Беседа 1

Phil.1:1–2. Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. At first the titles of bishop, presbyter and deacon were common. – When performing virtue, God acts and we act together with God. - Inducement to give alms. 1. Here (the apostle) writes as if to his equals, and exhibits not his dignity as a teacher, but another, and a great one at that. Which one exactly? He calls himself a servant, and not an apostle, because to be a servant of Christ, to be, and not just to be called, is truly a great dignity and the highest good. Whoever is a servant of Christ is without a doubt free from sin, and a true servant will not agree to be a slave to anyone else. Otherwise, he would only be half a servant of Christ. So he wrote to the Romans: “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:1); and in his epistle to the Corinthians and Timothy he calls himself an apostle. Why is he doing this? Not because they were better than Timothy, no; but because he revered and respected them more than anyone to whom he wrote. This testifies to their great virtue. Moreover, in other (epistles) he intended to make many decrees, which is why he emphasized his apostolic dignity; and here he commands them only what they themselves knew. "To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi". Since it was proper for the Jews to call themselves “saints” on the basis of an ancient prophecy in which they were called a “holy, chosen” people, he added: “To the saints of Jesus Christ” (Deut. 7:6, 14:2). They alone are saints, but they have already become unclean. "With bishops and deacons". What is this? Were there really many bishops in one city? No; (the apostle) called the elders that way. Then these names were still common; the bishop was even called a deacon. That is why in his letter to Timothy he writes: “Do (διαχονίαν) the work of an evangelist, your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:5), although he was a bishop. And since he was a bishop, he says to him: “Do not lay your hands on anyone hastily” (1 Tim. 5:22); and in another place: (the gift) “which was given to you by prophecy with by the laying on of the hands of the priesthood" (1 Tim. 4:14). And the elders could not ordain a bishop. Also in the letter to Titus he says: “For this purpose I left you in Crete, so that you would complete what was unfinished and appoint elders in all the cities, as I commanded you: if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife” (Titus 1:5, 6). added: “For a bishop must be blameless, as God’s steward, not insolent, not angry, not a drunkard, not a murderer, not a covetous man” (Titus 1:7). So, in ancient times, as I said, elders were called bishops and deacons of Christ, and bishops were called presbyters. That is why many bishops now write: to the co-presbyter and co-deacon. And subsequently, each was given a special name: bishop or presbyter. “With the bishops and deacons,” he says, “grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Here someone else may ask: why does he not write to the clergy in any other epistle, neither to Rome, nor to Corinth, nor to Ephesus, but in general to all the saints, or the faithful, or the beloved, but here he writes to the clergy? Because (the clergy) wrote, did charity, and sent Epaphroditus to him. “I thank my God whenever I remember you,” he says (Phil. 1:3). In another message he said: “Obey your teachers and be submissive, for they are vigilantly watching over your souls, as those who are obliged to give an account; so that they may do this with joy and not with groaning” (Heb. 13:17). If the failure of the students produces sighing (in the teacher), then their success is joy. Therefore, the words (of the apostle) have this meaning: whenever I remember you, I (always) praise God. And he does this because he knew many virtues in them. And I praise, he says, and I pray, because you have succeeded in virtue; I don’t stop praying, but I constantly pray for you. “I give thanks,” he says, “to my God whenever I remember you, always in every prayer I pray for you all, offering my prayer with joy” (Phil. 1:3, 4). Always, and not just when I pray. He added well: “with joy,” because you can do this with sadness, as he says in another place: “Out of great sorrow and an oppressed heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to grieve you, but so that you may know the love that I have in abundance for you. If anyone grieved, he did not grieve me, but in part - not to say much - and all of you" (2 Cor. 2:4, 5). 2. Here (the apostle) says a lot in praise of them (the Philippians), even very much, as much as another would say about the apostles and evangelists. You, he says, do not take care of just one city entrusted to you, but you do everything to share my labors with me, you are present everywhere and assist and participate in my preaching. And for not one, or two, or three years, but always from the time you accepted the faith, even to this day you maintain apostolic zeal. Look how the Romans abandoned it; listen to what he says: “You know that all the people of Asia have forsaken me; among them were Figellus and Hermogenes” (2 Tim. 1:15)? And again: “Demas has forsaken me” (2 Tim. 4:10). And again: “When I first answered, no one was with me” (2 Tim. 4:16). And they (the Philippians), even at a distance from him, participated in his sorrows, sent husbands to him, served him to the best of their ability, and generally did not abandon him in anything. And you do this, he says, not only now, but always, helping me in every way. To help (the apostle) means to participate in the gospel. When he preaches, and you serve the preacher, you also participate in his crowns. And in external competitions, the crown belongs not to the fighter alone, but also to his mentor, and to the attendant, and to everyone who generally cares about the fighter, because those who strengthen and encourage him can justly be participants in victory. And in battles, not just one who has distinguished himself, but all those who serve him can rightfully appropriate trophies and share in the glory, to the extent that they contributed to his feat with their services. Providing services to the saints is not an unimportant thing, but a great one: this makes us sharers in the rewards prepared for them. For example, another left great acquisitions for God, always relies on God, strives a lot in virtue, observing great severity in everything, even in words and thoughts; and you, even without such severity, can participate in the rewards prepared for him for such exploits. How? If you serve him in word and deed; if you console him with the delivery of what he needs, and with any kind of service. After all, with this you will make the difficult path easier for him. Therefore, if you are surprised at those who live in the deserts, who have chosen the angelic life and labor in the churches like them; if you are surprised and regret that you are so far behind them, then you can become their participants in another way - through services, through diligence. And it is a matter of God’s love for mankind that He raises even those who are less zealous and are not able to lead a harsh, difficult and austere life to the same degree. This is what Paul calls fellowship! They, he says, communicate to us the carnal, and we communicate to them the spiritual (Rom. 15:27). And if God bestows the kingdom for small and insignificant things, then His servants also reward spiritual things for small and sensible things; or better, through them (God) himself gives both. You cannot fast, live in solitude, sleep on the ground, spend whole nights in vigil? But it is possible for you to receive a reward for all this in a different way: if you are zealous for the one struggling in this, if you constantly calm and encourage him, if you make his work easier. He stands in battle, he receives wounds; and you serve him when he returns from the battlefield, receive him with open arms, dry his sweat, calm him down, comfort him, caress him, encourage his weary soul. If we serve the saints with such zeal, we will be participants in their rewards. Christ says about this: “Make for yourself friends with unrighteous wealth, so that when you become poor, they will receive you into eternal abodes” (Luke 16:9). Do you see how they became participants? “From the first day,” he says, “even until now.” Therefore, “with joy,” he says, “for your participation,” and I rejoice not only about the past, but also about the future, because from the past I also conclude about the future. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). 3. See how he teaches them humility. Since he testified to their great merit, so that they would not tolerate anything characteristic of man, he immediately instructs them to relate both the past and the future to Christ. How? He did not say: being confident that as you began, so you will finish; but what? “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.” However, he does not take away their feat, but says: “With joy for your participation,” of course, because they labored; and not only ascribes their virtues to them, but especially to God. I hope, he says, “in this, that He who began it, that is, God, will perform a good work in you even until the day of Jesus Christ.” So I think, he says, not only about you, but also about your descendants. And it is no small praise that God works in anyone. If He is impartial, which He really is, but helps us in good deeds according to our disposition, then the reason that He bows to us lies in us. Consequently, in this way (the apostle) does not deprive them of praise - after all, if God acted unconditionally, if He moved us like trees and stones, and did not require our participation, then nothing would prevent Him from acting both in the pagans and in all people. Therefore, in the words: “God will do,” there is again praise for them, because they attracted to themselves the grace of God, which helped them rise above human nature. On the other hand, it is praiseworthy that you have such virtues that are not a human matter, but require Divine assistance. If God “does it,” then not much work will be required on our part, but we must hope that with His help we will easily accomplish everything. “Just as I ought to think about you all, because I have you in my heart in my bonds, in the defense and strengthening of the gospel, all of you as my partakers in grace” (Phil. 1:7). Here (the apostle) expresses his great love for the Philippians, whom he had in his heart, and whom he remembered even in prison itself, while in chains. It is no small praise for people to be remembered by this saint. The love of this saint does not come from prejudice, but from sound judgment and correct concepts. And therefore, to be loved so much by Paul is a sure sign of a great and admirable man. “When protecting,” he says, “and establishing the gospel.” And what is surprising if he had them (in his heart) in prison? Even, he says, even while I was brought into the court to answer, you did not leave my memory. Spiritual love is so strong that it is not overcome by any circumstances, but always controls the soul of the lover, and does not allow any sorrow or illness to overcome. Just as in the Babylonian furnace, with such a strong flame, there was dew for those blessed youths, so love, which declared the soul of one who loves and pleases God, extinguishes every flame and produces wonderful dew. “And the establishment of the gospel,” says; therefore, the bonds served to confirm the Gospel, to protect. And absolutely right. After all, if he had evaded the bonds, he would have shown himself to be a deceiver. Now, enduring everything - both bonds and sorrows, he clearly shows that he endures this not for any guilt inherent in man, but for the sake of God, the giver of bribes. No one would have decided to die and expose himself to so many dangers, no one would have decided to offend such a king, I mean Nero, if his gaze had not been turned to another King, incomparably higher. So the bonds were the confirmation of the Gospel. Look with what excess he turned everything in the opposite direction! What was considered weakness and reproach, he calls affirmation, so that if this had not happened, he would have been weak. Then (the apostle) shows that his love is not the fruit of prejudice, but of (sound) judgment. How? I have, he says, you in my heart, in my bonds, and in my protection, because you are partakers of grace. What does it mean? Was it really a blessing for the apostle that he was imprisoned, persecuted, and suffered countless calamities? This is truly so, because it is said: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). “Therefore,” he says, “I am content with weaknesses and insults” (2 Cor. 12:10). Since I see that you prove this virtue by your actions, participate in this grace, and with zeal, it is not without reason that I judge you this way. I have experienced and know you and your virtues more than anyone else - that even at such a distance from us you try not to part with us in sorrows, but to participate in temptations for the sake of the Gospel - and I in justice must testify that you, being far from me, strive no less than I, who entered into these exploits. Why didn’t he say: “companions”, but: “participants”? I myself, he says, am a fellow member of another, in order to be an accomplice of the gospel, that is, to have a share in the benefits prepared for the gospel. And it is worthy of surprise that they were all so disposed that they could call themselves Pavlov’s accomplices: “Accomplices,” he says, “mine in grace.” These beginnings give me confidence that you will remain so to the end. It cannot be that such a brilliant beginning should go out and be destroyed; on the contrary, it will have a glorious end. 4. And so, since you can participate in grace, dangers and sorrows and in other ways, then, I ask you, we will try to be participants. Oh, how many of you standing here, or better yet, all of you, would like to be partakers with Paul in the good things prepared for him! And this is possible if you want to promote and help those who accepted his ministry, who suffer some kind of misfortune for the sake of Christ. Do you see your brother in temptation? Lend a hand (of help). Do you see the teacher in the struggle? Help. But, you say, there is no one equal to Paul? This is both pride and condemnation. I also agree that there is no one equal to Paul; but “whoever receives a prophet,” it is said, “in the name of the prophet, will receive the reward of a prophet” (Matthew 10:41). And did they (the Philippians) deserve praise because they assisted Paul? no, but by the fact that they (assisted) the one who took upon himself the preaching. Paul was worthy of honor because he suffered so much for Christ. There is no one equal to Paul. What am I saying - equal to Paul? Not even remotely close to this blessed one. And the sermon (even now) is the same as it was then. And the Philippians were his partners, not only while he was in prison, but also from the very beginning. Listen, in fact, to what he himself says: “You know, Philippians, that at the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, not a single church helped me with alms and acceptance, except you alone” (Phil. 4:15). And besides temptations, the teacher faces a lot of work, vigilance, achievement in the word, teaching, displeasure, reproaches, reproach, and envy. Is it easy to endure this from a thousand tongues when you need to take care of your own affairs? Oh, what should I do! I am placed between two difficulties: I want to encourage you and beg you for assistance and help to the saints of God, and I am afraid that someone will assume otherwise, that I am saying this not for you, but for them. Know that I am not saying this for them, but for yourselves; and if you want to listen, then I present you with the very evidence to convince you. The benefit (from alms) is not the same for you and for them. If you give, you give something that a little later, willy-nilly, you will leave and give in to others; and what you accept is much more important and greater. Or are you not sure what you will receive through giving? If you're not sure, then I don't want you to give it. So I am not speaking for them. If someone is not convinced in advance that he receives more than he gives, that he receives the greatest benefit, that he is benefited more than he does good, then do not give; If anyone thinks that he is showing mercy to the recipient, do not give it. It is not the food of the saints that I am so concerned about: if you don’t give, someone else will. If I want anything, it is for you to receive remission of your sins; and whoever does not give with such a disposition will not receive relief. To give alms means not just to give, but with zeal, with joy and with a feeling of gratitude to the recipient: “Not with grief,” it is said, “and not with compulsion; For God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). So, if someone does not give with such a disposition, it is better not to give, because this is not alms, but a waste. Therefore, if you know that this is where the benefit comes for you, and not for them, then know what is more beneficial for you. Their body is nourished, but your soul is made pleasing to God. When they are accepted, not a single sin is forgiven, but many of your sins are forgiven. So, let us take part in their exploits in order to participate with them in great rewards. Those who adopt kings do not think that they give more than they receive. Adopt Christ for yourself, and you will be very well off. Do you want to be Pavlov's accomplice? But what am I saying to Pavlov, when Christ himself accepts (your alms)? 5. Know that I say and do everything for you, and I do not care about appeasing others. If one of the leaders of the Church lives in abundance and does not need anything, then, even if he were a saint, do not give, but prefer him to the poor, although not so venerable. Why? Because Christ also wants this when he says: “When you make lunch or dinner, do not call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives... call the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind... that they cannot repay you” (Luke 14:12-14). Yes, one should not invite indiscriminately, but the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the strange, those who have fallen into poverty after wealth. (Christ) not only said: you fed Me, but also the hungry: you saw Me hungry, he says, and you fed (Matthew 25:35). (Here is) a double commandment: if everyone who is hungry is to be fed, then much more is it to feed the hungry saint. If someone is holy, but does not need it, do not give it to him, because it is useless, and Christ did not command this; Yes, he is not a saint who is content and accepts. Do you see that this was said not for our shameful gain, but for your benefit? Feed the hungry, so that you do not feed (yourself) the fire of Gehenna - the hungry eats part of your property, and sanctifies the rest. Think about how the widow nurtured Elijah. She did not so much nourish as she ate; I didn’t give as much as I received. And now the same thing happens, even much more: the reward for such is not flour, and not a vessel of oil - but what? a hundred times more - eternal life. There will be God's mercy, and you will become spiritual food, pure leaven. She was a widow, hunger was raging, and nothing stopped her; she had children, but this did not serve as an obstacle. She was like one who had given two mites. She didn't say to herself: what will I get from him? He asks me (for food). If he had any strength, he would not have suffered hunger, would have stopped the drought, and would not have fallen into the same (disasters). Maybe he also offended God? She didn't think anything of the sort. Do you see how good it is to do good with simplicity, and not be too picky about who receives the benefit? If she wanted to be very curious, she would be perplexed and would not believe it. Likewise, Abraham, if he had wanted to be very curious, would not have accepted the angels, because it does not happen, it never happens, that someone who is too picky in such cases accepts a saint - most often he ends up with deceivers. I'll explain how this happens. A pious man does not want to appear pious, and does not assume such an appearance, even if he were in danger of being harmed because of it, but a deceiver, whose craft is deception, appears to be very pious, so that it is difficult to recognize him. From this it happens that those who do good to apparently ungodly people fall upon the pious; and whoever seeks those who are revered by the pious often falls into the ungodly. So, I beg you, let us keep everything simple. Let us suppose that there is a deceiver before you; but you are not ordered to experience this. “Give to everyone,” it is said, “who asks you” (Luke 6:30); and again: “Save those taken to death, and will you really refuse those doomed to be killed?” (Prov. 24:11). Although many of those subjected to death are subjected to it because they are caught in crimes, do not regret (to give), it is said. Through this we will become like God, through this we will be glorified and receive imperishable blessings, which we all will be rewarded with (by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen). You might be interested in: