Have in mind therefore in what manner thou hast received and heard: and observe, and do penance. If then thou shalt not watch, I will come to thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know at what hour I will come to thee.
Oecumenius
If then thou shalt not watch: I will come to you, he says, as a chastiser when you are not expecting it. The holy apostle also says about some others, “When they say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child.(1Thes. 5:3)”
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St. Andrew of Caesarea
"Keep the tradition which you received from the apostles and repent of laziness."
Naturally. For both the death of each one and the common end are unknown to ail. For those who are prepared it will be rest from pains, but for those who are unprepared, it will be like a thief bringing death of the soul.
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Apringius of Beja
He wishes that they remember the apostolic doctrine, and He warns them to preserve that which they received at the beginning of their faith and to repent of their past sins. And so He threatens whomever does not do this. “If you will not be vigilant, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.” The judgment of God will be sudden, and no one knows the secret hour when He intends to come.
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St. Bede
thief. Here also, as in the parable of the Gospel, he warns us to be watchful by the example of taking precaution against a thief.
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Rabanus Maurus
A thief is any occult enemy. . . By thieves are meant wicked spirits; as in the Gospel, where it is said, 'where thieves break through and steal.’
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Bulus al-Bushi
He reminded him of his responsibility for the congregation and of obedience to the commandment, in order that he and everyone who assists him might continue to keep providing leadership with cautious attention.
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Nicholas of Lyra
Have in mind therefore in what manner thou hast received and heard Namely, the teaching of Christ through His true apostles. as a thief Because nothing is more uncertain than the hour of death.
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Richard of St. Victor
Bear in mind after what manner thou hast received from God by the infusion of spiritual grace, and hast heard from man by the preaching of the Gospel". .
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Cornelius a Lapide
How thou hast received, that is, been initiated and instructed. For the Hebrew word, lecac, that is reception, signifies teaching received from a preceptor. For 'after what manner,' qualiter, the Greek word is πως)?, i. e., how, quomodo. But πως)? is put for ποια, that is, qualia, what kind of things.
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Francisco Ribera
Remember how thou hast been instructed, and what kind of life they taught thee to live who baptized thee.". . .
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