Беседа 9

1 Tim. 2:11–15. Let the wife study in silence, with all submission; But I do not allow a wife to teach, nor to rule over her husband, but to be in silence. For Adam was created first, and then Eve; and it was not Adam who was deceived; but the wife, deceived, fell into crime; however, he will be saved through childbearing if he continues in faith and love and in holiness with chastity.” . Women are not supposed to speak in church. - How to raise children. 1. Blessed Paul demands great modesty from women, great sedateness. Therefore, he pays (attention) not only to their appearance and clothing, but also to their voice. What exactly does it say? Let the wife study in silence. What does it mean? What he says a wife should not say in church; He said the same thing in his letter to the Corinthians: “for it is indecent for a woman to speak in church” (1 Cor. 14:35). Why? Because the law, he says, has subjected them (to the husband's authority). And again in another place: “If they want to learn anything, let them ask their husbands about it at home” (1 Cor. 14:35). But then the women, as a result of such instruction, remained silent; Meanwhile, now (one notices) between them a great noise, a great cry, a loud conversation, and nowhere else as much as here. Anyone can see them all talking more here than in the square rather than in the baths. As if they had come here to spend leisure time, they are talking about useless subjects. This causes everything to become disordered, and they do not even want to understand that the only way they can learn anything useful is by remaining silent. In fact, when we prepare a word for utterance, and meanwhile no one listens to what is being said, then what benefit can there be? Therefore, he says that a woman should be so silent that she should not speak in church not only about everyday, but also about spiritual subjects. This is decency for her, this is modesty, this can decorate her more than any clothing. If she behaves in this way, she will be able to perform prayers with great decency. “But I don’t allow my wife to teach.” “I don’t allow it,” he says. What connection do (these words) have with each other? Very tight. (The Apostle) talked about silence, about sedateness, about modesty; said: I don’t want them to talk. So, wanting to take away from them any reason for conversation, he says: even if they do not teach, let them behave as befits students, because in this way, through silence, they will show obedience. In general, their generation is verbose, therefore (the apostle) tries by all means to curb them: “For Adam was created first,” he says, “and then Eve; and it was not Adam who was deceived; but the wife, being deceived, fell into crime.” However, what does this have to do with today's women? Very big, says: the male sex is endowed with a great advantage, it was created before. And in another place he puts it even higher when he says: “And man was not created for the woman, but the woman for the man” (1 Cor. 11:9). Why is he saying this? In order to give primacy to the husband for many reasons. Man, he says, must have primacy, firstly, because (he was previously created), and secondly, on the basis of what happened after time. The wife of her husband once taught, and overthrew everything, and made him guilty of disobedience. God subjugated her because she used power for evil, or, better said, equality: “and to your husband,” they say, “your desire” (Gen. 3:16); before this (event) these words were not spoken. How then was Adam not deceived? Consequently, he did not violate the commandments; if you were not seduced? Listen carefully. The wife says: “The serpent deceived me” (Gen. 3:13); Meanwhile, Adam does not say: the woman deceived me, but: “she gave me from the tree, and I ate” (Gen. 3:12). It does not mean the same thing to be deceived by one of one’s own tribe and kindred, and by a beast, a slave, a subordinate; therefore, the latter is actually seduction. So, only in comparison with his wife (the apostle) says of him that he was not deceived, because she was deceived by a slave and subject, and he by a free woman. Again, it is not said about Adam: “And she saw that the tree was good for food” (Gen. 3:6), but about the wife, and what she ate and gave to her husband. Thus, he transgressed (the commandment) not because he was carried away by passion, but only by obeying his wife. One day my wife taught, and she overthrew everything. Therefore (the apostle) says: let him not teach. But how does this apply to other women if one did it? And it is very (relevant), because this sex is weak and frivolous. On the other hand, it speaks here generally about the entire (female) sex: he did not say that Eve was deceived, but: “woman,” and this name rather refers to the entire sex in general rather than to her alone. So what? Is it really because of her that the entire female sex has become criminal? Just as the apostle said about Adam: “Like the transgression of Adam, who is the image of the future” (Rom. 5:14), so here he says: the female sex transgressed (the commandment), not the male. So what? Will he not inherit salvation? On the contrary, he inherits, he speaks. Which one exactly? Salvation through children. He did not speak about Eve alone: ​​“if she continues in faith and love and in holiness with chastity.” In what faith? What kind of love? In what shrine with chastity? He seemed to be saying this: you, women, do not lament the fact that your sex has come under condemnation; God has given you another means of salvation, namely, raising children, so that you can earn salvation not only through yourself, but also through others. Look how many questions arise about the same subject. “The wife, deceived,” he says, “fell into crime.” Which wife? Eve. Therefore, she will be saved through the birth of children? No, this is not what (the apostle) says, but that the entire female sex will be saved. Wasn't she guilty? Of course there was; but although Eve was guilty, the entire female sex will be saved through the birth of children. Why not for the sake of your own virtue? Does this (having children) deprive (the strength of other virtues)? Moreover, what does this have to do with virgins? What about infertile? What about widows who, before they began to give birth, lost their husbands? Have they died, is there not the slightest hope left for them? Meanwhile, virgins are praised most of all. So what is he trying to say? 2. Some say that just as from the creation (of the world) the entire female sex was in a state of dependence due to what happened to the first woman - Eve was created second and was in a state of dependence, therefore, they say, the entire female sex should be in a state of dependence - so here it is because (Eve) committed a crime, and the entire female sex became criminal. But this has no basis. There everything was done according to the will of God, but here it was a consequence of the wife’s sin. Therefore, what he said has this meaning: just as all people die for the sake of one, because one sinned, so the entire female sex became criminal because a woman committed a crime. However, let her not mourn. God gave her considerable consolation, namely the birth of children. But this is (a matter of) nature, you say. And that (came from the influence of) nature; she is granted not only that which depends on nature, but also that which relates to the upbringing of children. “If he continues in faith and love and in holiness with chastity,” that is, if after birth he preserves himself in love and purity. This will be no small, but very great reward for them, that they have raised warriors for Christ. He calls righteous life holiness, and decency chastity. “The word is true” (1 Tim. 3:1) – refers to what we are talking about, and not to – “if anyone desires the episcopacy.” Since there was doubt about this, he says: “the word is true,” that fathers and mothers can reap the fruits of the virtue of their children when they raise them well. But what if she herself is dishonest and filled with countless vices? Will raising children bring her any benefit? Wouldn't it be more likely that she would raise them to be like herself? He says this about the virtuous, and not about everyone, that she will receive a great reward and reward for it. Listen to this, fathers and mothers: raising children will not go unrewarded for you. And then he says the same thing: “known for good works, if she has raised children” (1 Tim. 5:10). By the way, this also delivers on appearance. Truly, it is no small matter to dedicate to God the children given by God. If they lay firm supports and foundations under the building, they will have a great reward; whereas, on the contrary, they will be punished for negligence. So Eli also perished through his children, because he had to admonish them; True, he did admonish, but not as he should have. He didn’t want to upset them, and he ruined both them and himself. Listen to this, fathers. Bring up your children in the admonition and teaching of the Lord with great care. Youth is indomitable and needs many mentors, teachers, leaders, supervisors, and educators. And only with such (efforts) is it possible to curb it. Like an unbridled horse, like an untameable beast, so is youth. Therefore, if at the beginning and from the first age we set appropriate limits for her, then later we will not have the need for great efforts; on the contrary, then the habit will turn into a law for them. Let us not allow them to do what is pleasant and at the same time harmful, we will not please them, because they are children; but we will primarily preserve them in chastity - this is where harm to youth is most likely. We must take special care of this, we must be especially attentive to this. Rather, let us take wives for them, so that they, having a pure and uncorrupted body, will be united with brides. Such love is especially fiery. He who was chaste before marriage will remain so even more so after marriage. On the contrary, whoever learned to commit fornication before marriage will do the same after marriage. “To a fornicator,” it is said, “all bread is sweet” (Sir. 23:23). For this reason, crowns are placed on their heads, as a sign of victory, that they enter the bridal chamber without being defeated, that they were not overcome by lust. If someone, carried away by voluptuousness, gives himself over to harlots, then why does he have a crown on his head after this, when he is conquered? We will instill this in them, we will admonish them with this, intimidate, threaten, doing one thing or another. We have been entrusted with an important collateral - children. Let us take care of them and use all measures so that the evil one does not steal them from us. Meanwhile, now everything is happening the other way around. We use all possible efforts to ensure that the field is good and to entrust it to a trustworthy person, and we look for the most skilled driver of donkeys and mules, and the overseer, and the attorney; but we do not pay attention to what is most precious to us, namely, to entrust our son to a person who could keep him in chastity, despite the fact that this treasure is more valuable than all others and the rest come for it. We care about their property, but not about them themselves. Do you see how crazy it is? Form the soul of your son first, and he will receive the property later. If his soul is not good, then he will not have the slightest benefit from money; and vice versa, if she is given the right education, then poverty will not harm him at all. Do you want to leave him rich? Teach him to be kind. Thus, he can increase his fortune; even if we do not increase it, then at least it will not be any worse than wealthy people. Meanwhile, if he is evil, then, even though you left him countless treasures, you did not leave the keeper (of these treasures), but made him more miserable than those who fell into the most extreme poverty. Indeed, for children who have not received the right upbringing, poverty is better than wealth, because the former, even against their will, keeps them within the limits of virtue, while the latter, even if someone wanted it, does not allow them to lead a chaste life, but carries them away, overthrows them and leads them into countless crimes. You, mothers, look after your daughters most of all: this care is not difficult for you. Make sure they stay at home; and, above all, teach them to be pious, modest, to despise money and not be too concerned about clothes. So give them away in marriage. If we form them this way, then you will save not only them, but also the husband who will take her, and not only the husband, but also the children, and not only the children, but also the grandchildren. If the root is good, then the branches will develop better - and for all this you will receive a reward. Therefore, let us do everything as we (decently) care for the good of not one soul, but many through one. A daughter, upon entering into marriage, must leave her father's house like a wrestler from a place of competition, that is, she must know exactly the whole science, with the help of which she could, like leaven, raise all confusion to her own beauty. And sons must again be modest to such an extent that they can most likely be recognized by their good behavior and chastity, and so that they deserve great praise both from people and from God. Let them learn to curb their stomachs, abstain from unnecessary expenses, be prudent, tenderly loving, let them learn to obey authority. In this way they can bring great reward to parents. Then everything will be to the glory of God and our salvation, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. These conversations were delivered by the saint, probably in Antioch around 397. You might be interested in: