Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Revelation 1:7

Eastern Fathers

Ignatius of Antioch

And I know that He was possessed of a body not only in His being born and crucified, but I also know that He was so after His resurrection, and believe that He is so now. When, for instance, He came to those who were with Peter, He said to them, "Lay hold, handle Me, and see that I am not an incorporeal spirit." "For a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have." And He says to Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger into the print of the nails, and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side; " and immediately they believed …

Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans ↗

Oecumenius

His coming upon "the clouds of heaven," and the Lord Himself said concerning Himself in the Gospel according to Mark as follows: "And the powers in heaven will be shaken; and then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory." (Mark 13:25-26) For as I suppose it was written concerning His ascension into heaven on the day of the Ascension in the Acts, that a cloud received Him out of their sight, so He will come again with clouds. …

Commentary on Revelation ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

He is "good," according to that sight, according to which God appears to the pure in heart; for "truly God is good unto Israel even to such as are of a clean heart." But when the wicked shall see the Judge, He will not seem good to them; because they will not rejoice in their heart to see Him, but all "kindreds of the earth shall then wail because of Him," namely, as being reckoned in the number of all the wicked and unbelievers.

On The Trinity, Book 1 ↗

Bede

Behold, he comes with the clouds, etc. He who first came hidden to be judged will then come manifest to judge. He mentions this to strengthen the Church to endure sufferings, now oppressed by enemies, but then to reign with Christ.

Commentary on Revelation ↗

Alcuin of York

Behold, he cometh with the clouds. If we are to take this literally, when the Lord comes for the judgment, there will be a white cloud overshadowing the saints to protect them from the fire burning the world. This cloud will be frightening, and the reprobates will be terrified by its din. However, hardly anything in this Apocalypse is to be taken literally. …

Commentary On Revelation ↗