Basil of Caesarea (ca. 330-379) was a fourth-century scholar, bishop, and leader who, along with several other prominent figures, shaped the life and thinking of the church for many generations. His parents were genuine lovers of Jesus who taught him the ways of Jesus, and who also funded a world-class education that both shaped Basil and gave rise to his life-long nemesis: pride. But God was faithful to humble his pride and render Basil useful in his Kingdom, so as we look at his life, what lessons do we learn? Of the many that can be enumerated, I will offer three.
First, building a godly heritage in our families matters. At least some of Basil’s grandparents were genuine lovers of Jesus who, in fact, suffered for the sake of his name. Additionally, both of Basil’s parents were genuine lovers of Jesus who sought, day by day, to invest this love into the lives of their children. And because they were faithful to do so, Basil’s sister, Macrina, was well prepared to discern the deadly pride that characterized her brother, to confront that pride in love, and to winsomely encourage him in a better way. By the grace of God, Basil heeded the counsel of his sister and because he did, we are speaking of him today. Macrina’s love for Basil, along with the various accomplishments of his life, are the fruit of a godly heritage built through several generations. May we likewise invest the gospel into our families.
Second, God allows pride to rise and he causes pride to fall. When God granted unusual, public gifts to Basil, he knew that those very gifts would become an occasion for pride. God knew that rather than envisioning his skills as the fruit of grace, Basil would look to them as content for self-adulation, and in this way he would sin greatly against God, others, and even himself. But this was a risk God was willing to take, a fall God was willing to allow, for he knew the people he would send and the circumstances he would create to crush Basil’s pride. He knew that Basil’s rise and fall would drive him to Christ, and that the very process of overcoming sin by faith in Christ would prepare him for his destiny. Oh how wise the God who allows pride to rise and causes pride to fall! In the end, God’s wise and merciful work in Basil’s life allowed him to utilize his notable skills for the glory of God and the protection of the church.
Third, truth and mercy meet in Christ, and Christians do not have to choose between the two. One of Basil’s most enduring legacies is his contribution to the field of biblical interpretation. Over against a very influential school of the day, Basil argued, along with others, that we must interpret the Bible on its own terms and refrain from reading into it whatever we desire. Basil was a “truth-guy.” But he was also a “mercy-guy,” and this was best displayed by his response to the famine of 369-70. For him, belief in the truth required great acts of compassion. Truth and mercy are not opposed, rather, the latter expresses the former, and both display the Spirit of Christ.
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