Revelation 5:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The harps, stretched upon wood, signified the body of Christ handed over to suffering, that is, the flesh of Christ. The golden bowls signify the confession and generation of the new priesthood.

The harps signify harmonious and melodious divine doxology. The incense signifies the fragrant sacrifice of the faithful, their undefiled life, for according to the Apostle Paul, "we are the fragrance of Christ" (2 Cor. 2:15). The bowls are the thoughts from which the fragrances of good works and pure prayer proceed.

The bowl pleasing to God is a pious confession, when nothing is hidden in a deceitful heart, but everything is poured out from an open soul. This is the great golden vessel in the house, sending up a pleasing fragrance for Christ's delight. The words of the saints are the works of grace acting for the salvation of the world. Their death is the strengthening of the little ones. "Christ," Peter said, "suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in His steps" (1 Pet 2:21). Therefore, when those who belong to Christ have "crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Gal 5:24), they sing Christ as upon harps. For as He suffered for them, so they suffer for Him, "looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of faith" (Heb 12:2).

By His sufferings the Lord showed that the preaching of both Testaments was fulfilled in Him. The Church, giving praise to Him, delivers herself to sufferings, so that, like the Apostle, she may fill up what is lacking in her flesh of the afflictions of Christ (Col 1:24). Harps, with strings stretched over wood, here symbolize bodies ready for death. The bowls signify hearts opened wide to the breath of mercy. We should seek the Lord both in the shining light of good works and in spiritual prayer filled with grace. Therefore the women acted well of whom it is told that, coming early in the morning to the tomb, they brought prepared spices with them. Our spices are our voices in prayer. In prayer we entrust to the Lord the desires of our heart.

All creation, enslaved by man to vanity, groans and longs for its liberation (cf. Rom 8:19-22). At the opening of this mysterious book it hopes to receive news of the defeat of the universal enemy, corruption and death. The harps are the melodious hymnody of their souls. The bowls full of incense signify their holy life. Souls that have been freed from attachment to earthly things and have cleaved to heavenly things will become kings, for they truly reign over themselves and over all beings. They will become priests who unceasingly offer sacrifices of praise. They reign not only in heaven. Their kingdom begins even during life on earth.

The harp is the most ancient kind of musical instrument. It had the shape of a triangle with ten or twelve strings, played by touching them with the fingers or with a small rod. In Hebrew it is kinnor and nebel. The golden bowls are censers. Both the harps and the censers were full of the prayers of the saints. In the sounds of the strings or in the smoke of incense, they raised these prayers before God.