Deuteronomy 23

Deuteronomy 23:1

Richard Challoner: Eunuch: By these are meant, in the spiritual sense, such as are barren in good works. Ibid.

Richard Challoner: Into the church: That is, into the assembly or congregation of Israel, so as to have the privilege of an Israelite, or to be capable of any place or office among the people of God.

Deuteronomy 23:7

Clement of Alexandria: At any rate [Scripture] says openly, “You shall not loathe Egyptians, since you lived as strangers in Egypt.” By Egyptian it means “Gentile,” in fact anyone from anywhere in the world. It is further forbidden to think of enemies as enemies, even if they are presently besieging your walls in the effort to capture your city, until you have sent them an envoy to invite them to peace. — The Stromata Book 2

Deuteronomy 23:14

Richard Challoner: No uncleanness: This caution against suffering any filth in the camp, was to teach them to fly the filth of sin, which driveth God away from the soul.

Deuteronomy 23:19

Ambrose of Milan: [Scripture] orders money to be returned without usury. It is a mark of kindly feeling to help one who has nothing. It is a sign of a hard nature to extort more than one has given. If one has need of your assistance because he has not enough of his own wherewith to repay a debt, is it not a wicked thing to demand under the guise of kindly feeling a larger sum from him who has not the means to pay off a lesser amount? — On the Duties of the Clergy 3.3.20

Deuteronomy 23:20

Richard Challoner: To the stranger: This was a dispensation granted by God to his people, who being the Lord of all things, can give a right and title to one upon the goods of another. Otherwise the scripture everywhere condemns usury, as contrary to the law of God, and a crying sin. See Ex. 22. 25; Lev. 25. 36, 37; 2 Esd. 5. 7; Ps. 14. 5; Ezech. 18. 8, 13, etc.

Deuteronomy 23:21

Ambrose of Milan: A wish is a request for blessings from God with a promise to fulfill a duty. And so, when you obtain what you have asked for, it is ungrateful to delay the promise. — On Cain and Abel

Deuteronomy 23:24

Augustine of Hippo: Let all the servants of God grant [the monks] permission to enter their fields whenever they wish and to depart when well fed and satisfied. This is according to the law given to the people of Israel that no one should arrest a thief in his fields unless he wished to take something away with him. Rather, the owner of the field should permit him who had touched nothing but what he had eaten to depart free and unpunished. — On the Work of Monks 23.28