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Christ's Gloi-'tous Power and Majesty. EEVELATION II, The Epistle to the Cliurch at EpkexuB.
The oldest MSS. read, "Write <7iere/ore" (Inasmuch as I, " the First and Last," have the keys of death, and vouchsafe to thee this vision for the comfox-tand warning of the Church), things which are—"the things which thou hast seen" are those narrated in this chapter (cf. v. 11). "The tilings which are" imply the present state of things in tlie churches when John was writing, as represented chs. 2. and 3. "The things which shall be hereafter," the things symbolically represented concerning the future history of chs. 4.-22. Alford translates, " What things they signify ;" but the antithesis of the next clause forbids this, " tlie things which shall be hereafter," Greek, " which are about to come to pass." The plural [Greek) "are," Instead of the usual G»-eeA construction singular, is owing to churches and persons being meant by "things" in the clause, " the things which are." 80. In Greek, "upon my right hand." the mystery . . . candlestieks— i u apposition to. and explaining, "the things which thou hast seen," governed by " Write." Mystery signifies the hidden truth, veiled under this symbol, and now revealed; its correlative is rereta ZioJi. Stars symbolize lordship (Numbers 24. 17; cf. Daniel 12. 3, of faithful teachers; ch. 8. 10
In a furnacp." The feet of the priests were bare in ministering in the sanctuary. So our great High Priest here, voiceas . . . many waters—Ezeliiel 43.2; in Daniel 10.
6, it is "like the voice of a multitude." As the Bridegroom's voice, so the bride's, ch. 14. 2; 19. 6; Ezekiel 1. 24, the sherubim, or redeemed creation. His voice, howevei, is here regarded in its terribleness to His foes. Contrast Soug of Solomon 2. 8; 5. 2, with which cf. ch. 3. 20. 16. he had— Greefc, "having." St. John takes up the description from time to time, irrespective of the construction, u;tft^^'pame.s^)•o^-es o/ ZfteiejiciZ. [ALFORD.] Ill . . . right hand seven stars—(v. 20; ch. 2. 1; 3. 1.) He holds them as a star-studded "crown of glory," or "royal diadem," in His hand : so Isaiah 62. 3. He is their Possessor and Upholder, out of . . . mouth -went— GreeA;, "going forth;" not wielded in the hand. His Word is omnipotent in executing His will in punishing sinners. It is the swoi-d of His .Spirit. Reproof and punishment, rather than its converting winning power, is the prominent point. Still, as He encourages the churches, as well as threatens, the former quality of the Word is not excluded.
Its two edges (back and front) may a"llude to its double efficacy, condemning some, converting others. TertulriAN, adv. Jud., takes them of the Old and the New Testament. RicitARD OF St. Victor, " the Old Testament cutting externally our ca7-nal, the New Testament internally our sjnritual sins, sword Greek, Ronxphaia, the Thracian long and heavy broadsword: six times in Revelation, once only elsewhere in New Testament, viz., Luke 2. 35. iin . , . In his strength—in unclouded power. So shall the righteous siiine, reflecting the image of the Sun of righteousness. Trench notices that this description, sublime as a purely mental conception, would be intolerable if we were to give it an outward form. With the Greeks, eesthetical taste was the first consideration, to which all others must give way. With the Hebrews, truth and the full representation ideally of the religious leality were the paramount consideration, that representation being designed not to be outwardly embodied, but to remain a purely mental conception. This exalting of the essence above the form marks their deeper religious earnestness. 17. So fallen is man that God's manifestation of His glorious presence overwhelms him. laid his right hand upon me—So the same Lord Jesus did at the Transfiguration to the three prostrate disciples, of whom John was one, saying. Be not afraid. The " touch" of His liand, as of old, imparted strengtli. unto me—Omitted in the oldest MSS. the first . . . the last—(Isaiah 41.4; 44.6; 18.
12. 4; Jude 13). angels—Not as Alford, from Origen Homily 13 on Luke, and 20 on Numbers, the guardian angels of the churches, just as individuals have their guardian angels. For how could heavenly angels be charged with the delinquencies laid here to the charge of these angels? Then, if a human angel be meant (as the Old Testament analogy favours, Haggal 1. 13, "the Lord's Messenger in the Lord's message;" Malachi 2. 7; 3. 1), the bishop, or superintendent pastor, must be the angel. For whereas there weremanj' presbyters in each of the larger churches (as e. g., Ephesus, Smyrna, &c.), there was but mie angel, whom, moreover, the Chief Shepherd and Bishop of souls holds responsible for the spiritual state of the Churcli under him. The term angel, designat ing an office, is, in accordance with the enigmatic symbolism of this book, transferred from tlie heavenly to the earthly superior ministers of Jehovah; reminding them that, like the heavenly angels above, they below should fulfil God's mission zealously, promptly and et Hcieutly. "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven
CHATTER II.
Ver. 1-29. Epistles to Ephf.sus, Smyrna, PkrGAMOS, 'fHYATiRA. Eacli of the seven epistles in this cliapter and ch. 3., commences with "I know thy works." Each contains a promise from Christ, "To him that overcomcth." Each ends with "He that hath an ear, let him hefl,r what the Spirit salth unto the churches." The title of our Lord in each case accoi'ds with the nature of the address, and Is mainly taken from the Imagery of the vision, ch. 1. Each address has a threat or a promise, and most of the addresses have both. Their order seems to be ecclesiastical, civil, and geographical : Ephesus first, as being the Asiatic metropolis (termed " the light of Asia," and " first city of Asia"), the nearest to Patmos, where John received the epistle to the seven churches, and also as being that Church with whlih John was especially connected ; then the churches on the west coast of Asia; then those In the interior, Smyrna and I'hlladelphift alone receive unmixed praise. Sardls and Laodlcea receive almost solely censure. In Ephesus, Pergamos, and Thyatlra, there are some things to praise, others to condemn, the latter element preponderating In one case (Ephesus), the former in tlie two others (Pergamos and Thyatlra). Thus the main charaoterlstics of the different slates of different churches, in all times and places, are portrayed, and they are suitably encouraged or warned. 1. Ephesus—famed for the temple of Diana, one of the seven wonders of the world. For tlire(< years Paul labored there. He subsequently ordained Timothy superintending overseer or bishop there: proliably his charge was but of a temporary nature. St. John, towards the close of his life, took It ns the centre from whhli he superintended the province, holtleth— Greek, " holdeth fast," as lu v. '25; ch. :i. 11 ; cf. John 10. »»,
12.) From eternity, and enduring to eternity :" tlie First by creation, tlie Last hj' retrll)ution ; the First, beoau.so before me there was no God formed ; the Last, because after me there sliall be no other: the First, because from me are all things; the Last, because to me all things return." [RiciiAun of St. Victor.] 18. Translate as Greek, "And the Livino One:" connected with last sentence, t'. 17. and waa— Greek, "and (yet) I became dead." alive for evermore Greek, "living unto Iho oges of ages :" not merely " I live," but I have life, and am the source of it to my people. "To Him belongs absolute being, as contrasted with the relative being of tlie creature; others may share. He only hath Immortality: hritifi in essence, ni)t bi/ mere participation, immortal. [TllKoiiOKKr in Trench.] One oldest MS., with Knnlish Version, reads "Amen." Two others, and most of the oldest versions and F'atliers, omit It. His having pa,ssed througli death as one of us, and now living In tlic Infinite plenitude of l!fe, reassures Mis people, since through Ulm death is the gate of resurrection to eternal life, have . . . keys of Greek, "Hades;" Hebrew, "Sheol." "Hell" In the sense, the place of torment, answers to a dltrerent Greek word, viz., (le/ienna. I can release from the utisecti world of Kpir its imt\ from heath whom I will. The oldest MSS. read by transposition, " Death and Hades," or Hell. It, Is death (which came in by sin, robbing man of his Immortal birth-rlglit, Romans 5. 12) that peoples Iludes, and therefore should stand Hrst In order. ViV-j/.? are emblems of authority, opening and shutting at will "the gates of
Hades" (Psalm 9. 13, 14; Isaiah 38. 10; Matthew 10. 18). Itt. 554
KUINS OF CAPEliiNAUa.