Fathers

Loading…

What the Fathers say

Romans 9:15

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." Here again he adds force to the objection by dividing it in two and meeting it, and starting another fresh difficulty. But to make what I have said clearer, one must needs explain it. God, he means, said that "the elder shall serve the younger," before the travail. What then? "Is God unrighteous?" By no means. Now listen to what follows also. …

Homily on Romans 16 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

He adds, as was said above, another saying from the Old Testament as well, proving that God alone knows who is worthy of honor and who of punishment. Although all equally sinned when they cast the calf, God nonetheless had mercy on some, while others He handed over to the Levites for slaughter. And Moses, great before God, did not know the reason for this, yet you inquire into the reason why the Gentiles were preferred over the Jews, even though they were sinners? …

Commentary on Romans ↗

Clement of Alexandria

"For I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy," saith the Lord. And they say those things to those who wish to be poor for righteousness' sake.

The Stromata Book 4 ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

The text he adduces is from Exodus where the Lord said to Moses: I will be gracious to whom I will and I will be merciful to whom it shall please me (Exod 33:19). But the Apostle quotes it according to the Septuagint version saying: for the Lord says to Moses: I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will show mercy to whom I show mercy. …

Commentary on Romans ↗