1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to make known to his servants the things which must shortly come to pass: and signified, sending by his angel to his servant John,
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VERS. 1.-- *The Apocalypse of Jesus Christ.* He prepares his hearers, and renders them well-disposed and attentive, as also there: *John to the seven Churches which are in Asia. Which he gave.* According to his humanity Christ receives it from the Father and from the Word hypostatically joined to himself, and from the Holy Spirit. *Which must come to pass.* As if he should say: It is unavoidable but that they come to pass, and it is profitable that they come to pass. It behoves that the servants suffer tribulations shortly. *Shortly.* He says *shortly,* that they may prepare themselves, lest it be grievous to suffer. Shortly are the labours to be ended, and the rewards to be given. Brief the labour, hastened the glory.
2 Who hath given testimony to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, what things soever he hath seen.
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VERS. 2.-- *Who hath given testimony.* Who testifies that the words of Christ himself are true, held both concerning the Word, that is, the Divinity, and concerning the humanity of Jesus Christ. *To the word of God.* The Son is called the Word of God, because through him the Father was manifested in the world. *In those things which he saw.* In those things which he saw bodily, as that he suffered and died, and in mind alone, as that he was with the Father before all things.
3 Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecy: and keepeth those things which are written in it. For the time is at hand.
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VERS. 3.-- *Blessed.* Christ gave these things to me, but blessed because he has received me. *Blessed,* because this is the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ, etc. *He that readeth.* That is, he relates to others what he has heard: because many can hear from one who reads; or, *they shall hear,* and in this he notes the hearers, because they are many. Those alone are blessed who hear that they may lay up in mind; and they lay up in mind, that they may fulfil in work; and they fulfil in work, that they may possess eternal life. *Keepeth those things.* For not the hearers of the law, but the doers are just. He keeps them who does not violate the faith of Christ and of the Church, and fears the things threatened, and seeks the things promised. Truly is that man blessed, because neither is there a long delay of labour, and the rewards are near.
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace be unto you and peace, from him that is and that was and that is to come: and from the seven spirits which are before his throne:
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VERS. 4.-- *To the seven churches.* He writes principally to those churches of Asia over which he had been set as master, and by likeness to the others. God gave to Christ, Christ to John, but John to the churches, or, through the seven, to the universal Church. Because *seven* signify universality, or because they are enlightened by the sevenfold Spirit. *In Asia.* Asia is a lifting up, the Church therefore is now in a lifting up of virtues, or once of vices. This Asia is not that great third part of the world, but a certain province where there were seven cities, and seven churches with seven bishops. *Grace be unto you.* He prepares his hearers in the salutation, and renders them well-disposed and attentive, as also in the prologue. *Who is and who was.* Eternally. But although he was born in time, he who once had been corruptible is now unchangeable through his humanity. Such is he to come, even if he does not appear such to the world. *And from the seven spirits, who in the sight. Spirit.* It sounds the same as charity. Whence to the Spirit is attributed the remission of sins, and the other gifts which are gifts of the whole Trinity, that we may understand the Trinity to work out of love alone. He is silent of the person of the Father, because concerning God the Creator no one had understood evil things, he sets down the person of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, concerning whom all heresies are born in the churches. *Thrones.* The thrones of God are his angels and holy men, in whom God now sits and judges, lest in time to come he judge.
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth, who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood
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VERS. 5.-- *The faithful witness.* He says this because of those who despair of the death of Christ, as those who said: *We thought that it was he that should have redeemed Israel*. *The firstborn of the dead.* As if he should say: Let it not terrify you, because he rose again, and is impassible. Or he is the first of those who mortify themselves, because he did no sin. *The prince of the kings of the earth.* The prince of the earthly powers, able to remove them, and, for the profit of his own or of the saints, permitting the ungodly to serve.
6 And hath made us a kingdom, and priests to God and his Father. To him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen.
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VERS. 6.-- *And hath made us a kingdom to our God.* That is, powerful to resist vices, *and priests,* that is, offering our own selves to God for ourselves and for our brethren.
7 Behold, he cometh with the clouds, and every eye shall see him: and they also that pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth shall bewail themselves because of him. Even so. Amen.
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VERS. 7.-- *Behold he cometh,* etc. And truly you ought to glorify him, because it is he who is to come to reward. *With the clouds,* that is, with the saints: because they were clouds in raining down doctrine upon others, and in working miracles; or, as he ascended in a cloud, so in a cloud will he come, by which we understand the clemency of God, whereby to the good there is refreshment and illumination, but to the evil terror and blinding. Which was also signified by the cloud whereby the children of Israel were led out of Egypt. *And shall see him.* Another translation has: *All the earth shall see such a one.* As if he should say: Such shall they see him as the ungodly did not believe he would come. *Every eye.* The good shall see that they may rejoice, the evil that they may be confounded. *They shall bewail.* Or they shall dash themselves together over him, powerless to resist his command, after the likeness of a stone and of earthen vessels. Or *they shall bewail themselves,* that is, they shall grieve, looking back upon those who are founded upon him, because they shall not grieve so much over the torment itself, as that they shall be driven back from such fellowship.
8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
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VERS. 8.-- *I am.* Truly he will come, because he himself promises that he will come. Or, the salutation being set first, he renders them attentive, as if he should say: Believe not this to have been said by me, but by Christ himself. *Alpha, the beginning.* Before whom is none, or from whom all things began. *Omega, the end.* After whom is none, or in whom all things shall be ended.
9 I, John, your brother and your partner in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience in Christ Jesus, was in the island which is called Patmos, for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus.
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VERS. 9.-- *I John.* The salutation being finished, he proceeds to the narration, setting down four things, the person, the place, the cause of the place itself, the time, which avail for the commendation of the revelation itself. *I John.* As if he should say: I know that you are afflicted, but by the example of Christ bear it patiently, that you may be partakers of his kingdom. *Your brother,* etc., *in Christ.* In the unity of faith, and for that faith I was afflicted, as others also were, whereby I patiently endured to come to the kingdom, having Christ in all things for an example. *Pathmos.* That is, a strait, namely tribulation, in which heavenly things are the more opened to the faithful. The Church is likened to an island, because as an island is beaten by the storms of the sea, so is the Church afflicted by the persecutions of sea-folk, that is, of worldly men. *For the word of God.* That is, for the testimony rendered to the divinity and to the humanity.
10 I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
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VERS. 10.-- *On the Lord's day.* The quality of things is wont to be marked from the time, as Abraham, unto the fervour of faith, saw the angel at midday; Lot, unto the destruction of Sodom, in the evening; Adam heard the voice of the Lord after midday; Solomon, not about to keep it, received wisdom by night. *I heard behind me a voice.* He heard behind himself, because, while, led forth from things present, he stretched himself into the things before him of true contemplation, he was admonished to look back upon others also; or: he hears behind himself, because this was foretold by the law and the prophets, for that is what he understands.
11 Saying: What thou seest, write in a book and send to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamus and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.
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VERS. 11.-- *What thou seest, write.* A common admonition is made to John, which admonished him to send in common to the church of Asia, by which all the other Churches are to be understood. This common admonition is made as far as that place: *And to the Angel of Ephesus,* etc. Whether John saw this vision all at once and in one gaze, or through diverse times, the angel could confer either upon him. *To Ephesus.* Ephesas is interpreted *my will,* or *a deep fall,* or *counsel.*
12 And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks:
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VERS. 12.-- *And I turned.* And because I heard a voice, I turned, etc. *Seven candlesticks.* That is, the seven churches, burning and enlightened with the wisdom of the divine Word. *Golden.* As gold proved by fire, drawn out by blows, is made a candlestick, so the Church, purged by tribulations, drawn out by the strokes of temptations into long-suffering, is brought to perfection, and if she have a voice in the mouth, and not in work, she is indeed a candlestick, but not golden.
13 And in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, one like to the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
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VERS. 13.-- *Like to the Son of man.* That is, an angel in the person of Christ, who now is not called the Son of man, but like to him, because he now dies no more. Or like to the Son of man, because Christ appeared not with sin, but in the likeness of the flesh of sin, in whom are all things needful for the governance of the Church. *With a garment down to the feet.* That is, with a priestly vestment, that is, with the flesh in which he offered himself, and daily offers, presenting himself to God the Father. Or, the garment down to the feet is the Church, wherewith God is clothed as with a tunic, which is called reaching to the ankles, because the Church is to endure until the end of the world. *Girt about at the paps.* Daniel saw him girt as to the loins in the Old Testament, because there carnal things are bound fast; here we read him girt *at the paps,* because in the New Testament even thoughts are judged.
14 And his head and his hairs were white as white wool and as snow. And his eyes were as a flame of fire:
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VERS. 14.-- *The hairs were white.* That is, the saints made thin, and cleaving to the head itself. Or his thoughts. *As wool.* As white wool is fit to receive whatsoever colours, so are the saints to bear tribulations. *Snow.* Snow is the whiteness of immortality, because it is whiter than every creature. *Eyes.* That is, the gifts of the Holy Spirit: these are Christ's as of one having and giving, as they are the Church's as of one receiving; these enlighten and make to burn. Or the eyes are the spiritual men themselves in the Church, or the divine precepts.
15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as in a burning furnace. And his voice as the sound of many waters.
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VERS. 15.-- *And the feet.* That is, the last faithful, who by many shakings will not retain their former nature, like orichalc, which is often set on fire, and receives a better colour. *In a burning furnace.* In another translation it is had: with the orichalc of Libanus, whereby it is shown that in that region where the Lord was crucified that tribulation shall most of all prevail. *And his voice as the voice of many waters.* That is, his preaching obtains the force of water, because it cleanses. Or, because many peoples have now received this voice (who are likened to water because of their flowing), so much the more ought you to stand firm. Or, a voice that is giver of many waters, that is, of graces, whence there straightway follows:
16 And he had in his right hand seven stars. And from his mouth came out a sharp two-edged sword. And his face was as the sun shineth in his power.
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VERS. 16.-- *Stars.* The stars are the bishops, who ought to shine to others by word and by the example of life, who, even if they have sinned, are called stars according to that whereunto they were appointed: whom he has in his right hand, that is, among the more excellent gifts, which are signified by the right hand. *And out of the mouth.* That is, by the inspiration of God preaching went forth, which cuts both ways, in the Old Testament indeed carnal works, but in the New concupiscences; whence of this sword, which is the word of God, it is written: *For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father, that speaketh in you. As the sun shineth in his strength.* That is, at midday without clouds. Or, as Christ himself in the resurrection; or, when he shall be fixed for ever.
17 And when I had seen him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying: Fear not. I am the First and the Last,
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VERS. 17.-- *I fell.* That is, I cast away the care of humanity, after the likeness of the last faithful. *As dead.* Dead to the world, alive to God, and desiring nothing of earthliness. *His right hand.* Namely the Holy Spirit strengthening, that is, his help. *Fear not.* To suffer tribulations and death for me, because *I* who had no need on my own account, though I am *the first and the last, was dead and alive.*
18 And alive, and was dead. And behold I am living for ever and ever and have the keys of death and of hell.
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VERS. 18.-- *I am living.* And therefore be not affrighted, because I manifestly rose again, nor shall I die any more. *And I have.* And therefore I will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear, because I have power over the devil and over his members. *Of death and of hell.* The devil is death, because he is the cause of sin, that is, of death; his ministers are hell, in whom he has a place.
19 Write therefore the things which thou hast seen: and which are: and which must be done hereafter.
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VERS. 19.-- *Which must be done hereafter.* In the last faithful, by whose example these ought greatly to be enheartened.
20 The mystery of the seven stars, which thou sawest in my right hand and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. And the seven candlesticks are the seven churches.
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VERS. 20.-- *The sacrament.* Namely a mystery, where one thing is seen and another understood. This first vision is concerning the correction of the Churches. The angel opens the allegory in part, that he may teach that it must be sought everywhere.