Беседа (в понедельник Светлой Седмицы) на слова: Бога никто же виде нигдеже, Единородный Сын, сый в лони Отчи: Той исповеда (Ин. 1:18). Св. Иоанна Златоустого, архиепископа Константинопольского

God wants us not just to listen to the words found in Scripture, but with understanding. Therefore, blessed David said: open my eyes, and I will understand the wonders of Your law (Ps. 119:18). This is why Scripture is called “hidden treasure,” in order to encourage us to test it. And this is instilled in us so that we approach the words of Scripture not simply, as it happens, but with great caution. In fact, whoever begins to listen to what is read in it without reasoning and accepts everything as it is said, literally, may assume many absurd things about God; if someone delves into the depth of meaning, he will avoid all such absurdity. So in the reading now offered to us, it is said that God has a womb, and this is characteristic of bodies; but no one will be so reckless as to honor the Incorporeal with a body. So, in order to understand all this properly, let us thoroughly examine this place. God is nowhere to be seen. How did the Evangelist come to this? Having shown the great advantage of the gifts of Christ - such that an immeasurable distance lies between these gifts and those communicated through Moses, he then wants to express a sufficient reason for such a difference between them. Moses, as a slave, was a minister of lower affairs; and Christ, as Lord and King and Son of the King, brought us incomparably higher gifts, always coexisting with the Father and seeing Him unceasingly. That is why the Evangelist added: God has not been seen anywhere. What do we say to the words of the most loud-voiced (prophet) Isaiah: we saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted (Isaiah 6:1)? What shall we say to the words of Ezekiel, who saw God sitting on the Cherubim? What - in response to the words of Daniel, who says: and the Old One is sede (Dan. 7:9)? What also - in response to the words of Moses: show me Your glory, that I may see You with understanding (Ex. 33:18)?.. So, why did John say: No one has seen God anywhere? He shows that all this was a work of condescension (of God), and not a vision of the Divine being itself: for if they had seen the very nature, they would have seen it in no different way. It is simple, not figurative, not complex, not described; does not sit, does not stand, does not walk. All this is characteristic only of bodies. But how God exists, He alone knows. The Lord Himself says: no one knows the Father, only the Son (Matthew 11:27); no one knows (the Father) like the Son. And, as before, many saw Him, in the measure of vision accessible to them, but no one saw the Divine being: so now we all know God, but what He is in His essence, no one knows, only one born of Him. Here He calls knowledge exact contemplation and comprehension, and, moreover, such as the Father has about the Son. As the Father knows Me, He says, and I know the Father (John 10:15). Look how completely the Evangelist expresses this. Having said: No one has seen God anywhere, he does not then say that the Son who sees Him is a confession, but represents something else, which is even more complete than vision, namely: He is in the bosom of the Father (since being in the bosom means much more than vision). That is why the Evangelist mentioned the womb, with this one word explaining everything to us: the affinity and unity of the being (Father and Son), indivisible knowledge and equality of power. For otherwise the Father could not have had any other creature in His bosom, and the Son, if he had been a slave and one of many (created beings), would not have dared to abide in the bosom of the Master; this is characteristic only of the true Son, who has great boldness before the Parent and has in Himself no less (Him). If this is not enough for you, and you still bow down, then listen to the name more proper to the Son: Only Begotten. And if after this you look down, then I will not refuse to use a human expression about God - I mean womb, as long as you do not imagine anything derogatory. Do you see the philanthropy and industry of the Lord? God allows unworthy words about Himself, so that at least in this way you open your eyes and think about something great and lofty - and you still remain in the valley? In fact, tell me, why is the womb, a rough and carnal concept, mentioned here? Is it so that we imagine God as a body? “No, no way,” you say. For what? If it does not depict either the truth of the Son, or the fact that God is not a body, then, of course, this saying is thrown in vain and without any need. So why? I won't stop asking you about it. Is it not obvious - so that through him we understand precisely that He is truly the Only Begotten Son and co-eternal with the Father?.. That is the confession, - it is said. What did He confess? First, that this very thing constitutes His real power: then, we have received a clearer teaching and knowledge that God is Spirit, and that those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth; also the fact that it is not possible to see God, that no one knows Him except the Son, and that He is the Father of the true Only Begotten (Son); as well as everything else that is told about Him (in the Gospel). The very word: confession expresses the clearest and most obvious teaching, which He delivered not only to the Jews, but to the entire universe, and which He Himself fulfilled. Not everyone, even the Jews, listened to the prophets, but the whole universe submitted to and believed in the Only Begotten Son of God. So, confession here means special clarity of doctrine. That is why (the Son) is called both the Word and the Angel of the great council. If we have been awarded the highest and most perfect teaching, after God in the last days spoke to us not only through the prophets, but also through the Only Begotten Son, then we must show a life more exalted and worthy of such honor. The Jews had Moses as their teacher, and we had the Lord Moses Himself. So, let us show wisdom worthy of this honor, and we will have nothing to do with the earth. This is why the Lord brought us teaching from above - from heaven, in order to lift our thoughts there, so that we could become, to the best of our ability, imitators of our Teacher. How can we, you say, become imitators of Christ? - Doing everything for the common good and not seeking one’s own: since Christ also says, please not yourself, but as it is written: the reproaches of those who reproach You, attack me (Rom. 15:3). Let no one seek his own; and let everyone, when seeking his own, keep in mind (the good of) his neighbors. What is ours is also theirs: for we are one body in Christ, and we are one for each other, that is, separately members of one another. (Rom. 12:5). Let us not treat each other as if we were separate (one from the other). Let no one say: “So-and-so is not my friend, not a relative, not a neighbor; I have nothing in common with him." Even if he is not a relative, he is not your friend: nevertheless, he is a man of the same nature as you, has the same Lord, a fellow servant, a cohabitant, since he lives in the same world with you. And if it still contains one faith, then here it is - your member: for what kind of friendship can produce such a unity as the affinity of faith? We should not show such closeness, have such communication with each other not as friends with friends, but as members with members. No one will ever find another, higher friendship and communication than this. You also cannot say: “Where do I get intimacy and connection with such and such,” just as you cannot say this about your brother, “Let us all be baptized into one body,” it says (1 Cor. 12:13). Why in one body? - in order not to separate, but to maintain the connection of the whole body by mutual agreement and friendship. So, let us not despise each other, so as not to despise ourselves, because it is said: when no one hates his own flesh, he tortures and warms it (Eph. 5:29). For this, God gave us one home - this world, divided everything equally: he lit one sun for everyone, spread one roof - the sky, arranged one meal - the earth, gave us another meal, which is much more important than this, but also one, gave everyone one spiritual image of birth: we all have one fatherland in heaven; We all drink from the same cup. He did not give anything more and more valuable to the rich, nor did He give anything less and less valuable to the poor; but he called everyone equally, and communicated both carnal and spiritual (blessings) equally. Since we have something common and essential that unites us together, let us not be divided because of earthly and insignificant matters - I mean wealth, poverty, carnal kinship, enmity, friendship. All this is a shadow, and even more insignificant a shadow for those who are united by the bonds of highest love. Let us keep these bonds indissoluble, and no evil spirit will be able to penetrate us to destroy such unity. May it (unity) be in all of us. by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. 41 See Conversations on the Gospel of St. apostle and the gospel. John the Evangelist, translation. at St. Petersburg Spirit. Academician 1862, part I, pp. 168–179. You might be interested in: