St. Bede's Commentary on the Apocalypse

LivingWordUnity · Aug 28, 2015

explanation-apocalypse-venerable-bede-paperback-cover-art.jpg

"When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale; the sky vanished like a scroll that is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place." - Revelation 6:12-14

Excerpts from St. Bede's commentary:

"sun. This is, as if the power of Christ were hidden, or His doctrine temporarily obscured, or covered by a veil, when the servants of Antichrist are brought to attack the servants of Christ."

"heaven. As a scroll rolled up contains indeed mysteries within, while there is no appearance of them without, so will it be with the Church. At that time, known only to her own, she will prudently avoid persecution in retirement, that by such concealment she may remain unperceived by those without."

"mountain. He speaks of the members of the Church, as differing according to the character of their offices or powers, and foretells, that no one will be without his share in this whirlwind. But the movement caused by it will be dissimilar, for in the good it will be one of precaution by flight, but in the bad, of giving way by compliance."

LivingWordUnity · Aug 28, 2015

Here's an EWTN article on St. Bede:

SAINT BEDE CONFESSOR, DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH—735 A.D.
Feast: May 27

Almost all that is known of the life of Bede is derived from a touching description of his death written by a disciple, the monk Cuthbert, and a short factual account in the final chapter of his famous work, the <Ecclesiastical History of England>, from which we quote: "Thus much of the ecclesiastical history of Britain and especially of the English nation, have I, Bede, a servant of Christ and priest of the monastery of the Blessed Apostles, Peter and Paul, which is at Wearmouth and Jarrow, with the Lord's help composed as far as I could gather it, either from ancient documents or from traditions of the elders or from my own knowledge."
Bede was born on the lands of the monastery of Wearmouth and Jarrow, which stood on the River Tyne in northeastern England. At the age of seven he was given by his relatives to the Abbot Benedict to be educated. From that time he spent his whole life in the monastery devoting himself to the study of the Scriptures. He was a born scholar.

"Through all the observance of monastic discipline," Bede wrote, "it has ever been my delight to learn and teach and write." In his nineteenth year he was admitted to the diaconate and in his thirtieth to the priesthood, both by the hands of Bishop John of Beverley and at the bidding of the Abbot Ceolfrid. "From the time of my ordination up till my present fifty-ninth year I have endeavored for my own use and for that of the brethren to make brief notes upon the Holy Scriptures, either out of the works of the venerable fathers or in conformity with their meaning and interpretation." Bede then gives a list of his many writings,—works on science, chronology, poetics, and history, as well as commentaries on the Scriptures. He concludes with these pious words: "And I pray Thee, loving Jesus, that as Thou hast graciously given me to drink in with delight the words of Thy knowledge, so Thou wouldst mercifully grant me to attain one day to Thee, the fountain of all wisdom, and to appear forever before Thy face."

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LivingWordUnity · Aug 28, 2015

"And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If any one worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also shall drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb." - Rev 14:9-10

Excerpt from St. Bede's commentary:

"mark. By saying, 'on his forehead, or on his hand,' he shews that the devil marks some by an unholy profession [publicly declared belief], but others by practice alone."

Michie · Aug 28, 2015

Interesting! Thanks. I'll read it in detail later today.

pdudgeon · Aug 28, 2015

it was a good read! thanks for the link. :oldthumbsup:

LivingWordUnity · Aug 28, 2015

pdudgeon said:
it was a good read! thanks for the link.

The online book doesn't have every chapter. So it's well worth it to get the book. I got mine for real cheap on Amazon for around $8, and it's one of my most valued books.

Here's the ISBN for finding it on Amazon or someplace else:

ISBN 9781500524357

By the way, I changed the link in my previous posts to have it go to the table of contents of St. Bede's commentary rather than to a specific chapter to make it easier to view more of the online book.

Rhamiel · Aug 28, 2015

WOW!

thank you for posting this!

I have been looking for something like this
a real commentary on the Revelation of St.John

protestants want to make it all about micro-chips and nuclear bombs
and many modernist catholics want to make it all about stuff that took place in the first century

the book is about the end of the world
but it is mostly about spiritual issues

here is another thing to keep in mind about the idea of the mark of the Beast being on the hand and forehead
when a baby is baptized, the sign of the cross is made on the forehead and hands
so the Beast putting his mark in those places goes to the idea that the devil is the "ape of God"
Satan perverts, twists, mocks the things of God, because Satan has no creativity of his own, he has nothing original, he can only make things worse, he can not really make anything "new"

LivingWordUnity · Aug 28, 2015

Behind the forehead is the brain—where we do our thinking and where we hold our opinions. So an example of having the mark of the beast on the forehead rather than on the hand is when people who haven't had an abortion or who aren't homosexual will nevertheless publicly declare their support for legalized abortion and so-called "same-sex marriage."

"For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; their tails are like serpents, with heads, and by means of them they wound." - Rev 9:19

St. Bede's commentary:

"tails. That is, in their speech and office. For 'the prophet that teacheth a lie, he is the tail,' for he conceals a part which is in a manner hidden and unclean by the volubility of a flattering tongue, saying to the ungodly, 'Thou art good.'"

"serpents. For the false teachers of the old serpent who deceived man, like those who are supported by the protection of princes, hurt more than if they persuaded by words alone. 'He sitteth,' he says, 'lying in wait with the rich.'"

LivingWordUnity · Aug 28, 2015

I like how St. Bede gives us a verse by verse walk-through of the Apocalypse from the beginning to the end.

Michie · Aug 28, 2015

I'm going to look into getting that book.

Rhamiel · Aug 28, 2015

i went to barns and nobles

they said it would be $22
I can not really afford that right now

Rhamiel · Aug 28, 2015

I found what appears to be a more complete collection of St. Bedes work online

http://www.apocalyptic-theories.com/theories/bede/bede.html

LivingWordUnity · Aug 29, 2015

Rhamiel said:
i went to barns and nobles

they said it would be $22
I can not really afford that right now

It's only $7.42 on Amazon for a new one. However, you would have to spend at least $35 (of items that say “FREE Shipping”) to qualify for free shipping unless you have Amazon prime. Whenever you can afford it, I recommend the version that I have which is by Veritatis Splendor Publications and can be found by searching with ISBN 9781500524357.

There is also the Works of the Venerable Bede (in 3 vols.) here:
https://www.logos.com/product/6598/works-of-the-venerable-bede
.

Rhamiel · Aug 31, 2015

here is how St. Bede explains the meaning of the Star Wormwood in Chapter 8

Heretics, who are called by the Apostle Jude, "stars of seduction," fall from the height of the Church, and by the flame of their own wickedness they endeavour to corrupt the fountains of the divine Scripture, not the sense of which alone, but also the words, they dare to falsify. These are worthy of the name of Wormwood, for a sligth admixture of it is wont to make bitter much sweetness.

LivingWordUnity · Aug 31, 2015

St. Bede's commentary on Revelation 18:3:

"rich. He calls those rich in sins, who by an infelicitous traffic exchange their souls for temporal abundance. For excess of luxuries makes poor instead of rich."

pdudgeon · Aug 31, 2015

Rhamiel said:
here is how St. Bede explains the meaning of the Star Wormwood in Chapter 8

Heretics, who are called by the Apostle Jude, "stars of seduction," fall from the height of the Church, and by the flame of their own wickedness they endeavour to corrupt the fountains of the divine Scripture, not the sense of which alone, but also the words, they dare to falsify. These are worthy of the name of Wormwood, for a sligth admixture of it is wont to make bitter much sweetness.

I like that phraseology--'stars of seduction'. How very apt a description of heretics that is!

LivingWordUnity · Aug 31, 2015

St. Bede's commentary on Revelation 9:7:

"horses. That is, they are like the last persecutors. For in the last war which he is to describe under the next angel, he says that horses fight; or simply, as horses are urged to battle, not by any reason of their own, but by the impulse of the rider; so evil teachers, urged by a demoniacal spirit, attack the Church."

"crowns. The twenty-four angels, who are the Church, have crowns of gold. But these have crowns like gold, as pretending to false triumphs from an empty victory."

"faces. In the human face he represents a pretence of reason; in the hair of women, lax and effeminate manners; in the teeth of lions, which are wont to tear in pieces, and which bring with them a natural stench, ferocity of mind and the infamy of evil doctrine; and in breastplates of iron, hearts which are hardened against the truth. For 'these having a form of godliness, but denying its power,' 'come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.'"

Michie · Aug 31, 2015

What is the Church's view on this Saint's writings on the subject?

pdudgeon · Aug 31, 2015

LivingWordUnity said:
St. Bede's commentary on Revelation 18:3:

"rich. He calls those rich in sins, who by an infelicitous traffic exchange their souls for temporal abundance. For excess of luxuries makes poor instead of rich."

another wonderful, multi-layered description!

LivingWordUnity · Aug 31, 2015

Michie said:
What is the Church's view on this Saint's writings on the subject?

The Catholic encyclopedia says that it is authentic. And since St. Bede is quoted by Popes and is honored by the Church it's reasonable to assume that the Church considers his writing on the subject to have considerable weight.

St. Bede's Commentary on the Apocalypse

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