ACC ~ Revelation 19 v11

THE WORD IN HEAVEN IS TRUE. ORIGEN: I think that heaven has been closed to those who are impious and who bear “the image of the earthly” but opened to those who are just and who have been adorned with “the image of the heavenly.” For the higher things have been closed to the impious, inasmuch as they are below and are still in the flesh. They cannot understand them or their beauty. They do not wish to perceive them, in that they are stooped over and do not devote themselves to lifting up their heads. But he opened the heavenly places with the key of David to be contemplated by the just, inasmuch as they have citizenship in heaven. The divine Word opens them and explains them by riding a horse. The horse signifies the words that proclaim the meanings. He is white because the nature of the knowledge is remarkable and white and luminous. And he who is called “Faithful” sits on the white horse, seated more firmly and, if I may so speak, royally, on words that cannot be overturned, words that run faster and swifter than any horse and that surpass every opponent in their rush, that is, every supposed word that is a dissembler of the Word and every dissembler of truth that seems to be truth. But he who is on the white horse is called “Faithful,” not so much because he trusts as because he is trustworthy, that is, he is worthy of being trusted, for according to Moses, the Lord is faithful and true.For he is also true in contradistinction to a shadow, and a type, and an image, since the Word in the opened heaven is such. For the Word on earth is not like the Word in heaven, inasmuch as he has become flesh and is expressed by means of a shadow and types and images. … This Word of God, indeed, who is called faithful is also called true, and he judges and fights justly. He has received the ability from God to impart what each creature deserves and to judge with absolute justice and judgment. … Now just as it is said that the task of the Word is to judge with justice, so also his task is said to be to fight according to justice, that by thus fighting the soul’s enemies with reason and justice, he may dwell in it and justify it when the irrational elements and injustice are destroyed. He casts out the hostile elements from that soul which, if I may speak in this way, has been taken captive by Christ for salvation. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.47-54.

THE LORD COMES WITH HIS CELESTIAL ARMY. VICTORINUS OF PETOVIUM: It shows “a white horse and him who sat upon it,” namely, our Lord coming with his celestial army to establish his kingdom. At his coming all the nations will be gathered and will be slain with the sword. Those among them who are more noble will be preserved in order to serve the saints, and it will be necessary that these at the end of time, when the kingdom of the saints is ended, before the judgment and when the devil is again released, be killed. The prophets prophesy about all these things in a similar manner. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.1.

THE INCARNATE CHRIST IS PATIENT. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: The white horse is the body which [Christ] assumed. He who sits upon it is the Lord of Majesty; he is the Word of the most high Father; he is the only begotten of the unbegotten Father. Therefore, the true character of his person is expressed when he is called “Faithful” and “True.” For of God it is said, “God is faithful, in whom there is no iniquity.”And “in righteousness he judges and makes war.” For concerning him it is written, “God is a judge, just, strong and patient.” He makes war by freeing us from the adversity of sin; he is patient by enduring the sins we commit; he is called strong because he repels whatever opposes him. TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.11-13.

CHRIST CONQUERS HIS ENEMIES LIKE A MIGHTY GENERAL. OECUMENIUS: The Evangelist now receives the revelation of the fall of the antichrist and of the arch-evil dragon. He sees moreover the punishment they will receive at the time of the end and their recompense, as well as the fall of those kings who at that time will oppose the servants of Christ. And see what it says: “I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse,” and the rider is faithful and true and just. He sees the Lord as he is about to join the battle and fight for the saints and make war against his adversaries. For this reason the vision depicts him in the form of a general, giving him a horse and a sword and the leadership of armies. “And, behold, a white horse” upon which the Lord was riding. By this the vision reveals that Christ depends upon no others than those who are pure and are not tainted by any stain of sin. For this reason, the Lord also said of that “chosen instrument,” namely, Paul, that he would “carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel.” You see, therefore, that Christ depends upon and rides on such persons as Paul. “He who sat upon it,” that is, upon the horse, “is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.” He who is true is also faithful, as the apostle said concerning him: “He remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself,”and so he is the “Faithful” and “True.” And about him two assertions are made which address the same matter. The prophet was witness that he judges righteously and that he makes war on behalf of his servants against their visible enemies: “O God, give your judgment to the king, and your righteousness to the king’s son,” that is, to Christ—for the son of Solomon was Christ according to the flesh, to whom the psalmist was referring—and then it continues, “that he might judge your people with righteousness and your poor with judgment.” That he also makes war [the psalmist] shows when he speaks of him arming himself as a soldier: “Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one, in your comeliness and in your beauty, and bend [your bow] and prosper and reign.” Then he adds, “Your weapons are sharpened, O mighty one, the nations shall fall under you.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.11-16.

CHRIST IS HIMSELF THE PRIZE. PRIMASIUS: He judges as the King of all ages. He makes war as one who always suffers in his members. When he fights, he conquers; he crowns himself; he offers himself as strength to those who struggle; he promises himself as the prize for those who overcome. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.11.

THE LORD CONQUERS THE POWERS OF THE AIR. BEDE: The Lord, who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life,” and to whom it is said through the prophet, “For you have done wonderful things, plans ancient and faithful, Amen,” mounts the throne of his white body, that is, his pure body, in order to conquer the powers of the air. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 19.11.

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