Беседа 11

2 Cor.5:11. So, knowing the fear of the Lord, we admonish people, but we are open to God; I hope that your consciences are also open. How everything became new for Christians. – The dignity of the apostles. - The greatness of the atoning sacrifice. 1. So, he says, knowing this, that is, that terrible judgment, we are doing everything so as not to give you any reason to even falsely suspect us of the insincerity of our actions. Do you see the strict precision in the performance of duties, and the care of the soul, caring (for the good of others)? “We,” he says, “are subject to condemnation not only when, in fact, we would have done something bad, but we are also subject to it when, having done nothing bad, we are suspected of evil and, being in the power to remove suspicion, do not care about it.” “We do not present ourselves to you again, but we give you a reason to boast about us” (“We do not again praise ourselves..., but we give you the blame for boasting about us”) (2 Cor. 5:12). Look how he always warns against suspicion of imaginary self-praise, because nothing offends the ears of listeners more than telling something great and extraordinary about oneself. But since he was forced to say something like this about himself, he corrects himself, saying: “We do this for you, and not for ourselves, so that you have something to boast about, not us”; but this is not without a purpose, but because of the false apostles, which is why he adds: “to those who boast in appearance, and not in heart” (“to those who boast in appearance, and not in heart”). Do you see how he distracted them from the false apostles and attracted them to his side, showing that the Corinthians themselves wanted to take the opportunity to defend him and answer for him to those who condemned him? “We say this not so that we can be praised,” he says, “but so that you can freely speak for us,” which at the same time proves his great love for them, “and not so that you can boast only, but so that you are no longer deceived.” So, however, he did not say this openly, but expressed the same in other words, more moderate, and without reproaching them, saying: “so that you may have” (“yes imate”) than to boast about “those who boast in face” (“to those who boast in face”). And he commands them to do this not simply and without any need, but when the false apostles are exalted, because he always takes into account the circumstances. So, he does not say this for his own glory, but to stop the mouths of the false apostles, who boast of their deeds to the detriment of the Corinthians. But what does “in person” mean? Boasting about outward deeds done for show. But the false apostles were really like that, and did everything out of curiosity; being empty in soul, although they had the appearance of piety and seemed worthy of respect, they were alien to good deeds. “If we lose our temper, it is for God; if we are modest, then for you” (“If we are foolish, O God: if we are chaste, for you”) (2 Cor. 5:13). “If,” he says, “we proclaim something great about ourselves (he calls this “amazement”, or, as in other places, “madness”), then we do it for God, so that you, considering us weak, do not become proud and perish; But if we say something humbly and humiliatingly, then we do it for you, so that you learn to be humble.” Or his words have the following meaning: “If anyone considers us crazy, we hope to receive a reward from God, for whom we are subject to such suspicion, but if anyone considers us humble, let him himself learn humility from us.” And another way: “If anyone thinks we are crazy, let him know that we are so crazy for God.” That’s why he adds: “for the love of Christ embraces us who reason in this way” (“for the love of God will support us who reason in this way”) (2 Cor. 5:14). “Not only,” he says, “the fear of the future, but also what has already happened, does not allow us to be careless and indulge in sleep, but awakens us and encourages us to work for you.” What is it that has already happened? The fact that “if one died for all, then all died” (“if one died for all, then all died”). “Consequently, everyone died,” he says. If everyone had not died, then (Christ) would not have died for everyone, because here, and not there, are the means of salvation. That’s why he says: “the love of Christ embraces us” (“the love of God will support us”), and does not allow us to remain silent, and there will be extreme misfortune, crueler than Gehenna itself, if after God has done such a thing, some remain without receiving any fruit from His providence for us.” Truly, the work of abundant love is to die for the entire universe, and, moreover, lying in evil. “So that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose again for them” (“Let those who live live not for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again”) (2 Cor. 5:15). “So, if we must not live for ourselves, then,” he says, “you should not be embarrassed and worried about the disasters and deaths approaching you.” And it presents an obvious reason why this should be done. “If,” he says, “we live by Him who died for us, then we must live for Him by whom we live.” And although what he said apparently contains one reason, however, if we carefully consider, we will find the following two: the first is that we only live by Him, the second is that He died for us. Each of them, taken separately, is sufficient to make us submissive. Think, then, how much we must be obliged to do when we put the two together. But there is also a third reason hidden in his words, namely, that for you (the Lord) raised and raised into heaven the firstfruits of our nature, which is why it is added: “for him who died for them and rose again” (“to him who died for us and rose again”). “Therefore from now on we know no one according to the flesh” (“Likewise from now on we have not known one according to the flesh”) (2 Cor. 5:16). If everyone died and everyone rose again, and died as the dominion of sin condemned them to die, but were resurrected through the washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit, then he rightly says that we “know none of the believers according to the flesh.” What does it really matter if they are still in the flesh? The former carnal life has already ended, and we have been reborn from above by the Spirit, and have come to know another dwelling, and abiding, and life, and dispensation, namely the heavenly one. And the culprit of all this (the apostle) calls Christ, which is why he added: “even if we knew Christ according to the flesh, now we no longer know it” (“even if we understood Christ according to the flesh, but now we do not understand it”). 2. Well, tell me, has He laid off His flesh and is now without a body? No, He is still in the flesh, because it is said: “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way” (“this Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way”) (Acts 1:11). How about “in the same way” (“in the same way”)? In the flesh, with a body. How does he say: “even if we knew Christ in the flesh, now we no longer know”? As applied to us, “according to the flesh” means the same thing as being in sins, and “not according to the flesh” means the same thing as not being in sins. When applied to Christ, “according to the flesh” means nothing more than to be a participant in the infirmities of human nature, such as: thirst, hunger, fatigue, sleep; because He “committed no sin, neither was there any lying in His mouth” (“You shall not commit sin, lest deceit be found in His mouth”) (Is. 53:9; 1 Peter 2:22), which is why He said: “Which of you will convict Me of unrighteousness?” (“Who of you accuses Me of sin?”) (John 8:46); and again: “the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in Me” (“the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in Me”) (John 14:30); and “not according to the flesh” means that He has already been freed from these infirmities, and not that He is now without flesh. It is with flesh, only no longer involved in suffering and immortal, that He will come to judge the universe. We will also come to such a state when our body will be “conformed to the body of His glory” (Phil. 3:21). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (“Moreover, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation”) (2 Cor. 5:17). Hitherto (the apostle) borrowed incentives to virtue from love, now he brings them to it from consideration of the deeds themselves. Therefore he added: “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” “Whoever,” he says, “believed in him, he became another creature, because he was born again through the Spirit. And for this reason, therefore, we must,” he says, “live for Him, not only because we are not our own (1 Cor. 6:19), and not only because He died for us and resurrected the firstfruits of our nature, but also because we have passed on to another life.” Look how many reasons he gives for why one should live virtuously. And to show how important this transition is and how much such a change means, he also gives a meaningful name to this correction (of life). Then, in order to further explain what was said and show how we become a new creature, he says: “The old has passed away, now everything is new” (“ancient mimoidosha, behold everything is new”). What is “ancient”? Or sins and various types of wickedness, or all Jewish (rites); or better yet, both together. “Now everything is new. “All things are from God” (“Behold, everything is new; everything is from God”) (2 Cor. 5:17–18). And nothing from us. And the remission of sins, and adoption, and imperishable glory - all have been given to us from Him. Thus, he excites them to virtue not only with future benefits, but also with present ones. Look how. He said that we will one day rise again, pass into incorruption and receive an eternal church. But since the present has more power than the future to convince those who do not believe in the future as they should believe, he shows them both what they have already received and what they were like when they received it. What were they like when they received them? They were all dead (“all,” he says, “died, and Christ died for all: so He loved everyone the same”), they were all decrepit, old in iniquities. But now there is a new soul (because it has been cleansed), and a new body, and a new ministry, and new promises, and a covenant, and life, and a meal, and clothing, and everything in general is new. In fact, instead of earthly Jerusalem, we received the highest throne city; instead of a sensory church, they saw a spiritual church; instead of stone tablets they received flesh tablets; instead of circumcision - baptism; instead of manna - the body of the Lady; instead of water from a stone - blood from a rib; instead of the rod of Moses or Aaron - a cross; instead of the promised land - the kingdom of heaven; instead of countless priests - a Single Bishop; instead of a dumb lamb - a spiritual Lamb. Presenting all these and similar benefits, (the apostle) said: “everything is new.” And all this is from God through Christ and His grace. That’s why he added: “who reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (“who reconciled us with himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation”), because all blessings are given to us through Christ. He who made us His friends is also the author of all the other (goods) that God bestowed on His friends, because, not leaving us as enemies, He endowed us with such gifts, but making us His friends. But when I call Christ the author of our reconciliation, I also mean the Father; when I say that the Father granted (this reconciliation), then again I mean the Son. “All things came into being through Him” (“All things came into being”) (John 1:3); therefore, He is the culprit of this too. It was not we who turned to Him, but He Himself called us to Himself. How did you call? The death of Christ. “And who gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” Here (the apostle) again points out the dignity of the title of apostle, showing how great a task is entrusted to them, and how great is God’s love for us. In fact, even after people did not listen to the intercessor who came, (God) did not reject or abandon them, but continues to call them both himself and through others. Who can worthily marvel at such care for us! The Son who came for reconciliation, the most sincere and only begotten Son, was put to death; but the Father, despite this, did not reject those who killed Him, and did not say: “I sent My Son to carry out My embassy, ​​but they not only did not want to listen to Him, but also killed and crucified, therefore it is righteous to reject them.” But he did the exact opposite: after the Son departed from us, He entrusted us with the work of reconciliation: “who gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Because God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against people” (“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them”) (2 Cor. 5:18-19). Do you see the love that surpasses every word, every mind? Who was offended? Himself (God). Who came first for reconciliation? It's him. “But,” you say, “He sent the Son, and did not come himself?” Yes, He sent the Son, but it was not the Son alone who called us, but the Father acted with Him and through Him. That is why (the apostle) said that “God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself” (“God reconciled the world to Himself in Christ”), that is, through Christ. With these words, he explains the above words: “who gave us the ministry of reconciliation,” and as if he were saying: “Do not think that we are the culprits of this matter - we are only ministers; But the author of everything is God, who reconciled the universe to Himself through the Only Begotten.” How did He reconcile? It is surprising not only that He became a friend, but even more so that He became a friend. How? Leaving them their sins: otherwise there would not have been a friend. That is why (the apostle) said further: “not imputing their crimes to people” (“not imputing their sins to them”). Indeed, if He wanted to demand an account of our sins, then we would all perish, because we all died. But with such a multitude of our sins, He not only did not demand punishment for us, but also reconciled with us; not only forgave our sins, but did not even impute them to us. So we must forgive our enemies, so that we ourselves may receive the same. forgiveness. “And he gave us the word of reconciliation” (“And having placed in us the word of reconciliation”) “And we,” he says, “have not come now to proclaim something difficult, but to make everyone friends of God.” “If they did not believe me,” says (the Lord), then do not stop admonishing them until you convince them. That’s why he says further: “and as if God Himself exhorts through us; in the name of Christ we ask: be reconciled to God" ("in Christ we pray, as I pray to God with us, we pray in Christ: be reconciled to God") (2 Cor. 5:20). 3. Look to what extent he exalted this matter, presenting Christ himself as asking for reconciliation, and not only Christ, but also the Father himself. The meaning of his words is this: the Father sent His Son to exhort (people) and to carry out an embassy on His behalf to the human race. But since He, having been killed, departed from here, now this embassy has been handed over to us, therefore we ask you on behalf of Christ and His Father. The human race is so dear to Him that He gave up His Son for it, knowing in advance that He would be put to death, and made us apostles for you - so He rightly said (the apostle): “all things for you” (1 Cor. 3:22). “In the name of Christ we ask” (“In Christ we pray”), that is, “instead of Christ, because His work has been entrusted to us.” If this seems exaggerated to you, then listen again further, where he says that they do this not only instead of Him, that is, Christ, but also instead of the Father. Therefore he added: “and as if God Himself exhorts through us” (“as if to God who prays to us”) “Not only through the Son,” he says, “(God) calls people, but also through us, to whom His work has been entrusted. So, do not think,” he says, “that we ask you, Christ himself asks you through us, and even the Father of Christ himself.” What can be equal to such an excess (of goodness)? Being ungratefully offended for the countless benefits (given to us from Him), He not only did not condemn us, but also gave His Son to reconcile us to Himself; and when those to whom He came not only did not reconcile, but also killed Him, He again sent other messengers to call, and through them He Himself asks. What is he asking for? "Make your peace with God". He did not say: “Reconcile God with you,” because it is not God who is at enmity against us, but we are against Him. God never quarrels. Therefore, as the sent mediator, justifying Him, he says: “For He made him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (“For he who knew no sin has made sin for us”) (2 Cor. 5:21). “I’m not even talking about what happened before - that you showed yourself extremely ungrateful against Him who did not cause you any offense, on the contrary, did you good; I’m not even talking about the fact that He did not condemn you for this, and that the first, being offended, is the first to ask; let all this be covered in silence. Only the good deed that He has done for you today is not enough for you to be reconciled with Him? What did He do? “He made him who knew no sin to be a sacrifice for sin for us” (“He who knew no sin, made sin for us”). If He had done only this one thing and nothing else, then think what it would have been like to give up His Son for those who insulted Him? And He did many other good deeds for us, and above all else, He condemned the one who had not committed any unrighteousness to suffer for the unrighteous. But (the apostle) did not say this, but pointed to something much more. What exactly? The fact that “he who knew no sin” - the One who is the self-existent truth - “made him a sacrifice for sin” (“create sin”), that is, allowed him to be condemned, as if a sinner, and to die, as if cursed, because “cursed is... [everyone] hanged [on a tree]” (“cursed... hang on a tree”) ( Deut.21:23). Indeed, to die on the tree meant much more than just to die, which he points out in another place, he says: “having been obedient even to death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8). Such a death was not only considered a punishment, but also a dishonor. So, think about how much God has given you. It is a great thing when a sinner dies for someone; but when a righteous man suffers in this way and dies for sinners, and not only dies, but dies as an evildoer, and not only is imputed with the evildoers, but also by his death gives us great benefits that we did not expect - because it is said: “that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (“that we may be God’s righteousness in Him”) - then what word, what mind can worthily embrace and depict this? “God made the righteous man a sinner, so that he might make sinners righteous. But he didn’t say just that, but much more; he indicated not only the condition, but the quality itself. He did not say: “made us sinners,” but “made us a sacrifice for sin” (“create sin”); and not only those who did not sin, but also those who “knew no sin”; so that we too would be, He did not say “righteous,” but “the truth,” and “the truth of God.” And indeed, this truth is God’s. When we are justified not by works, because otherwise we would have to be without any vice, - but by grace, which alone destroys all sin. And this keeps us from pride, since everything has been given to us by God, and at the same time it shows the importance of what has been given to us. The first truth comes from the law and from works, and this last one is “God’s truth.” So, having discussed all this, let us fear what has been said more than Gehenna itself, we will honor the works (of God) higher than the kingdom of heaven itself, and we will be confirmed in the thought that it is terrible not to endure torment, but to sin. Even if (God) had not punished us, then we ourselves should have asked for punishment for the fact that we were so ungrateful to our Benefactor. If someone who is burning with love for a woman, without receiving reciprocal love from her, often kills himself; and when he receives it, but sins in some way against his beloved, considers himself unworthy of life, then, by offending such a humane and merciful God, shouldn’t we plunge ourselves into the fire of Gehenna? I will also say something strange, wonderful and, perhaps, incredible for many: there will be more consolation for the one who suffers punishment for insulting such a Lover of Humanity, if only he has intelligence and loves the Lord as he should love, than for one who does not suffer punishment. 4. That this is so can be seen from our common custom. In fact, when someone offends a loved one, he calms down most of all when he asks for punishment for himself and endures some kind of insult. So David spoke about this: “Behold, I have sinned, I have acted lawlessly; and these sheep, what did they do? let Thy hand turn against me and against my father's house" ("I am a shepherd who has sinned, and I am a shepherd who has done evil, and what have you done with these sheep? Let Your hand be on my father's house") (2 Samuel 24:17). And when he lost Absalom, he sought the most severe punishment for himself - although he himself was not the one who offended, but offended; but since he loved the deceased so much, he gave himself over to the torments of grief, finding comfort in this. So we must punish ourselves when we sin against Him, against whom we should not sin. Do you see how those who have lost their beloved children torment themselves, tearing out their hair, finding relief from their grief for their loved ones in punishing themselves? If even then, when we have not offended our beloved in any way, our only suffering that they have suffered evil brings us consolation, then when we ourselves have offended them and committed untruths against them, shouldn’t suffering punishment be much more reassuring to us than being freed from punishment? Everyone knows this. Whoever loves Christ as he should love understands what I am saying, that is, that he himself will not tolerate being left without punishment, even if (Christ) forgave him, since just insulting Him constitutes the greatest punishment. I know that what I say is incredible to many; however, the matter is exactly as I said. If we love Christ as we should love Him, then we will punish ourselves for our sins. For those who love, it is regrettable not that they suffer some kind of evil for insulting their loved one, but, above all, the very insult of their loved one. And if the latter, angry, does not punish the first, then this will torment him even more; and if he punishes, then, on the contrary, he will calm and console him. So, let us fear not Gehenna, but the insult of God, because when God, in His anger, turns away from us, then it will be worse than Gehenna, worse than all, most terrible. And in order to be more convinced of how bad this is, think about what I say. If any king, seeing some robber or other criminal being punished, gave his beloved, only-begotten, blood and legitimate son to death for him, so that along with death the guilt of the robber would be transferred to his innocent son, and so that the guilty person would thereby be freed from punishment and delivered from dishonor; if, in addition, he raised him to the highest degree of dignity; and he who had so extraordinarily received salvation and was honored by such glory would later insult his benefactor, would he not wish, unless he had lost his mind, to die a thousand times rather than remain guilty of such ingratitude? This is how we will reason now, and weep bitterly because we so ungratefully insult our Benefactor. Let us not carelessly hope that He will endure long-suffering when insulted; on the contrary, that is why we will lament even more. And among us people, if someone turns his left cheek to someone who hits him on the right cheek, he takes more revenge than if he hit him a thousand times in return; in the same way, the one who suffers reproach, when he not only does not reproach each other, but also blesses the one who reproaches, thereby hurts him much more than through countless mutual reproaches. If we are so ashamed of people who generously endure our insults, then shouldn’t we fear God all the more when we constantly sin, but do not suffer any punishment for it? A truly terrible punishment is observed on the head of such. So, thinking about this, let us first of all fear sin, since from it is torment, from it is Gehenna, from it is all evil. And we will not only be afraid, but we will also run away from him, and always try to please God. This is the kingdom, this is life, this is thousands of blessings. Thus, in this life we ​​will also partake of the kingdom of heaven and future blessings, which we all will be worthy to receive through the grace and love of 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. You might be interested in: