Theodoret of Cyrus: Reptiles a Means to Bring us to God

He gave the reptiles hollows so they would hide away and not harm the human race. But to prevent us from going on free from injury and coming to scorn the creeping things as though they had no power to cause harm, every once in a while God, in his wise governance of our affairs, allows two or three people out of countless thousands to be stung by scorpions or bitten by snakes so we will dread suffering something similar, call on God the Creator for assistance, and entreat the protection of his all-powerful providence.

- Theodoret of Cyrus (around A.D. 393 to around A.D. 457), Questions on the Octateuch, Question 18 on Genesis, p. 41 (2007), Robert C. Hill translator.