1 And after these things I saw another messenger coming down out of the heaven, having great authority, and the earth was lightened from his glory,
Oecumenius · AD 550 He says that this one is the illuminated and enlightens the earth by his glory.
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 This passage reveals the brilliance and brightness of the holy powers, which greatly surpasses the light of the stars and the heavenly bodies.
Bede · AD 735 After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, etc. This strong angel illuminating the earth can also be understood as the Lord incarnate and the doctors of the Church; who, endowed with heavenly light, proclaim the fall of the world, saying: The kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt. 3, 4).
2 and he did cry in might--a great voice, saying, `Fall, fall did Babylon the great, and she became a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird,
Tertullian · AD 220 We must after all this turn our attention to those scriptures also which forbid our belief in such a resurrection as is held by your Animalists (for I will not call them Spiritualists), that it is either to be assumed as taking place now, as soon as men come to the knowledge of the truth, or else that it is accomplished immediately after their departure from this life...
Primasius of Hadrumetum · AD 560 If [the city] has fallen, how can it be said to be a habitation and refuge for demons and for unclean spirits and birds? Because by collapsing from the great heinousness of its transgressions, it showed itself to be worthy as a habitation for demons.
Bede · AD 735 Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, etc. Fear not, O Jerusalem, the power of the earthly city, which falls spiritually as it prevails over you with the infestation of wicked citizens. Isaiah also describes Babylon as inhabited by unclean monsters.
3 because of the wine of the wrath of her whoredom have all the nations drunk, and the kings of the earth with her did commit whoredom, and merchants of the earth from the power of her revel were made rich.
Caesarius of Arles · AD 542 [The kings of the earth fornicated] with each other. For it would be impossible for all kings to commit fornication with a single harlot. Rather, since the evil and profligate, who are members of the harlot, corrupt each other, they are said to commit fornication with the harlot, that is, by a sinful manner of life.
Primasius of Hadrumetum · AD 560 This passage refers to three kinds of sins, and it also mentions the same number of those persons who transgress by them. It refers to avarice, which according to the apostle is also called a "servitude of idols"; licentiousness by the word fornication; and gluttony in that which pleases.
Bede · AD 735 And the merchants of the earth have become rich through the power of her luxury. Those who are called rich in sins exchange their souls in an unhappy trade for temporal abundance. For the excess of luxury makes them poor rather than rich.
4 And I heard another voice out of the heaven, saying, `Come forth out of her, My people, that ye may not partake with her sins, and that ye may not receive of her plagues,
Tertullian · AD 220 From so much as a dwelling in that Babylon of John's Revelation we are called away; much more then from its pomp.
Caesarius of Arles · AD 542 We see from this passage that Babylon is divided into two parts. For as long as God allows, the wicked are converted to the good, so that Babylon is divided, and that part that departs from it is the making of Jerusalem.
Bede · AD 735 Come out of her, my people, etc. Likewise Isaiah: Depart from the midst of them, and touch no unclean thing. Be clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord (Isa. 52). After predicting the fall of Babylon, he introduces the departure, which is the ruin of Babylon. For when Lot departed from Sodom, it was utterly destroyed.
5 because her sins did follow--unto the heaven, and God did remember her unrighteousness.
Oecumenius · AD 550 For he says her sins have reached to heaven; as if to say that they even defiled the intervening air with their sins.
6 Render to her as also she did render to you, and double to her doubles according to her works; in the cup that she did mingle mingle to her double.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Now, brothers, you see the saints armed. Observe the slaughter, observe their glorious battles.… What have these done who had in their hands swords sharpened on both sides? "To do vengeance on the nations." See whether vengeance has not been done on the nations. Daily is it done; we do it ourselves by speaking. Observe how the nations of Babylon are slain.
Primasius of Hadrumetum · AD 560 All of these future events are appropriate for the second advent, when upon the inquiry of the final judgment the society of the impious will be excluded and will suffer its just reward, so that those who sinned in time might be punished in perpetuity.
Bede · AD 735 Repay her as she has repaid you. For visible and invisible plagues come forth from the Church into the world.
7 `As much as she did glorify herself and did revel, so much torment and sorrow give to her, because in her heart she saith, I sit a queen, and a widow I am not, and sorrow I shall not see;
Oecumenius · AD 550 For he says, "I will never be widowed of ruling"; for this is the widow, the one desolate of the ruler. I will see no evil.
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 "In her heart she says, 'A queen I sit, I am no widow, and mourning I will never see.' " If there is no fear of God in them, it is the habit of those in prosperity to say, "I shall never be moved." This is what [the city] has spoken to herself.…
Bede · AD 735 Because she says in her heart: I sit as queen, and I am no widow, etc. Because, delighted with present luxuries, she did not wish to avoid future retribution, she will be punished in a short time with both spiritual and bodily ruin.
8 because of this, in one day, shall come her plagues, death, and sorrow, and famine; and in fire she shall be utterly burned, because strong is the Lord God who is judging her;
Oecumenius · AD 550 Therefore, because of her loftiness, all evil will come upon her at once; for he says God is strong and will be prevented by no one from bringing judgment and punishment upon her; may it be that by the grace of the one who called us into his knowledge and hope in Christ he would make us all free; to whom be glory for the ages. Amen.
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 By a "single day" he means either the suddenness and shortness of the time in which mourning will come to her either from the sword or from famine, and she will be wasted from pestilence and will be consumed by fire. Or it refers to the course of the day itself in which [the city] will experience these things that are prophesied.
9 and weep over her, and smite themselves for her, shall the kings of the earth, who with her did commit whoredom and did revel, when they may see the smoke of her burning,
Caesarius of Arles · AD 542 With this repentance, the kings are not bewailing the evil of wealth, because they sinned with [the harlot]. Rather, they recognize that they are losing the prosperity of the world through which they became subject to its pleasures.
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 We think that in this passage the "kings" refer to the rulers, as the psalmist said concerning Jerusalem, "Behold, her kings have assembled." It says that those who committed fornication in her against the divine commandments will weep, since they see or hear of her burning and her desolation, and they are thoroughly terrified at the sudden change that had taken place in such a…
Bede · AD 735 When they see the smoke of her burning. That is, the sign of destruction, because smoke precedes fire. For what is this rampage and destruction of the world other than the smoke of impending hell?
10 from afar having stood because of the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city! Babylon, the strong city! because in one hour did come thy judgment.
Bede · AD 735 Saying: Woe, woe, that great city Babylon, etc. The spirit names the city, but they mourn the world, intercepted by punishment in a very short time, and all their efforts stained with ruin.
11 `And the merchants of the earth shall weep and sorrow over her, because their lading no one doth buy any more;
Bede · AD 735 And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, etc. They mourn the fall of all the world's pomp, and those things which are either pleasant to the bodily senses or suitable for external uses. For precious metals pertain to sight, perfumes to smell, ointments to touch, wine, wheat, and oil to taste.
12 lading of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearl, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel of most precious wood, and brass, and iron, and marble,
13 and cinnamon, and odours, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and of horses, and of chariots, and of bodies and souls of men.
Oecumenius · AD 550 And he says horses and chariots and bodies. The word "chariots" is a Latin term; for with the Romans holding sway it is not inappropriate for the divine evangelist to have used a Latin word. The Scripture has put it into Greek.
14 `And the fruits of the desire of thy soul did go away from thee, and all things--the dainty and the bright--did go away from thee, and no more at all mayest thou find them.
15 The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, far off shall stand because of the fear of her torment, weeping, and sorrowing,
Caesarius of Arles · AD 542 Whenever the Spirit says that they were made rich from her, he is indicating the abundance of their sins.… Can a city be dressed in fine linen and purple, rather than people? They lament for themselves, since they are despoiled of those riches mentioned here.… Can all those who are merchants and sailors and who work upon the sea be present to see the burning of a single city?
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 He leads before our eyes the sufferings of this Babylon, and through the laments made over her he depicts the greatness of her misfortune that she, who previously boasted of her royal majesty, will suffer.… He speaks figuratively of the present life as a "sea," since it is heaving with waves.
Bede · AD 735 Those who became rich by her will stand afar off. Wherever the Spirit speaks of those made rich by her, it signifies the riches of sins. For lower down, where it is the voice of the unjust saying: Woe, woe, that great city, in which all who had ships at sea were made rich, the riches of things are understood.
16 and saying, Woe, woe, the great city, that was arrayed with fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and gilded in gold, and precious stone, and pearls--because in one hour so much riches were made waste!
Bede · AD 735 Which was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet. Is a city clothed in fine linen or purple, and not people? Thus, they mourn themselves, as they are stripped of the above-mentioned things.
17 `And every shipmaster, and all the company upon the ships, and sailors, and as many as work the sea, far off stood,
Primasius of Hadrumetum · AD 560 "They threw dust on their heads." This means that they reproached their leaders by whom they were led astray and so were lost.… "They wept and mourned." … To be sure, we know that many are often stricken by such contrition, and so it is not false to refer to the person these distances from which they are removed.
Bede · AD 735 And every shipmaster, and all the sailors stood afar off, etc. Can all who sail the sea be present to see the burning of the city? But he means all the worshipers and workers of the world fear for themselves, seeing the ruin of their hope.
18 and were crying, seeing the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like to the great city?
Bede · AD 735 Saying: Who is like this great city? That is, the world cannot be restored to its entirety.
19 and they did cast dust upon their heads, and were crying out, weeping and sorrowing, saying, Woe, woe, the great city! in which were made rich all having ships in the sea, out of her costliness--for in one hour was she made waste.
Bede · AD 735 And they threw dust on their heads. That is, reproaching the face of their leaders; by whom they were seduced and perished; or accusing the madness of their heart, which is the principal part of a man, with late repentance.
20 `Be glad over her, O heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, because God did judge your judgment of her!'
Caesarius of Arles · AD 542 Is Babylon the only city in all the world that persecutes or has persecuted the saints of God, so that when she is destroyed all of them are avenged? Babylon is throughout the whole world in evil people, and throughout the world persecutes those who are good.
Apringius of Beja · AD 600 That is, rejoice, because all of the blood of the martyrs which she poured out unto her damnation has been vindicated, and they see the avenging of the saints whom she persecuted.
Bede · AD 735 For God has judged your judgment on her. This is what the souls of the saints were seeking with a great cry: How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you not judge and avenge our blood (Rev. 6)?
21 And one strong messenger did take up a stone as a great millstone, and did cast it to the sea, saying, `Thus with violence shall Babylon be cast, the great city, and may not be found any more at all;
Caesarius of Arles · AD 542 Babylon is likened to a great millstone which is thrown down, for the revolving of times, as though it were a millstone, grinds down those who love the world, and it sends them in circles. Of these the Scriptures say, "The wicked walk in a circle."
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 Just as a millstone sinks with force into the sea, so also the destruction of this Babylon will be sudden, so that afterward no trace of her will be found. The absence of harpers, minstrels and the rest is an indication of this.
Bede · AD 735 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying: With this violence shall Babylon be thrown down. Or (as another edition says): Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be cast down. The city of the world, due to the weight of sins and error, is compared to an unstable millstone. For the wicked walk in a circle.
22 and voice of harpers, and musicians, and pipers, and trumpeters, may not be heard at all in thee any more; and any artisan of any art may not be found at all in thee any more; and noise of a millstone may not be heard at all in thee any more;
Caesarius of Arles · AD 542 "The sound of harpers and musicians and flute players and trumpeters is no longer heard in her." That is, the joy and happiness of the wicked passes away and is no longer to be found. And it adds the reason for this, "for your merchants were the great men of the earth," that is, they had received good things in their lives.
Bede · AD 735 And no craftsman of any craft shall be found in you any more, etc. He says, all things that pertain to the use or pleasure of human life are taken away from the wicked. And he added the reason, saying:
23 and light of a lamp may not shine at all in thee any more; and voice of bridegroom and of bride may not be heard at all in thee any more; because thy merchants were the great ones of the earth, because in thy sorcery were all the nations led astray,
Andreas of Caesarea · AD 614 And he gives the reason for this. [Babylon] deceived all nations with her sorcery and was the recipient of the blood of prophets and the other saints. It is possible that this passage depicts the impious Babylon among the Persians, for at various times until now she has received the blood of many saints and continually rejoices in sorceries and deceptions.
Bede · AD 735 For your merchants were the great men of the earth. That is, because in your life you received your good things (Luke 16).
24 and in her blood of prophets and of saints was found, and of all those who have been slain on the earth.'
Caesarius of Arles · AD 542 "The blood of the prophets and the saints was found in her and of all who have been slain by [her] upon the earth." Did the same city kill the apostles that also killed the prophets and all of the rest of the martyrs?
Bede · AD 735 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, etc. Did the same city kill the apostles, which also killed the prophets, or all the saints? But this is the city that Cain founded with the blood of his brother, and he named it after his son Enoch, that is, all his posterity. For the seven generations of Cain are described.