John Cassian

In his own words on 2 Samuel

• 2 Samuel 1:14-16

  We know that David went beyond the precepts of the law when, despite Moses' command to pay back one's enemies in kind, he not only did not do this but even embraced his persecutors in love, prayed devoutly to the Lord on their behalf, even wept mournfully for them and revenged them when they were slain.

  CONFERENCE 21.4.2

• 2 Samuel 5:1

  We find that the word flesh is used in holy Scripture with many different meanings: for sometimes it stands for the whole person, that is, for that which consists of body and soul, as here: "And the Word was made flesh,"? and "All flesh shall see the salvation of our God." Sometimes it stands for sinful and carnal people, as here: "My spirit shall not remain in those men, because they are flesh." Sometimes it is used for sins themselves, as here: "But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit," and again, "Flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Lastly there follows, "Neither shall corruption inherit incorruption." Sometimes [as with David] it stands for unity and relationship, as here: "Behold we are your bone and your flesh," and the apostle says, "If by any means I may provoke to emulation them who are my flesh, and save some of them." We must therefore inquire in which of these four meanings we ought to take the word flesh in this place.

  CONFERENCE 4.10

• 2 Samuel 14:14

  For God's purpose, according to which he did not make the human being to perish but to live forever, abides unchanging. When his kindness sees shining in us the slightest glimmer of good will, which he himself has in fact sparked from the hard flint of our heart, he fosters it, stirs it up and strengthens it with his inspiration, "desiring all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." For, he says, "it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." And again he says, "God does not wish a soul to perish, but he withdraws and reflects, lest one who has been cast down perish utterly."

  CONFERENCE 13.7

• 2 Samuel 17:14

  For what shall we say about Hushai's pious deception of Absalom for the sake of King David's safety which, although formulated with good will by the deceiver and cheater and opposed to the well-being of the questioner, is approved by the text of divine Scripture that says, "By the will of the Lord the useful advice of Ahithophel was undone, so that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom"? For what was accomplished with a right intention and pious judgment for a good purpose and conceived for the safety and religious victory of a man whose piety was pleasing to God, all by way of deception, could not be blamed.

  CONFERENCE 17.19.5

• 2 Samuel 17:19-20

  And what shall we say about the deed of the woman who received those who had been sent to King David by the aforementioned Hushai and who hid them in a well, spreading a cover over the mouth of it and making believe that she was drying barley? "They went on," she said, "after having drunk a little water," and by this trick she saved them from the hands of their pursuers. Tell me, then, I ask you, what you would have done if a similar situation had arisen for you who now live under the gospel. Would you have chosen to conceal them by a similar lie, saying in the same way, "They went on after having drunk a little water," thus fulfilling what is commanded, "Do not spare [your help] to save those who are being led to death and to redeem those who are being slain" Or by speaking the truth would you have given over those who were hidden to those who were going to kill them? What, then, of the apostle's words? "Let no one seek what is [to] his own [benefit] but rather [to] what is another's." And, "Love does not seek what is its own but rather what belongs to others." And what he says about himself, "I do not seek what is beneficial to me but what is beneficial to the many, so that they may be saved." For if we seek what is ours and wish to hold on obstinately to what is beneficial to us, we shall have to speak the truth even in difficulties of this sort, and we shall become guilty of another's death. But if we fulfill the apostolic command by placing what is helpful to others ahead of our own well-being, without a doubt the necessity of lying will be imposed upon us.

  CONFERENCE 17.19.6-7

• 2 Samuel 23:15-17

  And certainly when we are disturbed at this very anger because it has stolen upon us against our brother, and we angrily cast out its deadly suggestions and do not permit it to maintain its noxious lair in the recesses of our heart. To be angry in this latter way is also taught us by that prophet who so eradicated this from his mind that he did not even want to take revenge on his own enemies, who had in fact been handed over to him by God, when he said, "Be angry and do not sin." For when he wanted water from a well in Bethlehem and had been brought it by strong men from the midst of enemy troops, he at once poured it out on the ground and, angrily extinguishing his wanton and passionate desire in this way, he offered it as a libation to the Lord, rejecting his yearning and desire with the words "May the Lord be gracious to me, lest I do this. Shall I drink the blood of those men who went out and the danger of their souls?"

  INSTITUTES 8.8