CHAPTER 9
Revelation 9:1-4 And the fifth angel sounded his trumpet; and I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the abyss. Then smoke rose from the shaft like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke. Locusts came out onto the earth, and they were given authority as the scorpions of the earth have authority. And it was commanded that they should not harm the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, except those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads .
Until now, the vision has been describing to us the manner and the kinds of plagues by which the completion is brought about, alternating both those on the earth and in the sky, and with them, the people. But now, as if the completion has already occurred and the resurrection has taken place, it recounts the punishments against the sinners.
He says, I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth , calling the star an angel of God who descended to the earth because of its brightness. For in it will be the judgment of the sinners, in a certain place that one of the holy prophets named “the Valley of Jehoshaphat.” (Joel 3:2)
And it was said to him, You are given the key to the shaft of the abyss . The shaft of the abyss is called Gehenna.
Therefore, smoke rose from the shaft , like the smoke of a great fire burning in the shaft. Indeed, the smoke signifies not only fire but also darkness; “for the voice of the Lord interrupting the flame of fire,” (Ps. 29:7) as spoken by the prophet, is interpreted by the saints as the ending of the illuminating fire from the Gehenna’s fire, leaving only the burning fire together with darkness within it.
And it is said that the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit; not that these elements themselves were darkened, but that those cast into the pit, filled with darkness due to punishment, have the air and the sun unseen. For therefore one of the holy prophets also said: "The sun will be darkened at midday," (Amos 8:9) referring to the calamities of the Jews, not to the darkening of the sun itself, but to those suffering in tribulation who do not see the sun; for the magnitude of calamities is accustomed to be filled with darkness.
And from the smoke locusts came out onto the earth . I believe the term "locusts 1 " [ἀκρίδες] refers to worms, about which Isaiah says: "Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched," (Isa. 66:24; Mark 9:48) possibly calling the worm the biting of the soul and the relentless and creeping pain.
And it was said that they were given authority , just as the scorpions of the earth have authority . And it was said to them that they should not harm the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, except for the humans alone, who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads , because the earth is undergoing a renewal. For it is said somewhere that “if you send forth your spirit, they shall be created, and you will renew the face of the earth.” (Ps. 104:30) It was no longer good to strike any of the creatures that inhabit the earth, neither tree nor any of the growing things, except only the humans; and among the humans, those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads . For among the humans, some are entirely holy and pure, having taken possession of the space mentioned earlier, always united with Christ, and beholding the divine throne. Yet they are nevertheless holy, having been baptized, and bearing the sign of Christ on their foreheads , and not entirely despairing, though they have deeply defiled themselves by the absurdity of their actions; but, because of their baptism, as if being somewhat intermediate, they remain on earth in both virtue and vice, yet unpunished. For if this were not so, how could those who are well-disposed manage the entrusted resources? It has been said by the Lord, "He who has authority over ten cities," and another “over five cities.” (Luke 19:17, 19.) As those who are about to rule the less capable, and yet the rulers remain completely unpunished. For who would choose to rule if they were to be punished and relentlessly hear the gnashing of teeth, and the inconsolable weeping (not of the holy ones, I do not say, but not even of ordinary people who nonetheless sympathize) unless he himself were also about to suffer similarly to those being punished for the sake of those under his care? The third fate of humans is indeed handed over to punishment, being sinners and impious, and not accepting the faith of Christ. Therefore, it is said that these people are struck; for they are not sealed with the seal of God.
Revelation 9:5-6 He says, And it was given to them a command not to kill them, but that they should be tormented for five months; and their torment was like the torment of scorpions when they strike a man. And in those days, people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them .
Could it be that some of the Fathers accepted the concept of restoration [ἀποκατάστασιν] from this point onward, saying that sinners are punished only up to this time, but thereafter no longer, as if they have been purified by the punishment 2 ? But what should be done regarding the many others among the Fathers, and the approved Scriptures, which speak of the punishments of those who were then being punished as eternal? What then might one say, or how should one regulate the parts? One must blend the opinions of both sides. I say this as in a kind of exercise, and not as a definitive statement; for I add to the doctrine of the Church that which wishes the punishments in the future to be eternal, since even this was said by the Lord in the Gospel according to Matthew, saying, "And these will go away into eternal punishment" (Matt. 25:46); and Isaiah said, "Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched." (Isa. 66:24) As in an exercise, therefore, this must be said: a middle portion of each part of the path is to be marked out, because until a certain time— five months , as the present Revelation, having employed a certain secret number, has said—the sinners will be severely tormented as if stung by a scorpion ; but after this, gradually, although we will not be entirely free from punishment, it will be to such an extent that we will seek death and not find it . For who would have a need to seek death for those who are not punished at all? Death , he says, will flee from them , for they share in punishment eternally.
Revelation 9:7-12 And the likenesses of the locusts were like horses prepared for battle, and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men, and they had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions; and they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle; and they had tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails was their power to hurt men for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. Woe, one has gone; behold, two more woes are coming .
After this, the divine evangelist vividly and fearfully describes to us the nature of the worms. In each of the descriptions concerning them, one would marvel at the precision of the account; for he did not say that they had the teeth of lions , the tails of scorpions , or the faces of men , but rather, in each case, he presented a figurative and parabolic representation of what was situated there, not the literal reality. Therefore, either their terrifying and astonishing nature is indicated through these images, or he truly sketched their form.
And they say there is a king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon . And the name is either appropriately made and suitable for those who engage in contemplation, or at least not only are they “ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” according to the divine apostle (Heb. 1:14), but also spirits sent for punishment to those worthy of chastisement; such was also the one who, in one night, struck down one hundred eighty-five thousand Assyrians (2 Kings 19:35; Isa. 37:96), and those who set fire to the five cities of Sodom. (Gen. 19:2)
Oecumenius commentary on Hebrews 1:14
Therefore, Gregory says in the second book "On the Son": "Are they not all ministering spirits?" He comforts them, saying: Christ is indeed the natural Son of God, but the angels are our servants: having been assigned this ministry, that they may do and administer all things so that we humans may be saved. For indeed, angels have frequently become ministers to men, as to Mary (Luke 1:26) and at the Lord's tomb (Matt. 28:2-7) and to Cornelius. (Acts 10:3) [Gregory Nazianzen, Orations]
Woe , he said, one has gone; behold, two more woes are coming . The woe [οὐαὶ] as an forceful expression indicates the severe afflictions present and those to come upon them. Therefore, he says that one punishment has been declared; two more remain to be spoken of.
Revelation 9:13-19 And the sixth angel sounded his trumpet; and I heard a loud voice from the horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, day, month, and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the cavalry troops was myriads of myriads; and I heard their number. And therefore, I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them had breastplates of fire, hyacinth, and brimstone; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and from their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. From these three plagues, a third of mankind was killed by the fire, smoke, and brimstone that came out of their mouths; for the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, which are like serpents with heads, and with them they do harm .
When the angel sounded , I heard a voice coming from the horns of the altar . The horns of the altar , he says, are those that stand out among the angels and surpass the others.
He calls the altar golden because of its honor and divine nature, made from precious material known to us, depicting a marvelous altar.
Just as we understood the horns of the altar to represent the rulers of the angels, so the altar itself symbolizes all the ministering spirits; because it offers a spiritual 3 [λογικήν] sacrifice to God.
Who then is the voice that was heard from the horns of the altar ? It says, " Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates ." The divine Scripture calls the apostate an angel, and I say it is Satan and those who have rebelled with him. For indeed, he has been handed over to us as if they are kept “in eternal chains under darkness,” (Jude 6) 4 and as if they are condemned to the abyss of the sea.
Oecumenius commentary on Jude 6
Those who had indeed received the honor of angelic position, since they did not remain in their origin, but corrupted the gift given to them from the goodness of celestial life, were reserved and kept for judgment or condemnation on the day of great and intolerable punishment. For this also now signifies kept. According to what Christ said: "Who is prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matt. 25:41)
For in the second epistle of Peter it says, "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them into chains of gloomy Tartarus, delivering them to be kept for judgment," (2 Peter 2:4) and in the epistle of Jude it refers to angels who “did not keep their own position, but left their own dwelling, in eternal chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 6) Indeed, the book of Job in the sea says that the apostate has been defiled in various ways by altering his form, size, and the bitterness of his character; and it also states that “he is mocked by the angels of God.” (Job 41:25)
Oecumenius commentary on 2 Peter 2:4
"God did not spare the angels who sinned." He attacks those who were first cut off and says: If the angels who were in honor with God because of the immortality of their substance, when they had shaken off the yoke, sinned, they did not obtain forgiveness: much less will God spare men who cling to their own creation if they have sinned, "But chains of gloomy." This signifies the inevitability of condemnation. For with such chains, we certainly punish those condemned by us. But someone may say: Whence is such condemnation of the demons evident? From the demons themselves, for they plead in the Gospel (Luke 8:31) not to be cast into the abyss, as if all others might also suffer this. It must be understood, however, that although the argument is presented in a hypothetical manner, it is not truly so; for it has nothing else to respond to later, but is proposed only in appearance, while in truth it is a simple persuasive example: and for this reason, it will be said: for if it were as it seems, it would proceed thus: If angels, having sinned, were not spared, nor the ancient world, nor Sodom and Gomorrah, would He spare these? Certainly not; or even in this way: He will not spare them at all. However, He does not rashly approach those who are more distinguished; but wishing to show that these, while they sin, are more liable to punishment. Therefore, since these also hold a more honorable rank, as they are called to the apostleship, when they have fallen from the divine way, they also have a greater condemnation. From the hypothesis moved by a persuasive example, it did not provide what corresponded to the figure.
And Isaiah also cried out concerning him that “the sword of God will be brought down upon the dragon, the fleeing serpent, upon the crooked serpent; and he will destroy the dragon on that day who is in the sea.” (Isa. 27:1) And the prophet, speaking about him after all creatures have passed away, adds this concerning those who are in the sea: “This dragon which you have fashioned to mock him” (Ps. 104:26); following these words, the divine prophet Ezekiel also speaks concerning the Egyptian, saying: “You are like a lion among the nations, and like a dragon in the sea, and you mingle with your rivers.” (Ezek. 32:2)
No one, indeed, has transmitted a tradition to us that they were bound in the Euphrates River , nor will they ever be released, nor will people be punished through them. For Jude, who said that they are “bound with eternal chains,” forbade that they should ever be loosed; and the one who said through Isaiah that the Dragon in the sea will be destroyed on the day of judgment, declared that no one else would destroy him but that very one. And the Lord, sending forth in the Gospels those who have sinned into “the fire prepared for the Devil and his angels,” (Matt. 25:41) declared that He would use them as punishers and executors of justice, and that they themselves are destined to suffer punishment. How then could one understand the previously mentioned statement that they are bound in the river Euphrates and that they will be released and will themselves punish the sinners? I believe that what was said is metaphorical, as if it were a law established for every vision; for I consider that it refers to the angels who are bound to the divine contemplation that spiritually delights God.
The river is allegorically used to represent the divine, both by Isaiah, who says, "Behold, I will turn toward them like a river of peace, and like torrents washing over the glory of nations," (Isa. 66:12) and by the prophet, who states, "The impulses of the river delight the city of God." (Ps. 46:4)
And the Lord Himself said to John, in the twentieth section 5 concerning the Spirit, "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from his belly." (Jn. 7:38-39) He says that these are those released from the vision of God, sent as punishment to the impious; for he says these are the ones who are condemned for the present day.
Then, which four angels does he mention? Perhaps those narrated in Scripture: Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael.
When this happened, they went out with an innumerable cavalry force. And he says this is the invincible power of the divine angels, accompanied by the greatest cavalry; and he says he saw those sitting on the horses wearing fiery, hyacinth , and divine breastplates .
The fire of wrath and punishment is a symbol;
the hyacinth signifies that those sent are heavenly, for heaven is akin to the hyacinth ; and the godlike ones please God, as if they were divine, for to please is to sing. And who would please God more than the holy angels?
Then the vision varies and exalts the power of the holy angels, warning against lions and fire , smoke and divine beings and serpents, through all of which their terrible and incredible nature is signified.
Revelation 9:20-21 And the rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, neither repented from the works of their hands, so that they would not worship demons and the golden and silver and bronze and stone and wooden idols, which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk, and they did not repent from their murders, nor from their sorceries, nor from their thefts .
The prophet, striking the spiritual harp, recounted to us concerning those punished in Hades, saying to God: “that there is no one in death who remembers you; and in Hades, who will confess to you,” (Ps. 6:6) depriving them both of joy according to God and repentance? For through the remembrance of God there is spiritual joy, for the same one writes that elsewhere he “remembered God and was glad,” (Ps. 76:4) but through not confessing repentance— for confession is the declaration of those who have sinned, arising from remorse and turning back through shame that comes near to the soul.
For in truth, God has appointed for us two lives, the present and the future. In the present life, He has given us the ability and authority to govern ourselves according to reason; but in the future life, there will be recompense for what has been lived, and neither the present life is subject to judgment, unless perhaps someone is profitably reminded and urged to repentance, nor the future life is a state so that we might be reformed from a misused life to a better one. Since these things are so, how then has it been said concerning those punished there?
And the rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, neither repented from the works of their hands . It does not say that those who did not repent in that life, but that those still living, and not from obedience and seeing the things that were then to come, repented from these and those unlawful deeds. By this said plague , they do not die the intellectual death, calling punishment death, as they co-exist eternally with the wicked, unless they are punished by another, indeed worse, which, though attempting to say it, he wisely kept silent. May it happen that all of us become free; by the grace and generosity of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be glory with the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.
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Translator’s notes for chapter 9.
1. Locusts in Greek ἀκρίδες is the plural of ἀκρίς meaning "grasshopper, locust, cricket". Locust (in some cultures distinguished from a grasshopper and used as a food source)
2. Oecumenius has in mind the many prominent Early Church Fathers, particularly those in the East, believed in or hoped for some form of universalism (the ultimate salvation of all souls, also known as apokatastasis [ἀποκατάστασις], restoration of all things [ τῶν πάντων], referring to the belief that all creation would eventually be restored to its original perfect state.). This was a widely held view for the first few centuries of Christianity, although it was not universally accepted and was later condemned as heresy by the Second Council of Constantinople in 553 AD. In Alexandria, this school, which included the highly influential theologians Clement of Alexandria and Origen, was a major center for universalist thought. Origen, in particular, was the most famous and influential advocate of the view, although his teachings were later rejected by some. The Cappadocian Fathers, several figures associated with this group, including St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Basil of Caesarea, and St. Gregory of Nazianzus, are often cited as universalists or at least hopeful for universal salvation.
3. “spiritual” [λογικήν] The Greek word λογικήν is the accusative singular feminine form of the adjective λογικός, which means reasonable, rational, or spiritual. Derived from the Greek noun λόγος (logos, meaning "word" or "reason"), its specific meaning can vary slightly based on context.
4. Oecumenius says in his commentary on Jude 6, “Those who had indeed received the honor of angelic position, since they did not remain in their origin, but corrupted the gift given to them from the goodness of celestial life, were reserved and kept for judgment or condemnation on the day of great and intolerable punishment. For this also now signifies kept. According to what Christ said: "Who is prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matt. 25:41)”
5. “in the twentieth section”. Oecumenius gives no explanation in this commentary to why he divided his commentary into 12 discourses and multiple sections. The Early Church Fathers did not use the modern system of biblical chapters and verses, as these divisions did not exist until many centuries after their time. Instead, they referenced Scripture by book and often by thematic sections, continuous quotation, or general location within the text. There were some early attempts at division. As early as the fourth century, the New Testament was divided into topical sections called κεφάλαιον (headings). However, these divisions do not correspond to the modern chapters.
[Sixth Discourse]