Беседа 36

“And when Jesus had finished teaching his twelve disciples, he went from there to teach and preach in their cities.” (Matthew 11:1) Exposition 11:1–6. The purpose of John's embassy to Christ. – Christ’s answer to John’s disciples. – Refuting erroneous opinions about the purpose of the embassy: John, like other prophets, knew about the suffering and death of Christ; the forerunner's preaching about Christ was not needed in hell. – Those who lived virtuously before the coming of Christ will enjoy all blessings. – The existence of future punishments does not violate the truth of God. 1. Having sent the disciples, the Lord himself withdrew from them in order to give them space and time to do what he ordered. If He himself had been with them and healed them, no one would have wanted to go to the disciples. “When John heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples to say to Him: Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect another” (Matthew 11:2–3)? And Luke says that the disciples themselves told John about the miracles of Christ, and then He sent them (Luke 7:17). However, this does not involve any difficulty, but is only worth noting: this reveals the envy of John’s disciples towards Jesus. But what is said next must be carefully examined. What exactly? What John said: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect something else?” The one who knew Jesus even before the miracles, was informed about Him by the Spirit, heard from the Father, preached about Him before everyone, now sends to find out from Himself: Is it He or not? But if you yourself don’t know whether it’s definitely He, then how do you consider yourself worthy of belief, saying your opinion about the unknown? He who bears witness to others must himself in advance be worthy of belief. Didn't you say: “I am not worthy to untie the thong of my sandals” (Luke 3:16)? Was it not you who said: “I did not know Him; but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me: On whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, it is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (John 1:33)? Have you not seen the Spirit in the form of a dove? Didn't you hear the voice? Didn't you hold Him back, saying: “I need to be baptized by You” (Matthew 3:14)? Didn’t you tell the disciples: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30)? Didn’t you teach all the people that He would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire (Luke 3:16) and that He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)? Did you not preach all these things about Him before signs and wonders? How now, when He has become known to everyone and rumors about Him have spread everywhere, and the dead have risen, and demons have been cast out, and so many signs have been performed, then do you send to ask Him? What did this mean? Were all the words of John really some kind of deception, forgery, fable? And what reasonable person would say that? Not to mention John, who leaped in his womb, preached Christ before his birth, was a citizen of the desert, and showed an example of angelic life. On the contrary, even if he were one of the ordinary and most insignificant people, he could not have doubted after the numerous testimonies given both by himself and by others. From this it is clear that John did not send out of doubt, and did not ask out of ignorance. Nor can anyone say that, although he knew Jesus correctly, while in prison, he became more fearful. He did not expect to be freed from prison; and even if he had expected it, he would not have betrayed his piety, firmly deciding to accept all death. In fact, having been prepared for this, he would not have shown such courage in front of an entire people accustomed to shedding the blood of prophets. I would not have dared to expose such a cruel tyrant, with such boldness, in the middle of the city and the marketplace, loudly reprimanding him loudly, like a small child. If he became more fearful, then how was he not ashamed of his disciples, to whom he had testified about Christ so many times, but through them he began to ask when he should have through others, and although he knew for sure that his disciples were jealous of Jesus and wanted to find some opportunity? How was he not ashamed of the Jewish people, to whom he preached about Christ so many times? And how could this serve to liberate him from his bonds? He was not thrown into prison for Christ, not because he preached His power; but for denouncing an unlawful marriage. Didn't he thereby incur the criticism that he was like a senseless child or an adult madman? So, what does such an act mean? From what has been said, it is clear that it was unusual not only for John to doubt Jesus, but also for anyone, even a completely senseless and insane person. However, a solution must finally be given. So, why did John send to ask? Because John’s disciples, as anyone can notice, were not disposed towards Jesus and were always envious of Him, which is clear from what they said to their teacher. “He who was with you,” they say, “at the Jordan and about whom you testified, behold He baptizes, and everyone comes to Him” (John 3:26). And there was also a dispute between the Jews and John’s disciples about purification. And in another case, John’s disciples, having come to Jesus himself, said: “Why do we and the Pharisees fast a lot, but your disciples do not fast” (Matthew 9:14)? 2. They did not yet know who Christ was; but, considering Jesus to be a simple man, and John more than a man, they looked with annoyance at the fact that the glory of Jesus was growing, and John, as he said about himself, was already approaching the end. All this prevented them from coming to Jesus, since envy blocked access. While John was with them, he often admonished and taught them, but did not convince them. When he was already approaching death, he cared even more about it. He was afraid not to leave them a reason for misinterpretation, and that they would not be forever excommunicated from Christ. From the very beginning, he tried to convert all his disciples to Christ; but since he was not convinced of this, before death he shows greater zeal. If, therefore, he began to say: go to Him, He is better than me, then this would not convince the people who were attached to him; on the contrary, they would have thought that he was speaking so out of modesty and would have clung to him even more. And if he had become silent, nothing would have come of it again. What is he doing? Waiting for the opportunity to hear from themselves that Jesus works miracles; and here he himself does not give them advice, and does not send them all, but only two, about whom he perhaps knew that they were more capable of believing than others, so that the question would not be suspicious, and so that from the deeds themselves they would see the difference between him and Jesus. And therefore he says: come and say: “Are you the one who should come, or should we expect something else?” Christ, penetrating John’s thought, did not say: exactly, I, because although it should have been said so, it would again be unpleasant for the listeners. On the contrary, he leaves it to himself to conclude from the facts. The evangelist says that during the time they came to Jesus, He healed many. And what kind of consistency would there be when they ask: “Are you the One”? - say nothing to this, but immediately begin to heal the sick, if Christ did not want to inspire by this what I said? Evidence by deeds was considered more convincing and undoubted than evidence by words. Therefore, as God, knowing the intention with which John sent the disciples, Christ at that same hour healed the blind, the lame and many others - not in order to assure John (what was there to assure a confident one?), but in order to assure the doubting disciples. And having healed, he says: “Go, tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised and the poor are preached the good news.” And then he added: “And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” (Matthew 11:4-6), showing that he also knows their secret thoughts. If He had said: “Surely, I am the Christ,” then, as I noted, this could have been unpleasant for them and could have suggested the thought, even if they had not expressed it, like the Jews: “You bear witness to Yourself” (John 8:13). That is why He Himself does not say this, but leaves them to infer everything from miracles, making His teaching unsuspicious and most obvious through this. And together he exposed them in a secret way. Since they were offended because of Him, having discovered their illness and leaving the whole matter to their conscience alone, and not making anyone a witness to this conviction except themselves, who alone understood it, the more he drew them to Himself, saying: “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me,” saying this, He actually meant them. But let’s not limit ourselves to just the thoughts we expressed. To make the truth clearer to you by comparison with other opinions, we need to talk about these latter ones. What do others say? They claim that the reason is not the one we have indicated; and the one that John really didn’t know. Not everything was unknown to him. That Jesus is the Christ, he knew, but that he wanted to die for people, he did not know, that’s why he said: “Are you the one who is to come?” - that is: Are you the One who must descend into hell? But such an opinion has no basis; John knew this too. He first of all preached about this, he first testified to this, saying: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)! He called him the Lamb, proclaiming the cross; Likewise, the words “who takes away the sin of the world” showed the same thing. After all, it is nothing other than the taking away of sin through the cross, about which Paul said: “The handwriting that was against us, and He took it out of the way and nailed it to the cross” (Col. 2:14). Also, when he said: “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 3:16), he prophesied about what was to follow after the resurrection. But they say: John knew that Christ would rise and give the Holy Spirit; but he did not know that he would be crucified. But how could He be resurrected without suffering or being crucified? How would John be more of a prophet if he did not know what the prophets knew? 3. That John was greater than a prophet was testified by Christ himself (Luke 7:28), and that the prophets knew about the suffering of Christ is known to everyone. Isaiah says: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearers is silent” (Isaiah 53:7); and before this testimony he says: “It will happen in that day that the Gentiles will turn to the root of Jesse, which will become like a banner for the nations” (Is. 11:10-11). Then, speaking about suffering and the glory that follows it, he added: “And his rest will be glory.” This prophet predicted not only that Christ would be crucified, but also with whom: “And he is numbered with the evildoers,” he says (Is. 53:12). Moreover, he even predicted that Christ would not justify himself when he said: “He opened not His mouth” (Is. 53:7); and that he will be condemned unjustly when he continues: in His humility His judgment will be taken away (Is. 53:8). And before Isaiah, David says the same thing, and describes the judgment itself in these words: “Why are the nations troubled, and the nations plotting in vain? The kings of the earth rise up, and the princes take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed” (Ps. 2:1-2). In another place he even speaks about the image of the crucifixion: “They pierced my hands and my feet” (Ps. 21:17), and with all accuracy depicts the insolence of the soldiers: “They divide,” he says, “my garments among themselves and cast lots for my clothes” (Ps. 21:19). And in another place he even says that they brought him vinegar: “They gave me gall for food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Ps. 68:22). So, for so many years the prophets describe the judgment, and the condemnation, and those crucified with Him, and the division of clothes, and the casting of lots about them, and very much more, that there is no need to list everything now, so as not to prolong the words, and John, greater than all the prophets, did not know all this? Is this possible? Why didn’t he say: “Are you the one who is to come to hell?”, but says simply: “Are you the one who is to come”? But that would be even funnier than before. They say: John asked Jesus about this so that he could go down to hell to preach about Him. To those who affirm this it is proper to say: “Brothers! Do not be children in mind: be infants to evil” (1 Cor. 14:20). Only real life is a time for exploits, and after death there is judgment and punishment. “In the grave,” it is said, “who will praise You” (Ps. 6:6)? By what means are the copper gates broken and the iron ropes erased? Body of Christ. Then it was for the first time that the immortal body appeared and destroyed the dominion of death. However, this only shows that He destroyed the power of death, and did not destroy the sins of those who died before His coming. Otherwise, if He freed from Gehenna all those who had previously died, then why did He say: “It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you” (Matthew 11:24)? This means that they, although it is easier, will nevertheless be punished. And although they have already suffered extreme punishment here, this will not save them. And if he doesn’t deliver them, then isn’t there much more than those who didn’t suffer the least here? So, you say, what was done unjustly to those who lived before the coming of Christ? Not at all. Then it was possible to be saved without confessing Christ. This was not what was required of them, but that they should not serve idols and know the true God. “The Lord our God,” it is said, “there is one Lord” (Deut. 6:4). Therefore, the Maccabees deserved surprise, since whatever they endured, they endured for keeping the law (1 Macc. 1:63); also, the three youths and many others of the Jews, who led a virtuous life and observed the measure of knowledge given to them, were not obliged to anything else. And so then, as I have already said, for salvation it was enough to know God alone; Now this is not enough, but we still need to know Christ. That is why Christ said: “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin” (John 15:22). The same should be said about deeds. Then murder destroyed the one who committed it, and now anger alone destroys. Then the adulterer and the one who encroached on another man’s wife were punished, and now they are punished for looking with lustful eyes. Both knowledge and virtue are now elevated to the highest degree. So (in hell) there was no need for a forerunner. Otherwise, if the unfaithful can be saved after death by turning to faith, then no one will ever perish: then everyone will repent and worship Christ. And that this is true, listen to Paul, who says that “every tongue confessed” and “every knee bowed, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Phil. 2:11, 10), and that: “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:26). But there will be no benefit from this submission, because it will not come from good will, but, so to speak, from the very necessity of circumstances. 4. Let us not introduce such womanish teachings and Jewish fables. Listen to what Paul says about those who lived before Christ: “Who, without [having] the law, sinned, are outside the law and will perish,” he argues about those who lived before the law; “But those who have sinned under the law will be condemned by the law” (Rom. 2:12) - speaks of everyone who lived after Moses. And again: “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Rom. 1:18); and - “fury and anger, sorrow and distress to every soul of a person who does evil, first the Jew, [then] the Greek” (Rom. 2:8-9). And truly, the pagans suffered countless evils at that time; this is proven both by pagan stories and our Christian scriptures. Who, for example, can count the deplorable events with the Babylonians or Egyptians? And that those who, although they did not know Christ, as those who lived before His coming in the flesh, shunned idolatry, worshiped the one God and led a virtuous life, will enjoy all good things, listen to what Paul says about this: “Glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, first to the Jew, [then] to the Greek” (Rom. 2:10). Do you see that great rewards are in store for such people for good deeds, and executions and torments for those who do the opposite? So, where are the non-believers of Gehenna? If those who lived before the coming of Christ and did not hear about the name of Gehenna or the resurrection, suffered punishment here, and will be punished there again, then how much more will the punishment befall us, nourished by the abundant word of wisdom. But is it reasonable, you say, for people who have not even heard of Gehenna to be cast into Gehenna? They can, after all, say: if You threatened us with Gehenna, we would be more afraid and would live abstinently. Undoubtedly (isn’t it?) they would begin to live the way we live now, who every day hear what they say about Gehenna, and do not pay any attention to it. And even then it must be said that those who are not deterred by the punishments that are under their feet will be deterred even less by future punishments. People of unreasonable and rude disposition are usually brought to their senses more by what happens before their eyes and immediately than by what happens after a long time. But, you say, we live in greater fear, and in this regard, has not the pagans been treated unfairly? Not at all. Firstly, the same feats await us as they do; on the contrary, we are much larger. And whoever undertakes great labors needs to have great help. And multiplying fear is no small help. If we have an advantage over them in that we know the future, then they have an advantage over us in that cruel punishments are immediately imposed on them. But many people think differently about this. Namely, they say: where is the truth of God, when someone who sins in something here is punished both here and there? Would it be desirable for me to remind you of your own words, so that you no longer do any work for us, but give yourself a decision? Many of us, I heard, as soon as they learn that a murderer’s head was cut off in court, are indignant at this and say this: this villain committed up to thirty or even more murders, and he himself suffered only one death: what truth is there? So, you yourself admit that death alone is not enough for punishment: why now hold the opposite opinion? Because you pronounce judgment not on others, but on yourself. This is how pride prevents us from delving into justice! When we judge others, we analyze everything to the point; but when we pronounce judgment on ourselves, we are blinded. If they examined the case about themselves in the same way as about others, they would pronounce an impartial verdict. And we have sins that deserve not two or three, but a thousand deaths. And not to mention other sins, let us remember how many of us unworthily partake of the mysteries? And those who partake unworthily will be guilty “against the Body and Blood of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:27). So, when you talk about a murderer, apply it to yourself. He killed a man, and you are guilty of killing the Lord. He committed murder without partaking of the secrets, and we became murderers by eating from the sacred meal. What can we say about those who bite, devour, and poison many brothers? And what can we say about the one who takes a piece from the poor? If the one who does not give alms is already the one who takes away, then even more so the one who steals someone else’s property. How many robbers are worse than those who are greedy? How many murderers, how many tomb robbers are worse than covetous people? How many are there who, having robbed, thirst for more blood? No, God forbid! you say. Now you say no! Say this when you have an enemy: then remember these words, then show all the correctness of life, so that we do not suffer the fate of the Sodomites, and we do not suffer the execution of the Gomorrians, and we do not suffer the evils that befell the Tyrians and Sidonians, and most of all, so as not to offend Christ, which is the most difficult and terrible thing. Although Gehenna seems terrible to many, I will never stop crying out that to offend Christ is more painful and terrible than Gehenna itself, and I advise you to come to the same feeling. Then we will be delivered from Gehenna, and we will enjoy the glory of Christ, which may we all be worthy to receive, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. To him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. You might be interested in: