Messages about virginity

Offered to the attention of readers are the messages of St. Clement of Rome only became known to Christian Europe in the last century. In 1752, the famous publisher of the New Testament, Wetstein (Johannes Jacobus Wetstenius), received from the then British envoy to the Ottoman Porte two Syriac manuscripts of the New Testament, which contained two epistles of St. Clement on virginity. He immediately, in the same 1752, translated them into Latin, and published both the text and his translation in Leiden. Scientists of that time were not slow to rebel against these messages, proving their inauthenticity. The Englishman Nathanael Lardner (1753) tried to prove that these messages were written in the middle of the 3rd century by some eastern bishop; and the Dutchman Herman Venema (1754), without determining the exact time of origin of these messages, only asserted that their author was an oriental man, and by no means a Roman. Vetshtein victoriously refuted both, proving the actual origin of these messages from the person whose name they bear on themselves. After Vetstein, their authenticity continued to be defended by Andrei Gallandi (1765), the famous publisher of Bibliothecae veterum patrum antiquotumque scriptorum. Not long ago, their authenticity was defended by Villecourt, Bishop of la Rochelle (Rupella), in the introduction to his translation of these messages, published in 1853; and Belen, a professor at the University of Louvain, Louvanium, appended to his edition of these messages a brief history of the dispute about them. Here is evidence of the authenticity of these messages. St. Epiphanius of Cyprus, in his work against heresies, regarding the Ebionites, says: “Clement himself denounces them in everything, in the district epistles he wrote, which are read in St. churches. From them it is clear that his faith and teaching (λόγος) have a different character, different from what the heretics falsely claim under his name, based on the work Περίοδοι (i.e., the Travels of Peter). For he teaches virginity, and they (i.e., the Ebionite heretics) reject virginity; he praises Elijah, David, Sampson and all the prophets, but they turn away from them.” This testimony of Epiphanius cannot be attributed to the famous letter of Clement to the Corinthians. It is impossible, firstly because it is not a district epistle, but an epistle to the Corinthians; secondly, because it does not teach virginity and does not praise Sampson, does not even mention him: it teaches the Corinthians unity, peace and love, since it was written on the occasion of the unrest, divisions and indignations against the elders that arose in Corinth - and it does not say a word about virginity. The testimony of Epiphanius cannot be attributed to the passage known as the second epistle of St. Clement to the Corinthians, as some think. Not to mention the too dubious attribution of this passage to St. Clement, - it also says nothing about virginity, except perhaps the following two, too general and casually expressed, expressions: “we will only receive eternal life when we fulfill the will of the Father, keep our flesh pure, and keep the commandments of the Lord... Keep your flesh pure and the seal (i.e., baptism) without damage, in order to receive eternal life for you” (Chapter VIII). There is also no praise or even mention of Elijah, David, or Sampson. So the testimony of Epiphanius refers to other epistles of St. Clement, and precisely - to his district epistles to virgins and virgins. In them he really teaches virginity: his entire second epistle and the second half of the first one teach virginity, and only the first half of the first epistle is devoted to the praise of virginity. In them he praises Elijah, David, Sampson and all the prophets: Elijah in Chapter VI. 1st message; Sampson in IX, David in X, and all the prophets in Chapter XIV. 2nd message. Epiphanius's testimony is supported by another testimony - bl. Jerome. In his essay against Jovinian, he says: “these are eunuchs who were castrated not by necessity, but by good will... To them, Clement, the successor of the Apostle Peter, whom the Apostle Paul also mentions, wrote letters in which he speaks almost only about the purity of virginity.” It is obvious that this review also refers to two letters of St. Clement to virgins and virgins, these voluntary eunuchs; In fact, almost all of them talk about the purity of virginity. And Jerome was so confident in the authenticity of these messages that he was not afraid to look in them for weapons against the heretic... Only one objection can be presented against this testimony, consisting in the following: the same Jerome, in his work De viris illustribus, or Catalog of Church Writers, says nothing about the messages of St. Clement about virginity, while he mentions his two letters to the Corinthians. But this objection is easily eliminated. considerations: the work De viris illustribus was written by Jerome, as he himself says in the preface to it (chap. 135), in the 14th year of the reign of Emperor Theodosius, or in 392 A.D.; and the work against Jovinian - maybe next year, or maybe even later, in any case after the first, because in this work (lib. 1. num. 26) Jerome mentions his previous work De viris illustribus. Thus, when writing the first of these works, Jerome might not yet have known about Clement’s epistles to the virgins, which is why he did not mention them; and while writing the second of these works, he could already have known about the mentioned letters of Clement, which is why he pointed to them. This is very natural, and is confirmed by many similar examples from the works of Bl. Jerome. So in one of his letters to Pammachius (c. 393) he mentions interpretations on the 1st last. to the Corinthians - Pierius, presbyter of Alexandria; in a letter to Augustine (c. 404) talks about interpretations of the psalms - Didymus of Alexandria; in the preface to the 18th book of his interpretations on Isaiah, he mentions the work of Dionysius of Alexandria against the chiliastic views of Irenaeus of Lyons: but he says nothing about either one, or the other, or the third work in his Catalog, where he concerns these writers and enumerates their other works (see chapters 69, 76, 129). Jerome himself foresaw the possibility of such phenomena, and therefore in the preface to his Catalog he wrote this: “I could not know about what I had not read; and what others may know was not known to me in this corner of the earth” (i.e. in Bethlehem). But, besides these two external evidence, the authenticity of the letters of St. Clement is also confirmed by internal evidence borrowed from these messages themselves. And firstly, when comparing these letters with the first letter to the Corinthians, undoubtedly belonging to St. Clement, there is a very great similarity between them. Here and here there is the same spirit of apostolic simplicity and meekness, the same method of reasoning and method of proof, the same use of Holy Scripture, the same, often almost literally similar, expressions and turns of speech. As an example, let us indicate two or three parallel passages from these messages. In the 1st last. to the Corinthians we read: “in this hope, let our souls cling to Him who is faithful in promises and righteous in His judgments: he who commands us not to lie, much less will he himself lie” (Chapter XXVII). In the 1st last. to virgins: “... awaits the hope promised and prepared and laid down in heaven by God, who promised with his lips and does not lie” (Chapter IV). Here and here the author equally imitates Heb. 6, 18. Again: in the 1st last. to Corinthian: “envy was the reason that Joseph was persecuted to death and subjected to slavery” (Chapter IV). In 2nd last. to virgins: “she (i.e., the Egyptian woman) subjected the righteous husband (i.e., Joseph) to every kind of bitterness and torment to death" (Chapter VIII). Also: in the 1st last. to Corinthian: “let us go through all generations of people (chap. VII)... We will constantly look at those who served His majestic glory: let’s take Enoch (ch. IX)... But leaving ancient examples, let’s move on to the closest ascetics - let’s take worthy examples of our generation... (ch. V). The same way of giving examples is in the 2nd last. to virgins: “Let us consider, brothers, and see how all the righteous fathers turned throughout their lives; Let us search and examine from the (old) law to the new covenant... But, so as not to talk too long, what is said about the Lord Jesus Christ? The Lord Himself, when He came into the world,” and so on. (Chapter VII, XV). Many similar similar passages could be cited from these epistles - passages that obviously point to one hand writing these epistles; but they reveal themselves when you carefully read these three messages. – Let us also pay attention to the use of Holy Scripture in all these messages. The author rarely literally quotes the text of Holy Scripture as it is currently read in the Bible; For the most part, he conveys the text freely, in the form of a paraphrase, and sometimes conveys in the name of Scripture such sayings as are not now in it. Whatever this may depend on - whether on the fact that the author cited the words of Scripture from memory, by heart, or - that he used the Bible with the so-called glosses included in its very text - the only important thing for us in this is that - it means - all three letters were written under the same conditions and at the same time, when the canon of sacred books had not yet been collected and strictly defined for the church... So, if there is no doubt that the first letter to the Corinthians belongs St. Clement; then we must also admit that he also owns two district messages about virginity. Further, the very subject of these messages - virginity proves, if not the authenticity of their origin from Clement, then at least their deep antiquity. – Virgin life in the first centuries of Christianity was the most common and natural feat of pleasing the Lord. This is 1) because the pagan world of that time, as is known, had reached the last degree of depravity: in contrast, Christianity, in its virgin purity, wanted to open and point out to the decaying world the source of renewal and strength of life. 2) Because the first Christians, as is also known, expected soon the second coming of the Lord and the revelation of the Kingdom of glory, which is why they easily refused to continue their family line on earth, and in general from all the pleasures and burdens of family life. 3) Persecution of Christians further strengthened virginity and celibacy, which was common at that time, because during the persecution one had to fear every day of losing one’s wife, children, property and life itself. Let us not forget, finally, 4) that virgin life, and regardless of all these conditions, in itself represents much more convenience to serve and please the Lord than family life. That is why we find exhortations to virginity and praise for it in the very first Christian writers. Already the Apostle Paul wanted “all men to be like him,” that is, virgins, and he placed virgin life in many respects above marriage (1 Cor. 7:7 et seq.). The Apostle John in his Revelation saw virgins in heaven in special glory, and called them “the firstborn of God and the Lamb, purchased from men” (Apoc. 14:1-6). Further we find praises of virginity in Tertullian, Cyprian, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Jerome and others. Even apocryphal works were written in praise of virginity, such as the “Acts of Paul and Thecla,” which, according to the testimony of Tertullian (De baptismo, cap. XVII), was written by some Asian priest, and he did it, as he himself admitted, out of love for the apostle. Paul... Why couldn’t Clement of Rome write to virgins about virginity?.. Clement does not say that his virgins should separate themselves from society, retire to deserted places and care only about their own salvation; on the contrary, he wants them to teach, preach, visit the sick, and help the poor. This is precisely what virginity was like in the first centuries of Christianity; it did not yet constitute separate communities; monastic life, as is known, appeared only after. Also: in chapters X and XI. 1 Epistle to the Virgins Clement condemns some virgins who treated virgins and women in general too closely, presented themselves as teachers of truth, boasted of their knowledge, and meanwhile taught empty things, not understanding what they were saying, and only traded and sought gain in the name of Christ. Aren't these supposed virgins and boastful teachers Gnostics? If so, then this is new proof of the antiquity, and perhaps the authenticity of Clement’s messages. The apostle also directed his speech against the Gnostics. Paul (1 Tim. 1:4, 6:20; 2 Tim. 2:17–18 and many others), and St. John (1 John 4:1–3 etc.); The passage known as the second epistle of St. is also directed against them. Clement to the Corinthians. Finally, the language of these messages may indicate their authenticity. Although they were found for the first time in the Syrian language, there is no doubt that they were originally written in Greek. This is proven by the many Hellenisms that are found at every step in these messages, and which, by the way, gave their opponents a reason to claim that they were written by someone from the East, but by no means a Roman. On the grounds that these epistles do not mention the persecution of Christians, it is believed that they were written between the year 91, the time of Clement’s accession to the Roman throne, and the year 95, the time of the second persecution of Christians under Domitian. -HR- The editors of the Orthodox Review, which undertook the publication of monuments of ancient Christian writing, for some reason, ignored this very important monument. We wanted to fill this small gap. We have translated the proposed messages from Bibliotheca veterum patrum... Andreae Gallandii (Venetiis, 1765). Both the Syriac text and the Latin translation by Wetstein are included here, with a rather detailed preface by Gallandi himself. Gallandi says that before publishing these messages, he gave them to some expert in languages, Boniface Finetti, who made his own interlinear remarks in them here and there. Gallandi also published these remarks, along with the Syriac text and Vetshtein's translation. In our translation, we also pointed out these interlinear remarks, and in general tried to translate almost literally in order to retain the spirit and character of this almost apostolic monument. Bishop Augustine (Gulyanitsky) First District Epistle on Virginity, or to Virgins and Virgins To all who love their salvation in Christ through God the Father and obey the truth of God in the hope of eternal life, who love their brothers and neighbors with the love of God, to the blessed virgins who have decided to preserve their virginity for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, and to the holy virgins (I wish) good health in the Lord. Every virgin and every virgin who has decided in truth to preserve his virginity for the sake of the kingdom of heaven must be fit for this kingdom in everything. For the kingdom of heaven admires not the word, nor the name, nor education, nor origin, nor beauty, nor strength, nor longevity, but the valor of faith, when a person demonstrates the works of faith. Whoever is truly righteous, his deeds testify to his faith that he is truly faithful - with great faith, perfect faith, faith in God, faith shining through good works, so that the Father of all may be glorified through Christ. So true virgins and virgins listen to the one who said: “Let not truth and faith fail you: put them on your neck,” and you will find mercy in your soul, and you will think goodness 1 “before God and men” (Prov. 3, 3-4). “The path of the righteous shines like light, they advance and enlighten, until the day is corrected” (Proverbs 4:18). The reflections of their light still enlighten all creation with good deeds, so that they are truly the “light of the world” (Matt. 5:14), shining “on those who sit in darkness” (Psalm 106:10; Matt. 4:16), so that they arise and move out of darkness through the light of good deeds, the fear of God, “so that they may see good deeds and glorify their “heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16). For a man of God needs to be perfect in all his deeds and words, to be adorned in all his behavior with everything honest and decent, and to do all his deeds in righteousness, as a man of God. Virgins and virgins are excellent examples for believers and those who believe. For one name without works does not lead one into the kingdom of heaven. A true believer will be saved, but someone who is called a believer only by name, but in reality is not one, cannot be saved. So, “let no one flatter you with vain words” (Eph. 5:6). Anyone who is called a virgin or virgin, and does not have abundant, beautiful, deeds befitting virginity, cannot be saved. The Lord calls such virginity “buim,” as it is said in the Gospel (Matthew 25:2 et seq.); it, having neither oil nor lamp, remained outside the kingdom of heaven, deprived of the consolation of the groom along with the enemies of the groom. Such (virgins) have only the image of piety, and reject its power (Titus 1:16), “they imagine themselves to be nothing, and flatter themselves with their minds” (Gal. 6:3). Let everyone test his deeds and recognize himself, because he who boasts of virginity and holiness labors in vain, being alien to the power of virginity. Such virginity is unclean and is rejected by all good deeds. For every tree is known by its fruits (Matthew 12:33). Think about what I said 2: “May the Lord give you understanding” (2 Tim. 2:7). Anyone who promises to preserve purity (virginity) before God must gird himself with all the power (or: every virtue) of God’s holy, and if he truly “crucified his flesh” (Gal. 5:24) in fear, then he turns away 3 the word that says: “Grow and multiply” (Gen. 1:28), and the whole mind and thought 4, and lust, and the seduction of this world, and pleasures, and drunkenness, and all its love, and its idleness, and frees oneself from all dealings with the world, from all its tricks, snares and obstacles. And walking 5 above the earth, choose your work and service in heaven! Whoever desires this great and glorious thing for himself, refuses because of it and separates himself from the whole world in order to retire and live a divine and heavenly life, like the angels (Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25; Luke 20:36) saints, in pure and holy service, in the holiness of the Spirit of God, and serve Almighty God through Jesus Christ for the sake of the kingdom heavenly. Because of this, he denies all the lusts of the flesh, and not only does not apply to himself the saying: “bear and multiply fruit” 6, but desires the hope - promised, prepared and laid down in heaven by God, who promised with his lips and does not deceive, who is the “boor” of sons and daughters 7 and will give to virgins in the house of God “a place named, better from the sons and daughters" (Isa. 56:5), the best from those who were spouses in holiness and were not defiled by carnal copulation (Apoc. 14:4). God will give these virgins and virgins the kingdom of heaven, like the holy angels, for this (their) great and glorious confession. Do you want to be a virgin, brother? Do you know how much labor and hardship there is in true virginity? It always stands firmly before God (Apoc. 14:4-5) and “cares how to please the Lord” in the holy body and spirit (1 Cor. 7:32.34). Do you know what is the glory of virginity for which you strive? Do you know and understand what you want to do? Do you know the great work of holy virginity? Do you know how to fight correctly, do you fight (armed) with the power of the Holy Spirit, having chosen this feat for yourself in order to receive a bright crown? Do you see (discernis) your nature in “Jerusalem on high” (Gal. 4:26)? So, if you desire all this, conquer the body, conquer the excitement of the flesh, conquer the world by the Spirit of God, conquer the vanity of time that passes and grows old, the vanity of deceit and change. Defeat the dragon, defeat the lion, defeat Satan through Jesus Christ, who strengthens you with his word 8 and the divine Eucharist. Take up your cross and follow (Luke 9:23) the one who cleansed you - Jesus Christ your Lord. Strive (luctare cursum) rightly and faithfully (1 Tim. 6:12), fearlessly, boldly, with strong hope in your Lord, that you will receive the crown of righteousness of your high calling through Jesus Christ. For everyone who fights 9 as one who is perfect in faith will truly receive the crown of virginity, for which the feat is great, but the reward is also great. Do you understand and know what glory holiness strives for? Do you understand what, how glorious and high the praise of virginity is? The womb of the holy virginity bore our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and in the body which our Lord bore and in which He fought in this world, He clothed Himself with the Holy Virgin. Know here the greatness and glory of virginity 10. Do you want to be a Christian? – imitate Christ in everything. John was an angel 11 to go before our Lord, and “there was no pain among those born of women” (Mal. 4, 5; Matt. 11, 10-11; Mark 1, 2; Luke 1:17, 7:28). The holy angel of the Lord was a virgin. Imitate the Messenger of the Lord, love him in everything. Again John, who “reclines on the chest” of the Lord (John 21:20), who loved him deeply, was also a saint (i.e., a virgin): for the Lord did not love him in vain. Further, Paul, Barnabas and Timothy with others, whose names are written in the book of life (Phil. 4:3), - they all loved and chose holiness (i.e., virginity), and in the struggle they labored and “ended their course” (2 Tim. 4:7) without blemish, as imitators of Christ and sons of the living God. It is also known about Elijah and Elisha and many other saints that their lives were holy and blameless. So, if you want to imitate them, imitate courageously. For (Scripture) says: Honor your elders and, looking at their behavior and morals, “imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7), and also says (the apostle): “Be imitators of me, brethren, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). Those who are like Christ are completely (omnino) like him. Truly “those who have put on Christ” (Rom. 13:14; Gal. 3:27) have depicted his likeness in their minds, in their whole life and in all their behavior, in words, deeds, in patience, in virtue (virtute), in knowledge (cognitione), in purity, generosity, in a pure heart, in faith, hope, in complete and perfect love for God. Therefore, every virgin and virgin, unless they are perfect like Christ, or like those who are His, cannot be saved. For every virgin and every virgin in the Lord is “holy in body and spirit”, and steadfast in his service to the Lord, and foreigners do not depart from him, but always serve in purity and holiness in the Spirit of God, so that they “please the Lord” purely and blamelessly, and “take care to please” Him in everything (1 Cor. 7:32.34). Such (virgins and virgins) do not move away from their Lord, but remain with Him in their spirit, as it is written: “Be holy, for I am holy,” says the Lord (Lev. 11:44). If someone is called a saint only by name, then such a person is not yet a saint; but let the virgin or virgin be completely holy in body and spirit, and always joyfully become like the Lord and His Christ and imitate such (i.e., those who have become like the Lord). For in such there is no carnal mind: those who are truly faithful and in whom the Spirit of Christ dwells (Rom. 8:9), there cannot be in them the carnal mind, which is fornication, shamelessness, uncleanness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, envy, harassment, anger, strife, division, jealousy, drunkenness, feasting, buffoonery, foolish speech (Gal. 5, 19–21; 2 Cor. 12, 20; 5.5), cursing, confusion, reproach, whispering, grief, impatience, shouting, blasphemy, insolence, malice, crafty invention, lies, verbosity, idle talk, indignation, gnashing of teeth, condemnation, contrition, slander, undermining, evasion, negligence, murmuring, arrogance, pride, inflatedness, gender, appearance, place, wealth, muscle of the body, cunning, stupidity, love of victory, hatred, hostility, jealousy, envy, retribution with evil, wastefulness, greed, slander, “covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5), love of money, which is “the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6:10), love of jewelry, vanity, love of primacy, insolence, pride, which is called death, against which God wages war (Dan. 5:20; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). All such and like them are people of the flesh: for whoever is born of the flesh is flesh (John 3:6), and “he who is from the earth speaks from the earth” (John 3:31) and thinks about the earth, and “wisdom” (desiderium) “the carnal thing is hostile to God, for it is not subject to the law of God, it can do worse” (Rom. 8:7), because it is in the flesh, in which “no good things dwell” ( Rom. 7:17-18), and the Spirit of God is not in him. Therefore, God correctly says to this generation: “My Spirit shall not abide” in man (in homine) “for ever, they are flesh” (Gen. 6:3); and everyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ, “this one does not carry Him” (Rom. 8:9), as it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and crushed the evil spirit” sent into him “from the Lord” (1 Sam. 16:14). In whom there is the Spirit of God, he does the will of the Spirit of God, and, in agreement with the Spirit of God, “puts to death the deeds of the flesh” (Rom. 8:13) and lives for God, subduing and “enslaving his body” and “mortifying” it, so that, “preaching to others,” he himself may be a banner (signum) and a wonderful example for believers (1 Cor. 9:27). It is said about such servants that they are worthy of the Holy Spirit, since they are not rejected, but will be “chosen before God and men”: for in the man of God there is nothing of carnal wisdom, especially in virgins and virgins, but all their fruits are the fruits of the spirit and of life, and they are truly the city of God, and the house, and the church, in which God dwells and dwells, and walks among them (2 Cor. 6, 16) in the holy heavenly society. For through spiritual fruits you “appear as lights in the world, holding the word of the living” (Phil. 2:15-16), and thus you will truly be praise, and glory, and a crown of joy, and the joy of good servants in the Lord Jesus Christ. For all who see you will know that you are “a blessed seed from the Lord” (Isa. 61:9), a truly glorious and holy seed, a priestly kingdom, a holy nation, a people of inheritance (1 Pet. 2:9), the inheritance of the promises of God, which are not broken nor perish. “Whose eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of man breathed, the things God has prepared for those who love Him” and for those who keep His commandments (1 Cor. 2:9). We hope for you, brothers, that you will think about what is necessary for your salvation. So we say what we are talking about because of bad rumors and rumors about shameless people who live with virgins under the pretext of piety, and expose their souls to danger, and walk with them alone, on the road and in the desert, on a path full of dangers, temptations, snares and abysses. It is absolutely not fitting for Christians and those who fear God to live this way. Others eat and drink with virgins and saints, reclining (at the table), in recreations and indulging many: this is not becoming for the faithful, especially those who have chosen holiness. Others gather for idle talk, idle talk, laughter, to speak evil about each other and to hunt with words one against the other, and remain idle: with such we command you not even to eat bread. Others go around the houses of virgins and maidens, under the pretext of visiting them, or reading scriptures, or exorcising them, or teaching them, since they are idle and do not work at all, seeking out what is not necessary, and through tender words making profit in the name of Christ. The divine apostle turns away from such people (Rom. 16:18) because of the multitude of their wickedness, as it is written: thorns grow in the hands of the idle, and the paths of the idle are full of thorns (Prov. 15:19). He who is idle is idle and useless. Such are the ways of all those who do not work, but hunt with words and imagine that this is righteous and useful for them. The labors of such are like idle and talkative widows, who wander about and go from house to house (1 Tim. 5) in their talkativeness, and hunt with idle words, and carry from house to house in exaggeration many things without the fear of God, and at the same time, in their shamelessness, they speak various words, under the pretext of teaching. Oh that they were teachers of the true teaching, and were blessed! But they are tiresome, not understanding what they want, and claiming what they do not, because they want to be teachers and boast of knowing what they say, and trade in wickedness in the name of Christ. This is typical for many, but it is not appropriate for God’s servants. They do not listen to him who says: Let not many be teachers among you, brethren, and let not all be prophets. “He who does not sin in word is a perfect man, able to bridle” and enslave “his whole body” (James 3:1-2) and: if anyone speaks, let him speak in the word of God (1 Pet. 4:11). And: if you have understanding, teach the word to your brother, and if not, put your hand on your mouth: for in time you must be silent, and in time you must speak (Eccl. 3:7). And again he says: whoever speaks in due time, it is good for him (Proverbs 25:11). And he also says: let your speech be based on grace (Col. 4:6). The business of a person is to know how to offer a word to every person in his place. Whoever says anything that comes into the tongue always starts a debate, and whoever speaks unnecessary words multiplies the disease (Sir. 20:8), and he who is quick with his lips falls into the evil (Prov. 13:3.18; Eccl. 10:12): for the boldness of the tongue leads to anger, but the uncorrupted (man) guards his tongue and keeps his life in life (Prov. 16, 26–27; 21, 23). Those who “deceive the hearts of the gentle with blessings and good words” (Rom. 16:18), while pleasing them, deceive them. Let us fear the punishment prescribed for teachers: “for they will receive greater condemnation” (James 3:1) for teachers who teach and do not (Matthew 23:4), who bear the name of Christ in lies and present themselves as true teachers, and walk and wander foolishly and are exalted and glorified in the mind of the flesh. They are like that “blind man” who “leads the blind, and both fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14; Luke 6:39); they are condemned (Gal. 5:10), because in their chatter and teaching they teach empty, “wisdom of the soul” (James 3:15), the vain error of “the pretentious words of human wisdom” (1 Cor. 2:4), according to the will of the principalities and powers of the air and “the spirit that worketh in the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2), “by the elements of this world”, and not according to the teachings of Christ (Col. 2:8). A person is known by the way he speaks. However, if you have received a word of knowledge, or a case of teaching, or prophecy, or service, bless God, who helps every person and does not envy - God, I say, who gives to every person and “does not revile” (James 1:5). So, with the gift that you have received from the Lord, serve your spiritual brothers, the prophets, who know that the words you speak are the words of the Lord, and the gifts you have received, if you really have them, speak in church, for the edification of the brothers in Christ, so that these gifts will be good, abundant and useful to the people of God. Further, this is what is good and useful: if anyone visits the orphans and widows (James 1:27), especially the poor who have many children, “more than those who are born in the faith” (Gal. 6:10), who, without a doubt, have needs and are kind and pleasant to the servants of God, or in truth they are people of truth. This is also good and righteous and befitting for brothers in Christ - to visit those possessed by evil spirits, and to perform over them wise incantatory prayers, pleasing in the presence of God - not with many selected words, refined and cunningly invented, so as to seem eloquent to people and having a happy memory. Like a flute that makes a sound, or a cymbal that sounds like such idle talk, and they do nothing to help those over whom they perform a spell; By uttering terrible words, such exorcists only frighten people, and do not act in the right faith according to the teachings of the Lord, who said: “this generation does not come forth except by fasting and prayer” (Matthew 17:20; Mark 9:29) - constant, attentive prayer. Let the exorcists reverently ask and pray to the Lord, in joy and in all vigilance and purity, without hatred and malice. So let us approach a sick brother or sister, and let us visit them as we should, without deceit and love of money, without noise and chatter, and not in a way that is alien to piety, and without pride, but in the meek and humble spirit of Christ. So, let them conjure with fasting and prayers, not with red, selective and refined words, but as men who have received the gift of healing from God. “Eat tuna, give tuna” (Matt. 10:8), for the glory of God, in fasting and prayer and unceasing vigil, along with other good deeds: mortify the deeds of the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5). Such is the temple of the Holy Spirit of God; this one will cast out demons and God helps him. It’s great if someone helps the sick. The Lord said: “Cast out demons” with many other healings, and “Tune, eat, give,” (Matthew 10:8). Great is the reward from God for those who serve their brothers with the gifts given by the Lord. Let this be good and useful for the servants of the Lord to do according to the commandment of the Lord, who said: “I was sick, and you visited Me” (Matt. 25, 36); and this is good, and decent, and virtuous - to visit neighbors (vicionos) for the sake of God, with all decency and respect, as the apostle says: “Whoever faints, and I do not faint? and whoever is offended and I am not relieved” (2 Cor. 11:29)? All this is said regarding the love with which someone loves his neighbor. Let us remain in this without stumbling, and let us not do anything out of partiality, or as if to the shame of others, but let us love the poor as the servants of God, and let us first of all visit them. For it is a good deed before God and men to remember the poor and love brothers and strangers for the sake of God and for the sake of those who believe in God, as we learned from the law and the prophets and from the Lord Jesus Christ about brotherly love and hospitality. This is pleasant and kind to you, because you are all scholars of God (Is. 54:13; John 6:45), and you know the words spoken about love for brothers and strangers: powerful words (these) are spoken for all those who do them. O beloved brothers! Let everyone edify and strengthen his brothers in the faith, because God alone is: this is clear and known. Another good thing is that no one envy his neighbor 12. Again, this is good and decent, so that those who serve the Lord in the fear of God should honor all those who serve God. So, we must remember that “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few”: this is clear and known, why let us pray to “the Lord of the harvest, that he may bring forth laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:37-38), - such workers who cut and sharply use the word of truth 13 - unashamed workers 14, faithful, laborers who are “the light of the world” (Matt. 5, 14), who do not do this “future that perishes, but labor that abides in eternal life” (John 6, 27), - workers like the apostles, workers who imitate the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, caring for our salvation: but not workers of “hirelings” (John 10, 12-13), not workers who “do not eat the gain of being” fear God and truth (1 Tim. 6:5), - not laborers who work for their own belly, - not workers who “deceive the hearts of the gentle with blessings and good words” (Rom. 16:18), - not workers who are like the sons of light, not being light, but darkness, whose end is destruction (Phil. 3:19), - not workers who practice ungodliness, lasciviousness and wickedness, - not deceitful workers, not drunken and unfaithful workers, - not workers who trade (negotiantur) about Christ, - not deceivers, not greedy, not hostile. Therefore, let us look to the faithful (workers) and imitate them in order to behave decently in the Lord, as is decent and befits our calling and our confession. So let us serve and please God, in righteousness and righteousness, without vice, “thinking what is good and worthy of praise in the sight of God and men” (Phil. 4:8). For this is good, so that God may be glorified in us all. Amen. Second District Epistle on Virginity, or to Virgins and Virgins. Let it be known to you, brethren, what was our conversion in Christ with all our brethren, in the places where we went, so that, if this pleases you in the fear of God, you too may be converted in the same way. We, with God’s help, do so. We do not live with virgins, and have nothing to do with them, and we neither eat nor drink with them, and where a virgin sleeps, we do not sleep, and women do not wash our feet, and do not anoint us, and we do not sleep at all where a virgin who does not belong to her husband or an older daughter sleeps, and if she is alone in a certain place, we do not spend the night there. If the time (i.e., rest) catches us in any place, in a field, or in a city, or in a village, where we meet and there are brethren, we go to the brother and call all the brethren there, and speak to them words of admonition and honesty. And those who know how to speak among us cheerfully and reverently speak important words, honorable and sober in the fear of God, both in order to please God in everything, and in order to precede them (that is, the listeners) and precede them in good deeds, and to be in everything without pretense (sine fuco), as is fitting and righteous for the people of God. If it happens that we find ourselves far from our homes and neighbors, and the day declines, and evening time comes, and the brethren, out of brotherly love and love for hospitable people, encourage us to stay with them and watch with them, so that they can listen and do the words of the saints of God, and be nourished by the words of the Lord in order to remember them, and bring us bread and water and whatever God has sent, then we agree to spend the night with them, if there is a holy man there, we go to him and stay with him. And this brother himself will prepare everything we need, and he himself will serve us, and he himself will wash our feet and anoint us with oil, and he himself will make a bed for us, entrusting us with the cover of God, and - we sleep. This holy brother, who is in the place where we are staying, will do all this on his own and serve the brethren: and each of the brethren who are in that place will serve with him in everything necessary for the brethren. The woman - a maiden or having a husband at that time - may not be there, no matter how rich she is, no matter how old she is, whether she is a Christian slave or a pagan; but only men with men. If we see that it is necessary to stand and pray for women and speak words of exhortation and edification, we call the brothers and all the sisters of the saints and virgins and all the women who are there, with all modesty and decency, so that they come to console the true one. And those who know how to speak among us speak and exhort them with the words that God has given them. And then we pray and greet the men: the wives and virgins wrap their hands in their clothes, and we also cheerfully and with all modesty, reverently lifting up our eyes, and with all decency we wrap our right hand in our clothes, and then they will come (i.e., wives and virgins) and greet our right hand, wrapped in clothes 15. Then let's go wherever the Lord gives us. Further, if we come to a place where there is no holy brother (i.e., a virgin), but everyone leads a married life (sunt socii), and accept the brother who has come to them, let everyone there serve him and take care of him in everything, carefully and favorably; and this brother, as an equal, accepts their services as an equal. And let this brother say to the people who are in that place leading a married life: we saints neither eat nor drink with women, and women or virgins do not serve us, and women do not wash our feet, nor anoint us, nor do women treat us, and we do not sleep where women sleep, so that we may be blameless in everything and not be a stumbling block or offense to anyone, but by doing all this, we may be without offense to every person. So, as people “having the fear of the Lord, we exhort men, but we are manifested by God” (2 Cor. 5:11). If we happen to retire to a place where there is no man, but all the women and virgins are faithful, and they convince us to spend the night in that place, we call them all to one place, on the right side, and ask them how they live, as if we want to learn something from them, and, seeing their way of thinking, we speak to them as it is proper, like people who fear God. And when those who have been convened are all gathered, and we see how they live, we speak with them words of purity in the fear of God, and read the scriptures to them, reverently uttering short and strong words, full of the fear of God, with all tenderness and spiritual attention, doing everything for their edification and confirmation, and with them, as allies, we speak about the Lord, as befits. When the day has fallen and the time of evening has come to spend the night there, we choose an old and modest woman more than all the others, and we tell her to give us a place separately, where neither a woman nor a maiden would go, and that old woman would bring us a lighted candle and bring us everything that we need, just as out of love for the brethren she brings everything that is necessary for serving the brothers - strangers (guests). This old woman is the one who has been perfected in many thoughts over a long time, “having raised children to eat, having strange habits, and having holy minds” (1 Tim. 5:10). And when it’s time to sleep, she leaves and goes home in peace. If we retire to a place and find there the one and only faithful woman, and there will be no one else there except her alone, we do not stop there, and we do not pray there, and we do not read the scriptures there, but we run as if from a serpent and as from a snare of sin. We do not at all despise the faithful woman - let it not be that we talk about the brethren in Christ in this way - but since she is alone, we are afraid that someone will impose on us ζήτημα in words of lies - for the hearts of men are set and established in evil - and so as not to give a reason to those who wish to accuse us (1 Tim. 5:14) and speak bad things about us, and so as not to be a temptation to anyone. Therefore, “we cut off the guilt of those who bring the guilt upon us” (2 Cor. 11:12); therefore, we take care not to be a temptation to anyone - neither Jew, nor Greek, nor the Church of God, and we do not seek what is good for ourselves alone, but what is useful for many, that they may be saved (1 Cor. 10:32-33): for it is not profitable for us if anyone is tempted by us. Let us be careful at all times take care not to cause the brothers to stumble and not to cause confusion in their thoughts, being a temptation to them. For if for the sake of food a brother grieves, or stumbles, or is weak, or is tempted, then we do not walk in the love of God. For the sake of your food you are destroying the one “for whose sake Christ died.” So, “by sinning against your brethren” and “by striking their weak consciences, you sin against Christ. In the same way, if a brother is tempted by meat, let us say the faithful, let us not eat meat forever, lest we tempt our brother (1 Cor. 8:10-13). All this is done by everyone who truly loves God, who truly bears his cross and puts on Christ and loves his neighbor, who guards his soul so that no one is tempted to him, and no one is tempted by him and dies - for the reason that he frequents virgins and lives with them, which is not decent, to the frustration of those who see and hear these unkind relationships, full of stumbling and danger and close to death, which is not befits a Christian. Blessed is the man who guards and fears everything for the sake of purity. If we happen to go into a place where there is no Christian, and they encourage us to stay there for a few days, then let us be “wise as a serpent and purposeful as a dove” (Matthew 10:16), and not as unwise, but as wise, in all training in the fear of God, so that God may be glorified in everything through the Lord Jesus Christ, through your pure and holy relationships. “Whether we do pits, or drink, or do anything else, let us do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31), so that everyone who sees us will know that we are a blessed and holy seed, sons of the living God - in everything, in all words, in reverence, in modesty, in righteousness 16 - so that we do not imitate anything to the pagans, and the faithful were not like (other) people, but in everything they were alienated from the evil ones, and did not throw the holy dog and pearls to swine (Matthew 7:6), but in all teaching and all knowledge and all fear of God and all vigor of mind they glorified God. For we do not serve as drunken pagans, blaspheming in their amusements, in words of deceit, 17 because of their wickedness. Therefore, we do not sing to the pagans and do not read scriptures to them, lest we be like those who sing or play harps, or sing with a voice, or fortune-tellers, like many who engage in this and do this in order to be satisfied with a piece of the bread of foolishness, and for the sake of a little wine, going and singing the songs of the Lord “to foreign lands”, pagans (Psalm 136:4), and doing what should not be done. Don't do this, brothers! We ask you, brothers, not to let this be done among you, but to punish those who have chosen this for themselves and turn in stupidity and recklessness. There is no need, brethren, for it to be like this. We ask you, brothers of our righteousness, that this may be so for us 18 as an example to the believers who are willing to believe. Let us be among the sheep of Christ, holy and righteous, in all righteousness and in all respects, acting in righteousness and holiness, as befits the faithful, and honoring the honest, humble and holy, glorifying and magnifying, and adorning with ourselves all those who are associated with us in labor 19 . For you are our joy and our crown, and our hope, and our life, if you stand in the Lord (Phil. 4:1) and if you are truly faithful and upright in everything about the Lord. Amen. So, brethren, let us consider and see how all the righteous fathers were converted throughout their lives: let us search and study from the (old) law to the new covenant. For it is both good and useful to know how many and what kind of people died through women, and how many and what kind of women died through men - from the frequent visitation in which they visited each other. Then I will show you how many and what kind of husbands lived with their husbands all the time of their lives, and even to the end they remained in mutual communication in the service of purity without blemish. And it is obvious and known that this was Joseph - faithful, prudent, wise, righteous and pious in everything. Didn't the woman desire his beauty - pure and right? And when he did not succumb and did not bow down to do his lust and her will, in her lust she subjected the righteous husband to every kind of bitterness and torment, even to the point of death, through false testimony. God freed him from all the disasters that befell him through his worthless wife (Gen.39 - Gen.41). You see, brothers, the tirelessness of this Egyptian woman’s carnal gaze, how it burned the righteous husband. Therefore, we will not often visit wives and virgins, for this does not benefit those who want to see their loins in the truth. We must love the sisters in all holiness and purity, with all restraint of thought, in the fear of God, not often dealing with them, lest our feet become accustomed to being with them at every hour. Have you not heard about Sampson the Nazarite, the brave man with whom the Spirit of God was? This husband was a Nazirite and holy to God, and was in courage and strength: his wife destroyed him with a cheap body and evil lust (Judges 13 - Judges 14). Don't be like him; know yourself, know your worth; husband's wife catches dear souls. Therefore, we absolutely do not advise a man to sit with his married wife, or for anyone to live with his older daughter, or sleep where she sleeps, or be with her often. This is disgusting and inconsistent with the fear of God. Does not the act of David, whom God found a man after his own heart, teach you, a faithful, perfect, holy, true man (Psalm 88:21; Acts 13:22)? He saw the beauty of a woman - I'm talking about Bathsheba - he saw her washing and bathing, naked. The holy husband saw her and was truly captivated by the desire to see her. You see what evil he committed for the sake of his wife: and that righteous husband sinned, and commanded that her husband be killed, and this in war (2 Samuel 11). You see how many evil deceits he combined and committed, and for the sake of the lust of his wife he killed by murder - David, who is called “Christ of the Lord” (Psalm 19:7, 89:21-52). Learn, man, if such men perished through women, then what is your righteousness, or what kind of rank are you among the saints, if you treat wives and virgins night and day, in much madness, without the fear of God? No, brethren, this is not how we will behave after their fall, but let us remember the word that speaks of a woman: her hands hold bonds, and her heart prepares snares; The righteous escapes from her, and the wicked falls into her hands (Eccl. 7:27). Let us beware, lest we live like saints with our mature daughter: for such conversions from a servant of God are neither kind nor righteous. Have you not read about Amnon and Tamar, the children of David? This Amnon was inflamed with lust for his sister, and humiliated and did not spare her, because he was inflamed with vile lust for her, and became angry and wicked for the sake of a relationship with her, which was not in the fear of God, and did a vile deed in Israel (2 Samuel 13). Therefore, it is not proper or proper to treat the sisters with laughter and licentiousness, but with all purity and holiness and in the fear of God. Have you not read about the name (de familia) of Solomon, the son of David, to whom God gave wisdom, and knowledge, and greatness of heart, and wealth, and great glory - above all people? And he died through women, and departed from the Lord (1 Kings 11). Haven’t you read and don’t you know about these elders in the days of Susanna, who, because they were often with women and gazed at the beauty of others, fell into the depths of lust and were unable to maintain the consciousness of the duty of chastity, but were defeated 20 by an evil thought, and rose up against blessed Susanna to corrupt her? But she did not fulfill their shameful desire: but she told God, and God freed her from the hands of the wicked elders (Dan.13). So, shouldn't we be afraid and afraid of them (that is, women), when these elders, judges and elders of the people of God for the sake of a woman abandoned their honor? They did not remember this word: do not look at someone else’s beauty, and: the beauty of women has destroyed many, and: “do not sit with a peasant woman” (Sir. 41:26; 9:9-12). And again (they did not remember) the one who said: “If anyone binds fire into the depths, will he not burn his own garments?” Or does a man walk on fire without his feet getting burned? So whoever goes in to a husband’s wife is not pure from evil, and will not come out the same way he came to her (Prov. 6:27–29). And (Scripture) also says: do not desire the beauty of a woman, lest she captivate you with her eyelashes, and do not despise a virgin, lest you perish in the desire of her, and do not mingle with one who sings well (Sir. 9:3-5); and: “Be careful to stand, that you may be careful that you do not fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). Look also at what the holy men said about the prophets and apostles of our Lord. You will see that none of the saints 21 were often with virgins, nor with married young women, nor with the widows whom the divine apostle runs about (1 Tim. 5:11). Let us consider the 22nd conversion of holy men in the fear of God. Here we find it written about Moses and Aaron that their conversion and residence was with the men who turned to them 23; so did Jesus, the son of Nun: there was no wife with them, but they alone served holyly before God, men with men. And not only this, but they also taught the people that whenever an army is sent out, each tribe should go separately, and the women should go separately with the women behind the army, and also the men separately in their tribe. And according to the commandment of the Lord, they (the Israelites in the desert) walked like a wise people, so that there would be no confusion because of women: when their army set out in perfect and correct order, they walked unhindered. For this is what the holy scriptures testify to the word: when the children of Israel crossed the Sea of ​​Suph, Moses and the children of Israel sang the praises (laudes) of the Lord, “saying: Let us sing to the Lord, for gloriously shall we be glorified.” And when Moses stopped singing, then Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, took the tympanum in her hands, and all the women followed her and sang with her, women with women separately, and men with men separately (Exodus 15:1.20). Further, we also find Elisha, Gehazi (Gehazi), and the sons of the prophets in the fear of God, and they had no woman (2 Kings 2, 3, 15, 4:38, 6:1, 9:1). We also find Micah and all the prophets living in the fear of the Lord (1 Kings 10, 10, 19:20; 1 Kings 18, 4). And - not to talk too long - what is said about the Lord Jesus Christ? The Lord Himself, when He came into the world, was constantly with His twelve disciples. And not only this, but when he sent them, he sent “two two” together (Mark 6:7), men with men; women were not sent with them, and neither on the road nor at home did they live with women or with virgins, and thus they pleased God in everything. And the Lord Jesus Christ himself, when he spoke with her Samaritan wife at the storehouse alone and the disciples came and found him talking to her, they were surprised that He was standing and talking with the wife (John 4:27). Is it not in Him that the unwavering limit, boundary and model for all human races are given? But that’s not all: and after her resurrection from the dead, when Mary ran to the tomb and, falling at the feet of the Lord and bowing to Him, wanted to embrace Him (eum apprehendere), He said to her: “Do not touch Me, lest I sigh unto my Father” (John 20:17). Is it not surprising that the Lord did not allow Mary, the blessed wife, to touch his feet, but you live with women and virgins, and they serve you, and you sleep where they sleep, and they wash your feet and anoint you? Woe to the unrighteous soul! Woe to the fearless soul! Woe to this courage and stupidity, which is without the fear of God! Why don't you judge yourself? Why don't you test yourself? Why don’t you know yourself and your limits? This is what is true, this is what is right and righteous; These are the immutable limits for those who are sincerely converted to the Lord. Many saints' wives served the saints from their property (Luke 8:3). Thus, a “Somanite woman” (Sulamite) served Elisha, but she did not live with him, and the prophet lived in a separate house. And when her son died, and she wanted to throw herself at the feet of the prophet, but the servant did not allow it and forbade her to do so, Elisha said to the youth: “Leave her, for her soul is sick in her” (2 Kings 4:8, 27). From this we must understand their life: the wives served the Lord Jesus Christ from their property, but did not live with him; both the apostles and Paul, as we find, also served women (1 Cor. 9:5), but they did not live with them, but turned chastely, holyly and blamelessly before the Lord, and ended their course and received their crown from the Lord Almighty God (2 Tim. 4:8). Therefore, we ask you, brothers in the Lord, that we may keep this between us and think that we may be one with you and you may be one with us (in nobis), and that in everything we may all be one soul and one heart in the Lord. “He who knows the Lord will listen to us, but he who is not from God will not listen to us” (1 John 4:6). Whoever really wants to preserve holiness will listen to us, and a virgin who truly wants to preserve her virginity will listen to us, but who does not truly preserve her virginity will not listen to us. For this, hello in the Lord, all saints. May peace and joy be with you from God the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Boniface Finetti: and you will think good. Finetti: denies, rejects. Finetti: all decoration and care. Finetti: and so you walk... This is a free paraphrase of the words: “grow and multiply.” Finetti: because he will be more sons and daughters... In general, the thought of St. father is not entirely clearly expressed here. Literally: through listening to your words. Finetti: will walk or live. Finetti: maybe Virgo. Finetti: was a messenger (legatus) traveling, etc. Translated according to Finetti’s amendment, and according to Wetstein’s translation: “so that no one mocks his neighbor.” 2 Tim. 2, 15: “the ruling word of truth” – in Greek. to the text ὀρθοτομοῦντα - right-cutting word of truth; according to the Vulgate: recte tractantem word of truth. In the same place: “the worker is not ashamed” - in Greek: ἐργάτην ἀνεπαίσχυντον; in Latin: operarium inconfusibilem, that is, a worker who is not ashamed of his work. Salutent dextram nostram involutam vestibus. We translate literally, although they greet our right hand - an expression that is uncommon and somewhat strange. This greeting must have consisted not of kissing the right hand, but of shaking hands, because, as has just been said, women also wrapped their hands. Finetti: in humility - in humilitate. And here is the thought of St. father's expression is not entirely clear and confusing. Translated by amendment by Finetti; and according to Vetshtein’s translation: they were sold – venditi sunt. Finetti: let's see if any of the saints were often with virgins, etc. Translated by amendment by Finetti; and in Wetstein - intelligamus. Finetti: who were treated like them (i.e. like Moses and Aaron). Most modern researchers date these messages to the 3rd century. and belongs to the Syro-Palestinian region. However, there are arguments in favor of the fact that they belong to the authorship of St. Clement (see: Preface). – approx. ed. "ABCs of Faith" You might be interested in: