Revelation 19:15

19:15 From his mouth . . . a sharp sword: See 1:16; Heb 4:12; see also Isa 49:2; 2 Thes 2:8. • The iron rod represents Christ’s power as ruler and as supreme shepherd (see Pss 2:9; 23:4). • God, the Almighty: See Rev 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:7, 14; 21:22. • His fierce wrath will crush his enemies like grapes in a winepress (Isa 63:2-4).

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

Rev 19:15. Ῥομφαία, romphæa [a javelin or sword]) for slaughter.—ῥάβδῳ, with a rod) for subduing.

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

Rev 19:15 . αὐτός The victory of the messiah is single-handed (“I have trodden the wine-press alone”); cf. on Rev 19:13 , an d Sap. 18:22, P s. Sol. 17:24 27, where the word of messiah’s mouth is the sole weapon of his victory (an Iranian touch as in S. B. E. iv. p. lxxvii. f., the distinguishing excellence of Zoroaster is that his chief weapon is spiritual, i.e. , the word or prayer). This fine idea, taken originally from Isaiah, was reproduced, naturally in a more or less realistic shape, by the rabbis who applied it to Moses at Exo 2:11 (Clem. Alex. Stron. i. 23), and by apocalyptists (2Th 2:8 ; Ap. Bar. xxxvi. f., liii. f.; 4 Esd. 10:60 f., and here) who assigned an active rôle to the messiah in the latter days. The meaning of the sword-symbol is that “the whole counsel of God is accomplished by Jesus as a stern judgment with resistless power” (Baur). Thus the final rout of the devil, anticipated in Rev 12:12 , is carried out (1.) by the overthrow of his subordinates (mentioned in ch. 13) here, and then (2) by his own defeat (Rev 20:10 ), although in finishing the torso of ch. 12. (Bousset) the prophet characteristically has recourse to materials drawn from very different cycles of current messianic tradition.

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

The effects of Christ prepared unto battle, that with his mouth he striketh the Gentiles, ruleth and destroyeth.

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

out of his mouth . . . sword-- (Rev 1:16; Rev 2:12, Rev 2:16). Here in its avenging power, Th2 2:8, "consume with the Spirit of His mouth" (Isa 11:4, to which there is allusion here); not in its convicting and converting efficacy (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12-13, where also the judicial keenness of the sword-like word is included). The Father commits the judgment to the Son.

he shall rule--The HE is emphatic, He and none other, in contrast to the usurpers who have misruled on earth. "Rule," literally, "tend as a shepherd"; but here in a punitive sense. He, who would have shepherded them with pastoral rod and with the golden scepter of His love, shall dash them in pieces, as refractory rebels, with "a rod of iron."

treadeth . . . wine-press-- (Isa 63:3).

of the fierceness and wrath--So ANDREAS reads. But A, B, Vulgate, Coptic, and ORIGEN read, "of the fierceness (or boiling indignation) of the wrath," omitting "and."

Almighty--The fierceness of Christ's wrath against His foes will be executed with the resources of omnipotence.

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. Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword] See Clarke on Re 1:16. This appears to mean the word of the Gospel, by which his enemies are confounded, and his friends supported and comforted.

With a rod of iron] He shall execute the severest judgment on the opposers of his truth.

He treaded the winepress] As the grapes are trodden to express the juice, so his enemies shall be bruised and beaten, so that their life's blood shall be poured out.

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

(15) And out of his mouth . . .—Translate, And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with (literally, in) it He may smite the nations: and He (Himself) shall shepherd them with (literally, in) a rod of iron: and He (Himself) treadeth the winepress of the wine of the wrath of the anger of God the All ruler. The sharp sword is the same that we have read of before (Rev_1:16); there it was called the two-edged sword. The omission of the epithet in this passage, which describes the Word of God as the conqueror and the judge, is not without significance. The sword is now wielded for but one work—the word that Christ spoke will judge men at the last day (Joh_12:48). The power of this word found an illustration in the falling back of the hostile band which came to take Him in the day of His humiliation (Joh_18:5); yet more gloriously will the power of His word be felt (comp. Isa_11:4; Jer_23:29; 2Th_2:8) when He will slay the wicked with the word of His mouth. The passage in Psa_2:9 must be borne in mind. Christ comes as King; His is a rule in righteousness; those who oppose this kingdom of righteousness find the shepherd’s staff as a rod of iron; the stone rejected falls upon the builders, and grinds them to powder. It is thus that the winepress of God’s wrath is set up, and the righteous King appears as one who treads it out. (Comp. Isa_63:1-3.) He Himself (the emphasis lies here) treads it. We have again the figure of the vintage made use of. (Comp. Rev_14:20.) It is the harvest of retribution; the wicked are filled with the fruit of their own doings; so is the work seen to be the work of the All-Ruler.

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

15. out of his mouth] Son_1:16, proving, if proof were needed, the identity of the “Son of Man” of that passage with “the Word of God” of this. For the meaning, see the notes there.

sharp] Some ancient authorities insert “two-edged,” from the parallel passage in ch. 1.

smite the nations] God is said to smite men with plagues, e.g. Zec_14:18, but nowhere else with a sword. Are we to infer from 1Ch_21:12 what this sword will be? Certainly the ascription to the Lord of the fierce struggles of a human warrior is markedly avoided.

shall rule them] Lit. shall be their shepherd, as in Rev_2:27, Rev_12:5 Of course in all three places the reference is to Psa_2:9.

and he treadeth] Isa_63:3. The pronoun “he” is emphatic—He Himself, by Himself, as is there expressed.

the winepress] So we are obliged to translate the single word, e.g. at Rev_14:19; while here we have the fuller phrase, “the winepress of the wine of”, &c.

fierceness and wrath] Read, fierceness of the wrath.

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 out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword,.... The Complutensian edition, and all the Oriental versions, with the Vulture Latin, read, "a sharp twoedged sword". The word of God, or the judiciary sentence of Christ according to it, and which he will fully execute, to the utter destruction of all his enemies; See Gill on Rev 1:16 that with it he should smite the nations; the Gentiles, the Papists, the antichristian states, those that have adhered to Babylon, and have drunk of the wine of her fornication. This is predicted in Num 24:17 and on account of this the nations will be angry under the sounding of the seventh trumpet, with which this vision is contemporary, Rev 11:18.

And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; use them with the utmost severity; the phrase is taken out of Psa 2:9 a prophecy of Christ, and mentioned twice before in this book; see Gill on Rev 2:27, Rev 12:5,

and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God; the fierce wrath of God against sinners is compared to a winepress; and the wicked antichristian party are likened to clusters of grapes; who being ripe for destruction, are cast into it, and pressed, squeezed, and trodden down by the mighty power of Christ, the Word of God, whose vesture is therefore before said to be dipped in blood; the same metaphor is used in Rev 14:19 the allusion seems to be to Isa 63:3.

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

15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Ver. 15. A sharp sword] The word, Eph 6:17; the rod wherewith he smiteth the earth, Isa 11:4; the breath of his mouth, whereby Antichrist shall be overthrown, as by force of arms, so also of arguments.

The nations] The paganish pa-pagans. See the book entitled Paganopapismus; wherein is proved that papism is flat paganism, and that the Papists do resemble the very pagans in above seven score individual things.

And he treadeth the winepress] At Armageddon, Rev 16:16.

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 out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword - See the notes on Rev 1:16. In that place the sword seems to be an emblem of his words or doctrines, as penetrating the hearts of people; here it is the emblem of a work of destruction worked on his foes.

That with it he should smite the nations - The nations that were opposed to him; to wit, those especially who were represented by the beast and the false prophet, Rev 19:18-20.

And he shall rule them with a rod of iron - See the notes on Rev 2:27; Rev 12:5.

And he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God - This language is probably derived from Isa 63:1-4. See it explained in the notes on that place, and on Rev 14:19-20. It means here that his enemies would be certainly crushed before him - as grapes are crushed under the feet of him that treads in the winevat.

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

Sharp two-edged sword. The power which Christ exercises over the impious. (Menochius) --- Wine press, &c. This painting corresponds to the triumph of Jesus Christ. (Calmet) --- Some of the attributes here mentioned are also ascribed to Christ, by the prophet Isaias. Chap. lxiii. 2, 3. "Why then is thy apparel red, and thy garments like theirs that tread in the wine press? I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the Gentiles there is not a man with me: I have trampled on them in my indignation, and have trodden them down in my wrath, and their blood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my apparel." (Pastorini)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword: I can easily agree that this two-edged sword is the word of Christ coming out of his mouth, but not the gospel, (the time was past for that, it was the time of the sacrifice in Bozrah), but his word of command, calling out his people to take vengeance upon the remainder of his enemies. The sword was both the sword of the Lord, commanding it to be drawn, and the sword of his people, whose hands were to wield it.

That with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: with this he now smites the remainder of his enemies, and breaks them to pieces.

And he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God: his enemies were the grapes, that now were put into the winepress of God’s watchful providence; Christ trod them there: see Isa 63:3.

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

15. There is but one sword in the armies, and that belongs to the leader. And it brandishes not from his hand, but from his mouth. The image blends the double thought of conversion and destruction. See note on Rev_1:16.

Here is verified the truth of our note on St. Paul’s (2Th_2:8) “whom the Lord shall destroy with the spirit of his mouth.” Here it is the spiritual power going forth from the lips of the Word of God that overthrows the power of antichrist. At Rev_20:9-10, that same antichrist will be not only overthrown but destroyed “by the brightness of his coming.”

Smite the nations—But not destroy. On the extent of these nations see note, Rev_17:16.

Rule them—Literally, shall shepherd them. He guards and controls them as the sheep of his pasture.

But his crook is a powerful, or benevolently despotic, one. It is a rod (or sceptre) of iron—It rules with exactness, and those unyielding to its sway receive its destroying stroke.

Treadeth the wine-press—The ruddy image of carnage and destruction.

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

And out of his month goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a red of iron. The description is still similar to that given in Re 1. (see Rev_1:16 Rev_2:12, Rev_2:16) (For the last clause, see Rev_2:27 Rev_12:5; and cf. Isa_63:3) The symbolism is descriptive of warfare, victory, and judgment. "He" is emphatic: "he shall rule no longer the kings of the earth. The nations; in the sense of the ungodly. (cf. Rev_16:19, etc.) And he treadeth the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God; the wine press of the wine of the fierceness of the wrath, etc. In Rev_14:10 we have the figure of "the wine of the wrath" of God, and in Rev_14:19 that of the "wine press of the wrath;" here the two are combined. (cf. also Isa_63:3, quoted on ver. 13)

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

And he shall rule them - Who are not slain by his sword. With a rod of iron - That is, if they will not submit to his golden scepter. And he treadeth the wine press of the wrath of God - That is, he executes his judgments on the ungodly. This ruler of the nations was born (or appeared as such) immediately after the seventh angel began to sound. He now appears, not as a child, but as a victorious warrior. The nations have long ago felt his "iron rod," partly while the heathen Romans, after their savage persecution of the Christians, themselves groaned under numberless plagues and calamities, by his righteous vengeance; partly, while other heathens have been broken in pieces by those who bore the Christian name. For although the cruelty, for example, of the Spaniards in America, was unrighteous and detestable, yet did God therein execute his righteous judgment on the unbelieving nations; but they shall experience his iron rod as they never did yet, and then will they all return to their rightful Lord.

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

15. Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword. See note on 1:16. This symbolizes the word by which he achieved his conquests. He shall rule them with a rod of iron. See notes on 2:27 and 12:5. This implies not a stern, but a firm and lasting rule. He treadeth the winepress. He shall inflict God's judgments on the sins of the earth. See notes on 14:17–19.

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. ὀξεῖα. B2 vg[729] prefix, Primas[730] substitutes δίστομος.

[729] Vulgate.

[730] Primasius, edited by Haussleiter.

τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς ὀργῆς. Cyp[731] Primas[732] syr[733] read irae; א sah. Or. put τοῦ θ. after τῆς ὀργῆς; 95 before τοῦ οἴνου.

[731] St Cyprian as quoted by Haussleiter.

[732] Primasius, edited by Haussleiter.

[733] Syriac.

15. ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ. Son 1:16, proving, if proof were needed, the identity of the “Son of Man” of that passage with “the Word of God” of this. For the meaning, see the notes there.

πατάξῃ τὰ ἔθνη. God is said to smite men with plagues, e.g. Zec 14:18, but nowhere else with a sword. Are we to infer from 1Ch 21:12 what this sword will be? Certainly the ascription to the Lord of the fierce struggles of a human warrior is markedly avoided.

καὶ αὐτὸς ποιμανεῖ. Lit. “shall be their shepherd,” as in Rev 2:27, Rev 12:5. Of course in all three places the reference is to Psa 2:9.

καὶ αὐτὸς πατεῖ. Isa 63:2. The twice repeated pronoun is very emphatic: it is He who shall fulfil the promised vengeance for which the elect have cried so long.

τὴν ληνὸν τοῦ οἵνου τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς ὀργῆς. Cf. Rev 14:8; Rev 14:10; Rev 14:19, Rev 16:19.

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.

Sword. See on ch. Rev 1:16.

Smite [πατασση] . See on ch. Rev 11:6.

Shall rule [ποιμανει] . See on ch. Rev 2:27.

Wine - press. See on ch. Rev 14:19.

Of the fierceness and wrath [του θυμου και της οργης] . Omit and, and render, as Rev., the fierceness of the wrath. See on Joh 3:36. Of Almighty God [του θεου του παντοκρατορος] . Lit., of God the all - ruler. See on ch. Rev 1:8.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.