Bede

From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed, etc. It is fitting that he begins with Judah, from which tribe our Lord arose; and he omits Dan, from whom it is said the Antichrist is to be born, as it is written: Let Dan be a serpent by the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse's heels, so that its rider falls backward (Gen. 49). For he did not intend to describe the order of earthly generation but to expound the virtues of the Church according to the interpretation of the names, which hasten from confession and praise to the right hand of eternal life. This is the meaning of the names Judah, who is placed first, and Benjamin, who is placed last. Therefore, Judah is first, which is interpreted as confession or praise, because no one attains the summit of good works before the beginning of confession. And unless we renounce evil deeds through confession, we cannot be formed rightly. The second is Reuben, which is interpreted as seeing the son. The Psalmist testifies that works are designated in the sons when he says among the blessings of the blessed man: Your sons will be like olive shoots (Ps. 128). And further: May you see your children's children (Ibid.). For one who fears the Lord is blessed, not only if he has begotten sons and received grandchildren, but because in sons are works, and in sons of sons, the fruits of works, that is, the eternal reward is designated. Therefore, after Judah comes Reuben, that is, after the beginnings of divine confession and praise, the perfection of action follows. But because through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14), after Reuben comes Gad, which is interpreted as temptation or armed. After the beginning of good works, a man must be tested by greater temptations and girded for more serious battles, so that the strength of his faith may be proven. Solomon says: My son, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation (Sirach 2). And the Psalmist likewise: You have girded me with strength for battle (Ps. 18). And because we bless those who have endured suffering, therefore after Gad is placed Asher, that is, blessed, in a very fitting order. Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been tested, he will receive the crown of life (James 1). Because by the faithful promise of this blessedness they are not distressed but, rejoicing in hope, are patient in tribulation, they sing with the Psalmist: You have enlarged me in distress; and again: I ran the way of your commandments, when you enlarged my heart (Ps. 119); and with the mother of blessed Samuel, they exultingly say: My mouth is enlarged over my enemies, because I have rejoiced in your salvation (1 Sam. 2). Therefore, Naphtali follows, which means enlargement. And Manasseh follows him, which is interpreted as forgetting or necessity. The mystery of this name warns us to forget the things that are behind, taught by the anguish of present temptations, and to stretch forth to the things that are before, according to the Apostle, so that we may make provision for the flesh, not in its desires, but bound only by the necessity of human condition (Phil. 3). For which the Psalmist, sighing for better things, prayed: Deliver me from my necessities (Ps. 25). Simeon, which means heard the sorrow or name of habitation, is placed under this, so that by the quality of this name it is more clearly instilled what is to be held here and what is to be healthily expected. For to those who here mourn fruitfully in penitence, the joy of heavenly habitation will be given. To whom it is also said: Your sorrow will be turned into joy (John 16). Therefore, Levi is added, which means added. In which we understand either those who buy the eternal with the temporal, as Solomon says: The ransom of a man's life is his wealth (Prov. 13), or those who, following the counsel of God, receive a hundredfold in this world with tribulations, and in the world to come, eternal life (Mark 10). What is written also agrees with this: He who increases knowledge increases sorrow (Eccles. 1). For to blessed Job, the bitterness of tribulations was added so that, being proven, the reward of a greater prize would be given. Hence Issachar follows in proper order, which means reward. For as the Apostle teaches, the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Rom. 8). It is more fruitful to fight where a certain reward is hoped for. This, however, God works and perfects in the habitation of strength, which is called Zebulun, when strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor. 12), so that the body which enemies consider weak, and through whose matter they also try to bring about the soul's destruction, experiences invincibility with God's comfort and happy increase follows. This name Joseph indicates, signifying the addition of gifts of grace. Whether you understand the double repayment of talents as profits of spiritual benefit, or you take it in those things which are returned to the Redeemer God by the faithful in their religious devotion. And to understand that all those whom both the order and the interpretation of the names placed here significantly indicate will be on the right hand of Christ the eternal King in the future judgment, Benjamin, as I previously mentioned, is placed last, meaning son of the right hand; as if he were the end of the order, with the last enemy death destroyed (1 Cor. 15), the happiness of the eternal inheritance will be given to the elect, whether each faithful one is called the son of the right hand, or the whole assembly of the Church, of which it is sung: The queen stands at your right hand in gold of Ophir, adorned with varied colors (Ps. 45). Therefore, twelve thousand are sealed from each tribe, because in whatever virtues individual faithful advance, it is necessary that they are always strengthened and formed by the faith of the ancient fathers. For it is most certain that the number twelve often signifies the form of the teachers or the whole Church because of the sum of the apostles or patriarchs. Whether in confession, they are praiseworthy like Judah, or in Reuben, distinguished by the offspring of works, or in Gad, strong in the exercise of temptations, or in Asher, blessed in the victory of struggles, or in Naphtali, enlarged by the abundant works of mercy, or in Manasseh, forgetful of past things, or in Simeon, still sad in the valley of tears but always rejoicing in the name of habitation, sighing for the heavenly Jerusalem, or in Levi, rejoicing in the promises of present and future life, founded in eternal good with temporal goods added, or in Issachar, firm in the contemplation of future reward, or in Zebulun, who lay down their lives for Christ, or in Joseph, who strive for the increase of spiritual substance, and offer something more over God's commandments, either in virginity or in the quantity of their possessions, or in Benjamin, who with indefatigable vows expect the right hand of eternal happiness, each one in his profession fits the rule of the preceding fathers as if sealed with the number twelve, and from the merits of each individual person, the most perfect beauty of the Church is collected as if in the sum of one hundred and forty-four thousand.

Let us think attentively about the eternal feast of the martyrs, which is in heaven, and by following in their footsteps insofar as we can, let us also take care to become ourselves participants in this heavenly feast, for as the apostle bears witness, if we have been companions of his passion, we will at the same time be companions of his consolation. Nor should we mourn their death as much as we should rejoice about their attaining the palm of righteousness. Rachel must groan over each of them when, through torments, they are driven away from this life—that is, the church which begot [them] exhorts them with mourning and tears, but when they have been driven out, the heavenly Jerusalem, who is the mother of us all, soon receives them into another life by ministers of gladness who are ready at hand and introduces them into the joy of the Lord to be crowned as his forever. Hence, says John, they were standing before the throne “in the sight of the Lamb, dressed in white robes, and palms were in their hands.” For they now stand before God’s throne, crowned, who once lay, worn down by pain, before the thrones of earthly judges. They stand in the sight of the Lamb, and for no cause can they be separated from contemplating his glory there, since here they could not be separated from his love through punishments. They shine in white robes and have palms in their hands, who possess the rewards for their works; while they get back their bodies, glorified through resurrection, which for the Lord’s sake they suffered to be scorched by flames, torn to pieces by beasts, worn out by scourges, broken by falls from high places, scraped by hoofs and completely destroyed by every kind of punishment.