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The court of heaven 1 After these things I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard, as it were, of a trumpet speaking with me, said: Come up here, and I will show you the things which must be done hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and behold there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting. 3 And he that sat, was to the sight like the jasper and the sardine stone; and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4:1 door: He fitly sees a door in heaven, as he is about to ascend, for that it is promised that the heavenly mysteries are to be opened to him, or, because Christ is the door. (St. Bede) It is those especially who are endowed with reason and understanding in consequence of their being cleansed from the spots which are contracted in this gross life, who attain to these visions, and to others of this kind which are worthy of God. (Arethas of Caesarea) 4:2 in the Spirit: see verse 1:10 throne one sitting: The one sitting on the throne is the Lord Jesus Christ. In Rev. 1:13, He was seen walking amid the seven candlesticks, diffusing His gifts of grace; so here He is seen sitting as a judge concerning the merits of each one individually. (Haimo of Auxerre) 4:3 jasper is the color of water and sardine as fire. These two are manifested to be placed as judgments upon God's tribunal until the end of the world, of which judgments one is already completed in the deluge of water, and the other shall be completed by fire.(St. Victorinus) St. Ambrosius Autpertus regards its redness as among other things indicating mercy. Cornelius a Lapide regards sardine as signifying love or charity. rainbow: Moreover, the rainbow round about the throne has the same colours. The rainbow is called a bow from what the Lord spoke to Noah and to his sons, that they should not fear any further deluge in the generation of God, but fire. For thus He says: I will place my bow in the clouds, that you may now no longer fear water, but fire. (St. Victorinus) Haimo, Primasius, St. Ambrosius Autpertus, and others say that as a rainbow is produced by the refraction of the sun's rays in a cloud, so in the present case that this sun is Christ the sun of righteousness; that the rays are the truths of his holy Word ; the cloud is the Humanity, or the saints, or the preachers of the Word; the various colors are the various truths of that Word, or virtues of the mind, which present to the view various lights. Joachim says that the rainbow is the Holy Spirit. Description of the assemblage 4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats, four and twenty ancients sitting, clothed in white garments, and on their heads were crowns of gold. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there were seven lamps burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 And in the sight of the throne was, as it were, a sea of glass like to crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind. 7 And the first living creature was like a lion: and the second living creature like a calf: and the third living creature, having the face, as it were, of a man: and the fourth living creature was like an eagle flying. 8 And the four living creatures had each of them six wings; and round about and within they are full of eyes. And they rested not day and night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come. 4:4 Oecumenius understood that St. John saw these elders at that moment in time, which means he did not see himself as one of the elders, therefore John mostly saw Old Testament saints and three New Testament saints. Some commentators believed it was twelve OT patriarchs and the 12 Apostles. (Apringius, Tyconius, St. Andrew of Caesarea) Others understood them to be angels. (Bulus al-Bushi) Nicholas of Lyra understood them to be bishops of the Church. Now Tychonius, Bede, Primasius, Arias Montanus, are of opinion that the twenty-four elders signify the whole of the church which had already received its crown from God; that is, the Church triumphant; and according to Chrysostom, these thrones represent the highest order of angels. Ecclesiastical Interpretation The Cardinals represent these twenty-four elders, and consequently their thrones; the throne
and the whole apparatus mentioned in this chapter beautifully
represents the chapel of the Pope, in which is seen an image of the
heavenly Jerusalem; the one seeming to be aptly taken from the other.
For the Pope, being as it were the Vicar of God, represents God; and the seven primitive deacons, the seven spirits standing before God;
the cardinals, the twenty-four elders. The Lamb, Christ who is offered
in the mass; the sealed book, the book of the Gospels. Lastly, the
patriarchs and mitered bishops robed in their pontificals, the
penitentiaries, canons, the whole array and magnificence of prelates,
priests, and ministers: as also the celestial music; represent the
innumerable glorious multitude of angels and saints who are perpetually
jubilating and hymning before God. In like manner the seven bishops of
Asia, subject to St. John, represent the seven cardinal bishops subject
to the Pontiff. The seven churches of Asia are adumbrated in the seven
churches of Rome, which are celebrated for their architecture, for
indulgences, and for pilgrimages thither by the whole world; pilgrimages
which both Romans and foreigners frequently make, and there suppliantly
implore the assistance of the martyrs and saints who lie buried there
in innumerable multitudes. Many more such illustrations might be quoted;
so that the ceremonies and magnificence of the Church of Rome appear to
be taken from and to be expressed by, the Apocalypse. Whence St.
Fulgentius, beholding and admiring it, worthily exclaimed, 'If the
earthly Rome be so resplendent, how resplendent must be the heavenly
Jerusalem!'" (Cornelius a Lapide)4:5 lightnings: These are the energy and efficacy of the Word of God; for these penetrate the heart of the sinner like lightning. (Cornelius a Lapide) seven spirits of God: Well is the Holy Spirit compared to seven lamps, because he inflames the saints to the love of God, and illuminates them by the light of faith, lest they should fall into the pit of error. (Haimo of Auxerre) or they are gifts of the Holy Spirit which enkindle and illuminate, and are prepared for all those who are themselves the throne of God. (Rabanus Maurus) 4:6 The sea of glass is the angels and the blessed themselves. By sea is signified an immense multitude; by glass, brightness, purity, and tranquility; by crystal, solidity and stability of glory and felicity of blessed and angelic minds. (Arethas of Caesarea) Or, that is, Baptism, which is called the sea, because just as the army of the Egyptians drowned in the sea (Ex. 19:27-28), so the army of sin is drowned in Baptism. (St. Albert the Great) Menochius interprets the sea of glass to signify the empyreal heaven; Joachim thinks that it signifies the Holy Scripture. in the midst: That is, in the midst of the Church, in which God sits, and He rests, as Judge, as the Gloss says. (St. Albert the Great) That is, for the ordering of the Church, just as the father of a family is in the midst of the family, to coordinate and govern. (St. Thomas Aquinas) round about: As if to protect the wall encircling the city. Through the doctrine that was written by the Evangelists, which is governed and protected by the Church. (St. Thomas Aquinas) four living creatures: "Recapitulated in Christ," these are the ones who take part in the service of the praise of God and the fulfillment of his plan: the heavenly powers, all creation the four living beings. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1138) For Ezekiel 1:5 says, 'and out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures.' (St. Thomas Aquinas) full of eyes: That is full of heavenly knowledge, and wholesome point of view. (St. Thomas Aquinas) Before, as much as to the goods to be held, and behind, as much as to the vices to be despised. For Philippians 3:14 says, 'Forgetting the things that are behind and stretching forth myself to those that are before.' (Hugh of St. Cher) Or, that, is, Scripture which enlighten the Church. (St. Albert the Great) 4:7 Some commentators understood the 4 living creatures to represent the four Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and as St. Gregory says, the Evangelists are compared to living creatures, because those animal characteristics symbolize their Gospels and what they wrote. (St. Thomas Aquinas) Primasius understood them as characteristics of the Church. St. Andrew of Caesarea, St. Basil, and Oecumenius understood them as Serephim angels. St. Augustine (Characteristics of the Evangelists) lion: Matthew is intended in the lion, in that he describes the ancestral line of regal dignity in Christ. ox: Luke is intended in the ox, which was the great victim under the Law. man: Mark only relates simply the actions of the man Christ. eagle: John is the eagle for with keen sight he beholds the nativity of the Word, as the risen Sun. Primasius (Characteristics of the Church) lion: The Church lives and works on the strength and beauty of the royal majesty. Ox: the first victim, for whenever anyone of the faithful is slain for Christ, he conquers at that moment. man: the humility of the Church is here commended. eagle: The celestial Church is being described as flying on the spiritual thoughts of Her members. 4:8 rested not: He says this not because they continually spend a painful and burdensome life, so that they are unable to have any respite from toil or from demanding obligation, but because they never cease from giving praises to God. (Oecumenius) As the name holy is repeated three times, so three names are put to signify praise; glory, honor, and blessing. (Luis of Alcasar) Worship of God by the 24 elders 9 And when those living creatures gave glory, and honour, and benediction to him that sits on the throne, who lives for ever and ever; 10 The four and twenty ancients fell down before him that sits on the throne, and adored him that lives for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory, and honour, and power: because you have created all things; and for your will they were, and have been created. 4:10 cast their crowns: they are ascribing to God whatever they posses of virtue and dignity. For whatever good we seek and acquire by right is attributed to Him from whom He who conquers receives assistance. (Primasius)
Bible Cross Reference
8: Isaiah 6:3.
Key Words
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