ACC ~ Revelation 4 v6 - 7

IMAGES OF THE DISPENSATION OF THE SON OF GOD. IRENAEUS: It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. For there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the church is scattered throughout the world. And the “pillar and ground” of the church is the gospel and the Spirit of life. So it is fitting that she should have four pillars, breathing out immortality on every side and making people alive once more. From which fact, it is evident that the Word, the Craftsman of all things, who sits upon the cherubim and contains all things, who was manifested to humankind, has given us the gospel under four aspects but bound together by one Spirit. As also David says, when praying to the manifestation of the Word, “You, who sit between the cherubim, shine forth.” 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 priestly order. But “the third had, as it were, the face as of a man,” an evident description of the Word’s advent as a human being. “The fourth was like a flying eagle,” pointing out the gift of the Spirit hovering with his wings over the church. And therefore the Gospels are in accord with these things, among which Christ Jesus is seated. For the Word, according to John, relates his original, effectual and glorious generation from the Father, thus declaring, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Also, “all things were made by him, and without him was nothing made.” For this reason, too, is that Gospel full of all confidence, for such is his person. But that according to Luke, the taking up [his] priestly character, commenced with Zechariah the priest offering sacrifice to God. For now was made ready the fatted calf, about to be sacrificed by fire for the finding again of the younger son.Matthew, again, relates his generation of Jesus Christ, “the son of David, the son of Abraham.” And also, “the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way.” This, then, is the Gospel of his humanity. For which reason it is, too, that [the character of] a humble and meek man is sustained through the whole Gospel. Mark, on the other hand, commences with [a reference to] the prophetic spirit coming down from on high to men. He says, “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet,” pointing to the winged aspect of the Gospel. On this account he made a compendious and cursory narrative, for such is the prophetic character. AGAINST HERESIES 3.11.8.

THE FOUR GOSPELS PROCEED FROM ONE MOUTH. VICTORINUS OF PETOVIUM: The four animals are the four Gospels. “The first,” he says, “was similar to a lion, the second similar to a calf, the third similar to a man and the fourth similar to an eagle in flight. And they had six wings all around and eyes within and without, and they did not cease to say, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty.’” … And that these animals were different in appearance has this explanation. The animal similar to the lion is the Gospel according to John. For while all the Evangelists proclaim that Christ was made man, he proclaims that he was God before he came down and assumed the flesh, saying, “The Word was God,” and since he cried out, roaring like a lion, his preaching took on the appearance of a lion. The likeness of a man refers to Matthew, who strives to tell us the genealogy of Mary, from whom Christ took his flesh. And, therefore, since he numbers [the family of Mary] from Abraham to David and from David to Joseph, he speaks as though of a man, and for this reason his Gospel receives the image of a man. And Luke narrates the sacerdotal service of Zechariah, who offered a sacrifice for the people, and of the angel who appeared to him, and on account of the sacerdotal service and the sacrifice, this narrative bears the image of a calf. As the interpreter of Peter, Mark remembered what he had taught publicly and wrote, although not in order, and began with the word of prophecy proclaimed by Isaiah. And therefore, the Gospels begin in the following ways. John says, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God”—these are the face of a lion. Matthew says, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, son of David, son of Abraham”—this is the face of a man. Luke says, “There was a priest by the name of Zechariah, of the order of Abia, and his wife was from the daughters of Aaron”—this is the image of the calf. Mark begins, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as was written in Isaiah,” and so he begins with the Spirit in flight and so possesses the image of a flying eagle. However, it is not only the prophetic Spirit but also the very Word of God the Father Almighty, who is his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who bore the same images during the time of his coming to us. Indeed, he had been proclaimed as a lion and as a lion’s whelp. For the salvation of humankind he was made man for the defeat of death and for the liberation of all. Because he offered himself as a sacrifice to God the Father for us, he is called a calf. And because, when death was conquered, he ascended into the heavens and held out his wings to cover his people, he is called an eagle in flight. And although there are four Evangelists yet there is really but one proclamation, because it proceeds from one mouth, just as the river in paradise was from one source yet was separated into four streams. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4.3-4.

EZEKIEL AND JOHN SAW THE FOUR EVANGELISTS. AUGUSTINE: Both in the prophet Ezekiel and in the Apocalypse of the same John whose Gospel this is, there is mentioned a quadruple beast, having four characteristic faces: a man’s, a calf’s, a lion’s, an eagle’s. Very many who have commented on the mysteries of the holy Scriptures before us have understood the four Evangelists in this animal, or rather in these animals. The lion, [they say], has been put for king, because the lion seems to be, in a way, the king of beasts because of his power and terrifying bravery. This character has been attributed to Matthew because he described in proper order the royal line in the generations of the Lord, how the Lord was through royal descent from the seed of King David. But Luke, because he began from the priesthood of the priest Zechariah, making mention of the father of John the Baptist, is accounted the calf because the calf was the important victim in the sacrifice of the priests. Christ as a man has rightly been assigned to Mark, because neither did he say anything about his royal power nor did he begin from the priestly, but he simply started with Christ the man. All of these have practically not departed from the earthly things, that is, from those deeds that the Lord Jesus Christ performed on earth. They said very few things about his divinity, as if they were walking with him on earth. There remains the eagle: it is John, he who preaches the sublime and who gazes with unflinching eyes upon the internal and eternal light. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 36.5.2.

THE FOUR GOSPELS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY THE FOUR CREATURES. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: “The first animal was like a lion.” Most of our interpreters say that this signifies the person of Mark, the Evangelist.And indeed this seems most apt and true, for his Gospel begins in this way: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, ‘Behold, I send my messenger who shall prepare the way before your face.’” Nor is it strange that here Isaiah is mentioned instead of Malachi, for most certainly this testimony occurs in Malachi. However, “Isaiah” means “the salvation of the Lord,” and “Malachi” means “angel.” And so at the beginning of the Gospel he prefers to speak of the salvation of the Lord, which is “Isaiah,” rather than of the angel, which is “Malachi,” in order that through the faith of the gospel he might suggest the immovable perpetuity of the present and future life. And then, to be sure, he mentions the “messenger,” which is “angel,” and he adds the words of Isaiah: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight the highways of our God,” so that, salvation having been both promised and foretold, he might show the messenger of the truth and might prepare the hearts of humankind for the reception of grace. And the form of the lion is in this, that he reports that John was in the desert preaching and enjoying the desert, as he says: “John was in the desert baptizing and proclaiming the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” The words “the second creature was like an ox” introduce Luke. For a bull is representative of the priesthood, as it is said in Isaiah: “Blessed are you who sow upon all the waters, letting the feet of the ox and the ass go free.”And so at the beginning of his Gospel, he speaks of Zechariah the priest: “In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah.” “The third living creature with the face of a man” indicates Matthew, for at the beginning of his Gospel, Matthew wished to report the genealogy of the Lord according to the flesh. The words “the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle” indicate John. For, at the beginning of his Gospel, John did not speak of the humanity of the Lord or of the priesthood or of John preaching in the desert. Rather, desiring like an eagle to reach toward the height of heaven itself, he left behind all things lowly and spoke properly of him as God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; he was in the beginning with God.” TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 4.7.

THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD SUSTAINS ALL THINGS. OECUMENIUS: But what did these creatures shown to the Evangelist signify? That would be good to explain. There was among some of the Jews a certain falsehood, that God exercised providential care among the holy orders in heaven and desired to dwell among them only, while he removed himself from those on the earth on account of Adam’s sin and did not care about their well-being. And for that reason, they spoke in Isaiah the following: “Why have we fasted, and you did not know it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you did not pay attention?”And some such falsehood among them is suggested by this scriptural statement: “Lord, your mercy is in the heavens, and your faithfulness is unto the clouds.” It is as though the providence of God did not extend to the earth, regarding that as unworthy on account of sin. And therefore, the vision given to the Evangelist reveals that the providence of God pervades all things, sustaining those who dwell in heaven but also extending to those who dwell upon the earth. And this is what the four living creatures who are around the throne of God symbolize. For every physical and earthly creature is a compound of the four fundamental elements—fire, earth, air and water—and each of the living creatures symbolizes one of these: the lion is a symbol of fire, because of its vigorous ferocity. The ox is a symbol of the earth, because it is a beast that works the earth. The man is a symbol of the air, since he is heavenly and sublime on account of the subtlety of his mind. The eagle is a symbol of water, since the origin of birds is from water. And these creatures are seen to encircle the throne of God, indicating through the four creatures that what is upon the earth is worthy of attention and providential care. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4.6-8.

THE CHURCH IS DEPICTED. PRIMASIUS: The church, therefore, lives and works on the strength and beauty of the royal majesty, because the Lion of the tribe of Judah conquers. “For Judah is a lion’s cub,” from whose tribe kings are accustomed to be set over the people. “And the second animal was like a calf.” For the same reason, the virtue of the church is indicated in the calf, namely, the first victim, for whenever anyone of the faithful is slain for Christ, he conquers at that moment. “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable worship,”so that what the Head has accomplished on behalf of the body, the body may be worthy to fulfill for the Head. For this reason, [the Gospel of Luke] began with Zechariah the priest. “The third animal had a face like a man.” In my opinion, the humility of the church is here commended. For although she has received “the Spirit of the adoption of sons” and possesses “this treasure in clay vessels,” she nevertheless freely prefers to glory humbly in her weaknesses than to be praised in the strengths that she has acquired. In this way she devoutly follows in the footsteps of the Master who was “made obedient even unto death” and who said, “Learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart.”“The fourth animal was like a flying eagle.” The celestial church is being described as flying on the spiritual thoughts of her members. For she is free from the heaviness of earthly desires and is drawn into the heights at the direction of the two Testaments. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4.7.

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