Basil of Caesarea on sola fide

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DTK

Puritan Board Junior
I think I've posted this quote by Basil before, but the following are four different translations (basically speaking) of the same citation, some a little fuller, give or take. But the last one from the Fathers of the Church series has, in my opinion, something of a Romanist spin in the translation.

Basil of Caesarea (Ad 329-379): [As the Apostle says,] Let him who boasts boast in the Lord, [I say that] Christ has been made by God for us righteousness, wisdom, justification, [and] redemption, that, as it is written, “he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.” [For] this is perfect and pure boasting in God, when one is not proud on account of his own righteousness but knows that he is indeed unworthy of the true righteousness and is (or has been, δεδικαιωμένον, perfect passive participle, accusative, masculine of δικαιόω) justified solely by faith in Christ. See Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, Part 1, trans. Fred Kramer (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1971), p. 505.
Greek text: Λέγει δὲ ὁ Ἀπόστολος· Ὁ καυχώμενος ἐν Κυρίῳ καυχάσθω, λέγω ὅτι Χριστὸς ἡμῖν ἐγενήθη σοφία ἀπὸ Θεοῦ, δικαιοσύνη τε καὶ ἁγιασμὸς καὶ ἀπολύτρωσις· ἵνα καθὼς γέγραπται, Ὁ καυχώμενος ἐν Κυρίῳ καυχάσθω. Αὕτη γὰρ δὴ ἡ τελεία καὶ ὁλόκληρος καύχησις ἐν Θεῳ, ὅτε μήτε ἐπὶ δικαιοσύνῃ τις ἐπαίρεται τῇ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλʼ ἔγνω μὲν ἐνδεῆ ὄντα ἑαυτὸν δικαιοσύνης ἀληθοῦς, πίστει δὲ μόνῃ τῇ εἰς Χριστὸν δεδικαιωμένον. Homilia XX, Homilia De Humilitate, §3, PG 31:529. In context, Basil appealed to the example of the Apostle Paul as a regenerate man. δεδικαιωμένον is a perfect passive participle, accusative, masculine of δικαιόω.

Basil of Caesarea (Ad 329-379): As it is written, Let him that boasteth, boast in the Lord. For this is the perfect and complete boasting in God, that no one is extolled on account of his own righteousness, but knows that he, being destitute of real righteousness, is justified by faith only in Christ. And Paul boasts in despising his own righteousness, and in seeking that which is of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. George Finch, A Sketch of the Romish Controversy (London: G. Norman, 1831), p. 224.
Greek text: ἵνα καθὼς γέγραπται, Ὁ καυχώμενος ἐν Κυρίῳ καυχάσθω. Αὕτη γὰρ δὴ ἡ τελεία καὶ ὁλόκληρος καύχησις ἐν Θεῳ, ὅτε μήτε ἐπὶ δικαιοσύνῃ τις ἐπαίρεται τῇ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλʼ ἔγνω μὲν ἐνδεῆ ὄντα ἑαυτὸν δικαιοσύνης ἀληθοῦς, πίστει δὲ μόνῃ τῇ εἰς Χριστὸν δεδικαιωμένον. Kαὶ καυχᾶται Παῦλος ἐπὶ τῷ καταφρονῆσαι τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δικαιοσύνης, ζητεῖν de. τὴν διὰ Χριστοῦ, τὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει. Homilia XX, Homilia De Humilitate, §3, PG 31:529.

Basil of Caesarea (Ad 329-379): This is the true elevation of man; this is his glory and greatness: truly to know that which is great, glory from the Lord of glory. The Apostle says: Let him, that glorieth, glory in the Lord; declaring, that Christ is made unto us of God wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. For this is the true and perfect glorying in God, when a man is not lifted up on account of his own righteousness, but has known himself to be wanting in true righteousness and to be justified by faith alone in Christ. And Paul glories, in that he despises his own righteousness, and seeks the righteousness which is through Christ, even the righteousness which is from God in faith, to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, if by any means he might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Here, all the elevation of pride falls to the ground. Nothing is left unto thee for boasting, O man: inasmuch as thy whole boasting and hope consist, in the mortification of thy own will, and in living henceforth the life which is in Christ. The firstfruits of this we have in the present time: for we live altogether in the grace and free gift of God.―Thou hast not known God through righteousness on thy part; but God hath known thee on account of his goodness: ―thou hast not apprehended Christ through thy virtue; but Christ hath apprehended thee through his coming. For translation, see George Stanley Faber, The Primitive Doctrine of Justification (London: R. B. Seeley and W. Burnside, 1837), pp. 108-109.
Greek text: Λέγει δὲ ὁ Ἀπόστολος· Ὁ καυχώμενος ἐν Κυρίῳ καυχάσθω, λέγω ὅτι Χριστὸς ἡμῖν ἐγενήθη σοφία ἀπὸ Θεοῦ, δικαιοσύνη τε καὶ ἁγιασμὸς καὶ ἀπολύτρωσις· ἵνα καθὼς γέγραπται, Ὁ καυχώμενος ἐν Κυρίῳ καυχάσθω. Αὕτη γὰρ δὴ ἡ τελεία καὶ ὁλόκληρος καύχησις ἐν Θεῳ, ὅτε μήτε ἐπὶ δικαιοσύνῃ τις ἐπαίρεται τῇ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλʼ ἔγνω μὲν ἐνδεῆ ὄντα ἑαυτὸν δικαιοσύνης ἀληθοῦς, πίστει δὲ μόνῃ τῇ εἰς Χριστὸν δεδικαιωμένον. Homilia XX, Homilia De Humilitate, §3, PG 31:529.

Basil of Caesarea (Ad 329-379): This constitutes the highest dignity of man, this is his glory and greatness: truly to know what is great and to cleave to It, and to seek after glory from the Lord of glory. The Apostle tells us: ‘He that glorieth may glory in the Lord,’ saying: ‘Christ was made for us wisdom of God, justice and sanctification and redemption; that, as it is written: He that glorieth may glory in the Lord.’ Now, this is the perfect and consummate glory in God: not to exult in one’s own justice, but, recognizing oneself as lacking true justice, to be justified by faith in Christ alone. Paul gloried in despising his own justice and in seeking after the justice by faith which is of God through Christ, that he might know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death, so as to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Fathers of the Church, Vol. 9, Ascetical Works, Homily 20 - Of Humility (New York: Fathers of the Church, Inc., 1950), pp. 478-479.
 
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