Biblical Imagery
St. Benedict thoroughly immersed himself in Scripture during his lifetime, and it shows in his writing. He routines quotes and references passages from the Bible without even deigning to cite the book, chapter, or verse. For example, in Chapter 3 ("On Calling the Brethren for Counsel"), he merely writes, "It is written, 'Do everything with counsel, and you will not repent when you have done it.'" Other chapters have stronger images associated with the Biblical passages, such as this quotation from Chapter 2 ("What Kind of Man the Abbot Ought to Be"): "You were looking at the speck in your brother's eye, and did not see the beam in your own." This is a reference to Matthew 7, but the specific citation is lacking from Benedict's text.
Brethren Imagery
St. Benedict constantly refers to his fellow monks as "brothers" and "brethren," in accordance both with Jesus's terminology with regard to his followers (fellow children of God) and with his own agenda for the monasteries: he wishes all monks to get along like brothers. This is, of course, unrealistic, so he puts disciplinary guidelines in his Rule as well.
Discipline Imagery
The orders for discipline in St. Benedict's Rule are neither vague nor merely suggestions: he strongly advises harsh disciplinary measures for those who act out of turn. Chapter 2 instructs that the Abbot be quick to curb the proud and disobedient "by stripes and other bodily punishments, knowing that it is written, 'The fool is not corrected with words,' and again, 'Beat your son with the rod and you will deliver his soul from death.'" Similar instructions are given in the section on punishment for delinquent boys: "...let them be subjected to severe fasts or brought to terms by harsh beatings, that they may be cured" (Chapter 30: How Boys Are to Be Corrected).
Abstinence Imagery
Being monks in a monastery, St. Benedict instructs all the readers of this Rule to be absolutely abstinent from certain activities, such as sexual activity. Self-denial is a major tenet of monastic living, so monks are forbidden to have money as well as any kind of possessions. Imagery relating to this self-denial pervades the Rule.
