NOTES for Rom 16:17-24

Paul especially warns the recipients of his epistle against fellowship with those who bring divisions into the life of the community and what the Synodal translation calls "temptation," something that can serve as a stumbling block and a reason for discord. It is hard to say exactly what the apostle has in mind: this could mean the disputes he himself mentions about observing the religious prescriptions of Judaism, or something else about which Paul does not speak.

However, disputes about religion have always divided people, and therefore one may think that the apostle advises avoiding precisely them, as he writes about this in his epistle to the Roman church. Paul does not advise entering into disputes on these themes with those who want to start them. He understands perfectly that zealots of religion absolutely need disputes for self-assertion and for proving their religious rightness, whereas people living a genuine Christian life do not need them at all.

Any disputes about rites, rituals, and other religious prescriptions are harmful to spiritual life in general because they distract from the main thing: from relationships with God and with Christ, and from the spiritual work connected with strengthening and deepening them. The wisdom that Paul advises his addressees to keep is connected precisely with the practice of such relationships: this was the meaning of the word "wisdom" in Gospel times.

At the same time, wisdom was understood not as theory, but precisely as practice, to which the apostle calls his readers. As for unnecessary disputes, the apostle recommends the "simplicity" that presupposed nonparticipation in evil, at least the corresponding Greek word means exactly this: nonparticipation in evil, abstaining from it. This is understandable: it hardly makes sense to argue seriously with people who, in Paul's words, "serve their own belly."

And the point here, of course, is not that the disputants were striving to gain some material benefit from their disputes and from victory in debates, although in certain cases influence in the community could be used in that way. The point is that self-assertion was more important to them than the search for truth. It is quite obvious that if a dispute from the beginning has self-assertion as its goal, participating in it is useless: it is not one of those disputes in which truth is born. And therefore, for a Christian, participation in such disputes is only a waste of time that distracts from the main thing: from the Kingdom and its life.

In the Christian world, there is such a "talk of the town" - the ecumenism. Which say, the division in Church is a grievous problem, carrier of misfortunes and offences. So thus, today’s words of the apostle Paul speak in particular about divisions: mark them which cause divisions and offences. The second word sounds in the original as "skandala", and it entered our modern language without translation. The danger of divisions and scandals (mainly the clarification of relationship in the style " you are wrong"), as we see, existed still approximately 58 years A.D., when was written the epistle. The apostle lets know that those who sow ill-feeling between men serve themselves, and not Christ.

We sometimes think that some or other divisions can be justified and understood? But no, it is impossible. When a scandalous clarification of relationship leads to divorce in the family - it is a misfortune and sin. Even in the Church. It’s a hurtful idea for Christians of any confessions. There are still on this subject these words of the same apostle Paul: "ye [you] which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness" (Gal. 6:1). These words are also hurtful, because we are often guilty against these words. There are always at least two parties in a scandal. And I am afraid that both must be considered of scandalous.

But here is what is important: the ecumenist expects here to hear from the apostle something like "admonish them, so that you stay together "; and the anti-ecumenist: "give them to satan ". But the apostle says "avoid them ", and it is absolutely the accurate translation of the Greek word “ekklinete”. Avoid, because your road is not here. And where then? The apostle wishes to the addressees of the epistle to be wise unto that which is good and akeraious, pure, intact to evil.

"Simple" in the translation of the "King James version" is not the antonym of "wise". The matter is about that, we should succeed in good and keep ourselves from evil (" Little children, keep yourselves from idols", 1Jn. 5:21). The way of unity in Church is not only in the clarification of relationships and their following restoration. The way of unity is succeed in good. The church always goes on this way, but it is a spiritual phenomenon, and history, as a human sight, records essentially the palpable. We see by the way an example to it in the acts of the ecumenical Councils: they long to formulate the truth, instead of clearing up as we say today with bad.

In the Christian world there is a certain byword: ecumenism. To be sure, the division of the Church is a grave problem that brings both grief and temptation. And Paul's words today speak precisely about divisions: beware of those who bring divisions and temptations. The second word in the original is skandala, and it has entered our modern language without translation. The danger of divisions and scandals, mainly confrontations in the style of "you are wrong," existed, as we see, as early as about A.D. 58, when the epistle was written. The apostle says that people who sow strife serve themselves, not Christ.

We sometimes think that one division or another can be justified and understood. No, it cannot. When a scandalous confrontation in a family leads to divorce, it is grief and sin. In the Church it is the same. This is an offensive thought for Christians of every confession. There are also words on this subject from the same apostle Paul: "you who are spiritual should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness" (Gal. 6:1). They are offensive too, because we are often guilty against these words. In a scandal there are always at least two sides. I am afraid both must be considered scandal-makers.

But here is what matters: an ecumenist expects to hear from the apostle something like, "admonish such people so that you may remain together"; an anti-ecumenist expects, "deliver them to Satan." But the apostle says, "avoid them," and this is an entirely exact translation of the Greek ekklinete. Avoid them, because your road is not here. Where is it? The apostle wants the recipients of the letter to be wise in what is good and akeraious, pure, uninjured in regard to evil. "Simple" in the Russian and Slavonic translations is not the opposite of wisdom. The point is that one should make progress in good and keep oneself from evil ("Children, keep yourselves from idols," 1 John 5:21). The path of unity in the Church is not so much in sorting out relationships and then restoring them. The path of unity is progress in good. The Church always follows this path, but this is a spiritual reality, while history, as a human view, records mainly what can be touched. Incidentally, we see an example of this in the actions of the Ecumenical Councils: they seek to formulate the truth, not to deal, as people now say, with the bad ones.