Introit of Christ the King

Apocalypse 5:12,1-6

The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive the power and divinity and wisdom and strength and honour: to Him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Ps. Give to the King, O God, Thy judgment, and to the King’s Son Thy justice. V. Glory be to the Father.

Haydock

Verse 12. The Lamb is worthy . . . to receive power and divinity, &c. The Socinians and new Arians from hence pretend that the Lamb, Jesus Christ, is not the same true God with the Father, but only deserved divinity, or to be made God in an inferior and an improper sense. The argument is of no force at all in the ordinary Greek, where for divinity is read riches. The sense is, thou art worthy to have thy power and divinity acknowledged and praised by all creatures both in heaven and earth: and the following words are a confutation of the Socinians, “I heard all saying: To him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb, benediction, and honour, and glory, and power, forever and ever,” where the same divine power is attributed to the Father and to the Son of God, Jesus, true God and true man. Wi.

Verse 1. A book written within and without. Books were then skins, membranes, or parchments, and when written on both sides part of the writing appeared, though they were rolled up. — Sealed with seven seals, as containing mysteries and secrets of high importance. Wi.

Verse 3. No man was able, &c. As to the contents, some understand the prophecies and mysteries both of the Old and New Testament; others, the events that should afterwards happen to the Church of Christ, as various persecutions against Christians. Alcazar would have the sense of these words to be, that only Christ and his Spirit could open the book to others, and make them believe and know the punishments prepared for the wicked, and the reward reserved for God’s faithful servants. Wi.

Verse 5. Behold the lion, of the tribe of Juda, &c. viz. Jesus Christ, who was descended from that tribe, denominated a lion on account of his great power, by which title we find him designated also in the prophecy of Jacob. Gen. xlix. 9. Calmet. – It is he who has merited by his triple victory over death, sin, and hell, the great honour of opening the book, and revealing the secrets therein contained.

Verse 6. I saw . . . . a lamb standing as it were slain, with the prints and marks of its wounds. It was of this lamb (i.e. of our Saviour Jesus Christ) that S. John Baptist said: “Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.” Jo. i. 29. Wi. — Here again Jesus Christ is plainly marked out, the Lamb of God, the victim of expiation, who by his death has reconciled us with his Father; and who, even in heaven, bears the marks of his passion, and by the wounds therein received continually inclines his Father to shew us mercy. He has seven horns, as so many crowns and marks of his omnipotence; and seven eyes, to represent his infinite knowledge and wisdom. Calmet. — Having seven horns and seven eyes, (to signify his power and his knowledge,) which are the seven spirits subject to Christ. See C. i. 4. It is observed that in the Revelation of S. John, the number seven is divers times applied to signify a multitude, and a number implying perfection, and three and a half for a small number. Thus are represented the seven candlesticks, seven churches, seven spirits, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven vials, &c. Wi.

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