What did Thomas, Chrysostom, and Augustine base their beliefs on?

MWF: Actually, go back and read something like St. Thomas Aquinas’ commentary on the Gospel of John – and other of his commentaries – and see that the exegesis has been there for a long, long time.

OL guy:

You’re correct. Not only Thomas, but Chrysostom and Augustine as well.

What else is remarkable about them is that they don’t spend a lot of time appealing to “the church teaches.” They look to the Bible and aren’t afraid to read it. They don’t act as if they need an infallible interpreter to keep them from messing up the text.>>>>

Yes, and all three believed that Mary was sinless. Remember Augustine’s comments on Mary and Jesus’ words about “who is my mother?”

Remember, too, that Chrysostom understood the word “kecharitomene” to be a title for Mary. 

They all accepted the deuterocanonical books as the infallible Word of God as well. 

They all agreed as well on the meaning of the Eucharist and the meaning of the Communion of Saints. They all venerated the saints. Were they idolators?

None of them were cessationists. 

So, if they did not resort to saying “the Church teaches” in order to defend their beliefs, what did they base them on?