| Without the divine love and Christ’s love there would be no love at all. But each manifestation of true human love is precious to God and for the Church, for it expresses the goodness of mankind. IX. Catholicity and Universality Catholicity necessarily includes universality. First, the very nature of God, of Christ, and of the Church in its fullness are, so to speak, “open,” and can be communicated to many persons and beings. All creatures can participate in God through Jesus Christ and the grace of the Holy Spirit. All mankind can participate in the Church. Only those who consciously and freely are opposed to God and to the Church can never be in union with them. Secondly, the purpose of the existence of God and of man alike does not imply self-limitation, but, on the contrary, implies a maximum expansion of their existence. This is the evident reason for creation and the Incarnation. The whole universe must become the Kingdom of God. All of creation must be “drawn into the nets” of the Kingdom (Matt. 13; I Cor. 15; Rev. 21:22). All of mankind, all nations, and even “all poor and maimed and the halt and the blind” are called into the Kingdom (Matt. 28:19; Luke 13:29, 14:21–23). The Holy Spirit descended in order to transform the whole cosmos. All beings are valuable not only in their nature which they have received from the general treasury of existence, but also in their personal and particular realization. The whole universe is given to the Son of God by His Father ( Lk. 10:22 ; John 17:2 ). Our Lord has redeemed, reconciled and united all ( John 10:1–16 ; Eph. 1–2 ; Col. 1). The very death of Christ on the Cross attracts everyone to Him ( John 12:32 ). In His personal preaching ministry, Jesus Christ “went about all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom” (Matt. 9:35–38), and He went even beyond the limits of Israel ( Mark 7:24–31 ). God, through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, transmitted all the treasures of perfection and salvation to the apostles. |
| Hearken, O daughter, and see. But the Prophet does not explain what we should hear, or where we can see the beloved Bridegroom of the soul. This is something that cannot be said once and for all, for everyone. There isn’t one voice for every hearing, nor is there one vision for every gaze. Sometimes the Lord appears to the soul when it was not expecting Him: I became manifest to them that asked not for me; I was found of them that sought me not I said, Behold, I am here, to a nation, who called not on my name (Is. 65:1). But sometimes He keeps silence and is not found by the one who seeks and calls after Him: I will rise now, and go about in the city, in the market-places, and in the streets, and I will seek him whom my soul loves: I sought him, but I found him not (Songs 3:2). But do not despond because of this, daughter of His mercy—only hearken , heed unceasingly every sign of His presence, and see , look over all His paths, Seek ye the Lord, and when ye find him, call upon him; and when he shall draw nigh to you (Is. 55:6). Hearken, O daughter, and see . Only two senses out of five leave to you a herald of the will of the King of kings. Begin to go out like Lot from these five cities that must soon perish. Leave the realm of the senses, having previously renounced those that are more fleshly and coarse. Touch not; taste not; handle not (Col 2:21) in desire and pleasure and satiety, but only out of need and infirmity of the flesh. Senses satiated with pleasures sleep outside the Heavenly Bridal chamber and do not hear His voice; the oil in their lamps burns out, and they do not see His face. Hearken, O daughter, and see. Be attentive! There are many, magnificent voices that strike the inner hearing; but not all of them are the voice of the Lord God walking in paradise —even the serpent was allowed to speak in paradise. There are many, bright forms that meet the spiritual eye, but not all of them are the true light of Christ; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). Learn where you should turn, so as not to be lured away by phantoms: Incline your heart , with David, in testimonies (Ps. 118:36) of the Lord. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines (Heb. 13:9). We have also a more sure word of prophecy and apostolic word; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed , as unto a light that shineth (2 Pet. 1:19). |
| And then if we look at Church history we have many, many examples of saints who disagreed with each other. For example, Sts. John Chrysostom and Cyril of Alexandria vehemently disagreed with each other to the point of excommunicating each other and prophesying each other’s death—and both prophecies coming to pass. And in our own times, St. Prophyrios of Kavsokalyvia in a letter rebuked St. Paisios of Athos for his prophetic utterances (this letter can be found easily online by googling “The Epistle of Elder Porphyrios to Elder Paisios”). No, from the examples in the Scripture and Church history, clearly when we are exhorted to be of one mind, it must mean something more than just being of the same opinion because the saints were of one mind even though they were not always of the same opinion. Part of the reason why holy people who are of one mind do not always hold the same opinion has to do with the reality that each of us, even saints, even very holy people, only see spiritual reality as in a dark, mirrored reflection. The Spirit blows where it will and God’s providence is such that even saints do not see the whole picture. So, for example in the case of Sts. Paul and Barnabas, St. Paul saw clearly the importance of his missionary work and the liability Mark’s immaturity could prove to be. St. Barnabas, on the other hand, saw clearly the calling and gifts of Grace that were within Mark, gifts that with a little nurturing could be fully realized. What each saint saw was true and real and very important, but neither saw the whole picture. Why was that? It was because St. Paul was not St. Barnabas: they had different personalities, gifts and callings. And as it turned out, in the providence of God, what outwardly seemed to be an argument dividing two saintly apostolic partners was in actuality part of God’s plan to save John-Mark so that he could eventually encourage St. Paul toward the end of St. Paul’s life and to continue St. Paul’s apostolic ministry. And so, if saints do not see the whole picture, do not fully see how the providence of God is at work, if saints only “know in part and prophesy in part,” as St Paul puts it in 1 Cor. 13:9, how much more we who are so far from holiness? How much more do we who are not holy see only the tiniest sliver of what God is doing in His Church and in the world at large, and even in our own lives? No wonder we often have different opinions. |
| It is a sad fact of life that small sins are as unavoidable as dust in the air. Just as it is necessary to wash every day and to clean one " s room, it is equally necessary to repent constantly for one " s daily failings. Who would consider himself holier or more perfect than Christ " s Apostles? Yet even they did not regard themselves as being sinless. " In many things we offend all, " wrote St. James the Apostle (Jas. 3:2). " If we say that we have not sinned, then we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us...If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, " wrote St. John the Apostle (1 John 1:10, 8-9). St. Paul the Apostle is painfully aware of his own unworthiness: " Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief " (1 Tim. 1:15). Note that he does not say " I was, " but " I am, " evidently because he continued to repent for having once persecuted believers. Tradition tells us that the Apostle Peter " s eyes were always somewhat reddened, for, when he heard roosters crow at night, he would wake up, remember his denial of Christ and begin to weep. St. John the Apostle teaches Christians to look after their spiritual state in these words: " My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world....But if we walk in the light...the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin....And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure " (1 John 2:1-2; 1:7; 3:3). Similarly, St. Paul writes: " Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God " (2 Cor. 7:1; cf. Heb. 9:13-14). Clearly, in these passages the Apostles are not summoning pagans to repentance, but Christians, and the words they use, " cleanseth " and " let us cleanse, " suggest that moral purity has its gradations, as does sinfulness. For the same reason another scripture says: " He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still " (Rev. 22:11). |
| CONVERSION The beginning of salvation, occurring when a person repents, believes the gospel, and enters into a personal relationship with Christ. Conversion is not merely a change of belief but the beginning of a new life in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), which is a process of growth into the image and likeness of God. Our salvation is the working together of conversion, justification, and sanctification throughout life. CORRUPTION The state of mortality and sinfulness, the universal condition of fallen humanity. All are born into a world suffering the consequences of the Fall, the sin of Adam and Eve. These consequences include physical suffering, death, lack of perfection and a tendency to sin. See Ps. 53:3; Is. 53:6; Rom. 3:23; 1 John 5:19. COSMOS The universe, or " world, " created by God from nothing. It is controlled by God; He is the life of the world. Sin has corrupted the entire cosmos, and the rule of evil will not be abolished until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The universe will finally be redeemed by Christ when He comes again to transform the cosmos into a new heaven and a new earth. See Gen. 1:1; Rom. 8:19-22; Rev. 21:1. COUNCIL A group of Christians gathered to deliberate and ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to administer the Church and decide on various doctrinal, moral, and liturgical questions. The Orthodox Church is conciliar (operating by councils) on all levels, from a parish to a worldwide council. While councils are not seen as infallible, their decisions become part of Church life when they are received by the entire Church. Besides the Jerusalem Council recorded in Acts 15, the Church counts Seven Ecumenical Councils in her history. COVENANT An agreement or testament between men or between God and His In the Old Testament, God chose the people of Israel, ending with John the Baptist, to prepare the way for the coming of His Only Begotten Son. Through Christ, the covenant was perfected, and the promises of God to Abraham and the Jews are fulfilled through the Church, the New Israel, the New Covenant people of God. See Gen. 13:14-16; Gal. 3:6-9; 1 Pet. 2:9, 10. |
| And Father Seraphim continued: " When the Spirit of God comes down to man and overshadows him with the fullness of His inspiration then the human soul overflows with unspeakable joy, for the Spirit of God fills with joy whatever He touches. This is that joy of which the Lord speaks in His Gospel: A woman when she is in travail has sorrow, because her hour is come; but when she is delivered of the child, she remembers no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. In the world you will be sorrowful but when I see you again, your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you (Jn. 16:21-22). Yet however comforting may be this joy which you now feel in your heart, it is nothing in comparison with that of which the Lord Himself by the mouth of His Apostle said that that joy eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for them that love Him (I Cor. 2:9). Foretastes of that joy are given to us now, and if they fill our souls with such sweetness, well-being and happiness, what shall we say of that joy which has been prepared in heaven for those who weep here on earth? And you, my son, have wept enough in your life on earth; yet see with what joy the Lord consoles you even in this life! Now it is up to us, my son, to add labours to labours in order to go from strength to strength (Ps. 83:7), and to come to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13), so that the words of the Lord may be fulfilled in us: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall grow wings like eagles; and they shall run and not be weary (Is. 40:31); they will go from strength to strength, and the God of gods will appear to them in the Sion (Ps. 83:8) of realization and heavenly visions. Only then will our present joy (which now visits us little and briefly) appear in all its fullness, and no one will take it from us, for we shall be filled to overflowing with inexplicable heavenly delights. What else do you feel, your Godliness? " |
| Aeg. II 4. 22), был сурово наказан (Быт 19. 4-11; ср.: Иуд 7; по названию города Содома Г. в церковной традиции именуется также содомским грехом). Безусловный запрет на гомосексуальные отношения представлен в ветхозаветном законодательстве: «Не ложись с мужчиною, как с женщиною: это мерзость» (Лев 18. 22); «если кто ляжет с мужчиною, как с женщиною, то оба они сделали мерзость: да будут преданы смерти...» (Лев 20. 13). Характеризуя греховное состояние отвратившихся от истинного Бога язычников, ап. Павел указывает на их извращения в половой сфере: «...предал их Бог постыдным страстям: женщины их заменили естественное употребление противоестественным; подобно и мужчины, оставив естественное употребление женского пола, разжигались похотью друг на друга, мужчины на мужчинах делая срам и получая в самих себе должное возмездие за свое заблуждение» (Рим 1. 26-27). Апостол утверждает, что «ни блудники, ни идолослужители, ни прелюбодеи, ни малакии (греч. μαλακο), ни мужеложники (ρσενοκοται)... Царства Божия не наследуют» (1 Кор 6. 9-10). В числе «беззаконных и непокоривых, нечестивых и грешников, развратных и оскверненных» ап. Павел упоминает мужеложников (1 Тим 1. 8-11). В творениях св. отцов и учителей Церкви Г. и сопряженные с ним грехи (напр., деторастление) рассматриваются как одни из самых постыдных и тяжелых (Didache. 2. 2; Theoph. Antioch. Ad Autol. I 14; Clem. Alex. Strom. III 18; Macar. Aeg. II 4. 22; Theoph. Bulg. Exp. ad Rom. 1. 26-27; idem. Exp. ad 1 Cor. 6. 9-10; Феофан Затворник, свт. Толкование на 1 Кор//Творения: Толкования Посланий ап. Павла. М., 1998. С. 224-227). Комментируя слова ап. Павла о половых извращениях язычников, свт. Иоанн Златоуст говорит: «...все страсти бесчестны, но особенно бесчестна безумная любовь к мужчинам, потому что душа страдает и унижается в этих грехах более, чем тело в болезнях. …У язычников не только учение было сатанинское, но и жизнь диавольская» ( Ioan. Chrysost. In Rom. 4. 1). Бог заповедал мужу и жене посредством общения быть одной плотью (Быт 2. |
| Господь Иисус Христос посылает апостолов на проповедь. Роспись ц. Токалы-килисе в Гёреме, Каппадокия. Кон. X в. Господь Иисус Христос посылает апостолов на проповедь. Роспись ц. Токалы-килисе в Гёреме, Каппадокия. Кон. X в. Посылая учеников проповедовать евангельское учение, Христос передает им присущую Ему В. («Слушающий вас Меня слушает» - Лк 10. 16 слл.; ср.: 2 Кор 10. 8; 13. 10; 2 Фес 3. 9), как верховный владыка Он дает им В. «исцелять от болезней и изгонять бесов» (Мк 3. 15; Лк 9. 1-2), В. над нечистыми духами (Мф 10. 1). Обращаясь к 70 ученикам, Господь говорит: «...даю вам власть наступать на змей и скорпионов и на всю силу вражью...» (Лк 10. 19). Но Он указывает апостолам, что В. для них является по сути служением. Ибо эта В. духовная, хотя и отправляется видимым образом; касается исключительно управления Церковью. В противоположность древним гос. образованиям теперь вступает в силу различие между духовной и политической В. Иисус Христос поясняет ученикам, в чем состоит особенность их В.: «...цари господствуют над народами, и владеющие ими благодетелями называются, а вы не так: но кто из вас больше, будь как меньший, и начальствующий - как служащий. ...А Я посреди вас, как служащий» (Лк 22. 25-27; ср.: 1 Фес 2. 6-10). Свт. Иоанн Златоуст , говоря о В. духовной, опираясь на слова ап. Павла (1 Кор 12. 28), перечисляет В. пророка, В. евангелиста, В. пастыря, В. учителя, В. дарований, В. исцелений - «все это - названия даров, а на деле - степени начальства и власти», но В. апостолов, отмечает он, следуя ап. Павлу, выше В. пророка, учителя, «апостольство есть не только начало прочих властей, но и основание и корень» ( Ioan. Chrysost. In III 3), ибо они получили повеление от Иисуса Христа, а Христос - от Бога ( Clem. Rom. Ep. I ad Cor. 42). Апостолы должны разделить В. с Иисусом Христом в Его Царстве: «...когда сядет Сын Человеческий на престоле славы Своей, сядете и вы на двенадцати престолах судить двенадцать колен Израилевых» (Мф 19. 28; Лк 22. 30). О властных отношениях между людьми |
| Дарование Синайского законодательства сопровождалось целым рядом знамений, которым внимала вся природа и народы всей вселенной. Конец стиха изображает отголоски их в преисподней и на небе: «Ты поверг в трепет бездны и в смятение небо (saeculum)». Под веком, судя по контексту, несомненно разумеется небо (ср. VI:1; VIII:20; Nc LXVII:9 ). Такая замена и сделана в одной из латинских рукописей. 3Езд.3:19 И прошла слава Твоя в четырех явлениях: в огне, землетрясении, бурном ветре и морозе, чтобы дать закон семени Иакова и радение роду Израиля, 19 . В подлиннике, равно как и в славянском переводе, говорится о прохождении славы Божией через четверо врат (portas quattuor). Эти врата – огонь, землетрясение, ветер и град. Гункель (354) видит здесь следы еврейского учения о семи небесах. Гипотеза эта создана вавилонскими астрономами для объяснения движения планет и в Иудействе подверглась сильным изменениям. В четырех нижних небесах и помещаются перечисленные здесь огонь, землетрясение, бурный ветер и град. Первые три из них упоминаются в рассказе о явлении Господа Илии пророку ( 3Цap XIX:11–12 ). В Псалтири в числе других величественных явлений природы, сопровождающих вмешательство небесных сил в земные отношения, назван и град (XVII:13–14). 3Езд.3:20 но не отнял у них сердца лукавого, чтобы закон Твой принес в них плод. 3Езд.3:21 С сердцем лукавым первый Адам преступил заповедь, и побежден был; так и все, от него происшедшие. 3Езд.3:22 Осталась немощь и закон в сердце народа с корнем зла, и отступило доброе, и осталось злое. 20–22. Причина греха лежит в злом сердце (cor malignum) человека (ср. Быm VI:5, VIII:21 ). Злое сердце повлекло за собою нарушение заповеди Адамом и продолжает столь же пагубно действовать и на все потомство. Оно не может быть отожествляемо с дыханием жизни, которое Бог вдунул в человека: оно принадлежит к той стороне человека, которая была создана из праха. Вследствие кровного телесного родства все потомство наследует от Адама свойства его сердца. Родство это не распространяется на духовную сторону человека: души всех людей сотворены вначале (IV:36). |
| II Cor. 5: 10.17; 6: 14—16; 7: 1. Ср. трехчастное деление души у Платона (Rep. IV 435 b — 441 c). II Cor. 6: 16. Cf. Mt. 5: 27—28. II Cor. 6: 16—18. II Cor. 7: 1; 11: 2. II Cor. 11: 3. I Pet. 2: 11—12; 15—16. Mt. 5: 27; Rom. 7: 7. Rom. 7: 7; 7: 17—18; 20. 23—24; 8: 10. 2—4.11. Лакуна в тексте. I Tim. 3: 4—5; I Cor. 7: 22—24. Rom. 7: 2; I Cor. 7: 39—40. Татиан (или Тациан), ок. 150 г. н.э., автор труда, называемого Diatessaron, представляющего собой попытку гармонизировать все версии Евангелия. Из других источников известно, что он действительно ратовал за крайний аскетизм. I Tim. 4: 1—5. Rom. 14: 21; I Cor. 7: 8. Климент цитирует Epist. Barnabae, 11: 9. Источник этого «пророчества» неизвестен. 1Кор. 7: 32—33.34. Действительно, см.: Strom. VII 75, 3; VI 147, 1. Is. 50: 1; Bar. 3: 10. I Tim. 5: 14—15. I Tim. 2: 15. Cf. Jer. 3: 4. Exod. 20: 14; Deut. 5: 18. Имя это до Иеронима никем, кроме Климента, не упоминается. Трудно сказать что-либо более определенное относительно воззрений этого раннехристианского писателя. См. т.ж.: Strom. I 101. В этой фразе или в манускрипте, или же у самого Климента, части предложения не вполне согласованы. Смысл, однако, ясен. Mt. 19: 12; Is. 56: 3. Этот же пассаж цитируется Климентом Римским (II Clem. Ad Cor. 12, 2). Cf. Plato, Phaedo 81 c; Phaedrus 248 c. II Cor. 11: 3. Gen. 3: 21; cf. Philo, Legum Allegoriae, III 69. 1Кор. 7: 1—2.5. Источник неизвестен. Io. 13: 33; Gal. 4: 19; I Cor. 4: 15. Deut. 23: 1; Mt. 19: 12. О соблюдающих пост говорится в Oxyrhynchus Papyrus 1, 3 (J. Ferguson). II Esd. 5: 35. Cf. I Cor. 7: 6. В смысле, «и познал Адам жену свою Еву…». Cf. Gen. 2: 9. Место неизвестное. Ср. Rev. 9: 10.19. Оба эти слова означают «хвост», однако часто используются для указания на половой член. Метафора, впрочем, вполне очевидная. Именно так употребляется, например, последнее слово в комедии Аристофана (Aristophanes, Thesmophoriazusae, 239). |
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