The Idea of Spiritual Victory in the Revelation of St. John the Evangelist: on the Texts of Byzantine Christian Literature

Abstract

The article examines all the verses of two parts of the holy book of Revelation of St. John the Theologian with a mention of the victory by searching for the keywords νίκη, νικάω in the interpretation of the Byzantine exegetes of Apocalypse: Icumenius, Andrew of Caesarea and Arefa of Caesarea. The exegetes paid attention to the spiritual meaning of these verses, understanding them in the ascetic-mystical and theological sense. As a rule, the winner is understood as Christ the Savior, who is meant in the Apocalypse, but is not called by name. Particular attention is paid to the gifts to the winner, which are listed in the Apocalypse and are interpreted by the exegetes and a number of the holy fathers as contemplation and knowledge, that is, as the vision of God and the knowledge of God. Thus, on the example of the interpretation of the «victorious» verses of the Apocalypse, the general ascetic scheme of Orthodoxy about the approach to God and His mystical gifts through ascetic deeds is confirmed. The contemplative exegesis of the Apocalypse is especially relevant in the modern era for focusing on the ideal of salvation in trusting in God