Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Matthew 11:21

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

Then, to show thee that they are not such by nature, He states also the name of the city out of which proceeded five apostles. For both Philip, and those two pairs of the chief apostles, were from thence.

Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 37 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

So that you might understand that those who did not believe were evil not by nature, but by choice, He calls to mind Bethsaida, the city of Andrew, Peter, Philip and the sons of Zebedee. Evil does not come from nature, but from our own choice; for if it came from nature, these apostles too would have been evil. He says that the Jews are worse than the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon, for the Gentile inhabitants of Tyre transgressed only the natural law while the Jews transgressed the Mosaic law as well. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

It is not then true that His Gospel was not preached in those times and places, in which He foreknew that all would be such, as were many in His actual presence, who would not even believe on Him when He raised men from the dead. For the Lord Himself bears witness that they of Tyre and Sidon would have done penitence in great humility, had the wonders of the Divine power been done in them. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Jerome

Woe to you, Chorazin; woe to you, Bethsaida: for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. Chorazin and Bethsaida, cities of Galilee, are mourned by the Savior because despite the many signs and miracles, they did not repent, and are surpassed by Tyre and Sidon, idolatrous cities given to vice. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Gregory the Dialogist

In sackcloth is the roughness which denotes the pricking of the conscience for sin, ashes denote the dust of the dead; and both are wont to be employed in penitence, that the pricking of the sackcloth may remind us of our sins, and the dust of the ash may cause us to reflect what we have become by judgment.

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗