Wednesday, October 6, 2004
Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow and Apostle to America
3rd at Vespers, Innocent: Wisdom 4:7-15 Epistle: Philippians 1:12-20
Gospel: St. Luke 5:33-39
7-15, especially vss. 13, 14 LXX: "He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a
long time: for his soul pleased the Lord." Our Lord Jesus Christ commands all of us who call
ourselves by His Name to "be perfect as [our] heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt. 5:45). Therefore,
not a single one of us will wisely stand detached in the face of this passage from the Wisdom of
Solomon, for this ancient teaching has immediate help with the question of how to become
perfect as the Lord Jesus commands. It tells us in detail what it is to be perfect - what perfection
before God looks like - and how to attain that perfect state in which one's soul pleases the Lord.
Solomon employs four indications or evaluative measures for describing one who is "made
perfect" (vs. 13): he is "righteous" (vs. 7), "wise" (vs. 9), "pleasing to God" (vss. 10, 14), and
"honest" (vs. 12). However, notice that with each of these indications the great teacher reveals
what these indications are by means of a negative statement - by saying what it is not. Hence, the
righteous is not necessarily one who is honored in old age. Being righteous has nothing to do
with the "length of time" one has lived nor may righteousness be "measured by number of years"
(vs. 8). Rather, the righteous is "in rest" (vs. 7), whether in life or in death. Taken in the context
of the entire passage, one can see that the righteous is in rest in God. Nothing sullies or disturbs
his relationship with the Lord.
Similarly, the person who has wisdom has "an unspotted life" (vs. 9). Investigative reporters will
not turn up connections that compromise, forbidden activities, nor any traces of immoral
behavior in the righteous man's life. Wisdom has consistently prevailed in the upright person to
keep his life pure. Again, the standard for purity is that "he pleased God" (vs. 10). He might not
have always pleased people, but God's measure always is what counts.
The Teacher demonstrates how the perfect person remains pleasing to God in a most negative
way. Under the worst of circumstances, "living among sinners" (vs. 10), he still pleases the Lord,
prevailing over the wickedness all around him. He does not "alter his understanding," nor does
"deceit beguile his soul" (vs. 11). He is outstandingly immune, being honest (vs. 12).
Surrounded by disobedience and misbehavior (which are the definition of "naughtiness") and
enveloped as we are today in this society by "the wandering of concupiscence," roving sexual
invitations, the honest person gets things straight, his mind or heart remaining unsullied (vs. 12).
This entire description of a perfect person is well and good, and we can see clearly what one
needs to do to please the Lord. The great power in the passage, however, is the subtle manner in
which the Teacher reveals how one becomes so righteous, wise, and honest as to be pleasing to
God, especially since the standards for being perfect are set by the Lord Himself. Look at what
the passage says! "He, being made perfect" (vs. 13). "He, being made perfect" by Whom? By
God, of course. No member of this fallen race of ours is capable of being at rest in God, having a
perfectly unspotted life, remaining honest when enveloped by wickedness, without the Lord
God's "grace and mercy" (vs. 15).
Let us joyfully exalt, for God Who commands us to "be perfect as [our] Father in heaven" (Mt.
5:45) is none other than our Savior. Christ died to break the grip of sin and death over our lives.
He has defeated death, sin, wickedness, beguiling deceit, disobedience, misbehavior, and the
roving lust of the passions, for He is risen from the dead, and in the power of the Holy Spirit is
"with His Saints and...hath respect unto His chosen" (Wis. 4:15)!
The depth hath encompassed me, O Lord and become my tomb. But I cried unto Thee and Thou
didst save me by Thy right hand, O Lover of mankind.
