The Holy Scripture - english version B.indd - Sabbat

Pre-Reformation Interpreters.325of the tremendous apostasy which was to set upon the Christian Church. Theywere not prophets, and could not foresee that the Church was to remain nineteencenturies in the wilderness, and to pass through prolonged and bitter persecutionunder a succession of nominally Christian put apostate rulers, filling the placeof the ancient Caesars and emulating their antichristian deeds. Had they knownthese things, we may well believe their views would have completely harmonizedwith those of historic interpreters of later times. The Fathers went as far as theycould go in the direction in which historical interpreters of these last days havetravelled. Further, much that was dark to them in prophecy has become clear totheir successors in the light of its accomplishment. Divine providence has thrownlight, as it could not fail to do, on Divine prediction.We come now, in the second place, very briefly to review the history ofprophetic interpretation in the interval extending between the fall of the westernempire of Rome and the development of the Papal theocracy in the eleventhcentury, under Gregory VII. The interpreters of this period belonged, like theFathers, to the historic school. They interpreted the Apocalypse as a prophecy ofthe whole course of events from the frist advent to the consummation.The following authors living in the interval wrote commentaries on theentire Apocalypse: Primasius, the Venerable Bede, Anspert, Haymo, Andreas,Arethras, and Berengaud.Primasius, who lived in the middle of the sixth century, interpreted the„hundred and forty-four thousand“ sealed persons in the Apocalypse as theChristian Church. He held that antichrist would substiute himself for Christ andblasphemously assume His dignity, and that the seven-hilled city wasRome.The venerable Bede, who lived in the north of England at the close of theseventh century, was an historical interpreter of the Apocalypse. Here is a copyof his commentary. He takes the firstt seal to represent the triumphs of theprimitive Church. He expounds the lamb-like beast of Revelation xiii. asa pseudo-Christian false prophet.Ambrose Anspert wrote a copious commentary on the Apocalypse in themiddle of the eighth century. He expounds the second beast of Revelation xiii. asmeaning the preachers and ministers of antichrist, and teaches that antichrist willbe „pro Christo,“ or in Christ‘s place. It is a remarkable fact that he expounds thegrievous „sore,“ or ulcer, poured out under the first vial, as meaning infidelity.This is the general view at the present day among historical interpreters. Theyconsider the infidelity of the French Revolution to be the fulfilment of this vial.Haymo‘s commentary, written in the ninth century, is for the most partabridged from Anspert.Andreas, who was Bishop of Cæsarea, states definitely that the Apocalypsewas a prophecy of the things to happen from Christ‘s first coming to theconsummation. He interprets the „hundred and forty-four thousand“ as meaningtrue Christians, and antichrist to be a Roman king and „pseudo-Christ,“ or false Christ.Arethras, who wrote in the ninth century, mainly follows Andreas.