Discourses on the Epistle to the Galatians

DISCOURSE ONE The Motivation for Paul to Write an Epistle. – Paul was called by Christ Himself. – The authority of the Son and the Holy Spirit is one and the same. – Resolution of the Objection of the Anomoeans. – Against the Anomaeans and Arians. – Against Judaizer Christians. – The question of whether Christians should be circumcised. – Paul's humility.

CONVERSATION 1

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy the brother, of the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints throughout Achaia: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our afflictions, that we also may be able to comfort those who are in all affliction with the consolation with which God comforts us!" (2 Corinthians 1:1-4).

1. It is proper first to consider why the Apostle adds the second to the first epistle, and why he begins it with an indication of God's mercies and consolation. So, why does he write the second epistle? For in the first he said: "I will come to you, and I will try not the words of the proud, but the power" (1 Cor. 4:19), and at the end of it again in milder words he promised the same thing, saying: "I will come to you when I have passed through Macedonia; for I am going through Macedonia. And with you, perhaps, I will live, or I will spend the winter" (1 Corinthians 16:5,6), meanwhile, after that, a long time passed, and he did not yet come, even the appointed time had already passed, and he was still gathering and delaying, being restrained by the Spirit for other things much more necessary, he therefore thought it necessary (to write) a second epistle, which would not have been necessary if he had not delayed a long time. However, this was not the only reason, but also the fact that after the first epistle the Corinthians became better. It was the one who had committed fornication, whom they had formerly applauded and was proud of, that they cut off and completely excommunicated the faithful from the Church, as is evident from the following words of the Apostle: "But if anyone has grieved, he has not grieved me, but in part, not to say much, and all of you. For such a chastisement from many is sufficient" (2 Corinthians 2:5, 6). And further, continuing his epistle, (the Apostle) again points to the same thing when he says: "For the very fact that you were grieved for God's sake, see what diligence has produced in you, what apologies, what indignation [against the guilty], what fear, what desire, what zeal, what chastisement! In all things you have shown yourselves pure in this work" (7:11). In the same way, the alms which he asked of them they began to collect with great zeal, wherefore he said: "I know your diligence, and I boast of you before the Macedonians, that Achaia has been prepared since last year" (2 Cor. 9:2). And Titus, whom the Apostle sent, they received with all favor, to which he points out again with the words: "His heart is greatly disposed towards you, at the remembrance of the obedience of all of you, as you received him with fear and trembling" (2 Corinthians 7: 15). For all these reasons, he writes the second epistle. And it was necessary that he should reproach those who had sinned then, so he should now praise those who had reformed and receive them in his favor. For this reason the whole of this Epistle is devoid of threats and reproaches, with the exception of only a few passages towards the end of the epistle, which were necessary because among the Corinthian Christians there were some of the Jews who spoke highly of themselves and condemned Paul as a boastful man who did not deserve any respect. Thus they said: "In the epistles he is strict and strong, but in private presence he is weak, and [his] speech is insignificant" (2 Cor. 10:10), that is, when he comes, he is worthless, because this (is the meaning of the words): "In his personal presence he is weak" [the coming of the body is weak]; but when you have departed, you exalt yourself highly in your epistles, which (mean the words): "In the epistles he is strict and strong" [the epistles are heavy]. And in order to show themselves worthy of respect, they pretended to be uncovetous, as the Apostle hints at with the words: "That in what they boast, they may be [the same] as we are" (2 Cor. 11:12). At the same time, having the gift of speech, they were greatly exalted by this, wherefore (the Apostle) calls himself ignorant, showing that he is not ashamed of it, and does not consider (the gift of speech) to be some great gain, but, on the contrary, counts it as nothing. And since it was natural for some of the believers (hearing such comments about the apostle) to hesitate in their trust in him, he, first praising the faithful for what they had corrected, and putting to shame the madness of the proud who demanded the observance of the Jewish rites, because it was no longer the time to fulfill them, then he reproaches them for this. This, then, seems to me to be the reason for this epistle, as anyone can see from a little reading of it. Let us now turn to the beginning of the Epistle, and examine why (the Apostle), after his usual greeting, began the Epistle by pointing to the mercies of God. First of all, we must make a remark about the very beginning, and find out why he here adds Timothy to himself, saying, "Paul, by the will of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, and Timothy a brother" (v. 1). Meanwhile, in the first epistle he promised to send him to them, and he urged them, saying: "If Timothy comes to you, see that he is safe among you" (1 Cor. 16:10). How then does he say at the beginning that he is with him? This is because (Timothy), having come to them, according to the promise of the teacher ("For this reason I have sent to you," wrote Paul, "Timothy, who will remind you of my ways in Christ" [for he sent to you, Timothy, who will remember to you my ways in Christ] – 1 Cor. 4:17), and having corrected all that had been commissioned, he turned back, since when he sent him, (the apostle) punished: "See him off in peace, that he may come to me, for I am waiting for him with the brethren" (1 Cor. 16:11).

2. And so, since (Timothy) returned to his teacher, and (the Apostle), having corrected with him what was necessary in Asia ("In Ephesus," he says, "I will abide until Pentecost" – 1 Cor. 16:8), went over again to Macedonia, it is natural that he mentions (Timothy) as already with him, because he had brought the former epistle from Asia, and the present is from Macedonia. And he put (Timothy) with him, in order to show him more respect, and to show in himself a deep humility, because although (Timothy) was inferior to him, love unites everything. That is why he everywhere equates him with himself, and says of him: "As a son to his father, he served me [as a child of a father, he worked with me]" (Philippians 2:22); then: "For he does the work of the Lord, as I do" (1 Cor. 16:10); and here he calls him "brother". Thus he represents him in all respects worthy of the respect of the Corinthians, and the more so since, as I have said, he had already been to them, and had shown the experiments of his virtues. "The Church of God which is in Corinth." (The Apostle) again calls the Corinthians the Church, wishing thereby to gather and unite all of them into one. Otherwise, there can be no one Church where its components are divided among themselves and are at enmity with each other. "With all the saints in all Achaia." With these words (the Apostle) also gives preference to the Corinthians, when through the Epistle written to them he greets all the others, and together he urges the whole Church gathered together to peace and harmony. By naming the saints, he shows that this greeting does not belong to the unclean. But why does (the Apostle), writing here to the main Church, write together with it to all the others, while he does not always do so? Thus he did not send the epistles to the Thessalonians at the same time to the Macedonians; in the same way, when he wrote to the Ephesians, he did not address all Asia at the same time; and the Epistle to the Romans is not sent together to the rest of the inhabitants of Italy. But here he does the same thing as in the epistle to the Galatians. And this epistle he sends not to one, nor to two or three cities, but to all who dwell in that country in general, when he says: "Paul the Apostle, [chosen] not by men, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead, and all the brethren who are with me are with me to the churches of Galatia: grace to you and peace" nor by man, but Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead, and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace] (Gal. 1:1-3). Likewise, he wrote one epistle to the Jews for all, not dividing them into cities. What is the reason for this? It seems to me that the reason for this was the general diseases that prevailed there. For this reason he sends a common message to all, that all demanded a general correction. After all, all the Galatians suffered from the same disease, and the Jews. I think the same about the Corinthians. And so, having gathered all together, and having made a common greeting, according to his custom, to greet all, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 2), listen to how, according to the subject he has chosen, he begins the epistle: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort" [Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies and God of all pleasures] (v. 3). But what is the conformity here, you will say, with the chosen subject? Closest. Look. The Corinthians were greatly grieved and troubled that the apostle did not come to them, although he had promised to come, but had spent all this time in Macedonia, and seemed to prefer others to them. So, with this anxiety in mind, he tells them the reason why he did not come. However, he does not immediately open it, and does not say: "I remember that I promised to come, but I have been delayed by the sorrows that have befallen me, therefore forgive me, and do not accuse me of any contempt or negligence towards you," but leads to it in another way, much more majestically and with greater conviction, trying beforehand to comfort them, so that they will no longer ask the reason, why he didn't come. And he does this in the same way as if a man, having promised to come to his friend, and having overcome very many calamities, having come, said: "Glory to Thee, O God, that Thou hast shown me my beloved friend! Blessed art Thou, O Lord, from what troubles Thou hast delivered me!" Such a doxology of the one who has come is at the same time an excuse before him who intends to accuse him, and does not allow the latter to complain about the delay of the former. He is already ashamed to summon to judgment the one who brings thanks to God for deliverance from so many evils, and to demand from him an account of his slowness. Wherefore (the Apostle), beginning his speech with the words, "Blessed be the God of mercies," points to his deliverance and deliverance from great calamities. In the same way, David does not everywhere call God in the same way, nor does he derive His names from the same attributes; but when he discusses war and victory, he says: "I will love thee, O Lord, my strength! The Lord is my stronghold" (Psalm 17:2,3); but when he remembers his deliverance from the sorrow and darkness that has overtaken his soul, he says: "The Lord is my light and my salvation" (Psalm 26:1). Sometimes He borrows His names from His love for mankind, sometimes from His righteousness, sometimes from His impartial judgment - according to the circumstances in which He found himself. In the same way, Paul here at the beginning of the Epistle calls (God) from the side of His love for mankind, saying: "The God of mercies," i.e. He who manifested such great mercies that He brought us out of the very gates of death.

3. Truly, to have mercy in this way above all is peculiar and akin to God. That is why he calls Him the God of bounties. But note here also the humility of Paul. Enduring troubles for the sake of preaching, he does not say that he is worthily saved from them by God, but for the sake of God's mercies. But he said this even more clearly below. And now, continuing his speech, he says: "He who comforts us in all tribulation" [comfort us in all tribulation]. He did not say, "Who does not allow us to fall into sorrows, but comforts us in sorrows," because this both shows the power of God and strengthens the patience of those who sorrow. "Out of tribulation," he says (in another place), "comes patience [tribulation worketh patience] (Rom. 5:3)[1]. This was also expressed by the prophet in the words: "In distress Thou didst give me space" (Psalm 4:2). He did not say, "Thou didst not suffer me to fall into tribulation," or "Thou didst immediately dispel the tribulation," but, "In the continuance of the tribulation, Thou didst spread me," that is, He gave me great coolness and rest. The same thing happened with the three youths. He did not forbid them to be cast into the furnace, and when they were cast down, He did not quench the flame; but when the furnace was blazing, he gave them coolness.

This is what God usually does. Hinting at this, Paul also says, "He who comforts us in all tribulation" (v. 4). But by this he shows something new. What is it? That God doesn't do it once, not twice, but always. Not so that he comforts now, but forsakes at another time; but always and in every time of sorrow He gives consolation. For this reason (the Apostle) said: "He who comforts," and not "he who comforts," and "in all tribulation"; not in one or the other, but "in all our afflictions, that we also may be able to comfort those who are in every affliction with that consolation with which God comforteth ourselves." Do you see how he prepares a justification for himself, reminding the listener of the great tribulation? And at the same time he humbles himself when he says that this mercy itself was shown not for the sake of his dignity, but for the sake of those who should receive edification from him. For this reason, he says, God has comforted us, that we may comfort one another. But in these same words he also makes the dignity of the apostles felt, when he shows that, having received consolation and rest, he does not give himself over to carelessness, as we do, but proceeds to excite, strengthen, and restore others. And some also give the words (of the Apostle) such a meaning that our consolation is at the same time a consolation for others. And it seems to me that here, in the form of an introduction, he also directs his speech against the false apostles, who boast in vain, sit at home and indulge in bliss. However, he does not hint at this directly, but as if in passing; his main goal was to justify himself in his slowdown. "If," he says, "we ourselves are comforted in order to comfort others also, then do not reproach us for not coming to you, because all this time we have spent on repelling the evil intentions, attacks, and various evils that are brought against us." "For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, our comfort also abounds in Christ" (v. 5). In order not to discourage his disciples by describing his misfortunes too strongly, he also shows the great riches of consolation, and thus encourages their spirits; and not only by this he encourages them, but also by reminding them of Christ, saying of his sufferings that they are the sufferings of Christ, and thus, before any other consolation, derives consolation from the sorrows themselves. Indeed, what can be more pleasant than to be a partaker of Christ, and to endure suffering for His sake? What can be equal to this consolation? And not only in this way, but also in other ways, he restores the souls of the afflicted. With what? By saying, "multiply." He did not say, "How the sufferings of Christ overtake us," but, "How they abound," showing that (the apostles) endure not only the sufferings of Christ, but even greater. We have endured, he says, not only the sufferings that He endured, but also those that abound. Christ was persecuted, persecuted, beaten, died. But we, he says, have endured more. This alone is enough for consolation. And no one suspects exaggeration here. Here he says in another place: "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I make up for what is lacking in my flesh" (Colossians 1:24). And in neither place is there impudence or self-boasting. Just as (the Apostles) performed greater signs than Christ Himself ("He that believeth on Me," says the Lord, "shall also do more than these" – John 14:12), – although He does all this, working in them – so they suffered more than He – although this again belongs to the Lord alone, Who comforted them and gave them strength to endure the evils that befell them.

4. Wherefore Paul, too, feeling himself how much he has said, see how again he softens what he has said, saying, "By Christ also our consolation abounds"; he attributes everything to the Lord, glorifying His love for mankind as well. Not only, he says, as much as we grieve, so much more we are comforted, but much more. He did not say that consolation is equal to suffering, but: "consolation abounds" [consolation abounds], so that the time of podvig is at the same time the time of new crowns. Indeed, tell me, what can be equal to how to endure scourging for Christ and be worthy of conversing with God for it, to be stronger than all, to triumph over one's persecutors, to be above the whole universe, and to expect such blessings as "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man" and the ear did not hear, and the heart of man did not ascend] (1 Cor. 2:9)? What can be equal to enduring sorrows for the sake of piety, and for this to be vouchsafed innumerable consolations from God, to receive the remission of so many sins, to be worthy of the Spirit, sanctification and justification, to fear and tremble at no one, and to be the most glorious of all in the midst of the most misfortunes? Therefore, let us not be discouraged in times of temptation. None of those who love amusement, who rest carelessly and enjoy themselves, none of those who lead a pampered and distracted life, can be a partaker of Christ. But whoever spends his life in the midst of sorrows and temptations, and walks the narrow path, is close to Him. After all, He Himself walked the same path - why He said: "The Son of Man has not where to lay His head" (Matt. 8:20).

Therefore, do not grieve if you endure sorrows, thinking to whom you partake through them, how you are purified through temptations, and what great benefit you receive from them. Truly, there is nothing grievous and sad except an offense to God. If this is not the case, then neither sorrow, nor intrigue, nor anything else can grieve the divinely wise soul. On the contrary, just as a small spark thrown into the great abyss of the sea is immediately extinguished, so any sorrow, even the greatest, when it is clung to a good conscience, is easily dispelled and immediately disappears. For this reason Paul always rejoiced, because he always struggled in matters pleasing to God, and did not even notice the great evils that befell him; although he felt sorrow as a man, he did not lose heart. In the same way, the great patriarch did not cease to rejoice, although many sorrows befell him. Look: he lost his homeland, was forced to undertake a long and arduous journey; having come to someone else's land, he did not have even an inch of property on it; here, again, hunger met him and forced him to move from one place to another; The famine was followed by the abduction of his wife, the fear of death, childlessness, war, danger, the malice of his neighbors, and finally, the greatest of all sorrows – the grievous and unbearable slaughter of the only-begotten and beloved son. He obeyed God unquestioningly; but do not think, therefore, that he bore all this indifferently. Even though he was supremely righteous, as he really was, he was still a man and subject to the infirmities of human nature. And yet nothing could slay him; He stood firm as a courageous warrior, crowning himself with a crown of victory after each temptation. In the same way, Blessed Paul, seeing the clouds of temptations that came upon him every day, in the midst of them, as in the midst of paradise, was comforted, rejoiced and rejoiced. But just as he who rejoices in this joy cannot be captivated by despondency, so, on the contrary, he who does not acquire it becomes easily perceptible to any sorrow, and suffers the same thing as the poorly armed, whom even a slight blow wounds. On the contrary, he who is well armed from everywhere conveniently repels every blow directed against him. But joy for God is stronger than any weapon, and whoever has it, nothing can bring him to despondency and faint-heartedness; on the contrary, he endures everything courageously. What can be worse than fire, what is more cruel than unceasing torment? Even if someone has lost innumerable riches, or children, or anything like that, this (fire and torment) is more intolerable than all sorrows. "Skin," it is said, "for skin, and for his life a man shall give all that he has" (Job 2:4). Thus, there is nothing more painful than torment; but joy for God and for the ear makes unbearable torments bearable and even pleasant. And if you were to remove from a tree or from a frying pan a barely breathing martyr, you would find in him such joy as it is impossible to depict. But they will say: "How can I suffer now, when the time of martyrdom has passed? What are you saying? Is the time of martyrdom now past?" It never passes, on the contrary, it is always before our eyes, if only we are awake. After all, it is not hanging only on a tree that makes a martyr. If this had been so, then Job would have been left without the crown of martyrdom. He did not stand before the judgment seat, did not hear the voice of the judge, did not see the torturer, was not shaved in the ribs, hanged and lifted up on a tree. And yet he suffered more than many martyrs; the reports of the messengers, who came one after another, struck him more than any blow and pierced him from all sides; and the mouth of worms, fiercer than a multitude of executioners from everywhere, tormented him.

5. With what martyr, then, can he not be equaled? Truly (he is equal) with innumerable many. He endured the struggle and gathered crowns from everywhere - from the loss of property, and from the death of children, and from the rotting of the body, and from the reproaches of his wife, and from friends, and from enemies, and even from his servants - because they also spat on his face - and from hunger, and from dreams, and from excruciating pain, and from the stench. That is why I said that he could be equal not to one, not to two, not to three, but to an innumerable multitude of martyrs. In addition to what has been said, time itself gives a great advantage to his crowns, because he endured these sorrows before the law and grace, he endured them for many months, and all of them in the highest degree, moreover, all these misfortunes fell upon him suddenly, while each of them in itself is intolerable, not excluding even the loss of acquisitions, which, apparently (in)more tolerable than other evils. In fact, many have suffered blows, but have not suffered the loss of property; on the contrary, they preferred to endure scourging and many other torments rather than give up some of their possessions, so that the loss of them was considered the heaviest blow to themselves. Thus, the loss of property is a kind of martyrdom for the one who bravely endures it. But how, you say, can you bravely endure such losses? You will learn this when you learn that through one word of gratitude you will gain more than you have lost. For if, when we hear of the destruction of our goods, we are not troubled, but say, "Blessed be God," we shall thereby acquire much greater riches. And indeed, it is not so much that you will benefit by spending your wealth on the poor, by going everywhere and looking for the poor, by squandering all that you have on the hungry, as you will gain by this word alone. That is why I am not so much amazed at Job, who opened his house to the poor, as I am amazed and exclaim with amazement, seeing how he endured the loss of his possessions with thanksgiving. The same can be applied to the loss of children. And here you can receive no less reward than the one who laid it on the altar and was ready to sacrifice his son, if, seeing your offspring dying, you give thanks to the humane God. In fact, what will be lower than Abraham if he does this? Abraham had not yet seen (his son) lying dead, but was only preparing for it, so that if he had the advantage in that he wanted to sacrifice (his son), he stretched out his hand and took the knife, on the other hand, he yields in that his son is already lying dead. Abraham was also encouraged by the conviction that he was performing a valiant deed, and that this glorious deed was the work of his own courage; and a voice from heaven, heard by him, inspired him to this feat; here, on the contrary, there is nothing of the kind. That is why he who sees his only-begotten son prostrate and lying in the tomb, brought up in wealth and giving good hopes, must have an adamantine soul in order to meekly endure the misfortune that has befallen him. And if such a person, having tamed his natural agitation, is able to say with Job without tears: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away" (1:21), then for this one word he will stand in line with Abraham and will be glorified together with Job. And if, having stopped the cries of women and forbidden the cries of those who mourn, he turns everyone to the praise of God, then he will receive innumerable honors both from God and from people: people will marvel at him, angels will applaud him, God will crown him with glory.

6. But how can I not cry, you say, when I am a man? (You can), if you think about the fact that both the patriarch and Job, being both men, did not experience anything of the kind, and moreover, both living before law and grace, and not yet knowing those divinely wise laws that we have; if you realize that the deceased has moved to a better country and passed to a better inheritance, and that you have not lost your son, but have only sent him to a safer dwelling. Therefore do not say, "I can no longer be called father." Why don't you be called father when your son lives? Have you lost your child? Have you ruined your son? On the contrary, you have acquired it, and possess it with greater security: by this you will not only be called a father here, but also in heaven, and not only have you not lost the name of a father, but have acquired the right to a still greater name: you will no longer be called the father of a mortal son, but of an immortal one, the father of a courageous warrior who dwells forever in the house of God. Do not think that he is already dead, if he does not stand before you. For if he were now on a journey, his bodily absence would not have terminated the bond of kinship between you. Do not fix your eyes on the face of the one lying down, for by doing so you will arouse suffering in yourself; but lift up thy thought from that which lies down to heaven. This lying corpse is not your son, but the one who flew away and ascended to an immeasurable height.

But if what you see saddens you, then say to yourself: this is a garment, and he threw it off in order to receive it again, but of greater value, this is a house, but it is destroyed in order to become lighter.

Therefore do not say that he is lost, and that he will be no more; these are the words of unbelievers; but say, He sleeps, and shall rise; he set out on his journey and will return with the King. Who says that? The one who has Christ speaking in him. "For if we believe," says (the Apostle), "that Jesus died, and rose again, and lives, then also through Jesus God will bring with Him" (1 Thess. 4:14). Therefore, if you seek a son, look for him where the King is, where the host of angels is, not in the tomb, not in the earth, so that, while he is exalted to such a height, you yourself will not remain prostrate on earth. If we are thus inquisitive, we will easily overcome any such sorrow.