Arethas of Caesarea : He calls the heavens "the tent" in this passage. In my opinion he seems to then call the flesh of the Lord "the true tent," which also the Lord himself fashioned when he was not yet man, considering that immaculate flesh did not come into existence by human coupling but by the Holy Spirit. — FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE Hebrews 8.2 Basil of Caesarea : If he assigns to the Father the upper place by way of precedence, and asserts that the only begotten Son sits below, he will find that to the creature of his imagination attach all the consequent conditions of body. And if these are the imaginations of drunken delusion and phrensied insanity, can it be consistent with true religion for men taught by the Lord himself that "He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father" to refuse to worship and glorify with the Father him who in nature, in glory, and in dignity is conjoined with him? What shall we say? What just defence shall we have in the day of the awful universal judgment of all-creation, if, when the Lord clearly announces that He will come "in the glory of his Father;" when Stephen beheld Jesus standing at the right hand of God; when Paul testified in the spirit concerning Christ "that he is at the right hand of God;" when the Father says, "Sit thou on my right hand;" when the Holy Spirit bears witness that he has sat down on "the right hand of the majesty" of God; we attempt to degrade him who shares the honour and the throne, from his condition of equality, to a lower state? Standing and sitting, I apprehend, indicate the fixity and entire stability of the nature, as Baruch, when he wishes to exhibit the immutability and immobility of the Divine mode of existence, says, "For thou sittest for ever and we perish utterly." Moreover, the place on the right hand indicates in my judgment equality of honour. Rash, then, is the attempt to deprive the Son of participation in the doxology, as though worthy only to be ranked in a lower place of honour. — On the Spirit 6.15 Cosmas Indicopleustes : We must here again observe that he (Paul) speaks of the Tabernacle which was pitched by God, namely heaven, as the true. Moreover he calls heaven that perfect Tabernacle not made with hands, as it was created by God. For he calls the Tabernacle which Moses prepared made with hands. And further in contrast with the Tabernacle prepared by Moses, he calls the other the true, because it abides for ever, while the former is dissolved. — The Christian Topography, Book 5 Cosmas Indicopleustes ((quoting John Chrysostom, Commentary on Hebrews)) : Where are those who say that the heaven is in motion? Where are those who think it to be spherical? For both these opinions are here swept away. — The Christian Topography, Book 10 Cosmas Indicopleustes : We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man —as if he said: the Lord Christ had been taken up into the heavens, into the true Tabernacle, that is, one which is permanent and indissoluble. For the expression true indicates that it is indissoluble, since that which was prepared by Moses was dissolved; this one as being indissoluble, by way of distinction and in contrast with the other, he calls the true—as being permanent and firm and indissoluble. — The Christian Topography, Book 7 Ephrem the Syrian : "The point in what we are saying," that is, the discussion which we have undertaken with regard to priesthood and the law, is now presented to you according to what I have said above. "We have such a high priest" of the high priests, who does not stand before the ark of alliance but "who," by ascending, "is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven."Moreover, he, who was so entirely praised, was "a minister in the sanctuary" in the very tabernacle of truth—that is, either in the kingdom of heaven, as he promised, or in this world, as he actually did by washing the feet of his disciples. — COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS John Chrysostom : Paul mixes the lowly things with the lofty, ever imitating his Master, so that the lowly become the path to the lofty, and through the former we are led to the latter, and when we are amid the great things we learn that these lowly ones were a condescension. This accordingly he does here also. After declaring that "He offered up Himself," and showing Him to be a "High Priest," what does he say? "Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: we have such an High Priest who is set down on the right hand of the throne of the majesty." And yet this is not the office of a Priest, but of Him whom the Priest should serve. "A minister of the sanctuary," not simply a minister, but "a minister of the sanctuary. And of the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man." Thou seest the condescension. Did he not a little before make a separation, saying: "Are they not all ministering spirits?" (supra, i. 14) and therefore (he says) it is not said to them, "Sit thou on my right hand," (supra, i. 13) for He that sitteth is not a minister. How is it then that it is here said, "a minister," and "a minister of the Sanctuary"? for he means here the Tabernacle. See how he raised up the minds of the believing Jews. For as they would be apt to imagine that we have no such tabernacle as they had, see here (he says) is the Priest, Great, yea, much greater than the other, and who has offered a more wonderful sacrifice. But is not all this mere talk? is it not a boast, and merely said to win over our minds? on this account he established it first from the oath, and afterwards also from "the tabernacle." For this difference too was manifest: but the Apostle thinks of another also, "which" (he says) "the Lord pitched [or "made firm"] and not man." Where are they who say that the heaven whirls around? where are they who declare that it is spherical? for both of these notions are overthrown here. "Now" (he says) "of the things which we have spoken this is the sum." By "the sum" is always meant what is most important. Again he brings down his discourse; having said what is lofty, henceforward he speaks fearlessly. — Homily on Hebrews 14 Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius : Let people therefore learn and understand why the Most High God willed that he should be clothed with mortal flesh, afflicted with torture and sentenced to death when he sent his ambassador and messenger to instruct mortals with the precepts of his righteousness. For since there was no righteousness on earth, he sent a teacher, as it were, a living law to found a new name and temple so that, by his words and example, he might spread throughout the earth a true and holy worship. However, in order that people might know for sure that he was sent by God, it was fitting that he should not be born as human beings are born, composed of a mortal on both sides. Rather, so that it might appear that he was heavenly even in the form of man, he was born without the office of a father. For he had a spiritual Father—God. And, as God was the Father of his spirit without a mother, so a virgin was the mother of his body without a father. He was therefore both God and man, being placed in the middle between God and man. From which the Greeks call him Mesitēs, that he might be able to lead humankind to God—that is, to immortality. For if he had been God only (as we have before said), he would not have been able to afford to people examples of goodness; if he had been man only, he would not have been able to compel people to righteousness, unless there had been added an authority and virtue greater than that of man. — DIVINE INSTITUTES 4.25 Oecumenius : "Moreover, the main point." He always calls that which is greatest the main point. Whenever someone intends to summarize the main points briefly, he says that the discourse is made into a point; just as the head, though small, is the most important part of the body. Therefore, the apostle also says now: "Moreover, the main point of what we say is this"—that is, to say the greatest and most comprehensive, we have a God as high priest; for the priesthood belongs to no one else but God. "we have such a high priest." This mixes the humble with the awe-inspiring in this place, so that through the humble it may prepare the way for the awe-inspiring. The humble are to be a priest and an administrator; the awe-inspiring is to sit at the right hand of God and in the heavens. "of the throne of majesty." He calls it the throne of majesty, the paternal throne, or that majesty might also be said to belong to the Father; or simply thus, the throne of majesty, the greatest throne. — The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews Photios I of Constantinople : When he serves and ministers, it is for this purpose: to cleanse humans from their sins and to make them holy. For it is fitting for the minister and creator of the saints to sit at the right hand of the Father as true God and his Son. — FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE Hebrews 8.1 Tertullian : For to this end had He come, that, being Himself pure from sin, and in all respects holy, He might undergo death on behalf of sinners. — On Modesty Theodoret of Cyrus : He left till last the greatest honor, presenting him seated at the right hand of the throne of majesty. Aaron, the forebear of priests, remember, who was the first to receive the role of high priesthood, entered the divine sanctuary with fear and trembling, whereas this person has a seat at the right hand. He included the word minister, of course, because he is speaking of a high priest. What ministry does he discharge after offering himself once and for all, and no longer offering a further sacrifice? How is it possible for him at one and the same time to be seated and to minister? Only if you were to say the ministry is the salvation of human beings, which he procures in lordly fashion. — INTERPRETATION OF Hebrews 8 Theodoret of Cyrus : By "tent" he referred to heaven, where the apostle said he was ministering as man, though being its creator. — INTERPRETATION OF Hebrews 8