5. However, when the kingdom is spoken of, do not think that all will be worthy of the same thing. If here in the royal palaces there are dioceses, and those close to the king, and even lower dignitaries, and those who occupy the place of the so-called desyats (δεκανών), although there is a great difference between the eparch and the desyats, then how much more so will it be in the heavenly royal monasteries. I do not say this on my own behalf; but Paul places an even greater difference there. As much as there is a difference, he says, between the sun and the moon and the stars, and the smallest of the stars, so will it be in the kingdom of heaven; and it is obvious to everyone that the difference between the sun and the smallest star is much greater than that between the so-called Desyatsky and the eparch. The sun suddenly illuminates the whole universe and makes it light, covering the moon and the stars; and the star is often invisible, even in darkness; There are many stars that we can't see. And so, when we see others who have become suns, and we ourselves take the place of the smallest stars, which are even invisible, what consolation will we have? No, I exhort you, let us not be so careless, let us not be so lazy, let us not carelessly accept the salvation given by God, but let us make a purchase of it and multiply it. Even if someone is only a catechumen, he knows Christ, knows the faith, hears the word of God, is not far from the knowledge of God, understands the will of his Master; Why does he delay, why does he wait and postpone?

There is nothing better than a virtuous life, both here and there, both among the enlightened and among the catechumens. And tell me, what is it that is prescribed for us to be difficult? Have a wife, says the commandment, and be abstinent. Is it difficult, tell me? And how (it may be difficult) when many are abstinent even without a wife, not only Christians, but also pagans? What a heathen does out of vanity, will you not do out of the fear of God? "Out of thy possessions," says (the Scriptures), "give alms" (Tob. 4:7). Is it really difficult? But even here the pagans will condemn us, who have squandered all their possessions out of vanity alone. Don't use foul language. Is it really difficult? But even if it had not been commanded, should we not have done it ourselves, so as not to appear dishonest? On the contrary, foul language is difficult, as is evident from the fact that a person is ashamed in his soul and blushes when he happens to say something like this, and does not even dare to say it if he is not drunk. Why, sitting in the marketplace, do you not do this, even if you do it at home? Is it not for the sake of those present? Why don't you suddenly do this in front of your wife? Was it not because he would not offend her? In order not to offend your wife, you do not do this; but when you insult God, are you not ashamed? And He is omnipresent and hears everything. "And do not be drunk with wine," it is said (Ephesians 5:18), and it is well (said), because is not drunkenness in itself a punishment? He did not say, "Exhaust the body," but what? "Do not get drunk," i.e. do not give it free rein so that it overthrows the power of the soul. Is it really not necessary to take care of the body? No, this is not what I say, but do not please his lusts. So Paul commands when he says: "And do not turn the care of the flesh into lusts" (Romans 13:14). Do not steal someone else's property, it is said, do not be covetous, do not swear. What labors does this require, what feats? Do not slander, it is said, do not slander.

No, nothing difficult, nothing difficult is commanded to us, if only we will; and if we do not want to, then even the easiest thing will seem difficult to us. What is easier to eat? But many, at least in effeminacy, are burdened by this as well. I hear many people say that food is also work. There is no difficulty in all of the above, if only you want to; In desire lies everything, after the highest grace. Let us desire what is good, so that we may be vouchsafed eternal blessings, by grace and love for mankind (our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit, glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen).

[1] To the Synod. translation "not involved in evil".

[2] To the Synod. translated as "holy".

[3] To the Synod. translation "immaculate".

CONVERSATION 14

"But the main thing in what we are talking about is this: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of majesty in heaven, and [is] the priest of the holy place and the true tabernacle, which the Lord has raised, and not man" (Hebrews 8:1-2).

1. Paul, always imitating his Master, speaks now of the humble, now of the highest, so that the humble paves the way to the high, and the latter leads to the former, so that those who see the high may know that the humiliated was the work of condescension. And so He does here. After saying that "having sacrificed himself" and showing that He is the high priest, (the Apostle) continues: "The main thing in what we are talking about is this: we have such a High Priest who is seated at the right hand of the throne of majesty in heaven." This is no longer characteristic of the priest, but of the One whose priest He is. "Priest of the Sanctuary". Not just a minister, but a "priest of the sanctuary." "And the true tabernacle, which the Lord hath raised, and not man." Do you see the condescension (of Christ)? Not for long, before this, (the Apostle) distinguished (Him from others), when he said: "Are they not all ministering spirits"? and therefore it is not shown to them: "Sit at my right hand" (Heb. 1:13,14). He says this because he who sits, without a doubt, is not a minister; therefore (here calling Him a minister) says this of Him according to the flesh. "The true tabernacle" He here calls heaven, and, wishing to show its difference from the Jewish tabernacle, He adds: "which the Lord hath raised, and not man." See how he encouraged the souls of the Jews who believed with these words. Perhaps they imagined that we did not have such a tabernacle; but behold, says He, our priest is great and much greater (than the Old Testament), who has offered a more wonderful sacrifice. But are these not only words, boasting and self-deception? For this purpose he confirmed (his words) with an oath beforehand, and then began to speak about the tabernacle. The difference between the tabernacles was already evident from the preceding one, but he proves it from another side: "which the Lord hath raised," he says, "and not man." Where are those who say that the sky moves? Where are those who claim that it is spherical? Both are refuted here. "The main thing," he says, "is what we are talking about." The most important thing is always called the most important. Here again He brings down His speech: having spoken of the lofty, He now speaks without fear of the despised. Further, in order that you may know that the word "priest" is used in relation to mankind (Christ), see how he also explains this: "Every high priest," he says, "is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it was necessary that this one also should have something to offer" (Hebrews 8:3). When you hear that (Christ) is sitting, do not think that He is unjustly called high priest; the former, i.e. sitting, is a sign of divine dignity, and the latter is a sign of great love for humanity and care for us. Therefore the latter (the Apostle) expands and speaks in more detail, fearing lest the former be diminished. For this reason he inclines his speech to the same now, since some have asked: Why did (Christ) die while he was a priest? A priest is not without a sacrifice; therefore he also had to offer a sacrifice. And on the other hand, since He said that (Christ) is above (the heavens), He now says and proves that He is a priest in all respects, both according to Melchizedek, and according to the oath, and according to the sacrifice. From this he draws another necessary conclusion: "If He had remained on earth," he says, "He would not have been a priest, for [here] are such priests who bring gifts according to the law" (Heb. 8:4). If, he says, he is a priest, as indeed he is, he ought to have been in another place; if He were on earth, He would not have been a priest. Why? He did not offer sacrifices, he did not perform the sacraments, and rightly so, because there were priests here. (The Apostle) proves that it is impossible for (Christ) to be a priest on earth. Why? For otherwise, he says, there would be no resurrection.

Here it is necessary to concentrate attention and delve into the thought of the Apostle. He again shows the difference between the priesthood (of the Old Testament and of Christ). "Who," he says, "serve the image and shadow of the heavenly things" (Heb. 8:5); What does he call heavenly here? Spiritual; although it takes place on earth, it is worthy of heaven. When our Lord Jesus Christ stands before the slain (lamb), when the Spirit descends, when he who sits at the right hand of the Father is present here, when (believers) are made sons and citizens of heaven by means of the font, when we find there our fatherland, city, and citizenship, when we become strangers to this world, is not all this heavenly?

2. What is it? Are not the hymns of heaven? Is it not that the divine faces of the bodiless forces sing to the mountain, and we sing in harmony with them here the vale? Is not the altar of heaven also? How? There is nothing carnal on it; Everything that is before us is spiritual: our sacrifice does not turn into ashes, smoke and stench, but makes everything that is before us pure and bright. Are not these sacred rites heavenly, of which the ministers still hear the words spoken to them: "To whom you forgive sins, they will be forgiven; on whom you leave, they will remain" (John 20:23)? Are not all (their sacraments) heavenly when they also have the keys of heaven? "Which," he says, "serve the image and shadow of the heavenly things, as it was said to Moses, when he was about to complete the tabernacle: Take heed, it is said, do all things according to the image shown to you on the mountain" (Hebrews 8:5). Since our hearing is less capable of perception than our sight, for we do not convey to the soul what we hear so well as what we see with our own eyes, God showed everything (to Moses). Either the Apostle speaks of this in the words: "to the image and shadow," or he means the temple, because he adds: "Take heed, it is said, do all things according to the image shown to you on the mountain," and this is said only about the structure of the temple, or he also means the sacrifices, and all the rest; he who says this (the last) will not sin, because the Church is heavenly and is nothing else but heaven. "But this [High Priest] received a ministry all the more excellent, the better he is the mediator of the covenant" (Hebrews 8:6). Do you see how much better the real service is than that service? This is an image and a shadow, and this is the truth. However, this did not give the listeners any benefit or consolation. For this reason (the Apostle) adds that which could especially give them joy: "Who is established," he says, "on better promises." Having spoken of the place, of the priest and the sacrifice, he now sets forth the distinction between the covenants themselves. And before he proved that the Old Testament was weak and useless, and in order to show its shortcomings, see what arguments he uses. In one place he said (of the New Testament): "according to the power of life that does not cease"; in another (of the old) he said: "The abolition of the former commandment is due to its weakness and uselessness"; then he expressed something great when he said, "But a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God." Here he raises us up to heaven and shows us that instead of a temple we have heaven, and that those sacraments were prototypes of ours, and in this way, having exalted the ministry, he finally justly exalts the priesthood. But, as I said, he sets forth what is especially joyful for his hearers in the words: "Who is established on better promises." Where does this come from? From the fact that the old one has been abolished, and this (new) one has been introduced in its place, which has received force because it is better. As the Apostle said above: "If perfection were to be attained by means of the Levitical priesthood, for the law of the people is bound up with it, what need would there be for any other priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek"? so here he uses the same reasoning: "For if the first [covenant] had been without defect, there would have been no need to seek a place for another" (Hebrews 8:7), i.e. if it had no defect, if it had made men blameless. And what exactly does he say, listen to the following: "Rebuking them, he says"; He did not say: "rebuking" him (i.e. the law), but: "... [The prophet] rebuked them, saying, Behold, the days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not such a covenant as I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not abide in that covenant of mine, and I despised them, saith the Lord" (Hebrews 8:8-9). So, you will say; But how can it be seen that (the Old Testament) has ended? (The Apostle) proved this also on the part of the priest; And now, in plain words, he proves even more clearly that it has been abolished. How? "On the best," he says, "the promises." Tell me, can there be equality between heaven and earth? Notice how he does not reject the promises there either, so as not to degrade the Old Testament in this respect as well. Formerly he said, "A better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God," expressing that there was hope there also; And here he says, "A better hope is being introduced," expressing that there were promises there too. But since (the Jews) were constantly murmuring, "Behold, the days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah"; not an ancient, he says, some covenant; and that they may not think this, he also determines the time: he does not simply say, "According to the covenant which I made with their fathers," so that they should not think of what was in the time of Abraham or Noah, but he determines what kind of covenant, "not such a covenant," he says, "as I made with their fathers at that time," who lived at the time of the exodus; wherefore he adds, When I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not abide in that covenant of mine, and I despised them, saith the Lord.

3. Do you see that the beginning of evil comes from us? "They," he says, "did not abide in the beginning"; therefore, negligence is from us, and all good things, i.e. all good deeds, are from God. Here (God) seems to represent justification, giving the very reason why He left them. "This is the covenant which I will make unto the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (Hebrews 8:10). This is what he says about the new covenant, after he said, "Not such a covenant as I have made." And what other difference is there between them, if not this? But if anyone says that this does not express the difference (of the new testament), but that it is given in their hearts, that it is not the difference between the commandments, but the ways in which they are communicated, the covenant will no longer be in writing, but in hearts, let him prove that this was once the case with the Jews. It is impossible to prove this: and after their return from Babylon, the covenant was again given to them in writing. But the apostles, as I can prove, received nothing in writing, but received everything in their hearts by the Holy Spirit. That is why Christ said to them: "When the Comforter comes, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness to Me" (John 15:26). "And every man shall not teach his neighbor, nor every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all, from the least to the greatest, shall know me: for I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more" (Hebrews 8:11-12). Here is another sign: "From the smallest," he says, "to the greatest, they shall know Me," and they will not say, "Know the Lord." When did this come to pass, if not now? Ours (teaching) is known, and theirs is not known, but it is enclosed in a corner. On the other hand, a thing is called new when it is second (after the first) and contains something more in itself than the old. In the same way, a thing is called new from which one thing is separated, and the other is not. For example: If someone in an old house, which is about to collapse, leaving everything behind, dismantled the foundation, we say that he made it new by taking out one thing and inserting another. In the same way, the heavens are called new when they do not remain brass, but send down rain; and the earth is called new when it does not remain barren, but is changed (into fruitful); and a house is called new when one thing is destroyed in it, and the other remains. Thus also the covenant is well called new, as a sign that the old covenant was made old, because it bore no fruit. And in order to know this more accurately, read what Haggai says, what is the 3achariah, what is the angel (Malachi), what Ezra rebukes (the Jews). In what way did they receive (the new covenant)? How did none of them inquire of the Lord, if they transgressed the covenant and did not even know it? Do you see how unfounded your (opinion) is? I insist on mine - that it is this (our covenant) that should be called new in the proper sense. Otherwise, I do not admit that the words were said about him: "For behold, I am making a new heaven and a new earth, and the former shall no more be remembered, neither shall they come to the heart" (Isaiah 65:17). For why, when Deuteronomy says, "And thy heavens, which are above thy head, shall be made of brass," there is no restriction: if ye hearken, there shall be new things (Deuteronomy 28:23)? I, says (God), therefore I will give another covenant, that they have not remained in the past. This is evident from the following words (of the Apostle): "... the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless" (Romans 8:3); and again: "Why then do you now tempt God, [desiring] to put a yoke on the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we could bear" (Acts 15:10)? " … They did not abide," he says, "in that covenant of mine." Here it is shown that God has vouchsafed us the highest and spiritual. "Their sound goes through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world" (Psalm 18:5). This means: "And every man shall not teach his neighbor, nor every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord." And again: "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Habakka 2:14). "By saying 'new,' he showed the decrepitude of the first; but that which decays and grows old is near destruction" (Heb. 8:13). See how he revealed the innermost thought, the very thought of the prophet. He honored the law without calling it obsolete; however, he also expressed this, because if it (the covenant) had been new, he would not have called the one established after it new. Thus he expresses something greater and more special when he says that it is dilapidated; therefore He is abolished, destroyed, and no longer exists. Based on (the words of) the prophet, he speaks with great boldness (about the Old Testament) and usefully shows that ours (covenant) is now flourishing, and it is obsolete. Having used the name "decaying," he adds from himself another one: "aging" and then deduces from everything; The next conclusion: "Close to destruction." Consequently, the Old Testament is not simply replaced by a new one, but as obsolete, as useless. For this reason (the Apostle) said: "because of its weakness and uselessness"; and again: "the law has brought nothing to perfection"; And again: "If the first [covenant] were without defect, there would be no need to seek a place for the other." What does it mean: "without lack"? Useful, strong. He says this not in order to make (the Old Testament) worthy of condemnation, but in order to show its inadequacy; as if someone were to say: this house is not without blemish, i.e. it has defects, it is dilapidated; Or: this garment is not without blemish, i.e. it tears quickly. In the same way, he does not call (the Old Testament) evil, but only that which has faults and imperfections.

4. In the same way, we are new, or rather, we were new, but now we are worn out, and therefore we are close to corruption and destruction. However, if we want, we can destroy this dilapidation. It is impossible to do this with a font (baptism), but it is possible here by repentance. Therefore, if there is anything old in us, let us destroy it; if there is any rust, any filth or impurity, let us blot out and be clean, so that the King may desire our beauty. And those who have reached the utmost ugliness can restore the beauty of which David speaks: "Hear, daughter, and see, and incline thy ear, and forget thy people and thy father's house. And the King will desire thy beauty" (Psalm 44:11,12). Oblivion does not bring beauty, spiritual beauty. What kind of forgetfulness is he talking about? (Oblivion) of sins. He addresses his speech to the church of the Gentiles and exhorts it not to remember the parents, i.e. those who offer sacrifices to idols - and it was precisely from such people that it was formed. He did not say: do not participate in this, but even, what is much more, do not bring it to your memory. He says the same thing in another place: "I will not remember their names with my mouth" (Psalm 15:4); and again: "That my mouth may not speak of the affairs of men" (Psalm 16:4). This is not yet a great virtue; or rather, though great, but not like that. What does he say there? He did not say, "Do not speak of the deeds of your fathers," but, "Do not even remember, do not bring them to your memory." Do you see how far he wants to drive evil away from us? He who does not remember, does not think; he who does not think, does not speak; but he who does not speak, he will not do. Do you see how many paths (to evil) it blocks for us, how far it moves us away from the greatest (of evils)? Let us also give heed to him, and let us forget our wickedness, but not the sins we have committed: remember them, saith the Lord, thou art first, and I will not remember (Ephesians 5:10-13). Thus, we must not only remember the theft, but also return what was stolen; it means to bring evil into oblivion, to destroy the very thought of theft and never to allow it to come to oneself, and to correct what has already been done. And how can we achieve the oblivion of evil? By remembrance of God's blessings. If we constantly remember God, we will no longer be able to remember evil: "If," says (the Psalmist), "when I remember Thee on my bed, I meditate on Thee in the [night] watches" (Psalm 62:7). Although it is always necessary to remember God, it is especially when the mind is at rest, when through this remembrance it can judge itself, when it can retain it in memory. In the daytime, even if we remember, other cares and troubles that come in will blot it out (remembrance); and at night, you can remember constantly: then the soul is in peace and tranquility, then it is in harbor and safety: "what you speak," says (the Psalmist), "in your hearts, meditate on your couches" (Psalm 4:5). It would be better to remember this during the day; but since you are in constant cares and amuse yourself with worldly affairs, remember God at least in bed, meditate on Him in the morning. If we do this in the morning, then without any danger we will go out to our business; if we propitiate God with reverence and prayer beforehand, then even afterwards we will not meet any enemy, and if you do, you will laugh at him, the name is in defense of God. The market is war; Daily affairs are battle, excitement and storm. Therefore we need weapons; and prayer is a great weapon; We need fair winds, we need to be versed in everything in order to pass the time of the day without shipwrecks and wounds, since many pitfalls occur daily, and often our ship crashes and sinks.

Therefore, we need to pray, especially in the morning and at night. Many of you have often seen the Olympic Games, and not only saw, but also encouraged and approved of the warriors, one of them, the other of the other. Consequently, you know how in the days of struggle, and even in the very night, the herald is not restless about anything else all night long, and does not care about anything else, except that the warrior, when he goes out, does not shame himself; and those who sit beside the trumpeter suggest to him that he should not even speak to anyone, lest, having exhausted his spirit, he should arouse laughter. But if he who intends to fight before men makes so much effort, then it is much more necessary to constantly strive and take care of us, whose whole life is a struggle. Therefore, let us have every night as an all-night vigil; let us try not to be ridiculed when we go out in the daytime. And, oh, if only ridicule! But now sits at the right hand of the Father the ascetic himself, listening attentively to see if we say anything indecent or unnecessary, since He is the judge not only of deeds, but also of words. Let us, beloved, watch all night; If we want, then we will have connoisseurs - each of us has an angel with us. Yet we sleep all night, and, oh, if only that! But even then many do a lot of unseemly things; Some go to houses of debauchery, while others turn their own into houses of debauchery, bringing prostitutes to them: so little do they care about good warfare! Others get drunk and use foul language; others make noise; others spend the whole night in wicked deeds, doing more evil than those who sleep; others calculate their income; others are tormented by other cares, more willingly doing everything than what is necessary for fighting. Therefore, I exhort you, let us leave everything and take care only of one thing, how we may receive a reward and be crowned; let us do all that we can receive the promised blessings, which may we all be vouchsafed by grace and love for mankind (our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, Amen).