The Throne in Heaven 1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door opened in heaven; and the first voice that I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you what it behooves to take place after these things.”
Victorinus of Pettau · AD 304 "After this, I beheld, and, lo, a door was opened in heaven." The new testament is announced as an open door in heaven. "And the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me, saying, Come up hither." Since the door is shown to be opened, it is manifest that previously it had been closed to men.
Primasius of Hadrumetum · AD 560 This is, therefore, the voice of prophecy of which it is said, "Lift up your voice like a trumpet." One has gone up and ascended who, having despised the world, is either compelled to come to the church or obtains admission to her.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 After these things I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven. The Redeemer's Nativity is recapitulated, and these things had already been said with various other symbols; as when one relates one event in different ways, the narrations will each have a different time, but not the event itself, which happened in one time.
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting.
Victorinus of Pettau · AD 304 "Immediately I was in the Spirit." And since the mind of the faithful is opened by the Holy Spirit, and that is manifested to them which was also foretold to the fathers, he distinctly says:- "And, behold, a throne was set in heaven." The throne set: what is it but the throne of judgment and of the King?
Apringius of Beja · AD 600 The jasper stone shines with a green and radiant brightness, so that he might know that the flesh of the assumed man, taken up without a hint of sin, shines with the vigor of everlasting sincerity and glows through the indwelling of the divine power.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 And immediately I was in the spirit. If this is taken as referring to John, it means that he was taken into ecstasy; if it is taken as referring to the Church, these words show its spiritual conversion. And behold there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting.
3 And the one sitting was like in appearance a jasper stone and a sardius. And a rainbow was around the throne, like in appearance an emerald.
Tertullian · AD 220 At last there has really been found a way to prevent even gold from being loved! We have also seen at Rome the nobility of gems blushing in the presence of our matrons at the contemptuous usage of the Parthians and Medes, and the rest of their own fellow-countrymen, only that (their gems) are not generally worn with a view to ostentation.
Primasius of Hadrumetum · AD 560 Since the rainbow was given as a sign of safety after the flood, it is now suitably used as a sign of the church's reconciliation to God. For when the storm clouds are irradiated by the splendor of the sun, they produce the form of a rainbow.
Dionysius bar Salibi · AD 1171 Stone of jasper—jasper or onyx, i.e., like white lead is his likeness. And of carnelian—He is of red color like fire. Of emerald—The color of emerald is like beet. Sea of glass like crystal—of ice. Twenty-four elders—They are of the order of Thrones. And four living creatures—order of Cherubim.
4 And around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones twenty-four elders sitting, having clothed themselves in white garments, and on their heads golden crowns.
Clement of Alexandria · AD 215 Such an one is in reality a presbyter of the Church, and a true minister (deacon) of the will of God, if he do and teach what is the Lord's; not as being ordained by men, nor regarded righteous because a presbyter, but enrolled in the presbyterate because righteous.
Oecumenius · AD 550 The twenty-four elders seated on the thrones would be known only by God, the knower of hidden things; and to whom He Himself reveals it.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Furthermore, these twelve virtues, doubled in prosperity and adversity, are represented by the twenty-four hours, twelve in the night of adversity and twelve in the day of prosperity.
Worship of the Creator 5 And out of the throne come flashes of lightning and voices and thunderings. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;
Victorinus of Pettau · AD 304 Behold the seven horns of the Lamb, the seven eyes of God -the seven eyes are the seven spirits of the Lamb; seven torches burning before the throne of God seven golden candlesticks, seven young sheep, the seven women in Isaiah, the seven churches in Paul, seven deacons, seven angels, seven trumpets, seven seals to the book, seven periods of seven days with which Pentecost is c…
Apringius of Beja · AD 600 He desires that we understand that the entire original preaching of the apostles and indeed the heavenly and sacred doctrine proceeds from the judgment and inspiration of God. We interpret therefore the flashes of lightning to be the words of all the saints, and likewise the thunder to be the voices of the preachers.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders. Here it is clearly shown that the throne symbolizes the Church, which all these things tally with. For by lightnings we understand miraculous signs; whence the Psalmist: Thy lightnings enlightened the world, [Ps.
6 and before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures, being full of eyes in front and behind.
Irenaeus · AD 202 It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. For, since there are four zones of the world in which we live, and four principal winds, while the Church is scattered throughout all the world, and the "pillar and ground" of the Church is the Gospel and the spirit of life; it is fitting that she should have four pillars, breathing out imm…
Primasius of Hadrumetum · AD 560 The church, therefore, lives and works on the strength and beauty of the royal majesty, because the Lion of the tribe of Judah conquers. "For Judah is a lion's cub," from whose tribe kings are accustomed to be set over the people.
Bede · AD 735 And before the throne, there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. This refers to the faith of true baptism, which is related to glass, in which nothing different is seen on the outside than what it bears within. The grace of baptism is also figured by crystal, which is formed from water into ice and a precious stone.
7 And the first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature like a calf, and the third living creature having the face as of a man, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle.
Victorinus of Pettau · AD 304 "The first living creature was like to a lion, and the second was like to a calf, and the third had a face like to a man, and the fourth was like to a flying eagle." And in that the living creatures are different in appearance, this is the reason: the living creature like to a lion designates Mark, in whom is heard the voice of the lion roaring in the desert.
Bede · AD 735 And the first living creature was like a lion, etc. These living creatures are interpreted in various ways. But blessed Augustine, according to the order of this book, says that Matthew is understood in the lion, who narrates the royal lineage of Christ, who also conquered as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. For the cub of the lion is Judah (Gen. 49).
Bonaventure · AD 1257 John says in the Apocalypse that the four living creatures stood around God's throne, and that the first had the face of a lion, the second that of an ox, the third that of a man, and the fourth that of an eagle: but he does not say that each one had four faces.
8 And the four living creatures, one for one of them, each having six wings respectively, around and within full of eyes; and they have no rest by day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming.”
Tertullian · AD 220 Certainly it is right that God should be blessed in all places and at all times because it is every person's duty to be ever mindful of his benefits, but this wish takes the form of a benediction. Moreover, when is the name of God not holy and blessed in itself, when of itself it makes others holy?
Oecumenius · AD 550 Them being full of eyes characteristics demonstrates God's all-encompassing watchfulness over them. And they had no rest day or night; this does not mean that they live a life of pain and misery, unable to find relief from work and pressing necessity, but rather that they never cease praising God, delighting continually in their melody to Him.
Bonaventure · AD 1257 Furthermore, these twelve virtues, doubled in prosperity and adversity, are represented by the twenty-four hours, twelve in the night of adversity and twelve in the day of prosperity.
9 And whenever the living creatures will give glory and honor and thanksgiving to the one sitting upon the throne, who is living to the ages of the ages,
Victorinus of Pettau · AD 304 "And the four and twenty elders, failing down before the throne, adored God." The four and twenty elders arethe twenty-four books of the prophets and of the law, which give testimonies of the judgment. Moreover, also, they are the twenty-four fathers-twelve apostles and twelve patriarchs.
Oecumenius · AD 550 Along with the holy living creatures, the elders give glory to God; the act of casting their crowns before God signifies that the crown is a symbol of victory and kingship. Casting them before the throne of God, the true and genuine kingdom and the victory over all given to God who reigns over all.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 And when those living creatures gave glory, and honour, and benediction to him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever; the four and twenty ancients fell down, and adored him that liveth for ever and ever.
10 the twenty-four elders will fall before the one sitting upon the throne, and they will worship the one living to the ages of the ages, and they will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Primasius of Hadrumetum · AD 560 When the animals resound with praise, that is, when the Evangelists preach and celebrate the dispensation of Christ, … the twenty-four elders, that is, the whole church, that is, the leaders and people immediately fall on their faces and adore him who lives forever and ever.… By casting their crowns before the throne, they are ascribing to God whatever they possess of virtue an…
Bede · AD 735 The twenty-four elders fell down before Him who sits on the throne and worshipped. When the creatures resound in praise, that is, when the evangelists proclaim the dispensation of Christ, the whole Church, which consists of leaders and peoples (for this is what the doubled number twelve signifies), immediately falls on its face and worships Him who lives forever and ever.
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power; for you yourself created all things, and because of your will they were existing and were created.”
Ticonius · AD 390 We also know of another translation: "Because you have created all things, and they exist and are created on account of your will." Indeed, all things existed in the artful wisdom [of God] before they were formed in the act of creation.
Oecumenius · AD 550 Along with the holy living creatures, the elders give glory to God; the act of casting their crowns before God signifies that the crown is a symbol of victory and kingship.
Alcuin of York · AD 804 Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory, and honour, and power, as if they were saying, "These things principally fit thee, from whom, by whom, and in whom is the glory, honor, and power of the saints." Yet, what is meant by what follows, because thou hast created all things; and for thy will they were, and have been created?