A bishop’s 7th Century commentary on St. John’s Apocalypse
Prayer Intention for July, Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus
“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Jesus in atonement for my sins.” (Raccolta)
+Most Precious Blood of Jesus+
Introduction
The following is taken from a little-known commentary on the Apocalypse, a 2011 translation made by the Catholic University of America Press. It is a very enlightening commentary, and I have excerpted some of its finer points for comment here, since they add to our knowledge of what the early Fathers and hierarchy believed regarding the end-times. The author of this work, Archbishop Andrew of Caesarea, lived in the seventh century, and his commentary was responsible for the acceptance of the Book of Apocalypse as a genuinely inspired book of the Bible. The link to the complete work is included in the title below. Also available at this link is another work containing fragments of the teaching of Pope St. Gregory the Great on Apocalypse, and what he says there I would like to offer as a reason for providing previews of these ancient works.
“Whoever makes progress by beholding spiritual realities must also offer them to others by recounting them. For he who beholds in order to proclaim is the one who, inasmuch as he makes progress in himself, also preaches out of concern for the progress of his neighbor. For this reason it is written somewhere else: Let him who hears say: Come! (Apoc. 22:17). For when he has already heard the voice of God speaking in his heart, he must unsilence his own voice on behalf of his neighbors through the office of preaching, and thereby call another because he himself has already been called… Let the one in whom the inner voice has lodged itself proclaim what he has heard to attract others also to the place where he himself is carried away, lest, even though he was called, he find the doors shut, if he comes without companions near the one who called him.”
Interpretation of Andrew, Archbishop of Caesarea, Cappadocia — On the Apocalypse of St. John
Prologue
Despite the fact that the books of the prophets of old have been explained by many, still the depth of the mysteries in them are kept invisible until that day in which the “partial knowledge” will be abolished and the perfect knowledge will be disclosed.
- Benns Comment: It seems that day has come, for what has been written clearly appears to be unfolding before our eyes each day.
Ch. 1 — The letters to the seven churches
- Due to the existence of many churches in many places, he sent <letters> to only seven, mystically meaning by this number the churches everywhere.
- Benns Comment: Each church, however, seems to have some connection to various churches and times throughout history. Pope Pius XII compared the Church of his time to that of Laodicea, and I have always believed the Philadelphia Church somehow applied to the city of that name in this country and the saintly, dedicated, self-sacrificing Ven. John Neuman, once its bishop, a bishop so unlike those who abandoned us after the death of Pope Pius XII.
- The glory belongs to him, it says, who freed us through love from the bondage of death, and washed the stains of sin through the outpouring of his life-giving blood and water. And he has made us “a royal priesthood” so that we may offer, instead of irrational sacrifices, “rational worship” as a living sacrifice to the Father.
- Benns Comment: And this persecution we now endure is what we offer in these times, when the Mass has been taken away.
Ch. 2, 5-6. (Church of Ephesus)
The movement of the church <means> to deprive them of divine grace, by which he brings down upon them swells and waves of evil spirits and evil men ministering to them. Some understood the removal of the lampstand <to refer to> the throne of the archpriest of Ephesus, because it was moved to the seat of the king.
- Benns Comment: Here bishops are seen to be removed for their wickedness, something which certainly happened during the false Vatican 2 council for all to see, although they lost office immediately on accepting John 23 as a true pope. Enough evidence existed of his intent, from 1959 on, and even before, for such an informed decision to be made and for the sake of the faithful they were bound to make it.
Ch. 6, 5-6: Loosening of the Third seal
It is likely and sensible for a literal famine to occur then, just as it will also be announced by what follows. We think that by the black horse the mourning for those who have fallen from the faith in Christ on account of extreme torture is signified. The scale is the examiner of those who had fallen from the faith, both through an easily changing mind or vainglory, and on account of weakness of body. The quart of wheat worth as much as a denarius means figuratively those who “lawfully struggled” and perfectly guarded the divine image which was given to them, and the three quarts of barley suits those who, in a manner befitting a beast, bowed down before their persecutors on account of cowardice, but accordingly repented later, and washed clean the soiled image with tears.
The command do not harm wine and oil means not to disregard the healing through returning to Christ, which healed the one who has “fallen among robbers,” in order that those who through long-suffering were about to renew the fight would not be carried off by death. Therefore, so that we too will gain, for the disease of our souls, the Physician-God who loves humankind, let us hurry to be such for our fallen brothers, by offering to them the oil of sympathy mingled with the wine of exhortation, “in order that the maimed parts not worsen but be healed,” according to the divine Apostle, so that becoming “co-workers with God,” we will delight forever in his blessings, by the grace and love for humankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom glory <is due> together with the Father, with the Holy Spirit unto the ages of ages. Amen.
- Benns Comment: And how much we have always hoped that the little we have to offer here might be that spark that prompts those in error to return to the true faith and save their souls, even if what they read be a hard saying.
Irenaeus said in the fifth discourse of his Refutation of False Knowledge, thus verbatim: “Neither the subsistence nor the essence of creation disappears — for he who formed it is truthful and certain — but ‘the form of this world is passing away,’ that in which the transgression occurred, as the elders say.” And the great Irenaeus <said> these things. We think that we should use the Apostle for <an understanding of> the ancient custom. Because the Hebrews were using scrolls instead of our books, the unrolling of them did not bring about a disappearance but the complete disclosure of what is written, so that the opening of the heavenly body also shows the revelation of the blessings reserved for the saints. And this <verse> we have understood in four ways, as it has been given to us from God.
- Benns Comment: This and the above is a very insightful spiritual appraisal of these verses, since the Apocalypse must first be interpreted spiritually, although in many cases both a spiritual and literal interpretation of the verses is meant. It also indicates that the “saints’ of the end times would know the full meaning of the visions of St. John.
Ch. 9, 13-16 — The bottomless pit and army of horsemen
Some say that the four angels are Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael who had been bound by the gladness of the divine vision, to be untied on the day of judgment with innumerable angels for the condemnation of the impious, of whom one third is to be destroyed. I myself think, however, that these four angels are the most cunning demons who were bound upon the coming of Christ who, by the divine command coming out of the heavenly altar, which was an image of the ancient tabernacle, were released by the divine angel so as to rouse the nations, not only against Christians, but also against one another, so that those tested might be revealed as the faithful ones and shown to be worthy of greater rewards and of the heavenly mansions, or rather <worthy of> barns, like ripe wheat.
But those who are like chaff, the impious and the exceedingly great sinners and the unrepentant, are to be punished justly here, by these receiving a milder sentence at the judgment. And if they are bound at the Euphrates, it is nothing strange. For they have been sentenced by God until the time, some in the abyss, some among the swine then some in other places according to the position, bound to be eternally tormented after the completion of their war against human beings. And perhaps by the mention of the Euphrates it is shown that Antichrist will come out of those parts. And it is not necessary to doubt the great number of demons, for all the saints say that they fill the air.
- Benns Comment: In articles on this site and in previous blogs, we explain that the River Euphrates has almost completely dried up and mention certain videos that report the “finding” of caves and tunnels exposed by the dried up river and chains in those caves, also the sounds of loud moaning. Certainly we know demons have been loosed are attacking people everywhere. Certainly the testing and sifting of the wheat from the chaff is well underway.
Ch. 11, 1-2 — An angel measures the Temple
…Some understood the temple of God to mean the Old Testament, and the outside yard, which is not measured, to be the New, on account of the innumerable number of those saved in it. The forty-two months they took to mean the shortness of time during which the sacraments of the New Testament are to prevail until the second coming of Christ arrives. But we think that the temple of the living God refers to the Church, in which we offer rational sacrifices to God; the outside court <is> the gathering-place of the unbelieving nations and of the Jews since the unworthiness is measured by the angel through the impiety. “For the Lord knows his own,” as it has been said. It is said that he who is All-Knowing does not know the unlawful. The trampling of the holy city <is> either the new Jerusalem or the universal Church, and the forty-two months by the nations I think means that the faithful and the ones being tested will be trampled upon and persecuted in the three-and-a-half-year appearance of the Antichrist.
While we believe the three and a half years is only a symbolic number, or could refer to the period 1965-1969 when most of the damage was done to the Church, the temple of God obviously refer to the Church, not Jerusalem.
Ch. 11, 6 — The two witnesses
Oh, the great goodness of God! For he brings healing equivalent to the wound. For since the pseudo-Christ will be manifested in the “many signs and false wonders” by all drugs and enchantments because he <the pseudo-Christ> accepts every diabolical operation, so God will equip these saints by the power of true signs and wonders, so that by the placing of truth and light they will refute falsehood and darkness; those who had been deceived will return, both because of fear of the teachings and because of the chastising blows, <namely,> drought and fire and the alteration of the elements and the like, making the Deceiver into an example, and being not at all persuaded, either by him or by another, until the completion of their own prophecy.
- Benns Comment:Drugs, enchantments (spells) and diabolical operations — we have them all! How strange he should mention drugs, and certainly the operations must reference the operation of error on many levels. But God helps us, that we may recognize error and refute it.
Ch. 12, 1 — A woman clothed with the Sun
Some, on the one hand, had understood this woman entirely to be the Theotokos before her divine birth-giving was made known to her, <before she> experienced the things to happen. But the great Methodios took <her> to be the holy Church, considering these things concerning her <the woman> to be incongruous with the begetting of the Master for the reason that already the Lord had been born long before. It is good to remember also the very words of the blessed Methodios, who says in his so-called Symposium through the person of the virgin Procle11 thus: “The woman wrapped in the sun is the Church. That which to us is our garment, to her is light. And that which gold is for us, or glowing gemstones, for her are the stars, the superior and more brilliant stars.” And the following:
“She stood upon the moon. The moon I regard figuratively <to be> the faith of those who are cleansed of corruption by the washing <of baptism>, for the condition of liquid substance is regulated by the moon. She labored and gave birth anew to those ‘carnal-minded into spiritually minded’ and formed and fashioned them according to the likeness of Christ.” And again he says: “We must not think that Christ is he who is to be born. For formerly, before the Apocalypse, the mystery of the Incarnation of the Logos had been fulfilled. John speaks with authority about the present and future things.” And afterwards <he mentions> other things, <and then says>, “Therefore, it is necessary to confess that the Church must be the one in labor and gives birth to those redeemed, as the Spirit said in Isaiah: ‘Before she labored to give birth, she escaped and gave birth to a male.’
- Benns Comment: How painful a labor today for the Church to give birth to new members! Most are infants, with a few adults here and there mixed in. But that Baptism is symbolized, when Baptism and marriage are the only Sacraments we still enjoy (although all remain in existence), is significant when coupled with the painful labor. It tells us that Church membership will be very difficult as well as limited in this time.
Whom did she escape? Either the dragon, certainly, in order for the spiritual Zion to give birth to virile people.” And in continuation, “so that in each one Christ is to be born in the nous. Because of this the Church is swollen and in ‘great pain’, until Christ, having been born, might be ‘formed in us,’ so that each one by partaking of Christ becomes <one with — Ed.> Christ.” Moreover, the Church has been clothed in the “Sun of Righteousness.” And the legalistic light of the moon, which shines by night, and the secular life, alterable like the moon, has been mastered under the feet, and round about upon her head <is> the crown of the apostolic precepts and virtues. Since <it is> from the moon that liquid substance depends, the same one <Methodios> also says that by the moon is meant baptism, figuratively called “sea,” which, on the one hand, <is> the salvation for those who are reborn and, on the other hand, ruination for the demons.
- Benns Comment: Only very steadfast Catholics will survive the onslaught of the dragon. That the belief the Church has always been “spiritual Zion” was even then known is illustrated here.
12:10. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Accusation and Slander against human beings [132] are the names the devil had been called, as had been said, which he is. The angels are delighted about his ejection “for there is nothing in common between a believer and an unbeliever.”
12:11–12. 11And they conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not love their lives even unto death. Wherefore rejoice, Heaven and you that dwell therein! Woe to you, Earth and Sea, for the devil has come down to you with great anger, because he knows that he has little time <remaining>!” Those accused by him, it says, the saints and those slandered as <was> Job, in comparison to all the people persuaded by him, have been victorious over him nonetheless by suffering for Christ. The powers above, following an imitation of God, rejoice at his fall and grieve over those who had cleaved to his earthly plot. Woe to those who dwell on the earth, that is, to those who do not have <dwelling> “in heaven,” but have their citizenship on earth. For many of them on the earth are victorious over the enemy and will be victorious, even though he is now more angered by those who are struggling because of the nearness of his punishment. Wherefore, it is necessary to deplore those who have their “minds on earthly things” and who are tossed by the waves in the sea of life here.
12:15–16. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river which the dragon had poured from his mouth. When the Church was fleeing, it says, into inaccessible places <due to> the attack of the deceiver from his mouth, that is, by his command, behind her will come a river of water, that is, a multitude of ungodly men or evil demons or various temptations against her that he might enslave her <the Church>. The earth, it says, helped her on the one hand either by lengthening the way and by the drought and dryness in the places preventing the impulses of evils, and swallowing up the river of the temptations on account of this, or by the humble-mindedness of the saints who say inwardly, “I am earth and ashes,” rendering impotent all the snares of the devil, as the angel had spoken to the divine Anthony.
12:17. And the dragon became angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. When the chosen teachers of the Church and those despising the earth have withdrawn to the hardships in the desert, if he has utterly missed them, the Antichrist will declare war against those drafted for Christ in the world. It says he will begin the war, so that, just as when dust thickens the smoothness of oil, finding them vulnerable in the occupations of life, he will put them to flight. But many among them will conquer him because they have genuinely loved Christ.
- Benns Comment: How many of those who stay at home to pray have forsaken the city, where they are constantly tempted by Satan, to live in small towns and rural areas. There they can escape most of the dangers and lead a quiet life.
In our next blog, we will examine the verses dealing with Antichrist.
