - but tried to console the insulted; That’s why he added: “And to you who are offended, a consolation” (2 Thess. 1:7). When he himself suffered something unpleasant, listen to how he philosophized and repaid his opponents: “They slander us,” he says, “we bless; they persecute us, we endure; They blaspheme us, we pray” (1 Cor. 4:12–13). If you attribute what he said or did for others to anger, then you can say that out of anger he blinded and reproached Elymas, and that Peter also, out of anger, struck Ananias and Sapphira to death. But no one would be so unreasonable and senseless as to say this. We find many other things in Paul's words and actions that seem difficult; but this especially shows his meekness. Thus, when he betrays the Corinthian fornicator to Satan, he does this out of great love and good disposition, as can be seen from the second letter. When he threatens the Jews and says: “Wrath is coming upon them to the end” (1 Thess. 2:16), he does this not because he was filled with anger - you hear how he constantly prays for them - but because he wanted to frighten them and make them more prudent. But, they will say, he insulted the high priest by saying: “God will beat you, you whitewashed wall” (Acts 23:3). We know that some in defense of this say that these words were a prophecy; I do not condemn those who say this, because indeed it was fulfilled and this is how the high priest died. If some stubborn opponent begins to contradict and, analyzing the matter with excessive precision, objects: if this was a prophecy, then why did (Paul) apologize, saying, “I did not know ... that he was a high priest” (Acts 23:5), then we will say: in order to admonish others and teach them to treat their rulers with respect, as Christ did. He, having said a lot about the scribes and Pharisees that was said and not said about them, notes: “The scribes and Pharisees sat in the seat of Moses; Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, ...do” (Matthew 23:2–3). Likewise, Paul here retained the dignity (of the high priest), and at the same time predicted the future. If he rejected John (Acts 15:38), then he did this too worthy of his concern for preaching. Whoever has accepted such a ministry should not be slow or careless, but courageous and firm, and should not even touch this wonderful work, unless he intends to expose his life to death and danger a thousand times, as Christ Himself says: “If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). And whoever does not have such a disposition destroys many others, and it would be much more beneficial for him to remain at peace with himself than to expose himself to the public and accept a burden that exceeds his strength; otherwise he will destroy both himself and those entrusted to him. How, in fact, is it not reckless if, while no one, not knowing the art of the helmsman and the fight against the waves, dares to sit at the helm, even if thousands forced him, - for someone going to preach to take on this task without preparation, and how will it happen, and imprudently take on a task that threatens a thousand deaths? Truly, neither a helmsman, nor a fighter with animals, nor one who decides to engage in single combat, nor anyone else needs to have a soul as ready for death and torture as the one who takes upon himself the work of preaching. Here there is more danger, and the opponents are fiercer, and this kind of death, and the goal is not unimportant: Heaven is appointed as a reward, Gehenna as a punishment for sinners, and the destruction of the soul and salvation. Such readiness is necessary not only for those who take upon themselves the work of preaching, but also for every believer, because everyone is commanded to take up the cross and follow (Christ): if - for everyone, then much more for teachers and shepherds, of whom was then John, called Mark. Therefore, he was rightly rejected, since, having placed himself in front of the army, he did not stand very courageously; That is why Paul rejected him, so that his instability would not stop his own strong desire. If Luke says that “grief arose between them” (Acts 15:39), then do not reproach them for this. Not being angry is evil, but being angry is unreasonable and without any reason: “Unjust anger,” says the Wise One, “...cannot be justified” (Sir. 1:22), not just rage, but unrighteous. And Christ says: “he who is angry with his brother in vain” (Matthew 5:22), and not simply “he who is angry.” And the prophet says: “Be angry and do not sin” (Ps. 4:5). If it were not necessary to reveal this mental movement, even at the request of circumstances, then it would have been innate to us in vain and without a purpose; but it’s not in vain. The Creator introduced it into us to correct sinners, to excite a lazy and careless soul, to awaken those who are sleeping and indulged in relaxation; just as sharpness is in an iron weapon, so the power of anger is implanted in our soul so that we use it properly. Therefore, Paul often used it, and in his anger he was more willing than those who spoke meekly, doing everything at the appropriate time for the benefit of the sermon. After all, meekness is not generally good, but when the time demands it; and without this, she becomes weakness, and anger becomes insolence. I said all this not to justify Paul: he does not need our speech, since “his... praise is not from man, but from God” (Rom. 2:29), but to teach the listeners to use everything properly, as I said above. In this way, we will be able to benefit from everywhere, and with great wealth reach a serene haven, and be rewarded with incorruptible crowns, which may we all be worthy of by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. With all the greatness of the virtues of St. Apostle Paul, we can all achieve them, because he too was a man subservient to us. - The jealousy and confidence that he inspired in his students and which increased the more, the more they hindered him, putting him in bonds. - All the obstacles and constraints only contributed to the greater success of his preaching. When those carrying royal banners enter cities with the sound of a trumpet and accompanied by many soldiers, then usually all the people flock to listen to the sounds and look at the banner carried high and at the courage of the bearer. Since Paul also enters today, not into the city, but into the universe, we will all gather together. He carries the banner not of an earthly king, but of the Cross of the highest Christ, and he is preceded not by people, but by Angels, both in honor of the one carried and for the safety of the bearer. In fact, if those who arrange their own lives and do nothing for society are given by the Lord Guardian Angels to everyone, as someone says: “An angel who delivered me” from my youth (Gen. 48:16), then much more are those who are entrusted with the universe and who bear such a burden of gifts possessing higher powers. Among worldly people, those awarded the above honor put on clothes, put a gold ornament on their neck and are brilliant in all respects; and this one, wearing shackles instead of gold, carries a cross; this one experiences persecution; this one endures scourging and hunger. But do not mourn, beloved; This decoration is much better and more brilliant than that and is pleasing to God, which is why Paul, wearing it, did not get tired. It is truly amazing that with chains, scourging and wounds, he was more glorious than those who wore purple and a diadem. And that he was more glorious, and that these words were not an empty phrase, this was proven by his clothes. If you were to put a thousand diadems and the same amount of porphyry on a sick person, you would not be able to stop the slightest fraction of the flame; and his towels, applied to the bodies of the suffering, drove away all illness. This is natural: if the robbers, seeing that banner, do not dare to attack, but run away without looking back, then the more illnesses and demons, seeing this sign, take flight. Paul did not carry it so that he could carry it alone, but in order to make everyone the same and teach him to carry it. That's why he said: “Imitate...me...after the image you have in us” (Phil.3:17); and again: “what...you have heard and seen in me, do them” (Phil.4:9); and again: “it has been given to you ... not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him” (Phil. 1:29). The virtues of real life are then of great importance when they are united in only one person; but in relation to the spiritual, the opposite happens: then these honors shine especially, then many become participants in the dignity, when the participant is not alone, but many enjoy the same thing with him. So you see that all Christians are standard bearers and everyone bears the name of Christ before nations and kings; and Paul - both in view of Gehenna and in view of torment. But he did not say the latter, because everyone could not bear (it). Do you see what kind of virtue our nature is capable of: there is nothing more honorable than a person, although he remains mortal? Indeed, what could you point me to more than that? Equal to what? What Angels and Archangels is not equal to the one who said such a saying? If he, being in a mortal and perishable body, gave for Christ everything that he had, and even what he did not have - he gave both the present and the future, and height, and depth, and other creatures - then if he were incorporeal by nature, what would he not say, what would he not do? Likewise, I am surprised at the Angels because they were awarded such an honor, and not because they are incorporeal - and the devil is incorporeal and invisible, but he is the most unfortunate of all, since he offended the Creator God. Hence, we call people unhappy not when we see them clothed with a body, but when they do not use it properly. And Paul was clothed with the body. Why did he become like this? And from himself, and from God, and therefore from God, because from himself, - since God is not partial. If you say: how is it possible to imitate such men, then listen to what he says: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). He was an imitator of Christ, but you cannot be a slave like yourself? He competed with the Lord, but you cannot compete with a servant like yourself? What excuse will you have? How would you say he imitated Christ? You can see this from the very beginning and his entry (into the Christian Church). He came out of the sacred waters (Baptism) with such a flame that he did not expect a teacher for himself, did not expect Peter, did not go to Jacob or anyone else, but, driven by jealousy, he so inflamed (with his preaching) the city that a cruel war arose against him. While he was still a Jew, he did more than his calling by binding (Christians), leading them (to prison), and bringing them before the people. So Moses, having not yet been appointed by anyone, defended his fellow tribesmen from the injustice of foreigners. This is a sign of a courageous soul and a noble heart, which cannot silently endure the misfortunes of others, even if no one put it against him. And that Moses rightly strove for power, God showed this by putting him in the position that He later did with Paul. And that the latter did well when he then began preaching and teaching, God showed this by soon elevating him to the rank of teacher. If they sought to do things for the sake of their honor and power, and to please themselves, they would rightly deserve condemnation; but since they loved danger and sought death in order to save all others, who would be so pathetic as to blame them for such jealousy? And that they did this out of love for the salvation of the perishing, this was shown by the determination of God, and the destruction of those who wickedly desired this honor was also shown. Others once strived for honor and power, but they all perished, some by being burned by fire, others by being swallowed up by the open earth, because they did this not for leadership (of others), but out of lust for power. Uzziah also attempted to perform the priesthood, but became a leper (2 Chronicles 26:16–20); Simon also attempted, but was condemned and exposed to extreme danger (Acts 8:9–24); Paul also decided, and was crowned not with the priesthood and honors, but with service, labor and danger. And since he decided to do this out of great jealousy and zeal, that is why he is glorified and became famous from the very beginning. Just as an appointed leader, if he does not carry out his work properly, deserves great punishment, so the one who, although not appointed, corrects properly, I do not say - the affairs of the priesthood, but the affairs of caring for many, is worthy of all honor. So Paul, the mightiest of fire, did not spend a single day in peace, but as soon as he emerged from the sacred source of water, he kindled a great flame in himself, and did not pay attention either to the dangers, or to the ridicule and shame on the part of the Jews, or to their unbelief, or to anything else like that, but, having received a different sight, the sight of love, and a different mind, he rushed with great power, like some kind of stream, overthrowing everything Jewish and proving by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. He did not yet have many gifts of grace, he had not yet been awarded such a Spirit, and yet he immediately began to burn and do everything until he sacrificed his soul; This is what he did in everything, as if rewarding for the time that had passed, and tried to rush into that place of battle, which was replete with dangers and fear. But, being so bold, impetuous and breathing fire, he, on the other hand, was so meek and obedient to the teachers that he did not resist them in such an outburst of his jealousy. So, they told him, who was then on fire and reaching the point of frenzy, that he should go to Tarsus and Caesarea (Acts 9:30), and he did not contradict; they said that he should go down the wall, and he agreed; They advised him to cut his hair, and he did not resist; They told him not to go out to see the spectacle, and he obeyed. Thus, in everything he had in mind the benefit of the believers, peace and harmony, and always saved himself for preaching. Therefore, when you hear that he sends his nephew to the captain, wanting to get rid of dangers, that he demands the judgment of Caesar and hurries to Rome, then do not think that he is doing this out of timidity. Whoever sighed because he remained in this life, how could he not decide to be with Christ? Whoever despised Heaven and neglected the Angels for Christ, how could he desire real blessings? Why did he do this? In order to continue preaching and leave here with many people, crowning them all. Truly, he was afraid that he would not leave here poor and not having achieved the salvation of many, which is why he said: “But it is more necessary for you to remain in the flesh” (Phil. 1:24). Therefore, seeing that the court pronounced a verdict favorable to him, as Festus said 8: “It would have been possible to release this man if he had not demanded judgment from Caesar” (Acts 26:32), and being bound and led along with many other prisoners who had committed countless atrocities, he was not ashamed to be bound with them, but still cared for everyone who sailed with him, not fearing for himself and knowing that he himself was safe. Crossing such a sea in bonds, he rejoiced, as if setting out to receive the greatest power. The conversion of the city to the Romans seemed to him a considerable reward. Meanwhile, he did not ignore those who were with him on the ship, but he admonished them too, telling them a vision that had happened to him, from which they learned that all those who sailed with him were being saved for his sake. He did this not in order to exalt himself, but in order to win them over to obey him. For this reason, God allowed the sea to become agitated, so that Paul’s grace would be revealed in every possible way, both through disobedience to him and through obedience. So, when he advised not to sail, and they did not listen to him, the danger reached its extreme; however, even then he was not cruel, but again took care of them, like a father about children, and did everything to ensure that no one died. Arriving in Rome, and there with what meekness does he proclaim the truth? With what freedom does he stop the mouths of the disobedient? However, he does not stop here either, but from here he goes to Spain. Thus, in the midst of dangers, he became bolder, and from them he became more daring, not only he alone, but through him his disciples. Just as when they saw him weakening and inactive, they might have lost heart; just like that, when they saw that he was becoming more courageous amid the dangers and increasing persecutions, they preached with boldness. Pointing to this, he said: “Most of the brothers in the Lord, being encouraged by my bonds, began to preach the word of God with greater boldness, fearlessly” (Phil. 1:14). If a military leader is brave not only when he strikes and kills (enemies), but also when he himself receives wounds, then he makes his subordinates bolder, and moreover (achieves this) to a greater extent when he receives wounds than when he inflicts wounds. When they see that he is covered in blood and wounded, and yet does not retreat before the enemies, but stands courageously, shakes his spear, throws it at the enemies and does not succumb to suffering, then they themselves fight with great zeal. The same thing happened with Paul. Seeing him bound and preaching in prison, being scourged and converting those scourged, his disciples received greater boldness. Therefore, in expressing this, he did not simply say: “having taken courage,” but added: “began to preach the word with greater boldness, without fear,” i.e. the brothers have become bolder now than when I was free from bonds. Then he himself was filled with greater zeal, because then he attacked his enemies more; the intensification of persecution strengthened his courage and encouraged him to greater boldness. He was once imprisoned, and he shone so brightly that he shook its foundations, opened the doors, turned the prison guard to him, and almost convinced the judge, as he said: “You are not convincing me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28). They also threw stones at him, and he converted the city that threw stones at him; they called him to trial, either the Jews or the Athenians - and the judges became his disciples, the opponents - obedient. Just as fire, having fallen into various substances, flares up more and is intensified by the added substance, so Paul’s tongue, no matter who he addressed, attracted them to himself, and those who rebelled against him, being caught by his speeches, soon became food for this spiritual fire, and through them the preaching again grew and passed on to others. That’s why he said: I am in bonds, “but there are no bonds for the word of God” (2 Tim. 2:9). He was persecuted, but this persecution resulted in the embassy of teachers; and what friends and accomplices would have done, the enemies did the same, not allowing him to remain in one country, but with their intrigues and persecutions they carried the doctor everywhere, so that everyone could listen to his conversation. They tied him up again and aroused his jealousy even more; they persecuted the disciples, and through this they sent teachers to those who did not have it; they were conveyed to the highest court, and through this they brought benefit to the larger city. That is why the Jews spoke with sorrow about the apostles: “What should we do with these people?” (Acts 4:16). The more we constrain, they say, the more we strengthen. They handed Paul over to the prison guard to guard him carefully, and he was even more carefully bound by Paul; they sent him with the prisoners so that he would not escape, but he taught the prisoners Christian teaching; they sent him by sea in order to make the journey faster, out of captivity, but the shipwreck that happened served as the reason for the instruction of those sailing with him; They threatened with countless punishments to suppress the preaching, but it grew even more. And just as they said about the Lord: let us kill Him, lest “the Romans come and take possession of both our place and people” (John 11:48), but the opposite happened - since precisely because they killed Him, the Romans took both their people and the city, and what they considered an obstacle became an aid to preaching - so when Paul preached, what the enemies undertook to destroy the teaching, thereby spreading it and raised to indescribable heights. For all this, let us give thanks to the author of God, let us bless Paul, through whom this was accomplished, and let us pray that we too may be worthy of the same blessings, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory forever and ever. Amen. So it is with the saint. In the Bible: "concerning Israel". – I.I. In the Greek text: ηπειθησαν τω υμετερω ελεει (disobedient for you to have mercy) - the Slavic translation of this is literal, but the Russian synodal one is very inaccurate - I.I. In the Bible: “for Thy name’s sake” – I.I. In the original: remember - apparently a typo or inaccuracy in the manuscript - I.I. Greek: υποτασσησθε (glorious, be respectful) – I.I. According to another reading - Pythagoras. In the original, and in Slav. N.Z.: “in the body,” but in gr. N.Z., as in Russian: εν το σκηνει in the hut - I.I. In Acts 26:32: Agrippa to Festou. Seven Conversations about St. to the Apostle Paul were pronounced in Antioch. The timing of the utterances is unknown; for some reasons (Tillemont) it was in the year 387. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: