Augustine of Hippo : Insofar as he is the only begotten, he is without sibling, but insofar as he is the "firstborn" he has deigned to call all those his siblings who, subsequent to and in virtue of his being first, are born again unto God's grace through filial adoption, in accordance with the teaching of the apostle. — On Faith and the Creed 4.6 Cyprian : For consider what glory it is to set aside the lusts of this life, and to oppose a mind withdrawn from all commerce with nature and the world, to all the opposition of the adversary, and to have no dread of the cruelty of the torturer; that a man should be animated by the suffering whereby he might be believed to be destroyed, and should take to himself, as an enhancement of his strength, that which the punisher thinks will aggravate his torments. For although the hook, springing forth from the stiffening ribs, is put back again into the wound, and with the repeated strokes of the whip the returning lash is drawn away with the rent portions of the flesh; still he stands immoveable, the stronger for his sufferings, revolving only this in his mind, that in that brutality of the executioners Christ Himself is suffering more in proportion to what he suffers. For since, if he should deny the Lord, he would incur guilt on His behalf for whom he ought to have overcome, it is essential that He should be seen to bear all things to whom the victory is due, even in the suffering. — Pseudo-Cyprian On the Glory of Martyrdom John Chrysostom : "For," he says, "both He that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." Behold again how he brings them together, honoring and comforting them, and making them brethren of Christ, in this respect that they are "of one." Then again guarding himself and showing that he is speaking of that which is according to the flesh, he introduces, "For He who sanctifieth," that is Christ, "and they who are sanctified," ourselves. Dost thou see how great is the difference? He sanctifies, we are sanctified. And above he said, "the Captain of their salvation. For there is one God, of whom are all things." (1 Cor. viii. 6.) "For which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." Seest thou how again he shows the superiority? For by saying, "He is not ashamed," he shows that the whole comes not of the nature of the thing, but of the loving affection of Him who was "not ashamed" of anything, yea of His great humility. For though we be "of one," yet He sanctifieth and we are sanctified: and great is the difference. Moreover "He" is of the Father, as a true Son, that is, of His substance; "we," as created, that is, brought out of things that are not, so that the difference is great. Wherefore he says, "He is not ashamed to call them brethren." — Homily on Hebrews 4 Oecumenius : "For both he who sanctifies," that is, Christ, "and those who are sanctified," that is, humans, are all from one God and Father. But Christ, as the Son and true offspring and of the essence of the Father, we, however, are as creature ones and have been made worthy of sonship by grace. See in these words the superiority. He who sanctifies, and we are sanctified. Therefore, both unity and superiority. "I will proclaim your name to my brothers." — [PHOTIUS] For as he united the flesh to himself, he also put on brotherhood. Saying, "He is not ashamed," He showed the distinction. For He is not a brother by nature, although He is truly a man, but by generosity [φιλανθρωπίαν], since He is also truly God. — The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews Photios I of Constantinople : "He will not be ashamed." He highlighted the difference. Even though he is truly human, he is our brother not according to nature but according to his love toward humankind, as he remains truly God. — FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE Hebrews 2.11 Theodoret of Cyrus : "The one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin." This is a reference to the humanity of the one who sanctifies, for the assumed nature is created. The creator of him and of us is one. We are sanctified through him. Now if the heretics wish to understand this of the divine nature, let them not do so in such a way as to lessen the glory of the only begotten. For both we and he have one Father; but it is clear that he is Son by nature, we by grace. The fact that it says, "He sanctifies, but we are sanctified," teaches us this difference. — INTERPRETATION OF Hebrews 2 Theodoret of Cyrus : How would it be possible to name him our brother or to call us sons and daughters properly if it were not for the nature—the same as ours—with which he was clothed?… And it was especially necessary for Paul to say "in the same way" so that he might refute the reproach of making the incarnation a fantasy. He makes all of these points in order to teach those who suppose that the Son was lower than the angels that he endured suffering for a necessary reason. He explains this more clearly in what follows. — INTERPRETATION OF Hebrews 2.14-15