The Jews understood this to refer
to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem after the exile. But this is not
true, for that temple was destroyed many times thereafter; the prophecy promises
an everlasting rebuilding. Those who say it refers to Zerubbabel have not
rightly understood, as if he were descended from the line of David, and this
too is not true. For Zerubbabel ruled only a short time and then met the term
of death. The prophecy contains a promise of eternal blessings and of the
knowledge of God by all the nations, which is not fulfilled by those who lived
under Zerubbabel. It is therefore plain that we must interpret this as spoken
concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, being descended according to the flesh from
David, fulfilled the promise made to David. “For the Word became flesh,” (Jn.
1:14) and dwelt among us, having taken up the dwelling from David. It is
therefore fitting that David’s prophetic word says the dwelling will be
rebuilt, and not for a short time, but for all the days of the age; and it
promises to the nations the gift of knowledge of God, that is, those from the
nations who have turned to Christ and have been called by the name of Christ. Others
say that this was said concerning his resurrection from the dead. For when the
tent that had fallen into death, that is, the flesh raised from the earth by God and Father,
then the whole human form was restored to its original shape, and all our
things that had fallen down were raised to a new appearance; for we were raised
with Christ. Death indeed demolished all the tents. But God the Father rebuilt
in Christ. For it was not possible for our nature to be raised otherwise than
by the hand of Him who shaped its beginning reaching down and fashioning it
anew through regeneration by water and Spirit. (See Jn. 3:5) For it had truly
fallen, a ruin incurable, and in need of that mighty hand. And he says that
this need of ours will not last a short time, but for the days of an age [αιωνος]. For the good of incorruption
is enduring in us. Then, he says, even the remnant of men after those who have
believed out of Israel will have truly and by nature known God, having departed
from ancient error. And he says that all the nations will be called, and upon
them will be my name, upon whom it was called from the beginning, “For whom he
foreknew, he also predestined,” he says. (Rom. 8:29) (Commentary on Acts of
the Apostles by Oecumenius [trans. John Litteral; 2026], 155-56, emphasis in bold added)
