ACC ~ Revelation 21 v11

ILLUMINED BY THE LIGHT OF GOD ALONE. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: We read of this very city in the prophets: “The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor shall the brightness of the moon give you light. But the Lord will be everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” … As the brilliance of a stone shines neither in itself nor from the outside, but it is translucent by the clarity of its nature, so this city is described as illumined by no radiance of the stars but as invisibly illumined by the light of God alone. The shining clarity of the crystal signifies that in the city the grace of baptism shines with a reddish hue. TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 21.10-11.

CHRIST IS LIFE-GIVING AND HOLY. OECUMENIUS: “Its radiance,” that is, Christ “the sun of righteousness,”was “like a jasper.” Jasper has a certain green quality and so exhibits the life-bearing and life-giving nature of Christ, who “opens his hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing.” Indeed, green plants are the chief form of earthly food. The jasper was also like crystal and so symbolizes the purity and the holiness of Christ, for he “did no sin, and there was no deceit in his mouth,” as the prophecy of Isaiah says. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21.9-14.

THE ENTIRE BODY OF CHRIST IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. PRIMASIUS: [To which bride] the Lord says, “You are the light of the world.”This expression pertains to the entire body of Christ, although the apostles heard it from the mouth of the Truth, since they were first in both time and merit. … Although the jasper and the crystal are different kinds of stones with different colors, nonetheless here he aptly conjoins both of them for the sake of the metaphor. He compares them to a most precious stone, so that it would be understood to refer to Christ, of whom the blessed Peter spoke: “a cornerstone precious, laid firm in the foundation.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21.11.

THE GENEROSITY OF CHRIST. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: The radiance of the church is Christ, who here is depicted as a jasper and clear as crystal to indicate that he is unfading and life-giving and pure. He is also depicted by means of other images. For the manifold diversity of his generosity for us cannot be described merely through the illustration of one form. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 21.11.

PURE OF MIND AND SINCERE IN FAITH. BEDE: The precious stone is Christ, who said, “The glory that you have given to me, I have given to them.”… [The city’s light is likened] to jasper because of the clarity of its virtues, and to crystal because of the inner purity of its mind and its sincere faith. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 21.11.

Rev