Apocalipse 21
Apringius of Beja
Apocalipse 21:2
The heavenly Jerusalem is the multitude of the saints who will come with the Lord, even as Zechariah said: "Behold, my Lord God will come, and all his saints with him." These are being prepared for God as a fine dwelling, namely, those who will live with him. "As a bride adorned for her husband." Adorned with holiness and righteousness, they go to be united with their Lord and shall remain with him forever. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:2
Apocalipse 21:3
The Lord gives witness to himself, for the multitude of the saints will become his temple, so that he might dwell with them forever and that he might be their Lord and they might be his people. He himself will take away all weeping and every tear from the eyes of those whom he rewards with eternal gladness and whom he makes bright with perpetual blessedness. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:3-4
Apocalipse 21:5
The promise of the Most High is accomplished for the saints, so that they might be renewed in all things and might shine with every splendor. Therefore, the apostle says, "and the dead will rise incorruptible," and they will change into glory. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:5
Apocalipse 21:6
He declares that the matter is completed with such quickness so that it might be regarded as though it had already happened. Therefore, all these things are promised to those who conquer, so that the one who conquers might be called "son of God." — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:6-7
Apocalipse 21:11
We read of this very city in the prophets: "The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor shall the brightness of the moon give you light. But the Lord will be everlasting light, and your God will be your glory." … As the brilliance of a stone shines neither in itself nor from the outside, but it is translucent by the clarity of its nature, so this city is described as illumined by no radiance of the stars but as invisibly illumined by the light of God alone. The shining clarity of the crystal signifies that in the city the grace of baptism shines with a reddish hue. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:10-11
Apocalipse 21:12
"And it had a great, high wall." Zechariah said, "For I will be," says the Lord, "a wall of fire round about." What is so great and high as the Lord of majesty, who with the protection of his presence surrounds the holy city? "And it had twelve gates and at the gates twelve corners, and the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were written [on the gates]." In the Gospel we read that the Lord spoke concerning himself: "I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will enter and will find pasture." Therefore, Christ is the door. However, the ancient people of our faith are named together not as doors, but their names are written on the gates, that is, on the doors. Thus our Lord shows to all the saints that he is the door of truth and freedom. This shows that the whole band of the patriarchs belonged to the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The twelve corners of the gates, and the twelve gates and the twelve foundations on which the names of the apostles and of the Lamb are written yield the number of thirty-six. It is clear that this is the number of hours that our Lord Jesus Christ lay in the grave after his passion. This demonstrates that the host of leaders who came beforehand and the chorus of apostles who came afterwards had been redeemed by the one faith and passion of the Lord, and that they have come to the knowledge of the omnipotent God through the one entrance of faith in Christ, who is the door. For also the names of apostles themselves are said to be written upon the twelve foundations, because Christ is the foundation, as Paul says, "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." And he himself is in each, and each is in him. The Lord says, "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church." And it is written in the words of the most blessed Paul that "the rock was Christ." Therefore, it is Peter to whom the Lord spoke: "On this rock I will build my church." That is, the church is built upon faith in the incarnation, passion and resurrection of the Lord. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:12
Apocalipse 21:13
It says that the gates are divided into four groups: "on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates." This signifies that the four parts of the world have accepted the mystery of the Trinity. That the names of the patriarchs are inscribed demonstrates that the ancient faith has been fulfilled. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:13
Apocalipse 21:15
The wall of fire surrounding it is the Lord, as we have already said. The golden measuring rod is the faith concerning the Lord's incarnation, for on account of its purity and sinlessness his body is revealed to be clearer and more brilliant than any metal. He alone is the one through whom the measure of the faith and the integrity of the holy city is established, and he only is recognized as the measure of its gates and the height of its wall. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:15
Apocalipse 21:16
[The city is foursquare], that is, it persists in the faith of the fourfold gospel. It is said that its length is the same as its breadth, so that one might see that in its faith there is nothing disproportionate, nothing that has been added, and nothing that has been taken away.… He measured the city with his rod, which we understand to be the body of Christ, and it was twelve stadia. For the faith in Christ and the integrity of the holy people is recognized by means of these twelve stadia, that is, by means of the teaching of the apostles and the faith of the ancient fathers. "For the length and the breadth were the same." All things are equal, for nothing is found in the saints that is superfluous or that comes from the outside, nor is anything inferior found within them. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:16
Apocalipse 21:17
We ought to regard the measure to be in the wall itself, for the wall of this city is our Lord Jesus Christ. That it was measured by the measure of a man indicates that the assumed man serves for the protection of the saints and as a guarantee of all bliss. This measure of a man is said to be that of an angel because he is himself the angel of the covenant of whom it is said, "He will suddenly come to his temple, whom you seek, indeed the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire." And again it is said, "His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Let us see what mystery is contained in the fact that its height is measured to be 144 cubits. One hundred, composed of ten tens, passes to the right side, and from this it is shown that the complete fullness of the saints and all righteousness that is perfected in the fulfillment of the Decalogue and the prophecy of the gospel is blessedly held at the right hand of our Lord Jesus Christ. However, the forty-four when divided into four tens and the remaining four ones indicates similarly that the fourfold truth of the gospel and the perfection of every heavenly doctrine remains by his power. Moreover, the number twenty-four itself is the sum of two equal parts so that it might show that the fullness of the ancient law and the power of the gospel rest in him and come from him. We know that this is a figure of the apostles of the Lamb and of the patriarchs and is the very image of the twenty-four elders. This number [i.e., twenty-four] multiplied six times teaches that in the six days of this present week in which the world exists, the entire congregation and multitude of the saints is included, even as in our Lord Jesus Christ there is every perfection and [in him] the full righteousness of all the saints is shown to be safeguarded. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:17
Apocalipse 21:18
Jasper glimmers with a certain faint greenness and so shows the modest face of virginity. This is so that you might understand that our Lord Jesus Christ is joined to every building of the city and that that body taken from the flesh of the Virgin rises up for the protection of the whole wall. "The city itself was pure gold, pure as glass." In this most pure gold, which is purified by the heat of fire and so is proven, we perceive the chorus of the saints who have been tested in the furnace of suffering and by the heat of temptation and so have been made pure through the power of the Lord. They are compared with pure glass to indicate the transparent and pure brightness of the holiness that is in them. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:18
Apocalipse 21:19-20
These foundations of the city are understood to be the apostolic faith and the preaching of the apostles, upon which our Lord Jesus Christ constructs his city. For he who is the Foundation of foundations is himself the builder who upon the faith in his own most blessed name builds the holy church, which consists of those who were the very first and of those who follow after them until the end of the world, which is unknown to us. The various precious stones signify the apostles because in each of them shine the gifts and miracles that belong to the Holy Spirit. Moreover, that the brightness of the unified light is seen within them indicates that what shines outward from them never ceases to exist within. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:19
Apocalipse 21:21
It is one thing to speak of each of the pearls; it is another thing to speak of the one pearl from which they come. For when it speaks of each pearl, it is shown that in each pearl one pearl is shining forth and that this one pearl is our Lord Jesus Christ. And when the pearls are related to a single pearl, we are taught that the apostolic teaching possesses already the light of righteousness that it has received from him. Just as Christ is the door, so also [the apostles] are the doors through which we are taught and enter into the faith. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:21
Apocalipse 21:21
These words reveal the difference of merit that exists within the very beatitude of the saints. For above it was said that the entirety of the city was like pure gold, clear as glass. [Now it says that] "the streets of the city are pure gold, transparent as glass." These are the saints of the city that are of lesser merit. Nonetheless, gathered together into one congregation, it is indicated that they do not shine with a lesser light. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:21
Apocalipse 21:22
God established the temple so that the people gathered within the walls of the temple might call upon him whom neither the world nor the temple can contain. In this way their minds might obtain through the work of faith what cannot be seen of God. However, where he openly manifests himself to the faithful there a temple is neither desired nor existent, for he who sanctifies the temple is known in the sight of all. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:22
Apocalipse 21:23
What an image there is in these words, that the city, which has no need of a temple, has no need of the brightness of the heavenly luminaries! And what is the reason for this? Because the glory of God gives it light. The glory of God, that is, the presence of his majesty, about which it is said, "We shall see him as he is." Therefore, why would those who shall see God have need of sun or moon? — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:23
Apocalipse 21:24
By the light, the Lamb is clearly shown to be the [city's] lamp, and the kings and the nations will walk in his light. The prophet knew this and said, "In your light we shall see light." The apostle also spoke concerning this light: "The night is far gone, the day is at hand." The Evangelist also writes in a similar way: "The life was the light of men, and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." This is to say, what the nature of our weakness had concealed and what the shadow of our humanity had rendered dark was made clear by the assumption of the Lord's body. And while God, who is light, inhabits the lot of our flesh, he enlightens the whole by the greatness of his glory. For this reason the honor and the glory of the kings and the nations are given to him, because all have been made glorious through him, and the darkness of night shall not overcome his faithful, whom the presence of the Lamb and the Word of the ineffable, unbegotten Father illuminate. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:24-26
Apocalipse 21:27
It is true that no one enters into that communion of the saints who either refuses to be cleansed of former sin and from the guilt of their parents, or having become filthy after purification refused to be cleansed by the washing of humility and the shedding of tears. Indeed, Judas committed such an abomination, and so does a heretic who worships God deceitfully. However, those are said to enter who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, namely, those whom the heart of a true faith and a firm hope embrace. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:27