Finally, if you consider a place holy because the law and the books of the prophets are found there, then you will have to consider both idols and idolatrous temples holy. Once upon a time there was a war among the Jews; the Ashdodians, having defeated them, took the ark and brought it into their sanctuary (1 Sam. V). Did their temple become holy because there was an ark in it? No, he remained vile and unclean, and this immediately turned out to be true. In order that the enemies might know that their victory did not come from the weakness of God, but from the wickedness of those who served Him, the ark, taken captive, showed its strength in a foreign land, twice throwing the idol to the ground, so that it was broken. The ark not only did not consecrate the place, but even opposed this place. Moreover, what kind of ark do the Jews have now, when they have no purgatory, no anointing, no tablets of the covenant, no holy of holies, no veil, no bishop, no incense, no burnt offering, no sacrifice, and no other thing that made the ark honorable then? It seems to me that this (present) ark is no better than theirs, and even much worse than the chests that are sold in the square: these can in no way harm those who are suitable, and the latter daily causes great harm to those who approach it. Brethren, do not be children of mind, but be infants in malice (1 Cor. XVI, 20); and those who have a fear of these things, free them from this undue fear, and teach them that they ought to fear and fear, not of this ark, but lest the temple of God be destroyed by going to the synagogue, by being attached to Judaism, by this untimely observance (of the Jewish rites). For it is said: "Whosoever is justified by the law, thou shalt fall from grace" (Gal. V, 4). This is what you should be afraid of, lest in that day you hear from Him who will judge you: "Turn away, I will not take you" (Luke 2:10). XIII, 27); for you have associated with those who crucified Me against My will, and have restored the feasts which I have abolished, and have fled to the synagogues of the Jews, who have done wrong to Me. I destroyed their temple, reduced to rubble this sanctuary, which contained terrible things; and you have paid homage to temples that are no better than innkeepers and robbers' caves. If even when there were cherubim, when the ark was still there, when the grace of the Spirit dwelt (in the temple of the Jews), the Lord said, in one place: "Ye have made a den and a den of thieves" (Matt. XXI, 13), in the other: the house of purchase (Jn. II, 16), (and called him so) for the iniquities and murders of the Jews; then now, when the grace of the Spirit has forsaken them and all their holiness has been destroyed, and in the meantime, contrary to the will of God, they are performing their lawless service, what to call (their) synagogues, how can they find a name worthy of them? If (the temple) was a den of robbers even when it still contained its rule; then now, whether you call it an adulterous house, a place of iniquity, a dwelling place of demons, a fortress of the devil, a destroyer of souls, an abyss and a pit of complete destruction, or in any other way, you will not call everything as it deserves. Do you want to see the temple? Do not run to the synagogue, but be a temple yourself. God destroyed one temple in Jerusalem, and erected thousands of temples, which are far more worthy than this: "You are the temple of the living God," it is said (2 Cor. VI, 16). Adorn this house, cast out (from yourself) every evil thought, so that you may become an honorable member of Christ, that you may be a temple of the Spirit; Make others the same. When you see the poor, you do not want to pass by them; In the same way, when you see him running to the synagogue, do not let him pass, but restrain him with a word, as with a bridle, and bring him into the church. This alms is greater than that, and the profit from it is more than ten thousand talents. And what do I say to ten thousand talents? (Greater) than the entire visible world, since man is dearer than the whole world: for him were created the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the sun, and the stars. Think about the dignity of him whom you can save, and do not abandon yourself to take care of him. He who gives to the poor will satisfy hunger, but he who reformes the Judaizer will put an end to wickedness; this one will alleviate poverty, this one will stop iniquity; he will deliver the body from torment; this one will also take the soul out of hell. I showed the treasure, don't lose your profits. Here you cannot complain about poverty, you cannot refer to poverty: all the waste is in words, all the cost is in speeches. Thus let us not be lazy, but with all diligence and zeal let us ensnare our brethren, and having drawn them even against their will into our homes, let us offer them dinner, and today we will share a meal with them, so that they, having permitted fasting in our sight, and having given us sufficient testimony and assurance of their change for the better, may become the authors of eternal blessings for themselves and for us, according to the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom and with Whom be glory to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

SEVENTH WORD.

1

ARE YOU NOT ALREADY FED UP with the struggle with the Jews? Or do you want us to take up the same subject today? Though much has been said before, yet it seems to me that you wish to hear more about the same subject; for whoever is not satiated with love for Christ will never be satiated with war with His enemies. Moreover, this word (against the Jews) is necessary for us for another reason: there are still remnants of their feasts. As their trumpets were more iniquitous than those of disgrace, and their fasts more dishonorable than drunkenness and all feasting, so the tabernacles which they now build are no better than the taverns in which there are profligate women and flute-playing. And let no one consider these words to be impudence: on the contrary, it would be utter impudence and impiety to think about it otherwise. In fact, how can one not pronounce such a sentence (of the Jews) when they persist against God and resist the Holy Spirit? Spirit? This feast was once venerable, when it was celebrated according to the law and by God's command, but now it is no longer the same: all its dignity has been destroyed by the fact that it is celebrated contrary to the will of God. And yet those who most violate both the law and the ancient festivals, think of themselves that they are now the best at keeping them; whereas we revere the law most of all, who leave it alone as an old man, do not drag it in old age to the field of battle, and do not force it to fight at the wrong time. And as we have sufficiently proved before, that this is not the time of law and the ancient order of things, so today we will consider the rest. It has already been sufficiently proved, on the basis of all the prophets, that it is lawlessness and wickedness to celebrate such feasts outside of Jerusalem; For even if it were true that which (the Jews) always boast about, that is, that they would get the city again, then they could not be free from the accusation of breaking the law. But we have also fully proved that their city will never be restored and they will not again receive their (ancient) structure. And when this was proved, all the rest became evident, that is, that there could be no kind of sacrifice, neither burnt offering, nor the power of the law, nor anything else of that (ancient) institution. First, the law commanded every male to come to the temple three times a year; But this is no longer possible when the temple is destroyed. Then, he commanded that the seed-bearer, the leper, the menstruating woman (sickness), and the woman in childbirth, should offer sacrifices: and this is also not possible when there is no place and no altar. He commanded the singing of sacred songs; but we have already proved that this also is limited to the place, and that the prophets condemn (the Jews) because they read the law and made confessions outside (Jerusalem). So, if it was impossible even to read the law outside the city, then how can it be fulfilled outside the city? That is why the Lord said in a threat to them: "And I will not sit on your daughters when they commit fornication, and on your brides when they commit adultery" (Hos. IX, 14). What does this mean? I will try to explain it by reading the ancient law to you. What kind of law is this? A man, if his wife transgresses, and despises him, and a man is with her a bed of seed, and hides himself from the eyes of her husband, and there is no witness against her, and this is nothing, and a spirit of jealousy comes upon him, but she is defiled (Num. V, 1214). These words (of the law) mean this: If a wife commits adultery, and her husband suspects her of adultery, or if she does not commit adultery, but he suspects her of it, there will be no witness, no pregnancy to convict her. then let him bring her to the priest, it is said, and let him bring a gift for the nude of barley flour (Num. V, 15). Why not coarse and not wheat, but barley? Since it is a matter of trouble, accusation and suspicion of a bad deed; then the appearance of the victim was in harmony with domestic misfortune. Therefore (the law) says: Let him not pour oil on the nude, but let him put it on the nude of lebanon: Then (to put it briefly) the priest shall bring it, and take the pure water in a vessel of clay, and from the dust on the earth that is to the ground, let him pour it into the water: and let him set the wife, and bind her, and say, If thou hast transgressed defilement under thy husband, thou shalt be innocent (healthy) from the water of reproof. And if thou hast transgressed and defiled thyself, and hath no one to thy bed but thy husband, the Lord will give thee an oath and a curse among thy people. What does it mean: in oath and curse? That they will say: Oh, if only what happened to this woman had not happened to me! And when the Lord shall let thy womb be opened, and the water of the oath shall come in, and thy womb shall be parted: and the woman shall say, Be thou awake, be thou shalt. And if she is defiled, the water of reproof will bring in, and she will puff up her belly, and she will be a curse among her people. But if the woman is not defiled, the seed will be innocent and fruitful (Num. V, 15 et seq.). And so, since from the time when (the Jews) were led into captivity, none of this could be, because there was no temple, no altar, no tabernacle, no sacrifice, the Lord threatened them with these words: "I will not sit on your daughters when they keep it, and on your brides when they commit adultery" (Hos. IV, 14).

2

Видишь ли, что закон заимствует силу от места? А отсюда видно уже и то, что не может быть и священника, когда нет города. Как нельзя быть царю, когда нет ни войска, ни диадимы, ни порфиры, ни других принадлежностей царской власти; так не возможно быть и священнику, когда упразднена жертва, возбранено приношение, разрушено святилище, уничтожен весь чин (богослужения); ибо священство во всем этом и состояло. Таким образом, как я сказал выше, для доказательства, что не восстановятся ни жертвы вообще, ни всесожжения, ни прочие (жертвы) очищения, ни другое что либо из иудейского устройства, достаточно уже было показать, что храм (иерусалимский) не будет восстановлен. Ибо, как теперь, когда его нет, все уничтожено, и если что, повидимому, бывает, то делается беззаконно; так, когда словом доказано, что (храм) никогда не будет восстановлен в (прежний) свой вид, вместе с этим доказано и то, что и остальное служение не придет опять в прежнее положение, не будет (у иудеев) ни священника, ни царя. Если уже никому из племени их, даже частному человеку, не позволялось служить иноземцам, тем более самому царю не позволительно подчиняться чужим. Но так как цель нашего труда и заботы состоит не в том только, чтобы заградить уста иудеям, но и вразумить вашу любовь; то вот мы еще иначе докажешь то же самое, т. е. что их жертвы и священство прекратились, и уже не будут восстановлены в прежнее состояние. Кто говорит об этом? Дивный и великий пророк Давид. Желая показать, что одна жертва имеет быть отменена, а введется другая, он сказал так: много сотворил еси Ты, Господи Боже мой, чудеса Твоя, и помышлением Твоим несть кто уподобится Тебе. Возвестих и глаголах (Пс. XXXIX, 6). Замечай мудрость пророка. Сказав: многа сотворил еси Ты Господи Боже мой, чудеса Твоя , и изумившись чудным делам Божиим, он ничего не говорит нам ни о видимой твари,  о небе и земле, о море, воде и огне, ни о дивных чудесах, совершившихся в Египте, ни о других подобных знамениях, но что называет дивным? Жертвы и приношения не восхотел еси (ст. 7). Что говоришь, скажи мне; это ли дивно и чудно? Никак, говорит. Просвещенный свыше, он пророческими очами видел не это одно, но и обращение (к вере Христовой) язычников,  как они, преданные (ложным) богам, поклонявшиеся камням и бывшие хуже бессловесных, вдруг прозрели и познали Владыку всех, и, оставив скверное служение демонам, стали совершать чистое и бескровное служение Богу; видел еще, что не только язычники, но и иудеи, из более простодушных, оставив жертвы и всесожжения и прочие чувственные обряды, обратились к нашему любомудрию; и размыслив о неизреченном человеколюбии Божием, превосходящем всякий ум, и изумившись тому, какая произошла перемена в делах и как Бог преобразил все, как людей из демонов сделал ангелами и ввел (между ними) образ жизни достойный неба (а все это сбылось тогда, когда была отменена древняя жертва и введена другая жертва тела Христова),  изумившись и удивившись этому, (пророк) сказал: многа сотворил еси Ты, Господи Боже мой, чудеса Твоя . А (чтобы показать), что он произнес все это пророчество от лица Христова, Давид к словам: жертвы и приношения не восхотел еси , прибавил: тело же совершил ми еси , разумея тело Владычнее, общую за вселенную жертву, которая очистила наши души, разрешила грехи, уничтожила смерть, отверзла небеса, показала нам многие и великие надежды и все прочее устроила. Видя это, и Павел воскликнул так: о глубина богатства и премудрости и разума Божия! яко неиспытани судове Его и неисследовани путие Его (Римл. XI, 33). Провидя все это (Давид) и сказал: многа сотворил еси Ты Господи Боже мой, чудеса Твоя . Потом, сказав от лица Христова: всесожжений (и жертвы) о гресе не взыскал еси , он присовокупил: тогда рех: се прииду (Пс. XXXIX, 7, 8). Тогда  когда же? Когда наступит время совершеннейшего учения; ибо менее совершенному (люди) должны были научиться от рабов Его, а возвышеннейшему и превышающему природу человеческую от Самого Законодателя. Посемуто и Павел сказал: многочастне и многообразне древле Бог глаголавый отцем во пророцех, в последок дний сих глагола нам в Сыне, егоже положи наследника всем, имже и века сотвори (Евр. I, 1, 2). И Иоанн также: закон Моисеем дан бысть, благодать же и истина Иисус Христом бысть (Иоан. I, 17). Значит, величайшая заслуга закона и в том, что он приготовил природу человеческую для этого Учителя. Потом, дабы ты не подумал, будто (Христос) есть новый Бог и вводит какоенибудь новшество, вот что говорит: в главизне книжне писано есть о Мне (ст. 8). То есть, пророки издревле предвозвестили Мое пришествие, и в самом начале священных книг открыли людям познание о Моем Божестве.