Беседа XL

“And God said to Abraham: Thy wife shall not be called 356 Sarah, but Sarah her name shall be” (Gen. 17:15). Let us now offer you the remnants of yesterday's meal and finish the word, namely about the blessing and promise that the God of all things bestowed on the forefather. But when you hear about the leftovers of a meal, do not assume anything sensual here: the leftovers of a spiritual meal are not like the leftovers from dishes. The latter, losing their freshness, no longer have any pleasantness for those who eat; and if they are left for another one or two days, they become completely unusable. But spiritual remnants, even if they were left not for just one or two days, but for the longest time, always bring the same benefit and do not lose their pleasantness, because they are divine and spiritual, and do not suffer any harm from time to time, but on the contrary, every day they allow a new sweetness to be felt in themselves, and they give great and complete pleasure to those who want to taste them. If this is the nature of these remains, then you, of course, will want to enjoy them, and we, confident of their benefits, will offer them to your love. But in order for the present conversation to be clearer for you, you need to remember the end of the word spoken yesterday, and in connection with this, begin further teaching. We have set forth the commandment of God about circumcision, namely, the words of God to the forefather: “Every male of your sex will be circumcised... and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. And the child shall be circumcised in eight days, and he that is not circumcised... that soul shall be destroyed: for my covenant shall be destroyed” (Gen. 17:10–12, 14). Here, with the word about circumcision, we ended the lesson, and so as not to burden your mind with a lot of what was said, we did not continue (the conversation) any longer. We, after all, are not only concerned about saying a lot and leaving with that, but we want to match the teaching of the word with your strength, so that you all go to your homes, having received at least some fruit from our words. So, let’s continue what follows after what was said yesterday, and see what, after the commandment about circumcision, God, the lover of mankind, says to the forefather. “And God said to Abraham: Thy wife Sarah shall not call her name Sarah, but Sarah shall her name be called.” Just as, God says to Abraham, I indicated to you by adding a letter that you would be the father of many nations, so in the same way I am adding a letter to the name of Sarah, so that you would know that now the time is coming for the fulfillment of many previous promises. “For,” he says, “her name will be Sarah: I will bless her, and I will give you a child by her, and I will bless her, and she will become a tongue, and kings of tongues will come out of her” (Gen. 17:16). For this reason, I am adding a letter, so that you will know that everything I have said will certainly come true, and do not despair, looking at the weakness of your nature (yours), but, looking at the greatness of My power, firmly trust in My word. “I will bless her, and I will give you a child by her, and I will bless her, and it will become a tongue, and kings of tongues will come out of her.” Such a promise was higher than human nature, and just as if someone promised to create people from stones. Indeed, in reasoning, childbearing was not at all different from stones - neither the forefather, who due to old age was already powerless and incapable of childbearing, nor Sarah, except for barrenness, who was also in old age and old age. However, the righteous man thought that the promise given before by God should be fulfilled on Ishmael, since it was only said: “To you and to your seed I will give this land,” and it was not shown that these words referred to the son who would be born from Sarah, and therefore the forefather himself considered the promise to be already fulfilled. Now, hearing these words from the Lord God: “I will bless Sarah, and I will give you a child by her, and I will bless her, and she will become nations,” and again: “kings of the tongues will come from him,” the forefather did not know what to say (to this) (and as a pious man, he could not help but believe the words of God), and looking at his advanced years and at Sarah’s barrenness, which continued until such extreme old age, fell into bewilderment and astonished at such a promise, “he fell down,” it is said, “and laughed” (Gen. 17:17). 2. Understanding the greatness of the promise and thinking about the omnipotence of the Promiser, Abraham “fell on his face and laughed,” i.e. rejoiced; but for reasons of his mind, he also thought about how this (change) would be made in the order of human nature, i.e., that a son would be born to a hundred-year-old (man), and a barren wife, who had not given birth even until she was ninety years old, would suddenly become capable of childbearing? But, thinking this way in his mind, he did not dare to say anything of the kind in words, but only, expressing his gratitude, he prayed (to God) for Ishmael, as if saying: Lord, You have comforted me sufficiently, and the sorrow of childlessness has been turned into joy by the gift of Ishmael. After he was born, it never occurred to me, and I never thought, that I would have another child from Sarah; and she herself did not expect this, which is why she handed it over to me (to the servant), having already abandoned all hope for herself. We both received ample comfort when Ishmael was born. May this (son) given to us from You be alive before You; and we will have sufficient consolation, and his life will comfort our old age. What about the humane Lord? Since for such a long time He had already sufficiently tested the pious soul of the righteous man and the faith of Sarah, and saw that both of them had lost all hope for themselves - one due to old age, and the other, in addition to old age, also due to barrenness - he says: now this seems completely impossible for you, but for this reason I delayed so long 358 to show that the gift sent by Me is above human nature, so that both you and all others from these experiences they knew that I am the Lord of nature, and that it is governed by My will and obeys My commands. If I made it from something that is non-existent, how much more can I correct what already exists and is damaged. And for your assurance, listen, be encouraged and, having removed from yourself the thoughts wavering in your mind, be completely convinced of My words. Behold, Sarah, your wife, about whom you think that due to barrenness and old age she can no longer give birth, will bear you a son. And so that you do not doubt at all, I will tell you in advance the very name of your future son: you will call him Isaac. “For I will establish my covenant with him, an everlasting covenant... and his seed after him” (Gen. 17:19). This is the one I promised you from the very beginning; on him My promises will be fulfilled. Therefore, I tell you in advance not only that he will be born, but also what you will call him, and that I will establish My covenant with him, and not only with him, but also with “his seed after him” (Gen. 17:19). Then, always generous in gifts and fulfilling our requests with abundance (the Lord), having aroused the spirit of the righteous, with His promises making this old man, one might say, young and, as if already dead, having revived with His words, multiplies (to him) His benefits and says: I will do what I promised you; and at the same time I will fulfill your request for Ishmael. I heard your prayer “and I blessed it: I will make it grow, and I will multiply it greatly: it will bring forth twelve languages, and I will give it to a great language” (Gen. 17:20). Since he, says (God), is your seed, then I will “grow him up and multiply him greatly” that twelve nations will come from him. “And I will establish My covenant 359 with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time in the second year” 360 (Gen. 17:21). See now, beloved, how the righteous in an instant receives the reward for all (previous) time; and the word spoken from Christ to the disciples is fulfilled: “Whoever leaves father or mother, or house or brethren... for My name’s sake, will receive it here a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29). In fact, think how this righteous man, readily obeying the command of the Lord, left his own fatherland, preferred a foreign country to his own, how he showed great patience in himself and little by little ascended to the extraordinary heights of virtue, and for this he was so glorified that his descendants became equal to many stars. And if we think about it thoroughly, then he received not only a hundred times, but also ten thousand times more. If he was awarded such great rewards here, then what word can describe the blessings prepared for him - “there”? However, as much as possible, we will show this in words. In fact, when you hear that all the righteous, from that time until now and until the last times, pray to dwell in the bowels of this forefather, is it possible to imagine greater glory than this? Do you see how much patience means, what virtue means, what piety and great gratitude for the good deeds of the Lord mean? It was because he sacrificed himself at all times, accepted everything with gratitude, both pleasant and unpleasant, that the man-loving God finally granted him the highest of all blessings and, for the righteous man himself, the most desired. See how God tempted the virtue of the righteous man for twenty-four years, because at the time, in obedience to the command of the Lord, he left Haran, he was, as it is said, seventy-five years old, and now, when he heard this promise 361, he was already in his hundredth year. 3. Hearing this, beloved, let us learn to have great patience, and never weaken or lose heart in the deeds of virtue; Let us know that our Lord, generous and abundantly merciful, rewards us for small labors with great rewards, and that He not only prepares immortal blessings for us in the next century, but also in this life, consoling us in the weaknesses of our nature, gives us many gifts. So this forefather, during the time shown, suffered many sorrows, although each time his sorrow was combined with consolation. The Lord of all, having concern for our weaknesses, does not always allow us to endure and sorrow, so that they do not aggravate our weakness too much; on the contrary, He Himself quickly gives us His help, strengthening our heart and encouraging our spirit; Likewise, he does not always leave us in prosperity, so that we, having become careless, do not lean towards evil. Human nature, when it enjoys too much happiness, forgets nobility and does not keep within its limits. That is why He, as a loving Father, sometimes condescends to us, and sometimes punishes us, in order to thus guide us to spiritual salvation. Just as a doctor, when treating a patient, does not always torment him with meager food, but does not always allow him to enjoy abundant food, so that overeating does not cause inflammation, and thereby intensify the disease, and on the other hand, so that constant meager food does not weaken him even more; but he arranges his healing, considering the condition and strength of the sick person, and carefully using all his art - just like God, the lover of mankind, knowing what is good for each of us, sometimes allows us to enjoy well-being, and sometimes exposes us to temptations. If virtuous people are tempted, then through temptation they become even more glorious and acquire (even) greater grace from above; if sinners like us (are subject to temptation), then, gratefully accepting the temptations brought upon them, they lay aside (thus) the heavy burden of sins and receive forgiveness in many ways. Therefore, I beg you, knowing the providential wisdom of the Physician of our souls, let us not test His fate. If our mind cannot comprehend them, then let us all the more reverence His destinies and glorify Him for everything, precisely because we have such a Master, whose providence cannot be embraced by any thought, nor by human reason at all. Moreover, we ourselves do not know as well (well) what is good for us as He knows, and we do not care about ourselves as much as He cares about our salvation, and creates and accomplishes everything in such a way as only to lead us to virtue and snatch us from the hands of the devil. And when He sees that happiness cannot bring us any benefit, then, like the best physician, who, noticing that someone is becoming fat from satiety, restores him to health through abstinence, (like) the wondrous Physician of our souls, by inducing at least a few temptations, makes us feel the harm that we would suffer from (constant) well-being; and when he sees that health (spiritual) has already been sufficiently restored, then with his help he delivers us from temptations, and abundantly reveals His providence for us. So, if virtuous people fall into temptations, then let them not be troubled in spirit, but let them feed themselves all the more with the comforting hopes that through temptations crowns and rewards are prepared for them. If those living in sins are subject to sorrows, let them not despair, knowing that temptations at any time can serve to cleanse sins, if only we accept everything that happens to us with gratitude. A grateful slave should thank his Lord not only when he enjoys a carefree life, but also show the same complacency in unpleasant circumstances. This is how this forefather (Abraham) became famous and, having achieved such great boldness before God, received gifts that exceeded the strength of human nature. 4. But let us return to the order of the word and look at the obedience of the righteous man, how he fulfilled the commands of God, without seeking their reasons, without demanding an account of them, as many foolish people do, inquisitively examining the works of God, and saying: what is this for, what is this for, and what is the benefit of this or that? The righteous man did not act this way: he, like a slave who loves his master, without testing anything, tried to do everything as he was commanded. And to make sure of this, listen further. After God gave him a promise and finished His conversation with him, the righteous man immediately fulfills what was commanded to him - the sign commanded to him from God (I’m talking about circumcision) imposes on Ishmael and on all his household and slaves, as God told him. He also trims himself. “He was ninety and nine years old,” it is said, “when he circumcised his foreskin. Ishmael was about three and ten years old” (Gen. 17:24–25). Do not think that Scripture without purpose indicates to us the number of years: this is so that you may learn from this the great obedience of the righteous man, who, already in extreme old age, patiently endured the disease (circumcision) for the sake of the commandment of God. This is why the Scriptures use the numbering of years. And not only he, but also Ishmael and all the household (accept circumcision). It doesn’t matter, beloved, whether a healthy part of the body is cut off or a diseased one. And doctors sometimes cut off a diseased member; but in this case the pain is not like that. Here the member is cut off, dead, so to speak, and already deprived of vitality. And there, a decrepit and elderly man (who has already reached one hundred years of age) complacently endures the pain, trying together to fulfill God’s commandment, and to arouse in his son and in all members of his household great zeal for the immediate, hasty fulfillment of God’s commandment. You see how great a virtuous man is - and precisely in the fact that he teaches all his slaves to follow in his footsteps. What I said yesterday, I repeat the same now - that from that time on 362 for the future God commanded that children be circumcised at an immature age, precisely so that, unconsciously undergoing circumcision of the flesh, they would not experience any pain. But notice, beloved, here too is God’s love for mankind and indescribable goodness for us. There 363 from circumcision there is only illness and labor and no other benefit, except that by this sign (the Jews) were recognized and separated from other nations, and our circumcision (I mean the grace of baptism) is a painless healing, serves as a source of countless benefits for us, fills us with the grace of the Holy Spirit and does not require (for its completion) any specific time, as there; but everyone, both in immature years, and in middle years, and in old age itself, is allowed to accept this circumcision not made by hands, which is not difficult to endure, but through which the burden of sins is laid aside and remission of sins committed throughout life is acquired. Thus, God, the lover of mankind, knowing our great weakness, and the fact that, suffering incurably, we need strong healing and His ineffable love for mankind, and accordingly, arranging our salvation, he granted us renewal by the bath of rebirth, so that we, having put off the old man, i.e. evil deeds, and having put on new things, they walked the path of virtue. But let us not, I ask you, be worse than the ungrateful and insensitive Jews. Having accepted the sign of circumcision, they were quite careful not to mingle with the pagans - and precisely in external communication with them; and in their wickedness they, ungrateful ones, often surpassed the pagans themselves. But once we have received the circumcision of baptism, we will behave carefully. I do not say that we should not have intercourse with the pagans; but being firm in our virtues, even in relations with them (pagans) we must attract them to piety and edify them by the example of our good deeds. This is why the common Lord of all allowed both the good and the evil, the pious and the wicked, to live together, so that the evil would benefit from the good, and those living wickedly would be guided to piety. God cares so much about nothing as about the salvation of our souls. Let us not, I pray you, be negligent either to ourselves or to our neighbors; We will take care of ourselves in order to arrange our lives as God pleases, and of our neighbors - in order to shine with virtue and teach it without words to everyone who looks at us. Just as, by remaining virtuous, we ourselves will always receive a lot of benefit, and we will bring benefit to the unbelievers, so, on the contrary, if we indulge in carelessness, we ourselves will be subjected to great punishment, and we will give others a reason to be tempted. Just as, by observing virtue, we receive a special reward from God - both for the fact that we ourselves live in virtue, and for the fact that we attract our neighbors to virtue, so in sinful deeds we are punished not only for our own sins, but also for the fact that we seduce others. But let this not happen to any of those gathered here; on the contrary, let us all direct our lives to the edification of others who see us, so that we can boldly stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be worthy of future ineffable blessings, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. The words: τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς – “her name”, here, according to Min’s text, are omitted, and are read further. Here at Zlat. εἰς ἔθνος, as in sp. Dorofey, and after a few. lines εἰς ἔθνη - “into languages” or peoples, which is the usual reading of the Greek. lists. Those. fulfill the promise of a son. Zlat.: Τὰ μέντοι τῆς διαθήκης τῆς ἐμῆς instead of the usual reading in the lists: τὴν δὲ διαθήκην μοῦ. – τῷ δευτέρῳ according to sp. Dorofey and others; in Lucian. sp. instead – τῷ ἐτέρῳ – “other”. Those. from the time of the initial circumcision of Abraham and his household. You might be interested in: