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The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to make known to his servants the things which must shortly come to pass: and signified, sending by his angel to his servant John,
St. Victorinus
The beginning of the book promises blessing to him that reads and hears and keeps, that he who takes pains about the reading may thence learn to do works, and may keep the precepts.
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Oecumenius
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to make known to his servants He says this as though he was saying, “Although the present revelation has been given from the Father to the Son, it has now been given from the Son to us,His servants. By calling the saints servants of Christ, he safeguarded his divine nature. But what does he mean by adding things which must shortly come to pass, since those things which were going to happen have not yet been fulfilled, although a very long time has passed since this was said? The reason is that all the ages are reckoned as nothing in the eyes of the infinite, eternal God. “For a thousand years,” says the prophet, “in your sight, Lord, are as yesterday which is past, and a watch in the night.(Ps. 89:4)” On this account, therefore, he added soon, looking not to actual time of the fulfillment of the future events, but to the power and eternity of God.
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Apringius of Beja
From this we learn that this book is called an Apocalypse, that is, “revelation,” which manifests those secrets which are hidden and unknown to the sense, and that unless Christ Himself reveals them, he who perceives the revelation will not have the strength to understand what he sees.
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St. Bede
The revelation of Jesus Christ: The progress with which the Church that had been founded by the Apostles was to be extended, or the end with which it was to be perfected, had need to be revealed, in order to strengthen the preachers of the faith against the opposition of the world. And John, in his own manner, refers the glory of the Son to the Father, and testifies that Jesus Christ has received from God.
shortly. That is, which are to happen to the Church in the present time. signified. He wrapped up this revelation in mystical words, that it might not be manifested to all, and become lightly esteemed. angel. For an angel appeared to John in the form of Christ, as will be seen more clearly in that which follows. John. That through John He might lay open to all His servants the things which he, by the privilege of a peculiar chastity, obtained above all others to behold. _____________________________________________________________
St. Beatus of Liébana
‘Therefore, this is why the Apocalypse, that is, the unveiling [revelatio], is called that — it manifests to one’s sense those secrets that lurk hidden; for unless revealed to him who would know it, one would not succeed in understanding it.’ ‘And what does it say? ‘“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him” — that is, to the most blessed Apostle John, “to make known to His servants”, so that what he says may unlock, and what he explains may be made plain. ‘“The things which must shortly come to pass.” Signifying that it will be fulfilled with quick speed, both in reckoning of time,’ and to the sense and ‘understanding.’ ‘“And signified, sending by His angel to His servant John.” ‘That is, this is not a thing conceived in thought nor from any oracles…’ out of the Scriptures, ‘but “by His angel”, that is, by…’ the purity ‘of His herald — “to His servant…”, a most tested man and the holiest Apostle of them all, “John”.’ _____________________________________________________________ Nicholas of Lyra
The revelation of Jesus Christ The revelation made in the Person of Jesus Christ said in this way. Which God gave Him The Father, because the Son possesses divinity from the Father. To make known That is, to show. To His servants To the devoted, to the faithful, and to the studious. What must soon take place Namely, the tribulations of the Church which must soon happen, because this proceeds from the divine command which is not able to be frustrated. This is for the testing of the faithful and for the increase of their glory. And by sending His angel Appearing in this manner. He made it known That is, to show. To His servant That is, to the evangelist.
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Bishop Richard Challoner
[1] Things which must shortly come to pass: and again it is said, ver. 3, The time is at hand-- This cannot be meant of all the things prophesied in the Apocalypse, where mention is made also of the day of judgment, and of the glory of heaven at the end of the world. That some things were to come to pass shortly, is evident, by what is said to the Seven Churches, chap. 2 and 3, Or that the persecutions foretold should begin shortly. Or that these words signified, that all time is short, and that from the coming of Christ, we are now in the last age or last hour. See 1 John 2. 18.
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Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
In the Gospel we behold Jesus Christ as a man conversing with men, humble, poor, feeble, suffering; all that is there tells us of a victim about to offer himself as a sacrifice and of a man appointed to suffering and death. But the Apocalypse is the Gospel of Jesus Christ raised from the dead: he there speaks, and there acts as the conqueror of death, as he who marches forth from hell which he has despoiled, and who enters in triumph into the place of his glory, where he begins to exercise the omnipotence which his Father hath given him in heaven and in earth.
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Francisco Ribera
From these words arises the question, how St. John says the Father gave this revelation to Christ our Lord, just as if he was speaking only of some one of the prophets, or of some angel who came to announce the prophecy." ..." Thomas (Aquinas) thus replies: It is not to be understood as if these things were only then revealed to him, so as to imply that he was previously ignorant of them; but it is said, 'he gave,' for this reason, to show that the man Christ received not these things from nature, but from grace'
It is better to reply, that this revelation is said to be given, not as if he then received that which he had known from his conception, but that it was then made known to men; as to John through an angel, and to all others through John." ..."The Father gave to Christ this revelation, not at that time in which he signified it to John through an angel; but at the time when he was first conceived he taught him to make known these things to the churches in their due season. After the same manner does the Lord speak every where in the Gospel according to St. John. As in chap. 3: We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen ;'chap. 5: 'The Father loves the Son, and shows him all things whatsoever he doeth ;' chap, 18: 'The cup which my Father has given me shall I not drink it?'
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Rupert of Deutz
The power of revealing to his servants, which Jesus Christ had not by nature, the humanity received by way of gift.
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Cornelius a Lapide
'The revelation of Jesus Christ;'—as if he should say, This is, or here begins, the prophecy of Jesus Christ, revealed from God the Father not enigmatically, hut publicly and openly. For the Father speaks to Christ his Son clearly. ' Which God gave unto Him,'—i. e., to Christ, in his conception and incarnation; for from this was Christ full of all knowledge, wisdom, grace, and virtue. ' To show,'—that is, to publish and reveal, not openly, but in enigmas and symbols, to his servants." . . . "Hence, therefore, it is evident, that the Apocalypse was first revealed to the soul of Christ in his incarnation, and that clearly and perfectly, and to him alone, not to the prophets, nor even to angels.
It is for one reason that enigmatical and symbolical visions are called mysteries or sacraments, for another that the sacraments of the new law or Christianity are likewise so called. The former are called mysteries and sacraments because they secretly signify things sacred, supernatural, and mystical; for they are as it were images, the whole intent of which is to signify and represent the things themselves, just as an image of Caesar is no other than a picture or likeness representing Caesar. The latter, however, are so called because they both signify and exhibit things sacred, and are not empty as those of the old law, but efficacious as those of Christ.
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Estius
The revelation made by Jesus Christ, not that made to Jesus Christ... The revelation was not made to Christ by the Father, as if he did not know it before, but it was given him from the Father, (for the Son has received all things from the Father) in order to reveal it to his servants. Whence it is that Christ does not give the Father thanks, for having revealed hidden mysteries to himself, but, ' I thank thee, O Father ! because thou hast revealed them unto babes.' Mt.11
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Augustin Calmet
' Which God gave unto Him,,'—He received it not as God; because in this quality he possesses every thing, and knows every thing; but he received it as man, who as such received from God all light and all grace in the moment of the hypostatical union of the Word with the human nature. The words read as if he received it at the time in which he discovered it to St. John, because previously it was concealed and unknown, and because in relation to us the Son has not received it, nor revealed it to us, but under the circumstance of a certain lapse of time.
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Richard of St. Victor
'To his servants;' not to proud philosophers, not to unbelieving Jews, not to impure Christians. For holy things must not be given to dogs, nor pearls be cast before swine. Dogs are unbelieving persecutors of the holy faith, and who themselves bark against it. Serine are false Christians, haring a faith sufficient to make them credulous, but defiling themselves with sordid vices after the manner of swine. From both these, therefore, sacred mysteries are to be concealed ; from the former, in consequence of the blindness super induced by wickedness; from the latter, in consequence of their polluted life. To the servants of God, however, divine things are to be purposely made known, because the instructions given to them they patiently hear, and what they hear they devoutly practice. As therefore divine good is not given to be manifested to the evil, so likewise from those who are good it ought by no means to be concealed. And as it is a serious fault to reveal sacred mysteries to the wicked, so also it is a serious fault to hide them from the elect. Let not therefore the useless servant feel secure, who grows torpid in his duty of teaching; because in the day of judgment he will have to give an account of the gain he has derived from the talent committed to his care.
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Haydock Bible
The Apocalypse, or Revelation. I rather prefer the word Apocalypse, which the Latin interpreter did not think fit to change. --- Of Jesus Christ....by his Angel, sent to his servant John. So that these things were immediately revealed to St. John by an Angel, who represented and spoke in the person of Christ.--- Which must shortly come; and as it is again said, (ver. 3.) the time is at hand. This cannot be meant of all things in the Apocalypse, where mention is also made of the day of judgment, and of the glory of heaven at the end of the world. It can only mean, that some things were to happen shortly, i.e. what is said of the seven churches. (Chap. ii. and iii.) Or the persecutions foretold should begin shortly. Or else these expressions are only to signify, that all time is short, and that from the coming of the Messias, we are now in the last age, or the last hour. See 1 John ii. 18. (Witham) --- St. John excites their attention by the most pressing motives, the approach of the events. Whatever explanation be given of this book, it is equally true in all, that the time is at hand, when it will begin to be accomplished. To find our consolation and happiness in this sacred book, according to the promise of the Holy Spirit, we must peruse it with faith and humility, receive the interpretation of the Church with submission and docility, and practise the truths contained with fidelity and promptitude. What is the life of man, since ages are but moments that escape us? Eternity is but a moment, but a moment that will never end.
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Aquinas Study Bible
1:1 Revelation: This is the revealing of hidden mysteries when the intellect is enlightened by either divine dreams or by visions from divine enlightenment while awake. (St. Andrew of Caesarea) God gave to him: The whole Trinity made this revelation to Christ according to the humanity. (Gilbert Universalis) must shortly come to pass: more than 500 years has gone by since John said this. The reason is because that all time in the eyes of the infinite eternal God are as nothing. (Oecumenius) to his servant John: This book was written not by another John but by the one who wrote the Gospel, he who at the marriage feast at Cana reclined on the breast of the Lord. (Berengaud)
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