Apocalipse 5
Apringius of Beja
Apocalipse 5:1
book. This book is the creation of the entire present world.
Apocalipse 5:1
This scroll, which is said to be written on the inside and on the outside, is all of the present world which is a creature [of God]. God perceives the inner [thoughts of every creature] and he knows their outer deeds. For, by the virtue of his power he surpasses this world which is contained [by him] and by the clarity of his majesty he searches into the inmost parts. The book is said to be sealed by seven seals, so that the decree and limit of the present seven days, in which the world was made, might be manifested. Another interpretation: This book signifies the teaching of the Old Testament, which was given into the hands of our Lord, who accepted the judgment from the Father. The seven seals are these: First, incarnation; second, birth; third, passion; fourth, death; fifth, resurrection; sixth, glory; seventh, kingdom. These seals, therefore, are Christ. Since he completed all things through his humanity, he opened and unsealed everything which had been closed and sealed in the Scriptures. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 5:1
Apocalipse 5:1
seven seals. the seven seals are first, the incarnation; second, the nativity; third, the passion; fourth, the death; fifth, the resurrection; sixth, the glory; and seventh, the kingdom. Therefore, Christ fulfilled all these things through his humanity. All Scriptures that were closed and sealed, he opened and unsealed.
Apocalipse 5:2
a strong angel. this should be interpreted as the chorus of holy fathers who, having lived in divine friendship, and seeing with the eyes of faith that the arrangement of the present times and the order of all things were entirely sealed by the providence of God, understand their Operator to be the Lord of majesty.
Apocalipse 5:3
or another sense; For a human to conquer death no one was found worthy to do this, neither among the angels of heaven, nor among humans on earth, nor among the souls of the saints in their rest, except Jesus Christ the Son of God alone.
Apocalipse 5:4
Concious of his fraility and humanity this saint wept because he thought that there was no one worthy enough to understand or truly perceive these things.
Apocalipse 5:5
has prevailed to open the book. because He is the Creator of all things and the wonderful Sustainer of everything.
Apocalipse 5:5
one of the ancients. this signifies the message of holy Scripture.
Apocalipse 5:6
Here he showed even more clearly our Lord, Jesus Christ, whom he declares was not dead but was as though slain because of the suffering and the death which he had undergone. He says that he had seen this [Lamb] in the midst of the throne, that is, in power and in divine majesty. "And among the four living creatures." This is because he is known in the fourfold order of the gospels. "And among the elders." By this he indicates the chorus of the law and the prophets, or of the apostles. He testifies that he saw the Lamb there, not slain but as if slain, that is, even he who had conquered death and had trampled upon the passion. "And he had seven horns and seven eyes." The horns symbolize power and strength. The number seven represents the condition of the world which he rules effectively and which he governs with great power. Moreover, he calls the seven eyes the seven spirits of God, and in this way speaks of the Holy Spirit who remains with our Lord, Jesus Christ, gloriously by the degrees of the seven virtues. Concerning him the apostle says: "We know that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself." And again: "The Spirit of him who raised Christ from the dead will also vivify our mortal bodies on account of his Spirit who dwells in you." Since "their sound has gone out into the whole world," he speaks of the Spirit as "those sent," calling to mind the gifts of the Holy Spirit which have been abundantly spread throughout the entire earth. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 5:6
Apocalipse 5:7
To be sure, the Lamb is the assumed man who for our salvation willingly offered himself over to death. Worthily he received the scroll, that is, the power of all the works of God, and from the right hand of him who is seated on the throne, that is, he received all things from God the Father, as he himself said: "All which the Father has is mine." Then did he receive this scroll, when rising from the dead he showed the mystery of the Trinity, which had been hidden from the ages, and revealed it to the world. — TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 5:7