Basil of Caesarea — Commentary on Scripture

2 Corinthians 8:9

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

And why does the appellation “poor man” disturb you? Remember your nature—that you came into the world naked and naked will leave it again. What is more destitute than a naked man? You have been called nothing that is derogatory, unless you make the terms used really applicable to yourself. Who was ever hauled to prison because he was poor? It is not being poor that is reprehensible but failing to bear poverty with nobility. Recall that the Lord, “being rich, became poor for our sakes.”

2 Corinthians 9:7

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

People who give reluctantly or under compulsion present a blemished sacrifice which should not be accepted.

2 Corinthians 10:4

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Here, also, one who examines each word minutely can gain a very accurate knowledge of the meaning of the Holy Scripture, so that there is no excuse for any of us being led astray into the snare of sin by an erroneous belief that some sins are punished while others may be committed with impunity. For, what says the apostle?— “destroying counsels and every height that exalts itself against the knowledge of God”; so that every sin, because it is an expression of contempt for the divine law, is called a “height that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.”

2 Corinthians 10:5

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

A very wicked convention, however, leads us astray, and a perverted human tradition is the source of great evil for us; I mean that tradition according to which some sins are denounced and others are viewed indifferently. Crimes like homicide and adultery are the object of a violent but feigned indignation, while others, such as anger or reviling or drunkenness or avarice, are not considered deserving of even a simple rebuke.… And certainly, where every height that exalts itself against the knowledge of God is brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ and every disobedience receives just punishment, there nothing is left undestroyed.

2 Corinthians 11:27

In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

Such exertion is beneficial not only for bringing the body into subjection but also for showing charity to our neighbor, so that through us God might grant sufficiency to the weak among us.

2 Corinthians 12:10

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Not in the amount of money, not in the pride of power, not in the height of glory is victory gained, but the Lord freely gives his help to those who seek him through excessive affliction. Such was Paul, who made his afflictions his boast. Therefore he was able to say, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” … Do you see where affliction leads you? To hope that does not disappoint..

2 John 1:11

For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

It is obvious that those who make friends of people who speak falsely aboutout God and who even eat with them do not love the Lord who made them and who feeds them. Instead of being content with that food they are led away into blasphemy against the one who feeds them.

2 Kings 7:16

And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

“The Lord brings to nothing the counsels of nations, and he rejects the devices of people.” … If you will read the things in each history that God did to the faithless nations, you will find that the statement has much force even according to our corporal intelligence. When Joram, son of Ahab, was king in Israel, then his son Ader, king of Syria, carrying on a war with a great force and a heavy hand, besieged Samaria, so that even the necessaries of life were wanting to them, and the head of a donkey was sold for fifty shekels of silver and the fourth part of a cabe of pigeon dung for five shekels of silver. At that time, therefore, in order that the promise of Elisha might be fulfilled, the counsels of Syria were brought to nothing, and abandoning their tents and all their supplies, they fled, leaving such a great abundance in Samaria that a measure of fine flour and two measures of barley were sold for one shekel. Thus, then, the Lord knew how to bring to nothing the counsels of the nations. HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 15.

2 Samuel 7:12-13

And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

However, the tribe of Judah did not fail until he came for whom it was reserved, who did not himself sit upon a material throne, for the kingdom of Judea had now been transferred to Herod, the son of Antipater, the Ascalonite, and to his sons, who divided Judea into four provinces when Pilate was governor and Tiberius held the power over the whole Roman province. But his indestructible kingdom he calls the throne of David on which the Lord sat. He himself is “the expectation of nations,” not of the least part of the world. “For there will be the root of Jesse,” it is said, “and he who rises up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles will hope.” “For I have placed you for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.” “And I shall establish,” it is said, “his seed forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens.”

2 Samuel 15:31

And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

Thus, then, the Lord knew how to bring to nothing the counsels of nations. We learned in the time of Ahithophel how he cast away the counsels of the princes, when David prayed, saying, “Infatuate the counsel of Ahithophel.” Therefore, when you hear someone making great threats and announcing that he will bring upon you all sorts of ill treatment, losses, blows or death, look up to the Lord who brings to nothing the counsels of nations and rejects the devices of the people.

2 Samuel 17:15-16

Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.

For in the history, Hushai is mentioned as the chief companion of David and the son of Arachi, but in the psalm, Hushai is the son of Jemini. Neither he nor any other of those appearing in the history was the son of Jemini. Perhaps he was called the son of Jemini for this reason, because he displayed great valor and strength through a mere pretense of friendship, going over, as he pretended, to Absalom, but in reality thwarting the plans of Ahithophel, a very skilled man, well trained in military affairs, who was giving his counsel. “The son of Jemini” is interpreted “the son of the right hand.” By his proposals he prevented the acceptance of the plan of Ahithophel—that no time should intervene in the affairs but that an attack should be made immediately on the father while he was unprepared—“in order that,” as Scripture says, “the Lord might bring all evils upon Absalom.” At all events, he seemed to them to introduce more plausible reasons for postponement and delay, while his real purpose was to give time to David to gather his forces. Because of Hushai’s counsel he was acceptable…

For in the history, Hushai is mentioned as the chief companion of David and the son of Arachi, but in the psalm, Hushai is the son of Jemini. Neither he nor any other of those appearing in the history was the son of Jemini. Perhaps he was called the son of Jemini for this reason, because he displayed great valor and strength through a mere pretense of friendship, going over, as he pretended, to Absalom, but in reality thwarting the plans of Ahithophel, a very skilled man, well trained in military affairs, who was giving his counsel. “The son of Jemini” is interpreted “the son of the right hand.” By his proposals he prevented the acceptance of the plan of Ahithophel—that no time should intervene in the affairs but that an attack should be made immediately on the father while he was unprepared—“in order that,” as Scripture says, “the Lord might bring all evils upon Absalom.” At all events, he seemed to them to introduce more plausible reasons for postponement and delay, while his real purpose was to give time to David to gather his forces. Because of Hushai’s counsel he was acceptable to Absalom, who said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.”However, Hushai informed David through the priests Zadok and Abiathar of the decision and bade him not to camp in Araboth in the desert but urged him to cross it. Since, then, he was on the right hand of David through his good advice, he obtained the name from his brave deed. Surely it is because of this that he is called “son of Jemini,” that is, “son of the right hand.” It is a custom of Scripture not only to give those who are more wicked a name from their sin rather than from their fathers but also to call the better sons from the virtue characterizing them.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

In truth, both of our ears rang on learning of the shameless and inhuman heresy of those who persecuted you. They had no regard for age, nor for the labors of a life well spent, nor for the affection of the people. On the contrary, they tortured and dishonored bodies, handed them over to exile and plundered whatever property they were able to find, not fearing the censure of men nor foreseeing the fearful requital of the just Judge.… But, along with these considerations, there came this thought also: The Lord has not entirely abandoned his churches, has he? And this is not the last hour, is it? Is apostasy finding an entrance through them, in order that now the impious one may be revealed, “the son of perdition, who opposes and is exalted above all that is called God, or that is worshiped”? But if the trial is transitory, bear it, noble champions of Christ.… For if all creation is destroyed and the scheme of the world is altered, what wonder is it if we also, being a part of creation, suffer the common evils and are given over to afflictions?… The crowns of martyrs await you, brother…

In truth, both of our ears rang on learning of the shameless and inhuman heresy of those who persecuted you. They had no regard for age, nor for the labors of a life well spent, nor for the affection of the people. On the contrary, they tortured and dishonored bodies, handed them over to exile and plundered whatever property they were able to find, not fearing the censure of men nor foreseeing the fearful requital of the just Judge.… But, along with these considerations, there came this thought also: The Lord has not entirely abandoned his churches, has he? And this is not the last hour, is it? Is apostasy finding an entrance through them, in order that now the impious one may be revealed, “the son of perdition, who opposes and is exalted above all that is called God, or that is worshiped”? But if the trial is transitory, bear it, noble champions of Christ.… For if all creation is destroyed and the scheme of the world is altered, what wonder is it if we also, being a part of creation, suffer the common evils and are given over to afflictions?… The crowns of martyrs await you, brothers; the choirs of confessors are ready to reach out to you their hands and to receive you into their own number.

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7

And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

Now, if good order with its attendant harmony is characteristic of those who look to one source of authority and are subject to one king, then universal disorder and disharmony are a sign that leadership is lacking. By the same token, if we discover in our midst such discord as I have mentioned, both with regard to one another and with respect to the Lord’s commands, it would either be an indictment or our rejection of the true king. That agrees with the scriptural saying, “only that he who now holds back does so until he is taken out of the way,” or of denial of him according to the psalmist, “The fool has said in his heart: There is no God.”

2 Thessalonians 2:15

Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

In answer to the objection that the doxology in the form “with the Spirit” has no written authority, we maintain that if there is no other instance of that which is unwritten, then this must not be received. But if the greater number of our mysteries are admitted into our constitution without written authority, then, in company with the many others, let us receive this one. For I hold it apostolic to abide also by the unwritten traditions. “I praise you,” it is said, “that you remember me in all things and keep the ordinances as I delivered them to you,” and “Hold fast the traditions which you have been taught whether by word or by our epistle.”

2 Thessalonians 3:5

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

We are convinced that action taken by one or two pious men is done through the counsel of the Spirit. Since there is no human motive placed before their eyes, and saintly men are moved to action not with an aim of personal advantage but after having proposed to themselves what is pleasing to God, it is evident that it is the Lord who directs their hearts. And whenever spiritual men are the initiators of plans, and the people of the Lord follow them in harmony of thought, who will doubt that the plan has been arrived at in communion with our Lord Jesus Christ, who poured out his blood for the churches?

2 Thessalonians 3:6

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

“And now there remain faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” In view of such declarations on the part of our Lord and the apostle, I marvel, I say, how it is that men display such zeal and such intense absorption in the pursuit of goods that will come to an end and be destroyed but have no regard for that which will remain, especially charity, the greatest of all goods, the distinguishing mark of the Christian. And not only this, but they show hostility to those who are zealous in its practice, and in fighting against them they fulfill the words of the Lord, namely, that they themselves do not enter in and those that are entering in they hinder. I beg and implore you, therefore, to be content with the words of the saints and of the Lord himself. Desist from curious inquiry and unseemly controversies. Think on those things that are worthy of your heavenly calling. Live in a manner befitting the gospel of Christ, relying on the hope of eternal life and the heavenly kingdom prepared for all those who keep the commandments of God the Father, according t…

“And now there remain faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” In view of such declarations on the part of our Lord and the apostle, I marvel, I say, how it is that men display such zeal and such intense absorption in the pursuit of goods that will come to an end and be destroyed but have no regard for that which will remain, especially charity, the greatest of all goods, the distinguishing mark of the Christian. And not only this, but they show hostility to those who are zealous in its practice, and in fighting against them they fulfill the words of the Lord, namely, that they themselves do not enter in and those that are entering in they hinder. I beg and implore you, therefore, to be content with the words of the saints and of the Lord himself. Desist from curious inquiry and unseemly controversies. Think on those things that are worthy of your heavenly calling. Live in a manner befitting the gospel of Christ, relying on the hope of eternal life and the heavenly kingdom prepared for all those who keep the commandments of God the Father, according to the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord in the Holy Spirit and in truth. CONCERNING FAITH.Basil the Great: [Paul] says, “Knowing this, that our old nature is crucified with him, that the body of sin may be destroyed to the end that we may serve sin no longer.” By these words we are taught that he who is baptized in Christ is baptized in his death, and is not only buried with Christ and planted together with him but is first of all crucified with him. Thus we are instructed that as he who is crucified is separated from the living, so also he who has been crucified with Christ in the likeness of his death is completely set apart from those who live according to the old nature. Hence the Lord commanded us to beware of false prophets, and the apostle says, “And we command you, brothers, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition which they have received of us.” The “old nature” mentioned by the apostle signifies all sin and defilement, taken individually and together, as if they represented his own members.

2 Thessalonians 3:8 · 2 passages

Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:

But why should we dwell upon the amount of evil there is in idleness, when the apostle clearly specifies that he who does not work should not eat. As daily sustenance is necessary for everyone, so labor in proportion to one’s strength is also essential. Solomon has written effectively in praise of hard work: “And she has not eaten her bread in idleness.” And again, the apostle says of himself, “neither did we eat any man’s bread for nothing, but in labor and in toil we worked night and day.” Yet, since he was preaching the gospel, he was entitled to receive his livelihood from the gospel.… We have reason to fear, therefore, lest, perchance, on the day of judgment this fault also may be alleged against us, since he who has endowed us with the ability to work demands that our labor be proportioned to our capacity. For the Lord says, “To whom they have committed much, of him they will demand much.”

In this way 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”? Thanksgiving at all times has been commanded even from law and has been proved necessary to our life from both reason and nature. So we should not therefore be negligent in observing those times for prayer customarily established in communities—times which have inevitably been selected because each period contains a reminder peculiar to itself of blessings received from God.

2 Thessalonians 3:12

Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

This we must also keep in mind—that he who labors ought to perform his task not for the purpose of ministering to his own needs but that he may accomplish the Lord’s command, “I was hungry and you gave me to eat,” and so on. To be concerned for oneself is strictly forbidden by the Lord in the words, “Be not concerned for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on,” and he adds, “for the heathens seek after all these things.” Everyone, therefore, in doing his work, should place before himself the aim of service to the needy and not his own satisfaction. Thus, he will escape the charge of self-love and receive the blessing for fraternal charity from the Lord, who said, “As long as you did it to one of these, the least of my brothers, you did it to me.” Nor should anyone think that the apostle is at variance with our rule when he says, “that working they would eat their own bread.” This is addressed to the unruly and indolent, and means that it is better for each person to minister to himself at least and not be a burden to others than to live in idleness.

2 Timothy 1:14

That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

If we offer glory to God in the Spirit, we mean that the Spirit enables us to fulfill the requirements of true religion. According to this usage, then, we say we are in the Spirit, but it is not objectionable for someone to testify, “the Spirit of God is in me, and I offer glory because his grace has given me the wisdom to do so.” The words of Paul are appropriate: “I think that I have the Spirit of God,” and “guard the truth that has been entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.”