ACC ~ Revelation 16 v19

ALL CITIES, DEFILED BY SIN, WILL FALL. OECUMENIUS: By the words “the great city” he speaks of Jerusalem, and it is clear that in this way he distinguishes it from the cities of the nations. For it is customary in the holy Scriptures to call the rest of humankind apart from Israel by the term nations. And he speaks of it as “great,” as though it were famous. But all the cities fell. For when the earth is being transformed and is becoming new, how could it be that the cities in it would stand, having been defiled by the habitation of sinners? “And God remembered great Babylon, to give to it the cup of the wine of the wrath of his anger.” In a foregoing passage it says, “And a second angel followed, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great.’”But in this present passage, he intends for us to think of another Babylon, not that one, and he assigns to it another sense. I think that he is speaking of Rome and of those who will capture it at that time, as the narrative will teach further on. And, therefore, he says, “God remembered great Babylon,” that is, God remembered its former sins, when they persecuted and killed the saints. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16.17-21.

THE REPROBATE POPULATION DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS. PRIMASIUS: The city that was great because of the size of its population and that was haughty and arrogant because of its immodest enterprises shall fall into three parts. One part will be of the Gentiles, another of the heretics and the Jews, and the third part which is of the false brothers is rejected, for they “confess to know God, but they deny him by their deeds; they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good deed.” The passage continues, “The cities of the nations fell,” that is, all the strength and confidence of the nations fell. “And that great Babylon was remembered and came under the sight of God.” This indicates that the multitude of all of the damned were confused. “And he gave to her from the wine of the fury of his wrath.” It describes the wicked receiving the retribution of that revenge that they merited. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16.19.

ALL PEOPLE DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: This great city is to be understood as in general every people that is under heaven and that is seen to be in three parts when the church is divided [into three parts]. And so, the Gentiles are considered to be one part, the heretics and false Christians [are] another part, and the catholic church [is] the third part. EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 16.19, HOMILY 13.

THE CLEANSING FIRE OF TEMPTATION. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: We understand Jerusalem to be a “great city” not because of the number and size of its buildings but as that which is the most ancient and greatest in regard to godliness, in as much as it was made great by the sufferings of Christ and is to be distinguished from the cities of the nations. We think that the division of this city into three parts suggests the division between the Christians and the Jews and the Samaritans who live in it. Or the division is of those who are steadfast in faith and those who have defiled their baptism with filthy works and the Jews who have in no way received the proclamation. … For at the present time the Jews and Samaritans hide their real intentions out of fear of our pious rulers, and they seem to be associated with us, not daring to separate themselves with their own people. It is similar to the fact that those who are truly Christians are intermingled with those who possess the name [of Christian] alone. But when the cleansing fire of temptations will unmask them, then there will occur the division of these people into the three groups of the impious, the pious and the sinners, and these will gather together with those of like habits and be associated with their own kind. The falling of the cities of the nations indicates either their destruction or the cessation of the pagan manner of life at the coming of the kingdom of God, which, according to Daniel, the saints will possess. “And God remembered great Babylon, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.” The thronging multitude, confounded by the meaningless distractions of life and made great by the wealth of their injustices, will drink the cup of the wrath of God. It is as though they went from a merciful forgetfulness [of God] to a remembrance and now faced the retribution for their trampling of the righteous One and for the impiety of their words and deeds. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16.19.

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