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Primasius of Hadrumetum

Late Patristic · AD 500–800

173 passages across 3 books of the Bible · Who was this?

Commentary

20 of 173
  1. Revelation 22:1
    The river of life that flows in the midst of the city no longer signifies the administration of baptism. Rather, the fruit of that sacrament is here revealed. For we sow now in tears what we shall then reap in joy, and so now the church “sows to the Spirit so that it might reap eternal life.”

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:1

  2. Revelation 22:2
    By the twelve months he signifies all of time, and to be sure all of eternity. Therefore, where there is an eternal paradise, no aridity will ever be permitted to intrude. Where there is a perfect and certain well-being, absolutely no infirmity enters in. This is what the prophet promised when he said, “They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” This is the tree, as we read, which is “planted by streams of water,” and of which Jeremiah says that it “sends out its roots by the stream.” This is to say that it places its hope and trust in the Lord. We may also interpret this passage concerning the river of the water of life to refer to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is himself the fountain of life. For we read of him, “With you is the fountain of life; in your light we shall see light.” He is himself, as we read, “the image of God’s majesty, who is powerful in all things, and remaining in himself renews all things and in every generation rests in holy souls.” And so he is the Fountain who is also the River. He is the Fountain, for he remains in himself inex…
    By the twelve months he signifies all of time, and to be sure all of eternity. Therefore, where there is an eternal paradise, no aridity will ever be permitted to intrude. Where there is a perfect and certain well-being, absolutely no infirmity enters in. This is what the prophet promised when he said, “They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” This is the tree, as we read, which is “planted by streams of water,” and of which Jeremiah says that it “sends out its roots by the stream.” This is to say that it places its hope and trust in the Lord. We may also interpret this passage concerning the river of the water of life to refer to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is himself the fountain of life. For we read of him, “With you is the fountain of life; in your light we shall see light.” He is himself, as we read, “the image of God’s majesty, who is powerful in all things, and remaining in himself renews all things and in every generation rests in holy souls.” And so he is the Fountain who is also the River. He is the Fountain, for he remains in himself inexhaustible, and he is the River because he offers himself generously and perpetually so that the saints might receive of [his] abundance. Where he is called fountain, he is also called a rushing stream. When the psalm says, “You shall give them drink from the river of your delights,” it then continues, “for with you is the fountain of life, and in your light shall we see light.” Moreover, [it says that it flows] through the middle of the street for it is a good that is common to all the saints and that is not denied to any who are worthy, nor is it granted to any who are unworthy.… Indeed, it is in their midst as an undivided patrimony to all who see God. For that reason we read, “Jerusalem, a city whose fellowship is complete within itself.” If the fruit is understood to be the reward of a blissful immortality, then we rightly understand the leaves to be the song of perpetual praise, because for those who sing they fall in the well-being of a happy fate. For there exists the true healing of the nations, there is full redemption, there is eternal happiness.

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:2-3

  3. Revelation 22:3
    He does not speak here of thrones. For where there is a natural and undifferentiated unity, there the glory of the Godhead may be especially esteemed. There is one throne of an indivisible rule that cannot be divided by the cunning of Arian depravity or confounded by the doubts of Sabellian vanity. Rather, it is able to be contemplated only by the reception of catholic truth and is proven to be rightly held by the confession of her faith.

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:3

  4. Revelation 22:4
    This implies that there is in store for us a reward for our faith, that vision that John had in mind when he said, “When he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him just as he is.” For, of course, face is to be understood not as the kind of face we now have as part of our body but as a manifestation of what God is.… God will be made known to and be perceived by us, in many ways. He will be seen in the spirit (whereby each of us will see him within ourselves and in one another); he will be seen in himself; he will be seen in the new heavens and the new earth and in every creature then existing.

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:4

  5. Revelation 22:6
    He is not expressing any doubts about the trustworthiness of John. Rather, he is commending this vision to the whole church as true, for he knew that in the future there would also be those who are to learn from it. [By speaking of his angel], he teaches that he has always looked after the welfare of all. He is the Spirit of the prophets who is also the Holy Spirit and indeed is the Lord. For this reason the prophet said, “I will hear what the Lord God speaks to me,” and “The beginning of the speaking of God to Hosea.” Because of the essence of the one, divine Trinity, he also fittingly mentions here the Holy Spirit, since above he had mentioned the Father and the Son. For when we read that “God is spirit,” it refers to the entire Trinity.

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:6

  6. Revelation 22:7
    “To keep” means to believe in a reverent manner and to maintain one’s resolve and intention to live a more pure life.

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:7

  7. Revelation 22:11
    He shows that the judgments of God by which evil people are allowed to become even more evil are hidden yet just. Yet here we ought not think that evil persons harm only others; they harm especially themselves. And therefore it continues, “Let him who is filthy be filthy still.” For to whom will that person be good who is harmful to himself?

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:11

  8. Revelation 22:13
    Whenever the faithful proclamation of the truth and the pure form of the virtues is confirmed by repetition, our spiritual mind is disposed toward a deeper worship. This is briefly yet meaningfully indicated at the end of this book when it signifies the deity of the Word by an Aand the assumed humanity by an W [he who is] the beginning without an end. When I note that in the present book A and W is repeated several times, I recognize that this occurs for a reason. For [they are repeated] either to assert more often the divinity and the humanity of the one [person] of Christ, in which we claim the fullness of the whole Christian faith to consist, or [they are repeated] to suggest the whole Trinity, which is of one nature. The Trinity spoke through the prophet, saying, “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I am God and besides me there is no savior.” And it is he to whom it is said through the prophet, You are God, and in you there is God, and beside you there is no other God. And should there be some other better and deeper mystery hidden in this, I have no do…
    Whenever the faithful proclamation of the truth and the pure form of the virtues is confirmed by repetition, our spiritual mind is disposed toward a deeper worship. This is briefly yet meaningfully indicated at the end of this book when it signifies the deity of the Word by an Aand the assumed humanity by an W [he who is] the beginning without an end. When I note that in the present book A and W is repeated several times, I recognize that this occurs for a reason. For [they are repeated] either to assert more often the divinity and the humanity of the one [person] of Christ, in which we claim the fullness of the whole Christian faith to consist, or [they are repeated] to suggest the whole Trinity, which is of one nature. The Trinity spoke through the prophet, saying, “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I am God and besides me there is no savior.” And it is he to whom it is said through the prophet, You are God, and in you there is God, and beside you there is no other God. And should there be some other better and deeper mystery hidden in this, I have no doubt that this has been repeated so that it might remain beneficial for the understanding of the faithful. To be sure, the Greek letters Α and Ω yield a number that we know is contained in the word dove. The Greek word for “dove” is περιστερά and this word has the value of 801: π=80, ε=5, ρ=100, ι=10, σ=200, τ=300, ε=5, ρ=100, α=1. The letters Α and Ω also yield 801: Α=1, Ω=800. In the form of the dove we rightly recognize the person of the Holy Spirit, for it was in this form that he chose to appear when he came down. And in this way the madness of the Arians and other heretics is brought to naught, who claim that he is alien to the nature of the Father and the Son. And so by the agreement of this number this revelation from heaven makes known that the Holy Spirit is consubstantial and co-eternal with the Father and the Son.

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:13

  9. Revelation 22:14
    After speaking of the faith he mentions the uprightness of our character, and by the washed robes he teaches about the keeping of the divine commandments. At the beginning of his Gospel John uses a different manner of speech but with the same meaning when he says, “In the beginning was the Word.” A little later he writes, “The Word became flesh,” where the fullness of our entire faith consists, so that in one and the same Christ both perfect deity and true humanity are confessed. When he speaks of the uprightness of our character and habits, he says, “As many as received him, he gave to them power to become sons of God, namely, to those who believe in his name,” making explicit the reward for faith and love. So also in this present passage [John] is speaking in a similar and equal manner, making mention of Christ in the A and W, and signifying the pure and stainless life in the white robes. Thus, in a similar manner he promises the same reward, saying, “That they might have power over the tree of life.” However, the tree of life is Christ, for we read, “Wisdom is a tree of life to th…
    After speaking of the faith he mentions the uprightness of our character, and by the washed robes he teaches about the keeping of the divine commandments. At the beginning of his Gospel John uses a different manner of speech but with the same meaning when he says, “In the beginning was the Word.” A little later he writes, “The Word became flesh,” where the fullness of our entire faith consists, so that in one and the same Christ both perfect deity and true humanity are confessed. When he speaks of the uprightness of our character and habits, he says, “As many as received him, he gave to them power to become sons of God, namely, to those who believe in his name,” making explicit the reward for faith and love. So also in this present passage [John] is speaking in a similar and equal manner, making mention of Christ in the A and W, and signifying the pure and stainless life in the white robes. Thus, in a similar manner he promises the same reward, saying, “That they might have power over the tree of life.” However, the tree of life is Christ, for we read, “Wisdom is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.” We must not think, however, that they [who have this power] are over [i.e., more powerful than] Christ. For “a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.” Therefore, when he says here “over the tree of life,” he means that their strength consists in the tree of life, that is, in the Lord Christ, of whom the prophet also says, “They are made strong in the holy One of Israel.” From whatever source one receives strength, one is said to be “over this.” In the same sense it is said to blessed Peter, “On this rock I will build my church,” that is, “upon me.” Also the prophet speaks the same meaning although with a different wording when he says, “I will keep my strength, [watching] for you.” [Concerning the gates] it is written, “Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I might enter through them and confess the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.” In addition we must also say that no one can enter into this city except through Christ who says, “I am the door,” and “No one comes to the Father except through me.”

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:14

  10. Revelation 22:16
    Brightly reflecting the grace of the New Testament, he refers to the time of the first resurrection when Christ rose from the dead. For this reason we read, “From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch let Israel hope in the Lord.”

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:16

  11. Revelation 22:17
    How is it that he who wishes may take [of the tree of life] when he had said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,” unless because we know that one who was previously unwilling becomes willing through divine inspiration? So also here free will is fittingly included when he says, “Let him who desires take,” since immediately grace is proclaimed when he says, “the water of life without price.” To be sure, [this means] let him take the water of life without price, even though no good [works] have gone before. As the apostle says, “What have you that you did not receive?” Therefore, we receive by grace from God even the will to come, and to this we have brought nothing beforehand so that we might be [willing]. How much more, therefore, [do we bring nothing] so that from being sinners we might be made righteous.

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:17

  12. Revelation 22:18-19
    Solomon said, “Do not add to his words, lest you be rebuked and be found a liar.” In this passage he also adds the terror of the plagues so that he might urge and warn not only by the weight of his authority but also that he might either move the idle with threats or restrain the reckless.

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:19

  13. Revelation 22:20
    The selfsame Christ who gave his testimony announces to the church that he is coming. And to him the church devoutly responds in the manner of the Song of Songs, “Amen, Come, Lord Jesus Christ.” And when the church prays, it says, “Your kingdom come!” and “in the way that is blameless, when you will come to me.”

    COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 22:20

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