Luke 12:32

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
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Basil the Great

AD 379
But some one will ask, upon what grounds ought we to sell that which we have? Is it that these things are by nature hurtful, or because of the temptation to our souls? To this we must answer, first, that every thing existing in the world if it were in itself evil, would be no creation of God, for every creation of God is good. And next, that our Lord's command teaches us not to cast away as evil what we possess, but to distribute, saying, and give alms.
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Bede

AD 735
As if He says, Fear not lest they who warfare for the kingdom of God, should be in want of the necessaries of this life. But sell that you have for alms' sake, which then is done worthily, when a man having once for his Lord's sake forsaken all that he has, nevertheless afterwards labors with his hands that he may be able both to gain his living, and give alms. That is, by doing alms, the reward of which abides for ever; which must not be taken as a command that no money be kept by the saints either for their own, or the use of the poor, since we read that our Lord Himself, to whom the angels ministered, had a bag in which he kept the offerings of the faithful; but that God should not be obeyed for the sake of such things, and righteousness be not forsaken from fear of poverty. Whether then should it be simply understood, that money kept fails, but given away toour neighbor bears everlasting fruit in heaven; or, that the treasure of good works, if it bestored up for the sake of earthly...

Clement Of Alexandria

AD 215
And in another place, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom of heaven."
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Cornelius a Lapide

AD 1637
Fear not, little flock. Fear not lest your food and raiment fail you, and lest, if you lay aside all anxiety and sell your goods and give to the poor, these things should not be added to you; if you seek firstly the kingdom of God. "Little flock,"—little, because, firstly, the faithful were so few and these poor either in position and property, or in election and feeling, or in spirit; for they despised the riches of the world that they might strive after those of heaven, and therefore, they were little in the eyes of the world, they were of no account, and were despised. But now that the faith of Christ has so spread throughout the whole world, that kings and princes are subdued to it, it is no longer a little flock but a most ample and powerful church. Secondly, the flock of faithful men is little if compared with the angels who are without number, says Euthymius, according to the words, Daniel 7:10, "Thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood ...

Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444
But why they ought not to fear, He shows, adding, for it is your Father's good pleasure; as if He says, How shall He who gives such precious things be wearied in showing mercy towards you? For although His Flock is little both in nature and number and renown, yet the goodness of the Father has granted even to this little flock the lot of heavenly spirits, that is, the kingdom of heaven. Therefore that you may possess the kingdom of heaven, despise this world's wealth. Hence it is added, Sell that you have Now perhaps this command is irksome to the rich, yet to those who are of a sound mind, it is not unprofitable, for their treasure is the kingdom of heaven. Hence it follows, Provide for yourselves bags which wax not old

Eusebius of Caesarea

AD 339
For every man naturally dwells upon that which is the object of his desire, and thither he directs all his thoughts, where he supposes his whole interest to rest. If any one then has his whole mind and affections, which he calls the heart, set on things of this present life, he lives in earthly things. But if he has given his mind to heavenly things, there will his mind be; so that he seems with his body only to live with men, but with his mind to have already reached the heavenly mansion.
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George Leo Haydock

AD 1849
Christ styles the elect in this place, his little flock, on account of the greater number of the reprobate; or rather through his love of humility, because though the Church be most numerous, yet he wishes it to continue in humility to the end of the world, and by humility to arrive at the reward which he has promised to the humble. Therefore, in order to console us in our labours, he commands us to seek only the kingdom of heaven, and promises us that the Father will bestow it as a reward upon us. (Ven. Bede)
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Glossa Ordinaria

AD 1480
Or, the thieves are heretics and evil spirits, who are bent upon deprivingus of spiritual things. The moth which secretly frets the garments is envy, which mars good desires, and bursts the bonds of charity.
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Gregory of Nyssa

AD 394
But He bids us to lay up our visible and earthly treasures where the power of corruption does not reach, and hence He adds, a treasure that fails not.
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Gregory the Theologian

AD 390
Now I fearlest you should think deeds of mercy to be not necessary to you, but voluntary. I also thought so, but was alarmed at the goats placed on the left hand, not because they robbed, but did not minister to Christ among the poor.
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John Chrysostom

AD 407
For there is no sin which almsgiving does not avail to blot out. It is a salve adapted to every wound. But almsgiving has to do not only with money, but with all matters also wherein man, as when the physician heals, and the wise man gives counsel. For without alms it is impossible to see the kingdom. For as a fountain if it keeps its waters within itself grows foul, so also rich men when they retain every thing in their possession.
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Methodius of Olympus

AD 311
For it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom, and that you should tread upon the necks of your enemies.
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Theophilus of Antioch

AD 184
Bu the little flock, our Lord signifies those who are willing to become His disciples, or because in this world the Saints seem little because of their voluntary poverty, or because they are outnumbered by the multitude of Angels, who incomparably exceed all that we can boast of. The name little our Lord gives to the company of the elect, either from comparison with the greater number of the reprobate, or rather because of their devout humility. As if He said, Here the moth corrupts, but there is no corruption in heaven. Then because there are some things which the moth does not corrupt, He goes on to speak of the thief, For gold the moth corrupts not, but the thief takes an away. Moreover, because all things are not taken away by theft, He adds a more excellent reason, and one which admits of no objection whatever, saying, For where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also; as if He says. Suppose that neither moth corrupts nor thief takes away, yet this very thing, namely, to ...

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation - 2 Peter 1:20

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