Видишь ли, как тот, который говорит: "для чего наблюдаете дни, месяцы, времена и годы?" (Гал.4:9-10) сам соблюдал день Пятидесятницы?

4. И не только день он соблюдал, но и место, потому что он спешил не только прибыть ко дню Пятидесятницы, но и провести его в Иерусалиме. Что делаешь ты, блаженный Павел? Иерусалим разрушен, святое святых опустошено по определению Божию, прежние учреждения прекратились, сам ты взываешь к Галатам: вы надеющиеся оправдаться "законом, отпали от благодати" (Гал.5:4); для чего же ты опять ведешь нас в рабство закону? Не маловажное дело узнать, не противоречит ли Павел сам себе. И не дни только соблюдал Павел, но соблюдал и другие заповеди закона; а между тем он взывает к Галатам: "Вот, я, Павел, говорю вам: если вы обрезываетесь, не будет вам никакой пользы от Христа" (Гал.5:2).

Так, тот самый Павел, который говорит: "если вы обрезываетесь, не будет вам никакой пользы от Христа", сам обрезал, как известно, Тимофея. Нашел, говорится в Писании, Павел в Листрах некоторого юношу, "которого мать была Иудеянка уверовавшая, а отец Еллин, и обрезал его", потому что не хотел посылать необрезанного учителем (Деян.16:1-3). Что делаешь ты, блаженный Павел? Словом уничтожаешь обрезание, а делом снова поддерживаешь его? Не поддерживаю, говорит он, но уничтожаю его делами. Тимофей был сын жены иудейской верной, а отцом имел эллина, из рода необрезанных. Но так как Павел намеревался послать его учителем к иудеям, то не хотел посылать его необрезанным, чтобы с самого начала не заградить дверей учению. Таким образом, пролагая путь к уничтожению обрезания и открывая путь учению Тимофея, он совершил над ним обрезание, чтобы уничтожить обрезание. Поэтому он и говорит: "для Иудеев я был как Иудей" (1Кор.9:20). Не для того Павел сказал это, чтобы быть иудеем, а чтобы убедить остававшихся иудеями не быть больше иудеями. Потому он и обрезал Тимофея, чтобы уничтожить обрезание. Итак, обрезанием он воспользовался против обрезания. И Тимофей принял обрезание для того, чтобы он мог быть принят иудеями, и чтобы, пришедши мало-помалу отклонить их от соблюдения обрезания. Видишь ли, для чего Павел соблюдал и пятидесятницу и обрезание? Хотите ли, я покажу вам, как он соблюдал и другие постановления закона? Слушайте внимательно. Пришел он некогда в Иерусалим, и апостолы, увидев его, сказали ему: "видишь брат" Павел, "сколько тысяч уверовавших Иудеев" сошедшихся: "и все они ревнители закона. А о тебе наслышались они, что ты всех Иудеев, живущих между язычниками, учишь отступлению от Моисея, говоря, чтобы они не обрезывали детей своих и не поступали по обычаям. Итак что же? Сделай же, что мы скажем тебе: есть у нас четыре человека, имеющие на себе обет. Взяв их, очистись с ними, и возьми на себя издержки на жертву за них, чтобы остригли себе голову, и узнают все, что слышанное ими о тебе несправедливо, но что и сам ты продолжаешь соблюдать закон" (Деян.21:20-24). Видите ли удивительное снисхождение? Он соблюдает времена, чтобы уничтожить соблюдете времен; совершает обрезание, чтобы прекратить обрезание; приносит жертву, чтобы уничтожить жертвоприношение. А что действительно для этого он так поступал, послушай его самого: "для подзаконных был как подзаконный, чтобы приобрести подзаконных; будучи свободен от всех, я всем поработил себя, дабы больше приобрести" (1Кор. 9:20,19). А поступал так Павел, подражая своему Господу. Как Тот, "будучи образом Божиим, не почитал хищением быть равным Богу; но уничижил Себя Самого, приняв образ раба" (Флп.2:6,7); так и этот быв свободен от всех, поработил себя всем, чтобы приобрести всех. Господь, принявши наше естество, сделался рабом, чтобы рабов сделать свободными: "наклонил Он небеса и сошел" (Пс. 17:10), чтобы пребывающих долу возвести на небо. "Наклонил небеса"; не сказано: оставил небеса и сошел, но "наклонил", чтобы для тебя сделать более легким восход на небеса. Ему по возможности подражал и Павел, почему и говорил: "подражайте мне, как я Христу" (1Кор.4:16). А как ты, блаженный Павел, сделался подражателем Христу? Как? Так, что я ни в чем не ищу своей пользы, но пользы многих, чтобы они спаслись, и "будучи свободен от всех, я всем поработил себя". Подлинно, нет ничего лучше этого порабощения, потому что оно доставляет свободу другим. Павел был духовный рыбарь: "Я сделаю вас", сказал Господь, "ловцами человеков" (Мф.4:19), потому он и поступал так.

Поэтому и апостолы нисходили с высоты евангельского образа жизни, чтобы возвести иудеев от низости иудейского образа жизни на эту высоту.

5. Отсюда видно, что соблюдение времен и все прочее совершалось с пользою и во благо. Посмотрим же теперь, почему книга Деяний Апостольских читается во время Пятидесятницы. Все это мы предложили вам для того, чтобы вы, когда увидите соблюдение времен, не подумали, будто апостолы страдали иудейским образом мыслей. Но слушайте внимательно, увещеваю вас; то, о чем будет сказано, составляет немаловажный предмет исследования.

Поэтому справедливо кто-нибудь может спросить: почему установлено читать о кресте в день креста и страдания, а Деяния Апостольские мы читаем не в те самые дни и не в то время, в которое они совершались, но предупреждаем это время? Не тотчас после того, как воскрес Христос, апостолы стали совершать чудеса, но сорок дней Он пребывал с ними на земле. Почему –

Все это, возлюбленные, мы подтвердим вам из Писаний; именно, – что Он пребывал с ними сорок дней, что Дух Святой нисшел после Пятидесятницы, что тогда апостолы приняли огненные языки, что с того времени они и начали совершать знамения. Кто же говорит о всем этом? Ученик Павла, досточтимый и великий Лука, начавший речь свою так: "Первую книгу написал я к тебе, Феофил, о всем, что Иисус делал и чему учил от начала до того дня, в который Он вознесся, дав Святым Духом повеления Апостолам, которых Он избрал, которым и явил Себя живым, по страдании Своем, со многими верными доказательствами, в продолжение сорока дней являясь им и говоря о Царствии Божием. И, собрав их, Он повелел им: не отлучайтесь из Иерусалима" (Деян.1:1-4). Видишь ли, что Господь по воскресении пребывал сорок дней на земле, говорил о царстве Божием и общался с апостолами? Видишь ли, что Он принимал участие и в их трапезе? И "повелел им", говорит, "не отлучайтесь из Иерусалима, но ждите обещанного от Отца, о чем вы слышали от Меня, ибо Иоанн крестил водою, а вы, через несколько дней после сего, будете крещены Духом Святым" (Деян.1:4,5). Об этом говорил Спаситель в течение сорока дней. "Посему они, сойдясь, спрашивали Его, говоря: не в сие ли время, Господи, восстановляешь Ты царство Израилю? Он же сказал им: не ваше дело знать времена

or the terms that the Father has set in His power, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had said this, he was lifted up in their eyes, and a cloud took him out of their sight" (Acts 1:6-9). You see how Christ dwelt with them on earth forty days and ascended into heaven. But let us see if the Holy Spirit was sent at Pentecost. "At the coming," says the Scriptures, "the day of Pentecost, suddenly there was a noise from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and there appeared to them cloven tongues as of fire, and they rested one upon each of them" (Acts 2:1-3). Do you see a precise indication that Christ remained on earth for forty days and that the apostles had not yet performed miracles? And how could they work miracles without having yet received the grace of the Holy and life-giving Spirit?

Do you see that Jesus ascended to heaven after forty days? Do you also see that ten days after this the apostles began to work miracles? Because after the days of Pentecost were fulfilled, the Holy Spirit was sent. Now it remains to decide why the Acts of the Apostles are read at Pentecost. If the Apostles had then begun to perform signs, i.e. after the Resurrection of the Lord, then this book should have been read: just as we read the things relating to the cross on the day of the cross, and the things relating to the resurrection on the day of the Resurrection, and on each feast we read the things relating to this feast, so we should read about the miracles of the Apostles on the days of the Apostolic signs.

6. Why then do we not read about them then, but immediately after the cross and resurrection? Listen to the whole reason for this with attention. Immediately after the cross we proclaim the resurrection of Christ, and the proof of the resurrection is the signs of the apostles, and the signs of the apostles are set forth in this book (Acts). Thus, which especially confirms the truth of the Lord's Resurrection, the Fathers established that it should be read immediately after the Cross and the Life-Giving Resurrection. Therefore, beloved, immediately after the cross and resurrection we read about the signs of the apostles, so that we may have a clear and undoubted proof of the resurrection. Thou hast not seen Him Himself risen with the eyes of the body, but thou seest Him risen with the eyes of faith; with these eyes you have not seen the Risen One Himself, but with the help of those miracles you will see Him risen. The manifestation of signs leads you to the contemplation of faith. And the fact that signs were performed in His name was a better and clearer proof (of the resurrection) than the appearance of the Risen One Himself. Do you want to know how this better confirms the truth of the resurrection than if He Himself appeared before the eyes of all people? Listen attentively, because many ask about this and say: Why did not the Lord, having risen, immediately appear to the Jews? This is a superfluous and vain question. If there had been a hope of converting the Jews to the faith, He would not have failed to appear to all after His resurrection. And that there was no hope that He, appearing to them after the resurrection, would convert them to faith, is evident from the incident with Lazarus. By resurrecting this four-day-old dead man, stinking and decaying, and commanding him, bound with bandages, to come out before the eyes of all, He not only did not convert them to faith, but even aroused hatred, because when they were gathered they even wanted to kill Him for this (John 22:10). If, then, when He raised up another, they did not believe, then, if He had resurrected Himself and appeared to them, would they not again have gone into a frenzy against Him? And although they could not have had any success, they would have shown their impiety by an attempt.

Therefore, wishing to save them from excessive frenzy, He hid Himself, because He would have made them even more worthy of punishment if He had appeared to them after suffering on the Cross. Therefore, sparing them, He hid Himself from their eyes, and showed Himself by the appearance of signs, because to hear the words of Peter: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth arise and walk" (Acts 3:6) meant no less than to see the Risen One Himself. And that this is indeed the greatest proof of the resurrection, and leads more easily to faith than the latter, and that the manifestation of signs performed in His name could better convince the minds of men than the sight of the Risen One Himself, is evident from the following: Christ rose and appeared to the disciples; but among them there was a certain unbeliever, Thomas called Didymus, and it was necessary for him to put his hands into the wounds of nails, and it was necessary also to touch His side (John 20:24).

The people, hearing Peter say to the lame man: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk," believed in Christ in the number of three thousand, and then in the number of five thousand men; But the disciple, seeing the risen One, did not believe. Do you see how the former led much more conveniently to faith in the resurrection? Seeing the risen one, His own disciple did not believe, but when He saw the signs, the enemies also believed. Thus the latter was more effective and clearer than the former, and more disposed and assured them of the resurrection. But what do I say about Thomas? And the rest of the disciples did not believe at the first vision. Listen to these things carefully, but do not condemn them, beloved: if Christ has not condemned them, do not condemn them either. The disciples saw a wondrous and extraordinary deed, they saw the firstborn risen from the dead; and such great miracles usually strike at first, until in time they are established in the souls of believers; It was the same with the disciples then. When Christ, risen from the dead, said to them: "Peace be unto you," then, says the Evangelist, "they were troubled and afraid, thinking that they were seeing a spirit, but He said to them, 'Why are you troubled?' And then, showing them hands and feet, "they did not yet believe for joy, and were amazed, He said to them, 'Do you have any food here?'" Wishing thereby to assure them of the resurrection (Luke 24:36-41). You are not convinced, He says, neither ribs nor wounds; let the meal at least convince.

7. And in order that you may know more surely that He said, "Do you have any food here?" so that they may not think that before them is a ghost, or a spirit, or an apparition, but a true and real resurrection, listen to how Peter thereby proves the resurrection. Having said: "This God hath raised up, and has given Him to appear to us, witnesses who have been chosen by God," he then, giving proof of the resurrection, added: "Which ate and drank with Him" (Acts 10:40,41). Wherefore in another place Christ, having raised up the dead, and desiring to assure her of the resurrection, said: "Give her to eat" (Mark 5:43). And so, when you hear that He "manifested Himself alive, appearing to them for forty days, and ate with them" (Acts 1:10; Luke 24:43), then know the reason for this eating of food, namely: He ate food, having no need of it Himself, but wishing to correct the weakness of the disciples. From this it can be seen that the miracles and signs of the apostles were the greatest proof of the resurrection (of Christ). Wherefore He Himself says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works which I do shall he also do, and greater than these" (John 14:12). Since the preceding cross offended very many, great signs were needed after that. If the dead Christ had remained in death and in the tomb and had not risen again, as the Jews say, and ascended to heaven, then not only would there have been no great signs after the cross, but even those who had been performed before would have lost their power. Listen to me here with attention; what I say is proof of the certainty of the resurrection; Therefore, I will repeat what I have said. Christ had previously performed miracles, raised the dead, cleansed lepers, cast out demons; then He was crucified and, as the lawless Jews say, did not rise from the dead. What shall we say to them? The following: if He was not resurrected, how were great signs performed in His name after that? None of the living, when he died, performed great signs after death, but here after that there were great miracles both in the manner of their performance and in their nature. They were great in nature, because the shadow of Christ never raised the dead, but the shadows of the apostles did many such things. There were great signs also in the manner of their execution, because then He Himself performed miracles by command, and after the cross His servants, calling upon His venerable and holy name, performed great and higher works, in which His power was manifested more and more gloriously. In fact, it is much more important when another performed miracles by calling on His name than when He Himself also performed by His own command. Do you see, beloved, great both in nature and in the manner of performing the signs, performed by the apostles after the resurrection of Christ? Thus, they are the unmistakable proof of the resurrection. What I have said, I will repeat again: if Christ had not risen again when He died, then the signs would have ended and ceased; and now they not only did not cease, but after that the most important and glorious things took place. If Christ had not risen, then others would not have performed such signs in His name, because one and the same power performed miracles both before the cross and after the cross, only before the cross through Christ Himself, and afterwards through His disciples. And in order that the proof of the resurrection might be clearer and more glorious, there were greater and higher signs after the cross. But how do we know, – the infidel will say, – that there were signs then? And how do we know that Christ was crucified? From the Divine Scriptures, you will say. Exactly, it is known from the scriptures that there were signs then and that Christ was crucified; they tell about both. But if the adversary says that the apostles did not perform signs, then he will show their power and divine grace even more, that they converted such a universe to godliness without signs. It is a great sign and a wondrous miracle that poor people, who had nothing, who were ignorant, unlearned, simple, despised, and twelve in number, could attract to themselves without signs so many cities, tribes of nations, kings, rulers, philosophers, rhetoricians, and, so to speak, the whole earth. Do you want to see the signs that are happening even now? I will prove to you even greater signs than before: not one dead one who is resurrected, not one blind one who sees, but the whole earth, which has cast down the darkness of error; not just one leper being cleansed, but so many peoples who have been healed of sinful leprosy and cleansed by the bath of Genesis. What more do you seek, O man, than these signs, when you see such a sudden change in the universe?

8. Do you want to know how Christ gave the insight of the universe? Formerly, people did not consider wood and stone to be wood and stone, but called senseless things gods: so they were blinded; but now they knew that it was a tree and that it was a stone, and they believed that it was God, because it is by faith alone that this immortal and blessed Being is contemplated. Do you want to see another sign of the resurrection? You will see it in the souls of the disciples; and this sign became great after the resurrection. Everyone knows that he who is well disposed towards a person during his life, after his death, may not remember him, and he who is not well disposed towards a living person and left him during life, all the more forgets about him after death. Therefore, no one who leaves and abandons a teacher-friend during his lifetime will cherish him after his death, especially if he sees innumerable dangers threatening him for his attachment to him. But this, what does not happen to anyone, happened to Christ and the apostles: those who denied and left Him during His lifetime, left Him when He was taken, and fled, after countless reproaches and the cross, began to revere Him so highly that they laid down their lives for confession and faith in Him.