CONVERSATION 9

"He came to his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11).

1. If you remember our former reflections, we will be more willing to continue our edification, receiving much benefit from it for ourselves. As soon as you have memorized what you have read, then our word will be more intelligible to you, and not much effort will be required from us, because you, with your curiosity, can already delve deeper into further teaching. Whoever always loses (from memory) what has been taught to him will always need a teacher and will never learn anything. And whoever keeps everything he has received and adds further (instructions) to it, he can soon become a teacher from a disciple and will be useful not only for himself, but also for others. I hope that this will be the coming meeting, and I conclude it from his great zeal for listening. Therefore, in your souls, as in a safe storehouse, we will put the silver of the Lord, and, as far as the grace of the Spirit helps, we will explain the reading offered to us today. The Evangelist, speaking of former times, said: "The world did not know Him"; further, turning his speech to the time of the sermon itself, he says: "He came to his own, and his own received Him not." "His own" here he calls the Jews, as a special people, or all people, as descended from this people. And just as above, grieving over the foolishness of many people and ashaming the general spirit (of time), he said that he did not know the Creator of the world that came through Him, so here, indignant at the ingratitude of the Jews and many others, he utters an even more grievous condemnation, saying: "His own did not receive Him," while He came to them. But not only the Evangelist, but also the prophets said the same thing with amazement, and finally, Paul, amazed at the same. Thus the prophets cried, speaking in the name of Jesus Christ: "A people whom I did not know serve me; by the mere rumor of me they obey me; foreigners caress me before me; the foreigners turn pale and tremble in their fortifications" (Psalm 17:44-46). And in another place: "So many nations will He cause to be amazed; for they shall see things which have not been spoken of them, and they shall know things which they have not heard" (Isaiah 52:15). Also, "I have made myself known to them that have not inquired about me; Those who have not sought Me have found Me" (65:1). And Paul, in the Epistle to the Romans, said, "What then? Israel did not get what they sought; but the elect received" (Romans 11:7). And in another place: "What shall we say? The Gentiles who did not seek righteousness received righteousness. But Israel, which sought the law of righteousness, did not reach the law of righteousness" (Romans 9:30,31). Truly, it is surprising how the Jews, who were brought up on the books of the prophets, who listened every day to Moses, who speaks very much about the coming of Christ, as well as to the other prophets who came after him, and finally saw Christ Himself, Who performed miracles for them every day, only conversed with them, and how He did not yet allow the disciples to "go not into the way of the Gentiles"; or to enter into any city of the Samaritans, he himself did not do this, and often said that he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, as, I say, the Jews, having received so many signs, hearing every day the prophets and Christ himself with His constant suggestions, so blinded and deafened themselves that nothing could lead them to faith in Christ.

Meanwhile, the pagans, having nothing of the kind in their possession, never having heard the divine pronouncements, even, so to speak, even in their sleep, were always occupied only with the ravings of insane people (such is the pagan philosophy), re-read the idle talk of the poets, were attached to trees and stones, and knew nothing sound and useful either in beliefs or in the rules of life; and their life was even more impure and criminal than their teaching. And how could it be otherwise, when they saw that their gods found pleasure in every vice, that they were honored with shameful words and still more shameful deeds, and received this as a feast and honor; moreover, they are honored with abominable murders and the murder of children, and in this people imitated the gods. But despite the fact that they had descended to such a depth of evil, suddenly, as if by some kind of machine, they rose to the heights and appeared to us, shining from the very top of the heavens. How did this happen and why? Listen to what Paul says about this. The blessed Apostle, carefully examining these circumstances, did not abandon them until he had found the reason and explained it to all. What is this reason? And why were the Jews so blind? Listen to what he himself says about this, he to whom this economy was entrusted. What does he say to resolve such a misunderstanding of many? "Not understanding," he says, "the righteousness of God, and striving to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:3). That is why they were subjected to such misfortune. And in another place, expounding the same thing in a different way, the Apostle says: "What shall we say? The Gentiles, who did not seek righteousness, received righteousness, righteousness from faith. But Israel, which sought the law of righteousness, did not reach the law of righteousness. Why? for [they sought] not in faith, but in the works of the law. For they have stumbled against a stumbling block" (Romans 9:30-32). This means that the unbelief of the Jews was the cause of evil for them, and unbelief came from arrogance. At first they had more than the Gentiles, namely, they received the law, had the knowledge of God, and so on, as Paul speaks. But after the coming of Christ, as soon as they saw that both they and the Gentiles were equally called to salvation by faith, and that in the matter of faith the circumcised had no advantage over the convert from the Gentiles, then they passed from pride to envy and could not endure the Lord's great and ineffable love for mankind. And this happened in them from nothing else but arrogance, anger and misanthropy.

2. What harm has this care (of the Lord) done to you, most senseless of men, done to others? Have your benefits diminished by the fact that others have participated in them? But truly anger is blind and cannot soon understand anything just. Tormented by the thought that others would share in the same rights, they turned the sword on themselves and deprived themselves of God's love for mankind. But justice demanded it. It is said: "Friend! I do not offend you, but I want to give this last one [the same] as I do to you" (Matt. 20:13,14). But they are not worth even these words. The hireling (mentioned in the Gospel), although vexed, could at least point out his labors during the whole day, the hardship, heat and sweat; What could they say? Nothing; in them there was only carelessness, intemperance, and a multitude of vices, of which all the prophets constantly denounced them, and with which they, as well as the pagans, offended God. Pointing to this, Paul said: "There is no difference" between Jew and Greek. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely according to His grace" (Romans 3:23,24). But this subject is usefully and very wisely expounded by the Apostle in a whole chapter of the Epistle. And before that, he also shows that the Jews are even more worthy of punishment: "Those who have sinned under the law," he says, "will be condemned according to the law" (Romans 2:12), i.e. the judgment is more severe, since, in addition to nature, they have the law as an accuser. And not only because of this, but also because they were the cause of blasphemy against God among the pagans. "For your sake," it is said, "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles" (Isaiah 52:5; Romans 2:22).

And so, knowing that this especially wounded them, the apostle directs everything to destroy their pride and suppress their too haughty arrogance. And see how he does this: after discourse on the Gentiles, having shown that they have no justification in anything, nor hope of salvation, and having carefully denounced also their perverse teaching and the impurity of their lives, he transfers his word to the Jews. After repeating all that the prophet said about them – that they are criminal, and deceitful, and deceitful, and that all are useless in general, and not one of them seeks God, but all have deviated, and so on – the Apostle adds: "We know that the law, if it speaks, speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth is stopped, and the whole world becomes guilty before God. For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:19,23). Why do you exalt yourself, Jew? Why do you think a lot about yourself? Your mouth is stopped, your self-confidence is destroyed, and you are subject to judgment along with the whole world, and, like others, have need of justification. Therefore, even though you were right according to the law and had much boldness before God, you should not envy those who could be pardoned and saved by God's love for mankind. It is extremely bad to be upset by the well-being of others, and especially when it is not combined with damage to yourself. If the salvation of others were to harm your well-being, you would have reason to be grieved, although even this is not characteristic of a man who has learned to be wise. But if neither the punishment of others multiplies your rewards, nor does prosperity diminish them, why do you torment yourself, only because another is saved? As I have said, you should not have been irritated by the fact that salvation had been granted to the Gentiles by grace, even though you yourself were one of the people worthy of approval. But when you, being guilty of the same thing (as a heathen) before the Lord, and having incurred His wrath upon yourself, are still vexed at the well-being of others, and think so much of yourself as if you alone had a right to the communion of grace, then you are subject more than all others to grievous torments, not only for envy and arrogance, but also for extreme recklessness. You have grown in yourself the root of all evil – arrogance. That is why one wise man said: "The beginning of sin is pride" (Sir. 10:15), i.e. the root, the source, the mother. Thus, through it, the primordial man was deprived of his blissful state; Through it, the devil who had deceived him fell from the height of his dignity. This abominable creature, learning that this sin could cast down from heaven itself, chose this path to deprive Adam of so great an honor. By puffing him up with the promise of equality with God, he thus overthrew him and threw him into the very depths of hell. Truly, nothing so alienates from the love of God and exposes to the fire of hell as the predominance of arrogance. When it is in us, then our whole life becomes impure, even if we strive in chastity, celibacy, fasting, prayers, almsgiving, and other virtues. "An abomination," it is said, "is everyone who is haughty in heart before the Lord" (Proverbs 16:5). Therefore, if we want to be pure and free from the punishment prepared for the devil, let us curb the arrogance of the spirit in ourselves, let us cut off arrogance. And that the proud must undergo the same punishment (with the devil) - listen to what Paul says about this: "He must not be of the new converts, lest he become proud and fall into condemnation with the devil" (1 Timothy 3:6). How to avoid this disaster? Let us avoid it if we reflect on our nature, on the multitude of sins, on the greatness of future torments, on the fact that everything that seems brilliant here is temporary, no better than grass and withers faster than spring flowers. If we often arouse such thoughts in ourselves and bring to mind people who have performed great feats, then the devil will not be able to easily puff us up, no matter how much he intensifies, he will not even be able to stumble us at the first steps. But may God, the God of the humble, good and merciful, Himself give you and us a contrite and humble heart. In this way, we will be able to easily accomplish all other things to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory to the Father and to the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

DISCOURSE 10

"He came to his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11).

1. God, the Lover of mankind and the Benefactor, creates all things and arranges all things, beloved, so that we may shine with virtue. And desiring that we should be pious, He calls and draws to Himself all who wish to do so, without any coercion or compulsion, but only by persuasion and benevolence. Therefore, when He came, some received Him, and others did not. He does not want to have anyone as His slave against His will or under compulsion; but He wants everyone to serve Him freely and voluntarily and to know the sweetness of serving Him. Men, having need of the service of work, bind them by the law of slavery and against their will; and God, having no need of anything, any needs similar to ours, creates everything only for the sake of our salvation, and in this He makes us our own masters. Therefore, He does not subject those who do not want to be subjected to any violence or coercion; He means only our benefit. And to be carried away to serve against one's will is the same as not to serve at all. Why, you will say, does He punish those who do not obey Him? Why does Gehenna threaten those who do not listen to His commandments? This is because, being abundantly good, He has great care for us, even when we do not obey Him, and does not depart even when we withdraw and flee from Him. And since we deviated from the original path of benevolence, that is, we did not want to follow the path of persuasion and well-being, He led us along a different path – punishment and torment – a path, of course, very difficult, but inevitable. When the first path is neglected, then it is necessary to follow the other of necessity.

Если же мы таких законодателей почитаем и любим, то не гораздо ли более должны благоговеть перед Богом и любить Его за столь великое попечение о нас? И различие между попечительностью тех и промыслом Божьим о нас – беспредельно. Подлинно, богатство благости Его неизреченно и превышает всякое разумение. Заметь же: Он "пришел к своим", не по собственной какой-либо нужде (потому что, как я сказал, Божество ни в чем не нуждается), а для благотворения своим. Несмотря на то, "свои" не приняли, но отвергли Того, Кто пришел к ним для их же пользы; мало того: изгнав Его из виноградника, убили (Лук. 20:15). И при всем том Он не преградил для них покаяния, но дал им возможность, только бы сами захотели, и после того беззакония, очистить все согрешения свои верой в Него и сравняться с теми, которые ничего такого не сделали и более других Ему любезны. А что я говорю это не без основания и не в шутку, ясное также свидетельство дают все обстоятельства блаженного Павла. Он гнал Христа, уже после распятия Его, и свидетеля Его Стефана убил руками других многих; но, когда раскаялся, осудил в себе прежние грехи, прибег к Тому, Кого гнал, Тот тотчас сопричислил его к Своим друзьям и притом первейшим, поставил его – гонителя, хулителя и оскорбителя – проповедником и учителем всей вселенной.

С этой целью он то там, то здесь упоминает о гонениях, наветах и ополчениях своих против Церкви; в одном месте говорит: "я недостоин называться Апостолом, потому что гнал церковь Божию" (1 Кор. 15:9); в другом: "Христос Иисус пришел в мир спасти грешников, из которых я первый" (1 Тим. 1:15); в третьем: "вы слышали о моем прежнем образе жизни в Иудействе, что я жестоко гнал Церковь Божию, и опустошал ее" (Галат. 1:13).

2. Таким образом, Павел, как бы в некоторое воздаяние Христу за долготерпение к нему, показывая, кого, какого враждебного и неприязненного человека (Господь) спас, с великим дерзновением возвещает о той брани, которую он вначале со всей ревностью воздвигал против Христа. Вместе с тем он внушает благие надежды и тем, которые отчаиваются в себе самих. Христос, говорит он, для того и помиловал его, чтобы в нем первом показать все долготерпение и преизобильное богатство благости Своей, в пример тем, которые после того могли уверовать в Него для жизни вечной, хотя бы и их грехи превышали всякую надежду прощения. На это именно указывая, и евангелист говорит: "пришел к своим, и свои Его не приняли". Откуда пришел все наполняющий и везде сущий? Какое место лишил Своего присутствия Тот, Кто в руке Своей держит все и над всем владычествует? Никакого места Он не оставил (как это возможно?). А совершилось это по Его снисхождению к нам. Так как Он, будучи в мире, не казался находящимся в мире, потому что неведом был, напоследок же явил Себя, благоволив облечься в нашу плоть, то это самое явление и снисхождение Его евангелист и называет пришествием. Достойно удивления, что ученик не стыдится унижения своего Учителя, но смело описывает нанесенное Ему оскорбление: и это – не маловажное доказательство его правдолюбивого духа. Впрочем, если стыдится, то надобно стыдиться за тех, которые нанесли, а не за Того, Кто претерпел оскорбление. Он тем еще более прославился, что и после такого оскорбления так промышляет о Своих оскорбителях; а они перед всеми оказались неблагодарными и презренными, потому что отвергли, как врага и неприятеля, Того, Кто пришел к ним с такими благами. Да и не тем только они повредили себе, но и тем, что не получили того, чего достигли принявшие Его. А что получили последние? "А тем, которые приняли Его, дал власть быть чадами Божиими" (ст. 12). Но для чего же ты, блаженный, не сказываешь нам и о наказании тех, которые не приняли Его, а говоришь только, что они "свои" были и "к своим" Пришедшего не приняли? А что они за это потерпят, какому наказанию подвергнутся, того ты не присовокупил. Может быть, через это ты более устрашил бы их и угрозой смягчил бы грубость их надменности.

Теперь же он говорит о неизреченных благах, дарованных принявшим Господа, и вкратце изображает эти блага следующими словами: "а тем, которые приняли Его, дал власть быть чадами Божиими". Хотя бы то были рабы или свободные, эллины или варвары, или скифы, хотя бы немудрые или мудрые, жены или мужи, дети или старцы, незнатные или знатные, богатые или бедные, начальники или простолюдины, все, говорит евангелист, удостоены одной почести. Вера и благодать Духа, устранив неравенство мирских достоинств, всем им сообщила один вид, на всех запечатлела один образ – царский. Что может сравниться с таким человеколюбием? Единородный Сын Божий не возгнушался сопричислить к лику чад – и мытарей, и волхвов, и рабов, и самых неважных людей, многих еще с поврежденными членами тела и со множеством недостатков. Такова сила веры в Него, таково величие благодати! Как огонь, проникши в землю, в которой есть металл, тотчас из нее производит золото, так и еще лучшее крещение делает омываемых им из бренных золотыми, когда Дух, на подобие огня, проникает в наши души и, попаляя в них "образ перстного", износит, как бы из горнила, "образ небесного", образ новый, светлый, блестящий. Но для чего евангелист не сказал: сотворил их чадами Божьими, а говорит: " дал власть быть чадами Божиими"? Чтобы показать, как много нужно заботливости для сохранения во всю жизнь в чистоте и неповреждении того образа усыновления, который запечатлен в нас при крещении; а вместе – чтобы показать и то, что такой власти никто не может отнять у нас, если наперед сами себя не лишим ее. Если получающие от людей в каких-либо домах полномочие имеют почти такую же силу, какую и те, которые им дали его, то тем более мы, получив от Бога такую почесть, если только не сделаем ничего недостойного этой власти, будем всех сильнее, потому что всех выше и совершеннее Тот, Кто сообщил нам такое достоинство. Еще и то хочет показать (евангелист), что благодать не иначе приходит, как только к тем, которые сами желают и заботятся о приобретении ее. Таким-то людям принадлежит область – соделываться чадами. А если сами люди предварительно не возымеют желания, то и дар не приходит, а благодать в них ничего не производит.

3. Итак, евангелист, повсюду отвергая принуждение и показывая свободу воли и самостоятельность человека, тоже самое высказал и теперь. И в этих самых тайнах одно принадлежит Богу – даровать благодать, а другое человеку – показать веру. Но затем требуется от человека еще много заботливости: для сохранения чистоты, для нас недовольно только креститься и уверовать; но, если мы желаем приобрести совершенную светлость, то должны вести достойную того жизнь. А это Бог предоставил нам самим. Таинственное возрождение и очищение наше от всех прежних грехов совершается в крещении; но пребыть в последующее время чистыми и не допускать к себе снова никакой скверны – это зависть от нашей воли и заботливости. Потому-то (евангелист) напоминает нам и о самом способе (духовного) рождения и, через сравнение его с рождением плотским, показывает его превосходство, говоря: "которые ни от крови, ни от хотения плоти, ни от хотения мужа, но от Бога родились" (ст.13). И это он сказал для того, чтобы мы, познав ничтожество и уничижение нашего первого рождения от крови и похоти плотской, постигнув напротив важность и достоинство второго рождения по благодати, возымели высокое о нем понятие, понятие, достойное этого дара от Того, Кто рождает нас таким образом, и затем со своей стороны показывали великое о нем попечение. Мы должны не мало опасаться, чтобы последующим нерадением и пороками осквернив это прекрасное одеяние, не быть нам изверженными из брачного чертога, подобно пяти юродивым девам, или подобно тому, кто не имел брачной одежды. И этот человек был также в числе гостей, и был приглашен; но, как и после приглашения и такой почести, оказал неуважение к пригласившему его, то – послушай, какой подвергается участи, бедственной и многих слез достойной. Придя для того, чтобы участвовать в светлом пире, он не только изгоняется с пира, но связанный по рукам и ногам, отводится во тьму кромешную, где предается вечному и непрестанному плачу и скрежету зубов. Итак, возлюбленные, не будем считать одну веру достаточной для спасения. Если мы не представим чистой жизни, но явимся в одеждах, неприличных блаженному нашему призванию, то ничто не спасет и нас от таких же страданий, какими подвергся тот несчастный.