Беседа 9

2 Cor.4:8–9. We are oppressed on every side, but not constrained; we are in desperate circumstances, but we do not despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned. Benefits from temptations. – The Resurrection of Christ confirms the general resurrection. – Proof of the future Last Judgment. 1. (The Apostle) continues to prove that everything he said above is the work of the power of God, thus demolishing the pride of those who boast in themselves. “It’s not just one thing,” he says, “it’s only wonderful that we keep this treasure in meager vessels, but also that, being exposed to countless disasters and being struck from everywhere, we preserve it and do not lose it. Meanwhile, just as an adamantine vessel could neither carry such a treasure nor withstand so many slander, now (even the meager vessel) contains it and remains unharmed by the grace of God.” “We are oppressed from everywhere,” he says, “but not oppressed” (“We are grieving in everything, but not suffering”). What does it mean “from everywhere” (“in everything”)? That is, “We suffer sorrows from everywhere - from enemies, from friends, from the lack of the most necessary things, and from other needs, from ill-wishers and from our own - but we remain unconstrained.” And look at what opposites he points out, in order to show the power of God here too: “we are oppressed (sorrowfully),” he says, “but not oppressed; we are in desperate circumstances, but we do not despair” (“but not in a cold way: we do not hope, but do not despair”), i.e., “we do not completely lose hope. We often grieve and do not receive what we are looking for, but not in such a way that we lose hope of getting what we are striving for, because God allows such temptations not to amaze us, but to perfect us.” “We are persecuted, but not forsaken; “We are cast down, but we do not perish” (“We are persecuted, but we are not abandoned: we are cast down, but we are not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:9). “Although temptations befall us, we do not comprehend the consequences of these temptations; and this all happens through the action of the power and grace of God.” In other places he says that God allows such (temptations) both in order to humble themselves and warn others. So, “so that I do not “I was arrogant,” he says, “a thorn was given to me in the flesh” (“Let me not be arrogant, for here I am the wicked one”) (2 Cor. 12:7). And again: “lest anyone think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me” (“let no one grieve for me any more than he sees me, or hears anything from me”) (2 Cor. 12:6). And in another place: “so that we may not trust in ourselves” (“let us not trust in ourselves”) (2 Cor. 1:9). And here (he says): “so that she may appear.” the power of God." Do you see the benefit of temptation? Through them, the action of the power and grace of God becomes more obvious: “My grace is sufficient for you,” he says, (“My grace is sufficient for you”) (2 Cor. 12:9). They led some to humility, and others, at least, forced them to moderate their pride, and made them more generous: “from patience,” they say, “experience, from experience hope” (“patience makes... art, and art gives hope”) (Rom. 5:4). Those who were subjected to countless disasters, and were freed from them only by hope in God, learned through this and in every other case to hold on to this hope most of all. “We always bear in our body the death of the Lord Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (“We always bear the death of the Lord Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body”) (2 Cor. 4:10). What does the “death of the Lord Jesus” that they bore mean? Various kinds of death threatened daily, which also pointed to the resurrection. “If anyone does not believe,” he says, “that Jesus died and rose again, let him be convinced of the truth of the resurrection by seeing us die and rise again every day.” Do you see how he found another reason for temptation? Which one exactly? “So that the life of Jesus,” he says, “may be revealed in our body” (“And the life of Jesus will appear in our body,” that is, when the Lord rescues us from the dangers of death, so that the very thing that apparently shows the powerlessness (of the apostles) and their abandonment (from the Lord) clearly preaches His resurrection. “His power,” he says, “would not be so visible if we did not endure any suffering, as it did.” visible now, when we suffer, but remain invincible." And “we who are alive are continually given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh” (“we are being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in us in our dead flesh”) (2 Cor. 4:11). When (the apostle) says something unclear, he always adds an explanation of his words. He did the same thing here, explaining what he said above. “For this,” he says, “we surrender, that is, we bear His death, so that the power of His life may be revealed in us, when He does not allow our mortal flesh, which suffers so much, to be overcome by a multitude of evils.” These words can be understood differently. How? Just as he says in another place: “if we died with Him, we will also live with Him” (“even if we die with Him, we will also live with Him”) (2 Tim. 2:11). “Just as we bear His death and decide to die alive for Him now, so He deigns to revive us who have died then. If we, neglecting life, go to death, then He will lead us from death to life.” “So death worketh in us, and life in you” (“In the same way death worketh in us, and life in you”) (2 Cor. 4:12). Here he no longer talks about death, but about disasters and consolations. “We,” he says, “are in troubles and temptations, but you enjoy peace, and our troubles bring you life. We are exposed to dangers, but you enjoy prosperity because you do not suffer such temptations.” “But having the same spirit of faith, as it is written: I believed, and therefore I spoke, and we believe, and therefore we speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise us up through Jesus” (“Having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written: Having believed, we also said the same things; and we believe, and we also say the same things, that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up through Jesus”) (2 Cor. 4:13-14). Here he reminded us of the psalm (Ps. 116:1), which contains a lot of wisdom, and can greatly console us in misfortune, because these words were spoken by the righteous man when he was among great disasters, from which it was impossible to free himself except with the help of God. 2. Since (the apostle) knew that in similar (misfortunes) similar (consolations) especially ease the soul, he said, “having the same spirit,” i.e., “by the same help with which he was delivered from disasters, we are saved, and by the same Spirit with which he spoke, we speak.” At the same time, he shows here that there is great agreement between the Old and New Testaments, that the same Spirit acted in both testaments; also that we are not the only ones exposed to disasters, but all the ancients were exposed to them, and that it is more necessary to be affirmed in faith and hope, and not immediately seek deliverance from the (disasters) that befall us. Having thus proven, through inferences, resurrection and life, and that disaster is not a sign of powerlessness and abandonment from God, (the apostle) finally moves on to faith, and directs everything towards it. But to confirm this faith, he again points to the resurrection of Christ, saying: “and we believe, therefore we speak” (“and we believe, therefore we speak”). What do we believe? “Knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will raise us up through Jesus and place us before Himself with you. For all this is for your sake, so that the abundance of grace will produce the greater gratitude in many to the glory of God" ("For He who raised up Jesus... will also raise us up and present us with you. For all this is for your sake, so that grace, which has abounded, may abound in abundance through thanksgiving to the glory of God") (2 Cor. 4:14-15). Again he instructs (the Corinthians) not to attribute the benefits received to people, that is, to the false apostles, because everything comes from God, Who is pleased to pour out His benefits to many so that more people will thank Him. “For you,” he says, “His resurrection and everything else. He did not do so much for just one person, but for everyone.” “Therefore we do not lose heart; but even if our outer man is decaying, then our inner man is being renewed day by day" ("Nevertheless, we do not grow cold: but even if our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed all the days.") (2 Cor. 4:16). How does it "smolder"? When it suffers scourging, persecution and other countless calamities. "The inner man is renewed all the days." How is it “updated”? Faith, hope, jealousy. Therefore, we must be courageous in adversity. Indeed, the more the body suffers, the more the soul has good hopes and the more it becomes enlightened, like gold, much tested by the action of fire. And see how he takes away the power from the sorrows of this life. “For our momentary light affliction,” he says, “produces eternal glory in an immeasurable abundance, when we look not on what is seen, but on what is unseen” (“For even now light sorrow, when it is multiplied into prosperity, produces an eternal burden of glory, not for those who look to us who are seen, but what is unseen”) (2 Cor. 4:17-18). He bases everything on hope. And as in the letter to the Romans he said: “For we are saved by hope. But hope, when it sees, is not hope” (“we are saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope”) (Rom. 8:24), and here it leads the listener to the same thing, when the present contrasts with the future, the temporal with the eternal, the easy with the difficult, and sorrow with glory. And not content with this opposition, he adds another expression to aggravate it, and says: “produces in immeasurable abundance” (“by increasing in prosperity”) (καθ υπερβολήν εις υπερβολήν). Then he shows a way to ease the severity of sorrows. How? “When we look,” he says, “not at the visible, but at the invisible” (“We do not look at the visible, but the invisible”). If in this way we turn our gaze away from what is visible, then the present will be easy for us, and the future will be great: “for what is visible is temporary” (“what is visible is more temporary”); therefore, sorrows are (temporary). “And the invisible is eternal” (“The invisible is eternal”); therefore, the crowns are the same. He did not say: “only sorrows are temporary,” but everything visible, even if it were sorrow, even if it were joy, so that even in joy we would not relax and would not be burdened by sorrows. Therefore, speaking about the future, he did not say: “the kingdom is eternal,” but: “the unseen is eternal,” even if it were a kingdom, even if it were torment, so that we would fear the latter and strive for the former. And since the visible is temporary, and the invisible is eternal, we will stretch our gaze to the invisible. Indeed, how can we excuse ourselves if we prefer the temporary to the eternal? Let us assume that the temporary is pleasant, but it does not last; and the torment for him will have neither end nor mercy. What answer will those give who, having been honored with the Spirit of God and having received such a great gift of God, turned their gaze downward and fell to earthly things? I hear many people say very funny words: “Give me today and take tomorrow for yourself.” If in the next century it really is as you say, then let it be one for one, and if there is nothing of the kind there at all, then two for nothing. What could be more criminal and crazier than such words? We talk about heaven and the indescribable blessings there; and you offer us words that are used only on horse trails. And you are not ashamed and do not hide your face, saying what madmen tend to say? Don't you blush with shame, clinging so closely to the present? Don't you stop going crazy, talking against common sense, and chatting like a young man? It is not surprising if pagans say this, but can faithful people forgive such madness? Do you really not believe at all in the hopes that are promised to you in eternity? Is all this really doubtful for you? Could there be any justification for this? “But who,” they will say, “came from there and announced what was there?” True, no one came from the people; but God, who is most worthy of our faith, has revealed it. Don't you see what's there? But you don’t see God either; However, is it really because you don’t see that you will say that there is no God? “In vain,” you say, “I really believe (that God exists).” 3. So, if one of the unbelievers asks you: “Who came from heaven and told you this?” – what will you answer him? How did you know that God exists? “From things,” you will say, “that are visible, from the goodness that we see in all creation, and from the fact that this is known to everyone.” And if so, then with the same faith accept the word about judgment. “How?” - you say. Here's how: I'll ask you, and you answer me. Is this God, in whom you believe, just and rewards everyone according to their deserts, or, on the contrary, does He want the evil to prosper and have fun, and the good to suffer? “No way,” you answer, “because even a person will not tolerate this. Where will those who lived here virtuously enjoy the blessings? Where, on the contrary, will the wicked receive punishment if there is no other life after the present one, if there is no reward? You see, for now there is already one for one, if not two for one. And I will show you that righteousness will be not only one for one, but also two for one; for sinners who are consoled here, everything is the opposite. Indeed, those who spent their lives here in amusements and pleasures did not receive one for one, but those who live virtuously, on the contrary, receive two for one. Who, in fact, enjoys blissful tranquility even here - those who used this life for evil, or those who philosophized? You might say that the first; and I will prove to you that the latter, calling as witnesses those very ones who thought to enjoy real benefits; and they will not be so shameless (as to begin to speak against what) I intend to say. They often cursed the perpetrators of the marriage, and the day on which their bridal chambers were removed, and called those who did not marry happy. Many young men who had reached marriageable age abandoned it solely because of the worries associated with marriage. However, I say this not as a reproach for marriage, which is honest, but (as a reproach) for those who took bad advantage of it. If those who marry often consider their life unbearable, then what can we say about those who have fallen into the ditch of debauchery, and through this have fallen into a state of slavery much more pitiful than the slavery of any captive? What can we say about those who rotted through intemperance and subjected their bodies to countless diseases? “But fame,” they will say, “doesn’t it bring pleasure?” On the contrary, there is nothing more intolerable than such slavery. He who seeks vain glory and wants to please everyone is servile worse than any servant. On the contrary, he who despises this glory and does not care that others glorify him is above all. Will you say: “It is desirable to have wealth”? But we have already proven several times that those who are free from this burden and have nothing are rich and prosperous much more. And it's nice to drink wine. But who would say that? So, if it is much more pleasant not to have wealth than to have it; not to marry rather than to enter into it; not to seek glory rather than seek it; to move away from luxury and bliss rather than to drown in them - then here too those who do not cleave to earthly goods have even more. I'm not even talking about the fact that such a person, even if he has been subjected to countless disasters, still has a comforting hope that supports him, while he who clings to earthly things, even if he has enjoyed countless pleasures, is embarrassed by the fear of the future and thereby spoils all his pleasure. Indeed, this is no small kind of punishment; as well as the opposite - stemming from the very pleasures and joys of earthly life. But there is also a third type of punishment for them. Which one is it? The fact that everyday consolations, even when they occur, are not revealed (to the fullest), since both their nature and time expose them (their insignificance). Meanwhile, heavenly consolations are not only true, but also remain unchanged. So, do you see that we can present to you not only two for nothing, but also three and five and ten and twenty and countless numbers for nothing? But so that you can learn this more clearly by example, here is the example of the rich man and Lazarus: one enjoyed the good things of this life, and the other a foretaste of the good things to come. Do you really think that it is the same thing to endure torment forever and to suffer hunger in a short time? Is it really all the same: to endure illness in a corruptible body, and in an incorruptible body it is terrible to suffer in a flame; to be crowned and triumphant in immortal life for a short-term illness in this life, and to suffer there endlessly for the short-term enjoyment of earthly pleasures? And who could say that? What else do you want? Is it so that we show the quality and quantity of both, the judgment of God and the determination of God about both? How long will you speak decent words only to those who are like beetles, who know nothing more than to dig in dung? It is not in the nature of reasonable people to destroy such a precious soul for nothing, when it only takes a little effort to get heaven. If you want, I will prove to you in another way that there will be a terrible judgment after death. Open the door of your conscience and look at the judge sitting in your soul. If, despite your pride, you condemn yourself and do not allow an unjust judgment to be pronounced, then will not God take much more care of His justice and impartially pronounce judgment on everything? Or will He leave everything arbitrarily and without attention? But who would dare say this? Nobody. On the contrary, Greeks and barbarians, poets and philosophers, and in general the entire human race agree with our opinion, although not to the same extent, since they allow some kind of judgment in hell. To such an extent it is clear and undeniable for everyone. But they will say: why doesn’t God punish here? In order to show His long-suffering, and through repentance to bring us salvation, so that otherwise we would not completely destroy our race, and so as not to deprive those who could still be saved by changing their vicious life to a better one. If He immediately punished everyone for their sins, how would Paul, how would Peter, these supreme teachers of the universe, be saved? How would David receive salvation through repentance? How would the Galatians and many others (be saved)? That is why He does not punish everyone here, but of all only some, and not all there, but one (punishes) here, and another there - so that, by punishing some here, through this he will arouse the most insensitive (from sinful sleep) and, without punishing others, make them expect future punishment. Don’t you know that many are punished here too, such as those buried under the ruins of the tower (Luke 13:4), or those whose blood Pilate mixed with their victims (Luke 13:1), or those of the Corinthians who died a sudden death because they partook of the mysteries unworthily (1 Cor. 11:30), like Pharaoh, like those of the Jews who were once beaten barbarians, and like many others, both then and now and always? And others, although they sinned a lot, died without receiving punishment here, such as the rich man (who lived) in the days of Lazarus, and many others. 4. This is what (the Lord) does, on the one hand, in order to arouse faith in those who do not believe in the future, on the other hand, in order to make those who believe, but live carelessly, more zealous. God is a righteous judge, strong and long-suffering, and does not cause wrath every day (Ps. 7:12). But if we use His long-suffering for evil, then the time will come when He will no longer tolerate at all, but will immediately punish. So, let us not indulge in instant pleasures - and real life is an instant - so as not to incur eternal punishment on ourselves; but it’s better to work for a moment so that later we can triumph forever. Don’t you see that in everyday affairs many people do this, and do little work for the sake of long-term peace of mind, although it often turns out the other way around? Here the benefits are commensurate with the work, but it often happens that extraordinary work is required, and the benefit from it is very small, and often there is none. But it is not so in the kingdom of heaven: there the work is small, but the pleasure is abundant and limitless. Look: here the farmer works for a whole year, and often at the very end he loses both his clothes and the fruit of his many labors. Again, the navigator and the warrior spend their lives to a ripe old age in struggle and labor, but often both of them leave their field in such a way that the first loses his rich cargo, and the second, along with victory, loses his very life. So, tell me, what justification will we have when we prefer hard work in everyday affairs, undertaken for short-term peace of mind, or even in vain - because the hope in them is very doubtful - but in spiritual affairs we do the opposite, and for short-term negligence we incur a terrible punishment on ourselves? Therefore, I ask you all, even though it’s late, take care to free yourself from this stupor. After all, at that time no one will deliver us - neither brother, nor father, nor son, nor friend, nor neighbor, nor anyone else, but if our deeds condemn us, then everything will be lost, and we will certainly perish. What cries did the rich man make as he begged the patriarch and asked to send Lazarus? But listen to what Abraham answered him: “a great gulf has been established between us and you, so that those who want to cross from here to you cannot, nor can they cross from there to us” (“the gulf between you and us..., so that those who want to cross from here to you will not be able to”) (Luke 16:26). How many virgins begged their friends to give them some oil? But listen to what they also say: “so that there is no shortage for both us and you” (“we will not have enough food for you and us”) (Matthew 25:9). And no one could lead them into the chamber of the Bridegroom. Thinking about this, let us take care of our own lives. No matter what labors you point to, no matter what torments you imagine, all this means nothing in comparison with future benefits. Imagine, if you like, fire, iron, animals or something even more terrible: all this will not even constitute a shadow of future torment. In fact, when the torment here intensifies, it becomes especially easy, because it accelerates the moment of liberation, when the body can no longer endure either cruelty or the continuation of the execution. But it won't be like that there. There both duration and excess are combined, both in a joyful state and in a deplorable state. So, while there is time, “let us present ourselves to His face with praise” (“let us precede His face in confession”) (Ps. 94:2), so that then we may see Him meek and merciful, in order to avoid those formidable forces. Look here at the warriors serving their commanders, how they drag out the guilty, how they knit, how they scourge, how they pierce the sides, how, to multiply the torment, they bring torches, how they cut off members of the body. But all this is a toy and laughter compared to future torment. This torment is temporary, and there “their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (“neither the worm dies nor the fire is quenched”) (Mark 9:48), because the body is incorruptible. God forbid that we learn this from experience, but let these horrors remain for us only in words; God forbid that we be betrayed to those tormentors, but that we reform here. How much then will we talk about blaming ourselves! How much we will cry, how much we will weep! But everything will be useless. So the helmsmen will no longer help the ship when it collapses and sank to the bottom, nor the doctors when the patient has died. Afterwards they just say that this and that should have been done; but everything is in vain, everything is in vain. Then we must talk about everything and do everything while there is still hope of correcting the matter. And when there is nothing left in our power and everything is destroyed, then it is in vain to speak and do. Then the Jews will say: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (John 12:13), but this exclamation will not help them at all to avoid eternal punishment, because when it was necessary to say this, they did not say it. So, so that the same thing does not happen to us, in accordance with the way of our life, from now on we will change our lives in order to appear before the judgment seat of Christ with all boldness, which may we all be deemed worthy to receive by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father and the Holy Spirit (now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen). You might be interested in: