Revelation 21:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For it would have been sufficient for Him simply to promise good things and warn against evils, so that afterward He might honor or punish those worthy of glory or punishment. Yet He also deigned to suffer for us, lest He seem to have neglected anything for our correction and healing.

Therefore let us not receive the grace of God in vain, but through conversion and good works let us attain the promised blessings in Christ our Lord. With Him, to the Father together with the Life-giving Spirit, be glory and dominion, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

He mentions the cowardly beside the unbelieving, because those who doubt that they will attain the reward are afraid to risk entering the contest. “And the portion of all liars is in the burning lake.” The author shows that there are many different liars. Yet the most dangerous and detestable is the one who sins in relation to religion, as was said above: “They say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Rev 2:9).

"He will rain snares upon the wicked; fire and brimstone and a stormy wind shall be the portion of their cup" (Ps 10:6).

"But the cowardly, unbelieving, defiled, murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their portion in the lake burning with fire and brimstone. This is the second death" (Rev 21:8).

Then they will truly know upon themselves those fearful threats that they now hear in the holy word of God. They do not wish to know God's mercies shown upon themselves, so they will know His avenging justice.

Now God calls and promises mercy, but then He will send them away from Himself and pour out His righteous wrath upon them. Now He says: "Repent." Then He will say: "Give an answer."

Now He says: "Come to Me." Then He will say: "Depart from Me." Where? "Into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Mt 25:41).

Now He hears those who repent and pray to Him. But then sinners will hear: "I do not know you. You did not know Me, and I do not know you. You did not listen to Me, and I do not listen to you."

"I called, and you did not obey. I stretched out My words, and you did not attend. You rejected My counsels and did not heed My reproofs. Therefore I also will laugh at your destruction. I will rejoice when ruin comes upon you" (Prov 1:24-26).

And again: "I called, and you did not obey. I spoke, and you did not listen, but did evil before Me and chose what was not pleasing to Me. Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, My servants shall eat, but you shall hunger. Behold, My servants shall drink, but you shall thirst. Behold, My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame. My servants shall be glad with gladness of heart, but you shall cry out from pain of heart and weep from contrition of spirit" (Is 65:12-14).

Sinners, let us fear God's prohibitions and repent while repentance is being preached. Let us receive God's mercy with gratitude while it is being shown. Let us turn to God while He calls and waits. Let us pray to Him while He listens to those who pray.

"We are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were exhorting through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God. For Him Who knew no sin He made to be sin for us, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. As fellow workers, we also entreat you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor 5:20-21; 6:1-2).

"Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon yourselves and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is good, and My burden is light," says the Lord (Mt 11:28-30).

"Or do you despise the riches of the goodness, meekness, and longsuffering of God, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But according to your hardness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and the revelation of God's righteous judgment. He will render to each according to his deeds: to those who by patient continuance in good work seek glory, honor, and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. Tribulation and distress upon every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek" (Rom 2:4-9).