Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Matthew 12:42

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

But He stops not even at this, but adds also another example, saying, "And the queen of the south shall rise up in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn them, because she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon is here." This was more than the former. …

Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 43 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

The queen, He says, came from a great distance, despite her tender womanhood, to hear about trees and woods and certain things of nature. But though I came to you, speaking of ineffable things, you have not accepted Me.

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Cosmas Indicopleustes

The Queen of Sheba, that is, of the Homerite country, whom afterwards our Lord in the Gospels calls the Queen of the South, brought to Solomon spices from this very Barbaria, which lay near Sheba on the other side of the sea, together with bars of ebony, and apes and gold from Ethiopia which, though separated from Sheba by the Arabian Gulf, lay in its vicinity. …

The Christian Topography, Book 2 ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

It was nothing strange for Christ to be more than Jonah and to be more than Solomon, for he is the Lord and they are the servants. But who are those who looked askance at the presence of the Lord, whereas foreigners listened to his servants?

Sermon 72A.1 ↗

Jerome

The Queen of Austria will rise in judgment with this generation, and will condemn it because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, someone greater than Solomon is here. In the same way, the Queen of Austria will condemn the people of Judah, just as the men of Nineveh condemned the unbelieving Israel. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Thomas Aquinas

The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it because of wisdom, which they refused to receive. It is recorded of her in 1 Kings (10:24) that she came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. She signifies the Church of believers: "At your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir." The Church is called queen, because it ought to rule: "A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes" (Pr 20:8). …

Commentary on Matthew ↗