Chapter VIII: the other Angel and the thurible

3. “And another Angel came.”

It was said above that seven trumpets were given to the seven Angels; here he says by whom they were given.

And three things are said. First, he says that the Son of God came into the flesh. Second, his readiness of obedience for immolating it, there, “And he stood before the altar.” Third, that he immolated it when he ascended onto the cross, there, V. 5: “And the Angel took.”

Therefore he says: “And another Angel,” that is, Christ, who is the Angel of great counsel according to another translation ¹. And he is called Angel because he announced the Father to us. John I, 18: The Only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, etc. Likewise, because he was sent to us for saving. John III, 17: For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

“He came,” namely into the flesh. John I, 14: The Word was made flesh. Psalm XXXIX, 8: Then I said: Behold, I come. He who everywhere has being by deity. Jeremiah XXIII, 24: I fill heaven and earth.

And he is called “another” because he is different from the others in nature. This one is Creator, the others creatures. This one is better than all Preachers, both by grace of holiness, and by power of virtue, and by excellence of dignity.

“And he stood before the altar, having a golden thurible.”

Here he says that Christ was ready to offer himself on the cross.

And three things are said. First, his readiness for immolating himself for us on the cross. Second, that the prayers of the Saints were entrusted to him, there, “And many incenses were given to him.” Third, that through him they were offered to God the Father, there, V. 4: “And the smoke of the incense ascended.”

Therefore he says: “And he stood,” namely, as if ready to immolate. In this the readiness of obedience is marked. Philippians II, 8: Made obedient, etc.

“Before the altar,” that is, before the cross, desiring to fulfill the mystery of the incarnation. Luke XXII, 15: With desire I have desired, etc. Or, according to the Gloss, it is expounded of Christ, who is called altar. And then thus: “And he stood before the altar,” that is, Christ was true God in deity before he was an altar, that is, united to human nature. Or, faith is called an altar, because no operation pleases God unless it is done in the faith of the Church. Psalm L, 21: Then they will place calves upon your altar. Hebrews XII, 6: Without faith it is impossible to please God. Likewise, the altar is the heart of the just person. Psalm XLII, 4: I will go in to the altar of God; it is called an altar because in it carnal movements ought to be burned, and this by fear of divine judgment. Exodus XXVII, 1: You shall make also the altar, namely of holocausts. Likewise, because in it holy desires ought to be kindled by the fire of charity. Exodus XXX, 1: You shall also make an altar for burning incense. Likewise, the Church is called the altar before which Christ stands, by protecting her, III Kings VI, 22: He covered the altar of the oracle with gold, namely the cleanest gold. Genesis XV, 1: I am your protector, and your exceedingly great reward.

“Having a golden thurible, etc.”

Note: A thurible is closed below and open above, and it signifies the body of Christ, which was not formed by a human, that is, lower work, but by a higher one, that is, by the work of the Holy Spirit. Luke I, 35: The Holy Spirit will come upon you. Likewise, it has many openings, and Christ has wounds. Canticle II, 4: Come in the openings of the rock. Likewise, incense is burned so that it may be offered to the Lord; so the prayers of the saints of the Church are directed through Christ to God the Father. Hence prayers end thus: “Through our Lord, etc.” Hence Bernard says: “He was made a thurible from which God received sweetness of odor and was made propitious to the world.”

“Golden,” because of the brightness and purity of innocence. This is what is said in III Kings VII, 30, that Solomon made a thurible of purest gold. Note: Pure gold was the body of the human being before the fall, because it did not have sin. Purer gold was the body of the Virgin, which never committed sin. Purest gold was in Christ, because he neither sinned, nor wished to sin, nor was able to commit any sin. Proverbs XXV, 4: Remove the rust from silver, that is, original contamination from the Blessed Virgin, and a very pure vessel will go forth, that is, the body of Christ. Likewise, gold, because he suffered and was crucified from charity alone. Jeremiah XXXI, 3: With perpetual charity I have loved you, etc.

“In his hand ²,” namely, ready to immolate it to the Father for us. Psalm CXVIII, 109: My soul is always in my hands. Likewise, “in his hand,” because it was in his power to offer it. John X, 18: No one takes it from me, but I lay it down, etc. Isaiah LIII, 7: He was offered because he himself willed it. Likewise, “in his hand,” because his body had no rebellion against the spirit, nor conversely.

Another reading, as Bede says, has “upon the altar,” where we have “before the altar”; this is said because upon the altar of the cross he offered his golden thurible, that is, his immaculate body, to the Father for us.

According to Haymo, by the golden thurible is understood the Church, which, kindled by the fire of divine love, directs clean prayers to God: it is closed below to earthly things, but open above to eternal things. And it is called golden because of the splendor of wisdom, the preciousness of charity and obedience, with which the Church is clothed. According to the Gloss, the golden thurible is said to be the Apostles, who are a vessel full of the Holy Spirit, etc.

“And many incenses were given to him, that he might give from the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar that is before the throne of God.”

Here he says that the prayers of the Saints, which are many, were entrusted to him.

Hence he says: “And there were given to him,” that is, to Christ, “many incenses,” that is, many prayers of the saints, “that he might give,” that is, offer to the Father, “from the prayers of all the saints,” namely some and not all, because they do not always ask what is useful to them for salvation, as is plain in Paul, who asked that the sting be removed, and yet did not obtain it ³.

“Upon the altar,” that is, upon the cross on which he was offered. For by the merit of the Passion the prayers that are placed in Christ, as incense in a thurible, are acceptable to God the Father. Hence, 1 John II, 1: We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just, etc.

“Golden,” that is, dyed with the blood of Christ, shining with miracles, more precious among all woods as gold among metals. Therefore the cross is called the altar because Christ was immolated upon it. “Golden,” because of the splendor of miracles and its preciousness.

“And the smoke of the incenses from the prayers of the saints ascended from the hand of the Angel before God.”

It was said above that the Saints entrust their prayers to Christ so that he may offer them to the Father; here he says that he himself renders them acceptable to the Father.

Hence he says: “And the smoke of the incenses ascended,” that is, compunction produced by zeal for prayer, kindled by the fire of the vision of God, “from the prayers of the saints from the hand of the Angel,” that is, by the virtue or power that is understood by the hand. As if he were saying: Through the virtue and operation of Christ the prayers of the Saints ascend.

“Before God,” namely, the Father. For Christ himself receives the prayers of the Saints in his hand and offers them to God the Father, continually showing him the humanity assumed for the redemption of the human race.

5. “And the Angel took the thurible and filled it from the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth; and there were thunders and voices and flashes of lightning and a great earthquake.”

It was said above that Christ came into the flesh and that he was ready to sustain the Passion; here he says that he voluntarily ascended the cross.

And four things are said. First, that he voluntarily exposed his body to death. Second, that he sustained the bitterness of the Passion in all his members, there, “And he filled it.” Third, that he voluntarily placed his body in the tomb, there, “And he cast it upon the earth.” Fourth, the signs proving that he was God, there, “And there were thunders.”

Hence he says: “And the Angel took the thurible.” On the contrary: he had it in his hand before; therefore he did not take it. Response. He had it in his hand before, when the hour of death came. But he took it when he voluntarily exposed himself to death. Hence: “He took the thurible,” that is, he exposed his holy and immaculate body to death and the Passion. John XVIII, 4 and 5: Whom do you seek? They answered him: Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus says to them: I am he.

“And filled it from the fire of the altar,” that is, he filled his whole body with the bitterness of the death of the cross, because he suffered in all his members; or because he suffered from charity; “and cast it upon the earth,” that is, into the tomb; “and there were thunders,” that is, miracles, because the rocks were split, the dead were raised, and an earthquake was made. Hence the centurion said, when he heard the earthquake: Truly this man was the Son of God ⁴.

Or thus: “And there were thunders,” namely in his Passion, because then the true fire was extinguished in the cloud, that is, Christ died on the cross. And when such a fire had been extinguished, darkness was made from the sixth hour to the ninth.

“And voices,” when an Angel appeared consoling or strengthening him ⁵. Or, when the voice from heaven said: I have glorified, and I will glorify again ⁶.

“And flashes of lightning,” namely on the day of Pentecost. Acts II, 2: Suddenly a sound was made from heaven, etc.

Or, “voices” that the Jews heard after the Ascension of the Lord, when the Angels said: “Let us depart from these seats,” as Josephus says. “And flashes of lightning,” because they saw horsemen running in the air, by which it was signified that they were very soon to be taken captive. “And a great earthquake.” This occurred in the Resurrection. This occurred in the prayer of the faithful. Acts IV, 31: When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered was moved.

Or thus: “And he took the thurible,” that is, the Apostles, “and filled it from the fire,” that is, from charity, “of the altar,” that is, of Christ. Acts II, 4: They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

“And he cast it upon the earth,” that is, the Church, namely for preaching; “and there were made,” supply, when they preached, “thunders” of threats, “and voices” of consolations, “and flashes of lightning” of miracles, “and a great earthquake was made,” because when miracles had been seen, some were converted to penance, others to persecution.

6. “And the seven Angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound the trumpet.”

This is the third part of this third vision, in which it is treated for what purpose those trumpets were given.

And two things are said here. First, that they prepared themselves for sounding. Second, he determines in order concerning their sounding, there, V. 7: “And the first Angel.”

Therefore he says: “And the seven Angels,” that is, all Preachers, “who had the seven trumpets,” that is, the office of preaching, in which seven are contained, as was said above, “prepared themselves,” namely to search the divine utterances. Hence in the book of Ezra, VII, 10: Ezra prepared his heart, etc.

Or, “they prepared themselves,” that is, how and what they ought to preach to each one. Or, “they prepared themselves.” Haymo says: “First by doing what they were going to preach,” “so that they might sound the trumpet,” that is, preach. And note that he says, “so that they might sound the trumpet,” because although a trumpet gives a terrible sound, nevertheless it ought to be song; for preaching ought both to strike terror and to lead toward love. Likewise, they ought to exercise the office with cheerfulness and joy.