Fathers

Ecclesiastes 11

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Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

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What the Fathers say

Ecclesiastes 11:2

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

Before the Lord's resurrection there was rest for the departed but resurrection for none: "Rising from the dead he dies no more, death has no more dominion over him." But after such resurrection had taken place in the Lord's body, so that the head of the church might foreshadow what the body of the church hopes for at the end, then the Lord's day—that is the eighth, which is also the first—began to be observed.

Letter 55 ↗

Ambrose of Milan

The Old Testament too knew this number eight which in Latin we call the Octave, for the preacher says, give a portion to seven and also to eight. The number seven belongs to the Old Testament, the number eight to the New, for then Christ rose, and the day of new salvation shone upon all. This is the day whereof the Prophet says, This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Letter XLIV, To Horontianus ↗

Jerome

"Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you do not know what evil shall be upon the earth. "And in Ezekiel there are found seven or eight steps leading up to the temple. [Ez. 40, 26.31.] And after the 'ethical' Psalm, that is one hundred and eighteen, all the psalms are of fifteen steps by which we are first taught the law, and when the seventh is finished, we then climb to the Gospel through the 'eight steps' [Ier. 'ogdoadem']. …

Commentary on Ecclesiastes ↗