Early Church Fathers Scripture Index : Texts

Matthew 24:36

There are 11 footnotes for this reference.

Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 3, page 623, footnote 1 (Image)

Tertullian (I, II, III)

Anti-Marcion. (HTML)

Against Praxeas. (HTML)

A Brief Reference to the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke. Their Agreement with St. John, in Respect to the Distinct Personality of the Father and the Son. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 8143 (In-Text, Margin)

... and prudent.” He, moreover, affirms also that to no man is the Father known, but to His Son; and promises that, as the Son of the Father, He will confess those who confess Him, and deny those who deny Him, before His Father. He also introduces a parable of the mission to the vineyard of the Son (not the Father), who was sent after so many servants, and slain by the husbandmen, and avenged by the Father. He is also ignorant of the last day and hour, which is known to the Father only.[Matthew 24:36] He awards the kingdom to His disciples, as He says it had been appointed to Himself by the Father. He has power to ask, if He will, legions of angels from the Father for His help. He exclaims that God had forsaken Him. He commends His spirit into ...

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 13, page 356, footnote 4 (Image)

Chrysostom: Homilies on the Epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, and Philemon

The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians. (HTML)

Homilies on First Thessalonians. (HTML)

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 1019 (In-Text, Margin)

For this is also done without any one being aware.[Matthew 24:36] For when they see the earth agitated, the dust mingling, the bodies rising perchance on every side, no one ministering to this, but the “shout” being sufficient, the whole earth filled (for consider how great a thing it is that all the men from Adam unto His coming shall then stand with wives and children),—when they see so great a tumult upon the earth,—then they shall know. As therefore in the Dispensation that was in the Flesh, they had foreseen nothing of it, so ...

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 2, page 387, footnote 4 (Image)

Socrates: Church History from A.D. 305-438; Sozomenus: Church History from A.D. 323-425

The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen. (HTML)

Book VII (HTML)

Banishment of Eunomius by Theodosius the Great. Theophronius, his Successor; of Eutychus, and of Dorotheus, and their Heresies; of those called Psathyrians; Division of the Arians into Different Parties; those in Constantinople were more Limited. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 1552 (In-Text, Margin)

... excommunicated him from their church; and he constituted himself the leader of a new sect, called, after his name, Theophronians. Not long after, Eutychus, one of the Eunomians, originated another sect in Constantinople, to which his own name was given. For the question had been proposed, as to whether the Son of God is or is not acquainted with the last hour; and for its solution, the words of the evangelist were quoted, in which it is stated that the day and hour are known only to the Father.[Matthew 24:36] Eutychus, however, contended that this knowledge belongs also to the Son, inasmuch as He has received all things from the Father. The Eunomian presidents, having condemned this opinion, he seceded from communion with them, and went to join Eunomius ...

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 3, page 28, footnote 4 (Image)

Theodoret, Jerome and Gennadius, Rufinus and Jerome

The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret. (HTML)

Counter-statements of Theodoret. (HTML)

CCEL Footnote 189 (In-Text, Margin)

... servant. To whom then are we, hold ing as we do the opposite opinion to theirs, and confessing the Son to be of one substance and co-eternal with God the Father, Creator of the Universe, Maker, Beautifier, Ruler, and Governor, All-wise, Almighty, or rather Himself, Power, Life and Wisdom, to refer the words “My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me;” or “Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me;” or “Father save me from this hour;” or “That hour no man knoweth, not even the Son of Man;”[Matthew 24:36] and all the other passages spoken and written in lowliness by Him and by the holy apostles about Him? To whom shall we apply the weariness and the sleep? To whom the ignorance and the fear? Who was it who stood in need of angelic succour? If these ...

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 3, page 28, footnote 6 (Image)

Theodoret, Jerome and Gennadius, Rufinus and Jerome

The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret. (HTML)

Counter-statements of Theodoret. (HTML)

CCEL Footnote 191 (In-Text, Margin)

... written in lowliness by Him and by the holy apostles about Him? To whom shall we apply the weariness and the sleep? To whom the ignorance and the fear? Who was it who stood in need of angelic succour? If these belong to God the Word, how was wisdom ignorant? How could it be called wisdom when affected by the sense of ignorance? How could He speak the truth in saying that He had all that the Father hath, when not having the knowledge of the Father? For He says, “The Father alone knoweth that day.”[Matthew 24:36] How could He be the unchanged image of Him that begat Him if He has not all that the Begetter hath? If then He speaks the truth when saying that He is ignorant, any one might suppose this of Him. But if He knoweth the day, but says that He is ...

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 8, page 138, footnote 5 (Image)

Basil: Letters and Select Works

The Letters. (HTML)

To his Brother Gregory, concerning the difference between οὐσία and ὑπόστασις. (HTML)

CCEL Footnote 2029 (In-Text, Margin)

... befalls us, is an operation, of the Grace which worketh in us all things, as the apostle says, “But all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will.” If we ask, if the supply of good things which thus comes to the saints has its origin in the Holy Ghost alone, we are on the other hand guided by Scripture to the belief that of the supply of the good things which are wrought in us through the Holy Ghost, the Originator and Cause is the Only-begotten God;[Matthew 24:36] for we are taught by Holy Scripture that “All things were made by Him,” and “by Him consist.” When we are exalted to this conception, again, led by God-inspired guidance, we are taught that by that power all things are brought from non-being into ...

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 8, page 276, footnote 5 (Image)

Basil: Letters and Select Works

The Letters. (HTML)

To the same Amphilochius. (HTML)

CCEL Footnote 2980 (In-Text, Margin)

... is, God.” For even in this passage the Son does not so speak to the exclusion of Himself from the good nature. But, since the Father is the first good, we believe the words “no man” to have been uttered with the understood addition of “first.” So with the passage “No man knoweth the Son but the Father;” even here there is no charge of ignorance against the Spirit, but only a testimony that knowledge of His own nature naturally belongs to the Father first. Thus also we understand “No man knoweth,”[Matthew 24:36] to refer to the Father the first knowledge of things, both present and to be, and generally to exhibit to men the first cause. Otherwise how can this passage fall in with the rest of the evidence of Scripture, or agree with the common notions of us ...

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 8, page 276, footnote 12 (Image)

Basil: Letters and Select Works

The Letters. (HTML)

To the same Amphilochius. (HTML)

CCEL Footnote 2987 (In-Text, Margin)

2. It would be worthy of your diligence to set the phrases of the Gospel side by side, and compare together those of Matthew and those of Mark, for these two alone are found in concurrence in this passage. The wording of Matthew is “of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”[Matthew 24:36] That of Mark runs, “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” What is noticeable in these passages is this; that Matthew says nothing about the ignorance of the Son, and seems to agree with Mark as to sense in saying “but my Father only.” Now I understand the ...

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 9, page 175, footnote 1 (Image)

Hilary of Poitiers, John of Damascus

Title Page (HTML)

De Trinitate or On the Trinity. (HTML)

De Trinitate or On the Trinity. (HTML)
Book IX (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 1060 (In-Text, Margin)

58. Seeking to disparage His nature, the heretics lay hold of such sayings as, The Father is greater than I, or, But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only[Matthew 24:36]. It is turned to a reproach against the Only-begotten God that He did not know the day and the hour: that, though God, born of God, He is not in the perfection of divine nature, since He is subjected to the limitation of ignorance; that is, an external force stronger than Himself, triumphing, as it were, over His weakness, makes Him captive to this infirmity. And, indeed, it is ...

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 9, page 184, footnote 3 (Image)

Hilary of Poitiers, John of Damascus

Title Page (HTML)

De Trinitate or On the Trinity. (HTML)

De Trinitate or On the Trinity. (HTML)
Book X (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 1105 (In-Text, Margin)

8. As we are answering all, even their most insensate statements, we come now to the discussion of the unknown hour[Matthew 24:36]. Now, even if, as they say, the Son had not known it, this could give no ground for an attack upon His Godhead as the Only-begotten. It was not in the nature of things that His birth should avail to put His beginning back, until it was equivalent to the existence which is unbegotten, and had no beginning; and the Father reserves as His prerogative, to demonstrate His authority as the Unbegotten, the fixing of this still undetermined day. ...

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Volume 10, page 236, footnote 4 (Image)

Ambrose: Select Works and Letters

Dogmatic Treatises, Ethical Works, and Sermons. (HTML)

Exposition of the Christian Faith. (HTML)

Book II. (HTML)
Chapter XI. The purpose and healing effects of the Incarnation. The profitableness of faith, whereby we know that Christ bore all infirmities for our sakes,--Christ, Whose Godhead revealed Itself in His Passion; whence we understand that the mission of the Son of God entailed no subservience, which belief we need not fear lest it displease the Father, Who declares Himself to be well pleased in His Son. (HTML)
CCEL Footnote 2037 (In-Text, Margin)

93. Let us bethink ourselves of the profitableness of right belief. It is profitable to me to know that for my sake Christ bore my infirmities, submitted to the affections of my body, that for me, that is to say, for every man, He was made sin, and a curse, that for me and in me was He humbled and made subject, that for me He is the Lamb, the Vine, the Rock, the Servant, the Son of an handmaid, knowing not the day of judgment, for my sake ignorant of the day and the hour.[Matthew 24:36]

Online Dictionary & Commentary of Early Church Beliefs