And the kings of the earth and the princes and tribunes and the rich and the strong and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of mountains:
και οι βασιλεις της γης και οι μεγιστανες και οι χιλιαρχοι και οι πλουσιοι και οι ισχυροι και πας δουλος και ελευθερος πας ελευθερος εκρυψαν εαυτους εις τα σπηλαια και εις τας πετρας των ορεων
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
And the kings of the earth, that is, those who possess the earth but have acquired nothing for themselves in heaven, together with all the rich and the nobles, with slaves of the earthly realm and those free from the work of Christ, as it ought not to be...
This means that the whole world, among the good and the holy, is about to seek refuge in the Church. Preserved under her protection, it may attain eternal life by the help of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns unto the ages of ages.
In turn, by the kings of the earth, the nobles, the rich, the commanders, and the mighty, he means the impious demons. They guided those living on the earth by deception and snares. By slaves and free men he means the rulers and the subordinate ranks among the demons.
Their hiding in caves and in the clefts of the mountains, and their saying, “Fall on us and hide us,” is mentioned figuratively. It signifies fugitives trying to hide from the punishment due them from Christ.
For if there is to be no invisible punishment and vengeance for them, what is meant by the prophet Isaiah's words spoken in the person of Christ? “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the nations no one was with Me. I trod them in My anger and trampled them in My wrath; I poured their blood upon the earth” (Isa 63:3). And what is meant by the words of the demons hostile to God in Matthew: “What have You to do with us, Jesus, Son of God? Have You come to torment us?” (Mt 8:29).
It is also permissible to understand this passage in Revelation as speaking not only of the torments of demons. It may also refer to the lawless Jews who nailed the Lord to the cross. During the war with the Romans they were hard pressed and became fugitives in mountains, caves, and clefts of the earth. Everywhere they were surrounded by hardship and distress.
In the Synodal translation: “their blood spattered My garments, and I stained all My clothing.”
Was it not from these temptations that the Lord promised to preserve the Philadelphian Church, the sixth in the order of His epistles to the Churches?
Beneath the figurative prophetic language lies a meaning no less mysterious. An earthquake is usually understood as a change in the existing order of things. The sun signifies life, and the moon the reflection of that life in something else. The stars signify brilliant persons, rulers of minds and hearts. Heaven signifies the veil over the mystery, a barrier. Mountains and islands signify certain unshakable foundations.
The attempt to shield oneself with perishable matter from the two-edged spiritual sword can only be called madness. Yet the events described here are the direct consequence of mankind's ineradicable desire to place their souls in vanishing corruption.
The expression, “from the wrath of the Lamb,” is remarkable. Who fears the wrath of the meek Lamb? His seven horns strike no one. If it had said, “from the fury of the Lion of Judah,” that would understandably be terrifying. But it says, “from the wrath of the Lamb.” Thus meekness and truth become a dreadful punishment for the unrepentant. Their unrepented deeds go before them, burning as wood, hay, and straw (cf. 1 Cor 3:12) beneath the meek gaze of Christ. This wrath is terrible. The sinner fears and flees, though no one pursues him. Torments of soul are far more terrible than bodily torments. This is the worm that never sleeps.
Therefore, “seek the Lord... perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the Lord's wrath” (Zeph 2:3), before “the cruel day of the Lord” comes, “with wrath and burning anger,” when “the heavens will be shaken and the earth will be moved from its place at the fury of the Lord of Sabaoth, in the day of His burning wrath” (Isa 13:9-13).
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 33 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS