How to Read the Bible - The Case of John Chrysostom and Saint Basil the Great

Basil and John Chrysostom, both bishops, encouraged laypeople to read the Bible daily and told them how to apply it to themselves. [1] Basil's Presbyterian Statute V refers to the reading and meditation of the Bible as "the memory of miraculous things."[2]

Looking at Basil and John Chrysostom's understanding and application of the Bible, we can see that the Bible is not only for thinking, but also for practice. Their insights into the reading and application of the Bible have great lessons for believers today. This article also attempts to provide a remedy for the misunderstanding and misuse of Sola scripture .

For Christians today, daily Bible reading seems to go mostly into the head, but not much into the heart. But for Basil and John Chrysostom, the Bible is not just for thinking, but for doing. They focus on how to live a life worthy of the Gospel and how to practice what the Lord Jesus has given. Two commandments. In their view, being saved is not just lip service, or as simple as "once saved, always saved", but it means martyrdom for the Lord (see my special article " Once or Once Saved, Always Saved" from the Apostolic Fathers ), because the kingdom of heaven is to be entered by violence, and only the violent can gain it (cf. Matthew 11:12). [3]

Reading the Bible is to imitate the saints and live out the word of God

Next, let's take a look at how Saint Basil the Great exhorted believers to read the Bible. He said,

" Study of the Bible is the first way to discover our responsibilities. From it we discover not only the code of conduct, but the lives of the saints are recorded and handed down to us, and their holy conduct is a living image so that we can imitate their good works . In this way, no matter where he finds himself inadequate, he will try to imitate it. He is like a drug store, where he finds the medicine that suits him. People who love chastity linger in the story of Joseph, learn from him the behavior of chastity, know him Not only can control the flesh, but also practice virtues for a long time. We learn from Job's perseverance - when his life turned from rich to poor, from ten children to childless, he could still hold on to his faith and always maintain He was not low in spirit. Yes, he was not provoked even when friends who came to comfort trampled on him and added to his suffering... So was Moses, who was furious with those who sinned against God, but humbly endured all that was done to him In short, just as painters, in imitation, frequently stare at the model, and strive to bring the verve of the original to their own paintings, so those who desire to be complete in all virtues must fixate on the life of the saints—they Like moving statues, cultivate their virtues by imitating their virtues .”[4]

Basil urges everyone to read the Bible so that everyone can learn the character of the saints from it and apply it to themselves, not others. And he likened the Bible to a big pharmacy, where people can find medicines that are right for them. Reading the Bible in this way is beneficial to our lives.

Basil's words of course echo the words of Hebrews: "Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us be patient, Run the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1)"

John Chrysostom had a point of view similar to Basil's. He was well aware of the weakness of our free will and the bad habits we developed. For this disease, he prescribed a great remedy, which is to read the Bible. Therefore, reading the Bible heals oneself, not others. He says,

"Because the Lord who loves us knows the weakness of our free will and our tendency to slip, he has left us a great remedy: to read the Bible, that, by continually applying to us the example of the saints, remembering of their great and wondrous lives, and thus inspire our zeal to imitate, no longer neglecting virtue, but fleeing evil, and doing all we can, so that we ourselves are no longer worthy of those saints who are unspeakably good, and may they be all we have Blessings of man.”[5]

May the words of the apostle James warn us again, for he said: "He who hears the word and does not do the word is like a man who sees his own face in a mirror. When he sees it and leaves, he immediately forgets what he looks like. It is only by looking closely. He who is full of the law of liberty, and always does, will not forget what he hears, but do it, and he will be blessed in what he does (James 1:23-25).”

Therefore, it is not that we meditate on the Word of God too much, but that we do not think enough and think wrongly. We didn't think about it in our hearts, but we wanted to act as "masters". We should think in our hearts and think "always", all the time, until we actually live out the Word of God ourselves. Otherwise, aren't we the ones with the beam in the eye that Jesus said?

(Note: With the support of Basil and John Chrysostom, the author will take the risk of using this article as a "beam"!)

[1] For the introduction of Basil and John Chrysostom, please refer to the author's special articles: "A Brief Biography of Basil's Monasticism " and the article " John Chrysostom in Exile ".

[2] Please refer to the author's special article: " Basil Spirituality IV "

[3] The Greek word βιάζεται here is not as simple as effort, but violence, strength by force. The willpower required can be described as perseverance to overcome the weakness of the flesh, following the Holy Spirit. This violence is certainly one of the driving forces in the spirit of martyrdom and monasticism.

[4] Deferrari Roy trans., Saint Basil the Letters , vol 1(The Loeb Classical Library), (London: William Heinemann Ltd; Cambridge, Ma: Harvard University Press, 1926), 14-16. [The author translates from Greek , also refer to the Chinese-English translation]. For the date and background of Basil's letters, see: Paul J. Fedwick, "A Chronology of the Life and Works of Basil of Caesarea," in Basil of Caesarea: Christian, Humanist, Ascetic , ed. Paul J. Fedwick (Toronto : Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 1981). See also author's translation: " Second Excerpts from Basil's Letters "

[5] PG (Patrology Greacea) Vol. 53, pp. 104-5, see also my translation: " Translation: John Chrysostom on the Creation of Man - Genesis 2:7 Sermon ".