Беседа 5

With the help of God's grace, the apostles converted the universe. - Against theatrical spectacles. 1 Corinthians 1:26–27. Look, brethren, who you are who are called: not many of you are wise according to the flesh, not many of you are strong, not many of you are noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. 1. Having said: “The foolish things of God are wiser than men” (1 Cor. 1:25), (Apostle Paul) expressed that human wisdom has been rejected, and proved this both by the testimony of the Scriptures and by the events themselves - by the testimony of the Scriptures in the words: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise” (1 Cor. 1:19), and by the events in the proposed question: “Where is the wise man, where is the scribe?” (1 Cor. 1:20). At the same time, he showed that this matter is not new, but has long been known, since it was foreshadowed and predicted from ancient times: “for it is written,” he says, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise.” Then he proved that this was both useful and necessary: ​​“for when the world through its wisdom did not know God in the wisdom of God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe”; that the cross is proof of ineffable power and wisdom, and that the foolishness of God is much higher than human wisdom. Now he also proves not only from the teachers, but also from the students themselves: “Look...,” he says, “who you are, the called ones.” Not only unlearned teachers, but also disciples are chosen the same: “not many of you,” he says, “are wise according to the flesh.” This is how great power and great wisdom are revealed when many, even the unwise, are convinced. The most difficult thing is to convince an ignoramus, especially when it comes to necessary and great subjects. And yet they were convinced, to which they themselves are witnesses: “You see your calling, brothers,” i.e. look, think. To teach the ignorant dogmas so wise and wisest of all is a sign of the greatest wisdom of the teacher. What does it mean: according to the flesh? In appearance, in everyday life, in external teaching. So that they do not think that he contradicts himself - and he convinced the proconsul, and the Areopagite, and Apollos, and other wise men about whom we know that they accepted the sermon - he does not say: none of the wise, but: “not many wise.” He not only called on the ignorant and rejected the wise, but he also accepted the latter, much more than the former. Why is this so? Because the wise man according to the flesh is filled with great foolishness, and he is especially foolish when he does not want to reject ungodly teachings. Just as in the case when some doctor wants to teach others his art, people who know little, but use this art poorly and incorrectly and are stubborn, cannot quickly learn, and those who know nothing can sooner accept the teaching, so it was here. The ignorant were more likely to be convinced, because they did not have that extreme madness to consider themselves wise. Truly, those who subject to the judgment of reason what is acquired only by faith are very foolish. If some blacksmith, instead of removing the hot iron with tongs, began to do it with his hand, we would attribute this to his extreme madness; Likewise, philosophers, trying to comprehend (objects of faith) on their own, humiliated faith. That's why they didn't find anything they were looking for. “There are not many strong, not many noble.” After all, even such people are filled with pride; and nothing harms true knowledge of God so much as pride and addiction to wealth, because those devoted to it are surprised at the present, do not care at all about the future and block their ears with many worries. “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world.” This is the greatest sign of victory - to win through the foolish. 2. The pagans are not so much put to shame when they are conquered by the wise, as when they see that people who work with their own hands and belong to the common people are wiser than they are. That is why Paul said: “to confound the wise.” And not only with this, but God did the same with other worldly advantages. “And he chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong things.” He called not only the unlearned, but also the poor, the despised and the ignorant, in order to shame the mighty. “God chose the base things of the world and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are” (1 Cor. 1:28). Who is called “meaningless 10” here? Those who consider themselves to be nothing due to great humiliation. Thus He showed great power, overthrowing the great through those who seemed nothing, as He says elsewhere: “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Indeed, great power is needed to suddenly teach the most humble people who have never studied any kind of teaching to philosophize about what is higher than heaven. We are surprised at the doctor and the rhetorician and all the others, especially when they successfully convince and teach the ignorant. If it is a great thing to instill in the ignorant the doctrine of some art, then even more so such wisdom. However, God did this not only in order to show a miracle, or to show His power, but also in order to humble those who exalt themselves. Therefore, the apostle, as he said above: “let him put to shame... let him abolish the world” (1 Cor. 1:27-28), and here he says: “so that no flesh should boast before God” (1 Cor. 1:29). God does everything in order [to humble pride and arrogance, to overthrow self-praise; and you, he says, indulge in this? He does everything so that we do not attribute anything to ourselves, so that we attribute everything to God: have you given yourself over to such and such? And what kind of forgiveness do you deserve? God showed that it is impossible for us to be saved on our own, and He arranged this in the beginning. And then it was impossible to achieve salvation ourselves, but it was necessary to contemplate the beauty of the sky and the greatness of the earth and explore the nature of other creatures in order to ascend to the Creator of things. He did this in order to overthrow the arrogance that was about to appear. Just as a teacher who ordered his student to follow where he leads him, when he sees that the student is getting ahead of himself and wants to learn everything on his own, he leaves him to wander and, having let him experience that he cannot learn on his own, then begins to guide him, so God at the beginning commanded him to follow the path of contemplation of creations, and when people did not want this, then He, having let them experience that they cannot go on their own, began to lead them to Himself differently. He gave us the world, like a tablet; but the philosophers did not think about this, did not want to obey Him and go to Him along the path that He commanded. Therefore, He proposed another path more clearly than the first, teaching that man alone is insufficient for himself. Previously, it was possible to indulge in reasoning, to use external wisdom, with the guidance of nature; and now, who will not be “mad”, i.e. does not abandon all reasoning and all wisdom and does not surrender to faith, he cannot be saved. Thus, He accomplished an important thing: He offered a convenient path, and at the same time destroyed the former illness and taught not to boast and not to be arrogant: “so that no flesh should boast.” Sin occurs because people want to be wiser than the laws of God and do not want to learn as He commanded; That's why they don't learn anything. It was like that in the beginning. God said to Adam: do this, and do not do this; but he, thinking to find something more, did not listen - and lost what he had. Then He said: do not stop at creation, but through it know the Creator; and people, as if having found something wiser in comparison with what was said, built themselves countless labyrinths; That’s why they themselves got lost and came into conflict with each other, neither found God, nor learned anything clear about creation, and did not form a proper and true concept about it. After this, wanting to decisively destroy their arrogance, He called first of all simple people, and thereby showed that everyone has a need for wisdom from above. Not only in relation to knowledge, but also in all other respects, people and all other creatures have a great need of Him; and He did this in order to give them a strong incentive to obedience and devotion, so that they, being separated from Him, would not perish. That is why He did not allow them to be self-sufficient. After all, if even now, when they need Him, many abandon Him, then if this had not happened, to what oblivion would they not have reached? It was not out of envy that He deprived them of the basis for exaltation, but in order to save them from the destruction that comes from here. “From him you are also in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). In the word: “from Him,” I think the apostle expresses not the bringing from non-existence into being, but the bringing to faith, i.e. that we became children of God “neither by blood nor by the will of the flesh” (John 1:13). Do not think that, having deprived us of the basis for exaltation, He left us - no, He gave us another, greater praise. One must not boast before Him. You are His children, and you became them through Christ. Having said: “chosen by the spirit of the world... and of low birth” (1 Cor. 1:27–28), the apostle now shows that they have become nobler than all others, because they have God as their Father; and the author of this nobility is not so-and-so or so-and-so, but Christ, who made us wise, righteous and holy; This is what the words mean: “may we have wisdom.” 3. Who is wiser than us, who have not Plato’s wisdom, but Christ himself, according to the will of God? What does it mean: from God? Having said something great about the Only Begotten, the apostle also mentions the Father, so that no one would think that the Son was not born. He spoke about such great things and attributed everything to the Son, explaining that the Son became wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and deliverance for us; now through the Son he raises everything to the Father, adding: from God. But why didn’t he say: he made us wise, but: “may we have wisdom”? By this he shows the abundance of the gift, as if to say: he gave himself to us. And look how gradual he is. First (he says) God made us wise, freeing us from error, then righteous and holy, giving us the Spirit, and thus delivered us from all evils, so that we became His (property), of course, not in essence, but by faith. In another place he says that we were made righteousness in Him: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21); and now he says that He has become righteousness for us, so that anyone who wishes can partake of Her richly. It was not so-and-so who made us wise, but Christ. Therefore, whoever wants to boast, let him boast in Him, and not in such-and-such or such-and-such: after all, everything was accomplished by Christ. Therefore, having said: “Who became for us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption,” the apostle adds: “so that it may be, as it is written: He who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Cor. 1:31). For this reason, he strongly rebelled against pagan wisdom, in order to convince people to boast about God, as they should. When we ourselves seek for that which is higher than us, then there is nothing more stupid, there is nothing more powerless than us. We can refine our language, but we cannot invent solid dogmas: our reasoning in itself is like cobweb fabric. Some have reached such madness that they say that out of everything that exists, nothing is true, but everything is contrary to what appears to us. Therefore, do not attribute anything to yourself, but rather boast in God in everything. Never attribute anything to any person; If nothing should be attributed to Paul, then much less to others: “I planted,” he says, “Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Cor. 3:6). He who has learned to boast in the Lord will never be arrogant, but will always humble himself and thank Him for everything. This is not what the pagans do, but they take credit for everything. That is why they make gods out of people: so pride has taken possession of them! However, the time has already come to fight them. Where did we stop in our previous conversation? We said that, according to human reasoning, it was impossible for fishermen to defeat philosophers; yet it is done, and therefore done by the power of grace. We said that it was impossible for them to decide on such matters, and we showed that they not only decided, but also completed it with great ease. Today we will again talk mainly about the same thing: could they hope to conquer the universe if they had not seen Christ risen? Have they really lost their minds and decided to do such a thing simply and thoughtlessly? Indeed, it would be beyond all madness to expect success in such a great undertaking, without the assistance of the grace of God. And how could they do this if they were mad and frantic? If they were in their right mind, as their very deeds showed, how could they, twelve men, gird themselves and go out into such a battle, on land and sea, to rebel against the customs of the entire universe, which had been established for such a long time, and to rebel so courageously, if they did not have sure guarantees from heaven and did not receive help from above? And, more importantly, how did they hope to convince their listeners by calling them to heaven and the mansions above? If they had been educated and brought up in fame, wealth and honors, then although even then they would hardly have decided on such a great undertaking, but at least they could have had more hope; and here some are fishermen, others are tanners, others are tax collectors. Such activities were least likely to be conducive to philosophy and promote high thoughts, especially if there was no such example. And not only did they have no examples of success in such enterprises; on the contrary, there were examples of failure, and the most recent ones at that. Many who attempted innovations - I’m not talking about the pagans, who did not have this, but about the Jews themselves, at the same time - perished, having begun the task not with twelve people, but with a great multitude. So Theudas and Judas, having gathered many accomplices, died along with their disciples (Acts 5:36-37). Fear from such examples could have enlightened them enough if they were not sure that victory was possible only by divine power. And with the hope of success, how would they dare to take on such dangers if they did not have the future in mind? Let us suppose that they had hope of success; but what benefit could they expect from turning everyone to the non-Risen One, as you say? 4. If now people who believe in the teaching about the kingdom of heaven and innumerable blessings barely dare to face danger, then how did the apostles decide to expose themselves to them in vain, or, better yet, to their own detriment? If what had happened had not happened, if Christ had not ascended to heaven, then, having decided to invent it and teach it to others, they would have offended God and would have had to expect terrible punishments from above. On the other hand, even during the life of Christ they had such a determination, they would still have abandoned it after His death, since if He had not been resurrected, they would have considered Him a deceiver and a deceiver. Don’t you know that during the life of the commander and the king, even weak troops hold out, but after death even the strong ones are upset? What considerations, tell me, motivated them when they decided to start preaching and go into the whole universe? And what obstacles would they not encounter? If they were frantic - I will not stop repeating this - they would do absolutely nothing, because no one listens to frantic people; and if they did their job the way they did it, then the end shows that they were wiser than everyone else. If they were wiser than everyone else, then it is obvious that they did not just go to preach. If they had not seen Christ risen, what could have brought them to such a battle? What, on the contrary, would not turn them away from it? He told them that in three days he would rise again, promised the kingdom of heaven, predicted that they, having received the Holy Spirit, would conquer the universe, and announced many other things, exceeding all the laws of nature. After this, if nothing of the kind had been fulfilled, then, even if they believed Him during His life, after His death they would have ceased to believe if they had not seen Him risen. They would say: He said that in three days he would rise again, but he did not rise; promised to send the Spirit, but did not send it: how can we believe Him in the future if the nearest one turned out to be false? Why would they preach that Christ has risen if He had not risen? Because you will say that they loved Him. But then, of course, they would have hated Him as a seducer and a traitor, who, having inflamed them with countless hopes, separated them from their homes, and from their relatives, and from everything, having armed the entire Jewish people against them, then left them. If this were only due to weakness, then they could forgive Him; but then they would consider it great malice. He should have spoken the truth and not promised heaven if He were a mortal man, as you say. Then, of course, they would begin to do the opposite, they would begin to reveal the deception and call Him a deceiver and an attacker: in this way they would get rid of the dangers and end the war. If the Jews gave money to the soldiers so that they would say that His body was stolen (Matthew 28:12-13), then what would not the disciples receive if they came and said: we stole Him, He did not rise? Then, probably, they would have been awarded with honors and crowns. Why did they prefer reproach and misfortune to all this, if there was no divine power acting in them more powerfully than all this? If you are still not convinced, then pay attention to the following: if there had not been (the resurrection of Christ), then the apostles, even if they were very ready, would not have preached about Him, but would have shown disgust towards Him. You know that we don’t even want to hear about the names of those who cruelly deceived us. Why did they preach His name? Did they hope to win with this name? On the contrary, they should have expected that even if they won, they would perish, because they proclaimed the name of the deceiver. And if they wanted to hide the past, then they should not have preached, because their efforts would only arouse even more abuse and laughter. And how could they make all this up? On the contrary, they would forget what they heard. If then, when they had nothing to fear, they forgot a lot and did not understand otherwise, as the evangelist notes (John 12:16), then, with danger threatening, would not everything have gone out of their memory? And what about words? Their very love for the Teacher cooled somewhat from the fear of future dangers, for which He reproached them. Before, they, following Him, often asked: “Where... are you coming? (John 13:36), and then, when He, in a long conversation, presented to them the calamities that they would undergo during His suffering on the cross, they, struck with fear, remained silent, about which, listen to how He himself says: “None of you asks Me: Where are you going? But because I told you this, your heart was filled with sorrow” (John 16:5-6). If they were so grieved when they were still expecting His death and resurrection, then, not having seen Him risen, would they not have completely lost heart, would they not have wished to be buried in the ground, both from grief at the sight of deception, and from fear of the future? 5. Where did they get this lofty teaching? (Christ) told them that they would hear the highest teaching later: “There are many more things,” He said, “I have to tell you; but now you cannot contain it” (John 16:12). Consequently, the highest was communicated to them later. One of His disciples, hearing about the danger, did not even want to go with Him to Judea, but said: “Let us go and die with Him” (John 11:16): with such sorrow he awaited His death! If, expecting death, he lost courage in the presence of Jesus Christ himself, then without Him and without the other disciples, to what dangers were his hopes not exposed? And there is a lot of evidence of their cowardice. Moreover, what did they have to talk about when they went out to preach? The suffering (of Christ) was known to the universe, since He was crucified on a high tree, at noon, in the capital city, and on the greatest holiday, at which all (the Jews) especially had to be present; and none of the outsiders knew about His resurrection, and this was for them a considerable obstacle to conviction. There was a general rumor about His burial, and the soldiers and all the Jews said that the disciples stole His body; and none of the outsiders knew that He had risen. How did they hope to convince the universe? If the guards, upon seeing miracles, agreed to testify to the contrary, then how did they decide to preach without miracles, and, not possessing even a small amount of money, hoped to convince everyone on earth and sea of ​​the truth of the resurrection? If they did this out of ambition, then each of them would attribute his teaching to himself rather than to the Deceased One. But (you say) people wouldn’t believe them? On the contrary, who could they rather believe, the One who was taken and crucified on the cross, or those who escaped the hands of the Jews? Why, tell me, having decided on such a thing, did they not immediately leave Judea and go to other cities, but stayed there? And how did they manage to convince if they did not perform signs? If they performed signs - and they really did - then it was an action of the power of God; if they didn’t do it and yet won, then what they did was even more amazing. Didn’t they, tell me, know the Jews, their evil heart and soul filled with hatred? These people wanted to stone Moses, after he led them across the sea, after the victory and that wonderful triumph that through him they won without shedding blood over the Egyptians who enslaved them, after the manna, after the springs of water produced from the stones, after countless miracles in Egypt, at the Red Sea and in the desert; They threw Jeremiah into a pit and killed many prophets. Listen to what Elijah says about them, who was driven by them far from their country, after a terrible famine and a wonderful rain, after the fire that he brought down from heaven, and after a glorious burnt offering: “They destroyed Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword; I am left alone, but they are also looking for my soul” (1 Kings 19:10). Meanwhile (the prophets) did not introduce any changes in the law. How, tell me, could they listen to the apostles, who were more humble than all of them (the prophets) and taught the same new teaching for which their Teacher was crucified? Moreover, it might not have seemed strange so much when Christ said this as when they. They might think of Him that He did this for His glory, and they might be hated all the more because they fought for another. But didn’t Roman laws help them? On the contrary, on this side there were even more obstacles - after all, it was said: “Everyone who makes himself a king is adversary to Caesar” (John 19:12). One thing could serve as an obstacle for them, that they were disciples of someone who was considered a tyrant and acted in His favor. What prompted them to expose themselves to such dangers? What could they say about Him that would seem trustworthy? Was it that He was crucified? Is it that he was born from a poor Jewish woman betrothed to a Jewish carpenter? Is it that He came from a people hated in the whole world? But all this could not only not convince and not attract listeners, but on the contrary, turn everyone away, especially when it was announced by the creator of the film and the fisherman. Could all this not have occurred to His disciples? Timid people can imagine even more than what actually exists; and such were the apostles. On what did they base their hope of success? Rather, they would have had no hope despite the countless obstacles that they encountered if Christ had not risen. 6. Isn’t it clear to everyone, even the most unreasonable, that the apostles not only could not have undertaken and carried out such a work, but even thought about it, if they had not received great and abundant grace and had not had the guarantee of resurrection? If, with such obstacles to the enterprise, not to mention the execution of the task, they decided, and carried out and accomplished beyond all expectations, then isn’t it clear to everyone that they acted not by human strength, but by divine grace? Let us engage in similar reasoning not only with ourselves, but also with each other: then we can learn other things more conveniently. Even if you were a craftsman, do not consider such an activity alien to yourself. After all, Paul was also a tentmaker, but he was filled with great grace and through it he proclaimed all things. But before grace he was at the feet of Gamaliel; and he received grace itself because he showed a soul worthy of grace, and after that he again went about his craft. So, do not be ashamed, no one practicing a craft; but let those be ashamed who eat bread in vain and live in idleness, who have many servants and demand incessant services. Always eating after work is a kind of wisdom: the souls of such people are purer, their thoughts more thorough. An idle person says a lot of empty things, and does a lot of empty things, and does nothing all day long, indulging in bliss; and the one who is busy with work will not soon allow anything unnecessary, either in deeds, or in words, or in thoughts; his soul is completely devoted to a hardworking life. Let us not despise those who feed from the labors of their hands, but let us please them even more for this. How, tell me, are you worthy of grace if, having received an inheritance from your father, you live doing nothing and waste it in vain? Don’t you know that we will not all give the same account, but those who have received the most benefits here will give the most difficult account, and those depressed by labor, poverty, or something else like that will give the easiest account? This can be seen from the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. You, who have not used your free time for anything useful, will justly be condemned; and the poor man, who, with his labors, uses the remaining time on worthwhile deeds, will receive great crowns. Will you point to your military rank and use it as an excuse for your carelessness? But this apology is also unfounded. Cornelius was a centurion, but the military belt did not in the least hinder his piety. When you work with jesters and dancers, you spend all your time at shows, you do not refer either to the necessary matters of military service, or to fear of your superiors; and when we invite you to church, then there are countless obstacles. What will you say on the day when you see flames, rivers of fire and insoluble bonds, and hear the gnashing of teeth? Who will help you on the day when you see the artisan, who spent his life righteously, enjoying great glory, and yourself, who is now adorned with delicate clothes and breathing incense, suffering unspeakably? What benefit will wealth and abundance bring to you, and what harm will poverty do to an artisan? Therefore, so that we do not tolerate this, let us be afraid of what has been said and make every effort to accomplish the necessary deeds. Thus, by appeasing God for our past sins and adding good deeds in the future, we will be able to receive the kingdom of heaven through 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 to the 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” Gr. “μη οντα” – lit. “non-existent” – I.I. You might be interested in: