PREFACE

1. In the Epistle to the Romans, Blessed Paul says: "As an Apostle to the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry, lest I stir up jealousy in [my kinsmen] according to the flesh" (Romans 11:13-14); and in another place he also (says): "He who cooperated with Peter in the apostleship among the circumcision, helped me also among the Gentiles" (Gal. 2:8). Therefore, if (Paul) was an apostle to the Gentiles, as in Acts, God said to him, "Go; I will send thee far away to the Gentiles" (Acts 22:21), then what did he care about the Jews? Why did he write an epistle to them? At the same time, (the Jews) bore enmity towards him, and this can be seen from many places. Thus, listen to what Jacob says to him: "Do you see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed?, and they have heard of you, that you teach all the Jews who dwell among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses" (Acts 21:20-21); and he often had many temptations on this occasion.

Why, someone will ask, did God not send him to the Jews, who was versed in the law, and he studied the law at the feet of Gamaliel, and therefore had the opportunity to refute (his opponents) with special power? Because they would especially oppose him because of this. Wherefore God, foreseeing that they would not receive him, said to him, "Go to the Gentiles, for they will not receive your testimony about me," and he answers, "Lord! they know that I have imprisoned those who believe in Thee, and smote them in the synagogues, and when the blood of Stephen Thy witness was shed, I stood there, approving of his slaying, and guarding the garments of those who slew him" (Acts 22:19-20). This, (he says), is a sign and proof that they will not believe him.

There was, in addition, another reason for unbelief. Which? That Peter and others (the apostles) dealt with Christ, saw signs and wonders (of Him); but he was not a witness of any such thing, but, being on the side of the Jews, suddenly departed from them and became one of the apostles; this was especially a proof of the superiority of our teaching. Of them it may have been thought that they bear witness partially, and some may have said that they preach thus out of love for the Master; but he heard only one voice (of the Lord), and testifies to the resurrection. Wherefore, as you see, (the Jews) were so strongly hostile to him, they were indignant, and used all means to put him to death. But for such reasons the infidels were hostile to him; And why did they believe? Because he, being obliged to preach to the Gentiles, preached pure Christianity, and when he happened to be in Judea, he was also not ashamed. Peter and others with him, who preached in Jerusalem, where there was great zeal (for the law), were forced to command to keep the law, but he was completely free. His (disciples) were more of the Gentiles than of the Jews, because they were outside (the Jews); therefore they weakened the law, did not have such reverence for it, that (Paul) preached pure (doctrine) in everything. Indeed, for this, as we see, he was condemned before the people, when they said: "See, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed." That is why they hate and abhor you, because "they have heard about you, that... teach the apostasy from Moses." (Acts 21:20-21).

Why, then, did he, not being a teacher of the Jews, write an epistle to them? And where were those to whom he writes? I think in Jerusalem and in Palestine. How does he write? In the same way as he baptized without receiving the commandment to baptize: "I say, he was not sent to baptize" (1 Cor. 1:17), yet it was not forbidden either, he did it beyond what was due. And how could he not have written to those for whom he wished to be excommunicated (Romans 9:3)? Therefore he said to them: "Know that our brother Timothy has been released, and I will see you with him, if he comes soon" (Hebrews 13:28), since he had not yet been taken into custody. For two years he lived in Rome in chains; then he was released; then he went to Spain; then he traveled to Judea, where he met with the Jews. Then he again arrived in Rome, where he was deprived of his life by order of Nero. Therefore this epistle was written before the epistle to Timothy; there he says: "For I am already becoming a victim"; and also in the same place to say: "At my first answer there was no one with me" (2 Tim. 4:6,16). He often shared their suffering. Thus, in the Epistle to the Thessalonians, he says: "For you, brethren, have become imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus, which are in Judea" (1 Thess. 2:14); and in an epistle to them to say: "The plundering of your goods was received with joy" (Hebrews 10:34). Do you see how they suffered? If (the Jews) did this to the apostles not only in the Jews, but also when they were among the Gentiles, then why not in deeds with (other) believers? For this reason, as you see, he was especially concerned about these believers. When he says, "I am going up to Jerusalem to minister to the saints" (Romans 15:25); also when he persuades the Corinthians to charity, saying that the Macedonians have already collected alms (2 Cor. 8:4), and when he says: "If it be fitting for me also to go" (1 Cor. 16:4), he expresses the same thing; and when he says, "Only that we may remember the poor, which I have tried to do exactly" (Gal. 2:10), he expresses the same thing; and when we say, "Give me and Barnabas the hand of fellowship, that we may go to the Gentiles, and them to the circumcised" (Galatians 2:9), he expresses the same thing. He does not say this about the poor there in vain, but so that we also participate in charity. We, he says, have divided the preaching among ourselves, that we may go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision, but we have not divided the care of the poor in the same way. And everywhere it is evident that Paul had great care for them, and this is just. Among the other nations, where there were both Jews and Gentiles, there was nothing of the kind; and where (the Jews) still thought to have power and independence, and did many things according to their own laws, since the government was not yet established and had not yet completely passed into the hands of the Romans, it is not surprising that they allowed themselves to make great oppressions. If in other cities, such as Corinth, they beat the ruler of the synagogue before the proconsul's judgment seat, and Gallio was not in the least anxious about this (Acts 8:17); what did they not do in Judea?

2. In other cities, as you see, they brought (the believers) to the rulers and had to resort to their help and to the people, but here they did not care about this in the least, but formed a Sanhedrin themselves and killed whom they wanted. Thus they killed Stephen, so they scourged the apostles, not taking them to their leaders; so they wanted to kill Paul also, if the commander had not intervened (Acts 22:29,30). This was because the priests still existed, the church with the divine services and sacrifices was still intact. Paul himself, look, submits to the judgment of the high priest and says: "I did not know, brethren, that he was a high priest," and moreover with the rulers (Acts 22:5), because they still had great power at that time. Imagine, then, what persecutions (the believers) who lived in Jerusalem and Judea had to endure. Is it surprising, then, that he who desired to be excommunicated for the sake of those who did not yet believe, and so served the believers that he was ready to go himself in case of need, and always had great care for them, exhorts and comforts them by means of the Scriptures, and corrects those who fall and lie down? And indeed, they were already exhausted and despairing from a multitude of sorrows. This he expresses at the end (of the epistle), when he says: "Strengthen therefore the hands that are drooping, and the knees that are weak" (Heb. 12:12); and again: "For a little while, very little, and he who is coming will come, and will not delay" (Hebrews 10:37); and again: "But if ye remain without chastisement, which is common to all, then ye are illegitimate children, and not sons" (Heb. 12:8). Since they were Jews and learned from their fathers to expect good and evil immediately, in the present life, and yet then it was the opposite - good in hope after death, and evil in the present reality, and many of them, having endured much, inevitably fell into faint-heartedness, he shows great care for them. However, we will talk about this at more length in due time; and now we will only note that it was necessary for him to write to those for whom he had such care; The reason why he was not sent to them is obvious, but it did not prevent him from writing to them. And that they fell into faint-heartedness, he expresses when he says: "Strengthen therefore the hands that are drooping, and the knees that are weak, and walk upright with your feet, that the lame may not be turned astray, but rather be reformed" (Hebrews 12:12,13); and again: "For God is not unrighteous, that he should forget your work and the labor of love" (Hebrews 6:10). The soul, which is subjected to many temptations, often falls away from faith. Therefore he exhorts them to give heed to what they hear, and not to have an evil and unfaithful heart. For the same reason, in this particular epistle, he talks a lot about the faith, and at the end he gives many examples that even those (ancients) were not granted the blessings promised immediately. In addition, in order that they should not consider themselves rejected, he admonishes them twofold: the first, to endure with courage all that happens, and the second, to undoubtedly expect retribution, because God will not despise Abel and the subsequent righteous men who have not received recompense. He comforts them in three ways: first, by what Christ endured, since He Himself says: "A servant is not greater than his master" (John 15:20); secondly, by the blessings that are prepared for believers; thirdly, disasters. And this is confirmed not only by the future, which was not yet so convincing, but also by the past, by what happened to their fathers. Christ does the same, inspiring: "A servant is not greater than his master," and again: "In My Father's house are many mansions" (John 14:2), and threatening unbelievers with innumerable calamities. He also spoke much about the new and old testaments, because this was very necessary for him to be convinced of the truth of the resurrection. In order that they, hearing of the sufferings (of the Lord), should not doubt the resurrection, he confirms this with prophecies, and proves that it is not the Jewish teaching that deserves respect, but ours, and since at that time the temple also stood and there were sacrifices, he also says: "Let us therefore go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach" (Hebrews 13:13). But even this did not favor him; Others could justly say: if this is a shadow, if this is an image, then why did it not pass away and cease when the truth appeared, and still continues? He suggests that little by little this will be fulfilled in due time. And that they had long since accepted the faith and endured sorrows, he expressed in the following words: "For [judging by] the time, it behooved you to be teachers" (Heb. 5:12); again: "Take heed, brethren, that there be no evil and unfaithful heart in any of you" (Hebrews 3:12); and again: "That ye may not be slothful, but imitate those who by faith and patience inherit the promises" (Hebrews 6:12).

[1] Cf. "Make haste, and come out of Jerusalem quickly, for [here] they will not receive your testimony about me" (Acts 22:18).

CONVERSATION 1

"God, who spake many times and in many ways to the fathers in the prophets, in these last days hath spoken unto us in the Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, through whom also he created the worlds" (Hebrews 1:1-2).

1. Truly, "when sin abounded, grace abounded" (Romans 5:20). This is expressed by Blessed Paul here, at the beginning of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Since they were probably grieved and exhausted by the calamities, and, judging by these circumstances, considered themselves inferior to all others, (the Apostle) suggests that they received a much greater and more excellent grace, and thus encourages the hearers by the very beginning of the speech. That is why we should say: "God, who spoke many times and in many ways to the fathers in the prophets, in these last days has spoken to us in the Son." Why does he not oppose himself to the prophets? He was the more of them the more was entrusted to him, but he does not do so. Why? First, because he did not want to say anything great about himself; secondly, because the hearers were not yet perfect; and thirdly, because he wished to exalt them more and show their great superiority (of the New Testament over the Old). It is as if he were saying, "What is great in the fact that (God) sent prophets to our fathers? He sent His only-begotten Son Himself to us. He began well with the words: many times and in many ways, expressing that the prophets themselves did not see God, but the Son did. The expressions: multiple and diverse mean: different. "I," says (God), "have multiplied visions, and through the prophets have used parables." (Hos. 12:10). Thus, the superiority (of the new testament over the old) is not only in the fact that prophets were sent to them, and the Son to us, but also in the fact that none of them saw God, but the only-begotten Son did. However, (the apostle) does not immediately express this, but explains it in further words, when he speaks of (His) humanity: "For to whom of the angels did [God] say, 'Thou art my Son'; and, "Sit at my right hand" (Hebrews 1:5,13)? And note his great wisdom: he proves this superiority in advance by prophecies, and then, when he has made such a truth indubitable, he himself explains that God spoke to them through the prophets, and to us through the Only-begotten. But if by them (God spoke) and through the angels, for the angels also conversed with the Jews, then in this also we have the advantage, since the Lord spoke to us, and the slaves to them, because both the angels and the prophets are equally slaves. Well did he say, "In the last days"; this encourages them and comforts the desperate. As in other places he says, "The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing" (Phil. 4:5-6); and again: "For salvation is nearer to us now than when we believed" (Romans 13:11), - so it is here. What do his words mean? That everyone, exhausted in asceticism, hearing about the end of asceticism, is somewhat encouraged when he sees that the end of labor and the beginning of rest are coming. "In these last days He hath spoken unto us in the Son." Here again he says: "in the Son" (i.e.) through the Son, contrary to those who assert that this belongs to the Spirit. Do you see that "in" is used instead of through? And the words "of old" and "in the last days" mean something else. What is it? That after a long time, when we were punished, when our (spiritual) gifts were impoverished, when there was no hope of salvation, when we expected the worst from everywhere, then we received the best. And see how wisely he expressed this: he did not say, "Christ spoke," although He was the one who spoke, but since the souls of the hearers were still weak and could not hear of Christ, he says, "He spoke to us in the Son." What do you say? Did God speak through the Son? Yes. What is the advantage? Here you show that both the New and Old Testaments belong to the same (God); therefore, there is no important advantage between them. That is why he further explains these words, saying: "He spoke to us in the Son." Notice how Paul summarizes this and equates himself with the disciples: "spoke," he says, "to us." Though He did not speak to him, but to the Apostles and through them, yet Paul exalts the Jews, and inspires them that God spoke to them also, and at the same time in a certain way reproaches them, because almost all to whom the prophets spoke were wicked and depraved. However, he does not yet dwell on this, but speaks in advance about the gifts sent down from God. Wherefore ye continue: "Whom thou hast appointed heir of all things." Here he points to the incarnation (of Christ), just as David says in the second Psalm: "Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance" (Psalm 2:8). Now Jacob is no longer a part of the Lord, nor Israel is His inheritance, but all things. What does it mean, "Whom He hath made heir of all things"? That is, He made Him Lord of all, as Peter said in Acts: "God made this Jesus Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36). The name heir (the apostle) uses in order to express two concepts: the truth of sonship and the inalienability of His lordship. "Heir of everything", i.e. of the whole world. Then he again turns his speech to what was before: "Through Whom also He created the worlds."

2. Where are those who say, there was a time when he was not? Further, (the Apostle) gradually pronounces about Him much more important than this: "This," he says, "being the radiance of glory and the image of His hypostasis, and holding all things by the word of His power, having made atonement for our sins, sat down at the right hand of the throne of majesty on high, being so much more excellent than the angels, as He hath inherited a name more glorious before them" (Hebrews 1:3,4). O apostolic wisdom! Or rather, it is not Paul's wisdom that is to be wondered at, but the grace of the Spirit, because he did not speak this from his own mind, nor did he utter such wisdom from himself, how can we expect this from a scrape, from a skin, from a workshop? - but such sayings are from divine power. Truly, such thoughts did not come from his reason, which had previously been so small and powerless that it was in no way superior to the commoners, how can we expect anything else from one who is devoted to the care of purchases and skins? - but from the grace of the Spirit, which, through whom it wills, also manifests its power.

For he himself did the same, now raising his hearers to the heights, now bringing them down, and not allowing them to remain long in the same degree. See, then, how here (the Apostle), having led his hearers through several steps and placed them on the very height of godliness, before they were troubled and dizzy, again brings them down and gives them a rest: "He spoke," he continues, "to us in the Son," and then: "Whom He made heir of all things." The name of the "Son" is common (name); but when the true one (the Son of God) is understood, then it is above all; be that as it may, here (the Apostle) inspires and proves that He is exalted.

See, then, how he places them in advance on the lowest degree, saying, "Whom He hath appointed heir of all things," because "hath made heir" does not mean a lofty deed, then on a higher one, adding, "Through Whom He also created the worlds," and then on the highest, such that after which there is no other: "This is the radiance of glory and the image of His hypostasis." Here he leads them truly to the unapproachable Light, to the very radiance. But before (their minds) are darkened, see how he again brings them down little by little: "And holding all things," he says, "by the word of his power, having made atonement for our sins, he sat down at the right hand of the throne of majesty on high." He did not simply say: saddled, but: after purification, "sat down." He reminds us of the Incarnation, and speaks again of the humiliated. Then, again, having said something lofty in the words: "At the right hand of the throne of majesty on high," he again said something humble, adding the following: "Being so much more excellent than the angels, as the most glorious name before them hath inherited." Here he speaks of the economy in the flesh, because the words, "being so much more excellent," do not refer to a being one with the essence of the Father—it was not, but was born—but to the essence of the flesh; It was. However, he does not now speak of the origin of the being; but, just as John said: "He that cometh after me has gone before me, because he was before me" (John 1:15), expressing that He is more honorable and more glorious, so Paul here by the words: "being so much more excellent than the angels" expresses that He is higher and more excellent, "as the name more glorious than them hath inherited." Do you see that this is said in relation to the flesh (of Christ)? Name: God the Word He always had, and did not inherit later, and He did not become more excellent than the angels when He cleansed our sins, but He was always more excellent and incomparably superior. Therefore, this is said in relation to the flesh. In the same way, when we speak of man, we usually speak of him both low and high. When, for example, we say: man is nothing, man is earth, man is ashes, we attribute all this to its lower part; And when we say: man is an immortal being, man is rational, akin to the heavenly (powers), then we attribute all this to his highest part. In the same way, Paul speaks of Christ sometimes from the lower side, and sometimes from the higher, wishing to explain the economy, and to speak about His incorruptible being.

3. If, therefore, He has cleansed our sins, let us try to remain pure and receive no uncleanness, but let us carefully keep the beauty and the splendor which He has given us so intact and inviolable that there is no defilement or uncleanness or anything of the kind in us. For even small sins are uncleanness and filth, such as backbiting, reproach, lying; or rather, these sins are not small, but very great, so great that they deprive us of the kingdom of heaven. How and how? "But I say to you," says (the Lord), "to my brother, 'Raka,' is subject to the Sanhedrin; And whoever says, 'Fool,' is liable to hell fire." (Matthew 5:22). But if he who calls his brother a fool is so guilty, which seems most insignificant of all and is characteristic of a child's conversation, then he who calls him malicious, evildoer, envious, and heaps other innumerable insults, who will not be given over to judgment and punishment? What could be more terrible than this? But hearken, I will forgive you, to my words. If he who does "to one of the least of these my brethren" does not do to Himself, and he who does not do "to one of the least of these" does not do to Himself (Matthew 25:40,45), then is it not the same, is it the same with backbiting and reproach? He who curses his brother curses God, and he who gives honor to his brother gives honor to God.