Bede — Commentary on Scripture

Revelation 1:1

To his servant John. That through John, who, by the singular privilege of chastity, deserved to see these things before others, he might make the same known to all his servants.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:1

Sending by his angel. For the angel used the figure of Christ to John, as will be more clearly apparent in the following.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:1

Which must shortly come to pass. That is, what is about to happen to the Church in the present time.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:1

And he signified it. He intertwined the same Apocalypse with mystical words, lest it be despised by being manifest to all.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:1

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him, etc. The Church, founded by the apostles, by what course it was to be spread and by what end it was to be completed, had to be revealed to strengthen the preachers of the faith against the adversities of the world. John, as is his custom, referring the glory of the Son to the Father, testifies that Jesus Christ received the revelation of the mystery from God.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:2

Who bore witness to the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus, etc. Lest you doubt the person of John, it is he who bore witness to the eternal Word of God and the same incarnate, as he saw, saying: We have seen his glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father (John 1).

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:3

Blessed is he who reads, etc. Therefore, teachers and hearers are blessed, because the short time of labor is followed by eternal joys for those who keep the word of God.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:4

John to the seven, etc. Through these seven churches, he writes to the whole Church. For the universality is often designated by the number seven, as this whole age is revolved in seven days.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:4

Grace to you, etc. He wishes us grace and peace from the eternal God the Father, and from the sevenfold Spirit, and from Jesus Christ, who in the assumed man bore witness to the Father. He names the Son third, of whom he was going to speak more. He names him last as well, because he is the first and the last, since he had already named him in the Father by saying, who is to come.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:5

The firstborn of the dead, etc. This is what the Apostle says: We have seen Jesus Christ crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death. And elsewhere, explaining the disgrace of the cross, he added: Therefore God also has exalted him and given him a name that is above every name.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:5

It can be understood that, for a special reason, the Lord was said to be firstborn, according to what John says in the Apocalypse about him.… And the apostle Paul says, “Now those whom he has foreknown he has also predestined to become conformed to the image of his Son, that he himself should be the firstborn among many brothers.” He is the firstborn among many brothers because “to as many as received him he gave the power to become sons of God,” of whom he is rightly named the firstborn because in dignity he came before all the sons of adoption, even those who in their birth preceded the time of his incarnation. Therefore, they can with the greatest truth bear witness with John, “He who comes after us was before us.” That is, “He was born in the world after us, but by the merit of his virtue and kingdom he is rightfully called the firstborn of us all.”

Homilies on the Gospels 1.5

Revelation 1:6

And made us a kingdom, etc. Because the King of kings and heavenly Priest, by offering himself for us, has united us to his body, none of the saints is spiritually devoid of the office of priesthood, since he is a member of the eternal Priest.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:7

And those who pierced him, etc. Seeing him in the same form as a powerful judge in which they judged him as insignificant, they will lament themselves in late repentance.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:7

Even so, Amen. He affirms it without doubt by interposing "Amen," knowing most certainly that it will happen as revealed by God.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:7

Behold, he comes with the clouds, etc. He who first came hidden to be judged will then come manifest to judge. He mentions this to strengthen the Church to endure sufferings, now oppressed by enemies, but then to reign with Christ.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:8

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, etc. The beginning, whom none precedes; the end, to whom none succeeds in the kingdom.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:8

Who is, and who was, etc. He said the same of the Father. For God the Father also came and is to come in the Son.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:9

I, John, etc. He hints at the person, place, time, and cause of the vision. He testifies that he saw it also in the Spirit, lest he be thought deluded by a fleshly apparition.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:9

Was in the island, etc. The story is known, that John was banished to this island by Caesar Domitian because of the gospel, to whom it was fittingly given to penetrate the secrets of heaven when he was forbidden to exceed certain earthly spaces.

Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 1:10

And I heard behind me, etc. He is first admonished by the voice to turn his sight to the vision.

Commentary on Revelation