Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:14–18)

How is it possible, he is saying, for Christ to style himself our brother or call us really children unless he bears the same nature? Hence on assuming it He overcame the influence of death and did away with the dread besetting us. We lived ever in the dread of death because we were forced to haul the yoke of mortality. Now, it was very necessary for Him to use the phrase “like His brethren” so as to refute the calumny of mere appearance.

He treated of all these matters to teach those suspecting the Son was less than the angels on account of the passion that He was obliged to undergo the passion; he explains it more clearly in what follows as well. If He had assumed the nature of angels, He would have proved superior to death; but since what He assumed was human, through the passion He paid humankind's debt, while through the resurrection of the body that had suffered he demonstrated His own power. Now, it was very wise of the divine apostle to use the proper name instead of a generic name: he did not say, “He takes hold of human seed,” but “He takes hold of Abraham's seed,” reminding them also of the promise made to Abraham. In like manner, He shared even food with us, suffered fatigue, was downhearted, wept, and suffered death. He presented His saving death as an offering: the body He had assumed He offered for the whole of creation. He included something else as well for their consolation: having learned by experience the weakness of human nature in living under the law and under grace, He extends assistance to those under attack. This is said in respect of humanity: He is our high priest not as God but as human; He suffered not as God but as human; it was not as God that he learned our condition, but as God and creator he has a clear grasp of everything.

Theodoret of Cyrus, Interpretation of Hebrews 2

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Third Sunday after Epiphany

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16–21)

Our Savior, after reading this prophecy through in the synagogue one day to a multitude of Jews, shut the book and said, “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.” He began his own teaching from that point. He began to preach the gospel to the poor, putting in the forefront of his blessings: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Yes, He proclaimed forgiveness to those who were hampered by evil spirits and bound for a long time like slaves by demons. He invited all to be free and to escape from the bonds of sin, when He said, “Come to me, all you that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.”

To the blind He gave sight, giving the power of seeing to those whose bodily vision was destroyed. He showered those in ancient times who were blind in their minds to the truth with the vision of the light of true religion. The prophecy before us shows it to be essential that Christ himself should be the originator and leader of the gospel activity. The same prophet foretells that after Him His own disciples should be ministers of the same system: “How beautiful are the feet of them that bring good tidings of good things, and of those that bring good tidings of peace.”

Here He says very particularly that it is the feet of those who publish the good news of Christ that are beautiful. For how could they not be beautiful, which in so small, so short a time have run over the whole earth and filled every place with the holy teaching about the Savior of the world?

Eusebius of Caesarea, Proof of the Gospel 3.1.88C–89A

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Second Sunday after Epiphany

For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until My righteousness goes forth as light, and My salvation burns like a lamp. The Gentiles will see your righteousness, and kings your glory; and one will call you by your new name, which the Lord shall name. You shall also be a crown of beauty in the Lord’s hand, and the diadem of a kingdom in the hand of your God. You shall no longer be called Forsaken, and your land shall not be called Desert; for you shall be called My Will, and in your land, the Inhabited Earth. As a young man lives in wedlock with a virgin, so shall your sons dwell with you, and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so the Lord shall rejoice over you. (Isaiah 62:1–5 LXX)

Christ appeared to those on earth as righteousness and as salvation. He makes righteous and he saves, being himself the true light, a torch in the darkness as it were. He himself said, As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Everything had remained in mist and darkness. The devil had darkened the hearts of all, and there was no one who does good or knows righteousness, that is, the way to salvation. No one possessed the light from above that enlightens the mind, nor was anyone able to perceive with the eyes of understanding the true nature of God, who is Creator and Lord of all. However, after the Savior rose like a light and a torch, the world was illuminated and through Him we have seen the way of salvation.

Then the prophet speaks to the Church that was gathered from the company of the Jews. The multitude of the Gentiles had not yet been drawn in. Nations shall see your righteousness, and kings your glory. The righteousness mentioned in this verse, as well as the glory, is nothing else than our Lord Jesus the Christ. We have been justified in Him, and we have been enriched by His glory. We have become His, and we are called His chosen ones. We have been placed under His yoke and scepter and delivered from the cruel tyranny of the one who ruled us.

Because Zion no longer worships God according to the law and has embraced the new life according to the gospel, she casts off her old name and has been given a new name that befits the God of all, as is indicated in the words: He shall call you by your name, which the Lord will name. No longer will she be called synagogue but Church of the living God, His city and His house. The inspired David was thinking of her when he said, Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God.

Isaiah teaches that the Church will shine with splendor and be crowned with incomparable beauty. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. Every soul will be holy, together with the whole Church, and the ranks of the saints will be like a crown woven from many flowers or a royal tiara shining with stones from India and sparkling with splendor. For the deeds of the saints are valorous and many; like different ornaments they are not all alike but varied. Thus, the inspired David describes the Church of Christ clothed in a many-colored garment. The prophet also adds that the crown of beauty is in the hand of the Lord, that is, I will hide you in the shadow of my hand.

Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on Isaiah 5.5.62

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to Jesus' Baptism

Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison. When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:15–22)

Today, then, is another kind of birth of the Savior. We see Him born with the same sort of signs, the same sort of wonders, but with greater mystery. And the Holy Spirit, who was present to Him then in the womb, now pours out upon Him in the torrent. He who then purified Mary for Him now sanctifies the running waters for Him. The Father who then overshadowed in power now cries out with His voice. And He who then, as if choosing the more prudent course, manifested Himself as a cloud at the nativity now bears witness to the truth; for God says: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear Him. Clearly the second birth is more excellent than the first. For the one brought forth Christ in silence and without a witness, but the other baptized the Lord gloriously with a profession of divinity; from the one Joseph, thought to be the father, absents himself, but at the other God the Father, not believed in, manifests Himself; in the one the mother labors under suspicion because in her condition she lacked a father, but in the other she is honored because God attests to His Son.…

Today, then, He is baptized in the Jordan. What sort of baptism is this, when the one who is dipped is purer than the font, and where the water that soaks the one whom it has received is not dirtied but honored with blessings? What sort of baptism is this of the Savior, I ask, in which the streams are made pure more than they purify? For by a new kind of consecration the water does not so much wash Christ as submit to being washed. Since the Savior plunged into the waters, He sanctified the outpouring of every flood and the course of every stream by the mystery of His baptism, so that when someone wishes to be baptized in the name of the Lord it is not so much the waters of this world that cover him but the waters of Christ that purify him. Yet the Savior willed to be baptized for this reason—not that He might cleanse Himself but that He might cleanse the waters for our sake.

Maximus of Turin, Sermon 13A 2–3

Patristic Wisdom for Epiphany

Shine, shine, O Jerusalem, for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. Behold, darkness and gloom shall cover the earth upon the nations, but the Lord will shine on you; and His glory shall be seen upon you. Kings shall come to your light, and the Gentiles to your brightness. Lift up your eyes all around, and see your children gathered together. Behold, all your sons come from afar, and your daughters shall be lifted upon their shoulders. Then you will see, fear and be amazed in your heart, because the wealth of the sea and of nations and peoples shall change their course and turn to you. Herds of camels shall come to you, and the camels of Midian and Ephah shall cover you. All those from Sheba shall come bearing gold, and they shall bring frankincense and proclaim the good news of the Lord’s salvation. (Isaiah 60:1–6 LXX)

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.(Matthew 2:9–11)

How could anyone doubt that the nature of God the Word is filled with true and regal dominion? Certainly we must understand this nature as being in the very heights befitting to God. Since He appeared as a man, however, a being upon whom all things are bestowed as gifts, He received as a man, even though He is full and gives to all from His own fullness. He made our poverty His own, and we see in Christ the strange and rare paradox of Lordship in servant’s form and divine glory in human abasement. That which was under the yoke in terms of the limitations of manhood was crowned with royal dignities, and that which was humble was raised to the most supreme excellence. The Only Begotten did not become man only to remain in the limits of the emptying. The point was that He who was God by nature should, in the act of self-emptying, assume everything that went along with it. This was how He would be revealed as ennobling the nature of man in Himself by making it participate in his own sacred and divine honors. We shall find that even the saints call the Son of God the “Glory” of God the Father, and King, and Lord, even when He became a man. Isaiah, for example, says in one place:… “Shine forth Jerusalem for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Behold, darkness and gloom may cover the earth, but over you the Lord shall be made manifest and his glory shall be seen upon you.”

Cyril of Alexandria, On the Unity of Christ

Let us see how glorious was the dignity that attended the king who had been born. For immediately the Magi fall down and worship the one born as Lord, and there in His very cradle they venerate the infancy of the crying child by offering him gifts. They perceive one thing with the eyes of the body, something else with the vision of their mind. The humbleness of the body He assumed is seen, but the glory of His divinity is not concealed. It is a child who is seen, but it is God who is adored. How inexpressible is this mystery of the divine condescension! For our sake that incomprehensible and eternal nature does not disdain taking on the infirmities of our flesh. The Son of God, who is God of the universe, is born as a human being in a body. He permits Himself to be placed in a manger, within which are the heavens. He is confined to a cradle, one whom the world does not have room for. He is heard in the voice of a crying infant, at whose voice the whole world trembled in the time of his passion. And so, the Magi recognize this God of glory and Lord of majesty when they see Him as a child. Isaiah likewise shows that this child was both God and the eternal king, when he said, “For a child has been born to you; a son has been given to you, whose empire has been made on his shoulders.”

Chromatius of Aquileia, Tractate on Matthew 5.1

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Second Sunday after Christmas

And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:40–52)

Because He was a small child, He is found “in the midst of the teachers,” sanctifying and instructing them. Because He was a small child, He is found “in their midst,” not teaching them but “asking questions.” He did this because it suited His age, to teach us what befits boys, even if they are wise and learned. They should rather hear their teachers than want to teach them, and not show off with empty displays. As I was saying, He interrogated the teachers not to learn anything, but to teach them by His questions. From one fountain of doctrine, there flow both wise questions and wise answers. It is part of the same wisdom to know what you should ask and what you should answer. It was right for the Savior first to become a master of learned interrogation; later He would answer questions according to God’s Reason and Word.

Origen, Homilies on Luke 19.6

He is said to have progressed in wisdom and age and grace, because He did increase in age and by this increase in age brought more into evidence the wisdom inherent in Him; further, because by making what is ours altogether His own He made His own the progress of men in wisdom and grace, as well as the fulfillment of the Father’s will, which is to say, men’s knowledge of God and their salvation. Now, those who say that He progressed in wisdom and grace in the sense of receiving an increase in these are saying that the union was not made from the first instant of the flesh’s existence. Neither are they holding the hypostatic union, but, misled by the empty-headed Nestorius, they are talking preposterously of a relative union and simple indwelling, “understanding neither the things they say, nor whereof they affirm.” For, if from the first instant of its existence the flesh was truly united to God the Word—rather, had existence in Him and identity of person with Him—how did it not enjoy perfectly all wisdom and grace? It did not share the grace and neither did it participate by grace in the things of the Word; rather, because the human and divine things had become proper to the one Christ by the hypostatic union, then, since the same was at once God and man, it gushed forth with the grace and the wisdom and the fullness of all good things for the world.

John of Damascus, Orthodox Faith 3.22

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the First Sunday after Christmas

Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:22–35)

Whence it seems wonderful that the sacrifice of Mary was not the first offering, that is “a yearling lamb” but the second since “she could not afford” the first. For as it was written about her, His parents came “to offer a sacrifice” for him, “according to what was written in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves and two young doves.” But in this the truth is also shown to be what was written, that Jesus Christ “although He was rich became a poor man.” Therefore, for this reason, He chose both a poor mother, from whom He was born, and a poor homeland, about which it is said, “And you, Bethlehem, you are the least among the tribes of Judah” and the rest.

Origen, Homilies on Leviticus 8.4.3

The Son came to the servant not to be presented by the servant, but so that, through the Son, the servant might present to his Lord the priesthood and prophecy that had been entrusted to his keeping. Prophecy and priesthood, which had been given through Moses, were both passed down, and came to rest on Simeon. He was a pure vessel who consecrated himself, so that, like Moses, he too could contain them both. These were feeble vessels that accommodated great gifts, gifts that one might contain because of their goodness, but that many cannot accept, because of their greatness. Simeon presented our Lord, and in Him he presented the two gifts he had so that what had been given to Moses in the desert was passed on by Simeon in the temple. Because our Lord is the vessel in which all fullness dwells, when Simeon presented Him to God, he poured out both of these upon Him: the priesthood from his hands, and prophecy from his lips. The priesthood had always been on Simeon’s hands, because of purifications. Prophecy, in fact, dwelt on his lips because of revelations. When both of these saw the Lord of both of these, both of them were combined and were poured into the vessel that could accommodate them both, in order to contain priesthood, kingship, and prophecy.

Ephrem the Syrian, Homily on Our Lord 53.1

Patristic Wisdom for Christmas Day

Drink this first; act swiftly, region of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, and the rest who are on the coast and across the Jordan, Galilee of the nations! People going in darkness, see a great light! Those inhabiting a region, a shadow of death, light will shine on you! The greatest part of the people that you led down in your gladness will also make merry before you, like those gladdened during the harvest and just like those who divide up the spoils, because the yoke laid on them and the rod on their neck has been taken away. For He shattered the rod of those demanding payment as in the day in the time of Midian, because they will return as an exchange every robe and garment collected by trickery, and they will be willing, if they became burnt. Because a child was born to us; a son was given to us whose leadership came upon His shoulder; and His name is called “Messenger of the Great Council,” for I will bring peace upon the rulers and health to Him. His leadership is great, and there is no limit to His peace on the throne of David and His kingdom, to establish and take hold of it by justice and by righteousness, now and forever. The eagerness of the Lord Sabaoth will do these things. (Isaiah 9:2–7 LXX)

This is the third time in the same prophecy where the son is also called child. Indeed the first time: “Look, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and you shall name him Emmanuel.” Then he added: “For before the child knows good or bad.” And the second time: “And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son.” Then he added: “For before the child knows how to call ‘father’ or ‘mother.’” And the third time is in the text at hand through the word which said: Because a child was born for us. For this very reason the child is this son, who was given as a gift from God to those who have believed in him and who has many more names than those stated above. And he has been named messenger of great counsel. And although this name may seem rather ordinary, it points to something beyond mortal nature, even angelic. For he addressed Him not simply as messenger, but as messenger of great counsel. And what else could the great counsel be except the counsel of the great God concerning the calling and salvation of all nations, which the messenger Himself, our Savior, would minister in the benevolent counsel of the Father? According to the Hebrew Scriptures He has been honored with greater forms of address than messenger, for it is said that He bears the government on His shoulder. For the government of the prophesied child (that is, the glory and the honor and the kingdom) is the government that is on His shoulder and over all (clearly, the government should be understood as the arm of the divinity in Him). He has been called messenger of great counsel because of His divinity, for He alone understands the secret things of the fatherly counsel, and He is the messenger to the worthy. …

After saying this concerning the child who was born, he adds yet also these things concerning him: on the throne of David and his kingdom, to make it prosper. And he accurately preserves how it was said that He would take his seat not just on the throne of David, but more generally on the throne of David and His kingdom, to make it prosper, which we understand to imply that He will come in order to prosper the throne of David and “the booth of David that is fallen.” For after the kingdom of David had been subjected and overthrown from the time of the captivity of the people in Babylon, there were also prophecies foretelling that the throne of David would shine forth in righteousness as the light of the sun throughout all civilization. This same promise has come to be fulfilled in Him who was descended “from David according to the flesh” and who shines over the souls of people and consolidates his kingdom through all the nations of the entire empire. For in this way He restored the throne of David, not in arms and staves but with judgment and with righteousness. And He did so from this time onward and forevermore, on the one hand from now, signifying the time when the rule had been ordained, through to the time of the advent of His sojourn among humanity, and forevermore, indicating His boundless and lasting kingdom.

One should note first that it was foreknown and announced that He “would be born of a virgin,” second that, concerning the question before us, as it were, the Lord introduced how this will happen when he said: “And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son,” and third that he does not mention the virgin conception or the manner of the incredible pregnancy according to God. We learned these things concerning this child in advance, and he instructs us in detail in the secrets of His theology, and all these things are said concerning the advent of the little child. I do not know how those of the circumcision who do not wish to receive our Savior would understand these words, for the works testify concerning Him and the accomplishment of the deeds is confirmed. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do these things. What could the zeal be if not the good after which He strove, since it was fitting for Him to save all those who were oppressed by the devil and who had been drawn down into godlessness?

Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on Isaiah 9.6–7

Patristic Wisdom for Christmas Eve

Moreover the Lord added this to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I tempt the Lord.” Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, O house of David, is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary the Lord also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:10–14 LXX)

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18–25)

He who was going to consecrate a new order of birth, must Himself be born after a novel fashion, concerning which Isaiah foretold how that the Lord Himself would give the sign. What, then, is the sign? “Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son.” Accordingly, a virgin did conceive and bear “Emmanuel, God with us.” This is the new nativity; a man is born in God. And in this man God was born, taking the flesh of an ancient race, without the help, however, of the ancient seed, in order that He might reform it with a new seed, that is, in a spiritual manner, and cleanse it by the removal of all its ancient stains.

Tertullian, On the Flesh of Christ 17

Thus the evangelists help us to recognize the divine and corporeal birth of the Lord, which they describe as a twofold mystery and a kind of double path. To be sure, both births of the Lord are indescribable, but that from the Father vastly exceeds every mode of narration and wonder. The bodily birth of Christ is in time; His divine birth is before time. The former is in this world, the latter before the ages. The former from a virgin mother, the latter from God the Father. Angels and men stood as witnesses at the corporeal birth of the Lord; at his divine birth there was no witness except the Father and the Son, because nothing existed before the Father and the Son. But because God the Word could not be seen in the glory of His divinity, He assumed visible flesh to show His invisible divinity. He took from us what is ours, in order to lavish upon us what is His.

When therefore saint Mary had conceived by the Holy Spirit in accordance with the announcement of the angel and showed herself to be well along in her pregnancy, saint Joseph, to whom the same Virgin Mary had been betrothed, not knowing about the secret of such a great mystery, wanted to dismiss her secretly. … He thought that she who even while pregnant remained a virgin was an adulteress; he reckoned to be defiled she who was the mother of virginity; and he believed that she who had conceived the author of life was worthy of death. Yet consider the resolve of the just man. Although he thought saint Mary was an adulteress, yet he was not disposed to offer her up for condemnation, lest he should stain his own holy conscience with the blood of someone else.

While saint Joseph then was still unaware of so great a mystery and wanted to put Mary away secretly, he was warned in a vision by an angel, who said to him, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which is born from her is of the Holy Spirit.” Saint Joseph is made aware of the heavenly mystery, lest he think otherwise about Mary’s virginity. For it would not have been right for a just man to be in error over such great virginity. He is also made aware of it for this purpose, to exclude the evil of suspicion and receive the good of the mystery. The following words were said to him: “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which will be born from her is of the Holy Spirit,” so that he would recognize the integrity of his spouse and the virgin birth.

Chromatius of Aquileia, Tractate on Matthew 3.1–3

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Fourth Sunday in Advent

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:39–45)

Not yet born, already John prophesies and, while still in the enclosure of his mother’s womb, confesses the coming of Christ with movements of joy since he could not do so with his voice. For Elizabeth says to holy Mary: As soon as you greeted me, the child in my womb exulted for joy. John exults, then, before he is born, and before his eyes can see what the world looks like he can recognize the Lord of the world with his spirit. In this regard I think that the prophetic phrase is apropos which says: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you came forth from the womb I sanctified you. Thus we ought not to marvel that, after he was put in prison by Herod, from his confinement he continued to announce Christ to his disciples, when even confined in the womb he preached the same Lord by his movements.

Maximus of Turin, Sermon 5.4

Believe what says the angel who was sent
From the Father's throne, or if your stolid ear
Catch not the voice from heaven, be wise and hear
The cry of aged woman, now with child.
O wondrous faith! The babe in senile womb
Greets through his mother's lips the Virgin's Son,
Our Lord; the child unborn makes known the cry
Of the Child bestowed on us, for speechless yet,
He caused that mouth to herald Christ as God.

Prudentius, The Divinity of Christ 585–93.