Rev 11:2-14 | Geneva | STEP | {3} But the {a} court which is without the temple {b} leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the {4} Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot {5} forty [and] two months. (3) As if he should say, it is not your place to judge those who are outside, who are innumerable: look to those of the household only, or to the house of the living God. (a) He speaks of the outer court, which was called the peoples court, because all men might come into that. (b) That is counted to be cast out, which in measuring is refused as profane. (4) To profane persons, wicked and unbelievers, adversaries to the Church. (5) Or a thousand, two hundred and sixty days, as is said in : that is, a thousand two hundred and sixty years, a day for a year, as often in Ezekiel and Daniel, which I noted before see Geneva "Re 2:10" . The beginning of these thousand two hundred and sixty years, we account from the passion of Christ, by which (the partition wall being broken down) we were made from two into one . I say, one flock under one shepherd in and the end of these years precisely falls into the reign of pope Boniface the eighth, who a little before the end of 1294, entered Rome in the feast of Saint Lucie (as Bergomensis says) having put in prison his predecessor Coelestinus, whom by fraud, under colour of Oracle, he deceived: for which cause it was well said of him, "Intravit ut vulpes, regnavit ut leo, mortuus est ut canis." That is, "He entered like a fox, reigned like a lion, and died like a dog." For if from 1294, you subtract the number of years Christ lived on the earth, you will find there remains just one thousand two hundred and sixty years, which are mentioned in this place and many others.

Revelation of John 11:2-14

{3} But the {a} court which is without the temple {b} leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the {4} Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot {5} forty [and] two months.

(3) As if he should say, it is not your place to judge those who are outside, 1Co 5:12 who are innumerable: look to those of the household only, or to the house of the living God. (a) He speaks of the outer court, which was called the peoples court, because all men might come into that. (b) That is counted to be cast out, which in measuring is refused as profane. (4) To profane persons, wicked and unbelievers, adversaries to the Church. (5) Or a thousand, two hundred and sixty days, as is said in Re 11:3: that is, a thousand two hundred and sixty years, a day for a year, as often in Ezekiel and Daniel, which I noted before see Geneva "Re 2:10". The beginning of these thousand two hundred and sixty years, we account from the passion of Christ, by which (the partition wall being broken down) we were made from two into one Eph 2:14. I say, one flock under one shepherd in Joh 10:16 and the end of these years precisely falls into the reign of pope Boniface the eighth, who a little before the end of 1294, entered Rome in the feast of Saint Lucie (as Bergomensis says) having put in prison his predecessor Coelestinus, whom by fraud, under colour of Oracle, he deceived: for which cause it was well said of him, "Intravit ut vulpes, regnavit ut leo, mortuus est ut canis." That is, "He entered like a fox, reigned like a lion, and died like a dog." For if from 1294, you subtract the number of years Christ lived on the earth, you will find there remains just one thousand two hundred and sixty years, which are mentioned in this place and many others. And {6} I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall {7} prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

(6) I would rather translate it "illud" than "illam" the temple than the city: for God says, I will give that temple, and commit it to my two witnesses, that is, to the ministers of the word, who are few indeed, weak and contemptible: but yet two, that is, of such a number as one of them may help another, and one confirm the testimony of another to all men, that from the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be made good among men; 2Co 13:1. (7) They will exercise their office enjoined by me by the space of those 1260 years, in the midst of afflictions though never so lamentable, which is figuratively shown by the mourning garment. These {8} are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

(8) That is, the ordinary and perpetual instruments of spiritual grace, peace and light in my Church, which God by his only power preserved in this Temple. See Zec 4:3. {9} And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

(9) The power and surety of the holy ministry, which is truly evangelical, is declared both in earth and in heaven, protecting the administers of it, and destroying its enemies, in this verse, divine power, most mightily showing itself forth in heaven, earth and the sea in Re 11:6 as it is described in 2Co 10:4 according to the promise of Christ in Mr 16:17. This is the second place (as I said before) of the combats which the servants of God must undergo in the executing of their calling, and of the things that follow the same combats or conflicts are these things to overcome, in these two verses: to be overcome and killed in Re 11:7 After the slaughter follow these things, that the carcasses of the godly, laid abroad in Re 11:8 and being unburied, are scorned, together with cursing and bitter abhorrance Re 11:9 and that therefore congratulations are publicly and privately made in Re 11:10. {10} And when they shall have {c} finished their testimony, {11} the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall {12} overcome them, and kill them.

(10) That is, when they have spent those 1260 years mentioned in Re 11:2,3 in publishing their testimony according to their office. (c) When they have done their message. (11) Of which after Chapter 13, that beast is the Roman Empire, made long ago of civil, ecclesiastical: the chief head of which was then Boniface the eighth, as I said before: who lifted up himself in so great arrogancy, (says the author of "Falsciculus temporum") that he called himself, Lord of the whole world, as well in temporal causes, as in spiritual: There is a document of that matter, written by the same Boniface most arrogantly, shall I say, or most wickedly, "Ca. unam sanctam, extra de majoritate & obedientia." In the sixth of the Decretals (which is from the same author) many things are found of the same argument. (12) He shall persecute most cruelly the holy men, and put them to death, and shall wound and pierce through with cursings, both their names and writings. That this was done to very many godly men, by Boniface and others, the histories do declare, especially since the time that the odious and condemned name amongst the multitude, first of the brethren Waldonenses or Lugdunenses, then also of the Fraticels, was pretended, that good men might with more approbation be massacred. And their dead bodies [shall lie] in the {13} street of the great city, which {d} spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, {14} where also our Lord was crucified.

(13) That is, openly at Rome: where at that time was a most great crowd of people, the year of Jubile being then first ordained by Boniface to the same end, in the year 1300, an example of which is read in chapter 1 "Extra, de poenitentys & remissionibus." So by one act he committed two wrongs against Christ, both abolishing his truth by restoring the type of the Jubile, and triumphing over his members by wicked superstition. O religious heart! Now that we should understand the things of Rome, John himself is the author, both after in the seventeenth chapter almost throughout, and also in the restriction now next following, when he says, it is that great city (as he calls it) Re 17:18 and is spiritually termed Sodom and Egypt: and that spiritually (for that must here again be repeated from before) Christ was there crucified. For the two first names signify spiritual wickednesses: the latter signifies the show and pretence of good, that is, of Christian and sound religion. Sodom signifies most licentious impiety and in the most confident glorying of that city, as it were in true religion, being yet full of falsehood and ungodliness. Now who is ignorant that these things do rather, and better fit Rome, than any other city? The commendations of the city of Rome for many years past, are publicly notorious, which are not for me to gather together. This only I will say, that he long since did very well see what Rome is, who upon leaving, used these verses: "Roma vale, vidi, Satis est vidisse: revertar, Quumleno, meretrix, scurra, cinadus ero." "Now farewell Rome, I have seen thee, it was enough to see: I will return when as I mean, bawd, harlot knave to be" (d) After a more secret type of meaning and understanding. (14) Namely in his parts, as also he said to Saul in Ac 9:5 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies {15} three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

(15) That is, for three years and a half: for so many years Boniface lived after his Jubile, as Bergomensis witnesses. And they that dwell upon the earth {16} shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets {17} tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

(16) So much the more shall they by this occasion exercise the hilarity of their Jubile. (17) The gospel of Christ is the affliction of the world, and the ministry of it, the savour of death to death, to those that perish, 2Co 2:16. {18} And after {19} three days and an half {20} the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they {21} stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

(18) The third passage, as noted before, is of the rising again of the prophets from the dead, and their carrying up into heaven. For their resurrection is shown in this verse: their calling and lifting up into heaven, in the verse following. (19) That is, what time God shall destroy that wicked Boniface. (20) That is, the prophets of God shall in a manner rise again, not the same in person (as they say) but in spirit: that is, in the power and efficacy of their ministry, which John expressed before, in Re 11:5,6 So the prophecy that is spoken of Elijah, is interpreted by the angel to be understood of John the Baptist Lu 1:17. For the same Boniface himself, who sought to kill and destroy them, was by the fire of God's mouth (which the holy ministry shows and exhibits) devoured and died miserably in prison, by the endeavour of Satra Columensis and Nagaretus a French knight, whom Philip the fair King of France sent into Italy but with a very small power. (21) That is, the most grievous heat of afflictions and persecution shall stay for a while, for the great amazement that shall arise on that sudden and unlooked for judgment of God. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, {22} Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; {23} and their enemies beheld them.

(22) They were called by God into heaven, and taken out of this wicked world, into the heavenly Church, which also lies hidden here in the earth, to exercise their calling secretly: of whom this wretched world was unworthy; Heb 11:38. For the church of the wicked is by comparison called the earth, or the world: and the Church of the godly, heaven. As it was in ancient times among the godly Israelites: so among the Jews in the days of Manasseh and other kings, when the earth refused the heirs of heaven, we read that they lay hidden as heaven in the earth. (23) Yet they could not hinder the secret ones of the Lord (as the Psalmist called them) Ps 83:3 but they prospered in his work. {24} And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, {25} and {e} gave glory to the God of heaven.

(24) Bergomensis said, in 1301, "This year a blazing star foretelling great calamity to come, appeared in heaven: in which year during the feast of St. Andrew, a great earthquake occurred as never before: it continued for many days, and overthrew many stately houses." This he said of the year following the Jubilee: which John many ages before, expressed word for word. (25) They were indeed broken with present astonishment of mind, but did not earnestly repent as they ought to have done. (e) Glorified God by confessing his name. {26} The second woe is past; [and], behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

(26) He passes to the second history, which is the second part of this chapter. John calls these the second and third woe, see Re 9:12.