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

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.

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." 

Nicholas of Lyra on the Ark of Revelation 11:19 and the Woman of Revelation 12

 Nicholas of Lyra's Apocalypse Commentary, Philip D. W. Krey translator, pp. 135-36 and 139, reports the following from Nicholas of Lyra (d. 1349):

19. Then God's temple in heaven was opened, Here, thirdly, the increase of devotion is included. At that time a great plague affected Constantinople, for which the feast of purification of the Blessed Mary was instituted to be solemnly celebrated on February 2, when the Blessed Virgin presented her son in the temple, which is called the "ark of the covenant." In that place the fullness of knowledge and of truth was designated by the tablets and of power by the vessel and of devotion by the manna -- all three of which were in the ark. The plague ceased, and this is what is said, Then God's temple in heaven was opened, That is, the Church militant in which the material temple was opened to solemnly celebrate the feast. And the ark of the covenant was seen That is, Christ, whose offering and presentation in the temple through St. Simeon and Anna the prophetess was memorialized in the Feast of Purification, which spread from Constantinople to other parts of the world. Therefore, it is added: There were flashes That is, burning torches like "flashes." And peals Of divine praise. Of thunder, Of holy preaching. An earthquake, Many of the earthly people were moved to devotion. And heavy hail. Because the power of the demon causing this pestilence was repressed.

...

A woman That is, the Church generally, and specifically the one in Jerusalem, which was joined with Christ as a woman with a man. Clothed with the sun, That is, with Christ, who is the sun of Justice (Gal 3:27), "As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."

Glossa Ordinaria on the Ark of Revelation 11:19 and the Woman of Revelation 12

11:19 And the temple of God was opened in (c) heaven: and the (d) ark of his testament as seen (e) in his temple, and there were lightnings, and voices, and an earthquake and great hail.

He here mentions the revelation of the mysteries which were in the second vision, and the enjoined duty of preaching which we had in the third one, so as to show that this fourth vision, which concerns the fight of the Church, depends on these last two.

In this fourth vision, his topic is a woman well adorned, i.e. the Church having good works, who is attacked by the Devil both openly and secretly. And he shows that she overcomes in all these things; by this he especially adorns, or arms, the faithful for them not to succumb in any tribulation.

It depends on the fight of the Church, on the revelation of the woman, and it depends on the third vision, which concerns the enjoined duty of preaching.

(c) i.e. the Church

(d) i.e. the ark, i.e. Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom (Colossians 2:3), who fulfilled the Old Testament and instituted the New.

(e) i.e. in the Church, which is in heaven thanks to good works.

12:1 AND a great sign appeared (c) in heaven: (d) a woman clothed (3) with the sun, and (f) the moon under her feet, and (i) on her head a crown of twelve stars:

(c) i.e. the Church

(d) i.e. the Church, because it has clothed itself with Christ, who illuminates it

(e) i.e. with Christ

(i) i.e. on Christ, or in the beginning of the Church

12:2 and (a) being with (b) child [lit. child in the womb], she cried also travailing, and is in anguish to be delivered.

(a) i.e. in the Virgin Mary.

(b) Sc. the word of God.

***

TF note: The parenthetical points (a), (b), etc. are part of the Glossa in addition to the main text.  I have excerpted those relevant, but there are others, as can be seen from the missing (a), (b), and so in 11:19.  There are additional extensive critical notes in Sarah Van Der Pas' printed edition.  There is not a separate main text for 12:1 and 12:2, they are grouped with 11:19.

Tyconius on the Ark and the Woman of Revelation 12

Book IV, beginning at Rev. 11:19 (pp. 120-25) in The Fathers of the Church, Tyconius, Exposition of the Apocalypse, Francis X. Gumerlock, trans., Tyconis (d. 390) wrote: 

[19] And the temple of God in heaven was opened. With the birth of the Lord, the temple of God has been manifested in heaven, that is, in the church. Accordingly the church is shown to be “heaven.”

And the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple, that is, it is understood that the church is the Ark of the Covenant. For God promises this through Jeremiah, saying: “When you will have been multiplied and you will have increased upon the earth, in those days, the Lord says, they will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of Israel.’ It will not come to mind, neither will it be named, nor will it be missed. In those days and at that time they will call Jerusalem the throne of God, and all nations will be gathered in her.”

...

Chapter Twelve

So also now, as the temple of God in heaven was opened and battles followed, he says: [1] And a great sign was seen in heaven, which now also is seen in the church, to become God from man.

A woman, he says, clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet. Frequently it has been said that the general is divided into many separate particulars, which are one and the same thing. For what heaven is, the temple in heaven is, the woman clothed with the sun is, and the moon under her feet is, as if he had said: “a woman clothed with the sun and a woman under her feet,” or “the moon clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet.” For all things are bipartite. He says that the church has a part of herself that is under her feet. But we are also able to interpret the moon for the good part, just as it is written in the Psalms: “Once I have sworn in my holiness; I will not lie to David. His seed will remain forever, and his throne [will endure] as the sun in my sight and as the full moon forever; the witness of the sky is sure.” And again: “Splendid as the sun and fair as the moon.”

And on her head a crown of twelve stars, that is, in Christ the twelve apostles or the twelve tribes of Israel.

[2] And having [a child] in her womb. And she cried out travailing, giving birth in pain. Every day through all time the church gives birth.

... [5] And the woman gave birth to a male child; that is, the church [gave birth] to Christ, then to his body. Moreover, he calls the victor against the devil, who had conquered the woman, a “male.”

Who will shepherd all nations with an iron rod; surely [he will shepherd] his body, about which the same Lord says: “The one who overcomes and keeps my works up to the end, I shall give to him authority over the nations. And he will shepherd them with an iron rod and as earthen vessels are shattered, as I also have received from my Father.”

Bruno of Asti on the Ark in Psalm 132

St. Bruno de Asti, AD 1049-1123, Expositions on the Psalms, at Psalm 132 (Vulgate Psalm 131) at verses 8-9, identifies the ark as the Church:

"Arise, O Lord, into your rest, you and the ark of your sanctification." Behold, as if he says, the vow is completed; you have done what you promised: arise into your rest, and take with you that very ark, which you have just made of your sanctification. The Church is rightly called the ark, in which the most secret and better things are stored. This ark cannot entirely ascend all at once right now, yet it ascends daily, and in judgment, it will ascend all at once. "Let your priests be clothed with righteousness and let your saints rejoice." You, he says, arise: but let your priests, your apostles, and their successors be clothed with righteousness, so that they may be able to rule over your ark and your Church justly and wisely, and may all your saints under their governance and protection rejoice.

"Exsurge, Domine, in requiem tuam, tu et arca sanctificationis tuæ." Ecce, quasi dicat, completum est votum; fecisti quod promisisti: exsurge in requiem tuam, et duc tecum ipsam arcam, quam modo fecisti sanctificationis tuæ. Merito autem Ecclesia arca vocatur, in qua quæque arcana et meliora reposita sunt. Non potest hæc arca tota modo simul ascendere ascendit tamen quotidie, et in judicio tota simul ascendet. "Sacerdotes tui induantur justitiam et sancti tui exsultent." Tu, inquit, exsurge : sacerdotes vero tui, apostoli tui, eorumque successores induantur justitiam, ut arcam et Ecclesiam tuam juste el sapienter regere valeant, et omnes sancti tui sub eorum regimine et custodia exsultent.

Prosper of Aquitaine on Psalm 132 and the Ark

Prosper of Aquitaine (d. 455), in his Exposition on the Psalms, at Psalm 132 (Vulgate Psalm 131) says that the ark is the body of Christ, namely the church.

(Vers. 7.) We will enter into his tabernacles, we will worship in the place where his feet have stood. Those who enter to inhabit are themselves entered to be inhabited; and these are in the house of God who are the house of God, so that truly in the kingdom of God it can be said to them, "The Kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). Therefore, these worship in the place where the feet stood, either of the house itself remaining in the Lord, or of the Lord Himself, who is the inhabitant of the persevering house. However, just as there is no place for worship except in the Catholic Church, so "No one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except in the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:3). (Vers. 8.) Arise, O Lord, into your rest, you and the ark of your holiness. The Church, that is, the body of Christ, says to its head, "You have slept through the turmoil of the cross; arise into the rest of eternity, you and the ark of your holiness;" so that the glory of the resurrection may be fulfilled not only in the head of the members but also in the members of the head. Which members are the ark of sanctification to God, either through the truth of the incarnation or through the choice of grace; so that in the person of the Mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5), it is understood both the altar of propitiation, and the ark of sacrifice, and the ark of doctrine.

(Vers. 7.) Intrabimus in tabernacula ejus, adorabimus in loco ubi steterunt pedes ejus. Qui intrant ut inhabitent, ipsi sunt qui ut inhabitentur intrantur; et hi sunt in domo Dei qui sunt domus Dei, ut vere in regno Dei sint quibus dici potest, Regnum Dei intra vos est (Luc. XVII, 21). Adorant ergo isti in loco ubi steterunt pedes, vel ipsius domus permanentes in Domino, vel ipsius Domini, qui domus perseverantis habitator est. Sicut autem non est locus adorandi, nisi in Ecclesia catholica, ita Nemo potest dicere Dominum Jesum Christum, nisi in Spiritu sancto (I Cor. XII, 3). (Vers. 8.) Exsurge, Domine, in requiem tuam, tu et arca sanctificationis tuae. Ecclesia, id est, corpus Christi, capiti suo dicit, Dormisti per conturbationem crucis; surge in requiem aeternitatis, tu et arca sanctificationis tuae; ut gloria resurrectionis non solum in capite membrorum, sed etiam in membris capitis impleatur. Quae membra arca sunt sanctificationis Deo, sive per incarnationis veritatem, sive per gratiae electionem; ut in persona Mediatoris Dei et hominum hominis Christi Jesu (I Tim. II, 5) intelligatur, et altare propitiationis, et arca sacrificii, et arca doctrinae.

Hilary of Poitiers on the Ark of Psalm 132

Hilary of Poitiers (d. 367) identifies the Ark as Christ's body in section 16 of his Psalms commentary at Psalm 132.

Tractates, on Psalm 132 (Vulgate 131) 15. And because in the Gospels we read the statement: many prophets and righteous people have wanted to see what you see, and hear what you hear, the holy prophet is impatient with this desire. For after he heard and found the rest of God, after he believed he would enter and worship, he now prays to partake in such hope, saying: Arise, O Lord, to your rest, which your David vowed he would find, which we heard in Ephrathah, which we found in the fields of the forest, into whose tabernacles we will enter to worship there, where your feet stood. Arise then to that rest which is sought by the vow's sacrament, which is heard in the place by the knowledge of prophecy, which is found by the fruitful worship of the nations, which is accessible to those entering, which is immutable in place, which is venerable by the religion of the worshippers. 16. But not only you, O Lord, arise to your rest, but also you and the ark of your holiness. Not the ark of the covenant, not the ark of the law, but the ark of your sanctification. Indeed, we remember that the ark of the covenant was golden inside and out, where the stone tablets were, where the holy letters, where the book of the covenant, where the jar of manna. But all these are figures of the body which the Lord assumed, containing in itself the mystery of the law. Now, united with the spirit of divinity and the origin of the flesh, it is indeed golden inside and out -- for the Lord Jesus is in the glory of God the Father -- containing in himself the eternal manna of the covenant -- for he himself is the living bread -- preserving the tablets and the book of the law -- for in him are the words of life. Therefore, so that this ark of sanctification -- for this is how God marked him according to the Gospels by the Father -- may arise to rest with the Lord, the prophet prays. However, that earthly ark was often and frequently captured by foreigners and defiled by kings; and today, with the temple and city overthrown, it no longer exists. And let us see. what follows.

Tractatus in Psalmum CXXXI 15. Et quia in euangeliis legimus dictum: multi prophetæ et iusti cupierunt uidere, quæ uos uidetis, et audire, quæ auditis, sanctus propheta desiderii huius inpatiens est. postquam enim requiem dei audiuit et repperit, postquam introiturum se adoraturumque credidit, spei tantæ fieri iam particeps deprecatur dicens: exsurge, domine, in requiem tuam, quam reperturum se Dauid tuus uouit, quam nos in Ephrata audiuimus, quam in campis siluæ inuenimus, in cuius tabernacula introibimus adoraturi illic. ubi pedes tui steterunt. exsurge igitur in eam requiem quæ uoti sacramento quæsita est, quæ prophetiæ scientia in loco audita est, quæ gentium cultu frugifero reperta est, quæ introeuntibus frequentabilis est, quæ loco indemutabilis est, quæ adorantium religione uenerabilis est. 16 Sed non solum tu, domine, exsurge in requiem tuam, sed et tu et arca sanctificationis tuæ. non arca testamenti, non arca legis, sed arca sanctificationis tuæ. et quidem esse arcam testamenti meminimus intus ac foris auream, ubi tabulæ lapidum, ubi sanctæ litteræ, ubi liber testamenti, ubi gomor mannæ. sed hæc omnia eius, quod dominus adsumpsit, corporis species est, omne in se sacramentum continens legis. nunc et deitatis spiritu et origine carnis unitum intus scilicet et foris aureum est -- est enim dominus Iesus in gloria dei patris -- mannam in se æternam testamenti intra se continens -- ipse enim est panis uiuus -- tabulas et legis librum conseruans -- sunt enim in eo uerba uitæ. ut igitur cum domino etiam hæc sanctificationis arca -- hunc enim deus secundum euangelia signauit pater -- in requiem exsurgat, propheta orat. ceterum arca illa terrena et frequenter et ab allophylis capta est et polluta a regibus; et hodie templo atque urbe subuersa iam nulla est. et uideamus. quid sequatur.

Primasius of Hadrumetum (circa A.D. 551) on the Woman of Revelation 12 and the Ark of the New Covenant

Book III, Chapter XI, at Revelation 11:17 and following through the end of Revelation 12 (source)

And the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of our God and of his Christ has come, and he will reign forever and ever." And the twenty-four elders who sit before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who are and were, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, to reward your servants the prophets and those who fear your name, both small and great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth." Concerning the elders, enough and more has been said about what should be understood. But it now mentions the beginning and end of Christ's dispensation; for by saying "you have begun to reign and the nations were angry" it first demonstrates Christ's coming. However, what follows, "your wrath has come and the time of the dead," or as another translation has it "that the dead may be judged," shows the second coming, when both the small and great, perfect and little ones, saints and prophets and those fearing his name, will receive their reward. "For my eyes," he says, "have seen my imperfect [works], and in your book they will all be written." And lest the wicked should promise themselves impunity, he added, "and to destroy those who have corrupted the earth," just as the Psalm says: "But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." "Behold," he says, "the third woe is coming at the voice of the seventh angel," and when he had sounded, he spoke only of the church praising the Lord and giving thanks, from which we understand that the reward of the good is not without the woe of the wicked. Hence the Psalm: "When his wrath flares up in an instant," surely against the wicked, "blessed are all who trust in him." So now the church itself says: "Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, to give to your servants their reward" and so on; this is the last woe. Indeed, having summarized the Lord's physical birth, it hints that he will speak about the same thing differently and in a more extended manner.

And the temple of God was opened in heaven. With the birth of the Lord Christ, the temple of God in heaven was made manifest, that is, in the church. The body of Christ can be understood as the temple of God, whence the same Lord says: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Alternatively, in this [passage], with the multiplicity of meanings, a certain understanding can be traced, so that each thing, more fittingly restored to its own property, can be more clearly recognized. For although the ark often signifies the church, here it describes the ark as having appeared in the temple, and by adding the "ark of the covenant," it warns that something deeper should be understood; also by saying "in heaven," it persuades us to penetrate some mystery, so that this may be the understanding: the temple is the church, the ark of the covenant is the mystery of the incarnation of Christ, who after the manner of that ark carried within himself the tablets of the covenant, who came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it, "for all the promises of God," says the Apostle, "are in him." And the golden urn having manna, because it carries spiritual nourishment within the body adorned with the brilliance of wisdom, is to be preferred intellectually; for the bread of God is "he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." And Aaron's rod, because he, uniquely begotten by the undefiled virgin in a new birth, is said to possess all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden within the covering of his flesh like an almond. Hence the psalm says: "Arise, O Lord, into your resting place; you and the ark of your sanctification," and the other things which agree with this sense. For thus God promises through Jeremiah to erase the ark of the covenant from the hearts of men, especially that of the Hebrews, and to call Jerusalem, that is the church, the throne of the Lord, saying: "When you have multiplied and increased on the land," says the Lord, "they will no longer say, 'the ark of the covenant of the Lord,' nor will it rise up on the heart. In those days and at that time, they will call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all nations will gather to it in the name of the Lord."

And there were lightnings and voices and thunderings and an earthquake and great hail. Lightnings, the powers with which the Lord Christ made his disciples shine. Voices and thunderings, the preachings with which the apostles thundered to the peoples like clouds. Earthquake, the noise of the excited people who often inflicted persecutions on the growing church. Hail always harms the fruits more by breaking itself when struck against them and thus diminishes itself by shattering. So too, the fierce multitude of the gentiles, who persecuted the faith of Christ, afterward by following it, became either small or non-existent in number. He had said these things occurred in the description of the preaching of the seven angels from the very advent of the Lord, and generally from the beginning to the end; then, in parts, as they had occurred, so now that the temple of God in heaven might be opened, and the battles followed, saying:

Book III, Chapter XII

A great sign was seen in heaven. Which is still seen today in the church, that is, the wisdom of God being united to human nature through the operation of the Holy Spirit, and from both of these, one and the same Christ, the mediator of God and men, is made, preached, or believed. He himself says: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," and the evangelist [adds]: "But he spoke of the temple of his body."

A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet. It has often been said that a kind is divided into many species which are one. For what is heaven, is a temple in heaven, is a woman clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet, that is, the church clothed with Christ, trampling all changeable things beneath her feet because of His love. For she is not carried away by these changeable things, she who truly says while clinging to stable good: "For me, to be joined to God is good." Hence, there are those voices which we read about the church: "Beautiful as the sun, perfect as the moon," and again: "Thus the moon stands perfect forever, and a faithful witness in heaven." It certainly speaks of the church on pilgrimage; otherwise, after the human birth of Christ, we see many heretical and false opinions put forth. About this very temple, one thing was said by Valentinus, another by Bardesanes, another by Apollinaris, another by Nestorius, another by Eutyches, another by Timothy Elurus, heretical leaders, each saying as they pleased, lying, as if truth arose from the earth and battles followed, so that from where the orthodox and faithful obtain their reward, there the heretics, thinking wrongly about the incarnation of Christ, incur the punishment of eternal damnation. Hence, we remember what was said about Him by Simeon in the Gospel: "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that will be opposed."

And on her head a crown of twelve stars, that is, of the church; it speaks of the church's beginnings, founded and soon adorned by the number twelve of the apostles. Hence, the psalm says: "You set a crown of precious stone upon his head." And she was pregnant in mind, not in womb, and she cried out (in the valley of tears) groaning and tormented in order to give birth. The church spiritually gives birth to those whom she bears, and she does not cease to be in labor even after giving birth. Hence, the apostle says: "My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you."

And another sign was seen in heaven, and behold, a great red dragon, blood-red, vast in cruelty and savagery, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns. The seven heads are kings, but the horns are kingdoms, about which there will be more thorough discussion in its proper place.

And its tail drew a third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. The tail represents wicked prophets, through whom the enemy fulfills his wickedness. Hence Isaiah says: "The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail." Those who adhere to their teachings are said to be cast down to the earth. Moreover, the third part of the stars of heaven represents all the body of the wicked, whether in angels whom he dragged from heaven with him in equal ruin, or in men whom he seduces; and stars are those whom the devil turns from the good to become reprobate.

And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, to devour her child as soon as it was born. This means the treacherous devil schemes against the new man, created after God, in whom we are renewed by the spirit of our mind, in righteousness and true holiness, plotting to kill him when in each of the faithful he arises in the church, cunningly said to overshadow or extinguish his progress. We also remember this happened to a certain heretic, who is read to have suffocated his child with a lethal sleep unto death, in which the newness of life, in which we are commanded to walk, is prophetically represented as being killed. But he is said to have stood in the sight of the woman, and because she will watch over your head and you will lie in wait for her heel.

And she gave birth to a male child who will rule all the nations with an iron rod. Therefore, a male, because we know the victory rightly belongs to the male gender as if by superior right. Rightly here, the head of the church, Christ, is said to be born in individual members, who is recognized as ruling. For he is the author and finisher of our faith, in whom we will make our strength. With an iron rod, that is, in unyielding justice, he rules in the good, breaks in the bad. This is also adapted to his church as to a body from the head, for all of you who were baptized have put on Christ, and the two shall be one flesh, which the apostle says must be understood in Christ and in the church.

Her son was caught up to God and to His throne. Although Christ as the head preceded, having finished the dispensation, he ascended to the Father, it is also fitting for the body. Hence are those words of the Apostle: "Who raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places," and: "Our conversation is in heaven," and: "If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God." However, if you also wish to understand it specifically about the person of Christ, excluding the pain, which we believe the Blessed Mary did not experience during childbirth since we know she contracted no sin of lust in conception, you can properly apply the rest if we understand the snares of the red dragon as the persecutions Christ suffered, starting from infancy from Herod and subsequently up to the death on the cross. When death greedily sought him, he was thwarted by His resurrection. He lamented when He was taken to the throne of God, that is, to the right hand of the Father.

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there for a thousand two hundred and sixty days. The wilderness stands for this life's journey, in which the Church lives like a solitary sparrow, in unique hope of blessed reward, having received power from her king to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, like the red dragon. For the people of Israel, led through the desert, could overcome fiery serpents by looking at the bronze serpent. For "all these things happened to them symbolically," says the Apostle, and just as they were fed with visible manna, so now the Church is fed with heavenly bread. She has a prepared place, about which the prophet says, "In the place which You have prepared," a place which "no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man," for the human heart must ascend there. With mutual peace compelling human speech, both a "prepared place" and a "set place" could each be expressed, as he previously says, "Blessed is the man whose help is from You, O Lord; he has purposed ascents in his heart, in the valley of tears, to the place which he has set." For it is both a place of refuge for pilgrims and refreshment food for hungry servants, to whom reward is promised when they will reign. Therefore, what God has prepared, the Apostle says, speaking to those who love Him: "God has revealed to us by His Spirit," by which alone even the Blessed John could penetrate these depths, and by this number of days, which make three years and six months, signifies all the times of Christianity even in this place, from when the preaching of Christ began, and grows bearing fruit until the end.

And there was a battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and so forth. We should not think that the devil and his angels dared to fight in heaven, since not even Job could tempt here, unless God permitted. But "heaven" here more clearly denotes the Church, where a constant battle is waged against spiritual wickedness by each of the faithful. Hence the Apostle says: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world." However, Michael and his angels are said to fight against the devil because, according to God's will, by praying for the traveling Church and providing assistance, they rightly understand to fight for her. "Are they not all ministering spirits," says the Apostle, "sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" For Michael's name is interpreted to mean "help of God," and fittingly this task is especially attributed to him. Indeed, Daniel said that Michael would come to the Church's aid in the final tribulation: "At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." His angels, who are said to belong to him, are used here in the manner of speech we find in: "For their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven," namely those who have begun to be citizens by believing in Christ. Thus, here, "his angels," because they are believed to be protected under one presiding king and blessed by one life-giving spirit.

And the dragon fought and his angels, but they did not prevail, nor was their place found any more in heaven. The devil and his angels are understood to be not only those who are similar to him in nature and will, but also men who, ensnared by them, have become followers of such beings. For, depending on the quality of their wills, it is said of the devil: "An evil man has done this," and of Judas: "He is a devil." The devil is described as having a two-part body among his own. However, he is said to be expelled by those who, after renouncing him and receiving the faith of Christ, no longer repeat his errors but persist in pure-hearted love, good conscience, and genuine faith. Either because the Church, now separated from all mixture of evils and soon to be glorified in future blessedness, will grant no further place to the devil and his angels either to seduce the wicked or to test the good. Hence the Psalm noting this says: "I passed by, and lo, he was gone; and I sought him, but his place could nowhere be found."

And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. "Earth" here is understood as those who are worldly-wise, in whom the prevailing sentiment of the devil is recognized to dwell: "You will eat dirt all the days of your life." Excluded from spiritual things, he invades the worldly-minded who are fit for his purposes due to their deeds; this means to be thrown down from heaven and cast onto the earth.

And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: "Now has come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ." It is clearly shown in what sense we should understand this heaven. For we know that in the Church, through Christ's victory, salvation has been achieved, through which, once it was known, he also received the power of binding and loosing, when in Peter, signifying all, he heard: "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." About this, the Lord says: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me," not the power he always had, but which he began to possess in the Church from the time he willed to have it as the head in its members.

For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night, and they have overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. Recently, in a manner of speaking, from the perspective of the angels, it says "the accuser of our brothers," that is, of our fellow citizens in the future, but now of the strangers. For now, the faithful strive towards that heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, which the angels happily inhabit. And when they are said to rejoice that he has been thrown out of the heavens and cast down to the earth, they rejoice in the redemption of those whom the Lord has deemed worthy to prepare as a temple for Himself to inhabit. For the soul of the just is the seat of wisdom. About the earthly ones, to whom he is said to have descended, the angels, by understanding the innermost places of divine justice, praise together and always blessedly sing of His mercy and judgment, as both the goodness of God is shown in the redeemed and the fairness of God in the lost. For as they overcame through the blood of the Lamb, they are said to have been able to overcome the devil. And what follows, "They did not love their lives to the point of death," they certainly believe they have received that charity, which is poured into our hearts, not from us, but through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. It teaches us to rejoice over this great good, saying: "Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them." Here, as above, let the church recognize heaven in the angels so that both may fittingly rejoice in the Lord, since humans are believed to associate with angels, and angels serve the human nature in Christ. What follows is: "Woe to you, earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, knowing that he has a short time left." Just as it taught that there should be rejoicing for the redeemed, it also taught that there should be mourning for the doomed. Hence, Ezekiel says he saw a book written with lamentation, song, and woe: the tears of the repentant in lamentation, the joy of the saints in song, and woe properly reveals the condemnation of the wicked, whom he also mentions here, saying: "Woe to you, earth and sea," etc., knowing that he has a short time left. Hence, being compelled by the undefeated power of the Lord, he confesses, saying: "Have you come to destroy us before our time?"

And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had borne the male child. This is, as we have mentioned before, the devil waging relentless war against the church. For the more he is cast out and overcome, the more fiercely he continues to multiply his deceits.

And the woman was given two wings like those of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the desert to her place. The church uses the two Testaments like wings, by which, being taught, she strives to flee the snares of the enemy and, informed by commandments and examples, she overcomes. She is also guided by the twin love for God and neighbor. The place in the wilderness signifies this worldly pilgrimage; for as long as we are in the body, we are strangers away from the Lord. Especially in the heart, he who departs from the world not in location but in affection. The prophet says: "Behold, I have fled away and stayed in the wilderness; I waited for Him who would save me." Appropriately here, the likeness of an eagle is mentioned, which, being known to soar higher than other birds, yet seeing food from afar, driven by natural need, quickly descends to lower places. Just as the church, in its spiritual members, seeks and savors the things above with the mind, but, weighed down by the weakness of the body, is subject to the necessities of bodily need, "for which it groans and labors even now, for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope." Again, "For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you."

Where she is nourished for a time, times, and half a time, away from the serpent's face. This represents the duration of three years and six months; it again signifies the time until the end of the world when the church of Christ spreads, fleeing the worship of idols and all the errors of the serpent. This is what it means "away from the serpent's face," whom it mentions above as the dragon, for she overcomes him by the blood of the lamb, so she can truthfully sing: "You will tread on the lion and the dragon." And the serpent spewed water out of his mouth after the woman, like a river, to sweep her away. The water represents the surge of persecutors. Hence the psalm says: "If men rise up against us, perhaps they would swallow us alive when their anger is kindled against us, perhaps the waters would swallow us up; the torrent would go over our soul," and so on.

But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Although the earth can also be understood here as the church, as in the psalm: "Who established the earth upon its foundations, so that it will not totter forever and ever," that is, in the saints, whose prayers, teachings, and saving works uncover and nullify the deceptions of the enemy. However, it is better understood here as the human nature in Christ. This is the truth that has arisen from the earth, always appearing before the face of God, as the apostle says, interceding for us. This earth, by taking death upon itself, is said to "open its mouth," when it is known to have absorbed the author of death with the abundance of its life, and nevertheless taught to absorb, when, sitting on the mountain, opening His mouth, He gave superior commandments to the disciples, nullifying the law of commandments with decrees.

And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Seeing that he could not continue the persecution, nor bring his harmful desires to fruition, by which he thought or wished he could remove the church of Christ from the world, especially with the trophy of the Lord's body prevailing in the heavens, reigning on the earth, and ruling in the underworld. For this, the apostle says: "Christ died and rose again, so that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living." Also, "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." Seeing this, he ceaselessly endeavors to wage war against the rest of the seed of the church through each generation, whom he now knows he cannot entirely eradicate from the world because, as it is said, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Thus, Christ, wonderfully using him, fittingly gathers many martyrs for Himself, while deciding that the dragon and his allies should be punished with more severe penalties. Therefore, I think this book is more aptly concluded with the memorable victory of the same church, whose memory cannot perish from the world.