Thursday, August 31, 2023

Beatus of Liebana (d. 798) the Ark of Revelation 11 and the Woman of Revelation 12

 M.S. O'Brien has provided an impressive translation of the "Commentary on the Apocalypse," by Beatus of Liebana (d. 798).  O'Brien's work is available in two sections as a Kindle book.  Maureen (if I understand her post here correctly) has also helpfully posted the translation in snippets to a blog.  

For the purpose of discussing the Woman of Revelation 12, the relevant posts are these:

Beatus identifies the Temple of God in heaven as the Church, the Ark of the Testament as the preaching of the Gospel and the forgiveness of sins, etc.  Beatus has an interesting textual variant in which the Beast comes out of the Abyss at Revelation 11:19 before Revelation 12:1, apparently. 

Beatus says that "heaven" corresponds to the Church.  The woman is likewise the church.  Even the moon is part of the Church.  As O'Brien acknowledges in the post referenced above, Beatus seems to adopt much of the same interpretation as Apringius. 

Beatus also says that the Church is the man child, made in the image and likeness of Christ.

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