After the Lord had denounced the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, turned His disciples away from it, and in the meantime again struck the Pharisees with the words: "What you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light," now He turns to His friends with a speech about something more perfect. Having already uprooted thorns, he sows good himself. "But I say unto you, my friends." What has been said before did not apply to them, but to the Pharisees. So I say to you, My friends. For this word does not go to everyone, but to those who have loved Him with all their souls, and are able to say, "Who shall separate us from the love of God?" (Romans 8:35). This conviction is appropriate for such people. "Do not be afraid," he says, "of those who kill the body and can do no more harm. For the harm from those who harm the body does not consist in much. The body will tolerate what is peculiar to it even if they do not harm. But one should be afraid of him who punishes not only the body, but also the soul, subjecting an immortal being to endless torments, and moreover in fire. In this way, Christ teaches His friends spiritual courage, makes them witnesses, and drives away human fear from them. Men, he says, extend their malice only to the perishable body, and the end of their snares against us is death of the flesh. But when God executes, then He does not stop at the flesh alone, but the unfortunate soul itself is tormented. Note from this that death leads sinners to execution: here too they are punished, being killed, and there they are cast into hell. - Analyzing this saying, you will understand something else. Behold, the Lord did not say: "Fear him who" after being killed "throws in" into hell, but: "Who is able" to cast in. For dying sinners are not necessarily cast into hell, but it is in God's power to forgive, for example, for the sake of those offerings and alms that come after the dead, and which are of no small benefit even to those who die in grave sins. Thus, God does not unconditionally cast into hell after being killed, but has the power to cast down. Let us also be unceasingly diligent in alms and prayers, and propitiate with them Him Who has the power to overthrow, but does not necessarily use this power, but can even forgive. "Many," they say, "think that those who die for the truth are forsaken by God; But don't think so. You will not die as if you were forsaken by Me. For if not one of the sparrows that are sold cheaply is forgotten with God, how much more should your death not be forgotten, My friends, as if I did not care for you. On the contrary, I have such concern for you that I know all your things to the subtlety; for example, your hair is numbered with me. Therefore, if I allow you to fall into temptation; then, without a doubt, I will also give strength to endure (1 Corinthians 10:13). And often, when I see someone weak, I will not allow him to fall into temptation. For, being careful and knowing all things, and having the smallest things on my account, I will arrange for everyone what is decent and useful. If you observe, you will find that in the Scriptures everything that is male is counted, which has reached the measure of age and in general is worthy of divine reckoning (Isaiah 18:21; Num. 26). - By "head" should be understood the Christ-pleasing life of each of the believers, and by "hair" should be understood its most particular deeds, by which the body is mortified, which are counted and taken into consideration by God. For such your deeds are worthy of the sight of God. By "five" sparrows some mean the five senses, which, being redeemed by the two assarii, that is, at the price of the Old and New Testaments, are not forgotten by God. For whoever moderates his senses and subordinates them to reason, so that they are useful for spiritual nourishment, is not forgotten by God.

     But I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess Me before men, the Son of Man shall also confess before the angels of God; but whoever rejects Me before men will be rejected before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man shall be forgiven; but whoever speaks blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. But when they bring you to the synagogues, to the principalities and authorities, do not be anxious how or what to answer, or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what you should say.

     Now offers a reward for confession of faith. Since He said, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body," and added that your hair is numbered, lest anyone say, "Give me also some reward, for what will it matter to me that You have counted my hair?" - He says (to him): Do you desire a reward also? Listen. Whoever confesses (faith) in Me will be recognized by Me before God. He said: he confesses "in Me," that is, with My help and My power, and I confess him "in him," that is, with his assistance. For just as we first need God, since without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5), so God needs us. For if He does not find in us worthy works, He does not receive us; otherwise He would have been a respecter of persons. Thus we confess in "Him," that is, with His assistance, and He "in us," that is, with our assistance. For if we do not give Him a reason, He will not bear witness for us. And he who rejects is not rejected by the power of God, which is why He did not add, "By Me," but said, "Who rejects Me." - Since every saint abides in Christ, and Christ in him (John 15:5), then, perhaps, is it not for this reason that He said this: whoever confesses (Me) "in Me," that is, abiding in him, I also confess him, abiding in him. - "And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man shall be forgiven." This means: whoever blasphemes against Me, who looks like a simple son of man, eating, drinking, dealing with publicans and harlots, he, whether he repents or does not repent of his blasphemy, will be forgiven. For to such a man his unbelief in sin is not imputed. For what did he see who was disposed to faith? On the contrary, why did he not see anything worthy of blasphemy? He saw a man dealing with harlots, and blasphemed against him, and therefore sin is not imputed to him. For naturally he could think, what kind of Son of God is he who deals with harlots? Therefore, he who does this, and yet pretends to be the Son of God, he can revile and call a deceiver. - "And whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven." These words have such a meaning. Whoever, seeing the Divine signs and great and extraordinary works, does not believe and blasphemes the actions of the Holy Spirit, attributing to Beelzebub, spewing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and saying that these signs are done by the evil spirit, and not by God, if he does not repent, will not be forgiven and forgiven. He who blasphemes against the Son of Man is not imputed to sin, and therefore he is forgiven without repentance, but he who sees the works of the Spirit of God and blasphemes without repentance will not be forgiven, but will be counted as the greatest sin. - "When they bring you to the synagogues, to the principalities and powers," and so on. Our weakness is of two kinds: we flee from the confession of faith, either because of fear of punishment, or because of simplicity and inability to give an answer in our faith. The Lord healed the fear of punishment with the words: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body." Now He heals the fear that comes from simplicity. Since few of the wise according to the flesh (1 Corinthians 1:26) believed, and the majority of the simple, He says: "Do not be afraid, you who are uneducated and simple, and do not be anxious how or what to answer when questioned by a ruler, or what to say on any other occasion, for you will have a different way of speaking." "The Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what you ought to speak." Therefore, what need is there to be care, if you are immediately taught by the Holy Spirit? Thus, on both sides, it strengthens us for the podvig of confession, healing the fear of both bodily infirmity and the fear of simplicity and ignorance.

     A certain one of the people said to Him, "Teacher! tell my brother to share the inheritance with me. And he said to that man; who has appointed me to judge or divide you? And he said to them, "Take heed, beware of covetousness, for a man's life does not depend on the abundance of his possessions."

     In order to teach us how little we should care about the things of this world and occupy ourselves with earthly things, the Lord sends away from Himself the one who asked His command to divide the inheritance of his fathers, and therefore says: "Who has appointed Me to judge or divide you?" then the Lord sends him away as restless and unwilling to learn anything necessary; however, he does it meekly, and not menacingly. But by this act, without a doubt, He teaches all His listeners, both then and now, not to worry about anything earthly and temporary, not to argue with their brothers about it, and even to yield to them, if they wish to be covetous (for He says: "From him who has taken what is yours do not demand back" - Luke 6:30), and to seek that which is useful and necessary for the salvation of the soul. That is why he added these words: "Take heed, beware of covetousness," and urged us to avoid covetousness, as if it were some kind of devil's pit. To whom did He say this: "Take heed, beware of covetousness"? To these two brothers. Since they had a dispute about the inheritance, and probably one of them offended the other, He addresses to them the subject of covetousness. For it is a great evil. That is why the Apostle Paul calls it idolatry (Col. 3:5), perhaps because it is appropriate only for those who do not know God, or, what is more just, because the idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold (Psalm 113:12). He who worships silver and gold is like idolaters, because both worship and worship the same substance. So, there must be an abundance. Why? Because "a man's life does not depend on the abundance of his possessions," that is, the measure of this life is not commensurate with the abundance of possessions. For if someone has much, it does not mean that he will already live long. Longevity does not depend on a lot of wealth. The Lord says this in refutation of the thoughts of lovers of wealth. Lovers of wealth seem to care about wealth because they want to live, and collect from everywhere because they intend to live a long time. That is why the Lord says: wretched and poor! Is it possible that from much possessions will you also increase longevity? "Why do you clearly suffer because of the unknown comfort?" For it is not yet known whether you will reach the old age for which you are gathering; And it is evident that now you are wasting (your life) on the acquisition of possessions.

     And he told them a parable: A certain rich man had a good harvest in the field; And he reasoned with himself, What shall I do? I have nowhere to gather my fruits? And he said, This is what I will do: I will break down my barns, and build great ones, and I will gather together thither all my bread and all my goods, and I will say to my soul, O soul! Much good lies with you for many years: rest, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, "You fool! this night thy soul shall be taken from thee; Who will get what you have prepared? This is the case with the one who lays up treasures for himself, and does not get rich in God. 

Having said that a person's life does not become longer from the abundance of possessions, (the Lord) also cites a parable to confirm His words. And see how He depicts to us the insatiable thoughts of a mad rich man. God created His intention and showed a special kindness. For not only in one place, but in the whole field of the rich man there was a good harvest; but he was so barren in mercy that before he received it, he kept it to himself. "Look at the pleasures of the rich man. What should I do? Are not these very words uttered by the poor man? What should I do? I have nothing to eat, nothing to wear, Perhaps consider the words of the rich man: What shall I do? I have nowhere to gather many fruits. It's good to be calm! And the poor man said, What shall I do? I don't have... And the rich man said, What shall I do? I don't have... What do we get from the fact that we collect a lot? We do not take advantage of tranquillity, and evidently from cares; unless we collect for ourselves a multitude of sins. "I will break down my barns and build great ones." And if next summer the harvest in the field is even greater, will you break it again and build it again? And what need is there to break and build? The wombs of the poor are the granaries for you. They can contain many things, they are both indestructible and incorruptible, for they are heavenly and divine, since he who nourishes the poor nourishes God. "That's the madness of the rich man. "My bread and all my goods." He does not consider them a gift from God, for otherwise he would be disposed to them as God's steward, but considers them to be the fruit of his own labors. Therefore, appropriating them for himself, he says: "My bread and my goods." I," he said, "have no accomplice, I will not share it with anyone. All this good is not God's, but mine, so I alone will enjoy it, and I will not accept God as a participant in enjoying it. - Let's look even further. "Soul! you have a lot of good for many years." He assigns himself a long life, as if he had received longevity from the land he cultivated. Is it possible that this is also your work? Is this also your good? "Eat, drink, be merry." Beautiful blessings of the soul! To eat and drink is the good of a foolish soul. However, since you yourself have such a soul, you justly offer it such blessings. But the good of a rational soul consists in understanding, reasoning, and rejoicing in the Law of God and good reflections. For you, fool, it is not enough to eat and drink, you offer to your soul the shameful and miserly pleasure that follows? For it is obvious that the Lord by the word "rejoice" denoted the passion of debauchery, which usually follows gluttony with food and drink (Phil. 3:19, Eph. 5:18), "But God said to him, 'You fool! this night they will take your soul from you." It is said, "But God said unto him," not because God conversed with the rich man, but because when the rich man thought so proudly within himself, then God spoke to him (for this is what the parable implies). God calls the rich man mad, because in his heart he thought the most insane advice, as we have shown. For every man is foolish and vain, just as David says: "Man is vain," and the reason for this is that "he gathers, and does not know who will get it" (Psalm 38:7). For how foolish is he who does not know that the measure of life is in the hands of God alone, and that no one can determine life for himself? - Pay attention to the word: "they will take". The terrible Angels, like cruel tax collectors, will take your soul from you against your will, since you have appropriated the goods of this world out of love to live. The soul is not taken away from the righteous, but he gives it up to God and the Father of spirits with joy and gladness, and does not feel any trouble when the body is laid down, for he has a body as it were a light weight. But the sinner, having made the soul flesh, making it body and earth, makes it extremely difficult to separate it. That is why it is said that the soul will be "taken" from him, as if from some stubborn debtor, delivered into the hands of cruel collectors. And this. The Lord did not say: I will take your soul from you, but "they will take it." For "the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God" (Wis. 3:1). And verily the soul will be taken from such a person "by night," for he does not have the illuminating light of the knowledge of God, but is in the night of love of wealth, and darkened by it, he is seized by death. Thus, whoever lays up treasures for himself is justly called a madman, and does not have time to carry out his intentions, but at the very time of making plans he is decisively torn out from among the living. But if he had collected for the poor and for God, he would not have been treated like this. Therefore, let us try to "grow rich in God," that is, to trust in Him, to consider Him our wealth and storehouse of wealth. Let us not say: "The good things are mine," but the good things of God. But if the goods of God are good, let us not alienate God from His goods. To become rich in God means to believe that if I give away and exhaust everything (mine), then even then I will not lack anything necessary. For God is the treasury of my blessings: I open and take what I need.