Fathers

Ezekiel 1

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Now in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. In the fifth of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, Yahweh’s word came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and Yahweh’s hand was there on him. I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of the middle of it as it were glowing metal, out of the middle of the fire. Out of its center came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man. Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings. Their feet were straight feet. The sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze. They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had their faces and their wings like this: Their wings were joined to one another. They didn’t turn when they went. Each one went straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion on the right side. The four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. The four of them also had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies. Each one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn’t turn when they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. The fire went up and down among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning went out of the fire. The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl. The four of them had one likeness. Their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel. When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn’t turn when they went. As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around. When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. When the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. Wherever the spirit was to go, they went. The spirit was to go there. The wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. When those went, these went. When those stood, these stood. When those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels. Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like an awesome crystal to look at, stretched out over their heads above. Under the expanse, their wings were straight, one toward the other. Each one had two which covered on this side, and each one had two which covered their bodies on that side. When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. When they stood, they let down their wings. There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads. When they stood, they let down their wings. Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone. On the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above. I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. As the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of Yahweh’s glory. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.

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What the Fathers say

Ezekiel 1:10

Eastern Fathers

Epiphanius of Salamis

There are four spiritual creatures which were composed of four faces, which typify the coming of the Messiah. One had the face of a man, because the Messiah was born a man in Bethlehem, as Matthew teaches. One had the face of a lion, as Mark proclaims him coming up from the Jordan, a lion king, as also somewhere it is written: "The Lord has come up as a lion from the Jordan." One had the face of an ox, as Luke proclaims----not he alone, but also the other Evangelists----him who, at the appointed time of the ninth hour, like an ox in …

On Weights And Measures 1:8-10 ↗

Irenaeus

For the cherubim, too, were four-faced, and their faces were images of the dispensation of the Son of God. For, [as the Scripture] says, "The first living creature was like a lion," symbolizing His effectual working, His leadership, and royal power; the second [living creature] was like a calf, signifying [His] sacrificial and sacerdotal order; but "the third had, as it were, the face as of a man,"-an evident description of His advent as a human being; "the fourth was like a flying eagle," pointing out the gift of the Spirit hovering …

Irenaeus Against Heresies Book 3 ↗

Western Saints

Ambrose of Milan

Now, in every sort of person, the astute Greeks have said, are to be found logisticon, thymeticon, epithymeticon, dioraticon; in Latin these are prudence, fortitude, temperance and justice. Prudence concerns the human reason. Fortitude bestows a certain power of fierce strength and contempt for death. Temperance, when it contemplates the heavenly mysteries and is retrained by consecrated chastity, cares nothing for bodily pleasures. …

Concerning Virginity 18:115 ↗

Jerome

The likeness of their faces, the face of a man and the face of a lion on their right side, and the face of an ox on their left side, and the face of an eagle above them. The faces represent the beginning of the Gospels, in which the human and lion symbolize the birth of Christ and the voice of the prophets thundering in the wilderness on the right side. …

Commentary on Ezekiel ↗

Gregory the Dialogist

But a great question arises for us concerning these same evangelists and holy preachers: why is man and lion said to be on the right side of the four of them, while the calf is said to be on the left side of the four? For it is not without wonder why those two are said to be on the right and this one on the left. And again we must ask why the eagle is mentioned as being not on the right or left, but above the four of them. We have thus posed two questions for ourselves, which we must resolve with the Lord's help. …

Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 4 ↗