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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
What He saith, is of this kind: "they are punished, because they would not leave the darkness, and hasten to the light." And hence He goes on to deprive them of all excuse for the future: "Had I come," saith He, "to punish and to exact account of their deeds, they might have been able to say, 'this is why we started away from thee,' but now I am come to free them from darkness, and to bring them to the light; who then could pity one who will not come from darkness unto light? …
Cyril of Alexandria
He lets not the condemnation of the unbelievers remain without consideration, but recounts its causes, and shows clearly that, according to the words of the Proverbs, Not unjustly is the net spread for the birds. For they, saith He, who when it was in their power to be illuminated preferred to remain in darkness, how will not they fairly be determiners of punishment against themselves, and self-invited to suffering which it was in their power to escape, if they had been right provers of things, choosing rather to be enlightened than …
Theophylact of Ohrid
Here he shows the unbelievers to be deprived of every excuse. "The judgment," he says, "consists in this: that the light came to them, yet they did not hasten toward it." They sinned not only in that they themselves did not seek the light, but, what is worst of all, in that it came to them, and they nevertheless did not accept it. For this reason they are condemned. If the light had not come, people could have appealed to ignorance of the good. …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
"And this is the judgment, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." My brethren, whose works does the Lord find to be good? The works of none: He finds the works of all evil. How is it, then, that some have done the truth, and are come to the light? Whose works, in fact, are good? Hast Thou not come to justify the ungodly? …
Bede
He calls Himself the light, whereof the Evangelist speaks, That was the true light; whereas sin He calls darkness.
Thomas Aquinas
Here the Lord explains his statement that unbelievers have an evident cause for their condemnation. First, he sets forth the sign which shows this. Secondly, the fittingness of this sign (v 20). In the sign he sets forth he does three things. First, he mentions the gift of God. Secondly, the perversity of mind in unbelievers. Thirdly, the cause of this perversity. So he says: It is abundantly clear that whoever does not believe is already judged, because the light came into the world. …
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