Unbelief

[Eph. 4:14-19; Mark 11:27-33] The Saviour proves that He was sent from heaven using the testimo­ ny of John the Forerunner. They were silent, for there was nothing to say to the contrary, yet they did not believe. Another time He proved the same thing through His deeds, and they thought up a new twist: [He casteth out devils] by the prince of the devils (Mt. 9:34, Mk. 3:22). But when this twist was exposed to be completely inappropriate, they again were silent, but nevertheless did not believe. Thus unbelievers never believe no matter what you tell them and how convincingly you prove the truth. They cannot say anything to the contrary, while nev­ ertheless they do not believe. One might say that their mind is para­ lyzed, since they reason sensibly a­ bout other things. Only when the is­ sue touches upon faith do they be­ come confused in their concepts and words. They also become con­ fused when they present their out­ looks as a substitute for the tenets of faith given by God. Here their doubt raises such a buttress that it is like a firm cliff. If you hear their entire theory through, you will see that a child could figure out that this is a spider’s web; but they do not see it. O unfathomable blind­ ness! One can explain the obstinacy of unbelievers as their not wanting to believe, but where does this come from? Where does it get such power that it makes a sensible man con­ sciously cling to an illogical form of thoughts? This is darkness. Is it not from the father of darkness?

Saint Theophan the Recluse