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Translation
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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
Theophylact of Ohrid
"The last time." It is easier to explain it thus. Since the catholic epistle is directed to every person, and the end of life is not the same for all, and one's own death is unknown to anyone, the apostle fittingly reminds each one of his death, so that each may feel that the last time of his life is approaching, and may be ceaselessly sober, and so that in this way all Christians may always lead a blameless life and perform pure deeds. There is another explanation, to laugh at which would be inappropriate and foolish. …
Oecumenius
Little children, it is the last hour: and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. "it is the last hour." In this way, the discourse can be more easily understood: Since the Catholic Epistle is suited to each person regardless of the time, and there is no prescribed end of life for each individual, yet each one has an uncertain end, it is rightly applied to each one's end, so that, as the final time of life that threatens each individual, …
Clement of Alexandria
To those, on the other hand, who under a pious cloak blaspheme by their continence both the creation and the holy Creator, the almighty, only God, and teach that one must reject marriage and begetting of children, and should not bring others in their place to live in this wretched world, nor give any sustenance to death, our reply is as follows. We may first quote the word of the apostle John: "And now are many antichrists come, whence we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us. …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
"Children, it is the last hour." In this lesson he addresses the children that they may make haste to grow, because "it is the last hour." Age or stature of the body is not at one's own will. A man does not grow in respect of the flesh when he will, any more than he is born when he will: but where the being born rests with the will, the growth also rests with the will. No man is "born of water and the Spirit, except he be willing. Consequently if he will, he grows or makes increase: if he will, he decreases. What is it to grow? …
Bede
My little children, it is the last hour. The last hour, the last time of the age, which is now being carried out, he says, according to that parable of the Lord, where he narrates that workers in the vineyard are hired from the first hour, the third, the sixth, the ninth, and the eleventh. For at the first hour those who cultivated the vineyard of the Lord were serving the will of their Creator either by teaching or by living rightly from the beginning of the age. From the third hour, those from the times of Noah. …
Hippolytus of Rome
And the apostles, who speak of God, in establishing the truth of the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ, have each of them indicated the appearing of these abominable and ruin-working men, and have openly announced their lawless deeds. First of all Peter, the rock of the faith, whom Christ our God called blessed, the teacher of the Church, the first disciple, he who has the keys of the kingdom, has instructed us to this effect: "Know this first, children, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts. …
Translation