In the tradition of the Jewish people there was no royal power. They led a nomadic lifestyle and from time immemorial were ruled by patriarchs, elders, judges... Since the time of Moses, a theocratic system of government was built in Judea: people - elders - judges - high priest (sometimes a prophet next to him) - God. And it justified itself in those conditions. However, the transition to a settled life, the experience of communicating with neighboring peoples (Canaanites, Philistines...), greed and the inability of the ruling elite to protect the people from the external expansion of the same neighbors led to the fact that the people demanded a king for themselves, turning to the the highest authority of that time, the prophet Samuel.
Samuel, realizing that the new type of government threatened the future power of his sons, resisted this decision, but in the end he still made a choice in favor of the young man Saul, the son of Kish from a noble family with a good name from the small tribe of Benjamin. At first, Samuel secretly anointed him to the kingdom, and then after some time the lot fell on the anointed one in front of the people. This is how Josephus Flavius recounts the story of the election of Saul.
Saul ruled for about 20 years and for the first time of his reign he acted according to the will of God, showing himself to be a worthy ruler. With many victories over his enemies, he gained the love of the people. At first, he refused honors and in times of peace he plowed his own field (1 Sam. 11:4). Over time, Saul stopped fulfilling the commands of God, becoming arrogant, and the Spirit of God left him. Realizing this, he fell into depression, and nothing made him happy. David, who was close to the king, was secretly anointed to the throne by Samuel, who dispelled the king’s melancholy by skillfully playing the harp.
Three of Saul's sons were killed at the Battle of Gilboa. Surrounded by enemy archers and wounded by their arrows, Saul threw himself on his sword (1 Samuel 31:4).
David plays the harp in front of Saul.
Alexander Andreevich Ivanov. 1831 Paper pasted onto paper and cardboard, oil. 8.5 x 13.5.
Based on a biblical story. Sketch of an unrealized painting.
Received in 1926 from the Rumyantsev Museum (gift of S. A. Ivanov in 1877). Inventory No. 7990.
State Tretyakov Gallery
http://www.tez-rus.net/ViewGood18360.html
The sorceress of Endor summons the shadow of the prophet Samuel.
Dmitry Nikiforovich Martynov (1826-1889). 1857
Ulyanovsk Art Museum
The story of the Witch of Endor is contained in the First Book of Kings (chapter 28). It tells how, after the death of the prophet Samuel, the Philistine armies gathered to fight Israel. King Saul of Israel tried to ask God about the outcome of the battle, “but the Lord did not answer him, either in a dream, or by the Urim, or by the prophets” (1 Sam. 28:6). Then he ordered the servants: “Find me a sorceress woman, and I will go to her and ask her.” The servants found a sorceress in Endor and Saul, changing his royal clothes to simple ones, took two people with him and went to her at night.
“And [Saul] said to her, I pray you, tell me a spell and bring out to me whom I will tell you about. But the woman answered him: you know what Saul did, how he drove the wizards and fortune-tellers out of the country; Why are you laying a net for my soul to destroy me? And Saul swore to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord lives! There will be no trouble for you for this matter. Then the woman asked: whom should I bring out for you? And he answered: Bring out Samuel to me. And the woman saw Samuel and cried out loudly; and the woman turned to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? you are Saul. And the king said to her: Do not be afraid; what do you see? And the woman answered: I see, as it were, a god emerging from the earth. What kind does he look like? - [Saul] asked her. She said: an elderly man comes out of the ground, dressed in long clothes. Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he fell face down to the ground and worshiped. (1 Samuel 28:8-14)“
Saul asked Samuel what he should do in the war with the Philistines, to which he received the answer: “Why do you ask me, when the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy?” The Lord will do what he spoke through me; The Lord will take the kingdom out of your hands and give it to your neighbor David.” (1 Samuel 28:16-17). Samuel further predicted that “tomorrow you and your sons [will be] with me.” Saul was afraid and fell to the ground. The sorceress approached him, offered him bread, after persuasion the king agreed and the woman slaughtered a calf for him and baked unleavened bread. After eating, Saul left.
The next day, in the battle, Saul's sons Jonathan, Aminadab and Malchisua were killed, and the king himself committed suicide (1 Sam. 31:15). The first book of Chronicles reports that “Saul died because of his iniquity, which he committed before the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord and turned to the sorceress with a question” (1 Chronicles 10:13).
The Sorceress of Endor summons the shadow of Samuel (Saul from the Sorceress of Endor).
Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge. 1856 Oil on canvas. 288x341.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
King David
David is the second king of Israel, the youngest son of Jesse. Reigned for 40 years (c. 1005 - 965 BC, according to traditional Jewish chronology c. 876 - 836 BC: seven years and six months he was king of Judah (with his capital in Hebron), then 33 years - king of the united kingdom of Israel and Judah (with its capital in Jerusalem). The image of David is the image of an ideal ruler, from whose family (through the male line), according to Jewish biblical prophecies, the Messiah will come, which has already come true, according to the Christian New Testament, which describes in detail the origin of the Messiah. - Jesus Christ from King David. The historicity of King David is a subject of debate among historians and archaeologists.
Tree of Jesse.
Marc Chagall. 1975 Oil on canvas. 130×81 cm.
Private collection
David and Goliath.
I. E. Repin. 1915 Paper on cardboard, watercolor, bronze powder. 22x35.
Tver Regional Art Gallery
Called to King Saul, David played the kinnor to drive away the evil spirit that was tormenting the king for his apostasy from God. After David, who came to the Israeli army to visit his brothers, accepted the challenge of the Philistine giant Goliath and killed him with a sling, thereby ensuring victory for the Israelites, Saul finally took him to court (1 Samuel 16:14 - 18:2).
Bathsheba.
Karl Pavlovich Bryullov. 1832 Unfinished painting. Oil on canvas. 173x125.5.
Received in 1925 from the Rumyantsev Museum (collection of K. T. Soldatenkov). Inventory No. 5052.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
http://www.tanais.info/art/brulloff6more.html
Bathsheba.
K.P. Bryullov. 1830s (?). Oil on canvas. 87.5 x 61.5.
Variant of the painting of the same name 1832 from the Tretyakov Gallery collection
Second Book of Samuel, 11, 2-4
On the left, on the tap, signature: K. P. Brullo.
Received in 1907 from A. A. Kozlova (St. Petersburg). Inv. No. Ж-5083.
http://www.tez-rus.net/ViewGood36729.html
Around 1832, Karl Bryullov created a painting that was a kind of result of his many years of creative quest in mythological and genre painting. Having conceived the painting “Bathsheba,” he selflessly begins to work on it for four years. The author was overwhelmed with the desire to depict a naked human body in the rays of the setting sun. The subtle play of light and shadow that permeates the picture, and the airiness of the environment surrounding the figure, did not prevent the author from giving the silhouette clarity and sculptural volume. In the painting “Bathsheba,” Bryullov skillfully depicts sensual eroticism, openly, like a man, admiring every fold on a slender body and every strand of fluffy thick hair. In order to enhance the impression, the master used a spectacular color contrast. We see how the whiteness of Bathsheba’s matte skin is set off by the dark dark skin of the Ethiopian maid, tenderly clinging to her mistress.
The film is based on a plot from the Old Testament. In the Bible, “Bathsheba” is described as a woman of rare beauty. Walking on the roof of his palace, King David saw below a girl who was naked and was ready to enter the waters of the marble bath. Struck by the unique beauty of Bathsheba, King David experienced passion. Bathsheba's husband was away from home at this time, serving in the army of King David. Without trying to seduce the king, Bathsheba nevertheless appeared on his orders at the palace and after their relationship, Bathsheba became pregnant. King David gave the army commander an order in which he ordered her husband to be sent to the hottest place where he would be killed. In the end, this happened, after which King David married Bathsheba. Once born, their first child lived only a few days. David grieved for a long time and repented of what he had done. Despite her high position and status as David's most beloved wife, Bathsheba behaved very modestly and with dignity. Meanwhile, the Bible says that she had great influence on the king, this is proven by the fact that she convinced the ruler to appoint his eldest son Solomon as king. After a fierce struggle began between his sons for the throne of King David, she in every possible way contributed to the exposure of David’s fourth son Adonijah, who sought to remove his father from the throne. Bathsheba had two sons, Solomon and Nathan. All her life she loved and was devoted to King David, becoming a wonderful wife and a good mother. art-on-web.ru
David and Bathsheba.
Marc Chagall. Paris, 1960. Lithograph, paper. 35.8×26.5
Song of Songs
Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall Museum, Nice
King David.
Marc Chagall. 1962–63 Oil on canvas. 179.8x98.
Private collection
King David.
V.L. Borovikovsky. 1785 Oil on canvas. 63.5 x 49.5.
Below left is the date and signature: 1785, written by Vladimir Borovikovsky.
Received: 1951 from the collection of R.S. Belenkaya. Inv. No. Ж-5864
State Russian Museum
http://www.tez-rus.net:8888/ViewGood34367.html
King Solomon
Solomon is the third Jewish king, the legendary ruler of the united Kingdom of Israel in 965-928 BC. e., during its peak period. Son of King David and Bathsheba (Bat Sheva), his co-ruler in 967-965 BC. e. During the reign of Solomon, the Temple of Jerusalem was built in Jerusalem - the main shrine of Judaism, later destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Traditionally considered the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes, the book Song of Solomon, the Book of Proverbs of Solomon, as well as some psalms. During Solomon's lifetime, uprisings of the conquered peoples (Edomites, Arameans) began; immediately after his death, an uprising broke out, as a result of which the single state split into two kingdoms (Israel and Judah). For later periods of Jewish history, the reign of Solomon represented a kind of “golden age.” All the blessings of the world were attributed to the “sun-like” king - wealth, women, remarkable intelligence.
The Court of King Solomon.
N.N. Ge. 1854 Oil on canvas. 147 x 185.
Kyiv State Museum of Russian Art
The student program work “The Judgment of King Solomon” was carried out according to all academic canons, in a somewhat constrained and restrained manner.
Then two harlot women came to the king and stood before him. And one woman said: Oh, my lord! This woman and I live in the same house; and I gave birth in her presence in this house; On the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth; and we were together, and there was no one else in the house with us; only the two of us were in the house; and the woman's son died in the night, because she slept with him; and she arose at night and took my son from me while I, your handmaid, was sleeping, and laid him to her breast, and she laid her dead son to my breast; In the morning I got up to feed my son, and behold, he was dead; and when I looked at him in the morning, it was not my son whom I gave birth to. And the other woman said: No, my son is alive, but your son is dead. And she told her: no, your son is dead, but mine is alive. And they spoke thus before the king.
And the king said: This one says: my son is alive, but your son is dead; and she says: no, your son is dead, but my son is alive. And the king said: Give me a sword. And they brought the sword to the king. And the king said, Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other. And that woman, whose son was alive, answered the king, for her whole inside was agitated with pity for her son: Oh, my lord! give her this child alive and do not kill him. And the other said: let it not be for me or for you, chop it down. And the king answered and said: Give her the living child, and do not kill him: she is his mother. 1 Kings 3:16-27
Ecclesiastes or Vanity of Vanities (Vanity of Vanities and all kinds of vanity).
Isaac Lvovich Asknaziy. 1899 or 1900
Research Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg
The artist's largest, most serious and last work was painted in 1900 - the painting "Ecclesiastes" or "Vanity of Vanities." It was even exhibited at the Paris Exhibition in 1900.
The painting depicts King Solomon of Jerusalem sitting on the throne, his thoughts are gloomy, his lips whisper: “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” The artist depicts the king as lonely, long abandoned by his children. Only two faithful servants - a bodyguard and a secretary - remained with him. The servants watch the movements of his lips with close attention, and the secretary writes down the sayings of the wise king on the board.
A precise composition, beautiful drawing, knowledge of the style of the era depicted - everything indicates that the picture was made by the hand of a master. The oriental luxury of the decoration of the interior of the palace and the clothes of King Solomon sitting on the throne only emphasize the main idea of the work: external splendor is all vanity. The work, to which Asknazi dedicated six years of his life, was included in the exhibition of the Russian department at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900. The author dreamed that the painting would be acquired by the Academy of Arts for the Russian Museum of Emperor Alexander III. However, the painting, although purchased for five thousand rubles, did not end up in the new museum, remaining in the academic collection. Numerous studies and sketches for her were first shown at the “Posthumous Exhibition of Works by Academician I.L. Asknaziy,” which opened in the academic halls in 1903, which featured 110 paintings and more than 150 sketches and sketches. It was a personal exhibition of works by Isaac Asknazi. Parashutov
King Solomon.
Nesterov Mikhail Vasilievich (1862 - 1942). 1902
Fragment of the painting of the drum of the dome of the church in the name of the blessed prince Alexander Nevsky
http://www.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=15191
As stated in the Old Testament, he was the first king of the united kingdom of Israel and its founder. He also created a regular army. Saul embodied a ruler who was appointed by God to the kingdom, and then became displeasing to him. Today we will look at the biography of Saul, according to the first Book of Kings.
His ascension to the throne was due to the fact that the judges - the people who had ruled the Israelite tribes before him - were unable to withstand the increasing pressure exerted by neighboring peoples. They were called judges because their duties included the performance of judicial functions. The greatest danger came from the Philistines.
The story of Saul's accession to the throne is the result of a combination of several versions. According to the first of them, a beautiful Israeli youth once began searching for the missing donkeys that belonged to his father. The prophet Samuel received news from God that the guy who would appear tomorrow should become the anointed one to rule in Israel. When Samuel anointed Saul, he went home, meeting along the way “a host of prophets.” The spirit of God descended on him, and he began to prophesy among them.
According to the second version, Samuel gathered people in Mitzpah (several settlements have this name) and they cast lots. As a result, Saul was proclaimed king. And then the people exclaimed: “Long live the king!”
There is a third option, according to which Saul was proclaimed king in Gilgal (an area in Palestine). This happened after they defeated the Ammonites, who were trying to enslave the people of Jabesh-gilead. The latter were relatives of the tribe of Benjamin. In this version, Saul is presented as a judge, a tribal leader who is sent to save Israel from the threat posed by foreigners.
Despite the difference in plots, all three stories are united by one thought: Saul is the person chosen by God and anointed by Samuel.
Continuous wars
Throughout his entire reign, Saul constantly fought with the enemies of Israel, which included, in particular, Moab, Ammon, and Edom. But the most stubborn wars were fought with the Philistines. During these conflicts, regular military formations were created, led by experienced military leaders. Among them was Saul's son Jonathan.
The king made no attempt to extend his power beyond the territories inhabited by the Israelites. And they also did not carry out reforms aimed at replacing tribal leadership with a centralized administrative apparatus subordinate to the king.
The history of the relationship between Saul and Samuel (the biblical prophet, the most famous and last of the Israeli judges) reflects the difficulties that were associated with the formation of monarchical rule. Friction between them began to occur after the king gathered an army in Gilgal with the goal of engaging in battle with the Philistines. He offered a sacrifice to God on his own, without waiting for Samuel to come.
According to researchers, the prophet probably saw this as an attack on the prerogative of the priests. He told Saul that he would be punished by the fact that his reign would be short. A complete break occurred when Saul did not carry out Samuel's instructions to completely exterminate the Amalekites.
After David appeared at the court of King Saul, he was the first to notice that the people favored the young man. David's victories over the Philistines aroused envy in the king, which sometimes turned into blind hatred, darkening his reason.
Saul’s son Jonathan also fell under Saul’s hot hand, on whose life he attempted in fits of intense anger. He also executed clergymen. Suspicion forced the ruler to see a conspiracy everywhere and strive to kill David.
Saul continued to fight the Philistines. He defeated them in another battle at Mount Gilboa. Here his sons were killed: Amminadab, Malki-Shua and Jonathan. King Saul himself died here. Surrounded by enemy archers, wounded by arrows, he threw himself on his own sword.
In the morning, Saul's body was discovered by the Philistines on the battlefield. They cut off his head and sent it to show it to the people and in the temples of idols. The king's weapons were donated to the temple of Ashtoreth, and his body was hung on the wall in Beit She'an, in northern Israel. The people of Jabesh-gilad, who remembered how Saul saved them, removed the body and buried it in their city. Later, from there it was moved to the area of Zela, near Gibeah, where the tomb of his father was located.
Conclusions about the board
Based on the Book of Kings, we can conclude that the reign of Saul is a period (1029-1005 BC) when the administrative system in Israel had not yet fully developed. The tribal organization continued to exist.
The king's aspirations were mainly aimed at consolidating the monarchy within his own family. Probably most of the nascent administration consisted of members of his family.
For example, his son Jonathan led one of the regular army contingents. And the head of the entire army was also his relative - Abner, the son of Nir. Almost all the military leaders were from the tribe of Benjamin. The king allocated them vineyards and land plots.
Under this ruler, a standing army was formed, consisting of 3 thousand soldiers, but the tribal militia continued to exist. The symbols of Saul's power were a spear, a crown and a bracelet.
On the path to churching, sooner or later the question will arise: how to find a spiritual mentor, confessor?
This is one of the most difficult questions of today. After reading many books, most of us naturally begin to look for a spiritual father. Moreover, the entire patristic tradition speaks of the need for a spiritual leader. At the same time, we often hear from church people and from the priesthood that the time has come when there can be no spiritual fathers. Faith has become impoverished, and for this reason there is no need to try, no need to search... “Your only mentor,” they say, “can now only be patristic books.”... Do not rush to immediately judge whether this is true or not.
To avoid confusion, it is necessary to distinguish between such concepts as priest-confessor, spiritual mentor, spiritual father and elder. There is a general church opinion that the elders are now greatly impoverished. But even now there are spiritual people recognized by everyone, to whom believers resort for advice and consider them elders.
These, for example, are: Archimandrite John Krestyankin in the Pskov-Pechersk Monastery, Archimandrite Kirill in the Holy Trinity Lavra, monastics in some other monasteries of our Church. Believers often resort to them in order to receive instructions, spiritual advice, and find the truth of life.
Temptations Associated with Spiritual Guidance
The problem of "young age"
There is another side to this phenomenon, which Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh repeatedly spoke about in his speeches. Nowadays, many young priests take on the responsibilities of old age. Not fully realizing that there is spiritual life, they undertake to answer some very serious and deep life questions of parishioners. They even try to show them the path of life, moreover, to show them with some harshness, arrogantly considering themselves proclaimers of the will of the Lord Himself. Such “young age” poses a serious danger for a churchgoing person.
Self-indulgence
At the same time, spiritual instruction is a most necessary phenomenon; one who enters church life cannot do without it. Imagining the order of your church life in the world is not an easy task, seeing yourself is difficult and almost impossible, therefore it is very necessary and very important to turn to a priest for advice and guidance.
The question arises about the consistency of contacting mentors, i.e. Is it possible to go to different priests and receive instruction from them or is it necessary to consult only one. Here a purely psychological nuance arises: if you go to different priests, then the temptation involuntarily arises - to bring the most difficult questions to the most careless and weak priests, and to bring unimportant questions to the most strict ones. As a result, a person will very comfortably arrange his self-indulgence, will go with the same question to two or three priests, and in the end will choose one answer out of three, thereby acquiring the skill of determining for himself what to do, perhaps sincerely believing that he lives by obedience. But in spiritual life what is required is precisely the abandonment of oneself, one’s self-wants, which are often generated by self-indulgence. Such obedience is one of the most important means of church development, which, unfortunately, many cannot accept almost until death. St. Theophan the Recluse said that the bonds of the spirit and self-indulgence, as the deepest, can accompany a person until the very end of his life.
Human weakness
The state of today's church people is so weak that not everyone can tolerate even the usual instruction of a priest. Today’s believer will not be able to bear every instruction, because only spiritual strength and grace allows him to bear it for the sake of Christ, feeling and hearing in this command, in agreement with the Gospel, with the Gospel character of life. Most often, due to our spiritual weakness, the power of pride, the power of self-love, and the power of vanity are present in our hearts. And this power is hidden behind a flimsy shell, like plywood, which as soon as you touch it, it will immediately tremble, if you touch it more strongly, it will already be pierced. And if they puncture it, then such a fountain will splash through this plywood that then you will walk around this person a kilometer away. Not only will you be afraid to give instructions, you will even be afraid to give advice when you urgently ask, and then you will be with great caution. Church people today are so vulnerable that they have to be handled very carefully.
Temptation by self-conceit
Everything is complicated not only by the fact that many of us are very willful, very proud, vulnerable and arrogant. Today, the overwhelming majority of churchgoing people have secondary education, and the majority have higher education. In many there lives a measure of self-knowledge, self-sufficiency, or a measure of self-confidence. Everyone thinks that he will figure everything out on his own, if not today, then tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, read books, think carefully, reflect and will definitely get to the truth. This self-confidence is so strong in today’s intelligentsia that a person still allows himself to somehow listen to advice, especially since at the same time he is free to think for himself. But to take the word as an instruction, which means to do and act exactly as it is said, to put aside one’s will, one’s consciousness, one’s understanding—this is something that today’s people cannot allow themselves to do. And if at the same time the priest behaves a little more strictly... Usually a strict priest, when giving instructions, will not explain why this is and why that... When we begin to explain, we involve the person’s consciousness in the execution, i.e. we persuade, convince a person and ultimately achieve his consent that it is useful for him to do so. And the person really accepts this as an instruction, but it turns out that this instruction is not accepted by the heart at all, and therefore has no serious spiritual significance. It was accepted by the consciousness, which was convinced that the priest was really right, advised reasonably and sensibly, and was well disposed... After such conviction, the person was internally satisfied, he was convinced that he had not made a mistake in the priest. And only after this does he allow himself to accept the priest’s given word as an instruction. There is no obedience here, here there is agreement with the reasonable word.
As we see, in the depths of the human heart, in this case, the same self-indulgence, self-sufficiency remains, the person does not go beyond their limits. Unfortunately, the majority of today's intelligentsia, who have been living the church life for 10–15 years, are in this state without even suspecting it. It is not surprising that for this reason confession is almost never a confession; there is no repentance. A person confesses sins, but more according to his consciousness, and not according to his heart. It’s like going to confession, having stuck bath sheets on yourself - while I was sculpting, they seemed to stick to my body, but while I stood in line to see the priest, I managed to dry off, and everything fell off, only one single one remained. . And the man stands, again trying to remember, or the paper he wrote helps him out.
The priest advises him:
- You have written two whole pages, there are more than a hundred names of sins, and you start with what your heart grieves most about, what your soul hurts about. Start with this, and then what you wrote will be remembered.
The man slowly lowers his leaf and says:
- Father, I have nothing to say.
- Okay, then speak from the piece of paper.
But what is said “on a piece of paper”, despite the fact that there is nothing to say from the heart, is clearly speaking from the consciousness. All the same intellectual state. Nothing more. All the same depth and lumps of self-indulgence, self-sufficiency, which really wants to become Orthodox and therefore, in its consciousness, is now looking for methods and ways - how to become one? And having acquired all these methods, armed himself with methods, even read all five volumes of the Philokalia and pulled out from there everything necessary for this, he, “armed to the teeth,” now lives a church life! But in reality, this is precisely the very state about which the Lord said: “Many will say to Me: Lord, Lord!.. And then I will declare to them: I never knew you; Depart from me, you workers of iniquity."(). Unfortunately, this state is very common among people today, and converting such a person to real repentance is a very difficult matter.
Demon Intervention
In relations with a confessor, it is necessary to touch upon one more point: the situation is greatly complicated by demons who do not sleep, and where a serious relationship between a child and a confessor really begins, this invisible evil flocks. Where relationships are cold, or lukewarm, or formal, the demons are not particularly worried, but where serious instruction begins, suddenly, in one minute, a complete breakdown of all relationships can occur. In a state of such temptation, a spiritual child cannot correctly comprehend what is happening. It is clear that one minute of discord cannot erase years of shared spiritual life, which means that it is an obvious temptation that must simply be endured, and this will overcome it.
Prudence or simple prudence allows a person to recognize all these things, no matter how stuck he may be. But when a person is hurt, not only his feelings are closed, but also his mind. Temptations that last for minutes or even days cannot be trusted. You can’t break off a long-term relationship because something is stuck. Endure to the end, and God’s Providence will be revealed. He is always unexpectedly wise and deep.
Stages of relationship with a spiritual mentor
Stage one: priest - confessor
At the first stage, a person comes to the priest simply as a confessor to whom he brings his sins. A person asks almost nothing from the priest; the books he reads and his self-understanding are enough for him, according to which, in fact, he builds his life. He is used to living in the world like this.
Stage two: priest - mentor
At the next, second, stage, the person begins to trust the priest more and more and therefore begins to listen to his advice. However, the child treats the advice in a very arbitrary manner. The advice may or may not be accepted. This means that the word of the priest, perceived as advice, still remains in the arbitrary appeal of the person himself. A person treats him the way he wants. If he continues to go to this priest (and this is only possible in the case of gradually increasing trust in him and mutual, and perhaps one-sided, attraction), then it is possible to reach the next stage. He begins to become convinced that some of the advice he failed to implement was not just a human invention. Then, later, circumstances showed that he was punished for not fulfilling them, which means that the will of God was behind them. He did not fulfill it and is now punished.
Such revelations, which he experiences over the course of several years of visiting a priest as a confessor, give reason to believe that one must still listen to the words of the priest. And gradually he begins to treat the priest as a mentor. The words of the priest at this stage of their relationship are perceived as instructions, and you can no longer handle instructions freely.
Instruction is a word that you accept for fulfillment. This is no longer advice. If the instruction is accepted for execution and, by carrying it out, a person discovers that it helps him grow in spiritual life, then as a result he becomes more and more strengthened in his relationship with his spiritual mentor. The patristic books he read show that the path along which his spiritual mentor leads him does not diverge from the Holy Fathers, the general unified spirit is preserved, and this suits him completely.
And finally, as a Christian becomes convinced of the accuracy and correctness of the instructions, when he follows them, it turns out well, and when he doesn’t, it turns out badly (this is how admonition comes), then his trust is strengthened, and from some time he begins to treat the priest as a spiritual father. This is a completely new quality. A new right of the priest in relation to his child is being formed, but this right is not the autocracy of the priest, it is the authoritative right that the child entrusts to the shepherd as his spiritual father. What is this - power law?
Let's look at an example. A child born in any family treats his parents as having power over him. Mom or dad can not only show him, but also punish him. They can not only punish, but punish so severely that no one else has such a right... And with all this, the child, experiencing the horror and tragedy of punishment, even torture, nevertheless, having calmed down, will return to his parents. He will not run away from home and say: “I no longer have a father or mother.” It is necessary to treat the child very strongly and very rudely or not to love him at all for the child to run away from home. Now, however, this can be found very often, but these are already cases of a clear lack of parental love. If the parent fulfills his duty with love, if the father and mother strictly punish the child with their parental authority, he does not run away from them, and after a day - as if nothing had happened, he has corrected himself, he does not do this anymore. The child knows that his mother or father will punish him severely for a bad deed.
When an adult develops such a degree of trust as his relationship with a priest deepens, it is ultimately imprinted by his determination to entrust himself as a spiritual child to his spiritual father. From this time on, a new relationship begins with the same priest, but as a spiritual father, i.e. having the right to harshly and strictly turn their child away from his self-desire, self-indulgence, waywardness and other things.
Stage three: priest - spiritual father
On the one hand, we see that in some situations the spiritual father can use very harsh measures, because waywardness is so deeply rooted in our soul that it can sometimes be very difficult to eradicate it. You can only wrest this waywardness out of us by making some strict prohibitions, or strict instructions, or a strict blessing to do this and not otherwise.
On the other hand, relations with a spiritual child take on the quietest character, when the priest does not insist on anything, but only gives advice and inadvertently speaks. And, nevertheless, both the advice and the word are perceived by the child in the very depths of his heart, his willing following of what was said by his spiritual father. Not because the child obeys because the spiritual father acted threateningly, but because the child himself is devoted to his father with a good will, and with a loving heart is open to his blessings, for in them he accepts the very will of God for himself.
How do you become a spiritual mentor?
Where can we find such priests or monks today who could immediately show their children the will of God? Indeed, a prudent confessor at the third stage of the relationship does not trust himself and tests the will of God. Bless the spiritual child to do this. The child will do it, but things don’t work out. The man returns to the confessor: “You blessed, but things didn’t work out.” Once again, the circumstances are clarified, the confessor anew seeks the will of God, prayerfully asks, listens with humility, reasons with the gift of prudence, or silently presents himself to God in prayer (each confessor does as he is given) and blesses again. He might be wrong again. Once again, the child, having done everything as said, will return with a bad result, if he wants, with his own reasoning, and again the confessor will think and pray. And together with him, at the same time, the child will humble himself before the will of God and pray for it. And so on until it is found out what the will of God is.
Thanks to these relationships, the spiritual child learns faith and trust, and the confessor gains spiritual mentoring experience. Whether he will come to the point where the will of God will be revealed to him the first or the second time, God alone knows. He himself will remain in a sense of ignorance of the will of God due to his unworthiness, and will lead the child according to the obedience of his service. How long can such a relationship testing the will of God last? For us, the current confessors and current children, perhaps all our lives. That is why it is probably not possible in our time, i.e. for many of us, the fourth stage, i.e. degree of old age. Not every believer will find a spiritual mentor in a priest. Most are delayed at the first stage - they go as if to a confessor. Few, having reached the second degree, remain there for a long time. Soon they cool down and return to the first one. Those who remain remain on it for years, not daring to move to the third degree. To resort to a priest for advice, leaving the final decision behind oneself, or to seek the priest’s blessing for a matter that has already been decided by one’s own will and determined by one’s own understanding on how to carry it out – this is the state of many modern church people.
And the majority of priests do not seek the third degree, much less the fourth. Some - out of a feeling of unworthiness, others - out of prudence, others - out of unwillingness to take on a lot of care, fourth - out of laziness, avoiding unnecessary work, fifth - out of lack of faith.
In the first five years after ordination, by the inspiring grace of God, by mishandling it, priests may be tempted by “young age.” But this disease does not last long.
How long does it take from the first stage to the third? About five to ten years. The third stage can last until the end of life. It is unlikely that today one can find the relationship of a believer with his shepherd as the relationship of a spiritual child with a spiritual father.
It is rare that any experienced, mature priest even dares to offer himself as a mentor. It happens that the priest does this if the child persistently asks for it, but he does not agree to this right away. Inexperienced priests agree, but rarely anything good comes out of this, or purely superficial relationships develop that do not have in their depth the meaning of church life.
We see that already at the level of mentoring the priest is required not only to have a priestly hearing of events, but also to have pedagogical wisdom. The combination of priestly and pedagogical wisdom provides a real opportunity to lead your child. This matter is very complicated.
TEST QUESTIONS.
What are the stages of a relationship with a confessor?
You have probably heard a lot that people have their own spiritual mentor, but you probably don’t know who this is and how to get your own spiritual mentor.
WHO IS A SPIRITUAL GUIDE - DEFINITION
Before we begin to understand who a spiritual director is, let's ask ourselves a few questions! How religious are you? Do you often visit a church near your home or another? If you are not a believer and do not attend church, then it will be more difficult to understand spiritually who the spiritual mentor is, but if you often attend church and are a fairly active Orthodox believer, then everything will be simpler. We recommend that you read
Please note that in your church there is almost always the same priest who conducts various services and sacraments. Also pay attention to the person who helps you in the Orthodox faith, but if you don’t have one, then stop at the priest in your church.
So, now let’s move on to the concept of who a spiritual mentor is, and this is exactly the one who guides you on the path of the Orthodox faith and, if you have strayed from God’s path, he will return you to this path. Why did we start asking about the frequency of visiting church? Yes, because if you often visit church, then your spiritual mentor, even if secretly, is the priest of this church, who guides you on the path of true faith. If the priest or rector of the church also often communicates with you, answers your Orthodox questions, gives everyday recommendations on the topic of your faith, then he is your spiritual mentor.
If you do not attend church and devote very little time to religion, but you have a very religious person who will always tell you about Orthodox holidays and give some friendly recommendations on spiritual life, it is this person who can be called your spiritual mentor.
WHAT SHOULD A SPIRITUAL GUIDE BE?
It cannot be said that your spiritual mentor never makes mistakes and is the ideal of the Orthodox faith, no, he is the same person as you, and also has the right to make mistakes, but he leads your soul along the true path, along the path of the Orthodox faith closer to God and eternal life. We recommend that you read
The main qualities that a spiritual mentor should have are:
It is good to be able to distinguish between good and evil;
- Helps to follow the path of the Orthodox faith;
- Is an example for others in faith in God;
The main qualities of a spiritual mentor are indicated above, but if there are even more good qualities, the better.
WHO CAN NOT BE A SPIRITUAL GUIDE
If a person cannot distinguish good from evil, he cannot in any way be considered a spiritual mentor. A person cannot be a spiritual mentor if he is deceitful and dishonest, a person who does not follow the moral principles of the Orthodox faith. A spiritual mentor has no right to lie, steal, behave like the last animal, or commit vile acts.
You cannot call a person a spiritual mentor if he is a fanatic, incapable of reasoning and accepting other people’s thoughts about other faiths. If a person is not able to reason and convince correctly, and any statement that contradicts the concept of this person enrages him, then such a person is in no way a spiritual mentor, he is most likely a spiritually sick person.
A spiritual mentor is a real example for his students of how to live in the Orthodox faith; if a person is not able to set an example for others with his worthy behavior, then he cannot be called a spiritual mentor. We recommend that you read
Is it possible to strive without spiritual guidance? It’s an idle question, because the answer to it is obvious: it’s impossible. It is impossible to do without a mentor in such a complex area as spirituality. But how to find a spiritual director? Do you need to actively and purposefully search, travel to monasteries, go from one priest to another?.. How do you understand that this priest is your confessor? And what should its leadership be? Explanations are given by the pastors of the Russian Church.
The Mystery of God's Care
How to find a confessor? I haven't looked, I don't know. To me, 22 years old, a confessor was given by God at the moment of my baptism. Therefore, I recognize his role in my life as a providential given, necessary for my salvation. If even earthly marriages “take place in Heaven,” then the finding of a confessor is all the more revealed from the mystery of God’s care for the soul who believes in Christ.
We have the example of Christ, we have the Gospel, we have the Tradition of the Church
There is no one answer, it is deeply individual. How to find a confessor? I don’t know, God may send him unexpectedly, but it happens that you can look for him all your life and not find him or find him. It’s different for everyone, but what’s important for all Christians: no one has canceled the Gospel, expressed in its complex history, tradition, spiritual literature, and worship. Are these minor things? A confessor is not a panacea or a solution to all problems. Probably 95% of Christians do not have confessors (not just confessing priests, but confessors). And the Kingdom of Heaven is closed to them? And Christ? Is it not He who bestows it? Therefore, if a confessor is sought to become the living Christ on earth, to overshadow Him, there is no meaning in it, but only harm.
God will send you a spiritual leader - just don’t miss it
A spiritual leader is difficult to find. But it has been noticed by many people: scientists, theologians, and ascetics: if you ask God for a spiritual guide, He will send him to you. He will send it to you, just don't miss it. But if you ask for something absolutely incredible, great, holy, you may simply not wait for this. Bishop Onuphry said in one of his interviews: “I don’t need a perspicacious leader, because I myself know all my sins. What else is there to see? And so everything is clear. I don't need a holy leader, why? What will this give me for salvation? I need a person who will understand me, who will not judge me, who will lend a shoulder. And who knows that one cannot demand incredible and amazing heights from a person that we cannot achieve. He can simply understand, feel and help in the most difficult moments.” If you ask for the kind of leader that Bishop Onuphry spoke about, then God will send him.
And without spiritual guidance it is impossible to be saved at all. Without spiritual guidance it is disastrous and deadly. You can never rely on yourself for anything. I always make this comparison for modern people: spaceships and space stations certainly fly with the help and under the careful control of a ground control station, because in space, as everyone knows, astronauts even perceive humor differently than on Earth. And they may not understand or see what is being done to their spaceship. They are carefully, carefully told from the Earth: “We must turn on such and such engines in order to level your orbit, raise it a little so that it no longer declines.” This means that after 10 minutes, the engines will turn on for one and a half, 25 or 30 seconds, and don’t twitch, don’t be afraid of this. So that they realize this and really are not afraid.
Every person needs something similar. We have a consciousness that does not firmly reflect reality. It is constantly changing. I even have a term: “floating consciousness.” There is no constant and firm correspondence of our consciousness with reality. And this is where it is needed. He should say: “Stop, stop, stop! Why? Where is this? What is this?” He must help - and help kindly, with love.
No one is immune from mistakes and mistakes. And even the greatest ascetics always go to their confessor and confess.
A confessor is needed to tell us at the right moment: “Stop! Where are you going?
I was very impressed by how His Holiness Patriarch Pimen, for whom I was a subdeacon, one day during the service, right before Communion, suddenly called Father Alexy Demin, a 90-year-old clergyman of the Patriarchal Epiphany Cathedral, and said: “I must confess.” He went to the altar and confessed. And a simple rural priest, an ordinary one, took the altar cross, read a prayer of permission and blessed the head of His Holiness the Patriarch. Because the patriarch, like a good experienced monk, knows how scary a small deviation to the side is, and if you don’t slow down now - even in confession to a simple priest, the consequences can be terrifying and terrible.
That is why it is necessary to always confess, in all cases, even as His Holiness Patriarch Pimen confessed on the go, in order to be of a firm mind and firmly standing on the ground without any distractions and any sidesteps in the creation of one’s salvation.
Obedience is the principle of godlikeness
The importance of spiritual direction comes from a simple but very basic Christian principle - the principle. The Son was obedient to the Father even to the point of death, even death on the cross. The principle of obedience is not discipline in the church, in order to make it easier for bishops and priests to manage the flock, but this is the principle of likeness to God, which can and should be implemented by us in our lives. Of course, this is possible in a family: children in relation to parents, younger ones in relation to elders, spouses in relation to each other to one degree or another. But most naturally this can be realized through spiritual leadership in the Church: in a parish, in a monastery.
The measures and limits here can be very different, but the most important thing, in my opinion, is that the one you are looking for as a spiritual leader is a good person. Everything else can be very different, everything else is difficult to measure things: prayerfulness, many years of experience and whatnot. Just a truly good person. It does not mean - without mistakes, without sinful deviations, without any imperfections, but in the main thing, basically in what the soul feels - a good person. A good person can be obeyed.
If there is no tradition of succession of clergy, we are dealing with a remake
In order not to be deceived in a confessor, you need to clearly know that he also has a confessor
He said: lately there will be no spiritual guides - save yourself by reading books. This is the subjective reality of our days, but, by the grace of God, there are still people who have the skill of spiritual leadership.
But in order not to be deceived in your confessor, you must clearly make sure that he also has a confessor, and that confessor also has a confessor. Because if there is no tradition of succession of clergy, then we are dealing with a remake. But a remake is always bad, it’s always an imitation of something. Therefore, it is very important that the continuity of spiritual leadership from one confessor to another is maintained. This, by the way, was the strength of Optina Pustyn, which, through Paisius Velichkovsky, revived the Athonite tradition of succession from one elder to another. Unfortunately, now many people lack this and some young people who themselves were not under spiritual control are becoming elders, and by communicating with such people, we risk passing off as something truly valuable and significant something that is actually cheap a remake and nothing more.
Without a confessor there will be no solidity in spiritual life
Anyone who finds a confessor in time is a happy person. I was very unlucky in this regard. Before receiving sound spiritual guidance, I went through false teaching and suffered great spiritual damage. Therefore, I have something to compare with.
Guidance from a confessor is a priceless gift, which may not even be immediately recognized. Do we immediately appreciate the fact that we have parents? You understand the value of it only later. The same applies to the confessor.
Without a confessor there will be no solidity in spiritual life. Is it possible to learn to drive a car yourself, learn a foreign language without a teacher, or walk through an unfamiliar area without a guide? If this happens, it is only in exceptional cases. For everyone, the general rule is the need for leadership. In the most difficult situations of my life, it was my frankness before my confessor and his prayer and attention that saved me from trouble more than once. Therefore, now I know for sure: if you want to save your soul, have a confessor.
In general, it is important for a person that someone can hear him in troubles and sorrows and be able to give him the advice he needs. And, in fact, who could become an even more reliable support here than the clergyman to whom God entrusted His grace to strengthen the believers? Clergy is very necessary. Otherwise, Christians will rush to a psychologist instead of a priest and say that they received more benefits from him than from the priest.
Of course, for the forgiveness of sin, it does not matter who confesses you. The Sacrament of Confession itself, with pure repentance, burns sins to ashes, because before the Holy Spirit our sins are like stubble before fire. Repentant, confessed sin disappears. But if, through a sinful life and immersion in delusions, internal breakdowns have occurred in the soul, then the wounds remain for a long time, they remind of themselves. That is why you sometimes need a confessor, someone who knows all your spiritual characteristics, all life’s stumbling blocks, mistakes, weaknesses and damages received and committed by your soul. A confessor is someone who finds the key to the problems of your soul and helps you get out of them by turning to God. The confessor helps you find that personal path on which your soul will open up before the Lord and accept His grace.
How to find a confessor? Firstly, we must really ask the Lord about this. Secondly, try to notice which of the priests your soul opens up to in particular, whose instructions especially solve the problems that arise for you.
The confessor, first of all, reveals the internal disorder of the spiritual child
Often we go to confessors with some question, hoping to find an answer. At the same time, we naively think that having received a resolution to the issue, we will immediately make our life easier. However, experienced confessors see that each of us suffers not from an unresolved issue, but from a whole complex of spiritual problems that we may not even think about. Therefore, true clergy consists not only in resolving momentary issues, but, first of all, in revealing in a spiritual child his basic internal disorders, in solving problems that prevent the child, in essence, from being with God.
Often we like those confessors who allow us to do what we ourselves want. It is painful to hear the bitter truth about our way of life, it is scary to change ourselves, and therefore we often seek a confessor to adapt to us, soften the demands of spiritual life and help, so to speak, to make a compromise between our conscience and our laxity. This is very wrong. It is important to find a confessor who would help us gradually change ourselves, to free ourselves from old age, who would select the spiritual treatment that would be most effective against our main passions.
The confessor sees us from the outside
Spiritual direction is essential for a Christian. In any business starting from scratch, a person needs an assistant, a mentor. You cannot achieve results in a foreign language by studying according to a self-instruction manual. It is impossible to get results in the gym without turning to a trainer. It’s the same in spiritual life: you need someone who sees you from the outside, and also (God willing) has certain skills in spiritual life, which he can teach not from books, but from experience.
A confessor is a person with whom a parishioner regularly confesses and with whom he consults on various issues of inner life. In order to meet such a person, you need to pray for such a meeting, attend services in several churches. Look at the communities - what the people are like, how the priest serves and preaches. If your heart is drawn to someone, approach and arrange a meeting at which you can ask questions and/or confession. This is how a contact can begin that will later develop into a serious relationship of spiritual growth for both the parishioner and the priest.
True confessors do not ruin the spiritual and social life of their children
First, you need to go through a good school of spiritual guidance yourself. This is both in and in the Church. Only those who have gone through the school of obedience, humility, and controllability can rule and command. Someone who knows what it's like to be submissive.
Not to be a spiritual leader, but to prepare yourself to be nourished by a confessor.
He who knows what it is like to be subordinate treats the subordinates, the flock, with mercy and compassion. When a person jumps into the position of bishop who has not gone through a genuine theological school - neither a serious parish school nor a monastic one, but who has rubbed shoulders with the bishop as a subdeacon for some time and essentially does not know the life of the flock, then nothing good can come of it. Unless by the great mercy and grace of God. This applies to shepherding in general and church governance.
As for spiritual guidance, namely the salvation of souls, this is a science, and a person himself should not take it upon himself.
We have nowhere to go, since confession before Communion is mandatory for us. That’s why young, inexperienced priests are also appointed to confess. In Greece, the attitude towards confession is completely different: inexperienced people are not invited to confession. Another thing is that, unfortunately, not everyone there confesses. Young priests in Greece are prohibited from confessing. They are sent to confession to experienced, serious confessors. For us this is unrealistic and unfeasible. And young priests, in my opinion, should be very careful. In a number of cases, if they are faced with a problem that is clearly insoluble for them, clearly beyond their spiritual experience, they should know to whom to send the confessor if he shows sufficient will to do so. Here you need a clear understanding of your competence. This is, firstly.
Secondly, one should not seek spiritual guidance or feel the desire to become a spiritual leader.
How to find yourself a spiritual leader? The Scripture says: “You will be reverent with the venerable... and with the chosen you will be chosen, and with the obstinate you will be corrupt” (Ps. 17: 26-27). We must look for people who are reverent, chosen, and prayerful. It is not necessary that these people be nice, famous and well-known people. The main thing is that these are people of grace, around whom love and peace reign, and whose children’s lives are arranged for salvation.
What are the characteristics of true shepherds? - Lack of lust for power and at the same time real spiritual power
What are the characteristics of such shepherds? I will note this: the absence of lust for power and at the same time real spiritual power, because from the ill-considered lust for power of confessors a lot of bad things happen in the lives of the flock. True confessors do not ruin the spiritual and social life of their children. They, like experienced gardeners, on the contrary, carefully straighten the crooked; like experienced doctors, they bandage the lame; They awaken to life all living things that are in their child. They often say, as my late confessor Father Vasily Ermakov did: “Think for yourself.” They don’t become crutches, they don’t become substitutes, but, on the contrary, they try to make their children go on their own as soon as possible, to think, do, and decide for most of their lives. They do not trample on the God-given freedom of their children, but offer surprisingly delicate advice, as Father John (Krestyankin) did. I remember communicating with him: he gave delicate advice. I received “the full program” if I didn’t obey him, and only after that I understood it, but even then he accepted me with all his love, despite my stubbornness, disobedience, stupidity, unreasonableness, and pride. This is also an amazing trait of a true confessor - such patience and love.
Terrible troubles arise from the lust for power and from the seeking of spiritual power, from spiritual tyranny. I knew of one simply tragic case, connected with a very famous confessor - I will not mention his name. His child, a future priest, came to his reception with his bride, whom he loved. At this confessor’s reception, a girl was sitting on the sofa. This future priest asks the elder: “Father, bless me to marry so-and-so.” “No, she’s not yours, but here she is, waiting for you,” and points to a completely unfamiliar girl sitting on the sofa. - This is where you will get married. Clear?" He, in obedience to his confessor, broke off communication with the bride, with whom everything had been agreed, and married the one whom the elder advised. What happened? His wife loved him with all her soul, but he could not see her. When she came to his place of service, literally a few hours later he went with her to the station, bought her a return ticket and escorted her to the next station so that she would not decide to jump out on the way and return to him.
So many tragedies arose from the power-hungry and unreasonable leadership of confessors!.. A true confessor should not power-hungry trample on his child. Where necessary, he, of course, must intervene, and testify to the untruths of his life, and instruct him firmly. But where there are no shameful and sinful things, where the child should and can act on his own, there a real confessor must give this the “green light”.
We must clearly distinguish between the problems of spiritual life and those related to our social and family responsibilities
How to find a real confessor? We need to pray about this. We must lead a regular church life and ask the Lord. Here it is not even necessary that the confessor be glorious, great, spiritual. It is enough that he is simply a kind priest, conscientious about his spiritual duties, attentive and prayerful. If a person trusts him and prays to God that God will reveal His will through him, then he will receive everything according to his request, he will receive everything he needs for salvation.
Another thing is that we must clearly separate things related to our spiritual life, to our salvation - and, on the other hand, to our social and family responsibilities. My late grandmother had such a case. During confession, the priest asked her: “Where do you work?” And she worked at the Baltic Defense Plant; she had no right to talk about her place of work. And she found the courage and spiritual intelligence to say: “Father, forgive me, this does not apply to confession.” Reasoning and sobriety are needed both for the confessor himself and for his child.
