81. Bevegegii, E. sive Pandectae, II, Annot. in h. can., p.26. Drey, proving that this rule is only an extract from the 2 Hulk. rules, looks at the words about Ap. Peter, as a later addition made by the collector of these canons in order to show the apostolic origin of this (29) canon (op. cit., pp. 356, 411). What is said about Peter in our redaction of this canon would agree most of all with the opinion of Thurian, already mentioned by us, that all these Ap. the canons were set forth by the Apostles themselves at the Council of Jerusalem in 45 (?) A.D.

Rule 30. If a bishop, having used secular leaders, through them receives episcopal authority in the church, let him be expelled and excommunicated, and all those who communicate with him

(I Ecumenical 4; VII Ecumenical. 3; Laodicus. 13).

The right to elect and consecrate a bishop always belonged, according to the canons, exclusively to the council of bishops. Secular power began to influence this only in later centuries, beginning with the fourth century, when some of the Greco-Roman emperors became Christians, but even then the influence of the secular, or more precisely, state power in the consecration of bishops was regulated in accordance with the canonical prescriptions of the Church and, consequently, was accepted and recognized by the Church only within certain limits.

This will be discussed later in the interpretation of one of the canons of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, namely the 3rd canon.

The present (30) rule has in mind such cases. In the early days of the Church of Christ, there were found, both among individual Roman sovereigns and among the lower representatives of state power, those who were not hostile to the Christian Church and were not its persecutors. It was to these that some presbyters turned and, becoming bishops with their help, received one or another church in their administration [82]. Against such presbyters this is directed by Ap. A canon which, considering this crime to be equal to simony, since in essence it is simony, only of a different kind, prescribes to the culprit the same punishment as for simony, namely, the expulsion from the episcopal dignity illegally obtained, and excommunication from ecclesiastical communion, consequently a double punishment as for simony.

This canon mentions only the bishop who receives the episcopacy through the intermediary of secular power, and in the 29th Ap. A bishop, a presbyter and a deacon who acquire spiritual dignity for money are mentioned, and all those who sin against the prescription of the canon are subject to expulsion and excommunication. In interpreting these canons, Balsamon asks the question: what is to be done with one who, through the intermediary of secular power, becomes a presbyter, deacon, subdeacon, or reader, or, having given money, becomes a subdeacon or reader? And he answers: and they are all subject to expulsion or excommunication on the basis of the last words of the 30th Ap. canons, where it is said that not only the main perpetrators of evil are expelled and excommunicated, but also their accomplices [84].

Notes:

82. About this Beveregius in his work Codex can. ecles. primit. illustrat. (1. II, p.4 at the end) says: Et quamvis potestates saeculares apostolorum temporibus infestissimae essent christianis, neminem tamen latet, complures earum secundo tertioque aerae christianae saeculo illis favisse, quarum propterea ope nonnullos ecclesiasticas dignitates assecutos esse, plusquam verissimile est, vel potius certissimum.

83. См. что сказано о двойном наказании выше в толковании 29-го Ап. правила.

84. Аф. Синт., II,38; Синт. Властара, Е,19 (Аф. Синт., VI,272-273).

Правило 31. Аще который пресвитер, презрев собственного епископа, отдельно собрания творити будет, и алтарь иной водрузит, не обличив судом епископа ни в чем противном благочестию и правде: да будет извержен, яко любоначальный. Ибо есть похититель власти. Такожде извержены да будут и прочие из клира, к нему приложившиеся. Миряне же да будут отлучены от общения церковного. И сие да будет по едином, и втором, и третием увещании от епископа

(II Всел. 6; III Всел. 3; IV Всел. 18; Трул. 31, 34; Гангр. 6; Сердик, 14; Антиох. 5; Карф. 10, 11; Двукр. 13, 14, 15).

Если в каждом обществе должен соблюдаться строгий порядок, и каждый должен знать как свое место в этом обществе, так и свои обязанности и права для того, чтобы тем успешнее могла быть достигнута цель этого общества и утверждено согласие и мир, то тем более нужно сказать это о Христовой церкви на земле. Устройство церкви основывается на божественном праве, и в этом устройстве главное место занимает иерархия. Отношения между членами иерархии точно и строго определены, и каждый, намеревающиеся нарушить эти отношения, создает беспорядок в церкви и причиняет ущерб самой задаче церкви в мире; вследствие этого виновен перед церковью и достоин осуждения каждый член иерархии, производящий каким-либо своим поступком беспорядок в церкви, и затрудняющий достижение ею задачи ее в мире. Средоточием иерархической власти является епископство, и от епископской власти зависят все члены клира без различия. Эта основная мысль иерархического устройства христианской церкви выражена со строгой последовательностью в церковном законодательстве всех веков и до сего дня [85]. В постепенности священной иерархии, от епископа на первом месте зависит пресвитер, и об этой зависимости пресвитера от епископа и говорит это (31) правило.