Oecumenius

As a detour, the vision recounts the matters concerning the two witnesses, who are identified as prophets, and elaborates on all that pertains to them, focusing on their origin and where they have come from. They have come forth from the holy restitution of the future, and that the number of those from the nations surpasses that of Israel, and that those who have pleased God in the New Covenant exceed those in the Old.

And it states that when the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, voices were heard in heaven proclaiming that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of God and of His Christ. God always reigns, and He neither began nor will cease to reign over heaven and earth and all things visible and invisible within them, but He is the Ruler and Lord of all things without beginning and without end. Since men also became kings on earth, God had a certain way of sharing kingship with them; but when the earthly kingdom of men is dissolved at the end of the present age, only God will reign. Therefore, it has been said that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of God and of His Christ, with the men who ruled on earth and the tyrannical demons having been destroyed and ceased.

And he says that the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. He says that after these things were spoken, hidden blessings and, in addition, certain new mysteries were revealed to the saints; for this is the opening of the Ark of the Covenant. For he indicates that good things are hidden in the coming age, concealed from present human beings, as he says, "what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man," which God has prepared for those who love Him." (1 Cor. 2:9) And again, that there is some mystery and a different knowledge unknown to those now living, the Lord reveals by saying, "I will not drink again from the fruit of this vine until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father." (Matt. 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18)

The saints were deemed worthy of these things, but to the sinners there came flashes of lightning, voices, thunder, earthquakes, and great hail, which constitute the third woe, the future punishments known to us for the impious, and the word alludes to the signs from God.

Regarding the Antichrist, the vision that is more complete wishes to be recorded for us, of which a brief mention has been made in the preceding texts. However, since the resurrection of this figure and his appointment by Satan as a pretext for the Incarnation of the Lord have occurred, having taken possession of and subjected the world, the Antichrist will be raised for this very reason. He will then attempt to lead the world away from Christ and persuade it to defect to Satan through apostasy. Furthermore, since the beginning of the Lord's Incarnation was marked by His conception and birth in the flesh, the vision, leading to a certain order and sequence regarding the matters it is about to recount, has made the inception of the narrative start from Christ's conception in the flesh and has depicted the Mother of God [θεοτόκον] for us.

For what does it say, and a sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet? It is said to refer to the mother of our Savior, as has been stated. It is reasonable that the vision is described as being in heaven and not on earth, as a pure soul and body, like an angel [ἰσάγγελον], as a citizen of heaven, as one who rests with God in heaven. For he says "heaven is my throne," (Isa. 66:1) having contained and incarnated it, and having nothing in common with the earth and the evils in it, but entirely lofty, entirely worthy of heaven, even if it belonged to our human nature and essence [οὐσίας]. For the Virgin is of the same essence [ὁμοούσιος] with us; for the impious doctrine of Eutyches, which also makes the Virgin of a different essence from us, along with his other doctrines, which are mere opinions, may be banished far from the sacred courts of the divine.

What does it mean to say that she is clothed with the sun, and the moon is under her feet? The divine prophet Habakkuk, prophesying about the Lord, says that "the sun rose and the moon stood still in its order to bring forth light," (Hab. 3:10-11) calling Christ our Savior "the Sun of Righteousness." (Mal. 4:2), or at least referring to the evangelical proclamation.

Where it is said that, having been exalted and increased, the moon, that is, the Law of Moses, stood still and no longer received any addition; for no longer, after the appearance of Christ, did it receive converts [προσηλύτους] from the Gentiles as before, but rather it endured removal and reduction. Therefore, do not think here to consider the holy Virgin as the sun of the intellect; for in this manner the prophet calls the Lord concerning Israel, saying, "Fire has fallen upon them, and they did not see the sun." (Ps. 58:8) But the moon, that is, the ritual according to the Law and the institution according to the Law, having been brought low and greatly diminished, is underfoot, defeated by the brightness of the Gospel. And rightly the one in the law called the moon, since it too is illuminated by the sun, that is, Christ, just as the visible moon is illuminated by the visible sun.

But regarding what is being indicated, it would have been more appropriate to say that the woman was not clothed with the sun, but that the woman clothed the Sun contained in her womb; yet, to show also in the vision that the Lord, who was being carried by the natural mother and is the Lord of all creation, was a protection, he said that He clothed the woman. The divine angel also said to the holy Virgin: "The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." (Luke 1:35) For to overshadow, to cover, and to envelop are the same in power.

And upon her head, it says, a crown of twelve stars. For the virgin is crowned by the twelve apostles preaching Christ together with her.

And it says she was pregnant, and crying out in labor pains and anguish to give birth; and Isaiah speaks about her before she begins to labor and before the pains of childbirth come, saying she escaped and gave birth to a male child (Isa. 66:7). Gregory, in the thirteenth discourse of his Commentary on the Song of Songs concerning the Lord, says that her pregnancy remains without intercourse, and her delivery is without defilement. The birth was painless. Therefore if, according to such a great prophet and teacher of the church, the Virgin escaped the pain of labor, how then does she cry out in labor and give birth while being in anguish here? The statement is not a contradiction, far from it; for nothing could be contrary to the one and the same speaker addressing both sides. Rather, what is expressed here cries out and is troubled as you might understand. Until the divine angel spoke to Joseph about her, saying that the one conceived is from the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:20), the Virgin was understandably distressed, having blushed [ἐρυθριῶσα] toward the one betrothed, and she was considering whether perhaps he might suspect her of secret unions causing her labor pains. Her distress and sorrow, he called, according to the laws of allegory, crying out and anguish, which is not surprising.

For even the divine Moses, when he was spiritually encountering God and feeling disheartened, saw Israel in the wilderness surrounded by sea and enemies. It is said by God, "Why do you cry out to me?" (Ex. 14:15) Likewise, now the vision declares a cry concerning the sorrowful disposition in the mind and heart of the Virgin. But you, who are the pure servant and mother according to the flesh, of my Lady, the holy Mother of God [θεοτόκου], having relieved your distress through your ineffable birth, also relieve my sins; for glory belongs to you forever. Amen.

Having completed in part the contemplation concerning the common Lady, the holy ever-virgin and Mother of God Mary, he presents to us another, saying:

As in the beginning of the vision considered authoritative, it is said that the vision, wishing to narrate more fully the matters concerning the Antichrist, begins with the conception and birth of the Lord, for whose sake that destroyer, the common enemy and adversary of all, is projected so that he might again enslave those gathered by the Lord. Similarly, it must now be said that the vision, desiring to recount the events concerning the Antichrist, makes another beginning prior to the previously mentioned start of the Lord's birth, one that precedes it, namely, the origin according to Satan, how he was cast down from heaven. Even in the subsequent vision this is stated more clearly, adding that he also plotted against the Lord, so that, as if a certain foundation had been laid at the beginning, the remaining narratives concerning the Antichrist and the deeds done by him might be built upon it. With these matters therefore previously explained, we must now turn to the examination of the words themselves.

And it is said that another sign appeared in heaven, as if the narrative were striking down the original evil, Satan, because although heavenly, he has become wicked through pride; he is shown in the heavens so that the rebel might see from what heights he has fallen to what depths.

And behold, he says, a great fiery Dragon. The Dragon is called Satan because of its crookedness; for this is how Isaiah also refers to him, calling the "the dragon, the crooked serpent." (Isa. 27:1) It is described as fiery because of its bloodthirsty and wrathful nature.

Having seven heads and ten horns, and upon its heads were seven crowns. Nor did the prophet fail to recognize him as many-headed; therefore he says to God: "You have crushed the heads of the dragon; you have given him as food to the peoples of the Ethiopians."(Ps.74:14) They say he is many-headed, with most of the seven heads signifying, as has often been said, the many authorities and cunning schemes he employs against humans, through which he enslaves them, for the crown is a symbol of tyranny.

The ten horns symbolize his greatest power. For the number ten is perfect, and the horn is a sign of strength. It has also been said that "my horn will be raised like that of a unicorn." (Ps. 92:10)

As it is possible, one may come to know the one who appears in the book of Job.

And it is said that by his tail he drags a third of the stars of the sky and casts them down to the earth. For he conspired with himself to withdraw the greatest portion of the angels, persuading and causing those heavenly beings to become earthly, and darkness to overshadow the bright ones like stars. The tail, however, reveals the nature of his final and backward failings; for previously, having perceived folly and rebellion himself, and having sufficiently nurtured this in his proud mind, he therefore came to corrupt the rest as well.

And he said that the Dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth, he might devour her child. From the events concerning the Lord, it was carefully observed that the One who would break his dominion would be born, and the Dragon vigilantly awaited that when the Virgin gave birth, the newborn would perish. Therefore, he was not indifferent, but incited Herod to destroy the male child, who was both strong and brave; one who had no softness nor feminine qualities. For before the child could call a father or mother, Isaiah proclaims to us that "he will take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria against the king of Assyria." (Isa. 8:4)

Woe, he says, to the earth and the sea, because the Devil has come down to you with great wrath, knowing that he has little time. And if the descent of Satan were harmful to the earth and the sea, who would say why he came down? For to those who are sober and have hope in God, it has not only resulted in no harm but also in benefit, training them like a trainer [παιδοτρίβης] and making them more tested through trials, tempering them as iron is tempered. But he harms the sluggish and lazy, who perhaps even without the frustration of the one stirring them up, were by nature evil toward themselves, changing their passions.

And they say woe to the earth and the sea; they do not mean this, but woe to those who inhabit the earth and sail the sea among men, but to those who are of the earth and dust according to what is written (see Gen. 18:27), and who have earthly minds (see Rom. 8:7). Moreover, to those who are fickle, wavering, and unstable in their understanding. For against these, the common enemy wages war and enslaves the weak, those who are willing, bowing to his tyranny.

He says that he knows that he has little time. For the time from the fall of the Devil until his judgment and repayment to the eternal ages is indeed short.

For this reason, even Jacob the patriarch, although he lived one hundred and thirty years, said when asking Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my life have been few and evil." (Gen. 47:9)