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1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
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[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 4:1
"After this, I beheld, and, lo, a door was opened in heaven." The new testament is announced as an open door in heaven.

"And the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me, saying, Come up hither." Since the door is shown to be opened, it is manifest that previously it had been closed to men. And it was sufficiently and fully laid open when Christ ascended with His body to the Father into heaven. Moreover, the first voice which he had heard when he says that it spoke with him, without contradiction condemns those who say that one spoke in the prophets, another in the Gospel; since it is rather He Himself who comes, that is the same who spoke in the prophets. For John was of the circumcision, and all that people which had heard the announcement of the Old Testament was edified with his word.

"That very same voice," said he, "that I had heard, that said unto me, Come up hither." That is the Spirit, whom a little before he confesses that he had seen walking as the Son of man in the midst of the golden candlesticks. And he now gathers from Him what had been foretold in similitudes by the law, and associates with this scripture all the former prophets, and opens up the Scriptures. And because our Lord invited in His own name all believers into heaven, He forthwith poured out the Holy Spirit, who should bring them to heaven.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 4:1
“Afterwards,” John said, “I saw.” After seeing the vision, he remembered that he had seen another. The interval in time belongs not to the events but to the visions. If one were to describe a single event in different ways, it would be the descriptions that differ in time, not what took place at one time. In this way, he retraces the whole span of the church using various figures to describe it. “Behold,” he says, “an open door in heaven.” The open door represents Christ, who was born, suffered and was raised. Christ is the gateway, as he himself said, “I am the door.” Heaven represents the church because it is the habitation of God where the celestial realities are effected. This is why we pray that the will of God be done on earth even as it is in heaven. Sometimes, however, the church is represented by both heaven and earth, since the earth comes into agreement with heaven, either when the unfaithful are won by the righteous proclamation of the faithful, or when the flesh is subdued by the Spirit, or when the things of the earth are reconciled and united to the things of heaven.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:1
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 4:1
This is, therefore, the voice of prophecy of which it is said, “Lift up your voice like a trumpet.” One has gone up and ascended who, having despised the world, is either compelled to come to the church or obtains admission to her. He ascends from the valley of tears to the height of that dignity of which we read, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us his ways.” However, the faithful are also invited to ascend to heaven when they are commanded to seek and to taste what is in heaven and not what is upon the earth. For when a neophyte in the church is taught that Christ suffered, was raised and has ascended to the Father, and then beyond these things is taught and instructed spiritually to contemplate him in the Father according to the form of God, he is rightly said to ascend, since he will see the secrets of the mysteries in which he has believed. Therefore, the Lord said, “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father,” wishing this touching to be understood as belief.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:1
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 4:1
The opening of the door signifies the revelation of the hidden mysteries of the Spirit. The trumpet represents the sonorous voice of the Revealer. “Come up here” indicates that the mind of the hearer is to turn away completely from the things of the earth and be turned toward heaven.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:1
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:1
After this, I looked, and behold, a door open in heaven. After describing the works of the Church, what it was and what it would be like, he recapitulates from the birth of Christ, intending to say the same things differently. For he repeats the entire time of the Church in various figures in this book. Behold, he says, a door open in heaven. Fittingly, he sees a heavenly door about to ascend, to whom high mysteries are promised to be revealed. Or because Christ is the door, he who believes in Him born and suffered ascends to heaven, that is, to the height of the Church, and sees future spiritual events as he says.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 4:1-3
It is not that there is in heaven a door that is being shut and opened from time to time, but this is how it was shown to the evangelist so that he might see the things above the heavens. For when any door is opened, the things inside are necessarily observed.

He says, And I heard a voice, which sounded like a trumpet and said to me: Come up here, he says, so that you may see the things which are going to take place.

And I went up in the Spirit—for the way up was neither bodily nor perceptible—and, he says, I see a throne, and God and a Spirit on it like jasper and carnelian. God is certainly not like these, nor like any perceptible thing, or like a body at all; he is invisible, incorporeal, and without form, whose invisible nature the seraphim indicate as they cover their faces with their wings. God, too, when he spoke to Moses said, Nobody shall see “my face and live.” But also the evangelist himself denies this possibility, saying, “no one has ever yet seen God.” Therefore, God was not seen to be like anything, but it was from the acts of God that the vision was depicted in the Revelation.

For jasper—which is a precious stone—looks like emerald and is green, resembling an asp’s poison, from which it also derives its name. Carnelian is another precious stone, fiery bright and blood-red.

Jasper signifies for us God’s ability to give life and to provide for our needs, since every nourishment of human beings and four-footed animals and birds and reptiles has its source, and thus its cause, originating from green plants. For the prophet says, “He causes grass to grow for the cattle, and green plants for the service of men, so as to bring food from the earth. And wine cheers a man’s heart, making glad his face with oil.” And again, in creating the world, God says, “Let the earth put forth vegetation, seed yielding seed according to its kind.”

So jasper connotes these things. But by carnelian he describes the awe of God. “For our God is a devouring fire,” says the hierophant Moses. And the prophet, too, says of God, “You are awesome, and who can stand before you?” In agreement with this, the wise apostle writes, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

For since the goodness of God is pure, and therefore at variance with those who love sin and despise him, it does not lead them to repentance but to fearlessness in committing sin. So God is rightly depicted as awesome, as well as being good and beneficent. Wherefore Paul, knowing that the disposition of those under instruction needs goads, and not only gentleness, wrote to the Corinthians, saying, “What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and in a spirit of gentleness?” And one of the saints also exclaimed, “Gehenna does not terrify you. The kingdom of heaven does not persuade you; we are talking to a heart of stone.” In this way the awesomeness of God and his readiness to punish was found useful to those undergoing discipline.

But carnelian is not the first with God; jasper is the first. For his nature is goodness itself, kindness, and gentleness, and he wishes to be our father rather than our tyrant. But, if it is permissible to say so, it is we who compel him to be awesome and ready to punish, so that he often puts aside his natural gentleness, and is driven to unnatural severity.

He says, And round his throne was a rainbow in appearance like an emerald: the visible rainbow, which the divine Scripture calls a bow of God, which is caused by the reflection of the sun’s light when it is intercepted and impeded by a thick cloud, has a variegated color of all kinds. That spiritual rainbow, however, circling the divine throne, was of a single color, for it was like an emerald.

It indicates all the holy and ministering spirits around God, wherefore he has called it a rainbow, even though it has a single color, so that from the variegated colors of the rainbow we may obtain an idea of the numerous ranks and differences of the divine angels. Yet all things are aglow with one color. For all are alike beneficial and bear an imitation of their own master, with the emerald color bearing witness to the [angels’] providential beneficence, just as the color of jasper bears witness to God’s providence.

Perhaps a reader may be troubled by something here: Why is it that while the holy ranks of the incorporeal beings around God are compared to the more precious stone of the emerald, God himself is compared to the less precious, jasper and carnelian? The reason is that the account is now concerned not with the value of the objects seen but with the meaning of the colors. If anyone should meanly look for value, there is not a single thing with which God may be compared.

Nor should anyone complain that the Lord is compared to a stone, for Isaiah says about the Lord, “See, I am laying in Zion a corner-stone.” And the prophet says about him, “The stone which the builders rejected.” The wicked ranks of demons are described allegorically as mountains: for David himself said that “mountains were being changed, in the heart of the sea, and mountains were stirred up by his mighty power.” They are of such a size that it is not even possible to discover their height.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 4:2
"Immediately I was in the Spirit." And since the mind of the faithful is opened by the Holy Spirit, and that is manifested to them which was also foretold to the fathers, he distinctly says:-

"And, behold, a throne was set in heaven." The throne set: what is it but the throne of judgment and of the King?

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 420] Jerome on Revelation 4:2-6
[Daniel 7:9] "I beheld until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of days took His seat. His garment was as white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was composed of fiery flames and its wheels were set on fire. From before His presence there issued forth a rushing, fiery stream." We read something similar in John's Apocalypse: "After these things I was immediately in the Spirit, and lo, a throne was set up in heaven, and one was seated upon the throne; and He who sat upon it had the likeness of jasper and sardine stone, and there was a rainbow round about the throne like the appearance of emerald. Around the throne there were twenty-four other thrones, and upon the twenty-four thrones there sat twenty-four elders, clothed in shining garments; upon their heads was a golden crown, and lightning flashes issued from the throne, and voices and thunder. And in front of the throne there were seven torches of burning fire, which were the seven spirits of God. And in front of the throne lay a glassy sea like unto crystal." (Revelation 4:2-6) And so the many thrones which Daniel saw seem to me to be what John called the twenty-four thrones. And the Ancient of days is the One who, according to John sits alone upon His throne. Likewise the Son of man, who came unto the Ancient of days, is the same as He who, according to John, is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, and the titles of that sort (Revelation 5:5). I imagine that these thrones are the ones of which the Apostle Paul says, "Whether thrones or dominions..." (Colossians 1:16). And in the Gospel we read, "Ye yourselves shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28). And God is called the One who sits and who is the Ancient of days, in order that His character as eternal Judge might be indicated. His garment is shining white like the snow, and the hair of His head is like pure wool. The Savior also, when He was transfigured on the mount and assumed the glory of His divine majesty, appeared in shining white garments (Matthew 17:2). And as for the fact that His hair is compared to perfectly pure wool, the even-handedness and uprightness of His judgment is shown forth, a judgment which shows no partiality in its exercise. Moreover He is described as an elderly man, in order that the ripeness of His judgment may be established. His throne consists of fiery flames, in order that sinners may tremble before the severity of the torments, and also that the just may be saved, but so as by fire. The wheels of the throne are set aflame, or else it is the wheels of His chariot which are aflame. In Ezekiel also God is ushered on the scene seated in a four-horse chariot (Ezekiel 1:4-28), and everything pertaining to God is of a fiery consistency. In another place also a statement is made on this subject: "God is a consuming fire" (Deuteronomy 4:24), that we might know that wood, hay and stubble are going to burn up in the day of judgment. And in the Psalms we read: "Fire goeth before Him, and He shall set aflame all His enemies round about Him" (Psalm 97:3). A rushing, fiery stream proceeded from before Him in order that it might carry sinners to hell (Gehenna).

Source: St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 4:2-3
Who would think that he speaks anything fleshly who reports that he had entered in the spirit? A man so thoroughly tested by his God receives nothing fleshly, nothing earthly. But he was in the spirit so that he might see the Lord of majesty, whom he perceives in the spirit, but does not behold in the flesh. He thereby fulfilled what the apostle said: “Even though we knew Christ according to the flesh, we know him thus no longer.”

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:2
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 4:2-3
The jasper stone shines with a green and radiant brightness, so that he might know that the flesh of the assumed man, taken up without a hint of sin, shines with the vigor of everlasting sincerity and glows through the indwelling of the divine power. However, the carnelian stone is red and glimmers with a certain darkness, so that you might recognize the integrity of the undefiled flesh assumed from the modest and humble Virgin.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:3
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:2
And immediately I was in the Spirit. And the first voice which I heard. Certainly similar to the previous voice, which had said: What you see, write in a book (Rev. 1).

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:2
And behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne. The Lord inhabits the church placed in heavenly conversation. Pope Gregory interprets the throne of God in the vision of Micah as angelic powers. Presiding higher in their minds, He disposes all things below.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 220] Tertullian on Revelation 4:3
At last there has really been found a way to prevent even gold from being loved! We have also seen at Rome the nobility of gems blushing in the presence of our matrons at the contemptuous usage of the Parthians and Medes, and the rest of their own fellow-countrymen, only that (their gems) are not generally worn with a view to ostentation. Emeralds lurk in their belts; and the sword (that hangs) below their bosom alone is witness to the cylindrical stones that decorate its hilt; and the massive single pearls on their boots are fain to get lifted out of the mud! In short, they carry nothing so richly gemmed as that which ought not to be gemmed if it is (either) not conspicuous, or else is conspicuous only that it may be shown to be also neglected.

Source: On the Apparel of Women Book I
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 4:3
"And He that sate upon the throne was, to look upon, like a jasper and a sardine stone." Upon the throne he says that he saw the likeness of a jasper and a sardine stone. The jasper is of the colour of water, the sardine of fire. These two are thence manifested to be placed as judgments upon God's tribunal until the consummation of the world, of which judgments one is already completed in the deluge of water, and the other shall be completed by fire.

"And there was a rainbow about the throne." Moreover, the rainbow round about the throne has the same colours. The rainbow is called a bow from what the Lord spake to Noah and to his sons, that they should not fear any further deluge in the generation of God, but fire. For thus He says: I will place my bow in the clouds, that ye may now no longer fear water, but fire.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 4:3
Since the rainbow was given as a sign of safety after the flood, it is now suitably used as a sign of the church’s reconciliation to God. For when the storm clouds are irradiated by the splendor of the sun, they produce the form of a rainbow. In comparison to this, when the souls of the saints are illumined by the Sun of righteousness, which is Christ, his deity deigns to be reconciled by their intercession.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:2-3
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:3
And he who was sitting was like the appearance of a jasper and a sardius stone. Jasper's color signifies water, sardius fire. With these two, we know the judgment is celebrated. For as it was in the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man (Matt. 24).

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:3
And a rainbow was around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. The rainbow, which is made by the sun shining on clouds, and after the flood was first made a sign of propitiation, by the intercession of the saints whom the Lord illuminates, signifies the Church being fortified. They are well compared to the emerald stone of great greenness; for as they expect an imperishable inheritance with perfect faith, they also powerfully protect others by praying.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 215] Clement of Alexandria on Revelation 4:4
He will sit down on the four-and-twenty thrones,
[AD 220] Tertullian on Revelation 4:4
If she ought not to appear with her head uncovered on account of the angels, much more with a crown on it will she offend those (elders) who perhaps are then wearing crowns above. For what is a crown on the head of a woman, but beauty made seductive, but mark of utter wantonness,-a notable casting away of modesty, a setting temptation on fire? Therefore a woman, taking counsel from the apostles' foresight, will not too elaborately adorn herself, that she may not either be crowned with any exquisite arrangement of her hair.

Source: De Corona
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 4:4
The day, as I have above related, is divided into two parts by the number twelve-by the twelve hours of day and night; and by these hours too, months, and years, and seasons, and ages are computed. Therefore, doubtless, there are appointed also twelve angels of the day and twelve angels of the night, in accordance, to wit, with the number of hours. For these are the twenty-four witnesses of the days and nights which sit before the throne of God, having golden crowns on their heads, whom the Apocalypse of John the apostle and evangelist calls elders, for the reason that they are older both than the other angels and than men.

Source: Victorinus On the Creation of the World
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 4:4
The elders represent the whole church, as we learn through Isaiah, “The Lord has reigned in Zion and in Jerusalem, and he will be glorified in the presence of his elders.” However, the twenty-four includes at the same time both leaders and people, as though duplicating the twelve tribes of Israel on account of the two Testaments. For the very same church is established in both the old and in the new, since he shows the church in the twelve apostles, namely, the entire body of leaders. And so we discover Jerusalem in the description of the city descending from heaven. The twenty-four thrones, considered by way of a distribution of offices, are twelve, since also the leaders of the twelve tribes will be advanced. And the twelve thrones, considered by way of a mystical number, is one throne, where from comes the church. For the Lord Christ is alone the one who will sit in judgment. However, the church also will sit and does sit judging the twelve tribes, but she will do this in Christ in whom is the whole [church]. Therefore, the members will sit and judge, but in one head and through one head.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:4
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 4:4
Most evidently John has described the chorus of the patriarchs and of the apostles, who sit upon the chair of holy doctrine. These he calls “elders,” that is, “fathers,” and they are clothed in white garments, that is, they are clothed in works of righteousness and in purity. They carry upon their heads golden crowns, for they have been made victors in present struggles, since that evil enemy, the devil, has been thrown down, and they have received their crowns from the Lord. Concerning this crown, the vessel of election says: “I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on the day, and not only to me but also to those who love his appearing.”

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:4
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:4
And around the throne were twenty-four thrones, etc. He sees the same Church, which he had seen as one seat because of the fellowship of faith, generated from the patriarchs and apostles through the double testament, in twenty-four thrones, sitting because of its judicial dignity in Christ. For all members will sit and judge, but in one and through one head. For how can the saints sit in judgment, standing at the right hand of the Judge? The twenty-four elders can also be understood as those who complete the perfection of work, which is commended by the number six, with the clear preaching of the Gospel. For four times six makes twenty-four.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:4
Clothed in white garments, and on their heads were golden crowns. That is, clothed in good works, seeking heavenly joys with the perpetual memory of the mind. For often the mind is understood by the name of the head.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 4:4-6
Only God, the one who knows the hidden things, and he to whom they are revealed, would know who were the twenty-four elders seated on the thrones. My guess is that they were Abel, Enoch, and Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Melchisedek and Job, Moses and Aaron, Joshua the son of Nun, and Samuel, David, Elijah, and Elisha, the twelve minor prophets combined together as one, Isaiah and Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, and John, James the son of Joseph, and Stephen, the martyrs of the New Testament.

One could have spoken of Peter, Paul, and James the brother of John, whom Herod “killed with a sword,” and the rest of the band of the holy apostles, if they had not had the promise from the Lord that they would sit, not now, but in the new age, on twelve thrones, which are clearly different from those mentioned here. For this is what the Lord said to them in the gospel according to Matthew: “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed me, in the new age when the Son of” God “shall sit on his glorious throne, you too will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

The white garments are a sign of their purity in their lifetime; the crowns are the sign of their conquest of their passions and spiritual enemies;

the issuance of lightning and sounds of thunder from the throne symbolizes once again the awesomeness of God. Delight in the divine beauty is found not in some enjoyment of merriment and pleasure, but in awe and wonder. Because he knew this the prophet said, “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in him with trembling.”

He says, Seven torches of fire, burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God: seven is the number of the archangels, says Clement in the sixth book of his Stromateis, perhaps under the influence of this text. He says that these seven spirits are like torches of fire. For it is said about angels somewhere, “He who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire,” the divine Scriptures meaning these whom we are now discussing.

He says, And before the throne there is a sea of glass, like crystal: the vision of the sea is the multitude; and the glass and the crystal denote the purity and the freedom from every defilement of the holy spirits around God, who are as the sea in number; “for a thousand thousand stood before him,” says Daniel, “and ten thousand times ten thousand waited upon him”; and although there are so many, all of them are pure, resembling glass and crystal.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 4:5
Behold the seven horns of the Lamb, the seven eyes of God -the seven eyes are the seven spirits of the Lamb; seven torches burning before the throne of God seven golden candlesticks, seven young sheep, the seven women in Isaiah, the seven churches in Paul, seven deacons, seven angels, seven trumpets, seven seals to the book, seven periods of seven days with which Pentecost is completed, the seven weeks in Daniel, also the forty-three weeks in Daniel; with Noah, seven of all clean things in the ark; seven revenges of Cain, seven years for a debt to be acquitted, the lamp with seven orifices, seven pillars of wisdom in the house of Solomon...

"And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and seven torches of fire burning." And the lightnings, and voices, and thunders proceeding from the throne of God, and the seven torches of fire burning, signify announcements, and promises of adoption, and threatenings. For lightnings signify the Lord's advent, and the voices the announcements of the New Testament, and the thunders, that the words are from heaven. The burning torches of fire signify the gift of the Holy Spirit, that it is given by the wood of the passion.

Source: Victorinus On the Creation of the World
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 4:5
In the voices and thunder the proclamation of the gospel is indicated, while the lightning signifies the miraculous signs, as we read in the Gospel, “They went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs which followed.” And again: “The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind, and your lightning illumined the whole world.” For, as though from the clouds, the world, trembling by the thunderous commandments and astonishing miracles, was brought to fear and made to believe.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:5
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 4:5
These seven lamps are the seven spirits of God. Even if he had not explained it, we would have properly understood these seven lamps to represent the Holy Spirit. For we know that at the beginning he had illuminated the apostles in the form of fiery tongues, and [we are aware] of his sevenfold operation. How much more clear is it, when now he himself adds, “which are the seven spirits of God.” But where is the Holy Spirit more properly said to be present than at the time of baptism, when we believe that each one of the faithful have properly received him.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:5
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 4:5
He desires that we understand that the entire original preaching of the apostles and indeed the heavenly and sacred doctrine proceeds from the judgment and inspiration of God. We interpret therefore the flashes of lightning to be the words of all the saints, and likewise the thunder to be the voices of the preachers. We confess that all these things come forth from one source, namely, God. Concerning these flashes of lightning and sounds of thunder, it is said: “The voice of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings illumined the whole world.”

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:5
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 4:5
This passage shows how fearful and terrible God is to those unworthy of his long-suffering. However, [the lightning and thunder] become, to those worthy of salvation, their enlightenment. The lightning enlightens the eyes of the mind, and the thunder falls upon spiritual ears.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:5
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:5
And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and voices and peals of thunder. This is what Mark says: But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the accompanying signs (Mark 16).

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:5
And seven burning lamps before the throne, etc. He speaks of the one Spirit in a sevenfold way, for there is one Spirit. But the sevenfold nature is perfection and fullness. Having mentioned the Holy Spirit, it is fitting that the wave of baptism follows, in which the same Spirit is believed to be received.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 202] Irenaeus on Revelation 4:6-7
It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. For there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the church is scattered throughout the world. And the “pillar and ground” of the church is the gospel and the Spirit of life. So it is fitting that she should have four pillars, breathing out immortality on every side and making people alive once more. From which fact, it is evident that the Word, the Craftsman of all things, who sits upon the cherubim and contains all things, who was manifested to humankind, has given us the gospel under four aspects but bound together by one Spirit. As also David says, when praying to the manifestation of the Word, “You, who sit between the cherubim, shine forth.” For the cherubim, too, were four-faced, and their faces were images of the dispensation of the Son of God. For, [as the Scripture] says, “The first living creature was like a lion,” symbolizing his effectual working, his leadership and royal power. The second [living creature] was like a calf, signifying [his] sacrificial and priestly order. But “the third had, as it were, the face as of a man,” an evident description of the Word’s advent as a human being. “The fourth was like a flying eagle,” pointing out the gift of the Spirit hovering with his wings over the church. And therefore the Gospels are in accord with these things, among which Christ Jesus is seated. For the Word, according to John, relates his original, effectual and glorious generation from the Father, thus declaring, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Also, “all things were made by him, and without him was nothing made.” For this reason, too, is that Gospel full of all confidence, for such is his person. But that according to Luke, the taking up [his] priestly character, commenced with Zechariah the priest offering sacrifice to God. For now was made ready the fatted calf, about to be sacrificed by fire for the finding again of the younger son. Matthew, again, relates his generation of Jesus Christ, “the son of David, the son of Abraham.” And also, “the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way.” This, then, is the Gospel of his humanity. For which reason it is, too, that [the character of] a humble and meek man is sustained through the whole Gospel. Mark, on the other hand, commences with [a reference to] the prophetic spirit coming down from on high to men. He says, “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet,” pointing to the winged aspect of the Gospel. On this account he made a compendious and cursory narrative, for such is the prophetic character.

Source: AGAINST HERESIES 3.11.8
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 4:6
"And before the throne there was, as it were, a sea of glass like to crystal." That is the gift of baptism which He sheds forth through His Son in time of repentance, before He executes judgment. It is therefore before the throne, that is, the judgment.And when he says a sea of glass like to crystal, he shows that it is pure water, smooth, not agitated by the wind, not flowing down as on a slope, but given to be immoveable as the house of God."And round about the throne were four living creatures." The four living creatures are the four Gospels.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 4:6
Now is manifested the reason of the truth why the fourth day is called the Tetras, why we fast even to the ninth hour, or even to the evening, or why there should be a passing over even to the next day. Therefore this world of ours is composed of four elements-fire, water, heaven, earth. These four elements, therefore, form the quaternion of times or seasons. The sun, also, and the moon constitute throughout the space of the year four seasons-of spring, summer, autumn, winter; and these seasons make a quaternion. And to proceed further still from that principle, lo, there are four living creatures before God's throne, four Gospels, four rivers flowing in paradise; four generations of people from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Abraham, from Abraham to Moses, from Moses to Christ the Lord, the Son of God; and four living creatures, viz., a man, a calf, a lion, an eagle; and four rivers, the Pison, the Gihon. the Tigris, and the Euphrates. The man Christ Jesus, the originator of these things whereof we have above spoken, was taken prisoner by wicked hands, by a quaternion of soldiers. Therefore on account of His captivity by a quaternion, on account of the majesty of His works,-that the seasons also, wholesome to humanity, joyful for the harvests, tranquil for the tempests, may roll on,-therefore we make the fourth day a station or a supernumerary fast.

Source: Victorinus On the Creation of the World
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Revelation 4:6-7
Both in the prophet Ezekiel and in the Apocalypse of the same John whose Gospel this is, there is mentioned a quadruple beast, having four characteristic faces: a man’s, a calf’s, a lion’s, an eagle’s. Very many who have commented on the mysteries of the holy Scriptures before us have understood the four Evangelists in this animal, or rather in these animals. The lion, [they say], has been put for king, because the lion seems to be, in a way, the king of beasts because of his power and terrifying bravery. This character has been attributed to Matthew because he described in proper order the royal line in the generations of the Lord, how the Lord was through royal descent from the seed of King David. But Luke, because he began from the priesthood of the priest Zechariah, making mention of the father of John the Baptist, is accounted the calf because the calf was the important victim in the sacrifice of the priests. Christ as a man has rightly been assigned to Mark, because neither did he say anything about his royal power nor did he begin from the priestly, but he simply started with Christ the man. All of these have practically not departed from the earthly things, that is, from those deeds that the Lord Jesus Christ performed on earth. They said very few things about his divinity, as if they were walking with him on earth. There remains the eagle: it is John, he who preaches the sublime and who gazes with unflinching eyes upon the internal and eternal light.

Source: TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 36.5.2
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 4:6-7
The church, therefore, lives and works on the strength and beauty of the royal majesty, because the Lion of the tribe of Judah conquers. “For Judah is a lion’s cub,” from whose tribe kings are accustomed to be set over the people. “And the second animal was like a calf.” For the same reason, the virtue of the church is indicated in the calf, namely, the first victim, for whenever anyone of the faithful is slain for Christ, he conquers at that moment. “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable worship,” so that what the Head has accomplished on behalf of the body, the body may be worthy to fulfill for the Head. For this reason, [the Gospel of Luke] began with Zechariah the priest. “The third animal had a face like a man.” In my opinion, the humility of the church is here commended. For although she has received “the Spirit of the adoption of sons” and possesses “this treasure in clay vessels,” she nevertheless freely prefers to glory humbly in her weaknesses than to be praised in the strengths that she has acquired. In this way she devoutly follows in the footsteps of the Master who was “made obedient even unto death” and who said, “Learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart.” “The fourth animal was like a flying eagle.” The celestial church is being described as flying on the spiritual thoughts of her members. For she is free from the heaviness of earthly desires and is drawn into the heights at the direction of the two Testaments.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:7
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 4:6
The sea of glass refers to baptism, where “it is believed with the heart unto justification, and there is confession with the mouth unto salvation.” And it is likened to glass because of faith. For in glass there is nothing to be seen on the outside than what is true on the inside. Nor is it without reason that baptism is said to be in the presence of the throne, lest heretics believe that they possess this or can bestow this outside [the church]. As so it says that [baptism is] in the presence of the throne, just as we read what was said to Moses, “The place is near me,” or as God himself exhorted in Deuteronomy, “In the place which the Lord your God chooses, to make his name present there.” We know that by all these passages the indivisible unity of the church is declared, where the Trinity may be received by baptism unto salvation, while the one who receives [baptism] outside [the church] is born to destruction. The gift of baptism is not evil but becomes evil when one to whom it is given makes evil use of it, just as was the morsel which was extended to Judas by the hand of the Lord.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:6
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 4:6-7
“The first animal was like a lion.” Most of our interpreters say that this signifies the person of Mark, the Evangelist. And indeed this seems most apt and true, for his Gospel begins in this way: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, ‘Behold, I send my messenger who shall prepare the way before your face.’ ” Nor is it strange that here Isaiah is mentioned instead of Malachi, for most certainly this testimony occurs in Malachi. However, “Isaiah” means “the salvation of the Lord,” and “Malachi” means “angel.” And so at the beginning of the Gospel he prefers to speak of the salvation of the Lord, which is “Isaiah,” rather than of the angel, which is “Malachi,” in order that through the faith of the gospel he might suggest the immovable perpetuity of the present and future life. And then, to be sure, he mentions the “messenger,” which is “angel,” and he adds the words of Isaiah: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight the highways of our God,” so that, salvation having been both promised and foretold, he might show the messenger of the truth and might prepare the hearts of humankind for the reception of grace. And the form of the lion is in this, that he reports that John was in the desert preaching and enjoying the desert, as he says: “John was in the desert baptizing and proclaiming the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” The words “the second creature was like an ox” introduce Luke. For a bull is representative of the priesthood, as it is said in Isaiah: “Blessed are you who sow upon all the waters, letting the feet of the ox and the ass go free.” And so at the beginning of his Gospel, he speaks of Zechariah the priest: “In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah.” “The third living creature with the face of a man” indicates Matthew, for at the beginning of his Gospel, Matthew wished to report the genealogy of the Lord according to the flesh. The words “the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle” indicate John. For, at the beginning of his Gospel, John did not speak of the humanity of the Lord or of the priesthood or of John preaching in the desert. Rather, desiring like an eagle to reach toward the height of heaven itself, he left behind all things lowly and spoke properly of him as God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; he was in the beginning with God.”

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:7
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 4:6
The sea of glass is like crystal, that is, it is transparent, indicating that it is infused by a certain whiteness and an uncommon purity. With good reason we think that this is said of the font of baptism and of the grace of regeneration. For [baptism] cleanses and illumines those who have received it and it clothes those who have been led to purity with the splendor of righteousness. These are the waters of which it is written in the prophets: “In those days living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. They shall continue in summer and in winter.”

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:6
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:6
And before the throne, there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. This refers to the faith of true baptism, which is related to glass, in which nothing different is seen on the outside than what it bears within. The grace of baptism is also figured by crystal, which is formed from water into ice and a precious stone.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:6
And in the midst of the throne and around the throne, there were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind. All parts of the throne of God, that is, the Church, are filled with the light of the Gospel from the knowledge of past and future things.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 4:6-8
This is not to say that these are those holy living creatures whom Ezekiel the prophet was deemed worthy to see. Each of those had both four faces and eight wings, and they sidled along on wheels called Gelgel, even if those were many-eyed just like these. Here, each had one face, even if it was different, and six wings. And those were the cherubim, so called by Ezekiel, but these, as I surmise, are the seraphim, who were shown to the blessed Isaiah, even though Isaiah did not mention that they had any faces, but only that they covered their faces with their wings, nor did he mention a multitude of eyes, but that they were six-winged.

It is important to explain the symbolism of the visions shown to the evangelist. There was an error among some of the Jews, who held that while God made provision for the holy orders in heaven and loved to dwell only among them, he stood aloof and was not concerned about those on the earth because of the transgression of Adam. That is why they said in Isaiah’s words, “Why have we fasted and you did not see it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you took no notice?” Their error arose from a scriptural text which said, “Lord in heaven, your mercy and your truth reach up to the clouds,” as though the divine providence deemed it unworthy to proceed downwards on account of the sins on earth.

So the vision shows the evangelist that the providence of God extends through all things, both providing for those in heaven and condescending to those on earth, and this is the symbolism of the four holy living creatures which are around the divine throne. For since every perceptible and earthly body is composed of the four elements—fire, earth, air, and water—each of the living creatures represents one of these. The lion represents fire, on account of the heat and the passion of the animal; the ox represents the earth, because the ox’s work is on the earth; the man represents the air, for man is a heavenly creature and high in the air on account of the subtlety of his mind; the eagle represents water, for birds have their origin in water.

They are seen around the throne of God, since those who are signified by the living creatures, that is, those on earth, are deemed worthy of his concern and providence. Their being many-eyed represents the all-surveying oversight of God over them.

And they have no rest by day or by night. He says this not because they continually spend a painful and burdensome life, so that they are unable to have any respite from toil or from demanding obligation, but because they never desist from giving praises to God, and from reveling in their songs to him.

Their saying holy seven times signifies often and incessantly. The number seven has been handed down many times in Holy Scripture, such as “she who was barren gave birth to seven, and she who had many children grew weak,” and “the seven eyes of the Lord which watch over all the earth,” and “the righteous man” set free “seven times from his distress.”

He says, who is and who was, and is coming: the holy and august Trinity is indicated here, as was said earlier. But it does no harm to say it again now, for “to write the same things is not irksome to me, but it is safe for those who read,” the divine apostle declared. He who is was the name given to the Father by Moses. For he says to him, “I am who I am.” He who was is said about the Son by the evangelist himself, saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” By he who is coming he means the Holy Spirit, for he always visits the souls who are worthy to receive him.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 4:7-10
"The first living creature was like to a lion, and the second was like to a calf, and the third had a face like to a man, and the fourth was like to a flying eagle; and they had six wings, and round about and within they were full of eyes; and they had no rest, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord Omnipotent. And the four and twenty elders, failing down before the throne, adored God." The four and twenty elders arethe twenty-four books of the prophets and of the law, which give testimonies of the judgment. Moreover, also, they are the twenty-four fathers-twelve apostles and twelve patriarchs.And in that the living creatures are different in appearance, this is the reason: the living creature like to a lion designates Mark, in whom is heard the voice of the lion roaring in the desert. And in the figure of a man, Matthew strives to declareto us the genealogy of Mary, from whom Christ took flesh. Therefore, in enumerating from Abraham to David, and thence to Joseph, he spoke of Him as if of a man: therefore his announcement sets forth the image of a man. Luke, in narrating the priesthood of Zacharias as he offers a sacrifice for the people, and the angel that appears to him with respect of the priesthood, and the victim in the same description bore the likeness of a calf. John the evangelist, like to an eagle hastening on uplifted wings to greater heights, argues about the Word of God. Mark, therefore, as an evangelist thus beginning, "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet; " The voice of one crying in the wilderness," -has the effigy of a lion. And Matthew, "The hook of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: " this is the form of a man. But Luke said, "There was a priest, by name Zachariah, of the course of Abia, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron: " this is the likeness of a calf. But John, when he begins, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," sets forth the likeness of a flying eagle. Moreover, not only do the evangelists express their four similitudes in their respective openings of the Gospels, but also the Word itself of God the Father Omnipotent, which is His Son our Lord Jesus Christ, bears the same likeness in the time of His advent. When He preaches to us, He is, as it were, a lion and a lion's whelp. And when for man's salvation He was made man to overcome death, and to set all men free, and that He offered Himself a victim to the Father on our behalf, He was called a calf. And that He overcame death and ascended into the heavens, extending His wings and protecting His people, He was named a flying eagle. Therefore these announcements, although they are four, yet are one, because it proceeded from one mouth. Even as the river in paradise, although it is one, was divided into four heads. Moreover, that for the announcement of the New Testament those bring creatures had eyes within and without, shows the spiritual providence which both looks into the secrets of the heart, and beholds the things which are coming after that are within and without.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:7
And the first living creature was like a lion, etc. These living creatures are interpreted in various ways. But blessed Augustine, according to the order of this book, says that Matthew is understood in the lion, who narrates the royal lineage of Christ, who also conquered as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. For the cub of the lion is Judah (Gen. 49). And in whom, as a king, he is feared by a king, worshipped by the magi. Where also the king reckons with his servants, the king makes a marriage for his son, and finally, the king separates the sheep from the goats. Luke is in the calf, which was a great sacrifice in the law. For not only are his beginnings around the temple and sacrifices, but it also concludes: And they were continually in the temple praising and blessing God (Luke 24). The face of a man signifies Mark, who, saying nothing of the royal or priestly power of the Lord, simply narrates the deeds of the man Christ. But John is the eagle, who sharply looks at the birth of the Word like the rising sun. The living creatures sometimes signify the evangelists, sometimes the whole Church. Whose strength is shown in the lion, sacrifice in the calf, humility in the man, sublimity in the flying eagle.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 220] Tertullian on Revelation 4:8
Certainly it is right that God should be blessed in all places and at all times because it is every person’s duty to be ever mindful of his benefits, but this wish takes the form of a benediction. Moreover, when is the name of God not holy and blessed in itself, when of itself it makes others holy? To him the attending hosts of angels cease not to say, “Holy, holy, holy!” Therefore, we, too—the future comrades of the angels, if we earn this reward—become familiar even while here on this earth with that heavenly cry of praise to God and the duty of our future glory.

Source: ON PRAYER 3.2-3
[AD 220] Tertullian on Revelation 4:8
Otherwise, when is the name of God not "holy," and "hallowed" through Himself, seeing that of Himself He sanctifies all others-He to whom that surrounding circle of angels cease not to say, "Holy, holy, holy? " In like wise, therefore, we too, candidates for angelhood, if we succeed in deserving it, begin even here on earth to learn by heart that strain hereafter to be raised unto God, and the function of future glory.

Source: On Prayer
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 4:8
"Six wings." These are the testimonies of the books of the Old Testament. Thus, twenty and four make as many as there are elders sitting upon the thrones. But as an animal cannot fly unless it have wings, so, too, the announcement of the New Testament gains no faith unless it have the fore-announced testimonies of the Old Testament, by which it is lifted from the earth, and flies. For in every case, what has been told before, and is afterwards found to have happened, that begets an undoubting faith. Again, also, if wings be not attached to the living creatures, they have nothing whence they may draw their life. For unless what the prophets foretold had been consummated in Christ, their preaching was vain. For the Catholic Church holds those things which were both before predicted and afterwards accomplished. And it flies, because the living animal is reasonably lifted up from the earth. But to heretics who do not avail themselves of the prophetic testimony, to them also there are present living creatures; but they do not fly, because they are of the earth. And to the Jews who do not receive the announcement of the New Testament there are present wings; but they do not fly, that is, they bring a vain prophesying to men, not adjusting facts to their words. And the books of the Old Testament that are received are twenty-four, which you will find in the epitomes of Theodore. But, moreover (as we have said), four and twenty elders, patriarchs and apostles, are to judge His people. For to the apostles, when they asked, saying, "We have forsaken all that we had, and followed Thee: what shall we have? "our Lord replied, "When the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." But of the fathers also who should judge, says the patriarch Jacob, "Dan also himself shall judge his people among his brethren, even as one of the tribes in Israel."

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 373] Athanasius of Alexandria on Revelation 4:8
For what is nearer [God] than the cherubim or the seraphim? And yet they, not even seeing him or standing on their feet, or even with bare, but as it were with veiled faces, offer their praises, with untiring lips doing nothing else but glorifying the divine and ineffable nature with the Trisagion.… For the Triad, praised, reverenced and adored, is one and indivisible and without degrees. It is united without confusion, just as the Monad also is distinguished without separation. For the fact of those venerable living creatures offering their praises three times, saying “Holy, holy, holy,” proves that the three Subsistences are perfect, just as in saying “Lord,” they declare the one Essence.

Source: ON LUKE 10:22
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 4:8
In the animals the twenty-four elders are indicated, for six wings in four animals amount to twenty-four wings, and moreover he saw the animals around the throne, which is where he said that he had seen the elders. But how could an animal with six wings be like an eagle with two wings unless the four animals were one with twenty-four wings? And in this we recognize the twenty-four elders who are the church, which he likens to an eagle with two wings, that is, the two Testaments, upon which it is borne above, lest it be hindered by earthly affections.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:8
[AD 411] Tyrannius Rufinus on Revelation 4:8
“Almighty” is applied to him on account of the dominion he has over the universe. But the Father governs the universe through the Son, as the apostle himself states: “For through him were all things created, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers.” Again, writing to the Hebrews, he states, “Because through him he made the world and appointed him heir of all things.” By “appointed” we are to take him as meaning “generated.” But if the Father made the world through him, and if through him all things were created and he is the heir of all things, it must be through him that he wields his sway over the universe. Just as light is generated from light and truth from truth, so Almighty is generated from Almighty. So we read in John’s Apocalypse about the seraphim: “And they rested not day and night, saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of armies, who was, and who is, and is to come, the Almighty.’ ” He then who is to come is called Almighty. Who else is to come save Christ, the Son of God?

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOSTLES’ CREED 5
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 4:8
Everywhere diffused in its individual members and in those who profess [the faith], the church ceaselessly praises God by word and deed in times of difficulty and in times of prosperity, and she does this throughout a variety of cities, regions, provinces, languages and peoples. Nor does she cease to praise the Lord day and night, while that perpetual praise continues that is given by those rational creatures in the heavens, in the Jerusalem above, after whose likeness the pilgrim church rejoices to be formed.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:8
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:8
Each of them had six wings. By the perfection of their doctrine, they lift the Church to the heights. For the number six is called perfect because it is completed by its own parts. For one, which is the sixth part of six, and two, which is the third, and three, which is half, make up the same six. Alternatively, the six wings of the four living creatures, which are twenty-four, signify the same number of books of the Old Testament, by which the authority of the evangelists is supported and the truth is confirmed.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:8
And around and within they are full of eyes, etc. The holy Church vigilantly regards itself both before God and before men. The Psalmist had seen its inner eyes when he says: All the glory of the king's daughter is within (Ps. 45). And the outer eyes when he immediately adds: In embroidered garments, she is led to the king (Ibid.). Alternatively, whether you attend to the letter or seek the allegory, you will always find light from the Gospel. Another translation has: Full of eyes before and behind. Because the light of the Gospel shines into the mysteries of the law and infuses the world with the splendor of the new grace.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:8
And they had no rest day and night, etc. The holy creatures, throughout the time of the age, affirm the single dominion of the Deity, the omnipotence and eternity of the Holy Trinity, with the perpetual praise of the intellectual creature remaining in the heavens.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 4:9-10
And when these things were doing, he says that all the elders fell down and adored the Lord; while the living creatures-that is, of course, the actions recorded in the Gospels and the teaching of the Lord-gave Him glory and honour.31 In that they had fulfilled the word that had been previously foretold by them, they worthily and with reason exult, feeling that they have ministered the mysteries and the word of the Lord. Finally, also, because He had come who should remove death, and who alone was worthy to take the crown of immortality, all for the glory of His most excellent doing had crowns.

"And they cast their crowns under His feet." That is, on account of the eminent glory of Christ's victory, they cast all their victories under His feet. This is what in the Gospel the Holy Spirit consummated by showing, For when about finally to suffer, our Lord had come to Jerusalem, and the people had gone forth to meet Him, some strewed the road with palm branches cut down, others threw down their garments, doubtless these were setting forth two peoples-the one of the patriarchs, the other of the prophets; that is to say, of the great men who had any kind of palms of their victories against sin, and cast them under the feet of Christ, the victor of all. And the palm and the crown signify the same things, and these are not given save to the victor.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 4:9-11
Together with the holy living creatures, he says, the elders give glory to God. Their casting their crowns before God indicates this: the crown is a symbol of victory and kingship. So when they cast them before the throne of God, they ascribe to God, the ruler of all people, his real and true kingship and universal victory, saying, “To you, Lord, glory is due in the sight of all people, because you brought all things from non-being into being, and by your will you gave substance to things which had no previous existence.”

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 4:10
When the animals resound with praise, that is, when the Evangelists preach and celebrate the dispensation of Christ, … the twenty-four elders, that is, the whole church, that is, the leaders and people immediately fall on their faces and adore him who lives forever and ever.… By casting their crowns before the throne, they are ascribing to God whatever they possess of virtue and dignity. For whatever good we seek and acquire by right is attributed to him from whom he who conquers receives assistance. A figure of this action occurred in the Gospel when the people, going before the Lord, cast their garments and palm branches on the road before him, saying, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:10
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:10
The twenty-four elders fell down before Him who sits on the throne and worshipped. When the creatures resound in praise, that is, when the evangelists proclaim the dispensation of Christ, the whole Church, which consists of leaders and peoples (for this is what the doubled number twelve signifies), immediately falls on its face and worships Him who lives forever and ever.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 4:10
And they cast their crowns before the throne. Namely, assigning whatever virtue, whatever dignity they had. For He created all things out of nothing.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 4:11
We also know of another translation: “Because you have created all things, and they exist and are created on account of your will.” Indeed, all things existed in the artful wisdom [of God] before they were formed in the act of creation. However, they were created in order that those things might exist also visibly which in their natures are according to the ideas written in the wisdom of God.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 4:11