Old Document Review 'On the Apocalypse of the Apostle John

This old document was written by the dominican preacher Nicholas of Gorran (d.1295) and was composed between 1263 and 1285 A.D. only four copies of the manuscript have survived through the passage of time.

In this document Nicholas analyses the Apocalypse (Revelations) , the most intriguing part of this read was finding both the similarities and differences between Nicholas and another dominican preacher of the same time and same location by the name of Hugh of Saint Cher.

Nicholas believes that the Seven Seals represent the seven parts of the life of Jesus; conception, nativity, death, descent into hell, resurrection, ascension and the coming judgement. Very similar to Hugh's version yet to two preachers cite different references from the Old Testament.

Furthermore he recognizes that the visions from chapter five of Revelations is a continuation of the vision from the previous chapter. To Nicholas, the seven seals also mirror the seven days of existence, that all time is enveloped into seven days. This is obvious not literal to actual days but symbolic days of a greater calender. This is something that the Mayans also believed, that the world goes in cycles of seven days and six nights, that belief was centre to their infamous calender.

Old Document Review on 'The Expositions on the Apocalypse'

This old document was composed around 1235 A.D. by Hugh of Saint Cher (d.1263) under the title of Aser pinguis. Hugh was a dominican preacher and also a theology professor. In this document, he gives comments about the meanings behind the Apocalypse ( otherwise called Revelations).

His views are somewhat similar to that of Apringus, in that the Seven Seals mentioned in the book refer to prophecies sealed in time that were broken by the coming of Christ, in fact he goes as far as to say the 'the book is Christ'.

Hugh goes on to describe the various references from the Old Testament which are the seals, the incarnation, nativity, passion, resurrection, ascension, the sending of the Holy Spirit and lastly the coming judgement. These are all referenced to the seven miracles of Jesus. Note the slight differences to beliefs of Apringus from hundreds of years previous, this may be due to passage of time that ideas may change, but this document gives insight to what was believed within church circles in the 13Th century.

Most profound was a reference which claimed that Mary was not just the mother of Jesus, but in fact she was a prophetess!! This is formulated based upon one of the prophecies that formed one of the seals and quoted from Isaiah.