Fathers

Matthew 3

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In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!” Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.” Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?” But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

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What the Fathers say

Matthew 3:9

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

He does not forbid them to say they are his, but to trust in that, neglecting virtues of the soul. That men should be made out of stones, is like Isaac coming from Sarah's womb; Look into the rock, says Isaiah, whence ye were hewn. Reminding them thus of this prophecy, he shows that it is possible that the like might even now happen. By saying Every, he cuts off all privilege of nobility: as much as to say, Though thou be the son of Abraham, if thou abide fruitless thou shalt suffer the punishment.

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. This was to their destruction, that they put their trust in their noble lineage. For I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. The "stones" mean the Gentiles, many of whom believed; but John is also saying simply that God is able to make children for Abraham out of stones. For the womb of Sarah was a stone on account of her sterility, but she gave birth nevertheless (Gen. 18:11-12; 21:1-2). …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

He intimates God's great power, who, as he made all things out of nothing, can make men out of the hardest stone. These stones signify the Gentiles because of their hardness of heart. See Ezekiel, I will take away from you the heart of stone, and give you the heart of flesh. Stone is emblematic of hardness, flesh of softness. Or, the preaching of the Gospel is meant, as the Prophet Jeremiah also compares the Word of the Lord to an axe cleaving the rock. (Jer. 23:29.)

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Gregory the Dialogist

But the Jews, glorying in the nobility of their lineage, were unwilling to acknowledge themselves as sinners for this reason: that they had descended from the stock of Abraham. To them it is rightly said: "And do not begin to say, 'We have Abraham as our father'; for I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham." For what were the stones but the hearts of the Gentiles, insensible to the understanding of Almighty God? …

Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 20 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then he excludes the obstacle to repentance, when he says, "And do not presume to say to yourselves: 'We have Abraham as our father.'" The obstacle to repentance is twofold: presuming on oneself and despair about the divine judgment. First, he removes the first; secondly, the second. In regard to the first he does two things: first he excludes the obstacle; secondly, he assigns the reason. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗