Thursday, August 24, 2023

Hippolytus - the Ark of the Covenant is Christ's Body

5. In mentioning the other, moreover, he specifies the seventh, in which there is rest. But some one may be ready to say, How will you prove to me that the Saviour was born in the year 5500? Learn that easily, O man; for the things that took place of old in the wilderness, under Moses, in the case of the tabernacle, were constituted types and emblems of spiritual mysteries, in order that, when the truth came in Christ in these last days, you might be able to perceive that these things were fulfilled. For He says to him, And you shall make the ark of imperishable wood, and shall overlay it with pure gold within and without; and you shall make the length of it two cubits and a half, and the breadth thereof one cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half the height;  which measures, when summed up together, make five cubits and a half, so that the 5500 years might be signified thereby.

6. At that time, then, the Saviour appeared and showed His own body to the world, (born) of the Virgin, who was the ark overlaid with pure gold, with the Word within and the Holy Spirit without; so that the truth is demonstrated, and the ark made manifest. From the birth of Christ, then, we must reckon the 500 years that remain to make up the 6000, and thus the end shall be. And that the Saviour appeared in the world, bearing the imperishable ark, His own body, at a time which was the fifth and half, John declares: Now it was the sixth hour, he says, intimating by that, one-half of the day. But a day with the Lord is 10000 years; and the half of that, therefore, is 500 years. For it was not meet that He should appear earlier, for the burden of the law still endured, nor yet when the sixth day was fulfilled (for the baptism is changed), but on the fifth and half, in order that in the remaining half time the gospel might be preached to the whole world, and that when the sixth day was completed He might end the present life.

Hippolytus (d. 235), from Fragments of Hippolytus, Second fragment "Of the visions," sections 5-6. 


And, moreover, the ark made of imperishable wood was the Saviour Himself. For by this was signified the imperishable and incorruptible tabernacle of (the Lord) Himself, which gendered no corruption of sin. For the sinner, indeed, makes this confession: My wounds stank, and were corrupt, because of my foolishness. But the Lord was without sin, made of imperishable wood, as regards His humanity; that is, of the virgin and the Holy Ghost inwardly, and outwardly of the word of God, like an ark overlaid with purest gold.

Hippolytus (d. 235), from Fragments of Hippolytus, On Psalm 23 (LXX Psalm 22). 


Doubtful Fragments - I include for the sake of making it clear that these are just of interest, not to be cited.

And Noah came out of the ark on the twenty-seventh day of the month Jiar, in the second year: for the ark continued sailing live whole months, and moved to and fro upon the waters, and in a period of fifty-one days neared the land. Nor thereafter did it float about any longer. But it only moved successively toward the four cardinal points of the earth, and again finally stood toward the east. We say, moreover, that that was a sign of the cross. And the ark was a symbol of the Christ who was expected. For that ark was the means of the salvation of Noah and his sons, and also of the cattle, the wild beasts, and the birds. And Christ, too, when He suffered on the cross, delivered us from accusations and sins, and washed us in His own blood most pure.

Hippolytus (d. 235), from Fragments of Hippolytus, On Psalm 23 (LXX Psalm 22). 


9. However it may be with the time when and the manner in which this idea of the Psalms has hit upon by the inspired David, he at least seems to have been the first, and indeed the only one, concerned in it, and that, too, at the earliest period, when he taught his fingers to tune the psaltery. For if any other before him showed the use of the psaltery and lute, it was at any rate in a very different way that such an one did it, only putting together some rude and clumsy contrivance, or simply employing the instrument, without singing either to melody or to words, but only amusing himself with a rude sort of pleasure. But after such he was the first to reduce the affair to rhythm, and order, and art, and also to wed the singing of the song with the melody. And, what is of greater importance, this most inspired of men sang to God, or of God, beginning in this wise even at the period when he was among the shepherds and youths in a simpler and humbler style, and afterwards when he became a man and a king, attempting something loftier and of more public interest. And he is said to have made this advance, especially after he had brought back the ark into the city. At that time he often danced before the ark, and often sang songs of thanksgiving and songs to celebrate its recovery. And then by and by, allocating the whole tribe of the Levites to the duty, be appointed four leaders of the choirs, viz. Asaph, Aman (Heman), Ethan, and Idithum (Jeduthun), inasmuch as there are also in all things visible four primal principles. And he then formed choirs of men, selected from the rest. And he fixed their number at seventy-two, having respect, I think, to the number of the tongues that were confused, or rather divided, at the time of the building of the tower. And what was typified by this, but that hereafter all tongues shall again unite in one common confession, when the Word takes possession of the whole world?

Hippolytus (d. 235), from Fragments of Hippolytus, On Psalm 1 

(source)

Ambrose - Only Jesus has Permanently Risen from the Dead

(7.25) The prophet was lamenting the wretched frailty of our condition, that has no rest in this life and loses everything by death's sudden onset. For the Holy Spirit revealed to him that man would not arise for so long a time, until He should come who would not stitch the old to the new nor join new material to old material [Cf. Matt. 9.16.] but would make all things new, even as He said, "Behold, I make all things new!"[Apoc. 21.5.] For He is the resurrection, [Cf. John 11.25.] the firstborn of the dead,[Cf. Col. 1.18; Apoc. 1.5.] in whom we have all indeed received the prerogative of a future resurrection; yet till now He alone is risen in a perpetual resurrection. 

Ambrose of Milan (d. 397), as found in Saint Ambrose: Seven Exegetical Works, Michael P. McHugh trans., Vol. 65 of the Fathers of the Church, a New Translation Series (CUA 1972), p. 345, The Prayer of Job and David


Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Rupert of Deutz on the Ark of Revelation 11 and the Woman of Revelation 12

Rupert of Deutz (aka Rupertus Tuitiensis) (d. 1129), in his Commentaria in Apocalypsin (found in Patrologia Latina, CLXIX, beginning at col. 827) provides an explanation of the ark of Revelation 11 and the woman of Revelation 12.

Book Seven

Chapter XII

"And the temple of the Lord was opened in heaven, and the ark of His testament was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, and voices, and an earthquake, and great hail. And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars, and being with child, she cried out, travailing and in pain to deliver." It must be remembered here of the earlier place, where seven angels standing before God were given seven trumpets, who also prepared themselves to sound the trumpet (Rev. viii), of which, through their individual blasts, what happened, what was done, this Scripture has so far ordered in sequence. For there, before it is said, "and the seven angels prepared themselves to sound," another angel is introduced, "who came and stood before the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne" (ibid.). With the seven angels thus arranged, to whom the trumpets were given, and another angel who had the golden censer, what was done through the individual trumpet blasts has been arranged first, and the seven acts of vengeance for sins were written down. And now, resuming from the beginning, it is written what was done with the duty of the angel having the golden censer, and a great war and prolonged struggle of the angel, now called Michael, fighting with the great red dragon with seven heads, is narrated, and the notable victories of the martyrs are proclaimed, finally singing after the labors of battles, as if a new song. Here clearly the works of the spirit of fortitude are preached, which is found fourth in the order of the seven spirits, joined to the spirit of counsel, whose providence in the seven sounding trumpets we mentioned above.

Therefore, he says: "And the temple of the Lord was opened in heaven." By this conjunction in which he says, "and it was opened," he brings us back to what was said above where he said: "And another angel came and stood before the altar," etc. For at the same time it happened that the temple of the Lord was opened, and the angel stood next to the altar. For then the temple of the Lord was opened when the holy men received the faith of the Lord, the promises of Christ in their hearts, and then the angel stood next to the altar when, because of the same faith, Michael was appointed prince to the nation of the righteous, as we more fully demonstrated in his place with the authority of the Scriptures.

"Therefore, the 'temple of the Lord was opened in heaven,'" that is, they believed, and by believing in the coming Christ, the holy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, became the temple of the Lord.

"And the ark of His testament was seen in His temple." That is, the incarnation of Christ, the Son of God, was foreseen and greeted from afar, which now in His temple, that is in His Church, with the purest gold, that is, shining with the great clarity of His divinity, is observed. Moreover, the incarnation of the Son of God is rightly understood by the ark of the testament, because, as a type of Him, by the command of the Lord, Moses made in the desert both the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat (Exod. xxxvi). For the ark signified the same Son of God to be incarnated, and the mercy seat signified the same to suffer for the sins of men.

"And there were lightnings, and voices, and an earthquake, and great hail." It is implied where the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth (Rev. viii). For immediately after that, it continues: "And there were thunderings, and voices, and an earthquake." Although this is rightly understood concerning the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord sent upon His apostles, and sat upon them like fire (Acts 2), nonetheless, we also rightly said it can be understood concerning the law given to that people on Mount Sinai (Exod. xix) with the arrangement of angels, as Stephen the protomartyr says (Acts. vii). Indeed, the lightnings and voices that shone or were heard spiritually through the apostles were really present on Mount Sinai when the law was given, so that we may rightly understand both, that is, the movement of the law and the Gospel, in the Psalmist's words: "O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, the earth shook (Psalm LXIV)," etc. Therefore, returning to those times when the blessed lineage of saints conceived faith in the coming Christ through the promise, and the other nations were allowed to enter their paths, just as in the seven trumpets we observed the same notable acts of vengeance for sins, so now in what follows up to the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, we will see the wars and victories of the saints. It begins this way: "And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars, and being with child, she cried out, in labor and in pain to give birth." Truly, this was a great sign of a great matter. For that woman signified the holy Church, which we also find in many places in the scriptures of the prophets being called a woman to her husband, that is, united to and loved by God; but sometimes, on account of the transgressing part, accused as an adulteress serving the vices and sins of idolatry. This woman is rightly said to be "clothed with the sun," from which she received Christ, the true Sun of righteousness, in the promise.

LIBER SEPTIMUS

CAP XII

"Et apertum est templum Domini in cœlo, et visa est arca testamenti ejus in templo ejus. Et facta sunt fulgura, et voces, et terræ motus et grando magna. Et signum magnum apparuit in cœlo: Mulier amicta sole, et luna sub pedibus ejus et in capite ejus corona stellarum duodecim, et in utero habens, et clamabat parturiens, et cruciatur ut pariat." Meminisse hic oportet loci superioris, ubi septem angelis stantibus in conspectu Dei, datæ sunt septem tubæ, qui et paraverunt se, ut tuba canerent (Apoc. viii), quorum per cantus singulos quid acciderit, quid actum sit, Scriptura hæc per ordinem hactenus digessit. Nam illic antequam dicatur, "et septem angeli paraverunt se, ut tuba canerent," introductio fit alterius angeli, "qui venit, et stetit ante altare habens thuribulum aureum, et data sunt illi incensa multa, ut daret de orationibus sanctorum omnium super altare aureum quod est ante thronum" (ibid.). Ita dispositis hinc septem angelis, quibus tubæ datæ sunt, inde alio angelo qui habebat thuribulum aureum, prius digestum est quid actum sit per singulos cantus tubarum, et conscriptæ sunt septem vindicta peccatorum. Et nunc demum resumpto principio, scribitur quid actum sit cum officio angeli habentis thuribulum aureum, et narratur grande bellum certamenque prolixum angeli, qui et nunc Michael dicitur, præliantis cum dracone magno et rufo septem capitum, et insignes declamantur victoriæ martyrum, cantantium tandem post labores præliorum, quasi canticum novum. Hic manifeste spiritus fortitudinis opera prædicantur, qui in ordine septem spirituum quartus invenitur, spiritui consilii conjunctus, cujus in septen tubis canentibus providentiam supra memoravimus.

Ait ergo: "Et apertum est templum Domini in cœlo." Conjunctione ista qua dicit, "et apertum est," nos ad superiora reducit ubi dixerat: "Et alius angelus venit et stetit ante altare," etc. Simul namque actum est, ut et templum Domini aperiretur, et juxta altare staret angelus. Tunc etenim templum Domini apertum est, quando fidem Domini, promissiones Christi in cordibus suis receperunt sancti homines, et tunc juxta altare stetit angelus, quando propter eamdem fidem genti justorum Michael est princeps deputatus, sicut in suo loco plenius cum Scripturarum auctoritate monstravimus.

"Apertum est" ergo "templum Domini in cœlo," id est crediderunt, et credendo in Christum venturum, templum Domini facti sunt sancti patres, Abraham, Isaac, et Jacob.

"Et visa est arca testamenti ejus in templo ejus." Id est prospecta, et a longe salutata est incarnatio Christi Filii Dei, quæ nunc in templo suo, id est in Ecclesia sua, auro mundissimo, id est, divinitatis suæ magna claritate radians conspicitur. Idcirco autem per arcam testamenti recte incarnatio intelligitur Filii Dei, quia videlicet in typum ejus, Domino jubente, fecit Moyses in eremo simul arcam fœderis simul et propitiatorium (Exod. xxxvi). Arca namque eumdem Dei Filium incarnandum, propitiatorium vero eumdem significabat pro peccatis hominum passurum.

"Et facta sunt fulgura et voces, et terræ motus, et grando magna." Subauditur ubi accepit angelus thuribulum, et implevit illud de igne altaris, et misit in terram (Apoc. viii). Sic enim illic continuo subjunctum est: "Et facta sunt tonitrua, el voces, et terræ motus." Quod licet recte intelligatur de Spiritu sancto, quem Dominus in apostolos suos misit, qui et sedit super eos tanquam ignis (Act. 11), nihilominus tamen et de eo recte intelligi diximus quod genti illi lex data est in monte Sinai (Exod. xix) in dispositione angelorum, ut ait Stephanus protomartyr (Act. vii). Siquidem fulgura et voces quæ per apostolos spiritualiter micuerunt, vel auditæ sunt, realiter in monte Sinai, quando data est lex, non defuerunt, ut recte de utraque, scilicet legis et Evangelii commotione, intelligere liceat illud Psalmistae: "Deus, cum egredereris in conspectu populi tui, cum pertransires in deserto, terra mota est (Psal. LXIV)," etc. Itaque ad illa reducta tempora, quibus beata sanctorum progenies Christi venturi fidem in promissione concepit, et cæteræ gentes vias suas permissa sunt ingredi, sicut in septem tubis totidem notas et insignes spectavimus vindictas peccatorum, sic nunc jam in his quæ sequntur usque ad Agnum stantem supra montem Sion bella spectemus victoriasque sanctorum. Hoc ita incipit: "Et signum magnum apparuit in cœlo: Mulier amicta sole, et luna sub pedibus ejus, et in capite ejus corona stellarum duodecim, et in utero habens, et clamabat paturiens, et cruciatur ut pariat." Vere magnum et magnæ rei fuit hoc signum. Significabat namque mulier illa sanctam Ecclesiam, quam et in multis prophetarum locis Scripturarum invenimus appellari mulierem viro suo, id est, Deo conjunctam et dilectam imo et nonnunquam pro parte prævaricatorum, vitiis et peccatis idololatriæ servientium redargui velut adulteram. Haec mulier extunc recte dicitur "amicta sole," ex quo Christum verum justitiæ Solem accepit iu repromissione.

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Greek Commentaries on the Ark of Revelation 11 and the Woman of Revelation 12

The following Greek commentaries are from the Ancient Christian Texts series, Greek Commentaries on Revelation, William C. Weinrich trans. 

Oecumenius (6th or 7th Century), Commentary on the Apocalypse, Sixth Discourse (pp. 51-53)

"And the temple of God in heaven was opened," it says, "and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple." When this had been said, those good things that had been hidden, and in addition to these certain new mysteries, were seen by the saints. For this is the signification of the ark of the covenant being opened. And Paul shows that the good things of the coming age are hidden from people at the present time by saying, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, that God has prepared for those who love him." And that there will be certain mysteries and another knowledge that is now unknown, the Lord shows when he said, "I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."

...

The vision intends to describe more completely to us the circumstances concerning the anti-christ, whom we mentioned briefly in previous discussion. However, since the incarnation of the Lord, which made the world his possession and subjected it, provided a pretext for Satan to raise up the antichrist and to choose him as his instrument--for the antichrist will be raised to cause the world again to fall from Christ and to persuade it to desert to Satan--and since moreover his fleshly conception and birth was the beginning of the incarnation of the Lord, the vision gives a certain order and sequence to the material that it is going to discuss and begins the discussion from the fleshly conception of the Lord by portraying for us the mother of God [lit. Theotokos]. What does he say? "And a sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet." As I said, it is speaking about the mother of our Saviour. And the vision appropriately depicts her as in heaven and not on the earth, for she is pure in soul and body, equal to angel and a citizen of heaven. She possesses God who rests in heaven-- "for heaven is my throne," it says -- yet she is flesh, although she has nothing in common with the earth, nor is there any evil in her. Rather, she is fully exalted, wholly worthy of heaven, even though she possesses our own human nature and substance. For the Virgin is consubstantial with us. Let the impious teaching of Eutyches, which makes the fanciful claim that the Virgin is of another substance than we, be excluded from the belief of the holy courts together with his other opinions.

...

"And she was with child," it says, "and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery." Clearly Isaiah speaks concerning her: "Before she was in labor she gave birth; before the pain of her labor she fled and gave birth to a son." Also in his thirteenth homily on the Song concerning the Lord, Gregory says, "whose pregnancy remains without union, and the childbirth without defilement, and the labor free of pain." If according to the prophet and to such a teacher of the church the Virgin escaped the pain of childbirth, how is it that here it says "she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery"? What is said is not contradictory. By no means! For there would be nothing contradictory said by the same Spirit who was speaking through both. Rather, you will understand the present phrase "she cried out and was in anguish" in this way. Until the holy angel said to Joseph that that which was borne in her womb was of the Holy Spirit, she was faint of heart, as is natural for a virgin, and she blushed before her betrothed and thought that perhaps from the secrecy of the marriage he might think that she was in labor. And so, according to the rules of figurative language, he calls this faintheartedness and sorrow a "crying out" and "anguish." Nor is this unusual, for even to the blessed Moses, when he was spiritually conversing with God and losing heart--for he saw Israel in the desert surrounded by the sea and the enemy--God said, "Why are you crying to me?" So also here, the vision calls the troubled disposition of the Virgin in her mind and heart a crying out. But may you, who by your unspeakable birth did bring to an end the faintheartedness of our undefiled servant, your mother according to the flesh, but my mistress, the holy mother of God, also forgive my sins. For it is proper to give you glory forever. Amen.

Andrew aka Andreas of Caesarea (d. 637) Commentary on the Apocalypse, Book Eleven, Chapter 33 (pp. 154-55)

Concerning the persecutions of the church, both those formerly and those under the antichrist

[11:19] And the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, and earthquake and heavy hail.

By the opening of the heaven and the vision of the ark is shown the revelation of those blessings that have been prepared for the saints. According to the apostle, these blessings are hidden in Christ in whom the fullness of deity dwells bodily. And these things will be revealed when the punishments of the lawless and impious like terrifying voices and lightnings and thunder and hail. The earthquake signifies the transposition of present things.

[12:1] And a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

Some believe that the woman refers generally to the mother of God who suffered that which was soon to happen before her bearing of God was known. However, the great Methodius understands her to be the holy church, believing that what is narrated concerning her is unsuited of the divine birth since the Lord had been born already a long time previously. It is well to recall these words of the blessed Methodius who in his Symposium says in the person of the virgin Procles: "The woman clothed with the sun is the church. Instead of such clothing as we have, she has light. She uses stars as we do gold and brilliant stones; however, her stars are better and brighter than those on earth." And afterward Methodius continues: "She stands on the moon. I think that the moon symbolically refers to the faith of those who have been purified from corruption by the laver, for very moist substance is dependent on the moon. Laboring and giving birth to natural persons as spiritual persons, the church forms them according to the likeness and the form of Christ." And later he says, "It is not necessary to think that it is Christ who is the one born. For long before the Apocalypse, the mystery of the incarnation of the Word was fulfilled. But John speaks concerning things present and things to come." And a little later he writes, "So it is necessary to confess that the church is she who labors and gives birth to those who are baptized. As the Spirit says in Isaiah: 'Before she who travails brought forth; she fled and brough forth a male child.' From whom did she flee? Surely from the dragon, that the spiritual Zion might give birth to a masculine people." And a little later: "So that in each one Christ is born spiritually. And for this reason the church swells and labors until Christ who is born be formed in us, so that each one, partaking in Christ, might become Christ." Therefore, the church is clothed with sun of righteousness. She hold under her feet both the light of the Law, which, as does the moon, gives light at night and the life of the world which, as the moon, is changing. On her head she wears the crown of the apostolic teachings and of the virtues. The author teaches that just as moist substances are dependent on the moon, so the figure of the moon signifies baptism. Here baptism is figuratively called the sea, which is salvation to those who have been born anew but is destruction to the demons.


Caesarius of Arles on the Possibility of Early Departures for Heaven

Caesarius of Arles (d. 542), Exposition on the Apocalypse, Homily 8 (p. 84 of Ancient Christian Texts, Latin Commentaries on Revelation), William C. Weinrich trans.:

"But after the three and half days a breach of life from God entered them." We have already spoken of the days. The angel speaks of the future, but the future of which he hears, he speaks of as though it were accomplished. "And they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. Then I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Come up hither!' And they went up to heaven in a cloud." The apostle spoke of this when he said, "We shall be caught up in the clouds to meet Christ." It is written that this cannot happen to anyone before the coming of the Lord, "Christ the beginning, then at his coming those who belong to Christ." This suffices to exclude every false idea of those who think that these two witnesses are two men who ascend to heaven on clouds before the coming of Christ.



Latin Commentaries on Revelation on the Ark of Revelation 11 and the Woman of Revelation 12

The following Latin commentaries are from the Ancient Christian Texts series, Latin Commentaries on Revelation, William C. Weinrich trans. 

Victorinus of Petovium (d. 304), Commentary on the Apocalypse (pp. 15-16)

6. That "the temple of God that is in heaven was opened" signifies the appearance of our Lord. For the temple of God is his Son, as he said: "Destroy the temple, and in three days I will raise it up." And when the Jews said, "It was built in forty-six years," the Evangelist said, "He was speaking of the temple of his body." The "ark of the covenant" is the preaching of the gospel and mercy for sins, and everything whatsoever that has come with him. That, he says, appeared.

12.1 "A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, having a crown of twelve stars, and giving birth in her anguish." This is the ancient church of the patriarchs and the prophets and the holy apostles. For they experience the groans and torments of their desire until that which was long since promised was fulfilled out of their own people and according to their own flesh. ...

Apringus of Beja (mid-5th century) jumps from Revelation 5:7 to Revelation 18:6, presumably due to the loss of manuscripts.

Caesarius of Arles (d. 542), Exposition on the Apocalypse, Homily 9 (pp. 84-85)

"Then," it says, "God's temple in heaven was opened." This means that the mysteries of Christ's incarnation were manifested in the church, since we have shown that heaven indicates the church. "And the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple." It is understood that the church is the ark of the covenant. "And there were flashes of lightning and peals of thunder and an earthquake." All of these are the powers of the preaching and of the trembling and of the struggle of the church.

"And a great sign was seen in heaven, a woman," it says, "clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet." It says that the church has a part, that is, the hypocrites and the evil Christians under her feet. 

...

"The woman cried out in pangs of birth that she might deliver." Every day throughout all time the church is giving birth, whether in time of prosperity or in time of adversity. "And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth." In her misfortunes the church is always bringing forth Christ through her members, and the dragon is always seeking to devour the one who is being born. "And the woman brought forth a male child," that is, Christ. For this reason the church is the body of Christ, because she is always bringing forth members of Christ.

Bede (d. 735), The Exposition of the Apocalypse (pp. 149-150)

11:19 Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of the covenant was seen in his temple. Formerly the temple of the Lord on the earth contained the ark of the covenant hidden behind the mystical veil. However, since the veil of the ancient temple and the wall of partition have been torn asunder by the sword of the blood of the Lord, now in the church, that is, the temple of the living God and whose citizenship is in heaven, the ark of his incarnation is laid open to all the world. For just as the manna from heaven was in a pure gold container, so is his divinity in his holy body.

... 

12:1 And a great sign appeared in heaven. The sign that now appears in the church is that God is born of man.

A woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet. Clothed with the light of Christ, the church treads on temporal glory. ... Another possible interpretation is this. The church in part will enjoy Christ, the Sun, in heaven and in part sojourn in the body apart from the Lord.

Early Latin/Irish/Carolingian Commentaries on the Apocalypse on the Ark of Revelation 11 and the Woman of Revelation 12

Handbook of the Apocalypse of the Apostle John, Pseudo-Jerome (late 7th century Irish author) in Early Latin Commentaries on the Apocalypse, ed. Francis X Gumerlock (p. 31):

19. Ark of the covenant in heaven, the heavenly Jerusalem, that is, the souls of the saints. Hail, persecution. 

12:1. A woman clothed, "the church."  Moon, those who are weaker since they wax and wane.  A crown of twelve stars, the teaching of the twelve apostles in the beginning of the church.

2. Having [a child] in the womb, [having] Christ in her heart. Giving birth to some in faith. She is tormented by persecutors.

... 

5. In the way that Mary gave birth to Christ, so the church gives birth to Christian people.

On the Mysteries of the Apocalypse of John, Anonymous (8th century Irish author) in Early Latin Commentaries on the Apocalypse, ed. Francis X Gumerlock  (p. 65):

19. The temple of God in heaven was opened, that is, the body of Christ was manifested in the church. And the ark, that is, Holy Scripture or the flesh of Christ.

12:1. Great signs, that is, the Word made flesh (John 1:14). [In heaven], in the church. A woman clothed with the sun, that is, the church defended by Christ in baptism and clothed by Christ in good works. The moon under her feet, that is, the church which is lower, subjected to the higher ranks. And on her head twelve stars, that is, on Christ, who is the head of the church, "twelve apostles." 

Exposition on the Apocalypse of John, Theodulf of Orléans (d. 821, written 810), in Carolingian Commentaries on the Apocalypse by Theodulf and Smaragdus, Francis X Gumerlock trans. (p. 51)

19. And the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of the covenant was seen "in heaven," that is, "the heavenly Jerusalem, that is, the souls of the saints." Hail, persecution. 

12:1 A great sign in heaven, God who became man or the church in faith. A woman clothed with the sun, that is, the church [clothed] by Christ. The moon under her feet, that is, the lower church, through which the evangelical word of the ministers traverses. And on her head, that is, on the leaders of the church or on Christ, a crown, that is, the church which prefigured in the twelve sons of Jacob or the "twelve apostles."