Luke 3:7

Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Verse 6 Read Chapter 3 Verse 8

Ambrose of Milan

AD 397

We see these men through the compassion of God, inspired with prudence to seek repentance of their crimes, dreading with wise devotion the terror of the judgment to come. Or perhaps, according to the precept, Be you wise as serpents, they are shown to have anatural prudence, who perceive what is coming, and earnestly desire help, though they still forsake not what is hurtful. But although God can alter and change the most diverse natures, yet in my minda mystery is of more avail than a miracle. For what else than stones were they who bowed down to stones, like indeed to them who made them. It is prophesied therefore that faith shall be poured into the stony hearts of the Gentiles, and through faith the oracles promise that Abraham shall have sons. But that you may know who are the men compared to stones, he has also compared men to trees, adding, For now the ax is laid to the root of the tree. This change of figure was made, that by means of comparison might be understood to have now c... Read More

1 min1/14

Go to Commentary

Augustine of Hippo

AD 430

In a word, therefore, let us all listen, and seriously reflect what great merit there is in having fed Christ when he was hungry—and what sort of a crime it is to have ignored Christ when he was hungry. Repentance for our sins does indeed change us for the better. But even repentance will not appear to be of much use to us if works of mercy do not accompany it. Truth bears witness to this through John, who said to those who came to him, “Bear fruits that befit repentance.” And so those who haven’t produced such fruits have no reason to suppose that by a barren repentance they will earn pardon for their sins.

1 min2/14

Go to Commentary

Basil the Great

AD 379

Now it may be observed, that the following words natus and filius are spoken of animals, but genimen may be said of the fetus before it is formed in the womb; the fruit of the palm trees is also called genimina, but that word is very seldom used with respect to animals, and when it is, always in a bad sense. For neither does the speed of its sire make the horse swift; but as the goodness of other animals is looked for in individuals, so also that is reckoned to be man's legitimate praise which is decided by the test of his present worth. For it is a disgraceful thing for a man to be adorned with the honors of another, when he has no virtue of his own to commend him.

1 min3/14

Go to Commentary

Clement Of Alexandria

AD 215

And in the Gospel by John He says, "Serpents, brood of vipers."

< 1 min4/14

Go to Commentary

Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444

WE affirm therefore that the blessed Baptist, as being full of the Holy Ghost, was not ignorant of the daring acts that Jewish wickedness would venture against Christ. For he foreknew that they would both disbelieve in Him, and wagging their envenomed tongue, would pour forth railings and accusations against Him: accusing Him at one time of being born of fornication; at another, as one who wrought His miracles by the help of Beelzebub, prince of the devils: and again, as one that had a devil, and was no whit better than a Samaritan. Having this therefore in view, he calls even those of them who repent wicked, and reproves them because, though they had the law speaking unto them the mystery of Christ, and the predictions of the prophets relating thereunto, they nevertheless had become dull of hearing, and unready for faith in Christ the Saviour of all. "For who hath warned you to flee from the coining wrath?" Was it not the inspired Scripture, which tells the happiness of those who beli... Read More

1 min5/14

Go to Commentary

Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444

For what profits the nobleness we inherit through the flesh, unless it be supported by kindred feelings in us? Itis folly then to boast of our worthy ancestors, and fall away from their virtues. By the ax then he declares the deadly wrath of God, which fell upon the Jews on account of the impieties they practiced against Christ; he does not pronounce the ax to be yet fixed to the root, but that it was laid (adradicem) i.e. near the root. For though the branches were cut down, the tree itself was not yet entirely destroyed. For a remnant of Israel shall be saved.

1 min6/14

Go to Commentary

Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444

What he means by the axe in this passage is the sharp wrath which God the Father brought on the Jews for their wickedness towards Christ and brazen violence. The wrath was brought on them like an axe. To this you may also add the parable in the Gospels about the fig tree. As an unfruitful plant, no longer of the generous kind, it was cut down by God. John does not say, however, that the axe was laid into the root, but at the root, that is, near the root. The branches were cut off, but the plant was not dug up by its root. Thus the remnant of Israel was saved and did not perish utterly. Commentary on Luke, Homily

1 min7/14

Go to Commentary

Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444

Can you see how most skillfully he humbles their foolish pride and shows that their being born of Abraham according to the flesh brings them no profit? Of what benefit is nobility of birth, if people’s deeds are not accordingly earnest and they fail to imitate the virtue of their ancestors? The Savior says to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do what Abraham did.” The relationship that God requires is one of character and manners. Thus it is useless to boast of holy and good parents, while we fall short of their virtue. But, says the Jew, if it is so, how is the seed of Abraham still to be multiplied? How can God’s promise to him hold true, according to which he will multiply his seed as the stars of heaven? By the calling of the Gentiles, O Jew! God said to Abraham himself, “Through Isaac shall your descendants be named,” adding that he has set Abraham as a father of many nations. But the phrase “through Isaac” means “according to promise.” He is set, therefore, as a fa... Read More

1 min8/14

Go to Commentary

George Leo Haydock

AD 1849

This saint of the desert, seeing all the inhabitants of Palestine surrounding and admiring him, was not elated with the honour, but openly and severely rebuked them. (St. Chrysostom, hom. xi. on S. Matt) According to St. Matthew, the Baptist addressed these words principally to the Pharisees and Sadducees, there and then present.

< 1 min9/14

Go to Commentary

Gregory The Dialogist

AD 604

Because the Jews hated good men, and persecuted them, following the stepsof their carnal parents, they are by birth the poisonous sons, as it were, of poisonous or sorcerous parents. But because the preceding verse declares that at the last judgment Christ shall be seen by all flesh, it is rightly added, Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? The wrath to come being the awarding of final punishment. But because he cannot then flee from the wrath of God, who now has not recourse to the sorrows of repentance, it is added, Bring forth therefore fruits. He warns them that they must bring forth not only the fruits of repentance, but fruits worthy of repentance. For he that has violated no law, to him it is permitted to use what is lawful, but if a man has fallen into sin, he ought so to cut himself off from what is lawful, as he remembers to have committed what is unlawful. For the fruit of good works ought not to be equal in the man who has sinned less, anti the man who has sin... Read More

2 mins10/14

Go to Commentary

Gregory The Dialogist

AD 604

The tree is the entire human race in this world. The axe is our Redeemer. His humanity is like the axe’s handle and iron head. It is his divinity that cuts. The axe is now laid at the root of the tree because, although he is waiting patiently, what he will do is nonetheless apparent. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Every wicked person, refusing to bear the fruit of good works in this life, will find the conflagration of Gehenna all the more swiftly prepared for him or her. We must note that he says that the axe is laid not at the branches but at the root. When the children of evil persons are destroyed, what else does this mean but that the branches of the tree that bears no fruit are being cut off? When an entire progeny is destroyed, as well as its parents, the tree that bears no fruit is being cut down from its root. Then nothing will be left from which descendants might sprout again.

1 min11/14

Go to Commentary

Gregory of Nyssa

AD 394

So then having foretold the casting away of the Jews, He goes on to allude to the calling of the Gentiles, whom He calls stones. Hence it follows, For I say to you

< 1 min12/14

Go to Commentary

John Chrysostom

AD 407

The dweller in the wilderness, when he saw all the people of Palestine standing round him and wondering, bent not beneath the weight of such respect, but rose up against them and reproved them. The holy Scripture often gives the names of wild beasts to men, according to the passions which excite them, calling them sometimes dogs because of their impudence, horses on account of their lust, asses for their folly, lions and panthers for their ravening and wantonness, asps for their guile, serpents and vipers for their poison and cunning; and so in this place John calls the Jews a generation of vipers. Now they say that the female viper kills the male in copulation, and the fetus as it increases in the womb kills the mother, and so comes forth into life, bursting open the womb in revenge as it were of its father's death; the viper progeny therefore are parricides. Such also were the Jews, who killed their spiritual fathers and teachers. But what if he found them not sinning, but beginning ... Read More

3 mins13/14

Go to Commentary

Maximus the Confessor

AD 662

US; The fruit of repentance is an equanimity of soul, which we do not fully obtain, as long as weare at times affected by our passions, for not as yet have we performed the fruits worthy of repentance. Let us then repent truly, that being delivered from our passions we may obtain the pardon of their sins.

< 1 min14/14

Go to Commentary