DISCOURSE TWENTY-THREE to Rom. 13:1. On obedience. - How to love God.

DISCOURSE TWENTY-FOUR to Rom. 13:11. Wine inflames lust and anger. - How to arrange feasts.

DISCOURSE TWENTY-FIVE to Rom. 14:1-2. On the eating of food. - Why does God punish some and not others?

DISCOURSE TWENTY-SIX to Rom. 14:14. The true cause of defilement. - The power of good or bad example.

DISCOURSE TWENTY-SEVEN to Rom. 14:24-26. Faith requires obedience, not investigation. - You need to love your enemies.

DISCOURSE TWENTY-EIGHT to Rom. 15:8. On Calling and Salvation.

DISCOURSE TWENTY-NINTH to Rom. 15:14. Humility of Ap. Paul. - Examples of philanthropy.

DISCOURSE THIRTIETH to Rom. 15:25-27. Praise of Priscilla. - Priscilla is a model for us. - You need to read the Epistle of St. Paul. Paul and other priests. Books.

DISCOURSE THIRTY-ONE to Rom. 16:5. The works of Ap. Paul. - In what place will hell be?

DISCOURSE THIRTY-TWO to Rom. 16:17-18. The leniency of the admonitions of St. Paul. Paul. - Disagreement in dogmas. - The inseparability of prayer from deeds.

PREFACE.

1. Constantly listening to the reading of the Epistles of Blessed Paul, every week twice, and often three and four times, when we celebrate the memory of the holy martyrs, I rejoice, enjoy the spiritual trumpet, admire and burn with desire, recognizing the voice dear to me, and it almost seems to me that it has appeared and is present before me, and I see it conversing. But, on the other hand, I grieve and lament that not everyone knows this man as they should, and some are so ignorant that they do not clearly know the number of his epistles. And this happens not because of a lack of teaching, but because they do not want to constantly converse with this blessed one. And what we know (if we really know anything) we have understood not with the help of natural ability and sharpness of mind, but because we were constantly near this man and zealously devoted to him. Those who love know the deeds of their loved ones more than anyone else, because they truly care about them. And Blessed Paul, showing this, said to the Philippians: "As I ought to think of you all, for I have you in my heart in my bonds, in the defense and establishment of the gospel, you all, as partakers of my grace" (Philippians 1:7). In this way, if you wish to listen to the reading with diligence, you will need nothing else, because the word of Christ is not false, Who said: "Seek, and you will find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matt. 7:7). But since the greater part of those who are gathered here have taken upon themselves the care of the education of the children and of the wife, and the care of the house, and consequently cannot consent to devote themselves wholly to this work, at least try to accept what others have gathered, and pay the same great attention to the hearing of what is said here. as well as the gathering of possessions. True, although it is shameful to demand only this from you, it will be pleasant if you do not refuse it.

For from this, from ignorance of the Scriptures, came innumerable calamities: from here arose the great contagion of heresies, from whence the negligent life, the useless labors. Just as those who are deprived of this light cannot walk straight, so those who do not look at the ray of the divine Scripture are forced to sin much and often, since they truly walk in the deepest darkness. Whatever this may be, let us open our eyes to the radiance of the apostolic words; for the tongue of the Apostle Paul shone brighter than the sun, he surpassed all others in the word of teaching, and received the abundant grace of the Spirit, because he labored more than others. And I affirm this not only on the basis of epistles, but also on the basis of deeds. If there was a convenient opportunity for preaching anywhere, everywhere they were given to him; therefore even unbelievers called this apostle Hermes - for perfection in the word. Those who intend to begin this epistle must also be told about the time in which it was written. Contrary to the opinion of many, it is not the first of all the other epistles, but, being composed before those written from Rome, it is later than the others, though not all. Thus, both epistles to the Corinthians were sent before this. And this is evident from what he wrote at the end of the epistle, saying the following: "Now I go up to Jerusalem to minister to the saints, for Macedonia and Achaia are zealous with some alms for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem" (Romans 15:25-26). And in the Epistle to the Corinthians, speaking of those who were going to bring alms to Jerusalem, he wrote: "And if it be fitting for me also to go, they will go with me" (1 Corinthians 16:4). From this it can be seen that when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, his journey was still doubtful, but when he wrote to the Romans, it was already decided. If we agree with this, we must conclude that the Epistle to the Romans was written after the Epistle to the Corinthians. And, in my opinion, the Epistle to the Thessalonians was written before the Epistle to the Corinthians. Having previously written his epistle to the former, he spoke of almsgiving as follows: "There is no need to write to you about brotherly love; for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for you do this to all your brethren" (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10). And then he wrote to the Corinthians, as is evident from the words: "For I know your diligence, and I boast of you before the Macedonians, that Achaia has been prepared since last year; and your zeal has encouraged many" (2 Cor. 9:2). From this it is clear that the Thessalonians were told about this before. But although the Epistle to the Romans is later than these, yet it was written before those who were sent from Rome. He had not yet arrived in the city of Rome when he wrote this epistle, as is revealed by the words: "I am very desirous of seeing you, that I may give you a certain spiritual gift" (Romans 1:11). Paul wrote to the Philippians from Rome, which is why he says: "All the saints salute you, and especially from Caesar's house" (Philippians 4:22). And it is written to the Hebrews from the same place, which is why it is said that they are welcomed by all from Italy (Heb. 13:24). Likewise, Paul wrote the Epistle to Timothy from Rome while he was in prison. Even it seems to me that it is the last of all his epistles, as is evident from what is said at the end: "For I am already becoming a victim, and the time of my departure has come" (2 Tim. 4:6). Everyone knows that Paul ended his life in Rome. And the Epistle to Philemon is also one of the last, since Paul wrote it in extreme old age, of which he himself says: "I, Paul, am an old man, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:9). But, of course, it was written before the Epistle to the Colossians, which is again evident from what was said at the end of the Epistle, since Paul in the Epistle to the Colossians writes: "Tychicus, whom I sent with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, will tell you all things" (Col. 4:7-9). And this Onesimus was the same of whom Paul wrote the Epistle to Philemon, and not another named after him, which is proved by the name of Archipas, on whom Paul in his Epistle to Philemon entrusted the trouble of interceding with him on behalf of Onesimus, and whom in the Epistle to the Colossians he encourages with these words: "Say to Archippus, See that you fulfill the ministry which you have received in the Lord" (Colossians 4:17). It also seems to me that the Epistle to the Galatians was written before the Epistle to the Romans. If the Epistles of Paul have a different order in the books, then this is not at all surprising, since the twelve prophets are arranged in succession, in a certain order of the books, although they do not follow one another in time, but are separated from each other by a large interval of time. Thus Haggai, Zechariah, and others prophesied after Ezekiel and Daniel, and many after Jonah, Zephaniah, and all the rest; yet in the books they are united together with those from which they are so removed by time.

2. Let no one consider this work superfluous and do not recognize such an investigation as a matter of empty curiosity, because the time of the Epistles does not help us to explain them in any small way. For example, I notice that Paul writes about the same thing to the Romans and Colossians, but not in the same way. He writes to the Romans with great condescension, when he says: "Receive him who is weak in the faith without disputing about opinions. For there is one who is persuaded that it is possible to eat everything, but the weak eat vegetables" (Romans 14:1-2). And to the Colossians the Apostle expresses himself about the same thing differently and with greater freedom, namely, he says: "If, therefore, you have died with Christ to the elements of the world, why do you, as those who live in the world, hold fast to the ordinances: do not touch, do not eat, do not touch, do not touch - which all things decay from use, according to the commandments and the teaching of men? It has only the appearance of wisdom in self-willed service, humility and weariness of the body, in a certain neglect of the nourishment of the flesh" (Colossians 2:20-23). I find the reason for this difference in nothing else than in the circumstances of time. In the beginning, it was necessary to be lenient, and after that it was no longer necessary. It can be found that Paul did the same thing on many other occasions. This is what a doctor and a teacher usually do. The physician will not treat those who have just fallen ill and those who are already recovering; In the same way, the teacher will treat differently children who are beginning to learn, and differently with those who demand the most perfect lessons. Thus, Paul wrote the Epistles to others, prompted by some reason and purpose (this he points out when he says to the Corinthians: "And about what you have written to me" (1 Cor. 7:1), and to the Galatians he explains the same thing, both in the preface and in the entire epistle). For what purpose and for what reason did he write to the Romans? For he clearly testifies of them, that they are full of goodness, full of all understanding, and able to teach others (Romans 15:14). So, why did he write an epistle to them? "By grace," he says, "given me by God, to be a minister of Jesus Christ" (Romans 15:15-16). That is why at the beginning of the epistle he said: "I am ready to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome" (Romans 1:15). And that the Romans can teach others, this and other similar things are said more as praise and encouragement, since they also had need of correction by means of an epistle. And since Paul himself had not yet been to Rome, he corrected men in two ways: by useful writing, and by waiting for his arrival. Such was the holy soul of Paul; it embraced the whole universe and included everyone in itself, considering kinship according to God to be the highest. Paul loved everyone as if he himself had begotten them, or rather, showed love more than any father. Such is the grace of the Spirit: it conquers bodily illnesses and creates the most ardent love. This can be seen especially in the soul of Paul, who, as if having received wings, under the influence of love, tirelessly went around everyone, did not hesitate anywhere and did not stop. He knew that Christ, when He said to Peter, "Do you love me? Feed My sheep" (John 21:15), thereby indicating the highest degree of love, and therefore he himself discovered it in abundance in himself. And so, we, competing with Paul, will edify, if not the whole world, not whole cities and nations, then at least each one - his own house, his wife, his children, friends, neighbors. And let no one say to me, 'I am unskilled and ignorant.' There is no one more unlearned than Peter and more unskilled than Paul. He himself confesses this and, without shame, says: "Though I am ignorant of the word, yet not in knowledge" (2 Cor. 11:6). However, the ignorant Paul and the unlearned Peter defeated thousands of philosophers, silenced countless speakers, accomplishing all this by their own diligence and the grace of God. What excuse will we find for ourselves when we are unable to teach even twenty people and be useful to those who live with you? This is an empty pretext and an empty excuse. It is not lack of learning, not lack of education, but laziness and sleep that prevent us from teaching. Therefore, having shaken this sleep, let us take care of our own members with all diligence, so that, instructing our neighbors in the fear of God, we may also enjoy complete tranquillity, and thus become partakers of innumerable blessings, through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom and with Whom be glory to the Father and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.