A guide to the study of the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament. Apostle

Part I

The First Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Corinthians differs from his other Epistles by the extraordinary variety of questions resolved in it. It differs from the Epistle to the Romans that we have previously considered in that here the holy Apostle Paul has to deal not with Jewish errors, but with Greek culture and Greek sensuality, with Hellenism, which was based on philosophy, not alien to a deep penetration into the spiritual and moral sphere of life. Along with himself, St. Paul humbly mentions "Sosthenes the brother." Blessed Theodoret and St. Demetrius of Rostov believe that this Sosthenes was the same ruler of the synagogue in Corinth, who was beaten on the occasion of a rebellion there against the Apostle Paul (Acts 18:17). The same opinion is held by Bishop Theophan the Recluse, who says that these beatings can only be explained by some kind of contact of Sosthenes with the preaching of St. Paul.All the further content of the Epistle consists of two parts: the first part from the 1st to the 6th chapter contains mainly denunciations, the second part from the 7th to the 15th chapter contains mainly instructions and, finally, the last 16th chapter is a conclusion in which the holy Apostle sets forth his considerations about the collection of alms for Palestinian Christians and about his journey on the road to Corinth, and also conveys the usual greetings. He first commends their faith, expressing confidence that the Lord will confirm them in that faith "to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1:8), and at verse 10 he begins his diatribe. After the holy Apostle Paul, his disciple Apollos preached in Corinth; Christians converted by the holy Apostle Peter also arrived there; there were also Christians from Palestine, who heard the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Inclined to party strife, and apparently still holding to a pagan view of the preachers of the Gospel as philosophers, each founding his own school, the Corinthians began to divide into parties according to the names of the preachers of the Gospel teaching, and called themselves: "I am Paul, I am Apollos, I am Cephanes, I am Christ." In the beginning, this division was based, of course, only on a good feeling of loving affection for this or that preacher, but later such a division could lead to dangerous consequences for the very purity of the faith; In the moral sense, this division has already led to many evil phenomena in the midst of the Corinthian Christian community, which the holy Apostle denounces in his epistle. In view of the fact that the leaders of individual parties, following the example of pagan philosophers, influenced the crowd with eloquence and philosophical reasoning, the holy Apostle in the first chapter characterizes the qualities of the Gospel preaching, in comparison with worldly wisdom – philosophy. For the pagans, who are proud of their learning, the preaching of the cross seems too simple and even madness, while for those who believe the word of the cross is the power of God, which grants salvation. While worldly wisdom (philosophy), which has broken away from the source of wisdom – God – and tried to solve all the problems of life on its own, has proved powerless in the organization of human life, the preaching of the Gospel, which seems to the unbelievers to be foolishness (madness), really grants people everything that is necessary, both for the well-being of their earthly life, and, most importantly, for their eternal salvation. "For the Jews also demand miracles, and the Greeks seek wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (1:22-24). It is important to note here that "the wisdom of God" ("Sophia"), in accordance with many other passages of Holy Scripture, is called none other than the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. Further, the Apostle says, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weak of God is stronger than men" (1:25), which is evident from the fact that "but God chose the foolishness of the world to shame the wise, and the weakness of the world God chose to shame the strong" (1:27). This was clearly manifested in the fact that the poor, ignoble and unlearned fishermen, such as the holy Apostles, and the majority of the first Christians, also mostly people of low rank and uneducated, by the power of their faith and their preaching, put to shame all the pagan wisdom of scientists and philosophers and led the whole world to the foot of the Cross of Christ. "The God of all," says Blessed Theodoret, "has conquered the learned with the unlearned, the rich with the poor, and caught the universe with fishermen." Why was it necessary? "In order that no flesh should boast in the sight of God" (1:29), in order to humble all pride and arrogance, in order to show that we cannot be saved by ourselves, that Christianity is the way of salvation through humility. The holy Apostle in the second chapter recalls how he came to Corinth humbly with a simple word about the Crucified One, so that the faith of the Corinthians would owe nothing to the wisdom of men, but only to God: "My word and my preaching are not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in the manifestation of the Spirit and power" (2:4), "that your faith may not be founded on the wisdom of men, but by the power of God" (2:5). For those who are more perfect in faith, the knowledge of true wisdom is then revealed, the wisdom of God, which surpasses all human understanding and is beyond the reach of the wise men of this world. "But we preach the wisdom of God, which is secret, hidden, which God ordained before the ages for our glory" – this is the image of the dispensation of our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ with all its initial principles and with immense consequences in all areas of created existence (2:6-8 [1]). Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, and it has not entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love Him" (2:9). And to us, that is, true Christians, God has revealed this by His Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God" (2:10). Preaching about the all-wise mystery of the salvation of people, the Apostles have the "mind of Christ," and therefore only "spiritual" people can accept their teaching in all its depth, that is, those who have established themselves in the spiritual and moral life, who have been reborn spiritually and who accept the truth not only with their minds, but also with their hearts and wills, that is, in the full manifestation of their powers and abilities. A "natural" person, that is, one who has not yet cleansed his soul of sinful attachments, who lives not by the spirit, but by the lower qualities of the soul, "does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, because he considers them foolishness; and cannot understand, because these things must be judged spiritually" (2:14).The content of the third chapter gives reason to assume that in the absence of the holy Apostle Paul of Corinth, his opponents stirred up Christians against him, trying to humiliate his teaching. They apparently pointed out that other preachers of the Gospel, such as the Apostle Peter and Apollos, reveal the truths of Christ's teaching more profoundly and eloquently. Probably responding to such criticisms, St. Paul writes: "And I could not speak to you, brethren, as to spiritual ones, but as to carnal ones, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, and not with solid food, for you were not yet able, and even now you are not able, because you are still carnal," as evidenced by the strife, disputes, and divisions into parties because of different teachers-preachers. Then St. Paul explains how to look at the Apostles. The apostles are only servants of God – "only ministers through whom you have believed" – and the foundation of salvation is in Christ Jesus, for "no one can lay any other foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (vv. 1-5 and 11). "I planted," says the holy Apostle Paul: "Apollos watered, but God grew; therefore he who plants and waters is nothing, and God who grows everything. But he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive a reward according to his work. For we are God's fellow-workers, and you are God's field, God's building" (vv. 6-9). The value of the work of each such builder-preacher will be determined at the Last Judgment. There is only one foundation – Jesus Christ, but on this foundation it is possible to build from materials of different value and strength: from gold, silver, precious stones (the pure, healthy teaching of the Word of God) or from wood, hay, straw, (teaching mixed with the inventions of human wisdom or empty eloquence).On the Day of the Last Judgment, "fire will test the work of each one as it is" (vv. 12-14). "And whoever burns his work will suffer; but he himself shall be saved, but as out of fire" (v. 15). According to Blessed Augustine, this saying of the holy Apostle Paul refers precisely to those whom the holy Apostle Peter calls "incomprehensible" (2 Peter 3:16 [2]). This concealment of the apostolic words gives grounds for Roman Catholic theologians to find in them confirmation of their false dogma about the purgatory fire beyond the grave, by which sinners are purified after death. The correct understanding of these words is facilitated by the very comparison with the fire that engulfed the house, which the holy Apostle draws through his speech. "There is fire all around, we need to run through it. What happens here? Some will run almost unscorched, others in varying degrees of scorching, and some will remain in the fire. A similar thing will happen to those whose houses (deeds) will burn in the fire of judgment. Some will go into the fire, others will receive other different degrees of punishment, and others will be pardoned. For although they are all guilty of not building of solid material, their guilt may have different degrees. Others may be guilty without guilt: they labored on a fragile structure, not knowing a better way of building; or perhaps due to circumstances he did not have time to take up the best, or for some other reason he deserves an apology" (Bishop Theophan the Recluse). Perhaps the flock itself is to blame for turning out to be rotten material. Then the pastor will escape condemnation, after a strict review of his life at the incorruptible judgment of God (he will be saved as if from fire).Therefore, teachers-preachers must with great circumspection and caution build the building of the Church of Christ, remembering that every Christian is the temple of God, since the Spirit of God, received by him through the sacraments, dwells in him: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God? and the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (v. 16). The vain wisdom of men can destroy this temple, because "the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God" (v. 19). "But ye are Christ's" (v. 23), that is, since you have believed in Christ, and have become members of his church, you belong to Christ alone, and therefore is it proper for you to be divided because of Paul, Apollos, Cephas, or any other teacher? secret, hidden, which God predestined before the ages for our glory, which none of the powers of this world has known; for if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ^as he speaks of this in all the Epistles, in which there is something incomprehensible, which the ignorant and unconfirmed, like the rest of the Scriptures, turn to their own destruction. ^

Part II

In the fourth chapter, the holy Apostle points out that in appreciating the comparative importance of the Apostles and thus becoming, as it were, their judges, the Corinthians showed a lack of the main Christian virtue – humility. Proud of their spiritual understanding, the Corinthians forgot that if they had anything of value, they had received it from the Apostles, who could only be judged by the degree of their faithfulness to the work of preaching entrusted to them, and not by any external qualities that depended only on natural gifts (as pagan rhetoricians and philosophers judged). In order to enlighten the Corinthians and arouse in them feelings of gratitude and gratitude to all the Apostles as well as to those who labor for their good, the holy Apostle compares their situation with his own. As he says, you have not yet had time to partake of the firstfruits of faith, and "you are already satisfied, you are already rich, you have begun to reign without us" (v. 8). "We are still in poverty, we are subjected to suffering for preaching, and you have already enjoyed the kingdom" (Theodorite), treat yourselves as if the kingdom of glory has already come, crowns have been distributed, and blessed rejoicing has come. But how can it be without us? We are laboring, enduring all kinds of deprivations, and you have already entered the kingdom" (Bishop Theophan the Recluse). And the Apostle paints a picture of all kinds of sorrows and deprivations that the preachers of the Gospel teaching endure: "We, the last messengers, were destined by God to be, as it were, condemned to death, because we had become a reproach to the world, to angels and men. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are in glory, and we are in dishonor" (v. 10) These contrasts must be understood in the sense of accusatory irony. However, Bishop. Theophan the Recluse interprets this differently: the labors and deprivations of the Apostles serve to the glory and honor and confirmation in the faith of those who have believed through their preaching. The holy Apostle concludes his denunciation with the assurance that he does this "not to shame" them, but to bring them to their senses, as his "beloved children." "I do not write these things to your shame, but I admonish you as my beloved children. For although you have thousands of teachers in Christ, yet not many fathers; I have begotten you in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Therefore I beseech you, Imitate me, as I follow Christ" (vv. 14-16). The holy Apostle says that although the Corinthians have "thousands of teachers," they have "not many fathers," and that he "begat them in Christ Jesus through the gospel," that is, he is their spiritual father. The holy Apostle Paul himself calls himself the "father" of those who were converted by him to Christianity, and yet the sectarians, groundlessly referring to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, addressed by Him only to the Apostles in Matt. 23:9 [1], deny Orthodox Christian pastors the right to be called "fathers" of believers. In order to bring the Corinthians to their senses, the holy Apostle sent them his trusted disciple Timothy and promised to come to them soon himself. The opponents of the holy Apostle Paul, apparently, spread a rumor that he had not visited Corinth for four years for fear of meeting there with his rivals, stronger than him in word. The Apostle promises, when visiting Corinth, to test "not the words of the proud, but the power, for the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" — in life and in deeds (vv. 17-20 [2]).The fifth and sixth chapters contain denunciations of moral shortcomings.The entire fifth chapter is devoted to the denunciation of the incestuous fornicator, who took "his father's wife" as his wife, that is, presumably, his stepmother. St. Paul reproaches the Corinthians for becoming proud, "instead of weeping better," that is, that the Corinthians should not think highly of themselves, if such abominations are possible among them. In order to avoid further temptation, the holy Apostle commands that even before his coming the guilty person be "delivered up" "to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (vv. 1-5). This is not only excommunication from the Church, outside of which is "the domain of Satan," but also a real punishment, as St. John Chrysostom says, similar to what happened to Job, "although not with the same force: there for the most glorious crowns, and here for absolution from sins, so that Satan may punish him with malignant wounds or some other disease." "Carnal sin in the flesh is punished," explains Bishop Theodosius. Theophanes the Recluse: "emaciated flesh will loosen the bonds of sin, and give the spirit room to repent." "Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole dough?" is a severe punishment that this evil example may not infect others, v. 6. Christians in general should be a "new dough" in which there can be no vicious leaven, that is, no sinful passion. "As you are unleavened, for our Passover, Christ, was slain for us" — just as in the face of the Passover lamb the Israelites had nothing leavened in any house, so in the face of our Passover Lamb, Christ the Lord, there should be nothing sinful or passionate (vv. 7-8 [3]). These two verses, with the addition of verses 13-14 from the 3rd chapter of Galatians [4], make up the Apostolic reading at Matins on Great Saturday. In connection with the sin of the incestuous person, the Apostle commands us not to have any fellowship at all with those who, calling themselves Christians, do not abandon their vicious life: "With such a one you do not even eat together" (vv. 9-12). "Cast out the corrupt from among you" – the Apostle points out that such a removal of the sinner, for the sake of freeing society from sinful infection, was commanded already in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 17:7 [5]). The first half of the sixth chapter is devoted to the rebuke of litigation before the unbelievers in the pagan courts (vv. 1-8), and the second half contains denunciations of the passionate life in general and gluttony and fornication in particular. St. John Chrysostom notes that the preceding speech about the internal judgment of the incestuous disposed the Apostle to say that Christians should also consider external worldly affairs themselves, without bringing them to the attention of pagan judges, after which the Apostle again returns to the previous subject – the denunciation of fornication and sensual life in general. "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?" – The Apostle says, as if it were something well-known, that "the saints", that is, Christians, "will judge the world", and therefore it is unworthy for them to turn to pagan tribunals. "Judge" in the sense of "judge", as the Lord says, "the queen of the South will arise and condemn this generation", and "the Ninevites will rise up and condemn this generation" (Matt. 12:41-42), "you also will sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matt. 19:28) in the sense that those who believe and become Christians will serve as a condemnation to those who do not believe. "Do you not know that we will judge the angels" – here the fallen angels, that is, the demons, are meant. And here "we will judge" is said in the same sense: "we will condemn".Further, the holy Apostle points out that litigation in itself is unseemly for Christians, who are obliged to live in a brotherly way (v. 7 [6]). These lawsuits are especially reprehensible if they are conducted for sinful reasons with the aim of offending a brother, taking away what belongs to him. From here the holy Apostle proceeds to the denunciation of all kinds of sins, which should not exist in Christian society, as a society of saints (vv. 8-11 [7]). After this, the Apostle again proceeds to the denunciation of fornication. These verses 12-20 are read on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable; all things are lawful for me, but nothing shall possess me" — judging by what is said next about "food," it is said here first of all that it is possible to eat all kinds of food. But the Apostle places two restrictions on this freedom of the Christian: the first is to be useful, the second is not to bind oneself in any way, and in the name of imaginary freedom in this way not to lose true freedom – freedom from all addiction and sin. Therefore, a Christian must protect himself from enslavement to sensuality: gluttony and the passion of fornication associated with it. The crime of fornication is that it defiles both soul and body and is sacrilege, for our bodies, like souls, are members of Christ and belong to God: but the fornicator violates his union with the Lord and defiles his body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us (vv. 12-13 [8]; 15-16 [9]; 18-19 [10]). "Therefore glorify God both in your bodies and in your souls, which are God's," the Apostle concludes his accusatory speech, "and do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven; ^For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. Because I do not come to you, some of you are proud; but I will come to you quickly, if it pleases the Lord, and I will try not the words of the proud, but the power, for the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. ^Cleanse therefore the old leaven, that it may be new dough unto you, for ye are unleavened, for our Passover, Christ, was slain for us. Therefore let us celebrate not with the old leaven, not with the leaven of iniquity and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of purity and truth. ^Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, becoming a curse for us [for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree], that the blessing of Abraham through Christ Jesus might be extended to the Gentiles, that we might receive the promised Spirit by faith. ^the hand of the witnesses must be on him first to kill him, then the hand of all the people; and so destroy evil from among you. ^And it is already very humiliating for you that you have lawsuits among yourselves. Why would it be better for you not to be offended? Why would it be better for you not to endure deprivation? ^But you yourselves offend and take away, and that from your brethren. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but they were washed, but sanctified, but justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God. ^All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable; all things are lawful for me, but nothing should possess me. Food for the belly, and the belly for food; but God will destroy both. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. ^Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take away the members of Christ, that I may make them the members of the harlot? Let it not be! Or do you not know that he who copulates with a harlot becomes one body with her? for it is said, The two shall be one flesh. ^Flee fornication; every sin that a man commits is outside the body, and the fornicator sins against his own body. Do you not know that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in you, Whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ^

Part III

The seventh chapter begins the second part of the Epistle, which contains instructions in the moral Christian life. In connection with the last denunciation of fornication, the holy Apostle first of all gives instructions concerning marriage and celibacy, or celibacy. The main idea of all these instructions is that virginity is higher than marriage, and therefore should be preferred by Christians; but whoever feels unable to lead a strictly virginal life, it is better for him to marry than to be inflamed, that is, to enslave his soul to the passion of fornication and to be in constant danger of falling into fornication. Thus, the first moral purpose of marriage is to avoid fornication (vv. 1-2 [1]). Husband and wife belong to each other entirely, and have no power over themselves: abstinence from married life is permissible for them only by mutual consent (v. 3-6 [2]). Wishing good to all, the holy Apostle sets up his own celibacy as an example to the celibate and widows, as the best state (vv. 7-8 [3]). Those who are unable to bear the feat of celibacy must marry, but strictly observe marital fidelity and not divorce, even if one of the spouses is unfaithful, for the will of the Lord in general is such that everyone should remain in the calling in which he is called to Christianity (vv. 10-24)." For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband. Otherwise your children would have been unclean, but now they are holy" (v. 14) — the meaning of this incomprehensible saying is that marriage should not be dissolved if only one of the spouses believed, and the other remained a pagan. In other words, explains Bishop Theodosius. Theophanes the Recluse: "Your marriage, faithful wife, with an unfaithful husband, did not turn into an unlawful cohabitation because you believed; on the contrary, your faith sanctified this marriage and your husband in the marital relationship." In the same way, the children of such a marriage should not be regarded as "unclean" in the sense of illegitimate. The Apostle's goal is to prevent the disintegration of families, which could make a lot of noise and have a harmful effect on the work of preaching. On the other hand, since the unfaithful husband and wife do not turn away from the wife and husband of the faithful, there is hope that they too will eventually be converted, as the Apostle says directly in verse 16 [4] From verses 25 to 40, the Apostle clearly exposes the advantages of celibacy: the celibate are free from "sorrows according to the flesh," that is, sorrows and sorrows of all kinds, related to married life, of which there are many (vv. 25-28 [5]); the transience of our lives and the expectation of the Second Coming of Christ and the Dread Judgment of God should prompt Christians to such an inner mood that "those who have wives should be as if they had none" (vv. 29-31 [6]); "He who is unmarried cares about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but a married man cares about the things of the world, how to please his wife," etc. (vv. 32-35 [7]) — married life creates many worries that prevent you from fully pleasing the Lord, distract you from serving God. Therefore, the Apostle concludes his instructions, it is better to remain in virginity, although whoever enters into marriage does not thereby commit sin. (v. 35-40).In the eighth chapter, the Holy Apostle gives instruction about the nature of Christian freedom in relation to the suggestion of things sacrificed to idols. Christian freedom does not consist in doing whatever one pleases, guided by one's knowledge of the truth, which in itself is capable of arrogance, but in limiting oneself in the name of love. Rightly considering idols to be nothing, the Corinthians freely entered the pagan temples of idols and participated there in meals, eating things sacrificed to idols. In this way they tempted those brethren who had not yet risen to such an idea of the insignificance of idols, and in whose opinion to eat things sacrificed to idols meant to enter into communion with idols (this the Apostle calls "the conscience of idols" – v. 7 [8]). At the sight of the brethren partaking of things sacrificed to idols, their weak consciences were defiled. In itself, "food does not bring us closer to God: for if we eat, we gain nothing; if we do not eat, we lose nothing" (v. 8), but it must be remembered that man is not only an animal, but a morally free being, and therefore all his actions, including the eating or non-eating of food, in addition to the physiological one, also have a moral significance. Consequently, it is not always possible to be indifferent and sinless to eat or not to eat a certain kind of food, for example, food sacrificed to idols or non-food during the fast established by the Church. Therefore the Apostle decisively concludes: "If food offends my brother, I will never eat meat, lest I offend my brother" (v. 13). But in order to avoid fornication, each one should have his own wife, and each one should have her own husband. ^Husband show his wife due favor; like a wife to her husband. The wife has no authority over her own body, but the husband; likewise, the husband has no authority over his own body, but the wife. Do not depart from one another, except by agreement, for a time, for exercise in fasting and prayer, and then be together again, so that Satan may not tempt you with your intemperance. However, I have said this as a permission, and not as a command. ^For I desire that all men should be as I am; but each has his own gift from God, one in this way, the other in another. But to the unmarried and to the widows I say, It is good for them to remain as I am. ^Why do you know, wife, whether you will not save your husband? Or do you, husband, know if you will not save your wife? ^Concerning virginity, I do not have the command of the Lord, but I give advice, as one who has received mercy from the Lord to be faithful to Him. Out of present necessity, I admit that it is good for a man to remain like this. Are you united with your wife? Do not seek a divorce. Was he left without a wife? Do not seek a wife. However, even if you marry, you will not sin; and if a virgin marries, she will not sin. But such will have sorrows in the flesh; And I feel sorry for you. ^I say to you, brethren, the time is short, so that those who have wives must be as if they had none; and weeping as if they were not weeping; and rejoicing as not rejoicing; and those who buy as if they did not acquire; and those who use this world as if they did not use it; for the image of this world is passing away. ^And I want you to be careless. He who is unmarried cares about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but a married man cares about the things of the world, how to please his wife. There is a difference between a married woman and a virgin: an unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but a married woman cares about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not in order to put chains on you, but so that you may serve the Lord decently and unceasingly without distraction. ^But not everyone has such knowledge: some even to this day, with a conscience that recognizes idols, eat things sacrificed to idols as sacrifices to idols, and their consciences, being weak, are defiled. ^

Part IV

In the ninth chapter, the holy Apostle continues to develop the same idea about the rational use of Christian freedom, about the need to limit it in the name of higher goals. Here he speaks of his right to receive sustenance from the believers he converts, based on the ancient institution: "Those who serve the priests eat of the sanctuary, and those who serve the altar take a portion of the altar" (v. 13). But he himself voluntarily renounced this legal right in order "not to put any obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ" (v. 12). He served everyone and always unselfishly, adapting himself to the needs and condition of everyone and denying himself what was necessary, solely for the sake of the success of the gospel preaching (vv. 15-23). "Unto the Jews I was as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; He was as one under the law, that he might gain those under the law; to those who are strangers to the law, as a stranger to the law, not being a stranger to the law before God, but subject to the law of Christ, that he may gain those who are strangers to the law; He was as a weak man to the weak, that he might gain the weak. I have become all things to all, that I might save at least some" (vv. 20-22) — this is the exemplary rule of the so-called "pastoral application," which was widely used by the Apostle Paul, condescending to the infirmities of all classes and conditions of contemporary society in order to save at least some. All of the above the holy Apostle then applies to the Corinthians. Having pointed out within himself an example of how to abstain from personal desires and needs, for the benefit of one's neighbors, the holy Apostle wants to persuade the Corinthians to do the same. To do this, he uses the well-known image of runners on the lists (Corinth was famous for the Isthmian Games) and wrestlers who, in order to receive perishable crowns, "abstain from everything" that can make them fat and thus relax their bodies. "So flee that ye may receive," exhorts the Apostle (vv. 24-25). Here again the Apostle cites himself as an example, saying that he does not run as if he were unfaithful, and that he does not strive "only to beat the air," that is, not in vain, not without purpose, not like the wrestlers who exercise, who, in the words of Blessed Theodoret, "when exercising, instead of the enemy against the air, set their hands in motion," but inflicts real blows on the enemy the devil. To achieve the goal, he "subdues and enslaves his body," "lest, while preaching to others, he himself remain unworthy." Here is the law of Christian asceticism: without curbing the needs of the body, it is impossible to eradicate sinful passions, it is impossible to succeed in the spiritual life. Its main idea is that those who partake of things sacrificed to idols partake of the demonic meal. At first, the holy Apostle frightens the Corinthians with cases of God's terrible judgment for deviating from idolatry from the Old Testament history of the Israelites. Here the parallel between the Israelites and the Christians is important at the beginning: "Our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea," the passage through the Red Sea was a type of baptism, and Moses was a type of Christ. "And they all ate the same spiritual food; and they all drank the same spiritual drink: for they drank from the spiritual stone that followed; and the stone was Christ" (vv. 1-4). Spiritual food is manna, which prefigured the Body of the Lord, and spiritual beer is water, miraculously flowing from stone, which prefigured the blood of the Lord. The idea is that the Giver of grace-filled gifts to people, both in the Old and in the New Testaments, was one and the same Christ. This passage from the Epistle is read on Theophany at the great blessing of water. Having enumerated the cases of the moral fall of the Israelites and God's punishment for them, the Apostle warns the Corinthians against the danger of succumbing to temptation from pagan temptations if they take part in a meal with the Gentiles: "Whosoever thinks that he is standing, take heed lest he fall" (vv. 5-12). From verses 15-22 the Apostle inspires that eating things sacrificed to idols is communion with demons, as a participation in the table of demons, for "the Gentiles, when they offer sacrifices, offer to demons, and not to God" (v. 20). First of all, he repeats the idea of chapter 6 of verse 12, saying: "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable," for the Corinthians quietly participated in pagan meals, relying on the right of Christian freedom, abusing it. these things sacrificed to idols, then do not eat, for the sake of Him who declared to you, whether he is a Christian or a pagan: in the first case, so as not to offend him, and in the second, in order to protect his Christian dignity from the tempter. The Apostle covers all considerations with a universal rule: "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever else you do, do all to the glory of God" (v. 31) — the glory of God is dearer to us than anything else, and it is this that we must always keep in mind first of all on all occasions of our lives. 1) the non-covering of the heads of wives in church, and 2) unworthy behavior at the supper of love.The essence of the first instruction is that at public church meetings, women should be present with their heads covered, and men with their heads open. St. John Chrysostom explains this instruction by the fact that in Corinth "women with open and naked heads both prayed and prophesied, and men grew their hair, like those who studied philosophy, and covered their heads when they prayed and prophesied, adhering to the pagan law in both." The holy Apostle, finding this unseemly for Christians, demands of wives that they cover their heads as a sign of their subordinate position in relation to their husbands. In addition, in those days, pagan women went to their temples openly for impure purposes, and the baring of the head for a woman was considered a sign of her shamelessness. A profligate woman was punished for debauchery by taking off her hair, which is why the Apostle says: "If a woman will not cover herself, let her cut her hair" (vv. 1-6). "First the husband," says Bishop. Theophanes the Recluse, "in the image of God, and then, as it were, in the image of a man, a woman from him, who "is therefore the image of the image, or is a reflection of the glory of the husband." Wherefore the woman shall have on her head the sign of authority over her, for the angels" (v. 10). "If you," says St. John Chrysostom, "pay no attention to your husband, then be ashamed of the angels." This covering of the wife is thus a sign of her modesty, obedience, and submission to her husband. But in order for the husband not to exalt himself over his wife and not to abuse his headship, the Apostle further says: "Nevertheless, neither is the husband without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord; for as the wife is from the man, so is the husband through the wife; all things are from God" (vv. 11-12). "Does not nature itself teach you that if a husband grows his hair, it is a disgrace to him?" – these are the words that sectarians like to use against Orthodox priests who wear long hair. But here we are not talking about priests, but about ordinary believers, and we are talking about the generally accepted custom, by virtue of which only women grow their hair, and men cut their hair. At the same time, sectarians forget that, by the command of God Himself, men who had taken a vow to become Nazarites had to grow their hair (Num. 6:5 [1]). The growing of hair among modern Orthodox priests and monks has exactly the same idea of Nazariteism, that is, dedication to God.From verses 17 to 34, the holy Apostle denounces the disorders that took place among the Corinthians at the supper of love. As in the first Christian community in Jerusalem everything was common, and all the faithful came together to eat at a common table, so this custom was still preserved and maintained for a long time in all ancient Christian communities. At the end of the service and the communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, a common meal was arranged for all, and the rich brought viands, and the poor, who had nothing, were invited by them and thus ate food all together. These were the so-called "love suppers". The Apostle accuses the Corinthians first of all that when they gather in church, "there are divisions among them," that is, that they are divided into groups, either according to families or according to acquaintances, forgetting the poor, which destroyed the very purpose of establishing these "supper of love." Disposing to reverent participation in the supper of love, the holy Apostle speaks in vv. 23-32 about the institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the celebration of which usually preceded the supper of love. This place is supposed to be read at the Liturgy of Great Thursday according to the rule. Here the words are especially important for us: "Whoever eats this bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty against the Body and Blood of the Lord." These words are remarkable for their dogmatic importance: bread is the true Body of Christ, and wine is the True Blood of Christ, and not only symbols, as extreme Protestants and sectarians impiously teach. That is why the Apostle goes on to say: "Let a man examine himself, and thus let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup" – that is, he who wishes to receive Communion must prepare himself for this by examining his conscience and removing obstacles to worthy communion. For this purpose, the Orthodox Church established communion and confession before communion. This is absolutely necessary, for "whoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks condemnation to himself, without considering the body of the Lord" (vv. 27-29). In conclusion, in verses 33-34 [2], the Apostle exhorts that at the supper of love "wait for one another," that is, eat food in order, without rushing greedily and anticipating others. "I will arrange the rest when I come" (v. 34) – this is important: everything is from the Apostles – all the rules in the Church are established by them, although not everything is set forth in the Holy Scriptures. until the days for which he has consecrated himself as a Nazarite to the Lord, he is holy: he must grow the hair of his head. ^Therefore, my brethren, when you gather together for supper, wait for one another. And if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you may not be gathered together for condemnation. I'll arrange the rest when I come. ^

Part V

The twelfth chapter speaks of spiritual gifts in the Church. A distinctive feature of the life of the Church of Christ in the Apostolic Age was the extraordinary manifestation of God's grace in the form of spiritual gifts possessed by the faithful. The Apostle enumerates here the following spiritual gifts: the gift of wisdom, knowledge, faith, miracle-working, prophecy, discernment of spirits, the gift of tongues, and their interpretation. These gifts were supposed to contribute to the success of the Gospel preaching among unbelievers. But among the Corinthians, many began to look upon these grace-filled manifestations of the Holy Spirit as a reason for vanity and arrogance. In an attempt to possess a more astounding gift, some even fell into self-deception, and not possessing any gift, they went on a rampage, uttering inarticulate and incomprehensible words, and sometimes, in the darkening of their minds and hearts, they shouted blasphemous thoughts, pronouncing, for example, an anathema against Jesus. This was due to the influence of pagan soothsayers in the family of Pythia or Sibylla. In artificially induced false inspiration, they foamed at the mouth, with loose hair, shouted out incomprehensible or ambiguous utterances and made a strong impression on people who persistently demanded answers from them. Such, for example, are the modern sectarians – the Khlysts, the Pentecostals.The Apostle warns Christians against a pagan view of spiritual gifts and attitudes towards them. He explains that all spiritual gifts in the Church are the works of the One Spirit of God (vv. 3-11). Therefore, just as one who is under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit cannot utter blasphemy against God, so there should be no rivalry between those who have different spiritual gifts. Just as the human body consists of different members, and each of them has its own specific purpose, and there can be no rivalry between them, so in the Church there can be no rivalry between Christians, who make up the one Body of Christ, in which each is entrusted with his own special ministry: some are apostolic, others prophetic, others teacher, some have received the gift of wonderworking, others have received the gift of healing, assistance, administration, different languages (vv. 12-30). The Apostle advises the Corinthians to be zealous for "great gifts." The greatest of all grace-filled gifts is the gift of love. The thirteenth chapter is rightly called by some "a wondrous hymn of Christian love." Love alone gives true meaning and true value to human spiritual gifts and feats. Without love, a person can speak with all the tongues of men and even angels, but his speech will be "sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal." Without love, a person is nothing, even if he has the gift of prophecy and knows all the mysteries, and has all the knowledge and all the faith that would move the mountains. Without love, even such feats of self-denial as the distribution of all one's possessions and the surrender of one's body to be burned have no meaning. 4-7 [1] are devoted to the characteristics of love. The properties of love are such that it is truly the fulfillment of the whole law, according to the expression of the holy Apostle Paul in Rom. 13:10 [2]. These are long-suffering, mercy, the absence of envy, boasting, pride, the spirit of disorder, unselfishness, non-anger, forgetfulness of offenses and insults, lack of joy in the misfortunes of others, love of truth, full faith, firm hope, and readiness to endure all sorrows. Preaching, the gift of tongues, and knowledge are only temporarily necessary gifts, but love will remain forever, it "never fails" (vv. 8-10). This may be called the babbling, thoughts, and reasonings of a child, and love is the property of a perfect man, when he sees God, not as through a glass darkly, not divinationly, but face to face, and knows Him not in part, but completely, just as man is now known, v. 11-12 [3]. "And now abide these three: faith, hope, love; but love is the greatest of these" (v. 13) — these are the highest gifts, but love is the highest of all, because, as St. John Chrysostom says, "faith and hope cease — when the good things that are the object of faith and hope appear" (that is, in the age to come). "In the future life faith is superfluous," says Bl. Theodorite, "when the very things are made manifest" (i.e., when the object of belief will be revealed with one's own eyes). Hope is also superfluous there. But love is all the more powerful when the passions are at rest, the bodies are made incorruptible, and the souls do not choose one thing today and the other tomorrow."In the fourteenth chapter the holy Apostle speaks of the use of two spiritual gifts: the gift of prophecy and the gift of tongues. First in verses 1-25 he reveals the superiority of the first gift over the second, then in verses 26-38 he instructs how both gifts are to be used in the church, and finally, in verses 30-40 he draws a final conclusion about these two gifts, emphasizing that everything in the church should be "in good order and order." The superiority of the gift of prophecy over the gift of tongues is that whoever prophesies, that is, clearly pronounces the will of God not only about the future, but also about the past and the present, speaks to people for edification, exhortation, and consolation, and no one understands the one who speaks an unknown language, except those who know this language. For those who do not understand this language, to say so is to "speak to the wind". (An excellent quote to confirm the use of the Russian language in worship! Excessive enthusiasm for the gift of tongues is a kind of infancy and childishness, unworthy of perfect Christians. Therefore, the Apostle exhorts: "Do not be children in mind: be babes in evil, but be of full age in mind" (v. 20). The meaning of this instruction is the same as in the words of Christ: "Be ye wise as serpents, and simple as doves" (Matt. 10:16), that is: know not malice as infants, but be of full age in mind. Such an infantile infatuation with the gift of tongues is both a contempt for believers (v. 22 [5]) and an occasion for ridicule from unbelievers (v. 23 [6]). The general rule for all possessors of extraordinary gifts of grace is: "Let all these things be for edification," that is: all things should be for general edification (v. 26). If there are speakers of foreign languages, then they should not speak all at once, but separately, and one should explain; those who prophesy also teach in turn, and immediately cease the word when others receive revelation, so that there may be no disorder in the church, for "God is not a God of disorder, but of peace" (vv. 27-33). "Let your wives be silent in the churches" (v. 34) – teaching women modesty and obedience to their husbands, the holy Apostle forbids them not only to teach in church, but even to ask about anything: "For it is unseemly for a woman to speak in church" (v. 35). In conclusion, the Apostle proposes to be zealous for the gift of prophecy, but does not forbid speaking in tongues, reminding that the main thing in the church is decency and order: "everything must be decently and orderly" (v. 40). It must be assumed that among the Corinthian Christians, under the influence of pagan philosophers, doubts arose about the great truth of the resurrection of the dead. When the Apostle Paul began to speak of the resurrection of the dead in Athens, some mocked him (Acts 17:32 [7]). Similar philosophers, to whom the resurrection of the dead seemed improbable, could have been found in Corinth. Some, apparently, completely rejected the resurrection of the dead, others said that it should be understood allegorically and that it had already happened, since by it it should be understood the purification of the soul. In his Epistle to Timothy (2 Tim. 2:17-18 [8]), St. Paul called this impious teaching gangrene (cancer) and indicated its propagators – Imenaeus and Philetus, who said that the resurrection had already taken place. Some only wondered how the dead would rise and in what body. First of all, the holy Apostle proves the truth of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, referring to the appearances of the Risen Christ to Peter (Cephas), the twelve Apostles, the 500 brethren, the Apostle James, all the other disciples of Christ, and, finally, to the Apostle Paul himself (vv. 1-8). From the truth of the Resurrection of Christ, St. Paul then deduces, as an inevitable consequence, the truth of the general resurrection of all at the time predestined by God, for by His resurrection Christ also laid the foundation for our resurrection, as "the firstfruits of them that slept" (v. 20 [9]). And this denial overthrows all Christianity, for "if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is also in vain" (v. 14). Meanwhile, the preaching of the Apostles was accompanied by such striking signs and such wonderful gifts of the Holy Spirit, that none of the prudent people would dare to call it in vain. "But if Christ is not risen, then your faith is in vain: you are still in your sins" (v. 17), "therefore also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished, and if we hope in Christ in this life alone, we are more miserable than all men" (vv. 18-19). For on what is the belief in the remission of sins based? That Christ, having died on the cross, offered an atoning sacrifice for them, and that this sacrifice was accepted, this is evidenced by His resurrection. If He is not resurrected, then His sacrifice is not accepted, and His death is an ordinary human death, which cannot have a redemptive significance. Then those who died in the faith and suffered martyrdom for Christ are nothing more than unfortunate and lost people. Then Christians in general turn out to be the most miserable of people: here they are deprived of everything, being persecuted and limiting themselves, and there, in the future life for which they hope, they will receive nothing. Then there is no point in being guided in life by moral rules and struggling with one's sinful inclinations. Then it will make more sense to be guided by the rules of the pagan school of the Epicureans: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" (v. 32). Further, the Apostle deduces from the truth of the resurrection of Christ the truth of the universal resurrection of the dead, for Christ is the ancestor of mankind renewed by Him, the New Adam: "As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive" (vv. 20-28). Further, the Apostle says that the denial of the truth of the resurrection of the dead would lead to the recognition of the aimlessness of baptism, which would have no meaning, all the labors and feats of the Apostles would then be in vain, and all morality would be overthrown (vv. 29-32). Wishing to warn the Corinthians against harmful communion with the pagans, who, apparently, infected them with unbelief in immortality, the Apostle uses the ancient proverb: "evil associations corrupt good morals" and shames them that they "do not know God," that is, in a pagan way, they do not imagine the omnipotence of God, which powerfully resurrects the dead (vv. 33-34). First he decides how the bodies of the dead will be resurrected, that is, by what power (vv. 36-38), then in what form they will be resurrected (vv. 39-50), and finally how the resurrection itself will take place (vv. 51-53). The Apostle solves the first question by comparing the human body to grain. Just as grain must first undergo decay in order to sprout, so the corruption of the bodies of dead people cannot be considered as an obstacle to their resurrection by the power of God. To the second question the Apostle replies that the bodies of the resurrected people will be different from the coarse bodies of today: they will be "spiritual" bodies, like the body of the Risen Christ: they will be incorruptible, for "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and corruption cannot inherit incorruption" (v. 50), and therefore: "we will not all die, but we will all be changed" (v. 51), that is, those who Those who are still alive at the moment of the general resurrection will be instantly changed, and their bodies will also become spiritual and incorruptible. "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (v. 53). All these spiritual bodies will be glorious in varying degrees, according to the moral perfection of each person (vv. 39-49). The holy Apostle concludes his thoughts on the resurrection of the dead with the solemn words of the prophets Isaiah that one day "death shall be swallowed up forever" and Hosea: "Death! Where is your sting? hell! Where is your victory?" (Isaiah 25:8 [10] and Hosea 13:14 [11]) and thanksgiving to God, who gives us victory over death, after which he inspires us to be firm and immovable in the Christian faith and life, knowing "that your labor is not in vain in the sight of the Lord" (vv. 54-58). He asks him to receive Timothy in a friendly manner, again inspires him to be vigilant, to stand courageously and firmly in the faith, he conveys greetings from the churches of Asia, from Aquila and Priscilla and all the brethren, and to those who do not love the Lord Jesus Christ, he proclaims "anathema, maran-afa," which means: "Let him be excommunicated until the coming of the Lord." This is the justification for the "anathema" that is proclaimed in our churches on the Sunday of Orthodoxy. Love is long-suffering, merciful, love is not envious, love is not exalted, is not proud, does not riot, does not seek its own, is not irritated, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; He bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ^Love does no harm to one's neighbor; Thus, love is the fulfillment of the law. ^When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; but when he became a man, he left the things of a child. Now we see, as it were, through a dim glass, divinationly, then face to face; now I know in part, and then I will know as I am known. ^And soulless things that make a sound, a pipe or a harp, if they do not produce separate tones, how can we recognize what is played on a pipe or a harp? And if the trumpet makes an indefinite sound, who will prepare for battle? ^Tongues, then, are a sign, not to believers, but to unbelievers; prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for believers. ^If the whole church comes together, and all speak with unknown tongues, and those who do not know or do not believe come in to you, will they not say that you are possessed? ^When some heard of the resurrection of the dead, they scoffed, and others said, "We will hear you about this at another time." ^and their word will spread like cancer. Such are Imenaeus and Philetus, who departed from the truth, saying that the resurrection had already happened, and destroy the faith in some. ^But Christ rose from the dead, the firstfruits of them that slept. ^Death will be swallowed up for ever, and the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and will take away the reproach from his people in all the earth; for thus saith the Lord. ^From the power of hell I will redeem them, from death I will deliver them. Death! Where is your sting? hell! Where is your victory? I will not repent of this. ^

2 Corinthians

Reason for writing

Before going to Corinth, the holy Apostle Paul wanted to know what impression his first epistle had made there. In addition, he wanted to give Timothy, who had been sent there earlier, the opportunity to complete the collection of alms for the Christians of Jerusalem (1 Cor. 4:17 [1]). At the same time, he intended to tarry in Ephesus, so that when he had finished his mission there, he might be able to devote more time to the Corinthians. However, the indignation of Demetrius the Silversmith forced the Apostle to leave Ephesus immediately. It would have been too early to go straight to Corinth, for Timothy and his alms could not yet be there, and most importantly, the Apostle did not know what the results of his first epistle were. Therefore, he sent another of his disciples Titus to Corinth, and he himself went to Troas, instructing Titus to return to him there with the collected information about what was happening in Corinth. The anticipation of the Apostle's condition in Troas was so intense that he, having no rest in spirit, as he himself expressed (2 Cor. 2:12-13 [2]), went to Macedonia in order to meet Titus as soon as possible. The meeting with Titus in Macedonia calmed the holy Apostle Paul. Here he also met Timothy, who was just on his way to Corinth. Titus told the holy Apostle Paul many joyful things about the effect that his first epistle had produced on the Corinthians, but at the same time something unpleasant. All these tidings, received by the holy Apostle Paul from Titus, about the situation in Corinth, served as a pretext for him to write the second epistle. This is clearly seen from the very Epistle of Chapter 7, verses 6-16.St. Titus informed the Apostle that after the first Epistle the Corinthians were greatly "grieved for God's sake," and this sorrow led them to repentance, aroused the fear of God and the desire to reform, inflamed indignation against the incestuous (2 Cor. 7:11 [3]) and aroused disgust for everything unclean — pagan. But, on the other hand, Saint Titus also informed the Apostle how his stubborn opponents were trying with all their might to shake his apostolic authority among the Corinthians. Not being able to accuse the Apostle of anything clearly reprehensible, they tried to attach some extraordinarily important importance in the eyes of the Corinthians, for example, to the fact that the Apostle had several times changed his plan regarding his visit to Corinth (2 Cor. 1:16 [4]; 1 Cor. 16:3 [5], 6-7 [6]). From this, they apparently wanted to conclude that the Apostle's mood was fickle, changeable, and therefore his very teaching, as a frivolous and frivolous person, could not be trusted. They tried to interpret Paul's humility and his extraordinary modesty and unselfishness, shown during his stay in Corinth, as signs of his weakness and cowardice. "In the epistles he is strict and strong," they said, "but in private presence he is weak, and his speech is insignificant" (2 Cor. 10:10). This could not but disturb the Apostle, for it cast a shadow not only on him personally, but also on the teaching he preached, which is why he considered it necessary to explain to the Corinthians all the groundlessness of the rumors spread about him. Titus also mentioned that not all the Corinthians had come to their senses, that some, deeply hardened in impurity, fornication and lewdness, did not think of reforming themselves (2 Cor. 12:20-21 [7]). It was necessary to induce them with special force to repentance, so that, as the holy Apostle expresses it in the 2nd Epistle, "in the presence of the Apostle they should not use severity according to the authority given to me by the Lord to build, and not to destroy" (13:10). I boasted beforehand of their charity (2 Cor. 9:4 [8]).All these motives served as the occasion for writing the second Epistle to the Corinthians.For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. ^When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, although the door was opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest for my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there; but, having taken leave of them, I went to Macedonia. ^For the very fact that you were grieved for God's sake, see what zeal it produced in you, what apologies, what indignation against the guilty, what fear, what desire, what jealousy, what chastisement! In all things you have shown yourselves to be clean in this matter. ^and through you to go to Macedonia, and from Macedonia to come to you again; and you would accompany me to Judea. ^When I come, I will send those whom you choose with letters to bring your alms to Jerusalem. ^Perhaps I will live with you, or spend the winter, so that you may accompany me where I go. For I do not wish to see you now in passing, but I hope to stay with you for a while, if the Lord permits. ^