A word of praise in honor of the great John the Apostle and Evangelist of Christ

St. Theodore the Studite is the author of an extensive book of praise (πανηγυρική βίβλος). Only 12 sermons from this collection have survived to this day, including “A Homage in Honor of the Great John the Apostle and Evangelist of Christ” (12 chapters). The work is dedicated to the glorification of the “beloved disciple” of the Lord - St. John the Theologian. The author, with the help of rich metaphorical speech and numerous epithets (“the eagle of God”, “the inimitable explorer of the heavenly depths”, “the purest church of virginity”, “the great sun of the Gospel”) reveals the exceptional greatness of the apostle. St. Theodore emphasizes the humble Galilean origin of the apostle. John and his calling from a simple fisherman to a "fisher of men", allegorizing his gospel ministry as a process of catching souls with the "net of dogma" and the "hook of the three-part cross." Particular attention is paid to the theological insights of St. John, especially his title “son of thunder” (Boanerges), which is interpreted as the ability to proclaim “thunderous” and “lightning-fast” dogmas about the eternal Word of God, starting with the great words of the Gospel he wrote: “In the beginning was the Word...”. According to Rev. Theodora, this theology surpasses the Old Testament revelations and amazes both earthly and heavenly powers. The author also emphasizes the unique personal attitude of St. John with the Savior: his position as a “beloved disciple”, reclining on the chest of Christ at the Last Supper and, most importantly, the commission of the Most Holy Theotokos as the mother of St. John. John at the Cross, which symbolizes his special purity and virginity as the reason for the special love of Christ. The gift of Revelation, received by the apostle on the island of Patmos, is also mentioned as another evidence of his superiority in love and knowledge of the Divine mysteries. Concluding his praise, the Monk Theodore turns to the Apostle John with a prayer for intercession for the Church, which is experiencing the desecration of holy icons (“altars ... destroyed,” “Icon of Christ desecrated”). 1. If we made the sky the subject of our laudatory speech, would we really find such a word that could rise to the height of praise? What thought could be worthy of the greatness of extraordinary praise? Perhaps we would become tired at the very beginning of the subject, like those who have touched upon the unattainable and are trying to climb to an infinite height. And, of course, when speaking about the sky, I do not mean the vault that is variously decorated with star circles, just as it is not the path that the crescent-shaped month runs through, making the night as bright as day. Already the contemplation of this miracle, deepened by the beauties of the world, is a teacher raising the mind to the Author of creation. But I would like to speak about that heaven, in which the ever-shining stars are a collection of many virtues, shining with the radiance of doing good, and the sun is the gospel sermon, reaching to the ends of the universe and in a thousand ways, brighter than the sun, enlightening the visible and invisible world. This sun has no need of moonlight, because its day does not give way to night; His light shines unstoppably. 2. But do you want to know who this man we exalt is? - This is John, brethren, the excellent apostle, preeminent among the evangelists, the eagle of God - great, golden-winged; an inimitable explorer of the celestial depths; a man whose contemplation soars above the cherubim; the messenger of the existence of the beginningless Word and for the angels themselves (messengers); the most vocal preacher of truth; the mind that sees the high; fiery tongue; God-speaking lips; a boundless sea of ​​wisdom; the incomprehensible depth of dogma; the greatest repository of knowledge; the lightning of the Spirit enlightening the world; universal thunder of grace; the highest pillar of churches; God's firmest foundation; a net to catch human nature; a treasure for souls that reaches to the sky; an invincible (unnotched) saw against all heresies: a sharp sword that cuts off the tares of wickedness; the heavenly key that closes the hordes of godlessness; Thought strengthened by God; a river abounding with the waters of God's wisdom; the purest church of virginity; beloved by the truly Beloved and reclining on His breasts; the great sun of the Gospel, marching solemnly; the euphonious lyre and the trumpet of the Holy Spirit - and what more can I say? If I listed a thousand more names, I could not exhaust the entire abyss of praise. No, it is absolutely impossible to express everything: this is impossible not only for my lack of language, but also for those who are distinguished by the ability of high speech, for they too are overcome by the greatness of the miracle to such an extent as the immeasurable height of the sky cannot do. But since we were allowed to compose praise for John, we with pleasure dare to offer it by collecting from the gospel meadows some honey-bearing flowers, mentally, as if in some beehives, binding them with wax and grouping them around the current celebration, as around some queen (womb). 3. If, according to the law of laudatory speeches, we begin to look for the fatherland where the apostle was born, we will find that it, that is, Galileo, is far from glorious, and even very unknown: such is the general opinion. And yet here the famous apostle was born. How and for what reason? - According to the fact that from where, in the opinion of the Jews and every true Israeli, not a single prophet came and no good came out, there in the womb of the first prophetess the Virgin Christ is conceived: there He who took an image similar to us is brought up, obeying his parents, for the city from which it received the name (Nazarene) belonged to Galilee, like the village of Bethsaida. What a wonderful country, what a blessed fatherland! It turned out to be more honorable than Adam's fatherland, for it produced the second Adam from heaven and John. And the family of John is also not inglorious, for the one being glorified came from Zebedee and Salome, a relative of Christ in the flesh. Oh, how beautifully both were combined into one, so that the son of the bridal chamber became the nephew of Christ! And, of course, John is nobler than all those who exist from the east of the sun, having inherited the race of God on both sides. You see how beautiful, with diligent study, is what seemed more despicable, that is, the fatherland and family of John. Now, in order, our speech has reached the point of showing what his life and activities were like. 4. Of the everyday occupations, we do not know anything more difficult than fishing, nor a more rude way of life than that of those who engage in this trade. For practicing other crafts brings to the artisan, in addition to life in the city, great benefits, whether assessed from a mental or practical point of view. The occupation of fishing, in addition to a lonely life, brings with it a lack of food, so that the Scripture is fulfilled: all a man’s work is in his mouth (Eccl. 6:7). The fishermen are covered in rubbish, walk in shabby clothes, with long hair, tanned faces, barefoot: they live along the banks of rivers and in more deserted places; here they sit on the rocks, and there they peer into the depths and extract prey from there. Why am I describing this in such detail? - In order to show that, although John was engaged in this craft, he should not be despised. Turn to the mental image of comparison and you will find the corresponding knowledge. David, who was first a shepherd of the sheep, was then chosen by God to shepherd Jacob his servant, and Israel his heritage (Psalm 77:71). Look at John too, how magnificently he was led by the great Word from catching dumb to catching rational beings. For he was not called to shepherd this or that tribe, scattered in different places, but to catch the whole universe. And the verb is: He is coming after Me, and I will make you fishers of man (Matthew 4:19). Although this title is general, we must apply it to the one we are talking about. We act similarly in relation to some other general names: their particular application to the Theologian does not give him an advantage over the other apostles - let it not be! For even for lamps lit from the general light, it is not an advantage for them to fully participate in the radiance of one. 5. But since the great apostle was appointed by God as a fisher, let us see him, figuratively speaking, as if in a boat, that is, in his weak body, mending not tattered fishing nets, but the nets of the Gospel. What kind of reed does he use for this? - Dogmas. What kind of fishing rod? – Weaving theology. What hook? - Three-part cross. What bait? – God-bearing flesh, through which the great whale Belial was captured. You may ask, what rock is he sitting on? Think about the solid seat of faith. Oh, miracle! He casts the bait not into this or that bay, but into the sea of ​​life; casts the fishing rod not into a small space, but to the very limits of the universe; he lowers the string of the fishing rod not into a measured depth, but into the very abyss of wickedness. Look at the rich catch, consisting of single riders and social activists, that is, mature people (hermits) and living in society - the catch is diverse and different - precisely by the morals and inclinations of those caught from large or small - by age and position. Some, worried by the dogmas of wickedness, are extracted as if from under the pitfalls of atheism; others, dead by the simplicity of thought, as if rushing across the sea, he catches with a net; and he does not kill them all, but revives them, does not keep them in the salty waters of wickedness, but makes them live in the sweet waves of baptism, and at the same time not acquiring corruptible silver, but by handwriting the birth of sons, freeing from slavery to the devil those who were previously taken captive by him. Oh, wonderful miracle! Who has ever heard of such a catch? Who has seen such a great merchant-catcher? For not only hundreds and not thousands, but all the nations that he was entrusted to teach, he brought to the first Fisher of men, the Lord Jesus Christ. Isn’t it fair, therefore, that I said earlier that I could not touch upon the chosen subject even to the weakest degree? 6. Let us consider the rest, presented in a beautiful allegory. – You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Light drives away darkness, enlightens vision, renews bodies - desired and wondrous. In what sense is the apostle light? – Doesn’t it reduce the total darkness opposite? Doesn’t it restore sight to the blind both mentally and physically? Doesn't it impart force to bodies? Therefore, isn’t he worthy of love and wonder? This is exactly what Christ commanded to do: heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons: eat tuna, give tuna (Matthew 10:8). Let us think about a thousand kinds of diseases, and we will see an infinite number of miracles, which everywhere reach in clusters to the free and painless physician of salvation, for here the sick are cured not by sections, not by cauterization, or by any medicinal drink, but by faith alone and the gift of speech. Oh, great gift! Yesterday's blind man now sees the light, suddenly freed from constant darkness, and rejoices, contemplating the beauty and phenomena of the universe. Yesterday's lame man now walks upright and happily gallops like a deer. Yesterday's tongue-tied man, now freed from the bonds of his tongue, pronounces thanksgiving with free speech. Yesterday's withered man, now healed, raises both hands in prayer to the Lord, Who is in heaven. Yesterday, the person suffering from dropsy is now very quickly freed from the disease and regains his former health. Yesterday's leper now takes off his shame and rejoices, looking at his recovered body. Yesterday's paralytic, having received the strength of his limbs, now carries his bed on his shoulders. Possessed yesterday by a demon, now, having been purified in spirit, he rationally glorifies the Lord. Yesterday he was half dead and breathing heavily, but now he quickly jumps up. Yesterday's dead man rises from corruption, telling those on earth about what is in hell, and confessing the Author of life, God. Yesterday's cross-eyed man now looks correctly, and the one-eyed man sees with two eyes, and the hairless man grows hair. Yesterday's hunchback is now straightened, and the deaf hears, and the one suffering from fever is strengthened, and the frozen one comes to life. Yesterday, the barren woman now gives birth to a child, and the bleeding one is healed, the one who gave birth with difficulty gives birth easily, the one suffering from cancer becomes healthy - and every bodily injury is corrected, and every weakness is eliminated, and every illness is healed. I am not talking about miracles in relation to dumb animals, nor about miracles in relation to changes in the elements and anything else in nature. For is not what the Lord said true: have the faith of God: Amen, for I say to you, even if he says to this mountain, he is moved and cast into the sea; Perhaps you will also see a mountain moved into the sea, and a sea dried up and turned into a field covered with grass, and water gushing from the depths, and a stone being cut and accompanying the Christ-bearing people (1 Cor. 10:4), and many other things that serve for the benefit of those drawn to faith under the almighty action of divine grace, for which nothing is impossible. 7. But so that I don’t tire the listeners by dwelling on particulars, I move on to something else. – You eat the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). Of necessity, this is interpreted figuratively, as elsewhere: have salt in you (Mark 9:50). What else could salt mean if not love, which is the fulfillment of the law, as St. Apostle Paul (Rom. 13:10). So, just as without salt no bread or anything edible can be eaten, so it is natural that without love nothing godly can be accomplished. This is exactly how the apostle presents himself to us, having a soul that was as if adamantine and invincible in his exploits for the truth - an apostle who did not change either under happy or unfortunate circumstances, that is, who did not lose his prudence. Look: he was persecuted and did not fall away from love for those who persecuted; was led to kings and commanders and did not fall away from his bold confession; was beaten with sticks and appeared as a doctor for his executioners; They mocked and mocked him, and he gave honor to his offenders, imitating the Teacher, Who, even during His most suffering, prayed to the Father for the forgiveness of the crucifiers; they extended the sword, and he offered teaching; they threatened with fire, and he intensified love; those threats, and he - prayer, those - torment, and he - a thirst for salvation, rejoicing in sorrows, striving for torment. And even from happy circumstances temptation was born for him, for signs and wonders were followed by extraordinary honor and respect. But just as he did not grow cold in love there, so here he was not puffed up with praise. It was always applied and adapted to everyone, according to the characteristics of each, like the taste of manna. Oh miracle! The following should also be added: he who was sent by the Chief Shepherd Christ, like a sheep among wolves, did not become a wolf, but turned wolves into sheep. Vulnerable, he in turn heals spiritual ulcers, responding with wounds of healing. Uneducated, he taught the sages of the world the dogmas of piety. Unarmed, he armed the enemies of God for battle against the devil. Oh, what a difficulty this is, but at the same time, what a grace! This is divine salt. From what has just been said, it is already clear what the wisdom of the serpent and the purity of the dove consist of. It is unnecessary to talk about this to those who know more, in order to avoid verbosity. Let us return to the main subject of our word. 8. And he called his name Boanerges, who is the son of Thunder (Mark 3:17). Some say that thunder comes from thick air, which, being enclosed in the clouds and having no way out, produces either lightning (by friction) or thunder (by bursting). However, if someone were to say that thunder comes from thunder, then this would be completely plausible, for as is what gives birth, so is what is born. What from here? The fact that, being an echo of the Holy Spirit, the apostle is called the son of thunder, because he shines and together loudly proclaims the divine, as if breaking through the clouds of divine grace. Let us see, if you like, what his thunderous voices are, so that we may be more amazed at the power of Him who gave him his name. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God, and God was the Word (John 1:1). Oh, the most beautiful sermon about God! People are not astonished by the sound of thunder as the heavenly powers along with the earthly ones are amazed at the theology of John, since John has a teaching for them too. For the Scripture says: let the manifold wisdom of God now be revealed as the principle and authority in the heavenly churches (Eph. 3:10). So, Moses, describing the sensory (visible), made heaven the beginning of all creation, saying: in the beginning God created heaven and earth (Gen. 1:1). Since it was impossible for the eye, which occupies first place among our external senses, to rise above the sky, then accordingly this creation is first for the senses, while everything else takes second place. John talks about the One who is above feelings: he does not take heaven and earth, but takes the Creator of heaven and all the higher heavenly minds as the beginning, saying: in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God, and God was the Word. 9 . You see to what boundless height this triple be raises the gaze of the mind, establishing, as it were, some spiritual firmament in our thought - so that, like some reflection of light, having reached this place, the mind (this first of the soul’s abilities) does not strive to rise higher, on the other side, and does not seem to enter empty space out of useless curiosity; but he would hold back his desire, returning again to creatures, with which he has an affinity, contemplating creation and glorifying the Artist, the one beginningless God in three persons, ruling over all things. What kind of creations are these? - Seraphim, cherubim, thrones, powers, powers, dominions, principalities, archangels, angels, and then those subject to the senses - the sky, sun, moon, stars, air, earth, earthly animals, sea, air, plants, herbs and all nature in general, animate and inanimate. For all this, and if anything else in both worlds exists without a name, is abbreviated by the words: and without Him nothing came into being (John 1:3). For what else should be added to this, when the God-bearing fathers, by inspiration, explained all theology literally? From them we, the humblest ones, received a tiny share of participation in the word. Oh, theology, which proclaims heavenly dogmas stronger than thunder! Oh, a saying that illuminates everyone faster than lightning! My mind was amazed at you (Psalm 38:6), - let everyone say about the godlike John, who embraced the breadth of the universe with his preaching, who walked with his thoughts in the paths of the abyss of wisdom. Through him, in the fullness of God’s voice, the gates of hell were destroyed and the sun of Orthodoxy shone. Through him the wisdom of the world became holy and the ends of the universe were filled with the knowledge of the mysteries of God; rhetoricians and sophists were overthrown, and Johannine theology reigned. And I don’t know what else to say that is worthy and so extraordinary of the greatness of the apostle, except to yield the floor to those who previously glorified him with their divine lips. 10. But what next? Jesus, seeing the Mother and the disciple standing, who loved him, said to his Mother: Woman, behold your son. Then the verb to the student: behold your Mother. And from that hour the disciple went home (John 19:26-27). And in another place: he also reclined at supper on His chest, and said: Lord, who betrayeth thee (John 21:20). This preference, i.e., the fact that John was loved by Jesus more than the other disciples, also his reclining on his most pure toes and, in addition, the recognition of being the son of the Mother of God, is, as it were, some kind of royal gift to the Theologian. How terrible are all three advantages, one superior to the other! Each of them, as very unusual, produces a whirling thought in me. Andrew was the first called to be a disciple (of Jesus), but he never called himself a beloved disciple like this one. Peter is the supreme supreme, but he also did not receive such a name. The deity is impassive. Christ extends the rays of His love equally to everyone. Of course, if Peter loved more than everyone, as he himself testified, having been asked, and Christ confirmed his testimony through threefold questioning and answers, for which testimony, as a reward, he received the right to shepherd everyone; then he himself should have been mutually loved more (reverse gift). It seems to me that the reason that John called himself the beloved disciple is because of the dignity of his virginity. Although the ray of light falls equally on the mirror - for all the disciples were pure (like a mirror), according to Scripture - however, due to the brilliance of virginity, it is reflected more clearly in one than in others, strange as this word may be. And this circumstance has more to do with love, i.e., the fact that the light illuminates the most brightly perceiving object more strongly. If Peter had the advantage because he loved more, then it must be said that it is not the larger body that is illuminated by the light that is closer to the light, but the one that has a brighter nature, even if it was not close. If even now our word seems weak to you (for explaining our subject), then let the one who struck him heal (i.e. believe John, who calls himself a beloved disciple). Here is his reclining on his chest. Oh, dignity! The cherubim are the chariots of God, and John is the confidant. Moses barely saw the back of God, and at the same time had prayed first, and John, on his own impulse, leaned towards Jesus and asked about what the Supreme Peter did not dare to ask, appropriating second place for himself and preferring John to himself. Having considered both phenomena, you will understand how excellent the dignity of John is. From here, as from some source of life, I think, he draws abundant streams of divine wisdom, and from here, as from a living womb, rivers of theology flow. But we must move on to what happened at the cross. 11. Woman, behold your son. Then he said to the disciple: Behold your mother (John 19:26–27). Oh, wonderful gift! The slave, for the sake of his extraordinary purity, is called the son of the Lady, and becomes the guardian of the keeper of the Treasure of Life. One leaves through suffering (godparents) from the dispassionately giving birth, and the other obediently accepts her into his home: the virgin is the Virgin, the rod is the Vine who gave birth, the warrior is the Queen, the theologian is the Mother of God, the brother of God by grace is the Mother of God by nature. Think about the correspondence of mutual names and glorify the union. Can't this alone surpass any other praise for the Theologian, if he were deprived of any praise? If, along with the excellence of the above, this also shines, then who is able to look at such an unattainable height? So, he is above all our ability for verbal praise. Only God can praise him according to his worth, although he can boldly say this: from Him he received the advantage of love, from Him he was crowned with praiseworthy names - light, thunder and other similar names. But if this is so, if in this way our glorification, as far as it was possible for us, poor in words, has reached its limit, then we will end our speech here, presenting in conclusion the small instead of the great. Let us add to what has been said that the terrible revelation given to him, which he divinely inspired, when he was imprisoned for his word on the island of Patmos from the then Roman king, also contributes no little to his praise. For the sake of the advantage of love, he also received this revelation preferentially over the other apostles. They say that after those sacred wanderings and evangelical circumambulation of the universe, he settled in a certain place in Asia, where he primarily established his teaching throne, and then laid down his sacred body. And his tomb was placed in the image of death, but he himself died, contrary to human nature, so that in this too God glorified his beloved disciple. So the apostle kept his body clean and fragrant, and bore in it the stripes of Christ; with a soul that shone more than the sun, he flew away from here and, carried by angels, moved to the country that is appropriate for it - to the country of unspeakable and ever-radiant joy. 12. But, oh, most blessed, most blessed, most blessed John, the great sun of the Gospel, the inexhaustible source of theology, the branch of the apostles, equal to Peter! Look mercifully at us from heaven and see with what shame earthly things are covered: altars decorated with divine images are destroyed, sacred churches are robbed of their beauty. The icon of Christ is desecrated - both in cities, and in villages, and in houses, as well as the icons of the Mother of God and all other God-bearers, and those like you and those inferior to you. Everything is worthy of crying. Move Peter, call James, we pray. The three who always accompanied Christ, when He was transfigured, when He performed many miracles, when He was in ascetic labors and prayed, as more than others involved in the mysteries of God - you and now, together with the rest of the nine, propitiate the Holy Trinity to us, so that Christ would rebuke this stormy sea, as once upon Tiberias, giving silence, this gift of peace; so that He would return His Church to the ancient and glorious beauty of Orthodoxy. Oh, blessed one, be merciful to me, the daring one, who deserves (for this word) reproach, and not reward, and accept those who erected this beautiful and rich church in your honor, where (in the vestibule) many laid down their bodies, according to the custom of ascetics, to prostrate themselves here before your shining heavenly tabernacle: they desired to see you as much, according to their dignity, as they did looking at the sun itself - in Christ Jesus Our Lord, to whom is due all glory, honor and worship, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. You might be interested in: