How much like an owl's eyes are those practiced in vain wisdom. The owl has sharp vision at night, but it dims as soon as the sun rises; and they have an understanding very keen for idle speculations, but darkened for the knowledge of the true light.
Flee the dragnets of the philosophers, who are not ashamed to account their own soul and the soul of a dog to be the same kind, and who say of themselves that they were once both trees and fish; however, I am ready to affirm with all forcefulness that when they wrote this they were more senseless than fish.
Saint Basil the Great
Wrench the sun away from the world: what will happen to the world? Wrench the heart from the body: what will happen to the body? Need one say? Wrench God's truth and Christ's away from humanity: the same thing will happen to it as to a body without a heart and to the world without the sun.
In the formation of a worm and a gnat there is seen an incomparably greater artistry than in the best productions of the human mind. Many erect magnificent buildings, invent marvelous machines, build huge ships; but can the most powerful and sharp-witted of them form a creeping insect, a flying bird, a blade of grass, or even put together one grain of sand? Truly, God is great! And He Alone is great in what is both great and small upon the earth.
Hierarch Philaret of Moscow
Wisdom not justified by activity is a pledge of shame.
Venerable Isaac the Syrian
The word of God, heard from the mouth of a preacher or read in Scripture, is turned into greater harm for whomever hears it and is not corrected by it.
If the queen of Sheba, upon her arrival in the capital of Judaea, had occupied herself with examining the precious rarities and had not paid attention to Solomon the king, who was adorned with wisdom, then how inexcusable would have been her indifference. All the more unworthy of excuse is the man who lives in this world and is occupied with all subjects, except God, the Source of every good thing and wisdom.
Hierarch Tychon Zadonsky
Truly beneficial and, consequently, fully worthy of being known and studied by us is that which can serve for the attainment of eternal life, and not temporary comforts and joys.
Saint Ambrose of Milan