Daniel 7

Daniel 7:1

Hippolytus of Rome: “And he wrote the dream.” The things, therefore, which were revealed to the blessed prophet by the Spirit in visions, these he also recounted fully for others, that he might not appear to prophesy of the future to himself alone, but might be proved a prophet to others also, who wish to search the divine Scriptures. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Theodoret of Cyrus: Up to these words the blessed Daniel has written his prophecy more in the style of a historian. First, remember at the beginning he related what happened to those captured in war, and he adds how God, the author of all, was greatly concerned about these matters. Then he tells how Nebuchadnezzar paid the penalty for his cruelty and arrogance and then how Belshazzar suffered for his disrespectful use of the sacred vessels. Once the latter had been killed by a divine blow and his empire handed over to the Medes, Daniel went on to write those things that happened to himself and to Darius and explained how it was that Darius favored him, what sorts of plots Daniel had to endure at the hands of the generals and satraps, and how he was delivered from their hands by divine aid. Having expounded these things in a historian’s fashion, now Daniel begins to expound those predictions that he had learned through revelations. First he sets forth the revelation of the four beasts, quite similar to the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. However, Daniel sees the fourfold content manifested in only one image, while Nebuchadnezzar saw four beasts ascending from the one sea. But lest anyone think that we are forced to say the same things again, let us turn to interpret the individual elements of the prophecy, where this truth will be openly demonstrated. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:1

Daniel 7:2

Hippolytus of Rome: “And behold the four winds.” He means created existence in its fourfold division. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Jerome: Verses 2, 3. “And during the night I saw in my vision, and behold, the four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea, and four great beasts were coming up out of the sea, differing from one another.” The four winds of heaven I suppose to have been angelic powers to whom the principalities have been committed, in accordance with what we read in Deuteronomy: “When the Most High divided the nations and when He separated the children of Adam, He established the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the angels. For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the line of His inheritance (Deuteronomy 32:8). But the sea signifies this world and the present age, overwhelmed with salty and bitter waves, in accordance with the Lord’s own interpretation of the dragnet cast into the sea (Matthew 13:47-50). Hence also the sovereign of all creatures that inhabit the waters is described as a dragon, and his heads, according to David, are smitten in the sea (Psalms 74:13). And in Amos we read: “If he descends to the very depth of the sea, there will I give him over to the dragon and he shall bite him” (Amos 9:3). But as for the four beasts who came up out of the sea and were differentiated from one another, we may identify them from the angel’s discourse. “These four great beasts,” he says, “are four kingdoms which shall rise up from the earth.” And as for the four winds which strove in the great sea, they are called winds of heaven because each one of the angels does for his realm the duty entrusted to him. This too should be noted, that the fierceness and cruelty of the kingdoms concerned are indicated by the term “beasts.” — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

Theodoret of Cyrus: For his part, Nebuchadnezzar sees the image, drawing a lesson in the futility of things of this life and the fact that they are appearances, as the divine apostle asserts, and not realities, there is nothing lasting or stable in them, everything fluid and failing and fading. Daniel, [by contrast], is gazing at a sea, gaining a lesson in the haze of the present life. After all, when a prisoner of war is compelled to see a foreign land, he fittingly learns to recognize the storms and tempests of life. And since the king too was haughty because of his silver, bronze and iron, he is given the mysteries concerning the kingdoms through a statue composed of the very same materials. In this way he perceives the successions of kings and is admonished lest he be removed because of a kingdom liable to swift and sudden change.…He calls life “the sea” since it has those countless and great storms; he calls the changes of regimes “winds,” since they act against the very onslaught. For just as the streams rush to the north whenever the south wind blows and the wind is driven southward again when the north wind stirs up the sea, so when the Assyrians obtained dominion over the whole world, they drew all their conquered people to their land; but when the kingdom was handed over to the Persians, there was also a confluence of their subjects to the Persians. And when the Macedonians in turn obtained the scepter, all brought to them twice the usual tribute, except for those to whom they had been previously obedient. And when the Romans acquired command over all nations, everyone rushed to the west and thought nothing of the Macedonians. And the Macedonians themselves were counted now as one of the conquered nations. Quite appropriately then he compares the changes of the wind with the changes of regimes, since the winds drive sailors now this way, now that way. Therefore, he mentioned the four winds, since there were four successions of kingdoms. But he teaches us in what manner the beasts differ among themselves. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:2-3

Daniel 7:3

Hippolytus of Rome: “And four great beasts.” As various beasts then were shown to the blessed Daniel, and these different from each other, we should understand that the truth of the narrative deals not with certain beasts, but, under the type and image of different beasts, exhibits the kingdoms that have risen in this world in power over the race of man. For by the great sea he means the whole world. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Theodoret of Cyrus: But the prophet, full of disdain for these various metals, sees “four beasts.” From those four beasts he understands that those four formidable kingdoms, which will strike fear into all people, will at last have an end, but there will be only one kingdom that will remain for all time without any end, namely, the kingdom that God has prepared for his saints. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:2-3

Daniel 7:4

Ephrem the Syrian: This beast obviously represents the kingdom of the Babylonians. The present vision of Daniel perfectly fits in with the already mentioned dream of Nebuchadnezzar, who saw a statue, and it forms a single and same prophecy with it. Indeed, as the Babylonian kingdom, in that dream, was compared with gold, which is the noblest among metals, here it is described as a lion, which is the strongest of all beasts, and an eagle, which is of the highest perniciousness among birds. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:4

Jerome: Verse 4. “The first beast was like a lioness and possessed the wings of an eagle. I beheld until her wings were torn away, and she was raised upright from the ground and stood on her feet like a human being, and she was given a human heart.” The kingdom of the Babylonians was not called a lion but a lioness, on account of its brutality and cruelty, or else because of its luxurious, lust-serving manner of life. For writers upon the natural history of beasts assert that lionesses are fiercer than lions, especially if they are nursing their cubs, and constantly are passionate in their desire for sexual relations. And as for the fact that she possessed eagle’s wings, this indicates the pride of the all-powerful kingdom, the ruler of which declares in Isaiah: “Above the stars of heaven will I place my throne, and I shall be like unto the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). Therefore he is told: “Though thou be borne on high like an eagle, thence will I drag thee down” (Obadiah 1:4). Moreover, just as the lion occupies kingly rank among beasts, so also the eagle among the birds. But it should also be said that the eagle enjoys a long span of life, and that the kingdom of Assyrians had held sway for many generations. And as for the fact that the wings of the lioness or eagle were torn away, this signifies the other kingdoms over which it had ruled and soared about in the world. “And she was raised up,” he says, “from the ground”; which means, of course, that the Chaldean empire was overthrown. And as for what follows, “And she stood upon her feet like a human being, and she was given a human heart,” if we understand this as applying to Nebuchadnezzar, it is very evident that after he lost his kingdom and his power had been taken away from him, and after he was once more restored to his original state, he not only learned to be a man instead of a lioness but he also received back the heart which he had lost. But if on the other hand this is to be understood as applying in a general way to the kingdom of the Chaldeans, then it signifies that after Belshazzar was slain, and the Medes and Persians succeeded to imperial power, then the men of Babylon realized that theirs was a frail and lowly nature after all. Note the order followed here: the lioness is equivalent to the golden head of the image [in chap. 2]. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

Theodoret of Cyrus: This passage Daniel places the strongest of the beasts in the first kingdom; he does not imply that the first beast possessed greater might but only that it was nobler. Nonetheless, he saw “those wings plucked out,” that is, abandoned by all the people who had been subjected to it and deprived of its earlier power. He says, “and it was removed from the earth,” that is, it ceased to reign. “And it stood on the feet of a man,” that is, it turned out to be equal to those who had been subjected to it. “And the heart of a man was given to it.” Experience teaches us to think about human matters, and it teaches us not to go beyond the boundaries of nature with the thoughts of our minds. Because they had been afflicted with the disease of haughtiness and boundless arrogance when they had held the helm of state, Isaiah said, “God will stir up the prince of the Assyrians against their great mind.” Experience rightly teaches them to think about human matters, when they see that fortunes change and that happiness is slippery and transient. They will come to learn who they are and so acquire a human heart. Thus Daniel speaks about the things that pertain to the first beast. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:4

Daniel 7:5

Ephrem the Syrian: These are the symbols of the kingdom of Darius, king of the Medes. As in the statue of Nebuchadnezzar the Mede empire had been foreshadowed under the aspect of silver, which is a viler metal than gold, so in this dream it is indicated by the image of the bear, which is less agile than the lion. In addition he says that “the beast was raised up on one side,” because Darius received a kingdom that was confined within the limits of his power and was never extended to that greatness, which the previous kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar had reached by including all the surrounding regions. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:5

Hippolytus of Rome: “A second beast like to a bear.” To represent the kingdom of the Persians. “And it had three ribs.” The three nations he calls three ribs. The meaning, therefore, is this: that beast had the dominion, and these others under it were the Medes, Assyrians, and Babylonians. “And they said thus to it, Arise, devour.” For the Persians arising in these times, devastated every land, and made many men subject to them, and slew them. For as this beast, the bear, is a foul animal, and carnivorous, tearing with claws and teeth, such also was the kingdom of the Persians, who held the supremacy for two hundred and thirty years. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Jerome: Verse 5. “And behold another beast like a bear stood up on one side; and there were three rows in his mouth and in his teeth; and they said to him: ‘Arise up and devour flesh in abundance.’” The second beast resembling a bear is the same as that of which we read in the vision of the statue (2:32): “His chest and arms were of silver.” In the former case the comparison was based on the hardness of the metal, in this case on the ferocity of the bear. For the Persian kingdom followed a rigorous and frugal manner of life after the manner of the Spartans, and that too to such an extent that they used to use salt and nasturtium-cress in their relish. Let us consult the record of the childhood of Cyrus the Great (i.e., “The Education or Training” of Cyrus). And as for the fact that the bear is said to have “stood up on one side,” the Hebrews interpret it by saying that the Persians never perpetrated any cruelty against Israel. Hence they are described in the Prophecy of Zechariah also as white horses (Zechariah 1:7-11). But as for the three rows or ranks that were in his mouth and between his teeth, one authority has interpreted this to mean that allusion was made to the fact that the Persian kingdom was divided up among three princes, just as we read in the sections dealing with Belshazzar and with Darius that there were three princes who were in charge of the one hundred and twenty satraps. But other commentators affirm that these were three kings of the Persians who were subsequent to Cyrus, and yet they fail to mention them by name. But we know that after Cyrus’s reign of thirty years his son Cambyses ruled among the Persians, and his brothers the magi, and then Darius, in the second year of whose reign the rebuilding of the Temple was commenced at Jerusalem. The fifth king was Xerxes, the son of Darius; the sixth was Artabanus; the seventh, Artaxerxes who was surnamed Makrokheir, that is Longimanus (“Long-handed”); the eighth, Xerxes; the ninth, Sogdianus; the tenth, Darius surnamed Nothos (“Bastard”); the eleventh, the Artaxerxes called Mnemon, that is, “The Rememberer”; the twelfth, the other Artaxerxes, who himself received the surname of Ochus; the thirteenth, Arses, the son of Ochus; and the fourteenth, Darius the son of Arsamus, who was conquered by Alexander, the king of the Macedonians. How then can we say that these were three kings of the Persians? Of course we could select some who were especially cruel, but we cannot ascertain them on the basis of the historical accounts. Therefore the three rows in the mouth of the Persian kingdom and between its teeth we must take to be the three kingdoms of the Babylonians, the Medes, and the Persians, all of which were reduced to a single realm. And as for the information, “And thus they spake to him: ‘Devour flesh in abundance,’” this refers to the time when in the reign of the Ahasuerus whom the Septuagint calls Artaxerxes, the order was given, at the suggestion of Haman the Agagite, that all the Jews be slaughtered on a single day (Esther 3:13). And very properly, instead of saying, “He was devouring them” the account specifies, “Thus they spake unto him…” This shows that the matter was only attempted, and was by no means ever carried out. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

Theodoret of Cyrus: Here he indicates the Persian kingdom, which he states to have been like a bear because of the cruelty and savageness of the punishments it meted out. For the Persians were the cruelest of all the barbarians when it came to punishing. They would rip out the very hearts of offenders, or they would contrive long tortures in which they would sever the guilty limb by limb. They were always inflicting a harsh death on whomever they punished. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:5

Theodoret of Cyrus: The Persians ruled three parts of the world: the east, the north and the south. Cyrus … brought into submission all the east, as far as the Hellespont. His son subdued Egypt and made the Ethiopians subject to him. Darius … acquired the realm of the nomadic Scythians, to whom it had been destined to inhabit the northern realms. And Xerxes the son of Darius tried to join Europe under his rule. But he was defeated by the Athenians in a naval battle and had to return home in shame. He realized that the defeat had been caused by his insatiable greed. Therefore Daniel says, “Three wings were in its mouth.” Some manuscripts read “ribs,” but it really does not make any difference. Whether three ribs or three wings are placed in its mouth, it teaches that the Persian Empire harvested the fruits of three parts of the world and took tribute from everywhere. And he rightly stated “in its mouth” to show the tribute that would be paid by all to it. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:5

Daniel 7:6

Ephrem the Syrian: These words concern the kingdom of the Persians. Indeed, what in the statue of Nebuchadnezzar had been indicated under the aspect of bronze, a very hard metal, here is seen under the image of the leopard, an extremely agile and harmful beast. [The beast] is also provided with four wings and four heads. This is because it brought its dominion to the four winds of heaven. “And dominion was given to it”: this is a reference to the multitude of peoples to be submitted. This passage must be compared with the prophecy of Isaiah: “He will strip kings of their robes, etc” In that same prophet we can read these words said about Cyrus to Cyrus by God. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:6

Hippolytus of Rome: “And, lo, another beast like a leopard.” In mentioning a leopard, he means the kingdom of the Greeks, over whom Alexander of Macedon was king. And he likened them to a leopard, because they were quick and inventive in thought, and bitter in heart, just as that animal is many-coloured in appearance, and quick in wounding and in drinking man’s blood.

“The beast had also four heads.” When the kingdom of Alexander was exalted, and grew, and acquired a name over the whole world, his kingdom was divided into four principalities. For Alexander, when near his end, partitioned his kingdom among his four comrades of the same race, viz., “Seleucus, Demetrius, Ptolemy, and Philip; “and all these assumed crowns, as Daniel prophesies, and as it is written in the first book of Maccabees. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Jerome: Verse 6. “After this I beheld, and lo, there was another beast like unto a leopard, and it had four wings of a bird all its own, and there were four heads to the beast, and power was given to it.” The third kingdom was that of the Macedonians, of which we read in connection with the image, “The belly and thighs were of bronze.” It is compared to a leopard because it is very swift and hormetikos, and it charges headlong to shed blood, and with a single bound rushes to its death. “And it had four wings…” There was never, after all, any victory won more quickly than Alexander’s, for he traversed all the way from Illyricum and the Adriatic Sea to the Indian Ocean and the Ganges River, not merely fighting battles but winning decisive victories; and in six years he subjugated to his rule a portion of Europe and all of Asia. And by the four heads reference is made to his generals who subsequently rose up as successors to his royal power, namely Ptolemy, Seleucus, Philip, and Antigonus. “And power was given to it” shows that the empire did not result from Alexander’s bravery but from the will of God. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

Theodoret of Cyrus: The “four heads” refer to the division of the empire that took place after Alexander. Four kings were established instead of one. The rulership of Egypt was entrusted to Ptolemy, son of Lagos; the realm of the Orient was granted to Seleucus; Antigonus acquired Asia; and Antipater Macedonia (although some historians say that Alexander’s brother, Philip, also known as Aridaeus) acquired Macedonia. The “four heads” then allude to the four kingdoms that arose after Alexander, and the “four wings” allude to the principate of Alexander itself, who conquered the four parts of the world. Moreover, Daniel said that “power was given to the beast,” because it had obtained those very things that earlier kings had not obtained. Nonetheless, also that kingdom, which was superior to all others, came to an end. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:6

Daniel 7:7

Aphrahat the Persian Sage: Now the fourth beast has swallowed up the third. And this third consists of the children of Japhet, and the fourth consists of the children of Shem, for they are the children of Esau. When Daniel saw the vision of the four beasts, he saw first the children of Ham, the seed of Nimrod, which the Babylonians are; and second, the Persians and Medes, who are the children of Japhet; and third, the Greeks, the brothers of the Medes; and fourth, the children of Shem, which the children of Esau are. For a confederacy was formed between the children of Japhet and the children of Shem. Then the government was taken away from the children of Japhet, the younger, and was given to Shem, the elder; and to this day it continues and will continue for ever. But when the time of the consummation of the dominion of the children of Shem shall have come, the ruler, who came forth from the children of Judah, shall receive the kingdom, when he shall come in his second advent. — DEMONSTRATIONS 5:10

Ephrem the Syrian: This is Alexander, king of the Greeks, and the prophet says that he is similar to iron, which is the hardest among metals. He adds that the beast is armed with iron teeth, and with this symbol he indicates Alexander’s powerful armies, which nearly subdued all kings. Then he adds that it was seen while devouring or trampling all that came its way, while destroying everything. With these words he predicted that Alexander would have attacked the vastness of almost all provinces, would have robbed their inhabitants and would have abandoned their fields and estates to his soldiers for pillage and destruction, so that it seemed that he had squeezed the entire world and all its precious things under a press and had offered all this to his soldiers in order that they might trample it. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:7

Hippolytus of Rome: “And behold a fourth beast.” Now, that there has arisen no other kingdom after that of the Greeks except that which stands sovereign at present, is manifest to all. This one has iron teeth, because it subdues and reduces all by its strength, just as iron does. And the rest it did tread with its feet, for there is no other kingdom remaining after this one, but from it will spring ten horns.

“And it had ten horns.” For as the prophet said already of the leopard, that the beast had four heads, and that was fulfilled, and Alexander’s kingdom was divided into four principalities, so also now we ought to look for the ten horns which are to spring from it, when the time of the beast shall be fulfilled, and the little horn, which is Antichrist, shall appear suddenly in their midst, and righteousness shall be banished from the earth, and the whole world shall reach its consummation. So that we ought not to anticipate the counsel of God, but exercise patience and prayer, that we fall not on such times. We should not, however, refuse to believe that these things will come to pass. For if the things which the prophets predicted in former times have not been realized, then we need not look for these things. But if those former things did happen in their proper seasons, as was foretold, these things also shall certainly be fulfilled. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Jerome: Verse 7. “After this, I beheld in the night-vision, and behold, there was a fourth beast, terrible and wonderful and exceedingly strong. He had large iron teeth, devouring and crushing, and everything that was left he stamped to pieces under his feet.” The fourth empire is the Roman Empire, which now occupies the entire world, and concerning which it was said in connection with the image, “Its lower legs were of iron, and part of its feet were of iron, and part of clay.” And yet from the iron portion itself Daniel calls to mind that its teeth were iron, and solemnly avers that they were large in size. I find it strange that although he had set forth a lioness, a bear and a leopard in the case of the three previous kingdoms, he did not compare the Roman realm to any sort of beast. Perhaps it was in order to render the beast fearsome indeed that he gave it no name, intending thereby that we should understand the Romans to partake of all the more ferocious characteristics we might think of in connection with beasts. The Hebrews believe that the beast which is here not named is the one spoken of in the Psalms: “A boar from the forest laid her waste, and a strange wild animal consumed her” (Psalms 80:13). Instead of this the Hebrew reads: “All the beasts of the field have torn her.” While they are all included in the one Empire of the Romans, we recognize at the same time those kingdoms which were previously separate. And as for the next statement, “…devouring and crushing, and pounding all the rest to pieces under his feet,” this signifies that all nations have either been slain by the Romans or else have been subjected to tribute and servitude.

“…But it did not resemble the other beasts which I had previously seen” (Vulgate: “…which I had seen before it”). In the earlier beasts he had seen various symbols of fright-fulness, but they were all concentrated in this one.

“…and it had ten horns.” Porphyry assigned the last two beasts, that of the Macedonians and that of the Romans, to the one realm of the Macedonians and divided them up as follows. He claimed that the leopard was Alexander himself, and that the beast which was dissimilar to the others represented the four successors of Alexander, and then he enumerates ten kings up to the time of Antiochus, surnamed Epiphanes, and who were very cruel. And he did not assign the kings themselves to separate kingdoms, for example Macedon, Syria, Asia, or Egypt, but rather he made out the various kingdoms a single realm consisting of a series. This he did of course in order that the words which were written: “…a mouth uttering overweening boasts” might be considered as spoken about Antiochus instead of about Antichrist. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

John Chrysostom: Then he tells that the fourth beast would arrive in all sorts of different ways and nothing could be compared with it, it was so different. But at last it conquered all the other kingdoms. The other empires all got their strength from the speed by which they conquered, but this beast would have its strength in its teeth, made of iron. “And he trampled the rest with his feet.” He understands many wars. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7

Theodoret of Cyrus: He calls the Roman Empire “the fourth beast,” but he does not give it a name because the Roman state was forged together from very many nations and so acquired mastery over the whole world. First it was governed by kings, then by the people, then by the aristocracy, and at last it returned to the first mode of government, monarchy. He states that this beast is “fearsome and very awe-inspiring,” because this was the mightiest kingdom of all the other kingdoms. And in the statue that Nebuchadnezzar saw, he put down the fourth metal as iron. Just as iron crushes and breaks everything, so this empire would crush and break everything. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:7

Daniel 7:8

Ephrem the Syrian: This is Antiochus, the persecutor of the Jews, who sprang up in the midst of the ten kings and grew up. And this last horn, he says, “after three of the earlier horns were plucked by the roots, spoke arrogantly.” Since there is here a hint of the fall of the previous three horns, it must be referred to the grandchildren and successors of the three past kings. Indeed the arrogant words, which this small horn spoke, are the insults and blasphemies thrown against God. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:8

Hippolytus of Rome: “I considered the horns.” That is to say, I looked intently at the beast, and was astonished at everything about it, but especially at the number of the horns. For the appearance of this beast differed from that of the other beasts in kind. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Jerome: Verse 8. “I was looking at the horns, and behold, another small horn rose up out of the midst of them, and three of the earlier horns were torn away before it. And behold, there were in that horn eyes like unto human eyes, and a mouth uttering overweening boasts.” Porphyry vainly surmises that the little horn which rose up after the ten horns is Antiochus Epiphanes, and that the three uprooted horns out of the ten are Ptolemy VI (surnamed Philometer), Ptolemy VII (Euergetes), and Artaraxias, King of Armenia. The first two of these kings died long before Antiochus was born. Against Artarxias, to be sure, we know that Antiochus indeed waged war, but also we know that Artarxias remained in possession of his original kingly authority. We should therefore concur with the traditional interpretation of all the commentators of the Christian Church, that at the end of the world, when the Roman Empire is to be destroyed, there shall be ten kings who will partition the Roman world amongst themselves. Then an insignificant eleventh king will arise, who will overcome three of the ten kings, that is, the king of Egypt, the king of Africa, and the king of Ethiopia, as we shall show more clearly in our later discussion. Then after they have been slain, the seven other kings also will bow their necks to the victor. “And behold,” he continues, “there were eyes like unto human eyes in that horn.” Let us not follow the opinion of some commentators and suppose him to be either the Devil or some demon, but rather, one of the human race, in whom Satan will wholly take up his residence in bodily form. “…and a mouth uttering overweening boasts…” For this is the man of sin, the son of perdition, and that too to such a degree that he dares to sit in the temple of God, making himself out to be like God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

John Chrysostom: Who are the ten kings? What is the little horn? I say that the antichrist will appear among a certain number of kings. “And in that horn were eyes like the eyes of a human and a mouth boasting great things.” What greater boast can be said with that mouth than this thing that is said, “He will place himself above everything that is called God or divine, so much so that he will sit in the temple of God”? Do not marvel if he has the eyes of a human, even if he speaks such things. He is a person. Why does the horn appear to be little and not big in the beginning? It will grow after this time and will rule certain kingdoms. Why? No kingdom will conquer this king, but God will abolish and destroy him. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7

John Chrysostom: When scripture wishes to expound on the kingdoms, it uses the metaphor of beasts. A kingdom is an incorporeal object; therefore, some type of body has to be ascribed to it. And was it not fitting to describe kingdoms as beasts? Most certainly. For since the qualities of those kingdoms exist chiefly in those beasts, so he found them useful. He wished to show fierce arrogance and luxury, and he made use of a lioness. He wished to show slowness, and he made use of a bear. He wished to show speed and briskness and such as would overthrow all empires by its wars; thus he introduced a leopard. Look how earlier he had seen a beautiful sea, which represented the whole earth. For the world is filled with so many tumults and is stirred up in the same way that the sea is stirred up, although the sea is filled with fish, not humans. Christ even declares this to be the case, namely, that the present life is the sea, when he says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet thrown into the sea, which brings together fish of every kind.” “And behold,” Daniel says, “the four winds of the heavens rushed on the great sea.” He declares that those beasts then went forth from there, and so he shows the swiftness of divine providence. For when we talk about speed, we introduce the figure of the winds. Daniel says that the winds rushed on the sea and the beasts emerged from the sea, for our leaders partake of our nature. So he often calls a king “a lion,” wishing to show its royal dignity and yet its feral nature. Or he does so because that wind is an easterly one, this wind is a northerly one, and yet another is a southerly one. It is as if someone had said, “He overturns the sea; the winds from the sky have stirred it up.” — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:7

Theodoret of Cyrus: Here he alludes to the antichrist, who arises among the ten horns, and he states that the antichrist will pluck out root and all three horns before himself. This means that he will overpower three kings of the ten who would reign at that time. And he calls it a “little” horn, as it was born from the little tribe of the Jews. However, he also calls it “eminent” since he would be noble. By its “eyes” he refers to its prudence and astuteness, by which he will deceive many. And yet he speaks of its “mouth speaking great things,” which refers to its arrogance and haughtiness. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:7-8

Daniel 7:9

Ambrose of Milan: Let him then be standing for you that you may not be afraid of him sitting; for when sitting he judges, as Daniel says, “the thrones were placed, and the books were opened, and the Ancient of Days did sit.” But in Psalms 81 [82] it is written, “God stood in the congregation of gods and decides among the gods.” So then when he sits he judges, when he stands he decides, and he judges concerning the imperfect but decides among the gods. Let him stand for you as a defender, as a good shepherd, lest the fierce wolves assault you. — LETTER 63:6

Basil of Caesarea: Remember the vision of Daniel and how he brings the judgment before us … clearly disclosing in the hearing of all, angels and human beings, things good and evil, things done openly and in secret, deeds, words and thoughts all at once. What then must those people be who have lived wicked lives? Where then shall that soul hide that in the sight of all these spectators shall suddenly be revealed in its fullness of shame? With what kind of body shall it sustain those endless and unbearable pangs … without end? There is no release after death; no device, no means of coming forth from the chastisement of pain. — LETTER 46:5

Cassiodorus: By “things of old” he means things eternal, confined neither beginning nor end; as we read in Daniel: “Thrones were placed, and the Old of Days sat.” — EXPOSITIONS OF THE Psalms 138:5

Cyril of Jerusalem: This is spoken anthropomorphically. And its spiritual sense is that he is the king of those who are not defiled with sins. For God says, “Your sins shall be as white as snow and shall be as wool.” Wool is the emblem of forgiveness of sins, as also of innocence. — Catechetical Lecture 15:19-21

Gregory of Nazianzus: When the thrones are set and the Ancient of Days takes his seat, and the books are opened, and the fiery stream comes forth, and the light before him and the darkness prepared … they that have done good shall go into the resurrection of life, now hid in Christ and to be manifested hereafter with him, and they that have done evil, into the resurrection of judgment, to which they who have not believed have been condemned already by the word that judges them. Some will be welcomed by the unspeakable light and the vision of the holy and royal Trinity, which now shines on them with greater brilliancy and purity and unites itself wholly to the whole soul, in which solely and beyond all else I take it that the kingdom of heaven consists. The others, among other torments, but above and before them all must endure the being outcast from God and the shame of conscience that has no limit. — ON HIS FATHER’S SILENCE, ORATION 16:9

Hippolytus of Rome: The Ancient of Days is, for Daniel, nothing more than the Lord, God and Master of all, the Father of Christ himself. — COMMENTARY ON DANIEL

Jerome: Verse 9. “I beheld until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of days took His seat. His garment was as white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was composed of fiery flames and its wheels were set on fire. From before His presence there issued forth a rushing, fiery stream.” We read something similar in John’s Apocalypse: “After these things I was immediately in the Spirit, and lo, a throne was set up in heaven, and one was seated upon the throne; and He who sat upon it had the likeness of jasper and sardine stone, and there was a rainbow round about the throne like the appearance of emerald. Around the throne there were twenty-four other thrones, and upon the twenty-four thrones there sat twenty-four elders, clothed in shining garments; upon their heads was a golden crown, and lightning flashes issued from the throne, and voices and thunder. And in front of the throne there were seven torches of burning fire, which were the seven spirits of God. And in front of the throne lay a glassy sea like unto crystal.” (Revelation 4:2-6) And so the many thrones which Daniel saw seem to me to be what John called the twenty-four thrones. And the Ancient of days is the One who, according to John sits alone upon His throne. Likewise the Son of man, who came unto the Ancient of days, is the same as He who, according to John, is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, and the titles of that sort (Revelation 5:5). I imagine that these thrones are the ones of which the Apostle Paul says, “Whether thrones or dominions…” (Colossians 1:16). And in the Gospel we read, “Ye yourselves shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). And God is called the One who sits and who is the Ancient of days, in order that His character as eternal Judge might be indicated. His garment is shining white like the snow, and the hair of His head is like pure wool. The Savior also, when He was transfigured on the mount and assumed the glory of His divine majesty, appeared in shining white garments (Matthew 17:2). And as for the fact that His hair is compared to perfectly pure wool, the even-handedness and uprightness of His judgment is shown forth, a judgment which shows no partiality in its exercise. Moreover He is described as an elderly man, in order that the ripeness of His judgment may be established. His throne consists of fiery flames, in order that sinners may tremble before the severity of the torments, and also that the just may be saved, but so as by fire. The wheels of the throne are set aflame, or else it is the wheels of His chariot which are aflame. In Ezekiel also God is ushered on the scene seated in a four-horse chariot (Ezekiel 1:4-28), and everything pertaining to God is of a fiery consistency. In another place also a statement is made on this subject: “God is a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24), that we might know that wood, hay and stubble are going to burn up in the day of judgment. And in the Psalms we read: “Fire goeth before Him, and He shall set aflame all His enemies round about Him” (Psalms 97:3). A rushing, fiery stream proceeded from before Him in order that it might carry sinners to hell (Gehenna). — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

John Chrysostom: Are they not the thrones concerning which our Lord said, “You will sit on twelve thrones”? … Beloved, do not imagine God as having anything like a body, and do not think that God, who is boundless, can be confined to a throne. For if “in his hands are the boundaries of the earth,” and if “he erected the mountains,” and if “all the nations are reckoned as spittle in his sight” and if “all things are as dust before him,” as he himself says, what place would be able to enclose him altogether at one time? What shall we say? The state of affairs cannot be exactly as it is described; God is not confined to a throne. If he was wearing clothing, how would fire not consume it? And why is that one called the Ancient of Days, when he existed before all ages? In what way can he even be said to be ancient, since the Scripture says, “You are always the same.” Why then is he called ancient, when it is written, “And your years will not come to an end?” And what would be the garment to be cast around a boundless and incorporeal being? For it says, “There is no end to his greatness.” And again, “If I ascend into heaven, you are there; if I descend into hell, you are there.” How then can he be restrained by human clothing and yet not consume it? But truly the prophet was able to see and read many other things of this type. How were his hairs not burned with fire? — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7

John Chrysostom: Let us strive with our minds to understand, beloved, for it is no small matter that we are discussing. He says, “Thrones were set, and the Ancient of Days was seated.” Who is he? When you heard about a bear, you did not think about a bear; when you heard about a lioness, you did not perceive that animal but rather kingdoms; and when you heard about the sea, you did not perceive a sea but rather the world. Each time you thought of something else as being present in those images. That is also the case now. What is an Ancient of Days? He is similar to an old man. Now this old man takes shape for the purposes for which he appears. And here he shows that old men must be entrusted with rendering judgment. For just as when you hear the word throne, you do not understand it to mean a mere chair—for who would lay hold of such a base and vulgar meaning, when God seems fully armed here and bloodthirsty there?—so he wishes this to mean that it is a time for judgment. “His clothing was white as snow.” Why? It is not only a time of judgment but also retribution. All those must stand before him because “his judgment will go forth like the light.” — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7

John Chrysostom: And again, “The Ancient of Days sat,” here again, taking the term “ancient” as among those laudatory expressions that confer highest glory. Elsewhere the Scripture takes the term “old” in the sense of blame; for seeing that the things are of various aspects as being composed of many parts, it uses the same words both in a good and an evil import, not according to the same shade of meaning. — HOMILIES ON 1 Corinthians 15:10

Justin Martyr: But if so great a power is shown to have followed and to be still following the dispensation of His suffering, how great shall that be which shall follow His glorious advent! For He shall come on the clouds as the Son of man, so Daniel foretold, and His angels shall come with Him. These are the words: [quotes Daniel 7:9-28] — Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter XXXI

Origen of Alexandria: Next they come to Libnah, which means “whitewashing.” I know that in some respects whitewashing has a pejorative connotation, as when we speak of a “whitewashed wall” and “whitewashed tombs.” But this whitewashing is that concerning which the prophet says, “You will wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” And again Isaiah says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will whiten them like snow and will make them white like wool.” Again in the psalm, “They were whitened with snow in Zalmon.” And the hair of the Ancient of Days is said to be dazzling, white, that is, white like wool. So then, this whitewashing must be understood to come from the radiance of the true light and to descend from the brightness of heavenly visions. — HOMILIES ON Numbers 27:12

Theodoret of Cyrus: It is fitting for us to know that God is incorporeal, simple and without form and that he admits of no circumscription. Although it pertains to his nature not to be able to be circumscribed, very often to help us he makes use of visions, whenever he wills. And one can see that he appears to Abraham in one way, to Moses in another and to Isaiah in yet another; likewise, he showed Ezekiel still a different appearance. Therefore, whenever you see the variety of revelation, do not think that God has many forms, but rather listen to God as he speaks through the prophet Hosea: “I multiplied the visions, and I was proclaimed in parables in the warnings of the prophets.” He said, “I adopted likenesses,” not I appeared. He fashions in a vision however it suits him. So too blessed Ezekiel, when he had at length pondered on him whom he had seen to consist of gold and fire, added as he narrated the vision, “These things are an image of the glory of the Lord.” And he did not say that he had seen the Lord or even the Lord’s glory but rather something resembling the glory of the Lord. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:9-10

Theodoret of Cyrus: Daniel contemplates his pure hair and his splendid garb, altogether blameless and holy. Daniel had already learned not only his divine nature but also those things that can be understood about it, namely, his righteousness, providence, care and judgment. When he sees “a horn using haughty words” and plotting countless treacheries against the worshipers of God, Daniel understands through the purity that glistens everywhere that God is not neglecting his people, but out of his ineffable governance of history he is permitting the horn to dare such things. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:9-10

Theodoret of Cyrus: Through the throne, wheels and river God’s nature is revealed as secure and liable to no reproach; and through the word ancient his eternity, wisdom and clemency is told. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:10

Daniel 7:10

Basil of Caesarea: Do “thousand thousand” of angels stand before him, and “ten thousand times ten thousand” ministering spirits? They are blamelessly doing their proper work by the power of the Spirit. All the glorious and unspeakable harmony of the highest heavens in the service of God and in the mutual concord of the celestial powers can therefore be preserved only by the direction of the gradually perfected by increase and advance, but they are perfect from the moment of the creation, there is in creation the presence of the Holy Spirit, who confers on them the grace that flows from him for the completion and perfection of their essence. — ON THE HOLY SPIRIT 16:38

Cyril of Jerusalem: “The Son of man,” it is written, “shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him.” Note, my friend, before how many you will come to be judged. Every race of humankind will be present then. Think therefore of the numbers of imperial citizens. Think what the barbarian nations amount to. Take the numbers now living and those who have died in the last hundred years. Think how many have been buried in the last thousand years. Think of all the human race from Adam till today. It is a vast multitude, and yet by comparison it is nothing much, for the angels are more numerous. They are the “ninety and nine” sheep, while the human race is the lone one. For we must suppose that the multitude of inhabitants is everywhere in proportion to the space. Now the whole earth’s surface is like a point when compared with the heaven above it. And the heaven that wraps the earth around is inhabited by a multitude proportioned to its extent. And the heavens of heavens contain a multitude beyond computation. Scripture says, “Thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.” That does not mean that those who were all there were but that the prophet could find no expression to convey more than that. At that day of judgment there will be present God the Father of all, with Jesus Christ enthroned be side him, and the Holy Spirit present with them. The angel trumpet will summon us before them, bringing our deeds with us. — Catechetical Lecture 15:24

Gregory of Nyssa: If this all seems little in your eyes, to be crucified with Christ, to present yourself a sacrifice to God, to become a priest to the most high God, to make yourself worthy of the vision of the Almighty, what higher blessings than these can we imagine for you, if indeed you make light of the consequences of these as well? And the consequence of being crucified with Christ is that we shall live with him, and be glorified with him and reign with him; and the consequence of presenting ourselves to God is that we shall be changed from the rank of human nature and human dignity to that of angels; for so speaks Daniel, that “thousand thousands stood before him.” He too who has taken his share in the true priesthood and placed himself beside the great high priest remains altogether himself a priest forever, prevented for eternity from remaining any more in death. — ON VIRGINITY 24

Gregory the Dialogist: But Dionysius the Areopagite, that ancient and venerable Father, is said to declare that from the lesser hosts of angels some are sent forth to fulfill their ministry either visibly or invisibly, namely because angels or archangels come for human consolation. For those higher hosts never withdraw from the inner places, since those who are preeminent have no function of external ministry. This is supported by what is said through Daniel: “Thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him.” For ministering is one thing, and standing before is another, because those minister to God who also go out to us announcing; but those stand before who so enjoy inward contemplation that they are not at all sent forth to accomplish external works. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 34

Ishodad of Merv: “The books were opened,” not because God needs books, but the prophet is speaking in human terms, according to the style of Scriptures, which speak materially with material beings; in addition, he says that in order to show the rigorous examination, on which the judgments of God are based, that [God] judges with equity and forbearance. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:10

Jerome: Verse 10. “There were millions ministering unto Him, and a billion stood by His side.” This was not intended to be a specific number for the servants of God, but only indicates a multitude too great for human computation. These are the thousands and tens of thousands of which we read in the Psalms: “The chariot of God is attended by ten thousands; thousands of them that rejoice. The Lord is among them” (Psalms 68:17). And in another place: “He who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flaming fire” (Psalms 104:4). Now the duty of angels is twofold: the duty of one group is to bestow rewards upon just men; the duty of the other is to have charge over individual calamities.

“…The court was in session, and the books were opened.” The consciences of men, and the deeds of individuals which partake of either character, whether good or bad, are disclosed to all. One of the books is the good book of which we often read, namely the book of the living. The other is the evil book which is held in the hand of the accuser, who is the fiend and avenger of whom we read in Revelation: “The accuser of our brethren” (Revelation 12:10). This is the earthly book of which the prophet says: “Let them be written on earth” (Jeremiah 17:13). — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

John Chrysostom: He who is now despised, the same will then be our judge; think ever on him and the river of fire: “For a river of fire” we read, “winds before his face”; for it is impossible for one who has been delivered over by him to the fire to expect any end of his punishment. But the unseemly pleasures of this life do not differ from shadows and dreams; for before the deed of sin is completed, the conditions of pleasure are extinguished, and the punishments for these have no limit. And the sweetness lasts for a little while, but the pain is everlasting. — LETTER TO THE FALLEN THEODORE 2:3

Origen of Alexandria: But as it is in the mockery that Celsus says we speak of “God coming down like a torturer bearing fire” and thus compels us unseasonably to investigate words of deeper meaning, we shall make a few remarks, sufficient to enable our hearers to form an idea of the defense that disposes of the ridicule of Celsus against us, and then we shall turn to what follows. The divine word says that our God is “a consuming fire” and that “he draws rivers of fire before him”; no, that he even enters in as “a refiner’s fire and as a fuller’s herb,” to purify his own people. But when he is said to be a “consuming fire,” we inquire what are the things that are appropriate to be consumed by God. And we assert that they are wickedness and the works that result from it and that, being figuratively called “wood, hay, stubble,” God consumes as a fire. The wicked person, accordingly, is said to build up on the previously laid foundation of reason, “wood and hay and stubble.” … And, in like manner, “rivers of fire” are said to be before God, who will thoroughly cleanse away the evil that is intermingled throughout the whole soul. — AGAINST CELSUS 4:13

Origen of Alexandria: And to him to whom we offer firstfruits we also send up our prayers, “having a great high priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,” and “we hold fast this profession” as long as we live; for we find God and his only-begotten Son, manifested to us in Jesus, to be gracious and kind to us. And if we would wish to have besides a great number of beings who shall ever prove friendly to us, we are taught that “thousand thousands stood before him, and ten thousand times ten thousand ministered to him.” And these, regarding all as their relations and friends who imitate their piety toward God and in prayer call on him with sincerity, work along with them for their salvation, appear to them, deem it their office and duty to attend to them, and as if by common agreement they visit with all manner of kindness and deliverance those who pray to God, to whom they themselves also pray. “For they are all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation.” — AGAINST CELSUS 8:34

Theodoret of Cyrus: That is to say, he affixed the rest of the time to be a time of judgment, and he unfolded the memory of all the deeds done by each and every person. He calls the memory about each person “the books.” But if someone thinks that this refers to the promise of the Lord made to his apostles, “Twelve thrones will be placed, and you will sit down and judge the twelve tribes of Israel,” he would not be far off the mark, inasmuch as the promise of the truth has no part in a lie. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:9-10

Daniel 7:11

Jerome: Verse 11. “I looked on because of the sound of the lofty words which that horn was uttering.” The judgment of God descends for the humbling of pride. Hence the Roman Empire also will be destroyed, because the horn was uttering the lofty words.

“…And I saw that the beast was slain and its body perished.” In the one empire of the Romans, all the kingdoms at once are to be destroyed, because of the blasphemy of the Antichrist. And the empire shall not be an earthly empire at all, but it is simply the abode of the saints which is spoken of here, and the advent of the conquering Son of God. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

Theodoret of Cyrus: Because of the madness of that beast, he says that it was judged, and the fourth kingdom was destroyed, “and the body of the beast was given over for the fire to consume.” We ought to take note that he did not simply say “the beast was handed over” but “the body of the beast” was handed over for the fire to consume. Since he portrays every kingdom through a beast, and in every kingdom some are pupils of godliness and others are servants of wickedness (the former being commonly called “spiritual,” the latter “carnal,” in accordance with the usage of the divine Scripture), he rightly said that the beast was not handed over to be burned but the body of the beast, that is, the cruder sorts of people and those who are fleshly and those who do not think spiritually at all. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:11

Daniel 7:12

Ephrem the Syrian: This refers to the kingdoms of the Medes, Persians and Chaldeans. “But their lives were prolonged for a season and a time,” that is, the kings of the nations mentioned above would have not been completely powerless. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:12

Theodoret of Cyrus: The dominion of the other beasts had fallen, although they had spent a period of many years ruling; to each kingdom there was a certain definite time given to rule. When these things have taken place, since all the other kingdoms had been destroyed earlier, also those who were in the fourth kingdom were handed over to the punishment by fire, as they well deserved. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:12

Daniel 7:13

Augustine of Hippo: I do not know in what manner these people understand that the Ancient of Days appeared to Daniel, from whom the Son of man, which he deigned to be for our sakes, is understood to have received the kingdom; namely, from him who says to him in the Psalms, “You are my son; this day have I begotten you; ask of me, and I shall give you the nations for your inheritance” and who has “put all things under his feet.” If, however, both the Father giving the kingdom and the Son receiving it appeared to Daniel in bodily form, how can those people say that the Father never appeared to the prophets, and, therefore, that he only ought to be understood to be invisible whom no one has seen or can see? For Daniel has told us thus.… Behold the Father giving and the Son receiving an eternal kingdom; and both are in the sight of him who prophesies, in a visible form. — ON THE TRINITY 2:18.33

Cyril of Jerusalem: What we proclaim is not one single coming of Christ but a second as well, much fairer than the first. For the first presented a demonstration of longsuffering, but the second wears the crown of the kingdom of God. Most things about our Lord Jesus Christ are twofold. His birth is twofold, once of God before the ages, and once of the Virgin in the end of the ages. Twice he comes down, once all unseen like dew on a fleece, and a second time still future and manifest. When first he came, he was swaddled in a manger. When next he comes, he will “clothe himself with light as with a garment.” At his first coming “he endured the cross, despising the shame”;6 at his second, he comes surrounded with glory and escorted by hosts of angels. We do not therefore simply rest on Christ’s first coming, by itself, but let us look forward also to his second.… The Savior comes again, but not to be judged again, for he will pass judgment on those who passed judgment on him, and he who previously kept silence as they judged him now reminds those lawless people who did their outrageous deeds to him on the cross and says, “these things you have done, and I kept silent.” He adapted himself when he came then and taught humankind by persuasion, but this time it is they who will be forced to bow to his rule, whether they will or not. — Catechetical Lecture 15:1

Cyril of Jerusalem: He is called Christ, not for any unction from human hands but from the Father’s, as having been anointed for eternal high priesthood on behalf of humanity. He is called the dead, not as having gone to “join the majority,” like all souls in Hades, but as the one “free among the dead.” He is called Son of man, not as it is said of each one of us that we sprang from earth, but in the context of his “coming in the clouds of heaven” to judge both the living and the dead. He is called Lord, not in the catachrestic sense in which the title is given to people, but as possessing lordship by right of nature and forever. He is called Jesus because the name fits him, and he has that appellation in view of the saving medicine he brings. He is called Son, not meaning that God promoted him to that dignity but that he was naturally begotten as Son. — Catechetical Lecture 10:4

Eusebius of Caesarea: For instance, Daniel the prophet, under the influence of the divine Spirit, seeing his kingdom at the end of time, was inspired thus to describe the divine vision in language fitted to human comprehension.… It is clear that these words can refer to no one else than to our Savior, the Word who was in the beginning with God, and who was called the Son of man because of his final appearance in the flesh. — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1:2

Hilary of Poitiers: Glance over the whole course of time, and realize in what guise he appeared to Joshua the son of Nun, a prophet bearing his name, or to Isaiah, who relates that he saw him, as the gospel also bears witness, or to Ezekiel, who was admitted even to knowledge of the resurrection, or to Daniel, who confesses the Son of man in the eternal kingdom of the ages, or to all the rest to whom he presented himself in the form of various created beings, for the ways of God and for the works of God, that is to say, to teach us to know God and to profit our eternal state. Why does this method, expressly designed for human salvation, bring about at the present time such an impious attack on his eternal birth? The creation, of which you speak, dates from the commencement of the ages; but his birth is without end and before the ages. Maintain this by all means: we are doing violence to words, if a prophet, or the Lord, or an apostle or any oracle whatever has described by the name of creation the birth of his eternal divinity. In all these manifestations God, who is a consuming fire, is present, as created, in such a manner that he could lay aside the created form by the same power by which he assumed it, being able to destroy again that which had come into existence merely that it might be looked on. — ON THE TRINITY 12:47

Hippolytus of Rome: For as two advents of our Lord and Savior are indicated in the Scriptures, the one being his first advent in the flesh, which took place without honor by reason of his being made nothing, as Isaiah spoke of him previously, saying, “We saw him, and he had no form or beauty.” … But his second advent is announced as glorious, when he shall come from heaven with the host of angels and the glory of his Father, as the prophet said, “You shall see the King in glory,” and, “I saw one like the Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven; and he came to the Ancient of Days” … and he was brought to him. And there were given him dominion and honor and glory. — ON THE ANTICHRIST 44

Hippolytus of Rome: “And came to the Ancient of days.” By the Ancient of days he means none other than the Lord and God and Ruler of all, and even of Christ Himself, who maketh the days old, and yet becometh not old Himself by times and days. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Hippolytus of Rome: Who was in heaven but the Word unincarnate, who was dispatched to show that he was on earth and was also in heaven? For he was Word, he was Spirit, he was Power. The same took to himself the name common and current among humankind and was called from the beginning the Son of man on account of what he was to be, although he was not yet man, as Daniel testifies when he says, “I saw, and behold, one like the Son of man came on the clouds of heaven.” Rightly, then, did he say that he who was in heaven was called from the beginning by this name, the Word of God, as being that from the beginning. — AGAINST NOETUS 4

Jerome: Verses 13, 14. “And behold, there came One with the clouds of heaven like unto the Son of man.” He who was described in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar as a rock cut without hands, which also grew to be a large mountain, and which smashed the earthenware, the iron, the bronze, the silver, and the gold is now introduced as the very person of the Son of man, so as to indicate in the case of the Son of God how He took upon Himself human flesh; according to the statement which we read in the Acts of the Apostles: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up towards heaven? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him going into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

“…And He arrived unto the Ancient of days, and they brought Him before His presence, and He gave unto Him authority and honor and royal power.” All that is said here concerning His being brought before Almighty God and receiving authority and honor and royal power is to be understood in the light of the Apostle’s statement: “Who, although He was in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and was found in His condition to be as a man: He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:6-8). And if the sect of the Arians were willing to give heed to all this Scripture with a reverent mind, they would never direct against the Son of God the calumny that He is not on an equality with God.

“…And He is the one whom all the peoples, tribes, and language-groups shall serve. His authority is an eternal authority which shall not be removed, and His kingdom shall be one that shall never be destroyed…” Let Porphyry answer the query of whom out of all mankind this language might apply to, or who this person might be who was so powerful as to break and smash to pieces the little horn, whom he interprets to be Antiochus? If he replies that the princes of Antiochus were defeated by Judas Maccabaeus, then he must explain how Judas could be said to come with the clouds of heaven like unto the Son of man, and to be brought unto the Ancient of days, and how it could be said that authority and royal power was bestowed upon him, and that all peoples and tribes and language-groups served him, and that his power is eternal and not terminated by any conclusion. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

Justin Martyr: But if so great a power is shown to have followed and to be still following the dispensation of His suffering, how great shall that be which shall follow His glorious advent! For He shall come on the clouds as the Son of man, so Daniel foretold, and His angels shall come with Him. — Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter XXXI

Justin Martyr: For when Daniel speaks of ‘one like unto the Son of man’ who received the everlasting kingdom, does he not hint at this very thing? For he declares that, in saying ’like unto the Son of man,’ He appeared, and was man, but not of human seed. And the same thing he proclaimed in mystery when he speaks of this stone which was cut out without hands. For the expression ‘it was cut out without hands’ signified that it is not a work of man, but [a work] of the will of the Father and God of all things, who brought Him forth. — Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter LXXVI

Tertullian: He revealed to Daniel himself expressly as “the Son of man, coming in the clouds of heaven” as a judge, as also the Scripture shows. What I have advanced might have been sufficient concerning the designation in the prophecy of the Son of man. But the Scripture offers me further information, even in the interpretation of the Lord himself. The Jews, who looked at him as merely man, were not yet sure that he was God also, as being likewise the Son of God. They rightly enough said that a man could not forgive sins, but God alone. Why did he not, following up their point, answer them, that he had power to remit sins, inasmuch as, when he mentioned the Son of man, he also named a human being? Because he wanted, by help of the very designation Son of man from the book of Daniel, so to induce them to reflect as to show them that he who remitted sins was God and man—that only the Son of man, indeed, in the prophecy of Daniel, who had obtained the power of judging, and thereby, of course, of forgiving sins likewise (for he who judges also absolves); so that, when once that objection of theirs was shattered to pieces by their recollection of Scripture, they might the more easily acknowledge him to be the Son of man himself by his actual forgiveness of sins. — AGAINST MARCION 4.10

Theodoret of Cyrus: The blessed Daniel openly teaches what our Lord says in the Gospels: “You will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with his angels”; and the blessed apostle, “For the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead shall rise immortal. And we who remain alive will be snatched in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” Daniel foretells the second coming of the Savior. He openly calls him the “Son of man” because of that nature that he has assumed. He says that he is “coming on the clouds,” as he himself promised, so that he can show his power. He says that he “receives honor, dominion and the kingdom” from the Ancient of Days, although he is a human being. In Psalms 2 blessed David says this about the person of the Lord: “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance and the ends of the earth as your possession.’ ” Blessed Daniel states the very same thing: “All peoples, tribes and languages will serve him.” And he shows that his reign will be without end: “His power will be an eternal power, which will not pass away, and his kingdom will not be destroyed.” So he adds, when he writes down this revelation. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:13-14

Daniel 7:14

Hippolytus of Rome: “His dominion is an everlasting dominion.” The Father, having put all things in subjection to His own Son, both things in heaven and things on earth, showed Him forth by all as the first-begotten of Cool, in order that, along with the Father, He might be approved the Son of God before angels, and be manifested as the Lord also of angels: (He showed Him forth also as) the first-begotten of a virgin, that He might be seen to be in Himself the Creator anew of the first-formed Adam, (and) as the first-begotten from the dead, that He might become Himself the first-fruits of our resurrection.

“Which shall not pass away.” He exhibited all the dominion given by the Father to His own Son, who is manifested as King of all in heaven and on earth, and under the earth, and as Judge of all: of all in heaven, because He was born the Word, of the heart of the Father before all; and of all in earth, because He was made man, and created Adam anew of Himself; and of all under the earth, because He was also numbered among the dead, and preached to the souls of the saints, (and) by death overcame death. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

John Chrysostom: What, I ask, is more obvious than these words? “And all the peoples, tribes and tongues will serve him.” See how he embraced every nation of the world. See how he took the judge’s seat and power. Lest you should think that this is temporary, he says, “These things will not pass away, and his kingdom will not perish” but will stay and remain. But if you doubt, you can be persuaded by considering the matter. Do you see the equality of honor he has with the Father? Since the Son appeared after the Father, he says that the Son came with the clouds. But it is clear from the very clouds that he had existed before then, if indeed he came on them. “And honor was conferred on him,” namely, the power that he had. “And the peoples, tribes and tongues will serve him.” Indeed, he had dominion previously, but then he will take that dominion that he had obtained. For just as you understand the hair of the Father and the other aspects of the vision, so you must understand this part of the vision. When you hear “it was given” and other similar things, you will not think in human terms about the Son or think lowly of him. For though you saw an old man, you did not think that he was an old man, so also you must think about the other things. Do not seek crystal clarity among the prophets, where you will find instead shadows and riddles, just as you do not seek constant light in a thunderbolt. Instead, it suffices if light appears for just a bit. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:7

Daniel 7:15

John Chrysostom: Quite understandably, given what things he had seen. He is the first and only one to see the Father and the Son as in a vision.… When the advent of our Lord was soon drawing near, quite appropriately marvelous visions also appeared. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:7

Daniel 7:16

Theodoret of Cyrus: Just as in human courts some of the subjects assist in carrying the dreadful judgment before themselves, while others come and go, bearing the responses of the tribunal, so in that most dreadful judgment Daniel sees ten thousand assistants and a thousand thousands to whom the task of service was given. When he had drawn near, he asked what was the interpretation of this revelation, and he was told the truth by one of those who stood by to assist. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:16

Daniel 7:17

Ephrem the Syrian: The secret meaning of that vision had been disclosed to him by the angel, and the expression “four beasts” indicated the four empires: the Babylonian, which flourished at that time, the Mede, the Persian and the Greek. But the power, he says, would have been transferred, at a certain time, from these kingdoms to the holy ones of the Most High because of the mystery hidden in many righteous people of his people and in the holy ones of the Most High, and he predicts that they would have reigned forever. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:16

Jerome: Verses 17, 18. “These four great beasts are the four kingdoms which shall arise from the earth. But the saints of the Most High God shall take the kingdom.” The four kingdoms of which we have spoken above were earthly in character. “For everything which is of the earth shall return to earth” (Ecclesiastes 3:20). But the saints shall never possess an earthly kingdom, but only a heavenly. Away, then, with the fable about a millennium! (Revelation 20:4-6)

“…And they shall possess the kingdom unto eternity, even forever and ever…” If this be taken to refer to the Maccabees, the advocate of this position should explain how the kingdom of the Maccabees is of a perpetual character. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

Daniel 7:18

Augustine of Hippo: Just as God’s promise made to Abraham is already visibly fulfilled in Christ, so other promises made to the seed of Abraham will be no less certainly fulfilled. The promise to Abraham was that “all the nations of the earth will be blessed in your seed.” It is one of many such promises. Some of the prophecies concerning Abraham’s seed say, “The dead shall rise again.… There shall be a new heaven and a new earth, and the former things will not be remembered, and they will not come on the earth, but they will be glad and rejoice forever in these things. For see, I shall make Jerusalem a rejoicing and my people joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem and joy in my people, and the voice of weeping will be heard in it no more.” Then there are the promises made to and through another prophet, saying, “At that time your people will be saved, everyone that will be found written in the book. And every one of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awaken, some to everlasting life and others to reproach and everlasting confusion.… But the saints of the most high God will take the kingdom, and they will possess the kingdom forever and ever … whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.” — City of God 22.3

Augustine of Hippo: But then there had not yet risen the prophet Daniel to say, “The saints shall receive the kingdom of the Most High.” For by these words he foretold the merit not of the Old but of the New Testament. In the same manner did the same prophets foretell that Christ himself would come, in whose blood the New Testament was consecrated. — PROCEEDINGS OF PELAGIANS 14

Hippolytus of Rome: “Which shall arise.” For when the three beasts have finished their course, and been removed, and the one still stands in vigour,-if this one, too, is removed, then finally earthly things (shall) end, and heavenly things begin; that the indissoluble and everlasting kingdom of the saints may be brought to view, and the heavenly King manifested to all, no longer in figure, like one seen in vision, or revealed in a pillar of cloud upon the top of a mountain, but amid the powers and armies of angels, as God incarnate and man, Son of God and Son of man-coming from heaven as the world’s Judge. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Theodoret of Cyrus: These kingdoms will be wiped out and the true, eternal kingdom will be handed over to the saints of the Almighty. Thus, while waiting for that eternal kingdom, count the kingdoms of this present age to be as nothing, which will soon enough come to their end. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:17-18

Daniel 7:19

Ephrem the Syrian: “Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast and the other horn,” which was seen while attacking and harshly afflicting the holy ones with his arms. This is Antiochus, who, as the angel reveals, would have made war and submitted the holy ones and the priests and the righteous ones. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:19

Hippolytus of Rome: “And I inquired about the fourth beast.” It is to the fourth kingdom, of which we have already spoken, that he here refers: that kingdom, than which no greater kingdom of like nature has arisen upon the earth; from which also ten horns are to spring, and to be apportioned among ten crowns. And amid these another little horn shall rise, which is that of Antichrist. And it shall pluck by the roots the three others before it; that is to say, he shall subvert the three kings of Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia, with the view of acquiring for himself universal dominion. And after conquering the remaining seven horns, he will at last begin, inflated by a strange and wicked spirit, to stir up war against the saints, and to persecute all everywhere, with the aim of being glorified by all, and being worshipped as God. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Theodoret of Cyrus: Take note of the iron teeth and the bronze claws that are mentioned. The kingdom of the Romans took tribute from all nations; thus he says that it had iron teeth. And since many of those who had started out in the Macedonian kingdom were enlisted into its soldiery, and since claws serve the same function for a beast that soldiers do for an empire, he rightly speaks of Rome’s bronze claws, just as he called the third kingdom a bronze kingdom. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:19

Daniel 7:20

Theodoret of Cyrus: It is not surprising that he said previously that the horn was little, but here he says that its appearance “was greater than the rest.” But one does need to pay close attention to the things that are being said. For when he saw the horn being born, he called it “little,” since it arose from a little nation, that is, the nation of the Jews, and obtained meanwhile a small kingdom. However, after it had uprooted and pulled up three greater horns, he quite deservedly calls its appearance “greater than the rest.” — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:20

Daniel 7:21

Cyril of Jerusalem: Paul says further, “who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called god or that is worshiped,” that is, above every divinity, so that antichrist will be the bitter foe of the idolatrous cults. He continues, “so that he sits in the temple of God.” What temple is that? Paul says it is the destroyed temple of the Jews. For God forbid that it should be that temple of God in which we are! Why should I suggest such a thing? Lest you should think me complacent about us Christians. For if antichrist will come to the Jews as messiah and seek worship from the Jews, he will show great zeal for the temple so as to deceive them the more, hinting that he is that man of the house of David destined to rebuild the temple erected by Solomon. Antichrist will come at such a time as there shall not be left of the temple of the Jews “one stone on another,” to quote the sentence pronounced by the Savior. For it is not until all the stones are overthrown, whether by the decay of age or through being pulled down for building material or in consequence of this or that other happening, and I do not mean merely the stones of the outer walls but the floor of the inner temple where the cherubim were, that antichrist will come “with all signs and lying wonders” treating all the idols with disdain, at first adopting a show of being humane but later displaying his ruthlessness, especially toward the holy people of God. For it says, “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints,” and in another Scripture it says, “And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time.” Antichrist is the terrible wild beast, the great dragon unconquerable by people and ready to swallow them up. — Catechetical Lecture 15:15

Daniel 7:22

Eznik of Kolb: And [God] himself would appear like an old man, sometimes like a youth, for one or another manifestation of providence, having taken the form for a cherished man. And in this way by [God’s] own appearances and those of his servants as well, he would make clear the excess of love that he possessed for humanity. — ON GOD 118

Hippolytus of Rome: “Until the Ancient of days come.” That is, when at length the Judge of judges and the King of kings comes from heaven, who shall subvert the whole dominion and power of the adversary, and shall consume all with the eternal fire of punishment. But to His servants, and prophets, and martyrs, and to all who fear Him, He will give an everlasting kingdom; that is, they shall possess the endless enjoyment of good. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Daniel 7:23

Cyril of Jerusalem: These doctrines are not the fruit of ingenuity but are derived from the sacred Scriptures read in the church, particularly as gathered out of the prophecy of Daniel, in today’s lection, and according to the interpretation given by the archangel Gabriel, who spoke as follows, “the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth, which shall surpass all kingdoms.” Ecclesiastical commentators have traditionally taken this kingdom to be the Roman Empire.… Further on Gabriel continues his interpreting and says, “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise; and another king shall rise up after them, and he shall surpass in wickedness all who were before him” (not merely the ten kings, you note, but all kings that ever were) “and he shall subdue three kings” (clearly out of the ten that preceded him; and he had reduced three of the ten to powerlessness; it is equally clear that he will reign as the eighth king) “and he will speak great words against the Most High.” Antichrist is a blasphemer and flouter of all law. He will not succeed to the empire but will usurp it by means of sorcery. — Catechetical Lecture 15:13

Theodoret of Cyrus: These things were once taught people through riddles, but we ourselves have learned these very things by experience. We see the fulfillment of the prophecy; we behold daily that tributes are exacted, poverty oppresses many people, and other such things happen. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:23

Daniel 7:24

Justin Martyr: Now I am aware that your teachers, sirs, admit the whole of the words of this passage to refer to Christ; and I am likewise aware that they maintain He has not yet come; or if they say that He has come, they assert that it is not known who He is; but when He shall become manifest and glorious, then it shall be known who He is. And then, they say, the events mentioned in this passage shall happen, just as if there was no fruit as yet from the words of the prophecy. O unreasoning men! understanding not what has been proved by all these passages, that two advents of Christ have been announced: the one, in which He is set forth as suffering, inglorious, dishonoured, and crucified; but the other, in which He shall come from heaven with glory, when the man of apostasy, who speaks strange things against the Most High, shall venture to do unlawful deeds on the earth against us the Christians, who, having learned the true worship of God from the law, and the word which went forth from Jerusalem by means of the apostles of Jesus, have fled for safety to the God of Jacob and God of Israel; and we who were filled with war, and mutual slaughter, and every wickedness, have each through the whole earth changed our warlike weapons,-our swords into ploughshares, and our spears into implements of tillage,-and we cultivate piety, righteousness, philanthropy, faith, and hope, which we have from the Father Himself through Him who was crucified; and sitting each under his vine, i.e., each man possessing his own married wife. — Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter CX

Daniel 7:25

Ephrem the Syrian: He will prevent the priests from performing their duties and holy service. “And [he] shall attempt to change the sacred seasons and the law,” which means he shall attempt to delete the holy laws of God and to abolish the traditional festivals and Neomenias. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:25

Hippolytus of Rome: “Until a time, and times, and the dividing of time.” This denotes three years and a half. — Hippolytus Exegetical Fragments - Scholia on Daniel

Jerome: Verse 25. “And he shall utter (variant: “he utters”) speeches against the Lofty One.” Or else, as Symmachus has rendered it: “He utters speeches like God,” so that one who assumes the authority of God will also arrogate to himself the words of divine majesty.

“…And he shall crush the saints of the Most High, and will suppose himself to be able to alter times and laws.” The Antichrist will wage war against the saints and will overcome them; and he shall exalt himself to such a height of arrogance as to attempt changing the very laws of God and the sacred rites as well. He will also lift himself up against all that is called God, subjecting all religion to his own authority.

“…And they shall be delivered into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.” “Time” is equivalent to “year.” The word “times,” according to the idiom of the Hebrews (who also possess the dual number) represents “two years.” The half a year signifies “six months.” During this period the saints are to be given over to the power of the Antichrist, in order that those Jews might be condemned who did not believe the truth but supported a lie. The Savior also speaks of this period in the Gospel, saying: “Unless those days had been cut short, no flesh would be saved” (Matthew 24:22). In the final vision we shall assert the inappropriateness of this period to Antiochus. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

Justin Martyr: If, sirs, it were not said by the Scriptures which I have already quoted, that His form was inglorious, and His generation not declared, and that for His death the rich would suffer death, and with His stripes we should be healed, and that He would be led away like a sheep; and if I had not explained that there would be two advents of His,-one in which He was pierced by you; a second, when you shall know Him whom you have pierced, and your tribes shall mourn, each tribe by itself, the women apart, and the men apart,-then I must have been speaking dubious and obscure things. But now, by means of the contents of those Scriptures esteemed holy and prophetic amongst you, I attempt to prove all [that I have adduced], in the hope that some one of you may be found to be of that remnant which has been left by the grace of the Lord of Sabaoth for the eternal salvation. In order, therefore, that the matter inquired into may be plainer to you, I will mention to you other words also spoken by the blessed David, from which you will perceive that the Lord is called the Christ by the Holy Spirit of prophecy; and that the Lord, the Father of all, has brought Him again from the earth, setting Him at His own right hand, until He makes His enemies His footstool; which indeed happens from the time that our Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, after He rose again from the dead, the times now running on to their consummation; and he whom Daniel foretells would have dominion for a time, and times, and an half, is even already at the door, about to speak blasphemous and daring things against the Most High. But you, being ignorant of how long he will have dominion, hold another opinion. — Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter XXXII

Theodoret of Cyrus: And he will think that he will be able to overturn completely their godliness, which will be flourishing at that time. Daniel alludes to this when he says, “He will change the times and the law,” that is, the way of life prevailing at the time. Then he adds, “And it will be given over to his hand.” That is, divine providence will permit these things. And he goes on to show the time of the deformity caused by those evils: “The poor will certainly not be handed over to oblivion forever, and the patience of the poor will not perish forever.” — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:25

Daniel 7:26

Aphrahat the Persian Sage: For the judgment came on Antiochus, a judgment from heaven; and he became sick with a grievous and evil sickness, and on account of the smell of him as he rotted, no one could approach him, for worms were crawling and falling from him and eating his flesh because he oppressed the “worm Jacob.” And his flesh rotted in his lifetime, because he caused the dead bodies of the sons of Jerusalem to rot and they were not buried. And he became defiled in his own eyes, because he had defiled the sanctuary of God. And he prayed and was not heard, because he did not hearken to the groanings of the righteous whom he killed. For he wrote a letter and sent it to the Jews and called them “my friends,” but God had not mercy on him. He died in his torment. — DEMONSTRATIONS 5:20

Ephrem the Syrian: “Then the court shall sit in judgment” in order to revenge the tribulations of the holy ones and of the righteous ones, who preserved the law of the Most High, and in order to punish and destroy Antiochus, the little horn, by whom the Zealots of the house of Jacob had been afflicted and vexed. And that accursed man died of an immediate death, whereas those, who were righteous, received an everlasting power and empire. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:26

Theodoret of Cyrus: The blessed Paul also teaches more clearly to … the Thessalonians, and through them he teaches all lovers of godliness. He says that we should not think that the enemy of truth will appear now, for first the error of the idols, which now holds people in check, must be wiped out and the preaching of the gospel disseminated, then, and only then, will the lawless person be revealed … and overthrown. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:26

Daniel 7:27

Cyril of Jerusalem: Take, also, another like expression. “For until this day … when Moses is read, the veil is on their hearts.” Does “until this day” mean “up to the time that Paul wrote the words and no longer”? Does it not mean until this present day and indeed to the very end? And if Paul should say, “For we come as far as you also in preaching the gospel of Christ, having hope, when your faith is increased, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you,” you can see clearly that the phrase “as far as” sets no limit but indicates what lies beyond. With what meaning, therefore, ought you to recall the words “till he has put all enemies”? Just the same as in another saying of Paul, “But exhort each other daily, while it is called today,” this clearly means for all time. For as we must not talk of a beginning of the days of Christ, so never suffer anyone to speak of an end of his kingdom. For Scripture says, “his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.” — Catechetical Lecture 15:32

Ignatius of Antioch: He, being begotten by the Father before the beginning of time, was God the Word, the only-begotten Son, and he remains the same forever; for “of his kingdom there shall be no end,” says Daniel the prophet. Let us all therefore love one another in harmony, and let no one look on his neighbor according to the flesh, but in Christ Jesus. Let nothing exist among you that may divide you; but be united with your bishop, being through him subject to God in Christ. — Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians

Jerome: Verse 27. “But kingdom and power and a vast realm comprising all that is under heaven shall be conferred upon the nation of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and whom all kings shall serve and obey.” Here the reference is to Christ’s empire, which is eternal. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN

Theodoret of Cyrus: In other words, this is the end of the end of all affairs of this life, all the empires of earth coming to a close and the eternal kingdom being given to the holy ones of the Most High, with those in charge obeying and devotedly serving him, since his kingdom is eternal and does not come to an end.… This cannot be applied to the Maccabees; instead of being entrusted with kingship, they led troops and conquered and met a rapid end. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:27-28

Daniel 7:28

Ephrem the Syrian: Daniel adds, “Here the account ends,” that is, the interpretation of the vision. “As for me, my thoughts greatly terrified me, and my face turned pale,” because of the sad news of the afflictions, which the little horn will impose on my people and priests. “But I kept the matter in my mind,” so that I might not sadden my listeners with such a bad omen. — COMMENTARY ON Daniel 7:28

Jerome: Verse 28. “Thus far is the end of the word.” That is, “the end of that word and discourse which the Lord revealed to me in this present vision.”

“…I, Daniel, was much troubled with my thoughts, and my countenance was altered within me; but I preserved the word in my heart.” Up to this point the Book of Daniel was written in the Chaldee and Syriac language. All the rest that follows up to the very end of the volume we read in Hebrew. — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN