Irenaeus

The cherubim have four faces, and their faces are images of the activity of the Son of God. For the first living creature, it says, was like a lion, signifying his active and princely and royal character; the second was like an ox, showing his sacrificial and priestly order; the third had the face of a man, indicating very clearly his coming in human guise; and the fourth was like a flying eagle, making plain the giving of the Spirit who broods over the church. Now the Gospels, in which Christ is enthroned, are like these. John expounds his princely and mighty and glorious birth from the Father, saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” and “All things were made by him, and without him was nothing made.” Therefore this Gospel is deserving of all confidence, for such indeed is his person. That according to Luke has a priestly character, and it began with the priest Zechariah offering incense to God. For the fatted calf was already being prepared that was to be sacrificed for the finding of the younger son. Matthew proclaims his human birth, saying, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham,” and “The birth of Jesus Christ was in this manner.” This Gospel is manlike, and so through the whole Gospel Christ appears as a man of humble mind and gentle. But Mark takes his beginning from the prophetic Spirit who comes on people from on high, saying, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet,” showing a winged image of the Gospel. Therefore he made his message concise and immediate, for such is the prophetic character.