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Translation
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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
Our Lord mourns over these cities for our example, because shedding tears and bitter lamentations over those who are insensible to grief, is no slight antidote, tending both to the correction of the insensible, and to the remedy and consolation of those who mourn over them. Again, He draws them over to what is good, not only by lamenting over them, but also by alarming them. Hence it follows, But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, &c. This we ought also to listen to. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
Tyre and Sidon were pagan cities, while Bethsaida and Chorazin were Jewish. Therefore, He says that at the judgment it will be more tolerable for the pagans than for you, who saw miracles and did not believe; for if they had seen them, they would have believed.
Western Saints
Ambrose of Milan
Our Lord warns us that they will meet with a heavier punishment who have refused to follow the Gospel than those who have chosen to break the law; saying, Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida!
Bede
Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, Tiberias also which John mentions, are cities of Galilee situated on the shore of the lake of Gennesaret, which is called by the Evangelists the sea of Galilee or Tiberias. Our Lord thus mourns over these cities which after such great miracles and wonders repented not, and are worse than the Gentiles who break through the law of nature only, seeing that after despising the written law, they feared not to despise also the Son of God and His glory. …
Bonaventure
Woe to you, Chorazin etc. Here in the third place is subjoined the rebuke of the contemners, who are shown to be deserving of rebuke by the Lord on two accounts and are convicted as damnable, namely on account of hardness of heart and on account of loftiness of mind: hardness of heart rendered them impenitent, but loftiness rendered them arrogant. First, therefore, rebuking the hardness of heart, he says: Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! …
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