Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Luke 17:21

Eastern Fathers

Theophylact of Ohrid

Having kept silent about this, since by their willful deafness they were unworthy to hear of it, the Lord says concerning the time of the coming of the Kingdom that it is unknown and not subject to observation; for the Kingdom of God has no fixed time, but for the one who desires it, it is present at every moment. For the Kingdom of God undoubtedly consists in a life and ordering of oneself after the pattern of the Angels. …

Commentary on Luke ↗

Peter of Alexandria

Moreover, we hear both also preaching, in the first place, not only repentance, but the kingdom of heaven, which, as we have learned, is within us; for the word which we believe is near us, in our mouth, and in our heart; which they, being put in remembrance of, will learn to confess with their mouths that Jesus is the Christ; believing in their heart that God hath raised him from the dead, and being as those who hear, that "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

The Canonical Epistle ↗

Cyprian

That the liberty of believing or of not believing is placed in free choice. In Deuteronomy: "Lo, I have set before thy face life and death, good and evil. Choose for thyself life, that thou mayest live." Also in Isaiah: "And if ye be willing, and hear me, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye be unwilling, and will not hear me, the sword shall consume you. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken these things." Also in the Gospel according to Luke: "The kingdom of God is within you."

Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews ↗

Western Saints

Bede

Nor will they say, "Look, here it is!" Because neither angels nor humans can observe when it will come, just as the time of the Lord's Incarnation, predestined by the most certain prophecies of the prophets, and declared by the proclamations of angels, so that his conception, birth, baptism, preaching, death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven were incessantly accompanied by signs from either angels or humans or certainly miracles.

On the Gospel of Luke ↗

Bonaventure

And therefore he adds: Answering them, he said: The kingdom of God does not come with observation: nor will they say: Behold here, or behold there, through human comprehension. For human comprehension does not extend itself to knowing the time of judgment: whence he says: It does not come with observation: the Gloss: "Of time"; Matthew twenty-four: "But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the Angels of heaven, but the Father alone"; and First Thessalonians five: "The day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night." Nor …

Commentary on Luke, Chapter 17 ↗

Hippolytus of Rome

But they assert that not only is there in favour of their doctrine, testimony to be drawn from the mysteries of the Assyrians, but also from those of the Phrygians concerning the happy nature-concealed, and yet at the same time disclosed-of things that have been, and are coming into existence, and moreover will be,-(a happy nature) which, (the Naassene) says, is the kingdom of heaven to be sought for within a man. …

Hippolytus Refutation of All Heresies Book V ↗