First Sermon: Paul, the Possessor of All Blessings

The Apostle Paul combined in his person all perfections. He was greater than Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, David, Elijah, John the Baptist, and the angels.

Purity of heart and rivers of soul

[Saint John presents to us the person of the Apostle Paul, who struggled with divine grace to live in purity of heart, so that rivers of spiritual water would flow within him, transforming the desert into a joyful spiritual paradise.]

 One can rightly describe the soul of St. Paul as a bearer of the seeds of virtue and a spiritual paradise. Grace has grown deep within him....as he was always preparing his depths for grace to grow and flourish in them. And when he became a chosen vessel, he persevered in purifying himself, and thus he deserved for the Holy Spirit to be poured out upon him in abundance. Thus he became for us the source of many wonderful rivers, not only the four rivers that sprang up in Paradise, but many other rivers that flow every day to each one of us, watering not only the earth, but also the souls of men, making them grow virtues.

Perfection of all blessings

What words can do justice to the righteousness of this man?

Or what tongue can sing his praises?

How can we compose a panegyric to a man, when his soul is endowed with all human virtues, and, what is more, with angelic virtues? But we cannot be silent before this (inability), but must speak. For this is the greatest work of panegyric, when the works of excellence surpass our attempts to describe them, however eloquently we may be. And when our efforts fail, we find this more satisfactory than the recording of any number of successful works.

Where then shall we begin our praise? Is it not from this point, that Paul is the possessor of all blessings. Any excellence which we see most clearly in prophets, patriarchs, righteous men, apostles, or martyrs, we find in Paul in a most excellent way.

Between the sacrifice of Paul the Apostle and the sacrifice of Abel

 Notice this. You say that Abel offered an acceptable sacrifice (Gen. 4:4), and in this he was distinguished. But if we examine Paul’s sacrifice, we find that it is as superior to that of Abel as the heavens are higher than the earth. You ask, what do I mean? Simply put. Paul offered himself as a perfect daily sacrifice.And his advance was doubled:

Firstly: He was dying every day. (1 Corinthians 15:31).

secondly: He always carried in his body the death of Jesus. (2 Corinthians 4:10), since he was always facing dangers, and was willing to be martyred, by mortifying his body he actually became a sacrificial offering, and in fact more than a sacrifice! Because he did not offer a sacrifice of sheep or cattle, but rather an offering of his body and blood as a daily, double sacrifice. That is why he dared to say: “I am now being poured out in sacrifice” (2 Timothy 4:6), calling his blood an offering.

These offerings were not enough for him, so after he had offered himself completely as a sacrifice,He wanted to offer the whole world as a sacrifice.:Earth and sea, Greeks and barbarians, every land that the sky encompasses, this land that His feet have trodden, as if He were a winged being and not a mere traveler! He has removed the thorns of sin that are in the way, and has planted the word of religion everywhere. He has taken away error, and restored truth. He has made men angels, and even more so. He changed humans from demons to angels. (3) And when he was about to face unbearable hardships and war, he said to his disciples, comforting them: “But even if I am being poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and rejoice with you all. In this same way, be glad also and rejoice with me” (Phil. 2:17, 18).

 What sacrifice, then, is equal to this sacrifice that Paul offered, offering it as a sacrifice with the sword of the Spirit, and an offering on an altar high above the heavens?!

You say that Abel was cast down and slain by his brother's treacherous hand (Gen. 4:8), this has doubled his greatness. But I have counted (for Paul) countless deaths, and a death every day, which Paul has informed us of.

If you want to know anything about the ultimate sacrifice, you will find Abel, who was slaughtered by his brother for no reason, and Cain gained no benefit from it; and Paul, too, was killed by those whom he had repeatedly saved from all evil, and for whose sake he had endured all kinds of torment.

Paul's Ark and Noah's Ark

[St. John Chrysostom sees the Apostle Paul as the leader of an ark that circumambulates the whole world in order to carry humanity not to Mount Ararat but to heaven. Noah opened the doors of the ark to the animals, but Paul’s ark transforms those who enter from the animal nature to the angelic nature.]

Noah was a righteous and perfect man in his generation (Gen. 6:8-9), and unique among the human race, but Paul was truly unique.

Noah saved only himself and his sons, but Paul did not save two or three or five of his relatives when a flood swept over the earth, but he saved the whole world from the imminent destruction of the ship, and that was not by placing wooden planks side by side to make an ark, but by working on (heart) planks instead of wooden planks. His ark was not carried to one place, but extended to the ends of the earth, and in it he carried all peoples to this day.He made it to include the group in it for salvation, to include those who are more stupid than dumb animals, and to make them imitate the higher powers. This proves the sublimity of his universe.

Noah received a raven (Gen. 8:6) and a wolf, but he did not change their wild nature. Paul, on the other hand, turned wolves into lambs, and falcons into doves! He turned the irrational, savage nature of man into a gentle spirit, and his ark still remains unbroken.The storm of evil did not shake his wooden boards, but his boards overcame the storm and restored calm. Why not? His boards were not anointed with pitch and tar (Gen. 6:14; Ex. 2:3) but with the Holy Spirit.

Between Paul's Jihad and Abraham's Jihad

Saint John Chrysostom compares the Apostle Paul with our father Abraham, considering the former to be greater in one respect:

 1- The Turk… He even abandoned his longing for heaven for the sake of his love for the Lord Christ.

 2- Saving others from the hands of devils.

 4- Offering himself as a sacrifice of love to God.]

You say that all men magnify Abraham because he left his home, his father’s house, and his relatives when he heard the command: “Abram, leave your city (land) and your father’s house” (Gen. 12:1). God had commanded him to do this, and it meant everything to him. Indeed, we marvel at him too. But does this make him like Paul? Paul not only left his home, his father’s house, and his relatives, but he left the world itself for Jesus’ sake, or rather, he left heaven itself. The heavens of heaven did not occupy his heart, for his only goal was the love of Jesus.Let us hear his clear words in this regard: “Neither things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, will be able to separate us from the love of Christ” (Romans 8:38-39).

It is said that Abraham faced dangers to save his nephew from the barbarians (Gen. 12:5), but Paul saved not only his nephew, nor three or four cities, but the whole world, not only from the barbarians, but from the hands of Satan himself, enduring every day innumerable dangers, and by many deaths he accomplished the salvation of others.

You say that the sacrifice of his son was the crown of goodness and the wreath of philosophy. Here we find Paul also in the forefront, because he did not sacrifice his son but sacrificed himself again and again, as I said.

Between Paul and Isaac in the love of the resisters

People admired Isaac for many things, especially his patience. He dug wells (Gen. 26:18), and when his property was taken from him he did not quarrel but allowed his wells to be filled up. He was always on the move from place to place. He did not mobilize his forces against the enemy but would leave behind his property so that his enemy could satisfy his desire for injustice. But when Paul saw not his wells being filled with earth but his own body being stoned, he did not leave his place as this man had done, but ran after those who had stoned him and struggled to lead them to heaven. The more the wells were blocked, the more rivers of endurance burst forth within him..

 Between Paul and James in the life of jihad

She says: We find in the Bible admiration for Jacob, son of Isaac, for his strength (Gen. 32:28). But what soul, no matter how strong, can match the strength of Paul’s endurance?! He endured slavery not only for fourteen years (Gen. 29:18, 27) but all the days of his life for the sake of the bride of Christ. He endured not only the heat of the day and the cold of the night, but countless storms of temptations, from scourgings and stonings and wrestling with wild beasts and dangers at sea and continual fastings day and night and nakedness and dangers in every place (2 Cor. 11:23, etc.) so that he could avoid the nets and snatch the lambs from the fangs of Satan.

Between Paul and Joseph in chastity

You say: Joseph excelled in self-control (Gen. 19). I fear it would be a mockery to praise Paul for this. Paul, who was crucified to the world (Gal. 14:16), and who was considered not only the beauty of his body but all things as dust and ashes, was not moved at all, he was like a corpse meeting a corpse, he quenched the desires of the flesh, and never yielded to any of them.

Between Paul and the tempted Job

[He compares Saint Paul and the righteous Job on the one hand:

 1- Facing countless experiences.

 2- Hospitality, both physically and spiritually.

 3- Tolerance of pain.]

She says: Every man admires Job, and he deserves it, for he fought a great battle and can stand in comparison with Paul in his patience, in the purity of his life, in his witness to God, in his courageous struggle with Satan, and in the victory with which he ended his struggle. But Paul's struggle lasted not only a few months, but for many years. He was always rushing into the lion's mouth, struggling against temptations without number, proving himself stronger than any rock. He was cursed not by three or four friends, but by all the false and treacherous brothers; he was slandered, spat upon, and reviled.

Job's hospitality was great, and so was his care for the poor. We do not deny this, but it soon falls before Paul, just as the body falls before the soul. Job cared for the physically sick, and Paul also cared for the spiritually sick. At one time he led the spiritually lame and crippled, and at another time he clothed the naked with the garment of philosophy (wisdom).

Job had an open door for the visitors he hosted in his house. As for Paul, he had an open heart to embrace the whole world. His hospitality was characterized by ecumenism.This prompted him to say: “You are not troubled because of us, but you are troubled in your hearts” (2 Corinthians 6:12).

Job was generous with the needy in giving from his wealth and the abundance of his livestock, but Paul had nothing but his body, which he used to serve and care for the needy, as he said: “You know that these hands provided for my own needs and for those who were with me” (Acts 20:34).

You say that worms and wounds afflicted Job with unbearable pains. This is true, but let us consider the scourgings that Paul endured through the years, the continual fastings, the nakedness, the chains, the imprisonments, the dangers, the plots from his own household and from outside tyrants and the whole world. Add to this his bitter experiences, that is, the sufferings he suffered for the fallen, his care for all the churches, and the slanders that his soul bore with a courage and fortitude that is greater than iron and unbreakable rock. Paul endured spiritually what Job suffered physically. Yes, he endured a grief more bitter than any worm that gnaws at his soul for the fallen. His fountains of tears flowed day and night, he suffered for every soul more than a woman in labor, and this led him to say, “My little children, for whom I travail in birth” (Galatians 4:19).

Saint John Chrysostom carried the same spirit when he said to his people:

If it is necessary for a person to love his physical children in order to be called a father according to nature, how much more is it appropriate for a person to love his spiritual, baptized children according to grace, so that they will not perish in hell?! (4)

I am a father full of compassion... Every mother cries out in labor at the hour of childbirth, so do I! (5)

There is nothing dearer to me than you. Not even the light!

I would gladly offer my eyes thousands of times and more – if possible – for the conversion of your souls!

 Your salvation is dearer to me than the light itself!

Because what good are the rays of the sun to me if sadness darkens my eyes because of you?!…

I love you, so much so that I melt into you, and you are everything to me, my father, my mother, my brothers and my children! (6)]

Paul and the Old Testament Prophets

Who is remembered after Job who deserves admiration? Musa No doubt! But Paul surpassed him by far. Among Moses’ many great achievements was his crowning with glory when he chose to have his name blotted out of the Book of Life for the salvation of the Jews (Exodus 32:32), but he chose to perish with others. As for Paul, he chose to be deprived of eternal glory for the salvation of others without sharing his perdition with anyone else.

Moses wrestled with Pharaoh, but Paul wrestled with Satan daily.

Moses fought in one race, but Paul fought for the whole world in a struggle not of race but of blood shed everywhere. He led all to salvation, both inhabited and uninhabited places, Greeks and barbarians.

I could also speak of Joshua, Samuel, and the other prophets, and in order not to go beyond the limits of the sermon, I will content myself with making a comparison with a group of more famous ones who represent them. If Paul is superior to the most famous of them, there is little doubt about the others. Who among them is more famous? Who do we mention of these other than David, Elijah and John?! Elijah was one of them, a herald of the first coming of Christ (Malachi 4:5) and John of the second coming (Matthew 3:11). This explains why their names are mentioned together.

 What is the most brilliant quality that David possessed?! Without a doubt, his humility and his love for God. Truly, who excelled in these two qualities like Paul, who possessed them in his soul?!

What is so strange about Elijah? He shut up the heavens, caused a drought, and brought down fire from heaven (1 Kings 1:17; 2 Kings 1:12)! I don’t think so! Rather, he was zealous for the Lord. He was inflamed with enthusiasm. But if you examine Paul’s enthusiasm, you will find it superior to that of the rest of the prophets. What enthusiasm is equal to his words about the glory of God: “I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:3). So when heaven presented him with crowns, he postponed and extended the time, saying: “But it is more necessary for me to remain in the flesh for your sakes” (Phil. 1:24). So he considered the visible, tangible world insufficient to satisfy his love and zeal, but he wanted another, invisible world to practice what he desired and desired.

She says: eat John the Baptist Locusts and wild honey (Matthew 4:3), but Paul, although he lived in the world and did not dwell in the wilderness and did not eat locusts or wild honey, was content with a simpler and more ascetic table, ignoring even the necessities for the sake of his zeal for preaching.

You say: John showed great courage before Herod, but Paul rebuked not one or two or three but countless of the same type. He truly faced tyrants far worse than Herod.

Between Paul the Apostle and the Angels

It remains for us to compare Paul with the angels. Let us leave the earth and ascend to the gates of heaven. Let no one say that our words are too bold. If the Bible calls John an angel and also the priests, why are you surprised when we say that Paul deserves to be called thus because of his excellence in these virtues?!

What is the reason for the greatness of angels? Their obedience to God, that is what David admired about them: “Strong in virtue, obeying his word” (Ps. 102:20). But Paul’s obedience is not even comparable to that of many disembodied beings. What makes them blessed is their obedience to God’s command and their complete refusal to disobey Him. This is what Paul did with complete sincerity. He fulfilled God’s word and His commandments as well. Not only His commandments, but more, as he declared: “For as I preach the gospel, I make the gospel of Christ without cost” (1 Cor. 9:18).

What does the prophet see in angels that is worthy of admiration? “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flaming fire” (Psalm 103:4). We also see this in Paul, as fire and wind that traversed the length and breadth of the earth and purified it in his travels.

This is what makes it even more special, that while Paul was on earth in a mortal body he showed such courage and defeated unseen forces.

How blameworthy we are, then, if we do not strive to emulate such a man in particular, in whom all the noble qualities are combined in one man.

Let us think carefully about these considerations, and we shall be blameless.

Let us strive to have his zeal, to share in the same blessings through the grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power, now and forever, Amen.