Fathers

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What the Fathers say

1 Corinthians 7:32

Eastern Fathers

Theophylact of Ohrid

How is it, Paul, that while desiring us to be free from care and for this reason commending celibacy to us, you again say: "the unmarried man cares for the things of the Lord"? For behold, here too there are cares. But not such cares, he says, as are joined with marriage: cares for the things of the Lord are salvific and sweet, whereas cares for the things of the world are harmful and burdensome. …

Commentary on 1 Corinthians ↗

Clement of Alexandria

The same holds good also in the case of poverty. For it compels the soul to desist from necessary things, I mean contemplation and from pure sinlessness, forcing him, who has not wholly dedicated himself to God in love, to occupy himself about provisions; as, again, health and abundance of necessaries keep the soul free and unimpeded, and capable of making a good use of what is at hand. "For," says the apostle, "such shall have trouble in the flesh. But I spare you. …

The Stromata Book 4 ↗

Cyprian

Of the benefit of virginity and of continency. In Genesis: "Multiplying I will multiply thy sorrows and thy groanings, and in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children; and thy turning shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." Of this same thing in the Gospel according to Matthew: "All men do not receive the word, but they to whom it is given: for there are some eunuchs who were born so from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who have been constrained by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs …

Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews ↗