4. Мысли экзегетические

“Mysteries are revealed to the meek” (29:244) Someone asked Saint Philaret: is it possible to interpret the Sacred Text after St. John Chrysostom - a generally recognized exegete and great teacher of the Church? - The answer followed - also patristic: “I said that it is possible, because people did not forbid themselves, even after St. Chrysostom, to make new questions on the Holy Scriptures, and one cannot demand from St. Chrysostom that he answer questions that will be asked after his death” (33:436). - And the Saint himself interprets. Of course, in his letters he could pay limited attention to this - touch only on certain passages of the Sacred Text and even just individual expressions. First of all, the Moscow Archpastor presents the rules for exegesis: “Interpretations must be based on: a) the Greek text of seventy interpreters; b) where necessary, ... the text is Hebrew; c) (Sic) self-interpretation of the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament in the New; d) (Sic) interpretations of the holy Fathers; e) interpretations should not be burdened with space and heavy scholarship, but short and simple, aimed at confirming the faith and edifying life” (8:15-16). At the end of chapters of the Holy Books, where the need is felt, small notes should be made in which: “a) Explain the obscure words and expressions of the Text; b) for texts that are darker, point to other places of Holy Scripture that are clearer and serve to explain them; c) in prophecies briefly indicate the most important events; for some texts, which are especially harmfully abused by false teachings, make brief protective interpretations, for example, the text: “The essence of the eunuchs, who have laid up for themselves the kingdom for the sake of the Heavenly One,” interpret so that the eunuch, having opened the Bible to defend his teaching, immediately finds a refutation” (8:16-17). The saint criticizes incorrect explanations: “Here is an example of interpretation for you. It is said about Enoch: “Being not found, God cast him away.” – Interpretation of the new translator: he died of paralysis or of the plague” (4:1) Or: “Be more merciful to Zolotarev... Taking the words: “The end is soon” too strictly and literally, he subjected himself to the forced labor of adapting the entire Apocalypse to the above-mentioned saying. It has good intentions. As for the unsuccessful interpretation, he is not the first, and he will not be the last. Recently an interpretation of the Apocalypse was published in France, which states that the Antichrist will be from the Russians, and that the triple alliance of Emperor Alexander is a preparation for the kingdom of the Antichrist. Zolotarev, of course, is superior to the French interpreter” (7:101). Corrects an incorrect understanding of the Text and establishes the correct one: about the unjust judge: “In the expression that the first part of the parable does not belong to interpretation, there is definitely an error, for the name of the judge necessarily belongs to interpretation. As for the character of the judge, the Savior Himself does not liken him to God, but contrasts him: “Hear that the judge of unrighteousness says: But God...” (8:368)... “An example of the use of the word: firstborn, in the inaccurate meaning from Psalm 89, is it well taken? Is it not because the prophetic spirit used this word that the prophecy would inevitably be attributed in its exact sense not to David personally, but to the seed of David, who is Christ, just like the words: His throne is like the days of heaven? (14:19)... “I look at an article about Jewish poetry and am not angry at the archimandrite who does not praise it... The Great Psalm (21): “My God, my God, you have forsaken me forever” is presented as an example of poetry. The prophet contemplates an event that shook the universe; with amazingly literal accuracy he depicts what happened on Golgotha ​​for so many centuries, and the wordsmith on the trembling earth, under the extinct sun, is looking for the flowers of poetry” (14: 25). Here is another voice that the Saint heard, or, as he himself says, “from which it is difficult not to awaken”: “You write that you were tempted in the book of the Acts of the Apostles by the translated expression: “the spirit of divination.” Let's see if the book of the prophet Jeremiah will not stop the temptation... The soothsayer whom God commands through the Prophet to put “in the gate and in the treasure” (Jer. 29:26 - K.S.), without a doubt, is a false soothsayer. Such is the Philippian maiden, “possessed by the spirit of divination”... The word “possessed” is not used for good, but for bad. They do not say: possessed by the spirit of prophecy, but they say: possessed by the spirit of malice, possessed by fury” (4:603-604). Gives a positive disclosure of the text: to the question of the Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, Archimandrite Alexy (later - Archbishop of Tver): Which of the Persons of the Holy Trinity speaks in the third chapter of the prophet Malachi, the Saint answers that in the Old Testament one cannot look for such clear expressions of the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity as in the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament or the Holy Fathers of Nicaea. “The words of Revelation fall to the Prophet like lightning from the sky... The face of the prophets speaking often changes, without prior warning... - The New Testament illuminates with its light what is unclear in the prophecies... Why do you think that Christ speaks in Malachi? “The Lord will suddenly come to His church” (3:1) - this is said about Him; Consequently, we can believe that it is not He who speaks, but God the Father, or the Holy Spirit. In the words: “Behold, I send My Angel, and He will look upon the way before My Face,” you dwell on the last words and conclude that Christ says: I send John the Baptist before Me. If so, then it does not matter that the Evangelists present to the speakers the Person Whom we have already found in the words: “The Lord will come to His church.” – The Most Holy Trinity, although in unclear revelations, appeared in the Old Testament and “prepared for something clearer” (14:12, 13)... Those who ask about the Savior’s saying: “Whoever loses his soul for the sake of Me and the Gospel, he will save it” (Mark 8:35). Answer: “He who would rather lose his life than betray Christ and His Gospel will be saved” (29:242). - About the saying of St. ap. Paul: “A spiritual man does not receive even the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:14). Answer: here the spiritual is contrasted with the spiritual man who lives by the Spirit of God: consequently, “spiritual” means the same thing as a “carnal”, sensual, spiritually driven person (29:243)... To the words of the same holy Apostle about the conformity of two states - the death of Christ and His resurrection, death with Christ and life with Him: “If we are conformed to the likeness of His death, then we will also be resurrected” ( Rom. 6:5). “Two states are visible here: the state of conformity with the death of Christ and the state of conformity with His resurrection. One thing has already happened, another is expected. Further: “Even if we die with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him” (Rom. 6:3). Again two states: the state of death with Christ and the state of life with Him; and again one thing is already there, and the other is expected. Further: “Even if I die, I die through sin alone; and the hedgehog lives, God lives. In the same way, ye also think of yourselves as dead because sin should be, but as alive as God” (Rom. 6:10–11). Here is the interpretation of the two states" (7:124)... Also: “A horse lies for salvation” (Ps. 32:17) - “means: it is false that a lie can serve for salvation; Those who think that on horseback they can escape from danger when God allows it are deceived; hope for human resources and benefits is deceptive; the only sure hope is in God and His salvation” (21:25)... Also: “Do evil to them, O Lord, do evil to the glorious ones of the earth” (Isa. 26:15). “We are not talking about all the glorious ones of the earth, but about those mentioned above in verse 10, who do not learn righteousness and do not do the truth” (21:74)... The concept of the word “hell”: “It is true that the word “hell” has a very broad meaning in the Holy Scriptures. If we take into account that the Apostle speaks “about the spirits of wickedness in high places,” and that it is common for the spirits of wickedness to be in hell, then wouldn’t we have to conclude that our poor world, on the one hand, by the gift of creation and by the grace of redemption, permeated by the gracious light atmosphere of Heaven, on the other, by the disastrous sinful damage, is not completely locked to the dark atmosphere of hell that has expanded in it? (8:273–274). Regarding Texts of an eschatological nature, the Saint notes that when discussing their content, caution and humility are needed, since “it is not easy and even unsafe to test the signs of the times” (29:288). “Under the name of Elijah,” writes the Saint, “who was to come before our Savior, as if, of course, John. This is how the Apostles understood the words of Christ. But who will be the forerunner before the future coming of Christ - about this there is a lot of words that cannot be said” (29:248). And finally, they ask the Saint: what does the expression “they have not tasted death until they see the Kingdom of God come in power” mean? (Matthew 9:1). – The answer follows with a moral conclusion, which can serve as the conclusion of the reasoning in this section: “Read the words immediately following this in the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, and you will find the interpretation. It is here that the transfiguration of the Savior is described, in which three of the Apostles saw Him in secret glory, in which He will appear blessed in the Kingdom of God, and in which they themselves will participate, for the spiritual bodies of the blessed will be similar to how the Savior appeared during His transfiguration. Thus, three of the Apostles, before their death, saw the Kingdom of God come in power. Perhaps there is still a mystery in these words of the Savior, but we should not be bold in testing His mysteries. It is enough if doubts are resolved and what we need as a guide to salvation is revealed. Curiosity is close to pride: secrets are revealed to the meek! (29:244). You might be interested in: