Apocalipse 15
Oecumenius
Apocalipse 15:1
He saw, he says, seven angels having seven plagues. Seven, he says, are the many, the ones prepared against the sinners, by which the wrath of God receives its completion. — Commentary on Revelation
Apocalipse 15:2
And he saw, he says, a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the glassy sea, having the harps of God. He says somewhere in his own words the wisest Paul: "If anyone builds upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will be tested by fire; for it will be revealed by fire." (1 Cor. 3:12-13) So then will not only the wicked, who heap upon themselves the careless burdens of sin, but also the righteous be tested by fire, even though they bring gold and the precious materials? This is what he now says: those who have conquered the beast in every way, standing on the sea made of glass mingled with fire, glass because of the brilliant and pure nature of the righteous in it, mingled with fire because of the smoky and purifying influence of every kind of filth, since even the righteous need purification. For we all sin in many ways according to what is written (James 3:2); "and who will be clean from defilement? But not even if his life upon the earth should be one day." (Job 14:4-5) — Commentary on Revelation
Apocalipse 15:3
The harps, as has often been said, signify the sweet-sounding hymn of the saints to God. And he says, let us sing that song of Moses, the one which he sang when the host of Pharaoh was drowned, "let us sing to the Lord, for he has been gloriously glorified; he cast horse and rider into the sea; he became to me a helper and a cover for salvation." (Ex. 15:1-2) And the song is a victory-song concerning the punishment of the ungodly and the victory against the Devil and the son of lawlessness, the Antichrist. And he calls the song of the Lamb that which is fitting, namely toward the Lord and toward his righteous judgment against the ungodly; therefore they admire the truth and the righteousness of the Lord. — Commentary on Revelation
Apocalipse 15:4
He says that Christ is indeed King of all nations, but since it is said to Isaiah: "and the root of Jesse and the one who rises to rule the nations, upon him the nations shall hope," (Isa. 11:10) therefore for this reason the vision also calls him King of the nations and that all the peoples shall come and worship him, appropriately announcing beforehand the calling of the nations and their faith toward the Lord. — Commentary on Revelation
Apocalipse 15:5
The tent of testimony, the tent that had been compacted in the wilderness, that tent which Bezalel the chief craftsperson of the works then made had the custom to call in the divine Scripture (see Ex. 35:30), because it was the tent of the testimonies and commandments of God. For there was the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat, the table, the altars of incense and of offerings, the lampstand (see Ex. 31:7-8), and all that God commanded the divine Moses to construct, saying, "and you shall make for me according to all that I show you on the mountain" (Ex. 25:9); and by metaphor from the ancient tent and also the heavenly temple which is what it is called, it was named the tent of testimony. — Commentary on Revelation
Apocalipse 15:6
From there, the seven angels, he says, came out. For where else should the heavenly ministers of God be seen as coming forth but from the heavenly temple? And he says they had in their hands seven plagues which they would pour out upon the earth. For many signs will occur on the earth in the time of the end; of these even Christ recalled in the Gospels, teaching concerning the end (Mark 13). But that the angels are clothed in a bright, pure stone turns out to be a sign of their honor and of a nature that is pure and luminous and steadfastly inclined toward the good, if indeed they were clothed with Christ. For the Lord is called a stone by divine Scripture, as by Isaiah: "Behold, I lay in Zion a precious, chosen stone in the foundations" (Isa. 28:16); and by the prophet: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner." (Ps. 118:22) That the stone be put on, and the wisest Paul exhorts us likewise: to "put on our" stone "Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh" (Rom. 13:14); for he who has put this on is outside all soul-destroying desires. And as for those living, their practical matters and stability are hinted at; for it has been said concerning them that, "they are mighty, doing His word with strength." — Commentary on Revelation
Apocalipse 15:7
These then are the seven angels taken from one of the four living creatures, before whom there is much said, the wrath of God in seven golden bowls. Golden is well said; for the wrath of God is honorable too, bearing good and advantage in itself rather than justice, even if those punished are made to faint. — Commentary on Revelation
Apocalipse 15:8
And the temple, he says, was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power. The smoke is an emblem of divine wrath. For it is written, "smoke went up in his anger." (Ps. 18:8) The smoke, however, is suggestive of fire, yet also the smoke which the prophet Isaiah saw, where he says, "and the joist shook because of the voice with which the Seraphim cried out 'holy,' and the house was filled with smoke." (Isa. 6:4) He revealed the wrath of God against Jerusalem. And the phrase smoke from the glory of God and from his power has a certain figurative meaning, as if one would say: "it was filled with smoke from the wrath of God," for God is power and glory itself; and who could endure his wrath? And no one, he says, could enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled; for who will withstand the wrath of God, or live after being subject to it? For if no one stood in the place of the Lord, according to what is written (Jer. 23:18), then indeed he would spare not to bring down the wrath of God. And I heard, so he says, a command issuing forth, that the seven bowls of the divine wrath be poured out upon the earth. — Commentary on Revelation