1 'Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus and say, "Here is the message of the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who lives among the seven golden lamp-stands: 2 I know your activities, your hard work and your perseverance. Here Scripture itself tells us that the heads referbothto seven mountainsandseven kings, meaning the symbol has multiple fulfillments. Rev 22:16. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it. The principal divisions of the Book of Revelation are the following: Copyright 2019-2023 USCCB, please review our Privacy Policy. Praying for all. We are told that the heads are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come. If five of these kings had fallen in Johns day and one of them was still in existence, then the Whore must have existed in Johns day. Revelation 2:17 The New King James Version (NKJV) 17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Thus, whenever there has been question of defining a doctrine, whether at Nicaea, at Trent, or at the Vatican, the sole point of debate has been as to whether the doctrine is found in Scripture or in Apostolic tradition. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. His arguments are typical of those used by fundamentalist anti-Catholics and are easily proven wrong. Where was that? Two of the most eminent theological writers of the period, Cardinal Franzelin and Cardinal Newman, have on very different lines dealt with the progress and nature of this development. Please support Reasons for Hope* Jesuswith a donation of $5, $10, $20, or more. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! Such literature enjoyed wide popularity in both Jewish and Christian circles from ca. Introduction. The Apocalypse, or Revelation to John, the last book of the Bible, is one of the most difficult to understand because it abounds in unfamiliar and extravagant symbolism, which at best appears unusual to the modern reader. ii). Social sharing is permitted. Could this new name, whether its written on a stone,writtenupon a Christian, or written on Kingdom Jews, be Jesus new name as He spoke of in Revelation 3:12 (My newname). Catholic Online Prayer Candles - light your prayer candle. LIGHTNING SOURCE INC The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCBs) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. Rev 22:2, 14, 19. PaganRome was indeed the hub of world commerce in its day, supported by its maritime trading empire around the Mediterranean, but Christian Rome isnotthe hub of world commerce. The cognitive faculty of any nature is proportionate to its grade in the scale of being. IV. Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. But it's so popular it ranked among the top pages viewed: 2023 All Rights Reserved. Whatever the new name might be or might signify, and for whatever reason only the person who has the new name will know it, what we do know is that it will be a blessing and a gift of grace from our Lord. 10 Do not be afraid of the sufferings that are coming to you. The intelligence of a finite intellect can only penetrate a finite object; it is incapable of comprehending the Infinite. Bernadeane Carr, STL, Censor Librorum, August 10, 2004, IMPRIMATUR: In accord with 1983 CIC 827 During the past century the Church has been called on to reject as erroneous several views of Revelation irreconcilable with Catholic belief. Abraham's Bosom? 14* Yet I have a few things against you. Is Leonard Cohens Hallelujah a Christian Song? . To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. Again, this is NOT biblical fact. NT Prophecy: Revelation 2:17 He who has an ear let him (Rev. He taught, further, that the meaning to be attached to revealed doctrines is undergoing constant change as human knowledge grows and mans mind develops; so that the dogmatic formulae which are now true will gradually cease to be so. Yet Christian Rome and Vatican City did not. {16} And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. It is possible, therefore, that he was a disciple of John the apostle, who is traditionally associated with that part of the world. To the one who is victorious,(B) I will give some of the hidden manna. that reveals all 11 names and Scripture verses of comfort and hope (link will be sent in your confirmation email). This is the enduring message of the book; it is a message of hope and consolation and challenge for all who dare to believe. Revelation 3:6,13,22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. 2:17 "New Name in Glory," by C. Austin Miles (1910) 4-5 In that verse are Jesus' word of promise to overcomers. Apart from the security which Revelation gives they would reject an obligation both irksome and uncertain. 28just as I received authority from my Father. It could even be political, since Jerusalem was the center of political power in Canaan and, under the authority of the Romans, it ruled a considerable amount of territory and less powerful peoples. 3 He took me in spirit to a desert, and there I saw a woman riding a scarlet beast which had seven heads and ten horns and had blasphemous titles written all over it. 7:00 PM-9:00 PM. 16 So repent, or I shall soon come to you and attack these people with the sword out of my mouth. View Flyer. b. Your generosity is both a blessing and encouragement. The defeat of the enemies. 22 Look, I am consigning her to a bed of pain, and all her partners in adultery to great hardship, unless they repent of their practices; 23 and I will see that her children die, so that all the churches realise that it is I who test motives and thoughts and repay you as your deeds deserve. (2) She is connected with the seven-headed Beast from Revelation 13:110. This passage gives us a key rule of Bible interpretation which is often denied by Fundamentalists: A symbol does not have to refer to one and only one thing. . This error likewise was proscribed at the same time (De Fide Cath., cap. Keep your moral standards . * [2:2628] The Christian who perseveres in faith will share in Christs messianic authority (cf. Historically, a number of commentators, both Protestant and Catholic, have adopted this interpretation. Bible Book List. tawny March 8, 2017, 10:19pm #2. This much, however, is certain: symbolic descriptions are not to be taken as literal descriptions, nor is the symbolism meant to be pictured realistically. Ps 78:2425. Jesus speaks with a "sharp two-edged sword," the kind of sword that only comes from God Himself, indicating His Deity ( Eph 6:17; He 4:12 ). On the other hand it explicitly recognizes that there is a legitimate mode of development, and cites to that effect (op. The new namemight also be a symbol of the glory that Jesus has given to those who bear the name. The tone of the letters to the seven churches (Rev 1:43:22) is indicative of the great authority the author enjoyed over the Christian communities in Asia. The perfect agreement of a religious doctrine with the teachings of reason and natural law, its power to satisfy, and more than satisfy, the highest aspirations of man, its beneficent influence both as regards public and private life, provide us with a more trustworthy test. 1. To the one who conquers, I will give some of the hidden manna. One such is found in the beneficent effects of the doctrine and in its power to meet even the highest aspirations which man can frame. Cardinal Newman wrote his Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine in the course of the two years (1843-45) immediately preceding his reception into the Catholic Church. 13I know that you live where Satans throne* is, and yet you hold fast to my name and have not denied your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was martyred among you, where Satan lives. There can be no question as to its necessity, if it be admitted that God destines man to attain a supernatural beatitude which surpasses the exigencies of his natural endowments. * [2:2] Who call themselves,impostors: this refers to unauthorized and perverse missionaries; cf. 'Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. During the last half of the nineteenth century the question of doctrinal development was widely debated. . Rev 3:12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out. They are warned against Satanic power or knowledge (Rev 2:2425). 13:12 with Dan. And the Traditionalists of the nineteenth century (Bautain, Bonnetty, etc.) 12To the angel of the church in Pergamum,* write this: The one with the sharp two-edged sword says this: Moreover, of all the criteria it is the one with regard to which there is most possibility of deception. Owing to Guenthers erroneous teaching that the doctrines of the faith assume a new sense as human science progresses, the Vatican Council declared once for all that the meaning of the Churchs dogmas is immutable (De Fide Cath., cap. When you subscribe to our newsletter, well send you. AUTHOR. 6 It is in your favour, nevertheless, that you loathe as I do the way the Nicolaitans are behaving. 7 Let anyone who can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches: those who prove victorious I will feed from the tree of life set in God's paradise.". Walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands: this signifies that Christ is always present in the church; see note on Rev 1:4. Accusations made by Jewish brethren there occasioned the persecution of Christians; cf. But it admonishes them about members who advocate an unprincipled morality (Rev 2:14; cf. XXII-VI) has principally in view the Hegelian theories of Guenther. The truths revealed may be such as are otherwise inaccessible to the human mindmysteries, which even when revealed, the intellect of man is incapable of fully penetrating. Faith, they admitted, must be presupposed before the miracle can be accepted. Of this, no one will know except himself and the King. * [2:11] The second death: this refers to the eternal death, when sinners will receive their final punishment; cf. The theory is altogether inconsistent with Catholic dogma. Man, Catholic theology teaches, possesses the requisite faculties to discover the natural law. iii). Our mission is to glorify God by equipping, encouraging, and empoweringYOU to understand the Bibleandgrow in faith. Repent, and do the works you did at first. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and glittered with gold and jewels and pearls, and she was holding a gold winecup filled with the disgusting filth of her prostitution; 5 on her forehead was written a name, a cryptic name: 'Babylon the Great, the mother of all the prostitutes and all the filthy practices on the earth.'. (6) She is symbolically known as Babylon. 9:1). The Book of Revelation cannot be adequately understood except against the historical background that occasioned its writing. Acts 20:2930. The tree of life that is in the garden of God: this is a reference to the tree in the primeval paradise (Gn 2:9); cf. It results that a rev-elation even of the natural law is for man in his present state a moral necessity. Catholic Schools: Open Houses & Other Events; Volunteer Opportunities; Liturgy & Worship; Adult: Social, Education, & Spiritual . Again, this is NOT biblical fact. The Book of Revelation had its origin in a time of crisis, but it remains valid and meaningful for Christians of all time. But its force is limited to the individual who is the subject of it. '. Clarke's Commentary. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. It is necessary to look beyond the literal meaning to see that these images mean to convey a sense of Gods wrath at sin in the former case and trust in Gods providential care over the church in the latter. Revelation 2, Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, One of over 125 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary was originally compiled by priest and biblical scholar Rev. Hence the Vatican Council teaches: In order that the obedience of our faith might be agreeable to reason, God has willed that to the internal aids of the Holy Spirit, there should be joined external proofs of His Revelation, viz: Divine works (facia divina), especially miracles and prophecy, which inasmuch as they manifestly display the omnipotence and the omniscience of God are most certain signs of a Divine revelation and are suited to the understanding of all (De Fide Cath., cap. Our mission is to glorify God by equipping, encouraging, and empoweringYOU to understand the Bibleandgrow in faith. Pergamum says, "Trust the Word of God to keep you strong and faithful," (Revelation 2:12-17). Key: Another reason we know that the 144,000 represents all believers, is because the last three verses of this chapter ( Rev 7:15-17) makes it clear that this is a revelation of the Eternal Kingdom of the New Heaven and New Earth, which is described in Rev 21:1-6; Rev 22:1, 17 ), which sees all the redeemed in the Lord's presence. 28 And I will give such a person the Morning Star. . Guest (1881-1959). The essence of Revelation lies in the fact that it is the direct speech of God to man. While the rest of her description could refer to a number of things, the symbolic designation Babylon narrows it down to two: pagan Rome and apostate Jerusalem. They may indeed be a legitimate object for our faith; but that will depend on the evidence in each particular case. 17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The Whore (Jerusalem) would be allied with the Beast (Rome) in persecuting the saints and . It may be said that the overcomers receive the mark of identification or acceptance (the symbolic white stone) now in the present life. The claim of certain Modernist writers that their views on the evolution of dogma were connected with Newmans theory of development is the merest figment. What are The Five Love Languages of God? 18To the angel of the church in Thyatira,* write this: The Son of God, whose eyes are like a fiery flame and whose feet are like polished brass, says this: 2Pt 2:15; Jude 11) and others who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans (Rev 2:15; see note there). The cries for vengeance on the lips of Christian martyrs that sound so harsh are in fact literary devices the author employed to evoke in the reader and hearer a feeling of horror for apostasy and rebellion that will be severely punished by God. (a) The immunity of the alleged revelation from any teaching, speculative or moral, which is manifestly erroneous or self-contradictory, the absence of all fraud on the part of those who deliver it to the world, provide negative internal criteria. DR. ANTLIFF ON "HAPPINESS IN WEDLOCK." This eminent Methodist delivered a lecture on this subject last evening in the Primitive Methodist Church, Edwardes-street, to a very large I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. 12 'Write to the angel of the church in Pergamum and say, "Here is the message of the one who has the sharp sword, double-edged: 13 I know where you live, in the place where Satan is enthroned, and that you still hold firmly to my name, and did not disown your faith in me even when my faithful witness, Antipas, was killed among you, where Satan lives. For it is foolishness to him: and he cannot understand, because it is spiritually examined. Another consists in the internal conviction felt by the soul as to the truth of the doctrine (Suarez, De Fide, IV, sect. And (8) she persecutes Christians the saints and . . VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. Revelation 17:1-18. Seals One through Six. . When I saw her I marveled greatly (Rev. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Otherwise, they too shall die (Rev 2:23). Context Summary. <. 8To the angel of the church in Smyrna,* write this: The first and the last, who once died but came to life, says this: 2I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors. This distinction is of importance: for while the Church recognizes that God has spoken to His servants in every age, and still continues thus to favor chosen souls, she is careful to distinguish these revelations from the Revelation which has been committed to her charge, and which she proposes to all her members for their acceptance. This shows that the Whore persecuted not just Christians, but apostles and prophets. If over and above this He decreed to make the attainment of beatitude yet easier for man by placing within his reach a far simpler and far more certain way of knowing the law on the observance of, which his fate depended, this is an argument for the Divine generosity; it does not disprove the Divine wisdom. Help me get equipped andbe encouraged so I am empowered to know, live, and share my faith. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. Fundamentalists argue that these seven mountains must be the seven hills of ancient Rome. The question of covenant and this challenge are essential as we prepare for the passion during this Lenten season. 5, n. The views of these writers frequently involve a purely pantheistic doctrine. Soperhaps, receiving the new name will be a declaration that we are overcomers, sanctified, glorified and ready for service in the Kingdom and eternity. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. And I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and my new name. That Revelation was given in its entirety to Our Lord and His Apostles. . The revelation of truths of the natural law is certainly not inconsistent with Gods wisdom. This commentary on Revelation will prove, contrary to what most people think, that the Revelation, the last book of the Bible, is not difficult to understand if we will take a simple, face-value, common-sense approach to interpreting it. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. . Therefore, we can only reason from whatthe Bible says. "Revelation" (Greek Apokalupsis) means "an uncovering", "an unveiling", or "a disclosure". 23I will also put her children* to death. 4 Nevertheless, I have this complaint to make: you have less love now than formerly. An ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the individual who is victorious, I give... Your Bible questions from 50+ resources ( $ 2,400+ value historically, a number of commentators both!, Catholic theology teaches, possesses the requisite faculties to discover the law! For Hope * Jesuswith a donation of $ 5, n. the views of these writers frequently involve a pantheistic... Views of these writers frequently involve a purely pantheistic doctrine I am empowered to know, live, and my! To you passion during this Lenten season in the fact that it is examined... 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