Revelation 22:6

Verse 6. These sayings are faithful and true] See the preceding chapter, Re 21:5. From this verse to the end of the chapter is reckoned the epilogue of this book.

1. The angel affirms the truth of all that had been spoken, Re 22:6-11.

2. Jesus Christ confirms what has been affirmed, and pledges himself for the fulfilment of all the prophecies contained in it, Re 22:12-17.

3. John cautions his readers against adding or diminishing, and concludes with the apostolical blessing, Re 22:18-21.

The things which must shortly be done.] There are many sayings in this book which, if taken literally, would intimate that the prophecies delivered in the whole of the Apocalypse were to be fulfilled in a short time after their delivery to John; and this is a strong support for the scheme of Wetstein, and those who maintain that the prophecies of this book all referred to those times in which the apostle lived, and to the disturbances which then took place, not only among the Jews, but in the Roman empire. What they all mean, and when and how they are to be fulfilled, God in heaven alone knows.

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

The Confirmation of the Promise; the Error of the Seer, Rev_22:6-11

6. And he said unto me] Who speaks? the angel of Rev_21:9, or “He that sitteth upon the throne,” as in Rev_21:5-8, or Christ as in Rev_22:16? Probably, an angel speaks in the name of Christ: and this leads St John to fancy, as once before, that the angel is himself a divine person.

These sayings] Better, words—the phrase (except that the copula “are” is not expressed) is verbatim the same as in Rev_21:5.

of the holy prophets] Read, of the spirits of the prophets: for the phrase, cf. 1Co_14:32.

to shew unto his servants &c.] Rev_1:1.

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.

Rev 22:6-7. The glory and felicity set forth in the preceding chapter, and continued in the five verses we have just considered, being great above all imagination, certain as the word of prophecy, and lasting without end, must, if duly considered, be a powerful encouragement to us, and persuasive to constancy in the profession and practice of pure Christianity, whatever difficulties or dangers may attend it. What follows, to the end, is the conclusion of the whole book, or a sort of epilogue, which confirms the truth of the prophecies contained in these revelations, shows the importance and use of them, and is well fitted to leave them with strong impressions on the hearts of the readers, to preserve them from complying with any corruptions of the Christian faith and worship, and encourage their constancy in the ways of truth and righteousness. And he said, These sayings are true and faithful — All the things which thou hast heard and seen shall be faithfully accomplished in their order, and are infallibly true. Thus the angel ratifies all the forementioned particulars, by a repetition of the same solemn assurance which he had before given, (Rev 19:9; Rev 21:5,) adding that he was commissioned by the same God who had inspired the ancient prophets, to show the things which should shortly be done — That is, which would very soon begin to be in part fulfilled, and would, in process of time, be completed. Behold, I come quickly — Here the angel speaks, not in his own person, but in the person and character of Christ, whose ambassador and representative he was. Christ is said to come, upon any notable and illustrious manifestation of his providence; and all these are but so many steps to prepare the way for his last coming to judgment. Blessed, happy, is he that keepeth, without adding to or diminishing from, the sayings of the prophecy of this book — And that is duly influenced by them. And, as Vitringa devoutly wishes, “May the Lord grant this favour to us who have bestowed some labour in meditating thereon, that we also may have some share in this blessing.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

EPILOGUE—FOUR ATTESTATIONS TO THE TRUTH OF THIS DIVINE APOCALYPSE, Rev_22:6-19.

1. By the ANGEL briefly reiterating the divine endorsement, Rev_22:6.

6. He—The interpreting angel of Rev_22:1, reaffirming the words of God, Rev_21:5.

These sayings—The utterances and revelations of this book. He who was commissioned agent pronounces that the apocalypse by him delivered is both a genuine revelation and a truthful doctrine. As a mere instrument his testimony is brief, modest, and subordinate to God’s.

2. By JOHN, recapitulating the fact of God’s sending his revealing angel, and his own over-reverence to the angel, Rev_22:6-9.

6. And—That John’s own words commence here is evident from the fact that he really repeats at this close the words by him uttered at the commencement of the Apocalypse, Rev_1:1; Rev_1:3. John’s words are introduced with the Hebraistically repeated and, as in Rev_22:10; Rev_22:12; Rev_22:17.

The usual method of commentators is to make this whole verse (Rev_22:6) the words of the angel; to make John here re-perform in literal act his over-reverence in Rev_19:10, and to make the angel resume at Rev_22:10 and continue to Rev_22:15. This is in many ways objectionable. It makes John mechanically and stolidly re-commit an already corrected blunder. It makes the angel speak at full length the words of God in his own person, as if he himself were God; an inadmissible assumption, inaccurately supported by Dusterdieck by the precedent of Rev_11:3, where he incorrectly assumes that “my” is uttered by the angel in the name of God.

We make John’s words begin in Rev_22:6, adding an implied saying, in italics, at the close of that verse. John thus narrates in Rev_22:6-7 God’s sending the revealing angel to him and the promise of quickly coming; and in 8 and 9 he reiterates how over-gratefully he received this angelic communication. Ahus saw and heard in Rev_22:8 is antithetical to sent to show in Rev_22:6, so that the thought of the sending by God is transmitted down to Rev_22:10, where he refers to God of Rev_22:6. The entire of Rev_22:10-15 is then spoken by God.

Holy prophets—Preferable reading, of the spirits of the holy prophets; that is, of their spirits as instruments of his revealing work. By this solemn phrase John places his apocalypse on the same high level with the Old Testament, as conscious that it takes equal rank in the sacred canon. He is aware that he is making New Testament. Note, Rev_22:19.

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

THE EPILOGUE

Rev_22:6-21

1. The Angel and John; or the Mediators of the Apocalypse

6And he said unto me, These sayings [words] are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy [om. holy—ins. spirits36 of the] prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the [what] things which [om. which] must [ins. come to pass] shortly be done 7[om. be done], [ins. And]37 behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the 8sayings [words] of the prophecy of this book. And [ins. it was] I John [ins. who heard and]38 saw these things, and heard them [om., and heard them]. And when I had [om. had] heard and seen [saw]39, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which [who] shewed me these things. 9Then saith he [And he saith] unto me, See thou do it [om. See thou do it—ins. Take heed] not: for [om. for] I am thy [om. thy—ins, a] fellow servant [ins. of thee], and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which [those who] keep the sayings [words] of this book: worship God. 10And he saith unto me, Seal not the saying [words] of the prophecy of this book: for40 the time is at hand [near]. 11He that is unjust, let him be unjust [Let him that doeth injustice, do injustice] still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy [and let the polluted41 pollute himself] still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous [and let the righteous work righteousness42] still: and he that is holy, let him be holy [and let the holy (ἅγιος) sanctify himself (ἁγιασθήτω) still.

2. Jesus, the Author of the Apocalypse; the Spirit; and the Bride

12And, [om. And,43] Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according [om. every man according—ins. render to each] 13as his work shall be [om. shall be—ins. is].44 I am [am—ins. the] Alpha and [ins. the] Omega, the beginning and the end, [om. the beginning and the 14end,] the first and the last [ins., the beginning and the end]45. Blessed are they that do his commandments [om. that do his commandments—ins. wash their robes]46, that they may have [ins. the] right to [or authority over (ή ἐξουσία ἐπὶ)], the tree of life, and may enter in through [om. in through—ins. by] the gates 15into the city. For [om. For]47 Without are [ins. the] dogs, and [ins. the] sorcerers, and whoremongers [the fornicators], and [ins. the] murderers, and [ins. the] idolaters, and whosoever [every one that] loveth and maketh a lie. 16I Jesus have [om. have] sent mine [my] angel to testify unto you these things in [concerning] the churches.48 I am the root and the offspring of David, and [om. and] the bright and 17[om. and—ins., the] morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.49 And let him that heareth say, Come.14 And let him that is athirst [thirsteth] come.14 And whosoever [om. And50 whosoever—ins.: he that] will, let him take51 the water of life freely.

3. Testimony to the Sanctity of the Apocalypse

18For [om. For52] I testify unto every man [one] that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man [one] shall [om. shall] add unto these things [om. these things—ins. them], God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man [one] shall [om. shall] take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of [om. out of—ins. from] the book [om. book—ins. tree53] of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things [om. and from the things] which are [have been] written in this book. 20He which [who] testifieth these things saith, Surely [Yea,] I come quickly: [.] Amen. [;] Even so, [om. Even so,54] come, Lord Jesus.

Conclusion

21     The grace of our [om. our—ins. the55] Lord Jesus Christ [om. Christ56] be with you [om. you57] all [or ins. the saints—or om. all and ins. the saints]58. Amen [or om. Amen].59

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

SYNOPTICAL VIEW

The Epilogue of the Apocalypse is strongly suggestive of the Epilogue of the Johannean Gospel, just as the Prologue of the Apocalypse forms a pendant to the Prologue concerning the Logos. In the one case as in the other, the Coming of Christ is a fundamental thought. In the one case as in the other, the Scripture closes with a reflection relative to the Book itself; and in both cases, a mysterious, clare-obscure mode of expression is spread, like a veil, over the whole. The intimate connexion of the Apocalyptic Epilogue and Prologue is evident upon the most cursory comparison.

Here, again, we distinguish three main divisions. The first, which may be superscribed with the title of the Angel and John, reverts, in Rev_22:6-11, to the mediators or instrumentalities of the Apocalypse, and accordingly forms a parallel to Rev_22:1-6 of the Prologue. In the second division Jesus appears, as the Author of the Apocalypse, and over against His revelation is set the longing of the Spirit and the Bride for His Advent (Rev_22:12-17). The parallel passage in the Prologue is found in Rev_22:7-10. The third division is formed by the testimony to the inviolable sanctity of the Apocalypse (Rev_22:18-20). Then follow the closing words—a prayer to the Lord, and a wish for a blessing upon all readers.

[Rev_22:6.] And he said unto me. The conclusion reverts to the beginning. The series of visions is closed—hence, the mediators of the vision once more make their appearance. First, mention is made of the Angel of this Revelation (Rev_1:1). According to De Wette, Bleek, Düsterdieck et al., this is the same Angel who speaks in Rev_21:9. In other words, the Angel of the entire Revelation is accounted a special Angel from the group of the seven Angels of the Vials of Anger, and we are outside of the visions and yet, again, within them. Thus, too, the incident related Rev_19:10, is held to be repeated here—either the incident itself or the account of it. The former hypothesis would cast a shade upon the Apostle’s aptness to learn; the latter would implicate his ability as a writer. Neither the one nor the other assumption is admissible. In the scene portrayed Rev_19:10, John believed that he recognized the Lord Himself in the form of the messenger of Christ; here, it is the angelic form in which the Lord manifests Himself to him that he, in his profound reverence, identifies, wrongly, with the Person of Christ. Hence the deprecating words of the two Angels are very different. “I am thy fellow-servant and one of thy brethren who have the witness of Jesus,” says one. “I am thy fellow-servant and one of thy brethren the Prophets and of them who keep the words of this Book,” speaks the other. As the Angel of the Revelation, he places himself on a line not only with the Prophets, but also with the pious readers of the Apocalypse; this is, doubtless, owing to the fact that Christ assumes His angelic form in the sphere of prophetic, human spirit-life and pious longing for His coming. We translate here, therefore: Worship not the personal medium of the manifestation of Christ; just as we might say, Do not worship the Bible, though it is the medium of the revelation of God. Therefore the Angel further distinguishes the words of the Revelation, whose certainty and reality he affirms, from his mission from the Lord, Whom he identifies with the God of the spirits of the Prophets. Here, again, the conceptions of God and Christ run into one, as is frequently the case in the Johannean writings.

We apprehend the words ἑν τάχει, here, as in Rev_1:1, as significant of the rapidity of the course of the things predicted, for the things of the thousand years, which form but one section of the whole eschatological time, can not be conceived of as happenning soon [or, shortly] in the ordinary sense.

Christ identifies Himself with the Angel in the declaration, Behold, I come soon [quickly], or rapidly, and conjoins with this declaration the beatitude expressive of the truth that he alone preserves the right position toward the Coming of the Lord, who keeps the words of the prophecy and makes them his guide.

The Seer now seems to come to himself after his grand visional ecstasy, as was the case, after similar ecstasies, with the Disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, with the Apostle Peter, Act_12:11 and Paul, 2Co_12:2; he is immediately overpowered, however, by a sense of the great grace which he has been deemed worthy to receive with this Revelation. And I John—not any indifferent John—a man by the name of John—am the hearer and seer of these things. And now he would fain fall down and worship before the Angel of the Revelation, as he fell down before him like a dead man at the beginning of this Revelation (Rev_1:17). Upon this he receives the prohibition before referred to, because it is his duty to distinguish between the Lord Himself and His angelic appearance, clothed in the materials of prophetic visions and Christian ideals. On the other hand, he receives the direction not to seal the words of the prophecy. He is to communicate them to the Churches and to stimulate the reading and exposition of them, because the time is near, because they are designed to keep Christians awake, and, if they slumber, to rouse them.

And now follows a saying which is peculiarly suggestive of the Gospel of John, especially of the fearful words, What thou doest [art about to do], do quickly [Joh_13:27]. Let him that doeth injustice [or, unrighteousness] do injustice [or unrighteousness] still. The meaning of this is that the time is great [weighty with import] and swift, and presses to decision; for every development, in evil and in good, the space granted is but short. The ironical tone which pertains to the first two exhortations is limited, first, by the remark that the following two sentences can have nothing of irony in them, and, further, by the earnest consideration that the seed of evil is peculiarly prospered by being brooded over, in the delusion that there is an endless time before the judgment, if, indeed, there be any judgment at all. The style of speech here employed is, doubtless, in general expressive of the following admonition: Consider that your actions are rapidly progressing to their end. The relation of moral development on both sides is pertinently intimated. The commission of unrighteousness courses into filthiness, into a filthy habit of thought and a corresponding mode of conduct; the righteousness of faith, on the other hand, develops, through the practice of right-doing, into a sanctification of life.

In the second division of the Epilogue, Jesus Himself is brought to view, with His immediate words. He announces Himself as the Recompenser, with reference to the proclamation of the Angel that the time is near and presses all men to decision. Behold, I come quickly, and My reward with Me, He says, in the words in which His Coming is announced by the Prophet Isaiah (Isa_40:10; Isa_62:11; comp. isa_11:18). He will appear as Judge, because His life is the principle and ground-law of the history of the world. This He expresses in a threefold manner. Because he is the Alpha, He must be the Omega. Because He is the First, He must be the Last. The first formula characterizes Him as the first, and hence the last, life-idea. The second formula characterizes Him as the first, and therefore the last, ideal life-form. The third formula characterizes Him as the innermost, primarily principial, and therefore, also, final life-power and substance. Because He is the Principle, He must be the Final Goal. The bearing of these words upon the judgment (in accordance with Matthew 25 and Act_17:31) is plainly manifest in the following beatitude.

In comparison with the reading, Blessed are they who wash their robes, we cannot possibly regard the other reading, Blessed are they who keep His commandments, as correct, although the sense may be the same. We have here to do with a festal symbolic expression, suggestive of the wedding garment and the saying, These have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb (Rev_7:14). These shall enter into the Holy City, with authority to eat of the trees of life. For upon the perfect appropriation of the cross of Christ, rests the putting on of the snow-white robe of righteousness, and this is the condition, at once of an eternal vital development and vital joy, and of entrance into the fellowship of eternal life.

The continued existence of a without, in contrast to an entrance into the Paradise of life, is expressed by an antithesis in the weightiest of words. Those who are excluded are again, apparently, cited in a group of six, but in reality a quinary is probably contemplated, as in the figure of the foolish virgins. The arrangement of individual characters also differs from that observed Rev_21:8. In the latter passage, the lost were contrasted with the idea of the bravery of the conquerors; hence the fearful had the precedence. Here they are contrasted with the picture of heavenly purity—the blessed, arrayed in their robes of honor; hence dogs take the precedence, as allegorical figures of spiritual uncleanness and commonness (see Mat_7:6; Php_3:2; 2Pe_2:21). Sorcerers have profaned and violated nature; fornicators have profaned and violated the personal and physical life; murderers have profaned and violated the image of God in their neighbor; idolaters have profaned and violated the symbols of the Divine and religion itself; lovers and practicers of falsehood in general—as a wider class of idolaters—have profaned and violated the consecrated reality and truth of life.

Jesus next definitively distinguishes Himself from the sending of His Angel. He declares that He has Himself sent the Angel to Christians to testify to them of the future in regard to the Churches; the dignity and weight of a testimony is thus assigned to His word. The reading chosen by us [ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐκκλ.] we have designated in the Text, and Gram. Notes as highly momentous. Even in this expression, which has in many instances failed of being understood, the end reaches back into the beginning. The Apocalypse, namely, is in reality the Book of the future of the Christian Churches, symbolically represented, as they are, by the Seven Churches.

In conclusion, Christ places Himself, as the most glorious Man, the Son of man, over against the longing and expectation of the faithful. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Kernel in the kernel of the Theocracy, the ideal ground and the ideal blossom of the Davidic line, which rises as prominently in the midst of Israel as chosen Israel amongst the nations. Thus, as the great Promised One, He is the subject of all the longing of Israel, and, no less than this, the bright star which has risen upon mankind as the Morning Star of a new world. And well does He know that the heart of mankind goes out to Him with throbs of expectation and yearning. The Spirit in the Church and the Church as Bride answer Him with the cry, Come! And every one who hears and understands this cry is directed to join in the cry of longing, Come! But all who thirst, that is, all men of longing, must first come to Him on the platform of the spiritual life, and receive of the water of life freely [without price], in order that they may be able to sum up their yearning in that higher eschatological longing which can join in the cry, Come, Lord Jesus!

The third division of the Epilogue is the concluding attestation of the Book, and is suggestive of the attestation of the Johannean Gospel (Rev_21:24).

In this attestation we, in company with almost all exegetes, can see the words of the Prophet, only; not, with Ebrard, a remark of the Lord concerning the Book of John. In this severe verdict, reference is had not to readings and variations of opinion, but to augmentations or diminutions of the eschatological view of the world here expressed. It is an inviolable vital law that the fanatic, in the same degree in which he heightens the conceptions of judgment above the Biblical measure, loads himself with the judgment of those torments which he has imagined; thus, e.g., the mediæval exaggeration of the idea of hell brought hell torments in abundance upon the fanatics themselves. And on the other hand, similarly, it is a fact that the denier or diminisher of the prospects of Christian hope impairs his own inheritance of hope and bliss, to the same degree in which he takes away from the fullness of the Christian prospect. Every misdemeanor against the truth falls back upon him who commits it (see Introduction, p. 63, and Mat_5:19). The reference is not to transient sentiments, but to maxims which become permanent in a conduct consistently regulated by them. Thus, it is beyond question that consummate fanaticism crystallizes into a disposedness for torment; consummate libertinism into a complete incapacity for even the faintest idea of the conditions of a higher human life of blessedness. These thoroughly true thoughts meet us here as warning verdicts [vera dicta], hyperbolically expressed, designed for the protection of this glorious Book, which, in spite of these its guards, has been, and still continues to be, greatly mis-esteemed.

The Seer is sure that, together with himself, Christ attests his Book. He therefore introduces Him also, in the character of a witness, and expresses, in His testimony, the ground thought of his Book: Yea, I come quickly.

Hereupon, giving vent to that which has been the desire of his heart through his whole life, and especially during his old age, he utters the following sentence, by which he takes the Lord at His word in the name of the Church as well as in his own name: Amen, come, Lord Jesus.

In conclusion, he pronounces a benediction upon all who, with himself, are awaiting the coming of the Lord, and who constitute the true Saints of the. Latter Days. The benediction is couched in the following grand and worthy terms: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all saints. With all saints—in this adjunct, the Apocalypse, in its significance, is consistent with itself.

EXPLANATIONS IN DETAIL

Rev_22:6. And he said unto me.—With perfect, justice, Ebrard combats the view entertained by most commentators, to the effect that the Angel who is here spoken of is the same who has been the spokesman since Rev_21:9; the. same exegete maintains that, on the contrary, it is the Angel (of the Revelation) of whom mention is made in Rev_1:1. With this view, however, he conjoins the erroneous assumption that what John here reports, is nothing new, but only a reminiscence of former things; first, of the declaration previously made by the same Angel (Rev_21:5) and, secondly, of the certain truth that the entire Revelation is of Divine origin. But visional conditions do not come to an end suddenly any more than they begin suddenly; they die away gradually, even as they began. The face of Moses was still shining when he went down from the mount into the camp.

These words are, etc.—By this is meant the entire Revelation now concluded, as in Rev_22:7; Rev_22:18.

The Lord God of the spirits of the Prophets.—We apprehend these words as referring to Jehovah as the God of revelation, or, in other words, we find here a concrete summing together of God and Christ, as in the concluding words of 1Jn_5:20.

The mission of the Angel is from the Spirit of revelation, as the God of the spirits of the Prophets, the Source and Author of all prophecies, hence also of the Apocalypse (Joh_5:39; 1Pe_1:10-12).

The spirits of the Prophets.—According to De Wette, reference is had to the inspiration produced by the Spirit of God, in opposition to which Düsterdieck judiciously remarks that the spirits belonging, respectively, to the different Prophets are intended, which spirits God renders subservient to Himself.

His servants.—See Revelation 1.

Rev_22:7. And behold, I come quickly.—Adduction of Christ’s word, in corroboration of the expression ἐν τάχει. “As in Rev_22:6 the Divine authority was cited, so here the main tenor of the Revelation now completed is made prominent. This is effected by the Angel’s speaking directly in the name of the coming Lord Himself.” Duesterdieck. We cannot perceive why the following parænesis should be regarded as “added by the Angel.” The Angel utters the whole,—in such a manner, however, as to introduce the Lord as speaking in Rev_22:7. It is this very fact that gives occasion to what follows—viz., the error, in the entertainment of which the Seer attempts to worship. Finally, we must again call attention to the subtile distinction that is to be made between the Lord Himself and the form of His revelation; not only personal Angels, but also symbolical ones, are a forbidden object of worship. This is suggestive of the second commandment, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any image,” concretely apprehended; it also teaches us how difficult it is for man, in his admiration of the Divine, to leave that and arrive at the perfect worship of God.

Rev_22:8. And it was I, John.—The gradual coming to one’s self, e.g., out of sleep, out of somnambulic sleep, out of profound contemplation, out of an inspired or demonically excited condition, is a highly interesting phenomenon; its culmination is formed by the gradual return of ordinary consciousness [Tagesbewusstsein = day-consciousness] after the ecstasy of the Prophet.60—And I, John.—See Syn. View; comp. chap. 1.

Who heard and saw [ὁ ἀκούων καὶ βλέπων] these things.—On the present form of the participle, see Düsterd. Though the visional unfolding of the things is over, that which the Seer has heard and seen continues to be ever spiritually present before his eyes.

And when I heard.—The reading which adds and saw, beautifully brings out the continued astonishment of the Seer.

I fell down to worship.—In Rev_19:10 he was in danger of identifying a personal Angel or beatified saint with the Lord; here he is in the more subtile peril of confounding a symbolic angelic form with the Lord Himself.

Rev_22:9. Take heed not.—Ὅρα μὴ (see Syn. View).

Rev_22:10. Seal not, etc.—See Rev_1:11; Rev_1:19; Rev_10:4; Dan_8:26; Dan_12:4; Dan_12:9. It may be asked, what is the difference between a sealing and a not sealing in the case of two Books which yet have been diffused in an identical or a similar manner. Irrespective of the fact that there is something symbolical in the expression, which declares, on the one hand, that the Book shall for a long time continue to be obscure and uncomprehended, or, on the other hand, that the Book shall be read, the antithesis also contains a distinction for the authors of the Books in question and for the Church. The symbolic mode of presentation is in itself a species of sealing; a reference to the key of symbolism, such as is frequently to be met with in John, is an unsealing (comp. Mat_13:11 sqq.). And thus there is also a difference in the ecclesiastic reservation of the Book and the submission of it for congregational edification. The Hierarchy has sealed the whole Bible; with us, even the Apocalypse is at least freely submitted to the Church for her edification.

For the time is near.—A motive for the diffusion, reading and explanation of the Apocalypse in the Christian Church.

Rev_22:11. He that doeth injustice.—This form is elucidated by analogies; not only by the already cited address of the Lord to Judas (Joh_13:27), but also by the following passages: Mat_23:32; Mat_26:45, and, in a less degree, Eze_3:27. And though there may be something of irony in the first two propositions (De Wette, et al.), there is nought of that character in the last two, viz., and let the righteous, etc.—If we seek for a common fundamental thought that shall lie at the basis of all four propositions, it is contained in the following words: “Since the judgment is at the door, let every one quickly prepare himself for it after his own free choice.” That this very idea indirectly offers to the wicked the strongest admonition to repent, is self-evident.

Work righteousness still.—The discardure of the erroneous reading δικαιωθήτω is of recognized importance as bearing upon the discussion relative to the meaning of δικαιοῦν.

Rev_22:12-13. Behold, I come quickly.—Düsterdieck: “The words of Rev_22:12 sound like a communication from Christ’s own mouth.” Most certainly. “Those of Rev_22:13 (comp. chaps. Rev_1:8; Rev_21:5-6) are as the language of God Himself.” But because God calls Himself the Alpha and the Omega, it does not follow that Christ, the Son of God, may not also so denominate Himself. The Apostle Paul writes concerning God: “Of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things” (Rom_11:36). And again in Col_1:16 he writes concerning Christ: “All things were created in Him all things were created through Him and to Him.” Because Düsterdieck thinks that this presumed change of speakers must not be hypothesized, he affirms that John speaks these words “after the manner of the ancient Prophets.” And yet John here distinguishes his own speech, the speech of the Angel, the express speech of Jesus (Rev_22:16), and the speech of the Spirit! The motive for this singular retreat upon “the old Prophetic language,” (which might itself be called in question, if it were employed with the latitude and inexplicitness which would attach to its use in the present case,) seems to be simply Christ’s alleged inability to say: I am the Alpha and the Omega.

Rev_22:14. Blessed are they who wash their robes.—See Syn. View. The other reading see discussed in Düsterdieck, pp. [574,] 580.

Rev_22:15. Without are the dogs.—Düsterdieck apprehends the words as a command—foras sunto. Out with the dogs! Such a conception, however, does but obscure the clearness of the antithesis; it would be a sort of penal judgment, instead of a representation of the contrast which the region of the lost presents to Paradise—a representation which is a sermon in itself. Be it observed that the term, the dogs, is decidedly favorable to the reading, Blessed are they who wash, etc. Dogs.—“A special reference to sodomites (Eichhorn, who compares Deu_23:18) is not to be gathered from the context.” Duesterdieck.

Rev_22:16. I, Jesus.—Even these words, according to Düsterdieck, are spoken by John in the name of Jesus. And it is possible for him to entertain this opinion after all the distinct intimations which have previously been given concerning the speakers!

To testify unto you.—The ὑμῖν relates to the servants of God, as Rev_22:6 (comp. Rev_1:1). The servants of God are, through the instrumentality of the Apocalypse, constituted watchmen and warners of the Church. In this sense, even the Seven Epistles are not directly addressed to the Churches. Düsterdieck thinks, with Hengstenberg, that ὑμῖν, in case it is to be retained, refers to the Prophets.

The Root and the Offspring [Lange: Geschlecht=race].—The antithesis between root and scion—as the human parallel to the Divine antithesis of Alpha and Omega—is obliterated by the following explanation of Düsterdieck: “That which the first term [ῥίζα] declares figuratively and in accordance with Old Testament precedent (comp. Rev_5:5), is more literally affirmed by the second [γένος ]: the son (Andr., Ew., et al.).” According to Hengstenberg also, the root of David is significant of the product of the root. The citation of Rev_5:5 proves nothing.

The Bright, the Morning Star.—In meaning, the passage Rev_2:28, where Christ promises to give the morning star, is entirely akin to this. Christ is the bright Morning Star of the coming day of eternity; He therefore also gives the morning star of a spiritual vision of the future (see above, Rev_2:28).

Rev_22:17. And the Spirit.—These words, according to De W., Hengstenberg, Düsterdieck, et al., are an answer to the foregoing—an answer which the Apocalyptist is represented as speaking in the name of the Spirit and the Bride. But since John utters his own Come, Lord Jesus in Rev_22:20, we cannot suppose that it was his intention to make so wide a distinction between himself and the Spirit and the Bride; and, moreover, the words, Let him that thirsteth come, etc., are in favor of the assumption that we have here the concluding words of Jesus Himself. A singular view is that of Ebrard, who holds Rev_22:17 to be a reply to the speech of Jesus, and regards Jesus as again becoming the speaker in Rev_22:18, with a view to taking the Book under His own patronage.

Let him that thirsteth, etc.—See chap Rev_21:6; Isa_55:1; Mat_5:6; Joh_7:37.

Freely [gratuitously].—The last full evangelic tone in the New Testament.

Rev_22:18-19. I testify unto every one, etc.—Testification is a solemn asseveration which binds or makes responsible those to whom it is addressed (Deu_4:2; Pro_30:5-6). We repeat the remark already made by us upon this passage, viz., that, in accordance with the symbolic expression of the Apostle, the reference is not simply to the exegetical treatment of the Apocalypse, as is usually assumed. There are many who add gloom to the Christian view of the world, and many who diminish its depth, without making use of the Apocalypse in thus doing. It is, indeed, also true that any exegetical tampering with the Apocalypse is inadmissible, and the one-sidednesses of exegesis are manifoldly connected with the one-sidednesses of fanaticism or spiritualism [Spiritualismus]. The paronomasia—ἐπιθῇ, ἐπιθήσει, ἀφέλῃ, ἀφελεὶ—is no mere play upon words; it is indicative, rather, of the fact that transgressions against the purport of the Apocalypse are connected with the inner condition of the guilty one, and hence infallibly rebound upon him, or that, as violations of the Divine faithfulness and truth, they are reflected back in violations of self.

Every one that heareth, etc.—That is, every one who is present at the reading aloud of the Book in Church; it is, therefore, designed to be read aloud in Church. According to Vitringa, Bleek, et al., the threat is directed against careless transcribers; according to Ewald and De Wette, against oral inaccuracies of repetition. Düsterdieck justly regards each of these explanations as insufficient, and lays stress upon the keeping of the contents of the Book, the revelation of God, maintaining that it is upon the falsification of that revelation that the curse is laid. Luther’s words of censure, contained in his preface of 1522, see cited in Düst., p. 582. Bleek is of opinion that Luther was not entirely wrong in taking offence at the words. De Wette also thinks the threat too harsh. Hengstenberg apprehends the words as referring to such additions and omissions as affect the actual kernel of the Book (p. 452 sqq. [Trans.]). According to Ebrard, these words are “the seal which Christ Himself impresses upon the Apocalypse.”

Rev_22:20. He who testifieth these things saith.—Here Jesus is again introduced as speaking. He is brought in, primarily, as a Witness Who supplements the foregoing testimony of John, but at the same time He indirectly appears as a Witness for the whole Apocalypse. He sums up His testimony in the all-corroborating and all-embracing affirmation: Yea, I come quickly.

The Seer replies to the word of the Lord with a grand and simple prayer: Amen; come, Lord Jesus.

Rev_22:21. The grace.—See Rev_1:4. The ὑμῶν of the Rec. does, indeed, more nearly agree with Rev_1:4, but it is, on the one hand, not as well supported as our reading, and, on the other hand, the reading with all saints, is in perfect harmony with the solemnity of the conclusion.

[ADDITIONAL NOTE ON THE EPILOGUE]

By the American Editor

[There are several matters concerning this conclusion of the Book of Divine Revelation which the writer desires to present for consideration:—

I. The Authorship

The entire Epilogue is the utterance of Jesus, by the mouth of His representative Angel (the Angel of Rev_21:9), to John—with the exception of the second clause of Rev_22:6, Rev_22:8-9, the last clause of Rev_22:20, and Rev_22:21. In this proposition there are but three points which need discussion, all of which are opposed to the views of our author.

1. The Angel that addressed John was the Angel of Rev_21:9. That Christ spoke through a representative in Rev_22:7, is admitted by all; that this was the Angel of Rev_21:9 is the point to be proved. The καὶ εἶπέν μοι of Rev_22:6 shows that the speaker there mentioned must have been the one speaking in the immediately preceding verses—the phraseology forbids the idea that another speaker had been introduced. The καί of Rev_22:7, together with the absence of any introducing clause, requires the conclusion that the same speaker continued his address; and this conclusion is confirmed by the τοῦ δεικνύντος of Rev_22:8—manifestly, the Angel at whose feet the Apostle fell was the one who had been showing him the things previously described. A difficulty in reference to this interpretation may suggest itself to some minds, arising from the generally received opinion that the Angel of Rev_21:9 was (as were all the Angels of the Vials) a Symbol; his symbolic character may be regarded as inconsistent with the language of Rev_22:9, I am thy fellow servant, etc. Possibly he was an Immediate Symbol—i. e., a simulacrum—of a real Angel; possibly, however, real Angels took part in all the scenes described. But however this may have been,—admitting the truth of the first supposition, there was neither impropriety nor incongruity in representing the simulacrum of an Angel as using the language of an Angel.

2. The second clause of Rev_22:6 is an explanatory remark introduced by John. It seems to the writer inconceivable, that, if the declaration, The Lord God sent His Angel to show, etc., had been made to the Apostle, he should immediately after have offered Divine honors to that creature. The natural hypothesis seems to be that—(1) in Rev_22:7, the Angel, as the representative of Jesus, spoke in the first person, Behold, I come quickly, and John at once drew the conclusion that the speaker, though in the form of a servant, must be his Lord—a natural mistake and one immediately corrected; and (2) the Apostle in his narrative introduced the explanatory clause of Rev_22:6.

3. The address of Rev_22:18-20 (first clause), is the utterance of Christ through His Angel, and not a declaration of the Apostle. This, in the judgment of the writer, is placed beyond doubt by a comparison of the first words of Rev_22:18 with those of Rev_22:20; the One who testifies is the One who says, I come quickly.

II. The Duty of Studying the Apocalypse

That it is the duty of every Christian to study this Book appears from the following declarations of the Epilogue:—1. The Apocalypse was given for the information of the Saints, Rev_22:6; Rev_16:2. It was designed to be read in the congregations, Rev_22:18 (I testify unto every one that heareth); see also comment on Rev_1:3, p. 90. 3. Its utterances were not sealed, i.e., closed up from individual comprehension (see foot-note*, first column, p. 193), Rev_22:10. 4. A blessing is to be bestowed upon those who keep the words of the prophecy, Rev_22:7; which keeping requires, of course, preceding study. 5. A woe shall be visited upon all who add to, or diminish from, the words of the Book, Rev_22:18-19.

The Epilogue, in implying the duty of study, agrees with the Prologue; see Rev_1:3, and the additional comment thereon, p. 90.

III. Angel Worship

The Am. Ed. cannot agree with those who hold that in the incident recorded in Rev_22:8, and in the similar incident mentioned in Rev_19:10, the Apostle was guilty of an attempt to worship a creature, knowing him to be such—i.e., that he was guilty of idolatry. Alford, in his comment on Rev_19:10, takes that position, remarking: “The Angel seems to him worthy of some of that reverence which belongs to God Himself. The reason given by Düsterdieck, that in both cases John imagined the Lord Himself to be speaking to him, is sufficiently contradicted by the plain assertion, here in Rev_17:1, and there in Rev_22:8 itself, that it was not a Divine Person, but simply an Angel.” In answer it may be said—(1) So far as Rev_17:1 is concerned, manifestly it is the Apostle’s own remark, and probably was not penned until after the incident described in Rev_19:10, i. e., after he had received the information that the one who spoke to him was a mere Angel; and (2) In reference to Rev_22:8, there is nothing in the record to forbid the hypothesis presented above in I. that it was an explanatory clause introduced by the Apostle. It seems utterly inconceivable, first, that John, either as a Jew or as an Apostle of Christ, could have offered worship to a creature, knowing him to be such; and, in the second place, that, if he had done so, he would not have been sharply rebuked for his idolatry. In neither case does the language of the Angel necessarily imply rebuke; in each case it may be interpreted, and most naturally interpreted, as a warning against error in conduct, and a rectification of the mistake whence the error was about to proceed. It may also be remarked that, unless the Apostle had been positively informed to the contrary, he might naturally have supposed that one of the Angels of the Vials was Jesus Himself. Let it be observed that, during the pouring out of the Vials, the words of Jesus, Behold, I come as a thief, had been uttered—by whom we know not, but the context would lead us to suppose that they were spoken from amongst the Seven Angels (Rev_16:15). This might naturally have excited the suspicion that Jesus was there. When the Angel who first came to him used the expression, These are the true words of God (Rev_19:10), it should occasion little surprise that John supposed him to be his Lord. And when another of the Seven, representing Jesus, adopted the language of Jesus, Behold, I come quickly (Rev_22:7), can we wonder that the Apostle leaped to the conclusion that Jesus in person was with him?

It is scarce necessary to remark that, whatever hypothesis we may adopt as to the subjective condition of John, the words of the Angels convey most positive condemnation of all creature worship.

IV. The Teaching of Christ as to His Twofold Nature

The twofold nature of Jesus is most clearly set forth. His humanity in the words, “I am the offspring (τὸ γένος=race, stock, descent) of David” (Rev_22:16); His Divinity, not less clearly, in Rev_22:12-13; Rev_22:16 (the root).

V. The Time of the Second Advent

At first glance, the words of Jesus, I come quickly (Rev_22:7), seem to be inconsistent with the idea that the Advent thus promised is still future. Probably this declaration, more than aught else, has induced the opinion, amongst those who hold it, that the Advent is past.

That the Coming mentioned in Rev_22:7 is the one foretold Rev_1:7 (and also Dan_7:13; Mat_24:27; Mat_24:30; Mat_26:64; Mar_14:62; Act_1:9; Act_1:11, etc.), seems to be evident upon comparison; and that that Advent has not taken place seems also to be evident upon an examination of the passages referred to, together with their contexts,—there has been nothing in history that satisfies the description of events accompanying the Advent. We must look for an explanation of the quickly (ταχύ) in the declarations of 2Pe_3:18 and Luk_18:7-8. See also footnote* (first column), p. 89.

VI. The Final Warning

Alford comments on Rev_22:18-19 as follows: “The adding and taking away are in the application and reception in the heart; and so it is not a mere formal threat to the copier of the Book. . . . . All must be received and realized. This is at least an awful warning both to those who despise and neglect this Book, and to those who add to it by irrelevant and trifling interpretations.”

VII. The Final Prayer

In the prayer, “Amen; come, Lord Jesus” (Rev_22:20), the Apostle pours forth the longing of his instructed heart for the realization of “that blessed hope” of the Church—“the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Tit_2:13). In this prayer is summed up all that the Christian heart can desire—the destruction of the power of Satan; the deliverance of the creature from the bondage of corruption; the banishment of sin and sorrow from the individual heart and from the world; the restoration of all things; the establishment of the Kingdom of righteousness; the beholding by Jesus in fullness of the travail of His soul, the bestowment upon Him in completeness of His promised reward.

Let each member of the Church militant, mourning the absence of her Head, but cheered by the promise that He will come again, unite with the Apostle in the longing cry—Amen; Come, Lord Jesus.—E. R. C.]

Footnotes:

[1]Rev_21:9. [Crit. Eds. reject this clause with א. A. B* P., et al.—E. R. C.]

[2]Rev_21:9. [The Angels, not the vials, are, grammatically, represented as being full of the plagues; the original is Καὶ ἥλθεν εἶς ἐκ τῶν ἐπτὰ ἀγγέλων τῶν ἐχόντων τὰς ἐπτὰ φιάλας τῶν γεμόντων τῶν ἐπτὰ πλημῶν τῶν ἐσχάτων.—E. R. C.]

[3]Rev_21:9. We give the reading τήν νύμφην τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀρνίου.

[4]Rev_21:11. [Crit. Eds. omit the copula with א. A. B *. P.—E. R. C.]

[5]Rev_21:11. [The true meaning of φωστήρ is that which gives light.—E. R. C.]

[6]Rev_21:12. [The second] ὀνόματα is omitted by the Rec. [Lange retains. It is given by Lach., Tisch. (1859), with A. B*., Vulg., Cop., Syr., et al.; it is omitted by Tisch. (8th Ed.) with א. P.; it is bracketed by Alf. and Treg.—E. R. C.]

[7]Rev_21:14. [Crit. Eds. give δώδεκα with א. A. B*. P., Vulg., et al.—E. R. C.]

[8]Rev_21:15. Codd. A. B*. [א*. P.] give μέτρον.

[9]Rev_21:16. Τοσοῦτόν ἐστιν before ὅσον should be omitted. [So Crit. Eds. with א. A. B*. P., et al.—E. R. C.]

[10]Rev_21:19. A. B*. [א3a. P.], et al. omit καὶ.

[11]Rev_21:21. [See foot-note†, Rev_11:8, p. 231.—E. R. C.]

[12]Rev_21:22. [See Add. Comm. on Rev_1:8, p. 93.—E. R. C.]

[13]Rev_21:23. Codd. A. B*. [א1. P.]. et al., omit ἐν after φαίνωσιν.

[14]Rev_21:24. The Rec. gives καὶ τὰ ἔθνη τῶν σωζομένων; a reading concocted, most probably, in explanation of the word ἔθνη. [Τῶν σωζομένων is omitted by א. A. B*. P., Vulg., Cop., Syr., Æth., et al.—E. R. C.]

[15]Rev_21:24. The Rec. adds καὶ τὴν τιμήν. [This clause is given in B*., Vulg., Cop., Syr.; but is omitted in א. A. P., et al.—E. R. C.]

[16]Rev_22:1. Καθαρόν is unauthorized. [It does not appear in א. A. B*. P., Vulg., Cop., Syr., Æth.—E. R. C.]

[17]Rev_22:2. Καὶ ἐκεῖθεν. [Crit. Eds. read ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἐκεῖθεν with A. B*., et al.—E. R. C.]

[18]Rev_22:3. Κατάθεμα; comp. Delitzsch, p. 51. [Crit. Eds. so read with אc. A. B*. P.—E. R. C.]

[19]Rev_22:3. [Crit. Eds. give the reading ἔσται ἔτι with א. A. P.—E. R. C.]

[20]Rev_22:5. ̓Εκεῖ is unfounded.

[21]Rev_22:5. Ἔτι is supported by א. A., et al.; Tischendorf [1859] omits with B*. [but gives it in the 8th Ed. with א. A. P.—E. R. C.]

[22]Rev_22:5. Tischendorf [1859], with B*., gives οὐ χρεία, etc. which differs from the readings of Lachmann and the Rec. [Lach. and Alf. read οὐχ ἕξουσιν χρείαν with A., Vulg.; Tisch (8th Ed.) and Treg. give οὐκ ἔχουσιν χρείαν with א., Memph., Syr.; P. also gives ἔχουσιν.—E. R. C.]

[23]Rev_22:5. [Lach., Alf., Treg., Tisch. (8th Ed.) give φωτός with א. A., Vulg., et al.; Tisch. (1859) omitted with B.* P.—E. R. C.]

[24]Rev_22:5. We give the reading [φωτιεῖ] ἐπ̓ αὐτούς. [So read Alf., Treg., Tisch. (8th Ed.); φωτιεῖ with א. B.*; ἐπ̓αὐτούς with א. A. Lach. gives φωτίσει with A. P. ̓Επ̓ is omitted by B*. P.—E. R. C.]

[25][See additional comment on Rev_21:22, p. 387.—E. R. C.]

[26][See additional comment on Rev_22:3, p. 388.—E. R. C.]

[27][See additional comment on Rev_21:22, p. 387.—E. R. C.]

[28][In Job, l. c., the G.V. reads: “Ramoth and Gabis are not thought of. Wisdom is of higher value than pearls.” In the two passages in Proverbs above cited, the word which the E. V. renders rubies, is, in the G. V., translated pearls.—Tr.]

[29][The cui bono argument, if injudiciously pressed, might lead to the conclusion that there are no Angels at all. Angels are described as “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” ‘But,’ it may be asked, ‘what is the use of them under the government of an infinite God? Are they aught else than symbols of the watchful guardianship which God exercises over His children?’ Angels may be unnecessary as watchmen and guards at the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem, and some may object to them as “ornaments;” and yet veritable Angels ministering at the gates of that glorious abode would add to its glory, and might perform other offices that in our present condition it is impossible for us to conceive.—E. R. C.]

[30][De Wette interprets the ῖσα, ver 16, in reference to the height,—viz.: of the wall, as he falsely assumes—as uniform, because the wall is everywhere 144, i.e. 12 × 12, cubits high. Altered from Duesterdieck.—Tr.]

[31][The G. V. reads here: “und wird kein Bann mehr sein” (and there shall be no more ban).—Tr.]

[32][In order to the understanding of this point, the writer would refer the reader to his Preliminary Note on the Symbolism of the Vision, pp. 145 sqq.—E. R. C.]

[33][As an Immediate Symbol, the simulacrum of the New Jerusalem was probably to a large extent ideal. This, doubtless, was the case in the simulacra of Angels. We can hardly suppose that the simulacrum beheld by John was in all respects similar to the City that, is to be, and yet it may have been so to a greater extent than we are now prepared to admit. It should here be distinctly noted, what was set forth with great care in the Note on Symbolism, that there is a great difference between an Immediate ideal and a Mediate Symbol. The former always represents something similar in (apparent) kind to the simulacrum, although with differences as to particulars; the latter always represents something different in (apparent) kind, as the simulacrum of a lamb to represent Christ, and that of a City to symbolize a Church or people.—E. R. C.]

[34][The writer expresses no decided opinion as to whether the Bride, the subjects of the First Resurrection, shall consist of the martyrs; or the whole body of the redeemed or a select portion, including the martyrs—the ἀπαρχή (see p. 193). He inclines, however, to the last mentioned view.—E. R. C.]

[35][The hymnology connected with the New Jerusalem is exceedingly rich. A small work enti led O Mother dear, Jerusalem, by William C. Prime (A. D. F. Randolph, Now York, 1865) gives the entire Poem so named; its history, several of its versions, and also several of the ancient hymns, in Latin and English, whence its sentiments, and in many instances its language, were drawn. To these hymns, embodying as they do the opinions of many of the painted fathers of the Church, and sung in every land, is due, more than to aught else, the prevalent interpretation of the Apocalyptic description. The original English form of the hymn as it exists in a small volume of poetry, professedly of the age of Queen Elizabeth, in the British Museum, was some years ago published by Dr. Bonar. Modernized by Barnes as to its spelling, it is as follows:

[36]Rev_22:6. We give the reading τῶν πνευμάτων τ. π., in accordance with א. A. B*. [P., Vulg. except Am.,] et al.

[37]Rev_22:7. Καί, in accordance with A. B*. [א. Vulg., Syr., Æth.]

[38]Rev_22:8. [Gb., Sz., Lach., Tisch. (1859), Alf., Treg., give βλέπων καὶ ἀκούων with A. B*. Vulg., Syr., Arm., et al.; Tisch. (8th Ed.) reverses the order with א.—E. R. C.]

[39]Rev_22:8. B*. gives καὶ ὅτε ἴδον. [So Tisch. (1859).] There are several unimportant variations here. [Lach., Tisch. (8th Ed.), Alf., Treg., read ἔβλεψα with א.—E. R. C.]

[40]Rev_22:10. א. A. B*. Lachmann [Alf., Treg., Tisch.], insert γὰρ after καιρὸς.

[41]Rev_22:11. We give the reading ὁ ῥυπαρὸς. [So Crit. Eds. with א. B*.—E. R. C.]

[42]Rev_22:11. Δικαιοσύνην ποιησάτω, in acc. with א. A. B*.,—an important reading as contrasted with δικαιωθήτω.

[43]Rev_22:12. The καὶ before ἰδοὺ is unauthorized.

[44]Rev_22:12. א. A. et al. give the reading ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ.

[45]Rev_22:13. The sequence of the Rec., which places ἡ ἀρχή. etc., first, is unauthorized.

[46]Rev_22:14. An important variation occurs here. The reading of א. A. [7, 38, Vulg., Arm. mg., Æth.], et al., is πλύνοντες τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν; that of B*. et al., ποιοῦντες τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ. Lachmann and Tischendorf give the former. Düsterdieck, with De Wette, prefers the latter reading, because he thinks that it may have been rejected in order to avoid the interruption to Jesus’ discourse. The context also is, therefore, in favor of No. 1.

[47]Rev_22:15. [Crit. Eds. omit the copula with א. A. B.* Vulg., et al.—E. R. C.]

[48]Rev_22:16. We give the very weighty reading, ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐκκλ., in accordance with א. B.* [So Alf., Treg., Tisch.; Lach. gives ἐν with A., Vulg., et al. E. R. C.]

[49]Rev_22:17. [Crit. Eds. give ἔρχου twice and ἐρχέσθω with א. A. B*, et al.—E. R. C.]

[50]Rev_22:17. Omit καὶ before ὁ θέλων.

[51]Rev_22:17. [Crit. Eds. give λαβέτω with א. A. B*.—E. R. C.]

[52]Rev_22:18. [Crit, Eds. omit the copula with א. A. B*.—E. R. C.]

[53]Rev_22:19. [Crit. Eds. read ξύλου with א. A. B*., et al.—E. R. C.]

[54]Rev_22:20. A. B*., et al. omit καί [and also ναί of the Rec.] before ἔρχου.

[55]Rev_22:21. Codd. A. B*. [א.] give κυρίου without ἡμῶν.

[56]Rev_22:21. Codd. A. [א.] give Ἰησοῦ alone; B*. gives Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. [Lach., Tisch., Alf., Treg., give ̓Ιησοῦ alone.—E. R. C.]

[57]Rev_22:21. ̔γηῶν is supported by minuscules.

[58]Rev_22:21. [Lach. and Tisch. read πάντων with A., Am.; Alf. and Treg. τῶν ἁψίων with א., Gb., Sz.; and Lange, πάντων τῶν ἁγίων with B*., Cop., Syr., Arm., et al.—E. R. C.]

[59]Rev_22:21. [Lange reads Ἀμήν with א. B*., Vulg., Cop., Syr., Arm., Æth., et al.; Lach., Tisch., Treg., and Alf., omit with A. Alf. gives the subscription Ἀποκάλυψις ̓Ιωάννου with א. A.—E. R. C.]

[60] See Schiller, Die Jungfrau von Orleans, Acts 4., Scene 9.:

“Die Fahne liess ich in dem Heiligthum,

Nie, nie soll diese Hand sie mehr berühren!

Mir war’s als hatt die geliebten Schwestern,

Margot und Louison, gleich einem Traum

An mir vorübergleiten sehen. Ach,

Es war nur eine täuschende Erscheinung.”

SPECIAL DOCTRINO-ETHICAL AND HOMILETICAL NOTES (ADDENDUM)

Section Twenty-Second

The Epilogue. (Rev_22:6-21)

General.—The Johannean character of the Epilogue of the Revelation has already been dwelt upon. A depth of meaning and a festalness of mood, conjoined with a somewhat indefinite expression, or a mysterious form, are peculiar to this section as well as to the Epilogue of the Gospel; and the fundamental thought which animates them both is an earnest longing for the Coming of the Lord. In regard to the construction, comp. the Exeg. Notes.

Special.—The pureness of the Revelation (Rev_22:6) corroborated by its Author. By its intimate connection with the whole of Holy Writ. By its fulfillment hitherto.—(Rev_22:7.) Behold, I come quickly. 1. How this saying is misunderstood when it is interpreted in the sense of a secular computation of time. 2. How, for the standpoint of religious sentiment and Christian expectations, it always retains its truth, and, 3. continually gains in weight.—Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy.

Rev_22:8-9. What is the significance of the distinction between the Angel of Christ and Christ Himself (see Exeg. Notes)?—[Rev_22:10.] Seal not the words of the prophecy of this Book. Why not? The time is at hand.—Earnest and grand character of the course of the world to its end.—Seal not the Book; not even by false interpretations—especially, chiliastic darkenings and rationalistic volatilizings.—Seal not even the Apocalypse with hierarchic seals, much less then the whole of the Bible.

Rev_22:11. Lofty import of these words: What thou doest (wilt do), do quickly! (See Exeg. Notes.)—Christ’s word concerning His Coming (Rev_22:12). He announces Himself as the righteous Recompenser.—His reward according to men’s works: 1. The reward not as the wages of hired service, but an honorarium of love; 2. Not for works of hired service, but for those of the service of love.—Christ as the Alpha and Omega. Some say: Omega, but not Alpha. Others: Alpha, but not Omega. Whoso, however, rightly says the one, says also the other.—Antithesis of blessedness and damnation (Rev_22:14-15).—Without—its import (Rev_22:15).—Who is without? Note the pure and purely moral character of these traits.—Christ’s testimony regarding His Coming: A testimony to the Church (Rev_22:16).—Christ in His human and Divine glory (I am the Root, etc.).—How His human and Divine glory guarantees His Coming.—[Rev_22:17.] The three-fold Come—of the Spirit, the Bride, the individual Christian.—He who would greet the Lord with a come! must first hearken to the Lord’s call: Come!—Our Welcome to the Advent of Christ must be based upon His Welcome to the reception of salvation.—The clear sound of the Gospel may still be heard at the very close of the Revelation. Here, also, the declaration is: Take freely.—[Rev_22:18.] The Apostle’s warning in regard to the Apocalypse: It is no subject for haughty-cavil, but an enigma for humble meditation.—The mysteries and enigmas of Scripture concluded with a final enigma.—Whoso occupies a wrong position in regard to the future, occupies also a wrong position in regard to the present and the past.—[Rev_22:20.] Briefest and most sublime dialogue between the Lord and His people. 1. He says: I come quickly 2. We say: Amen, yea, come, Lord Jesus.—Who can, with a good courage, say Amen to the announcement of His Coming?—The sum of all human longing, all Christian hope, all Divine promise, in the cry: Come, Lord Jesus!—The Apocalypse, a Book of faith; of love; of hope; of longing, of patience; of comfort; of investigation; of knowledge. Of sacred awe, of blessed vision.

Rev_22:21. The benediction. Benedictions from the beginning to the end of the Scriptures: In respect (1) of their purport; (2) of their rich development; (3) of their conditionedness; (4) of their glorious operation.

Starke (Rev_22:10): No man should be prohibited from reading the Holy Scriptures.

Rev_22:11. If the wicked wilfully refuse to follow, God at last suffers them to go their own way (Pro_1:24 sqq.).

Rev_22:12. Comp. Isa_40:10.

Rev_22:17. Because many souls should yet be drawn to Christ—among other things, by the testimonies of this Book concerning the glorious Coming of Christ—John adds these words: let him that heareth, say, Come.

Rev_22:19. O awful punishment of those who falsify God’s word! There is nothing more precious [than the word of God]—hence it needs no addition of worldly eloquence, there is nothing more pure—hence we must take nothing from it.

Rev_22:20. Let us say Amen and Yea to the promises of our Saviour, although as yet we see nothing (?) of their fulfillment.

Calwer Handbuch der Bibelerklärang. [Rev_22:10.] Although much in the Revelation was not intended to be understood until the times of fulfillment, yet this Book is not a shut (sealed) Book, but a Revelation [Offenbarung].

Lisko (Bibelwerk): [Rev_22:16.] He [Christ] is also the bright morning-star, Who caused the day, the whole period of Divine life in mankind, to arise, and issue forth from Himself, and Who now beams upon us from the other world (as the morning-star of the Day of Eternity).

Gerlach (Bibelwerk): Rev_22:17. To inflame the longing of the faithful for the return of their Saviour, is one of the principal designs of this Book.

[From M. Henry: Rev_22:20. Christ will come quickly; let this word be always sounding in our ear, and let us give all diligence, that we may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.—Surely I come quickly.—Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. What comes from heaven in a promise, should be sent back to heaven in a prayer.

Rev_22:21. Nothing should be more desired by us than that the grace of Christ should be with us in this world, to prepare us for the glory of Christ in the other world.—From The Comprehensive Commentary: Rev_22:16. The bright and morning star. Christ’s rising, in His incarnation, introduced the gospel-day; His rising in power introduceth the millennial day; His rising in the saving influences of His Spirit introduceth the spiritual day of grace and comfort; and His appearance to judge the world will introduce the eternal day of light, purity and joy. (Brown.)—“The Spirit,” by the sacred Word, and by His convictions and influence in the sinner’s conscience, says “Come” to Christ for salvation; “the Bride,” or the whole Church militant and triumphant, says “Come,” and share our felicity. It therefore behooves every man who hears the invitation to call on others to “come.” (Scott.)—From Barnes: Rev_22:11 : There is nothing more awful than the idea that a polluted soul will be always polluted; that a heart corrupt will be always corrupt; that the defiled will be put forever beyond the possibility of being cleansed from sin.

Rev_22:16. The bright and morning star. (Let that star) remind us that the Saviour should be the first object that should draw the eye and the heart on the return of each day.

Rev_22:17. And let him that is athirst, come. Whoever desires salvation, as the weary pilgrim desires a cooling fountain to allay his thirst, let him come as freely to the gospel as that thirsty man would stoop down at the fountain and drink.—From Vaughan: Rev_22:7. A special blessing is pronounced by our Lord Jesus Christ upon those who prize, and keep as a precious and sacred deposit, this particular portion of His revealed truth.

Rev_22:11. There will come a time to each one of us, when, whatever we are, that we shall be; when the seal of permanence will be set upon the spiritual condition; when the unjust man shall be unjust forever, and the righteous man shall be forever righteous.

Rev_22:12. To give back to each one as his work is. That is the judgment. It is the reaping of the thing sown. It is the receiving back the things themselves that were once done in the body (2Co_5:10); receiving back the very acts and deeds themselves, only developed, full-grown, full-blown, ripened unto harvest.—From Bonar: Rev_22:14. Blessed are they that keep His commandments. It is to a life of such keeping that we are called. By such a life, we partake of blessedness as well as glorify God.—Enter in through the gates into the city. (Enter) not over the wall; not by stealth; but as conquerors in triumphal procession, their Lord, as King of glory, at their head.

Rev_22:17. Note here, 1. The cry for Christ’s advent. 2. The invitation to the sinner. Observe (1) The inviter; Christ Himself. He invited once on earth; He now invites from heaven with the same urgency and love. (2) The persons invited; a. The thirsty. They who would fain be happy, but know not how; who are seeking rest, but finding none; who are hewing out broken cisterns; betaking themselves to dried-up wells. b. Whosoever will. A wide description. It shuts out none. (3) The blessings invited to; The water of life. “Water,” that which will thoroughly refresh you and quench your thirst; “water of life,” living and life-giving. This water is the Holy Ghost Himself, Who comes to us as the bringer of God’s free love, with all the joy which that love introduces into the soul. (4) The price. Freely. Free to each one as he is; though the chief of sinners, the emptiest, wickedest, thirstiest of the sons of men.

Rev_22:18-19. Note here, 1. The perfection of God’s word. 2. The honor God puts on it. 3. Our responsibilities in regard to it. 4. The sin and clanger of tampering with it.]

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CHAPTER 22:6-21

The Final Messages

1. The angel’s message (Rev 22:6-11)

2. The message of the Lord (Rev 22:12-13)

3. The two classes (Rev 22:14-15)

4. His final testimony (Rev 22:16)

5. The answer of the Spirit and the bride (Rev 22:17)

6. The final warning (Rev 22:18-19)

7. The final word--the final prayer (Rev 22:20-21)

Rev 22:6-11.

Here it is an angel who speaks. “And the Lord God of the holy prophets (literal: of the spirits of the prophets) sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly be done.” This reminds us of the beginning of the book, where we find a similar announcement. Suddenly some day these things will come to pass. The Lord will call His people to glory in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and then these things John had beheld will shortly come to pass. And then His own voice breaks in: “Behold I come quickly; Blessed is He that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” Three times we find this announcement in the last chapter (Rev 22:7, Rev 22:12 and Rev 22:20). Here it is connected with the walk of the believer.

Just as in the beginning of the book a blessing is pronounced upon them that read the words of this prophecy (Rev 1:3), so we have at the close of Revelation a similar beatitude. And keeping these blessed words means more than believing in them; their power is to shape our conduct and walk. What godly lives God’s people would live on earth, what unselfish and sacrificing lives, if they remembered constantly Him who thus testifies three times in the last chapter of the Bible, “Behold I come quickly.” Note the awful results in Christendom today for not having kept the sayings of the Prophecy of this book.

Then the Seer is told not to seal the sayings of this prophecy. Daniel was told to do the opposite (Dan 12:4). Old Testament prophecy reveals prophetic events in the far distance. They could then not be fully comprehended. But after Christ came and the full revelation of things to come is given, no sealing is needed; the events are at hand, yet grace has delayed and delays still the fulfillment. And the heavenly messenger announces also the fixed state of the two classes into which all humanity is divided. The unjust and filthy, the unsaved, continue to exist in the nature which they possess, and the fact that the desires of that corrupt nature can no longer be gratified must constitute in itself an unspeakable torment. The righteous and holy, those saved by grace, partakers of the divine nature, will always be righteous and holy.

Rev 22:12-13.

And now the Lord speaks again. For the second time He announces His coming. Here it is in connection with rewards. “My reward is with Me.” He Himself will receive His reward which is due Him as the sin-bearer. He will see the travail of His soul and be satisfied. And with His coming, His own people will receive their rewards. What a stimulating power His soon coming is to service! And the coming One is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

Rev 22:14-15.

Once more the two classes come into view. This is in fullest keeping with the end of the book and the end of the Bible. The Authorized Version here is faulty. Instead of “Blessed are they that do His commandments” the correct reading is “Blessed are they that wash their robes.” The former is an interpolation; the latter is the divine statement. (All leading scholars like Alford, Darby, etc., make the change. Even the Vulgate has it “Beati, qui lavant stolas suas in sanguinem Agni.”) Eternal life and eternal glory cannot be obtained by keeping commandments, by the works of the law. The blood of the Lamb alone is the title to glory. And then the other class. The one who rejects Christ, and thereby denies his lost condition and need of a Saviour, loveth and maketh a lie. He lives according to the old nature and the fruits of the flesh are there.

Rev 22:16.

How He speaks in this last Bible book! In the beginning of Revelation we find His self-witness in the church-message and once more we hear His voice, bearing testimony to Himself. How majestic: I, Jesus! He reveals Himself once more by the name of humiliation. What comfort it must have been to John! What comfort it is to us! Then He speaks of Himself as the Root and Offspring of David. He is David’s Lord and David’s Son (Psa 110:1). He is the hope of Israel and in Him the promises made to David will all be realized. This will be the case when He comes to reign in power and great glory. But He also speaks of Himself as “the bright and morning-star.” His coming in power and glory is the sunrise for Israel and the Gentiles, the breaking of the millennial day. But for His Church He comes first as the morning star, as the Morning star in the eastern sky precedes the rising of the sun in all its glory. The Lord will come as the Morning star some time in the interval between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel and as the Sun of Righteousness after that week has come to an end.

Rev 22:17.

As soon as He mentions Himself as the Morning star, there is an answer from the earth. The Spirit now down here, for He came down from heaven on Pentecost, and the Bride, the Church, say, “Come.” It is addressed to the Lord. They both long for His coming. And each individual believer who heareth is asked to join with this “Come.” Surely in these days of darkness and world-confusion, the Spirit saith, “Come!” And never before were there so many individual believers on earth who say “Come,” who wait for His coming. And the Come--from loving hearts--will increase and become a loud and pleading cry, till one blessed day He will answer and come to take His waiting people home. Here also is the final gospel message of the Bible. He that will, let him take the water of life freely. Once more a loving God makes it clear that the water of life is free to all who want it. It is the last “Whosoever” in the Bible.

Rev 22:18-19.

And what a solemn warning is given! In a larger sense the warning applies to the entire Word of God. Higher criticism, which takes away, and false teachers, who add unto it, find written here their deserved judgment. But the Revelation is specially in view. Whosoever meddles with His Revelation must fall under the severest divine displeasure. Beware! oh ye critics! Beware! ye who call this book uninspired and warn against the study of it!

Rev 22:20-21.

We reach the final statements of this great book. For the third time He announces His coming. “He that testifieth these things saith, surely I come quickly.” It is the last time our Lord speaks from heaven. The next time His voice will be heard will be on that day when He descends out of heaven with a shout. While the two former announcements of His coming found in this chapter are preceded by the word, “Behold,” this last one affirms the absolute certainty of the event. And there is the answer, the blessed response. “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” It is the Church which answers His positive and certain announcement. It is the last word recorded in the Bible coming from the lips of man.

The first word we hear man address to the Lord in the Bible is the solemn word “I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid” (Gen 3:10). The last word addressed to the Lord by redeemed man is “even so, come, Lord Jesus.” And between these two utterances in Genesis and Revelation is the story of redemption. Well might this final prayer of the Bible be termed the forgotten prayer. But it is equally true, with the revival of the study of prophecy, more hearts and lips are praying today for His coming, than ever before. And the prayer will be answered. May the reader and the writer pray for His coming daily and may our lives too bear witness to the fact that we expect Him to answer the petition of His people. The final benediction assures us once more of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The better rendering is “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints.”

Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CHAPTER X V I I I.

THE EPILOGUE.

Rev_22:6-21.

THE visions of the Seer have closed, and closed with a picture of the final and complete triumph of the Church over all her enemies. No more glorious representation of what her Lord has done for her could be set before us than that contained in the description of the new Jerusalem. Nothing further can be said when we know that in the garden of Paradise Restored into which she is introduced, in the Holy of holies of the Divine Tabernacle planted in the world, she shall eat of the fruit of the tree of life, drink of the water of life, and reign forever and ever. Surely as these visions passed before the eye of St John in the lonely isle of Patmos he would be gladdened with the light of heaven, and would need no more to strengthen him in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. Was it not too much? The Epilogue of the book assures us that it was not; and that, although the natural eye of man had not seen, nor his ear heard, nor his heart conceived the things that had been spoken of, they had been revealed by the Spirit of God Himself, not one word of whose promises would fail.

"And he said unto me, These words are faithful and true: and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly come to pass. And, behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book.

And I John am he that heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee, and with thy brethren the prophets, and with them which keep the words of this book: worship God (Rev_22:6-9)."

Attention has been already called in this commentary both to that characteristic of St. Johns style as a writer which leads him, at a longer or a shorter interval, to the point from which he started, and to the fact that light is thus frequently thrown on the interpretation of what he says. Every illustration of such a point is therefore not only interesting, but, important; and in the words before us it is illustrated with more than ordinary clearness.

The person introduced with the words He said unto me is not indeed named, but there can be little doubt that he is the angel spoken of in the Prologue as sent to " signify " the revelation that was to follow.* (* Rev_1:1)

Again, when the Seer is overwhelmed with what he has seen, and may be said to have almost feared that it was too wonderful for belief, the angel assures him that it was all faithful and true. A similar declaration had been made at Rev_19:9 by the voice which there "came forth from the throne,"1 and likewise at Rev_21:5 by Him "that sitteth on the throne." The angel therefore who now speaks, like the angel of the Prologue, has the authority of this Divine Being for what he says. It is true that in the following words, which seem to come from the same speaker, the angel must thus be understood to refer to himself in the third person, and not, as we might have expected, in the first, - The Lord sent His angel, not The Lord sent me. But, to say nothing of the fact that "such a method of address is met with in the prophetic style of the Old Testament, it appears to be characteristic of St. John in other passages of his writings. More particularly we mark it in the narrative in the fourth Gospel of the death of Jesus on the Cross: "And he that hath seen hath borne witness, and his witness is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye may believe."2 (1 Rev_19:5; 2 Joh_19:35. Wider questions than can be here discussed would be opened up by an inquiry how far the same method of explanation may be applied to Joh_17:3)

Again, we read here that the Lord sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly come to pass; and the statement is the same as that of Rev_1:1.

The next words, And, behold, I come quickly, are probably words of our Lord Himself; but the blessing upon him that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book again leads the Seer back to the Prologue, where a similar blessing is pronounced.* (* Rev_1:3)

Again, the remembrance of the Prologue is in the Apostles mind when, naming himself, he proceeds, I John am he that heard and saw these things. In precisely the same manner, after the introductory verses of the Prologue, he had named himself as the writer of the book: "John to the seven Churches;" "I John, your brother."* Then he was about to write; now that he has written, he is the same John whom the Church knew and honoured, and whose consciousness of everything that had passed was undimmed and perfect. This going back upon the Prologue is also sufficient to prove, if proof be thought necessary, that the words "these things" are designed to include, not merely the vision of the new Jerusalem, but all the visions of the book. (* Rev_1:4; Rev_1:9)

That the Seer should have fallen down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed him these things has often caused surprise. He had already done so on a previous occasion,* and had been reproved in words almost exactly similar to those in which he is now addressed: See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee, and with thy brethren the prophets, and with them which keep the words of this book: worship God. How could he so soon forget the warning? We need not wonder. The thought of the one vision preceding his former mistake might easily be swallowed up by the thought of the whole revelation of which it was a part; and, as the splendor of all that he had witnessed passed once more before his view, he might imagine that the angel by whom it was communicated must be worthy of his worship. His mistake was corrected as before. (* Rev_19:10)

The prophecy is now in the Seers hands, ideally, though not actually, written. He may easily speak of it, therefore, as written, and may relate the instructions which he received regarding it. He does this, and again it will be seen how closely he follows the lines of his Prologue: -

And he saith unto me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still: and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and he that is holy, let him be made holy still. Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to render to each man according as his work is. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie (Rev_22:10-15)."

To the prophet Daniel it had been said, "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end."* The hour had not yet come for the full manifestation of that momentous future upon which he had been commissioned to dwell. The situation of St. John was wholly different, and the hour for winding up the history of this dispensation was about to strike. It was not a time then for sealing up, but for breaking seals, a time for prophecy, for the loudest, clearest, and most urgent proclamation of the truth. "Behold, I come quickly," had been a moment before the voice of the great Judge. Let the bride for whom He is to come be ready; and, that she may the more promptly be so, let her hear with earnest and immediate attention the words of the prophecy of this book. (* Dan_12:4; Comp. Dan_8:26)

It is by no means easy to say whether the following words, He that is unrighteous, let him do unrighteousness still: and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness still: and he that is holy, let him be made holy still, are to be considered as coming from the Apostle or from the angel who has been speaking to him. This difficulty is the same as that experienced in the fourth Gospel at such passages as Joh_3:16; Joh_3:31, where it is nearly impossible to tell the point at which in the one case the words of Jesus, at which in the other the words of the Baptist, end. It would appear as if St. John so sank himself in the person with whom he was occupied at the time that he often gave utterance to thoughts without being able to distinguish between the others and his own. In the present instance it matters little to whom we directly refer the words, whether to St. John, or to the angel, or to Him who speaks by the angel. In any case they contain a striking and solemn view of the relation between the righteous Judge and His creatures, when that relation is looked at in its ultimate, in its final, form. One thing is clear: that the first two clauses cannot be regarded as a summons to the wicked telling them before the Judgment to go on in their wickedness even while the period of their probation lasts. Nor can the second two clauses be regarded as an assurance to the good that there is a point in the actual experience of life at which their perseverance in goodness is secured. The words can only be understood in the light of that idealism which is so characteristic alike of the Apocalypse and of the fourth Gospel. In both books the world of mankind is presented to us in exactly the same light. Men are divided into two great classes: those who are prepared to receive the truth and those who are obstinately opposed to it; and these classes are spoken of as if they had been formed, riot merely after, but before, the work of Christ had tried and proved them. Not indeed that the salvation to be found in Jesus was not designed to be universal, that there was even one member of the human family doomed by eternal and irresistible decree to everlasting death, nor, again, that men are considered as so essentially identified with the two classes to which they respectively belong that they incur no moral responsibility in accepting or rejecting the Redeemer of the world. In that respect St. John occupied the same ground as his fellow-Apostles. Not less than they would he have declared that God willed all men to be saved; and not less than they would he have told them that, if they were not saved, it was because they "loved the darkness rather than the light."1 Yet, notwithstanding this practical mode in which he would have dealt with men, such is his idealism, such his mode of looking at things in their ultimate, eternal, unchanging aspect, that he constantly presents the two classes as if they were divided from each other by a permanent wall of separation, and as if the work of Christ consisted not so much in bringing the one class over to the other as in making manifest the existing tendencies of each. The light of the one brightens, the darkness of the other deepens, as we proceed; but the light does not become darkness, and the darkness does not become light.2 (1Comp. Joh_3:19; 2See a fuller treatment of this important point by the author in his Lectures on the Revelation of St. John, p. 286, etc.)

Hence, accordingly, the conversion of Israel or of the heathen finds no place in the Apocalypse. The texts supposed to offer such a prospect will not bear the interpretation put upon them. It does not indeed follow that, according to the teaching of this book, neither Israel nor the heathen will be converted. St. John only sees the end in the beginning, and deals, not with the everyday practical, but with the ideal and everlasting, issues of God's kingdom. Hence, in interpreting the words before us, we must be careful to put into them the exact shade of meaning which the whole spirit and tone of the Apostles writings prove to have been in his mind when they were written. The clauses "He that is unrighteous" and "He that is filthy" are to be understood as "He that has loved and chosen unrighteousness and filthiness:" the clauses "Let him do unrighteousness still" and "Let him be made filthy still" as "Let him sink deeper into the unrighteousness and filthiness which he has loved and chosen." A principle freely selected by himself is supposed to be in the breast of each, and that principle does not remain fixed and stationary. No principle does. It unfolds or develops itself according to its own nature, rising to greater heights of good if it be good, sinking to greater depths of evil if it be evil. Hence also we are not to imagine that the words under consideration are applicable only to the end, or are the record only of a final judgment They are applicable to the Church and to the world throughout the whole course of their respective histories, and it is at this moment as true as it will ever be that, in so far as the heart and will of a man are really turned to evil or to good, the allegiance he has chosen has the tendency of continued progress towards the triumph of the one or of the other.

In connection with thoughts like these, we see the peculiar propriety of that declaration as to Himself and His purposes next made by the Redeemer: Behold, I come quickly. He comes to wind up the history of the present dispensation. And My reward is with Me, to render to each man according as his work is. He comes to bestow "reward"1 upon His own; and there is no mention of judgment, because for those who are to be rewarded judgment is past and gone. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the words again taking us back to the language of the Prologue,2 upon which follows a blessing for such as wash their robes, for those otherwise described in the Prologue as "loosed from their sins in His blood,"3 and in Rev_7:14 as having "washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." These have the right to come to the tree of life, and they enter in by the gates into the city. A different order might have been expected, for the tree of life grows within the city, and it is the happy inhabitants of the city who eat its fruits. But this is the blessed paradox of faith. It is difficult to say which privilege enjoyed by the believer comes first, and which comes second. Rather may all that he enjoys be looked on as given at once, for the great gift to him is Christ Himself, and in Him everything is included. He is the gate of the city, and as such the way to the tree of life; He is the tree of life, and they who partake of Him have a right to enter into the city and dwell there. Why ask, Which comes first? At one moment we may think that it is one blessing, at another that it is another. The true description of our state is that we are "in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."4 (1Comp. Rev_11:18; 2 Rev_1:8; 3 Rev_1:5; 4 1Co_1:30)

To enhance our estimate of the happiness of those who are within the city, there comes next a description of those who are without They are first denoted by the general term the dogs, that animal, as we learn from many passages of Scripture, being to the Jew the emblem of all that was wild, unregulated, unclean, and offensive.1 Then the general, term is subdivided into various classes; and all of them are without, not put out. They were put out when judgment fell upon them. Now they are without; and the door once open to them "is shut."2 (1Comp. Psa_22:16; Psa_22:20; Mat_7:6; Php_3:2; 2 Comp. Mat_25:10). The last words follow: -

"I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things for the Churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning star."

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come. He that will, let him take the water of life freely. I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Yea: I come quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints. Amen (Rev_22:16-21)."

Once more in these words it will be seen that we return to the Prologue, in the opening words of which we read, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him, to show unto His servants; . . . and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John."1 The glorified Lord now takes up the same words Himself; and, connecting by the name "Jesus" all that He was on earth with all that belongs to His condition in heaven, He declares of the whole revelation contained in the visions of this book that the angel through whom it was communicated had been sent by Him. He Himself had given it - He, even Jesus, - Jesus the Saviour of His people from their sins, the Captain of their salvation, the Joshua who leads them out of the "wilderness" of this world, across the valley of the shadow of death, into that Promised Land which Canaan, with its milk and honey, its vines and olive trees, its rest after long wanderings, and its peace after hard warfare, only faintly pictured to their view. Well is He able to do this, for in Him earth meets heaven, and "the angels of God ascend and descend upon the Son of man."2 (1 Rev_1:1; 2 Joh_1:51)

First, He is the root and the offspring of David, not the root out of which David springs, as if He would say that He is Davids Lord as well as Davids Son,1 but the "shoot that comes out of the stock of Jesse and the branch out of his roots that bears fruit"2 He is the "Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,"3 the substance of ancient prophecy, the long-promised and looked-for King. Secondly, He is the bright, the morning star, the star which shines in its greatest brilliancy when the darkness is about to disappear, and that day is about to break of which "the Sun of righteousness, with healing in His wings," shall be the everlasting light,4 Himself "our Star, our Sun." Thus He is connected on the one side with earth, on the other with heaven, "Immanuel, God with us,"5 touched with a feeling of our infirmities, mighty to save. "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who shall say anything to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justified. Who is he that shall condemn? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, (1 Mat_22:45; 2 Isa_11:1; 3 Rom_1:3; 4 Mal_4:2; 5 Mat_1:23)

For Thy sake we are killed all the day long;

We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."* (* Rom_8:31-39)

The Saviour had declared, "Behold, I come quickly," had spoken of the "reward" which He would bring with Him, and had used various images to set forth the happiness and joy which should be the everlasting portion of those for whom He came. These declarations could not fail to awaken in the breast of the Church a longing for His coming, and this longing now finds expression.

The Spirit and the bride say, Come. We are not to think of two separate voices: the voice of the Spirit and the voice of the bride. It is a characteristic of St. Johns style that where there is combined action, action, having both an inward and invisible and an outward and visible side, he often separates the two agencies by which it is produced. Many illustrations of this may be found in his mention of the actions of the Father and the Son, but it will be enough to refer to one more strictly parallel to that met with here. In chap.15 of the fourth Gospel we find Jesus saying to His disciples, "But when the Advocate is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall bear witness of Me; and ye also bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning." {Joh_15:26-27}. In these words we have not two works of witnessing, the first that of the Advocate, the second that of the disciples. We have only one, - outwardly that of the disciples, inwardly that of the Advocate. In like manner now. The Spirit and the bride do not utter separate calls. The Spirit calls in the bride; the bride calls in the Spirit. The cry "Come" is therefore that of the spiritually enlightened Church as she answers the voice of her Lord and King. Her voice is the echo of His. He says, "I come;" she answers, "Come." St. John then adds the next clause himself: And let him that heareth say, Come; that is, let him that heareth with the hearing of faith; let him who has made his own the glorious prospects opened up in the visions of this book as to the Lords Second Coming add his individual cry to the cry of the universal Church. To this the Saviour replies, And he that is athirst, let him come. He that will, let him take the water of life freely. The words appear to be addressed, not to the world, but to the Church. He that is "athirst" has already drunk of the living water, but he thirsts for deeper draughts from that river the streams whereof make glad the city of God. To partake more and more largely of these is the believers longing; and fullness of blessing is within his reach. Let him never say, "It is enough." Let him drink and drink again; let him drink "freely," until the water that Christ shall give him becomes in him "a fountain of springing water unto eternal life." {Joh_4:14} The statements and replies contained in these words are those of the glorified Lord, of the Church speaking in the Spirit, and of the individual believer, as they hold converse with one another in that moment of highest rapture when evil has been extinguished, when the struggle is over, when the victory has been gained, and when the Lord of the Church is at the door. He in them and they in Him, what can they do but speak to and answer one another in strains expressive of mutual longing and affection and joy?

Once more the Seer - for it seems to be he that speaks turns to the book which he has written.

In the Prologue he had said, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things which are written therein." {Rev_1:3}. In the same spirit he now denounces a woe upon him who adds to it: God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in the book; nor less upon him who takes from it: for God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. The book has come from Him who is the faithful and true Witness of God, and it has been written in obedience to His command and under the guidance of His Spirit St. John himself is nothing; Christ is all: and St John knows that the words of his great Master are fulfilled, "He that receiveth you receiveth Me, and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me."1 Therefore may he speak with all authority, for it is not he that speaks, but the Holy Spirit.2 (1 Mat_10:40; 2Comp. Mar_13:11)

Yet once again, before the parting salutation, Christ and the Church interchange their thoughts. The former speaks first: He which testifieth these things saith, Yea, I come quickly. It is the sum and substance of His message to His suffering people, for they can desire or need no more. The "I" is the Lord Himself as He is in glory, not in the feebleness of the flesh, not amidst the sins and sorrows of the world, not with the cup of trembling and astonishment in His hand, but in the unlimited fullness of His Divine power, clothed with the light of His heavenly abode, and anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows. Especially is the Church told that this revelation is all she needs, because throughout the book she is supposed to be in the midst of trials. To the troubled heart the Apocalypse is given; and by such a heart is it best understood.

Jesus has spoken; and the Church replies, Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen to all that the Lord has promised; Amen to the thought of sin and sorrow banished, of wounded hearts healed, of tears of affliction wiped away, of the sting taken from death and victory from the grave, of darkness dissipated forever, of the light of the eternal day. Surely it cannot come too soon. "Why is His chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of His chariots?" {Jdg_5:28}. "Yea, I quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

The salutation of the writer to his readers alone remains. It ought to be read differently from its form in the authorized English version, not "The grace o our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all," but The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints. For the saints the book had been written; to them it had been spoken; they alone can keep it. Let no man who is not in Christ imagine that the Revelation of St. John is addressed to him. Let no man imagine that, if he has not found Christ already, he will find Him here. The book will rather perplex and puzzle, more probably offend, him. Only in that union with Christ which brings with it the hatred of sin and the love of holiness, which teaches us that we are "orphans" {Joh_14:18, R.V. (margin)} in a present world, which makes us wait for the manifestation of the kingdom of God as they that wait for the morning, can we enter into the spirit of the Apocalypse, listen to its threatenings without thinking them too severe, or so embrace its promises that they shall heighten rather than lower the tone of our spiritual life. Here, if anywhere, faith and love are the key to knowledge, not knowledge the key to faith and love. It is in the very spirit of the book, therefore, not in a spirit hard, or narrow, or unsympathetic, that it closes with the words, "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with the saints."

*************************

We have reached the end of this singular, but at the same time most instructive, book of the New Testament. That the principles upon which it has been interpreted should be generally accepted were too much to hope for. Their acceptance, where they are received, must depend mainly upon the consideration that while, as scientific principles, they are thoroughly capable of defense, they give unity to the book and a meaning worthy of that Divine Spirit by whose influence upon the soul of the Apostle it was produced. On no other principles of interpretation does it seem possible to effect this; and the writer of these pages at least is compelled to think that, if they are rejected, there is only one conclusion possible, - that the Apocalypse, however interesting as a literary memorial of the early Christian age, must be regarded as a merely human production, and not entitled to a place in the canon of Scripture. Such a place, however, must in the present state of the argument be vindicated for it; and as an inspired book it has accordingly been treated here, What the reader, therefore, has to consider is whether, though some difficulties may not be completely over come, he can accept in the main the principles upon which, in endeavoring to explain the book, the writer has proceeded. These principles the reader, whoever he be, undoubtedly applies to innumerable passages of Scripture. In so applying them to the prophets of the Old Testament, he follows the example of our Lord and His Apostles; and much of the New Testament itself equally demands their application. There is nothing new in them. All commentators in part apply them. They have only been followed out now with more consistency and uniformity than usual Archdeacon Farrar has said that one of the two questions in New Testament criticism which have acquired new aspects during the last few years is, What is the key to the interpretation of the Apocalypse?* The question is certainly one urgently demanding the Churchs answer, and one which will without doubt be answered in due time, either in the present or some other form. May the Spirit of God guide the Church and her students, and that speedily, into all the truth. (*Expositor, July, 1888, p. 58)

William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.

22:6-21 This epilogue to Revelation contains utterances by an angel (22:6, 8-11) and Christ (22:7, 12-19) followed by a concluding plea for Christ’s return (22:20) and a closing benediction (22:21). The epilogue has a number of direct verbal connections with the introduction to the book (1:1-11), and it sums up important themes such as encouraging faithful perseverance, warning evildoers, affirming the authenticity of the prophetic message, and restating the nearness of Christ’s return.

22:6 Everything that John records in Revelation is trustworthy and true because God, who has all authority (cp. Matt 28:18), has sent the messenger. But it does not mean these visions are easy to understand.

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

Rev 22:6. Καὶ, and) There is a wonderful disagreement between interpreters respecting the distribution of the speeches in this epilogue. But if my interpretation pleases any one, there speaks—

The angel, Rev 22:6.

Jesus, Rev 22:7.

John, respecting his own action, and his correction by the angel, Rev 22:8-9.

Again, in the same order,

The angel, Rev 22:10-11.

Jesus, Rev 22:12-17

John, Rev 22:18-19.

John and Jesus, and again John, Rev 22:20-21.

—πιστοὶ καὶ ἀληθινοὶ, faithful and true) To be received with firm faith, and moreover with a worthy interpretation. The truth of these words was confirmed, in particular, respecting the marriage of the Lamb, ch. Rev 19:9, and respecting the renewing of the universe, ch. Rev 21:5; now generally, as in an epilogue, the truth of the words of the whole book is confirmed: and that is consistent with itself, even in places where many refuse to believe. But woe unto them who love falsehood rather than this truth, and who defame the truth as falsehood, and especially that very truth which lies between these confirmations, ch. Rev 20:1, etc.—ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πνευμάτων τῶν προφητῶν, the God of the spirits of the prophets) There is only one Spirit, by whose inspiration the prophets spake: 1Pe 1:11; 2Pe 1:21: but individuals, according to the measure given unto them, had their own spirits. The God of these spirits is the LORD; for instance, the God of David, the God of Daniel. And the same sent His angel, that the approaching accomplishment of those things which had been foretold by those ancient prophets might now be shown to John.

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

Rev_22:6-21. The Epilogue, which naturally contains two parts, since it first (Rev_22:6-17) comprises the revelations which John had received, and then also (Rev_22:18-21) the prophetical book in which John had written the revelations received for the service of the churches, comes to a close. In both respects this conclusion corresponds to the introduction of the whole (chs. 13), in which likewise the double purpose enters, viz., that of communicating the prophetical scriptures to the churches, and that of designating the contents of revelation as such from the very beginning.

καὶ εἷπέν μοι, viz., the angel, who spoke at Rev_21:9.[4396] This is acknowledged also by Ebrard, who, however, finds here not an angelic declaration interposed anew, but a repetition of the account of John, who now once more recalls the angelic declaration previously received. Ebrard decides, logically, that in Rev_22:8 sqq. there is presented not a repetition of the event actually occurring, Rev_19:10, but only a repetition of the account of the same. This conception, however, is not only in conflict with the mode of statement in the text, but is also improper for the reason that thereby the return, indispensable to the harmony of the entire Apoc., from the series of visions, Rev_4:1 to Rev_22:5, revealing the future[4397] to the standpoint of the introductory vision,[4398] is cut off. Cf. also Rev_22:16.

ΟὟΤΟΙ ΟἹ ΛΌΓΟΙ, Κ.Τ.Λ. Cf. Rev_21:5. The angel looks back to the entire revelation communicated to John. Cf. Rev_22:7; Rev_22:18 (Τ. ΛΌΓ. Τ. ΠΡ. Τ. ΒΙΒΛ. ΤΟΎΤ.). So also Klief.

ΤῶΝ ΠΝΕΥΜΆΤΩΝ ΤῶΝ ΠΡΟΦΗΤῶΝ. The spirits of the prophets are here no more than in 1Co_14:32, the effects of the Spirit present in the prophets,[4399] but are the spirits belonging to the different prophets, which God subjects to himself, and inspires and instructs by his own Spirit. Thus the Lord, who is the God of the spirits of all the prophets, has especially manifested himself now in the spirit of John; this God has communicated to John[4400] his true words of revelation by signifying to him, through the ministry of the angel, the things which are to come, in order that he may proclaim them to his servants.

ΤΟῖς ΔΟΎΛΟΙς ΑὐΤΟῦ, i.e., believers in general, ΤΑῖς ἘΚΚΛΗΣΊΑΙς, Rev_22:16.[4401]

ΚΑῚ ἸΔΟῪ, ἜΡΧΟΜΑΙ ΤΑΧΎ. As the Divine authority, so also especially the chief contents of the now completed revelation are again made prominent,this occurs by the angel speaking directly in the name of the coming Lord himself,[4402]and then the parenetic inference which this affords (ΜΑΚΆΡΙΟς, Κ.Τ.Λ.)[4403] is added by the angel.

On Rev_22:8 sqq., cf. Rev_19:10.

Ὁ ἈΚΟΎΩΝ ΚΑῚ ΒΛΈΠΩΝ ΤΑῦΤΑ. The part. pres.[4404] marks, without regard to time, the idea of (ecstatic) hearing and seeing of these things, and accordingly the prophetic dignity of John, who just by hearing and seeing all that has been shown him for eye and ear, has become the Divinely-appointed interpreter of the Divine mysteries. Thus the pres. particularly shows that the ΤΆΥΤΑ[4405] refers not only to what has been reported, Rev_22:6 sq., but also to the entire revelation of God. On the other hand, the aor. occurs (κ. ὅτε ἤκουσα) where that which is special, Rev_22:6 sq., is treated. The variations, consequently, which by additions to the mere ἤκουσα recur to the first clause of Rev_22:8,[4406] yield an absolutely false interpretation; for John falls down before the angel, because he thinks that in the speech heard (ὅτε ἤκουσα), Rev_22:6-7 (consider especially Rev_22:7), he recognizes the Lord himself.

καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου τῶν προφητῶν. That the prophets are here especially emphasized as the brethren of John, distinguished from the rest of believers,[4407] is natural, because it is now the intention to assert the prophetical authority of John and his book, which the rest of believers are to receive and keep as a testimony of the Lord. Corresponding also with this, is the fact that the angel immediately imparts the command[4408] not to seal[4409] the revelations written in this book, but to communicate them to believers.

ὁ καιρὸς γὰρ ἐγγύς ἐστιν. Cf. Rev_1:3. The nearer the time is, the more the churches need warning and consolation with respect to what is contained in this revelation.

ὁ αδικῶν, κ.τ.λ. The practical result afforded by this revelation is expressed, Rev_22:11, by the angel himself in a parenetic address[4410] which, recurring to what the former visions proclaimed, as well concerning the eternal ruin of the godless as also the eternal glory of the righteous, applies it to both classes of men. In connection with this, the summons to those doing wrong, and the filthy (ὁ ῥυπαρός)[4411] to continue in their godless course, and thus to hasten to sure ruin, is not without a certain irony.[4412] [See Note XCVIII., p. 494.] The purpose of Rev_22:11 is the less to be mistaken, as the allusion to the retributive advent of the Lord not only immediately precedes (ὁ καιρ. γ. ἐγγύς έστιν, Rev_22:10), but also is added directly afterwards (Rev_22:12 sq.), and here the impending righteous retribution is expressly emphasized: ὁ μισθός μου, κ.τ.λ. Cf. Rev_11:18; Isa_40:10; Isa_62:11.

ὡς τὸ ἔργον ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ. Cf. Rev_20:12.

The words, Rev_22:12, read like a speech out of Christs own mouth, those of Rev_22:13[4413] like one of God himself; but, just because of this alternation, it is unnatural to ascribe both declarations to the angel, speaking in the name of Christ and God. On the other hand, the alternation of speakers appears too confused, if Christ himself and God be regarded as actually speaking, particularly since Rev_22:14 sq. (τ. ἐντ. αὐτοῦ) is most easily regarded a parenetic digression of John. Hence the speeches of Rev_22:12-13, at the close of the book, must be conceived of here in the same way as the keynote of the entire speech of God given from the very beginning in the introduction, Rev_1:8. In the ancient prophetic way, John, who shows himself to be a true interpreter of Divine revelation, in two compendious Divine declarations, fixes the fundamental thoughts of this entire prophecy (cf. Rev_22:20); the very abruptness of these expressions is an indication that Christ and God do not actually enter into the scene as themselves speaking. The speech, Rev_22:12 sq., thus understood, forms then the transition from the speech of the angel actually present to the parenetic words of John, Rev_22:14 sq.

τ. ἐντολ. αὐτοῦ. Of God,[4414] not of Christ.[4415] On the reading advocated by Ew. ii., πλύνοντες, κ.τ.λ., see Critical Notes. This reading is deprived of its plausibility by the correct estimate of Rev_22:12-13.

ἵνα ἔσται. Cf. Winer, p. 271.

ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτῶν ἑπὶ τὸ ξύλον τ. ζ. The purpose of the godly who endeavor, according to the promised reward, to eat of the fruits of the tree of life,[4416] shall certainly be attained; hence the beatitude.

καὶ τοῖς πυλῶσιν, κ.τ.λ. Cf. Rev_21:27.

ἔξω οἱ κύνες, κ.τ.λ. The ordinary idea in the declarative sense, expressed by the annexed δὲ, appears too feeble; the inner opposition to the beatitude, Rev_22:14, more readily suggests the conceiving of the words, Rev_22:15, as a command, so that ἔξω, etc., does not mean foris sc. sunt [without are dogs], but foras sc. sunto [let dogs be without], etc.[4417]

οἱ κύνες. General designation of moral impurity; cf. ῥυπαρός, Rev_22:11.[4418] A special reference to Sodomites[4419] does not lie in the context.

κ. οἱ φαρμακοὶ, κ.τ.λ. Cf. Rev_21:8.

Still once more there follows, Rev_22:18, a concluding certification of the prophet, which in a double respect comprehends the introduction of the whole, since Christ, as the One revealing his own coming, not only maintains that he himself has given this revelation through the angel sent by him,[4420] but also expressly emphasizes the determination of the same for the churches.[4421] The latter occurs in an address to the churches themselves, ὑμῖν

ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις, which is then the more applicable if the words, Rev_22:16, be regarded not as an actual speech coming from the Lords mouth, but[4422] as spoken in the name of Christ. The reading ἐπὶ τ. ἐκκλ.,i.e., over, in reference to the churches,[4423] not to the churches,[4424] nor in[4425] the churches, nor with the gen., as Beng. explains,[4426] since he refers the ὑμῖν as dative to the angels of the churches, but regards the ἐκκλησίαις, which he also reads without a preposition, as an ablativeavoids indeed the seeming difficulty that the speech of the Lord is directly applied to the churches, but creates a far greater difficulty with respect to the relation of the ὑμῖν, which then can refer only to the prophets in general.[4427] But the idea that the Lord had the mystery of his advent proclaimed by all the Christian prophets is here not only impertinent, but is expressly rejected by the words ἔπεμφα τ. ἄγγελόν μου, which definitely marks the present revelation to the prophet John; but the application of this to the churches is throughout appropriate. Cf. also the answer of the churches, Rev_22:17. [See Note XCIX., p. 494.] ἡ ρίζα καὶ τὸ γένος Δαυῒδ. What the first expression means figuratively, and according to the O. T. prototype,[4428] the second says more properly: the Son.[4429] In this passage the interpretation is also to be rejected, according to which the sense is that in Christ alone the family of David stands and is preserved.[4430] [See Note XLV., p. 216.] ὁ ἀστὴρ ὁ λαμπρὸς ὁ πρωἰνός. Here Christ himself is called the bright morning-star;[4431] for from him issues the light of eternal day.[4432]

[4396] De Wette, Bleek, Volkm.

[4397] ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι ἐν τάχ., Rev_22:6. Cf. Rev_4:1.

[4398] Rev_1:9 to Rev_3:22.

[4399] De Wette.

[4400] Cf. Rev_1:1 sqq.

[4401] Cf. Rev_1:1.

[4402] Cf. Rev_22:12; Rev_11:3.

[4403] Cf. Rev_14:13, Rev_19:9.

[4404] Cf. Rev_20:10.

[4405] Notice the plural, which recurs also in the correl., τ. δεικν. μοι ταῦτα, Rev_22:8

[4406] See Critical Notes.

[4407] Cf., on the other hand, Rev_19:10.

[4408] Cf. Rev_1:11; Rev_1:19.

[4409] Cf. Rev_10:4; Dan_8:26; Dan_12:4; Dan_12:9.

[4410] According to Klief., an exhortation, added by John, is contained in Rev_22:11-15.

[4411] Cf. Rev_21:27 : βδέλυγμα; Jam_1:21 : ῥυπαρία.

[4412] Cf. Eze_3:27. Andr., De Wette, Ebrard, Kienlen.

[4413] Cf. Rev_21:5-6, Rev_1:8.

[4414] Cf. Rev_12:17, Rev_14:12. Züllig, De Wette, Hengstenb.

[4415] Grot., Beng., etc.

[4416] Rev_22:2; Rev_2:7.

[4417] Cf. Mat_5:13; Mat_13:48.

[4418] Php_3:2; Mat_7:6.

[4419] Eichh., who compares Deu_23:18.

[4420] Cf. Rev_1:1.

[4421] Cf. Rev_1:3 sqq.

[4422] Cf. Rev_22:12 sq.

[4423] Züll., Hengstenb. Cf. Rev_10:11.

[4424] Luth.

[4425] Vulg.

[4426] Cf. also Wolf.

[4427] Cf. Rev_22:9. Hengstenb.

[4428] Cf. Rev_5:5.

[4429] Andr., Ewald, etc. Cf. Virg., Aen., IV. Revelation 12 : Credo equidemgenus esse deorum.

[4430] Vitr., etc.

[4431] Cf., on the other hand, Rev_2:28.

[4432] Cf. Rev_21:23.

To the message announced several times from Rev_22:6, as from the Lords own mouth, about which the entire revelation revolves, there now follows the answer: Ἔρχου. Thus speak the Spirit, who, on the one hand, qualifies the prophets for announcing the future to the churches, and, on the other hand, also works faith in the churches, and thus inspires them also with hopeful longing for the coming of the Lord,[4433] and the Bride, i.e., the assembly of believers who are moved by the Spirit[4434] [see Note C., p. 494]; and thus also every individual is to speak who hears the joyful promise of the coming of the Lord (καὶ ὁ ἀκ., κ.τ.λ. In connection with the latter summons, John expressly adds (καὶ ὁ διφῶν)[4435] that the eternal blessings of life, which the coming Lord will distribute, are to be had gratuitously by every one who desires to receive them.[4436] This pertains only to the desire that is authenticated by the fidelity of obedience. The δωρεάν placed with great emphasis at the close, is truly of an evangelical character, and energetically defends the book against the charge of anti-Pauline Judaism.[4437]

[4433] Cf. Rev_19:10, Rev_2:7; Rev_2:11.

[4434] Cf. Rev_21:9.

[4435] Cf. Rev_21:6; Isa_55:1.

[4436] Cf. Rev_1:3.

[4437] Cf. Rom_3:24.

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

XCVIII. Rev_22:11. ὁ ῥυπαρὸς ῥυπανθήτω, κ.τ.λ.

Alford finds a parallel in our Lords saying, Mat_26:45 : Sleep on now, and take your rest; also Eze_20:39; and interprets the irony: The time is so short that there is hardly room for change; the lesson conveyed in its depth being, Change while there is time.

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

XCIX. Rev_22:16. ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις

Luthardt: A congregational book; not a book merely for a few, and for a small circle, is this book of prophecy. And Jesus himself expressly confirms the fact that it is from Him. Who will venture to contradict Him?

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

C. Rev_22:17. τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ ἡ νύμφη

Luthardt: The Spirit, who lives in the Church, and the Bride, the Church, that lives in the Spirit, say Come! This is all her sighing and longing. Hengstenberg, however, qualifies this: Not the Spirit who dwells in all believers (Rom_8:26), but the Spirit of prophecy (Rev_19:10); the Spirit of the prophets (Rev_22:6), in which John was on the Lords Day (Rev_1:10, Rev_4:2), who also speaks through John in ch. Rev_14:13, who proclaims the promises in the seven epistles. The Spirit, and John his organ, as the representative of the Bride, proclaim Come. This Come, spoken in her name by the organ of the Church, is a fact; they speak, and hence there follows the summons to all the individual members of the Church to join in this Come.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The whole book is concluded and made up by a confirmation, and a salutation. The confirmation hath three places: The words of the Angel unto verse 15, the words of Christ: verses 16, 17, and the obtestation made by S. John from divine authority, thence unto verse 20. By speech of the Angel this prophecy is confirmed unto verse 8 and then he speaketh of the use of this book in the verses following. The prophecy is first confirmed by the Angel from the nature thereof, that it is faithful and true. Secondly from the nature of the efficient cause, both principal which is God, and instrumental, which is the Angel in this verse. Thirdly from the promises of God concerning his coming to effect all these things, and concerning our salvation, verse 7. Fourthly, from the testification of S. John himself, verse 8. The rest of the speech of the angel tending to the same and S. John interrupted or brake off by his unadvised act of worshipping him, in the same verse which the Angel forbidding, teacheth him that adoration must be given not to him, but only to God, as for himself, that he is of such nature and office, as he may not be adored: which thing also was in like manner done, Rev. 16:10.

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

We have here a solemn ratification of the contents of this book, and particularly of this last vision (though some think it may not only refer to the whole book, but to the whole New Testament, yea, to the whole Bible, completing and confirming the canon of scripture); and here, 1. This is confirmed by the name and nature of that God who gave out these discoveries: he is the Lord God, faithful and true, and so are all his sayings. 2. By the messengers he chose, to reveal these things to the world; the holy angels showed them to holy men of God; and God would not employ his saints and angels in deceiving the world. 3. They will soon be confirmed by their accomplishment: they are things that must shortly be done; Christ will make haste, he will come quickly, and put all things out of doubt; and then those will prove the wise and happy men who have believed and kept his words. 4. By the integrity of that angel who had been the apostle's guide and interpreter in these visions; this integrity was such that he not only refused to accept religious adoration from John, but once and again reproved him for it. He who was so tender of the honour of God, and so displeased with what was a wrong to God, would never come in his name to lead the people of God into mere dreams and delusions; and it is a still further confirmation of the sincerity of this apostle that he confesses his own sin and folly, into which he had now again relapsed, and he leaves this his failing on perpetual record: this shows he was a faithful and an impartial writer. 5. By the order given to leave the book of the prophecy open, to be perused by all, that they might labour to understand it, that they might make their objections against it, and compare the prophecy with the events. God here deals freely and openly with all; he does not speak in secret, but calls every one to witness to the declarations here made, Rev 22:10. 6. By the effect this book, thus kept open, will have upon men; those that are filthy and unjust will take occasion thence to be more so, but it will confirm, strengthen, and further sanctify those that are upright with God; it will be a savour of life to some and of death to others, and so will appear to be from God, Rev 22:12. 7. It will be Christ's rule of judgment at the great day; he will dispense rewards and punishments to men according as their works agree or disagree with the word of God; and therefore that word itself must needs be faithful and true. 8. It is the word of him who is the author, finisher, and rewarder of the faith and holiness of his people, Rev 22:13, Rev 22:14. He is the first and the last, and the same from first to last, and so is his word too; and he will by this word give to his people, who conform themselves to it, a right to the tree of life, and an entrance into heaven; and this will be a full confirmation of the truth and authority of his word, since it contains the title and evidence of that confirmed state of holiness and happiness that remains for his people in heaven. 9. It is a book that condemns and excludes from heaven all wicked, unrighteous persons, and particularly those that love and make lies (Rev 22:15), and therefore can never be itself a lie. 10. It is confirmed by the testimony of Jesus, which is the Spirit of prophecy. And this Jesus, as God, is the root of David, though, as man, his offspring - a person in whom all uncreated and created excellencies meet, too great and too good to deceive his churches and the world. He is the fountain of all light, the bright and the morning star, and as such has given to his churches this morning light of prophecy, to assure them of the light of that perfect day which is approaching. 11. It is confirmed by an open and general invitation to all to come and partake of the promises and privileges of the gospel, those streams of the water of life; these are tendered to all who feel in their souls a thirst which nothing in this world can quench. 12. It is confirmed by the joint testimony of the Spirit of God, and that gracious Spirit that is in all the true members of the church of God; the Spirit and the bride join in testifying the truth and excellency of the gospel. 13. It is confirmed by a most solemn sanction, condemning and cursing all who should dare to corrupt or change the word of God, either by adding to it or taking from it, Rev 22:18, Rev 22:19. He that adds to the word of God draws down upon himself all the plagues written in this book; and he who takes any thing away from it cuts himself off from all the promises and privileges of it. This sanction is like a flaming sword, to guard the canon of the scripture from profane hands. Such a fence as this God set about the law (Deu 4:2), and the whole Old Testament (Mal 4:4), and now in the most solemn manner about the whole Bible, assuring us that it is a book of the most sacred nature, divine authority, and of the last importance, and therefore the peculiar care of the great God.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

These sayings are true--thrice repeated (Rev 19:9; Rev 21:5). For we are slow to believe that God is as good as He is. The news seems to us, habituated as we are to the misery of this fallen world, too good to be true [NANGLE]. They are no dreams of a visionary, but the realities of God's sure word.

holy--so ANDREAS. But A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic read, "(the Lord God of the) spirits (of the prophets)." The Lord God who with His Spirit inspired their spirits so as to be able to prophesy. There is but one Spirit, but individual prophets, according to the measure given them (Co1 12:4-11), had their own spirits [BENGEL] (Pe1 1:11; Pe2 1:21).

be done--Greek, "come to pass."

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

WORDS OF CONFIRMATION AND WARNING.

(6) And he said unto me . . .—It is the angel who speaks. (Comp. Revelation 21 and Rev_22:9 of this chapter.) In Rev_22:7 we hear the words of Christ Himself. These sayings (or, words) are faithful and true. The reference is to the whole book. The book contains the Revelation of the faithful and true witness (Rev_3:14), whose words are faithful, trustworthy, and fulfilling the desire of them that fear Him. Nor is there reason to doubt this; for “the Lord, the God of the spirits of the Prophets—the God whose spirit moved the holy men of old to speak (2Pe_1:21)—sent His angel to show to His servants things which must come to pass shortly.” (Comp. Note on Rev_1:1.)

(6-21) These verses contain the concluding words. It is the Epilogue of the Book; it deals with practical exhortations, warnings, and blessings.

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

And he said unto me,.... That is, the angel that talked with him, and showed him the above things:

these sayings are faithful and true; not only what are delivered in particular concerning the new Jerusalem state, in which are many things new, and unheard of before, and which may seem strange, and even incredible, but all that are written in this book, Rev 22:7 all which are "faithful"; to be believed by all that read them, and in the fulfilment of which the faithfulness of God is engaged and displayed: and they are true; for they come from the God of truth, that cannot lie, and are to be credited, and will have a certain accomplishment: this is said to secure the divine authority of this book against the gainsayers of it, whom the Holy Ghost foresaw would arise in the world; and which is here, and in the following part of this chapter, supported by the testimonies of Christ, of his angel, and of John his servant.

And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done; the "Lord" God is the Lord Jesus Christ, as appears by comparing this with Rev 1:1 and this is a very glaring proof of the deity of Christ, since he is not only called the Lord God, but the Lord God of the holy prophets; of the prophets of the Old Testament, who foretold things to come, and spake of the Messiah, his person, office, sufferings, death, and the glory that should follow; and of the prophets of the New Testament, who had a gift of explaining the prophecies of the Old, as well as some of them predicted future events; and both sorts were holy men, set part by God for this office, and had principles of holiness wrought in them, and were moved by the Holy Ghost; these Christ inspired, and qualified with gifts suitable to their work; and he is, as the Alexandrian copy, the Complutensian edition, the Vulgate Latin version, and the Oriental versions read, "the Lord God of the spirits of the prophets"; see Co1 14:32 who had power over their spirits, could come at them, and did impress them with a sense and knowledge of divine and future things, which none but God can do: the same sent an angel of his, one of his ministering spirits he has under his command, perhaps the same that here speaks, for so reads the Syriac version, "sent me his angel": to show to John, and by him to all the saints, and to all the servants and followers of the Lamb, things that were in a very little time to begin to come to pass, till all were fulfilled; and even those at the greatest distance were, and are to be fulfilled within a little time, with respect to God, with whom a thousand years are as one day, and in comparison of eternity, and even of the time which had elapsed from the beginning of the world; and these things were shown in the various visions of the seals, trumpets, vials, and others; see Rev 1:1.

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

6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

Ver. 6. And he said unto me] This is the conclusion of the whole prophecy; and it is very august and majestical.

These sayings are faithful and true] Thus (among other evidences of its divinity) the Scripture testifies of itself; and we know that its testimony is true. Vapiscus saith of the ancient historians that there is none of them that hath not told many lies. Tertullian saith of Tacitus, that he was mendaciorum loquacissimus, a very loud and lewd liar. Baronius doth not compose annals, but coin them, saith one. But none of all this can be said of God’s word of truth, void of all insincerity or falsehood.

The Lord God of the holy prophets] Some copies have it, The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets. He is the God of the spirits of all flesh, but of the spirits of prophets in a special manner; for those holy men spake no otherwise than as they were acted or imbreathed by the Holy Ghost, 2Pe 1:21. {See Trapp on "2Pe 1:21"}

Sent his angel] As Rev 1:1. The authority therefore of this book is unquestionable, whatever some have surmised from Rev 20:4, that it was the work of Cerinthus or some other millenary.

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 said unto me - The angel-interpreter, who had showed John the vision of the New Jerusalem, Rev 21:9-10. As these visions are now at an end, the angel comes to John directly, and assures him that all these things are true - that there has been no deception of the senses in these visions, but that they were really divine disclosures of what would soon and certainly occur.

These sayings are faithful and true - These communications - all that has been disclosed to you by symbols, or in direct language. See the notes on Rev 21:5.

And the Lord God of the holy prophets - The same God who inspired the ancient prophets.

Sent his angel - See the notes on Rev 1:1.

To show unto his servants - To all his servants - that is, to all his people, by the instrumentality of John. The revelation was made to him, and he was to record it for the good of the whole church.

The things which must shortly be done - The beginning of which must soon occur - though the series of events extended into distant ages, and even into eternity. See the notes on Rev 1:1-3.

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

These words are most faithful. Here begins the conclusion and close of all these revelations. --- The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his Angel to shew, &c. and in the 16th verse it is said: I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify: from whence we may understand that Jesus, as to his person, is the same Lord God with the Father, though as man he is the root of the offspring of David, of the race of David, as the Messias was to be. (Witham)

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).

All the words of this book, particularly the things of the last vision, are such as proceed from him who is the faithful witness, Rev 1:5; 3:14; from him who was called faithful, Rev 19:11; and which God will show himself true and faithful in bringing to pass: and such things as God hath revealed to his prophets under the Old Testament in part, and now to me his prophet, to show to his people the things that shall come to pass, and shall shortly begin to be accomplished: See Poole on "Rev 1:1".

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

And he said unto me. Probably the angel who has exhibited the vision of the holy city; (Rev_21:9) perhaps the angel of Rev_1:1. The concluding portion of the book is now entered upon; it contains a brief summary of (or rather reference to) the chief events which have been narrated, and enforces the lesson which is intended to be taught, viz. that Christians should persevere in well doing amid all persecutions, for their reward is certain, and that the punishment due to the wicked will surely overtake them at last. The angel asserts the veracity of what is contained in the book; (ver. 6; cf. Rev_1:1, 2 3:14) the time in which to prepare is brief; (vers. 6, 7, 12; cf. Rev_1:3, Rev_1:7) the prophecy is to be communicated to others; (ver. 10; cf. Rev_1:1-3) God is eternal; (ver. 13; cf. Rev_1:8) the just are rewarded; (vers. 14, 17; cf. Rev_1:3) the wicked are punished; (ver. 15; cf. Rev_1:7) the prophecy is to be faithfully handed on. (vers. 18, 19; cf. Rev_1:2) These sayings are faithful and true. That is, all that has been conveyed to the seer (cf. the following verses). This is a repetition of Rev_21:5 Rev_19:9 Rev_3:14; so also Dan_8:26. And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets .... the things which must shortly come to pass. That spiritual part of the nature of the prophets, by which they are made to discern and to communicate God"s will. The expression is used here in connection with the "prophecy" mentioned in the following verse. The greater part of this verse is worded exactly as Rev_1:1. His servants; cf. the address to the seven Churches. (Rev_1:3, especially Rev_1:11)

Vers. 6, 7, 16. (See homily on Rev_1:1-3)

Glimpses through the barrier. God"s communications to humanity.

"And he said unto me, These words are faithful and true," etc.

I GOD STEAKS TO INDIVIDUAL MAN. "He said unto me John." Jehovah, the "God of the spirits of the prophets," is not a Being that sits mute in his universe. He speaks, and speaks to individual men. He speaks in nature. His voice is gone out through all the earth, and he speaks to human souls through nature and also through the written Word. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake... by the prophets," etc. To every individual man he communicates his eternal ideas.

II GOD SPEAKS OF THE ABSOLUTELY CREDIBLE. "These words are faithful and true." His words agree with unalterable facts and unchangeable principles. They are the revelations of things that have been, things that are, and things that might be. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not one "jot or tittle" of his Word shall perish.

III GOD SPEAKS THE THINGS THAT MUST BE SHORTLY REALIZED. "The things which must shortly come to pass." His ideas are practical, and must ever take their actual embodiment and form in human life. D.T.

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 said to me - Here begins the conclusion of the book, exactly agreeing with the introduction, (particularly verses 6, 7, 10, ver. 6, 7, 10 with chap. i, 1, 3,) chap. i, 1, 3 and giving light to the whole book, as this book does to the whole scripture. These sayings are faithful and true - All the things which you have heard and seen shall be faithfully accomplished in their order, and are infallibly true. The Lord, the God of the holy prophets - Who inspired and authorised them of old. Hath now sent me his angel, to show his servants - By thee. The things which must be done shortly - Which will begin to be performed immediately.

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

John and the angel:

v. 6. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true; and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly be done.

v. 7. Behold, I come quickly; blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

v. 8. And I, John, saw these things and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things.

v. 9. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren, the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book; worship God.

The visions proper have now come to an end; there is only the conclusion to consider. The first words are, as it were, the seal of God upon the entire book: And he said to me, These words are faithful and true, for the Lord God of the spirits of the prophets has sent His angel to show His servants what is bound to happen shortly; and, behold, I come very soon; blessed is he that keeps the words of, the prophecy of this book. These words may have been spoken by the angel who was the guide of John in his vision of the Holy City above, but their content seems to make it more plausible that they were spoken by the Lord Himself. He declares here that the words of prophecy which have been transmitted to John are reliable and true, for it was His intention thereby to reveal the future to His servants, to His believers. At the same time He announces that He intends to return very soon for the final Judgment, for the end of the world. Blessed, eternally happy, therefore, would be every person that would hear, heed, and keep these words, just as they were given to John to write. It is true of this book of prophecy, as well as of all the other words of the Lord: Blessed is he that hears the Word of God and keeps it. All Christians should receive strength and comfort to stand firm in the midst of the perils of the last day by the contemplation of God’s promises as contained in this book.

John now relates an incident almost identical with that of chap. 19:10: And I, John, was he who saw and heard these things; and when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that had shown me these things. And he says to me, Not that; thy fellow-servant I am and of thy brethren, the prophets, and of those that keep the words of this book; worship God. John was overcome by the wonder of all the things that he had seen and heard in the various visions that had been presented to him; he felt the utter insignificance of man in the face of such mighty revelations. And so, in the ecstasy of feeling that possessed him, he fell down at the feet of his guide, with the intention of worshiping him. But the angel promptly interfered, bidding John worship God alone, since he was but a fellow-creature and a fellow-servant. Angels are great and mighty spirits, and they hold a relation of peculiar intimacy to God; but for all that they must not be given divine honor.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The prophetical part of this book being now ended, here follows the conclusion, which is managed in a way of dialogue, between Christ, the angel, and the apostle.

Note here, 1. How the divine authority of this book is strongly asserted, and its excellences commended: These sayings are faithful and true: that is, all things contained in this book of prophecies are certain, and infallibly true. The Holy Spirit of God foresaw that this book would be more questioned than other books of holy scripture, therefore he confirms the divine authority of it by an holy angel, and the truth of all things in it, and especially that which relates to the happiness of the saints in heaven, the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem, with a frequent assertion, viz. These sayings are faithful and true. It is added, they shall shortly be done; this is spoken of the beginning of their accomplishment, they shall begin to be fulfilled, and to take effect, and shall receive their full and final accomplishment in due time.

Behold here in Christ’s omnisciency an evident proof of his divinity; he knows all things to come, as well as all things past: and whereas Christ says these things shall shortly be done; we learn, That the time of the church’s suffering is a limited time, it is a short time after which shall follow an eternal deliverance, and a great reward.

Observe farther, That Christ subjoins a promise and assurance of the certainty and suddenness of his coming to judgment, for the support of his church, during the short time of her sufferings and services, Behold, I come quickly; next he pronounces them blessed who keep the word of this book, not only in memory and profession, but in practice and performance.

Observe lastly, The sincerity of St. John, the penman of this book: he leaves here upon record his relapse into that error into which he had fallen before, Rev 19:10. The good man relates his own sin; yea, records his relapse into the same sin, once and again, which, as it discovers that he preferred the glory of God before his own reputation, so it evidently declares that a holy man may possibly relapse into the same sin through inadvertency, or the power of a temptation, and how much it is the duty of every one that thinketh he standeth, to take heed lest he fall.

Of St. John’s weakness in worshipping the angel, see the notes on chap 19.10 as also the angel’s answer, Worship God: as much as if he had said, "Thou mistakest the object of thine adoration, I am a created being, and can accept of no such homage as this, which is peculiarly due to the great Creator."

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

6, 7. These sayings are faithful and true. The Visions of Revelation have now ended. What remains is intended to emphasize the “sayings” of the preceding chapters.

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.

General Information:

This is the beginning of the end of John's vision. In verse 6 the angel is speaking to John. In verse 7, Jesus is speaking. This can be shown clearly as is is in the UDB. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

These words are trustworthy and true

Here "words" refers to the message that they formed. See how you translated this in Revelation 21:5. AT: "This message is trustworthy and true" (See: Metonymy)

the God of the spirits of the prophets

Possible meanings are 1) the word "spirits" refers to the inward disposition of the prophets and indicates that God inspires them. AT: "God who inspires the prophets" or 2) the word "spirits" refers to the Holy Spirit who inspires the prophets. AT: "God who gives his Spirit to the prophets" (See: Metonymy)

Look!

Here Jesus begins to speak. The word "Look" adds emphasis to what follows.

I am coming soon!

It is understood that he is coming in order to judge. See how you translated this in Revelation 3:11. AT: "I am coming to judge soon!" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

angel

word

true

lord

spirit

prophet

send

servant

bless

obey

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

As in En. cviii. 6 (only mention of prophets in Enoch), “what God announces through the mouth of the prophets” relates to the future. πνευμ . the plurality of spirits is an archaic detail ( cf. Rev 1:4 ) adapted also from the Enochic formula (Enoch 37:2, etc.), “God of the spirits”.

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

6–11. THE CONFIRMATION OF THE PROMISE, THE ERROR OF THE SEER

6. τῶν πνευμάτων τῶν. Text. Rec[870] reads τῶν ἁγίων with 1 arm[871] An[872][873] ba[874][870] Rec. Textus Receptus as printed by Scrivener.

[871] Armenian.

[872] Andreas’ Augsburg MS. 12th century.

[873] Andreas’ Augsburg MS. 12th century.

[874] Andreas’ Munich MS.

6. καὶ εἶπέν μοι. Who speaks? the angel of Rev 21:9, or “He that sitteth upon the throne,” as in Rev 21:5-8, or Christ as in Rev 22:16? Probably, an angel speaks in the name of Christ: and this leads St John to fancy, as once before, that the angel is himself a divine person.

οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι. The phrase (except that the copula is not expressed) is verbatim the same as in Rev 21:5.

τῶν πνευμάτων τῶν προφητῶν. Cf. 1Co 14:32.

δεῖξαι … αὐτοῦ. Rev 1:1.

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.

6-21.] Concluding assurances and exhortations: and herein, 6, 7, assurance by the angel of the truth of what has been said, in the terms of ch. 1:1. And he (the angel) said to me, These sayings (the whole book, by what follows) are faithful and true (see on reff.): and the Lord (Jehovah) the God of the spirits of the prophets (i. e. of those spirits of theirs, which, informed by the Holy Spirit, have become the vehicles of prophecy) sent His angel to shew to His servants what things must come to pass shortly (on the whole of this see on ch. 1:1, from which place it is repeated at the close of the book of which that is the opening). And behold, I come quickly (the speech passes into the words of Christ Himself, reported by the angel: so in ver. 12, and in ch. 11:3): Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book (the speech is a mixed one: in τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου, the Writer has in view the roll of his book now lying all but completed before him: but the words are the saying of the angel: τῆς προφητείας ταύτης would express it formally). And I John (was he) who heard and saw these things (pres. participles without temporal significance—was the hearer and seer of these things): and when I heard and saw, I fell down (as in ch. 19:10, where see notes) to worship before the feet of the angel who shewed me (pres. part. as above) these things. And he saith to me, Take heed not: I am a fellow-servant of thine, and (a fellow-servant) of thy brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the sayings of this book: worship God (the same feeling again prevailed over the Apostle as before, and is met with a similar rebuke. I hardly can with Düsterd. see any real distinction implied, in the ἀδελφῶν σου τῶν προφητῶν here, between the situation of the Seer then and now. D. thinks, the intention now is to exalt his prophetic office and character). And he saith to me, Seal not up the sayings of the prophecy of this book (cf. ch. 10:4, where the command is otherwise: also reff. Daniel): for the time is near (in Dan 8:26, the reason for sealing up the vision is that the time shall be for many days). Let him that is unjust (pres. part. as above) commit injustice (aor. of acts, not of a state, which would be pres.) still: and let the filthy (reff.: morally polluted) pollute himself (in the constant middle sense of passive verbs when the act depends on a man’s self) still: and let the righteous do righteousness still, and the holy sanctify himself still (see Eze 3:27: and cf. Mat 26:45, “Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand:” also Eze 20:39. The saying has solemn irony in it: the time is so short, that there is hardly room for change—the lesson conveyed in its depth is, “Change while there is time”). Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me (reff. Isa.) to render (this infin. may be either of purpose, dependent jointly on ἔρχομαι and ὁ μισθ. κ.τ.λ., or epexegetic of that which is wrapped up in the word μισθός itself. No very satisfactory account is given of this last construction in Winer, edn. 6, § 44. 1) to each as his work is (these words sound as if spoken by our Lord Himself: perhaps at the conclusion, the Apostle puts together, in prophetic shortness, many divine sayings of warning and consolation, with the replies to them). I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end (these words have hitherto been said by the Father: see above, ch. 1:8, 21:6, and notes. And in all probability it is so here likewise, whether we assume the words to be spoken by Christ in God’s name, or by the Eternal Father Himself). Blessed are they that wash their robes (see the digest. The vulg. addition “in sanguine agni,” after ch. 7:14, is of course the right supplement), that they may (on ἵνα with fut. see reff. and ch. 14:13 note. It is a mixed construction: between “that they may have” and “for they shall have”) have the power (licence) over the tree (to eat of the tree: ἐπί of the direction of their reaching for the fruit) of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs (impure persons, reff.), and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one loving and practising falsehood (see on these, ch. 21:8).

I Jesus (our Lord now speaks directly in His own person) sent my angel to testify these things to you in (the ἐπί of addition by juxtaposition, see reff.) the churches. I am the root (reff.) and the race (the offspring, as E. V. So Virg. Æn. iv. 12, “genus esse Deorum”) of David, the bright morning-star (that brings in the everlasting day).

And the Spirit (in the churches, and in the prophets) and the Bride (the Church herself) say Come (see on ch. 6:1, &c.): and let him that heareth (the cry of the Spirit and Bride) say Come: and let him that thirsteth come; let him that will, take the water of life freely (this verse is best understood as a reply of the Apostle to our Lord’s previous words).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Lord God [κυριος ο θεος] . Rather, as Rev., the Lord, the God. Of the holy prophets [των αγιων προφητων] . For aJgiwn holy substitute pneumatwn spirits, and render, as Rev., the God of the spirits of the prophets.

Be done [γεγεσθαι] . Better, as Rev., come to pass.

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