1 και μετα τουτο ειδον τεσσαρας αγγελους εστωτας επι τας τεσσαρας γωνιας της γης κρατουντας τους τεσσαρας ανεμους της γης ινα μη πνεη ανεμος επι της γης μητε επι της θαλασσης μητε επι τι παν δενδρον
Oecumenius · AD 550 From here, the events that occurred to the Jews in the war against the Romans are clearly shown to the evangelist, which became a cause for them regarding the cross and the mockery against the Lord.
Bede · AD 735 Holding the four winds of the earth, etc. By their own power, they, in a way, suffocate everything, allowing no one to breathe freely under their jurisdiction. The diversity of provinces on land, the islands in the sea, and the various qualities and conditions of men in the trees are signified.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 And after these things, I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow upon the earth, nor upon the sea, nor on any tree.
2 και ειδον αλλον αγγελον αναβαινοντα απο ανατολης ηλιου εχοντα σφραγιδα θεου ζωντος και εκραξεν φωνη μεγαλη τοις τεσσαρσιν αγγελοις οις εδοθη αυτοις αδικησαι την γην και την θαλασσαν
Victorinus of Pettau · AD 304 "And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God" He speaks of Elias the prophet, who is the precursor of the times of Antichrist, for the restoration and establishment of the churches from the great and intolerable persecution.
Bede · AD 735 And he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels. The great voice of the Lord is the sublime preaching: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 How can this be? See what is said toward the end of the Apocalypse. Toward the middle, it is said: "I saw the Lamb standing upon Mount Sion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads." But at the opening of the sixth seal, it is said in the Apocalypse: "And I saw another angel ascending from the rising o…
3 λεγων μη αδικησητε την γην μητε την θαλασσαν μητε τα δενδρα αχρι ου σφραγισωμεν τους δουλους του θεου ημων επι των μετωπων αυτων
Cyprian · AD 258 And how great, too, are those things which in the meantime are happening in that respect on our behalf! Something is given for an example, that the anger of an avenging God may be known.
Bede · AD 735 Until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads? For this reason, the dominion of the nations has been broken, so that the faces of the saints could be freely marked with the sign of faith, to which they had resisted.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 And it is certain that one of them wanted to exterminate the Church. But an "angel ascending from the rising of the sun cried to the four angels: 'Do not harm the earth or the sea till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.'" Wherefore the Church's tribulations are lasting until now.
4 και ηκουσα τον αριθμον των εσφραγισμενων εκατον και τεσσαρακοντα τεσσαρες χιλιαδες εσφραγισμενων εσφραγισμενοι εκ πασης φυλης υιων ισραηλ
Shepherd of Hermas · AD 160 "Now, sir," I continued, "explain to me, with respect to the mountains, why their forms are various and diverse." "Listen," he said: "these mountains are the twelve tribes, which inhabit the whole world. The Son of God, accordingly, was preached unto them by the apostles." "But why are the mountains of various kinds, some having one form, and others another?
Oecumenius · AD 550 And he says that one hundred and forty thousand were sealed; for many were those who believed in Christ from among the Jews, who owed their salvation from the common destruction to this number.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 QUESTION: What is meant by And I heard the number of them that were signed, an hundred forty-four thousand were signed, of every tribe of the children of Israel?
5 εκ φυλης ιουδα δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες εσφραγισμεναι εσφραγισμενοι OR OMIT εσφραγισμεναι εκ φυλης ρουβιμ δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες εκ φυλης γαδ δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες
Jerome · AD 420 Someone may ask, Where does one read that all Israel will be saved? First, of course, there is the apostle: "Until the full number of the Gentiles should enter, and thus all Israel should be saved." In the second place, John says in his Apocalypse: of the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand shall believe, of the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand shall believe, and of the remaining t…
Bede · AD 735 From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed, etc. It is fitting that he begins with Judah, from which tribe our Lord arose; and he omits Dan, from whom it is said the Antichrist is to be born, as it is written: Let Dan be a serpent by the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse's heels, so that its rider falls backward (Gen. 49).
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Now, this perfection consists in the description of the city, that is, that the soul have within itself a divine worship of God, a divine bond with God, a divine zeal for God, and a divine sense of God. The worship is in the east, the bond in the south, the zeal in the north, and the sense in the west.
6 εκ φυλης ασηρ δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες εκ φυλης νεφθαλειμ δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες εκ φυλης μανασση δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 "From the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand." Asher is interpreted "blessing," through which are revealed those who are worthy of dominical blessings because of their life and are made worthy of standing at the right hand of Christ and are shown to be sons of the light and of the day.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 But true worship is insufficient without perfect bond, for charity teaches the worship and the love of God. And this comes about when the soul despises lowly things, tends to supreme values, and expands on the intermediate level, in such a way that it has sublimation in the highest things, separation from the lowest, and expansion on the intermediate level.
7 εκ φυλης συμεων δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες εκ φυλης λευι δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες εκ φυλης ισαχαρ δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 "From the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand." Simeon is interpreted "obedience," clearly referring to those who are becoming righteous through obedience to the divine commandments. "From the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand." Levi is interpreted "having been taken up," through which are indicated those taken up by Christ through a life proper to the priesthood.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 In the third place, there must be in the contemplative soul perfect zeal, so as to love in such a way that it rejects all evil. Now, there are two companions to the zeal of charity, piety that comes before, and patience that follows. For some men are pious zealots, and later they turn to the fury of impatience.
8 εκ φυλης ζαβουλων δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες εκ φυλης ιωσηφ δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες εκ φυλης βενιαμιν δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες εσφραγισμεναι εσφραγισμενοι
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 "From the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand." Zebulun is interpreted "abode of power" or "fragrance," through which are indicated those who by the indwelling of Christ have been made firm against sufferings and have become his sweet smell, as Paul says.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 On the western side [of the city], there is a perfect sense of God. And this sense makes us contemplate, and as companions, it has the stability of repose and the excess of joy. For in repose there can be stability together with thinking and contemplating, that is, in the west, where there is repose, conciliation, darkness or entering into darkness.
9 μετα ταυτα ειδον και ιδου οχλος πολυς ον αριθμησαι ουδεις εδυνατο ηδυνατο εκ παντος εθνους και φυλων και λαων και γλωσσων εστωτας εστωτες ενωπιον του θρονου και ενωπιον του αρνιου περιβεβλημενους περιβεβλημενοι στολας λευκας και φοινικας εν ταις χερσιν αυτων
Cyprian · AD 258 Of the benefits of martyrdom. In the Proverbs of Solomon: "The faithful martyr delivers his soul from evils." Also in the same place: "Then shall the righteous stand in great boldness against them who have afflicted them, and who took away their labours.
Primasius of Hadrumetum · AD 560 By the robes he suggests baptism, and by the palms the triumph of the cross. Since they have conquered the world in Christ, it may be that the robes signify the love which is given through the Holy Spirit.… They are said to carry palm branches in their hands.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 After this I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues. Here it is clearly revealed that the aforementioned number does not only consist of Jews, but of all the elect; for it is the same people that are indicated by the countless multitude and by the hundred forty-four thousand signed.
10 και κραζουσιν φωνη μεγαλη λεγοντες η σωτηρια τω θεω ημων τω καθημενω επι τω θρονω και τω αρνιω
Oecumenius · AD 550 They proclaim: "Salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb," acknowledging that salvation is with them, confessing that those sealed as servants of God have been preserved from the total destruction of the world.
Bede · AD 735 And they cried out with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. With a loud voice, that is, with great devotion and unceasing praise, they profess that the Father and the Son reign on the throne, that is, in the Church, with the Holy Spirit likewise reigning together.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 And they cried with a loud voice, saying. We understand here not a cry of the body, but of the heart: this great voice is a great feeling of devotion, because one cries with their voice more the more they love God. Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb.
11 και παντες οι αγγελοι ειστηκεισαν κυκλω του θρονου και των πρεσβυτερων και των τεσσαρων ζωων και επεσον ενωπιον του θρονου θρονου αυτου επι τα προσωπα αυτων και προσεκυνησαν τω θεω
Oecumenius · AD 550 When the thanksgiving had been made, the liturgical orders in heaven, together with the elders, responded with "Amen," applying their own consent to the things that had been said.
Bede · AD 735 And they fell before the throne on their faces, etc. Neither the multitude, nor the living creatures, nor the elders are mentioned in this place as worshipping, but only the angels. For they are the multitude, they are the living creatures and the elders.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and the ancients, and the four living creatures; and they fell down before the throne upon their faces. The angels as well as the throne and the ancients, and also the living creatures, symbolize the Church.
12 λεγοντες αμην η ευλογια και η δοξα και η σοφια και η ευχαριστια και η τιμη και η δυναμις και η ισχυς τω θεω ημων εις τους αιωνας των αιωνων αμην
Oecumenius · AD 550 Then also the divine angels themselves bring a hymn to God, honoring Him with seven praises, which, as mentioned before, signifies the unending praise of the angels' glorification; for the number seven is perfect.
Bede · AD 735 Blessing and glory and wisdom, etc. The Church offers to the Lord a sevenfold praise of virtues, which it confesses to have received from him in each of its members.
13 και απεκριθη εις εκ των πρεσβυτερων λεγων μοι ουτοι οι περιβεβλημενοι τας στολας τας λευκας τινες εισιν και ποθεν ηλθον
Oecumenius · AD 550 And one of the elders asking the evangelist who those from the nations were, who were clothed in white robes, was not out of ignorance, but rather to provoke him to understand the matters concerning them.
Bede · AD 735 And one of the elders said to me: Who are these who are clothed in white robes, and where did they come from? etc. He asks this to teach.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 And one of the ancients answered, saying to me: These that are clothed in white robes, who are they? and whence came they? As no question preceded, what does it mean that one of the ancients is said to have answered?
14 και ειπον αυτω κυριε μου συ οιδας και ειπεν μοι ουτοι εισιν οι ερχομενοι εκ της θλιψεως της μεγαλης και επλυναν τας στολας αυτων και ελευκαναν ελευκαναν αυτας εν τω αιματι του αρνιου
Tertullian · AD 220 For yet again a countless throng are revealed, clothed in white and distinguished by palms of victory, celebrating their triumph doubtless over Antichrist, since one of the elders says, "These are they who come out of that great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." For the flesh is the clothing of the soul.
Oecumenius · AD 550 Therefore, he says that these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation; for the righteous did not only endure a considerable struggle but also a very great one under the dominion of the Antichrist.
Bede · AD 735 And he said to me: These are those who have come out of great tribulation. Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts XIV). But who does not know that the tribulation of the Antichrist will be greater than the others?
15 δια τουτο εισιν ενωπιον του θρονου του θεου και λατρευουσιν αυτω ημερας και νυκτος εν τω ναω αυτου και ο καθημενος επι τω θρονω του θρονου σκηνωσει επ αυτους
Oecumenius · AD 550 These, therefore, worship God forever; and God dwells among them. One of the saints said that the dwelling of God is the unceasing remembrance of Him that remains in the souls of the saints; therefore, God reasonably dwells there. They worship Him day and night.
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 Blessed are those who through temporary sufferings receive the fruit of eternal rest, and by suffering with Christ also reign with him and serve him continuously. In this passage, the words "day and night" indicate the absence of cessation or end, for then there will be no night.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 Therefore they are before the throne, and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he, that sitteth on the throne, dwelleth over them.
16 ου πεινασουσιν ετι ουδε διψησουσιν ετι ουδ ου μη πεση επ αυτους ο ηλιος ουδε παν καυμα
Ticonius · AD 390 They will not hunger because they are fed by the living Bread. He said, "I am the living Bread who comes came down from heaven." Nor will they thirst, for they will drink from a cup so excellent that it will be for them what the Truth said, "Whoever believes in me shall never thirst," and again, "Whoever drinks from the water that I shall give him, it will become in him a sprin…
Bede · AD 735 Neither shall the sun strike them, nor any scorching heat. "We have passed," he says, "through fire and water, and you have brought us to a place of refreshment" (Psalm LXV).
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Christ is this Center in eternal beatitude. The theologian deals with the salvation of the soul, how it starts with faith, moves forward through the virtues, and is consummated in the gifts. Hence in the Apocalypse: "They shall neither hunger nor thirst any more, neither shall the sun strike them nor any heat.
17 οτι το αρνιον το ανα μεσον του θρονου ποιμαινει ποιμανει αυτους και οδηγει οδηγησει αυτους επι ζωης πηγας υδατων και εξαλειψει ο θεος παν δακρυον εκ των οφθαλμων αυτων
Tertullian · AD 220 The angel echoes the same to John: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; " from the same eyes indeed which had formerly wept, and which might weep again, if the loving-kindness of God did not dry up every fountain of tears.
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 They will be led to the pure and clear fountains of divine thoughts, for the image of water already indicates the abundant stream of the divine Spirit.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 "For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and will guide them to the fountains of the waters of life." The Lamb in the midst of the waters is the Son of God, the Son who is the central Person, and from whom all happiness comes forth.