John Chrysostom, on Gen 49:11

“Tying his foal to the vineyard, and his ass, O my son, to the vine. He shall wash his robe in wine, and his garment in the blood of the grape.”

“I mean, since the ass is an unclean animal, hence he says, "Those unclean Gentiles will be introduced with such ease as if someone were to tether the foal to the stem of the vine, referring to the extraordinary degree of his authority and to the great responsiveness of the Gentiles." That is to say, its readiness to be tethered to the stem of the vine is a mark of the ass's gentleness. Now it was to the vine that Jesus compared his own teaching: "I am the true vine," he says, remember, "and my Father is the vinedresser."”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.