Explanatio Apocalypsis, Patrologia Latina 93, coll. 129-206  The Explanation of  the Apocalypse by Venerable Beda, trans. the Rev. Edw. Marshall (Oxford: Parker, 1878).

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{129 D}Epistola ad Eusebium. 

Dilectissimo Fratri Eusebio, Beda Salutem. 
 
Apocalypsis sancti Joannis, in qua bella et incendia intestine Ecclesiae suae Deus verbis figurisque revelare dignatus est, septem mihi (frater Eusebi) videtur esse divisa periochis. 

 {1} EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSEa

 LETTER OF BEDA TO EUSEBIUS 

TO THE BELOVED BROTHER, EUSEBIUSb, 
BEDA SENDS GREETING. 
 
THE Apocalypse of St. John, in which God was pleased to reveal by words and figures the wars and intestine tumults of the Church, seems to me, brother Eusebius, to be divided into several sections. 

 

In quarum prima, post praefationem copiosam, ad roborandum fidem fragilium, ac Domini passiones, et posteriores glorias enumeratas, similem Filio hominis Ecclesia cernit indutum; qui, commemoratis his quae specialiter in septem Asiae gesta vel gerenda sint Ecclesiis, generales totius Ecclesiae luctas describit et palmas. Ubi sexto loco consulte {130 D} subiciendos Ecclesiae Judaeos, et tentationem orbis universi futuram, seque promisit ciot esse venturum; septimo autem, tepidam ponit Laodiceam. Filius enim hominis veniens, putas inveniet fidem in terra (Luc. XVIII)?  {2}In the first of these, after a copious preface to strengthen the faith of the weak, and a description of the sufferings of the Lord and of the glories which followed, he sees one like unto the Son of Man clothed with the Church, Who, after He has related what has happened, or is about to happen, in the seven Churches of Asia in particular, recounts the general conflicts and victories of the whole Church. And here, designedly, in the sixth place He has foretold that the Jews are to be made subject to the Church, and that there is to be a trial of the world at large, and that He Himself will come quickly; and He places in the seventh the lukewarm Laodicea. For "when the Son of Man cometh, will He," dost thou think, "find the faith in the earth?" [Luke 18.8] 

 

In secunda autem periocha, descriptis in sede Dei quatuor animalibus et viginiti quatuor senioribus, Agnum videt apertis septem lilbri signati sigillis, conflictus et triumphos Ecclesiae reserare futuros. Ubi juxta consuetudinem libri istius, usque ad sextum numerum ordinem custodit, et praetermisso septimo, recapitulat, ac duas narrationes {131 A} quasi ordinem secutus, septimo concludit. Sed et ipsa recapitulatio, pro locis intelligenda est: aliquando enim ab origine passionis, aliquando a medio tempore, aliquando de sola ipsa novissima pressura, aut non multo ante dicturus recapitulat. Illud tamen fixum servat, ut a sexto recapitulet.  Then in the second section, after that the four living creatures in the throne of God, and the twenty-four elders, have been described, he sees the Lamb, on the opening of the seven seals of the closed book, unfold the future conflicts and triumphs of the Church. And here, according to the custom of this book, he preserves the order unto the sixth number in the series; and then he passes by the seventh, recapitulates, and concludes the two narrations with the seventh.  But {3}the recapitulation is also itself to be understood according to its place, for sometimes he recapitulates from the commencement of suffering, sometimes from the middle period, and sometimes with a view to speak of the last affliction only, or a short time before. But this he observes as a fixed point, to recapitulate after the sixth. 

 

Tertia vero periocha, sub specie septem angelorum tuba canentium, varios Ecclesiae describit eventus. Next, in the third section, under the likeness of seven angels sounding with a trumpet, he describes the various events of the Church. 

 

Quarta, sub figura mulieris parturientis, et draconis eam persequentis, ejusdem Ecclesiae labores et victorias aperit; et utrique militiae praemia digna rependit. Ubi spetem quoque angelorum dicta commemorantur, et facta, etsi non pariter, ut supra. Hunc enim mystica solerita numerum pene ubique servat, cum et moris sit ejusdem Joannis, in Evangeliis quoque et Epistolis, nihil tepide et breviter {131 B} dicere. In the fourth, under the figure of a woman bringing forth, and a dragon persecuting her, he reveals the toils and victories of the same Church, and assigns to both combatants their due rewards.  And here the words and actions of seven angels are also recorded, but not in the same manner as above. So in mystic wisdom he almost always retains this number, for neither in his gospel nor his epistles is the same John accustomed to say anything with remissness and brevity.

 

Quinta autem periocha per septem angelos, septem plagis novissimis terram perfudit. Then, in the fifth section, by seven angels he has overspread the earth with the seven last plagues

 

Sexta, damantionem meretricis magnae, id est, impiae civitatis.  In the sixth, he has manifested the condemnation of the great whore, that is, of the ungodly city. 

 

Septima, ornatum uxoris Agni, sanctae videlicet Jerusalem de coelo a Deo descendentis ostendit.  In the seventh, he has shewn the ornament of the Lamb's wife, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 

 

Septem quoque regulas Tychonii, viri itner suos eruditissimi, quibus ad intelligendas Scripturas studiosi plurimum adjuvantur, breviter commemorandas putavi. Harum prima de Domino et ejus corpore est, quando a capite ad corpus, vel a corpore transitur ad caput, et tamen ab una eademque persona non receditur. Una enim persona loquitur dicens: {131 C} Sicut sponso imposuit mihi mitram, et sicut sponsam ornavit me ornamento; et tamen quid horum capiti, quid corpori, id est, quid Christo, quid Ecclesiae conveniat, utique intelligendum est.  I have also thought that the seven rules of Tichonius [fl. c. 390], a man of the most learning among those of his sect [The Donatists], should be briefly enumerated, inasmuch as {4}those who are desirous to learn, receive great assistance from them for understanding the Scriptures. The first of these is concerning the Lord and His body, when there is a transition from the Head to the body, or from the body to the Head, and yet no recession from one and the same person. For one person speaks, saying, "He set a chaplet upon me, as a bridegroom, and adorned me with an ornament as a bride" [Is. 41.10]; and yet, certainly, it must be understood how much of this belongs to the Head, how much to the body; that is, how much to Christ, how much to the Church.

 

Secundo est de corpore Domini bipertito, vel potius de Domini corpore vero atque simulato, ut sancto Augustino magis appellari placuit. Dicit enim Ecclesia: Fusca sum et speciosa, ut tabernacula Cedar, et ut pellis Salomonis (Cant. I). Non enim ait: Fusca fui et speciosa sum; sed utrumque se esse dixit, propter communionem sacramentorum, et propter temporaneam commistionem intra una retia piscium bonorum et malorum. Tabernacula quippe Cedar ad Ismaelam pertinet, quia non erit haeres cum filio liberae. {131 D}  The second is concerning the twofold body of the Lord, or rather, concerning the true and simulated body of the Lord, as St. Augustine was better pleased that it should be termed. So the Church says “I am dark and comely, as the tents of Kedar, and as the curtains of Solomon" [Song of Solomon 1.5];  for she does not say, I was dark and am comely, but she has said that she is both, because of the fellowship in sacraments, and the commingling for a time of the good and bad fish within one net, seeing that the tents of Kedar belong to Ishmael, "for that he shall not be heir with the son of the free woman” [Gal. 4.20]. 

 

Tertia de promissis et lege, quae alio modo de spiritu et littera, vel de gratia et mandato potest appellari. Haec sancto Augustino magna quaestio magis quam regula quae solvendis est quaestionibus adhibenda videtur. Ipsa est enim qua non intelligentes Pelagiani, vel condiderunt suam haeresim, vel auxerunt.  The third is concerning the promises and the law, which may otherwise be expressed as concerning the spirit and the letter, or concerning grace and the com-{5}mandment  This appears to St. Augustine to be itself a great question, rather than a rule to be applied to the solution of questions.  For it was through failing to understand this that the Pelagians either began, or increased their heresy. 

 

Quarta est de specie et genere. Species enim pars est. Genus autem totum, cujus ea pars est. Sicut unaquaeque civitas pars est totius provinciae, et unaquaeque provincia pars est totius orbis. Unde et in notitiam vulgi verba ista venerunt, ut etiam idiotae intelligant quid specialiter quid generaliter in quocunque praecepto imperiali sit constitutum. Fit hoc etiam de hominibus, sicut ea quae de Salomone {132 A} dicuntur excedunt ejus modum, et potius ad Christum et Ecclesiam, cujus ille pars est, relata clarescunt. Nec species semper exceditur. Saepe enim talia dicuntur, quae vel ei quoque, vel ei fortasse tantummodo apertissime congruant. Sed cum a specie transitur ad genus, quasi adhuc de specie loquente Scriptura, ibi vigilare debet lectoris intentio.  The fourth is concerning species and genus.  For species is a part, but genus the whole of which it is a part, as each state is a part of the whole province, and each province a part of the whole world.  These terms, accordingly, have come to the knowledge of persons in general, so that even the unlearned understand what is enjoined in any imperial command. This takes place also in respect of men, as the things which are said of Solomon are out of proportion to him; and it is only when they are referred to Christ and the Church, of which He is part, that they become clear. Yet the species is not always exceeded, for such things are often said as more evidently agree with it also, or perhaps with it alone.  But when there is a transition from the species to the genus, as if Scripture were still speaking of the species, there the attention of the reader ought to be on the watch. 

 

Quintam ponit regulam, quam de temporibus nuncupat. Potest autem (ut mihi videtur) etaim de numeris appellari. Hanc tropo synecdoche vel legitimes numeris vigere dicit. Tropos synecdoche  est aut a parte totum, aut a toto partem. Quo locutionis modo etiam illa de resurrectione Christi solvitur quastio; pars enim novissima dieie quo passus est, nisi pro tota die accipiatur, id est, adjuncta etiam nocte praeterita; {132 B} et nox in cujus parte ultima resurrexit, nisi totus sies accipiatur, adjuncto scilicet illucescente die Dominico, non possunt esse tres dies et tres noctes, quibus se in corde terrae praedixit futurum. He lays down a fifth rule, which he names concerning times, and it may, as appears to me, also be called concerning numbers.  This he states to be of force, even in the case of legitimate numbers, by the figure synecdoche. For the figure synecdoche is either to infer the whole from a part, or a part from the whole.  And by this manner of speaking is the question of the resurrection of Christ also solved.  For unless the last part of the day on which He suffered is taken for the whole {6}day, that is, with the addition of the past night too, and unless the night in the latter part of which He rose again is taken for a whole day, that is, with the addition of the dawning Lord's day, there cannot be the three days and three nights, in which He foretold that He should be in the heart of the earth [Matt. 12:40]. 

 

Legitimos autem numeros dicit, quos eminentius divina Scriptura commendat, sicut septenarium, vel denarium, vel duodenarium, quibus plerumque vel universitas temporis, vel rei alicujus perfectio designatur. Sicut: Septies in die laudem dixi tibi  (Psal.  CXVIII), nihil est aliud, quam semper laus ejus in ore meo (Psal.  XXXIII). Tantumdem autem valent, et cum multiplicantur sive per denarium, sicut septuaginta et septigenti; unde possunt et septuaginta anni Jeremiae pro universo tempore, spiritualiter accipi, quo est apud alienos Ecclesia; sive per seipsos {132 C} sicitu decem per decem centum, sicut duodecim per duodecim centum quadraginta quatuor, quo numero significatur universitas sanctorum in Apocalypsi.  Now by legitimate numbers he means those which the divine Scripture more eminently commends, as the seventh, or tenth, or twelfth; by which, for the most part, either the whole course of time, or the perfection of anything is designated, as, "seven times in a day I sing praise unto Thee,"  [Ps. 98 (AV 99): 164)]  is nothing else than, "His praise was ever in my mouth" [Ps. 33:2 (AV 34:1)]  And they are of the same value also when they are multiplied either by ten, as seventy and seven hundred, in which case, the seventy years of Jerusalem may be taken spiritually for all the time during which the Church is among aliens; or by themselves, as ten by ten are a hundred, and twelve by twelve are a hundred and forty-four, by which number the whole body of the saints is denoted in the Apocalypse. 

 

Sextam regulam Tychonius recapitulationem vocat. Sic enim dicuntur in Scriptu[ris q]uaedam, quasi sequantur in ordine temporis, vel [...]m continuatione narrentur, cum ad priora quae prae[ter]missa sunt latenter narratio revocetur. Sicut in Genesis quod dicitur: Isti filii Noe in tribubus et linguis suis. ab his divisae sunt insulae gentium super terram (Gen. X). Et statim: Erat autme omnis terra labii unius et sermonum eorumdem (Gen. XI). Ita dictum videtur, tanquam eo ja tempore quo dispersi fuerunt una faerit omnibus lingua, cum potius recapitulando latentur adjungeret: {132 D} Qualiter sint linguae divisae. The sixth rule Tichonius calls recapitulation.  For some things are stated in the Scriptures as if they follow in the order of time, or are related in the succession of events, when, indeed, the narration is tacitly recalled to what has been omitted.  As it is said in Genesis, "These are the sons of Noah, in their tribes and their tongues.  By these are the isles of the nations upon the earth overspread” [Gen. 10:32; 9:19] and immediately, "But the whole {7} earth was of one lip, and of' the same speech" [Gen. 11.1] So it seems to be stated, as if at the very time when they were dispersed, they all had one language, when rather, by a recapitulation, he was secretly adding in what manner the tongues were divided. 

 

Septima ejusdem regula est de diabolo et ejus corpore. Aliquando enim in diabolum dicitur quod non in ipso, sed in ejus corpore possit agnosci, sicut Dominus beato Job, eiusdem hostis fraudes et viures exponens, inter alia dicit: Nunquid ad te preces multiplicabit, aut loquetur tibi mollia? Non enim ipse diabolus legitur uspiam poenitentiam acturus, sed corpus ipsius quod damnatum in fine dicturum sit: Domine, Domine, aperi nobis (Luc. XIII).  His seventh rule is, concerning the devil and his body.  For sometimes that is stated in respect of the devil which cannot be recognised in himself, but only in his body; as the Lord saith, among other things, to the blessed Job, in exposing the deceit and power of this enemy, "Will he make many prayers to thee, or will he speak soft things to thee?” [Job 41:3]. And it is not the devil himself who is anywhere read of as repentant, but his body, which, when condemned at the last, will say, “Lord, Lord, open unto us" [Matt. 25.11]. 

 

Has ergo regulas non in Apocalypsi tantum, id est, in Revelatione sancti Joannis apostoli, quam idem Tychonius et vivaciter intellexit, et veridice satisque catholice disseruit, praeter ea duntaxat loca in quibus, suae {133 A} partis, id est, Donatistarum, schisma defendere nisus, persecutiones quas ipsi a relioso Valentiniano principe, videlicet, ut haeretici pertulerunt. Ecclesiis eorum et plebibus, dominibusque et possesionibus sub catholicorum manum contraditis, et sacerdotibus exsilio retrusis, deffet, et martyria vocans, has in eadem gloriatur Apocalypsi fuisse praedi[c]tas; verum in omni quoque Scriptura canonica, et praecipue prophetica, easdem vigere regulas, quisquis vigilanter intenderit, inveniet.  So then, if any one will observe carefully, he will find these rules to prevail in all the canonical Scriptures, and especially in the prophetical parts, as well as in the Apocalypse, that is, the Revelation of St. John the Apostle, which the same Tichonius both understood with a lively apprehension, and expounded with truthfulness, and in a sufficiently Catholic sense, excepting only those places in which he endeavoured to defend the schism of his party, that is, the Donatists.  For here he laments the persecutions which they endured from the religious Emperor Valentinian, as heretics, when their churches, and followers, and houses, and possessions were given up into the hands of the Catholics, and their priests were driven into exile; and he calls {8} these things martyrdoms, and boasts that they were foretold in the same Apocalypse. 

 

Cujus quidem auctoris et nos in hoc opere sensum secuti, nonnulla quae extrinsecus posuit, breviandi causas omisimus: plura vero quae ill utpote viro ingenioso, et qui, sicut de eo dictum est, veluti roas in spinis effloruit, aperta, nec quaesitu digna, videbantur, quantum vel magistrorum traditione, vel memoria lectionis, vel etiam {133 B} captu nostri sensus, attingere potuimus, superadjicere curavimus. Nam et hoc in praceptis habemus, {134 A} ut percepta talenta cum usuris referamus ad Dominum. Now we have followed on our part the sense of this author in the present work, but in so doing we have omitted some things beyond the purpose which he inserted, in order that we may be more compendious; and we have taken care to add many more, which to him, as a man of genius, and who flourished, as was said of him, like an open rose among thorns, appeared plain and unworthy of investigation; and this we have done, so far as we have been able to attain, either by the tradition of masters, or the recollection of reading, or even our own capacity; for this, too, is among the commandments which we have received, to return to the Lord with usury the talents which have been committed to us. 

 

Cumque opus memoratum in tres libellos relevande mentis gratia findi placuisset, nescio quo enim modo, ut beatus Augustinus ait, <ita libri termino reficitur lectoris intentio, sicut labor viatoris hospitio,> nihilominus tamen ut facilior quaerentibus inventio redderetur, eadem capitulorum intemerata series, juxta quod in ipso libello quondam preapositis brevibus distinxeram, per omnia videbatur esse servanda. Nostrae siquidem, id est, Anglorum, gentis inertiae consulendum ratus, quae et non dudum, id est, temporibus beati Gregorii papae, semen accepti fidei, et idem quantum ad lectionem tepide satis excoluit, non solum dilucidare sensus, verum sententias quoque stringere, disposui. Nam {134 B} ei aperta magis brevitas quam disputatio prolixa  memoriae solet infigi. Now, although it had seemed fit that the aforesaid work should be divided into three short booksc to relieve the mind; for in some way or other, as the blessed Augustine says: “The attention of the reader is refreshed by the termination of a book, as the toil of the traveller by resting at an inn" [Contr. adv. leg. et. proph., Bk. I. Ch. 33];  nevertheless, that it might be rendered more easy for those who search to find, it was thought good that the continuous order of paragraphs should be preserved through out, which I had previously noted in the book itself by prefixing marks.  For, as I think that the indo-{9}lence of our nation, I mean of the English, ought to be taken into account,--which too, not long since, that is, in the time of the blessed Pope Gregory, received the seed of faith, and has cultivated the same remissly enough, so far as reading is concerned,--I have arranged my plan, so as not only to elucidate the sense, but also to compress the sentences, inasmuch as brevity, if it is clear, is wont to be fixed in the memory more than prolix discussion. 

 

Opto in Christo valeas, dilectissime frater, Bedaeque tui semper memor esse digneris.  I bid thee farewell in Christ, most beloved brother, and desire that thou mayest deign to be ever mindful of thy Beda. 

 

   a. This “Explanation” is inserted by Beda in the list of works written by him previously to A.D. 731, as “On the Apocalypse of St. John three Books.” Hist. Eccl., bk. v. ch. 24. It is also noticed in a Letter of Beda to Acca, Bishop of Hexham, prefixed to the “Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles,” Bed. Opp., tom. xii, p. 1, ed. Giles, Lon. 1844, as “The Explanation of the Apocalypse of the holy Evangelist John, which, written at the request of our brother Eusebius, and comprised in three books, I intend to transcribe and send to thee soon.” As Eusebius is here addressed simply as a brother, and not as abbat, it would seem that the “Expostion of the Apocalypse” was written after Acca had been made a bishop in A.D. 710, and before Eusebius was appointed Abbat in A.D. 716. For the date of Acca’s Epsicopate, see Hist. Eccl., bk. v, ch. 20, p. 291, ed. Hussey, Oxf. 1846. Return. 

b. Eusebius, or Huaetberht, was Abbat of the Monastery of Jarrow, to which he was unanimously elected on the resignation of Ceolfrid, in A.D. 716.  Besides his obedience in the monastic life, he was distinguished for his "industry in writing, singing, reading, and teaching." His Letter to Pope Gregory II. on the occasion of his appointment, sent by Ceolfrid, is in part preserved.  See Beda's Vita SS. Abbat. Mon. in Uuiram. et Gyr., ch. xiv sq. Return. 

 c. The first Book extends to ch. viii. I, the second to ch. xiv. 20, and the third to ch. xxii. 21.  The seven sections into which Beda considered (supra, pp.1-3) the Apocalypse to be divided, are these, Sec. I, ch. i. 1-iii. 22; sec. 2, ch. iv. 1-vii. 17; sec. 3, ch. viii. I xi.18 ; sec. 4, ch. xi. 19-xv. 8 ; sec. 5, ch. xvi. I-xvi. 21; sec. 6, ch. xvii. I-xviii. 25; Sec. 7, ch. xix. 1-xxii. 21. Return 
 
 

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