ACC ~ Revelation 6 v5 - 6

OVERVIEW:

Humankind fell into sin through the free exercise of will and still remains inclined toward sin. For this reason, people live in sorrow and apart from faith in Christ (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). Even within the church, there are false brothers who work the works of darkness and cause harm to their fellows (BEDE). In punishment God injures humankind by way of famines, both now and at the time of the antichrist (VICTORINUS). However, through his teaching Christ has loosed us from false worship and restored us to God the Father. The devil is reduced to sorrow and shame, for the Lord has rebuked him and rendered a righteous judgment on our behalf (OECUMENIUS). We should always be aware, therefore, that although some acquire a greater merit than do others, all have been redeemed by the same, one price of the blood of Christ (TYCONIUS, BEDE) and possess a common immortality (PRIMASIUS). For that reason, we must keep from giving offense to our brothers through works of darkness (BEDE) and rather be ready to bring to them the wine of consolation and the oil of compassion so that they might receive the healing of Christ through repentance (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). There will be, however, a time when the teaching of the gospel will be scarce, a famine of the hearing of God’s word. Yet, even for those who despise this teaching, there remains hope for them to be gladdened by the preaching of the only begotten Son of God (OECUMENIUS).

6:5 | The Lamb Opened the Third Seal

THE LORD PROMISES FAMINE. VICTORINUS OF PETOVIUM: The black horse signifies famine. For the Lord said, “And there will be famine in many places.” However, this passage is also properly extended to the time of the antichrist, that is, to that time when there will be a great famine and people will be injured. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.2.

THE TEACHING OF CHRIST. OECUMENIUS: The third mercy of Christ toward us opened the third seal and restored us, who had been condemned, to God the Father. This is his salvific teaching and the benefits of his miracles, for these contributed to the dissolution of the devil. For, through these we know who is truly God by nature, so that we may “no longer be children, tossed about by every wind of doctrine” nor honor that which our hands have made but that we might exchange the corrupting demons for the glory of God. As yeast draws flour, the divine teaching of the Lord drew to itself those being taught according to the discourses of the Lord and those who were benefiting from the miracles that were healing souls rather than bodies. And when this occurred, a black horse came out, and the rider had a balance in his hand. The black horse is indicative of shame and sorrow, for the destruction of the devil had received increased intensity by the divine teaching, and therefore he laments his dissolution which lasted for such a long time. The balance … is a figure of equality and righteousness, for “he who judges in righteousness sat upon his throne and rebuked the nations of demons, and the impious One who led them was destroyed.” The balance is, therefore, a symbol of the righteous judgment of the Lord on our behalf, so that we may speak boldly to him, “You have executed my right and my cause,” and so that we nations might know that we are men, and that we may not be pulled about like beasts with bit and bridle or allowed to be led astray by destructive tyrants. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.5-8.

THE WICKED DECEIVE BY A SHOW OF RIGHT. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: In the black horse we recognize an evil people which works in concert with the devil. “He had a balance in his hand,” which indicates that while evil persons feign to have the scales of justice, they deceive many. EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.5, HOMILY 5.

THE SINFUL USE OF FREE WILL BRINGS ON SORROW. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: I believe that the third living creature here is the man and that [this passage] shows the fall of men and for this reason his punishment because of his inclination toward sin by the power of free will. … We think that the “black horse” depicts the sorrow that comes upon those who have fallen away from faith in Christ on account of the abundance of torments. The “balance” is he who tests those who either by inconstancy of mind or by vainglory have fallen from the faith through weakness of the body. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.5-6.

FALSE BROTHERS. BEDE: This black horse is the troop of false brothers, who have the balance of right confession but harm their fellows through works of darkness. For, when it is said in the midst of the living creatures, “Do not harm,” it is clear that there is someone who is doing harm. And, concerning this running horse, the apostle says, “Outside there are wars, inside there are fears.” EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 6.5-6.

6:6 | I Heard a Voice

ALL HAVE BEEN REDEEMED BY ONE PRICE. TYCONIUS: He is speaking of the church in the figures of the wheat and barley. He speaks either of those who are great and who are least in the church or of those who are leaders and the people. However, one two-pound weight is no less than three two-pound weights, for the same perfection subsists both in the unity and in the trinity. Thus, the Lord said that the leaven was hidden in the three measures of meal, showing the teaching of wisdom that from something small the whole people are consecrated by the mystical number of the undivided Trinity. But this teaches also that there is one price for both the wheat and the barley, that is, that although one person may exceed another in merit, both have nevertheless been redeemed by one price. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.6.

A TIME WHEN THE GOSPEL IS NOT HEARD. OECUMENIUS: The word of teaching is figuratively called “seed” in the holy Scriptures. In Matthew it is written, “A sower went out to sow,” and his most devoted servants say to him, “Sir, did you not sow good seed in the field? Then why are there weeds?” From the seed comes the wheat, that is, the preaching of the gospel, which as a food fit for mature persons trains the minds to distinguish between good and evil. And what is the barley? It is the teaching according to the law of Moses, for barley is less expensive than wheat and when ripe it is food fit for cattle, and so represents that which nourished the child of Israel. Therefore, God speaks from the midst of the four living creatures: “A quart of wheat for a denarius and three quarts of barley for a denarius,” symbolizing through this that there would be a famine and a scarcity of evangelical teaching among the people at that time, a famine of both the teaching that comes from the Lord and from the law, as is written: “I will give to them not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord.” And if for the most part it is necessary that those who despise all teaching and conversion must suffer so and so, he says, “Do not harm the oil and the wine.” Leave them alone and do not bring any destruction upon them. There is still mercy from me for them, God says, since there is hope for them to be gladdened spiritually by the divine preaching of my only begotten. This is the wine which spiritually gladdens the hearts of humanity. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.5-8.

ALL RECEIVE A COMMON IMMORTALITY. PRIMASIUS: I think that the different numbers of one and three are mentioned on account of the diversity of personal habitations. In the one denarius is indicated eternal life that is common to all even though [they live] among many mansions. And if one is there regarded as more sublime than another according to merits or is given a greater reward, yet no one is thought to be preeminent in comparison with another. For where there is a single immortality to each, there a common eternity exists for all. So also in the wine and oil he prohibits the dishonoring of the power of the sacraments, since that is the chrismation and the precious blood. Therefore we read, “What does he have which is good and beautiful, unless it be the fruit of the elect and producing virgins as wine.” And in the psalm: “Wine gladdens the heart of man, and his face is made cheerful in oil.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.6, HOMILY 5.

WINE AND OIL. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: The wine is to be interpreted as the blood of Christ, and the oil as the unction of chrismation. EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.6.

LET US BE PHYSICIANS LIKE CHRIST. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: The phrase “a quart of wheat for a denarius” figuratively indicates those who have struggled lawfully and have carefully preserved the divine image given to them. The phrase “three quarts of barley for a denarius” speaks of those who like cattle have through cowardice bowed the neck to persecutors but have later repented and have washed their defiled image with tears. The command “do not harm wine and oil” indicates that the healing of Christ through repentance, which healed him who fell among the thieves, ought not be rejected, nor that those be allowed to be seized prematurely by death who through patience would be retrieved from defeat. Therefore, that we also might possess God as our beneficent physician for the suffering of our souls, let us be zealous to be such to our brothers who have fallen, bringing to them the wine of consolation mixed with the oil of compassion, “so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed,” as the apostle says. And so becoming fellow workers with God, we may eternally enjoy his blessings by the grace and good will of our Lord, Jesus Christ. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.5-6.

DO NOT OFFEND ONE WHO BEARS THE MARKS OF CHRIST. BEDE: Beware, he says, lest by an evil example you offend your brother for whom Christ died, for he bears the signs of the sacred blood and the chrism. For whether one has perfect merit or very little, all who have been instructed in the church in the faith of the holy Trinity have been redeemed by the same perfect price of the blood of the Lord. Nor without reason is the perfection of faith or works expressed by the measure of two quarts and not just one, since both at bottom consist of a twofold charity. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 6.5-6.