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every man according to his works" (R. xxii. 12). servants, the prophets," are men of Apostolic rank, not seen after the first century.

"Ayio, "the saints," denoted Christians in S. John's day, and he uses the expression in this Book to denote members of the Church of Christ even in the last days. At the end, Satan seduces the nations and they "surround the camp of the saints (Tŵv ȧyíwv) and the beloved city" (R. xx. 8).

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"And to them that fear thy name, little and great," proclaims another class to be rewarded. At Chapter xix. we are · told "A voice came out from the throne, saying, Praise ye our God all his servants and you that fear him, little and great (R. xix. 5). The "Invisible Church" might be indicated there. But in the Jewish theme we have had only those who feared "the wrath of the Lamb" (R. vi. 16).

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And to destroy them who have corrupted the earth," refers to pagan Rome, represented in this Book as a triumvirate, composed of Satan, the Cæsars, and the pagan hierarchy. This announcement looks back to the martyrs' prayer at R. vi. 10 and to the command at R. x. 11, and forward to the Roman drama which begins in the next chapter.

19. Καὶ ἠνοίγη ὁ ναὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ὤφθη ἡ κιβωτὸς τῆς διαθήκης αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐγένοντο ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταὶ καὶ σεισμὸς καὶ χάλαζα μεγάλη.

19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of his testament was seen in his temple, and there were lightnings and voices and an earthquake and great hail.

We have had references to the vaòs or sanctuary of the Temple at R. iii. 12 and vii. 15. It occurs again at R. xv. 5, 6, where the seven angels having the seven plagues come out of it."The ark of the Testament" (Exod. xxv. 16, 22; xxx. 26), called also "the ark of the Covenant" (Jos. iii. 6, 11, 14, Numb. x. 33, Deut. x. 8), was the visible sign of God's dwelling with the Israelites. It contained the tables of the Law (Exod. xl. 18, Deut. x. 5). It was preserved in the tabernacle of the Temple, and a veil was drawn before it (Exod. xl. 18, 19). It was a chest of satin wood, plated with gold, within and without, and it was carried off by the Babylonians at the fall of Jerusalem, 587 B.C. (4 Kings xxv. 13 f.). The prophet Jeremias predicted its disappearance (Jer. iii. 16). But there were Jewish traditions concerning its reappearance at the time of the Messias.

"It was a common belief among the rabbis of old that it would be found at the coming of the Messias" (C. L. Souvay, D.D., etc., "The Cath. Encyc."). S. John concludes the Jewish theme with this characteristically Jewish vision. The lost Ark of God's testament is seen in the vaòs or tabernacle of heaven, which is opened for that purpose.

Lightnings, voices, and thunders are manifestations of the majesty of God, suitable to the occasion. See R. iv. 5. Thunders (Bpovrat in the Greek) are omitted in the English version, which follows the Vulgate. An earthquake and great hail are symbols of destruction (R. vi. 12, viii. 5, xi. 13, xvi. 18, 21). They form a fitting finale to the Jewish theme.

PART IV

THE ROMAN THEME

CHAPTER XII

HERE begins the preface to the Roman theme. When S. John had devoured the little open book, his belly was bitter, showing that he had digested its bitter contents and was full of the knowledge of the future. He was then ordered to prophesy again, denoting a fresh prophecy, " to nations and peoples and tongues and to many kings" (R. x. 11). We have seen that éri Xaois means "concerning nations," etc. We shall find that ἐπὶ commission fulfilled in the Roman theme. The Seer makes use of the stage and scenery, as it were, of the Jewish theme, and displays his visions of the future, dramatically, before the Court of Heaven, which intervenes at times, to help us to understand the matter. There is no fresh ecstasy, not even a μεтà TaÛTа to delimit this theme from the last, for it is a continuation of the revelation in answer to the martyrs' prayerespecially to "où κpíveis," "dost thou not judge. The Seer begins the new revelation with the birth of Christ and of His Church. This necessitates some overlapping with the Jewish theme, so that we shall find the escape of the Nazarene Church to Pella again in view.

1. Καὶ σημεῖον μέγα ὤφθη ἐν τῷ οὐρανῶ· γυνὴ περιβε βλημένη τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ ἡ σελήνη υποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς στέφανος ἀστέρων δώδεκα.

1. And a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

Enpetov, "sign," is used in a like sense in Matt. xxiv. 30, "and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven." A woman clothed with the sun. We take this "woman" to be the Church of Christ. The Seer places the Church, idealised

as a mother, in the forefront of his vision, as she is the subject of his theme. He places her in heaven as "a great sign" of her ultimate triumph. He clothes her with the light of her Founder, as she is to illuminate the world. "And art clothed with light as with a garment" (Ps. ciii. 2), "And his face shone as the sun shineth in its full strength" (R. i. 16). "On her head a crown of twelve stars." The stars signify the twelve Apostles. (See R. i. 20, notes.) At R. xxi. 14, the twelve Apostles are shown as the foundations of the Church. But the Church is the Bride, "the wife of the Lamb "—την yʊvaîka Tоû ȧpvíov (R. xxi. 9). Accordingly, we find yuvn, "the woman" or "wife," appearing gloriously in heaven, her Apostolic founders forming an aureola of stars about her head. She has under her feet the moon, which reflects the light of the sun. It is put for the body of the Church, waxing and waning as persecution. or prosperity affects it.

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S. John characteristically goes back to the beginning, even to Genesis, as we shall see.

2. Καὶ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα κράζει ὠδίνουσα καὶ βασανιζομένη τεκεῖν.

2. And being with child, she cried, travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered.

The wife of the Lamb is represented as being in painful labour. Some commentators see a figure of the Virgin-Mother of God in this woman. They have in mind the prophecy of Isaias: "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son" (Isa. vii. 14). But the Blessed Virgin being free from original sin (The Immaculate Conception) was free from the pains of child-birth (Gen. iii. 16). Hence, "Baoavicoμévn," an expression used for βασανιζομένη,” the torments of the Jews in the Jewish theme (R. ix. 5), and for the torments of hell at R. xiv. 10, would not apply to her. The woman in labour symbolises the early Church which generated her children with many tribulations. S. John would not symbolise the Blessed Virgin as an ordinary woman—yʊvǹ -in the tortures of labour! The expression Tapeévos, "a virgin," was due to our Lady. He avoids the word "virgin to show his meaning. Presently he represents the woman in flight to Pella, and Satan persecuting the woman and her seed.

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3. Καὶ ὤφθη ἄλλο σημεῖον ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἰδοὺ δράκων μέγας πυρρός, ἔχων κεφαλὰς ἑπτὰ καὶ κέρατα δέκα καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτοῦ ἑπτὰ διαδήματα.

3. And there appeared another sign in heaven, and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.

Another-onμeîov-"sign" is seen in heaven, the dragon, the enemy of the Woman. We are told in verse 9 that the dragon is Satan. Thus, the two great protagonists in the theme of the Book, the Church and Satan, are brought before us in its opening scene.

The great saurians of the Tigris and Euphrates were the embodiment of evil to primitive man. Hence they were put for the evil spirit, and endowed with wings. Satan, the dragon, has seven heads. The number seven indicates an innumerable host-"principalities and powers. . . the rulers of the world of this darkness. . . the spirits of wickedness in the high places" (Eph. vi. 12). He has ten horns, or "powers," with which he pushes his way in the world. These are world-powers, who do his will (Dan. vii. 20, 21, 24, viii. 3, 5, 20, 21). He is a red dragon, for his mission in this Book is to stir up bloody persecutions against the Woman, and he is stained with the blood of her children. Our Lord, addressing the Jews, said: "You are of your father, the devil, and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning" (Jhn. viii. 44). And on his heads seven diadems." Diadems are distinctive of royalty. S. John, in his Gospel, calls Satan "the Prince of this world" (xii. 31, xiv. 30, xvi. 11). Later in the Book, when our Lord appears as a conqueror, "he has on his head many diadems," as He is King of Kings" (R. xix. 12, 16).

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4. Καὶ ἡ οὐρὰ αὐτοῦ σύρει τὸ τρίτον τῶν ἀστέρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν· καὶ ὁ δράκων ἕστηκεν ἐνώπιον τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς μελλούσης τεκεῖν, ἵνα ὅταν τέκῃ τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς καταφάγῃ.

4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth; and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered, that when she should be delivered he might devour her son.

We have had a reference to Lucifer as the fallen star at R. ix. I (where see notes). Here the stars of heaven, the rebel angels, are dragged down to earth by the fall of Lucifer. This

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