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VRSZ
This sets the art on your cards and whose commentary you read on each verse. You can change it later in settings.
Translation
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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
Oecumenius
The seven spirits are seven angels; not as equals or coeternal, associated with the Holy Trinity, but as genuine ministers and faithful servants. For the prophet says to God, "For all things are your servants." (Ps. 118:91) And among all, the angels are included. And again, he says concerning them: Bless the Lord, all his powers, his ministers doing his will. (Ps. …
Dionysius bar Salibi
John to the seven churches, which are in Asia—By churches, he indicates cities and calls them churches because of the excellence of the elect who were in them. He says seven, because the number seven was in high esteem among the Hebrews in the Scriptures. And there are seven gifts of one Spirit descending on one Church. From him who is and who was—This indicates that the book is John the Apostle's; for thus he writes in the Gospel: In the beginning was the Word, etc. By the words who is, he indicates God. …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
"For the barren," she says, "hath born seven, and she that hath many children is waxed feeble." Here all that had been prophesied hath shone forth to those who understood the number seven, which signifies the perfection of the universal Church, For which reason also the Apostle John writes to the seven churches, showing in that way that he writes to the totality of the one Church; and in the Proverbs of Solomon it is said aforetime, prefiguring this, "Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath strengthened her seven pillars." For the …
Bede
Grace to you, etc. He wishes us grace and peace from the eternal God the Father, and from the sevenfold Spirit, and from Jesus Christ, who in the assumed man bore witness to the Father. He names the Son third, of whom he was going to speak more. He names him last as well, because he is the first and the last, since he had already named him in the Father by saying, who is to come.
Alcuin of York
John to the seven churches which are in Asia. By the number seven is represented the universal Church, because of the seven gifts of him who has filled the earth. Hence Elisha made the child upon whom he lay gape seven times, [2 Kings 4:32 et seq.] because the people that died from unfaithfulness is brought back to life by the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. …
Translation