ACC ~ Revelation 16 v8 - 9

THOSE AT THE END WILL CURSE GOD. OECUMENIUS: It is not difficult to interpret this passage according to the figures of speech. That the sun scorches people could be the drought, affliction and distresses of those remaining in war. Although they are pressed by evils and find it needful to petition God, who is powerful, for help and release from those who are oppressing them with sorrows, yet they cursed [God] and did not repent. It is clear that the plagues are for this purpose, to bring those to acknowledge God through torments, who did not acknowledge their Master through his beneficent work. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16.8-11.

THE DEVIL BLASPHEMES GOD. PRIMASIUS: It is not given to the sun, but to that angel who poured out [the bowl] on the sun [to scorch people]. This fire is not to be regarded as that of Gehenna, for there no opportunity for blasphemy remains for anyone, when for the damned any attempt at repentance will be fruitless. And so the law says that they will say, “What has our arrogance profited us? And what good has the boast of our wealth brought to us?” Therefore, I think that in this passage the fire and the heat ought be interpreted to mean that the body of the devil is irremediably tormented by the steadfastness of the saints, and aroused by the heat, [he] is led to blasphemy. For perhaps it says “on the sun” in the sense of “by the sun,” as if he had put the sun in the ablative case, referring in this case to the “sun of righteousness.” We have such readings; for example, “I shall watch over my word to perform it,” and in Daniel, “Let us seek mercy from God Almighty over this mystery.”And so, from where the elect receive the steadfastness of their illumination, from there the wicked are said to obtain fire. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16.8-9.

THROUGH SUFFERING SOME LEARN TO HATE SIN. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: Perhaps humankind will literally be burned by the fierce heat of the sun. While God in his goodness “curbs them with bit and bridle who do not draw near to him” so that they might look toward repentance, some have fallen to such depths of evil that by the depravity of their minds they will not turn to conversion but rather to blasphemy. Perhaps, however, the image of the sun signifies the course of the day that burns those worthy of scourging by the heat of temptations, so that by the experience of sufferings they might learn to hate the mother of these things, namely, sin. However, those who are mindless concerning any knowledge of their own faults will “sharpen their tongue” against God, just as even now we see many who are distressed by the unspeakable horrors that encompass us at the hands of the barbarians and who blame the goodness of God, since he has held such evils for our own generation. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16.8-9.

THE WISE REPENT OF THEIR EVIL. BEDE: The persecutors of the church, who like a burning sun attempt to dry up the seed of the word of God, will be burned in the future fire by the flames of Gehenna. Or, if one interprets the sun to be the splendor of the wise, it is not given to the angel to pour out upon the sun, but it is given to the sun itself to punish people with heat and fire. For while wise people, conquered by torments, are affected by the error of having done evil, the weak, persuaded by their example, are inflamed by temporal desires. However, the heat may also be understood to be that by which the person of the devil is incurably tormented by the steadfastness of the saints and is incited to blasphemy. The prophet has spoken concerning this [fire], “Zeal overcomes a people without understanding, and now fire consumes the adversaries.” It says “and now” because the fire of the last judgment is reserved. “And people were scorched by the fierce heat.” In the present time, so far as it is permitted, the devil glorifies his own followers, although the Holy Spirit has defined such glorification and joy to be nothing but plagues and sorrows. For we also read above that the army of the devil has killed people with fire, smoke and sulphur. Not that he killed them openly, but rather that with these plagues he binds to himself those who were in agreement with him. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 16.8-9.

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