Homily on Paradise
By Fr. Daniel Sysoev
By Fr. Daniel Sysoev
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!
On the fourth day of Great Lent we heard the narrative from the sacred book of the Old Testament concerning Paradise, into which the man fashioned from the dust of the earth was introduced.
This is the most detailed description of Paradise given in Holy Scripture — that ancient homeland of ours, our primordial fatherland, to which we long to return, knowing that through the hidden path of Holy Baptism access to it has now been opened for us. Because the Lord was born, the barrier standing between God and mankind has been destroyed.
Indeed, the description of holy Paradise, in which we were settled by God, ought to inspire us to enter upon the path of righteousness.
What is Paradise?
Paradise is a most beautiful and unique place upon the earth. It should be noted that Paradise is not a heavenly location. Many mistakenly believe that the ancient Paradise was situated in Heaven. No — now it exists beyond the limits of our dimension, yet originally it was the highest region of the earth.
Holy Scripture says that Paradise was located upon a most exalted mountain — the ancient Mountain of God — where He manifested His glory. This highest mountain was covered with the most beautiful vegetation; all varieties of plants existing on earth were gathered there as in a vast garden, so that man, created by God, might dwell there as in a royal palace.
When people later began constructing greenhouses, they did so in part as a remembrance of Paradise. In Russia, gardens were even called “paradise.” The human desire to adorn one’s dwelling with plants is likewise a subconscious remembrance of our ancient heavenly homeland — that heaven-on-earth created by the Lord.
Paradise was physically beautiful, yet at the same time spiritual.
We must remember that the primordial man, when he partook of the fruits of the trees of Paradise, did not merely eat physical fruit as we now do. This was simultaneously the knowledge of a new reality. Through this participation God revealed meaning to him — an understanding of God’s design for the entire universe.
Having placed man in Paradise, the Lord granted him the fullness of immortal life, untouched by corruption, which did not yet exist in that primordial world. God also gave him the joy of cultivating and guarding the beauty of Paradise — that is, He entrusted him with a task.
Paradise was not a place of idleness. From the beginning it was the place of man’s flourishing as a creative person.
In God’s plan, man was to become ruler over the earth — over beasts, birds of heaven, and creeping things. For this he was required to labor. Yet this labor was cooperation with God; therefore work increased man’s strength rather than exhausting him, as happens now. Acting together with God, man grew stronger, was filled with divine power, and his intellect unfolded.
All living creatures were brought before Adam so that he might name them. Thus he entered into authority over creation.
In Paradise there was also a river dividing into four streams. This river was material, yet its waters were holy, sanctified by the power of God. It revealed that through material waters God would later act upon humanity and transform it. The water symbolized divine revelation itself.
Everything in Paradise revealed meanings of God’s plan for the world.
The water symbolized Revelation — the Holy Spirit revealing Himself to mankind. We know that in the New Jerusalem, toward which we journey after the end of the world, there will also flow a crystal river proceeding from the Throne of God and giving life to all who drink from it.
Thus the paradisal river, permeated by divine power, vivified all who partook of it. It divided into four rivers — the Nile, the Ganges, the Tigris, and the Euphrates. These rivers are still regarded as sacred. This may not be mere memory; some mysterious connection between them and Paradise may indeed exist, for Paradise did not disappear after the Fall.
Living righteous persons may still enter it.
Hagiographical literature recounts instances in which people brought fruits from Paradise. The Holy Martyr Dorothea prayed that God send her persecutor Theophilos three apples and three roses from Paradise. We know also of the cook Euphrosynos, guardian of Paradise, who gave a monk radiant fruits that healed the sick. These fruits were real and remain there still, where eternal spring reigns — neither cold nor heat exists, and flowers forever bloom.
Saint Perpetua saw roses as tall as cypress trees, whose fragrance descended upon the earth like snow.
The crystal waters flowing from Paradise heal diseases and grant knowledge. The single river dividing into four signifies how the one Divine Revelation is expressed fourfold — the one Gospel transmitted through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In truth there is only one Gospel, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ — proclaimed according to each Evangelist.
Paradise also contained mysterious stones: gold, carbuncle, and emerald. These same precious materials later adorned the garments of the high priest and will appear again in the New Jerusalem. Earthly treasures symbolize heavenly riches.
God loves splendor, magnificence, and beauty, for He Himself overflows with glory. Therefore Paradise was adorned with precious stones, and even now those who behold it see radiant dwellings of gold and jewels prepared there.
When we await the Kingdom of God, we do not await poverty, but a magnificent feast. After Communion we pray of that place “where is the sound of those who feast, and the ineffable sweetness of those who behold Your beauty.”
At the center of Paradise stood a sanctuary containing two mysterious trees.
The chief of these was the Tree of Life, mentioned also in Proverbs: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.”
This was a real and wondrous plant. Whoever ate of its fruit did not die, because through material fruit God sanctified the whole man. Here the principle of divine presence in the world was established: through matter we commune with divine life.
This is the very principle later fulfilled in Holy Communion — through material means we partake of the immaterial Godhead. God acts upon both body and soul through material mediation: the laying on of hands, mysterical words, the sign of the Cross, baptismal water, chrism, bread and wine, holy oil.
Through matter the uncreated energy of God is imparted.
The Tree of Life is truly Christ Himself, Who gives Himself through material means, showing that He is Creator both of matter and spirit.
There was also a second tree — the tree of testing.
As Saint Athanasios the Great teaches, man could not be created immediately perfect, for perfection without freedom would eliminate choice. Therefore God created man capable of choice, for without freedom there can be no love.
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was the tree of obedience.
God commanded: “Of every tree you may eat, but of the tree of knowledge you shall not eat” (Gen. 2:16–17).
If man sought independently to determine good and evil — to declare himself god by nature apart from God — he would die. And so it happened: Adam died spiritually on the very day of the Fall, when divine wisdom departed from him.
The commandment existed so that man might freely love God through obedience. A commandment is given to be fulfilled, not violated. As Christ later said: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).
Adam received only one small fast — abstain from one tree among countless others — so that he might live forever.
If humanity had obeyed, human birth itself would have occurred differently, in an angelic manner, as Saint Maximus the Confessor teaches — immortal from the beginning. History itself would have followed another path.
Some choices, however, are irreversible. Adam’s lost possibility could not be restored in its original form, though Christ granted something even greater through His sacrifice.
Therefore we must ask ourselves: do we truly desire to return to Paradise?
Those who return are those who correct the ancient dislocation — those who refuse to place themselves in God’s position and decide independently what is good and evil.
Scripture does not say Paradise is entered by merely “moral” people, but by those who keep God’s commandments. Moral self-sufficiency is not obedience. One may possess personal morality and yet remain far from God.
What is required is not autonomous moralism but faithful obedience.
Renounce the Tree of Knowledge through humility, and you receive the Tree of Life.
Today this struggle is harder than it was for Adam. Yet the dislocation has been set right by the Cross of Christ — at the cost not merely of humanity, but of God Himself, Who paid with His own life.
One act can determine eternity.
Therefore do not deceive yourselves, imagining that repentance may always come later. Perhaps this moment is the decisive choice — known only to God.
Watch over yourselves.
Lord, save us!
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
