English · KJV

Bede

Late Patristic · AD 500–800 · 6,271 passages across 45 books

Commentary

6,041–6,060 of 6,271
Revelation 21:25

And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

And its gates will not be closed by day, for there will be no night there. He recalls that the perpetual light of the Lamb, or rather the Lamb himself as the eternal light, will be in that city, with the time of night removed. But the fact that the gates will not be closed is a sign of complete security. For there it is no longer said: "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Matt. XXVI), but rather: "Be still and know that I am God" (Ps. XLV).
Revelation 21:26

And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

And they will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. Because it will be gathered from all nations.
Revelation 21:27

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

And nothing unclean will enter it, etc. He describes the Church of that time, when, with the wicked already separated from the midst, only the good will reign with Christ. But even now, every impure and false person is not in the Church, nor does he see the light of the city of God who hates it, because darkness has blinded his eyes.
Revelation 22:1

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

And he showed me a river of the water of life, etc. In the river of life flowing in the middle of the city, baptism is no longer celebrated, but the fruit of that sacrament is already revealed. For now, the Church sows in the Spirit, so that then it may reap eternal life from the Spirit (Gal. VI).
Revelation 22:2 · 3 passages

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. In the twelve months, it insinuates all the time of life, namely, that where it is said: And your years will not fail (Ps. CI). And again: From month to month and from Sabbath to Sabbath (Isa. LXVI). Where the face of the Lord is present, eternal health, eternal food of life. It can also be simply understood that through the doctrine of the twelve apostles, the cross of Christ bears fruit.
And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. If the fruit is taken as the reward of blessed immortality, rightly the leaves are understood as the perpetual song, which falls for the healing of those already singing in happy lot. For there, the true healing of the nations, complete redemption, and eternal happiness.
And on either side of the river was the tree of life. The tree of life is seen around the fountain of life. Whether you interpret it as the glory of the holy cross or the Lord Christ, it is revealed both before baptism in the Old Testament and now, with the mystery of baptism shining, it nourishes the saints with heavenly fruit. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts IV). The same tree, which John described as flowering in the golden Jerusalem, Moses described in paradise, and Solomon said it is a tree of life to those who embrace it. I believe that this river prefigured the Jordan, beyond which Moses gave the people instructions of salvation, and within which Jesus opened the promised land.
Revelation 22:4 · 2 passages

And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

And they will see his face. The vision of God is kept as the reward of faith for us, which Philip, understanding to be the highest good, said: Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us (John XIV). For it was carefully to be commended that the saints will see and possess in appearance what they believe living by faith.
And his name will be on their foreheads. The confession of the holy name, now preserved among enemies, will then glorify the victors in their homeland.
Revelation 22:5

And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

And there will be no night anymore, etc. There, the frailty of bodies will not require the light of either night or fire for rest, when God will be all in all (I Cor. XV), who is the true light (John I) and the eternal rest of the saints. If you refer these words to allegory, neither the exhortation of prophets nor the preaching of the law, which is now called a lamp in a dark place, will be necessary, since in the contemplation of God, with matters fulfilled, the perfect promise will be held.
Revelation 22:6 · 3 passages

And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

To show his servants what must soon take place. As I said, he showed that he foresaw things generally useful for everyone.
And the Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angel. Do not doubt, he says, about the person giving the warning. For God himself, who usually imbues the spirits of the prophets with a heavenly vision, has sent me to show you these future things.
And he said to me: These words are faithful and true. He did not doubt the faith of John, but commended the true vision to the whole Church, in which he knew there would be even the little ones.
Revelation 22:7

Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book, etc. It is understood, blessed am I. Thus, the blessed Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, connects these verses, while refuting some heresies that arose on the occasion of this little book and refuting their error, and transferring the meaning of the same prophecy, purified from all clouds of carnal understanding, to the eternal and heavenly promises.
Revelation 22:8

And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel, etc. Either he repeated what he had once done, not daring to attempt it again after being restrained, or, struck by the great amazement of the visions, he confesses he wanted to worship again.
Revelation 22:9

Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

I am a fellow servant, etc. Note how often he names both John the prophet and this book as prophecy; for there is much agreement with the prophets, not only in the senses but also in the words. For how many verses from Isaiah, how many from Zechariah, and other prophets do you find here!
Revelation 22:10

And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, etc. As the future judgment approaches, it was necessary for the divine precepts, judgments, and promises to be revealed, by the observance of which the meek may acquire reward, and the disobedient, having neglected them, may incur punishment.
Revelation 22:11 · 2 passages

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

[Herod knew that John the Baptist was a just man and kept him safe]. But his love for the woman prevailed, and she forced him to lay his hands on a man whom he knew to be holy and just. Since he was unwilling to restrain his lust, he incurred the guilt of homicide. What was a lesser sin for him became the cause of a greater sin. By God’s strict judgment it happened to him that, as a result of his craving for the adulteress whom he knew he ought to reject, he caused the shedding of the blood of the prophet, who he knew was pleasing to God. Now this is [an illustration of] the divine dispensation of judgment, of which it is said, “Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy.” But what follows, “Let the holy still be holy,” is appropriate to the person of blessed John. Already holy, he became more holy still when, through his office of spreading the good news, he reached the palm of martyrdom.
He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still. Here he shows the hidden, yet just, judgments of God, by which wicked men are allowed to progress to worse, that is, to reach the height of iniquity, so that a just judgment may be found. This is similar to: Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad (Matt. XII).
Revelation 22:13

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, etc. In Alpha, he designates the divinity of the Word, and in Omega, the assumed humanity. The beginning without end, which is confirmed by frequent repetition in this book, either to often imply the divinity and humanity of the one Christ, or to signify the entire Trinity of one nature, which says through the prophet: Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me (Isa. XLIII).

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