John Chrysostom

"After these things was the Jews' feast of tabernacles." The words, "after these things," mean only, that the writer has here been concise, and has passed over a long interval of time, as is clear from this circumstance. When Christ sat on the mountain, he saith, that it was the feast of the Passover; while here the writer mentions the "feast of tabernacles," and during the five months hath neither related or taught us anything else, except the miracle of the loaves, and the sermon made to those who ate them. …

Homily on the Gospel of John 48 ↗

Cyril of Alexandria

The Law of Moses then commanded that the Jews should hasten from the whole country round about to Jerusalem, there to celebrate in a type the feast of tabernacles. And the spiritual person will thence perceive the gathering together of all the Saints into Christ, when they shall be brought together from the whole world after the resurrection of the dead to the city which is above, the heavenly Jerusalem, there to offer the thank-offerings of the true pitching of tabernacles, that is of the framing and abidance of bodies, corruption …

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 3 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

"It was," he says, "the feast of tabernacles." Concerning the feasts celebrated by the Jews, the following should be noted. There were three of them: one was the feast of Passover, which they celebrated in memory of the exodus from Egypt, and it was their first (chief) feast. Another feast was Pentecost, which they celebrated in memory of their deliverance from the hardships in the wilderness and their entry into the promised land. …

Commentary on John ↗

Augustine of Hippo

What the feast of tabernacles is, we read in the Scriptures. They used to make tents on the festival, like those in which they lived during their journey in the desert, after their departure from Egypt. They celebrated this feast in commemoration of the good things the Lord had done for them; though they were the very people who were about to slay the Lord. It is called the day of the feasta, though it lasted many days.

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Thomas Aquinas

They were also influenced by the suitableness of the time, for it was a time for going to Jerusalem. Now it was close to the Jewish feast of Tabernacles (scenopegia). Scenopegia is a Greek word, composed of scenos, which means "shade," or "tent," and phagim, which means "to eat." As if to say: It was the time in which they used to eat in their tents. …

Commentary on John ↗

Bonaventure

Here the vanity of his kinsmen in persuading him toward earthly and vain honor is noted; and they take their reason for persuading from the opportunity of the time, the edification of the neighbor, and the exaltation of his name. The opportune time was at hand; whence he says: "Now the feast day of the Jews, the Feast of Tabernacles, was near." This was the feast of tabernacles, which was to be celebrated in September, according to that passage in Leviticus twenty-three: "In the seventh month you shall celebrate feasts and dwell in …

Commentary on John, Chapter 7 ↗