ACC ~ Revelation 18 v6 - 8

THE WITNESS OF THE SAINTS REPAYS THE PAGAN TWOFOLD. AUGUSTINE: Now, brothers, you see the saints armed. Observe the slaughter, observe their glorious battles. … What have these done who had in their hands swords sharpened on both sides? “To do vengeance on the nations.” See whether vengeance has not been done on the nations. Daily is it done; we do it ourselves by speaking. Observe how the nations of Babylon are slain. She is repaid twofold. … How is she repaid double? The saints wage war, they draw their “swords twice sharpened.” From there come defeats, slaughters, severances. How is she repaid double? When she had the power to persecute the Christians, she slew the flesh indeed, but she crushed not God. Now she is repaid double, for the pagans are extinguished and the idols are broken. … And lest you should think that people are really smitten with the sword, blood really shed, wounds made in the flesh, he goes on and explains “chastisements on the peoples.” What is “chastisements”? Reproof. Let the two-edged sword go forth from you. Do not delay. Say to your friend, if you have yet a friend [among the pagans] left to whom to say it, “What kind of man are you, who have abandoned him by whom you were made, and worship what he made? Better is the workman than that which he makes.” When he begins to blush, when he begins to feel compunction, you have made a wound with your sword, it has reached his heart, he is about to die that he may live. EXPLANATION OF PSALM 149.9.

STERILITY AND WIDOWHOOD. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: In Isaiah it is said to her, “Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground, for there is no throne for the daughter of the Chaldeans, because you shall no longer be called tender and delicate.”And shortly thereafter: “Sit, be silent, go into the darkness, for you shall no more be called the mistress of kingdoms.” And again: “You said, ‘I shall be mistress forever,’ so that you did not lay these things to heart, nor did you remember your name. Now therefore, hear this, you delicate one who dwells in confidence, who says in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children.’ These two things shall come to you suddenly, in one day, sterility and widowhood.” Who would not understand these things together to be one prophecy and that they were said of one, universal event? TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 18.6-8.

GOD DESIRES TO PUNISH LESS THAN IS DESERVED. OECUMENIUS: Therefore, it says, “repay her double for her sins.” It is true that through wise Moses God has commanded us, “You will not take vengeance twice at the same time.”How, therefore, does God repay “double”? The word double does not mean twofold or twice. Rather, since God is a lover of humankind and good and punishes to a much lesser degree than is deserved, he deems that he has given back double, and indeed not only double but even sevenfold, whenever he gives back only a part. And knowing this, the prophet said, “Repay to your neighbors sevenfold into their bosom the reproach with which they have reproached you, O Lord.” In this petition for the punishment of their enemies according to their deserts, they implore God to give back sevenfold. Similar to these words, it says, “give back to her,” who was exalted and lived wantonly during this present life, giving no thought to the divine will. For [Babylon] said, I will never lose my rule or see any evil—for by “widow” it means to be deprived of rule. Therefore, on account of her arrogance utter evil will come on her all of a sudden. For it says, God is mighty, and he will be hindered by no one from bringing upon her judgment and torment. From this [judgment] may we all be free by the grace of him who has called us into his knowledge and into the hope of Christ, to whom be glory forever. Amen. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 18.4-8.

WHOEVER TOOK PLEASURE IN TRANSIENT DELIGHTS. PRIMASIUS: All of these future events are appropriate for the second advent, when upon the inquiry of the final judgment the society of the impious will be excluded and will suffer its just reward, so that those who sinned in time might be punished in perpetuity. This is what is meant when it says, “Repay her double” and “a double draught is mixed for her,” that whoever took pleasure in transient delights might suffer eternal torments. By way of the psalm the Lord foretells that he frees his own from such payments: “From usury and injustice he will redeem their souls.” In addition, they are said to burn in a perpetual fire and to be afflicted by a famine, namely, then when those who now hunger and thirst after righteousness shall receive an incorruptible abundance. Moreover, they suffer death, since God has abandoned them. For just as when the soul leaves, the body dies, so when God abandons the soul, it is thought to die. This mourning is that of which Christ speaks in the Gospel, “Woe to you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.”To show that God desires to keep his followers unharmed by these plagues, it says, “Lest you share in her plagues.” This is as though it said, since you were turned away from their will and were not like them in their sins, you will not receive an equal punishment. Nor can we by our own strength avoid these plagues, since this can be granted to us only by the goodness of God. But keeping to the proper order, the Holy Spirit declares that those who were not made captive in their heart by an assent to impiety would in no way suffer the torments of the impious, saying, “The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 18.6-8.

SINNERS WILL SUFFER IN BODY AND IN SOUL. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: These words may refer to those who, although innocent in [Babylon], yet suffered the most terrible things at the hands of those who ruled her and through their endurance of these agonies were the reason for the punishment of their tormentors. Or these words may refer to a change of persons and circumstances, from those who were tormented to certain holy powers that have acquired the power of punishment and through love of God exercise those torments that had been done by her against their fellow servants. He speaks of the cup as “double,” either because sinners and transgressors are punished both here and in the age to come, or because both the soul and the body are punished for their common deeds, or because of the depth of divine benevolence that is reckoned as double which is lacking of pure justice on account of sin, and punishment is often endured in the conscience. “In her heart she says, ‘A queen I sit, I am no widow, and mourning I will never see.’” If there is no fear of God in them, it is the habit of those in prosperity to say, “I shall never be moved.” This is what [the city] has spoken to herself. … By a “single day” he means either the suddenness and shortness of the time in which mourning will come to her either from the sword or from famine, and she will be wasted from pestilence and will be consumed by fire. Or it refers to the course of the day itself in which [the city] will experience these things that are prophesied. For after the enemies gain control of the city, only one day will suffice to bring every evil and every form of death upon those who have been defeated. For God is strong both to save those who please him and to punish those who are unrepentant sinners. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 18.6-8.

THE CITIZENS OF JERUSALEM DO NOT WANT FUTURE JOYS IN THE PRESENT TIME. BEDE: [When the angel says, “Repay her double for her deeds,” he is praying] that [the city] that took delight in temporal enjoyments might be tortured with eternal sufferings. Since she took delight in the luxury of the present time, she took no effort to prevent the coming retribution. Therefore, in a short time she will be punished with both spiritual and bodily disaster. … The citizens of the heavenly land, who place Jerusalem before their own happiness, do not want to sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land, that is, to receive in the present time that joy that pertains to the future age. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 18.6-8.

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