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1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. 4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
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[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 19:1-3
Concerning the harlot it says, “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” That is to say, while the church remains in her joyful praise, the smoke of the destruction of the wicked also remains. Just as the beginning of fire is in smoke, so smoke is present as long as fire remains. I think that the Lord gave us an example of these good and evil persons in the figures of the pauper and the rich man.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:3
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Revelation 19:1-3
This is the voice of the church when the separation has already occurred and when all wicked persons have gone out of her to be consumed with eternal fire. “And their smoke goes up for ever and ever.” Hear, O brothers, and fear and know that Babylon and the harlot whose smoke ascends forever and ever are not to be understood as anything other than lustful, adulterous and arrogant persons. And, therefore, if you wish to avoid these punishments, do not desire to commit such grievous sins.… Is it smoke of a burned-out city that is visible and goes up forever and ever, and not rather [the smoke] of people who remain in their arrogance? It says “it goes up,” not “it will go up,” for in the present age Babylon is always going into destruction and burning up in part, just as Jerusalem is moving into paradise in those saints who leave the world. The Lord showed this in the story of the poor man and the rich man.

Source: EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:1-3, HOMILY 18
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:1-3
The saints exult over the destruction of the traitorous city, and they praise God with the jubilation of praise. What does this describe other than the coming of the retribution of the evildoers and the rewarding of the good? This is that of which Daniel spoke, “Some will rise to everlasting life, and some to everlasting reproach,” so that they might see [this] forever. For this reason it is said, “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:1-3
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:1-3
“Hallelujah” signifies divine praise, while “Amen” means “truly” or “let it be so.” This praise is common both from the angelic powers as well as from humankind, which is similar to the angels, and this praise is sent up to God three times on account of the tri-hypostatic deity of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. God has “avenged the blood of his servants from the hand” of Babylon and has benefited her inhabitants by accomplishing the cessation of sin through its punishment. The words that the “smoke from the city goes up forever and ever” show either the unforgettable nature of the punishment that has come upon the city, or that although she meted out punishments in part and to some extent, she will, nonetheless, be punished eternally in the coming age.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:1-4
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:1
After this, I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying: Alleluia, etc. Now the Church says this in part; but then it will be said perfectly when the separation has been made, and when it has been more openly avenged.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 19:1-5
“I heard a voice from heaven as of a great multitude,” it says. The ranks of the holy angels are without number. As one of the fathers has said, the ninety-nine sheep who were kept safe and did not go astray represent the angels, while the one sheep who went astray represents the entirety of humankind. They said, “Hallelujah!” “Hallelujah” is a Hebrew expression that means “praise God” or “sing to God.” Therefore, they are singing a hymn of thanksgiving for the righteous judgment of the spiritual Babylon. And they cried out the same hymn a “second time,” and yet later they spoke it again. And so by this threefold offering of the Hallelujah they give glory to the holy and much to be praised Trinity, for this [Trinity] is God. “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” The doxology of the Hallelujah interrupted the flow of the discourse, since clearly the sequence of the narrative is this: “And he has avenged on her the blood of his servants. And the smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” He mentions “smoke” since the city of which he speaks is completely in flames. For smoke is an indication of fire.

The elders and the living creatures say “Amen,” signifying their agreement with the doxology that was proffered by the holy angels. For when rendered from the Hebrew into the Greek, “Amen” means γένοιτο [ “let it be”]. It says, “Praise our God, you small and you great.” By “small” he refers to those who are greater in holiness; by “great” he refers to those who are outstanding in holiness.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:2
Who corrupted the earth with her prostitution, etc. He recalls two acts of the harlot: that she corrupted herself with evil and persecuted the good, in which I think all the crimes of the wicked are comprehended.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:3
And again they said: Alleluia. The Church praises the Lord with an unceasing affection over His judgments. For Alleluia means Praise the Lord. Indeed, the psalms that begin with Praise the Lord start with Alleluia among the Hebrews.

And her smoke rises forever and ever. He said ascends, not will ascend. Babylon always goes into perdition and is already burning in part, just as Jerusalem passes into paradise, with the Lord manifesting it in the poor man and the rich man.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 220] Tertullian on Revelation 19:4
But in Leviticus He says: "Go not ye after idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God." And in other passages: "The children of Israel are my household servants; these are they whom I led forth from the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Source: Scorpiace
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:4-5
When [the voice] commands that this [praise] be done and then it is reported that [such praise] was given, it indicates that [God] has accepted the praise of his elect as pleasing, indeed, giving his approval to the praise that had been given and indicating that it is to be perpetual. The “great” in the church are those of whom the apostle said, “We speak wisdom among the perfect,” and of whom the Lord said, “Whoever teaches men so shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” The “small” are those of whom it is said, “As babes in Christ, I have given you milk to drink, not solid food.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:5
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:4-5
The throne of God is the seraphim and the cherubim. Whether these be great or small in their accomplishments, all are urged to praise God according to their abilities. However, I think that also those who are small in age and children who are not yet grown shall be great when they sing to God who has done such great things.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:5
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:4
And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God. The Church venerates God not only with the office of the lips but with the utmost sweetness of devotion.

Saying: Amen, Alleluia. Although these words can be interpreted (for they translate to faith or truth and the praise of the Lord, as I have said), out of reverence for the sanctity of the original language, the first authority of that tongue is preserved. For the Church continually sings Alleluia on the Lord's days and throughout the entire Easter season because of the hope of the resurrection, which is to be in the praise of the Lord.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:5
And a voice came from the throne, saying: Praise our God, etc. When He commands this to be done and recalls it being done, He indicates the approved praise of the servants of the elect. He says, small and great, because the smallness of the mind does not harm, whose heart and tongue are filled with the praise of the Lord.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 258] Cyprian on Revelation 19:6
That Christ is the Bridegroom, having the Church as His bride, from which spiritual children were to be born. In Joel: "Blow with the trumpet in Sion; sanctify a fast, and call a healing; assemble the people, sanctify the Church, gather the elders, collect the little ones that suck the breast; let the Bridegroom go forth of His chamber, and the bride out of her closet." Also in Jeremiah: "And I will take away from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of the joyous, and the voice of the glad; the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride." Also in the eighteenth Psalm: "And he is as a bridegroom going forth from his chamber; he exulted as a giant to run his course. From the height of heaven is his going forth, and his circuit even to the end of it; and there is nothing which is hid from his heat." Also in the Apocalypse: "Come, I will show thee the new bride, the Lamb's wife. And he took me in the Spirit to a great mountain, and he showed me the holy city Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God." Also in the Gospel according to John: "Ye are my witnesses, that I said to them who were sent from Jerusalem to me, that I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him. For he who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom is he who standeth and heareth him with joy, and rejoiceth because of the voice of the bridegroom." The mystery of this matter was shown in Jesus the son of Nave, when he was bidden to put his shoes from off him, doubt less because he himself was not the bridegroom. For it was in the law, that whoever should refuse marriage should put off his shoe, but that he should be shod who was to be the bridegroom: "And it happened, when Jesus was in Jericho, he looked around with his eyes, and saw a man standing before his face, and holding a javelin in his hand, and said, Art thou for us or for our enemies? And he said, I am the leader of the host of the Lord; now draw near. And Jesus fell on his rice to the earth, and said to him, Lord, what dost Thou command unto Thy servant. And the leader of the Lord's host said, Loose thy shoe from thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." Also, in Exodus, Moses is bidden to put off his shoe, because he, too, was not the bridegroom: "And there appeared unto him the angel of the Lord in a flame of fire out of a bush; and he saw that the bush burned with fire, but the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will pass over and see this great sight, why the bush is not consumed. But when He saw that he drew near to see, the Lord God called him from the bush, saying, Moses, Moses. And he said, What is it? And He said, Draw not nigh hither, unless thou hast loosed thy shoe from off thy feet; for the place on which thou standest is holy ground. And He said unto him, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." This was also made plain in the Gospel according to John: "And John answered them, I indeed baptize with water, but there standeth One in the midst of you whom ye know not: He it is of whom I said, The man that cometh after me is made before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose." Also according to Luke: "Let your loins be girt, and your lamps burning, and ye like to men that wait for their master when he shall come from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him. Blessed are those servants whom their Lord, when He cometh, shall find watching." Also in the Apocalypse: "The Lord God omnipotent reigneth: let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give to Him the honour of glory; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready."

Source: Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews
[AD 414] Nicetas of Remesiana on Revelation 19:6
We know that later on the apostles also [sang psalms and hymns], since not even in prison did they cease to sing. So, too, Paul speaks to the prophets of the church: “When you come together, each of you has a hymn, has an instruction, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” And again, in another place: “I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the understanding also.” So, too, James sets down in his epistle: “Is any one of you sad? Let him pray. Is any one in good spirits? Let him sing a hymn.” And John in the Apocalypse reports that when the Spirit revealed himself to him, he saw and heard “a voice of the heavenly army, as it were the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thunders, saying, Alleluia.” From all this we may conclude that no one should doubt that this ministry, if only it is celebrated with true faith and devotion, is one with that of the angels, who, as we know, unhindered by sleep or other occupation, cease not to praise the Lord in heaven and to bless the Savior.

Source: LITURGICAL SINGING 10
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:6
The trumpets signify that preaching of which Isaiah spoke, saying, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet.” In this preaching the dread of the divine judgment is also indicated, which I think is also suggested by the mention of the thunder.… In the many waters those peoples are symbolized who praise God by saying “Hallelujah.” And so, when the church preaches and fears and praises, she exults with trembling, as we read, “Serve the Lord with fear; praise him with trembling.” “For our Lord the Almighty reigns.” The voice rightly mentions God’s omnipotence. For he created from nothing that which did not exist, and he sought those who had perished from sin, and he found those who were deserving of punishment, and from these he mercifully made righteous those whom he willed. Then from these, as though from members, he made for himself the church, and when he had redeemed her for such a dignity, he made her to be his bride since she did not merit to be his servant girl.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:6
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:6
“The voice of a great multitude and of many waters and thunderpeals” signifies the piercing clarity of the hymn, for all the angelic and heavenly powers are without number, and some have interpreted these to be the waters above the heavens. With these [heavenly powers] the whole body of the righteous give glory to the Creator. Indeed, Christ rules as King. By nature he governs all those of whom he is the Creator, but he rules these also by virtue of his incarnation, either according to his free and purposeful fellowship [with them] or according to the authority which is proper to him as King and Judge.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:6-7
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:6
And I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great trumpet and the voice of many waters, etc. The great voice of the singers is the great devotion of the heart; which, with the repeated multitude of praises, celebrates both the ruin of the wicked and the eternal glory of the Lord and His own.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 19:6-9
According to the holy prophet Isaiah, the seraphim said “holy” three times and so composed a threefold hymn to one lordship. In this manner they showed that there are three individual existences or, which is to speak in a similar way, [three] persons of whom to sing, while there is one essence of the Godhead. Also in this passage the holy angels, having spoken the Hallelujah three times in the passages above and having rendered homage to each of the three holy hypostases, now sing the Hallelujah to the holy Trinity, showing that the holy and much-sung Trinity is in one unique essence and Godhead. “For the Lord our God reigns,” it says. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, even before his saving incarnation, as the only begotten Son and Word of the Father and the Maker of all things, reigned over what is in heaven and on earth with the Father and the all-holy Spirit. But even after the incarnation he is similarly Lord and King of all things, for by his taking of flesh he was in no way made inferior in regards to his rule and dominion over all things. As the all-wise apostle says, we do not yet see all things subjected to him, but all things will rather be subjected to him in the coming age, including those who now until then behave insolently toward him. Even death itself is to be subjected—for “the last enemy to be destroyed is death”—the holy angels properly say “the Lord our God reigns.” [In this way they] lift up a doxology regarding the future age, since then by the subjection of all things, Christ will have acquired a perfect sovereignty over all things. Some will experience this subjection by way of torment, while others will experience it by way of a direct knowledge which is not “through a dim mirror or an enigma,” as is the case now.

He says, For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready: at the present time the marriage of the Lord to the church is still a courtship and not yet a complete marriage. The blessed apostle symbolizes this when writing the second epistle to the Corinthians, in which he says, “I betrothed you to one man to present you to Christ as a pure virgin.” So this is still a matter of courtship; for “I betrothed” is used of courtship. And as a symbol of courtship we receive “the earnest of the Spirit.”

When, however, the church truly becomes one spirit with Christ, then the marriage is complete, just as the man becomes one body with his wife. For when the wise apostle reflects on physical marriage, he puts it very graphically, saying, “the two shall become one flesh,” and then adds, “This is a great mystery, and I take it to refer to Christ and the church.” So when the holy angels say, The marriage of the Lamb has come, they mean that the marriage consequent on the present courtship will be consummated.

The gospel, too, has clearly taught us this on two occasions: firstly it tells the story of the marriage of a king’s son, when many had been invited to the banquet, some of whom joined in the feast, but others excused themselves from the supper, and how one who was not wearing “a wedding garment” was chased away. Then also it speaks of the ten virgins, of whom five, whom it calls “prudent,” went with the bridegroom into that happy bridal chamber, while the others were shut out, since they had not filled their lamps with sufficient oil. Nothing in these events can be understood as referring to the present, but only to the future. So the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride the church is present, ready to enjoy those ineffable good things resulting from its union with Christ.

By clothed with linen he means, “having a garment of virtues.” It is linen on account of its brightness and plainness, bright because of [the church’s] incomprehensible being and way of life, plain in its teachings and thoughts about God.

He says, And he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who have been invited to the marriage-supper of the Lamb,” even though some are destined to depart. For we know that although many have been invited in the gospels, some did not attend the spiritual banquet, either by going away, or by being excluded because they did not have “a wedding garment,” as was made clear a short while back. And the divine apostle, too, has said, “Many are called, but few are chosen.”

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:7-8
The fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. After thanksgiving has been given and after the voice of exhortation has been heard, the praise to God, as though the sound of claps of thunder, is loudly proclaimed by those who rejoice that the marriage feast of the Lamb has come. This will occur when, after the consummation of the world, “every rule and authority will have been destroyed and he will have delivered the kingdom to God the Father, so that God will be all in all.” This will occur, that is, when his wife, namely the catholic church, will be joined to him in the purity of faith. Concerning this the holy apostle said: “For I betrothed you to Christ to present you as a pure virgin to one husband.” And so, the fine linen which she [the church] wears does not represent the beauty of a vestment, but the righteousness of the saints.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:6-8
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:7
And let us give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come. The marriage of the Lamb is when the Church will be united with the Lord in the bridal chamber of the heavenly kingdom.

And his wife has made herself ready. By constantly engaging in works of righteousness, she has shown herself worthy of the spiritual feast and eternal kingdom. This can also be understood according to the parable of the Gospel, which narrates the virgins rising at the arrival of the bridegroom, adorning their lamps, that is, accounting for their works, for which they expect to receive eternal beatitude.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 160] Shepherd of Hermas on Revelation 19:8
And all who went into the tower had the same clothing-white as snow.

Source: Shepherd of Hermas Similitude Eighth
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:8
And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and pure. It was given to her to be clothed with her own deeds. In contrast, the wicked, who, according to Isaiah, weave the spider's web, will not be covered by their works. For their works are useless works.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:9
The Lord spoke of this, saying, “They will recline at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,” and again, “He will come and serve them.” Certainly [the Lord] is indicating those “who are called according to his purpose” and who enter the full number of the elect. “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:9
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:9
Who are those who have been invited to the feast of the Lamb, unless those to whom it is said: “I will not drink from this fruit of the vine until I will drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father who is in heaven.” And again, “Many will come from east and west and will recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” This is to drink the new cup, to prepare the new bodies of those being raised, to keep a new joy, and to repay the sincere righteousness of a true faith. These are the blessed who are prepared for this feast and for this repast.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:9-10
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:9
The marriage supper of Christ is the feast of those who are being saved and the joy that accompanies it. The blessed will come into these things when they enter into the eternal bridal chamber with the holy Bridegroom of their purified souls. For he who has promised this is faithful. Since there are many blessings in the coming age, which surpass every understanding, the participation in them is indicated through various terms. Sometimes they are called the “kingdom of heaven” on account of their glory and honor; sometimes they are called “paradise” on account of the everlasting banquet of good things; sometimes they are called the “bosom of Abraham” on account of the rest of those who repose there, or the “bridechamber” and “marriage” because of the endless joy and the perfect and inexpressible union of God with his servants. This union surpasses every carnal and bodily union as much as light is separated from darkness or a perfume from a foul odor.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:7-9
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:9
And he said to me: Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. He says they are called not to lunch, but to supper, because indeed the feast at the end of the day is supper. Therefore, those who, at the end of the present life, come to the refreshment of heavenly contemplation are surely called to the supper of the Lamb.

These are the true words of God. That is, what I have foretold will truly happen.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 185] Theophilus of Antioch on Revelation 19:10
Yet these also have spoken beforehand of the punishments that are to light upon the profane and unbelieving, in order that none be left without a witness, or be able to say, "We have not heard, neither have we known." But do you also, if you please, give reverential attention to the prophetic Scriptures, and they will make your way plainer for escaping the eternal punishments, and obtaining the eternal prizes of God. For He who gave the mouth for speech, and formed the ear to hear, and made the eye to see, will examine all things, and will judge righteous judgment, rendering merited awards to each.

Source: Theophilus to Autolycus, Book I, Chapter XIV
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Revelation 19:10
The lowest person must worship the same God as is worshiped by the highest angel. In fact it is by refusing to worship him that human nature has been brought low. The source of wisdom and of truth is the same for angel and humankind, namely, the one unchangeable Wisdom and Truth. The very Virtue and changeless Wisdom of God who is consubstantial and coeternal with the Father, for our salvation deigned, in the temporal dispensation, to take upon himself our nature in order to teach us that humanity must worship what every rational intellectual creature must also worship. Let us believe that the highest angels and most excellent ministers of God want us to join them in the worship of the one God, in contemplation of whom they find their happiness. Even we are not made happy by seeing an angel but by seeing the Truth, by which we love the angels too and rejoice with them. We do not grudge that they should have readier access to the Truth and enjoy him without obstacle. Rather, we love them because we are bidden by our common Lord to hope for the same condition hereafter. So we honor them with love but not with divine worship. We do not build temples for them. They do not wish to be honored by us in that way, because they know that when we are good people we are ourselves the temples of the most high God.

Source: OF TRUE RELIGION 110
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:10
Indeed, the whole point of prophecy and of the sanctifying work of the Spirit lies in the testimony of Jesus Christ, whom the entire law and all prophecy serve [as though slaves]. For this reason, when he manifested himself on the mountain between Moses and Elijah, his face and his clothing were resplendent with his brightness, and he declared that the law and the prophets had truly testified of him. And so, whatever they had foretold, he himself testifies that it serves Christ and the church, for he said of Moses, “For he wrote of me.” And when he had risen from the dead, he said, “Everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:10
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:10
When the royal commands of God were heard, he fell down to worship him who was speaking with him. However, to respect the nature of his own office and to show that God is above all things, he prohibited this, saying, “Do not do this, because I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus.” The testimony of Jesus is the true profession of the catholic confession. “For the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.” The Spirit of prophecy is truth and judgment and justice, which in their fullness are contained in the catholic faith.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:9-10
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:10
“Do not worship me as one who is foretelling the future,” the holy angel says. For the confession of Christ, that is, the testimony is the gift of the prophetic Spirit. And you should note also this. The prophecy [is given] for this reason, so that the testimony of Christ may be made strong and the faith be given witness by the saints. Therefore, do not pay homage to me, as fellow servant, but to him who possesses power over all things. From this passage we also learn of the humble disposition of the holy angels, for they do not claim for themselves divine glory as do the evil demons but ascribe this glory to the Lord. May it be that we “outdo one another” with a humble mind, thus fulfilling the saying of the Lord: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” And may we receive rest in the coming age, where “sorrow and pain and groaning have fled,” and where the dwelling is of all who rejoice and gaze upon the light of the face of Christ our God, to whom every song of praise, honor and worship be given, together with the Father and the life-giving Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:10
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:10
See that you do not do that. I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren. He had said earlier: I am the first and the last (Rev. 1). Therefore, he shows that the angel was sent in the figure of the Lord and the Church. For at the end, he also says: I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches (Rev. 22).

Who hold the testimony of Jesus. After the Lord Jesus elevated the assumed man above the heavens, the angel feared being worshipped by a man, evidently worshipping the man-God above himself, which we read was done by men before the Lord's Incarnation and was not forbidden by angels.

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. For whatever the spirit of prophecy said is the testimony of Jesus, who has the testimony from the Law and the Prophets. Therefore, he says, do not worship me as God, since I have come to bear witness to His virtues. Thus far concerning the fall of Babylon, henceforth concerning the future glory of Jerusalem.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 19:10
The accursed and godforsaken Greeks understand that we have a divine doctrine which states that the holy angels, with the approval of God, are the guardians of nations and of churches and of each one of us. Daniel in his great wisdom wrote about the nations: “And I have come because of your words. And the prince of the kingdom of the Persians withstood me”; and again, “But I am now returning to make war against the prince of the Persians; and I went forth, and the prince of the Greeks came”; and again, “There is none who contends by my side for this [purpose] except Michael, your prince”; and again, “At that time Michael will arise, the great prince, who has charge over the sons of your people.”

The present Revelation has spoken previously about the guardians of the churches, with which Saint Gregory agrees when he writes of the holy angels, “I believe that an angel is a guardian of each church, as John teaches me through the Revelation.” The prophet has spoken about the angels as guardians of each one, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and will deliver them,” and the apostle also writes about the holy angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve for the sake of those who are going to obtain salvation?”

So when [the Greeks] hear these things being taught as our belief, they say to us, “Why, you fellows, since you have the same belief as we have, do you take offense at our belief which assigns gods as rulers over nations? Those whom you call angels, we call gods: we disagree only about the names, and no longer about the facts; and since you also say ranks of angels are called gods, the difference is not even about names.”

To them we must reply: “You are damned: both in the worship of the works of your hands, and in having set up as gods only yesterday or the day before those whom you knew to be involved in all kinds of disgraceful conduct, you filched away most of our divine teachings; you took them and mixed them with your deadly doctrines, but, as you took your reason and not God as your guide, you were not able to preserve the overall excellence of our doctrines, but after following them a little way you were shipwrecked somewhere near the start. Wherefore, we and you have nothing in common, just as Scripture says, ‘light has nothing in common with darkness or Christ with Beliar.’

For when you think of national gods (though really they are unclean demons), you show yourselves as offering reverence to them and wishing to worship them as gods; and when you have deified them, they take no account of God, who has made provision for the care of humankind, but they govern the nations by their own will just as they wish.

So you allocated to Ares the fierce and bloodthirsty Scythians and Germans, who had become such under the rule of murderous Ares, the bane of human beings; and you assign the Greeks for their intelligence to Athene, as having obtained their intelligence from her; and you deal similarly with others, assigning the gods to the nations each according to their own natural propensity.”

But you will understand what we say from the present text. For when the evangelist wished to worship the divine angel, but not to worship him as God (for who knew better than John who is naturally and truly God, and who the angels are, that they are ministers and slaves and creatures of God?), nevertheless [the angel] is shown as refusing to accept even the worship due to an angel, since this is indeed a form of worship, and saying, Don’t do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus.

“Don’t do that” is not simply a phrase to prevent an action, but is a positive affirmation. He says that he is himself a fellow slave of all who confess themselves slaves of Christ and who testify that God has become incarnate.

What, therefore, must we do, most divine angel, when you refuse to be worshiped? He says, Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, as if he were saying, “Are you trying to worship me, because I told you beforehand the things that are to come? All those who witness to the rule and divinity of Christ are full of prophetic grace, and not I alone. Why, therefore,” he says, “do you worship one who has been given the same grace as my fellow slaves? Can the Greeks’ beliefs about those who rule over the nations ever be the same as what Christians say about the holy angels?”

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 202] Irenaeus on Revelation 19:11
) them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of God Almighty. And He hath upon His vesture and upon His thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords."

Source: Against Heresies Book IV
[AD 253] Origen of Alexandria on Revelation 19:11
I think that heaven has been closed to those who are impious and who bear “the image of the earthly” but opened to those who are just and who have been adorned with “the image of the heavenly.” For the higher things have been closed to the impious, inasmuch as they are below and are still in the flesh. They cannot understand them or their beauty. They do not wish to perceive them, in that they are stooped over and do not devote themselves to lifting up their heads. But he opened the heavenly places with the key of David2 to be contemplated by the just, inasmuch as they have citizenship in heaven. The divine Word opens them and explains them by riding a horse. The horse signifies the words that proclaim the meanings. He is white because the nature of the knowledge is remarkable and white and luminous. And he who is called “Faithful” sits on the white horse, seated more firmly and, if I may so speak, royally, on words that cannot be overturned, words that run faster and swifter than any horse and that surpass every opponent in their rush, that is, every supposed word that is a dissembler of the Word and every dissembler of truth that seems to be truth. But he who is on the white horse is called “Faithful,” not so much because he trusts as because he is trustworthy, that is, he is worthy of being trusted, for according to Moses, the Lord is faithful and true. For he is also true in contradistinction to a shadow, and a type, and an image, since the Word in the opened heaven is such. For the Word on earth is not like the Word in heaven, inasmuch as he has become flesh and is expressed by means of a shadow and types and images.… This Word of God, indeed, who is called faithful is also called true, and he judges and fights justly. He has received the ability from God to impart what each creature deserves and to judge with absolute justice and judgment.… Now just as it is said that the task of the Word is to judge with justice, so also his task is said to be to fight according to justice, that by thus fighting the soul’s enemies with reason and justice, he may dwell in it and justify it when the irrational elements and injustice are destroyed. He casts out the hostile elements from that soul which, if I may speak in this way, has been taken captive by Christ for salvation.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.47-54
[AD 258] Cyprian on Revelation 19:11
That the same Christ is the Word of God. In the forty-fourth Psalm: "My heart hath breathed out a good Word. I tell my works to the King." Also in the thirty-second Psalm: "By the Word of God were the heavens made fast; and all their strength by the breath of His mouth." Also in Isaiah: "A Word completing and shortening in righteousness, because a shortened word will God make in the whole earth." Also in the cvith Psalm: "He sent His Word, and healed them." Moreover, in the Gospel according to John: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." Also in the Apocalypse: "And I saw the heaven opened, and lo, a white horse; and he who sate upon him was called Faithful and True, judging rightly and justly; and He made war. And He was covered with a garment sprinkled with blood; and His name is called the Word of God."

Source: Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews
[AD 304] Victorinus of Pettau on Revelation 19:11
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sate upon him was called Faithful and True." The horse, and He that sits upon him, sets forth our Lord coming to His kingdom with the heavenly army. Because from the sea of the north, which is the Arabian Sea, even to the sea of Phoenice, and even to the ends of the earth, they will command these greater parts in the coming of the Lord Jesus, and all the souls of the nations will be assembled to judgment.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:11
He judges as the King of all ages. He makes war as one who always suffers in his members. When he fights, he conquers; he crowns himself; he offers himself as strength to those who struggle; he promises himself as the prize for those who overcome.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:11
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:11
The white horse is the body which [Christ] assumed. He who sits upon it is the Lord of Majesty; he is the Word of the most high Father; he is the only begotten of the unbegotten Father. Therefore, the true character of his person is expressed when he is called “Faithful” and “True.” For of God it is said, “God is faithful, in whom there is no iniquity.” And “in righteousness he judges and makes war.” For concerning him it is written, “God is a judge, just, strong and patient.” He makes war by freeing us from the adversity of sin; he is patient by enduring the sins we commit; he is called strong because he repels whatever opposes him.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:11-13
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:11
And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, etc. The Lord, who is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14), and to whom it is said through the prophet: For you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure (Isaiah 25), ascends a white horse, that is, the seat of an immaculate body, to defeat the aerial powers.

And in righteousness he judges and makes war. He judges as the King of the ages. He makes war because he always fights, sharing the struggles of his members.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 19:11-16
The Evangelist now receives the revelation of the fall of the antichrist and of the arch-evil serpent. He sees moreover the punishment they will receive at the time of the end and their recompense, as well as the fall of those kings who at that time will oppose the servants of Christ. And see what it says: “I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse,” and the rider is faithful and true and just. He sees the Lord as he is about to join the battle and fight for the saints and make war against his adversaries. For this reason the vision depicts him in the form of a general, giving him a horse and a sword and the leadership of armies. “And, behold, a white horse” upon which the Lord was riding. By this the vision reveals that Christ depends upon no others than those who are pure and are not tainted by any stain of sin. For this reason, the Lord also said of that “chosen instrument,” namely, Paul, that he would “carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel.” You see, therefore, that Christ depends upon and rides on such persons as Paul. “He who sat upon it,” that is, upon the horse, “is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.” He who is true is also faithful, as the apostle said concerning him: “He remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself,” and so he is the “Faithful” and “True.” And about him two assertions are made which address the same matter. The prophet was witness that he judges righteously and that he makes war on behalf of his servants against their visible enemies: “O God, give your judgment to the king, and your righteousness to the king’s son,” that is, to Christ—for the son of Solomon was Christ according to the flesh, to whom the psalmist was referring—and then it continues, “that he might judge your people with righteousness and your poor with judgment.” That he also makes war [the psalmist] shows when he speaks of him arming himself as a soldier: “Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one, in your comeliness and in your beauty, and bend [your bow] and prosper and reign.” Then he adds, “Your weapons are sharpened, O mighty one, the nations shall fall under you.”

He says, His eyes are a flame of fire: the fire of his eyes shows his fury against the enemy.

And on his head, he says, are many diadems, altogether as many as the regiments in heaven and on earth over which he reigns. He has a name, he says, inscribed which no one but he himself knows.

In the seventh section of Exodus God says to blessed Moses, “I, the Lord, appeared to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, being their God, but I did not make known to them my name, ‘the Lord,’” as it is clearly greater than anything which can be comprehended by the hearing of a human being. This is why the Lord told his apostles how those who turn to the knowledge of God must be baptized, saying, “baptizing them into the name”; and when he said name he did not use the title “Lord.” For he was not able to utter their title, “Lord,” but instead of calling them “Lord” he gave relational and descriptive names, saying in relational terms, “into the name of the Father and of the Son,” and then adding the descriptive term “and of the Holy Spirit.” So with great accuracy in the Revelation, too, he lets the name “Lord” of the only Son be unknown to all and sundry.

He says, Clad in a robe sprinkled with blood: for even in the vision the Lord was bearing the marks of his passion, and was showing his all-holy body all but covered with his precious blood.

And his name is called the Word of God: do you see how after avoiding the name “Lord” above, the vision has now put a descriptive title instead of it, saying, The Word of God?

And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine white linen, followed him on white horses: for he is the commander-in-chief of the heavenly powers, and thus the Lord has called himself, bearing the title of “Jesus son of Nun,” saying, “As the commander-in-chief of the power of the Lord have I now come.”

The horses are white for the holy angels, too; for they delight in the pure among humankind, since they are naturally pure and unstained by any defilement. The clothing of pure white linen shows this.

And from his mouth, that is, from the commander-in-chief, issues a sword: the divine prophet places the sword “upon the thigh” of the Lord in the passage cited a little earlier, while the vision describes it more accurately and places it in his mouth. In this way it is indicated that by the word of God all things have their being, and he who transgresses this in anything will not go unpunished. With which to smite the nations: which nations? Those who march with the Antichrist under his command against the slaves of Christ.

He says, And he will shepherd them with a rod of iron: for the Lord, being goodness itself and mercy, wished to rule these nations, of whom the account speaks, with a shepherd’s rod of succor, “to bring them into green pastures and to nourish them beside the waters of comfort.” But since they have not wanted this, they will be shepherded with a rod of iron, that is, with one that is harsh and deadly. For those who are not changed by the Word can expect only punishment.

And because the iron rod indicates harshness and punishment, the prophet, in his desire to hint at the rule of the Romans, of which Daniel said, “Arise, devour much flesh,” spoke in regard to God: “You will shepherd them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” When the time was favorable, God ruled them with a shepherd’s rod, but in the last time he will do so with a rod of iron.

And he himself is treading the wine-press of the wine of the fury of the wrath of God the sovereign Lord of all: the Lord said in the gospels about his own Father, “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son”; therefore, the Revelation has been very correct in saying that he himself is treading the wine-press of the fury of the wrath of God, for by means of judgment and the requital of the wicked he fulfills his Father’s will, and so becomes the fulfiller of the just wrath of the Father.

On his robe and on his thigh he has [a name] inscribed, King of kings and Lord of lords: the robe is an allegorical description of the flesh of the Lord, which has been given life by his mind, according to the holy angels speaking in Isaiah: “Why are your robes red, and your garments like those of one who has come from a fully trodden wine-press?” The thigh clearly indicates his physical birth; for it is written in Genesis, “All the souls who entered Egypt with Jacob, those who came from his thighs...”

The symbolism of the writing on his robe and on his thigh shows “Emmanuel” to be king over all. Although the Word was hypostatically united to the flesh and underwent a physical birth from a virgin, he is no less King and Lord of all things in heaven and upon earth, since his dignity was not diminished by his incarnation; for as such he was God, and is God, and will always be so.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 253] Origen of Alexandria on Revelation 19:12
As the flame is bright and at the same time illuminating, and further also has a nature that is fiery and consumes the more material elements, so the eyes of the Word, if I may speak in this way, with which he sees, and everyone who participates in him, destroy and obliterate the more material and gross elements of thoughts by grasping them by means of the spiritual powers inherent in him. Everything false, in any way whatsoever, has fled the subtlety and precision of the truth.… If the lie were one and simple against which the Word who is “faithful and true” prevailed, who received the crown when the lie was overcome, the Word who became master of God’s opponents would also reasonably have been recorded to wear one diadem. But now, since the lies that profess the truth are many against which the Word has fought and is crowned, there are many diadems surrounding the head of him who has conquered them all.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.57-59
[AD 253] Origen of Alexandria on Revelation 19:12
The living Word alone understands some things because of the natural inferiority in those who came into existence after him. None of them can contemplate all the things that he grasps. And perhaps also only those who share in the Word, in contradistinction to those who do not, know what the others are missing.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.60
[AD 325] Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius on Revelation 19:12
-testify that He was born of God. His name is known to none, except to Himself and the Father, as John teaches in the Revelation.
[AD 390] Ticonius on Revelation 19:12
In him “in whom we shall perform great deeds,” in him the multitude of the saints are said to have the beauty of crowns.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:12
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:12
Perfect knowledge of the Word of God is revealed to those who are worthy to be the body of Christ and members [of him], since the Head especially gives knowledge of himself to the body, and he knows what the church is worthy to know in him. The apostle says, “He who is united to the Lord is one spirit, for the two shall be one flesh.” Neither the Jews nor the foreigners nor the heretics will ever know this name, for “if they had [known], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory,” and again, “The world has not known you.” And the Lord said again to his disciples, “You will see me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” And the disciples answered, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world?” Concerning the heretics, the Lord said, “To you it has been given to know the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that they may indeed see but not perceive.” He has a great name inscribed that no one knows except himself. However, we must beware lest by a purely carnal wisdom we think that the name of the Son is unknown to the Father or to the Holy Spirit.… If the Son alone is said to know something, the whole Trinity is also regarded as knowing it. Similarly, if the Father alone is said to know something, he is without doubt thought to know it together with his Wisdom, who is Christ, and with his Spirit, who is believed to be the Spirit of the Father and of the Son. For when the Father alone was said to know the day of judgment, certainly it was not denied that the Son and the Spirit also knew it. So also, when the Holy Spirit alone is said to know something, and the names of the Father and of the Son are unspoken, nevertheless it is declared that they know in the same manner. When the apostle says, “What person knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God,” it would be foolish to separate the Father and the Son from such knowledge. When he says elsewhere, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption,” she is not excluding the persons of the Father and of the Son from the work of our redemption, even though he does not mention their names. For through the undivided power of the one nature, we teach that the works of the Trinity are inseparable.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:12
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:12
As fire penetrates everything which contains it and leaves no portion untouched by the force of its burning heat, so the eyes of the Lord cannot be avoided, for they are everywhere and pervade all things, and seeing all things which people do, they investigate them with a holy scrutiny.… There are many [diadems] because he brings to God, who gathers all, all the glory of the saints and all the honor of the blessed. And these do not remain quiet, but bring forth praise and thanksgiving.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:11-13
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:12
The flames of fire come forth from his eyes, that is, from his all-seeing power. For those who are righteous, this fire does no harm but illumines and makes bright. However, for the sinners this fire burns but does not make bright. The multiple diadems symbolize either his kingdom, which is over all things in heaven and on earth—as many as there are ranks of angels and kingdoms upon the earth and assemblies among holy people—or they signify the victory against the sinners that was won for us by all of his acts of mercy, as a certain holy person said, “And you will gain victory when you are judged.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:11-12
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:12
That his name is unknown signifies the incomprehensibility of his essence. By virtue of his works he is known by many names, such as Good, Shepherd, Sun, Light, Life, Righteousness, Holiness, Redemption. Similarly, he is called by terms of negation, such as Incorruptible, Invisible, Immortal, Unchangeable. However, according to his essence he is without name and is unapproachable, being known by himself alone with the Father and the Spirit.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:12
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:12
His eyes are like a flame of fire. Sometimes the eyes of God are called his commandments, sometimes the spirit. Your word is a lamp to my feet, O Lord (Psalm 119). And of the Spirit: I came to cast fire on the earth (Luke 12).

And on his head are many diadems. In him we find our strength; in him, the multitude of saints is said to be adorned with a crown.

He has a name written that no one knows but himself. He says, no one knows but himself, because all the Church is in him. The perfect knowledge of the Word of God is revealed to those who have deserved to be the body and members of Christ. In the same way, the Lord says: No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man (John 3).

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 253] Origen of Alexandria on Revelation 19:13
John does not see the Word of God mounted on a horse naked. He is clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood, since the Word who became flesh, and died because he became flesh, is invested with traces of that passion, since his blood also was poured forth upon the earth when the soldier pierced his side. For perhaps, even if in some way we attain the most sublime and highest contemplation of the Word and of the truth, we shall not forget completely that we were introduced to him by his coming in our body.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.61
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:13
If no one is allowed to know his name, why is he now openly called the “Word of God”? When we read, “No one has ascended into heaven, but he who has descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven,” we are to understand that whoever of his members will ascend is allowed to ascend in the Head himself and through him. By promising this to his members, he has granted them hope, and by fulfilling this, he will give to them the possibility [to receive this]. So here, the Son alone is said to know what is allowed to his bride to know in him, through whom and in whom the church is instructed. In speaking of the robe sprinkled with blood, it is indicating the tokens of his passion, whether this be in the Head himself or in his body, which is the church. For this reason, the apostle teaches the Hebrews that from the beginning in the animal sacrifices demanded by the law there was no remission of sins with the shedding of blood. Concerning the church he says, “that in my flesh I might complete what is lacking in Christ’s sufferings,” remembering the words which he heard, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” For whatever the church suffers, Christ also truly suffers, and of him Paul says, “he suffered once to take away the sins of many,” however, he suffers frequently in his members. Isaiah spoke of the appearance of this robe in this way, “Who is this that comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah? He is glorious in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength. It is I who speaks righteousness and who am a fighter for salvation. Why then is your garment red, and your apparel as though freshly trodden in a winepress? I alone have trodden the winepress, and from the peoples no one was with me.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:13
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:13
How is it that he who is without name and is unknown to all is here named “Word”? This is either to demonstrate his filial personhood and his impassible generation from the Father, just as our speech comes from our minds [impassibly], or his name suggests that he bears within himself the causes of all things, or that he is the interpreter of the wisdom and power of the Father.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:13
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:13
He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood. The robe of Christ should be understood according to the context. Here, it seems to indicate the very work of the passion, so that on the white horse signifies the incorruptible birth, and in the blood-stained robe, the innocent death.

And his name is called the Word of God. Because he who appeared as a man to suffer for a time was in the beginning with God (John 1). He is called the Word because there is nothing visible or corporeal in the substance of his nature, or because the Father created all things through him. The complete knowledge of whose nature, as he said above, is known only to himself and the Father. For the peace of God surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4), that is, the peace by which God himself is at peace transcends all the understanding of creatures, whether human or even angelic. For his wisdom is without number. What is said: And no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him (Matt. 11), refers to the manner of the creature.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 253] Origen of Alexandria on Revelation 19:14
All the hosts of heaven follow this Word of God. They follow the Word who leads them and imitate him in all things, especially in having mounted white horses like him, for all things are open to those who understand. And just as “pain and grief and groaning fled” at the end of things, so, I think, obscurity and dismay fled when all the mysteries of God’s wisdom burst forth with precision and clarity. And consider the white horses of those who follow the Word, clothed in “pure white linen.” [What does this mean] unless the linen garments, since linen comes from the earth, are types of the languages on earth in which the sounds have been clothed, which indicate the realities in a pure manner?

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.62-63
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:14
In heaven the churches, as though “with unveiled face beholding the glory of God,” all being pure in heart and made whiter than snow by grace, are said to follow Christ.… They always go forward on white horses, that is, with pure bodies and minds, following the footsteps of Christ, who is going before and to whom it is said in the Song of Songs, “We run after you for the aroma of your ointments.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:14
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:14
We interpret the armies of heaven to be the bride herself, who above was said to be prepared for the marriage of the Lamb. When it says that they were “on white horses,” it is speaking either of the purity of faith, or it is alluding to the members of our bodies made new through the resurrection. [The fine linen] is the righteous works of the saints.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:14
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:14
[The heavenly armies] signify the heavenly orders that are resplendent with the excellence of their nature, with the sublimity of their thoughts and with the brightness of their virtues and their intimate union with God.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:14
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:14
And the armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. That is, the Church in pure bodies imitates him, which, because of the struggle of its contest, rightly receives the name of army.

Clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Which he previously explained to be the righteous acts of the saints, as the Psalmist says: Let your priests be clothed with righteousness (Psalm 132).

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 220] Tertullian on Revelation 19:15
Who will ply the sword without practising the contraries to lenity and justice; that is, guile, and asperity, and injustice, proper (of course) to the business of battles? See we, then, whether that which has another action be not another sword,-that is, the Divine word of God, doubly sharpened with the two Testaments of the ancient law and the new law; sharpened by the equity of its own wisdom; rendering to each one according to his own action.

Source: An Answer to the Jews
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Revelation 19:15
The two-edged sharp sword is the power of Christ by which the righteous are defended and the unrighteous are punished. The rod of iron is the righteousness of God by which the humble are instructed but the proud are broken to pieces as though they were a clay pot.… He treads [the winepress of God’s wrath] even now, when he permits the evil to persecute the good and leaves them to their own desires. However, later he will seek repayment, when he sends those into Gehenna who have not repented.

Source: EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:15, HOMILY 17
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:15
The sharp sword symbolizes either the two Testaments or what we read concerning wisdom, “She carries law and kindness on her tongue,” namely, judgment and mercy. On the other hand, the rod of iron symbolizes the unbending standard of justice.… As the action of threshing separates the wheat from the chaff so that it is stored in the barn, so also the weight of the pressure of the winepress purifies the wine as it is separated from the grape skins or the oil from the dregs. The prophet referred to this when he said, “He dug out a wine vat in her.” This occurs in the church when persecution arises or some other kind of calamity happens. Then, some like dregs will run down by an irremediable fall, while others will shine more brightly by their faith which now is tested.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:15
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:15
The sharp sword that issues from his mouth is the authority of the law and the severity of the judge. It remains sharp for justice, so that he might separate all things and reckon the deeds of every person. Then it says, “so that he might smite the nations with [the sword].” To smite means to strike, to determine, to free, to damn, to justify, to rescue, to save.… The rod of iron is the discipline of power by which he will make right all nations, equally changing them and judging them.… The wine press is hell, and the wine is the judgment by which those are restrained and subdued upon whom the righteous anger of God will have come.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:15-16
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:15
And from his mouth proceeds a sharp sword. Thus Isaiah says: And he made my mouth like a sharp sword (Isa. 49). And the Apostle: And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6).

And he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. He treads now also, until he treads it outside the city.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Revelation 19:16
This is a name that the proud do not know. For by serving [Christ], the church reigns in Christ, and she is lord of lords, that is, she conquers vices and sins.

Source: EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE 19:16, HOMILY 17
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:16
[The name is inscribed] on his robe, that is, on the church with which Christ is clothed and which, according to the apostle, “he cleansed by the washing of water with the word, that he might present to himself a church glorious, without spot or wrinkle.” He cleansed the robe that it might have no spot, and he stretched it that it might have no wrinkle. The thigh symbolizes the posterity of his offspring, by which all nations will be blessed, according to the apostle who teaches, “It does not say, ‘and to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘and to your offspring,’ which is Christ.” As though to a dead brother, according to ancient custom, the same apostle raises offspring spiritually, saying, “Lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name,” since he says that from Jerusalem as far as Illyricum he has done all things for the gospel, so that he might truthfully say to the Gentiles, “I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” Therefore, on this thigh, as though on children, the knowledge of Christ is written “not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts,” which confess him to be the King of kings and the Lord of all lords.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:16
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:16
Christ is the basis and the foundation on which Paul builds as an architect. Christ is the good Shepherd “who gives his life for the sheep.” Christ is the head of every dominion and power. He is himself the head of the church, wherefore it is said, “the head of man is Christ,” because he is the head of the church. He is the father, because by him through baptism all the nations of the earth are born again. His thigh, on which his name is written, are the believers whom the Son of God, that is, Christ, has willed to name “sons” through the adoption of faith. His robe is the assumed man, and because there is one person of two substances, we recognize his divinity in his robe, that is, in the sacrament of the Lord’s body. Upon the vestment of his body it is said that his name was written, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” Indeed, it is written on his thigh, because all who are called “sons” through faith witness with an unswerving confession that he is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:15-16
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:16
This name reveals the unity of the divine incarnation. For in this unity he who is God suffered in the flesh, and although man, he is King of kings and Lord of lords. Those who have ruled the passions and in cooperation with Christ have possessed the authority and power over sin shall also rule with him in the coming age.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:16
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:16
And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords. This is the name that none of the proud know. But it is inscribed on the Church not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, on the tablets of the heart (2 Cor. 3). For the thigh signifies the progeny of the seed. Hence, Abraham used his thigh as a third witness between himself and his servant to ensure his progeny would not intermix with foreigners. About this, the Apostle, like raising seed to a deceased brother, says: For in Christ Jesus, I have begotten you through the Gospel (1 Cor. 4). It can also be understood that the Church reigns in Christ through service, and dominates the rulers. The same name is written on the garment because the majesty and kingdom are revealed to us through the mystery of his birth and the work of his passion. He explains in the following what this garment and the king’s army signify, namely the labor of the last battle and the glory of the ensuing kingdom.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Revelation 19:17-18
We know that this in fact happens in the church. For when all nations are incorporated in the church, they are spiritually devoured. Indeed, those who have been devoured by the devil become the body of the devil, while those who have been received by the church are made to be members of Christ.

Source: EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:17-18, HOMILY 17
[AD 542] Caesarius of Arles on Revelation 19:17
[The angel in the sun] is the preaching that takes place in the church.… Depending on the context, we interpret birds or beasts to represent the good or the wicked. For example, “The wild beast will bless me,” or, “The Lion from the tribe of Judah.” In the present passage the birds flying in mid-heaven are the churches that, being considered as one body, it had said was an eagle flying in mid-heaven.

Source: EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:18, HOMILY 17
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:17
The angel refers to the church in her preaching. Rightly it adds “one,” for “my dove is only one.” In this manner the mystery of unity is preserved. [The angel] is “in the sun,” where it may be already brightly visible and not further hidden because of fear. “And with a loud voice it called out.” In the loud voice we recognize the liberty of a great trust.… In some contexts birds are interpreted by the qualities of evil birds, in other contexts they are interpreted by the qualities of good birds. As earlier the form of an eagle in flight was mentioned, so in this passage those who are spiritual are invited to the feast. Peter, who bore the image of the present church, was told of this feast when it was said to him, “Kill and eat.” Since they kill what they had been so that they might become what he is, that is, faithful, they are transformed into the body of the church, and having been planted with the members of the Christ, they reign with them. For whatever we eat, we bring over into our body.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:17
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:17
He saw an angel standing upon the sun. The sun upon which this angel is standing is the Faith of the catholic church. Concerning this angel also Daniel spoke as follows: “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who stands before the sons of your people.” For just as then this holy archangel stood in the sight of God on behalf of the sons of the ancient people, so now he unceasingly intervenes for the people of the whole catholic church. “And there shall be a time, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time.” In the Revelation the holy John says that in that time the birds of the earth shall gather to consume the bodies of the impious.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:17-18
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:17-18
That will of God is to be regarded as foremost which is called both his “good pleasure” and the supper most desired by him, namely, that “people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” and that they turn and live. But second, it is his will that those who have trusted in themselves suffer punishment. Therefore, Christ said that his food was the will of the Father. In this passage he calls this the “supper of God,” since each of those who are present desired through their works either the supper of the kingdom or the supper of torment. Through the eating of flesh it indicates the destruction of everything fleshly and the end of kings and rulers on the earth. It mentions horses, not because they will rise again, but through them it signifies either the excessive desire for women or those who have submitted to evil, or perhaps both. In the riders it symbolizes those who are especially wicked. A little further on it further clarifies, saying, “both free and slave, both great and small.” By the free and great it refers to those who sinned freely and willingly, and by the slave and small it indicates those who transgressed in a lesser manner, either because of their intent or because of their age or because of weakness.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:17-18
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:17
We think that this angel is one of the highest of the angels and exhorts the others to rejoice over the punishment of the sinners and the cessation of sin. He has called the angels “birds” due to the exalted and sublime nature that they have in comparison with ours. In imitation of Christ, their food is the fulfilling of the divine will. They are “in mid-heaven” so that they might share their ascent and joy, just mentioned, with those people who are similar to the angels. For through their mediation there is a way up from the things below, and through them the saints “are caught up to meet the Lord.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:17
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:17-18
And I saw an angel standing in the sun, etc. That is, the proclamation in the Church, which the more it is oppressed, the more it shines clearly and resounds more freely.

Saying to all the birds, etc. He calls the saints birds, living in the life of heaven: Wherever the corpse is, there the eagles will gather (Matt. 24). Bringing them together into one body, he referred to them as an eagle flying in mid-heaven.

Come, gather for the great supper of God, etc. Come, he says, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt. 5), to the feast of the coming kingdom, where, with the fury of the proud subdued, you may be satisfied with the light of divine justice.

And the flesh of horses and those who sit on them. I think these are the riders he described as coming against the white horse of the Lord during the opening of the seals.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 990] Oecumenius on Revelation 19:17-21
I think that this holy angel who is now spoken of is a herald of the army of the divine battle-order, and that a charge has been sounded to all the holy angels in heaven, whom he figuratively calls birds because they are on high and traverse the air, to take part in the killing of the enemies. Of course, even a single angel was not incapable of destroying the whole battle-order of the enemies, as an angel clearly showed when in one night he struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand of the Assyrians. But [all the angels are given the charge] so that all may become sharers in the rejoicing over the enemy. For I think that they, too, are saying with the prophet, “Have I not hated them that hate you, Lord, and do I not pine away over your enemies? I hated them with a perfect hatred; they have become my enemies.”

When the charge was sounded to the angels flying in midheaven, he himself stood in mid-heaven and made proclamation. The sun is firmly fixed in the middle of the seven planets, with three above it and three below it.

It either means this, or that the proclamation was being made in the light as though in the Spirit, and that he was speaking of the result of the coming slaughter. The Spirit is a spiritual light, as the prophet teaches, when referring to God and the Father, saying, “In your light we shall see light,” that is, “We shall see the Son in the Spirit.”

He says, that you may eat the flesh of kings: he calls the joy over the death of the enemies the food of those whom he mentions. In a similar way the Lord, too, talks of joy when he says to his disciples and apostles, “I have food to eat which you do not know,” describing in this way the gladness of those who are going to believe.

The Devil and the Antichrist, whom he calls a false prophet of the beastly Devil, together with the kings who marched with them, made war against the Lord and his divine angels, but they were defeated more quickly than a word. What do the divine Scriptures say about them? Isaiah says, “Let the impious one be done away with, that he may not see the glory of the Lord,” meaning his sudden destruction; and the apostle says, “whom the Lord will destroy with the breath of his mouth.” What could be quicker than breathing and blowing against the enemies?

He says, The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire, and the rest were slain by the sword: what an excellent display of justice! He did not consider the guilty protagonists of the war and their associates to deserve the same punishment. The two, that is, the Devil and the Antichrist, were condemned to the fire, in which they will remain alive forever, for this is symbolized by their being thrown into the fire alive. But the rest were put to death by the sword. To be punished by the sword is certainly far quicker than by fire.

Once he has started to mention the kind of punishment that the Devil will suffer, to maintain the continuity of the account he goes on to describe what [the Devil] has suffered from the incarnation of the Lord.

Source: Commentary on the Apocalypse
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:19
If you compare the words of the blessed Daniel, you will find one and the same thing. “He will come with a great multitude so that he might exterminate and destroy many.” However, in the Revelation it is said that, when the kings of the earth and their armies are gathered together, they will war against him who sits on the horse, that is, against Jesus Christ, and against his army, that is, against all saints who follow him.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:19
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:19
It speaks of the armies allied with the devil in the plural, because of the many forms of their sin and their divisions and various opinions. [By contrast], it speaks of the angelic powers and of those persons like the angels who follow Christ in the singular as an army, because of the unity of their mind and their will which is well-pleasing to the divine Word.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:19
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:19
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth ... to make war, etc. He explains how that supper of God is prepared, namely by the devil attacking the Church but being defeated.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 202] Irenaeus on Revelation 19:20
For when he (Antichrist) is come, and of his own accord concentrates in his own person the apostasy, and accomplishes whatever he shall do according to his own will and choice, sitting also in the temple of God, so that his dupes may adore him as the Christ; wherefore also shall he deservedly "be cast into the lake of fire: "

Source: Against Heresies Book V
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:20
And Daniel says, “No one will help him.” When the Lord fights against him, no one is able to bring assistance to him.… [The two thrown into the fire were] the devil, the leader of every evil being, and that one who is most wicked, who is called the antichrist.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:20
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:20
Although these, together with the kings and rulers who trusted them, arrayed themselves against Christ the Savior, both the antichrist and the false prophet, who by signs and wonders made the rogue acceptable, are bested and overcome by the divine wrath.… Perhaps these will not die that death that is common to all, but in the twinkling of an eye will be made immortal by being condemned to the second death of the lake of fire, just as the apostle spoke of others who “will not sleep but will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” These [mentioned by Paul] will rightly go to judgment. But the two mentioned in this passage, being wicked and against God, will not go to judgment but to condemnation. And although some do not hold this opinion, we base ourselves on the saying of the apostle that the antichrist will be destroyed by the spirit of the command of God40 and on one of our teachers who said that some will be found living after the destruction of the antichrist. We affirm that those living are those blessed by Daniel, but that after the destruction of their power these two will be handed over with their incorruptible bodies to the fire of Gehenna. This will be their death and destruction by the divine command of Christ.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:20
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:20
The two were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur, etc. This seems to indicate that the devil and the Antichrist will be punished with a greater penalty than other humans or demons, as it is much more severe to be burned alive in sulfurous flames than to be quickly killed by the blow of a sword. Unless it signifies the divine retribution already being preempted against them. For he who does not believe is already judged (John 3). Whether you understand the Antichrist as the false prophet or heretics, no mortal sins more grievously than heretics, who, after knowing Christ, deny Him.

Source: Commentary on Revelation
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:21
“The beast was captured and with him the false prophet.” This refers to the devil and the antichrist or the leaders and their entire following.… There are two, the head and the body, the devil and his society … which shall continue until the end of time. “The rest were slain by the sword … which issues from his mouth.” It divides the one body into parts, wishing to show both those who have been dead a long time and those whom Christ will find living at his second coming, as we read, “whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the brightness of his coming.”

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:20-21
[AD 560] Primasius of Hadrumetum on Revelation 19:21
“And all the birds were gorged with their flesh.” We ought not think of this in a carnal manner so that we believe that the saints, who seek higher things, are sated on the flesh of the impious. Rather, when the equity of the divine judgment has been revealed, through which [God] will determine the full number of the elect and so decree that the others are to be damned, [the saints] are said to be sated with the knowledge of that righteousness after which they hungered and thirsted in this life but were unable to comprehend perfectly. For even Isaiah said of the impious, “And they shall be a complete spectacle to all flesh.” I think it is the satiety of the birds that is mentioned in this passage. Also the apostle admits that he has not yet understood perfectly when he says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on so that I might understand because I have been known by Christ.” And so, they shall not rejoice at the damnation of the wicked, but sated by the light of the divine righteousness, they will at that time rejoice. One might interpret the birds in a negative way and regard them as the transgressing angels. Having led their followers into destruction, these angels are said to have fulfilled their evil desire and to be filled on the flesh of the lost. Thus, they acquire their satiety from the damnation of those to whom they had offered themselves as guides to error.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:21
[AD 600] Apringius of Beja on Revelation 19:21
All who have believed [the beast] will be killed by the judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the breath of his mouth, and their flesh will be put out for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth.

Source: TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:21
[AD 614] Andreas of Caesarea on Revelation 19:21
There are two deaths, the first that of the separation of the soul and body, and the second that of being sent to Gehenna. Concerning those who ally themselves with the antichrist, there is reason to think that they will suffer the first death, that of the flesh, by the sword of God, that is, by his command, and that then the second death will follow. However, should this not be the case, then they will share with those who deceived them the second death, that of eternal torment. The birds are gorged on their flesh. To this we might add, that just as God spoke to some through Isaiah, “You have become loathsome to me,” so every fleshly deed is tiresome, grievous and loathsome to the saints.

Source: COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:21
[AD 735] Bede on Revelation 19:21
And all the birds were filled with their flesh. If now the righteous will rejoice when they see the vengeance of the wicked, how much more will they then, when present with the judge himself, become one spirit with Him. However, the birds can also be understood as unclean spirits, who will be satiated with the destruction of their own. Tyconius explains this supper as follows: “At all times, the Church eats the flesh of its enemies, while it is being eaten by them; it will be satiated in the resurrection, being vindicated from their carnal work.”

Source: Commentary on Revelation