The Icelandic tetramorph as exposed in the Book of Homilies (Hómilíubók) compiled in
the latter part of the eleventh century. See (Med. 70).
Feast of John the Apostle
Third Day of Christmas
As we celebrate today the Feast of John the
Apostle and gospel poet, dear brothers and [sisters], we will share
together
something of the glory of all the four divine Evangelists.
The first question is why the Lord desired that the teachers of His commandment should be four, nothing more or less.
Purposefully the Lord selected these four Evangelists because His teaching ought to be proclaimed in the four capital headings of whole of the face of earth.
These four Evangelists are images of the four rivers that floweth from Paradise to this world, because their celestial teaching stream like four rivers and water the spiritual fruition of all the hearts of the faithful, quench spiritual thirst and purify us of the sins.
This tetramorph appeared to the same John whose memory we celebrate today, when he saw a super mundane vision and said, In the middle of the throne and around it were four living creatures all studded with eyes, in front and behind (Rv 4. 6).
The Evangelists were said all studded with eyes because no human need escaped their eyes and they saw where it was most needful. They are said studded with eyes in front and behind because they were watchful in their wake within as to guard their minds, words and deeds, and watchful outside as to the needs of neighbor.
Still further light sheds John on the nature of these creatures and said, The first living creature was like a wild beast (hið óarga dýr), the second like a bull, the third living creature had a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle (Rv 4. 7).
If we scrutinize the beginning of the four Gospels we can see how each of these creatures represents one of the Evangelists and the reason why they are represented in this manner, because the prophet Ezekiel who lived long before the birth of Christ, saw these same creatures as John saw in his celestial vision in heaven (Ezk 1. 5-21; 10. 14).
Matthew began his Gospel by giving account of the genealogy from Abraham to Christ and gave next account of the miracles taking place at the birth of Christ. Rightly he is thus shown as a man, beginning his Gospel among men and gave account of Christ’s mystery in human context.
Mark began his Gospel from the divine standpoint rather than human, saying, The beginning of the Gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Thus Mark . . . (here an interruption is in the manuscript) . . . is represented in the image of the wild beast [óarga dýrs] which is the most powerful of all beasts because in his Gospel he exposed the might of God’s power against human weakness. The reason why the wild beast refers to God’s power is, that just as all other animals are lamed by fear facing the wild beast, all creature fear God.
Luke began his Gospel by mentioning the teacher of the law and gave account of the priest Zechariah and his son, John the Baptist. In his Gospel he emphasizes those works of the Lord which He actualized in temple or near a temple. This is why Luke is represented by a bull as formerly priests brought bulls to the temple and sacrificed them as an offering to God. But these offerings given to God as a sacrifice referred to the passions of Christ who was sacrificed as a living offering on the Cross for our redemption. And just as Luke is represented as an ox as he gave the most detailed account of Christ’s sufferings, Mark is represented as the wild beast as he sheds best light on the resurrection and the wild beast was lifeless at birth, [1] but awakened to life on the third day by its father’s word and infusion. But this refers to the resurrection of the Lord who was resurrected to life on the third day by the power of His Father.
In accordance to its nature the eagle flies higher than other birds and although gazing to the sun whole of the day is never blinded by its brightness. John is thus represented as an eagle because he was never blindfolded by errors in his spiritual intellect. although gazing at the divine sun of our Lord. Other Evangelists walked on earth with the Lord but spoke not much of His divine nature, but gave rather account of His human nature. But John flew to heaven with the Lord and spoke not much of His humanity rather shedding light on His divine nature in illusious manner.
But these four creatures which we say are emblems of the Evangelists sheds also light on the Lord who was born in the world and suffered because of our own sins. He who came from the flesh of a virgin in this world as a human being was pleased to be sacrificed in His passions as an ox. But in His resurrection He became like the wild beast ascending to heaven on a cloud like an eagle.
But how can it profit us to shed light upon these emblems by words, if we do not confirm this by our deeds? We persevere the remembrance of these four creatures by obeying the commandments of the four Gospels.
We persevere our human face by our deeds when we love our neighbors with full wits and meet their needs, in the same way as the Lord was lovable and meek when He was clothed in human nature. We are also wise in our human nature when we preserve love and meekness in all our deeds and keep continuously in mind, that we are born of earth and will return to earth.
We are assimilated to the wild beast if we rise from the spirit of death, that is from our sins, and will be resurrected on the third day as the wild beast.
By three things every sin is committed, that is, by thoughts, passions and deeds. But we are awakened to life on the third day by the respiration of the Father if we in the mercy of the Holy Spirit avoid to commit a sin which our thoughts and passions urge us to accomplish.
We are as an ox in our deeds if we carry the oak of the Lord and plough the soil of our neighbor with the Word of God, that is with holy teaching. Just as a sacrificed ox represented formerly the passion of Christ, today this ox refers to our ascese which we practice because of our sins.
But we are assimilated to an flying eagle if we lift our minds above the clouds to heavenly glory giving consolation for our good deeds on earth. We become assimilated to an eagle if we gaze steadfastly into God’s brightness and read often sacred Scriptures shedding light on the divine nature of Christ.
But it is said that these four creatures are studded with eyes in front and behind as to remind us on the fact that we are obliged to be continuously on watch against the cunnings of the devil and the temptations of this world.
Dear brothers and sisters! Let us thus be mindful of the teaching of the divine commandments. Thus we will attain a share in the joy the Gospels proclaim. Let us thus show our human neighbors mercy so we will we be recipient of the mercy the Lord merited for us in His incarnation. Let us discipline our bodies because of our sins so we can attain a share in our Lords sufferings. Let us rise from the death of sin to good deeds so we will be able to enjoy the gladness in Christ’s ascension to heaven.
Let us fly on the two wings of love, that is, God’s love and love of neighbors, to heavenly joy from earthly passions, so we can enter eternal joy after the frustrations of this earthly life, this joy which the Evangelists shed light upon by their teaching. Then we can share in their gladness with all God’s saints in the eternal age of ages.
The first question is why the Lord desired that the teachers of His commandment should be four, nothing more or less.
Purposefully the Lord selected these four Evangelists because His teaching ought to be proclaimed in the four capital headings of whole of the face of earth.
These four Evangelists are images of the four rivers that floweth from Paradise to this world, because their celestial teaching stream like four rivers and water the spiritual fruition of all the hearts of the faithful, quench spiritual thirst and purify us of the sins.
This tetramorph appeared to the same John whose memory we celebrate today, when he saw a super mundane vision and said, In the middle of the throne and around it were four living creatures all studded with eyes, in front and behind (Rv 4. 6).
The Evangelists were said all studded with eyes because no human need escaped their eyes and they saw where it was most needful. They are said studded with eyes in front and behind because they were watchful in their wake within as to guard their minds, words and deeds, and watchful outside as to the needs of neighbor.
Still further light sheds John on the nature of these creatures and said, The first living creature was like a wild beast (hið óarga dýr), the second like a bull, the third living creature had a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle (Rv 4. 7).
If we scrutinize the beginning of the four Gospels we can see how each of these creatures represents one of the Evangelists and the reason why they are represented in this manner, because the prophet Ezekiel who lived long before the birth of Christ, saw these same creatures as John saw in his celestial vision in heaven (Ezk 1. 5-21; 10. 14).
Matthew began his Gospel by giving account of the genealogy from Abraham to Christ and gave next account of the miracles taking place at the birth of Christ. Rightly he is thus shown as a man, beginning his Gospel among men and gave account of Christ’s mystery in human context.
Mark began his Gospel from the divine standpoint rather than human, saying, The beginning of the Gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Thus Mark . . . (here an interruption is in the manuscript) . . . is represented in the image of the wild beast [óarga dýrs] which is the most powerful of all beasts because in his Gospel he exposed the might of God’s power against human weakness. The reason why the wild beast refers to God’s power is, that just as all other animals are lamed by fear facing the wild beast, all creature fear God.
Luke began his Gospel by mentioning the teacher of the law and gave account of the priest Zechariah and his son, John the Baptist. In his Gospel he emphasizes those works of the Lord which He actualized in temple or near a temple. This is why Luke is represented by a bull as formerly priests brought bulls to the temple and sacrificed them as an offering to God. But these offerings given to God as a sacrifice referred to the passions of Christ who was sacrificed as a living offering on the Cross for our redemption. And just as Luke is represented as an ox as he gave the most detailed account of Christ’s sufferings, Mark is represented as the wild beast as he sheds best light on the resurrection and the wild beast was lifeless at birth, [1] but awakened to life on the third day by its father’s word and infusion. But this refers to the resurrection of the Lord who was resurrected to life on the third day by the power of His Father.
In accordance to its nature the eagle flies higher than other birds and although gazing to the sun whole of the day is never blinded by its brightness. John is thus represented as an eagle because he was never blindfolded by errors in his spiritual intellect. although gazing at the divine sun of our Lord. Other Evangelists walked on earth with the Lord but spoke not much of His divine nature, but gave rather account of His human nature. But John flew to heaven with the Lord and spoke not much of His humanity rather shedding light on His divine nature in illusious manner.
But these four creatures which we say are emblems of the Evangelists sheds also light on the Lord who was born in the world and suffered because of our own sins. He who came from the flesh of a virgin in this world as a human being was pleased to be sacrificed in His passions as an ox. But in His resurrection He became like the wild beast ascending to heaven on a cloud like an eagle.
But how can it profit us to shed light upon these emblems by words, if we do not confirm this by our deeds? We persevere the remembrance of these four creatures by obeying the commandments of the four Gospels.
We persevere our human face by our deeds when we love our neighbors with full wits and meet their needs, in the same way as the Lord was lovable and meek when He was clothed in human nature. We are also wise in our human nature when we preserve love and meekness in all our deeds and keep continuously in mind, that we are born of earth and will return to earth.
We are assimilated to the wild beast if we rise from the spirit of death, that is from our sins, and will be resurrected on the third day as the wild beast.
By three things every sin is committed, that is, by thoughts, passions and deeds. But we are awakened to life on the third day by the respiration of the Father if we in the mercy of the Holy Spirit avoid to commit a sin which our thoughts and passions urge us to accomplish.
We are as an ox in our deeds if we carry the oak of the Lord and plough the soil of our neighbor with the Word of God, that is with holy teaching. Just as a sacrificed ox represented formerly the passion of Christ, today this ox refers to our ascese which we practice because of our sins.
But we are assimilated to an flying eagle if we lift our minds above the clouds to heavenly glory giving consolation for our good deeds on earth. We become assimilated to an eagle if we gaze steadfastly into God’s brightness and read often sacred Scriptures shedding light on the divine nature of Christ.
But it is said that these four creatures are studded with eyes in front and behind as to remind us on the fact that we are obliged to be continuously on watch against the cunnings of the devil and the temptations of this world.
Dear brothers and sisters! Let us thus be mindful of the teaching of the divine commandments. Thus we will attain a share in the joy the Gospels proclaim. Let us thus show our human neighbors mercy so we will we be recipient of the mercy the Lord merited for us in His incarnation. Let us discipline our bodies because of our sins so we can attain a share in our Lords sufferings. Let us rise from the death of sin to good deeds so we will be able to enjoy the gladness in Christ’s ascension to heaven.
Let us fly on the two wings of love, that is, God’s love and love of neighbors, to heavenly joy from earthly passions, so we can enter eternal joy after the frustrations of this earthly life, this joy which the Evangelists shed light upon by their teaching. Then we can share in their gladness with all God’s saints in the eternal age of ages.
[1]. Symbolists
have pointed to the fact that as emblematic animals lions have
affinities with the dragon and come in many instances to be identified
with it as in the Celtic and Icelandic tetramorphs. Lions have not only
become to symbolize the return of the sun and revival of cosmic energy,
but rebirth itself. In ancient times Christian graves were sometimes
decorated with “lions since standing on their own, the lion is a
symbol of the resurrection (Penguin Dictionary of Symbols, p. 613). In
the allegory of the middle ages they shared in the rebirth of the bird
Phoenix. We see this tendency clearly in cots of arms of kings and
dukes in the high middle ages were the lions appears as stylized
dragons as token of power.
BOOK
OF HOMILIES, PP. 258-261.
