Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Matthew 13:27

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

But wherefore doth He bring in the servants, telling what hath been done? That He may pronounce it wrong to slay them. And He calls him "an enemy," because of his harm done to men. For although the despite is against us, in its origin it sprang from his enmity, not to us, but to God. Whence it is manifest, that God loves us more than we love ourselves. And see from another thing also, the malicious craft of the devil. …

Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 46 ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

Or otherwise; When a man begins to be spiritual, discerning between things, then he begins to see errors; for he judges concerning whatsoever he hears or reads, whether it departs from the rule of truth; but until he is perfected in the same spiritual things, he might be disturbed at so many false heresies having existed under the Christian name, whence it follows, And the servants of the householder coming to him said unto him, Didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Thomas Aquinas

And the servants of the master of the house came etc. Here the zeal of the good against the evil is set down. And first they inquire about the origin of the evil; secondly, they are moved by zeal for the extirpation of the evil, at and the servants said etc. He says, and they came etc. First, let us see who these servants are. Below he speaks of the reapers; but these are not servants, but angels. These are good men: and this is not unfitting, since the Lord is called both the door and the doorkeeper. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Remigius of Rheims

They came to the Lord not with the body, but with the heart and desire of the soul; and from Him they gather that this was done by the craft of the Devil, whence it follows, And he saith unto them, An enemy hath done this.

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗