Works › Commentary on the Apocalypse of Blessed John
Volume 38 · pp. 639–642
Chapter XI: the two witnesses and their power
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3. « Et dabo duobus testibus meis, et prophetabunt diebus mille ducentis sexaginta. »
Hic est tertia pars istius partis: in qua ad consolationem Ecclesiae promittitur adventus duorum Prophetarum, ne terreret audita saevitia pravorum.
Et dividitur haec pars in quatuor. In prima, agitur de eorum praedicatione, et praedicationis commendatione. In secunda, de eorum potestate, ibi, V. 6: « Hi habent potestatem. » In tertia, de eorum morte et passione, ibi, V. 7: « Et cum finierint testimonium. » In quarta, de eorum gloria et resurrectione, ibi, V. 11: « Et post tres dies. »
In prima parte tangitur eorum praedicatio. Secundo, quaedam quibus commendatur illa praedicatio, ibidem, « Amicti saccis. »
In prima tanguntur tria. Primo, praemium testium, ibi, « Et dabo duobus testibus. » Secundo, injuncti officii exercitium, ibi, « Et prophetabunt. » Tertio, tempus exercendi officium, ibi, « Diebus mille, etc. »
Dicit ergo: « Et dabo, » non dicit quid, ad signandum illud esse ineffabile quod dabit, « duobus testibus meis, » scilicet Henoch et Eliae, et in hoc notatur sufficientia testium. Matth. XVIII, 16: In ore duorum vel trium testium. Vel, « Duobus » dicit, quia testimonium perhibebunt Christo de duobus, scilicet, quod sit Deus, et homo. Vel, de duobus, scilicet de Christi magnitudine, et Antichristi reprobatione. Vel, quia duobus suum testimonium confirmabunt, scilicet de Novo, et Veteri Testamento. Vel, de duobus, hoc est, de poenis malorum, et de praemiis bonorum. Vel, secundum Haymonem, duo testes dicuntur propter duo genera martyrii: unum in mente, alterum in carne.
Nota: Quod Elias sit unus ex his testibus, habetur expresse, Malach. IV, 5 et 6: Ecce ego mittam vobis Eliam... Et convertet cor patrum ad filios. Sed unde habetur, quod Henoch sit alius. Forte habetur ex hoc quod translatus est. Genes. V, 24: Et Henoch ambulavit cum Deo, et non comparuit, quia tulit eum Deus. Aliqui tamen dixerunt, quod Moyses erit ille alter, quod conjiciunt ex hoc quod Deus apparuit tribus discipulis cum Moyse, et Elia 1. Tamen communiter concordant Sancti, quod ille sit Henoch.
« Et prophetabunt diebus mille ducentis sexaginta, » id est, praedicabunt tribus annis, et dimidio, sicut dicit Glossa. Contra: Alia Glossa dicit, quod hic numerus dierum non facit tres annos et dimidium, ideo quia deficiunt triginta et unus dies. Responsio. Isti praedicabunt quanto tempore Christus praedicavit. Non enim praedicavit tribus annis et dimidio integre: quia pro dimidio anno computatur tempus illud quod est ab Epiphania usque ad Pascha: et hanc solutionem innuit Glossa illa. Praedicabunt tribus annis et dimidio, sicut et ipse Christus praedicavit. Vel, potest dici, quod Scriptura non facit vim de minimis, propter quod per praedictum numerum intelliguntur tres anni et dimidius: etsi numerus ille non perficiat totaliter tantum tempus, quia posito majori non fit vis de minori.
3. “And I will give to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days.”
This is the third part of this section, in which the advent of the two Prophets is promised for the consolation of the Church, lest the savagery of the depraved, once heard, should terrify.
And this part is divided into four. In the first, there is treatment of their preaching and of the commendation of the preaching. In the second, of their power, there, V. 6: “These have power.” In the third, of their death and passion, there, V. 7: “And when they have finished their testimony.” In the fourth, of their glory and resurrection, there, V. 11: “And after three days.”
In the first part their preaching is touched upon. Second, certain things by which that preaching is commended, in the same place, “clothed in sackcloth.”
In the first, three things are touched upon. First, the reward of the witnesses, there, “And I will give to my two witnesses.” Second, the exercise of the enjoined office, there, “And they will prophesy.” Third, the time of exercising the office, there, “for one thousand days, etc.”
Therefore he says: “And I will give,” he does not say what, to signify that what he will give is ineffable, “to my two witnesses,” namely Enoch and Elijah; and in this the sufficiency of the witnesses is noted. Matthew XVIII, 16: In the mouth of two or three witnesses. Or, he says “two” because they will bear testimony to Christ concerning two things, namely that he is God and man. Or, concerning two things, namely concerning the greatness of Christ and the reprobation of Antichrist. Or, because they will confirm their testimony by two things, namely by the New and Old Testament. Or, concerning two things, that is, concerning the punishments of the evil and the rewards of the good. Or, according to Haymo, they are called two witnesses because of the two kinds of martyrdom: one in mind, the other in flesh.
Note: That Elijah is one of these witnesses is had expressly in Malachi IV, 5 and 6: Behold, I will send you Elijah... And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the sons. But from where is it had that Enoch is the other? Perhaps it is had from this, that he was translated. Genesis V, 24: And Enoch walked with God, and did not appear, because God took him. Yet some have said that Moses will be that other one, which they conjecture from this, that God appeared to the three disciples with Moses and Elijah 1. Nevertheless the Saints commonly agree that that one is Enoch.
“And they will prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days,” that is, they will preach for three and a half years, as the Gloss says. On the contrary: another Gloss says that this number of days does not make three and a half years, because thirty-one days are lacking. Response. They will preach for as much time as Christ preached. For he did not preach for three and a half years whole and entire, because the time from Epiphany up to Easter is counted for half a year; and that Gloss suggests this solution. They will preach for three and a half years, as Christ himself also preached. Or, it can be said that Scripture does not make force from the smallest things, on account of which by the aforesaid number three and a half years are understood, even if that number does not totally complete so much time, because when the greater is set down, no force is made concerning the lesser.
« Amicti saccis.
4. Hi sunt duae olivae, et duo candelabra in conspectu Domini terrae stantes.
5. Et si quis voluerit eos nocere, ignis exiet de ore eorum, et devorabit inimicos eorum: et si quis voluerit eos laedere, sic oportet eum occidi. »
Hic tanguntur quaedam quae praedicationem illorum reddent commendabilem. Primum est dejectio et humilitas exterior, ibi, « Amicti saccis. » Secundum, unctio interior, ibi, V. 4: « Hi sunt duae olivae. » Tertium est veritatis manifestatio, ibidem, « Et duo candelabra. » Quartum, ordinata intentio, ibidem, « In conspectu Domini terrae stantes. » Quintum, constans veritatis confessio, ibi, V. 5: « Et si quis voluerit. »
Dicit ergo: « Amicti saccis, » id est, vilibus pannis. Haymo, quia poenitentiam quam praedicabunt ore, etiam habitu ostendent. Vel, « Amicti saccis, » id est, reputatione vilitatis et miseriae eorum. Quasi dicat: Viles et miseros reputari permittam.
« Hi sunt duae olivae. »
Glossa: Spiritu uncti quantum ad donum geminae charitatis, scilicet, Dei, et proximi: quae per oleum signatur, quia sicut oleum aliis liquoribus superfertur, ita charitas aliis virtutibus praeeminet.
« Et duo candelabra. » Glossa: Dantes lumen viae aliis. Matth. V, 14: Vos estis lux mundi. Vel, « Duo candelabra, » scilicet, lumen fidei habentes, et alios illuminantes. Nota: Dicuntur olivae per charitatem, candelabra per fidem, stantes per spem.
« In conspectu Domini terrae stantes. » Glossa, quod Deo placet attendentes. Vel, « Stantes in conspectu, » per contemplationem: vel erecti et firmi per spem.
« Et si quis voluerit eos nocere, »
Id est, a bono proposito revocare, « ignis exiet de ore eorum, » id est, scientia spiritualis, quae dicitur ignis propter suam virtutem. Vel, « Ignis, » id est, praedicatio ignita, « exiet de ore eorum, » scilicet, quasi de fornace accensa. Eccli. XLVIII, 1: Surrexit Elias propheta quasi ignis, et verbum ipsius quasi facula ardebat.
« Et devorabit inimicos eorum, » id est, impotentes reddet eos ad resistendum. Quasi dicat: Convertet eos, ita quod non poterunt resistere. Vel, « Devorabit. » Glossa, damnabit, id est, damnandos et devorandos esse ostendet. Job XX, 26: Devorabit eum ignis qui non succenditur.
« Et si quis, » ut Antichristus, vel alius, « voluerit eos laedere, » scilicet morte corporali occidere, « sic, » id est, simili sententia. Glossa, vel spirituali simili sententia, « oportet eum occidi, » id est, occisione condemnari. Isa. XI, 4: Spiritu labiorum suorum interficiet impium, etc.
“Clothed in sackcloth.
4. These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing in the sight of the Lord of the earth.
5. And if anyone wills to harm them, fire will go out from their mouth and will devour their enemies; and if anyone wills to hurt them, thus he must be killed.”
Here certain things are touched upon that will render their preaching commendable. The first is dejection and exterior humility, there, “clothed in sackcloth.” The second is interior anointing, there, V. 4: “These are the two olive trees.” The third is the manifestation of truth, in the same place, “And two candlesticks.” The fourth is ordered intention, in the same place, “standing in the sight of the Lord of the earth.” The fifth is constant confession of the truth, there, V. 5: “And if anyone wills.”
Therefore he says: “Clothed in sackcloth,” that is, in cheap cloths. Haymo says, because the penance that they will preach by mouth they will also show by habit. Or, “clothed in sackcloth,” that is, in the estimation of their vileness and misery. As if he were saying: I will permit them to be regarded as vile and miserable.
“These are the two olive trees.”
The Gloss says: Anointed by the Spirit with respect to the gift of double charity, namely of God and neighbor, which is signified by oil, because as oil is carried above other liquids, so charity stands above other virtues.
“And two candlesticks.” The Gloss says: Giving the light of the way to others. Matthew V, 14: You are the light of the world. Or, “two candlesticks,” namely having the light of faith and illuminating others. Note: They are called olive trees through charity, candlesticks through faith, standing through hope.
“Standing in the sight of the Lord of the earth.” The Gloss says: attending to what pleases God. Or, “standing in the sight,” through contemplation, or upright and firm through hope.
“And if anyone wills to harm them,”
That is, to call them back from a good purpose, “fire will go out from their mouth,” that is, spiritual knowledge, which is called fire because of its power. Or, “fire,” that is, fiery preaching, “will go out from their mouth,” namely as from a kindled furnace. Ecclesiasticus XLVIII, 1: Elijah the prophet rose up like fire, and his word burned like a torch.
“And it will devour their enemies,” that is, it will render them powerless to resist. As if he were saying: It will convert them, so that they will not be able to resist. Or, “It will devour.” The Gloss says: it will damn, that is, it will show that they are to be damned and devoured. Job XX, 26: A fire that is not kindled will devour him.
“And if anyone,” as Antichrist or another, “wills to hurt them,” namely to kill them by bodily death, “thus,” that is, by a like sentence. The Gloss says, or by a similar spiritual sentence, “he must be killed,” that is, condemned by killing. Isaiah XI, 4: With the spirit of his lips he will slay the impious one, etc.
6. « Hi habent potestatem claudendi caelum, ne pluat diebus prophetiae ipsorum: et potestatem habent super aquas convertendi eas in sanguinem, et percutere terram omni plaga quotiescumque voluerint. »
Hic agitur de potestate eorum. Et determinatur potestas eorum in tribus, scilicet, in clausione caeli ne pluat super terram. In conversione aquarum in sanguinem, ibi, « Et potestatem habent. » In percussione terrae per plagam multiplicem, ibi, « Et percutere terram. »
Dicit ergo: « Hi habent potestatem claudendi caelum, » ad litteram, « ne pluat tempore prophetiae ipsorum, » scilicet per tres annos fere, et dimidium. Hoc fuit figuratum, III Regum XVIII, 1, ubi ad preces Eliae clausum est caelum ne daret pluviam tribus annis et sex mensibus.
« Et potestatem habent super aquas convertendi eas in sanguinem, » ad litteram, sicut legitur factum in Aegypto 2.
« Et percutere terram omni plaga, » sicut Moyses percussit Aegyptum, donec filios Israel educeret de Aegypto. Sed quia non legitur, quod isti debeant uti potestate ista tempore Antichristi, ideo non debet hic attendi sensus litteralis, sed spiritualis.
Unde dicit: « Hi habent potestatem claudendi caelum, » id est, Scripturam, quae, sicut dicit Glossa, celat nobis arcana. Est ergo sensus: « Habent potestatem claudendi, » scilicet indignis, « caelum, » id est, Scripturae intelligentiam, « ne pluat, » scilicet pluviam doctrinae propter indignitatem terrae, « diebus prophetiae ipsorum, » id est, tempore praedicationis eorum: verumtamen hoc caelum aperient electis, et praedicabunt eis.
« Et potestatem habent super aquas, » id est, super pluviam quae de caelo Scripturae stillat, « convertendi eas in sanguinem. » Glossa, in peccatum. Nota: Aqua convertitur in sanguinem, quando sacra Scriptura convertitur reprobis in damnationem: quod fit duobus modis: vel cum audiri contemnitur, vel cum audita non impletur opere. Jacobi IV, 17: Scienti bonum facere, et non facienti, peccatum est illi. Vel etiam, cum audita male intelligitur, et pervertitur. Vel sic: « Habent potestatem super aquas, » id est, mentes humanas, « convertendi eas in sanguinem, » id est, in fidem passionis et martyrii amorem. Vel, doctrinas falsorum doctorum « convertendi eas in sanguinem, » id est, ostendendi eas falsas, et perversas.
« Et, » supple, habent potestatem qui « percutere terram, » id est, terrenos, qui dicuntur terra propter nimium amorem terrenorum, « omni plaga, » id est, universitate poenarum, « quotiescumque voluerint, » quia in potestate eorum est infidelibus praedicare, quando voluerint, et ostendere illis peccatorum suorum poenas, ut convertantur si voluerint: si noluerint, damnentur. Luc. XII, 47: Servus, qui cognovit voluntatem domini sui, et non praeparavit, et non fecit secundum voluntatem ejus, vapulabit multis.
6. “These have power to close heaven, lest it rain during the days of their prophecy; and they have power over the waters to convert them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague as often as they wish.”
Here there is treatment of their power. And their power is determined in three things, namely, in the closing of heaven lest it rain upon the earth; in the conversion of waters into blood, there, “And they have power”; and in the striking of the earth by a manifold plague, there, “And to strike the earth.”
Therefore he says: “These have power to close heaven,” literally, “lest it rain during the time of their prophecy,” namely for almost three and a half years. This was figured in 3 Kings XVIII, 1, where at the prayers of Elijah heaven was closed lest it give rain for three years and six months.
“And they have power over the waters to convert them into blood,” literally, as it is read to have been done in Egypt 2.
“And to strike the earth with every plague,” as Moses struck Egypt until he led the children of Israel out of Egypt. But because it is not read that these men ought to use that power in the time of Antichrist, therefore the literal sense ought not be attended to here, but the spiritual.
Hence he says: “These have power to close heaven,” that is, Scripture, which, as the Gloss says, conceals secrets from us. Therefore the sense is: “They have power to close,” namely to the unworthy, “heaven,” that is, the understanding of Scripture, “lest it rain,” namely the rain of doctrine because of the unworthiness of the earth, “during the days of their prophecy,” that is, the time of their preaching; nevertheless they will open this heaven to the elect and will preach to them.
“And they have power over the waters,” that is, over the rain that drips from the heaven of Scripture, “to convert them into blood.” The Gloss says: into sin. Note: Water is converted into blood when sacred Scripture is converted into damnation for the reprobate; this happens in two ways: either when it is contemned when heard, or when what is heard is not fulfilled in work. James IV, 17: To one knowing how to do good and not doing it, it is sin to him. Or also, when what has been heard is badly understood and perverted. Or thus: “They have power over waters,” that is, human minds, “to convert them into blood,” that is, into faith in the Passion and love of martyrdom. Or, they have power over the doctrines of false doctors, “to convert them into blood,” that is, to show them to be false and perverse.
“And,” supply, they have power “to strike the earth,” that is, earthly persons, who are called earth because of excessive love of earthly things, “with every plague,” that is, with the universality of punishments, “as often as they wish,” because it is in their power to preach to unbelievers whenever they wish and to show them the punishments of their sins, so that they may be converted if they wish; if they do not wish, they may be damned. Luke XII, 47: The servant who knew the will of his lord and did not prepare and did not act according to his will will be beaten with many blows.
7. « Et cum finierint testimonium suum, bestia, quae ascendit de abysso, faciet adversus eos bellum, et vincet illos, et occidet eos.
8. Et corpora eorum jacebunt in plateis civitatis magnae, quae vocatur spiritualiter Sodoma, et Aegyptus, ubi et Dominus eorum crucifixus est.
9. Et videbunt de tribubus, et populis, et linguis, et gentibus, corpora eorum per tres dies et dimidium, et corpora eorum non sinent poni in monumentis.
10. Et inhabitantes terram gaudebunt super illos, et jucundabuntur, et munera mittent invicem, quoniam hi duo prophetae cruciaverunt eos qui habitabant super terram. »
Hic agitur de morte eorum.
Et dicuntur quinque. Primo, manifestatur tempus mortis. Secundo, actor, ibi, « Bestia. » Tertio, ordo facti, ibi, « Faciet adversus eos bellum. » Quarto, locus necis, ibi, V. 8: « Et corpora eorum. » Quinto, gaudium de morte eorum, ibi, V. 9: « Et videbunt. »
Dicit ergo: « Et cum finierint testimonium suum, » id est, suam praedicationem in qua testimonium perhibebunt Christo, « bestia, » id est, Antichristus, qui sic dicitur propter irrationalitatem, bonorum vastationem, et ferocitatem. Daniel. VII, 7: Adspiciebam, et ecce bestia quarta terribilis, atque mirabilis, etc.
« Quae ascendit. » Glossa, ad regnum.
« De abysso, » id est, de Judaeis excaecatis: quia de tribu Dan nascetur. Genes. XLIX, 17: Fiat Dan coluber in via. Vel, « De abysso. » Glossa, per tenebrosos: quia per tales exaltabitur. Vel, « De abysso, » id est, de profunda et occulta cordis malitia in opus exibit. Primo enim bonus apparebit: unde hypocritae et tyranni ponent eum in regno.
« Faciet adversus eos bellum, » scilicet, corporale et spirituale, et, sicut dicit Haymo, exhibebit tormentorum cuncta genera, quae in praecedentibus martyribus sunt adimpleta; conabitur doctrinis superare, exhibebit dona, promittet dulcia, adhibebit falsa miracula: unde faciet bellum comminando, blandiendo, disputando, promittendo, miracula faciendo.
« Et vincet illos, » non verbis superando, sed interficiendo. Vel, « vincet illos, » secundum opinionem vulgi.
« Et occidet illos. » Glossa, corporaliter.
« Et corpora eorum jacebunt in plateis, »
Scilicet sine honore sepulturae, ut qui viderint eos, timeant illos imitari, « civitatis magnae, » id est, Jerusalem, quae dicitur magna, vel propter multitudinem aedificiorum, vel propter multitudinem peccatorum. Jerem. VI, 6: Haec est civitas visitationis, omnis calumnia in medio ejus.
7. “And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends from the abyss will make war against them and will conquer them and will kill them.
8. And their bodies will lie in the streets of the great city, which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9. And some from the tribes and peoples and tongues and nations will see their bodies for three and a half days, and they will not allow their bodies to be placed in tombs.
10. And those inhabiting the earth will rejoice over them and will be made glad, and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwelt upon the earth.”
Here there is treatment of their death.
And five things are said. First, the time of death is manifested. Second, the actor, there, “the beast.” Third, the order of the deed, there, “will make war against them.” Fourth, the place of the killing, there, V. 8: “And their bodies.” Fifth, joy over their death, there, V. 9: “And they will see.”
Therefore he says: “And when they have finished their testimony,” that is, their preaching in which they will bear testimony to Christ, “the beast,” that is, Antichrist, who is so called because of irrationality, the devastation of the good, and ferocity. Daniel VII, 7: I was looking, and behold, a fourth beast, terrible and wonderful, etc.
“Which ascends.” The Gloss says: to the kingdom.
“From the abyss,” that is, from the blinded Jews, because he will be born from the tribe of Dan. Genesis XLIX, 17: Let Dan become a snake in the way. Or, “from the abyss.” The Gloss says: through the darkened, because through such persons he will be exalted. Or, “from the abyss,” that is, from the deep and hidden malice of the heart he will go out into work. For at first he will appear good; hence hypocrites and tyrants will place him in the kingdom.
“He will make war against them,” namely bodily and spiritual war; and, as Haymo says, he will display every kind of torment that has been fulfilled in the preceding martyrs; he will try to overcome by doctrines; he will display gifts; he will promise sweet things; he will apply false miracles. Hence he will make war by threatening, flattering, disputing, promising, and doing miracles.
“And he will conquer them,” not by overcoming them in words, but by killing them. Or, “he will conquer them,” according to the opinion of the crowd.
“And he will kill them.” The Gloss says: bodily.
“And their bodies will lie in the streets,”
Namely without the honor of burial, so that those who see them may fear to imitate them, “of the great city,” that is, Jerusalem, which is called great either because of the multitude of buildings or because of the multitude of sins. Jeremiah VI, 6: This is the city of visitation; every calumny is in the midst of it.
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