Dec 21, 2021

Basil of Caesarea on Scripture and Tradition [Part 2]



Homily 10 on Psalm 1


"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful, composed by the Spirit for this reason, namely, that we men, each and all of us, as if in a general hospital for souls, may select the remedy for his own condition." (Fathers of the Church vol. 46, pg. 151)


Regulas Brevius Tractatas, Question 267


"Whatsoever seems to be spoken ambiguously or obscurely in some places of holy Scripture, is cleared up by what is plain and evident in other places." (PG 31:1264)


Ascetical Works - Concerning Baptism, Book 2


"You could find many passages of this sort in the writings of the evangelists and the Apostle. Now, then, if a command be given and the manner of carrying it out is not added, let us obey the Lord who says: ‘Search the Scriptures.’ Let us follow the example of the Apostles who questioned the Lord Himself as to the interpretation of His words, and learn the true and salutary course from His words in another place." (Fathers of the Church, vol. 9, pg. 399)


Letter 2 to Gregory


"The study of inspired Scripture is the chief way of finding our duty, for in it we find both instruction about conduct and the lives of blessed men, delivered in writing, as some breathing images of godly living, for the imitation of their good works. Hence, in whatever respect each one feels himself deficient, devoting himself to this imitation, he finds, as from some dispensary, the due medicine for his ailment." (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202002.htm)


Basil thus views Scripture as sufficient for living a godly life after the example of the saints of the past.


Homily on Faith, section 1


"it is a manifest defection from the faith, and mark of pride, either to reject anything of what is written; our Lord Jesus Christ saying, my sheep hear my voice;' and the apostle saying, by an example taken from human things very earnestly forbidding us to add to, or to take away from, anything in the inspired Scriptures." (https://books.google.com/books?id=wcoWAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=dei%20quidem%20jugiter%20meminisse%2C%20res%20pia%20est%2C%20et%20qua%20dei%20amans%20animus%20numquam%20&f=false)


Letter 283


"Enjoying as you do the consolation of the Holy Scriptures, you stand in need neither of my assistance nor of that of anybody else to help you to comprehend your duty. You have the all-sufficient counsel and guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead you to what is right." (Basil of Caesarea, Letter 283 [to a widow])


On the Holy Spirit, 16

"What our fathers said, the same say we, that the glory of the Father and of the Son is common; wherefore we offer the doxology to the Father with the Son. But we do not rest only on the fact that such is the tradition of the Fathers; for they too followed the sense of Scripture, and started from the evidence which, a few sentences back, I deduced from Scripture and laid before you. " (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3203.htm)










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