"for you were bought with a price." Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul You were bought with a price

Art. 23-24 You are bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. In what rank is anyone called, brethren, in that everyone and remain before God

“You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men" (1 Corinthians 7:23). This is said not only to slaves, but also to free people, because it is possible not to be a slave in slavery, and to be a slave in freedom. When is a slave not a slave? When he does everything for God, when he serves without hypocrisy and not out of human pleasing: this is what it means to be a slave of people and remain free. When is a free man a slave? When he serves people in something evil, in gluttony, covetousness, or ambition. Such a man, though free, is more enslaved than any slave. Here is an example of both: Joseph was a slave, but he did not servility to people, and therefore in slavery he was freer than all the free; he did not submit to the mistress, who persuaded him to satisfy her lust. The lady, on the other hand, was free, but she turned out to be lower than any slave, turning to the slave both with flattery and with conviction, and yet she could not persuade him, the free one, to what he did not want. Indeed, he was not a slave, but in the highest degree free: was slavery an obstacle to virtue? Listen, you slaves and free: who turned out to be a slave, the one who was asked, or the one who asked? Is it the one who convinced, or the one who despised her convictions? So, there are limits to slavery set by God, there are laws to which it can extend, which it should not transgress. When the master does not demand anything contrary to the will of God, then one must obey him and submit; but it must not extend further: thus the slave remains free! If you stretch further, you become a slave, although you are free. This inspires (the apostle) with the words: . And if it were not so, if he commanded to leave the masters and try to gain freedom, then how would he begin to say the following: “In what calling is anyone called, brethren, in this, each one, remain before God”(1 Corinthians 7:24) ? And elsewhere: “Slaves under the yoke should consider their masters worthy of all honor ... Those who have faithful masters should not treat them carelessly, because they are brothers ... and do good to them”(1 Tim. 6:1-2) ? He commands and commands the same thing in the epistles to Ephesians (Eph.6:5) and Colossians (Col.3:22). From this it is clear that he rejects not external slavery, but that which comes from vices, which happens to the free, and is the most difficult, even if a free person is subjected to it. What benefit did Joseph's brothers get from being free? Were they not more servile than any slave, having deceived their father, lying before the merchants and before their brother? And he was not like that, but everywhere and in everything he was truthful and remained free; and nothing could enslave him, neither bonds, nor slavery, nor the love of a mistress, nor being in a foreign land - he always remained free. That's what it is supreme freedom that shines even in bondage.

Paul says: "do not become slaves of men", that is, do not obey people when they command something shameful, and even to yourself.

Homilia 19 on 1 Corinthians.

St. Basil the Great

The price of a man is the blood of Christ. For it is said: You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. This is the price they planned to make useless for us the warriors of the evil one, again introducing into slavery once freed.

Homilies on Psalms (Ps. 61).

St. Theophan the Recluse

At the price of purchase, you are; don't be a slave man

Before that, he only said that even if they had the opportunity to receive freedom, they would remain in slavery, and now he says: don't be a slave man. How is it? It is necessary to understand here not external slavery, but spiritual, moral slavery, and precisely only in relation to people. Slavery of the soul, as seen in different types is: there is slavery to the passions, there is slavery to the world and the devil. From this all-round slavery, Christians receive freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ. Bought says you at the cost blood of the Only Begotten Son of God, all are bought, both slaves and free, they must work for the Lord in every way. This is moral. Therefore, and don't be a slave man is also moral. What is this? - Do not please people. This is one side of slavery to the world, human opinions, human customs and desires of people with whom one has to live, hardly noticeable, but doing a lot of evil in moral terms. The apostle says, as it were: that you are slaves, it does not matter in Christ, but keep this in mind, so as not to be slaves of human opinions, customs and desires, contrary to the will of the Lord. You are bought by the Lord; Let His will rule in everything in you, and contrary to this will, in whatever way it manifests itself, do not agree to do anything for the sake of people. This rule fits the other rules of the Apostle: do not create pleasing flesh in lust, do not please yourself, but here: do not please people when the will of the Lord is violated by this.

Theodoret writes: “Not contrary to what has been said decrees the law; but he commands not to have a servile way of thinking, and the one who is called a slave, and the one who is called free. Theophylact: “He speaks not only to slaves, but also to free ones, urging all Christians not to do anything to please people and not to obey them in any way when they are ordered to do something illegal, for this is what it means to be slaves of people.” Saint Chrysostom speaks of this at length: “It is possible not to be a slave in slavery, and not to be free in freedom. When is a slave not a slave? – When he does everything for God, when he serves not hypocritically and not out of human pleasing: this is what it means not to be a slave of people and remain free. And vice versa, when is a free man a slave? - When he serves people in something evil, in gluttony, greed or ambition. Such a man, though free, is worse than any slave. Here is an example of both. Joseph was a slave, but not a slave to people; therefore, in slavery, he was freer than all the free, for he did not submit to his mistress. His mistress, on the contrary, although she was free, turned out to be lower than any slave, and could not persuade him, free, to what he did not want. Truly, he was not a slave, but in the highest degree free. So there are limits to slavery set by God, there are laws to which it can extend, which it must not transgress. When the master does not demand anything contrary to the will of God, then one must obey and submit to him, but one must not prostrate further; so the slave remains free! If you stretch further, you become a slave, although you are free. Joseph was not like that; he was true everywhere and in everything and remained free. Nothing could enslave him, neither bonds, nor slavery, nor the love of his mistress, nor being in a foreign land, but he always remained free. This is the highest freedom, which shines even in slavery.

The First Epistle to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul, Interpreted by St. Theophan.

Bliss. Theophylact of Bulgaria

You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. In what rank is anyone called, brethren, in that everyone and remain before God

This speaks not only to slaves, but also to the free, exhorting all Christians not to do anything to please people and not to obey them if their commands are against the law. This is what it means: bought from God to be slaves of men. It does not convince the slaves to fall away from their masters - no; This is evident from his next words: in what rank who is called etc., that is, if anyone is called and is in a state of bondage, let him remain in him. Before God added in order not to fall away from God through obedience to lawless rulers. He takes care of both, that is, so that, on the one hand, under the pretext of obedience to God, the slaves do not fall away from their masters, and on the other, while rendering their masters super-duty obedience, they do not fall away from God.

Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians of the Holy Apostle Paul.

Bliss. Hieronymus Stridonsky

You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men

What price can be more than the Creator for His creation own blood shed?

Treatise on Psalms (Ps. 102).

Origen

You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men

At the time of His coming, Christ redeemed us while we served the master to whom we sold ourselves through our sins. And thus the Lord restored to Himself His own whom He had created. He redeemed for Himself the people who found themselves in bondage to another master through sin.

Homilies to the Book of Exodus.

Ambrosiast

You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men

Truly so, for we are bought so dearly that we cannot be redeemed by anyone except Christ, to whom everything belongs. Whoever is bought dearly must serve accordingly, in order to repay the price to the buyer. Bought by God, they should not be slaves of men. Slaves of men there are those who submit themselves to human prejudices.

On the Epistles to the Corinthians.

. What did you write to me about?

Having corrected the disorders of divisions, fornication, covetousness, now decrees the rules about marriage and virginity. For the Corinthians in a letter to him asked: should abstain from a wife, or not?

. It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

Well, excellent, he says, if every man, and not only a priest (as some poorly understand this), would not touch his wife at all and remain a virgin. But it is safer and closer to our infirmity to enter into marriage. Therefore he adds the following.

. But, to avoid fornication, each one shall have his wife, and each shall have her own husband.

He talks about both sides. For it may happen that the husband loves chastity, but the wife does not, or vice versa. words "to avoid fornication" encourages restraint. For if marriage is allowed in order to avoid fornication, then those who are united by marriage should no longer copulate among themselves without any moderation, but - chastely.

. Husband show his wife due favor; like a wife to her husband.

Duty, he says, honor love for one another; and since it is a duty, you are necessarily obliged to render it to one another.

. The wife has no power over her body, but the husband; likewise, the husband has no power over his own body, but the wife does.

Now he proves that love for one another is indeed a necessary duty. For, he says, spouses have no power over their bodies, but a wife is a slave and at the same time the mistress of her husband: a slave, since she has no power over her body to sell it to whomever she wants, but her husband owns it; and the lady, because the body of the husband is her body, and he has no power to give it to harlots. Similarly, the husband is the slave and at the same time the master of his wife.

. Do not deviate from each other, except by agreement, for a while.

That is, the wife should not abstain against the will of the husband, nor should the husband abstain against the desire of the wife. For to restrain one against the will of another is to deprive oneself, just as it is said of money; but to abstain at will is a completely different matter, when, for example, both (husband and wife) by agreement determine a certain time for mutual abstinence.

. For practice in fasting and prayer.

Explains what his expression means: "for the time being", that is, when the time comes to be in prayer, that is, to pray especially fervently. For he did not simply say: for prayer, but: "to exercise in prayer". Indeed, if the apostle had found in conjugal cohabitation an obstacle to ordinary everyday prayer, then he would have said in another place: "pray without ceasing"()? Therefore, in order that yours might be more ardent, refrain, he says, from each other, because copulation, although it does not defile, but hinders the pious occupation.

A Then be together again, lest Satan tempt you with your intemperance.

I, says the apostle, say that you should be united again; but I do not consider this a law, but I prescribe for this, "lest Satan tempt you" that is, inciting to fornication. Since it is not the devil in himself who is the culprit of fornication, but mainly our intemperance, the apostle added: "your intemperance" for in it lies the reason why the devil tempts us.

. However, I said this as a permission, and not as a command.

That you should deprive yourselves of each other before the time, I said this, says the apostle, "as permission"(κατά συγγνώμην), that is, out of condescension to your weakness, "not as a command" immutable.

. Because I want all people to be like me.

Wherever only the apostle prescribes some difficult feat, he usually sets himself as an example. This is why he says here: I desire that everyone should always abstain.

. But everyone has his own gift from God, one in this way, the other in another way.

Being virgin, he says, is a gift from God; however, this feat requires our strength. How does he call it a gift? To the consolation of the Corinthians, to whom he "your intemperance"(v. 5), dealt a sensitive blow. Meanwhile, note that he considers marriage itself a gift; for he said: "everyone has his own gift from God, one is like that", that is, the gift to remain in virginity, "another otherwise", that is, the gift to live in marriage.

. To the unmarried and to the widows I say: it is good for them to remain like me. But if not may abstain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to be inflamed.

Do you see the wisdom of Paul, how he also shows the superiority of virginity, and at the same time does not force him who is unable to restrain himself to abstain from marriage, lest he otherwise suffer a more severe fall? If, he says, you experience great violence and inflammation (for the power of lust is strong), then free yourself from those labors and sweats, so that, having taken up them, you will not fall into the worst evil.

. And I do not command those who have entered into marriage, but the Lord.

Since the Lord in clear words gave the law not to divorce, except for the reason of adultery (), the apostle says: "not I, but the Lord". Before, what was said was not literally legitimized by the Lord. However, the words of Pavlov are the words of the Lord, and not human, for below he says this about himself: “I think I also have the Spirit of God” ().

. A wife must not divorce her husband; if she divorces, she must remain celibate, or be reconciled to her husband, and the husband must not leave his wife. his.

Divorces, he says, are for the love of abstinence, or cowardice, or for other reasons; but it would be better if there were no separation at all. If it does follow, then the wife must remain with her husband, if not for intercourse, then in order not to bring anyone else. If she cannot restrain herself, then let her be reconciled to her husband.

. To the rest, I say, and not the Lord: if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she agrees to live with him, then he should not leave her; and a wife who has an unbelieving husband, and he agrees to live with her, must not leave him.

What are you saying? If the husband is an unbeliever, then let him stay with his wife; and if he is a fornicator, then he must not stay with her? But is unbelief worse than fornication? Definitely worse; but God exacts more for sins against neighbors than against himself. For it is said: “leave your gift there before the altar and go first, be reconciled to your brother”(). And ten thousand talents, due to Him, He forgave: but for the one who owed a hundred denarii, He did not leave offense without vengeance (). So it is in the present case: unbelief, which offends God Himself, He ignores, but the sin of adultery punishes like a sin against a wife. Some, however, explain it this way: a person, they say, remains in disbelief due to ignorance, which, perhaps, will end, as the apostle himself () says: “Why do you know, wife, will you save your husband?”- and fornication is committed due to obvious corruption. Moreover, the fornicator had already separated himself from himself, for, having taken his members from his wife, he made them members of the harlot; meanwhile, just as the unbeliever did not commit any sin against carnal union, or rather, through this union, he, perhaps, will be united by faith. Not to mention that the order of life will be perverted, and the Gospel will be reviled if the faithful half is separated from the unfaithful. Meanwhile, the considered commandment of the apostle refers only to the case if the husband and wife were united in marriage, when both were still in unbelief, but after that one or the other side turned to the faith. For if before only one husband was an unbeliever, or only one wife, then the believing half was not at all allowed to marry an unbeliever: this is evident from the words of the apostle, for he did not say: if anyone wishes to take an unbeliever, but: "if what brother has". Again, he does not simply order the believing half to live with the unbelieving, but only if the latter so desires; for it means: "I agree," that is, if he wills.

. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband.

That is, the abundance of the purity of the believing half overcomes the impurity of the unbelieving. This means the words of the apostle, and not that the pagan becomes a saint. For the Apostle did not say: He is holy, but: "He is sanctified," that is, he is overcome by the holiness of his faithful half. And he says this so that the believing wife does not fear becoming unclean if she has cohabitation with such a husband. But one asks: he who copulates with a harlot, becoming one body with her, becomes unclean (cf.); obviously, and he who copulates with a Gentile becomes one body with her. If the former is impure, how is it that the latter is not made impure? As far as fornication is concerned, this is exactly what happens in it. When fornicators have fellowship with each other, their mixture is impure, and therefore both of them are unclean. But otherwise this is the case with the cohabitation of the believing half with the unbelieving. An unbelieving husband is unclean because of his unbelief. But the wife has fellowship with him not in unbelief, but in the lodge. There is no impurity in this fellowship. For it is a legal marriage. Therefore, the believing half does not become unclean.

. Otherwise your children would be unclean.

If the unfaithful half were not overcome by the purity of the faithful, then their children would be unclean, or only half clean.

And now saints.

That is, they are not unclean. By the superfluous expression "holy," the apostle casts out the fear of such a suspicion.

. If the unbeliever wants get divorced, get divorced.

For example, if he commands you to either take part in his disbelief or give up marriage rights, then divorce. For it is better to loosen the bonds of marriage than to break piety.

. brother or sister in cases not connected; The Lord has called us to peace.

If your husband quarrels with you because you do not take part in his unbelief, then divorce him. For you are not enslaved to him in such a case, that is, you are not forced to follow him in such matters. It is better to separate from him than to quarrel; because God does not want it either: "The Lord has called us to peace". So, if a husband quarrels with you, then by this he himself filed a reason for divorce.

. How do you know, wife, if you can save your husband?

Returning again to the admonition that "must not leave" husband's wife proposes real question. For if, he says, he does not quarrel with you, then stay with him and exhort him: maybe you will do something. - to completely convince her husband, and on the other - in order to support in her the hope of her husband's conversion and prevent despair.

. Or you, husband, why do you know if you can save your wife? Only (εί μ ) each do as God has determined for him, and each as the Lord has called.

Some read it like this: “or you, husband, why do you know whether you will save your wife or not”(ήμ)? Then they started another sentence like this: "everyone shall do as God has decreed for him", that is, how do you know whether you will save her or not? This is completely unknown. But if you do not know, then you should not dissolve the marriage, because if you do not save her, you will not harm yourself, and if you save, then you will benefit yourself and others. But Saint John did not read like this, but like this: “everyone shall do as God has determined for him, and each as the Lord has called”. And this reading is incomparably better. The apostle, as it were, said this: there should not be a divorce under the pretext of unbelief, but each one should act as God was pleased with him. You were called, having a wife from the unbelievers. Keep her to yourself, and do not cast her out for unbelief.

. So I command all the churches.

He said this so that the Corinthians would listen to him the more willingly, when he commands others along with them to do the same.

. If one is called circumcised, do not hide (μη έπισπάσθω ).

Probably, many, ashamed of circumcision, brought the circumcised member into primeval view, building up a skin on it.

. If anyone is called uncircumcised, do not be circumcised.

On the other hand, some, finding something important in circumcision, were circumcised upon conversion to faith. Therefore he says that this does not in the least contribute to faith.

. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but All in keeping the commandments of God.

Everywhere, he says, along with faith, the fulfillment of virtue is required, and everything else is either little or not required at all.

. Everyone stay in the rank in which you are called. Whether you are called a slave, do not be embarrassed; but if you can become free, then use the best.

"In the rank in which he was called", that is, in what kind of life, and in what rank and state you believed, remain in that; for by calling he means bringing to faith. Did you accept the faith as a slave? do not worry and do not be embarrassed; for slavery does not harm you at all, so that if you could become free, "then use the best" sacrifice yourself for the benefit of others.

. For the servant called in the Lord is the Lord's free man; likewise, he who is called free is the servant of Christ.

The one who is freed from slavery is called free. So he says: you who believed in a state of bondage, you are free of the Lord; for Christ has freed you both from sin and from that outward bondage, though you are a slave. He who does not submit to passions, having a noble soul, is not a slave, although he seems to be such. On the other hand, another free person is called to faith; such a servant of Christ. So, if the name of slavery revolts the slave, then let him understand that he has become free in Christ, and this freedom is much more important than human. Again, if the name of freedom puffs up the free, then let him understand that he is a servant of Christ and humble himself, imagining that he is subject to such a Master and must please Him. Do you see the wisdom with which the apostle instructs the slaves and the free.

. you are bought way at a price; do not become slaves of men. In which rank whoever is called, brethren, in him, each one, remain before God.

This speaks not only to slaves, but also to the free, exhorting all Christians not to do anything to please people and not to obey them if their commands are against the law. This is what it means: bought from God to be slaves of men. It does not convince the slaves to fall away from their masters - no; This is evident from his next words: "in what rank is one called" etc., that is, if anyone is called and is in a state of bondage, let him remain in him. He added “Before God” in order not to fall away from God through obedience to lawless rulers. He takes care of both, that is, so that, on the one hand, under the pretext of obedience to God, the slaves do not fall away from their masters, and on the other, while rendering their masters super-duty obedience, they do not fall away from God.

. Regarding virginity, I have no command of the Lord, but I give advice, as one who has received mercy from the Lord to be To him true.

Above, he occupied us with a conversation about chastity, and now he turns to a more important subject, namely virginity, and says that the Lord did not lay down a law and did not give a command regarding virginity, but only said: “whoever can accommodate, let him accommodate” (). Therefore, I do not dare to prescribe anything regarding this subject; this business is important, but at the same time dangerous; however, I give my opinion, that is, advice, since I myself, by the grace of God, have been honored to be faithful, that is, close to Him and one to whom secrets can be entrusted.

. In real need, I acknowledge for the best that it is good for a person to remain like this.

In my opinion, he says, it is best for a person to abstain from marriage because of the inconvenience and trouble associated with it, and not because the marriage is unclean.

. Are you connected to your wife? don't seek divorce. Did he leave without a wife? don't look for a wife. However, if you marry, you will not sin.

words "Are you united with your wife?" showed that marriage, like bonds, brings trouble with it. "Divorce" does not call abstinence by consent, but divorce without sufficient reason; for if the spouses abstain by consent, it is not a divorce. Having said “do not look for a wife”, lest they think that celibacy commands, he adds: "However, even if you marry, you will not sin". See, meanwhile, how inconspicuously it encourages virginity, calling marriage bonds, and virginity permission and freedom.

. And if a girl marries, she will not sin.

By a virgin here he does not mean the one who is consecrated to God (for if this one marries, then, no doubt, she will sin, because through this, in addition to her Bridegroom - Christ, she will bring an adulterer to her), but also a celibate girl. Therefore, if such a woman marries, she will not sin; because marriage contains nothing impure.

. But such will have afflictions according to the flesh; and I feel sorry for you.

Sorrows refers to the worries and sorrows associated with marriage. “But I,” he continues, “I feel sorry for you,” like children, and I wish you to be free and carefree. Marriage is a bond; and those who are under his yoke have no power over themselves, as said above.

. I tell you, brethren, the time is short.

To his words "they will have affliction according to the flesh" someone did not add: “but pleasure is also at the same time,” cuts off any hope of pleasure, exposing the crampedness of time. For everything is in a hurry to destruction, and the Kingdom of Christ has drawn near, and at last we must come to Christ. So, if there is any pleasure in married life, then it is fragile and short-lived.

. So those who have wives must be as those who do not; and weeping as if not weeping; and those who rejoice, as those who do not rejoice; and those who buy, as not acquiring; and those who use this world as those who do not use it.

If even those who have wives should be as if they had not, then what is the use of marrying and bearing a burden? What does it mean: “as those who do not have”? This means: not clinging to marriage and wife and not exhausting all cares for them. In the same way, no one should be too concerned about anything else: neither sad circumstances, which he hinted at with the word "weeping", nor joyful ones, which he meant with the word "rejoice", nor contracts, which he expressed with the word "buy". And why, he says, list this and that? It’s just that those who use this world should not abuse it, that is, cling to it with all diligence and passion; for use that is superfluous and goes beyond what is proper is abuse.

. For the image of this world is passing away.

That is, it passes and collapses. Why get attached to something that is being destroyed? The name of the image showed that the things of the real world only flicker before the eyes, are extremely light and do not have anything solid and substantial in themselves.

. And I want you to be without worries.

And how could we be without worries? If only they were celibate. So he adds the following.

. The unmarried cares about the Lord's things, how to please the Lord; but a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife.

How is it, Paul, wishing us to be carefree and for this reason inspiring us to be celibate, you again say: "the unmarried cares for the Lord"? For behold, here also are worries. But not such, he says, which are connected with marriage: the cares of the Lord are saving and sweet, but the cares of the world are harmful and painful. Indeed, is it not a burden and sorrow to try to please a wife, and especially one who loves jewelry and demands gold and pearls and other empty things? This disposes miserable husbands to injustice and soulful disposition of things.

. There is a difference between a married woman and a virgin.

That is, they differ from each other, and do not have the same care, but are divided in their cares: one cares for such subjects, and the other for others. Since their concerns are different, they should choose those that are better and easier.

. An unmarried woman cares about the Lord, how to please the Lord, in order to be holy both in body and spirit; but the married woman takes care of the things of the world, how to please her husband.

It is not enough to be holy in body, but it must also be so in spirit, for in this, that is, in purity of soul, true virginity consists. In experience, many, being pure and blameless in body, are filthy in soul. Above all, pay attention to the fact that she is not a virgin who cares about the world. Therefore, when you see a woman who pretends to be a virgin, and meanwhile cares about the things of the world, then know that she is not at all different from a married woman. For both, Paul laid down certain signs by which one can recognize them - not marriage and abstinence, but, on the one hand, a great and restless activity, and on the other, a calm occupation of one's own affairs. Therefore, she is not a virgin who burdens herself with many vain activities. But a married woman continues to take care of how to please her husband, and therefore she takes special care of her beauty, or, in order to be revered as a good housewife, she shows herself to be wasteful and thrifty.

. I say this for your own benefit, not to put bonds on you.

I talked, he says, about virginity, knowing that this state is useful for you, since it is free from sorrow and worries, and delivers to the soul more benefits; I did not talk about this in order to force you to remain virgin against your will (for "bonds" he called compulsion).

. But so that you gracefully and unceasingly served God without entertainment.

In order, he says, that you live decently and in purity; for what can be more benevolent and purer than virginity? And in order that you, being free from the troubles of marriage, without entertainment, serve the Lord and always stand before Him, placing all your worries on Him ().

. If anyone considers it indecent for his maiden that she, being in adulthood, should remain so, let him do as he wants: he will not sin.

If anyone, he says, being really weak at heart, considers it dishonorable to leave his daughter a virgin, especially if she has crossed mature age, then let, he says, and so it will be. How? "Let him do what he wants", that is, if he wants to give her in marriage, let him give, for he will not sin. However, it is better to keep the virgin, as he says further.

. Let such are getting married. But he who is unshakably firm in his heart and, not being constrained by need, but being powerful in his will, has decided in his heart to keep his virgin, he does well. Therefore, he who marries his maiden does well; but the one who does not give out does better.

Notice how at first he is surprised at the one who observes his maiden: he calls him firm and steadfast and does his job with reason; for it says: "unshakably firm in heart". So, who gives his maiden in marriage, he is not firm. words "not being constrained by want" shows that the father has the power to give his husband's daughter, and no one can force him not to give her in marriage. So, honor to him if he leaves his daughter unmarried; therefore the apostle praises him: for "well," he says, "he does." But the one who gives his daughter in marriage also "doing well"; for it is not a sin to give in marriage; and everything that is not, good. But it is much better not to marry; for it is perfection in good.

. A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wants, only in the Lord. But she is happier if she remains so, according to my advice; but I think I also have the Spirit of God.

Here he teaches about the second marriage, and although he allows it, however, he honors the most blessed one who does not enter into a second marriage; for as virginity is superior to the first marriage, so the first marriage is superior to the second. "The wife is bound by law", that is, by the warning of the law, she is kept from adultery, from being an adulteress through union with another during the life of her husband, but if her husband dies, she becomes free from the bonds and law of the first marriage and receives permission. "Only in the Lord", that is, only with chastity, with honesty, can she enter into a second marriage, for the production and upbringing of children, and not for the inclination of lust. "On My Advice" he adds that you should not consider this a necessity, but only advice, divine advice. "I think," he says, and I have the Spirit of God". There is more humility in these words; for he did not say: I have, but: I think that I have, that is, I believe, I guess.

The Holy Church reads the First Epistle to the Corinthians. Chapter 6, Art. 20-7, Art. 12.

6:20. For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your souls who are God's.

7:1. And about what you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

7:2. But, in order to avoid fornication, each one should have his own wife, and each one should have her own husband.

7:3. Husband show his wife due favor; like a wife to her husband.

7:4. The wife has no power over her body, but the husband; likewise, the husband has no power over his own body, but the wife does.

7:5. Do not deviate from each other, except by agreement, for a time, for the exercise in fasting and prayer, and then be together again, so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance.

7:6. However, I said this as a permission, and not as a command.

7:7. For I wish that all people were like me; but each has his own gift from God, one this way, the other another.

7:8. To the unmarried and to the widows I say: it is good for them to remain like me.

7:9. But if they cannot abstain, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to be inflamed.

7:10. And to those who are married, I do not command, but the Lord: a wife should not divorce her husband, -

7:11. but if she is divorced, she must remain celibate, or be reconciled to her husband, and the husband must not leave his wife.

7:12. To the rest, I say, and not the Lord: if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she agrees to live with him, then he should not leave her.

(1 Corinthians 6:20-7:12)

Dear brothers and sisters, we continue to read together the First Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. Last time we read to the 11th verse of the 6th chapter, and today we started from the very last verse of this chapter, skipping the middle. However, this passage does not fall into "non-existence", we read it, if you remember, in one of the preparatory weeks for Great Lent. This is one of the most interesting passages in the entire epistle. And you and I, starting from the 20th verse, go to the 7th chapter.

For you were bought with a price. Word way written in italics. Let me remind you that usually the words written in italics (where this point is taken into account) are not in the original Greek text. That is, literally it should read "For you were bought with a price." Paul tells the Corinthians: “God Himself paid the price for you, that is, you should not be ministers of sin, fornication (if you read a little higher in the text), because you were redeemed by God for salvation.”

Therefore glorify God both in your bodies and in your souls, which are God's. We see an interesting point here: there is no italics in this sentence, however, if you look closely at the original Greek text, you can see the differences. I once said that a book called "The Greek Text of the New Testament with Interlinear Translation" is very convenient for this. An excellent edition, very convenient: the Greek text follows, then each word is translated line by line, and the synodal text comes to the side so that it is clear how it is translated in our traditional text. We can see that there is no phrase in the original text and in your souls and is "Therefore glorify God in your bodies, which are God's." That is, later the translators added and in your souls.

Why did this happen? We have repeatedly said that the biblical understanding of anthropology (that is, the teachings about man) and ancient, as well as what was then repelled from the ancient (all European culture and in many ways ours) perceive a person differently, in particular the concepts of body and soul . In antiquity, let me remind you, body and soul are two almost opposing principles. The soul is what is inside a person, and it languishes in the body, like a dungeon (there was a famous ancient saying Soma - sima, that is, “The body is a coffin”), so the soul needs to get rid of the body and fly into clean world ideas, as the philosopher Plato believed. In biblical culture, things are very different. The body does not oppose the soul, life according to the commandments of God; it is not the source of sin in any way. The body is the man in his wholeness, in his objectivity, while the soul is the man in his subjectivity, the man from within. The body is a person when viewed from the side, he is a body, something whole. That's why we are talking not about the fact that a person needs to be divided into body and soul, and the body must die, and the soul must soar. The fact is that the body, integrity - this is exactly what a person is called to. Therefore, when the Apostle Paul and biblical culture in general tell us that we are called to wholeness, that is, to corporeality in the end, then we are talking about the fact that we are called with our whole body, with our whole “whole” to glorify God. That is why you do not need to give your body to fornication or some other passions, because the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which was discussed in the 6th chapter. From the point of view of the Apostle Paul, it was not necessary to say “in bodies and in souls”, because the body is already a person in its entirety, but pious translators added the phrase and in your souls.

Further, in the 7th chapter, the Apostle Paul begins a conversation about the relationship between a man and a woman and how it is still better: to marry or not to marry, whether it is possible to divorce. All these questions interested people then and are interested now.

And about what you wrote to me, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. New translations and many modern commentators say that the phrase it's good for a man not to touch a woman- not the words of the Apostle Paul, but a quote from a letter that he received from the Corinthians. From this point of view, we should read the 1st verse like this: And what did you write to me about: “It is good for a man not to touch a woman.” That is, Paul quotes the Corinthians themselves, and then answers them to this thesis. Many Corinthians really believed that one should lead an extremely ascetic lifestyle. There were two opposing opinions: either you need to completely wear out the body, “death” it and thus free the soul, or, as the so-called libertinists believed, you can do anything, commit any sins, anyway, the body does not matter. The first "party", which said that it was good not to touch women in principle, considered this a kind of law, a canon. However, the apostle Paul says: But, in order to avoid fornication, each one should have his own wife, and each one should have her own husband. In no case should this human need be neglected. The spouses entered into marriage as husband and wife in the full sense of the word, therefore, in no case should you try (especially if the second spouse does not agree) to impose on the second half the so-called spiritual marriage, because then the second half, which is not ready for this, will go look for consolation on the side and there will be fornication. So it says here:

2. But, in order to avoid fornication, each one should have his own wife, and each one should have her own husband.

3. Husband show his wife due favor; like a wife to her husband.

4. The wife has no power over her body, but the husband; likewise, the husband has no power over his own body, but the wife does.

5. Do not deviate from each other, except by agreement, for a time, for the exercise in fasting and prayer, and then be together again, so that Satan does not tempt you with your intemperance.

Paul says that if we deviate from each other, then it should be only by mutual agreement, only for a while and only for the exercise in prayer, and then we need to be together again. Only in this case, according to Paul, can one have abstinence from marital relations.

I remind you of the need for you and me to read the word of God every day, because it contains great joy, consolation and instruction. God bless you all!

Priest Mikhail Romadov

We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. He lives in us! You must glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which belong to God. We are a redeemed people. We are acquired people. We special people, royal priesthood. We were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20) - the blood of Jesus. We belong to God. He paid for us with His Calvary sacrifice. We do not belong to ourselves. We belong to God. What a wonderful privilege it is to belong to God and be His sons and daughters.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people taken as an inheritance, to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

Acts 2:17-18 says that these last days God will pour out His Spirit on His servants and maidservants. In the original Greek, this is the same word, without masculine and female. He will pour out His Spirit on those who put aside their will to follow His will.

Jesus, although the Son, was the servant of the Father. He only did what the Father told Him to do. He didn't even speak for Himself.

You and I are born again children of God. We choose to serve. God will not force. We serve Him according to our will.

Jesus laid down His life to serve the Father. He tells us to lay down our lives to serve Him, to become those who put aside their will for the will of another, like a slave or servant. It is upon such that God will pour out His Spirit. They will prophesy and signs and wonders will happen.

We have a great future, both individually and for the Church as a whole, if we follow God and do in our lives what He says to do, and not follow our natural desires. We will see that the more we do from what He says, the better our lives will become.

If you don't follow God, you will never be free. What is important is not what we want to do. What matters is what God wants us to do. We may plan to do many good things in our lives, but in God's eyes it means nothing. Until we begin to walk in the Spirit and follow the Spirit of God, we will never know His perfect will for our lives.

I'm ready to go ahead!

The word from God that I mentioned earlier prompted me to leave the small and unimportant things in my life in order to follow the things of God. It prompted me to turn my attention to the Word of God. Another part of that word spoke of a spiritual army. The Holy Spirit admonished that if we want to become part of this army, then we must decide in our hearts not to be lazy, not to back away, not to retreat, not to sit still, but to rise, step forward and be on fire!

I wanted to be part of the move of God. I wanted to be in the army of the Lord. I made adjustments in my life and began to step forward. I chose to go through the race set for me by God and win!

Chapter 9

From glory to glory

"You are not your own... For you were bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

With great zeal the apostle pursues sin in order to deliver it from him.

He is not delicate when he speaks of shameful sin, but speaks of it bluntly: "... so that you abstain from fornication." The shame is not in the use of words, but in the sin that caused these words.

He casts out vile evil with evangelical arguments (v. 18).

He shows it in the light of the Spirit of God. "Don't you know that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you?" (Art. 19).

He kills him on the cross. "You were bought with a price."

Let us consider the last argument in order to mortify our own sin in it.

I. Blessed act. "You were bought with a price"

"You are bought." This is the essence of the Redemption, which modern heretics dare to call the expression of mercantile thought. Mercantile redemption is biblical; the words "bought with a price" are a double expression of precisely that concept.

1. Atonement either took place or it didn't. You are bought or you are not bought. A terrible alternative.

2. You are bought - if this is a fact, then the most important fact of your life. Miracle of miracles.

3. It will forever remain for you the greatest fact. If it is true, then it will not cease to be so, and no other event will be surpassed in importance.

4. Therefore, the act of redemption is called to work mightily in us, both now and at all times.

II. obvious consequence. "You are not yours."

IN negative sense. It is clear that if you are bought, you do not belong to yourself.

1. This is a great advantage.

You do not provide for yourself: the sheep are fed by their shepherd. You do not direct yourself: the ships are controlled by the navigator.

2. But there is also a great responsibility in this.

We are not our own to allow ourselves to be harmed. Neither body nor soul.

Not their own, to waste themselves in laziness, entertainment or speculative behavior.

Not their own, to allow their own whims, prejudices, vicious inclinations, wayward whims, bad passions to be followed.