Athonite Audio
YouTube
Evergetinos Hypothesis 35: Humility surpasses miracle-working
24:47
The third volume of the Evergetinos presents Hypothesis 35, which teaches that one who can work miracles should decline such power out of humility, and that a godly way of life is in no way inferior to miracle-working. St. Gregory the Dialogist tells Peter that many people equal the wonderworking fathers, and the proof of a godly life lies in good deeds, not miracles.
Gregory argues that converting a sinner through preaching and prayer is a greater miracle than raising the physically dead, because the soul is raised from the death of sin to eternal life, whereas resurrected flesh will die again. St. Anthony the Great teaches that one should not boast about casting out demons or working cures, but rejoice that names are written in heaven, for the Lord rejects those who boast of miracles done in His name while neglecting virtue.
The collection includes a visiting monk who stands on burning coals out of pride and is unburned through demonic cooperation, then falls into fornication and is burnt alive. Heretics challenge Pachomius to walk on water; he refuses, declaring his struggle is to understand God's will and overcome the passions, not to perform prodigies the devil could enable.
An elder who labored seven years for a spiritual gift receives it, but a great elder tells him to pray seven more years for God to take it away, for the gift profits nothing without humility. An anchorite who lived thirty years in the inner desert without revelations is told by an angel that his God-given patience and courage are a greater miracle than any external sign.
Key moments
- Hypothesis 35 states that one able to work miracles should decline out of humility, that we should not aspire to or ask for spiritual gifts, that those with a godly way of life are in no way inferior to miracle workers, and that there are spiritual gifts superior to miracle working.
- St. Gregory the Dialogist tells Peter that even now there exist many people equal to the wonderworking fathers, and the proof of a godly manner of life resides in the power of good deeds, not in miracles.
- Gregory argues that converting a sinner by preaching the word of God and prayer is a greater miracle than raising the physically dead, because in the former the soul is raised from the death of sin to live forever, whereas the resurrected flesh will die again.
- St. Anthony the Great teaches that one should not boast about casting out demons or working cures, but rejoice that names are written in heaven, for the Lord rejects those who boast of miracles done in His name while neglecting virtue.
- A visiting monk stands on burning coals out of pride and is unburned through demonic cooperation; he is then deceived by a demon disguised as a woman, falls into fornication, and is eventually thrown into a bathhouse furnace and burnt alive.
- Heretics challenge Pachomius to walk on water to prove boldness before God; he refuses, declaring his struggle is to understand God's will and overcome the passions, not to perform prodigies that the devil could enable to validate heresy.
- An elder who labored seven years for a spiritual gift receives it, but a great elder tells him to pray seven more years for God to take it away, for the gift is of no benefit without humility.
- An anchorite who has lived thirty years in the inner desert on wild berries without revelations is told by an angel that his God-given patience and courage are a greater miracle than any external sign, and he should endure and seek humility.