ACC ~ Revelation 7 v8

A HOLY NUMBER. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: “From the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand.” Zebulun is interpreted “abode of power” or “fragrance,” through which are indicated those who by the indwelling of Christ have been made firm against sufferings and have become his sweet smell, as Paul says. “From the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand.” Joseph is interpreted “addition,”that is, those who in addition to the kingdom of heaven receive those things necessary for eternal life, as the Lord says. “From the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand.” Benjamin means “son of sorrow” or “son of day” or “son of my right hand” and refers to those with sorrow in their heart. This refers either to those believers from the Jews who fled the siege of the Romans and equaled this number, or, what is rather more likely, to those from the Jews who are saved at the consummation when, as the apostle puts it, after “the full number of the Gentiles come in, all Israel will be saved.”Either interpretation is acceptable. The exact equality of each tribe seems to me to show the utter fruitfulness of the apostolic seed, since twelve multiplied by twelve and multiplied by the perfect number of a thousand yields the thousands here indicated. For these were the disciples of that seed that out of love for humankind fell upon the earth and brought forth the various fruit of universal salvation. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 7.8.

THE BODY WILL BECOME INVINCIBLE. BEDE: However, God works and perfects these things in the “habitation of strength,” which is the meaning of Zebulun, since “strength is made perfect in weakness.” And this God does so that the body, which is regarded as weak by its enemies and through which they strive to wreak destruction upon the soul, might be found, with God’s assistance and by the happy addition which will come to it, to be invincible. And this is indicated by the name Joseph, which means the “gifts of grace to be added.” By this we must understand either the increase of the spiritual gift from the double return of the talents, or you should think of those offerings which are rendered to God the Redeemer by the devotion of the faithful. And that you might understand that all these, who by sequence and the interpretation of names are placed here in a meaningful way, are those who will in the future judgment be at the right hand of Christ, the eternal king. Benjamin, as we said before, is mentioned in last place. For Benjamin means “son of the right hand,” because he is at the end of the series. For, when the last enemy, namely, death, is destroyed, the felicity of the eternal inheritance will be given to the elect, either each one of the faithful rightfully being named “son of the right hand,” or the whole congregation of the church, concerning which we sing, “A queen stood at your right hand dressed in various golden robes.” EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 7.8.