JEROME:
All other failings deserve the mercy of the Lord because, in humility, they are submitted to the tribunal of God; pride alone, because it honors itself beyond its power, resists God. The adulterer or the fornicator does not dare to raise his eyes to heaven; in defection of soul, he looks for God’s mercy; yet this one whom conscience bows down and humbles to the ground, it also elevates to heaven. When pride and inordinate desire for glory raise up a person, they at the same time abase him, for by his sin they make him an enemy of God.1
PACHOMIUS:
Let us consider therefore those to whom God has granted power, to see if we may deserve to serve them and to cling to their doctrine, putting aside all pride and resisting with great courage the sin, which fearlessly operates in bodies; for death has been swallowed up by victory. On the other hand, how weak we are in this age, knowing that the church is to stand and to be led toward what is good.… You know that the ax does not boast without the man who uses it to cut … but we must fight to be able to have peace with those who keep the commandments of God.2
AUGUSTINE:
Jesus admonishes us that confession is owed to God not for our sins alone. For very often when it is heard in the Scriptures, “You shall confess to the Lord,” many who hear this beat their breasts in remorse. They do not recall that the term confession means anything else except their accustomed use when they show repentance, confessing their sins and awaiting their just deserts from God, not because they deserve to suffer but because God deems it worthy to act mercifully. But if there were not confession in the act of praise, Jesus would not say, “I confess to you, Father,” since he had no sin to confess. It is said in another book of the Scripture: “You shall confess to the Lord” and say in your confession that “all the works of the Lord are very good.” This is certainly a confession of praise and not of fault.3
ANONYMOUS:
He does not say why it was thus pleasing to him but only gives thanks to the Father, because it was thus pleasing to him. So also you should never discuss God’s designs, what he did in his works or why he did so. But in whatever way God so wished to arrange his own creation, let thanksgiving be sufficient for you as evidence in regard to the very nature of God. God does nothing without reason and justice. He created you not for his own examination but for his own honor. God did not want you to be a judge of his own actions but a servant of his commands. It is characteristic of a good master to foresee everything that concerns the benefit of the servant. Moreover, it is characteristic of a good servant to work faithfully and not to discuss the master’s actions.4
Footnotes
- HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS, ALTERNATE SERIES, PSALM 93. McKinion, S. A. (Ed.). (2004). Isaiah 1-39 (pp. 84–85). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
- LETTER 4.4. McKinion, S. A. (Ed.). (2004). Isaiah 1-39 (p. 86). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
- SERMON 68.2. Simonetti, M. (Ed.). (2001). Matthew 1–13 (pp. 229–230). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
- INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 28. Simonetti, M. (Ed.). (2001). Matthew 1–13 (pp. 230–231). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.