Apocalipse 4
Alcuin of York
Apocalipse 4:1
After these things I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven. The Redeemer's Nativity is recapitulated, and these things had already been said with various other symbols; as when one relates one event in different ways, the narrations will each have a different time, but not the event itself, which happened in one time. We should however ask the question of why John does not disclose the time of his prophecy, while other prophets used to disclose by the kings the length of the interval between one vision and another. It is because he is informing us that the whole time of the Church should be related to that continuous day of resurrection about which it is said, Blessed is he that hath part in the first resurrection; [Rev. 20:6] for the first resurrection, that is the one by which souls rise again from the death of sin to the life of justice, is now going on all the time. Now with what eyes did John see this door? As far as the figurative vision is concerned, he did not of course see it with the eyes of the flesh, but with those of the mind; but for what concerns the truth of the thing itself, truth which had already been manifested when the Lord had appeared in the flesh, not only did he see it with the eyes of the flesh, but he even touched it with his hands. The open door represents Christ, who has already been manifested to all the faithful by being born, dying, and rising again. It is appropriate for this door to be seen in heaven, that is in the Church, because it is in the Church that people proclaim and believe that our Redeemer was born, suffered, was resurrected, and went up to heaven. And the first voice which I heard, was, as it were, of a trumpet speaking with me, saying: Come up hither. Whither, but to the door and heaven, that is Christ and the Church? And with what steps, but those of faith? It is right for John to be invited to this by the first voice, because every one of the elect, in order that they may reach the mysteries of the true faith through the Gospel without the foot of belief striking against any obstacle, is strengthened by the teaching of the Old Testament, which preceded the new teaching. It is also right for this voice to be compared to a trumpet, because it is calling us to a spiritual war; whence this: Lift up thy voice like a trumpet. [Is. 58:1] In what is said after that, I will shew thee the things which must be done hereafter, he does not deny that the Church already has high honors, but he shows that they will last until the end of the world. — COMMENTARY ON REVELATION
Apocalipse 4:2
And immediately I was in the spirit. If this is taken as referring to John, it means that he was taken into ecstasy; if it is taken as referring to the Church, these words show its spiritual conversion. And behold there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting. Both heaven and the throne represent the Church, for genus is joined to genus in such a way that not two things are understood, but one. So the throne is set in heaven when heaven itself, that is the Church, deserves to be presided over by the Lord. As for the one sitting on the throne, he is nothing else but the Son of man appearing in the midst of the golden candlesticks: the only difference is that there he is walking, that is bestowing gifts, and here he is sitting, that is making judgment between everyone by administering justice according to the gifts they have been offered. Indeed the fact that the one sitting in this passage represents the Son is disclosed when it is said after that: — COMMENTARY ON REVELATION
Apocalipse 4:3
And he that sat, was to the sight like the jasper and the sardine stone. By the jasper, which is green, are represented the green pastures of the paradise; and what are those pastures but Christ's divinity, in which all things live? As the same John said, He that hath the Son, hath life. [1 John 5:12] By the sardine stone, which has a resemblance to red earth, is represented our Redeemer's humanity, because truth is sprung out of the earth. [Ps. 84:12] The species of these stones may also represent the Church. And there was a rainbow round about the throne, like to the sight of an emerald. By the rainbow is represented the reconciliation of the world achieved through the plan of the Word incarnate. Indeed the sun illuminated a cloud and a rainbow appeared, because when the Father's Word, which is the Sun of justice, [Mal. 4:2] shed rays of light on human nature by adopting it, this very adoption of his humanity, which is called a cloud by the prophet, became the reconciliation of the world. The very interpretation of the noun agrees with this, for if you add one letter and say irini, it means "peace" in Greek. When he illuminates the solid hearts of the saints, which are called clouds, they give the appearance of a bow, because they are bent towards piety by the fact of praying to God. There is here a fitting connection of symbols, because below, lightnings and thunders are said to proceed from the throne, as though from a cloud. Then, since a rainbow shines principally with two colors, namely that of water and that of fire, what is represented is either baptism by water and by the Holy Spirit, or the preceding judgment through the flood and the following one through fire. It is in order that it may be shown more openly in this passage that the divinity was propitiated to the world again by him, that it is compared to the sight of an emerald; for this stone is of a very green color, which it is not unfitting to apply to the nature of the divinity. — COMMENTARY ON REVELATION
Apocalipse 4:4
And round about the throne were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats, four and twenty ancients sitting. As in the Gospel the Lord mentions twelve thrones, [Matt. 19:28] what does it mean that John says there are twenty-four, if not that, because of the two testaments, the number of the twelve tribes is also doubled? Therefore, regarding the distinction between both testaments, there are twenty-four thrones, and as many ancients; but regarding the unity and harmony between those same testaments, there are only twelve. We should not however understand things only carnally and think that the one throne is one thing and the twenty-four seats another; for because it is specifically and chiefly the Lord who will judge the whole Church, the ancients and the seats are for this reason said to be one throne; but because the holy preachers of both testaments will examine with him the people below them, consequently twenty-four ancients sit on twenty-four seats round about the throne. As for what is said after that concerning the ancients, clothed in white garments, and on their heads were crowns of gold, it refers to the whole Church, which clothes in white garments, that is in the inviolate sacraments of baptism. It has crowns of gold on its head because it truly triumphs over the author of death. Alternatively, this number may symbolize the holy Church because of the perfection of the number six, completed by the four books of the Gospel; or if not, then surely because the Church uses the twenty-four books of the Old Testament. — COMMENTARY ON REVELATION
Apocalipse 4:5-6
And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders. Here it is clearly shown that the throne symbolizes the Church, which all these things tally with. For by lightnings we understand miraculous signs; whence the Psalmist: Thy lightnings enlightened the world, [Ps. 76:19] and by voices and thunders is represented the preaching of the truth, as the same Psalmist said: The voice of thy thunder in a wheel. [Ibid.] Note also that, passing obliquely, as it were, from one symbol to another, he says that these things proceed from the throne while they do not correspond to a throne but to a cloud. Therefore by the throne he wants us to understand the cloud. It is fitting for the Church of the just to be symbolized by a cloud, because its preachers rain words, thunder with threats, and flash with miracles. And there were seven lamps burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And in the sight of the throne was, as it were, a sea of glass like to crystal. It is fitting for the Holy Spirit to be compared to lamps, because he kindles the hearts of the elect to the love of God and neighbor. As for the sea of glass, what is symbolized by it but baptism? And why is it of glass, if not because the faith of those who go through it is being indicated with a figurative expression, in which what is caused is being represented by what causes it? Indeed, just as in glass you can see nothing from the outside but that which is carried inside of it, so is the Church's faith sincere in its belief on the inside, and so does it appear truthful in confession on the outside. Yet, so that it should not be thought to be fragile like glass, it was added like to crystal. Indeed, just as ice compressed by the winter's cold, after many years, hardens in such a way that it resembles a stone and becomes crystal, so is the faith of the saints solidified with time among oppressions. And in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind. No one doubts that by these four living creatures are represented the four evangelists. But if they are in the midst of the throne, how can they be said to be round about the throne? Especially since it has already been said that the Lord was sitting in the midst of the throne, and the twenty-four ancients round about the throne. One should know then that the living creatures are found in the Lord, and the Lord in the living creatures; and again the living creatures in the ancients, and the ancients in the living creatures. The species of the four creatures may also indicate the Church in general. So the living creatures are full of eyes because as many words of the sacred Scriptures as there are, there are so many spiritual lights for the elect, by which they are illuminated to faith. Their eyes are before and behind because they contain in themselves the mysteries of the Old and of the New Testament. For before is used in this passage to mean the past. Alternatively, they have eyes before and behind because they announce some things that have been fulfilled and some that are to be fulfilled, or because they lament past sins and guard against future ones. — COMMENTARY ON REVELATION
Apocalipse 4:7
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. We should ask the question of why John said that the first living creature was like a lion while Ezekiel says that the appearance of man was in the first animal. So, either the historical order (which the mystical words of the Scriptures do not always keep) has been changed, or he put the symbol of the lion first because it is not on account of the Nativity or of the Passion that people have believed in Christ, but on account of the Resurrection, which is symbolized by the lion. Finally, since he began with the human generation, [Sc. of Jesus. Matt. 1:1 et seq.] Matthew is appropriately represented by the man; since he began with the cry in the desert, [Mark 1:3] Mark is appropriately represented by the lion; since he started with a sacrifice, [Luke 1:8] Luke is well represented by the calf; and John, who began with the divinity, [John 1:1 et seq.] is fittingly represented by the eagle. All this can also refer to Christ and all his limbs. However, for brevity's sake, let us content ourselves with what we have said here. — COMMENTARY ON REVELATION
Apocalipse 4:8
And the four living creatures had each of them six wings. We take the wings of the four living creatures to mean the words of the two Testaments. Then, although these wings are two, because of the doubled number twelve found in the tribes of Israel and the apostles, they are multiplied by twelve, and give twenty-four. In the same way, because of the knowledge of the Trinity that they spread throughout the world, they are also multiplied by three, and six appear in all. Alternatively, the six wings may be taken to mean the six laws: the first which is the natural law, the second which is that of Moses, the third which is that of the prophets, the fourth which is that of grace, the fifth which is that of the apostles, and the sixth which is that of the synods; by all of which the Church flies to heaven. And round about and within they are full of eyes. The living creatures are full of eyes both round about and within because the holy Church shows the light of preaching to believers, but conceals it from the unfaithful; or because the holy preachers show the way of faith and holiness to the minds of little people as though on the outside through the history only, and to the minds of perfect people as though on the inside through allegory; or because they incessantly see to it to provide their brothers with good examples on the outside, and to persevere in right intention on the inside. And they rest not day and night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who is, and who was, and who is to come. They rest not, that is, they do not desist from their cry; whence it is clear that the four living creatures represent the whole Church, because not only the evangelists, but also all the faithful do not desist from praising God day and night, that is in success and in adversity. By the fact of saying holy thrice, they indicate the three Persons. On the other hand, by saying Lord God Almighty, they show the one-substanced God in these three Persons. Yet, how can the words who is to come in the aforementioned praise correspond to the Trinity, when only the Son will come in his humanity to judge? One should know then that the invisible Trinity will assume the person of the Son and examine the just and sinners through it. It will not however come by passing from one place to another, but by showing its manifest power through the human form adopted by it, which will come down from heaven to the lower regions. We may also understand in this passage the divinity's present coming by which its saints are illuminated every day. — COMMENTARY ON REVELATION
Apocalipse 4:9-10
And when those living creatures gave glory, and honour, and benediction to him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever; the four and twenty ancients fell down, and adored him that liveth for ever and ever. Here the living creatures no longer indicate a genus, but a species, namely the evangelists; but by the twenty-four ancients is represented the universal Church in its superior and inferior members. So the living creatures give glory and honor to him that sits on the throne, when the holy evangelists teach us that he ought to be praised for all good things, as in Every best gift, etc. [James 1:17] As the evangelists are thus speaking, the twenty-four ancients, that is all the saints, fall down, because they feel humble. They adore God at the same time as they fall, because they honor God by the very fact of attributing nothing to themselves. This fall and adoration should be understood as spiritual, according to this: God is a spirit; and they that adore him, must adore him in spirit and in truth. [John 4:24] And cast their crowns before the throne, saying, etc. He is repeating the very same thing: for the ancients laying their crowns before the throne mean the elect, with a pious confession of the mind, laying down before their consciences, which God presides over, the swelling of pride for the virtues they have received, and attributing everything to him who presides over them; which is also why they say: — COMMENTARY ON REVELATION
Apocalipse 4:11
Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory, and honour, and power, as if they were saying, "These things principally fit thee, from whom, by whom, and in whom is the glory, honor, and power of the saints." Yet, what is meant by what follows, because thou hast created all things; and for thy will they were, and have been created? If they have been created, how can they have been before they were created? One should know then that they were in the predestination before they came into being in deed. — COMMENTARY ON REVELATION