St. Basil's Preaching Style
A short discourse on the nature of St. Basil's preaching of Genesis 1 in his Hexameron.
Introduction
Saint Basil’s first homily in his Hexaemeron has much to say about God, creation, and the Christian response. In this short blog post, I will summarize the main points of Basil’s exegesis of Genesis 1:1 and then follow up with some comments about the nature of his preaching. This homily is a truly wonderful work that seeks to teach people about the world, the Creator, and the proper response to such wonderful news.
Summary
The genesis of Basil’s first homily in his Hexameron begins with a series of questions that are not what would be expected from a sermon on the creation of the world. Too often, the creation story is met with malaise and familiarity, and Basil properly puts the creation story in its proper context: marvelling at the glory and wonder of God. “What ear is worthy to hear such a tale?”1 Basil asks and follows up with a line of questioning about preparing to hear “such high lessons.” These two questions, in sequence, set the stage for both the study of the Word and the reverence with which the Word should be approached if there is any malaise in the heart of the hearer that must be expelled! What is about to be considered, Genesis 1:1, is something marvellous and ought to be respected. In his initial sermon on the Epistle to the Romans, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones begins at the outset, emphasizing that while the gathering may be on a Friday evening and not on a Sunday morning, this is not an academic lecture but a service. He says, “I am one of those who doesn’t recognize any consideration to the Word of God that is not accompanied by worship.”2 This quote aptly captures the doxological nature of Basil’s introduction to the Word of God.
His consideration of the author continues Basil’s introduction to Genesis 1:1: Moses. He assembles a comprehensive curriculum vitae on Moses and his qualifications for writing this book. However, Basil does not simply leave his hearers with a deeper understanding of who Moses was and why the Lord chose him to write an account of creation. Rather, he pushes the authorship to its conclusion: that the Holy Spirit dictated these words to Moses. He also superbly sets up the exegetical part of his homily with this reminder of the Gospel, “words destined to produce not the applause of those who hear them, but the salvation of those who are instructed by them.”3
At the outset of Basil’s exegesis, he does something significant; he responds to the current thoughts of the day. “Shall I show forth the vanity of the Gentiles?”4 He quickly concludes that their lines of inquiry are insufficient, “Those who were too ignorant to rise to a knowledge of a God, could not allow that an intelligent cause presided at the birth of the Universe; a primary error that involved them in sad consequences.”5 Beyond this consideration for the popular thought of the day, Basil launches into his exposition of Genesis 1:1. He begins by expanding on the first and most crucial detail of creation: God. By discussing the nature of beginnings and creation, Basil concludes that God had to exist first so that he could cause the world to begin.
Since the world has a beginning, Basil logically offers that the world must have an end. But what end? Basil shows the folly of the Greek philosophers because, without an understanding of the beginning, they will be unable to come to the reason for the end. Basil’s telos, consistent with his initial statement, the end is what is pleasing to the will of God, which is to judge the world so that souls may pass into eternity to be with him.6
Basil’s exposition takes a minor shift in the latter half of the homily. As far as he is concerned, he has proved that the Greek philosophers, a la Plato’s Timaeus, are inadequate to consider the truth of creation. In his second half, he moves to a pastoral posture exhorting his listeners to trust God and His design. After considering some contemporary astronomy and other questions, Basil offers this advice, “Let us then reply to ourselves, and let us reply to those who ask us upon what support this enormous mass rests; in His hands are the ends of the earth. It is a doctrine as infallible for our information as profitable for our hearers.”7 The earth belongs to its maker, and while many lines of inquiry might be considered, it is important to realize that the doctrine of creation is far more profitable to the Christian life than scientific inquiry.
Analysis
Throughout this homily, I was struck by how Basil formulates his arguments for the sake of those listening to him. First is the call to understand the authority of the pulpit and, therefore, the Word; second is his movement from the exegetical to the pastoral, and finally, his doxological nature of preaching.
Basil creates the foundation he will build for the rest of the homily through the first two paragraphs of the homily. His opening questions remind the hearers that considering the Word of God is an extraordinary privilege that should be handled accordingly. His exposition of the authorship of Genesis confirms that but reminds his hearers that while God has worked through the life of a sinner, Moses, it is still God who has authored this text. Just as in this context, we are reminded of God speaking through Moses, parishioners today should be reminded that in a Sunday sermon, they are not hearing only a pastor preach a sermon. Still, instead, God ministers to them through the proclaimed Word!
Secondly, as the summary mentions, a turn in the homily moves from exposition to pastoral. In the first half, Basil takes on the contemporary thought of the day; he proves that God created the world and has a purpose for it. In the second half, Basil comforts his hearers by expounding on the sovereignty of God. God’s design is good and trustworthy, “If there is anything in this system which might appear probable to you, keep your admiration for the source of such perfect order, for the wisdom of God.8
Finally, his homily is fundamentally doxological. This is seen in his opening, “I am about to speak of the creation of heaven and earth, which was not spontaneous, as some have imagined, but drew its origin from God. What ear is worthy to hear such a tale?”9 And concluding comments, “Let us glorify the supreme Artificer for all that was wisely and skillfully made;10 by the beauty of visible things let us raise ourselves to Him who is above all beauty; by the grandeur of bodies, sensible and limited in their nature, let us conceive of the infinite Being whose immensity and omnipotence surpass all the efforts of the imagination.”11 Basil’s desire in this message is to give God the glory for his wondrous creation.
Conclusion
I think Basil accomplished three goals in this homily: to glorify God by meditating on the wonders of creation. Second, to engage with and refute the contemporary thoughts of the day. And third, to usher his hearers into a place of reverence and awe for the wondrous works of God.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “A Man Called Paul – a Sermon from Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones,” A Sermon on Romans 1:1, accessed February 17, 2023, https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-romans/a-man-called-paul-2/.
Basil’s Hexaemeron Homily, 1.1
Ibid, 1.2
Ibid, 1.2
Ibid, 1.4
Ibid, 1.9
Ibid, 1.10
Ibid, 1.1
I wanted to end the quote here. However, it is simply too rich a quote to cut short!
Ibid, 1.11