Title and description of the Revelation. Chap. Revelation 1:1-3 1. _The Revelation_ Rightly so rendered in English idiom, though the definite article is not expressed in the Greek. The word, according to Jerome on Galatians 1:11-12, is peculiar to the Scriptures, and is not used by Greek classical... [ Continue Reading ]
_who bare record_ i.e. who bears witness in the present work. The past tense is used, as constantly in Greek e.g. in St John's own Epistle, I. Rev 2:14 of the act of a writer which _will_be past when his work comes to be read. The "witness" John is said to bear is that contained in this Book not, as... [ Continue Reading ]
_he that readeth, and they that hear_ Plainly the author of the Book, or of this endorsement of it, contemplates its being read publicly in the Church. The apostolic Epistles were thus read, first by the Churches to which they were addressed, then by others in the neighbourhood (Colossians 4:16): ev... [ Continue Reading ]
Prologue, Revelation 1:4-9 4. _John_ The Apostle, the son of Zebedee, who (probably afterwards) wrote the Gospel: see Introduction. _seven churches_ The number of course is symbolical or representative: there were other churches in Asia, e.g. at Colossae and Hierapolis (Colossians 4:13). But the S... [ Continue Reading ]
_who is_ These words are probably inserted in the A. V. and R. V. by way of marking the fact that "the faithful Witness" is in the nominative, not in apposition to the name "Jesus Christ." But whether this has the same object as the anacoluthon of the previous verse a sort of reverence that forbids... [ Continue Reading ]
_and hath made_ Lit., AND HE MADE; the construction "that loveth … and that freed …" is broken off, to be resumed by "to Him" in the next clause. _kings and priests_ Read, A KINGDOM, PRIESTS: a phrase synonymous with the "royal priesthood" of 1 Peter 2:9. That is an exact quotation from the LXX. ve... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse, as indeed may be said of the whole Book, is founded chiefly on our Lord's own prophecy recorded in St Matthew 24, and secondly on the Old Testament prophecies which He there refers to and sums up. _with clouds_ "With _the_clouds," "he clouds of heaven" of Daniel 7:13. _and they also whi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Alpha and Omega_ The first and last letters of the _Greek_alphabet used, as in Rabbinical proverbs the first and last letters of the _Hebrew_alphabet were, as symbols of "the beginning and the end." These latter words are not here a part of the genuine text; they come from Revelation 22:13. _Lord_... [ Continue Reading ]
_I John, who &c._ Better and more simply, 1 JOHN YOUR BROTHER AND PARTAKER WITH YOU (for the condescending choice of titles, cf. 1 Peter 5:1) IN THE TRIBULATION AND KINGDOM AND PATIENCE IN JESUS. The collocation of the latter words is peculiar, and it is not very clear why "the kingdom" should be pl... [ Continue Reading ]
Vision of the Son of Man, Revelation 1:10-20 10. _I was in the spirit_ Was caught into a state of spiritual rapture. Song of Solomon 4:2 and (nearly) Revelation 17:3; Revelation 21:10; cf. 1 Kings 18:12; Ezekiel 3:12; Ezekiel 3:14; Ezekiel 37:1; also... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am … the last: and_ Not genuine in this place: we therefore cannot say positively that the voice is His Who says in Revelation 1:17 "I am the first and the last:" but the context makes it probable. _which are in Asia_ Not genuine in this place. _unto Ephesus, &c._ The seven cities are enumerate... [ Continue Reading ]
_to see the voice_ The meaning is obvious, and the inconsequence of language characteristic. _candlesticks_ Or lamp-stands (Matthew 5:15). The ancients did not use candles like ours: the _candela_was rather a torch.... [ Continue Reading ]
_one like unto the Son of man_ There is no article with either noun, while in the title of our Lord "the Son of Man" in the Gospels and in Acts 7:56 it is expressed with both. The inference is, not that our Lord is not intended, but that the title is taken, not from His own use of it, but direct fro... [ Continue Reading ]
_like wool, as white as snow_ Either these words are to be taken together, -like wool white as snow" or we must punctuate "were white like white wool, like snow." Though the Person seen is the Son of Man of Daniel 7:13, the description is more nearly that of the Ancient of Days, ibid. 9. We need not... [ Continue Reading ]
_fine brass_ Decidedly the most probable sense, though the etymology of the word is obscure. It looks like a compound of the Greek words for "brass" (or more accurately bronze) and "incense" the latter being borrowed from the Hebrew name, which comes from a root meaning "white." Perhaps the real mea... [ Continue Reading ]
_he had_ Lit. HAVING, and so the sword "going" out of His mouth. Throughout the book, participles are used coordinately with finite verbs, especially in descriptions: perhaps rather by a Hebraism than a mere carelessness of construction. _out of his mouth, &c._ The image is perhaps suggested by Isai... [ Continue Reading ]
_I fell at his feet as dead_ So Daniel 8:17 sq., Daniel 10:8-9; Daniel 10:15 (Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 43:3; Ezekiel 44:4 do not necessarily imply so much): cf. Exodus 3:6; Exodus 20:19; Exodus 33:20;... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am he_ Literally, I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST, AND HE THAT LIVETH; AND I WAS DEAD AND AM ALIVE. _l am alive_ The words "was" and "am" are emphatic contrasting His temporal and temporary death with His eternal life: see on Revelation 1:4. _Amen_ Should be omitted. _of hell and of death_ Read, OF... [ Continue Reading ]
_Write_ Add THEREFORE The Lord reveals His exaltation in His Manhood as a reason why His servant is not to fear and is to write His words in faith and hope. _the things which are_ Some take these words to mean "what they (viz. the things which thou hast seen) are," i.e. what they mean. But it is sim... [ Continue Reading ]
_the mystery_ The use of this word in the N. T. is not very far removed from its primary meaning in classical Greek. We may paraphrase it, "the hidden divine truth, now made known, but made known to God's favoured ones only:" see Ephesians 3:3-12 for the completest illustration of its meaning. Here... [ Continue Reading ]