A MARVELOUS thing is longsuffering; it places the soul as in a quiet harbor, fleeing it from tossings and evil spirits. And this everywhere Christ hath taught us, but especially now, when He is judged, and dragged, and led about ....
-St. John Chrysostom, Homily 84 on John 18 and Homily 85 on John 19, 4th Century


For on this account He bare all these things, in order that we might walk in His footsteps, and endure those mockings which disturb more than any other kind of reproach ... This let us also imitate; for nothing so much maketh God propitious as the loving enemies, and doing good to those who despitefully use us.
-St. John Chrysostom, Homily 84 on John 18 and Homily 85 on John 19, 4th Century


But He on the Cross, committeth His mother to the disciple, teaching us even to our last breath to show every care for our parents .... But here He showeth much loving affection ... it was no little thing for him to be honored with such honor, and to receive the reward of steadfastness ...
-St. John Chrysostom, Homily 84 on John 18 and Homily 85 on John 19, 4th Century


Those taught by God will be regarded as fools by the disciples of such as are wise in the wisdom of the world. But in fact it is the worldly-wise that are fools, spouting an inane secular wisdom, the stupidity of which God has demonstrated (cf. I Cor. 1:20) and which Scripture condemns as material, unspiritual, devilish, filled with strife and malice (cf. James 3:15). Since these people are blind to the divine light, they cannot see the marvels it contains; they regard as deluded those who dwell in that light and see and teach others about what is within it. On the contrary, it is they themselves that are deluded, not having tasted the ineffable blessings of God.
-St. Symeon the New Theologian, Practical and Theological Texts no. 105, Philokalia Vol. 4 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 47, 11th century