Ambrose of Milan : I consider not wealth but virtue as liberty, for it does not bow to the wishes of the stronger, and it is laid hold of and possessed by one's own greatness of soul. The wise man is always free. He is always held in honor; he is always master of the laws. The law is not made for the just but for the unjust. The just man is a law unto himself, and he does not need to summon the law from afar, for he carries it enclosed in his heart, and it is said to him, "Drink water out of your own vessels and from the stream of your own well." — Letter 37: To Simplician Augustine of Hippo : Because "for a righteous man the law was not made;" and yet "the law is good, if a man use it lawfully." Now by connecting together these two seemingly contrary statements, the apostle warns and urges his reader to sift the question and solve it too. For how can it be that "the law is good, if a man use it lawfully," if what follows is also true: "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man?" For who but a righteous man lawfully uses the law? Yet it is not for him that it is made, but for the unrighteous. Must then the unrighteous man, in order that he may be justified,—that is, become a righteous man,—lawfully use the law, to lead him, as by the schoolmaster's hand, to that grace by which alone he can fulfil what the law commands? Now it is freely that he is justified thereby,—that is, on account of no antecedent merits of his own works; "otherwise grace is no more grace," since it is bestowed on us, not because we have done good works, but that we may be able to do them,—in other words, not because we have fulfilled the law, but in order that we may be able to fulfil the law. ... The unrighteous man therefore lawfully uses the law, that he may become righteous; but when he has become so, he must no longer use it as a chariot, for he has arrived at his journey's end,—or rather (that I may employ the apostle's own simile, which has been already mentioned) as a schoolmaster, seeing that he is now fully learned. — ON THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER 1.10.16 Caesarius of Arles : Avoid pride, into which it is natural for anyone to fall. Pursue humility, in which everyone ought to grow. Let your beloved self not be ignorant of the laws of the church, in order that you may keep the rights of your authority within the rules and regulations of the Fathers. To be sure, it is said "that the law is not aimed at the good man," because he fulfills the norm of the precept already by the free judgment of his will. True love holds within itself both the authority of the apostles and the moral requirements. — SERMONS 230.2 Clement of Alexandria : For when you take away the cause of fear, sin, you have taken away fear; and much more, punishment, when you have taken away that which gives rise to lust. "For the law is not made for the just man". — The Stromata Book 4 Clement of Alexandria : For this was the law from the first, that virtue should be the object of voluntary choice. Wherefore also the commandments, according to the Law, and before the Law, not given to the upright (for the law is not appointed for a righteous man), ordained that he should receive eternal life and the blessed prize, who chose them. — The Stromata Book 7 Ephrem the Syrian : The Lord touched the leper in order to show that the law was not an obstacle to him who had constituted the law.… The leper was afraid to touch the Lord lest he defile him. But the Lord touched the leper to show him that he would not be defiled, he, at whose rebuke the defilement fled from the defiled one. … Samson ate honey from the dead body of an impure animal, and with the jawbone of a dead ass he was victorious and rescued Israel. God gave him water from the dead jawbone. — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 12.21 Eusebius of Caesarea : You see here that he distinguishes two covenants, the old and the new, and says that the new would not be like the old which was given to the fathers. For the old covenant was given as a law to the Jews, when they had fallen from the religion of their forefathers, and had embraced the manners and life of the Egyptians, and had declined to the errors of polytheism and the idolatrous superstitions of the Gentiles. It was intended to raise up the fallen, and to set on their feet those who were lying on their faces, by suitable teaching. "For the law, it is said, is not for the righteous, but for the unjust and disorderly, for the unrighteous and for sinners, and for those like them." — The Proof of the Gospel 1.4 Irenaeus : Why, then, did the Lord not form the covenant for the fathers? Because "the law was not established for righteous men." But the righteous fathers had the meaning of the Decalogue written in their hearts and souls, that is, they loved the God who made them, and did no injury to their neighbour. There was therefore no occasion that they should be cautioned by prohibitory mandates (correptoriis literis), because they had the righteousness of the law in themselves. But when this righteousness and love to God had passed into oblivion, and became extinct in Egypt, God did necessarily, because of His great goodwill to men, reveal Himself by a voice, and led the people with power out of Egypt, in order that man might again become the disciple and follower of God; and He afflicted those who were disobedient, that they should not contemn their Creator; and He fed them with manna, that they might receive food for their souls (uti rationalem acciperent escam); as also Moses says in Deuteronomy: "And fed thee with manna, which thy fathers did not know, that thou mightest know that man cloth not live by bread alone; but by every word of God proceeding out of His mouth doth man live." And it enjoined love to God, and taught just dealing towards our neighbour, that we should neither be unjust nor unworthy of God, who prepares man for His friendship through the medium of the Decalogue, and likewise for agreement with his neighbour,-matters which did certainly profit man himself; God, however, standing in no need of anything from man. — Against Heresies Book IV John Cassian : The righteous, upon whom no law need be imposed, spend no small part—as if a tithe—but the whole extent of their lives in spiritual works. They are free of the legal tax of tithing. If a good and holy need presents itself, they are free to relax their fasting without any scruple. For it is not a paltry tithe that is being subtracted by those who have offered their all to the Lord along with themselves. Certainly the person who offers nothing of his own will and is compelled by legal necessity, without recourse, to pay his tithes to God, cannot do this without being seriously guilty of fraud. Hence it is eminently clear that the one who is responding fully to grace cannot be a slave of the law, watching out for things that are forbidden and carrying out things that are commanded, and that the perfect are those who do not make use even of things permitted by the law. — CONFERENCES 21.29.2 John Chrysostom : "But for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers." He calls the Jews "lawless and disobedient" too. "The law (he says) worketh wrath," that is, to the evil doers. But what to him who is deserving of reward? "By the law is the knowledge of sin." (Rom. iii. 20.) What then with respect to the righteous? "the law is not made," he says, "for a righteous man." Wherefore? Because he is exempted from its punishment, and he waits not to learn from it what is his duty, since he has the grace of the Spirit within to direct him. For the law was given that men might be chastened by fear of its threatenings. But the tractable horse needs not the curb, nor the man that can dispense with instruction the schoolmaster. Thus he does not stop at the mention of sins in general, nor of these only, but goes over the several kinds of sin, to shame men, as it were, of being under the direction of the law; and having thus particularized some, he adds a reference to those omitted, though what he had enumerated were sufficient to withdraw men. Of whom then does he say these things? Of the Jews, for they were "murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers": they were "profane and unholy," for these too he means when he says, "ungodly and sinners," and being such, the law was necessarily given to them. For did they not repeatedly worship idols? did they not stone Moses? were not their hands imbrued in the blood of their kindred? Do not the prophets constantly accuse them of these things? But to those who are instructed by a heavenly philosophy, these commandments are superfluous. — Homily on 1 Timothy 2 John Damascene : From the time when we were born again of water and the Spirit, we have become sons of God and members of his household. For this reason St. Paul calls the faithful "saints." Therefore we do not grieve but rejoice over the death of the saints. We are not under the law but under grace, having been justified by faith and having seen the one true God. For the law is not laid down for the just, nor do we serve as children, held under the law, but we have reached the estate of mature manhood and are fed on solid food, not on that which leads to idolatry. The law was good, as a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns, and the morning star rose in our hearts. The living water of divine knowledge has driven away pagan seas, and now all may know God. The old creation has passed away, and all things are made new. — ON DIVINE IMAGES 1.21 Oecumenius : understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the righteous but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for sexually immoral persons, for men who practice homosexuality, for enslavers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing contrary to sound doctrine. understanding this. And Paul says that the one who knows has used the law legitimately, knowing that he does not need it for living rightly. But who is this? The one who lives morally through virtue, and not through fear of the law. for the lawless and disobedient. This is also said elsewhere; "The law was added because of transgressions." (Gal. 3:19) So for the righteous and not transgressing, there will be no law, but for those who do not have virtue from themselves, but are in need of the threat of the law. And then he specifies them, hinting that the Jews possess these things. to the ungodly and sinners. For those who continuously worship idols, those who sacrifice their children to demons, those who stone Moses (Num. 14:10), and Jews who are defiled by civil murders, would they not be all these things? and if there is any other thing contrary to sound doctrine. For all these are passions of a corrupted soul. But such a soul acts contrary to sound and good teaching. — COMMENTARY ON 1 TIMOTHY Origen of Alexandria : If they who are weak and incapable of the deeper mystery are edified by the letter, let them understand that if "anyone neglects the teachings of the Lord and lies to his neighbor over a deposit, or by a partnership, or by robbery, he is declared guilty of a great sin. But let this be absent from the church of God.… For I say boldly concerning you that "you did not so learn Christ" nor "were you so taught." Besides, the law itself does not teach these things to the saints and the faithful. Do you want to know that these are not said about the saints and the faithful? Hear the apostle when he distinguishes between them, "The law was not laid down for the just but for the unjust and for those not subject, for the wicked and the impure, for the father-killers and for the mother-killers," and for those similar to these. Because, therefore, for such men as this the apostle says, "the law was imposed," the church of God, having left behind the letter, is built up to greater holiness by the spirit, since heaven forbid that it would ever be polluted with such misdeeds. — HOMILIES ON Leviticus 4.2 Philoxenus of Mabbug : Whosoever hath made himself poor and goeth forth from the world is above the world, and he is of necessity also above the law, because the law hath not power to bring into subjection those who are above the law. For whosoever standeth in the country of bondage is perforce governed by the law, but whosoever standeth in the country of freedom, his whole life is like that of a free man, and of his own freewill, like a freeman, he doeth good deeds with power, and not like one who is bowed under the yoke of the law. And to speak briefly, wherever wickedness is wrought there also hath the law power to turn it back and to restrain it, according to the testimony of the teacher Paul, who saith, "The law was not laid down for the righteous, but for the wicked and unruly, and for the unclean, and for those who smite their fathers and mothers, and for murderers, and adulterers, and whoremongers"; over such as these hath the law power. Now therefore, although our discourse was wishing to shew that the perfect who are led by the spirit are alone above the law, it is found that Paul teacheth that the righteous also, who are on a lower level than the perfect, are free from the law, for they do not do the good things of the law as if they were fearers thereof, but as those who are at peace with the law. For the man who killeth not, that he may die not, since murder is ready in his mind, is a murderer; and he who committeth not adultery, although he wisheth to do so, through fear of being condemned by the judge, and delivered over to the law, is an adulterer; and every one who deviseth harm, but who by reason of the fear of the punishments which are commanded by the law is held back, and doeth it not, is nevertheless, according to his own will, the worker of all wickedness. Now as for the righteous who are kept back from doing wickedness, it is not because they are afraid lest wickedness should happen through them, but because they may not provoke God to anger by a deed which is unpleasing to Him. Therefore there are some who are held back from wickedness, because they are afraid of wickedness itself, and there are some who are held back therefrom because they would rather do the things which are good, for unless a man bringeth wickedness to nought, he is not able to do good things. — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 8 -- First Discourse on Poverty Philoxenus of Mabbug : And that commandment, "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself," is like unto the words, "The law is not ordained for the righteous," because these commandments are above the fear of the law. Now the three degrees of righteousness are wrought in the world, and those who perform them are just and righteous, and are neither spiritual beings nor perfect; two degrees are set above the fear of the law, but the third is above both the power and the fear of the law, because it is fulfilled within the heart and inner mind, where the law can neither look nor see; for the eye of the law seeth matters which are external, and not the thoughts which are internal. Whosoever, then, loveth God with all his heart, and mind, and soul, his love is internal. He said particularly, "Love thy God," which is above the law, and not, "Thou shalt fear God," for the law hath dominion over fear, and not over love. Love is above the commandment of the law, and over those who are ruled thereby the law hath no power. — 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 9 -- Second Discourse on Poverty