John Chrysostom

What is the evil of the day? The evil of the day ought to belong to the day. What is the evil of a body? Disease. And what again the evil of the soul? Wickedness. What is the evil of water? Bitterness. And the evil of each particular thing, is with reference to that nature of it which is affected by the evil. If then there is an evil in the day, it ought to belong to the day, to the hours, to the day-light. So also Christ saith, "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matt. vi. …

Homily on Ephesians 19 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

He does not teach us craftiness, but since, he says, the time is not yours and you are sojourners, strangers, and outsiders, do not seek honor and glory, nor vengeance, but endure all things and by this redeem the time; give up everything, whatever may be demanded of you. Just as a rich man, seeing those attacking him with the intent to take his life, gives up everything and saves himself, so you too give up everything in order to save what is most important, that is, the faith. …

Commentary on Ephesians ↗

Jerome

Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, has risen. Rise up from the sleep of the age. Walk cautiously and prudently. Cast off folly. Take hold of wisdom. In this way you will be able to avoid changing yourself constantly as you walk through the vicissitudes of the times. Rather you will find a unity within yourself even amid the diversity of the times.

Commentary on Ephesians 5:16 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

He explains the necessity of this precaution when he says redeeming the time, which can be interpreted in two ways. On certain occasions a man redeems his property by offering a gift or something else for it; for instance, someone is said to compensate for a grievance he caused by offering a gift or money, or by renouncing something which is rightfully his. In this sense he would be saying: The whole of time is now a time of deception, hence you should be redeeming the time, because the days are evil. …

Commentary on Ephesians ↗