Revelation 4:4

four and twenty seats Better, thrones; it is the same word that is used of thethrone. Cf. Daniel 7:9.

four and twenty elders There are two views as to the significance of these, both leading to substantially the same result: (i) that they are the twelve Patriarchs, the heads of the Tribes of Israel, together with the twelve Apostles, the heads of the new People of God: (ii) that they answer to the heads of the 24 courses of the Priests, 1 Chronicles 24. The titleof those assessors to the divine Throne is already found in Isaiah 24:23: and the conception of the twelve Apostles answering to the twelve Tribes appears in Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30, as well as in this Book, Revelation 21:12; Revelation 21:14. The resemblance between this passage and those in the O. T. and Gospels is not complete in the account of the Judgement, Revelation 20:11, the Elders are not mentioned: still on the whole they support the former interpretation. But perhaps the second is not inconsistent with it, for the Elders have certainly a priestly character. They are not calledPriests in Revelation 5:10 according to the true text, and their white robes, though suitable, are not peculiar to priests: but they actas priests in Revelation 5:8: and we may add, their title is the ordinary Scriptural one for the Christian priesthood. Either way of explaining their numberpoints to the same explanation of their office:they are the glorified embodiment and representatives of the people of God. It seems not necessary to read "the24 elders," which would imply that their meaning, and perhaps their number, was known: if it be right, the chief reference is probably to Isaiah 24:23.

crowns of gold The word used does not necessarily imply royal crowns we have a different one e.g. in Revelation 19:12: but probably we are to understand that the elders are kings as well as priests. Cf. Zechariah 6:11-13.