Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers

Brother, It is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, to speak apostolically. In that case, how could anyone, by means of a word, demonstrate the good that is beyond words? Thus, in obedience to this maxim, you ought to give thanks to God, as He bestows the sort of grace that does not enter the intellect of those who, in the superabundance of their wisdom, think they already know everything. But even if you are unable to argue against them—having in mind here those unconcerned with the truth—do not become irritated. As one who trusts in action, you should always and in every way be firmly established and secure in what is unchanging, having within yourself a solid foundation for the truth. Those who rely on logical proofs will always be turning around on themselves, even if they are not currently doing so because of you. In fact, “every word competes against a word.” So too do these men compete openly against each other. In the end, it is impossible to find the spoken word victorious, as it is hopeless in its own defeat. Accordingly, the children of the Greeks (and those who are wise by their standards) have shown that, by repeatedly making logical proofs seem preferable, these “proofs” both refute and are refuted by one another. [Hebrews 13:9]
St. Gregory Palamas. The Triads 1.1.1 (translated by Alexander Titus, SVS 2025)

The riches of God are made known when his mercy is shown toward those who are rejected by men and who are downtrodden, who put their hope not in their own riches or in their own strength but in the Lord….It is one thing to pursue righteousness and another to have it implanted within. A person who tries by much teaching and reading to obtain something is said to pursue it.… In this sense, the Gentiles, who did not have the tables of the law or the written Word, cannot be said to have pursued righteousness. Nevertheless, they had it in them because the natural law had taught it to them. Therefore, they were close to that righteousness which is of faith, that is, to Christ.
Origen, Commentary on Romans

Righteousness comes from faith, which means that it too is a gift of God. For since this righteousness belongs to God, it is an unmerited gift. And the gifts of God greatly exceed any achievements of our own zeal….Knowledge therefore comes through faith, and without faith there is no knowledge. How so? It is only through faith that we know the power of his resurrection. For what reasoning could demonstrate the resurrection to us? None, but it is through faith. And if the resurrection of Christ in the flesh is known through faith, how can the nativity of the Word be comprehended by reason? For the resurrection is far more plausible to reason than the virgin birth.
St John Chrysostom, Homily 12 on Philippians