The Apocalypse of St. John by Rev. E. Sylvester Berry [1921]

[Stone]

THE PROLOGUE


Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecy; and keepeth those things which are written in it. APOCALYPSE iv : i.

CHAPTER I

1. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to make known to his servants the things which must shortly come to pass and signified, sending by his angel to his servant John,

2. who hath given testimony to the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, what things soever he hath seen. 

3. Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecy: and keepeth those things which are written in it. For the time is at hand.


1. The revelation (Apocalypse) of Jesus Christ. The Greek word apocalypse signifies a revelation; a making known. It also means the revealing of one s self, a coming. Both meanings are appropriate here. It is a revelation which Christ has made concerning His Coming in power and majesty. It is also a prophecy of events leading up to this second coming. 

These things must shortly come to pass. They comprise the whole history of the Church from the time of Christ until the end of the world. Hence their accomplishment was already beginning in the days of St. John. 

This revelation has been confided to Jesus Christ by God the Father. Christ in turn sends an angel to impart it to His servant John. Angels are the natural intermediaries between God and man. 

They often fulfilled this mission before the time of Christ. Today their ministry is less needed for this purpose since we have the unerring Church of Christ as our teacher and guide in all things pertaining to salvation.

2. By writing these revelations St. John has given testimony to God and to Jesus Christ. Testimony may be given by word or by works, especially by
martyrdom. St. John here gives testimony by written word.

3. Whoever reads this book, opens his heart to its teachings, and conforms his life to its precepts is worthy of eternal happiness. Let no one say that the book was written for future ages only. It is already being fulfilled and every Christian should find therein a rule of life suited to the circumstances in which God has placed him.


4. John to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace be to you and peace from him that is, and that was, and that is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne. 

5. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,6, and hath made us a kingdom and priests to God and his Father, to him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen.

7. Behold he cometh with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also that pierced him. And all tribes of earth shall bewail themselves because of him. Even so. Amen.

8. I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.



4. St. John begins by laying down a rule of conduct for those of his own times. He is an Apostle, and in particular, the Apostle of Asia Minor. Hence he addresses himself to the bishops and churches of that province; yet his words are of universal application. Through the churches of Asia Minor, he addresses all churches through out the world for all time.

Some interpreters take the seven churches as types of seven ages in the Church. Much can be said in favor of this opinion, but it is difficult to
distinguish periods in the Church corresponding to the characteristics of these seven churches as described in the Apocalypse. Thus, for ex ample,
the church of Ephesus, characterized by lack of fervor and zeal, would represent the Apostolic period of the Church. But it cannot be said with
any historical ac curacy that the Church in that age was especially noted for lack of fervor and zeal.

The simpler and, as we believe, the more correct view likens these letters of St. John to many of St. Paul's Epistles which were written to particular churches for particular purposes, but intended by the Holy Ghost to be documents of warning and instruction for all churches and for all times. The universal character is much more evident in these seven letters than in the Epistles of St. Paul. They were not sent as separate letters to the individual churches, but form an integral part of the Apocalypse which was sent to each church as one complete document. In Holy Scripture "seven" is the most sacred of numbers. The seventh day of the week was consecrated to God in a special manner. The Paschal feast lasted seven days. Seven weeks later came the feast of Pentecost when seven lambs were offered in sacrifice. Seven sprinklings of blood were prescribed for sin. In the Holy Place stood the seven-branched candlestick with its seven lights.

In fact the number seven is found on almost every page of Holy Scripture. It is the perfect number, the symbol of perfection, fullness, or universality. It seems to have acquired this meaning from the fact that God completed the work of creation in six days and rested on the seventh which He blessed and sanctified. 1

The Apostle prays for peace and grace; not such peace as the world can give, but peace and grace from God. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I
give unto you; not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. " This peace from heaven is proclaimed upon earth by the seven spirits who stand before
the throne of God. Three of them are known by name. They are the Archangels Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael. St. Raphael said: "I am the Angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord." He was sent with a message of peace to Tobias of old.1 St. Gabriel announced peace to Daniel, to the Priest Zacharias, and to the Blessed Virgin.4 St. Michael, the special protector of the Jewish nation,5 now guards the Church against her enemies that she too, may enjoy the peace that comes from God.


5. The. seven spirits also represent the ministers of the Church who preach the Gospel of peace and grace to all nations. Jesus Christ, their Master, is the Prince of Peace, and becomes for us the source of all grace through the merits of His life, death and resurrection. All earthly kings and rulers must accept His law and govern according to His precepts because He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

Through the infinite love of Jesus Christ we have been redeemed and cleansed from sin by His Blood. "Having loved his own who were in the
world, he loved them unto the end."1 "And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin."


6. Christ has established the Church as His kingdom upon earth with the bishops and priests as its teachers and rulers. Hence St. John says to the bishops, his co- laborers in the Church: We have been made kings and co-heirs of His kingdom; we have been chosen priests to render glory to His
eternal Father. To Christ also belongs equal honor through all ages because he is God, equal to the Father in all things.

Those to whom St. John writes are priests and rulers in the Church. This proves that St, John does not write directly to the different churches but to
their bishops. Hence the words of praise or reproof written to the "angels" are personal warnings to the bishops and through them to the churches.

7. Looking down the vista of ages, St. John sees our Lord coming in clouds of glory to judge the living and the dead. With the prophets of old,
clouds were ever symbols of divine majesty. It is worthy of note that the Apocalypse is literally filled with striking expressions of St. John s faith
in the divinity of Christ. This is proof sufficient that this dogma of Faith was not invented after the time of the Apostles as rationalists would have us believe.

At His second corning Christ will be manifest to all; even those who put Him to death on the cross shall behold His power and majesty. Then will all nations mourn be cause of the judgment that awaits them. The last words of this verse express the certainty that these things must come to pass. They are also a prayer: "So let it be. Amen."


8. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and omega the last. Hence Christ calls Himself "alpha and omega, the beginning and the end."


(1) Genesis ii, 1-3.
(2) St. John xiv, 27.
(3) Tobias xii. 15.
(4) Daniel ix, 21; St. Luke i, 19-5
(5) Daniel xii, 1.
(6) Apocalypse xii, 7.
(7) St. John xiii, 1.
(8) 1 John i, 7.
(9) See above, page G.