SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:14
Y fueron dadas a la mujer dos alas del gran guila, para que de la presencia de la serpiente volase al desierto a su lugar, donde es mantenida por un tiempo, y tiempos, y la mitad de un tiempo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Revelation 12:14
Verse 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle] tou aetou tou megalou? Of THE great eagle. The great eagle here mentioned is an emblem of the Roman empire in general, and therefore differs from the dragon, which is a symbol of the HEATHEN ROMAN empire in particular. The Roman power is called an eagle from its legionary standard, which was introduced among the Rom. in the second year of the consulate of C. Marius; for before that time minotaurs, wolves, leopards, horses, boars, and eagles were used indifferently, according to the humour of the commander. The Roman eagles were figures in relievo of silver or gold, borne on the tops of pikes, the wings being displayed, and frequently a thunderbolt in their talons. Under the eagle, on the pike, were piled bucklers, and sometimes crowns. The two wings of the great eagle refer to the two grand independent divisions of the Roman empire, which took place January 17, A.D. 395, and were given to the woman, Christianity being the established religion of both empires. That she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, &c.] The apparent repetition here of what is said in ver. 6 has induced Bishop Newton to consider the former passage as introduced by way of prolepsis or anticipation; for, says he, the woman did not fly into the wilderness till several years after the conversion of Constantine. But that there is no such prolepsis as the bishop imagines is evident from the ecclesiastical history of the fourth century; for the woman, or true Church, began to flee into the wilderness a considerable time before the division of the great Roman empire into two independent monarchies. The word translated fled is not to be taken in that peculiar sense as if the woman, in the commencement of her flight, had been furnished with wings, for the original word is efugen.
The meaning therefore of verses 6 and 14, when taken in connection with their respective contexts, is, that the woman began to make rapid strides towards the desert almost immediately after her elevation to the heaven or throne of the Roman empire, and in the course of her flight was furnished with the wings of the great eagle ina pethtai, that she might FLY, into that place prepared of God, where she should be fed a thousand two hundred and threescore days. It is said here that the period for which the woman should be nourished in the wilderness would be a time, times, and a half; consequently this period is the same with the twelve hundred and sixty days of ver. 6. But in no other sense can they be considered the same than by understanding a time to signify a year; times, two years; and half a time, half a year; i.e., three years and a half. And as each prophetic year contains three hundred and sixty days, so three years and a half will contain precisely twelve hundred and sixty days. The Apocalypse being highly symbolical, it is reasonable to expect that its periods of time will also be represented symbolically, that the prophecy may be homogeneous in all its parts. The Holy Spirit, when speaking of years symbolically, has invariably represented them by days, commanding, e. gr., the Prophet Ezekiel to lie upon his left side three hundred and ninety days, that it might be a sign or symbol of the house of Israel bearing their iniquity as many years; and forty days upon his right side, to represent to the house of Judah in a symbolical manner, that they should bear their iniquity forty years, The one thousand two hundred and threescore days, therefore, that the woman is fed in the wilderness, must be understood symbolically, and consequently denote as many natural years. The wilderness into which the woman flies is the Greek and Latin worlds, for she is conveyed into her place by means of the two wings of the great eagle. We must not understand the phrase flying into her place of her removing from one part of the habitable world into another, but of her speedy declension from a state of great prosperity to a forlorn and desolate condition. The woman is nourished for one thousand two hundred and threescore years from the face of the serpent, The empires in the east and west were destined, in the course of the Divine providence, to support the Christian religion, at least nominally while the rest of the world should remain in pagan idolatry or under the influence of this dragon, here called the serpent, because he deceiveth the whole world. The words of the prophecy are very remarkable, The Christian Church is said to be supported by the eastern and western empires, two mighty denominations; and at the same time situated in the wilderness, strongly denoting that, though many professed Christianity, there were but very few who "kept the commandments of God, and had the testimony of Jesus Christ."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle , etc.] By which are meant, not the two testaments, by which she was supported under afflictions, trials, and persecutions, and against Satan and all his efforts; nor the two graces of faith and hope, by which she rose, and dwelt on high, in the view of invisible things, and with contempt of the world, its frowns or flatteries; nor, as others think, prayer and good works, by the former of which she flew to God for supplies of grace and protection, and by the latter was useful and profitable to men, and gave glory to God, and escaped the just censures of the world; nor are two powerful kingdoms, within the dominions of the dragon, intended, as others have thought, who take them to be France and Spain, to which Britain was an appendix; when they were in the possession of Constantius Chlorus, the father of Constantine the great, where the Christians had refuge in the persecution under Dioclesian; but this was before the war in heaven, and the downfall of Paganism in the empire, and before the above persecution; rather these two wings of the eagle design the eastern and western divisions of the Roman empire: it is not unusual in Scripture for a monarchy, or monarch, as the Assyrian king and kingdom, to be signified by an eagle, and the wings of eagles, ( Ezekiel 17:3,12 Daniel 7:4); and it is well known that the eagle is the ensign of the Roman empire, to which the allusion is in ( Matthew 24:28); and at the death of Theodosius the empire was divided, as has been observed before, into two parts; the eastern empire was given to one of his sons and the western to another; and this was between the Arian persecution, and the irruption of the Goths and Vandals, when the church was fleeing and gradually disappearing; and these two empires both went under the Christian name, and supported the outward visible church, though much corrupted, and still more and more corrupting; by which means the pure members of the church, though few and very obscure were preserved. In a word, these wings may denote the swiftness in which the church proceeded to disappear, having lost her former simplicity and glory for which eagles' wings are famous, ( Proverbs 23:5); and more especially that divine strength and support by which she was bore up, and carried through, and delivered out of sore afflictions and persecutions; (see Isaiah 40:31). The allusion is to God's deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egypt when he bore them as on eagles wings, and carried them though the wilderness, ( Exodus 19:4 Deuteronomy 32:10-12), so here it follows, that she might fly into the wilderness ; a place desolate, and full of serpents and scorpions, uncomfortable, and destitute of provisions, and yet a place of safety as well as of solitariness and retirement; and chiefly designs the obscure and invisible state of the pure church in the times of the antichristian apostasy; (see Gill on Revelation 12:6). Into her place ; which was prepared of God for her, as in ( Revelation 12:6); where she is nourished by the ministers of the word the two witnesses that prophesy in sackcloth who feed the church with knowledge and understanding; with the words of faith and good doctrine, with the Gospel, and the truths of it, which are sweet, comfortable and nutritive; and with the ordinances of the Gospel, the entertainment of Wisdom's house, the feast of fat things, and the breasts of consolation; and with Christ the hidden manna, the food of the wilderness: and that for a time, and times, and half a time ; that is, all the times of antichrist, the forty two months of his reign; during which time the holy city is trodden under foot, and in a desolate and afflicted condition outwardly, as may be learnt by comparing together ( Daniel 7:25) ( Revelation 13:5 11:2); and until the end of wonders, or when time shall be no longer or till the seventh angel has sounded his trumpet as appears from ( Daniel 12:7 Revelation 10:6,7). This date is the same with 1260 days in ( Revelation 12:6), for time signifies a prophetic year, or 360 years; and times two years, or 720 years; and half a time, half a year, or years, in all 1230 years; and which are to be reckoned, not from the beginning of the church's flight in Constantine's time, or from the Arian persecution, but from her entering into her wilderness state, or entire disappearance upon the prevalence of the antichristian apostasy; which might be when the bishop of Rome took upon him the title of universal bishop: and here and during this time she is hid from the face of the serpent ; that is, from his wrath so as that he cannot utterly destroy her. God having reserved a sealed number for himself; (see Revelation 6:16), or from the sight of the serpent as the Arabic version renders it, so as that he could not discern with all his quick sight where the church was.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-17 - The church and all her friends might well be called to praise God for deliverance from pagan persecution, though other troubles awaited her The wilderness is a desolate place, and full of serpents and scorpions uncomfortable and destitute of provisions; yet a place of safety, a well as where one might be alone. But being thus retired could no protect the woman. The flood of water is explained by many to mean the invasions of barbarians, by which the western empire was overwhelmed for the heathen encouraged their attacks, in the hope of destroying Christianity. But ungodly men, for their worldly interests, protecte the church amidst these tumults, and the overthrow of the empire di not help the cause of idolatry. Or, this may be meant of a flood of error, by which the church of God was in danger of being overwhelme and carried away. The devil, defeated in his designs upon the church turns his rage against persons and places. Being faithful to God an Christ, in doctrine, worship, and practice, exposes to the rage of Satan; and will do so till the last enemy shall be destroyed __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 εδοθησαν 1325 5681 τη 3588 γυναικι 1135 δυο 1417 πτερυγες 4420 του 3588 αετου 105 του 3588 μεγαλου 3173 ινα 2443 πετηται 4072 5741 εις 1519 την 3588 ερημον 2048 εις 1519 τον 3588 τοπον 5117 αυτης 846 οπου 3699 τρεφεται 5142 5743 εκει 1563 καιρον 2540 και 2532 καιρους 2540 και 2532 ημισυ 2255 καιρου 2540 απο 575 προσωπου 4383 του 3588 οφεως 3789
Vincent's NT Word Studies
14. Two wings. The definite article aiJ the should be added: "the two wings." Compare Exod. xix. 4; Deut. xxxii. 11; Psalm xxxvi. 7.
The great eagle. The article does not point to the eagle of ch. viii. 13, but is generic.
A time and times and half a time. Three years and a half. See on ch. xi. 2.
