Беседа 11

Acts 4:23. Having been released, they came to their own and recounted what the high priests and elders had told them. Signs of the resurrection. – Wealth, the population of Constantinople and alms. - Against the oath. 1. They are not talking about this out of vanity - how is this possible? - but here they testify to the manifestation of the grace of Christ. Therefore, what the high priests and elders told them, they repeat; and although they omit their own (words), however, even in this case they show even greater boldness. Look how they again resorted to true help, to the irresistible Champion, and again unanimously and with diligence, because (their) prayer is not simply performed. “When they heard it, they lifted up their voices to God with one accord and spoke” (Acts 4:24). Look how wise their prayers are. When they asked to show them someone worthy of the apostleship, then they cried out: “You, Lord, knower of the hearts of all, show me” (Acts 1:24), because foreknowledge was needed there; and here, when it was necessary to stop the mouths of opponents, they talk about dominion. That’s why they started like this: “Sovereign God, who created the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them! Thou, through the mouth of our father David, Thy servant, said by the Holy Spirit: Why are the heathen troubled, and the nations plotting vain things? The kings of the earth rose up, and the princes gathered themselves together against the Lord and against His Christ” (Acts 4:24-26). They cite a prophecy, as if demanding from God what was promised and at the same time consoling themselves with the fact that the enemies are planning everything in vain. Thus, their words mean: bring all this to an end and show that they have planned in vain. “For verily in this city Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together against Thy Holy Son Jesus, whom Thy anointed, to do that which Thy hand and Thy counsel had predestined to be. And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant to Your servants to speak Your word with all boldness” (Acts 4:27-29). Do you see the wisdom and how they do not complain here? They do not list the threats in detail, but only say that they were threatened - because the writer speaks in abbreviation. And look: they did not say: crush them, overthrow them, but what? “And grant to Thy servants to speak Thy word with all boldness” (Acts 4:29). So let us also learn to pray. True, who would not be filled with anger if he found himself among people seeking his death and breathing such threats? And why would he not be filled with indignation? But these saints do not (do this). “Whereas You stretch out Your hand to heal and to do signs and wonders in the name of Your Holy Son Jesus” (Acts 4:30). If miracles are performed in His name, then great will be the boldness, they say. “And because of their prayer, the place where they were gathered was shaken” (Acts 4:31). This was a sign that they were heard and a visit from God. “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 4:31). What does it mean: “fulfilled”? This means that they were inflamed by the Spirit, and this gift was kindled in them. “And they spoke the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). “The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul” (Acts 4:32). Do you see how, along with the grace of God, they were distinguished by their (virtues)? And everywhere it should be noted that along with the grace of God they also showed their own (virtues), just as Peter said: “I have no silver or gold” (Acts 3:6). However, what he said above, in the words: “all those who believed were together” (Acts 2:44), expresses the same thing again, and here with the words: “the multitude of those who believed had one heart and one soul.” Having said that they were heard, he then speaks of their virtue, since he intends to begin the story of Sapphira and Ananias. Therefore, wanting to show their crime, he speaks first about the virtue of others. But tell me: did love give birth to non-covetousness, or non-covetousness to love? It seems to me that love is non-covetousness, which strengthened her even more. Listen to what (the writer) says: everyone “had one heart and one soul.” Here the heart and soul are one. “And no one called anything of his property his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32). “The apostles testified with great power to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 4:33). Expresses that they were entrusted with this (testimony), or speaks of it as a duty; that is, they boldly taught everyone the testimony of the kingdom. “And great grace was upon them all. There was no one in need among them” (Acts 4:33, 34). Just as in the parental home all sons have equal honor, they were in the same position, and it could not be said that they nourished others; they ate their own food; The only surprising thing is that, having abandoned what was theirs, they ate in such a way that it seemed that they were no longer eating what was theirs, but what was common. “For all who owned lands or houses, selling them, brought the price of what was sold and laid them at the feet of the apostles; and to each one was given whatever he needed” (Acts 4:34, 35). Out of great respect for the apostles, they laid it not in their hands, but at their feet. “So Josiah, called Barnabas by the Apostles, which means son of consolation” (Acts 4:36). This, it seems to me, is not the one who (was placed) together with Matthias; that one was called both Josiah and Barsaba, and then he was nicknamed Justus, and this one was nicknamed by the apostles Barnabas - the son of consolation. And it seems to me that he received his very name from the virtue for which he was capable and disposed. “A Levite, a native of Cyprus, who had his own land, sold it, brought the money and laid it at the feet of the Apostles” (Acts 4:36-37). 2. Notice here how (the writer) indicates a weakening of the law when he says: “a Levite, a native of Cyprus.” This means that there were Levites already in the migration. But let us turn to what was said above: “having been released,” he says, “they came to their own and retold what the high priests and elders had told them.” Look (what) humility and wisdom of the apostles. They did not go everywhere to boast and talk, as they answered the priests, and when they told the story they did not become vain, but when they came, they simply proclaimed what they heard from the elders. From this we learn that they did not expose themselves to temptations, but bravely endured those that were inflicted on them. Someone else, hoping for the help of the people, might have begun to blame and say a thousand unpleasant things. But these wise ones are not like that, but meekly and humbly in everything. “They,” he says, “having listened, unanimously raised their voices to God.” They raised their voices with joy and great zeal. It is precisely such prayers that are successful - prayers filled with wisdom, made about such (objects), by such (people), in such circumstances and in such a way; and all others are unworthy and unclean. See how they do not say anything superfluous, but only about the power of the Lord; or better, as Christ said to the Jews: “If I speak by the Spirit of God” (Matthew 12:28), so they also say: “By the Holy Spirit.” So the Savior speaks about the Spirit. And listen to what they say. “Sovereign God, through the mouth of our father David, Your servant, You said by the Holy Spirit: Why are the Gentiles troubled, and the nations plotting vain things?” Scripture usually speaks of one as of many. The meaning of their words is as follows: it was not they (the Jews) themselves who overcame, but You did everything, allowing it to happen and bringing it to an end, as you were skillful and wise, and dealt with the enemies themselves according to Your will; here they point to His goodness and wisdom in the fact that, although they came together with murderous intent, as enemies and adversaries, they did what You, however, wanted, “what Your hand and Your advice predestined to be.” What does it mean: “Thy hand”? Here, it seems to me, he refers to both power and advice. It’s enough for you, he says, just to want, because no one predetermines by force. So the expression: “Thy hand” means: what You commanded. Either this is what he says, or what (the Lord) did with His hand. Therefore, as then they planned a futile thing, so now, they say, make them plan a futile thing. “And give to Thy servants,” that is, so that their threats are not fulfilled in reality. They said this not because they themselves were afraid of suffering something difficult, but because they were concerned about preaching. They didn’t say: and deliver us from dangers, but what? “And grant to Thy servants to speak Thy word with all boldness.” You Yourself, who brought this to an end, bring this too. “Anointed by You,” they say. See how in prayer they share (with Him) suffering and refer everything to Him and call Him the author of boldness. Do you see how they ask for everything for God and nothing for their own glory and selfishness? As for themselves, they promise that they will not be afraid; They also ask for signs. “Whereas,” they say, “You stretch out Your hand to heal and to do signs and wonders.” And it’s wonderful, because without this, no matter how great their zeal, they would do everything in vain. The Lord bowed to their request and, shaking the place, showed that He was present at their prayer. “And through their prayer,” he says, “the place was shaken.” And what exactly happened for this reason, listen to what the prophet says: “He will look at the earth and make it shake” 15 (Ps. 103:32). And again: “at the presence of the Lord the earth moved, at the presence of the God of Jacob” 16 (Ps. 114:7). God does this both for greater fear and in order to instill cheerfulness in the apostles after previous threats and to dispose them to greater boldness. Then there was the beginning (of the sermon), and therefore they needed a visible sign in order to be more confident, but after that this never happened. So they received much comfort from prayer. Naturally, they also ask for the grace of signs, because they could prove that (Christ) was resurrected by nothing other than signs. And they did not only ask for their own safety, but also for them not to be ashamed, but to speak with boldness. The place shook - and this confirmed them even more. And this is sometimes a sign of anger, sometimes of visitation and providence, but now of anger. During the saving suffering (earthquake), a miraculous and supernatural thing happened: then the whole earth shook. And the Savior Himself said: then “and there will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in places” (Matthew 24:7). And here, on the one hand, this was a sign of wrath against those (the Jews), but they (the apostles) were filled with the Spirit. Look how the apostles, after prayer, are filled with the Spirit: “and they were all filled,” he says, “with the Holy Spirit.” “There was no one in need among them.” You see how great the power of this virtue (communication of estates) is, if it was needed there too. Indeed, she is the originator of blessings, and he mentions her here another time, instilling in everyone non-covetousness; saying above: “and no one called anything of his property his own,” here he says: “there was no one needy among them” (Acts 4:34). 3. And that this happened not only from signs, but also from their desire, Sapphira and Ananias show. Not only by word, but also by power, they testified to the resurrection, just as Paul says: “And my word and my preaching are not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power” (1 Cor. 2:4). And not just: by force, but by “great power.” And he said well: “and great grace was upon them all,” because grace lies in the fact that no one was poor, that is, because of the great zeal of those who gave, no one was in poverty. They did not give one part and keep the other; and (giving) everything, they did not (consider it) theirs. They banished inequality from among themselves and lived in great abundance; Moreover, they did it with great honor. So they did not dare to give it into the hands of (the apostles) and did not give it away with arrogance, but brought it to their feet and left it to them to be stewards and made them masters, so that the expenses were made as from the common property, and not as from their own. This also protected them from vanity. If this were the case now, then we would live more pleasantly - both rich and poor. Both the poor and the rich would be pleased. And, if you like, we will depict it, at least in word, if you don’t want to (show it) in action, and from that we will already get pleasure. True, this is very clear from what happened then, since those who sold did not become poor, but also made the poor rich. But let us now express this in words: let everyone sell everything they have and bring it to the middle, I’m just saying in words; Let no one be embarrassed, neither rich nor poor. How much gold do you think would have been collected? I believe—it’s impossible to say with certainty—that if all the men and all the women brought their money here, if they gave away fields, estates, and homes (I’m not talking about slaves - they didn’t exist then, perhaps they were set free), then probably a thousand thousand liters of gold would have been collected, or better yet, even two or three times as much. Tell me, really, how many residents are there in our city now? How many Christians do you think are there? Do you think that it is one hundred thousand, and the rest are pagans and Jews? How many thousands of gold would have been collected? How big is the number of poor people? I don't think it's more than fifty thousand. And how much would it take to feed them every day? With common maintenance and at a common table, of course, it would not require large expenses. What, they will say, will we do when we have spent our funds? Do you really think that it is possible to ever reach this state? Wouldn't the grace of God be a thousand times greater? Would not the grace of God be poured out abundantly? So what? Wouldn't we make the earth heaven? If between three and five thousand this was accomplished with such glory, and none of them complained of poverty, then how much more so in such a multitude? Even from outsiders (non-Christians) who would not make an offering? And in order to see that division is associated with losses and produces poverty, let’s imagine a house in which there are ten children, a wife and a husband: she, let’s say, spins yarn, and he receives income from outside. Tell me, when will they spend more, either by eating together and living in the same house, or by being separated? Obviously, having divided; if ten children want to split up, then ten houses, ten meals, ten servants and as many other accessories will be needed. And where there are many slaves, don’t they all have a common table so that there are fewer costs? Division always produces loss, but unanimity and agreement always produce profit. This is how they now live in monasteries, just as the faithful once lived. And did anyone die of hunger? On the contrary, who has not been satisfied with greater abundance? And now people are afraid of this more than of throwing themselves into the immeasurable and boundless sea. But if we had done the experiment, then we would have dared to do this. And what kind of grace would that be? If then, when there were no faithful, except for only three and five thousand, when everyone in the universe were enemies (of faith), when they did not expect consolation from anywhere, they so boldly set about this task, then isn’t this all the more possible now, when, by the grace of God, there are faithful everywhere in the universe? And would anyone then remain a pagan? At least, I think no one: in this way we would persuade everyone and attract everyone to us. However, if we follow this path, then, I trust in God, this will also happen. Just listen to me, and we will arrange things in this order; and if God prolongs life, then I am sure we will soon lead such a life. 4. Meanwhile, fulfill and firmly preserve the law of the oath: let the one who has kept discover the one who has not kept, let him admonish and strongly reprove him. The deadline is near (see Conversation 8); I will investigate the matter and will excommunicate the person convicted and will not allow him (into the church). But God grant that not a single one like this is found among us, but that everyone exactly preserves this spiritual condition! Just as in war they recognize both friends and foes by a conventional sign, so let it be now—after all, we are now at war—so that we too can recognize our brothers. And what a blessing this sign can be for us both here and in a foreign country! What a weapon against the wiles of the devil! Lips that do not use oaths will soon bow down to God in prayer and inflict a grievous wound on the devil. Lips that do not swear will not blaspheme. As if from some house, remove this fire from your tongue and cast it out. Give your tongue a little rest and make the ulcer less contagious. I beg you about this, so that I can give you another instruction; and until this has not yet been accomplished, I do not dare move on to anything else. Do this exactly; feel this virtue in advance; and then I will offer you other rules, better to say, not I, but Christ Himself. Plant this good (tree) in your soul, and little by little you will become God's paradise, much better than the primeval paradise, since we have neither a serpent, nor a deadly tree, nor anything else like that. Build this skill deeply into yourself. If this happens, then not only you who stand here will benefit, but also everyone living in the universe; and not only them, but also those who will live after us. Thus, a good habit, ingrained and preserved by everyone, is transmitted to distant times, and no time will be able to destroy it. If someone, gathering wood on the Sabbath, was stoned (Num. 15:35), then he who does much worse than that gathering and collects the burden of sins (and such are many oaths) will not be subjected to what, what will not be tolerated? You will receive great help from God when this work is completed for you. If I say: don’t insult, you (in your justification) will immediately imagine anger. If I say: don’t be jealous, you will give another reason. But you can't say anything like that here. Therefore, I started with the easy one, since in all arts they do the same. He who moves on to the most difficult has already learned the easier one first. You will learn how easy it is when, having done this by the grace of God, you receive another rule. Give me boldness both before the pagans and before the Jews, and above all before God. I beg you with that love, with those birth pains with which I gave birth to you. “My children,” and what next, “for whom I am again in the throes of birth,” I will not add. Nor will I say the following: “until Christ is formed in you!” (Gal.4:19) - because I believe that Christ has already been formed in you. But I will tell you something else: “my beloved and longed for brothers, my joy and crown” (Phil.4:1)! Believe me, I won't say otherwise. If someone were now to place on my head thousands of royal crowns decorated with precious stones, I would not rejoice as much as I rejoice over your success; Even the king, I think, does not rejoice as much as I do about you. So what am I saying? If (the king) returned, having defeated all the peoples hostile to him, and, in addition to the usual crown, received other crowns and other distinctions as a sign of victory, then he, I think, would not rejoice at his trophies as much as I do about your success. It’s as if I have thousands of crowns on my head, so I rejoice; and naturally. If, by the grace of God, you retain this skill, then you will defeat thousands of enemies, much fiercer than that one; you will overcome and overcome crafty and evil demons, not with a sword, but with your tongue and will. And see how much will be done if you just do it. You will destroy, firstly, a bad habit; secondly, an evil thought, from which all evil comes, that is, the thought that this is an indifferent matter and not at all harmful; thirdly - anger; fourthly, covetousness: all this is produced by an oath. And at the same time you will receive great disposition towards other good deeds. Just as children, when learning letters, not only learn them, but through them little by little learn to read, so do you. You will no longer be seduced by an evil thought and you will not say that it is indifferent; You will no longer utter (oaths) out of habit, you will stand courageously against all this, so that, having fulfilled divine virtue in everything, you will be worthy of eternal blessings - by the grace and love of the only begotten Son of God, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. These conversations were delivered by the saint in Constantinople in 400 or 401. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” Translation by P. Yungerov – Editorial office of “The ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: