Revelation 14:15

14:15-18 The Temple and the altar represent God’s presence (see 9:13; 11:19; 16:7).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Rev 14:15.[168] Τῆς γῆς, of the earth) Thus also Rev 14:18, in the vintage. The earth is not here used in contradistinction to the sea: but yet the amplitude of this word is restricted in Rev 14:20 by the city.

[168] ἐξηράνθη, is dried) having attained to ripeness, in a good sense, for reaping. Matters at the present day reach very close to this point; and the things which remain scarcely admit of further increase.—V. g.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rev 14:15 . ἄλλος ἄγγελος , as in Rev 14:6 . The alternatives are ( a ) to translate “another, an angel” ( אחר מלאך ) which might be the sense of the Greek ( cf. Od. i. 132, Clem. Protrept . ix. 87. 3) but is harsh, or ( b ) to take the figure of Rev 14:14 as an angel (Porter) and not as the messiah at all (which, in the face of Rev 1:13 , is difficult). The subordinate and colourless character of the messiah is certainly puzzling, and tells against the Christian authorship of the passage. Messiah is summoned to his task by an angel, and even his task is followed up by another angel’s more decisive interference. He seems an angelic figure ( cf. on Rev 19:17 ), perhaps primus interpares among the angels (so En. xlvi. 1: “and I saw another being [ i.e. , the Son of Man] whose countenance had the appearance of a man, and his face was full of graciousness, like one of the holy angels”). The conception was inconsistent with John’s high Christology, but he may have retained it, like so much else, for its poetic effect, or as part of a time-honoured apocalyptic tradition. That the messiah should receive divine instructions through one of his comrades (Heb 1:6 ; Heb 1:9 ; cf. Zec 2:3-4 ) was perhaps not stranger than that he should require an angel in order to communicate with men (Rev 1:1 ). πέμψον κ . τ . λ . The double figure of judgment (harvest and vintage) is copied from the poetic parallelism of Joe 3:13 ; the independent rendering of שׁלח by πέμψον and ἔβαλεν , and the change of agent from messiah (Rev 14:14-16 ) to an angel (Rev 14:17-20 , so Mat 13:39 f.), show that the writer is using the Hebrew of that passage (where God does the reaping).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Christ giveth a commandment in this verse. And the Angel executeth in the next verse.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Thrust in--Greek, "Send." The angel does not command the "Son of man" (Rev 14:14), but is the mere messenger announcing to the Son the will of God the Father, in whose hands are kept the times and the seasons.

thy sickle--alluding to Mar 4:29, where also it is "sendeth the sickle." The Son sends His sickle-bearing angel to reap the righteous when fully ripe.

harvest--the harvest crop. By the harvest-reaping the elect righteous are gathered out; by the vintage the Antichristian offenders are removed out of the earth, the scene of Christ's coming kingdom. The Son of man Himself, with a golden crown, is introduced in the harvest-gathering of the elect, a mere angel in the vintage (Rev 14:18-20).

is ripe--literally, "is dried." Ripe for glory.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. Thrust in thy sickle] Execute the judgments which God has decreed.

For the harvest of the earth is ripe.] The cup of the people's iniquity is full.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(15) And another angel . . .—Translate, And another angel came forth out of the temple, &c. It has been asked, “What harvest is this?” It is the gathering of the good seed, the full corn in the ear, into the celestial garner (Mar_4:26-29). The angel who announces that the harvest is ready comes forth from the Temple, the inner shrine, the holy place which was measured off in the sanctuary of the faithful (Rev_11:1); whereas the angel who calls for the vintage comes forth from the altar (Rev_14:18).

The angel cries—Put forth (or, send) thy sickle and reap, because the hour is come to reap, because the harvest of the earth is ripe (or, dried); the wheat stalks are dry, and the fields white for harvest (Joh_4:35). The sickle was put in: the earth was reaped.

THE VINTAGE.

There must be some difference between the vintage and the harvest. There is an autumn gladness about the harvest: there are tokens of judgment in the vintage. It is not the sharp sickle alone which is required: the winepress, the winepress of God’s wrath, is called into use. An angel from the Temple calls to the Son of man to reap the harvest: an angel from the altar calls to an angel from the Temple to gather in the vintage. The vintage symbolises a harvest of judgment; do not the words respecting Babylon (the wine of the wrath of her fornication, Rev_14:8) come to the mind and confirm this? The angel rises from the altar, beneath which the murdered saints had cried, “How long?” and proclaims, “The vintage, the hour of vengeance, has come!” And it is not without significance that the angel to whom this cry is addressed comes forth out of the Temple, the safe sanctuary of God’s faithful ones, as one who has witnessed their secret sorrows and their sufferings, and is fitted “to recompense tribulation to the troublers of Israel” (2Th_1:6).

(17) And another angel . . .—Translate, And another angel, . . . having himself also (as well as the Son of man, Rev_14:14) a sharp sickle.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. another angel] It is probably not relevant to argue that in classical Greek this would not necessarily imply that the previously named Person is an Angel, even if “another” is meant to distinguish the Angel from Him. But comparing Rev_14:6, it appears that the angel may be called “another” simply to distinguish him from those of Rev_14:6; Rev_14:8-9 : and then no inference whatever can be drawn as to the figure of Rev_14:14.

out of the temple] See Rev_11:19, and note on Rev_4:6.

Thrust in] Lit. send, as in St Mar_4:29, where “putteth in” should be “sendeth forth” (the Greek word is not the same as here, but there is hardly any difference in sense). It may be implied, that the Son of Man does not reap Himself—cf. St Mat_24:31. See on the next verse.

is ripe] Lit. is dried; hence R. V. “is over-ripe”; possibly a more literal translation than St Mark’s, l.c., of our Lord’s words in the parable, to which there is probably a reference.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And another angel came out of the temple,.... Not the Holy Spirit, who, being God omniscient, knows the day and hour of judgment, which is a secret to men and angels, as Napier thinks; since though he dwells in the church as his temple, yet is never called an angel; nor does this angel represent the souls under the altar, who come out from thence, and importunately desire vengeance on the inhabitants of the earth, the worshippers of the beast, who had shed their blood; but rather the mighty angels who shall descend from heaven with Christ, and who shall be employed by him as reapers, to gather in his elect from the four winds, as well as to bind up the tares in bundles, and burn them; unless a set of Gospel ministers, as before, should be intended, who either by divine revelation, or by the signs of the time being come, and observed by them, will know that the harvest, or end of the world, is come; since this angel is said to come out of the temple, the church, which had been measured, and was now opened in heaven, and from whence angels are said to come, Rev 11:1

crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud: as the first and third angels did, Rev 14:7 denoting great vehemence and importunity: thrust in thy sickle, and reap: which being spoken by an inferior angel, whether this designs the ministering spirits, or preachers of the word, must be understood not as commanding, nor even directing what should be done, but as beseeching and entreating: see Psa 132:8. Dr. Lightfoot thinks, and not without reason, that there is here some allusion to the putting in of the sickle, and reaping the first corn in Judea, at the feast of the passover, by the order of the sanhedrim, which sat in the temple; nor did any reap till they had the word given them, "reap", by the messengers of the court, called , "the angels", or messengers "of the sanhedrim": to whom the reaper said, shall I reap? and they say to him, (a), "reap": the reasons follow:

for the time is come for thee to reap; the time of the end of the world, and of the judgment of it, which is fixed by God; and of Christ's coming to judge both quick and dead, and of the first resurrection, or the resurrection of the saints:

for the harvest of the earth is ripe: the measure of the sins of wicked men will now be filled up, and the afflictions of the saints will be accomplished in them, and the number of God's elect will be completed in the effectual calling; they will be all called, and so things will be ripe for the second coming of Christ. There seems to be some reference to Joe 3:13 "put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe": the Jewish doctors ask (b), to whom is this said? R. Phineas, in the name of R. Hilkiah, says, "to the angels"; so the mighty ones, in Rev 14:11 are by Kimchi interpreted of the angels.

(a) Misn. Menachot, c. 10. sect. 3. (b) Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 92. 1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

Ver. 15. Thrust in thy sickle] This is not a command, but a request of the faithful, which is soon fulfilled. It is like that of the Church, Psa 102:3; "Arise, O Lord, and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come."

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And another angel - The fourth in order, Rev 14:6, Rev 14:8-9.

Came out of the temple - See the notes on Rev 11:19. Came, as it were, from the immediate presence of God; for the temple was regarded as his unique dwelling-place.

Crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud - To the Messiah, Rev 14:14. That is, the command was borne directly from God by the angel to the Messiah, to go forth and reap the great harvest of the world. It is not a command of the angel, but a command from God the Father to the Son. This is in accordance with all the representations in the New Testament, that the Son, as Messiah or Redeemer, is subordinate to the Father, and performs the work which has been given him to do. See Joh 3:16-17; Joh 5:19; Joh 10:18; Joh 12:49; Joh 14:31. Compare the notes on Rev 1:1.

Thrust in thy sickle, and reap - Into the great harvest of the world.

For the time is come for thee to reap - That is, “the harvest which thou art to reap is ripe; the seed which thou hast sown has grown up; the earth which thou hast cultivated has produced this golden grain, and it is fit that thou shouldst now gather it in.” This language is appropriately addressed to the Son of God, for all the fruits of righteousness on the earth may be regarded as the result of his culture.

For the harvest of the earth is ripe - The “harvest” in reference to the righteous - fruit of the good seed sown by the Saviour and his apostles and ministers. The time alluded to here is the end of the world, when the affairs of earth shall be about to he wound up. The design is to state that the Redeemer will then gather in a great and glorious harvest, and by this assurance to sustain the hearts of his people in times of trial and persecution.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Most interpreters understand this of the prayers of God’s people, from the church, soliciting the Lord Jesus Christ (say some) to gather in the Jews, or the number of his elect, the fields being now white to that harvest, (as Christ useth the metaphor of the Samaritans, Joh 4:35), or, (as others say, with whom I rather agree), to execute vengeance on antichrist and his adherents.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15. Another angel—Besides the three menacing-angels above described.

Out of the temple—Still at Jerusalem.

Crying—The angel superintendent of the Lord’s field pronounces the harvest to be ripe. The earth, or land, was reaped. It takes but a single thrust of that sickle!

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud; another angel; in addition to those already mentioned, not implying that he who sat on the cloud was an angel. Out of the temple, or shrine (naov); the inner sanctuary of God. (cf. Rev_7:15) The angel acts as the messenger of the will of God to Christ in his capacity of Son of man, because the command is one concerning the times and seasons which the Father hath kept in his own power (Alford). The characteristic "loud voice" (see on vers. 7, 9, etc.).

Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe; send forth thy sickle and reap: for the hour to reap is come; for the harvest of the earth is over ripe (Revised Version). Over ripe, or dried; that is, as Alford explains, perfectly ripe, so that the stalk is dry, the moisture having been lost.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And another angel came out of the temple - "Which is in heaven," verse 17. chap. xiv, 17 Out of which came the judgments of God in the appointed seasons.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

angel

(See Scofield "Heb 1:4").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the fifteenth verse we have a manifestation of the church’s fervent desire that Christ would make speed, and hasten his work, and come quickly to judgment, both for the consummation of their glory, and for the destruction of his own and their enemies: Thrust in thy sickle, and reap, for the harvest is ripe; that is, it is full time to execute thy judgment on the wicked, for their sins (which call for these judgments) are now come to the height.

Behold here Christ’s day of judgment is like a day of harvest; when the corn is ripe, the sickle is got ready; when the sickle is got ready, it is set to work; when it is set to work, it cuts down all, wheat and tares, corn and grass, without discrimination; but the Lord of the harvest soon commands a separation to be made of the good grain from the tares, of the righteous form the wicked, laying up the former in the granary of heaven, binding up the latter for the fire of hell.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. Send forth thy sickle and reap. There is gathered first the ripened harvest of the elect of God. It is an angel that came out of the temple of God as a messenger of God, carrying to the Son the Father's command to gather the elect from the four corners of the earth. Then a longing, waiting Church, “loving the appearing of the Son of man,” shall first be gathered into the heavenly garner. The ripe sheaves are gathered.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

15. ἄλλος ἄγγελος. It is probably not relevant to argue that in classical Greek this would not necessarily imply that the previously named Person is an Angel, even if “another” is meant to distinguish the Angel from him. But comparing Rev 14:6, it appears that the angel may be called “another” simply to distinguish him from those of Rev 14:6; Rev 14:8-9: and then no decisive inference can be drawn as to the figure of Rev 14:14.

ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ. See Rev 11:19 and note on Rev 4:6.

πέμψον. Lit. “send,” cf. ἀποστέλλει, St Mar 4:29. It may be implied here, as it probably is in St Mark, that the Son of Man does not reap Himself, cf. St Mat 24:31. See on the next verse.

ἐξηράνθη. Lit. “is dried,” hence R.V[499] “is over-ripe”:—possibly a more literal translation than St Mark’s account of our Lord’s words in the parable, to which there is probably a reference.

[499] Revised Version.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.