On the other hand, these predictions are such that even up to the present time nothing has been able to change what was predicted. Thus, the destruction of Jerusalem took many years. There are other prophecies which, from the time of their utterance, will be valid until His coming, as you can see, if you wish, from the following, for example: "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20); "Upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (16:18); "this gospel will be preached to all nations" (24:14); "Wherever this gospel is preached, it will also be said of what she has done" (26:13), and very many others. Why do these predictions turn out to be true if they were fictitious? Why did not the gates of hell prevail against the Church? Why is Christ always with us? After all, if He had not been with us, the Church would not have won. Why did the gospel spread throughout the world? The antiquity of our books can be testified even to those who spoke against us, such as the followers of Celsus and Vataneotus (Porphyry), who was after him, who certainly did not refute what was written after them, and also to the whole universe, which unanimously accepted this teaching. If it were not for the grace of the Spirit, there would not have been such a unanimous acceptance of Him from the ends of the earth to the ends, but the perpetrators of the inventions would soon have been exposed, and such great deeds would not have been accomplished with the help of fabrications and lies. And now do you not see how the whole universe has been converted, error has been exterminated, the wisdom of the monks shines brighter than the sun? Do you not see the hosts of virgins, the piety among the barbarians, and all who humble themselves under the same yoke (of Christ)? This is not only foretold in our books, but from ancient times by the prophets; And of course you cannot reject their predictions, because their enemies also have their books, and, through the zeal of some pagans, they have been translated into Greek. They contain many prophecies and indications that he who is to come is God.

4. Why then does not everyone believe now? Because our deeds are not good, and we ourselves are the reason for this; I turn the word to ourselves. And then they were converted to faith not only by signs, but many of those who were converted were also attracted by life (of believers). "Thus," it is said, "let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). At that time, everyone "had one heart and one soul; and no one called any of his possessions his own, but they had all things in common, and to each was given what he had need of" (Acts 4:32, 35), and they lived the life of an angel. If it were the same now, we would turn the whole universe without signs. Therefore, those who wish to be saved, let them listen to the Scriptures; here they will find both these and even higher virtues. And the teachers themselves abounded in them, spending their lives in hunger, thirst, and nakedness. We want to live in luxury, in bliss and pleasure; but they did not live like this, but said: "Even to this day we endure hunger and thirst, and nakedness and beatings, and wandering" (1 Cor. 4:11). One of them traveled from Jerusalem to Illyria, another to the country of the Indians, a third to the country of the Moors, another to other parts of the world; but we do not even dare to leave our fatherland, we seek luxury, splendid dwellings, and all other riches. Who among us has ever suffered hunger for the word of God? Who was in the wilderness? Who undertook the long journey? Which of the teachers, living by the work of his hands, helped others? Who was subjected to daily death? That is why those around us are also negligent. Soldiers and generals, when they endure hunger, thirst, death, and all calamities, then they conquer the cold, and the dangers, and all like lions, and do valiant deeds; and then, if abandoning such wisdom, giving themselves up to bliss, becoming addicted to earthly goods, and engaging in buying and selling, they are conquered by their enemies, it would be utterly insane to seek the cause of this change. In the same way we must reason about ourselves and those who were before us: we have become the most pampered of all, having cleaved to the present life. If there is a man who has in himself even a little of the ancient wisdom, then he, leaving the city and the marketplaces, not wishing to deal with people and correct others, withdraws to the mountains; And if anyone asks him about the reason for his removal, he gives a disrespectful answer: "I," he says, "depart in order not to destroy myself and not to become incapable of virtue."

Shameless and evil people can look at signs with deceitful thoughts; and a pure life can with great power stop the mouth of the devil himself. I say this to my superiors and subordinates, and above all to myself, that we lead a praiseworthy life, correct ourselves, and despise all that is present. Let us despise possessions, but not hell; let us despise glory, but not salvation; let us labor and endure here, so that we may not be tormented there. Thus let us fight against the pagans; so let us draw them into captivity, which is more excellent than freedom. However, this is often and incessantly said by us, only rarely fulfilled. But whether it is fulfilled or not, it is our duty to constantly remind ourselves of this, for if some, in order to deceive others, speak so many fascinating speeches, how much more should those who lead to the truth not grow weary in proclaiming what is useful. If those who deceive use so much effort to attain their ends, squander their possessions, have recourse to the art of eloquence, are exposed to dangers, and are themselves in the forefront of all, how much more must we, who deviate from error, endure dangers, and death, and all things, so that, benefiting ourselves and others, and remaining invincible from our enemies, we may be vouchsafed the promised blessings, 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).

CONVERSATION 7

"But we preach wisdom among the perfect, but the wisdom not of this world, nor of the powers of this world that pass away, but we preach the wisdom of God, which is secret, hidden, which God ordained before the ages for our glory" (1 Cor. 2:6-7).

The wisdom of the philosophers has become madness. "Many of the holy books are lost. The teaching of Christ is confirmed by miracles and the fulfillment of what He foretold.

1. For the sick of the eyes, darkness seems better than light; therefore they like to be in darker dwellings. The same thing happened with spiritual wisdom: the wisdom of God seemed foolishness to the pagans, but their wisdom, which is indeed madness, was considered wisdom by them. It also happened to them, as if someone, knowing the skill of the helmsman, promised to sail across the boundless sea without a ship and sails, and tried to prove by his reasoning that this was possible, and another, completely inexperienced, embarking on a ship and entrusting himself to the helmsman and navigators, would thus sail safely. The seeming ignorance of the latter would be wiser than the wisdom of the former. The ability to steer the wheel, of course, is excellent; but when it promises too much, it becomes madness; so is all knowledge that does not remain within its limits.

In the same way, external wisdom would be wisdom if it received the Spirit; but since she had appropriated everything to herself and thought that she had no need of higher help, she became madness, although she seemed wise. Wherefore Paul, having rebuked it beforehand by his very works, afterwards called it foolishness, and called the wisdom of God foolishness beforehand, according to the opinion of the Gentiles, and then he proves that it is true wisdom, and after the proofs it is very easy to put to shame the adversaries, and says, "Wisdom is spoken in the perfect." If I, who am considered a madman and a preacher of madness, have conquered the wise, then the wisdom that has conquered is not foolishness, but the most perfect wisdom, and so much more excellent than external wisdom that it seems foolishness. Having first called it as the pagans then called it, and having proved its superiority by its very works, and having denounced them of extreme madness, he then calls it by its proper name and says: "But wisdom we preach among the perfect." Wisdom he calls preaching and the method of salvation by means of the cross; but He calls the believers perfect. Truly perfect are those who know that everything human is very weak, despise all this, and are convinced that it serves them for nothing; and such are the believers. "But the wisdom is not of this world." What is the use of external wisdom, which is limited to this world and does not extend beyond it, even here it cannot be of any use to those who possess it? The powers of the age he does not call demons, as some think, but men who are invested with distinction and power, and who regard it as something of great importance, philosophers, rhetoricians, and writers, who also often possessed power and were leaders of the people. And he calls them the powers of this world, because their power does not extend beyond the present age: therefore he adds: transitory, and thus proves the insignificance of external wisdom, both by its very property and by the quality of those who possess it. Having proved that it is false and insane, that it cannot discover anything, that it is powerless, now he shows that it is also short-lived. "But we preach the wisdom of God, which is in secret." What secret? Christ said: "Whatsoever ye hear in the ear, preach on the housetops" (Matt. 10:27). Why then does Paul call it a mystery? Because neither the angel, nor the archangel, nor any other created power knew it before it was revealed. That is why the Apostle says: "That now the manifold wisdom of God may be made known through the Church to the principalities and powers in heaven" (Ephesians 3:10). God so honored us that they also heard it with us; and in relation to our friends, we consider it a sign of our friendship with them that we do not reveal the secret to anyone before them. Let those who boast of preaching, indiscriminately offer the pearls of doctrine to all, throw holy things to dogs and swine, and moreover with excessive wisdom, hearken to them. The mystery does not admit of embellishment, but as it is, it is precisely proclaimed; it will no longer be a divine mystery and uncorrupted if you add something of yourself to it. It is also called a mystery because we do not contemplate in it what we see, but we see one thing and believe another. Such is the property of our sacraments. I look at them differently, otherwise I am an infidel. I hear that Christ is crucified, and I marvel at His love for mankind; the unbeliever hears it, and considers it powerlessness. I hear that Christ has become a slave, and I marvel at His providence; the unbeliever hears it, and considers it a disgrace. I hear that Christ died, and I marvel at His power, how He, having undergone death, was not restrained by it, but still destroyed death; the unbeliever hears, and attributes it to His weaknesses. When he hears about the resurrection, he calls it a fable; and I, being convinced of this by the very events, worship the economy of God. Hearing about baptism, he imagines only water; and I see not only the visible, but also the invisible cleansing of the soul, accomplished by the Spirit. He thinks that my body has only been washed; but I believe that the soul has also become pure and holy, and I represent the sepulchre, the resurrection, the sanctification, the justification, the redemption, the adoption, the inheritance, the heavenly kingdom, the gift of the Spirit, since I look at the things seen not with mere sight, but with spiritual eyes. It is said about the body of Christ, and I understand it differently, but I am an unbeliever.

2.

The same happens with the sacraments: the unbelievers, hearing about them, seem not to hear; but believers, being taught by the Spirit, understand the power of the unseen. That is why Paul says that even now "the gospel is closed": "for those who are perishing," he says, "it is closed" (2 Cor. 4:3). On the other hand, by the word mystery he expresses that preaching is something extraordinary; so the Scriptures usually call that which happens beyond expectation and exceeds human understanding. That is why in another place it is said: "My mystery is to me and to mine" [9]; and again Paul says: "I tell you a mystery, we will not all die, but we will all be changed" (1 Cor. 15:51). Though it is preached everywhere, yet it is a mystery. We are commanded to speak with the roof what we have heard in our ears (Matt. 10:27), and we are commanded not to give "holy things to dogs" and not to cast "pearls before swine" (7:6), because some are natural people and do not understand, others have a veil over their hearts and do not see. Consequently, all the more mysterious is that which, although preached everywhere, is not comprehended by those who do not have sound understanding, and is revealed not by wisdom, but by the Holy Spirit, as far as we can contain. Therefore he will not sin who, as a consequence, calls it an unknown mystery, for even we believers have not been given full and perfect knowledge, as Paul says: "We know in part, and we prophesy in part. Now we see as through a glass darkly, divinationly, and then face to face." —1 Cor. 13:9, 12. That is why he says: "We preach the wisdom of God, secret, hidden, which God predestined before the ages for our glory." Hidden, i.e., such as none of the heavenly powers knew before us, or which many do not know even now. This is expressed by the words: "which He has ordained for our glory"; and in another place He says: "To His glory" (Ephesians 1:12), because God counts our salvation by His glory, and also by His riches, although He Himself is a treasure of good things and needs no one to be rich. He predestined, he says, expressing God's care for us. As a rule, they are considered to be the most concerned for us and those who love us, who have long been disposed to do good to us, as parents do with their children: although they give them their property afterwards, they are disposed to do so for a long time and from the very beginning. In the same way, Paul tries to show here that God has loved us from ancient times and always, even when we did not yet exist; if He did not love us, He would not have given us riches. Therefore, do not think about past enmity, for love is older than it. The words "before the ages" mean eternity, just as in another place it is said: "He who is before the ages" (Psalm 54:20). It will also be proved that the Son is eternal, because of Him it is said: "Through Whom also He created the worlds" (Hebrews 1:2); this means that He exists before the ages, because the Creator undoubtedly exists before creatures. "Which none of the powers of this world has known; for if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" (1 Cor. 2:8). But if they crucified them out of foolishness, then they are not guilty? And again: if they did not understand, then why did Christ say to them: "And you know Me, and you know whence I come" (John 7:28)? The Scriptures say of Pilate that he did not understand; probably Herod did not understand either. They can be called the princes of this age. But if anyone says that it speaks of Jews and priests, he will not sin; and Christ said to them: "Ye know neither Me nor My Father" (John 8:19). How did He say above, "And you know Me, and you know whence I come"? However, what is the meaning of both sayings, this has already been said in the explanation of the Gospel; therefore, in order not to repeat the same thing often, we send those who wish to do so.

3. What is it? Are the Jews forgiven of their sin concerning the cross, according to the word of Christ: "Forgive them" (Luke 23:34)? If they repented, they are forgiven. And Paul, who lifted up a multitude of hands against Stephen and persecuted the Church, became the defender of the Church. Thus the sin was forgiven to those of them who wanted to repent, of which Paul also says: "Therefore I ask, Have they stumbled that they may fall completely? In no way." And again: "Has God rejected His people? In no way." Then, to prove that repentance is not closed to them either, he cites his own conversion: "For I also am an Israelite" (Romans 11:11, 1-2). The word "did not know" seems to me to be said here not in reference to Christ, but in relation to the work of God's economy, i.e. they did not understand what death and the cross meant. And here Christ did not say: "They do not know Me," but: "They do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34), i.e., they do not understand the ongoing economy and sacrament. They did not understand that the cross would shine so brightly that they would accomplish the salvation of the universe and the reconciliation of God with people, that their city would be taken, and that they would be subjected to extreme disasters. Wisdom Paul calls Christ, the cross, and preaching. But it is not in vain that he calls Christ the Lord of glory. Since the cross seemed to be a sign of infamy, it shows that there is great glory in the cross. Great wisdom was needed not only to know God, but also to understand such an economy of God; external wisdom was an obstacle not only to the former, but also to the latter. "But as it is written, 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him' (1 Cor. 2:9).

Where is it written? And so it is said when something is depicted not by words, but by the actions themselves, as in narratives, or when the same thought is expressed, though not in the same words as here; for example, the words: "they will see what was not spoken to them, and they will know what they did not hear" (Isaiah 52:15) – mean the same as the words: "eye has not seen, ear has not heard". In this way the Apostle either expresses it, or perhaps it was really written in the books, but the books themselves were lost. In fact, many books are lost and only a few survive, even at the time of the first captivity. This is evident from the book of Chronicles. Thus the Apostle says that "all the prophets, from Samuel and after him, foretold" Him (Acts 3:24); but this is not evident, whereas Paul, as versed in the law and speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, probably knew everything exactly. But what do I say about captivity? Many books were lost even before the captivity, when the Jews fell into extreme wickedness. This is evident from the end of the second book of Kings, where it is said that Deuteronomy was barely found somewhere unclean (2 Kings 22:8). Moreover, there are many prophecies of various meanings, which are understandable only to the wisest, and in which one can find many things that are not clear to others. What then? Has the eye not seen what God has in store? He certainly did not see it: who among men has seen the dispensation of God that was to be? Has not the ear heard or entered into the heart of man? Is this true? If the prophets foretold, how did not the ear hear and enter into the heart of man? It definitely wasn't. The Apostle speaks not only of the prophets, but of all human nature. How? Have the prophets not heard of it? They heard, but their prophetic hearing was not the hearing of men; they heard not as men, but as prophets. That is why Isaiah says: "He awakens [10] my ear that I may hear" (50:4), meaning the application given by the Spirit. From this it is evident that before they heard, it did not enter into the heart of a man, since after the gift of the Spirit, the heart of the prophets was not the heart of man, but the heart of a spirit, as Paul himself says: "We have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:16). The meaning of his words is as follows: before the Spirit was given to us and unknown mysteries were revealed, none of us or the prophets understood them. And could it be otherwise, if even the angels did not know them? After this, what can we say about the princes of this world, if none of the people, not even the heavenly powers, knew this? What? That by the seeming folly of preaching the universe will be conquered, nations will be converted, God will be reconciled to men, and such great blessings will be granted to us. How did we know this? "But to us," he says, "God has revealed it by His Spirit," v. 10. Not by outward wisdom, which, like a despised servant, is not allowed to enter within and penetrate into the mysteries of the Lord.

4. Do you see what is the difference between the two wisdoms? One taught us what the angels did not know; but the external did the opposite: not only did it not teach, but it also served as an obstacle to this, and when everything was already accomplished, it overshadowed the events and despised the cross. In this way, Paul gives us honor by showing that we have not only learned, and moreover with the angels, but have also learned from the Spirit itself. Further, showing the importance of knowledge, he says that if the Spirit, who knows the mysteries of God, had not revealed it to us, we would not have known. Thus God was pleased to keep the matter secret. That is why we needed a teacher who would know this clearly. "For the Spirit," he says, "searcheth all things,[11] and the depths of God. For who among men knoweth what is in a man, except the spirit of man that dwelleth in him? In the same way, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. But we have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit of God, that we might know the things which have been given to us of God" (vv. 10-12). Here the word searches does not mean ignorance, but exact knowledge; he uses the same expression about God, when he says: "Search the heart's tidings, which is the wisdom of the Spirit" (Romans 8:27). Having spoken of the perfect knowledge of the Spirit, having shown that it is equal to the knowledge of God, as the knowledge of men is equal to itself, and having proved that we have come to know all things from Him, and not otherwise than from Him, he continues: "Which also we proclaim, not from human wisdom with learned words, but with learned words from the Holy Spirit, considering spiritual things with spiritual things" (v. 13). Do you see how he magnified us with the dignity of the Teacher? We are as much wiser than the pagans as Plato is from the Holy Spirit. They have rhetoricians as their teachers, and we have the Holy Ghost as their teachers. What does it mean: "considering the spiritual with the spiritual"? If there is any spiritual thing–