Apocalipse 1
Adam Clarke · Comentário sobre a Bíblia
Apocalipse 1
O prefácio deste livro e a promessa para aqueles que o lerem, Apocalipse 1:1-3. o discurso de João às sete Igrejas da Ásia, cuja elevada vocação ele menciona particularmente; e mostra a rápida vinda de Cristo, Apocalipse 1:4-8. Menciona seu exílio em Patmos e a aparição do Senhor Jesus a ele, Apocalipse 1:9-11. De quem ele dá uma descrição mais gloriosa, Apocalipse 1:12-18. A ordem para escrever o que viu e a explicação das sete estrelas e dos sete castiçais de ouro, Apocalipse 1:19, Apocalipse 1:20. A Revelação de São João, o divino. Para este livro as inscrições são diversas. " - A Revelação. - A Revelação de João. - De João, o divino. - De João, o divino e evangelista. - A Revelação de João apóstolo e evangelista. - A Revelação do santo e glorioso apóstolo e evangelista, a amada virgem João, o divino, que ele viu na ilha de Patmos. - A Revelação de Jesus Cristo, dada a João, o divino." Estas diversas inscrições são dignas de pouca consideração; o primeiro verso contém o título do livro.
Apocalipse 1:1
A Revelação de Jesus Cristo – A palavra Αποκαλυψις, da qual temos nossa palavra Apocalipse, significa literalmente uma revelação ou descoberta do que estava oculto ou oculto. É dito aqui que esta revelação, ou descoberta de coisas ocultas, foi dada por Deus a Jesus Cristo; que Cristo deu ao seu anjo; que este anjo mostrou isto a João; e que João o enviou às Igrejas. Assim, descobrimos que veio de Deus para Cristo, de Cristo para o anjo, do anjo para João e de João para a Igreja. É propriamente, portanto, a Revelação de Deus, enviada por esses vários agentes aos seus servos em geral; e este é o título adequado do livro. Coisas que devem acontecer em breve – No modo de interpretação concebido por Wetstein, isso é claro; pois se o livro foi escrito antes da destruição de Jerusalém, e as profecias nele contidas se referem a essa destruição e às guerras civis entre os romanos, que duraram apenas três ou quatro anos, então pode-se dizer que o Apocalipse é de coisas que devem acontecer em breve. Mas se considerarmos que o livro se refere ao estado da Igreja em todas as épocas, as palavras aqui, e as de Apocalipse 1:3, devem ser entendidas como o início dos eventos previstos; como se dissesse: Em pouco tempo o trem dessas visões será posto em movimento: - - et incipiente magni procedere menstruação. "E esses tempos, repletos dos acontecimentos mais estupendos, começarão a avançar."
Apocalipse 1:2
Quem deu testemunho da palavra de Deus – Existe aqui uma referência ao primeiro capítulo do evangelho de João: No princípio era o Verbo, e o Verbo estava com Deus, etc.? Desta Palavra João prestou testemunho. Ou será que o escritor se refere à fidelidade com que anotou e relatou a palavra - doutrinas ou profecias, que recebeu neste momento por revelação de Deus? Isto parece mais consistente com a última parte do versículo.
Apocalipse 1:3
Bem-aventurado aquele que lê – Isso deve ser entendido pela felicidade ou segurança das pessoas que, lendo e ouvindo as profecias das coisas que aconteceriam em breve, tomaram as medidas adequadas para escapar dos males iminentes. O tempo está próximo – ou em que todos serão cumpridos ou começarão a ser cumpridos. Veja a nota em Apocalipse 1:1. Estes três versículos contêm a introdução; agora começa a dedicação às sete Igrejas.
Apocalipse 1:4
João às sete igrejas – O apóstolo começa assim à maneira dos profetas judeus. Freqüentemente, eles se identificam nas mensagens que recebem de Deus para entregar ao povo; por exemplo "A visão de Isaías, filho de Amoz, que ele teve a respeito de Judá e Jerusalém." "As palavras de Jeremias, filho de Hilquias; a quem veio a palavra do Senhor." "A palavra do Senhor veio expressamente a Ezequiel, o sacerdote." "A palavra do Senhor que veio a Oséias, filho de Beeri." “A palavra do Senhor que veio a Joel.” “As palavras de Amós, que estava entre os pastores de Tekoa.” "A visão de Obadias; assim diz o Senhor." "A palavra do Senhor veio a Jonas." Então, “A revelação de Jesus Cristo, que ele enviou e deu ao seu servo João”. "João às sete Igrejas", etc. A Ásia aqui mencionada era o que é chamado de Ásia Menor, ou Ásia Lídia ou Proconsular; as sete igrejas eram as de Éfeso, Esmirna, Pérgamo, Tiatira, Sardes, Filadélfia e Laodicéia. Destes à medida que ocorrem. Não devemos supor que elas fossem as únicas igrejas cristãs na Ásia Menor; havia vários outros na Frígia, Panfília, Galácia, Ponto, Capadócia, etc., etc. Mas esses sete eram os que estavam mais próximos do apóstolo e estavam mais particularmente sob seus cuidados; embora a mensagem tenha sido enviada às Igrejas em geral, e talvez diga respeito a todo o mundo cristão. Mas o número sete pode ser usado aqui como o número da perfeição; como os hebreus usam os sete nomes dos céus, os sete nomes da terra, os sete patriarcas, sete sóis, sete espécies, sete anos, sete meses, sete dias, etc., etc.; em que os coelhos encontram uma grande variedade de mistérios. Graça seja convosco – Esta forma de bênção apostólica que vimos frequentemente nas epístolas anteriores. Daquele que é, que era e que está por vir – Esta fraseologia é puramente judaica e provavelmente tirada do Tetragrama, יהוה Yehovah; que supostamente inclui em si todo o tempo, passado, presente e futuro. Mas eles costumam usar a frase da qual ὁ ων, και ὁ ην, και ὁ ερχομενος, do apóstolo, é uma tradução literal. Assim, em Sohar Chadash, fol. 7, 1: "Rabino José disse: Pelo nome Tetragrammaton, (isto é, יהוה, Yehovah), as regiões superiores e inferiores, os céus, a terra e tudo o que eles contêm, foram aperfeiçoados; e todos eles são antes dele reputados como nada; והוא היה והוא הוה והוא יהיה vehu hayah, vehu hoveh, vehu yihyeh; e Ele Era, e Ele É, e Ele Será. Assim, em Shemoth Rabba, sec. הוא עכשיו ואני הוא לעתיד לבוא ani shehayithi, veani hu achshaiu, veani hu laathid labo; Eu fui, sou agora e serei no futuro." Em Chasad Shimuel, Rab. Samuel ben David pergunta: "Por que somos ordenados a usar três horas de oração? Resposta: Estas horas apontam para o santo Deus abençoado; שהוא היה הוה ויהיה shehu hayah, hoveh, veyihyeh; aquele que foi, quem é e quem será. A oração da manhã aponta aquele que existia antes da fundação do mundo; a oração do meio-dia indica quem é; e a oração da noite aponta quem está por vir. "Esta fraseologia é extremamente apropriada e expressa fortemente a eternidade de Deus; pois não temos outra ideia de tempo senão como passado, ou agora existente, ou ainda por existir; nem temos qualquer ideia de eternidade, mas como aquela duração chamada por alguns aeternitas a parte ante, a eternidade que existia antes do tempo, e aeternitas a parte post, a duração infinita que existirá quando o tempo não existir mais. Aquilo que foi, é a eternidade antes do tempo; aquilo que é, é o próprio tempo; e aquilo que está por vir, é a eternidade que existirá quando o tempo não existir mais. Os sete espíritos - diante de seu trono - Os antigos judeus, que representavam o trono de Deus como o trono de um monarca oriental, supunham que havia sete anjos ministradores diante deste trono, como havia sete ministros atendentes no trono de um monarca persa. Anjos que apresentam as orações dos santos, e que entram e saem diante da glória do Santo. E no Targum de Jonathan ben Uzziel, em Gênesis 11:7: Deus disse aos Sete Anjos que estão diante dele: Venham agora, etc. Em Pirkey Eliezer, iv e vii: "Os anjos que foram criados primeiro ministram diante dele sem o véu." Que aqui se referem a sete anjos, e não ao Espírito Santo, é mais evidente pelo local, pelo número e pela tradição. Aqueles que imaginam que o Espírito Santo se destina supõem que o número sete seja usado para denotar seus múltiplos dons e graças. Que esses sete espíritos são anjos, veja Apocalipse 3:1; Apocalipse 4:5; e particularmente Apocalipse 5:6, onde são chamados os sete espíritos de Deus enviados a toda a terra.
Apocalipse 1:5
A testemunha fiel – O verdadeiro professor, cujo testemunho é infalível e cujas palavras devem acontecer. O primogênito dos mortos - Veja a nota em Colossenses 1:18. O príncipe dos reis – Ὁ αρχων, O chefe ou chefe de todos os potentados terrestres; que tem todos eles sob seu domínio e controle, e pode dispor deles como quiser. Àquele que nos amou – Este deve iniciar um novo versículo, pois é o início de um novo assunto. A nossa salvação é atribuída ao amor de Deus, que deu o seu Filho; e ao amor de Cristo, que morreu por nós. Veja João 3:16. Nos lavou de nossos pecados – A redenção da alma, com a remissão dos pecados e a purificação da injustiça, é aqui, como em todo o Novo Testamento, atribuída ao sangue de Cristo derramado na cruz pelo homem.
Apocalipse 1:6
Reis e sacerdotes - Veja em 1 Pedro 2:5 (nota), 1 Pedro 2:9 (nota). Mas em vez de βασιλεις και ἱερεις, reis e sacerdotes, os MSS mais respeitáveis, versões e pais têm βασιλειαν ἱερεις, um reino e sacerdotes; isto é, um reino de sacerdotes ou um sacerdócio real. As dignidades régia e sacerdotal são as duas mais elevadas que podem existir entre os homens; e esses dois são mencionados aqui para mostrar as gloriosas prerrogativas e o estado dos filhos de Deus. A ele seja glória – isto é, a Cristo; pois é dele que o profeta fala, e de nenhum outro. Para todo o sempre – Εις τους αιωνας των αιωνων· Até séculos de idade; ou melhor, durante todos os períodos indefinidos; por todos os tempos e por toda a eternidade. Amém – Uma palavra de afirmação e aprovação; assim será e assim deverá ser.
Apocalipse 1:7
Eis que ele vem com nuvens – Isto se refere à sua vinda para executar julgamento sobre os inimigos de sua religião; talvez à sua vinda para destruir Jerusalém, como deveria ser particularmente manifestado àqueles que o traspassaram, o que deve significar os judeus incrédulos e rebeldes. E todas as tribos da terra – Πασαι αἱ φυλαι της γης· Todas as tribos da terra. Com isso o povo judeu é evidentemente pretendido e, portanto, todo o versículo pode ser entendido como prevendo a destruição dos judeus; e é uma prova presumível de que o Apocalipse foi escrito antes da derrubada final do estado judeu. Mesmo assim, Amém – Ναι, αμην· Sim, Amém. É verdade, que assim seja. Nosso Senhor virá e executará julgamento sobre os judeus e gentios. Isto os judeus e romanos sentiram particularmente.
Apocalipse 1:8
Eu sou Alfa e Ômega - estou de eternidade em eternidade. Este modo de falar é emprestado dos judeus, que expressam toda a bússola das coisas por א aleph e ת tau, a primeira e a última letras do alfabeto hebraico; mas como São João escrevia em grego, ele acomoda o todo ao alfabeto grego, do qual Α alfa e Ω ômega são a primeira e a última letras. Com os rabinos מא ועד ת meeleph vead tau, "de aleph a tau", expressava todo o assunto, do início ao fim. Assim, em Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 17, 4: Adão transgrediu toda a lei, de alef a tau; ou seja, do começo ao fim. Ibid., fol. 48, 4: Abraão observou a lei, de alef a tau; ou seja, ele o manteve inteiramente, do começo ao fim. Ibid., fol. 128, 3: Quando o santo e abençoado Deus pronunciou uma bênção sobre os israelitas, ele o fez de alef a tau; ou seja, ele fez isso perfeitamente. O começo e o fim – Ou seja, assim como aleph ou alfa é o começo do alfabeto, eu também sou o autor e a causa de todas as coisas; assim como tau ou ômega é o fim ou a última letra do alfabeto, eu também sou o fim de todos os pensamentos, o destruidor e também o estabelecidor de todas as coisas. Esta cláusula está em falta em quase todos os Estados-Membros. e versão de importância. Parece ter sido adicionado primeiro como uma nota explicativa e, com o passar do tempo, insinuou-se no texto. Griesbach omitiu isso do texto. É digno de nota que, como a união de א aleph e ת tau em hebraico faz את eth, que os rabinos interpretam como a primeira matéria da qual todas as coisas foram formadas (ver em Gênesis 1:1 (nota)); assim, a união de Α alfa e Ω ômega, em grego, forma o verbo αω, eu respiro, e pode muito apropriadamente, em um livro tão simbólico, apontar Aquele em quem vivemos, nos movemos e existimos; pois, tendo formado o homem do pó da terra, soprou em suas narinas o fôlego de vida e ele se tornou uma alma vivente; e é pela inspiração ou sopro de seu Espírito que as almas dos homens são vivificadas, vivificadas dentre os mortos e preparadas para a vida eterna. Ele acrescenta também que é o Todo-Poderoso, o todo-poderoso criador do universo e o inspirador dos homens.
Apocalipse 1:9
Your brother - A Christian, begotten of God, and incorporated in the heavenly family. Companion in tribulation - Suffering under the persecution in which you also suffer. In the kingdom - For we are a kingdom of priests unto God. And patience of Jesus - Meekly bearing all indignities, privations, and sufferings, for the sake and after the example of our Lord and Master. The isle that is called Patmos - This island is one of the Sporades, and lies in the Aegean Sea, between the island of Icaria, and the promontory of Miletus. It is now called Pactino, Patmol, or Palmosa. It has derived all its celebrity from being the place to which St. John was banished by one of the Roman emperors; whether Domitian, Claudius, or Nero, is not agreed on, but it was most probably the latter. The island has a convent on a well fortified hill, dedicated to John the apostle; the inhabitants are said to amount to about three hundred men, and about twenty women to one man. It is very barren, producing very little grain, but abounding in partridges, quails, turtles, pigeons, snipes, and rabbits. It has many good harbours, and is much infested by pirates. Patmos, its capital and chief harbour, lies in east Long. 26 24', north Lat. 37 24'. The whole island is about thirty miles in circumference. For the testimony of Jesus Christ - For preaching Christianity, and converting heathens to the Lord Jesus.
Apocalipse 1:10
I was in the Spirit - That is, I received the Spirit of prophecy, and was under its influence when the first vision was exhibited. The Lord's day - The first day of the week, observed as the Christian Sabbath, because on it Jesus Christ rose from the dead; therefore it was called the Lord's day, and has taken place of the Jewish Sabbath throughout the Christian world. And heard behind me a great voice - This voice came unexpectedly and suddenly. He felt himself under the Divine afflatus; but did not know what scenes were to be represented. As of a trumpet - This was calculated to call in every wandering thought, to fix his attention, and solemnize his whole frame. Thus God prepared Moses to receive the law. See Exo 19:16, Exo 19:19, etc.
Apocalipse 1:11
I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and - This whole clause is wanting in ABC, thirty-one others; some editions; the Syriac, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Slavonic, Vulgate, Arethas, Andreas, and Primasius. Griesbach has left it out of the text. Saying - What thou seest, write in a book - Carefully note down every thing that is represented to thee. John had the visions from heaven; but he described them in his own language and manner. Send it unto the seven Churches - The names of which immediately follow. In Asia. This is wanting in the principal MSS. and versions. Griesbach has left it out of the text. Ephesus - This was a city of Ionia, in Asia Minor, situated at the mouth of the river Cayster, on the shore of the Aegean Sea, about fifty miles south of Smyrna. See preface to the Epistle to the Ephesians. Smyrna - Now called also Ismir, is the largest and richest city of Asia Minor. It is situated about one hundred and eighty-three miles west by south of Constantinople, on the shore of the Aegean Sea. It is supposed to contain about one hundred and forty thousand inhabitants, of whom there are from fifteen to twenty thousand Greeks, six thousand Armenians, five thousand Roman Catholics, one hundred and forty Protestants, eleven thousand Jews, and fifteen thousand Turks. It is a beautiful city, but often ravaged by the plague, and seldom two years together free from earthquakes. In 1758 the city was nearly desolated by the plague; scarcely a sufficient number of the inhabitants survived to gather in the fruits of the earth. In 1688 there was a terrible earthquake here, which overthrew a great number of houses; in one of the shocks, the rock on which the castle stood opened, swallowed up the castle and five thousand persons! On these accounts, nothing but the love of gain, so natural to man, could induce any person to make it his residence; though, in other respects, it can boast of many advantages. In this city the Turks have nineteen mosques; the Greeks, two churches; the Armenians, one; and the Jews, eight synagogues; and the English and Dutch factories have each a chaplain. Smyrna is one hundred miles north of the island of Rhodes, long. 27 25' E., lat. 38 28' N. Pergamos - A town of Mysia, situated on the river Caicus. It was the royal residence of Eumenes, and the kings of the race of the Attali. It was anciently famous for its library, which contained, according to Plutarch, two hundred thousand volumes. It was here that the membranae Pergameniae, Pergamenian skins, were invented; from which we derive our word parchment. Pergamos was the birthplace of Galen; and in it P. Scipio died. It is now called Pergamo and Bergamo, and is situated in long. 27 0' E., lat. 39 13' N. Thyatira - Now called Akissat and Ak-kissar, a city of Natolia, in Asia Minor, seated on the river Hermus, in a plain eighteen miles broad, and is about fifty miles from Pergamos; long. 27 49' E., lat. 38 16' N. The houses are chiefly built of earth, but the mosques are all of marble. Many remarkable ancient inscriptions have been discovered in this place. Sardis - Now called Sardo and Sart, a town of Asia, in Natolia, about forty miles east from Smyrna. It is seated on the side of mount Tmolus, and was once the capital of the Lydian kings, and here Croesus reigned. It is now a poor, inconsiderable village. Long. 28 5' E., lat. 37 51' N. Philadelphia - A city of Natolia, seated at the foot of mount Tmolus, by the river Cogamus. It was founded by Attalus Philadelphus, brother of Eumenes, from whom it derived its name. It is now called Alah-sheker, and is about forty miles ESE. of Smyrna. Long. 28 15' E., lat. 38 28' N. Laodicea - A town of Phrygia, on the river Lycus; first called Diospolis, or the city of Jupiter. It was built by Antiochus Theos, and named after his consort Laodice. See the note on Col 2:1. And, for a very recent account of these seven Churches, see a letter from the Rev. Henry Lindsay, inserted at the end of Revelation 3.
Apocalipse 1:12
And I turned For he had heard the voice behind him. To see the voice; i.e., the person from whom the voice came. Seven golden candlesticks - Ἑπτα λυχνιας χρυσας· Seven golden lamps. It is absurd to say, a golden silver, or brazen candlestick. These seven lamps represented the seven Churches, in which the light of God was continually shining, and the love of God continually burning. And they are here represented as golden, to show how precious they were in the sight of God. This is a reference to the temple at Jerusalem, where there was a candlestick or chandelier of seven branches; or rather six branches; three springing out on either side, and one in the center. See Exo 25:31-37. This reference to the temple seems to intimate that the temple of Jerusalem was a type of the whole Christian Church.
Apocalipse 1:13
Like unto the Son of man - This seems a reference to Dan 7:13. This was our blessed Lord himself, Rev 1:18. Clothed with a garment down to the foot - This is a description of the high priest, in his sacerdotal robes. See these described at large in the notes on Exo 28:4, etc., Jesus is our high priest, even in heaven. He is still discharging the sacerdotal functions before the throne of God. Golden girdle - The emblem both of regal and sacerdotal dignity.
Apocalipse 1:14
His head and his hairs were white like wool - This was not only an emblem of his antiquity, but it was the evidence of his glory; for the whiteness or splendor of his head and hair doubtless proceeded from the rays of light and glory which encircled his head, and darted from it in all directions. The splendor around the head was termed by the Romans nimbus, and by us a glory; and was represented round the heads of gods, deified persons, and saints. It is used in the same way through almost all the nations of the earth. His eyes were as a flame of fire - To denote his omniscience, and the all-penetrating nature of the Divine knowledge.
Apocalipse 1:15
His feet like unto fine brass - An emblem of his stability and permanence, brass being considered the most durable of all metallic substances or compounds. The original word, χαλκολιβανον, means the famous aurichalcum, or factitious metal, which, according to Suidas, was ειδος ηλεκτρου, τιμιωτερον χρυσου, "a kind of amber, more precious than gold." It seems to have been a composition of gold, silver, and brass, and the same with the Corinthian brass, so highly famed and valued; for when Lucius Mummius took and burnt the city of Corinth, many statues of these three metals, being melted, had run together, and formed the composition already mentioned, and which was held in as high estimation as gold. See Pliny, Hist. Nat., lib. 34, c. 2; Florus, lib. 2, c. 16. It may however mean no more than copper melted with lapis calaminaris, which converts it into brass; and the flame that proceeds from the metal during this operation is one of the most intensely and unsufferably vivid that can be imagined. I have often seen several furnaces employed in this operation, and the flames bursting up through the earth (for these furnaces are under ground) always called to remembrance this description given by St. John: His feet of fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; the propriety and accuracy of which none could doubt, and every one must feel who has viewed this most dazzling operation. His voice as the sound of many waters - The same description we find in Eze 43:2 : The glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east; and his voice was like the noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.
Apocalipse 1:16
In his right hand seven stars - The stars are afterwards interpreted as representing the seven angels, messengers, or bishops of the seven Churches. Their being in the right hand of Christ shows that they are under his special care and most powerful protection. See below. Out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword - This is no doubt intended to point out the judgments about to be pronounced by Christ against the rebellious Jews and persecuting Romans; God's judgments were just now going to fall upon both. The sharp two-edged sword may represent the word of God in general, according to that saying of the apostle, Heb 4:12 : The word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, etc. And the word of God is termed the sword of the Spirit, Eph 6:17. And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength - His face was like the disk of the sun in the brightest summer's day, when there were no clouds to abate the splendor of his rays. A similar form of expression is found in Jdg 5:31 : Let them that love him be as the sun when he Goeth Forth in His Might. And a similar description may be found, Midrash in Yalcut Simeoni, part I., fol. 55, 4: "When Moses and Aaron came and stood before Pharaoh, they appeared like the ministering angels; and their stature, like the cedars of Lebanon: - וגלגלי עיניהם דומים לגלגלי חמה vegalgilley eyneyhem domim legalgilley chammah, and the pupils of their eyes were like the wheels of the sun; and their beards were as the grape of the palm trees; וזיו פניהם כזיו חמה veziv peneyhem keziv chammah, and the Splendor of Their Faces was as the Splendor of the Sun."
Apocalipse 1:17
I fell at his feet as dead - The appearance of the glory of the Lord had then same effect upon Ezekiel, Eze 1:28 : and the appearance of Gabriel had the same effect on Daniel, Dan 8:17. The terrible splendor of such majesty was more than the apostle could bear, and he fell down deprived of his senses, but was soon enabled to behold the vision by a communication of strength from our Lord's right hand.
Apocalipse 1:18
I am he that liveth, and was dead - I am Jesus the Savior, who, though the fountain of life, have died for mankind; and being raised from the dead I shall die no more, the great sacrifice being consummated. And have the keys of death and the grave, so that I can destroy the living and raise the dead. The key here signifies the power and authority over life, death, and the grave. This is also a rabbinical form of speech. In the Jerusalem Targum, on Gen 30:22, are these words: "There are four Keys in the hand of God which he never trusts to angel or seraph. 1. The key of the rain; 2. The key of provision; 3. The key of the grave; and 4. The key of the barren womb." In Sanhedrin, fol. 113, 1, it is said: "When the son of the woman of Sarepta died, Elijah requested that to him might be given the key of the resurrection of the dead. They said to him, there are three Keys which are not given into the hand of the apostle, the key of life, the key of the rain, and the key of the resurrection of the dead." From these examples it is evident that we should understand ᾁδης, hades, here, not as hell, nor the place of separate spirits, but merely as the grave; and the key we find to be merely the emblem of power and authority. Christ can both save and destroy, can kill and make alive. Death is still under his dominion, and he can recall the dead whensoever he pleases. He is the resurrection and the life.
Apocalipse 1:19
Write the things which thou hast seen - These visions and prophecies are for general instruction, and therefore every circumstance must be faithfully recorded. What he had seen was to be written; what he was about to see, relative to the seven Churches, must be also written; and what he was to see afterwards, concerning other Churches and states, to be recorded likewise.
Apocalipse 1:20
The mystery - That is, the allegorical explanation of the seven stars is the seven angels or ministers of the Churches; and the allegorical meaning of the seven golden lamps is the seven Churches themselves. 1. In the seven stars there may be an allusion to the seals of different offices under potentates, each of which had its own particular seal, which verified all instruments from that office; and as these seals were frequently set in rings which were worn on the fingers, there may be an allusion to those brilliants set in rings, and worn επι της δεξιας, Upon the right hand. In Jer 22:24, Coniah is represented as a signet on the right hand of the Lord; and that such signets were in rings see Gen 38:18, Gen 38:25; Exo 18:11; Dan 6:17, Hag 2:23. On close examination we shall find that all the symbols in this book have their foundation either in nature, fact, custom, or general opinion. One of the cutchery seals of the late Tippoo Saib, with which he stamped all the commissions of that office, lies now before me; it is cut on silver, in the Taaleck character, and the piece of silver is set in a large gold ring, heavy, but roughly manufactured. 2. The Churches are represented by these lamps; they hold the oil and the fire, and dispense the light. A lamp is not light in itself, it is only the instrument of dispensing light, and it must receive both oil and fire before it can dispense any; so no Church has in itself either grace or glory, it must receive all from Christ its head, else it can dispense neither light nor life. 3. The ministers of the Gospel are signets or seals of Jesus Christ; he uses them to stamp his truth, to accredit it, and give it currency. But as a seal can mark nothing of itself unless applied by a proper hand, so the ministers of Christ can do no good, seal no truth, impress no soul, unless the great owner condescend to use them. 4. How careful should the Church be that it have the oil and the light, that it continue to burn and send forth Divine knowledge! In vain does any Church pretend to be a Church of Christ if it dispense no light; if souls are not enlightened, quickened, and converted in it. If Jesus walk in it, its light will shine both clearly and strongly, and sinners will be converted unto him; and the members of that Church will be children of the light, and walk as children of the light and of the day, and there will be no occasion of stumbling in them. 5. How careful should the ministers of Christ be that they proclaim nothing as truth, and accredit nothing as truth, but what comes from their master! They should also take heed lest, after having preached to others, themselves should be cast-aways; lest God should say unto them as he said of Coniah, As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim, were the Signet Upon My Right Hand, yet would I pluck thee thence. On the other hand, if they be faithful, their labor shall not be in vain, and their safety shall be great. He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of God's eye, and none shall be able to pluck them out of his hand. they are the angels and ambassadors of the Lord; their persons are sacred; they are the messengers of the Churches, and the glory of Christ. Should they lose their lives in the work, it will be only a speedier entrance into an eternal glory. The rougher the way, the shorter their stay, The troubles that rise Shall gloriously hurry their souls to the skies.