ACC ~ Revelation 12 v4b

THE DEVIL COULD NOT SUBJECT CHRIST TO DEATH. VICTORINUS OF PETOVIUM: “The red dragon stood expecting to devour her son when she had delivered him.” This is the devil, namely, that fugitive angel who thought that the destruction of all people could be equally accomplished through death. However, he who was not born from seed owed no debt to death, and for this reason [the devil] was not able to devour him, that is, to subject him to death. For, indeed, [the devil] had come to him intending to tempt him as man. But when he had discovered that he was not whom he thought, “he departed from him,” it says, “until an opportune time.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12.2.

EVERY CHRISTIAN SUFFERS WHAT THE HEAD HAS SUFFERED. TYCONIUS: Whenever the Holy Spirit promises and tells of future events, he foretells and shows the future in the church as past event. For in her misfortunes the church is always bringing forth Christ, for which reason he promises the coming of the Son of man always in the reality of similar sufferings. The devil in heaven is always seeking to devour that person who is being born through heavenly things and who is born to God and is caught up to his throne. Indeed, every Christian suffers that which the Head has suffered, who after the third day was going to be raised in glory. For in the person of Herod the whole company of persecutors is revealed. Although Herod alone had died, nonetheless all are indicated, for the Evangelist said, “All who sought the child’s life are dead.” The Lord spoke similarly also to Moses, “All those who were seeking your life are dead,” when another had succeeded [that] pharoah who had sought his life and that of the people. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12.4.

WHAT EVE BOUND THROUGH DISOBEDIENCE, MOTHER CHURCH LOOSENS THROUGH OBEDIENCE. QUODVULTDEUS: Our holy mother church has received you in her womb through the most sacred sign of the cross and with the greatest joy will give birth spiritually as she did also with your brothers. As new and future offspring of such a mother, until she restores to the true Light those born anew through the sacred washing, she feeds in her womb those whom she is carrying with suitable food, and she who is joyful leads those who are joyful to the day of their birth. She does not possess the mind and thought of Eve, who in sadness and in groaning brings forth sons who are themselves without joy but full of lamentation. What that [mother] bound, this [mother] has loosened, so that as [Eve] gave over to death her offspring through her disobedience, this [mother] restores to life through her obedience. All the mysteries that have been done and are being done among you through the ministry of the servants of God—the exorcisms, prayers, spiritual songs, insufflations,the coarse garment, the bowing of the neck, the humility of the feet—all of these things, as I have said, are food that refreshes us in the womb and makes us strong, so that when we have been reborn through baptism, our mother might bring us happy to Christ. And you have received the symbol, the protection of her who desires to bring you to birth against the poison of the serpent. It is written in the Apocalypse of the apostle John that the dragon stood before a woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth, he might devour her child. We all know that the dragon is the devil and that that woman signifies the Virgin Mary, who remaining intact gave birth to our Head who was complete. She herself presents in herself a figure of the holy church, so that just as she remained a virgin while giving birth to a son, so also [the church] at all times brings forth his members without losing her virginity. ON THE SYMBOL 3.1.1-6.

SATAN ATTEMPTED TO KILL THE BABY JESUS THROUGH HEROD. OECUMENIUS: “And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth.” He is speaking of events in the Lord’s life. Since he who was to destroy his [i.e., Satan’s] dominion was going to be born, [Satan] watched with close attention, so that when the Virgin gave birth, he might kill the child. And so, too, he took no chances but incited Herod, a lascivious man with a harem of women, to destroy the male and manly child. For Isaiah proclaims to us, “Before the child knows how to cry ‘father’ or ‘mother,’ he will take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria before the king of Assyria.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12.3-6.

THE APOSTATE PERSECUTES CHRIST. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: The apostate always arms himself against the church, desiring to make those food for himself who are being born anew from her. Rather, through the church he persecutes Christ himself, since he is [the church’s] head, and he makes his own what belongs to the faithful. And therefore [Christ] said to Saul, “Why are you persecuting me?”COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12.4.

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