Revelation 5:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In John, the Church was weeping, weighed down by the burdens of sins, tearfully imploring redemption, which is shown to consist in the opening of this book.

One of the elders reminded John of the prophecies of Moses and Isaiah: that Judah is an unconquerable lion, and that a rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse, David's father, and blossom (see Gen. 49:9; Isa. 11:1).

Saint Andrew of Caesarea understands the sealed book as the mysterious decrees of the wise providence of God concerning the salvation of mankind. By the opening of the seals he understands the fulfillment of the divine decrees by the Only-begotten Son of God, the Savior of humanity, who gave Himself as a Lamb to be slain.