> Chapter 2 > Chapter 3 > Chapter 4 > Chapter 5 > Chapter 6 > Chapter 7 > Chapter 8 > Chapter 9 > Chapter 10 > Chapter 11 > Chapter 12 > Chapter 13 > Chapter 14 > Chapter 15 > Chapter 16 > Chapter 17 > Chapter 18 > Chapter 19 > Chapter 20 > Chapter 21 > Chapter 22 >
1:4 Ex. 3:14
1:5 Col. 1
Heb. 9
1:6 1 Pet 1
1:7 Zec. 12
1:8 Is. 44
Apoc. 21; 22:13
1:13 See Wisdom 18:14
1:17 Is. 41,45-46
| 3. John being banished in the island of Patmos, is commanded to write to the seven churches of Asia (signified by the seven candlesticks) that which he saw upon a Sunday, round about the Son of man: 13. whose manner of apparition is described.
1 The Apocalypse of Jesus Christ which God gave to him, to make manifest
to his servants the things which must be done quickly: and signified,
sending by his angel to his servant John,
2 who has given testimony to the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, what things soever he has seen.
3
Blessed is he that reads and hears the words of this prophecy: and keeps those things which be written in it, for the time is near.
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace to you and peace
from *him that is, and that was, and that shall come, and from the seven
spirits which are in the sight of his throne,
5 and from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness, the *first-born of
the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, who has loved us,
and *washed us from our sins in his blood.
6 and has made us a kingdom and priests to God and his father, to him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold he comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they
that *pricked him. And all the tribes of the earth shall bewail
themselves upon him. Yea. Amen.
8 *I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end, says our Lord God, which is, and which was, and which shall come, the Omnipotent.
9 I John your brother and partaker in tribulation, and the kingdom, and
patience in Christ Jesus, was in the island, which is called Patmos, for
the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
10 I was in spirit on the Dominical day, and heard behind me a great voice as it were of a trumpet
11 saying: That which you see, write in a book, and send to the seven
churches which are in Asia, to Ephesus, and Smyrna, and Pergamus, and
Thyatira, and Sardis, and Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
12 And I turned, to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned I saw seven candlesticks of gold:
13 and in the middle of the seven candlesticks of gold, one like the Son
of man, vested in a priestly garment to the feet, and girded about *near
to the paps with a girdle of gold.
14 And his head and hairs were white, as white wool, and as snow, and his eyes as the flame of fire,
15 and his feet like to latten, as in a burning furnace. And his voice as of many waters.
16
And he had in his right hand seven stars. And from his mouth proceeded
a sharp two edged sword: and his face, as the sun shines in his
virtue.
17 And when I had seen him, I fell at his feet as
dead. And he put his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not. *I am the
First and the Last,
18 and alive, and was dead, and behold I am living for ever and ever, and have the keys of death and of hell.
19 Write therefore the things which you have seen, and that are, and that must be done after these.
20
The sacrament of the seven stars, which you have seen in my right hand,
and the seven candlesticks of gold, the seven stars, are the angels of
the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks, are the seven churches.
| The Church reads this book at Martins from the 3rd Sunday after Easter unto the 4th.
The 1st part. Seven epistles to the churches.
The Epistle upon Michaelmas day September 19, and on the Apparition of St. Michael Mai.8.
1:3 keeps those things: There be many (specially now a days) that be great readers, hearers and talkers of Scriptures, but that is not enough to make them good or blessed before God, except they keep the things prescribed and taught therein, according to our Savior's saying, (Luke 11) Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.
1:9 Patmos: Banished there for religion by Nero, or rather by Domitian, almost 60 years after Christ's Ascension.
1:10 in spirit: Namely, I had a vision, and not with my corporal eyes, but in spirit I beheld the similitudes of the things following.
1:12 I turned: The one general vision of the seven according to St. Ambrose.
1:13 like the Son of man: It seems not to be Christ himself, but an angel bearing Christ's person, and using divers speaking proper to Christ.
1:20 seven: St. Irenaeus alluding to this says, "The Church every where preaches the truth, and this is the sevenfold candlestick, bearing the light of Christ etc." Against Her. 5
|
COMMENTARY
(An admonition to the reader concerning the difficulty of this book)
1. Apocalypse: Of the Apocalypse thus writes the ancient father Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, as Eusebius alleges him li. 7 c. 10 hist. Eccl. Of this book(says he) this is my opinion, that the matter thereof is far more profound then my wit can reach unto, and I doubt not but almost in every sentence of it, there lies hidden a certain sense exceeding mystical and marvelous, which though I don't understand, yet I conceive that under the words there is a deep meaning, and I measure not the matter by reason, but attribute all to faith, taking it to be more high and divine, then I can by cognition comprise, not reproving that which I understand not, but therefore I admire with reverence, because my wit can not attain to it." Again St. Augustine says, "That in the Apocalypse many things are obscurely spoken, to exercise the mind of the reader, and some few things left evident, that through them a man may with labor searching out the rest, especially for that the author so repeats the same things in divers sorts, that seeming to speak of sundry matters, in detail is found but to utter the same things in divers ways." lib. 20 City of God c.17. Which we set down here in the beginning, to warn the good Christian reader to be humble and wise in the reading both of all other holy Scriptures, and namely of this divine and deep prophecy, giving him further to understand, that we will in our commentary, according to our former trade and purpose, firstly and chiefly note unto the studious, such places as may be used by Catholics, or abused by heretics, in the controversies of this time, and some others also that have special matter of edification, and that as briefly as may be, for that the volume grows great.
(Numbers mystical)
4. To the seven churches. That certain numbers may be observed as symbolic and mystical, and is plain by many places of holy Scripture, and by the ancient Doctors special noting of the same to many purposes. Whereby we see the rashness of our adversaries, in condemning generally all religious respect of certain numbers in our prayers and actions.
(The number seven mystical, especially in this book)
Namely the number seven, is mystical, and prophetical, perfect, and which, as St. Augustine says, the Church knows by the Scripture, to be specially dedicated to the Holy Spirit, and to appertain to spiritual cleanness, as in the Prophets appointing of Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan, and the sprinkling of the blood seven times against the tabernacle (li. 4 quest. in number.q.33., See li.s.c.5 de Gen.ad.lit. & li.5 in Deuter.q.41.). All these visions stand upon seven, seven churches, seven angels, seven stars, seven spirits, seven candlesticks, seven heads of the Dragon, signifying the Devil, seven of the beast that is the Antichrist, seven of the beast that the harlot rode upon, finally the number also of the visions is specially marked to be seven, in this book, and every time that this number is used in this prophecy, it has a mystery and a more large meaning, then the nature of the number is precisely and commonly taken for. As when he writes to the seven churches, it is to be understood of all the churches in the world, as the seven angels, for all the angels or governors of the whole Catholic Church, and so forth, because the number of seven, has the perfection of universality in it, as St. Augustine says (li.5 quast. in Deuter. q.4.2).
(Grace and peace from God and the holy angels)
4. From the seven spirits. The Holy Spirit may be here meant, and to call for his sevenfold gifts and graces, as some expositors think; but it seems more probable that he speaks of the holy angels, by comparing this to the like in the 5th chapter following, where he seems to call these, seven spirits sent into all the world, as St. Paul to the Hebrews 1:14 speaks of angels, and so Protestants take it in their commentaries, which we note, because thereupon they must needs confess that the Apostle here gives grace and peace, not from God only, but also from his angels, though that benediction comes one way of God, and in another way of his angels or saints, being but his creatures.
(God and our Lady save us, and the like)
And so they may learn, that the faithful often sing in one speech, God and our Lady, our Lord and any of his saints, to help us or bless us, is not superstitious, but an Apostolic speech, and so the Patriarch said (Gen 48:16) The angel that delivers me from all evils, bless these children. See commentary on Acts 15:28
(How all Christians be both kings and priests)
6. A kingdom and priests. As all that truly serve God, and have the dominion and superiority over their concupiscences and whatever would induce them to sin, be kings, so all that employ their works and themselves to serve God and offer all their actions as an acceptable sacrifice to him, be priests. Nevertheless, as if any man would thereupon affirm that there ought to be no other earthly powers or kings to govern in worldly affairs over Christians, he were a seditious heretic, even so are they that upon this or the like places where all Christian be called priests in a spiritual way, would therefore infer, that everyone is in proper signification a priest, or that all be priests alike, or that there ought to be none but such spiritual priests, for it is the seditious voice of Core, saying to Moses and Aaron, "Let us suffice you, that all the multitude is of holy ones, and the Lord is in them. Why are you extolled over the people of the Lord?" Num. 16
(Difference of holy days and workdays)
10. On the Lord's day. Many notable points may be marked here. First that even in the Apostles time there were days deputed to the service of God, and so made holy and different, though not by nature, yet by use and benediction, from other profane or as we call them, work days.
(Sunday made holiday by the Apostles and the Churches authority. Other feasts ordained by the Church)
Secondly, that the Apostles and faithful abrogated the Sabbath which was the seventh day, and made holy day for it, the next day following, being the eighth day in count from the creation, and that without all Scriptures, or commandment of Christ that we read of, yea, which is more, not only otherwise then was by the Law observed, but plainly otherwise then was prescribed by God himself in the second commandment, yea and otherwise then he ordained in the first creation, when he sanctified precisely the Sabbath day, and not the day following, even great power did Christ leave to his Church, and for such causes he gave the Holy Spirit to be resident in it, to guide it into all truths, even such as that are not expressed in the Scriptures.
(As Saturday was in memory of the creation, so Sunday of Christs' resurrection)
And if the Church had authority and inspiration from God, to make Sunday, being a work-day before, an everlasting holy day, and the Saturday, that before was a holy day, now a common work day, why may not the same Church prescribe and appoint the other holy feasts of Easter, Whitsuntide, Christmas, and the rest for the same warrant she has for the one, that she has for the other.
Thirdly, it is to be noted that the cause of this change was, for that now we Christians esteeming more our redemption, then our first creation, have the holy day which was before for the remembrance of God's accomplishment of the creation of things, now for the memory of the accomplishment of our redemption. Which therefore is kept upon that day on which our Lord rose from life to death, which was the day after the Sabbath, being called by the Jews, una or prima Sabbath, the first of or after the Sabbath (Mt 18; Acts 10; 1 Cor 16).
(The Church uses not heathen names of days, but days Dominicus, feria, Sabbatum)
Fourthly, it is to be marked, that this holy day by the Apostles tradition also, was named Dominisus dies, our Lord's day, or, the Dominike, which is also an old Ecclesiastical word in our language, for the name Sunday is a heathen calling, as all other of the week days be in our language, some that the Saxons did worship, and to which they dedicated their days before they were Christians. Which names the Church uses not, but has appointed to call the first day, the Dominike, after the Apostle here, the other by the name of Feries, until the last of the week, which she calls by the old name Sabbath, because that was of God, and not by imposition of the heathen. See. marginal commentary on Luke 24:1
(God gives greater grace at holy times of prayer and fasting)
Lastly observe, that God reveals such great things to Prophets, rather upon holy days, and in times of contemplation, sacrifice, and prayer, then on other profane days. And therefore, St. Peter (Acts 10) had a revelation at the sixth hour of prayer, and Zechariah (Lk 3) at the hour of incense, and Cornelius (Acts 10) when he was at his prayer the ninth hour, so here St. John notes that he had all these marvelous visions upon a Sunday.
(Priestly garments)
13. Vested in a Priestly garment. He appeared in a long garment or vestment proper unto Priests (for so the word, poderes, do signify, as Wisdom 18:24) and that was most agreeable for him that represented the person of Christ the high Priest, and appeared to John being a most holy Priest, and who is specially noted in the Ecclesiastical history for his priestly garment called petalen or lamina (Euseb. li.3.hist.Eccl.c.25.&li.5.c.23).
(The true religion manifest as the light on a candlestick)
20. The seven stars. The Bishops are the stars of the Church, as the churches themselves are the golden candlesticks of the world. No doubt to signify, that Christ preserves the truth only in and by the lawful Bishops and Catholic Church, and that Christ's truth is not to be sought for, in corners or conventicles of heretics, but at the Bishops hands, and upon the candlestick (Mt 5:15) which shines to all in the house.
(Angels are called protectors)
The angels of the churches. The whole Church of Christ has St. Michael for her keeper and protector, and therefore keeps his holy day firstly by name, among all angels. And as earthly kingdoms have their special angel protectors, as we see in the 10th chapter of Daniel, so much more, the particular churches of Christendom. See. St. Jerome in 34th chapter of his commentary on Ezekiel. But of those angels it is not here meant, as is manifest.
(Bishops and Priests are called angels)
And therefore angels here must needs signify the priests or Bishops specially of the churches here, and in them, all the governors of the whole and of every particular church of Christendom. They are called angels, for that they are God's messengers to us, interpreters of his will, our keepers and directors in religion, our intercessors, the carriers and offerers of our prayers to him, and the mediators unto him under Christ, and for these causes and for their great dignity they are here and in other places of Scriptures called angels. (Malachi 1:7)
|
|