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 Hippolytus of Rome : As the prophet says, "This is the end of the account. I, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubling me, and my form was changed and I kept the matter in my heart." [Daniel 7:27-28] And so it is necessary for every man who reads the godly writings to imitate the prophet Daniel and not to be rash and heedless, seeking a time before the due time and desiring to see the fruit of the fig, but to hold with fear the mystery of God in his heart, so that he himself may not, having ensnared himself with his own lips, his own soul become liable. For the time shall come when the almond shall blossom and the caper-berry shall grow rough and the grasshopper shall multiply, the fig shall sprout and the fruit of apostasy shall prosper. Then the door of life shall be shut and the water pots from the spring shall be shattered and the wheel shall run afoul in the pit and the crowd shall be idle because they mourn and all shall arise at the sound of a sparrow and all the daughters of song shall be troubled and the mourners shall be gathered in the market and man shall depart to his eternal home. [Ecclesiastes 12:3-6] — Commentary on Daniel 4.14.4-15.2 Hippolytus of Rome : But one will say, "And when will these things be? In what season or time is the deceiver about to be revealed? And what shall be the day of the appearing of the Lord?" The disciples also similarly sought to learn these things from the Lord, but he concealed the day from them, so that he may render them all as watchful for what is to come, always meditating and expecting each day the heavenly cloud, lest men, ever on account of the long time, neglecting what was prescribed by him, and growing sluggish while he tarries, fall from the life of heaven. For he says, "Be watchful for you do not know what day or what hour your Lord comes, either evening, or midnight, or morning." [Matthew 24:42] On account of this he says, "Blessed is that slave, whom when his Lord comes, he finds him awake. Truly I say to you that he will appoint him over all his possessions. But if the wicked slave says in his heart, 'My Lord tarries to come,' and he begins to beat his serving boys and serving girls, and to eat and to drink with drunkards, his Lord will come in a day which he does not expect and in an hour which he does not know and cut him in two and set his portion with the unbelievers. For there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." [Matthew 24:46-51] "On account of this I say to you: be watchful." [Matthew 24:44] And so our Lord himself in the Gospel, teaching these things, displays them to the disciples. Similarly, also after his resurrection, the disciples broached these same things, "Asking him saying, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' But he said to them, 'It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has set in his own authority, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be for me martyrs in both Jerusalem and in Galilee and all the land of Samaria and unto the ends of the earth.'" [Acts 1:6-8] — Commentary on Daniel 4.16.1-6 Hippolytus of Rome : And so since he hid the day from them, but through the signs which have happened, through which a man will easily discover the time of the end, he declares that we ought to know the events according to their time, and when we see them, to be silent. But it is necessary for these things to be even if we do not want them happen. For the truth never lies. For just as he said concerning the city of Jerusalem, "When you see Jerusalem encircled by armies, then you know that her desolation draws near," [Luke 21:20] and what was spoken about her has come, in this way it is needful to also now expect the rest to follow. He says, "For whenever you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, let the reader understand, then let those in Judea flee to the mountains, and he who is on the rooftop not descend to take anything from his house, and he who is in the field not return back to take his clothes. Woe to those who are pregnant and nursing in those days. For then there will be a great tribulation such which has not been from the beginning of the world nor shall ever be. And unless those days were shortened not any flesh would be saved." [Matthew 24:15-22] And so in this he made it clear to us, so that we may never doubt anything. And again he says, "Whenever you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place," and, "whenever you see a fig sprouting its leaves know that the harvest is near. In this way also whenever you see all these things happen, know that it is near the doors." [Matthew 24:15, 32-33; Mark 13:28-29] And so while the abomination has not yet appeared, but while only the fourth beast still reigns, how is the manifestation of the Lord able to be? But one will say, "It is written, 'Whenever you see wars and anarchy, then you will know that it is near.'" [Luke 21:31] Yes it is written, he says, "Nation will be roused against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there will be earthquakes and hunger and plague in many places," [Matthew 24:7; Mark 13:8] which already has happened and will happen. "But all these things are the beginning of birth pangs," [Matthew 24:8] he says, "But the end is not yet in them," [Matthew 24:6] for first it is necessary for the Gospel of the Lord to be preached in the whole world for a witness to all nations and in this way the end shall come, when all at once the time is fulfilled. — Commentary on Daniel 4.17.1-9 Hippolytus of Rome : For I will describe also what happened not a long time ago in Syria. For there was one who governed the church there and he, having not laboriously read the godly Scriptures, nor having followed the voice of the Lord, was deceived and he himself also deceived others. For while the Lord said, "There shall arise many false Christs and false prophets and they shall give signs and wonders in order to deceive if possible even the elect. [Matthew 24:24] Then if someone says to you, 'Behold Christ is here or there.' [Matthew 24:23] Do not believe. 'Behold, he is in the desert,' do not go out, 'Behold, he is in the storehouses,' do not go in." [Matthew 24:26] That man having not considered these things persuaded many of the brothers, with their wives and children, to go out into the desert in order to meet with Christ, and who were even led astray in the mountains and onto roads, wandering aimlessly. So that after a little while it was necessary for them that they all be apprehended as robbers by the commander in order to be killed, except that his wife happened to be a believer, and he was appealed to by her and put in order that matter so that a persecution did not come upon all Christians through them. How great their foolishness and stupidity, so that they entered into the desert and sought Christ, in which manner also in the times of Elisha the prophet the sons of the prophets sought Elijah for three days in the mountains, though he was assumed into heaven. [2 Kings 2:17] And so while the Lord says, "Just as lightning comes out from the east and flashes unto the west, in this way will be the advent of the Son of Man," [Matthew 24:27] plainly and clearly signaling in this that he himself is destined to arrive with the power and glory of his Father from heaven, but they sought him in the mountains and in the desert. For in this way his second advent will not be like his first. Before, as a simple man only he appeared, but now as a judge of all the world he arrives. And then, he arrived to save man, but now he arrives to punish all who trespass and who commit sacrilege against him. But we say these things to support the faithful brothers, so that they may not have a misconception of the plan of God, knowing that for each one, on whichever day he departs from this world, he has been already judged. For the consummation has come upon him. — Commentary on Daniel 4.18.1-7 Hippolytus of Rome : But a certain other man was similarly in Pontus, and he himself governed the church, being a reverent and humble man, though not applying himself unfailingly to the Scriptures but rather believing dreams which he saw. For when a first and second and a third dream happened to him, he began to foretell the future to the brothers as a prophet, "This I saw and this is about to be." And once, having been led astray he said, "Brothers, know that after one year the judgment is about to be." They who heard him who predicted, "The day of the Lord is imminent," with weeping and lamenting they begged the Lord night and day holding before their eyes the approaching day of judgment. And he led the brothers to such fear and terror so to allow their lands and fields to be desolate, and the wealthy to destroy their possessions. But he said to them, "If it does not happen just as I said, do not believe the Scriptures anymore but do whatever each of you wishes." But they waited for the result and after a year nothing was fulfilled of what that man said happened, and he himself was shamed as a deceiver, but the Scriptures were shown as true, but the brothers were found scandalized so that henceforth their virgins were married and their men dwelt in fields. They, who sold their possessions without plan, were found later begging. These things happen to ignorant and simple men, as many as do not attend precisely to the Scriptures, but more pleasurably obey human traditions and their illusions and their dreams and mythologies and gnawing words. For also the same happened to the sons of Israel, who setting at naught, they added to the law of God, and being well pleased they were obedient to the traditions of the elders. And now some undertake the same things, clinging to vain visions and to the teachings of demons and often determining a fast both on the Sabbath and the Lord's day, which Christ did not determine, so that they dishonor the Gospel of Christ. — Commentary on Daniel 4.19.1-20.3 Hippolytus of Rome : And so since the words of the Lord are true, but every man is a liar, just as it is written, let us see if the apostle Paul also is in agreement with the words of the Lord. For writing to the Thessalonians and advising them to always watch and to persist in prayers, but not yet to expect the day of judgment, because the time is not yet fulfilled, he spoke in this way to them, "We ask you brothers, concerning the advent of the Lord, that you not be afraid through a word or through a letter as from us, as that the day of the Lord has come, let no one deceive you in any way, because it will not come unless first the apostasy comes and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and is exalted over everything which is called godly or pious, so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember, when I was still with you I taught you these things? And now know what restrains him so that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness already is at work, only he who restrains until now is taken from the midst. And then the lawless one shall be revealed whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the spirit of his mouth and will abolish him with the manifestation of his advent, whose advent is according to the work of Satan." [2 Thessalonians 2:1-9] And so who is "He who restrains until now," [2 Thessalonians 2:6] except the fourth beast, which, when it is set aside and is taken from the midst, the deceiver shall come? But always you seek the troublesome, which is how many years remain for the beast, so that he may depart, not understanding that seeking these things, you seek danger for yourself and you desire to see a hastier judgment. For Scripture says, "Woe to those who desire the day of the Lord! This is darkness and not light. In which manner one flees from the face of a lion but he encounters a bear, and he who bursts into his house and he leans his hand upon the wall and a snake bites him. Will not this day of the Lord be darkness and not light? Even gloom which has no daylight." [Amos 5:18-20] — Commentary on Daniel 4.21.1-5 Hippolytus of Rome : But why do you waste labor over times and seek the day of the Lord, when the Savior concealed it from us? Tell me, if you know the date of your departure, why do you interfere with the consummation of all the world? For if God were not long-suffering over us on account of his exceeding good heartedness, why did he pass over all our sins of old. Read what was spoken also by John in the Apocalypse, "And I saw the souls of those who were beheaded for the sake of the name of Jesus under the altar and they shouted to God and said, 'For how long, O Lord our God, will you not judge and avenge our blood upon those who dwell upon the earth?' And to them was given white robes and it was said to them that they would endure for a little time, until also their fellow slaves may fulfill their martyrdom, who are destined to be killed as they also." [Revelation 6:9-11] And so if it is assigned to persevere with martyrs, who pour out their own blood on behalf of Christ, why do you not also persevere so that also others may be saved and the number of the chosen, even of the saints, may be fulfilled? — Commentary on Daniel 4.22.1-4 Hippolytus of Rome : So that in this we may not waste the indemonstrable matter which lies before us for the sake of being an inquisitive man, we, being compelled to speak what we are not able, speak by force. For when the times from the foundation of the world and from Adam are reckoned, they furnish this matter quite clearly to us who seek an answer. For the first advent of our Lord in the flesh, when he was born in Bethlehem, was December 25, Wednesday, while Augustus was in his forty-second year, but from Adam, five thousand and five hundred years. He suffered in the thirty-third year, March 25, Friday, the eighteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, while Rufus and Roubellion were Consuls. And so it is absolutely necessary for six-thousand years to be fulfilled, so that the Sabbath rest may come, the holy day, in which God rested from all his works which he began to do. The Sabbath is a model and an image of the coming kingdom of the saints, when the saints shall co-reign with Christ, when he arrives from heaven, as also John in his Apocalypse describes. For a day of the Lord is as a thousand years. And so since in six days God made all things, it is necessary for six thousand years to be fulfilled. For they are not yet fulfilled, as John says, "Five have fallen, but one is," such is the sixth millennium, "the other has not yet come," [Revelation 17:10] saying "the other" he describes the seventh millennium in which there shall be rest. — Commentary on Daniel 4.23.1-6 Hippolytus of Rome : But one will always say, "How will you demonstrate to me whether the Savior was born in the five thousandth and five hundredth year?" Be easily instructed, O man. For in the desert long ago under Moses there were models and images of spiritual mysteries which concerned the tabernacle and they fulfilled this number, so that having come to the utmost of truth in Christ you are able to apprehend these things which are fulfilled. For he says to him, "And you shall make an ark of incorruptible wood and you will gild it with pure gold inside and outside and you shall make its height two cubits and a half and its breadth a cubit and a half and its height a cubit and a half." [Exodus 25:10-11] The measure of which added together makes five and a half cubits, so that the five thousand five hundred years may be demonstrated, in which time the Savior comes from the Virgin, and then he offered the Ark, his own body, into the world, gilded in pure gold, inside with the Word, outside with the Holy Spirit, so that the truth may be shown and the Ark may be manifested. And so from the generation of Christ it is necessary to count the remaining five hundred years to the consummation of the six thousand years, and in this way the end will be. But because in the fifth and a half time the Savior arrived in the world bearing the incorruptible ark, that is his own body, John says, "and it was the sixth hour," [John 19:14] so that half of the day may be demonstrated, a day of the Lord is like a thousand years. And so the half of these is five hundred years. For he does not admit him to be soon at hand. For the law was still burdensome, nor again had the sixth day been fulfilled. For he celebrated the washing, in the fifth-and-a-half day, so in that remaining half time the Gospel may be preached to all the world and when the sixth day is fulfilled, the present life may cease. For since the Persians ruled and reigned two hundred thirty years, and after them the Greeks, so as being more honorable, three hundred years, it is absolutely necessary that the fourth beast be stronger and greater than all of those before it and to therefore reign five hundred years, when the times are consummated and the ten horns arise from it at the end, the Antichrist will show forth in them, concerning whom we have made a previous account. Then while he makes war and persecutes the saints, then it is necessary to expect from heaven the manifestation of the Lord so that the King of kings may be displayed visibly to all and the Judge of judges, coming with boldness and glory, may be indicated. Forasmuch as has already been predestined by God as occurring and proclaimed by the prophets, these in the same way will be fulfilled in their own time. — Commentary on Daniel 4.24.1-9 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