Works › Commentary on the Apocalypse of Blessed John
Volume 38 · pp. 568–571
Chapter V: thanksgiving of Angels and every creature
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11. « Et vidi, et audivi vocem Angelorum multorum in circuitu throni, et animalium, et seniorum: et erat numerus eorum millia millium, 12. Dicentium voce magna. »
Hic inducuntur Angeli gratias agentes de Libri apertione: in quo signatur congratulatio eorum de generis humani reparatione. Et dicuntur duo. Primo dicitur, quod vocem Angelorum audivit. Secundo, laudem vel vocem exprimit, ibi, V. 12: « Dignus est Agnus. »
Dicit ergo: « Et vidi, et audivi. » Hic quaeritur, Utrum loquatur de visione corporali, aut spirituali? Si de corporali: sed vox non videtur: ergo male dicit: « Et vidi. » Si de spirituali, sic est ordo praeposterus: quia prius est audire, postea intelligere, vel videre. Responsio. Loquitur de visione spirituali. Unde videre ponitur pro intelligere, et quod dicitur de ordine, solvit Glossa, dicens: « Et vidi » quae praedicta sunt, « et audivi » quae sequuntur. Vel, « Vidi, et audivi, » scilicet, intellexi: quia in spirituali visione, et auditus videt, et visus audit.
Vel sic: « Et vidi, » scilicet, Angelos per inspirationem mihi factam, « et audivi » postea « vocem, » id est, continuum amorem quem habent ad Deum, et gaudium quod habent de reparatione hominum. « Angelorum multorum, » supple, existentium, « in circuitu throni, et animalium, et seniorum. » Hoc dicit quia Angeli custodiunt et defendunt majores et mediocres et minores personas Ecclesiae. Psal. XC, 11: Angelis suis mandavit de te, etc. Hoc enim patet sic: Si mali Angeli circumeunt ad devorandum, I Petri, V, 8: Circuit quaerens quem devoret: verissimum est, quod boni Angeli circumdant nos protegendo et defendendo. Ut ergo circuitum diaboli impediant, in circuitu throni sunt. Ad Hebr. I, 14: Omnes sunt administratorii spiritus, etc.
« Et erat numerus eorum millia millium, » id est, multa millia. Unde millia sine numero. Daniel. VII, 10: Millia millium ministrabant ei, etc. Nota: In hoc quod dicit: « Millia millium, » ostendit innumerabilem multitudinem eorum secundum illud Job, XXV, 3: Numquid est numerus militum ejus? Et verum est quod quoad nos non est numerus, sed quoad Deum est certus. Item, in hoc quod dicitur: « Millia millium, » notatur duplex perfectio in Angelis, scilicet, perfectio naturae, et gratiae.
« Dicentium voce magna. »
« Voce magna, » id est, magna congratulatione. Luc. XV, 10: Gaudium erit coram Angelis Dei super uno peccatore poenitentiam agente, etc. Et multo magis de totius humani generis salvatione. « Dicentium voce » intelligibili, quae est admiratio intimae contemplationis et amor Dei.
11. “And I saw, and I heard the voice of many Angels around the throne, and of the living creatures, and of the elders; and their number was thousands of thousands, 12. saying with a great voice.”
Here Angels are introduced giving thanks for the opening of the Book; in this is signified their rejoicing over the repair of the human race. And two things are said. First it is said that he heard the voice of Angels. Second, he expresses the praise or voice, there, V. 12: “Worthy is the Lamb.”
Therefore he says: “And I saw, and I heard.” Here it is asked whether he is speaking of bodily or spiritual vision. If of bodily vision, but a voice is not seen; therefore he says badly: “And I saw.” If of spiritual vision, thus the order is reversed, because it is first to hear, and afterward to understand or see. Response. He is speaking of spiritual vision. Hence to see is put for to understand, and what is said about the order the Gloss resolves, saying: “And I saw” the things that were foretold, “and I heard” the things that follow. Or, “I saw and heard,” namely, I understood, because in spiritual vision hearing also sees, and sight hears.
Or thus: “And I saw,” namely the Angels through inspiration made to me, “and afterward I heard” the “voice,” that is, the continuous love which they have toward God and the joy which they have concerning the repair of human beings. “Of many Angels,” supply, existing, “around the throne, and the living creatures, and the elders.” He says this because Angels guard and defend the greater, middle, and lesser persons of the Church. Psalm XC, 11: He has commanded his Angels concerning you, etc. For this is plain thus: If evil angels go around to devour, 1 Peter V, 8: He goes around seeking whom he may devour, it is most true that good Angels surround us by protecting and defending. Therefore, that they may hinder the circuit of the devil, they are around the throne. Hebrews I, 14: They are all ministering spirits, etc.
“And their number was thousands of thousands,” that is, many thousands, hence thousands without number. Daniel VII, 10: Thousands of thousands ministered to him, etc. Note: In that he says “thousands of thousands,” he shows their innumerable multitude according to that saying of Job XXV, 3: Is there any number of his soldiers? And it is true that with respect to us there is no number, but with respect to God it is certain. Likewise, in that “thousands of thousands” is said, a twofold perfection in Angels is marked, namely, perfection of nature and of grace.
“Saying with a great voice.”
“With a great voice,” that is, with great rejoicing. Luke XV, 10: There will be joy before the Angels of God over one sinner doing penitence, etc.; and much more over the salvation of the whole human race. “Saying with a voice” that is intelligible, which is the admiration of inward contemplation and the love of God.
« Dignus est Agnus, qui occisus est, accipere virtutem, et divinitatem, et sapientiam, et fortitudinem, et honorem, et gloriam, et benedictionem. 13. Et omnem creaturam quae in caelo est, et super terram, et sub terra, et quae sunt in mari, et quae in eo, omnes audivi dicentes. »
Hic ostendit quid Angeli dicebant. Et dicuntur hic quatuor. Primo, quod Christus est dignus potestatem accipere qua sit potens suos regere. Secundo, quod est dignus accipere ea per quae potens sit adversarios debellare, ibi, « Et fortitudinem. » Tertio, quod est dignus omni honore, ibi, « Et honorem, et gloriam. » Quarto, quod dignus est accipere dominium super omnem creaturam, ibi, V. 13: « Et omnem creaturam. » Item, illa per quae Christus potens est suos regere sunt tria. Potentia quae signatur, cum dicit: « Virtutem. » Bonitas, quae ibi, « Divinitatem. » Sapientia, quae ibi, « Et sapientiam. »
Dicunt ergo Angeli: « Dignus est Agnus, qui occisus est, » id est, Christus, « accipere virtutem, » scilicet, ut sit eadem fortitudo in homine assumpto quae est in Verbo. Et haec necessaria est ad suorum regimen. « Et divinitatem, » per quam intelligitur bonitas: quia nemo bonus nisi solus Deus 1: quae necessaria est ad suorum regimen, ut eos alliciat ad sui amorem. « Et sapientiam, » quae est necessaria ut habeat cognitionem eorum quae sunt suis expedientia.
Vel, « Virtutem: » Glossa, immunitatem a peccato: « et divinitatem, » quia fuit Deus et homo: « et sapientiam, » contra nostram ignorantiam: « et fortitudinem, » contra infirmitatem: « et honorem » contra vilitatem: « et gloriam, » contra ignominiam: « et benedictionem, » contra maledictionem: « et fortitudinem, » qua posset adversarios debellare: « et honorem, » pro eorum victoria et superatione: « et gloriam, » pro bono suorum regimine: « et benedictionem » pro utroque. Dignum est ut pro victoria habita honorem accipiat, et pro bono suorum regimine gloriam habeat, et pro utroque benedictionem, id est, laudem.
Vel sic, quod haec septem referantur ad diversos status Christi. Virtutem, et divinitatem accipiet in judicio: virtutem quam occultavit in incarnatione, et divinitatem quam occultavit in passione. Matth. XXIV, 30: Tunc videbunt Filium hominis venientem in nubibus caeli cum virtute multa et majestate. Sapientiam in sententiae dictamine, fortitudinem in diaboli damnatione, honorem in Resurrectione, gloriam in Ascensione, benedictionem in fidelium multitudine.
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. 13. And every creature which is in heaven, and upon earth, and beneath the earth, and the things which are in the sea, and the things which are in it, I heard all saying.”
Here he shows what the Angels were saying. And four things are said here. First, that Christ is worthy to receive power by which he may be powerful to rule his own. Second, that he is worthy to receive the things through which he may be powerful to defeat adversaries, there, “and strength.” Third, that he is worthy of every honor, there, “and honor, and glory.” Fourth, that he is worthy to receive dominion over every creature, there, V. 13: “And every creature.” Likewise, the things through which Christ is powerful to rule his own are three: power, which is signified when he says “power”; goodness, which is there, “divinity”; wisdom, which is there, “and wisdom.”
Therefore the Angels say: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,” that is, Christ, “to receive power,” namely, so that there may be the same strength in the assumed man which is in the Word. And this is necessary for the rule of his own. “And divinity,” through which goodness is understood, because no one is good except God alone 1; this is necessary for the rule of his own, that he may allure them to love of himself. “And wisdom,” which is necessary so that he may have knowledge of the things that are expedient for his own.
Or, “power”: the Gloss says, immunity from sin; “and divinity,” because he was God and man; “and wisdom,” against our ignorance; “and strength,” against weakness; “and honor,” against vileness; “and glory,” against disgrace; “and blessing,” against curse; “and strength,” by which he could defeat adversaries; “and honor,” for their victory and overcoming; “and glory,” for the good rule of his own; “and blessing,” for both. It is worthy that for the victory had he receive honor, and for the good rule of his own have glory, and for both blessing, that is, praise.
Or thus, that these seven are referred to the diverse states of Christ. He will receive power and divinity in judgment: the power which he hid in the incarnation, and the divinity which he hid in the passion. Matthew XXIV, 30: Then they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power and majesty. Wisdom in the pronouncement of the sentence, strength in the damnation of the devil, honor in the Resurrection, glory in the Ascension, blessing in the multitude of the faithful.
« Et omnem creaturam, etc. »
Haymo: Dignus est accipere ut ipsa scilicet humanitas omnia possideat, « quae in caelo est, » ut sunt Angeli, « et quae super terram, » ut homines, « et subtus terram, » ut daemones. Supra, I, 18: Habeo claves mortis et inferni. « Et quae sunt in mari, et quae in eo, » supple, sunt, ut pisces. Propter hoc dicit, Matth. XXVIII, 18: Data est mihi omnis potestas in caelo, et in terra, etc.
Aliter sic: Dignus est Agnus, qui occisus est, accipere virtutem contra nostram imbecillitatem, divinitatem contra nostram corruptibilitatem, et sapientiam ut habeat omnium cognitionem, et fortitudinem contra inimicorum tyrannidem: honorem, quia fuit inhonoratus: et gloriam impassibilitatis, quia fuit passus: et benedictionem, quia fuit conviciatus.
« Omnes audivi dicentes: Sedenti in throno et Agno, benedictio, et honor, et gloria, et potestas in saecula saeculorum. »
Haec est tertia pars principalis illius partis quae incipit, ibi, V. 8: « Et cum aperuisset Librum: » in qua ponitur gratiarum actio quae ab omnibus simul redditur, scilicet, Angelis, et hominibus. Et dicuntur hic tria. Primo, quod omnes glorificabant Deum Patrem, et Christum secundum humanitatem. Secundo, ponit Praedicatorum consensum, et Angelorum congratulationem, ibi, V. 14: « Et quatuor animalia. » Tertio, ostendit seniorum humiliationem, ibidem, « Et viginti quatuor seniores. »
Dicit ergo: « Omnes. » Haymo: Animalia, seniores, Angelos, « audivi, » scilicet de rerum ordine laudare Creatorem. « Dicentes: Sedenti in throno, » id est, Deo Patri, « et Agno, » id est, Filio: in quo cum ponatur persona Patris et Filii, intelligitur simul persona Spiritus sancti. In hoc etiam notatur concordia Angelorum, et hominum. Job, XXV, 2: Qui facit concordiam in sublimibus suis, id est, in hominibus, et Angelis.
Vel sic: « Sedenti in throno, » id est, Christo secundum divinitatem, « et Agno, » secundum humanitatem. Et subdit quatuor quae attribuuntur Christo: « Benedictio. » Glossa, id est, impassibilitas, « et gloria, » id est, immortalitas, « et potestas, » id est, omnium subjectio. Aliter: « Benedictio, » dicunt Angeli pro dono confirmationis, « et honor, » pro reverentia quam ab Ecclesia humana sunt consecuti, « gloria, » pro promissione Dei, « et potestas, » pro dono potentiae qua resistunt malis. « In saecula saeculorum. » Quasi diceret: Continuo laudant Deum, et praedicta attribuunt ei.
“And every creature, etc.”
Haymo says: He is worthy to receive so that that humanity itself may possess all things, “which is in heaven,” as are Angels, “and which is upon earth,” as human beings, “and beneath the earth,” as demons. Above, I, 18: I have the keys of death and hell. “And the things which are in the sea, and the things which are in it,” supply: are, as fish. Because of this he says, Matthew XXVIII, 18: All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth, etc.
Otherwise thus: Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power against our weakness, divinity against our corruptibility, and wisdom so that he may have knowledge of all things, and strength against the tyranny of enemies; honor, because he was dishonored; and the glory of impassibility, because he suffered; and blessing, because he was reviled.
“I heard all saying: To the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing, and honor, and glory, and power unto ages of ages.”
This is the third principal part of that part which begins there, V. 8: “And when he had opened the Book,” in which is set down the thanksgiving which is rendered by all together, namely Angels and human beings. And three things are said here. First, that all were glorifying God the Father and Christ according to humanity. Second, he sets down the agreement of the Preachers and the rejoicing of the Angels, there, V. 14: “And the four living creatures.” Third, he shows the humiliation of the elders, in the same place, “And the twenty-four elders.”
Therefore he says: “All.” Haymo says: the living creatures, the elders, and the Angels, “I heard,” namely, praising the Creator concerning the order of things. “Saying: To the one sitting on the throne,” that is, to God the Father, “and to the Lamb,” that is, to the Son; in this, since the person of the Father and the Son is set down, the person of the Holy Spirit is understood at the same time. In this also the concord of Angels and human beings is marked. Job XXV, 2: Who makes concord in his high places, that is, among human beings and Angels.
Or thus: “To the one sitting on the throne,” that is, to Christ according to divinity, “and to the Lamb,” according to humanity. And he adds four things which are attributed to Christ: “Blessing.” The Gloss says: that is, impassibility; “and glory,” that is, immortality; “and power,” that is, the subjection of all things. Otherwise: “Blessing,” the Angels say, for the gift of confirmation; “and honor,” for the reverence which they have obtained from the human Church; “glory,” for the promise of God; “and power,” for the gift of power by which they resist evils. “Unto ages of ages.” As if he were saying: They praise God continually and attribute the aforesaid things to him.
Vel sic de hominibus: « Benedictio, » id est, augmentatio in bonis operibus, « et honor, » quem inde apud Deum et homines consequimur, « et gloria, » de virtutibus quas in baptismo suscepimus, « et potestas, » qua concupiscentiis resistimus. Quasi diceret: Non nobis haec attribuantur, sed Domino. Psal. CXIII, 1: Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, etc.
« Benedictio » pro dono creationis, « honor » pro liberatione captivitatis, « gloria » pro stola corporis, « potestas » pro stola animae. Vel sic: « Benedictio » pro dono fortunae, « honor » pro dono naturae, « gloria » pro dono gratiae, « potestas » pro dono gloriae. « In saecula saeculorum, » id est, sine fine.
14. « Et quatuor animalia dicebant: Amen. Et viginti quatuor seniores ceciderunt in facies suas, et adoraverunt viventem in saecula saeculorum. »
Hic ponit consensum Praedicatorum, et congratulationem Angelorum. Et est sensus: « Et quatuor animalia, » id est, universi Praedicatores, « dicebant: Amen, » id est, confirmabant laudem qua Deus laudabatur. Glossa: « Ad Praedicatores ex officio pertinet alios confirmare. » Unde Petro dictum est, Luc. XXII, 32: Et tu aliquando conversus, confirma fratres tuos.
Hic quaeritur, Quomodo praedicatores possint dicta Angelorum confirmare, cum illi sint eis superiores? Responsio. Duplex est confirmatio: per ratificationem, et haec est auctoritas, et pertinet ad majores. Alia est per approbationem et consensum, et haec pertinet ad minores, et de hac loquitur hic.
« Et viginti quatuor seniores, » id est, universi Doctores, vel fideles, septem operibus misericordiae secundum regulam quatuor Evangelistarum viventes, « ceciderunt in facies suas, » per humilitatem ab altitudine divinae majestatis ad propriam parvitatem se converterunt: « et adoraverunt, » corde, et ore, et opere, « viventem in saecula saeculorum, » id est, in aeternum. « Viventem » in se, et aliis vitam tribuentem. Deuter. XXXII, 40: Vivo ego in aeternum. Joan. XIV, 19: Ego vivo, et vos vivetis.
Or thus concerning human beings: “Blessing,” that is, increase in good works; “and honor,” which from that we obtain before God and human beings; “and glory,” concerning the virtues which we received in baptism; “and power,” by which we resist concupiscences. As if he were saying: Let these things not be attributed to us, but to the Lord. Psalm CXIII, 1: Not to us, O Lord, not to us, etc.
“Blessing” for the gift of creation, “honor” for liberation from captivity, “glory” for the robe of the body, “power” for the robe of the soul. Or thus: “Blessing” for the gift of fortune, “honor” for the gift of nature, “glory” for the gift of grace, “power” for the gift of glory. “Unto ages of ages,” that is, without end.
14. “And the four living creatures said: Amen. And the twenty-four elders fell down upon their faces, and adored the one living unto ages of ages.”
Here he sets down the agreement of the Preachers and the rejoicing of the Angels. And the sense is: “And the four living creatures,” that is, all Preachers, “said: Amen,” that is, they confirmed the praise by which God was being praised. The Gloss says: “It belongs to Preachers by office to confirm others.” Hence it was said to Peter, Luke XXII, 32: And you, once converted, confirm your brothers.
Here it is asked: How can preachers confirm the sayings of Angels, since Angels are superior to them? Response. Confirmation is twofold: by ratification, and this is authority and belongs to the greater; another is by approval and consent, and this belongs to the lesser, and he is speaking of this here.
“And the twenty-four elders,” that is, all Doctors, or the faithful living by the seven works of mercy according to the rule of the four Evangelists, “fell down upon their faces,” through humility they turned themselves from the height of divine majesty to their own littleness; “and they adored,” with heart, mouth, and work, “the one living unto ages of ages,” that is, forever. “Living” in himself, and giving life to others. Deuteronomy XXXII, 40: I live forever. John XIV, 19: I live, and you shall live.
Notes
- Matthew XIX, 17; Mark X, 17. (Matth. XIX, 17; Marc. X, 17.) ↩
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