Беседа 60

John 10:14–15. I am the good shepherd; and I know Mine, and Mine know Me. As the Father knows Me, so I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 1. Thin shepherds. – New confirmation of the equality of the Son with the Father. – 2. A hint of the calling of the pagans. – How Jesus Christ has the power to leave his life and take it up again. – 3. Dispute among the Jews regarding Jesus Christ. 4 and 5. We need to imitate Jesus Christ as our example. – 6. Duties of His disciples and followers. - A great reward for those who console prisoners. 1. A great thing, beloved, a great thing is to preside over the Church. It requires a lot of wisdom and such courage that one must, as Christ said, lay down one’s life for the sheep, never leave them without protection and help, and stand firmly against the wolf. This is what distinguishes a shepherd from a hireling. The latter, not caring about the sheep, always has his own safety in mind; the first, on the contrary, always cares about saving the sheep, forgetting about himself. Having thus indicated the signs of a shepherd, Christ exposes two destroyers; one of them is a thief who kills and plunders, and the other is one who does nothing of the kind himself, but for that reason does not pay attention and does not interfere when others do it. In the person of the first, He points to Theudas and others like him, and in the person of the other, He exposes the Jewish teachers who did not care and did not care about the sheep entrusted to them. Ezekiel once reproached them for this, saying: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who fed themselves! Shouldn’t shepherds feed the flock?” (Ezek.34:2). But they did the opposite; and this is the greatest degree of wickedness and the cause of all other evils. That is why (the prophet) says that they did not turn the lost (sheep) to the way, and did not look for the lost one, and did not bind the one whose legs were broken, and did not heal the sick, they tended themselves, and not the sheep (Ezek. 34: 4, 8). Paul pointed to the same thing in other words, saying: “For everyone seeks their own, and not the things that please Jesus Christ” (Phil. 2:21); and in another place: “Seek no one his own, but each one the benefit of another” (1 Cor. 10:24). But Christ distinguishes Himself from both: from the first, who come with the goal of destroying, with the words: “I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10); and from the latter, who allow the wolves to plunder the sheep, by the fact that he not only did not abandon, but even laid down His soul for the sheep, so as not to let them perish. In fact, when they decided to kill Him, He neither retreated from the teaching nor betrayed the believers, but stood firm and was willing to die. That is why he often said: “I am the good shepherd.” But since His words seemed unsubstantiated (after all, although the saying: “I lay down My life” came true after a little time, the other: “so that they may have life and have it more abundantly” was to come true after the migration from this life, in the century to come), then what does He do? Through one he certifies the other. By the fact that he laid down his soul (he also certifies that) he gives life. Paul also spoke about this: “if, although we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we will be saved” (Rom. 5:10). Also in another place: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Rom.8:32). But why don’t they accuse Him now, as before, saying: “You testify about Yourself; Your testimony is not true” (John 8:13)? Because He had often already stopped their mouths and through miracles acquired greater right to speak freely before them. Further, since He said above: “But the sheep follow him, because they know his voice” (John 10:4), so that someone would not say: why (were) those who did not believe? - listen to what he added: “I know those who are mine, and those who are mine know me” (John 10:14). Paul also pointed out this, saying: “God did not reject His people, which He knew in advance” (Rom. 11:2), and Moses: “The Lord knew those who were His” (Num. 16:5; 2 Tim. 2:19). I mean those, says Christ, about whom I knew in advance. And so that you do not imagine the measure of knowledge to be the same, listen to how He warns this in further words. “I know,” he says, “Mine, and Mine know Me.” But here the knowledge is not the same. Where is the same? In the Father and in Me; here – “as the Father knows Me, so I know the Father” (John 10:15). If this were not what He wanted to show, then why would He add those words? But as He often puts Himself in the ranks of people, so that no one would think that His knowledge is similar to human knowledge, He added: “As the Father knows Me, so I know the Father.” I also know Him completely as He knows Me. That is why He said: “no one knows the Son except the Father; and no one knows the Father except the Son” (Matthew 11:27), meaning some special knowledge, such as no one else can have. “And I lay down my life.” He repeats this often to show that He is not a deceiver. Likewise, the apostle, when he wanted to show himself as a true teacher and directed his word against the false apostles, boasted about troubles and deaths, saying: “I was... immensely wounded,... and many times at the point of death” (2 Cor. 11:23). The expressions: “I am light”, and: “I am life” - seemed arrogant to the senseless; but the words: “I want to die” did not arouse either envy or hatred. That’s why they don’t tell Him: “You testify about Yourself, Your testimony is not true.” Those words showed great concern in Him, since He wanted to give Himself up for the people who were throwing stones at Him. 2. Therefore, it is timely to introduce a word about the pagans. “I have other sheep,” he says, “which are not of this fold, and these I must bring” (John 10:16). Here again is the expression: “must” does not mean coercion, but indicates an action that is sure to follow. As if he were saying this: what is surprising if these follow Me and if the sheep listen to My voice? When you see that others follow Me and listen to My voice, then you will be more amazed. Do not be embarrassed by the fact that He says: “which are not of this court.” This difference is only in relation to the law, as Paul says: “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing” (1 Cor. 7:19). “And these I must bring.” Shows that both were scattered and mixed, and that both had no shepherds until the coming of the Good Shepherd. Then he predicts their future union, that they will be “one herd.” Paul again pointed out the same thing, saying: “that out of the two he might create in himself one new man” (Eph. 2:15). “This is why the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life in order to take it again” (John 10:17). What could be more humiliating than these words? Our Lord enjoys the love (of the Father) for our sake, because he dies for us! Well, tell me, wasn’t He loved before, but only now the Father began to love Him, and we were the authors of this love? Do you see how He adapts to our weakness? But what does He want to show here? Since they called Him a stranger to the Father and a deceiver, and claimed that He came for harm and destruction, then He says that if nothing else, then at least that prompted Me to love you, that the Father loves you, just as He loves Me, and that He loves (Me) because I die for you. And at the same time, he wants to show that he is not going to death through captivity (if it were through captivity, then how would this give Him love?), and that this is very pleasing to the Father. And do not be surprised that He speaks here like a man. We have already indicated the reason for this many times, and repeating the same thing again would be unnecessary and burdensome. “I lay down My life in order to take it up again. No one takes it away from Me, but I myself give it. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again” (John 10:17-18). Since they often plotted to kill Him, He says: without My permission, your work is in vain, - and the previous is proven by the following - resurrection by death. This is surprising and extraordinary, because both (death and resurrection) followed in a special and unusual way. But let us carefully listen to what is said. “I have power,” he says, “to lay down my life.” But who does not have the power to lay down his life? Anyone who wants can kill himself. But His words do not have this meaning. Which one? I have such power to lay down that, against My will, no one can take it away from Me; but the same cannot be said about people. There is no other way we can lay down our soul on our own than by putting ourselves to death. And if we fall into the hands of people who are malicious and have the power to kill us, then we no longer have the power to put or not to put, but they kill us even against our will. But He is not like that. He had the power not to lay down His soul even when others were plotting against it. That is why, having said: “no one takes it away from Me.” then he added: “I have the power to lay down my life,” that is, I alone have the power to lay it down, and you do not have this power, because many others can take it from you. At first He did not say this, because then His words would not have seemed probable. But when He already had proof in the very deeds, when more than once those who were plotting against Him could not capture Him (and He left their hands many times), then He already says: “no one takes it away from Me.” If this is true, then it follows that He voluntarily goes to death. And if this is true, then it is also certain that He, when He wants, can again perceive His soul. If His death was such a thing that exceeds human strength, then do not doubt about Him in the rest. The fact that He alone has the power to lay down His soul shows that, by the same power, He can take it up again. Do you see how he was the first to confirm the second, and by death he undeniably proved the resurrection? “I have received this commandment from the Father.” Which “this”? Die for peace. So did He really wait to hear first, and after that had already decided, and did He really need to find out about it? But who sane can say this? No, as above, with the words: “Therefore the Father loves Me” (John 10:17) showed His voluntary desire and destroyed every thought of the contrary, so here, when he said that he received a commandment from the Father, he does not express anything other than the fact that the Father is pleased with what I do, so that when they kill Him, they would not think that they killed Him, as abandoned and betrayed by the Father, and would not be reviled as they were reviled: “He saved others, but Himself.” He cannot save himself,” and: “if you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27:42, 40). That is precisely why He does not come down (from the cross), because He is the Son of God. 3. And so that you, hearing that He received the commandment from the Father, would not think that this was a matter alien to Him, He already said in advance: “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11), showing that the sheep belong to Him, that everything that followed was His work and that He has no need of a commandment. And if He needed a commandment, how could He say: “I myself give”? He who believes by himself has no need of a commandment. Moreover, He also indicates the reason why He does this. What is this reason? That He is the shepherd and the good shepherd; and a good shepherd does not need another to encourage him to do such a thing. If this happens among people, then all the more should we expect this from God. That is why Paul says that He “made Himself of no reputation” (Phil. 2:7). So the word commandment here means nothing more than His unanimity with the Father. If it is spoken here in such a humiliating and human manner, then the reason for this is the weakness of the listeners. “From these words a quarrel arose again between the Jews. Many of them said: He is possessed by a demon and is going mad; Why are you listening to Him? Others said: these are not the words of a demoniac; Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? ( John 10:19–21 ). Since His words were higher than human and went beyond the ordinary, they called Him demon-possessed, speaking about Him this way for the fourth time. And before they said: “Isn’t You a demon? who seeks to kill you? (John 7:20). And again: “Aren’t we telling the truth that You are a Samaritan and that You have a demon?” (John 8:48). Also here: “He is possessed by a demon and goes mad; Why are you listening to Him? However, it is more likely that He heard such feedback not four times, but more often. The words: “Are we not telling the truth that the devil is in You?” serve as a sign that they did not say this twice or three times, but often. “Others,” it is said, “said: these are the words of someone who is not possessed; Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? Since they could not stop their mouths, referring to words, they finally borrow evidence from deeds. And the very words (they say) are obviously not befitting of a possessed person; but if words do not convince you, then be convinced by deeds. If these are not the works of a demoniac, and yet they are higher than human ones, then it is obvious that they are the action of some divine power. Did you understand the conclusion? That the deeds were higher than human ones is evident from their words: “He is possessed by a demon.” And that He did not have a demon, He proved by His deeds. What about Christ? Nothing answers this. Previously He answered: “There is no demon in Me,” but now He does not answer. Having already presented evidence from works, He is now silent. And those who called Him demon-possessed were not worthy of any answer for something that should have been surprising and for which they should have recognized Him as God. And was there any need for any reproof on His part, when they themselves rebelled against each other and denounced one another? That is why He was silent and endured everything with meekness. However, not only for this reason, but also in order to teach us meekness and all long-suffering. 4. Let us therefore imitate Him. He did not limit himself to silence, but spoke out again, and when asked, answered and showed His concern. He was called possessed and frantic by people who received countless benefits from Him, not once or twice, but many times; however, He not only did not take revenge, but also did not cease to do good to them. And what am I saying – do good? He laid down His soul for them, and on the cross interceded for them before the Father. Let us also imitate this. After all, to be a disciple of Christ means to be meek and gentle. But how can we acquire this meekness? If we constantly think about our sins, if we grieve and cry. A soul immersed in such lamentation can neither be irritated nor angry. Where there is sorrow, there anger is impossible; where there is sadness, there is no place for anger; where there is contrition of spirit, there cannot be indignation. A soul tormented by grief has no time to be irritated; but he complains bitterly and cries even more bitterly. I know that many people laugh when they hear this; but I will not stop crying for those who laugh. The present time is a time of sorrow, tears and sobs. We sin a lot both in words and in deeds; and such sinners expect Gehenna and a river boiling with waves of fire, and, worst of all, deprivation of the kingdom. And with such and such threats, tell me, do you laugh and have fun? And while your Lord is angry and threatens, do you remain careless? And are you not afraid to kindle a burning furnace for yourself? Don't you hear what He calls every day? You saw Me hungry and did not feed me, thirsty and did not give me drink. “go... into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41–42). He repeats such threats every day. But I, you say, fed Him. When and how many days? Ten, twenty? But He wants it - not just during these days, but throughout the entire time you live on earth. After all, the virgins also had oil, but not in sufficient quantity for their salvation. And they lit the lamps, but were not admitted into the bridal chamber. And quite rightly so, because their lamps went out before the coming of the bridegroom. Therefore we must have much oil and much love for mankind. Listen to what the prophet says: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy” (Ps. 50:3). So we should have mercy on our neighbors according to the great mercy possible to us. What kind of behavior we ourselves will have in relation to slaves like us, we will prepare the same for ourselves and the Master. When is mercy great? When we give not out of abundance, but out of scarcity. And if we do not give and from an abundance, then what hope remains for us? What will save us from those evils? Where shall we resort and where shall we find salvation? If the virgins, after so many and such great labors, did not receive any consolation from anywhere, then who will be our intercessor when we hear those terrible words, when the Judge himself, reproaching us, says: you did not feed Me when I was hungry? “Because you,” he says, “did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me” (Matthew 25:45), meaning here not only the disciples who chose the monastic life, but also every person who believes. Even if he were a slave, even if he was one of the beggars begging in the square, but if he believes in God, he has the right to enjoy all the favor. And if we despise such a person when he is naked or hungry, we will hear those words. And quite rightly so. Does (the Lord) require anything difficult and burdensome from us? Is it not, on the contrary, that it is very easy and convenient to do? After all, He did not say: I was sick, and you did not heal Me, but: “You did not visit Me.” He did not say: I was in prison, and you did not free Me, but you did not come to Me. And the easier the commandments, the greater the punishment for those who do not fulfill them. What could be easier, tell me, than to go and enter the dungeon? What's even nicer? When you see some in chains, others in mud, some overgrown with hair and dressed in rags, others melting from hunger and, like dogs, running to their feet, others with torn ribs, others only now returning in chains from the square, where they beg for alms all day long, but do not collect the necessary food, and meanwhile in the evening they are forced to give to the guards what they got from these heavy and through unbearable labor, then, even if you were a stone, you will certainly become more humane; even if you led a pampered and dissolute life, you will certainly become more philosophical when you see the fate of people in other people’s misfortunes. Then that terrible day with its various punishments will certainly come to your mind. And when you remember and reflect on this, you will certainly reject anger, pleasure, and addiction to worldly things, and you will make your soul quieter than the quietest pier. You will also wax philosophical about that judgment seat, imagining that if people have such structure and order, fear and threats, then even more so with God. “For there is no authority except from God” (Rom. 13:1). And He who left it to the rulers to manage in this way will much more do it himself. 5. And if it were not for this fear, everything would perish, because even now, when so many punishments threaten us, many rush towards evil. By thinking about this, you will not only be more diligent in deeds of mercy, but you will also receive great pleasure - much greater than those that come from the spectacle. Those returning from there burn with the fire of lust. Having seen those passionate women on stage and received numerous wounds from it, they are no better than the agitated sea, because looks, clothes, words, steps and everything else appear to their eyes and do not give peace to the soul. On the contrary, those who come out of here (from prison) will not be subjected to anything like that, but will acquire deep calm and serenity. The sorrow produced by the spectacle of the prisoners extinguishes all such fire. Whoever came out from the prisoners, even if he encountered any prodigal and shameless woman, she would not cause him any harm. Having already become, as it were, innocent, he will not be caught in the net of her gaze, because instead of her shameless gaze, the fear of judgment will then be before his eyes. That is why he who experienced all kinds of pleasures said: “It is better to go to the house of mourning... than to go to the house of feasting” (Eccl. 7:3). Thus, here he will show great wisdom, and there he will hear words worth countless bliss. Let us not neglect such a matter and occupation. Let us not be able to bring food or help with money; But we can console and encourage a sad soul with a word, and provide a lot of other help, for example, to persuade those who were thrown (into prison), to win over the condescension of the guards, and in every possible way we can bring greater or lesser benefit. If you say that there are not honest, kind and meek people there, but murderers, grave robbers, thieves, adulterers, dissolute people and evildoers, then again you will show me the reason why it is necessary to visit such places. We are not commanded to show mercy to the good and punish the evil, but to show love to everyone. Be, it is said, like your Father in Heaven, “for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). So, do not judge others harshly, and do not be a cruel judge, but meek and philanthropic. After all, even if we are not guilty of adultery, grave robberies, or theft, we have other sins worthy of many punishments. And the brother was often called a fool, and this exposes us to Gehenna; and they looked at women with intemperate eyes, and this amounts to complete fornication; but what’s worse is that we do not participate in a worthy manner in the sacraments, which makes us obedient to the body and blood of Christ. Let us not be strict investigators of other people's affairs, but let us think about our own, and then we will not be so inhuman and cruel. In addition, it must be said that there we will find many good people, often worth an entire city. And in the prison where Joseph was, there were many wicked people, but this righteous man took care of them all; and he himself was kept (there) along with others. He was worth all of Egypt, and yet he lived in prison, and none of those who were there knew him. So now, perhaps, there are many honest and kind people there, but they are not known to everyone, and caring for such people rewards you for caring for everyone. And if there were not even one such person, then in this case there would be a great reward. And your Lord Himself did not only talk with the righteous: He did not run away from the unclean, but, on the contrary, He accepted the Canaanite woman with great favor, and the sinful and unclean Samaritan woman. He also accepted and healed another harlot, because of whom the Jews reproached Him, and allowed His feet to be wetted with the tears of a sinner, teaching us to be lenient towards sinners. This is what philanthropy consists primarily of. What are you saying? Are there robbers and grave robbers living in the dungeon? But tell me, do all the righteous people live in the city? Are there, on the contrary, many who are worse than those and indulge in robbery with great shamelessness? Those, if nothing else, hide behind, at least, desert and darkness, and do it in secret; these, on the contrary, having cast aside their disguise, commit evil with an open face, indulging in violence, predation and covetousness. Yes, and it is difficult to find a person who is pure from untruth. 6. Let us not steal gold and so many acres of land; but still, through some kind of deception and concealment, we do the same thing on a smaller scale and as much as we can. When, for example, in trade obligations and when buying or selling something, we argue and try to pay less than we should, and try in every possible way about this, is this not robbery? Isn't it theft and embezzlement? Don't tell me that you didn't take away the house or the slaves. Injustice is determined not by the value of what is stolen, but by the intention of the thieves. Injustice and justice have equal force in both large and small. And I equally call a thief both the one who, having cut off his wallet, takes someone else’s money, and the one who, buying something in the market, withholds part of the real price. And the robber is not only the one who breaks down the wall and steals something from the house, but also the one who violates justice and takes something from his neighbor. So, let us not be judges of other people's affairs, forgetting about our own; we will not engage in the study of vices when there is a case for philanthropy; but, having thought about what we once were, we will henceforth be meek and humane. What were we? Listen to what Paul says. “For we also were once foolish, disobedient, lost, slaves of lusts and various pleasures,... we were vile, hating one another” (Titus 3:3). And in another place: “were by nature children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3). But God, seeing us as if kept in prison and bound with heavy bonds - bonds much heavier than iron ones - was not ashamed, but came and appeared in prison, and, worthy of countless punishments, brought us out of there, brought us into the kingdom and made us the brightest of heaven, so that we, if possible, would do the same. When He says to the disciples: “If I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, then you should also wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do the same as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15), then this law gives not only the washing of feet, but also everything else in which He served as an example for us. Whether there is a murderer living in prison, we will not tire of doing good. Whether a grave robber or an adulterer, let us be merciful not to vice, but to misfortune. Often, as I said, there may be a person there who alone is worth very many. And if you constantly visit prisoners, you will not miss such an acquisition. Just as Abraham, who received all strangers without distinction, once received angels, so we will meet great people if we turn this matter into a permanent occupation. If something surprising needs to be said, then the one who accepts the great deserves not so much praise as the one who accepts the pitiful and unfortunate. He, in the circumstances of his life, represents an important incentive to treat him kindly; and the rejected and abandoned by everyone has only one refuge - the mercy of the one who looks upon him with kindness. And this, predominantly, is pure philanthropy. Moreover, whoever serves a famous and famous person often does it out of vanity in front of people; and whoever is rejected and despised acts solely according to the commandment of God. That is why, when we hold a supper, we are commanded to receive the lame and the blind; When you give alms, it is commanded to do it to the least and lowest of people. “Just as you,” says the Savior, “did it to one of these... the least of these, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40). So, knowing about the treasure located there, let us often go there and trade there, and there we will transfer our zeal for the spectacles. Even if you couldn’t bring anything with you, bring comfort with a word. God rewards not only the one who feeds, but also the one who goes there. When you come and encourage a trembling and fearful soul with your consolation, aid, promise of protection, teaching wisdom, you will receive no small reward for that. When you conduct such a conversation in other places, many, pampered by many different pleasures, will begin to laugh at you. But those who are in misfortune, being humble in spirit, will listen to your words with great meekness, praise you and become better. And the Jews often laughed at Paul when he preached; but the prisoners listened to him in great silence. Nothing disposes the soul more towards wisdom than adversity, temptation and threatening sorrow. So, having imagined all this, how much good we will do both to those kept in prisons and to ourselves if we constantly treat them, and begin to use for this all the time that we spend in timeless and empty activities in the squares. Through this we will bring benefit to them and joy to ourselves, and, having served for the glory of God, we will be worthy of eternal blessings, according to the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: