Basil of Caesarea — Commentary on Scripture

1 Samuel 24:17-19

Not even this act of benevolence moved Saul, however. Again he gathered an army and again he set out in pursuit, until he was a second time apprehended by David in the cave where he more clearly revealed his own iniquity and made the virtue of David even more resplendent. Envy is the most savage form of hatred. Favors render those who are hostile to us for any other reason more tractable, but kind treatment shown to an envious and spiteful person only aggravates his dislike. The greater the favors he receives, the more displeased and vexed and ill-disposed he becomes.

CONCERNING ENVY

1 Samuel 26:7

If Saul had been asked the reason for his hostility, he would have been compelled to admit that it was the favors received from David’s hand. Moreover, even though Saul had been found asleep by David during the very time that the latter was being pursued, and although Saul lay, an easy victim, before his enemy, his life was again spared by that just man, for he refrained from doing him violence.

CONCERNING ENVY

1 Thessalonians 1:9

By what means do we become Christians? Through our faith would be the universal answer. And in what way are we saved? Plainly because we were regenerated through the grace given to us in our baptism. How else could we be? And after recognizing that this salvation is established through the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, shall we fling away “that form of doctrine” which we received? Would it not rather be grounds for great groaning if we are found now further off from our salvation “than when we first believed,” and deny now what we then received?… What if one does not always and everywhere keep to his initial confession and cling to it as a sure protection?… What if one, having been delivered “from the idols,” to the “living God,” now constitutes himself a “stranger” from the “promises” of God? He fights against his own handwriting, which he put on record when he professed the faith. To me my baptism was the beginning of life and that day of regeneration the first of days. It is plain that the utterance confessed in the grace of adoption is the most honorable of all.

On the Spirit 10.26

1 Thessalonians 4:11

The Christian should not make a display of dress or shoes, as this is indeed idle ostentation. He should use inexpensive clothing for his bodily needs. He should not spend anything beyond actual necessity or for mere extravagance. This is an abuse. He should not seek honor nor lay claim to the first place. Each one ought to prefer all others to himself. He ought not to be disobedient. He who is idle, although able to work, should not eat. Moreover, he who is occupied with some task which is rightly intended for the glory of Christ ought to limit himself to the pursuit of work within his ability.

LETTERS 22

1 Thessalonians 4:13

All things are directed by the goodness of the Master. Nothing which happens to us should be received as distressful, although at present it affects our weakness. In fact, even if we are ignorant of the reasons for which each event is applied as a blessing to us from the Master, nevertheless, we ought to be convinced of this—that what happens is assuredly advantageous either for us as a reward for our patience or for the soul that was taken up, lest tarrying too long in this life it should be filled with the evil which exists in this world. For if the hope of Christians were limited to this life, for what reason would the premature separation from the body be considered difficult? If, however, the beginning of true life for those living in God is the release of the soul from these corporeal chains, why do you grieve, even as those who have no hope? Therefore, be encouraged. Do not succumb to your afflictions, but show that you are superior and have risen above them.

LETTERS 101

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Then, because he [David] had been delivered from great danger, he sent up this prayer of thanksgiving to God who had rescued him. “I will bless the Lord at all times.” Having escaped death, as if he were setting up norms for his life, he molded his soul to an exact manner of living, so that he ceased at no time from praise but referred the beginning of affairs, great and small, to God. “I will not think,” he says, “that anything was done through my diligence nor happened through spontaneous chance, but, ‘I will bless the Lord at all times,’ not only in prosperity of life, but also in precarious times.” The apostle, learning from this, says, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all things give thanks.”

HOMILIES 16

1 Thessalonians 5:16

Fo paye and psalmody, howeve, as also, indeed, fo some othe duties, evey hou is suitable, that, while ou hands ae busy at thei tasks, we may paise God sometimes with the tongue (when this is possible, o, athe, when it is conducive to edification); o, if not, with the heat…. Thus we acquie a ecollected spiit—when in evey action we beg fom God the success of ou labos and satisfy ou debt of gatitude to him who gave us the powe to do the wok, and when, as has been said, we keep befoe ou minds the aim of pleasing him. If this is not the case, how can thee be consistency in the wods of the apostle bidding us to “pay without ceasing,” with those othe wods, “we woked night and day.” The Long Rules q..

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

For prayer and psalmody, however, as also, indeed, for some other duties, every hour is suitable, that, while our hands are busy at their tasks, we may praise God sometimes with the tongue (when this is possible, or, rather, when it is conducive to edification); or, if not, with the heart.… Thus we acquire a recollected spirit—when in every action we beg from God the success of our labors and satisfy our debt of gratitude to him who gave us the power to do the work, and when, as has been said, we keep before our minds the aim of pleasing him. If this is not the case, how can there be consistency in the words of the apostle bidding us to “pray without ceasing,” with those other words, “we worked night and day.”

THE LONG RULES Q37. R.

1 Timothy 1:19

What storm at sea was ever so fierce and wild as this tempest within the churches? In it every landmark of the Fathers has been moved. Every foundation, every bulwark of opinion has been shaken. Everything buoyed up on the unsound is dashed about and shaken down. We attack one another. We are overthrown by one another. If our enemy is not the first to strike us, we are wounded by the comrade at our side. If an enemy soldier is stricken and falls, his fellow soldier tramples him down. There is at least this bond of union between us that we hate our common foes, but no sooner has the enemy gone by than we find enemies in one another. And who could make a complete list of all the wrecks? Some have gone to the bottom on the attack of the enemy, some through the unsuspected treachery of their allies, some from the blundering of their own officers. We see, as it were, whole churches, crews and all, dashed and shattered upon the sunken reefs of deceitful teaching, while others of the enemies of the Spirit of salvation have seized the helm and made shipwreck of the faith.

ON THE SPIRIT 30.77

1 Timothy 1:20

Those whom the usual penalties do not recall to their senses, and even exclusion from prayers does not lead to repentance, must be subjected to the canons given by the Lord. For it has been written, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault, between you and him. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two others along with you. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” Now, this truly has been done in the case of this man. Once he was accused; in the presence of one or two he was convicted; a third time, in the presence of the church. Since, therefore, we have solemnly protested to him and he has not acquiesced, let him for the future be excommunicated. And let it be announced to all the village that he is not to be admitted to any participation in the ordinary relations of life, so that, by our refusal to associate with him, he may become wholly the food for the devil.

LETTERS 288

1 Timothy 2:8

Certainly, the Lord gives the authority for praying in every place, in the words: “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.” And the words of the apostle are legitimate, because the word every does not include places designated for human usage or for unclean or shameful human deeds, but it does take in the regions from the confines of Jerusalem to every place in the world duly appointed, in conformity with the prophecy of sacrifice, that is, consecrated to God, for the celebration of the glorious mystery.

CONCERNING BAPTISM

1 Timothy 3:2

The canon absolutely excludes from the ministry those who are twice married.

LETTERS 188.12

1 Timothy 3:6

His rank should not arouse feelings of pride in the superior, lest he himself lose the blessing promised to humility or “lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the judgment of the devil.” THE LONG RULES, Q.30.

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1 Timothy 3:6

His ank should not aouse feelings of pide in the supeio, lest he himself lose the blessing pomised to humility o “lest being puffed up with pide he fall into the judgment of the devil.” The Long Rules, q...

1 Timothy 3:15

Every one of us, indeed, who is instructed in the Holy Scripture is the administrator of some one of those gifts which, according to the gospel, have been apportioned to us. In this great household of the church not only are there vessels of every kind—gold, silver, wooden and earthen—but also a great variety of vocational pursuits. The house of God, which is the church of the living God, has hunters, travelers, architects, builders, farmers, shepherds, athletes, soldiers.

HOMILY ON THE WORDS: “GIVE HEED TO THYSELF.”6

1 Timothy 4:3

It should also be laid down as essential that continency is inexorably demanded of combatants for godliness, so that they may bring the body into subjection, “for every athlete exercises self-control in all things.” However, to avoid being classed with the enemies of God who are seared in their conscience and, therefore, abstain from food which God has made for the faithful to partake of with thanksgiving, we should taste each dish when occasion offers so as to indicate to those looking on that “all things are clean to the clean” and that “every creature of God is good and nothing to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” The aim of continency must nevertheless be kept in mind also, to the extent that we satisfy our need with the plainer foods and those necessary to sustain life, avoiding the evil of taking our fill of them and abstaining absolutely from those foods whose sole purpose is to give delight.

THE LONG RULES, Q.18.R.

1 Timothy 4:4-5

This, assuredly, appeared to me to be ridiculous—to vow to abstain from pork. Therefore, teach them to refrain from foolish prayers and promises; nevertheless, allow the use to be a matter of indifference. No creature of God which is received with thanksgiving is to be rejected. Therefore, the vow is ridiculous; the abstinence is not necessary.

LETTERS 199.28

1 Timothy 4:7

Surely only an infantile mind, like a baby who can only drink milk, is ignorant of the great mystery of our salvation. Education progresses gradually. The school of righteousness attempts to bring us to maturity by first teaching us easy, elementary lessons suited for our limited intelligence. Then God, who provides us with every good thing, leads us to the truth, by gradually accustoming our darkened eyes to its great light. In the deep reaches of his wisdom and the unsearchable judgments of his intelligence, he spares our weakness and prescribes a gentle treatment. He knows our eyes are accustomed to dim shadows, so he uses these at first.

ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 14.33

1 Timothy 4:12

So, then, the supeio guide is to be mindful of the apostle’s pecept, “Be an example to the faithful.” He should make his life a shining model fo the obsevance of evey commandment of the Lod, so that thee may be no excuse fo those unde his guidance to think the Lod’s commands impossible o eadily to be set aside. He should conside fist, then, that which is fist in impotance. He should be, by the love of Chist, so confimed in humility that, even if he is silent, the example of his actions may affod moe effective instuction than any wods. If, indeed, the goal of Chistianity is the imitation of Chist accoding to the measue of his incanation, insofa as is confomable with the vocation of each individual, they who ae entusted with the guidance of many othes ae obliged to animate those still weake than themselves, by thei assistance, to the imitation of Chist. The Long Rules, q...

1 Timothy 4:12

So, then, the superior guide is to be mindful of the apostle’s precept, “Be an example to the faithful.” He should make his life a shining model for the observance of every commandment of the Lord, so that there may be no excuse for those under his guidance to think the Lord’s commands impossible or readily to be set aside. He should consider first, then, that which is first in importance. He should be, by the love of Christ, so confirmed in humility that, even if he is silent, the example of his actions may afford more effective instruction than any words. If, indeed, the goal of Christianity is the imitation of Christ according to the measure of his incarnation, insofar as is conformable with the vocation of each individual, they who are entrusted with the guidance of many others are obliged to animate those still weaker than themselves, by their assistance, to the imitation of Christ.

THE LONG RULES, Q.43.R