The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1
II. Haymo Pursues Accepted Line of Exposition
Not much is known about the life of Haymo Of Halberstadt, bishop in 840-853. He was a fellow student of Hraban, and dedicates his work De Universo to him. In 840 Haymo received the bishopric of Halberstadt, in those times a mission district, in close proximity to the heathen population. In fact, its own constituency had been but recently converted to Christianity. Much diligent work was involved in the spiritual leadership in such a district. PFF1 553.2
Despite the manifold burdens cast upon him, Haymo found time to write extensively, and his writings and commentaries on many books of the Bible are conspicuous for learning and clarity. Indeed, they exercised a profound influence upon the exegesis of the Word for centuries. Although it has since been proved that a number of commentaries attributed to him were probably written by one of his pupils-Heiric of Auxerre, or possibly some other person—they are all known as the Haymo Commentaries, and we shall note them without attempting to decide the question of authorship. 19 PFF1 553.3
Haymo takes Autpertus as the basis for his commentary on the Apocalypse, and finds help for details in the Venerable Bede. 20 He endeavors to make an exact analysis of the structure of the book of Revelation. He follows Bede’s example in reducing it to seven major divisions, whereas Autpertus had had ten. He did not merely copy his predecessors, but tried to form his own independent conclusions. In general, however, he does not deviate much from the accepted line of exegesis, though in details we find interesting side lights. PFF1 553.4
For instance he explains the names of the seven churches in the following manner: Ephesus, my will and counsel; Smyrna, their song; Pergamos, division of horns; Thyatira, illuminated—that is, the universal church; Sardis, the beginning of beauty; Philadelphia, brotherly love; and Laodicea, the beloved tribe of the Lord. 21 This is an isolated example. PFF1 554.1
1. FOLLOWS ACCEPTED INTERPRETATIONS FOR SEALS
In the seals Haymo follows the accepted interpretation. The earthquake in the sixth seal he explains as the last great tribulation that will come upon the earth. Christ, the sun of righteousness, will be completely darkened; the moon, understood of the church, will be red with the streams of blood of the martyrs during this terrible time; and the stars that fall are the righteous who are unable to stand this severe test of their faith during the last great persecution. 22 PFF1 554.2
2. ANTICHRIST AND THE TWO WITNESSES
In the fifth trumpet, like many others, Haymo sees the coming of the Antichrist. 23 A more detailed and better description of Antichrist is found, however, in his commentary on 2 Thessalonians 2. Here he states that Antichrist comes from the tribe of Dan, but will be born in Babylon; he will rule for 1260 days, slay the Two Witnesses (Enoch and Elias), and will then be himself slain by Christ or by Michael at the command of Christ. After the death of Antichrist, forty-five days (according to Daniel)—that is, the difference between the 1290 and 1335 days—are given to the elect to repent. 24 Probably that period of grace is given that those who have become weak during the terrible time of persecution may have opportunity to confess and to repent. PFF1 554.3
In his remarks on the death of the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11, he quotes Malachi 4:5 in this way: “Ecce ego mittam vobis Enoch et Eliam, ut convertant corda patrum ad filios.” (Behold I shall send to you Enoch and Elias, that they may turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.) 25 According to this quotation, it appears that Haymo must have had a version of Malachi before him—or at least have known about it—in which both names occur. If such were the case, although such a version is unknown to us now, it would explain why many of the early church writers identify the two witnesses with Enoch and Elijah. Tertullian had already connected them with Antichrist. He advanced the idea that their death was only postponed at the time of their translation, because, “They are reserved for the suffering of death, that by their blood they may extinguish Antichrist.” 26 PFF1 554.4
3. DRAWS CHRIST-ANTICHRIST PARALLEL
Haymo, like Walafrid, draws the parallel between the period of activity of Christ and Antichrist. As Antichrist will reign 1260 days, so has Christ preached for 1260 days-that is, three and a half years 27 And Haymo’s exposition of Revelation 13 is identical in content to that of Walafrid, except that he differs, in the matter of the secret number 666. He applies it to Teitan, or Genserikos in Greek, or Dic Lux in Latin. 28 PFF1 555.1
4. THE THOUSAND YEARS BRING PERFECTION
On the thousand-year period Haymo makes these interesting observations: The number 1,000 signifies perfection. It therefore covers the period during which everything will come to perfection. It embraces the entire period from Christ’s death to the coming of Antichrist, regardless of the number of actual years. During this period the devil is bound in the abyss, that is, in the hearts of the infidels and all perverse men. There he exercises his full power. With the coming of Antichrist, Satan will be loosed and will seduce all the dwellers of earth. Gog and Magog will appear. And according to Haymo, these are the Getae and the Massagetae, or also the twenty-four nations which were shut out, according to the Alexander legend, beyond the mountains of the Caucasus. 29 PFF1 555.2
That, in short, is a survey of Haymo’s teaching on the points of greatest interest to us in this study. Haymo’s commentaries, and Walafrid’s Glossa, laid down the direction in Biblical exegesis for a long time to come. PFF1 556.1
In order to trace the development and reversal of the Tichonian school of interpretation down to the time when the prophecies of the Apocalypse began again to be interpreted through historical events, we shall defer until the next chapter other earlier writers who are outside of this series, and proceed with the glossa literature. PFF1 556.2