Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Matthew 9:16

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

Then what He had done before, this He doth here again. I mean, that as He, when they were attempting to prove Him blameable for eating with sinners, proved to them on the contrary, that His proceeding was not only no blame, but an absolute praise to Him: so here too, when they wanted to show of Him, that He knows not how to manage His disciples, He signifies that such language was the part of men not knowing how to manage their inferences, but finding fault at random. …

Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 30 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

"No man putteth a piece of unshrunk cloth unto an old garment, for the patch teareth from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old wineskins: else the skins burst, and the wine runneth out, and the skins are destroyed: but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved." The disciples, He says, have not yet become strong, and therefore require forbearance. The heavy burden of commandments ought not to be laid upon them. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

However, no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved. These words were spoken by him to them. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Hilary of Poitiers

By these examples He shows that neither our souls nor bodies, being so weakened by inveteracy of sin, are capable of the sacraments of the new grace.

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Thomas Aquinas

No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Here he presents the other argument, the one on the part of the disciples. He gives two examples; one is explained by Augustine and the other by Jerome. According to Augustine he means to say: While Christ is present, the disciples were not to fast on account of their condition, because heavy burdens should not be imposed on the imperfect. Therefore, since they are imperfect, they should not be commanded to fast. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗