Revelation 21:10

21:10 a great, high mountain: In Scripture, experiences with God frequently take place on the mountains (cp. Ezek 40:2; see also Exod 3:1; 19:10-25; Deut 34:1-4; 1 Kgs 18:20-40; 19:8-18; Matt 5:1; 15:29; 17:1; 24:3; 28:16). • the holy city . . . descending out of heaven from God: God’s presence and eternal life cannot be reached by human effort but are received as a gift (Eph 2:8-9; cp. 2 Cor 5:1).

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

A type of that Church which is one, ample, or Catholic, holy celestial, built of God, in this verse: and glorious in the verse following. This type propounded generally, is after particularly declared, verse 12, etc.

He meaneth the place and stately seat of the Church, shadowed out in a mountain.

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

The words correspond to Rev 17:3, to heighten the contrast of the bride and harlot.

mountain--Compare Eze 40:2, where a similar vision is given from a high mountain.

that great--omitted in A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and CYPRIAN. Translate then, "the holy city Jerusalem."

descending--Even in the millennium the earth will not be a suitable abode for transfigured saints, who therefore shall then reign in heaven over the earth. But after the renewal of the earth at the close of the millennium and judgment, they shall descend from heaven to dwell on an earth assimilated to heaven itself. "From God" implies that "we (the city) are God's workmanship."

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 10. To a great and high mountain] That, being above this city, he might see every street and lane of it.

The holy Jerusalem] See Clarke on Re 21:2.

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

(10) And he carried me away in the spirit . . .—Better, He carried me away in spirit on to a mountain, great and high. It is not merely that the height gives a fine view-ground, the symbolism carries us further. The glimpse of God’s coming glories is best gained from the consecrated heights of self-surrender and prayer. On a mountain apart—the mountain of supplication and separation from the world—is the light and glory of God best seen. There are Beulah heights and transfiguration heights from which we may gain glimpses of the city and the glory of the Lord of the city. (Comp. Mat_17:1-4.) The angel carried away the seer to a mountain great and high, and showed him (not “that great city,” but) the holy city Jerusalem descending out of the heaven from (having its origin from) God. The tempter showed to our Lord the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; the comforting angel shows to our Lord’s prophet the city that hath the foundations, and the glory of it—the city that is of God, its builder and maker. (Comp. Heb_11:10, where the right rendering is not “a city,” but the city which hath the foundations.)

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

And he carried me away in the Spirit,.... John was in an ecstasy, as in Rev 1:10 and in the thoughts and apprehensions of his mind and spirit, it seemed to him as if he was carried away from one place to another; for this was not a corporeal sight, nor were any of the visions he had, but what was represented to his mind or spirit; it being with him as it was with the Apostle Paul when he was caught up to the third heaven, who knew not whether he was in the body or out of the body. The Ethiopic version renders it, "the Spirit brought me"; not the evil spirit Satan, who took up our Lord corporeally, and carried him to an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of this world, and their glory, Mat 4:8 but either a good angel, or the Spirit of God:

to a great and high mountain; to such an one was Ezekiel brought in the visions of God, when the frame of a city and temple was shown him, with their dimensions, Eze 40:2 as here a city is shown to John, with its wall, gates, foundations, and their measures: and he was brought to such a place, partly that he might have the more plain and full view of it; and partly to suggest unto him, that now the church of Christ was established upon the top of the mountains, and exalted above the hills, and was a city on a hill, which could not be hid, Isa 2:2.

And showed me that great city; which is no other than the church, the bride, the Lamb's wife; just as the apostate church, all along in this book before, is called the great city, Rev 11:8 but now that being demolished, there is no other great city in being but the church of Christ, called a city before; Rev 21:2 here a "great one", not only because of its prodigious large dimensions, Rev 21:16 but because of the number of its inhabitants, being such as no man can number; and because it is the residence of the great King, the tabernacle of God will be in it; though this epithet is left out in the Alexandrian copy, and in the Vulgate Latin and all the Oriental versions: "the holy Jerusalem"; called "the new Jerusalem", Rev 21:2 here "holy", in allusion to the city of Jerusalem, which was called the holy city, Mat 4:5 on account of the temple in it, the place of divine worship; but here this city is so called, because it is the residence of the holy God, Father, Son, and Spirit, inhabited only by holy men, made perfectly so, and encompassed by holy angels.

Descending out of heaven from God; See Gill on Rev 21:2.

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

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

Ver. 10. To a great and high mountain] As Moses was carried up into Mount Nebo that from thence he might view the promised land. He that would contemplate heaven must soar aloft, fly a high pitch, &c. Take a turn with Christ in Mount Tabor, and be transfigured.

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 carried me away in the spirit - Gave him a vision of the city; seemed to place him where he could have a clear view of it as it came down from heaven. See the notes on Rev 1:10.

To a great and high mountain - The elevation, and the unobstructed range of view, gave him an opportunity to behold it in its glory.

And showed me that great city, ... - As it descended from heaven. See the notes on Rev 21:2.

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

And he carried me away in the spirit; in a trance or ecstasy, as before.

To a great and high mountain; from whence men use to have the best prospect of cities, or other places.

And showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God; there he caused me to see the whole triumphant church, answering as the antitype to Jerusalem, but more holy; being not of the earth, earthly, but from heaven, heavenly; founded, built up, and adorned by God.

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

10. In the spirit—In the visional trance.

Great and high mountain—Not as the place on which the city was built, but as the standpoint of his survey of the city. So one gets a view of the old Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.

It would doubtless require a very high mountain to afford a clear view of this metropolis of heaven. Apparently on a vast plain of the heavenly land, it rose up before the seer a stupendous luminous cube. It stood upon the surface 375 miles square, and towered up into the pure space 375 miles high! Of this cube the sides were jasper; a softly green transparency. And, as the divine Essence was centralized in the city, so this city cube was a vehicle of his glory which radiated a soft, vernal day over this heavenly earth. It was a great Kohi-noor, throwing light and life over the celestial world. Of this cubic city twelve layers of precious stones formed the basement; each layer of different hued radiance. So that this basement presented to the eye so many horizontal streaks of various brilliant colours.

Into each of the four walls there opened three lofty gates; each gate made of one massive pearl. The material of the solid city structure was a transparent gold, divided by streets and squares and places. No grander conception of the kind ever proceeded from the genius of poet or painter. And if the extraordinary height seems enormous, we must remember that it is a capitol as well as a capital. The angel-like citizens of the land of the resurrection, to whose will gravitation is subordinate, have no difficulty with its lofty chambers; and here may be laid up the books (Rev_20:12) of the universal library, and the archives of the divine Sovereign over the nations of this wide and glorious monarchy.

We have narrated in such order as might give a united impression of this cube-city. The seer, however, narrates in the order that the perceptions of the distant object dawned upon his eye. Note, Rev_1:12-15. First the general contour of jasper-hued walls, with the gates and foundations, 11-14. Then a regular measurement of its magnitudes, 15-17. Then a detailed picture of the many-coloured foundations, 18-21. Then its illumination, irradiating the nations, who frequent it from afar, 22-27. Last, are the throne, and the tree and river of life, Rev_22:1-5. And that closes this apocalypse in triumphal glory. Old Babylon has been sent to hell, and New Jerusalem brought from heaven.

Descending—This resplendent block, itself of mountain size, John sees (so he declares in Rev_21:2) descending from the opened firmament, and taking its position on the plane of the celestial earth.

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

And he carried me away in the Spirit (so also in Rev_17:3; cf. Rev_1:10) to a great and high mountain. From which a clear view of "the city" might be obtained. (cf. Eze_40:2) The preposition epi implies "on to." And showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God; showed me the holy city Jerusalem; not great, which is the title of Babylon. (cf. Rev_16:19) Just as the harlot, signifying faithless Christians, was identified with Babylon, the world city, (see on Re 18) so the bride, the faithful portion of Christ"s flock, is merged in Jerusalem, the heavenly city. Coming down, etc. (cf. ver. 2).

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 carried me away in the spirit - The same expression as before, chap. xvii, 3. And showed me the holy city Jerusalem - The old city is now forgotten, so that this is no longer termed the new, but absolutely Jerusalem. O how did St. John long to enter in! but the time was not yet come. Ezekiel also describes "the holy city," and what pertains thereto, xl.-xlviii. Ezek. xl, 1-Ezek. xlviii, 35 but a city quite different from the old Jerusalem, as it was either before or after the Babylonish captivity. The descriptions of the prophet and of the apostle agree in many particulars; but in many more they differ. Ezekiel expressly describes the temple, and the worship of God therein, closely alluding to the Levitical service. But St. John saw no temple, and describes the city far more large, glorious, and heavenly than the prophet. Yet that which he describes is the same city; but as it subsisted soon after the destruction of the beast. This being observed, both the prophecies agree together and one may explain the other.

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

10. He carried me away in the spirit. He seemed to be stationed on a high mountain and there to see a mighty city descending out of heaven. The angel said, “I will show thee the Bride,” and he showed him a beautiful city. The harlot of chapter 17 was a great, wicked city, “Mystery, Babylon the Great,” while the Bride is a great city also, the “holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven.”

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.

A fresh vision, marked by a new transport of ecstasy ( cf. Eze 3:14 ; Eze 11:1 , etc.). ὄρος , the vantage-ground of elevation from which the seer views the site and buildings. If the hill is the site of the city, it is a truncated cone like Cirta, or a terraced zikkurat . Ezra sees the vision of the descent of the new Jerusalem in a field of flowers ( cf. 4 Esd. 9:26 f., 13:35 f.), but John follows either the older tradition of Enoch (En. xxiv., xxv.) who visited a high mountain which, as his cicerone Michael explained, was the throne of God “where the great and holy One, the Lord of glory, the King of eternity, will sit when he shall descend to visit the earth with goodness,” or more probably the primitive association of paradise with a mountain ( cf. Oesterley’s Evol. of Mess. Idea , 129 f., Volz, 375).

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

10. τὴν ἁγίαν. 1 has τὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἁγίαν.

ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ. B2 omits.

10. ἐν πνεύματι. Rev 17:3, Rev 1:10. Cf. Eze 3:14.

ἐπὶ ὄρος μέγα καὶ ὑψηλόν. Eze 40:2. The Seer is taken either to the Holy Mountain of the Lord or to a mountain from which he can see the whole of it. The preposition probably implies that he is set down on the mountain. In Ezek. l.c. the city apparently occupies the south side of the mountain, whence the seer views it.

καταβαίνουσαν … θεοῦ. Repeated verbatim from Rev 21:2. If we suppose the Vision proper to begin at Rev 21:1 the descent described is no doubt the same as there, but St John’s vision of the descent is not exactly the same. He has seen, as it were in the distance, the appearance of the city: but his attention was absorbed in listening to the sayings of Rev 21:3-8. Now, he is summoned to attend to the vision, and finds it at the same stage where he noticed it in passing before.

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.

In the Spirit. See on ch. Rev 1:10.

Mountain. Compare Eze 40:2.

That great city, the holy Jerusalem. Omit great. Render the article as usual, and not as a demonstrative pronoun, and construe holy With city. So Rev., the holy city Jerusalem.

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