Ambrosiaster : Paul also says that the Jews did not believe in Christ because they were ignorant (Rom. 10:3). They wanted to show their zeal for God, but not knowing his will or plan, they acted against him even though they claimed to be defending him. Paul says of them that it was not out of malice or envy but out of ignorance that they did not accept Christ. Not realizing that this was the Christ whom God had promised, they said they were waiting for someone else. Preferring the righteousness which they had from the law over him who is the righteousness of God in faith. Augustine of Hippo : And see that the true doctor does not become angry with the insane assaulting him, but rather pities them and wishes to heal the raging ones from what he suffers. Listen to the doctor hanging on the cross; surrounded by a crowd of raging madmen, he says: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And his voice was not in vain. For after he rose again and was glorified in the eyes of his disciples, so much so that he showed them the scars of the same resurrected flesh, not only presenting himself to be seen but also to be touched, he ascended into heaven, sent the Holy Spirit: miracles began to occur in the name of the one killed, in the name of the crucified, and those who killed him were more deeply pierced than when they saw him hanging on the cross. For they thought that such things happened in the name of the one who was believed to have been killed by their hands. They felt the living one, whom they had mocked as he was dying. They were pierced in heart, as it is written in the Acts of the Apostles; many of the Jews who crucified the Lord sought counsel from the apostles; they also received counsel, because that hanging one did not say in vain: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. The apostle said to them: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and your sins will be forgiven you. It happened: they were baptized and believed in the one whom they crucified. — Sermon 360B Clement of Alexandria : And it were the exercise of no ordinary arbitrariness, for those who had departed before the advent of the Lord (not having the Gospel preached to them, and having afforded no ground from themselves, in consequence of believing or not) to obtain either salvation or punishment. For it is not right that these should be condemned without trial, and that those alone who lived after the advent should have the advantage of the divine righteousness. But to all rational souls it was said from above, "Whatever one of you has done in ignorance, without clearly knowing God, if, on becoming conscious, he repent, all his sins will be forgiven him." "For, behold," it is said, "I have set before your face death and life, that ye may choose life." God says that He set, not that He made both, in order to the comparison of choice. — The Stromata Book 6 John Chrysostom : Then, when their minds were alarmed, immediately he encourages them, by the appellation of Brethren, "And now, brethren, I wot, etc." For in the former discourse he foretold nothing, but only says concerning Christ, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly:" here he adds an admonition. There he waited till the people spoke: here, he knew how much they had already effected, and that the present assembly was better disposed toward them. "That through ignorance ye did it." And yet the circumstances mentioned above were not to be put to the score of ignorance. To choose the robber, to reject Him Who had been adjudged to be acquitted, to desire even to destroy Him-how should this be referred to ignorance? Nevertheless, he gives them liberty to deny it, and to change their mind about what had happened. — Homily on Acts 9 John Chrysostom : "And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." This is one ground of excuse. The second is of a different kind. As Joseph speaks to his brethren, "God did send me before you"; what in the former speech he had briefly said, in the words, "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken,"-this he here enlarges upon: "But what God before had showed by the mouth of all His Prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled." At the same time showing, that it was not of their doing, if this be proved, that it took place after God's counsel. — Homily on Acts 9 John Chrysostom : "Now this indeed, that you put to death the innocent, ye knew: but that you were killing 'the Prince of Life,' this, belike, ye did not know." And he exculpated not them alone, but also the chief contrivers of the evil, "ye and your rulers:" for doubtless it would have roused their opposition, had he gone off into accusation. For the evil-doer, when you accuse him of some wickedness that he has done, in his endeavor to exonerate himself, grows more vehement. And he no longer says, "Ye crucified," "Ye killed," but, "Ye did it;" leading them to seek for pardon. — Homily on Acts 9 John Chrysostom : There is one extenuating circumstance: they did it in ignorance. This fact forms the transition-point to the presentation of a different side of the death of Jesus. It was their crime, but it was also God's plan. They did it from motives of blindness and hate, but God designed it for their salvation. So that Peter, in effect, says: There is hope for you although you have slain the Lord, for his sacrificial death is the ground of salvation. To this view of the death of Christ he now appeals as basis of hope and a motive to repentance. — Homily on Acts 9 Oecumenius : Peter said, "I know that in ignorance you acted," from which I see many of you turning back and being saved. For he knew that they did not act from ignorance, but he therefore opened to them the door of repentance. — Commentary on Acts