ACC ~ Revelation 19 v17

THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL INTERVENES. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: He saw an angel standing upon the sun. The sun upon which this angel is standing is the Faith of the catholic church. Concerning this angel also Daniel spoke as follows: “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who stands before the sons of your people.” For just as then this holy archangel stood in the sight of God on behalf of the sons of the ancient people, so now he unceasingly intervenes for the people of the whole catholic church. “And there shall be a time, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time.” In the Revelation the holy John says that in that time the birds of the earth shall gather to consume the bodies of the impious. TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.17-18.

THE ANGELS DESTROY GOD’S ENEMIES. OECUMENIUS: I think that this holy angel … is a certain military herald of the divine army and that he commands all the holy angels in heaven, here called “birds” because they are sublime and fly in the air, to partake of the slaughter of the enemies. To be sure, even one angel was sufficient to destroy an entire army of the enemy, as that one clearly demonstrated who destroyed 185,000 Assyrians in one night. However, he orders all to partake so that all might share in the joy against [God’s] enemies. For I think that also these say with the prophet, “Do I not hate them that hate you, O Lord? And have I not wasted away because of your enemies? I have hated them with a perfect hate, and they were counted among my enemies.” And since he commanded angels who were flying in mid-heaven, he too was standing in mid-heaven when he gave them orders. For the sun is established in the middle of the seven planets, with three above it and three below it. Either this [is the meaning], or he was giving his commands in the light, which is as it were, in the Spirit and was speaking of the coming slaughter. For the Spirit is the spiritual light, as the prophet teaches when he was discoursing with God the Father, and said, “In your Light, shall we see Light,” that is, in the Spirit we shall see the Son. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.17-21.

BY PREACHING THE CHURCH TRANSFORMS UNBELIEVERS. PRIMASIUS: The angel refers to the church in her preaching. Rightly it adds “one,” for “my dove is only one.” In this manner the mystery of unity is preserved. [The angel] is “in the sun,” where it may be already brightly visible and not further hidden because of fear. “And with a loud voice it called out.” In the loud voice we recognize the liberty of a great trust. … In some contexts birds are interpreted by the qualities of evil birds, in other contexts they are interpreted by the qualities of good birds. As earlier the form of an eagle in flight was mentioned,so in this passage those who are spiritual are invited to the feast. Peter, who bore the image of the present church, was told of this feast when it was said to him, “Kill and eat.” Since they kill what they had been so that they might become what he is, that is, faithful, they are transformed into the body of the church, and having been planted with the members of the Christ, they reign with them. For whatever we eat, we bring over into our body. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.L7.

AS THOUGH THEY WERE ONLY ONE CHURCH. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: [The angel in the sun] is the preaching that takes place in the church. … Depending on the context, we interpret birds or beasts to represent the good or the wicked. For example, “The wild beast will bless me,” or, “The Lion from the tribe of Judah.”In the present passage the birds flying in mid-heaven are the churches that, being considered as one body, it had said was an eagle flying in mid-heaven. EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.18, HOMILY 17.

THE ANGELS SHARE THEIR ASCENT AND JOY. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: We think that this angel is one of the highest of the angels and exhorts the others to rejoice over the punishment of the sinners and the cessation of sin. He has called the angels “birds” due to the exalted and sublime nature that they have in comparison with ours. In imitation of Christ, their food is the fulfilling of the divine will. They are “in mid-heaven” so that they might share their ascent and joy, just mentioned, with those people who are similar to the angels. For through their mediation there is a way up from the things below, and through them the saints “are caught up to meet the Lord.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.17.

LIKE AN EAGLE IN FLIGHT. BEDE: [The angel standing in the sun] represents preaching in the church, which shines the more brightly and thunders the more freely the more it is oppressed. … The birds refer to the saints who live a heavenly life, “for wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” Considered as one body, he had referred to the saints as an eagle flying in mid-heaven. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 19.17.

Rev