Беседа 16

John 1:19. And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him: who are you? 1. How the malice of the Jews is manifested in the questions with which they turned to St. John the Baptist. – 2. How this faithful Forerunner gives to Jesus Christ the glory that even the Jews wanted to give to him. – 3–4. The high opinion that the Jews had of St. John the Baptist. “Their unbelief in Jesus Christ was inexcusable and did not deserve forgiveness. - Humility of St. John the Baptist. - Against the Anomeans. – Pride overthrows all virtue of the soul and perverts all good deeds. – She is the mother of the devil, the beginning, source and cause of all sins. - About alms. – The poor bring the blessings of this world to heaven. – The fragility of earthly possessions is why it is necessary to transfer them to a higher city in advance. 1. A dangerous passion, beloved, is envy; dangerous and disastrous for the envious themselves, and not for those who are envied. First of all, it causes harm and death to them, like some deadly poison that has penetrated into their souls. And if it ever harms those who are envied, then this harm is small and insignificant, and it also gives them a benefit that is much more important than the loss. And this happens not only with envy, but with all other passions: not the one who suffers evil, but the one who does evil, receives harm. Otherwise, if this were not so, Paul would not have taught his disciples that it is better to suffer injustice than to do it, saying: “Why would it be better for you not to remain offended? Why would you rather not endure hardship?” (1 Cor. 6:7). He knew well that death everywhere follows not the one who suffers evil, but the one who does evil. I say all this about the envy of the Jews. People who flocked from the cities to John and, in repentance of their sins, received baptism - those same ones, after baptism, as if changing their minds again, send to ask him: “Who are you?” Truly the offspring of vipers, snakes, if not worse than them. Evil, adulterous and depraved generation, are you already after baptism searching and curious to know about the Baptist? Could there be anything more stupid than this stupidity? How did you come to him? How did you confess your sins? How did they rush to be baptized by him? How did they ask him what he should do? So, you did all this recklessly, without awareness of the reason or basis for it? However, blessed John did not say anything like that, did not cry out, did not reproach them; but he answered with all condescension. And why he did this is worth finding out, so that the villainy of the Jews would be clear and obvious to everyone. John often testified to the Jews about Christ and, when he baptized, he often reminded those who came of Him and said: “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who comes after me is stronger than I; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). But in relation to John they showed human weakness: having in mind worldly glory and looking at appearance, they thought that it was unworthy of John to subordinate himself to Christ. John was elevated by many things in their eyes: firstly, his eminent and noble origin, because he was the son of a high priest; secondly, the severity of life and contempt for everything human, because he, neglecting clothes, home, and food itself, spent all his time in the desert. In Christ everything was the opposite, a humble origin, which the Jews often put on display, saying: “Isn’t He the son of carpenters? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers James and Joses” (Matthew 13:55)? And His supposed fatherland was in such disgrace that Nathanael said: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46). His lifestyle was ordinary, His clothes were no different from others; He did not wear a leather belt, did not have a hair shirt, did not eat honey or locusts; he lived like everyone else, was present in the meetings of vicious people and tax collectors, only to attract them. The Jews, not understanding this, reviled Him, just as He himself says: “The Son of Man came, eating and drinking; and they say, “Here is a man who loves to eat and drink wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 11:19). And so, as John often sent them away from himself to the One who, in their opinion, was lower than him, they, ashamed and annoyed at this and wishing it would be better to have John as a teacher, did not dare to express this openly; and they send an embassy to him, hoping by flattery to win him over so that he declares himself Christ. And they do not send any despicable people to him, as to Christ, when, wanting to capture Him, they sent servants, then the Herodians and similar people; but priests and Levites, and priests specifically from Jerusalem, i.e. the most honorable (the evangelist noticed this not without reason). They then send to ask John: “Who are you?” And yet his birth was known to everyone, so that everyone said: “What will this baby be?” (Luke 1:66) - and rumors about him spread throughout the mountainous country. Again, when he came to the Jordan, the inhabitants of all the cities hurried to him, and from Jerusalem and from all Judea they went to be baptized by him. So this is what people are asking now, not because they don’t know him (how could they not know a man who has become so famous?); but they wanted to lead him to what I expressed. 2. Listen to how this blessed man answers precisely the thought with which they asked him, and not the question itself. When they asked: "Who are you"? – he did not suddenly say what should have been said: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness” (Mark 1:3). And what? He destroys their assumption - to the question: “Who are you?” – he “declared and did not deny, and declared that I am not the Christ” (John 1:20). Notice the wisdom of the evangelist. Three times he says the same thing to show both the virtue of the Baptist and all the wickedness and senselessness of the Jews. Luke also says that when the people assumed whether he was Christ, he destroyed this assumption. This is the property of a well-meaning servant - not only not to steal the honor that belongs to the master, but also to reject it even in such a case when others would offer it. However, the common people came to this assumption out of simplicity and ignorance; and they asked him, as I said, with malicious intent, hoping to entice him with flattery to what they wanted. And if they didn’t exactly mean this, they would not immediately move on to another question, but would become annoyed that he says something completely different and does not answer the question; they would say to him: do we suppose this? Did they come to ask about this? But, as if having been caught and convicted, they move on to another subject and say: “What? are you Elijah? He said no. Prophet? He answered: no” (John 1:21). They expected that Elijah would come, just as Christ said. To the question of the disciples: “How come the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” – He said: “Elijah must come first and arrange everything” (Matthew 17:10–11). Then they asked: “prophet”? And he answered: “no.” However, he was a prophet. Why did he recant? Again because I was looking at the purpose of those asking. They expected that some chosen prophet would come, since Moses said: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from among your brothers; listen to him” (Deut. 18:15). And this was Christ. That's why they don't say "prophet" at all? meaning one of many prophets, but with the addition: “Are you not the prophet about whom Moses foretold”? That’s why he denied – not that he was a prophet, but that he was exactly that (pre-told) prophet. “They said to him: who are you? so that we can give an answer to those who sent us: what do you say about yourself?” (John 1:22). Do you see how they begin and insist even more, repeat questions and do not lag behind? But John, with meekness, first rejects their false assumptions, and then gives a real concept of himself: “I am,” he says, “the voice of one crying in the wilderness: straighten the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said” (John 1:23). Since he had already expressed something great and lofty about Christ, as if in response to their thought, he immediately hurries to turn to the prophet and thus confirms his words. “And those who were sent were from the Pharisees; And they asked him: “Why are you baptizing if you are neither Christ, nor Elijah, nor a prophet?” (John 1:24–25). Do you see how it is not in vain that I say that this is exactly what they wanted to bring him to? But at first they did not say this, so as not to be subjected to common reproach from everyone. Then, when he said: “I am not Christ,” they, wanting to hide what they were planning in their souls, move on to Elijah and the (promised) prophet. When John said that he was neither one nor the other, they were finally bewildered, having thrown off their disguise, they openly exposed their evil plan and said: “Why are you baptizing if you are not Christ?” Then, again wanting to cover themselves, they add other people, Elijah and the prophet. Since they could not sway him with honor, they think with an accusation to force him to confess to something that did not happen. But they couldn’t do that either. Oh madness! Oh, arrogance and untimely fussiness! You have been sent to find out from him who and where he is from: do you want to prescribe laws for him? And this is exactly what they wanted, forcing him to declare himself Christ. However, even now he is not indignant and does not express anything like that, although it would be fair, such as: “Do you want to order me and give me laws?” But again he shows great meekness. “I baptize in water; but there is Someone standing among you whom you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, but who stands in front of me. I am not worthy to untie the thong of His sandals” (John 1:26–27). 3. What could the Jews say to this? Here the accusation against them is irrefutable, the condemnation is merciless; they pronounced judgment on themselves. How? They considered John worthy of all faith and so truthful that they believed him not only when he testified about others, but also when he spoke about himself. If they did not have such an opinion about him, they would not have sent to find out about himself from him. It is known that we believe only those people when they talk about themselves, whom we recognize as the most truthful people. But it is not only this that blocks their lips, but also the very disposition with which they approached it; they came to him with special zeal, although later they changed. Pointing to both, Christ said: “He was a lamp, burning and shining; but you wanted to rejoice in its light for a little while” (John 5:35). And John’s answer itself showed him even more as a man worthy of faith. He who does not seek his own glory, it is said, “is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (John 7:18). And he didn't look; but sent them to another. Meanwhile, those sent were from trusted and honorable people, so that they had no refuge or justification for their disbelief in Christ. Why didn't you accept what John said about Him? You sent your elders, through them you asked him, you heard what the Baptist answered; they, for their part, showed all the jealousy, all the curiosity, pointed to all the persons whom you assumed were in him. And yet he confessed with complete freedom that he was neither Christ, nor Elijah, nor a prophet. Not limiting himself to this, he also said who he was, talked about the essence of his baptism, namely, that it is unimportant and imperfect, and has nothing in it except water, thus showing the superiority of the baptism given by Christ. He also added the testimony of Isaiah the prophet for a long time before, and called one Lord, and the other His servant and servant. What was left to do after that? Should we not believe in Him about whom (John) testified, worship Him and confess Him as God? And that this testimony was not a matter of flattery, but of truth, was demonstrated by the character and wisdom of the witness. This is also understandable because no one prefers his neighbor to himself, and when one can receive honor oneself, no one would want to give it up to another, especially when the honor is so great. Thus, John would not have presented such testimony about Christ if He were not God. Even if he had rejected this honor from himself as one that was higher than his nature, then of course he would not have attributed it to another, lower being. “There is Someone standing among you whom you do not know.” He said this because (Christ) usually intervened in the crowd of people, like a simple man, and always taught against pride and vanity. Here John refers to knowledge as exact knowledge, precisely about who He is and where He comes from. And John often uses the expression: “He who comes after me,” saying, as it were: “Do not think that everything lies in my baptism. If it had been perfect, then another would not have come after me with the establishment of another baptism. And my baptism is only preparation and indication of the path to that baptism. Our business is shadow and image. Another person must come who will show the truth.” Thus, the words: “He who comes after me” most indicate His dignity. If (John's baptism) were perfect, then there would be no need to look for a second one. “Standed ahead of me”, i.e. That is, He is more venerable, more glorious than me. And so that they do not think that this superiority is only comparative, then, wanting to show His incomparable dignity, John adds: “I am not worthy to untie the thong of His shoes,” that is, He not only “stood ahead of me,” but in such a way that I am not worthy to be among even the last of His servants: untying shoes is the work of the lowest service. If John is not worthy to untie his belt, - John, “of those born of women there is not one greater prophet” (Luke 7:28), then where should we place ourselves? If one is worthy of the whole world, or better yet, greater than it (as it is said: “of whom the whole world was not worthy” (Heb. 11:38)), if he recognizes himself as unworthy to be among His last servants, then what will we say, burdened with thousands of vices - we, who are as far removed from the virtue of John as the earth is from heaven? 4. So, John says about himself that “I am not worthy to untie the thong of His sandals”; and the enemies of the truth reach such madness that they consider themselves worthy to know Him as He knows Himself. What could be worse than such madness? What is more extravagant than such self-praise? Someone wise said well: “The beginning of pride is the removal of a person from the Lord and the retreat of his heart from his Creator” (Sir.10:14). The devil, who was not a devil before, would not have been cast down and would not have become a devil if he had not fallen ill with this very disease. She deprived him of his former dignity, she brought him down to Gehenna, she served as the cause of all his evils. This vice can in itself damage any virtue of the soul - be it almsgiving, prayer, fasting, or anything else. It is said that what is high among people is not pure before the Lord. It is not only fornication and adultery that defiles those who indulge in it, but also pride, and even much more. Why? Because although fornication is an unforgivable evil, at least another person can refer to a desire; and arrogance has no reason, no pretext under which it would deserve even the shadow of an apology; it is nothing more than the corruption of the soul and the most serious illness, arising from nothing other than recklessness. Truly, there is no more reckless person than an arrogant person, even if he possessed great wealth, even if he received an extensive external education, even if he was placed in the highest degree of power, even if he had everything that seems enviable to people. If the one who is proud of real advantages is pitiful and unhappy and loses the reward for all his perfections, then isn’t the funniest of all the one who is puffed up with insignificant blessings, the shadow and the color of the grass (such is the glory of this age), since he acts in the same way as if a poor man, a beggar, constantly depressed by hunger, accidentally saw a pleasant dream one night and thereby began to be vain? Pathetic and unfortunate! Your soul is consumed by a severe illness, and you, wretched in extreme misery, dream that you have so many talents of gold and a multitude of servants? Yes, this is not yours. And if you don’t believe my words, then be convinced by the experiences of formerly rich people. If you are so intoxicated that you are not enlightened by the adventures of others, then wait a little and you will learn from your own experience that there is no benefit for you from these blessings when, at your last breath, not being in control of a single hour, not a single minute, you involuntarily leave them to the people around you and, as often happens, to people whom you would not want to leave. Many did not even have the opportunity to dispose of them, but left accidentally, still wanting to enjoy them, but they were no longer allowed to do so, and being carried away, leaving the world involuntarily, out of necessity, they left their benefits to those whom they would not have wanted. To prevent this from happening to us, we, while we are alive and well, will send them to our (coming) city. Only in this way will we be able to enjoy them, and not otherwise; This is the only way we will put them in a safe and secure place. Nothing, nothing can snatch them from there: neither death, nor trust certificates, nor heirs, nor slander and slander; but whoever brings with him as much as he leaves here will enjoy everything continuously. And who is so unhappy that he would not want to be eternally consoled by his acquisitions? Let us move our wealth and put it there. For this transfer we do not need donkeys, camels, chariots, or ships - and God saved us from these troubles - we will only need the poor, lame, blind, and sick. They are entrusted with this transportation, they send wealth to heaven, they introduce the owners of wealth into the inheritance of eternal blessings, which may we all achieve, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: