The Rule of Saint Benedict, written around 540, not only remains a yearbook for many people today, but is also a key work in the history of the Christian monasticism. Saint Benedict, born around 480 in what is now Norcia, was sent to Rome to study. Eventually, becoming embittered toward the self-centered Roman way of life, Benedict moved to a place of confinement to pursue a life dedicated to God. Benedict founded a monastery at Monte Cassino with the intention of establishing the framework for monastic life. The Rule of Saint Benedict is based on the key principles of humility, obedience and justice and aims to create a harmonious and well-organized religious community in which individuals can progress in Christian virtues, call on God and prepare for an eternal life full of hope. Benedict constructs ideal monastic routines and regulations, including the qualities of an exceptional abbot, each day's agenda, steps toward humility, and the value of living a virtuous and faithful life. The meticulous way in which the abbot handles punishment embodies the ideas of obedience, humility and justice, and in a broader sense, the Rule establishes the idea that the abbot is ultimately responsible for his disciples and of their actions, thus preventing the abbot from becoming unjust or proud.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay From the opening of The Rule, St. Benedict has illustrated the criterion for how an abbot should act. Benedict wrote: “…the abbot must not teach, nor decree, nor command anything contrary to the instructions of the Lord; instead, he should work in the minds of his disciples the commandments of the Lord and his teaching, as if they were the leaven of divine righteousness. It follows from this that the abbot must not only be someone honest, but also capable of interpreting and teaching what is truly important in life. The abbot and his monks must have held Christ dearer than anything else in life. If this lifestyle is maintained, absolute humility can be achieved. Chapter 5 of the Rule specifies that as soon as the superior gives an order, the brother must “execute it as promptly as if the order came from God”. This standard had to be respected by every member of the monastic community. However, in some cases, if a brother disobeyed, the punishment was meted out by the abbot. As Benedict showed, it was the abbot's duty to adapt to each circumstance, whether it was a first offense or constant wicked acts. The general process stems from the Apostle Paul's advice to Timothy to "reprove, appeal, and rebuke." This serves as a rough basis for the system of punishment in the monastery. Rule 23, titled “Excommunication for Offenses,” states: “If a brother is found insubordinate, disobedient, arrogant, complaining, or in any way uncooperative and disregarding the holy rule and the orders of his superiors, he shall be reprimanded by his elders once or twice, in private, as the Lord advised. For the first and second offense, the brother should be reprimanded or scolded rather gently and privately. This allows the monk to make amends and correct his wrongdoings before facing a public reprimand. If no correction is made to his behavior, the abbot will be publicly reprimanded in front of everyone. Then, if there is still no improvement, “he must be excommunicated” and if he persists in error, “he must undergo corporal punishment”. This system of punishment is clear and simple enough for monks to understand. For God as for the abbot, the only form..