ACC ~ Revelation 13 v7 - 8

SOME KEEP PURE FROM THE DEVIL’S CULT. OECUMENIUS: He received his authority from those persons who had willingly placed themselves under his destructive lordship. And so it correctly says that “all who dwell on the earth will worship it.” For with the exception of faithful Israel, the rest of humankind worshiped idols, and since even Israel suffered from this, it finally says that every clan and tribe of people had come to worship the wicked one. “Every one whose name is not written in the book of the life of heaven of him who was slain before the foundation of the world.” With great care does the vision place limits on this. For although it says that all who dwell on the earth worshiped the apostate devil, there were a few persons from both the Gentiles and from Israel who kept themselves pure from his cult, such as Job and his four friends, and Melchizedek, and from Israel the holy prophets and they who gave a pious witness in the Old Testament. It means that all worshiped him except those who through their piety and through the pure and perfect manner of their lives are inscribed in heaven and are protected by God. For this is the significance of the fact that the book is sealed. Therefore, according to Luke, the Lord speaks of this book when he says to his disciples, “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13.4-8.

IT IS NO WONDER THAT THE CHURCH SUFFERS. PRIMASIUS: By saying that he opened his mouth, it shows that he spoke with that damnable bravado that while before he blasphemed secretly, he will at that time do so publicly. For he will have dared to attribute to himself that honor that especially belongs to [Christ]. And he speaks his inquities arrogantly, for he is hostile to Christ and wishes to be accepted instead of Christ, either by the use of force or by supplanting him with fraudulent means. For a time he will attain power, which he will use in an evil way to harm the body of Christ, so that as Christ suffers, the persecutors praise [the beast] all the more since [Christ] is crucified more cruelly with his [saints]. Of this power the Lord said, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above.” If, therefore, at the time of his passion Christ had temporarily given power to his persecutors, although the prince of this world could find in him nothing worthy of death, why is it surprising that in his church he allows evil persons to attack, so that one might say that [the beast] has defeated them? Even we must understand the part from the whole, namely, that part which he is able to conquer. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 13.7.

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