Revelation 5:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"And I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and of the living creatures and the elders." For God is glorified by all that is spiritual and sensible, living and simply existing, as the cause and beginning of all being. He is glorified as the Son of God, Only-begotten and consubstantial, who granted renewal to mankind and restored them to their original dignity. Yet it is written that He received authority over things earthly and heavenly as Man.

He is not saying of Christ as God, in whom all the treasures of wisdom are hidden (Col. 2:3), that He Himself receives this wisdom. Rather, he speaks of the man assumed by Him and of His body, which is the Church, or of her martyrs who suffered in His name. For in her Head the Church receives all things, as it is written: "How shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8:32). The Lamb Himself receives, who says in the Gospel: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (Mt 28:18). That is, He receives according to His humanity, not according to His Divinity.

"And the Ancient of Days sat. His throne was like a flame of fire, and its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came forth from before Him. Thousands of thousands served Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him" (Dan 7:9-10). The spotless Lamb, slain and offering Himself in sacrifice through His love for mankind, alone is worthy to receive sovereign power. It befits Him as God by His eternal generation. It also befits Him according to His humanity, as the second Adam, faithful to the Father unto death and receiving the crown of life (cf. Rev 2:10).