3. What is the unity of the spirit? Just as in the body the soul embraces everything and imparts a certain unity in a diverse way, proceeding from the difference of the bodily members, so it is here. But the soul is also given in order to unite (people) who are not the same with each other in origin and in way of life. An old man and a young man, a poor man and a rich man, a lad and an adult, a husband and a wife, and every creature endowed with a soul, is something one, and it is a unity greater than the unity of the body. The first affinity is higher than the last, the (spiritual) unity is more perfect. The spiritual union is the more perfect the simpler and more monotonous. And how is it preserved? "In the Union of Peace". It does not exist where there is enmity and division. "For if there be envy among you, contention, and dissension, are you not carnal? and do you not act according to human custom?" (1 Cor. 3:3)? As fire, falling on dry trees, turns them into one burning fire, but over wet trees it has no effect and does not unite them with each other, so it is here: coldness of the soul does not contribute to unity, but for the most part warmth. Hence the warmth of love. (The Apostle) wants to unite us all in the bonds of love. "Just as," he says, "if you wish to bind yourself to another person, you can do so only by binding him to yourself, and if you wish to make this union mutual, his affection for you is necessary, so here he wants us to be bound together not by one world, but by one love, but that we all have one soul. These are beautiful bonds: by these bonds we are united both with each other and with God. These bonds do not burden or constrain the hands bound by them, on the contrary, they give them greater freedom, open up more space for them to act, and make the prisoners more cheerful than those who are not bound. The strong, being in alliance with the weak, strengthens him and does not allow him to perdition, but he excites the careless to activity. "Brother from brother we help," says (the Most Wise), "as the city is strong." This union cannot be broken by distance, nor heaven, nor earth, nor death, nor anything else; it is higher and stronger than anything else. Proceeding from the unity of the soul, it can at the same time embrace many. Listen to what Paul says: "You are not cramped in us; but your hearts are cramped. For equal recompense," I say, as to children, "spread ye also" (2 Cor. 6:12,13). What destroys this union? Love of money, lust for power, ambition, and many other things weaken and divide the members of this union. How can this gap be bridged? If there are no these (passions), there will be no obstacles to love. This is what Christ says: when iniquity abounds, "the love of many will grow cold" (Μt. 24:12). Nothing is so opposed to love as sin – I mean not only love for God, but also for one's neighbor. How, it will be asked, do robbers live peacefully among themselves? But, tell me, when? At least when they don't lead a life of robbery. But if they do not observe justice in the division of the spoils, and do not give each of them the rightful portion, then they also are seen in enmity and war among themselves. Thus, it is impossible to find peace where there is an evil deed; but it is always to be found where they live justly and virtuously. What's more? Do rivals live peacefully among themselves? Not at all! Whom do you want me to point out? A miser with a miser can never have peaceful relations. If they had been just and accommodating, and had not done injustice to one another, there would have been no such people. As two wild hungry beasts, for want of prey, devour each other, so it happens in the society of (people) miserly and evil. Thus, without virtue there can be no peace. Let us form, if you will, a whole society of covetous people, let them all enjoy equality of honor, no one will offend them, and they themselves will be unjust to each other: can such a society exist? Not at all! Do fornicators live peacefully? You will not find two concordants with each other. And the reason is again the same – cooling, and the cooling of love is a consequence of the increase of iniquity. It leads to self-love, it tears and dissects the body, weakens and destroys it. On the contrary, from virtue proceed completely contrary actions. A virtuous person is above money. If an innumerable multitude (of people) lived in poverty, they could remain at peace with each other. And misers, even if only two have come together, they can never maintain peaceful relations with each other.

4. Therefore, if virtue is in us, then love will not perish, because virtue comes from love, and love comes from virtue. Let me explain how. A virtuous person does not prefer money to friendship, he does not remember evil, he does not do injustice to his neighbor, he does not offend him, and he himself endures everything generously. This is what love consists of. Again, he who loves has all these (qualities). In this way, one is created by the other. From this it is evident that love is from virtue, as (the Lord) pointed out when He said: "When iniquity abounds, "the love of many will grow cold." And what virtue comes from love, (the Apostle) says: "He who loves another has fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8). Therefore, it is necessary to be one of two things: either to love intensely and be loved, or to be highly virtuous. Whoever has the one must have the other; On the other hand, he who has no love does evil, and he who does evil does not know love. Let us strive to acquire love: it will protect us from evil. Let us bind ourselves (with the bonds of love). Let us have neither deceit nor guile. None of this exists where there is friendship. A certain wise man said about this: "If you have drawn a sword against a friend, do not despair, for the return of friendship is possible. If you have opened your mouth against a friend, do not be afraid, for reconciliation is possible. Only reproach, pride, the discovery of a secret, and deceitful wickedness can drive away every friend" (Sir. 22:23-25). The disclosure of the secret, he says, removes him. However, if we all live amicably with each other, then there will be no need for mysteries. Just as no one has a secret from himself and cannot hide anything from himself, so also from his friends. And when there are no secrets, there will be no possible rupture because of them. Our mysteries are a consequence of the fact that we cannot rely on the faithfulness of everyone; secrets are the fruit of the cooling of love. Indeed, what secret can you have? Do you want to do injustice to your neighbor? Or to prevent him from receiving some good, and therefore you hide from him? Or is it nothing, but you are ashamed (to speak out)? Isn't that a sign that you don't trust him? With love, there will be no betrayal of the secret, nor reproach of it. Indeed, tell me, who and when blasphemes himself? And if this happens, it is for the good. We also reprimand children in order to correct them. And when Christ rebuked the cities (Chorazin and Bethsaida), saying: "Woe to you, Chorazin! woe to thee, Bethsaido!" – he (did this in order to) deliver them from disgrace. For nothing has such an influence on the soul, nothing is so capable of restoring it and correcting its inconstancy (as reproof). And it is not without intent that we rebuke each other. In fact, why will you reproach your neighbor? For money? You won't if you consider your own to be common property. For sins? But this is not a reproach, but rather a correction. "Insidious villainy," it is said. What, then, will anyone destroy and kill himself? No one. So, let us strive for love. It is not simply said: we will love, but we will pursue (love), i.e. we must make great efforts. (Love) soon disappears, quickly leaves us: so many obstacles it encounters for itself in this life. If we pursue her, she will not leave us so hastily, and we will soon attract her. The love of God has united heaven with earth; the love of God has placed man on the royal throne; the love of God has revealed God on earth; the love of God made the Lord a slave; the love of God has betrayed the Beloved for the enemies, the Son for the haters, the Lord for the slaves, God for the people, the Free for the slaves. But she did not limit herself to this, but called on us to do more. Not only has it freed us from our former evils, but it has also promised us a much greater blessing. Thanking God for all this, let us strive to acquire every virtue, and above all let us increase in love, so that we may be worthy of the promised blessings through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

DISCOURSE 10

"There is one body and one spirit, even as you were called to one hope of your calling" (Ephesians 4:4).

1. When Blessed Paul wishes to dispose (Christians) to something especially lofty, then, being full of wisdom and spirituality, he urges them to do so by heavenly things – by the example of the Lord Himself. Thus, in one place he says: "And live in love, even as Christ also loved us, and gave Himself up for us" (Ephesians 5:2), and again: "For you must have the same feelings that were in Christ Jesus: He, being in the form of God, did not consider it a robbery to be equal with God" (Phil. 2:5, 6). He does the same here. When great examples are pointed out, a strong zeal and desire (to imitate them) are born in a person. So, what does he say, urging us to unity? "One body and one spirit, as ye were called to one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (v. 4, 5). What is "one body"? Faithful to all the vengeance of the universe, living, living and having live. Those who pleased (God) before the coming of Christ also constitute one body. Why? Because they, too, have come to know Christ. Where does this come from? "Abraham your father," it is said, "rejoiced to see my day; and he saw and rejoiced" (John 8:56); again: "For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed Me also, because he wrote about Me" (5:46). Indeed, they would not write about someone about whom they did not know what to say. If they knew, then without a doubt they revered it. That is why they also constitute one body. The body is not separated from the spirit, otherwise it would not be a body, because we usually say about objects that are united with each other and have a great connection: one body. In the same way, we ourselves in union constitute one body, with one head. With the unity of the two, although the body consists of different members, important and unimportant, yet neither the best of them is armed against the insignificant member, nor is the former subject to the envy of the latter. And although not all (members) have the same function, but each is subject to a certain requirement of necessity, nevertheless, for the very reason that everything is done by them out of necessity, or according to the demand of different needs, they are all equally worthy of respect. However, there are some higher and other lower among them, such as the head dominating the whole body, in it are contained all the senses and the very dominion of the soul, as a result of which no one can live without a head, while after the cutting off of the legs, many remain alive for a long time. Thus, the head is better than the others (members) not only in its position, but also in its activity and importance. But why do I say this? And in the Church there are many who have reached the same height as the head, who contemplate the heavenly things like the eyes in the head, who are very far from the earth and have nothing to do with it. Others take the place of their feet, trampling on the ground, which are healthy feet, however. For it is not that they trample down the earth, but that they deviate into the path of wickedness, that "their feet," as it is said, "run to evil" (Isaiah 59:7). Therefore, neither the eyes should despise the feet, nor the feet envy the eyes. Otherwise, each member loses its own dignity, and its proper use is difficult. And it is true: he who plots against his neighbor thereby first of all plots against himself. Thus, if the legs do not want to carry their heads when it is necessary to move from one place to another, then by their inactivity and immobility they harm themselves. In the same way, if the head did not want to have any care for the feet, it would first of all injure itself. But it (i.e., the head and legs), as it should be, are not hostile to each other, because they are so arranged by nature. How can a person not rebel against a person? No one (you will say) rebels against the angels, just as they do not rebel against the archangels; nor can animals get the better of me; And where is the nature of the same dignity, where there are the same gifts, and no one has more than the other, why should not one rebel against the other? But this very thing does not give you the right to rebel against your neighbor. If everything is common, and no one has anything greater against the other, then on what basis can one be exalted over another? We are endowed with the same nature, we are similar in soul and body, we breathe the same air and eat the same food: why then should we rebel (against each other)? True, the possibility of rising above the bodiless forces through a virtuous life can lead to a high opinion of oneself; But that would not be arrogance. After all, I rightly place myself high and very high in comparison with the demon. See how Paul also placed himself above the demon. When the demon said many wonderful things about him, he forced him to be silent, not yielding to the deceiver. Thus, when the maiden, who had an inquisitive spirit, said: "These men are servants of the Most High God, who declare to us the way of salvation" (Acts 16:17), he, after a strict rebuke, bound his shameless tongue to him. And in another place he writes the following words: "But the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet quickly" (Romans 16:19). Is this not a consequence of the difference of nature?

2. Do you not see that it is not the difference of nature that matters, but free will? Therefore, in free will, they (demons) are the worst of all. But against the angel, you say, I do not rebel, because there is a great distance between me and him.

But neither should you rebel against a man, nor against an angel. Just as an angel is different from you by nature, which, however, should serve him neither as praise nor as a blasphemy, so a person differs from another person not by nature, but by his inner mood, and becomes an angel among people. Therefore, if you do not arm yourself against angels, how much more (you should not arm yourself) against people, who in human nature become angels. In the presence of that man, he who is as virtuous as an angel is much better for you than an angel. Why? Because he has corrected his own nature by his own will, and also because the angel is far from you and dwells in heaven, and he lives with you and arouses competition in you. However, he is also far from you, even more than he: "Our dwelling," he says, "is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20). And (to convince you) that he is indeed far from you, listen to where his head dwells: on the royal throne, he says. But the farther this throne is from us, the farther it is from us. But you say: I see that he enjoys honor and this produces envy in me. Envy was the cause of innumerable disorders in all creation, both above and below, and not only on earth, but also in the Church itself. As a stormy and contrary wind, rushing to a calm harbor, makes it more dangerous than any rock and any navigation on the sea, so the love of glory, taking possession (of a person), destroys and throws everything into disorder. You have often been to the fire of large houses. We have seen how smoke rises to the sky, and how fire, little by little, destroys everything, because no one cares about how to put an end to misery, but everyone thinks only about himself. Often a whole city gathers, a multitude of people gather to look at the disaster; But there is no protection and help from anyone. At the same time, one can see how those gathered do nothing; each of them only stretches out your hand to point out to the newcomer either how the flames are constantly bursting out of the windows, or how the ceilings are collapsing, and whole walls fall from their foundations to the ground. There are, however, many people who are bold and fearful of danger, who are not afraid to come closer to burning buildings, not in order to help put an end to the calamity, but in order to enjoy the spectacle more, and to examine closely everything that is often not seen from a distance. If this calamity befell a famous and magnificent house, then it seems that the sight is worthy of special pity and great tears. For it is a sad sight to see the heads of the column reduced to ashes, and many of them shattered, some by the action of the fire, and others by the own hands of their builders (who do this in order not to give more food to the fire); (a sad sight) – to see the statues that served, under the protection of the roof, as a decoration of the building, after the fall of the roof, without protection, standing in the open air, in an extremely ugly appearance. What else? Who can count the riches contained in these buildings, the golden garments and the silver vessels? And where only one gentleman and his wife entered, where there was a storehouse for the many, clothes and perfumes, where there was a storehouse for precious stones, everywhere, as soon as the fire began, bath-attendants, garbage collectors, vagabonds, and all others like them entered. And then everything that was inside turned into water, fire, dirt, dust and burnt logs. But why did I spread this picture so wide before you? It is not just a house fire that I want to describe, but what need am I for it? – but I want to present to your eyes, as far as possible, the calamities of the Church. In fact, as if some kind of fire, or lightning, rushing from a height, rushed to the very roof of the Church, and yet it does not touch anyone! When our father's house is burning, we sleep a deep and unawakened sleep. Who has not been touched by this flame? What images that stood in the Church did he not touch? And truly, the Church is nothing but a house built for our souls. However, not everything that is included in this building is equal in its merit: of its constituent stones, some are brilliant and magnificent, while others are worse and darker, although still much better than the rest. Many of them can be seen here, and those that take the place of gold, the gold that adorns the roof: some, as we see, serve as much decoration as statues in houses; and many stand like columns. After all, it is customary to call people columns not only for their strength, but also because, the name of the golden headdress, they decorate (their place) with their beautiful appearance. And in the multitude of the people one can see, as it were, a large and extensive extension of the walls: a multitude of people takes the place of the stones from which the walls are built.

3. But we need to move on to a more brilliant picture. This Church is built not of (simple) stones, but of gold, silver, precious stones set in gold. But, alas, what a pity! All this has been burned by the dominion of vanity, that all-consuming flame, and no one has overpowered its actions. We stand and marvel at the fire, but we do not have the strength to extinguish the evil. And even if it is extinguished for a short time, two or three days will pass, and the spark smoldering in the ashes will pervert everything that it has not touched before. So here the same thing is done that usually happens in a fire. The reason for this is that when we had no supports for the church columns themselves, the fire engulfed (these columns), which supported the shelter and gave the fortress to the whole building; And through this, he had convenient access to the walls. If the flame is destroyed in the wooden parts of the building, then it rushes to the stone ones. But when he has destroyed and overthrown the columns, then he has no need to destroy the rest, because as soon as the pillars and supports of the upper parts (of the building) fall, the rest of its own accord, without any hindrance, suffers the same fate. And so it is now with the Church: fire has engulfed everyone. We seek honor from people, we are inflamed with love of glory, and we do not listen to the words of Job: "Otherwise I would fear great company, and the contempt of my fellow countrymen would frighten me" (Job 31:34). Do you see a virtuous soul? I was not ashamed, to speak, in front of a multitude of people, to tell involuntary sins. If he was not ashamed, how much more should we have done so. "Remember me," says (the prophet), "speak thou, that thou mayest be justified" (Isaiah 43:26). Great was the power of this evil: it perverted and destroyed everything. We have become slaves of honor, forsaking God. We cannot forbid this to our subordinates, being ourselves possessed by the same fever. We ourselves are in need of healing, although we have been appointed by God to heal others. What hope is there for salvation, when doctors themselves have need of the help of others? I have not said this without reason, and it is not in vain that I express my lamentation, but that all of us, together with our wives and children, sprinkled with ashes and put on sackcloth, may fast upon ourselves and ask God to show us help and remove danger from us. Truly our help is in His great and wondrous right hand. More is required of us than of the Ninevites. "Forty more days," it is said, "and Nineveh shall be destroyed" (Jonah 3:4). A terrible and very formidable announcement! And how was it not (for the Ninevites to be afraid) in the expectation that, at the end of three days, their city would become a sepulchre for them, and they would all perish from the same punishment? If it happened that two children died at the same time and in the same house, it was an unbearable disaster. And if it seemed to Job the most intolerable calamity – the destruction of all (his children) because the roof collapsed over them, then what would it be like to see not one house, not two children, but a whole nation, one hundred and twenty thousand, buried under collapsed roofs? See what a disaster! A similar threat has recently been directed against us, not by the voice of a prophet – we are not worthy to hear such a voice – but by some heavenly proclamation, which has sounded louder than any trumpet. Again I repeat what I have said: "Forty more days, and Nineveh will be destroyed." A truly terrible threat! But now it is not at all the same. It is not three days that have passed, and it is not the destruction of Nineveh that threatens us, but many days have passed since the time when the Church on earth was destroyed and thrown down, how all are equally enslaved to sin, especially those who bear the responsibility of stewardship. The greater the evil, the greater the need. So don't be surprised if I urge you to do more in some respects than the Ninevites did. I preach to you not only fasting, but also show you the medicine that has kept this city from falling. Why is that? Because when the Lord saw (the deeds of the Ninevites), "they turned from their evil way, and God was sorry for the calamity, which He said He would bring upon them, and did not bring it" (Jonah 3:10). We will do it too. Let us shun covetousness and love of glory, asking God to show us His help and restore our fallen brethren. We should not be afraid of that (which threatened Nineveh). Then stones and logs fell down, and bodies perished; Non there is nothing of the sort, but souls have to be given over to the fire of Gehenna. Let us call upon (God), let us glorify Him; let us ask His forgiveness for the past, and for the future we will pray to Him that, having been freed from this fierce and powerful enemy (sin), we may be worthy to send praise to the humane God and Father, with Whom to the Son with the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

CONVERSATION 11

"One body and one spirit, as ye were called to one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, Who is over all, and through all, and in all of us. And to each one of us grace is given according to the measure of the gift of Christ" (Ephesians 4:4-7).

1. Paul demands of us such a love as would bind us together, making us inseparable from each other, and such perfect unity, as if we were members of one body, because only such love produces great good. With the words, "One body," he demands that we have compassion on one another, do not covet the good of our neighbor, and share in the joys of one another; He expressed all this together. Then he added very appropriately: "and one spirit," teaching that we should have one spirit with one body, since there can be one body, but not one spirit, when, for example, someone is a friend of heretics. Or by these words ("one spirit") he wanted to induce mutual agreement, as if to say: since you have received one Spirit and drank from the same source, there should be no strife among you. Or perhaps by the word "spirit" he here means disposition (προδυμίαν). Then he says (the Apostle): "As ye were called to the one hope of your calling." That is: God called us all to the same thing; he did not give anything else to anyone against another; He granted immortality to all, eternal life to all, unfading glory to all, brotherhood to all, inheritance to all, He became a common head for all, resurrected and imprisoned all. And so, having such equality in spiritual things, why do you be highly wise? Is it because so-and-so of you is rich and so-and-so strong? But isn't it funny? Tell me, indeed, if the king, having chosen ten men, clothed them all in purple, placed them all on the royal throne, and bestowed upon them all the same honor, would any of them dare to revile another, because he would be richer and more famous than he? Not at all! But by this comparison I have not yet expressed everything, since the distance here is not yet so great. Shall we, then, being equal in heaven, exalt ourselves above one another in earthly (differences)? "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." This is the hope of (our) calling. "One God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all" is one and the same. Or was He called greater for you, and lesser for that? Have you been saved from faith, and he from works? Have you been forgiven (sins) in baptism, but not that one? Away (with such thoughts)! "One God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all of us. Who is above all," that is, above all; "and through all," that is, He provides for everything, governs everything; "And in all of us," that is, in all of us. The same is ascribed (in the Scriptures) to the Son: therefore this does not mean the minority of the Son: otherwise the same would not be said of the Father. "Grace is given to each of us." Why, they say, and why are the gifts different? This has always led them (the Ephesians), as well as the Corinthians, and many others, either to pride, or to faint-heartedness and envy. For this reason (the Apostle) points us everywhere to the example of the body. Wherefore he now offered this (example) because he wished to speak of the various gifts. However, he examines this in more detail in the Epistle to the Corinthians, since this disease was especially prevalent there. And here he has only hinted at it now, and see what he says. He did not say – according to the faith of each – so as not to plunge into sorrow those who did not receive great (gifts); But – what? "According to the measure of the gift of Christ." What is most important, that which is common to all, such as: baptism, you will save through faith, (the right) to have God as the Father, and to have communion with all in the same Spirit. But if someone has something greater in (his) gift, then do not be grieved by this, because he also has more labor; Remember also that from the one who received five talents five was exacted, and the one who received two, two also brought, and by no means received a reward less than the first. That is why here too he borrows consolation for the listener from the same proof: "Unto the perfection," he says, "of the saints, for the work of service, for the edification of the Body of Christ" (Eph. 4:12). For this reason he himself said: "Woe is me," as to everyone who has received the gift of apostleship, "if I do not preach the gospel!" (1 Cor. 9:16). But woe to him because he has received; and you are free from such danger. "In moderation". What does "in moderation" mean? That is, not for our merits, since (for merit) no one would have received what he received; but all of us (what we received, that) we received as a gift.

2. Why did one (receive) more, and the other less? This, he says, is of no importance, but it is a matter of indifference: each (of those who have received) contributes to creation. And therefore you show that it was not for the sake of his own dignity that one received more, and the other less, but for the sake of others, as much as He Himself (Christ) distributed to whom. So in another place he says: "But God arranged the members, each in the body, as it pleased Him" (1 Cor. 12:18). And not to speak of the cause (of such distribution), so as not to confuse the thoughts of the hearers. "Wherefore it is said, He ascended on high, and took captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men," v. 8. As if he were saying: "Why are you arrogant? Everything was the work of God. The prophet says in the psalm: "He received gifts for men" (Psalm 67:19); And he says, "He gave gifts to men." The latter is identical with the former. And so is the following: "And 'ascended, what does it mean, if not that He descended first into the lowest places of the earth? He who descended, He is also He who ascended above all the heavens, to fill all things" (vv. 9, 10). When you hear this, do not understand (under it) the passage. Here he does the same thing as in the epistle to the Philippians. As there, urging to humility, he points to the example of Christ (Phil. 2:5-9), so also here, saying: "He descended first into the lowest places of the earth." Otherwise, his words would be superfluous: "Being obedient even unto death" (v. 8). From the concept of ascent to the thought of descent. And the further countries of the earth he calls death in accordance with human concepts, as James said: "Ye shall bring my gray hair with sorrow into the grave" (Bb. 44:29); as it is also said in the Psalm: "He was likened to those who descended into the grave" (Psalm 142:7), that is, to the dead. Why is this (lower) country mentioned here? And what kind of captivity is he talking about? About the captivity of the devil. The Lord has taken this tyrant, I mean the devil, and death, and oath, and sin. Do you see the spoils and gain? "And what does 'ascended' mean, if not that He descended before"? This is directed against the followers of Paul of Samosata. "He who descended, He is also He who ascended above all the heavens, to fill all things." He descended, he says, to the deepest parts of the earth, beyond which there are no others. And he ascended above all, beyond which there is nothing else. This signifies His power and authority, because even before everything was filled with Him. "And he hath appointed some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ" (vv. 11, 12). What he says in another place: "For this reason God also exalted Him" (Phil. 2:9), he expresses the same here with the words: "He who descended, He is also He who ascended." His descent into the farthest regions of the earth did not harm Him in the least, nor did it prevent Him from being above the heavens. Thus, the more one humbles, the more he is exalted. As on water, the deeper one sinks into it, the more it lifts him up, and the more an arrow is shot from a (near) distance, the more surely it hits the target, so it is in humility. However, when we speak of the ascent of God, it is necessary first to imagine His descent; And in relation to a person, this is not necessary. Further, (the Apostle) points us to (divine) providence and wisdom and says: He Who has done so much, and has shown such power, and has not refused to descend for our sake, even to the farthest countries, would not have made such a division of gifts without reason. In another place he says that it was the Spirit who did it, namely, "in whom the Holy Spirit," he says, "has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of the Lord" (Acts 20:28). And while here he says that the Son (did it), in another place he says that it is God. And again: "And He made some apostles, others prophets," and in the Epistle to the Corinthians he says: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God grew" (1 Cor. 3:6). And again: "But he that planteth and watereth are one; but every man shall receive his reward according to his work" (v. 8). So it is here: what is it that you bear less? So much have you received (and gifts). The first (God appointed) the apostles, because they had everything. The second is the prophets, since some were not apostles, but were prophets, for example, Agabus. Thirdly, evangelists: these are those who did not go around all countries, but only preached, like Priscilla and Aquila. Then there were pastors and teachers, to whom all the people were entrusted. What then? Are pastors and teachers less than others? Of course, in comparison with those who went around the earth and preached, those were smaller, who sat (at home) and had work in one place, like Timothy, Titus. However, from this passage it is impossible to deduce such subordination and preference (of one to another), but (this is seen) from another epistle (1 Cor. 12:28). "He," he says, "has ordained": it is not contradictory. And perhaps he also calls those who wrote the Gospel evangelists. "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edification of the Body of Christ."

3. Do you see the dignity (of each)? Everyone creates, everyone arranges, everyone serves. "Until," he says, "shall we all come into the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (v. 13). By age he calls perfect knowledge. As a man in adulthood is firm and constant in thought, and children are fickle, so it is with believers. "In unity," he says, "of faith," that is, until we all find ourselves having one faith. The unity of faith means when we are all one, when we all understand this union in the same way. Until then, you must work, if you have received the gift of edifying others. See that you do not turn away yourself, envying another. God has honored you and appointed you to lead others to perfection. For this purpose the Apostle was appointed, for this the prophet who prophesies and exhorts, for this the evangelist who preaches, for this he is not a pastor and teacher: all were entrusted with one task. Do not tell me about the difference in gifts: they all had one thing. When we all believe in the same way, this is unity (of faith). It is clear that he calls this (the age of) a perfect man. In another place, however, he calls us children even if we were perfect; but there he has something else in mind. There he called us children in relation to our future knowledge. Having said that we "now know in part," he added: "divination" (1 Cor. 13:12), and so on. And here he is not talking about this, but about constancy. And in another place he says: "But solid food is proper to the perfect" (Heb. 5:14). Do you see how he called the perfect ones there? See here also how he called them secretly, saying, "That we may not be babes any more," v. 14. He speaks of that small measure (of gift) which we have received, so that we may preserve it with all diligence, firmness, and constancy. "That we may be no more." By this expression he indicates that they were once like this, and even subordinates himself to the condition of correction, correcting others. For this reason, I say, there were so many builders that the building was unshakable and protected from everywhere, so that the stones were stacked tightly. Worrying, getting carried away and hesitating is characteristic of children. "That we may no more," he says, "be babes, tossed about, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, because of the craftiness of men, because of the cunning art of deceit" (v. 14). "Carried away," he says, "with every wind." He used this analogy in order to show in what danger every soul is in when it is given over to doubt. "By everyone," he says, "by the wind of teaching, by the craftiness (κοβεία) of men, by the cunning art of deception." Κυβευταί is the name given to those who play chess. These are cunning people, since they usually choose simple people for themselves. And they move and rearrange everything. (The Apostle) here touched upon worldly customs. "But by true love all things grew up into Him who is the head, Christ, from Whom," that is, Christ, "the whole body, which is formed and copulated by every bond which binds one to another, by the action of each member in its own measure, receives an increase for the building up of itself in love" (vv. 15, 16). He expressed his thoughts rather vaguely – because he wanted to express everything suddenly. This is what his words mean: As the spirit, when it comes out of the brain, does not merely communicate sensitivity through the nerves to all the members, but, according to each of them, to him who is able to receive more, and communicates more, and who is less, to him less (for the spirit is the root of life), so also is Christ. Since our souls are as dependent on Him as the members (on the spirit), His providence and the distribution of gifts, according to the measure of this or that member, produce the return of each. But what is "by means of all mutually binding ties"? That is, by means of sensation (αίσδηοιως). This spirit, distributed among the members from the head, touching each of them, thus produces its effect on them. It may also be said that the body, perceiving this influence (of the spirit) in proportion to its members, thus increases. Or in other words: the members, receiving a commensurate influence (of the spirit), thus increase. Or again: the spirit, pouring out abundantly from above, touching all the members and distributing itself among them, as much as each of them can receive into itself, thus grows. But why did he add the word "in love"? Because this spirit cannot communicate in any other way. For if the hands were to be separated from the body, the spirit (flowing) from the brain, seeking continuation, and not finding it there, does not break away from the body and pass over to the severed hand, but if it does not find it there, it is not communicated to it. The same thing happens here, if we are not connected with each other by love.

4. All this was said by him in order to inspire humility. What can I say about the fact that so-and-so got more? He received the same Spirit, sent down from the same head, acting in the same way, touching in the same way, "made up and copulated" (with the whole body), i.e., having great care for it. Not in any way, but in a very skilful way, the body must be arranged, so that if there is something in it that is not in its place, it is already in the wrong place. Thus, you must not only be united to the body, but also take your place there, otherwise if you violate this, you will not be united to it and will not receive the Spirit. Do you not see what happens when bones are moved, which is the result of some accident, when (one bone) leaves its place and has another, how this injures the whole body, and is often the cause of death? And it also happens that (the bone) is unfit to still hold (in the body): in such cases many cut it out and leave its place empty, because excess in everything is evil. And the elements (bodies), when they have lost their proportionality, become abundant to the point of excess, harm the whole. This is what is meant by "that which is composed and combined by means of all mutually binding bonds," that is, that everything (in the body) should take its place and not invade another that is not peculiar to it. Think about it as much as possible. You unite the members, and He disposes of everything from above. And just as there are certain receptive organs in the body, so also in the spirit, which is wholly the heavenly root (of life). It is the heart (is the root) of the spirit, the liver of the blood, the spleen of the bile, and the other organs of the other elements; But they are all dependent on the brain. In accordance with this, God also acted in vouchsafed man a special honor: not wishing to leave him, He Himself became for him the (final) guilt of everything, at the same time establishing co-workers for Himself, and entrusting to some of them this, and to others another. Thus, the Apostle is the most convenient vessel of the body (i.e., the Church of Christ), receiving everything from it. As if by means of veins and arteries, he contributes by means of the word to the communication of eternal life to all. The prophet foretells the future: he (the apostle) does the same. The one joins the bones, and this one gives them life – "for the perfection of the saints, for the work of service." Love recreates, unites, brings us closer and unites us with each other. Therefore, if we want to receive the Spirit from the Head, let us be in union with one another. There are two kinds of separation from the Church: one when we grow cold in love, and the other when we dare to do something unworthy of this body (the Church). In both cases, we separate ourselves from the whole. But if we are also entrusted with the task of building others, and we do not build, but are the first to make divisions ourselves, then why should we not suffer for this? Nothing can produce so much division in the Church as covetousness; nothing offends God more than divisions in the Church. Even if we have done a thousand good works, we will be condemned no less than those who tormented His body, if we tear apart the integrity of the Church. The first was done for the benefit of the whole world, though not with the same intention; and the latter does no one any good, on the contrary, it is a great harm. What I have said applies not only to superiors, but also to subordinates. A certain holy man said something that might have seemed impertinent if it had not been said to him. What exactly? He said that even the blood of a martyr could not atone for such a sin. Indeed, tell me, why do you accept torment? Is it not for the glory of Christ? And so, being ready to lay down your life for Christ, how dare you to destroy the Church, for which Christ laid down his life? Listen to what Paul says about himself: "He is not worthy to be called an Apostle, because he persecuted the church of God" (1 Cor. 15:9). The harm (from divisions) is not less than that caused by enemies, but much greater. There (the Church) is given even greater brilliance, while here she drops herself at the head of her enemies, when her own children fight against her. And this is because among them (enemies) it is considered a powerful proof of deception when those who were born into the Church, were brought up in it, and learned its secrets well, – suddenly, having changed, rise up against it as enemies.