Беседа 46

“He set forth another parable to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; while the people were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went away; When the greenery sprang up and the fruit appeared, then the tares also appeared. Having come, the servants of the householder said to him: Master! did you not sow good seed in your field? where does the tares come from? He said to them, “The enemy of man has done this.” And the slaves said to him: Do you want us to go and choose them? But he said: no, so that when you choose the tares, you do not pull up the wheat along with them, leave both to grow together until the harvest.” (Matthew 13:24–30) Exposition 13:24–33. The difference between the parable and the previous one. – The devil gives error the semblance of truth. – The need for constant wakefulness. – One should not kill heretics; it is not forbidden to curb them. The action and power of apostolic preaching. – It was not miracles, but virtues that made the apostles and other saints great. – The grace of miracles is both attracted by a virtuous life and given for the correction of others. -What is a truly good life? 1. What is the difference between this parable and the previous one? There the Savior spoke about people who listened to Him without attention, and when they walked away, they abandoned the very seed; here he means heretical hosts. So that the disciples would not be embarrassed by this, Christ, after explaining to them why he spoke in parables, also predicted about heretics. The first parable showed that His word was not accepted; and the second is given to know that along with the word those who harm the word are also accepted. This is one of the tricks of the devil, that he always mixes error with the truth itself, embellishing it with various semblances of truth, so that it is all the more easy to deceive the gullible. That is why the Lord calls what is sown an enemy not by any other seed, but by tares, which in appearance look somewhat like wheat. He further explains the method of malicious intent: “when,” he says, “people slept.” Here He threatens with no small danger the chiefs who are primarily entrusted with the custody of the field - however, not only the chiefs, but also the subordinates. With these words He also shows that error comes after truth, as actual experience testifies to this. In fact, after the prophets there are false prophets, after the apostles there are false apostles, after Christ there is the Antichrist. And the devil, until he sees what he can fake or who he can trick, doesn’t start anything, doesn’t even know how to get down to business. So now, having already noticed that “one is a hundred times, and another is sixty, and another is thirty,” he chooses a new path for himself. Since he could neither kidnap the rooted one, nor drown it, nor burn it, he invents another kind of deception, namely, sowing his own seeds. But how, you say, do those who sleep differ from those who are likened to the path? Because the devil stole what was sown there instantly and did not even allow it to take root; but here he needed more cunning for seduction. By pointing out this, Christ teaches us to continually watch. Let, He says, you avoid previous troubles; but you have a new one ahead of you. Just as there is death from the path, stones and thorns, so here it is from sleep. It is therefore necessary to be constantly on guard. That is why He said: “He who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22). Something similar happened at the beginning of Christianity. Many heads of churches, having introduced into them cunning people, secretive heresy leaders, thereby opened an easy way for the devil to carry out his machinations. After he had sowed such tares, he had nothing to work with. But how, you say, is it possible to stay without sleep? Without natural sleep it is impossible, but without voluntary sleep it is possible. That is why Paul said: “Watch, stand firm in the faith” (1 Cor. 16:13). Further, the Lord shows that the work of the devil is not only harmful, but also unnecessary, because he sows after the field has already been cultivated and all the work is finished. This is also what heretics do, who let in their poison purely out of vanity. And not only in these, but also in subsequent words, the Lord continues to accurately describe the behavior of heretics. “When the greenery came up,” He says, “and the fruit appeared, then the tares also appeared.” This is how heretics act. First they cover themselves; when they gain courage and receive complete freedom of speech, then they pour out poison. Why does the Lord bring in slaves who talk about what happened? To have the opportunity to say that heretics should not be killed. He calls the devil an enemy of people because he harms people. He wants to harm us, although this desire did not come from enmity against us, but from enmity against God. From this it is clear that God loves us more than we love ourselves. Look from the other side, what is the evil of the devil. He did not sow before because there was nothing to destroy. But when everything has already been sown, he also sows in order to spoil what has cost the farmer much work. The devil showed such strong enmity against Him in everything! Notice also the zeal of the servants: they are immediately ready to pull out the tares, although they do not act entirely prudently. This shows their care for what they sow; they do not mean that the one who eats the tares should be punished, but only that what the master sows should not perish; there was no need for the first, and therefore they come up with a means to just exterminate the disease. However, having chosen a means, they do not dare to carry it out on their own; but they expect a verdict from the master, asking him: “Do you want it?” What does the master answer them? He forbids, saying: “No, so that when you choose the tares, you do not pull up the wheat along with them.” With these words, Christ prohibits war, bloodshed and murder. And the heretic should not be killed, otherwise it will give rise to an irreconcilable war in the universe. 2. So, He stops them from carrying out their intended intention, for the following two reasons: first, in order not to damage the wheat; and secondly, because all those who are incurably infected will themselves be punished. Therefore, if you want them to be punished, and, moreover, without damaging the wheat, then expect a definite by that time. But what did the Lord mean when he said: “Lest when you choose the tares, you pull up the wheat along with them”? Or that by taking up arms and killing heretics, you will inevitably destroy many saints with them; or that many of these same tares can change and become wheat. Therefore, if you, He says, eradicate them prematurely, then, by depriving the lives of people who still had time to change and improve, you will destroy what could become wheat. So, the Lord does not forbid curbing heretics, stopping their mouths, restraining their insolence, disrupting their gatherings and conspiracies; but prohibits their extermination and killing. And notice how meek the Lord is: He does not simply announce His verdict, not simply command, but also sets out the reasons. What will happen if the tares are observed to the end? Then “I will say to the reapers, gather up the tares first and bind them in bundles to burn them.” Again he brings to mind the disciples the words of John, in which He is depicted as a Judge, and admonishes that the tares must be spared while they grow near the wheat, because it is still possible for them to become wheat. If the heretic happens to die without any fruit, then inevitable punishment must befall him. “I will say,” says the Lord, “to the reapers: gather up the tares first.” Why “before”? So that the students do not have any chance to fear that the wheat will be pulled out along with the tares. “And bind them in bundles to burn them, and put the wheat into my barn. He proposed another parable to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed” (Matthew 13:31). Since the Lord said that three parts of what is sown perish, and one is saved, and even in the part that is saved there is great damage, then, warning the disciples’ question: who and in what number will the faithful be? destroys their fear, converting them to faith with the parable of the mustard seed, in which he shows that the sermon will spread everywhere. That is why he offers the image of a mustard seed, which is very suitable for the subject of speech. “Which, although it is smaller than all seeds,” He says, “but when it grows, it is greater than all the grains and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and take refuge in its branches” (Matthew 13:32). By this the Lord wanted to show an image of the spread of the sermon. Exactly the same thing, He says, will happen with preaching. Although His disciples were the most powerless, the most humiliated of all, yet since the power hidden in them was great, it spread throughout the entire universe. Further, to this image the Lord added the likeness of leaven, saying: “Like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened” (Matthew 13:33). Just as leavening over a large amount of flour causes the flour to absorb the power of the leaven, so you transform the whole world. Pay attention to the meaning: the Lord chooses for the image what happens in nature in order to show that His word is as immutable as what is visible in nature occurs according to necessary laws. Don’t tell me: what can we, twelve people, do when we enter the environment of so many people? In this very thing your strength will be revealed more clearly, that you, intervening in the multitude, will not give in to flight. Just as leaven only ferments the dough when it is in contact with flour, and not only touches, but even mixes with it (that’s why it is not said “put it”, but “hide”), so you, when you enter into an inextricable connection and unity with your enemies, then you will overcome them. And just like leaven, being covered with flour, is not lost in it, but soon imparts its own to the whole mixture. property, the same will definitely happen with preaching. So, do not be afraid of what I said about many adversities: and in them you will shine and overcome everyone. By three sats (measures) the Lord here means many sats, since this number is usually used to denote a multitude. Do not be surprised that, while talking about the kingdom, He mentions grain and leaven. He talked with unskilled and unlearned people, who had to be raised to high things through low objects, and who were so simple that for all that they still needed many explanations. So, where are the sons of Hellenism? May they understand the power of Christ, having the truth of events before their eyes! Let them worship the Lord both as the one who predicted such a thing and as the one who accomplished it! He alone put power into the leaven. For this reason, He included those who believe in Him into the multitude, so that we would convey our understanding to others. So, let no one complain about poverty: great is the power of preaching; Once fermented, it itself becomes leaven for the rest. Just as a spark, when it touches wood, makes what it ignites a new source of fire, and thus spreads further and further, so does preaching. But the Lord spoke not about fire, but about leaven. Why? Because not everything depends on the fire, but a lot depends on the burning wood; here the leaven produces everything by itself. If twelve people leavened the whole universe, then think how bad we are, when, despite all our numbers, we cannot correct the rest, we, who in due course would be enough to become leaven for a thousand worlds! 3. But then, you say, there were apostles. So what? Weren't they in the same circumstances as you? Didn't they live in societies? Didn’t they suffer the same fate, weren’t they engaged in crafts? Were they angels? Did they come down from heaven? But, you say, they had the gift of working miracles. But it was not by working miracles that they themselves became miraculous. And how long will these miracles serve as a cover for our negligence? Look at the whole host of saints who shone not with miracles. Many even cast out demons, but because they committed lawlessness, not only did they not become miraculous, but they were also subjected to punishment. What is it, you ask, that made the apostles great? Disdain for wealth, contempt for fame, freedom from worldly cares. If they did not have this, but remained slaves of passions, then even if they raised thousands of dead, not only would they not bring any benefit, but they would also be considered deceivers. So, one life shines everywhere; it only attracts the grace of the Spirit. What sign did John perform that attracted many cities to himself? That he did not work miracles, listen to the evangelist who says: “John did not perform any miracle” (John 10:41). Why did Elijah become wonderful? Is it not from boldness before the king? Is it not out of zeal for God? Is it not from poverty, or from manure, caves and mountains? Miracles were created by him after all these feats. Was it by some miracle that Job amazed the devil? He did not perform any miracles, but showed a brilliant life and patience, harder than adamant. What sign did David do while still in his youth, when God said about him: “I have found a man after My heart, David the son of Jesse” (Acts 13:22)? And Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob raised anyone from the dead? Has anyone been cleansed of leprosy? Do you know that the gift of miracles, given our carelessness, can often even cause harm? So many of the Corinthians fell into schisms; many of the Romans became proud; Simon was cast out, and the one who wanted to follow Christ turned out to be unworthy, having heard that “foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests” (Luke 9:58). All of them, desiring miracles or money or fame for themselves, fell away and perished. But zealous life and love for virtue not only do not give rise to such a desire, but, even if it existed, they destroy it. And what did Christ say when he spoke the laws to His disciples? Did he say: perform miracles so that people can see? Not at all! So what? “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). And he did not say to Peter: if you love Me, then do miracles; but - “Feed My sheep” (John 21:17). And if the Lord always preferred him with James and John to the other apostles, then tell me why this preference? Is it for miracles? But they all equally cleansed lepers, raised the dead; The Lord has given all power to everyone. What was their advantage? In spiritual valor. So, you see, life and the manifestation of works are needed everywhere. “By their fruits,” says the Lord, “you will know them” (Matthew 7:16). 4. What makes up our life? Is it the manifestation of miracles, or concern for the improvement of behavior? Obviously the latter. Miracles borrow their beginning from here, and have their end here. He who leads an excellent life attracts to himself the grace of miracles. And he who accepts grace accepts it in order to correct the lives of others. And Christ performed His miracles in order that through them He would appear worthy of faith and, having attracted people to Him, introduce virtue into the world. This is what He primarily cares about. That is why He is not content with miracles alone, but sometimes threatens Gehenna, then promises the kingdom, then prescribes His wonderful laws and uses all means to make us equal to the angels. But what can we say about Christ? Is he the only one who creates everything with such a purpose? Tell me yourself: if you were given a choice - either to raise the dead in His name, or to die for His name, which would you more willingly choose? Isn't it the latter without any doubt? But the first would be a miracle, and the last is a matter. And if you were offered either to turn grass into gold, or to have such willpower as to trample all wealth like grass, wouldn’t you rather choose the latter? And quite fair. With this choice you will attract more people to you. Seeing the grass turn into gold, they themselves will wish to have the same power, like Simon; and through this their covetousness will increase. On the contrary, if they saw that everyone tramples and despises gold like grass, they would have gotten rid of this disease long ago. So, do you see that life can be more rewarding? I call life not when you fast, when you put on sackcloth and ashes, but when you neglect wealth, as you should neglect it, when you abound in love, give your bread to the hungry, restrain anger, reject vanity, destroy envy in yourself. This is the lesson taught to us by Christ. “Learn,” He says, “from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). He doesn’t say: I fasted, - at least he could have mentioned the forty-day fast; but, keeping silent about this, he only points out, “for I am meek and lowly in heart.” And again, sending the disciples, he did not say: fast; but - “eat what is offered to you” (Luke 10:8). Meanwhile, he demands that they beware of covetousness in every possible way, saying: “Do not take with you gold, silver, or copper for your belts” (Matthew 10:9). I say this not to condemn fasting: let it not happen! On the contrary, I highly approve of the post. I only grieve when you, despising all other virtues, consider the one that occupies the last place in the list of virtues to be sufficient for your salvation. The most important of them are: love, meekness and almsgiving, which surpasses even virginity. So, if you want to become equal to the apostles, nothing prevents you. It is enough for you to fulfill only the virtue of almsgiving, so that you will not be poorer in anything than the apostles. Therefore, no one should postpone achievements in virtue until they receive the gift of miracles. If a demon suffers when he is expelled from the body, then he suffers much more when he sees a soul freed from sin. Truly, sin is the main demonic force; Because of sin, Christ died to destroy it; death was introduced by sin; everything is transformed through sin. If you have destroyed sin in yourself, you have cut the veins of the devil, erased his head, destroyed all his power, scattered the army, created a miracle, greater than all miracles. This is not my word, but that of Blessed Paul, who, having said: “Be zealous for great gifts, and I will show you an even more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31), represents not the gift of miracles, but love - the root of all good. So, if we practice love and other wisdom based on it, then we will have no need for miracles; on the contrary, if we do not practice love, we will not receive any benefit from miracles. Thinking about all this, let us be jealous of what made the apostles great. Do you want to know how they became great? Listen to Peter saying: “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what will happen to us” (Matthew 19:27)? Listen also to Christ answering the disciples: “You too will sit on twelve thrones. And everyone who leaves houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:28:29). So, having removed from ourselves all worldly cares, let us devote ourselves to Christ, so that we may become equal to the apostles according to His determination, and be worthy of eternal life, which may we all receive by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. You might be interested in: