ACC ~ Revelation 20 v1

MINISTERS EXERCISE THE KEYS OF THE LORD. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: We must entreat the Lord more earnestly here, lest we consent in error concerning the number of the thousand years or through our own excess nurture error. Rather, [let us entreat the Lord] that he who is called “Faithful” and “True” might keep our faith safe. The Lord himself said at the beginning of this book, “I am the first and the last, and the living one although I was dead; and I have the keys of death and of hades.” By the key it speaks of him who bears the office of ministry, so that he might open the pit of the abyss. The great chain is the unbreakable bond of the divine commandment. It is in his hand, which means that he exercises it by work and deed. TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 20.1.

VESSELS OF MERCY OUT OF VESSELS OF WRATH. PRIMASIUS: We understand the angel coming down from heaven to be our Lord, Jesus Christ, who is called the angel of great counsel. He visited the region of those who are mortal, for as one who is stronger he wished to bind the strong one, so that he might make vessels of mercy out of those who had earlier been vessels of wrath. And he accomplished this through that work that he had promised before when he said, “No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his wares, unless he first binds the strong man,”that is, the devil. The key of the bottomless pit is the depth of the divine judgments, for “the judgments of God are a great deep.” Indeed, to him alone is it known who from the mass of sinners are to be called out into the full number of the elect. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 20.1-2.

CHRIST FREED THOSE BOUND BY THE DEVIL. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: This passage expresses the destruction of the devil that occurred through the passion of our Lord. For through his passion the one who is stronger than [the devil], namely, Christ our God, bound him who seemed to be strong and freed us, who were his spoils, from his hands and condemned him by throwing him into the pit. This is shown by those demons who pleaded that he not send them into the pit. The demonstration that the devil is bound is the disappearance of idol worship, the destruction of pagan temples, the abandonment of the defilement of altars and the knowledge of the will of God throughout the world. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 20.1-3.

CHRIST CAME TO WAGE WAR ON THE DEVIL. BEDE: Summarizing again from the beginning, the author explains more fully what he had earlier spoken: “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is to ascend from the bottomless pit and go to perdition.”Therefore, possessing the power of the Father, the Lord came down into the flesh, for he was going to wage war upon the leader of the world, and when he had been bound, he was going to free his captives. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 20.1.

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