Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Isaiah 11:6

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

I have heard many saying, "The threats of a king are like the wrath of a lion;" being full of dejection and lamentation. What then should we say to such? That He who said, "The wolves and the lambs shall feed together; and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox," will be able to convert the lion into a mild lamb. Let us therefore supplicate Him; let us send an embassy to Him; and He will doubtless allay the Emperor's wrath, and deliver us from the impending distress.

Homilies Concerning The Statues 3:5 ↗

Irenaeus

I am quite aware that some persons endeavour to refer these words to the case of savage men, both of different nations and various habits, who come to believe, and when they have believed, act in harmony with the righteous. But although this is [true] now with regard to some men coming from various nations to the harmony of the faith, nevertheless in the resurrection of the just [the words shall also apply] to those animals mentioned. For God is non in all things. …

Against Heresies 5:33.4 ↗

Papias of Hierapolis

The elders who saw John, the disciple of the Lord, related that they had heard from him how the Lord used to teach in regard to these times, and say: The days will come, in which vines shall grow, each having ten thousand branches, and in each branch ten thousand twigs, and in each true twig ten thousand shoots, and in each one of the shoots ten thousand clusters, and on every one of the clusters ten thousand grapes, and every grape when pressed will give five and twenty metretes of wine. …

Against Heresies (Book V, Chapter 33), Section 4 ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat; the calf, the lion, and the sheep will all stay together, and a small child will lead them. The calf and the bear will graze together; their young ones will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like an ox. The infant will play near the cobra's den, and the young child will put his hand into the viper's nest. …

Commentary on Isaiah ↗

Gregory the Dialogist

For behold, we who seem clothed in religious habit have come together from the diverse condition of the world to faith and to hearing the word of the almighty Lord, and from dissimilar iniquities we have been gathered into the concord of holy Church, so that what is said of the promise of the Church through Isaiah now seems to have been openly fulfilled: "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid." For through the bowels of holy charity the wolf dwells with the lamb, because those who were …

Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 2, Homily 4 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

369. The wolf shall dwell. Here the effect of his rectitude is set out, which is in the multitude of peace, which he shows as to two things: first, as to the meekness of the great, second, as to the security of the lowly: and the sucking child (Isa 11:8). …

Commentary on Isaiah ↗