ACC ~ Revelation 6 v10

ALL CHRISTIANS JOIN THE MARTYRS IN PRAYING FOR THE KINGDOM. TERTULLIAN: Our hope is that we may sooner reign and not be slaves any longer. Even if it were not prescribed to ask in prayer for the coming of his kingdom, we would, of our own accord, have expressed this desire in our eagerness to embrace the object of our hope. With indignation the souls of the martyrs beneath the altar cry aloud to the Lord, “How long, O Lord, will you refrain from avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” For at least from the end of the world vengeance for them is ordained. Indeed, as quickly as possible, O Lord, may your kingdom come! This is the prayer of Christians; this shall bring shame to the heathens; this shall bring joy to the angels; it is for the coming of this kingdom that we are harassed now, or rather, it is for this coming that we pray. ON PRAYER 5.1-4.

THE SAINTS PRAY AGAINST THE DEMONS. OECUMENIUS: “And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘O Sovereign, both holy and true, how long until you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?’” They were not making petition against people but against the demons who like to dwell in earthly things. For it is not according to the love of the saints to rise up against their own kind, but against those who lead people to their own destruction. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.9-11.

A DESIRE FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD. PRIMASIUS: This ought not be understood in a carnal manner, as though they were inflamed by animosity and wished revenge. We know that we are to love our enemies through an abundance of love,but it is manifest that they prayed against the kingdom of sin and were praying out of a desire for that kind of kingdom for which we say, “Thy kingdom come!” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.10.

A TEMPORAL VENGEANCE AND A JUST RETRIBUTION. CASSIODORUS: [The psalmist begs] that the Lord avenge the blood of the faithful, who endured martyrdom for his name. Vengeance is the means by which force and injustice are repelled by just retribution. But there the prayer seems to be directed toward the conversion of the enemy. For when temporal vengeance is exacted from them in this world, they escape the destruction of eternal damnation; it is in this sense that we read in Revelation that the souls of martyrs under God’s altar demand to be avenged by divine decree. This vengeance is to be interpreted as we have defined it, for saintly people do not seek a cruel vengeance since they accept the precept “Pray for your enemies, do good to those that hate you,” and the like. Finally the Lord himself, who executes most powerfully his own commands, spoke these words on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 78.10.

THE END OF SIN AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. BEDE: They do not pray for these things out of hatred of their enemies, for whom they intercede in this world. Rather, they pray out of love of equity, in which as those placed near to the Judge himself and in agreement with him they pray that the day of judgment, in which the kingdom of sin is destroyed and the resurrection of their dead bodies may come. For, also we in the present time, when we are commanded to pray for our enemies, nevertheless say when we pray to the Lord, “May your kingdom come!” EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 6.10.

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