ACC ~ Revelation 6 v4

THERE WILL BE WARS. VICTORINUS OF PETOVIUM: “And there was a red horse, and he who sat upon it had a sword.” [This passage] signifies those wars which will occur in the future, as we read in the Gospel: “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be earthquakes on the earth.” This is the red horse. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.2.

THE CHURCH IS TAUGHT THROUGH BLOODY STRUGGLES. TYCONIUS: This red horse, gory not with its own blood but with the blood of others, is said to fight against the victorious church when it is sent in to take that peace from the earth that passes all understanding. For [the church] is taught both from deed and from the sword. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.4.

HUMAN CONSENSUS TOWARD EVIL AND IDOLATRY WILL BE DESTROYED. OECUMENIUS: “A red horse came forth,” urged on by one of the living creatures, and authority was given to the rider “to take peace from the earth, that they might kill one another, and a great sword was given to him.” The red horse is a figure of blood, and so a sword is given to the rider upon the horse so that he might attack and cut to pieces that consensus of evil that exists among those who dwell upon the earth—for among them there is an agreement to idolatry. “That they might kill one another,” that is, that they might slay each other’s eagerness toward increased evil. For the Lord did not come “to bring peace to the earth but a sword” and to set “a son against his father and a bride against her mother-in-law” and the young and pious against the old and accused. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.1-4.

STRIFE, DISSENSION AND DEATH. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: The red horse comes out against the victorious and conquering church. That is, there comes an evil and wicked people, made bloody from its rider, the devil. This is just as we read in Zechariah concerning the red horse of the Lord, except that there it is red from his own blood, while here it is red from the blood of others.”And to him a great sword was given, to take peace from the earth.” This refers to the peace of the earth, for the church possesses an eternal peace that Christ left behind for himself. As we noted above, the white horse is the church and its rider is Christ or the Holy Spirit in whose hand is a bow that sends forth his commandments, as though they were powerful, sharp arrows, throughout the whole world both to kill sins and to enliven the hearts of the faithful. The crown upon his head is the promise of eternal life. Here, … the red horse is an evil people whose rider is the devil. It is said to be red because it has been made red with the blood of multitudes. And a sharp sword was given to it to take peace from the earth. This means that with the devil’s connivance and influence evil people join together and do not cease to incite among themselves strife and dissension, even unto death. EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.4, HOMILY 5.

GOD PERMITS MARTYRS AND TEACHERS TO SUFFER FOR CHRIST. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: We suggest that this second seal is to be interpreted as the succession of the apostles that is fulfilled through martyrs and teachers. During this succession, as the proclamation is extended abroad, the peace of the world is taken away, creation being divided against itself, as was spoken by the Lord: “I have not come to bring peace on earth, but a sword.” And by this [sword] the sacrifices of the martyrs are offered on the heavenly altar. The “red horse” is symbolic either of the shedding of blood or of the red-hot disposition of those who suffer for Christ. The words “it was permitted to its rider to take peace” show the all-wise permission of God that tests his faithful servants through temptations. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.4.