The Lamb and the virgins 1 And I beheld, and lo a lamb stood upon mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the noise of many waters, and as the voice of great thunder; and the voice which I heard, was as the voice of harpers, harping on their harps. 3 And they sung as it were a new canticle, before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the ancients; and no man could say the canticle, but those hundred forty-four thousand, who were purchased from the earth. 4 These are they who were not defiled with women: for they are virgins. These follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were purchased from among men, the firstfruits to God and to the Lamb: 5 And in their mouth there was found no lie; for they are without spot before the throne of God. 14:1 Lamb: That is Christ. mount Sion: That is, in the Church triumphant, which is called Mount Sion in Heb 12:22. (Nicholas of Lyra) Or just as the temple was built upon Sion by Solomon, therefore Sion here allegorically signifies the New Church militant under Christ, because this Church began in Sion. (Cornelius A. Lapide) hundred and forty-four thousand: This is the Church in its entirety, (St. Caesarius of Arles). his name and his Father's name: Through the Holy Spirit, who is bond of both. (Nicholas of Lyra) 14:3 new canticle: it is because they are the saints of the New Covenant. (Nicholas of Lyra) Luis of Alcasar thinks that the new song was either a new creed introduced into the church, such as the Apostles' Creed, or else, which is the interpretation he prefers, that it was the song of Christians rejoicing under their martyrdom and persecution; and that it is called new not because it was now sung for the first time, but because it had been unheard in the world. 14:4 follow the Lamb: they do this because they imitate Christ, by integrity not only of the mind but also of the flesh, as Augustine says (De Virgin 22). Wherefore they follow the Lamb in more ways, but this does not imply that they follow more closely, because other virtues make us cleave to God more closely by imitation of the mind. (St. Thomas Aquinas Sum Theo 2.15.5) virgins: In Scripture, virginity is sometimes taken strictly for the purity of the body, sometimes more broadly for continence, especially after a consecrated vow. (Nicholas of Lyra) Or all those are called virgins who do not contaminate themselves with any inordinate affection for creaturely things. Nor do I speak merely of unlawful affection, but even of what is lawful and permitted, which in any manner impedes the mind in its intercourse with God. (Luis if Alcasar) Or by virgins, in this passage, we may not only understand those who are chaste in body, but especially the whole Church which keeps the faith pure. (Tyconius) 14:5 Although in all men to be free from lying is worthy of the highest praise, yet much more worthy is it in these, who will be frightened neither by the power of Antichrist nor by his threats, nor be ensnared by his promises, so as to cease to hold or to teach the truth of Christ. (Francisco Ribera) The three angels 6 And I saw another angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the eternal gospel, to preach to them that sit upon the earth, and over every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people: 7 Saying with a loud voice: Fear the Lord, and give him honour, because the hour of his judgment is come; and adore him, that made heaven and earth, the sea, and the fountains of waters. 8 And another angel followed, saying: That great Babylon is fallen, is fallen; which made all nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: If any man shall adore the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand; 10 He also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mingled with pure wine in the cup of his wrath, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the sight of the holy angels, and in the sight of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torments shall ascend up for ever and ever: neither have they rest day nor night, who have adored the beast, and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. 14:6 For at the end an exalted and flying angel, having the Gospel, will preach it to every nation, for the good Father has not entirely deserted those who have fallen away from Him. (Origen Com Jn 1.14) 14:8 Babylon: This is reference to the spiritual Babylon which is to be destroyed at the end of the world, (Cornelius a Lapide) that is, the second Babylon. (St. Ambrosius Autpertus) He says that the ruinous city of the devil has already fallen; and this may be after the manner of Scripture, which represents as past that which it knows is inevitably to be fulfilled. (St. Bede) wine of fornication: This is understood all the vices and sins with which the wicked contaminate others. For fornication is likewise put especially for idolatry. (Haimo of Auxerre) 14:10 mingled with pure wine: Punishment of God is called unmixed wine when someone is punished for temporal correction. Mixed indeed when after the temporal the eternal were punished by temporal death. fire and brimstone: that is Hell. (Nicholas of Lyra) 14:11 For the wicked would desire, if it were possible, to be always living in this life, so that they might never cease from sinning; and therefore they will never be without punishment who have never wished to be without sin. Nor will there be any end of the punishment to the wicked who have never wished to have any end of their crimes. For if, as they say, the punishments of the wicked are at some time or other to come to an end; so at some time or other must the joys of the just also come to an end. Consequently, if this be not true which is threatened, that is not true which is promised. (Haimo of Auxerre) Blessedness of the saints 12 Here is the patience of the saints, who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying to me: Write: Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord. From now on, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; for their works follow them. 14:12 patience of the saints: For these, when temptations or even death itself impend, will esteem all as of less account than love to God and faith in Jesus. (Arethas of Caesarea) who, when they consider what are the joys of the saints and the punishments of the wicked, patiently endure all things that in the end they may be saved. Who keep the commandments of God: that is, the precepts of the law; such as, 'You shall love the Lord your God, ' 'You shall not commit adultery, ' 'You shall not steal, ' and other commandments of this kind. (Haimo of Auxerre) 14:13 dead who die in the Lord: What is it to die in the Lord but to go out of a worldly life through his sufferings? What is it to die in the Lord, but for a person to migrate from out of this world, full of faith and holy works? (St. Ambrosius Autpertus) Spirit: that the Spirit means here "the whole Trinity," which is God. (Haimo of Auxerre) works follow them: that is, in eternity. For he who in the present life does good works, in the future life is saved. For let no one think he can be saved without works, if he has time for doing them; since faith without works is dead. But if he has not the time, then only the will with faith suffices. (Richard of St. Victor) Vision of the judgment: the harvest 14 And I saw, and behold a white cloud; and upon the cloud one sitting like to the Son of man, having on his head a crown of gold, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out from the temple crying with a loud voice to him that sat upon the cloud: Thrust in your sickle, and reap, because the hour is come to reap: for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust his sickle into the earth, and the earth was reaped. 14:14 Son of man: Christ is preeminent with so great a splendor in heaven, and shines forth with so great a glory of majesty above all the angels, that like as for a time the Humanity concealed the glory of his Divinity, so also now there seems to be a casting aside of his Humanity which had suffered exinanition through the glory of his majesty, and seemed to be absorbed by the splendor of supreme light. (Joachim of Fiore) 14:15 sickle: the sickle, saith he, is a symbol of consummation, for Christ himself calls the end of the world a harvest, Matt. xiii." ' Thrust in your sickle.' It is no commanding, but a supplicating voice, for the angels command not Christ, but worship him: the words are taken out of Joel 3:13, where the Lord says: 'I will sit in the valley of Jehoshaphat to judge all the heathen round about; 'put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.' The angel knew that the day of judgment was near, and entreats therefore that the judge would stay no longer, but thrust the sickle into the harvest. (Andreas of Caesarea) Rupert of Deutz says that the sickle signifies spiritual preaching; Haimo of Auxerre, that it signifies divine preaching; Tyconius, that it signifies the separation of Catholics from heretics, or of saints from sinners; so also the Glossa; St. Ambrosius Autpertus, that it signifies the Gospel or the preaching of the Gospel; Andreas and Oecumenius, that it is the symbol of consummation. 14:14-19 This is the Judgment at the end of the world when Jesus raises everyone from the dead and they will be judged. This is what Jesus said would happen, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. 41 The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matt 13:37-43)." The vintage 17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire; and he cried with a loud voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying: Thrust in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vineyard of the earth; because the grapes thereof are ripe. 19 And the angel thrust in his sharp sickle into the earth, and gathered the vineyard of the earth, and cast it into the great press of the wrath of God: 20 And the press was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the press, up to the horses' bridles, for a thousand and six hundred furlongs. 14:19-20 By the treading of the winepress is also signified afflictions, pressures, trials. (St. Ambrosius Autpertus) According to Haimo and St. Ambrosius Autpertus, blood signifies in the passage we are considering unbelief, Joachim of Fiore says it means the wickedness and error of the days of Antichrist. That sixteen hundred, as being a multiple of four, signifies all, is the interpretation of Haimo, St. Ambrosius Autpertus, St. Anselm of Canterbury, etc. Key Words
1 Lamb name Father heaven 3 man 4 women virgins firstfruits God 5 lie 6 angel eternal gospel 7 honour adore 8 Babylon wrath 10 holy angels 12 saints faith Jesus 13 Blessed Lord Spirit works 14 Son of man 15 temple 18 altar
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