Tertullian
Patristic
c. A.D. 150–220
“-" Have you seen," says Scripture, "a brother? you have seen your Lord; " -especially "a stranger," lest perhaps he be "an angel.”
From the early Church Fathers to now.
7 Patristic · 1 Orthodox · 1 Catholic
“And hospitality do not forget; for by this some, being not aware of it, have entertained angels.”
“-" Have you seen," says Scripture, "a brother? you have seen your Lord; " -especially "a stranger," lest perhaps he be "an angel.”
“He did not say, "Be hospitable," as if they were not, but, "Be not forgetful of hospitality," for this was likely to happen owing to their afflictions. Therefore (he says) "some have entertained angels unawares." Seest thou how great was the honor, how great the gain! What is "unawares"? They entertained them without knowing it. Therefore the reward also was great, because he entertained them, not knowing that they were Angels. For if he had known it, it would have been nothing wonderful. Some say that he here alludes to Lot also.”
“And he did not say, "Be not forgetful" of the entertaining of strangers, but "of hospitality": that is, do not merely entertain strangers, but do it with love for the strangers. Moreover he did not speak of the recompense that is future, and in store for us, lest he should make them more supine, but of that already given. For "thereby some" (he says) "have entertained angels unawares."”
“Therefore, dearest brothers, love hospitality, love the works of charity. For hence it is said through Paul: "Let brotherly love continue in you, and do not forget hospitality. For through this some have pleased, having received angels as guests." Hence Peter says: "Be hospitable to one another without murmuring." Hence Truth itself says: "I was a stranger, and you took me in." There is a story well regarded and handed down to us by the account of our elders. A certain father of a household served with great zeal for hospitality along with his whole house; and while he received strangers at his table daily, one day a certain stranger came among others and was led to the table. And while the father of the household, from his custom of humility, wished to pour water on his hands, he turned and took the pitcher, but suddenly did not find the one on whose hands he had wished to pour water. And while he marveled at this occurrence to himself, that same night the Lord said to him through a vision: "On other days you received me in my members, but yesterday you received me in myself." Behold, coming to judgment, He will say: "What you did for one of my least ones, you did for me." Behold, before the judgment, when He is received through His members, He also visits His hosts through Himself; and yet we are sluggish toward the grace of hospitality. Consider, brothers, how great is the virtue of hospitality. Receive Christ at your tables, that you may be worthy to be received by Him at the eternal banquet. Offer now hospitality to Christ the stranger, that He may not disregard you as strangers at the judgment, but may receive you as His own into the kingdom.”
“And hospitality, he says, "do not forget." For having suffered the plundering of their possessions, they were perhaps behaving stingily. Or he is also safeguarding them for the future. So important is hospitality, the reception of all people in general, and the non-judgment of brethren, that Abraham and Lot were given the occasion to receive angels (Gen. 18–19). "Without knowing," that is, they did not know that the strangers were angels, yet they received them with honor. This is what makes them great, for if they had known, then in that case they would not have done anything great.”
“He says, do not neglect, because formerly, when they were prosperous, they were very hospitable; but now that they were poor and could not do so much, he exhorts them to continue to do as much as possible: 'Pursue hospitality' (Rom. 12:13). He makes special mention of hospitality, because a person who receives travelers does three acts of charity at once, because he receives and feeds and gives them drink: 'Using hospitality one towards another without murmuring' (1 Pt 4:9). He gives the reason when he says, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares, as in the case of Abraham and Lot (Gen. 18 & 19). Another version reads: 'By this, as unawares, they entertained angels,' because they did not believe that they were angels. This was also true in the beginning; hence, Abraham adored them, thinking that they were holy men sent from God. But he adored them with adoration called dulia, which is shown to saints; and he offered them food, as though they were men. But after he understood that they were angels in whom God was speaking, he spoke to them as to God, saying: 'This is not beseeming you who judge all the earth' (Gen. 18:25); and Lot in like manner.”
“Cassian said, 'We came from Palestine to Egypt, and visited one of the hermits. After he had welcomed us, we asked him, "When you receive guests, why don't you fast? In Palestine they do." He answered, "Fasting is always possible but I cannot keep you here for ever. Fasting is useful and necessary, but we can choose to fast or not fast. God's law demands from us perfect love. I receive Christ when I receive you, so I must do all I can to show you love. When I have said goodbye to you, I can take up my rule of fasting again. 'The sons of the bridegroom cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them; when he is taken from them, then they can fast' (Matt. 9:15)." '”
“In Scetis there once went out an order that they should fast for a week, and then celebrate Easter. During the week some brothers happened to come into Egypt to visit Moses, and he cooked a little vegetable stew for them. The nearby hermits saw the smoke, and said to the clergy of the church, 'What is that smoke? Moses must be disobeying the order, and cooking in his cell.' The clergy said, 'We will talk to him when he comes.' On Saturday the clergy, who knew the greatness of his way of life, said to Moses in front of the whole congregation, 'Moses, you have broken a commandment of men: but you have kept the commandments of God valiantly.'”
“"Do not forget to show hospitality." For as they had been plundered of their possessions, they might perhaps have been more sparing. But by saying, let it remain, and do not forget, it shows that they had long possessed these virtues, but now, due to the continuous hardships, they were in danger of becoming indifferent to these virtues; therefore, Paul again encourages them towards these things. "in this way, some have been unaware while they entertained angels." Thus, Paul says, great is hospitality, so that it became a cause for those around Abraham and Lot to receive the angels. (Gen. 18) And the fact that they were unaware, instead of not knowing, that the guests were angels, and yet they received them so hospitably; therefore this great reward for them; for if they had known, they would have done nothing great.”
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.