Translated by Qwen.
Revelation 1:1-3: The Prologue
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John"
"Apocalypsis Jesu Christi" — As if to admonish: "Attend to this vision, because this vision was revealed by Jesus Christ, and this is the apocalypse of Jesus Christ, which God—that is, the Father—gave to him, to make known to his servants."
"to make known to his servants" — that is, to reveal to his humble ones, not to proud Jews or philosophers.
"things which must shortly come to pass" — namely, the tribulations in the Church and the rewards. "Cito" (shortly): lest anyone say, "Who could endure so long?", he adds "shortly"—that is, the labors will pass away and the rewards will be given. And when he says these things must happen, he encourages them, showing it to be inevitable.
"and he signified" — The order is this: God showed [these things] to Christ; Christ, in turn, to John; John, to the seven churches. And he fittingly says "signified," because he demonstrated [these things] through certain figures and as if under seals.
Why is Scripture veiled? God wills his Scriptures to be closed, lest enemies find occasion to attack, and so that his own may be exercised and what is discovered by them may be held more dear. This is the meaning of "and he signified."
"sending by his angel" — [the angel appearing] sometimes in the person of Christ speaking—as when he says in this first chapter, "I am Alpha and Omega"; sometimes in his own person—as when he forbids himself to be worshipped, as is said below in chapter 19.
"to his servant John" — Although John had not yet composed the Gospel, nevertheless in his preaching he had given many testimonies to the Son of God.
"who bore witness to the word of God" — that is, to the divinity, when he said (John 1:1): "In the beginning was the Word." The Son is called the Word because, just as the intellect is made known through a word, so God is made known to us through the works done by his wisdom.
"and the testimony of Jesus Christ" — according to his human nature, to whom belong these titles.
"whatever things he saw" — whether with the carnal eye or the spiritual eye.
"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."
"Beatus qui legit" — When John ought to say "John to the seven churches," after showing the vision manifested to him by Christ, he first inserts this to make them attentive to the vision—as if to say: "Because this vision is of such a kind, therefore blessed is he who reads"—that is, the clergy—"and who hears"—that is, the laity—"the words of this prophecy"—that is, of this vision—"and keeps those things which are written therein"—fulfilling faith by works, avoiding what is threatened, desiring what is promised.
"for the time is at hand" — And you are able to keep [these things], because the labors will soon end. This is the meaning of "for the time is at hand."
Revelation 1:4-6: The Greeting to the Seven Churches
"John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne"
"Joannes septem ecclesiis" — John [writes] to the seven churches literally; or through the seven let us understand all churches, because in seven days all things were made.
"which are in Asia" — All churches are in "elation," for Asia is interpreted "elation."
Structure note: What he placed before the greeting was as a prologue. In this greeting, he says nothing concerning the person of the Father, because there was no error concerning him; but concerning the person of the Son and of the Holy Spirit he speaks against the heresies of certain people.
"Grace be unto you" — that is, grace by which sins are remitted to you and virtues infused; or: may the favor of God be with you in all your undertakings.
"and peace" — that is, rest from every vice; or: peace by which you may always be in concord with God and the holy angels through good will and holy action.
"from him which is" — that is, from the Son, who truly exists, against those who said he began in time.
"and which was" — eternally.
"and which is to come" — to judgment. Here the error of Ebion, Arius, and many other heretics is refuted, who said that Christ, a mere man, took his beginning from Mary in time.
"and from the seven Spirits" — that is, from the Holy Spirit; or: the "seven spirits"—he says this so that we may understand the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; or: through the seven let us understand all the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
"which are before his throne" — that the just may be illuminated, in whom God sits judging. The throne is the judicial seat.
"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood"
"And from Jesus Christ" — He repeats [the mention] of the Son, because he was about to say very much concerning him.
"who is the faithful witness" — not denying himself to be the Son of God even when death was pressing; and of what sort of witness he is, he says: faithful.
"the first begotten of the dead" — begotten before [others] to life, not to die again; or: more worthy than all the dead; or: [first begotten] of those dead to the world, because he himself was immune from sin, as is said in 1 Peter [2:22].
"and prince of the kings of the earth" — literally, because whether earthly kings wish it or not, they cannot [act] except as much as he permits; or: [he is] the head and prince of all who rule their land well.
"Unto him that loved us" — whom you ought to hear and venerate, because he loved us with the greatest love: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life" (John 15:13), etc.
"and washed us from our sins" — both original and also actual sins.
"in his own blood" — not in the blood of an animal, as in the old law, as the divine Paul extensively deduces in Hebrews 9, throughout the chapter, and the divine Peter [also teaches].
"And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
"And hath made us kings" — by giving us faith in the heavenly kingdom.
"and priests unto God and his Father" — as the divine Peter beautifully deduces in 1 Peter [2:9].
Note on terminology: God is said according to creation; the same [is called] Father because he provides for all. He is called King who rules and restrains illicit movements; priest who worthily offers his prayers and sacrifices himself to God through good will and right action, thus totally dedicating himself to God. And here the blessed John is not speaking of the priesthood of order [i.e., ordained ministry].
"to him be glory" — and because he is such, therefore let him be held glorious among us.
"and dominion" — and let us subject ourselves to his rule.
"for ever and ever" — in the successive ages of these ages, not only for an hour.
"Amen" — Amen is an affirmative adverb among the Hebrews, as if he were to exclaim: "It is true that glory is owed to him."
Revelation 1:7-8: The Coming of Christ
"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen."
Anselm's Commentary:
"Behold, he cometh with the clouds" — And we ought to glorify him, because now the rewarder of the good and the punisher of the impious is coming.
"with clouds" — Let us take this literally: the Judge will come with a cloud, just as he ascended, as is said in Acts 1. This cloud will be refreshment and comfort to the good, blindness to the wicked—which was signified in the cloud by which the children of Israel were led out of Egypt (Exodus 14).
Or: through the clouds let the just be understood, because they themselves flash forth with miracles, thunder with threats, and water the hearts of the faithful with the doctrine of God's word.
"and every eye shall see him" — Literally; and also the eyes of those who pierced him.
"and they shall wail because of him" — They shall lament over themselves on account of their own misery, and over him—that is, so that from his infinite glory and that of the blessed, the calamity of the damned may be especially increased.
"all kindreds of the earth" — that is, those devoted to earthliness.
"Even so, Amen" — Confirmation of praise and honor.
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."
Anselm's Commentary:
"Ego sum α et ω" (I am the Alpha and the Omega)— After the greeting, before he begins the narration of the vision, so that he may make them attentive to understand what follows, he says that these are not his own words, but the Lord God says these things, so that there may be proof: "Truly the Lord is about to come, because the Lord God himself says these things."
"I am Alpha and Omega" — Indeed, I am he who was, and who is, and who is to come. And he says this: "I am Alpha and Omega," and the exposition of these [terms] is added when it is said:
"the beginning and the ending" — God is called beginning because he himself was before all things, and from him all things proceeded: "All things were made by him" (John 1:3). He is called end because after him there will be nothing, and because when he is obtained, nothing desirable remains. This is the meaning of: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord God, who was, and who is, and who is to come, the Almighty."
CONTINUE
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