Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the First Sunday in Advent

For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:9–13)

Paul says that there is nothing so valuable that it can be enough to compensate for the salvation which the Gentiles have obtained. Since they had advanced by the perseverance of their faith and the practice of a better life, he wanted to see them all the more in order to be able to teach them what they needed to go on to perfection, the sacraments, as it were, of spiritual things which cannot easily be proclaimed, so that they might discover who and how great was the judge whom they were waiting for. It is one thing to accept the faith and another to accept its exposition. The debate about the nature of the Father and the Son is different from that about their persons. The Father is unbegotten but the Son is begotten. The persons appear to be different but the nature is one and indivisible. The unity is not in person but in substance. The Holy Spirit is not to be regarded as inferior merely because He is placed third. Whatever is clear about the second person applies to the third as well.

Paul prays that his journey will be properly organized, by God the Father first of all, because all things come from Him. He wants the power and foresight of the Father and the Son to protect his coming, so that he will be accepted by those who hear him, and the hindrances of the devil may be removed so that he can make his way to them.

In order that the joy with which he rejoices in them may be increased, Paul prays that they may grow in all good things, so that when he comes to them he may find in them even more praiseworthy things than what he had heard from Timothy. He wants them to be found blameless with the saints in the love of God the Father and at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when the cross-examination starts and tests each one before His judgment seat. Paul calls Him God because of the terror of his majesty, but Father because of the kindness by which he has been pleased to adopt those who believe in Him as His children, something which will be made clear when the Lord returns.

Ambrosiaster, Commentary on 1 Thessalonians 3

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. (1 Cor 9:16–27)

Paul is free from all men because he preached the gospel without getting any praise for it and never wanted anything from anyone except their salvation. He has not accepted large sums of money to spend on himself, which would have been sheer hypocrisy. He says that he has acted as a slave to all in order to show by his humility that he was not unlike anyone who is weak in his thinking. Paul wanted to strengthen them by patience for their future salvation by showing his great concern for those who were sinning or who were being slow to follow the commands of their faith. All along, his main aim was that they should not feel bitter resentment at being rebuked.

Did Paul merely pretend to be all things to all men, in the way that flatterers do? No. He was a man of God and a doctor of the spirit who could diagnose every pain, and with great diligence he tended them and sympathized with them. We have something or other in common with everyone, and this is what Paul brought out in dealing with particular people. He became a Jew to the Jews in that he circumcised Timothy, because that was a scandal to them, and when he went to the temple he practiced the rite of purification, so that the Jews would not be given an opportunity to blaspheme on his account. He performed an action which by its nature should have been obsolete, but he acted in accordance with the law. He agreed with the Jews that the law and the prophets were from God, and on that basis he showed them that Christ was the promised one. He agreed with them, in other words, in order to get them to accept his teaching. …

Paul became weak by abstaining from things which would scandalize the weak. Here he shows the true marks of a wise and spiritual man, because having become all things to all men, he nevertheless did not transgress the bounds of his faith. When he made allowances, he did so in order to do good, but he never did anything other than what the law commanded. Paul did all these things in order to share in God’s plan for the salvation of the human race.

Ambrosiaster, Commentary on 1 Corinthians 19–20, 22–23

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Third Sunday in Lent

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:1–8)

Now if someone will hardly die for a righteous man, how can it be that he would die for ungodly people? And if someone might volunteer to die for one good man (or not volunteer, since the phrase is ambiguous), how can it be that someone would dare to die for a multitude of the ungodly? For if someone dares to die for a righteous or good man, it is probably because he has been touched with some sort of pity or been impressed by his good works. But in the case of the ungodly, not only is there no reason to die for them, but there is plenty to make us want to cry when we look at them!

Christ, however, died for the ungodliness of a people which was not yet His, and made everything which the world disbelieves believable. He made two kinds of people—the righteous and the good. Even though a righteous man ought to be called good as well, He nevertheless created these distinct types of people, the difference being that the righteous person has achieved that status by self-discipline whereas the good person was born that way and is innocent in the simplicity of his nature. Thus, although there is greater merit in being a righteous person than in being merely a good one, it is still true, says Paul, that someone might volunteer to die for a good person, meaning by this that since the cause of his innocence is less noble, someone might possibly be pressured into this.

Ambrosiaster, Commentary on Romans 5.7

Since he had said above that “Christ, at the set time, died for those who were still ungodly,” now he wants to show from this the greatness of God’s love for men. For if it was so great for the ungodly and sinners that he gave his only Son for their salvation, how much more bountiful and widespread shall it be toward those who have been converted and atoned and, as He Himself says, redeemed by His own blood?

Origen, Commentary on Romans 4.11.1

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Second Sunday in Lent

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.… For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did. (Romans 4:1–4, 13–17)

Paul confirms by quoting the law that Abraham is the father of all who believe, and so the promise is firm if they abandon the law on account of their faith, because the promise of the kingdom of heaven is given to the righteous, not to sinners. Those who are under the law are under sin, because all have sinned, and it is not possible for anyone who is under to law to receive grace, as he says to the Galatians: You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

In order to teach that there is one God for all, Paul tells the Gentiles that Abraham believed in God Himself and was justified in His sight. The Gentiles also believe in Him, that they may be justified, and so there is no difference between Jew and Greek in faith, for when the circumcision and the uncircumcision are taken away they are made one in Christ, because Abraham also believed when he was still uncircumcised and was justified.

Having said this, Paul invites the Gentiles to share the faith of Abraham, who believed God while he was still uncircumcised. Now that that faith is preached in Christ, he has been raised from the dead, along with his wife. For when they were already very old they sprang back to life, so that Abraham did not doubt that he would have a son by Sarah, whom he knew to be sterile, and who had long since ceased to have her menstrual period. Paul said this so that they would not worry about circumcision or uncircumcision, but that they would respond eagerly because of their faith, secure in the knowledge that the one in whom they believe is no other than the one who gives life to the dead, and that when he wants to bring things which do not exist into being, they appear immediately by his mere will.

Ambrosiaster, Commentary on Romans 4.17

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Eph 6:10–20)

The apostle is sure that the sufferings which are inflicted by apostate servants of God are actually controlled by the devil, who is too high and mighty for us to resist. Paul, therefore, tells us to put on the armor of God against them, because it is only by his power that all the devil’s machinations will be overcome and destroyed. The people whom Paul calls the rulers of this darkness, evil spirits who dwell in heavenly places, in the firmament of the world, are only puppets of the devil. It is those who are in charge of ignorance and unbelief who are the masters of evil and rulers of darkness. The rulers of darkness are understood to lead people astray because they are the masters of unbelief.

Because we are at war against the most vicious enemies who are skilled in all manner of wickedness, we must be on our guard with all caution and care, so that however they tempt us, we may be armed and ready for them. We must be vigilant in prayer and expect God to give us the victory because God will help those whom he sees acting like that. In warfare of this kind, a sober mind and a pure conscience are absolutely essential because it is not being waged against carnal evils but against spiritual ones. Against earthly enemies, the body is strengthened by liquor and the mind is inflamed by strong drink which give them the courage to resist. But resistance against spiritual evils must be spiritual, and our weapons must be sobriety and abstinence so that filled with the Holy Spirit we might defeat unclean and aberrant spirits. We gird our loins with truth if we are prepared to resist error. Everyone who wants to be effective protects himself in this way so that by removing hindrances he can function more effectively.

If we live a good life the Holy Spirit dwells with us and we can receive what we ask for. To pray in the Spirit always means to offer prayer to God with a clean conscience and a pure faith. The person who prays in the flesh prays with a corrupt mind and will sin again, not accidentally or incidentally, but deliberately. However, he can avoid sin as long as he lives if he perseveres in prayer so that his mind is always firmly fixed and focused on the law of God and he meditates day and night on the things which God loves. People who are like this are able to pray for the saints.

Ambrosiaster, Epistle to the Ephesians 6

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.… And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Eph 4:20–24, 30)

He is calling us to live as one whose thoughts come from the Spirit, who is himself once again becoming the spiritual man created by God. We are to live in the likeness of God, just as God intended when He said: “Let us make man in our own image and likeness.” Admittedly God has no face or physical aspect. God is Spirit. So we too have been created according to God, to think according to the Spirit and thus to allow nothing to drag us down to worldly and unworthy thoughts.

Marius Victorinus, Epistle to the Ephesians 2.4.23–24

When we behave well, the Holy Spirit given to us rejoices in us, seeing that His promptings are bearing fruit in our lives, just as it is said of the Lord: So there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. The Holy Spirit rejoices at our salvation, not for His own sake, because there is no lack of happiness in Him, but rather because if we were not obedient to Him He would be upset about not having any effect on us because He wants us to be part of life. He is not upset because He is suffering, since He cannot suffer, but when Paul says that He grieves, He means that this is for our sake. He deserts us because we hurt Him by ignoring his commands. His grief is our unworthiness which prevents us from being called children of God. He is the Holy Spirit, who makes us children of God by dwelling in us.

Ambrosiaster, Epistle to the Ephesians 4.30

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Third Sunday after Pentecost

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well-pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Co 5:1–10)

Paul is saying that people are yearning that when they rise again they may be clothed in the promised heavenly glory. They are earnest in their prayers that they should not be excluded from the glory which is promised. This is what being found naked means. For when the soul is clothed in a body it must also be clothed with the glory which is its transformation into brightness.

Death comes from the earth but resurrection from the heavens, as long as there is a change into glory. There will be, but only if on departing out of this body we are clothed in Christ, because everyone who is baptized in Christ puts Him on like a garment. So if we have remained in the form and faith of our baptism, we shall be found with our body stripped, but not naked, because Christ dwells in our inner selves, and when we are clothed (or when the Holy Spirit has been given to us), we shall be worthy of being clothed in the promised glory of heaven. The promised brightness will fall on the person whom He sees as having the sign of adoption.…

Paul is right to be of good courage, because relying on the promise of God and knowing that it is much better to be in that other place than it is to remain in this world, they are willing to leave the body and rest until the day of resurrection under the throne of God. [He] is saying that we must do this and put our energy into good works in order to please God, whether we remain in this life or go to stand before the judgment seat of Christ. If we keep up our self-discipline, we will be pleasing both here and there, because someone who is pleasing here will hardly be displeasing there. If, on the day of Christ’s judgment, we are going to receive what we have done in the body, it is clear that we shall not be judged without a body, good or bad.

Ambrosiaster, Commentary on 2 Corinthians 5

Patristic Wisdom for the First Sunday after Christmas

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Gal 4:4–7)

“The fullness of time” is the completed time which had been foreordained by God the Father for the sending of his Son, so that, made from a virgin, He might be born like a man, subjecting Himself to the law up to the time of his baptism, so that He might provide a way by which sinners, washed and snatched away from the yoke of the law, might be adopted as God's sons by His condescension, as He had promised to those redeemed by the blood of His Son. It was necessary, indeed, that the Savior should be made subject to the law, as a son of Abraham according to the flesh, so that, having been circumcised, He could be seen as the one promised to Abraham, who had come to justify the Gentiles through faith since he bore the sign of the one to whom the promise had been made.

Ambrosiaster, Epistle to the Galatians 4.5.1

Behold the whole array of those three powers through one power and one Godhead. For God, he says, who is the Father, sent His own Son, who is Christ, and again Christ, who himself being the power of God is God, … sent the spirit of His Son, who is the Holy Spirit.

Marius Victorinus, Epistle to the Galatians 2.4.6.

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Last Sunday of the Year

Simone Martini, “Crucifixion”

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (Colossians 1:13–20)

Freed thus from the condition of darkness, that is, plucked from the infernal place, in which we were held by the devil both because of our own and because of Adam's transgression, who is the father of sinners, we were translated by faith into the heavenly kingdom of the Son of God. This was so that He might show us by what love God loved us, when, raising us from deepest hell, He led us into heaven with His true Son.

Ambrosiaster, Commentary on Colossians

The Savior endured all this, “making peace through the blood of the cross, for all things whether in the heavens or on the earth.” For we were enemies of God through sin, and God had decreed the death of the sinner. One of two things, therefore, was necessary, either that God, in His truth, should destroy all men, or that in His loving-kindness, He should remit the sentence. But see the wisdom of God; He preserved the truth of His sentence and the exercise of his loving-kindness. Christ took our sins “in His body upon the tree; that we, having died to sin,” by his death “might live to righteousness.” [1 Pet 2:24] He who died for us was of no small worth; He was no material sheep; He was no mere man. He was more than an angel, He was God made man. The iniquity of sinners was not as great as the righteousness of Him who died for them. The sins we committed were not as great as the righteousness He wrought, who laid down His life for us.

Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures 13.33

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to Reformation Sunday

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Ro 3:21–26)

It is clear that the righteousness of God has now appeared apart from the law, but this means apart from the law of the sabbath, the circumcision, the new moon and revenge, not apart from the sacrament of God’s divinity, because the righteousness of God is all about God’s divinity. For when the law held them guilty, the righteousness of God forgave them and did so apart from the law so that until the law was brought to bear God forgave them their sin. And lest someone think that this was done against the law, Paul added that the righteousness of God had a witness in the Law and the Prophets, which means that the law itself had said that in the future someone would come who would save mankind. But it was not allowed for the law to forgive sin.

Therefore, what is called the righteousness of God appears to be mercy because it has its origin in the promise, and when God’s promise is fulfilled it is called “the righteousness of God.” For it is righteousness when what is promised has been delivered. And when God accepts those who flee to him for refuge, this is called righteousness, because wickedness would not accept such people.

Ambrosiaster, Commentary on Paul’s Epistles

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has become His counselor?”
“Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. (Ro 11:33–36)

Whence this outburst of feeling? Surely from the recollection of the Scriptures, which he had been previously turning over, as well as from his contemplation of the mysteries which he had been setting forth above, in relation to the faith of Christ coming from the law.… The truth is, the Creator’s resources and riches, which once had been hidden, were now disclosed. For so had He promised: “I will give to them treasures which have been hidden, and which men have not seen will I open to them.” [Is 45:3] Hence, then, came the exclamation, “O the depth of the riches and the wisdom of God!” For His treasures were now opening out. This is the purport of what Isaiah said, and of (the apostle’s own) subsequent quotation of the self-same passage, of the prophet: “Who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been His counselor? Who has first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?”

Tertullian, Against Marcion V.14

God knew from the beginning what man’s behavior and works would be like, in that the human race could not be saved only by the severity of his justice nor could it reach perfection only by his mercy. So at a particular time he decreed what should be preached, whereas before that time he allowed each person to decide for himself, because righteousness was recognized under the guidance of nature. And because the authority of natural righteousness was weakened by the habit of sin, the law was given so that the human race would be held back by the fear engendered by the revealed law. But because they did not restrain themselves and were counted guilty under the law, mercy was proclaimed, which would save those who took refuge in it but would blind those who rejected it for a time. During that time this mercy would invite the Gentiles, who earlier on had not wanted to follow the law given to Moses, to share in the promise, so that the Jews might become jealous of their salvation and because of that jealousy turn again to the source of the root, which is the Savior. This is “the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God,” who by his many-sided providence has won both Jews and Gentiles to eternal life.

Ambrosiaster, Commentary on Paul’s Epistles

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to Sunday

The Church Fathers, 11th century

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  (Rom 12:1)

Paul pleads with them through the mercy of God, by which the human race is saved…. This is a warning that they should remember that they have received God’s mercy and that they should take care to worship the one who gave it to them.  God’s will is our sanctification, for bodies subject to sin are considered not to be alive but dead, since they have no hope of obtaining the promise of eternal life.  It is for this purpose that we are cleansed from our sins by God’s gift, that henceforth we should lead a pure life and stir up the love of God in us, not making his work of grace of no effect.  For the ancients killed sacrifices which were offered in order to signify that men were subjected to death because of sin.  But now, since by the gift of God men have been purified and set free from the second death, they must offer a living sacrifice as a sign of eternal life.  For now it is no longer the case that bodies are sacrificed for bodies, but instead of bodies it is the sins of the body which must be put to death.

Ambrosiaster, Commentary on Paul’s Epistles

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Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil.  Cling to what is good.  (Rom 12:9)

I think that any love without God is artificial and not genuine.  For God, the Creator of the soul, filled it with the feeling of love, along with the other virtues, so that it might love God and the things which God wants.  But if the soul loves something other than God and what God wants, this love is said to be artificial and invented.  And if someone loves his neighbor but does not warn him when he sees him going astray or correct him, such is only a pretense of love.

Perhaps it seems odd to find hatred listed among the virtues, but it is put here of necessity by the apostle.  Nobody doubts that the soul has feelings of hatred in it; however, it is praiseworthy to hate evil and to hate sin.  For unless a person hates evil he cannot love, nor can he retain the virtues.

Origen, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans