Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 24:31

"And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." — Matthew 24:31 (ASV)

Origen of Alexandria: Because He had spoken of mourning, which will only serve for them to bear witness against and condemn themselves, He now adds this so that no one would suppose that this mourning will end their woes: And he shall send his Angels with a trumpet and a loud voice.

Remigius of Auxerre: Here we are not to think of a real trumpet, but of the voice of the archangel, which will be so loud that at its sound all the dead will rise from the dust of the earth.

St. John Chrysostom: The sound of the trumpet refers to the resurrection and the rejoicing. It also represents the astonishment that will occur then, and the woe of those who will be left behind and not snatched up into the clouds.

Origen of Alexandria: It is written in Numbers that the priests are to summon by the sound of the trumpet those from the camp of Israel from the four winds (Numbers 10:3). It is in allusion to this that Christ speaks here of the angels: And they shall gather together the elect from the four winds.

Remigius of Auxerre: That is, from the four quarters of the world: north, south, east, and west.

Origen of Alexandria: Some of little discernment think that only those who are then found in the body will be gathered together. However, it is better to say that the angels of Christ will then gather not only all who have been called and chosen from the coming of Christ to the end of the world, but all from the foundation of the world who, like Abraham, have seen the day of Christ and rejoiced in it (John 8:56).ⁱ

That He here means not only those who will be found in the body, but also those who have left the body, is shown by the following words: from one end of heaven to the other. This cannot be meant of anyone on earth.

Alternatively, the heavens are the divine Scriptures and their authorsⁱ in which God dwells. One end of heaven is the beginning of the Scriptures, and the other end is their conclusion. The saints are gathered from one end of heaven—that is, from those who live in the beginning of the Scriptures to those who live at the end of them. They will be gathered with a trumpet and a loud voice, so that those who hear and pay attention may prepare themselves for that way of perfection which leads to the Son of God.

Remigius of Auxerre: Alternatively, lest anyone suppose that they would be gathered only from the four quarters of the world and not from the middle regions, He adds this: And from one end of heaven to the other. By the heights of heaven He means the central regions of the earth, which are under the heights of heaven; and by the ends of heaven, the extreme parts of the earth, where the land seems to join a very wide and distant horizon.

St. John Chrysostom: That the Lord calls His elect by His angels pertains to the honor of the elect. Paul also says, that they shall be caught into the clouds (1 Thessalonians 4:17). That is, the angels will gather together those that have risen, and when they are gathered, the clouds will receive them.