Огласительное поучение третье

[To those preparing in Jerusalem for enlightenment, spoken without preparation, about baptism, on the words from the Epistle to the Romans: Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? So we were buried with Him through baptism into death, etc. (Rom.6:3–4).] 1. Rejoice, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, for those who wish to be sprinkled with hyssop, to cleanse themselves with spiritual hyssop and the power of Him who, during His suffering, was given to drink through hyssop and reeds. Let the heavenly powers rejoice, and let the souls who are to be united with the spiritual Bridegroom prepare for this. For a voice is already crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord (Is. 40:3). This is not an unimportant matter; not an ordinary and reckless combination of bodies, but the election by faith of the all-searching Spirit. Worldly marriages and marriages are not carried out with due consideration, but where there is wealth or beauty, the groom soon agrees. And here it is not physical beauty, but the blameless conscience of the soul, not reprehensible wealth, but the wealth of spiritual piety that is respected. So, children of justification, listen to John, who exhorts and says: straighten the way of the Lord (John 1:23), try to destroy every obstacle and temptation, so that you may walk straight to eternal life. By unfeigned faith, prepare pure vessels of the soul to receive the Holy Spirit. Begin to wash your garments with repentance, so that when you are called to the bridal chamber, you will appear clean. For although the Bridegroom calls everyone without exception, because grace is generous, and the loud voice of the heralds gathers everyone, however, He Himself distinguishes those who entered the mysterious wedding feast. May none of those whose names are included in the list then hear: friend! How did you come here not wearing wedding clothes? (Matthew 22:12). But let each of you hear: well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in small things, I will put you over many things; enter into the joy of your master (Matthew 25:21), for hitherto you have stood outside the gate. Oh, that each of you could say: the king brought me into his palace. I will rejoice in the Lord with joy, my soul will rejoice in my God; for He clothed me with the robe of salvation, He clothed me with the robe of righteousness, as He placed a crown on a groom, and adorned me with ornaments like a bride (Song. 1:3; Is. 61:10). Let each one of you have a soul that does not have spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing (Eph. 5:27). I do not say that this should happen before receiving grace: for why would it be to call you to the remission of sins? But so that when grace is given, conscience agrees with grace, being found blameless. 2. This is truly a great matter, brothers, and therefore approach it with thoughtfulness. Each of you must appear before God before the myriads of the host of Angels. The Holy Spirit will seal your souls. You will be chosen into the army of the great King. So, dispose and prepare yourselves, putting on not costly garments, but the piety of the soul, which is revealed in a good conscience. Approach baptism not as you would approach simple water, but as you would approach spiritual grace, given with water. For just as what is sacrificed, simple in nature, is profaned through the invocation of idols, so, on the contrary, simple water, having received power from the invocation of the Holy Spirit and Christ and the Father, becomes holy. Since a person consists of two parts, a soul and a body, the purification is twofold: incorporeal for the incorporeal, and bodily for the body. Water cleanses the body, and the Spirit seals the soul, so that we can approach God with a sprinkled heart and a body washed with clean water. So, when you go down to the water, do not imagine simple water, but expect salvation from the action of the Holy Spirit. For without both, it is impossible for you to achieve perfection. It is not I who says this, but the Lord Jesus Christ, who has the authority in this matter. He says: unless someone is born again - and adds the words: by water and the Spirit, he cannot see the Kingdom of God (cf. John 3:3, 5). Neither one who is baptized with water, but is not awarded the Spirit, has perfect grace; no one who, even if he was good in deeds, but did not receive sealing with water, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The word is bold, but not mine, because Jesus said so. And here is the proof in the Divine Scripture. Cornelius was a righteous man, worthy of the vision of an angel; his prayers and alms represented a beautiful pillar in heaven before God. Peter came and the Spirit was poured out on the believers, and they began to speak in other tongues and prophesy. Further, the Scripture says that even after this spiritual grace, Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that, after the rebirth of the soul by faith, the body would receive grace through water. If anyone wants to know why he gives grace through water, and not through another element, he will find the solution to this in Divine Scripture. Water is something special and the best of the four visible elements of the world. Heaven is the home of Angels, but heaven is made of water. The earth is the habitation of people, but the earth is made of water. And before the six-day dispensation of the creatures, the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. The beginning of the world is water, and the beginning of the Gospel is Jordan. The liberation of Israel from Pharaoh was accomplished through the sea, and the liberation of the world from sins is accomplished through washing with water under the action of the Word of God. Wherever God enters into a covenant with someone, there is water. A covenant was made with Noah after the flood; A covenant was made with Israel at Mount Sinai, but it was also made through water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop. Elijah ascends, but even here he is not without water. For first it passes through the Jordan, then it ascends into heaven. The high priest first washes himself, then lights incense. Aaron first washed himself, then he was made high priest. For how could he begin to pray for others if he had not himself been cleansed with water? And the sign of baptism was the laver that was in the tabernacle. 3. Baptism is the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New. For John began it, whom no one else rose from among those born of women (cf. Matt. 11:11). He is the end of the prophets: all the prophets and the law prophesied before John (Matthew 11:13), he is also the beginning of the actions of the gospel. For the Gospel of Jesus Christ was conceived, etc. This is: John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:1, 4) through baptism. You will say, Elijah the Tishbite was taken into heaven, but he is no greater than John. Enoch was transferred to heaven, but he was no greater than John. Moses was the greatest lawgiver, and all the prophets were amazing, but they were no greater than John. I do not dare to compare prophets with prophets, but their Lord Himself and ours, the Lord Jesus, pronounced judgment: among those born of women there has not arisen a greater one than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11); in those born not of virgins, but of wives. The great servant is compared with his fellow servants, but the excellence and grace of the Son are incomparable in relation to slaves. Do you see what kind of man God chose to be the forerunner of this grace? Poor, desert-loving, however, not a misanthrope; he ate locusts and had an inspired soul; he ate honey, and his words were sweeter and healthier than honey; wore clothes made of camel hair and was an example of an ascetic life; While still in his mother's womb, he was sanctified by the Holy Spirit. True, Jeremiah was also sanctified, but Jeremiah did not prophesy in it. John alone, being in his mother’s womb, leaped joyfully (Luke 1:44) and, not seeing with his bodily eyes, knew the Lord in spirit. Since the grace of baptism was a great thing, its first herald had to be great. 4. He baptized in the Jordan; All Jerusalem came out to him, receiving the first fruits of baptism, for all the best blessings are in Jerusalem. But know, O Jerusalemites, how those who came out received baptism from him: they confessed their sins. First they opened the wounds, then he applied medicine and granted redemption from eternal fire to those who believed. And if you yourself want to be convinced that John’s baptism is redemption from the threatening fire, then listen to what he says: brood of vipers! 2 Who told you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3:7). So, no longer be a serpent, but as you once were his offspring, now leave, he says, the image of your former sinful life. Every snake, crawling into a narrow place, leaves behind old scales and, by compressing itself, throwing off old age, becomes younger in body. So you too, he says, go up through the narrow and strait gates; Having exhausted yourself with fasting, drive out what is destroying you. Put off the old man with his deeds (see Col. 3:9) and say the words found in the songs: I have put off my tunic; How can I put it on again? ( Song 5:3 ). But is there anyone in you who is a hypocrite, a people-pleaser, only presenting a form of piety, and not from the heart of a believer, a hypocrite with Simon the Magus, who came not to receive grace, but to experience what is given? Let him also hear these words of John: Even the ax lies at the root of the trees: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 3:10). The Judge is relentless - leave hypocrisy. 5. What needs to be done, and what are the fruits of repentance? He who has two coats, give to the poor (Luke 3:11). The one who taught this is worth believing. Because he himself was the first and carried out what he taught. He spoke without remorse, for his conscience did not reproach him and did not tie his tongue. And whoever has food, do the same (Luke 3:11). Do you want to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, but do not deign to give sensual food to the poor? Are you looking for great things, but do not pay attention to small things? Even if you were a publican, even if you were an adulterer, hope to be saved. Publicans and harlots go ahead of you into the Kingdom of God (Matthew 21:31). And Paul testifies to this, saying: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor those whom he lists further will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9; 6:11). He did not say: this is how you are, but he said: this is how you were. The sin of ignorance is forgiven, and inveterate evil is condemned. 6. Baptism is glorified for you by the Only Begotten Son of God Himself. What else can I say about a person? John is great, but what is he compared to the Lord? This voice is eloquent, but what is it in relation to the Word? The herald is very famous, but what is he compared to the King? The one who baptizes with water is famous, but what is he in relation to the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire? The Savior was baptizing the apostles with the Holy Spirit and fire, when suddenly a sound came from heaven, as if from a rushing strong wind, and filled the whole house where they were. And cloven tongues as of fire appeared to them, and one rested on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:2–4). 7. He who does not receive baptism has no salvation, except for the martyrs, who receive the Kingdom of Heaven even without water. For the Savior, having redeemed the universe with the Cross and being pierced in the side, brought blood and water out of it, so that some in times of peace would be baptized with water, others during persecution would be baptized with their own blood. Yes, and the Savior called martyrdom baptism, saying: Can you drink the cup that I drink and be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? (Mark 10:38). And the martyrs realize this, becoming a spectacle for the world, both Angels and people; and you will learn over time, but now is not the time for you to hear this. 8. Jesus sanctified baptism by being baptized Himself. If the Son of God was baptized, what godly person can despise baptism? He was not baptized in order to receive forgiveness of sins (for He was sinless), but being sinless, He was baptized in order to bestow Divine grace and glory on those who were baptized. For just as, following the example of children who have flesh and blood, He Himself accepted the same, so that we, having become partakers with Him in His incarnate appearance, would at the same time become partakers in His Divine grace, so Jesus was baptized so that through this we, having again become fellow-partners with Him, could receive glory along with salvation. According to Job, there was a dragon in the waters that could swallow up the Jordan. So, since the head of the dragon had to be crushed, He went down into the waters and bound the strong man, so that we would receive from Him the power to tread on snakes and scorpions. It was not a small beast, but a terrible beast. All the fishing vessels could not lift one skin of its tail; he was preceded by destruction, consuming those who met him. Life has come to finally stop the effect of death, so that all of us, having been saved, can say: Death! where is your sting? hell! where is your victory? (1 Cor. 15:55). Baptism dulls the sting of death. 9 . You go down to the water with your sins, but the gracious calling that has imprinted your soul will no longer allow you to be swallowed up by a terrible dragon. Having come down dead because of sins, you rise up quickened through righteousness. For if you have become conformed to the likeness of death (see Rom. 6:5) of the Savior, then you will also be worthy of resurrection. Since Jesus, having taken upon Himself the sins of the universe, died in order, having put to death sin, to resurrect you with righteousness, then you, having descended onto the water and in some way been buried in it, as He was in a stone tomb, rise again to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4). Then, when you are worthy of grace, then He will give you the strength to fight the enemy forces. For just as He was tempted for forty days after baptism, not because before that He could not defeat the enemy, but because He wanted to do everything in order and gradually, so you, who before Baptism did not dare to fight with enemies, now, having received grace and having been encouraged by the weapon of righteousness, take up arms and, if you want, preach the Gospel. 10. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. But it was not before His baptism that He began to preach the Gospel. If the Master Himself observed the order of time, then will we, slaves, begin to do anything without observing the order? From that time on, Jesus began to preach how the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in a bodily form in the form of a dove; not so that Jesus would know Him for the first time (for He knew Him before His bodily descent), but so that John, who baptized Him, would see Him. For I did not know Him, he says, but He who sent me to baptize me in water said: On whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (cf. John 1:33). If you also have unfeigned piety, then the Holy Spirit descends on you, the voice of the Father from above calls to you, not this: This is My Son (Matthew 3:17), but now has become My son, for to be the Son belongs to Him, since in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). It is said to Him: there is, because He is always the Son of God; to you: now it has become, because you do not have sonship by nature, but receive it by adoption. He is eternally the Son, and you receive this grace as you improve yourself. 11. So, prepare a spiritual vessel to become a son of God, an heir of God, a joint heir with Christ, if only you really prepare yourself to accept this gift, if with faith you desire to become faithful, if you voluntarily lay off the old man. For everything that you have done will be forgiven, whether fornication, adultery, or any other type of intemperance. What is more terrible than the crucifixion of Christ? Baptism cleanses us of this too. For those who, turning to the Lord, asked and said: What should we do, men and brethren? (Acts 2:37), the wound is great, you struck us, Peter, with our crime, saying: They killed the ruler of life (Acts 3:15), how can such a wound be healed? How to cleanse such filth? How to escape from such destruction? Repent, he says, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord for the forgiveness of sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). 12. God's inexplicable love for mankind! People do not expect to be saved and are rewarded with the Holy Spirit. Do you see the power of baptism? If any of you out of ignorance denied Christ before men, if anyone crucified Him with blasphemous words, if anyone blasphemed His teaching with evil deeds, then repent and be trustworthy, for the same grace is with us now. Be of good cheer, O Jerusalem, the Lord will remove from you all your iniquities, wash away the filthiness of the daughters of Zion and cleanse the blood of Jerusalem... with the spirit of judgment and the spirit of fire (Is. 4:4), sprinkle you with clean water, and you will be cleansed from all your filthiness (Ezek. 36:25). The Angels will triumph over you and say: Who is this who rises from the desert, leaning on his beloved? (Song.8:5) For the soul, having previously been a slave, now has as its brother the Master Himself, Who, accepting its unfeigned will, will exclaim: Oh, you are beautiful, my beloved, you are beautiful... your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep (Song.1:14; 4:2) according to your sincere confession, and after that: each has a pair of lambs (Song.1:14; 4:2) Song 4:2) according to the twofold grace accomplished, i.e. water and the Spirit, and proclaimed in the Old Testament and the New. So, having completed the field of fasting, keeping in mind what has been said, bearing the fruit of good deeds, presenting yourself in integrity before the Spiritual Bridegroom, may you be deemed worthy to receive remission of sins from God. Glory to Him together with the Son and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. Echidna (Staroslav) – snake. You might be interested in: