Patristic Wisdom: Looking to Fourth Sunday of Easter

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:1-10)

The shepherd of the sheep is the one who is worthily endowed with the gift of teaching and uses the lawful entrance. In other words, he is the one who endeavors to live entirely according to the teaching of the law and thus enters the sheepfold exactly as he should. He then leads all the rest, like sheep, to the pastures of his teaching by showing them the food of his words, with which they must first nourish themselves. Once they have done so, he explains the power of those words and how they must be understood. He also points out to the sheep those teachings that others might deceitfully propose to them for their perdition but from which they should abstain.

Since this is what the shepherd is like, it follows that a thief and a bandit is the exact opposite. He does not use the lawful entrance, nor does he show respect for the precepts of the law. This is how he teaches the people given to him: he simply scales the fence and seizes the entrance as well as the office of teacher, because he has done nothing that would entitle him to such honor. He behaves inconsiderately and, by doing whatever he wants, does things that harm the sheep. Indeed, how can one who does not discipline himself in the precepts of the law be useful to anyone else? In other words, the Lord is saying, “Let us discern between you and me, if you like, who uses the lawful entrance; who diligently follows the precepts of the law; for whom Moses, the gatekeeper of the sheepfold, opens the gate; to whom offers praise for completing his work and who he considers worthy to be declared shepherd because of what he has done.…

Then what does he say? I am the gate; that is, “I am not like them; they are thieves. I am the true door.” If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. Those who come to me will receive truth through me. They will enjoy true life and safely graze in the truth, being filled with delight by the teaching of the divine law.” The words, he will go in and out and find pasture, refer to what happens among sheep that derive great delight from his doctrine of truth.

But how can it be ascertained that they are the thieves and you are the shepherd of the sheep? Since what he had said could not be verified by words only, his words also had to be confirmed by evidence. And so He added, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. He confirms His argument by citing those actions that are typical of thieves. “Thieves exist to steal, kill and destroy for their own greed. I am so far removed from these actions that I, in fact, do the exact opposite for those who obey me. In other words, I give them life—and not just any life, but eternal life.” This is what he meant when he said, and have it abundantly, alluding to the resurrection he will give to the human race.

Theodore of Mopsuestia, Commentary on John 4.10

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Third Sunday of Easter

Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. (Luke 24:25–31)

After the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, He met two of His disciples on the road, talking about the events which had just taken place, and that He said to them: ‘What words are these that you are exchanging … and are sad?’ Mark briefly touched upon the incident, saying that the Lord appeared to the two disciples on the road, but he did not mention what the disciples said to the Lord nor what the Lord said to them.

What lesson does that reading bring home to us? A very important one, if we understand. Jesus appeared; He was visible to their eyes, yet He was not recognized. The Master walked with them on the way; in fact, He was the Way on which they were not yet walking; but He found that they had wandered some distance from the Way. For, when He was with them before His Passion, He had foretold all—that He would suffer, that He would die, that He would rise again on the third day—He had predicted all; but His death was as a loss of memory for them. They were so disturbed when they saw Him hanging on the cross that they forgot His teaching, did not look for His Resurrection, and failed to keep His promises in mind.

“We,” they said, “had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” O my dear disciples, you had hoped! So now you no longer hope? Look, Christ is alive! Is hope dead in you? Certainly, certainly, Christ is alive! Christ, being alive, found the hearts of his disciples dead, as he appeared and did not appear to their eyes. He was at one and the same time seen and concealed. I mean, if he wasn't seen, how could they have heard him questioning them and answered his questions? He was walking with them along the road like a companion and was himself the leader. Of course he was seen, but he wasn't recognized. For their eyes were restrained, as we heard, so that they wouldn't recognize him. They weren't restrained so that they wouldn't see him, but they were held so that they wouldn't recognize him.

Ah yes, brothers and sisters, but where did the Lord wish to be recognized? In the breaking of bread. We're all right, nothing to worry about—we break bread, and we recognize the Lord. It was for our sake that he didn't want to be recognized anywhere but there, because we weren't going to see him in the flesh, and yet we were going to eat his flesh. So if you're a believer, any of you, if you're not called a Christian for nothing, if you don't come to church pointlessly, if you listen to the Word of God in fear and hope, you may take comfort in the breaking of bread. The Lord's absence is not an absence. Have faith, and the one you cannot see is with you. Those two, even when the Lord was talking to them, did not have faith, because they didn't believe he had risen. Nor did they have any hope that he could rise again. They had lost faith, lost hope. They were walking along, dead, with Christ alive. They were walking along, dead, with life itself. Life was walking along with them, but in their hearts life had not yet been restored.

Therefore, if you wish to have life, do what they did that you may recognize the Lord. They received Him with gracious courtesy. Because the Lord seemed intent on proceeding further, they constrained Him. And after they had reached the place toward which they were making their way, they said: ‘Now stay with us here, for it is getting toward evening.’ Constrain your Guest, if you wish to recognize the Savior. Hospitality restored what unbelief had taken away. Therefore, the Lord revealed Himself in the breaking of bread. Learn where to seek the Lord; learn where to possess Him; learn where to recognize Him, that is, when you eat His Body. Truly do the faithful discern something in that reading which they understand better than they who do not discern.

Augustine, Liturgical Sermons 235.1–3

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Second Sunday of Easter

Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:19–31)

These words, Receive the Holy Spirit, were said in place of, “you will receive,” in the upper room. Therefore the gift, conferred through breathing, pertains only to the power of binding and absolving, as will be seen. This is the fulfillment of what was said to Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom.” It was necessary that He granted these gifts so that they might know that He was of the same nature and substance of the Spirit who would give them an overabundance of gifts. This is why He said, “He will take what is mine and declare it to you.” Consider, however, how far this breathing extends, If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. What truly wonderful gifts! Indeed [the Spirit] not only gives power over the elements and the ability to perform signs and wonders, but even concedes that God has called them by name, and that which is only appropriate to Himself is given to His servants. The prerogative to absolve and retain sins only belongs to God. The Jews sometimes raised this objection to the Savior, saying, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And yet the Lord generously gave this power to those who feared Him.

Theodore of Mopsuestia, Commentary on the Gospel of John 7.20.25

Patristic Wisdom for Easter

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. (John 20:11–18)

The angels asked Mary, saying: “Woman, why are you weeping?” And she said to them: “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have put him.” The sacred message which stirs up tears of love in us provides consolation for these tears when it promises us the sight of our Redeemer. But we should note that, in the historical sense, the woman did not say, “They have taken away the body of my Lord”, but, “They have taken away my Lord.” … The Lord’s body alone had lain in the sepulcher; Mary was not seeking the body, but the Lord who had been taken away, indicating the part by the whole.

When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, and she did not know that it was Jesus. Mary, who was still in doubt about the Lord’s resurrection, turned round to see Jesus. By this doubt she had turned her back to the face of the Lord, whom she did not believe had risen. Because she loved, and doubted, she saw and did not recognize him. Her love revealed him to her, and her doubt prevented her from knowing him. He said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek? He asked the reason for her sorrow to increase her desire, so that when he asked whom she was seeking she might feel a more vehement love for him.

She thought that it was the gardener, and said to him: “Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him away.” Perhaps this woman was not as mistaken as she appeared to be when she believed that Jesus was a gardener. Was he not spiritually a gardener for her, when he planted the fruitful seeds of virtue in her heart by the force of his love? But why did she say to the one she saw and believed to be the gardener, when she had not yet told him whom she was seeking, “Sir, if you have taken him away”? She had not yet said who it was who made her weep from desire, or mentioned him of whom she spoke. But the force of love customarily brings it about that a heart believes everyone else is aware of the one of whom it is always thinking. It is understandable that the woman did not say whom she was seeking, and yet said, “If you have taken him away.” She did not believe that the one for whom she herself so constantly wept in her desire was unknown to the other.

Gregory the Great, Forty Gospel Homilies 25

Patristic Wisdom for Good Friday

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. (John 19:25–30)

The lamb, beholding her lamb advancing to the slaughter,
Followed Him wearily with the other women, saying,
“Where dost Thou go, O my son?
Is there another wedding in Cana,
And dost Thou hasten there to turn water into wine?
Shall I go with Thee, my child, or shall I wait for Thee?
Give me word, O Word, some word, and do not pass me by in silence,
O Thou who hast kept me pure,
My son and my God.…
 
“Thou dost advance, my child, to an unjust death,
And no one suffers with Thee. Peter does not accompany Thee—he who said to Thee,
‘I shall never deny Thee, even if I die.’
Thomas has left Thee—he who said: ‘Let us all die with Him.’
And again the others, well-known and intimate friends,
Destined to judge the tribes of Israel, where are they now?
No one of all of them is here. But the One above all,
Thou, alone, O Son art to die in return for all whom Thou hast gratified,
My son and my God.” …
 
[Jesus replies] “Bear up for a short time, O Mother, and thou shall shalt see
How, like a physician, I strip and come where they lie dead
And cure their wounds,
Cutting their callousness and hardness with the spear;
And I take the vinegar and use it as an astringent on the wound;
And when I have opened up the cut with the surgical lancet of the nails, I shall use my cloak as dressing,
Using my cross as remedy,
I use it, O Mother, so that thou mayest sing with understanding:
‘He has redeemed suffering by suffering,
My son and my God.’
 
“Lay aside thy grief, Mother,
And advance with joy; for I now hasten to that for which I came,
To do the will of Him who sent me;
For, from the first this was ordained for me by my Father,
And it was not displeasing to my spirit
That I should assume human form and suffer for the fallen.
Then, O Mother, hastening, tell all people
That by suffering He strikes down the one who hates Adam
And, having conquered, He comes,
My son and my God.”

Romanus Melodus, Kontakion on Mary at the Cross 19.1, 3, 13-14.

Patristic Wisdom for Maundy Thursday

When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?” He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.” And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matt 26:20–29)

The bread which God the Word revealed to be His own body is the Word of the sustainer of souls. What was set upon the table was the Word proceeding from God the Word, bread from heavenly bread, as it is written: “You have prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” And the wine which God the Word revealed to be His blood is the Word filling and wondrously inebriating the hearts of all who drink it. It is the Word contained in that chalice about which it is written: “My cup overflows.” This wine is the fruit of the true vine who said, “I am the true vine.” It is blood of grapes processed in the wine press of his Passion. Likewise the bread is the Word of Christ ground from that grain of wheat which “falls into the earth” and “bears much fruit.” It was not the visible bread that He held in His hands which God the Word called His body, but it was the Word in whose sacrament the bread was to be broken. Nor was it the visible drink that He identified as His blood, but it was the Word in whose sacrament the libation was to be poured out.

Origen, Commentary on Matthew 85

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to Palm Sunday

And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” (Matt 27:39–43)

O cross most abominable, most execrable! Did not God rescue the prophets from their dangers? Did God not save the righteous? Why not Him? What could equal this folly? The coming of dangers upon the prophets and saints did not injure their honor before God. But what happened to this incomparable person? By what He said and what He did He offended all our expectations to the utmost. He was forever correcting beforehand our assumptions about him. Even when all these ignominies were said and done, they could not prevail, even at that time. The thief who had lived depraved in such great wickedness, who had spent his whole life in murders and house breakings, when these things had been said, only then confessed Him. When He made mention of His kingdom, the people bewailed Him. These things that were done seemed to testify the contrary in the eyes of many who knew nothing of the mystery of God's dispensations. Jesus was weak and of no ostensible power; nevertheless truth prevailed even by the contrary evidences.

So hearing all these things, let us arm ourselves against all temptations to anger and outrage. Should you perceive in your heart a swelling of pride, seal your breast against it. Set your hopes only upon the cross. Call to mind the humbling things that were then taking place. Then you will cast out as dust all rage by the recollection of the things that were done to him.

Consider His words. Consider His actions. Remember that He is Lord and you are His servant. Remember that He is suffering for you, and for you individually. You may be suffering only on your own behalf. He is suffering on behalf of all by whom He had been crucified. You may be suffering in the presence of a few. He suffers in the sight of the whole city and of the whole people of the covenant, both of strangers and those of the holy land, to all of whom He spoke merciful words.

Even His disciples forsook Him. This was most distressing to Him. Those who previously paid Him mind suddenly deserted Him. Meanwhile His enemies and foes, having captured Him and put Him on a cross, insulted Him, reviled Him, mocked Him, derided Him and scoffed at Him. See the Jews and soldiers rejecting Him from below. See how He was set between two thieves on either side, and even the thieves insulted Him and upbraided Him.

John Chrysostom, The Gospel of Matthew Homily 87.2

“Let Him come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.” What a deceitful promise! Which is greater: to come down from the cross while still alive or to rise from the tomb while dead? He rose, and you do not believe. Therefore, even if He came down from the cross, you would not believe. Further, it seems to me that this would usher in the evil spirits. As soon as the Lord was crucified, they sensed the power of the cross and realized their own strength was broken. They were acting in this way to get him to come down from the cross. But the Lord, knowing the snares of His adversaries, remained on the cross that He may destroy the devil.

Jerome, Commentary on Matthew 4.27.42

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Fifth Sunday in Lent

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.” So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’” (Ezekiel 37:1–14)

The root of all well-doing is the hope of the resurrection. The expectation of the recompense strengthens the soul to undertake good works. Every laborer is ready to endure the toils if he foresees the reward of his toils; but when men weary themselves without return, their spirit soon fails along with their body. A soldier who expects rewards is ready for war; but no soldier serving an undiscerning king, who bestows no premiums for toils, is ready to die for him. So every soul believing in the resurrection is naturally solicitous for itself, but the unbelieving soul abandons itself to perdition. He who believes that the body is destined for resurrection is careful of his robe and does not defile it by fornication; but he who does not believe in the resurrection gives way to fornication, abusing his body as though it were not part of himself. Faith in the resurrection of the dead is a central precept and teaching of the holy Catholic Church; it is both central and essential; though denied by many, it is fully confirmed by the truth. Greeks gainsay it, Samaritans disbelieve it, heretics attack it viciously; the denial takes many forms, the truth is uniform.

Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures 18.1

Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Fourth Sunday in Lent

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.… They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” (John 9:1–7, 13–17)

They imagine those who are disposed to judge fairly to be wandering in their wits, and they seem to me to have forgotten altogether Him Who says: Judge with righteous judgment; and having been taken captive as it were in the bonds of envy, they cannot endure to listen at all to any word that honors Christ. Turning away from any one wishing to speak of His miracles as from some one most hostile to themselves, and mistrusting their own powers of explanation, they haughtily address their words to the man that had been healed. Again they ask what had been many times told them, having already proclaimed their belief that He Who had performed an action contrary to the sabbath was both worthless and wicked. They think that in this way the blind man will join them in condemning Him, and take his cue from their words; that he will suppress all outward signs of gratitude, out of fear and trembling before their anger, and readily charge Jesus with contempt of the law, because of its being the sabbath. Evil therefore was the design of the Pharisees, and it cannot be doubted that it was foolish also. For how could the voice of one thankless man weaken the force of the miracle? And would not Christ’s Divine glory appear, if it so happened that the blind man, overcome by fear, should deny the kindness he had received, in order to avoid suffering anything from those wont to inflict pain? But envy is powerful to persuade those who are bursting with it to eagerly do any thing in their passion, even though it involves conduct very fairly open to ridicule. The mind which is free from such thoughts, however, is not entangled by foolish arguments; but, ever preserving its natural excellence untarnished, is borne directly towards a right conclusion, and does not go beyond the limits of truth. Mean therefore and insolent are the Pharisees, thinking that those who choose to think and speak rightly are wandering in their wits, and endeavoring to compel the man to speak evil words concerning Him Who had miraculously bestowed on him an unhoped-for blessing. But he was disposed to express gratitude and had been brought near to a clear knowledge by means of the miracle.

They receive a sharp arrow into their hearts, who do not admit fair and just reasoning, and are eager to seek only that which gratifies their malice. For, as it is written, the crafty man shall not meet with prey. For their zealous design is upset, contrary to their expectation; and they are greatly disappointed of their hope when to their surprise they receive the reply: He is a prophet. For the man who had been healed, judging very rightly, agrees with the opinion of the other party. For they, not unwisely considering the nature of the action, maintain that a man who was a sinner could not perform such a deed: and he upon whom the marvel has been wrought, all but pursuing the same track of argument, declares Jesus to be a prophet, not yet having accurately learned Who He is in truth, but adopting a notion current among the Jews. For it was customary with them to call wonder-workers prophets, deeming that their holiness was thereby borne witness to by God.

Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.1

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