Concerning Enoch and Elias
Rev. 11: 3-4 And I will give my two witnesses (power), and they will prophesy for one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the God of the earth.
Many of the teachers understood these (to be) Enoch and Elias receiving time given by God to prophecy in the end time for three and a half years, numbered three hundred and sixty days (each), and showing through the clothing in sackcloth that which is appropriate for sadness and mourning, to those who are deceived at that time and leading those who are then found away from the deception of the Antichrist. (These are the two) whom Zacharias hinted at in the form of the two olive trees and lampstands, to bring forth food for the light of knowledge by the olive oil of God-pleasing deeds.
Rev. 11:5-6 And if anyone would harm them, fire pours out from their mouth and devours their enemies; if anyone would harm them, thus he must be killed. They have power to shut the sky, so that it does not rain in the days of their prophesy, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they wish.
Oh, the great goodness of God! For he brings healing equivalent to the wound. For since the pseudo-Christ will be manifested in the many signs and false wonders by all drugs and enchantments because he (the pseudo-Christ) accepts every diabolical operation, so God will equip these saints by the power of true signs and wonders, so that by the placing of truth and light they will refute falsehood and darkness they will convert those who had been deceived will return, both because of fear of the teachings and because of the chastising blows, by drought and fire and the alteration of the elements and the like, making the Deceiver into an example, and allowing no one to be persuaded, neither by him nor by another, until the completion of their own prophecy.
Rev. 11:7-8 And when they will finish their testimony, the beast that ascends from the abyss will make war upon them and conquer them. And their corpses will lie in the square of the great city which is allegorically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
After their witnessing, he says, of the escape from deception, the beast, that is, the Antichrist, who comes out from the dark and deep parts of the earth to which the devil has been condemned, will destroy them by divine permission, and will abandon their bodies unburied in this Jerusalem, that is the old and trampled upon (Jerusalem), in which the Lord also suffered. In this (city) he (Antichrist) will establish the kingdoms, so he
thinks, according to an imitation of David, whose son (is) Christ, our true God who was born according to the flesh, so as to assure by this that he (the Antichrist) is Christ, fulfilling the prophetic word, saying / shall restore the fallen tabernacle of David and raise up that which has fallen, which (is what) the Jews who are deceived understand by that appearance.
Rev. 11:9-10 9 And for three and a half days the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations see their corpses and refuse to let their corpses to be placed in a tomb; And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and be glad and they will exchange gifts among themselves, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
He says those who at one time before seized upon the lies and portents of the Antichrist and have indelibly written his hateful-to-God name on their hearts, either from among the Jews or the nations; will prevent the holy bodies from being buried. They will delight at escaping from the afflictions which are brought for reform, not thinking that the Lord disciplines the one He loves, chastising every son He receives, and with bit and bridle He will lead them lest they come near to Him, so that, even if in this manner by necessity, they might return to the straight road from which, being deceived, they had strayed. But we must pray to the Lord, saying: It is good for me that you humbled me that I might learn your statutes. Return us, 0 God of our salvation, and do not enter into judgment with your servants, For we are judged by you, the Master who loves mankind, we are chastened in order that we may not be condemned along with the world but with a few afflictions we might escape eternal punishment; For you are rich in mercy, 0 Christ our God, and to you belongs ail glory, honor and worship, together with the Father and the Life-giving Spirit unto the ages. Amen.
ANDREW OF CAESAREA AND THE APOCALYPSE IN THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE EAST, Chapter 30
Translation of the Apocalypse Commentary of Andrew of Caesarea by EUGENIA SCARVELIS CONSTANTINOU
Many of the teachers understood these (to be) Enoch and Elias receiving time given by God to prophecy in the end time for three and a half years, numbered three hundred and sixty days (each), and showing through the clothing in sackcloth that which is appropriate for sadness and mourning, to those who are deceived at that time and leading those who are then found away from the deception of the Antichrist. (These are the two) whom Zacharias hinted at in the form of the two olive trees and lampstands, to bring forth food for the light of knowledge by the olive oil of God-pleasing deeds.
Rev. 11:5-6 And if anyone would harm them, fire pours out from their mouth and devours their enemies; if anyone would harm them, thus he must be killed. They have power to shut the sky, so that it does not rain in the days of their prophesy, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they wish.
Oh, the great goodness of God! For he brings healing equivalent to the wound. For since the pseudo-Christ will be manifested in the many signs and false wonders by all drugs and enchantments because he (the pseudo-Christ) accepts every diabolical operation, so God will equip these saints by the power of true signs and wonders, so that by the placing of truth and light they will refute falsehood and darkness they will convert those who had been deceived will return, both because of fear of the teachings and because of the chastising blows, by drought and fire and the alteration of the elements and the like, making the Deceiver into an example, and allowing no one to be persuaded, neither by him nor by another, until the completion of their own prophecy.
Rev. 11:7-8 And when they will finish their testimony, the beast that ascends from the abyss will make war upon them and conquer them. And their corpses will lie in the square of the great city which is allegorically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
After their witnessing, he says, of the escape from deception, the beast, that is, the Antichrist, who comes out from the dark and deep parts of the earth to which the devil has been condemned, will destroy them by divine permission, and will abandon their bodies unburied in this Jerusalem, that is the old and trampled upon (Jerusalem), in which the Lord also suffered. In this (city) he (Antichrist) will establish the kingdoms, so he
thinks, according to an imitation of David, whose son (is) Christ, our true God who was born according to the flesh, so as to assure by this that he (the Antichrist) is Christ, fulfilling the prophetic word, saying / shall restore the fallen tabernacle of David and raise up that which has fallen, which (is what) the Jews who are deceived understand by that appearance.
Rev. 11:9-10 9 And for three and a half days the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations see their corpses and refuse to let their corpses to be placed in a tomb; And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and be glad and they will exchange gifts among themselves, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
He says those who at one time before seized upon the lies and portents of the Antichrist and have indelibly written his hateful-to-God name on their hearts, either from among the Jews or the nations; will prevent the holy bodies from being buried. They will delight at escaping from the afflictions which are brought for reform, not thinking that the Lord disciplines the one He loves, chastising every son He receives, and with bit and bridle He will lead them lest they come near to Him, so that, even if in this manner by necessity, they might return to the straight road from which, being deceived, they had strayed. But we must pray to the Lord, saying: It is good for me that you humbled me that I might learn your statutes. Return us, 0 God of our salvation, and do not enter into judgment with your servants, For we are judged by you, the Master who loves mankind, we are chastened in order that we may not be condemned along with the world but with a few afflictions we might escape eternal punishment; For you are rich in mercy, 0 Christ our God, and to you belongs ail glory, honor and worship, together with the Father and the Life-giving Spirit unto the ages. Amen.
ANDREW OF CAESAREA AND THE APOCALYPSE IN THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE EAST, Chapter 30
Translation of the Apocalypse Commentary of Andrew of Caesarea by EUGENIA SCARVELIS CONSTANTINOU
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