Fathers

Revelation 4

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After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, “Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this.” Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads. Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the middle of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!” When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!”

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What the Fathers say

Revelation 4:7

Eastern Fathers

Oecumenius

Each of the animals is associated with one of these elements: the lion with fire, due to the animal's warmth and spirited nature; the calf with the earth, because the calf's work is connected to the soil; the man with the air, as humans are celestial and transcendent beings due to the artfulness [λεπτότητα] of the mind; and the eagle with water, since birds originate from water. Around the throne of God are seen those deemed worthy of care and providence, signified through living beings, that is, those on earth.

Commentary on Revelation ↗

Dionysius bar Salibi

The first living creature like a lion—By this he shows the kingdom and sovereignty of the lion who has arisen from the tribe of Judah; Matthew shows this. The second living creature like a calf—The bull signifies the priestly glory of Christ, of which Luke tells. The third living creature has the face of a man—He shows the passibility of the Son and the lowly condition of the Son of Man who was among men, of which Mark tells. …

Commentary On The Apocalypse 4:7 ↗

Western Saints

Bede

And the first living creature was like a lion, etc. These living creatures are interpreted in various ways. But blessed Augustine, according to the order of this book, says that Matthew is understood in the lion, who narrates the royal lineage of Christ, who also conquered as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. For the cub of the lion is Judah (Gen. 49). And in whom, as a king, he is feared by a king, worshipped by the magi. …

Commentary on Revelation ↗

Bonaventure

John says in the Apocalypse that the four living creatures stood around God's throne, and that the first had the face of a lion, the second that of an ox, the third that of a man, and the fourth that of an eagle: but he does not say that each one had four faces. While Ezechiel says that the living creatures "moved," John says that they "stood." Ezechiel says that the first living creature had the face of a man; John, that it had the face of a lion. Wherefore John seems to comprise the visions both of Isaiah and of Ezechiel. …

Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 13 ↗

Alcuin of York

And the first living creature was like a lion: and the second living creature like a calf: and the third living creature, having the face, as it were, of a man: and the fourth living creature was like an eagle flying. We should ask the question of why John said that the first living creature was like a lion while Ezekiel says that the appearance of man was in the first animal. …

Commentary On Revelation ↗