There have been many commentaries on the biblical Book of Revelation, also called the Apocalypse of Saint John.
Commentary traditions Eastern Around 200, Gaius of Rome wrote a commentary intending to refute Revelation. It is not extant, being known only through fragments of a commentary by Hippolytus of Rome designed to refute it. Although other Greek commentaries were written over the next three centuries, none is extant. Melito of Sardis and Origen of Alexandria are sometimes thought to have written such commentaries, but this is uncertain. The first Greek commentary that survives complete is that of Oecumenius from around 550. It was a major influence on the most influential of Greek commentaries, that of Andrew of Caesarea, written a half-century later.Thomas C. Schmidt, The Last Book: Revelation, Commentaries, and the Making of the New Testament, PhD diss., Yale University (2020), pp. 56–57.
The earliest Coptic and Syriac commentaries are anonymous and roughly contemporary with Andrew of Caesarea. In the 10th century, a Slavonic translation of Andrew's commentary appeared and a Georgian translation by Euthymius the Athonite. An Armenian translation by Nerses of Lambron appeared in the 12th century. The entire Easter commentary tradition refers back to the Gaius–Hippolytus controversy.Thomas C. Schmidt, The Last Book: Revelation, Commentaries, and the Making of the New Testament, PhD diss., Yale University (2020), pp. 57–59.
Western The earliest Latin commentary on Revelation was written on the eastern edge of the Latin-speaking world by Victorinus of Pettau around 300. Victorinus tended to see the fulfillment of the prophecies of the book taking place in his own day, which coincided with the Diocletianic Persecution. He was a chiliast, seeing a future millennial reign of Christ before the end of the world. A century later, Jerome reworked Victorinus' commentary. His revised edition remained influential throughout the medieval period.E. Ann Matter, "The Apocalypse in Early Medieval Exegesis", pp. 38–51, in Bernard McGinn and Richard Kenneth Emmerson (eds.), The Apocalypse in the Middle Ages (Cornell University Press, 1992).
The second Latin commentary was written by Ticonius from a Donatist perspective. It would probably have been ignored had its exegesis not been appreciated by Ticonius's critic and fellow African, Augustine of Hippo. Ticonius's influence, through Augustine, was extensive. A third African, Primasius of Hadrumetum, stands at the head of the orthodox Latin commentary tradition. He combined the exegesis of the heterodox Victorinus and Ticonius but read in light of Jerome and Augustine's more orthodox interpretations.
List of commentators Patristic period Coptic Pseudo-Cyril of Alexandria (7th century), Apocalypse CommentaryFrancis X. Gumerlock, "Patristic Commentaries on Revelation", Kerux 23, 2 (2008): 3–13.Thomas C. Schmidt, The Book of Revelation and its Eastern Commentators: Making the New Testament in the Early Christian World (Cambridge University Press, 2021), pp. 205–208.
Greek Gaius of Rome (), wrote a critical commentary (fragmentary)Thomas C. Schmidt, The Last Book: Revelation, Commentaries, and the Making of the New Testament, PhD diss., Yale University (2020), pp. 259–260. Hippolytus of Rome (3rd century), Apologia pro apocalypsi et evangelio Joannis apostoli et evangelistae (fragmentary) Nepos of Arsinoë (3rd century)Thomas C. Schmidt, The Last Book: Revelation, Commentaries, and the Making of the New Testament, PhD diss., Yale University (2020), p. 56. Dionysius of Alexandria (3rd century) Scholia in Apocalypsin (3rd century) Oecumenius (518), Commentarius in ApocalypsinThomas C. Oden and William C. Weinrich (eds.), Greek Commentaries on Revelation: Oecumenius and Andrew of Caesarea (InterVarsity Press, 2011). Didymus the Blind (4th century), Fragmentum in Apocalypsim Andrew of Caesarea (7th century), Commentarius in Apocalypsin
Latin Victorinus of Pettau (3rd century), Commentarii in ApocalypsinWilliam C. Weinrich (ed.), Latin Commentaries on Revelation: Victorinus of Petovium, Apringius of Beja, Caesarius of Arles and Bede the Venerable (InterVarsity Press, 2011). Ticonius (380), Commentarii in Apocalypsim (fragmentary), from a Donatist perspective Jerome (398), Commentarii in Apocalypsin, a revision and prologue to Victorinus Caesarius of Arles (537), Explanatio in Apocalypsin Primasius of Hadrumetum (540), Commentarius in Apocalypsin Apringius (548), Tractatus in Apocalypsin (fragmentary) Cassiodorus (580), Complexiones in Apocalypsin Commemoratorium de Apocalypsi Johannis Apostoli (), part of the Irish Reference Bible, misattributed to Jerome and Isidore De septem sigillis (6th–7th century), misattributed to Alcuin Pseudo-Jerome, Commemoratorium de Apocalypsi Johannis apostoli (6th–8th century?)Roger Gryson (ed.), Commentaria minora in Apocalypsin Iohannis (Brepols, 2003). Paterius (7th century), De Testimoniis in Apocalypsin S. Joannis Apostoli Bede (710), Expositio Apocalypseos Ambrose Autpert (778), Expositio in Apocalypsin Beatus of Liébana (786), Commentary on the Apocalypse, surviving in many illuminated Beatus manuscripts De enigmatibus ex Apocalypsi Johannis (8th century), anonymous
Syriac Commentary on the Apocalypse (6th–7th century)
Medieval commentators Arabic Bulus al-Bushi (), Commentary on the Apocalypse of John Ibn Katib Qaysar (), Commentary on the Apocalypse
Armenian Nerses of Lambron (), Commentary on the Revelation Gregory of Tatev (14th century)Thomas C. Schmidt, The Last Book: Revelation, Commentaries, and the Making of the New Testament, PhD diss., Yale University (2020), p. 58.
Ethiopic Tergwame QalamsisRoger W. Cowley, The Traditional Interpretation of the Apocalypse of St John in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (Cambridge University Press, 2014).
Georgian Euthymius the Athonite (10th century)
Greek Arethas of Caesarea () Neophytos of Cyprus (13th century)
Latin Alcuin, Explanatio Apocalypsis per interrogationem et responsionemFrancis X. Gumerlock, The Seven Seals of the Apocalypse: Medieval Texts in Translation (Medieval Institute Publications, 2009). Theodulf of Orléans (810), Exposition on the Apocalypse of JohnFrancis X. Gumerlock, Carolingian Commentaries on the Apocalypse by Theodulf and Smaragdus: Translated Texts and Introduction (Medieval Institute Publications, 2019). Smaragdus of Saint-Mihiel (812), Homilies on the Apocalypse Berengaudus (9th century), Expositio super septem visiones libri ApocalypsisDerk Visserm, Apocalypse as Utopian Expectation (800-1500): The Apocalypse Commentary of Berengaudus of Ferrières and the Relationship between Exegesis, Liturgy and Iconography (E. J. Brill, 1996). Paschasius Radbertus (9th century) Helinand of Perseigne (12th century) Joachim of Fiore (12th century)Thomas C. Schmidt, The Last Book: Revelation, Commentaries, and the Making of the New Testament, PhD diss., Yale University (2020), p. 280. Alexander Minorita (1235), Expositio in ApocalypsimMagda Hayton and Robert LJ Shaw, "Apocalyptic Asceticism: Completing the Edition of Alexander Minorita's Expositio in Apocalypsim as it is Found in Cambridge, University Library, MM. 5.31," Traditio 78 (2023): 263–372. Hugh of Saint-Cher (13th century), Exposition on the Apocalypse Nicholas of Gorran (13th century), On the Apocalypse of the Apostle John Peter of John Olivi (13th century)Warren Lewis (ed.), Peter of John Olivi: Commentary on the Apocalypse (Franciscan Institute Publications, 2017). Pseudo-Albert (13th century), Expositio in ApocalypsimAnthony Luttrell, "Federigo da Venezia's Commentary on the Apocalypse: 1393/94", The Journal of the Walters Art Gallery 27–28 (1964–1965): 57–65. Vital du Four (13th century), Commentaries on the Apocalypse Nicholas of Lyra (1329)Philip D. W. Krey (ed.), Nicholas of Lyra's Apocalypse Commentary (Medieval Institute Publications, 1997). Austentius (14th century), fragmentary John Ridewall (14th century), Lectura super Apocalypsi (fragmentary) Heymeric de Campo (15th century) Giovanni Nanni (1480), Glosa siue Expositio super Apocalypsim
Slavonic Anonymous 10th-century commentary in the Nikol'skij Apocalypse
Syriac Dionysius bar Salibi () Gabriel Barclay (16th century),Thomas C. Schmidt, The Last Book: Revelation, Commentaries, and the Making of the New Testament, PhD diss., Yale University (2020), p. 314. Metrical Exposition on the Apocalypse of John
Venetian Federigo da Venezia (1393/4), Literalis expositio super Apocalypsim
See also Interpretations of the Book of Revelation
References