Luke 12:26 (WEB)
If then you aren’t able to do even the least things, why are you anxious about the rest?
Fathers and councils · 11
Tertullian
“Who would be unwilling that we should distress ourselves about sustenance for our life, or clothing for our body, but He who has provided these things already for man; and who, therefore, while distributing them to us, prohibits all anxiety respecting them as an outrage…” — editor's note: Luke xii. 22–28.
Read the whole comment
Catena Aurea on Luke
- Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
As before in raising our minds to spiritual boldness, He assured us by the example of the birds, which are counted of little worth, saying, Ye are of more value than many sparrows; so now also from the instance of…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
That is, ye are more precious, because a rational animal like man is of a higher order in the nature of things than irrational things, as the birds are.
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
: But it is a great thing to follow up this example in faith. For to the birds of the air who have no labour of tilling, no produce from the fruitfulness of crops, Divine Providence grants an unfailing sustenance. It…
Read the whole comment - Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
Now whereas our Lord might have taken an example from the men who have cared least about earthly things, such as Elias, Moses, and John, and the like, He made mention of the birds, following the Old Testament, which…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on Luke
Now the reason that he omits mention of the other birds, and speaks only of the ravens, is, that the young of the ravens are by an especial providence fed by God. For the ravens produce indeed, but do not feed, but…
Read the whole comment - Eusebius of CaesareaCatena Aurea on Luke
By the ravens also he signifies something else, for the birds which pick up seeds have a ready source of food, but those that feed on flesh as the ravens do have more difficulty in getting it. Yet birds of this kind…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Luke
Observe, that when God has once given a soul, it abides the same, but the body is taking growth daily. Passing over then the soul as not receiving increase, he makes mention only of the body, giving us to understand…
Read the whole comment - Eusebius of CaesareaCatena Aurea on Luke
If no one has by his own skill contrived a bodily stature for himself, but can not add even the shortest delay to the prefixed limit of his time of life, why should we be vainly anxious about the necessaries of life?
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
To Him then leave the care of directing the body, by whose aid you see it to come to pass that you have a body of such a stature.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Luke
But in speaking concerning increasing the stature of the body, He refers to that which is least, that is, to God, to make bodies.
Read the whole comment
Cross-references · 1
Cited together in Theophylact of Ohrid on Luke 12:24–26 (Catena Aurea).