Saturday, August 16, 2025

Apringius of Beja (sixth century) Interpreting the "Rock" to be the Confession of Faith on Which the Church is Built

Apringius of Beja (died mid sixth century) was an Iberian bishop.. He wrote a commentary on the book of Revelation in Latin. Two large fragments of this work survives today. The following is part of a commentary on Rev 21:12:

 

The twelve corners of the gates and the twelve gates and the twelve foundations on which the names of the apostles and of the Lamb are written yield the number of thirty-six. It is clear that this is the number of hours that our Lord, Jesus Christ, lay in the grave after his passion. This demonstrates that the host of leaders who came beforehand and the chorus of apostles who came afterward had been redeemed by the one faith and passion of the Lord and that they have come to the knowledge of the omnipotent God through the one entrance of faith in Christ, who is the door. For also the names of the apostles are said to be written on the twelve foundations, because Christ is the foundation, as Paul says: “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” And he himself is in each, and each is in him. The Lord says, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” And it is written in the words of the most blessed Paul that “the rock was Christ.” Therefore, it is Peter to whom the Lord spoke: “On this rock I will build my church.” That is, the church is built on the faith in the incarnation, passion and resurrection of the Lord. (“Explanation of the Revelation by the Most Learned Man, Apringius, Bishop of the Church at Pax [Julia],” in Latin Commentaries on Revelation [trans. William C. Weinrich; Ancient Christian Texts; Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2011], 55-56)