“And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”
Matthew 3:9 — Greek Interlinear
Church Fathers on Matthew 3:9
The words of the teachers should be fitted to the quality of the hearers, that in each particular it should agree with itself and yet never depart from the fortress of general edification.
It was necessary that after the teaching which he used to the common people, the Evangelist should give an example of the doctrine he delivered to the more advanced; therefore he says, 'Seeing many of the Pharisees, &c.'
The manner of Scripture is to give names from the imitation of deeds, according to that of Ezekiel, 'Thy father was an Amorite;' [Ezek 16:3] so these from following vipers are called 'generation of vipers.'