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1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
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[AD 235] Hippolytus of Rome on Revelation 12:1-5
By the woman then clothed with the sun," he meant most manifestly the Church, endued with the Father's word, whose brightness is above the sun. And by the "moon under her feet" he referred to her being adorned, like the moon, with heavenly glory. And the words, "upon her head a crown of twelve stars," refer to the twelve apostles by whom the Church was founded. And those, "she, being with child, cries, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered," mean that the Church will not cease to bear from her heart the Word that is persecuted by the unbelieving in the world. "And she brought forth," he says, "a man-child, who is to rule all the nations; "by which is meant that the Church, always bringing forth Christ, the perfect man-child of God, who is declared to be God and man, becomes the instructor of all the nations. And the words, "her child was caught up unto God and to His throne," signify that he who is always born of her is a heavenly king, and not an earthly; even as David also declared of old when he said, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at my right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." "And the dragon," he says, "saw and persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child. And to the woman were given two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." That refers to the one thousand two hundred and threescore days (the half of the week) during which the tyrant is to reign and persecute the Church, which flees from city to city, and seeks conceal-meat in the wilderness among the mountains, possessed of no other defence than the two wings of the great eagle, that is to say, the faith of Jesus Christ, who, in stretching forth His holy hands on the holy tree, unfolded two wings, the right and the left, and called to Him all who believed upon Him, and covered them as a hen her chickens. For by the mouth of Malachi also He speaks thus: "And unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings."

Source: Hippolytus Dogmatical and Historical Fragments
[AD 235] Hippolytus of Rome on Revelation 12:1
Now, concerning the tribulation of the persecution which is to fall upon the Church from the adversary, John also speaks thus: "And I saw a great and wondrous sign in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And she, being with child, cries, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man-child, who is to rule all the nations: and the child was caught up unto God and to His throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath the place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. And then when the dragon saw it, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child. And to the woman were given two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast (out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast) out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the saints of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus."

Source: Hippolytus Dogmatical and Historical Fragments
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 12:1
"And there was seen a great sign in heaven. A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. And being with child, she cried out travailing, and bearing torments that she might bring forth." The woman clothed with the sun, and having the moon under her feet, and wearing a crown of twelve stars upon her head, and travailing in her pains, is the ancient Church of fathers, and prophets, and saints, and apostles, which had the groans and torments of its longing until it saw that Christ, the fruit of its people according to the flesh long promised to it, had taken flesh out of the selfsame people. Moreover, being clothed with the sun intimates the hope of resurrection and the glory of the promise. And the moon intimates the fall of the bodies of the saints under the obligation of death, which never can fail. For even as life is diminished, so also it is increased. Nor is the hope of those that sleep extinguished absolutely, as some think, but they have in their darkness a light such as the moon. And the crown of twelve stars signifies the choir of fathers, according to the fleshly birth, of whom Christ was to take flesh.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 311] Methodius of Olympus on Revelation 12:1
-Exhortation to the Cultivation of Virginity; A Passage from the Apocalypse is Proposed to Be Examined.
John, in the course of the Apocalypse, says:

Source: Methodius Discourse VIII. Thekla
[AD 311] Methodius of Olympus on Revelation 12:1
The woman who “appeared in heaven … clothed with the sun” and crowned with “twelve stars,” having the moon for her footstool, and being with child, and travailing in birth, is certainly, according to the accurate interpretation, our mother, … a power by herself distinct from her children, whom the prophets, according to the aspect of their subjects, have called sometimes Jerusalem, sometimes a Bride, sometimes Mount Zion, and sometimes the Temple and Tabernacle of God. For she is the power mentioned by the prophet which the Spirit urges to give light, crying to her: “Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon you, and his glory shall be seen upon you. And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes round about, and see; all your children gather themselves together, they come to you: your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.” It is the church whose children shall come to her with all speed after the resurrection, running to her from all quarters. She rejoices receiving the light which never goes down, and clothed with the brightness of the Word as with a robe. For with what other more precious or honorable ornament was it becoming that the queen should be adorned, to be led as a Bride to the Lord, when she had received a garment of light, and therefore was called by the Father? Come, then, let us go forward in our discourse, and look on this marvelous woman as on virgins prepared for a marriage, pure and undefiled, perfect and radiating a permanent beauty, wanting nothing of the brightness of light. Instead of a dress, she is clothed with light itself. And instead of precious stones, her head is adorned with shining stars. For instead of the clothing which we have, she had light; and for gold and brilliant stones, she had stars. But not stars such as those which are set in the invisible heaven, but better and more resplendent, so that our own may rather be considered as their images and likenesses.Now the statement that she stands on the moon, I think, denotes the faith of those who are cleansed from corruption by baptism, because the light of the moon has more resemblance to tepid water, and all moist substance depends on the moon. The church, then, stands on our faith and adoption, under the figure of the moon, until the fullness of the Gentiles come in, laboring and bringing forth natural people as spiritual people; for which reason she is also a mother. For just as a woman receiving the unformed seed of her husband, within a certain time brings forth a perfect child, in the same way, one should say, the church conceives those who flee to the Word, and, shaping them according to the likeness and form of Christ, after a certain time produce them as citizens of that blessed state. Thus it is necessary that she should stand on the laver, bringing forth those who are washed in it. And in this way the power which she has in connection with the laver is called the moon, because the regenerate shine being renewed with a new ray, that is, a new light. Hence, also, they are by a descriptive term called “newly-enlightened,” the moon [church] always showing forth anew to them the spiritual full moon, namely, the period and the memorial of the passion, until the glory and the perfect light of the great day will appear.

Source: SYMPOSIUM 8.5-6
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 12:1
“And a great sign was seen in heaven.” We now see that which has occurred in the church, God has taken form in man. “A woman,” it says, “clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet.” We have already noted that a genus may divide into many species. For what [in one passage] is heaven, here signifies the temple placed in heaven. In the woman he indicates the church who in the purification of baptism puts on Christ, the “sun of righteousness,” as the apostle Paul testifies, “As many as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” However, in this passage the moon is described as placed under the feet of the woman and so indicates the church of the heretics that the “sun of righteousness,” that is, Christ, does not allow to be illumined by his presence. Yet, since everything which is found in the Scriptures concerning the church may be interpreted in a twofold way, we can also interpret the moon in a good sense and compare it with the church. As it is written in the psalms, “Once I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His seed shall endure forever. His throne [will endure] as the sun before me and as a full moon forever. The witness in the skies is sure.” And again, “Bright as the sun and fair as the moon in her beauty.” “And on her head a crown of twelve stars.” He is indicating the twelve apostles whom Christ placed as a crown over the twelve tribes of Israel upon the head of his church and adorned her with spiritual gems.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:1
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Revelation 12:1
[The moon under her feet] refers to the hypocrites and evil Christians which the church has under her feet.… The twelve stars are to be interpreted as the twelve apostles. That the woman is clothed in the sun signifies her hope in the resurrection. For this reason it is written, “then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

Source: EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE 12:1, HOMILY 9
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 12:1
This is what now appears in the church, namely, that by the operation of the Holy Spirit the human nature is joined to the Wisdom of God and that from the two the selfsame Christ becomes the mediator of God and humanity and is so proclaimed and believed. As he himself said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” and the Evangelist said, “He was speaking of the temple of his body.” “A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet.” It is frequently said that a genus is divided into many species which are the same thing. For what was heaven itself is now a temple in heaven and now is the woman clothed with the sun and having the moon under her feet. Namely, this is the church who has put on Christ and on account of her love is trampling upon every mutable thing. For [the church] is not enraptured by these changeable things who, clinging to the immoveable good, says truthfully, “But for me it is good to be near to God.” From this fact comes those expressions which we read concerning the church, “fair as the moon, bright as the sun,” and again, “as the full moon forever, and the witness in the heaven is true.” He aptly says that the church is a sojourner, for after the human birth of Christ we see many false opinions expressed by heretics. For concerning this temple the heresiarchs, falsifying as they willed, taught variously, Valentinus saying one thing and Bardesanes another, Apollinaris yet another and Nestorius another, Eutyches another and Timothy Aelurus another. It was as though truth sprang from the earth and controversies followed. And from all of this the orthodox and faithful acquired their reward, while by evil ideas concerning the incarnation of Christ, the heretics incurred the punishment of eternal damnation.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:1
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:1
And a great sign appeared in heaven. What now also appears in the Church: God becoming man.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:1
The woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet. The Church of Christ, clothed in light, tramples upon temporal glory: In his days shall righteousness flourish, and abundance of peace until the moon be no more (Psalm LXXII). That is, the abundance of peace will grow until it consumes all the changeableness of mortality, when the last enemy, death, is destroyed (1 Corinthians XV). Or, because the same Church, partly in heaven, enjoys Christ the sun, partly on earth, journeys away from the Lord. This can be understood by the phrase: His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me (Song of Songs VIII).

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:1
And upon her head a crown of twelve stars. The Church is adorned with the number of the twelve apostles on its head, whether you understand Christ, or the very beginning of the nascent Church designated by the name of the head. You have set a crown of precious stones upon his head (Psalm XXI).

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 12:1-2
The vision wishes to give us a fuller description of the things concerning the Antichrist, of whom it has made a brief mention in what has gone before. The incarnation of the Lord, by which the world was subjected and made his own, became the occasion for the raising [of the Antichrist] and the endeavors of Satan. For this is why the Antichrist will be raised up: so that he may again cause the world to revolt against Christ, and persuade it to turn around and desert to Satan. Since again the Lord’s physical conception and birth marked the beginning of his incarnation, the vision has brought into some order and sequence the events which it is going to explain, by starting its explanation from the physical conception of Christ, and by depicting for us the Mother of God.

For why does he say, And a portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet? He is speaking of the mother of our Savior, as I have said. Naturally the vision describes her as being in heaven and not on the earth, as pure in soul and body, as equal to an angel, as a citizen of heaven, as one who came to effect the incarnation of God who dwells in heaven (“for,” he says, “heaven is my throne”), and as one who has nothing in common with the world and the evils in it, but wholly sublime, wholly worthy of heaven, even though she sprang from our mortal nature and being. For the Virgin is of the same substance as we are. The unholy doctrine of Eutyches, that the Virgin is of a miraculously different substance from us, together with his other docetic doctrines, must be banished from the divine courts.

What is the meaning of saying that she is clothed with the sun, and has the moon under her feet? The divine prophet Habakkuk says in prophesying about the Lord, “The sun was lifted up and the moon stood still in its position for light.” He calls our Savior Christ, or perhaps the preaching of the gospel, “the sun of righteousness.” When this was exalted and increased, he says, the moon, that is, the law of Moses, stood still, and no longer grew in size. For after the appearance of Christ it no longer received proselytes from the nations as before, but experienced annulment and diminution.

Perhaps you could imagine that here the holy Virgin is being protected by the spiritual sun. For this is how the prophet, too, speaks of the Lord when he says about Israel, “Fire fell upon them, and they did not see the sun.” And the moon, that is, their worship according to the law and their way of life according to the law, inasmuch as it has been brought down and much reduced, is under her feet, overcome by the evangelical splendor. He well named the requirements of the law the moon, since they were brought to the light by the sun, that is, Christ, just as the actual moon is given light by the actual sun.

In line with this explanation, it would have been more consistent to say that the woman was not clothed with the sun, but that the woman clothed the sun contained in her womb. But in order to show in the vision that even when the Lord was conceived, he was the protector of his own mother and of all creation, the vision said that he clothed the woman. In the same way the divine angel said to the holy Virgin, “The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” Overshadowing, protecting, and clothing all have the same meaning.

He says, And on her head, a crown of twelve stars. For the Virgin is crowned with the twelve apostles who proclaim the Christ while she is proclaimed together with him.

“And she was with child,” it says, “and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery.” Clearly Isaiah speaks concerning her: “Before she was in labor she gave birth; before the pain of her labor she fled and gave birth to a son.” Also in his thirteenth homily on the Song concerning the Lord, Gregory says, “whose pregnancy remains without union, and the childbirth without defilement, and the labor free of pain.” If according to such a prophet and to such a teacher of the church the Virgin escaped the pain of childbirth, how is it that here it says “she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery”? What is said is not contradictory. By no means! For there would be nothing contradictory said by the same Spirit who was speaking through both. Rather, you will understand the present phrase “she cried out and was in anguish” is this way. Until the holy angel said to Joseph that that which was borne in her womb was of the Holy Spirit, she was faint of heart, as is natural for a virgin, and she blushed before her betrothed and thought that perhaps from the secrecy of the marriage he might think that she was in labor. And so, according to the rules of figurative language, he calls this faintheartedness and sorrow a “crying out” and “anguish.” Nor is this unusual. For even to the blessed Moses, when he was spiritually conversing with God and losing heart—for he saw Israel in the desert surrounded by the sea and the enemy—God said, “Why are you crying to me?” So also here, the vision calls the troubled disposition of the Virgin in her mind and heart a “crying out.” But may you, who by your unspeakable birth did bring to an end the faintheartedness of your undefiled servant, your mother according to the flesh, but my mistress, the holy mother of God, also forgive my sins. For it is proper to give you glory forever. Amen.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 12:2
“She was with child and cried out in pangs of birth.” This means that by her preaching [the church] desires to gather together the nations of the Gentiles. “She is in anguish for delivery” as long as [the church] is either gathering together the multitude of the Gentiles or is excluding the hypocrites from its womb.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:2
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 12:2
“She was with child,” not in her womb but in her mind, “and she cried out, groaning (in the valley of tears) and was in anguish that she might deliver.” The church spiritually gives birth to those with whom she is in the pangs of childbirth, but she also never ceases to be in the pangs of childbirth with those to whom she has already given birth. For this reason the apostle says, “My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:2
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:2
We say that the church is in birth pangs for each one of those who are being born anew through water and the Spirit, “until Christ is formed in them,” as the apostle says. Those who have fallen from the true light of Christ are regarded as miscarriages and experience death at the end of their life because of unfaithfulness.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:2
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:2
And being with child, she cried out in travail. The Church, spiritually, both gives birth to those she brings forth and continues to labor for those already born. As she herself says: My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you (Galatians IV).

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:2
And she was in pain to deliver. Thus the Lord in the Gospel: A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world (John XVI). Explaining this to His disciples, He added: Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice (John XVI).

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 12:3
"And there appeared another sign in heaven; and behold a red dragon, having seven heads." Now, that he says that this dragon was of a red colour-that is, of a purple colour-the result of his work gave him such a colour. For from the beginning (as the Lord says) he was a murderer; and he has oppressed the whole of the human race, not so much by the obligation of death, as, moreover, by the various forms of destruction and fatal mischiefs. His seven heads were the seven kings of the Romans, of whom also is Antichrist, as we have said above.

"And ten horns." He says that the ten kings in the latest times are the same as these, as we shall more fully set forth there.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 12:3
[The red dragon] is the devil. He says that there was “another portent” to indicate the hostile opposition of the devil. It was he who inflamed Herod with the fire of envy so that he would feign to adore the Christ even while seeking with all his power to kill Christ whom he knew was to be born king of the Jews.… The “seven heads” are kings, and the horns are kingdoms.… For in the seven heads and seven diadems he signifies the rule of all kings, while in the ten horns we have the number of the ten persecutors who will fan the fires of persecution against the whole church in the last times.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:3
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:3
Here we think that “heaven” signifies the air, and that the “red dragon” is that creature that was deceived and mocked by the angels of God, as it is written in Job. He is “red” either because of his murderous and bloodthirsty character or because of the fiery nature of his angelic essence, since he did fall from the angels. The seven heads that he has are seven powers more wicked than himself and that are opposed to the [seven] powers of the Spirit. Or perhaps they correspond to the seven spirits of whom Christ spoke in the Gospels and that established themselves in the man who had a heart swept clean and emptied of good thoughts and deeds. Or perhaps they are the seven evils that Solomon says are in the heart of the evil one, who with a great voice deceitfully seeks followers for himself. The horns signify either those sins that are in opposition to the Ten Commandments of the law, or they signify the divisions of the kingdom that bring credit to him who rejoices in seditions. And there are “seven diadems upon his heads,” since those who conquer the demonical powers receive again the crowns of victory, since they have gained victory with toils and sweat.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:3
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:3
And behold, a great red dragon, etc. The devil, bloody in cruelty, is armed against the Church with the power of an earthly kingdom. In the seven heads, he speaks of all his kings, and in the ten horns, all his kingdoms.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 12:3-6
At the start of the explanation of the vision it was said that the vision, in its wish to set out in greater detail the facts about the Antichrist, begins with the conception and birth of the Lord, which was why that vandal had been chosen by the universal foe and enemy of all to enslave again those who had been gathered together by the Lord. So it must now be said that the vision, in its wish to explain in detail all that concerns the Antichrist, reverts to the original event preceding the beginning already mentioned—I mean the birth of the Lord. This concerns Satan, and the way he was thrown down from heaven, even though he says this more clearly in the following vision, when he adds that he had also plotted against the Lord. In this way he laid some kind of prior foundation on which to build the future explanations of the Antichrist’s affairs and his deeds.

After this preface, we must move on to consider the text.

“And another sign appeared in heaven.” As though rebuking Satan, that author of evil, who although a heavenly being became base because of his pride, the passage shows him first in heaven, so that the apostate might know from what heights to what depths he has fallen. “Behold, a great red dragon,” it says. He calls Satan a “dragon” because of his deceitful ways. Isaiah also speaks of him in this way, saying, “against the dragon, that twisting serpent.” He is said to be red because of his thirst for blood and his angry nature. He had “seven heads and ten horns and seven diadems upon his heads.” The prophet also knew that he had many heads, and therefore he says to God, “You have crushed the heads of the dragon; you did give him as food to the people of Ethiopia.” It refers to him as having many heads, since, as we have often noted, seven signifies many, for he exercises many dominions and performs many crafty plots against people by which he enslaves them. The diadem too is a symbol of tyranny, and the ten horns signify his very great power, for the number ten is perfect and the horn is a symbol of power. For it is said, “My horn will be exalted like that of a wild ox.” And one may learn that he is powerful by reading the book of Job.

He says, And with his tail he swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them down to the earth. For he cast down with himself a very great number of the angels, persuading them to rebel with him against God, and so he has made the heavenly beings earthy, and those who were bright as stars he has turned into darkness. With his tail means that he has done this by means of his uttermost and hindmost trespasses; for when he first considered his mad rebellion, and then went on consciously to nurture it in the arrogance of his purpose, he thus came to destroy the rest too.

He says, And the serpent stood in front of the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth. These are some of the events concerning the Lord: when he was to be born, the one who was planning to bring his power to an end carefully watched his opportunity so that when the Virgin gave birth he might destroy the child. So he did not miss his opportunity but stirred up Herod to destroy the manly male child, who had nothing weak or womanish about him. For “before the child knows how to call ‘father’ or ‘mother,’” Isaiah proclaims to us, “he will take the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria in the face of the king of Assyria.”

And who this one is who was born, this male child, reveal to us, John, more clearly. He who is, he says, to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. You have plainly told us, divine seer, that he is our savior and Lord, Jesus the Messiah. For he had been promised by his own Father, “Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession; you will rule them with a rod of iron, you will dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

And, he says, her child was caught up to God and to his throne. But the poisonous serpent was lying in wait and provoked Herod to destroy the children in Bethlehem, because [he thought] he would at all events find the Lord among them. But the child, by the forethought of his Father, escaped the plot. For Joseph heeded a divine warning to take the child along with his mother and escape to Egypt as Herod was about to seek the child’s life.

And the woman fled into the desert, where she has a place prepared by God, so that she might find shelter there for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. So while the child was rescued from the serpent’s plot, was the woman given over to destruction? No, but she, too, was rescued by the flight into Egypt, which was desert and exempt from Herod’s plot. And there she lived, he says, and was sustained for one thousand two hundred and sixty days, which comprise almost three and a half years. The Mother of God spent all that time in Egypt until the death of Herod, after which an angel’s divine message brought them back to Judaea.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 12:4
"And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them upon the earth." Now, that he says that the dragon's tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, this may be taken in two ways. For many think that he may be able to seduce the third part of the men who believe. But it should more truly be understood, that of the angels that were subject to him, since he was still a prince when he descended from his estate, he seduced the third part; therefore what we said above, the Apocalypse says.

"And the dragon stood before the woman who was beginning to bring forth, that, when she had brought forth, he might devour her child." The red dragon standing and desiring to devour her child when she had brought him forth, is the devil,-to wit, the traitor angel, who thought that the perishing of all men would be alike by death; but He, who was not born of seed, owed nothing to death: wherefore he could not devour Him-that is, detain Him in death-for on the third day He rose again. Finally, also, and before He suffered, he approached to tempt Him as man; but when he found that He was not what he thought Him to be, he departed from Him, even till the time.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 311] Methodius of Olympus on Revelation 12:4
The great red dragon—cunning and diverse, seven-headed and horned—that draws down the third part of the stars and stands ready to devour the child of the woman who is travailing, is the devil, who lies in wait to destroy the Christ-accepted mind of the baptized as well as the image and clear features of the Word that has been brought forth in them. But he misses and loses his prey, the regenerate being caught up on high to the throne of God—that is, the mind of those who are renewed is lifted up to the divine seat and the basis of truth against which there is no stumbling, being taught to look upon and regard the things which are there, so that it may not be deceived by the dragon weighing them down. For he is not allowed to destroy those whose thoughts and looks are upwards. And the stars, which the dragon touched with the end of his tail and drew them down to earth, are the bodies of heresies. For we must say that the stars, which are dark, obscure, and falling, are the assemblies of the heterodox; since they, too, wish to be acquainted with the heavenly ones, to have believed in Christ, to have the seat of their soul in heaven, and to come near to the stars as children of light. But they are dragged down, being shaken out by the folds of the dragon, because they did not remain within the triangular forms of godliness, falling away from it with respect to orthodox practice. Thus, too, they are called the third part of the stars, as having gone astray with regard to one of the three persons of the Trinity. As when they say, like Sabellius, that the almighty person of the Father himself suffered; or as when they say, like Artemas, that the person of the Son was born and manifested only in appearance; or when they contend, like the Ebionites, that the prophets spoke of the person of the Spirit by their own power. Of Marcion and Valentinus, and those about Elkesai and others, it is better not even to make mention.

Source: SYMPOSIUM 8.10
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 12:4
The “tail” is the iniquitous prophets who throw down to earth the stars of heaven, namely, those simple persons who join themselves to them. When he speaks of “a third part of the stars,” he is speaking of the Jews and their leaders who rejected Christ and with impious voices cried out that they did not want Christ to be over them but rather Caesar, and therefore they killed him.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:4
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 12:4
Whenever the Holy Spirit promises and tells of future events, he foretells and shows the future in the church as past event. For in her misfortunes the church is always bringing forth Christ, for which reason he promises the coming of the Son of man always in the reality of similar sufferings. The devil in heaven is always seeking to devour that person who is being born through heavenly things and who is born to God and is caught up to his throne. Indeed, every Christian suffers that which the Head has suffered, who after the third day was going to be raised in glory. For in the person of Herod the whole company of persecutors is revealed. Although Herod alone had died, nonetheless all are indicated, for the Evangelist said, “All who sought the child’s life are dead.” The Lord spoke similarly also to Moses, “All those who were seeking your life are dead,” when another had succeeded [that] pharoah who had sought his life and that of the people.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:4
[AD 420] Jerome on Revelation 12:4
[Daniel 4:4] "I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace." The narrative is clear indeed and requires but little interpretation. Because he displeased God, Nebuchadnezzar was turned into a madman and dwelt for seven years amongst the brute beasts and was fed upon the roots of herbs, Afterwards by the mercy of God he was restored to his throne, and praised and glorified the King of heaven, on the ground that all His works are truth and His ways are justice and He is able to abase those who walk in pride. But there are some who claim to understand by the figure of Nebuchadnezzar the hostile power which the Lord speaks of in the Gospel, saying: "I beheld Satan falling from heaven like lightning" (Luke 10:18). Likewise John in Revelation, in the passage where the dragon falls upon the earth drawing a third of the stars with him (Revelation 12:4). Likewise Isaiah: "How hath the morning star fallen, which used to rise early in the morning" (Isaiah 14:12). These authorities assert that it was absolutely impossible for a man who was reared in luxury to subsist on hay for seven years and to dwell among wild beasts for seven years without being at all mangled by them. Also they ask how the imperial authority could have been kept waiting for a mere madman, and how so mighty a kingdom could have gone without a king for so long a period. If, on the other hand, anyone had succeeded him on the throne, how foolish he would have to be thought to surrender an imperial authority which he had possessed for so long. Such a thing would be especially incredible since the historical records of the Chaldeans contain no such record, and since they recorded matters of far less import, it is impossible that they should have left things of major importance unmentioned. And so they pose all of these questions and offer as their own reply the proposition that since the episode does not stand up as genuine history, the figure of Nebuchadnezzar represents the devil. To this position we make not the slightest concession; otherwise everything we read in Scripture may appear to be imperfect representations and mere fables. For once men have lost their reason, who would not perceive them to lead their existence like brutish animals in the open fields and forest regions? And to pass over all other considerations, since Greek and Roman history offer episodes far more incredible, such as Scylla and the Chimaera, the Hydra and the Centaurs, and the birds and wild beasts and flowers and trees, the stars and the stones into which men are related to have been transformed, what is so remarkable about the execution of such a divine judgment as this for the manifestation of God's power and the humbling of the pride of kings? Nebuchadnezzar says, "'I was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace...'" or as Theodo-tion renders it "upon my throne." Now those who follow the interpretation we are opposing understand by the devil's home this world of ours. Concerning the world Satan himself in the Gospel says to the Savior: "All these things have been given over to me" (Luke 4:6). Likewise the Apostle says: "The world lieth in the Wicked One" (1 John 5:19).

Source: St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER FOUR
[AD 450] Quodvultdeus on Revelation 12:4
Our holy mother church has received you in her womb through the most sacred sign of the cross and with the greatest joy will give birth spiritually as she did also with your brothers. As new and future offspring of such a mother, until she restores to the true Light those born anew through the sacred washing, she feeds in her womb those whom she is carrying with suitable food, and she who is joyful leads those who are joyful to the day of their birth. She does not possess the mind and thought of Eve, who in sadness and in groaning brings forth sons who are themselves without joy but full of lamentation. What that [mother] bound, this [mother] has loosened, so that as [Eve] gave over to death her offspring through her disobedience, this [mother] restores to life through her obedience. All the mysteries that have been done and are being done among you through the ministry of the servants of God—the exorcisms, prayers, spiritual songs, insufflations, the coarse garment, the bowing of the neck, the humility of the feet—all of these things, as I have said, are food that refreshes us in the womb and makes us strong, so that when we have been reborn through baptism, our mother might bring us happy to Christ. And you have received the symbol, the protection of her who desires to bring you to birth against the poison of the serpent. It is written in the Apocalypse of the apostle John that the dragon stood before a woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth, he might devour her child. We all know that the dragon is the devil and that that woman signifies the Virgin Mary, who remaining intact gave birth to our Head who was complete. She herself presents in herself a figure of the holy church, so that just as she remained a virgin while giving birth to a son, so also [the church] at all times brings forth his members without losing her virginity.

Source: ON THE SYMBOL 3.1.1-6
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Revelation 12:4
The tail symbolizes the evil prophets, that is, heretics who threw down to earth those stars of heaven who joined them through a repeated baptism. They are under the feet of the woman. Many believed that these are persons whom the devil made his companions since they were of the same mind as he. Many believe that these are angels who were thrown down with him when he fell.

Source: EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:4, HOMILY 9
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:4
It is our opinion that this passage refers either to the former fall of [the devil] from heaven which through a final movement of envy—for elevation was first—brought down with him the apostate angels, or to that movement of his tail which, after the crushing of his head, drags down those who have moved from their heavenly minds. They are figuratively called “stars” because of the brightness of their baptism.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:4
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:4
The apostate always arms himself against the church, desiring to make those food for himself who are being born anew from her. Rather, through the church he persecutes Christ himself, since he is [the church’s] head, and he makes his own what belongs to the faithful. And therefore [Christ] said to Saul, “Why are you persecuting me?”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:4
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:4
And his tail drew a third part of the stars of heaven, etc. This indicates the strength and malice of the enemy, whom the Church, with the Lord's help, overcomes, who by deceit like a tail has cast down an innumerable part of the angels or men. For the tail is a blind part, an unclean part, covering its filth with its own veil so it does not appear. Tychonius, in his manner, interprets the third part of the stars that fell as false brethren, suggesting that one-third is the Church, one-third is external enemies, and one-third is the stars that fell.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:4
And the dragon stood before the woman, ready to devour her child as soon as it was born. The devil lies in wait for the Church, striving to extinguish the faith of Christ in the hearts of believers, so that whom she brings forth by teaching, he may kill by deceit. His plot was shown in Herod, who, like internal enemies, pretended to want to worship the Lord in order to kill Him.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 12:5
"And she brought forth a son, who begins to rule all nations with a rod of iron." The rod of iron is the sword of persecution.

"I saw that all men withdrew from his abodes." That is, the good will be removed, flying from persecution.

"And her son was caught up to God, and to His throne." We read also in the Acts of the Apostles that He was caught up to God's throne, just as speaking with the disciples He was caught up to heaven.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 311] Methodius of Olympus on Revelation 12:5
If any one, for there is no difficulty in speaking distinctly, should be troubled and reply to what we have said: “But how, O virgins, can this explanation seem to you to be according to the mind of Scripture, when the Apocalypse plainly states that the church brings forth a male, while you teach that her labor-pains have their fulfillment in those who are baptized?” We will answer: … Long before the Apocalypse, the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word was fulfilled. John speaks concerning things present and things to come. But Christ, long ago conceived, was not caught up to the throne of God when he was brought forth, from fear of the serpent injuring him. But for this purpose he was begotten and came down himself from the throne of the Father: that he should remain and subdue the dragon who made an assault upon the flesh. So you also must confess that the church labors and gives birth to those who are baptized. As the Spirit says somewhere in Isaiah: “Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a son. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she brought forth her son.” From whom did he flee? Surely from the dragon, that the spiritual Zion might bear a masculine people, who should come back from feminine passions and weakness to the unity of the Lord and grow strong in manly virtue.… I think that the church is here said to give birth to a male child; since the enlightened receive the features, image and the manliness of Christ, the likeness of the form of the Word being stamped on them and begotten in them by a true knowledge and faith. Thus in each one Christ is spiritually born. And, therefore, the church swells and labors until Christ is formed in us, so that each of the saints, by partaking of Christ, has been born a Christ. To this end it is said in a certain scripture, “Do not touch my anointed, and do my prophets no harm,” as though those who were baptized into Christ had been made Christs by communication of the Spirit, the church contributing here their clearness and transformation into the image of the Word.

Source: SYMPOSIUM 8.7-8
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 12:5
“And she brought forth a male child.” The church brings forth Christ who, although he was God, deigned to be born as man. He speaks of a “male child,” because through his victory the devil, who had conquered a woman, ceased to be a conqueror. “Who is to rule the nations with a rod of iron.” Indeed, [he speaks here] of his whole body. For the same Lord said of this, “He who conquers and keeps my works until the end, I will give him power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received power from my Father.” “And her son was caught up to God and his throne.” This means that whoever shall be resurrected in Christ will sit with him on the throne of God at the right hand of the Father.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:5
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 12:5
Rightly is Christ, the Head of the church, said to be born in each [of his] members, who is known to rule [in them]. For he himself is both the Author and the Finisher of faith in whom we shall accomplish virtue. He reigns among the good with a rod of iron, that is, with an inflexible righteousness, but he breaks the evil into pieces. What is from the head is joined also to his church as to his body, “for all who have been baptized have put on Christ,” and “the two shall be one flesh,” because whatever is to be understood “in Christ,” the apostle says is also “in the church.” “Her child was caught up to God and to his throne.” Although Christ, when his work was completed, went on before as the Head and so ascended to the Father, this nonetheless also corresponds to the church. For this reason the apostle can speak like this: “He who raised us up, made us to sit in the heavenly places,” and “Our citizenship is in heaven,” and “If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Should you wish to interpret [this passage] as referring especially to the person of Christ, you can appropriately gather other stories together and consider the treacheries of the red dragon to be all those persecutions that Christ had to face from his cradle because of Herod even unto death on the cross to which he willed to submit. For although the dragon sought his death, as it were, with gaping mouth, yet he was brought to naught by his resurrection. However, we must except from these agonies his birth from the blessed Mary, for we know that in conceiving she experienced no sin of sexual desire.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:5
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:5
Through those who are baptized, the church is always giving birth to Christ, since in them he is being formed unto the fullness of spiritual maturity, as the apostle says. The “male child” is the people of the church who are not effeminate in their desires, through whom Christ, our God, as though an iron rod has already ruled the nations by the mighty hands of the powerful Romans. However, also after the resurrection of the dead he will establish those strong in the faith as judges and will rule as with iron the nations who are crumbling and weak vessels. For by their unfaithfulness they did not possess the mystical new wine. “But her child was caught up to God and to his throne.” The saints are caught up in midst of temptations, lest they be subdued by difficulties beyond their powers. And “they will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,” and they will be with God and his throne, that is, with the most excellent of the angelic powers.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:5
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:5
And she brought forth a male child. The Church always bears Christ, despite the opposition of the dragon. He is called a male because he is the victor over the devil, who had conquered the woman. For who but a male child? Who will rule all nations with a rod of iron (Psalm II), governs the good with inflexible justice and breaks the wicked. This is also promised to the Church in the earlier parts: I will give him power over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron (Revelation II). For the Church daily gives birth to the Church, ruling the world in Christ.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:5
And her child was caught up to God, etc. Thus Christ, spiritually born in the minds of listeners, cannot be seized by wickedness because he reigns in heaven with the Father, who has also raised us up and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 12:6
"But the woman fled into the wilderness, and there were given to her two great eagle's wings." The aid of the great eagle's wings-to wit, the gift of prophets-was given to that Catholic Church, whence in the last times a hundred and forty-four thousands of men should believe on the preaching of Elias; but, moreover, he here says that the rest of the people should be found alive on the coming of the Lord. And the Lord says in the Gospel: "Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; " that is, as many as should be gathered together in Judea, let them go to that place which they have ready, and let them be supported there for three years and six months from the presence of the devil.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 12:6
“The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God where she might be nourished.” … It says “into the wilderness,” for in the apostles the church has received authority to walk among scorpions, serpents and every power of Satan. The Lord said to the apostles, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy.” As a figure of the whole church, the people of Israel were fed and led in the desert among the serpents of this world. “All these things happened as a figure for us upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” Furthermore, as a figure of the church sings and says, “[Those] whom he has redeemed from the hands of their enemies he has gathered from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the sea. They wandered in the desert and dry places.” To be sure, he is describing Israel in the wilderness, for she was not gathered from those places mentioned but from the stock of Abraham, who was in Mesopotamia.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:6
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Revelation 12:6
We understand the wilderness to be this world where Christ feeds and leads the church unto the end. In this world the church herself tramples under foot through the help of Christ haughty and impious persons as though they were scorpions and vipers and all the power of Satan.

Source: EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:6, HOMILY 9
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:6
When the devil through the antichrist in whom he works arrays himself for battle against the church, those in the church who are elect and preeminent will spit upon the tumults of life and the desires of the world and flee into that desert devoid of every evil, that life which bears every virtue, as Methodius says, and these escape the assaults of people and demons who war against them. It is likely that the physical desert will also save those who flee from the plot of the apostate to the mountains and caves and holes in the earth, as was recently the case with the witnesses, for in the three and a half years are reckoned the 1, days during which the apostasy will rage. During this time the great judge will not think to tempt us beyond what we are able to bear, but freeing us will present to us a strong mind free from any weakness against the onslaughts upon it. And so we, fighting against the principalities and powers of darkness, may be decorated with the crown of righteousness and receive the rewards of victory. For to him who through those who are weak puts to flight the mighty principalities of the air, it is proper to ascribe victory and might, together with the Father and the life-giving Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:6
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:6
And the woman fled into the wilderness. The Church, living under the hope of eternal things, rejoices in the pilgrimage of the present wilderness, having received the power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the red dragon, like the Israelite people, who, fed with heavenly bread in the wilderness, by the sight of the bronze serpent, conquered the fiery serpents.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:6
Where she has a place prepared by God. Be to me, he says, a God of protection, and a place of refuge to save me.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:6
That they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. This number of days, which makes three and a half years, encompasses all times of Christianity, because Christ, whose body this is, preached for that time in the flesh.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 160] Shepherd of Hermas on Revelation 12:7
And the great and glorious angel Michael is he who has authority over this people, and governs them;

Source: Shepherd of Hermas Similitude Eighth
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 12:7-9
"There was a battle in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon warred, and his angels, and they prevailed not; nor was their place found any more in heaven. And that great dragon was cast forth, that old serpent: he was cast forth into the earth." This is the beginning of Antichrist yet previously Elias must prophesy, and there must be times of peace. And afterwards, when the three years and six months are completed in the preaching of Elias, he also must be cast down from heaven, where up till that time he had had the power of ascending; and all the apostate angels, as well as Antichrist, must be roused up from hell. Paul the apostle says: "Except there come a falling away first, and the man of sin shall appear, the son of perdition; and the adversary who exalted himself above all which is called God, or which is worshipped."

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 400] Pseudo-Clement on Revelation 12:7
Are you acquainted with the noble task of holy virginity? Do you know how, like a man, to enter "lawfully" upon this contest and "strive," [2 Timothy 2:5] that, in the might of the Holy Spirit, you choose this for yourself, that you may be crowned with a crown of light, and that they may lead you about in triumph through "the Jerusalem above"? [Galatians 4:26] If so be, then, that you long for all these things, conquer the body; conquer the appetites of the flesh; conquer the world in the Spirit of God; conquer these vain things of time, which pass away and grow old, and decay, and come to an end; conquer the dragon; [Revelation 12:7] conquer the lion; [1 Peter 5:8] conquer the serpent; [2 Corinthians 11:3] conquer Satan — through Jesus Christ, who does strengthen you by the hearing of His words and the divine Eucharist. "Take up your cross and follow" [Matthew 16:24] Him who makes you clean, Jesus Christ your Lord.

Source: Two Epistles on Virginity
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 12:7-8
We must not think that the devil and his angels dared to fight in heaven, since he could not even tempt Job without God’s permission. Rather by “heaven” he quite manifestly indicates the church, where each one of the faithful constantly contends against spiritual evils. Therefore the apostle says, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers and against the world rulers of this present darkness.” And so he says here that Michael with his angels fights against the devil, because by praying according to the will of God for the church in this world and by granting her his aid, he is properly understood to be fighting for her. And so the apostle says, “Are not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?” Indeed, the name of Michael himself is interpreted to mean “the helper of God,” and so this work is properly assigned to him. Also Daniel said that in the last distress [Michael] would come for the succor of the church: “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who stands for the children of your people. And there shall be a time such as has never been since the nations first began to be. And in that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who shall be found written in the book.” The angels are said to be his by a certain manner of speaking, such as we read, “For their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.” And so it speaks of those who by believing began to be citizens in Christ and thus are his angels, because they are regarded as protected by one guardian king and as made glad by one life-giving spirit. … The devil and his angels are not only those who are similar to him in nature and will. They are also as men, who after being caught in his traps, became pursuers of such things. Indeed, because of the qualities of his will it is said about the devil, “An evil man has done this,” and about Judas, “[One of you] is a devil.” The devil is said to express himself by way of a twofold body. When he is conquered, he is said to be thrown out by those who have renounced him and have received faith in Christ and so no longer do his errors. Rather, in them “love [remains] from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith.” Or, since the church is already separated from any admixture of evil and is glorified by the future blessedness, no place is given to the devil and to his angels to seduce the evil or to tempt the good. The psalm refers to him and says, “I passed by, and lo! he was not; and I sought him, but his place was not found.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:7-8
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:7-8
These words can refer to the first fall of the devil from his angelic rank because of his pride and envy, or it can refer to his destruction through the cross of the Lord, when, as the Lord says, “the ruler of this world is judged,” cast out of his ancient tyranny. It is probable that the holy angels, together with their chief leader, Michael, could not tolerate the pride of the devil and previously threw him out of any association they had with him, since they found in him a lack of righteousness. As Ezekiel says, he was cast out by the cherubim “from the midst of the stones of fire,” that is, as I think, from the angelic ranks. When Christ came, they served him after the temptation, since the slave, although dishonored, was once more being loathsome. We should note that, as the fathers thought, after the creation of the physical world, [the devil] was thrown down because of his arrogance and envy, although he had at first been entrusted as the prince of the air, as the apostle says. Papias also speaks of this passage: “To some of them, clearly the holy angels of that time, he gave dominion over the arrangement of the earth, and he commissioned them to exercise their dominion well.” And then he says, “But it happened that their arrangement came to nothing.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:7-8
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:7
And there was a great battle in heaven. Michael and his angels, etc. Heaven signifies the Church, in which he says Michael and his angels fight against the devil, because according to God's will, they struggle by praying for the pilgrim Church and providing help. Daniel also said that Michael would come to the Church's aid in the final and most severe tribulation, wherefore some believe the Antichrist will be killed by him. His angels are said to be his, as our angels are ours. The Lord says: Their angels always see the face of my Father (Matthew XVIII), meaning those whose citizens they are.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:7
And the dragon fought, and his angels. The angels of Satan are not only those who are like him in nature and will but also humans ensnared by their traps.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 12:7-9
As though in a continual return to the starting-point, as already described, the vision now plans to describe an earlier beginning which had indeed been partly mentioned previously, as it prepares to tell us about the Antichrist; for the first beginning of the acts of the Antichrist was Satan’s fall from heaven. The Lord, too, says of this, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”

What, therefore, does it mean, And war arose in heaven? The divine Scripture says that Satan raised up his neck against God, that is, stretched up an arrogant and stubborn neck against him and planned to revolt. But God, inasmuch as he is naturally good and long-suffering, was forbearing towards him. The divine angels, on the other hand, did not put up with the arrogance of their master, and drove him out of their company. He now says that Michael, one of the great rulers among the angels, made war against Satan and those under him.

And Satan did not prevail in the war against him, nor was there any place of refuge found for him, or any dwelling in heaven, and he was thrown down to the earth. He either actually suffered this, or because he had been stripped of angelic and heavenly rank, he was brought down to an earthly frame of mind.

Then, as though taking vengeance on God because of his fall, as he could not injure God, he injures God’s servants, human beings, and leads them astray and tries to get them to revolt from God, thinking that in this way he would injure the master himself.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:8
And they did not prevail. That is, throughout all time.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:8
Nor was their place found anymore in heaven. That is, in holy men, who have now become heaven through his expulsion, and who, once believing, do not accept him again.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 202] Irenaeus on Revelation 12:9
They set forth, indeed, the name of Christ Jesus as a sort of lure, but in various ways they introduce the impieties of Simon; and thus they destroy multitudes, wickedly disseminating their own doctrines by the use of a good name, and, through means of its sweetness and beauty, extending to their hearers the bitter and malignant poison of the serpent, the great author of apostasy.
And at that time, indeed, the apostate angel, having effected the disobedience of mankind by means of the serpent, imagined that he escaped the notice of the Lord; wherefore God assigned him the form

Source: Against Heresies Book I
[AD 220] Tertullian on Revelation 12:9
But, to come now to Moses, why, I wonder, did he merely at the time when Joshua was battling against Amalek, pray sitting with hands expanded, when, in circumstances so critical, he ought rather, surely, to have commended his prayer by knees bended, and hands beating his breast, and a face prostrate on the ground; except it was that there, where the name of the Lord Jesus was the theme of speech-destined as He was to enter the lists one day singly against the devil-the figure of the cross was also necessary, (that figure) through which Jesus was to win the victory? Why, again, did the same Moses, after the prohibition of any "likeness of anything," set forth a brazen serpent, placed on a "tree," in a hanging posture, for a spectacle of healing to Israel, at the time when, after their idolatry, they were suffering extermination by serpents, except that in this case he was exhibiting the Lord's cross on which the "serpent" the devil was "made a show of," and, for every one hurt by such snakes-that is, his angels -on turning intently from the peccancy of sins to the sacraments of Christ's cross, salvation was outwrought? For he who then gazed upon that (cross) was freed from the bite of the serpents.

Source: An Answer to the Jews
[AD 220] Tertullian on Revelation 12:9
A hard and arduous thing enough, surely, is the continence for God's sake of a holy woman after her husband's decease, when Gentiles, in honour of their own Satan, endure sacerdotal offices which involve both virginity and widowhood! At Rome, for instance, they who have to do with the type of that "inextinguishable fire," keeping watch over the omens of their own (future) penalty, in company with the (old) dragon himself, are appointed on the ground of virginity.

Source: To His Wife Book I
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Revelation 12:9
The devil, as well as every unclean spirit along with their leader, were expelled from the hearts of the saints to the earth, that is, to persons who are wise only in earthly things and have their entire hope in earthly things.

Source: EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:9, HOMILY 9
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 12:9
The wise tend to understand the “earth” here to refer to those earthly things in which by the strength of that curse the devil is known to inhabit. For it says, “Earth you shall eat all the days of your life.” Having been exiled from spiritual realities, he assailed those of the earth who were suitable to his own strengths. This is what it means that he was cast out of heaven and was thrown down to the earth.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:9
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:9
This is most proper. For heaven has nothing to do with a base, earthly mind, since darkness has nothing in common with the light. If the term the Satan occurs here with the definite article, it does not suggest that he is someone other than the devil … rather he is named with two names. He is called “devil” because he accuses and slanders the virtues and those who love them, and he has even slandered God himself to people, as he did when he suggested to Adam that God was envious. He is called “Satan” because he opposes himself against the Master and his servants. It is therefore to be noted that the downfall of the devil did not only occur after the cross, as though he were inactive in former times. Rather, as he himself confessed to Anthony, the saying of the psalm is fulfilled in him, “The swords of the enemy have come to their end.” Therefore, his banishment is the abolition of all his evil enterprises along with his total exclusion from heaven and from his rank. The blessed Justin Martyr noted that after the coming of Christ and after the devil’s sentence to Gehenna, the devil especially became a blasphemer, while in former times he did not blaspheme God so brazenly. And so it is accurately said about him, “His heart is hard as stone,” since he is unyielding in his evil. And if the expectation of punishment makes him even more evil, how would punishing either him or his followers in Gehenna through fire wash out the filth of sin? And not attaining to this, how would there be a cessation of punishment against those who think vain thoughts?

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:9
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was cast out to the earth. The ancient enemy, expelled from the spiritual realm, is confined more tightly to the earthly realm. This is to be cast out of heaven and sent to the earth. To whom it is said: You shall eat dust all the days of your life (Genesis III). On this earth, he is trampled under the feet of the saints, as it is written: You shall tread upon the asp and the basilisk (Psalm XCI).

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 220] Tertullian on Revelation 12:10
Now the friendly understanding you will have to carry out must arise from your observance of the compact: you must never think of getting back any of the things which you have abjured, and have restored to him, lest he should summon you as a fraudulent man, and a transgressor of your agreement, before God the Judge (for in this light do we read of him, in another passage, as "the accuser of the brethren," or saints, where reference is made to the actual practice of legal prosecution); and lest this Judge deliver you over to the angel who is to execute the sentence, and he commit you to the prison of hell, out of which there will be no dismissal until the smallest even of your delinquencies be paid off in the period before the resurrection.

Source: A Treatise on the Soul
[AD 420] Jerome on Revelation 12:10
[Daniel 7:10] "There were millions ministering unto Him, and a billion stood by His side." This was not intended to be a specific number for the servants of God, but only indicates a multitude too great for human computation. These are the thousands and tens of thousands of which we read in the Psalms: "The chariot of God is attended by ten thousands; thousands of them that rejoice. The Lord is among them" (Psalm 68:17). And in another place: "He who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flaming fire" (Psalm 104:4). Now the duty of angels is twofold: the duty of one group is to bestow rewards upon just men; the duty of the other is to have charge over individual calamities.

"...The court was in session, and the books were opened." The consciences of men, and the deeds of individuals which partake of either character, whether good or bad, are disclosed to all. One of the books is the good book of which we often read, namely the book of the living. The other is the evil book which is held in the hand of the accuser, who is the fiend and avenger of whom we read in Revelation: "The accuser of our brethren" (Revelation 12:10). This is the earthly book of which the prophet says: "Let them be written on earth" (Jeremiah 17:13).

Source: St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER SEVEN
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 12:10-11
Quite clearly he is showing in which heaven we are to understand that these things occur. For in the church we know that salvation is accomplished by the victory of Christ. Through this she has also received that authority to bind what is loose and to loose what is bound, since by way of a universal sign all in the one Peter heard, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed [in heaven].” And about this the Lord says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” He is not speaking of that authority that he always possessed but of that authority in the church that [Jesus] began to have from the time he wished to be the Head among the members.… Using a manner of speech he speaks from the person of the angels and says “the accuser of our brothers.” That is, he speaks of those who in the future will be fellow citizens [of the angels] but who now are sojourners [on the earth]. For, to be sure, the faithful now are wending their way to that city, the celestial Jerusalem, in which the angels now dwell in happiness. However, since [the devil] has been thrown out of heaven and sent to the earth, they are depicted as joyful and as rejoicing together for the redemption of those whom the Lord had deigned to prepare to inhabit as a temple for himself. For the souls of the righteous are the seat of wisdom. And the angels also give praise concerning the earthly into whom [the devil] is said to have descended, for the angels peer into the depths of the divine justice and the blessed always sing to him of his mercy and judgment, for in the redeemed they recognize his goodness and in the lost they behold his equity. Since they conquered through the blood of the Lamb, they are said to have been able to overcome the devil. And there follows,”For they loved not their lives even unto death.” We must believe that they received that love that “is poured out into our hearts,” to be sure, not from ourselves but “through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:10-11
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:10-11
Because of his accusations and calumny against people, he has been called “accuser,” which he is. The angels rejoice at his downfall, for faith has nothing to do with faithlessness. And although the saints have been accused and slandered by him, as was also Job, yet by their sufferings for the sake of Christ they have conquered him as well as all those who trusted in him.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:10-12
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:10
Now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, etc. It is clearly shown in which heaven these things happen. We know that the victory of Christ's salvation has been accomplished in the Church. For which he says: All power is given to me in heaven and on earth (Matthew XXVIII). Not the power he always had, but the power he began to have in the Church from the time he willed, as the head in the members.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:10
For the accuser of our brethren is cast down. The angels rejoice over the salvation of their brethren, that is, future fellow citizens, who are now pilgrims.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:10
Who accused them before our God day and night. He criticized them for using prosperity badly and for lacking patience in adversity.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 12:10-12
Therefore, the holy angels, intimating their own joy which they had at the destruction of Satan, sing a song of victory to God. They said, he says, Now have come salvation and the kingdom, and the power of God has shone out, and the authority of his Christ, showing that it is all-powerful. For by its cooperation, he says, we have conquered the enemy, and the accuser of our brethren, who accuses them day and night before our God, has departed from us.

What modesty of the holy angels! How they imitate their own master! They call human beings their brothers. And why is this amazing, when our common master did not refuse to call them this when he said, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you”?

But why do they say of Satan, “He went away”? He was deprived of his dignity. There was no longer any room for him to stand before God, and to accuse human beings.

And he says, they themselves took vengeance on him in equal measure, and they conquered him who seemed to be invincible in venturing even against God. And they conquered by using as support and help the precious blood of Christ and the word of those who bore testimony to him, which they chose before their own lives.

After this, he says, Rejoice, all you angels of God, now that you have been delivered from the bitter sphere of Satan.

He says, Woe to the earth and the sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short. And “if he was going to harm the earth and the sea by the descent of Satan,” someone might ask, “Why did he come down?” The answer is that for those who are self-controlled and have their hope in God, not only has it not been for their harm, but in fact for their benefit. He is exercising them like a gymnastic trainer, making them more acceptable by temptations and hardening them like iron. But he does harm the sluggish and fainthearted, who perhaps, even when the tempter was not around, were bad in themselves because they had turned their passions into their nature.

When they say, Woe to the earth and the sea, they do not mean, “woe to most of those who dwell on the earth and on the sea,” but those who are earth and “ashes,” according to Scripture, those who are earthbound in their mind, as well as the capricious and perplexed and mentally unstable. For it is these that our common enemy attacks and enslaves in their weakness, as they willingly succumb to his tyranny.

He says, He knows that his time is short: for the time is short, from the fall of the Devil until his judgment and just deserts, when compared to eternity. For the same reason, too, the patriarch Jacob, even though he was a hundred and thirty years old, said when asking something of Pharaoh, “few and evil have been the days of the years of my life.”

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:11
And they did not love their lives unto death. They rightly despise their lives for Christ, who by the blood of Christ have so greatly conquered the adversary.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Revelation 12:12
It says “come down” to preserve the allegory. As all are in “heaven,” that is, in the church, which is rightly called heaven, when the devil is thrown out of the saints, he “comes down” to his followers who are the “earth” because of their earthly affection. He is said to be thrown out of heaven, not so that he might come to those who have already been made heaven but because of those who have not become what they might be. For the saints cannot become heaven, unless the devil has been expelled.

Source: EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:12, HOMILY 9
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 12:12
As above, in angels the church is recognized to be “heaven,” and it is proper to both to rejoice harmoniously in the Lord, for people are said to be the associates of angels and in Christ the angels serve the human nature. But there follows, “Woe to you, O earth and sea.” Just as there was exultation for those who are redeemed, there is lamentation for those who are perishing. Therefore, Ezekiel said that he saw a book having written within a lament, a song and a woe. In the lament he refers to the wailing of the penitent; in the song he refers to the joyfulness of the saints; in the woe he properly manifests the condemnation of the wicked. It is to these last that here [John] alludes when he says, “Woe to you, earth and sea and the rest, for he knows that there is little time left to him.” And so, moved by an unconquered power he confesses to the Lord and says, “Have you come to destroy us before the time.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:12
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:12
In imitation of God, it follows that the powers above rejoice at his downfall but grieve over those who by his plot cling to earthly things. But woe to those who dwell upon the earth, that is, clearly to those who have no citizenship in heaven but only on earth. For many upon the earth do defeat the enemy and will continue to do so, although because of the nearness of his punishment he now is especially enraged against those who fight him. And so it is necessary to think that those are unhappy who have an earthly mind and are buffeted about by the sea of life.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:11-12
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:12
Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them. Here, the inhabitants of heaven must be understood as both angels and holy men, and it is fitting for both to rejoice together in the Lord, as men are united with angels, and angels minister to the human nature in Christ.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:12
Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down, etc. Just as he taught joy to the redeemed, so he taught those perishing to expect lamentation. And a great woe awaits those whom the most wicked enemy possesses in his wrath.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 12:13
As we said before, the devil carries on a hatred against the church that is without bounds and with all means. For the more he is defeated and is expelled, the more sharply does he try to multiply his deceptions.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:13
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:13
When the devil wrestled with Christ after his baptism, he was overcome. Then arming himself against the holy apostles, he was again shamed when he saw that they found life through death, while as a snake he had been condemned to crawl upon the ground and to eat dirt, that is, earthly thoughts. He then began to persecute the church, for it has borne and continues to bear the masculine people of God which is not womanly because of desire.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:13-14
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:13
And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, etc. The devil, attacking the Church with inextricable cunning, persecutes all the more intensely the more he is cast down.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 12:13-17
The present account is a repetition of what has already been said. He does not say that after the serpent saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he immediately pursued the woman, but since the serpent saw the troubles in which he was immersed, and that he had fallen out of the angelic rank, he became exceedingly bitter against human beings, and pursued the woman who had borne the savior of humankind, in order to destroy her. He pursued the woman, since he knew that the one who was born of her was too powerful to be captured. He was moved with envy against human beings because of their salvation by the Lord. He could not bear such a great reversal, by which he himself had been thrown out of heaven, and human beings by their virtue had gone up from earth to heaven.

He says, But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the desert, to her own place, where she is to be sheltered for a time, and times, and half a time, from the presence of the snake. He says that the woman was not handed over to Satan, but fled into the desert. This is Egypt, as was said earlier.

So it was that the prophet sought “wings like those of a dove,” to “fly away and be at rest in the desert.” But more powerful wings of the great eagle were given to the all-holy Virgin. He means by the wings of the eagle the intervention of the divine angel, who exhorted Joseph to take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. By this intervention it was as though they reached Egypt on the wings of an eagle. So the serpent, failing in this plot, which he had arranged through Herod, devises another plot against the Virgin, the destruction of her son, and so accordingly he goes on to describe the Lord’s cross and death.

He says, The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood: the divine Scripture means allegorically by the river temptation or trial, saying somewhere through Jonah, “You cast me into the depths of the heart of the sea, and the rivers surrounded me,” and again in the words of the Lord, “the rain fell, and the rivers rose up, and the winds came, but they did not throw down the house which had been founded upon the rock.” Therefore, he calls her trial over the passion of the Lord a river, so that through this, he says, he might drown the Virgin. And truly, by what happened to the Lord and the intensity of her sorrow, the serpent had the power to fulfill his purpose. What does Simeon say to her? “And a sword will pierce your own soul, too, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare.”

But, he says, the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river which the serpent had poured from his mouth onto the woman. That the earth swallowed the river indicates that the earth had accepted the trial, that is, the killing of the Lord. But the earth’s help did not consist in this, but in restoring the Lord again; for he came to life again after three days, trampling upon death, since it was impossible for him to be held by it, since he was “the author of life,” according to blessed Peter. To construe it in this way, one must read a full stop after the earth came to the help of the woman. Then, as though in answer to the question, “in what manner did it help?” it swallowed up the river, that is, it received in itself the Lord after the plot against him, and again restored him, and this is how it gave its help.

Since, therefore, the serpent also failed to achieve his second plan, what more is there for him to do? He pursued those called sons and brothers of the Lord—that is, the faithful—for these, he says, are the offspring of the woman; for the faithful are the sons and brothers of the Lord according to Scripture: “I will proclaim your name to my brothers,” and again, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” So then they also belong to his mother’s family; and the Devil made war on them, pursuing them and plotting against them, putting them to death through the tyrants and rulers of the earth, since they were testifying that the Virgin-born was God.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 202] Irenaeus on Revelation 12:14
But they are altogether full of deceit of every kind, apostate inspiration, demoniacal working, and the phantasms of idolatry, and are in reality the predecessors of that dragon

Source: Against Heresies Book II
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 12:14
"Two great wings" are the two prophets-Elias, and the prophet who shall be with him.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 311] Methodius of Olympus on Revelation 12:14
The church, then, coming into this wilderness, a place barren of evils, is nourished, flying on the heavenward wings of virginity, which the Word called the “wings of the great eagle,” having conquered the serpent and driven away from her full moon the wintry clouds. It is for the sake of these things, meanwhile, that all these discourses are held, teaching us, O fair virgins, to imitate according to our strength our mother and not to be troubled by the pains and changes and afflictions of life.… Do not, therefore, lose courage on account of the schemes and slanders of the beast, but bravely prepare for the battle, armed with the helmet of salvation, your breastplate and your leg armor. For you will bring on him an immense consternation when you attack him with great advantage and courage; nor will he at all resist, seeing his adversaries set in array by One more powerful. But the many-headed and many-faced beast will immediately allow you to carry off the spoils of the seven contests.… Therefore, with a virile and sober mind, take up your arms against the swollen beast and do not at all give way, nor be troubled because of his fury. For you will have endless glory if you overcome him, and take away his seven diadems, on account of which we have to struggle and wrestle, according to our teacher Paul. For she who having first overcome the devil and destroyed his seven heads gains the seven diadems of virtue, having gone through the seven great struggles of chastity. For one head of the dragon is incontinence and luxury, and whoever crushes this is wreathed with the diadem of temperance. Another head is cowardice and weakness; and whoever tramples this carries off the diadem of martyrdom. Another head is unbelief and folly and other similar fruits of wickedness; and whoever has overcome these and destroyed them carries off the honors connected with them, the power of the dragon being in many ways uprooted.

Source: SYMPOSIUM 8.12-13
[AD 403] Epiphanius of Salamis on Revelation 12:14
When the Savior was on the cross, the Lord turned, as the Gospel according to John tells us, “and saw the disciple whom he loved, and said to him of Mary, ‘Behold thy mother.’ And to her he said, ‘Behold thy son.’ ” If Mary had children and her husband was alive, why did he entrust Mary to John and John to Mary? Why not rather entrust her to Peter? Why not to Andrew, Matthew and Bartholomew? But it is plain that he entrusted her to John because of virginity. For he says, “Behold thy mother,” even though physically she was not John’s mother; he says this to show that as the originator of virginity she was his mother, since the life began with her.… For if she had not truly been the mother who bore him, he would not have taken care to entrust the Ever-virgin to John—his mother because of the incarnation, but in his honor undefiled and the wondrous vessel. But the Gospel says, “And from that day he took her unto his own home.” But if she had a husband, a home, children, she would return to her own home and not to someone else’s.… Indeed, when this had been done and John had taken her to himself, she did not yet live with him. If any think I am mistaken, moreover, let them search through the Scriptures and neither find Mary’s death, nor whether or not she died, nor whether or not she was buried—even though John surely traveled throughout Asia. And yet, nowhere does he say that he took the holy Virgin with him. Scripture simply kept silence because of the overwhelming wonder, not to throw people’s minds into consternation. For I dare not say—though I have my suspicions, I keep silent. Perhaps, just as her death is not to be found, so I may have found some traces of the holy and blessed Virgin. In one passage Simeon says of her, “And a sword shall pierce through your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” And elsewhere the Revelation of John says, “And the dragon hastened after the woman who had born the man child, and she was given the wings of an eagle and was taken to the wilderness, that the dragon might not seize her.” Perhaps this can be applied to her; I cannot decide for certain, and [I] am not saying that she remained immortal. But neither am I affirming that she died. For Scripture went beyond human understanding and left it in suspense with regard to the precious and choice vessel, so that no one would suspect carnal behavior of her. Whether she died, I don’t know; and even if she was buried, she never had carnal relations, perish the thought!

Source: PANARION 7.78.10.9-11.5
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 12:14
As though they were wings, the church uses the two Testaments, for taught by them and instructed in their precepts, she strives to avoid the snares of the enemy, and being fashioned to followed their examples, she overcomes. Moreover, [the church] is guided by the twofold love of God and the neighbor. The place of solitude is this place of our earthly sojourn, for “while we are in the body, we are away from the Lord.” And this is especially true of the heart that does not go away from the world by way of place but by way of affection, as the prophet says, “Behold, I fled afar off and remained in solitude; I awaited him who might save me.” It is proper that here he used the image of the eagle, for it can fly to greater distances than can other birds, yet when it sees its prey from afar, moved by its natural needs, it immediately swoops to low levels. Such is the church also, for although in her spiritual members she seeks and ponders in her mind that which is above, yet burdened by the weakness of the body, she submits to the requirements of bodily needs. Because of this, “she groans in travail until now, for the creation is subjected to futility, not of its own will but on account of him who subjected her in hope.” And again, “For either we are beside ourselves for God, or in our right mind for you.” The period of three years and six months signifies that time up to the end of world during which the church increases and flees the worship of idols and every error of the serpent.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:14
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:14
From the beginning love for God and for the neighbor and a mind receptive of him who was crucified for us was given to [the church], as were the two Testaments. All of these things are symbolized by the wings of the eagle, and they were given to [the church] so that taking flight by them into the desert, that is, into a citizenship devoid of every desire, she might be nourished. To be sure, this occurs always, but it will especially be so at the coming of the antichrist, who will rule everywhere, it is written, for the designated time of three and a half years. It may be that during that time even those who have hid themselves in the mountains and caves of the literal, physical desert will flee him.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:13-14
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:14
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, etc. The Church, supported by the two Testaments, avoiding the turbulent poisons of the world, daily seeks the solitude of a quiet and modest spirit with the affection of the mind, joyfully singing: Lo, I have fled far away and have dwelt in the wilderness (Psalm LIV). It is not inconsistent that there she seeks the dove, while here she receives the wings of an eagle. Just as the former represents the gift of the Holy Spirit, so the latter represents the high flight and keen sight with which the Church, with a pure heart, sees God. Her youth will be renewed like the eagle's.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:14
Where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. This represents the entire time of the Church, as previously encompassed in the number of days. For a time signifies a year, times signify two years, and half a time signifies six months.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 12:15
"And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a flood, that he might carry her away with the flood." He signifies by the water which the serpent cast out of his mouth, the people who at his command would persecute her.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 12:15-16
It is possible to interpret the “earth” here to refer to the church, as in the psalm, “He who set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be shaken.” That is, he [set the earth] on the saints whose prayers and teachings and the working of salvation [which they have received] dispels the uncovered intrigues of the enemy. However, it would be better to interpret the “earth” to be the human nature in Christ, for it is itself the “truth” that “has sprung up from the earth,” and that always appears before the face of God and so, as the apostle says, “intercedes for us.” When it swallowed death, which it took to itself, this earth is said to have opened its mouth when it gulped down the author of death by the abundance of its own life. And no less was he swallowed when Christ taught sitting upon the mountain and opening his mouth gave greater precepts to his disciples, “abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:16
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 12:15-16
When the church fled to inaccessible places where the deceiver makes his approach, out of his mouth, that is, clearly by his command, came water like a river after her. That is, he sent out against her a host of godless people and evil demons and all kinds of temptations that he might enslave her. But the earth, it says, came to [the church’s] aid. This may refer to the very great distances of travel in the desert and the aridity and dryness of those places, and in this way the river of temptations were swallowed up. Or [the demons and their temptations were overcome] by the humility of the saints who say with utter sincerity, “I am earth and dust” and so bring to naught all the snares of the devil, even as the angel said to the holy Anthony.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 12:15-16
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:15
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, etc. The flood signifies the onslaught of persecutors. Hence it is said: Perhaps they would have swallowed us up alive, like water (Psalm CXXIII). Therefore, the Church, not only lifted up by the word of God but also driven by the force of persecutions, hastens to fly out of the world.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 12:16
"And the earth helped the woman, and opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth." That the earth opened her month and swallowed up the waters, sets forth the vengeance for the present troubles. Although, therefore, it may signify this woman bringing forth, it shows her afterwards flying when her offspring is brought forth, because both things did not happen at one time; for we know that Christ was born, but that the time should arrive that she should flee from the face of the serpent: (we do not know) that this has happened as yet.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:16
And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood. This earth is the holy flesh of the Lord, which, swallowing the death that temporarily prevailed over it, taught us also to swallow it. It can also be understood as the Church, whose admonitions and prayers of the mouth ward off the enemy's snares.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:17
And the dragon was angry with the woman, etc. Seeing that the persecutions could not continue because they were averted by the mouth of the holy earth, he armed himself even more to persist in the mystery of iniquity, so that he could continually lie in wait.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:17
Who keep the commandments of God, etc. To keep the commandments of God in the faith of Jesus Christ is to fight with the dragon and provoke him to battle. And thanks be to God, who has nullified the attempts of the savage dragon. For behold, having tried to destroy the Lord born in the flesh, he is frustrated by His resurrection. Then, laboring to break the confidence of the apostles in teaching, he strove to remove the woman, that is, the whole Church, from human affairs. But having failed in this, he now attacks individual ages of the faithful everywhere. Hence it follows:

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 12:17
And he stood on the sand of the sea. That is, over the multitude of the people, whom the wind drives away from the face of the earth. Without a doubt, it is the same enemy who is accustomed to devouring the enemy's schemes, now intending to stir up snares and wars.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 12:18-13:4
In the vision before this the blessed evangelist had seen a sign in heaven, and behold, See, he says, a red serpent (Rv 12.3). But now he tells us that he has seen a beast like a leopard rising out of the sea. Then in the following vision he again sees another beast rising out of the earth with two horns of a lamb (Rv 13.11). Therefore, he saw three beasts in all: the first in heaven, the second from the sea, and the third from the land. The first and third are clear to all, for the first is the serpent, the source of all evil, Satan, who revolted and lifted up his neck against God the sovereign Lord, and the third is the Antichrist. But this beast in the middle, which is now brought before us in the vision, what is he?

I think that this one certainly comes after the rebel, and is Satan the serpent, the chief of the rest of the demons; for many were destroyed together with Satan and brought down to earth. And it is clear from this that the divine Scripture means that the ruler of all the demons has been condemned to the sea and nether gloom, as has been explained earlier. Perhaps Scripture in this way figuratively describes the confusion and turmoil in which Satan is embroiled as he recognizes from where he has fallen and where he now is, and that “he is being kept for the judgment of the great day,” as Scripture has it. For if this was not the case, but if he was actually in the sea and in the nether gloom, how was he described in the vision before this as having contrived many things against the Lord and against his mother? Nevertheless, according to the literal narrative—which cannot be impugned—he has been allotted nether gloom and the abyss.

So this second one, the one who is now brought before us, is found in the book of Job, both conversing with God and demanding Job for himself by bringing countless trials on him, and indeed saying that he was there “after roaming about the earth under heaven.” And not only the book of Job, but the Lord, too, has mentioned him in the gospel of John when addressing the Jews: “You are of your father the Devil, and you wish to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and his father,” meaning the father of the Devil, that is, [the father] of the one who is now presented to us in the vision, the rebel serpent, as being their leader and the prime mover of the rebellion. In a similar way holy Abraham is called the father of nations, as one who established faith for them, according to what was said to him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” Now that these things have been rightly determined, according to my way of thinking, let us return to our subject.

He says, I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems upon its horns. He sees the beast rising out of the sea. Its ascent is, as it were, its elevation from the troubled and unstable life of human beings, who have appointed it as despot over themselves.

The ten horns witness to its great power, just as the seven heads witness to some of its wiles and the origins of its schemes and deceits. For both ten and seven are perfect numbers.

The diadems on its horns mark it out as the tyrant over humankind, since we have voluntarily handed ourselves over to it through its deception.

He says, upon its head are blasphemous names. They are rightly upon its head, for it rages against itself and against its own head, acting drunkenly against God: it deprives God of the reverence [due to him] and gives it to itself.

He says, And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, I think because it moves at speed and is quick to devise its plots.

He says, And its feet were like a bear’s, as they were strong and durable so as to “roam about the earth under heaven” to plot against human beings. He says, And its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. According to Scripture, “Our adversary the Devil prowls around like a lion, to see whom he can devour.”

He says, And the serpent gave it his power. The power of the rebellious serpent is in his deceptions and wiles, and [the Devil] is the source and teacher of these for him.

He says, And I see that one of its heads was as though it had been mortally wounded, but its mortal wound had been healed. The inspired evangelist would himself know the meaning of this. As it appears to me, it indicates something of this sort: the mortal blow that the Devil received in one of his heads through the piety of Israel was healed again through the idolatry of the same people.

He says, And the whole earth was astounded behind the beast: for how is it that even the pious nation of Israel has not stopped worshiping it? Yet this is what is said in Isaiah speaking in the person of God to Israel: “On your account my name is constantly blasphemed among the nations.” Further, they also joined in the worship of the serpent, the fount of all the evil, and the cause of all the great deception and crafty wiles of the beast.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse