Ticonius

“"Who conquers, I will grant to eat from the tree of life," that is, from the fruit of the cross, "which is in the paradise of my God." The church is to be regarded as paradise, for "all things were done in figure," and Adam was "the shadow of the one to come," as the apostle teaches. Indeed, the tree of life is the wisdom of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who hung on the cross. In the church and in the spiritual paradise, he gives to the faithful food of life and the sacrament of the celestial bread, of which you read, "Wisdom is the tree of life to those who embrace her."”

“He speaks to every church that is poor in spirit yet possesses all things, as the apostle says, "as having nothing, and yet possessing everything." "And you are slandered by those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." Here certainly it is shown that he was not speaking only to a special church, for it was not only at Smyrna where there were or are Jews who slander. However, it is possible that there is a double meaning of "Jews" here, either those who are openly Jews outside or those who are Jews within [the church], that is, false Christians. For religiosity is characteristic of the Jews, as the apostle says, "He is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, spiritual and not literal." And again he says, "We are the circumcision who worship God in spirit, and put no confidence in the flesh." Nor ought we ourselves to abandon those [in the church] when they are even called a synagogue of Satan. For we know that the Lord has presented us with an example of longsuffering by tolerating Judas even unto the end.”

“"I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is." This he says to every church, since the tempter is everywhere, and to him it is said, "She shall watch your head, and you shall watch for her heel." "For the world is placed in evil." Those persons are the throne of Satan whom he owns in wickedness. The Evangelist reverts to the species, for although the entire sevenfold church is symbolized by these seven locales, nonetheless certain things have occurred in them specifically which he either praises or rebukes.”

“"But I have a few things against you." To be sure, he speaks against some members who must be blamed, but not against those to whom he says, "But you did not deny my faith. You have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat food sacrificed to idols and to practice immorality." To eat and to commit fornication are the two principle forms [of sin] that the hypocrites struggle to enjoy, as the Lord says, "Inside you are full of plunder and incontinence and every iniquity." Idolatry is spiritual fornication. "You have lost," it says, "all who go whoring from you."”

“"To him who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna." This manna is the invisible Bread which came down from heaven, which indeed was made man, so that "man might eat the bread of angels." And the figure of this was indicated beforehand in the manna given in the desert. Whoever ate of that bread were said by the Lord to have died, because remaining faithless, they did not eat of this hidden and uniquely spiritual manna by which [Christ] offers immortality to the faithful. For he said, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you will not have eternal life in you." For, indeed, whoever at that time was able to eat spiritually, they were worthy to obtain the same immortality, as were Moses and others. As the apostle teaches, "They ate the same spiritual food." For the visible manna was in no way detrimental to those who used the bodily food in a spiritual manner. So also now, the spiritual manna of the Lord's body does not profit persons in the present if they receive it unworthily, for "they eat and drink judgment upon themselves."”

“How is it that before God hands over adulterers to death the churches do not know that God is he who searches mind and heart? How is it that the church is said to know at the end of things and not at the beginning of her faith that God knows all secrets? When he said, "all the churches will know," he was not saying that the church would know only after the event but that the church knows from faith. For the words "I will kill" do not refer to that death that is visible but to spiritual death. Just as his revenge on the mother specifically would become visible, so he here promises that among all the churches it would become clear that the children of the woman, that is, those born of the same spirit, were subject to spiritual death, although they were not [visibly] delivered over to it. David also made this distinction between the particular and the general when he fought Goliath. He said, "I will kill you and all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel." … Then he adds the particular when he says, "And all this assembly will know that the Lord saves his people not with sword and spear." He said "all this assembly" because there were persons there who doubted that David could prevail against Goliath. To be sure, there were also spiritual persons who believed that he would defeat [Goliath] in the name of God. Those among whom this event occurred in their presence saw with their own eyes, not by faith. However, through faith we see God at work today, not as they did but in a marvelous way. And so, as with Goliath we see the children of Jezebel, who do not want to be subject to the truth, punished with death. We recognize from the phraseology [of the text] itself that in her children the Lord signifies the woman's posterity. For he threatened the mother with a temporal punishment that he might hand her over to eternal sorrows. However, he did not say, "I kill the children with the sword" but "I will slay them with death."”

“To be sure, the Lord speaks to those who kept their minds from the doctrines of the devil, lest they turn from the dogma of the truth of the church. For they were taught that they should follow no man but rather the truth of the faith, for the Lord said to those who had left the faith, "I never knew you, you evildoers." For just as those who do iniquity do not know God, although they speak of him, so also God does not acknowledge the workers of iniquity, although he knows them all. In this way, the righteous do not know the teaching of Satan, although they might hear it and feel the attraction of his temptations. And so it can happen that the righteous do not hear evil things from which they abstain by righteous living, since it is written, "There must be heresies so that those who are genuine among you may be recognized." And again, "Should they say to you, Lo, Christ is in the inner rooms, do not believe it."”

“It is appropriate that we understand the morning star to represent both Christ and the first resurrection, because his appearance scatters the darkness of error and the worldly shadows of the night are put to flight by the approaching resurrection. For, as this star brings an end to the night, so also does it mark the beginning of the day.”

“"Who has the key of David," that is, royal authority. He says "the key of David" either because Christ was born from his family or because David himself foretold many things concerning Christ. Through the dispensation of Christ, as though by a key, the secrets of the law and of the prophets and of the psalms were made manifest. Christ himself attests to this when he says, "Everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled."”

“The door, which Christ opened, he then began to reveal to the church when he opened the mind of his disciples so that they might understand the Scriptures. This door is never shut, by the power or the effort of anyone, which is already opened to those who preach to the whole world. For this reason the apostle says, "A wide door has opened for us in the Lord, and there are many adversaries."”

“"Behold, those from the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie: behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and learn that I have loved you." At that time he promised to the universal church that there will be "one flock and one Shepherd." We should note that it was not only in Philadelphia that there were believers from the synagogue of the Jews, as we find recorded in the Acts of the Apostles.… He said to the second angel, "You have the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not." Nevertheless, he did not promise that there would be some who would come from them, that is, [fall] at the feet of the body of Christ. We believe that this will happen everywhere, since God will command his church to be gathered from the whole world. Therefore, to the sixth angel, that is the one before the last, he promised what he had indicated to the others without any promise. And so he foretells to the sixth angel what will happen before the final end, that the unbelieving will come as suppliants to the church of God.”

“Although the church is constantly put to the test by both internal and external conflict, and either individuals partially or the whole generally are attacked by various temptations, yet the hour of temptation may also refer to the time of the antichrist who will come in the future. From this hour Christ the Lord promises that he will free every church that remains firm in his [commandments], so that the temptation to ruin might be recognized to be a deception.”

“"And he shall never go out of it." The nations went out from God, and they gave to idols that worship which they owed to God alone. But "all the families of the nations will remember and turn to the Lord and shall worship before him." This refers to those whom he foretold would come "from the synagogue of Satan." For having broken the bond of charity, the schismatics have gone out of the house of God. They are those who have separated themselves from the body of the whole church which is throughout the world and who vainly glory in themselves and firmly believe that they are the whole church, even though they themselves are not everywhere. For when he says that "he shall never go out of it," he shows that at the end of time there will be a struggle. For it will happen that after unity there will be a final struggle in which there will be another separation. And wherever anyone will have been freed, he shall certainly not go out, and he shall remain in the house, not as a slave but as a son. And therefore God allowed those who were saved from the flood in the ark to go out, because until that time there was still time for returning from one's sins. However, at the end of time it will not be allowed one any longer to come out, for whoever at that time will go out, will have not occasion for repentance.”

“"And I will write on him the name of my God." That is, we are signed with the name of Christian. "And the name of the city of the new Jerusalem which comes down from my God out of heaven." The name of the church that daily comes down from God out of heaven, that is, from the church that is reborn by the Lord. He speaks of it as new because of the newness of the Son of man who is the new Jerusalem.… "Indeed, the name which is above every name." However, this name is not new because it refers to the Son of God, who existed before the world and possessed this glory with the Father. Rather, this name is new in regard to the Son of man who died and on the third day rose again and, ascending to the heavens, sits at the right hand of the Father. For it is the Son of man who said "my new name," whom [John] saw "in the midst of the seven lampstands." This Son of man is God "at whose name every knee bows, in heaven and on earth and under the earth."”

“[In the image of the Son] sitting with [the Father], he shows that the Son participates in the power of the Father. For what else does it mean that he is seated on the throne of the Father than that he is of one and the same substance? And just as he conquered the devil and sat at the right hand of the Father, so also he who conquers will sit with him. For God the Son is powerful, who in the Father is everywhere and by his own power fills the heaven and the earth.”

“"Afterwards," John said, "I saw." After seeing the vision, he remembered that he had seen another. The interval in time belongs not to the events but to the visions. If one were to describe a single event in different ways, it would be the descriptions that differ in time, not what took place at one time. In this way, he retraces the whole span of the church using various figures to describe it. "Behold," he says, "an open door in heaven." The open door represents Christ, who was born, suffered and was raised. Christ is the gateway, as he himself said, "I am the door." Heaven represents the church because it is the habitation of God where the celestial realities are effected. This is why we pray that the will of God be done on earth even as it is in heaven. Sometimes, however, the church is represented by both heaven and earth, since the earth comes into agreement with heaven, either when the unfaithful are won by the righteous proclamation of the faithful, or when the flesh is subdued by the Spirit, or when the things of the earth are reconciled and united to the things of heaven.”

“The elders represent the whole church, as we learn through Isaiah, "The Lord has reigned in Zion and in Jerusalem, and he will be glorified in the presence of his elders." However, the twenty-four includes at the same time both leaders and people, as though duplicating the twelve tribes of Israel on account of the two Testaments. For the very same church is established in both the old and in the new, since he shows the church in the twelve apostles, namely, the entire body of leaders. And so we discover Jerusalem in the description of the city descending from heaven. The twenty-four thrones, considered by way of a distribution of offices, are twelve, since also the leaders of the twelve tribes will be advanced. And the twelve thrones, considered by way of a mystical number, is one throne, where from comes the church. For the Lord Christ is alone the one who will sit in judgment. However, the church also will sit and does sit judging the twelve tribes, but she will do this in Christ in whom is the whole [church]. Therefore, the members will sit and judge, but in one head and through one head.”

“In the animals the twenty-four elders are indicated, for six wings in four animals amount to twenty-four wings, and moreover he saw the animals around the throne, which is where he said that he had seen the elders. But how could an animal with six wings be like an eagle with two wings unless the four animals were one with twenty-four wings? And in this we recognize the twenty-four elders who are the church, which he likens to an eagle with two wings, that is, the two Testaments, upon which it is borne above, lest it be hindered by earthly affections.”

“We also know of another translation: "Because you have created all things, and they exist and are created on account of your will." Indeed, all things existed in the artful wisdom [of God] before they were formed in the act of creation. However, they were created in order that those things might exist also visibly which in their natures are according to the ideas written in the wisdom of God.”

“In this one elder we recognize the whole body of the prophets, for their prophecies consoled the church as they foretold that Christ would come from the tribe of Judah and would redeem the world by his own blood. Of him it was foretold: "Judah is a lion's whelp. For prey, my son, you have gone up. You lie in wait as a lion and as a lioness. Who will rouse him up?" Moreover, the same one is taught to be a lamb as well as a lion, for he assumed death with a devout innocence, even as he killed with power the death he had assumed. To death he had long ago truly issued threats, saying through Hosea, "I will be your death, O death, I will be your sting, O hades." And through Isaiah, "Behold, the root of Jesse will rise for the salvation of the people. The nations will entreat him, and his sepulcher will be glorious." For when anyone of the faithful individually and earnestly weeps for his or her own sins and recalls the promises of redemption "through the consolation of the Scriptures," [that person] will recognize that he or she has the hope of eternal salvation. As I say, by one of the elders this is confirmed with a similar response. For this reason, he mentions what is past while he is also promising the future, because in the things of the past the Spirit shows future things by way of subtle hints.”

“The throne, the animals, the elders are all the church. For the church is in the midst, and he continues to describe the scene and says, "A lamb standing as though slain." For as often as Christ is preached in the midst of the church as slain, so often is the same Lamb seen as though sacrificed for the fault of the world, since what is unknown is made known to the uninitiated and the memory of the faithful is formed by a pious worship. For whenever the church, which Christ has put on, mortifies herself to the world that she might live to God, the Lamb is said to be sacrificed, as though the Head for the body. And so it continues: "Having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth." The variety of words teaches but one understanding, for the horns symbolize the most excellent gifts of the Holy Spirit by which Christ reigns throughout the world in his church. It continues, "which are the seven spirits of God." For no one governs with a righteous prominence throughout the world or is especially glorified by the gift of the Holy Spirit spread abroad, except the church. As we know, seven signifies universality and completeness. And this is true, because the horns are upon the head, and so the exaltation of each church is rightly said to be placed upon Christ. For "upon this Rock I shall build my church," which is as though he said, "I shall build you upon me."”

“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.”

“There are two parts in the world, that which belongs to God and that of the devil. That which belongs to the devil is further divided into three parts, which are both within and outside [the church]. These are the Gentiles, false brothers and those separated by open error or schism. And these three parts are those that war against the one. This one is said to consist of three fourths, either because it believes in the threefold unity or because it is distinguished into orders by the goodly variation of three vocations, that of the virgins, of the widows and of the married. He says that now power is given in these three fourths. He speaks of the church which is one, and because the threefold vocation relates to one head, it consists from the three fourths in the stability of a square. As it says, "built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone." He foretells that the church will be placed into stress by the attacks of evil people, from the Gentiles, from false brothers and by heretical depravity. And this is also to be recognized in the number of the messengers, that the very same good would oppose three evil enemies—the red horse with the sword, the second, black horse with the balance, and the third, pale horse with the sign of death, for the sword signifies war, the black horse famine and the pale horse death. And since he mentions the plagues one by one, he foretells all the future outbreaks of plagues by enumerating them in or through the third, the names of the beasts being added. We may remain undecided whether the speech is literal or figurative. For a visible sword is commonly used against the body, while a spiritual sword is used against the soul. Similarly concerning famine, it can mean here either a famine of the Word of God or a famine that affects the body. And likewise concerning death, it can here mean either eternal death that affects souls or that temporal death that concerns bodies. Nonetheless, it is clear that the fourth good part, which is opposed by the three evils, is made to struggle in time by all of these visible persecutions. For those who are called according to the purpose of the will of God shall remain in the perfect number of the elect, especially those whom he wills to be preserved by the inviolate sacraments of the wine and oil. For when he said, "Do not harm the wine and oil," he was indicating the price of redemption in the wine and the anointing of baptism in the oil. Indeed, the Lord clearly said in the Gospel, "Father, those whom you have given to me, I have guarded, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition."”

“In the sixth seal we recognize the sixth age of the world. Toward the conclusion of this age the last persecution will come, and it says that the vehement shock of this persecution will shake the whole world like an earthquake. The sun and the moon are Christ and the church. The sun is said to become black, because many will be terrified at the last persecution and will deny them. It says, "Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, for the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that the brightness of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine." And therefore it says, "so that even the elect, if possible, are led into error." In this manner is the sun said to become black, when the power of Christ is hidden, or doctrine is obscured for a time, or defense is delayed when the impious are allowed to attack the saints. And therefore the prophet says, "Shall you leave this unnoticed, that the impious swallows the righteous?" And indeed of Christ himself we read, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and resurrection of many, and for a sign that is spoken against." In him some make progress; others, turning away from him, incur ruin. "The moon turned to blood." It is usually foretold that the church will shed more blood for Christ when the great outbreak of persecutions occurs. Therefore, this speaks of her own blood, not the blood of another as was the case with the red horse, which was described as red with another's blood.”

“The stars signify those in the church who for a time seem, according to human opinion, to stand out from the number of the elect, but who, when the fury of a sharp persecution comes near, are said to fall from their high status as though from heaven. The Lord foretold this in the Gospel, saying, "For then there will be tribulation such as has never been or shall be. And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened." The tree represents the church, and the sour fruit, which another translation calls "unripened," represents people. The winds are the turbulent turmoil of persecution by which people are shaken and fall from the church. And it is proper that they are compared with the unripened fruit of the fig tree. For they are either unfaithful and, "twisted like a deceitful bow," prefer this to the faith that they have abandoned, or because of the immaturity of the time the church suffers in them a tearful miscarriage, although it had sought for a happy birth at their conception.”

“Rightly does he suggest that the heaven, that is, the church, withdrew like a scroll rolled out rather than as a scroll rolled up. For whatever is rolled up cannot ever be known by anyone, while that which is rolled out is uncovered ever more. And so when these things have been made manifest, [the church] withdraws and prudently avoids persecution, so that concealed from those outside she might not be seen. But through the unity of the Spirit she is wholly known to herself—that is, to her own to whom it is given to believe. And [the church] is cautious towards those who are not known and toward the stranger, and she hides herself through a spirit of discretion, lest becoming known she be betrayed. Therefore, John wrote, "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God."”

“The church is also symbolized in the mountains and in the islands, for she is a "city set on a hill" on account of "the mountains round about." And we read, "also among the islands of the sea [is] the name of the Lord God of Israel" which foretells that impelled by persecution she will be moved from her place. This is to be applied to both parts [of the church], among the good she is cautious and is moved by flight, among the evil she is moved by a perverse will and is turned into something worse, as it is said, "I shall move your candlestick from its place."”

“They will not hunger because they are fed by the living Bread. He said, "I am the living Bread who comes came down from heaven." Nor will they thirst, for they will drink from a cup so excellent that it will be for them what the Truth said, "Whoever believes in me shall never thirst," and again, "Whoever drinks from the water that I shall give him, it will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." Nor will the sun strike them, nor will they be burned by the deadly heat of its fire. God promised something similar to his church through Isaiah, "A shelter from the storm, shade from the heat." He proclaims that the strength of his sacraments will be strong in those who belong to him and that they will not be vexed by the heat of temptation.”

“Earlier he had said that the Lamb seated on the throne received the book. Now he says that the Lamb in the midst of the throne rules them. In this way he teaches that there is one throne for the Father and the Son, since the Father is in the Son, and the Son in the Father, that is, in the midst of the church, in which the one God, the entire Trinity, dwells through faith.”

“All of these things will happen to us spiritually when sins have been forgiven and we rise to life, that is, when the "old man has been stripped off and we have put on Christ" and are filled "with the joy of the Holy Spirit." For this is the life that the Lord promised to his church when he said, "Behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and my people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem, and be glad in my people; no more will be heard in it the sound of weeping or the cry of distress."”

“In the seven angels we shall recognize again the church according to that rule that indicates that universality is often to be acknowledged in the number seven. [The church] is said to have received a most powerful trumpet of proclamation by which she is strong and by which, we believe, every age comes to faith. For we read, "Life up your voice like a trumpet."”

“The seven angels received trumpets, and another [angel], it says, came. One might think that this one came after the seven angels, although he saw all of this at one time. As the angel was coming, those seven received their trumpets, that is, when Christ the Lord was coming, his church received the power to preach. And we understand that he himself came over the altar, that is, over the church, which is wholly assumed as the body of the same priesthood and to whom Peter said, "[You are] a holy nation, a chosen race, a royal priesthood." He had a golden censer, which is his immaculate body that was conceived by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit and that he offered as an oblation and sweet-smelling sacrifice to God for the redemption of the world and through which he cleansed the conscience of all from dead works. He is also said to have received the prayers of the saints and to have offered them, for through him the prayers of all are able to come to God in an agreeable manner.”

“The Lord received his body, that is, the church, and filled her with fire from the altar to accomplish the Father's will. This is to say that he filled [the church] with the power of loosing and of binding, which consists in sacrifices and the propitiation of God. Therefore, it is also said, "Who makes the winds his messengers and burning fire his ministers." For in them the church received all power in heaven and on earth, while she perfected the sacrifice of God, first of all the Lord offering up himself and the saints presenting their own bodies as a living and holy sacrifice. And he cast it upon the earth, for through the preaching of the church knowledge of the future judgment comes to the world, as Zechariah says, "I will place the officers of Judah as a flaming fire." … "And there were thunders and voices and lightning and earthquakes." All of these things are spiritual and have to do with the church. The voices are of those who reproach and who threaten, the "broods of vipers" and following. Or, [the voices say], "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." The thunder is the proclamation of the Christian faith; the lightning represents the virtues of those have have been made whole; the earthquakes are persecutions that are foretold to come and that are suffered at various times.”

“A third of the earth and the trees and all the grass is said to be burned up. The "earth" represents everything terrestrial, while persons who wave about through unfaithfulness are depicted as "trees." For those blown about by "every wind of doctrine" are mentioned by the apostle Jude, "fruitless trees in late autumn, uprooted, twice dead." The green grass represents flesh fattened with luxury, for "all flesh is grass." Although in an earlier passage three fourths were set against one, that is, the church, this passage confines those opposed to the church to two thirds. One third consists of the false brothers who are mixed in among the good within the church, and another third that is separated by the error of the Gentiles or by heretical depravity or by open schism. And so the church (namely, the one third) must struggle against a double evil, as though it were simplicity resisting duplicity. It is as we read in the Gospel that a king with ten thousand went out to war against twenty thousand. And God did make a promise concerning this through Zechariah, saying, "In the whole land, says the Lord, two thirds shall be dispersed and perish, and one third shall remain in it; and I shall lead the third part through fire, and I shall refine them as one refines silver, and I shall test them as gold is tested. It shall call my name, and I will answer them and say, 'You are my people,' and they will say, 'The Lord is my God.' "”

“The "trees" and the "earth" represent people who are the internal enemies of the church and whom [God] shall punish by a future judgment to everlasting punishment. The "grass" represents the flesh, which is fattened through the vices of sins and whose strength and beauty have dried through the heat of the sun. To be sure, the third part which it said was destroyed by being burned up refers to the heretics. For anyone who is found outside of the true church shall be condemned to perpetual torments, along with the devil, who is the author of such division. And so through Zechariah the Lord promised to strike the false shepherds and to free his sheep from their difficulties and to separate the third part, which he says is like the nations and "Sodom," from the midst of his sheep, that is, from the midst of the pious. "Awake, O sword," it says, "against the shepherds and those who are next to me, says the Lord Almighty. Strike the shepherds and scatter the sheep," that is, my people. "And I shall test it as gold is tested. It will call me and I will answer it and say, 'You are my people,' and it will say 'You are my God.' " Before this separation occurs, all are regarded as the people of God. However, after the separation has happened, then it will become apparent who are the people of God and who are of the devil.”

“Another edition has the reading "[a third of] those who have souls" and shows thereby that they have died a spiritual death, similar to that which the apostle said about the widow, "She who is self-indulgent is dead." And so the passage suggests that one third has killed another third by a poisonous tradition and by imitation of a useless teaching.”

“When he speaks customarily of the part that has a soul, he refers to persons who are spiritually dead and separated from the kingdom of God. "And a third of the birds fell to the ground." Therefore, that third that died in the sea destroyed by its own death another third. He is describing the devil and those who are of one mind with the devil, who after the manner of birds fly around and deceive or wish to deceive all by their trickery.”

“The "great star" is the devil, of whom the Lord spoke in the Gospel, "I saw Satan fall from heaven as fire or lightning." It is possible that this passage also refers to ecclesiastical people, who living the spiritual life in the church, have become forgetful of themselves and like animals bend down to the things of the earth and fall from their positions of authority. We read what has been written of such persons: "Although he is in honor, he does not understand; he is compared to the senseless cattle and has become like them."”

“The rivers and fountains of waters signify the teachers of the divine Scriptures who instruct others but turn themselves away from the way of truth. Indeed, the name Wormwood indicates either the bitterness or the sweetness of sins, which give a present sweetness to those who desire them but afterwards change themselves into bitterness.”

“The sun, moon and stars represent the church, a third part of which is struck. This third is a designation, not a quantity. For there are two peoples within the church, that part of God, which is compared with the light, and that part of the devil, which is surrounded by the darkness of shadows, as the Scripture says, "I have compared your mother to the night." And this part was struck so that it might become apparent who is of God and who of the devil. It has been given over to its own sins and desires, so that their faults that have remained hidden and unknown to all might be revealed.”

“In this star he speaks of the body of those many persons who have fallen from heaven through agreement [with the devil].… We ought to understand the key to the pit to be false teachings that confine those within it in such a way that they are not able to look upon the light of truth. And so the devil fell from heaven and received the key to the pit, and [he] opened his mouth in blasphemy and taught his followers not to do the will of God but to do their own will.”

“"He opened the shaft of the pit" means that he revealed his own heart and taught people to sin without any fear or shame. "And smoke arose from the pit," that is, from the heart of a blasphemous people which also persecutes the church. "And the sun and air were darkened by the smoke of the pit." The sins that people constantly commit through the world obscure among them the sun of faith and of righteousness and in some produce a blindness so that they do not see the light of truth. "As smoke from a great furnace." This smoke that precedes the fire of the furnace generally refers to the last persecution, for the earlier persecution burns against the church, and then the crowd of hypocrites and unbelievers will be manifested. And outside [the church] the insanity of many caused by this smoke is already advanced.”

“They say that death is a rest. And so, they seek death, not that they may die but that they might have rest from evil things while the evil vices die away. They desired to die, that is, that they might die to the world and, as the apostle says, live again to God. "They seek death but will not find it," it says. They desire to be changed to better things, so that they might have rest after the labor of sins.… Therefore, "death will flee" while life is close by and we are truly dying while we are being freed from the chains of sins.”

“In the image of the horses he shows the suddenness of persecution that runs around so that it might oppress the innocent and obstruct [their path] to the celestial kingdom.… We recall that it was written that upon the heads of the twenty-four elders, who were a figure of the church, there were crowns of gold. However, these [locusts] do not present a true figure of the church but one only by way of pretense, and so they are not said to have crowns of true gold but crowns similar to gold.… Likewise, they are not perfect human beings but like human beings.… And by the hair he speaks not only of the effeminacy and laxity of women, but he speaks of those from either sex who are given to wantonness and are stained by every baseness.… [By the teeth like lions' teeth] they daily devour the church.”

“By the "tails" he speaks of the leaders who have fallen away from the Head of the church, that is, from the Lord, and so those who were the first have become the last. This is as God thought it worthy to say through Isaiah, "The elders who are honored and admired are the head; and the prophet who teaches iniquity is the tail." Therefore, the "power" of the locusts refers to the character of the false prophets who never desist from attacking the true church by their lying and venomous doctrines.”

“In these four angels that are bound at the Euphrates River we understand those adversaries that God will command to be loosed for the testing of his church. To be sure, this passage shows that the winds and the angels are the same thing, for it said that the winds were held back by the angels and now that the angels are to be loosed by an angel. "Loose," it says, "the four angels at the great river Euphrates." Those whom above it said were at the "four corners of the earth" it now says are bound "at the river Euphrates." The river Euphrates indicates a people that persecutes [the church]. In this people, Satan and his will are bound, lest he should accomplish whatsoever he desires before it is time. The Euphrates is in the land of Babylon, of which the prophet Jeremiah testifies as follows, "This says the Lord" concerning this Euphrates, "This is the day of the Lord God of hosts, so that he might avenge himself on his foes, and the sword shall devour and be sated and drink its fill of their blood. For the sacrifice to the Lord of hosts is in the north country by the river Euphrates." He speaks of sacrifice, but that of strangled animals, not of praise. And Isaiah said, "The sword of the Lord is sated on blood, it is gorged with the fat of goats and rams, for the sacrifice of the Lord is in Bosor and a great slaughter in Idumea." Bosor and Idumea are cities of Esau, who by persecution forced his brother, Jacob, to flee from his father's lands.”

“In this angel the person of our Savior is indicated. On his body he wears the church as though she were a cloud. For the church was constituted in the body of Christ and is often described in diverse manners. At times we read of her as a cloud, as a robe, as the sun, as the moon and as clothes white as snow. And even the saints are compared with clouds, as we read in the prophet Isaiah, "These are they who will fly as the clouds." To be sure, the cloud with which he is clothed is his body, which was conceived by the Holy Spirit. The "rainbow over his head" indicates the promise and the perseverance of his church. "His face was like the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire." There is here a great and marvelous plan, so that at the beginning of this book he might show the fire of the last persecution and afterward might indicate the future brightness of the saints as a fire. For at first he spoke of "his feet as refined in a furnace," and afterward he describes his face "as the shining in full strength." That he might show how great is the brightness of the church, he now mentions the face before the feet, which are refined, and afterward compares his feet with pillars of fire.”

“With reason did his face shine "as the sun in full strength," for he opened the book that had been sealed in mystery. "He placed his right foot upon the sea and his left foot upon the land," so that he might confirm the precept of his law by land and by sea. Nor was it without reason that he placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. In the right foot he signifies the stronger members who have been made firm through great dangers. In the left foot he indicates the crowd of candidates who have not yet received the sign of the faith.”

“It was said to him, "Do not write" that which you have heard, so that what is in mystery and is reserved to the church would not be revealed to those who are unworthy and faithless.… [Elsewhere] he says, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near." He shows that there are those to whom the mystery ought to be sealed and those to whom it ought to be opened. As the Lord himself said, "To you"—he is speaking to his disciples—"it has been given to know the secret of the kingdom of God, but for others it is in parables." It says, "Let him who continues to do evil, do evil still, and him who is filthy, be filthy still, and let him who is righteous still perform more righteous deeds, and likewise the holy more holy deeds." This is to say, "This is why I speak to them in parables, that they who do not see may see and they who see might become blind." And again, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear." Daniel likewise said, "Seal the book until the time of the consummation." And [John] explains why he was commanded to seal the book in the following words, "Let the unrighteous transgress so that all the wicked and the sinners might not know, but let those who understand understand."”

“The seventh trumpet signifies the end of the persecution and the advent of the Lord, our Savior. For this reason the apostle Paul said that the resurrection of the dead would occur "at the last trumpet." Therefore, he affirms that in the time of the future peace the time of the church would no longer be one of cleansing. For the final persecution will cleanse the church until the seventh trumpet.”

“In the one angel he clearly shows the body of the church. Although he speaks of one, he shows many. "He says to me, 'You must preach again.' " When did the church ever cease from its preaching, so that she should preach again what she had preached before? However, in the whole world [the church] is commanded to preach again among the peoples, tribes, tongues and in many regions what she had preached before. For there is one church diffused throughout the whole world, which she has filled with its preaching.”

“When he says "Rise," he arouses the church, for John, who is an image of the church, did not hear these things sitting down but standing up. "Measure," it says, "the temple and the altar and those who worship there." He did not command that everyone be measured; rather, he commanded that a portion be prepared unto the end [time], so that what is said in the Gospel might be fulfilled, "Many are called, but few are chosen." "But do not measure the court outside the temple, leave that out." The court, which is outside the temple, although it seems to belong to the temple, in fact is not the temple, for it has no relation to the holy of holies. These are those persons who appear to be in the church but are outside of it.… Those persons who are outside the temple are also the nations who have never believed the gospel of the Lord. Both groups will trample his church.”

“He had earlier said that "you must prophesy again." Now he desires to show this in his two witnesses. In the two witnesses, he wants us to understand the two Testaments by which his church is governed and ruled. For he did not say, "I make witnesses for myself," as though they did not yet exist. Rather, he said, "I shall give to my witnesses," who were with me from the beginning and have never at all departed from me. The 1, days are not a time of peace but of the last persecution, during which time the devil shall break out against the Christians, namely, when he receives power to test the church. And just as before the flood, when the sins of humankind raised their head to the heavens, there was not absent someone who might proclaim the wrath of God to those who were perishing, so also at that time there will be those who will announce the kingdom of God and the last day and by their own example will show the way of repentance to sinners. [The witnesses] were "clothed in sackcloth," it says, that is, they were established in confession. As the prophet said, "When they troubled me, I clothed myself in sackcloth." And Job said, "They have sewed sackcloth upon my skin."”

“"These are those who stand," it says, not those who shall stand as though they were not able to stand. In the two lampstands he signifies the church, which is fortified by the protection of the two Testaments. For in the seven angels and in the seven lampstands he designated the one church, so that when he spoke of one, he had also spoken of the others. When Zechariah who prophesied of our figure was awakened from sleep that he might behold the light of the church, he saw a single sevenform lampstand in which was declared the mystery of the sevenform church. For the two olive trees are the two Testaments, which pour out the oil of knowledge into the lampstand. And therefore the same prophet said, "He waked me, like a man that is wakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, 'What do you see?' I said, 'Behold, I see a lampstand all out of gold, with torches upon it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips of light which are upon it, and two olive trees upon it, one on the right of the torch and one on the left.' " And I asked what these might be. And the angel answered and said, these seven lights are seven spirits which are "the seven eyes of the Lord that range through the whole earth." And when I inquired of the two olive trees, he said to me, "These are the two anointed sons who are with the Lord of the whole earth."”

“This means that should anyone wish to harm the church, as one condemned he is consumed by a fire, which harms in the very same manner as a sort of reciprocal judgment. That is, he receives justly that very thing which he desired to inflict unjustly. Or, in a good sense this means that through the prayers of the church's mouth one is consumed spiritually by fire so that one might be changed for the better, since when one is turned away from error, error ceases and one is saved.”

“It says, "they have," not "they will have." For whoever remains in the faith of the one church of God will in no way be wanting in that power conferred upon him by God. "They have power to turn the waters into blood and to smite the earth with every plague as often as they desire." We have often said that everything that God is said to have done for the sake of his church is attached to the powers of the church. The Lord gives power to the church so that what is bound on earth is also bound in heaven. Heaven is spiritually closed "that no rain fall," that is, that no rain of blessing fall upon the dry land. The Lord spoke of this concerning the vineyard of the Jews: "I shall also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it." And not only did they suspend the rain but even made useless that rain which had fallen. For the water was changed into blood, even as the very earth was struck with every plague. Nor did these things occur by way of accident or fortuitously. Rather, "as often as they desired," that is, as often as he desired who conceded to them such power. As the apostle says of the Holy Spirit, "apportioning to each one individually as he wills." And again, "As God assigns to each one a measure of faith."”

“When he says, "when they have finished their witness," he clearly explains that these things will take place before the last persecution, at least that which they relate until the revelation of the beast who will ascend from the abyss, that is, from the depths of the iniquity of the hearts of the Jews. For, according to tradition, the antichrist will arise from the tribe of Dan. And "he will conquer them," namely, in those who will have succumbed. However, "he will kill them," indicating those who for the name of Christ will have been killed by a praiseworthy suffering. "And he will lay their bodies in the middle of that great city which is spiritually called Sodom, where also their Lord was crucified." Another translation renders it [in the singular] "body." And so it speaks of one body of the two, while elsewhere in subsequent verses it speaks of the "bodies." In this way, he preserves the number of the Testaments, while the two witnesses demonstrate the one body of the church. This body—he speaks not only of those killed but also of those who are living—is thrown down, that is, it is despised, as [the psalmist says], "You have cast my words behind you." [He casts them down] "in the middle," that is, openly and visibly. This is, to be sure, that "Jerusalem which killed the prophets," according to the words of the Lord who reproached it, saying, "and stoned those who were sent to you." Rightly was [Jerusalem] reproved, nor did it deserve to be restored.”

“Since they do not allow their bodies to be gathered in a suitable place, they prevent a day for their memory to be indicated by a sacred celebration of the living.… It is no wonder that the earthly minded rejoice over the deaths of the righteous. For in addition to the plagues that beset the human race on account of the testaments of God, even the very sight of the righteous oppresses the unrighteous, as it is written, "Even the sight of him is a burden to us." Not only does it oppress, it also causes him to melt away, and so the psalm says, "The sinner will see and be angry; he will gnash his teeth and melt away."”

“"And they went up to heaven in a cloud." The apostle spoke of this, saying, "We will be caught up in the clouds to meet Christ in the air." It is written that this cannot happen to anyone before the coming of the Lord, since at his coming all flesh is approved to arise from their graves. And so the faulty idea of those is excluded who think that these two witnesses are only two men who ascend on the clouds before the coming of Christ. For how could those "who dwell on the earth" rejoice at the death of two men if they died in only one city? Or how do they "exchange presents" if in a short period of time those who threw their bodies in the streets were disquieted by their resurrection although shortly beforehand they were rejoicing at their death? Their courage and reason were stupefied because throughout the earth the announcement came not of their death but of their resurrection. What kind of joy would it be, or what kind of pleasure for those who are feasting would it be, if along with the feast there was the stench of the dead? "And a great fear fell on those who saw them." He says this of those who are alive when they see the resurrection of those who sleep and are shaken by a horrible fear. "And their enemies saw them [ascend]." Here he separates the unrighteous from the righteous and those who were steadfast in faith from those who were timid.”

“"In that hour there was a great earthquake." By mentioning again the persecution, he confirms what he had said above. The Lord also expressed an opinion that is in harmony with this passage. He said, "In that hour let him who is on the housetop not come down to take whatever is in the house, nor let him who is in the field turn back." When he says "in that hour," he is indicating all time. "And a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand were killed in the earthquake." The number ten and the number seven are perfect. Even were it not the case, it would be fitting to understand the whole from the part. He says that a tenth of the city, that is, all of it, fell, along with its builders who allowed the construction of perverse doctrine in the temple of their hearts. For there are two kinds of structures in the church. One structure is laid upon the Rock. The other structure is founded upon the sand and is not able to withstand the onslaught of present dangers. Rather, it crumbles straightway and topples with it whoever had not kept the faith of the true church with a pure heart. "The rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven." These are those who have been laid upon the Rock. When the unrighteous are dying from the earthquake, these fear lest they also become partakers with the unrighteous in this punishment. And through the confession of the Christian name and by the despising of their souls, they glorify the Lord, since they have been spared the torments of the unrighteous. The saint sang of this when he said, "The righteous will rejoice when he sees vengeance; he will wash his hands in the blood of the sinner." For when the righteous sees the death of the sinner, he increases all the more in obedience to the commandments and does them with greater joy and purity, since he is himself being freed from the punishments of the wicked. As it is written, "When a just man sees the wicked punished, he becomes wise."”

“He speaks of the beginning and the end. When he says, "You have begun to reign and the nations raged," he indicates the first coming, for at his birth Herod and the people of Jerusalem were troubled. However, the time of the second coming is declared by wrath and judgment.… "Behold, the third woe has come," it says. By the sound of the trumpet of the seventh angel he refers to nothing other than the church, which is praising the Lord and is in the sound of the trumpet giving thanks to him without end. And from this we understand that the rewarding of those who are good is not without the punishment of the wicked. "To reward your saints and to corrupt the corrupters of the earth," it says. This means that [the Lord] gives to the righteous a recompense proper to their merits and to those who were corrupters he gives evil proper to their [wicked] deeds. For whoever has corrupted in himself the temple of the Lord, that is, the church of the body of Christ in baptism, he will without doubt be subjected to corruption. As the apostle said, "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him."”

“He is now mentioning both the beginning and the end of the dispensation of Christ. For when he says, "You have begun to reign and the nations raged," he is speaking of the first coming of Christ. But, indeed, when it follows that "your wrath has come and the time of the dead," or as another translation has it, "at which time he will judge concerning the dead," he is speaking of the second coming, when the saints and the prophets and those who fear his name, the small and the great and the old and the young, will receive their reward. As it says, "Your eyes beheld my imperfection, and in your book everything will be written." And lest the wicked think that they may act with impunity, he subjects to destruction whomever has corrupted the earth. As the psalmist says, "The face of the Lord is against those who do evil." It says that the third woe comes at the sound of the seventh angel, and when he sounded [his trumpet], only the church is mentioned as she praises the Lord and gives him thanks. And from this we learn that the recompense of the good is not apart from the woe of the wicked. And so the psalmist said, "When his wrath is quickly kindled," certainly upon the wicked, "blessed are all those who trust in him." And so now the church herself says, "Your wrath has come and the time for death, to reward your servants," and following. This is the final woe. Since the bodily nativity of the Lord has been nicely recapitulated, he suggests that he is about to speak of the same things but in a different and more extensive manner.”

“When Christ the Lord was born, the temple of God was manifested in heaven, that is, in the church. The temple of God can be understood as the body of Christ, as the Lord himself said, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." … Although the ark often signifies the church, here the ark is said to have appeared in the temple, and by adding the "ark of the covenant," he indicates that there is something more exalted to be comprehended. Moreover, by saying "in heaven" he urges us to penetrate some mystery, so that this might be understood: the temple is the church, and the ark of the covenant is the mystery of the incarnation of Christ, who, like that ark, bore the tablets of the covenant within himself. For he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it, … as God promised through Jeremiah that the ark of the covenant would be taken from human hearts, certainly referring to that ark of the Hebrews, which was in Jerusalem. That is, [he promises] that the church will be called the throne of the Lord. He says, "When you have multiplied and increased in the land, says the Lord, they will no longer say 'the ark of the covenant of the Lord,' nor will it come to mind. In those days and at that time they will call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all nations will be gathered to her in the name of the Lord." … The lightning is those virtues by which Christ the Lord makes his apostles to shine. The voices and the thunder are the preaching of the apostles, who thunder to the peoples as though they were clouds. Hail always harms itself when it dashes against fruit and breaks apart, and it diminishes itself even as it causes ruin. So also the fierce multitude of the Gentiles persecutes the faith of Christ, yet afterward are themselves broken apart and become smaller or nonexistent.”

“"And a great sign was seen in heaven." We now see that which has occurred in the church, God has taken form in man. "A woman," it says, "clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet." We have already noted that a genus may divide into many species. For what [in one passage] is heaven, here signifies the temple placed in heaven. In the woman he indicates the church who in the purification of baptism puts on Christ, the "sun of righteousness," as the apostle Paul testifies, "As many as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." However, in this passage the moon is described as placed under the feet of the woman and so indicates the church of the heretics that the "sun of righteousness," that is, Christ, does not allow to be illumined by his presence. Yet, since everything which is found in the Scriptures concerning the church may be interpreted in a twofold way, we can also interpret the moon in a good sense and compare it with the church. As it is written in the psalms, "Once I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His seed shall endure forever. His throne [will endure] as the sun before me and as a full moon forever. The witness in the skies is sure." And again, "Bright as the sun and fair as the moon in her beauty." "And on her head a crown of twelve stars." He is indicating the twelve apostles whom Christ placed as a crown over the twelve tribes of Israel upon the head of his church and adorned her with spiritual gems.”

“"She was with child," not in her womb but in her mind, "and she cried out, groaning (in the valley of tears) and was in anguish that she might deliver." The church spiritually gives birth to those with whom she is in the pangs of childbirth, but she also never ceases to be in the pangs of childbirth with those to whom she has already given birth. For this reason the apostle says, "My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you."”

“[The red dragon] is the devil. He says that there was "another portent" to indicate the hostile opposition of the devil. It was he who inflamed Herod with the fire of envy so that he would feign to adore the Christ even while seeking with all his power to kill Christ whom he knew was to be born king of the Jews.… The "seven heads" are kings, and the horns are kingdoms.… For in the seven heads and seven diadems he signifies the rule of all kings, while in the ten horns we have the number of the ten persecutors who will fan the fires of persecution against the whole church in the last times.”

“The "tail" is the iniquitous prophets who throw down to earth the stars of heaven, namely, those simple persons who join themselves to them. When he speaks of "a third part of the stars," he is speaking of the Jews and their leaders who rejected Christ and with impious voices cried out that they did not want Christ to be over them but rather Caesar, and therefore they killed him.”

“Whenever the Holy Spirit promises and tells of future events, he foretells and shows the future in the church as past event. For in her misfortunes the church is always bringing forth Christ, for which reason he promises the coming of the Son of man always in the reality of similar sufferings. The devil in heaven is always seeking to devour that person who is being born through heavenly things and who is born to God and is caught up to his throne. Indeed, every Christian suffers that which the Head has suffered, who after the third day was going to be raised in glory. For in the person of Herod the whole company of persecutors is revealed. Although Herod alone had died, nonetheless all are indicated, for the Evangelist said, "All who sought the child's life are dead." The Lord spoke similarly also to Moses, "All those who were seeking your life are dead," when another had succeeded [that] pharoah who had sought his life and that of the people.”

“"And she brought forth a male child." The church brings forth Christ who, although he was God, deigned to be born as man. He speaks of a "male child," because through his victory the devil, who had conquered a woman, ceased to be a conqueror. "Who is to rule the nations with a rod of iron." Indeed, [he speaks here] of his whole body. For the same Lord said of this, "He who conquers and keeps my works until the end, I will give him power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received power from my Father." "And her son was caught up to God and his throne." This means that whoever shall be resurrected in Christ will sit with him on the throne of God at the right hand of the Father.”

“"The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God where she might be nourished." … It says "into the wilderness," for in the apostles the church has received authority to walk among scorpions, serpents and every power of Satan. The Lord said to the apostles, "Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy." As a figure of the whole church, the people of Israel were fed and led in the desert among the serpents of this world. "All these things happened as a figure for us upon whom the ends of the ages have come." Furthermore, as a figure of the church sings and says, "[Those] whom he has redeemed from the hands of their enemies he has gathered from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the sea. They wandered in the desert and dry places." To be sure, he is describing Israel in the wilderness, for she was not gathered from those places mentioned but from the stock of Abraham, who was in Mesopotamia.”

“Here a "sea" is mentioned, which above was called a "bottomless pit" from which this beast would ascend. In both instances a people is indicated. Indeed, he sees a people arising from a people, namely, a beast coming forth from a people. Normally "beast" is a designation of that which is hostile to the Lamb, but in a narrative one must determine from passage to passage what aspect of the beast is signified. For sometimes the devil is the beast, elsewhere the beast is his body or one of the heads of that beast such as the one which rises up although he seemed wounded unto death, which is a false imitation of the true faith. In other passages the beast might signify only the leaders. In this present passage the beast that rises from the sea refers to the body of the devil, which has ten horns and seven heads and diadems upon its horns and a blasphemous name upon its heads. And rightly is he said to be named with a name of blasphemy, since he desires to be regarded as God.”

“One of its heads refers to the antichrist, because there are seven heads not in regard to number but as a sign of the universality of that earthly kingdom that is hostile to the Lamb. It is evident that the dragon, that is, the devil, will give his authority and his throne to [the antichrist]. As in a good sense the soul of a righteous person is the seat of wisdom, so in an evil sense the enemy is said to give his throne to those whom he especially possesses and whom he uses for the seduction of others. Moreover, with God's permission he frequently does amazing things through them, and he proceeds to so great a rashness that in imitation of the true Head and in order to delude the souls of [God's] children, he claims that one of the seven heads resurrected as if it had died before and that he should be accepted instead of Christ, who actually accomplished this deed. "And the nations which inhabit the earth wondered at the beast." … By "earth" he refers to those who are earthly and who desire to follow and to worship him, that is, those who in the antichrist are said to worship the dragon as in an image.”

“It has two horns that are like those of a lamb. These are the two Testaments that belong to the true Lamb but that the beast tried to usurp for himself by feigning to be a lamb. Nevertheless, it is said to speak like a dragon, because by the hypocrisy of a false truth it beguiles those whom it can lead astray. For it would not be like a lamb were it to speak openly as a dragon. It now pretends to be the Lamb so that it might assail the Lamb, that is, the body of Christ. It speaks against God, since it drives away from the way of truth those whom he has deluded and who now seek after him.”

“It exercised all the power of the first beast on the earth. He spoke of that earlier beast that he had seen rising from the sea and to which the dragon had given his own great power. He said that the beast exercised this power before the beast. For all the power of the people is in their leaders, which he described, just as the power of the locusts and the horses is in their tails. In front of the people, the leaders do what is useful to the will of the devil under the cover of an imitation of the church. Clearly, in both beasts there is one body, and they practice the worship of one iniquity, so that the mimicry of the latter beast may be said to work to the advantage of that earlier beast.… "So that those who dwell on the earth worship the first beast." … Or as another translation renders, "so that the earth and those who inhabit it." … And he mentioned the earth and those who inhabit the earth with good reason. For it might have sufficed to mention either the earth or those who inhabit the earth. However, he shows the force of [the beast's] seduction which has given both body and soul to him as property. For whoever falls by force without being enticed away is made captive in the body alone. However, whoever falls to seduction is made captive both in the body and in the mind, and for this reason he said, "He caused the earth and those who inhabit it to worship the beast whose mortal wound was healed."”

“Babylon is interpreted as confusion. By it the city and the people of the devil are signified, as is also the entire seduction of the vices that it always exercises for its own ruin and for the ruin of the human race. It says that this city, which is hastening toward its fall, has already fallen. This is a common way of speaking in the Scripture, which often refers to events as past when they are yet in the future, especially when it knows that what it predicts will inevitably be fulfilled. Here is an example of this way of speaking: "They divided my clothes among themselves," and other similar statements. However, it may also speak in this manner because it was already well known then that the haughty fall whenever they dare to become proud. Therefore the psalm says, "You have cast them down when they were lifted up," for, to be sure, they were then thrown down when they were lifted up. According to this habit of speaking, then, the Scripture has said, "All nations have fallen because of the wine of their fornication," because this city, which is drunk and is constructed from all nations that it gathers to itself, itself has drunk from the wine of fornication. For all the nations, made drunk by errors, constitute the city itself, but the Scripture, according to its style, talks only of the one [city].”

“We are to believe that these will do wonders even as was the case through the magicians of Pharaoh. Not without reason did he recollect their deeds at the mention of the frogs, so that he might foretell that the ministers of Satan will themselves do similar wonders. For until the sign of the frogs the magicians had been allowed to prevail through their incantations. "They go out to the kings to gather them for war." This does not mean that there will be an assembly from every place on the earth to one location but that each and every nation made captive in its own place to its own superstitions will wish to serve in the army [of Satan].… The "day of the Lord" must be interpreted according to various situations and contexts. Sometimes it refers to the whole time from the passion of the Lord, so that those who are going to be condemned to the last judgment are said now to be gathered together, as though to say, prepared. At other times "day of the Lord" can be understood to refer to the day of judgment itself, and at other times the phrase refers to the time of persecution, in which case it is clear that people of this kind are gathered together throughout the whole time of the present life.”

“The apostle also says, "He will come like a thief in the night." … [The apostle] says, "As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." I think that here he urges that these vestments be preserved so that they will not be torn asunder by repeated baptism or besprinkled and stained by the spots of sins. In either case the ugliness of their treachery is uncovered which might have been avoided had their intention been preserved with a greater vigilance.”

“The purple symbolizes the pretense and deceit of her false rule, and the scarlet indicates the bloody disposition of her impiety.… [The jewels] symbolize all the allurements of that which deceitly claims to be true.… And then he discloses what is really on the inside of this beauty, saying, "She had in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and the impurities of the fornication of the whole world." The gold symbolizes the hypocrisy, for as the Lord said, on the outside they appear to everyone as righteous, but on the inside they are full of every form of uncleanness.”

“Concerning the harlot it says, "The smoke from her goes up forever and ever." That is to say, while the church remains in her joyful praise, the smoke of the destruction of the wicked also remains. Just as the beginning of fire is in smoke, so smoke is present as long as fire remains. I think that the Lord gave us an example of these good and evil persons in the figures of the pauper and the rich man.”