Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may you also do good, that are accustomed to doing evil.
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Athanasius the Apostolic
AD 373
For as the prophet speaks,” If the Ethiopian changes his skin, or the leopard his spots,” then will they be willing to think religiously who have been instructed in irreligion. You, however, beloved, on receiving this, read it by yourself. If you approve of it, read it also to the brethren who happen to be present, that they, too, on hearing it, may welcome the council’s zeal for the truth and the exactness of its sense and may condemn that of Christ’s foes, the Arians, and the futile pretenses, which for the sake of their irreligious heresy they have been at the pains to frame among themselves. - "Defense of the Nicene Definition 7.32"
Also, he showed so much love in his religion that, leaving behind a queen’s court, he came from the farthest regions of the world to the Lord’s temple. Hence, as a just reward, while he sought the interpretation of something that he was reading, he found Christ, whom he was seeking. Furthermore, as Jerome says, he found the church’s font there in the desert, rather than in the golden temple of the synagogue. For there in the desert something happened that Jeremiah declared was to be wondered at, an Ethiopian changed his skin, that is, with the stain of his sins washed away by the waters of baptism, he went up, shining white, to Jesus. - "Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 8:27a"
Evil. Bad habits are a sort of second nature. I speak in vain. (Calmet)
Yet God sometimes converts inveterate sinners, who cannot rise of themselves. (Worthington)
Then immediately quickening her pace, she began to move along the old road that leads to Gaza, that is, to the “power” or “wealth” of God, silently meditating on that type of the Gentiles, the Ethiopian eunuch, who, in spite of the prophet, changed his skin and, while he read the Old Testament, found the fountain of the gospel. - "Letter 108.11"
By the reading of the prophet the eunuch of Candace, the queen of Ethiopia, is made ready for the baptism of Christ. Though it is against nature, the Ethiopian does change his skin, and the leopard his spots. - "Letter 69.6"
Moreover, what did the prophet say? “If the Ethiopian changes his skin and the leopard its spots, this people will be able to do well, when it has learned evil.” He did not mean that it was impossible for them to practice virtue, but that they did not wish to do so; therefore, they could not. - "Homilies on the Gospel of John 68"
