ACC ~ Revelation 6 v9 - 11

OVERVIEW:

The prophet sees under the altar the souls of the slain. This suggests that souls are corporeal yet visible only to the spiritual eye. Those reposing under the altar are martyrs who alone may enter paradise before the resurrection by the key of their own blood (TERTULLIAN). However, it may also be that John saw the righteous dead awaiting the resurrection of their bodies under the “altar” of the earth (VICTORINUS). The saints of the Old Covenant who suffered torment for the holy word cry out in protest against the floggings that they see Christ enduring (OECUMENIUS). The saints and the martyrs of the church now offer praise (BEDE) and rejoice as they repose in the bosom of Abraham and see in the spirit what they await in hope (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). They also pray for the destruction of the demons who destroy people (OECUMENIUS) and for the end of the kingdom of sin and the resurrection of their bodies (PRIMASIUS, BEDE). They do not plead for their vindication from a motive of revenge (PRIMASIUS, CASSIODORUS, BEDE) but for the consummation of the world (ANDREW OF CAESAREA) and that the kingdom of God might come (PRIMASIUS, BEDE), for which all Christians pray (TERTULLIAN). Now the souls of the saints await the vindication of their bodies as they enjoy the bliss and the inexpressible joy of heaven (PRIMASIUS, BEDE) and the consolation of the Holy Spirit (VICTORINUS). As they wait, the saints learn that God is patient and postpones the time of retribution and revenge (FULGENTIUS OF RUSPE) so that those who possess the courage of martyrdom might obtain their deserved crowns (OECUMENIUS) and so that the full number of the elect might be made complete (PRIMASIUS). No one, not even the martyrs, may hasten the time of the remission of sins and the judgment of God (CYPRIAN).

6:9 | The Lamb Opened the Fifth Seal

ONLY MARTYRS ARE IN PARADISE UNTIL THE RESURRECTION. TERTULLIAN: How is it that the region of paradise, which was revealed in the spirit through John as being “under the altar,” contains no other souls but those of the martyrs? How is it that Perpetua, that bravest martyr of Christ, on the day of her death saw only the souls of the martyrs in paradise, unless it be that the sword that guarded the entrance allowed none to pass save those that had died in Christ and not in Adam? Those who die this new death for God, and violently as Christ did, are welcomed into a special abode. Here, then, is the difference between pagan and Christian in death: If you lay down your life for God as the Paraclete recommends, then it will not be of some gentle fever in a soft bed but in the torture of martyrdom. You must take up your cross and follow him, according to the precept of Christ. The only key that unlocks the gates of paradise is your own blood. ON THE SOUL 55:4-5.

THE SOUL IS CORPOREAL, ALTHOUGH INVISIBLE TO THE EYE OF FLESH. TERTULLIAN: The fact that the soul is invisible flows from the nature of its corporeal substance and is determined by its own nature. Besides, of its very nature it is destined to be invisible to certain things. … And so, an object may be invisible to one being and quite clearly seen by another without any prejudice to the corporeality of the object itself that is seen by one and not by the other. The sun is a bodily substance, being made of fire. The eagle gazes at it steadily, but it is invisible to the owl, but the owl does not deny the object seen by the eagle. In such fashion, the bodily substance of the soul may generally be invisible to the eye of flesh, but it is clearly perceived by the spirit. Thus John “in the spirit” saw “the souls of them that were slain for the word of God.” ON THE SOUL 8.4-5.

THE SAINTS REPOSE UNDER THE EARTH. VICTORINUS OF PETOVIUM: “And he saw the souls of the slain under the altar,” that is, under the earth. For both the heaven and the earth are called “altar.” And so, the law, prefiguring by way of images the face of the truth, presented two altars, one that is gold within and one that is bronze without. And we understand that this altar is called “heaven,” since this testimony was given to us by our Lord. For he said, “When you offer your gift on the altar”—to be sure, our gifts are the prayers that we ought to offer—“and there should remember that your brother has anything against you, leave there your gift,” and most certainly prayers ascend to heaven. And so, heaven is understood to be that altar that was gold within—for even the priest, who had the command of Christ, entered into the temple to the golden altar once a year. The Holy Spirit was signifying that [Christ] was going to do this, that is, that he would suffer once for all. And parallel to this, the bronze altar is to be understood as the earth, under which exists hades, a region removed from pains and fire, a place for the repose of the saints, in which to be sure the just are seen and heard by the impious, but these cannot go across to those. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.4.

THE SAINTS OF THE OLD COVENANT PROTEST THE BEATINGS OF THEIR MASTER. OECUMENIUS: The fifth work of salvation that the Lord gave to the human race and that loosed the fifth seal of the Lord and offered to us freedom from sin and friendship with God was the chains and beatings to which the Lord was subjected before he was brought to Pilate and also those that he suffered from Pilate himself because of his timidity. Isaiah spoke of these beatings, when the Lord was asked by the divine angels, “What are these wounds between your hands?” and he said, “Those which I received in my beloved house.” For these wounds have healed our wounds that we suffered when we were going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves who beat and wounded us and left us half dead, as the story in Luke says. But he loosed our chains, namely, the bonds of sin that were holding us tightly. For the prophet says, “The cords of the wicked ensnare me.” Therefore, while he was working evil, the devil was ignorant concerning him, and through his drunken violence against the Lord thrust a sword into himself and fell from that rule that he had wickedly established. However, when [the fifth seal was opened], the saints who had given witness in the old covenant remained silent. They could recall nothing like this treatment ever having happened to them, and they had not yet seen any such thing done against Christ. For although within the lawless Sanhedrin he had been spit upon, slapped and beaten, this had occurred in secrecy and only upon the testimony of servants and others summoned to the trial. But when they saw the Lord bound and whipped publicly by Pilate before the crowd of the Jews, they altogether rose up, and regarding that which was happening against their Master as intolerable, remembered also what had happened to them. For it says, “I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the church which they had.” I saw, it says, the souls of the martyrs that had the most exalted place, for they were under the heavenly altar. Then he remarks about these martyrs, namely, that they had been slain for the holy word of the old covenant and for the church or synagogue that they had. For the martyrs die not only for themselves, but they effect a common benefit. Their courage becomes an exhortation to others, and by the blood of the saints the knowledge of God is built up. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.9-11.

THE OFFERING OF PRAISE. BEDE: Having said that the church was afflicted in many ways in the present age, he also speaks of the glory of the souls after the punishment of their bodies. “I saw them,” he says, “under the altar,” that is, in the secret place of eternal praise. For the altar that is of gold and is placed within and is near the altar of the Lord’s body does not present, as does the altar without, flesh and blood to the Lord, but only the incense of praise. And those who now present their bodies as a living sacrifice, then, when the chains of the body have been broken, sacrifice to him the offering of praise. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 6.9.

6:10 | “O Lord, How Long?”

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.

6:11 | They Were Told to Rest

TO GRANT REMISSION OF SINS HASTILY IS TO PROVOKE THE WRATH OF GOD. CYPRIAN: But if anyone with precipitate haste rashly thinks that he can grant remission of sins to all or dares to rescind the precepts of the Lord, not only is this of no advantage to the lapsed but it is even a hindrance. Not to have observed the judgment of the Lord, and to think that his mercy is not first to be implored, but after condemning the Lord to presume on one’s own power, is to have provoked his wrath. Under the altar of God the souls of the slain martyrs cry out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord holy and true, do you refrain from judging and from avenging our blood on those who dwell on earth?” And they are ordered to be quiet and to continue to have patience. Does someone think that anyone can wish to become good by remitting and pardoning sins at random or that he can defend others before he himself is vindicated? The martyrs order something to be done. If just, if lawful, if not contrary to the Lord himself, they are to be done by the priest of God. Let the agreement be ready and easy on the part of the one obeying, if there has been religious moderation on the part of him asking. The martyrs order something to be done. If what they order is not written in the law of the Lord, we must first know, that they have obtained from the Lord what they ask, then do what they order. For what has been assured by man’s promise cannot be seen at once to have been granted by the divine majesty. THE LAPSED 18.

THE SAINTS RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT. VICTORINUS OF PETOVIUM: He who sees all things willed that we know that these, that is, the souls of the slain, await the vindication of their blood, that is, of their body, from those who dwell upon the earth. However, since at the end of time the eternal reward of the saints and the condemnation of the impious will come, they are told to wait. And for a consolation of their body they received, it says, white robes, that is, the gift of the Holy Spirit. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.4.

THE COURAGE OF MARTYRDOM, THE MARTYR CROWN. OECUMENIUS: And having said these things, they first receive white robes. This image signifies that they have been cleansed by their own blood and have put off every filth. Then they hear that they ought “rest a little longer, until their fellow servants and their brothers should be completed, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” For it would not be just were those who were similar to them in courage be deprived of their martyr crowns because the demons who were struggling against them had been destroyed prematurely. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.9-11.

THE MARTYRS AWAIT THE COMPLETION OF THE SAINTS. PRIMASIUS: We believe that this was revealed to them by the knowledge of divine wisdom, that since the impious will inevitably be punished with eternal punishment and since the fountain of heavenly grace will flow forth unto the end of the world, many will until then be taken into the company of the holy martyrs. And when they received this response, they were filled with an inexpressible joy, which we believe is aptly symbolized by the white robes. Therefore, each one received a white robe, so that through the perfection of love that is poured out into the hearts of believers through the Holy Spirit, they might be content with this consolation and prefer rather to wait for the completion of the number of other brothers. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.11.

THE TIME FOR VENGEANCE IS PUT OFF BY THE DIVINE PATIENCE. FULGENTIUS OF RUSPE: The Word of God shows that when the time of vengeance comes, conversion will not then help the evil person evade punishment but avenging wrath will destroy him with due damnation. For that will be a time not of remission but of retribution, not of forgiveness but of revenge. This is put off by the divine patience so that the number of the saints can be filled up. The blessed John in the Apocalypse recalls that it is the saints who asked for this vengeance in these words, “How long will it be, holy and true master, before you sit in judgment and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” And to teach those who are joined to this company that the time for vengeance is being put off by the highest ordinance, he adds right away. “Each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to be patient a little while longer until the number was filled of their fellow servants and brothers.” ON THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS 2.5.2-3.

THE SAINTS PRAY IN HOPE. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: In this passage the saints are shown praying for the consummation of the world. Therefore, they are told to have patience until the completion of the brothers, so that “apart from them they would not be made perfect,” as the apostle says. The white robes reveal the brightness that appears on them because of their virtues, in which they are clothed, although they “had not yet received the promises.” And so, putting away every dullness, in the hope for these things, which they see in the spirit, they rightly rejoice, resting in the bosom of Abraham. For to many of the saints it is said that each receives a place worthy of the doer of virtue through which they are judged of their future glory. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6.11.

THE SOULS OF THE ELECT. BEDE: The spirits of the elect who dwell in that heavenly city can be understood as asking in the name of the Savior on their own behalf too, since they clearly desire the coming of the period of universal judgment and the resurrection of their bodies, in which they have striven for the Lord’s sake. … Each soul now has a white robe, when each enjoys his bliss alone. They will then receive two, when the number of their brothers has been filled at the end, and they are gladdened by receiving their own immortal bodies. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 2.12.