3. But, wishing to justify ourselves in the vastness of the introductions, we again made a long introduction, however, not without reason and not without intention, but because we discussed with you about the most important and necessary subjects – that we should generously endure reproof, that we might zealously rebuke and correct those who sinn. It is necessary at last to present the justification in the vastness (of the introductions), and to say why we are making long introductions. Why do we do this? We converse with such a multitude (of the hearers) – with people who have wives, who manage houses, who spend their lives in daily work, in worldly affairs. And it is not only bad that they are constantly busy, but also that they come here only once a week. Therefore, in order that our words may be comprehensible to them, we try to make our teaching clearer by means of introductions. He who has nothing to do, but is constantly occupied with the Scriptures, does not need introductions, does not need preparation; no, as soon as he hears the speaker, he understands the meaning of speech. But a person who spends most of his time in worldly affairs, and comes here for a short and short time, if he does not listen to the introduction, if he does not see that the way to the word is open to him on all sides in advance, will come out of here without any benefit. However, this is not only the reason for the vastness of our introductions; There is another, no less important reason. Of this multitude of listeners, some come, and others often do not. Therefore, it is necessary to praise those who have come, and not to reproach those who have come, so that they may become even more zealous because of praise, and those who will give up laziness because of reproaches. There is another reason why intros are necessary for you. We often take up a rather extensive subject for discussion, one that cannot be completed in one day, on the contrary, we need a second, and a third, and a fourth day to explain the same subject. Therefore, it is necessary to repeat the end of the previous instruction on this second day, so that through such a connection of the end with the beginning the study will be made clearer for those present, and so that the word, devoid of connection with the previous one, will not be obscure for the listeners. And in order to assure you that no one will understand a word without an introduction, so I, for the sake of experiment, now present a word without an introduction. "And Jesus looked at him, and said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonah; thou shalt be called Cephas, which means, a stone (Peter)" (John 1:42). See, do you understand that saying? Do you know the connection and the reason why it is said? This is because I offered this saying without an introduction, and I acted in the same way as if someone were to bring out a man who was hidden on all sides. Let us open it, having given it an introduction. Not long ago we had a word here about Paul, when we were talking about names, and we were investigating why he was once called Saul, and then called Paul. From here we passed on to ancient history, and reviewed all those who had nicknames. Then they immediately remembered Simon, and Christ's words spoken to him: "Thou art Simon, the son of Jonah; thou shalt be called Cephas, which means, a stone (Peter)" Do you see how what seemed a short time ago has become clearer now? Just as the body needs a head, a tree a root, and a river a spring, so does the word need an introduction. And so, when we have placed you at the beginning of the same path, and have shown you the connection (of the present discourse with the previous ones), let us take up the very introduction of the story (of Paul). "And Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord" (Acts 9:1). And in the Epistles he is called Paul: why did the Holy Spirit change his name? As a master, having bought a slave and wishing to show him his authority over him, changes his name, so did the Holy Spirit then. He took Paul into captivity, and this one had recently come under the power of the Holy Spirit, who therefore changed his name, so that from this he would know (new) power over himself. That naming is a sign of authority is very clear from what we do, but it will be even clearer from what God did to Adam. Wishing to make him understand that he was the king and lord of all, (God) brought all the beasts to him "to see what he would call them" (Gen. 2:19), by which He showed that the naming of names serves as a confirmation of authority. But if you want to see this among people, and know that those who take slaves from captivity often change their names, listen to what the king of Babylon did. He, having taken Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael captive, did not leave them with their former names, but called them Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan. 1:6,7). But why did (the Holy Spirit) rename Paul not immediately, but after a long time? For if he had renamed him immediately after his conversion, Paul's change and conversion to the faith would not have become apparent. On the contrary, what happens to slaves, i.e. that they, as soon as they flee and immediately change their names, become unknown, would have happened to Paul, if he had been renamed immediately after he left the Jews and came to us, no one would have known that he was a persecutor, that he had become an evangelist. And to know that he was a persecutor, and had become an apostle, was very important. It was this that humbled the Jews, that they saw how the teacher who stood for them stood against them. Therefore, so that the sudden change of name does not conceal the change of will, (the Holy Spirit) allows Paul to bear his former name for a long time: let it, when it is known to all that this is he who formerly persecuted the church, let him change his name as well, as it will be known to all. And that this is the real reason, listen to how he himself says: "After this I departed to the countries of Syria and Cilicia. I was not known to the churches of Christ in Judea personally" [2] (Galatians 1:21,22). If he was not known to the churches that were in Palestine, where he lived, much less to those who were in other places. "Personally, I was not known," he says, not by name. Why "personally"? For none of the believers dared to see him when he persecuted us: so he breathed murder, so full of fury was he! Therefore, if he went anywhere, everyone withdrew, everyone fled, and did not dare even look at him: so he raged against the believers! They (believers) have only heard that he who once persecuted us now preaches the faith which he formerly destroyed, v. 23. Therefore, since (the Palestinian Christians) did not know Paul personally, but only heard (about him), then if his name had been changed immediately, and those who heard would not have known that he who persecuted the faith was preaching. Since they knew that Paul had formerly been called Saul, if he had been called Paul immediately after his conversion, and then someone had told them that Paul was preaching, persecuting the church, they would not have known that it was he, because he was not called Paul, but Saul. That is why (the Holy Spirit) left him to bear his former name for a long time, so that he would become known to all believers, even those who were distant and had not seen him.

4. Thus it has been sufficiently shown why Paul's name was not immediately changed. Now it is necessary to turn to the very beginning of the word. "And Saul, while he was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord." What does "more" mean? What did he do before, that (the Evangelist Luke) say "yet"? This "yet" indicates a person who has previously done a lot of evil. What did he do? And tell me, what evil has he not done? He filled Jerusalem with blood, killing the believers, destroyed the church, persecuted the apostles, killed Stephen, spared neither husbands nor wives. Listen to what his disciple says: "Saul tormented the church, entering into houses, and dragging men and women" (Acts 8:3). For him there was not enough market; No, he also invaded houses: "Entering into houses," he says. And he did not say, "Leading away," or, "Tearing up" husbands and women, but, "dragging men and women," as if he were speaking of a beast. "Dragging men and women" – not only husbands, but also wives. He was not ashamed of nature, he did not spare the floor, nor was he moved by weakness. And he did it out of jealousy, not out of (blind) rage. Therefore, the Jews who did the same are worthy of condemnation, and he, although he did the same, deserves forgiveness. By their very deeds they proved that they did this for the honor and glory of the people; he is not for this, but out of zeal for God, though without reasoning. For this reason they left their wives alone, and rebelled against their husbands, because they saw that their (the Jews') honor had passed to them; but Paul, because he was moved by jealousy, rebelled against everyone. So when he had pictured all these things in his mind, and seeing that Paul had not yet had his fill, Luke said, "Saul, while he still breathes threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord." The murder of Stephen did not satisfy him, the persecution of the church did not satisfy his desire; no, he strove further, and nowhere did he stop in a frenzy, because it was jealousy. No, he had just returned from the murder of Stephen, as he had begun to persecute the apostles; And he acted just as if a ferocious wolf, having attacked a flock of sheep, seized a lamb from there and tore it to pieces with his teeth, and from this abduction he became even more ferocious. Thus Saul attacked the face of the Apostle, seized from there the lamb of Christ, Stephen, tore him to pieces, and from this murder he became even more ferocious. That's why it says "more." Who wouldn't have had enough of this murder? Who would not be pacified by the meekness of the slain and the prayer that he, being stoned, offered up for those who slew him: "Lord! do not impute this sin to them" (Acts 7:60)? That is why the persecutor became an evangelist: soon after the murder (of Stephen) he changed, – God heard the voice of him. And sure enough, Stephen deserved to be heard, both for Paul's future virtue and for his own confession: "Lord! do not impute this sin to them." Let everyone who has enemies, everyone who is offended, hear this. Even though you have suffered a thousand insults, you have not yet been stoned like Stephen. And look what is being done. One spring, Stefanov, was blocked - and another opened, which released thousands of rivers. Stephen's lips fell silent, and immediately Paul's trumpet sounded. Thus, God never completely abandons those who come to Him, but Himself gives them greater gifts than their enemies take away from them. In fact, it was not such a soldier that the enemies plucked out of the army (Christian), which, in his place, Christ appointed. "And Saul yet..." This "yet" also points to something else, namely, that Christ drew him to Himself while he was still raging, still raging, still in full force of rage, still breathing murder. He did not wait until the illness ceased, the passion was extinguished, and this fierce man was subdued, and then He drew him to Himself: no, He took him in the very heat of his fury, in order to show His strength, that is, that He conquers and overcomes the persecutor in his most complete drunkenness, while his rage was still burning in him. And we are especially surprised at the physician when he is able to extinguish and completely stop the fever in its highest degree and the flame of the disease in its extreme strength. So it was with Paul: when he was in the strongest fire, then the voice of the Lord, like dew falling from heaven, completely freed him from his illness. "And Saul, while he was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord." He left the people [3], and attacked the main ones [4]. As he who wishes to cut down a tree, leaving the branches, hews out the root from below, so he also went against the disciples in order to destroy the root of the sermon.

But the root of the sermon was not the disciples, but the Lord of the disciples. That is why He said: "I am the vine, and you are the branches" (John 15:5). And that root is irresistible: therefore, the more branches were cut off, the more and longer they grew again. Thus Stephen was cut off, and Paul grew up, and those who believed through Paul. "As he walked and approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven shone upon him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul! why persecute me?" (Acts 9:3,4). Why did not the voice descend first, but the light shone upon him? So that he calmly listens to the voice. A man who is too busy with any work, and is overwhelmed with great wrath, if thousands (of men) call him, does not address them, because he is wholly devoted to his subject: so that this may not happen to Paul, lest he, intoxicated with fury from (his) works, reject the voice, or even hear it altogether, because he has turned all his thoughts to the desolation (of the churches), Christ first blinded his eyes with light, tamed his rage, calmed the storm of his soul, and established perfect silence in his heart, and then He gave up His voice, so that (Saul), after pride had fallen in him, he would already soberly heed the words (of the Lord). "Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute Me?" "Why do you persecute me?" Why are you offended by Me? Is it because I raised your dead, cleansed the lepers, cast out demons? But for this it was necessary to worship Me, and not to persecute Me. And in order that you may be convinced that these words, "Why persecute me?" are more than the words of one who defends himself, listen to how His Father (Jesus Christ) addressed the Jews with the same words. As He says, "Saul, Saul! why persecute me?" – so He said to the Jews: "My people! What have I done to you, and with what have I burdened you?" (Micah 6:3)? "Saul, Saul! why do you persecute Me?" – Behold, you are lying on the ground, behold, you are bound without chain! Just as a master, having caught and tied up a slave who has repeatedly run around and done much evil, says to him who is bound: What shall I do with you now? Here you are in my hands? – so Christ, taking Paul, threw him to the ground, and seeing that he trembled, was frightened, and could do nothing, said: "Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute Me?" Why the frenzy? Why untimely jealousy? Why fetters and attacks? Why this ferocity? Behold, you will now be motionless, and you will not see the persecuted; You, who walked and ran fast everywhere, now need a counselor. Indeed, it is for this reason that Christ says to him now: "Why persecute me?" so that he would know that even in the past (the Lord) yielded to him voluntarily, that neither the former (tolerance) came from weakness, nor the present (defeat) from cruelty, but even that from love for mankind, and this from benevolence. What about Paul? "Who art thou, O Lord?" From his former indulgence he came to know power, from his present blindness he understood power; now he confesses the dominion (of the Lord): "Who art thou, O Lord?" you see what a noble heart; You see what a direct conscience he has! He did not persist, did not argue, but immediately recognized Vladyka. Not like the Jews, who, seeing that the dead are raised, the blind see, the lepers are cleansed, not only did not have recourse to Him who did this (Jesus Christ), but also called Him a deceiver; no, Paul did not do so, but immediately converted. What about Christ? "I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest" (Acts 9:5). And why did he not say, "I am the risen Jesus, I am Jesus who sits at the right hand of God," but, "I am Jesus, whom you persecute"? He said this in order to strike his mind, to crush his soul. Listen to how Paul, after a long time and after his innumerable feats, wept over this: "For I," he said, "am the least" of all the "Apostles, and am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God" (1 Corinthians 15:9). If he wept over this after innumerable feats and so long a time, then how fitting it was for him to grieve at a time when he had not yet performed a single feat, but was already aware of himself guilty of persecution and heard that voice!

5. But here (the adversaries) rise up against us. And do not give in to fatigue, even if evening comes, for we are talking about Paul, about Paul, who taught his disciples day and night for three years (Acts 20:31). So here some rise up and say, "Is it any wonder that Paul was converted?" God, after all, like a rope, threw that voice around his neck – and so drew him to Himself. Listen carefully. Here our word is directed both against the pagans and against the Jews, who think to cover up their unbelief with slander against the righteous, but do not know that they are thus committing a double sin: they do not deny their error, and they try to bring such accusations against the holy (man) of God. But we, with the help of the grace of God, will justify him. What is the accusation? God, they say, drew him to Himself by force. How forcibly? Tell me. He called him from heaven. Are you quite sure that (God) called him from heaven? So He calls you today with the same voice, but you don't listen. Do you see that the matter did not happen by force? If there were compulsion, then you too should obey; but if you do not listen, then he, too, evidently obeyed of his own free will. And in order that you may be convinced that the calling (of God) certainly contributed much to the salvation of Paul, as well as to all other people, but did not deprive him of his own deeds and merits, acquired by the power of his will, and did not restrict his freedom, but that, on the contrary, he converted voluntarily and of his own disposition, I will explain this by another example. The Jews heard a voice from heaven on the waves of the Jordan, not of the Son, but of the Father, saying of Christ: "This is My beloved Son" (Matt. 3:17), and yet they say: "This is a deceiver" (27:63). Do you see what an obvious struggle? Do you see what an open war is? Do you see that everywhere goodwill and a soul upright and unoccupied with passion are needed? Behold, there is a voice, and there is a voice: but one (Paul) obeyed, and the others (the Jews) persisted. Moreover, (on the Jordan) not only the voice, but also the Spirit in the form of a dove. As John baptized, and Christ was baptized, so that (the Jews), judging from a human being, would not consider the baptizer greater than the one being baptized, a voice would come, and distinguish Him from him. And as it was not known about whom the voice spoke its words, the Holy Spirit came in the form of a dove, drawing this voice to the head of Christ. But although (the Father) proclaimed Him (Jesus Christ) with a voice, and pointed to Him by the Spirit, and besides this, John also cried out: "From Whom I am not worthy to untie the strap of my shoe" (Luke 3:16), and there were many other testimonies both in word and deed; However, the Jews were blind to all this, or rather, they saw everything, but they did not believe anything, neither words nor deeds, because their hearts were preoccupied with an insane love for the glory of man. This is what the Evangelist says, that is, that "many" of the Jews "believed in Him; but for the sake of the Pharisees they did not confess, lest they be excommunicated from the synagogue" (John 12:42); and Christ Himself said: "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and do not seek the glory that is from the One God?" (John 5:44).

Not so Paul; no, hearing only one voice of Him, persecuted, he immediately flowed (to Him), immediately submitted, and showed in himself a complete change. If you are not tired of the duration of the word, then I will offer an even closer example. The Jews also heard the Son, and heard, just as Paul heard; they heard at the same time as Paul heard, and yet they did not believe. Paul heard a voice when he raged, when he raged, when he persecuted the disciples: so also the Jews. Where and when? They went out by night, with lanterns and lamps, to take Him (Jesus): they thought they were attacking a common man. And so, wanting to show them His power, and that He is God, and they go against the, (Christ) says to them: "Whom are you seeking?" (John 18:4)? They stood before Him and near, and did not see Him; but He Himself helps them to find themselves, so that they may know that He voluntarily goes to suffering, that if He did not want to allow them, they would not have taken possession of Him. How could they really possess Him, when they could not find Him? Why do I say, "They could not find Him?" They could not even see Him, while He was before them; and not only could they not see Him when He was before them, but even when they answered His question, they did not know who was before them: so He blinded their eyes excessively! And not only did He blind them, but He even threw them to the ground with His voice. When He said, "Whom are you looking for?" they all "turned back" from those words. As the voice brought Paul down and threw him to the ground, so did this voice cast them all down to the earth; as he did not see what he was persecuting, so they did not see what they were seeking; As he was blinded during his fury, so they were blinded during his fury itself. And he (became blind) when he went to bind the disciples, and they were subjected to the same when they went out to bind Christ. And there are bonds, and here are bonds; and there is persecution, and there is persecution; and there is blindness, and here is blindness; and there is a voice, and there is a voice; in a word: the same manifestation of the power of Christ, the same corruptions, but not the same correction, because the sick were very different. What, indeed, is more insensible, what is more ungrateful than they? They fell back, and got up again, and attacked again! Were they not more senseless than stones? And so that they may know that He is exactly the one who said to them, "Whom are you seeking?" and threw them back, (Jesus) again, as they arose, said to them, "Whom are you seeking?" and saith unto them, I have told you that it is I" (John 18:7,8). It is as if He were saying, "Know that I am the same who said before, 'Whom are you seeking?' and who has cast you down." But no good came of it; no, they remained in the same blindness. Comparing all this with one another, know for certain that Paul was converted not under compulsion, but from a good soul and a clear conscience.

6. If you will be patient and good-natured, I will present another nearest example, which irrefutably proves that Paul did not turn to the Lord out of compulsion. Paul afterwards came to Salamis, in Cyprus, and found there a certain magician, who was with the proconsul Sergius. Paul, being filled with the Holy Spirit, said to him: "O full of all deceit and all wickedness, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness! Will you cease to turn away from the straight paths of the Lord?" (Acts 13:10). This is (said the former) persecutor. Let us glorify Him Who converted him. Before, you have heard that he "tormented the church, entering into houses, and dragging men and women, and giving them into prison" (Acts 8:3); Now you see how boldly he defends the sermon. "Wilt thou cease to turn away from the straight ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee: thou shalt be blind, and shalt not see the sun till the time" (Acts 13:10, 11). The same medicine that restored his (spiritual) sight was also used by Paul on the magician, but this one remained blinded, so that you might know that it was not only his vocation that brought Paul (to Jesus Christ), but also his own disposition. If the cause of this (Paul's conversion) had been one affliction of blindness, then the same should have happened to the magician, but it was not. No, he was blind, but the proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed (13:12). One took the medicine, and the other regained his sight. You see what a good disposition of the heart means, what stubbornness and hardness mean! The magician became blind, but he himself did not benefit from it, because he was stubborn, and the proconsul came to know Christ. But it has already been sufficiently proved that Paul converted voluntarily and out of disposition. Now I want you to know this truth, that God does not make violence unwilling, but draws only those who will. Therefore (Christ) says: "No man can come to me, except the Father draws him" (John 6:44). The one who draws draws the one who desires, who lies on the ground and stretches out his hand. And in order that you may be convinced that (God) does not coerce anyone, but that if He wills, and we do not want to, the work of our salvation falls apart, not because His will is weak, but because He does not want to force anyone, it is necessary to consider this subject, since many often use this pretext to justify their carelessness, and being exhorted to receive enlightenment (i.e. the sacrament of baptism), to change my way of life for the better and to other similar feats, but for all this, remaining in negligence and negligence, they answer in such a way that, if God wills, He will convince me – and I will change. I do not condemn them, on the contrary, I approve of them very much, because they have recourse to the will of God; only I want them to do what they have to do on their part, and then say: if it pleases God. If you, having given yourself over to sleep and laziness, do not strive for good deeds, but only begin to refer to the will of God, you will never have anything good. God, as I have said, never leads anyone to Himself by force and compulsion; no, He wants everyone to be saved, but He does not force anyone, as Paul says: "That all men may be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). How is it that not everyone is saved, if He wants everyone to be saved? This is because not everyone's will follows His will, and He does not force anyone. Thus (Christ) says to Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How many times would I have gathered Thy children, and ye would not?" "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Luke 13:34,35). Do you see that if God wills, but we do not surrender (to His will), we remain in perdition? God, I repeat, is ready to save man, not by force, not against his will, but by his own free will and disposition. People, whether their slaves want it or not, desire to be masters over them and to have dominion over them, having in mind not the benefit of the slaves, but their own benefit; but God, lacking in nothing, and desiring to show thee that he has no need of any of ours, requires our service only for our own benefit, and does all things, not out of His need, for our good, if we approach (Him) voluntarily, willingly, and with gratitude for the very enslavement. As for those who do not want to and turn away, He does not force or do not will, wishing to show that it is not He who should thank us for our service, but we should thank Him for His dominion. Therefore, knowing this, and meditating on the love of the Lord, let us lead our lives, as far as possible, according to His goodness, so that we may also receive the kingdom of heaven, which may we all attain, according to the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory and dominion, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

[1] έν λόγοις, καί άλλη άρετή. In the Slavonic text: he is strong in words and deeds. Acts 7:22

[2] In the Slavonic text: "I am about Christ"

[3] i.e. simple believers.

[4] i.e. the Apostles.

DISCOURSE IV

containing a rebuke of those who were not in the church and an exhortation to those who were to take care of the brethren; also at the beginning of the Epistle to the Corinthians: "Paul is called" (1 Corinthians 1:1), and on humility

1. When I look at your small numbers, and see that our flock is decreasing in every congregation, I grieve and rejoice: I rejoice because of you who are here now; I grieve for those who are not here. You are worthy of praise for not becoming more careless even because of your small numbers; they deserve blame for not being stirred up to diligence and by your zeal. Therefore I call you happy and blessed, because you have not been harmed in the least by the carelessness of them; but those I consider pitiful and mourn because your zeal has not benefited them in any way. They did not hear what the prophet says: "I would rather be at the threshold in the house of God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness" (Psalm 83:11). He did not say, "I desire to dwell in the house of my God," nor "to dwell," nor "to enter," but, "to be at the threshold." I am glad, he says, to be among the last; I will also be pleased if I am worthy to enter the vestibule; I will honor for the greatest gift, if I am placed among the last in the house of my God. Love assimilates to itself the common Lord: such is love. "In the house of God."

The lover desires to see not only the beloved, and not only his home, but also the vestibule; and not only the vestibule of the house, but also the street and alley itself (i.e. the house of a loved one); and if he sees even the clothes or shoes of a friend, he thinks that before him is his friend himself. Such were the prophets: since they did not see the incorporeal God, they looked at the temple, and in it they imagined God Himself to be present. "I would rather be at the threshold in the house of God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." Every place, every house, whether it be a judgment seat, or a senate, or a private house, is a dwelling place of sinners in comparison with the house of God, because although there are prayers and supplications, there are inevitably also strife, and quarrels, and strife, and strife, and consultations about the affairs of life: and this house (of God) is pure from all this. That's why those places are the dwellings of sinners, and this is the house of God. And just as a harbor, protected from winds and waves, gives complete safety to the ships that enter it, so the house of God, as if pulling those who enter it out of the storm of worldly affairs, allows them to stand quietly and safely, and listen to the word of God. This place is a school of virtue, a school of wisdom. Come, not only during the meeting, when there is a reading of the Scriptures, spiritual instruction, and a council of honorable fathers; no, and at any other time come only at the threshold – and immediately put aside the cares of life. Enter the vestibule – and like a spiritual breeze will blow upon your soul. This silence inspires fear and teaches wisdom, excites the mind and does not allow you to remember the present, transports you from earth to heaven. And if it is so profitable to be here without the assembly, what profit do those present here, and what loss do those who are absent suffer when the prophets cry out on all sides, when the apostles preach the gospel, when Christ stands in the midst, when the Father approves of what is happening (here), when the Holy Spirit communicates his joy?