Victorinus de Petau Commentary On The Apocalypse

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St. Victorinus of Petau

"ThefirstLatinexegeteoftheBible."
ThirdCentury,d.304
MILLENNARIAN
MainPage
CommentaryontheApocalypse|StVictorinusofPetau|OntheCreationoftheWorld|OntheApocalypseof
BlessedJohn
Jerome:"Victorinushadnolearning,buthewasverydesiroustohavesome.Hehasnot
eventheabilitytoexpresshisownideas."
Abauzit:"Infine,itwasthedestinyofthefirstcommentatoroftheApocalypse,tohavethe
reputationofaDivinewhohadonlyattainedmediocrity."
(OnRevelation11:7)
7. "And the beast which ascendeth from the abyss."] After many plagues completed in the
world, in the end he says that a beast ascended from the abyss. Bat that he shall ascend
from the abyss is proved by many testimonies for he says in the thirtyfirst chapter of
Ezekiel:"Behold,AssurwasacypressinMountLebanon."Assur,deeplyrooted,wasalofty
and branching cypressthat is, a numerous peoplein Mount Lebanon, in the kingdom of
kingdoms,thatis,oftheRomans.Moreover,thathesayshewasbeautifulinoffshoots,he
says he was strong in armies. The water, he says, shall nourish him, that is, the many
thousands of men which were subjected to him and the abyss increased him, that is,
belchedhimforth.ForevenIsaiahspeaksalmostinthesamewordsmoreover,thathewas
inthekingdomoftheRomans,andthathewasamongtheCaesars.TheApostlePaulalso
bearswitness,forhesaystotheThessalonians:"Lethimwhonowrestrainethrestrain,until
hebetakenoutofthewayandthenshallappearthatWickedOne,evenhewhosecoining
isaftertheworkingofSatan,withsignsandlyingwonders."52Andthattheymightknowthat
heshouldcomewhothenwastheprince,headded:"Healreadyendeavoursafterthesecret
ofmischief"53thatis,themischiefwhichheisabouttodohestrivestodosecretlybutheis
notraisedupbyhisownpower,norbythatofhisfather,butbycommandofGod,ofwhich
thingPaulsaysinthesamepassage:"Forthiscause,becausetheyhavenotreceivedthe
loveofGod,Hewillsenduponthemaspiritoferror,thattheyallmaybepersuadedofalie,
who have not been persuaded of the truth."54 And Isaiah saith: "While they waited for the
light,darknessaroseuponthem."55ThereforetheApocalypsesetsforththattheseprophets
arekilledbythesame,andonthefourthdayriseagain,thatnonemightbefoundequalto
God."(inloc.)
EARLYCHURCH
Ambrose
Ambrose,Pseudo
8. "And their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city, which spiritually is called
Sodom and Egypt."] But He calls Jerusalem Sodom and Egypt, since it had become the
heapingupofthepersecutingpeople.Thereforeitbehovesusdiligently,andwiththeutmost
care, to follow the prophetic announcement, and to understand what the Spirit from the
Father both announces and anticipates, and how, when He has gone forward to the last
times, He again repeats the former ones. And now, what He will do once for all, He
sometimessetsforthasifitweredoneandunlessyouunderstandthis,assometimesdone,
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Andreas
Arethas
Aphrahat
Athanasius
Augustine
Barnabus
BarSerapion
Baruch,Pseudo
Bede
Chrysostom
Chrysostom,Pseudo
Clement,Alexandria
Clement,Rome
Clement,Pseudo
Cyprian
Ephraem
Epiphanes
Eusebius
Gregory
Hegesippus
Hippolytus
Ignatius
Irenaeus
Isidore
James
Jerome
KingJesus
ApostleJohn
Lactantius
Luke
Mark
JustinMartyr
Mathetes
Matthew
Melito
Oecumenius
Origen
ApostlePaul
ApostlePeter
MaurusRabanus
Remigius
"Solomon"
Severus
St.Symeon
Tertullian
Theophylact
Victorinus
HISTORICAL
PRETERISM
(MinorFulfillmentofMatt.24/25
orRevelationinPast)
JosephAddison
OswaldT.Allis
ThomasAquinas
KarlAuberlen
Augustine
AlbertBarnes
KarlBarth
G.K.Beale
BeasleyMurray
JohnBengel
WilhelmBousset
JohnA.Broadus
DavidBrown
"HaddingtonBrown"
F.F.Bruce
AugustinCalmut
JohnCalvin
B.H.Carroll
JohannesCocceius
VernCrisler
ThomasDekker
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HermannGebhardt
GenevaBible
CharlesHomerGiblin
JohnGill
and sometimes as about to be done, you will fall into a great confusion. Therefore the
interpretation of the following sayings has shown therein, that not the order of the reading,
buttheorderofthediscourse,mustbeunderstood."
"When John saw the Apocalypse, he was in the island of Patmos, banished by Caesar
Domition..Domitianbeingslain,John,dismissedfrombanishment,afterwardscommittedto
writingthissameApocalypsewhichhehadreceivedfromtheLord."(Bib.Max.iii.p.419)
"Even though the floods of the nations and the vain superstitions of heretics should revolt
against their true faith, they are overcome, and shall be dissolved as the foam, because
Christistherockbywhich,andonwhich,thechurchisfounded.Andthusitisovercomeby
no[16]tracesofmaddenedmen.Thereforetheyarenottobeheardwhoassurethemselves
that there is to be an earthly reign of a thousand years who think, that is to say, with the
hereticCerinthus.ForthekingdomofChristisnoweternalinhissaints."(Commentary on
theApocalypse)
WHATOTHERSHAVESAID
AlexanderBrown
"LetusnotforgetthatonceintheChurch'shistoryitwasthecommonbeliefthatJohn's1000years
weregone.DornerbearswitnessthattheChurchuptoConstantineunderstoodbyAntichristchiefly
the heathen state, and to some extent unbelieving Judaism (System iv.,390). Victorinus, a bishop
martyredin303,reckonedthe1000yearsfromthebirthofChrist.
Augustinewrotehismagnumopus'theCityofGod'withasortofdimperceptionoftheidentityofthe
Christian Church with the new Jerusalem. Indeed we know that the 1000 years were held to be
running by the generations previous to that date, and so intense was their faith that the universal
Church was in a ferment of excitement about and shortly after 1000 A.D. in expectation of the
outbreakofSatanicinfluence.Wickliff,thereformer,believedthatSatanbadbeenunboundattheend
ofthe1000years,andwasintenselyactiveinhisday.ThatthisperiodinChurchhistoryispast,or
now runs its course, has been the belief of a roll of eminent men too long to be chronicled on our
pages of Augustine, Luther, Bossuet, Cocceius, Grotius, Hammond, Hengstenberg, Keil, Moses
Stuart,Philippi,Maurice."(AlexanderBrown,GreatDayoftheLord,p.216.)
MosesStuart(17801852)
"VICTORINUS, bishop of Petavium in Pannonia, who died as a martyr about 303, wrote a
commentaryinLatinupontheRevelation,which,nominallyatleast,isstillextant.Butdoubts
havearisenamongcritics,howfarthiscanberegardedasgenuine.Jerome(Catal.Scriptt.
c. 18) testifies of Victorinus, that he was a Chiliast, and had interpreted the Apocalypse
accordingly.ButtheCommentarynowbeforeussays,respectingthemillennialperiod:"Ergo
audiendi non sunt, qui mille annorum regnum terrenum esse confirnant qui cum Cerintho
haereticojaciunt."Infact,theexpositiongivenofthewholepassagerespectingthereignofa
thousandyears,althoughitisextremelyarbitraryandindeedamereconceit,yetshowsthat
thewriterwasfarenoughfromunderstandingtheApocalypsehereinaliteralsense.Besides
this, the commentary appeals once to the epitome of ecclesiastical history by Theodorus,
whichwaswritteninthe6thcenturyseeinBiblioth.Maxima,III.p.417.B.,inwhichvolume
thewholecommentarymaybefound.Thesearepalpableevidencesofinterpolationatleast,
if indeed the whole work be not supposititious. That it is not, however, is strongly my
impression, from frequent consultation of it. It presents some internal evidence of being
composed in the Latin church, and not far from the period assigned to it. It makes no
reference to the Epistle to the Hebrews, which at that period was doubted by some of the
Latin church, (see p. 415, in the reckoning of Paul's epistles) it adverts to Nero's
reappearanceasAntichrist,(p.420D.,seealsomyremarksandExcursusonRev.13:3)it
alludestotheRomishSenateaspersecutingthechurch(p.420H.),allofwhichseemsto
favourtheearlycompositionofthework.Infact,thereisonepassageinit,whichseemsto
have escaped the diligence of emendators, viz."in Judaea, ubi omnes sancti conventuri
sunt, et Dominum suum adoraturi," (p. 415, D.) which favours the character given of the
bookbyJerome,i.e.thatitwasChiliastte.Thewholecontourofthebookcorrespondswell,
inonerespect,withwhatCassiodorus(fl.514)saysofit,viz.,thatitundertooktoexplainonly
someofthemostdifficultpassages.Puttingalltheseconsiderationstogether,itwouldseem
probable,thatwhatAmbrosiusAnsbertus(fl.750)says
inhisCommentaryontheApocalypse,respectingtheworkofVictorinus,istrue:"Amongthe
Latins,VictorinusfirstcommentedupontheApocalypse.Jeromehasfollowedoninhisfoot
stepsexpungingcertainthingswhichtheauthorliterallyinterpreted,andaddingsomethings
ofhisown,heformedthewholeintoonebook"Bib.Max.XIII.p.404,E.Probablyitis for
this reason, that Jerome never wrote any other commentary on the Apocalypse. Passages
now in the work of Victorinus, which are later than Jerome's time, may have come from
marginalannotationsof laterreadersand this is the more credible, because there are but
fewofthisnature.
Onthewhole,wemayadmitthatforsubstancewehavebeforeusawork ofVictorinus
but still one which has been spiritualized by Jerome, who was much devoted to Origen's
viewsofinterpretationwithrespecttothedifficultpartsoftheScriptures.Butthereadercan
scarcelyformanideaoftheexecutionofthiswork,withoutreadingforhimself.Everythingis
merelymiscellaneous.Noplanofthewholeworkissoughtafter,orevenconceived ofno
2/16
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efforttogetatthecircumstancesandrelationofthewriteroftheApocalypseandhistimes,
and bring themto bear on the explanation of the book. The work is exceedingly brief the
whole Commentary occupying less than seven folio pages in the Bibliotheca. Grammatical
andphilologicalintrepretationareoutofquestionandthesymbolsareexplainedinthemost
arbitrarymanner.Thosethatresembleeachother,are regarded as mere repetitions of the
samesubject,althoughinamannersomewhatdifferentandsothewriteroscillatesfromone
position to another, very much as fancy would seem to dictate. No one can even think of
gaininganyexegeticalsatisfactionofconsequence,fromanyportionofthework.Barrenof
appropriateideas,andfullofconceits,itcanservelittleotherpurposethantoremindone,at
whata low ebb the science of interpretation stood, when Victorinus wrote this book. Yet it
mustnotbesupposedthatthereisnothinggoodtobefoundinhisCommentary.Nowand
thenaremarkthereaderwillmeetwith,whichishappilyexpressedandevenstriking.
WehaveseenhowmattersstoodinrespecttotheApocalypse,intheGreekchurchesafter
thetimeofEusebius.Itseemstohavebeengenerallywithdrawnfromthebooksthatwereto
be publicly read in the churches and by consequence, to have been withdrawn from
particularattention,amongtheinterpretersoftheScripture.HencewefindaChrysostomand
aTheodoretomittingitintheirexegeticalwritings.OrigenhadpromisedaCommentary,but
didnotlivetocompleteone.WefindnothingofthisnatureamongtheGreeks,untilwecome
downtothelatterpartofthefifthcentury,whenwemeetwithawork,whichisakindofa
continuous exegesis of the whole Apocalypse, written in Greek by ANDREAS, bishop of
Cesarea in Cappadocia. It is much of the like cast with the commentary of Victorinus,
exceptingthatitisfuller,somewhatmoresober,andhasalittlemoreofconnection.Stillwe
mightwellnameitMiscellaneousRemarks.Herefersoccasionallytowhatotherwritershave
said, respecting the book itself, or of certain passages in it, viz., Irenaeus, Hippolytus,
Methodius, Epiphanius, and Gregory Nazianzen. But he seems to have had no full
commentaryonthebookbeforehim.LikeOrigen,hemakesathreefoldsense,asoccasion
seems to demand, viz. a literal, a tropological or moral, and an anagogical i. e. spiritual or
transcendental,whichlastalludestoorexhibitsthemysteriesofthefutureandofeternallife
under the veil of symbols. When one of these methods of interpretation will not satisfy the
writer,heresortstoanotherisothat between them all, he is sure to find some solution of
difficulties. As to times in the Apocalypse, although the book proclaims that the period of
fulfilment is iyyvg, yet with God a thousand years are as one day, and vice versa so, of
course, no embarrassment can come upon his exposition from this quarter. The temple in
Rev. 11: 1 seq. he regards as the temple of the Christian church 11: 13 he regards as
relatingtoaremotefutureandchapterxii.withthesequelofthebook,heregardsasparts
of what the seventh trumpet betokens. The number 666 he thinks will be certainly known
only at the future appearance of Antichrist 17: 10 he applies to heathen Rome, the seven
kingsaresevenRomanemperors,theseven heads and hills are seven monarchies of the
world,ofwhichthatofheathenRome(whentheApocalypsewaswritten)wasthesixth,the
seventhbeganwithConstantine,andtheeighthwillbethatofAntichrist.Herefers16:19to
Jerusalemandthedivisionofthecityintothreepartshereferstothepopulationofthecity,
whichconsistedofJews,Samaritans,andChristians.HeishostiletogrosserChiliasm,and
refers the thousand years to the abundance and fulness of the knowledge of God, which,
after one thousand years from the birth of Christ, will everywhere be diffused. These hints
maysufficetocharacterizethework.Noregardispaidtoanyregularplanofthebook,and
verylittletothecircumstancesofthewriterandtheeventsofthetimes.Normustthereader
expectanythingofaphilologicalcast,likethatwhichcharacterizesthecommentariesofthe
present day. Yet it is a more respectable work than that of Victorinus. But in vain will one
searchforconnectionandconsistencyinit,orforanylightexceptthatwhichasensibleman
mightthrowupontheApocalypsefromconjecture.Itisevidentthathehadnot,ingeneral,
even tradition to guide his interpretations. But he is somewhat modest and diffident in
proposing them, and does not appear in the light of a confident enthusiast." (A Historical
Sketch of the Exegesis of the Apocalypse: An Excerpt from A Commentary on the
Apocalypse,Volume1(1845PDF)"TheoriginalreadersoftheApocalypse,then,itwould
seemnearlyifnotquitecertain,understoodtheApocalypse.")
StVictorinusofPoetovio:
CommentaryontheApocalypse
(MajorFulfillmentofMatt.24/25
orRevelationinPast)
SaintVictorinuswasbishopof the Pannonian city of Poetovio (or Pettavium now the modern Ptui, Slovenia) in
thesecondhalfofthethirdcentury.HeisdescribedbyStJeromeasthefirstLatinexegeteoftheBible.Ofthe
many works which Victorinus produced, however, we have mere fragments of a very few, and only his
Commentary on the Apocalypse (In Apocalypsin) is complete. This commentary on the Book of Revelation is
also the earliest surviving complete one, which was written by Victorinus during the reign of the Emperor
Gallienus (258260). During the Great Persecution of Diocletan in 304, the Holy Martyr Victorinus joined the
chorusofSaints.
FirminAbauzit
JayAdams
LuisAlcazar
GregBahnsen
Beausobre,L'Enfant
JacquesBousset
JohnL.Bray
DavidBrewster
Dr.JohnBrown
ThomasBrown
Jerome is responsible for an extensive revision of Victorinus' commentary, dated to 398, which he particularly
undertook at the request of a friend to adjust Victorinus' commentary in those verses and passages displaying
interpretations which were taken to be chiliastic/millennialistic, a theological opinion which had since been
rejected by the Church at large (notice the statement in the NiceanConstantinopolitan Creed of 381: "of Whose
Kingdom there shall be no end"a creedal rejection of chiliasm). Consequently, essentially two versions of
Victorinus' commentary have come down to us: his original and the Hieronymian edition. I have undertaken to
translate Victorinus' original and only Jerome's letter to Anatolius (which serves as a prologue to Jerome's
version) and Jerome's ending of the work (which replaces Victorinus' commentary on chapters 20 and 21 of the
Apocalypse). A relatively poor translation of Jerome's version is included in the NicenePost Nicene Fathers
collection,ashere.
MODERNPRETERISTS
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The text I have used is that of Martine Dulaey, Victorin de Poetovio. Sur l'Apocalypse et autres crits (Source
Chrtiennes 423. Paris: Les ditions du Cerf, 1997). For further information on Dulaey's textual decisions, see
there, or her larger twovolume work Victorin de Poetovio: Premier Exgte Latin (Collection des tudes
augustiniennes.Srieantiquit139140.Paris:Institutd'tudesaugustiniennes,1993).
A few words are necessary on the presentation here. All italicized words in the text represent citations or
allusionstoBiblicaltexts.Theseareoftenquiteloose.Evenwhentheyareliteral,theybelongtothatcomplexof
the Old Latin versions of the Apocalypse that are not completely wellunderstood, particularly for any regional
variants in Victorinus' province. The chapter numbers in Victorinus correspond to the chapter numbers in the
Apocalypse,thusthecitationsineachchapter,unlessotherwisenoted,belongtothatchapteroftheApocalypse.
I do not provide here the precise citations for these references to the Apocalypse itself, but only for those
referencestootherbooks.IfsomeoneisfamiliarenoughwiththeApocalypsetotrackdownthistranslationofthis
commentarytoit,theyshouldcertainlybefamiliarenoughwiththetextnottoneedcitationnotes.Thecitations
areprovidedatthebottomofeachchapterblock.
Ifthereaderfindsanyerrors,orhasanysuggestionsorquestions,pleasecontactme.
VictorinusPoetovionensis:CommentariusInApocalypsin
1Thebeginningofthebookpromisesblessingtowhoreads,whohears,andwhoobeys so that in
studyingthereading,hethereforelearnsworksandkeepsthosewhicharecommanded.Gracetoyou
andpeace,fromGodWhoisandWhowasandWhoiscoming.Is,Whoendureswas,Whowiththe
Fathermadeall,andWhodidnotbeginfromtheVirginiscoming,indeed,tojudge.Ofthesevenfold
Spirit:inIsaiahweread:Aspiritofwisdomandintellect,ofcounselandstrength,ofknowledgeand
piety,thespiritoffearoftheLord.aThesesevenspiritsareofonenamely,theyaregivenbytheHoly
Spirit.Andfrom Jesus Christ, Who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead. In becoming
human, He gave witness to the world, suffering in which, He freed us from sins by His blood, and
havingdefeatedHell,firstroseupfromthedead,anddeathnolongerhasdominionoverHim,bbutby
His reign, the kingdom of the world is destroyed. And made us a kingdom and priests, that is, the
Churchofallbelievers,astheApostlePetersaid:aholypeople,aroyalpriesthood. cBehold, He is
comingwiththeclouds,andallpeoplesseeHim.Hewhofirst,inbecominghuman,cameinsecret,
willinalittlewhilecomeopenly,inmajestyandglory,tojudge.
2Foritsaysthatinthemidstofthegoldenlampstandswaswalkingonelikeasonofman.Likeason
ofmanitsays.Aftervictoryoverdeath,whenHeascendedintotheheavens,Hisbodyhavingbeen
unitedwiththeSpiritofglorywhichHereceivedfromtheFather,Heisnowabletobecalledlikea
SonofGod,not(only)likeasonofman.Walkinginthemidstofthegoldenlampstands,thatis,inthe
midstofthechurches,aswassaidbySolomon:InthewaysofthejustonesIwalk.d
Hisantiquityandimmortality,thesourceofmajesty,areshownbywithawhitehead.FortheHeadof
Christ is God. And with white hairare the multitude of wearers of white (the newly baptized), like
wool,becauseofthesheep,likesnow,becauseoftheinnumerablecrowdofcandidates(catechumens)
givenbyHeaven.Eyeslikeaflameoffire.ThesearethecommandmentsofGod,givinglighttothose
whobelieve,(but)burningtheunbelievers.
3Andafacewiththebrightnessofthesun.HisfaceisHiscominginwhichHespoketomanfaceto
FUTURISTS
(VirtuallyNoFulfillmentofMatt.
24/25&Revelationin1stC.
TypesOnlyAlsoIncludedare
"HigherCritics"NotAssociated
WithAnyParticular
Eschatology)
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face. For the sun is of less glory than the glory of the Lord. But because of rising, and setting, and
againrising?forHewasborn,andsuffered,androseup?forthisreasonScripturegivesthecomparison
ofHisfacetothegloryofthesun.
4Inapriestlygarment,whichisthefleshnotcorruptedbydeath,andbysufferingHehasbeengiven
aneternalpriesthood,mostobviously.BreastsarethetwoTestaments,andagoldensash,thechorus
of saints, like gold tried by the fire alternately, the gold sash binding the chest: the enkindled
conscienceandpurespiritualsensegiventothechurches.
ByasharpdoubleedgedswordcomingoutofHismouth,HeisshowntobeWhobroughtknowledge
tothewholeworldbothnow,ofthegoodthingsoftheGospel,and,previously,oftheLawofMoses.
ButfromwhichsameWord,OldorNewTestament,isthewholeraceofhumansindeedjudged,thus
itiscalledasharpdoubleedgedsword.Fortheswordarmsthesoldiertheswordslaystheenemythe
swordpunishesthedeserter.AndinordertoshowtheApostlesHeannouncedjudgment,Hesaid:I
didnotcometobringpeace,butthesword.eAndafterHehadfinishedtheparables,fHesaidtothem:
Haveyouunderstoodeverything?Theysaid:Evenso.Headded:Therefore, everyscribe trainedin
the Kingdom of Heaven is like the father of a family, bringing out from his treasury new and oldg
"new:"thewordoftheGospel"old:"theLawandtheProphets.ThesecomeoutofHismouth,He
saidtoPeter:Gototheseaandcastahook,andthefirstfishthatcomesup,openingitsmouthyou
willfindastater(coin),whichistwodenarii,giveforMeandforyou.hAndDavidsimilarlysaidby
theSpirit:Once,isGodspeakingtwice,haveweheardHim,i for God has determined "once" what
willhappen,fromthebeginningtotheend.Thesearethe"two"Testaments,whichataparticulartime
arecalledeithertwodenarii,orNewandOld,orasharpdoubleedgedsword.Finally,withHisbeing
appointedJudgebytheFather,wantingtoshowthatmenwillbejudgedbythewordofpreaching,He
says:DoyouthinkthatIwilljudgeyouinthelastday?ThewordwhichIspeaktoyou,itwilljudge
(you)inthelastday.jAndPaulsaystotheThessaloniansagainsttheAntichrist:whomtheLordwill
slaywiththebreath(spiritus)ofHismouth.kTherefore,thisisthesharpdoubleedgedswordcoming
outofHismouth.
4/16
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5Hisvoicewaslikethevoiceofmanywaters.Manywatersaretobeunderstoodaspeoples,oralso
Quakers:GeorgeFox|
MargaretFell(Fox)|Isaac
Penington
6Sevenstarsinhisrighthand.WehavesaidthatthesevenvirtuesoftheHolySpiritweregiveninto
PRETERISTUNIVERSALISM|
MODERNPRETERISM|
PRETERISTIDEALISM
thegiftofbaptism,whichHegaveasacommandment,spreadoutbytheApostlesforthesalvationof
men.Hisfeetlikegoldcopper,asthoughburninginafurnace.ItsaystheApostles,whowereburned
insuffering,preachedHiswordthroughthem,infact,thepreachingwentout(lit.'walked')theywere
wellnamed "feet." See where the prophet anticipated this, saying: ,We will worship where His feet
havestoodlforwheretheyfirststoodtheChurchwasalsoestablished,thatisJudeatherewillallthe
saintsbegatheredandworshiptheirGod.
HispowerbytheFather,asPeterexclaimedtotheJews:Therefore,exaltedattherighthandofGod,
HehaspouredforththeSpirit.HereceivedfromtheFather,whichyouhaveseenandheard.m But
alsoJohntheBaptistanticipatedit,sayingtohisdisciples:ForHehasnotgiventheSpiritbymeasure.
TheFatherlovestheSonandhasgivenallintoHishands.nThesearethesevenstars.
7Thesevenchurches,eachofwhichHecallsbyname,towhomtheletterswerecomposed,whichare
nottheonlyortheprincipalchurches.ButwhatHesaystoone,Hesaystoall.Itmakesnodifference
whetheramilitarytroopofasmallnumberofsoldiers,orbyitthewholearmyisindicated.Finally,as
inAsia,sointhewholeworld:sevenchurchesasall. Paul taught that the seven named are the one
CatholicChurch.Indeed,atfirst,sohemightkeepthis(rule),hedidnotexceedthenumberofseven
churches,butwrotetotheRomans,totheCorinthians,totheEphesians,totheThessalonians,tothe
Galatians,tothePhilippians,andtotheColossians.Afterwardshewrotetoindividualpeople,butdid
notexceedthenumberofsevenchurches,ashesummarizedinbriefinhispreachingtoTimothy:so
thatyouwillknowhowyoumustbehaveintheHouseofGod,whichistheChurchoftheLivingGod.o
Thistype(or'symbol')waspreachedbytheHolySpiritthroughIsaiah,aswereadofthesevenwomen
whotookholdofoneman.FortheonemanisChrist,notbornfromseed.Thesevenwomenarethe
churches,receivingtheirbread,andintheirtunicscovered,whoasktoremovetheir reproach, and
thathisnamewillbespokenoverthem.pForbread is the Holy Spirit, which nourishes eternal life
theirs,promisedtothembyfaith.Andtheirtunics,thatis,thepromisestothemwithwhichtheywant
tobecovered.Finally,asPaulsaid,Thusmustweaknessputonstrength,andmortalityimmortality.q
Removetheirreproach:thereproachisprevioussin,whichisremovedbybaptism.Andthebeginning
of a person being called Christian, whichisyour name will be spoken over us. Therefore, for these
reasons,forexample,sevenchurchesaremadeoneChurch.
8Healsowrote,forqualityoffaithandelection?eithertothosewhoarealsostrivingintheworld,
andareworkingattheirstrivingforsimplicity, and are patient and, when seeing certain destructive

andpestilentialpeopleinthechurch,thatit(thechurch)mightnotbedispersed,sufferthem.Hewarns
allofthemofloveinwhichfaithislacking,thattheymightmakepenance.?ortothosewhoareliving
incruelplaces among persecutors, persevering to be faithful. ?or to those who under thepretextof
mercyintroduceillicitsinsintothechurch,teachingotherstodothem?ortothosewhoareateasein
the Church ?or to those who are negligent, Christians only in name ?or to those who, humbly
instructed, persevere strongly in faith ?or he rebukes those who study the Scriptures and strive to
knowthehiddenprophecies,andareunwillingtodotheworksofGod,whicharemercyandlove.For
allhepronouncespenance,forallheannouncesjudgment.
a Isa11.2,3 bRom6.9 c Ex19.61Pt2.9 dProv8.20 e Mt10.34 fMt13.33 gMt13.5152 hMt17.2627 iPs61.12
jJn12.48 k2Th2.8 lPs131.7 mActs2.33 nJn3.34,35 o1Tim3.15 pIsa4.1 q1Cor15.53
2Indeed,inhisfirstletterhesays,Iknowyoursufferingandworksandyourpatience,Iknowyou
aresufferingandseeyourworksandpatience:donotthinkIremainfar(or'forlong')awayfromyou.
Andthatyoucannotbearevilpeople,andthatthosewhosaytheyareapostles,youdiscoveredthem
liars, and you have patience according to My name. All these belong to praise, and not mediocre
praise.Butalsosuchmenandofsuchakind,andtheselectionofsuchmen,indicatesthateveryone
ofthemmustbeadmonishedsothattheyarenotdeprivedofgoodthings.Hesayshehasafewthings
againstthem,saying:Youhaveabandonedyourearlierlove:rememberfromwhereyouhavefallen.
Hewhofalls,fallsfromaheight,andthereforehesaysfromwhere,foratalltimesuntiltheendworks
of love are to be practiced, with is the greatest commandment. Finally, unless this is done, was
threatenedtomovethelampstandfromitsplace,thatis,toscatterthepeople.Foryouhatetheworks
of the Nicolaitans which I also hate you have this, this belongs to praise. For the works of the
Nicolaitans:beforethistime,falseanddiseasebearingmen,ministersinthenameofNicolaus,made
forthemselvesaheresy,(saying)thatsomethingdevoted(toanidol)maybeexorcizedandeaten,and
thatwhoeverhadfornicatedcouldreceivethepeaceontheeighthday.Thereforehepraisesthoseto
whomhehaswritten,towhom,suchandsogreatmen,hehaspromisedthattreeoflifewhichisinthe
gardenofGod.
2Thefollowingepistlerevealsthebehaviorandcustomofthefollowingotherkind.Andattheendof
ithesays:Iknowyou,thatyouarebothpoorandsuffering,butyouarerich:forheknowsthatfor
such,richesarehiddenwithhimandherejectstheslanderoftheJewswhicharenotJews,butthe
synagogueofSatan,whoarebroughttogetherbyAntichristtowhomhesaysthatiftheypersevereto
the death, and he who has persevered will not be hurt by the second death, that is, he will not be
thrownintoHell.
3Thethirdkindofsaintsindicatesmenwhoarestronginfaith,andnotfearingpersecution.Butthere
are others among them who are prone to unlawful concessions. He says: I will fight them with the
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swordofmymouth,thatis,thecommandmentwhichIwillspeak,andwhichIwilltellyoutodo.For,
the teaching of Balaam taught to set a stumblingblock before the eyes of the Sons of Israel, to eat
whatissacrificed(toidols)andtofornicate:asnotedlongago.Forhegavethisadvicetothekingof
theMoabites,andthusthepeoplestumbled.Hesays,Thus,youalsohaveamongyouholdingthiskind
ofteaching,andunderthepretextofmercyyoumakeotherssuffer.Hesays,Tohimwhoconquers,I
willgivetohimofthehiddenmanna.Thehiddenmannaisimmortalitythewhitegemisadoptionin
theSonofGodanewnameis"Christian."
4Thefourthkindindicatesthenobilityofthefaithful,workingdaily,anddoinggreatworks.Buteven
hereareindicatedsomementobeatease,givenovertounlawfulleisures,andpayingattentiontonew
prophecies, which he shows and prophesies to others, to whom this is not pleasing, who know the
wickednessoftheAdversary,bywhichevilsandsorrowsheseekstobringdangersontheheadofthe
faithful.Andthushesays:Iwillnotplaceuponyouanotherweight,thatis,Ihavenotgivenyoulaws,
observancesandburdens,whichisanotherweight,thatwhatyouhave,youholdonto,untilIcome.
Andtohimwhoconquers,Iwillgivetohimpoweroverthenations,thatis,Iwillmakehimajudge
amongtheothersaints.AndthestarofthemorningwillIgivetohim:namely,thefirstresurrectionhe
promisedforthemorningstarchasesawaythenightandannounceslight,whichisthebeginningof
day.
3 The fifth kind, selection, or conduct of the saints, shows negligent men, doing other than they
shouldintheworld,foolishworks,Christianinnameonly.Andthereforeheexhortsthem,iftheycan
turnbackfromdangerousnegligence,tobesaved.Hesays:BestrongforthosewhoaredyingforI
havenotfoundyourworksfullbeforemyGod.Foritisnotenoughforatreetolive,andflourish,but
nothavefruit,asitisnotenoughtobecalledaChristian,andtoconfessHim,butnothaveChristian
works.
2Thesixthkind,thebestconductoftheselection,thebehaviorofsaintsisdescribed,namelythose
whoarehumbleintheworldandsimpleintheScriptures,andbearinganunshakablefaith,notbeing
frightenedbyanything and drawing back from the Faith. Therefore he says to them: I have placed
before you an open door and he says for you have kept the word of my patience, with such little
strength,andIwillkeepyoufromthehouroftemptation:sothattheywillknowofwhatkindisHis
glory,indeedHedoesnotallowthemtobehandedovertotemptation.Hesays,Hewhoconquerswill
be made a column in the temple of God: for a column is beautiful for a building, that is, he who
persevereswillbeconsideredmorenobleintheChurch.
3Andthisselection,theseventhkind,describeswealthymen,believerswhoareindignifiedpositions,
butbelieversthatarerichmen:theyindeeddiscusstheScripturesathomeintheirrooms,butoutside
no one would know they are believers. Namely, they are boasters who also say that they know
everything, possessed of confidence in letters, but their works are empty. And therefore he says to
themneithercoldnorhotarethey,thatis,neitherunbelieversnorbelievers,fortheyareallthingsto
allpeople.Andwhatisneithercoldnorhotmustbelukewarm,sothatitcausesnausea:hesays,AndI
willvomityououtofmymouth.Nausea,thoughitishateful,harmsnoone:sowiththiskindofmen,
whowillbeejected.Butthatthisisatimeofpenitence,hesays:Icounselyou,buyrefinedgoldfrom
me,thatis,ifyouareable,tosufferanythingforthenameoftheLord.HesaysAndanointyoureyes
withsalve,thatis,thatwhatyougladlyknowfromtheScriptures,youmightalsotrytodothedeed.
Andbecause,ifthiskindofmenturnsbackfromgreatdestructiontopenitence,notonlywilltheybe
usefultothemselves,butareabletobenefitmany,notamediocrerewardispromisedtothem,thatis:
tosituponathroneasjudges.
4Hesaysanopendoorinheaven:thepreachingoftheNewTestamentwasseenbyJohn,anditwas
saidtohim:Comeuphere.Whenitisdepictedopened,itisobviousthatithadpreviouslybeenclosed
tomen.Butitwassufficientlyandfullyopened,whenChristascendedbodilytotheFather.Andthe
voicewhichheheard,whenitsaidthathewastalkingwithhim:withoutcontradictionitreprovesthe
stubborn.HewhoiscomingisHewhospokethroughtheProphets.ForJohnwasofthecircumcision,
andallthat People which heard the preaching of the Old Testament was edified by that Voice. He
says,ForthatvoicewhichIheard,itsaidtome:Comeuphere:thatisJesusChristwhomheshows
seenasalittlebeforeasasonofmanamongthegoldenlampstands.Andnowhenceforthherecalls
thosethingswhichwerepredictedinsimilitudesthroughtheLaw,andbythesescripturesheconnects
all the earlier Prophets, and opens up the Scriptures. And because afterward our Lord invited to
heaven all believing in His name, He immediately poured out the Holy Spirit, who brings men to
heaven,hesays:ImmediatelyIwasintheSpirit.Andwhenthemindofthefaithfulisopenedbythe
HolySpirit,hemakesobvioustothemwhatalsowaspredictedtothosebefore.
2Plainlya throne placed is the seat of a judge and a king upon which throne he says he saw the
resemblanceofjasperandsardis,whichjasperisthecolorofwater,andsardisoffire:thisshowsthe
twoTestamentsareplaced,untiltheendoftheworld,uponthejudgmentthroneofGodofwhichtwo
judgmentsoneisalreadyaccomplishedinthedestructionbywater,buttheotherwillbeaccomplished
by fire. And a rainbow around the throne has a burning color for the rainbow is called a bow, of
whichindeedGodspoketoNoahandhissons,nolongertofearinundationbywater.HesaysIwill
setmybowintheclouds,amayyounolongerfearthewater,butthefire.AndBeforethethronewas
somethinglikeaseaofglasslikecrystal:isthegiftofbaptism,whichHepoursoutbyHisSonina
time of repentance before He brings the Judgment. Therefore, before the throne, that is, before the
judgment.Andwhenitsaysaseaofglasslikecrystal,itdepictscalmwater,notmovedbythewind,
notflowingdown,butgiventobeasimmovableasthegiftofGod.
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3ThefouranimalsarethefourGospels.HesaysThefirstislikealion,thesecondislikeabull,the
thirdislikeaman,thefourthislikeaflyingeaglehavingsixwingsaroundthem,eyesbothinside
and outside, and, he says, never ceasing to say , , , Holy, holy, holy, Lord God
Almighty.
Twentyfourelderssitting,havingtwentyfourjudgmentseats:arethebooksoftheProphetsandthe
Law, relating the witness of the Judge. For the twentyfour fathers are the twelve Apostles and the
twelvePatriarchs.Therefore,theanimalswhicharedifferentfaces,havethemforthisreason.
4 The animal like a lion is the Gospel according to John, which, while all the other Evangelists
announced that Christ was made man, it was for him to announce that He was God before He
descendedandtookonflesh,TheWordwasGod,bandbecauseheproclaimslikearoaringlion,his
preachingbearsthefaceofalion.Likeaman.Matthewmadeanefforttoannouncetousthefamilyof
Mary,throughwhichChristreceivedflesh.Therefore,whenherecountsfromAbrahamuptoDavid,
andfromDaviduptoJoseph,asthoughspokenofaman,thushispreachingreceivestheimageofa
man.Lukealso,whenherecountsfromthepriestZachariasofferingasacrificeforthepeopleandthe
angelappearstohim,becauseofthepriesthoodandthesacrifice,thiswritingboretheimageofthe
bull.Mark,theinterpreterofPeter,wrotearecordofthosethingswhichhegenerallytaught,butnotin
order,andbeginswiththewordofprophecyannouncedbyIsaiah.
Therefore,theybeginthus,saying:John:InthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod,
andtheWordwasGodbthisisthefaceofalion.AndMatthew:ThebookofthegenerationofJesus
Christ,sonofGod,sonofDavid,sonofAbrahamcthisisthefaceofaman.AndLukethus:There
was a priest of the name Zacharias, of the course of Abia, and his wife was of the daughters of
Aarondthisistheimageofabull.Markbeginsthus:ThebeginningoftheGospelofJesusChrist,as
itiswritteninIsaiaheitbeginswiththeSpiritflying,therefore,italsohastheimageofaflyingeagle.
AndnotonlythepropheticSpirit,butalsotheWordofGodtheFatherAlmighty,WhoisHisSon,our
Lord Jesus Christ, bears the same images in the time of His appearance to us. For when, it was
predictedlikealion,andlikethecubofalionfbecauseforthesalvationofmen,Hewasmademan,
conqueringdeathandfreeingallbecauseHeofferedHimselfasasacrificetoGodtheFatherforus,
He is called a bull and because He conquered death, ascended to heaven, extending His wings and
protectingHispeople,Heiscalledaflyingeagle.Thereforetheseannouncements,whicharefour,are
actuallyoneannouncement,whichcameoutofonemouth,liketheriverinparadise,fromonesource
dividingintofourparts.
5Andtheseanimalshaveeyesinsideandoutside,thatisthepreachingoftheNewTestamentitshows
Spiritualprovidence,whichbothlooksintothesecretsoftheheart,andalsoseesthingsyettocome,
which are inside and outside. The wings are the witnesses of the books of the Old Testament, and
thereforetheyaretwentyfour,whichisalsothesamenumberofeldersonthejudgmentseats.Asan
animalisnotabletoflywithouthavingwings,soneitherdoesthepreachingoftheNewTestament
havefaithwithouthavingthepreviouslyannouncedwitnessesoftheOldTestament,bywhichittakes
offfromearthandflies.Foralways,whenwhatwassaidbeforeisfoundtohavehappenedlater,this
makes an undoubting faith. For again, if wings are not attached to animals, they have no way to
prolong(?)life.Forwithoutthosethingspreviouslyannouncedbytheprophetsbeingaccomplishedin
Christ, their preaching will have been made worthless.g The Catholic Church holds both the
previouslyannouncedandalsothelateraccomplished,andittrulyfliesandtakesofffromtheearth,a
livinganimal.Andwiththehereticswhodon'tusethepropheticwitness,livingcreaturesarepresent
forthem,butwhichareonlyearthly.AndfortheJews,whodonotacceptthepreachingoftheNew
Testament,wingsarepresentforthem,buttheyarenotlivingthatis,theybringaworthlessprophecy
tomen,nothearing(obeying),notunitingwhatissaidtowhathappens.
ForthebooksoftheOldTestamentaretwentyfour,asweseeintheEpitomeofTheodore.Butalso,
aswehavesaid,thetwentyfouraretheFathersandApostles:itisnecessarytojudgeHispeople.For
whentheApostlesaskedandsaid:Wehavelefteverythingofourstofollowyouwhatwilltherebefor
us?hOurLordresponded:WhentheSonofMansitsuponthethroneofHisglory,youwillalsosit
upontwelvejudgmentseats,judgingthetwelvetribesofIsrael.iAndalsooftheFatherswhoaretobe
judging,thePatriarchJacobsays:Andhehimselfshalljudgehispeopleamonghisbrothersasoneof
thetribesofIsrael.j
6AndlightningandvoicesandthundercameoutofthethroneofGod,andseventorches:itsignifies
theannouncementsandpromisesofGod,andthewarnings.Forlightningsignifiesthecomingofthe
Lord,andvoicestheannouncementsoftheNewTestamentandthunder,thatthewordsareheavenly
torchesburningwithfire,trulythegiftoftheHolySpirit,becausewhenbywoodthefirstmanwas
lost,bythewoodofthePassionishereturned.
7 And while this was happening, all the elder born fell down and worshipped the Lord, while the
animalsgavegloryandhonor:thatis,whiletheGospel,namelytheactionsandteachingsoftheLord,
accomplishedthewordpreviouslyannouncedbythem,theyworthilyandrightlyexult,knowingthey
themselves have properly served the Word of God. Finally, because He came Who would conquer
death,theonlyOneworthytotakeupthecrownofimmortality,allofthemhad,forthegloryofHis
greataccomplishment,crowns,throwingthemunderHisfeet,thatis,becauseoftheeminentvictoryof
Christ,(throwing)alltheirvictoriesunderHisfeet.ThisiswhattheHolySpiritfulfilledintheGospel
byshowing,forwhenHewasfinallyabouttosuffer,theLordcametoJerusalem,andthepeoplewent
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out to meet Him, some covered the road with cut branches of palm trees, others threw down their
tunics, namely showing two peoples, one, of the Fathers and the Prophets, of great men, who have
palmbranchesforanyoftheirvictoriesagainstsins,castingthemtoChrist,underHisfeet. For the
palmbranchessignifythesame,whicharenotgiventoanyonebutaconqueror.
a Gen9.13 bJn1.1 c Mt1.1 dLk1.5 e Mk1.12 fGen49.9 g1Cor15.14 hMt19.27 iMt19.28 jGen49.16
5Andinthehandoftheonesittinguponthejudgmentseatwasabook,writtenontheinside,sealed
withsevenseals:theysignifytheOldTestament, which is placed in the hand of our Lord, who has
receivedjudgmentfromtheFather.Hesays,Aheraldcriedout,whetheranyonewasworthytoopen
thebookandremoveitsseals,andnoonewasfoundworthy,neitherinheaven,norintheearth,nor
undertheearth.FortoopentheTestamentistosuffer,andtoconquerdeathformen.Tobeworthyof
thisnoonewasfound,neitheramongtheangelsinheaven,noramongmenintheearth,noramong
thesoulsofthesaintsinrest,nonebutChristtheSonofGodalone,Whomhesayshesaw:alambas
though slaughtered, having seven horns in number. About Him was predicted whatever the Law
reflectedaboutHimthroughtheofferingsandsacrifices,whichwasnecessaryforHimtoaccomplish.
AndbecauseHewasthetestatorandconquereddeath,itwasjustthatHewasmadetheheirofGod,
thathemightalsopossessthesubstanceoftheonedying,thatis,themembersofhumanity.
2Hesaysthis,ThelionofthetribeofJudah,oftherootofDavid,hasconquered.Wereadofthelion
ofthetribeofJudahinGenesis,wherethePatriarchJacobsays:Judah,yourbrotherspraiseyou:you
havebothlaindownandrisenuplikealion,andlikethecubofalion.aForHeiscalledalionfor
conqueringdeathforsufferingformen,likealambledtotheslaughter.bButbecauseHeconquered
deathandcamebefore(?)theworkofthetorturer,Heiscalledasthoughslain. This, therefore, He
opensandunseals:thatTestamentwhichHehadsealed.MosestheLawmakeralsoknowsthis,which
neededtobesealedandhiddenuntilthecomingofHisPassion.Heveiledhisfaceandspokethusto
thepeople,showingthatthewordsofthepredictionwereveileduntilthecomingofthetimeofChrist.
Also,whenhereadtheLawtoallthepeople,hetookredwool,andthebloodofabull,andsprinkled
wateronallthepeople,saying:ThisisthebloodoftheTestament,whichtheLordhascommandedfor
you.cThereforeitisnecessaryforyou,thediligentman,toobservethatthewholeoftheprediction
coheresasone.ForitdoesnotsufficetocallthesetheLaw,whicharealsocalledaTestament.Nolaw
iscalledatestament,norisatestamentcalledanythingelse,exceptwhatismadebythosewhoare
dyingand whateverthingsareinside thetestamentaresealeduntilthedayofdeathofthetestator.
Therefore,nowitmayonlyproperlybeunsealedbytheslainlambwhichlikealiontoreapartdeath,
andwhoaccomplishedwhatwasforetold,andfreedmen,thatisfleshfromdeath,andtookpossession
ofthesubstanceofthedying,thatis,ofthemembersofhumanity.Asthroughonebodyallmencame
underadebtofdeath,sothroughonebodyallbelieversriseupinlifeeternal.Therefore,nowtheface
ofMosesisopen,nowalsorevealed,andthereforetheApocalypseiscalledtheRevelation,nowHis
book is unsealed, now the sacrifices of offerings are understood, now the priesthood and
commandmentsofChristandthebuildingofthetempleandthetestimoniesareopenlyunderstood.
3 The twentyfour elders and the four animals, having harps and bowls, singanewsong:singing a
new song shows the combination of the prediction of the Old Testament with the new Christian
people,thatis,thosewhocarryouttheirconfessionpublicly.ItisnewfortheSonofGodtobemade
man,andindeednewforHimtobehandedovertodeathbymen,newtoriseuponthethirdday,new
toascendbodilyintoheaven,newtograntremovalofsinstomen,newfortheHolySpirittosealmen,
newtotakeupapriesthoodofprayersandtoexpectaKingdomofimmeasurablepromise.Forharps,
withstringsextendedonwood,signifiesthebodyofChrist,thatisthefleshofChrist,connected(to
the cross) in His Passion and bowls: confession, and the propogation of a new priesthood. Many
angels: on the contrary all, all of the chosen bringing thanks to our Lord for freeing man from the
plagueofdeath.
a Gen48.89 bIsa53.7 c Heb9.1920Ex24.8
6Theunsealingofthesealsis,aswehavesaid,theopeningoftheOldTestamentpredictionsandthe
announcementofwhatwillhappenintheendtimesofwhich,althoughpropheticScripturespeaksby
asingleseal,yet,asallthesealsareopened,thepredictionhasitsorder.Now,ashesays,isopened
thefirstsealhesawawhitehorse,andthecrownedriderhasabow:forthishappenedatfirstfor
after our Lord ascended to heaven and opened everything, he sent the Holy Spirit, whose words,
throughpreachers,arelikearrowspiercingtheheartsofmen,andconqueringdisbelief.Thecrownon
theheadofthepreachersispromisedbytheHolySpirit.Oftheotherthreehorses,theLord,showing
intheGospelwar,famine,anddisease,plainlyindicatedtheprediction.Andthereforehesaysoneof
theanimals,becauseallfourareone.Andcomeandsee:comeissaidtooneinvitedtothefaith,and
seeissaidtohimwhodidnotsee.Thereforethewhitehorseis the wordofpreaching sent into the
world with the Holy Spirit for the Lord says: This Gospel will be preached in all the world of the
earthasawitnesstoallnations,andthenwilltheendcome.
2AndtheblackhorsesignifiesfaminefortheLordsays:andtherewillbefamineinvariousplaces.a
AndHiswordisproperlyextendedtoAntichrist,whichisatimewhenagreatfaminewilloccur,and
whenmenwillalsobeharmed.Scalesinhishand:thebooksofexamination,inwhichthemeritsof
individualsaredisplayed.Andhesaysavoice:Donotharmthewineandoil,thatis,donotstrikethe
spiritualmanwithplagues.Thisistheblackhorse.
Aredhorse,andhewhositsuponithasasword:thesearewars,whichareindicatedwillhappen,as
we read in the Gospel: And people will rise up against people, and kingdom against kingdom, and
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therewillbeagreatearthquake.bThisistheredhorse.
3AndapalehorseandhewhositsuponithasthenameDeath.Theseare the samewhich, among
otherplagues,theLordpredicted:illnessesanddeadlythingstocome.Forwhenhesays:AndHades
followedhim,thatis,itawaitsthedevouringofthemanysoulsoftheimpious.Thisisthepalehorse.
4Andthesoulsoftheslaughteredwereseenunderthealtar,thatis,undertheearth.Andbothheaven
andeartharecalledan altarso the Law made two altars, seeming images of the truth, one golden
inside and one bronze outside. For we understand the altar is called heaven, by our Lord bringing
witness to us, for He says: When you offer your gift at thealtar, certainly our gifts are the prayers
whichweshouldmake,andyouremembertherethatyouhavesomethingagainstyourbrother,leave
yourgiftthere.cCertainly,prayersascendtoheaven.So,therefore,heavenisunderstoodasthegolden
altarwhichwasinside,forthepriestwhohadthemandateofChristalsoenteredintothetempleonce
a year, to the golden altar. The Holy Spirit signified this is to be done, that is, what is suffered (by
Christ)wasdoneonce.Soalsobythebronzeisunderstoodtheearth,underwhichisHades,aregion
farfrompunishmentsandfires,therestingplaceofthesaints,inwhichindeedtherighteousareseen
andheardbytheimpious,buttheyarenotabletopassovertothem.Therefore,thesearesuch,thatis,
the souls of the slaughtered, who wait for the vindication of their blood, that is, their bodies, from
thosedwellingupontheearth,asHewhoseesallwouldhaveusknow.Butbecauseinthelasttimes,
boththeperpetualrepaymentofthesaintsandthedamnationoftheimpiousarecoming,itissaidto
themtowait.Andasaconsolationfortheirbodies,theyreceive,hesays,whiterobes,thatis,thegift
oftheHolySpirit.
5 The sixth seal: There was a great earthquake: that is, the final persecution. The sun became like
sackcloth:thesplendorofdoctrinewillbedarkenedbyunbelievers.Themoonbloody:theChurchof
thesaintsisshowntosheditsbloodforChrist.Thestarstofall:thefaithfultobetroubled.Ashaken
fig tree drops its figs: people being separated from the Church by persecution. Both mountain and
islandsshakenfromtheirplaces:inthefinalpersecutionallweretowithdrawfromtheirplacesthat
is,thegoodwillbemoved,escapingthepersecution.
6Thefourangelsatthefourcornersoftheearth,orthefourwindsacrosstheEuphratesRiver are
fournations, because to everynation an angel is assigned by God, as the Law said: He established
themaccordingtothenumberoftheangelsofGod.dWhilethenumberofsaintsisbeingcompleted,
theends(oftheearth)arenotleftbythem,becauseinthelast(times)theywillcomewithAntichrist.
7 And what he said: a great crowd from every tribe, shows the number of the chosen of all the
believers,whothroughthebloodofthelamb,thosecleansedbybaptism,theirrobesweremadewhite,
keepingthegracewhichtheyreceived.
a Mt24.7 bLk21.1011 c Mt5.2324 dDeut32.8
7Andanangeldescendingfromtherisingofthesun:hespeaksoftheProphetElijahwhoiscoming
before the time of Antichrist, for the restoring and strengthening of the churches against the
overwhelmingpersecution.WereadofthisintheopeningofthebooksoftheOldTestamentandthe
newprophecy,fortheLordsaysthroughMalachi:Behold,IamsendingtoyouElijahtheTishbite,to
turnbacktheheartofthefathertotheson,andtheheartofamantohisneighbor,athatis,toChrist
throughrepentanceto turn back the heart of the father to the son: the time of a second calling, to
recalltheJewstothe faith of the following People. And therefore he also shows the number of the
Jews,andthegreatmultitudeofthegentiles,whowillbelieve.
a Mal4.56
8ForwealsoreadintheGospelthattheprayersoftheChurcharesentfromheavenbyanangel,and
theyaretakenupbyaholyangelagainsttheoutpouringofwrathandthedarknessofthekingdomof
Antichrist.Forhesays:Praythatyoumightnotfallintotemptation.aFortherewillbegreatsuffering,
suchashasnotbeenfromthebeginningoftheworldandexcepttheLordshortensthosedays,there
wouldnotbeanyfleshsavedupontheearth.bTherefore,HewillsendthesesevengreatArchangels
forthepiercingofthekingdomofAntichrist.ForasHealsosaysintheGospel:ThentheSonofMan
willsendHismessengers,andtheywillgatherHischosenonesfromthefourwinds,fromtheendof
heaven to its (other) end.c And he says before: then there will be peace in the earth, when seven
shepherdswillariseinit,andeightattacks(lit.'bites')ofmen,andtheywillencircleAssur,that is,
Antichrist,in the ditch of Nebrothd: in the damnation of the devil. And Ecclesiastes similarly says:
Whentheguardiansofthehousewillbemoved.eFortheLordHimselfsaysthus:Whentheworkers
cometohimandsaytohim:'Lord,havewenotsowedgoodseedinyourfield?So,fromwherearethe
weedsthere?'Heansweredthem:'Anenemyhasdonethis.'Towhomtheysay:'Doyouwantustogo
and remove that?' He says to them: 'No, leave them together so they are growing until the harvest.
Andatthattime,'Hesays,Iwillsaytotheharvesterstocollecttheweedsandthrowtheminthefire,
andtolayupthewheatinthegranaries.fThisApocalypseshowstheseharvestersandshepherdsand
workerstobetheArchangels.
2Andthetrumpetisthewordofpower.Anditmayberepeatingbythebowls,notasthoughitwas
saidtwice,butbecausewhatwillhappenonlyonce,itisdecreedbyGodthatitwillbe,thereforeitis
saidtwice.Accordingly,whateverwassaidinthetrumpetsless,itwassaidinthebowlsmore.Neither
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(shouldyoube)regardingtheorderofsayings,becausethesevenfoldHolySpirit,whereHehurries
throughtothefinaltimesandtheend,returnsbacktothesametimeandaddstowhatlittleHesaid.
Nor(shouldyoube)seekingorderintheApocalypse,forthatisalsofalseprophecyratherbeseeking
themeaning.Theyare,therefore,thosethingswhicharewritteninthetrumpetsandthebowls,either
destructionsbyplaguessentoutintotheworld,ortheinsanityofAntichristhimself,orthedeclineof
peoples,ordifferentkindsofplagues,orthehopeintheKingdomofthesaints,ortheruinofcities,or
theruinofBabylon,thatis,thecityoftheRomans.
3Aneagleflyinginthemidstofheaven:theHolySpiritisindicated,testifyingbythetwoprophetsto
threatenplaguesofgreatwrath,ifinanyway,eveninthefinaltime,anyonemaystillbesaved.
a Mt26.41 bMt24.2122 c Mt24.31cfMk13.27 dMic5.56 e Eccl12.3 fMt13.2730
[Chapter9isnotcoveredbyVictorinus.]
10Thenwhathesays,amightyangeldescendedfromheaven,clothedwithacloud,andarainbow
uponhishead,andhisfacelikethesun,andhisfeetlikecolumnsoffire,andhavinginhishandan
open book, and he placed his feet upon the sea and the earth, signifies our Lord, as we have told
aboveofHisfacelikethesun,thatis,oftheresurrectionarainbowuponhisheadisjudgment,which
wasandwillbe.AndtheopenbookistheApocalypsewhichJohnreceived.Hisfeet,wealsospokeof
above, are to be equated with the apostles. For, both the sea and the earth to be trampled by Him
signifieseverythingisputunderHisfeet.Hesaysheisanangel,thatis,amessengeroftheFather
AlmightyforHeiscalledamessengerofgreatcounsel.aTocalloutinagreatvoice:thegreatvoice
is of heaven to announce to men the words of the Almighty God, because after the closing of
repentance,therewillbenohopeafterward.
2Seventhundersspokesintheirvoices:theSpiritofsevenfoldpower(Who)hastestifiedthroughthe
prophetsallthatwillbe,hasbyHisvoicegivenwitnessintheworld.Butbecauseitsayshewastobe
writingwhatwassaidbythethunders,thatis,whateverwasobscurelypredictedintheOldTestament,
heisprohibitedtowrite,but(istold)toleaveandtoseal(them).Becausehewasanapostle,itwasnot
proper to confer the grace of the following degree on a man of the first, because now is the proper
time. For the apostles, by powers, by signs, by warnings, by great works, have conquered unbelief.
Afterthem,nowthechurchesarestrengthenedbyfaith,havingbeengiventhecomfortofinterpreting
thewritingsoftheprophetswhichinterpretershecalledprophets.FortheApostlesays:AndHealso
placedintheChurchfirstapostles,secondprophets,thirdteachersbandtherest.Andinanotherplace
hesays:Twoorthreeprophetsspeak,andletothersevaluate,candhesays:Everywomanprayingor
prophesyingwithoutaveiledheaddefilesherhead.dForwhenhesays:Twoorthreeprophetsspeak,
and let others evaluate, he does not speak of general prophecy, unheard and unknown but now
predicted but let them evaluate whether the interpretation agrees with the witness of the prophetic
saying.Therefore,thiswascertainnottohavebeennecessaryforJohn,armedwithsuperiorstrength
withtheChurchbeingtheBodyofChrist,adornedwithHismembers,itmustanswerinHisplace.
3Fortotakethelittlescrollandtoeatit:havingbeenshowntohim,itiscommittedtomemory.Tobe
sweetinthemouthis thefruit of thepreachingofthe speaker,and tothehearers isverysweet,but

(also)verybittertothepreacherandtothoseperseveringinthe commandments through sufferings.
Hesays,Itisnecessarytopreachagain,thatis, to prophesy,amongpeoples,tongues,andnations:
thisisbecause,whenJohnsawthis,hewasintheislandofPathmos,condemnedtoaminebyCaesar
Domitian. Therefore, John is seen to have written the Apocalypse there. And when now old, he
thoughtitpossibletoreturnafterthesuffering.Domitianhavingbeenkilled,allhisjudgmentswere
undone and John was released from the mine, and thus afterward he handed over this same
ApocalypsewhichhereceivedfromtheLord.Thisis:Itisnecessarytopreachagain.
a Isa9.5(LXX) b1Cor12.28 c 1Cor14.29 d1Cor11.5
11Andtoshowhimareedlikearod,sothathemightmeasurethetempleofGodandthealtarand
thoseworshippinginit:hespeaksofauthority,which,havingbeenreleased,heafterwarddisplayedto
thechurches.ForhealsoafterwardwrotetheGospel.ForwhenValentinusandCerinthusandEbion
andothersoftheschoolofSatanwerespreadthroughouttheworld,thebishopsofthenearbycities
cametogetherandcompelledhim,sothathemightwritehisowntestimonyabouttheLord.Forthe
measureoffaithiscommandedbyourLord,toconfesstheFatherAlmighty,aswehavelearned,and
HisSon,ourLordJesusChrist:beforetheoriginoftheworldspirituallybornoftheFathermademan
andconquereddeathreceivedbodilyintoheavenbytheFatherpouredforththeHolySpirit,giftand
pledgeofimmortality.ThisOnewaspredictedbytheProphets,thisOnewaswrittenofintheLaw,
thisOneistheHandofGod,andtheWordoftheFatherAlmighty,andCreatorofthecircleofthe
wholeworld.Thisisthereedandmeasureoffaith,thatnoonemayworshipattheholyaltar,except
whohasconfessedthis:HeisLordandChrist.a
2Andleaveouttheinnercourt.Acourtiscalledanatrium,anemptyplacebetweenwalls.Thosesuch
whoarenotnecessary,heorderedtobethrownout.Whichisgiventobetrampledbythegentiles,that
is,forthiskindofmentobetrampledeitherbythegentilesorwiththegentiles.Thenherepeatsabout
theruinandslaughteroftheendtime,andsays:Andtheywilltrampletheholycityfortytwomonths.
AndIwillgivetomytwowitnesses,andtheywillpreach,clothedinsackcloth,foronethousand,260
days, that is, three years and six months one thousand, 260 days make 42 months. Therefore, their
preachingisforthreeyears and six months, and the reign of Antichrist, is another of such (length).
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Andfromthemouthsoftheseprophetsgoesoutfireagainsttheiradversaries:hespeaksofthepower
oftheWord.Alltheplagueswhicharetohappenwillbesentbythevoiceoftheirangels.
3ManythinkElijahtobewithElishahorMoses,buttheyarebothdead.ButJeremiahhasnotfound
death.ByallourancientstheypasseddownthatitwastobeJeremiahforeventheverywordwhich
wasmadetohimtestifies,saying:BeforeIformedyouinyourmother'sbelly,Iknewyou,andbefore
youleftthewombIsanctifiedyou,andImadeyouaprophettothegentiles.bButhewasnotaprophet
to the gentiles, and thus both (sayings being) by the Divine, that which He promised has also
inevitablytoshow:thathewillbeaprophettothegentiles.Hespokeofthesetwolampstandsandtwo
olivetrees:thusHehasremindedthat,ifreadinginanotherplaceyouhavenotunderstood,hereyou
willinderstand.ForitiswritteninZechariah,oneoftheTwelveProphets.
4These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand in the sight of the Lord of the
earth,thatis,inParadise.These,therefore,mustbeslainbyAntichrist,aftermanyplagueshavebeen
thrustintotheworld,ofwhomhesaysthebeastcameupfromtheabyss.Andthathewillascendfrom
the abyss, many witnesses for us are collected in this chapter. For Isaiah says: Behold Asshur, a
cypress in Mount Lebanon. Asshur, oppressing, an exceedingly wellbranched cyprus, that is, a
numerouspeopleinMountLebanon:inthekingdomofkingdomsbeautifulinseeds,cthatis,mighty
inarmies.Water, he says, nourishedhim,thatis, many thousands of men, which will be subject to
him.Theabyssenlargedhim,dthatis,itvomitedhim.ForitwassaidbyEzekielinnearlythesame
words. For he was to be in a kingdom of kingdoms, and was to be among the Caesars, Paul also
provedbywitness.ForhesaystotheThessalonians:Thusnowheholdsbackwhoisseen(todoso),
untilheisremovedfromthemiddleandthenhewillappear,whosecomingisaccordingtotheability
(or'power')ofSatan,withsignsandlies.eAndsothattheyknewhimtobecoming,whowasthenthe
Princeps,headds:Thesecretofmalicenowworks,fthatis,themalicewhichhewillbedoingisdone
secretly, but he is not elevated by his own power or his father's, but by the command of God. For
whichreason,therefore,Paulsaid:Therefore, because they do not take hold of the love of God, He
sendstothemaspiritoferror,sothatallmightbepersuadedbyaliewhoarenotpersuadedbythe
truth.gIsaiahsays:Inwaitingforthelight,darknessroseforthem.h
5Therefore,theApocalypseshowstheseprophetstobeslainbythesame,andtoriseupthefourth
day,sothattheyarenotfoundequaltoGod.AndJerusalemistobecalledSodomandEgypt,(because
of)thedeedaccomplishedbythepeopleofthepersecutor.Therefore,diligentlyandwithallcare,itis
necessary to follow the prophetic prediction and to understand, because the Holy Spirit predicts
scatteredly, and returns and runs through to the end time, repeats back previous times, and because
whatwillhappenonceisshownasdoneseveraltimes?whichunlessyouunderstandseveral sayings,
not several happenings, you fall into a great fog?therefore, the interpretation of the sequence of
sayingsinitwillagree,thatitmightbeunderstoodnotinorderofreading,butofreason.
6OpenedwasthetempleofGodwhichisinheaven:istheappearanceofourLord.TheTempleofGod
is His Son, as He says: Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it and the sayingsofthe
Jews:Fortysixyearshasitbeenbuilt.TheEvangelistsays:HesaidthisofthetempleofHisbody.i
Thearkofthetestament:hesaysthepreachingoftheGospel,andtheforgivenessoftransgressions,
andallthosethingswhichcamewithHim,appeared.
a Acts4.26 bJer1.5 c Ezk31.3 dEzk31.4 e 2Th2.79 f2Th2.7 g2Th2.1011 hIsa59.9 iJn2.1921
12Andawomanclothedwiththesunandthemoonunderherfeet,havingacrownoftwelvestars,
givingbirthinherpainsistheancientChurchofthefathersandprophetsandholyapostles,because
sheborethesorrowandtormentofherdesires,untilwhichHewasmadefromherpeopleaccordingto
herflesh,aslongpromisedtoher:toseeChristtakeupfromthesamenationabody.Andclothedwith
thesunsignifiesthehopeofresurrectionandthepromiseofglory.Themoon,indeed,isthefallingof
thebodiesofthesaintsfromthedebttodeath,whichneverlacksstrength.Forwheneverthelifeof
menislessened,itwillalsobeincreased.Noristhehopeofthesleepingtotallyextinguished,assome
think,buttheyhavealightinthedarkness,likethemoon.Atwelvestarredcrownsignifiesthechorus
offathersaccordingtothebirthoftheflesh,fromwhomChristwastotakeupflesh.
2 And a red dragon standing waiting, so that when the woman will have borne her son, he might
devour him is the devil, namely the fugitive angel, who supposed that the annihilation of all men
equallythroughdeathwaspossible.ButHewhowasnotbornofseedowednothingtodeathbecause
ofwhichnorwasheabletodevourhim,thatis,toholdontoHimindeath.ForindeedHeroseupon
thethirdday.Finallyalso, before He had suffered, he came to tempt Him like a man, but when he
foundHimnottobewhohethought,hewentawayfromHim,itsays,untilthetime.a
3ItsaysthisonewastakenuptothethroneofGod.WereadofitintheActsoftheApostles,how
speakingwiththedisciplesHewastakenupintoheaven.Foritishewhowillbeleadingallnations
with a rod of iron: the rod of iron is a sword and all nations are those which battle under the
stratagems (?) of Antichrist against the saints still remaining: which also, he says, will fall by the
sword.
Andthe color of which he says to be red, that is, scarlet: the fruit of his works gave to him such a
color.Forfromthebeginninghehasbeenamurdererbandhasoppressedallthehumanracenotonly
bythedebtofdeath,butmoresothroughvariousplagueseverywhere.
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Sevenheads,sevenkingsofRomefromwhomalsoisAntichrist,aswewillspeakofsoon.Tenhorns,
tenkingsintheendtimethesearethesamewewilltreatfullythere.
4 And the woman flew into the desert with the help of the wings of a great eagle?namely the two
prophets?alltheCatholicChurch,inwhichwillbeonehundredfortyfourthousandbelieversinthe
endtime,undertheProphetElijah.AnothersecondpeoplewillbefoundatthecomingofourLord
JesusChrist,ofwhichtheLordChristHimselfspeaksintheGospel:ThenthosewhoareinJudeawill
befleeingintothemountains,cthatis,howevermanywillhavebeengatheredinJudea,letthemgoto
that place which they have prepared so that they will be nourished there for three years and six
months,awayfromthefaceofthedevil.Thewingsofagreateaglearethetwoprophets,Elijahandhe
whowillbetheprophetwithhim.
5Andthewaterwhichtheserpentsentoutofhismouthsignifieshiscommandofthearmyfollowing
him.Andtheearthopeneditsmouthanddevouredthewatershowstheconqueringofthepersecutors.
Therefore,thismightsignifytheonegivingbirth,andshowsafterthebirththefleeingtotheheights:
thesethingsdidnotbelongtoonetime.ForweknowthetimetohaveoccurredthatChristwasborn
however,thatshewillfleefromthefaceoftheserpent,thishasnotyethappened.
6Thenhesays:Therewaswarinheaven:Michaelandhismessengersfoughtwiththedragonand
thedragonfought,andhismessengersandtherewasnotfoundforhimaplaceinheaven.Andthe
greatdragonwasthrownout,theancientserpentfelltoearth.Thisisthebeginningofthecomingof
Antichrist.Yetbefore,Elijahmustpreachandtheremustbeatimeofpeace,andthusaftertheendof
threeyearsandsixmonthsofthepreachingofElijah,heistobethrownoutofheaven,wherehehad
thepowerofascendingtountilthistime,andallthefugitiveangels.ThusAntichrististoberaisedup
fromhelltheApostlePaulalsosaysthis:Exceptfirstwillcomethemanofsin,thesonofperdition,
theadversary,whowillraisehimselfaboveallthatiscalledGodorisworshipped.d
7AnditsaysthatThetailofthedragondrewathirdpartofthestars.Thismaybetakenintwoways.
Formanythinkthis:heisableosseduceathirdpartofmentobelievehimbut,itoughttobebetter
understood that (they are) the angels subject to him when he was stilla prince, whenhedescended
fromhisnature(?).Thus,whatwehavesaidabove,theApocalypsesays:Hestooduponthesandof
thesea.
a Lk4.13 bJn8.44 c Mt24.16 d2Th2.34
13 And I saw rising from the sea a beast like a leopard signifies the kingdom of that time, the
kingdomofAntichrist,andthevarietyofnationsandpeoplesmixedtogether.Hisfeetlikethefeetofa
bear, of a strong and very impure beast and his feet speaks of his leaders. and his mouth like the
mouthofalion,thatis,armedwithteethforblood.For,themouthishiscommand,andhistongue,
thatwhichwillcomeoutfornothingelseexceptforthesheddingofblood.
2The seven heads are seven mountains, upon which the woman sits,that is, the city of Rome. And
thereweresevenkings:fivehavefallen,oneis,andanotherhasnotyetcomeandwhenhecomes,his
timewillbeshort.Andthebeastwhichyousawisoftheseven,andistheeighth.Accordingly,itis
useful to understand the time in which the Apocalypse was written, because Domitian was Caesar
then. And before him was Titus his brother and Vespasian their father, Otho, Vitellius, and Galba.
Thesewerefivewhohave fallenone is,hesays,underwhomhesaystheApocalypse was written,
namelyDomitian.Anotherhasnotyetcome:speaksofNerva,whowhenhecomes,histimewillbe
short: for he did not complete two years. And the beast which you saw, he says, is of the seven:
becausebeforethesekingsNeroreigned.Andistheeighth, he says only that when this one comes,
counttheeighthplace.Andbecauseinhis(reign)willbetheend,headds:Hegoestodestruction.For
tenkingsreceivedroyalpower:whenhemovesfromtheEast,theywillbesentfromthecityofRome
with their armies. He speaks of these ten horns and ten diadems. And Daniel shows: Three of the
formerwereuprooted,athatis,threeoftheformerleadersofAntichristaredestroyed.Theotherseven
give him glory and honor and a throne and power, of whom he says, they will hate the whore,
namely,itspeaksofthecity,andtheywillburnherfleshwithfire.
3Andoneoftheheadswasslaintodeath,andhisdeathstrokewashealed:speaksofNero.Foritis
certainthatwhenhewasfollowedbythecavalrysentbytheSenate,hecutthroughhisownthroat.
Thisoneraised, therefore, God is to send as a worthy king to those worthy, to the Jews and to the
persecutorsofChrist,aChristofsuchakindthepersecutorsandJewshavedeserved.Andbecausehe
will be bearing another name, and also beginning another life, so thus the same will be taken for
Christ.ForDanielsays:Hewillnotbeacquaintedwiththedesireofwomen,inthishewillbevery
impure,and with no god of their fathers will he be familiar.a For he will not be able to seduce the
peopleofthecircumcisionunlesshebecomesadefenderoftheLaw.Finallyhewillcompelthesaints
to no other thing except to receiving circumcision, if he will be able to seduce them. Thus, he will
makethefaithofthepeopletohim,sothatbythemhewillbecalledChrist.Forhehasrisenupfrom
hell,aswealsospokeofaboveinthewordsofIsaiah:Water,hesays,nourisheshim,andtheabyss
enlarges him.b He who must change his name and not change his name when he comes, the Holy
Spiritsays:Hisnumberis666(DCLXVI)thisnumberistobecompletedbyGreekletters.
4Anothergreatbeastfromtheearth:thefalseprophet,whomadesignsandportentsandliesbefore
himinthesightofmenofwhomhesayshavinghornslikealamb,thatis,akindlikethatoftheJust
Man(?),speakinglikeadragon:thedevilfullofmalice.Forthiswillhappeninthesightofmen,so
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thatthedeadwillbeseentorise,butinthesightofmen.Andfirewilldescendfromheaven,butinthe
sightofmen,forinthesightofmen,themagiciansalsodothisthroughthefugitiveangels,and this
onewillalsomakeitsothatagoldenimageofAntichristmightbeplacedinthetempleofJerusalem,
andafugitiveangelmightenterthereandthenhewillgiveforthvoicesandoracles.Andhewillmake
itthatslaveandfreereceiveamarkontheirforeheadsorontherighthand,thenumberofhisname,
who may not buy or sell, except he who will have the mark. And of this overturning of men, the
contemptiblethingtoGod,anddesecration,Danielhasspoken:Andhewillerect,hesays,histemple
among the mountains of the sea, and the two seas,c that is, Jerusalem and then he will erect the
goldenimagelikekingNebuchadnezzar made. The Lord recalls this for all the churches of the end
times he says: When you see the contemptible thing of overturning, which was spoken of by the
Prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place where it is not allowed, let him who reads unserstand.d
Contemptible thing is said, when God is provoked that idols are worshipped for overturning, that
unsteadymenhavebeenoverturnedbyfalsesignsandportents,andseducedawayfromsalvation.
a Dan7.8 bEzk31.4 c Dan11.45 dMt24.15
14Andanangelflyinginthemidstofheavenwhichhesayshesaw,wehavealsotreatedabove:the
sameistobeElijah,whoactsbeforethereignofAntichrist.Andanotherangelfollowingsignifiesthe
sameprophet,theassociateofhispreaching.Butbecause,aswehavesaid,hisleaders,bymakinga
treaty,willattackthiscity,greatBabylon,itsruinisbornewitnessto.
2Andhesays:Come.Iwillshowyouthedamnationofthewhorewhositsuponmanywaters.AndI
saw,hesays,awomandrunkontheblood of the saints, and on the blood of the witnesses of Jesus

Christ.ForallthesufferingsofthesaintsareaccomplishedbydecreeofitsSenate,andsheherself,
recently having granted (?) a remission, gives decree among all nations against all preaching of the
faith.
Andthewomantositupontheredbeast,thedoerofmurders,hastheimageofthedevil.Alsothese
heads are there, of which we have reminded and treated. This is also Babylon, it says in the
ApocalypseandIsaiah,becauseofthescatteringofthepeoplesitwasalsonamedTyrebyEzekiel.
Finallyalso,ifyoucomparewhatissaidofTyre,andwhatIsaiahandtheApocalypsesaidofBabylon,
youwillfindthemalltobeone.
3Whathealsosays:Putoutyoursharpenedpruninghook,fortheharvestofthegrapesofthevine,
speaksofthenationstoperishatthecomingoftheLordandhealsoshowsthisinmanyways,asin
the dry harvest but it will happen once at the coming of the Lord, the end of the kingdom of
Antichrist,andtheappearanceofthekingdomofthesaints.
4Whathealsosays:thrownintothewinepressofthewrathofGodandtrampledoutsidethecity,the
tramplingofthewinepressistherewardofthesinner.Andthebloodwentoutuptothebridlesofthe
horses: vengance will go out to the chiefs of the peoples, that is the leaders, either the devil or his
angels. In the final battle, the vengance of the shedding of blood will go out, as it was predicted
before:Inbloodhaveyousinned,andbloodwillfollowyou.aForonethousand six hundredstadia,
thatis,throughallfourpartsoftheworld.Forafoursomeisquadrupled,asinthefourfacesofthe
fourformed(animals)andthewheels.Forfourfourhundredsareonethousandsixhundred.
a Ezk35.6
15 The same Apocalypse repeats the persecution it says: Seven angels having plagues, because
withthesethewrathofGodisfinished.ForthewrathofGod always struck a stubborn people with
sevenplagues,thatisperfectly,asitsaysinLeviticus(plagues)whichwillhappeninthefuture,when
theChurchwillhavegoneoutfromtheirmidst.
[Chapters16through18arenotcoveredbyVictorinus.]
19Andawhitehorse,andonesittinguponhimshowsourLordcomingwiththeheavenlyarmyto
reign,atWhosecomingallthenationswillbegathered,andwillfallbythesword.Andotherswho
werenobleswillservein theserviceofthe saintsandofthese (nobles)also he showstheywillbe
killedintheendtime,atthefinishofthereignofthesaints,beforethejudgment,afterthereleaseof
thedevil.Onthesealltheprophetslikewiseagree.
20AndthescarletdevilisimprisonedandallhisfugitiveangelsintheTartarusofGehennaatthe
comingoftheLordnooneisignorantofthis.Andafterthethousandyearsheisreleased,becauseof
thenationswhichwillhaveservedAntichrist:sothattheyalonemightperish,astheydeserved.Then
isthegeneraljudgment.Thereforehesays:Andtheylived,hesays,thedeadwhowerewritteninthe
bookoflife,andtheyreignedwithChristathousandyears.Thisisthefirstresurrection.Blessedand
holyishewhohasapartinthefirstresurrection:towardthisonetheseconddeathhasnopower.Of
thisresurrection,hesays:AndIsawtheLambstanding,andwithhim144thousands,thatis,standing
withChrist,namelythoseoftheJewsinthelasttimewhobecomebelieversthroughthepreachingof
Elijah, those who, the Spirit bears witness, are virgins not only in body, but also in language.
Therefore,asheremindsabove,the24elderagedsaid:GracewebringtoYou,OLordGodwhohas
reignedandthenationsareangry.
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2AtthissamefirstresurrectionwillalsoappeartheCityandthesplendidthingsexpressedthrough
thisScripture.Ofthisfirstresurrection Paul also spoke to the Macedonian church, thus: For as we

havethussaidtoyou,hesays,bytheWordofGod,thatatthetrumpetofGod,theLordHimselfwill
descendfromheavenforraisingupandthedeadinChristwillstandfirst,thenwewhoareliving,as
wewillbetakenupwithHiminthecloudstomeettheLordintheairandthuswewillalwaysbewith
theLord.aWehaveheardthetrumpetspokenofitisobservedthatinanotherplacetheApostlenames
another trumpet. Therefore he says to the Corinthians: At the last trumpet, the dead will rise, will
becomeimmortal,andwewillbechanged.bHesaysthedeadwillbeberaisedimmortalforbearing
punishments,butitisshownthatwearetobechangedandtobecoveredinglory.Thereforewherewe
hear "the last trumpet," we must understand also a first, for these aretworesurrections. Therefore,
howevermanywerenotpreviouslytoriseinthefirstresurrectionandtoreignwithChristover the
world, over all nations, will rise at the last trumpet, after the thousand years, that is, in the last
resurrection, among the impious and sinners and perpetrators of various kinds. He rightly adds,
saying:Blessedandholyishewhohasapartinthefirstanastasis:towardthisonetheseconddeath
hasnopower.Fortheseconddeathisbeingthrownintohell.
a 1Th4.1517 b1Cor15.52
21Thereforeinthekingdomandinthefirstresurrectionappearstheholycity,ofwhichhespeaks,
descendingfromheaven,foursquare,walledaroundwithstonesofdifferentandpreciousandcoloured
andvariouskinds,likefinegold,thatis,bright.Incrystal,hesays,isitsstreetpavedtheriveroflife
flowingthroughthemiddle,andspringsofwatersoflifethetreeoflifearoundit,makingdifferent
fruitsforeverymonthnolightofthesunisthere,becauseofagreaterglory.TheLamb,hesays,isits
light.
2Itsgates,truly,areeachasinglepearl,threefromeachpart,notclosed,buttobeopen.Scripture
showsmanyreasons for the gifts of the kings of regions and nations, (kings) who will be servants,
beingbroughtthere:hespeaksofthesubjectionofthelastones,whichwehavetreated.Butthecityis
notthusunderstood,asone(?)wehaveknownforwearenotabletotestifyanyfurther,withouta
guide,tothatwhichwehaveheardandseen.Otherwise,thecityisspokenofasallthoseprovincesof
theEasternregionpromissedtothePatriarchAbraham.Look,hesays,totheheavens,fromtheplace
inwhichyouarenowstanding,athatis,fromthegreatriverEuphratestotheriverofEgyptballthe
landwhichyousee,Iwillgiveittoyouandtoyourseed.cFinally,theHolySpiritsays:Itwillberuled
fromseatosea,thatis,fromtheRedSea,whichisinArabia,totheNorthSea,whichistheSeaof
Phoenicia, and to the ends of the earthd: which are the major parts of Syria. Therefore, all these
provincesaretobelevelledandcleansedatthecomingoftheLordand(His)brightnessdescending
fromheavenlikeacloud,outshiningthebrightnessofthesun,andareshowncontainedinthecircuit
(ofitswalls).
3ForastheHolySpirithasalsotestifiedthroughIsaiah:Likeasmokeoflightburningwithfirewith
allthegloryitwillbecoveredeandinanotherplacehesays,Shine, Jerusalem! For your light has

come,andthegloryoftheLordisrisenforyou.Forthesunwillnotilluminateforyoubyday,northe
moonforyoubynighttheLordyourGodwillbeforyouaneternallight.fAndDavidsays:Andthere
willbeontheearthafirmamentabovethepeaksofthemountains,andhisfruitwillbeexaltedover
thatofLebanon,andtheyofthecitywillflourishlikethegrassoftheearth.gAndDanielspokeofthe
stonecutoutwithouthandstostrikethestatuehavingfourinit,thatis,goldandsilver,bronzeand
iron,andclayinthelastandthisstone,afteritwillhavereducedthestatuetodust,willbecomea
greatmountain,fillingthewholeearth.Andheinterpretedthedreamfortheking,andsays:Youare,
he says, the gold head, and your nation. Another kingdom, he says, will rise, lesser than you, and
therewillbeathirdkingdomwhichwillrulethewholeearth.Andthefourthkingdom:veryhardand
verystrong, like iron which subdues everything and cuts down every tree.hAnd in the end time, he
says,likeclaymixedwithironwillmenbemixed,andtherewillnotbetreatiesnoragreement.iAndin
those times the Lord God will raise up another kingdom, which kingdom,he says, the saints of the
MostHighGodwilltakeup.jAndthiskingdomwillnotbecapturedbyanothernationforGodwill
strikeandcaptureallthekingdomsoftheearth,andHiswillremainforever.k
4Paulalso,speakingtotheCorinthians,recalledmentionofHiskingdom:HemustreignuntilHeputs
His enemies under His feet.lThe saints are spoken of in this kingdom: I have rejoicedm just as we
havehaveheard.nInthesamekingdomhewillfindthoseservingaperfectfaith,ofwhomhesays:
they stood upon the sea of glass, having kitharas and bowls, that is, firmly established upon their
baptism,andhavingtheirconfessionintheirmouth,theyarerejoicingthere.
5Inthiskingdom,HehaspromisedtoHisservants,saying:Whoeverwillleavefatherormotheror
brotherorsisterforthesakeofMynamewillreceivetherewardofonehundredpartsmultiplied,both
now,andalsowillinthefuturepossesseternallife.oInthiskingdom,thosewhohavebeendefrauded
oftheirgoodsbecauseofthenameoftheLord,andthosemanykilledforallcrimesandinprisons?
and indeed before the coming of the Lord the Holy Prophets were stoned, killed, sawn?they will
receivetheirconsolation,pthatis,heavenlycrownsandriches.InthiskingdomtheLordHimselfhas
promisedHewillrestorefortheyearsinwhichthelocustandthewinglesslocustandthecorruption
ate.qInthis,allofcreationwillbesavedand,bythecommandofGod,willgiveforththegoodthings
hiddeninit.Thenthesaintswillreceiveforbronze,gold,andforiron,silverrandpreciousstones.In
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thisplace,Hewillsendtothemtherichesoftheseaandtheexcellentthingsofthenations.sInthis
kingdom, the priests of the Lord will be called the servants of God,t just as they have been called
sacrilegious.Inthiskingdom,theywilldrinkwineandbeanointedwithointmentsuandtheywillbe
giventorejoicing.
6Ofthiskingdom,theLordremindedtheApostlesbeforeHesuffered,saying:Iwillnotdrinkofthis
fruitofthevineanymore,untilwhenIwilldrinkwithyouagaininthecomingkingdom,vwhichisthe
hundredpartsmultiplied,tentimes,athousandtimes,togreaterthingsandbetterthings.
Andwhathesaysofthedifferentstones,thattheywillbeshownbykindandbycolor,thisspeaksof
menasalsoitsignifiesthemostpreciousvarietyofthefaithofeachman.Forthegatesofpearlshe
showstobetheApostles.Theywillnotbeclosed,hesays:graceisgiventhroughthem,andthesame
isneverclosed.Inthisplacetheywillseefacetoface,wandonewillnotrequestofanother.xAndthe
namesoftheFathersandtheApostlesaretobebothonthefoundationsandoverthegates:wehave
already treated of the 24 elders, and of those who are to rule in this kingdom, they will judge the
world.y
a Gen13.14 bGen15.18 c Gen13.15 dPs71.8 e Isa4.5 fIsa60.1,19,20 gPs71.16 hDan2.3740
iDan2.43 jDan7.18 kDan2.44 l1Cor15.25 mPs59.8 nPs47.9 oMt19.29Mk10.30 pMt5.5
qJoel2.25 rIsa60.17 sIsa60.5 tIsa61.6 uIsa25.6,7 vMt26.29 w1Cor13.12
xIsa34.15b16(LXX) y1Cor6.2
[Victorinusdoesnotcoverchapter22.Thisistheendoftheoriginalwork.]
Jerome'slettertoAnatolius,whichistheprologuetohiseditionofVictorinus'commentary:
Thosecrossingovertheperilousseasfinddifferentdangers.Ifastormofwindshasbecomeviolent,it
isaterrorifthemoderateairhascalmedthebackoftheelements,lyingcalm,theyfeartraps.Thusis
seen in this book which you have sent to me, which is seen to contain the explanation of the
ApocalypsebyVictorinus.Also,itisdangerous,andopenstothebarkingsofdetractors,tojudgethe
shortworksofeminentmen.ForevenearlierPapias,thebishopofHierapolis,andNepos,thebishop
ofpartsofEgypt,perceivedofthekingdomofthethousandyearsjustasVictorinus.Andbecauseyou
are in your letters entreating me, I do not want to delay, but nor do I want to scorn praying. I
immediately unwound the books of the greats, and what I found in their commentaries about the
kingdomofthethousandyears,IaddedtothelittleworkofVictorinus,erasingfromtherethosethings
whichheperceivedaccordingtotheletter.
From the beginning of the book to the sign of the cross, we have corrected things which are the
corruptionsofinexperienceofscribes.Knowthatfromtheretotheendofthebookisadded.Nowitis
yours to judge, and to confirm what pleases. If our life will be made longer and the Lord will give
health,foryou,ourmostcapablegeniuswillsweatoverthisbook,dearestAnatolius.
Jerome'sendingtohisversionofVictorinus'commentary,whichreplacesVictorinus'material
onchapters20and21oftheApocalypse:
1 For I have not considered the kingdom of the thousand years to be earthly: for, if it is being
perceived thus, at the completion of the thousand years they cease to reign. But I will offer as my
capacityforunderstandinghasperceived.ThenumbertensignifiestheDecalogue,andonehundred
shows the crown of virginity. For he who has preserved entire his resolution for virginity, and
faithfully fulfilled the precepts of the Decalogue, and has overcome impure actions and impure
thoughtsamongthechambersoftheheartsothattheydonotrulehim,thisistrulyapriestofChrist
andentirelycompletesthemillenarynumber,believedtorulewithChrist, and rightly with Him the
devilisbound.Hewhohasbeenensnaredintheerrorsanddogmasoftheheretics,inhimthedevilis
released. But because he says he will be released at the completion of the thousand years, at the
completionofthenumberoftheperfectsaints,inthebodiesandheartsofwhomvirginityreigns,with
thearrivalofthecomingofthehatingone,manywillbeoverthrownbyhim,seducedbyearthlyloves,
andwilllikewiseenterthelakewithhim.Andafteralittlewhile,thegroundreturnsthebodiesofthe
saints which shortly before were resting: he shows that those receiving, with the eternal King, the
immortalkingdom,whichisnotbyvirginityofthebodyalone,butalsooflanguageandthought,will
rejoicewiththeLamb.
2Truly,thesquarecityofwhichhespeaks,ofgold,andprecious,shiningstones,andapavedroad
andariverthroughthemiddleandthetreeoflifeofeitherside,bearingtwelvefruitsthroughoutthe
twelvemonthsandthelightofthesunwillnotbethere,becausetheLambisitslightandgateseach
of a single pearl, with three gates from the four sides,and they may not be closed: the square city
showsthegatheringofthemultitudeofthesaints,amongwhomnownothingcanmakefaithwaver,as
wascommandedtoNoah,thathewouldmakethearkoutofsquaredwood,sothatitwouldbeableto
bear the force of the flood. Precious stones shows men strong during persecution, who are neither
movedbythestormofthepersecutors,noraretheforcesoftheirfloodsabletoloosenfromthetrue
faith.Forthisreasontheyareassociatedwithpuregold,withwhomtheGreatKingdecoratesthecity.
Indeed,bytheroad are shown their hearts, cleansed of all stains, where the Lord walks. Truly, the
riveroflifeshowsgracetoflowinspiritualbirth.Thetreeoflifeofeitherbankshowsthecomingof
Christ according to the flesh, Who the Law predicted was to come and to suffer, and was shown
clearlybytheGospel.Truly,bytwelvefruitsthrougheachofthemonthsareshownthediversegraces
of the Twelve Apostles, which they receive from the single tree of the cross, satiating peoples
consumedbyhungerwiththepreachingoftheWordofGod.
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Andbecausehesaysinthecitythesunwillnotbenecessary,itplainlyshowstheimmaculateCreator
of lights to shine in its midst, Whose splendour no mind is able to contemplate, nor language to
describe.Hesaysfromthefoursideswillbethreegates,eachformedofasinglepearl:Ithinkthese
arethefourvirtues:wisdom,strength,justice,temperance,whichrelateeachonetoanother,andwhen
mixedtogethertheycompletethenumbertwelve.
Indeed,thetwelvegates we believe to be the number of the Apostles, which by the four virtues as
preciousshiningpearlsareshowingthewaytothesaints,bythelightoftheirdoctrines,formaking
entrancetothecityofthe saints, sothat thechorusofangelsmightpraise theirway of life. By the
gatesmaynotbeclosedisplainlyshownthe doctrine of the Apostles will not be overcome by any
stormsofcriticism,andevenifthewavesofthenationsandtheinsanesuperstitionofthehereticsrage
againstthetruefaiththeirovercomefoamwillbedissolved,becauseChristisarock,byWhomand
through Whom the Church was founded, Who will not be overcome by any waves of insane men.
Therefore,theyarenottobelistenedtowhoaffirmthekingdomofthethousandyearsistobeearthly,
whichtheybelievewiththehereticCerinthus.
WHATOTHERSHAVESAID
AlexanderBrown
"LetusnotforgetthatonceintheChurch'shistoryitwasthecommonbeliefthatJohn's1000years
weregone.DornerbearswitnessthattheChurchuptoConstantineunderstoodbyAntichristchiefly
the heathen state, and to some extent unbelieving Judaism (System iv.,390). Victorinus, a bishop
martyredin303,reckonedthe1000yearsfromthebirthofChrist."
St. Victorinus (about A.D.303) counts the five dead emperors from Galba, and supposes that, after
Nerva, the Beast (whom he identifies with Nero) will be recalled to life. ["Bestia de septem est
quoniam ante ipsos reges Nero regnavit."] St. Augustine mentions a similar opinion. [De Civ. Dei,
xx.19]
F.W.Farrar
"alltheearliestChristianwritersontheApocalypse,fromIrenaeusdowntoVictoriousofPettauand
Commodian in the fourth, and Andreas in the fifth, and St. Beatus in the eighth century, connect
Nero, or some Roman emperor, with the Apocalyptic Beast ." (The Early Days of Christianity
p.541)
J.Murray(1863)
"Alcasar,aSpanishJesuit,takingahintfromVictorinus,seemstohavebeenthefirst(AD1614)to
have suggested that the Apocalyptic prophecies did not extend further than to the overthrow of
Paganism by Constantine. This view, with variations by Grotius, is taken up and expounded by
Bossuet,Calmet,DeSacy,Eichhorn,Hug,Herder,Ewald,MosesStuart,Davidson.Thegeneralview
oftheschoolisthattheApocalypsedescribedthetriumphofChristianityoverJudaisminthefirst,and
overHeathenisminthethirdcentury."(ADictionaryoftheBible)
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Victorinus de Petau Commentary On The Apocalypse

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St. Victorinus of Petau

andareworkingattheirstrivingforsimplicity, and are patient and, when seeing certain destructive

sweetinthemouthis thefruit of thepreachingofthe speaker,and tothehearers isverysweet,but

saw,hesays,awomandrunkontheblood of the saints, and on the blood of the witnesses of Jesus

thisScripture.Ofthisfirstresurrection Paul also spoke to the Macedonian church, thus: For as we

allthegloryitwillbecoveredeandinanotherplacehesays,Shine, Jerusalem! For your light has

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