Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
The Vision of the Great Harlot, REVELATION XVII. Babylon, the 3Tot her of all Abomination*. jecfs; such Is the picture here of Christendom ripe for judgment." [Auberlen.] The seven heads in the view of many are the seven successive forms of government of Rome: kings, consuls, dictators, decemvirs, military tribunes, emperors, the German emperors [Wordsworth], of whom Napoleon is the successor (v. 11). But see the view given, JSoies, v. 9, 10, which I prefer. The crowns formerly on the ten horns (ch. 13. l)have nowdisappeared, perhaps an indication that the ten kingdoms into which the Germanic-Slavonic world [the old Roman empire, including the East as well as the West, the two legs of the image with five toes on each, i. e., ten in all] is to be divided, will lose their monarchical form in the end [Auberlen] ; but see ti. 12, which seems to imply crowned kings. 4. The colour scarlet. It Is remarkable, is that reserved for popes and cardinals. Paal II. made it penal for any one but cardinals to wear hats of scarlet; cf. Coercmoniala Jiom., 3 sect. 5, c. 5. This book was compiled more than 310 years ago by Marcellus, a Romish archbishop, and dedicated to Leo X. In it are enumerated five dil Tereui articles of dress of scarld colour. A vest is mentioned studded withpearls. The Pope's mitre is oigoldaml precious the rest. Unlike the result in the case of Jerusalem (eh.
11. 13;, wliere "the remnant . . . affrighted . . . gave glory to the God of heaven."
CHAPTER XVII.
Ver. 1-18. The Harlot Babylon's Gaud : The Beast on which she rides, having seven heads and ten Horns, shall be the Instrument of Judgment on Her. As ch. 16. 12 stated generally the vial judgment about to be poured ou the harlot, Babylon's power, as chs.
17. and IS. give the same in detail, so cli. 19. gives in detail the judgment on the bea$tanA the falsejmphet, summarily alluded to in ch. 16. 13-15, in connection with tlie Lord's coming. 1. »ii«t<i me—A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic omit, many—.So A. But B, "the many waters" (Jeremiah 51. 13); V. 15, below, explains the sense. The whore is the apostate Cliurch, just as the woman (ch. 12) is the Church whilstfaithful. Satan havi ng failed by violence, tries too successfully to seduce her by the allurements of the world; unlike her Lord, she was overcome by this temptation ; hence she is seen sitting on the scarlet-coloured beaxt, no longer the wife, but the harlot; no longer Jerusalem, but spiritually Sodom (ch. 11. 8). 3. dniiik witVi— Greek, stoites. These are the very characteristics outwaidly which Revelation thrice assigns to the harlot or Babylon. So Joachim, an abbot from Calabria, about a. d. 1200, when asked by Ricliard of England, who had summoned him to Palestine, concerning Antichrist, replied that " he was born long ago at Rome, and is now exalting himself above ' owing to." It cannot be Pagan Rome, but Papal Rome, if a particular seat of error be meant,, but I incline to think that the judgment (ch. 18. 2) and the spiritual fornication (ch. 18. 3), though finding their culmination in Rome, are not restricted to it, but comprise the whole apostate Church, Roman, Greek, and even Protestant, so all that is called God." Roger Hoveden, ^ufiri. Chron.,
1. 2, and elsewhere, wrote, "The harlot arrayed in gold is the Churcti of Rome." Whenever and wherever (not in Rome alone) the Cliurch, instead of being "clothed (as at far as it has been seduced from its " first love " (ch. 2. 4) to Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom, and given its aflfections to worldly pomps and idols. Tlie woman (ch. 12. 1) is the congregation of God in its purity under the Old and New Testament, and appears again as the Bride of the Lamb, first, ch. 12. 1) with the sun" of heaven, is arrayed In earthly meretricious gauds, compromising the truth of God tlirough fear, or flattery, of the world's power, science, or wealth, she becomes the harlot seated on the beast, and doomed in righteous retribution to be judged by the beast the transfigured Clnirch prepared for the marriage feast. The woman, the invisible Cliurch, Is latent in the apos- (v. 16). Soon, like Rome, and lilie the Jews of Clirist'aand the apostles' time leagued with the heathen Rome, Rha will then become the persecutor of the saints (v. 6). In« stead of drinking her Lord's "cup" of suffering, she has "a cup full of abominations and filthinesses." Rome, In her medals, represents herself holding a cup with th» self-condemning inscription, " Sedet super univcrsum." Meanwhile the world-powerglves up its hostility and accepts Christianity externally; the beast gives up Its Godopposed character, the woman gives up her Divine one. They meet half-way by mutual concessions; Christianity becomes worldly, the world becomes Christianized. The gainer is the world, the loser is the Church. The beast tate Church, and is the Church militant; the Bride is the Church triumphant. 3. the wilderness—Contrast her in ch. 12. 6, H, liaving apluce in the wilderness-vrovld, but not a home; a sojourner here, looking for tlie city to come. Tsow, on the contrary, she is contented to liave lier portion in this moral wilderness, upon a scarlet . . . benst —The same as in ch. 13. 1, wlio there is descrilicd as here, "having seven heads and ten horns (tlierein betraying that he is representative of the dragon, ch. 12. 3), and upon his heads names (so the oldest MSS. read) of blaspliemy ;" of. also V. 12-H, below, with ch. 19. 19, 20, and cli. 17. 13, It,
16. Rome, resting on tlie world-i)Ower, and ruling it by the claim of supremacy, is the cliief, though not the exclusive, representative of this symbol. As the dragon is for a time receives a deadly wound (ch. 1.3.3), but Is not really transfigured ; he will return worse thiui ever (v. 11- fiery -rerf, so the beast is blood-red In colour; Implying its blood-guiltines.i,aud also deep-dyed sin. TbacarM Is also the symbol of kingly authority, full—all over; not merely "on his heads," as in ch. 13. I, Ibr Its opposition to God Is now aiiout to develop itself In all its iiiti Mislty. Under the harlot's superintendence, the world-powci outs
U). The Lord alone by His coming can make tlie kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. The "purple" Is the badge of empire; even as in mockery It was put on our Lord, decked—ij/., "gilded." stones— (7rcpfr, " stone." fllthlness-A, B, and Andhkas read, "the filthy (Impure) things." 5. upon forth blasphemous pretensions worse than in Pagan days. So the Pope is placed by the cardinals in (iod's temple on . . . forehead . . . name—as liarlots usually had. What a contrast to "Holiness to the Lokd," Inscribed on the mitre oil the high priest's /orc/icrtd.' niyntery—Implying a spiritual fact heretofore lildden, and incapable of discovery by mere reason, but now revealed. As the union the altar to sit there, und the cnrilinals kiss the feel of t he
I'ope. This ceremony is call(>d In Konilsli writers the adoration. Historic de Clerge, Ainsterd., 1716; and LetTENniiROH'S Nolitla Curi<e JlomaiKP, 10H3, p. 125; HkidkgUEK, M]/st. 7J«6., 1, 511, 514, 5.'i7; a Papal coin (Numisniatn of Christ and the Church is a "great mystery" (a spiritual truth of momentous interest, once hidden, now revealed, Epheslans 5. 31, 32); so the Church conforming to the world and thereby becoming a harlot is a counter "mystery" (or spiritual truth, symliollcally now revealed). As Iniquity in the harlot Is a leaven working In "mystny," and therefore called "the mi/stery of Inlciulty," so when she Is destroyed, the Iniquity heretofore working (comparatively) latently In her, shall be revealed In the man of Pontiflcum. Paris, 1C79, p. 5) has the blasphemous legend, " Quern creant, adorant." Kneeling and Iciss-ing are the wor» sliip meant by St. Jolin'sword nine times used in rcsp(>ct to tlie rival of God (Greek proskunein). Alximinafion, too.
Is the scriptural term for an .Idol, or any creature worshipped with the homage due to the Creator. Hllll, lliere
Is some check on the God-opposed world-power whilst ridden by tlie harlot; the consummated Anllchrlst will ii\i<iiiit!i, the open oinbodlnient of all previous evil. Conlie wlien, having destroyed her, the beast shall be revealed trast the "mystery of God" and "godliness," ch. 10.7; as the concentration and incarnation of all the sclf-deily-
1 Timothy 3. 10. It was Rome that crucified (Christ; that destroy<>d Jerusalem and scattered the Jews ; tlnvt persecuted the early Christians In Pagan times, and Protestant Christians in Papal times ; and probably sliall be aj[alo
Ing God-opposed jirlnclples which liave appeared In various forms and degrees heretofore. "The Church has gained outward recognition 1)3' leaning on the worldpower which In Us turn uses the Church for Ita own ob- ^90