返回Exposition on the Seven Visions of the Book of Revelation
Exposition on the Seven Visions of the Book of Revelation
Exposition on the Seven Visions of the Book of Revelation
Latin Text from public domain Migne Editors, Patrologiae Cursus Completus.Translated into English using ChatGPT.
De Prima Visione.
It is known that the blessed apostle and evangelist John composed this book of Revelation; although there have been some who have said that it was not by him, but by someone else: but the following make it clear that it was indeed his.Chapter I.
(Vers. 1.)
(Version 1) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him. Revelation is interpreted as unveiling or manifestation. This gift of revelation the Father gave to the Son, inasmuch as He was man, and the Son Himself, the divinity, to man, whom He assumed. To make known to His servants what must quickly take place. Though this book narrates not only future events but also present and past ones, why did He say that only future events about our Lord Jesus Christ would be revealed to His servants here? Because indeed, things present are known by sight, past things by hearing are easily recognized: but future things, can only be known either through the teaching of divine Scriptures, or through revelation. And He signified it, sending through His angel to His servant John. In this place, such a meaning seems to me to be: the Lord Jesus sent His angel, and through the same angel He revealed to His servant John the things that must soon happen.(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) He who bore witness to the Word of God. This passage openly demonstrates that not John, but the one who wrote the Gospel, composed this book. He also reclined at the Lord's table, where all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge were hidden, from which he deserved to draw from the immense fountain of wisdom. Therefore, he bore witness to the Word of God when he said: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). But in this also arises the question: And whatever he saw, he bore witness of Jesus Christ. So how did he bear witness of Jesus Christ, whatever he saw, when he himself says in the same Gospel: Many indeed other signs also Jesus did in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book (John XX, 30)? But he bore witness of Jesus Christ, whatever he saw, by preaching to the nations all that he had learned from Christ, and by narrating the miracles he had seen, writing only those things which he foresaw would be more useful for future generations.(Vers. 3.)
(Version 3.) Blessed are those who read and hear the words of this prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it. Three types of blessedness are mentioned, but two are nothing if the third is lacking; for those who read or hear the commandments of God profit nothing if they do not keep them. For many are they who hear or read the commandments of God, but it profits them nothing, for even though they are present in body, their minds are absent; either their minds are preoccupied with acquiring material things, or they are driven by desire, or they judge their neighbor, or they are proud against those who are in authority, or they imagine themselves to be powerful in the future, or they are consumed by other vain things. Such people can relate to what the prophet says: 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving' (Isaiah 6:9). However, there are some who read and listen to the divine Scriptures; that is, they apply their minds to understand them. But they learn the divine Scriptures in order to be considered wise and outstanding among people, and to flourish in worldly prosperity, not to amend their wicked lives. But they are not blessed, because they have learned divine Scripture not out of love for God, but out of love for the world. Concerning such people the prophet says: 'Wise to do evil, but unable to do good' (Jeremiah 4:22). And the Lord speaks in the Gospel in the parable of the sower, saying: 'As for what fell among thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature' (Luke 8:15). Therefore blessed are those alone who study the commandments of God, so that they may hear, that is, store them in their minds: they store them in their minds so that they may fulfill them in action: they fulfill them in action so that they may attain eternal blessedness. For the time is near. The time of judgment, that is; for if you consider the time from the coming of the Lord until the end of the world, you will find it long: but in comparison to earlier times, it is short.(Vers. 4.)
(Version 4.) John to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace to you and peace from Him who is, who was, and who is to come. Through the seven churches, the one Catholic Church is signified; because it shines forth in the world illuminated by the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Asia is lifted up; because among the lifted up of this world Christ found a multitude of believers, from whom He built His Church. And consider that this whole book is based on the number seven, just as there are seven churches to which these writings are directed, just as there are seven lampstands, seven stars, seven lamps, seven horns of the Lamb, seven eyes, seven seals, seven angels with trumpets, seven thunders, and likewise seven angels with bowls. For both the dragon, which signifies the devil, and the beast, which represents the Antichrist, were seen to have seven heads; likewise, the beast upon which the harlot woman is seen sitting. And if you pay close attention, this whole book is divided into seven visions. The first vision contains the seven letters addressed to the seven Churches, and other things that are contained there: the second vision is where he saw a throne representing the Church in heaven, and above the throne, Christ sitting; the third vision is where the Lamb opens the book and its seals; the fourth vision is where seven angels are seen blowing trumpets; the fifth vision is where seven angels are seen holding bowls; the sixth vision describes the resurrection; the seventh vision shows the glory of the saints in the form of the descending city of Jerusalem from heaven.(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5.) Grace to you and peace from him who was, and who is, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne; and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness. This is the whole Trinity, as through him who was, and who is, and who is to come, the Father is designated. For he was before the constitution of the world without any beginning; he is now after the constitution of the world, ruling over all things that he created and governing them; he is to come after the end of the world with the Son and the Holy Spirit, in order to reign with his saints forever and ever. But by the Holy Spirit, which is sevenfold, it is understood that he is sevenfold. And by Jesus Christ, who is a faithful witness. He can truly be called a faithful witness, who does not know how to lie: who will undoubtedly fulfill what he has mercifully promised to his chosen ones: who does not leave empty-handed the one who gave him a cup of cold water (Matt. X, 42): whose words are so fixed that it is easier for heaven and earth to be reduced to nothingness than for anything he has predicted to be changed in any way. The firstborn of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth. How is Christ called the firstborn of the dead, when he himself was born at the end of time, and a countless multitude of men came before his coming? But the firstborn is used for the first, just as we call those the first in the people who surpass others not in age, but in honor and dignity. But the dead are themselves those of whom the Apostle speaks, saying: For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). Therefore, Christ is the firstborn of the dead, because He is the first and the head of all His chosen ones. The Prince of the kings of the earth. A king is called a ruler: therefore, the apostles and the other saints are designated as rulers, who know how to rule both themselves and others. And by the earth, the Church is designated. He loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. Therefore, because He loved, He washed: and the following passages reveal what this washing has bestowed upon us.(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6.) And he made us a kingdom and priests to God and the Father. The Church of God is called the Kingdom of God: therefore Christ, God, made the Kingdom of God from human beings when he constituted them such that he himself, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, would deign to inhabit and reign in them. For those who are designated by the Kingdom are also designated by priests: therefore the chosen priests of God are called; because they are members of the highest Priest, about whom the Psalmist speaks, saying: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4). The chosen priests of God can be called priests of God in another way; because they offer themselves daily through heartfelt compunction and prayers, and other good works to God, as the Psalmist says: A broken spirit is a sacrifice to God (Psalm 50:19). There is also the sacrifice of praise, which the holy Church is accustomed to offer to God daily, of which the same prophet speaks, saying: Offer to God the sacrifice of praise (Psalm 49:14). And again: The sacrifice of praise will glorify me (ibid. 50:23).(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) Behold, he comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and those who pierced him. He will come to judgment with the clouds, as he himself says in the Gospel: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30). But how will every eye see him, when Scripture says: Let the wicked be taken away, that he may not see the glory of God (Isaiah 26:10). The wicked shall see him on the left side, standing in judgment in the form in which he could be seen by men in the world; but not in the form in which God is. But the righteous shall see him in the brightness in which they now see him, being placed in heavenly things, and they shall see him forever after the end of the world. But even those who have pierced him, whether they want to or not, will be compelled to see: namely, the wicked Jews who crucified him, so that they may know whom they mocked, as it is written in the Gospel: They will look on him whom they have pierced (John 19:37).And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Through all the tribes of the earth, only the wicked are understood. Let them mourn, however, for why did they despise the commandments of God, why did they acquire perpetual sadness for the sake of brief joy? Otherwise: Behold, he comes with the clouds, the apostles and other preachers can be understood through the clouds. But he comes with the clouds when his name became known to all nations through the holy preachers. And every eye shall see him, because all who have eyes have seen him, namely the eyes of which he himself says to the apostles: Blessed are the eyes that see what you see (Luke 10:23). However, the wicked Jews had eyes, but they did not have those eyes with which God is seen. And those who persecuted him, that is, those who persecuted him, and his members, for the most part converted to his faith, from whom the apostle Paul was. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn him. By all the tribes of the earth, the entire multitude of nations that converted to Christ can be understood: which, daily placed in the Church of God, laments its sins in order to deserve to obtain forgiveness from God. Truly, amen, it is a confirmation of the word.
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) I am, Alpha and Omega. What is meant by alpha and omega is made clear by the following: that is, the beginning and the end. As he himself said to the Jews, 'I am the beginning, who also speak to you' (John 8:25). Our Savior can also be called the beginning because he is the beginning, that is, the creator of the human race and the author of salvation; and the end because he is the end of the law, the end of death, and of every transgression. Who is, and who was, and who is to come, Almighty. He, now reigning in the world, has eternally existed with the Father before the constitution of the world; He will come to judge, to judge the world with justice.(Vers. 9.)
(v. 9) I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation, kingdom, and patience in Jesus. He calls the disciples brothers because they were redeemed by the one blood of Christ and generated by the one mother, the Church. He also declares himself their partner in persecution because the persecution of Domitian had troubled all the churches. He declares himself their partner in the kingdom because he acknowledged himself as a member of the Church, like those whom God had acquired. He also testifies to being their partner in patience because they all endured adversity with equanimity, just as he himself, who was exiled to the island of Patmos for the love of Christ.(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10.) However, I was in the spirit on the Lord's day. He says he was in the spirit because such great mysteries, which follow, could be seen not with carnal eyes, but with spiritual eyes: For the natural man does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God (I Cor. II, 14). But the Lord's day designates the time of the Gospel; concerning which time the Apostle speaks, saying: Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (II Cor. VI, 2). At the time when the prophets predicted that divine mysteries should be revealed to the Gentiles. And I heard a voice behind me like a trumpet, saying, 'What is to come is unknown to us.'Alternatively: The voice of the Lord is behind us, because we are like fugitive servants: but the Lord is shouting behind us, in order to call us back. Therefore, John heard the voice after him; because the mysteries that were revealed to him at that time, he had not yet fully understood. This voice is said to have been like a trumpet; concerning this trumpet, the prophet says: Cry out, do not cease, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and declare to my people their crimes, and to the house of Jacob their sins (Isa. 58:1). The trumpet usually challenges soldiers to fight, similarly, the word of God does not cease to incite us to fight against the devil and conquer.
(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Through these seven churches, one universal Church is designated, as the interpretation of the names teaches. For Ephesus signifies will or counsel; Smyrna, their song; Pergamum, the division of horns; Thyatira, enlightenment; Sardis, the beginning of beauty; Philadelphia, the one who saves the inheritance of God; Laodicea, the lovely to the Lord. Therefore, Ephesus, which is mentioned first, signifies the beginning of each person's conversion; for it means will or intention. For what better intention is there than the good will that persuades a person to renounce the devil and follow Christ, to abandon vices and embrace virtues? And because those who desire to turn to God must necessarily implore His mercy in order to accomplish what they desire, Smyrna is added to this, which signifies their song. For he sings well, who with a contrite heart implores the mercy of his Maker and humbly begs, concerning which song the Apostle speaks, saying: Singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19). And because he who wishes to be heard by God must necessarily abandon vices and turn himself towards good works, to the extent that his strength allows; Let us proceed in order, which division is interpreted as the arrangement of horns. In this place, two horns signify good and evil. We divide the horns; when discerning between good and evil, we repel evil and embrace good. And because as long as we lie in sin, we are in darkness; but when we reject evil and begin to do good, we progress from darkness to light; not inappropriately does Thyatira follow Pergamum, which is interpreted as illuminated. And because the beauty of the soul increases through the performance of God's commandments, and the more one increases in the performance of God's commandments, the more abundant beauty they confer on their soul; not improperly after Thyatira, Sardis follows, which is interpreted as the beginning of beauty. It is called the beginning of beauty because the beauty of the saints begins in this life and is perfected in eternal blessedness. Philadelphia follows, which is called the preserver of God's inheritance. But what is the inheritance of God, if not the entire multitude of the elect, as the Lord says to the prophet: 'My inheritance is Israel' (Isaiah 19:25)? And in what does the salvation of the elect consist, if not in the observance of God's commandments (Luke 19:10)? For he who came to seek and save what was lost bestows salvation of souls upon those who individually keep his commandments according to their own virtue. Laodicea is placed seventh, because it is interpreted as 'three times beloved by the Lord.' But the threefold multitude of the elect is loved by the Lord, which is the Church, which through renouncing vices, and through the operation of virtues, comes to be called threefold beloved by the Lord.(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12.) And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. Why did he stand so long with his back turned? Why did he not turn to the person speaking behind him at the first sound of the words hitting his ears? But he gave us an example; for he did not turn to the Lord who was speaking with him until he heard the names of the Churches to which he was commanded to write. And above, we briefly said that the way to life is shown through the interpretations of the names of the seven Churches. Therefore, whoever desires to go to God by this way, either by reading or by listening to others, should investigate how they ought to progress on this path; for it is foolish for a traveler to desire to go to a desired place and not know the way; unless he has first sought to learn the length of the journey, the roughness, the bends, and the dangers; so that when he begins to climb, he may pass through the known dangers more easily. For we have seen many people leave the world in order to acquire eternal life through the path of contemplation; but because they did not know the roughness of the way, they suddenly fell. But it is possible that someone may object to you about these things, quoting from divine Scripture: 'Do not delay in returning to God' (Eccl. 5:8). To this, I respond that I am already turning to God when I continue to investigate the path that leads to Him. And what does it mean when it says, 'And I turned to see the voice,' since a voice is perceived not by the eyes but by the ears? But John, being in the spirit, deserved to see with spiritual eyes what followed. There was no need for the noise of words to resound there, where God was inside, who was teaching. Otherwise: he hears the words of God competently who, having heard them, does not cease to behold them with the eyes of the mind, so as to fulfill them in action.(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13) And turning around, I saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, one like the Son of Man. The seven golden candlesticks represent the seven churches, as he himself explained, and the seven churches symbolize one universal Church. The golden candlesticks are called so either because of the persecutions that the saints endure throughout the ages or because of the wisdom with which they are enlightened. In the midst of them, Christ was seen standing, as he himself says in the Gospel: Behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world (Matthew 28:20).(Vers. 14, 15.)
(Verse 14,15) It follows: He was dressed in a robe and wrapped in a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. If you want to receive seven candlesticks and seven stars as two ornaments, you will find ten ornaments, from which it has been seen that the body of the Lord was adorned. But what the two ornaments, that is, the seven candlesticks and the seven stars, signified, He Himself explained by Himself: but what the eight that remain signify, we must investigate. For the holy city of God, which consists of all the elect, which extends from the beginning to the end, if you carefully examine it, you will find it divided into seven parts. Therefore, the first part consists of those who were chosen from the beginning up until the flood. The second part consists of the patriarchs and other righteous individuals up until the giving of the Law. The third part consists of those who were under the Law. The fourth part consists of the prophets. The fifth part consists of the apostles and those who believed from the Jews. The sixth part consists of the multitude of the Gentiles who came to faith. The seventh part consists of those who will be born at the end of the world and will fight against the Antichrist. With these seven parts, let us return to what the Lord has given, as He says: we will discuss the eighth part in what follows. Therefore, the garment which is a tunic signifies the righteous who lived before the flood. It is not said of what color it was, because they had no other law except the natural one. And the natural law is to love one's creator and not do to others what one does not want done to oneself. No one who is supported by reason is allowed to be ignorant of this law. But through the belt, the patriarchs and other righteous who lived before the law are designated. What is called golden, because, like gold in a furnace, it is known that we are tested by many tribulations: like Abraham, who was delivered from the fire of the Chaldeans: like Lot, who was afflicted by the Sodomites: like Isaac, who endured blindness: like Jacob, who was afflicted by the persecution of his brother and father-in-law: like Joseph, who endured captivity and imprisonment: like Job, who suffered the loss of possessions and endured dreadful suffering. In the same way, we must understand about the others whom Scripture does not mention. It is read that she compressed her breasts with a girdle; for through the breasts, two precepts of charity are designated, by which it is certain that the holy fathers pleased God.But his head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow. His head represents the Law, but his hair, which grows out of his head, represents the multitudes who have been saved by the Law. The hair, being white like wool and as white as snow, signifies that this people has been cleansed from the darkness of vices by the Law. His eyes were like a flame of fire. The eyes can see everything that is around them, far and wide. Therefore, the eyes symbolize the prophets who were able to foresee things that were to come from a great distance. Those who are said to be like the flame of fire, because they have been illuminated by the Holy Spirit and have contemplated the heavenly mysteries.
And his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters. By feet, the apostles are designated, and the others who believed from the Jews. Concerning these feet, the prophet speaks, saying: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the one who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings good tidings, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!' (Isaiah 52:7). Those are called burnished bronze because copper, mixed with certain medications, is melted until it takes on the color of gold, and it is called aurichalcum. Therefore, by means of bronze, which is a sound-producing material and quickly turns black, the Jews are symbolized, who indeed seemed to sound the Law according to the letter; but covered in the darkness of their minds, they were unable to understand the spiritual intelligence that lay hidden in it. Therefore, the bronze has been transformed into gold when the apostles were chosen from among the Jews. And through the furnace, whether it be the world in which Christ dwelt for a time, or the tribulations he endured, they can be designated. In this furnace, the apostles were also joined to him, as he himself says: For you are those who have stayed with me in my temptations (Luke 22:28). Therefore, in this furnace, they deserved to receive the brilliance of gold through the teaching of the Gospel. And his voice, like the sound of many waters. By the voice of many waters, the multitude of nations that ran to the faith of Christ is indicated.
And he had in his right hand seven stars. He explains what this signifies in what follows. And from his mouth a sharp sword came out on both sides. Elects, who are to be born at the end of the world and will fight against the Antichrist, are designated by the sword. And because the greatest multitude of nations, forsaking the worship of Christ, will worship Antichrist, a most impious man as God, it is not inappropriate to designate those who will advance to embrace their errors by the sword. He who is seen to have two edges will easily defeat enemies, because the teachers themselves, instructed by the teachings of the two Testaments, will do so. For what was seen to come forth from the mouth of the Lord himself as a sword signifies what he himself said in the Gospel: For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you (Matt. X, 20). Therefore, in these seven ornaments, the whole chosen Church, which is divided into seven parts by us, is encompassed. Therefore, without these seven parts, it seems to me that no one can understand this book in an orderly manner: but something must be said about the remaining eighth part.
And his face, like the sun shining, is designated in its power. Through the face of the Church, as it will be in the future after the resurrection, is signified; and therefore through the face, because then, as the Apostle says (1 Corinthians 13:12), the just will see God face to face. Which face shone like the sun, because as the Lord says: Then the just will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matthew 13:43). There are certain things found in the Scriptures that are in agreement with these seven parts, as is read in Joshua (Joshua 6:6ff), where the Lord commanded that the ark of God should go around the city of Jericho for seven days, once a day, with the priests carrying it, the trumpets sounding, and the people following. For indeed, Jericho designates all the body of the wicked, which is the city of the devil: but through the sons of Israel, the chosen ones are designated: through the priest preachers: through the trumpets, the preaching doctrine: but through the people who followed them, all the righteous ones are designated, who followed their doctrine and imitated their actions: but through the ark which they carried, Christ is understood, who, dwelling in the hearts of the saints, is carried. But concerning the preachers who came after the advent of Christ, there is no doubt that they not only proclaimed Christ in words but also loved Him in their hearts. However, how did those who preceded His coming carry Him? Certainly, they also carried Him; for some of them foretold Him in words, while others foreshadowed Him in their deeds. But it is for us to inquire what this circuit, which was completed in seven days, signifies. For the places that we go around, we avoid entering; for when we go through a path, if we find a deep pit or mud, or any danger, we avoid entering it by going around, so that we may avoid the danger. For we go around Jericho, if we fulfill the journey of this present life according to the will of God; for even though we live among the wicked, we go around Jericho if we abstain from their wickedness. Concerning this going around, it seems to me that the Psalmist said: I have gone around and offered in His tabernacle a sacrifice of rejoicing (Psalm 26:6). For he went around, and afterwards offered sacrifice; because he first rejected the deeds of the wicked, so that the sacrifice of his joyful praise would be acceptable to God. For there are many who constantly praise God; but because they refuse to repel vices from themselves, their praise is not acceptable to God. Therefore, the first circuit refers to those righteous people who existed before the flood, who were called children of God. Therefore, they circled the city of Jericho as long as they separated themselves from the company of the wicked. Therefore, after the ark of God and the people of Jericho circled the city, they returned to the camp; for each righteous person, after completing their circuit, is led to the company of the chosen ones, which are the camps of the saints, after death. The circuit of the second day pertains to those who lived from the time of the flood until Moses: they too encircled the city of Jericho, for they separated themselves from the wickedness of the reprobate. For even Abraham, although he lived among the Amorites, abhorred not only their vices, but also the fellowship of their bodies to such an extent that he refused to take a wife for his son from their daughters. And concerning Lot, who dwelt among the Sodomites, blessed Peter speaks (2 Peter II, 7), who was just in hearing and sight, dwelling among them, that from day to day his righteous soul was tormented by their unlawful deeds. In the same way also the others. The third circuit, however, pertains to those who were under the Law, whom the very Law reveals how much care they should take to separate themselves from the company of the wicked. But the prophets, to whom the fourth circuit pertains, so despised and reproached the sins of princes and wicked men, that some of them were stoned, some were cut in pieces, and some were put to death by the sword for this reason. But indeed, the apostles, and those who believed from the Jews, to whom the fifth circuit belongs, Luke narrates in the Acts of the Apostles with what great zeal they separated themselves from the counsel and works of the unbelieving Jews. But the martyrs, who belong to the nations to whom the sixth circuit belongs, say with what fervor they distanced themselves from the society of the wicked. The seventh circuit, however, belongs to those who will exist in the times of the future Antichrist: but this book also reveals how they, like the Antichrist and his ministers, will avoid their treachery. Therefore, on the seventh day, when the priests were circling Jericho with the ark, and shouting, the walls of Jericho fell down, and all the people, along with their king, were killed. For it is preached by the preachers of truth at the end of the world, and the proclaimers of the end of the world, that suddenly the end of the world will come, and every city of the devil will be destroyed, and with its head, the devil himself will be condemned to eternal death.
We also read in the book of Judges that Samson, the strongest, had seven locks of hair (Judges 16:13). Samson signifies Christ, and all the chosen are signified by the hair. And just as hair adheres to the head, so all the righteous adhere to Christ, who is the head of all His chosen ones. And just as Samson's hair is divided into seven parts, so too the number of the chosen can be divided into seven parts according to the qualities of the times, as we have shown above.
But this can also be applied to our understanding. For wisdom has built herself a house, when our Lord Jesus Christ, from the beginning of the world until its end, has constructed and will construct for himself the Church from the multitude of the elect: She has hewn out her seven pillars, when in those seven periods, he established preachers in his Church who would come together in each period, and would sustain it with wholesome admonitions and examples of good works.
And we can also apply what the same Solomon puts in another place, saying: Give a portion to seven, and also to eight (Ecclesiastes 11:2), to our exposition. First, therefore, we must inquire what it is from which we are commanded to make parts. For there is a certain good, and it is the highest good, namely charity, which unless it is divided, will not be a perfect good; for it is divided into the love of God and the love of neighbor: which, although it is one, nevertheless has two arms, which extending in all directions, joins God to men, and men to God. There are two types of lives: one is called active, the other contemplative. Love of neighbor pertains to the active life, while love of God properly belongs to the contemplative life. Therefore, through the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, we can understand the entire multitude of the elect, but through the eight we can truly understand our Lord Jesus Christ, because He rose on the eighth day. Therefore, the saints of God give a part of their love in seven ways when they are engaged in the activities of the active life, namely when they devote themselves to caring for their neighbor not only physically but also spiritually. They also give a part of eight, when the love of God calls them back to his contemplation. Otherwise. We give a part of seven, when we show proper reverence to the saints of God: we give a part of eight, when we give due worship to God our creator.
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17.) Then he said: And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Look, John, who seemed to stand for himself, when he saw the Lord, fell as though dead; because every holy man, the higher he raises himself to contemplate the divinity of God, the lower he falls within himself; because in comparison with the greatness of God, he easily perceives how small he is. Therefore, he fell as though dead, because he perceived that he is nothing in comparison with God. He fell at my feet, because he realized that he could in no way comprehend the mystery of his incarnation, which is symbolized by the feet. And he placed his hand upon me, saying: Do not be afraid. Just as the hand has many functions in the body, so the hand of God has many meanings in the divine Scriptures. For example, Job calls the scourge of God the hand of God when he says: Keep your hand far from me, and let not your dread terrify me (Job 13:21). And again, he says to his friends: Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends; for the hand of the Lord has touched me (Job 19:21). For even Jeremiah was touched by the hand of wisdom, as he himself says: And the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth, and said to me: Behold, I have put my words in your mouth, and the rest (Jeremiah 1:9). Likewise, Daniel was touched by the hand of God's strength, when he was lying prostrate on the ground because of the angelic vision, and he saw a hand sent to him, which strengthened him, to whom he also said: Speak, Lord, for you have strengthened me (Daniel 10:10). Therefore, with this hand of comfort, the same John was touched, which, in order to prevent him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief, raised him up by offering consolation.(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18.) I am the first and the last. If I am the first, why did Arius say that the Son of God had a beginning? For if he had a beginning, he himself was not the first, but the one from whom he took his beginning. Therefore, he is both the first and the last, because just as he will not have an end, so he did not have a beginning. And I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. This is clear. And I have the keys of death and Hades. Whoever has the key to someone's house, can let in whoever he wants, and can keep out whoever he wants. Therefore, power is understood through the key of the Son of God. Therefore, he himself possesses the keys of death and hell; because whom he wills, he mercifully delivers from the damnation of everlasting death; and whom he wills, he allows to remain in the same danger of damnation by just judgment.(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19) Therefore, write what you have seen, and what is, and what must happen after these things. Here he indicates that he has not only prophesied about present and future things, but also about past things. Therefore, write what you have seen, that is, what has been shown to you about the past; what is, and what must happen after these things, that is, present and future things.(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20.) The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The meaning is understood by implication. And what they signify, he reveals by explaining: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven golden candlesticks are the seven churches. Therefore, we must understand the seven angels as the rulers of the seven churches, because angel is translated as messenger: and those who proclaim the word of God to the people are appropriately called angels, that is, messengers. And just as through the seven Churches one Catholic Church is signified, so also through the seven rulers of the seven Churches all the rulers of the Catholic Church are designated.Chapter II.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) And to the angel of the church in Ephesus write: Thus says the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. By the right hand of God, the power of God can be designated in this place, by the stars the holy preachers. Therefore, the holy preachers are held by the hand of God; because they are governed and ruled by Him, and they are also joined together, as He himself speaks in the Gospel, saying: Just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine; so neither can you, unless you abide in me (John 15:4). But in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, Christ walks, as he himself says by the prophet: I will dwell among them, and walk among them: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people (Leviticus 26:12).(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) I know your works. Specifically, those works that you were doing before your love grew cold in you. And your labor and patience, that is, the persecutions that you endure patiently for my name's sake. And you cannot bear the wicked (Matthew 13). While the divine Scripture commands us to bear with the wicked, why is it praised here that you were not able to bear with the wicked? But it seems to me that this is said about heretics; for sometimes we must correct the evils of our neighbors by reproving them, at the opportune time, that is. And sometimes we must bear with them patiently, so that if correction does not reform them, patience may provoke them to reform. For there are some who do not know how to criticize their neighbors unless they are inflamed with anger. If any of them, having been moved not only by a great matter, but also by a small matter against their neighbor, carries anger in their heart until they see something in the actions of their neighbor that they can criticize: and then they become happy when they inflict the punishment of criticism on their neighbor. And if they see that this displeases someone, they say that they did this out of zeal for God. So I speak to you, who are such. Why do you seek to deceive him who considers the secrets of hearts? If you have the zeal of God in you, why do your eyes wander in different directions like the devil, desiring to see evil rather than good, desiring to see evil nearby that you may condemn, not good from which you may build? There are also many who, for even the smallest offenses, impatiently attack those from whom they have suffered some injury: but those whom they love, they not only do not condemn, even if they have gravely sinned; but they even defend them with all their strength. Oh unhappy friendship, which by remaining silent and defending, delivers the one whom it loves to the devil; but it drags away the one whom it is angry with by blaming him at the instigation of the devil! Therefore, that correction is just which comes from zeal for God and brotherly love, which is not offered for the sake of avenging anger, but for the sake of saving the soul of one's neighbor. However, because we have said these things briefly, let us return to what we have begun. Therefore, let us understand what is said by the Lord to the bishop of the church in Ephesus: Since you cannot endure evil, we should understand it concerning heretics; for every shepherd of the church should, as much as possible, avoid the company of heretics, lest by the occasion of familiarity their hearts be corrupted by the poison of their malice. For just as a quiet wolf among sheep cannot tear them apart, so too a heretic among the simple cannot. It follows: And you tested those who claim to be apostles and are not, and you found them to be liars. Some teachers, teaching evil things in the times of the apostles, claimed to be apostles themselves, so that they could more easily plant corrupt doctrine in the hearts of the listeners out of reverence for the name (2 Cor. 10:12). These are also condemned by the apostle Paul, and the Lord warns to beware of them in the Gospel when He says: Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves (Matt. 7:15). Therefore, he proved these to be false and their teaching to be false.(Vers. 3, 4.)
(Vers. 3, 4.) And you have patience, and have endured for my name, and have not grown weary: that is, your patience has appeared in this, that you have not grown weary in the labours which you have endured for my name. But I have something against you, that you have abandoned your first love. Many are those who, at the beginning of their conversion, are fervent in the service of God, but over time they grow lukewarm: which has clearly happened to this bishop of the Church of Ephesus.(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) Remember, therefore, from where you have fallen. From where have you fallen? From charity: and if you have fallen from charity, you have fallen from God; because God is charity. And repent (John 4:16). Clearly, because of your dullness and laziness, you have been separated from charity. And do your first works: but if not, I will come to you quickly and will remove your candlestick out of its place unless you repent. If the candlestick signifies the church of Ephesus, why will the church lose its place because of the sin of its pastor, when the Scripture says: "The fathers shall not die for the children, nor shall the children die for their fathers: but every one shall die for his own sin" (Jeremiah 31:30)? But in this place it seems to me that the reward, which was due to him for pastoral care, is being designated, so that the meaning is: Unless you repent for leaving your first love, and do not return to your first works; so that what you preach with your mouth, you fulfill with your actions: I will withhold the reward that was due to you for pastoral care.(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6) But you have this (namely, that the candlestick should not be moved) because you hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. And the meaning is: Because you hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate, the reward that was owed to you for your pastoral care still remains with you. The Nicolaitans, however, were heretics, whom he said earlier that he could not bear.(Vers. 7.)
(Rev. 7.) He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches. For to all who have ears, it says: He who has ears to hear, let him hear; it undoubtedly requires the ears of the heart. To the one who conquers, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of my God. There were two trees in the midst of the garden, one called the tree of life, and the other called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Their power was such that if anyone were to eat from the tree of life, they would not die forever; but if anyone were to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, even though they were immortal, they would immediately become mortal. (Gen. II, 27) Therefore, Paradise signifies the Church: but the tree of life in the midst of Paradise is Christ in the midst of His Church. But the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which is also said to have been in the midst of Paradise, signifies the devil, who never ceases to roam among the faithful, in order to deceive whomever he can. Therefore, the tree of life belongs to the elect, but the tree of knowledge of good and evil belongs to the reprobate. Therefore, the elect eat the fruit of the tree of life, so that they may live forever; because they keep the commandments of the Gospel, so that they may live forever with the Lord: but the reprobate eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and they die; because they feed on the suggestions of the devil, and all vices and pleasures; hence they acquire eternal damnation for themselves. And just as the fruits of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were more pleasing to the woman than the fruits of the tree of life, so too the glory of this world is more pleasing to the wicked than what the eyes of the body see, than the glory of the heavenly homeland, which can only be seen with spiritual eyes. But a question arises, why is it called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, when it first provided the knowledge of evil to the first man, not the knowledge of good? This seems to me to be answered thus: for indeed, when the first angel was created, he had knowledge of good, not knowledge of evil; but he discovered knowledge of evil by his own doing, for which reason he was cast down from that heavenly glory. Therefore, the first man ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil when he followed the suggestions of the one who possessed knowledge of good and evil; for it was not the tree that could teach knowledge of evil, but the devil who persuaded man to transgress God's command. Thus he says, 'To him who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of my God.' He conquers, who perseveres in good works until the end of his life. Therefore, Christ will give to the conqueror the right to eat from the tree of life; because to those who keep his commandments until the end of their lives, he will give the glory of his immortality in celestial bliss, so that they may live eternally with him, who have endeavored to keep his commandments in this world. But when he calls his own father God, that belongs to his humanity.(Vers. 8, 9.)
(Vers. 8, 9.) And write to the angel of the church in Smyrna: This is what the first and the last says, who was dead and has come to life: I know your tribulation and poverty. It is possible that the church in Smyrna suffered the same persecution from its fellow citizens in the plundering of their goods, as the church in Jerusalem did. Therefore, its tribulation and poverty, which it endured for the sake of the Lord, are praised. It is also possible to understand this as voluntary poverty, of which the Lord says in the Gospel: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:3).But you are rich: poor in material wealth, but rich in virtues. And you are blasphemed by those who claim to be Jews, but are not: rather, they are the synagogue of Satan. The confessing Jews are interpreted as Jews who deny and blaspheme Christ, not true Jews who confess; rather, they can appropriately be called the synagogue of Satan.
(Vers. 10, 11.)
(Verse 10, 11.) Do not fear any of these things that you are about to suffer. Adversities are being foretold to him, so that he may more easily endure what is to come. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you may be tested: that is, certain ones among you, who are the devil's ministers, will be sent into prison; so that you may be tested whether you will depart from the faith out of fear of punishments, or whether you will choose to die for the love of Christ. And you will have tribulation for ten days. The time when this persecution will be more cruel has been shown. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. The crown of life signifies eternal glory.He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death. We will explain what the second death is in the following.
(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12.) And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These things says he who has the sharp two-edged sword. By the sharp two-edged sword, the power of the judicial judgment of the Lord can be understood: which is called sharp on both sides because of two judgments, one that was done by water, the other that will be done by fire. But we are excluded from this understanding because that judgment has already been carried out and abolished by the mercy of God. For at that time the sharpness of that judgment was erased when God said to Noah. I have sworn by myself, because I will not add any more the waters of a flood upon the earth (Gen. VI, 17). Therefore, it seems to me that it should be understood through the divine scripture called the 'romphaea', which is said to be sharp for cutting away vices, and is shown to be sharp on both sides for the two Testaments. For both the Old and the New Testament continually remind us to leave behind vices and to exercise ourselves in good works, so that we may find the salvation of our souls.(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13.) I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. He was killed among you, but not by you: but by those among whom you dwell, in whom the devil dwells.(Vers. 14, 15.)
(Verse 14, 15.) But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. We read in the book of Numbers that Balak, the king of the Moabites, at the suggestion of Balaam, put beautiful women in front of the children of Israel who were sacrificing to their gods, and their beauty not only tempted them into sexual immorality, but also led them to eat from their sacrifices (Num. 25:1). But the Nicolaitans were heretics, abhorring marriage and teaching that believers could freely engage in sexual immorality with whomever they pleased, as animals do. Just as the Israelites fell into the evil of sexual immorality through the teaching of Balaam, resulting in the destruction of many of them, so the Nicolaitans, with their wicked doctrine, led some of the faithful in Pergamum astray into the evil of sexual immorality. They taught them not to be bound by the marriage covenant and to freely engage in sexual immorality with whomever they pleased. But when he says, 'I have a few things against you,' it means that a few of the faithful have been deceived by the heretics.(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) Likewise, repent. When he says 'likewise', it seems to me to refer to the angel of the Church of Ephesus, to whom it is said: Repent, because you have abandoned your first love. It is as if he were saying: Just as I commanded the angel of Ephesus to repent, because he had abandoned his first love, so you too must repent, because you have strayed from love; so that you may not lose some of your own through silence. If not, I will come to you quickly. The coming of the Lord is often understood as death; for the Lord comes to each person when he separates the soul from the body by death. Quickly, that is, suddenly, as the Lord speaks in the Gospel of the negligent servant: But the Lord of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour he does not know, and he will cut him in pieces and will set his portion with the hypocrites (Matt. XXIV, 51). For a human being consists of soul and body: the Lord separates the soul from the body in a person; he sets his portion with the hypocrites when he hands over the soul, which is the second part in a person, to be tormented with the wicked for his sins. In this that he says: I will grant you forgiveness quickly, it seems to me that this is my understanding: If you do not repent, I will grant you forgiveness quickly; so that I may dissolve you through the death that you neglect to foresee. It follows: And I will fight with them with the sword of my mouth: that is, I will put another in your place, and I will put the sword of my words in his mouth, with which he will cast down the adversaries of truth.(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Wherever this statement is placed, whether in the Gospel or in the Apocalypse, it must be understood as a mystical saying, difficult to understand. To the one who is victorious, I will give hidden manna (Exodus 16:14). In the Old Testament, we read that as the Jewish people journeyed through the desert, the Lord provided them with manna until they reached the promised land. Therefore, by the wisdom of Christ, which is understood through manna, it can be understood: He Himself is the living bread, which came down from heaven (John VI, 41). All the chosen ones are nourished by this bread, placed in the desert and on the journey of this world, until they come to the promised land, that is, to heavenly blessedness, which God has promised to those who love Him. And it is called hidden because the wisdom of God is hidden from the proud and revealed to the humble, as He Himself says in the Gospel: I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and have revealed them to infants (Matthew XI, 25).And I will give him a white stone. By the stone, which is a small rock, and is thus called from counting, we can understand the Gospel. For just as the ancients gathered a great multitude of these stones to divide and distribute numbers, so the doctors of the Church gather many words of the Gospel in their hearts, opening to their listeners both the obscurities and spiritual meanings and benefits, as if dividing and distributing their own numbers. And in stone a new name is written, which no one knows except the one who receives it. What is this name of Christ, which is said to be written in the stone of the Gospel? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1); and again: I and the Father are one (John 10:30); and the same evangelist says in another place: For he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God (John 5:18). If Christ made Himself equal to God, why does Arius say that the Son is inferior to the Father? Therefore, this name that is written in the book, no one knows it except the one who receives it; because no one is able to know the omnipotence, divinity, and equality of the Son with the Father, unless the Gospel doctrine has been given to them. But there is something else that moves us; for a little earlier he said, 'To the one who overcomes, I will give hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.' If, therefore, knowledge is given to those alone who conquer the devil, and the manna, and the stone, and the name of Christ; then the impious, who do not conquer the devil but are conquered by him, although they appear to have received baptism, and faith in Christ, are nevertheless alienated from this gift. But someone may say: How is it that someone who is literate and educated in divine scriptures does not know the mystery of the name of Christ; even though they love the world and live indulgently? To this I will compare the resemblance of two men who possess a great amount of honey, one of whom used to eat it, while the other, compelled by a certain necessity, abstained from it in every way. Which of these, in your opinion, seems to have a better knowledge of the taste of honey? Surely you will respond to me that it is the one who used to enjoy its sweetness. And yet if you were to ask each of them about the taste of the honey, both would confess that it is very sweet: but one would speak based on what he heard, the other based on what he experienced; the former would speak what the throat did not know, while the latter would speak what delight had taught him. Therefore, he who possessed honey not for use, but for the sake of increasing wealth, signifies those who from their knowledge of divine scriptures seek temporal glory rather than eternal glory; but he who possessed honey for the purpose of enjoying its sweetness continually signifies those who study the commandments of God not for temporal glory, but for the love of God, so that through their actions they may deserve to attain eternal glory. Those who preach the commandments of God are not sweet to them, even though they may proclaim them, because they love not the sweetness of the heavenly country, but the sweetness of this earthly life, which produces bitterness. But to those who keep the commandments of God, the hope of the heavenly country makes them sweet, as the Psalmist says: How sweet are your words to my taste, O Lord, sweeter than honey to my mouth (Psalm 118:103)! Therefore, only those who keep the commandments of God know the name of God; but those who love the world, who indulge themselves in certain vices, who fulfill the desires of their flesh, do not know the name of God, because they cast away his fear and love from their minds. Alternatively: The name and description of heavenly happiness can be expressed through a stone; just as the stone symbolizes heavenly happiness, the name written on it represents heavenly happiness. Therefore, no one knows this name except for those who receive the stone; because no one can truly comprehend how great that heavenly happiness is, except for those who have deserved to attain it, as the prophet Isaiah says: 'No eye has seen, O God, besides you, what you have prepared for those who wait for you' (Isaiah 64:4).
(Vers. 18, 19.)
(Verses 18, 19.) And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: This is what the Son of God says, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished bronze. The meaning of these things was explained earlier. I know your works, your love, your faith, your service, your patience, and your last works are more than the first. In all these things, he is praised, but as the following reveals, he is rebuked only for the fault of silence.(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20) But I have this against you, because you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. This woman, who is compared to the wicked Jezebel, falsely proclaimed herself a prophetess in order to more easily introduce false doctrine in the name of religion to the people of God: just as Jezebel compelled the people of God to forsake the worship of God and worship idols, so this woman also tried to separate the people of God from the worship of God, that is, from the true faith, through her wicked doctrine. For the soul is polluted whenever it departs from its Creator, God. It is called idolatry, that which was consecrated to idols. For this woman was teaching that it would not harm the faithful if they ate the meat that was sacrificed to idols.(Vers. 21.)
(Verse 21) And I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Just as the blessed Job says about the wicked: God gave him a place for repentance, but he used it for pride (Job 24:23).(Vers. 22, 23.)
(Verse 22, 23) Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds, and I will kill her children with death. Behold, to the woman and her children no place for repentance is promised, because they have rejected the time of repentance granted to them by God. But to those who commit adultery with her, a place for repentance is still promised. Therefore, it seems to me that they who commit adultery with her signify those who, while supporting her wicked assertions, had not yet been completely submerged in the pit of her malice. And by her children they are designated who, having been completely deceived by her, refused in no way to receive the medicine of correction. But by the bed in which the woman was to be sent, Hell is designated, in which he was buried and was rich, of whom the Lord says in the Gospel: Now the rich man also died, and he was buried in Hell (Luke 16:22). By the great tribulation, in which those who committed adultery with her were to be placed unless they repented; and by the death in which her sons were to be killed, the same punishment of Hell is designated. And all the churches will know that I am the one who searches the hearts and minds. Through the kidneys which are contained within the body, and from which desire is said to proceed, hidden sins are revealed; but through the hearts hidden thoughts are indicated. And it means: And they will know, namely on the day of judgment, when both the woman herself and all those deceived by her will be condemned; all the Church, that is, all those who are considered Christian in name, not only the chosen but also the reprobate, because I am the one who examines the kidneys and hearts, that is, not only sins that are evident, but also those that are hidden; but I also observe the thoughts themselves, and on that day I will give to each of you according to your works.(Vers. 24.)
(Verse 24.) But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. This saying seems to me not only to pertain to the teaching of a woman, but also to false apostles who were instructing those who had believed from the Gentiles to turn to the Law and circumcision. And because the Jews were boasting in the observance of the Law, and after the Gospel was given, the keeping of the Law according to the letter is nothing but the slavery of the devil; we can understand by the deep things of Satan, the Law itself, if it is fulfilled carnally. So what he says is this: I tell you, the rest of you in Thyatira, who have remained faithful: whoever does not have this teaching, that is, who have not received the teaching of that wicked woman: whoever does not understand the depths of Satan, as they say, that is, those who have not accepted the Law, as false apostles say, in order to fulfill it carnally: they have indeed received it, in order to fulfill it spiritually; but they have not received it, in order to keep it carnally (Acts XV, 1). For example, they said, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you can't be saved.' But those who understood circumcision spiritually, not in a physical sense, cut off all their vices from their hearts and their flesh. They said to observe the Sabbath, doing no work on it. But these people, considering all the time of their lives as the Sabbath, made an effort to abstain from all sinful work, to the extent that they could. I will not lay any other burden on you, except what is required of you, that is, to remain faithful, and to not receive false apostles. I will not lay any other burden on you, unless it is what the apostles have commanded you; to abstain from foods sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality (Ibid. 29).(Vers. 25.)
(Verse 25.) Nevertheless, hold on to what you have, until I come. And if he were to say: Because you are little ones and you need milk, not solid food, hold on to the faith that you have learned, until I come; so that through the grace of my inspiration, I may prompt you to higher works of virtue.(Vers. 26, 27, 28.)
(Verse 26, 27, 28.) And he who conquers and keeps my works until the end, I will give him authority over nations, and he will rule them with an iron rod, and they will be shattered like pottery, just as I have received from my Father. In this context, the end signifies death: so, whoever conquers the world and its desires and persists until the end will be given authority over nations and will rule them with an iron rod. But if, by the end, death is understood, how can the chosen ones be said to rule nations after death, when in that blessed life there is no one who is ruled with an iron rod and where nothing distorted or wicked is found? Unless perhaps we understand it in this sense, that which is said: He who made things that are to come. For all things which are to be done according to the arrangement of God, already exist as if they were done in His predestination; for it cannot come to pass that anything be changed of all the things which God has determined to be done. Likewise also the saints, whom God foreknew to be future righteous and to persevere in good works, He granted before their birth that they should have power over the nations and should rule them with a rod of iron, as He says to Jeremiah: Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you: and before you came forth out of the womb, I sanctified you; and I ordained you a prophet to the nations. In the second psalm it is written: the Father said to the Son: Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall rule them with a rod of iron, and shatter them like a potter's vessel (Psalm 2:8). The Father has given the Son the power to rule over the nations with a rod of iron: and the Son has also given the power to the apostles and other preachers, to rule over the nations with a rod of iron, and to shatter them like a potter's vessel. Therefore, by the iron rod, the Gospel is symbolized, just as by the wooden rod, the Law. For the wooden rod that Moses used represented the very law that was given by him; for, as we read in Exodus (Exod. XVII, 6), the rod struck the rock twice, and abundant waters came forth, so that the people and the animals drank. Therefore, the rod is the old Testament: the double striking represents the Law and the Prophets: but the rock prefigured Christ. Therefore the rod struck the rock twice, when the Old Testament predicted through the law and the prophets that Christ would come for the redemption of mankind. And because it was impossible for the things that were predicted through the law and the prophets not to be fulfilled, as the Lord says in the Gospel: It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one iota or one dot of the Law to become void (Luke 16:17). The rod struck the rock twice, when the prophecies of the prophets and the Law, in a way, compelled that man would be worthy of becoming God. Therefore the rock was struck, and abundant waters flowed forth; because Christ, in fulfillment of what had been said, coming, produced the streams of heavenly doctrine, that is, the Gospel, about himself. The people and the animals, that is, the Jews and the Gentiles, drank. The very rod also blossomed in the tabernacle, and brought forth almonds (Num. 17:8); because in the tabernacle of the Church afterwards the Old Testament produced the flowers of spiritual senses, and those flowers brought forth the fruit of good works. Therefore we have said this so that we may demonstrate that the Law was designated through a wooden staff.And because the precepts of the New Testament are stricter than those of the Old, it is not inappropriate that the Gospel is represented by an iron rod, and the Law by a wooden one. In the former it is said: You shall eat and be satisfied; you shall drink and be drunk; you shall sleep, and there will be no one to frighten you (Lev. 26:5-6); and again: You shall eat the oldest of the old, and cast away the old things when the new ones come (Lev. 26:10); and many other things that pertain to carnal pleasures. But here it is said: See that your hearts are not burdened with excess and drunkenness, and the cares of this world; and again: Narrow and difficult is the way that leads to life (Luke 34:21); and the apostle Paul says: In all things let us show ourselves as ministers of God, with much patience, in vigils, in fastings (2 Corinthians 6:4); and many other things, which are found in the New Testament concerning the mortification of the flesh. For the Lord in the Gospel makes it manifest how much stricter His precepts are compared to the precepts of the Law, when He says: You have heard that it was said to the ancients: You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire (Matthew 5:21-22). And again: You have heard that it was said to the ancients: You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28). And again: It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery (Matthew 5:31-32). And again: You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well (Matthew 5:38-40). And again: You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:43-45). Therefore, these words of the Lord that we have brought forth openly demonstrate, through the iron rod, the Gospel, and through the fragile and soft wooden rod, the Law is symbolized: and through the vessels of the potter, the hearts of the Gentiles are designated, filled with all the errors of demons, which are broken by the touch of the iron rod; because with the grace of the Gospel coming, every error of the Gentiles is destroyed, and those vessels which were previously made of clay, have become vessels of iron, strongest against all the temptations of demons, and against the persecutions of evil men.
And I will give him the morning star: that is, I will give myself to him; for I am the morning star, of whom the Scripture says: A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a man shall spring up from Israel, and shall strike the chiefs of Moab (Num. XXIV, 17). Moab is said to be from the father: and the Lord said to the Jews: You are of your father the devil. Therefore the Lord struck the chiefs of Moab, when he destroyed all the makers of errors.
Chapter III.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1) And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things says he who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. The seven spirits of God are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which the prophet Isaiah shows have descended upon the Lord, saying: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2). Of these seven spirits, which the Lord has given, we will speak about in the following: what the seven stars are, as was said above. It follows, I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and you are dead. He had a name that he would live, that is, a Christian name: but he was dead; because he did not have the works of faith, which is charity.(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) Be watchful and strengthen the other things that were about to die. He is watchful who always practices good works: therefore, it is ordered to him that he should be watchful, that is, that he should exercise himself in works of charity; lest the small goods which he still seemed to have, should perish. For just as a body is dead without a soul, so we also seem to have any goods, they are dead, if love is lacking: For I do not find your works perfect before my God. They were not full, but empty; because they were not filled with love: hence the five foolish virgins were rejected from the wedding feast of the heavenly bridegroom, because they did not want to have the oil of charity in their vessels (Matthew 25:3).(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3) Therefore, keep in mind how you have received and heard, and hold onto it, and repent. That is, remember how you received the faith of Christ in baptism, where you promised to renounce the devil and all his works. Remember also what you heard from the teachers of the Christian faith, how you should live. And keep what you heard, and repent, because you have been inactive in good works for so long. So if you have not been watchful; that is, if you have not stirred yourself to do good works: I will come as a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. The Lord comes as a thief, in order to take him by death from this worldly habitation; who, resting in his wickedness, neither wishes to abstain from vices, nor to consider death itself before his eyes, just as the Lord says in the Gospel: For if the master of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch and would not allow his house to be dug through (Matthew 24:43). By the father of the household, we can understand the mind; for just as the father of the household rules over all those who are in the house, so too the mind is placed before all actions of the body and thoughts. Therefore, if the father of the household is sleeping and a thief comes into his house and digs through it, when the mind is resting in carnal pleasures, death, unexpected, comes upon him and, digging through the house of the body, takes away the soul. But if he is vigilant, that is, if he perseveres in good works, he will endure death not as a thief, but as a liberator.(Vers. 4.)
(Vers. 4.) But you have a few names in Sardis, who have not defiled their garments. Behold, the disciples are placed before a negligent shepherd, so that at least in their imitation, progress may be made. But it is surprising why it is said to have few names, and not a few men. But this pertains to the great excellence of a holy person, when it is said that God knows them by name, just as it is said to Moses, a perfect man: I know you by name; and the Lord says in the Gospel: And he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out (John 10:3). Therefore, these few who deserve to be praised by the voice of God have not defiled their garments, that is, the purity they received in baptism, they have not defiled with the filth of vices. And they walked with me in white, for they are worthy; that is, in good works.(Vers. 5, 6.)
(Vers. 5, 6.) Whoever conquers, shall be dressed in white garments; that is, whoever conquers the devil through repentance and tears, and expels all vices from oneself, shall attain the same purity as one possessed at baptism, and will also attain it oneself. He says this in order to exhort both the pastor of the Church in Sardis and all sinners to repentance. And I will not erase his name from the book of life. If he calls the book of life predestination, how can someone be erased from the book of life, since the Apostle says: But whom he predestined, those he also called: and whom he called, those he also justified: and whom he justified, those he also glorified (Rom. VIII, 30)? Unless we understand it in this way: There are many who are considered just by humans, but in the sight of God they are unjust. Therefore, those who consider them just already think that they are written in the book of God. But on the day of judgement, when the deeds of the wicked and the just are revealed to all, this inscription and false suspicion will be erased from their minds, when they see their damnation for their impieties. And I will confess His name before my Father and before the angels of God. This confession will then be made by the righteous, when each one will receive the reward according to the quality of their merits.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: Thus says the holy and true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. We read in the Book of Kings that the Lord said to David: When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son (2 Samuel 7:12). Only a perfidious Jew who doubts would say that this is not about Christ. And into the watched house no one can enter except through the key. Therefore, the Son of God has the key of David, because he assumed a human from the offspring of David, whom David calls the key of David, through whom everything has been unlocked, both what God spoke to David and what David spoke about him. He opens, and no one closes; he closes, and no one opens. The Lord Jesus Christ opened the Old Testament to understand the divine mysteries that were hidden in it, which no one will be able to close; he indeed closed the superfluous observance of the legal letter, which no one will be able to open. The hearts of the Gentiles also opened to receive the teaching of faith, which no persecutor could close; he closed and destroyed the worship of idols, which no persecutor could open. He also opened the way to the heavenly kingdom for his chosen ones, which no force of demons can close; he closed the same way for the reprobates, which no one can open for them.(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut; because you have a little power, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name. It seems to me that this angel of the church in Philadelphia was not sufficiently learned in the divine scriptures, and therefore said that he had little power to overcome the enemies of the faith in truth. That is to say: Because you have been steadfast in persecution, and have kept my word, that is, you have not ceased from preaching my word, and you have not denied my name; therefore, because you have a little power, I have set before you an open door in the divine scriptures, so that you may understand the mysteries of the divine scriptures: which no one will be able to shut, that is, the wisdom that will be given to you, no enemy will be able to resist.(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9) Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that I have loved you.(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) Behold, I will make them come and worship before your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of my patience, I will also keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. The hour of temptation signifies the day of judgment; however, temptation is used for the purpose of manifestation, because everyone's reasons will be revealed at that time. And in Exodus we read: God tests you, so that He may know if you love Him (Deut. XIII, 3), that is, so that it becomes clear and evident to everyone that you love Him. According to this meaning, the hour of temptation is designated as the hour of manifestation, when the actions of each individual will be made manifest to all. From this hour of temptation, the Lord will save us and all His chosen ones.(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) Behold, I come quickly: hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. Hold fast what you have, that is, the good that you have, hold onto it until the end of your life. That no one may take your crown, that is, that no one may possess the glory that is due to you without you.(Vers. 12, 13.)
(Verse 12, 13) Whoever conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again (Galatians 2, 2). The church can be represented by the temple, and the preachers by the pillars that support the temple. For even the Apostle Paul calls Peter and James the pillars of the church because the church is built upon them, as the Lord said to Peter: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church (Matthew 16, 28). But it seems that, for this reason, it follows: And he shall go out no more; this sentiment pertains not to the present Church, but to the heavenly one. For there were many who were called pillars of the Church: but because of their erroneous doctrine, they departed from it, as was the case with Origen, and many others. Therefore, through the temple is the dwelling of heaven, and through the pillar, each individual can be designated as chosen. Therefore, he who conquers all diabolical temptations and all carnal pleasures becomes a pillar in the temple of God, that is, in heavenly blessedness: and just as a pillar, when placed in a certain location, perseveres with the utmost stability, so too does each chosen one attain such firm stability from their creator in heavenly blessedness, that they may never be separated from it; just as the devil was separated, who fell by pride from heavenly blessedness. And I will write upon him the name of my God. This name of God is eternal: therefore the name of God, which is eternal, is written upon every righteous person, when eternity is granted to them to remain with the Lord. And the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God. That new Jerusalem is heavenly, which is not made of stones, like the old one, but is built daily from holy people. Moreover, Jerusalem is interpreted as the vision of peace, that is, the vision of God. Therefore, the name Jerusalem is written over each chosen one, as this is granted to each one, that they may deserve to see God without end. Otherwise, the name Jerusalem is written over each chosen one, because he himself is Jerusalem, in whom God deems worthy to reign, namely in the society of all the angels and chosen ones, who are called the heavenly Jerusalem. But it is amazing why Jerusalem is said to have descended from heaven, when we know that all the chosen ones ascend from the earth to heaven every day, and do not descend from heavenly things to earthly ones. But as the Lord descended from heaven for the redemption of the human race, so also the saints descended; for they were already united by the grace of predestination, whom he came to redeem through his mercy. And my new name is to be called the Son of God, just as I am the Son of God.(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14) And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the beginning of the creation of God. He does not call himself the beginning of the creation of God because he himself was created, but because all things were created by him. For example, if you ask who is the beginning of a house, you will be told: The architect, who first conceived it in his mind and then built it; for the house itself could not give itself its own beginning.(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. Cold you were not; because although you did not have the works of faith, you considered yourself just by faith alone: hot you were not; because you lacked charity. Oh, that you were either cold or hot: that is, oh, that you either fervored with charity; or that you regarded yourself as a sinner, as you are; so that through the fear of eternal fire and repentance, you would be driven to do good works.(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) But because you are lukewarm, I will vomit you out of my mouth. If you drink lukewarm water, it creates disgust and is easily expelled. But when we enter into the mouth of the Lord, we become His members, purified from all vices through baptism. Therefore, if we neglect to work in faith, which operates through charity and which we promised in baptism, becoming lukewarm in love, we are rejected from the mouth of the Lord like something harmful, disgusting, and foul, as He Himself said to His disciples: 'I am the vine, and you are the branches; and My Father is the gardener.' He will cut off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. (John 15:2).(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) Because you say that I am rich and have become wealthy and have need of nothing. A person is rightly called rich and wealthy who has grown in all virtues, to the pinnacle of perfection. However, this bishop of the Church of Laodicea, because of faith alone, considered himself rich and wealthy in all virtues, and thought that he needed nothing else for acquiring eternal salvation, not considering what the apostle says: faith without works is dead (James 2:26).And you do not know that you are wretched and pitiable, and poor, and blind, and naked. We call someone miserable who is burdened with poverty, nakedness, and even some infirmity. Similarly, this person is called wretched and pitiable because he was poor in virtues, blind in mind, and naked in good deeds.
(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18) I urge you to buy from me tried and true gold, refined by fire. By gold, wisdom is understood, as it is written: The desirable treasure rests in the mouth of the wise (Prov. 21:20). It is called tried because it makes all those whom it possesses tried and perfect. It is called refined by fire because it kindles in the minds of those in whom it dwells a love for God and neighbor. And because true wisdom grows from the divine scriptures, the Psalmist reveals when he says: The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined by fire, purified seven times (Psalm 12:7). The words of the Lord are pure words; because they cleanse the minds from vices. But since nothing can be purified except what is dirty, we must seek how the words of the Lord can be purified, in which nothing can be dirty. Therefore, the words of the Lord are said to be purified like silver, because the minds of the faithful are sometimes tested by the fire of repentance, sometimes by the fire of charity, from all the filth of vices. But what it says: Probatum terrae, in Hebrew means: Separated from the earth. Which is also said to be sevenfold purged, because of the seven purifications that divine Scripture contains within itself, namely the seven virtues by which all vices are purged: just as the vice of gluttony is purged by abstinence, pride by humility, lust by chastity; hatred, greed, envy, and many others, by charity. Similarly, other vices have their enemies, by whom they are either conquered or conquer. And since the Lord says above, that gold, that is, wisdom, should be bought from himself; we must inquire at what price wisdom is bought, since Job says: Gold shall not be given in exchange for it (Job 28:15); nor is there anything else that is considered more precious among men. But at what price it is bought, the blessed Job himself reveals when he says: The fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding (ibid., 28). Not that he who fears is perfect in wisdom, since the apostle says: He who fears is not perfect in charity (1 John 4:18); but that he who begins to offer a price for it begins to possess wisdom. However, its price is the fear of the Lord, renunciation of vices, repentance, tears, and works of mercy. And therefore, it follows not inconveniently: That you may become rich. For without this price, no one can attain the enrichment of virtues, which is wisdom. And you shall be clothed in white garments. White garments are good works. And let not the shame of your nakedness appear. That shame of nakedness is the one of which the Psalmist says: For behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me (Psalm 50:7). But we must cover this confusion of nakedness with good works; for although this bishop had faith, he is called naked; because he was lacking in the works of faith. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see. By the eye salve, which cleanses darkness from the eyes and brings forth tears, penance and contrition of the heart can be understood; for it is she who cleanses the darkness of blindness from the eyes of the mind, and sharpens the sight to see the reward of the righteous and the punishment of sinners.(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19) I reprove and chastise those whom I love. As Scripture says: For whom the Lord loves, He chastens; and He scourges every son whom He receives (Hebrews 12:6).(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20.) Therefore, imitate and repent: that is, imitate the good and repent; for you have been inactive in good works until now. Look, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me. The Lord knocks at our door, as He daily admonishes us through the divine Scriptures, to abandon vices and strive towards good works. We hear his voice and open the door; we receive his commands with our whole intention of mind. Truly he enters to us, when he plants his love in our hearts. He dines with us, when he rejoices in our progress. We dine with him, when we exult about the hope of heavenly glory.(Vers. 21.)
(Verse 21.) He who overcomes, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. Christ conquered the devil, and his saints conquer as well: but Christ conquered by himself, while his saints conquer not by themselves, but through him. The Father gave the Son authority as a man, to sit on his throne: and the Son also gave authority to his saints, so that they may sit on his throne. But Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, as the Psalmist says: The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand (Psalm 110:1); for he is equal to the Father. However, the saints are not said to sit at the right hand of the Son, but rather in their own seats, as the Lord said in the Gospel: You also will sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). For they are not sons by nature like Christ, but rather by adoption; therefore, they receive different seats according to the diversity of their merits. May this be provided to us, concerning which we speak; that in the distribution of those seats, we may deserve to have a share as miserable ones, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.De Visione Secunda.
The reason demands that after the seven letters, which John directed to the seven Churches that signify one Catholic Church, in which the faithful are instructed on how they should ascend to the height of virtues, the same Church's state and sublimity should be described more clearly.Chapter IV.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) After this, I saw an open door in heaven. Through the door, Christ is understood, who says: I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved (John 10:9). This door is said to be open; because to all who desire to come to him, even though they may be weighed down by many sins, he does not hesitate to open the door of his mercy, as he himself says in the Gospel: Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). But the Church is designated by heaven. But if everyone who enters through the door into the sheepfold, that is, into the holy Church, will be saved: what about the reprobates, whose countless number are contained within the holy Church, by what means did they enter? Let us ask the Lord about this; for He says: 'He who does not enter through the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up another way, he is a thief and a robber' (John 10:1). Therefore, whoever does not want to observe what they promised in baptism, they did not enter through the door into the sheepfold, but climbed up another way. And the first voice, which I heard, was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying: The first voice we can understand as the Old Testament: but it seems better to me that we understand it as the voice of John the Baptist, of whom it is written: And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins (Luke 1:76). But John himself calls himself a voice, saying: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah (John 1:23, from Isaiah 40:3). And because his preaching spread everywhere, the voice of his preaching is said to be like a trumpet. But let us hear what this voice says: Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this; that is, leave earthly things behind and raise your mind to heavenly things. In another way: John the Evangelist is playing the role of the people here, who believed in Christ through John the Baptist, and many at that time considered John to be the Christ. But John was urging his listeners to lift up their minds, when he said that he was not the Christ, but another who would come after him, saying: I am not the Christ; but there is one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (John 1:27); and again: He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30). He also instructed his disciples to ascend upwards when he taught them that he must be left behind and that they should follow Christ. Then it follows: And I will show you what must happen after this; as if he were saying: If you elevate your heart above, that is, if you have followed Christ in faith, you will be able to easily recognize what I am teaching and what is to come, even with him teaching.(Vers. 2.)
(Version 2.) And immediately I was in the spirit; that is, when I began to believe in Christ, I became a spiritual person from a carnal one. And behold, a throne was set in heaven, and someone was sitting on the throne. By heaven, as we have said before, the Church is signified: but the throne set in heaven signifies the hearts of the saints dwelling in the Church. And the one who was seen sitting on the throne is God, who dwells and resides in the hearts of his saints, as the Apostle says: For the temple of God is holy, which you are (I Cor. III, 17).(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) And he who sat there was like the appearance of jasper stone and sardius. Jasper is of a green color, and sardius of a red: therefore, through the greenness of jasper, the divinity of our Savior is signified, and through the redness of sardius, his humanity is designated. Therefore, our Savior contains both the greenness of jasper within himself, because according to his divinity he is equal to the Father in all things, and the redness of sardius, because according to his humanity, he exists as a perfect man, as it is written: Perfect God, perfect man, existing from a rational and human soul and flesh (Creed under the name of Athanasius).And there was a rainbow around the throne, similar to an emerald vision. In Genesis we read that God said to Noah: I will set my bow in the clouds of the sky, and I will remember my everlasting covenant, which is a covenant between God and every living soul (Gen. IX, 13). Therefore, by the rainbow, which appears as a sign of God's mercy to humans dwelling on the earth, the mercy of God is appropriately understood. Therefore, the rainbow, that is, the bow, surrounded the throne of God, that is, the Church; because by surrounding us with His mercy, He protects and governs us, and defends us from invisible enemies: For in Him, as the apostle says, we live, move, and exist (Act. XVII, 28). The bow is said to have a resemblance to an emerald, which is of excessive and most pleasing greenness: but the jasper, of which we have spoken above, is of a green color, like the emerald. But its greenness is dull: but the greenness of the emerald is clear, whose beauty draws the eyes of those who behold it to marvel at it. Therefore, through the greenness of the jasper, as we have said, the divinity of our Savior is understood; which is obscure and covered by certain clouds; because no human mind can comprehend the divinity of our Redeemer as it really is: and the more the mind raises itself to explore it, the thicker darkness is presented to it. Indeed, the clarity of the emerald's greenness properly signifies the mercy of the Lord; for the mercy of the Lord is so clear that no person possessing a sound mind can ignore it. For who can ignore the immense mercy of God, which He has displayed and continues to display towards the human race, even though it cannot be perfectly explained in words? But even the fact that the greenness of this stone sharpens dull eyes, if one looks at it, can be likened to the mercy of God; for when we lie in sin and our crimes weigh us down, we have dull eyes of the mind. But when we consider the mercy of God, how He has brought back even prostitutes, thieves, and all kinds of sinners, as well as their persecutors, to salvation through repentance, we are reformed in hope of forgiveness. And because we were already held in the pit of destruction, looking at the mercy of the Lord and presuming it, we flee to Him whom we have offended, that we may be liberated from everlasting death by His mercy. The Psalmist, perceiving this mercy of God and unable to explain it in words, called God Himself His mercy, saying: My God, my mercy (Psalm 143:1-2).
(Vers. 4)
(Verse 4) And around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. The twenty-four elders in this book sometimes symbolize the Fathers of the Old Testament, sometimes the Fathers of the New Testament, and sometimes both together; but in this passage, they represent the Fathers of the Old Testament, who are said to have sat on the twenty-four seats; for when we sit, we rest from labor. Therefore, twenty-four books of the Old Testament are designated by the sedilia. Therefore, twenty-four elders were seen sitting on twenty-four thrones; because the Fathers of the Old Testament, in a certain manner, rested from the labors and cares of this world, in the reading and meditation of divine books. But it is necessary for us to inquire, since the seat signifies the Church, why these sedilia are said to be arranged around the seat. Clearly, because whoever desires their home to be safe from robbers and enemies, surrounds it with a wall, a fence, or a barrier. Similarly, the Church is fortified against heretics and pagans who wish to overthrow the faith of Christ in it, by the books of the Old Testament; for it proves that what it worships was predicted long before the coming of Christ, and it repels the attacks of those who desire to overthrow the faith of Christ. Those who are said to have been old men were clothed in white garments and had golden crowns on their heads: the white garments symbolize the purity of life, while the golden crowns represent good works.(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5.) And out of the throne (that is, out of the Church) come lightning, and voices, and thunderings. Miracles are represented by lightning, which God works through his saints. Preaching is symbolized by voices. But thunderings represent the terror of the fires of hell. For the holy preachers oppose the eternal torments prepared for the wicked to those whom they are unable to free from vices through the allurements of celestial love, so that, if they cannot win them over with enticements, they can at least restrain them from vices through terrors. And seven burning lamps before the throne. What the seven lamps are, he himself explains when he says: ‘Which are the seven spirits of God.’ By the seven spirits of God we should understand the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which the prophet Isaiah says have rested upon the Lord: ‘And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and godliness; and he shall be filled with the spirit of fear of the Lord.’ (Isaiah 11:2). Therefore, these seven lamps, that is, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, are said to burn before the throne, that is, before the sight of His Church; because without the light of these virtues, placed in the darkness of this world, we cannot proceed along the paths of life to our heavenly home. However, the fact that Christ received these seven gifts from the Holy Spirit pertains to the mystery of His humanity; for according to His divinity, He could not increase in any way, without which nothing could exist.But it can be asked why the prophet started with these seven gifts by saying that they were going to descend upon Christ, and he began with the greater ones and descended to the lesser ones. But it will not seem without reason if it is carefully examined. For since our Lord Jesus Christ descended from that celestial blessedness, in which He was equal to the Father in all things, to the earthly realms and deigned to become man, and He willed to be diminished by the angels whom He Himself had created, it is not inappropriate that He received these seven gifts by descending. For He fulfilled the will of the Father by descending and humbling Himself unto death, as the Apostle says: He humbled Himself even unto death, death on a cross (Phil. 2:8). But we who are lifted from the pit of perdition to heavenly things, begin with the smaller things, so that by growing we may reach the greater things.
But let us briefly explain how these seven gifts descended upon Christ according to the will of the Lord. The Spirit of wisdom rested upon the man Christ when the Son of God, according to his divinity, who is called the wisdom of the Father, descended upon him.
The spirit of intelligence rested upon him, when he was enriched with all virtues, as it is written in the Gospel: Jesus increased in wisdom, and age, and grace before God and men (Luke 2:52).
After understanding comes counsel. Counsel is derived from consultation; for if some danger threatens us, we seek counsel from a wise person, to learn how we may avoid the danger. Similarly, when we desire to attain some worldly dignity, we seek counsel on how we may achieve what we desire. Therefore, Christ is our counselor, who gives counsel on how to avoid eternal dangers; and the counsel He gives, He Himself fulfills, by delivering us from eternal perils. Similarly, he gives advice on how we can attain the inheritance of paradise and leads us to those joys themselves. Therefore, the spirit of counsel descends upon the man Christ, while he receives the teaching of the Gospel from the Holy Spirit, in which the counsel consists for all those desiring to be saved.
The Spirit of strength also rested upon Christ when he appeared among men to defeat the ancient enemy. He spoke about this strength in the Gospel, saying: When a strong man fully armed guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away all his weapons that he trusted in, and distributes the spoils (Luke 11:21).
Knowledge follows strength. Amongst humans, there are many types of knowledge; for there are different types of knowledge in various arts. There is knowledge in literature, in worldly laws, in increasing temporal things, and also knowledge in preventing dangers; there are also many who, through the subtlety of their senses, foresee certain future events. However, these types of knowledge are possessed sometimes by good people and sometimes by evil people; but the knowledge that descends upon Christ can only be possessed by the good. How great it was, as great as no mind could comprehend: for in him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Coloss., II, 3). Therefore, it seems to me that, through the spirit of knowledge, some fact of his should not be understood; for our Savior foresaw that if he were to avoid the company of sinful men, many wicked ones would be condemned to the pit of despair, so he desired to conform himself to sinners through the communion of his body, eating and drinking with them, not rejecting even the touch of prostitutes: he also promised paradise at the beginning of his confession to the thief (Luc. XXIII, 43), in order to give hope of forgiveness to all sinners who desire salvation. But the Pharisees, not having the spirit of knowledge, criticized him; because he ate with tax collectors and sinners. But he, having the spirit of knowledge, said to them: It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:12 et seq.).
But it is not necessary for us to say anything about the spirit of piety. For what is so pious as he who did not commit sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth (1 Peter 2:22); and even though he could be delivered from death by his own power, he allowed himself to be held, bound, spat upon, slapped, flogged, and crucified for the salvation of the human race.
But the spirit of the fear of the Lord, who is placed last, pertains to passion; not because he was forced by fear to die for the salvation of the human race, but we should understand fear for obedience, of which he himself says: I came not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me, the Father (John 6:36). For we also say that the son, who is obedient to the fleshly father in all things, fears the father, although that obedience is not of fear, but of love. About which fear the Psalmist says: The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring forever (Psalm 19:9); but it is not fear, but the love of God, that will endure forever.
Now, how these seven gifts of the Holy Spirit pertain to each of the faithful must be briefly explained. And because we, who lay in the snare of perdition through the guilt of the first transgression, are led back to heavenly things by the mercy of God from lower things, that is, we begin with the fear of God, in order to advance to higher things, that is, to wisdom. And just as Christ descended to us through these stages by humbling himself and perfected our salvation by dying, so we must ascend to him through the same stages; namely, by doing his commandments, which are contained in the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the spirit of the fear of the Lord rests upon every sinner, when, considering his sins and fearing the just judgment of God and the punishments of eternal fire which are prepared for the wicked, he turns to repentance and tears, and begins to weep bitterly for what he has done delightfully.
But the spirit of piety rests upon any sinner who hears the scripture saying: As water extinguishes fire, so almsgiving extinguishes sin (Sirach 3:33); and the Lord saying: Give alms, and behold, all things are clean to you (Luke 11:41), begins to feed the needy, clothe the naked, and start practicing other works of piety; so that by showing mercy to others, he may make God propitious to himself, whom he had offended by sinning. Hence, the prophet Daniel also sought to admonish the most impious king to redeem his sins through acts of charity and mercy towards the poor.
One ascends to the spirit of knowledge through piety; for although someone may seem to possess knowledge, they are foolish if they live wickedly. For what is more foolish than to cast out the fear of God from the mind, to indulge in vices, and to hasten towards destruction with rapid course? Therefore, if foolishness is to serve vices, and knowledge is to forsake vices and turn completely to God with the whole mind, whoever begins to lament their own sins through the spirit of fear and strives to be merciful towards the needy through the spirit of piety, in order to make themselves merciful by showing mercy to others as God does, it is necessary for them to possess the spirit of knowledge through the gift of the Holy Spirit. For whoever desires to convert to God, it is necessary for them to abandon vices. And whoever desires to abandon vices, it is necessary for them to learn through the teaching of divine Scriptures or through the preaching of holy men what the types of vices are, how they ensnare people, and how they can be extinguished. They must also learn about the deceits of demons and how to fight against them. Therefore, this is to possess the knowledge of the spirit.
And because Solomon says that he who adds knowledge also adds labor (Ecclesiastes 1:18); knowledge leads to the strength of the spirit. For just as any warrior does not fight against the one whom he holds captive in chains, but rather against the one who wants to resist him, so the devil does not fight against the one whom he holds bound by the chains of sin, but rather against the one who ceases to sin and turns back to God with all his mind. Therefore, whoever through repentance and acts of piety deserves to be freed from the bonds of the devil and desires to wage war against him through the spirit of knowledge, necessarily must receive the gift of fortitude from the Holy Spirit: With this gift, he can completely extinguish inner enemies, that is, vices, and overcome external enemies, namely, humans, through patience, and repel all the arrows of demons with the shield of faith.
From fortitude, one ascends to counsel: but the counsel of our salvation consists in the evangelical precepts. Therefore, whoever has been able to extinguish vices in themselves through the spirit of fortitude, it is necessary for them to pass to the examination of the commands of the Gospel, and to hide them in their heart; where they will find counsel on how to ascend to the summit of perfection.
And because the commandments of the Gospel cannot be kept without virtues, one ascends from the spirit of counsel to understanding, in which the perfection of all virtues consists. Indeed, faithful receive the gift of understanding from the Holy Spirit, and they deserve to be enriched with all virtues; for he possesses true understanding, who is enlightened by faith, who is purified by chastity, adorned by patience, fortified by humility, who shines with charity, and is consummated by other virtues.
And because one reaches the summit of perfection through the exercise of virtues, wisdom is placed above the intellect, in which all perfection consists. Our Lord speaks about this perfection in the Gospel, saying: If you wish to be perfect, go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me (Matthew 19:21). There are indeed many who try to reach the summit of perfection suddenly, but because they do not ascend through the steps of virtues, they easily fall. For what profit is it to abandon material possessions, if one does not cast off anger, hatred, drunkenness, envy, pride, empty glory, and other vices that kill the soul? For it is not profitable to climb a tree to escape a lion, if one carries a snake in their bosom and perishes from its venom. And the Lord does not say that one is perfect merely by abandoning material possessions, but by also following Him. But we follow him when we imitate. Therefore, in order to reach the highest level of perfection, one must climb in steps that are appropriate to one's ability. First, by renouncing vices and living a life of virtue, one ascends to the contemplative life, in which one is joined only to Christ, who is the wisdom of the Father and the Son of God, and becomes a citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem.
Now let us briefly demonstrate how the descent of Christ through the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit corresponds to the ascent of the faithful. The final step of Christ's descent is the fear of God, through which we have said his passion and death were designated, and the first step of the conversion to God. The death of the Lord is fitting for those who lament their sins through the spirit of the fear of the Lord, because in the death of the Lord consists the forgiveness of all sins. And the forgiveness of sins could not be perfect if he had not died for us.
The sixth step of the descent of Christ is piety, and the second step of the ascent of repentant sinners. Piety of the faithful is congruent with the piety of the Lord; because He bestowed His mercy on those who were miserable in their souls, liberating them from eternal death by His own death, and they bestow their mercy on those who are miserable in their bodies, by generously providing them with the necessities of the body, about which He will say in judgment: 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' (Matt. 25:40)
The first step of Christ's descent is knowledge, and the third step of the faithful's ascent. The spirit of knowledge, which is given to the faithful, corresponds to the spirit of knowledge, which was offered to Christ as a human; because he, in order to save sinners, was not unwilling to conform himself to them: and these, in order to escape sins, flee to him through the spirit of knowledge, who has the power to forgive sins.
The fourth degree of Christ's descent is fortitude, and likewise the fourth degree of the ascent of the faithful. However, the fortitude of the faithful corresponds to the fortitude of Christ; because by that fortitude, they conquer the devil, just as Christ also conquered, by the fortitude of Christ, not their own; as he himself says: Without me, you can do nothing (John XV, 5).
The third stage of Christ's descent is the spirit of counsel, and the fifth of the ascension of the faithful. The counsel of the faithful is united with the counsel of Christ when they submit themselves to the observance of the precepts of the Gospel, in which the perfect counsel of all the saints consists.
The second step of Christ's descent is understanding, and the sixth step of the believers' ascent. However, the understanding of the believers is congruent with the understanding of Christ, since they deserve to perceive the same virtues that he himself perceived through his Spirit, and the same virtues that his saints deserve to perceive from him.
The first step of Christ's descent is wisdom, and the seventh step of the faithful's ascent; for Christ is the wisdom of the Father, and from Him all wisdom arises. Therefore, the saints who are united to the Lord through the operation of virtues, receive wisdom from Him, in which the sum of all goodness consists (Prov. 3:13). He speaks to them through Solomon, saying: If anyone loves wisdom, let him turn to me and find it; and when he finds it, he is blessed if he holds onto it.
(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6) It follows: And before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. We read that in the temple of Solomon there was a bronze sea in which the priests would wash before approaching the altar to offer sacrifices (2 Chronicles 4:6); but the splendor of the bronze is quickly obscured by a certain darkness. Therefore, the bronze sea signifies the Mosaic law, which through its dark letters obscures the brilliance of spiritual understanding. When brass is polished by a file, its brightness is revealed; so too, the spiritual understanding, which is obscured on the surface of the letters in the Law, is made manifest through the grace of God when carefully examined by faithful men. Therefore, the priests were washed in this sea; because through sacrifices and certain legal observances, certain sins of the old people were cleansed. Therefore, the glassy sea and crystal are appropriately understood as the New Testament. But in this sea we find three things, the sea, glass, and crystal: therefore, history is designated through the sea, moral intelligence through glass, and spiritual intelligence through crystal. Therefore, it is not incongruous for moral intelligence to be understood through glass, from which mirrors are made, because just as a person can see anything ugly on their face in a mirror, moral intelligence reveals whatever vices can exist in human souls. But by crystal, which is clearer than all gems, and which often even emits flames of brilliance and fire, the spiritual intelligence is expressed, which illuminates dark things in divine Scriptures, illuminates the minds of spiritual senses with flames, and even ignites some with love for God and love for the celestial homeland.And in the midst of the throne and around the throne, there were four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. This cannot be understood according to history; for such a small number cannot occupy the circumference of the throne and its middle. But it is to be understood in a spiritual sense. Therefore, the four living creatures signify not only the four evangelists, but also all the doctors of the Church who follow their teaching. The four living creatures stand around the throne, because the doctors of the Church defend the people entrusted to them from both visible and invisible enemies with all their power. They stand in the middle of the seat, because they never cease to remind each one of them to make progress in all virtues and good works. Therefore, these four animals are seen to have had eyes in front and behind, because holy preachers examine both the future and the past. They have them in front of their eyes, because they show their listeners what they should beware of and what they should desire, while looking at the day of judgment, the condemnation of the wicked, and the glory of the righteous. They have eyes behind, because while they observe the lives of their predecessors, they themselves progress in their imitation, and they place their lives and teachings before their listeners, so that they themselves may progress in their imitation.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7) And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. The four figures of the creatures are not all explained in the same way by the authorities; but it has been handed down to us by the ancient ones that we understand through the lion Mark, through the calf Luke, through the man Matthew, and through the flying eagle John; because Mark begins from the desert, Luke from the priesthood of the Jews, Matthew from the man, that is, from the generation of Christ, and John from the divinity of Christ. But some, following a different order, think that Matthew was designated by the lion, Mark by the calf, Luke by the man, and John by the eagle. For they say that Matthew was designated by the lion, who is the king of beasts, because he narrated that Christ descended according to human nature from a royal lineage (Matt. 2:2): he also says that a star appeared at the time of his birth, which showed that he was the King of heaven and earth, of angels and men: it also led the Magi, as if the King of the world, to worship him from the East: but it also says that the king of the earth, that is, Herod, was troubled at the time of his birth with all his ministers; because just as any king who is of little power, if he knows that another king who is of great power is coming against him to invade his kingdom, trembles and is troubled (Ibid. 3): so Herod was troubled by Christ coming in the flesh, who was to become the King of the world, and all Jerusalem with him; for the gifts that he narrates the Magi offered to Christ demonstrate that he is the King, God, and Lord of all creatures. But they say that Mark, because of the simplicity of his language, wrote about Christ in the form of a calf; Luke, however, wrote about Him in the form of a man, since he has more fully traced out His human birth than the rest. For from him we have learned how the birth of Christ was announced by an angel, how He was born, how He was placed in a manger, how He was circumcised, how He was presented in the temple, and how He grew up to mature age. There is no one who denies that John was chosen by the eagle.(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) And each of the four living creatures had six wings, and they were full of eyes all around and within. By the number six, which is perfect, the perfection of the saints is symbolized, to which no one can rise except through the teaching of the Gospel: For the Law brought no one to perfection (Hebrews 7:19). But if you combine the six wings of the four living creatures, you will find twenty-four. Therefore, it seems to me that they have the same significance as the twenty-four thrones, which we said signify the twenty-four books of the Old Testament. But since the seats always stick to the ground, those who rest in them bend somewhat towards the ground; but the wings, to which they are attached, lift them up to the heights. Therefore, in the old Testament, the seats were for the ancient fathers; because understanding them literally, they were not able to raise themselves perfectly to their spiritual understanding: but these seats were turned into wings for the fathers of the new Testament; because understanding the books of the old Testament spiritually, they are daily lifted up to heavenly things through their teachings.But because this number, that is twenty-four, is often found in this book, it pleased us to say a few things about the mysteries of this number. The parts of this number are one, two, three, four, six, eight, twelve. The one that is placed at the beginning signifies one God: indeed, the two that follow indicate two testaments: the three pertain to the Trinity: after the three, not unsuitably, four follow, because through the teaching of the four Gospels the faith in the Holy Trinity has been made known to us: after the four, six, which is a perfect number, follow; because without the teaching of the Gospel no one could ascend to the summit of perfection; because the Law, as the Apostle says, did not lead anyone to perfection (Ibid.): after six, eight follow, because there are eight virtues that fight against vices, without the operation of which no one is able to ascend to the height of perfection: after eight, twelve follow, because through the teaching of the apostles we come to faith, which is the mother of all virtues.
Therefore, it is said that these four animals are full of eyes both in their surroundings and inside. We must understand the whole body through its surroundings; for when Ezekiel spoke about those animals, he said that their whole body was full of eyes (Ezek. 1). Therefore, the saints have eyes in the back, when they hear the threat of the Lord saying: No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62); they strive with all their might not to be reminded of the evil deeds they have done in the past, and they never cease to set the eyes of their minds on the preservation of humility. They keep watch before their eyes, when, hearing the voice of the Lord saying: Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find watching (Matt. 24:46); they cease not in their work whatever good they are able to do, so that at the time of their death, when the Lord comes, they may be found prepared. They keep watch to their left, when they repel with the shield of faith all the temptations of the devil from their minds; they keep watch to their right, when they carefully guard against being exalted for their good works. Whether they have eyes on the right or on the left, they cannot lift them up to prosper or bend them down to adversity. They have eyes below, as they trample on carnal desires by extinguishing them: they have eyes above, as they yearn with their whole mind for the heavenly homeland: they have eyes within, as they guard their hearts from base thoughts.
And they did not have rest day and night, saying: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come. For the rest of the wicked is the present life; they are followed by tribulation, which has no end. But the righteous are afflicted in this world, so that they may possess eternal rest, as the Apostle Paul says: Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:21). Otherwise: The saints do not have rest, because they do not cease from praising God and praying, as the Lord says: It is necessary to pray always and not to faint (Luke 18:1) ; and the Apostle Paul speaks, saying: Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:17). But we must inquire how we can pray without interruption. For there are many who, though they are constant in prayers, psalms, and the celebration of Mass, and give abundant alms, are still inflamed with pride, burning with the fires of greed, accumulating money by whatever means they can. To the extent that they even mistreat the poor, whom they should have shown mercy to, with certain arguments, in order to increase their own wealth from the meager belongings of those poor, saying that they are doing this legally, when this law is not of God, but a trick of the devil. But even in monasteries there are many who are devoted to vigils, psalms, prayers, and the celebration of Mass, and yet they are often and easily inflamed with anger. Some of them, indeed, serve drunkenness and gluttony; some even carry hatred in their hearts for a long time; some seek favors and praises of men in the good things that they seem to do; some are weighed down by envy, others by detractions, or other vices. And what more? They corrupt and defile all the holiness that they claim with unworthy behaviors and actions.
Therefore, to demonstrate the blindness of these people, I will propose a certain similarity. There was a man stuck in the mud up to his neck; and when he saw someone passing by, he extended his hand and cried out, saying, 'Have mercy on me, and pull me out of this mud.' And when he extended his hand to pull him out, he submerged the hand that he had extended in the mud. And when the one who came to pull him out wanted to leave, he again demanded to be rescued. And when he stretched out his hand a second time to unearth it, the other person submerged his hand in the mud once again. And as he did this more frequently, the angry person said, Why do you ask to be unearthed when you want to persist in your own danger? And because you love your own destruction, possess what you have chosen. Similarly, these people constantly pray to God to be freed from vices; and yet they embrace these vices in such a way that they cannot be torn away from them in any way. Let us therefore set before our eyes two people: one who is learned, constantly praying, singing psalms, and celebrating masses; and yet subject to certain vices: and the other who is unlearned, an idiot, yet faithful, fearing and loving God, loving their neighbor, patient, and humble. Who among these do you think has kept the sentiment of the apostles, in which it says: 'Pray without ceasing' (Ibid.); that person who prays constantly and is subject to certain vices, or that person who does not know how to pray but is nevertheless free from vices and dedicated to good works? Clearly, the innocence and good works of the latter shine forth more to God than the words of the former, whose life is tainted by certain vices. Therefore, the person who prays without ceasing is the one who prays to God with a devout mind and tongue at appropriate times and is diligent in good works. When he sleeps or is occupied with some necessary works of human life, his works shine in the sight of God, and they themselves are his intercessors before God, as the angel speaks to Cornelius, saying: Your prayers and alms have been remembered in the sight of God (Acts 10:4).
But let us hear what these four living creatures say incessantly: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come. By calling God thrice holy, they demonstrate the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And when they say: Lord God Almighty, they move from plurality to singularity, showing that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one in dominion, one in divinity, one in omnipotence. But it must be asked, why do they say that the Holy Trinity is invoked incessantly, when the holy men of God are sometimes occupied in prayers, sometimes in reading, sometimes in preaching, or in various other necessities? Therefore, the holy preachers, while they retain the faith of the Holy Trinity in their minds and profess it with their mouths, while they fulfill the works of faith, while they preach the same faith and works of faith to whomever they can, while they also beseech and praise the same triune and one God in prayers and thanksgiving, while according to the Apostle, whether they eat or drink, they do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, they incessantly invoke the holy Trinity (I Cor. X, 31). But what follows: He who was, and who is, and who is to come; has already been said above.
(Vers. 9, 10.)
(Verse 9, 10) And when those animals gave glory and honor and blessing to the one sitting on the throne, the one living forever and ever; the twenty-four elders fell down before the one sitting on the throne and worshiped the one living forever and ever. In this place, the four animals represent the four Gospels: the twenty-four elders can be understood as the Fathers of the New Testament. Therefore, the four animals give glory and honor and blessing to the one sitting on the throne, the one living forever and ever; because the teaching of the Gospel is read and proclaimed throughout the whole world, through which glory and honor and blessing is given to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, at the voice of the four living creatures, the twenty-four elders fell down before the one sitting on the throne and worshipped the living one forever and ever, because the holy ones of God, established throughout the whole world, upon hearing the teaching of the Gospel, humble themselves in the sight of God so that they may live with Him forever and ever. And they would cast their crowns before the throne, saying: We have previously stated that the crowns were designated for good works. Therefore, the holy ones send their crowns before the throne, giving everything good that they do back to God, not to themselves, according to the precept of the Apostle: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord (2 Cor. 10:17).(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11) Let us hear what they say: Worthy are you, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. Earlier, the four living creatures gave glory and honor and blessing to God. But here, the twenty-four elders say that they have received glory and honor and power from God, exchanging power for blessing. But what can anyone give to God, or what can God receive from anyone, since He Himself created everything, and without Him nothing can exist, and as it is said in the Gospel: Without me you can do nothing (John 15:5)? For if the saints can do nothing without God, what can they give to Him? Therefore, because the nature of humans is such that they are not able to have any good from themselves unless they receive it from Him, who is supremely good, God gives to His saints so that they may reward Him. For God has promised the kingdom of heaven to His saints, but only if they have rendered the price of good works for it. And because the chosen ones do not have this price unless they receive it from Him, He Himself gives the price so that they may purchase eternal life from Him. Therefore, the saints give glory to God when they do anything good, because they do it with the intention of glorifying God through themselves, as He Himself says in the Gospel: 'Let your good works be seen, and let them glorify your Father, who is in heaven' (Matthew 5:16). For even John says that Peter glorified God through his death (John 21:19). They give honor when they seek the honor of God, not their own, in everything they do. The blessing is placed third in importance above, but here it is virtue: and because the saints, while doing great things, are blessed by men, virtue is fittingly connected with blessing. But as for the great works that the saints do, they detest the praises of men, as the book of Acts of the Apostles indicates to us. For when Peter and John had healed a lame man, and all eyes were fixed on them, as if they had done this by their own power, Peter, avoiding the blessings of the eyes, said to them: Men, brothers, why do you look at us as if we had made this man walk by our own power or piety? The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has raised up his Son Jesus (Acts 3:12). And in the following (passage): In whose name stands this healthy person before you. Similarly, when Paul and Barnabas had healed a sick person in Lystra and the people wanted to sacrifice to them, they tore their clothes and said: Men, why are you doing these things? We are also human beings, just like you (Acts 14:14). We can understand this also about Christ, who, according to his humanity, has clearly received glory, honor, and power.It follows: Because you created all things, and they existed for your will, and they were created. If this is to be understood in the sense that also that which is written: Who made the things that are to come; therefore, all creatures were in the power and will of God before they were created: but they were created at the time when God disposed. May He, who created all things out of nothing, deign to create in us a clean heart, who lives and reigns forever and ever, amen.
De Visione Tertia.
After the description of the structure of the Church, it is fittingly indicated by the opening of the book, by which the opening of the divine Scriptures is signified, because after the Church was founded among the Gentiles by the holy apostles and other preachers, the books of the Old and New Testament were explained by the holy doctors according to the apostolic faith.Chapter V.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. In the right hand and with the seals which the Lord has given, we shall say in the following: the book indeed, written inside and on the back, signifies not only the old Testament, but also the new, which is written inside according to allegory, and on the back according to history. Therefore, this book contains the old and new Testament within itself; for the spiritual understanding in the old Testament is nothing else than the new Testament.(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) And I saw a mighty angel preaching with a loud voice. The strong angel signifies the Fathers of the Old Testament, who preached with a loud voice because they foretold the coming of Christ for the redemption of the human race. Who is worthy to open the book and loose the seals thereof? The question of the angel signifies the desire of the saints; for the saints desired to see Christ in the flesh and hear His words because they knew that all the mysteries of the Old Testament were to be revealed by Him, as He Himself said to His disciples: Amen, I say to you, many prophets and kings have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear, and have not heard them (Luke 10:24).(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3) And no one was found worthy, neither in heaven, nor on earth, nor beneath the earth, to open the book and to release its seals. For no angel residing in heaven, no righteous person standing on earth, and not even those who had paid the debt of death, ever appeared in the world to redeem the human race from the power of the devil, which redemption is the fulfillment of the old Testament.(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, nor to see it. John in this place represents those about whom we have just spoken, that is, the Fathers of the Old Testament; for the holy ones wept much, because the mysteries of the Scriptures, concealed from them, had no one to reveal them, and there was no one to rescue the human race, lost under the power of the devil. But we must inquire why he says that this book cannot be seen by anyone, when above he says that he saw it in the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. For the ancient Fathers saw, whose type John holds in this place, the book of the Old Testament, and they did not see: they saw according to the letter, and did not see according to spiritual understanding.(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) And one of the elders said to me: Do not weep. The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered, to open the book and its seven seals. It seems to me that the elder has the same meaning as John, and also the strong angel; for they signify the Fathers of the Old Testament. For the strong angel asks who is worthy to open the book: John weeps, because no one is found worthy to open the book: but the elder says that the book should be opened by the lion, that is, by Christ. Therefore, those who desired the coming of Christ and asked when he would come are represented by the angel. John signifies those who wept because he delayed for so long. And the elder prophets signify those who declared how and when he would come. Therefore, Christ is understood as the Lion from the tribe of Judah, who is descended from the tribe of Judah and the lineage of David. And he is called the Lion because of his strength, for he conquered the devil and delivered his chosen ones from his power. Therefore, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, conquered the devil; in order to open the book and its seven seals; because the book could not be opened, unless the devil was first defeated, and this victory was the opening of the Old Testament. We will explain how he opened the seven seals in the following.(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6) And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as it were slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes: which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. The throne and the four living creatures and the elders together represent one Church with all its orders: but the Lamb, although not slain, appeared as if slain; because He tasted death for a little while, and then rising again, He no longer dies, and death shall have no more dominion over Him (Rom. 6:9): and He appeared to have seven horns and seven eyes. However, he himself explains what the seven eyes are when he adds: These are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. However, by the many horned heads they are designated. Therefore, it seems to me that the horns have a different meaning than the eyes; for by the seven horns all the chosen ones are designated, who are called the kingdom of God, whose whole multitude we have divided above into seven parts. Therefore, to the first horn belong the chosen ones who were before the flood; to the second, those who were from the flood until the Law; to the third, those who were under the Law; to the fourth, the prophets; to the fifth, those who believed in Christ from the Jews; to the sixth, the Gentile people; and to the seventh, those who are to be born at the end of the world and will fight with the Antichrist.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) And he came and took the book from the right hand of him who was sitting on the throne. Above, we said that Christ was designated as sitting on the throne, but because he himself said: I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, and whoever sees me sees the Father (John 14:9 and following); in this place, the one sitting on the throne designates the Father, and the right hand belongs to the Son of the Father. But the Lamb designates the man whom Christ assumed. Therefore, the Lamb took the book from the right hand of him who was sitting on the throne, because the man Christ received from his divinity, in order to reveal the mysteries of the divine Scriptures.(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. It is necessary to inquire how the book could be opened before the unlocking of the seals. But it is to be understood spiritually. For the prophets sometimes foretold the coming, passion, and resurrection of Christ by certain figures; and the patriarchs also foreshadowed all these things in their actions. But when Christ was born of the Virgin, when he suffered, and rose again, and ascended into heaven, he opened the book of the Old Testament; for he fulfilled in action what was foretold there: afterwards, he revealed by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to the doctors of the Church, what was obscure in the Old Testament and in the new. This opening is the unsealing of the seals. What follows, that the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, belongs to the same doctors of the Church; for whenever they bring to mind the birth, passion, and resurrection of the Lord, and in whatever ways these were prefigured by the holy fathers and foretold by the prophets, and whenever they do not cease to investigate the things that are obscurely placed in the Gospel, so many times the sealed book is opened to them. Truly, they fall down before the Lamb, when, by meditating on the divine Scriptures, they consider the immense mercy of God and humble themselves in the sight of their Creator. And the more they humble themselves, the more they burn with love for Him; for the humility that is born in the presence of God nourishes the love of God. And by the lyres that are said to have been possessed by animals and elders, the mortification of the flesh is signified, as the Apostle says: Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, and other things (Colossians 3:5). But the golden vials are the hearts of the saints, filled with spiritual wisdom, which are said to have been full of fragrant ointments. However, he himself explains what these ointments are, when he adds: which are the prayers of the saints. And in order for these ointments to ascend to God, the Psalmist prays, saying: May my prayer be directed like incense before you.(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9.) And they sang a new song, saying: The new people sing a new song; the new song is the song of the Gospel. You are worthy, O Lord God, to receive the book and to open its seals (Psalm 140:2). What he says here pertains to his humanity; for according to his divinity, he could not receive anything, since he always possessed everything. But why he was worthy to receive the book and to open its seals, he makes clear by adding: For you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation. Here it is shown that the Church was gathered from all nations; for there were certain heretics who denied this.(Vers. 10.)
(Ver. 10.) And you have made us a kingdom and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. If the saints of God are the kingdom of God, how are they said to reign on the earth, that is, to reign over the holy Church? Therefore, the saints of God are the kingdom of God, because God reigns in them, and they are kings because they know how to rule themselves and others well. They are also priests because, being daily inflamed by the fire of charity, they are accustomed to offer themselves to God through heartfelt contrition and tears, as the Psalmist says: A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit (Psalm 50:19). Whether they are called priests of God, because they are members of the highest Priest of whom the Psalmist says: You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4).(Vers. 11, 12.)
(Verse 11, 12.) And I saw and heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures. And their number was thousands upon thousands, saying with a loud voice: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. The throne, the four living creatures, and the elders represent the entire Church with its teachers: but the angels, who were seen surrounding the throne, that is, the Church, are the angels who have been appointed by God to guard the Church, as the Apostle Paul speaks, saying: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14)? But the largest number of them is designated as an innumerable multitude who are said to bless the Lamb with a loud voice; because they are never cease from praising God for whatever angelic duties they are assigned to fulfill: and just as this book entirely consists of the number seven, so it is said that the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit rested on Christ; likewise, seven blessings are placed in this place, by which the Angels are said to praise God incessantly.(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13) And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and those that are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: 'To Him that sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing, honor, glory, and power, for ever and ever.' By the creature which is in heaven, the angels are meant; by that which is on the earth, men; by that which is under the earth, those who have already paid the debt of death are designated. But by those in the sea, we are to understand the waters of the sea; and by the sea, the place in which the waters are contained. But indeed he adds: And those things that are in it; we can understand the fish that dwell in the waters. But if through every creature that is on earth we can understand all human beings; how do all human beings praise God, when pagans and Jews are more fit to be called blasphemers of God than praisers? We also find certain wicked individuals, who are called Christians, who, although they seem to praise God, do not actually praise God; because as Scripture says: There is no beautiful praise in the mouth of a sinner (Ecclesiasticus 15:9). And if we must understand through every creature that is on the earth, all souls whose bodies rest on the earth, how are those who are tormented in hell to be believed to praise God? But through every creature, that which is on the earth and that which is beneath the earth, we must understand only the chosen ones: who do not cease to praise God with works and words on earth, and placed in the heavens with the Lord, they never cease from His praises. By the sea, indeed, we can understand the Church; by the waters of the sea, the multitude of the faithful; by the fishes dwelling in the waters, the doctors of the Church. Following this, comes the blessing, by which the faithful are said to continually bless God: Blessing, honor, glory, and power to our God forever and ever; for the chosen ones continually bless God, joining words with deeds.(Vers. 14.)
(V. 14) And the four living creatures said: Amen. Amen is the confirmation of the word: therefore the four living creatures say, Amen, when the holy preachers constantly desire that their hearers may make greater and greater progress in good works. And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped. The twenty-four elders in this place have the same significance as the four living creatures: therefore the elders fall down and worship, when the holy preachers, the more they see their hearers to have advanced in good works, the more they humble themselves in the sight of God, as Scripture says: The greater you are, humble yourself in all things, and before God you will find favor (Eccl. 3:20). It follows the opening of seals, which is believed to pertain only to the opening of the divine Scriptures. For even those things that are said to have been done in the opening of the seals pertain to the opening of the Old and New Testament: and just as the whole body of the elect consists of seven parts, so there are also seven seals that correspond to each part, to show those things that are obscurely placed in the divine Scriptures, or what the deeds of the holy fathers signify. Therefore, the opening of the first seal pertains to events that occurred before the flood; but the opening of the second seal pertains to the patriarchs; the opening of the third seal pertains to those who lived under the Law; and the opening of the fourth seal pertains to the prophets. However, the three remaining openings pertain to the New Testament. The fifth opening pertains to the martyrs; the sixth to the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles; and the seventh pertains to the coming of Christ. We will discuss why the coming of the Lord is placed in the seventh position in the following sections. But we must inquire why the opening of the Old Testament is represented by the vision of four horsemen; for the horseman, on the one hand, is recognized as irrational in part, being a part of the horse, and on the other hand, is recognized as rational in part, being a part of the rider. Similarly, certain legal precepts are found to be irrational in part with regard to the literal sense, but are found to be highly rational in part with regard to the allegorical sense.Chapter VI.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals. The opening of the first seal, as mentioned above, pertains to the things that happened before the flood. Therefore, the Lamb opened the first seal when the events that happened before the flood were spiritually understood by the teachers of the Church through the grace of the Holy Spirit. And in order to fully explain what the opening of the seals is, let us briefly discuss the opening of each individual seal. In Genesis it is written that God planted the Garden of Delight, in which he placed the man whom he had formed: who is described as being composed of different trees (Gen. II, 8). Therefore, the Church is represented by the garden; and by the trees of the garden the doctors of the Church are signified. And just as the trees of the garden provided food of apples for the first men, so too the doctors of the Church do not cease to provide food of divine words for the souls of the faithful who are established in the Church. But we have already spoken above about the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The fountain, however, which flowed out from the middle of paradise, signified the Gospel, which arises in the midst of the holy Church. And it was divided into four heads; because the teaching of the Gospel is divided into four books, and it goes to all the ends of the earth.For Adam also foreshadowed Christ, but Eve foreshadowed the Church; and just as Eve was formed from the side of a sleeping man, so the Church was fashioned from the side of Christ hanging on the cross; for it was redeemed and cleansed by his blood from filth. Two sons were born to Adam, Cain and Abel: Cain symbolized the Jewish people, but Abel symbolized Christ. Cain offered gifts to the Lord from the fruits of the earth; for the Jewish people, who were earthly, offered earthly gifts, namely, first fruits, tithes, sacrifices, and other things commanded in the Law. But Abel offered from the firstborn of his flock and their fat. The firstborn of the flock are the apostles, whom the Church first gave birth to, and from whom the Church was born. Truly, the faith of the apostles is their fat. Therefore, Abel offered from the firstborn of his flock, and from their fat. For Christ offered the apostles, whom he had chosen from the world, and their faith, to God the Father. Cain, driven by envy because the Lord had regarded Abel and his offerings, killed him. Similarly, the Jews, seeing the signs that Christ was working by his own and the Father's power, killed him, who was their brother according to the flesh. God cursed Cain because he killed his brother Abel, and told him that he would be a wanderer and a fugitive on the earth. Likewise, the Jews were not only cursed by God, but also by themselves when they said of Christ: 'His blood be upon us and upon our children' (Matthew 27:25). They are therefore wanderers and fugitives on the earth, having no homeland and wandering among all nations. This should suffice for the explanation of the opening of the first seal.
I heard one of the four living creatures saying, “Come and see.” The first living creature has the same meaning as the second, third, and fourth; for they symbolize the doctors of the Church. But when it says, “Come and see,” it provokes us to spiritual understanding, as if it were saying, “Come not with the steps of the body, but with the steps of the mind; and understand spiritually those things which you have read as historical events in the beginning.”
(Vers. 2.)
(Vers. 2.) And behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering, so that he could conquer. The white horse represents the righteous ones who existed before the flood, who are called white because of their innocence. The rider of the horse is the Lord, who eternally presides over his saints. The bow, however, can represent the vengeance of the Lord, who shoots arrows from afar and wounds. By this vengeance, he condemned the first humans because of their disobedience and punished Cain sevenfold for the crime of fratricide. Moreover, by the crown, as well as by the white horse of the righteous who existed before the Flood, they are designated. But the conquering one went out to conquer, when he determined that through the waters of the Deluge the entire multitude of the wicked would be destroyed.(Vers. 3, 4.)
(Verse 3, 4.) And when he had opened the second seal. The opening of the second seal belongs to the construction of the ark and to those who were righteous before the Law. So, in order to demonstrate the opening of the second seal, let us speak briefly about these things. In Genesis it is written that God said to Noah: Make for yourself an ark of smoothed planks: you shall make compartments in the ark, and shall line it inside and out with pitch, and thus you shall make it. The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the width fifty cubits, and the height thirty cubits (Gen. 6:14-15). The Ark of the Church: But indeed, the builder of the ark prefigured Christ, the builder of the Church. This ark is described to have been made of smoothed timbers: the smoothed timbers, which both kept out the waters and preserved the life of all animals that were enclosed within it, designate the doctors of the Church, who both with their teaching and with their writings keep out the waters of various errors from entering the Church, and preserve the life of those who are within the Church with their teaching and examples: they are said to be smoothed, that is, cleansed from every roughness of vices. But by the little dwelling places, which were ordered to be made in the ark, different orders are designated in the Church; for one is in the married order, another in the continent, another in the monastic, another in the priestly, while they strive to serve God, as if dwelling in different mansions. But by the pitch, with which it is said to have been covered, divine Scripture is designated. Therefore, the boards from which the ark was made, which we have said signify the doctors of the Church, were covered inside and outside with pitch; because the doctors of the Church are covered inside by wisdom and the teaching of divine Scripture, and outside by the works of virtues.But the length of the ark is described as 300 cubits, the width is 50 cubits, and the height is 30 cubits. Therefore, through the length of the ark, faith is symbolized; through the width, charity; through the height, hope. So, the length of the ark extends to 300 cubits because our faith is based on the confession of the Holy Trinity: a hundred is a perfect number. Therefore, our faith is designated by the 300 cubits because the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have equal perfection, as it is written: Like the Father, like the Son, like the Holy Spirit (Athan. Symbol.).
However, its width extends to fifty cubits nonetheless; for faith works through love. But charity is appropriately represented by a width of fifty cubits; for seven multiplied by seven times nine equates to forty-nine: and if you add one to this number, you will find fifty. Therefore, the love of neighbor is appropriately encompassed within the number seven; for without the seven virtues, it cannot be perfected. Indeed, each faithful person extends love for their neighbor in sevenfold ways, so that in whatever ways the needs or adversities of their neighbor may arise, they themselves are ready to come to their aid in the same ways. For example, they provide necessary things to the hungry, the naked, the stranger, the needy, and those imprisoned. They comfort the grieving, temper the angry with their words, pacify those carrying hatred in their hearts, and reconcile those in discord. They also provoke those who are in sin to repentance and strive to bring as many people as they can towards eternal life. In short, in whatever ways they want to be helped by others for their own well-being, they themselves are ready to help others in the same ways as much as they can. But if you add seven to seven, they become fifty; likewise, if you add the love of one God to the love of your neighbor, the whole of charity is made complete and perfect in you.
But the height of the ark was raised up by thirty cubits because he possesses sure hope who does not differ in work or belief from the faith of the Holy Trinity, as it was handed down to us by the apostles and other teachings. For whoever usurps hope of possessing eternal life without correct faith undoubtedly deceives themselves, because without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Therefore, the height of the ark arose from its great length and width, and was completed in the cubit above; for the charity that is born from faith extends itself in great width to the care of others. But truly it is consummated in the cube; because all the hope and desire of the faithful tends towards the vision of the one God.
But when Noah, at the command of the Lord, led into the ark males and females of all clean and unclean animals (Gen. VII, 8), it signifies that both the evil and the good would be introduced into the Church. But of the clean animals, seven males and seven females entered the ark; while of the unclean, two males and two females entered; for by the clean animals, the chosen ones are signified, who are not alien to the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit through the grace of the same Holy Spirit: whereas, the reprobate are represented by the unclean, because they are within the Church only in body and soul, but in mind they are outside the Church.
It is also written in the following: For when Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made, he sent out a raven, which went forth and did not return until the waters were dried up on the earth. (Gen. VIII, 6). The Jews, by the blackest raven, are signified as dark through unbelief. Therefore, Noah sent forth the raven from the ark; for our Lord Jesus Christ separated the people of the Jews from the fellowship of the holy Church. After the raven, he sent forth the dove, which, when she did not find a place to rest her foot, returned to him into the ark. Second, he sent forth a dove from the ark, which came to him in the evening, carrying a branch of olive with green leaves in its mouth. Thirdly, he sent forth a dove, which did not return to him anymore. The Holy Spirit is often represented by a dove, because it descended upon the Lord in the form of a dove (Luke 3:22).
But we must ask ourselves what the three releases of the dove and the two returns signify. The three releases signify three periods: the first before the Law, the second under the Law, the third under grace. In this narrative, Noah represents God, and the ark represents the heavenly dwelling of God. Noah first released the dove from the ark; because Almighty God granted the holy men who lived before the Law the grace of the Holy Spirit: and those who did not have the Law fulfilled the divine precepts that were later given through the gift of the Holy Spirit. But the dove did not find where her foot could rest; because not only the other nations, but even the Jews themselves, placed in Egypt, had abandoned the worship of God to such an extent that at the time when Moses was born, hardly anyone could be found in whom the Holy Spirit would deem worthy to dwell; and in a way, the grace of the Holy Spirit returned to him, from whom it had been sent, when it deserted sinful men.
Secondly, Noah released a dove from the ark; for God gave the grace of the Holy Spirit to those who keep the Law with a pure heart. And the evening when the dove returned to Noah signifies the time when Christ was born. The Lord speaks of this time in the Gospel: 'The Law and the Prophets were until John' (Luke 16:16); for after the preaching of the Gospel began, circumcision and many legal observances were of no profit. As long as the observance of the Law pleased God, the grace of the Holy Spirit accompanied those who kept the Law. And just as the dove returned to Noah at evening, so the grace of the Holy Spirit, forsaking the unbelieving Jews, returned in a sense to Him from whom it had been sent. But by the branch of the olive tree we can understand or receive the Law; but by the green leaves, those who have been saved by the Law. Therefore, the dove brought the branch of the olive tree with green leaves in its mouth, and with the grace of the Holy Spirit, it offered to God, in a certain way, those whom it had saved by the Law.
On the third attempt, Noah released the dove from the ark, when he granted the grace of the Holy Spirit to those who keep the faith of the Gospel. The dove did not return to him anymore, because the faith of the Gospel will remain with the chosen ones until the Lord comes for judgment. The chosen ones who are found in this world will be caught up in the air before the Lord and will thus always be with the Lord (I Thess. IV, 16).
To demonstrate more clearly the opening of the second seal, let us say a few words about the three patriarchs. In Genesis it is written that God tested Abraham and said to him: Take your beloved son, Isaac, and go to the land of vision, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will tell you (Gen. 22:2). So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, took two young men with him, and Isaac his son. Abraham represents Christ according to his divinity: but Isaac represents the man whom Christ assumed, and by the donkey the Apostles are designated. Abraham therefore arose from the night, because the Son of God deigned to be born of the Virgin Mary, when the world was in darkness of ignorance: he spread his donkey when he handed over the commands of the Gospel to his apostles: but by the two young men are designated the two commandments of charity. He took two young men with him, because he more closely and frequently handed over the two commandments of charity to his disciples: he also took his Son, because he handed over the man whom he assumed to die for the human race, as he himself said in the Gospel to his disciples: Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem and all things which have been written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be fulfilled. For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked, and scourged, and spit upon: And after they have scourged him, they will put him to death; and the third day he shall rise again. (Luke XVIII, 32 et seq.)
But on the third day, with lifted eyes, she saw a place in the distance. Three days and three decades of years, and twice two months, designate the period of time in which Christ is said to have lived in the world. But the place she designated was Jerusalem, where Christ suffered. But why did she say she saw the place in the distance, when she preached daily in the temple? Because even though the Jews were near in body, because of their unbelief they had distanced themselves far from him.
And Abraham said to his servants: Stay here with the donkey, while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then come back to you. (Gen. XXII, 5). Similarly, Christ also commanded his disciples to wait until He returned to them after His resurrection, saying: All of you will fall away because of me this night, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. (Matth. XXVI, 32). And when he was arrested, he said to the Jews: If you are looking for me, let these men go. (Joan. XVIII, 8).
Abraham therefore took the wood of the holocaust and laid it upon Isaac his son: but he himself carried in his hands fire and a sword. We have said above, that our sins were designated by wood: Isaac therefore carried the wood; because Christ carried our sins in his body upon the wood, that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice. By the hands of Abraham is understood the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, for in his power it was that he should die, and that he should not die, if he would: as he himself says: I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it up again (John 10:18). But through fire, passion is understood; through his sword, death.
When he arrived at the place, he built an altar, and arranged wood on top of it. And when he had gathered his son Isaac, he placed him on the altar, on top of the pile of wood. By the altar, the cross is understood: therefore, the Son of God built the cross on which the man he had assumed would be immolated, because it was done with his permission. And on the altar, he arranged the wood, and on the wood, he placed his bound son Isaac; for that which we wish to suffocate, we ourselves place upon ourselves, so that it may be suffocated and destroyed by our own weight: likewise, our Redeemer, hanging on the wood, that is, our sins, placed them upon himself on the cross, so that they might be suffocated and erased by his own weight and power. But the bonds of Isaac signify the affliction of the Lord on the cross. However, what the angel spoke to Abraham does not pertain to this explanation.
Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns, and he took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son. The ram symbolized Christ: the two horns represent the two commandments of charity, and the thicket represents the Jews. Therefore, Christ was caught among the Jews, loving them as brothers and knowing that the calling of the Gentiles would be the ruin of the Jews. He did not immediately hand over the faith of the Gospel to the Gentiles, but instead sent his disciples to proclaim it, commanding them saying: 'Do not go on the road of the Gentiles, and do not enter the cities of the Samaritans, but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel' (Matthew 10:5). And he answered and said unto her, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matthew 15:24); But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. (Ibid., 26).
But Abraham took a ram from the bushes, and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son; because the Father, the Son Himself, separated Himself from the love of the impious Jews, and offered as a burnt offering the man whom He assumed, for the salvation of the human race.
But about the same Isaac, it is written that he had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Esau was a hunter and a farmer, but Jacob lived in tents. Through Esau, the Hebrew people is designated, but through Jacob, the people of the gentiles. However, Isaac held the image of the Lord as the father of both peoples, and he made them sons to himself, the former through the Law and the latter through faith. Esau was a farmer because the Jewish people served God for earthly advantages. For it is not said to them: If you are poor in spirit, if you are meek, if you are peaceful, if you are merciful, if you endure persecution for my name's sake; you will be blessed, and your reward will be abundant in heaven. But it is said to them: If you keep my commandments and observe my judgments, I will give you rain in due season, and the land will yield its produce, and the trees will be filled with fruit, and all the other things that belong to the delights of this world (Leviticus 26:3). Esau was also a hunter, because he used to appease God through the shedding of the blood of rams, goats, and calves. But Jacob lived a simple life in tents, because the chosen ones among the Gentiles sought to please God through faith alone and a good will. By tents, we can understand various Churches, in which the one Catholic Church is divided throughout the whole world, or various religious orders.
Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebecca loved Jacob. Isaac, as we have said, represents the figure of the Lord in this place, but through Rebecca we can understand the foreknowledge of God. Therefore, Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, for God loved the people of the Jews because he was pleased with their constant sacrifices; but the mother loved Jacob because God, knowing that the people of the Gentiles would be much better than the people of the Jews, loved him much more by the grace of his foreknowledge. When Esau was delayed in the hunt, in order to provide his father with food from wild animals, so that he would be blessed by him, Jacob's mother approached to receive the blessing from her father. For when the people of the Jews were devoted to legal observances and came to the faith of Christ more slowly, Jacob's mother, being filled with grace, offered herself to God to receive the blessing that was owed to the Jews, because she had received the faith of Christ eagerly. However, the people of the nations themselves merited this gift of blessing, as evidenced by the actions of Jacob, which are described as done in order to receive the blessing.
So Rebecca said to her son Jacob: 'Bring me two of the best young goats, and I will prepare a delicious meal for your father, such as he loves. Then you can take it to your father and he can eat it before he dies.' Jacob went and got the two goats, and brought them to his mother. She prepared the kind of meal that his father loved, using Esau's favorite animals, and she gave the food to Jacob to take to his father. By the two goats we can understand the confession of sins and penance of the Gentile people. Therefore, Jacob offered two best goats to his mother, because through the confession of sins and penance, which is the way for those who are going to faith, the Gentile people hurried to receive the same faith. These goats are said to have been the best because the repentance of a sinner with the renunciation of vices is very acceptable to God, as our Lord himself says in the Gospel: There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need penance (Luke 15:7); by one sinner of the Gentile people, he wanted to be understood, and by ninety-nine righteous Jews. Those who are called just are so called because they falsely believed themselves to be just due to the observance of the Law; for the Lord speaks to the same just ones, saying: Woe to you who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts (Luke 16:15). They are put in the imperfect tense, because the Law did not bring anyone to perfection (Hebrews 7:19).
But we must understand the works of repentance through the delightful foods that were prepared for Isaac to consume, from the two prepared goats. John the Baptist speaks of these foods, saying: You will easily bear fruit worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:8). And through the very good garments, which Esau, that is, the Jews at home, had left behind, we can receive the best precepts of the Law, such as: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and your neighbor as yourself (Deuteronomy 6:5); and many others, without which no one can be just. These are the best clothes, which the Jews at home, that is, in the Old Testament, had left behind, because they did not want to follow them: the Gentiles dressed and adorned with them, went to God the Father with the food of good works. Indeed, he brought bread with the food. Bread often symbolizes the word of God, because he, in accordance with God the Father, goes with the food of good works, and he does not cease to admonish others to do good works as well, whoever he can.
But we must also inquire why the mother covered Jacob's hands and neck with the skins of the young goat. For when the skin is removed from the young goat, the flesh appears, from which delightful foods can be prepared. Similarly, when vices are removed from each sinner, the good qualities of nature appear together with reason, which, if seasoned with faith, prepare delightful foods from the goodness of nature for God. Therefore, by the neck, because pride often appears in the neck, we can understand the elevation of the mind; but by the hands, works are signified. Therefore, each faithful person surrounds themselves with goat skins, in order to set aside the elation of the mind and to constantly recall the past sins before the eyes of the mind, as a safeguard of their humility. They surround their hands, so that they may not be exalted in good deeds and may frequently bring to mind the past sins before the eyes of the mind.
After Isaac had taken food, Jacob also offered him wine. If active works of life are indicated by food, we can receive the contemplative life through wine, which alienates the minds of men, rendering some of the chosen ones insensitive to the love of the world. Therefore, after food and drink were taken, Isaac blessed Jacob; because those who strive to please God until the end of their lives with good works receive the blessing of the heavenly fatherland.
And Jacob, when he fled from his brother Esau, came to a certain place and slept there, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.” Therefore, we lay the foundation on the stone, if we build our wall upon Christ with good works.
This vision of the ladder signifies harmony; for the two larger beams of the ladder, which are on either side, and which lead from the lower to the higher, designate the two commandments of charity. But the other virtues are designated by the steps that are inserted transversely on either side between those two beams. And just as the two beams cannot exist without the steps, and the steps cannot exist without the two beams: so charity cannot exist without the other virtues, and the other virtues cannot exist without charity. And just as different steps cannot provide ascent to people unless they are inserted into two larger beams on either side, so the other virtues cannot provide ascent to those desiring to go to heaven unless they are born from the love of God and the love of neighbor, as the apostle John says: For how can someone love God whom he has not seen if he does not love his brother whom he has seen (1 John 4:20)? And just as a ladder from one end appears to touch the earth, and from the other the sky, so charity is connected with God from below, with neighbors from above. And so the angels of God, going up and down on it, were shown, because the saints of God, who are represented by angels, are sometimes lifted up to the heights by the love of God through the grace of contemplation, and sometimes brought back down to lower things by love and care for their neighbors. And they saw the Lord leaning on the ladder, because whoever strives to ascend to the Lord through the path of virtues, after completing the journey of their own way, find the Lord, the author of all goods and the giver of rewards, with whom they will rejoice without end.
But when Jacob returned from Mesopotamia of Syria and came to the Jordan, having brought over all that belonged to him, he remained alone. And behold, a man wrestled with him until morning. And when he saw that he could not prevail against him, he touched the socket of his hip, and immediately it became disjointed. And he said to him: Let me go, for the dawn has already arisen. But he answered: I will not let you go, unless you bless me. And he said to him: What is your name? He responded: Jacob. But he said: You will no longer be called Jacob, but your name will be Israel (Gen. XXXII, 26). By Jacob, in this place, every sinner and penitent is designated. As for the angel who wrestled with Jacob in the form of the Lord, and he with the angel, that signifies what the Lord says in the Gospel: The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force (Matth. XI, 12). But who are the violent, if not sinners and penitents? When they see themselves as guilty of their crimes, they knock on the door of paradise with prayers, until the entrance to the heavenly kingdom is opened to them. Therefore, Jacob wrestles with the Lord when every sinner, fearing the punishment of eternal fire, persists in prayers until divine mercy comes to his aid, as the following reveal.
When he saw that he could not overcome him, he touched the nerve of his thigh, and immediately it withered. And because desire arises from the thigh, through the nerve of the thigh, carnal pleasures can be understood. Therefore, the Lord touched the nerve of the thigh of the sinner, when he extinguished all carnal desires, from which sins arise; for it is not possible for us to abstain from sins as long as we lie dissolved in carnal pleasures. Therefore the angel said to him, namely the one who was wrestling with him in the person of the Lord: Let me go, for the dawn is breaking (Gen. XXXII, 26); as if to say: Stop weeping now out of fear of eternal fire; because tranquility has returned, the vices having been extinguished, which had plunged you into the abyss of perdition.
And because it is not enough to leave off evil, unless we strive to do good, it follows: And Jacob said: I will not let you go, unless you bless me, that is, I will not cease from prayers, unless you enrich me with virtues; so that I, who have lived until now according to the flesh, may henceforth live according to the spirit. And he said to him: What is your name? He answered, Jacob; and he said to him: You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name, that is: You shall no longer be called a supplanter of vices, but you shall be called a man who sees God: and he who before wept, lest he be plunged into hell, now he shall weep, because at some time you have been far removed from the vision of the Almighty God, saying with the Psalmist: Woe is me, that my dwelling place is prolonged (Psalm 119, 5)!
Similarly, it is said that Jacob also limped with one foot after the wrestling match he had with the angel: but he who limps relies entirely on the healthy foot, while touching the ground with the other for a moment. Therefore, the two feet represent two types of nourishment; for there are nourishments of the body and nourishments of the soul. Nourishments of the body are food, drink, and clothing; but nourishments of the soul are the word of God and good deeds. Therefore, every faithful person, if they touch the ground with one foot for a moment, relies entirely on the other; because they only make use of those things that belong to the world to meet the necessities of the body, as the Apostle says: But having food and clothing, with these we will be content (1 Timothy 6:8). In those things which pertain to the salvation of the soul, he fully devotes himself, so that he may never deviate from the path of God, which is the salvation of the soul. We have said a few things about the unveiling of the second seal among many, now let us proceed in order.
It follows: I heard a voice saying: Come and see; that is, understand spiritually the things you have learned that were done by the patriarchs. And behold, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon, it was given that he should take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. And there was given unto him a great sword. By the red horse are designated the just who were from the flood to the Law. And because the red colour approaches somewhat near to the golden colour, as if you should mingle blood with the golden colour; not unreasonably are the holy men who were before the Law compared to this colour; because they also shone forth in wisdom, which is figured by gold, and were constant in persecutions and adversities, which are figured by blood. But the owner of this horse is the one who dwells in his holy place. To this owner it was given to receive peace from the land. If good peace is from God, how is it received from the land? But there is good peace, and there is bad peace. The sons of God had bad peace before the flood when they took their daughters and gave them to them (Gen. VI, 1); and therefore they were destroyed with those flood waters. But the Lord also commanded the sons of Israel not to make a covenant with the Canaanites, nor to take their daughters, nor to give their daughters to them (Exod. XXIII, 32). Now the psalmist speaks about the peace, both good and bad, saying: 'With the chosen you shall be chosen, and with the perverse you shall be perverse' (Psalm 17:27). Therefore, God took this peace from the earth, when He separated righteous men from the impious in mind, not in body. And so that they may kill each other. When peace is taken away from them, it follows that one kills another; for often the righteous kill the unrighteous, and the unrighteous kill the righteous, as was the case with Aram, the brother of Abraham, according to the tradition of the Jews, who died in the Chaldeans' fire because he would not worship fire; and as Abraham killed four kings with their armies for their impieties; and as the sons of Jacob killed all the Sichemites for the violation of their sister. But by the great sword we can understand the waters of the flood, by which the whole world was destroyed. We can also understand by the great sword the extermination of the five cities, whose inhabitants perished by fire and sulfur, and their land, which was swallowed up with them into the abyss.
And when he opened the third seal. The opening of the third seal pertains to the Law and those who were under the Law. In order to demonstrate the opening of the third seal, it is fitting to say a few things about Moses, and about those things which seem irrational in the Law. In Exodus it is written that when Moses was born, he was hidden for three months by his parents; afterwards his mother made a basket of bulrushes, and covered it with bitumen and pitch, and putting the infant inside, she placed him in a reed basket by the bank of the river (Exodus 2:1 et seq.). Moses foreshadowed Christ: but during the three months in which Moses was hidden, three periods are designated: one before the flood, the second from the flood until Moses, and the third from Moses until the Lord's advent. During these three periods, the coming of Christ according to the flesh remained hidden from humans, but it was foretold by the prophets. However, the blessed Virgin Mary was designated by the basket of bulrushes: therefore, the mother prepared the basket of bulrushes in which Moses would be placed, because the wisdom of God, who is the Son of God, chose the blessed and glorious Mary, always a virgin, in whose womb the man, with whom he would be united in one person, could be formed without sin. But we can understand the virginity of the blessed Mary, which could not be violated by any carnal desire, as the bitumen that cannot be dissolved by water; and by the pitch, which is the guardian of wine, we can understand humility, the guardian of the other virtues. Mary herself speaks of this, saying: 'For he has looked upon the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed' (Luke 1:48). And by the river, the world is meant; and by the ark in which Moses was placed, the Jews are designated, for it is recorded in the following verses that Moses was found in a papyrus basket by the daughter of Pharaoh. The same meaning is held by reed in this place, as well as papyrus; for a reed can wound the hands of those who touch it, while books were made from papyrus in ancient times. Therefore, the Jews are designated by reed, namely the prophets, the spiritual doctors, who desired to heal their wounds, killed them. They are also designated by papyrus, because they boasted in the scriptures that were handed down to them by God, which they read but did not keep. Truly, the daughter of Pharaoh represents the people of the devil from the Gentiles. Therefore, the daughter of Pharaoh took Moses from the reeds (Exod. II, 5); because the Church, receiving the faith of Christ from the Gentiles, took away the same Christ from the unbelieving Jews.
Afterwards, when Moses was grazing the flocks of Jethro, his relative, the Lord appeared to him in a burning bush and he saw that the bush was burning, but it was not being consumed (Exodus 3:2). We can understand the blessed Virgin Mary, who gave birth to the Son of God from her womb and did not lose her virginity, as the bush that produced flames and was not consumed. But because of what follows, I believe that by the bush, Christ is to be understood according to his humanity. Indeed, the flame depicted its divinity. Therefore, the bush was burning and not consumed; for the Son of God, assuming humanity, just as his divinity was not changed into humanity, so that he might not lose what he was; similarly, his humanity, enflamed by divinity, was not taken away from divinity in such a way that it lost its humanity: but out of the two substances of humanity and divinity, one Christ remained and remains, as it is written: perfect God, perfect man, subsisting in a rational soul and human flesh (Athanasius in the Creed).
And the Lord said to Moses from the midst of the burning bush: Do not come near here, take off your sandals from your feet; for the place where you stand is holy ground. I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. But come now, I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt. And after a few moments, Moses said to the Lord: Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt? And in the following, he speaks to the Lord about the children of Israel, saying: They will not listen to my voice, but they will say: The Lord has not appeared to you (Exod. IV, 1); and again: I beg you, Lord, send someone whom You will send (Ibid., 13). These words demonstrate that Moses obeyed the Lord's commands reluctantly, in order to lead the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. But we must seek why this great man of the Lord executed the command unwillingly. However, we must understand this stubbornness of his in a spiritual manner; for the Apostle says: Now all these things happened to them in figures; and they are written for our correction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come (I Cor. X, 11). Therefore, by means of Moses, the apostles in this place are designated; for at the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel, the apostles, knowing that the election of the Gentiles meant the rejection of the Jews, did not want to teach the Gentiles the doctrine of the Gospel so that they could be saved from the power of the devil. Therefore, the Lord, in the vision of the four-footed animals and reptiles, rebuked Peter for despising the Gentiles, saying: What God has cleansed, do not call common (Acts 10:15). Therefore, this pertains to the meaning of what the Lord said to Moses: Do not come near here, take off your shoes; for the place on which you stand is holy ground (Exod. III, 5), as if the Lord had said to one of the great apostles: Although you raise the dead, although you heal the sick with the shadow of your body, you dare not compare yourself to me in any way: for the great things you do are not from you, but I am working through you. But shoes protect the feet from touching the ground: however, people are represented through the ground. Remove, he said, the shoe from your feet; that is, take away the hatred and contempt of people from your heart. For the place where you stand is holy ground: that is, the world in which you dwell has been redeemed by my blood.
And in the following, the Lord said to Moses: What is that you hold in your hand? And he said: A rod. And the Lord said to him: Cast it on the ground. And when he had cast it on the ground, it turned into a serpent, so that Moses fled from it. And the Lord said to him: Take hold of its tail. And when he had taken hold of it, it turned back into a rod. (Exod. IV, 2). By the rod, the Jews are represented. Moses held a rod in his hand, because the apostles held the people of the Jews in their hearts with love, and labored with all their might to lead them to salvation through the teaching of their preaching. Moses cast the staff from his hand, because the apostles, seeing that the Jews did not want to believe in Christ in any way, cast their love from their hearts. The serpent, however, represents the devil. Therefore, the staff turned into a serpent, because the Jews, due to the preaching of the apostles, became worse, who were previously called the people of God, they became children and members of the devil. Moses fled, because the apostles, leaving the Jews behind, passed on to the Gentiles. But by the tail, which is the end of the body, the Jews who will be born at the end of the world are designated. Therefore, Moses took hold of the serpent's tail and it turned into a staff; because the holy preachers at the end of the world will in a way apprehend the Jews; when through their teachings they will be converted to the faith of Christ and become sons of God instead of sons of the devil.
For that also, whereby the Lord commanded Moses to put his hand into his bosom, and he drew it forth leprous, and put it in again, and it was restored unto health, has a similar signification; for by the hand of Moses the Jews are designated. He put his hand into his bosom, because the Apostles, desiring the salvation of the Jews, ceased not to preach the doctrine of faith to them. Moses drew back his hand, and found it leprous; because the Jews, through the preaching of the apostles, became much worse, falling into the most grievous leprosy of unbelief and blasphemies. Moses again put his hand into his bosom and drew it out, and it was restored like the rest of his flesh; for the holy preachers at the end of the world will embrace the Jews and preach to them the faith of Christ, and bring them back to the health they had lost.
It is also written in the following, that when Moses was returning to Egypt, the Lord met him and wanted to kill him. Immediately, Zipporah took a very sharp stone and circumcised the foreskin of her son, touched Moses' feet, and said, 'You are a bridegroom of blood to me' (Exodus IV, 25). And the Lord let him go, after saying: 'You are a bridegroom of blood to me' because of the circumcision. If the Lord wanted to kill Moses, why didn't he do what he wanted, as the Psalmist says: 'Whatever the Lord pleases, he does' (Psalm CXXXIV, 6). But often the will is used for a threat: therefore the Lord threatened Moses with death because he carried an uncircumcised son, as he spoke to Abraham, saying: Every soul among you that is not circumcised, shall be cut off from his people (Gen. XVII, 14). But leaving aside these matters, let us turn to a spiritual understanding. Moses in this passage designates those who believed from the gentiles; for at the beginning the apostles and other preachers, considering the weakness of the gentiles who received the faith of Christ, did not want to present to them at first the more rigorous precepts of Christ, lest they might be frightened and not dare to approach the faith of Christ. The apostle Paul demonstrates that these things are so, speaking through a letter to those who believed from the Gentiles, saying: I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it, and indeed you are still not able; for you are still fleshly (I Cor. III, 2). And the apostles also sent a message to those who believed in Christ in Antioch, saying: It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication. Therefore, the Lord threatened Moses with death because he pretended to neglect the circumcision of his son's foreskin; because, for those who believed from the nations, because they were lukewarm in love, the Lord threatened death; he set before them the precepts of his Gospel, where it is written: Narrow and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few are those who walk on it. Wide and spacious is the way that leads to death, and many are those who walk on it (Matth. VII, 14); and again: Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me is not worthy of me (Luc. XIV, 27); and many other things which are found in the Gospel and in the sayings of the apostles concerning the cutting off of vices.
But truly by the rock Christ is understood, and the sharpness of the rock represents the hard teachings of the Gospel. Therefore, Sephora took the sharpest rock and circumcised the flesh of her son's foreskin; for the Church, seeing that her children could not attain perfect salvation in any way unless she removed all carnal desires from their bodies, took the more rigorous teachings of the Gospel and removed from the bodies of all her children all nourishing substances. But at the feet is the end of the body. Therefore, Sephora touched the feet of her son after circumcision; because he who receives the salutary circumcision perseveres in the good that he has begun until the end of life. But after Sephora touched the feet of her son, she no longer calls him her son, but her spouse: and the spouse of the Church is Christ. But she herself is also called his spouse, as John the Baptist says: He who has the bride is the bridegroom (John 3:29). She who calls Him both Son and Bridegroom; for she is redeemed by the blood of Christ. Therefore, the children of the Church, after the circumcision of vices, are no longer called children, but rather the Bridegroom; for they are joined in heaven through the union of members, who is called and is the Bridegroom of the Church on earth.
And since we cannot recount everything that happened in Egypt through Moses, let us mention a few things that happened after the departure of the Israelite people from Egypt. So the children of Israel, in order to escape from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, crossed through the middle of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on the right and on the left (Exod. XIV, 22). Similarly, the people of the nations, in order to escape from the devil and all his followers, crossed through the water of baptism. And those who were previously the sons of the devil, through water and the Holy Spirit, which was represented by the pillar of fire, became the children of God. So the water of the sea saved the sons of Israel, but drowned Pharaoh and all his followers; because the water of baptism saves the image of God, extinguishing the sins that one has served. But the devil is extinguished for each person who faithfully renounces him with all his pomps. And the waters that were a wall for them on the right and on the left, represented our faith, which we received in baptism, which is our wall, defending us on both sides from invisible enemies and visible ones.
After crossing the Red Sea, they came to Marah, where they found bitter waters that they could not drink. And the Lord showed Moses a tree, which when he threw into the waters, they turned sweet (Exod. XV, 23). The bitter waters represent the law of Moses, while the tree represents the passion of Christ, because it was through the cross that his passion was completed. Therefore, the people who had come out of Egypt encountered bitter waters because they received the Law, which they were unable to fulfill. But for the Gentiles who came to faith in Christ, the bitterness of the Law was turned into sweetness through the passion and resurrection of Christ, because they understood it spiritually, not carnally. The same signification is also found in what they discovered in Elim, twelve fountains, and they camped by the waters. (Ibid., 27); for the waters represent the teaching of the New Testament from the twelve fountains, that is, from the twelve apostles, which spread throughout the whole world. The seventy palm trees, however, represent the Old Testament, because it came to the knowledge of the nations through the seventy interpreters of the Septuagint.
Nevertheless, let us briefly discuss some of the things that seem irrational in the Law. The Lord commanded the children of Israel: 'You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk' (Exodus 23:19); and again: 'You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together'; and 'You shall not wear a garment that is made of wool and linen mixed together' (Deuteronomy 22:10). For what sin is committed if someone boils a young goat in its mother's milk? Or what fault does a farmer have if he plows the land with oxen and donkeys together? But why does someone take offense if they put on a garment made of wool and linen? But these things must be understood spiritually; for by the kid each one of us is designated as a sinner: but our mother was the first parent, from whom we all were born: but the faults of our mother are the tears which came forth from original sin; for if there had not been original sin, there would be no fault. Concerning this milk of the mother the Psalmist speaks, saying: For lo! I was conceived in iniquities, and in sin did my mother bear me (Psalm 50:7). Therefore, the kid is cooked in the milk of its mother, just as every sinner is burned by the fire of vices until the day of their death. Therefore, the Lord commanded that the kid not be cooked in the milk of its mother, meaning that the sinner should not be allowed to remain in sins until the day of their death, but should be called back to good works before the day of their death, so that they may not perish.
Not to yoke together an ox and a donkey (Deut. XXII, 10). By the ox, the apostles and other preachers can be understood: by the donkey, the Jewish people. But we plow when, according to the tradition of the saints, we exercise ourselves in good works. Therefore, whoever strives to keep the teaching of the apostles and the traditions of the Jews together, plows with both the ox and the donkey. From this teaching, the apostle Paul sought to recall the Galatians, when he said: O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you not to obey the truth? For I declare to you, if you are circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. (Galatians 3:1) We can also understand by any wise preacher that preaches through an ox, but by a foolish one through a donkey. Therefore it is commanded that the foolish is not coupled with the wise in the office of preaching. However, what is said: You shall not wear a garment made of wool and linen mixed together (Deuteronomy 22:11), we can understand according to the higher sense; for by wool, which is the clothing of sheep, we can understand the teaching of the apostles: by linen, which comes from the earth, we can understand the teaching of the Jews. Therefore, we put on a garment when we surround ourselves with good works: he, however, who wants to observe the traditions of the apostles and also the traditions of the Jews, uses a garment made of wool and linen.
The Lord also commanded Moses that if someone who was cleansed of leprosy, they should go to the priest and offer two sparrows to the priest. From these, the priest would sacrifice one, causing its blood to flow into running water. Then, he would dip the live sparrow into the water in which he had caused the blood of the sacrificed sparrow to flow, and sprinkle the leper seven times with cedar wood, scarlet wool, and hyssop. Only then would the leper be properly cleansed (Leviticus 14:3 et seq.). By the priest, Christ is understood; by the two birds, the teachers of the two Testaments are understood; by the living waters, the commandments of the Gospel are designated, about which the Lord says in the Gospel: Whoever believes in me, as Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from within them (John 7:38). He calls them living waters because they grant eternal life to those who do them. Therefore, by the sacrificed bird, as we said, the teachers of the Jews are designated, namely the priests, scribes, and Pharisees. But the blood, which gave life to the sparrow, is a spiritual intelligence, which was hidden in the observations of the Jews. And just as a sparrow becomes dead without blood, so too many of the observations of the Jews would seem to be in vain if spiritual intelligence were lacking. Therefore, after the blood of the sparrow appeared and flowed into living waters, the sparrow died; because after the spiritual intelligence, which was hidden in the observations of the Jews, was revealed through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, certain legal observances were of no benefit: but even those who rejected the faith of Christ because of their adherence to the Law, died according to the flesh. Therefore, the blood of the sparrow was mixed with living water; because all Scripture, which pertains to the new Testament, is filled with spiritually understood examples from the old Testament. But through the cedar wood the Father, through the hyssop the Son: but through the scarlet wool, which has the brilliance of fire, the Holy Spirit is designated. The three who desired to be properly cleansed were sprinkled with these; because no one can be cleansed from the leprosy of sins through the water of baptism, except under the invocation of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
But if by these three the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are designated, why is a living sparrow added as a fourth? For we have said that the living sparrow signifies the preachers of the new Testament. Therefore, the Priest, in the rite of the confession of a leper, joined a living sparrow with cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop, because our Lord Jesus Christ, in the invocation of His own name and of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, joins the ministry of priests, and washes us, who are designated by the leper, from our sins through their invocation and through the water of baptism. Those who are commanded to be baptized in the living waters, because those who teach others must have been taught in divine Scriptures: for if a blind man tries to lead a blind man, both fall into the pit (Matthew 15:14). Those who are lepers are commanded to be sprinkled seven times, because the cleanness of no one can be perfect without the gifts of the sevenfold Holy Spirit. For who can be saved without the fear of God, without piety and other virtues? But when each person is taught by the preachers of faith how they should live according to the commandments of God, they are sprinkled seven times with living water. Indeed, after the cleansing, the living sparrow of the leper was allowed to fly away in the field; because the holy preachers deserved to fly away to the heavenly homeland after completing their preaching task in the field of their earthly homeland.
In another place it is written that the Lord commanded Moses to have the sons of Israel bring a scapegoat to the priest, and the priest would lay his hands on its head, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel, and then send it away with a prepared man into the wilderness to bear the sins of the sons of Israel in the wilderness. However, the one who led the scapegoat into the wilderness was not allowed to enter the camp until he had washed his clothes (Leviticus 16:10 and following). Therefore, the priest has the same symbolism as the scapegoat; for they both signify our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the priest confessed the sins of the children of Israel upon the scapegoat; for the Son of God placed the sins of the human race upon the man he assumed, so that he himself would die for them. Through the desert, whose habitation everyone dreads, the cross is designated, greatly dreadful to all sinners. Therefore, a prepared man led a scapegoat into the desert, because the Jews who had been forewarned of committing this crime crucified our Lord Jesus Christ. But the one who led the scapegoat into the desert was commanded to wash his clothes first, and thus enter the camp; for the Jews, the murderers of Christ, could not enter the camp of the Church unless they were first cleansed by the water of baptism.
And in Deuteronomy, Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying: If you pass by a field and find a bird sitting on its chicks, do not take the bird with its chicks, but let the bird fly away in the field, and keep the chicks that you have captured, so that you may live a long time in the land that the Lord your God has given you (Deuteronomy 22:6). Could the release of a little bird increase someone's days? No, it should be understood spiritually. By the bird, each holy soul is designated: but by its chicks, good works are understood. For just as a bird gathers its chicks under its wings to nourish them by keeping warm; so each holy soul hides its works within the secret of its heart, and by constantly increasing and nurturing them, it receives the fullest reward from them. Therefore, we find the bird with its chicks when we embrace someone righteous for their good works. We are happy to allow him, whom we loved, to ascend to the heavenly kingdom through death: but we keep his captured children, if we hold his good works in mind, and make progress in imitating them. And in this we acquire the length of life, which is only given to those established in heavenly bliss. We have said a few things about the opening of the third seal among many, now let us proceed in order.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) I heard the third living creature saying: Come and see; that is, understand spiritually the Scripture of the Law. And behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand. By the black horse we can understand the teachers of the Law; for the blackness of the horse signifies either the obscurity of the Law that they taught, or the hardness. For even Moses had a veil over his face, because the splendor of his countenance, that is, the spiritual understanding in the Law, could not be seen by those with dim eyes. However, the Lord is the judge of the horse, but the balance demonstrates the fairness of legal judgment, as it is written: Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, foot for foot (Exod. XXI, 23), and whoever inflicts a stain, must endure the same.(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6) And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying. The voice that was made in the midst of the four living creatures can be understood as the voice of the Church, imploring the mercy of the Lord. Two denarii of wheat for a day's wage, and three denarii of barley for a day's wage, and do not harm the wine and oil. There are great things that have been brought forth, and very obscure. Through the wheat, from which the finest bread is made, we can receive divine Scripture, which is the bread of souls: but the two pounds of wheat represent the two Testaments, by which divine Scripture is divided. Of these two books, the holy fathers have prepared a great abundance of food for us from wheat, which they have explained in various ways. However, the denarius represents the Lord. Therefore, two pounds of wheat are joined to a denarius; because what the Holy Scripture speaks of pertains to the omnipotence, greatness, goodness, and severity of one God; for whatever good we do towards our neighbors, it is from Him, not from us. But through the roughness of barley, the works of the saints are represented: which indeed seem rough through action, but hope makes them sweet, as the Lord says: For my yoke is sweet, and my burden light (Matthew 11:30). However, there are three bushels of barley: not unsuitably, therefore, they are designated by the number six, which is perfect, the works of the saints, because the perfection of the saints increases from good works. Therefore, three bushels of barley are joined together by a penny; because whatever good the chosen ones do in this world, whatever adversity they suffer, they do and suffer for the love of one almighty God.Otherwise: those who are saved by the Law are designated by the horse: by its rider, the giver of the Law himself: but by the balance, the fairness of his judgment. Therefore, we understand the Old Testament through two pounds of wheat and three pounds of barley: therefore, by two pounds of wheat, the two precepts of charity, which are especially commanded in the Law and the prophets, are designated, as the Lord says in the Gospel: In these two commandments, the whole Law and the prophets depend (Matthew 22:40). And by three measures of barley, we can understand the Old Testament; because it is divided into three parts by the Hebrews, namely, the Prophets, the Law, and the Hagiographa. And not incorrectly, the Old Testament is designated by barley, which has a rough husk, because of the roughness, namely, of the legal precepts. For just as barley contains the kernel within its rough husk, from which bread is made, so also within the letter of the Old Testament is contained the spiritual understanding, from which the spiritual nourishment of the bread of doctrine is made by the teachers of the Church, for the benefit of the faithful. For the Apostle Paul writes that the Law did not bring anyone to perfection, specifically those who understand and act in a carnal manner; but rather, it raises to the summit of perfection those who understand and act in a spiritual manner (Hebrews 7:19). Therefore, three pounds of barley are doubled to reach the number six, which is a perfect number; when the Old Testament is first understood historically by the doctors of the Church, and later understood spiritually, its spiritual understanding is fulfilled by works. However, eternal life is designated by the denarius, as the Lord teaches in the Gospel (Matthew 20:2). Therefore, the Church prays to the Lord and says: Grant, O Lord, two pounds of wheat for a denarius, and three pounds of barley for a denarius, that is, to those who keep the two commandments of charity according to the teaching of the Law and the Prophets, namely, the fathers of the Old Testament, as well as to those who understand and practice the Old Testament spiritually, that is, the faithful of the Church, grant the denarius of eternal life. Truly, through the austerity of wine, we can lead an active life, and through the richness of oil, we can lead a contemplative life. Therefore, when it says, 'Do not harm wine and oil,' it is like saying: Do not harm those who have striven to serve you through the works of an active or contemplative life, when you come to judgment.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7) It follows: And when He opened the fourth seal. The opening of the fourth seal pertains to the prophets, who foretold the coming of Christ, His passion and resurrection, the calling of the Gentiles, and other matters through various figures. Therefore, our Savior opened the fourth seal when He provided understanding of the prophets to the teachers of the Church. However, it is not necessary for us to say anything about the sayings of the prophets, since they have been explained by these same teachers. And because not only the things written by the prophets, but also the things done by them, have a spiritual understanding, let us speak briefly about some of the things that were done through David, Elijah, and Elisha.In the book of Kings it is written that when David wanted to go to battle against the Philistines, he said to Saul: Your servant used to tend his father's flock, and when a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the midst of the flock, I would pursue it, strike it down, and deliver the lamb from its mouth. If the lion or bear rose against me, I would seize it by the beard and strike it down, and kill it. So your servant has killed both lion and bear. (1 Samuel 17:34-36). David represents Christ; but by the lion and the bear, the persecutors of the Church are designated: by the lion, emperors and other earthly rulers are designated: by the bear, the Jews are designated, who persecuted the Church of God: by the ram, the martyrs are designated. Therefore, the lion and the bear came and took away the ram from the midst of the flock; because some of the faithful were taken by the persecutors of the Church and killed for the sake of Christ. And as David pursued and killed the lion and the bear, and ripped the ram from their mouths, in the same way our Redeemer pursued some of the persecutors, and imposed punishment on them in this present age, as he did first to Herod, and again a second time, and a third, and to many others. He truly struck them when he condemned them to eternal death: he ripped the ram from their mouths, because he freed the faithful people from their tearing. And they rose up against David again, because in the times of persecutors, while some were being punished, others rose up against Christ, in order to completely extinguish his name and worship. But David seized them by the chin and suffocated and killed them (1 Samuel 17:35). By the chin, which is closest to the mouth, the blasphemies of the Jews and pagans are signified. Christ seized the chins of the persecutors and suffocated and killed them; when emperors believed in Christ, the entire culture and error of the Gentiles was so suffocated that no persecutor dared to open their mouth to blaspheme Christ. And all were extinguished, the Gentiles who believed in Christ.
Now when David went to battle against the Philistine, he took his staff with him, which he always had in his hands. And he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in a pouch that he had with him. Then he took his sling in his hand and went out against the Philistine. The staff, by which a man is supported, signifies the apostles, who supported Christ and fulfilled the work for which he came into the world, as the apostle Paul says: For we are God's fellow workers (I Cor. III, 9). However, his humanity is represented by the five stones, the five books of Moses, which he sent in a pouch; because he gave knowledge of the five books to the man whom he had taken: and we can understand the foundation of his language through this. Now, the procession of David against the Philistine can be understood in two ways according to allegory; for our Savior went against the Philistine when he was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit, to be tested by the devil and to defeat the devil. David sent five stones into the pocket, but with one he defeated Goliath; because our Savior possessed the knowledge of five books equally, but from one, that is Deuteronomy, he took three testimonies, from which he defeated the three temptations of the devil. And just as David threw a stone with a sling and killed Goliath, so our Lord Jesus Christ brought forth testimonies from the language of Holy Scripture and overcame the devil.
Otherwise, David went forth to battle against the Philistine; similarly, Christ hastened to His Passion to overcome the devil. David cast down Goliath with a stone, similarly, Christ destroyed the devil through His death. And since David did not have a sword in his hand, he took the sword of the Philistine and killed him with his own sword, and cut off his head. The sword of the devil is death: for the envy of the devil, death entered the world (Wisdom 2:24). This is the sword, by which first man, then the human race, until it was redeemed by Christ, was slain. We incur this sword when we sin: but Christ did not have this sword; because he had not sinned, nor was there any guile found in his mouth (I Pet. II, 22). He was also not subject to the original sin; because he was not conceived from the union of a man, who cannot be without sin. Therefore, Christ, who did not owe death, borrowed it from the devil, who was its author, and through it he killed the same prince of death. But by the head of the Philistine, the human race is designated in this place. David cut off the head of the Philistine, because Christ separated the multitude of the elect from the body of the devil. He brought it to Jerusalem, because he placed the multitude of the elect in the heavenly beatitude, which is called Jerusalem.
But concerning Elijah and Elisha, even though their actions are full of spiritual meaning, let us only mention those that are recorded by the Lord in the Gospel. For when the Lord came to Nazareth, his fellow citizens said to him: 'We have heard about the things that were done in Capernaum, do the same here in your own country.' And he said to them: 'Truly I say to you, there were many widows in the days of Elijah in Israel, when the heavens were closed for three years and six months, and a severe famine came over all the land. Yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a widow woman in Zarephath of Sidon.' And there were many lepers in the days of Elisha in Israel, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian (Luke IV, 23 et seq.). It is written in the book of Kings that when King Ahab of Israel began to persecute Elijah, at the command of the Lord, he went into the desert and sat beside the brook Cherith. And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook (3 Kings XVII, 3 et seq.). Elias was depicting Christ: but by the stream of Cherith we should understand the Law. Cherith means falsehood, not that the Law is false; for wise people often present parables to their listeners so that the things they wish to say may be understood more clearly, and they introduce talking animals and birds. If you only consider the words of the parables, you will see that they are falsehoods; but if you consider the meaning, you will prove them to be truths. Similarly, certain legal precepts, if you only consider the letter, will seem useless to you; but if you consider the spiritual understanding, the truth shines brightly in the letter. Therefore, some of the legal precepts are lies to the Jews because they understand them in a worldly way. But to us, they are the truth because we strive to understand them spiritually. The priests of the Jews are symbolized by the ravens, darkly veiled in their hearts. The constant sacrifice of flesh represents the morning and evening offering. The breads of the offering represent the loaves that were continually placed before the Lord. Christ drank from the stream because he delighted in the observances of the law. But on the other hand, many days have been dried up; for when Christ came in the flesh and preached the Gospel, the observance of the law ceased, and from that time on it was of no avail, as the Lord says: The law and the prophets were until John, etc. (Matthew 11:13). And again He says to Israel through the prophet: I will not accept your sacrifice anymore; your incense is an abomination to me: I will not bear your new moons and sabbaths, your heavens are iniquitous (Isaiah 1:13).
And the Lord said to Elijah: Go into the land of Sarepta of Sidon, and stay there; for I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain you. (3 Kings 17:9). So he arose and went to Sarepta. Elijah went to Sarepta; for Christ, leaving the faithless Jews, passed over to the Gentiles through his apostles. Sarepta, in fact, signifies being set on fire, or the narrowness of bread; for the Gentiles, who were the city of the devil and were designated by Sarepta, were consumed by the fire of vices. Regarding this fire, Scripture says: 'All of you who light a fire, walk in the light of your fire and in the flames you have kindled for yourselves' (Isaiah 50:11). Those who are clothed with flames are those who are consumed by the fire of vices, and are called the straits of bread; because no preacher has ever come to them to impart the nourishment of the word of God. And when he arrived at the city gate, a widow woman appeared, gathering wood. The same word 'mulier' has the same meaning as 'civitas'; it signifies the Church gathered from the Gentiles. And she was a widow, because she had lost her husband God, due to her sins. And he called her and said to her, 'Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.' He asked for something small in order to obtain something greater; for through a little water, which refreshes the thirsty soul, we can understand the will of those who listen. For just as water refreshes the tongue of one who is thirsty, so also does a ready mind of the listeners refresh the minds of the preachers. And as she was going to bring it, he called after her, saying, 'Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.' It is as if we were ignorant of what is behind us: therefore, Elijah called after the woman, because the holy preachers proclaimed to the nations the God whom they did not know, and through a morsel of bread, we can understand the beginnings of faith.
And because those who come to faith adequately are those who strive to confess their sins first, it is rightly added: And the woman said to him: As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread, except what a handful of flour can hold in a jar, and a little oil in a jug. The jug was a vessel in which oil was stored. We can understand reason through flour, and acts of mercy through oil. Therefore, the gentile people, realizing that they had greatly erred, confessed that there was nothing good in themselves, except that they seemed to have little reason and little works of mercy. For the Gentiles lacked sound reasoning; for they were partly rational, but mostly irrational. For what is more irrational than to say to wood or stone: You are my God? They also lacked compassion; for their own nature often impelled them to help the unfortunate. Their hearts are symbolized by the vessels that contain flour and oil. Look, I gather two pieces of wood, to prepare a meal for myself and my son, so that we may eat and die. The woods that are gathered in the city are of no utility, unless they are burned by fire. Therefore, by means of the woods, the errors of the Gentiles, invented by diabolical fraud, are designated. A woman gathered two woods, because the Gentile people gathered various errors from the teachings of philosophers and poets, for which they would be constantly handed over to the flames. But what does he mean when he says: 'Let us eat and die'? For we eat in order to preserve life in the body; but this one says that we should eat in order to die; because the teaching of the Gentiles brings about death more than life.
To which Elijah said: Go, and do as you have said, but make for me first a little bread from the same barley meal, and bring it to me; but afterwards make some for yourself and your son. By bread, faith is signified, and by ashes, penance is often symbolized, as the blessed Job says to the Lord: Therefore I reprehend myself, and do penance in dust and ashes (Job. 42:6). Therefore, the bread is covered with ashes, when anyone who comes to the faith, first strives to lament the evils he has done, so that he may more fittingly approach the receiving of the faith of Christ, which is given in baptism. Therefore, Elias commanded the woman to make bread from flour and bring it to him; because the holy preachers urged the gentiles to prepare a food of faith to God from the good of reason that they had received from God and bring it to him; for when each person comes to baptism, they bring their faith to the preacher, confessing how they believe in response to the priest's questioning; Elias ate the bread that he commanded the woman to make, because the reward of the preachers is the advancement of their children. Therefore, Elijah commanded the widow to first prepare bread for himself, and then for herself and her son; because the conversion of the sinner is first attributed to the preacher: but afterwards, when converted, he prepares bread for himself, exercising himself in good works, so that he may obtain the inheritance of the heavenly homeland. And what Elijah says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land' (1 Kings 17:14); this signifies that faith and good works will not fail from the hearts of the elect until the Lord comes to judge with all his saints.
Similarly, Elisha prefigured Christ, while Naaman represented the Gentiles. There were many lepers in Israel, and none of them were cleansed except Naaman the Syrian; for when Christ came in the flesh, both the Jews and the Gentiles were covered with the leprosy of their sins. But while the Jews remained in their wickedness, the Gentiles were cleansed from the leprosy of their sins. Therefore, Elisha commanded Naaman, saying: 'Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be cleansed.' (2 Kings 5:10). He went and washed in the Jordan seven times, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was cleansed of leprosy. The water of the Jordan symbolized baptism, for Christ was baptized in it. Naaman was cleansed by the waters of the Jordan and healed of leprosy, because the people of the nations are cleansed from the leprosy of their sins by the water of holy baptism. His sevenfold washing symbolized the sevenfold Holy Spirit, through whose working the forgiveness of sins is given in baptism; for just as the visible body is cleansed by the waters of baptism, so the invisible soul is cleansed from all sins by the working of the Holy Spirit. But Gehazi, who received the price of Naaman's healing, inherited his leprosy, designates those who sell the teaching of their preaching to men: whom the Lord in the Gospel calls not shepherds, but hired mercenaries (John 10:12). Therefore, Elisha conferred health, and Gehazi received the price; because the perverse teachers demand the price of healing from those whom divine mercy saves. And for this reason, they become heirs of their leprosy; because by remaining in the evils which these teachers contemptuously rejected through the grace of God, they acquire perpetual damnation for themselves. We have said a few things about the opening of the four seals which it is certain pertain to the Old Testament, in order to demonstrate that the opening of the seals is nothing else but the manifestation of spiritual meanings in the Old Testament, which has been revealed to us through Christ.
(Vers. 8.)
(Ver. 8.) It follows: And behold, a pale horse, and the one sitting on it, his name was Death, and Hades followed him. These things that are said about the fourth horseman seem to pertain to the Antichrist: but because the previous three horsemen were interpreted in a favorable manner, to correspond with the opening of the three seals; the correctness of order compels us to understand this one also in a favorable manner, to the extent that it agrees with the opening of the fourth seal, which we have shown pertains to the prophets. Therefore, the pale horse signifies prophets: but paleness occurs to humans in different ways; sometimes from fear, sometimes from illness, sometimes when the whole body is seized by death, and in many other ways people turn pale. Therefore, the prophets, who foretold to the sinful people that they would be given over to plunder and sword and destruction, are said to have appropriately had a pale color: but the rider of this horse is the Lord, who dwelled in his prophets. But it seems very difficult that it is said to have the name of death; for He Himself is the life of all His elect, as He Himself says: I am the life (John 14:6). But if we carefully examine the divine Scriptures, we will find that our Lord Jesus Christ is also called death. For just as He is the life of all the elect, to whom He daily bestows eternal life, so death can be said to be for the reprobate, whom He daily delivers to perpetual death for their sins; for He has the power to destroy both soul and body in Hell (Matthew 10:28). Therefore, it is said that death had a name because it brought death to the sinful people of Israel, as is clearly shown in the song of Deuteronomy when it says: A fire is kindled in my anger, and it burns to the depths of the underworld: it will devour the earth and its produce, and it will burn the foundations of the mountains. I will gather evil upon them, and I will fill my arrows with them: they will be consumed by famine; and they will be devoured by birds with the bitterest bite. I will send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the fury of those pulling and the crawling serpents upon the earth. The sword will devastate them outside, and inside there will be terror, and the rest (Deuteronomy XXXII, 22 et seq.) .This horseman followed, because all those who had despised the threats of the prophets which they had spoken from the mouth of the Lord to the people, were swallowed by the underworld. Hence it follows: And power was given to him over the four parts of the earth to kill with the sword, and with famine, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. The entire land of Israel is designated as the four parts of the earth. However, how they were consumed by the sword, and by famine, and by death, and by the beasts of the earth, the books of the Prophets and Kings clearly demonstrate. But we must inquire why the opening of the four seals belongs to the Old Testament, and the opening of the three seals belongs to the New. For there are four elements by which we subsist according to the body; therefore, the Old Testament fittingly is represented by the number four, because the Law of Moses promises nothing to the Hebrew people except things that pertain to the four elements. The New Testament is represented by the number three, because the faith in the Holy Trinity, without which we cannot be saved, is specially recommended in it.
(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9.) And when he had opened the fifth seal. The opening of the fifth seal, as we have already said, belongs to the opening of the new Testament, the sixth and the seventh: and although the opening of the new Testament is the unveiling of the old Testament, many things are obscurely set forth in it, which must be explained. Therefore, the Savior opened the fifth, sixth, and seventh seal when he revealed to the doctors of the Church the things that he had spoken in parables and figuratively. But it is not necessary for us to speak about the exposition of the New Testament, since it has been wonderfully and manifoldly expounded by the holy fathers. Therefore, the opening of the fifth seal pertains to the martyrs: Christ indeed opened the fifth seal when he revealed to the doctors of the Church the things he had said about the persecution of the martyrs and their glorification through parables and certain figures. He also opened the fifth seal when he bestowed upon them the heavenly glory he had promised and glorified them among men in the world. I saw under the altar of God the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. The altar of God is Christ: therefore, the souls of the saints rest under the altar, for just as the members are attached to the head, they also adhere to it, so too the souls of the saints established in heavenly glory are subject to Christ the Savior and are connected to him through the joining of the members.(Vers. 10, 11.)
(Vers. 10, 11.) And they cried out with a loud voice, saying: How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? For the scripture commands us not to repay evil for evil (Rom. XII, 17), and the Lord says in the Gospel: Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you (Matth. V, 44); so why do the saints in heaven seek revenge against their enemies? But we know that the saints of God desire the last day, on which they will receive from the Lord both bodies and the full reward of their labors. For the Lord revealed to his disciples that this day is to be desired, when he predicted the signs of the day of judgment, saying: When you see these things happening, look up and lift up your heads; for your redemption is near (Luke 21:28). And in the Lord's Prayer, we constantly ask for your kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10). But because the resurrection and glorification of the saints will take place on the day of judgment, and the day of judgment will be the condemnation of the wicked, the saints seek revenge against their enemies when they request the coming of the day of the Lord; for on that day they will be eternally condemned. But a question arises here, why do the saints desire the day of the Lord, when the prophet says: Woe to those who wish for the day of the Lord (Amos 5:18)? For we know that the day of the Lord is the condemnation of the wicked, as we have already said. And why was it necessary for the prophet to say: Woe to those who desire the day of the Lord! when no wicked person is found who desires either his own death or the day of the Lord, because he fears being condemned in it? And because it is true what the prophet said, we must investigate what it means. For the condemnation of the wicked are their sins: therefore, whoever desires to cohabit with a prostitute desires his own condemnation, whoever desires to get drunk desires his own condemnation, whoever desires to steal a horse or a cow or anything similar desires his own condemnation, whoever desires to inflict harm on his neighbor desires his own condemnation. Therefore, because the condemnation of the wicked will be the day of judgment, whoever desires those crimes for which he will be condemned on the day of judgment desires the day of the Lord, that is, his own damnation.And to them were given each white stoles. The white stoles are the glory of the holy souls, the holy souls now possess the white stoles individually; for while their bodies rest in the earth, they enjoy only the eternal beatitude of the soul: they will then receive two stoles, when after the resurrection the souls will possess without end the glory of the heavenly country together with their bodies. And it was said to them to rest a little while longer, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who are to be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. Time is short, until the day of judgment: it is called short, because in relation to future time, it is very short. Therefore, the saints who desire this day of judgment, in which they will receive their bodies and the full reward of their labors, are commanded to await a short time, until the number of their brothers is fulfilled; because the day of judgment will not come until the full number of the elect is completed. But we must inquire why only the souls of those killed for the name of Christ are said to have rested under the altar of God and received white robes, when all the souls of the elect rest under this altar and possess the same robes themselves. Therefore, we must not only receive the souls of the martyrs, but also the souls of all the righteous, because they too have died to the world in order to live for God, as the Apostle says: 'For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God' (Colossians 3:3). And he says about himself: 'The world has been crucified to me, and I to the world' (Galatians 6:14); and: 'Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted' (2 Timothy 3:12); and: 'Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God' (Acts 14:21). But even John, the author of this book, is described as having drunk the cup of the Lord, when he had laid down the sword without taking life.
(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12.) And when he opened the sixth seal. The opening of the sixth seal pertains to the rejection of the Jews, as we have said, and to the calling of the Gentiles. And because Christ spoke many things in parables about the destruction of the Jews and the election of the Gentiles, He also did certain things that signified this; He opened the sixth seal when He revealed to the Church leaders the things He had spoken and done in figures by the grace of His inspiration. He also opened the sixth seal, when he fulfilled the things he foretold in action. There was a great earthquake. The land in this place signifies the Jews: the land was greatly shaken when this nation was devastated by the Romans. And the sun became black, like a sackcloth. The same Jewish people are signified by the sun: therefore the sun became black, like a sackcloth; for the people of the Jews, who shone as the sun in the world because of their knowledge of the one God and their observance of the Law, became detestable to all men because of their iniquities; for those who repent are clothed in sackcloth to indicate that they are sinners. Therefore, the sack had a black appearance because the crimes of the Jews were exposed to all nations. And the moon became like blood. The moon has the same meaning as the sun; it signifies the Synagogue. Therefore, the moon was seen to have the appearance of blood because it shone brightly for the Jews, signifying the shedding of the blood of Christ and his holy ones.(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13.) And the stars fell upon the earth, just as a fig tree throws its large fruit when shaken by a great wind. The stars here represent the high priests, scribes, and Pharisees, while the fig tree symbolizes the land of the Jews. The large fruit of the fig tree is called useless, as it quickly falls when the tree is shaken by the wind. Therefore, the fig tree was shaken by the wind and expelled its useless fruit, just as the land of the Jews was invaded by the Romans and expelled the useless and detestable nation from its midst, in order to create a dwelling place for the faithful. And so the stars, like meteors, fell to the earth; for those who shone like stars among the people through the teaching of the Law, were condemned to the same punishment as the rest of the multitude.(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14) And the heavens departed, like a rolled-up scroll. The old Testament is represented by the heavens: but when a scroll is rolled up, its writing is hidden from the eyes of those who gaze at it. Therefore, the scroll of the Jews was rolled up, because they refused to understand the spiritual intelligence in the old Testament that was pointing to Christ. So, the heavens departed like a rolled-up scroll, because the old Testament left the Jews behind and moved on to the Gentiles. And every mountain and island were moved from their places. And because the land of the Jews is mountainous, we can understand that those who lived in cities were moved through the mountains, and those who lived in the plains were moved through the islands. Those who were moved from their places were either exterminated or taken captive.(Vers. 15, 16, 17.)
(Verse 15, 16, 17.) And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the tribunes, and the rich, and the strong, and every slave and free person hid themselves in caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains: Fall upon us, and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand? However, Josephus clearly recounts how they hid themselves in caves and the rocks of mountains, describing the destruction of Jerusalem (Josephus, Book 6 of The Jewish War, chapter 11 and following). The affliction was so great that they were consumed by prolonged famine, and were afflicted both externally by enemies and much worse internally by bandits; they hid themselves in wells and sewers, and in some hidden places in the ground, desiring death in order to end their protracted misery. Those who, knowing that they themselves would suffer these things for their own crimes, and that after death they would endure the pains of hell, desired to be oppressed and hidden by the mountains under which they would lie concealed from the face of God and the face of Christ, whom they knew had greatly offended them. For even when the Lord was being led to his passion, he predicted that they would suffer these things, as he said to the weeping women: Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children; for behold, the days are coming when they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed! Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry? He calls Himself the green wood, but them the dry wood; as if He had said, If they do these things to Me, who am wood according to humanity but green according to divinity, that is, who am both God and man, what will be done to them who are dry wood, that is, who do not have the greenness of faith? It is understood that they will perish most wretchedly. But even the fig tree, which the Lord cursed and made dry before his suffering, because he had not found any fruit on it (Matthew 21:19); he designated the same Jews, whom he condemned with perpetual curse, because he had not found any fruit of faith in them.Chapter VII.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1) After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. After the rejection of the Jews, it begins to narrate how the Church from the Gentiles was gathered. For indeed, through the four angels, four kingdoms are designated, namely the Assyrians, Persians, Macedonians, and Romans. But since the power of the four kingdoms had passed to the Romans alone, the Romans alone are understood through the four angels who had claimed power for themselves over the four kingdoms. But indeed, by the four corners, all the nations that are contained within the four regions of the world are designated, which the Romans had subjected to themselves. Holding the four winds of the earth, so that they would not blow on the land, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. Through the winds that stir up clouds, so that they may bring rain to water the earth, and make its face joyful and fruitful, peace desired by all mortals is signified, which both gladdens the minds of people, and grants them the ability to serve their own interests: all nations are represented by the land and sea: but those who held power among them are represented by the trees. Therefore, four angels were holding back the four winds, so that they would not blow over the earth; because the Romans, who are represented by the four angels, were filling the entire earth with killings, and robberies, and human deaths, and they did not allow the human race to be peaceful and calm.(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2) And I saw another angel descending from the rising of the sun, having the sign of the living God. This other angel is Christ, of whom it is written: And his name shall be called the Angel of great counsel (Isaiah 9:6). He is the sun, of whom it is written: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2). Christ descended from the rising of the sun, that is, from Himself; for He did not assume flesh from the union of man and woman, but from Himself, who indeed created for Himself a spotless flesh from the flesh of the Virgin. But the sign of the living God is divinity: for being in the flesh, he had the sign of the living God; for he did works that showed him to be the only Son of God, as he himself says: The works that I do bear witness to me (John 10:25).(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3) And he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, saying: Do not harm the earth and the sea or the trees until we seal the servants of our God on their foreheads. God's command was to cry out, and indeed by his coming he made it so that the Romans would cease from their infestation of the human race, and peace would be established throughout the world, as the Psalmist says: In his days shall righteousness flourish, and abundance of peace. (Psalm 72:7) This would continue until the seeds of faith were spread throughout all nations, and those predestined to eternal life would be sealed with the mark of faith.(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. One hundred and forty-four thousand chosen from the present Church are designated; for twelve times twelve make one hundred and forty-four. Therefore, all who keep the faith of the twelve apostles and imitate their actions belong to this number. But we must ask ourselves why they are said to have been gathered from every tribe of the sons of Israel, when many more from the Gentiles believed than from the Jews. But if we consider the meanings of the names, we will find all the chosen ones in the names of the twelve tribes; for the names of the twelve tribes pertain to all the chosen ones.(Vers. 5-8.)
(Verse 5-8) From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand were sealed. From the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed. Judah is placed first, but Benjamin is placed last; and if we want to examine the interpretations of the names, we find that Judah is the inferior, but Benjamin is the superior; for whoever desires to ascend to God, starts with the lesser things, so that they may gradually progress to the greater things, as the Psalmist says: 'They will go from strength to strength' (Psalm 83:8). And because the saints ascend to God through the path of virtues, he adds: 'God of gods will be seen in Zion' (Ibid.). The word 'confession' is translated as 'Juda confessio'. Therefore, Judah is placed first, because whoever desires to turn to God after sins, it is necessary that he first confess his sins, as the Apostle James says: Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be saved (James 5:16), namely, that through the confession of sins and repentance he may make God, whom he has offended, appeasable. And because whoever repents healthily and laments the evils he has done, he brings joy in heaven, turns the eyes of God's mercy towards himself, as the Lord says: Return to me, and I will return to you (Zechariah 1:3). Ruben is placed second, who is interpreted as the son of vision; because through repentance he became a son of vision, who was previously a son of destruction. After Ruben comes Gad, who is interpreted as girded; because it is necessary that whoever repents of having done wrong and asks not to fall back into the same, should be armed against all vices and should cut off carnal pleasures from himself: because it is not possible for one to abstain from sins who rests in carnal pleasures.And because he who fights against vices manfully begins to be blessed; Asher is placed in order, who is interpreted as blessed. After Asher, Naphtali is placed, which is interpreted as my enlargement. For everyone who knows that he has offended God, and desires divine mercy to help him, must himself have pity on whoever he can, and in whatever way he can, as the Lord says: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7). For indeed the mind of that person is expanded everywhere, who, through the love that he ought to show to his neighbors, pities all whomsoever he can. After Naphtali comes Manasseh, who is interpreted as forgetful; because it is expedient that he who laments his sins, who bestows alms upon the poor, in order that his sins may be forgiven, should so abandon the same sins that he seems to have completely forgotten them.
And thus Simeon follows, which is interpreted as hearing; for he, praying for forgiveness for the evils he has done, is heard by God, who completely forsakes all vices. Then Levi follows, which is interpreted as added or assumed; because he, having already exercised repentance for the sins he has committed, has fought against vices and conquered them, has shown mercy towards the needy, and has deserved by these works that his sins be forgiven. Now secure in forgiveness, he casts away the fear of eternal fire from his mind, and is completely devoted to the love of God and the heavenly homeland, and to those who are called and are the children of God. Next comes Issachar, which means wages: but we will see the clearer interpretation of this name if we consider what Leah, his mother, said at his birth; for she said: God hath given me a reward, because I have given my handmaid to my husband (Gen. 30:18). And therefore she called his name Issachar, that is, wages. Our flesh ought to be our handmaid; our husband is our God. But we give our handmaid to our husband, if we dedicate our flesh to the service of God, if we compel it to keep watch, to fast, and to abstain, and if we subdue its desires. Therefore, Issachar was given to Leah as a reward from God; because to those who control their flesh, who extinguish vices, such reward is given by God, so that they may be enriched with virtues.
And therefore, after Issachar, Zebulun is placed, which is interpreted as the dwelling place of strength. For who is strong if not God? About whom the Psalmist says: The Lord is strong and mighty, the Lord is mighty in battle (Psalm. 23:8). And what is the dwelling place of strength if not the dwelling place of God? For God dwells in that place where faith, patience, chastity, humility, charity, and other virtues abide. And because the rewards of merits are increased through the operation of virtues, Joseph follows, which is interpreted as increase. Benjamin is the last, or rather the highest, who is interpreted as the son of the right hand. For the Son is called the right hand of the Father: and the Gospel speaks, because the saints of God are placed at the right hand of God. Therefore, the chosen sons of the right hand are made, when they are taken from this life, they are placed in heavenly seats; where there is nothing left, but everything is right (Matthew 25:33). Therefore, because we have brought the interpretations of the names of the twelve tribes up to that end, where they are placed in heavenly seats, it is fitting that we transfer what follows for the glorification of holy souls.
(Vers. 9, 10.)
(Verse 9, 10.) After this, I saw a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb . . . And they cried out with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. By the higher multitude, which is comprehended by number, the chosen ones who labor in the Church of God in every age are designated, as we have already said. And because many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 20:16), and in comparison to the reprobate, the number of the elect is small, it is not unjustly designated as one hundred forty-four thousand, the elect who labor in the Church of God in each time period; but in the heavenly blessedness, where they are gathered from all nations, tribes, and languages in each time period, their multitude becomes so great that it cannot be comprehended by any number. But white robes signify the cleanliness of souls; palms, however, are set as the sign of victory. Therefore, palms are not only assigned to the holy martyrs, to whom victory is specially ascribed, but also to all the elect, who in this world fought bravely against visible and invisible enemies, possess heavenly blessedness. Palms, then, are the rewards of the saints' victories; and they who are said to have cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God who sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, never cease from praising God, and yet, in praising Him, they have no weariness; because, as the sight of God is sweet to the saints, so also is His praise.(Vers. 11, 12.)
(Verses 11, 12.) And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever, Amen. Above, thousands of thousands of angels are said to praise God around the throne: here, however, they are said to be beyond number, but all are said to stand around the throne. We can understand through the higher angels, who are comprehended in number, those who are destined for different duties in the world: and those who are placed without number, those who dwell in the heavens with the Lord. But here too, seven blessings are mentioned, as mentioned above, to show that in the same way, these also bless God, who guard the world by their governance, just as those who dwell in the heavens with the Lord.(Vers. 13, 14.)
(Versed 13, 14) And one of the elders answered me: Those who are dressed in white robes, who are they and where did they come from? And I said to him: My Lord, you know. He asks in order to teach; for by elder the doctors of the Church are meant: but by John the hearers are understood. For the holy preachers declare to their hearers, in all ways possible, the glory of holy souls; in order to raise their minds to the love of the heavenly fatherland. And he said to me: “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This passage does not refer to the chosen ones who struggle in this earthly life, but rather to those who rest in heavenly life with the Lord. For the saints do not come out of the great tribulation, but rather they come into the world to endure great tribulations, as Solomon says: A man is born to trouble, as sparks fly upward (Job 5:7). And the Lord says in the Gospel: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10). And Paul says: Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of heaven (Acts 14:21); for here is the time of tribulation, there is the time of peace. Therefore, the saints come from great tribulation, for they are taken away from this life, where the time of tribulation is, and are placed in eternal rest. But they washed their robes, because they, having placed their souls in this life, purified themselves from all the filth of sins: first indeed through baptism, afterwards through repentance and tears, and the works of mercy, and in other good works. They are also said to have been whitened in the blood of the Lamb; because the souls of the chosen, which were previously wrapped in the darkness of sins, assumed the whiteness of purity through the redemption of the blood of Christ.(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple. For they stand in the presence of the holy God and continually enjoy the vision of Him. The heavenly temple of God is truly our homeland, and serving God is called the love of God. For what service is so pleasing to God as to be loved with all one's heart and all one's strength? And who loves God so ardently as those who constantly contemplate His face? And He who sits on the throne, dwells upon them. The throne of God is the holy throne of God, as we said above. Therefore, those who are designated by the throne of God are the ones upon whom God dwells: but God dwells upon His saints, illuminating them with His light, surrounding and protecting them.(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) They will no longer be hungry or thirsty. As the Lord says in the Gospel: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Matthew 5:6); why then are the saints of God never said to be hungry here? But as we said above, this is to be believed to pertain not to the elect who dwell in this life, but to those who exult with God in heavenly bliss. For the just, placed in this life, hunger and thirst for righteousness, desiring all people to be just as they are, when they see the injustices of men. They hunger and thirst still, so that their righteousness may daily increase; they hunger and thirst for eternal life. But the souls of the saints will never hunger or thirst again; because what they hungered for, they have now received. And the sun will not fall upon them, nor any heat. Through the sun, we can understand the trials that the saints endure from men: through the heat, the temptations of demons or carnal pleasures. And because the saints, in this life, have overcome the persecutions of wicked men, endured the temptations of demons, extinguished carnal desires within themselves, and have been placed in heavenly bliss, they feel no eternal labor.(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) For the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will govern them. God governs His saints, arranging their wills in such a way that they can desire nothing except what God wills. And He will lead them to the springs of living water. Christ is the spring of life, who says: I am the life (John 14:6). For what is without Him is dead, but what is in Him is life. Christ leads His saints to the spring of life because He leads them to Himself, so that they may be one with Him. Through the waters, we can understand the same holy ones; for he is both the source and the fountain of waters, because from him proceeds all the sanctity of the chosen ones, as he himself said: Without me you can do nothing (John 15:5).And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. For this was the time to weep, the time to laugh will be in that blessedness, as the Lord says: Blessed are those who weep now, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:5).
Chapter VIII.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) And when He opened the seventh seal. The opening of the seventh seal pertains to the birth of Christ: but we must inquire why it is placed in the seventh, not the fifth position. It is written in Genesis that God created all things, which took their origin from heaven and earth, in six days, but on the seventh day He rested; and for this reason, He called the seventh day the Sabbath, that is, rest (Gen. II, 2). And what is our rest, if not Christ? Therefore, it is not unfitting that the birth of Christ is placed in the opening of the seventh seal; for He is the rest of all His saints, which is symbolized by the seventh day. And because the things that happened in the birth of Christ obtain spiritual understanding, Christ opened the seventh seal when He revealed to the teachers of the Church, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the things that were accomplished through their significance. There was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Peace, which was established throughout the entire world with the birth of Christ during the reign of Octavian Augustus, is symbolized by silence. However, at the third hour silence was broken, because the peace that the Church had at the beginning of its faith among the pagans remained for only a short time; for it was interrupted by the emperor Nero, and after Peter and Paul were killed, he commanded that all Christians be persecuted.(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) And I saw seven angels standing before God, and they were given seven trumpets. The order of these seven angels is as follows: just as a herald is sent before a king or prince to announce his coming, so John, because the things that were signified by the angels were great, wanted to make mention of them before he came to their narration.(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3) And another angel came and stood before the altar, holding a golden censer in his hand. And a lot of incense was given to him, so that he could offer it with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the Lord. This angel signifies Christ, who came into the world through the mystery of the Incarnation. The golden altar represents the Church. It is said that he stood before the altar, for Christ was rejected by the unbelievers who regarded him as merely a human, but he stood with the faithful who believed that he was the true God. Therefore he stood before the altar, because he made it known to the apostles and the other believers, from whom the Church was then comprised, that God exists. Through the censer that he held in his hand, the hearts of the apostles and the other faithful are demonstrated. It is said to have been made of gold, because the hearts of the disciples were purified by faith and gilded by the wisdom they had learned from Christ. It is said that he held the censer in his hand, because the hearts of the apostles were in the hand of God, as Solomon says: \"The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.\" (Proverbs 21:1) Was the heart of Solomon in the hand of God when he worshiped idols? Was the heart of Antiochus or Herod in the hand of God? Were the hearts of kings who persecuted the saints of God in the hand of God? They were in the hand of the devil, who inclined them to any evil deeds he desired. But the hearts of spiritual kings, that is, the saints, are in the hand of God, and therefore He will incline them wherever He pleases.It follows: And many incenses were given to him. Many incenses are the precepts of the Gospel; for incenses are placed in the censer, so that, having received the heat of fire, they spread the fragrance of their odor all around: in a similar way, Christ placed the teaching of the Gospel in the hearts of his disciples, who, inflamed by the fire of charity, spread the fragrance of their faith to all nations. Therefore, it follows: That he might give from the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar, which is in the sight of God. There are many types of prayers; the faithful pray, using words, asking God to forgive all their sins: they also pray by giving alms, as the Lord says in the Gospel: Give alms, and behold, all things are clean to you (Luke 11:42). And in another place it is written: Just as water extinguishes fire, so does almsgiving extinguish sin (Ecclesiasticus 3:33). They also pray by forgiving those who have sinned against them, as the Lord says in the Gospel: If you forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you your offenses (Matthew 6:15). Nevertheless, while praying and keeping the precepts of charity, as it is written, for charity covers all sins (James 5:20). Therefore, one prays to God in a wholesome manner who keeps the commandments of God; for it is not profitable for us to implore the mercy of God with words and provoke Him with our actions. Therefore, God placed upon the golden altar the prayers of the saints, when He placed faith, doctrine, and the actions of the apostles and other preachers upon the hearts of the believers; so that they would have from where they might be instructed and what they might imitate.
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4) And so it follows: And the smoke of the incense ascended from the prayers of the saints, from the hand of the angel before God. By the smoke of the incense, not only the prayers of the faithful are signified, but also the fervor of good works, which incessantly ascends from the Church before God. This smoke is said to ascend from the hand of the angel because whatever good the faithful do, they do it with the help of God, as He Himself says: Without me, you can do nothing (John 15).(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it onto the earth. And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and an earthquake. The Holy Spirit is symbolized by fire: therefore, the angel, that is, Christ, filled the censer, that is, the hearts of the disciples, with fire from the altar, that is, with the Holy Spirit; when, after his ascension into heaven, on the tenth day, the Holy Spirit was sent from heaven, he filled the hearts of the disciples and gave them the knowledge of all languages. And if by altar the Church is designated, why is the Holy Spirit said to be the fire of the altar before He was given, just as the same John says: The Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified? But the Holy Spirit was the fire of the altar before He was given, because the Church already possessed Him by the grace of remission. For the Lord, before His passion, promised to give the Holy Spirit to His disciples; and the same John, after putting the words of Caiaphas, who said: It is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and not the whole nation perish, added, saying: And this he did not say from himself, but, being the high priest of that year, he prophesied that Jesus was to die for the people; and not only for the people, but also in order to gather together into one the children of God who were scattered (John 11:50-52). Were those who were going to believe in Christ, who were scattered among all the nations and serving idols, children of God? Indeed, they were already children of God by predestination; for they were already predestined to eternal life. Afterwards, they were gathered together when they were united to the body of the Church through the faith they received in baptism. Therefore, the angel sent fire, which he had placed in the censer, to the earth; for he poured out the teaching of faith, which he had placed in the hearts of the apostles, into the hearts of the Jews, who were on earth due to their unbelief, through the mouths of the apostles by the coming of the Holy Spirit.There were thunderbolts, voices, and thunderings, and earthquakes. Through the thunderbolts, the miracles that were performed by the apostles are represented, through the voices, the preaching, and through the thunderings, the threat of eternal fire is indicated. But through the earthquakes, we can understand the conversion of the Jews; for they were converted to repentance through the preaching of blessed Peter, as the book of Acts of the Apostles narrates: When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: Men, brethren, what shall we do? Show us (Acts 2:37). And in the following it is written that three thousand believed in this first preaching of Peter, and afterwards countless ones. May the Lord our Jesus Christ deign to pour out this fire, that is, the Holy Spirit, upon us who are of the earth, through His mercy; so that we may be transformed from carnal to spiritual beings, who lives and reigns forever and ever, amen.
De Visione Quarta.
By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have spoken briefly about the opening of the seven seals; now let us discuss the seven angelic trumpets that follow. The seven angelic doctors, who were sent by God to instruct the people of God and will be sent until the end, are designated. And because the order of reason demanded that the seven angels be placed after the opening of the seals, which signifies the opening of the divine Scriptures, in which the doctors of the Church have understood more clearly, inspired by God, than others, they are shown, through whom all the doctors of the people of God are designated, who have received a richer understanding of the divine Scriptures. We have divided the entire body of the elect into seven parts, and it appears that the seven angels were singing with trumpets: through whom all the teachers of the people of God are designated, although they differ a little from that order. For above, through the robe that reaches to the feet, and the first is placed in the Lord's ornaments, as we said that the just men who were before the flood were designated in the following through the first horn of the Lamb: but through the golden belt in the body of Christ, and through the second horn the patriarchs and others who were before the Law: but here through the first angel the teachers who were from the beginning of the world until the Law are designated, and through the second the teachers of the Law.(Vers. 6)
(Verse 6) And seven angels prepared themselves to play their trumpets. The sound of the trumpet signifies proclamation; for holy preachers are always ready to acquire for God whomever they can through the teaching of their proclamation.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7) And the first angel sounded the trumpet. By the first angel, as we have already said, the preachers who were before the Law are designated. Therefore, the first angel sounded the trumpet, because the holy men who were before the Law, although they had no law except the natural law, are believed to have exhorted all to fear and love their Creator God and not to do unto others what they would not have done unto themselves. And there was hail and fire, mixed with blood, and it was thrown down to the earth. These things that were seen to have been done by the seven angels with their trumpets, should be understood as being for the good, as it seems to me: just as, on the contrary, the pouring out of the seven bowls of the angels, which follows, is for evil. Therefore, the hail that strikes, represents the words of the holy men, which by reproving strike the hearts of wicked men. The hail is described as having fire and blood mixed in it: by the fire is meant the Holy Spirit, who, dwelling in his saints, was the minister of their words: but by the blood is meant Christ, who is often foretold by the Fathers, and prefigured by their actions: but the earth signifies worldly men subjected to sin.And the third part of the earth was burned... and all green grass was burned. By the third part of the earth, we must understand those who, through the teaching and examples of good men, have been saved: they have burned and destroyed whatever evil was in themselves with the fire of the fear and love of God. The trees, however, signify those who have held power among them: from which many have been saved through the teaching and examples of good men (Gen. 20:17), like Abimelech through Abraham and Job's three friends (Job 42:8). But by green hay, which is said to have been completely burned, those are designated who, both earlier by a third part of the earth and trees which have been burned, that is, the chosen ones who were there at that time; for green hay is difficult to ignite, but dry hay is easily consumed. But by green hay the chosen ones are designated, and by dry hay the reprobate. Concerning this dry hay, the prophet says: 'Surely the people is grass. The hay is withered, and the flower has fallen: but the word of the Lord remains forever' (Isaiah XL, 7); therefore, by green hay, those who had faith are designated, who burned up everything that was reprobate in themselves with the fire of charity.
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8) And the second angel sounded his trumpet. By the second angel, Moses and the other teachers of the Law are signified. And behold, there was as a great mountain burning with fire, cast into the sea. By the great mountain, the Law of Moses is signified, which, on account of its weightiness, is likened to a very heavy mountain; and by its spiritual intelligence, which shone forth in the Law, it is said to burn with fire. But the Hebrew people themselves are signified by the sea on account of the greatness of their sins.(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9) And the third part of the sea became blood, and the third part of the creatures in the sea died, and the third part of the ships were destroyed. Every remission in the Law was made through the shedding and sprinkling of blood; therefore Moses also sprinkled the people with blood, saying: This is the blood of the Testament, which God has commanded to you (Hebrews 9:20). And Aaron and his sons, in order to be purified for offering sacrifices to God, Moses also sprinkled with blood, for without the shedding of blood there could be no remission (Exodus 24:8). Therefore, by the third part of the chosen sea who were there at that time, are designated: by the blood, indeed, in this place we can receive the remission of sins. Therefore, the third part of the sea was turned into blood; because the chosen ones who were there at that time deserved to be purified from their sins by observing the Law. Likewise, the third part of the creature, which had souls in the sea, and is said to have died, has the same significance as the third part of the sea which was turned into blood. But through the sea, as we have already said, a multitude of sins is designated: but when the fishes are drawn out of the waters, they lose their lives. Therefore, as long as the elect are involved in the waters of their vices, they have souls like the sea, namely, involved in the darkness of sins; but when they are drawn out of the waters of vices either by baptism or by penance, they lose their former souls as it were, since they are made good out of evil, and they die to the devil, in order that they may live to God. Therefore, the third part of the fish released their souls, because those who were chosen at that time died to sin through the observation of the Law, and they began to live for God. But through the ships that have water beneath them and that rise above it, the leaders of that nation are designated. However, the third part that perished designates those who were righteous among them according to the sense we have mentioned; because they perished and died to sin, and they lived for God.(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) And the third angel sounded the trumpet, and a burning star fell from heaven like a torch. This star has the same meaning as the angel; it symbolizes the prophets: but we must ask ourselves, how can it be said that it fell from heaven to earth? The saints, in a sense, ascend to heaven when divine love lifts them up to contemplate heavenly things: they fall to earth when the love of their neighbors draws them down to the depths; so that through their preaching they may lead sinners back to the path of truth; and the torch is lit to dispel the darkness of night. Therefore, the words of the prophets were like torches, for they dispelled the darkness of sin from the minds of men. We can also understand the Holy Spirit as a torch of fire, with which the prophets were inflamed, and they corrected many from their wicked ways, and foretold things to come. And it fell into the third part of the rivers, and into the fountains of waters. The rivers and fountains represent the twelve tribes with their families, but the third part represents those who were destined for eternal life. Therefore, the star fell into the third part of the rivers, because they received the teaching of the prophets and planted it in their hearts, who were predestined for eternal life.(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11) And the name of the star is called Wormwood. Wormwood is very bitter: therefore, the curses of the prophets are symbolized by wormwood, which they would impose upon the sinful people, preaching to them that unless they repented, they would be given as prey and captives to their enemies; and if they did not repent even then, they would be condemned to eternal death. And the third part of the waters became wormwood. They took on the bitterness of repentance through the curses of the prophets, whom we previously said were designated by the third part of the waters, that is, the chosen ones. And many men died because of the waters, for they became bitter. Indeed, the bitterness of repentance brought them death, who deserved to be saved; for the dead were according to what they were evil, and they lived according to what they began to be good.(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12.) And the fourth angel sounded the trumpet. The fourth angel signifies Christ and his apostles. And the third part of the sun was struck, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so that the third part of them was darkened, and the day did not shine for the third part, and the night likewise. The sun, moon, and stars all have the same meaning; for by the sun the people of the Jews, by the moon the Synagogue, and by the stars the chief priests and the Pharisees are designated. But if we wish to transfer the obscuration of the sun and moon and stars to those who did not want to believe in Christ, the higher order will be disturbed. For we have shown that the burning of a third part of the earth, which is said to have been done by the sounding of the trumpet of the first angel, the turning of a third part of the sea into blood, which was seen to have been done by the sounding of the trumpet of the second angel, and the turning of a third part of the waters into wormwood, which is said to have been done by the sounding of the trumpet of the third angel, are to be understood in a positive sense; and therefore pertain to the elect. Therefore, it follows that we interpret the eclipses of the sun, moon, and stars in a positive way. By the third part of the sun, which is struck, that is, obscured, those among the Jewish people who believed in Christ are represented; for they were obscured by the wicked Jews, but shone brightly in the sight of God. Similarly, by the third part of the moon and stars that are obscured, those who believed in Christ from among the leaders of the synagogues, the priests, and the Pharisees are represented; for they too were obscured by those whose minds the devil had blinded, so that they would not believe in Christ; for the brightness of the sun blinds the weak eyes more than it illuminates. We can certainly understand the apostles during the third part of the day, and during the third part of the night those who believed from the Gentiles. For the apostles were hidden from them who not only rejected their teaching, but also persecuted them in every way. Concerning this concealment, the Lord says: But you will be handed over by your parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all people because of my name (Luke 21:16).(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13) And I saw and heard the voice of an eagle flying in the middle of the sky, saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, from the voices of the three angels who are about to sound their trumpets. In this place, the Church is represented by the sky, and the eagle represents Christ and his apostles. Therefore, the eagle was flying in the middle of the sky and crying out, because Christ first preached through Judea, and his apostles preached the Gospel to all nations. They also foretold in many ways the persecutions that the Church would suffer from its adversaries. And so he placed three woes, of which the first pertains to the heretics, who have tried in many ways to attack the Church of God; the second to the pagans, who have persecuted the same Church of God and killed a great multitude of the faithful; the third to the Antichrist, who will wage war against the people of God at the end of the world. And we should not think that the three woes pertain to the elect, who have suffered various calamities from the wicked, but rather to the same wicked ones who have inflicted those same calamities. Wherefore, Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on earth, says he; for the wicked, who seek nothing but the earth, are called inhabitants of the earth by right: but the righteous, who always desire heavenly things, are rightly called inhabitants of heaven, as the apostle Paul says: But our conversation is in heaven (Philippians 3:20).Chapter IX.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1) And the fifth angel blew his trumpet. The fifth angel represents the defenders of the orthodox faith of the Church: they blew their trumpet when they labored in every way to defend the faith. And I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth. By the star, heretics are represented; for just as the stars shine in heaven, so these, before they fell, shone with doctrine and wisdom in the Church. It fell from heaven to earth, because they have been cut off from the Church and have joined the company of the reprobate, who are represented by the earth. But we must inquire why first the heretics, who are designated as the star and the locusts, were mentioned; and afterwards the persecutors, who are designated as armored horsemen, about whom the sixth trumpet angel will speak later. Because before the Roman emperors began to persecute the Church of God, heretics began to arise, like Nicolas, who existed in the times of the apostles, and many others. And to him was given the key to the bottomless pit (Acts 6:5). The key of free will of heretics, which they had in evil, is designated by the key; but their hearts are designated by the abyss: and their mouths are designated by the well. Therefore, to heretics was given the key of the well of the abyss, because God allowed heresies, as the Apostle Paul says: Heresies must be, so that those who are approved may be made manifest among you (I Cor. XI, 19).(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) And he opened the well of the abyss. The star that fell from the sky opened the well of the abyss; because heretics, to bring forth the evils that lay hidden in their hearts, opened their mouths. And the smoke of the well ascended, like the smoke of a great furnace. By the smoke, the teaching of heretics is designated; because just as smoke quickly vanishes when driven by the wind, so too the teaching of heretics vanished through the teaching of the holy Fathers, like smoke: but often the hearts of the wicked are designated by a furnace, as the prophet says: Like a glowing oven are their hearts. (Hosea 7:4).And the sun and air were obscured by the smoke of the pit. Often Christ is understood as the sun, but in this place, his members, that is, the holy preachers, are designated; and the faithful people, who were subject to them, are designated as the air. But how were the chosen ones obscured, whom heretical wickedness could not deceive? But they were obscured to those whom heretics could deceive, who are also designated in the following by locusts: but their glory could not be hidden from the rest of the faithful, just as a lamp cannot be hidden under a bushel.
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) And out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth. Out of the smoke, that is, out of the teachings of those who are called heresiarchs, a great multitude of heretics was generated. They came upon the earth because they were separated from the society of the elect and joined with those who are called the earth, that is, the unbelievers. And power was given to them, as scorpions of the earth have power. Often God is said to give what he permits; for God permits the wicked to do evil, so that he may bring forth good from their evils. But we can take demons as scorpions; because just as scorpions, when they are not foreseen, infect and extinguish the bodies of men with their poison: so demons also inject the poison of evil persuasions into unsuspecting men, and while they drag them into the commission of crimes, they kill their souls infected with the poison of their evil. Therefore, the power of locusts, that is, heretics, is similar to the power of scorpions, that is, demons; because just as demons always insist on deceiving anyone they can: so heretics worked with all their might to plunge anyone they could into the pit of their destruction.(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4) And it was commanded to them, not to harm the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree. What signifies the grass of the earth, also signifies every green thing; for as mentioned earlier (Chapter 8) under the sound of the first angel's trumpet, all green grass, which is said to be burned, represents the chosen ones who existed in the early times: so here also the faithful people are designated by the grass of the earth and every green thing; but the trees represent the teachers of the Church. Therefore heretics were prohibited, so that they would not harm the hay of the earth, neither all the greenery nor every tree. For God did not allow those who had the greenness of faith, that is, those who fulfilled the faith they professed with works, nor the holy preachers who were not thorns or thistles, from which neither grapes nor figs are gathered; but rather the trees bearing the fruits of good works, from which the faithful people were nourished, lest the heretics deceive them; hence it follows: Unless those men who do not have the sign of God on their foreheads. But what is the sign of God, if not love, of which the same John speaks, saying: God is love (1 John 4:8)? Indeed, through the faces, which often demonstrate the qualities of the mind, we can understand the hearts of the disreputable. Therefore, those who did not have the sign of the living God, that is, love in their hearts, were easily deceived by heretics.(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5.) And it was commanded to them not to kill them. When He says, 'It was commanded to them,' it seems to me to pertain to demons; for the wickedness of demons is so great that if God had permitted it, as soon as a mortal man committed a crime, they would kill him. But God waits for impious men, so that they may eventually return to Him through repentance and be saved, or so that the righteous may be proved through them. For even the Psalmist, when speaking about the wicked, prayed, saying, 'Do not kill them, lest my people forget' (Psalm 59:12). And it is written in the Book of Judges, that God let the Canaanites and the Philistines remain so that Israel could experience them and learn how to fight against their enemies (Judges 3:1-2). Therefore, God commanded, that is, He did not allow them to be exterminated, whether they were all heretics or all wicked, so that the righteous would have someone by whom they could be tested, just as gold is tested by fire.And it follows: But they were tortured for five months. Through the five months of present life, which consists of five ages, we can understand. For the first age is infancy, the second childhood, the third adolescence, the fourth youth, the fifth old age; although blessed Gregory, in order to conform the ages of men to the six ages of the world, divided old age into two parts. Therefore, in five months, that is, in all the time of present life, not only heretics, but also all the wicked are tortured. Whether they want it or not, when they reflect on death and the punishment that follows death, although they may seem to rejoice in the prosperous affairs of this world, they are tormented internally because they know that they will be eternally tormented for their sins. On the other hand, the righteous, although they may be afflicted in various ways externally, rejoice internally in the hope of heavenly glory, which they believe they will attain. We can also understand all the time of this world in five periods: the first month is from the origin of the world until the flood, the second is from the flood until Moses, the third is from Moses until David, the fourth is from David until Christ, and the fifth is from Christ until the end of the age. Therefore, in these five months, all the makers of errors are tormented, either in the way we mentioned above, or because they see their false inventions overcome by the truth.
And their torment is like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. As we mentioned earlier, scorpions are designated as demons; for just as a scorpion wounds the body with its sting, in order to introduce venom through the wound and kill the man, so the devil, whether through anger, pride, lust, or some carnal pleasure, wounds the mind, in order to infuse the venom of his malice through it and kill the soul. Therefore, the torment of locusts is said to be similar to the torment of a scorpion, because heretics, imitating their father the devil, would wound the minds of ignorant men with gentle and well-composed words, and infusing the venom of their error, would kill their souls. We can indeed understand the torment of the killing of souls.
(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6.) And in those days people will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death will flee from them. This saying applies to the chosen ones. In those days, that is, in the days when the grace of the Gospel shines throughout the world, people will seek death. Paul sought death by persecuting the Church of God, and he did not find it; for Christ, who is an impenetrable wall, standing in his way, forcibly brought him from the death he sought to the life that he himself is. There were also many others who sought death by persecuting the Church of God or committing other evils, but death fled from them because they were called back to life through the preaching of the saints. We have also seen some who sought death and did not find it; they desired to die, but death fled from them. For we know that there were some who, loving the world more than they should have, labored for a long time and in many ways to become rich, desiring to live in luxury and fulfill the desires of their flesh. But when they could not obtain what they desired, they rejected the false promises of the world and turned themselves towards acquiring heavenly riches, and by persevering in good works, as we believe, they deserved to attain them. We have seen, nevertheless, some monasteries having been abandoned, and having passed into the secular world, and having surrendered themselves into the service of certain powerful men, so that they could obtain earthly riches and possessions, which they themselves could not have; but when they could not achieve what they desired, they left the secular world and returned to their monasteries, and ended their life in good works. Therefore, they sought death and did not find it; and they wanted to die, but death fled from them. The Lord speaks to the prophet under the guise of Jerusalem, saying: Behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, and I will wall it with a wall, and she shall not find her paths. And she shall follow after her lovers, and shall not overtake them: she shall seek them, and shall not find them (Hosea 2:6). Our lovers are carnal desires: we follow our lovers when we strive to become possessors of riches, so that we may have means to fulfill carnal desires. We follow our loved ones, but we do not grasp them, since the mercy of God hinders us from attaining what we desire in vain.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) And the likenesses of locusts are like prepared horses for battle. The holy preachers are often symbolized by horses, as the prophet Habakkuk speaks in his song, saying: You made a way in the sea for your horses, in the mud of many waters (Habakkuk 3:15). God made a way in the sea for his horses, in the mud of many waters, when at the beginning of faith he bestowed peace upon the world, so that his apostles could go throughout all the nations, which were symbolized by the sea and mud, and spread the seeds of faith. Therefore, the horses of God were prepared for battle, when holy preachers were armed both with word and virtues for this purpose; in order to rescue the human race from the power of the devil. The locusts, on the other hand, are said to be like prepared horses in battle; because just as the holy preachers labored with all their strength to rescue as many as they could from the snares of the devil, so too heretics were always armed for this purpose, to deceive whomever they could and involve them in the abyss of their own damnation. And over their heads were crowns like gold. Often wisdom is symbolized by gold, as we have already said: secular wisdom is shown by locust crowns. Therefore, the locust crowns themselves were not gold, but had the likeness of gold; because secular wisdom, in which heretics trusted greatly, was not gold, that is, wisdom; but rather foolishness, as the Apostle Paul says: The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God (I Cor. III, 19).And their faces will be like the faces of men. Man is a rational animal: through the face of man, we can understand the knowledge of divine Scriptures, which the heretics sought to have, so that they could more easily deceive even the simplest. Therefore, locusts seemed to have the faces of men, but it was a resemblance, not truth; for the heretics indeed seemed to have the knowledge of divine Scriptures, but they were far from the truth because they did not understand it correctly.
(Vers. 8.)
(v. 8) And they had hair like the hair of women. By the hair that falls without feeling, we can understand a great multitude of fools who were easily deceived by heretics; for just as hair falls without harm, so these were cut off from the Church without any loss. By the different women, we can understand different Churches. Therefore, locusts had hair like the hair of women; for just as the holy Church of God had its ranks, which gathered at certain times to celebrate divine offices, so the heretics had insane people who gathered in different places, not to celebrate divine mysteries, but to celebrate diabolical ones. And their teeth were like the teeth of lions. The function of teeth is to grind and consume whatever they capture, and to plunge it into the pit of the stomach. Therefore, we can understand the lions and teeth as the persecutors of the Church: the lions representing the rulers and the teeth representing those who tore apart the holy ones of God under their rule. So, the teeth of the heretics were like those of lions; just as the pagans persecuted the Church of God and, through terror and torture, cast whomever they could into the pit of destruction, the heretics, associating themselves with certain powerful men, also persecuted the Church of God, afflicting many with threats and attacks like teeth, and plunging them into the belly of their own malice.(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9) And the sound of their wings, like the sound of many horses rushing into battle. We can understand the words of the heretics through their wings; just as wings lift birds from the ground, so the heretics were exalted by their own speeches: but the preachers are represented by horses, as we have already said. Therefore, the sound of the locust wings was like the sound of many horses rushing into battle; because the holy preachers sent forth the voices of their preachings when they went to war against the devil, to free mankind from his power: and likewise the heretics were running everywhere, spreading false doctrine, in order to deceive and subject whomever they could to the devil.(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) And they had tails like scorpions, and there were stingers in their tails. The prophet Isaiah says that a prophet teaching lies is a tail (Isaiah 9:15). Therefore, heretics who consider themselves to be prophets because of their knowledge of divine Scriptures are properly compared to scorpion tails, because their doctrine was false and poisonous, hence they are said to have stingers in their tails. By stingers, they signify the blasphemies that they mixed in with the divine Scriptures. And just as a scorpion would be harmless if its stinger were absent, so too would the teachings of heretics be good if they were not defiled by blasphemies. Their power can harm people for a period of five months. What these five months are has been stated above.(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) And they had over them a king angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, in Greek is Apollyon, and in Latin is called Exterminans. It is certain that the prince of heretics is the devil, as the Lord says to Job: For he is the king over all the sons of pride (Job 41:25); therefore he is also called the exterminator, because he is the exterminator of all goodness.(Vers. 12, 13.)
(Verse 12, 13.) Woe! One has gone, and behold, two more woes are coming. And the sixth angel blew his trumpet. By the sixth angel, the martyrs are indicated: the sixth angel blew his trumpet because the martyrs of Christ proclaimed the doctrine of faith to the unbelievers. And I heard one voice from the horns of the golden altar, which is before the Lord, saying to the sixth angel. By the golden altar, as we have already said above, the Church is indicated. Therefore, the four horns of the altar demonstrate the four evangelists: thus, he says that he heard one voice from the four horns of the golden altar, because there is one faith, one doctrine that the four books of the Gospels teach.(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14.) However, what this voice of the sixth angel says is made clear by the following: Go, and release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates. First, let us explain what the four angels are, what the bonds are, and what the Euphrates is; and then we will investigate more diligently why the sixth angel commands the Gospel to release the four angels. For, as mentioned earlier (Chapter 7), in the opening of the sixth seal, four angels were seen standing on the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth; so that they may not blow on the earth, nor on any tree: and here, under the sound of the trumpet of the sixth angel, it is reported that four angels are bound in the great river Euphrates. Therefore, these four angels have the same meaning as those ones; for they signify four kingdoms, namely, the Assyrians, the Persians, the Macedonians, and the Romans. And since the power of the four kingdoms, as we mentioned above, had passed to the Romans, the Romans are represented by these four angels in this place. But by the Euphrates is understood the world here. What the four angels' chains are, is made clear above; for it is written above that John saw an angel descending from heaven, having the seal of the living God, and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, saying: Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads (Rev. 7:2-3). We have said that through the angel who possessed the sign of the living God, Christ was designated: therefore, the words of the Lord are the chains of the four angels, not that the Lord commanded persecutors to cease their persecution until the seeds of faith were spread throughout all nations, but rather that He, by His power, is said to have commanded it with words. For before the coming of Christ, the Romans could not be satisfied in any way by murders, robberies, and the shedding of human blood. But when Christ came in the flesh, He bestowed peace upon the world, and the Romans, who were unable to restrain the hands of the human race from shedding blood, were bound by peace and prohibited from shedding blood. Then a voice, which came forth from the four horns of the golden altar, commanded the sixth angel who had the trumpet to release the four angels; for the teaching of the Gospel commanded this to the preachers of the word of God, that they should not be terrified by any threats or terrors of impious men; that they should cease from the duty of preaching, as the Lord says in the Gospel: 'Fear not them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul' (Matthew 10:28). For indeed the emperors of the Romans and the other rulers of the earth, when they saw the Christian religion daily increasing and the worship of idols being abandoned, they threatened death to all who worshipped or preached Christ. Therefore, the sixth angel, that is, the martyrs, silenced the four angels, that is, their persecutors; for they armed themselves to persecute them because of their invincible steadfastness in preaching the gospel.(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) And hence it follows: And the four angels were released, who were prepared for the hour, and day, and month, and year, to kill a third part of men. The four angels were released because wicked men, having cast aside peace and with hands loosed, which peace had bound, persecuted the people of God. But what he says: Were prepared, indicates the will of wicked men; for before the time of persecution came, they were prepared by their desire to kill the people of God. Indeed, the third part of humanity, as mentioned earlier, signifies the chosen ones. Furthermore, concerning the hour and day, and month, and year, four angels are said to be prepared to kill the third part of humanity. We can refer this to all the impious ones, who have been since the beginning of the world and will be until the end. For, by the hour, the time from the beginning of the world to the flood is designated, by the day, the time from the flood to the Law, by the month, the time under the Law, and by the year, the time under grace. Therefore, in these four seasons, the reprobates always persecute the chosen ones.(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16.) And the number of the equestrian army is twenty thousand times ten thousand, I have heard their number. They are represented by four angels, both themselves and by the equestrian army, namely the persecutors of the Church. The army of persecutors is said to be equestrian, because just as God has His horses, that is, His holy preachers, who have carried Him throughout the whole world, so the devil has his horses, that is, all the wicked ones on whom he sits, and impels them to commit various crimes. They are called twenty thousand tens of thousands; for through a finite number an innumerable multitude of persecutors is expressed.(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) And so I saw horses in the vision: and those who were sitting on them had fiery, hyacinth, and sulfur breastplates. In this place, the insane people are designated by the horses, while the riders on the horses are the leaders of the land. The breastplates, which repel the blows of swords, symbolize the hardness of the hearts of the wicked, which does not allow the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, to approach their hearts. These breastplates are said to be fiery, hyacinth, and sulfur. The cruelty of the persecutors is symbolized by fire, which they used to torture their victims. The honor of divinity, which they attributed to their own gods, is symbolized by the hyacinth stone with its heavenly color. The blasphemies against Christ are represented by sulfur, which has a foul odor. It is said that the persecutors had fiery, hyacinth, and sulfur armor. This is because they had hardened their hearts due to their unbelief, not only refusing to believe in Christ, but also persecuting his followers. They did this partly because of their defense of false gods and partly because of the blasphemies against Christ, calling him a magician and a deceiver. And the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions. The heads of horses were designated as the emperors of the Romans because they seemed to be the heads of all persecutors, who were also likened to lions because of their insatiable rage. And fire, smoke, and sulfur come out of their mouths. By fire, the impious commands of the emperors are designated, by which the people of God were ordered to be killed; but by smoke, the honor of divinity, which they were ordered to offer to their gods. And rightly falsehoods are designated by the smoke of idolatry, because just as smoke disappears from the face of the wind, so too the worship of idols perishes in the sight of the proclamation of the Gospel: but by sulfur, as it was said above, the blasphemies that they threw at Christ are designated.(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18) From these three plagues, a third of the people were killed, that is, a multitude of martyrs: by fire, smoke, and sulfur that came out of their mouths. For fire came out of their mouths, that is, the most wicked command by which the holy martyrs of God were ordered to be killed: smoke also came out, because they commanded that all men should render honor to their gods: and sulfur came out, that is, blasphemies against Christ, commanding that the Christian religion should be utterly extinguished from the world.(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19) For the power of horses is in their mouth and in their tails. The heads of the horses are said to be like lions: but in the mouth of the lions are teeth, with which they grind and tear apart everything they have caught. Therefore, through the teeth we can understand the tormentors, who in the mouth of lions, that is, in the power of the persecutors, tortured the bodies of the saints with various tortures. The persecutors had control over the bodies of the saints, that is, in their power, but they did not have control over their souls, as the Lord says in the Gospel: Fear not them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul (Matthew 10:28). And therefore the power of the persecutors was only in their mouths; for they had power over the bodies of the saints, but not over their souls: they could kill those whom they could not defeat. However, the doctrine of philosophers and poets is represented by tails. For their tails are like snakes, having heads, and they harm with them. The doctrine of philosophers is rightly compared to snakes, because it was full of the poisons of lies. Those who are said to have serpents for heads, had all the errors of the pagans as their authors. Therefore, the power of the horses was in their tails, because the persecutors of the Church, through the teachings of philosophers, wanted to overthrow the Christian religion.(Vers. 20, 21.)
(Verse 20, 21.) And the rest of the people who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts; it is understood, they perished. The third part, which was killed, was saved, that is, the chosen ones, from whom many were killed for the sake of Christ's name: the others would gladly have yielded, if necessity had required it. But the rest, that is, the pagans who refused to believe in Christ, perished without repenting of their sins.Chapter X.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) And I saw another mighty angel descending from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow on his head. Because previously it had narrated the adversities of the Church, which it had suffered from heretics and pagans; now it remains to tell of its prosperity, how it grew amid persecutions. For it is known that the Church grew in persecutions, and the more it was oppressed, the more it was strengthened and increased: just as we read in the scriptures about the children of Israel, who were oppressed by the Egyptians and multiplied more and more. The mighty angel designates our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the Psalmist says: The Lord is mighty and powerful, the Lord mighty in battle (Psalm 24:8). He is said to descend from heaven clothed in a cloud; because our Lord, coming into the world, assumed the flesh which is designated by the cloud; so that by assuming human flesh, he could conform himself to the people whom he came to redeem. His mercy is designated by the cloud, as we said above; but his divinity is understood in this place by his head. He had a halo on his head, because his divinity had assumed such great mercy before his incarnation, that he was not unwilling to become a man for mankind, and to be condemned to the worst death in the end. And his face was like the sun. Often the Lord is represented through the sun; because the sun surpasses all visible creatures in its splendor and beauty: but what creature can be compared to its creator? Indeed, invisible things are often demonstrated through visible figures. Therefore, in the heart of the elect, Christ is the sun whom they never cease to behold through hope, and they believe that they will come to behold His beauty. And His feet are like a column of fire. We can understand the Church as a column of fire; either because it shines brightly with the Holy Spirit, or because it continually burns with the love of God and neighbor. But by the two feet, we should understand the two peoples. Therefore, one column is made from the two feet; because from the two peoples, namely the Jews and the gentiles, the one Church of God is built. We can also understand two Testaments through two feet, as we will demonstrate more fully in the following. It does not disagree with the previous sense, in that the old Testament was given to the Jews, but the new Testament was specifically given to the Gentiles.(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) And he had in his hand an open book. This Book is described as having been sealed with seven seals above; but we have already said something about its opening, with the Lord's permission. Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to be holding an open book in his hand; because he himself opened the meaning of the divine Scriptures to the teachers of the Church. And he set his right foot on the sea, but his left foot on the land. By the right foot, as we have said, the New Testament is signified; but by the left foot, the Old is designated. But we can understand that the people of the nations are like a sea because of the depth of their ignorance and error. But the land that is cultivated to produce fruit represents the Jews who were cultivated by the discipline of the Law, and they produced fruit when they fulfilled the legal precepts, even though it was only in a carnal way. Therefore, the Lord placed his right foot on the sea, when he specifically gave the doctrine of the Gospel to the Gentiles, which he also spoke of to the Jews, saying: It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to you first. But since you reject it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we now turn to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46). He placed his left foot on the ground when he specifically delivered the Law to the Jews. But let no one be moved by the fact that he mentioned the later things before the earlier ones, and the earlier ones afterwards; because this often happens in divine Scriptures. To prove this, let us offer only one example. In Psalm 105 (verse 17), when he said, 'The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the congregation of Abiram. And fire broke out in their assembly; the flame consumed the sinners,' he goes back and says, 'And they made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped a molten image.' Therefore, rightly enough, the new Testament is represented by the right foot, and the old by the left; because the old Testament was a shadow of the new Testament.(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) And he cried out, like a lion roars. Christ cried out through the law, but not like a lion roars; because only the voice of his was heard in the house of Israel: he cried out later through the Gospel, like a lion roars; because his voice sounded throughout the whole world. And when he cried out, seven thunderclaps spoke his voice. Through the seven thunderclaps we can understand seven virtues. Christ cried out through the Law, but the seven thunderclaps did not sound: he cried out through the Gospel, and the seven thunderclaps spoke his voice. For those to whom the Law said: 'Cursed is he who does not leave his seed in Israel,' and for whom it was permissible to have multiple wives and concubines, the thunderbolt of chastity had not yet sounded. Similarly, those to whom the Law said: 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,' and whoever inflicts a blemish shall be compelled to endure the same (Exodus 21:24); they had not yet heard the thunderbolt of patience. And those who had not yet fully heard the thunderbolt of charity, to whom the Law said: 'Love your friend, and hate your enemy' (Matthew 5:43). Likewise, we must understand the other virtues. Therefore, seven thunders spoke; when through the teaching of the Gospel, the excellence of virtues began to be shown.(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4) And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me: Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down. The voice from heaven is the voice of the Church: to write, however, is to preach; for just as a writer writes with ink on a scroll, so that readers may be trained, so too does every teacher write the words of God, by preaching them, planting them in the hearts of the listeners. So why, then, was it forbidden to write down the seven thunders, which sounded from heaven? We can find this prohibition in the Acts of the Apostles and in the letters of Paul. For at the beginning of the preaching of the faith, the holy preachers, seeing the weakness of the people who were coming to the faith, did not dare to commit to them the more severe precepts of Christ; lest, being terrified by the harshness of the precepts, they would not dare to approach the receiving of the faith of Christ, as the Apostle Paul wrote to his disciples, saying: I have given you milk to drink as to little ones in Christ, not food; for you were not yet able to bear it, neither indeed are you now able: for you are yet carnal (I Cor. III, 2). But the apostles who were in Jerusalem commanded those who believed from the Gentiles, saying: It has pleased the Holy Spirit and us to impose no burden on you other than to abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. Therefore, the voice came from heaven to John, that he should not write the seven thunders, because the apostles, who are represented by heaven, commanded this to the first preachers, so that those who newly come to the faith would not be compelled to suddenly ascend to the high level of virtues, until they were strengthened in faith and able to proceed to the practice of virtues.(Vers. 5, 6, 7.)
(Verse 5, 6, 7.) And the angel whom I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, and swore by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be no more time: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. When we swear, we desire that what we speak be firm. Therefore, to say that the Lord has sworn is fitting; for it cannot be that what God speaks becomes void, as he himself says in the Gospel: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (Luke 21:33). Therefore, since Christ swore by the living one forever, and by him who made all creatures, he swore by himself: For all things were made through him, and without him nothing was made (John 1:3). However, he swore not by certain words, binding himself; but by saying those things which were about to come. But through the seventh angel, preachers are designated, who are in the end of the future world, about whom we will speak in the following. Therefore, Christ swore that in the days of the seventh angel the mystery of God, which he preached through his prophets, will be consummated; because he predicted that then the end will come, when the number of all the elect will be complete.(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8) And the voice that I heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, 'Go, and take the book from the hand of the angel standing upon the sea and upon the earth.' The voice spoke for the first time, when it was said to him from heaven: 'Seal up those things which the seven thunders spoke, and do not write them.' Therefore, he heard the same voice speaking to him again; for it was the voice of the same Holy Spirit, of which this one is also. By John in this place, we should understand all the apostles. Therefore, the divine voice spoke to John, that he should go to the angel and receive from him the book; for the grace of the Holy Spirit inspired the apostles, that, leaving everything behind, they should follow Christ; that they should receive the teaching of the Gospel from him.(Vers. 9, 10.)
(Verses 9, 10.) And I went to the angel, asking him to give me the book. The apostles went to Christ, to be instructed by him in the doctrine of divine Scriptures. And he said to me: Take it, and devour it, and it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey. And when I had devoured it, my stomach became bitter. By the mouth in which tastes are distinguished, we can understand the hearts of the apostles; but by the stomach, in which all impurities of the body dwell, we should understand the memory of sins. Therefore, while the book was being devoured, as it is said to have been sweet as honey; because divine Scripture, while it is being meditated upon in the mind, promises eternal life to those who keep God's commandments, it becomes sweet as honey in the heart: but when it leads the mind from higher things to lower things, that is, from contemplating the heavenly country to seeing its own sins, and it reveals the punishment that the wicked will suffer for their sins, what was previously sweet in the revelation of heavenly glory becomes bitter in the revelation of sins. We can also understand this about John, who before he wrote the Gospel, was exiled to Patmos: but because in his absence heretics had invaded the Church of God, after his return from exile he was compelled to write the Gospel to destroy their blasphemies. Therefore, the divine voice commanded John to go to the angel and receive from him the book; because the Holy Spirit, by inspiring John, urged him to go to Christ not with bodily steps, but with the steps of the mind, to consider his divine power and equality with the Father, so that he could write a book about his divinity that would be salutary for all the faithful. John devoured the book, from which he fully received the knowledge of the Gospel that he later wrote. As the book was being devoured, it exhibited the sweetness of honey to his mouth; for the divine Scripture, the more it is meditated upon in the heart, the more it presents a salutary sweetness to the mind. However, through the belly, in which food corrupts, we can understand this mortal flesh. Therefore, the book that was sweet in the mouth generated bitterness in the stomach; for holy men, the more they are devoted to the meditation of divine Scriptures, and the sweeter their meditation becomes in the mind, the greater bitterness they exhibit to their own flesh, afflicting it indeed with fasting, watching, abstinence, and other tortures, by which the flesh is weakened.(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11) And he said to me: You must prophesy again to peoples and nations and tongues and many kings. It is predicted to him that he will return from exile to preach. But since the holy Fathers teach that after his return from exile he preached only in Ephesus and its neighboring places, and there he died and was buried; how is it said that he prophesied to peoples and nations and tongues and many kings? But he prophesied, that is, he proclaimed through his Gospel, which he afterward wrote to all nations, and in many languages, and to many kings; for it is dispersed throughout all nations, and through his meditation all the peoples of the earth, and many kings, are profiting.Chapter XI.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1) And there was given to me a measuring reed like a rod, saying: Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it. By the reed with which the ancients used to write, the Gospel that was given to him by the Lord, and which he later wrote, is signified; but by the rod, discipline is often understood. Therefore, the reed that was given to John had the likeness of a rod; for the discipline of Christians is the Gospel. Both the temple and the altar and those who worship in it are measured; for the temple is the Church, the altar is holy and perfect men who stand in the Church, and those who worship in it represent the rest of the multitude who are instructed by their teaching. Indeed, the temple of God and the altar, and each preacher who worships in it, are measured, as each one administers the teaching of spiritual grace according to their own capacity; for a wise person is to be taught differently than a foolish one, a literate person differently than an illiterate one, a pagan differently than a Christian, a heretic differently than a Catholic. For the Lord also says in the Gospel, that the father of the family, going abroad, called his servants, and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one; to every one according to his proper ability.(Vers. 2.)
(Vers. 2.) Following: But, cast out the outer courtyard, and do not measure it; for it has been given to the Gentiles. If it was outside, how could it be cast out? Therefore, the Jews are designated by the courtyard: therefore, the Jews were outside due to their unbelief: but John and the other apostles still held them in their hearts through love, as the apostle Paul says: I myself wished to be anathema from Christ for the sake of my brethren, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites (Rom. IX, 3). Where he is instructed not to measure it, that is, let him not serve the words of preaching to them, as he himself commands in the Gospel, saying: Do not cast your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you (Matthew 7:6). And the Lord speaks to the prophet Ezekiel, saying: Behold, I will make your tongue cleave to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be dumb and not be to them a reprover; for they are a rebellious house (Ezekiel 7:26). And it is said that this atrium was given to the Gentiles; because the Jews, due to their unbelief, were united with pagan nations: either they were handed over to the nations, that is, to the Romans, so that they would be wiped out and exterminated by them. And they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. Suddenly, it jumps to Elijah and Enoch, who are to come in the times of the Antichrist: and in a quite beautiful order, namely, that he who had presented the expulsion of the Jews by means of the atrium as a figure, silently connected their restoration; for it is certain that at the end of the world the Jews will return to the faith of Christ through the preaching of Elijah and Enoch. Therefore, Antichrist and his ministers will trample upon the holy city, that is, the Church, persecuting it for forty-two months, which amounts to three and a half years.(Vers. 3, 4.)
(Vers. 3, 4.) And I will give my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. The Lord calls these two witnesses Elijah and Enoch, who will precede his coming, just as John preceded the first coming. They are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the Lord of the earth (Matt. 5:15). The olive tree produces oil, which is then placed above the lampstand to give light to everyone in the house. Through oil in this place, we can receive spiritual wisdom. For each one is like an olive when, while remaining at rest, they strive to serve God through the grace of contemplation. They strive to fulfill what the Lord says in the Gospel: 'Let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing; let your alms be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you' (Matthew 6:3). And the candlestick becomes so, when it fulfills what the Lord says in the Gospel: 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven' (Matthew 5:16). Therefore, these two holy olive trees are now in some place on earth where divine majesty has commanded them to dwell, they serve God by the grace of contemplation; they will become candlesticks when they come to fulfill their preaching duty, when they will proclaim the word of God to everyone, both the faithful and the wicked. Concerning this candlestick, the Lord says in the Gospel: Neither do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that it shines on everyone in the house (cf. Matthew 5:15). Indeed, a lamp is placed on a lampstand when the duty of preaching is entrusted to a holy man who illuminates the good that he preaches with the flames of good works. But a lamp is placed under a bushel basket when the duty of preaching is entrusted to a wicked person who governs the good that he preaches with evil works; so that he may not offer light to those who are in the house, as Saint Gregory says, because when someone's life is despised, it follows that his preaching is also despised. Therefore, two olive trees and two lampstands are said to stand in the presence of the Lord; because being placed on earth, they await that time when they fulfill the duty of their preaching and pay the debt of death, as the following things make clear.(Vers. 5.)
(Vers. 5.) And if anyone wants to harm them, fire will come out of their mouths and consume their enemies; and if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in that way. For the Holy Spirit speaks through the mouths of the saints, as the Lord says in the Gospel: It is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you (Matthew 10:20); fittingly, the words of the saints are called fire, as the Psalmist says about the Lord: Your word is exceedingly fiery, and your servant loves it (Psalm 119:140). Therefore fire will come out of the mouths of these saints, and it will devour their enemies; for their teaching will destroy the errors of the Antichrist in such a way that to all those possessing a sound mind, it will appear that there is nothing that the Antichrist and his ministers will be able to assert. As for what follows, 'And if anyone wishes to harm them, it is necessary for him to be killed,' it pertains to the same thing.(Vers. 6.)
(Version 6) They have the power to shut the sky, so that it will not rain during the days of their prophecy; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want. We read that Elijah closed the sky with prayer and opened it again, and that Moses turned water into blood. Therefore, it should not be thought that Elijah had less power when he came to fulfill the duties of his preaching than he had when he dwelt among men, but rather more. We can also understand the Church through the heavens, and understand the words of the saints spiritually through rain. For the heavens are closed to the wicked when God allows their hearts to be hardened by His judgment, so that they do not give any way for the word of God to enter their hearts and be saved. For even the prophet Isaiah closed the heavens to the Jews when the Lord said to him: Blind the hearts of this people, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn back, and be healed (Isaiah 6:10). He closed the sky against his enemies, as he said to the Lord: Do not have mercy on their iniquity, and may their sin not be erased from your presence. Let them fall before you: in the time of your visitation they will perish (Jer. XVIII, 23). Did not Moses have the power to close the sky and open it, to whom the Lord said, when the people sinned: Let me be, so that my anger may rise against them, and I may destroy them, and make you into a great nation (Exod. XXXII, 10)? Therefore, those saints whom some will shut out of heaven, so that the rain of God's mercy does not descend upon them, namely, those whom they will not be able to recall from the errors of the Antichrist; and others they will open, namely, those whom they will have recalled from the errors of the Antichrist; and the rain will pour upon them when they make God propitious to them with their prayers. By the waters that are said to be turned into blood, the peoples are designated; but the blood indicates divine vengeance. Therefore, they will turn the waters into blood, when the nations that have departed from the faith of Christ will be condemned to eternal death by their own judgment.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises out of the abyss will make war on them and conquer them and kill them. This beast signifies the Antichrist. It will make war on them, when it will pursue them; it will conquer them not by overcoming them with words, but by killing them.(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) And so it follows: And they shall be killed, and their bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt; where also our Lord was crucified. If we want to understand by the great earthly city Jerusalem, for this reason that it says: Where also our Lord was crucified, we will wander from the truth; because that Jerusalem has been completely destroyed down to the ground, and what has been built for it is said to be situated not in that place, but in another: nor should it be called Sodom and Egypt, because it is inhabited by Christians. At the same time, we must consider that wherever in this book a great city is mentioned, it signifies Babylon, which is the city of the devil, and consists of all the wicked. And when it is said that their bodies are to be thrown into the street of the great city, we can understand this simply to mean that they should lie in any street that belongs to the jurisdiction of a wicked person. But it seems better to me that just as we said all the wicked should be understood through the great city, so we should understand the hearts of the wicked through the street: therefore, the bodies of the saints will lie in the street of the great city; because the saints lie with those who are considered of no importance: on the contrary, they stand with the faithful, who behold with the eyes of the heart the extent of their virtue and glory. But the city of the devil is rightly called Sodom and Egypt; because Sodom means blindness, and Egypt darkness. For who suffers a worse blindness and darkness than the wicked, who with precipitous steps, in their eagerness to plunge into the sewer of hell, cease not to hasten by their evil deeds? Moreover, it is said that the bodies of the saints are to be thrown out in the street of the great city, where the Lord was crucified; because just as Christ was crucified by the members of the devil, so the two prophets will be killed by the same people.(Vers. 9-12.)
(Vers. 9-12.) And they will see from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations, their bodies for three and a half days, and their bodies will not be allowed to be placed in tombs; and the inhabitants of the earth will rejoice over them, and they will be glad, and they will send gifts to one another; for these two prophets tormented those who dwelt on the earth. And after three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon all those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them: Come up here. And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. If this is fulfilled according to history, it is indeed unknown to men but known to God, who knows all things. However, we can also apply a spiritual understanding to this story, but it seems rash to want to adorn that story, which we understand, with spiritual meanings. Indeed, we can decorate the outside of our house, but let us not appear to be completely silent, let us say a few words. We can understand through three days and a half, three years and a half, during which those two prophets will preach: through monuments, however, we can understand the minds of the reprobate. The Lord speaks about those monuments, saying: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, because you are like whitewashed sepulchers, which indeed appear white on the outside, but inside are full of every uncleanness and dead men's bones (Matthew XXIII, 13). And so you indeed appear just to people on the outside, but inside you are full of robbery and iniquity. Therefore, the bodies of the saints will not be allowed to be placed in monuments of the ungodly, because they reject their teachings from their minds. However, it is said that after three and a half days, the spirit of life from God will enter into them, and they will stand on their feet, indicating the time of resurrection, which will happen after three and a half periods, though not immediately, but soon. Indeed, they will stand upon their feet, when after the time of resurrection, the greatness of their power and magnificence will be revealed to all the wicked. Truly, great fear will fall upon their enemies when they see them; for on the day of judgment, when they see them and their glory, they will be troubled with terrible fear, saying: These are the ones whom we once held in ridicule and in a likeness of disgrace. We, foolishly, deemed their life to be madness and their end without honor. How are the children of God counted, and their lot among the saints? (Wis. 5:3) And because the prophet Malachi speaks in the person of the Lord, saying: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, who will turn the hearts of fathers to their children (Mal. 4:5); and so on: we believe that the Jews should be converted to the faith of Christ through the preaching of Elijah, as we have shown above, as best we could. But we can understand through two witnesses, namely the preachers of two peoples, the Jews and the Gentiles. They are said to be prophesying for twelve hundred and sixty days; because during the entire time in which the persecution and deception of the Antichrist will rage throughout the world, they will strive to bring back to the path of truth whoever they can.(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13) And in that hour there was a great earthquake. Now it returns to the beginning of the preaching of Elijah and Enoch. The earthquake, as we have already said, usually signifies the movement of hearts; the earthquake will occur when many will be converted to repentance and faith through the preaching of Elijah and Enoch. And a tenth part of the city fell. It does not seem to me to be a sound interpretation to understand by the city, of which a tenth part fell, the Church; because this discourse refers more to the city of the devil than to the city of God. Therefore, he says that the tenth part of that city fell in this place, which he had previously called the great city, Sodom, and Egypt, and in whose streets it is said that the bodies of the saints lay unburied for three and a half days. And because the number ten is often used to symbolize the Law, since the Law was accepted through the Ten Commandments, we can understand by the tenth part that fell, the Jews who are observers of the Law, who, upon accepting the faith of Christ through the preaching of Elijah, will fall and be cut off from the city of the devil. And seven thousand people were killed by an earthquake, and the remaining ones were sent into fear, and they gave glory to God in heaven. Just as the number ten is often used to represent the Law, the number seven is often used to represent the grace of the Gospel. Look, the tenth part of the city, which we have taught does not consist of stones but of people, has fallen; and they say that not ten thousand, but seven thousand have died. Therefore, the number ten has been changed into seven; because the Jews, rejecting legal observances, accept the teaching of the Gospel: which is represented by the number seven because of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is described that seven thousand have died because they will die to the devilso that they may live to God; the rest who are sent in fear designate the other chosen ones, who, seeing the conversion of the Jews and the divine Scripture to be complete in them, will make progress in the fear and love of God and will not cease to praise God for their conversion.(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14) Woe to the second, as it has passed away, and behold, woe to the third, for it will come quickly. Woe to the third for those evils which the devil, through the Antichrist, will bring about, pertain to the day of judgment. And because the angel mentioned earlier, whom he saw standing over the sea and over the land, declared an oath by the living eternity; for in the days of the seventh angel, when he begins to sound the trumpet, the mystery of God, which he proclaimed through his servants the prophets, will be completed. He desired to briefly establish the day of judgment and then returned to speaking of the evils of the Antichrist. But if we look carefully, we will see that he did this in an orderly manner; for we know that the holy preachers, who are to be born at the end of the world, will preach this, that the day of the Lord is near, so that those whom they cannot bring back to the path of truth through exhortations, at least they may provoke to repentance through terrors. And because before the persecutions of the Antichrist, the day of judgment will begin to be proclaimed, John wanted to place the same day of judgment before narrating the persecutions of the Antichrist himself.(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) And the seventh angel sounded the trumpet. By the seventh angel, as we have said, the holy preachers who are to be born at the end of the world are designated. They will sound the trumpet when they announce the word of God. And there were loud voices in heaven, saying. Through the heavens, we can understand the Church, and through the loud voices, the words of the saints who will rejoice when they come to judge in the coming of the Lord, as the Lord says in the Gospel: Look up and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh (Luke 21:28).The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever. Was there not already the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ in this world? But it is called the kingdom of this world by men, in whose minds either God reigns or the devil reigns. God reigns in His saints: the devil reigns in those who belong to him; for he is the king over all the children of pride (Job 41:25). Therefore, the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ in this world will happen when the devil, along with all those he has deceived, is cast into hell: when that will be fulfilled, which the Angel speaks to Daniel, saying: But the kingdom and the power, which is under every heaven, will be given to the people of the saints, who will possess it forever and ever (Daniel 7:27).
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16.) And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying. By the twenty-four elders in this place, we can understand the souls of the saints who dwell in heavenly bliss with the Lord; and the thrones signify eternal rest. The twenty-four elders sit on their thrones before God, because the souls of the saints, without bodies, now rest in heavenly bliss with the Lord. They fell on their faces and worshipped, for the saints of God, upon seeing the most just judgment of God being carried out and His indescribable power, cast themselves down in humble submission before their Creator, knowing that everything that exists is nothing compared to Him, who is God.(Vers. 17, 18.)
(Verses 17, 18.) We give thanks to you, O Lord God Almighty, who are, and who were, holy, and who have taken your great power and reigned. And the nations were angry, and your wrath has come, and the time for the dead to be judged; and to give reward to your servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to those who fear your name, small and great; and to destroy those who have corrupted the earth. Christ is now, after he assumed human form, of the same holiness as the Father, of the same eternity, of the same power: he was equal in all things to the Father before he assumed human form. But he received his great power when he conquered the devil through his passion; he truly reigned when he subjected the human race to himself. The nations were angry because wicked men persecuted the Church of God in order to extinguish the name of Christ from the world. But the wrath of God will come when the day of judgment arrives; the time will come for the dead to be judged, namely, for the dead to be judged. Namely, those dead who, when placed in this life, did not fear to kill their own souls by living wickedly. And to give a reward to your servants the prophets and the saints, and to those who fear your name, both small and great. This will be fulfilled when on the day of judgment he will say: Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34). The small ones he calls those who have less merit, and the great ones those who obtain greater grace from God. And to exterminate those who have corrupted the earth. He calls the corruptors of the earth impious: this will be fulfilled then, when he says: Go, you cursed, into eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels (ibid., 41). But it is necessary for us to inquire, which earth the wicked have corrupted. Surely they have corrupted themselves by living wickedly, when they nourished their bodies in luxury and other vices. They have also corrupted the earth of others, namely those whom they have led to evil deeds by words and examples. Now he returns to those things which he had neglected, that is, to narrate the evils of the Antichrist. And in order to more conveniently reach the expression of those things, he begins from the advent of Christ and, recalling the evils which the Church has suffered from the devil, he attaches how the same devil attempts to destroy the same Church through the Antichrist.(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19) And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple. We can understand the blessed Virgin Mary as the temple of God, and Christ as the ark of the covenant, who assumed flesh from her. The temple of God is not called open because the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary was opened in giving birth to the Lord, she who was a virgin before childbirth, a virgin in childbirth, and a virgin after childbirth. But it is called open because through her our Lord Jesus Christ became visible to us. We can also understand the Old Testament through the temple: through the ark, the sacraments that are contained in the Old Testament about Christ. For when Christ came in the flesh, the Old Testament was opened and the spiritual understanding that was hidden in it was revealed to the faithful. And there were lightnings, and voices, and earthquakes, and great hail. The lightning represents the miracles that were done through Christ, and His preaching is signified by the voices. But earthquakes symbolize the movement of hearts; for people are often moved to carry out the preaching of Christ for the purpose of repenting from their sins: they are moved from unbelief to faith: they are moved from evil to good. And because hail often strikes the earth, we can understand through hail the threats of eternal fire, which are frequently found in the Gospels; by which the hearts of the wicked are struck, so that they may repent from their iniquities.Chapter XII.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1) And a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. This woman represents the Church; it followed naturally that after the preaching of Christ, its form would be described, which the preaching of Christ gave birth to. However, we can understand the world by heaven in this place: by the great sign, we understand the great salvation that the coming and preaching of Christ brought to the world; but by the sun, Christ is represented, as the prophet says: But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings (Malachi IV, 2). Therefore, the woman was dressed in the sun, because the faithful, by whom the Church is made up, are clothed with Christ in baptism, as the Apostle says: All of you who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27). However, the moon, which was seen beneath her feet, which waxes and wanes, we can understand to be this world, which the Church tramples upon in contempt, so that it may more freely strive for heavenly things. But because the moon illuminates the night, it seems better to me that we understand the sacred Scripture through the moon, without whose light we cannot walk on the paths of righteousness in the night of this age. The Psalmist says about this light: Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my paths (Psalm 119:105). Therefore, it was seen that the woman had the moon under her feet; because the Church, fixing the steps of her mind in the precepts of divine Scriptures, knows how to daily strive towards heavenly things. It was also seen that she had a crown of twelve stars on her head. The head of the Church is Christ, but the twelve stars are the twelve apostles. Nevertheless, we can understand through the minds of the faithful. Therefore, it is said that a woman has been seen wearing a crown of twelve stars on her head; because the minds of the faithful, adorned with the teachings and actions of the Apostles, strive to imitate them.(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) And in the womb, it had, and it cried out in pains, and it was tormented, in order to give birth. Just as an infant in the womb is formed and receives human shape and breath; similarly, the Church also nourishes all those unbelievers whom she carries in the womb, while preaching to them, until they receive human form, that is, until they believe in Christ, and receive the spiritual soul, which is given in baptism, when they become children of God. And it is said to cry out in pain, and to be tormented in order to give birth; for the Church cries out by preaching, and also cries out by praying to God for the salvation of its listeners. It is tormented in order to give birth, when it mourns those whom it sees lying in sins, just as the Apostle Paul speaks to the weak disciples, saying: My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you (Gal. IV, 19). And in the Acts of the Apostles, he speaks to the Ephesians, saying: For three years I did not cease night or day with tears, warning each one of you (Act. XX, 19). And the psalmist speaks of the preachers, saying: They were going forth and weeping, casting their seeds (Psalm 126:6).(Vers. 3, 4.)
(Verse 3, 4.) And another sign appeared in the sky: behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven crowns; and its tail was dragging a third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. This dragon signifies the devil: and the red color is such as if you were to mix a blood-like color with saffron. Indeed, the pale color, that is, saffron, harmonizes with the blood-like color; because when blood is poured out, it brings death, and paleness covers the whole body of the dying person. Therefore, the devil is said to have the color of death (Wisdom 2:24); because death entered the world through his envy: but by the seven principalities of the wicked, by which the devil used for deceiving the human race, are designated. The diadems designate his regal power; for he is the king, as Scripture says (Job 41:5), above all the sons of pride. For just as through the seven horns of the Lamb all the chosen ones are designated, whom we have divided into seven parts; so too, through the seven heads of the dragon, the wicked who opposed them on the way of God, are designated. For the first head of the dragon were the reprobates who existed before the flood, whom Scripture calls the sons of men; because they, who were called the sons of God, were ensnared in a trap. For the second head of the devil were those who existed from the flood until the giving of the Law; namely, the inventors of idols and various errors, through whom the human race was deceived. For the third head of the devil were those who, after the Law was given to the people of God, persuaded them to worship idols. The fourth head of the devil were false prophets and wicked kings, by whom the people of God were so deceived that they were led into captivity because of their iniquities. The fifth head were the wicked Jews, who killed the Lord and persecuted his apostles. The sixth head were the persecutors of the Church. The seventh head of the devil will be the Antichrist. As for the ten horns, we will explain their significance in the following, in the place where the whore sat on the scarlet beast (Rev. 17:3). But by the tail, which is the end of the body, Antichrist is designated. Therefore, it was seen that a third part of the stars of heaven was dragged by the tail of the dragon; because Antichrist will deceive many of those who were considered chosen by men, and who in the Church, like stars in heaven, shine with knowledge and understanding, and he will plunge them into the pit of perdition. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she had given birth, he might devour her son. We can understand by the woman in this place the blessed Mary, because she is the mother of the Church, for she gave birth to Him who is the head of the Church. And she is the daughter of the Church, for she is the greatest member of the Church. Therefore, the dragon stood before the woman, so that when she gave birth, he would devour her son. This is because at the beginning of Christ's birth, he wanted to kill him through his minister Herod (Matthew 2:13). He also stands before the woman, that is, the Church, to destroy those whom God generates for Him through baptism by misleading them.(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) And she bore a male child. As far as it concerns our Lord Jesus Christ, why was it necessary to say that a male child was born from a woman, since we all know that our Lord Jesus Christ is male? But as far as it concerns the Church, why does it say that she bore a male, when she daily produces both sons and daughters to God from both sexes? Indeed, the female sex is fragile: therefore, a woman who, having assumed strength of mind, overcomes the devil and strives to please God through good works, is not improperly called a man; because although she is a woman in body, she is equal to good men in virtue of her mind. Therefore, a woman gave birth to a male; because the members that blessed Mary, the virgin, gave birth to, the Church gives birth to daily. Therefore, there is one male whom the virgin Mary gave birth to, and the Church gives birth to daily; because Christ with all His members is one Christ. He will rule all nations with an iron rod. This was said (in Chapter 2) above. And her son was taken up to God and to His throne. This was fulfilled then, when on the fortieth day after His resurrection, He ascended into heaven. The sons of the Church, that is, the members of Christ, are daily caught up to God and His throne, when after death they are led to heavenly places.(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6) And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they may nourish her there for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. She calls the wilderness Christ; for it is called wilderness because it is alone, deserted by inhabitants: likewise Christ is deserted by his own, as the Evangelist speaks, saying: He came to his own, and his own did not receive him. (John 1:11). And the Lord speaks through the prophet, saying: I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the nations there is no man with me. (Isaiah 63:3). Therefore the woman flees into solitude; because the apostles and other disciples, from whom the Church then consisted, leaving the devil, and leaving behind all that they possessed, followed Christ. But the time when Christ preached, which is designated as one thousand two hundred and sixty days (Matthew 19:27), the woman is fed for one thousand two hundred and sixty days; because the apostles and other disciples, from whom the Church then consisted, as we stated above, were fed for three and a half years with the food of the Gospel by the Lord.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. Because it briefly comprehends the birth and preaching of Christ above, it follows that it may add how he conquered the devil through his passion. Michael, which means 'who is like God,' signifies Christ. The battle was fought in heaven, that is, for the sake of heaven, namely, Michael fought with the dragon for the salvation of all the elect; because Christ, by preaching, suffering, and dying, fought for the salvation of the human race. The angels of Michael fought, that is, the apostles of Christ with the dragon, preaching indeed, performing miracles, and finally dying for the name of Christ. And the dragon fought, and its angels. The dragon fought and its angels against Michael, when the devil and the rest of the multitude of demons incited the Jews against Christ, in order to kill him. And he fought against the angels of Michael, when he persecuted the apostles of Christ both through the Jews and through the pagans, until he killed them.(Vers. 8.)
(Ver. 8.) And they were not able, nor was their place found any more in heaven. The devil was not able, nor his ministers, to overcome Christ, nor His apostles; because where they thought to conquer, they were conquered. For they thought that Christ had conquered through death, but His name shone forth in the world from His death. Therefore, they were not able, nor was their place found any more in heaven; because they were driven out through the preaching of the apostles and the other saints from the hearts of the chosen ones, who are designated through heaven.(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9.) And that great dragon was thrown down, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. The devil is rightly called a serpent, either because he deceived the first man through a serpent, or because he destroyed the human race by the poison of his malice. Indeed, the devil is interpreted as falling down; for he first fell from heaven through pride: he fell afterwards, when he was cast out from the hearts of the elect through Christ, as the present scripture demonstrates. However, Satan is interpreted as an adversary; for he is contrary to God and to all good people. Woe to those for whom the devil is a friend! For the more a person is a friend to anyone, the more torments he inflicts upon them; for the friendship of the devil is unfortunate. But he who deceives the whole world has put the present time in place of the past. For he had deceived the human race, which is represented by the world; but through Christ, it has largely regained it. Therefore the Devil and his angels were cast down to the earth; because expelled from the chosen ones, he possessed only the reprobate, who are designated through the earth.(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Now salvation and power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come. The loud voice from heaven is the voice of angels rejoicing for the salvation of the human race and praising God, as the Lord says in the Gospel: 'There is greater joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent.' (Luke 15:7). We can understand through one sinner the Gentile people, through ninety-nine righteous Jews, who did not reach the centenary number, because the Law did not lead anyone to perfection (Heb. VII, 19); for a much greater joy was made in heaven over the conversion of the Gentiles than over the observances of the Jews. Therefore, salvation for believers was made in the downfall of the devil: they also received the power to conquer the devil, by whom they were previously held captive. Nevertheless, the kingdom of our God has been established; for where the devil reigned, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit began to reign: the power of Christ also came to be, as Christ began to possess those whom the devil had possessed. For the accuser of our brothers, who accused them day and night before our God, has been cast down. Guilty men are accused before judges, when their crimes are made known to them; but in the sight of God, who not only sees actions, but also thoughts, how can the devil accuse anyone? But we are accused in the sight of God when we sin: and the devil accuses us by leading us into sinful thoughts.(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) And they conquered him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb because the redemption of Christ's blood conferred this on the saints, that they could overcome the devil. They also conquered him by the word of their testimony, keeping faith that they professed and fulfilling it with actions. But what follows is very obscure: And they did not love their lives even unto death. For how do the saints not love their own lives, for the sake of which they endure difficult and arduous things for their salvation? How do they not love their own souls, for whom they torment themselves with vigilance, fasting, self-denial, and exercise other virtues? And if we wish to understand life in the present through the soul, who does not love his holy life, in which he acquires that heavenly glory for himself, which eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has entered into the heart of man (I Cor. II, 9)? Or who ever reaches it without this? For present life brings great profit to the saints, just as, on the other hand, it brings great harm to the reprobate. However, in a certain manner, the saints are rightly said to hate their life because, due to their love for eternal life, present life becomes repulsive to them, as the Psalmist lamenting said: Woe is me! for my sojourning is prolonged (Psalm 119:5). The Lord also says in the Gospel: He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, keepeth it unto life eternal (John 12:25). For when he says this in the world, he demonstrates how we should understand it. Therefore, whoever loves his soul in this world, he preserves it for eternal life, that is, he loses it according to the world: and whoever hates his soul in this world, that is, according to the world, he preserves it for eternal life. The lovers of the world love their own souls according to the world; because they would never want to depart from this present life, so that they could always live luxuriously. He who was rich loved his soul according to the world, who said: Soul, you have many good things laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry (Luke 12:19). But the saints who do not want to conform to this world, as the Apostle says (Romans 12:2), but to be transformed by the renewal of their spiritual senses: they do not love the world or the things that are in the world: they do not want to be friends of this world, lest they become enemies of God; they hate their souls in this world (1 John 2:15), that is, they do not love them according to the world (James 4:4), but according to God, for the sake of whose love they despise all passing things, so that they may keep them for eternal life. Therefore, the saints did not love their souls unto death, who refused to save them in this present life, in order to deny Christ: but rather chose to die for the sake of Christ, in order to find them in eternal life.(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12.) Therefore, rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them. We can understand through the heavens, and the inhabitants of the heavens, the various Churches, which are one. Therefore, it is commanded to the children of the Church to rejoice, because they have deserved to be freed from such a huge enemy by the grace of the Lord. Woe to the earth and the sea! for the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has a little time. We can understand through the earth the Jews, and through the sea the other pagans and reprobates. Woe therefore to the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles! Because of the wrath that the devil has, since he has lost a great multitude, he rules over the wicked in such a horrifying way, and throws them into such great sins, that they are in no way worthy to turn back to the paths of life and be healed. The devil also says that he knows he has little time; because the closer he sees the day of judgment approaching, the more cunning he becomes in deceiving humans.(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13) And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who gave birth to the male child. The devil, seeing that he had lost a great multitude of the elect and was confined within the narrowness of the hearts of the reprobate, pursued the woman, that is, the Church; for he incited the Roman emperors and the whole multitude of the wicked to persecute the people of God.(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14) And two great eagle wings were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, away from the presence of the serpent. By the eagle, we can understand Christ: but by the two wings, we can understand the two Testaments. Therefore, two wings were given to the woman, because the Church received two Testaments, so that through their teaching she may overcome the devil and ascend to the heavenly homeland daily. For He calls this country a deserted place, just as the Lord says in the Gospel, when He said that He had left ninety-nine sheep in the desert and went to look for one that had gone astray (Luke 15:4ff.). He calls this country the place of the Church, as He Himself will say in judgment: Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34). But by 'time,' 'times,' and 'half a time' is designated the time from the passion of Christ until the end of the world. In this, therefore, period of time, the souls of the saints, that is, the Church, are nourished by the banquet of heavenly glory in heavenly bliss.(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) And the serpent spewed water from its mouth after the woman, like a river, to make her be carried away by the river. The river of water represents carnal desires; for the devil, seeing that he could not overthrow the Church by persecutions, but rather that it was growing and strengthening, desired to send upon it a multitude of carnal desires, so that, being deceived by them, she would be drawn away to perform evil deeds.(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) And the earth helped the woman, and opened her mouth and received the river, which the serpent cast out of his mouth. By the earth we can understand the reprobate who were receivers of carnal desires, whom the devil wanted to ensnare and draw to himself. We can also understand Christ through the same earth, and because there is great power in the words of the Lord: For he spoke, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created (Psalm 148:5); it can be reasonably understood as the power of his earth. Therefore, the earth helped the woman, that is, Christ helped the Church, and he opened his mouth and received the river, which the serpent sent out of his mouth: that is, he opened the bosom of his mercy and completely extinguished the power of vices.(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17.) And the dragon was angry with the woman, and went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. The rest of the offspring of the Church are the chosen ones, who will be born at the end of the world. However, how the devil carries out this battle is made clear in the following.(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18.) And he stood upon the sand of the sea. By the sand of the sea is signified the multitude of reprobates who are to be at that time.Chapter XIII.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on its horns ten diadems. This beast signifies Antichrist: but they who are signified by the sand and by the sea denote the multitude of the wicked. Therefore the beast was seen to rise out of the sea; because Antichrist will arise from the society of the wicked, which is described as having seven heads and ten horns. Similarly, it is said that the dragon above had seven heads, and on the heads were seven crowns: through which we have said that all the reprobates, whom the devil used to deceive the human race, were designated. However, this beast is described as having ten crowns on ten horns, not on its heads; and therefore, through the ten horns, the nations that the Antichrist will subjugate are designated: but the seven heads represent the seven deadly sins. And so, in order to better understand the following, I decided to follow the enumeration of vices by Prudentius, who excellently discussed the conflict between vices and virtues in verses. Firstly, he identified the worship of idols as the first vice, followed by lust as the second, anger as the third, pride as the fourth, and luxury as the fifth. Although lust is so closely connected to luxury, like a limb to the body, which is why the Fathers often placed luxury after lust; there is still a distinction between lust and luxury. He placed greed as the sixth, blasphemy as the seventh, or discord. And because those who are subject to these vices will easily be deceived by the Antichrist, and will join him, rightly the seven vices are designated by seven heads.The Lord speaks in the Gospel about these seven vices, saying: When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, it walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finding none, it says: 'I will return to my house from which I came out.' And when it comes, it finds the house swept and adorned. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they enter and dwell there (Matt. 12:43). An unclean spirit went out of a man when the devil went out of the Jews when they received the Law. He walked through dry places, that is, through the nations of the Gentiles, which were barren; because they did not have the verdure of faith. He did not find rest there, because with the coming of Christ in the flesh, he lost the nations that he had long held. He returned to his own house, from where he had come out; because he had come back to possess the Jews, since they had refused to believe in Christ. He found the house of the Jews vacant, because they did not have Christ as a guest. However, we must inquire why he called those minds that did not have God as an inhabitant "cleansed and adorned. But they were cleansed by the devil, not by God; for what is clean in the sight of God appears unclean to the devil, and what is unclean to God appears clean to the devil. For just as a dung beetle appears cleaner than the excrement of any creature, compared to any clean and delightful food; so the devil loves more those hearts that are filled with all vices, than those that abound in all virtues. But brooms are those that cleanse the house from the dirt. Therefore, God has His brooms, and the devil also has his: God's brooms are those that clean His house so that He may dwell in it, namely, confession of sins, repentance, tears, and alms-giving. The devil's brooms are those that sweep his house, namely, love of the world, fickleness of mind, disregard for God's commandments, and many others. As for the seven spirits that the devil has taken with him, they are the seven deadly sins: thus, with these seven satellites, the devil still possesses the Jews. But it can be questioned why these seven deadly sins are said to be worse than the devil. However, for us vices are worse than demons: because they attack us from within, while demons attack us from outside. Just as enemies who attack a city from outside are more easily tolerated because they have walls to defend against, compared to those who are positioned inside and already devastate the city: demons, who are external, are more easily tolerated than vices, which incessantly devastate us from within. And on his heads were names of blasphemy. The Antichrist will have many names of blasphemy, for he will blaspheme Christ in many ways.
(Vers. 2.)
(Version 2.) And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, and its feet were like those of a bear, and its mouth was like the mouth of a lion. By the leopard, which is said to have various colors, the hypocrisy of the Antichrist is represented: who, being a most wicked man, will disguise himself with various virtues in order to deceive the foolish more easily. And by the bear, which is a very cunning animal, its cunning can be seen in deceiving men. Nevertheless, his cruelty is designated to tear apart the people of God like a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and great authority. The devil will give his evil power, which is all wickedness, to the Antichrist; because he will dwell in him, and through him he will do whatever mischief the devil can devise. But since the scripture says, 'There is no power but from God' (Rom. XIII, 1), how can the devil give great power to the Antichrist? God will give power to the Antichrist, but he will so completely change that power into evil, that it will be believed and become completely diabolical.(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) And I saw one of its heads as if it had been slain to death, and the wound of its death was healed. We have said above that the seven principal vices of the Antichrist were designated by the seven heads. Therefore, by the head that was not slain, but appeared as if slain, blasphemy is signified. We must therefore inquire how blasphemy can be said to be as if slain. In the early times of the Gospel, there were many heretics who tried to undermine the faith of the Church with their errors. But almighty God chose defenders of the orthodox Church from among the children of the Church, whom He filled with the river of His wisdom, and through their teachings, He eliminated all heresies from His Church. Among them were Ambrose, Hilary, Jerome, Augustine, Gregory, and many others who also produced a great number of books, by which all heresies that were and could be were destroyed. Therefore, blasphemy seems as if it has been killed for now: because although there are many who conceive many blasphemies in their minds, they do not dare to utter the evil they have conceived, lest they be shamefully convicted by the teaching of those people. Therefore, this head, that is, blasphemy, will appear to be dead in the times of the Antichrist; but it will be resurrected by the devil in the Antichrist, whom he will inflame to the point of blaspheming Christ, surpassing all blasphemers in their blasphemies. And the whole earth marveled after the beast. Sinful men are designated on the earth.(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) And they worshipped the dragon, because he gave power to the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying: Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it? How will they worship the dragon, that is, the devil, whom they do not see? But they will worship the Antichrist, those who are designated for the earth, and in the Antichrist they will worship the devil, saying that there is no one like the Antichrist, nor is there anyone who can equal his strength.(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. It was given, that is, permitted by God; that he should speak great things of himself, saying that he is the Son of God, and that he should speak blasphemies against God. And there was given to him power to make forty-two months. It seems difficult, in such a short time, that is, in three and a half years, to subdue all nations to himself, and to bring the human race to his own worship, except for a few chosen ones; for there will indeed be many chosen ones, but very few in comparison to the unbelievers. But it can happen that at first he may subject all nations to his rule: but afterwards, being uplifted in pride, he shall set himself up to be worshipped as a god. For as it seems to me, the time of persecution, which alone is to be considered, will last for three and a half years, during which he will exert all his power, both through himself and his disciples, and through the display of miraculous signs, to make all people devote themselves to the worship of him as a deity. But those who wish to oppose him, he will afflict with various and unheard-of torments, so that they may be compelled to do what they obstinately refuse to do willingly.(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6.) And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven. For he will open his mouth to blaspheme God the Father, namely, the Son and the Holy Spirit; he will also blaspheme the name of God, saying that Christ is not God; he will also blaspheme the tabernacle of God, that is, the Church of God, saying that the Christian religion is of no benefit to believers, but rather brings destruction instead of salvation; he will also blaspheme those who dwell in heaven, that is, the martyrs and all the saints, saying that they can be of no help to anyone and that whatever is asserted about them by believers is false.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7) And it was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. He will make war with the saints, some by flattery, some by intimidation, and in the end by inflicting the worst torments upon them, in order to lead them into their errors. But it is impossible for the chosen ones to be led astray. He will conquer them not by surpassing them, but by killing them.(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8) And power was given to him over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation: And all who dwell on the earth will adore him. This will be fulfilled according to the letter. Many will say, why does God allow such things to happen, that the Antichrist deceives the human race so wickedly? But two causes exist for allowing such things; for as He Himself says in the Gospel: In those days, the charity of many will grow cold, and iniquity will abound (Matthew 24:12); to such an extent will the malice of men increase, and they will provoke God to anger with their crimes, deserving to be subjected to such a wicked man and deceived by him, as the Scriptures testify: He makes a hypocrite to reign over the people because of the people’s perversity (Job 34:30). For God will deliver them up, as the Apostle says, to a reprobate sense (Rom. I, 28); that they may do those things which are not convenient; and being filled with all iniquity, according to the just judgment of God, shall be punished eternally in the flames, enduring torments forever. God will permit this to happen for the testing of His chosen ones, just as gold is tested by fire; so too will they be tested and examined in the persecutions of Antichrist, as is written in the book of Daniel. They will be chosen, and they will be whitened, and they will be tested like gold. It follows: Whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb, who was slain from the beginning of the world (Dan. XII, 10). The book of life is the predestination of Almighty God: the reprobate are not written in the book of life; because they are not predestined to eternal life. But we must inquire, how the Lamb, that is, Christ, is said to have been slain from the beginning of the world.(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9) For that which follows: If anyone has ears, let him hear; wherever it is placed in the divine Scriptures, it signifies obscurity of what has gone before. For it requires the ears of the heart and understanding. Therefore, the Lamb was slain from the beginning of the world; because His death was foreshadowed in the holy fathers from the beginning of human history. It was foreshadowed in the first man, when he was asleep and Eve was made from his rib; likewise, it was foreshadowed in Abel, who was killed by his brother Cain. It was also foreshadowed in Isaac, whom his father offered as a burnt offering to the Lord; likewise, it was foreshadowed in Joseph, who was sold by his brothers. His death was also foreshadowed in various rituals of sacrifice. Therefore, as many times as the death of Christ was prefigured or foretold by the holy fathers, so many times was the Lamb slain. Although this can be understood simply as not saying that the Lamb was slain from the beginning of the world, but rather that the names of the saints were written from the beginning of the world in the book of the Lamb, who was slain for their salvation.(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) Whoever leads into captivity will go into captivity; whoever kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. The Antichrist who captivates the Christian people will himself be taken captive and cast into hell; and because he will kill the souls of many with the sword of his wickedness and will kill the bodies of the righteous with the sword, he himself will be condemned to eternal death. This is the patience and faith of the saints, that is, the patience and faith of the saints will be proven in the persecutions of the Antichrist.(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11) And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, having two horns like a lamb, and speaking like a dragon. This beast either represents one of the disciples of the Antichrist who is worse than the others, or many who will preach about him. It appeared to have come up from the earth because it will arise from the company of the reprobate, and it was seen to have two horns like a lamb. Previously, we said that through the seven horns of the lamb, all the chosen ones were designated, whom we divided into seven parts. But through the fifth horn, we said that the Jews who believed in Christ were designated, and through the sixth, the Gentiles who also believed in Christ. Therefore, this beast will have two horns similar to a lamb; because it will deceive the Jews and the Gentiles by possession. For although many Jews believe in Christ through the preaching of Elijah, the majority of them will follow the Antichrist, as the Lord says in the Gospel: 'I came in my Father's name, and you did not receive Me; another will come in his own name, and you will receive him' (John 5:43). Thus, this beast spoke like a dragon, because its words were of the devil; for the devil, who speaks through the Antichrist, will also speak through his disciples.(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12) And he exercises all the power of the first beast in his presence. The phrase "in his presence" means "in his name"; for the Antichrist cannot be physically present in all the places where he is preached. The Antichrist performs miracles by diabolical power, and so do his disciples. But their miracles will be false and not true, as the Apostle says: Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders (2 Thess. 2:9). For it is not believable that they whom God had blinded or weakened, can restore health: but only those whom they themselves had injured, harming in secret, healing openly. And even Antichrist himself will demonstrate in such great clarity to men, that he will be believed by the foolish to be God, as the Apostle says: So that he sits in the temple, showing himself as if he were God (Ibid., 4).(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13) And he performed great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of people. We read in the book of Job that the devil, with God's permission, brought fire down from heaven and consumed Job's sheep and servants (Job 1:16). What he did there by himself, in the end times he will do through the Antichrist and his followers.(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14.) And he deceived the inhabitants of the earth with the signs that were given to him to perform in the presence of the beast. There is nothing that deceives the simple ones more than the display of signs. And so, the ministers of the Antichrist easily deceive the foolish multitude because of the operation of signs. He tells the inhabitants of the earth to make an image of the beast, which had a wound by the sword and yet lived; namely, so that Antichrist may be worshipped in the images. But as for the beast that he said had the wound of the sword and lived, it can happen that by diabolical art the Antichrist pretends to die and rise again, in order to deceive men more easily by this act, which is said to have been done by Simon Magus.(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could speak. But we have also heard that some magicians did this; they did it through the art of necromancy, so that statues appeared to move and speak. We can understand this differently. The image has the appearance of a man, but it is not a man: likewise, the Antichrist, because of the operation of miracles and signs, will be thought to be God, but this will be most false; for it cannot happen that the most impious man has anything divine in himself. Therefore, they will make an image of the Antichrist, who they will consider to be God; and the ministers of the Antichrist will give life to the image of the beast, compelling those who believe in the Antichrist to blaspheme against Christ. And he will cause whoever does not worship the image of the beast to be killed. The faithful who refuse to worship the Antichrist will be tormented with various punishments and killed; for there will be such tribulation, as the Lord said in the Gospel (Matthew 24:21), such as has not been from the beginning, nor will ever be, to deceive the elect if possible.(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16.) And it shall make all small and great, and rich and poor, and free and bond, to have a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. It is possible that, just as we have the mark of Christ, which is the cross by which we are signed, so Antichrist may have his own mark by which those who believe in him are identified. We can also understand this in another way. The disciples of Antichrist will be the promoters of vices, for they will teach that wine and other riches were created for this reason: so that people may abundantly and sufficiently indulge in them. They will claim that God made the genital organs so that men may have intercourse with women, and that it is wrong for anyone to abstain from sexual relations. They will argue that all carnal desires must be fulfilled. But when they affirm this godless doctrine with virtues, they will easily deceive earthly people who are inclined towards evil rather than good. Often, however, actions are understood through hands: therefore, the character of the Antichrist will be in their right hand, because they will perform evil deeds in accordance with the doctrine of the Antichrist. They will also have it on their forehead, through which the mind is often discerned, because it will be recognized by the wicked deeds that the worst minds bear.(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17.) And no one can buy or sell unless they have the mark of the beast's name or the number of its name. We know that human life cannot survive unless people sometimes buy or sell; therefore, the persecution of the faithful by the Antichrist will be even more cruel when they are forbidden to do so, without which they cannot live. The ministers of the Antichrist will do this to apprehend those who wanted to secretly maintain the faith of Christianity in times of necessity.(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18.) Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is six hundred and sixty-six. Many have spoken extensively about this number, and have found many names in which this number is found. However, they have not been able to predict if any of these names belong to Antichrist. But I dare not define anything about such an uncertain matter. For who knows if the name that will be given to him by his parents contains this number.Chapter XIV.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) And I saw, and behold, the Lamb was standing upon Mount Zion. If we carefully examine the text of the following reading, we will see that the things spoken of the 144,000 pertain more to the elect, whose souls rejoice in heavenly bliss with the Lord, than to those who labor in this life. Therefore, the Lamb signifies Christ: Zion, however, signifies contemplation: and by Mount Zion, we ought to understand the heavenly homeland. Therefore, on Mount Zion, the Lamb was seen, because in heavenly blessedness Christ dwells with his saints. And with him were one hundred and forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. In the third vision, which precedes this, it is said that one hundred and forty-four thousand from the twelve tribes were chosen and sealed with the sign of faith. Therefore, these one hundred and forty-four thousand, as the explanation of the names of the twelve tribes demonstrates, pertain to the chosen ones who labor in this life. But these one hundred and forty-four thousand signify the chosen ones who rejoice in heavenly glory with the Lord, as the text of the present reading clearly indicates. But why does he say that only the name of the Father and the Son is written on their foreheads, and he is silent about the Holy Spirit? Because wherever we read about the Father and the Son, we should understand the Holy Spirit. However, we can understand the hearts of the saints through their foreheads. Therefore, the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is written on their foreheads, because the love of God can never be taken away from their minds, just as it was taken away from the hearts of some angels who fell from heaven due to their pride.(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. Often through John are the faithful of the present life demonstrated: but through waters are the people signified. And because chosen ones are gathered daily from all nations and are placed in heavenly bliss, the saints of God on earth, who are designated by John, incessantly hear the voice of many waters; because they perceive the doctrine of the saints who dwell in the heavens with the ears of their hearts, and by the power which they possess, they imitate their actions. Moreover, the same voice is said to resound like thunder, which often terrifies the hearts of those who hear it; for they are terrified when they consider that they are unable to reach its perfection. And the voice that I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. The voice of the harpists is very sweet to those who hear it: and what is sweeter to the faithful than the memory of the saints dwelling in heaven; while they ponder in their minds how great their glory is, and supplicate so that they may someday attain it?(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) And they were singing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders: and no one could sing the song but those hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. This is a great mystery; for it is said that the hundred and forty-four thousand were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; and therefore they can sing the new song, which no one else can say, except those alone: but we know that some of the apostles and martyrs had wives. Do those who strive to preserve the virginity of their bodies sing praises to God, while these remain mute in the praises of God? Especially since we know that both men and women of little merit have preserved the virginity of their bodies until death, such as infants and children, whom age does not allow to lose their virginity. We have also seen some individuals, guilty of certain sins, who have preserved the virginity of their bodies until death, whom we believe must be purified through the fire of purgatory, so that they may deserve to be included among the righteous at some point. Shall we dare to prefer those apostles and martyrs, whom the Scripture does not keep silent about having had wives, in order that they may offer that sweetest song to God, from whom Peter and his similar ones may exist as strangers? For just as the vision of God is sweet to the saints, so is the praise of God; and just as they cannot be satisfied by the vision of God, so they cannot be satisfied by the praises of God. And the closer they are to the Lord God in terms of the qualities of their merits, the more fervent they are in the praises of God. Who can truly consider how great a part of glory is taken away from the saints if they are deprived of the praise of God? And we do not say this to detract from virginity, which is a great virtue and a companion of the angels, if, however, they have not defiled it with vice. For who can weigh how great a good it is to possess integrity of body and soul? Therefore, since the things that have been said above about virgins cannot be understood about only those who have preserved the virginity of the body, it is necessary that we investigate who are the virgins and who are those who cannot sing the song of virgins. For if we carefully consider the surface of the reading, we will find that these words are not spoken only of virgins, but of all holy souls.We have said above that one hundred forty-four thousand holy souls are designated, who do not cease to praise God in heavenly blessedness: but faithful placed in this life, from whom the Church consists, are also designated, as we said in the second Vision. Therefore, it is said that one hundred forty-four thousand have sung a new song before the throne, and the four animals, and the elders; for the new Testament is called a new song, as the prophet says: Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth (Isaiah XLII, 10). However, the New Testament is called such because it precedes another, which is called the old: either because it makes new peoples, when it makes children of God from the children of the devil. And the faithful have their own songs in this life, but in those songs there is often a confession of sins, often a prayer for sins, often a remembrance of eternal torments. Therefore, they often stir up tears while singing, and they are accustomed to praying in praise of God, and they often elevate the minds of the faithful to the hope of the heavenly homeland. But in that song of the heavenly spirits, nothing sad, nothing that disturbs the mind, resounds; and the more it is expressed, the more it fills the minds of the singers with joy and gladness. Just as the new Testament is called "new" because the old Testament preceded it, so also that song of the heavenly spirits is called a new song because it precedes another song that is old to those who daily pass over to heavenly blessedness, and it is new to which they come. And it is said that they sang this song before the throne of God, that is, in the presence of the throne; for what is before our sight, we behold uninterruptedly. Therefore, in the presence of the faithful, who are designated by the throne and the four living creatures and the elders, the souls of the faithful are said to have sung a new song; because holy men, placed on this earth, constantly gaze with the eyes of their minds upon the glory of the saints dwelling in heaven, and with all their might they strive to reach their fellowship someday.
And no one could sing the song except those one hundred forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth: that is, none of those who are symbolized by the throne and the four living creatures and the elders. For faithful men on earth see at present, as if in a mirror and in enigmas, the glory of the saints who are in heaven, and they ardently desire that song, as if they hear it, but they cannot sing it; for, 'eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love him' (1 Corinthians 2:9). Those who are said to be bought from the earth are indeed bought with the precious blood of Christ, placed in the earth. But it is better that we understand it as a purchase and assumption; for they have been assumed from the earth and placed in heavenly blessedness.
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4) These are they who are not defiled with women, for they are virgins. Here again arises a question; for if in that blessed state there are different orders, as there are apostles, martyrs, confessors, and virgins, how are all the souls of the saints called virgins, and to such an extent virgins that they are said not to have been defiled with women? And if it is true what the Lord says (indeed it is true, for God cannot lie - Matthew 5:28): Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart, how could all the souls of the saints throughout their whole earthly life have been free from the defilement of worldly women? Therefore, it needs to be understood by us how this is to be understood; for many were adulterers and fornicators before baptism, but believing in Christ and repenting of their sins, and seeking the fountain of baptism, whatever was defiled in them was washed away by the grace of the Holy Spirit through the waters of baptism: those who persevered in the good that they promised in the same baptism until the end of their lives, when the Lord came to take them away from this earthly habitation through death, their souls were found to be virgins, that is, untainted and free from all corruption of vices. Therefore, these souls are rightly called virgins because all their corruption has been wiped away by the waters of baptism and good works. There have also been many who, after baptism, committed many crimes, but when they sought to erase the evil they had done through repentance, tears, mercy, and other good works, and persevered in their good intent, their souls were found to be virgins when the Lord came, for whatever was wicked in them had been cleansed by the remedies of charity. There were also those who, with their whole strength, loved God and endeavored to lead their life in virtues. Therefore, their souls are rightly called virgins; for if they have drawn any filth from the union with women (Gen. II, 24), it has been erased by good works. The same understanding should be applied to the other orders.We can also understand the bodies of saints through women, but the souls through men; because just as a man and a woman are called one flesh, so the body and the soul are one person: and just as the woman is subordinate to the man, and therefore it is necessary for her to be ruled by the man and endure his domination; so the body is much inferior to the soul, and therefore it is necessary for it to be ruled and subdued by the spirit, and for its desires to be broken. And because the saints have endeavored to do this, they are not defiled with women; because they did not draw any impurities from the union of bodies, from which they would greatly offend God. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. Where does he go, who fills all things and is everywhere? But as the Apostle teaches, he goes wherever he wants, showing mercy to whomever he chooses and hardening whomever he chooses (Rom. IX, 18). Therefore, God goes by showing mercy to some and by taking away his mercy from others. The saints follow because those to whom he grants his mercy also grant it to others, and those from whom he removes it also remove it from others. We cannot understand this about the chosen ones placed on earth; for often those whom God does not have mercy on, He has mercy on, like Samuel who mourned for Saul (1 Samuel 15:35), whom God had cast away from His presence: some even want to condemn those whom God has mercy on, like Jonah, who desired the destruction of Nineveh, whom God had decreed to save. They were bought from among all the firstfruits for God and the Lamb (John 4:3). In the Law, it is commanded that the firstfruits of the crops be offered to God (Exodus 22:29): by the firstfruits of the crops, the chosen ones are designated; for just as from the multitude of fruits, small firstfruits were offered to God, so from the multitude of peoples, a small number of chosen ones is elected, who are offered by the angels to God in the temple of celestial glory, as the Lord says in the Gospel: Many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14). Therefore, the holy ones have been assumed from among men according to the custom of the firstfruits, and placed in heavenly blessedness.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) And in their mouth there was found no lie. It seems very difficult, what is said; for there are indeed some lies that are very serious, and others that should be considered light sins, from which in our times I do not know if anyone can abstain throughout their entire life, unless they are an infant who does not know how to speak. Therefore, it does not seem to me that this is said about all lies: but it is a very grave lie when we lie about the things we promised in baptism. Therefore, this lie was not found in the mouths of the saints; because they endeavored to keep what they promised in baptism until the end of life. And even if there were some who committed many sins after baptism, yet no lie was found in their mouths; because they sought to erase the evil they had done through repentance and acts of charity before death: For they are without blemish. And this clearly shows that the things contained in this reading pertain not to the faithful who labor in this life, but to those who rest in heavenly seats. For who in this life can be without blemish? When the same John says: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). However, the souls of the saints are without blemish; for if they have contracted any defilement from their worldly habitation, they are cleansed either through repentance and tears, and the works of charity, or through afflictions, or certainly after death they are purged by the purifying fire.I have said what I have perceived. And if anyone wishes to transfer the text of this reading to the present Church, and regards it as the designated Gospel through one hundred and forty-four thousand, or preachers, or other righteous people still living in this life; let them consider that the holy Gospel is often preached not only by the chosen ones, but also by the reprobate, of whom we believe the Lord said in the Gospel: 'Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out many demons, and in your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them: Truly I say to you, I do not know you. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity (Matthew 7:22). Concerning such people, even the apostle Paul speaks, saying: There are those who proclaim Christ out of contention, not sincerely, thinking that they cause affliction with my chains (Philippians 1:17). However, if anyone determines that the sequence of this reading pertains to the virgins of the present time, namely those whom the love of God impels daily to the preservation of integrity, along with other good works, it seems to me that they possess a sound understanding in this regard. But they ought to notice that this interpretation cannot be in agreement with the fact that in this passage, the Gospel is understood as a new song; rather, it refers to a spiritual joy that grows in them from their custodianship of virginity. Therefore, no one can sing a new song except those alone; for no one is able to possess the joy of virginity except those alone who offer it daily adorned with other good works to God. Likewise, anyone who wishes to apply this sentiment to those who have deserved to ascend to the heavenly kingdom with the palm of virginity, does not differ from correct understanding: but let him know that it does not pertain to this meaning that by a new song, he understands a song that can be composed by voice, language, or lips, but rather the reward of virginity, which they deserve to receive eternally from the Lord. And no one can sing this song except those alone who have striven in this world to keep their virginity with an undefiled mind for the love of Christ, for no one receives the reward of virginity except those who have chosen to keep my Sabbaths and have held onto my covenant. I will give them a place in my house and within my walls, and I will give them a better name than sons and daughters, an everlasting name that will not perish (Isaiah 56:4-5).
(Vers. 6.)
(Vers. 6.) And I saw another angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel, to preach to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice. Again, he briefly sums up everything, for just as he wanted to narrate the evils of the Antichrist above, he begins with the coming of Christ and the persecutions that the Church suffered from the devil, and before he reaches the Antichrist, he describes the day of judgment, desiring to describe it here as well, beginning with the coming of Christ and summarizing everything under the appearance of the three angels, and reaching the day of judgment. Indeed, this angel represents Christ and his apostles, and the other preachers of Christ. He is said to have the eternal Gospel, because the doctrine of the Gospel was given by Christ, the apostles, and the other preachers, to be preached to the nations. This Gospel is said to be eternal because it grants eternity to all who practice it. It is also said to be preached to those sitting on the earth; for the nations to whom the Gospel was preached were seeking nothing else but the earth, and had placed all their rest in it. But let us hear what that angel preaches.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) Fear the Lord, and give him honor; for the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him, who made the heaven and earth, the sea and the fountains of water. Appropriately, he placed the fear of the Lord first, and afterward honor; for the fear of the Lord impels man to repentance: but repentance prompts him to perform good works. Therefore, we give honor to God when we perform good works, as the Lord himself says: Let your good works be seen, and let them glorify your Father, who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). But the hour of judgment began from the time when the Gospel began to be preached. Therefore, on the day of judgment, those who heard the word of the Gospel and rejected it, refusing to accept the faith of Christ, will be judged harshly. Similarly, those who have received the faith of Christ but have not been willing to fulfill it by their actions will also be judged. For to whom much is given, much will be required. As for those who have not heard the word of God, the Lord says in the Gospel: 'Whoever does not believe is already condemned.' (John 3:18).(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) And worship Him, who made the heaven and the earth, and the sea and the fountains of water, that is, leave behind idols that are deaf, mute, and blind, and worship Him who created all things out of nothing. And another angel followed, saying. Another angel designates the doctors of the Church, who, after the persecutions ended, governed the Church of God. Babylon the great has fallen, has fallen. As we said above, Babylon represents the city of the devil, which consists of all the wicked. However, it had fallen because the all-knowing nature of the demons had been destroyed by the faith of Christ. And it is said to have fallen twice: once from the side of the persecutors, and once from the side of the devilish nature. It had intoxicated all nations with the wine of its anger. The wine of anger is the errors of the Gentiles, by which they provoked God to anger. But since Babylon is nothing other than all nations, that is, all the reprobate, how did it intoxicate all nations with the wine of its anger? But when one taught another, and he taught a third, and the third a fourth, and so the diabolical error passed on to all men, surely Babylon intoxicated all nations with the wine of God's wrath.(Vers. 9, 10.)
(Verses 9, 10.) And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will also drink of the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of His anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. The third angel represents the preachers who will come during the time of the future Antichrist. They will preach against worshipping the Antichrist and warn people not to listen to his evil teachings or imitate his actions. Anyone who does so will be condemned to eternal punishment. The last condemnation of God's anger is designated by the wine of God's wrath, which will be inflicted on the wicked on the day of judgment. By pure wine we mean pure justice. Therefore, by wine is designated the justice of God, and by the cup we can understand the judgment of God. Therefore, the wine is mixed with pure wine in the cup of God; because the last condemnation, by which the wicked will be condemned, will be mixed with justice in the cup of God, that is, in the judgment of God; because it will be accomplished by the most just judgment of God. Therefore, the wicked will drink the wine of God's anger, when it will be said to them: Go, you cursed, into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).(Vers. 11)
(Verse 11) And they will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. Fire burns, but sulfur emits a foul odor. Those who refuse to extinguish the fire of their vices will be physically tormented by fire, and those who found pleasure in the sweet smell of lust will be tormented by the stench of sulfur. They will be tormented in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb, that is to say, they will be tormented in the sight of those for whom they did not fear to commit many evils. Neither shall they have rest day nor night, who worship the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name. Why does it say that the wicked shall not have rest, neither in the day nor in the night, when the chosen ones will possess eternal day, but the wicked will have eternal night? But it spoke in human terms.(Vers. 12, 13.)
(Ver. 12, 13.) This is the patience of the saints, who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus: that is, such is the patience of the saints, and it brings forth such fruit as is demonstrated in the following. And I heard a voice from heaven saying to me: Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Therefore, such is the patience of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, that they may be blessed forever. But what does it mean when it says: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord? For who can die after being dead? No one who is already dead can die again, unless they receive their soul back, so that they can die again. But those are blessed, and those in the Lord die, who die first to the world, then to the flesh: who first extinguish the old man, that is, all spiritual and carnal wickedness in themselves, so that they can say with the Apostle: The world is crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians VI, 16). For those who die in the Lord, of whom the Lord says in the Gospel: But he who perseveres to the end, he will be saved (Matthew 24:13).Now the Spirit says that they may rest from their labors. Now, at the time of their death, the saints will rest from their labors. For their works will follow them. How do they follow? Did not Cornelius' works precede him, to whom the angel said, 'Your prayers and your alms have been remembered before God' (Acts 10:4)? But to follow can also mean to accompany; for even an army that accompanies a king is said to follow him; while some may go ahead, others may follow, and some may walk by his right or left side. Therefore, the works of the saints follow them; for the reward of their works accompanies them forever. We can also understand this spiritually regarding those who will be killed for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ during the times of the Antichrist; for blessed indeed are those who will die for the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, since he has mentioned the punishment of those who will believe in the Antichrist and has briefly summarized the blessedness of those who will persevere in the faith of Christ until the end, it follows that he should describe the day of judgment in which all these things will be fulfilled.
(Vers. 14-19.)
(Verse 14-19.) And I saw, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, 'Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.' So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and cried with a loud cry to the one who had the sharp sickle, saying: Send forth your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, because its grapes are ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. I have put forth almost the entire sentence, so that the twists and turns of it may be seen more clearly from every angle. For each of those angels signifies Christ: likewise, the two sickles have one meaning; for they represent the fire by which the entire world will be destroyed; for just as in the beginning of time the world was destroyed by water, so too at the end of time it will be destroyed by fire. But we must ask ourselves why one Christ is represented by two angels, and one extermination is represented by two sickles. For the first angel was seen sitting on a white cloud and having a golden crown, but it is said that the second angel neither had a golden crown nor was seen sitting on a white cloud. And the first is said to have harvested the crops of the earth, but it is not said where he placed the harvest of the earth. However, it is said that the second angel threw the clusters of the vine of the earth into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Therefore, it seems to me that the chosen ones are chosen through the harvest of the earth: however, the wicked ones are designated through the grapes, from which wine arises, which alienates the minds of men. This is the harvest about which the Lord says in the Gospel: 'At harvest time I will say to the reapers: Gather first the weeds and bind them in bundles to be burned; but gather the wheat into my barns' (Matthew 13:30). For just as there the wheat is designated, here in this place they are designated through the harvest. And those who are there represented by tares, themselves are represented in this place by the bunches of vines from the earth: and because Christ will appear differently to the righteous and differently to the unrighteous, it is not incongruous to represent him through two angels. For the righteous will see him in the same glory in which he is seen by the angels and the holy spirits in heavenly bliss; but the wicked will see him in the same form in which he appeared to humans on earth. Indeed, the wicked will be taken away so that they may not see the glory of God (Isaiah 26). Therefore, he will appear gentle to the righteous and terrifying to the unjust; hence he is described as first sitting on a white cloud and wearing a golden crown on his head. For through the white cloud, his immaculate body is symbolized; and through the golden crown, the multitude of angels and saints who will accompany him when he comes to judge is expressed. Likewise, the extermination is represented by two sickles; because the righteous will be exterminated differently than the unjust: the extermination of the righteous should rather be called redemption, as the Lord says: Look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is approaching (Luke 21:28). Redemption is called right, because it frees from temporal evils and leads to eternal joys. The extermination of the wicked will be severe here and even more severe after death; for eternal damnation and perpetual sorrow will remain in them. The righteous will receive a joyful death from the hope of eternal retribution: but the wicked, fearful of eternal damnation, will be punished by a most sorrowful death.Then another angel came out of the temple and cried out with a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud, 'Send out your sickle and reap; for the time to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.' And the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. Then another angel came out from the altar, who has authority over fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, 'Send out your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.' So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the vintage of the earth, and he threw it into the great wine press of the wrath of God. Indeed, the dryness of the harvest indicates its ripeness; for just as the harvest grows until it is ripe, when it becomes dry: so too will the number of the elect grow until the end of the world, and their maturity will be perfected then, when their number is complete. Likewise, the fourth angel, who came out from the altar, who had power over fire, has the same meaning as the second, who was seen coming out from the temple; for he signifies the chosen ones laboring in this life. But the altar signifies the Church, just as the temple does; by fire, however, we can understand charity, which the Holy Spirit nurtures in the hearts of the saints through spiritual means. The saints have power over this fire, as they possess charity and are possessed by it. Therefore, this angel called out to the third angel carrying the second sickle, whom we said represents Christ, to harvest the clusters of the vine of the earth, which symbolize the wicked. For the holy men, seeing daily how the human race is deceived by demons and how the wicked flourish and the world continually descends into worse evils, pray for the day of judgment to come, in which both the wickedness of the demons and their accomplices will perish, and all transgression, along with its transgressors, will come to an end, and eternal righteousness will be established, which will have no end. For the vineyard indeed signifies the world, which has produced and nurtured the entire multitude of the impious: but the lake, which we call infernal, is called the lake of God's wrath, because the vengeance of God's wrath will be consummated in it.
(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20.) And the lake outside the city was trodden upon. By the treading, we can understand the submersion of the wicked into hell. And by the city, the heavenly Jerusalem is signified, which consists of all the elect. Therefore, the lake will be trodden upon outside this city because the wicked will be separated from the company of the righteous and will be thrown into hell, as the Lord says in the Gospel: 'The angels will come forth and separate the wicked from among the just, and will cast them into the furnace of fire.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. VII, 14).And blood came out of the lake up to the bridles of the horses for a thousand six hundred furlongs. The punishment of the wicked is symbolized by the blood: as the blood which came out of the lake occupied a space of a thousand six hundred furlongs, false Christians are symbolized: although the number is derived from the quaternary number, it is nevertheless scattered everywhere, maintaining the same number, and never crossing its boundaries. Similarly, false Christians receive the faith of Christ, which consists of the four books of the Gospel, in baptism: but leaving the narrow and restricted path, which is enclosed within the confines of the quaternary number, that leads to life; they walk along the wide and spacious path of this world, which leads to death (Matthew 13:3). However, they do not depart from the number four, for even though they do not have the works of Christianity, they do not lose the name of Christianity. Therefore, blood came out from the lake and occupied one thousand six hundred stadia; for that punishment which will engulf demons and all unbelievers will also ensnare false Christians, who appeared to have faith but did not have the works of faith: False shepherds of the Church are designated by the horses, who undertake the task of governing not out of love for God, but out of love for the world; their false doctrine is represented by the reins by which the horses are controlled. Indeed, false shepherds have doctrine in their mouth, so that they may not appear entirely alien from their office. But following the example of the Pharisees, they say and do not do. And since they can only teach what the Gospel speaks, and in their preaching they announce the punishment that sinners will suffer unless they are corrected, the blood reaches the reins of the horses, because the punishments that they have threatened to sinners, unless they are corrected, they themselves will experience, because they did not want to abandon their vices.
Chapter XV.
(Vers. 1.)
(Ver. 1.) And I saw another great and marvelous sign in heaven, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. As above, before the narration of the seven angels who were to sound their trumpets, mention was made of them; so here, before the narration of the seven angels who were to pour out their vials, mention is made of them, to signify that great mysteries are contained in their vision. But about those things that the Lord has given, we shall speak in the following.(Vers. 2, 3.)
(Vers. 2, 3.) And I saw what seemed like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying. As for the meaning of the sea of glass, we mentioned it earlier in the second vision (see Chapter 4): there it is described as crystal, but here it is mixed with fire. And because crystal is of exceptional clarity, and when it receives the heat of the sun, it usually emits fire. The same meaning that crystal has there, fire has here; for they both signify spiritual intelligence, which is found in the divine Scriptures. Therefore, the sea is said to be made of glass, because the divine Scripture is mixed with spiritual intellects. Therefore, those who have conquered the beast are seen standing on the glass sea, because the holy ones of God who will fight against the Antichrist will establish their steps in the teachings of divine Scripture and will not be moved from their faith by any temptation. By the harps they had, the mortification of the flesh is signified; but the song of Moses signifies the Old Testament, while the new song of the Lamb signifies the New Testament. So Moses and the Lamb were singing a song; for both the old and the new Testaments will proclaim the saints. Let us hear what kind of song it is.(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4) Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. This hymn agrees with both the Old and New Testament; for there are found seven blessings there, which can be related to the seven parts we spoke of above (In chapter 5 and 7). For indeed, the first blessing is: Great and marvelous are your works, Lord Almighty God; which can be attributed to the first time, in which heaven and earth were made, and all creatures, which are exceedingly wonderful. The second is: Your ways are just and true, King of ages; which corresponds to the second part, in which all creatures that had the breath of life were justly destroyed by the waters of the flood. The third is: Who will not fear you, Lord? To the fourth part, namely those to whom the Law was given, it corresponds that they exercised the commands of the Law out of fear rather than love. The fourth is: And your name will be magnified; this clearly applies to the prophets, who magnified the name of God in their preaching and writing. The fifth is: For you alone are merciful; in the fifth part, we have placed the coming of Christ, in which our Lord, who alone is merciful, deigned to become man for the salvation of the human race, and to suffer and die. It is the sixth: Since all nations will come and worship in your presence; it is evident that after the ascension of the Lord all nations have come to the faith of Christ, which we have placed in the sixth place. It is the seventh: For your judgments are made manifest; it is evident that they pertain to the day of judgment, in which the just and true judgments of God will be made manifest. May the mercy and kindness of the Lord and our Redeemer Jesus Christ deliver us from the condemnation of this judgment, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.De Visione Quinta.
In the fifth vision, with the help of the Lord, we have arrived at a point where the meaning is clarified. It is largely consistent with the previous vision, which we have explained with the grace of the Lord. Just as seven angels were seen there, to whom seven trumpets were given, it is also mentioned here that seven angels were given seven bowls. And just as in the sound of the trumpet the first angel struck the earth with a great hailstorm, so it is said that in the pouring out of the bowl the first angel struck men, often referred to as those who inhabit the earth, with the worst afflictions. And just as in the sound of the trumpet the second angel turned one third of the sea into blood, similarly in the pouring out of the bowl it is described that the entire sea turned into blood by the second angel. The others also follow the same meaning: but how these agree with the ones before, we will discuss in what follows. Therefore, they have the same significance as those; for they signify the preachers, who have been from the beginning and will be until the end. But they are placed twice, because as we have shown above, the things that were seen to have been done under the sound of the trumpet of the first, second, third, and fourth angels belong to the elect. Furthermore, it is reported that things were done by the sounds of the trumpets of the fifth, sixth, and seventh angels, to which three woes are joined, in which the persecutions of the Church, which it suffered from heretics and pagans, and which it will suffer from the Antichrist at the end of the world, are described, on one hand, as pertaining to the reprobate, and on the other hand, as pertaining to the elect; for the wicked, from the evil that they inflict upon the righteous, receive eternal punishment, while the righteous, from the evil that they endure, acquire eternal glory for themselves. Therefore, all that is described under the pouring out of the seven bowls belongs to the wicked; hence, the first trumpets, by which the army of God was called to battle, are said to have sounded: but it is reported that the following bowls full of God's wrath were poured out upon the wicked.(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5.) After this, I saw, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony was opened in heaven. In Exodus it is written that Moses made a tabernacle in the desert: but afterwards, when the people were already dwelling in the promised land, Solomon built the temple. Therefore, by this desert is signified the present age; by the tabernacle, which is transferred from place to place, the present Church is designated, which daily passes from the desert of this age to heavenly blessedness, and proceeds from virtue to virtue, that it may see the God of gods in Zion (Psalm 83:8). And the curtains of the tabernacle, which were painted with various colors, were covered with skins and cilices; to demonstrate that the mortification of the flesh and humility are the guardians of virtue. But what is signified by the promised land, if not the heavenly homeland that God promised to those who love Him? And what is represented by the temple, which was built with the finest stones, if not the heavenly Jerusalem, which is built daily with living stones (James 1:12)? Therefore, when He says: The temple of the tabernacle is open; it is as if He were saying: The temple of the Church is open. And what is the temple of the Church but the heavenly homeland? In this temple, the Psalmist desired to dwell when he said: One thing I have asked of the Lord, this I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life (Psalm 26:4). Therefore, this temple has been opened through Christ, because the entrance to the heavenly kingdom has been revealed to all the faithful through Him.(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6.) And the seven angels came out, having the seven plagues from the temple, clothed in clean and bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden belts. If by the temple the celestial homeland is meant, and by the seven angels the preachers are designated, how can they be said to have come out from the temple? Do the holy ones descend from that heavenly homeland to preach? But the holy preachers go forth as if from the heavenly homeland, since they are sent by Him who is the glory of the saints, and from whom all their teaching proceeds. They are said to have had seven plagues: and it was said above that they had seven plagues, because in them the wrath of God was accomplished. If the seven plagues of God's anger existed, how were they made holy? But the holy ones of God had seven plagues in their power, not in their punishment; for the Lord says in the Gospel: In the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). But seven principal sins, from which all evils arise, are designated by the seven plagues. Therefore, it is seen that the seven angels had the seven plagues, because holy preachers on the day of judgment will have power over the seven principal sins, that is, all the workers of evils, so that they may be punished with perpetual judgment. Indeed, the wrath of God is accomplished in the holy preachers, that is, through them, because by their judgment the wrath of God will be perfected. We can understand the seven plagues in another way. Above, we divided the entire body of the wicked into seven parts (On the first chapter): therefore, there are seven plagues, which are more fitting for each part; for those who lived before the flood will be judged differently, who deceived the people of God by uniting with women (Gen. VI, 2); differently those who, after the flood, found idolatry and various errors through which the human race was deceived; differently those who were under the Law and did not keep the commandments of God; differently the false prophets, who deceived the people of God; differently the impious Jews, who killed the Lord and persecuted his apostles; differently the persecutors of the Church, who tried to extinguish the faith of Christ; differently the ministers of Antichrist, who are going to desert Christ and follow Antichrist. Therefore, the plagues of the holy God will have power, because individually they will condemn those who were in their time and despised their warnings, with their own judgment of eternal punishment. But the stone that is described as being clean and white, in which the seven angels were seen clothed, represents Christ, about whom the Apostle says: All of you who have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:27). And the golden belts with which they are girded around their chests signify the wisdom of the preachers, which contains the hearts of the saints within itself in such a way that it does not allow them to wander astray through various errors.And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. Although the four living creatures signify the four evangelists, they also collectively and individually represent Christ. But because brevity does not allow us to explain how each one signifies Christ, let us understand Christ through this one living creature. The vials, on the other hand, are the hearts of the saints, which are rightly called golden because of their wisdom. Therefore, one of the four animals gave the seven angels seven golden vials, because Christ filled the hearts of his holy ones with wisdom. But if wisdom has filled them, how can they be said to be full of the wrath of God? The Lord says in the Gospel about the wicked Jews: 'If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin' (John 15:22). Did the Jews not have sin before the coming of Christ? Therefore, they were sinners before, but they did not have the sin of unbelief, the sin of blasphemy in which they called him Beelzebub, the sin of murder in which they crucified him, and many other crimes they committed because of his coming. But in the cup of Christ, in which the life of the world was contained, the Jews, demanding punishment for their own sins, found death. Therefore, the seven cups of the angels were full of God's wrath, because as far as the reprobate are concerned, the preaching of the saints contained God's wrath within themselves, because they incurred God's wrath for disregarding their preaching.
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) And the temple was filled with smoke from the majesty of God and from His power. We have stated above that the heavenly temple symbolizes the homeland: but smoke, if it is within a house, obscures the eyes of those looking from outside, so that they cannot see perfectly what is happening inside. Therefore, the temple of the heavenly homeland is now filled with smoke; because the chosen ones, placed in this life, while raising the eyes of their minds to contemplate heavenly things, are obscured by a certain darkness that they cannot pass through: this obscuration is called smoke. Paul suffered this dimness when he said: Now we see through a glass in an enigma, but then face to face. And again: Now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I am known (I Cor. XIII, 12). And it should be noted that the chosen ones endure this dullness as long as they are placed in this life; but when they transition to that heavenly beatitude, it will be removed from the eyes of their mind. Hence it follows: And no one could enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. Do the righteous not enter into that heavenly blessedness every day? But let us understand that this is said about the entrance of bodies; for in that heavenly blessedness, the righteous do not enter with their bodies until the sevenfold plagues of the seven angels are completed. We have spoken about the seven plagues above: the last plague, however, will be when the Antichrist infects the human race with his errors. But after the seven plagues, for which the day of judgment will be appointed, the saints will receive their bodies and will dwell without end in the temple of their heavenly country with the Lord. Concerning this dwelling, the Psalmist says: Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord; they shall praise you forever and ever (Psalm 84:5).Chapter XVI.
(Vers. 1.)
(Version 1.) And I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, 'Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.' The voice from the temple is the voice of the Lord commanding the messengers to proclaim the word of God not only to the chosen, but also to the reprobate, so that these may have something to correct them and those may have something by which they may be condemned even more severely. Sinners are designated by the earth. Therefore, the messengers pour out their bowls upon the earth when they proclaim the word of God to sinners.(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) And the first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and a grievous and terrible sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped his image. The first Angel designates the preachers who existed before the Law, just as he who was seen first to have sung with the trumpet in the preceding vision (in chapter 8). But those chosen are designated as the third part of the earth which is burned, whereas here the reprobate are designated as those who suffered a grievous and terrible sore. Therefore, the angel poured out his bowl upon the earth, for the holy men who were before the Law spent their words of admonition upon the impious to correct them, but a severe and terrible wound was inflicted upon them, because they became worse from the preaching of the saints and despised God's commandments; for a severe and terrible wound indeed is the contempt of God's commandments. But if the severe and terrible wound pertains only to the reprobate, and those who bore the mark of the beast alone suffered this, we must inquire what the mark of the beast is. But if we want to understand the pride of the beast through its character, because of which the devil fell from heaven, we must note that many of the chosen ones had the wound of pride, but were healed by the medicine of humility. However, there is another most destructive vice, which always excludes the medicine of repentance from itself; for we know that the devil is irrevocable, so that he cannot be corrected in any way from his wickedness. Therefore, whoever is irrevocable does not require the medicine of repentance, just as the devil is alien to this medicine. Therefore, those who could not be converted from their sins through the teaching of the holy Fathers, have the mark of the devil, who perseveres incorrigible and unrepentant. But because many suffer from this vice in our time, it is necessary that we speak about its magnitude; for there are some who are so irredeemable that, although they know their assertion is false, they cannot be convinced otherwise, fearing to be defeated by men. And in order not to be convinced, they attempt to defend their falsehood with lies, perjury, and heated arguments: and while they fear being defeated by men, they are conquered by the devil. Therefore, all other vices are healed by the remedy of repentance: only this excludes them from themselves, so that they may not seem to be conquered by confession and penance. And because they wish to appear to have conquered their evil, they praise it. In them is fulfilled the prophecy: Woe to those who say that evil is good, and good is evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20)! There is said to be a bird that overcomes and eats a serpent, but after a little while it is destroyed by its venom. Similarly, these people rejoice in having conquered their neighbors, but such a victory is the killer of their souls. Therefore, whoever possesses such qualities carries the mark of the devil. And through the image of the beast, we can understand vices; because he himself is the author of all evils. Therefore, whoever serves vices worships the image of the beast; for Paul also says that their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame: who mind earthly things (Philippians 3:19). Similarly, he called greed idolatry (Colossians 3:5).(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) And the second poured out his vial into the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea. This angel signifies the teachers of the Law, just as he who in the preceding vision appeared to have sounded the second trumpet (Sup. to ch. 8): but there, it is said that a third part of the sea turned into blood, by which we have meant that the elect were designated; here, however, it is read that the whole sea was turned into blood (Genesis 9:5). The punishment for criminal offenses according to the Law was the shedding of blood. Therefore, transgressors of the Law are designated through the sea, which represents the shedding of blood, because they have received everlasting punishment for their contempt of God's commandments. But every living soul is dead in the sea, because many of those who are in the sea, that is, among the number of the wicked, who are designated through the sea, and who were considered righteous before receiving the Law, it has been proven through the transgression of the Law that they were unjust. There are also many in the Church who, before ascending to ecclesiastical or secular honors, appear to be holy and just: but after receiving honors, while they pervert the gift of God to evil, it is evident to all that they were dead and not alive.(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4) And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; and they became blood. This angel symbolizes the prophets, and by the rivers and fountains of waters, the twelve tribes with their families are represented. For in the previous vision, we said that the prophets were symbolized by the third angel sounding the trumpet. But there, it is read that a third part of the rivers and fountains were turned into wormwood, which we said symbolized those who, through the teachings of the prophets, took on the bitterness of repentance and deserved to be saved through it. But here, it is read that the pouring out of the vial by the third angel turned the rivers and fountains into blood. Therefore, the angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of water, when the holy prophets proclaimed the word of God to the impious people. However, they, having become much worse from the preaching of the saints, not only despised God's commandments, but also killed the ministers of the word of God themselves. Indeed, they were turned into blood, because they brought upon themselves eternal death.(Vers. 5, 6.)
(Verses 5, 6.) And I heard the fourth angel saying: You are just, who is and who was holy, because you have judged these things; because they have shed the blood of the saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink, for they are worthy. We can understand by the fourth angel the angel of that people who, seeing the unjust people condemned by the just judgment of God, praises the most just sentence of Almighty God. And because they shed the blood of the saints and prophets, they drank blood; because for the temporal death that they imposed on the just, they received eternal death.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) And I heard also the altar saying: Lord God Almighty, your judgments are true and just. We can understand through the altar the holy men who were at that time, who praised the just judgment of God, because he inflicted the most just condemnation on the impious people, just as we read that Daniel and the three young men did.(Vers. 8, 9.)
(Verse 8, 9.) And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to him to scorch people with fire. And the people were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues. They did not repent and give Him glory. The fourth angel symbolizes Christ and his apostles, and all other preachers, as we have said the fourth angel in the previous vision represented. But here, the people of the Jews are represented by the sun, and the faithful who believed in Christ from among that people are represented by a third part of the sun, moon, and stars. Therefore, the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; for Christ and his apostles openly proclaimed that the wicked Jews would be destroyed by the Romans. For just as every servant receives a sword from his master, not so that he may kill himself, but so that he may kill the guilty: in the same way, the Romans received the outpouring of the vial, in which the wrath of God was contained, not for the purpose of perishing in it themselves, but to avenge the blood of Christ by pouring it out upon the Jews; hence it is written: 'For it was given to him to torment men with heat and fire.' We can understand the siege by heat, and by fire, famine, and sword, by which almost all the Jews were consumed. Therefore, it was given to afflict men with heat and fire; for it was given to the Romans by God, that they might kill the wicked Jews, afflicted with various calamities, and banish some from their own land. And men were scorched with great heat. How great that heat was, by which the Romans afflicted the Jews, let him who desires know, let him read Josephus, and he will find that no nation perished more atrociously in all the kingdoms of the earth (From The Jewish War). And they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues. So impious was the Jewish nation, that when they knew they were suffering unprecedented evils for their crimes, they not only did not cease from blaspheming Christ, but also vomited even worse blasphemies against God in their afflictions. Hence it follows: Nor did they repent to give Him glory; for they would have given glory to God, if, repenting of their iniquities, they had believed in Christ and kept His commandments.(Vers. 10, 11.)
(Verse 10, 11) And the fifth poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast, and his kingdom became dark; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. The fifth angel represents the orthodox fathers who fought against the heretics, as we have already said he signifies, who in the previous vision sounded the fifth trumpet (Sup. ch. 9). And just as there the heretics were designated by locusts, here they are designated by the seat of the beast; and the beast signifies the devil. Therefore, the heretics are rightly called the seat of the beast, because the devil dwells in their hearts. Therefore, the fifth angel poured out his bowl upon the seat of the beast, because the holy men, exposing the errors of the heretics, sought to reveal the punishment that awaited them. And his kingdom became dark; because through the teachings of the holy Fathers, it was shown to those to whom the bright doctrine of the heretics seemed shining, how wretched and dark it was. They argued with each other due to pain, as each one criticized the errors of the others; for neither did Arius follow Eunomius, or Sabellius, or any of them; nor did they follow him: but each one, wishing to establish his own heresy, criticized the errors of the others. They are also said to have blasphemed God due to their pain and wounds; for the heretics were grieving because they were always being refuted by Catholic men: but their wounds were the errors of each one. The heretics were indeed blaspheming God because of their sufferings; for as much as they were overcome by Catholic men, they found greater blasphemies to hurl at them in return. Nevertheless, they were also compelled to blaspheme God because of their own errors which they professed. It is said that they were without repentance; for scarcely will you find any of the inventors of heresies who have repented of their errors.(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12.) And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. This sixth angel has the same significance as the one who was seen blowing the sixth trumpet; for it signifies the holy martyrs. And those who are designated there as horsemen, by whom a third of mankind is said to have been killed, they themselves are also represented in this place by the great river Euphrates, namely the persecutors of the Church of God. Therefore, the angel poured out his vial upon the river Euphrates; for they had foretold without any hesitation what condemnation would come upon the persecutors of the Church. But the persecution itself is represented by the water: and the water thereof was dried up; because the holy martyrs persisted in preaching the word of God until every persecution would come to an end, with some of the persecutors being cast into hell and others submitting themselves to the Christian faith. By the multitude of nations that flocked to the faith of Christ, we can understand the power of kings. Therefore, the way was prepared for kings through the drying up of prepared water; because once the persecutions ceased, the free opportunity was given to all nations to come to the faith of Christ. But how can they be said to have come from the rising of the sun, that is, from Christ, who is represented by the sun; when they have not come from Christ, but to Christ, leaving behind the devil? Unless perhaps by the sun we understand the devil, so that they came from him to Christ: but it is better to understand the sun as Christ, because of that prophecy: But unto you that fear my name, the Sun of righteousness shall arise, with healing in his wings. From the rising of the sun, that is, from Christ, they come, because they come by His inspiration and impulsion; it is His gift both to will and to accomplish what is good, as He Himself said: Without Me you can do nothing (John 15:5). Therefore, whoever comes to Christ comes from Christ; for He gives that they may come, and He Himself receives those who come.(Vers. 13, 14.)
(Verse 13, 14.) And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs. It describes the calling of the nations, how they came to the faith of Christ, and mentions the Antichrist, who is to come near the end of the world. The three unclean spirits represent the disciples of the Antichrist, who will proclaim him throughout the whole world: although they will be human beings, they are called unclean spirits and spirits of demons because demons will dwell in them and speak through their mouths. They are seen as having come out of the mouth of the Antichrist and the mouth of his false prophet because through their teachings the children of the devil will be produced. They are also seen as having come out of the mouth of the dragon because the devil will speak through the mouth of the Antichrist. Frogs, however, which are unclean reptiles and live in mud, can rightly be compared: just as frogs dwell in dirty waters, so too the disciples of the Antichrist will easily deceive those who have not feared to be defiled by various vices and wickedness. For the harsh and disgusting voice of the frogs signifies their most impious preaching full of blasphemies. And they will go forth to gather the kings of the whole earth for battle on the great day of God Almighty. By kings of the earth, not only kings but also peoples are designated. However, the disciples of the Antichrist will gather them for battle on the great day of Almighty God, not that they dare to fight against God on the day of judgment, from whom they will be judged so terribly. But they will gather them for battle to persecute the Church, so that on the great day of Almighty God they may be condemned to eternal punishment. And because the persecution of the Antichrist will end, the Lord will come for judgment soon after.(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) And behold, I come as a thief. The day of the Lord, as the Apostle says, as a thief, so he will come in the night; for when they shall say: Peace and security, then sudden destruction shall come upon them, as the pains upon her that is with child, and they shall not escape. Blessed are they that watch, and keep their garments, lest they walk naked, and see their shame (1 Thess. 5:2-3). The wicked, who indulge in the pleasures of the flesh and rest in the softness of their bed, and do not want to foresee the evils that follow, are fittingly called asleep. The Apostle admonishes, saying: Arise, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you (Eph. V, 4). But the righteous, who strive to foresee the evils that follow, who extinguish carnal pleasures within themselves, who fortify themselves with the weapons of virtues, so that they may constantly combat against visible and invisible enemies, are rightly called watchful, and therefore blessed. And the clothing of our souls is good works: the keeping of the clothing is the keeping of God's commandments. Therefore, we guard our clothing, if we fulfill by working what God has commanded: however, the one who is naked is the one who is devoid of good works. The impious will walk naked, when they are led away empty of good works to the judgment day; and therefore, their shamelessness will be seen, because both to the angels and to humans their crimes will be revealed.(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16.) And he will gather them in a place called in Hebrew Armageddon. Armageddon is a mountain that is interpreted as a gathering place or resurrection: both interpretations can be applied to the day of judgement. Indeed, the mountain is properly called "globosus" because the whole world will be destroyed by spheres of flames; similarly, the gathering place or resurrection is rightly called "consurrectio in priora" because all men will be restored to their former state by rising again.(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17.) And the seventh poured out his vial into the air. By this seventh angel, the holy preachers, who will exist during the time of the future Antichrist, are designated, just as we said he signifies, who is read to have sounded with the seventh trumpet above (in Chapter 9); but by the air, vain men are designated. Therefore, the angel poured out his vial into the air, because the holy preachers will proclaim to vain and impious men that they are condemned to perpetual punishment. And there came forth a loud voice from the temple, saying. The great voice is the voice of the holy preachers: by the temple, the Church is understood. Therefore, the voice came forth from the temple, because the voice of holy preaching proceeds from the Church: which is also said to have come forth from the throne: because the Church of God is the throne of God, and He rests upon it. But what this voice says, it manifests by expressing it: It has happened; that is, the end of the world is approaching, in which all things that have been predicted by the Lord and the saints will be fulfilled.(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18.) And there were lightnings and voices and thunderings, and a great earthquake occurred, such as has never been since men were on the earth, so great an earthquake. Through the miracles of lightning, which God will perform through his saints, are signified; for we read in the preceding verses, that Elijah and Enoch will perform many miracles: through the voices, the preaching of the saints is expressed: through the thunderings, the terror of eternal fire is expressed: but the earthquake often signifies the movement of hearts. Indeed, some will be moved from evil to good, such as the Jews who will believe in Christ: others will be moved from good to evil, who will abandon the faith of Christ and follow the errors of Antichrist.(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19.) And there arose a great city divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. The great city is the city of the devil, that is, the whole multitude of the unrighteous: divided into three parts, the Jews who refused to believe in Christ, and the pagans and false Christians are designated. And what he says, "And the cities of the nations fell," seems to pertain to the day of judgment. The cities of the nations will fall then, when the fire of the face of the Lord coming to judgment precedes Him, all the nations will be destroyed, as the Psalmist says: Fire shall go before Him, and shall burn His enemies round about (Psalm 96:3).And Babylon came greatly into remembrance before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of his indignation. How Babylon is said to have come into remembrance before God, to whom nothing can be added or taken away from remembrance, in whose sight both the present, the past, and the future exist? But he placed remembrance in time: therefore Babylon will come into remembrance before God, when that time comes, in which he has determined to judge the world and to render to each according to his works. But truly, wine of righteous wrath is the eternal punishment of God; for after the judgment is complete, all the wicked, together with the instigator of iniquity, the devil, will be condemned.
(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20) And every island fled, and mountains were not found. Islands and mountains have the same meaning as the cities of the nations, which were said to have fallen a little earlier; for by islands the nations are meant, and by mountains their rulers are designated; they are said to flee when they are destroyed by fire on the day of judgment.(Vers. 21.)
(Verse 21.) And great hail, like a talent, descends from heaven upon men. In the Gospel it is written that a certain householder, going on a journey, gave his servants five talents, to another two, and to another one. But the first and second, trading with the talents they had received from their master, doubled them; but the third dug into the ground and hid his master's money (Matthew 25:15). Therefore, whatever temporal goods or whatever skills we have received from the Lord, they will be accounted to us according to the receipt of talents: so the righteous, who are signified by the first and second servant, double their talents; they spend the temporal goods they receive from the Lord in good works and encourage others to do good as well. But the wicked, who are signified by the third servant, hide their talents in the ground; for from the temporal goods they have received from the Lord, they nourish vices rather than virtues. By hail, which destroys and wipes out the things that grow from the earth; the vengeance of almighty God is designated, by which he will crush the wicked and send them to hell: which is said to be like a talent, because it will punish each individual according to the quality of their talent; and the more one has transgressed, the more severe torments they will be forced to endure. But what follows is very obscure: And men blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, for it was greatly magnified. For who in that strict and just judgement will dare to blaspheme God? But they are said to blaspheme, because the blasphemies of the reprobate, which they now conceal in their hearts, will be manifest to all.Chapter XVII.
(Vers. 1.)
(Version 1.) And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying: As mentioned earlier, under the sound of the trumpet of the seventh angel, summarizing the day of judgment, he returned to what he had previously omitted; and describing the holy Church under the image of a woman, clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet, he connects the sufferings she endured from the devil and those she will suffer from the Antichrist at the end of the world. In the same way, under the pouring out of the seventh angel's bowl, briefly touching on the day of judgment, he returns to what he omitted and, under the image of a prostitute woman, describes the city of the devil and reveals the punishments she will suffer for her crimes in the following. But holding a vial, he designates the holy preachers: but John holds the type of all the faithful; hence it is also added:(Vers. 2.)
(Version 2.) I will show you the damnation of the great harlot who is seated upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have become drunk with the wine of her prostitution. This harlot, in some places, specifically represents Rome, which at that time persecuted the Church of God; but in a more general sense, it symbolizes the city of the devil, that is, the whole body of the reprobate. Therefore, the angel showed John the damnation of the great harlot, because holy preachers, both in their words and writings, reveal the punishments that the wicked suffer for their crimes, so that those who are terrified by these punishments may abstain from sin. She who is said to sit upon many waters; because from the multitude of peoples, which are designated by waters, the city of the devil is built: with which the kings of the earth are said to have fornicated; because they have increased the crimes of Babylon rather than destroying them. And all who inhabit the earth have become drunk from the wine of her prostitution. The wine of her prostitution is various errors, the diverse crimes of the impious city; for just as a prostitute offers herself to all who want to fornicate with her, so all the impious are subjected to demons, obeying their wicked suggestions, and fall into all kinds of crimes, as the prophet speaks to Jerusalem saying: And you have made your body like the earth, and like a road to passers-by (Isaiah 51:23). But the inhabitants of the earth are all called wicked; but drunkenness is the wickedness of Babylon: for just as a drunkard is filled with wine until he becomes alienated from his own mind: so the wicked fill themselves with all wickedness until they become alienated from their own minds, rejecting the fear of God and all goodness from themselves, as the blessed Job says, because they drink iniquity like water (Job 15:16).(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) And he carried me away into the desert in spirit: and I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The desert signifies the multitude of the impious, because they have forsaken God and therefore have been abandoned by God. Therefore, in the desert, a prostitute woman is found, because the city of the devil consists of a multitude of wicked people. The beast, as he explains in the following, signifies the devil himself. The scarlet beast also has the color of blood, and often death is represented by blood. Therefore, the devil is bloodthirsty because he is the author of death and all destruction. This beast is said to be full of names of blasphemy because the devil himself is the author of all blasphemies. However, the angel explains in the following passages what the seven heads and ten horns are.(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and the uncleanliness of her fornication. Purple is dyed with blood, and scarlet has the color of blood, and they are royal garments, by which secular power is symbolized: but by blood, death is often symbolized. Therefore, purple and scarlet have the appearance of blood; because secular power is deadly, and brings eternal danger to those who embrace it more than heavenly glory. We can also understand through the bloodstained garments the works of the wicked, for which they will be condemned to eternal death. And what follows: And adorned with gold; wisdom is often symbolized by gold. Therefore, the woman was adorned with gold; because she possessed the wisdom of this age, which is foolishness in the eyes of God. But by gems and pearls, secular eloquence is symbolized: by the golden cup, which is said to have been held in her hand, the teaching of philosophers and poets is symbolized: which is said to be full of abominations and the filth of her fornication: because the teaching of philosophers and poets was full of lies, and composed of all errors to deceive the human race.(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5.) And on her forehead was written a name, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of fornications and abominations of the earth. By the forehead and face, a person is recognized; likewise, the wicked are understood by their deeds, as Solomon says: By his actions, a young man is known (Prov. 20:11). Therefore, by the forehead and face, the works of the wicked are identified; for they are understood by their deeds to be the children of the devil and citizens of the impious city.(Vers. 6.)
(Ver. 6.) And I saw a woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. Did Babylon drink the blood of the saints? But she was drunk, that is, alienated from all spiritual reason: she was drunk; because the vengeance of the blood of the saints had made her so damnably wicked, and alien from the mercy of God, that she was not worthy to be able to contribute in any way to her own salvation. And I marveled when I saw her, with great admiration. The faithful are amazed when they see the reprobate so alienated from the fear of God that they freely commit many evils without any hesitation and immerse themselves in all sorts of vices, knowing that God does not leave any sin unpunished unless it has first been wiped out through repentance and other remedies by which sins are healed.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) And the angel said to me, 'Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has seven heads and ten horns. The same meaning is held by the beast in this place, which as we said above, signifies the devil. But what the seven heads and ten horns signify, he himself, as we said, explains in the following. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to ascend from the bottomless pit and go to destruction.' The beast, that is the devil, existed before the coming of Christ, possessing the human race; but now, that is, he does not possess the human race as before; because he has been expelled from the hearts of the elect by Christ: but he will ascend from the abyss; because in the times of the Antichrist, Satan will be released from his prison, and he will come out and deceive all nations, as the following events more fully reveal: and he will go to destruction; because he will be condemned to eternal punishment with all the reprobate whom he has deceived, and with all his followers.(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8) And the inhabitants of the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life since the foundation of the world, seeing the beast that was, and is not. The inhabitants of the earth are those whom we must understand to be lovers of the earth rather than of God, whom the Antichrist will easily deceive. Therefore, the reprobate, whose names are not written in the Book of Life, that is, those who are not predestined to eternal life, will marvel, seeing the beast, that is, the devil working signs through the Antichrist, and worshiping the devil in the Antichrist.(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9) And here is the meaning, which has wisdom: that is, in what follows, there is great obscurity, and the understanding must be very sharpened to comprehend it. And let us pray to the Lord, that He may open this obscurity to us.(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) There are seven heads and seven mountains, on which the woman sits; and there are seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and another has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain for a short time. We have previously said that these seven heads of the dragon are designated as wicked, through whom the devil has deceived the human race, whom we have also divided into seven parts, just like the rest of the multitude of the wicked. And because this beast, of which we speak, has the same significance as the dragon, which we said it had; for they designate the devil: the same significance is also had by the seven heads of the beast, which we said the seven heads of the dragon had. They are called mountains because those who deceived others were more wicked than those who were deceived by them, as it is said in the following about Babylon: For her sins have reached unto heaven (Inf. c. 18). Nevertheless, they are also called seven kings because they led the others to destruction. Therefore, it is said that the prostitute sits upon these mountains because the city of the devil is influenced by them in all errors and crimes. For just as the apostles are called the foundation of the Church, so the inventors of errors are the foundation of the city of the devil. Therefore, out of those heads, or mountains, or kings, five fell, while one had not yet come. The first head of the devil had fallen, because those who existed before the flood, through whom those who were called the sons of God were deceived, had descended into the sewer of hell (Gen. 6:2). Similarly, the second who existed after the flood until the Law, were held in the same pit of destruction, sunk in darkness. And the third had fallen, who were urging the people of God, to whom the Law was given, to worship idols. Similarly, the false prophets, who are placed in the fourth place, had already fallen into the destruction of their perdition, because they had deceived the people of God. But the wicked Jews, who killed the Lord and persecuted his apostles, who are placed in the fifth place; at the time when this vision was shown to John, they had already been devastated by the Romans. So five heads of the beast had already fallen, which are called mountains and kings; because all the previous ones, and the wicked Jews who are placed in the fifth place, were already paying the punishments of their own destruction. One was left; because the pagans, namely those who persecuted the Church of God, who are also placed in the sixth place, were persecuting the Church of God at that time; for which reason this John was held in exile on the island of Patmos. Another had not yet come; because the Antichrist, who is placed in the seventh place, had not yet come: and when he comes, he must stay for a short time; because the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth, and will destroy him by the splendor of his coming, as he himself says in the Gospel: And unless the Lord had shortened those days, that is, the days of the persecution of the Antichrist, all flesh would not be saved (Mark 13:20); indicating only the chosen ones through every flesh.(Vers. 11.)
(Ver. 11.) And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the beast that was, which is the devil, ruled over the human race before the coming of Christ, and now does not hold that dominion as he did then, he is indeed the eighth beast. For the seven heads are the various wicked ones, and the eighth part is the devil with the other demons. He is of the seven, because demons arise from the society of the wicked ones, and just as they were authors of their destruction, so they will also be companions in their torments. And so it follows: And it goes towards destruction. These things that follow, up to the place where the Angel from heaven was seen descending, pertain specifically to the destruction of the Roman Empire.(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12) And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings for one hour after the beast. The four beasts that were shown to Daniel in the vision (Dan. 7:3) represent four kingdoms: the fourth beast, which was strong and terrifying, represents the Romans, and it is described as having ten horns, which symbolize the kings who destroyed the Roman Empire, as Saint Jerome explains following the assertion of some (Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 7). Therefore, the ten horns in this place have the same meaning as those that are said to have had; for they signify the kingdoms through which the Roman Empire was destroyed. First, they took away a part of Asia on their own; but later the Saracens subjected it entirely. The Vandals claimed Africa for themselves, the Goths Spain, the Lombards Italy, the Burgundians Gaul, the Franks Germany, and the Huns Pannonia. However, the Alans and Suebi devastated many places that were subject to their rule. Therefore, these kingdoms, at the time when this vision was shown to John, had not yet received power: but they received power as kings for one hour; because the power of each of these nations remained for a short time. After the beast, they received a kingdom, because the impious power of these nations was received after the kingdom of the devil was destroyed through Christ.(Vers. 13, 14.)
(Verse 13, 14.) They will have one purpose, they have handed over their power and authority to the beast. They had one purpose, that is, one desire for evil. They handed over their power and authority to the beast; because their power and authority was devilish. They will fight against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them. They fought against the Lamb, those who persecuted the Church of God and killed the people of God: But the Lamb will conquer them, because we know that these nations, except for a few, have already taken up the yoke of the faith of Christ. Since the King of kings is the Lord of lords, and those who are called, chosen, and faithful are with Him. Those who are kings and rulers are themselves chosen and faithful. Therefore, Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, because He is the King and Lord of all the saints. And those who are called, chosen, and faithful are the same as the saints, who are called to remain with Him forever, chosen and faithful by right. For they are called reprobate, as the Lord says: Many are called, but few are chosen (Matt. 20:16). But the reprobate are called for this purpose, that they may be without excuse; but the chosen, that they may persevere with Him forever.(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) And the ten horns that you saw on the beast: these will hate the whore. The whore is called Rome, which pursued its creator God for the defense of false gods. Therefore, the ten horns hated the whore, when the nations designated by the ten horns took up arms to destroy the Roman Empire. And they will make her desolate and naked. They made her desolate and naked when all the nations deprived her of power. And they ate its flesh. Because delicacies nourish the flesh, we can understand the riches of all nations through the flesh. They ate its flesh, when they received the wealth of all nations, which were brought to Rome, and they used it for themselves. And they will burn it with fire. We know that many cities, towns, and fortresses, which were subject to the Roman empire, were burned by these nations.(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17.) For God has put into their hearts to fulfill His purpose and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. God has put into their hearts, that is, He has allowed them to do what is pleasing to them and what has been predicted by His prophets and apostles, who foretold that the power of the Roman Empire would be destroyed by those nations. But they have given their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled; for according to the just permission of God, the temptations of the devil in perpetrating crimes of this age continue as long as the words of God are fulfilled, that is, until they are fulfilled, which have been predicted by God and His saints.(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and languages. Through these waters, all the nations which the Romans had subjugated are represented.(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18.) And the woman whom you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth. This is clear; for we know that at that time the Romans ruled over all the kings of the earth. But someone might say: How are the Romans represented by a prostitute woman, when in those times, when these different nations brought various calamities upon the human race, the Romans became Christians? To which we respond that by the prostitute woman, not the chosen ones who were from the same nation are understood, and who for the love of heavenly glory despised the glory of the world: but rather the reprobate, whether they were pagans or Christians. So their power was destroyed by those nations who oppressed the human race with wicked domination.Chapter XVIII.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1) After this, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. What follows, in general, pertains to the impious city, that is, to all the wicked. And in order to demonstrate more fully the destruction of Babylon, it returns to its initial ruin, by which it was overthrown through Christ. For this angel signifies Christ, who deigned to come down from heaven to earth, in order to uplift mankind to heavenly things. He is said to have great power; because he has the same power as the Father; because he is equal to the Father in all things. The Earth is illuminated by his glory; because through the teaching of his faith, the human race has emerged from the darkness of ignorance and unbelief.(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'The voice of Christ is the teaching of the Gospel.' But what this voice cried out, it manifests by subduing: 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.' It is the saying of God; for He Himself said that Babylon has fallen, because He Himself caused it to fall: which is said to have fallen twice, because it fell first, when through the teaching of the Gospel it lost a great multitude of the elect, who were separated from it by the faith of Christ and became citizens of the holy city, that is, the Church: it will fall a second time, when in the last day it will be punished with eternal death, which is called the second death in this book. And a dwelling place for demons was made. Did demons not dwell in Babylon before the coming of Christ? They did indeed dwell, but their dwelling place was not known. But when a multitude of the elect was converted to faith, Babylon became a dwelling place for demons; because those who received the faith of Christ truly knew that the dwelling place of demons in Babylon had always existed. And it is the custody of every unclean spirit, and the custody of every unclean and detestable bird. Who are demons, they are unclean spirits, and unclean birds. They are called birds because just as winds continuously roam through this air, they constantly roam about. They are called custodians of Babylon because just as angels guard the chosen ones of God so that they do not sin so terribly that they perish, demons also watch over the wicked so that they never repent of their iniquities and be saved.(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) Because all the nations have drunk the wine of her wrath, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich from the power of her luxury. Regarding what the wine of wrath is and what the fornication of the kings with Babylon is, we have briefly explained above. By the merchants of the earth, we can understand the lovers of the world who sacrifice their souls for the acquisition of money. Concerning such merchants, Jesus son of Sirach speaks, saying: For he has made his soul available for sale; for in his life he has cast aside his deepest self (Eccl. 20:10). He had a soul for sale, who was not afraid to hand it over to demons in exchange for money; but he calls the pleasures of Babylon virtue, because just as the chosen ones labor with all their virtue in order to acquire heavenly riches, so too the wicked exert themselves with all their efforts to accumulate perishable riches for themselves. Concerning such people, the prophet says: 'They have labored to act unjustly' (Jeremiah 9:5).(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) And I heard another voice from heaven saying, 'Through heaven in this place the Church is designated: the voice from heaven is the voice of the preachers proceeding from the Church. But what does this voice say? Come forth from her, my people.' The Lord persuades His chosen ones through His preachers to come forth from Babylon, not in body, but in mind. However, He teaches how they should come forth from Babylon in the following, saying: 'And be not partakers of her sins.' Those truly come forth from Babylon who make themselves strangers to her evil works, as the Psalmist speaks of himself, saying: 'I have not sat in the council of vanity, neither have I gone in with the wicked' (Psalm 26:4).And do not partake in her plagues. What are the plagues of Babylon, if not vices that destroy souls? We can also understand by the plagues of Babylon the punishments that are prepared for the wicked, so the meaning is: If you abstain from the sins of Babylon, you will be free from the eternal punishments that it will suffer.
(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5) Because his sins have reached up to heaven, and God has remembered his iniquities. The almighty God always looks upon the iniquities of Babylon, but since He does not exact revenge, it seems as though He does not see what He sees. Therefore, by saying this, He designates the time in which all the wicked will be punished with everlasting torment.(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) Give to him, as he has given to you. It is commanded to the chosen ones, to give back to Babylon, as she has given to them, whether it be for the reason that the saints of God will judge the wicked, as the Lord says in the Gospel: In the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew XIX, 28): or whether it be for the reason that they are his members, to whom the power of judgment has been given by the Father. Therefore, the just will be avenged on the wicked, who have caused them suffering; for Christ, who is their head and of whom they are the members, will condemn them to eternal punishment. And their deeds will be repaid double according to their works. Babylon, chosen by God, was twice persecuted: it inflicted many evils on their bodies and souls. Likewise, it will receive double punishment; for as their bodies were tormented, so will their souls be; and their deeds will be doubly repaid, as they will receive eternal punishment in addition to the temporal and brief punishments that they afflicted upon the just. In the cup which he mixed for you, mix for him double. Through the cup of tribulations that the holy ones have suffered from the wicked, we can understand.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7) As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her so much torment and grief. As much as she has glorified herself, that is, exalted herself in pride and become entangled in all vices, she will receive even greater torments. For in her heart she says, 'I sit as a queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.' She calls herself a queen in a sense, when she exalts herself in the prosperity of this world. She says she is not a widow because she does not believe that she can be separated from the temporal goods to which she is attached and from which she nourishes her luxury. She says that she will not see grief; because the wicked, although they know that they are to be punished for their crimes, pretend not to see what they see, and they reject the remembrance of death from their mind, so that sorrowful thoughts do not disturb the joy of their heart.(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8) Therefore, in one day her plagues will come: death, mourning, and famine. In the day of judgment, eternal death will come upon her, which is called the second death in this book. Mourning will come upon her, as the Lord says in the Gospel: There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12). Famine will come upon her, that is, a famine of rest; for they will desire to rest from the punishments they endure, but they will never attain that rest.(Vers. 9, 10.)
(v. 9, 10.) And she shall be burned with fire; that is, with eternal fire. For the Lord is strong, who shall judge her. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication with her and have lived in luxury, shall weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing far off for fear of her torment, saying: Woe, woe, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come! We have already spoken of the fornication of the kings with Babylon; but it is very strange that they are said to stand far off, when they themselves are to be drowned in the same punishments as the other wicked ones who are designated through Babylon. Therefore, they will stand far away in mind and will, not in body; horrifying their own crimes, for which they will be eternally tormented. They will stand longing for something else, desiring another, that is, rest; and enduring another, that is, eternal torment.(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11) And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her; for no one buys their merchandise anymore. For we have previously stated that those designated by the merchants of the earth are lovers of the world, in this place we can consider them as merchants who seem to do good and sell it. There are indeed many who have been given knowledge of secular laws and carry the causes of the poor in court; but because they do this not out of love for God, but for the sake of receiving rewards, they do not receive their payment from God. Indeed, this misery has become so prevalent that scarcely could you find anyone among those who hold a position with the rulers who would utter a single word in support of providing for the needs of their impoverished neighbors without accepting a reward. We can also understand through the merchants of the land, those who seek praise from men for the good they do. We can also understand through the same people, those who sell ecclesiastical ranks, which divine Scripture strongly condemns. And although many of the bishops seem immune from this crime, their ministers often become polluted by it; but it is the responsibility of the teachers to address whatever wrongs are committed by the students. There is also another very serious crime committed by those who are called archdeacons; for they accept payment from adulterous priests and, by remaining silent, they consent to the evil that they could correct through the authority they have received from the bishops. There are also others among these priests who, fearing to be condemned for their crimes, are more diligent in the service of the archdeacons than the others. Against those who dare to speak against them, they defend themselves. And they pretend not to know what they know, and they are condemned by that prophetic saying which says: Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20)! So I speak to you, who are such: behold, you have sold the soul of the priest to the devil. For who persuaded the priest to fornicate, if not the devil? Therefore, he who persuaded him to fornicate also persuaded him to give you a price, so that he could perpetrate this wickedness without fear. Therefore, by the hand of the priest, the devil gave you the price of the destruction of his own soul. Behold, you have received the price, and you have handed over the soul of your brother, redeemed by the blood of Christ, to the same devil from whom it was redeemed. In the Law it is written: 'Whoever sells a man, whether he is his brother, shall be put to death' (Exodus 21:16). Therefore, if that person is guilty who sells a man to another man, how much more guilty are you who have sold a man redeemed by the blood of Christ, not to a man, but to what is more harmful, the devil! Such merchants will weep and mourn in hell, for no one will buy their goods anymore; for they will lose what they seemed to possess, and will fall into the evil they neglected to foresee.(Vers. 12, 13, 14)
(Verses 12, 13, 14). The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, and cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. In all the things that have been listed, the greed of Babylon and the extravagance are condemned. For even in the judgment the Lord will not say to the reprobates: Go, you cursed, into the eternal fire; for you have been murderers, proud, fornicators, adulterers; but he will say: I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat: I was thirsty, and you did not give me to drink; and other works of mercy, from which greed removes the wicked, so that they may not be merciful towards the poor. For avarice is indeed the nurse of luxury: and the nourishments of luxury are described in this place, by which avarice is nourished. And if we wish to look closely, we will find that all the things which are enumerated in this place for the purpose of demonstrating the avarice or luxury of Babylon, pertain to the five senses of the body. For there are five senses of the body, that is, sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch, which God has given to humans and animals; to animals for the preservation of their life only, but to humans for the preservation of life and also so that through them, reason, which has been entrusted to the soul, might be able to lead in the way of righteousness. Therefore, those who have striven to walk according to the right reason through these five senses of the body have acquired friendship with almighty God. However, the wicked, who pervert the good of reason into evil, have been compelled to serve these senses of the body in lust and other vices, and yet they have incurred the wrath of the just Judge. Therefore, if you wish to join those things which are written in the following passage, namely the voices of harpists and musicians, and the flute of singers and the trumpet, you will find that all the riches of Babylon, which are described here, pertain to the five senses of the body, as we have said above. For gold, silver, precious stones and pearls, they relate to sight; fine linen, purple, scarlet, and other things relate to touch; cinnamon, spices, ointments, and incense relate to smell; wine, oil, flour, wheat, and other things relate to taste; the sound of harpists, musicians, and singers playing the flute relates to hearing. Therefore, the condemnation of Babylon, as this Scripture demonstrates, primarily resides in its wealth; for wealth is the nourishment of vices, and from it greed, which can now be called the queen of the world, nourishes its luxury.(Vers. 15, 16, 17.)
(Vers. 15, 16, 17.) Those who became rich will stand far away from her because of the fear of her torments, weeping and mourning, and saying, 'Woe, woe, that great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! For in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!' When it is said that the rich of Babylon will stand far away, according to the higher sense that we have spoken of concerning kings, it is to be understood.(Vers. 18, 19.)
(Vrs. 18, 19.) And every pilot, and all who sail into the lake, and the sailors who work on the sea, stood far off, and cried out, seeing the place of its fire, saying: What city is like this great city? And they threw dust on their heads, weeping and mourning, and saying: Woe, woe, that great city, in which all who had ships at sea grew rich from her wealth; for in one hour she has been laid waste! We can travel through the sea in this century: but truly understand the unjust leaders through the helmsmen: and through those who navigate from place to place, and through the sailors who work in the sea, those who exercise different occupations in plundering the poor, and in daily increasing their own sins in the world. Therefore, they will weep and mourn, seeing the place of the burning of Babylon; for they themselves will be Babylon, and they will mourn and weep. They will indeed see the burnings of Babylon, because by enduring their own burnings, they will see the things which, being placed in the mind of the century, they have neglected to observe in order to correct themselves. They are also said to have put ashes on their heads; for often through the head sins are symbolized by ashes. Therefore, they will put ashes on their heads; for the memory of sins will never depart from their minds.(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20) Rejoice over her, heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets; for God has avenged you on her. By heaven we may understand the angels, by the apostles the Fathers of the New Testament, and by the prophets the Fathers of the Old Testament. Therefore they shall rejoice, when the whole multitude of the wicked shall be destroyed together with the authors of iniquity. They shall rejoice also because then shall end all malice, and everlasting justice shall be brought in.(Vers. 21.)
(Verse 21.) And one strong angel took a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying: Thus with violence shall Babylon the great be thrown down, and it shall be found no more. This angel signifies Christ, who is called strong; for the strength of Christ is beyond what the human mind can comprehend. The great millstone represents the entire multitude of the wicked, and the sea represents the infernal abyss where all the wicked will be submerged. Therefore, the angel cast a millstone into the sea; for our Lord Jesus Christ, on the day of judgment, will cast down all the multitude of the wicked into hell by His righteous judgment.(Vers. 22, 23.)
(Verses 22, 23.) And the sound of harpists, musicians, flute players, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. This was previously mentioned. And every craftsman, and every craft shall not be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore, and the light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of the bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. We must inquire why the arts, the sound of a millstone, the light of a lamp, and the voice of the bridegroom and bride are considered among the sins of Babylon; when all these things can be pursued without guilt, and human life cannot continue without them. Therefore, all of these things should be understood spiritually. We can, therefore, through the arts of the wisdom of this world, which is foolishness before God (1 Corinthians 3:19), understand what the wicked artisans and sons of Babylon learn for this purpose, so that they may progress in the wickedness of Babylon; for they are wise to do evil, but they do not know how to do good (Jeremiah 4:22). However, the mill grinds and crushes whatever it receives: therefore, we can receive wicked judges through the mill. Therefore, the mill sends forth its voice, when wicked judges pronounce unjust judgments to crush the innocent. But through the light of the lamp, the glory of this world is signified: concerning this lamp, Scripture says, 'The lamp of the wicked will be extinguished' (Prov. XXIV, 20). Indeed, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished when they are taken away from this life, they lose temporal joy, and incur eternal sadness. Nevertheless, we can understand through the groom the lovers of this world, and through the bride the earth; because just as love binds the groom and the bride, to become one flesh: so the love of the world joins its lovers to the earth, to become one with it, from which, if it were possible, they would never want to be separated forever. Therefore, the craftsmen in Babylon will no longer be heard; for they will be condemned forever. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth. The Church has its merchants, and so does Babylon: the merchants of the Church store their treasures in heaven, where thieves do not dig and steal (Matt. 6:19); but the merchants of Babylon store their treasures on earth, where thieves dig and steal. And all nations have been led astray by your sorceries. The witchcraft of Babylon is various errors, through which the human race is deceived.(Vers. 24.)
(Verse 24) And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints and of all who have been slain on the earth. The blood of saints was found in her, that is, the crime of killing saints, as the Lord says to the wicked Jews in the understanding of all reprobates: 'Upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth' (Matthew 23:35).Chapter XIX.
(Vers. 1-8.)
(Vers. 1-8.) And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunderings, saying: Alleluia, salvation, and glory, and power to our God; for true and just are his judgments, because he hath judged the great harlot which corrupted the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said: Alleluia; and her smoke rose up forever and ever. And the four and twenty ancients, and the four living creatures fell down and adored God that sitteth upon the throne, saying: Amen. Alleluia. And a loud voice came out from the throne, saying: Praise our God, all you his saints, and you who fear him, both small and great. And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying: Alleluia, for the Lord our God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad, and give glory to him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has prepared herself. And it was given to her to clothe herself in bright, shining linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.I have given the whole sentence, so that its careful subtlety can be more easily investigated from all sides. For it is read that the word 'alleluia' has been sung five times with seven voices: first and second by the voice of many trumpets, third by the twenty-four elders and four living creatures, fourth by the voice that came from the throne, not anymore 'alleluia' but its interpretation is sung, that is: Praise our God, all you his saints; alleluia indeed means praise the Lord. However, it is sung in three voices, that is, in the voice of a great trumpet, and in the voice of many waters, and in the voice of great thunder. The script of this book often shows that the whole multitude of the chosen ones is to be divided into seven parts, if one investigates its meaning more deeply. Therefore, the righteous who were before the flood belong to the first part: those who belong to the second part are the ones who lived after the flood until the giving of the Law, as we have often shown. And they had no other law except the natural law, that is, the love of God and neighbor. For everyone knows that they ought to fear and above all love the one by whom they were created, and from whom they receive life and its supports; and that they have no right to do to others what they do not wish to suffer themselves. This law is not allowed to be ignored by anyone who is of sound mind. Therefore, by many trumpets, those chosen who were before the flood, and who were chosen after the flood until the time when the Law was given, are designated. They sent forth a voice, because through the teaching of their preaching, they recalled from their errors whomever they were able; they sang alleluia, because they tried to please God by good works according to the knowledge of the natural law; they said alleluia again, because those who were after the flood, living according to the same law, lived justly and clung to their creator. But we must ask ourselves, why is it said in the second pronunciation that the smoke of Babylon will ascend forever and ever. The smoke can be a sign of fame. We know that in the second part, Noah and his sons are mentioned first, during whose time the human race was destroyed by the waters of the flood. Afterwards, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the other cities that clung to them, were destroyed by heavenly fire. Therefore, the smoke of Babylon ascends forever and ever, because this fame will never depart from the mouths of the faithful.
But indeed, by twenty-four elders, the fathers who were under the Law are designated. Four animals are joined to them, through which the new Testament is figured; because if it is understood spiritually in the old Testament, the new is contained. They sang Alleluia; because observing the legal commandments, they endeavored to please God through good works. But through the throne, the prophets are designated, because they were the seats of God, and through them He disposed His judgments. A voice came forth from the throne: for a sacred preaching came forth from the prophets. They sang praise to God; for they endeavored to serve Him with all their might. The great trumpet signifies Christ: the voice of the trumpet is the preaching of the Gospel; but through the voice of many waters, the multitude of nations confessing Christ is designated: but through the voice of mighty thunderings, the chosen ones who will be born at the end of the world are understood: and rightly through thunders, for they will announce the terror of the day of judgment. Therefore, three times the voices have sung alleluia; because they have preserved and will preserve the faith of the Holy Trinity and the teaching of the Gospel, which has come forth from the great trumpet, that is, from Christ, until the end. Therefore, the first and second parts, that is, the first and second, pertain to the law which we said is natural; the two that follow, that is, the third and fourth, pertain to the law which was given through Moses: but the three that remain, that is, the fifth and sixth, and seventh, pertain to the law of the Gospel; so that they may indicate that they ought to remain in the faith of the Holy Trinity until the end of the world.
But let us hear what these three parts chant: Alleluia, for the Lord our Almighty God has reigned; that is, let us praise the Lord; because, having destroyed the kingdom of the devil, our perverter, He deigns to reign in us, who is our Lord and Savior. Let us rejoice and exult, and give glory to Him; because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself. Therefore, let us rejoice, therefore let us exult, because the mercy of our Creator has deigned to join His Church, which we are, to Himself, as a bride is joined to her bridegroom; so that we may be one flesh with Him, as Scripture says: They shall be two in one flesh (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:32); which the Apostle taught should be understood of Christ and the Church. His wife has prepared herself, that is, the Church which is called the wife of the Lamb, has adorned herself with various virtues. And it was given to her to clothe herself in bright white linen. He himself explains what linen signifies: For the linen is the righteousness of the saints.
(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9) And he said to me: Write, blessed are those who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb. The lunch of the chosen ones is now, when they are nourished with evangelical banquets in the Church: but the dinner will then be, when after the resurrection they will enjoy eternal glory in heavenly bliss. And because the lunch that is now taking place receives both the good and the bad, not all those who are seen reclining at it are blessed: but only those who will be received in that dinner, which is to come after the end of the world.(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10.) And he said to me: These words of God are true. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me: See that you do not do that; I am a servant like you and your brothers who bear testimony to Jesus. Worship God. The redemption of the blood of Christ has granted this to the faithful, that they may become children of God and associates of the angels; therefore the angel is afraid to be worshipped by a man who worships a man as God. Thus he calls himself the servant of John and of the other faithful. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy; and it is most certain that the fathers of the Old Testament, who predicted the coming, passion, and resurrection of Christ, had the spirit of prophecy, for which reason they are called prophets. Therefore, whoever bears witness to Christ has the spirit of prophecy.(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he who sat on it was called Faithful and True. We should not in any way understand that this chapter refers to the coming of Christ, in which he is coming to judgement; but rather to the chosen ones, who will be born at the end of the world; for indeed, as the end of the world approaches, the Lord will come in his saints, to fight through them against the Antichrist and his ministers. And just as he will be preached by those saints, his appearance is described in this place; for by heaven, the Church is signified: by the white horse, is signified the man whom the Son of God assumed, and on whom he was seen to sit. He is also called faithful and true. These two names, namely faithful and true, have the same meaning in this place. Rightly the Son of God is called faithful, of whom the Psalmist says: The Lord is faithful in all his words, and holy in all his works (Psalm 145:13). He calls himself true in the Gospel, saying: I am the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6). It follows: And he judges and fights with righteousness. On the day of judgment, God will not fight against the wicked with weapons, but they will be conquered and crushed by His justice; for the Lord will bring forth before them all the sins and crimes of the wicked, so that they may know that they are condemned by the most just judgment of God.(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12) His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems. Through the eyes of the Lord, the Spirit of God is signified, as the author of this book explains in the third vision: The Lamb had, he says, seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent into all the earth. And because fire both burns and illuminates, the Holy Spirit is appropriately called fiery; because it both illuminates and inflames the hearts of the faithful with the love of God. And on his head were many crowns. Through the many crowns, the multitude of saints is expressed. He has a name written that no one knows but himself. Although he previously said that he was called faithful and true, and shortly after that he was called the Word of God, what does he mean when he says that no one knows his name except himself? The saints of God certainly know the name of Christ, which is the Son of God, and yet they do not know. They know in part and they do not know in part, for in all creatures that are begotten and beget, no coeternal son can be to the Father. For it is necessary that he who generates precedes and he who is generated follows. But such is not the nature of the Son of God, for just as the Father is without beginning, so is the Son. And although how this can be done, we cannot understand; yet in truth we believe and confess the Son to be equal and coeternal with the Father. Concerning his generation, the prophet speaks, saying: Who will describe his generation (Isaiah 53:8)?(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13) And he was clothed in a robe sprinkled with blood: and his name was called The Word of God. We can understand through the robe the body of Christ: but through the blood our sins, for which he himself died, or the death that he endured for us. But because he has destroyed the sins of his chosen ones by dying, and has trampled down death itself by rising again, as the apostle Paul says: Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, death shall no more have dominion over him (Rom. VI, 9); it seems better to me that we understand by the robe of Christ the multitude of saints, who are his members: but by the drops of blood, with which the robe is said to be sprinkled, the martyrs are designated, who did not hesitate to shed their blood for the love of Christ; and therefore they adorn the robe of Christ, which consists of angels and holy men, with their splendor in that heavenly beatitude.(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14.) And the armies that are in heaven, they followed him on white horses, clothed in white linen, clean and bright. We have said above that just as Christ will be preached by the saints at the end of the world, so also his figure is described in this place. Therefore, by heaven in this place, the Church is meant; by the armies that were seen following Christ, who came forth from heaven, the saints who will be born at the end of the world and will fight against the Antichrist are understood; but by the horses, bodies are meant; and by the riders of horses, souls are designated. Therefore, they seemed to have white horses because they will present themselves clean and shining, as much as human frailty allows, in the sight of God. He explains what byssinum is: 'Byssinum,' he says, 'are the justifications of the saints.'(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16.) And he had written on his garment and on his thigh: King of kings, and Lord of lords. By his garment, as we have said above, the saints are signified: but by his thigh, from which human origin is said to proceed, the man whom Christ assumed is designated. Therefore, on his garment, he had written that he is the King of kings, because in the works of the saints, it is recognized that he is the true God who possesses such servants. And on his thigh, he had written that he is the King of kings and Lord of lords; for in the works that he performed in the flesh, it is known that he is the true Son of God. We can also understand through the thigh the fathers of the Old Testament, from whose lineage Christ derived his origin: they both foreshadowed him and openly proclaimed with words that he himself would be the King of kings and Lord of lords.(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) And out of his mouth came a sharp sword. We can receive through the mouth of the Lord the same preachers, of whom we have spoken, who will be born at the end of the world, through whose mouth God will speak, as he himself said in the Gospel: For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you (Matthew 10:20). And he himself says through the prophet: If you separate the precious from the vile, you will be like my mouth (Jeremiah 15:19). But indeed, as we have said above, we must understand the divine Scripture as a sword, as the apostle Paul says: And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). It is said to be sharp because the divine Scripture is very sharp for cutting off vices. So that it strikes the nations in itself. Christ will strike the nations with His sword when He destroys the errors of foolish men through the teaching of His saints. And He will rule them with an iron rod, and they will be broken like the vessels of a potter. We have said that the iron rod represents the Gospel; therefore, Christ will rule the nations with an iron rod, when He converts them to His faith through the teaching of the saints and the Jews, and defends the chosen ones from the errors of Antichrist. And they will be broken like a clay vessel. As long as anyone remains in sin, they are rightly called a clay vessel; but when they have turned to good works through repentance and tears, the clay vessel is broken, and from the clay vessel is made a solid and firm vessel, strongest against the attacks of demonic temptations. And he himself shall tread the winepress of the fury and wrath of Almighty God. Isaiah, speaking of the passion of the Lord, interposed the Lord himself saying: I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the Gentiles there is no man with me (Isaiah 63:3). But there the winepress is understood as the cross of the Lord; here, however, it is not the cross, but a place of punishments, in which the wicked are cast down, is designated. For the winepress has the same meaning in this place as the previously mentioned lake, into which it is read that the clusters of the vineyard of the earth, by whom the wicked are designated, were immersed. But even the trampling of the winepress has the same meaning that we said the trampling of the lake has; for it signifies the final submersion of the wicked in hell. But what the wine of the fury of the wrath of almighty God is, we said above (Ch. 14).(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) And I saw another angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice to all the birds that fly in the middle of the sky. This angel represents the preachers who will come at the end of the future world, and they are also symbolized by the horsemen mentioned a little earlier. But we should understand that Christ is represented by the sun. Therefore, the angel stood in the sun because the holy preachers in Christ will be so firmly established that they cannot be driven away by any force of persecution. But through birds, all faithful people, who are going to exist at that time, are designated: they will fly through the sky, because although they are situated on earth, they will dwell in heavenly things with their minds. However, we can also understand the Church through the sky. The saints fly through the sky: because having two wings, that is, two precepts of charity, they fly everywhere, bestowing mercy on some, and calling others back from wickedness.(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18.) Come, gather together to the great feast of Almighty God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of tribunes, and the flesh of the mighty, and the flesh of horses, and those who sit upon them, and the flesh of free men and slaves, and of small and great. They are represented by kings and princes, free men and slaves, and all others, themselves by horses and their riders, namely the rulers of the earth and the people who are subject to them. But the dinner of God, what else is it, except the extermination of the wicked? However, the flesh of the wicked will be eaten by the righteous, when they receive vengeance for the evils that the wicked have inflicted upon them. And because the righteous, seeing the punishment of the wicked, make progress in good works, as the Psalmist says: The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance, they will wash their hands in the blood of the sinner (Psalm 57:11).(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19.) And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. This demonstrates that it does not pertain to the coming of the Lord according to what was said above, but rather to that time in which he will battle against the Antichrist through his saints, as we have already said. For the beasts and the kings of the earth and their armies will gather to fight against Christ and his saints, when the Antichrist and a countless multitude of nations deceived by him will rise up to persecute the Church of God, in order to completely extinguish the name of Christ from the world.(Vers. 20, 21.)
(Verse 20, 21.) And the beast was taken, and with it the false prophet, who performed signs in its presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. The beast and its false prophet will also be captured, as the Apostle Paul said: The Lord Jesus will kill them with the breath of his mouth and destroy them by the splendor of his coming (2 Thess. 2:8). If the Antichrist is to be killed by the breath of the Lord's mouth, how is he and his false prophet to be thrown into the lake of fire? There is the life of the righteous, and there is also that of the wicked. Concerning the life of the righteous, the prophet says, 'The righteous shall live by his faith' (Habakkuk 2:4). But concerning the wicked widow, Paul says, 'She who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives' (1 Timothy 5:6). The wicked, in fact, call the life of the righteous death, and similarly they consider the life of the wicked as death. As it will be declared in judgment: 'These are the ones we once held in derision and made a byword of reproach. We fools thought their life was madness and their end was without honor' (Wisdom 5:4). Therefore, the Antichrist and his false prophet will be cast alive into the pool of fire, that is, they will remain alive in their wickedness until the end of their lives. But it is said that the rest were killed by the sword of the rider on the horse, and this killing is mentioned to cause confusion; for the saints, whose teaching is symbolized by the sword of the word of the Lord, will rejoice when the Antichrist is killed, because they regarded him, the most wicked of men and worse than all men, as immortal and as a god, but it will be known that he was killed by a most terrible death. But they will be confounded and will waste away in their wickedness. Therefore, all the birds are satisfied with their flesh; because with the overthrow of the Antichrist, all the chosen ones will rejoice and exult inexpressibly, because divine mercy has delivered them from such a wicked enemy, and all those who pursued them have vanished like smoke.Caput. XX—
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) And I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. Desiring to narrate the damnation of the devil, he returns to the coming of Christ. For there are three damnations of the devil: he was first damned when, because of his wickedness, he was cast down from heavenly blessedness; his second damnation was, of which the author of this book begins to speak now, when through the death of Christ the human race was rescued from his power, and he himself, as this present writing demonstrates, was bound in the abyss; his third damnation will be when he is submerged in hell, together with all the impious, to be eternally tormented. Therefore, this angel signifies Christ: his descent from heaven is his incarnation. He himself possesses the key of the abyss, that is, of hell, because from his entry he draws back those whom he wishes, and he justly permits those whom he wishes to fall into his damnation. However, his power is indicated by the great chain.(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2) And he seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. Christ seized the ancient serpent, that is, the devil, when he destroyed his power through his death. And for a thousand years, we should understand all the time from the coming of Christ to the end of the world. Therefore, Christ bound the devil not with physical chains, but with the chains of his immense power; for by expelling him from the hearts of his chosen ones, he keeps him excluded from their deception by his divine virtue.(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) And he threw him into the abyss, and closed it, and sealed it over him; so that he would not deceive the nations anymore, until the thousand years are fulfilled: then he must be released for a short time. We can understand the binding of the devil in three ways; for we can understand it simply as meaning that by the power of Almighty God he is held bound in the abyss until a predetermined time: we can also understand it as meaning the hearts of the wicked are the abyss, within which he is excluded from the hearts of the elect and held bound and tied: we can also understand it in a third way. The devil desires nothing other than the deception of humans: and while through the protection of Almighty God, who does not cease to guard and defend his chosen ones, he is guarded against their deception, his most wicked will is bound by certain chains. But through the nations that are not allowed to be seduced, we must understand only the chosen ones: the brief time, which is said to be released after a thousand years, is the time of the Antichrist; for then, with the sins of humans committed, the devil will be given the power to fight against the human race with all his might.(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) And I saw thrones: and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. For having narrated above the order in which divine mercy daily delivers its chosen ones from the most cruel enemy, the devil, it follows that the glory to which their souls are daily led should be described; for by the thrones, the heavenly homeland is meant, and by those sitting upon them, the souls of the saints are designated: and that judgment was given to the saints, whose souls rest in heavenly bliss; we can observe this when we see demons being expelled from their graves, perjuries being frequently uncovered, and many miracles being performed. And the souls of those who were slain for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus: and who have not adored the beast nor his image, nor received his character on their foreheads or on their hands; they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. By the souls of those slain for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus, we can understand the martyrs who were killed at different times. But by those who have not adored the beast and his image, I think we should understand those who are to be killed by the Antichrist. Therefore, these (people) have lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years; for although they have been killed in body, they nevertheless live with Christ in heavenly bliss according to the soul. But we must inquire how the chosen ones, who are going to be born at the end of the world, are said to reign with Christ for a thousand years; since the period of a thousand years does not pertain to the future time, which is without end, but rather to the present time, which will be completed at the end of the world, and in which the faith of the Gospel, flourishing throughout the whole world, directs the chosen ones daily to receive eternal life. Therefore, I believe that it should be resolved in this way. The period from the ascension of Christ until the end of the world, which is designated as a thousand years, is assigned to all the chosen ones so that in it they may enjoy the celestial glory with the Lord, without bodies. And we know that all the chosen ones are members of Christ, and from many members one body is formed; and if one member boasts, all the members rejoice. Therefore, the joy of the preceding saints will still be theirs, who are to be born at the end of the world, because they will be made one body with them and will possess in others what they lack.(Vers. 5.)
(Verse 5.) But the rest did not live until the thousand years were completed. The rest, however, that is, the reprobate, did not live; because after death they are not led to life, which is given to the souls of the saints in the heavenly places: but they are plunged into hell, which is called the first death in this book.(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed is he who has a part in the first resurrection, for the second death has no power over them. We must inquire what the first resurrection is; for he would not call it the first unless there were also a second, nor would he call it the second death unless there were also a first. Therefore, we rise first through baptism from the death of the soul; but because he says that those who have a part in the first resurrection are blessed, this does not seem to me to be said about baptism; because not all who seem to rise from the death of the soul through baptism are blessed, since some, by sinning after baptism, bring death upon themselves, lying about what they promised in it, and persevering in their evils. There are also some who, after committing crimes that led to their own death, return to life through repentance, tears, and other good works, about which the Apostle speaks, saying: 'Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light' (Ephesians 5:14). But we cannot call this the first resurrection; rather, through baptism first, and then through repentance and tears, our souls are revived unto life. Therefore, it is necessary that we investigate what he calls the first resurrection.There are four stages in the life of the faithful: the first is before baptism, which is entirely evil; the second is after baptism, which can be both good and evil; for no period of the present life of the faithful can pass without some sins, as John says: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). The third is the one that is all good and to which the series of this reading pertains, which extends from the passion of Christ to the end of the world, in which the saints enjoy eternal life with the Lord without their bodies: which is also called the first resurrection; as it says: This is the first resurrection. Therefore, the time from the passion of Christ to the end of the world is called the first resurrection. The fourth life of the saints will be after the reception of their bodies, which will have no end. Therefore, because present life can rightly be called death compared to heavenly life, the saints rise again in the first resurrection when they are taken from this miserable life and placed in heavenly blessedness with the Lord.
And as this is the first resurrection of the saints, so is the first death of the wicked; when they leave the present life, and sink into punishments: but the second death will be the final condemnation, as it is explained in the following. Therefore, blessed are those who have a part in the first resurrection, and the second death has no power over them; because only those who before the end of the world will be counted worthy to be enrolled in the fellowship of the saints. For at the end of the world, when the purifying fire shall be burning, they shall be received into the holy assembly before the judgment; and in them the second death, that is, the final damnation, shall have no power; for they shall no longer be placed with the goats on the left, but with the sheep on the right. The priests of the Lord and of Christ shall sit, and shall reign with Christ for a thousand years (Matthew 25:33). By the name of priests, he comprehends all the elect; for all the elect are called priests, whether because they are members of the high priest, or because they cease not to offer themselves to God by good works.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog. This prison is referred to as the abyss. But in the meantime, a question arises: following the opinion of some, I have said that the abyss can be understood as the hearts of the wicked, in which the devil, expelled from the hearts of the faithful, is bound. So if the hearts of the reprobate are represented by the abyss, how can it be said that Satan comes out of the abyss, that is, from the hearts of the wicked, whom he will never leave? Will he abandon the wicked and invade the chosen ones? By no means. Therefore, I believe that the devil's binding according to the letter should be understood as being held in some place of the abyss by divine power, or certainly in hell until the day of his release. However, he will deceive the nations that are on the four corners of the earth; for he will spread the most impious doctrine of the Antichrist to all the nations that are contained within the four quarters of the world, and he will deceive no other nations except those that are spiritually called Gog and Magog; for Gog means "roof," and Magog means "of the roof. Therefore, by Gog, which is interpreted as 'roof', those are designated who, hiding their wickedness in their hearts, will appear just to men, while in their minds they will be reprobate to come. But Magog, which is interpreted as 'from the roof', designates those who, bursting forth from the roof of their hearts into open miseries, will demonstrate themselves to be impious to all. Therefore, the devil will easily deceive such people through the Antichrist.(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) And he will gather them in battle, their number is like the sand of the sea. He will gather them in battle, for he will arm them to persecute the Church of God. And they will rise upon the breadth of the earth, and surround the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. We have said above that the disciples of the Antichrist will be praise singers of vices and teach everything that pertains to carnal pleasures. Therefore, they will rise upon the breadth of the earth, because they will enter the vast paths of this age that lead to death. The camps of the saints and the beloved city have one meaning; they signify the Church. Therefore, the camps of the saints will surround; for they will pursue the Church of God with all their might, so as to utterly extinguish the name of Christ from the world.(Vers. 9.)
(V. 9.) And fire came down from heaven from God, and devoured them. Fire will come down from heaven; because when the Lord comes to judgment, fire will go before him, which will not only consume the whole crowd of the wicked, but also the world itself, as David speaks in the ninety-sixth Psalm, saying: Fire will go before him and will burn up his enemies all around him (Psalm 96:3). For even though the reprobate live among the elect, they are as if surrounding them; for just as enemies attack a city to capture it, so the Church is attacked by the reprobate. But also in Psalm 49 David speaks the same thing, saying: Fire shall burn before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. (Psalm 48:3) Some interpret this verse to mean that after the burning of the elements, rain will descend to wash away the ashes of the fire. But such an interpretation seems very absurd to me; for we know that rain arises from the sea and from the earth, either through vapor or through the drying up of the sun. And just as smooth water raises up from the bottom to the higher places; so does air lift water either transformed into mist or, through the heat of the sun, reduced to the thinnest smoke and almost invisible, up to those places where its completion is, and there, gathered together, first it is transformed into a dense cloud which we call clouds: then, with the wind in motion, the tiniest droplets, mixed together at the same time, and made heavy by their mixing, fall to the earth and make rain. Behold the earth, behold the air, behold the sea, and the other elements, will be consumed by fire: where then will rain come forth, especially since according to the Apostle (Rom. VIII, 21), the creature will be liberated from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God? Will not God, who created everything out of nothing, be able to cleanse His creation without the help of rain, especially when the world itself is renewed into a better and much more beautiful state after the fire? But what are ashes, if not clean earth? For whatever filth fire consumes, it turns into clean ashes. Will not God be able to restore clean ashes to a better state with another earth, so that rainwater for purification is unnecessary for him?Let us say otherwise: All the filth that is washed away either drinks in the earth or flows into rivers, and with the rivers into the sea. And how does the earth, after it has been cleansed by fire, drink in its filth, so that it becomes dirty again? Or how does it flow into rivers, and with the rivers into the sea; since the sea no longer exists, as the following passages of this book seem to admit? But if the sea is restored to a better state, like the sky and the earth, how will it become polluted by the filth of the earth? But if someone were to say that before this innovation there would be a toleration of pollution, and that in its transformation it should be reduced to nothing; then God would not be able to, just as in water, so also in earth, reduce the same filth to nothing, so that it would not be necessary for it to flow into the sea? Therefore, through a powerful storm we can understand the ultimate destruction of the impious, which Wisdom testifies through Solomon that it will bring upon the impious in their final examination, saying: I too will laugh at your destruction, and I will mock when what you feared has come upon you; when sudden calamity comes rushing in, and destruction like a storm descends (Prov. I, 26).
And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. This will be fulfilled when the Lord says: 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels' (Matthew 25:41).
(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) And they were tormented day and night forever and ever. May the mercy of our redeemer deign to free us from this torment, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, amen.De Visione Sexta.
By the abundant mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have reached the sixth vision, which is shorter than the others; because in it the general resurrection, the damnation of the wicked, and the glorification of the righteous are described only briefly. And rightly in the sixth place, the ultimate resurrection is placed; because the number six is perfect, and whatever has been promised to the saints, will be fulfilled in the resurrection.(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) And I saw a great and white throne, and someone sitting on it. This throne of God will not be adorned with gold and gems, but with righteous people; for this is the throne about which the Psalmist says: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom (Psalm 45:7). Therefore, the throne of God is the whole multitude of angels and saints. At the sight of Him, the earth and the sky fled, and no place was found for them. Just as the psalmist shows that the heaven and earth flee from the sight of the one sitting on the throne, as we have already said, who says: Fire will blaze before him (Psalm 49:3); and again: Fire will go before him (Psalm 96:3). But the earth and heaven will flee, that is, the appearance of earth and heaven, because they will be transformed from their appearance by fire, so that they can be reformed into a much better and more beautiful state. But when he says, 'A place was not found for them', he does not mean that they lose their original place, but their appearance.(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13) And I saw great and small dead, standing before the throne. The great and small dead are designated as the wicked alone, who on the day of resurrection will stand before God, namely by the death which we have said is the first, after a short time being cast into the second death: by the great dead, I think they are designated who were either greater in crimes, or higher in worldly dignities: but by the small ones, they are designated as those who were subject to them, or certainly those who have sinned less. And the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life. Many books belong to the reprobates: one, which is the book of life, belongs to the chosen ones. The reprobates have many books because they have fallen into many errors; for the pagans worshipped many gods and cast themselves down into many errors: likewise the heretics discovered many perverse doctrines, detestable to God: false Christians also are involved in many daily crimes. Therefore, the reprobate possess many books, because they offend God in many ways; but the elect have only one book; because they worship one God, confess one Catholic faith, and are joined by one bond of charity. But we must ask ourselves, what are these books: will they be made from some visible or invisible material, in which the deeds of each individual are described? Therefore, there are many books of the deeds of the reprobate: many books will be opened, when the crimes of the reprobate will be made known to all. But from the book of life, we can understand the predestination of Almighty God. In this book, the Lord reveals in the Gospel that the names of the disciples are written, saying: Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). The Apostle Paul speaks about this book, saying: Those whom he foreknew, he also predestined; and those whom he predestined, he also called; and those whom he called, he also glorified (Romans 8:30).(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13.) And the dead were judged based on what was written in the books, according to their deeds. The dead were judged based on what was written in the books; for according to their own errors, and according to the quality of their sins, each will be judged; for heretics will be judged differently, pagans differently, false Christians differently: but each of them will be judged more severely based on how much worse they were in their own error.And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. Now as for those things which He had passed over, He returns to them; for first there will be a general resurrection, and then a judgment will be executed. This is made clear by the Lord in the Gospel, when He says to His disciples: 'Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel' (Matthew 19:28). First, He established regeneration, that is, resurrection; afterwards, He said that the peoples will be seated for judgment. And in the Gospel of this John, the Lord speaks, saying: The hour comes when all those who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who have done good will come forth into the resurrection of life; but those who have done evil, into the resurrection of judgment (John 5:29). Therefore, at the command of the Lord, the dead will come forth from their tombs; for the bodies of all the dead, being vivified by the reception of their souls, will come forth from their sepulchers. But those who have done evil will proceed to the judgment of resurrection; for they will rise again in the bodies in which their souls sinned, and in those very bodies they will be judged; so that those whom they had as partners in iniquities, they may have as companions in torments. The present reading also indicates that there will be a resurrection before judgment; for after recounting that the sea, death, and hell will give up the dead, it declares that the wicked will be judged. But the Catholic faith, which we frequently proclaim, also demonstrates this when it says about the Lord: At His coming, all men will rise again with their bodies, and they will render an account of their own deeds (Athan. Symb.).
But we must inquire what death, sea, and hell signify. For we know that waters are consecrated for the purpose of the ablution of our sins, as the Lord says in the Gospel: Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5). Therefore, the sea represents the resurrection of the elect; death and hell, on the other hand, pertain to the reprobate. Thus, in this passage, the sea designates baptism. Therefore, just as the sea will restore its dead, so too the chosen ones who have received in it the same purity as in baptism will also rise again, having no stain of sin. The sea will restore its dead because the cleansing of holy baptism and the grace of the Holy Spirit will present all the chosen ones at the time of the resurrection as clean and immaculate in the sight of their Creator. However, by death, we can understand the bodies of the impious, which are held dead in the depths of the earth, and by the underworld, we can understand their souls, since they are held in the confines of the underworld. Therefore, Hell will give back its dead; because it will send back to receive their own bodies the souls that it had devoured in the first death and holds captive. Death will also give back its dead; because it will present the bodies that it had reduced to dust so that they may be vivified by divine power through the reception of souls.
(Vers. 14, 15.)
(Verse 14, 15.) And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire... And anyone who was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire, that is, the souls with their bodies. We can also understand by death the demons, since they were the authors of death. Death and Hades will be thrown into the lake, because the demons, along with the other wicked, will be submerged into hell.Chapter XXI.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. The heaven and the earth, and the other elements that we see now, will be consumed by fire, not so that they are completely destroyed, but so that they may be renewed in a better state, as we have already mentioned. As the Psalmist indicates, 'They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment, you will change them like a robe and they will be changed' (Psalm 102:26-27). He says: The first heaven and the first earth passed away, showing that the form of the same heaven and earth would be changed; for their form, not their essence, will pass away, as they will be transformed into a better state. But what he implies: And the sea is no more, we can understand literally, that the sea is completely destroyed. Otherwise: the sea will no longer be; because it will lose its original form, just like the heaven and earth, in order to be restored to a more beautiful form. But I think this should be understood spiritually; for whatever is said about the renewal of heaven and earth, it must be understood both historically, as we have said above, and spiritually. Therefore, we can understand the souls of the saints through heaven, and the bodies through the earth. A new heaven will be made when the souls of the saints are restored to human nature and form through the receiving of bodies. A new earth will be made when the bodies of the saints, which were previously mortal and corruptible, are made immortal and incorruptible. But often through the sea the wicked are designated, as the prophet Isaiah says: The wicked are like a boiling sea, which cannot be at rest, and its waves overflow with trampling and mud (Isaiah 57:20). Therefore, the sea will no longer exist; for all the multitude of the wicked, being cast down with their deceiving demons into hell, will present a clean world face from their polluted dwelling.(Vers. 2.)
(Version 2.) And I saw the holy city, Jerusalem, descending from heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The city, Jerusalem, is the Church built from all the righteous ones: it will descend from heaven; for when the Lord comes to judge, with Him will come the entire multitude of saints, as the prophet Isaiah says: The Lord will come to judge with the elders of His people and with His princes (Isaiah 3:14). And the wisest Solomon in Proverbs: Her husband is respected at the city gates, when he sits among the elders of the land (Proverbs 31:23). She is said to be prepared and adorned, just as a bride adorns herself with various jewels and ornaments to please her bridegroom: so too the Church is adorned with various virtues, so that she may be pleasing to her Creator, who is her Bridegroom.(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. We know that the city of Jerusalem and the tabernacle of the Lord are often referred to as the Church. Therefore, the city and the tabernacle are called the Church, because God dwells in them, as He Himself says through the prophet: I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people (Leviticus 26:12).(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. The souls of all people are immortal, as the Lord says in the Gospel: Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul (Matthew 10:28). For even though they die to sin, or to the death we have mentioned as the first and second; yet they do not die in such a way that they do not exist at all: but their death is called evil. God has also established two periods for them, that of present life, which quickly ends: and that of the future, which cannot end; and He has assigned one to weeping and mourning, the other to joy and gladness. For example, if someone wanted to weep and mourn for their sins in this brief time and by afflicting themselves extinguish carnal desires; in a different time, what follows this and is infinite, they would rejoice and exult forever: but if someone should choose to rejoice in the present time and fulfill the desires of their flesh; in the future, they will mourn and be sorrowful forever. Of these two times, it seems to me that Solomon said: A time to weep, and a time to laugh (Eccl. III, 2). Now is the time to weep for the chosen ones; the time to laugh will be when what the Lord says in the Gospel is fulfilled: Blessed are those who mourn now, for they will be comforted (Matt. V, 5). But to sinners he says: Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep (Luke VI, 25)! Therefore, God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of the saints; for after the resurrection, nothing sad will be able to happen to the saints, from which tears could arise.And death will be no more. The first man became immortal; but by sinning he lost immortality and brought death into the world. But after the resurrection, death will not exist; for the prince of death, the devil, together with all his followers, will be forever imprisoned in hell, and the immortality that the first man lost through sin will be restored to the righteous; and the possibility of sinning, which brought death into the world, will be taken away from them. Nor grief. Since earlier it says that God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of the saints, why was it necessary to put grief in this place? But there is a difference between the shedding of tears and grief; for sadness often brings forth tears, often joy, often longing, often gladness; but grief always arises from great sorrow; for grief is the lamentation of many days. Paul mourned for those who sinned and did not repent. And Solomon speaks, saying: The mourning of the dead lasts for seven days, but the mourning of fools lasts all the days of their life. (Ecclus. XXII, 13) The Church is now in mourning, for it daily loses a great part of itself through the deceits of demons. But in that life there will be no mourning, for through the deceits of demons it will be unable to lose any of itself. Nor is there a cry. In Genesis it is written that God said to Abraham: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has come to me. (Gen. XVIII, 20). However, the prophet Isaiah explains what the cry of the people of Sodom is when he speaks about Israel: 'They have declared their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it' (Isaiah 3:9). Therefore, the proclamation of sin is called a cry. We can also understand the cry in another way. The Psalmist says: 'In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me' (Psalm 120:1). And Moses, when he was in distress, cried out to the Lord. Therefore, when there is no sin to proclaim or any distress, there will be no need for any cry. There will be no pain. There is pain of the body, and there is pain of the mind. And those pains are so connected that one cannot be without the other; indeed, the pain of the body afflicts the mind, and likewise, the pain of the mind tortures the body. In that life, therefore, there will be no pain, where no adversity can happen to either the body or the soul. Those things that came first. Those things came first, because they passed away with the age; for those who chose the present life, as we have already said, appointed in sorrows and afflictions, found everlasting joy after the end of the present life.
(Vers. 5, 6.)
(Verse 5, 6.) And he who sat on the throne said: Behold, I make all things new. We have spoken before about the renewal of creatures. And he said to me: Write, for these words are most faithful and true. But this was also said before. And he said to me: I am the Alpha and the Omega. He reveals what Alpha and Omega mean by adding: The beginning and the end. I will give to the thirsty from the fountain of the water of life freely. The fountain of living water is often designated in holy Scripture, as the Lord says in the Gospel: Whoever believes in me, as Scripture says, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water (John 7:38). But in order to maintain order, we must understand the glorious power of living water of the heavenly homeland: a spring that proceeds from the Lord Himself and never ceases to satisfy the minds of all the righteous with its indescribable sweetness. But how is this glory given freely to the righteous, who endure many adversities, shed many tears, offer countless prayers, and give abundant alms, and who also engage in other good works? But they receive eternal life for free; because they receive the price of eternal life, which is good works, from the one who said: Without me, you can do nothing (John 15:5). Indeed, he himself gives the price, and he himself bestows eternal life as the reward.(Vers. 7, 8)
(Verse 7, 8) Whoever conquers, will possess these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. Whoever conquers the devil, overcoming all vices, and perseveres in good works, will possess these things, that is, the things that have been said above; namely, that he himself may drink from the fountain of eternal life, which is everlasting glory.But for the timid, and unbelievers, and execrators, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars: their part will be in the pool of burning fire and sulfur, which is the second death. While fear is very necessary for humans, why did he place fear as the first among the eight most wicked vices? But there are both good fears and bad fears. There is the very best fear, of which the Psalmist says: The fear of the Lord is holy, lasting forever (Psalm 18:10); there is also the very necessary fear of death and the fear of eternal fire; there is also the fear of good people, when they fear those whom they love: there are also other fears that sometimes help, and sometimes harm; such as the fear of bad people, the fear of judges, the fear of lords. There are other very wicked fears, which I think are spoken of here; for there are some who are often tormented with the fear of punishments, and yet because they fear the difficulty of that way which leads to life, they tremble to abandon vices and embrace the rigidity of a good life. There are also many to whom God has given knowledge of temporal laws, who, in positions of judgment, when they see some unjustly oppressed by the more powerful, fearing the anger of men more than the anger of God, allow those whom they could help and free from danger through the teaching they have received, to fall into great harm by remaining silent. There are others who not only do not help them, but because of fear of men, they pronounce a sentence of condemnation upon them. There is also the fear that greed produces, and other very useless fears, of which it is too long to speak.
But he does not only call unbelievers those who do not believe, like the Jews and pagans; but also those who do not believe in the resurrection. There are also many others who are called Christians, who do not believe in the justice of God; for they love vices and want to fulfill the desires of their flesh, they do not believe in the threats of divine Scriptures, so they think that they will not be condemned; for the lustful say that no one will perish for the use of sexual relations; and the drunkards say that they will not be punished for excessive wine drinking; similarly, the greedy, the lustful, and the proud defend their vices.
But I believe that those are accursed who curse the commandments of divine Scripture and the corrections of good men. We can also understand by accursed those who are so shameless that they are not ashamed to perpetrate certain execrable acts in the sight of all: who not only curse the just, but often also curse some unjust individuals.
But he calls murderers not only those who kill certain people, but also those who carry hatred in their hearts, as this John speaks, saying: Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15).
Fornication follows. There are many kinds of fornication; for in whatever ways, except with a legitimate wife, the desire of lust is fulfilled, it is called fornication. Paul the Apostle speaks about the evil of fornication, saying: But he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body (I Cor. VI, 18). He sins against his own body; because he violates and corrupts its integrity; when he forcibly extracts and pours out its harmless fluids. There is also fornication of thought, of which the Lord speaks, saying: Whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matth. V, 28). He also called Jerusalem a whore because she abandoned God and worshipped idols (Ezek. 16:15 et seq.). Similarly, when we obey the suggestions of demons and subject ourselves to them, we are rightly called fornicators.
But the sorcerers are those who infect the bodies of humans with poison, in order to extinguish them. There are also others much worse than sorcerers, namely those who sow discord among brothers; for they kill bodies, while the latter kill souls: and death of the soul is much worse than that of the body.
But idolaters are not only those who worship idols, but also all greedy people, as the Apostle Paul demonstrates, who calls greed the worship of idols (Colossians 3:5).
But very terrible is what follows: And all liars; then it adds: Their portion will be in the fiery pool of burning sulfur, which is the second death; and the Psalmist says to the Lord: You will destroy all who speak falsehood (Psalm 5:7); and in another place: Every man is a liar (Psalm 116:11). Therefore, if every man is a liar, and if God will destroy all who speak falsehood, and if all liars will have a portion in perdition with the other impious ones, about whom we have spoken so far, who will be able to be saved? For we know that no person can go through this life without ever lying, except for an infant who cannot speak. But we should not understand that this is said about all lies, just as we should not understand that it is said about all sinners, as is sung in Psalm 36: 'For sinners will perish' (Psalm 36:20) and in Psalm 144: 'The Lord keeps all who love him, but he will destroy all sinners' (Psalm 144:20). If sinners will perish, and all sinners will be destroyed, and we are all sinners according to the saying of John: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8); therefore we will all perish. But we should not understand this to be said about all sinners, but only about those who, by throwing themselves headlong into grave sins, refuse to repent of their iniquities. Similarly, we must understand that not everything said about lies applies universally; for there are lies that are considered among minor sins, from which I believe no person can completely abstain: and there are grave lies, which plunge a person into the damnation of death.
But because in these times there are many who almost constantly lie without any reverence for Almighty God, we have decided to speak about this vice. But first let us talk about minor lies, and afterward about more serious ones. Often we deceive by estimation, thinking that we see what we do not see, or hear what we do not hear, or know what we do not know. Often, for example, when we glimpse someone from a distance, our perception deceives us, and we say that they are present when they are not. Often, even in dark times and from afar, when we see stones or trees, we are deceived by the darkness itself, and we say that they are humans or animals. Often, we are deceived by forgetfulness when we forget things we have done and seen, or spoken, and we say that we have done what we have not done, or have not done what we have done; or have heard what we have not heard, or have not heard what we have heard; or have seen what we have not seen, or have not seen what we have seen; or have said what we have not said, or have not said what we have said. Often, when we hear what we desire, we say that what we hear is true; and often it happens that it is false: and when we hear what we do not want, we say that it is false; even though it is true. Often, we also lie in jest, in order to elicit laughter from those who hear. Often, indeed, we lie out of excessive credulity; for when we hear certain people, whom we consider to be truthful, telling things that seem plausible, we believe what we hear. When we relate those things to others, we say that they are true, even though they are false; and frequently we affirm with an oath.
There are also many who, having read or heard the deeds of the Fathers which are in the Divine Scriptures, partly forget them; when they begin to narrate them to others, they either intermix certain falsehoods or attempt to make one story out of many narratives: and just as one who mixes tin with gold or silver makes useless material, so these people, when they strive to make one story out of many narratives, render it useless by lying; for it is better to be silent than to falsely proclaim the deeds of the saints. There are also many learned in divine literature who, believing the Jews more than they should, embrace some of their most vain fables and incorporate them into their traditions. For we know that the Jews attempt to pervert everything about Christ in the Old Testament into wicked meanings, in order to extinguish the glory of the name of Christ wherever they can. They not only overturn prophecies about Christ, but also insert many most vain and absurd fables in other places. Therefore, I wonder why the enemies of Christ and of our entire religion are believed, or any of their teachings are accepted, except only those that are recognized to have been approved by the ancient Fathers. For they themselves have the devil as their father, who did not stand in the truth, because he is a liar and the father of lies; and whoever the devil possesses, he makes them liars (John 8:44).
We often deceive ourselves out of fear; for when we are afraid that some troubles may be inflicted upon us by those more powerful, we sometimes invent falsehoods so that we may be set free. But travelers also have a habit of inventing certain falsehoods so that they may be set free from robbers. Similarly, both slaves and boys often tell lies in order to avoid being beaten. There are also many people who, when placed in foreign lands, lie out of necessity or poverty in order to obtain food or some necessary things for themselves. We often deceive ourselves with love and anger, praising those whom we love excessively, and criticizing those whom we are angry with more than necessary: but these things seem more serious to me than the previous ones. There are other lies similar to the previous ones, which it is too long to explain; in such lies, not only the unjust but also the just often fall. And because of this, it seems to me that the Psalmist said: Every man is a liar (Psalm 116:11).
There is another kind of lying that would seem to be without blame, unless Scripture were to say that all lying is evil. From this, certain examples are found in the divine Scriptures. For example, it is written in Genesis that Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill the male children and to spare the females. But these midwives, fearing God, saved the males. So, when they were reproached by Pharaoh, they said that the Hebrew women were more robust and gave birth before their arrival, so they did not have the chance to kill them. Was it not better to deceive and preserve the children than to commit so many murders by telling the truth? It is also written in Joshua that he sent two spies to spy out Jericho (Joshua 2:2 et seq.). And they entered the house of a certain harlot named Rahab, who hid them in the inner parts of her house, and when their pursuers came, she said that they had fled in the darkness when the gate was closed. And for this lie, she was freed by her persecutors, and she herself, along with her entire family, was freed from the danger of death. And for this act, she is praised by the blessed apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews; for he says: By faith, Rahab the prostitute did not perish with the unbelievers, receiving the spies with peace (Heb. 11:31). It is also written in the Book of Kings that when David fled from his son Absalom, he sent two spies to investigate the actions of his son (2 Sam. 15:32ff). When Absalom heard this, he sent men to capture them; but they fled and entered the house of a certain man, whose wife hid them in a well in the courtyard, covering it with a cloth. When their pursuers came and searched for them, she said, 'They have gone over the brook of water' (2 Samuel 17:20). By telling the truth, she could have endangered those whom she saved by lying. Therefore, such stains of lies are erased by the charity from which they come, because charity covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).
Now let us speak of more serious lies; for there are lies of unfaithfulness, lies of blasphemy, lies that arise from hatred, lies that envy generates, lies that come from greed, lies that arise from vain glory; nevertheless, other vices have lies that are fitting to them. Indeed, unbelieving Jews and pagans have many lies; for besides denying that Christ came in the flesh, they have many errors, which they perish being deceived. There are also lies of blasphemies, by which the same Jews and pagans, as well as heretics, blaspheme God and His Church, and all divine mysteries in many ways. There are also lies that arise from hatred; for some, because they bear hatred in their hearts against their neighbors, concoct false accusations against them: and those whom they cannot kill with the sword, they often cast into great harm and even death through false accusations. There are also other lies that envy produces; for envious people, when they see others excel in worldly dignities, or wisdom, or certain arts, they do not cease to despise and mock them, and to prefer themselves to them; so that they may appear more illustrious in the eyes of those who believe their lies, than those whom they despise. There are also lies of derision, which properly belong to the envious; for the envious always mock the deeds of the better people, and seek to obscure their actions with their lies, with which they cannot be equalled. For there are indeed many who, out of hatred or envy, pretend to be friends and, with their cunning arguments, persuade others to commit wicked deeds. Once they have led them into some crime like into a pit, they turn against them and pursue them more fiercely than others. And those who seemed to be friends are proven to be the worst enemies. Greed also has its lies. For how many there are who, in order to obtain the possessions of others, devise many deceits and various schemes, so that they may take away from others and, to some extent, satisfy their insatiable greed! There are also many who, for the sake of receiving rewards, become false witnesses against their closest relatives, and by lying, either throw them into slavery or take away their inheritance or property, often even causing their death.
There are other falsehoods that generate empty glory; for there are many lovers of empty glory who, in order to be considered great and remarkable by people, claim to have done great things that they have not done, or to be able to do what they cannot do, or to possess what they do not possess, or to know what they do not know; so that their falsehoods may elevate them to the lofty position that they cannot attain. And because this vice is considered worthless by some, we also know that there are some in monasteries who are stained by this vice. For there are indeed many, who, after they appear to have left the world, establish themselves as great and illustrious among even the most simple-minded and those who have been educated in monasteries; they claim to have been possessors of great wealth, they boast of having been warriors, hunters, and many other things about themselves; so that they may be considered great by those whom they can deceive with their lies. Therefore, I speak to you, who are such: Look, the one who, placed in the world, could barely provide simple food that would suffice for you and all your own throughout the entire year, when placed in a monastery, becomes a possessor of treasures, of great estates, and of great wealth; and the one who could barely catch a single fox, having become a monk, has become a most powerful hunter; and the one who used to be feared by some of your lowly neighbors, when placed in a monastery, has made yourself the most valiant warrior. Behold, this was not a time to leave, but to acquire. You say that you have killed a man, and you have placed the guilt of murder upon yourself. The deceitful tongue did what the hand could not prevail. And do you want me to prove that you have made yourself guilty of murder by lying? Saul, as we read in the book of Kings (2 Kings 31:4), killed himself with his own hand out of fear of the Philistines. A certain man came to holy David and said that he had killed Saul, who was pursuing him. But David, understanding by the spirit of prophecy that he was lying, ordered him to be punished as a murderer and placed the guilt of murder upon him, saying: Your blood is upon your own head; for your mouth has spoken against you, saying: I have killed the anointed one of the Lord (2 Kings 1:16). But we know that the rich of this world, when they come to conversion, sin gravely if they begin to boast about their wealth and power: and if he is guilty who speaks the truth, how much more are you, who lie about almost everything!
There are also others who almost constantly lie and can hardly speak anything without a mixture of falsehood. They fabricate certain lies about everything they hear: they say they have seen things they have not seen; heard things they have not heard; done things they have not done. And when they are caught by honest people, they say that no one can speak the truth well unless they can lie well. Oh foolish one, how vain is your assertion! Behold, Christ spoke many things well and truly, who could never lie, whose footsteps you should have followed more closely, as far as virtue allowed. Similarly, the apostles and other preachers taught and wrote many things without mixture of falsehood. And Scripture says that every lie is from evil (1 John 2:22): if lying is evil, how can evil be spoken well? O unfortunate one, how near is the wrath of almighty God to you, whom you do not hesitate to offend without cause incessantly! Although the other vices are contrary to the Lord, they still seem to contribute something to the body. For example, greed, although it is detestable to God in all things, still seems to contribute something to the body because it accumulates wealth, from which it satisfies its desires. Similarly, lust also seems to contribute something to the body because the pleasure of the flesh is extinguished in its satisfaction. And although drunkenness offends God, it fulfills the desires of gluttony. Similarly, other vices are assumed for the fulfillment of carnal desires. There are also certain lies that seem to add something to the body, such as avarice, which we have mentioned above. But you acquire nothing for the body, and you are not afraid to constantly offend God. Behold, your lie would be light if it had happened slowly; but from its continuous repetition, it becomes very heavy and unbearable. For just as clay is lighter than lead, but from its multiplication it becomes heavier and more dangerous, so that often animals sink in it; in the same way, certain light sins, from their accumulation, become heavier to certain people who consider them serious. And know that just as he himself said: God is truth (1 John 5:6); nothing can be more contrary to truth than a lie.
Therefore, their portion will be in the lake of burning sulfur, which is the second death. What the second death is, is clearly demonstrated in this place. Therefore, in order to not fall into the second death from the aforementioned sins, may the mercy of our Redeemer be pleased to free us, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, Amen.
De Visione Septima.
The seventh vision to which, with the Lord's help, we have come, pertains entirely to that time which will occur after the resurrection (Sup. c. 15). And the order required that, after describing the general resurrection, he should describe the glory of the saints, which they will possess without end after the resurrection; which is described in this vision under the figure of the city of Jerusalem.(Vers. 9.)
(Ver. 9.) And one of the seven angels who had the bowls came and spoke with me, saying: 'Come, and I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.' In the previous vision, John says that the seven angels who had the bowls were shown to him, and in the following, one of them showed him the city of the devil and its damnation in the form of a prostitute woman. Similarly, here one of the same seven angels says that he showed him the city of God in the form of Jerusalem. Therefore, these individuals have the same significance as the seven; for they represent the preachers who have been and will be until the end. However, John holds the symbol of the other faithful. Therefore, the angel promises John that he will show him the city of God; because the holy preachers strive to demonstrate to the other faithful the greatness of the blessedness of the righteous, as much as they can, in order to inspire them to attain eternal life. He also calls the bride the wife of the Lamb. That the bride of the Lamb is rightly called the Church, John the Baptist demonstrates, saying: He who has the bride is the bridegroom (John 3:29). That she is also called the wife, Scripture demonstrates, saying: For this reason a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Therefore, just as the Son of God left his Father when he descended from heavenly blessedness to earth and assumed human nature, which he gave for his bride, who is the Church; he left his mother, because setting aside the affection of a mother, he handed over to his Church the body he had assumed from her; he united her to himself in such a way that he himself is the head and she is the body.(Vers. 10.)
(V. 10) And he lifted me up onto a great and high mountain. This mountain is Christ. Concerning this mountain, the prophet speaks saying: And in the last days, the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of the mountains (Isaiah 2:2). The fathers of the Old Testament designate the mountains on the top of which the mountain of the house of the Lord is said to be prepared. Therefore, it is said to be prepared on the top of these mountains because it has been foretold by them, and coming in the flesh, He has surpassed them by a wonderful height. Therefore, on this mountain the house of the Lord, that is the Church, was built; because it is founded on Christ, as the apostle Paul says: For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus (I Cor. III, 11).(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) And he showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. It should be noted that the last vision of Ezekiel agrees with this vision of John in some places; therefore, it pleased us to insert a few things about it into this work. For he says (Ezek. 40:2ff) that a mountain was shown to him, on which there was a city, and in it a temple; but he only mentions the city, speaking at length about the structure of the temple. Therefore, that temple has the same significance there as the city here; for they both signify the Church: but through that temple, the Church of the present time is signified, and through the city, the Church of Jerusalem is signified, but as it will be after the end of the world. But someone may ask: How does this description of Jerusalem, that is, the Church, pertain to the future time, when its form of the present time seems to be described in this vision? To this we respond that the Church, as long as it exists in this life, cannot be perfectly known, but is held hidden, as it were, under a certain veil; for it is unknown who is reprobate or who is elect, or to what end each one leads his own actions. But in that life, its form will be revealed to all; for then it will clearly appear to everyone who was the wall, who the gates, who the foundations, who the stones of the structure, who the precious stones. But we must inquire how it is said that one descends from heaven, when it is believed that he ascends to the heavenly dwelling every day, in which he is believed to remain without end. The actions and merits of the saints, as long as we ponder them in our minds, are always increased in our hearts; and the more we consider them, the more their magnificence is elevated to us. But when we lift the eyes of our mind to consider the greatness of Almighty God, the greatness of the saints, compared to the greatness of God, is greatly humbled to us. Therefore, the saints ascend to us when we consider their actions and merits: but they descend when we lift up the eyes of our mind to contemplate the omnipotence of God. It is also said that God had brightness. Indeed, God had brightness, but not His own. For often the sun shines brightly in water, giving its brightness to the water, so that the water reflects the eyes of those who behold it, just as the sun does. Therefore, just as water has the brightness of the sun, but not from itself, but from the sun, so too the saints have the brightness of God, but not from themselves; but from God, by whom they are illuminated.Its light is like a precious stone, like a jasper stone, like crystal. Behold, three stones were placed, whose light was likened to the light of the Church: one without a name, but clearly representing two. Therefore, we can understand through the precious stone the Father, through the jasper stone the Son, and through the crystal the Holy Spirit. The first is without a name because the Father is from Himself. The second and third are named specifically because the Son is from the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from both. We can understand hope through a precious stone, faith through a jasper, and charity through a crystal. But someone may say that in that life faith and hope will not be necessary. For what does someone see, what do they hope for? (Rom. VIII, 24). To which we respond that just as a garment, which is dyed with some material, retains the most beautiful color after the material is removed; so also in that life, faith, hope, humility, abstinence, and other virtues that receive their end without charity, the splendor that the saints acquired through the operation of those virtues will remain in them without end.
(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12) And it had a great and high wall. This is the wall of which the prophet says: The city of our strength, Zion, the Savior will be set in it as a wall, and a bulwark. Through this wall, therefore, Christ is designated with all his members, so that through him the foundation, and through the rest of its structure its members are represented. Having twelve gates. In Ezekiel (Ezek. XLVI, 1 et seq.) it is written that the temple, which was shown to him, had three gates, namely, an eastern gate, a southern gate, and a northern gate. And God commanded that the east gate should always remain closed, so that only the Prince could enter and exit through it. The blessed and glorious Virgin Mary is symbolized by the eastern gate, which remained closed before the entrance of the Prince, that is, Christ, and remained closed forever after his departure. The southern gate represents the Old Testament, while the northern gate represents the New. Those who are said to come from the south represent the Jews, while those who come from the north represent the Gentiles. Therefore, the Jews who had knowledge of God and to whom the Law had been given from the part of the sun, that is, from the southern part where the sun shines more intensely, are said to come to the Church without inconvenience. They entered through the southern gate because, knowing in the Old Testament that Christ was prophesied in many ways and prefigured in various ways, their scriptures led them to embrace the faith in Christ. But the Gentiles, abandoning idolatry and renouncing it, are these who said: I will sit on the mount of the Testament in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the height of the clouds, I will be like the Highest (Isaiah 14:13); and it is not incongruous to be said to come from the northern side. They entered through the northern gate; for, hearing the teaching of the Gospel and admiring the miracles that were done through Christ and His ministers, they hastened to embrace the faith of Christ. It was also a precept that once someone entered a path, they should not go back, but rather leave from the opposite direction; that is, the person who entered through the southern gate should leave through the northern gate, and the person who entered through the northern gate should leave through the southern gate. The Jews who were led by the understanding of the Old Testament to embrace the faith of Christ should not return by the way they came, namely, to fulfill the legal observances in a carnal manner, but rather go out through the northern gate, in order to devote themselves to the study and investigation of the Gospel doctrine, so that they might learn to fulfill spiritually what they had previously strived to do carnally. But the Gentiles who entered through the northern gate, that is, those who were made sons of the Church through the teaching of the Gospel, should not return by the same way they came, namely, to investigate the errors of the philosophers. Rather, after receiving the faith and the teaching of the Gospel, they should transfer themselves to the southern gate, that is, to investigate the teaching of the Old Testament. For when they found that Christ was predicted in many ways in it, their faith in Christ would be strengthened. But through the twelve gates, which are said to belong to Jerusalem, the twelve apostles and their teaching are represented.And in the gates I saw twelve angels. The twelve angels signify the other preachers, namely the followers of the apostles. They are said to have been in the gates because they held unwavering faith in the apostles and followed their teachings, striving to bring as many people as possible to the faith of Christ. And the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were written. Through the names of the twelve tribes, we can understand the fathers of the Old Testament who did not deviate from the faith of the Holy Trinity. We can also understand the Old Testament through the same names. The names of the twelve tribes were written on the gates; for the teaching of the apostles and other preachers is filled with examples from the Old Testament.
(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13) From the east, three gates; and from the north, three gates; and from the south, three gates; and from the west, three gates. He placed the four corners of the world so as to indicate that nearly all nations, which are contained within the four corners of the world, have come together to the Church. But he said that he saw three gates against each corner, that is, a total of twelve; to indicate that no one can enter the Church except through the confession of the Holy Trinity. And because the doctrine of the apostles is nothing else but the Gospel, and the Gospel itself is divided into four books, and the doctrine of each book consists in the faith of the Holy Trinity; it is rightly said that this city has four sides, and through each, three gates: which, when joined together, become twelve.(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14) And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were written the twelve names of the apostles and of the Lamb. The meaning of the twelve foundations, He Himself explained when He added that the names of the twelve apostles and of the Lamb were written on them. I was criticized by someone for calling Peter the foundation of the Church; in that place where the Lord says: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church (Matthew 16:18). If Peter is the foundation of the Church, as well as the other apostles, as the present reading clearly demonstrates; therefore, it is built upon him, just as it is built upon the others. But if the Church is not built upon Peter, then it is not built upon the others either; therefore, the assertion of this John is false, for he says that the twelve apostles are the twelve foundations of the Church. It does not reject us from our understanding that the Apostle says: For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus (I Cor. III, 11). Peter is not a different foundation from Christ Jesus; for Peter is a member of Christ Jesus, as he himself said to his disciples: You in me, and I in you (John 14:20). Christ, indeed, is the foundation of all his apostles, and likewise they themselves are the foundations for those who believed through them. Therefore, there is one foundation, that is, Christ, by whom all foundations are sustained, upon whom the entire structure of the Church is built. On this foundation Paul speaks, saying: But if any build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; the work of each one shall be made manifest: for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12) Here he mentions six types, three precious and three worthless. Often wisdom is represented by gold. Gold builds upon the foundation of Christ, who cherishes wisdom by which he overcomes vices and nurtures virtues, hiding them in his heart, imitating the Psalmist, who said: In my heart I have hidden your words, so that I will not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11) But the word of preaching is expressed by silver, of which the same Psalmist says: The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined by fire (Psalm 12:6). Silver builds upon the foundation of Christ, who teaches others the good that he has learned, so as to draw them towards good works. Precious stones, on the other hand, designate good works. Precious stones build upon the foundation of Christ, who fills his teachings with works. There are some who do not have words of exhortation with which to instruct others perfectly, but who, by exercising themselves in good works, build precious stones upon the foundation of Christ. Similarly, those who have little knowledge and teach it to others are building silver upon Christ, if they indeed fulfill with their works what they teach. For many, by teaching others the understanding they have received, build upon Christ, but through evil works they destroy in themselves what they have built. But by wood, hay, and straw, the smallest sins are meant. But there is another understanding that excludes us from this sense; for sins are not built upon Christ, but on the works of virtues. And when we sin, we depart from the building that is built upon Christ; and the more grievously we sin, the further we are separated. But when we turn to good works through repentance, we return to the building that is built upon Christ. Therefore, we can understand earthly works through wood, while someone relies on earthly work in order to have sustenance; lest, being compelled by necessity, they are forced to steal. For the Apostle commands that we work quietly, so that each one may eat their own bread; and again: Whoever does not want to work, let them not eat (I Thess. III, 12). However, through hay, we can receive earthly love, when someone loves a wife, children, and brothers out of affection for the flesh. But the Apostle also commands this, that husbands love their wives, and wives their husbands, children their parents, and parents their children (Ephesians 5:25, 28). By implication, we can understand those who, because of their excessive desire, cannot contain themselves, marrying wives. But the Apostle also commands this, saying: But fornication, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband (Titus 2:4). And because such conversations cannot be without frequent offenses, he says that they are to be saved by fire, that is, by the fire of purgatory. And this will happen if they have abstained from serious sins, and have earned this through the generosity of almsgiving, so that after death they can be saved by the fire of purgatory. For just as gold, which is made impure by other mixtures, is purified by fire, so these individuals are cleansed by the fire from the impurities they have contracted from worldly actions, so that they may be deemed worthy to join the number of the chosen.(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) And he who spoke with me had a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its walls. The angel who spoke with John in this place represents Christ, who now rules over all nations with an iron rod, as mentioned above. But in the future city of God, which will consist of all nations, it will be measured with a golden reed. We have said above that the discipline of the Gospel is symbolized by the iron rod, but iron is heavy and very hard. But regarding the hardness of the iron rod, the Lord says in the Gospel: 'Narrow and difficult is the way that leads to life' (Matthew 7:14). But this hardness is made sweet and light by the love of God and the hope of heavenly homeland, as He Himself says again: 'For My yoke is easy and My burden is light' (Matthew 11:30). Therefore, the iron rod will be changed into a light, sweet, and golden reed; for the saints will receive sweetness and eternal glory for the difficulties they endured for Christ. Indeed, he measured the city and its gates and wall; for according to the quality of the works, he will repay each one their reward. But we must inquire, since it is said that the city was measured, why he also mentioned the gates and wall, since all these things are comprehended by the name of the city. However, as both past and future indicate, by the gates the apostles are signified, by the city the apostolic men, and by the wall the rest of the multitude of the faithful. But the following details make it more evident.(Vers. 16.)
Verse 16. It follows: And the city is situated in a square, and its length is as great as its width. The perfection of the saints is represented by the squareness of the city; for a square stone, no matter which way you turn it, will stand straight. And if you carefully examine a square stone, or any other object that can be squared, you can perceive that the perfection of the Church is depicted in it; for it has six faces, eight corners, and twelve foundations. The number six represents the perfection of good works, because six is a perfect number. It has eight horns, four of which look towards heaven and four towards the earth. Therefore, the four horns represent the Gospels, which are doubled because they specially commend the love of God and neighbor. The four horns look towards heaven to indicate that God should be loved above all things, and the four horns look towards the earth to indicate that our neighbors should be loved as ourselves. But the twelve steps truly represent the faith of the twelve apostles. And from each horn, three steps come forth to signify the teaching of Christ, which is the Gospel, which is also divided into four books, that the faith of the holy Trinity has passed onto the apostles, so that through them it might spread to all nations. We have said all this about the square stone in order to demonstrate that through the squareness of the city, the perfection of the Church is signified. And because this city has equal length and width, its length is said to be as great as its width. Through its length, eternal glory is designated, and through its width, charity. Therefore, the length of this city is as great as its width, because as much as each faithful person is placed in this life, the greater they are in charity, the greater glory they will possess in heavenly bliss; and the less charity they have, the less glory they will have.And the city was measured by twelve thousand stadia: its length, width, and height are equal. The twelve stadia have the same significance as the twelve gates; for they represent the apostles. But it is said above that this city has equal length and width; whereas here it is said that its length, width, and height are equal. Therefore, in this place, we can understand faith, hope, and charity through these three things that are mentioned; so that we understand faith through length, charity through width, and hope through height. But how can they be equal, when the Apostle says: Now remain faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity (I Cor. XIII, 13)? For although charity is greater than all virtues, because it endures forever; nevertheless, in a certain way, equality can be attributed to those three virtues. For the Apostle says that faith works through charity, and faith without works is dead (James II, 2). If she is dead, the one for whom she is dead is nothing; and if faith operates through charity, and he does not have the works of charity, then faith is as great as the works of charity. Similarly, hope is as great as faith and charity; for as great as the works of faith, which is charity, are, so great is the hope of glory: for each faithful person, to the extent that they have been able to expand themselves through the works of charity, let them not doubt that the glory of their heavenly homeland will increase to that extent.
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) And he measured its wall, one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to human measure, which is also an angel's measure. If we consider the earlier statement, it cannot stand literally; for earlier it says that the city was measured in twelve thousand stadia, but here it says that the walls of the city were measured to be one hundred and forty-four cubits. Indeed, twelve thousand stadia is much greater than one hundred and forty-four cubits; therefore, we can understand that those who are of greater merit are measured by a greater space. We have previously mentioned that the twelve apostles were chosen: therefore, martyrs and confessors, and other perfect men who have followed the doctrine of the apostles in all things and have imitated their actions, will be measured within their ranks; for they will possess the same glory as them. However, the rest of the multitude of believers are represented by the walls made of smaller stones: they will occupy a smaller territory than those mentioned above; because those who have less merit will receive lesser rewards. The measure of the number twelve consists of whom; because they have preserved the apostolic faith unblemished; for twelve times twelve make one hundred and forty-four. But when he says that the city and the walls were measured by the measure of man, which is that of an angel, he shows that an angel appeared to him in the likeness of a man. We can understand this in another way. He says that the measure of man is the measure of an angel, and that by that measure the city and walls were measured; for the holy men will have equality with the angels, and their measure will be measured; because they will possess the same glory as they, as the Lord says in the Gospel: In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but they will be like the angels of God in heaven (Matthew 22:30).(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18.) And the structure of its wall was made of jasper stone; and the city itself was like pure gold, clear as glass. But there was also a distance between the wall and the city. He said that the walls were made of jasper stone, but the city itself was like pure gold and clear as glass; for the greenness of jasper signifies faith: therefore, by the jasper stone, simple and imperfect men are appropriately represented; those who are saved by faith, as the prophet says: But the just shall live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4). But the holy and perfect men, who are designated through the city, are fittingly likened to pure gold; because they have been filled with wisdom, which is often represented by gold, and they have been tested by various tribulations, like gold that is purified by fire. On the other hand, the pure glass, which is more clear than all metals, represents the angels, whom no stain of sin could ever defile.(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19.) The foundations of the city wall are adorned with every precious stone. Above we have said that the twelve foundations are designated as the twelve apostles; but the precious stones represent all the righteous. Therefore, the twelve foundations will be adorned with twelve precious stones; because in that blessedness the apostles and the other preachers will have as their adornment those who believed through them, since they will receive the reward for all of them.The first foundation is jasper. Jasper is green and of a compressed color: it signifies faithful seculars who, though abstaining from vices, have their greenness, that is, their faith, somewhat obscured by worldly actions; nevertheless, they do not cease to redeem their sins through almsgiving and other works of mercy. And it is not without reason that such individuals are placed in the first rank: for the apostles, as has often been emphasized, fearing to impose more severe precepts on those who had first believed from the Gentiles, lest perchance, terrified by the harshness of the precepts, they would not dare to approach the faith of Christ, wrote to them: 'It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication' (Acts 15:28). And in another place, Peter, speaking about the conversation of the Gentiles, says to the Jews: 'And God, who knows the hearts, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and purified their hearts through faith' (Acts 15:8 et seq.). Therefore, whoever imitates them is contained in the figure of the jasper stone.
The second sapphire. The sapphire is of a blue color, like the hyacinth: but it has drops mixed in of the same color, but darker. It also seems to me that through this stone certain secular men are designated, who indeed desire heavenly things, but are still occupied in worldly matters, from which occupation they seem to contract certain stains. They are called those who, because they prefer heavenly things before all cares, are said to have the color of heaven: those who are placed in the second rank; because they strive to love God above all things, and their neighbors as themselves.
The third is Chalcedonian. Chalcedonian has a red color, but it is dark unless it is diluted by digging: but the very concavity gives it the most beautiful and pleasing color. And this also signifies certain secular men who, during the time of persecution, concealed the greatness of their sanctity: but having been weakened by various tribulations from their persecutors, the great splendor of their sanctity became evident to all: who are not inappropriately placed in the third place; because persevering in the confession of the Holy Trinity, they deserved to attain the palm of martyrdom.
The fourth emerald. It is of extraordinary beauty and greenness, to such an extent that it taints with its greenness the things that are around it. It signifies the holy preachers, who are both green with faith and illustrious with virtues, and by preaching the splendor of their faith they have scattered it everywhere: they are therefore placed in the fourth place, because they have spread the doctrine of the Gospel, which is divided into four books, in many places.
(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20) Quintus sardonyx. Sardonyx is white, with a slight red tinge: it signifies simple and innocent men, who are represented by a white stone due to their purity of life. Because they impose on themselves martyrdom by staying awake, fasting, abstaining, and afflicting their bodies in various ways, they seem to have a red color: therefore, they are appropriately placed in the fifth position; for often the number five signifies the senses of the body. In addition, Blessed Gregory also says that the knowledge of external things is designated by the five senses of the body. And because they have acquired this knowledge of external things, they have endeavored to impart it to others, rightly obtaining the fifth place in the building of the holy city.Sardius is of a reddish color, which appears somewhat darkened because it tends towards a reddish hue. Therefore, by the reddish color, which approaches a golden color, the tribulations that the saints suffered from their enemies are indicated; but the red color signifies martyrdom. Therefore, by sardius, holy and perfect men are signified, who, after the experience of all virtues, after various persecutions, after immense torments suffered from their enemies, have deserved to reach the palm of martyrdom: and they are not improperly placed in the number six, which is perfect; because they have excelled in virtues, and have adorned martyrdom itself with perfection.
Seventh chrysolith. Chrysolith is entirely golden and is often symbolized by wisdom through gold. Therefore, wise men in the Church are symbolized by chrysolith, who can rightly be called so among men because of the brilliance of golden wisdom. They are appropriately placed in the seventh position because they are filled with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and have turned many away from wickedness through many words and examples.
The eighth gem is beryl. Beryl is of extraordinary clarity, having a mixed blue color; it signifies pure lives, and those who are completely separate from the activities of the world: they wanted to be separated from the company of other people so that their lives' clarity would not be in any way stained: their clarity is turned into a blue color; because they are always focused on heaven, they are proven to have led an angelic life among humans: they are appropriately placed in the eighth position; for four doubled makes eight. Therefore, they fulfilled the number of four; because they followed the precept of the Gospel, which says: Go, sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me (Matthew 19:21). They doubled the number of four; because they persuaded many others to ascend with them to the same height of perfection.
The ninth gem is topaz. Topaz is said to be of bronze and golden color, emitting its own radiance all around. Often, approved men who are tested by the fire of tribulation are designated by gold itself: and the tribulations themselves are diverse; sometimes, for example, holy men are tested by various temptations which they suffer from demons: sometimes by tribulations which are inflicted on them by evil men; sometimes by afflictions which they inflict on themselves; sometimes by the scourges of God; and also by the exercises of an active life. Therefore, it seems to me that by the topaz stone those are designated who are proven first through the works of active life, and afterwards transition to the contemplative life. For one ascends to the contemplative life in a fitting degree, who has been proven first through the exercises of active life; for one who suddenly transitions to the height of contemplative life without the exercises of active life easily falls. And the fact that this stone is said to scatter its rays in every direction signifies those men who are designated through it, and by preaching have led many to the works of active life, and have also brought many with them to the height of contemplative life. And they are not improperly placed in the ninth position; for three by three make nine. Therefore, these holy men, who, for the love of the Holy Trinity, afflicted themselves first in the good works of active life and then, by their exhortations, led as many as they could to imitate them; and again, ascending to contemplate the divinity of the same Holy Trinity, brought many with them, are not not improperly placed in the ninth position; because the talent they received from the Lord, they not only doubled, but also tripled.
Decimus chrysoprasus. Chrysoprasus is said to be a green stone of a golden color: which, because it is placed in the tenth position, we can understand it as representing certain doctors of the Church, who both taught many with their words and have taught and continue to teach many more through their writings. Among them are Jerome, Augustine, Gregory, and many others, who can rightly be called the lights of the Church: they are symbolized by the green and golden color, because they were firm in their faith (symbolized by green) and they possessed wisdom, shining like gold. But by the number ten, we can understand the Old Testament, because of the ten commandments of the Law. And because no one can understand the Old Testament without the teaching of the New Testament, since the spiritual understanding in the Old Testament is nothing other than the New Testament; it is not unfittingly placed in the tenth position, because they had the fullest knowledge of the Old and New Testaments. We can also understand the number ten differently; for the number ten divides and arranges, and completes all numbers: thus these [commentators] also in a certain way divided the Scriptures, when they divided them into sentences and books by expounding them; they arranged them when they revealed their obscurities; and they made those things which seemed disordered clear in what proper order they held; moreover, they perfected them when they supplied those things which seemed lacking.
The eleventh hyacinth. Hyacinth, whose species is called hyacinthine color, is most precious, having the color of clear sky, like a sapphire: but it has blemishes, the beauty of this one is not marred by any blemishes. It signifies holy men who are alienated from all the filth of sins, always dwelling on earth with their bodies but in heaven with their minds; of whom was the Apostle, who said: But our conversation is in heaven (Phil. III, 20). Those who are placed in the eleventh place do not incongruously; for by ten knowledge of divine Scriptures, as we have said above, is already indicated: but the one who follows ten, so that they become eleven, pertains to the contemplation of the one God. Therefore, these holy ones have completed the tenth number; because filled with the knowledge of divine Scriptures, they have led many by their preaching to eternal life: they have completed the one number; because they were diligent in the contemplation of the Almighty God: neither did the urgency of preaching draw them away from contemplation, nor did constant contemplation draw them away from preaching; they bear a resemblance to the angels, who always fulfill the angelic office and never depart from the contemplation of the Almighty God. Concerning such, it seems to me that the prophet said: 'The lips of the priest preserve knowledge, and they seek the law from his mouth; for he is the angel of the Lord of hosts' (Malachi 2:7). Concerning such was John the Baptist, about whom the Lord said: 'This is he of whom it is written: Behold, I send my angel before your face, who will prepare your way before you' (Luke 7:27).
The twelfth amethyst. Often through the number twelve the apostles are designated: and amethyst is a purple gem; and we know that purple is a royal ornament. Therefore, through the amethyst, the apostles and those similar to them are designated, who were the ornament of God; because they preached him throughout the whole world. Peter was the ornament of God, of whom it is written that he glorified God by his death (John 21:19): likewise, the other apostles were the ornament of God; because by preaching him, working miracles, dying for his name, they glorified him.
(Vers. 21.)
(Verse 21) And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The city walls were adorned with twelve pearls, one for each gate. This cannot be understood literally. If each gate was made of a single pearl, how can they be described as twelve pearls? Rather, this should be understood spiritually. The twelve pearls represent the apostles' successors, the teachers of the Church, who have followed the faith and teachings of the apostles, and have imitated their actions. They are symbolized by the purity and holiness of pearls, which shine forth through their virtuous lives. And the streets of the city are like pure gold, as transparent as glass. Above, we said that the perfect and holy men and angels are signified by the pure gold and glass: but here, by the streets of the city, the minds of the faithful are meant; by the pure gold and transparent glass, the purity of the minds of both men and angels is signified; just as no vain thought could ever come near the minds of angels, which would stain them, so after the resurrection no useless thought will ever come to the minds of the saints, which would corrupt them.(Vers. 22.)
(Verse 22.) And I did not see a temple in it; for the Lord Almighty is its temple, and the Lamb. The present Church is signified by the temple, in which not carnal, but spiritual sacrifices are offered to God daily. For just as there, according to the quality of sins, the rites of sacrifices were exercised, so in the Church there should be sacrifices of penance, sacrifices of prayers, weeping, and contrition of heart. The Prophet speaks of such sacrifices saying: 'A sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit' (Psalm 50:19); and again: 'Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice' (Ibid. 21). If it is a sacrifice of justice, it is also a sacrifice of patience, of abstinence, of humility and of other virtues. These are the sacrifices that offer the most pleasing odor to the Lord, not the flesh of animals that were burned on the altar. Therefore, John said that he did not see a temple in the holy city, because all the things we have mentioned will not be necessary in that blessed state: for God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of the saints, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, which things have passed away (Rev. 21:4). But the Lord himself will be the temple of that city and the Lamb; for in it there will be the saints, and they will dwell in it, just as he said to his disciples: Just as I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you (John 14:20).(Vers. 23.)
(Verse 23.) And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The new Testament is symbolized by the sun, and the old by the moon. Without these two lights, the Church cannot walk in the path of righteousness in the darkness of this world without frequent stumbling. But in that blessedness where there will be no darkness, no stumbling, nothing that needs to be corrected, the light of the new and old Testament will not be necessary; for they will enjoy forever the light of the Holy One, who is the source of light, who illuminates every person who comes into this world (John 1:9).(Vers. 24.)
(Verse 24.) And the nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory and honor into it. All chosen people are designated through all nations. But how will they walk? They will walk in mind, not in body: not by changing place, but by considering omnipotence, divinity, and majesty. They will walk through the light of the Church; because in order to complete this journey, they will be enlightened by that light, which the Almighty God will give to all the Church: but the kings of the earth designate the apostles and other preachers: and the glory and honor of the preachers calls those who have believed through them, as the apostle Paul says to his disciples; for you are our glory in the Lord (II Cor. II, 14). Therefore, they will bring their glory and honor into it; for they will represent to the Lord those who have believed through them.(Vers. 25.)
(Verse 25) And its gates will not be closed during the day; for there will be no night there. Earlier, we said that the twelve gates, which are said to be made of twelve pearls, represent the apostles. But here, where they are mentioned without a number, they have a different meaning; they signify the hearts of the faithful. For the faithful in this life endure the night, that is, the devils and the wicked. But the gates are closed at night when they block all the temptations of the devils and repel them. They also close the gates at night, when they fortify their hearts against the wickedness of evil men; so that they may not hear a derogatory language, may not render evil for evil, or curse for curse, as according to the prophet: Let them withdraw their hands from all work, and let them close their ears, so that they may not hear about bloodshed; and let them shut their eyes, so that they may not see evil (Eccl. XXXIII, 16). Moreover, in that blessed state, where there will be no demon, no reprobate to suggest evil, the observation of gates, that is, the months, will not be necessary; for there will also be perpetual day, with no night following according to the literal interpretation.(Vers. 26.)
(Verse 26.) And they shall bring the glory of the nations, and honor into it. Above, it is said that the kings of the earth, that is, the holy preachers, have brought their glory into the holy city: through whom we have said that the nations, who believed through them, have been designated as glory. Therefore, if the glory of the preachers is for the nations, what is the glory of the nations? Unless perhaps we understand this saying according to Solomon, who says: The glory of children is their fathers, and the glory of fathers is their sons (Proverbs 17:6). For the glory of the elders, that is, the apostles, are the sons of sons, that is, the nations that believed through them, and through their sons, that is, their disciples: but the glory of the sons will be their fathers; because the nations will rejoice, since they will have fathers of such great merit and excellence, being worthy to share in their glory. But what he says they will bring, we can refer to the angels; who on the day of judgment will lead the saints of God to receive the promised rewards, as the Lord says in the Gospel: The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather his elect from the four winds of heaven, from one end of heaven to the other (Matthew 24:31).(Vers. 27.)
(Verse 27) And nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. He calls those unclean who have defiled themselves with various sins; but those who do evil, they commit abomination. For God abhors nothing but wickedness, as it is written in the book of Wisdom: You spare all things, O Lord, and dislike nothing that you have made (Wisdom 11:25). However, one may wonder why lying is said to be a sin. What we do, once done, is no longer a lie, because what has been done cannot not have been done, so it is a lie. But he has put deed in place of speech; indeed, we commit the sin of lying by speaking, not by doing. We can also understand every sin as a lie; for we know that God is truth, and sin is the deception of souls. Therefore, whatever is contrary to the truth and pertains to the deception of souls, even if it appears true, can rightly be called a lie. So, nothing unclean will enter into that holy city, and those who commit abomination and falsehood; for on the day of judgment the angels will come forth and separate the wicked from among the righteous and cast them into the furnace of consuming fire (Matthew 13:49). For even to those who have not had the oil of charity in their vessels, the door of the heavenly kingdom will be closed; and the Lord will say to them: Amen I say to you, I do not know you (Matthew 25:12).Chapter XXII.
(Vers. 1.)
(Version 1.) And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And he led me a thousand cubits, and brought me through the water up to the loins. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water up to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the water up to the loins. And the water was so deep that I could not pass through: for the water was swollen, a water to swim in, a river that could not be passed over (Ezek. 47:3-5). By the river, we should understand the divine scripture, which flows forth from the temple, that is, from the Church, from the mouth of the preachers: the angel, however, signifies the Lord: the prophet, on the other hand, symbolizes those who desire to learn the divine scriptures for this purpose, namely, that they may profit therein themselves and instruct others by means of their knowledge of them: moreover, the number a thousand often signifies the perfection of something. And the first translation pertains to the understanding of history, the second to the moral, the third pertains to the spiritual.Therefore, the angel leads the prophet a thousand cubits, when the Lord grants understanding of the Scriptures to a faithful person: he leads him up to his ankles, when he gives him understanding of the stories; for whoever desires to investigate moral and spiritual understanding in divine Scriptures, it is necessary for them to first possess understanding of the stories: secondly, the angel leads the prophet a thousand cubits, when the Lord ignites his faithful servant to perceive moral understanding: he leads him through the water up to his knees, when he reveals the sense of moral knowledge to him. The third angel leads the prophet a thousand cubits, when the Lord, after moral understanding, elevates his faithful servant to the perception of spiritual understanding through desire. He leads him through water to the kidneys, when he opens to him the senses of spiritual knowledge. The fourth angel leads the prophet a thousand cubits, when the Lord, after understanding the Scriptures, elevates his faithful servant to contemplate divine and celestial mysteries. And he could not cross the torrent, because no one can fully understand the depth of divine and celestial mysteries, as it is. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, as the Apostle says: But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away with (1 Corinthians 3:9); and again: For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face (ibid., 10). Considering that he could not cross this torrent, Paul himself said: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments and unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Or who has first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Rom. 11:33-36). And the prophet Isaiah says: Eye has not seen, O God, besides you, what you have prepared for those who wait for you. (Isa. 64:4) Behold, the angel led the prophet to the appointed place, but did not go beyond it; for the Almighty God leads his saints to contemplate the secret and hidden mysteries of his divinity, but does not fully reveal them, because human frailty cannot fully comprehend those unfathomable and divine mysteries. And just as someone who has smelled royal foods and tasted their sweetness desires them more than someone who has neither seen them, nor smelled them, nor sensed the sweetness of their taste, so too the saints, who often taste the sweetness of their heavenly homeland through the grace of contemplation, are inflamed daily with much greater love for it than those who do not feel the sweetness of eternal life because of the sweetness of the world.
The same prophet said in the following that he saw trees on both banks of the river, whose fruit was for food, and their leaves for medicine. The two banks represent the Old and New Testaments: between these two banks flows the great river of Scripture, which was written by the holy Fathers. The trees, on the other hand, represent the doctors of the Church, who are said to be planted on both banks, that is, in the teaching of the Old and New Testament. From there, they draw the waters of true knowledge and bear fruit and leaves. The fruit represents good works, while the leaves represent words of preaching. Fruits are useful for food, and leaves for medicine; because each doctor provides healing words to a sick soul when they have first nourished it with examples of good works.
Behold, Ezekiel said that he saw a torrent coming out of the temple: but John says that he saw a river proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. A torrent is usually dried up by the excessive heat of the sun, but a river is not dried up by any heat. Therefore, it is not inappropriate for the divine Scripture to be expressed by a torrent, which will be dried up when the sun, that is, the Lord, comes for judgment; because after the resurrection, the divine Scripture will not be necessary. Furthermore, through the river, which is not dried up by the burning heat of the sun, the eternal glory of the saints is understood: which is said to proceed from the throne of God and the Lamb; because from that river of glory the procession of the saints will come forth, from which, after being placed in the flesh, the stream of all goods proceeded to them.
The splendid river is said to resemble crystal: but because mention is often made of this stone in this book, it pleased us to say a few things about its nature and meaning. This stone is clearer than all other stones: it is born in the coldest places, from which the cold never departs. Because it adheres somewhat to a slightly softer stone in its lower part, attaching its roots to it for a short time, and growing upwards, it rises, having six angles, but sharpening at the top; nevertheless, it maintains the same arrangement of six angles all the way till the top. But each perfect man signifies: indeed, the stone, to which it adheres, represents Christ: the clarity of the crystal represents the purity of holy minds: the six angles demonstrate the perfection of good works. It leads the order of the six angles to the summit; because the saints strive for this, that they may bring the perfection of good works to the end of life: but in the highest part it is sharpened; because the whole intention of the saints tends to Him, who is one, and in whom they themselves also become one.
Therefore, this river, which represents the glory of the saints, is said to have the splendor of crystal; for it shines forth to each faithful person according to the quality of their works, as the Apostle says: 'For one star differs from another star in glory, so also is the resurrection of the dead' (I Corinthians 15:41). It is said to proceed from the throne of God and the Lamb; for all the glory of the saints will proceed from Him, who is the author of all good things. It is also said to flow in the middle of the city street; for it will delight the hearts of the saints with the perpetual sweetness of joy.
And from both sides of the river, the tree of life (Ez. 47:7). In Ezekiel, on both banks of the river, many trees were shown, of which we have spoken above: but here it says that the tree of life occupied both sides of the river. But there, through many trees, many preachers: but here, through one tree of life, only one Christ is designated, who is the life of all the faithful: but through both sides of the river, we can understand angels and humans. Therefore, each side of the river will possess the tree of life: because Christ will equally possess both angels and holy humans. Bearing twelve fruits. The fruits are the twelve apostles, and all those who have followed their teaching: the tree of life will bear twelve fruits; because in that blessedness Christ will place all the multitude of believers. Giving its fruit in each month. Each month is a period from the beginning of the world until its end, as we have often said. Therefore, each month will yield its own fruit; because all the chosen ones who have been and will be in each period, until the end, will be brought before the Father in that blessedness. And the leaves of the tree are for the health of the nations. The leaves of the tree are the words of the Gospel, which have brought health to many nations. And the meaning is this: all the nations that have been saved from the illnesses of their souls through the teaching of the Gospel, will be established in heavenly blessedness.
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3) And every curse will no longer exist. When he says 'every curse', he demonstrates that there are many curses. The first man incurred the curse of death when he sinned, and it has passed to all men from him (Gen. 3:17). And concerning Christ, Paul says that he became a curse for us (Rom. 5:11); because he took on the death, which is the curse of the first man, for our salvation (Gal. 3:13). But Cain was also cursed by God for the crime of murder (Gen. IV, 11). And Moses says to those who despise the Law: Cursed is he who does not abide by the words of this book (Deut. XXVII, 26). Similarly, when we sin grievously, we condemn ourselves with the worst curse. Therefore, every curse will no longer exist; for there will be no sin, nor anything that gives occasion to sin. The curse of the first man will also be erased in the resurrection, when immortality is bestowed upon all the elect. And the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it (I Cor. XV, 53). If indeed the saints of God are placed as the throne of God in this life, how much more then, when this corruptible body puts on incorruptibility, and this mortal body puts on immortality? And his servants will serve him. What is this servitude, by which the servants of God will serve God? Truly by loving him, and praising him without end.(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4) And they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. The glory and sweetness that shall be given to the saints cannot be comprehended by the human mind, as the apostle Paul says: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him' (1 Corinthians 2:9). But all the sweetness and delight will be surpassed by seeing God face to face. The true name of God is the Son of God: therefore the name will be on the foreheads of the saints; for their very glory and appearance will show that they are the sons of God.(Vers. 5.)
(V. 5) And there will be no more night. John says elsewhere: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). Therefore, what darkness will they be able to endure, since God will be constantly visible to them? But if we want to understand this statement in relation to demons and the wicked, there will be no night, because demons, along with all the wicked, will be confined in the depths of hell forever. And they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun. We have said above that the old and new Testament are designated by the light of the moon and the light of the sun: therefore, the same significance is held by the lamp in this place, which we have said above that the moon had. And about the light of the sun and the moon, that is, of the old and new Testament, we have said something above. Therefore, the saints will not need this light. For the Lord God will enlighten them, and they will reign forever and ever. This completes the seventh vision. The following things pertain to the admonition of John himself and the other faithful.(Vers. 6.)
(Verse 6.) And he said to me: These words are most faithful and true. This is repeated twice so that no one, considering the obscurities of the words and the things which seem irrational according to the letter, may disbelieve; for there were some who, not understanding the divine mysteries contained in this book, wanted to remove it from the canon of the divine Scriptures. And the Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angel to show his servants the things that must happen soon, that is, the Lord God who gave the spirit of prophecy to all the holy prophets, sent his angel, that is, himself who was speaking, who also showed John all the mysteries that are contained in this book, to show his servants the things that must happen soon. Since this Scripture pertains not only to future times, but also to past times, why did God send it only to demonstrate those things that needed to be done quickly? It is because past events are easily recognized, but future events are unknown to humans unless revealed by the Holy Spirit or understood through the ministry of angels. Otherwise, everything we are ignorant of is future to us, because it is future that it comes to our heart, which we do not know; namely, what God has predestined for us to know. For it is not the knowledge of evil that is predestined for us, but it descends from original sin.(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7) And behold, I come quickly. This is spoken in the person of Christ, signifying that He will come quickly to judgment. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. He keeps the words of prophecy, that is, the commandments of God, who fulfills them by his actions and is diligent in meditating on them, fulfilling the saying of the Psalmist: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:2).(Vers. 8, 9.)
(Verse 8, 9.) And I, John, who heard and saw these things. And after I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who was showing me these things. But he said to me, 'See that you do not do that. I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.' Blessed Gregory adequately explained why the angel did not want to be worshipped by John, but what we should inquire is why he repeated what had previously been prohibited to him. But if we carefully examine the writing of this book, we will see that it has not been done in vain; for when the angel showed John Christ sitting on his throne, along with the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders, it is not said that the angel wanted to be worshipped. Similarly, when the angel showed John how the seven seals were opened by the Lamb, and the things that were done by the seven angels with the sound of the seven trumpets, as well as the things that were done by the seven angels with the pouring out of the seven bowls, it is not said that the angel wanted to be worshipped. But when he came to the place where the angel had shown him how the bride of Christ, that is, the Church, is united to Christ, in that very place where it is written: Let us rejoice and be glad, and give glory to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself: and it was given to her that she should be clothed with bright white linen. For linen, he says, is the righteousness of the saints; immediately he wanted to adore the angel. Similarly, in the following, when the overthrow of the Antichrist, the binding of the devil in the abyss, and the glory of the resurrection were shown to him, he absolutely did not want to worship the angel; but when at the end of this vision it was shown to him how the Church, after the glory of the resurrection, will reign with Christ forever, he immediately wanted to worship the angel; for the Church is joined to Christ daily through faith and other good works, which are represented by the abyss. But after the resurrection, he will be joined much higher and nobler, no longer in parts as before, but all at once, lasting forever with him, and reigning without end. Therefore, John wanted to worship the angel twice, because he showed him two unions of the Church with Christ.(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10.) And he said to me: Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is near. The Scripture is sealed to those from whom it is not understood. Therefore, it is commanded to John not to seal the words of the prophecy of this book, that is, not to hide its obscurities by silence, but rather to reveal it to all who wish to know it by explaining it; because the day of judgment, which is described in various ways in this book, is near, and we must see the danger that is imminent with our hearts, lest it seize and destroy us like a thief who catches the unaware. But why did John not want to make known and describe the obscurities of this book according to the angelic commandment, especially since some have fallen into error and heresy because of the same obscurities, saying that Christ, after the resurrection, would reign in the world in a bodily manner for a thousand years with all the saints? However, we believe that he did not do it by writing, but by preaching.(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) Let the one who harms, continue to harm; and let the one who is in filth, continue to be filthy; and let the holy one be further sanctified. The one who says, 'Let the one who harms, continue to harm; and let the one who is in filth, continue to be filthy,' did not say it as a command, but as a threat. Indeed, people are often frightened by this kind of expression, as teachers who often tell idle students, 'Do not read, do not read,' but those who understand that it is a threat, not a prohibition, immediately begin to read. In this way, masters also tend to scare the sluggish slaves with idleness, so that they complete the task assigned to them more quickly.(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12.) Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me to render to everyman according to his works. The people of the world have rewards which they owe to their servants, to be rendered either in bags, or in barns, or in certain places on the earth: But Christ always has the rewards of his servants with him; for from him comes forth all the goodness of the saints, and from him, in the future, shall come forth all their glory.(Vers. 13, 14.)
(Verse 13, 14.) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their garments, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. We can understand our souls in this place through our garments, and because we sin constantly, it is necessary for us to constantly wash our garments, that is, our souls, by praying, watching, fasting, and giving alms. Through the tree of life, we can understand wisdom, as Solomon says: She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed (Prov. 3:18). The saints have power in the tree of life, that is, in wisdom; because whoever possesses wisdom is able to eradicate all vices, to overcome the temptations of demons, and to perform all good works, as Solomon says: Better is a patient man than a strong man: and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh cities (Prov. 16:32). Therefore, such people enter the city through the gates, namely through that gate which is mentioned in the Gospel: I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved: and he shall go in, and go out, and shall find pastures (John 10:9). We can refer this to future times; for Christ is designated through the wood of life, as we have often said. For just as many branches come forth from one stem of a tree; so also from one Christ come forth a multitude of saints. Therefore, whoever does not cease to cleanse their souls through spiritual baths, that is, through good works, will have power in the wood of life; because having become his members through him, they will be able to accomplish great things: for just as from one stem of a tree all the power of the branches proceeds; so also from one Christ comes forth all the power of the saints. But through the gate of the city, we are able to receive the mercy and clemency of God. This is the gate that will be opened to the righteous and closed to the unjust; because the divine mercy will admit the righteous to the hall of paradise: from which the wicked will be excluded. From this gate, foolish virgins will be repelled, who will not have the oil of charity in their vessels (Matthew 25:12).(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15) And hence follows: Outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the sexually immoral, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. By the false dogs, we can understand false preachers, about whom the apostle Paul says: Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation (Philippians 3:2); and the prophet: Mute dogs unable to bark (Isaiah 56:10); and again: The most impudent dogs have not known satisfaction, the shepherds themselves have lacked understanding (ibid., 11). We have already spoken about the other vices that are contained here. Therefore, all those who have been defiled by these vices will be rejected from that blessedness and will be condemned to eternal punishment.(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star. David is the root of his entire lineage, for just as many branches arise from one root, so a great offspring has arisen from one David. Therefore, since David is the root of Christ, because Christ has arisen from his lineage, how does Christ say that he is the root of David? Therefore, Christ is both the root and the son of David. He is the root of David; because he was created by David himself, just like all other human beings: he is the son of David; because he came forth from his lineage according to the flesh. He also calls himself the morning star. The morning star, which we call Lucifer, is rightly called Christ; because just as that star, rising in the morning, spreads its brightness throughout the whole world, so Christ, coming into the world, illuminated the entire face of the world: he is appropriately called the morning star; because coming into the world, he brought with him the light by which he extinguished the darkness of this world. Job speaks about this Lucifer, saying: He who brings forth the morning star in its time (Job 38:32). God the Father brought forth the morning star in its time, when He directed His Son at the appointed time to redeem the human race.(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17.) And the bride and groom say: Come. The bride and groom, that is, Christ and the Church, invite all people daily through the Scriptures and through the preachers to receive eternal rewards. And whoever hears, let them say: Come. However, not only those who understand the divine Scriptures hear, but also those who know the good things through which they can be saved. Indeed, there are many who hear, that is, those who have learned the divine commandments: but they do not come, because they neglect to fulfill them in action. Therefore, whoever hears it is necessary for them to come; and whoever has already begun to come to God by the way of good works, it is necessary for them to draw others with them by admonishing. And whoever thirsts, let them come; that is, let them recognize that they ought to come to eternal life by the way of good works. Let who desires, take the water of life freely. This has been explained above (In Chapter 12).(Vers. 18, 19.)
(Verses 18, 19.) I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the book of life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. When the angel earlier commanded John, saying, 'Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book,' why does John in this place condemn with a terrible curse those who add anything to the script of this book, especially since in this book many things are found that may seem useless and vain according to the literal interpretation, unless they are understood with spiritual understanding? But we should understand that this statement is not about commentators, but about heretics; for a commentator adds or diminishes nothing, but either exposes the obscurities of history, or reveals moral or spiritual understanding. Therefore, it curses heretics who add certain false things to divine Scriptures to confirm their heresy, and detract certain things that seem contrary to their heresy.(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20.) He who bears witness of these things says: Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Christ says: I am coming soon. John asks: Come, Lord Jesus; and we must pray for the coming of Christ in many ways. For we pray for his coming in the Lord's Prayer, saying daily: Your kingdom come (Matthew 6:10), that is, the time that will come after the resurrection, in which all the saints will reign with Christ forever. We lie in sins; it is necessary that by repenting, weeping, praying, abstaining, giving alms, we may beseech his coming; that by bestowing his mercy upon us, he may return from those evils from which he departed, being provoked by our sins. We are placed in the darkness of ignorance; the Lord must be besought, that he may come and illuminate our hearts with the light of his wisdom. We are attacked by invisible enemies; we must pray that the Lord may come and defend us by his invisible power. We suffer visible enemies, the Lord must be implored; that coming, He may grant us patience and endurance in adversity; that we may not be overcome by evil, but we may overcome evil with good. There are other inner enemies, and much worse ones, from whom we are constantly waging war, namely greed, gluttony, lust, envy, anger, hatred, pride, vainglory, arrogance of the mind, contempt for others, blasphemy, and many others, which it is too long to list. These, therefore, are the worst enemies, who emerge from within us, and dwell with us, and constantly wage war against us. Moreover, they have countless arrows of evil thoughts, with which they continually wound us. Therefore, if there were no internal enemies, the external enemies would not be able to harm us at all; for these are the betrayers of our city, and the external enemies can only capture the city of our heart through them. Let us therefore pray to the Lord that He may come and completely extinguish these most savage enemies within us, for unless they are extinguished, we cannot be saved.(Vers. 21.)
(Verse 21) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with us, and may He give us the weapons of virtues, by which, fortified, we may be defended by Himself as our leader and standard-bearer, both against our inner and outer enemies, so that we may deserve to be partakers of eternal life: who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.Auctoris Admonitio.
Whoever desires to know the name of the author, pay attention to the letters of the explanations in the first seven chapters of the Visions. The missing four letters, if you substitute Greek letters, is 81. Behold how briefly I have written this book. However, I beseech you, to whom God has given knowledge of letters, and in whose hands this book has come for reading; that you do not reject the language of this book on account of its foul and very rustic style: but rather imitate him who found a gem in a dungheap and washed it with clear water until it regained its original brightness; so also, wash away the filth of my ignorance with the water of your wisdom, and adorn the necessary words of this book with your beautiful and well-composed language, so that the usefulness of the book is not rejected by proud readers on account of its rusticity. For I know that this unpolished dictation of mine will be despised and mocked by many learned people. They will also be indignant against me, wondering why I, an idiot and know-nothing, presumed to publish a volume of Exposition on such a deep and obscure subject. To them I respond that just as the pouring of manure benefits infertile soil more than the deposition of precious metals, so too the moderately presented divine Scripture is of greater benefit to the unlearned than if it were presented in philosophical or poetic language. Let them know that our Lord Jesus Christ entrusted the mysteries of his teaching not to philosophers in the first place, but to fishermen, so that he might come to the philosophers through the fishermen. For indeed he who gave the donkey the ability to speak sensible words to correct the prophet's foolishness (Num. 22:30), he has deigned to bestow upon me, unworthy and most despised of all men, understanding of this book in part. But considering within myself that saying of Solomon: Wisdom is hidden and a treasure that is unseen, what use is there in both? (Eccl. 20:32). At the same time, considering the great danger that would befall me if I were to hide the smallest treasure that the Almighty God has deigned to bestow upon me by keeping silent, and also considering that I am not fit to teach what I understand, for there would be no one to be found who, like a disciple, would deem it worthy to hear my foolish words, I resolved within myself to pursue this small knowledge bestowed upon me by divine mercy in whatever style; lest, by hiding the talent of my Lord, I be condemned like that servant who, going away, dug into the ground and hid his master's money (Mt. 25:18). And since I am not capable of duplicating my lord's money, I entrust it to the money changers; so that when he comes, he may receive what is his with interest. But you, to whom I have begun to speak, I call a money changer; because just as a money changer adorns unadorned money with his inscriptions, so that it is suitable for carrying out profitable transactions: in the same way, with your wisdom, you are able to adorn this money of the Lord, which I entrust to you, with your well-composed words, so that it may be suitable for carrying out the profitable works of our Lord Jesus Christ. And know that you will receive the best reward from him, if this book, as I believe, necessary for the Church of God, has lost its impurities of language through your diligence and teaching, and has become more useful for the edification of the readers or listeners, adorned with your fitting words. However, I do not allow that the meaning of this book be changed into other meanings; unless perhaps, God forbid, something contrary to the truth is found in it: which I decide must be completely erased, or certainly changed for the better.1 / 2下一章