Alcuin of York — Commentary on Scripture

And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

And no man was able, neither in heaven, that is no angel was able to, nor on earth, that is no human being, nor under the earth, that is no soul, to open the book, nor to look on it: for none of these was able to achieve the plan for the salvation of man. But, blessed John, how could no one look on the book, while you yourself say, “I saw a book in the right hand of God?” Perhaps you were neither in heaven, nor on earth, nor under the earth? Then, in order for it not to be contradictory, we should take look on to mean “comprehend.” Indeed, who is able to comprehend how God can become incarnate without seed, how a man God can come out of the closed womb of a virgin, and how the Lord of glory can be crucified, when only the flesh dies?

Revelation 5:4

And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open the book, nor to see it. By no means is it believed that John, who wrote this after the opening of this book, wept in his own person, but in that of the Church of before Christ's coming, which, burdened with the weight of sins, was anxiously seeking the presence of its Mediator. It is also in the person of this Church that David says, My tears have been my bread day and night, whilst it is said to me daily: Where is thy God? [Ps. 41:4] A consolation is directed at it in what is said after that:

Revelation 5:5

And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

And one of the ancients said to me: Weep not; behold the lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof. By this ancient we understand the order of the prophets, by whose prophecies the Church was comforted, as in The sceptre shall not be taken away from Juda, nor a ruler from his thighs, till he come that is to be sent. [Gen. 49:10] Note also that Christ is here called a lion because he overcame the Devil, while in the following verse he is called a lamb because he redeemed the world by sacrificing himself. As for the root of David, it means the kin and son of David. Moreover it should be noted that in the words hath prevailed, he used the past for the future, as in They have dug my hands, etc. [Ps. 21:17]

Revelation 5:6

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

And I saw: and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the ancients, a Lamb standing as it were slain, having seven horns and seven eyes: which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. As already said, the throne, the living creatures, and the ancients signify the Church, in the middle of which stands the Lamb, according to this: I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I praise thee. [Ps. 21:23] As for what we read elsewhere, The Lord is round about his people, [Ps. 124:2] it is not incompatible, because he both presides in the middle where he rules and judges it, and goes round about it to protect and defend it. Now why do we read here that he is standing while we read above that he is sitting, if not because there were shown examination and kingdom, while here is shown assistance? Indeed sitting is the attitude of one reigning and judging, while standing is the attitude of one giving assistance. Note also that he is seen not slain, but as it were slain; for even though he was crucifi…

And I saw: and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the ancients, a Lamb standing as it were slain, having seven horns and seven eyes: which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. As already said, the throne, the living creatures, and the ancients signify the Church, in the middle of which stands the Lamb, according to this: I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I praise thee. [Ps. 21:23] As for what we read elsewhere, The Lord is round about his people, [Ps. 124:2] it is not incompatible, because he both presides in the middle where he rules and judges it, and goes round about it to protect and defend it. Now why do we read here that he is standing while we read above that he is sitting, if not because there were shown examination and kingdom, while here is shown assistance? Indeed sitting is the attitude of one reigning and judging, while standing is the attitude of one giving assistance. Note also that he is seen not slain, but as it were slain; for even though he was crucified due to weakness, he lives by the power of God. Alternatively, Christ is, not slain, but as it were slain, every time his limbs either mortify themselves voluntarily or endure persecutions so as to fill up in themselves those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ. [Cf. Col. 1:24] By the seven horns, as John himself has explained, is represented the Holy Spirit's sevenfold operation, which is demonstrated not only to have rested in the Head, but also to have illuminated the entire body, which is why in this passage the seven spirits of God are said to have been sent forth into all the earth. This sevenfold operation, which is symbolized by the horns because of its kingdom and strength, is also fittingly represented by the eyes because it illuminates the Church. Alternatively, by the horns, which rise above the flesh, we may also understand the more outstanding people in the Church, to whom it is said, You are not in the flesh, but in the spirit. [Rom. 8:9]

Revelation 5:7

And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. The right hand of him that sits on the throne is the same as the Lamb as it were slain in the midst of the throne, because the Son of God through whom the world was created and the Son of man through whom man was redeemed are not two, but one Christ. Therefore the Lamb, that is the Son of man, took the book, that is the plan for the salvation of man, to which every page of the Scriptures bears witness, from himself, that is from his divinity.

Revelation 5:8

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures, and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. The Lamb opened the book when he fulfilled the work of his voluntary Passion. Now what does it mean that the living creatures and the ancients have harps, if not that the Church of the elect is filling up those things which are wanting of the afflictions of Christ? [Cf. Col. 1:24] It is fitting for the sufferings of Christ to be symbolized by harps, for in a harp some strings are stretched more tightly and others more loosely, but, albeit stretched differently, they do not at all produce each a different song: it is the same with the different members in the body of Christ: some imitate his sufferings more fully and others less, but they resound with one praise in harmony. So the living creatures and the ancients fall before the Lamb with harps because all the saints attribute the merit of everything they suffer for Christ to Christ and not to themselves. By the golden…

And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures, and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. The Lamb opened the book when he fulfilled the work of his voluntary Passion. Now what does it mean that the living creatures and the ancients have harps, if not that the Church of the elect is filling up those things which are wanting of the afflictions of Christ? [Cf. Col. 1:24] It is fitting for the sufferings of Christ to be symbolized by harps, for in a harp some strings are stretched more tightly and others more loosely, but, albeit stretched differently, they do not at all produce each a different song: it is the same with the different members in the body of Christ: some imitate his sufferings more fully and others less, but they resound with one praise in harmony. So the living creatures and the ancients fall before the Lamb with harps because all the saints attribute the merit of everything they suffer for Christ to Christ and not to themselves. By the golden vials we understand love, a love capable of praying not only for friends but also for enemies, which is why it is said that they were full. It is right for the vials to be mentioned after the harps, because the Lord first climbed the cross, and then thus prayed for his persecutors with an incomparable love, saying, Father, forgive them, etc. [Luke 23:34]

Revelation 5:9

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

And they sung a new canticle, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to take the book, etc. Christ sang a new canticle by preaching it in words and following it in acts. Now what does it mean to say, Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; because thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, if not “Compared to our victories, thy victory alone is considered one, by which we were redeemed from the prince of death and the malediction of the law?” By the fact that the four living creatures and the twenty-four ancients say they have been redeemed out of every tribe, and tongue, and nation, it is clearly shown that by them is represented the universal Church.

Revelation 5:10

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

And hast made us to our God a kingdom and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. The elect are kings, when, by restraining their bodies, it is as if they were reigning over a subjected earth with the law of virtue, which is why they affirm they have received a kingdom on earth too. They are priests because they offer themselves to God by chastising themselves every day, according to this: A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit. [Ps. 50:19]

Revelation 5:11-13

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

And I saw, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures, and the ancients. By saying that he heard the voice, he shows what kind of seeing this was; for he sees sounds and hears visions. Now if, as already said, the living creatures and the ancients are round about the throne, how can there be any angel round about the same throne, if not because those same living creatures and ancients are angels? About whom it is said, The angels of peace shall weep bitterly. [Is. 33:7] Though the heavenly military may also be understood by the name of angels; but whether it is about the latter or about the former, their countless multitude is shown when it is said after that, and the number of them was thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and benediction, and every creature, which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and under the sea, and the things that are in it. The sea and the things that are in it represent th…

And I saw, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures, and the ancients. By saying that he heard the voice, he shows what kind of seeing this was; for he sees sounds and hears visions. Now if, as already said, the living creatures and the ancients are round about the throne, how can there be any angel round about the same throne, if not because those same living creatures and ancients are angels? About whom it is said, The angels of peace shall weep bitterly. [Is. 33:7] Though the heavenly military may also be understood by the name of angels; but whether it is about the latter or about the former, their countless multitude is shown when it is said after that, and the number of them was thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and benediction, and every creature, which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and under the sea, and the things that are in it. The sea and the things that are in it represent this world. I heard all saying: To him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb, benediction, and honour, and glory, and power, for ever and ever. Saying all, he means again those whom he said above the whole Church was made up of, that is the living creatures, the ancients, and the angels. In the one who sits and the Lamb, that is in the Father and the Son, according to the rule mentioned earlier, the Holy Spirit is also understood.

Revelation 5:14

And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

And the four living creatures said: Amen. And the four and twenty ancients fell down on their faces, and adored him that liveth for ever and ever. Since the living creatures and the ancients are one, that is one Church, the living creatures fall down and adore him with the ancients, and the ancients confirm with the living creatures that the praises are true, replying Amen in an affirmative expression. Their fall and adoration, as already said, must be taken as spiritual. Now, so that we should not get tired beyond measure by going on too long, let us put an end to this book here.

Revelation 6:1 · 2 passages

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

And when the Lamb had opened one of the seven seals, I heard one of the four living creatures, as it were the voice of a great thunder, saying: Come, and see. The opening of a seal is the revelation of a mystery. Now since there is not one, but many mysteries, and it would be long to speak about every one of them individually, all of them can be encompassed in three kinds, namely one kind pertaining to speech, one pertaining to cognition, and one pertaining to action. Speech includes in itself all commandments. Cognition, when applied according to the rules, teaches us the forms of understanding. As for action, it is in harmony with both. After one of the seven seals has been opened, one of the four living creatures invites John, in the manner of a great thunder, to come and see, because, after the truth has been manifested, the Church that precedes, consisting of the apostles, calls to faith the one that follows.

QUESTION: And I saw that the Lamb had opened one of the seals. ANSWER: Since you first loose the seals before opening a book, he has reversed the normal order for a certain reason. When the Lord suffered and was resurrected, he informed us that he was the end of the law, and when he went up to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit, he strengthened the Church with the gift of a more secret mystery. Therefore he opened the book then, and now he is loosing its seals. So, in the first seal, John sees the honor of the primitive Church; in the following three, the threefold war against the Church; in the fifth, the glory of the winners in this war; in the sixth, the things that are to come in the time of the Antichrist; and, after recapitulating previous events a bit, in the seventh, he sees the beginning of eternal rest.

Revelation 6:2

And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

And behold a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow. By the white horse is represented Christ's humanity, free of all dark stain of sin, which the Father's Word wanted to govern alone; or it is all the elect. By the bow are represented the Old and the New Testament, from which come as many darts as there are words in the Testaments. It is said about this bow to the same rider, stretching and extending thy bow over the sceptres. [Variant of Hab. 3:9, close to the LXX version.] As for what follows, and there was a crown given him, it does not only refer to the Head, but also to the body. And he went forth conquering that he might conquer. Where did he come forth from but from the open seal? For from the revealed mystery of the Scriptures, the very truth of the mystery appeared manifestly. The Head came forth conquering first, so that he might afterwards conquer daily through the body the temptations of the Devil and the persecutions of evil people.

Revelation 6:3

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature, saying: Come, and see. What does it mean that a similar command is given in a dissimilar situation, if not that concern for the future struggle is here given in the same way as joy for the achieved victory was above?

Revelation 6:4

And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

And there went out another horse that was red: and to him that sat thereon, it was given that he should take peace from the earth. The red horse is the body of the old enemy, that is all the reprobates, blood-red due to their killing of souls. While the rider of the elect says, My peace I give unto you, [John 14:27] the rider of the reprobates takes peace from the earth, because the former is the author of concord, while the latter is the author of discord. Note also that he takes peace not from heaven, but from the earth, that is from those who seek earthly things. And that they should kill one another. It is not a fleshly but a spiritual killing that should be understood in this sentence. As for how the reprobates are to kill one another, it is disclosed when it is said after that about the prince of the Jews, and a great sword was given to him, that is a spiritual and evil sword with which not the bodies, but the souls of the reprobates are killed. The Devil uses this sword in two ways: he either deceives people by himself on the inside with a spiritual speech or achieves the kill…

And there went out another horse that was red: and to him that sat thereon, it was given that he should take peace from the earth. The red horse is the body of the old enemy, that is all the reprobates, blood-red due to their killing of souls. While the rider of the elect says, My peace I give unto you, [John 14:27] the rider of the reprobates takes peace from the earth, because the former is the author of concord, while the latter is the author of discord. Note also that he takes peace not from heaven, but from the earth, that is from those who seek earthly things. And that they should kill one another. It is not a fleshly but a spiritual killing that should be understood in this sentence. As for how the reprobates are to kill one another, it is disclosed when it is said after that about the prince of the Jews, and a great sword was given to him, that is a spiritual and evil sword with which not the bodies, but the souls of the reprobates are killed. The Devil uses this sword in two ways: he either deceives people by himself on the inside with a spiritual speech or achieves the killing of the soul by assailing them from the outside through the tongues of his fleshly servants. All this is said to have been given him, which means that it was permitted him by the just God who disposes everything.

Revelation 6:5

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying: Come, and see. And behold a black horse, and he that sat on him had a pair of scales in his hand. By the blackness of this horse is represented that hunger of the wicked by which they long to devour eagerly the body of Christ and to send it into the stomach of their evilness. Their rider has a pair of scales in his hand because he seeks to buy the lives of the good with temporal payments in order to be able to satiate his hunger and that of his people. He held this pair of scales in his hand when he offered one fruit to eat, and bought the whole world to cause its ruin. One should know indeed that the Devil first takes away the food that consists of hearing the Word of God, so that he may the more easily absorb people to increase his body when they suffer from starvation because they are deprived of spiritual food; whence the Lord says through the prophet, Behold I will send forth a famine into the land: not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing the word of God. [Am. 8:11] Indeed the L…

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying: Come, and see. And behold a black horse, and he that sat on him had a pair of scales in his hand. By the blackness of this horse is represented that hunger of the wicked by which they long to devour eagerly the body of Christ and to send it into the stomach of their evilness. Their rider has a pair of scales in his hand because he seeks to buy the lives of the good with temporal payments in order to be able to satiate his hunger and that of his people. He held this pair of scales in his hand when he offered one fruit to eat, and bought the whole world to cause its ruin. One should know indeed that the Devil first takes away the food that consists of hearing the Word of God, so that he may the more easily absorb people to increase his body when they suffer from starvation because they are deprived of spiritual food; whence the Lord says through the prophet, Behold I will send forth a famine into the land: not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing the word of God. [Am. 8:11] Indeed the Lord does this by forsaking people, and the Devil by invading them. Yet how could those who are God's grain, wine, and oil, suffer from this famine? No; let the chaff, husks, and oil dregs suffer from it, and let them, who are worth no price, fall in with the pair of scales; not those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ; whence it is said soon after that:

Revelation 6:6 · 2 passages

And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

QUESTION: What is meant by Two pounds of wheat for a penny, and thrice two pounds of barley for a penny, and see thou hurt not the wine and the oil? ANSWER: He is saying: Be careful not to entice your brother into sin through bad example, your brother for whom Christ died, and who wears the signs of the sacred blood and unction; because Church members, from those who are perfect in merits to those who are the least ones in the Church but are nonetheless imbued with faith in the holy Trinity, have all been redeemed for the perfect price of the Lord's blood. It is also not without reason that perfection in faith or work is represented by two pounds rather than a single one, because both are based on the root of the double love.

And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying: Two pounds of wheat for a penny, and thrice two pounds of barley for a penny, and see thou hurt not the wine and the oil. This voice sounded in the midst of the four living creatures, that is in the midst of the Church, when, after the nations had been united in faith, the divine power restrained the Devil from hurting the elect; as if he were told by mockery, “The rider of the white horse has chosen and purchased the wheat, barley, wine, and oil for one penny; and he has left for you the chaff, husks, and oil dregs.” So one two-pound measure, which is made up of two sextarii, is the Church based on love of God and neighbor from the two Testaments. However we should understand here one Church consisting of the holy preachers or men of great merit, not of everyone in general. Indeed it is not without reason that barley is here mentioned after the wheat. Therefore let us take the two pounds of wheat as representing the new preachers of the Church, coming from two peoples, and men more outstanding in virtu…

And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying: Two pounds of wheat for a penny, and thrice two pounds of barley for a penny, and see thou hurt not the wine and the oil. This voice sounded in the midst of the four living creatures, that is in the midst of the Church, when, after the nations had been united in faith, the divine power restrained the Devil from hurting the elect; as if he were told by mockery, “The rider of the white horse has chosen and purchased the wheat, barley, wine, and oil for one penny; and he has left for you the chaff, husks, and oil dregs.” So one two-pound measure, which is made up of two sextarii, is the Church based on love of God and neighbor from the two Testaments. However we should understand here one Church consisting of the holy preachers or men of great merit, not of everyone in general. Indeed it is not without reason that barley is here mentioned after the wheat. Therefore let us take the two pounds of wheat as representing the new preachers of the Church, coming from two peoples, and men more outstanding in virtues, who, after being shattered by the mill of tribulations and cooked by the fire of persecutions, have deserved to become a beautiful white bread for Christ. Let us take thrice two pounds of barley as representing the lives of the inferiors and weak from both peoples. Note also that the price of the wheat and of the barley is the same, because even though the work of the saints is unequal, they were nonetheless bought for the same price, and they will receive the same penny after their work. [Ref. Matt. 20:1-16] Furthermore, it should be noted that the same idea is repeated when it is said afterwards See thou hurt not the wine and the oil. How indeed could the Church not be wine and oil when it is trodden like a grape in the wine press of oppressions and dissolved as a crushed olive in the oil press of straits?

Revelation 6:7-8

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature, saying: Come, and see. And behold a pale horse, and he that sat upon him, his name was Death, and hell followed him. The people represented by the pale horse are the same as those represented by the red horse, their spiritual death being now symbolized by the pallor of the horse. It is right to say that death, that is the Devil intending to fight against the living, sits on them, because he seeks to extinguish the lives of the elect by the agency of those he has already killed spiritually. Hell means those in whom death dwells. Therefore hell follows death, because the wicked imitate the Devil. We may also understand by the pale horse the heretics specifically. And power was given to him over the four parts of the earth, to kill with sword, with famine, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. There are two parts in this world, namely Christ's and the Devil's; but Christ's part is not divided, according to this: One is my dove; [Song 6:8] whereas the Devil's part is divided into four par…

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature, saying: Come, and see. And behold a pale horse, and he that sat upon him, his name was Death, and hell followed him. The people represented by the pale horse are the same as those represented by the red horse, their spiritual death being now symbolized by the pallor of the horse. It is right to say that death, that is the Devil intending to fight against the living, sits on them, because he seeks to extinguish the lives of the elect by the agency of those he has already killed spiritually. Hell means those in whom death dwells. Therefore hell follows death, because the wicked imitate the Devil. We may also understand by the pale horse the heretics specifically. And power was given to him over the four parts of the earth, to kill with sword, with famine, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. There are two parts in this world, namely Christ's and the Devil's; but Christ's part is not divided, according to this: One is my dove; [Song 6:8] whereas the Devil's part is divided into four parts: pagans, Jews, heretics, and bad Catholics. Therefore there are as many plagues as there are parts of the Devil. It has already been explained how he kills with sword, with famine, and with death. As for the beasts, by them are represented ungoverned pulsions. So our enemy kills the souls of the reprobates with beasts because when fleshly pulsions are not restrained by the cages of the divine commandments, they are made wild, so to speak, by the impulse of diabolic incitement, and hurl the lives of the wretched down every precipice.

Revelation 6:9

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

QUESTION: What is meant by I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God? ANSWER: He who had said that the Church was manifoldly afflicted in the present, also mentions the glory of souls after the suffering of bodies. He says, I saw them under the altar, that is, in the secret place of eternal praise; for the golden altar that is inside and near the coffer of the Lord's body, does not offer the Lord flesh and blood like an exterior altar, but only the incense of praise; and those who now present their bodies as a living sacrifice, [Rom. 12:1] will then, when the bonds of their flesh are broken, sacrifice to him the sacrifice of praise. [Cf. Ps. 115:16-17] However, there could also be a hyperbaton, so that he would not have seen them under the altar, but slain under the altar, that is, under the testification of the name of Christ, in the same way as it is said about the Maccabees, They fell under the covenant of God. [2 Macc. 7:36 acc. to LXX] Now, my dearest son, [...]