Fathers

Revelation 4

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After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

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What the Fathers say

Revelation 4:3

Eastern Fathers

Oecumenius

And a spirit above Him resembling jasper and carnelian. God is not like these things; away with that thought [ἄπαγε]. He is unlike any of the things perceived by the senses, neither having a body at all, invisible, spiritual, and without form. The invisible God is like that of the Seraphim, revealing their unseen nature, cover their faces with their wings (Is. 6:2). And to Moses, God spoke, saying: "No one shall see my face and live." (Ex. 33:20) But even the evangelist states decisively: "No one has ever seen God." (Jn. …

Commentary on Revelation ↗

Dionysius bar Salibi

Stone of jasper—jasper or onyx, i.e., like white lead is his likeness. And of carnelian—He is of red color like fire. Of emerald—The color of emerald is like beet. Sea of glass like crystal—of ice. Twenty-four elders—They are of the order of Thrones. And four living creatures—order of Cherubim. And those having six wings are Seraphim; but in the Apocalypse he says the Cherubim have six wings and they exclaim: "Holy!" For by the church above the Son of Thunder is illuminated with this revelation. …

Commentary On The Apocalypse 4:3-6 ↗

Western Saints

Bede

And a rainbow was around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. The rainbow, which is made by the sun shining on clouds, and after the flood was first made a sign of propitiation, by the intercession of the saints whom the Lord illuminates, signifies the Church being fortified. They are well compared to the emerald stone of great greenness; for as they expect an imperishable inheritance with perfect faith, they also powerfully protect others by praying.

Commentary on Revelation ↗

Alcuin of York

And he that sat, was to the sight like the jasper and the sardine stone. By the jasper, which is green, are represented the green pastures of the paradise; and what are those pastures but Christ's divinity, in which all things live? As the same John said, He that hath the Son, hath life. [1 John 5:12] By the sardine stone, which has a resemblance to red earth, is represented our Redeemer's humanity, because truth is sprung out of the earth. [Ps. 84:12] The species of these stones may also represent the Church. …

Commentary On Revelation ↗

Victorinus of Pettau

"And He that sate upon the throne was, to look upon, like a jasper and a sardine stone." Upon the throne he says that he saw the likeness of a jasper and a sardine stone. The jasper is of the colour of water, the sardine of fire. These two are thence manifested to be placed as judgments upon God's tribunal until the consummation of the world, of which judgments one is already completed in the deluge of water, and the other shall be completed by fire. …

Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John ↗