Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Luke 14:21

Eastern Fathers

Cyril of Alexandria

But with the rulers of the Jews who refused their call, as they themselves confessed, Have any of the rulers believed on him? (John 7:48.) the Master of the household was wroth, as with them that deserved His indignation and anger; whence it follows, Then the master of the house being angry, &c. Thus it was that the master of the house is said to have been enraged with the chiefs of the Jews, and in their stead were called men taken from out of the Jewish multitude, and of weak and impotent minds. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

The rulers of the Jews were rejected, and none of them believed in Christ, as they themselves even boasted of their malice. "Has any of the rulers believed in Him?" they said (John 7:48). So these lawyers and scribes, as the prophet said, having become foolish fell away from grace, while the simple-hearted among the Jews, who are likened to the lame and blind and maimed, "the base things of the world and the despised" (1 Cor. 1:27–28), were called. …

Commentary on Luke ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

Not for the sake of knowing inferior beings does God require messengers, as though He gained aught from them, for He knows all things stedfastly and unchangeably. But he has messengers for oursakes and their own, because to be present with God, and stand before Him so as to consult Him about His subjects, and obey His heavenly commandments, is good for them in the order of their own nature.

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Ambrose of Milan

Because then the proud refuse to come, the poor (Greg. Hom. 36.) are chosen, since they are called weak and poor who are weak in their own judgment of themselves, for there are poor, and yet as it were strong, who though lying in poverty are proud; the blind are they who have no brightness of understanding; the lame are they who have walked not uprightly in their works. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Gregory the Dialogist

There follows: The servant returned and reported these things to his master. Then the angry master of the house said to his servant: Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the feeble, and the blind and the lame. Behold, he who clings to earthly substance more than is right refuses to come to the Lord's supper; he who sweats at the labor of curiosity disdains the prepared nourishments of life; he who serves carnal desires rejects the feasts of the spiritual banquet. …

Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 36 ↗