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.
One of its heads refers to the antichrist, because there are seven heads not in regard to number but as a sign of the universality of that earthly kingdom that is hostile to the Lamb. It is evident that the dragon, that is, the devil, will give his authority and his throne to [the antichrist]. As in a good sense the soul of a righteous person is the seat of wisdom, so in an evil sense the enemy is said to give his throne to those whom he especially possesses and whom he uses for the seduction of others. Moreover, with God’s permission he frequently does amazing things through them, and he proceeds to so great a rashness that in imitation of the true Head and in order to delude the souls of [God’s] children, he claims that one of the seven heads resurrected as if it had died before and that he should be accepted instead of Christ, who actually accomplished this deed. “And the nations which inhabit the earth wondered at the beast.” … By “earth” he refers to those who are earthly and who desire to follow and to worship him, that is, those who in the antichrist are said to worship the dragon as in an image.
That which “seemed wounded” are the heretics who hypocritically seem to confess Christ and blaspheme since they do not believe as the catholic faith has it. They prophesy that he who was wounded is also raised again, for even Satan himself transfigures himself into an angel of light. Another interpretation might be that heresies are wounded by the catholics, for they are suppressed by the testimonies of the Scriptures. Yet, as though a wound of Satan they are revived and accomplish the works of Satan and do not cease from blaspheming and attracting whomever they can to his teachings.… [The dragon gave his power to the beast], for indeed the heretics possess power, especially the Arians. … “And they adored the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?’ ” To be sure, the heretics flatter themselves that no one believes better than they and that no one can conquer their people who are marked by the name of the beast. And it will be given to him by the devil himself, although with God’s permission, that he should speak haughty things and blasphemies, as the apostle says, “There must be heresies in order that those who are genuine among you may be manifested.”
That he had a head that was wounded indicates that one of his lieutenants, having been put to death, deceptively seems to be raised again by him through his sorcery, in a way similar to Simon the magician, who, in light of his magic tricks, was unmasked by the chief of the apostles. Or the phrase could indicate that the Roman Empire, having suffered a kind of wound through division, seems to be healed by a unified rule, as occurred at the time of Augustus Caesar.… The wonder directed at the antichrist will be transferred to the devil, who is working through him. For through him the devil will be worshiped, and through him he will seem, to those blinded in the eyes of the mind, to raise the dead and perform signs.
And I saw one of its heads as if it had been mortally wounded, etc. The Antichrist, pertaining to the heads of the earthly kingdom, in imitation of our true head, dares to present himself as if he were mortally wounded and had resurrected, to be accepted in place of Christ, who truly accomplished this. It is said that the deception in Simon Magus prefigured this deceit.
And the whole earth marveled and followed the beast. He uses the genus for the species, saying that the beast is worshiped, when it is the false head, under the name of the truly slain and living head, that earthly men are to worship.
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 12:18-13:4
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.