In commenting on Joshua 24:27 from today’s Readings, St Basil of Caesarea (St Basil the Great) writes:
“Joshua, the son of Nun, even calls a stone to give testimony (a heap of stones had already been called to testify between Jacob and Laban) when he said, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of the Lord which he spoke to us; therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” Perhaps he believed that the power of God would enable the stones to cry out in testimony against the transgressors or at least that everyone’s conscience would be wounded by the force of the reminder. So those who have been entrusted with the care of souls provide various kinds of witnesses to testify at a future date. But the Spirit is organically united with God, not because of the needs of each moment but through communion in the divine nature. He is joined to the Lord; he is not brought in by our efforts (On the Spirit, 13).”
