Revelation 2:27

Rev 2:27. Ποιμανεῖ) In the Hebrew it is תרועם, Thou shalt break them in pieces, Psa 2:9, from רעע he broke in pieces, the verb of cognate meaning following, תנפצם Thou shalt scatter them, συντρίψεις αὐτούς. The Septuagint, as though they had read in the former passage תרעם from רעה he fed, have rendered it ποιμανεῖς (Thou shalt feed). The Apocalypse, not through imitation of the Septuagint translators, but on its own authority, uses that word, which is peculiarly appropriate. And in other places, when it refers to ancient prophecy, it most befittingly preserves the peculiarity of the Hebrew text: ch. Rev 6:16, Rev 7:17, Rev 11:4.[44]

[44] παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός μον, from My Father) Jesus, when He was living on the earth, somewhat more frequently said, My Father which is in heaven; but now, simply, My Father; for He Himself is set in the heaven with His Father—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.

From Psa 2:8-9.

rule--literally, "rule as a shepherd." In Psa 2:9 it is, "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron." The Septuagint, pointing the Hebrew word differently, read as Revelation here. The English Version of Psa 2:9 is doubtless right, as the parallel word, "dash in pieces," proves. But the Spirit in this case sanctions the additional thought as true, that the Lord shall mingle mercy to some, with judgment on others; beginning by destroying His Antichristian foes, He shall reign in love over the rest. "Christ shall rule them with a scepter of iron, to make them capable of being ruled with a scepter of gold; severity first, that grace may come after" (TRENCH, who thinks we ought to translate "SCEPTER" for "rod," as in Heb 1:8). "Shepherd" is used in Jer 6:3, of hostile rulers; so also in Zac 11:16. As severity here is the primary thought, "rule as a shepherd" seems to me to be used thus: He who would have shepherded them with a pastoral rod, shall, because of their hardened unbelief, shepherd them with a rod of iron.

shall they be broken--So one oldest manuscript, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic Versions read. But two oldest manuscripts, read, "as the vessels of a potter are broken to shivers." A potter's vessel dashed to pieces, because of its failing to answer the design of the maker, is the image to depict God's sovereign power to give reprobates to destruction, not by caprice, but in the exercise of His righteous judgment. The saints shall be in Christ's victorious "armies" when He shall inflict the last decisive blow, and afterwards shall reign with Him. Having by faith "overcome the world," they shall also rule the world.

even as I--"as I also have received of (from) My Father," namely, in Psa 2:7-9. Jesus had refused to receive the kingdom without the cross at Satan's hands; He would receive it from none but the Father, who had appointed the cross as the path to the crown. As the Father has given the authority to Me over the heathen and uttermost parts of the earth, so I impart a share of it to My victorious disciple.

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 27. He shall rule them with a rod of iron] He shall restrain vice by the strictest administration of justice; and those who finally despise the word and rebel shall be broken and destroyed, so as never more to be able to make head against the truth. This seems to refer to the heathen world; and perhaps Constantine the Great may be intended, who, when he overcame Licinius, became the instrument in God's hand of destroying idolatry over the whole Roman empire; and it was so effectually broken as to be ever after like the fragments of an earthen vessel, of no use in themselves, and incapable of being ever united to any good purpose.

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

27. shall rule them] Lit., shall be their shepherd. So the LXX. read the word in Psa_2:9 which, according to the pronunciation now adopted in the received Hebrew text, will mean “bruise” or “break them.” St John, we have seen, does not follow the LXX. blindly in their deviations from the Hebrew text (see on Rev_1:6-7): so from this passage and Rev_12:5, Rev_19:15 we see that he accepted “rule” as the right reading. Apart from this, shepherd is used in the Old Testament of human and superhuman rulers often enough to suggest its use here. The same metaphor is found in Classical Greek.

shall they be broken] Read, are broken: he is to rule the nations with as absolute a mastery as is expressed in crushing a potsherd.

even as I] Rather, as I also. Of course the meaning is, that Psa_2:9 is assumed to be the promise of the Father to the Son; as is plain from the eighth verse.

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 he shall rule them with a rod of iron,.... Either with the Gospel, which is the rod of Christ's strength, and is the power of God unto salvation, and by which the kingdom of Christ is enlarged, and the power of the church of Christ over the antichristian party is increased; or it may design great strictness and severity, with which the man of sin will be used by the saints of the most High, when they shall take away his dominion from him:

as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers; which may be expressive either of the breaking of rocky hearts in pieces at conversion, and of making souls humble and contrite; or of the irreparable ruin and destruction of antichrist, when the saints shall consume and destroy him:

even as I received of my Father; Christ, as God, has an underived power and government; but, as Mediator, his rule and power over the nations are asked by him, given to him, and received by him, Psa 2:8. This "as" does not intend equality, but similitude; and denotes the participation the saints will have with Christ in the judgment and destruction of antichrist, and in his kingdom and power.

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

27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Ver. 27. And he shall rule them] q.d. I will communicate myself wholly to him. See Psa 139:6-9 Mat 19:28; 1Co 6:2-3.

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 he shall rule them with a rod of iron - There is an allusion here to Psa 2:9; “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” There is a slight change in the passage, “he shall rule,” instead of “thou shalt break,” in order to adapt the language to the purpose of the speaker here. The allusion in the Psalm is to the Messiah as reigning triumphant over the nations, or subduing them under him; and the idea here, as in the previous verse, is, that his redeemed people will be associated with him in this dominion. To rule with a scepter of iron, is not to rule with a harsh and tyrannical sway, but with power that is firm and invincible. It denotes a government of strength, or one that cannot be successfully opposed; one in which the subjects are effectually subdued.

As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers - The ironic here is that of the vessel of a potter - a fragile vessel of clay - struck with a rod of iron and broken into fragments. That is, as applied to the nations, there would be no power to oppose His rule; the enemies of his government would be destroyed. Instead of remaining firm and compacted together, they would be broken like the clay vessel of a potter when struck with a rod of iron. The speaker does not intimate when this would be; but all that is said here would be applicable to that time when the Son of God will come to judge the world, and when His saints will be associated with him in his triumphs. As, in respect to all the others of the seven epistles to the churches, the rewards promised refer to heaven, and to the happy state of that blessed world, it would seem also that this should have a similar reference, for there is no reason why “to him that overcame” in Thyatira a temporal reward and triumph should be promised more than in the cases of the others. If so, then this passage should not be adduced as having any reference to an imaginary personal reign of the Saviour and of the saints on the earth.

Even as I received of my Father - As he has appointed me, Psa 2:6-9.

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

And he shall rule them with a rod of iron: an iron rod either signifies a right rod, that will not be easily bent and made crooked; or a severe rod, which is most probably the sense: see Psa 2:9; Psa 12:5. The words by the psalmist are applied to Christ, and to the church, Rev 12:5; to particular saints here, who rule the nations either in Christ their Head, or with Christ as their Chieftain, with the word of God powerfully convincing the world of sin and righteousness.

As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers; and all paganism and heathen idolatries shall be broken in pieces. Or, in the day of judgment, the saints that persevere shall sit with Christ, and judge and condemn the world severely; and then they shall be broken in pieces, never again to be sodered or cemented.

Even as I received of my Father; for such a power and authority my Father hath given me, and I will give it to all them.

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

27. Rule them with a rod of iron—In the Hebrew (Psa_2:9) the promise is, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron.” But the Septuagint translators render the Hebrew word for “break,” by a word signifying to superintend them as a shepherd, or briefly, for want of better English, to shepherd them. This was a mistake founded on the sameness of the consonants of the two different Hebrew words. That graceful mistake the heavenly speaker here accepts, and, in accordance with the milder spirit of the gospel dispensation, authorizes it. His sceptre (for so the word rod here imports) is a shepherd’s crook, and yet its iron power, its absolute authority, still remains. What the nature of this power over the nations is, and what the overcomer’s share in it, may be learned from our notes on Mat_19:28; 1Co_6:2; Rev_19:11-21; Rev_20:4.

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

The verse is not a parenthesis. He shall rule them. Here; Rev_12:5; and in Rev_19:15, the LXX rendering of Psa_2:9 is adopted; poimaneiv autouv , "Thou shalt rule them," or more literally, "shalt shepherd them," instead of "shalt break them," which almost certainly is the meaning of the Hebrew. The Hebrew original, trhm without vowel points, may represent either tirhem or terohem; but the latter is required by what follows; "shalt dash them in pieces." Nevertheless, the gentler rendering better suits the requirements of these passages in the Apocalypse. The rule over the nations is to be strong, but it is to be loving also. To those who obey it, it will be a shepherding; only those who resist it will be dashed in pieces. Precisely the same expression is used in Rev_7:17 of the Lamb shepherding his saints, and in Joh_21:16 in the charge to St. Peter to shepherd Christ"s sheep. It is not easy to determine whether the "rod" (rabdov) is a king"s sceptre, as in Heb_1:8, or a shepherd"s staff, as m 1Sa_17:43 Mic_7:14; and Zec_11:7. As the vessels of pottery are broken to shivers. The future tense is a false reading; the insertion of "they they be broken is a false rendering. Suntribein , "to shatter," occurs in a literal sense in Mar_5:4 and Joh_19:36; and in a figurative sense in Luk_9:39 and Rom_16:20. As I also have received from my Father. The Greek is wv kagw eilhfa , not kayw elabon . He shall receive authority from me, as I also have received from my Father. (comp. Joh_17:18 Joh_20:21 Luk_22:29 Act_2:33)

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 - That is, shall share with me when I do this. With a rod of iron - With irresistible power, employed on those only who will not otherwise submit; who will hereby be dashed in pieces - Totally conquered.

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

27. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron. A scepter of iron means a firm and enduring power. Rule. Shall rule as a shepherd is the meaning of the Greek word. The rule will not be a cruel, but a guardian rule. As the vessels of a potter. So the nations shall be broken in pieces and all become one under the rule of Christ.

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.

27. ποιμανεῖ. Lit., “shall be their shepherd,” cf. Psa 2:9 (LXX.), ποιμανεῖς αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ. The word as pointed in the received Hebrew text means ‘bruise’ or ‘break them.’ Here and in Rev 12:5, Rev 19:15 St John follows the LXX., see note on Rev 1:7.

ὡς τὰ σκεύη τὰ κεραμικὰ συντρίβεται. He is to rule the nations with a mastery as absolute as is expressed in crushing a potsherd. There is nothing in the Hebrew or in any known version to suggest the curious change of subject in “he shall rule … as the vessels are broken.” It puzzled Arethas who thought that ὡς would have been followed by a subjunctive in ordinary Greek.

ὡς κἀγώ. “As I also.” Of course the meaning is that Psa 2:9 is assumed to be the promise of the Father to the Son; as is plain from the eighth verse.

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.