SEV Biblia, Chapter 13:13
Y hace grandes seales, de tal manera que aun hace descender fuego del cielo a la tierra delante de los hombres.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Revelation 13:13
Verse 13. And he doeth great wonders] That we may have the greatest assurance possible that the two-horned beast is the spiritual Latin empire, it is called in chap. xix. 20, a passage illustrative of the one now under consideration, the false prophet, "than which," as Bishop Newton observes, "there cannot be a stronger or plainer argument to prove that false doctors or teachers were particularly designed;" for prophet, in the Scripture style, is not unfrequently used for a preacher or expounder of God's word. See 1 Cor. xiv. 1-5. It hence follows that the two-horned beast is an empire of false doctors or teachers. In order to establish the Latin Church upon a foundation that can never fail, the false prophet doth great wonders - he attempts the most wonderful and prodigious exploits, and is crowned with incredible success.
He has the art to persuade his followers that the clergy of the Church of Rome are the only true ministers of Christ; that they have such great influence in the court of heaven as to be able not only to forgive sins, but also to grant indulgences in sin, by paying certain stipulated sums. He persuades them too that they can do works of supererogation. He pretends that an incredible number of miracles have been wrought and are still working by the Almighty, as so many evidences of the great sanctity of the Latin Church; and the false prophet has such an astonishing influence over his flock, as to cause them to believe all his fabulous legends and lying wonders. He pretends also (and is believed!) that his power is not confined to this world; that he is able by his prayers to deliver the souls of the deceased from what he calls purgatory, a place which he has fabled to exist for the purification of sinful souls after their departure from this world.
His wonderful exploits, in being able to induce men possessed of reasoning faculties to believe his monstrous absurdities, do not end here; he even:- Maketh fire come down from heaven- in the sight of men] Fire, in Scripture, when it signifies wrath, represents that species of indignation which is attended with the destruction of whatever is the cause of it. Thus the wrath of God is likened to fire, Psa. xviii. 7, 8; Jer. iv. 4. Therefore the fire which the false prophet bringeth down from heaven upon the earth, is the fiery indignation which he causes to come down from the heaven or throne of the Latin empire upon all those of the earth or Latin world who rebel against his authority. All this has been fulfilled in the Romish hierarchy; the Latin clergy have denominated all those that oppose their authority heretics, they have instituted tribunals to try the cause of heresy, and all those that would not submit to their idolatry they have condemned to various kinds of tortures and deaths. It is said of the false prophet that he bringeth fire FROM HEAVEN upon the earth; that is to say, he will only try the cause of heresy, and pass the sentence of condemnation; he will not suffer an ecclesiastic to execute the sentence of the court; the destroying fire he causeth to come down from the heaven or throne of the Latin empire; secular princes and magistrates must execute the sentence of death upon all that are capitally condemned by the spiritual power. He MAKETH fire come down from heaven; he compels secular princes to assist him against heretics; and if any rebel against his authority he immediately puts them under the ban of the anathema, so that they are deprived of their offices, and exposed to the insults and persecution of their brethren. Thus the false prophet deceives the Latin world by the means of those miracles which he had power try do in the sight of the beast. Under the appearance of great sanctity he persuades men to believe all his lying doctrines, and enforces his canons and decretals with the sword of the civil magistrate.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. And he doeth great wonders , etc.] Or miracles; not real, but pretended ones, lying wonders, which the Popish legends are full of the accounts of, as done by the priests, or by this or the other saint: so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men ; in imitation of Elijah, ( 2 Kings 1:9-14); and this single instance is put instead of all others, it being usual with the Jews to express all wonderful and miraculous operations by this miracle of Elijah's: and this may be understood mystically, of the pretensions of the Papacy to confer the Holy Ghost, and his gifts upon men, by breathing on them, which on the day of Pentecost were represented by cloven tongues, as of fire, coming down from heaven; or of their anathemas, curses, and excommunications, at which time burning torches and candles are cast up, and fall down, as emblems of divine wrath, which is called cursing men with bell, book, and candle; or else of the fire of persecution: from heaven; the secular powers of the empire: upon the earth; the common people: or this may be understood literally; so they tell us, that Pope Zachary, once on a journey to Ravenna, had in the daytime a cloud to protect him from the heat, and in the night time armies of fire appeared in the clouds to go before him; and as Pope Innocent was at Mass, a golden crown was seen, and on it a dove, and under it a smoking censer, and hard by them two burning firebrands: and it is reported of Pope Hildebrand, that, whenever he pleased, he could shake his sleeves, and sparks of fire would come out; and by these miracles deluded the eyes of the simple with a show of holiness, which, with other instances, are taken notice of by Napier, Brightman, and other writers: and so here this is said to be done in the sight of men; to their apprehension, seemingly, in their view; they being cheated and deluded with an appearance and show of things which were not real.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 11-18 - Those who understand the first beast to denote a worldly power, tak the second to be also a persecuting and assumed power, which acts unde the disguise of religion, and of charity to the souls of men. It is spiritual dominion, professing to be derived from Christ, and exercise at first in a gentle manner, but soon spake like the dragon. Its speec betrayed it; for it gives forth those false doctrines and crue decrees, which show it to belong to the dragon, and not to the Lamb. I exercised all the power of the former beast. It pursues the sam design, to draw men from worshipping the true God, and to subject the souls of men to the will and control of men. The second beast ha carried on its designs, by methods whereby men should be deceived to worship the former beast, in the new shape, or likeness made for it. By lying wonders, pretended miracles. And by severe censures. Also by allowing none to enjoy natural or civil rights, who will not worshi that beast which is the image of the pagan beast. It is made qualification for buying and selling, as well as for places of profi and trust, that they oblige themselves to use all their interest power, and endeavour, to forward the dominion of the beast, which i meant by receiving his mark. To make an image to the beast, whose deadly wound was healed, would be to give form and power to his worship, or to require obedience to his commands. To worship the imag of the beast, implies being subject to those things which stamp the character of the picture, and render it the image of the beast. The number of the beast is given, so as to show the infinite wisdom of God and to exercise the wisdom of men. The number is the number of a man computed after the usual manner among men, and it is 666. What or wh is intended by this, remains a mystery. To almost every religiou dispute this number has yet been applied, and it may reasonably be doubted whether the meaning has yet been discovered. But he who ha wisdom and understanding, will see that all the enemies of God ar numbered and marked out for destruction; that the term of their powe will soon expire, and that all nations shall submit to our King of righteousness and peace __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ποιει 4160 5719 V-PAI-3S σημεια 4592 N-APN μεγαλα 3173 A-APN ινα 2443 CONJ και 2532 CONJ πυρ 4442 N-ASN ποιη 4160 5725 V-PAS-3S καταβαινειν 2597 5721 V-PAN εκ 1537 PREP του 3588 T-GSM ουρανου 3772 N-GSM εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF γην 1093 N-ASF ενωπιον 1799 ADV των 3588 T-GPM ανθρωπων 444 N-GPM
