But enough about this, or better to say - and even then in moderation. If it were possible to learn something useful from them, it would be necessary to study them more. And since it was only necessary to discover their shameful and ridiculous sides, we have said this more than is proper. So, leaving their fables, let us proceed to our dogmas, brought to us from above in the mouth of this fisherman; and having nothing human. Let us consider his sayings, and what we urged you to do at the beginning, that is, that you should pay careful attention to our words, we remind you of the same thing now.

So, how does the Evangelist begin his story? "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God..." (John 1:1). (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God.) Do you see in this saying all his boldness and power? How does he speak without hesitation, without conjecture, but saying everything positively? The quality of the teacher is not to hesitate in what he himself says. And if a man, desiring to instruct others, were in need of a man who could support himself, he should justly take the place not of a teacher, but of a pupil.

But if someone says: Why did the Evangelist, leaving the first Cause, immediately begin to talk to us about the second? then we refuse to talk about the first and the second. The Godhead is above the number and sequence of times: therefore we refuse to say so, but confess the Self-existent Father, and the Son begotten of the Father.

4. So, you will say; but why does (the Evangelist), having left the Father, speak of the Son? Because the Father was recognized by all, though not as Father, but as God; but they did not know the Only-begotten. That is why the Evangelist hastened immediately, at the very beginning, to offer the knowledge of Him to those who did not know Him. However, he did not keep silent about the Father in these same words. Pay attention to their spiritual meaning. He knew that people from time immemorial and first of all recognized and revered God. Therefore it is necessary to speak first (of the existence of the Son): in the beginning, and then further, he calls Him God, but not in the same way as Plato, who called the one the intellect and the other the soul. This is alien to the divine and immortal nature. It has nothing to do with us, but it is very far from communion with the creature - I mean in essence, and not in actions. That is why the evangelist called Him the Word.

Having the intention (of men) that this Word is the Only-begotten Son of God, the Evangelist, lest anyone here suppose a passionate birth, by first calling the Son the Word, he destroys all evil suspicion, showing both that He is the Son of the Father, and that He is (begotten) passionlessly. Do you see how I said that in his words about the Son he was not silent about the Father? If these explanations are not enough for a perfect understanding of this subject, do not be surprised: we are now talking about God, about Whom it is impossible to speak or think in a worthy way. That is why the Evangelist nowhere uses the expression "being" - since it is impossible to say what God is in His essence - but everywhere shows us Him only from His actions. Thus we see that this Word is called light a little later, and again this light is called life.

However, it was not for this reason alone that he called Him so; but, firstly, for this reason, and secondly, because the Word had to tell us about the Father. "… He has told you all that He has heard from My Father.' And He calls Him both light and life, because He has given us the light of knowledge, and hence life. In general, there is not a single such name, nor two, nor three or more names, which would be sufficient to express what concerns the Godhead. At the very least, it is desirable that, though by many (names), though not quite clearly, it be possible to depict His attributes. The Evangelist did not simply call Him the Word, but with the addition of a member (o), distinguishing Him from all other (beings). Do you see how it was not in vain that I said that this evangelist speaks to us from heaven? See where he immediately, at the very beginning, soaring, raised the soul and mind of his listeners. Placing her above all sensual things, above the earth, above the sea, above the sky, he raises her above the angels themselves, the cherubim and seraphim on high, above thrones, principalities, powers, and in general persuades her to ascend above all created things.

What then? Having erected on. such a height, could he stop us here? Nohow. But just as if a man standing on the seashore, and surveying the cities, shores, and harbors, were led by someone to the very middle of the sea, and thereby, of course, removed him from his former objects, yet he could not stop his gaze on anything, but only led him into the immeasurable space of vision, so the Evangelist, having raised us above all creatures, directing us to the eternity that preceded it, it leaves our gaze to linger, not allowing it to reach any end in height, since there is no end there: Reason, ascending to the beginning, examines what this beginning is. Then, when he encounters the "was" thought that always precedes him, he does not find where to stop his thought, but, straining his gaze and not being able to limit it in any way, he labors and returns to the valley again. The expression: "In the beginning was..." means nothing else but eternal and infinite being. Do you see true wisdom and divine dogmas, not such as those of the Hellenes, who presuppose times and recognize some gods as elder and others as junior?

We don't have anything like that. If God exists, as He really is, then there is nothing before Him. If He is the Creator of all things, then He is the first of all. If He is the Lord and Lord of all, then all things are after Him, both creatures and ages. I wanted to come to other considerations, but perhaps (your) thought was tired. Therefore, having offered some more instructions that may be useful to you for understanding both the discourses already offered and the future ones hereafter, I will be silent. What are these instructions? I know that many people get tired of the length of conversations. But this happens when the soul is burdened with many worldly cares. Just as the eyesight, when it is pure and clear, is sharp and not tired, easily examining the smallest objects, but as soon as some bad moisture flows down from the head (on the face), or smoke or steam rises from below, then a thick cloud is formed in front of the pupil, which does not allow even the largest objects to be seen clearly, so it usually happens in the soul. When it is purified and has no outrageous passion in it, then it keenly sees what it ought to behold. When, darkened by passions, it destroys its valor, then it becomes incapable of anything lofty, it soon grows weary and falls, inclines to sleep and sloth, loses sight of that which could contribute it to virtue and a virtuous life, and does not turn to it with zeal.

5. Therefore, so that this may not happen to you (but I will not cease to impress this upon you), strengthen your spirit, so that you may not hear the same words that Paul spoke to the believing Jews. And for them, he said, "there was much in the word, and it was difficult to convey," not because it was so in its essence, but "because," he says, "because you were made incapable of hearing" (Hebrews 5:11). The sick and infirm usually trouble himself with as brief as with a long word, and he considers clear and intelligible subjects difficult to comprehend.

But let there be nothing of the kind here; but let each one listen to the teaching, putting aside all worldly cares. When the hearer is seized by an addiction to wealth, it is impossible that he should be similarly occupied with the desire to listen to teachings, because the soul, which is one in itself, cannot contain many desires, but one desire is suppressed by another, and the soul, thus, as it were, is torn apart, becomes still weaker. Meanwhile, if any desire prevails, then everything is already turned in its favor. This usually happens with children. When someone has only one child, he loves this one exceedingly; but when he becomes the father of many children, then his disposition towards them, being divided, becomes weaker. But if this is the case where natural inclination and force prevail, and where the beloved objects are akin to each other, what can be said of voluntary disposition and infatuation, and especially when the kinds of love are directly opposed to one another? And the love of wealth is contrary to the love of teaching. Entering here, we enter heaven, not according to the place, I mean, but (according to the spiritual) disposition. After all, it is possible to stand in heaven while on earth, contemplate the objects there, and listen to the words that come from there.

Therefore, let no one bring anything earthly to heaven. No one, standing here, should be concerned with household chores. From here it would be necessary to transfer to the house and to the marketplace the benefit acquired here, and preserve it there, and not to fill this place with the cares proper to the house and the marketplace. That is why we approach the teacher's pulpit, in order to cleanse the impurities that come to us from without. If, even in the midst of this small instruction, we want to be corrupted by extraneous words or deeds, then it would be better not to begin. Let no one in church be concerned about household affairs; on the contrary, let him meditate on the subjects of church teaching in his home. Let them be preferable to us, since they belong to the soul, and those (household chores) to the body; it would be better to say that both soul and body are useful for the teachings of this world. Therefore, let them be the main thing, and all the rest a fleeting matter. They belong to both the present life and the future life, and external affairs belong to neither, if they are not arranged according to rules based on the former. Here is the only thing that can be learned, not only what we will be after this life and how we will live then, but also how to manage the present life. This house is a spiritual hospital, built in order that we may heal the wounds that we receive from the outside (in the world), and not in order to come out of here with new wounds.

If we do not heed what the Holy Spirit tells us, then not only will we not cleanse the former wounds, but we will also receive others. Let us listen with all diligence to this book, which is now being opened before us. Later, it will not take much labor (to study it) if we carefully learn its initial and basic sayings, but after working a little at the beginning, we will be able to teach others also, according to the words of Paul. The Apostle John is very lofty, abounding in many dogmas, and he talks about them more than about anything else. At the same time, let us not listen in passing. For this reason we explain (the Gospel) little by little, so that everything may be comprehensible to you, and so that nothing may escape from your memory. Let us be afraid to become guilty before the voice that said: "If I had not come and spoken to them, we would not have had sin; ... " (John 15:22). What advantage will we have over those who have not heard (the Gospel) at all, if even after hearing we go home, having nothing, but only wondering at the words that have been spoken? Let us sow in good land; give in order to motivate us still more (to sowing). If anyone has thorns in him, let him kindle the fire of the Spirit; whoever has a coarse and stubborn heart, let him make it soft and easy, using the same fire. If anyone is trampled on by all thoughts while on the way, let him enter into the innermost senses and not communicate with those who want to enter there to be plundered, and then we will see your fields fat.

If we take care of ourselves in this way, and with diligence apply ourselves to this spiritual conversation, then, although not suddenly, at least little by little, we will renounce all worldly things. Let us be attentive, lest it be said of us: "Their ears are like those of a deaf adder" (Psalm 57:5). Tell me, what is the difference between such a hearer and a beast? On the contrary, is he not more dumb than any dumb person who remains inattentive when God speaks? If to be a man consists in pleasing God, then he who does not even want to hear how to do this, what is there but a beast? Think how great this evil is, if, while Christ wishes to make us from people equal to the angels, we turn ourselves from people into beasts! To be a slave of the belly, to be possessed by a passion for wealth, to be angry, to torment, to trample others under foot, is characteristic not of people, but of beasts. However, each beast has, so to speak, its own special passion, and moreover by nature, and man, who has cast off the power of reason, who has been torn away from life according to God, gives himself over to all passions, and becomes no longer only a beast, but a kind of monster of various kinds and character, and in his very nature he no longer finds excuse for himself.

All evil comes from volition and free intentions. But let it not be that I should ever think of this about the church of Christ! We think better of you, and have the hope of salvation. But the more we are convinced of this, the more we will not abandon the precautionary suggestions, so that, having ascended to the very summit of virtues, we may attain to the promised blessings, which may we all be vouchsafed to be vouchsafed by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom and with Whom the Father and the Holy Spirit may attain to the Holy Spirit. Glory to the Spirit forever and ever. Amen.