Caesarius of Arles — Commentary on Scripture

Revelation 18:15-19

Whenever the Spirit says that they were made rich from her, he is indicating the abundance of their sins.… Can a city be dressed in fine linen and purple, rather than people? They lament for themselves, since they are despoiled of those riches mentioned here.… Can all those who are merchants and sailors and who work upon the sea be present to see the burning of a single city? Rather, it says that all who loved the world and were the workers of iniquity fear for themselves when they see the ruin of their own hope.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:15-17, HOMILY 16

Revelation 18:20

Is Babylon the only city in all the world that persecutes or has persecuted the saints of God, so that when she is destroyed all of them are avenged? Babylon is throughout the whole world in evil people, and throughout the world persecutes those who are good.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:20, HOMILY 17

Revelation 18:21-24

Babylon is likened to a great millstone which is thrown down, for the revolving of times, as though it were a millstone, grinds down those who love the world, and it sends them in circles. Of these the Scriptures say, “The wicked walk in a circle.” … “The sound of harpers and musicians and flute players and trumpeters is no longer heard in her.” That is, the joy and happiness of the wicked passes away and is no longer to be found. And it adds the reason for this, “for your merchants were the great men of the earth,” that is, they had received good things in their lives. “The blood of the prophets and the saints was found in her and of all who have been slain by [her] upon the earth.” Did the same city kill the apostles that also killed the prophets and all of the rest of the martyrs? Rather, this is the city of all the proud and arrogant, which Cain established by the blood of his brother and which he named after the name of his son, Enoch, that is, after his posterity. For all the wicked in whom Babylon resides succeed one another and persecute the church of God until the end of the…

Babylon is likened to a great millstone which is thrown down, for the revolving of times, as though it were a millstone, grinds down those who love the world, and it sends them in circles. Of these the Scriptures say, “The wicked walk in a circle.” … “The sound of harpers and musicians and flute players and trumpeters is no longer heard in her.” That is, the joy and happiness of the wicked passes away and is no longer to be found. And it adds the reason for this, “for your merchants were the great men of the earth,” that is, they had received good things in their lives. “The blood of the prophets and the saints was found in her and of all who have been slain by [her] upon the earth.” Did the same city kill the apostles that also killed the prophets and all of the rest of the martyrs? Rather, this is the city of all the proud and arrogant, which Cain established by the blood of his brother and which he named after the name of his son, Enoch, that is, after his posterity. For all the wicked in whom Babylon resides succeed one another and persecute the church of God until the end of the world. In the city of Cain “all the righteous blood” is poured out “from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah,” that is, of the people and of the priests, “between the sanctuary and the altar,” that is, between the people and the priests. This was said because not only the people but also the priests conspired in the death of Zechariah.… This is the city which killed the prophets and stoned those who were sent to it. This is that city that is built upon blood, as the Scriptures say, “Woe to him who builds a city with blood and founds a city on iniquity.”

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 18:21-24, HOMILY 17

Revelation 19:1-3

This is the voice of the church when the separation has already occurred and when all wicked persons have gone out of her to be consumed with eternal fire. “And their smoke goes up for ever and ever.” Hear, O brothers, and fear and know that Babylon and the harlot whose smoke ascends forever and ever are not to be understood as anything other than lustful, adulterous and arrogant persons. And, therefore, if you wish to avoid these punishments, do not desire to commit such grievous sins.… Is it smoke of a burned-out city that is visible and goes up forever and ever, and not rather [the smoke] of people who remain in their arrogance? It says “it goes up,” not “it will go up,” for in the present age Babylon is always going into destruction and burning up in part, just as Jerusalem is moving into paradise in those saints who leave the world. The Lord showed this in the story of the poor man and the rich man.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:1-3, HOMILY 18

Revelation 19:15

The two-edged sharp sword is the power of Christ by which the righteous are defended and the unrighteous are punished. The rod of iron is the righteousness of God by which the humble are instructed but the proud are broken to pieces as though they were a clay pot.… He treads [the winepress of God’s wrath] even now, when he permits the evil to persecute the good and leaves them to their own desires. However, later he will seek repayment, when he sends those into Gehenna who have not repented.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:15, HOMILY 17

Revelation 19:16

This is a name that the proud do not know. For by serving [Christ], the church reigns in Christ, and she is lord of lords, that is, she conquers vices and sins.

EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE 19:16, HOMILY 17

Revelation 19:17

[The angel in the sun] is the preaching that takes place in the church.… Depending on the context, we interpret birds or beasts to represent the good or the wicked. For example, “The wild beast will bless me,” or, “The Lion from the tribe of Judah.” In the present passage the birds flying in mid-heaven are the churches that, being considered as one body, it had said was an eagle flying in mid-heaven.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:18, HOMILY 17

Revelation 19:17-18

We know that this in fact happens in the church. For when all nations are incorporated in the church, they are spiritually devoured. Indeed, those who have been devoured by the devil become the body of the devil, while those who have been received by the church are made to be members of Christ.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:17-18, HOMILY 17

Revelation 20:3

These thousand years are reckoned from the passion of Christ. During them it is not permitted to the devil to do whatever he wishes, for God does not permit his servants to be tempted beyond that which they are able to endure.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 20:3, HOMILY 17

Revelation 20:5-6

[The first resurrection] is that by which we rise through baptism. As the apostle says, “If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things which are above.” And again he says, “living as [those who have been brought to life] from the dead.” For sin is death, as the apostle says, “when you were dead through trespasses and sins.” Therefore, just as the first death is in this life because of sin, so also the first resurrection is in this life through the remission of sins.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 20:5, HOMILY 18

Revelation 20:6

The Spirit repeats what he had written before, that the church is going to reign a thousand years in this age until the end of the world. It is clear that no one ought doubt about the eternal rule when the saints rule even in this present age. For those are rightly said to reign who with God’s aid govern well both themselves and others in the temptations of the present world.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 20:6, HOMILY 18

Revelation 20:9-10

“And the devil and his people went up into the height of the earth,” that is, in the presumption of their arrogance, and “they surrounded the camp of the saints and the city of the beloved,” that is, the church. This refers to what was earlier said about those assembled at Armageddon. They cannot be gathered into one city from the four corners of the earth. Rather, in every corner [of the earth] each people will be gathered together for opposition to the holy city, that is, for persecution of the church. “And fire shall descend out of heaven from God,” that is, out of the church, “and consume them.” In this passage the fire may be interpreted in two ways. Either they will believe in Christ through the fire of the Holy Spirit, and they will be spiritually consumed by the church, that is, incorporated into the church, or they will be consumed by the fire of their own sins and will perish.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 20:9, HOMILY 18

Revelation 21:4

He has said all of this concerning the glory of the church such as it will possess after the resurrection.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:1-4, HOMILY 18

Revelation 21:6

This is to say, [I will give from the fountain of life] to him who desires the remission of sins through the font of baptism.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:6, HOMILY 18

Revelation 21:10

By the mountain he refers to Christ.… It is the church, the city established on the mountain, that is the bride of the Lamb. The city is then established on the mountain when on the shoulders of the Shepherd it is called back like a sheep to its own sheepfold. For were the church one and the city coming down from heaven another, there would be two brides, which is simply not possible. He has called this city the “bride” of the Lamb, and therefore it is clear that it is the church itself that is going to be described.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:10, HOMILY 19

Revelation 21:12

The twelve gates and the twelve angels are the apostles and the prophets, for as it is written, we “are built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets.” The Lord also spoke in a similar way to Peter: “Upon this rock I shall build my church.”

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:12, HOMILY 19

Revelation 21:13

The city that is described is the church, which is extended throughout the whole world. There are groups of three gates on each of the four sides because throughout the four quarters of the world the mystery of the Trinity is preached in the church.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:13, HOMILY 19

Revelation 21:15

In the golden rod he shows the members of the church, who, although weak in the flesh, are well founded in the golden faith. As the apostle says, “[We] have this treasure in earthen vessels.”

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:15, HOMILY 19

Revelation 21:19-20

He mentions the names of the various gems in the foundations so that he might show the various gifts of grace that have been given to the apostles, as was spoken concerning the Holy Spirit, “who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:19, HOMILY 19

Revelation 21:21

These pearls symbolize the apostles, who are also called “gates” because through their teaching they make known the door of eternal life.

EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 21:21, HOMILY 19