The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

II. Arethas-Largely Follows Andreas

The second outstanding scholar on the Greek side is ARETHAS (b. 860), who became archbishop of Caesarea (Cappadocia) in 912. A defender of orthodoxy and a powerful promoter of learning, he had great influence at the Byzantine court and among ecclesiastical leaders. PFF1 572.1

In his commentary on the Apocalypse, which is mostly a compilation, he follows Andreas in the main. He considers the Apocalypse to be a revelation from the world beyond, and finds in each prominent word the possibility of reference to both past and future history. However, he states that they must be justified by the rest of Scripture and by pure Christian thought. PFF1 572.2

On the Two Witnesses, Elias and Enoch, Arethas remarks that we have no Scriptural proof about the coming of Enoch, but that a generally accepted tradition speaks concerning it, because Enoch went to heaven without tasting death. And the beast from the bottomless pit (Revelation 11:7) will be Antichrist. In his explanation of Revelation 13:2, of the leopard beast, he refers to the rule of Babylon, which is now succeeded undoubtedly by the Saracens, who have their seat of power there, and over whom Antichrist will rule, although he will be the emperor of the Romans ¹³ This must have been written after the establishment of Baghdad as the seat of the Islamic Empire. However, in most respects he follows Andreas. PFF1 572.3