Беседа 14

Pavel is more fiery than fire. - How is it possible to acquire the Kingdom of Heaven? – Virtue is never hard. - Disasters caused by the passion for money. 1 Corinthians 4:17. For this purpose I have sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ. 1. Look here too how valiant the soul (of Paul), how fiery and more alive it is than fire. He himself wanted to come to the Corinthians, who were in serious illness and confusion, because he knew well how beneficial his presence was to the disciples and what harm his absence would entail. He expressed the first in his letter to the Philippians when he said: “not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12); and the latter is expressed in the present letter, with the words: “Because I do not come to you, some among you have become proud, but I will come quickly” (1 Cor. 4:18-19). He wanted and was in a hurry to come himself; but since it was still impossible to do this, he admonishes them with the promise of his arrival, and in addition the departure of the disciple: “for this,” he says, “I sent Timothy to you.” "For this purpose". Why? Because I care for you like children, like the one who gave birth to you. Further in the message he describes his personality: “my beloved and faithful son in the Lord.” With these words he expresses his love and invites them together to respectfully accept him. Not just: “true,” but: “in the Lord,” i.e. in the works of the Lord. If it is commendable to be faithful in everyday affairs, then even more so in spiritual ones. If he was his beloved son, then imagine how great was Paul’s love when he decided to separate from him for the Corinthians. If he is faithful, he will arrange things flawlessly. "Which will remind you". He did not say: he will teach, so that they will not be upset, as if they should learn from him; That’s why at the end of the letter he said about him: “For he is doing the Lord’s work, just as I do” (1 Cor. 16:10), and therefore let no one humiliate him. There was no envy between the apostles, but they had one thing in mind - the building of the Church; and even if the one who acted was less than the others, they assisted him with all their zeal. Therefore, he was not content with the words: he will remember you, but extends the word further, trying to destroy envy in them, since Timothy was young, which is why he adds: “my ways.” Not your ways, but mine, that is. orders, dangers, customs, laws, institutions, apostolic rules and everything else. After he said: “we are naked and suffering and wandering,” he says: he will remind you of all this and the laws of Christ in order to destroy heresies. Further, directing his word higher, he adds: “even about Christ”; according to his custom, he attributes everything to the Lord, and thereby confirms the reliability of what follows; That’s why he continues: “as I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Cor. 4:17). I didn't tell you anything new; All other churches will confirm this. He says about his ways that they are about Christ, expressing that they have nothing human in them, and that he does everything with help from above. Having said this and admonished them, he, wanting to begin to denounce the incestuous man, again utters words filled with anger, not because he himself was in such a state, but in order to correct them, and, moreover, leaving the incestuous man, he turns his speech to others, not even deigning him with his words, just as we do with servants who have offended us too much. Having said: “Timothea has sent to you,” and fearing that they would therefore become more careless, look what he says: “Because I do not come to you, some of you have become proud.” This concerns them and some others, wanting to bring down their arrogance. Indeed, indulging in pride during the absence of a teacher is a sin of lust for power. Speaking to all others, see how he shames them; and when addressing the guilty, it is expressed much more strongly. To those he says: “trampled upon by everyone,” and admonishes them with the words: “I do not write this to your shame”: and with this he says: “Because I do not come to you, some of you have become proud,” expressing that pride is characteristic of a child’s mind, because children also become more careless in the absence of a teacher. Thus, it is also revealed that his presence is sufficient to correct them. 2. Just as the presence of a lion brings fear to all animals, so the presence of Paul brings fear to those who corrupt the Church. That’s why he continues: “But I will come to you quickly, if the Lord wills” (1 Cor. 4:19). But to say these words alone would be to use a threat; and to point out the matter itself, to promise that he will demand an account from them, this is characteristic of a great and wise soul; That’s why he adds the following: “and I will not understand the word of those who are proud,” but power. Their pride was a consequence not of their own merits, but of the absence of a teacher, which was a sign of the low disposition of their souls. Therefore, having said: “I sent Timothy,” he did not immediately add: I will come, but first he convicted them of pride, and then said: I will come. If he had said this before the reproof, it would have been more of an excuse for him that he himself did not want to come, rather than a threat, and the promise itself would not have been so certain; and now, having said this after the denunciation, he made his arrival reliable and terrible. And notice how firm and careful he is. He doesn’t just say: I will come, but: “If the Lord wills”; does not set a specific time - since he could have slowed it down - in order to maintain their vigilance through the unknown; and so that on the other hand they do not become careless, he adds: soon. “And I will test not the words of the proud, but the power.” He didn’t say: I won’t look at wisdom or opinions, but what? - not a word, and with this expression he either humiliated or elevated. Hitherto he turns his speech to others who defended the incest; and if he had spoken to him himself, he would not have said “strength,” but “the deeds that were depraved in him.” Why aren't you looking for words? Not because I am poor in words, but because our cause is strong. Just as in war it is not those who talk a lot, but those who do a lot who win, so here the victory belongs not to those who speak, but to those who do. You are proud, he says, of eloquence; if now there was a field and time for rhetoricians, then you could rightly be proud of him; but since now is the time of the apostles, proclaiming the truth and confirming it with signs, why are you proud of a work that is superfluous, meaningless and unable to bring any benefit in the present? Can eloquence serve to raise the dead, to expel evil spirits, or to perform some other similar miracle? And now this is needed, and through this our cause is strengthened. That’s why he adds: “For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power” (1 Cor. 4:20). We conquer, he says, by signs, and not by eloquence, and the greatest proof that our teaching is divine and that we proclaim the kingdom of heaven is by presenting the signs that we perform by the power of the Spirit. Thus, if those who exalt themselves now want to be great, then when I come, let them show whether they have the same power, and do not show me the pomp of eloquence, because this art serves us nothing. “What do you want? shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and the Spirit of meekness?” (1 Cor. 4:21). These words contain a lot of terrible and a lot of meek things. When he said: I will test, he still restrained himself; and now when he says: “What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod?” – he ascends to the teacher’s seat and speaks from there with full authority. What does it mean: “with a club”? For punishment, for torment, i.e. to kill or blind, as Peter did with Sapphira (Acts 5:9), or as he himself did with the sorcerer Elymas (Acts 13:11). Here he speaks without comparing himself to them, but with authority. And in his second letter to them, he expresses the same thing when he says: “You are looking for evidence as to whether Christ speaks in me” (2 Cor. 13:3). “Should I come with a rod or with love?” Wasn’t coming with a stick a sign of love? Yes, it was a sign of love; but someone who loves deeply is not easily inclined to punish; that's why he says so. Therefore, speaking about punishment, he did not express himself: the Spirit of meekness, but: a rod, although this was also the work of the Spirit - since there is a Spirit of meekness and a Spirit of strength - but he does not want to call Him in this way, but attributes to Him more meek deeds. That is why God, although he sends punishments, is more often called merciful, long-suffering, rich in mercy and bounties, and is called punisher once or twice, generally very rarely and, moreover, when necessity requires it. And look at the wisdom of Paul: having power, he offers them a choice of both, and says: “What do you want?” – it depends on you. Both depend on us - to go to Gehenna, or to receive the kingdom - because God wants it that way. Behold, He says, “fire and water: for whatever you want, you will stretch out your hand” (Sir.15:16); and again: “If you want and obey, you will eat the blessings of the earth; if you deny... then the sword will devour you” (Is. 1:19–20). 3. But maybe someone will say: I want; and no one is so mad as not to want; but wanting does not bring me sufficient benefit. No, it will be beneficial if you want as you should and act in accordance with your desire; and now you don’t really want to. Let us prove this, if you like, with some examples. Tell me: whoever wants to get married is content with desire alone? Not at all; he invites a matchmaker, asks his friends to look at the bride with him, and collects money. Also, the merchant does not sit at home, content with the mere desire to trade, but also hires a ship, invites helmsmen and rowers, borrows silver, scouts out the place of trade and the price of goods. Is it not foolish to show such zeal in earthly affairs, but to acquire heaven to be content with desire alone, or, better yet, not to have desire to the proper extent? After all, whoever wants, as he should, also takes on things that lead to what he wants. When hunger forces you to look for food, you do not expect food to come to you by itself, but use all measures to find food; also in case of thirst, cold and all similar circumstances, you are active and ready to take care of the body. Do the same in relation to the kingdom of heaven, and you will certainly achieve it. This is why God created you with free will, so that you would not subsequently blame God, as if he had bound you by necessity. And you are dissatisfied with precisely that which constitutes your honor? I heard many people say: why did God create me autocratic in virtue? But how can you be raised to heaven when you are slumbering, sleeping, devoted to vices, luxury and gluttony? You wouldn’t be far behind the vices there either. If even now, when the threat has been placed, you do not stop sinning, then, when He had assigned heaven to you as a reward, would you have abandoned your carelessness and would not have become much worse? Nor can you say that God showed blessings, but did not provide help in achieving them; on the contrary, He promised you great help. But, you will say, virtue is difficult and difficult, and vice is accompanied by many pleasures; the latter path is wide and spacious, but the first is cramped and sad. But tell me, has it always been like this? Was it like this in the beginning? And you yourself, against your will, say what you say about virtue: the truth is so convincing! If there were two paths before you, one leading to the cave, and the other to heaven, and the one leading to the cave was wide, and the one leading to heaven was narrow, which path would you rather choose? No matter how much you try to object, you cannot contradict the undoubted truth, no matter how shameless you are. However, I will try to prove from the objects at hand that the path that has a difficult beginning, rather than the end, is more worthy of being chosen. Let's take for example, if you like, art; in them the beginning is full of labor, and the end is full of benefit. But, you say, no one will take up art without coercion; a young man who has become his own master would rather choose to indulge in pleasures at the beginning, and endure countless disasters in the end, than to work at the beginning, and then collect the fruits of his labors. This means that such a choice is a matter of lonely thinking and childish carelessness, and the opposite choice is a matter of prudence and manly maturity. Likewise, if we were not children in mind, we would not be like a reckless orphan, but like a son guided by his father. Therefore, we must abandon childish judgment, and not place the blame on the objects themselves, and assign a driver to our conscience, who would not allow us to indulge in gluttony, but would force us to stretch forward and strive. Isn’t it absurd to force children to study subjects that have a difficult beginning and a useful end, while we ourselves behave in the opposite way in relation to spiritual subjects? Meanwhile, in everyday affairs it is completely unknown whether they will still have a good ending. Premature death, poverty, slander, change of circumstances and many other similar things are often left without fruit after many labors; and even if the workers do not lose everything, they do not reap much fruit, because in real life everything is subject to destruction. And here we do not strive for empty and fleeting things, and we are not afraid of the end, but an even greater and most undoubted hope remains for us after leaving this life. Therefore, what forgiveness, what justification can those who do not want to work for virtue have? But, you may also ask, why is the path of virtue narrow? How? You do not allow any of the adulterers, drunkards and debauchees to enter the earthly royal palaces, but do you want to open the way to heaven for people devoted to debauchery, luxury, drunkenness, greed and all vices? Is this worthy of any forgiveness? 4. That’s not what I’m saying, you say, but why isn’t the path of virtue broad? No, if we want, it’s very convenient. What is really more convenient, tell me, to dig up a wall and, having stolen someone else’s property, then sit in prison, or, being content with your own property, to be free from all fear? But I haven't said everything yet. What is more convenient, tell me, to take away everyone’s property and, having enjoyed this little for a short time, suffer and torment forever, or, having lived for a short time in righteous poverty, then enjoy unceasing bliss? We are not yet saying which is more useful, but which is more convenient. What is better - to see a pleasant dream, but in fact suffer, or, having seen an unpleasant dream, to actually be blissful? Obviously the latter. Why, tell me, do you call virtue hard? It is heavy for our laziness, but in itself it is light and convenient - about which, listen, as Christ says: “For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). If you don’t feel its ease, then it means you don’t have strong zeal. Just as with diligence the heavy becomes light, so without it the light becomes heavy. What could be, tell me, more pleasant and easier than eating manna? But the Jews grumbled when they ate such food (Num. 11:6). What is more painful than hunger and other disasters that Paul endured? But he admired, rejoiced and said: “Today I rejoice in my sufferings” (Col. 1:24). What is the reason for this? Difference of (mental) disposition. If you tune your soul as it should, you will feel the ease of virtue. Therefore, you say, it happens like this because of people’s disposition? Not from its location alone, but it is such in its essence. If virtue were always difficult, and vice always easy, then one of those who fall could rightly say that the latter is easier than the former; if only at the beginning the first is difficult, and the last is pleasant, and after that both are opposite, the endless consequences of the first are pleasant, and the last are difficult, then tell me, which of them can be chosen more quickly? Why don’t many people choose what is convenient? Because some do not believe, while others, although they believe, have a corrupt will and choose temporary pleasure instead of eternal pleasure. Is this easy too? It’s not easy, but they do it out of the weakness of their souls. Just as people with fever demand cold drinks, not because it is more pleasant to feel pleasure for a few moments than to be constantly in the heat, but because they cannot refrain from reckless desire, so do they. Meanwhile, if someone, offering them pleasure, also offered punishment, then they would not dare to do it. Do you see how not easy is vice? If you want, explain it in the most practical way. What is more pleasant, tell me, and more convenient? However, I will again note that we will not judge objects according to the desires of many people, since in this case we must not be guided by the judgments of the sick, but by the healthy, and even if you presented me with thousands of people suffering from fever and wanting something contrary to their health, despite the fact that afterward they will have to endure torment, I will not approve of their decision. What is more convenient, tell me, to desire great wealth, or to be above such a desire? It seems to me that the latter is more convenient; if you don’t believe, then let’s turn to experience. Let's imagine that one wants a lot, and the other wants nothing. Which of them, tell me, is better and more honorable? 5. However, let’s leave it at that; there is no doubt that the latter is more honorable than the former; This is not what we are talking about now, but about which of them lives more conveniently and pleasantly? The covetous man does not use what he has, since what he has love for, he will not dare to spend, but would rather agree to cut himself and give his body than gold; and he who despises wealth has at least the advantage that he simply and with complete freedom uses his property and places himself above it. What is more pleasant - to freely use your property, or, spending your life under the power of wealth, not even dare to touch anything of your property? This seems to me similar to if two husbands who have wives and love them very much were in different relationships towards them: one could be together and talk with his wife, and the other would not even dare to come close to her. I’ll say something else to prove how pleasant the life of one is and how unpleasant the life of another is. A self-seeker will never abandon his passion, not only because it is impossible to take possession of everyone’s property, but also because, no matter how much he has, he considers himself to have nothing; but he who despises wealth considers everything superfluous and does not torment his soul with boundless desires. Nothing causes so much pain as a desire that does not receive satisfaction; This, more than anything, serves as proof of the corruption of the will. He who desires wealth and has acquired a lot, as is known, considers himself as if he has nothing; What could be more alarming than such a disease? And not only this is bad, but also the fact that, having, he apparently does not have what he has, and suffers as if he does not have; the more he gains, the more he suffers; if he received a hundred talents, he grieves that he did not receive a thousand; if you receive a thousand, you will be annoyed that it is not ten thousand; if he received ten thousand, he is tormented that it is not ten times more - so that the greater gain turns for him into a strong increase in his torment, because the more he receives, the more he desires. Thus, the more he acquires, the poorer he becomes; for whoever desires more and more becomes poorer. When he has a hundred talents, he is not yet too poor, because he desires a thousand; when he receives a thousand, he becomes poorer, because, in his opinion, he no longer needs a thousand, as before, but ten thousand. If you call desire itself without satisfaction pleasure, then I will say that you seem to me to be completely ignorant of the properties of pleasure. This is not pleasure, but torment; Let's explain this again with other examples. When we feel thirsty and then drink, is it not because we quench our thirst, and is it because drinking gives us pleasure because it frees us from great torment, i.e. from the desire to drink? This is obvious to everyone. If we always remained with this desire, we would be in a state of torment no less than the rich man who saw Lazarus; for him it was a punishment that, although he greatly desired even a small drop of water, he did not receive it from anyone (Luke 16:24). Likewise, money lovers, it seems to me, are constantly tormented, like this rich man who asked for a drop of water and did not receive it; their soul burns in fire even more than his soul. Well, someone compared money lovers with those suffering from water sickness. Just as those who have more water in their body, the more they feel thirsty, so money lovers, having a lot, desire more. And the reason is that just as their water is not in the proper place, so their desire is not within the proper limits. Let us avoid this strange and dangerous disease, let us avoid this root of evil, let us avoid this real Gehenna; after all, the desire of such people is Gehenna. Open the soul of one and the other, who does not despise wealth and despises, and you will see that the first is like the mad, because he does not want to see or hear anything, and the last is like a quiet pier, not disturbed by the waves, and is the friend of all, while the other is the enemy of all. If someone takes something away from him, he does not grieve, and if someone gives him something again, he does not become vain, but always retains a kind of freedom, accompanied by perfect calm; he is forced to flatter and be a hypocrite before everyone, but he - before no one. If the lover of money is poor, and pitiful, and untruthful, and hypocritical, and subject to fear, punishment and great torment, and the one who despises wealth is in a completely opposite state, then isn’t it obvious that virtue is more pleasant? It would be possible to prove by examples of other vices that no vice contains pleasure, if we had not said a lot above. So, knowing this, let us prefer virtue, so that we may have pleasure here too, and be worthy of future blessings, grace and love for mankind (Our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen). These conversations were delivered by the saint in Antioch around 390. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: