ACC ~ Revelation 9 v20 - 21

THE PRESENT LIFE IS FOR REPENTANCE. OECUMENIUS: The prophet had described for us the fate of those being punished in hades, saying to God, “In death there is no one who remembers you; in hades who will confess you?”He thus indicates that they are deprived of both joy with God and repentance. For spiritual joy comes from the remembrance of God—for somewhere else he says, “I remembered God and was made glad”—and through confession there is repentance. Confession is the declaration of faults out of sorrow and a conversion that comes from contrition in the soul. Indeed, God has set before us two kinds of life, the present one and the future one. In the present one we are to live according to prudent judgment and authority, while in the future life there are rewards for how one has lived. The present life is not one of judgment, unless someone should perhaps be beneficially reminded and urged toward repentance. Nor is the future life one of works and habits, so that indeed we may be changed from a life filled with accusations into something better. This being the case, how is it then that this verse says of those being punished there, “and the rest of humankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands?” He did not say this for those who did not repent in the life there but for those who are still living and have not repented from such and such evil deeds out of obedience or from the sight of that which will occur then. And by this present plague they will not die the spiritual death—calling punishment “death”—since they endure forever with the wicked, unless they will be punished in another, harsher manner, which he attempted to explain but wisely kept secret. May it be that all of us remain free from such things by the grace and goodness of our Lord, Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit forever. Amen. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9.20-21.

UNIVERSAL WRATH. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: The rest of humankind, who were spared and did not suffer these things, yet remained unrepentant. They will suffer these same things, since they did not keep themselves from idolatries and murders and fornications and thefts and works of magic. It is clear that the universal wrath comes from such things as these. These various deceits effect a frenzy in those nations that do not acknowledge the truth and that worship idols and the creature rather than the creator. And this is certainly so among those who confess to know God but deny him by their works and who wrap themselves up in the form of piety but deny the power of it. … May it be that we display the purity and authenticity of our faith in Christ by deeds so that we never hear those terrible words, “Truly, truly I say to you, I do not know you.” “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.”Rather, may we hear this blessed invitation, “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9.20-21.

PAGANS WILL DIE IN THEIR UNBELIEF. BEDE: Since he had described the false Christians and the heretics, now that he might fully describe the whole body of the devil, he mentions also the error of the pagans. For it in no way profited them not to be killed by these plagues, since it is clear that they continue in their pagan wickedness. Nor in that persecution will the pagans be coerced to consent by those things mentioned above, but rather they will die in their unbelief. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 9.20.