Works › Commentary on the Apocalypse of Blessed John
Volume 38 · pp. 604–606
Chapter VIII: the first and second trumpets
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7. « Et primus Angelus tuba cecinit: et facta est grando, et ignis, mista in sanguine, et missum est in terram: et tertia pars terrae combusta est, et tertia pars arborum concremata est, et omne faenum viride combustum est. »
Hic incipit determinare de cantu sive tubis septem Angelorum.
Et dividitur haec pars in septem secundum numerum septem Angelorum usque ad duodecimum capitulum, in quo terminatur pars ista hujus tertiae visionis.
Hic autem agitur de cantu primi Angeli.
Et dicuntur hic tria. Primo, quod ad praedicationem Apostolorum ira Dei innotuit. Secundo, dicitur quibus innotuit, ibi, « Et missum est in terram. » Tertio, quod omnes malos consumpsit, ibi, « Et tertia pars terrae. »
Unde dicit: « Et primus Angelus, » id est, primus ordo Praedicatorum, ut fuerunt Apostoli, « tuba cecinit, » id est, praedicavit, aperte exhortans ad bellum. Isa. LVIII, 1: Quasi tuba exalta vocem tuam. Vel, « Tuba cecinit, » ratione tubae terror, ratione cantus suavitas, vel amor. Praedicatio Apostolorum visa est ut cantus suavis bonis, malis autem ut terror gravis.
« Et facta est grando, et ignis, » id est, voce Praedicatorum manifestata est poena, quae debetur malis hominibus, « mista in sanguine, » quia illa poena debetur pro sanguinolentis operibus. Et in grandine intelligitur frigus, in igne calor, in sanguine peccatum. Quasi dicat: Praedicabunt poenam talem deberi peccatoribus secundum illud Job, XXIV, 19: Ad nimium calorem transeat ab aquis nivium, et usque ad inferos peccatum illius.
« Et missum est in terram. » Glossa: Hoc totum, id est, grando, et ignis, et sanguis in terram, id est, habitantibus in terra.
Et quia aliqui ad praedicationem Apostolorum sunt conversi, alii vero igne aeterno consumpti. Unde subdit: « Et tertia pars terrae, » non dicit, tota terra. Nota: Duae partes dicuntur auditores, tertia pars neutra. Item, duae partes sunt activi et contemplativi, tertia neuter. Vel secundum Glossam, duae partes sunt justorum, perfecti scilicet, et minus perfecti, tertia pars reprobi. Duas partes conservat Dominus. Psal. CX, 13: Benedixit omnibus qui timent Dominum, pusillis cum majoribus. Item, eorum qui salvantur: quidam salvantur in statu innocentiae, ut parvuli: quidam in statu actualiter justitiae, ut adulti: tertia pars sunt reprobi, quae combusta est igne infernali.
Vel sic: « Tertia pars terrae combusta est, et tertia pars arborum concremata est, et omne faenum viride combustum est. » Per terram intelliguntur subditi, per arbores Praelati, per faenum viride confidentes in virore hujus mundi. Subditorum tres sunt partes, innocentes, poenitentes, pertinaces: et haec tertia pars igne combusta est. Praelatorum tres sunt partes, quidam contemplativi: alii activi: alii terrenis actibus dediti, et haec tertia pars igne combusta est avaritiae in praesenti, et tandem comburentur igne inferni. Unde: « Et tertia pars terrae, » id est, proferens malas herbas « combusta est, » id est, igne devorata, « et tertia pars arborum, » sterilis et infructuosa, « concremata est. » Matth. VII, 19: Omnis arbor quae non facit fructum bonum, etc.
7. “And the first Angel sounded the trumpet; and hail and fire were made, mixed in blood, and it was cast upon the earth; and the third part of the earth was burned up, and the third part of the trees was burned up, and all green hay was burned up.”
Here he begins to determine concerning the song or trumpets of the seven Angels.
And this part is divided into seven according to the number of the seven Angels, up to the twelfth chapter, in which this part of this third vision is ended.
Here, however, the song of the first Angel is treated.
And three things are said here. First, that at the preaching of the Apostles the wrath of God became known. Second, it is said to whom it became known, there, “And it was cast upon the earth.” Third, that it consumed all the wicked, there, “And the third part of the earth.”
Hence he says: “And the first Angel,” that is, the first order of Preachers, as the Apostles were, “sounded the trumpet,” that is, preached, openly exhorting to war. Isaiah LVIII, 1: Lift up your voice like a trumpet. Or, “sounded the trumpet”: by reason of the trumpet, terror; by reason of the song, sweetness or love. The preaching of the Apostles was seen as sweet song by the good, but as grave terror by the wicked.
“And hail and fire were made,” that is, by the voice of the Preachers the punishment that is owed to wicked human beings was manifested, “mixed in blood,” because that punishment is owed for bloody works. And in hail is understood cold, in fire heat, in blood sin. As if he were saying: They will preach that such punishment is owed to sinners according to that saying of Job XXIV, 19: Let him pass from the waters of snow to excessive heat, and his sin even to the lower regions.
“And it was cast upon the earth.” The Gloss says: All this, that is, hail and fire and blood, upon the earth, that is, upon those dwelling on the earth.
And because some were converted at the preaching of the Apostles, but others were consumed by eternal fire, hence he adds: “And the third part of the earth”; he does not say, the whole earth. Note: Two parts are called hearers; the third part is neither. Likewise, two parts are active and contemplative; the third neither. Or according to the Gloss, two parts are of the just, namely the perfect and the less perfect; the third part are the reprobate. The Lord preserves two parts. Psalm CX, 13: He has blessed all who fear the Lord, the small with the great. Likewise, of those who are saved, some are saved in the state of innocence, as little children; some in the state of actual justice, as adults; the third part are the reprobate, which has been burned with infernal fire.
Or thus: “The third part of the earth was burned up, and the third part of the trees was burned up, and all green hay was burned up.” By the earth are understood subjects; by trees, Prelates; by green hay, those confident in the greenness of this world. There are three parts of subjects: the innocent, penitents, and the obstinate; and this third part has been burned with fire. There are three parts of Prelates: some contemplative, others active, others given to earthly actions; and this third part has been burned by the fire of covetousness in the present, and at last they will be burned by the fire of hell. Hence: “And the third part of the earth,” that is, bringing forth evil herbs, “was burned up,” that is, devoured by fire, “and the third part of the trees,” sterile and fruitless, “was burned up.” Matthew VII, 19: Every tree that does not make good fruit, etc.
« Et omne faenum viride combustum est. » Per faenum intelligitur caro, per virorem luxuriae humor: ergo omne faenum, id est, omnis homo, « viride, » id est, in quo est luxuriae humor, « combustum est, » scilicet, igne luxuriae, et tandem igne gehennae. Vel, per faenum viride intelliguntur omnes quiescentes in virore hujus mundi: quod hodie est, et cras in clibanum mittitur 1. Quia vero hujus foeni nihil participat bonitatem, sed totum reprobabile est, ideo dicit: « Omne faenum. »
Secundum alium modum legendi dividitur sic illa pars: Et primo notatur primus ordo Praedicatorum Novi Testamenti. Secundo, saevitia Judaici populi, ibi, « Et facta est grando. » Tertio, reprobatio illius populi, ibi, « Et missum est. »
Dicit ergo: « Et primus Angelus, » id est, primus ordo Praedicatorum, scilicet, Apostolorum, « tuba cecinit, » id est, praedicavit, consolando corda fidelium. Nota, quod quilibet Angelus dicitur tuba canere: numquam tamen in Veteri Testamento dictus est cantus, sed clangor. Et hoc, quia Vetus Testamentum fuit lex timoris, Novum amoris. Et dicitur cantus tubae praedicatio Apostolorum, quia fuit dulcis Christianis, sed terribilis Judaeis. Et propter hoc, « facta est grando, » id est, persecutio, « et ignis, » id est, interior ardens aemulatio. Vel, « Grando » terroris, et « ignis » invidiae, et indignationis. Vel, « Grando » exterioris persecutionis, « et ignis » amoris in cordibus fidelium: « mista sanguine, » quia propter hoc effundunt sanguinem fidelium: unde lapidaverunt Stephanum 2.
« Et missum est in terram, » id est, contra Judaeos incultos et terrenos a diabolo suggerente. Et dicit: « Missum est, » impersonaliter: quia per hoc Judaei privati sunt omni principatu, sacerdotio, et regno. « Et tertia pars terrae, » id est, Judaeorum terrenorum, « combusta est, » scilicet, primo igne peccati, postea comburentur igne infernali. Prima pars Judaeorum fuit eorum qui ante praedicationem Apostolorum crediderunt. Secunda, eorum qui post praedicationem conversi sunt. Tertia, eorum qui nec ante nec post crediderunt.
“And all green hay was burned up.” By hay is understood the flesh; by greenness, the moisture of lust. Therefore all hay, that is, every human being, “green,” that is, in whom is the moisture of lust, “was burned up,” namely by the fire of lust, and at last by the fire of Gehenna. Or, by green hay are understood all those resting in the greenness of this world, which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven 1. But because none of this hay participates in goodness, but all of it is reprobate, therefore he says, “all hay.”
According to another manner of reading, that part is divided thus: First is marked the first order of Preachers of the New Testament. Second, the savagery of the Jewish people, there, “And hail was made.” Third, the reprobation of that people, there, “And it was cast.”
Therefore he says: “And the first Angel,” that is, the first order of Preachers, namely the Apostles, “sounded the trumpet,” that is, preached by consoling the hearts of the faithful. Note that each Angel is said to sound the trumpet; nevertheless, in the Old Testament it was never called song, but clangor. And this is because the Old Testament was the law of fear, the New of love. And the song of the trumpet is called the preaching of the Apostles because it was sweet to Christians but terrible to Jews. And because of this, “hail was made,” that is, persecution, “and fire,” that is, inward burning zeal. Or, “hail” of terror, and “fire” of envy and indignation. Or, “hail” of exterior persecution, “and fire” of love in the hearts of the faithful, “mixed with blood,” because on account of this they poured out the blood of the faithful; hence they stoned Stephen 2.
“And it was cast upon the earth,” that is, against the uncultivated and earthly Jews, at the devil’s suggestion. And he says, “it was cast,” impersonally, because through this the Jews were deprived of every principate, priesthood, and kingdom. “And the third part of the earth,” that is, of the earthly Jews, “was burned up,” namely, first with the fire of sin; afterward they will be burned with infernal fire. The first part of the Jews was of those who believed before the preaching of the Apostles. The second, of those who were converted after the preaching. The third, of those who believed neither before nor after.
« Et tertia pars arborum concremata est, » id est, malorum Judaeorum, qui per superbiam Christum recipere noluerunt: « et omne faenum viride combustum est, » id est, Judaei qui luxuriae vacabant.
Nota, quod tria genera Judaeorum tangit. Per tertiam partem terrae signat avaros, per arbores superbos et elatos propter doctrinam legis, per faenum luxuriosos. Et quia temporalibus et doctrina legis contingit et bene et male uti, sed non luxuria, ideo dicitur quod « omne faenum viride combustum est. »
8. « Et secundus Angelus tuba cecinit: et tamquam mons magnus igne ardens missus est in mare, et facta est tertia pars maris sanguis.
9. Et mortua est tertia pars creaturae eorum quae habebant animas in mari, et tertia pars navium interiit. »
Hic est secunda tuba in qua, secundum Bedam, signatur diabolus expulsus de Ecclesia.
Et dicuntur duo. Primo, quod diabolus ad praedicationem Apostolorum expulsus ab electis amplius coepit dominari in reprobis. Secundo dicit, quod ex hoc secuta est in eis plaga spiritualis, ibi, « Et facta est tertia pars. »
Dicit ergo: « Et secundus Angelus, » id est, Apostoli. Unde iste Angelus non est alius a primo in natura et officio, sed secundus dicitur, quia aliis, id est, gentibus praedicavit.
« Tuba cecinit, » id est, aperte praedicavit: « et ecce tamquam mons, » id est, diabolus qui dicitur mons propter suam superbiam, « magnus, » propter potentiam, « igne ardens, » propter iram et invidiam, « missus est in mare, » id est, mundum. Psal. CIII, 25: Hoc mare magnum, etc. Vel, « In mare, » id est, in corda reproborum exclusus a bonis per praedicationem Apostolorum: non quod ibi non esset, sed quia ferventius intendere coepit.
Vel sic: « Et secundus Angelus tuba cecinit, » ut prius, id est, aperte praedicavit: « et tamquam mons magnus, » id est, diabolus, « missus est, » scilicet divina permissione, vel nocendi libidine, « in mare, » id est, in Gentiles qui dicuntur mare, quia tumidi per superbiam, et fluidi per luxuriam, fluctuantes per diversorum idolorum culturam, falsi per iracundiam.
Sed cum diabolus possederit hoc mare, quare dicitur « missus in mare? » Respondeo. Ut amplius possideret quoad partem reproborum, ut et persecutionem excitaret.
« Et facta est tertia pars maris sanguis. »
Mare quod tumet, signat superbos: quoniam fiunt sanguis, quando peccant per superbiam: quia et sanguis peccatum signat.
“And the third part of the trees was burned up,” that is, of the wicked Jews, who through pride refused to receive Christ; “and all green hay was burned up,” that is, the Jews who were devoted to lust.
Note that he touches three kinds of Jews. By the third part of the earth he signifies the covetous; by trees, the proud and exalted because of the teaching of the law; by hay, the lustful. And because one may use temporal things and the teaching of the law both well and badly, but not lust, therefore it is said that “all green hay was burned up.”
8. “And the second Angel sounded the trumpet; and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood.
9. And the third part of the creatures that had souls in the sea died, and the third part of the ships perished.”
Here is the second trumpet, in which, according to Bede, the devil expelled from the Church is signified.
And two things are said. First, that at the preaching of the Apostles the devil, expelled from the elect, began to dominate the reprobate more fully. Second he says that from this a spiritual plague followed in them, there, “And the third part was made.”
Therefore he says: “And the second Angel,” that is, the Apostles. Hence this Angel is not different from the first in nature and office, but is called second because he preached to others, that is, to the Gentiles.
“He sounded the trumpet,” that is, preached openly; “and behold, as it were a mountain,” that is, the devil, who is called a mountain because of his pride, “great,” because of power, “burning with fire,” because of wrath and envy, “was cast into the sea,” that is, the world. Psalm CIII, 25: This great sea, etc. Or, “into the sea,” that is, into the hearts of the reprobate, excluded from the good by the preaching of the Apostles; not that he was not there, but because he began to attend more fervently.
Or thus: “And the second Angel sounded the trumpet,” as before, that is, preached openly; “and as it were a great mountain,” that is, the devil, “was cast,” namely by divine permission, or by desire of harming, “into the sea,” that is, among the Gentiles, who are called sea because they are swollen by pride, fluid by lust, fluctuating by the worship of diverse idols, and false by wrath.
But since the devil possessed this sea, why is he said to be “cast into the sea?” I answer: So that he might possess it more fully with respect to the part of the reprobate, and also stir up persecution.
“And the third part of the sea became blood.”
The sea, which swells, signifies the proud; for they become blood when they sin through pride, because blood also signifies sin.
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