Беседа 10

1 Thessalonians 5:12–13. We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you, and those who preside over you in the Lord, and those who admonish you, and to honor them especially with love for their work; be at peace with each other. A useful way of revenge is to pay good for evil. - Against covetous people and predators. 1. The boss, of necessity, has many reasons to upset (others). Just as doctors are often forced to upset the sick in many ways, preparing for them both food and medicine, which are not pleasant, although they bring great benefit, or just as fathers are often harsh towards their sons, so are teachers, and even much more. The doctor, although the patient is indignant at him, nevertheless receives a kind reception from his relatives and friends, and often from the patient himself. Likewise, a father, based on natural and external laws, can very easily exercise power over his son. Even if this latter was reluctant to listen to lessons and reproofs from him, no one would stop him (from giving them), and even he himself (the son) would not dare to express displeasure in his gaze. On the contrary, the priest has many difficulties. And firstly, he must govern in such a way that people obey him voluntarily and are grateful to him for his management. And this cannot be achieved soon, because the one who is rebuked and reproached, no matter what he is, generally feels annoyance instead of gratitude. The one to whom we turn with advice, admonition and request will do the same. Therefore, if I say: give money to the poor, then I will say something unpleasant and painful. If I say: tame anger, extinguish rage, curb shameful lust, moderate luxury to some extent, then all this will seem painful and unpleasant. If I punish a careless person, take him out of church, or forbid him to (participate in) public prayer, then he will grieve, not because he is removed from this, but because he is publicly shamed. Meanwhile, this is an intensification of the disease, when we, being removed from spiritual blessings, grieve not because we are deprived of them, but because we are disgraced in the eyes of people - we are not afraid, we are not horrified by the matter itself. That is why Paul talks a lot about this in different places. And Christ himself recognized the necessity of their dependence (those being taught) to such an extent that he said: “The scribes and Pharisees sat in the seat of Moses; So whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do; But do not walk according to their works” (Matthew 23:2-3). And again, when he healed the leper, he said: “See that you do not tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them” (Matthew 8:4). But You (Lord) say: “You are making him a son of Gehenna, twice as bad as you” (Matthew 23:15)? That is why, he says, I added: what they do, do not do. Thus, Christ took away from the subordinate every pretext (to disobedience). And (Paul) also says in his letter to Timothy: “Governing elders should be given great honor in a worthy manner” (1 Tim. 5:17); and in the letter to the Hebrews he says: “Obey your leaders and submit” (Heb. 13:17); and here again: “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you, and those who preside over you in the Lord, and those who admonish you.” Since he said: “Therefore exhort one another and edify one another” (1 Thessalonians 5:11), so that they would not conclude that he himself was elevating them to the dignity of teachers, he added these words, as if to say: I also charge you to edify one another, since it is impossible for a teacher to say everything. “The workers,” he says, “are among you, and your leaders in the Lord and those who punish you.” But is this appropriate, you say? What are you saying? If someone intercedes for you before a person, then you do everything for him, express your full gratitude to him. And this (priest) stands before God for you, and will you not feel gratitude to him? But how does he present himself, you ask? So that he prays for you, that he gives you a spiritual gift imparted through baptism, he watches over you, teaches you, admonishes you - at midnight, if you call, he goes. He (does not receive) anything for this, except that he is subject to your slander and must endure your reproaches. What need does he have? Did he do good or bad? You have a wife, enjoy pleasures, are busy with the benefits of life; and the priest has only dedicated himself to this - for him there is no other occupation in life except (serving) the Church. And “honor them,” he says, “especially with love for their work; be at peace with each other." Do you see how he knew the sorrows encountered (in life)? He doesn’t just say: love, but: “primarily” as children of parents, because through them you were born with an eternal birth, through them you received the kingdom, through their hands everything is accomplished, through them the gates of heaven are opened to you. Let no one resist, let no one contradict! He who loves Christ will also love the priest, no matter what he may be, because through him he was made worthy of terrible mysteries. Tell me, if you, wishing to see the royal palaces, shining everywhere with gold and shining with precious stones, found a person who had the keys to them, and he, at your request, would immediately open them and let you inside, would you not prefer him to everyone? Wouldn't you love him like your own eyes? Wouldn't you kiss him? And this (priest) opened heaven to you, and you don’t love him and don’t hug him? If you have a wife, then don’t you love more than anyone the one who brought her to you? So, if you love Christ, if you love the kingdom of heaven, then respect those through whom you received it! That is why (the apostle) says: “for their cause; be at peace with each other. We also beseech you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, comfort the faint-hearted, support the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). 2. Here he turns his speech to the leaders, “Admonish,” he says, “the disorderly,” that is, do not reprimand them with severity and arrogance, but with condescension, with meekness. Comfort the faint-hearted, stand up for the weak, be patient with everyone. After all, the one who is given strict reprimands, having become embittered, becomes more impudent and neglects them: therefore, through admonition it is necessary to make the medicine pleasant. But who are these disorderly ones? Of course, those who act against the will of God. The church rank is more orderly than the military rank; therefore, the scolder is disorderly, and the drunkard is disorderly, and all those who sin: they do not march in order, but in disorder, which is why they violate the order. But there is another kind of evil, which, although not so great, does not cease to be evil. Cowardice. And it is the cause of destruction, like carelessness. He is cowardly and cannot endure temptations: he is precisely the one who is sown on stones. There is another kind of evil - weakness. Intercede, he says, for the weak, meaning those who are weak in faith, because there is weakness in relation to it too. But see how he does not allow them to be despised. So in another letter he said: “Accept him who is weak in the faith without arguing about opinions” (Rom. 14:1). After all, in our bodies we do not allow the weak member to perish. Be patient with everyone, he says. What is this? And to the disorderly? Exactly so, because there is no medicine more suitable for a teacher and so useful for subordinates as this. With them (the priest) can completely convert, completely shame the rudest and most shameless. 1 Thessalonians 5:15 “See to it that no one repays evil for evil.” If one should not repay evil for evil, then much less should one repay evil for good, much less repay with evil when no evil has been done in advance. But such and such, you say, is an evil person; he insulted me and caused me many offenses. Do you want to take revenge on him? Don't take revenge. Leave him without punishment. Will this be enough? No! “But always seek the good of one another and of everyone” (1 Thess. 5:15). This is the highest wisdom, not only not to repay evil for evil, but (to pay) with good. Truly, this is the kind of vengeance that brings harm to another and benefit to you, or rather, great benefit to him, if he wants. And so that you do not think that this was said in relation to the faithful alone, for this purpose (the apostle) said: both to each other and to everyone. “Rejoice always” (1 Sol. 5:16). This is said about temptations that cause sorrow. Listen to all who have suffered poverty, all who have suffered misfortune: This is where joy is born! Precisely, when we have such a soul that we do not take revenge on anyone, but do good to everyone, then how, tell me, can the sting of sorrow penetrate into it? How can someone who rejoices so much in suffering that he repays the one who caused the evil with good deeds be sad? But how is this possible, they say? Possibly if we want. (The Apostle) further showed the way to this: “Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17–18). Always giving thanks is a characteristic of a wise soul. Have you suffered any harm? But if you want, it won’t be evil at all. Give thanks to God, and evil will turn into good. Say like Job: “Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Really, tell me, what have you suffered? Have you suffered from illness? But there is nothing unusual in this, because our body is mortal and susceptible to disease. Are you short of money? But they can be gained or lost, and they remain here. Are your enemies plotting and slandering you? But the perpetrators of this do not offend us, but themselves. “The soul,” it is said, “that sins, will die” (Ezek. 18:20). And it is not the one who suffered evil who has sinned, but the one who caused evil. Therefore, one should not take revenge on the deceased, but pray for him in order to snatch him away from death. Do you not see that a bee, having stung, dies? Through this insect God teaches us that we should not offend neighbors, because in this case we ourselves will first be exposed to death. By hurting them, we may be causing them some pain; but we ourselves, like this insect, will no longer remain alive. Although Scripture praises the bee when it says: “how industrious she is; “Both kings and common people use her labors for health” (Proverbs 6:8), but nothing can save her from death and she must certainly perish. If superiority in other respects does not save her when she does evil, then much less us. 3. Truly, only the fiercest beasts tend to inflict offense in advance, when no one has offended you yet; or better yet, this is unusual even for animals. In fact, if you leave them to live in the desert and do not push them to the extreme with an attack, they will never cause harm, will not come, will not bite, but will go their own way. And you, being a man, a rational being, being honored by such power, honor and glory, do not even imitate animals in treating your fellow tribesmen, but do you offend and devour your brother? How can you justify yourself? Do you not hear what Paul says: “Why would you rather not remain offended? Why would you rather not endure hardship? But you yourselves wrong and take away, and that from your brothers” (1 Cor. 6:7, 8). Do you see that misfortune consists in doing evil, and prosperity in enduring evil? In fact, tell me, if someone slanders the rulers, if someone insults the rulers, then who does he insult - himself or them? Obviously, yourself. If he who insults a superior does not insult him, but himself, then does not the one who insults a person insult Christ through him? Not at all, you say. What are you saying? Whoever throws stones at the images of the king throws them at whom? Is it not in yourself? So, if he who throws stones at the image of the king of the earth beats himself, then does not he who offends the image of Christ - and man is the image of God - offend himself? How long will we love money? I will not stop crying out against them, because they are the cause of all evil. When will we satisfy this insatiable passion? What is attractive about gold? I'm amazed by this. Truly, it is (a consequence of) some kind of charm that gold and silver are valued so highly among us. We have no concern for our souls, while we have great concern for soulless idols. Where did this disease enter the universe? Who can completely eradicate it? What word can strike and completely kill this fierce beast? This passion has taken root in the hearts of even those people who are apparently pious. Let us be ashamed of the Gospel commandments: the words are contained only in Scripture, but are not manifested at all in our deeds. But what plausible explanation do many give? I have children, and I am afraid that I too will have to endure hunger and poverty, so that I myself will someday not need the help of others: I am ashamed to ask for alms. So is that why you force others to beg? I can’t, you say, starve. So that's why you expose others to hunger? You know how scary it is to beg for alms, how painful it is to suffer from hunger. Therefore spare your brothers. Tell me, are you ashamed to endure hunger, but are you not ashamed to rob? You are afraid to die of hunger, but you are not afraid to force others to die of hunger? On the contrary, there is no shame or crime in being hungry yourself; while subjecting others to hunger is a matter that entails not only shame, but also the gravest punishment. But all this is fiction, deception and idle talk. That you really are not doing this for the children is witnessed by those of you who, although you do not have and will not have children, nevertheless work so hard, exhaust yourself and collect such wealth as if it were necessary to leave it to countless children. It is not caring for children that makes you greedy for money, but mental illness. As a result of this illness, many, even without children, are insanely addicted to money; while others, even with large families, despise even what they have. They will blame you that day. In fact, if the needs of children forced you to save money, then they should have the same desire, the same passion. If they do not have it, then we are madly addicted to money, not because of large families, but because of the love of money. But who, you say, having children, despises money? Many, and everywhere; if you want, I’ll even point to the ancients. Didn't Jacob have twelve sons? Didn't he spend his life as a mercenary? Did he suffer insults from his father-in-law? Didn't his father-in-law often deceive him? But did having a large family make him want what he shouldn’t? Or Abraham? Did he not have many other children besides Isaac? But what? Was it not for strangers that he acquired property? Do you see that not only did he not offend, but he also conceded some of his property, not only showing kindness, but also voluntarily enduring insults from his nephew? And to endure the theft of property for the sake of God means much more than to do charity. Why? Because this latter is the fruit of the soul and good will, that is why it is easy, otherwise it is arrogance and violence. It would be easier for someone else to voluntarily give up thousands of talents and not consider it any loss for himself, than to meekly endure having three obols taken away from him against his will. This is precisely what the wisdom of the soul consists of. And this is what we actually see in Abraham: “Lo lifted up his eyes,” it is said, “and saw all the region around the Jordan, which was watered with water, like the garden of the Lord, and he chose it” (Gen. 13:10, 11). And (Abraham) did not contradict him at all. Do you see that not only did he not offend, but he himself was actually offended? Why do you, man, refer to your children? God did not give us children so that we could steal what belongs to others. Be careful not to anger God by saying this. If, as you say, they are the culprits of your theft and greed, then I am afraid that you will lose them as harmful and malicious. God gave you children so that they would take care of you in old age, so that they would learn virtue from you. 4. For this reason, he wanted to arrange the human race in such a way as to prepare through this two most important things: first, to appoint fathers as teachers (children), and secondly, to give birth to great love. In fact, if people were simply born, then no one would have any affection for anyone. If now, when there are fathers, children and grandchildren, many do not have care for many, then even more so then. That's why God gave you children. So, don't put the blame on the children. If those who have children have no excuse, what will those who, having no children, exhaust themselves with labor to acquire wealth, say in their defense? However, they also have some justification, which, of course, does not justify them at all. Which one exactly? We want, they say, to leave wealth as a monument instead of children. Truly quite funny! Instead of children, you say, the house will be an eternal monument to my glory. Not of your glory, man, he will be a monument, but of your covetousness. Or don’t you see how many people now, passing by magnificent houses, say to each other: how much did so-and-so extort, how much he stole to build this house! Now he himself has become ashes and dust, and this house of his has been inherited by others! So, you leave behind a monument not of your glory, but of covetousness. Your body is already hidden in the earth, but you do not allow the memory of your covetousness, which could be destroyed over time, to perish, and with your house you involuntarily renew and support it, so that as long as it stands, bearing your name and being called the house of such and such, the lips of everyone will certainly be opened against you. Do you see that it is better to have nothing than to fall under such condemnation? And that's just here; and what will we do there, tell me, possessing such wealth here and devoting nothing to anyone, or devoting very little? How can we be justified in covetousness? After all, the one who wants to atone for covetousness gives not a little out of a lot, but much more than what was stolen, and at the same time still stops robbing. Listen to what Zacchaeus says: “I will repay you fourfold if I have offended anyone” (Luke 19:8). And you, taking away tens of thousands of talents, even if you give back a few drachmas, and even then with difficulty, you think that you have returned everything, and you calm down, as if you gave more than you should, whereas you should have given back not only what was stolen, but also added from your property. Just as a thief is not justified by simply giving back what he stole, but often gives his life on top of that, or is freed by giving away much more than what was stolen, so is the covetous. After all, a covetous person is a thief and a robber, even worse, because he is more inhuman. (The thief) is not so bold, at least, he hides and lays on his hand at night, as if ashamed and afraid of sin; on the contrary, the covetous man, having trampled all shame, with an open face in the middle of the square robs everyone, being at the same time both a thief and a tormentor. He does not dig through the walls, does not extinguish the lamp, does not open the chest, does not break the seals. But what? He acts more boldly than those: in front of the offended, he throws everything out, boldly reveals everything and forces them to lay out their property. This is the height of violence! He is the more vile (thieves and robbers) the more shameless and inhuman he is. He who has lost something as a result of deception, although he grieves, is greatly consoled by the fact that the one who offended him is, at least, afraid of himself, and he not only suffered evil, but was also subjected to contempt, not being able to resist the impudence, since (it would only arouse) greater laughter. Tell me, if one secretly committed adultery with his wife, and the other did it in the eyes of her husband, which of them would offend him more and would be more able to hurt him? Isn't it the last one? He not only did evil, but also showed contempt; and he, if nothing else, showed something, then at least that he was afraid of the offended one. The same must be said in the discussion of money: the one who stole it secretly showed some kind of respect by the very fact that he secretly took it; and the one who took it openly and publicly inflicted dishonor along with the loss. Therefore, let us stop stealing what belongs to others, both poor and rich; I address my words not only to the rich, but also to the poor. Indeed, they also rob from those who are poorer than them - and artisans, more prosperous and prosperous, deceive the less prosperous and poorer, and shopkeepers deceive shopkeepers, and all traders. Therefore, I want to drive out untruth from everywhere. The crime does not consist in the amount of stolen goods, but in the intention of the thief. And that those who do not neglect even a little are, to a greater extent, thieves and covetous people, I know and remember about this, I told you, if only you remember. However, let’s not dwell on this: let them live the same way as the rich (should live). Let us finally train our hearts not to desire more, not to covet much. Let the desire to acquire more in heaven find no limit, and there let everyone constantly strive further; but on earth let everyone be content with what is necessary and what satisfies our needs, and let no one seek anything else, so that in this way we can achieve true blessings, grace and love for mankind (Our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen). These conversations were delivered by the saint in Constantinople in 399. You might be interested in: