Folio 96v - the mermecoleon, continued. Versus; verse
are the heavenly dew, just as before her, the patriarch Isaac, blessing his son, signifying that Christ would be born from his seed, said to him: 'God give thee of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth' (Genesis, 27: 28), signifying the chaste, untouched virgin Mary.
'Early in the morning' refers to the time of prayer.
The mussel opening its mouth signifies the occasion when Mary says to the angel: 'Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word' (Luke, 1:35).
'The foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones' (Revelation, 21:19), that is, the prophets and Apostles on whose faith and doctrine the whole city of the church is founded.
Of these it is said in the Psalms: it is founded on holy hills (see, eg, Psalms, 15:1); the wall was adorned with every precious stone (see Revelation, 21:18-19). They were furnished, that is, with every kind of virtue and good work.
It is not only the prophets and apostles who are called 'foundations', but lesser men also, who had or have a life and faith like theirs. They are called 'foundations' not by virtue of their personalities, but the way in which they exercised their virtue; because it was through their virtue that they founded the church.
On account of this, John shows here in which virtues they were as a light in the church, reckoning their number as twelve, demonstrating that they shone in every virtue. For this number signifies the universe, because it is made from parts containing seven, that is by threes and by fours; and that faith is first among the virtues according to the statement of Prudentius.
Verse
Faith, the first of the virtues, ready to fight, takes to the field in battle with doubt. And because without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews, 11:6), faith is set in the first foundation.
It should not trouble you that stones
- Commentary
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Commentary
Text
Precious stones form the foundation of the walls of the city of the church.
Comment
Initial type 4.
Folio Attributes
- Transcription and Translation
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Transcription
nes sunt ros celestis, sicut ante iam [eam] patriarcha Ysaac be\nedicens filium su[u]m significans quia [quod] Christus ex semi\ne eius nasceretur, ait ad eum dicens: Det tibi deus de\ rore celi et de ubertate terre castam atque intactam vir\ginem Mariam significans. Matutinis autem horis\ quod dicitur tempus orationis describit. Quod autem aperit os su\um conchus significat ubi dicit Maria ad ange\lum: Ecce ancilla domini fiat michi secundum verbum\ tuum.\ Fundamenta muri civitatis omni\ lapide precioso ornata, id est prophete et apostoli super\ quorum fidem et doctrinam tota civitas ecclesie fun\data est, de quibus dicitur in [psalmis] fundata est in montibus\ sanctis, omni lapide precioso ornatus. Erant suple[ta], id est omni ge\nere virtutum et bonorum operum nec non solum pro\phete et apostoli fundamenta dicuntur, sed etiam alii minores\ qui fidem et vitam ipsorum habuerunt, vel habent qui non\ racione personarum sed operacione virtutum, fundamen\ta dicuntur, quia per [eas] ecclesiam fundaverunt, [propter] quod Johannis, hic osten\dit quibus virtutibus ipsi in ecclesia [lux erant], reponens\ eos sub duo denario [duodecimo] numero, ut sic ostendat eos splen\duisse omnibus virtutibus. Hic enim numerus universita\tem significat, quia ex partibus septenarii conficitur,\ id est ternario et quaternario, et quia [quod] fides inter virtutes pri\ma est, iuxta illud Prudentii.\ Versus \ Prima petit cam\pum dubia sub sorte duelli, pugnatura fides. Et\ quia sine fide [non] placet deo, ut dicitur Hebreos xi, primo, in primo fun\damento, ponitur fides, nec moveat te quod lapidesTranslation
are the heavenly dew, just as before her, the patriarch Isaac, blessing his son, signifying that Christ would be born from his seed, said to him: 'God give thee of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth' (Genesis, 27: 28), signifying the chaste, untouched virgin Mary. 'Early in the morning' refers to the time of prayer. The mussel opening its mouth signifies the occasion when Mary says to the angel: 'Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word' (Luke, 1:35). 'The foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones' (Revelation, 21:19), that is, the prophets and Apostles on whose faith and doctrine the whole city of the church is founded. Of these it is said in the Psalms: it is founded on holy hills (see, eg, Psalms, 15:1); the wall was adorned with every precious stone (see Revelation, 21:18-19). They were furnished, that is, with every kind of virtue and good work. It is not only the prophets and apostles who are called 'foundations', but lesser men also, who had or have a life and faith like theirs. They are called 'foundations' not by virtue of their personalities, but the way in which they exercised their virtue; because it was through their virtue that they founded the church. On account of this, John shows here in which virtues they were as a light in the church, reckoning their number as twelve, demonstrating that they shone in every virtue. For this number signifies the universe, because it is made from parts containing seven, that is by threes and by fours; and that faith is first among the virtues according to the statement of Prudentius. Verse Faith, the first of the virtues, ready to fight, takes to the field in battle with doubt. And because without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews, 11:6), faith is set in the first foundation. It should not trouble you that stones
