Works › Commentary on the Apocalypse of Blessed John
Volume 38 · pp. 652–654
The Woman Clothed with the Sun
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1. « Et signum magnum apparuit in caelo: mulier amicta sole, et luna sub pedibus ejus, et in capite ejus corona stellarum duodecim. »
Hic incipit agere de pugna Ecclesiae sub figura mulieris, cum diabolo sub figura draconis.
Et dividitur haec pars in duas. Et primo agit de pugna Ecclesiae, et draconis. Secundo, de pugna familiae draconis, et mulieris ibi, XIII, 1: « Et vidi de mari bestiam. »
Prima pars dividitur in quinque partes. In prima describitur mulier. In secunda, draco, ibi, V. 3: « Et visum est aliud signum. » In tertia, praeparatio draconis ad pugnam contra mulierem, ibi, V. 4: « Et draco stetit. » In quarta, adjutorium mulieris contra draconem, ibi, V. 7: « Et factum est praelium magnum in caelo. » In quinta, victoria mulieris contra draconem, ibi, V. 9: « Et projectus est draco. »
In prima parte mulier describitur a quinque. Primo, a Christi notitia. Secundo, a vitae munditia, ibi, « Amicta sole. » Tertio, a contemptu terrenorum, ibi, « Et luna sub pedibus ejus. » Quarto, ab inimici victoria, ibi, « Et in capite ejus. » Quinto, a generatione filiorum in gratia, ibi, V. 2: « Et in utero habens. »
Dicit ergo: « Et signum magnum, » id est, Virginis partus de quo, Isa. VII, 14: Propter hoc dabit Dominus ipse vobis signum: Ecce virgo concipiet, et pariet filium. Hoc signum fuit magnum novitate. Jerem. XXXI, 22: Novum faciet Dominus super terram. Item, magnum utilitate. Luc. II, 10: Evangelizo vobis gaudium magnum, quia natus est vobis hodie Salvator. Item, magnum admiratione. Luc. II, 18: Et omnes qui audierunt, mirati sunt. Item, magnum significatione. Luc. II, 12: Hoc vobis signum: invenietis infantem, etc.
« Apparuit in caelo, » id est, in Ecclesia Dei.
« Mulier amicta sole, » id est, Ecclesia cum Jesu Christo. Mulier est Ecclesia, Christus sol. Hoc sole est amicta, quando novam vitam inchoat in baptismi susceptione, et in veteris hominis depositione. Ad Coloss. III, 9: Exspoliantes vos veterem hominem cum actibus suis, et induentes novum. Iste sol amictu suo tria facit: tegit peccata per gratiam sacramentorum, ornat animam per multitudinem donorum et virtutum, calefacit per fervorem dilectionis Dei et proximorum.
« Et luna, » id est, desiderium temporalium quae ut luna mutantur, « sub pedibus ejus, » id est, affectibus. Qui ergo temporalia despicit, quasi lunam sub pedibus premit. Hieronymus: « Humanas terrenasque opes contemne, ut illi placeas pauper, cui difficile opulentus placere potest. »
« Et in capite ejus, » id est, in Christo qui est Ecclesiae caput. Ad Coloss. I, 18: Ipse est caput corporis Ecclesiae.
« Corona stellarum duodecim, » id est, duodecim Apostoli, qui sicut corona capiti Christo adhaeserunt. Per ipsos in circuitu Gentes crediderunt, per eos Christus victoriam reportavit de mundo, diabolo, et carne, quae in corona intelligitur. Hi dicuntur stellae, quia tenebras de mundo fugaverunt infidelitatis. Item, sua praedicatione auditores illuminaverunt. Daniel. XII, 3: Et qui ad justitiam erudiunt multos. Item, quia in Christo sicut in firmamento fixi fuerunt. Judicum, V, 20: Stellae manentes in ordine, etc.
1. “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”
Here he begins to deal with the battle of the Church under the figure of a woman, with the devil under the figure of a dragon.
And this part is divided into two. And first he deals with the battle of the Church and of the dragon. Second, with the battle of the family of the dragon and of the woman there, XIII, 1: “And I saw a beast from the sea.”
The first part is divided into five parts. In the first, the woman is described. In the second, the dragon, there, V. 3: “And another sign was seen.” In the third, the preparation of the dragon for battle against the woman, there, V. 4: “And the dragon stood.” In the fourth, the help of the woman against the dragon, there, V. 7: “And a great battle was made in heaven.” In the fifth, the victory of the woman against the dragon, there, V. 9: “And the dragon was cast forth.”
In the first part the woman is described from five things. First, from knowledge of Christ. Second, from cleanness of life, there, “clothed with the sun.” Third, from contempt of earthly things, there, “And the moon under her feet.” Fourth, from victory over the enemy, there, “And on her head.” Fifth, from the generation of sons in grace, there, V. 2: “And having one in her womb.”
Therefore he says: “And a great sign,” that is, the childbirth of the Virgin, concerning which, Isaiah VII, 14: On account of this the Lord himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and shall bear a son. This sign was great in newness. Jeremiah XXXI, 22: The Lord will make a new thing upon the earth. Likewise, great in usefulness. Luke II, 10: I announce to you great joy, because today a Savior has been born for you. Likewise, great in wonder. Luke II, 18: And all who heard wondered. Likewise, great in signification. Luke II, 12: This is a sign for you: you will find an infant, etc.
“It appeared in heaven,” that is, in the Church of God.
“A woman clothed with the sun,” that is, the Church with Jesus Christ. The woman is the Church; Christ is the sun. She is clothed with this sun when she begins a new life in the reception of baptism and in the putting off of the old man. Colossians III, 9: Stripping yourselves of the old man with his acts, and putting on the new. This sun by his clothing does three things: he covers sins through the grace of the sacraments, adorns the soul through the multitude of gifts and virtues, and warms it through the fervor of love of God and of neighbors.
“And the moon,” that is, desire for temporal things, which change like the moon, “under her feet,” that is, under her affections. Therefore one who despises temporal things presses the moon underfoot, as it were. Jerome says: “Despise human and earthly riches, so that you may please poor the one whom, as rich, it is difficult to please.”
“And on her head,” that is, on Christ, who is the head of the Church. Colossians I, 18: He is the head of the body of the Church.
“A crown of twelve stars,” that is, the twelve Apostles, who adhered to Christ the head like a crown. Through them the Gentiles round about believed; through them Christ carried off victory over the world, the devil, and the flesh, which is understood in the crown. These are called stars because they drove the darkness of unbelief from the world. Likewise, by their preaching they illuminated their hearers. Daniel XII, 3: And those who instruct many unto justice. Likewise, because in Christ they were fixed as in the firmament. Judges V, 20: The stars remaining in order, etc.
Est ergo sensus: « Et in capite ejus, » id est, in Christo, « corona stellarum duodecim, » id est, duodecim Apostoli. Vel, « In capite ejus, » id est, in principio Ecclesiae, « corona stellarum duodecim, » id est, duodecim Apostoli, qui undique muniunt Ecclesiam. Eccli. L, 13: Circa illum corona fratrum, quasi plantatio cedri in monte Libano, etc. Vel, « In capite ejus, » id est, in Christo, « corona stellarum duodecim, » id est, habitus et ornatus duodecim fructuum, qui dicuntur esse in Christo, quia ab illo fluunt in Ecclesiam. Ad Galat. V, 22: Fructus autem Spiritus est charitas, gaudium, etc.
Vel sic: « In capite ejus, » id est, in mente, « corona stellarum duodecim, » id est, abundantia gloriae Christi, vel perennitas duodecim gaudiorum: quorum unum est de visione divinitatis. Aliud, de visione humanitatis. Tertium, de loci speciositate. Quartum, de spatiositate. Quintum, de societate hominum. Sextum, de societate Angelorum. Septimum, de pulchritudine creaturarum. Octavum, de stabilitate earum. Nonum, de poenarum evasione. Decimum, de inferni clausione. Undecimum, de stola animae. Duodecimum, de stola corporis. Vel sic accipiuntur duodecim gaudia: plena cognitio, plena dilectio, firma comprehensio, claritas corporis, impassibilitas, subtilitas, agilitas, pacis tranquillitas, grata societas, loci amoenitas, plena securitas, plena satietas. Item, duodecim stellae possunt dici duodecim praerogativae Beatae Virginis.
2. « Et in utero habens, clamabat parturiens, et cruciabatur ut pariat. »
Hic ostendit, quod Ecclesia satagit filios spirituales parere.
Et notantur tria: sufficientia vitae: exercitium doctrinae, ibi, « Clamabat: » fervor convertendi ad Christum, ibi, « Et cruciabatur. »
Dicit ergo: « Et in utero habens. » Glossa, jugi memoriam verbum Dei, « clamabat, » scilicet orando, et praedicando: « parturiens, » id est, parere desiderans Deo filios spirituales. Ad Galat. IV, 19: Filioli mei, quos iterum parturio, etc.
« Et cruciabatur, » scilicet vigilando, orando, praedicando, jejunando, « ut pariat, » id est, Christo filios spirituales. Quasi dicat: Torquetur desiderio et fervore convertendi peccatores, et etiam exteriori afflictione. Joan. XVI, 21: Mulier cum parit, tristitiam habet.
Therefore the sense is: “And on her head,” that is, on Christ, “a crown of twelve stars,” that is, the twelve Apostles. Or, “On her head,” that is, at the beginning of the Church, “a crown of twelve stars,” that is, the twelve Apostles, who defend the Church on every side. Ecclesiasticus L, 13: Around him a crown of brothers, like a planting of cedar on Mount Lebanon, etc. Or, “On her head,” that is, on Christ, “a crown of twelve stars,” that is, the habit and adornment of the twelve fruits, which are said to be in Christ because from him they flow into the Church. Galatians V, 22: But the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, etc.
Or thus: “On her head,” that is, in the mind, “a crown of twelve stars,” that is, abundance of the glory of Christ, or the permanence of twelve joys: of which one is from the vision of the divinity; another, from the vision of the humanity; the third, from the beauty of the place; the fourth, from spaciousness; the fifth, from the society of human beings; the sixth, from the society of Angels; the seventh, from the beauty of creatures; the eighth, from their stability; the ninth, from escape from punishments; the tenth, from the closing of hell; the eleventh, from the robe of the soul; the twelfth, from the robe of the body. Or the twelve joys are taken thus: full knowledge, full love, firm comprehension, brightness of the body, impassibility, subtlety, agility, tranquility of peace, pleasing society, pleasantness of place, full security, full satiety. Likewise, the twelve stars can be called the twelve prerogatives of the Blessed Virgin.
2. “And having one in her womb, she cried out travailing, and was tormented that she might give birth.”
Here he shows that the Church strives to give birth to spiritual sons.
And three things are noted: sufficiency of life; the exercise of doctrine, there, “she cried out”; the fervor of converting to Christ, there, “And she was tormented.”
Therefore he says: “And having one in her womb.” The Gloss says, the word of God in continuous memory; “she cried out,” namely by praying and preaching; “travailing,” that is, desiring to give birth to spiritual sons for God. Galatians IV, 19: My little sons, whom I travail with again, etc.
“And she was tormented,” namely by watching, praying, preaching, fasting, “that she might give birth,” that is, to spiritual sons for Christ. As if he were saying: She is tormented by desire and fervor for converting sinners, and also by outward affliction. John XVI, 21: A woman, when she gives birth, has sadness.
Nota: Hic tanguntur quinque quae sunt necessaria Praedicatori et Praelato. Primum est concipere per fidem et scientiam. Secundum est parturire per zelum et fervorem. Tertium, clamare per devotam orationem. Quartum, cruciari per carnis afflictionem. I ad Corinth. IX, 27: Castigo corpus meum, etc. Quintum est parere per boni operis ostensionem: aliter enim non est partus, sed aborsus.
Nota: « Signum magnum apparuit, » hoc potest intelligi de incarnatione Filii Dei, de quo signo, Isa. VII, 11: Pete tibi signum. Hoc signum dicitur magnum propter magnitudinem annuntiantis. Luc. I, 26: Missus est Gabriel, etc. Item, propter magnitudinem apparentis: quia Deus et homo. Psal. XLVIII, 3: Simul in unum dives et pauper. Item, propter magnitudinem operantis. Luc. I, 35: Spiritus sanctus superveniet in te. Item, propter modum apparitionis: quia super omnem potestatem naturae mater virgo. Isa. VII, 14: Ecce virgo concipiet.
« Mulier amicta sole. » Hic describitur mater Virgo. Primo, ab omnis peccati immunitate. Secundo, a temporalium abdicatione, ibi, « Et luna sub pedibus ejus. » Tertio, a gratiae plenitudine, ibi, « Et corona stellarum, etc.: » ergo Virgo fuit mulier amicta sole: quia nihil habuit maculae et obscuritatis. Cantic. VI, 3: Tota pulchra es, etc.
« Et luna sub pedibus ejus, » scilicet, per paupertatem quam amavit, et abdicationem terrenitatis.
« Et in capite ejus corona stellarum duodecim, » id est, plenitudo gratiae et virtutis.
Nota: Hae duodecim stellae sunt duodecim praerogativae Beatae Virginis secundum Bernardum, scilicet, angelica salutatio, conceptio ejus, sanctificatio in utero, Spiritus sancti superventio, Filii Dei venerabilis conceptio: et hae fuerunt de caelo. Aliae quatuor fuerunt ex parte corporis. Prima, maternitas sine corruptione, foecunditas cum virginitate, sine gravedine gravida, partus sine dolore. Ex parte animae fuerunt quatuor: devotio humilitatis, reverentia pudoris, magnitudo fidei, martyrium cordis. Propter prima quatuor dicitur: Dominus tecum. Propter alia quatuor: Benedicta tu in mulieribus. Propter ultima quatuor: Ave, gratia plena.
« Et in utero habens, » scilicet, filium per amorem, « clamabat, » instante Passione per compassionem, « parturiens, » id est, ad modum parturientis se habens, quando facta est martyr. Luc. II, 35: Et tuam ipsius animam, etc.
« Et cruciabatur ut pariat, » id est, flagrat desiderio ut parturitionis ejus finis contingat. Ille finis fuit cessatio sui doloris, et redemptio humani generis.
Note: Here five things are touched upon that are necessary for a Preacher and Prelate. The first is to conceive through faith and knowledge. The second is to travail through zeal and fervor. The third, to cry out through devout prayer. The fourth, to be tormented through affliction of the flesh. I Corinthians IX, 27: I chastise my body, etc. The fifth is to give birth through the showing of good work; otherwise it is not birth, but miscarriage.
Note: “A great sign appeared.” This can be understood of the incarnation of the Son of God, concerning which sign, Isaiah VII, 11: Ask a sign for yourself. This sign is called great because of the greatness of the one announcing. Luke I, 26: Gabriel was sent, etc. Likewise, because of the greatness of the one appearing, because he is God and man. Psalm XLVIII, 3: Together as one, rich and poor. Likewise, because of the greatness of the one operating. Luke I, 35: The Holy Spirit will come upon you. Likewise, because of the mode of apparition, because above every power of nature the mother is a virgin. Isaiah VII, 14: Behold, a virgin shall conceive.
“A woman clothed with the sun.” Here the Virgin Mother is described. First, from immunity from every sin. Second, from the renunciation of temporal things, there, “And the moon under her feet.” Third, from fullness of grace, there, “And a crown of stars, etc.” Therefore the Virgin was a woman clothed with the sun, because she had nothing of stain and darkness. Canticles VI, 3: You are wholly beautiful, etc.
“And the moon under her feet,” namely through the poverty that she loved and the renunciation of earthliness.
“And on her head a crown of twelve stars,” that is, fullness of grace and virtue.
Note: These twelve stars are the twelve prerogatives of the Blessed Virgin according to Bernard, namely the angelic greeting, her conception, sanctification in the womb, the coming-upon her of the Holy Spirit, the venerable conception of the Son of God; and these were from heaven. The other four were on the part of the body. The first: motherhood without corruption, fruitfulness with virginity, pregnant without heaviness, birth without pain. On the part of the soul there were four: devotion of humility, reverence of modesty, greatness of faith, martyrdom of heart. On account of the first four it is said: The Lord is with you. On account of the other four: Blessed are you among women. On account of the last four: Hail, full of grace.
“And having one in her womb,” namely her son through love, “she cried out,” while the Passion was pressing upon him, through compassion; “travailing,” that is, having herself in the manner of one travailing, when she was made a martyr. Luke II, 35: And your own soul, etc.
“And she was tormented that she might give birth,” that is, she burns with desire that the end of her travailing may happen. That end was the cessation of her pain and the redemption of the human race.
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