21. Thou seest how they all foretell the
coming of the Lord. Thou seest how they know the voice of the
sparrow. Let us know what sort of voice this is. For
the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the Archangel, and with the trump of God 1 Thes. ii. 16.. The Archangel shall make proclamation
and say to all, Arise to meet the Lord Compare the
spurious Apocalypse of John: “And at the voice of
the bird every plant shall arise; that is, At the voice of the
Archangel all the human race shall arise” (English Trs.
Ante-Nic. Libr. p. 496). According to the Talmud the
meaning is, “Even a bird awakes him”
(Delitzsch).. And fearful will be that descent of
our Master. David says, God shall manifestly come, even our
God, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall burn before Him, and a
fierce tempest round about Him, and the rest Ps. l. 3.. The Son of Man shall come to the
Father, according to the Scripture which was just now read, on the
clouds of heaven, drawn by a stream of fire Dan. vii. 13, 10., which is to make trial of men. Then
if any man’s works are of gold, he shall be made brighter; if any
man’s course of life be like stubble, and unsubstantial, it shall
be burnt up by the fire 1 Cor. iii. 12, 13. On ἀνυπόστατον,
see Index. On δοκιμαστικόν, compare The Teaching of the Apostles, § 16:
“Then all created mankind shall come to the fire of testing
(δοκιμασίας),
and many shall be offended and perish.”. And the
Father shall sit, having His garment white as snow, and the
hair of His head like pure wool Dan. vii. 9.. But
this is spoken after the manner of men; wherefore? Because He is
the King of those who have not been defiled with sins;
for, He says, I will make your sins white as snow, and as
wool Is. i. 18., which is an emblem
of forgiveness of sins, or of sinlessness itself. But the Lord
who shall come from heaven on the clouds, is He who ascended on the
clouds; for He Himself hath said, And they shall see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory Matt. xxiv. 30..