THE APOCALYPSE ( Part One) by: St Victorinus of Poetovio: Commentary on the Apocalypse ( Translated by Kevin Edgecomb) Saint Victorinus was bishop of the Pannonian city of Poetovio (or Pettavium; now the modern Ptui, Slovenia) in the second half of the third century. He is described by St Jerome as the first Latin exegete of the Bible. Of the many works which Victorinus produced, however, we have mere fragments of a very few, and only his Commentary on the Apocalypse (In Apocalypsin) is complete. This commentary on the Book of Revelation is also the earliest surviving complete one, which was written by Victorinus during the reign of the Emperor Gallienus (258-260). During the Great Persecution of Diocletan in 304, the Holy Martyr Victorinus joined the chorus of Saints. Jerome is responsible for an extensive revision of Victorinus commentary, dated to 398, which he particularly undertook at the request of a friend to adjust Victorinus commentary in those verses and passages displaying interpretations which were taken to be chiliastic/millennialistic, a theological opinion which had since been rejected by the Church at large (notice the statement in the Nicean-Constantinopolitan Creed of 381: of Whose Kingdom there shall be no end—a creedal rejection of chiliasm). Consequently, essentially two versions of Victorinus commentary have come down to us: his original and the Hieronymian edition. I have undertaken to translate Victorinus original and only Jeromes letter to Anatolius (which serves as a prologue to Jeromes version) and Jeromes ending of the work (which replaces Victorinus commentary on chapters 20 and 21 of the Apocalypse). A relatively poor translation of Jeromes version is included in the Nicene-Post Nicene Fathers collection. The text I have used is that of Martine Dulaey, Victorin de Poetovio. Sur lApocalypse et autres écrits (Source Chrétiennes 423. Paris: Les Éditions du Cerf, 1997). For further information on Dulaeys textual decisions, see there, or her larger two-volume work Victorin de Poetovio: Premier Exégète Latin (Collection des études augustiniennes.Série antiquité 139-140. Paris: Institut détudes augustiniennes, 1993). A few words are necessary on the presentation here. All italicized words in the text represent citations or allusions to Biblical texts. These are often quite loose. Even when they are literal, they belong to that complex of the Old Latin versions of the Apocalypse that are not completely well-understood, particularly for any regional variants in Victorinus province. The chapter numbers in Victorinus correspond to the chapter numbers in the Apocalypse, thus the citations in each chapter, unless otherwise noted, belong to that chapter of the Apocalypse. I do not provide here the precise citations for these references to the Apocalypse itself, but only for those references to other books. If someone is familiar enough with the Apocalypse to track down this translation of this commentary to it, they should certainly be familiar enough with the text not to need citation notes. The citations are provided at the bottom of each chapter block. Victorinus Poetovionensis: Commentarius In Apocalypsin 1 The beginning of the book promises blessing to who reads, who hears, and who obeys so that in studying the reading, he therefore learns works and keeps those which are commanded. Grace to you and peace, from God Who is and Who was and Who is coming. Is, Who endures; was, Who with the Father made all, and Who did not begin from the Virgin; is coming, indeed, to judge. Of the sevenfold Spirit: in Isaiah we read: A spirit of wisdom and intellect, of counsel and strength, of knowledge and piety, the spirit of fear of the Lord.a These seven spirits are of one; namely, they are given by the Holy Spirit. And from Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead. In becoming human, He gave witness to the world, suffering in which, He freed us from sins by His blood, and having defeated Hell, first rose up from the dead, and death no longer has dominion over Him,b but by His reign, the kingdom of the world is destroyed. And made us a kingdom and priests, that is, the Church of all believers, as the Apostle Peter said: a holy people, a royal priesthood. c Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and all peoples see Him. He who first, in becoming human, came in secret, will in a little while come openly, in majesty and glory, to judge. 2 For it says that in the midst of the golden lampstands was walking one like a son of man. Like a son of man it says. After victory over death, when He ascended into the heavens, His body having been united with the Spirit of glory which He received from the Father, He is now able to be called like a Son of God, not (only) like a son of man. Walking in the midst of the golden lampstands, that is, in the midst of the churches, as was said by Solomon: In the ways of the just ones I walk.d His antiquity and immortality, the source of majesty, are shown by with a white head. For the Head of Christ is God. And with white hair are the multitude of wearers of white (the newly baptized), like wool, because of the sheep, like snow, because of the innumerable crowd of candidates (catechumens) given by Heaven. Eyes like a flame of fire. These are the commandments of God, giving light to those who believe, (but) burning the unbelievers. 3 And a face with the brightness of the sun. His face is His coming in which He spoke to man face to face. For the sun is of less glory than the glory of the Lord. But because of rising, and setting, and again rising?for He was born, and suffered, and rose up?for this reason Scripture gives the comparison of His face to the glory of the sun. 4 In a priestly garment, which is the flesh not corrupted by death, and by suffering He has been given an eternal priesthood, most obviously. Breasts are the two Testaments, and a golden sash, the chorus of saints, like gold tried by the fire; alternately, the gold sash binding the chest: the enkindled conscience and pure spiritual sense given to the churches. By a sharp double-edged sword coming out of His mouth, He is shown to be Who brought knowledge to the whole world both now, of the good things of the Gospel, and, previously, of the Law of Moses. But from which same Word, Old or New Testament, is the whole race of humans indeed judged, thus it is called a sharp double-edged sword. For the sword arms the soldier; the sword slays the enemy; the sword punishes the deserter. And in order to show the Apostles He announced judgment, He said: I did not come to bring peace, but the sword.e And after He had finished the parables,f He said to them: Have you understood everything? They said: Even so. He added: Therefore, every scribe trained in the Kingdom of Heaven is like the father of a family, bringing out from his treasury new and old;g new: the word of the Gospel; old: the Law and the Prophets. These come out of His mouth, He said to Peter: Go to the sea and cast a hook, and the first fish that comes up, opening its mouth you will find a stater (coin), which is two denarii, give for Me and for you.h And David similarly said by the Spirit: Once, is God speaking; twice, have we heard Him,i for God has determined once what will happen, from the beginning to the end. These are the two Testaments, which at a particular time are called either two denarii, or New and Old, or a sharp double-edged sword. Finally, with His being appointed Judge by the Father, wanting to show that men will be judged by the word of preaching, He says: Do you think that I will judge you in the last day? The word which I speak to you, it will judge (you) in the last day.j And Paul says to the Thessalonians against the Antichrist: whom the Lord will slay with the breath (spiritus) of His mouth.k Therefore, this is the sharp double-edged sword coming out of His mouth. 5 His voice was like the voice of many waters. Many waters are to be understood as peoples, or also the gift of baptism, which He gave as a commandment, spread out by the Apostles for the salvation of men. His feet like gold-copper, as though burning in a furnace. It says the Apostles, who were burned in suffering, preached His word; through them, in fact, the preaching went out (lit. walked); they were well-named feet. See where the prophet anticipated this, saying: ,We will worship where His feet have stoodl for where they first stood the Church was also established, that is Judea; there will all the saints be gathered and worship their God. 6 Seven stars in his right hand. We have said that the seven virtues of the Holy Spirit were given into His power by the Father, as Peter exclaimed to the Jews: Therefore, exalted at the right hand of God, He has poured forth the Spirit . He received from the Father, which you have seen and heard.m But also John the Baptist anticipated it, saying to his disciples: For He has not given the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all into His hands.n These are the seven stars. 7 The seven churches, each of which He calls by name, to whom the letters were composed, which are not the only or the principal churches. But what He says to one, He says to all. It makes no difference; whether a military troop of a small number of soldiers, or by it the whole army is indicated. Finally, as in Asia, so in the whole world: seven churches as all. Paul taught that the seven named are the one Catholic Church. Indeed, at first, so he might keep this (rule), he did not exceed the number of seven churches, but wrote to the Romans, to the Corinthians, to the Ephesians, to the Thessalonians, to the Galatians, to the Philippians, and to the Colossians. Afterwards he wrote to individual people, but did not exceed the number of seven churches, as he summarized in brief in his preaching to Timothy: so that you will know how you must behave in the House of God, which is the Church of the Living God.o This type (or symbol) was preached by the Holy Spirit through Isaiah, as we read of the seven women who took hold of one man. For the one man is Christ, not born from seed. The seven women are the churches, receiving their bread, and in their tunics covered, who ask to remove their reproach, and that his name will be spoken over them.p For bread is the Holy Spirit, which nourishes eternal life; theirs, promised to them by faith. And their tunics, that is, the promises to them with which they want to be covered. Finally, as Paul said, Thus must weakness put on strength, and mortality immortality.q Remove their reproach: the reproach is previous sin, which is removed by baptism. And the beginning of a person being called Christian, which is your name will be spoken over us. Therefore, for these reasons, for example, seven churches are made one Church. 8 He also wrote, for quality of faith and election ?either to those who are also striving in the world, and are working at their striving for simplicity, and are patient and, when seeing certain destructive and pestilential people in the church, that it (the church) might not be dispersed, suffer them. He warns all of them of love in which faith is lacking, that they might make penance. ?or to those who are living in cruel places among persecutors, persevering to be faithful. ?or to those who under the pretext of mercy introduce illicit sins into the church, teaching others to do them; ?or to those who are at ease in the Church; ?or to those who are negligent, Christians only in name; ?or to those who, humbly instructed, persevere strongly in faith; ?or he rebukes those who study the Scriptures and strive to know the hidden prophecies, and are unwilling to do the works of God, which are mercy and love. For all he pronounces penance, for all he announces judgment. a Isa 11.2, 3 b Rom 6.9 cEx 19.6; 1Pt 2.9 d Prov 8.20 e Mt 10.34 f Mt 13.33 g Mt 13.51-52 h Mt 17.26-27 i Ps 61.12 j Jn 12.48 k 2Th 2.8 l Ps 131.7 m Acts 2.33 n Jn 3.34, 35 o1Tim 3.15 p Isa 4.1 q 1Cor 15.53 2 Indeed, in his first letter he says, I know your suffering and works and your patience, I know you are suffering and see your works and patience: do not think I remain far (or for long) away from you. And that you cannot bear evil people, and that those who say they are apostles, you discovered them liars, and you have patience according to My name. All these belong to praise, and not mediocre praise. But also such men and of such a kind, and the selection of such men, indicates that every one of them must be admonished so that they are not deprived of good things. He says he has a few things against them, saying: You have abandoned your earlier love: remember from where you have fallen. He who falls, falls from a height, and therefore he says from where, for at all times until the end works of love are to be practiced, with is the greatest commandment. Finally, unless this is done, was threatened to move the lampstand from its place, that is, to scatter the people. For you hate the works of the Nicolaitans which I also hate; you have this, this belongs to praise. For the works of the Nicolaitans: before this time, false and disease-bearing men, ministers in the name of Nicolaus, made for themselves a heresy, (saying) that something devoted (to an idol) may be exorcized and eaten, and that whoever had fornicated could receive the peace on the eighth day. Therefore he praises those to whom he has written, to whom, such and so great men, he has promised that tree of life which is in the garden of God. 2 The following epistle reveals the behavior and custom of the following other kind. And at the end of it he says: I know you, that you are both poor and suffering, but you are rich: for he knows that for such, riches are hidden with him; and he rejects the slander of the Jews which are not Jews, but the synagogue of Satan, who are brought together by Antichrist; to whom he says that if they persevere to the death, and he who has persevered will not be hurt by the second death, that is, he will not be thrown into Hell. 3 The third kind of saints indicates men who are strong in faith, and not fearing persecution. But there are others among them who are prone to unlawful concessions. He says: I will fight them with the sword of my mouth, that is, the commandment which I will speak, and which I will tell you to do. For, the teaching of Balaam taught to set a stumbling-block before the eyes of the Sons of Israel, to eat what is sacrificed (to idols) and to fornicate: as noted long ago. For he gave this advice to the king of the Moabites, and thus the people stumbled. He says, Thus, you also have among you holding this kind of teaching, and under the pretext of mercy you make others suffer. He says, To him who conquers, I will give to him of the hidden manna. The hidden manna is immortality; the white gem is adoption in the Son of God; a new name is Christian. 4 The fourth kind indicates the nobility of the faithful, working daily, and doing great works. But even here are indicated some men to be at ease, given over to unlawful leisures, and paying attention to new prophecies, which he shows and prophesies to others, to whom this is not pleasing, who know the wickedness of the Adversary, by which evils and sorrows he seeks to bring dangers on the head of the faithful. And thus he says: I will not place upon you another weight, that is, I have not given you laws, observances and burdens, which is another weight, that what you have, you hold onto, until I come. And to him who conquers, I will give to him power over the nations, that is, I will make him a judge among the other saints. And the star of the morning will I give to him: namely, the first resurrection he promised; for the morning star chases away the night and announces light, which is the beginning of day. 3 The fifth kind, selection, or conduct of the saints, shows negligent men, doing other than they should in the world, foolish works, Christian in name only. And therefore he exhorts them, if they can turn back from dangerous negligence, to be saved. He says: Be strong for those who are dying; for I have not found your works full before my God. For it is not enough for a tree to live, and flourish, but not have fruit, as it is not enough to be called a Christian, and to confess Him, but not have Christian works. 2 The sixth kind, the best conduct of the selection, the behavior of saints is described, namely those who are humble in the world and simple in the Scriptures, and bearing an unshakable faith, not being frightened by anything and drawing back from the Faith. Therefore he says to them: I have placed before you an open door and he says for you have kept the word of my patience, with such little strength, and I will keep you from the hour of temptation: so that they will know of what kind is His glory, indeed He does not allow them to be handed over to temptation. He says, He who conquers will be made a column in the temple of God: for a column is beautiful for a building, that is, he who perseveres will be considered more noble in the Church. 3 And this selection, the seventh kind, describes wealthy men, believers who are in dignified positions, but believers that are rich men: they indeed discuss the Scriptures at home in their rooms, but outside no one would know they are believers. Namely, they are boasters who also say that they know everything, possessed of confidence in letters, but their works are empty. And therefore he says to them neither cold nor hot are they, that is, neither unbelievers nor believers, for they are all things to all people. And what is neither cold nor hot must be lukewarm, so that it causes nausea: he says, And I will vomit you out of my mouth. Nausea, though it is hateful, harms no one: so with this kind of men, who will be ejected. But that this is a time of penitence, he says: I counsel you, buy refined gold from me, that is, if you are able, to suffer anything for the name of the Lord. He says And anoint your eyes with salve, that is, that what you gladly know from the Scriptures, you might also try to do the deed. And because, if this kind of men turns back from great destruction to penitence, not only will they be useful to themselves, but are able to benefit many, not a mediocre reward is promised to them, that is: to sit upon a throne as judges. 4 He says an open door in heaven: the preaching of the New Testament was seen by John, and it was said to him: Come up here. When it is depicted opened, it is obvious that it had previously been closed to men. But it was sufficiently and fully opened, when Christ ascended bodily to the Father. And the voice which he heard, when it said that he was talking with him: without contradiction it reproves the stubborn. He who is coming is He who spoke through the Prophets. For John was of the circumcision, and all that People which heard the preaching of the Old Testament was edified by that Voice. He says, For that voice which I heard, it said to me: Come up here: that is Jesus Christ whom he shows seen as a little before as a son of man among the golden lampstands. And now henceforth he recalls those things which were predicted in similitudes through the Law, and by these scriptures he connects all the earlier Prophets, and opens up the Scriptures. And because afterward our Lord invited to heaven all believing in His name, He immediately poured out the Holy Spirit, who brings men to heaven, he says: Immediately I was in the Spirit. And when the mind of the faithful is opened by the Holy Spirit, he makes obvious to them what also was predicted to those before. 2 Plainly a throne placed is the seat of a judge and a king; upon which throne he says he saw the resemblance of jasper and sardis, which jasper is the color of water, and sardis of fire: this shows the two Testaments are placed, until the end of the world, upon the judgment-throne of God; of which two judgments one is already accomplished in the destruction by water, but the other will be accomplished by fire. And a rainbow around the throne has a burning color; for the rainbow is called a bow, of which indeed God spoke to Noah and his sons, no longer to fear inundation by water. He says I will set my bow in the clouds,a may you no longer fear the water, but the fire. And Before the throne was something like a sea of glass like crystal: is the gift of baptism, which He pours out by His Son in a time of repentance before He brings the Judgment. Therefore, before the throne, that is, before the judgment. And when it says a sea of glass like crystal, it depicts calm water, not moved by the wind, not flowing down, but given to be as immovable as the gift of God. 3 The four animals are the four Gospels. He says The first is like a lion, the second is like a bull, the third is like a man, the fourth is like a flying eagle; having six wings around them, eyes both inside and outside, and, he says, never ceasing to say Αγιος, αγιος, αγιος, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. Twenty-four elders sitting, having twenty-four judgment-seats: are the books of the Prophets and the Law, relating the witness of the Judge. For the twenty-four fathers are the twelve Apostles and the twelve Patriarchs. Therefore, the animals which are different faces, have them for this reason. 4 The animal like a lion is the Gospel according to John, which, while all the other Evangelists announced that Christ was made man, it was for him to announce that He was God before He descended and took on flesh, The Word was God,b and because he proclaims like a roaring lion, his preaching bears the face of a lion. Like a man. Matthew made an effort to announce to us the family of Mary, through which Christ received flesh. Therefore, when he recounts from Abraham up to David, and from David up to Joseph, as though spoken of a man, thus his preaching receives the image of a man. Luke also, when he recounts from the priest Zacharias offering a sacrifice for the people and the angel appears to him, because of the priesthood and the sacrifice, this writing bore the image of the bull. Mark, the interpreter of Peter, wrote a record of those things which he generally taught, but not in order, and begins with the word of prophecy announced by Isaiah. Therefore, they begin thus, saying: John: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;b this is the face of a lion. And Matthew: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, son of God, son of David, son of Abraham;c this is the face of a man. And Luke thus: There was a priest of the name Zacharias, of the course of Abia, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron;d this is the image of a bull. Mark begins thus: The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in Isaiah;e it begins with the Spirit flying, therefore, it also has the image of a flying eagle. And not only the prophetic Spirit, but also the Word of God the Father Almighty, Who is His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, bears the same images in the time of His appearance to us. For when, it was predicted like a lion, and like the cub of a lionf because for the salvation of men, He was made man, conquering death and freeing all; because He offered Himself as a sacrifice to God the Father for us, He is called a bull; and because He conquered death, ascended to heaven, extending His wings and protecting His people, He is called a flying eagle. Therefore these announcements, which are four, are actually one announcement, which came out of one mouth, like the river in paradise, from one source dividing into four parts. 5And these animals have eyes inside and outside, that is the preaching of the New Testament; it shows Spiritual providence, which both looks into the secrets of the heart, and also sees things yet to come, which are inside and outside. The wings are the witnesses of the books of the Old Testament, and therefore they are twenty-four, which is also the same number of elders on the judgment-seats. As an animal is not able to fly without having wings, so neither does the preaching of the New Testament have faith without having the previously announced witnesses of the Old Testament, by which it takes off from earth and flies. For always, when what was said before is found to have happened later, this makes an undoubting faith. For again, if wings are not attached to animals, they have no way to prolong (?) life. For without those things previously announced by the prophets being accomplished in Christ, their preaching will have been made worthless.g The Catholic Church holds both the previously announced and also the later accomplished, and it truly flies and takes off from the earth, a living animal. And with the heretics who dont use the prophetic witness, living creatures are present for them, but which are only earthly. And for the Jews, who do not accept the preaching of the New Testament, wings are present for them, but they are not living; that is, they bring a worthless prophecy to men, not hearing (obeying), not uniting what is said to what happens. For the books of the Old Testament are twenty-four, as we see in the Epitome of Theodore. But also, as we have said, the twenty-four are the Fathers and Apostles: it is necessary to judge His people. For when the Apostles asked and said: We have left everything of ours to follow you; what will there be for us?h Our Lord responded: When the Son of Man sits upon the throne of His glory, you will also sit upon twelve judgment-seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.i And also of the Fathers who are to be judging, the Patriarch Jacob says: And he himself shall judge his people among his brothers as one of the tribes of Israel.j 6 And lightning and voices and thunder came out of the throne of God, and seven torches : it signifies the announcements and promises of God, and the warnings. For lightning signifies the coming of the Lord, and voices the announcements of the New Testament; and thunder, that the words are heavenly; torches burning with fire, truly the gift of the Holy Spirit, because when by wood the first man was lost, by the wood of the Passion is he returned. 7 And while this was happening, all the elder born fell down and worshipped the Lord, while the animals gave glory and honor: that is, while the Gospel, namely the actions and teachings of the Lord, accomplished the word previously announced by them, they worthily and rightly exult, knowing they themselves have properly served the Word of God. Finally, because He came Who would conquer death, the only One worthy to take up the crown of immortality, all of them had, for the glory of His great accomplishment, crowns, throwing them under His feet, that is, because of the eminent victory of Christ, (throwing) all their victories under His feet. This is what the Holy Spirit fulfilled in the Gospel by showing, for when He was finally about to suffer, the Lord came to Jerusalem, and the people went out to meet Him, some covered the road with cut branches of palm trees, others threw down their tunics, namely showing two peoples, one, of the Fathers and the Prophets, of great men, who have palm branches for any of their victories against sins, casting them to Christ, under His feet. For the palm branches signify the same, which are not given to anyone but a conqueror. a Gen 9.13 b Jn 1.1 c Mt 1.1 d Lk 1.5 e Mk 1.1-2 f Gen 49.9 g 1Cor 15.14 h Mt 19.27 i Mt 19.28 j Gen 49.16 5 And in the hand of the one sitting upon the judgment-seat was a book, written on the inside, sealed with seven seals: they signify the Old Testament, which is placed in the hand of our Lord, who has received judgment from the Father. He says, A herald cried out, whether anyone was worthy to open the book and remove its seals, and no one was found worthy, neither in heaven, nor in the earth, nor under the earth. For to open the Testament is to suffer, and to conquer death for men. To be worthy of this no one was found, neither among the angels in heaven, nor among men in the earth, nor among the souls of the saints in rest, none but Christ the Son of God alone, Whom he says he saw: a lamb as though slaughtered, having seven horns in number. About Him was predicted whatever the Law reflected about Him through the offerings and sacrifices, which was necessary for Him to accomplish. And because He was the testator and conquered death, it was just that He was made the heir of God, that he might also possess the substance of the one dying, that is, the members of humanity. 2 He says this, The lion of the tribe of Judah, of the root of David, has conquered. We read of the lion of the tribe of Judah in Genesis, where the Patriarch Jacob says: Judah, your brothers praise you: you have both lain down and risen up like a lion, and like the cub of a lion.a For He is called a lion for conquering death; for suffering for men, like a lamb led to the slaughter.b But because He conquered death and came before (?) the work of the torturer, He is called as though slain. This, therefore, He opens and unseals: that Testament which He had sealed. Moses the Lawmaker also knows this, which needed to be sealed and hidden until the coming of His Passion. He veiled his face and spoke thus to the people, showing that the words of the prediction were veiled until the coming of the time of Christ. Also, when he read the Law to all the people, he took red wool, and the blood of a bull, and sprinkled water on all the people, saying: This is the blood of the Testament, which the Lord has commanded for you.c Therefore it is necessary for you, the diligent man, to observe that the whole of the prediction coheres as one. For it does not suffice to call these the Law, which are also called a Testament. No law is called a testament, nor is a testament called anything else, except what is made by those who are dying; and whatever things are inside the testament are sealed until the day of death of the testator. Therefore, now it may only properly be unsealed by the slain lamb which like a lion tore apart death, and who accomplished what was foretold, and freed men, that is flesh from death, and took possession of the substance of the dying, that is, of the members of humanity. As through one body all men came under a debt of death, so through one body all believers rise up in life eternal. Therefore, now the face of Moses is open, now also revealed, and therefore the Apocalypse is called the Revelation, now His book is unsealed, now the sacrifices of offerings are understood, now the priesthood and commandments of Christ and the building of the temple and the testimonies are openly understood. 3 The twenty-four elders and the four animals, having harps and bowls, sing a new song: singing a new song shows the combination of the prediction of the Old Testament with the new Christian people, that is, those who carry out their confession publicly. It is new for the Son of God to be made man, and indeed new for Him to be handed over to death by men, new to rise up on the third day, new to ascend bodily into heaven, new to grant removal of sins to men, new for the Holy Spirit to seal men, new to take up a priesthood of prayers and to expect a Kingdom of immeasurable promise. For harps, with strings extended on wood, signifies the body of Christ, that is the flesh of Christ, connected (to the cross) in His Passion; and bowls: confession, and the propogation of a new priesthood. Many angels: on the contrary all, all of the chosen bringing thanks to our Lord for freeing man from the plague of death. a Gen 48.8-9 b Isa 53.7 c Heb 9.19-20; Ex 24.8 6 The unsealing of the seals is, as we have said, the opening of the Old Testament predictions and the announcement of what will happen in the end times; of which, although prophetic Scripture speaks by a single seal, yet, as all the seals are opened, the prediction has its order. Now, as he says, is opened the first seal; he saw a white horse, and the crowned rider has a bow: for this happened at first; for after our Lord ascended to heaven and opened everything, he sent the Holy Spirit, whose words, through preachers, are like arrows piercing the hearts of men, and conquering disbelief. The crown on the head of the preachers is promised by the Holy Spirit. Of the other three horses, the Lord, showing in the Gospel war, famine, and disease, plainly indicated the prediction. And therefore he says one of the animals, because all four are one. And come and see: come is said to one invited to the faith, and see is said to him who did not see. Therefore the white horse is the word of preaching sent into the world with the Holy Spirit; for the Lord says: This Gospel will be preached in all the world of the earth as a witness to all nations, and then will the end come. 2 And the black horse signifies famine; for the Lord says: and there will be famine in various places.a And His word is properly extended to Antichrist, which is a time when a great famine will occur, and when men will also be harmed. Scales in his hand: the books of examination, in which the merits of individuals are displayed. And he says a voice: Do not harm the wine and oil, that is, do not strike the spiritual man with plagues. This is the black horse. A red horse, and he who sits upon it has a sword: these are wars, which are indicated will happen, as we read in the Gospel: And people will rise up against people, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be a great earthquake.b This is the red horse. 3 And a pale horse and he who sits upon it has the name Death. These are the same which, among other plagues, the Lord predicted: illnesses and deadly things to come. For when he says: And Hades followed him, that is, it awaits the devouring of the many souls of the impious. This is the pale horse. 4 And the souls of the slaughtered were seen under the altar, that is, under the earth. And both heaven and earth are called an altar; so the Law made two altars, seeming images of the truth, one golden inside and one bronze outside. For we understand the altar is called heaven, by our Lord bringing witness to us, for He says: When you offer your gift at the altar, certainly our gifts are the prayers which we should make, and you remember there that you have something against your brother, leave your gift there.c Certainly, prayers ascend to heaven. So, therefore, heaven is understood as the golden altar which was inside, for the priest who had the mandate of Christ also entered into the temple once a year, to the golden altar. The Holy Spirit signified this is to be done, that is, what is suffered (by Christ) was done once. So also by the bronze is understood the earth, under which is Hades, a region far from punishments and fires, the resting place of the saints, in which indeed the righteous are seen and heard by the impious, but they are not able to pass over to them. Therefore, these are such, that is, the souls of the slaughtered, who wait for the vindication of their blood, that is, their bodies, from those dwelling upon the earth, as He who sees all would have us know. But because in the last times, both the perpetual repayment of the saints and the damnation of the impious are coming, it is said to them to wait. And as a consolation for their bodies, they receive, he says, white robes, that is, the gift of the Holy Spirit. 5 The sixth seal: There was a great earthquake: that is, the final persecution. The sun became like sackcloth: the splendor of doctrine will be darkened by unbelievers. The moon bloody: the Church of the saints is shown to shed its blood for Christ. The stars to fall: the faithful to be troubled. A shaken fig tree drops its figs: people being separated from the Church by persecution. Both mountain and islands shaken from their places: in the final persecution all were to withdraw from their places; that is, the good will be moved, escaping the persecution. 6 The four angels at the four corners of the earth, or the four winds across the Euphrates River are four nations, because to every nation an angel is assigned by God, as the Law said: He established them according to the number of the angels of God.d While the number of saints is being completed, the ends (of the earth) are not left by them, because in the last (times) they will come with Antichrist. 7 And what he said: a great crowd from every tribe, shows the number of the chosen of all the believers, who through the blood of the lamb, those cleansed by baptism, their robes were made white, keeping the grace which they received. a Mt 24.7 b Lk 21.10-11 c Mt 5.23-24 d Deut 32.8 7 And an angel descending from the rising of the sun: he speaks of the Prophet Elijah who is coming before the time of Antichrist, for the restoring and strengthening of the churches against the overwhelming persecution. We read of this in the opening of the books of the Old Testament and the new prophecy, for the Lord says through Malachi: Behold, I am sending to you Elijah the Tishbite, to turn back the heart of the father to the son, and the heart of a man to his neighbor,a that is, to Christ through repentance; to turn back the heart of the father to the son: the time of a second calling, to recall the Jews to the faith of the following People. And therefore he also shows the number of the Jews, and the great multitude of the gentiles, who will believe. a Mal 4.5-6 8 For we also read in the Gospel that the prayers of the Church are sent from heaven by an angel, and they are taken up by a holy angel against the outpouring of wrath and the darkness of the kingdom of Antichrist. For he says: Pray that you might not fall into temptation.a For there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world; and except the Lord shortens those days, there would not be any flesh saved upon the earth.b Therefore, He will send these seven great Archangels for the piercing of the kingdom of Antichrist. For as He also says in the Gospel: Then the Son of Man will send His messengers, and they will gather His chosen ones from the four winds, from the end of heaven to its (other) end.c And he says before: then there will be peace in the earth, when seven shepherds will arise in it, and eight attacks (lit. bites) of men, and they will encircle Assur, that is, Antichrist, in the ditch of Nebrothd: in the damnation of the devil. And Ecclesiastes similarly says: When the guardians of the house will be moved.e For the Lord Himself says thus: When the workers come to him and say to him: Lord, have we not sowed good seed in your field? So, from where are the weeds there? He answered them: An enemy has done this. To whom they say: Do you want us to go and remove that? He says to them: No, leave them together so they are growing until the harvest. And at that time, He says, I will say to the harvesters to collect the weeds and throw them in the fire, and to lay up the wheat in the granaries.f This Apocalypse shows these harvesters and shepherds and workers to be the Archangels. 2 And the trumpet is the word of power. And it may be repeating by the bowls, not as though it was said twice, but because what will happen only once, it is decreed by God that it will be, therefore it is said twice. Accordingly, whatever was said in the trumpets less, it was said in the bowls more. Neither (should you be) regarding the order of sayings, because the sevenfold Holy Spirit, where He hurries through to the final times and the end, returns back to the same time and adds to what little He said. Nor (should you be) seeking order in the Apocalypse, for that is also false prophecy; rather be seeking the meaning. They are, therefore, those things which are written in the trumpets and the bowls, either destructions by plagues sent out into the world, or the insanity of Antichrist himself, or the decline of peoples, or different kinds of plagues, or the hope in the Kingdom of the saints, or the ruin of cities, or the ruin of Babylon, that is, the city of the Romans. ( End of Part One)
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:03:45 +0000
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