Stephen III the Great is one of the most prominent rulers of the Principality of Moldova. He headed this state for 47 years, and today historians say about him: “He took over a fragile clay country, but left a strong stone principality.” He strengthened the central government and very successfully resisted powerful enemy powers - the Ottoman Empire, Poland and Hungary. At the time when the biography of Stephen the Great was written, the Principality of Moldova had become a significant political force in Eastern Europe. His image is one of the most popular and beloved in Moldavian folklore and literature.

Stephen III the Great | Belgorod-Dnestrovsky

History has not preserved the specific birthday of the future great ruler, but it is known for sure that the biography of Stephen III the Great dates back to 1429. He was born in the village of Borzesti, today a town in the Romanian region of Bacau. Stefan, or as Stefan the Great is often written, was a descendant of a huge dynasty of rulers of the Principality of Moldova, who bore the common surname Mushaty, which means “beautiful”. His father Bogdan II led the country until 1451. The mother of the future legendary ruler was Oltja Doamna.

Stephen III the Great | Comisarul

Before Stefan ascended the throne, his uncle Peter III Aron sat there, who on the above date won the principality from his brother. He cut off the head of Bogdan II, shedding brotherly blood. Like many of his predecessors, Peter Aron thought more about entertainment and amusements, spent the treasury on his own interests and ultimately brought the country to such a beggarly state that even the meager tribute from Turkey turned out to be an unbearable burden for Moldova. Stephen III the Great gathered an army of six thousand people and attacked a relative whose army exceeded that of the attacking side. However, on April 12, 1457, the nephew defeated his uncle, becoming a sort of Moldavian Hamlet. Peter fled to Poland, and the Assembly of the Moldavian Country proclaimed Stephen the new ruler.

Lord of Moldova

Having ascended the throne, Stefan set about strengthening the country. He limited the influence of the boyars on the economy and began to buy up their lands. It is important to note that he dealt harshly with those who showed dissatisfaction, once executing 40 feudal lords at the same time. It was under the new ruler that the Moldavian peasants received the status of “free”, although first of all Stephen III the Great did this not for their own sake, but for the sake of strengthening his army, since serfs did not have the right to perform military service. He also built a number of new fortresses and strengthened the power of existing ones.

Thanks to changes in the economy, agriculture began to improve, crafts developed, and trade flourished. It is curious that in that era the Moldavian fleet, which previously did not have any great importance, was constantly present even in the Mediterranean Sea, and Moldavian ships reached Venice and Genoa.

Ruler of the Moldavian principality from 1457 to 1504 | Moldovenii

But even more successful was the foreign policy of Stephen III the Great. Actually, it was for the successful conduct of battles that he received this high-profile title. In 1465, the ruler recaptured the Kiliya and Belgorod fortresses, which today are located on the territory of the Odessa region. The Hungarian invaders were also defeated in the battle near the city of Bailly, which was a big surprise for the enemies of the Moldavian principality. And when, 10 years later, the Ottoman Empire decided to regain its lost lands and carried out a punitive campaign, the Ottomans were defeated at the Battle of Vaslui. By the way, in the village of Kobylnia, Sholdanesti district, a giant oak tree, where, according to legend, Stefan the Great rested, still grows.

Moldova MARE

But the lack of support from European states forced Stephen to agree to pay tribute to the Turks. The fact is that in the last decade of the 15th century, Moldova waged a war against Poland and Lithuania, and it was difficult for a small principality to be torn into two sides. In order to strengthen his position, Stephen III the Great even agreed to an alliance with Russia, which he had previously avoided. This peace agreement contributed to improved relations with the Crimean Tatars and helped defeat the Poles in the battle near the Kozminsky forest.

Famous fresco: the ruler with the church in his hands | Fresca, Icoane, Arta Monumentala

Thanks to Stefan's skillful rule, Moldova achieved economic prosperity, although it never stopped endless wars. By the way, it was this ruler who came up with the idea of ​​the Moldavian chronicle, known today as the “Anonymous Chronicle of Moldova.” Also under him, many Orthodox churches and cathedrals were built and local icon painting developed.

Personal life

Information about the personal life of Stephen the Great has reached us orally, so there are some inconsistencies among various sources. Sometimes the first wife of Stephen III the Great is called a certain Marushka, although there is no information about their marriage and this woman should rather be considered a concubine. But what is known for sure is that on July 5, 1463, he married Evdokia of Kyiv, granddaughter. His wife gave Stefan III three children: Alexander, Peter and Elena. Daughter Elena would later become the wife of Ivan the Young, the son of Tsar Ivan III.

Stefan with his wife | Adevarul

Four years after the wedding, Evdokia died. It is known that Stefan grieved very much, and he decided to marry again only five years later, which at that time was quite a long time, especially for royalty. But Evdokia of Kiev remained the main woman in life for Stephen III the Great. The other wives occupied less importance in his heart. In 1472, the ruler married Maria Mangupskaya, who came from the imperial family of Palaiologos and the Bulgarian royal dynasty of Asans. This marriage was strategic: as a relative of the Turkish Khan, Maria contributed to strengthening the position of the Moldavian Principality. In this marriage, Stefan had sons Bogdan and Ilya, the second of whom died at an early age.

Maria Voykitsa - the last wife of Stephen the Great | Adevarul

The third wife of Stephen III the Great was Maria Voykitsa. She gave her husband the future successor Bogdan III Krivoy, who sat on the throne after his father, as well as daughters Anna, who went to a monastery, and Maria Princess. The last wife had a great influence on Stephen, mainly manifested in the increased spread of Orthodoxy. It was under her that the ruler began to be depicted on icons, and the famous portrait appeared where Stephen the Third the Great holds in his hands a model of the church, symbolizing submission to Jesus Christ.

Vlad III Tepes - Stefan's best friend and prototype of Count Dracula | Atheist website of Belarus

It should be added that Stephen had another son, Peter IV Rares, who led the country in 1527. History is silent about who the mother of this child was, so Peter is most often called illegitimate. It is noteworthy that the best friend and faithful ally of the legendary Moldavian ruler was the well-known Wallachian prince Vlad III Tepes, considered the prototype of the vampire Count Dracula from Bram Stoker’s novel of the same name. Together they won the principality for Stefan from his uncle and subsequently fought shoulder to shoulder many times.

Death

The cause of Stephen the Great's death is unclear. He died on July 2, 1504 at the age of 75 in the Suceava fortress, where he was once crowned. The ruler of Moldova was buried in the Putna Orthodox monastery that he built, named after the river flowing nearby.

MANAGEMENT

TO STUDYING THE MESSAGES

SAINT APOSTLE PAUL

AND APOCALYPSE

Textbook for 4th grade students

Sergiev Posad

INTRODUCTION 9

1. Biographical information about the Apostle Paul 11

Activities 11

Years) (Denia, 13, 4-14, 27) 12

1.3. Apostolic Council of 51 (Acts 15, 1-29) 12

(Acts 18, 23-23, 35) 13

1.7. The fourth missionary journey of the Holy Apostle Paul (64-66) 14

External features and the order of their arrangement and study 15

Review Questions Introduction 17

ROMANS 18

1. General information about the Roman Church 18

2. Time and place of writing Epistle 18

3. The reason and purpose of writing Epistle 19

Main Theme and Summary of Romans 19

Dogmatic part (1.18-3.20) 19

1. The sinfulness of all humanity (1.18-3.20) 19

2. The doctrine of justification by faith (3.21-4.25) 20

3. Actions or fruits of justification (5.1-8.39) 20

4. Unbelief of the Jews, its causes and consequences (chapters 9-11) 20

Moral part (12.1-15.13) 21

1. Introduction (1.1-17) 21

2. The dogmatic part of the message (1.18-11.36) 22

2.1. The sinfulness of all humanity (1.18-3.20) 22

2.4. Unbelief of the Jews. The Reasons and Meaning of This Unbelief (Chapters 9-11) 36

3. Moral part 42

3.1. General Rules of Christian Life (Chapter 12) 42

3.2. On paying tribute to authorities and loving one's neighbors (Chapter 13) 44

3.3. On condescension to the weak in faith (chapter 14) 46

3.4. About serving others (15.1-13) 47

4. Conclusion (15.14-16.24) 48

Review Questions for Romans 50

1 CORINTHIANS 54

1. Founding of the Corinthian Church 54

2. Reason for writing message 54

3. Place and time of writing message 55

4. The main theme and general content of the message 55

4.1. Bridging Divisions Among the Corinthian Christians (Chapters 1-4) 55

4.2 Reproof of the Corinthians for communicating with infidels (chapters 5-6) 55

4.3. Instructions for Believers (Chapters 7-11) 55

4.4. About spiritual gifts (chapters 12-14) 56

4.5. About the resurrection of the dead (15th chapter) 56

4.6. Conclusion (Chapter 16) 56

1. Stopping divisions among Corinthian Christians (1 Corinthians 1:1-4:21) 57

1.1. Cause of division in the Corinthian Church (1:1-17) 57

1.2. Preaching the cross of Christ (1:18-31) 58

1.3. Apostle Paul's assessment of his sermon (2:1-13) 59

1.4. Soulful, spiritual and carnal man (2.14-3.4) 60

1.5. Christ - the foundation of the Church (3, 5-23) 61

1.6. Instructions on how to judge the apostles themselves (chapter 4) 63

2. Exposing the moral shortcomings of the Corinthian Christians (chapters 5-6) 63

2.1. Denunciation of the Corinthians for communicating with an incestuous person (chapter 5) 63

2.3. Refutation of gluttony and fornication (6:12-20) 65

3. Instruction for Believers (Chapters 7-11) 66

On marriage and celibacy (chapter 7) 66

About eating something sacrificed to idols (chapter 8) 68

Rights and Duties of an Apostle (Chapter 9) 69

On avoiding idolatry sacrifices (chapter 10) 70

On the behavior of men and women in the Church (11:1-16) 71

Denunciation of disorder at the Lord's Table (11:17-4) 72

4. About the gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit (chapters 12-14) 74

4.1. The Wealth of the Charismatic Gifts of the Ancient Church (Chapter 12) 74

4.2. The Gift of Love (Chapter 13) 75

4.3. The Gift of Prophecy and the Gift of Tongues (14th Chapter) 77

5. The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead (15th chapter) 78

5.1. The certainty of the fact of the resurrection of Christ (15, 1-11) 78

5.2. Belief in the resurrection of the dead (15:12-34) 79

5 3. Image of the resurrection (15.35-58) 80

6. Conclusion (Chapter 16) 81

Review Questions for 1 Corinthians 82

SECOND CORINTHIANS 85

1. Reason for writing message 85

2. The purpose of writing message 86

3. Time and place of writing message 86

4. Dividing the message 86

1. Preliminary explanations of the apostle (1.1-2.11) 86

1.1. Consolations in sorrows (1.1-11) 86

1.2. Reason for changing travel plans (1.12-24) 87

1.3. Forgiveness of a repentant incest (2.1-11) 87

2. The theoretical part of the message: the height of the Christian Revelation (2.12-7.16) 88

2.1. Properties and actions of Revelation (2.12-4.6) 88

A) Effectiveness of Revelation (2.12-3.6) 88

B) The superiority of the New Testament ministry over the Old Testament (3.7-4.6) 89

2.2. The power of God is made perfect in human weakness (4.7-5-10) 91

A) The power of faith - in trials (4.7-15) 91

B) Hope of faith (4, 16-5, 10) 92

2.3. The Christian's duty to the apostolic gospel (5:11-7:1)

A) “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (5, 11-6, 2) 93

B) Overcoming the test with the power of Christ (6.3-7.1) 94

C) The apostle’s testimony of his love for the Corinthians (7:2-16) 95

3. Practical part of message 96

3.1. On collecting alms for the Jerusalem Church (8-9 chapters) 96

4. Defensive part: Apostle Paul’s defense of his apostolic ministry

(Chapters 10-12) 97

4.1. Refuting the slander of false teachers (chapters 10-12) 97

4.2. Unselfishness in preaching the Gospel (11:1-15) 98

4.3. Works and suffering for the sake of Christ (11, 16-32) 99

4.4. On the rapture of the Apostle “to the third heaven” (12:1-21) 100

5. Conclusion (Chapter 13) 101

Review Questions for 2 Corinthians 102

GALATIANS 104

1. Founding of the Galatian Church 104

2. Reason for writing message 104

3. Time and place of writing message 105

4. Division and summary of message 105

1) Protective part (1.2-2.21) 105

2) Doctrinal part (3, 1-5, 12) 105

3) Moral part (5.13-6.10) 106

1. Welcome and preface (1.1-10) 106

2. The defensive part of the letter: Paul's proof of his apostolic

2.2. Approval of the gospel of the Apostle Paul by the “pillars of the apostles” (2:1-10) 107

2.3. Reproof of the Holy Apostle Peter (2:2-21) 108

3. Dogmatic part (3, 1-5, 12) 109

3.1. Justification by faith and not by works of the law (3:1-29) 109

A) The non-binding nature of the Law of Moses in the matter of salvation (3.1-14) 109

B) The law is a teacher to Christ (3.15-29) 111

3.2. Slavery of the Law and Freedom of the Gospel (4, 1-5, 13) 112

A) Man under law and under grace (4, 1-7) 112

B) Reproaching the Galatians for their inconstancy (4.8-20) 113

C) Types of the sons of slavery and the sons of freedom (4, 21-31) 113

D) Freedom in Christ (5.1-12) 114

4. Moral part: exhortation to Christian life on the basis of freedom from

Law (5.13-6.10) 115

4.1. General beginning of Christian life (5.13-26) 115

4.2. The rule of behavior of the spiritually perfect towards the weak (6, 1-10) 116

5. Conclusion 117

Review Questions for Galatians 119

EPHESIANS 121

1. Foundation of the Ephesian Church 121

2. Reason, place and time of writing message 121

3. Division and summary of message 122

1. The dogmatic part of Message 122

1.1. Revealing the general plan of the economy of salvation (1.3-23) 122

1.2. Salvation of the Gentiles through the Church (2:1-22) 124

1.3. Revelation of the mystery of the Church (3:1-23) 127

2. Moral part of the message (4.1-6.18) 128

2.1. The general structure of a Christian’s life (4.1-32) 128

A) Unity of faith 128

B) Putting on the new man 129

2.2. Incentives for spiritual life (5.1-21) 130

2.3. Family and civic responsibilities of Christians (5.22-6 9) 131

A) The mystery of Christian marriage (5.22-23) 131

B) Mutual responsibilities of children and parents (6.1-4) 132

C) Mutual duties of slaves and masters (6.5-9) 133

2.4. Spiritual Christian armor (6.10-18) 133

Review Questions for Ephesians 135

COLOSSIANS 137

1. Founding of the Church at Colosse 137

2. Reason for writing and purpose of message 137

3. Time and place of writing message 137

4. Division and summary of message 138

Analysis of Colossians 139

1. Introduction (1, 1- 8) 139

2. Dogmatic part (1.9-2.23) 139

2.1. Image of the Divine Majesty of Jesus Christ (1:12-23) 139

A) Jesus Christ - Son of God and God (1.13-15) 140

B) Jesus Christ - Creator of the visible and invisible world (1.16) 140

C) Jesus Christ - Provider of the world (1.17) 141

D) Jesus Christ - Head of the Church (1.18-19) 141

E) Reconciliation with God in Christ (1:20-23) 141

2.2. The ministry of the Apostle Paul to the Church (1:24-29) 142

2.3. Warning to the Colossians against false teachers (2:1-23) 142

A) The need for true knowledge of God to cut off false teachings (2.1-8) 142

B) In Christ - the fullness of the Divinity bodily (2.9-15) 143

C) Warning against false teachers (2:16-23) 144

3. Moral part (3.1-17) 145

3.1. Exhortations to the Holiness of Life (3.1-17) 145

3.2. Instructions regarding family life (3.18-21) 146

3.3. Instructions to slaves and masters (3.22-4.1) 147

3.4. Exhortation to Prayer and Watchfulness (4:2-6) 147

4. Conclusion (4, 7-18) 148

Review Questions for Colossians 149

PHILIPPIANS 150

1. Founding of the Church at Philippi 150

2. Reason for writing the message 150

3. Time and place of writing message 151

4. Distinctive features of message 151

Division and content of the message 151

1. The meaning of the bonds of the Apostle Paul (1.1-26) 151

2. Exhortations to unanimity and humility (1.27-2.30) 152

3. Warning against false teachers (3:1-21) 154

Conclusion (Chapter 4) 155

Review Questions for Philippians 156

FIRST THESSALONIANS 157

1. Foundation of the Church in Thessalonica 157

2. Reason, purpose, time and place of writing the message 157

1. Historical part (chapters 1-3) 158

1.1. Gratitude for the faith and perseverance of the Thessalonians (1:1-10) 158

1.2. The apostle’s recollection of his sermon among the Thessalonians and its fruits (2, 1-20)

1.3. The desire of the Holy Apostle Paul to see the Thessalonians (3, 1-13) 159

2. Moral part (4.1-5.24) 160

2.1. Call to holiness and brotherly love (4:1-12) 160

2. About the resurrection of the dead and the second coming of the Lord (4.13-5.28) 160

Review Questions for 1 Thessalonians 163

SECOND THESSALONIANS 164

Reason for writing message 164

1. Praise for the patience of the Thessalonians (chapter 1) 164

2. Signs of the Second Coming of the Lord (2.1-14) 165

3. Various exhortations (2.15-3.15) 166

Review Questions for 2 Thessalonians 168

1 TIMOTHY 169

1. Information about the Holy Apostle Timothy 169

2. The reason and purpose of writing the message 170

Division and content of the message 170

1. Instructions to Timothy as a guardian of the faith (chapter 1) 170

2. Instructions to Timothy as head of the Church (2, 1-3, 13) 171

A) Regarding church prayer (2, 1-8) 171

B) On the behavior and participation of women in church meetings (2.9-15) 172

3. About the Church hierarchy (3.1-13) 173

4. General instructions to shepherds (3.14-4.16) 174

A) What constitutes the highest doctrinal truth (3, 14-16) 174

B) About false teachers of the “end times” (4, 1-10) 175

C) The shepherd as an example for the faithful; nature of shepherding (4.2-16) 176

5. Instructions to Timothy concerning church government (ch. 5) 177

A) Relationships with elders, elders and widows (5.1-16) 177

B) Honoring the elders; their trial (5.17-25) 177

6. Instructions to Timothy concerning civic duties and others (chapter 6)

A) Instructions to slaves and masters (6.1-2; 17-19) 178

B) About false teachers and the roots of false teachings (6.3-16) 178

C) Reproof of the rich (6.17-21) 179

Review Questions for 1 Timothy 180

SECOND TIMOTHY 182

1. The reason and purpose of writing the message 182

2. Time and place of writing message 182

Separation and analysis of the content of the message 182

1. Exhortations to rekindle the gift of episcopal ministry (1, 6-18) 182

2. An exhortation to stand firm in the faith (2:1-26) 183

3. About the last difficult times (3.1-4.5) 184

A) Depravity of morals in recent times (3.1-9) 184

B) A call to perseverance in persecution for the faith (3:10-17) 185

C) Call to unceasing preaching (4.1-5) 186

4. Conclusion (4.6-22) 186

Review Questions for 2 Timothy 188

EPISTLE TO TITUS 189

1. Information about Saint Titus 189

2. Information about the Church of Crete 189

3. Reason and purpose of writing the message 189

Division and content of the message 190

1. Testament to Titus to establish the Church in Crete (Chapter 1) 190

2. Instructions for the proper origin of pastoral ministry (2, 1 -3, 14) 191

A) What a pastor should teach depending on the age and condition of the listeners

B) About the manifestation of God’s grace into the world (2.11-3.7) 191

C) On the attitude towards false teachers (3, 8-14) 192

Review Questions for Titus 193

EPISTLE TO PHILEMON 194

1. Information about Philemon and the circumstances of writing the message 194

Review Questions for Philemon 196

HEBREWS 197

1. Writer of Message 197

2. Place, time of writing and addressee of the message 197

3. Reason for writing and purpose of the message 198

4. Division and content of the message 198

1. Dogmatic part (1.1-10.8) 200

1.1. The superiority of Jesus Christ over the prophets, angels and Moses (1:1-4:13)

A) The superiority of Christ over the prophets (1.1-3) 200

B) The superiority of Jesus Christ over the angels (1.4-2; 18) 201

C) The superiority of Jesus Christ over Moses (3.1-4.13) 202

1.2. The superiority of Christ's high priestly ministry to that of

Levitsky (4.14-6.20) 202

A) Characteristics of the high priesthood of Jesus Christ (4:14-5:10) 202

B) Reproaching Jews for their inertia and lack of understanding of Christian truths (5:11-6:20)

1.3. High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek (7.1-8.6) 204

A) High Priesthood of Melchizedek (7:1-10) 204

B) The High Priesthood of Jesus Christ (7, 11-8, 6) 205

1.4. Comparison of the two Testaments (8.7-10.18) 206

A) Jeremiah's prophecy about a better covenant (8:7-13) 206

B) The educational significance of the Old Testament tabernacle and its victims (9, 1-10) 206

C) The New Testament tabernacle and the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ (9, 11-28) 207

D) The excellence of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ (10:1-18) 208

2. Moral part (10.19-13.19) 209

2.1. Exhortations to the Acceptance of Faith (10:19-39) 209

2.2. Definition and meaning of faith (11.1-3.6) 210

2.3. Examples of faith (11.4-40) 211

A) Examples of the faith of the ancients, before the flood (11.4-7) 211

B) Examples of faith of Abraham and Sarah (11.8-19) 212

C) Examples of the faith of Isaac, Jacob and Joseph (11:20-22) 212

D) Example of the faith of Moses (11.23-29) 213

E) Examples of faith after Moses (11:30-40) 213

2.4. Exhortation to patience and steadfastness in faith (12.1-13.17) 215

A) Exhortation to imitate the faith of the witnesses (12:1-4) 215

B) The meaning of punishments (12.5-11) 215

C) Exhortation to Holiness (12:12-17) 215

D) Warnings against apostasy (12.18-29) 216

E) Call to a virtuous life (13.1-7) 216

E) Instructions for those seeking the future city (13.8-16) 217

G) Exhortations to obey your mentors (13.17-21) 218

Afterword (13.22-25) 218

Review Questions for Hebrews 219

REVELATION OF SAINT JOHN THE THEOLOGIST 222

1. Information about the book of Revelation and its writer 222

2. Time and Place of Revelation 222

3. The Purpose of Writing Revelation 223

4. Notes on the Interpretation of Revelation 223

1. Appeal to the Seven Churches of Asia Minor (Chapters 1-3) 224

2. Picture of the coming disasters of the world (chapters 4-18) 224

2.1. Vision of the Lord Almighty as a Lamb (chapters 4-5) 224

2.2. Opening of the seven seals by the Lamb (6.1-8.1) (First septenary of visions) 225

2.3. Seven angelic trumpets (8.2-11.19) (second week of visions) 226

2.4. Seven signs (12.1-15.4) (Third septenary of visions) 226

A) The first sign: the woman clothed with the sun and the dragon (chapter 12) 226

B) The second sign: the image of the beast coming out of the sea (13.1-10) 227

C) Third sign: the beast coming out of the earth (13:11-18) 227

D) Fourth sign: Lamb on Mount Zion (14, 1-5) 227

E) Fifth Sign: Three angels announcing to the world the approach of great events

E) Sixth sign: Son of Man with the sickle (14:14-20) 228

G) The seventh sign: seven angels with bowls of wrath (chapter 15) 228

2.5. Seven bowls of the wrath of God (fourth septenary of visions) (chapter 16) 228

2.6. The Judgment of Babylon (Chapters 17-18) 229

3. The coming of the Kingdom of Christ (chapters 19-22) 229

3.1. Victory of the Lamb over the Antichrist and his false prophet (chapter 19) 229

3.2. Millennial Kingdom of Christ (20.1-8) 230

3.3. Resurrection of the dead and general judgment (20.9-15) 230

3.4. New heaven and new earth (21.1-8) 230

3.5. New Jerusalem and the blessedness of the righteous (21.9-22.21) 231

Questions for reviewing Apocalypse 233

Examination program on the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament for students 4

Class of the correspondence education sector of the Moscow Theological Seminary 234

BIBLIOGRAPHY 237

INTRODUCTION

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ has come to us through the holy apostles,

Spreading the “verbs of eternal life” throughout the world. At the same time, it is undeniable that

In the field of preaching the Gospel of Christ, the holy apostle worked more than others

Paul (1 Corinthians 15:10), who subjected many pagan nations to the cross of Christ

Mira. For this, he forever entered the history of Christianity as the “apostle of the nations”, so

Just like the Apostle John came in with the name “apostle of love,” and the Apostle Peter - “apostle

Confessions are the stone of faith."

And indeed, a “chosen vessel” of God’s grace was needed so that the truth about

Christ to bring to the most remote corners of the then Roman Empire. Apostle Paul

He zealously defended the Church from the enslavement of its Jewish legality,

Against turning it into a sect of the Jewish religion or a reformed synagogue. He

He proclaimed the victory of faith and grace over the law and Pharisaism, and Christianity

A religion of freedom, a religion of renewal. Likewise for understanding the work of Christ

Redemption absolutely requires a deep knowledge of the piety of the holy apostle

Pavel. “The world will not see another Paul,” St. John Chrysostom said about him,

Emphasizing with these words the genius of this person. Apostolic ministry

St. Paul was truly a “living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God” (Romans

12:1), undivided service to Him.

The fourteen epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul occupy the New Testament

Writing has the most honorable place, because in them the most important

The truths of Christianity: about the person of Jesus Christ and His mission, about the law and

Grace, the Church, issues of eschatology, etc. At the same time, the Apostle Paul with all his

He clearly emphasizes that his gospel is precisely the revelation of Christ, and not

Him, Pavlovo (Galatians 1:11-12); it is the true word of God (1 Thessalonians

2.13; 4:15), therefore the Church rightfully calls it the “second Gospel”.

But the flame of Christian inspiration of the Holy Apostle Paul was not kindled

Directly from Christ during His earthly life. The Apostle Paul was not

A companion, not a listener of the Lord. Moreover, he furiously tormented the Church of God,

Until he was reborn by the grace of God in the personal appearance of Christ, whom he persecuted.

That is why the Apostle Paul has such a strong motive for justification by faith, regardless of

Works of the law, reverence for the incomprehensibility of God's destinies about the calling of everyone

Man and entire nations.

The gospel of the Apostle Paul was neither systematic theology nor

A chronological account of Christian events. In his gospel found

Reflection is only what was necessary for the specific needs of the Christians of that time.

His messages are addressed to a flock aware of the historical existence of Christ,

Therefore, it is more concerned with issues of practical assimilation of Christianity. Tasks

The universal preaching of Christianity was dictated by the range of issues it addressed,

And the form of their expression.

The 4th grade seminary program sets the task of mastering both the conditions and

The circumstances of the writing of the letters of the Apostle Paul, and their actual

The so-called exegetical analysis of the epistles, which is essential for

Church-practical ministry of pastors. The program also includes

Introduction to the Revelation of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian.

It should be noted that the letters of the Apostle Paul are not easy to interpret. In them

There is such depth of theological thought, they are distinguished by such originality of language,

Forms of presentation that even stopped before interpreting individual passages

Such famous exegetes as St. John Chrysostom, Blessed Jerome,

Blessed Augustine. When studying the letters of the Apostle Paul, the primary source should be

Beside the epistles themselves, there are also the Acts of the Apostles. There are a number

Manuals giving their detailed exegetical interpretation. The best are

Interpretations by His Grace Bishop Feofan (Govorov). Seminar courses

They are “Guide to the explanatory reading of the books of the New Testament” by A. Ivanov;

“The Apostolic Epistles and the Apocalypse” by Archpriest Mikhail Kheraskov; "Review

Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul" N. Rozanov; "Life and Works of the Holy Apostle

Pavel" Rudinsky and others.

1. Biographical information about the Apostle Paul

1.1. The life path of the Holy Apostle Paul before the start of his missionary work

Activities

The Apostle Paul came from the Asia Minor city of Tarsus of Cilicia (Acts

Holy Apostles 21:39) and bore the Hebrew name Saul, or Saul. Exactly

It is unknown when he adopted another name for himself - Paul (from the Latin paulus - small) -

Possibly at birth as a Roman citizen, but did not use it until later.

From Acts (13.9) it is known that after the conversion to Christianity of the proconsul Fr.

The exact date of birth of the apostle is unknown. In the Letter to Philemon (9), the Apostle Paul

He calls himself an “old man.” Since the Epistle was written around 63 years old, “senile”

If we can give an age of about 60 years, then we can conclude that the apostle was not born

Later 3-5 years. according to R.H. By origin he was from the tribe of Benjamin, and by

Raised by a Pharisee (Phil. 3:4-5).

The city of Tarsus was famous for the Greek Academy and the education of its residents. Saul

He was also well acquainted with Greek culture, he had a systematic education,

As a Jew, I received it at the local synagogue. Further education continued in

Rabbinical school in Jerusalem - he studied at the feet of the famous Gamaliel (Acts

22.3). Here the apostle also mastered the profession of weaving tents, which later gave

He received material freedom and freed him from complaints of self-interest.

Saul naturally spoke his native Aramaic, but the official language

In Judea at that time there was Greek, in which Saul studied the Old Testament according to

Translating 70 interpreters, therefore, he also knew Greek. For a special

The Jews attributed Saul's zeal for the national traditions of their religion

There are great hopes for him to restore the former glory of his religion, and Gamaliel

I wanted to see him as my successor. Saul was distinguished not only by patriotism, but also

The special religious intolerance with which he persecuted Christians.

Subsequently, he called himself a “monster” for this (1 Corinthians 15:8). He

He asked for letters of guarantee from the high priest and even looked for Christians

Outside Palestine, in Syria; he also approved the murder of Archdeacon Stephen (Acts

But the Lord foresaw in Saul a future zealot of the true faith. He didn't reject him

For cruel persecution, but he revealed himself to him in a miraculous appearance (Acts, chapter 9).

On the way to Damascus, Christ Himself appeared to Saul, which radically changed his entire life.

Life and worldview. After being baptized, Saul becomes zealous

A preacher of the teaching he had previously persecuted. This happened around '34.

Saul's preaching in Damascus aroused the anger of the Jews, and it was dangerous for him to remain

There. Therefore, he withdrew to Arabia for three years (34-37, Galatians 1:17), where

Solitude and comprehended the sublime truths of Christianity.

Returning to Damascus, Saul zealously preaches Christianity, which again

Caused persecution by the Jews, and he was forced to flee -

He was lowered in a basket down the city wall (Acts 9:23-25). Saul with

The Apostle Barnabas goes to Jerusalem to see the Apostle Peter

And the apostle James (Galatians 1:18-19). After staying here for about 15 days, he

He returned to his native Tarsus (Acts 9:30; 11:22-26; Galatians 1:21), where he

He remained from 37 to 44, when the Apostle Barnabas again called him to Antioch for

Preaching works. Here in Antioch, the disciples of the apostles first began to be called

Christians (Acts 11:26).

1.2. Missionary activity of the Apostle Paul. His first journey (45-46

Years) (Denia, 13, 4-14, 27)

While the disciples of the apostles were praying together in Antioch, the Holy Spirit commanded

Separate Saul and Barnabas for the work of preaching. After fasting and prayer, the apostles

They laid hands on them and sent them out for the gospel. The journey took place

Through Cyprus (the birthplace of Barnabas) from Salamis to Paphos. Here in Paphos, Saul struck

Blindness to Elimu the sorcerer for opposing the preaching. Seeing this miracle, to faith

The proconsul of the island, Sergius Pavel, himself addressed. From this time the name Saul in the book

Acts is no longer found - he is called Paul. The further path passed through

Perga, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. In Lystra, the Apostle Paul healed

Lame; Local residents, amazed by the miracle, mistook the apostles for gods who had descended from

Heaven, and wanted to sacrifice animals to them. It took a lot of work for the apostles

Convince them not to do this. The apostles returned from Derbe the same way.

To Antioch, continuing the work of preaching and establishing the early Christian churches.

1.3. Apostolic Council of 51 (Acts, 15, 1-29)

The Apostles opened free entry into the Church of Christ to all who believed in Christ,

Regardless of nationality or religion. This caused

Opposition from Jewish Christians who wanted to preserve and

In Christianity, circumcision and other prescriptions of the Law of Moses. To resolve the dispute

Barnabas to Jerusalem. As you know, the council decided “not to make it difficult for those applying

To God from the Gentiles, and write that they should abstain from what is defiled

Idols, fornication, strangulation and blood, and so that they do not do to others what they do not

They want for themselves" (Acts 15, 19-20). The Council, thus, freed those entering

The Church no longer has to adhere to Old Testament rituals.

1.4. Second missionary journey of the Apostle Paul (52-54) (Acts 15,

Soon after the council, the Apostle Paul and Barnabas undertook a second journey. By

The reason for the disagreement regarding the participation of Mark Barnabas and Paul diverged:

Barnabas, taking Mark, went to Cyprus, and Paul, along with Silas, went through Cilicia.

In Lystra, the Apostle Paul took with him Timothy, who later became his beloved

Disciple and fellow worker (Acts 16:1-5). Through Phrygia and Galatia they reached

Troas, where the Apostle Luke joined them (Acts 16:9), why from this

The narrative is told in the first person plural.

From Troas, called by the Holy Spirit in a vision of a certain Macedonian man, the apostles

They crossed over to Macedonia and stopped in Philippi. For healing one

Handmaids possessed by the spirit of divination, the apostles were imprisoned, and

Miraculously liberated, we set off for Thessalonica. Leaving Silas and Timothy in Beria,

The Apostle Paul arrived in Athens. His famous speech in the Areopagus is known (Acts

17.22-31). For a year and a half, the Apostle Paul lived in Corinth with Aquila and Priscilla.

From Corinth, about 53, the apostle wrote his first two letters to

Thessalonians. Leaving Corinth and visiting Ephesus along the way, the Apostle Paul through

Jerusalem returned to Antioch.

1.5. Third missionary journey of St. Paul the Apostle (54-58)

(Acts 18, 23-23, 35)

From Antioch, the Apostle Paul, together with Timothy, sets off on a new journey

Ephesus, having been engaged in the work of preaching for three years in the school of a certain

Tyranna. FROM Ephesus were written around 57. First Epistle to the Corinthians and

Epistle to the Galatians. As a result of the decline in interest among the Ephesians in manufactured

Idols, a certain artisan Demetrius the silversmith incited an uprising of the people against

Apostle Paul, which forced him to retire to Macedonia. Having met Titus in Philippi,

Who brought news about the life of the Corinthian Church and about the warm welcome of the First to it

Epistles, the Apostle Paul writes Second Epistle to the Corinthians (57 or beginning of 58

Of the year). Soon the Apostle Paul himself arrived in Corinth, where he stayed for 3 months, writing

Epistle to the Romans (beginning of 58). On the way back through Macedonia, having collected

After giving alms to the poor Jerusalem Church, the Apostle headed to Jerusalem.

Here, being accused of desecration of the temple, he was imprisoned and sent

To Caesarea to the proconsul Felix, who tormented him, expecting a bribe, for about two years

(58-60). Felix was replaced by Porcius Festus, who was ready to release the apostle

Paul, not finding sufficient guilt in him, but the Apostle, as a Roman citizen,

He demanded a Caesarian trial, which he was granted (24.1-25.25).

1.6. The first Roman bonds of the Holy Apostle Paul (61-63) (Acts, 27, 1-28,

In September 60, the Apostle Paul was sent under guard to Rome. On the sea near the island

Miletus (Malta) was shipwrecked, so those on the ship barely

Saved from death. Only in the spring of 61 did the Apostle Paul reach Rome. Here he is

He was warmly received by Christians and, taking advantage of the great leniency of the authorities,

He freely preached Christianity. At this time the Philippian Church, and earlier

Distinguished by her works of mercy, she sent Epaphroditus to the Apostle with money.

Benefit. In gratitude, Paul writes Philippians (about 63). IN

During this time he wrote three more Christological epistles: to the Ephesians, to the Colossians and

Hebrews (about 64) and a private letter to Philemon.

1.7. The fourth missionary journey of the Holy Apostle Paul (64-66)

According to Tradition, after successfully defending his case before the Senate, the Apostle Paul

He was released and took a new trip to the East, having previously visited

The churches he founded. On about. In Crete, he ordained Titus as Bishop of Crete.

Gg.). He then ordained Timothy as Bishop of Ephesus. Visited again

Macedonia, from where he wrote the First Epistle to Timothy (65). In Corinth he

Met the Apostle Peter, with whom he reached Rome in 66. Here is the Apostle Peter

He remained for the work of evangelism, and the Apostle Paul traveled to Spain,

Which is confirmed by Saint Clement of Rome. On his return from Spain he was taken

Again in Rome in bonds, of which around the year 67 he wrote the Second Epistle to

Timothy to Ephesus. In 67, during the persecution of Christians under Nero, the Apostle Paul

He was beheaded with a sword.

2. The Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul, their authenticity, quantity, internal and

External features and the order of their location and study

Since ancient times, 13 epistles (except the Epistle to

Hebrews). The Muratorian fragment (circa 170) mentions all 14. The heretic Marcion

(about 150) excludes the Pastoral Epistles, but thereby he testifies to

Their existence. Among the apostolic men, in particular, among Clement of Rome, and

Tertullian also has excerpts from all 14 letters of the Holy Apostle Paul.

The Apostle Paul used the services of scribes. In the Epistle to the Romans (16.22)

Such was a certain Terty; Philemon (v. 10) and Galatians (6.11) were written

With my own hand. Sometimes the Apostle Paul wrote letters in his own hand (1 Cor.

16.21; Col. 4:18) is either a greeting or a blessing.

The language of the letters of the Apostle Paul was Greek, but with a clear coloring of Hebraisms.

His grammar is subordinated to the movement of living thought and heart, with all their shades

And curves.

The order of the messages developed gradually in the Church canon. Messages to the Churches

Always placed first. Only the book of Hebrews was placed in different places, but

Most often at the end of all, since it was recognized as canonical later

Others. The modern order of the epistles in the New Testament canon is consistent with

The importance of the issues discussed in them and the gradualness of their disclosure. That's why

First there is an epistle expounding the question of justification (Epistle to

Romans), then there are messages about its assimilation in the lives of believers (1st and 2nd

Corinthians). The rationale for acquittal against all objections and doubts is stated

In the Epistle to the Galatians. This is the so-called group of soteriological messages.

Then comes a group of Christological messages revealing the doctrine of the Person

The Accomplisher of salvation - Jesus Christ: Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians,

Hebrews. This also includes the Epistle to Philemon.

The third group of messages is of moral and eschatological content (1st and 2nd

Thessalonians) - about the final destinies of the world.

The fourth group is the pastoral epistles (1st and 2nd Timothy and Titus) outlining

Rules for the organization and guidance of Christian communities to achieve salvation.

From a chronological point of view, all 14 messages can be divided into 4 groups:

1) Epistles from the second journey: 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, (about 53);

2) Third Journey Epistles: 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Romans (approx.

57-58) - outlining questions about the conditions and means of justification.

Philemon, Hebrews (about 63-64) - dogmatic-christological, about the face

Redeemer Jesus Christ as the Divine Hypostasis.

4) A group of pastoral epistles (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus), written at the end

The life of the Apostle Paul, after his release from the first Roman bonds (64-67), and

Expressing concern for the canonical structure of the Church. Like a dying covenant

The Great Apostle sounds the Second Epistle to Timothy, written by him during

Second Roman bonds, in anticipation of his imminent death (67).

Basically, each message consists of 4 parts:

1) introduction;

2) doctrinal part;

3) moralizing part;

4) conclusion.

Review Questions Introduction

1. What are the characteristic features of the gospel of the Apostle Paul.

2. Biographical information about the Holy Apostle Paul before the start of his missionary work

Activities.

3. Events of the first missionary journey of the Apostle Paul.

4. Participation of the Apostle Paul at the Apostolic Council.

5. The second missionary journey of the Apostle Paul and the letters he wrote in

This time.

6. The main events and places of stay of the Apostle Paul during the third

Missionary travel. Epistles written from Ephesus and Corinth.

7. The reason for the arrest of the Apostle Paul in Jerusalem. Caesarea bonds of the Apostle. Why

Did the Apostle Paul demand judgment from Caesar?

9. What is known about the fourth missionary journey of the Apostle Paul and his death

Apostle Paul?

10. What groups can all be divided into according to content and time of writing?

Epistles of the Apostle Paul?

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

1. General information about the Roman Church

The Roman Church was one of the first to be founded. Its founders were proselytes,

Those who came from Rome to Jerusalem on official business, as well as Jewish Christians,

Arrived in the capital of the world. The book of Acts (2:10) says that among

Some of those present on the day of Pentecost were from Rome. Palestine already at 63

Year B.C. became a province of Rome, as a result of which many Jews were taken out

To Rome, which later also served as fertile ground for the spread of

Christianity.

Judging by the fact that the Apostle Paul “did not love to build on someone else’s foundation” (Romans

15:20) and that he was so eager to go to Rome for the gospel (Romans 1:13), one can

Conclude that the Roman Church was founded with the participation of the disciples of the apostle himself

Pavel. In chapter 16, the Apostle Paul mentions a number of his co-workers who

They could have been the first missionaries in Rome. This applies especially to Akila and

Priscilla, to whom “all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks” (Romans 16:3-4), i.e. and

Roman inclusive.

The community in Rome was mixed: it consisted of Jews and pagans. pagans,

Of course, there was a majority, which is why the Apostle Paul often calls himself “an apostle

Gentiles" (Romans 11:13). Among the names mentioned in chapter 16 are:

Herodion, Mariam - clearly Jewish; the other 14 names are Greek; names: Yunia, Julia,

Urban - Latin.

2. Time and place of writing the Message

The Message was written at the end of the 3rd journey, i.e. about 58 years old. Place of writing

There was the city of Corinth, as can be judged by the representative of the Epistle, Thebes, deaconess

Churches of Cenchrea, a suburb of Corinth (Romans 16:1).

The message was written in Greek, which was very common in the capital

Roman Empire. Up until the 3rd century it was considered a classical language, and proficiency

It was considered a sign of high culture for the Roman nobility.

3. Reason and purpose of writing the Message

The Apostle Paul showed special concern for the success of the Church of Christ in the capital

World, the state of affairs in which he knew well through his many

Employees. This news was generally favorable, and the apostle intended

To come to the Christians of Rome "with the full blessing of the gospel of Christ"

(15.29). However, disagreements between the Jews and the pagans, of whom the

The community in Rome were not fundamentally eliminated, which sometimes led to mutual

Mistrust or even hostility and divisions. Therefore, the Apostle Paul uses

The only possible way for their mutual reconciliation is to reveal to them

Fundamentally new means of justification before God and new beginnings of Christian

Life in the Church. Not law (among the Jews) and ritual (among the pagans), but faith in Christ

Through the sacraments the sinner is justified before God; not a narrow national brotherhood (at

Jews) and not hypocrisy and self-interest (among the pagans), but “love from a pure heart” for

For all people without exception lies the foundation of Christian morality and life.

In the church.

The Apostle Paul also intended to reveal his gospel, and thereby himself

Himself, in view of his upcoming trip to Rome, and also in view of his plans

Transfer your missionary activities to the West of the European continent (in

Spain, 15,24,28).

Main Theme and Summary of Romans

The main theme of the message is the justification and salvation of the sinner through faith in Jesus

Christ, and it is expressed already in the first chapter (16-17), but especially in the third (21-24

And so on). The theme is revealed through the contrast between the concepts of Law and Grace,

Sin and salvation, flesh and spirit, cross and resurrection. This is the main thing

Soteriological Epistle, presenting a coherent theodicy (justification

God-established order) and, as it were, a small catechism of Christianity.

The entire message can be divided into 2 main parts:

Dogmatic (1.18-2.36);

Moral (12.1-15.13).

Dogmatic part (1.18-3.20)

1. The sinfulness of all humanity (1.18-3.20)

In accordance with the main idea of ​​the Message about the need to recognize a new means

Justification is by faith, apart from the law, the Apostle shows that all

Humanity, both Jews and pagans, are equally guilty before God and

Subject to righteous judgment. The pagans, having no law, sinned outside the law, outside

the law and perish, and the Jews, having not fulfilled the law, will be condemned by the law.

2. The doctrine of justification by faith (3.21-4.25)

The only way a person can be justified before God is faith in Jesus

Christ, regardless of past sins, or religious or national

Accessories. The possibility of such justification is due to the fact that guilt

Humanity before God was destroyed by the death of the Son of God. By faith we learn

Christ's feat of the Cross. Abraham's example shows that he was justified by faith in

A future promise - especially now a person is justified by faith in what has happened

The promise in the person of Jesus Christ.

3. Actions or fruits of justification (5.1-8.39)

Chapter 5. He who is justified by faith in Christ is reconciled to God and gains access again

To the source of the grace of the Holy Spirit.

Chapter 6. He who is justified in the sacrament of baptism dies to sin in order to live to God

In truth and holiness.

Chapter 7. The justified is freed from subjection to the Old Testament law. Law

Holy and spiritual, but due to sin living in the flesh, it was not fulfilled by anything else

Blamed the person more.

Chapter 8. He who is justified in Christ receives complete freedom from the law of the flesh for

Life according to the spiritual law, life in the Holy Spirit, Who adopts a person

God, makes him a joint heir with Christ. Through the redemption of man as head

The created world, and all irrational nature receives redemption and glorification. Our

Confidence in salvation is based on the love of God, who has chosen everyone for salvation.

Man according to the eternal knowledge of God.

4. Unbelief of the Jews, its causes and consequences (chapters 9-11)

True Israel are the descendants of Abraham not in the flesh, but in the spirit, i.e. all believers

Regardless of nationality. The pagans received by faith what the Jews did not

We have achieved the law by deeds. Carnal Israel is rejected, however, so that the election

The Gods of Israel were not violated by His people, therefore the true, spiritual Israel

Will be saved.

Moral part (12.1-15.13)

Chapter 12. The moral teaching of the Apostle Paul is based on his creed: the redeemed

And those justified by Christ must live by faith. Believers in Christ make up the Church

of God, which is one spiritual body in Christ, and believers themselves are members of this

Bodies. Therefore, believers are called to mutual service, mutual love and

Like-mindedness.

Chapter 13. The Apostle Paul calls for due obedience to authorities, since

All power is established for good and is in accordance with the divine plan.

Chapter 14. The main Christian commandment - the commandment of love - is fulfilled in it

The whole law. Love should guide all the actions of a Christian, for we too

All are accepted into the love of God.

Chapter 15. Love should motivate you to serve your neighbors, take care of the weak,

To patiently endure the infirmities of the weak, while pleasing not oneself, but one another, just as

Christ did not please Himself, but others.

1. Introduction (1.1-17)

The Holy Apostle Paul, addressing the readers of the capital who were personally unfamiliar to him,

Exalted by the learning and culture of Rome, calls himself “a slave of Jesus Christ,

Called by the apostle" (1:1). Rulers and scientists like to put in their name

Great titles and scientific titles, and this great Seer of God and the hidden man of God

Grace calls himself a "slave of Jesus Christ" - the Christ whom the world has rejected and over

Whom he mocked, but to whom Saint Paul became a faithful servant and an obedient slave.

At the appearance of the Savior to Saul, this enslavement took place, which Paul boasts of

As a sign of the greatest mercy towards him. This call made him "called to

The Gospel of God" by the Apostle of the tongues.

The Apostle Paul immediately defines the universality of Christianity: the Son of God sent

The apostles “to subdue all nations to the faith,” including the Romans, “beloved of God,

Called saints" (1:7).

The Apostle Paul calls Christians “saints” in the same theocratic sense, in

How in the Old Testament the people of Israel were called “beloved”, “holy”,

"chosen", i.e. separated from the rest of the pagan world. So do Christians

His calling to holiness and life with God through sanctification in baptism

They are called "saints". This word cannot be taken in its literal sense - holiness

It is achieved by Christian feat and this is always the task of the life of Christians. So

The Apostle Paul calls the Corinthians “called saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2), although

Some of them were far from even within the framework of ordinary human

Morality (for example, an incest who was among them).

The Apostle Paul teaches in all his epistles “grace and peace” (1:7). Available

In view of peace with God, which is achieved by reconciliation with Him through the forgiveness of sins

By grace through faith in Christ.

So that no one thinks that he, the Apostle Paul, has not yet come to Rome

Because he is ashamed to preach the gospel of the Crucified One, he rejects such thoughts, and

At the same time, he sets out the very theme of the Epistle: “I am not ashamed of the gospel

Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (1:16).

For those who did not know Christ, it was “ashamed” and crazy to talk about the Crucified Christ, as

About God and the Redeemer, but St. Paul emphasizes that this is the gospel of Christ

This is precisely “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” So there is a Gospel

Not just the story of Christ and His salvation, but the very means of salvation,

Because it attracts people's hearts to faith, and faith saves.

The expression “salvation... first of all for Judah” (1:16) should not be understood in the sense

"mainly to the Jews", but in the sense that the Savior sent to the Jews first

Prophets and then apostles with a call to salvation. The Gospel "reveals

The truth of God" (1:17), to which every Jew, including Saul, strove.

They tried to achieve in the Old Testament the exact fulfillment of God's law, which is why

It is called “legal righteousness” (Phil. 3:6), or “own truth”

(Romans 10:3), since it had to be achieved exclusively by one’s own strength.

The Gospel announces the coming of the “righteousness of God” (1:16), which is no longer

The work of our diligence in the works of the law is a work of God’s mercy and goodness

With our participation in the feat of the cross of Jesus Christ. It has already been sent by God and

Given freely as the justifying grace of God, but only to the faithful and through faith

2. Dogmatic part of the message (1.18-11.36)

2.1. The sinfulness of all mankind (1.18-3.20)

Expanding the idea briefly expressed in verses 16-17 about justification by faith in Christ,

This justifying grace is from faith. This reason was universal sinfulness

Pre-Christian world. First, the apostle points out the sinfulness of the pagan world

(1:18-32), and then on the sinfulness of the people of Israel (chapter 2), so that

The most obvious way to show the insufficiency in the matter of saving man is how

Natural revelation and natural morality, as well as ritual

Mosaic Law.

A) The sinfulness of the pagans (1.18,-32)

Before speaking about the guilt of the pagans before God, the Apostle Paul

Proves that they could and did have a certain concept of Him based on

A natural revelation given to the entire human race. It lies in

The fact that each person can, based on his own cognitive

Abilities through observation and rationalistic study of causality,

The expediency of the world, its rationality and beauty to conclude about the existence

Supreme Cause, supreme Reason, personal and good in relation to

To a person, i.e. God. From this natural revelation the pagans had to

To know about God as Wisdom, Almighty Power and the supreme good. Therefore they don't

They must have fallen to such foolishness as to begin to regard animals as God.

(birds, quadrupeds, reptiles). Why did such a fall occur?

Pagans? The apostle answers: “...they, having known God, did not glorify Him as God, and

They did not give thanks, but became fussy in their speculations, and the senseless things were darkened

Their heart; calling themselves wise, they became fools" (1:21-23). ​​The pagans did not

No moral conclusions from natural knowledge of God, but they were busy with empty things

By speculating about the nature of the gods, many absurd myths and cults were created. They

They had to pay tribute to God to the extent that they knew Him, and it was given to them

There would be more revelation. But since in their hearts they put

An idol out of their lusts and passions, then God “gave them over” to walk “in their own ways.”

God “gave them over,” that is, he allowed them to explore all their borders

Own freedom, without which it is impossible to reveal all human capabilities

As the image of God. Having chosen an unnatural way of life outside of God's law,

The pagans completely perverted the norms of human morality and God's law. But in this

For their iniquity they received due retribution: the pagan society before

It became corrupted and soon became unviable.

B) Sinfulness of the Jews (2.1-29)

If the pagans, who had only

natural revelation, then the Jews who had

The entirety of the Old Testament revelation about God. The Apostle Paul shows that although

The Jews boast of the law and the Scriptures, and they exalt themselves over the pagans,

They condemn everyone, but they themselves are also subject to death condemnation from God, because

They themselves do the same, although they do not realize their sinfulness and guilt before Him. AND

If they are still not punished, then on the day of judgment they will be subject to even greater punishment.

Condemned than the pagans. The Jews arrogated to themselves the right that belonged to God alone

To judge other nations, and this is their great sin.

The Apostle Paul therefore speaks of the universality of judgment and punishment: “Those who do not

Having the law, they have sinned, without the law they will perish; and those who are under the law

They have sinned and will be condemned by the law, because those who do not hear the law are righteous before

God, but those who do the law will be justified" (12:12-13). The pagans will be condemned according to

The law given from birth: the ability to know good and evil, i.e. according to the law

conscience, and the Jews will be condemned, as it were, according to a double law: the internal law, from

Nature, and according to the written law given from God through Moses.

Natural moral law, or the law of conscience, with which a person is born

Into the world, the universal judge of the human race (2:14-15). Beyond this law the Jews

They had the law of Moses - this is their advantage (2:10,17-20), for it guided

Truth, but only when it is fulfilled. And without the implementation of the law, it only gets bigger

He will condemn the Jews (2:9). A true Jew is one who fulfills the law, and also fulfills

Not in letter, but in spirit, that is, he makes law out of his inner duty

Need (2.23-29).

C) Comparison of Jews with Gentiles (3:1-20)

Having denounced the pride and exaltation of the Jews before the pagans, the Apostle Paul did not

Hides the real advantage of the Jews: they were entrusted with the word of God, and they

They received the gospel before others: (Romans 3:1-2). And the infidelity of the Jews

Does not abolish the faithfulness of God’s promises - the Jewish people remain a people

Great and chosen by God, for they have “adoption, and covenants, and

Law, and ministry, and promises" (Romans 9:4). This people was to

To be a leader in religious life for all humanity. From this point

Sight and circumcision, as a condition for entry into Judaism, also mattered and

It gave an advantage. And the fact that they, the Jews, are now rejected does not mean that

God is not faithful in His promises - this happened due to the unfaithfulness of the

Jews - through non-recognition of the appeared Messiah. The advantages of the Jews exalt

Only the glory of God, but do not express their moral dignity.

In verses 3.5-8, the apostle refutes such sophistry attributed to him: if

The untruth of people revealed the great truth of God, then why does God punish for

Not true? If the unfaithfulness of the Jews brought about the coming of the Messiah into the world and the abundance of grace,

So why condemn them? The Apostle, without proof, directly determines that on such

The righteous judgment of God is already ready for the cunning sophists. Only a crafty mind could do this

To distort the words of the apostle, it turns out that God is either unjust or

Cruel. But a person’s moral sense rebels against such syllogisms and

twists of the mind, which shows their falsity, although formally and logically they can

Be and be faithful.

In verses 9-19 of the third chapter the apostle returns again to the question of the benefits

Jews and says that morally they have no

Advantages over the pagans, therefore they have no right to be proud of them.

The Jews did not fulfill the law, therefore they have no right to justification before

By God. Thus, “the whole world becomes guilty before God” (3:19), “as

Both Jews and Greeks are all under sin" (3:9).

2.2. The Doctrine of Justification by Faith (3:21-3:31)

In the previous section (1.18-3.20) the dogmatic position about

The universal sinfulness of the human race and the insufficiency of what it had

Means of justification (for the Jews - the law of Moses, for the pagans - the law

Natural, the law of conscience). This leads to the recognition of the need for new

The means of justification, namely, the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

“But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has appeared, which is testified

Law and Prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ in everyone and on everyone

Believers, for there is no difference; because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (3:21

These verses express the essence of the entire gospel of the Holy Apostle Paul about

Justification; it is also the main theme of the Epistle to the Romans.

Thus, every sinner is justified by the “righteousness of God,” which has appeared

Apart from the law and its works, although "the law and the prophets" testified to it,

That is, the Old Testament. What does this “truth of God” consist of? The fact is that everyone

The sinner is justified by God that our sins are atoned for in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and

We are forgiven. This is the objective condition of our justification. From our side,

Those. the subjective condition of justification is faith in Christ: “the righteousness of God

Through faith in Jesus Christ" (3:22). Thus justified becomes

A new attitude of reconciliation towards God returns to the state that he

Lost in the Fall.

Just as dirt is cleansed with water from an object immersed in it, so sin is cleansed in

The sacrament of baptism by faith in the washing bath of the Blood of Christ. Believer by faith

Unites with Christ, accepts the cleansing power of Christ’s Sacrifice and thus

He himself becomes justified, sanctified and holy. By faith we accept the truth

God”, i.e. His righteousness, holiness, we receive “freely”, by grace,

Redemption in Jesus Christ" (3:24). Therefore, the grace of God is

The first and main reason for our salvation. Verse 3:26: "...that He may appear righteous and

To those who justify..." shows that through the granting of justification in the sacrifice of the Son of God,

God turned out to be “righteous” at the same time, i.e. just (sin offering)

Brought) and “justifying”, i.e. loving (we were justified by His sacrifice, His

"truth").

But the question arises: if faith alone justifies, then is it not abolished at all?

A law that was also given by God? The Apostle Paul himself poses this question (3:31)

And he answers: “No way; but we establish the law” by faith. How do we confirm? So that faith

Cancels only the outer appearance of the law, its dead letter, and its inner, spiritual

The side, that is, what he was called to do - to correct the sinner, he claims.

Thus, the germinating grain, on the one hand, abolishes its body, but on the other hand

It affirms it, because it releases the power hidden in it, capable of bearing fruit. Law

He tried to make a person righteous, but could not. Faith did this and thus

Fulfilled the wish of the law. Faith attracts grace to fulfill the law, and

By grace from faith, through works of faith, a person is saved.

The words of the Apostle Paul, in which he emphasizes the priority of faith over the law in

The matter of justifying a sinner has sometimes given rise to various misinterpretations

(2 Peter 3:16). "For we acknowledge that a man is justified by faith, regardless of

Works of the law" (3:28). Sometimes this passage is considered to contradict the teachings of the apostle

James on faith: “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says that he has faith, but

Has nothing to do? Can this faith save him? (James 2:14), and further: “faith if

Has no affairs, is dead in itself" (2.18).

There is no contradiction here. The Apostle Paul speaks of "works of the law" which

Indeed, without faith they do not give salvation, they do not assimilate grace - all this gives

Faith in Christ. According to the Apostle Paul, a person of faith is a person who is in

A completely new state, for he was baptized into Christ and put on Christ, he

"new creature" The life of a believer is life animated by the Spirit of God, life already

Not by our own, but by God’s will. For such a believer, works flow from his faith.

Therefore justification is given not by works which follow faith, but by

The cause of faith, which precedes works. Faith is imputed to a person as great

A moral and practical feat that can justify it before God.

The faith that the Apostle James speaks of, “faith without works,” should be understood as

Conviction is a judgment of the mind. Such a religious, but speculative faith itself

Himself cannot save a person. Faith saves when it leads a person to

Renunciation of sin, that is, to repentance and union with Christ, is not moral

Only, but ontologically! The kind of faith that “works through love” (Galatians 5:

6), is the justifyer, and faith without works of love is dead. Thus, there is no need

Contrast the sayings about faith of the Apostle Paul and the Apostle James, and understand them

In unity, as different states, levels or qualities of faith.

Abraham's Example of Faith (Chapter 4)

Chapter 4 gives an illustration of righteousness in the example of Abraham, to whom the Jews

They were especially proud, considering themselves his descendants. Abraham did more than others

Law, but he was not justified by them (not by circumcision), but by faith in the promise of God,

Which he received before circumcision (4, 3). He lived by faith and his works flowed from his

Faith, which is why they were pleasing to God.

Verses 4-8 speak of the justification of “the one who believes” by faith and the “one who does” by works.

“The one who does” is the one who, although he believes, does not place the support of salvation in

Pardon from God, but in your righteousness, in your deeds. This is an excuse

Duty," that is, to the extent that he fulfilled the works of the law, he was justified. And since

It is impossible to fulfill the whole law, then the hope of salvation cannot be associated with

By works, but only with faith. A “believer” is one who, although he does everything that should be done,

But he considers himself an “unbreakable slave.” He does not base his justification on these

works, but on faith in God, believing that God will not allow him to perish, but will save him

His. The apostle calls such a justified believer "ungodly" because,

Although he does everything in his power, he still remains a sinner. But for the sake of

Of his faith, God accepts him as a prodigal son and forgives him for his wickedness. Faith

There is the highest and most precious thing that a person can reveal - a sinner in his

Justification. When repenting, striving for righteousness, his shortcomings and sins

They are covered with the righteousness of God, assimilated by faith. And God no longer gives by the measure of deeds

Justification, but it is immeasurable how much a person can accommodate. And as a believer, he did not trust

For deeds, although he is rich in them, but for the mercy of God, that is what God gives him by faith, and not

On business. True faith is unthinkable without works, for it, as an act of the spirit, determines

Work, and works without faith can be mechanical, vain, self-interested.

That is why the Apostle Paul says that faith does not destroy or devalue works.

Law, but approves them (3.31).

Since justification was imputed to Abraham before circumcision, by faith, it means that it was not

Depends on circumcision and extends not only to the carnal descendants of Abraham,

But against all those who believe and are uncircumcised, that is, against the pagans who have accepted the faith. That's why

Abraham is the father of all believers, regardless of nationality (4:12-18).

"The law produces wrath" (4:15) in the sense that the sin of ignorance makes the law

An obvious and arbitrary sin. The law only exposes sin, but cannot help

For a carnal man to overcome it, which further brings upon him the wrath of God.

The example of Abraham shows the power of faith in general (4:18-21): a believer who does not trust in

His own strength, but the power of God, overcomes formal logic and evidence

of his mind and in spite of everything he trusts God - God imputes to him

Righteousness is courage and keeps His promises.

2.3. Actions, or fruits of justification (chapters 5-8)

Above, the Apostle Paul showed that a person’s justification before God is accomplished

Only by faith in Jesus Christ. The apostle now sets forth the fruits of justification, viz.

What treasures does justification bring?

A) Reconciliation of man with God (5, 1-11)

The first fruit of justification is the reconciliation of man with God,

Destroying the former enmity between them. Justification, which destroyed sin, destroyed

The barrier that separated man from God, and thereby opened for man again

Access to the source of grace. "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we gained access to that

The grace in which we stand (5:1-2). To have "peace with God" does not mean

To return more to sin, because it would mean to be at enmity with

The justified have access to the grace “in which they stand” (5:2), i.e. grace

knowledge of God, the grace of the sacraments.1 But a special subject of hope and praise

Those who are justified are the blessings of the age to come: “We boast in the hope of the glory of God, and not in this

Only, but we glory in our sorrows" (5:2-3), which also lead to the glory of God in

Future life. The apostle emphasizes that tribulations even now are commendable,

For from them comes patience and experience, which in turn lead to

Hope for future benefits (5.3-4). Our hope is based on the sacrificial love of God

To us: “God demonstrates His love in that Christ died for us while we were

Still sinners" (5.8); died "at a certain time" (historically known), died

“for the wicked” (i.e. for all of us, see 5:6). So now there is no

Apologies to those who do not care about their salvation, for through faith we are reconciled to

Christ was raised by God for our justification.

B) Rebirth of humanity in Christ (5:12-21)

The Apostle Paul views all humanity before Christ as a single whole, in

Which reflected the properties of its ancestor Adam. The first man sinned

This long series of descendants, therefore the descendants bear both

The ancestral sin and the punishment for it is death (5.12). "As one

Through man sin entered the world and through sin death, and so death passed into all

Man, because all sinned in him" (5:12). All shared in sin

Adam, as a species participates in the genus.

“Sin is not imputed when there is no law” (5:13), - here we are talking about such a sin,

Which, by God's definition, was followed by death. Such a sin before the gift

There was no law, but "death reigned from Adam to Moses and over

Without sin like the crime of Adam" (5:14). "Death reigned" -

Because Adam brought into being the law of death. Adam's descendants were born under

Death condemnation because his sin was the sin of all human nature.

But with Christ, the New Adam, a new race of humanity begins. Combination with Him

occurs in the acceptance of His grace in the sacrament of baptism and especially in the acceptance

His deified humanity in the sacrament of communion. Believers accept in Christ

the source of life and immortality, i.e. divine grace, which

the opposite of sin, “will abound for many” (5:15). If sin has

caused by Adam was evil enough to bring death upon all

his descendants, then the grace of Christ must all the more have the power to justify

Christians, for it was brought down by God Himself. In Christ there is an "abundance" or

"abundance of grace" (5:17), sufficient not only to destroy sin,

to heal the disease, but much more - to restore the fallen, to sanctify,

to adopt God as sons, to restore the former beauty, honor and glory of the image of God. "For how

Through one man's disobedience many sinners were made, and so through obedience

One will make many righteous" (5:19).

When the law of Moses came, “then the transgressions increased” (5:20), however,

not because of the law, but because of our flesh prone to sin. Evil wishes

came to life, having been convicted by the law. The law, like medicine, drove out the hidden

disease in order to destroy it later. The increase of sin hastened the phenomenon

abundance of God's grace, which turned out to be capable of leading humanity to

eternal life (5:20-21).

c) Freedom from slavery to sin (chapter 6)

The greatest fruit of justification by faith in Christ is the Christian's deadness to sin.

Our death to sin is accomplished in baptism, when, immersed in the water of baptism,

we are immersed in the death of Christ, in the cleansing power of His Blood, and rising from

water, we will be resurrected with Him. How, by immersing dirty fabric in chlorine water, we

we take it out clean, so, plunging into the death of Christ in baptism, we rise,

cleansed from sin by the action of the grace of the Holy Spirit. "Don't you really know -

asks the Apostle, “that all of us who were baptized into Jesus Christ into his death

baptized? We died to sin: how can we live in it?" (6:2-3). Believer

a Christian lives in renewed flesh, and therefore is obliged to live a new life in

Christ. Having been baptized into the “death of Christ,” he buried his sinful body and

co-resurrected with Christ in a spiritual body. But the realization of this co-resurrection

occurs throughout the life of a Christian, in the process of spiritual warfare with sin.

Baptism into the death of Christ (6:3) is co-crucifixion and co-dying with Christ, that is, not

only moral, legal-formal acceptance of His redemptive feat,

but real co-suffering with Christ on the Cross. Our "co-crucifixion" with Christ

is accomplished on our life cross, which we bear while following Christ.2 B

At baptism, “our old man” is crucified, i.e. our tendency to sin,

sly disposition of spirit; the “body of sin” is abolished (6.6), comes

“death to sin” and “liberation from sin” (6:7). And to assure us of

the possibility of such freedom from sin, the apostle points to Christ, Who

“having been raised from the dead, he dies no more” (6:9). In baptism we also received this

the power of the life of Christ - the power of resurrection grace, with which we must overcome

sin.

To be freed from sin, the apostle gives the following advice to Christians: they must read

ourselves “dead to sin, but alive to God” (6:11); not to be allowed to reign

sin and sinful thoughts in us, as they once reigned (6:12); Not

hand over your members as instruments of sin (6, 13); on the contrary, a Christian should

to submit all of oneself to God, to present all members as “instruments of righteousness” (6,

13), i.e. to do good deeds.

A Christian, having freed himself from slavery to sin and become under grace, voluntarily

offers himself in “obedience to righteousness” (6:16), becomes “a slave

righteousness" (6:18). But slavery to righteousness is true freedom, because

accepted by love; Moreover, this “slavery” no longer brings shame and death, but

"holiness and eternal life" (6:22).

d) Freedom from the Old Testament law (chapter 7)

In Christ man is freed from both the power of sin and the power of the law.

The Apostle illustrates the idea of ​​freedom from the power of the Law of Moses by comparing

a married woman who is bound by the law of duty to her husband while he lives. If

her husband died, she is released from her duties towards him and accepts

responsibilities to your new husband. So the Christian, having been justified by faith in

Christ, becomes free both from sin and from the law by which sin

convicted and led by the command of grace. All this is achieved provided

repentance: death to the first husband - the law and betrothal to the new husband - Christ in

baptism (7:2-4).

But lest anyone think that the Apostle Paul, proclaiming freedom from the law,

destroys God's institution, the economy of salvation, the apostle specifically

dwells on the role of the Old Testament law. He talks about the positive

the role of the law that he had, namely: by law the knowledge of sin, the degree

guilt before God. “I knew sin no other way than through the law” (7:7).

The law, like a mirror, reflects our sins, reveals God's requirement and is given for

for our benefit. But the law, revealing the sin living in our flesh, does not give its power

win. Evil comes from sin, which makes the law its soil. Sin takes

the reason is from the law (7.8), since the law reveals sinful desires. On the law

our freedom is tested, which, being imperfect through the fight against sin,

tries to deviate from the requirements of the law.

The law was given “for life” (7:10), “the law is holy and the commandment is holy” (7:12), “the law

spiritual" (7.14). But since man is "carnal", he is not only prone to sin, but

“sold to sin” (7.14), then, in the presence of the law, sin intensified even more, “came to life”

(7.9). The law, while essentially a benefit, actually served to achieve greater

condemnation. But the fault for this is not the law, but man, or rather, the sin living in him,

making a person “carnal.” Carnality is not only obvious sinfulness or

sinful sensuality, but in a broader sense this includes all

graceless desires of the soul. Man is "sold to sin" (7:14) in the sense that

he, being free, so obediently fulfills the sinful wishes of the soul and

body, as if he were sold into slavery to these wishes. Even hating these wishes and

abhorring them, man, due to his weakness, cannot resist them, submitting to them

attraction, as if clouded by them and fulfills them (7.15). However, in any sin

the person remains responsible, because he realizes that sin is evil, undue and

prohibited.

Man's responsibility before God, according to the Apostle Paul, is explained by the fact that

his spirit always hears the voice of God (2:15). This is the law of his heart, the law of conscience,

through which God speaks to us. The law of conscience is the seed of divine life in

us, which the apostle calls “internal law,” “law of the mind” (7:23); he's the one

and “takes delight in the law of God” (7:22). But in the flesh,1 i.e. V

mental-physical organism, there lives the desire for sin, which inclines the unstable

to good will and captivates it. And although in the very action of sin its sweetness disappears and

charm, but every time he approaches a person, he seduces and

enslaves our mind or spirit. Seeing such a pitiful situation of fallen man, the Apostle

exclaims: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (7.24).

This is the cry not only of the apostle of tongues, but also of all humanity, which in the person of

recognized its best representatives, great saints and ascetics of the spirit

their plight, placing their hope of deliverance only in Jesus Christ

(7,25).

e) Freedom in Christ and new life in the Holy Spirit (chapter 8)

This chapter summarizes the previous discussions on the fruits of justification.

Having been justified by faith, the Christian was reconciled with God, and in baptism received access to

grace of God, died to sin and the Old Testament law and now must live

“not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (8:1-2). The apostle calls the law of life “according to the flesh”

life according to the “law of sin and death” (8:2), because the works of the flesh were only sin,

and sin led to death.

Since in the Old Testament the law was “weakened by the flesh and was powerless” to justify, then

the goodness of God chose a new path of justification - through the coming of the Son of God "in

in the likeness of sinful flesh."2 In Himself, Christ exalted this universal, but

His sinless flesh “as a sacrifice for sin and condemned sin in the flesh” (8:3). "And what

“The most amazing thing,” says St. John Chrysostom, “is not the affected flesh, but

the sin that afflicts her is subject to condemnation and destruction." Justification, to which

called the law, was thus fulfilled in Christ Jesus, but by grace

is acquired by all believers in Christ, “who do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (8:4).

The Apostle Paul draws two kinds of life: according to the flesh and according to the spirit (8:5-17). Flesh,

as a result of original sin, is subject to the law of sin and death, and the spirit,

because of justification in Christ, has in itself a supernatural life by grace

and thereby the germ of eternal life (8.11). Those who live "according to the flesh" are those who

submit to lower, mental and physical attractions that contradict higher commands

spirit and law of God. Therefore, such a life is “enmity against God” (8:7),

disobedience to His demands. Those who live “according to the Spirit” have the Spirit of God in them,

Whom we received in the grace of baptism. From this the whole nature is imbued with the Spirit

God, is reborn, and man begins to live “according to the Spirit.”

“If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (8:9), he is not Christ’s, not

Christian. The Holy Spirit marks a Christian as the seal of Christ. In the sacrament

Confirmation and the Christian is sealed with the grace of the Spirit, making him a child

Christ and a member of the Church. How can we know whether we have the Spirit of God?

The apostle answers: “If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because

righteousness" (8.10). If sin loses its power over us and we live "for righteousness"

(8:10), if by the Spirit we “put to death the deeds of the flesh” (8:13), then we are Christ’s and the Spirit

God lives in us (8,9). This spirit will also give life to our mortal bodies (8:11), just as

how He raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

Having received the pledge of the Spirit of God in baptism, the Christian must be guided

be led by this Spirit in order to receive sonship with God: “For as many as are led by the Spirit

God, they are the sons of God" (8:14). So in natural life the son is established in

rights of paternal inheritance only upon reaching adulthood and

provided that with an impeccable life and fulfillment of the will of his father he turns out to be worthy of these

right 2

The reality of such adoption is evidenced by one’s own consciousness

a believer who cannot relate to God otherwise than to the Father, which is why we

We cry to God: “Abba, Father!” (8.15), i.e. "Our Father". Only in the New Testament

The grace of God gives boldness to turn and approach God as the Father.

Further, the apostle points to the objective evidence of our adoption to God,

- this is the testimony of the Spirit Himself, which we hear in our hearts: “This very

The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (8:16). In Slavic

In the text the more precise expression “will obey” is used, i.e.

the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit. So, if our spirit testifies,

that God is our Father, then the Spirit of God testifies that “we are the children of God.”

The consequence of our sonship to God is our inheritance to Him: “And if

children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ" (8:17).

the prodigal son, who repented and returned to his father, was again accepted as a son and

receives the right to inheritance, so do we. Moreover, the apostle clarifies that we are not

incomplete heirs, which may even include illegitimate children or slaves, but

"joint heirs with Christ", i.e. we receive the fullness of glory that the Son of God Himself has.

This is possible, for we are grafted into Christ in baptism, like a branch into a vine,

and if we remain with Him in life, then we will be with Him in death.

But believers, seeing themselves in suffering and humiliation, could doubt that they

heirs of God. The Apostle consoled them and said that we not only suffer, but

let us have compassion with Christ and for Christ, and this is the path to co-glorification with Him: “if

We suffer only with Him, so that we may be glorified with Him" ​​(8:17). Inspiring Christians,

The apostle certifies that all suffering, whatever it may be, is nothing in

compared to the glory that will be revealed in us in the future when we become famous

with Christ (8.18). The present world cannot contain the glory of God, and so that it

opened in full, the world itself must be renewed, cleansed and transformed.

Suffering is the path to purification for future glorification.

The glory of the adoption of the children of God is so great that everyone expects it with hope.

nature: “For the creation waits with hope for the revelation of the sons of God” (8:19). Deprived

rational consciousness, in deep melancholy and wordless languor she awaits the removal

from her the curse brought on by the Fall of man, and return to

the immortal glory of the God-created world. When will humanity be restored?

nature through the resurrection, then what was created for him will receive glory and

immortality; The apostle notes that man himself tragically experiences perversion

image of God in ourselves: “having the firstfruits of the Spirit, we groan within ourselves, waiting

adoption, the redemption of our body. For we are saved in hope" (8:23-24). And we

we yearn for future salvation, because now we do not yet own everything, that

belongs to the saved. If we live in God and die in God, we will receive

perfect salvation with Him.

The firstfruits of the Spirit, which is in us, “strengthens us in our weaknesses... intercedes for

us with unspeakable groanings" (8:26). When we pray to God, we must completely

rely only on God; then the Holy Spirit Himself, Who is in us, intercedes for

us before God (8:26). We are aware of this prayer within ourselves, but it is not from us, but from

Spirit. Our prayers contained in the Prayer Book are valuable because they are precisely

There are prayers of the Spirit, spirit-bearing and spirit-moving. The Spirit's prayers are named

"ineffable" in the sense that the heart feels the Spirit deeper and more fully than

Our poor language can express that. However, you should not be embarrassed by this -

“He who searches the hearts knows what is the thought of the Spirit” (8:27), - God present in

the heart and the one who hears the prayer of the Spirit does not need clarity of words.

The apostle goes on to set forth another ground for our hope of future glory, and that is

the eternal definition of salvation and the sacrificial love of God for man (8:28-39).

The eternal council, or God's plan for the world, foreknowledge of the ways of everything

humanity, and every person, predestined the work of salvation. "For whom

He foreknew and predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son...And whom He

He predestined, and called them; and those whom he called, he also justified; and whom he justified,

them he also glorified" (8:29-30).1 The salvation or destruction of the soul was foreknown by God and in

agreement with this foreknowledge has been determined from time immemorial, but is carried out with the participation

our freedom. The essence of predestination is well conveyed by the Savior’s parable about

called to the feast (Matthew 22:2-14), as well as God’s election of Isaac as His inheritance

(Gen. 23-34).

No believer should doubt that he is called to salvation,

because God Himself proved this by the fact that “He did not spare His Son, but betrayed Him

for all of us, how can He not give us all things?" (8:32). Who will realize and feel

the greatness of God’s love for man, it cannot but be kindled with reciprocal love for

God, whom no forces of earth or heaven can shake: “neither sorrow, nor

oppression, or persecution, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword... cannot separate us

from the love of God (8:35-39).

2.4. Unbelief of the Jews. The reasons and meaning of this unbelief (chapters 9-11)

In previous chapters, the Apostle Paul showed that justification is possible only through

faith in Christ (1:17-3, 31), showed the beneficial fruits of justification from faith

(Chapters 5-8). However, the disbelieving Jews remained in the face of the apostle,

boasting in the promises of God concerning their election. Questions to answer: 2

Isn’t God’s promise broken because there are also unbelieving Jews (9

chapter);

What is the reason for the unbelief and rejection of some Jews (chapter 10);

To give evidence of God’s goodness to His faithful (chapter 11).

These questions force the apostle to take another deep look at addiction

justification from the predestination of God and from the faith of man; for a perfect change

properties of the chosen people, which served as the reason for their rejection; to the world

the meaning of this rejection; and finally, prophetically depict future fate

Israel.

a) God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises (chapter 9)

Before convicting the Jews of their unbelief, the Apostle Paul testifies to his

sincere love for them, their brothers in the flesh, - love reaching the point that

he is ready to sacrifice his own salvation for the sake of the salvation of Israel: "I would like

to be excommunicated from Christ for my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (9:3).

Saint John Chrysostom says that these words are like a riddle.

Indeed, could the Apostle Paul say that his brothers are dearer to him than

Christ? Above, in chapter 8:35-39, the apostle swore that no power in the world

created things cannot separate him from Christ, but what happens here? But according to greatness

the desires are great and the sacrifice. The prophet Moses was ready to make a similar sacrifice when

begged God to blot him out of the book of life if He did not have mercy on the Jews for their

sins (Ex. 32:31-32). Great promises were given to Israel, and from them Christ

flesh" (9:4-5), therefore the glory of Israel is at the same time the glorification of God; o

This is why the apostle is jealous of her, imitating Moses, the seer of God.

But a significant part of the Jews did not accept Christ, and the promises given to them were not

served them well. Did this violate the very promise of Israel's election?

No, it didn't break. The promises of God came true to those who accepted by faith

Christ; They are the true Israel, the true seed of Abraham, and to them it was given

promise. "For not all are Israelites that are of Israel; neither are all the children of Abraham

who are from his seed... that is, not the children of the flesh, they are the children of God; but children

the promises are recognized as the seed" (9:6-8).

Before Christ came into the world, it was not clear who, in fact, belonged to the seed

Abraham. But with the coming of Christ this affiliation was clearly revealed: those who believed

they entered into the inheritance of the promise, and those who did not believe were cast out of him.

Therefore, the children of the promise are those who are born by the action of God,

by the Spirit of God, and not those whose sonship is a consequence of any rights, merits or

advantages of Israel. The birth of Isaac, the son of promise, was not produced by the womb

Sarah, but “the word of promise” (9:9). So Christians are born in the font

baptism with the Spirit of God, that is, according to promise. Example of Jacob's election and rejection

Esau from the heirs of the promise shows independence even more strikingly

promises from carnal birth - it is fulfilled by God, and even before

birth (9.10-13).

However, one cannot see in the Apostle Paul the doctrine of unconditional predestination,

as Calvinists do. Determination of election to justification, pardon

an individual or an entire nation is accomplished in accordance with the truth of God and

It is by His goodness that it is accomplished according to the foreknowledge of God. "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; on whom

I will have pity, I will have pity" (9:15), i.e., whoever is worthy of mercy, he will have mercy; whoever

worthy of generosity, he will reward him. But since God knows in advance the path of a person’s life

or the people, then He makes decisions about them in advance, before the affairs themselves, although in

agreement with them. The pardon itself does not depend on a person’s merits, but

only from the merciful God:

“So, pardon depends not on the one who wishes, not on the one who strives, but on God

the one who has mercy... He has mercy on whomever he wants; but he hardens whomever he wants" (9:16-18).

The apostle illustrates this idea with a number of examples.

Isaac intended to bless Esau, but God determined to choose (by foreknowledge)

Jacob. Of course, God’s decree came true, not man’s. God foresaw

the action of Rebekah, who by cunning surpasses the blessing of Isaac. Jacob was

more worthy than Esau, and God awarded the blessing justly to him, and not to Esau.

Likewise, the election of Israel, although in accordance with its dignity, does not depend on

him, but it is a matter of God’s mercy. Everyone is guilty before God and deserves death,

however, God has mercy on some and not on others. God had mercy on Jews, not pagans,

having chosen them as His people, although they were unworthy of this election.1 It was impudent

would demand from God an account of His actions, why He shows

Your own anger and justice, and on others - mercy. God's providence exceeds

our understanding, and the Apostle Paul hastens to stop unreasonable curiosity: “And you

Who, man, argue with God?" (9:20). Man in relation to God

the apostle likens clay from which the potter makes various vessels

(9.21). No matter how unrequited the clay is in the hands of the potter, there is no absolute

predestination, for it does not depend on the arbitrariness of the potter, but on the quality of the vessel

the fact that one vessel is in honor, and the other in low use. This

by example the apostle teaches prudent submission to the will of God and His

orders. The orders themselves agree with God’s truth and

wisdom, and with the dignity of people.2 God with “great longsuffering spared

vessels of wrath" - the disobedient Jews and, conversely, "revealed the riches of His glory over

vessels of mercy" (9:23), that is, over the Jews who turned to Christ and

pagans. All these expressions about predestination can be expressed like this: God has mercy,

whom one should have mercy on, and hardens the one who hardens himself.

In the same sense, the apostle cites the prophecies of Hosea about the call to salvation

Gentiles (9:25-26): the Gentiles, not being the people of God, are not beloved according to

promise, became God's people, beloved after freely

willingly accepted the gospel of Christ, and the Jews, rejecting Him, “became pagans,”

lost their election.

Of the multitude of Israel, only a “remnant” will be saved, only those who believe in

Christ: "Though the children of Israel were as number as the sand of the sea, only a remnant

will be saved" (9:21 according to Isa. 10:22)

Thus, Israel, who sought salvation from the “law of righteousness”, i.e. on the tracks

external fulfillment of the law, did not find salvation; but the pagans, who did not seek, found

him by believing in Christ. Christ became a stumbling block for some (Jews) and

salvation for others (pagans). It was necessary to accept him by faith, about which

Isaiah prophesied: “I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a stone of offense, but

“Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame” (9:33, according to Isa. 8:14; 28:16).

b) The wines of Israel (chapter 10)

In chapter 10, the apostle examines in detail what was the fault of Israel that brought him

to falling away from the promise of salvation. He admits that the Jews had jealousy, but not

according to reason (10, 2), that is, they had enough religious zeal, but did not understand

that one must seek justification from God, and not rely on one’s own righteousness.

They did not understand that the Messiah predicted by the prophets would appear in the only way

salvation - through His death on the cross, where righteousness will be satisfied and fulfilled

law.

"For not understanding the righteousness of God, and striving to set up our own

righteousness, they did not submit to the righteousness of God. Because the end of the law is

Christ" (10:3-4).

“The end of the law is Christ,” because the law led to the necessity of recognizing Christ.

Whoever sought righteousness from the law could obtain it if he fulfilled all

law. But no one could do this, because the power to fulfill the law gives

Christ in His grace to those who believe in Him. Having accepted Christ by faith, a person becomes

justified to the fullest extent and depth of the law. Saint John Chrysostom on this

says: “So, do not be afraid that, having come to faith, you left the law.

then you transgress the law when, for the sake of the law, you do not believe in Christ. When do you believe?

in Him, then you will also fulfill the law.”1

The apostle paraphrases Deut. 30.12, speaks of the inexcusability of non-acceptance from

faith: there is no need to ascend to heaven for the commandment - it has already been brought from there

Christ; there is no need to bring Christ down - He has already come (10:6-8). There is no need for

descend the abyss in order to raise Christ from the dead - He is already, like Jonah, in

the third day he rose from there. Having these certificates, one must accept Christ, and with Him

and the entire New Testament. However, consciousness alone is not enough for salvation.

justification by faith in Christ. Salvation is the assimilation of the redemptive feat

Christ; His sacrificial love. But love can be satisfied with love, so

The Apostle Paul speaks of the need for salvation to have an active, living faith, in

which expresses love for God: “For if you confess with your mouth

Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then

you will be saved, because with your heart you believe towards righteousness, and with your mouth you confess to righteousness.

salvation" (Romans 10:9-10).

Faith and the practice of faith are inseparable and equally necessary for salvation. Faith

heartfelt, inner gives an excuse, but if it's real, it can't help but

to manifest itself in life, not to confess with lips and deeds. Living by faith requires

selflessness, it is associated with deprivation and, if necessary, then with martyrdom, and

salvation in Christ is co-crucifixion with Christ, i.e. always martyrdom.

Confession of faith assimilates the fruits of redemption to the confessor himself and serves the cause

preaching to other people.1

To completely deprive the Jews of the opportunity to justify their unbelief

by not hearing the sermon, the Apostle again proves them by the testimony of Scripture

irresponsibility. There are also preachers of the faith about whom it is said: “how beautiful are the feet

bringing good tidings of peace, bringing good tidings" (Is. 52:7); ​​2 there is also their preaching:

“Their voice went through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world” (Ps. 18:5); And

they understood the essence of this sermon, since the “foolish” could understand it

pagans (Deut. 32:21), since those who “did not seek” and did not “question” found Christ (Is. 65:1).

c) Future conversion of Israel (chapter 11)

From what was said above in chapter 10, the Jews could conclude that the apostle allows

the complete rejection of Israel, or that God had “mistaken” in choosing them as His people.

Wanting to console the brothers related to him in the flesh, the Apostle Paul offers a number of

comforting thoughts about the goodness of God’s economy. He says that if

not everyone accepted the promise of faith, then not everyone was rejected and God was not mistaken in

choosing Israel as “His people.” "He did not reject His people, who He first

knew" (11:2). God foreknew that they would be faithful to His word, He gave them a promise and

chose them to be “the people of God.”

For a clear example, the apostle pointed to himself: if he, Paul,

an Israeli, from the tribe of Benjamin, previously known to everyone as a persecutor of the Church,

God did not reject, but called to faith, then God will save from the other descendants of Abraham

worthy of it. Despite the apparent rejection of the majority, God will save the remnant

faithful. As in the time of the prophet Elijah, not everyone “bowed the knee to Baal”

(11:4), “even so at this time, according to the election of grace, there is a remnant”

(11.5). "Election by grace" is accomplished through the gospel and the gift of grace,

those. taking into account human free will and with the assistance of grace. Grace

chooses those who are able to accept it, they are the chosen ones, the “remnant”

those being saved.

Israel as a whole, as a people, "received not what they sought; but the elect received, but

others became hardened" (11:7). To these latter, God, according to the prophet Isaiah, "gave

the spirit of sleep" (11:8), that is, he allowed them to be put to sleep. Their fate awaits

the enemies who pursued David (11:9); more precisely, this is the fate of the Jews who crucified

Christ.

However, the fall of Israel was not accidental, but was part of the Divine plan

providence for the salvation of the whole world: “Have they really stumbled that they may fall?

No way. But from their fall salvation came to the Gentiles, to make them jealous."

(11,11).

Through the fall of Israel, the Gospel became available to the Gentiles. The faith of the pagans must

was to arouse in Israel a desire to accept the treasure of his revelation himself.

The Jews “stumbled not that they might fall, but that by stumbling they might arise and

correct yourself" (Ecumenius).1

Wanting to arouse zeal for the acceptance of faith, the Apostle Paul points to

providential action of God, who even caused the impoverishment and stumbling of the Jews

made "wealth to the world" - all the more good will it be if they convert (11,12).

The apostle seeks the great fruits of faith which he associates with the conversion of Israel:

“For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, then what will there be acceptance if not life from

dead"? (11.15).

If all the Jews want to turn to Christ, then all that remains is to open up

The Kingdom of Christ and the Resurrection of the Dead. The Apostle is so zealous for the conversion of Israel

also because he is the “firstfruits”, “root” from which salvation grows

to the world. This root is holy, even though some branches have broken off.

Israel is depicted as a noble olive tree, to whom God, in return

broken off branches, grafts the shoots of the wild olive tree, that is, the believing pagans

(11.17-24). This gives the apostle the right to lift the veil of the future, the secret of fate

Israel and the providential significance of its falling away: "the bitterness occurred in

Israel in part, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in" (11:25).

“Partly” can be understood in two ways: either “not forever”, or “not all”. Both

the other understanding is true. The Apostle Paul said that “not all” were hardened

above, giving an example of the preservation of the remnant of the faithful under Elijah and himself. And about that

that “not forever,” the apostle clarifies here: “until the time when the full number comes

pagans" (11:25), that is, until all those foreknown by God turn to faith.

Then the great prophet Elijah will come and proclaim to them the doctrine of faith (Matthew 17:11). And then

“all Israel” will be saved, as it is written: “the Deliverer will come from Zion and turn away

wickedness comes from Jacob" (11:26). How to understand the expression "all Israel?" Bishop

Feofan (Govorov) says that here we must understand it in a spiritual sense, i.e.

this is the majority of believers in general, whether they be from Jews or from pagans, so

as soon as believers are in the true sense Israel (see 9:6-9).

The Jews, because they resist the gospel, became “enemies for our sake” (11:28), i.e.

pagans so that they would come to faith and be saved. But God does not reject the Jews either

completely, but waits for their conversion, calls them “beloved of God for the sake of the fathers,”

those. for the sake of their election as the people of God. So, “God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience,

to have mercy on everyone" (11:32). The incomprehensibility of Divine Providence for salvation

the whole world evokes the apostle's delight and praise: "O abyss of riches and

wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His destinies and unsearchable His ways...

For all things are from Him, by Him and to Him. To him be glory forever. Amen" (11,33,36).

3. Moral part

3.1. General Rules of Christian Life (Chapter 12)

The Apostle Paul places love at the basis of Christian life, and at first

love for God, and then - love for man (Deut. 6: 4-5). But love is true

when the lover is ready to sacrifice everything, even life, for the sake of his beloved.

Therefore, in relation to God, the life of a believer must become a sacrifice,

undivided service to Him: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,

present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, for anyone who understands

your ministry, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal

your mind, so that you may know what the will of God is, good and acceptable and

perfect" (12:1-2).

Our life should be a “living sacrifice” to God, just as in the Old Testament

sacrificed an animal. The body itself,1 our entire mental-physical organism

must become both this sacrifice and the altar on which it is offered. For

surrendering oneself to God must begin with the body, since sin rests precisely on the body

(self-indulgence, carnal pleasure, passions), which must be sacrificed, and not

sacrifice everything to the body, as the pagans do: the Christian is obliged to “crucify

his flesh with its passions and lusts" (Galatians 5:12), so that through death to sin

enter into eternal life.

The sacrifice to God must be “holy”, i.e. we should perform our service in

in an appropriate state of mind, cutting off from oneself everything that is unclean and unholy.

The sacrifice must be “pleasing to God,” i.e. be done in the spirit of faith, love for

God and selfless service to God. Such a sacrifice occurs when a Christian

walks the path of Christ, lives a spiritual life.

The apostle calls “not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by renewal.”

mind" (12:2). "This age" is a world outside of Christ, living sin-lovingly and passionately, according to

the lusts of the flesh, and not according to Christ. “To be conformed to this age” means

strive to be “modern”, to live “like everyone else”. But the Christian is already here, on

earth, lives a transtemporal life, not “like everyone else,” but like “holy men of God.”

We must acquire the grace of God for the “renewal of the mind”, so that with a pure mind and pure

to know with the heart “the will of God, which is good, acceptable and perfect” (12:2).

In verses 3-8, the apostle develops the idea of ​​our mutual service in the Church, how

one body in which we are members of each other. You have to think about yourself in no other way than

about the serving members of the single body of the Church, without going beyond and without disparaging

spiritual talent entrusted to us. The basis of such consciousness lies

humility: “Do not think more about yourself than you ought to think: but think modestly, according to

the measure of faith that God has given to everyone" (12:3).

Here, by the measure of faith, the apostle determines the measure of grace-given gifts, because faith

there is not only a reason, but also a measure of talents.

From love for God flows love for others. The Apostle calls to the truth

brotherly love, unfeigned, that is, not ostentatious, not hypocritical, but meek and

humble (12.9-10). In matters of love you cannot be lukewarm, lazy: "in

Do not slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord" (12:11). Christian

one must “be comforted by the hope” of future blessings; inevitable sorrows along this path

meet "patiently"; draw spiritual strength from “constant prayer” (12:12).

The apostle especially commands “brotherly love towards the saints,” i.e., those who wander

Christians - preachers of the Gospel (12,13).

Christian love is selfless and boundless, therefore the Apostle Paul calls

extend it even to your enemies: “Bless those who persecute you;

bless and do not curse... do not repay anyone evil for evil, but

be concerned about what is good in the sight of all men" (12:14,17).

This attitude of a Christian towards those who do evil comes from a deep religious

understanding the nature of evil as a human disease, the source of which is in the tempter

evil, Devil. Retribution of evil for evil would inflict a wound not on the perpetrator of evil -

the evil one, but man. But he is already in trouble, in temptation, in the power of evil. That's why

the true cure for him is kindness on our part: it must cause activity

good in his own soul, which will stop the evil he is doing and thereby cause

blow to the tempter.1

“If it is possible for you, be at peace with all people” (12:18), i.e.

we must do our best to be at peace with everyone. This, of course, does not mean

that you can compromise your principles; we must stand for the truth, defend

the offended, but also in defending, one must be hostile not against the person, but against his evil

actions.

The Apostle does not command believers to go to the courts at all to seek revenge for

offense: “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but give room to the wrath of God” (12:19,

see: 1 Corinthians, chapter 6). God Himself will reward for an unjust insult, but He will reward according to

truth and at the right time. A person, because of anger, judges biasedly, not

will withhold measures of vengeance and for this he himself will be subject to God’s judgment. Instead of revenge it's better

do good to the offender in his need, forgetting his grievances: if he is hungry, feed

his; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink, etc.: “for by doing this you will collect on his head

burning coals" (11, 20). What are these "burning coals?" - Good deeds and

bringing peace to the offender extinguishes and defeats evil and enmity, extinguishes hostility. If

If the offender does not correct himself, then the good done to him will increase his punishment and

will be "hot coals" of God's wrath.

The Apostle Paul calls not to submit to evil, but to defeat it, but not by any means

weapons, but only with goodness and love: “Do not be defeated by evil, but conquer evil

good" (12.21). Evil feeds on evil, and if we leave the sphere of evil and create

good, we thereby defeat him.

3.2. On paying tribute to authorities and loving one's neighbors (Chapter 13)

In his teaching about the authorities, the Apostle Paul proceeds from the recognition of the divine behind them

authority: “There is no authority except from God” (13:1). Under the word "authority" the Apostle Paul

understands the divine institution designed to organize society. Yes, God

made Adam the guardian of paradise, then gave the husband dominion over his wife, then power

parents over children; so among the Jews, Moses is the head of the people; people are led

judges, prophets, kings, etc. It follows from this; that all power is from God and we are not

We have the right not to recognize God’s decree. The Christian is a citizen of heaven and he

seeks the heavenly now, on earth, but this does not free him from

citizenship of the country where he lives. Only when the authorities force

Christian to act against the law of God, a conflict is possible, which must

resolved in favor of God (Acts 5:29).

Bishop Feofan says that bosses are both good and bad according to God

discretion: God appoints the good for good, but allows the bad as punishment for

the sins of men.1 Your duty to the authorities is submission; V

The duties of the government towards its subordinates include, among other things,

protect them from external enemies, from criminals. Gospel principle according to

attitude towards the authorities: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21), in

The apostle expresses it in a similar way: “give to everyone their due: to whom to give, to give;

to whom quitrent, quitrent; to whom fear, fear; to whom is honor, honor" (13.7). Under fear

The apostle means the highest degree of respect, and not fear from a bad conscience. Human

The Holy Apostle Paul in his epistles often touches on Christological issues, in particular the issues of the Divine and human nature of Christ. A passage from the letter of the Holy Apostle Paul to Philippians 2:6–11, the so-called Christological hymn, is devoted to this issue. This article is a continuation of the author’s consideration of Christological themes in the epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul. The exegetical material of a fragment of the letter of the Holy Apostle Paul to Philippians 2:6–11 is systematized with the involvement of patristic interpretations and modern research. The problem of identifying a fragment of the message as an ancient Christian hymn is considered. Based on the original text of the Epistle and patristic exegesis, the author of the article analyzes the peculiarities of the use of Greek Christological terms (σχῆ μα, μορφ ή , ε ἰ κών), and also shows the connection between the use of the name of God (tetragram YНWН) in the Old Testament with the New Testament Lord (К´υριος). The novelty of the work lies in the attempt to systematize the material on this topic.
The New Testament writings, particularly the letters of the Apostle Paul, contain hymns composed in liturgical assemblies. The texts of the hymns had a deep dogmatic content, they reflected the foundations of Christological teaching: faith in the eternal existence of the Lord Jesus Christ and the most important events of His redemptive feat - the incarnation, suffering on the cross, death, resurrection and ascension. These are the hymn about the greatness of Christ (Col. 1:15–20; Heb. 1:1–4), the apostolic confession of faith (1 Tim. 3:16), as well as the Christological hymn given in the Epistle to the Philippians (2:6– eleven). It has all the signs of biblical poetry: poetic rhythm, parallelism, allusions to Old Testament events. There is an opinion that the Old Testament archetype of the hymn Phil. 2:6–11 are the hymns of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1–4; 50:4–11; 52:13–15). It is possible that this hymn was composed by the Apostle himself. There are opinions among researchers of the hymnography of the Holy Scriptures that the hymn was not written by the Apostle Paul, but is a later interpolation. But this theory has not met with serious support from modern researchers. The English scientist Donald Guthrie believes that “the theory of interpolation does not deserve special attention, since it has no handwritten confirmation, and no corresponding situation can be found that could explain the inclusion of such a large section after publication.” The version that these passages may represent early Christian hymns, which St. Paul quoted, weaving them into his theological discussions, is indirectly confirmed by the apostle himself in Ephesians 5:19: “...speaking to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” And also in the First Epistle to the Corinthians 14, 15, 26: “... When you come together, and each of you has a psalm, a teaching, a tongue, a revelation, an interpretation, let all this be for edification.”

This passage has always attracted interpreters of Holy Scripture to resolve the basic Christological question: who was Jesus of Nazareth - God or man, the Son of God or the son of man?

The passage we are examining is Phil. 2:6–11 has always attracted interpreters of Holy Scripture to resolve the basic Christological question: who was Jesus of Nazareth - God or man, Son of God or son of man? Heretics of all stripes “broke their spears” around this issue, ranging from Gnostics, Monophysites, Arians, Nestorians, Monothelites (Eutychians) and others. The holy fathers and teachers of the Church, exposing heretics on the question of the personality and nature of Christ the Savior, certainly referred to the Christological Hymn of Phil. 2:6–11. Despite the many interpretations and commentaries on this text, there is still interest in exegetical analysis for an in-depth study of the Christology of the Apostle Paul. In the major work of Archpriest A. Sorokin “Christ and the Church in the New Testament”, based on the achievements of modern biblical studies, the main hermeneutical ideas of the passage of Phil. 2:6–11, as a liturgical hymn used in early Christian communities. This article provides a more detailed exegetical analysis of this hymn. According to content and meaning, the anthem is divided into two parts:

1. The divine dignity of Christ in eternity and His self-abasement in birth, ministry and obedience even to death (2:6-8).

2. The exaltation of Christ to glory after the resurrection and the worship of all creation (2:9-11).

Wanting to give believers an example of Christ’s greatest humility and incite them to imitate Him, the Apostle Paul contrasts the Divine dignity of Christ in His eternal existence, on the one hand, and His humiliation and humility in the Incarnation and suffering on the cross, on the other: “ He, being the image of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God; but he made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, becoming in the likeness of men, and becoming in appearance like a man; humbled himself, becoming obedient even to the point of death, even death on the cross"(2:6-8).

DIVINE DIGNITY AND KENOSIS OF CHRIST.

In relation to God, as a prototype, absolutely boundless, unrepresentable in any images, μορφή can only mean the essence of the Divine. Also, the μορφή of every person is his human nature, given to him once and for all, although the external image is constantly changing - a baby, a child, an old man

Based on the context of the 1st part of the hymn (Phil. 2:6–7), it is clear that the Apostle in the words “ He, being the image of God"(Those who are in the image of God- ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, lat. in forma Dei esset), affirms the idea of ​​the eternal existence of Christ and His equality with God. This is evidenced by the term μορφή used by the Apostle (appearance, image, appearance, lat. forma). In relation to God, as a prototype, absolutely limitless, unrepresentable in any images, μορφή can only mean the essence of the Divine, moreover, constant, never changing, equal to itself. Also, the μορφή of every person is his human nature, given to him once and for all, although the external image (εἰκών, σχῆμα) of it is constantly changing - a baby, a child, an old man. The naming of Christ as the image of God in Phil. 2:6 brings us closer to the biblical account of the creation of man in the image of God: “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him"(Gen. 1:26–27, 5:1, 9:6). Here " in the image of God"(κατ᾿ εἰκόνα τοῦ θεοῦ) the synonymous εἰκών is used - image, image, likeness, statue, mental image, lat. imago). The image of God in man refers to his inner, spiritual nature, and then to a relative, imperfect degree. It does not indicate the equality and constancy of the nature of the image relative to the Prototype. Christian dogmatics affirms as an immutable truth the change in the nature of man after his fall - from immortal he became mortal.

Another example of calling Christ the image of God is given in Col. 1:15: " Who is the image of the invisible God" - ὃς ἐστιν εἰκών τοῦ θεοῦ. Here, too, εἰκών cannot be understood literally, otherwise either Christ must be invisible, or the Divine nature in Him must be visible, which is illogical and unacceptable. Consequently, εἰκών indicates that the Son of God is also God, but “Who is mentally seen in Him.” In fullness and perfection, the Divine image of man resides only in the Son of God, for “ in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily"(Col. 2:9). This is what the Apostle emphasizes when speaking about Christ: “ being the image of God -ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων those who are in the image of God”, not “former” or “was”.

The Lord says: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), which means the eternal, unchangeable, original existence of the Son of God. The very idea of ​​the pre-existence of Christ confirms His Divinity

Christ's awareness of His Divinity is confirmed by many examples. Thus, the Lord says about Himself: “ He who has seen Me has seen the Father... I am in the Father and the Father in Me... believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; but if not so, then believe Me by the works themselves"(John 14:9-11). And in another place the Lord says: “ Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am"(John 8:58), which means the eternal, unchanging, original existence of the Son of God. The very idea of ​​the pre-existence of Christ confirms His Divinity. God applies this name to Himself when He speaks about Himself: “ I Am That I Am"(Ex. 3:14), which means original, absolutely independent of anything. The word ὑπάρχων in Phil. 2:6 precisely means that Christ, as the image of God, abides in the Prototype, that is, in God, eternally, not merged, inseparably and unchangeably.

The Russian “image”, used to translate the Greek terms μορφὴ, εἰκών, χαρακτήρ, σχῆμα, does not give a verbal answer to the question: what is meant by this term - external image, appearance, likeness or essence.

The Apostle Paul repeatedly calls Christ “the image of God,” but in different words. In Heb. 1:3 calls Him the “image of the hypostasis” of God - χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ - (χαρακτήρ - imprint, imprint and ὑπόστασις - essence). In Col. 1:15 names the Son of God "in the image of the invisible God" - εἰκών τοῦ θεοῦ ἀοράτου. Thus, the Russian “obraz”, used to translate the Greek terms μορφὴ, εἰκών, χαρακτήρ, σχῆμα, does not provide a verbal answer to the question: what is meant by this term - external image, appearance, likeness or essence.

The Fathers of the Church in all the terms used by the Apostle Paul relating to Christ and translated as “the image of God” understand the essence of God.

Only based on the context of the entire first part of the Christological hymn, and even more broadly - from the entire Holy Scripture - it follows that in the expression ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων the essence of God is understood by the image. Likewise, the Fathers of the Church, in all the terms used by the Apostle Paul relating to Christ and translated as “the image of God,” understand the essence of God. “When He lived among people, He was God both in words and in deeds. For the form of God is no different from God. Indeed, He is therefore called the form and image of God, to make it clear that He Himself, although distinguished from God the Father, is all that God is... What is the form of God, if not the manifest evidence of His Divinity - the resurrection of the dead, restoring hearing to the deaf, cleansing lepers, etc.?” .

Conscious of His equality with God, naturally, Christ in His consciousness " did not consider it theft"(appropriation of someone else's) be equal to God" He did not admire the Divinity, like the pagan mystics in ecstasy, but was the true God in essence. Here the Apostle Paul clearly has in mind the story of the creation of man " in the image of God"(Gen. 1:27) and Adam's desire to be admired to the Divine likeness through theft - by eating the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:6). The Apostle repeatedly turns to the history of the Old Testament Adam, contrasting him with Christ, the new Adam, who, by obedience to God the Father until death on the cross, accomplishes the salvation of the human race.

Conscious of Himself equal to God and being Him in essence, Christ voluntarily “humiliated” Himself. Humiliation does not apply to the Divine, unchangeable, but to human nature and to the Theanthropic person of Christ.

But, recognizing Himself equal to God and being Him in essence, Christ voluntarily “ humiliated"(ἐκένωσεν - diminished, exhausted, devastated), that is, in the incarnation he appeared in the form of a humble man, devoid of glory and greatness. This is where the term “kenosis” comes from - the humiliation of God, revealed in the Incarnation, and even more so in the death of Christ on the cross. “He emptied himself, laid aside his own, having stripped himself of the visible glory and greatness inherent in the Divinity and belonging to Him as to God.” Blzh. Theodoret means the word “humiliated” as “hiding” the glory of His Divinity, choosing extreme humility. The pinnacle of obedience to the will of the Heavenly Father and humility and ultimate humiliation were manifested in the suffering on the cross and death of Christ (Phil. 2:8).

Humiliation does not apply to the Divine, unchangeable, but to human nature and to the Theanthropic person of Christ. It is in the incarnation of the eternal Word, when “ The Word became flesh"(John 1:14), Christ did not appear in the glory that He had from eternity, but" took the form of a slave» (μορφὴ δο ύ λου λαβών). « Slave image" means the acceptance not only of the slave form, but of human nature, which is in a slave state. We are talking here about the acceptance by the Son of God of human flesh, which for Him is self-abasement, depletion of the glory of the Divine, a renunciation of omnipotence, omniscience, and eternity. The use in both cases: the image of God and the image of a servant of the word μορφή only confirms that the prototype for both images is essence, nature, and, moreover, constant and unchanging. Saint Gregory of Nyssa writes: “Just as He who came in the form of a servant was imagined in the essence of a slave, taking upon Himself not only an image not connected with the essence, but also an essence implied by the image, so Paul, who said that He was the image of God, took on the essence indicated through the image." Also blzh. Theodoret of Cyrus, objecting to the Monophysites, says: “If some say that the image of God is not the essence of God, then we ask them: what do they mean by the image of a slave? Of course, they will not, like Marcion, Valentinus and Mani, deny the perception of the flesh by God. Therefore, if the image of a slave is the essence of a slave, then the image of God is the essence of God.”

Emphasizing the idea of ​​the Incarnation in verse 2:7, St. John Chrysostom says: “What do the words mean: “ I accept the visage of a slave”? That says that He became a man. Hence: “and in the image of God” means: there was God. For both there and here there is the same word: image (μορφή). If the first is true, then so is the last. To be in the form of a slave means to be a man by nature, and to be “ in the image of God"- means to be God by nature."

Speaking about the Divinity of Christ, the Apostle expresses himself this way: “in the image of God,” that is, existing, always abiding; and when he speaks about His humanity, he uses the words: “accepted,” that is, he became something he was not before.

Speaking about the Divinity of Christ, the Apostle expresses himself this way: “ in the image of God”, that is, existing, always abiding; and when he speaks about His humanity, he uses the words: “ accepted“, that is, it has become something it was not before. So, the apostle gives no reason to either confuse or separate Divinity and humanity, but affirms their unity in the incarnate Son of God Jesus Christ. “It is said of Him that He humbled Himself, namely by taking the form of a slave, without losing the form of God. For that nature in which He is equal to the Father in the form of God remains unchanged when He takes on our changeable nature, through which He was born of the Virgin.”

« Having become like men“, - that is, Christ, in voluntarily diminishing the glory of His Divinity, having accepted human nature, which Adam had before the Fall, was not identical with people in everything, for He did not have original sin, and in the flesh He remained the Son of God. Also in Rome. 8:3 the apostle says that Christ was " in the likeness of sinful flesh" Here we can also see a parallel with the Old Testament Adam, who, being the image of God according to creation, had to achieve likeness to God through personal effort, the feat of life according to the commandments of God (Gen. 1:26; 5:1). Also, calling the Messiah the servant of Adonai, who will be exalted in the future, is a well-known Old Testament image (Isa. 52:13).

“And in appearance he became like a man” in the sense that in appearance - by habits, gestures, speech, actions, clothing, Christ was perceived by everyone as an ordinary person

« And in appearance I became like a man"in the sense that in appearance (σχῆμα - appearance, image, form), in habits, gestures, speech, actions, clothing, Christ was perceived by everyone as an ordinary person. The divine glory of the Messiah was hidden from people and was manifested only in the miracles He performed. His Divine glory was especially manifested and revealed outwardly in the Transfiguration on Tabor (Matthew 17:1–8).

Christ humbled Himself not as a servant does everything commanded to him, but voluntarily, being obedient like a son. The Lord was obedient not to human malice, but exclusively to the will of His Heavenly Father.

« He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even to the point of death, even death on the cross."(Phil. 2:8), - the highest humility of Christ was manifested in obedience to God the Father in His death on the cross. Christ humbled Himself not as a servant does everything commanded to him, but voluntarily, being obedient like a son. The Lord was obedient not to human malice, not to the machinations of the Jews, nor to the temptations of evil power, nor to His fate or destiny, but exclusively to the will of His Heavenly Father. This was most evident in the battle of Gethsemane, when the words were heard from the Savior’s lips: “ My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; however, not as I want, but as you"(Matt. 26:39).

Death is the result of sin, for sin entered the world through the disobedience of Adam, and through sin death entered, and death spread to all men. Only the sinless Christ accepts death not as inevitable, but out of obedience to the Father

Death is the result of sin, for sin entered the world in the disobedience of Adam, and through sin death entered, and death spread to all men (Rom. 5:12; Gen. 2:17). Only the sinless Christ accepts death not as inevitable, but out of obedience to the Father (Isa. 52:12). He " humiliated himself», « humbled himself", according to Scripture, " taking the form of a slave“, that is, becoming like us, so that we become like Him, transformed by grace into His perfect likeness through the action of the Spirit,” notes St. Cyril of Alexandria.

EXCELLENTING CHRIST TO GLORY (2:9–11)

Part 2 of the hymn depicts Christ's ascension into glory. For fulfilling the will of God, for boundless obedience to God and “ God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."(Phil. 2:9-11) . The meaning of this passage is that God the Father, for the greatest humility of His Son in the incarnation, in His acceptance of human nature, in His humble bearing of the cross even to death on the cross, rewarded Him with greatness, exalted Him as a man to the greatest glory - the glory of the Divine. The personality of the Son of God is exalted in His humanity, or in other words: humanity is exalted in Him - in the resurrection, in deification, in the ascension, in sitting at the right hand of God. “By His humility, Christ not only did not lose what he had as God, but also accepted it as a man.”

In the description of Christ’s ascension to glory, many parallels are also seen from the Book of the prophet Isaiah in the image of the suffering Messiah (Is. 53:2–10), and then His glorification (Is. 52:13; 45:23; Ps. 109:1) .

The second moment of the exaltation of the incarnate Son of God after His self-abasement is the bestowal of the name inherent in Him as God from the beginning, and now also as a man. As God, He had a name that did not depart from Him through the incarnation and the cross, but now it is given to Him as a man. What name is this? It " above every name", for this is the name of the God-man, the Son of God, God. This is what He was called before the creation of the world. He inherited a name above the Angelic, " For to which of the Angels did God ever say: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You?”"? And further: " I will be His Father, and He will be My Son"(Ps. 2:7; 2 Sam. 7:14; Heb. 1:5).

After the incarnation of Christ, He is given the name “Jesus,” predicted by the Angel (Matthew 1:21) and the Archangel Gabriel, with the addition that He will be called the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:31–32). The Almighty Himself, when asked by Moses about the name of the One who spoke to him, answered: “ I Am That I Am"(Ex. 3:14). In the Hebrew language, the word “existent” is expressed by a tetragram, which is rendered in Latin letters as YНWН (YHVG - in Russian transcription) and read as Yahweh, Yahweh or Jehovah. For the Hebrew consciousness, this sacred name was more than just a name, for it made it possible not only to name God, but through the pronunciation of His name to be in God’s presence. The name of God was surrounded by the Jews with the greatest reverence and reverence. They did not even dare to pronounce it out loud, and when reading it loudly they replaced it with another name - Adonai, which means “My Lord.” This has led to the fact that when translating the Hebrew Bible into Greek (Septuagint), most often where this sacred tetragram appears in the Hebrew text (for example, Ex. 3:14, Deut. 5:6), in Greek it is not ὁ ὤν - Existing, and K ύ ριος, meaning Lord, Master. This word was used by evangelists and ancient Christians to convey the sacred name of both God and the Son of God. Throughout his Gospel, Evangelist Luke uses the name Lord along with the name Jesus, while other evangelists prefer to call Christ by the name Jesus. But the name Jesus Ἰησοῦς (Ieshua) - “Savior” - contains the meaning of the sacred tetragram with the meaning “The Lord saves.”

The names Jesus, Lord, Yahweh, as applied to the incarnate Son of God, are the Name given by God the Father, before which “every tribe of heaven, earth and hell” must worship.

Thus, the names Jesus, Lord, Yahweh, as applied to the incarnate Son of God, are the Name given by God the Father, before which we must worship “ every tribe of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth"(2:10), that is, the whole world: angels, people, demons, righteous people, and sinners. This name, pronounced in prayer with faith, bows to the mercy of God, who works great miracles (Mark 16:17), accomplishes our salvation (Acts 4:12; Joel 2:32).

This name became the basis of the shortest and most powerful prayer of repentance: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Jesus Prayer). Every tongue confesses the name of Jesus Christ." to the glory of God the Father”(2:11), that is, it recognizes that Jesus Christ is Lord in equal glory with God the Father.

The apophatic nature of the name given by God to Christ is indicated by St. Gregory of Nyssa: “The only name due to God is that He is above every name. He surpasses every movement of thought and eludes formal definition, which for people is a sign of His indescribable greatness.”

From this theological part of the Epistle the Philippians must have concluded that if Jesus Christ, being God, humbled Himself so that He became man, in all things like them except sin, He humbled Himself so that He was crucified and died on the Cross for their sake. sins, then they must have the same boundless readiness for any humiliation for the sake of Christ. And if Christ renounced the glory that belonged to Him by nature, then all the more should the Philippians not only not appropriate to themselves glory that does not belong to them, but for the sake of salvation, following the example of Christ, they must also renounce what belongs to them. In the Epistle to the Collossians this theme is expressed in 1:24, where the Apostle speaks of the joy of making up for suffering for our brothers in the faith, that is, for the Church.

By His obedience to God and self-abasement, the Lord corrected the sin of Adam, who, being the image of God (Gen. 1:27), desired, tempted by Satan, to be equal to God by “stealing”, violating the commandment of God through eating the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:5) . As a result, he not only did not achieve Divine greatness and glory, but also lost the glory that he had before the Fall, becoming one of the earthly creatures. Christological hymn in Phil. 2:6–11 thus depicts the dispensation of our salvation in Christ Jesus, who, being rich, for our sakes became poor, that through His poverty we might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9).

FOOTNOTES

Cm.: Once upon a time there lived Stefan, Archpriest. Christology of the Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians (1:14–20; 2:8–15) // Sretensky collection. Scientific works of SDS teachers. Issue 4 / Sretensky Theological Seminary. /Under. total ed. archim. Tikhon (Shevkunova); ed. prot. N. Skurat, Hierom. John (Ludishchev). M.: Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, 2013. pp. 61–84.

The testimony of the Roman governor Pliny the Younger about the use of hymns by the early Christians of Asia Minor is known. Christians sang “praises to Christ as to God” at their liturgical meetings. Pokorny Peter, Haeckel Ulrich. Introduction to the New Testament. M.: Publishing House BBI, 2012. P. 167.

Lavrentiev, A. V. Hymns in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul // Alpha and Omega. 2010. N 2. pp. 39–48.

Sorokin A., prot. Christ and the Church in the New Testament. M.: Publishing House of the Krutitsky Compound, 2006. P. 117.

Cassian (Bezobrazov), bishop. Christ and the first Christian generation. M.: Publishing house Russian way, 2006. pp. 202–203.

Guthrie D. Introduction to the New Testament. St. Petersburg, 1996. P. 412.

Sorokin A., prot. Christ and the Church in the New Testament. M.: Publishing House of the Krutitsky Compound, 2006. P. 117, 249.

Barclay William. Interpretation of the Epistles to the Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians. P. 34.

Interpretation of the letters of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians and Philippians. P. 66.

Ambrosiastes. On the Epistle to the Philippians. Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st–8th centuries. T. 8. P. 267.

St. Theophan (Gorov), the Recluse of Vyshensky. Interpretations of the Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians and Philippians. P. 469.

Blzh. Theodoret of Cyrus. Commentaries on the Epistles of St. Paul. P. 65.

St. Gregory of Nyssa. Against Eunomius. Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st–8th centuries. P. 267.

Blzh. Theodoret of Cyrus. Commentaries on the Epistles of St. Paul. P. 268.

St. Theophan (Gorov), the Recluse of Vyshensky. Said essay. S. 466.2

Blzh. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo. Against Faustus. Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st–8th centuries. P. 271.

Lopukhin A.P. Explanatory Bible. T. 11. P. 288.

St. Cyril of Alexandria. Holiday messages. Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st–8th centuries. P. 277.

The Most Holy Virgin Mary served this great mystery of the incarnation, humility and glorification of human nature in Christ with Her humility, sharing the humiliation and glory of Her Son. She had in the highest degree the same sentiments that were in Christ Jesus” (2:5). For this reason, verses 6–11 from the second chapter of the Epistle are read at the Apostolic reading on the feasts of the Mother of God - Christmas, Dormition, Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and Her icons.

Blzh. Theodoret of Cyrus, St. Feofan (Recluse). Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st–8th centuries. P. 466.

Tetragram or Old Testament Divine Name. St. Petersburg 1905.S. 7–10.

Sorokin A., prot. Introduction to the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament. pp. 45–47.

St. Gregory of Nyssa. Against Eunomius. Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st–8th centuries. C. 280.

SOURCES

1. Bible. Synodal translation. M.: Publishing house of the Moscow Patriarchate. 2011. 1380 p.

4. Blzh. Theodoret of Cyrus. Interpretation of the Fourteen Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul // Works of Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus. Part 7. M. 1861. 752 p.

5. St. Feofan (Bystrov), Bishop of Poltava, New Recluse. Tetragram or Old Testament Divine Name. St. Petersburg 1905. 258 p.

6. St. Feofan (Govorov), the Recluse of Vyshensky. Interpretation of the letters of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians and Philippians. M.: Rule of Faith, 2005. 611 p.

7. Biblical commentaries of the Church Fathers and other authors of the 1st–8th centuries. New Testament. Volume VIII: Epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians. Tver: Hermeneutics, 2006. 480 p.

LITERATURE

8. Barclay William. Interpretation of the Epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians. Publisher: Baptist World Union. 1986. 222 p.

9. Guthrie D. Introduction to the New Testament. St. Petersburg: Bible for everyone, 2005. 800 p.

10. Karavidopoulus I. Maxim Mikhailov. M.: Publishing house of the Orthodox St. Tikhon's Humanitarian University. 2009. 366 p.

11. Cassian (Bezobrazov), bishop. Christ and the first Christian generation. M.: Russian way, 2006. 573 p.

12. Lavrentyev A.V. Hymns in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul // Alpha and Omega. 2010. N 2. pp. 39–48.

13. P Okorny Peter, Haeckel Ulrich. Introduction to the New Testament / Trans. V. Vitkovsky. M.: Publishing house BBI, 2012. 798 p.

14. Sorokin Alexander, prot. Introduction to the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament. Kyiv. 2003. 646 p.

15. His own. Christ and the Church in the New Testament. M.: Publishing House of the Krutitsky Compound, 2006. 646 p.

Moscow Theological Seminary

Correspondence education sector

Archpriest Stefan Zhila

MANAGEMENT

TO STUDYING THE MESSAGES

SAINT APOSTLE PAUL

AND APOCALYPSE

Textbook for 4th grade students

Sergiev Posad

INTRODUCTION 11

1. Biographical information about the Apostle Paul 13

1.1. Life path of Saint Apostle Paul 13

before the start of his missionary activity 13

1.2. Missionary activity of the Apostle Paul. His first journey (45-46 years) (Denia, 13, 4-14, 27) 14

1.3. Apostolic Council of the year 51 (Acts 15, 1-29) 14

1.4. Second missionary journey of the Apostle Paul (52-54) (Acts 15, 36-18, 22) 15

1.5. Third missionary journey of the Holy Apostle Paul (54-58) (Acts 18, 23-23, 35) 15

1.6. The first Roman bonds of the Holy Apostle Paul (61-63) (Acts 27, 1-28, 16) 16

1.7. The fourth missionary journey of the Holy Apostle Paul (64-66) 16

2. The Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul, their authenticity, quantity, internal and external features and the order of their arrangement and study 17

Review Questions Introduction 19

ROMANS 20

1. General information about the Roman Church 20

2. Time and place of writing Epistle 20

3. Reason and purpose of writing Epistle 21

Main Theme and Summary of Romans 21

Dogmatic part (1.18–3.20) 22

1. The sinfulness of all humanity (1.18–3.20) 22

2. The doctrine of justification by faith (3.21-4.25) 22

3. Actions or fruits of justification (5.1-8.39) 22

4. Unbelief of the Jews, its causes and consequences (chapters 9-11) 22

Moral part (12.1-15.13) 23

1. Introduction (1.1–17) 24

2. The dogmatic part of the message (1.18–11.36) 25

2.1. The sinfulness of all mankind (1.18–3.20) 25

2.4. Unbelief of the Jews. The Reasons and Meaning of This Unbelief (Chapters 9-11) 38

3. Moral part 44

3.1. General Rules of Christian Life (Chapter 12) 44

3.2. On paying tribute to authorities and loving one's neighbors (Chapter 13) 47

3.3. On condescension to the weak in faith (chapter 14) 49

3.4. About serving others (15.1-13) 50

4. Conclusion (15.14–16.24) 50

Review Questions for Romans 52

1 CORINTHIANS 56

1. Founding of the Corinthian Church 56

2. Reason for writing message 56

3. Place and time of writing message 57

4. The main theme and general content of the message 57

4.1. Bridging Divisions Among the Corinthian Christians (Chapters 1-4) 57

4.2 Reproof of the Corinthians for communicating with infidels (chapters 5-6) 57

4.3. Instructions for Believers (Chapters 7-11) 57

4.4. About spiritual gifts (chapters 12-14) 58

4.5. On the Resurrection of the Dead (Chapter 15) 58

4.6. Conclusion (Chapter 16) 58

1. Stopping divisions among Corinthian Christians (1 Corinthians 1:1-4:21) 59

1.1. Cause of division in the Corinthian Church (1:1-17) 59

1.2. Preaching the cross of Christ (1.18-31) 60

1.3. Apostle Paul's assessment of his sermon (2:1-13) 61

1.4. Soulful, spiritual and carnal man (2.14-3.4) 62

1.5. Christ is the foundation of the Church (3, 5-23) 63

1.6. Instructions on how to judge the apostles themselves (chapter 4) 65

2. Exposing the moral shortcomings of the Corinthian Christians (chapters 5-6) 66

2.1. Denunciation of the Corinthians for communicating with an incestuous person (chapter 5) 66

2.3. Refutation of gluttony and fornication (6:12–20) 67

3. Instruction for Believers (Chapters 7-11) 68

On marriage and celibacy (chapter 7) 68

About eating something sacrificed to idols (chapter 8) 70

Rights and Duties of an Apostle (Chapter 9) 71

On avoiding idolatry sacrifices (chapter 10) 72

On the behavior of men and women in the Church (11:1–16) 73

Denouncing the riots at the Lord's Table (11:17–4) 74

4. About the gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit (chapters 12-14) 75

4.1. The Wealth of the Charismatic Gifts of the Ancient Church (Chapter 12) 75

4.2. The Gift of Love (Chapter 13) 77

4.3. The Gift of Prophecy and the Gift of Tongues (14th Chapter) 79

5. The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead (Chapter 15) 79

5.1. The certainty of the fact of the resurrection of Christ (15, 1-11) 79

5.2. Belief in the resurrection of the dead (15.12–34) 80

5 3. Image of the resurrection (15.35-58) 82

6. Conclusion (Chapter 16) 83

Review Questions for 1 Corinthians 84

SECOND CORINTHIANS 87

1. Reason for writing message 87

2. The purpose of writing message 88

3. Time and place of writing message 88

4. Dividing the message 88

1. Preliminary explanations of the apostle (1.1-2.11) 88

1.1. Consolations in sorrows (1.1-11) 88

1.2. Reason for changing travel plan (1.12-24) 89

1.3. Forgiveness of a repentant incest (2.1-11) 89

2. Theoretical part of the Epistle: the height of the Christian Revelation (2.12-7.16) 90

2.1. Properties and actions of Revelation (2.12-4.6) 90

a) Effectiveness of Revelation (2.12-3.6) 90

b) The superiority of the New Testament ministry over the Old Testament (3.7-4.6) 91

2.2. The power of God is made perfect in human weakness (4.7-5-10) 93

a) The power of faith - in trials (4.7-15) 93

b) Hope of faith (4, 16-5, 10) 93

2.3. The Christian's duty to the apostolic gospel (5:11-7:1) 94

a) “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (5, 11-6, 2) 94

b) Overcoming the test with the power of Christ (6.3-7.1) 95

c) The apostle’s testimony of his love for the Corinthians (7:2-16) 96

3. Practical part of message 97

3.1. On collecting alms for the Jerusalem Church (8-9 chapters) 97

4. Defensive part: Apostle Paul’s defense of his apostolic ministry (chapters 10-12) 98

4.1. Refuting the Slanders of False Teachers (Chapters 10–12) 98

4.2. Unselfishness in preaching the Gospel (11:1-15) 100

4.3. Works and suffering for the sake of Christ (11, 16-32) 101

4.4. On the rapture of the Apostle “to the third heaven” (12:1-21) 101

5. Conclusion (Chapter 13) 103

Review Questions for 2 Corinthians 104

GALATIANS 106

1. Founding of the Galatian Church 106

2. Reason for writing message 106

3. Time and place of writing message 106

4. Division and summary of message 107

1) Protective part (1.2-2.21) 107

2) Doctrinal part (3, 1-5, 12) 107

3) Moral part (5.13-6.10) 107

ANALYSIS OF THE CONTENTS OF GALATIANS 108

1. Welcome and preface (1.1-10) 108

2. The defensive part of the letter: Paul's proof of his apostolic authority (1:2-2:21) 108

2.2. Approval of the gospel of the Apostle Paul by the “pillars of the apostles” (2:1-10) 109

2.3. Reproof of the Holy Apostle Peter (2:2-21) 110

3. Dogmatic part (3, 1-5, 12) 111

3.1. Justification by faith and not by works of the law (3:1-29) 111

a) The non-binding nature of the Law of Moses in the matter of salvation (3:1-14) 111

b) The law is a teacher to Christ (3.15-29) 112

3.2. Slavery of the Law and Freedom of the Gospel (4, 1-5, 13) 114

a) Man under law and under grace (4, 1-7) 114

b) Reproaching the Galatians for their inconsistency (4:8-20) 114

c) Types of the sons of slavery and the sons of freedom (4, 21-31) 115

d) Freedom in Christ (5.1-12) 115

4. Moral part: exhortation to Christian life on the basis of freedom from the law (5.13-6.10) 117

4.1. General beginning of Christian life (5.13-26) 117

4.2. The rule of behavior of the spiritually perfect towards the weak (6, 1-10) 118

5. Conclusion 119

Review Questions for Galatians 120

EPHESIANS 122

1. Foundation of the Ephesian Church 122

2. Reason, place and time of writing message 122

3. Division and summary of message 123

1. Dogmatic part of message 124

1.1. Revealing the general plan of the economy of salvation (1.3-23) 124

1.2. Salvation of the Gentiles through the Church (2:1-22) 126

1.3. Revelation of the mystery of the Church (3:1–23) 128

2. Moral part of the message (4.1–6.18) 129

2.1. The general structure of a Christian’s life (4.1-32) 129

a) Unity of faith 129

b) Putting on the new man 130

2.2. Encourages to spiritual life (5,1-21) 131

2.3. Family and civic responsibilities of Christians (5.22–6 9) 132

a) The mystery of Christian marriage (5.22-23) 132

b) Mutual responsibilities of children and parents (6.1-4) 133

c) Mutual duties of slaves and masters (6.5-9) 133

2.4. Spiritual Christian armor (6.10-18) 134

Review Questions for Ephesians 136

COLOSSIANS 137

1. Founding of the Church at Colosse 137

2. Reason for writing and purpose of message 137

3. Time and place of writing message 137

4. Division and summary of message 138

ANALYSIS OF COLOSSIANS 139

1. Introduction (1, 1- 8) 139

2. Dogmatic part (1.9–2.23) 139

2.1. Image of the Divine Majesty of Jesus Christ (1.12–23) 139

a) Jesus Christ is the Son of God and God (1.13-15) 140

b) Jesus Christ is the creator of the visible and invisible world (1.16) 140

c) Jesus Christ – Provider of the world (1.17) 141

d) Jesus Christ is the head of the Church (1.18-19) 141

e) Reconciliation with God in Christ (1:20-23) 141

2.2. Apostle Paul's ministry to the church (1:24-29) 141

2.3. Warning to the Colossians against false teachers (2:1–23) 142

a) The need for true knowledge of God to cut off false teachings (2.1–8) 142

b) In Christ - the fullness of the Divinity bodily (2.9-15) 143

c) Warning against false teachers (2:16-23) 144

3. Moral part (3.1–17) 144

3.1. Exhortations to the Sanctity of Life (3.1–17) 144

3.2. Instructions regarding family life (3.18-21) 146

3.3. Instructions to slaves and masters (3.22-4.1) 146

3.4. Exhortation to Prayer and Watchfulness (4:2-6) 147

4. Conclusion (4, 7-18) 147

PHILIPPIANS 149

1. Foundation of the Church at Philippi 149

2. Reason for writing message 149

3. Time and place of writing the message 150

4. Distinctive features of the message 150

Division and content of the message 150

1. The meaning of the bonds of the Apostle Paul (1.1-26) 150

2. Exhortations to unanimity and humility (1.27-2.30) 151

3. Warning against false teachers (3.1–21) 153

Conclusion (Chapter 4) 154

Review Questions for Philippians 155

FIRST THESSALONIANS 156

1. Foundation of the Church in Thessalonica 156

2. Reason, purpose, time and place of writing the message 156

1. Historical part (chapters 1-3) 157

1.1. Gratitude for the faith and perseverance of the Thessalonians (1:1-10) 157

1.2. The Apostle's recollection of his sermon among the Thessalonians 158

and its fruits (2, 1-20) 158

1.3. The desire of the Holy Apostle Paul to see the Thessalonians (3, 1-13) 158

2. Moral part (4.1-5.24) 159

2.1. Call to holiness and brotherly love (4:1-12) 159

2. About the resurrection of the dead and the second coming of the Lord (4.13-5.28) 159

Review Questions for 1 Thessalonians 162

SECOND THESSALONIANS 163

Reason for writing message 163

1. Praise for the patience of the Thessalonians (chapter 1) 163

2. Signs of the second coming of the Lord (2.1-14) 163

3. Various exhortations (2.15–3.15) 165

Review Questions for 2 Thessalonians 167

1 TIMOTHY 168

1. Information about the Holy Apostle Timothy 168

2. The reason and purpose of writing the message 169

Division and content of the message 169

1. Instructions to Timothy as a guardian of the faith (chapter 1) 169

2. Instructions to Timothy as head of the Church (2, 1-3, 13) 170

a) Regarding church prayer (2, 1-8) 170

b) On the behavior and participation of women in church meetings (2.9-15) 171

3. About the Church hierarchy (3.1-13) 172

4. General instructions to shepherds (3.14-4.16) 173

a) What constitutes the highest doctrinal truth (3, 14-16) 173

b) About false teachers of the “end times” (4, 1-10) 174

c) The shepherd as an example for the faithful; nature of shepherding (4.2-16) 174

5. Instructions to Timothy concerning church government (chapter 5) 175

a) Relations with elders, old women and widows (5.1-16) 175

b) Showing honor to elders; their trial (5.17-25) 176

6. Instructions to Timothy concerning civic duties and others (chapter 6) 177

a) Instructions to slaves and masters (6.1-2; 17-19) 177

b) About false teachers and the roots of false teachings (6:3-16) 177

c) Reproof of the rich (6.17-21) 177

Review Questions for 1 Timothy 179

SECOND TIMOTHY 181

1. Reason and purpose of writing message 181

2. Time and place of writing message 181

Division and analysis of the contents of Message 181

1. Exhortations to rekindle the gift of episcopal ministry (1, 6-18) 181

2. An exhortation to stand firm in the faith (2:1-26) 182

3. About the last difficult times (3.1-4.5) 183

a) The corruption of morals in recent times (3.1-9) 183

b) A call to perseverance in persecution for the faith (3:10-17) 184

c) Call to unceasing preaching (4.1-5) 185

4. Conclusion (4.6-22) 185

Review Questions for 2 Timothy 186

EPISTLE TO TITUS 187

1. Information about Saint Titus 187

2. Information about the Church of Crete 187

3. The reason and purpose of writing the message 187

Division and content of the message 188

1. Testament to Titus to establish the Church in Crete (Chapter 1) 188

2. Instructions for the proper origin of pastoral ministry (2, 1 -3, 14) 189

a) What should a pastor teach in dependence 189

on the age and condition of the listeners (2, 1-10) 189

b) About the manifestation of God’s grace into the world (2.11-3.7) 189

c) On the attitude towards false teachers (3, 8-14) 190

Review Questions for Titus 191

EPISTLE TO PHILEMON 192

1. Information about Philemon and the circumstances of writing the message 192

Review Questions for Philemon 194

HEBREWS 195

1. Writer of Message 195

2. Place, time of writing and addressee of the message 195

3. Reason for writing and purpose of the message 196

4. Division and content of the message 196

1. Dogmatic part (1.1-10.8) 198

1.1. Superiority of Jesus Christ over the Prophets, 198

angels and Moses (1.1-4.13) 198

a) The superiority of Christ over the prophets (1:1-3) 198

b) The superiority of Jesus Christ over the angels (1.4-2; 18) 198

c) The superiority of Jesus Christ over Moses (3.1-4.13) 199

1.2. The Excellence of Christ's High Priestly Ministry 200

before the Levitical service (4.14-6.20) 200

a) Characteristics of the high priesthood of Jesus Christ (4:14-5:10) 200

b) Reproaching the Jews for their inertia and lack of understanding 201

Christian truths (5.11-6.20) 201

1.3. High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek (7.1-8.6) 202

a) High Priesthood of Melchizedek (7:1-10) 202

b) The High Priesthood of Jesus Christ (7, 11-8, 6) 203

1.4. Comparison of the two Testaments (8.7-10.18) 203

a) Jeremiah's prophecy about a better covenant (8:7-13) 203

b) The educational significance of the Old Testament tabernacle and its victims 204

c) The New Testament Tabernacle and the Perfect Sacrifice of Jesus Christ 205

d) The excellence of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ (10:1-18) 206

2. Moral part (10.19-13.19) 206

2.1. Exhortations to the Acceptance of Faith (10:19-39) 206

2.2. Definition and meaning of faith (11.1–3.6) 207

2.3. Examples of faith (11.4–40) 208

a) Examples of the faith of the ancients, before the flood (11.4-7) 208

b) Examples of faith of Abraham and Sarah (11:8-19) 209

c) Examples of faith of Isaac, Jacob and Joseph (11,20–22) 210

d) Example of the faith of Moses (11.23-29) 210

e) Examples of faith after Moses (11:30-40) 211

2.4. Exhortation to patience and steadfastness in faith (12.1-13.17) 212

a) Exhortation to imitate the faith of the witnesses (12:1-4) 212

b) The meaning of punishments (12.5-11) 212

c) Exhortation to Holiness (12:12-17) 213

d) Warnings against apostasy (12:18-29) 213

e) Call to a virtuous life (13.1-7) 214

f) Instructions for those seeking the future city (13.8-16) 214

g) Exhortations to obey your teachers (13:17-21) 215

Afterword (13.22-25) 215

Review Questions for Hebrews 216

REVELATION OF SAINT JOHN THE THEOLOGIST 219

1. Information about the book of Revelation and its writer 219

2. Time and Place of Revelation 219

3. The Purpose of Writing Revelation 219

4. Notes on the Interpretation of Revelation 220

1. Appeal to the Seven Churches of Asia Minor (Chapters 1-3) 221

2. Picture of the coming disasters of the world (chapters 4-18) 221

2.1. Vision of the Lord Almighty as a Lamb (chapters 4-5) 221

2.2. Opening of the seven seals by the Lamb (6.1-8.1) 222

(First septenary of visions) 222

2.3. Seven angelic trumpets (8.2-11.19) (second week of visions) 222

2.4. Seven signs (12.1-15.4) (Third septenary of visions) 223

a) First sign: the woman clothed with the sun and the dragon (chapter 12) 223

b) Second sign: image of the beast coming out of the sea (13:1-10) 224

c) Third sign: the beast coming out of the earth (13:11-18) 224

d) Fourth sign: Lamb on Mount Zion (14, 1-5) 224

e) Fifth Sign: Three Angels Proclaiming to the World 224

approach of great events (14.6-13) 224

f) Sixth sign: Son of Man with the sickle (14:14-20) 224

g) The seventh sign: seven angels with bowls of wrath (chapter 15) 225

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In 1999, a theological school was opened in the Moscow Sretensky Monastery - the Sretensky Higher Orthodox School, which was later transformed into a theological seminary. SDS teachers and students talk about their choice of life path and the years spent within the walls of the seminary.

- Father Stefan, where did you study?

After graduating from school, I first studied to become a pharmacist. Then he entered Kiev University and received a degree in chemistry. I loved chemistry very much, but the Lord judged otherwise. While still studying at the university, I met people who aroused my interest in philosophy and art, and I began to search for the truth. At the same time I became acquainted with serious books, such as, for example, “Non-Evening Light” by Father Sergius Bulgakov and others. I realized: I don’t just need science, it’s more important for me to find the meaning of life, to get to the bottom of the truth. And I started going to church. But I didn't have the Gospel. The priests gave it to me, and I copied it by hand.

- Father, when did you decide to study at a theological seminary?

Over time, I made believing friends, and we discussed religious topics together. I still remember that we then perceived the Church as a beautiful flower, which everyone passing by tried to grab and break. But we wanted to protect the Church and work for its good. So, I made the mature decision to study at a seminary in order to receive a theological education and be ordained during my student years.

- Father Stefan, what do you remember about your years of study at theological school?

When I was studying, all the students were overwhelmed with inspiration: some were constantly learning notes, others were conducting theological debates. We read the Bible together in the evenings, went to Father Kirill (Pavlov), the Lavra confessor, to listen to the reading of the rule and the Gospel. We made sure to go to St. Sergius in the morning. There was such enthusiasm, because it was mostly adults who entered the seminary. They made their decision, they were ready for all the difficulties of service, for many trials. They prepared their souls for temptation. It was a difficult time, everyone, willingly or unwillingly, thought: “Lord, who will I serve with, who will support me?..”. And therefore they were looking for a life partner who would become their right hand. Everyone wanted their wife to not only run the house, but also help in the parish. And most importantly, she could share the labors and sorrows of her husband.

- How did you meet your mother?

I, like my comrades, understood that mother would be my first assistant in the parish. My future wife sang in the church choir.

- What can you advise seminarians about choosing a future wife?

A very difficult question. Nowadays there are many girls who are unchurched and non-believers. And if feelings arise, then the seminarian can lead his chosen one to God, if, of course, she herself shows love and obedience. But, unfortunately, there are cases when the bride, being non-church, shows the appearance of churchliness in order to achieve her goal - to get married. And in the future she will not be a reliable assistant to the priest, she will not be able to give the children an Orthodox education. In other words, the future clergyman must still marry a believer and churchgoer. Spouses must mutually enrich each other and follow the same path. And here you cannot rely on chance: this is very fraught. Father Kirill told the students in confession: “Guys, don’t forget that there is fire and gunpowder. Here you are - fire. If you bring it to gunpowder, it will ignite. Therefore, be careful in your relationships with the female sex.”

- Father Stefan, who taught you at Moscow theological schools?

We had many prominent teachers, representatives of the old school. Father Alexander Vetelev is a very interesting teacher. He had lively communication with students. He taught homiletics and loved to engage his audience with questions. The teacher of dogmatic theology, monk Vasily (in the world Dmitry Savichev), had a very great influence on me. This is a real professor. And his teaching style is academic. For about twenty minutes he and I always repeated the material we had covered, and then he started a new topic. He read the quotes and explained them very subtly and accurately. Professor Alexey Ilyich Osipov is a very enthusiastic teacher with a deep knowledge of Orthodoxy. I especially remember how he correlated philosophy with the patristic understanding of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov).

- Who were your classmates?

I will name Father German (Chistyakov), Archimandrite Dionysius (Shishigin).

- When did your ordinations take place?

In seminary, 2nd year. It was 1975. On the Transfiguration I was ordained a deacon, and on November 30 - a priest by the rector of the seminary, then Archbishop Vladimir (Sabodan).

- Father, and then you immediately began serving in the parish or were you left at the Lavra?

I was given the obedience of a tour guide in the church-archaeological office of the MDA. He was also an assistant inspector. And then I was offered to teach the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament at the seminary in the 4th year. I loved this subject very much and seriously studied the Epistles of the Apostle Paul.

- How did your service at the parish begin?

At first I was assigned to the Church of Peter and Paul on Novobasmannaya. And we did a lot there. We managed to remove the institute from there, we restored the church from ruins. Then I was transferred to the temple of Panteleimon. Now I am the rector of the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Mitino.

- Father, how did you start collaborating with Sretensky Theological Seminary?

Of course, I heard a lot about the Sretensky Monastery, and about its abbot and rector of the Sretensky Theological Seminary, Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov), as well as about the large Orthodox publishing house at the monastery. I learned about the seminary from my son Nikon, who began singing in the monastery choir. Then Nikon was offered to lead the choir and teach. And then they invited me too.

- Father, what subjects do you teach at Sretensky Seminary?

I teach the New Testament in the 4th year: The Epistles of the Apostle Paul and the Apocalypse. What I was interested in while still being a seminarian.

How do you think the New Testament Scriptures should be taught? What needs to be done to ensure that the material is absorbed better?

Of course, I try to ensure that students understand the material better. This year we are writing one or two homework assignments for each Message. In them, seminarians, based on the interpretations of Bishop Theophan the Recluse, present and illustrate the main themes. The letters of the Apostle Paul require thoughtful analysis. Yes, we must accept their literal meaning, but we are also obliged to give a critical analysis: explain, interpret. It is necessary to show historical conditions, textual features, etc.

- How do you conduct exams?

During exams, you have to tell what remains in your soul. After all, when students are preparing, they still worry and remember. During the exam, I ask specific questions that allow me to find out how the seminarian understands this or that passage from the Apostle Paul, and what practical conclusions he can draw.

- Father Stefan, what should modern seminarians be taught?

I would say this: seminarians must learn to live Orthodoxy. So that their young energies are not wasted, but go to churching. In addition, students of theological schools simply need practical skills. And it’s good that Sretensky seminarians have the opportunity to communicate with a wide audience, for example, at the Polytechnic Museum. I am sure that if a young man lives a genuine church life, he will be able to understand and resolve the problems that inevitably arise in later life, including in pastoral service.

- What problems of seminary life can you note?

This is now a problem for all young people, not just seminarians - lack of interest in knowledge. There is no light. It seems that both the Internet and books are available, but it is obvious that things are cooling down. When we were studying, books and textbooks were in short supply, and they were expensive. We studied a lot in libraries, read periodicals, for example, Theological Bulletin. We spent a lot of time on each test we wrote, and it was enriching. And now the time is different... But still the students are very pure, spontaneous, truthful. And it makes me so happy! They absorb knowledge like a sponge, because they will then serve and bring the word of God to the people.

- Father, say a few words about the graduates of the Sretensky Theological School.

I remember our graduate, and now a teacher, Father Irinei (Pikovsky). I was very impressed by its seriousness. Deacon Alexander Slesarenko graduates this year and personifies hard work. Deacon Anthony Novikov is a very attentive student.

Father Stefan, what can you say as your parting words to students on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Sretensky Theological Seminary?

I really want our students to worthily bear the title of student of Sretensky Seminary. After all, the relics of St. Hilarion rest in the Sretensky Monastery; we are all inspired by his creations. Students must understand: the seminary has existed for ten years, and it is already known not only in Russia, but also abroad. Such popularity comes with great responsibility. And finally, I repeat that seminarians need to remember: if their life is churched, if it is truly given to God and the Church, they will certainly be able to prove that they are right and defend their faith.