Слово 30. Похвала св. Апостолу Павлу, составленная Федором Магистром из различных слов св. отца нашего Иоанна Златоустого.

We have already outlined everything concerning the inscription of the Acts of the Apostles. Then we should touch the beginning of the book and say that there was no time: “The first book I wrote to you, Theophilus, of all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning” (Acts 1:1). But Paul does not allow us to speak in this sequence, calling our word to himself and his exploits. I want to see how he is led to Damascus, how he is bound not by iron chains, but by the word of the Lord. I want to see how this great fish was caught, which disturbed the whole sea, aroused great unrest in the Church. I want to see him caught not by fish, but by the word of the Lord. Just as some fisherman, sitting on a high rock and lifting a fishing rod from a height, throws it into the sea, so our Lord, who demonstrated spiritual fishing, as if sitting on a high rock of heaven, sending His voice from above, like a fishing rod, and saying: “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? (Acts 9:4), - caught that great fish. Who would have stopped this cruel and inhuman persecutor, blasphemer and devastator of the Church to such an extent that, breaking even into houses, he attracted husbands and women, threw everyone into confusion and outraged - who would have stopped him if our King, having called him, had not suddenly changed him and forced him to come to his senses? After all, even the disciples, no matter where they learned about his appearance, trembled in horror and did not dare to look directly at him. And when he had already become loving to them, they still showed the same fear. If they were so afraid when he had already changed, then what didn’t they do when he harbored enmity towards them, was their enemy? What will happen to me? I need to avoid my husband with such force that, having lingered, I will not again move away from the subject. You know how often, while I had something else in mind and was heading towards him, he, having met me, intercepted me in the middle of a word and delayed me to such an extent that I was convinced to finish the word itself with him. This blessed Paul, who enlightened the whole universe, was once blinded during his calling. But his blindness became the enlightenment of the universe. Since he saw one bad thing, God rightly blinded him so that he could gain his sight again for his benefit. And since he persecuted the Church beyond measure, raged and was inaccessible to pity, then the more difficult he receives curbing - so that, carried away by the stream of his jealousy, he does not let what is preached fall on deaf ears, and so that he learns with whom he is fighting: with Him whom he cannot bear, not only when He punishes, but even when He does good. And it was not darkness that blinded him, but an excess of light that plunged him into darkness. If we were surrounded by barbarians, and if the enemies caused us countless difficulties; if then a barbarian commander, who would have at his disposal countless siege engines, would throw everything into confusion, fill us with confusion and great fear, threaten to destroy and set fire to the city itself, and turn us all into slavery; if he, having suddenly been captured by our king, had been brought captive to the city, would not all of us, along with our wives and children, have come running to this spectacle? And now the war has come. While the Jews fill everyone with confusion and fear and are plotting many tricks against the safety of the Church, the head of the enemies Paul, who tried more than anyone about this, preached and filled everyone with confusion and fear, and it was our Lord Jesus Christ, our King, who bound and brought captive: will we not all come out to this spectacle to see him led captive? And the Angels in Heaven, seeing him bound and led, rejoiced - not because they saw him bound, but because they imagined how many people he would free from shackles; not because they saw him led by the hand, but because they thought about how many he had to lead from earth to Heaven; not because they saw him blinded, but because they thought about those whom he had brought out of the darkness. Therefore, leaving everyone else, I hasten to turn to Paul. Paul and the love for Paul compels us to take this leap. “Who can declare the power of the Lord” (Ps. 105:2), that You did not allow Paul to be in the dark, that You showed such a man to the universe? All the Angels praised You with one accord when You created the stars and the sun; but not like when You revealed Paul to the whole universe. The earth became lighter than the sky, because it is brighter than the light of the sun. This sun gives way to night, and he defeated the devil. It, descending from above, sends its rays down; he, ascending from below, filled with light not only the space between heaven and earth, but as soon as he opened his lips, he filled even the Angels with great joy. And if there is joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents—and in his very first sermon he caught countless men—with what joy did he fill the powers above? What am I saying? It is enough for Paul to begin to say how the heavens play and rejoice. Is there anything more ardent than the heart of a man who has traveled the entire universe, endured violence, stoning, chains - and all this in order to free the bound and attract them to himself? And he did not perform his feats as a fighter; but, as if moving towards a ready and certain victory, he erected victory monuments, tearing down, devastating, destroying to the ground the fortifications of the devil and all the barriers of the demons; he did not stop, rushing forward from these to those and from those to these and, like an excellent commander, every day, or better yet, every hour, erecting victorious monuments. Having penetrated the enemy lines in his clothes, he took the enemy cities along with their people. Paul's tongue was bow, spear, arrows and everything. And he didn't just talk. His words, striking enemies more powerful than any fire, drove out demons, and restored people who had lost power over themselves. When he cast out the evil spirit, countless spellcasters burned their magic books and turned to the truth. And just as in war, after a tower has fallen or a tyrant has been overthrown, everyone who was with him, throwing down their weapons, runs to the commander, so it was then: when the demon was overthrown, all the vanquished, throwing away their books, or rather destroying them, rushed to the feet of Paul. And he, turning the whole world, as it were, into one camp, did not stop anywhere, but did everything as if he had wings: he healed the lame, then raised the dead, then blinded someone - I’m talking about the magician. Even imprisoned, he did not calm down, but even there he attracted the guard to himself, completing this wonderful captivity. They are surprised at David for defeating Goliath with just one stone. But if they examined the deeds of Paul, they would see that this is a childish matter, and that as much as a shepherd and a general differ from each other, there is as much difference between this and that, because this one destroyed the mental Goliath, and without throwing a stone, but with one word, defeating the entire horde of the devil. Like a lion roaring and breathing with its fiery mouth, so he was terrible for everyone when he came. He constantly appeared everywhere: he came to these, went to those, returned to these, left again to others - appearing faster than the wind and ruling the entire universe, like one house or ship, pulling out the drowning, saving those shrouded in darkness, giving orders to the sailors, sitting at the stern oar, watching the bow, pulling the ropes, taking up the oars, raising the sails, looking at the sky, being himself everything: both the sailor and the helmsman, and in charge of the bow of the ship, and the sail, and the vessel - and enduring everything in order to destroy the evil of others. And like an athlete, fighting, running, entering into battle, or a soldier, breaking walls, fighting on land and sea - so he participated in all types of struggle, incited jealousy and, single-handedly taking possession of the universe and defeating everyone with one word, he himself was unapproachable for everyone. The sounds of many trumpets, falling on the walls of the city of Jericho, did not destroy them, as the loud voice of Paul razed the devil’s fortifications to the ground and attracted enemies to his side. He was lowered through the window from the wall to lift the defeated to the ground. I think there is no need to mention hunger, thirst, nakedness, shipwrecks, fears, intrigues, imprisonments, blows and everything else that blessed Paul endured for the sake of preaching: all of this individually is enough to disturb and crush that holy spirit. But when he says: “Whoever faints, with whom would I not faint? Who is tempted, for whom would I not be inflamed?” (2 Cor. 11:29) - that is, this is what most of all brought him continuous and unbearable grief. If with each of those who were tempted he himself was kindled, then this burning of his spirit could not go out, because those who were tempted and who provided material for the fire did not become scarce. Seeing only the Jews as unbelievers, what respite from sorrow and suffering could he have even for a short time? “I myself would like to be excommunicated from Christ for my brothers who are related to me according to the flesh, that is, the Israelites” (Rom. 9:3-4). And what he said means this: it is more desirable for me to fall into Gehenna than to see the Israelites as unbelievers. Anyone who agrees to accept the torment of Gehenna in order to gain the opportunity to convert all the Jews, without having it, obviously lives harder than those who suffer in Gehenna. O fiery love of mercy! O Paul, despiser of fire, adamantine, firm, unyielding, steadfast; - he who says: “Who will separate us from the love of God: tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword?” (Rom.8:35). The one who was above the earth and the sea, who laughed at the iron gates of death - he, seeing the tears of his beloved, was so upset and shocked that he could not hide his sadness, but now he says: “What are you doing? Why are you crying and breaking my heart?” (Acts 21:13). Oh, miracle! The abyss of water did not bother him, but the small tears confused and upset him. "What are you doing? Why are you crying and breaking my heart?” What, tell me, are you saying? Could that adamantine spirit be broken by tears? Yes, he says. Great is the power of love, it overpowered me and defeated me. I can resist everything except love. Listen, you who do not despise property for Christ's sake, or rather, for your own sake, and tremble, reflecting on Paul's love for Christ. He loved Christ not through Christ, but he loved Christ through Him, and he was afraid of only one thing, so as not to lose his love for Him. For him this was worse than Gehenna, just as staying in it was more desirable than the Kingdom. So, when for the love of Christ he agrees to fall into Gehenna and lose the Kingdom, if both were offered to him, we do not despise real life, then are we really worthy of his sandals, we who are so far from his great spirit? If someone, managing just one house, having servants, caretakers and stewards, often cannot sigh from worries, although no one bothers him yet, then think about what he had to endure, having care not for one house, but for cities, peoples, tribes, for the whole universe, when, moreover, there are so many things to do, so many enemies, and he is alone - he who cared as a father does not care about his children? If anyone wants to love with pure love and know the power of love, let him rush to its nourisher, Blessed Paul, and he will show him what kind of work it is worth to endure separation from a loved one, and what courage this requires. He, who seemed to be separated from the flesh, left his body and with an almost uncovered soul walked around the universe, who expelled all mental passion and imitated the dispassion of incorporeal forces - yes, he easily endured everything else, as if he was in someone else’s body, endured imprisonment, shackles, exile, lashes, threats, death and all types of punishment, but, separated from one soul, his beloved, he was so saddened and embarrassed that he immediately left the city, where he hoped to see his beloved and did not find him. What is this, blessed Paul? Imprisoned in stocks, sitting in prison, suffering lashes, with shoulders drenched in blood, you taught the Sacraments, baptized, made sacrifices and did not despise anyone who should be saved: how then, having come to Troas and finding the soil cultivated and ready to receive seeds, how did you let go of the opportunity and immediately leave? Yes, he says. I was overwhelmed by the great power of grief, the absence of Titus so struck my thoughts, so overpowered and broke me that I was forced to do this. Have you seen how much work is needed to meekly endure separation from your loved one? What a difficult and bitter matter is this? Which requires a sublime and brave soul? It is not enough for lovers to be bound only in spirit; this is not enough to console them; they also need physical presence. If it is not there, a considerable part of the joy disappears. Do you want to know what a powerful weapon it is to be meek, soft, and kind in order to attract brothers to you, even if they are unfaithful? Listen to what Paul says as he goes before the unbelieving judge to receive judgment from him: “I consider myself fortunate that today I can defend myself before you” (Acts 26:2). He said this not to flatter him, no, but wanting to win him over with meekness. He partially achieved this and even conquered the judge - he, who was considered already convicted. The defeated man himself acknowledged this victory, in the presence of everyone, saying in a loud voice: “You are not convincing me to become a Christian.” What about Pavel? I would pray to God that whoever knows how much, not only you, but also everyone who listens to me today would become like me” (Acts 26:28–29). There is much evidence everywhere of Pavlov’s miracles, but nothing is so desirable as his plagues. And in Scripture he pleases me not so much when he performs miracles as when he endures suffering, scourging, violence, and stoning. “They stoned Paul,” it says, “and dragged him out of the city” (Acts 14:19); and one more thing: having beaten him and given him “many stripes, they threw him into prison” (Acts 16:23). What joy, what pleasure, what honor, what glory to see him in chains for Christ's sake! But look at what is worthy of surprise: the prison, they say, shook while Paul was in chains, and everyone’s bonds were loosened. Do you see how bonds are being destroyed by the very nature of bonds? “The jailer, waking up and seeing that the doors of the prison were open, drew a sword and wanted to kill himself” (Acts 16:27). What about Pavel? He cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here” (Acts 16:28). Do you see his contempt for fame, his modesty, his mercy? He did not say: it happened through us, but, like one of the prisoners, he says: “for we are all here.” If he had remained silent and had not held back the guard's hands with a loud voice, he would have cut his throat with a sword. He raised his voice because he was thrown into the inner room. You did this to your own detriment, as he says, because you put in the inner room those who had to free you from danger. Do you see Paul's love for mankind and caring? He preferred to be in chains and be in danger himself than to see him die. Like a soldier, if, while fighting with the whole world, he fell into the very middle of the enemy troops and remained unharmed, so Paul alone appeared among the barbarians and Hellenes - everywhere on land, everywhere at sea. And just as a spark, falling into straw or hay, changes the combustible material in accordance with its nature, so he, coming to everyone, turned everyone to the truth. Who will not be amazed at the strength of the bonds placed on blessed Paul? She brought the bound ones to the feet of the bound one, and gave them into the power of it. “The watchman fell,” it says, “to Paul” (Acts 16:29). Free from the bonds at the feet of the prisoner, and the bound one begs the bound one to free him from fear. Tell me, weren’t you the one who put me in bonds? Wasn't it you who threw him into the inner room of the prison? Aren't you the one who put your feet in stocks? Why are you trembling? What are you afraid of? Why are you crying? Why did you draw the sword? I did not know, as he says, that the power of the bonds of Christ is so great. What are you saying? He received the power to open heaven; should he not open the prisons? He gave freedom to those captured by demons - should he not be freed from his own bonds? The one who liberates bound souls is really unable to free his body? The one who freed others from shackles with his clothes, who crushed demons - how can he not free himself with his own strength? Therefore, he was first imprisoned and then freed the prisoners, so that you might know that the servants of Christ who are imprisoned are much stronger than those who are free from them. And the power of a saint is most glorious if, even imprisoned, he triumphs over the free. So, if a prisoner frees not only himself, but also others, then what are the walls for? What was the point of imprisoning him in the inner room of the prison when he even opened the outer one? Do you want to know what power the iron bonds placed in the name of Christ on a slave body have? Listen to blessed Paul, how proud he is of this and says: “I am a prisoner in the Lord, I beseech you” (Eph. 4:1). A great and glorious feat, above the kingdom and consulate and everything - to be a prisoner in the name of Christ! There is nothing more glorious than being a prisoner in Christ, like the shackles placed on those holy hands. This is much more glorious and honorable than being an apostle, didascal, or evangelist. If anyone loves Christ, he knows what I am talking about; if anyone is beside himself and on fire with love for the Master, he will understand the power of the bond: he would rather be a prisoner in Christ than dwell in heaven. This is more glorious than sitting at His right hand, more honorable and blessed than sitting on twelve thrones. If someone had offered me either the whole heaven or the bonds that were placed on Paul's hands, I would have preferred the latter. If I were allowed to stand either with the Angels, or with Paul imprisoned in chains, I would prefer prison. If I were offered to share the power that surrounds the throne, or to become a prisoner, I would prefer to be such a prisoner. There is nothing higher than to suffer for Christ. Even if I were given the power to raise the dead, I would not accept this, but the bonds, because there is nothing more blessed than these bonds. I would like to be in those places where the prison is located, and to see the bonds that demons fear and tremble at, before which angels revere. If I had been free from church concerns and had a healthy body, I would not have hesitated to take a journey just to see those bonds and that prison where Paul was imprisoned. If I were allowed to see and hear Paul either from heaven or from prison, I would prefer - from prison, because when he is there, the inhabitants of heaven also descend to him. O blessed bonds! Oh, blessed hands, adorned with the chains put on Paul! They were not as glorious at the time when they healed the lame man in Lystra as when they were put in chains. If I had been there at that time, I would have hugged them tightly and placed them on my eyes. I would not cease to kiss these hands, worthy of bonds for the sake of my Master. I please him not so much because he was ascended to the third heaven and Paradise, but because he was thrown into prison; and I do not please him as much for the fact that he heard unspeakable verbs as for the fact that he endured the bonds - because this is much higher than that. It is more attractive to me to suffer for Christ than to receive honor apart from Him. As it seems, this is what Paul means, and Paul says: if He, having become a slave for me and stripped Himself of glory, thought that He would never be as glorious as when He was nailed to the cross for me, then shouldn’t I also suffer? Listen to what He says: “Glorify Me, Father” (John 17:5). What are you saying? You are led to the cross along with robbers and robbers, you cause the death of damned people, you have to endure spitting and strangulation - and you call this glory? Yes, He says. I endure this for My beloved, and justly I see My glory in this. So, if my Master, who loved the unfortunate and burdened, considers this His glory and loved it more than the glory on the Throne of the Father, all the more should I see my glory in this. There is nothing more blessed, therefore, the spirit of Paul! What is he proud of? Prison, sorrows, bonds, wounds. “I, at the attraction of the Spirit, go to Jerusalem, not knowing what will meet me there; only the Holy Spirit bears witness in all the cities, saying that bonds and tribulations await me” (Acts 20:22–23). Why are you going if bonds and sorrows await you? Namely, for this very purpose, to endure bonds for Christ, to die for Him - because I am ready not only to be in bonds, but also to die for the name of my Lord. What is this? Aren't you ashamed, aren't you afraid to circumvent the universe in chains? Aren’t you afraid that someone will expose the powerlessness of your God, that because of this they will not follow you? These are not, he says, my bonds. They will be able to shine in the royal chambers. “So my bonds,” says (the apostle), “about Christ became known to the whole praetorium and to everyone else, and most of the brothers in the Lord, encouraged by my bonds, began to preach the word of God with greater boldness, fearlessly” (Phil. 1:13-14). Do you see that the power of the bonds is greater than the resurrection of the dead? He was imprisoned in Rome and attracted many to himself; was imprisoned in Jerusalem and, bound, speaking to the people, amazed the king and frightened the ruler: “being in fear, he let him go.” He sailed in bonds and saved the ship, prevented the storm; when he was a prisoner, an echidna hung on him, but he threw it off without any harm to himself. Similar things happened to him everywhere. He was scourged and scourged cruelly. “Give him,” they say, “many blows.” He was thrown into prison - and this with new cruelty: “they threw him into the inner room of the prison,” and with strict guards. Under such circumstances, at midnight, when people, freed from all worries, were sleeping, he sang and praised God. What could be stronger than this soul? He thought that the youths sang in the fire and in the oven. Perhaps he was thinking that I had not tolerated anything like that. But the word led us again to other bonds and to another prison. What's wrong with me? I want to remain silent, but I can’t. I found another dungeon, much more amazing and amazing than that one. And you will intensify your attention now, when I begin the word, and approach it with intense reflection. I want to finish the word, but I can’t. I can’t stop, I can’t be silent; many things are pressing in on me from all sides, I don’t know what I will say first, what then. Therefore, I beg you, let no one demand order from me, because objects are closely related to each other. Paul’s bonds were long and detained us for a long time, but I will not remain silent for this reason alone. If I was not silent in prison, under the lashes, how can I be silent, sitting in my room during the day and having the opportunity to speak with great calm. What would be the point of this? Who wouldn't marvel at this? And even more, who will not be truly amazed and amazed at the noble and sublime spirit of Paul, when, imprisoned and in chains, he wrote the epistle to the Philippians from such a distance? Do you know what the distance is between Macedonia and Rome. But neither the long journey, nor the length of time, nor the multitude of tasks, nor dangers and various disasters - and nothing else could destroy the love and memory of the disciples. He held them all in his thoughts, and his hands were not bound in chains, as his spirit was bound and crushed by longing for his disciples. And just as a king, having ascended the throne at dawn and sitting in the palace, immediately receives thousands of letters, so he, being in prison, as in the royal chambers, continuously received and sent many more letters - (received) precisely from all the peoples who turned to his wisdom in their affairs. And he decided so much more such cases than any king, in proportion to the wider power entrusted to him. Oh, the power of Pavlovo! He put chains on himself, and overthrew Nero, clothed in a diadem; put on wretched rags when he lived in prison, and chained everyone with chains worn on him more than any purple: he stood on the ground, covering his face and lowering his head, but they rushed towards him, leaving him sitting on a golden chariot. And fair enough. Seeing a king on a shiny chariot is a common sight. But it is strange and unexpected to see how a prisoner speaks to the king with such boldness as the king speaks to the unfortunate and pitiful captive. There were a lot of people standing around, all of them were royal slaves. But they were surprised not at their master, but at the one who defeated their master. However, I quietly began to praise the lion for his claws, when I should be praising him for other things. For what? Because he will come with the Heavenly King in a brilliant robe, while Nero will stand pitiful and disgraced. If a wrestler receives such honor when the time for rewards has not yet come, then how will he be honored when the Judge comes? He lived among strangers, was a guest and a stranger, and yet he is the subject of such wonder! And when he finds himself among his own, what benefit will he not enjoy? What will he not be involved in? What won't he get? None of the Roman kings enjoyed such honor as Paul. After all, the king lies somewhere outside the city, defeated; Paul occupies the very middle of it, reigning and continuing to live. If even where he was persecuted and persecuted, he had such honor, then what will happen when he comes again? If he was so brilliant where he was making tents, what will happen when he comes shining with the sun's rays? If in his insignificance he surpassed such greatness, then what will happen when he comes again? After all, it is not permissible to evade difficulties? Do you want me to show you how the tentmaker rose in honor above the most amazing of all kings? What could be more glorious in the glory of this world than Alexander? What's higher? Didn't he accomplish many great feats during his lifetime? Didn’t he conquer peoples and cities, didn’t he win many wars and battles, didn’t he erect victory monuments? Was he not honored as the thirteenth god in the Roman Senate? But there is nothing surprising in the fact that a living person, being a king and owning an army, wages happy wars and wins victories. But after death and burial, to do this, to do it everywhere, every day, on land and at sea, truly deserves the greatest respect. Where, tell me, is Alexander’s grave? Show it to me and tell me the day he died? It's unlikely that you will do this. And anyone can see the magnificent tomb of Paul if they visit royal Rome; and everyone knows the glorious day of death, when there is a holiday for the whole universe. His grave, of course, is known to people close to him, but the barbarians also know his grave; Thus, the tomb of the servant of Christ became more glorious than the royal chambers. The one who dresses in purple waits to embrace his tomb and, abandoning vanity, begins to beg the dead to appear before God - the tentmaker, the fisherman and the deceased who owns the crown beg. And this can be seen not only in Rome, but also in Constantinople. And here the son of Constantine the Great thought that he would honor him with great honor if he placed him at the fisherman’s doorstep. As in royal palaces there are gatekeepers for kings, so in the grave kings are for fishermen. Some, in the position of owners of a place, own the interior; others, like strangers and neighbors, would willingly agree if the door to the courtyard were open to them. The kings appear there in the role of servants and assistants, and the subordinates enjoy the honor of the kings. If something above nature happens here, how much more will it happen in the next century? Who now gives me the opportunity to embrace the body of Paul and worship his tomb, to see the ashes of his body, with which he walked throughout the entire universe, completing what was unfinished with Christ, on whom he bore plagues, in whom he sowed sermons everywhere? To see the dust of the lips through which Christ spoke, from which a light shone, superior to all lightning, and a voice was heard, which for demons is more terrible than all thunder? Thunder is not as terrible for us as its voice is for demons. If they were in awe of his clothes, even more so of his voice. I would like to see the dust of these lips, through which Christ spoke great and inexpressible and higher things than Himself; the dust of his lips through which his blessed word was heard, saying: “I myself would like to be excommunicated from Christ for my brothers” (Rom. 9:3); the mouth with which he spoke in the face of kings and was not put to shame, from which demons fled, and not only when they heard his voice, but also when he was far away, with which he transformed everything on earth and ruled, as he wanted, everything in heaven, binding whomever he wanted, and loosing the power given to him. Who will show me the ashes of Pavlov’s heart, flaming for all those who are perishing and giving birth a second time to children who have been cast out? I would like to see this heart, even broken, it is higher than the heavens, wider than the universe, purer than the rays of the sun, hotter than fire, stronger than iron, it lives more of a new life than this. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). Paul's heart was truly the heart of Christ, the seat of the Holy Spirit and the book of grace; honored to love Christ as no one else has loved; despising death and Gehenna, crushed by brotherly tears: “What are you doing,” he says, “that you cry and break my heart?” (Acts 21:13). I would like to see the ashes of Paul’s hands, bound in bonds, hands, by the laying on of which the Spirit was sent down, with which he wrote the Divine Scriptures: “See how many things I have written to you with my own hand” (Gal. 6:11), - his hands, which, when the viper saw, fell into the fire. I would like to see the dust of the eyes that were blinded in due time, beholding the salvation of the universe, worthy to see Christ in the flesh. I would like to see the dust of his feet, which walked around the world without getting tired, driven into stocks, while he shook the prison, walked around the world and uninhabited places. What else needs to be talked about more often? I would like to see him, the spiritual lion! As a lion emits flames from his eyes on a herd of foxes, so he fell upon hosts of demons and philosophers and, like a strike of lightning, fell on the hordes of the devil. The devil did not engage him in battle, but was so frightened and trembled so much before him that he only saw his shadow from afar and heard his voice, only to immediately run away. Think and tremble at what an amazing sight Rome will see when Paul suddenly rises from the tomb along with Peter and is taken to meet Christ: what gift Rome will send to Christ, what two crowns she will wear, what golden chains she will gird with. The sky does not shine as brightly when the sun sends its rays as the city of the Romans, which sent these two lamps to the whole universe. What word is worthy of Paul's exploits, or what tongue is able to utter praise fitting for him? Whatever nobility the prophets, or the patriarchs, or the righteous, or the apostles, or the martyrs showed, he has all this, and, moreover, to such a high degree that none of those people possesses, whatever is beautiful in each of them. So, when all that is beautiful in people is contained within one soul, and, at the same time, in a sublime measure, and not only what is in people, but also what is in Angels, how can we exaggerate his praise? What kind of contempt will we not be worthy of if, while one person has collected all the virtues in himself, we will not imitate him even in an insignificant degree? They are surprised at Abraham for his many exploits, especially for the fact that he sacrifices his own son. Isaac is surprised because, expelled from his borders, he did not resist, but yielded everywhere, in everything he owned, until the unjust desires of his offenders were satisfied. They marvel at Jacob for his firmness and patience, at David for his meekness, at Elijah because he was jealous of the Master. But what can compare with Paul, who owns all this, and owns it in abundance? True, he did not sacrifice his son, but he sacrificed himself thousands of times. And he was expelled from his native lands more than once, but he walked around, as if he had wings, both land and sea, Hellas and the lands of the barbarians - in a word, he walked everywhere where the sun shines, walked among violence, blows, stoning, dying every day. And not twice did he serve for seven years, burned by the heat of the day and the cold of the night, but he spent his entire life in hunger and nakedness, in chains and prison, among intrigues and dangers. And who fulfilled the requirements of justice and meekness more than Paul, who fulfilled anything equal to him? If you look at his zeal, you will see that he is superior to Elijah as much as Elijah is superior to the rest of the prophets. John ate locusts and wild honey, but Paul lived in the very center of the universe, as if in the desert; he did not eat locusts or wild honey, but had a much simpler table than this - due to his zeal for preaching, he did not even have the necessary food. It remains to equate him with the Angels. Let no one think that this is an impudent word. If Scripture calls John an angel, why are you surprised when we compare the best of all with those powers? What man once was, what nobility is inherent in our nature, what virtue this living being is endowed with - Paul showed this more than anyone else. Now he has become what he was, clearly responding on behalf of the Master to everyone who attacks our structure, and showing that people are not much different from Angels, if we want to be attentive to ourselves. Having no different nature, having received no other soul as his inheritance, living not in another world, but in the same land and country, brought up in the same laws and morals, he surpassed all people who had ever existed. And just as a dead person would remain unchanged for a dead person, so he, carefully calming the impulses of nature, did not succumb to a single weakness characteristic of man. If Paul, adorned with so many deeds and appearing like an angel on earth, tried every day to make an acquisition, to expose himself to dangers for the truth, to accumulate spiritual enrichment for himself and never stop, then what excuse will we have, not only completely deprived of glorious deeds, but also subject to so many vices, of which even one inherent in us is enough to plunge us into the abyss of destruction - we who make no effort to correct these vices and be involved in the deeds of virtues? Didn't that blessed one have the same nature as us? I burn with love for this husband and therefore will not stop turning to him. Looking at his soul as a kind of example, I reflect on the vanity of passions, on the superiority of courage, on the burning love of God. And I am amazed how one person, having wished, fulfilled the whole host of virtues, but each of us does not want to fulfill even the simplest of them. Who will deliver us from inexorable punishment, when Paul, who shared with us by nature, was given over to the power of the same passions, was in such difficult circumstances and was daily, so to speak, tormented, tormented, dragged publicly by those who were hostile to his preaching, despite all this, showed such greatness of virtue? In order for you not to hear from our lips about his glorious exploits, you need to listen to his own word. “And if anyone dares to boast about anything, then (I will say foolishly) I also dare” (2 Cor. 11:21). Observe the God-loving soul. He calls the matter not only courage, but even madness, teaching us, if there were people among us who have done something good, not to expose our deeds without any need, when no one forces us to do so. “Are they Jews? and I. Israelis? and I. Abraham's seed? and I" (2 Cor. 11:22). Isn’t this, he says, what they are proud of? Let them not think that we are inferior to them, because we are also participants in the same thing. Then he adds: “Servants of Christ? (in madness I say): I am greater" (2 Cor. 11:23). Look here at the virtue of the soul of this blessed man. After he called the incident courage and madness, he, forced into necessity, however, did not stop at what he said; but when he wanted to show that he was superior to them in many ways, so that they would not think that he was speaking out of pride, he again called what he said madness, saying approximately the following: “Do I really not know that I am doing something that will be unpleasant to many and which is indecent for me? But the necessity that led me to this compels me. Therefore, forgive me,” he says, “for speaking the words of madness.” Let us imitate at least a shadow of him, we who are burdened with such a burden of sins and often, even if we do some worthy deed, do not store it in the treasuries of the mind, but, chasing glory before people, we put it on display and with this immeasurable idle talk we deprive ourselves of reward from God. But that blessed one did not allow anything like that, but saying: “I am greater,” then he lists his exploits and says: “I was much more in labor, immensely in wounds, more in prisons and many times at death” (2 Cor. 11:23). What are you saying? Your words are strange and unexpected. Is it possible to experience death often? Yes, he says, if not by experience, then in thought. He wants to tell us that he constantly exposed himself to such dangers for the sake of preaching, which brought him death. But the grace of God preserved the fighter in the very midst of danger, so that the disciples received great benefit from him. What follows in order seems to cover what was said: “Who faints, with whom would I not faint? Who is tempted, for whom would I not be inflamed?” (2 Cor. 11:29). What necessary love this husband has, what vigilance, what care! What mother's heart is so tormented when her son, sick with a fever, lies in bed, like that blessed husband? For those who were exhausted in every place, he himself became even more exhausted, and for those who were tempted he became even more inflamed. Look also at the expressiveness of the words. He did not say: “Who is tempted, for whom would I not be grieved?” but: “inflamed,” he says, showing us the intensity of grief and declaring that it, as if on fire, burns internally in those who are tempted. I realize that I have stretched my words too long. But I don’t know how it happened that when I touched on the exploits of the holy man, I was carried away by the swiftness of the language, like some stream of quickly rushing waters. Therefore, stopping my word here, I beg your love to constantly keep him in your memory and without ceasing to reflect on the fact that he was part of us by nature and was subject to the same passions as us. Engaged in an insignificant and dishonorable craft, sewing leather and working in a workshop, after he decided and wanted to devote himself to the labors of virtue and show himself worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit, he received the greatest honor from above. May we all achieve it through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Ἐκλογαί άπό διαφόρων λόγων . Under this name are known collections of conversations compiled by various persons after the death of Chrysostom on certain topics, from those related to the topics and especially liked by the compilers of the works of the saint. The passages are given partly in a literal presentation, partly in a free retelling and are borrowed both from the original works of Chrysostom, and from works only attributed to Chrysostom, which have not only survived to this day, but have also been lost. These Eclogues (selections) were widespread and were used by both private individuals and kings. Known, for example, is the luxurious collection of Eclogues, owned by the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros Botaniatus (1078–1081), registered among the codices of the Koalene Library under No. LXXIX. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: