Letter 137: To the Archimandrite John,

To the Archimandrite John, The blessed David fell into several errors, which God in His wisdom has caused to be recorded for the benefit of those who came after. But it was not because of David's sins that Absalom -- parricide, murderer, and altogether vile -- launched his wild war against his father. Absalom's true motive was that he coveted the throne. David, however, when these events unfolded, began to remember the wrongs he himself had done. I too am conscious of many errors. But I have kept the doctrinal teaching of the apostles undefiled. Those who trampled on every human and divine law and condemned me in my absence did not sentence me for anything I actually did wrong -- my private failings are not known to them. Instead, they manufactured false testimony and slander against me. Or rather, in their open assault on apostolic doctrine, they proscribed me precisely for my loyalty to it. "So the Lord awoke as one out of sleep; He struck His enemies from behind and put them to everlasting shame" [Psalm 78:65-66]. He has scattered counterfeit and spurious doctrines to the winds and has provided for the free preaching of what He handed down to us in the holy Gospels. This is enough for my complete joy. I do not even long for the city where I spent all my time in hard labor. All I longed for was to see the truth of the Gospels established. And now the Lord has satisfied that longing. I am therefore very glad, and I sing praises to our generous Lord. I invite your reverence to rejoice with me, and, along with our praises, to offer the earnest prayer that the men who shift their position with every hour -- like chameleons taking on the color of whatever leaf they sit on -- may be strengthened by the Lord's loving-kindness, established on the rock, and by His mercy brought to honor the truth above all.

Letter 137