2. Do not think that I can do it without difficulty; no, for me it is a podvig, abstinence and struggle with nature, which constantly rebels and strives for freedom; but I do not yield, but tame and subdue it with great effort. He says this so that no one should despair of the feats of virtue because of the difficulty of the matter; That is why it is expressed thus: "I subdue and enslave." He did not say: I destroy or cut off, because the flesh is not an enemy; but: I subdue (υπωπιαζω – I strike in the face) and enslave, which is proper for a master, and not an enemy, a teacher, and not a villain, a pestler, and not an adversary. "Lest, preaching to others, you yourself remain unworthy."

Then he moves on to other examples; And just as he had previously pointed to the apostles, to the general custom, to the priests and to himself, so here he points to the Olympic Games. And then, pointing to himself, he again turns to the events of the Old Testament. Intending to pronounce a very powerful word, he offers instruction in a general form and talks not only about the immediate ailments, but also about all the ailments of the Corinthians in general. Of outward (pagan) exploits he said, "Do you not know?" and here he says, "I do not want to leave you, brethren, in ignorance" (10:1), expressing that they had been too instructed in this. What do you not want to leave us ignorant about? "That our fathers were all under a cloud, and all passed through the sea; and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and they all drank the same spiritual drink: for they drank from the spiritual stone that followed; and the stone was Christ. But God was not pleased with many of them" (vv. 1-5). Why does he say this? To show that just as they (the Israelites) were not benefited by such gifts, so they (the Corinthians) will not benefit from baptism and participation in the spiritual sacraments, if their lives do not correspond to grace; For this reason he points to the types of baptism and the sacraments. What does it mean, "they were baptized into Moses"? Just as we, who believe in Christ and His resurrection, are baptized in order to have a share in these sacraments ourselves – and we are baptized, he says, "for the dead" (1 Corinthians 15:29), i.e. our bodies – so those, relying on Moses, i.e., seeing that he was the first to enter the sea, decided to enter there themselves. And since (the Apostle) wishes to bring the type closer to the truth, he does not express himself in this way, but also calls the type by the name of truth. Here he points to a type of baptism, and then (to a type) of the sacred meal. As you eat the body of the Lord, so they (ate) manna; As you drink blood, so they drink water from a stone. Although it was sensual, it was given spiritually, not according to the laws of nature, but by grace, and together with the body nourished the soul, disposing to faith. As for food, he added nothing, because it differed from ordinary food, not only in the manner (of obtaining), but also in essence – and it was manna – but about drinking, in which only the method of obtaining was miraculous and required explanation, after the words: "they drank the same spiritual drink," he added: "for they drank from the spiritual stone that followed"; and again: "And the stone was Christ." It was not a stone, he says, that by its nature it exuded water; otherwise he would have exuded it before; but everything was done by some other spiritual stone, i.e. Christ, Who was constantly present with them and worked all the miracles; wherefore he says, "Next." Do you see the wisdom of Paul, how he explains that Christ is the giver of both, and thus brings the type closer to the truth? He also gave, he says, those gifts, and He also offers this table; He led them through the sea, He also brought you through baptism: there He brought manna and water, and you body and blood. Such are His gifts! Let us see, then, whether He spared the Israelites when they proved unworthy of His gifts. No; wherefore he adds, "But God did not favor many of them." Though God had given them such honor, yet it did them no good, and the greater part of them perished. They all perished: but lest they (the Corinthians) should think that they too would face universal destruction, (the Apostle) said, "Many." They were innumerable; but the multitude did not help them in the least. but this did not help them either, because they themselves did not manifest works of love. Since many do not believe in the doctrine of Gehenna as an intangible and invisible object, the Apostle proves by the examples that have already been given that God punishes sinners, even though He previously poured out upon them innumerable blessings: if you, he says, do not believe in the future, then, of course, you will not treat the past with unbelief.

3. See how many blessings God has shown them: He has freed them from Egypt and slavery there, He has led them through the sea, He has sent down manna from heaven, He has poured forth new and wonderful springs of waters, He has constantly accompanied them, working miracles and protecting them everywhere; and yet, when they proved unworthy of such gifts, He did not spare them, but destroyed them all. "For they were smitten in the wilderness," says (the Apostle), showing by this expression both their sudden destruction, the sufferings and punishments sent down upon them by God, and the fact that they did not receive the rewards that awaited them. And moreover, He did not send all these things down upon them in the promised land, but outside and very far from it, punishing them with a severe punishment – by not allowing them to see the promised land, and by punishing them severely. But how, you say, does this relate to us? That's exactly what it applies to you. For this reason (the apostle) continues: "And these were types for us" (v. 6). As their gifts were types, so their punishments were types; Just as baptism and the sacramental meal were foreshadowed, so subsequent events foretold that those unworthy of the gift would be subject to punishment, so that we might learn to be more abstinent by such examples. Wherefore he adds: "That we may not lust after evil, as they were lustful." As in good deeds types preceded, and truth followed them, so it will be in punishments. Do you see how he suggests that we will not only be punished, but even more than they (the Israelites)? For if there were types, and here is truth, then the punishments must be much greater, just like the gifts. And see against whom he speaks first: against those who ate in the temples. Having said, "For we shall not be a lust of the wicked," which was true of all in general, and having shown in particular that all sin proceeds from evil lust, he first says, "Be ye not also idolaters, like some of them, of whom it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play," v. 7. Do you hear him call (the Corinthians) idolaters? However, here he only hints, and then proves it. He also presents the reason why they flocked to meals; this is voluptuousness. Having said: "That we may not lust after evil," and continuing: "Do not also be idolaters," he points out the cause of such impiety – in sensuality. "The people sat down," he says, "to eat and drink," and in consequence of that "they rose up to play." As they, he says, have come from voluptuousness to idolatry, so it is necessary to fear that for the same reason you also do not come to the same thing. Do you see how he proved that those who considered themselves perfect are more imperfect than others? He accuses them not only of not showing leniency, but also of the fact that some sin out of ignorance, and others out of sensuality, and for the destruction of the former he threatens to punish the latter, leaving the latter no opportunity to lay the blame of their sin on others, but declaring them to be the culprits of their own and others' destruction. "Let us not commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication" (v. 8). Why does he again mention fornication, of which he spoke so much before? This is how Paul usually acted: denouncing many sins, he enumerated them in order and indicated each one separately, and then, speaking of others, he also mentioned those that had been said before. God acted in the same way in the Old Testament: with every transgression He reminded the Jews of the calf and exposed this sin to them. Paul does the same here: he reminds them of this sin, and at the same time teaches them that this evil also comes from sensuality and gluttony; therefore he adds: "Let us not commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and in one day twenty-three thousand of them perished." And why does he not say what punishment befell (the Jews) for idolatry? Either because it was known and obvious, or because the punishment was not so great as under Balaam, when they served Beelphegor, being led to impiety by the Midianite women who came to their militia on the advice of Balaam. And that this was the treacherous counsel of Balaam is evident from the words of Moses, who at the end of the book of Numbers says: "Together with those who were slain, they and Balaam the son of Beor, they were slain with the sword" in the war of Midian, "and they took the spoils. And Moses was angry, and said, Why have you left all the women alive? behold, according to the advice of Balaam, they were for the children of Israel a reason for apostasy from the Lord to please Peor" (Numbers 31:8-9, 14-16). "Let us not tempt Christ, as some of them tempted and perished by serpents" (1 Corinthians 10:9).

4. Here he points out another crime, which he discusses at the end of the epistle, accusing them (the Corinthians) of disagreeing about signs, murmuring at temptations, and saying, "When will there be good things, when will there be rewards?" To correct and frighten them, he continues, "Murmur not, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer" (v. 10). One must not only suffer for Christ, but also endure everything that happens courageously and with complete pleasure; it is the crown of all; but if this does not happen, then punishment will befall those who murmur. The apostles rejoiced when they were scourged; Paul boasted of suffering. "All these things happened to them as images; but it is written for the instruction of us who have reached the last ages" (v. 11).

Again it frightens, pointing to the end, and inspires us to expect more than what was before. That we will be punished, he says, even those who do not believe in the doctrine of hell can see from what has been said; and that we shall be punished much more is evident from the fact that we have received great blessings, and that the former was only a type. If the gifts are greater, then the punishment is greater. For this reason he called the former events images, said that they were described for us, and mentioned the end in order to remind us of the end of the world. Then the punishments will not be short-lived and have a limit, but eternal. The present punishments end with the present life, the future ones will last forever. With the words: the ends of the ages, he suggests nothing else than that the Last Judgment is near. "Therefore, whoever thinks that he is standing, take heed lest he fall" (v. 12). Again he brings down the pride of those who were exalted by knowledge. If those who received so many (gifts) suffered in this way, and some were subjected to such punishment only for murmuring, others for tempting (God), because the people did not revere God, despite the fact that they had achieved such blessings, how much more will this follow with us when we are not attentive. It is well said, "thinks that he is standing": to rely on oneself does not mean to stand as one ought to stand; such a person will soon fall; and they (the Israelites), if they had not been exalted and trusted in themselves, but humbled, they would not have suffered such calamities. From this it is evident that pride in particular, and then carelessness and voluptuousness, are the sources of these evils. Therefore, if you are standing, take care not to fall. Standing here does not mean standing firm until we have escaped the waves of real life and reached a quiet haven. Therefore, do not be proud of what you are standing, but be careful not to fall. If Paul, who was the strongest of all, was also afraid, then we should be much more afraid. The Apostle said: "Therefore whosoever thinketh that he standeth, take heed lest he fall": and we cannot say even this, because we all, so to speak, have fallen, are prostrated, and lie on the ground. Who should I present as an example? Is it the one who robs every day? He lies there, having undergone a great fall. Is it a fornicator? He is thrown to the ground. Was he a drunkard? He lies down, not even feeling that he is lying. Therefore, it is not this saying that should be pronounced now, but another, said by the prophet to the Jews: "Do they not rise when they fall?" (Jeremiah 8:4). In truth, all have fallen and do not want to rise; and we should not be taught not to fall, but that those who lie down should try to rise. Let us arise, beloved, let us arise even now, and let us stand firm. How long will we lie? How long shall we revel in and indulge in many worldly wishes? And now it is opportune to say, "To whom shall I speak, and whom shall I exhort?" (Jeremiah 6:10)? Thus all have become deaf to the doctrine of virtue, and therefore have been filled with a multitude of vices! If it were possible to bare the souls, then as among the soldiers after the defeat one can see either the dead or the wounded, we would see such a (spectacle) in the Church. Therefore I exhort and beseech: let us shake hands with one another, and let us arise; After all, I am one of the wounded and in need of treatment. However, do not despair; the wounds, though severe, are not incurable. Our physician is such that we would only feel the wounds, and He, even if they were extremely dangerous, would reveal to us many paths to salvation. If you forsake anger against your neighbor, then your sins will be forgiven you: "For if you forgive people," says (the Lord), "your Father in heaven will forgive you also" (Matthew 6:14). If you give alms, then your sins will be forgiven: "Atone for your sins," says (the prophet), "by mercy" (Dan. 4:24). If you pray fervently, you will receive forgiveness: this is proved by the widow who with her persistent request bowed to the mercy of the cruel judge (Luke 18:5). If you begin to condemn yourself for your sins, you will receive consolation: "Speak your iniquities first[1], that you may be justified" (Isaiah 43:26). If you begin to grieve for them, it will be the greatest medicine for you: "I saw," says (the Lord), "that he was grieved, and walked troubled, and healed his ways" (Isaiah 57:17-18). If you generously endure the calamity that has befallen you, you will be delivered from everything, for Abraham also said to the rich man: "Lazarus has already received evil in his life, and here he is comforted" (Luke 16:25). If you show mercy to the widow, your sins will be cleansed: "Protect," says (the prophet), "the fatherless, intercede for the widow. Then come, and let us reason, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red as crimson, they shall be as white as wool" (Isaiah 1:17-18). God will not leave a trace of your wounds on you.

5. Even if we fall into such a depth of evil as the son fell into when he squandered his father's possessions and fed on husks, then, if we repent, we will certainly be saved; even if we should have a thousand talents, and then, if we fall down (to the Lord) and do not remember evil, we will receive forgiveness in everything; even if we err like a lost sheep, then (the Lord) can save us; let us only desire this, beloved, and God loves mankind. It was enough for him that the debtor of a thousand talents fell down to Him, that he who had squandered his father's possessions had just returned, that the lost sheep wished to be saved. Therefore, imagining His love for mankind, let us propitiate Him here and hasten to offer His confession before His face, so that, having departed from here unjustified, we will not be subjected to extreme punishment. If in the present life we show at least some diligence, then we will receive the greatest benefit; and if we depart from here without reforming ourselves in the least, then no matter how much we repent there, it will not benefit us. We must strive while we are still in the field; and at the end of the spectacle it is useless to weep and weep, as did the rich man, who, although he wept and wept, was in vain and in vain, because he missed the time at which he ought to have done so. However, he is not alone, but there are many rich people like him today, who do not want to despise money, but despise their souls. I am amazed when I see how often they ask God for mercy, but they are merciless to themselves, they do not spare their souls, as if it were their enemy. Let us not joke, beloved, let us not mock and deceive ourselves, asking God for mercy, but preferring money, satiety, and all the rest to this mercy. If any man were to bring to you the case of a man, and say that he, being exposed to mortal dangers, and being able to free himself from destruction with a little money, resolved rather to die than to lose any of his possessions, you would certainly consider him unworthy of any mercy or pardon. Judge yourself in the same way: we do the same, neglecting our salvation, and valuing money. How can you ask for mercy from God when you do not spare yourself and prefer money to your soul? I am extremely amazed at what deception is hidden in money, or, better, not in money, but in the souls of those who are deceived. And there are, indeed, people who laugh at this seduction. In fact, what in money can deceive us? Are they not both soulless and perishable matter? Is it not deceptive to possess them? Is it not associated with fear and danger, with murder and intrigue, with enmity and hatred, with laziness and many vices? Are they not dust and ashes? What madness! What a disease! But, you will say, it is not only necessary to condemn those infected with the disease, but to exterminate this passion. How else can it be destroyed if not by proving that it is vicious and full of innumerable evils? However, it is not easy to convince someone addicted to these children's toys. He needs to point out another opposite beauty. But, like a sick man, he cannot yet see the beauty of the incorporeal. Therefore, let us imagine bodily beauty and say to him: imagine meadows and flowers on them, which are more beautiful than any gold, more pleasant and lighter than any precious stones; imagine the transparent streams of streams and rivers that flow quietly, like oil, over the earth; Turn to the sky and look at the beauty of the sun, the splendor of the moon, the radiance of the stars. But what of it? We cannot, you say, use them as money? On the contrary, it is more than money, because its use is more necessary, and its enjoyment is more reliable; you need not fear that someone will steal it, like money, but you can always be sure of it, and without worries or worries. But if you grieve that you use them together with others, and do not possess them alone as money, then you are not devoted to money, but only to covetousness. You wouldn't love money either, if it were common to all. And so, having found that which you love, that is, covetousness, I will now show you how much it does not love you and hates you, how much it sharpens swords against you, how much it searches for abysses, how many nets it spreads, how much it prepares rapids, in order to extinguish your passion in this way. Where can this be seen from? From wars, from what is on the roads, on the seas, in the courts. For it fills the seas with blood, and often scarlets the swords of judges unjustly, and arms those who ambush the roads day and night, and makes them forget nature itself, and creates parricides and matricides, and introduces all evil into life in general.

6. That is why Paul calls (the love of money) the root (of all evil) (1 Timothy 6:10). It brings those who are loyal to it into a state no better than that of the metal-producing metals (in the mines). As these, being constantly imprisoned in darkness and bound, labor in vain, so those, hiding themselves in the caves of love of money, without any external compulsion, spontaneously subject themselves to torment and impose upon themselves insoluble bonds. Convicts (for work in the mines), at least at the onset of evening, are exempt from work; and they are digging day and night over their contemptible metals. Moreover, the measure of their hard work was determined first; and the latter do not know the limit, but the more they dig, the more they feel discontent. But these, you say, work in captivity, and the latter voluntarily? Their illness is all the more grievous because they cannot even free themselves from it without feeling disgust at their miserable condition. Like a pig in the mud, so they delight in wallowing in the filth of the love of money and suffering more severely than those condemned. And that they are really in a worse condition, listen to what condition they are in, then you will understand what condition they are in.

Do you not shudder when you hear this? Let us see if the lovers of money do not suffer more severely. Truly, their guardian is also more cruel, i.e. the love of money, the more cruel because together with the body he binds their soul; and their darkness is more terrible than that darkness, because it is not sensual, but is hidden within, and wherever they go, they carry it with them everywhere, because their spiritual eye is darkened. That is why Christ, expressing their extreme misery, says: "For if the light that is in you is darkness, what kind of darkness is it?" (Matthew 6:23). They have at least the light of the lampada; but these (lovers of money) are deprived of even such light, and therefore daily fall into thousands of abysses. Moreover, the condemned calm down at nightfall, reaching the rest common to all the unfortunates, i.e. night; and for the lovers of money this harbor is barred by covetousness; they are burdened with heavy cares at night, and with all diligence they exhaust themselves, without any external compulsion. It's happening to them here; And what is there, what word can express? There are unbearable furnaces, fiery rivers, gnashing teeth, insoluble bonds, poisonous worms, impenetrable darkness, endless torment. Let us be afraid, beloved, let us fear the source of such torments, the insatiable passion, the destruction of our salvation. It is impossible to love both silver and soul together. Let us know that money is earth and ashes, that it will leave us when we depart from here, or, better, often leave us even before our departure, causing us harm both in the future and in the present life. Even before Gehenna and the torments there, they stir up thousands of strife, produce discord and strife among us and here. In fact, nothing causes such a battle as the love of money; nothing causes poverty more than it, whether it is for the rich or for the poor, because this grievous disease is born in the souls of the poor, and increases their poverty. If the poor man turns out to be covetous, then he will be tormented not by money, but by hunger; he will not quietly use his small possessions, but will exhaust his stomach with hunger, exhaust his whole body with nakedness and cold, appear everywhere more untidy and filthy than prisoners, constantly weep and weep, as if he were the most miserable of all, although there are thousands poorer than he; if he goes to the marketplace, he will return from there with many wounds; whether he goes to the bathhouse or to the spectacle, he will receive even more wounds, not only from the spectators, but also from those acting on the stage, seeing many dissolute women shining with gold; if he sails on the sea, seeing merchants there again, ships laden with a multitude of goods, and innumerable benefits, he will hate his own life; if he goes by land, seeing the fields, dachas, hotels, baths, and imagining the income received from them, he will honor his life not with his life; if he is imprisoned at home, and there, aggravated by the wounds received in the market, he will be tormented by the soul, so that for him there remains only consolation from the sufferings that oppress him – death and the cessation of life. Not only the poor, but also the rich who have fallen into this disease can be subjected to the same thing, and all the more so in comparison with the poor, the stronger the passion in him and the greater the blindness; he will consider himself the poorest of all, and indeed he is the poorest of all. It is not by the measure of possessions, but by the disposition of the soul that riches and poverty must be judged; The poorest of all is the one who always desires more and can never stop his evil desire. And so, let us flee from the love of money, this author of poverty, the destroyer of the soul, the friend of hell, the enemy of the kingdom of heaven, the source of all evil in general; let us despise possessions, that we may make better use of possessions, and together with possessions we may receive the blessings promised to us, which may we all be vouchsafed (by the grace and love of mankind of 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.

[1] In Synod. These words are omitted

CONVERSATION 24

"Ye have come upon no other temptation than that of men; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but when you are tempted he will also give you relief, so that you may be able to endure" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

1. (The Apostle) sufficiently aroused fear in them (the Corinthians) by pointing to ancient examples and apprehension with the words: "Whosoever thinks that he stands, take heed lest he fall" (v. 12): but since they had already endured many temptations and were often subjected to them: "I was with you," he says, "in weakness, and in fear, and in great trembling" (2:3), lest they should say: "Why dost thou frighten us and warn us? We are not ignorant of calamities, we have been persecuted and persecuted, we have been subjected to manifold and frequent dangers" – he again humbles their pride and says: "No other temptation has befallen you than that of man," i.e. small, brief, moderate. He uses the human instead of the small, as for example in the words: "I speak according to the reasoning of men, because of the weakness of your flesh" (Romans 6:19). Do not be arrogant, he says, as if you have withstood the storm; you have not yet seen the danger that threatens death, and the temptation that can destroy. He says the same to the Jews: "Ye have not yet fought unto blood, fighting against sin" (Hebrews 12:4). Having frightened and inspired humility, then see how he again encourages them: "And God is faithful," he says, "who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what you are able to do." This means that there are temptations that cannot be endured. What are they? We can say everything, because the ability to endure them depends on God's help, which we acquire through our own disposition. Therefore, in order that you may be fully convinced that not only (temptations) that exceed our strength, but also human ones, we cannot endure without help from above, he adds: "But in temptation he will also give relief, so that you may be able to endure." Even moderate (temptations) we cannot, as I have said, endure by our own strength, but even in this case we have need of help (of God) in order to overcome them, and before we overcome them, to endure them. God gives both patience and speedy deliverance, so that temptation becomes bearable. This is what the Apostle means when he says: "He will also give relief, so that they may be able to endure"; he ascribes everything to Him. "Therefore, my brethren, flee from idolatry" (v. 14). Again he expresses his affection for them, calling them by their kindred name, and urges them to abandon sin as soon as possible; He did not simply say, "Leave it alone," but, "Run; and he calls the work idolatry, so that they should abandon it, not only because it causes harm to their neighbor, but also because it is in itself very disastrous. "I say unto you as prudent; judge for yourselves what I say" (v. 15). Since he has said many things and intensified the reproof, calling it idolatry, so that it may not seem that he speaks to them too harshly and reproachfully, he commits it to their judgment, and after praising them, he makes them judges: "I say to you," he says, "as prudent." One must be absolutely sure of one's own rightness in order to appoint the accused himself as a judge of the case. This also greatly encourages the hearers, when someone converses with them, not as a ruler or a lawgiver, but as a counsellor awaiting their own judgment. With the Jews, who were foolish and childishly feeble-minded, God did not converse in this way, nor did He reveal to them everywhere the reasons for the commandments, but only commanded; But here, since we are vouchsafed great freedom and are able to participate in the council, (the Apostle) converses as with friends, and says: I do not require other judges, you yourselves pronounce this judgment, I take you as judges. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ?" (v. 16). What say thou, blessed Paul? Do you wish to shame the listener and remind him of the terrible mysteries, but do you call this terrible and formidable chalice the chalice of the 6lagoslovo? Yes, he says, what has been said is not unimportant; when I say: blessing, I remember all the treasure of God's blessings and great gifts. Truly, approaching the chalice and communing, we remember the unspeakable blessings of God and all that we have received, and we thank that He has delivered the human race from error, that He has brought closer those who were far away, that He has made those who had no hope and atheists in the world His brethren and co-heirs. For this and all the like we thank Him, and thus we come on. And you, Corinthians, says, do you not do the opposite, when, blessing God that He has delivered you from idols, you again resort to their meals? "Is not the cup of blessing which we bless, a communion of the Blood of Christ?" and the meaning of his words is this: "That which is in the cup is that which proceeded from the side of the Lord: of this we partake." He called it the cup of blessing because we, holding it in our hands, glorify Him, marvel and marvel at the ineffable gift, blessing that He poured it out to deliver us from error, and not only shed it, but also gave it to all of us. Therefore, he says, if you desire blood, do not make the altar of idols scarlet with the shedding of dumb blood, but My altar with my blood. What, tell me, is more terrible than this? What is more loving?

2. This is what lovers do: when they see that those who love them desire what is not their own, and are alien to their own, they give them what is theirs, in order to distract them from what is not theirs. However, lovers show such generosity in money, in clothes, in possessions, but in blood no one ever does; but Christ also proved His solicitude and ardent love for us. In the Old Testament, when people were imperfect, He was pleased to receive the same blood that (the pagans) brought to idols, in order to turn away from idols, which also proved His ineffable love; and now He gave a more terrible and perfect sacred action, changing the sacrifice, commanding that instead of slaughtering the dumb they should offer Himself Himself. "The bread which we break, is not the communion of the Body of Christ?" Because he wanted to express something more, to show a great unity. By communing we not only become partakers and accomplices, but we are united with Christ. As the body (of Christ) is united to Christ, so we are united to Him through this bread. And why did He add: "Which we break"? Because this is done in the Eucharist; but this was not the case on the cross, but there was even the opposite: "A bone," says the Scriptures, "let it not be broken" (John 19:36). What He did not endure on the cross, He endures in an offering for you, and He causes Himself to be broken, that He may fulfill all. Further, he said: "communion of the Body": since the communicant is different from that which he partakes, he also destroys this apparently small difference. Namely, having said: "communion of the Body," he wants to express an even closer closeness and says: "There is one bread, and we many are one body" (1 Corinthians 10:17). What do I say: communion? – he continues, – we constitute His very Body. What is this bread? The Body of Christ. What do those who partake of Communion do? The Body of Christ, not many bodies, but one body. As bread, being composed of many grains, becomes one, so that although there are grains in it, they are not visible, and their difference is imperceptible because of their union, so we are united to one another and to Christ. We do not feed on one and another on another, but all on one and the same body. That is why he adds: "For we all partake of the one bread." But if we are nourished by one and all become one, why do we not show the same love, why do we not become one in this respect as well? In ancient times it was precisely so among our ancestors: "And the multitude of those who believed," says (the Scriptures), "had one heart and one soul" (Acts 4:32). And now it is not so, but quite the opposite: among all there are many different kinds of strife: we, the members, are disposed to each other worse than wild beasts. Christ has united you to Himself, who have separated yourself from Him so much; but you do not even want to be properly united with your brother, but you separate yourself from him, having been vouchsafed such love and life from the Lord. He did not merely give His body, but instead of the former flesh, which, by its nature proceeding from the earth, was mortified by sin and deprived of life, He brought, so to speak, another composition and another leaven, His flesh, which, although by nature the same, is alien to sin and full of life, and He gave it to all, so that, feeding on it and laying aside the former dead (flesh), We have prepared ourselves by means of this table for immortal life. "Look unto Israel according to the flesh: are they that eat the sacrifices, are they not partakers of the altar?" (1 Corinthians 10:18). And this is proved again from the Old Testament. And since the greatness of what was said far exceeded their conceptions, he convinces them by former and ordinary examples. And he says well, "According to the flesh," because they are according to the Spirit. And the meaning of his words is this: Learn from the crudest (examples) that those who eat of the sacrifices become partakers of the sacrifice. Do you see how he proves that those who are supposed to be perfect do not have perfect knowledge, if they do not even know that from such intercourse many people have a certain friendship with the demons, when they gradually acquire the habit of doing so? If for people the communion of salt and meals is an occasion and a sign of friendship, then the same can be true in relation to demons. Notice how he did not say of the Jews that they were partakers of God, but, "partakers of the altar," because what was offered was burned; but not so about the body of Christ, but how? The communion of the Lord's body exists, because we become partakers not of the altar, but of Christ Himself. Having said, "Partakers of the altar," and fearing that no one should think that he is speaking of idols, as if they had some power and could do harm, see how he further rejects this idea and says: "What then do I say? Is it that an idol is something, or that sacrificed to idols means something?" (v. 19).

3. I say this, he continues, and I turn you away from idols, not because they can do any harm or have any power; they are nothing; but I want you to despise them. But if he wants us to despise them, why does he turn us away from them with such effort? Because (their sacrifices) are not offered to your Lord. "But that the Gentiles, when they offer sacrifices," he says, "offer to demons, and not to God" (v. 20). Do not turn to that which is repugnant (to God). If you were a king's son, and while participating in your father's meal, you wanted to leave it and take part in the meal of criminals and prison prisoners, would your father allow it? On the contrary, he would strictly forbid it, not because this table could harm you, but because it dishonors your nobility and the royal table. In the same way, these (those who sacrifice to idols) are base slaves, criminal and condemned prisoners, kept for severe punishment and worthy of a thousand punishments. How is it that you are not ashamed, like glutton and slaves, to seek the table offered by these criminals, and to participate in what is offered? That's why I'm turning you away from it! The purpose of the sacrificers and the quality of the receivers make what is offered unclean. "But I don't want you to have fellowship with devils." Do you see the love of a caring father? Do you see how his very words express great benevolence? I do not want, he says, that you should have any fellowship with them (unbelievers). And since he spoke in the form of advice, so that one of the most stubborn should not disobey and consider himself entitled (not to do this), after the words: "But I will not: judge for yourselves," he then pronounces a decisive decision and says: "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, nor of the table of devils" (v. 21). These expressions alone are sufficient for admonition. Then he says reproachfully: "Will we [dare to] provoke the Lord to anger? Are we stronger than Him?" (v. 22). That is, do we dare to tempt Him, can He punish us, and provoke Him, going over to the side of His adversaries and standing alongside His enemies? Here he reminds us of the events of the Old Testament and the iniquities of the ancestors; therefore he also uses the same expression that Moses once used, denouncing the Jews in idolatry on behalf of God: "They," he said, "did not provoke Me to anger with God, but grieved Me with their vain things" (Deuteronomy 32:21). Do you see how strongly, how terribly he strikes them, shaking their very nerves, reducing their judgments to absurdity, and thus bringing down their pride? But why, you will say, did he not say this at the beginning, in order to reject them more quickly? Such is his custom: to confirm his teaching with many arguments, believing the strongest at the end, and thus to conquer perfectly. Thus (here) too, beginning with the lesser, he came to the most important; the latter could be accepted much more quickly after the soul of the hearers had been softened by the former arguments. "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable; all things are lawful to me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one for another" (1 Corinthians 10:23-24). Do you see his great wisdom? Since one of them could say: I am perfect, I have power over myself, I eat what is offered without harm to myself, he says: Let us suppose that you are perfect and have power over yourself; but do not look at this, but at whether your behavior does not cause any harm or any disorder. Both he expressed in the words: "Not all things are profitable, not all things edify," meaning the first about himself, and the second about his brother; The expression "not profitable" indicates his own destruction, and "does not edify" indicates the temptation of his brother. Wherefore he adds, "Let no man seek his own." This he reveals throughout the Epistle, as well as in the Epistle to the Romans, when he says: "For even Christ did not please Himself" (Romans 15:3); and again: "In the same way as I also please all in all things, seeking not my own benefit" (1 Corinthians 10:33). Nor does he elaborate on this here. Above he proved and proved at length that he never sought his own benefit, was for the Jews as a Jew, for those who had no law, as without law, he did not simply use his very freedom and power, but (sought) the benefit of all, serving all; wherefore here he is content with a few words, and ceases to speak, reminding them with these few words of all that has been said before. Knowing this, beloved, let us also take care of the brethren and observe unity with them. That great, terrible, and terrible Sacrifice urges us to do this, commanding us to approach it with perfect unanimity and ardent love, to take wings like eagles, and thus soar to heaven itself. "For where the carcass is," says the Lord, "there will the eagles be gathered" (Matt. 24:28). He calls the dead Body a corpse, because if He had not died, we would not have been resurrected; and He calls those who approach this Body eagles, and inspires them that they must be exalted, have nothing to do with the earth, not remain in the valley, and not grovel, but constantly fly up to the mountain, strive to the Sun of righteousness, and have a sharp eye of the soul. After all, this is a meal of eagles, not jackdaws. Those who worthily partake of Communion now will then meet (the Lord) coming from heaven; but (those who partake of Communion) will be unworthily subjected to destruction.