Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Luke 10:31

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

Here then was man (that is, Adam) lying destitute of the aid of salvation, pierced with the wounds of his sins, whom neither Aaron the high priest passing by could advantage by his sacrifice; for it follows, And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Nor again could his brother Moses the Levite assist him by the Law, as it follows, And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

But He says, passed by, (Rom. 3:20; 8:3.) because the Law came and stood till its time foreordained, then, not being able to cure, departed. Mark also that the Law was not given with this previous intention that it should cure man, for man could not from the beginning receive the mystery of Christ. And therefore it is said, And by chance there came a certain priest, which expression we use with respect to those things which happen without forethought. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

Or by the Priest and the Levite, two times are represented, namely, of the Law and the Prophets. By the Priest the Law is signified, by which the priesthood and sacrifices were appointed; by the Levites the prophecies of the Prophets, in whose times the law of mankind could not heal, because by the Law came the knowledge not the doing away of sin. (Serm. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Bede

It happened that a certain priest was going down the same way, and upon seeing him, he passed by. Similarly, a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. The priest and the Levite, who, seeing the wounded man, passed by, are the priesthood and ministry of the Old Testament, where through the decrees of the law the wounds of the languishing world could only be shown, but not healed, because it was impossible (as the Apostle says) for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Hebrews 9).

On the Gospel of Luke ↗

Bonaventure

It happened that a priest, etc. After the person in need because of a twofold misery, there follows here the person who despises because of hardness. Here a twofold person is introduced, namely a superior and an inferior in ecclesiastical dignity. …

Commentary on Luke, Chapter 10 ↗