2. Along with the above, another reason can be cited. Which one? By this appearance, Jesus Christ wanted to teach His disciples that He has power over life and death, and has dominion over heaven and earth. For this reason both the dead and the one who has not yet experienced death appear here. The fifth reason (and this is indeed the fifth) was presented by the evangelist himself. It is to show the glory of the cross, to comfort Peter and the other disciples who feared suffering, and to encourage their hearts. In fact, the two men who appeared were not silent, but spoke of the glory which he intended to manifest in Jerusalem, that is, of suffering and of the cross, because suffering and the cross are always called glory. Further, the reason for the election of these men was their very virtue, which He chiefly demanded of His disciples. Since Christ has always taught: "If any man will come after me, let him take up his cross, and follow me," He now brings into the midst those who have died a thousand times for the glory of God and for the people entrusted to them. Verily, each of them, having lost his soul, gained it; each spoke boldly against tyrants, one against Pharaoh, another against Ahab, and moreover for ungrateful and disobedient people, who paid them for their salvation with ingratitude, plunging them into extreme dangers; everyone wanted to distract the people from idolatry. Both were simple people, and moreover, one was tongue-tied and thin-minded, and the other led a harsh life. Both were distinguished by non-acquisitiveness, because neither Moses had anything, nor Elijah had anything but a mantle. And moreover, all this was in the Old Testament, when there was not yet such an abundant gift of miracles. True, Moses also divided the sea, but Peter walked on the waters, could move mountains, healed various bodily diseases, cast out cruel demons, performed great miracles with his very shadow, and converted the whole universe. Likewise, Elijah, although he raised the dead, the disciples of Christ raised up thousands, and moreover, when they had not yet been vouchsafed to receive the Spirit into themselves. Christ converses with Moses and Elijah also in order to induce His disciples to imitate their love for their people, their constancy and firmness, so that they may be meek like Moses, zealous like Elijah, and equally solicitous. In fact, one of them endured a famine for the Jewish people for three years, and the other says: "Forgive them their sin, and if not, blot me also out of Thy book, in which Thou hast written" (Exodus 32:32). Christ reminded His disciples of all this by the appearance of Moses and Elijah. And in glory He brought them out, not only that the disciples might be such, but that they might surpass them. That is why, when one day they said: "Let us say that fire should come down from heaven" (Luke 9:54), and mentioned Elijah, who did the same, He said to them: "You do not know what kind of spirit you are", persuading them to endure offenses by the superiority of the gift. But let no one think that we condemn Elijah as imperfect; We don't say that. He was very perfect, but only in his own time, when the minds of people were still in infancy, and when they had need of such guidance. In the same way, Moses was perfect; but more perfection is required of Christ's disciples: "Except your righteousness surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20). And this is because the disciples were not sent to Egypt, but to the whole world, which was in a worse condition than Egypt, and they did not have to talk to Pharaoh, but to fight with the very author of evil, the devil. Their feat was to bind him and plunder all his vessels; and this they did not do by dividing the sea, but by cutting with the rod of Jesse the abyss of wickedness, which was raised up by stormy waves. Imagine what did not frighten these men: death, poverty, infamy, countless sufferings. All this was more terrible to them than the sea was to the Jews. And yet Christ persuaded them to despise all these things, and to go with perfect safety, as it were by land. Preparing them for all this, He also set before them men who had been glorified in the Old Testament. What about the fiery Peter? "It is good for us to be here" (Matt. 17:4), he says. Since he heard that Christ must go to Jerusalem and suffer, then, fearing and trembling for Him, after the reproach made to him, he does not dare to approach and repeat the same thing: "Be merciful to Thyself" (Matt. 16:22), but out of fear he expresses the same idea in other, but not so clear words. Now, seeing the mountain and the solitary wilderness, he thought that the very place provided security, and not only did he hope for the safety of the place, but he also thought that Jesus would not go to Jerusalem again. Peter wants Christ to remain here forever, which is why he reminds us of tents. If, he thought, this should happen, we will not go to Jerusalem; and if we do not go, then Christ will not die, because there, said Jesus, the scribes will attack Him. But not daring to say it in this way, but wishing it to happen, Peter said without any fear: "It is good for us to be here!" Here are Moses and Elijah, Elijah - who brought fire down from heaven to the mountain, Moses - who entered the darkness and conversed with God; And no one will know that we are here.

3. Do you see how ardently Peter loves Christ? Do not think that the conviction he offers was not thought through; but consider how ardent he was, and how his love for Christ burned him. And that Peter did not say this out of fear for himself, is evident from his words, which he uttered when Christ foretold His future death and His exodus, from the words: "I will give my life for Thee; though I ought to die with Thee, I will not deny Thee" (Mark 14:31). Notice how for Christ's sake he was exposed to dangers, when he not only did not flee from the crowd of people that attacked Christ, but, drawing another sword, cut off the ear of the bishop's servant. Thus, he did not care for himself, but trembled for his Teacher. Further, since his words were decisive, he now comes to his senses, and in order not to incur reproach again, he continues: "If you will, let us make three tabernacles here: one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah"? What do you say, Peter? Did you not shortly before distinguish Him from the slaves, and now you again confuse Him with the slaves? This is how imperfect the disciples were before the cross! Though Peter had a revelation from the Father, he did not hold it back constantly, but was troubled by fear, not only that of which I have spoken, but also by the fear that was born in him at the very vision. For this reason the other Evangelists, speaking of this and showing that the cause of the confusion with which he pronounced these words was precisely that fear, said: Mark "did not know what to say; for they were afraid" (Mark 9:6); and Luke, having said, "Let us make three tabernacles," added, "not knowing what he spoke" (Luke 9:33). Moreover, showing that both Peter and the other disciples were stricken with great fear, Luke says of them: "They were weighed down with sleep; but when they awoke, they saw his glory" (Luke 9:32). By sleep here the Evangelist means the great aggravation that occurred in them from the vision. As excessive brilliance blinds the eyes, so they were struck by the light of that time. This light appeared not by night, but by day, and their feeble eyesight was weighed down by the greatness of the brilliance. What next? Neither Christ Himself says anything, nor Moses, nor Elijah; but the Father, who is greater than all and more worthy of faith, speaks from the cloud. Why from the cloud? This is how God always appears. "Cloud and darkness are round about Him" (Psalm 96:2); again: "He will sit on a light cloud" (Isa. 19:1); again: "Thou makest the clouds Thy chariot" (Psalm 103:3); also: "A cloud took Him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9); again: "With the clouds of heaven went as the Son of man" (Dan. 7:13). Therefore, in order for the disciples to verify that this voice is the voice of God Himself, a cloud appears, and a bright one at that. "While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; Hear Him" (Matt. 17:5)! When God utters threats, then He shows a dark cloud, as for example on Mount Sinai: "Moses entered into the midst of the cloud, and ascended into the mountain" (Exodus 24:18), "smoke ascended from it like smoke from a furnace" (Exodus 19:18). In the same way, the prophet, speaking of threats, said: "Darkness of the waters, clouds of the air" (Psalm 17:12). Here, since He did not intend to frighten, but to teach, a bright cloud appears. And while Peter said, "Let us make three tabernacles," He Himself showed the canopy not made with hands. That is why there is smoking and stove smoke, here is ineffable light and voice. Then, in order to show that he was not merely speaking of one of the three, but of Christ, the other two, when the voice was heard, withdrew, because if it had been spoken simply of one of them, then after the departure of the two, Jesus alone would not have remained. Why did the cloud overshadow not only Christ, but all? If it had overshadowed Christ alone, one might have thought that the voice had come from Christ Himself. That is why the Evangelist, preventing this from happening, says that the voice was from the cloud, that is, from God. What does this voice say? "This is My beloved Son"! But if Jesus is the beloved Son, then fear not, Peter! You had to know His power and be convinced of His resurrection. If you do not know, at least be encouraged by the voice of the Father. If God is omnipotent, as He really is, then the Son is omnipotent. Therefore, do not be afraid of threatening dangers. If you still do not agree, then at least consider that He is the Son, and the Beloved Son: "This is My beloved Son"! But if He is beloved, then do not be afraid. Who will destroy the one he loves? Therefore, do not be dismayed; though your love for Him be immeasurable, yet you do not love Him as He who begat Him, Who is well pleased with Him, loveth Him. He loves Him not only because He begat Him, but also because He is equal to Him in all things, and has one will with Him. Therefore the cause of His love is twofold, or even threefold, that is, that He is His Son, that He is beloved, that in Him is all His good pleasure. What does it mean, "In Whom I am well pleased"? It is as if the Father says thus: In Him is My rest and delight; and this is because He is perfectly equal to the Father in all things; His will is one with the will of the Father, and, being the Son, He is in all things one with Him who begat Him. "Hear Him," so if He wanted to be crucified on the cross, you would not resist it. "And when the disciples heard, they fell on their faces, and were very afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and do not be afraid. And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw none but Jesus alone" (Matt. 17:6-8).

4. Why were they so amazed when they heard these words? And before there was such a voice on the Jordan, in the presence of the people, but no one experienced anything like it; and afterwards, again, when there was thunder, as they said, no one experienced such a thing. Why did they prostrate themselves on the mountain? The reasons for this: the solitude and height of the place, the deep silence, the transfiguration combined with terror, the extraordinary light and the outstretched cloud - all this plunged them into great trembling. Amazing things surrounded them everywhere, and they fell down in terror and bowed. But so that fear, acting too long, does not deprive them of their memory, Christ immediately dispels their terror and appears to their eyes alone; and commands them not to speak of the event to anyone until He rises from the dead. "And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus rebuked them, saying, Tell no man of this vision, until the Son of Man rises from the dead" (Matt. 17:9). Indeed, the more miraculous things were told about Him, the more difficult it would be for many to believe it. Moreover, the temptation of the cross increased even more because of this. Wherefore He commands them to be silent, and not merely commands, but reminds them again of His sufferings, as if giving the reason why He commanded them to be silent, forbidding them not always to reveal it, but only until He rises from the dead. Keeping silent about what was very unpleasant, He says only one consoling thing. What after that? Could they not be offended? Nohow. It was only necessary to pass time before the cross; and afterwards they were filled with the Spirit, and in the signs they found a voice to follow them. Truly, nothing can be more blessed than the apostles, and especially the three of them, who were vouchsafed to be with the Lord under the cover of one cloud. However, we, too, if we wish, can see Christ – not in the form in which they saw Him on the mountain, but in a much better form, because later He will not come in the same form. Then He, sparing the disciples, showed them as much glory as they could bear; after that He will come in the glory of His Father, not only with Moses and Elijah, but with innumerable hosts of angels, with archangels, with cherubim, with all their innumerable hosts; not one cloud will be over His head, but the whole heaven will be centered upon Him. As judges, when they execute their judgment publicly, take away the curtains and show themselves to all, so then all will see Christ seated, and all people will stand before Him, and He Himself will answer them with His mouth. And to some he will say, "Good and faithful servant! in a few things thou hast been faithful, I will set thee over much" (Matt. 25:21). And to others, defining otherwise, He will say: "Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41); and to some, "a wicked servant and a slothful one" (Matt. 25:26). He will cut some and deliver them over to tormentors; and the others, having bound their hands and feet, commanded to be cast into utter darkness. And after the axe, the furnace will receive them, into which everything that is thrown out of the net will be thrown. "then the righteous shall shine like the sun" (Matt. 13:43), and even more than the sun; but if it is said so, it is not because their brightness is exactly the same as that of the sun, but because we do not know of any other luminary more brilliant than the sun. Christ, by means of the object known to us, wanted only to depict the future glory of the saints. In the same way, the Evangelist, when he says that Jesus shone like the sun on the mountain, says so for the same reason; And that the light was greater than that which is compared (sunlight), this was proved by the disciples by prostrating themselves. If this light had not been extraordinary, but had been like the sun, they would not have fallen, but easily carried it away. Therefore the righteous at that time will shine like the sun, and even more; but sinners will experience extreme calamities. Then there will be no need for evidence, denunciations, witnesses. He who judges is at once a witness, a rebuke, and a judge. He knows everything clearly: "all things are naked and open in His sight" (Hebrews 4:13). No one will appear there rich or poor, strong or weak, wise or foolish, slave or free; All these differences will disappear, and only cases will be sorted out. If in the courts a person convicted of mismanagement or murder, whoever he may be, prefect or consul, or the like, is deprived of all dignity and accepts a worthy execution, how much more so will it be there.

5. Therefore, in order that this may not happen to us, let us take off our unclean garments, let us put on the armor of light, and the glory of God will overshadow us. Which of the commandments, in fact, is inconvenient to fulfill, which is difficult? Listen to what the prophet says, and then you will know that they are easy. "Does a man torment his soul, when he bends his head like a reed, and lays rags and ashes under him? This is the fast which I have chosen: loose the fetters of iniquity, loose the bands of the yoke" (Isa. 58:5-6). Consider the wisdom of the prophet! Having offered first and then, rejecting the difficult means, he presents the easy way of salvation, showing that God does not require labor, but obedience. Then, proving that virtue is easy and vice is burdensome, he depicts this in the simplest words. Vice, he says, is bondage and slavery, and virtue is liberation and release from all this. "Break every yoke," meaning receipts for debts and loans. "Let the oppressed go free," i.e., the poor, because the debtor, as soon as he sees the lender, is troubled in spirit and fears him more than the beast. "Bring the wandering poor into the house; when thou seest the naked, clothe him, and hide not thyself from thy kinsman" (Isaiah 58:7). In the previous discourse, when discussing rewards, we called them the source of wealth. Now let us see if there is anything difficult in the commandments that transcends our nature. No, we will not find anything of the kind in them; we will even find the opposite. They are as easy as vice is difficult. In fact, what can be more difficult - to lend, to take care of profits, to conclude transactions, to demand guarantees, to be afraid and trembling for mortgages, for money given on interest, for receipts, for profits, for the fulfillment of promises? Such is all worldly! Apparently, the most refined foresight in everything is unreliable and unstable. On the contrary, it is easy to be merciful, and it frees you from all worries. Therefore, let us not profit from the misfortunes of others, and trade in mercy. I know that for many people it is unpleasant to listen to these words; But what is the benefit of keeping silent? If I remain silent and do not bother with my words, then not only can I not deliver you from punishment by this silence, but on the contrary, the punishment will increase from this, and not only for you, but even for myself this silence will bring punishment. So, what is the use of flattering words, when they do not help in practice, but still harm? What profit is there to cheer with words and sorrow in fact, to soothe the ear and subject the soul to punishment? Therefore, it is necessary to grieve here, so as not to be punished there. A terrible, my dears, a terrible illness that requires great healing has crept into the church! Those who are not even commanded to accumulate wealth by righteous labors, but are commanded to open their houses to the poor, derive their own benefit from the poverty of others, inventing a plausible image of theft, skillfully covering up covetousness. Don't tell me about external laws. And the publican fulfills the external law, but in spite of this he is guilty of punishment. We will have to experience the same if we do not cease to oppress the poor in need and misery, and to take advantage of this opportunity for shameful gain. You have money to alleviate poverty, and not to appease it; but you, under the guise of generosity, only increase poverty, and sell mercy for money. Sell, I don't forbid it; but only for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. For this deed you will receive a considerable reward - but a hundredfold reward, immortal life. Why are you poor and needy? Why do you, faint-hearted, sell great things for a small price, for money that is perishing, when this should be done for the sake of the kingdom that endures forever? Why, having forsaken God, do you strive for the benefits of men? Why, running around the Rich, do you annoy the poor, and, leaving the generous Giver, enter into relations with the ungrateful? He himself wants to give, but this one gives with difficulty. This one gives hardly a hundredth part, but He gives eternal life more than a hundredfold. This one with resentment and abuse, That one with love and favor. One arouses hatred in you, the other weaves crowns for you. One is with you just here, the other is both here and there. Is it not the utmost folly, then, not to know even one's own usefulness? How many people lost their money in the pursuit of profits! How many people, for the sake of gain, have been exposed to dangers! How many people have plunged themselves and others into extreme poverty from unheard-of covetousness!

6. Do not tell me that he who borrows rejoices and gives thanks for what has been given to him; it comes from your cruelty. And Abraham, having given his wife to the barbarians, himself showed that their evil intentions were pleasing to him; However, he did this not out of good will, but out of fear of Pharaoh. So it is with the poor man: since you do not consider him worthy to lend him, I am forced to thank you for your cruelty. It seems to me that even if you free someone from danger, you will demand a reward for it. No, you will say, this will not happen! What are you saying? In saving you from a great misfortune, you do not want to take money for it, while with a small service you show such inhumanity? Do you not see what punishment such an act deserves? Do you not know that this was forbidden in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 15)? But what else do many say, 'I will take the interest, and give to the poor?' Don't be cunning with the law. It is better not to give to a beggar at all than to give what is acquired by such means. By unrighteous bribery you often make unlawful the wealth that you have gathered by honest labors, just as if someone forced a healthy belly to give birth to scorpions. And what do I say about the law of God? Do you not call it unclean yourselves? If you, greedy people, think about it in this way, then imagine what judgment God will pronounce on you? If you want to know how the earthly legislators thought about this, then in their opinion such actions were a sign of extreme shamelessness. Those who were honored and belonged to the great council, called the senate, were forbidden to dishonor themselves with such gains. They had a law that forbade such gains. How can you not feel horror when you do not give such honor to the heavenly state as the legislators give to the Roman senate, even revere the heavens below the earth? And you are not ashamed of such madness? For it is as senseless as if someone thought to sow without earth, rain and a plow. Those who would invent such a ridiculous image of agriculture should expect nothing from it except tares doomed to fire.

Are there not many honest ways to acquire, for example: meadows, flocks, fields, cattle, needlework, care for property? Why then do you go mad and, sowing for good fortune, get thorns? The fruits of the earth, you will say, suffer much harm, for example: from hail, drought, torrential rains. But everything is not the same as the percentages. In fact, only the fruits of those accidents are suffered, and the capital, that is, the field, remains. Here, on the contrary, many people often ruin capital itself, and even before this misfortune they are constantly disturbed.

Such are the percentages! More than these poisonous animals, they torment and devour the souls of the unfortunate. Here is the "union of unrighteousness"! This is the "bondage of the yoke"! A man says: I give not so that you may have anything, but that you may return it with interest. And God, on the contrary, does not command to receive back what is given. "Lend," He says, "to those from whom you do not expect to receive (Luke 6:35); but you demand even more than you have given, and you compel your debtor to consider as a duty even that which you have not given. Through this you think to increase your possessions; but instead of this, you prepare for yourself an unquenchable fire. In order that this may not happen to us, let us cut off the unrighteous offspring of gain, let us destroy lawless desires, let us dry up this pernicious belly, and let us strive for only true and great gains. And what are these benefits? Listen to what Paul says: "It is a great gain to be godly and content" (1 Tim. 6:6). It is with this one wealth that we may be enriched, so that here too we may enjoy tranquility, and attain future blessings, through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

DISCOURSE 57

"And His disciples asked Him, How then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first" (Matt. 17:10)?

So the disciples did not learn about this from the Scriptures, but the scribes revealed it to them, and the rumor about it spread among the common people, as well as about Christ. Wherefore the Samaritan woman said, "The Messiah shall come...; when He comes, He will declare all things to us" (John 4:25); And the scribes asked John, Are you Elijah? … Prophet" (John 1:21)? So, among the Jews, as I have said, there was a rumor about the coming of Christ and Elijah, but they misinterpreted it. Scripture speaks of two comings of Christ, the past and the future. And Paul, pointing to both comings, said: "The grace of God has appeared, saving for all men, teaching us that, rejecting ungodliness and worldly lusts, we may live chastely, righteously, and godly in this present age." Here is one coming; Listen to how he speaks about other things. Having said these words, he added: "Waiting for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:11-13). Likewise, the prophets mention both; they say that the forerunner of one of them, namely the second, will be Elijah, and the first was John, whom Christ calls Elijah, not because he was Elijah, but because he performed His service. As Elijah will be the forerunner of the second coming, so John was the forerunner of the first. But the scribes, merging the two and corrupting the people, mentioned before the people only the second coming and said that if this was Christ, then Elijah must precede Him with his coming. Wherefore also the disciples say, "How then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" For the same reason the Pharisees sent to John and asked: "What then? you are Elijah"? not at all mentioning the first coming. What answer did Christ give? Elijah will surely come then, before My second coming; but even now Elijah has come, calling John by this name. This Elijah has come. And if you ask about the Tishbite, he will come; wherefore he said, Elijah must come first and arrange all things. What is everything? What the prophet Malachi said: "I will send to you Elijah the prophet.... And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children..., lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" (Mal. 4:5,6). See the accuracy of the prophetic utterance! When Christ called John Elijah, He called him because of the similarity of ministry. And lest you think that the same thing is said by the prophet, the latter added his homeland, calling him a Tishbite; but John was not a Tishbite. At the same time, he points out another sign, saying: "Lest, when I come, smite the earth with a curse," meaning by this His second terrible coming. In the first, He did not come to smite the earth: "He came," He says, "not to judge the world, but to save the world" (John 12:47). Thus, the above-mentioned words of the prophet show that the Tishbite will come before the coming, when there will be judgment. At the same time, he shows the reason for his coming. What is this reason? So that when he came, he would persuade the Jews to believe in Christ, and so that when Christ comes, they will not all perish completely. That is why Christ, bringing this to mind, said: "I must come first and arrange everything," i.e. He will correct the unbelief of the Jews of that time. That is why the prophet said very accurately; He didn't say, "He will turn ... the hearts of the children to their fathers", but: "fathers to their children". Since the fathers of the apostles were Jews, it is said: "He will turn to the teaching of the sons, i.e., the apostles, the hearts of the fathers, i.e., the disposition of the Jewish people."

"I say unto you, that Elijah hath already come, and ye have not recognized him, but have done unto him as they wilt; so also the Son of Man will suffer from them. Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist" (Matt. 17:12,13). Although neither the scribes nor the scriptures spoke about this, but since the apostles had already become more perceptive and attentive to the words, they soon understood. How did the disciples know about this? Previously they were told: "He is Elijah, to whom he must come" (Matt. 11:14), but here it is said that he has already come; and again, "Elijah must come first, and arrange all things." But do not be troubled, and do not consider it a mistake when in one place it is said, "I must come," and in another, "I have come." All this is fair. When Christ says: "Elijah must come first and arrange all things," he means Elijah himself and the future conversion of the Jews; and when he says: "He is Elijah, who must come," he calls John Elijah in the manner of his ministry. In like manner, the prophets called every pious king David, and the Jews princes of Sodom and sons of the Ethiopians, and precisely because of their way of life. As Elijah will be the forerunner of the second coming, so John was the forerunner of the first.

2. But it is not for this reason alone that Christ everywhere calls him Elijah, but also in order to show that He says in perfect accord with the Old Testament, that this coming took place according to prophecy. Wherefore he adds: "He came, and they did not recognize him, but did unto him as they wished." What does it mean, all "as desired"? They threw him into prison, mocked him, killed him, and brought his head on a platter. "So also the Son of Man shall suffer from them." Do you see how opportunely He again reminds them of suffering? He had already comforted them with John's sufferings; and not only by this, but also by the fact that he soon begins to perform great miracles. When He speaks of suffering, He immediately works miracles; and, as can be seen, He acted in this way both before and after these words, and in general on every occasion. Then "he began to reveal ... that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer much... and be killed" (Matt. 16:21). When? Then, as they confessed that He was Christ and the Son of God. And even on the mountain He reminded them of their sufferings, when He showed them a wonderful vision, and when the prophets spoke of His glory. When He had finished the story of John, He added, "So also shall the Son of Man suffer by them"; and a little later, when He cast out a demon whom the disciples could not cast out, "While they were in Galilee," says the Evangelist, "Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him, and on the third day He shall rise again'" (Matt. 17:22,23). He did this in order to reduce the excessiveness of sorrow by the greatness of miracles, and in order to console them in some way. So here, too, reminding them of the death of John, He gave them great consolation. And if anyone asks: why did He not send Elijah even now, when so many blessings testify to His coming? - We answer: because even now those who acknowledge Christ as Elijah have not believed in Him; and it is plainly said, "Some esteem Thee Elijah, others Jeremiah" (Matt. 16:14). But there was no other difference between John and Elijah except in time. How, you ask, will they believe then? He will arrange everything not only by the glory of his name, but also by the fact that the glory of Christ will have time to spread widely before that time, and will be clearer than the sun to all. Therefore, when he comes, after the high opinion and expectations of Him have already spread, and begins to preach Jesus, then his gospel will be received with willingness. When Christ says: "They did not recognize him," he apparently excuses His enemies, and comforts His disciples. In addition, He consoles these latter by pointing out His innocent suffering, and covers their sorrows with two signs: those that were on the mountain and those that are to come. When they hear this, they do not ask Him when Elijah will come, either because they were oppressed by sorrow for suffering, or because they were afraid. It often happened that as soon as they noticed that He did not want to speak clearly about something, they ceased to be curious. When, being in Galilee, He said: "The Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him," then, the Evangelist adds, they were "greatly grieved," which the two Evangelists explain in this way: Mark – "they did not understand these words, but they were afraid to ask Him" (Mark 9:32); Luke – "it was hidden from them, so that they did not comprehend it, but they were afraid to ask Him about this word" (Luke 9:45). "When they came to the people, a man came up to Him, and kneeling before Him, said, Lord! have mercy on my son; he is possessed at the new moon, and suffereth grievously, for he often throweth himself into the fire, and often into the water: I brought him unto thy disciples, and they were not able to heal him" (Matt. 17:14-16). Scripture testifies that this man was very weak in faith. This is evident from many things: from the fact that Christ said: "All things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23); from the fact that he who himself came to Him said: "Help my unbelief"; even from the fact that Christ forbade the evil spirit ever to enter him, and, finally, from the fact that this man said to Christ: "If you can do anything." But if unbelief, you will say, was the reason why the evil spirit did not come out, then why does Christ accuse the disciples? He showed that by faith they can heal the sick without intermediaries. Often the faith of the mediator is sufficient to get what you want even from the lesser brothers; In the same way, the power of the miracle-worker is often sufficient to work a miracle, even if those who come do not have faith. Both of these cases are confirmed by Scripture. The household of Cornelius attracted the grace of the Spirit by their faith, and Elisha raised the dead at a time when no one believed, because those who threw the dead man did not leave him out of faith, but out of timidity, threw him away at random, and, fearing danger, fled, and the abandoned man himself was dead, but from the power of the holy body alone this dead man arose. From this it is obvious that the disciples were also weak, but not all; the pillars were not there.

3. But you can see the foolishness of this man from another circumstance. Here he complains to Jesus before the people about the disciples: "He brought him," he said, "to Thy disciples, and they were not able to heal him" (Matt. 17:16). However, Christ, deflecting the accusation from them in the eyes of the people, accuses them more: "O unfaithful and perverse generation! how long will I be with you" (v. 17)? In order not to embarrass him, He addresses Himself not only to him, but to all the Jews. Probably, many of those who were present were tempted and began to think ill of the disciples. But when He says, "As long as I am with you," He shows again that death is desired by Him, and that it is a matter of desire for Him to be removed from here, and that it is not difficult for Him to be crucified, but to live with them. However, He does not limit Himself to accusations, but what does He say? "Bring him to Me here," and He Himself asks the father how many years his son has suffered, thereby protecting the disciples, and arousing in him a good hope and confidence that his son will be delivered from the disease. But if He allows him to be tormented, it is not for show: when the people began to come together, He rebuked the spirit; but he does this for the father himself, so that when he sees the confusion of the demon at the mere word of Jesus, at least after that he will believe the miracle that is about to take place. When he said: "From childhood", and: "If you can do anything, ... help us," the Saviour says, "all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:20-22), again reproaching him. When the leper said: "If you will, you can cleanse me," testifying to His authority, then the Lord, praising him and confirming what he said, answers: "I will, be cleansed" (Luke 5:12,13). On the contrary, when this one said nothing worthy of His power, but only said: "If you can do anything... help us," then see how Christ corrects his error. What does he say? "If you can believe a little, all things are possible to him who believes," that is: I have so much power that I can make others wonderworkers; therefore, when you believe as you should, you yourself can heal your son and many others. Having said this, Christ healed the possessed man. And you should see not only from this His benevolent providence, but also from the very time from which He allowed the demon to enter the lad - because if it had not been for a special Providence at that time, the sick man would have perished long ago. The Scriptures say that the spirit threw him into both fire and water; but if he dared to do such things, he would have killed him altogether, if God had not tamed the spirit in the midst of such fury. It was the same with those naked who wandered in empty places, and beat themselves against stones. If this demoniac is called a lunatic, then do not be dismayed; that's what his father called him.

Why then does the Evangelist say that Christ healed many lunatics? He calls them so in accordance with the opinion of the people. The demon slanders the elements, and torments the possessed, and weakens them with the flow of the moon; But this does not mean that the moon is active - no, the spirit itself resorts to such a cunning, slandering the elements. Hence the erroneous opinion among the foolish has been established, and falling into deception, they call demons by this name. But this is unfair. "Then the disciples came to Jesus in private, and said, Why could we not cast him out" (Matt. 17:19)? It seems to me that they feared that they might not have lost the grace imparted to them; they have received power over unclean spirits: therefore they ask Christ, having come to Him secretly, not because they were ashamed (since the deed had already been done, and they had been reproved, there was no reason for them to be ashamed of verbal confession), but because they intended to question Him about an important and secret subject. What about Christ? "Because of unbelief," he says, "yours; … if you have faith as a mustard seed, and say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will pass; and nothing shall be impossible unto you" (Matt. 17:20). You will say: where did they move the mountain from its place? I will say that they did much more, raising thousands of the dead. Truly, it is not so much the strength to move a mountain as to drive death out of the body. It is said, however, that the saints who lived after them and their much smaller ones moved mountains when the need demanded it. From this it is evident that the apostles could have moved if it had been necessary, but since there was no need at that time, they should not be blamed. And the Lord did not say: you will certainly move, but: you can move. And if they did not move the mountains, it was not because they could not (otherwise, how could they perform more important miracles), but because they did not want to; but they did not want because there was no need; Or perhaps it happened, but it is not mentioned anywhere, since not all miracles are described. In addition, they were not so perfect then. Why? Did they not have such faith? They did not; they were not always equally perfect. Thus Peter is now called blessed, now he is reproached; so others receive from Christ a reproach for ignorance, when they did not understand the words about kvass. Perhaps in the present case the apostles also revealed the weakness of faith, since before the cross they were not quite perfect. Speaking here of faith, Christ means miraculous faith, and wishing to show its ineffable power, He points to mustard, which, although very small in appearance, has very great power. Thus, in proof that even the smallest sincere faith has great power, he points to mustard; Without stopping there, he then also mentions the mountains and, ascending further, adds: "Nothing will be impossible for you."