And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying: Come and see. And behold a black horse. And he that sat on him had a pair of scales in his hand.
και οτε ηνοιξεν την σφραγιδα την τριτην ηκουσα του τριτου ζωου λεγοντος ερχου και ιδε OMIT και ιδε και ιδου και ειδον και ιδου 3708 ιππος μελας και ο καθημενος επ αυτον εχων ζυγον εν τη χειρι αυτου
7 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The black horse signifies famine. For the Lord says: there will be famines in various places (Mt 24:7). In the proper sense, these words refer to the antichrist. That is, they refer to the times when a great famine will come and men will be stricken.
I think that by the third living creature one should understand the man, signifying the fall of men and their punishment by the will of God for their inclination to sin. The black horse, I think, signifies mourning over those who fell away from faith in Christ because of the severity of torments. The measure is the comparison of those who fell away from faith, whether through inclination and instability of mind, through vainglory, or through bodily weakness.
By the black horse is understood the corrupt people, in agreement with the devil. The one who has the measure in his hand signifies that, since the wicked imagine they possess the book of justice, they usually deceive the rest.
The third mercy shown to us by Christ removed the third seal and brought us, though condemned, into reconciliation with God the Father. This mercy is His saving teaching and the benefactions accomplished through miracles, for they became an offering for the overthrow of the devil. Through them we learned who by nature and truth is God. Thus we are no longer to be infants, tossed and carried about by every wind of doctrine (Eph 4:14). Nor are we to worship those whom we made with our hands, the corrupting demons for whom we exchanged the glory of God. Truly, the Lord's divine teaching, like leaven in flour, drew to itself those who resolved to become disciples at the Lord's call. It also drew those who experienced His miracles, which healed the soul even more than the body.
When this third seal was opened, "behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a measure in his hand." The black horse shows shame and grief, because by the divine teaching the destruction of the devil was decreed. Therefore he laments his overthrow, which had been so long in coming. The measure, of course, is an allegorical sign of equality and justice. For "the righteous Judge sat upon the throne." He was indignant against the crowds of demons and destroyed the impious one, their leader (Ps 9:5-6). Indeed, the measure that apportions to us is a symbol of the Lord's righteous judgment. In His presence we can say: "You have maintained my judgment and my cause" (Ps 9:5). Thus we, being nations, may know that we are men. We must not be dragged by bit and bridle like beasts (cf. Ps 31:9), nor driven from the way by a destructive tyranny.
The black horse is the multitude of false brethren. They have the measure of true confession, yet harm their companions by their dark deeds. For when it is said among the living creatures, Do not harm, it becomes clear that there is also one who harms. Of this horseman rushing ahead, the apostle says: Outside were conflicts, within were fears (2 Cor 7:5).
The black horse, as some understand it, means teachers of errors, whose interpretations produce various darkenings. The measure in the rider’s hand signifies that mankind has grown poor in vessels of the grace of the Holy Spirit, compared with the first centuries of Christianity. And do not harm the oil and the wine. This means that, until the second Coming of Christ, the wine of consolation will not be taken from humanity, which is sick with sins. It is mixed with the oil of compassion, poured by the Merciful Samaritan upon the wounds of the suffering human soul, opened by repentance.
The opening of the third seal signifies, because of the severity of torments, the falling away from Christ of those who do not have firm faith in Him.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 30 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS