Lord, Lord: I Never Knew You (Matthew 7:21–23; Luke 6:46)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily XXIV (on Matthew 7:21–23) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110/npnf110.iii.XXIV.html

On why He says "the will of my Father" and not "my will":

Wherefore said He not, "but he that doeth my will?" ... And withal this may be mentioned, that in fact there is no other will of the Son besides that of the Father.

On the fearful saying "I never knew you":

Wherefore unto them did He utter even that fearful saying, "I never knew you:" there being many for whom His hatred begins already even here; whom He turns away from, even before the judgment.

That the working of miracles is no advantage, nor their absence any loss, where the life is heeded:

Let us fear therefore, beloved; and let us take great heed to our life, neither let us account ourselves worse off, in that we do not work miracles now. For that will never be any advantage to us, as neither any disadvantage in our not working them, if we take heed to all virtue. Because for the miracles we ourselves are debtors, but for our life and our doings we have God our debtor.

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St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermon XXXIV (on Luke 6:46) Source: trans. R. Payne Smith, 1859. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_luke_03_sermons_26_38.htm

On the Lukan form, "why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say":

"But why, He asks, call ye Me indeed Lord, but do not the things which I say?" For if He possess no real authority, nor glory of lordship, but, on the contrary, it is conferred upon Him from without, and bestowed by favour, do not offer Him thy obedience: refuse His service: consent not to be subject unto Him. But if He be verily, and in its precise meaning Lord, and the whole nature of things created bow beneath His sceptre, and as a thing set under the feet of its Lord, then pay what is due: accept the yoke: and as being due, offer Him thy obedience

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Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, Book II (on Matthew 7:21–23) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 6. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf106.v.iii.xxv.html

On why saying "Lord, Lord" is not itself the good fruit:

lest we should think that the mere fact of one saying to our Lord, "Lord, Lord," belongs to those fruits; and from that he should seem to us to be a good tree. But those are the fruits, to do the will of the Father who is in heaven, in the doing of which He has condescended to exhibit Himself as an example.

On the warning not to be deceived even by works and miracles:

He will not, therefore, recognise any but the man that worketh righteousness. For He forbade also His own disciples themselves to rejoice in such things, viz. that the spirits were subject unto them: "But rejoice," says He, "because your names are written in heaven;"

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St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 7:21–23) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.vii.html

On refusing the faith of those whose evil works destroy their sound doctrine:

so now on the other hand, He forbids us to participate the faith with those who while they are strong in sound doctrine, destroy it with evil works. For it behoves the servants of God that both their work should be approved by their teaching and their teaching by their works.

On why He says "who work iniquity" and not "who have worked":

He says not, Who have worked, but "who work iniquity," that He should not seem to take away repentance.

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St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 7:21–23) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.vii.html

On the hypocrites who claim the works as spoken of themselves:

But thus the hypocrites boasted, as though they spoke somewhat of themselves, and as though the power of God did not work all these things, being invoked ... These then He disowns and banishes for their evil works, saying, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

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St. Gregory the Great (c. 540–604)

Moralia in Job, Book XX (on Matthew 7:21–23) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.vii.html

On charity and humility, not mighty works, as the mark of holiness:

By this sentence it is given to us to learn, that among men charity and humility, and not mighty works, are to be esteemed. Whence also now the Holy Church, if there be any miracles of heretics, despises them, because she knows that they have not the mark of holiness. And the proof of holiness is not to work miracles, but to love our neighbour as ourselves, to think truly of God, and of our neighbour better than of ourselves.