Did Early Christians See Romans 10:10 as Synonymous Parallelism? The Church fathers on Faith and Confession

In 1753, Robert Lowth made his landmark work De Sacra Poesi Hebraeorum (Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews). His work essentially established the idea that Hebrew had parallelism.

"Robert Lowth uses the first stanza of Psalm 114 as his example for parallelism. The psalm celebrates Israel's passing through the Red Sea on their exodus from Egypt (Exodus 14-15) and their passing through the River Jordan into the Promised Land (Joshua 3)."

It has then opened the door to the belief that Romans 10:10 is synonymous parallelism.

"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

This is important. The Bible obviously has Hebrew parallelism. If Romans 10:10 is synonymous parallelism, it is not a two-step formula.

Obviously, Romans 10:10 does not have to be parallelism, even if parallelism is in the Bible.

This then is dedicated to seeing if the native Greek writers viewed Romans 10 as parallelism or not.

I will separate the fathers between Western and Antiochene fathers and the Miscellaneous, as they hold different views on what Romans 10 means.

The Antiochene fathers, who were native Greek speakers, specifically believed the mouth and confession to be a two-step formula. And so did Acacius of Caesarea.

The Western Fathers believe profession (or submission to the Lordship of Christ, if you're Origen) as another mandatory step, and not Hebraic Parallelism.

All of the Western fathers except Ambrosiaster were fluent in Greek.

Western fathers

1. Clement of Alexandria, 193 to 202 AD.

"And what? Does not he, who denies the Lord, deny himself? For does he not rob his Master of His authority, who deprives himself of his relation to Him? He, then, who denies the Saviour, denies life; for 'the light was life.' He does not term those men of little faith, but faithless and hypocrites, who have the name inscribed on them, but deny that they are really believers. But the faithful is called both servant and friend. So that if one loves himself, he loves the Lord, and confesses to salvation that he may save his soul. Though you die for your neighbour out of love, and regard the Saviour as our neighbour (for God who saves is said to be nigh in respect to what is saved); you do so, choosing death on account of life, and suffering for your own sake rather than his. And is it not for this that he is called brother? he who, suffering out of love to God, suffered for his own salvation; while he, on the other hand, who dies for his own salvation, endures for love to the Lord. For he being life, in what he suffered wished to suffer that we might live by his suffering."

τί δέ; οὐχ ἑαυτὸν ἀρνεῖται ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν κύριον; οὐ γὰρ ἀφαιρεῖται τῆς κυρίας τὸν δεσπότην ὅ γε καὶ στερίσκων αὑτὸν τῆς πρὸς ἐκεῖνον οἰκειότητος. ὁ τοίνυν ἀρνούμενος τὸν σωτῆρα ἀρνεῖται τὴν ζωήν, ὅτι ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς. ὀλιγοπίστους τούτους οὐ λέγει, ἀλλὰ ἀπίστους καὶ ὑποκριτάς, τὸ μὲν ὄνομα ἐπιγεγραμμένους, τὸ δ' εἶναι πιστοὺς ἀρνουμένους· πιστὸς δὲ εἴρηται καὶ δοῦλος καὶ φίλος. ὥστε εἴ τις ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ, ἀγαπᾷ τὸν κύριον καὶ ὁμολογεῖ τὴν σωτηρίαν, ἵνα σώσῃ τὴν ψυχήν. καίτοι κἂν ὑπεραποθάνῃς τοῦ πλησίον δι' ἀγάπην, πλησίον δὲ ἡμῶν τὸν σωτῆρα ὑπολάβῃς (θεὸς γὰρ ἐγγίζων ὁ σῴζων πρὸς τὸ σῳζόμενον ἐλέχθη), [θανῇ] θάνατον ἑλόμενος διὰ ζωὴν καὶ σεαυτοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ ἐκείνου ἕνεκεν παθών· καὶ μή τι διὰ τοῦτο ἀδελφὸς εἴρηται· [ὅτι] ὁ δι' ἀγάπην τὴν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν παθὼν διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἔπαθε σωτηρίαν ὅ τε αὖ διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀποθνῄσκων σωτηρίαν διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην ὑπομένει τοῦ κυρίου. καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς ζωὴ ὢν δι' οὗ ἔπαθεν παθεῖν ἠθέλησεν, ἵνα τῷ πάθει ζήσωμεν αὐτοῦ.

This is being quoted as to explain his next passage, which is still discussing the profession of martyrdom.

"But it is God that makes proclamation to us, and He must be believed. 'For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Wherefore the Scripture saith, "Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be put to shame."' Accordingly Simonides justly writes, 'It is said that virtue dwells among all but inaccessible rocks, but that she speedily traverses a pure place. Nor is she visible to the eyes of all mortals. He who is not penetrated by heart-vexing sweat will not scale the summit of manliness.' And Pindar says: 'But the anxious thoughts of youths, revolving with toils, Will find glory: and in time their deeds Will in resplendent ether splendid shine.'" - Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies Book IV

θεὸς δὲ ἡμῖν κηρύσσει καὶ πειστέον αὐτῷ· καρδίᾳ γὰρ πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν. λέγει γοῦν ἡ γραφή· "πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται." εἰκότως οὖν Σιμωνίδης γράφει· ἔστι τις λόγος τὰν Ἀρετὰν ναίειν δυσαμβάτοις ἐπὶ πέτραις, νυμφᾶν δέ μιν θοᾶν χορὸν ἁγνὸν ἀμφέπειν· οὐδὲ πάντων βλεφάροις θνατῶν ἔσοπτος, ᾧ μὴ δακέθυμος ἱδρὼς ἔνδοθεν μόλῃ ἵκῃ τ' ἐς ἄκρον ἀνδρείας. καὶ ὁ Πίνδαρος· νέων δὲ μέριμναι σὺν πόνοις εἱλισσόμεναι δόξαν εὑρίσκουσι, λάμπει δὲ χρόνῳ ἔργα μετ' αἰθέρα λαμπευθέντα.

This is about profession and martyrdom.

2. «Quia si confitearis in ore tuo Dominum Jesum, et credideris in corde tuo quod Deus illum suscitavit a mortuis, salvus eris. Corde enim creditur ad justitiam, ore autem confessio fit in salutem.» "Because if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Debemus etiam hoc scire, quod aliud est possibilitatem esse in aliquo, aliud efficaciam vel efficientiam, quod Graeci δύναμιν et ἐνέργειαν vocant. We ought also to know this: that potentiality in someone is one thing, and actualization or efficacy is another, what the Greeks call dynamis (δύναμις) and energeia (ἐνέργεια).

Verbi causa: Parvulus nuper natus possibilitate rationalis homo est: potest enim esse rationalis si adoleverit. Et possibilitate etiam faber, et gubernator, et grammaticus dicitur; possibile enim est ut horum aliquid sit. For example: a newborn infant is a rational man by potentiality, for he can be rational if he grows up. And by potentiality he is also called a craftsman, a helmsman, or a grammarian; for it is possible for him to become any of these.

Efficacia vero vel efficientia, hoc est, re ipsa atque effectu, nihil horum est dum est parvulus: sed si coeperit vel rationis jam capax esse, vel aliquid fabrilis artis, aut cujuslibet alterius efficere, tunc jam efficacia rationabilis dicitur, vel faber, vel sicut illud est quod effectu operis agit. In actuality or efficacy, however, that is, in reality and in effect, he is none of these things while he is an infant. But if he begins either to be capable of reason, or to produce something of the craftsman's craft or of any other, then he is already called rational in actuality, or a craftsman, or whatever it is that he performs by the effect of his work.

Hoc ergo modo etiam Christus, qui est Verbum Dei, possibilitate quidem juxta nos, hoc est, juxta omnem hominem, esse credendus est tanquam ratio parvulis: efficacia vero tunc in me esse dicitur, cum in ore meo confessus fuero Dominum Jesum, et in corde meo credidero quod Deus illum suscitavit a mortuis. In this manner, then, Christ, who is the Word of God, is to be believed to be in us by potentiality, that is, in every human being, as reason is in infants; but in actuality He is said to be in me when I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead.

Vis autem scire quia adest ubique, et medius est etiam eorum qui ignorant eum, et non confitentur? Audi quomodo Joannes Baptista de eo haec ipsa testatur: «Medius,» inquit, «vestrum stat quem vos nescitis, qui post me venit.» Would you like to know that He is present everywhere, and stands in the midst even of those who do not know Him and do not confess Him? Listen to how John the Baptist testifies this very thing about Him: "In your midst," he says, "stands one whom you do not know, who comes after me."

Est ergo medius etiam inter eos qui eum nesciunt, sed possibilitate eis medius est, non efficacia. Possunt enim eum capere, sed nondum capiunt. He is therefore in the midst even of those who do not know Him, but He is in their midst by potentiality, not by actuality. For they have the capacity to receive Him, but do not yet receive Him.

Efficacia vero vel efficientia inter illos medius est quibus dicebat: «Ubicunque fuerint congregati duo vel tres in nomine meo, ibi sum in medio eorum.» Isti enim confitebantur in ore suo Dominum Jesum, et credebant in corde suo quod Deus illum suscitavit a mortuis. But in actuality or efficacy He is in the midst of those to whom He said: "Wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." For these confessed with their mouth the Lord Jesus, and believed in their heart that God raised Him from the dead.

Alioquin absurdum videtur si et inter eos qui in nomine ejus congregantur, medius esse dicitur, et inter eos qui eum nesciunt: nisi hujusmodi differentia teneatur, quod inter ignorantes et nondum credentes possibilitate medius dicitur; inter credentes vero efficacia, id est rei ipsius et operis effectu. Otherwise it would seem absurd if He is said to be in the midst both of those gathered in His name and of those who do not know Him, unless this distinction is maintained: that among the ignorant and those who do not yet believe He is said to be in their midst by potentiality; but among believers, by actuality, that is, by the effect of the reality itself and of work.

Verum et illud observa quod ait: «Quia si confitearis in ore tuo Dominum Jesum, et credideris in corde tuo quod Deus illum suscitavit a mortuis, salvus eris.» But observe also what he says: "Because if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Videbitur enim quibusdam per hoc, quia etiamsi desint alicui boni operis privilegia, etiamsi virtutibus operam non dederit, hoc ipso tamen quod credit, non pereat, sed salvetur, et habeat salutem, etiamsi beatitudinis gloriam habere non poterit. For from this it will seem to some that even if someone lacks the distinctions of good work, even if he has devoted no effort to the virtues, nevertheless, by this very fact that he believes, he will not perish, but be saved, and possess salvation, even if he cannot attain the glory of beatitude.

Sed vide ne magis illud intelligi debeat, quod qui vero et non falso confitetur ore Dominum Jesum, et corde credit, pariter confiteatur se dominatui subjectum esse sapientiae, et justitiae, et veritatis, et omnibus quae Christus est: nec sibi ultra esse dominum mammonam, id est, neque avaritiam sibi ultra, neque injustitiam, neque impudicitiam, neque mendacium dominari. Semel enim Jesum Christum Dominum confessus, nulli horum se servire profitetur. But see whether this should rather be understood: that he who truly and not falsely confesses with his mouth the Lord Jesus, and believes in his heart, confesses at the same time that he is subject to the dominion of wisdom, and of righteousness, and of truth, and of all that Christ is; and that mammon is no longer his master, that is, that neither greed, nor unrighteousness, nor impurity, nor falsehood dominates him any longer. For having once confessed Jesus Christ as Lord, he professes that he serves none of these.

Sed et credens in corde suo quod Deus illum suscitavit a mortuis, certum est quia suscitatum eum ad justificationem sui credit. Alioquin, quid proderit scire me et credere quod Jesum Deus suscitavit a mortuis, si in me ipso eum non habeam suscitatum? Furthermore, believing in his heart that God raised Him from the dead, it is certain that he believes He was raised for his own justification. Otherwise, what will it profit me to know and believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, if I do not have Him raised up within myself?

Ergo si non in novitate vitae ambulo, et vetustam peccandi consuetudinem non fugio, nondum mihi Christus resurrexit a mortuis. Therefore, if I do not walk in newness of life, and do not flee the old habit of sinning, Christ has not yet risen from the dead for me.

Ad hunc autem sensum etiam ea conveniunt quae sequuntur, quando ait: «Dicit enim Scriptura, quia omnis qui credit in eum, non erubescet.» Hoc autem apud Isaiam scriptum est. With this meaning also agree the words that follow, when he says: "For the Scripture says: Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." Now this is written in Isaiah.

Quod si omnis qui credit in eum, non erubescet: erubescit autem omnis qui peccat, sicut Adam peccavit, et erubuit, et abscondit se: qui adhuc ruborem peccati incurrit, credere non videtur. But if everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame, and yet everyone who sins is put to shame (just as Adam sinned, and blushed, and hid himself), then whoever still incurs the blushing shame of sin does not appear to believe.

This is about a lordship.

3. Ambrosiaster, Romans Commentary written around 366–384 AD.

Romans 10:9

English Translation Greek Translation (Ἑλληνιστί)

[Text] (v. 9) That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. [Κείμενον] (στ. 9) Ὅτι ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃς ἐν τῷ στόματί σου Κύριον Ἰησοῦν, καὶ πιστεύσῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, σωθήσῃ.

[Commentary] He declares that the faith through which a person is saved is easy and unencumbered. For he does not say that heavy precepts must be fulfilled, as the Law demands, such as offering sacrifice or observing the rest of the carnal commandments, but that faith of the heart alone and confession of the mouth promise salvation. [Ἑρμηνεία] Εὐχερῆ καὶ ἄπονον λέγει τὴν πίστιν δι' ἧς ὁ ἄνθρωπος σῴζεται. Οὐ γὰρ βαρέα παραγγέλματα δεῖν πληροῦσθαι φησίν, ὥσπερ ὁ νόμος ἀπαιτεῖ, οἷον θυσίαν προσφέρεσθαι ἢ τὰς λοιπὰς σαρκικὰς ἐντολὰς φυλάσσεσθαι· ἀλλὰ μόνη ἡ τῆς καρδίας πίστις καὶ ἡ τοῦ στόματος ὁμολογία τὴν σωτηρίαν ἐπαγγέλλεται.

"If you believe," he says, "that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead, and you confess this openly, you will be saved." For because Christ's death has forgiven sins, and His resurrection has demonstrated the hope of the future resurrection, whoever believes and confesses this shall be saved. «Ἐὰν πιστεύσῃς», φησίν, «ὅτι Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν καὶ ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν, καὶ τοῦτο φανερῶς ὁμολογήσῃς, σωθήσῃ.» Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ θάνατος τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἀφῆκεν, ἡ δὲ ἀνάστασις αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς μελλούσης ἀναστάσεως ἔδειξεν, ὁ τοῦτο πιστεύων καὶ ὁμολογῶν σωθήσεται.

Romans 10:10

English Translation Greek Translation (Ἑλληνιστί)

[Text] (v. 10) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [Κείμενον] (στ. 10) Καρδίᾳ γὰρ πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν.

[Commentary] It is evident that whoever believes with the whole heart is justified before God; but whoever confesses with the mouth is crowned unto salvation. [Ἑρμηνεία] Πρόδηλόν ἐστιν ὅτι ὁ ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας πιστεύων δικαιοῦται ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ· ὁ δὲ τῷ στόματι ὁμολογῶν στεφανοῦται εἰς σωτηρίαν.

For it is not sufficient merely to believe in the heart unless you also confess with the mouth before men; for faith is within, but confession is without. One believes with the heart so that a person may be justified before God; confession is made with the mouth so that God may be glorified before men. Οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ τὸ μόνον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ πιστεύειν, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ τῷ στόματι ὁμολογήσῃς ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ἡ μὲν γὰρ πίστις ἔνδον ἐστίν, ἡ δὲ ὁμολογία ἔξω. Καρδίᾳ μὲν πιστεύεται ἵνα δικαιωθῇ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ Θεὸς ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

He views it as a public profession, alongside having to endure the persecution of not denying Christ.

This is about profession.

Antiochan fathers

John Chrysostom, Romans homily around 381 to 398 AD.

"For there is no need to say, he means, that one must go up to heaven, or cross a great sea, and then receive the commandments, but things so great and grand hath God made of easy access to us. And what meaneth the phrase, 'The Word is nigh thee?' That is, It is easy. For in thy mind and in thy tongue is thy salvation. There is no long journey to go, no seas to sail over, no mountains to pass, to get saved. But if you be not minded to cross so much as the threshold, you may even while you SIT AT HOME BE SAVED. For 'in thy mouth and in thy heart' is the source of salvation." -John Chrysostom, Romans 10:9, Homily 18 on Romans.

"You see how he produces witnesses, whether to the faith, or to the confession of it. For the words, 'Every one that believeth,' point out the faith. But the words, 'Whosoever shall call upon,' set forth confession. Then again to proclaim the universality of the grace, and to lay their boasting low, what he had before demonstrated at length, he here briefly recalls to their memory, showing again that there is no difference between the Jew and the uncircumcised. 'For there is,' he says, 'no difference between the Jew and the Greek.'" -John Chrysostom, Romans 10:11, Homily 18 on Romans.

Ού γάρ έστιν είπείν, φησίν, δτι είς τόν ούρανόν άναβήναι δεί καί πέλαγος διαβήναι μέγα, καί τότε λαβείν τάς έντολάς· άλλά τά ούτω μεγάλα καί ύπέρογκα, εύκολα ήμίν έποίησεν ό Θεός. Τί δέ έστιν, Έγγύς σου τό ρήμά έστι; Τουτέστιν, εύκολόν έστιν· έν γάρ τή διανοία σου καί τή γλώσση ή σωτηρία. Ού μακράν όδόν βαδίσαντας, ούδέ πέλαγος πλεύσαντας, ούδέ δρη παρελθόντας, ούτω δεί σωθήναι· άλλ' εί μηδέν αύτόν βουληθής ύπερβήναι τόν ούδόν, έξεστί σοι καί οίκοι καθημένω σωθήναι· έν γάρ τώ στόματί σου καί έν τή καρδία έστί τής σωτηρίας ή άφορμή.

"But Isaiah the prophet, who spake many years ago, that we were to be sent, and to preach, and to say what we do say. If the BEING SAVED, then, came of CALLING upon Him, and calling upon Him from believing, and believing from hearing, and hearing from preaching, and preaching from being sent, and if they were sent, and did preach, and the prophet went round with them to point them out, and proclaim them, and say that these were they whom they showed of so many ages ago, whose feet even they praised because of the matter of their preaching; then it is quite clear that the not believing was their own fault only. And that because God's part had been fulfilled completely." -John Chrysostom, Romans 10:14, Homily 18 on Romans.

Είδες πώς καί τής πίστεως καί τής όμολογίας παράγει μαρτυρίας; Τό μέν γάρ είπείν, δτι Πάς ό πιστεύων, τήν πίστιν έδήλωσε· τό δέ είπείν, Ός άν έπικαλέσθηται, τήν όμολογίαν ένέφηνεν. Είτα πάλιν τό κοινόν τής χάριτος άνακηρύττων, καί τό έκείνων φύσημα καταστέλλων, ά διά πολλών έμπροσθεν άπέδειξε, ταύτα έν βραχέσιν άναμιμνήσκει, πάλιν δεικνύς, δτι ούδέν τό μέσον τού Ίουδαίου καί τού άκροθύστου. Ού γάρ έστι διαστολή, φησίν, Ίουδαίου τε καί Έλληνος.

What he means then is somewhat of this sort. There is no need of fetching a circuit, and of trouble, and the vexation of the works of the Law, for the salvation is by a very short way. For such is faith, it holds salvation in a few short words. For if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Romans 10:9 Now you see what this, the Lord shall make a short word upon earth, is. And what is indeed wonderful is, that this short word carries with it not salvation only, but also righteousness." - John Chrysostom, Homily 16 on Romans

Οὐ περιόδου χρεία καὶ πόνων καὶ ταλαιπωρίας τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων τῶν νομίμων, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς συντομίας ἔσται ἡ σωτηρία. Τοιαύτη γὰρ ἡ πίστις, ἐν ὀλίγοις ῥήμασιν ἔχει τὴν σωτηρίαν. Ἐὰν γὰρ ὁμολογήσῃς ἐν τῷ στόματί σου Κύριον Ἰησοῦν, καὶ πιστεύσῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, σωθήσῃ. Εἶδες τί ἐστι τὸ, Λόγον συντετμημένον ποιήσει Κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς; Καὶ τὸ θαυμαστόν, ὅτι ὁ βραχὺς οὗτος λόγος οὐ σωτηρίαν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐπήνεγκεν.

"Or, in that he wishes his tongue to be cooled, when he was altogether burning in the flame, that is SIGNIFIED which is written, death and life are in the hands of the tongue, (Prov. 18:21.) and with the mouth confession is made to salvation; (Rom. 10:10.) which from pride he did not do, but the tip of the finger means the very least work in which a man is assisted by the Holy Spirit." - John Chrysostom, Luke 16:22-24, Catena Aurea

Vel quod linguam suam vult refrigerari cum in flamma totus arderet, significat quod scriptum est: mors et vita in manibus linguae, et quia ore confessio fit ad salutem, quod per superbiam ille non fecit. Extremum autem digiti vel minimam operationem significat, qua per spiritum sanctum subvenitur.

"Here the condemned performs the office of judge, and he begins to decide concerning truth who before Pilate confessed his crime only after many tortures. For the judgment of man from whom secret things are hid is of one kind; the judgment of God who searches the heart of another. And in the former case punishment follows after confession, but here confession is made to salvation. But he also pronounces Christ innocent, adding, But this man has done nothing wrong: as if to say, Behold a new injury, that innocence should be condemned with crime. We kill the living, He raised the dead. We have stolen from others, He bids us give up even what is our own" - John Chrysostom, Luke 23:40-41 Catena Aurea (Golden Chain)

Hic fungitur vice iudicis, condemnatus, et incipit de veritate censere qui coram Pilato post multa tormenta confessus est scelera. Quia aliud est homo censor, quem latent intima, et aliud Deus, qui mentes penetrat: et ibi quidem post confessionem poena subsequitur, hic autem confessio fit ad salutem. Sed et Christum pronuntiat innocentem, cum subdit hic vero nihil mali fecit; quasi dicat: novam vide iniuriam; honestatem damnari cum scelere. Nos viventes occidimus, hic mortuos suscitavit; nos aliena sumus furati, hic et sua iubet tribuere. Beatus igitur latro astantes docebat, talia disserens, quibus alterum increpabat. Sed ut videt extinctos auditus astantium, redit consequenter ad eum qui novit praecordia; sequitur enim et dicebat ad Iesum: domine, memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum. Crucifixum aspicis, at dominum profiteris: condemnati vides figuram, et regis praedicas dignitatem: mille malis imbutus, postulas iustitiae fontem reminisci tuae nequitiae. Sed dices: video quidem apparens opprobrium, sed intueor latens regnum; et tu avertis mea publica scelera, et acceptas fidem intentionis occultae. Discipulum veritatis usurpavit nequitia, discipulum nequitiae non commutabit veritas?

Theodoret of Cyrus.

"Ἀντὶ τοῦ, περὶ δὲ τῆς ἐκ πίστεως δικαιοσύνης· οὐ Μωσῆς ταῦτα λέγει, ἀλλὰ διὰ Μωσέως ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός. Περὶ μὲν τοῦ νόμου ταῦτα εἴρηκεν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, διδάσκων Ἰουδαίους, ὡς δίχα πόνων τὴν τῶν πρακτέων διδασκαλίαν ἐδέξαντο, καὶ οὔτε τῆς εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀναβάσεως, οὔτε τῆς εἰς τὸν ᾅδην καταβάσεως δέονται. Ἐγγύς σου γὰρ τὸ ῥῆμά ἐστι. Δέδοται γάρ σοι τῶν ποιητέων ἡ γνῶσις. Ὁ μέντοι θεῖος Ἀπόστολος εἰς τὸν περὶ τῆς πίστεως ταῦτα ἐξείληφε λόγον, διδάσκων ὡς οὐ δεῖ τὴν Δεσποτικὴν οἰκονομίαν περιεργάζεσθαι, ἢ ἀμφ ιβάλλειν ὡς ὁ μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς ἐνηνθρώπησε, καὶ τὸ πάθος καταδεξάμενος ἐπραγματεύσατο τὴν ἀνάστασιν, ἀλλὰ πίστει καρποῦσθαι τὴν σωτηρίαν. Ἐγγύς σου γὰρ τὸ ῥῆμά ἐστιν ἐν τῷ στόματί σου, καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου. Εἶτα ἐπάγει· Τουτέστι τὸ ῥῆμα τῆς πίστεως, ὃ κηρύσσομεν. Ὅπερ Μωϋσῆς περὶ τῶν νομικῶν εἴρηκεν ἐντολῶν, τοῦτο ἡμεῖς περὶ τῆς πίστεως λέγομεν." - Theodoret of Cyrus, Romans 10:6-8

"Instead of 'But concerning the righteousness of faith,' Moses does not say these things, but through Moses the God of all. Concerning the law the God of all said these things, teaching the Jews that they received the teaching of what is to be done without labours, and they need neither ascent to heaven nor descent to Hades. For the word is nigh thee. For the knowledge of what is to be done has been given to you. But the divine Apostle applied these things to the discourse about faith, teaching that one must not curiously inquire into the Master's economy, or doubt that the only-begotten Son of God became man, and having accepted the passion accomplished the resurrection, but to reap salvation by faith. For the word is nigh thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart. Then he adds: That is, the word of faith which we preach. What Moses said about the legal things, this we say about the faith." - Theodoret of Cyrus, Romans 10:6-8

"Ἀμφοτέρων γὰρ χρεία, καὶ πίστεως ἀληθοῦς καὶ βεβαίας, καὶ ὁμολογίας σὺν παῤῥησίᾳ γινομένης· ἵνα καὶ ἡ καρδία κοσμῆται τῷ ἀναμφιβόλῳ τῆς πίστεως, καὶ ἡ γλῶττα λαμπρύνηται ἀδεῶς κηρύττουσα τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Εἶτα πάλιν ἀναμιμνήσκει τῆς Γραφικῆς μαρτυρίας." - Theodoret of Cyrus, Romans 10:9-10

"For there is need of both: of true and firm faith, and of confession made with boldness, so that the heart may be adorned with the undoubted character of the faith, and the tongue may shine brightly as it fearlessly proclaims the truth." - Theodoret of Cyrus, Romans 10:9-10

Gennadius of Constantinople

Ὥσπερ τοίνυν ἐκείνοις ἐλέγετο περὶ τῆς τοῦ νόμου δόσεως τότε, φησί, τοῦτο καὶ ἡμῖν νῦν ἐπὶ τῆς διὰ Χριστοῦ χάριτος ἐφαρμόττει· τὸ γὰρ »τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν« ταῖς Μωϋσαϊκαῖς αὐτὸς τρίτον παρέθηκε ῥήσεσιν, τοιοῦτόν τι διὰ τούτου σημαίνων ὅτι τοῦτο δὲ ἴσον ἐστὶν οἷον ἂν εἰ καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐλέγετο μὴ χρῆναι διαπιστεῖν ἢ περὶ τῆς ἐξ οὐρανῶν τοῦ σωτῆρος καθόδου ἢ περὶ τῆς ἐκ νεκρῶν αὐτοῦ πάλιν ἀνόδου, ἀλλὰ τελείᾳ καρδίᾳ πεπιστευκότας ὁμολογεῖν καὶ διὰ γλώττης τὴν χάριν· περιγενήσεσθαι γὰρ ἡμῖν τοῦτο ποιοῦσι τὴν διὰ τῆς δικαιώσεως σωτηρίαν συμβῇ. τὸ γὰρ »εἰς δικαιοσύνην« καὶ τὸ »εἰς σωτηρίαν« διεῖλε συνήθως, καὶ τὸ μὲν τῇ πίστει τῆς καρδίας, τὸ δὲ τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ τοῦ στόματος ἀποδέδωκεν, ἑκατέροις ἁρμόττοντος ἑκατέρου.

"Just as that was said to them concerning the giving of the law then," he says, "so this also applies to us now concerning the grace through Christ. For he himself added 'that is' (tout' estin) three times to the Mosaic sayings, signifying something like this: that this is the same as if it were said to us that we must not disbelieve either concerning the Savior's descent from heaven or concerning His ascent again from the dead, but having believed with a whole heart, confess the grace with the tongue as well; for doing this, it will happen that salvation through justification will be ours. For he habitually divided 'unto righteousness' and 'unto salvation,' assigning the former to the faith of the heart and the latter to the confession of the mouth, each being suited to each." - Gennadius of Constantinople

Miscellaneous fathers

Acacius of Caesarea, Romans commentary around 4th century. Died 366 AD.

Greek Text English Translation

Καρδίᾳ γάρ, φησί, πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν. "For with the heart," he says, "one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

ἀσαφὲς ἦν μοι τὸ λεγόμενον ἀεὶ διὰ τὸ οἴεσθαι τὸ καρδίᾳ γὰρ ὀνοματικῶς εἰρῆσθαι, What was said was always unclear to me because I assumed that καρδίᾳ γάρ ("for [with the] heart") was stated in the nominative case;

ὕστερον δὲ ἐπέστησα ὅτι δοτικὴ πτῶσις τυγχάνει ὁμοίως τῷ στόματι. but later I realized that it is actually in the dative case, just like στόματι ("with the mouth").

σαφέστερον δὲ ἔσται τὸ λεγόμενον προσϑέσει ἄρϑρου, ἵνα ᾖ τῇ καρδίᾳ γὰρ πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν. The statement becomes clearer with the addition of the article, so that it reads: "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

τίς δὲ ὁ πιστευόμενος καὶ ὁμολογούμενος ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ὁ Χριστός, ᾧ πιστεύσαντες ὁμολογοῦμεν τοῦτον κατὰ τὸ ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα. And who is the one believed in and confessed other than Christ? Having believed in Him, we confess Him according to the saying: "I believed, therefore I spoke."

καὶ τοῦτο δὲ λεκτέον ὅτι ἤρκει μὲν ἡ καρδία εἰς ἀμφότερα, καὶ εἰς τὸ πιστεύειν καὶ εἰς τὸ ὁμολογεῖν, And this too must be said: the heart would indeed suffice for both, both for believing and for confessing,

εἰ μὴ ἀναγκαῖον ἦν καὶ διὰ τοῦ στόματος ὁμολογεῖν, ἢ τοῖς διδάσκουσι τοὺς πιστευομένους, ἢ ἐν διωγμοῖς ὁμολογεῖν καὶ μὴ ἀρνεῖσθαι. were it not also necessary to confess with the mouth, either for those instructing prospective believers, or in times of persecution to confess and not deny.

Citations

Clement of Alexandria – https://catholiclibrary.org/library/view?docId=%2FSynchronized-EN%2Fanf.000055.ClementOfAlexandria.TheStromataorMiscellanies.html&chunk.id=00000157

Origen – Patrologia Graeca vol. 14

Ambrosiaster – Patrologia Latina vol. 17

John Chrysostom – Patrologia Graeca vol. 60, Catena Aurea from aquinas.cc (an Aquinas archive, although they misattributed Augustine's words to Chrysostom, despite other books attributing it to Chrysostom)

Theodoret of Cyrus – Patrologia Graeca vol. 82

Gennadius of Constantinople – Karl Staab, Pauluskommentare aus der griechischen Kirche (1933)

Diodorus of Tarsus – Karl Staab, Pauluskommentare aus der griechischen Kirche (1933)

Apollinaris of Laodicea – Karl Staab, Pauluskommentare aus der griechischen Kirche (1933)

Acacius of Caesarea – Karl Staab, Pauluskommentare aus der griechischen Kirche (1933)