2. Moreover, this is not an unimportant dogma in the Church, but the most important thing in the matter of our salvation, and through this everything has been done and accomplished for us: death is destroyed, and sin is taken away, and the oath is destroyed, and innumerable blessings are granted to us in life. That is why Christ wanted so much that people should believe in His Incarnation, which is the root and source of innumerable blessings for us. Acting in a human way, He did not allow His divine deeds to be hidden. Thus, having withdrawn to Galilee, He continued the same thing that He had done before. He did not go to Galilee in vain, but in order to do great things with the Samaritans, and he did not arrange this simply, but with His usual wisdom, so as not to leave the Jews any pretext even for a shameless apology. Expressing this, the Evangelist adds: "And it behooved Him to pass through Samaria" (John 4:4), and thus shows that He did this as if unintentionally. The apostles did the same. As they, persecuted by the Jews, went to the Gentiles, so Christ, when the Jews expelled Him, also turned to the Gentiles, for example, for the sake of the Syrophoenician woman. The purpose was to deprive the Jews of all excuse and so that they could not say: He left us and went to the uncircumcised. In this way, His disciples, defending themselves, said: "You should have been the first to preach the word of God, but inasmuch as you reject it, and make yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46). And Christ Himself: "I am sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. 15:24), or: "It is not good to take the bread of the children and throw it to the dogs" (v. 26). When they rejected Him, they thereby opened the door to the Gentiles. However, even then He does not go to the Gentiles deliberately, but as if in passing. So, passing by, "He came to the city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the piece of land given by Jacob to his son Joseph. There was the well of Jacob" (John 4:5,6). Why does the Evangelist speak so thoroughly about this passage? In order that when you hear your wife say, "Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well" (v. 12), you do not think it strange. This was the place where Simeon and Levi, in revenge for Dinah, committed a cruel murder (Gen. 34:25).

It is not superfluous to say where the Samaritans came from, because this whole country is called Samaria. Where did the Samaritans get their name? Somor was the name of the mountain after the name of its owner, as Isaiah says: "The head of Ephraim is Samaria" (Isaiah 7:9). However, those who lived there were not called Samaritans, but Israelites. In the course of time, when they had offended God, in the reign of Pekah, Tiglath-pelaser came and took many cities, and attacked Elah, and slew him, and gave his kingdom to Hosea. Shalmaneser attacked Hosea, took other cities, made them subject to himself and imposed tribute. Hosea first yielded, then withdrew from his power and resorted to the help of the Ethiopians. The king of Assyria, having learned of this, came with an army, defeated the Israelites, and, in order to prevent new rebellions, no longer allowed them to remain in that country, but led them to Babylon and Media; and from thence he brought other tribes from various places and settled in Samaria, in order to secure his power in this country for the future, which was already occupied by the inhabitants who were already loyal to him. Then God, wishing to show His power and that He betrayed the Israelites not because they were powerless, but because of their sins, sends lions upon the barbarians, who did evil to all the people. Informed of this, the king sent a certain priest[1]) to teach them the law of God. But even then they did not completely abandon their impiety, but only partially, and only later, rejecting idols, began to worship the true God. Meanwhile, the Jews, who had finally returned from captivity, hated them as foreigners and their enemies, and by the name of the mountain they began to call them Samaritans. Not a small enmity with them among the Jews also arose from the fact that the Samaritans did not accept all the books of the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures, but only the books of Moses, and did not attach much importance to the prophets. They, on their part, tried to make themselves equal in nobility of birth with the Jews, boasted of their descent from Abraham and considered him their ancestor, since he came from Chaldea, and Jacob, as his descendant, was called their father. But the Jews abhorred them, as they did all other nations; For this reason they also blasphemed Christ in the name of a Samaritan, when they said: "That thou art a Samaritan, and that a demon is in thee" (John 8:48). For the same reason, Christ in the parable of the one who went from Jerusalem to Jericho introduces a Samaritan, "who showed him mercy" (Luke 10:37) - a man, in the opinion of the Jews, low, contemptible, vile; likewise, among the ten lepers, he calls one a foreigner (and this was a Samaritan); and He Himself commanded His disciples: "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and enter not into the city of the Samaritans" (Matt. 10:5).

3. But the Evangelist reminded us of James, not only in order to mark the history of the country, but at the same time to show the loss of this place to the Jews, which had long since come to pass, since already in the time of their forefathers the pagans possessed this place in their place. What their forefathers possessed, although it was not their property, they lost through negligence and iniquity, although it was already their property. Thus, there is no benefit in coming from good ancestors when the descendants are not like them. The barbarians, in order only to avoid a greater calamity, immediately turned to Jewish worship; but the Jews, even having suffered so many punishments, did not understand. And so, Christ came to this country, who always rejected a pampered and capricious life, and led a life of great difficulty and constraint. He did not eat foul animals, but He Himself traveled so hastily that He was tired of the journey. And in any case, He inspires us to do everything ourselves, not to have excess in anything and not to demand much. He wishes us to be so devoid of all excess, so that we can reduce much in the most necessary things, and therefore He said: "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has not where to lay His head" (Matt. 8:20). In this way, He spent His time very often in the mountains and in the deserts, not only during the day but also at night. Announcing this, David also said: "Of the stream on the way he shall drink" (Psalm 109:7), showing the simplicity of His way of life. John also shows here: "There was the well of Jacob. Jesus, having labored from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about six o'clock. A woman comes from Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." For his disciples went away into the city to buy food" (John 4:6-8). From this we learn how intensified His journeys were, how He did not care about His sustenance, and only in passing engaged in this matter. Thus His disciples also learned to satisfy their needs: they did not carry travel provisions with them. This is also pointed out by another Evangelist, who says that when Christ spoke about the leaven of the Pharisees, the disciples thought that they had not brought loaves of bread with them. When Christ brought with Him His disciples who hungered, plucked and ate ears of grain, and when it is said that He Himself, feeling hungry, came to the fig tree, He teaches us nothing else, how to despise the belly and not consider it worthy of care. See here also: they have brought nothing with them, and yet, not having food with them, they did not take care of it beforehand, or from the beginning of the day, but went to buy it at the time at which everyone usually eats dinner. And we, as soon as we get up from the bed, take care of this before all other things, call the cooks and servants of the meal, and with great care give them orders; and after that we proceed to other things, always taking care of worldly things, especially before spiritual things, and that which should be considered superfluous, recognizing as necessary. So everything is done wrong with us. In the meantime, one should pay all attention to spiritual affairs and, having already completed them, take up the things of life.

Further, from this we can see not only Christ's patience in labor, but also the avoidance of pomp. Not only did He grow weary and sit down on the way, but He was left alone, and His disciples departed. Of course, if He had wished, He could either not have sent all the disciples, or, after they had been removed, He could have had other ministers with Him; but He did not want this; and in this way he taught his disciples to despise all pomp. What is important, someone will say, that they lived modestly, being fishermen and skin-makers? True, they were fishermen and skin-makers, but they suddenly soared to the heights of heaven, and became more important than all kings, being vouchsafed to be the interlocutors of the Lord of the universe and to follow this wondrous Teacher everywhere. You also know that people of low fortune who attain honors are more easily carried away by arrogance, using honors in an ignoble way. Thus, Christ, wishing to strengthen His disciples in unfailing humility, taught them to moderate themselves in everything and under no circumstances to demand altar boys. He Himself, as the Evangelist says, "having labored from the way, sat down by the well." Do you see that He sat down because of fatigue and heat, and to wait for the disciples? He knew what was going to happen among the Samaritans; but he did not come here mainly for that. And although He did not come for this, He did not need to drive away the woman who had come, who had shown so much zeal for His teaching. The Jews persecuted Him, while He had come to them, and the Gentiles drew Him to themselves even when He went to other places. They hated Him, but these believed in Him; they were indignant, and these were amazed and worshipped Him. What then? Was it necessary to neglect the salvation of so many people and leave such sincere zeal unattended? This was unworthy of His love for mankind. For this reason He arranges everything in the present case with His proper wisdom. He sits down to rest the body and cool down at the spring. It was very noon, which is what the Evangelist means with the words: "He sat down by the well, it was about the sixth hour." What do you mean? That is, he sat not on the throne, not with the head, but simply, as happened on earth. "A woman comes from Samaria to draw water."

4. See, as the Evangelist shows, that the woman also left the city for another purpose, blocking every pretext for the shameless rebuke of the Jews, lest anyone should say that He contradicted His own commandment, commanding the disciples, "Do not enter into the city of the Samaritans," and meanwhile conversing with the Samaritans himself. For this he also adds that "His disciples went out into the city to buy food," thus representing many reasons for His conversation with his wife. What about the wife? Hearing His words: "Give Me a drink," she very intelligently turns Christ's words into a reason for the question: "How do you, being a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, to drink? for the Jews have no fellowship with the Samaritans" (John 4:9). Why did she think He was a Jew? Maybe I recognized it by clothes or by adverb. But notice how cautious the wife is. If it was to be avoided, it was Jesus, not her; according to her, it is not the Samaritans who are alienated from the Jews, and the Jews do not draw near to the Samaritans; but the wife, being herself free from this reproach, and thinking that the other was being subjected to it, did not remain silent, but corrected the matter, which, in her opinion, was not in accordance with the law. Perhaps someone will wonder how Jesus asked her for a drink when the law did not allow it? And if He foresaw that she would not give Him a drink, then it was not necessary to ask. What can I say to this? The fact that for Him Himself the violation of such customs was an indifferent matter. Whoever led others to violate the Jewish rules, how much more could He himself violate them. "It is not that which enters into the mouth," He said, "that defiles a man, but that which proceeds out of the mouth that defiles a man" (Matt. 15:11). Meanwhile, His conversation with His wife could have been no small condemnation for the Jews, because He repeatedly drew them to Himself both in word and deed, but they did not follow Him. And look how your wife is carried away by a simple question. He Himself did not enter upon this work, on this path[2]), but did not hinder if anyone turned to Him. Although He said to His disciples: "Do not enter into the city of the Samaritans," He did not command them to drive away those who came. This would be too unworthy of His love for mankind. That is why He answers the woman and says: "If you knew the gift of God, and Who says to you, Give me a drink, then you yourself would ask Him, and He would give you living water" (John 4:10). First of all, it shows that it is worthy to listen to Him, and not to be rejected, and only then reveals Itself; but she, as soon as she knew who He was, was ready to obey and listen to Him, which cannot be said of the Jews. They, even recognized Him, did not ask Him anything, had no desire to learn anything useful from Him; on the contrary, they reproached Him and drove Him away from them. But when the woman hears His words, see with what meekness she answers Him: "Lord! you have nothing to draw with, but the well is deep; whence then hast thou living water" (v. 11)? Now it is clear that Christ has already turned her away from the low concept of Him, from the idea that He is one of the ordinary people. She does not just call Him Lord, but as a sign of special respect for Him. And that she said this out of respect is evident from the subsequent conversation. She is not joking, not mocking, but only perplexed. And don't be surprised that she didn't understand everything soon. After all, Nicodemus did not understand either. What did he say? "How can this be"? "How can a man be born when he is old" (v. 4)? And again: "Can he enter into his mother's womb another time and be born"? But the wife speaks with greater modesty. "Sir! you have nothing to draw with, but the well is deep; whence then hast thou living water" (John 4:11)? Christ says one thing to her, and she understands another. Hearing nothing more from Him than the words spoken, she could not think of anything sublime, although she could boldly say to Him: "If Thou hadst living water, Thou wouldst not ask me for water, but would have given it to Thyself first; but now Thou art only vain. But she said nothing of the kind, and both at first and afterwards she answered Him with great modesty. First she says, "How can you, being a Jew, ask me to drink"? And she does not speak as if she were talking to a foreigner and an enemy: "It is not so that I give water to such a person – an enemy and a stranger to our race!" And then, listening to His lofty words about Himself, which especially irritates her enemies, she does not laugh, does not blaspheme Him, but what does she say? "Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well, and drank of it, and his children, and his cattle" (v. 12)? Do you see how she introduces herself into the eminent family of the Jews? Its words mean this: Jacob used this water and did not have any other better water himself, and did not give it to us. In this way she showed that from the very first answer she had a lofty and lofty thought of Him, because the words: "He himself drank of it, and his children, and his cattle" give us no other meaning than that she had the thought of better water, but she had not yet found it and did not know it well. But if we express more clearly what she wanted to say, it will be like this: You cannot say that Jacob, who gave us this spring, himself used another, because both he and his children drank from it; and they would not drink from here if they had had another water, a better one. You cannot get even this water; but it is not possible for Thee to have another better one; unless you acknowledge Yourself to be greater than Jacob. Where do you get the water that you promise to give us (John 7:38)? The Jews did not speak to Him so modestly, although with them He conversed on the same subject and reminded them of such water. But they did not gain any benefit for themselves from this. And when He mentioned Abraham, they even plotted to stone Him (8:56,59). But this is not how the woman treats Him, but with great meekness, in the midst of the noonday heat, she speaks and listens to everything with patience, and does not think, like the Jews, to say: "He is possessed by a demon and is mad" (10:20), he keeps me at the spring, giving me nothing, but only boasting in words. She listens patiently, waiting to find what she wants.

5.

But the Jews not only did not call others, but also hindered and did not allow those who wished to come to Him. Wherefore they said, "Did any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believe in Him? But this people is ignorant of the law, they are cursed" (John 7:48). Let us, therefore, imitate the Samaritan woman; let us converse with Christ. Even now He stands among us, and speaks to us through the prophets and through His disciples. Let us listen and obey. How long shall we live in vain, in vain? Not to do what is pleasing to God really means to live in vain, or better, not only in vain, but also to one's own detriment. If we do not use the time given to us for any useful work, then, having departed from here, we will be subjected to the greatest punishment for the loss of time. If he who receives money for trade and then spends it is held accountable to those who entrusted it to him, will he not be punished who has wasted this life in vain? God did not bring us into the present life and breathe in the soul so that we would use only the present, but in order that we might do everything for the life to come; Only the dumb are created for one real life. And we have an immortal soul in order to fully prepare ourselves for that life. If anyone asks what is the purpose of horses, donkeys, bulls, and other animals, we will say that there is no other purpose than to serve us in this life. And this cannot be said of us; there is a better state for us after departing from here; and we must do everything in such a way that we may shine there, rejoice with the angels, stand before the King, always, unto endless ages. For this reason our soul was created immortal, and the body will be immortal, so that we may enjoy infinite blessings. But if you nail yourself to the ground, when heavenly blessings are offered to you, then consider what an insult this is to Him who gives them. He offers you the heavens, and you, not dearing it too much, prefer the earth. Therefore, as one who has been offended, He threatens with hell, so that you may know from this what blessings you deprive yourself of. But may we not be subjected to this punishment, but, having pleased Christ, may we be vouchsafed eternal blessings, through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

[1] Hebrew

[2] Of course, the conversion of the Gentiles.

БЕСЕДА 32

"Иисус сказал ей в ответ: всякий, пьющий воду сию, возжаждет опять, а кто будет пить воду, которую Я дам ему, тот не будет жаждать вовек; но вода, которую Я дам ему, сделается в нем источником воды, текущей в жизнь вечную" (Иоан.4:13,14).

1. Благодать Святого Духа в Писании называется иногда огнем, иногда водою, и это показывает, что такие наименования выражают не существо Его, а только действие, потому что Дух как существо невидимое однородное, не состоит из различных сущностей. Так огнем называет Его Иоанн, говоря: "Он будет крестить вас Духом Святым и огнем" (Матф.3:11), а водою именует Христос: "у того из чрева потекут реки воды живой. Сие сказал Он о Духе, Которого имели принять" (Иоан.7:38,39). Так и беседуя с женою, водою называет Духа: "кто будет пить воду, которую Я дам ему, тот не будет жаждать вовек". Называется же Дух огнем – для означения теплоты благодати, которую Он возбуждает, и истребления грехов; а водою – для выражения чистоты и обновления, сообщаемого от Него душам, приемлющим Его. И справедливо. Как некий сад, цветущий различными, плодоносными и вечно зеленеющими деревьями, Он уготовляет ревностную душу, не допуская в ней ощущений ни печали, ни наветов сатаны, но легко угашая разженные стрелы лукавого. Но заметь мудрость Христа, как Он мало-помалу возводит жену. Он не сказал ей с самого начала: "если бы ты знала Кто говорит тебе: дай Мне пить"; но когда подал ей повод назвать Его иудеем и вызвал на упрек, тогда, отражая укоризну, сказа это. Сказав еще: "если бы ты знала Кто говорит тебе: дай Мне пить, то ты сама просила бы у Него", и обещанием чего-то великого заставив вспомнить о праотце, Он таким образом дает жене прозреть. Потом, когда она возразила: "неужели ты больше отца нашего Иакова", – Он не сказал: да, Я больше его, потому что это могло бы показаться ей одним тщеславием, когда еще не видно было на то доказательства; но Он приготовляет ее к этому именно тем, что говорит. Он не просто говорит: Я дам тебе воду; но сперва показывает недостаточность воды Иакова, а потом уже возвышает значение Своей воды, желая из свойства самых даров показать расстояние и разность между лицами дарующими и Свое превосходство пред Иаковом. Если ты удивляешься, как бы так говорил Христос, Иакову, что он дал эту воду, то что скажешь, если Я дам тебе еще лучшую? Ты уже предварила Меня исповеданием, что больше Иакова, когда возразила Мне: неужели Ты больше отца нашего Иакова, что обещаешь дать лучшую воду; а кода получишь эту воду то уже вполне признаешь Меня большим его. Видишь ли безпристрастное суждение жены, которая произносит суд о праотце и о Христе по делам их? Но не так поступали иудеи. Даже видя, что Он бесов изгоняет, они не только не считали Его выше праотца, но еще называли беснующимся. А жена именно на том основывает свое суждение, на чем хочет Христос, т.е. на доказательстве из Его дел, потому что и сам Он на этом основывал приговор о Себе, говоря так: "если Я не творю дел Отца Моего, не верьте Мне; а если творю, то, когда не верите Мне, верьте делам Моим" (Иоан.10:37,38). Таким точно путем и жена приходит к вере. Поэтому Христос, услышав слова ее: "неужели ты больше отца нашего Иакова", и оставив речь об Иакове, беседует о воде: "всякий, пьющий воду сию", говорит Он, "возжаждет опять" (Иоан.4:13), и делает такое сравнение той и другой воды, не охуждая одну, а только показывая превосходство другой. Не говорит, что та вода ничтожна, ничего не значит и достойна презрения; а утверждает то, о чем свидетельствует и самое существо той воды: "всякий, пьющий воду сию, возжаждет опять, а кто будет пить воду, которую Я дам ему, тот не будет жаждать вовек"(Иоан.4:13,14). О воде живой жена слышала еще прежде того, но не понимала; а так как "живою" водою обыкновенно называется непрерывно текущая и бьющая ключом из неизсякающих родников, то жена думала, что и здесь говорится об этой воде. Поэтому, еще яснее представляя ей то, о чем говорит, и из сравнения показывая превосходство одной воды перед другой, Христос присовокупляет: "а кто будет пить воду, которую Я дам ему, тот не будет жаждать вовек". Этими, равно и последующими словами, как я говорю, Он доказывает превосходство воды духовной, потому что вода чувственная не имеет в себе ничего подобного. Какие же последующие слова? "Вода, которую Я дам ему, сделается в нем источником воды, текущей в жизнь вечную" (ст.14). Как имеющий внутри себя сокровенный источник никогда не стал бы томиться жаждой, так и имеющий эту воду. И жена тотчас уверовала, показав себя разумнее Никодима, и не только разумнее, но и мужественнее. Он, услышав много подобного, никого не призвал ко Христу, да и сам оставался в нерешимости, а она совершает дело апостольское, всем благовествуя, призывая к Иисусу, и целый город увлекает к Нему. Никодим, услышав слова Спасителя, сказал: "как это может быть" (Иоан.3:9)? Даже когда Христос показал ему ясный пример от ветра, и тогда Никодим не принял слова Его. А жена не так; сначала она недоумевает, но потом, принимая слово Христово без предубеждения, а как прямую истину, тотчас склоняется к вере. Как только сказал Христос: "вода, которую Я дам ему, сделается в нем источником воды, текущей в жизнь вечную", жена тотчас говорит: "господин! дай мне этой воды, чтобы мне не иметь жажды и не приходить сюда черпать" (ст.15).

2. Видишь ли, как она мало-помалу восходит на высоту догматов? Сначала она почитала Христа за иудея, преступающего свой закон; потом, когда Он опроверг это обвинение (потому что лицу. Имевшему сообщить ей такое учение, не следовало оставаться в подозрении), она, услышав о воде живой, подумала, что Он говорит о чувственной воде. Далее, узнав, что слова Его имеют духовный смысл, она верит, что эта вода может уничтожить чувство жажды, а только не знала, что это за вода, и еще недоумевала, считая ее конечно выше воды чувственной, но не имея о ней ясного понятия. Наконец, прозрев точнее в этот предмет, однако еще не все выразумев, "господин, говорит, "дай мне этой воды, чтобы мне не иметь жажды и не приходить сюда черпать" (ст.15), – она уже предпочитает Христа Иакову. Не буду, говорит, иметь нужды в этом источнике, если получу от Тебя ту воду. Видишь, как она отдает Ему преимущество перед праотцем? Вот душа благомыслящая. Она показала, какое высокое мнение имеет о Иакове; но увидела высшего, и уже не удерживается прежним мнением. Итак, это была жена не легкомысленная (потому что не просто принимает слова; да и как это можно сказать, когда она с таким тщанием испытывала их?), неупорная и неспорливая: это она показала самою своею просьбою. Некогда и иудеям говорил Христос: "Я есмь хлеб жизни; приходящий ко Мне не будет алкать, и верующий в Меня не будет жаждать никогда" (Иоан.6:35); но они не только не верили, но и соблазнялись. Жена напротив не впадает в этот недуг, а настаивает и просит. Иудеям Он говорил: "верующий в Меня не будет жаждать никогда", жене же говорит более чувственным образом: "кто будет пить воду, которую Я дам ему, тот не будет жаждать вовек". Обетование относилось к духовным предметам, а не к видимым, поэтому, возвышая ее ум обетованиями, останавливается еще на чувственных изображениях, потому что она не могла еще в точности постигать духовных предметов. Если бы Он сказал: уверуй в Меня – и ты не вжаждешь, то она не поняла бы сказанного, еще не зная, кто беседует с нею и о какой жажде говорит Он. Почему же Он не поступал так с иудеями? Потому что они уже видели много чудес; а жена еще не видела ни одного знамения и только в первый раз слышала такие слова. Поэтому-то Он открывает ей силу через свое прозрение; впрочем не тотчас и обличает ее, а что говорит? "Пойди, позови мужа твоего и приди сюда. Женщина сказала в ответ: у меня нет мужа. Иисус говорит ей: правду ты сказала, что у тебя нет мужа, ибо у тебя было пять мужей, и тот, которого ныне имеешь, не муж тебе; это справедливо ты сказала. Женщина говорит Ему: Господи! вижу, что Ты пророк" (Иоан.4:16-19).

Какое однако любомудрие в этой жене! С какою кротостью она принимает обличение! Почему же ей и не принять, – скажешь ты? Но скажи мне: не часто ли и еще сильнее обличал Он и иудеев? Не одно ведь и тоже – открывать сокровенные мысли и обнаруживать тайные дела. Первое свойственно одному Богу: мыслей никто не знает кроме Того, кто их имеет; а дела бывают известны всем соучастникам в них. Но иудеи не переносили с кротостью обличений, а когда Христос сказал: "за что ищете убить Меня" (Иоан.7:19), – они не только не удивлялись подобно жене, но еще хулят Его и злословят; они имели доказательства и в других знамениях, а жена только это одно услышала; но они не только не дивились, а и поносили Его, говоря: "не бес ли в Тебе? кто ищет убить Тебя". Она же не только не укоряет Его, но удивляется, приходит в изумление и заключает, что Он пророк, хотя обличение жены было сильнее обличения их. Обличенный в ней грех был грех ее одной, а в них обличаемы были общие грехи; но мы не так терзаемся обличением грехов общих, как наших частных. Притом иудеи думали, что сделают великое дело, если убьют Христа; а дело жены все признавали худым. Не смотря на все это, она не досадует, а изумляется и удивляется. Точно также Христос сделал с Нафанаилом; не вдруг показал свое прозрение, не тотчас сказал: "когда ты был под смоковницею, Я видел тебя", но тогда уже, кода тот спросил: "почему Ты знаешь меня" (Иоан.1:48)? Христос желал, чтобы и проречения Его и чудеса получали свое начало от тех, которые приходят к Нему, и для того, чтобы таким образом более их сблизить с Собою, и для того, чтобы самому избежать подозрения в тщеславии. Так Он делает и здесь. Предупреждать жену обличением, что она не имеет мужа, – это могло показаться тягостным и неуместным; но сделать обличение, получив от ее самой к тому повод, это и весьма уместно было, и побуждало ее саму с большей кротостью выслушать обличение. Но какая, скажешь ты, последовательность в словах: "пойди, позови мужа твоего"? Речь была о даре благодати, превышающей человеческое естество, жена настоятельно желала получить этот дар; вот Он и говорит: "пойди, позови мужа твоего", как бы показывая этим, что и муж должен иметь участие в даре. Жена, спеша получить и скрывая постыдные свои дела, притом же думая, что беседует с простым человеком, говорит: "у меня нет мужа". Услышав это, Христос уже благовременно теперь вводит в Свою беседу обличение, с точностью высказывая то и другое: Он и всех прежних мужей перечисляет и обнаруживает того, которого она в то время скрывала. Что же жена? Не досадует, не бежит от Него, и не считает этого обстоятельства причиною к негодованию на Него, но еще более удивляется Ему, еще более оказывает твердости. "Вижу", говорит, "что Ты пророк". Заметь ее благоразумие. И после того она не тотчас покоряется Ему; но еще размышляет и удивляется. Слово ее – "вижу" значит: мне кажется, что Ты пророк. Но как только возымела о Нем такое понятие, уже ни о чем житейском не спрашивает Его: ни о телесном здравии, ни об имении или богатстве, но тотчас – о догматах. Что она говорит? "Отцы наши поклонялись на этой горе", разумея Авраама и его детей; здесь, как сказывают, он приносил в жертву сына своего; "а вы говорите, что место, где должно поклоняться, находится в Иерусалиме" (Иоан.4:20).