Fathers

Loading…

What the Fathers say

Daniel 8:15

Western Saints

Jerome

Verse 15. "And it came to pass that when I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it." He beheld the vision by way of a picture or likeness, and he failed to understand it. Consequently, not everyone who sees comprehends what he has seen; it is just as if we read the Holy Scripture with our eyes and do not understand it with our heart, "...And behold, one stood before me who resembled the appearance of a man." Angels, after all, are not actually men by nature, but they resemble men in appearance. …

St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER EIGHT ↗

Bonaventure

"Now it came to pass, when I, Daniel, saw the vision and sought understanding: behold, there stood before me as it were the appearance of a man; and he cried out and said: Gabriel, make this one understand the vision." This illumination is aided through the Angels. These visions descended from the Father of lights, and the Angel aids the intellect of Daniel, so that he might grasp the light of God and through it understand. …

Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 8 ↗

Hippolytus of Rome

That these things are true, just as has been said, Daniel himself testifies. For he spoke in this way, "And it happened when I saw the vision and I sought to understand, and behold, there stood before me an appearance of a man, and I heard the voice of a man above the midst of the Ubal, and he called and he said, 'Gabriel cause him to understand that vision.' And he came and stood holding me, and when he came, I was astounded and fell upon my face and he said to me, 'Understand son of man. …

Commentary on Daniel 4.27.1-2 ↗