ACC ~ Revelation 19 v1 - 3

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED AND THE JOY OF THE CHURCH. TYCONIUS: Concerning the harlot it says, “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” That is to say, while the church remains in her joyful praise, the smoke of the destruction of the wicked also remains. Just as the beginning of fire is in smoke, so smoke is present as long as fire remains. I think that the Lord gave us an example of these good and evil persons in the figures of the pauper and the rich man. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.3.

THE SAINTS EXULT. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: The saints exult over the destruction of the traitorous city, and they praise God with the jubilation of praise. What does this describe other than the coming of the retribution of the evildoers and the rewarding of the good? This is that of which Daniel spoke, “Some will rise to everlasting life, and some to everlasting reproach,”so that they might see [this] forever. For this reason it is said, “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.1-3.

THE HOLY ANGELS SING “HALLELUJAH” TO THE TRINITY. OECUMENIUS: “I heard a voice from heaven as of a great multitude,” it says. The ranks of the holy angels are without number. As one of the fathers has said, the ninety-nine sheep who were kept safe and did not go astray represent the angels, while the one sheep who went astray represents the entirety of humankind. They said, “Hallelujah!” “Hallelujah” is a Hebrew expression that means “praise God” or “sing to God.” Therefore, they are singing a hymn of thanksgiving for the righteous judgment of the spiritual Babylon. And they cried out the same hymn a “second time,” and yet later they spoke it again. And so by this threefold offering of the Hallelujah they give glory to the holy and much to be praised Trinity, for this [Trinity] is God. “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” The doxology of the Hallelujah interrupted the flow of the discourse, since clearly the sequence of the narrative is this: “And he has avenged on her the blood of his servants. And the smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” He mentions “smoke” since the city of which he speaks is completely in flames. For smoke is an indication of fire. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.1-5.

PUNISHMENT RISES UP AS DOES SMOKE. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: This is the voice of the church when the separation has already occurred and when all wicked persons have gone out of her to be consumed with eternal fire. “And theirsmoke goes up for ever and ever.” Hear, O brothers, and fear and know that Babylon and the harlot whose smoke ascends forever and ever are not to be understood as anything other than lustful, adulterous and arrogant persons. And, therefore, if you wish to avoid these punishments, do not desire to commit such grievous sins. … Is it smoke of a burned-out city that is visible and goes up forever and ever, and not rather [the smoke] of people who remain in their arrogance? It says “it goes up,” not “it will go up,” for in the present age Babylon is always going into destruction and burning up in part, just as Jerusalem is moving into paradise in those saints who leave the world. The Lord showed this in the story of the poor man and the rich man. EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.1-3, HOMILY 18.

THROUGH PUNISHMENT GOD ACCOMPLISHES THE END OF SIN. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: “Hallelujah” signifies divine praise, while “Amen” means “truly” or “let it be so.” This praise is common both from the angelic powers as well as from humankind, which is similar to the angels, and this praise is sent up to God three times on account of the tri-hypostatic deity of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. God has “avenged the blood of his servants from the hand” of Babylon and has benefited her inhabitants by accomplishing the cessation of sin through its punishment. The words that the “smoke from the city goes up forever and ever” show either the unforgettable nature of the punishment that has come upon the city, or that although she meted out punishments in part and to some extent, she will, nonetheless, be punished eternally in the coming age. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.1-4.

IN CORRUPTION AND PERSECUTION ALL SIN IS INCLUDED. BEDE: It mentions two deeds of the harlot, namely, that she corrupted herself with evil deeds and that she persecuted those who are good. It seems to me that in these two acts every [type of] transgression is comprehended. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 19.2.

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