Apringius of Beja — on Rev 5:6 (TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 5:6)

“Here he showed even more clearly our Lord, Jesus Christ, whom he declares was not dead but was as though slain because of the suffering and the death which he had undergone. He says that he had seen this [Lamb] in the midst of the throne, that is, in power and in divine majesty. "And among the four living creatures." This is because he is known in the fourfold order of the gospels. "And among the elders." By this he indicates the chorus of the law and the prophets, or of the apostles. He testifies that he saw the Lamb there, not slain but as if slain, that is, even he who had conquered death and had trampled upon the passion. "And he had seven horns and seven eyes." The horns symbolize power and strength. The number seven represents the condition of the world which he rules effectively and which he governs with great power. Moreover, he calls the seven eyes the seven spirits of God, and in this way speaks of the Holy Spirit who remains with our Lord, Jesus Christ, gloriously by the degrees of the seven virtues. Concerning him the apostle says: "We know that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself." And again: "The Spirit of him who raised Christ from the dead will also vivify our mortal bodies on account of his Spirit who dwells in you." Since "their sound has gone out into the whole world," he speaks of the Spirit as "those sent," calling to mind the gifts of the Holy Spirit which have been abundantly spread throughout the entire earth.”