CONVERSATION 11

"God, when he made a promise to Abraham, as he could not swear by anyone higher, swore by himself, saying, 'Truly I will bless you, and multiply you by multiplying you.' And so Abraham, being long-suffering, received what he had promised. Men swear by the highest, and an oath in witness puts an end to every dispute between them." (Hebrews 6:13-16).

1. Having greatly touched the Jews and sufficiently inspired them with fear, (the apostle) comforts them first with praise, and then, which is much more effective, with the fact that they will certainly receive what they expect. He borrows this consolation from events, not present, but past, which was more convincing for them. Just as when he threatens with punishment, he especially frightens with present events, so when promising rewards, he consoles with past events, pointing out how God usually acts, i.e. that He does not fulfill His promises quickly, but after a long time. He does this in order to provide a powerful proof of His power and to arouse faith in us, so that people who spend their lives in sorrows and receive neither promises nor rewards, will not weaken in their struggles. Having the opportunity to introduce many, (the Apostle) leaves all the others and points to Abraham, both in view of the importance of the person, and especially because it happened to him, as he says at the end of the epistle: "All these, not having received the promises, but only saw them from afar, and rejoiced... did not receive what was promised, ... that they may not be made perfect without us" (Hebrews 9:13, 39, 40). "God, when he made a promise to Abraham," he says, "as he could not swear by anyone higher, swore by himself, saying, 'Truly I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.' And so Abraham, being long-suffering, received what he had promised." How then does he say at the end, "We have not received the promise," and here, "Having suffered long, we have received the promise?" He does not speak of the same thing here and there, but inspires a twofold consolation. He promised (God) to Abraham, and the promise spoken of here He fulfilled after a long time; and that (promise) which is spoken of there was not so. "And so Abraham, being long-suffering, received the promise." Do you see that not only the promise has accomplished everything, but also longsuffering? Here he inspires them with fear, expressing that often the promise is not fulfilled because of the faint-heartedness (of people). This he proved by the example of the (Israelite) people, who were faint-hearted and therefore did not receive the promise, but by the example of Abraham he proves the opposite. In the end, he inspires something even more: he says that (others) even those who have suffered long, have not received, and yet have not given themselves over to despondency. "Men swear by the highest, and an oath in witness puts an end to every dispute between them. For this reason God, wishing to show the heirs of the promise the immutability of His will, used an oath as an intermediary." Correct. But who was he who swore to Abraham? Is it not the Son? No, you say. Why do you say so? On the contrary, it is He; However, I will not argue. When He swears by the same oath, "Amen, amen I say unto you," is it not clear that it is for lack of anyone higher to swear? As the Father swore, so the Son swears by Himself: "Amen," he says, "Amen I say to you." Here (the Apostle) reminds them of the oaths that Christ often pronounced when He said: "(Verily, verily, I say unto thee:)[1] He that believeth on Me shall never die" (John 11:26). What does it mean: "And an oath for a testimony puts an end to every dispute between them"? In other words: this resolves perplexities in every disputed case, not in this or that, but in every case. God had to be believed without an oath; but "and God, desiring to show the heirs of the promise the immutability of His will, used an oath as an intermediary" (Hebrews 6:17). Here (the Apostle) also means believers; therefore he mentions such a promise, which applied to all of us in general. "I have used," he says, "an oath." Again here he speaks of the Son, who is the mediator between people and God. "That in two things that are immutable, in which it is impossible for God to lie" (Hebrews 6:18). Which and what? Which and which ones? By what He said and promised, and by the fact that He added an oath to the promise. Since among men it is considered more certain that which is confirmed by an oath, therefore he added an oath.

2. Do you see that (God) does not look at His own dignity, but, in order to convince people, allows things unworthy of Him to be spoken of Himself, precisely in order to assure. Concerning Abraham, (the Apostle) shows that everything was the work of God, and not the work of his long-suffering, when God was pleased to add an oath, when, just as men swear, God also swore by Himself. People swear by Him as great, but He did not swear as great, and yet He did. The oath of oneself is not the same for man and God, because man has no power over himself. So, you see, this is said (by the apostle) not so much in relation to Abraham as in relation to us. "In order to... firm," he says, "we had consolation, who ran to take hold of the hope that lay before us." Above he said, "Long-suffering, he received the promise," and now he says (that... we had firm consolation); however, he did not add: because (God) swore. And what the oath consists of, He explained in the words: "They swear by the highest." Since the human race is distrustful, (God) descends to that which is peculiar to us; He swears to us, although distrust is unworthy of Him, just as He "learned obedience through suffering" (Hebrews 5:8), because people consider what is known by experience to be more reliable. What does it mean: "for the hope that is set before us"? On the basis of these (promises), he says, we look forward to the future, because if they have been fulfilled after a long time, then this also will surely come to pass. Thus what happened to Abraham assures us of the future. "Hope, which is like a safe and strong anchor for the soul, and enters into the innermost beyond the veil, where Jesus entered as a forerunner for us, having become High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 19-20). We, who live in this world and have not yet departed from life, (the Apostle) presents as having already attained the promise, because by hope we are already in heaven. Hope, he says, for this will surely come to pass; and in assurance he says, "It is better to say, by hope you have already attained this." He did not say, "We are going in," but, "She has gone in," which is more just and more convincing. As an anchor lowered from a ship does not allow it to be tossed about on the waves, no matter what faiths shake it, but by attaching itself to it, it makes it immovable, so hope is. And see what a close comparison he presented; He did not point to a base, which would not be so appropriate here, but to an anchor. By means of it, the ship, which is on the high seas, and apparently unfortified, stands on the water as if on land; hesitates and does not waver. Concerning people who are very firm and wise, Christ appropriately uses the following expression: "who," he says, "built his house upon a rock" (Matthew 7:24); and about people who are not quite firm and are forced to be guided by hope, Paul rightly used this expression (anchor). Waves and violent storms shake the ship; but hope does not allow him to be carried about on the waves, no matter what winds attack him, so that if we did not have it, we would have drowned long ago, and not only in spiritual matters, but also in worldly matters, it exerts great power, such as: in trade, in agriculture, in war; whoever does not keep it in mind will not get down to business. (The Apostle) called it not just an anchor, but a faithful and firm one, in order to show its certainty for the salvation of those who are established on it; Wherefore he adds, "He enters into the innermost beyond the veil." What does that mean? The same as reaching to heaven. Then he adds a assurance that it should be not only a hope, but also a completely true hope; after the oath he cites something else, namely, the proof of works: "whither Jesus entered for us as a forerunner." The Forerunner is the one who goes before someone, as, for example, John (the Forerunner) of Christ. And not simply, "He entered," but, "He entered as a forerunner for us," so that we also must follow him, because there should not be a great distance between the forerunner and those who follow him, otherwise he would not be a forerunner. The Forerunner and those who follow him must be on the same path; the first - to go ahead, and the last - to follow him. "Having become," he says, "a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." And there is another consolation, that our high priest is higher and far better than the Jewish high priests, not only in the manner (of election), but also in place, and in tabernacle, and in covenant, and in person. However, this is said (of Christ) according to the flesh.

3. Therefore it is necessary to be better also for those to whom he is a high priest; as great as the difference between Aaron and Christ is, so great must be the difference between us and the Jews. Behold, we have the woe of the sacrificial lamb, the woe of the high priest, the woe of the sacrifice. Therefore we must offer such sacrifices as could be offered on such an altar, not sheep and oxen, not blood and fat. All this ceased, and instead of that, verbal ministry was introduced. What is verbal ministry? That which is natural, spiritual, "God," says (in the Scriptures), "is spirit, and they that worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24), that for which there is no need of body, tools, or places; such are: meekness, chastity, kindness, gentleness, longsuffering, humility. Such sacrifices have long been foretold in the Old Testament. "Offer" to God, says David, "sacrifices of righteousness" (Psalm 4:6); and again: "Unto Thee will I offer a sacrifice of praise" (Psalm 115:8); and again: "He who sacrifices praise honors Me" (Psalm 49:23); and again: "The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit" (Psalm 50:19); and again: "What does the Lord require of you: to act justly, to love works of mercy, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8)? "Sacrifices and offerings thou didst not desire; Thou hast opened my ears; Thou didst not demand burnt offerings and sin offerings. Then I said, Behold, I am coming; in the scroll of the book it is written about me: I desire to do Thy will, O my God, and Thy law is in my heart" (Ps. 39:7-9); and again: "Why do I need the frankincense that comes out of Sheba" (Jeremiah 6:20); and another (prophet): "Remove from Me the noise of thy songs, for I will not hear the sound of thy harp" (Amos 5:23); but, instead, "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice" (Hosea 6:6). .

Do you see by what sacrifices one must please God? Do you see that those sacrifices have long ceased, and these have been introduced in their place? We will bring them. The former are the victims of the rich and prosperous, and these are the victims of virtue; those are external, and these are internal; those can be brought by everyone, and these by few. As much as a man is better than a sheep, so much is this sacrifice (higher) than that, because here you sacrifice your soul. There are also sacrifices, verily burnt offerings; these are the bodies of the holy martyrs; their soul and body are holy; they are full of great fragrance. And you, if you wish, can make such a sacrifice. How, when thou canst not give up thy body to be burned? You can (surrender yourself) to another fire, such as the fire of arbitrary poverty, the fire of sorrow. When someone, who is the opportunity to live luxuriously and magnificently, mortifies himself with a life of asceticism and sorrow, is this not a burnt offering? Kill your body and crucify it, and you will also receive the crown of martyrdom. What the sword does there, let him be diligent here. Let not the love of money be inflamed or take possession of you, but let this insane passion be burned and destroyed by spiritual fire, let it be cut off by the sword of the Spirit. This is a good sacrifice, for which there is no need for a priest, but only for the one who offers it, a beautiful sacrifice that is made on earth, but is immediately accepted in heaven. Do we not wonder how in ancient times fire descended and destroyed all things (1 Kings 18:38)? Even now, a much more wondrous fire can descend and destroy everything that is offered, or rather, not destroy it, but lift it up to heaven, since it does not turn gifts into ashes, but offers them to God.

Such were the offerings of Cornelius: "Thy prayer," it was said (to him), "and thy alms were remembered before God" (Acts 10:11). What a perfect combination! Then we too are heard when we ourselves hear the poor coming to us. "Whoever stops his ear," says (the Scriptures), "because of the cry of the poor," God will not listen to his prayer (Proverbs 21:13); "Blessed is he who thinks of the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord will deliver him" (Psalm 40:2). This is not any other day, but the day that will be difficult for sinners. What does it mean: "thinks"? He who understands what a beggar is, who delves into his misfortune, for whoever befalls his misfortune will surely immediately show him mercy. When you see a beggar, do not turn away from him, but immediately think what you yourself would be like if you were in his place, what would you like to receive from everyone? "He thinks," he says. Imagine that he is free just like you, has the same noble nature as you, and has everything in common with you; and yet he, who is a little worse than you, you often do not equal even with your dogs; these are fully satisfied with bread, and it often falls asleep hungry, so that the free becomes inferior to your slaves. But slaves, you will say, render us services. Which ones, explain to me? Do they serve you well? But if I prove that he also renders you a service much more than they do, what will you say? He will stand on the day of judgment, and deliver you from the fire. Can all slaves do something like this? When Tabitha died (Acts 9), who raised her up? Were they the slaves who surrounded her, or the poor? And you do not want to put the free on a par even with slaves. Here is a great cold; the beggar lies on the platform, dressed in rags, dying of cold, gnashing his teeth, and arousing compassion by his appearance and clothing; but you, warmly clothed and drunk, pass by (paying no attention to him), How then do you want God to deliver you when you are in misery? You often say: if I were in such a position that someone sinned much against me, then I would forgive him, - will not God forgive me? Don't say that; you yourself despise him who has not even sinned against you in anything, and whom you could help. But if you despise such a person, how can God forgive you your sins against Him? Does this not deserve hell? And this is what is strange: often you cover a body that is dead, lifeless, no longer feeling honors, with a multitude of various gilded garments; but a body that is suffering, sickly, tormented, and exhausted by hunger and cold, you despise; you please vanity more than the fear of God. And, oh, if only that! But immediately (they begin again) reproaches against the suitable (poor man). Why, you say, does it not work? Why does he eat bread without working? But tell me, did you yourself gain what you have by your own labors? Did he not receive his father's inheritance? And even if you worked, could you therefore reproach another? Have you not heard the words of Paul, "But you, brethren, do not be weary in doing good"? And he says this after he said, "If any man will not work, neither shall he eat" (2 Thess. 3:13, 10). But he, you say, is a deceiver.

4. What do you say, man? Do you call him a deceiver because of his bread and clothing? But he will sell it at once, you say.

Aren't you ashamed? Who do you call a deceiver? If you don't want to give anything, then at least don't blaspheme the person. But, you say, he has the means and pretends. It is to serve to condemn you, not him; he knows that he is dealing with hard-hearted people, rather with beasts than with people, and that no matter how many pitiful words he utters, he will not touch anyone, and therefore he is forced to assume an even more pitiful appearance in order to bow down your soul. When we see someone approaching us in neat clothes, we say: he is a deceiver, he is approaching in such a way as to show that he is one of the nobles; and when we see someone in the opposite kind of clothing, we reproach him also. What should they do? Oh, cruelty! Oh, insensibility! Why, you say, do they expose their mutilated limbs? For you. If we were compassionate, they would not need to resort to such means; if they could touch at first sight, they would not contrive in this way. What wretched man would want to cry out like that, to take on a disgusting appearance, to weep together with his naked wife in front of everyone, to sprinkle ashes on himself with children? What could be worse than such an extreme? But even for this, we not only do not show them compassion, but also condemn them. How, then, can we be indignant that God does not heed our prayers? How can we grumble that He does not grant our petitions? Is this not terrible, beloved? But, you say, I often served. Don't you eat every day? Do you push children away, even though they often ask you? Oh, shamelessness! You call the beggar shameless. When you yourself steal what is not yours, you do not consider yourself shameless; And he who asks for bread is shameless? Do you not know how strong the need of the stomach is? Do you not do everything for him? Do you not leave spiritual things for him? Heaven and the kingdom of heaven have been promised to Thee; And you, submitting to the violence of his (stomach), do you not endure everything and do not despise that (promised)? This is true shamelessness! Do you not see the crippled elders? But, oh, backbiting! "This one, you say, lends so many gold pieces, and that one so much, and meanwhile they beg (alms). You tell fables and fairy tales of little children, which they always hear from their nurses; I don't think, I don't believe, it can't be. So-and-so gives money on interest, and begs for alms in his own wealth? For what, tell me? What can be more shameful than begging? It is better to die than to beg. But how long will we be hard-hearted? How, do they really all lend money on interest? Are they all deceivers? Is there really not a single beggar? There are, you say, and many. Why do you not help them, if you know their lives for sure? No, this is a pretext and an excuse. "Give to him who asks you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you" (Matt. "5:42; Onion. 6:30); "Let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, and clasped in giving" (Sir. 5:35). We are not appointed to be judges of the lives of others; otherwise we will not give alms to anyone. When you pray to God, do you not say: "Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions" (Psalm 24:7)? So it is with a beggar, even if he be a great sinner, think the same and do not remember his sins. Now is the time of love for mankind, and not of strict judgment, of mercy, and not of condemnation. He is hungry: if you will, give it to him; but if thou wilt not, refuse, without examining why he is poor and miserable. Why do you not give to him yourself, and do you reject those who want to give? For when someone hears from you that this (beggar) is a deceiver, and that one is a hypocrite, a usurer, he will not give to either one, thinking that they are all like that. It is known how easily we believe in the bad, and how difficult it is for the good. We must not only be merciful, but as our "Father" is "heavenly" (Matthew 5:48). He feeds fornicators, adulterers, deceivers, and all kinds of evildoers. In the present world, it is necessary to be of this kind of many; He clothes everyone, and no one has ever starved to death, except of his own free will.

In the same way, we should be merciful. If anyone asks you and is in need, help him. But now we have reached such madness that we do this not only to the beggars who walk in the alleys, but also to monastics: they say he is a deceiver!

When someone begins to say that he belongs to the clergy, or calls himself a priest, then investigate, inquire, because it is not safe to communicate with such a person without research, there is a great danger here. And when someone asks for food, do not investigate; Here you do not so much give as you receive. Remember, if you will, how Abraham showed hospitality to all who came. If he had made inquiries about those who came to him, he would not have received angels; perhaps, not considering them angels, he would have refused them with others; but since he received everyone, he also received angels. Does God give you a reward for the life of those who receive from you? No, for your goodwill, for your mercy, for your great humanity, for your kindness. If there be one, then you too will receive all the blessings that may we all be vouchsafed to receive, through the grace and love of humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

[1] These words are not found in this passage of the Gospel, they are found elsewhere, e.g. John 8:58, 10:1, 10:7, 12:24, etc.

CONVERSATION 12

"For Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, he who met Abraham and blessed him, returning after the defeat of the kings, to whom Abraham also set apart the tithe from all things, - first, by the sign [name] king of righteousness, and then king of Salem, that is, king of peace, without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, being likened to the Son of God, abides as a priest forever" (Heb. 7:1-3).