3. But what objection of theirs is absurd, or better, full of great madness? Though the Son, they say, has power to punish and crown, to torment and reward, yet, according to Him, it is not in His power to bestow the heavenly presidency and the highest honor. And what if you learn that nothing is exempt from His decision, will you then cease your inappropriate objections? Listen to what He Himself says: "The Father judges no man, but has given all judgment to the Son" (John 5:22). But if the whole judgment belongs to Him, then nothing is exempt from His decision; for to whom all judgment belongs has the power to punish and crown all. And the word "gave" you, beloved, do not understand here in a human way: the Father gave to Him, this does not mean that He did not have before, that He was born imperfect, and only afterwards received it, but "gave" means that the Father begot Him in this way, perfect and complete. This word is used so that you do not think that there are two begotten Gods, but so that you may see both the root and the fruit, and do not think that the Son received them afterwards. In another place, when they asked Him, "Therefore Thou art a King," He did not answer, "I have received the kingdom; He did not say that it was given to Him afterwards; but he answered: "For this I was born" (John 18:37). If He was born a perfect king, then it is obvious that He is both a judge and a decider, since the main business of a king is to judge and decide, to reward and punish. And on the other hand, it can be seen that He has the power to bestow the highest honors. When we point to the best man of all men, and show that He is crowned with the Son, then what excuse do you have for justification? Who is better than all people? Who else but the tentmaker, the teacher of the universe, who flew as it were on wings over the earth and the sea, the chosen vessel, the bridegroom of Christ, the planter of the Church, the wise builder, the preacher, the swift traveler, the warrior, the instructor, who left monuments of his virtues throughout the universe, who was raptured to the third heaven before his resurrection, who was taken up to paradise, who was vouchsafed to participate in the ineffable mysteries of God, who heard and said these things, What is impossible for human nature to say, who has been vouchsafed the highest grace and has done great labors? And that he labored more than all others, listen to how he himself says: "He labored more than all of them" (1 Cor. 15:10). But if he has labored more than anyone else, then he is crowned above all, because "each will receive his reward according to his labor" (1 Cor. 3:8). If he receives a crown more glorious than the other apostles (no one is equal to the apostles, and he is greater than them), then it is obvious that he will be worthy of the highest honor and presidency. Who will crown him? Listen to how he himself says: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith: but now there is prepared for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day" (2 Tim. 4:7-8). "For the Father judges no man, but hath given all judgment unto the Son" (John 5:22). And it is not only from this that this is evident, but also from the following words: "And not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Tim. 4:8). Whose phenomenon is this? Listen to the words of the Apostle himself: "For the grace of God has appeared, saving for all men, teaching us, that we, having rejected ungodliness and worldly lusts, should live chastely, righteously, and godly in this present age, awaiting the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:11-13).

4. However, the struggle with the heretics was over, we erected a trophy, won a brilliant victory, proving to all the above that the Son has the power both to reward and to punish; To Him belongs all judgment, He crowns and glorifies the best of all, and in the parables spoken He Himself is represented as doing both. Now it is necessary to calm the confusion of the brethren and explain why He said so: "It does not depend on Me" (Matt. 20:23); I think that many people are perplexed at these words. To resolve perplexity and calm the confusion of the soul, strain your attention, prepare your mind. I now have more work ahead of me, since it is not all the same whether I fight or teach, defeat the enemy or correct my own; In the latter case, I need to make more effort not to ignore the limping penis and not to avoid any of the embarrassed ones. I say, but do not be troubled by my words, do not be troubled, I affirm that this does not depend not only on the Son, but also on the Father; I declare with a loud voice and more sonorously than a trumpet that it "depends" does not belong to the Son, nor to Him, nor to the Father; for if it belonged to Him, it would belong to the Father, and if it belonged to the Father, it would also belong to Him. That is why He did not simply say: "It does not depend on Me"; And what? "It does not depend on me, but to whom it is prepared by my Father." He declares that it does not depend on Him or the Father, but on some others. What do the spoken words mean? I think that your confusion has increased and your perplexity has increased, and you are anxious; but do not be afraid; I will not be silent until I offer an explanation. Allow me to speak a little higher; otherwise it is impossible to present everything clearly to your mind. So, what do the spoken words mean? When Jesus was going to Jerusalem, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, James and John, came to Him with her sons and said: "Command that these two my sons sit with You, one on Your right hand, and the other on Your left, in Your kingdom" (Matt. 20:21); and another Evangelist says that the sons themselves asked Christ for this (Mark 10:38). There is no disagreement, however (these trifles must not be overlooked), but they sent their mother beforehand, and then, when she had made their request, and opened the door for them, they repeated the words themselves, not understanding what they were talking about, but they were talking. Although they were apostles, they were still imperfect, like chicks that do not sit firmly in a nest until they have grown wings. And it is very necessary for you to know that before the cross the disciples were ignorant of many things; therefore the Lord, rebuking them, said: "Do you not yet understand? How do you not understand that I did not say to you about bread, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees" (Matt. 15:16; 16:11)? And again: "I have yet many things to say to you; but now ye cannot bear it" (John 16:12). Not only did they not understand the higher truths, but they often forgot what they heard from fear and timidity; reproaching them for this, He said: "And none of you asks Me, Where are you going? But because I have said these things to you, your heart is filled with sorrow" (John 16:5-6), and He also said of the Comforter: "He will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance" (John 14:26). He would have said, "Will remind," if they had not forgotten much of what he said. I say this not without reason; so Peter sometimes pronounces a perfect confession, and sometimes forgets everything. He who said: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16), and was called blessed for this, after a short time sinned so much that he was called Satan; The Lord said to him, "Get thee behind me, Satan! you are a stumbling block to Me! for thou thinkest not the things of God, but the things of men" (Matt. 16:23). Who can be more imperfect than he who thinks not of the things of God, but of the things of man? When the Lord announced to him about the cross and resurrection, he did not understand the depth of what had been said, nor the mystery of the dogmas, nor the future salvation of the universe, and, approaching Him alone, said: "Be merciful to Yourself, O Lord! let it not be with Thee" (Matt. 16:22). Do you see that they clearly did not know anything about the resurrection? Expressing the same thing, the Evangelist said: "For they did not yet know from the Scriptures that He was to rise from the dead" (John 20:9). Not knowing this, they were still less aware of other things, such as the kingdom of heaven, of our firstfruits [in Christ] (Cor. 15:20), and of the ascension into heaven: as if bound to the earth, they were not yet able to soar on high. Having such an understanding and expecting that the kingdom of Christ would soon come to Jerusalem, they knew nothing more than this, as another Evangelist says, noting that they thought that His kingdom was already coming, which they imagined to be human, and believed that He was coming to such a kingdom, and not to the cross and death, and although they had heard about it many times, they could not clearly understand it (Mark 10:37).

5. And so, not yet having a clear knowledge of the dogmas, and thinking that He was coming to an earthly kingdom and would reign in Jerusalem, the disciples (James and John) approached Him on their way, considering this time convenient, and offered their request. Setting themselves apart from among the disciples, and thinking only of themselves, they began to ask for the presidency and primacy over the others, believing that the work had already come to an end, that everything had already been done, and that the time had come for the distribution of crowns and rewards; but this was due to extreme ignorance. And that this is not a guess or a conjecture, I will present to you the proof from the words of Jesus himself, who knows the secret. Listen to what He says to them in response to their request: "You do not know what you ask" (Matt. 20:22). What could be clearer than such a proof? Do you see that they did not know what they were asking for, and began to talk to Him about crowns, rewards, presidencies, and honor, when the exploits had not yet begun? With these words, "Ye know not what ye ask," the Lord inspires two thoughts: first, that they speak of a kingdom of which Christ had no speech, since He did not proclaim this kingdom, earthly and sensual; secondly, that they, seeking the presidency and the highest honors, and desiring to be more glorious and noble than others, do not seek this at the right time, but at a very inopportune time. Then it was a time not of crowns and awards, but of feats, struggles, labors, efforts, dangers and battles. Thus, the meaning of His words is this: You do not know what you ask, when you tell Me about it, when you have not yet labored and gone out to exploits, when the world remains uncorrected, wickedness reigns, and all people perish, and you have not yet entered into the field and have not yet entered into the struggle; "Can ye drink the cup which I shall drink, or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized" (Matt. 20:22)? Here He calls His death on the cross a chalice and baptism, a chalice because He accepted it with pleasure; but by baptism, because by means of it He cleansed the world; and not only because of this, but also because of the ease of the resurrection. As one who is baptized with water comes out of it very easily, without encountering any obstacle in the property of water; thus He, having plunged into death, arose with great ease; therefore He calls His death baptism. And the meaning of His words is this: Can you be subjected to mortification and death, since now is the time of death, danger, and labor? They answer: "We can," not understanding what has been said, but impelled by the hope of getting what they want. He says to them: "You will drink my cup, and with the baptism with which I am baptized you will be baptized" (Matt. 20:23), announcing their death; and, indeed, James was beheaded with the sword, and John was at the point of death many times; "but to let me sit on my right hand and on my left, it is not of me, but to whom my Father has prepared" (Matt. 20:23). The meaning of these words is this: you will be subjected to death, and you will be put to death, and you will endure martyrdom, and to become your first does not depend on Me, but can be achieved by those who strive through special diligence, special zeal. In order to make my words clearer, let us introduce some steward of the contests; A mother came up to him, who had two sons of a warrior, together with her sons, and said to him, "Tell these two my sons to receive a crown." What would he say to her? Of course, it is the same: it does not depend on me to give it; I am the steward of competitions, appointing rewards not for nothing and not according to the desire and request of those who are approaching, but according to the outcome of the struggle. In fact, this is the business of the steward, to honor courage, and not to give rewards in vain and as it happens. Christ does the same: He said this, not humiliating His being, but expressing that it does not depend on Him alone to give rewards, but also those who strive must attain them. If it depended only on Him, then all people would be saved and would come "to the understanding of the truth", if it depended only on Him, then there would be no different honors, because He Himself created everyone and cares for everyone equally. And that the honors are different, listen to how Paul explains: "There is another glory of the sun," he says, "another glory of the moon, another glory of the stars; and star differs from star in glory" (1 Cor. 15:41). And again: "Does anyone build on this foundation of gold, silver, precious stones" (1 Cor. 3:12). Paul said in this way, in order to show the diversity of virtues, he expressed in these words that it is impossible for those who sleep and slumber to enter the kingdom of heaven, but that the rewards there must be attained through many tribulations. The sons of Zebedee, taking advantage of the great love of Christ and closeness to Him, thought to gain preference over others; therefore, in order that they, imagining this, should not become careless, He turns them away from such thoughts and says: "It does not depend on Me," but it depends on you to achieve this, if you will, if you show greater diligence, great labor, special zeal; I appoint crowns for deeds, honors for labors, rewards for efforts; the best intercession before Me is proof by works.

6. Do you see that I have not said without reason that this does not depend on Him or the Father, but on those who strive, labor, and suffer? For this reason, addressing Jerusalem, He said: "How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a bird gathereth her young under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. 23:37-38). Do you see that none of the negligent, careless, and inactive can ever be saved? From this we learn another mystery, namely, that even martyrdom is not enough to obtain the highest honor and the first place. For example, Christ predicted to the disciples that they would suffer martyrdom, and yet they would not necessarily receive primacy, because there may be those who will render even greater merit. Expressing this, He said: "You will drink My cup, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to let Me sit on the right hand and on the left, not of Me, but to whom My Father has prepared." He does not say that He allows us to sit with Him, but expresses the attainment of greater honor, the receipt of primacy, the advantage over all; the words, "to sit on my right hand and on my left," he says in relation to their concept, because they sought the first places and desired to be above all others. And that you should be greater than others and above all, He says, does not depend on one thing alone (martyrdom); Though you die, yet the highest honor "does not depend on me, but to whom my Father has prepared." To whom, tell me, is this in store? Let us see who are those blessed and most blessed who are worthy of bright crowns. Who are they, and what feats will make them so brilliant? About this, listen to what He Himself says; when the ten disciples were indignant with the two because they, having set themselves apart from among them, wanted to arrogate to themselves the highest honor, then see how He curbs the passionate intention of both of them. Calling them, He says: "You know that the princes of the nations rule over them, and the nobles rule over them; but let it not be so among you: but whoever wants to be great among you, let him be your servant; and whoever wants to be first among you, let him be "the last of all" (Matt. 20:25-27). Do you see that they all wanted to become the first, greatest, highest, and, so to speak, the leaders of the rest? Therefore, stopping at this and revealing their mystery, He says: "And whosoever will be first among you, let him be your servant." If, says He, you desire the presidency and the highest honor, try to occupy the last place, to be the lowest of all, the humblest of all, the least of all, to place yourselves above the rest. Such virtue brings the highest honor; and the example of this is close and very strong. "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28). That through this they are really made glorious and famous, see, says He, what happens to Me, who have need of neither honor nor glory; and through the same I attain innumerable blessings.

Before He humbled Himself, only the angels knew Him; and when He humbled Himself, the whole human race recognized Him. Thus humility did not humiliate Him, but brought Him innumerable blessings, innumerable merits, and made His glory shine even more.

Therefore, beloved, thinking about this, let us be especially diligent in humility, and when we are subjected to insult and humiliation, and experience all the extreme calamities, and dishonor, and contempt, let us endure everything with joy. Nothing contributes so much to the attainment of height, glory, and honor, and bestows greatness, as the virtue of humility, which, carefully fulfilling, may we be vouchsafed the promised blessings, through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, honor, and worship now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

AGAINST ANOMEE

NINTH WORD.

LAZARUS, who has been raised from the dead today, gives us the solution of many and different perplexities. I do not know how this (Gospel) reading gave both the heretics and the Jews a reason for contradiction, of course, not by its very essence – this cannot be the case – but by the deceit of their souls. Many of the heretics say that the Son is not like the Father. Why? Because Christ, they say, had need of prayer for the resurrection of Lazarus; and if he had not prayed, he would not have resurrected Lazarus. How, they say, can the one who prays be like the one who receives prayer? Here one prays, and the other receives the prayer from the worshipper. But they blaspheme, not understanding that prayer was a matter of condescension and because of the infirmity of those present. Tell me, who is greater, the one who washes his feet, or the one whom he washes his feet? Of course, you will say, the one who has been washed by someone else. But the Savior washed the feet of the traitor Judas, who was also with the disciples. Who, then, is not Judas a traitor greater than the Lord Christ, if Christ washed his feet? Let it not be! And what is lower: to wash your feet or to pray? Of course - to wash your feet. And so, he who did not refuse to do the lower, how would he refuse to do the higher? However, everything was done on account of the infirmity of the Jews present, as will be shown in the following discourse. Meanwhile, the Jews, finding here a reason for contradiction, say: "How do Christians consider him to be God, who did not even know the place where the dead Lazarus lay?" For the Saviour said to Lazarus' sisters, Martha and Mary: "Where have you laid him" (John 11:34)? Do you see, they say, His ignorance? Do you see His weakness? How can one who didn't even know the place be God? But I will ask them, not doubting myself, but to shame their contradiction: Do you say, Jew, that Christ did not know this, if He said, "Where did you lay him"? In the same way, the Father did not know in paradise where Adam hid, if He walked as if seeking him in paradise, and said: "Adam, where are you" (Gen. 3:9), i.e. where are you hiding? Why did He not speak before about the place from which Adam boldly conversed with God? "Adam, where are you"? What about Adam? "I heard Thy voice in Paradise, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and hid myself" (Gen. 3:10). If you, Jew, call this ignorance, call this also ignorance. Christ said to Martha and Mary, "Where have you laid him"? Do you call it ignorance? What will you say when you hear God say to Cain: "Where is Abel your brother" (Gen. 4:9)? What do you say to this? If you call this ignorance, call it ignorance also. Listen to another example from the Divine Scriptures. God said to Abraham, "The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is very heavy; I will go down and see if they do exactly as the cry against them that goes up to Me or not; I will know" (Gen. 18:20-21). "He that knoweth the unseen, and knoweth all things before it was" (Dan. 13:42), "thou knowest the hearts and the bowels" (Psalm 7:10), "knoweth the thoughts of men" (Ps. 93:11) said: "I will go down and see whether they do exactly as the cry that ascendeth up to Me is against them, or not; I'll find out." If that means ignorance, then it also means ignorance. But neither the Father was ignorant of the Old Testament, nor the Son was ignorant of the New Testament. What does it mean, "I will go down and see if they do exactly as the cry that goes up to Me is against them, or not; I'll find out"? The rumor, He says, has reached Me, but I wish to be even more precisely convinced of this, not because I do not know, but because I wish to teach people not to heed one word, and when someone says something against another, not to believe lightly, but first to carefully investigate and actually ascertain, and only then to believe. That is why in another place of Scripture it is said: "Do not believe every word" (Sir. 19:16). Nothing perverts people's lives so much as hasty credulity in all speeches. Announcing this, the Prophet David also said: "He who secretly slanders his neighbor I will cast out" (Psalm 100:5).

2. You see that it was not through ignorance that the Saviour said, "Where did you lay him?" just as it was not through ignorance that the Father said to Adam, "Where are you?" or to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother," or, "I will go down and see if they do exactly as the cry that goes up to me is against them, or not; I'll find out." Now is the time to speak out against those who say that Christ, in His weakness, prayed to raise Lazarus. Listen, then, beloved, with all attention. When Lazarus died, Jesus was not in those places, but was in Galilee and said to His disciples, "Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep" (John 11:11). And they, thinking that he was speaking of his sleep, said to him, Lord! if he sleeps, he will recover" (John 11:12). Then He clearly said to them: "Lazarus is dead" (John 11:14). Then the Savior goes to Jerusalem to the place where Lazarus lay; Lazarus' sister met Him and said to Him: "Lord! if thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:21). "If Thou werest here": Thou art a weak woman! This woman did not then know that Christ, although not bodily present, was present by the power of the Godhead; it also limited the power of the Master to the bodily presence. Martha said to Him: "Lord! if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now," he says, "I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you" (John 11:22). As a result of her request, the Savior performs the prayer. God had no need of prayer to raise the dead. Did He not raise up other dead men as well? When He met a dead man (a young man) being carried out of the gate, He touched only his bed, and raised the dead man (Luke 7:14). Did He then have need of prayer in order to resurrect the dead? And on another occasion He only said to the maiden: "Virgin, I say to you, arise" (Mark 5:41), and immediately handed her over to her parents in good health. Did He have need of prayer then? But what do I say about the Master? His disciples raised the dead with one word. Did not Peter resurrect Tabitha with a word? Did not Paul perform many signs with his garments? Learn even more amazing: even the shadow of the apostles raised the dead. "So they carried the sick," says the Scriptures, "out into the streets, so that the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow any of them," and they would rise up immediately (Acts 5:15-16). What then? The shadow of the disciples raised the dead, and the Master had need of prayer to raise the dead? No, the Savior prays because of the infirmity of the woman who said to Him: "Lord! if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." You asked for prayer, and I give prayer. For example: we have a source in front of us; whoever brings a vessel fills it (with water); if the vessel is large, it receives much; but if he is small, he receives little. So she asked for prayer, and the Savior gives prayer. One said: "Lord! I am not worthy that Thou should come under my roof, but speak only the word, and my servant shall recover": and the Saviour said to him, "According to thy faith it shall be done unto thee" (Matt. 8:8,13). Another asked: "Come" heal my daughter; and He answered him, "I will follow you" (Matt. 9:18-19). Thus, according to the mood of the people, the doctor's medicine is also used. Yet another woman secretly touched the hem of His garment, and secretly received healing (Matt. 9:21); Everyone believed and received healing. Martha said, "I know what thou shalt ask" of the Father, the Father will give thee; and since she asked for prayer, the Saviour also gives prayer, not needing prayer Himself, but in accordance with the weakness of this woman and wishing to show that He is not an adversary of God, but that all that He does, the Father also does. In the beginning, God created man, this creation was the common work of both the Father and the Son: "Let us make," says God, "man in our image and after our likeness" (Gen. 1:26). Likewise, He, wishing to lead the thief into paradise, spoke a word, and immediately the thief was led into paradise; and for this purpose Christ had no need of prayer, although God barred the entrance to paradise for all the descendants of Adam, setting up a flaming sword to protect it. And Christ, by His power, opened Paradise and led the thief into it. O Lord, dost Thou lead the thief into paradise? Your Father expelled Adam from paradise for one sin, and you bring there a thief guilty of innumerable misdeeds and innumerable crimes, and so simply, in one word, you lead him into paradise? Yes; for even these things were not accomplished without me, and they were not without my Father; but as it was my work, so it is my Father's work. "I am in the Father, and the Father in Me" (John 14:10).

3. And so that you may see that the resurrection of the dead was not done as a result of prayer, listen to the prayer itself. What does He say? "Father! I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me" (John 11:41). What is this? Is it a prayer in its appearance, is it a petition? "I thank Thee, that Thou hast heard Me, I, and," he says, "knew that Thou shalt always hear Me" (John 11:42). But if You, O Lord, know that the Father always hears You, why do you approach Him with what you know? I know, He says, that the Father always hears Me, "but I have spoken [this] for the people standing here, that they may believe that You have sent Me" (John 11:42). Did He pray for the dead? Did he ask that Lazarus be resurrected? Did he say: Father, command that death obey? Did he say, "Father, command hell, that it may not shut up the gates, but quickly bring back the dead?" "But I have spoken [this] for the people standing here, that they may believe that you have sent me." Thus, this action was not for a miracle, but for the instruction of those present. You see that the prayer was not for the dead, but for the unbelievers present, that they might know, He says, "that You sent Me." How, it will be said, can we know that He has sent You? Listen, please, with all your attention. Behold, says He, I by My own power call up the dead; behold, I command death by my own power. I call the Father (my) Father, and I call Lazarus out of the grave. If the former is not true, then let the latter not be; but if (God) the Father is truly (My) Father, then let the dead also obey for the admonition of those present. What did Christ say? "Lazarus! go away" (John 11:43). When the prayer was performed, the dead did not rise; and when He said, "Lazarus! Go away," then the dead rose again. Oh, the power of death! Oh, the power of the power that holds the soul! Oh, hell! A prayer has been fulfilled, and you do not release the dead? No, says hell. Why? Because I have not been given a command. I am the guardian who keeps the guilty here; if I do not receive a commandment, I do not let go; the prayer was not for me, but for the unbelievers present; not receiving a command, I do not release the guilty; I am waiting for a voice to free my soul. "Lazarus! Go away," and the dead man heard the command of the Lord, and immediately destroyed the laws of death. Let the heretics be ashamed, and let them perish from the face of the earth! This speech proves that the prayer was not for the resurrection of the dead, but because of the infirmity of the unbelievers present at that time. "Lazarus! Go away." And why did Christ call the dead by name? For what? In order that, having addressed His speech in general to the dead, He would not call all out of the tombs, He therefore says: "Lazarus! go away," I summon you alone in the presence of this people, in order to show by a private resurrection the power of the future; because I, who have raised up one, will raise up the world: "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). "Lazarus! Go away. And the dead man went forth, bound hand and foot in grave clothes" (John 11:44). Oh, wondrous deeds!

To Him be glory and dominion with His Father without beginning and the all-holy and life-giving Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

AGAINST ANOMEE

TENTH WORD.