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 : For he says, "It was given into his hand for time and times and half a time," [Daniel 7:25] which signals three-and-a-half years, and after these things the coming judgment, for he says, "thrones were set and the judgment sat and the kingdom was … the beast was given to the burning of fire." [Daniel 7:9-11, 26-27] — Commentary on Daniel 4.14.2 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