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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
For He does not leave us, except we wish Him, as He saith in Hosea, Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (Hos. 4:6) Whereby it is plain that we begin to forsake first, and are the cause of our own perdition. For as it is not the fault of the sun, that it hurts weak eyes, so neither is God to blame for punishing those who do not attend to His words.
Cyril of Alexandria
That it was not God Who blinded the Jews. For else He would not have required them to give account thereof, forasmuch as He surely pardons involuntary offences. But the meaning is on this wise. It is just as though Isaiah were setting before us, as having been spoken by God, the words: "If I should become a Man, and with Mine own voice expound unto you what is profitable, not even so will ye hearken unto Me, as neither did ye hearken unto the prophets; neither, when ye see signs beyond description, will ye be profited aught by seeing …
Theophylact of Ohrid
When you hear that God blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, do not think that He simply makes some good and others evil (away with such a thought!), but by the complete blinding understand the abandonment by God. I will explain with an example. Suppose someone is moderate in wickedness. God, it seems, is with him, because there is hope that such a person will turn back. But when a person plunges into the depths of wickedness, then God abandons him on account of his evil will. …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
But the Prophet, you say, mentions another cause, not their will; viz. that God had blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart. But I answer, that they well deserved this. For God hardens and blinds a man, by forsaking and not supporting him; and this He may by a secret sentence, by an unjust one He cannot. (Tr. liii. 11) And be converted, and I should heal them. …
Thomas Aquinas
With these distinctions in mind, let us consider the words of this prophecy. It is found in Isaiah (6:10), not in these exact words, but with the same meaning. Three things are mentioned here: first, the hardening and blinding of the Jews; secondly, the effect of each of these; thirdly, their end. In regard to the first, note that our Lord brought people to the faith in two ways, by his miracles and his teaching. …
Bonaventure
He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart: Isaiah 6: "Blind the heart of this people and make heavy their ears and shut their eyes" etc.: and Romans 1: "God gave them over to a reprobate mind." So that they may not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and, by understanding, be converted, and, by converting, I may heal them; Jeremiah 3: "Return to me, and I will heal your backslidings." Question I. …
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