ACC ~ Revelation 19 v12a

THE WORD WEARS MANY CROWNS. ORIGEN: As the flame is bright and at the same time illuminating, and further also has a nature that is fiery and consumes the more material elements, so the eyes of the Word, if I may speak in this way, with which he sees, and everyone who participates in him, destroy and obliterate the more material and gross elements of thoughts by grasping them by means of the spiritual powers inherent in him. Everything false, in any way whatso-ever, has fled the subtlety and precision of the truth. … If the lie were one and simple against which the Word who is “faithful and true” prevailed, who received the crown when the lie was overcome, the Word who became master of God’s opponents would also reasonably have been recorded to wear one diadem. But now, since the lies that profess the truth are many against which the Word has fought and is crowned, there are many diadems surrounding the head of him who has conquered them all. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.57-59.

ALL SAINTS ARE CROWNED IN CHRIST. TYCONIUS: In him “in whom we shall perform great deeds,” in him the multitude of the saints are said to have the beauty of crowns. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.12.

THE EYES OF GOD PERVADE ALL THINGS. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: As fire penetrates everything which contains it and leaves no portion untouched by the force of its burning heat, so the eyes of the Lord cannot be avoided, for they are everywhere and pervade all things, and seeing all things which people do, they investigate them with a holy scrutiny. … There are many [diadems] because he brings to God, who gathers all, all the glory of the saints and all the honor of the blessed. And these do not remain quiet, but bring forth praise and thanksgiving. TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.11-13.

GOD’S POWER ILLUMINES THE RIGHTEOUS. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: The flames of fire come forth from his eyes, that is, from his all-seeing power. For those who are righteous, this fire does no harm but illumines and makes bright. However, for the sinners this fire burns but does not make bright. The multiple diadems symbolize either his kingdom, which is over all things in heaven and on earth—as many as there are ranks of angels and kingdoms upon the earth and assemblies among holy people—or they signify the victory against the sinners that was won for us by all of his acts of mercy, as a certain holy person said, “And you will gain victory when you are judged.”COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.11-12.

THE COMMANDMENTS AND THE SPIRIT. BEDE: Sometimes he speaks of the commandments as the “eyes of the Lord,” sometimes he is speaking of the Spirit. Of the commandments, he says, “Your word, O Lord, is a lamp to my feet,” and of the Spirit, he says, “I came to cast fire upon the earth.” EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 19.12.

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