Fathers

Revelation 5

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I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals. I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?” No one in heaven above, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book or to look in it. Then I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look in it. One of the elders said to me, “Don’t weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome: he who opens the book and its seven seals.” I saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. Then he came, and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation, and made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on the earth.” I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!” I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!” The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the elders fell down and worshiped.

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What the Fathers say

Revelation 5:1

Eastern Fathers

Oecumenius

The divine Scripture of God explains in detail to us about a certain scroll [βίβλον] in which all people happen to be written, perhaps metaphorically calling the record of our memory before God a "scroll", except that the prophet calls it a small scroll [βιβλίον] saying, "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and upon your small scroll all will be written." (Ps. …

Commentary on Revelation ↗

Cyprian

That Christ was to be born of the seed of David, according to the flesh. In the second of Kings: "And the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shall not build me an house to dwell in; but it shall come to pass, when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shall sleep with thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee who shall come from thy loins, and I will establish His kingdom. …

Treatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews ↗

Dionysius bar Salibi

A book written within and without, sealed with seven seals—For truly, too, unknown to the Jews were the secrets of the prophets; now Christ has opened all things to the believing. For he himself is the perfect seal and the key of David, who opens and no one shuts, just as John says below: Worthy are you to take the book and open its seals—He therefore takes the book and opens it, for what has been said about himself secretly before is now proclaimed openly upon the rooftops. …

Commentary On The Apocalypse 5:1 ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

In the apocalypse a book is shewn sealed with seven seals, [Rev. 5:1] which if you deliver to one that is learned saying, Read this, he will answer you, I cannot, for it is sealed. [Isa. 29:11] How many there are to-day who fancy themselves learned, yet the scriptures are a sealed book to them, and one which they cannot open save through Him who has the key of David, "he that openeth and no man shutteth; and shutteth and no man openeth." [Rev. …

Letter 53.5 ↗

Bede

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written within and on the back. This vision demonstrates to us the mysteries of the Holy Scripture revealed through the Incarnation of the Lord. Its harmonious unity contains the Old Testament as if externally, and the New Testament internally.

Commentary on Revelation ↗

Bonaventure

The First Principle made this sensible world to manifest Himself, namely so that through it, as through a mirror and a vestige, man might be led back to God the Maker, to love and praise Him. And accordingly there is a twofold book: one written within, which is the eternal art and wisdom of God; and another written without, namely the sensible world. …

Breviloquium, Part 2, Chapter 11 ↗