XX. ON THE APOCALYPSE CHAPTER I.

Matthew 5. Luke 11.

One light is illuminating, the other is illuminated.

Matthew 5.

Song of Solomon 1.

John 1.

His feet were like fine brass.

On account of eyes such as these: in the Gospel, he suggests that he is the lamp, as we mentioned above, to be placed upon a lampstand. Here, he is seen in the midst of the golden lampstands.

A small floral ornament is depicted here.

Surely, because of that light or those eyes, those who have been illuminated can themselves shine for others through word and example. In a certain way, they are called light and eyes, according to that saying: You are the light of the world original: "Vos estis lux mundi". And it is said to the bride in the Song of Songs: Your eyes are as doves original: "Oculi tui columbarum", which means your providers are simple. Yet there is a difference, because those eyes, not these, are the ones that illuminate, while these are the ones illuminated. He is the illuminating light, not the illuminated light. Therefore, it was said of the true one among those most famous words: He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light original: "Non erat ille lux, sed ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine".

A small floral ornament is depicted here.

Likewise, regarding what he was about to write, saying: and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. This very thing is seen to be signified in that image when it says: and his feet were like aurichalcum fine brass or electrum, as in a burning furnace. For just as by the white or gray head we rightly understand the Ancient of Days, who was the Word in the beginning, so by the feet, which are the end part of the body, we rightly understand nothing less than that same Word made flesh. This is God made man at the end of the ages, and he remains man beyond all the ends of the ages. These feet, this humanity of his, are rightly called similar to fine brass. Just as fine brass is brought from copper to the color of gold through much expense of fire, so also that humanity was brought to the glory of divinity through many tribulations of passion and death. Divinity is usually understood through gold. Thus, humanity itself is now immortal, incorruptible, and impassible incapable of suffering or decay.

Luke 24.

A small floral ornament is depicted here.

Therefore, it was significantly said: as in a burning furnace. Through this, one rightly understands the trouble of the passion by which it was necessary for that same humanity to be burned. As he says: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory? original: "Nonne sic oportuit pati Christum, & resurgere a mortuis, & ita intrare in gloriam suam?" L. And his voice was as the voice of many waters.

The voice of waters creates Scripture, that is, the fulfillment concerning Christ.

Luke 24.

A small floral ornament is depicted here.

By the name of waters, the divine Scriptures are usually understood. To prove this from the Scriptures is indeed redundant. It is certain that this Son of Man, having a head so white and feet like fine brass, whatever he spoke in his passions or temptations, or even speaks until now, sounds in harmony with the voices and meanings of the Scriptures. Indeed, his life and death, his resurrection and ascension, proceeded in this way so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. Therefore, his voice is like the voice of many waters. This means his doctrine or his entire work is the truth and fulfillment of the Scriptures, which are many, namely the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. For he said: it is necessary that all things be fulfilled which were written in the Law, and the Prophets, and the Psalms concerning me.

Also the voice of many waters, that is, of many prophets.

Psalm 107.

A small floral ornament is depicted here.

Alternatively: His voice was as the voice of many waters, that is, as the voice of many peoples. This is according to what the Psalmist says in his person: I will confess to you among the peoples: and I will sing a psalm to you among the nations. Finally, many peoples today harmonize with his voice and the words of the Scriptures which they bring forth in his person. These peoples are usually signified by the name of waters.

The seven stars are the prelates of the churches.

Malachi 2.

Daniel 12.

A small floral ornament is depicted here.

And he had in his right hand seven stars. A small floral ornament is depicted here. The seven stars (as written below) are the angels of the seven churches, that is, all the praesules leaders or bishops of all the churches. They are called angels, that is, messengers, because they announce to those under them the things that God speaks. This is according to the saying: the lips of the priest keep knowledge, and they seek the law from his mouth, because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts. Because they are angels in such a way, that is, because they announce the law of the Lord, they are truly called and are stars. This is according to the saying in Daniel: Those who are learned shall shine as the brightness of the firmament: and those who instruct many to justice as stars for all eternity.

The mystery of the number seven.

John 21.

A small floral ornament is depicted here.

All who are of this kind are rightly marked by this number, namely seven. He also most beautifully asserts that while he was in his right hand, that is, in his great happiness, having risen from the dead, he had no more and no fewer than seven of his disciples as participants in his meal. As it is written: There were together Peter, and Thomas who is called Didymus, and Nathanael who was from Cana of Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. These seven brought to land the net cast into the right side of the ship, full of great fish, and they feasted with the Lord. In this way, they designate all those who, in the universal resurrection, will present all the elect whom they acquired by their zeal or labors. They will sit with Christ at his right hand in the heavenly places. Then that which is immediately signified in the present passage will come to pass. L. And out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.

The sword from his mouth is the last judgment.

Deuteronomy 32.

A small floral ornament is depicted here.

Indeed, the sword in this place signifies the last judgment. Just as in the Song of Deuteronomy, God says: If I whet my sword as lightning. For explaining what he meant by "my sword," he immediately added: and my hand take hold on judgment. That sword of judgment, sharp on both sides, will then go out of his mouth. It will effectively discern between both sides, the right and the left, according to merits.

XXI. COMMENTARY BOOK I.

Matthew 25.

1 Corinthians 15.

Matthew 25.

And he will judge. The exit of the sword to the right will be this: Come, you blessed of my Father. For when this is said, his sword will so devour the flesh that it is no longer flesh and blood. Instead, all will be stripped of every kind of corruption of flesh and blood. In a wondrous way, while their nature remains, they are changed into another glory. The exit of the same sword to the left will be this: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. On both sides, that sword of judgment will be so effective that these go into eternal punishment, but the just into eternal life. Thus divided from one another, they can no longer be joined or mixed together as the good and the evil are now mixed in the present church. From then on, he will be seen in his brightness by those blessed ones whom he will henceforth have at his right hand. The God of gods will be seen face to face in 그 vision which he promised would be the reward of his love to those who love him.

John 14.

His face shines like the sun.

Isaiah 30.

He who loves me, he says, will be loved by my Father: and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. It follows, therefore. L. And his face was as the sun shines in its strength. A small floral ornament is depicted here. His face, his presence, will shine like the sun. For he truly is the sun, and he will shine in his power, that is, in his majesty and divinity. That prophecy of Isaiah will be fulfilled: And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun: and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord shall bind up the wound of his people, and shall heal the stroke of their wound. What is the moon that will then shine like the sun without the variations of increase and decrease original text says "crementi," likely meaning "incrementi" by which it now varies in this age, if not the church that will then be like its sun, its God?

† decrease

1 John 3.

As the light of seven days.

We know, says the same John, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. But how great will that light of the sun be? As the light of seven days, he says. This is to say: Of such great brightness was God the Word when all things were made in six days, and all things were completed through him on the seventh day. Of such brightness will he then be in his flesh with God his Father.

John 17.

Isaiah 30.

For he himself said this while praying: And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. For what is that day of which the prophet spoke: In the day when the Lord shall bind up the wound of his people, and shall heal the stroke of their wound? It is nothing else but that vision of the face of this sun. This will be the health of the human race and the perfect healing of its stroke, by which we were all struck in Adam, and of the wound by which we were wounded in him, namely the double death of soul and body.

And when I had seen him, I fell.

Matthew 17.

It follows. L. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead: and he laid his right hand upon me, saying: Fear not. A small floral ornament is depicted here. Because he whom he saw shines like the sun in his strength, therefore mortal man could not stand or endure in his weakness. So also formerly, when he had been transfigured before them on the mountain, namely Peter and James, and this very John his brother, they fell on their faces and were very much afraid.

† here

Those set on the right hand will see God.

And just as it is said here: and he laid his right hand upon me, saying, fear not, so also there: And Jesus came and touched them, and said to them: Arise, and be not afraid. A small floral ornament is depicted here. Unless his right hand had touched him here or them there, they could not have endured the light or the power in which such a sun was shining. Therefore, it will be necessary for all who are to see him in that heavenly kingdom of his to be set at the right hand, so that they may be able to see and by seeing to endure. This is according to the evangelical truth which says: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.

Matthew 25.

Psalm 67.

For what it is to have the right hand placed upon this one who fears and falls for fear, so that he can rise and not fear, this will then be for all the sheep to be set at the right hand. Thus they can see that brightness and not flow away with the goats on the left, just as wax flows before the face of fire. L. I am the first and the last, and alive, and was dead, and behold I am living for ever and ever: and I have the keys of death and of hell.

A long question concerning the angel of John.

Below, 22.

A small floral ornament is depicted here.

We said above, following the authority of earlier writers, that the angel was seen by this John in the figure of Christ. This was because of what was said in the beginning: and he signified it, sending by his angel to his servant John. But it may now be asked why he who appeared professed himself to be Christ by such a great and manifest description. I am, he said, the first and the last, and alive, and so forth. To this is added that falling before his feet as one dead, John was not prohibited from falling, nor rebuked because he fell before his feet. Yet toward the end of the book, he himself says: I, John, who heard and saw these things, after I had heard and seen, fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed these things to me: and he said to me: See thou do it not. I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them that keep the words of the book: worship God. Clearly, then, it is given to be understood that there was one who stood as John's guide and showed these things to him, and another who was shown or seen by him with such great brightness that he could not endure to see the brightness of him who appeared. And he indeed who showed them was manifestly an angel; but he who was shown is called the Son of Man.