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Excerpt ​

Excerpt from The forged coupon, and other stories, by graf Leo Tolstoy

Stepan asked him why he was put into prison, and Chouev answered that he
was being persecuted because of his true Christian faith by the priests,
who were all of them hypocrites and hated those who followed the law of
Christ. Stepan asked what that true law was, and Chouev made clear to
him that the true law consists in not worshipping gods made with hands,
but worshipping the spirit and the truth. He told him how he had learnt
the truth from the lame tailor at the time when they were dividing the
land.

“And what will become of those who have done evil?” asked Stepan.

“The Scriptures give an answer to that,” said Chouev, and read aloud to
him Matthew xxv. 31:--“When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and
all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of
His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall
separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth His sheep from
the goats: and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats
on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come,
ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world: for I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat: I
was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me
in: naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was
in prison, and ye came unto Me. Then shall the righteous answer Him,
saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed Thee? or thirsty,
and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or
naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and
came unto Thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I
say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these
My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. Then shall He say also unto them
on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was an hungred, and ye gave
Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: I was a stranger and
ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not; sick, and in prison,
and ye visited Me not. Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord,
when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or
sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? Then shall He answer
them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one
of the least of these, ye did it not to Me. And these shall go away into
everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

Explanation ​

This passage is from Leo Tolstoy’s The Forged Coupon and Other Stories (1911), a collection of moral and philosophical tales exploring themes of faith, justice, hypocrisy, and the true meaning of Christianity. Tolstoy, in his later years, became deeply critical of institutional religion (particularly the Russian Orthodox Church) and advocated for a pure, ethical Christianity based on the Sermon on the Mount and the teachings of Jesus. This excerpt reflects his Christian anarchist and pacifist beliefs, emphasizing direct moral action over ritualistic worship.

The scene takes place in prison, where Stepan (likely a simple, curious man) engages in a dialogue with Chouev, a prisoner who claims to be persecuted for his "true Christian faith." Their conversation revolves around what it means to live by Christ’s law, contrasting institutionalized religion with genuine spiritual devotion.

Breakdown of the Passage ​

1. Chouev’s Critique of Institutional Religion ​

  • Chouev states that he is persecuted by priests, whom he calls "hypocrites"—a direct attack on the Russian Orthodox clergy, whom Tolstoy often accused of corruption and empty ritualism.
  • He defines the "true law" as not worshipping "gods made with hands" (a reference to idols, icons, and church rituals) but instead worshipping "the spirit and the truth" (John 4:24).
    • This aligns with Tolstoy’s belief that true Christianity is about inner morality, not external ceremonies.
  • Chouev mentions learning this truth from a "lame tailor"—a humble, ordinary man, reinforcing Tolstoy’s idea that wisdom comes from simple, pious people, not clergy.

2. The Question of Evil and Divine Justice ​

  • Stepan asks: "What will become of those who have done evil?"
    • This is a fundamental theological question—how does God judge the wicked?
  • Chouev responds by quoting Matthew 25:31-46 (the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats), which Tolstoy likely chose because it emphasizes moral action over dogma.

3. The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46) ​

This biblical passage is central to Tolstoy’s moral philosophy and serves as the climax of the excerpt. It describes the Final Judgment, where Christ separates the righteous ("sheep") from the wicked ("goats") based on how they treated the poor, sick, and imprisoned.

  • Key Themes in the Parable:

    • Judgment is based on deeds, not creeds—Christ does not ask about theological beliefs but about compassionate action.
    • "The least of these"—Christ identifies with the marginalized (hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, prisoners).
      • Tolstoy, who advocated for nonviolence and social justice, would have seen this as a call to serve the oppressed.
    • The surprise of the righteous and the wicked—both groups ask, "When did we see You?" implying that true morality is instinctive, not performative.
    • Eternal consequences—the goats are sent to "everlasting fire", while the sheep inherit "life eternal."
      • Tolstoy, though critical of literal hellfire preaching, would have interpreted this as moral cause and effect—those who live selfishly bring suffering upon themselves.

  • Why This Passage?

    • It rejects institutional religion—nowhere does Christ mention church attendance, sacraments, or priestly authority.
    • It elevates the poor and imprisoned—a radical message in Tsarist Russia, where peasants and prisoners were often neglected.
    • It challenges the reader—Tolstoy forces us to ask: Are we the sheep or the goats?

4. Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices ​

  • Dialogue as a Teaching Tool – Tolstoy often used Socratic dialogue (question-and-answer format) to explore moral ideas. Here, Stepan’s naïve questions allow Chouev (and Tolstoy) to expound on true Christianity.
  • Biblical Allusion & Direct Quotation – By inserting Matthew 25 verbatim, Tolstoy lends divine authority to his argument, framing it as Christ’s own words.
  • Irony – The fact that Chouev is in prison while preaching Christ’s message about visiting prisoners is dramatically ironic. Tolstoy suggests that the persecuted are often the truest followers of Christ.
  • Symbolism of Sheep & Goats –
    • Sheep = humble, compassionate, obedient to Christ’s moral law.
    • Goats = selfish, indifferent, hypocritical (like the priests Chouev condemns).
  • Repetition for Emphasis – The parallel structure ("I was hungry, and you gave me food / I was hungry, and you gave me no food") drives home the moral contrast.

5. Theological & Philosophical Significance ​

  • Rejection of Church Authority – Tolstoy, like Chouev, believed the Russian Orthodox Church had betrayed Christ’s teachings by allying with the state and emphasizing ritual over ethics.
  • Christian Anarchism – The passage supports Tolstoy’s later belief in nonviolent resistance and voluntary poverty. If true faith is about serving the least, then governments and churches that oppress the poor are anti-Christian.
  • Universal Moral Law – The parable suggests that salvation is not exclusive to Christians but depends on how one treats others—a radical idea in Tolstoy’s time (and still today).
  • Prison as a Test of Faith – Chouev’s imprisonment mirrors Christ’s suffering and the early Christians’ persecutions, reinforcing the idea that true believers are often outcasts.

Connection to The Forged Coupon and Tolstoy’s Later Works ​

  • The Forged Coupon is a chain-story showing how one sin (forging money) leads to a cascade of suffering, illustrating Tolstoy’s belief in moral cause and effect.
  • This excerpt fits into Tolstoy’s later phase, where he rejected his earlier novels (like War and Peace) in favor of moral tales and essays (The Kingdom of God Is Within You, Resurrection).
  • The prison setting is significant—Tolstoy was deeply troubled by injustice in the legal system and saw prisons as symbols of state violence.

Why This Passage Matters Today ​

  • Critique of Hypocrisy – Tolstoy’s attack on religious institutions that preach love but practice exclusion remains relevant in discussions of modern church scandals and political Christianity.
  • Call to Social Justice – The parable’s focus on the poor, sick, and imprisoned aligns with modern movements for prison reform, homeless aid, and refugee rights.
  • Personal Moral Responsibility – The passage challenges individual readers to examine their own lives: Do we see Christ in the suffering?

Conclusion: Tolstoy’s Radical Christianity ​

This excerpt is not just a biblical lesson—it’s a manifesto. Tolstoy, through Chouev, rejects empty religiosity and demands a faith of action. The sheep and goats are not separated by theology, but by compassion. In a world where institutions often fail the vulnerable, Tolstoy’s message is as urgent as ever: True faith is proven in how we treat the least among us.

Would we, like the righteous in the parable, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned—or would we, like the goats, turn away? Tolstoy leaves us with no middle ground.