A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH (ουρανον καινον κα γην καινην). This new vision (ειδον) is the picture of the bliss of the saints.THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH (ο πρωτος ουρανος κα η πρωτη γη)ARE PASSED AWAY (απηλθαν, went away, second aorist active indicative of απερχομα). "Fled away" (ε... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM (την πολιν την αγιαν Ιερουσαλημ καινην). "The New Earth must have a new metropolis, not another Babylon, but another and greater Jerusalem" (Swete), and not the old Jerusalem which was destroyed A.D. 70. It was called the Holy City in a conventional way (Matthew 4:5; M... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TABERNACLE OF GOD IS WITH MEN (η σκηνη του θεου μετα των ανθρωπων). It is one of the angels of the Presence (Revelation 16:17; Revelation 19:5) speaking.AND HE SHALL DWELL WITH THEM (κα σκηνωσε μετ' αυτων). Future active of σκηνοω, already in Revelation 7:15 from Ezekiel 37:27; Zechariah 2:1... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES (εξαλειψε παν δακρυον εκ των οφθαλμων αυτων). More exactly, "shall wipe out every tear out of their eyes" (repetition of εξ) like a tender mother as in Revelation 7:17 (Isaiah 25:8). There is no more that ought to cause a tear, for death (θανατος) is no... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW (Ιδου καινα ποιω παντα). The first time since Revelation 1:8 that God has been represented as speaking directly, though voices have come out of the throne before (Revelation 21:3) and out of the sanctuary (Revelation 16:1; Revelation 16:17), which may be from God hims... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE COME TO PASS (Γεγοναν). Second perfect active indicative of γινομα with -αν for -ασ. See Revelation 16:17 for a like use of γεγονεν, "They have come to pass." Here again it is the voice of God because, as in Revelation 1:8, He says:I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA (Εγω το Αλφα κα το Ο) with... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT OVERCOMETH (ο νικων). Recalls the promises at the close of each of the Seven Letters in Chapter s 2 and 3.SHALL INHERIT (κληρονομησε). Future active of κληρονομεω, word with great history (Mark 10:17; 1 Peter 1:4; Galatians 4:7; Romans 8:17), here interpreted for the benefit of these wh... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR PART SHALL BE (το μερος αυτων). In contrast to the state of the blessed (verses Revelation 21:3-7) the state of "those who have disfranchised themselves from the Kingdom of God" (Charles) is given. They are with Satan and the two beasts, and are the same with those not in the book of life (R... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE OF THE SEVEN ANGELS (εις εκ των επτα αγγελων). As in Revelation 17:1 with the same introduction when the angel made the announcement about the harlot city (Babylon), so here the description of the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, is given by one of the same group of angels who had the seven... [ Continue Reading ]
HE CARRIED ME AWAY IN THE SPIRIT (απηνεγκεν με εν πνευματ). See same language in Revelation 17:7 when John received a vision of the Harlot City in a wilderness. Here it is "to a mountain great and high" (επ ορος μεγα κα υψηλον). So it was with Ezekiel (Ezekiel 40:2) and so the devil took Jesus (Ma... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING THE GLORY OF GOD (εχουσαν την δοξαν του θεου). Syntactically this clause goes with verse Revelation 21:10, the feminine accusative singular participle εχουσαν agreeing with πολιν, the radiance of the dazzling splendour of God as seen in Isaiah 60:1; Ezekiel 43:5. God's very presence is in... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING A WALL GREAT AND HIGH (εχουσα τειχος μεγα κα υψηλον). John returns, after the parenthesis in verse Revelation 21:11, to the structure in verse Revelation 21:10, only to use the accusative εχουσαν as before to agree with πολιν, but the nominative εχουσα as again with "twelve gates" (πυλωνας... [ Continue Reading ]
THREE GATES (πυλωνες τρεις) on each of the four sides as in Ezekiel 42:16; "on the east" (απο ανατολης, as in Revelation 16:12, starting from the east), "on the north" (απο βορρα, from the north, as in Luke 13:29), "on the south" (απο νοτου, from the south, as in Luke 13:29), "on the west" (απο δ... [ Continue Reading ]
HAD (εχων). Masculine present active participle of εχω instead of εχον (neuter like to τειχος), and the participle occurs independently as if a principal verb (ειχεν) as often in this book.TWELVE FOUNDATIONS (θεμελιους δωδεκα). Foundation stones, old adjective (from θεμα, from τιθημ), here as in... [ Continue Reading ]
HAD (ειχεν). Regular imperfect here, no longer εχων.FOR A MEASURE A GOLDEN REED (μετρον καλαμον χρυσουν). See Revelation 11:1 for καλαμος (reed). Μετρον is an old word, kin to μητηρ (mother, moulder, manager), an instrument for measuring (μετρεω) as in Matthew 7:2, here in the predicate accusat... [ Continue Reading ]
LIETH FOURSQUARE (τετραγωνος κειτα). Present middle indicative of κειμα. The predicate adjective is from τετρα (Aeolic for τεσσαρες four) and γωνος (γωνια corner, Matthew 6:5) here only in N.T. As in Ezekiel 48:16; Ezekiel 48:20. It is a tetragon or quadrilateral quadrangle (Revelation 21:12).THE... [ Continue Reading ]
A HUNDRED AND FORTY AND FOUR CUBITS (εκατον τεσσερακοντα τεσσαρων πηχων). Another multiple of 12 (12x12=144) as in Revelation 7:4; Revelation 14:1. It is not clear whether it is the height or the breadth of the wall that is meant, though υψος (height) comes just before. That would be 216 feet hig... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BUILDING OF THE WALL (η ενδωμησις του τειχους). Or ενδομησις, elsewhere so far only in Josephus (_Ant_. XV. 9. 6, a mole or breakwater) and in an inscription (_Syll_. 583 31), apparently from ενδομεω, to build in, and so the fact of building in. The wall had jasper (verse Revelation 21:11) bu... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE ADORNED (κεκοσμημενο). Perfect passive participle of κοσμεω as in verse Revelation 21:2, but without the copula ησαν (were), followed by instrumental case λιθω (stone).WITH ALL MANNER OF PRECIOUS STONES (παντ λιθω τιμιω). "With every precious stone." The list of the twelve stones in verses... [ Continue Reading ]
Sardonyx (σαρδονυξ), here only in N.T., white with layers of red, from sardion (red carnelian) and onyx (white); for sardius (σαρδιον) see Revelation 4:3; chrysolite (χρυσολιθος), here only in N.T. (Exodus 28:20), stone of a golden colour like our topaz or amber or a yellow beryl or golden jasper; b... [ Continue Reading ]
TWELVE PEARLS (δωδεκα μαργαριτα). These gate towers (πυλωνες) were mentioned in verses Revelation 21:12. Each of these (cf. Isaiah 54:12) is a pearl, one of the commonest of jewels (Matthew 7:6; Matthew 13:46; 1 Timothy 2:9).EACH ONE (ανα εις εκαστος). Distributive use of ανα, but with the nomin... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAW NO TEMPLE THEREIN (ναον ουκ ειδον εν αυτη). "Temple I did not see in it." The whole city is a temple in one sense (verse Revelation 21:16), but it is something more than a temple even with its sanctuary and Shekinah Glory in the Holy of Holies.FOR THE LORD GOD THE ALMIGHTY, AND THE LAMB ARE... [ Continue Reading ]
TO SHINE UPON IT (ινα φαινωσιν αυτη). Purpose clause with ινα and the present active subjunctive of φαινω, to keep on shining. Light is always a problem in our cities. See Isaiah 60:19.DID LIGHTEN IT (εφωτισεν αυτην). First aorist active indicative of φωτιζω, to illumine, old verb from φως (Luke... [ Continue Reading ]
AMIDST THE LIGHT THEREOF (δια του φωτος αυτης). Rather "by the light thereof." From Isaiah 60:3; Isaiah 60:11; Isaiah 60:20. All the moral and spiritual progress of moderns is due to Christ, and the nations of earth will be represented, including "the kings" (ο βασιλεις), mentioned also in Isaiah... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL IN NO WISE BE SHUT (ου μη κλεισθωσιν). Double negative with the first aorist passive subjunctive of κλειω.BY DAY (ημερας). Genitive of time. Mentioned alone without νυκτος (by night), "for there shall be no night there" (νυξ γαρ ουκ εστα εκε). This looks like a continued picture of heaven... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL BRING (οισουσιν). Future active indicative of φερω. Rome gathered the merchandise of the world (Revelation 18:11). The City of God will have the best of all the nations (Isaiah 60:5; Isaiah 60:11), an expansion of verse Revelation 21:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE SHALL IN NO WISE ENTER INTO IT (ου μη εισελθη εις αυτην). Double negative again with the second aorist active subjunctive of εισερχομα with εις repeated. Like Isaiah 52:1; Ezekiel 44:9.ANYTHING UNCLEAN (παν κοινον). Common use of παν with negative like ουδεν, and the use of κοινος for def... [ Continue Reading ]