Revelation 5:9

The New Song, Revelation 5:9-13

9. And they sung Should be they sing. It may be only an historic present, but perhaps, though to the Seer the song of adoration appeared to begin now, and to stop in time to let other voices be heard, he means to intimate that in fact their adoration is continued to eternity. See on Revelation 4:9-10.

and hast redeemed The word rendered "redeemed" means simply "bought," as it is rendered in 1 Corinthians 6:20, &c.: it does not express that the effect of the purchase was to restore those bought either to their rightful owner, or to liberty, though of course both are true, but all that this text expresses, is, that Christ has bought us, and that we now belong to His Father.

us Should be omitted. The elders probably representthe whole multitude of the redeemed, but they are not here said to belongto their number, and the living creatures certainly do not. The true reading is, "Thou wast slain, and hast purchased to God by Thy Blood out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nations, and hast made them unto our God a kingdom and priests, and they [shall] reign upon the earth."

to God Notice that the phrase is the exact reverse of some lax modern language on the Atonement, which speaks as if the Son redeemed men fromthe Father. To say that Christ redeemed men from God's wrathmay be justified (e.g. by Galatians 3:13); but even that mode of expression is not exactly Scriptural. The metaphor of a ransom, which is frequent in Scripture, must not be pressed.

out of every kindred The first of many indications in this Book of the catholicity of the Church: of course, a conclusive refutation of the theories (see on Revelation 2:2) which ascribe to this Book a controversial anti-Pauline purpose, and a spirit of Jewish exclusiveness. There is really hardly anything in St Paul as strong as this or Revelation 7:9.