From Commentary on Revelation (ca. 790)
What is represented by the white robes but their disposition of mind? These robes were not white before the Lord’s coming, because the hearts of mankind were sprinkled with the stains of original sins…
By the palms is represented victory, and by the hands, work. Therefore to have palms in one’s hands means to triumph over the old enemy and the pleasures of the world… The angels as well as the throne and the ancients, and also the living creatures, symbolize the church. Therefore he symbolizes one and the same thing in various ways: for since Christ alone reigns and judges in the church, it is right for all the saints to be symbolized by one throne…
By the one ancient [who asked “who are these?”] we understand the unity of the preachers of both Testaments, or him who is more ancient than ancients, that is the Lord Jesus Christ, who interrogates John in order that the latter may himself ask, and, after asking, hear, understand, and rouse himself up to imitate. By the white robes we understand both purity of mind and the glory they will be granted in the future. When John responds to this, in the person of good listeners, “My Lord, you know,” the ancient one replies, in the person of the Lord or of his good preachers, “These are they who are come out of great tribulation,” etc. All the elect make their robes white in the blood of the Lamb, that is to say they beautify their disposition of mind in the sufferings of Christ and prepare it to receive the future joys…
Now where is he leading them but to the fountain of waters, that is to the Trinity, which is signified by a fountain. And by what way but himself. For he himself said, “I am the way.” It should also be noted that it is one and the same fountain that takes away hunger because it is the living bread, and thirst because it is the drink of life; for, as the apostle says, “God will be all in all.”
So the fountain is said to be one because of the unity of nature of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; and it is presented as a fountain of waters so that the multiplicity of God’s gifts in the saints may be expressed by this phrase. So the person who is led to this full and satisfying water by the Lamb suffers neither sun nor any heat, because they are not burned by the heat of vices. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” What a wonderful tenderness! He shows himself a father, as well as a mother, as he wipes away the tears of his bewailing children…
Now what are these tears? The fact that one person bewails the evil they have done, another the fact that they have not done good, and many other similar things. These tears of his children are to be wiped away when they are back from exile to their homeland.
Alcuin of York (ca. 730-804) was an English deacon, abbot, and scholar, the central figure of the Carolingian Renaissance. A prolific Scriptural commentator and theologian, he established schools and scriptoria across the Western Europe, and helped to implement liturgical reform across Charlemagne’s domains. He is commemorated on May 20 in several Anglican churches.
