Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Ecclesiastes 8:2

Western Saints

Jerome

"I counsel you: Obey the king's command, and that in the manner of an oath of God. Do not hasten to leave his presence, do not persist in an evil thing; for he can do whatever he pleases. Since a king's word is law, who dare say to him, 'what are you doing?' "Here he seems to teach the same as the apostle - that we should obey kings and rulers, which is set out in the Septuagint as a command: "guard the command of the king"; but personally I think he is now talking about that king about whom David says, "Lord, the king will be happy …

Commentary on Ecclesiastes ↗

Bonaventure

The wise person is admirable not only with respect to appearance, but also with respect to speech through wisdom: in whose person he says: I observe the mouth of the king, says wisdom. This King is God, of whom 1 Timothy at the end says: "The blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords." The mouth of this King is the Son of God, through whom He speaks to us: Hebrews 1: "In these last days He has spoken to us in His Son." To observe therefore the mouth of the king is to attend diligently to the word of the Son of …

Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 8 ↗