Commentary on the Apocalypse

Section Twenty

200 SECTION T W ENT Y Chapter 58 How the Evangelist Saw Christ on Horseback with Angelic Powers 19.11–12a. 11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he sitting upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12a His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems. [208] eaven opening signifies the appearance of the visible judge to come, just as here, when the curtains of the judges on the earth are drawn back, the judgment and sentence come down upon those who are guilty. And the white horse is the future joy of the saints, upon which he is carried to judge the nations impartially, I think by his watchful, providential power throwing out flames of fire, which to the righteous illuminate but do not burn, but to the sinners burn and do not illumine.1 The many diadems imply either his rule over all those in heaven and on earth—for so many are the ranks of angels and so many the royal scepters of the earth, and so many are the congregations of the holy people—or the victory against the sinners through forbearance in every condescension for us. As some holy man says, “and you will be victorious in your judgment .”2 1. This is the fourth time the dual qualities of fire have been mentioned, also previously in Chp. 2, Text 20, page 61; Chp. 6, Text 32, page 69; and Chp. 45, Text 160, page 165. 2. Ps 51(50).4. SECTION TWENT Y 201 19.12b. and he has a name inscribed which no one knows but himself. The unknown name refers to his incomprehensible essence. For by many names is the divine condescension as “good,”3 as “shepherd,”4 as “sun,”5 as “light,”6 as “life,”7 as “righteousness ,”8 as “sanctification,”9 as “redemption.”10 And likewise in the apophatic sense as “incorruptible,”11 “invisible,”12 “immortal ,”13 immutable,14 ineffable and incomprehensible in his essence, being known only to himself together with the Father and the Spirit. [209] 19.13. He is clad in a robe that has been dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is the Word of God. Through these things is confirmed that which has been expounded before. How is he who is inexpressible and in every sense unknowable here called “Word”?15 To show either the filial hypostasis and impassible begottenness from the Father, just as our word exists beforehand in the mind, or that he carries in himself the principles for all things in existence,16 or he is “the Messenger”17 of the Paternal wisdom and power.18 19.14. And the armies of heaven followed him, many mounted upon horses and arrayed in pure white linen, By these are meant the heavenly ranks splendidly attired in the refinement of their nature and loftiness of their minds and the brilliance of virtues and in the perfect unity in reference to God. 3. Ps 34(33).8; Mk 10.18; Lk 18.9. 4. Jn 10.11–16; Heb 13.20; 1 Pt 2.25. 5. Mal 3.20 LXX (4.2 RSV). 6. Jn 1.9, 3.19, 8.12, 12.46. 7. Jn 14.6. 8. 1 Cor 1.30. 9. Ibid. 10. Ibid. 11. Rom 1.23; 1 Tm 1.17. 12. Col 1.15; 1 Tm 1.17. 13. 1 Tm 1.17. 14. Cf. Mal 3.6; Ps 102(101).26–27; Heb 1.10–12. 15. Greek: Λόγος. 16. Jn 1.1–3. 17. Is 9.6. 18. 1 Cor 1.24. 202 ANDREW OF CAESAREA 19.15. From his mouth a sharp sword comes out in order to smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, and he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. This sword signifies the torments that will afflict the impious and the sinners in accordance with the just judgment and the command that is proclaimed from the divine mouth, [210] through whom they will be ruled by the unbroken rod of endless torments toward the inactivity of manifold wickedness , about which the saints will remain inexperienced, “for the Lord will not allow the rod of the sinners to be upon them,”19 according to...