Беседа 63

John 11:30–31. Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was at the place where Martha met Him. The Jews who were with her... and so on. 1. Arrival of Jesus Christ in Bethany. – Jesus Christ shed tears for Lazarus. – 2. Jesus Christ in front of the open tomb, in which the body began to decompose. – 3 and 4. Faith is a great good and a source of many benefits. - Indisputable proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. - Against adulterers. 1. Philosophy is a great good—I mean the wisdom that we have. With the pagans everything is just words and fables; and these very fables do not contain any wisdom, because with them everything is done for the sake of glory. So, great good is wisdom; it already rewards us here too. Thus, whoever despises wealth already benefits here, because he gets rid of unnecessary and useless worries. Whoever tramples on glory already receives a reward here, because he does not serve as a slave to anyone, but is free with true freedom. Whoever desires heavenly (blessings) already receives rewards here, because, by counting everything present as nothing, he easily overcomes all sadness. So this woman received a reward here for her wisdom. While everyone was sitting with her, grieving and crying, she did not expect the Teacher to come to her, did not pay attention to (her) dignity and was not restrained by grief. Those who mourn, along with other illnesses, also have that illness that they want to be held in high esteem by those present. But there was none of this in her, and as soon as she heard (that the Lord had come), she immediately went to Him. “Jesus had not yet entered the village.” He did not walk quickly, so that it could be seen that He was not striving for a miracle himself, but was walking at their request. Either this is exactly what the evangelist wants to express with the words: “she arose hastily” (John 11:29), or he shows by this that (Mary) ran like that in order to warn His coming. Meanwhile, she does not go alone, but draws with her the Jews who were in the house. Very wisely, therefore, the sister called her secretly, so as not to confuse those gathered, and did not say why; otherwise many would have left; and now everyone followed her, believing that she was going to cry. Perhaps also through this (the evangelist) again assures that Lazarus really died. “And she fell at His feet” (John 11:32). She was more fiery than her sister. She was not ashamed of the people or the bad opinion they had about Christ (there were many of His enemies who said: “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, have done so that this one should not die?” (John 11:37)). In the presence of the Teacher, she abandoned everything human and cared only about honoring the Teacher. So what does she say? "God! If You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32). What about Christ? Now he doesn't say anything to her yet; doesn’t even say what he told her sister. There were a lot of people present here, and this was not the time for such speeches. He only humbles himself and condescends, and in order to assure him of His human nature, he quietly cries and postpones the miracle until time. Indeed, this was a great miracle, one of which He performed few, and through it many were to believe. Therefore, so that it would not seem incredible to the people if it had been accomplished without Him, and so that despite all the greatness it would not remain without benefit, Christ attracts many witnesses with His condescension so as not to destroy the spoils, and reveals in Himself what was characteristic of His human nature, i.e. cries and is embarrassed, since grief usually produces crying. Then He curbs His grief (this is exactly what the expression means: “he rebuked the spirit” (John 11:33)), and then asks: “Where have you laid him?” , – so that the question is not connected with sobbing. But why does He ask? Because he does not want to begin on his own (to perform a miracle), but wants to learn everything from others and do it at their request, in order to free the miracle from any suspicion. “They say to Him: Lord! come and see. Jesus shed tears” (John 11:34–35). Do you see that until now He has not indicated anything about the resurrection, and that He seems to be coming not to resurrect, but to cry? And that it really seemed that He went with this intention, i.e. in order to cry, and not to resurrect, this is shown by the Jews, who therefore said: “Look how He loved him. And some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have prevented this one from dying?” ( John 11:36–37 ). Even in misfortune they did not abandon their anger. But (Christ) intends to do something even more amazing: driving away death, which has already arrived and taken possession of (man), is much more important than stopping death from coming. Thus, they blame Him for the very reason why His power should be marveled at. It is admitted for the time being that He opened the eyes of the blind; but instead of marveling at Him for this, because of the death of Lazarus, they slander that miracle as if it did not happen. However, it is not only evident from this that they were all corrupted, but also from the fact that even before He came and showed (His power), they already preceded Him with accusations, without waiting for the end of the matter. Do you see how wrong their judgment was? 2. So He comes to the tomb and again holds back the sorrow. But why does the evangelist carefully and more than once notice that He wept and that He held back grief? So that you know that He was truly clothed with our nature. Since this (evangelist) obviously speaks great things about Him more than others, he speaks here about His human affairs in a much more humiliating manner. About His death, he did not say anything like the others - namely, that He was sad, that He was in labor; but it is completely contrary - that He also threw (the soldiers) down on their faces. So, what was omitted there, he made up for here, speaking about crying. And Christ himself, speaking about death, says: “I have power to lay down My life” (John 10:18), and does not say anything derogatory. That is why, when they talk about suffering, (the evangelists) attribute a lot of humanity to Him, showing that His incarnation is true. Thus Matthew confirms this by speaking of His dying pangs, confusion and sweat; and this one is about crying. In fact, if He had not been of our nature, He would not have been overcome with grief, and not once, but twice. What about Jesus? He does not at all defend Himself before the Jews from their accusations. And why was it necessary to refute in words those who would immediately be refuted by deeds? Meanwhile, this (refutation) was not so painful and could more shame them. “Jesus says: Take away the stone” (John 11:39). Why didn’t He call and resurrect him while he was not yet there? And especially why He didn’t resurrect him when the stone was still piled up. Whoever could move a dead body with his voice and animate it again, was, of course, much more able to move a stone with the same voice. Whoever, with his voice, made it possible for someone bound with curbs and his feet to walk, was much more able to move a stone. So what am I saying? He could have done this without being there. Why didn’t you do it? In order to make them themselves witnesses of the miracle, so that they would not say the same thing as they said about the blind man: this is him, this is not him. Their very hands and their very coming to the tomb testified that it was he. If they had not come, they would probably have thought they were seeing a ghost, or one instead of the other. And now, when they came to the place and took away the stone, when they received the order to release the dead man bound in shrouds from his bonds, when the friends who carried him out of the coffin recognized from the very shrouds that it was him, when the sisters themselves were present, and one of them said: “It already stinks; for four days since he was in the tomb” (John 11:39) - now all this could already be sufficient to stop the lips of ill-intentioned witnesses. For this purpose, He commands them to take away the stone from the tomb in order to show that He is resurrecting Lazarus. That’s why he asks: “Where did you put it?” (John 11:34) - so that those who said: “Come and see” (John 11:34), and who brought Him, could not say that He raised another; so that both the voice and the hands testify: - the voice that said: - “come and see,” - the hands that rolled away the stone and loosened the bandages; also - sight and hearing, - hearing, because I heard a voice, - sight, because I saw the one who came out (from the tomb); Likewise, the sense of smell, since it sensed the stench, “already stinks; for he has been in the grave for four days.” So, rightly, I said that this woman did not understand anything in the words of Christ: “even if she dies, she will live” (John 11:25). Look what she says here; (she considers) this matter is no longer possible due to the length of time. And truly, it was an extraordinary thing - to resurrect a four-day-old corpse that had given itself over to decay. To the disciples (Christ) said: “may... the Son of God be glorified” (John 11:4), pointing to Himself; and to this wife he says: “You will see the glory of God” (John 11:40), meaning the Father. Do you see how the weakness of the listeners causes the difference in sayings? He recalls His conversation with her, as if reproaching her for not remembering (His words); or did He now not want to confuse those present, and therefore meekly says: “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). 3. So, faith is a great good, a great good and the cause of many good things, so that people in the name of God can do the works of God. “If you have faith,” says (Christ), “you will say to this mountain: “Move from here to there,” and it will move” (Matthew 17:20); and again: “He who believes in Me, the works that I do will he do also, and greater works than these will he do” (John 14:12). What kind of big things would you say? The works done by the disciples subsequently, when even the shadow of Peter raised the dead. Through this, the power of Christ was preached even more. Indeed, it is not so much surprising that He worked miracles during His life, but that after His death others could perform great miracles in His name: this served as undoubted proof of His resurrection. Even if He appeared to everyone, it would not arouse such faith, because those who saw it could still say that it was a ghost. But whoever sees that in His name alone are performed signs much greater than those He himself performed when dealing with people, he cannot help but believe, unless he is extremely insensitive. So, faith is a great good when it comes from a warm heart, from a lot of love and a fiery soul. It makes us wise; it covers up human insignificance and, abandoning earthly speculations, philosophizes about heavenly things; even more: what human wisdom cannot acquire, it comprehends and accomplishes in abundance. Let us hold on to the faith, and let us not entrust our affairs to speculation. Why, in fact, tell me, the pagans could not gain anything? Did they not know all external wisdom? Why couldn’t they surpass the fishermen, the skin-makers and the unscientists? Is it not because they left everything to their own speculations, and these latter to faith? Thus, for this reason, the latter surpassed Plato, Pythagoras and all erring people in general, defeated those knowledgeable in astrology and mathematics, geometry and arithmetic, and those who studied every science, and became as much better than them as true and real sages are better than people who are naturally stupid and insane. In fact, look: these said that the soul is immortal, or, better, not only said, but also convinced of it; and they initially did not even know what the soul was, and when they recognized and distinguished it from the body, they again began to suffer from the same ignorance. So, some said that she was incorporeal; others that it is a body and is destroyed along with the body. In the same way, they said about heaven that it is animated and is God; and the fishermen both taught and convinced that it was the creation and work of God. However, it is not surprising that the pagans were guided by speculation; but this is what is worthy of tears - that people who present themselves as believers, and they turn out to be sincere. That is why they fell into error. So, some of them said that they knew God as He knows Himself, which even none of the pagans dared to say. Others said that God cannot give birth dispassionately, and did not give Him any advantage over people. Others argue that neither a good life nor good behavior brings any benefit. But now is not the time to deny it. 4. And that the right faith, with a vicious life, does not bring any benefit, this is shown by both Christ and Paul, who were primarily concerned about the good life. Thus Christ teaches: “Not everyone who says to Me: “Lord!” Lord!”, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 7:21); and further: “Many will say to Me on that day: Lord! God! Did we not prophesy in Your name?... And then I will declare to them: I never knew you; Depart from me, you workers of iniquity” (Matthew 7:22–23). In fact, people who are inattentive to themselves easily fall into vices, although they have the right faith. And Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, says and urges: “Strive to have peace with everyone and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). He calls chastity holiness, according to which everyone should be content with his wife and not fall for another. And whoever is not content cannot be saved, but will inevitably perish, even if he had thousands of virtues. Indeed, it is impossible for a fornicator to enter the kingdom of heaven; and here it is no longer fornication, but much more – adultery. Just as a wife who is connected with her husband, if she is still in connection with another, will already commit adultery, so a husband who is connected with his wife, if he still has another, will commit adultery. But such a one will not inherit the kingdom, but will be cast into Gehenna. Listen to what Christ says about such people: “their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:44). Truly, there is no excuse for anyone who acts outrageously with another in front of his wife, because this is already intemperance. If many abstain from their wives when the time of fasting or prayer comes, then what kind of fire does he gather for himself who is not even content with his own (wife), but also has a relationship with another? If someone who has let go and rejected his wife is not allowed to have intercourse with another, because this is adultery, then what sin does he commit who, having a wife in his house, brings another? Let no one allow such an illness to remain in his soul, but let everyone uproot it. (The adulterer) does not harm his wife so much as he harms himself. This sin is so grave and unforgivable that if a wife leaves her husband, even an idolater, against his will, then God punishes her; and when she leaves the adulterer, she does not punish. Do you see how evil this is? If any faithful “wife,” they say, “has an unbelieving husband, and he agrees to live with her, she should not leave him” (1 Cor. 7:13). But that’s not what it says about the harlot, so what? “Whoever divorces his wife, except for the guilt of adultery, gives her cause to commit adultery” (Matthew 5:32). If through cohabitation (husband and wife) constitute one body, then he who lives with a harlot necessarily becomes one body with her. How, after this, will an honest wife, being a member of Christ, accept such a (husband)? Or how will she unite with herself the member of a harlot? And look what a feature! A woman who cohabitates with an unbeliever does not therefore become unclean: “For an unbelieving husband,” it is said, “is sanctified by a believing wife” (1 Cor. 7:14). But that is not what is said about the harlot, but what? “Shall I take away the members of Christ to make them the members of a harlot?” (1 Cor. 6:15). There sanctification remains and is not taken away, despite cohabitation with an infidel; and here it is removed. Truly, adultery is a grave sin, and it is grave and prepares endless punishment! And even here it brings countless disasters. In fact, such a person is forced to lead a hard and sorrowful life, and his condition is no better than the condition of those condemned to execution, when he secretly enters someone else's house with fear and great trepidation, and is equally afraid of everyone - both slaves and freemen. Therefore, I beg you, try to free yourself from this disease. If you do not obey, then do not enter these sacred vestibules. Sheep covered with sores and infected with disease should not graze with healthy sheep; they must be driven away from the herd until they are freed from their illness. We have become members of Christ; let us not be members of a harlot! Here is not a dissolute house, but a church; and if your members are fornicators, then do not stand in the church, lest you dishonor this place. Even if there had been no Gehenna, even if there had been no punishment - and in this case, like you, after those contracts and marriage lamps, after that legal bed, after childbearing, after such communication - how can you allow yourself to cleave to another? How can you not be ashamed and blush? Don’t you know that many condemn even those who bring in another wife after the death of their (first) wife, although this matter does not deserve punishment? And while your wife is still alive, you take another one! What licentiousness! Find out what is said about such people: “their worm,” he says, “does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:44). Fear this threat! Fear such punishment! There is not so much pleasure here. How great is the punishment there. But God forbid that no one be subjected to that punishment; God grant that we, striving in holiness, see Christ and achieve the promised blessings, of which may we all be worthy, by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory forever and ever. Amen. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” “Forbade” is taken from the Slavic translation, the synodal “grieved” falls out of context. – I.N. You might be interested in: