Bible Commentaries

In this chapter we have, I. A further description of the heavenly state of the church, Re 22:1-5. II. A confirmation of this and all the other visions of this book, Re 22:6-19. III. The conclusion, Re 22:20,21.

For the analysis of the first five verses of this chapter see the analysis of Revelation 21. The chapter comprises the remainder of the description of the "New Jerusalem" - the blessed abode of the saints Revelation 22:1-5, and then Revelation 22:6-21 the conclusion or epilogue of the whole book. It is difficult to conceive what induced the author of the division of the New Testament into chapters, to separate the first five verses of this chapter from the preceding chapter. A new chapter should have commenced at Revelation 22:6; for the remainder properly comprises the conclusion of the whole book. Compare the introduction to the notes on the Gospels.

Analysis Of Chapter 22:6-20

This portion of the Book of Revelation is properly the epilogue, or conclusion. The main purposes of the vision are accomplished; the enemies of the church are quelled; the church is triumphant; the affairs of the world are wound up; the redeemed are received to their blissful, eternal abode; the wicked are cut off; the earth is purified, and the affairs of the universe are fixed on their permanent foundation. A few miscellaneous matters, therefore, close the book:

(1) A solemn affirmation on the part of him who had made these revelations, that they are true, and that they will be speedily accomplished, and that he will be blessed or happy who shall keep the sayings of the book, Revelation 22:6-7.

(2) the effect of all these things on John himself, leading him, as in a former case Revelation 19:10, to a disposition to worship him who had been the medium in making to him such extraordinary communications, Revelation 22:8-9.

(3) a command not to seal up what had been revealed, since the time was near. These things would soon have their fulfillment, and it was proper that the prophecies should be unsealed, or open, both that the events might be compared with the predictions, and that a persecuted church might be able to see what would be the result of all these things, and to find consolation in the assurance of the final triumph of the Son of God, Revelation 22:10.

(4) the fixed and unchangeable state of the righteous and the wicked, Revelation 22:11-13.

(5) the blessedness of those who keep the commandments of God, and who enter into the New Jerusalem, Revelation 22:14-15.

(6) Jesus, the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star, proclaims himself to be the Author of all these revelations by the instrumentality of an angel, Revelation 22:16.

(7) the universal invitation of the gospel - the language of Jesus himself - giving utterance to his strong desire for the salvation of people, Revelation 22:17.

(8) a solemn command not to change anything that had been revealed in this book, either by adding to it or taking from it, Revelation 22:18-19.

(9) the assurance that he who had made these revelations would come quickly, and the joyous assent of John to this, and prayer that his advent might soon occur, Revelation 22:20.

(10) the benediction, Revelation 22:21.

The river of the water of life, Revelation 22:1. The tree of life, Revelation 22:2. There is no curse nor darkness in the city of God, Revelation 22:3-5. The angel assures John of the truth of what he has heard, and states that the time of the fulfillment is at hand, Revelation 22:6, Revelation 22:7. He forbids John to worship him, Revelation 22:8, Revelation 22:9. Again he states that the time of the fulfillment of the prophecies of this book is at hand, Revelation 22:10-12. Christ is Alpha and Omega, Revelation 22:13. The blessedness of those who keep his commandments; they enter through the gates into the city, Revelation 22:14. All the unholy are excluded, Revelation 22:15. Christ sent his angel to testify of those things in the Churches, Revelation 22:16. The invitation of the Spirit and the bride, Revelation 22:17. A curse denounced against those who shall either add to or take away front the prophecies of this book, Revelation 22:18, Revelation 22:19. Christ cometh quickly, Revelation 22:20. The apostolical benediction, Revelation 22:21.

INTRODUCTION TO Revelation 22

This chapter contains a further account of the above city, a confirmation of the visions of this book, and the conclusion of it. The city is further described by the river that ran by it, or through it, called a river of water of life, said to be pure and clear as crystal, and to have its rise from the throne of God and the Lamb; and by the tree of life in the midst of it, situated on each side the river, bearing twelve sorts of fruit, yielded every month, the leaves of which heal the nations, Revelation 22:1 and the happiness of the inhabitants of it is set forth, by there being no curse in it; by the throne of God and the Lamb being in it; by the service of the saints in it; by the pleasure they enjoy, and the honour put upon them; by the light of the place, and the duration of the saints' reign, Revelation 22:3 next follow testimonies concerning the authority of the book, and the truth of things in it; and first, the testimony of the angel that talked with John, declaring that the things in it were true and faithful; and that he was sent from the Lord God of the prophets to show to the saints things that would quickly come to pass; and that Christ himself would quickly come; and that they were happy who kept and observed the sayings and prophecies of it, Revelation 22:6 then the testimony of John who saw and heard them, and was about to worship the angel that declared them, but was forbid by him, and dissuaded from it, by observing to him who he was, a fellow servant of his and of his brethren, and that God only was to be worshipped, Revelation 22:8 who is ordered, as it seems by Christ, not to seal up the prophecies delivered to him, since the time of their fulfilment was at hand, when men would remain just as they were, whether ungodly and filthy, or righteous and holy, Revelation 22:10 and who declares that he should quickly come to reward every man according to his works; and that he was the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last; and that they were happy that did his commandments, since it would appear they had a right to the tree of life, and to entrance through the gates into the city before described, when wicked men, whose characters are given, would be without, Revelation 22:12 and still more clearly and fully Christ asserts himself to be the author of this revelation, and the sender of the angel, to testify it to the church, who is David's root and offspring, and the morning star, whose coming is to be wished for by the Spirit and bride, and every truly gracious soul, Revelation 22:16 and to show the perfection and authority of this book, as well as of the whole Scripture, and to deter persons from adding to it, or taking from it, he threatens to inflict on such persons the plagues herein written, and to take the names of such out of the book of life, out of the holy city, and from the things written in this book, Revelation 22:18 and then he delivers out a fresh asseveration of his speedy coming, to which John adds his hearty "Amen", and earnest request that he would come quickly; and the book is concluded with a benediction usual in the epistles, especially in those of the Apostle Paul, Revelation 22:20.

XXII.

THE RESTORED PARADISE (Revelation 22:1-5).—These five verses complete the description of the new heavens and new earth. The features of this last section reflect those of the first and forfeited paradise: the tree of life and the river that flows by the trees are here, and the happy and willing service of God is restored (Revelation 22:3-4), and the curse has disappeared.

CHAPTER 22

Revelation 22:1. ποταμὸν ὕδ. ζ. λαμπρὸν ὡς κρ. So A, B, א, al., Verss., Beng., Griesb., Lach., Tisch. [W. and H.]. The καθαρόν, which the Rec. has before ποταμ., is without attestation.

Revelation 22:2. Instead of ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν (Elz., Beng.; cf. John 19:18), read ἐντ. κ. ἐκεῖθεν (A, B, al., Lach., Tisch. [W. and H.]). The ἕνα before ἕκαστον (Elz., Beng.) is rightly deleted by Griesb.

Revelation 22:3. κατάθεμα. So A, B, א1, al., Beng., Griesb., the moderns. Incorrectly, Elz.: κατανάθεμα; cf. Matthew 26:74.

Revelation 22:5. The ἐκεῖ after ἔσται (Elz., Beng.) is without attestation. According to A, א, al., Griesb., Lach., Tisch. IX. [W. and H.] have written ἔτι; Tisch. has written this also after B. καὶ οὐ χρεία λύχνου καὶ φωτός. So Tisch., according to B. This appears to be the mater lectionis; yet Lach., who writes καὶ οὐχ ἕξουσιν (א: οὐκ ἔχουσιν) χρείαν φωτὸς λύχνου καὶ φωτὸς ἡλίου, has in his favor the testimony of A and א; while the rec. κ. χρείαν οὐκ ἕχουσι λύχνου καὶ φωτὸς ἡλίου is unattested. Tisch. IX. [W. and H.]: κ. οὐκ. ἔχ. χρείαν φωτὸς λύχν. κ.

φωτίσει. The fut. is certain, although the discrimination as to the form φωτίσει (A, al., Beng., Lach.), or φωτιεῖ, is difficult. The pres. (Elz.) has only unimportant witnesses. ἐπʼ αὐτούς. So A, א, Beng., Griesb., the moderns. The ἐπὶ is lacking in B, Elz.

Revelation 22:6. τῶν πνευμάτων τῶν προφητῶν. So, correctly (A, B, א, al.) already, Beng., Griesb. The modification τ. ἁγίων προφ. (Elz.) is without critical value.

Revelation 22:8. After κ. ὅτε ἤκουσυ, Tisch. has καὶ ὀτε ἵδον (B, al.). This is, at all events, more correct than the Rec. καὶ ἔβλεψα (so א), which Lach., Tisch. IX., have indorsed, although A has κ. ἔβλεπον. But even this form is liable to suspicion because of its correspondence with the preceding βλέπων.

Revelation 22:10. The ὄτι before ὁ καιρὸς (Rec., Beng.) is certainly a proposed interpretation; as such, the γὰρ also, after ὁ καιρ., appears suspicious, although its omission (Griesb., Tisch.) is forbidden by A, B, א, al., Verss. (Lach., Tisch. IX.).

Revelation 22:11. ὁ ῥυπαρὸς ῥυπαρευθήτω. So A, al., Beng., Griesb., Tisch. The form, supported by Orig. and א, ῥυπανθήτω (Lach., Tisch. IX. [W. and H.]) is the more usual, and may accordingly indeed have the force of an explanation. The Rec. ὁ ῥυπῶν ῥυπωσάτω is feebly attested. Instead of δικαιωθήτω (Elz.), Beng. already wrote δικαιοσύνην ποιησάτω (A, B, א, al.).

Revelation 22:12. ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ. So A, א, 21, Syr., Lach., Tisch. [W. and H.]. Whether B thus read, or have αὐτοῦ ἐστὶν (Elz., Beng.), is not established; cf. Tisch.

Revelation 22:14. The Rec. ποιοῦντες τὰς ἐντολὰς αὺτοῦ is therefore to be preferred (cf. De Wette) because the reading πλύνοντες τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν (Lach., Tisch. [W. and H.]), advocated by A, א, 7, 38, Verss., appears to have the purpose which is clearly expressed in the text of Andr. (τ. ἐντ. ἐμοῦ); viz., not to allow the speech of Christ (Revelation 22:13; Revelation 22:16) to be interrupted by an intervening speech of John.

Revelation 22:16. ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. It is certain that this reading, supported by Beng., Tisch. (cf. also De Wette, etc.), depends only upon the witnesses 4, 11, 12, 47, 48, Arm., al.; while the ἐν (A, al., Verss., Lach.), as well as the ἐπὶ (B, א, al., Syr., Elz., Tisch. IX. [W. and H.]), was apparently interpolated because the address of Christ to the churches was not understood. So the exposition.

Revelation 22:21. The additions ὖμῶν and τῶν ἁγίων (B, al.) to πάντων, and the Ἀμήν at the close (Elz.), were properly rejected already by Beng. The subscription, which in A runs ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου, is entirely lacking in B, al.

Re 22:1-21.

THE RIVER OF LIFE: THE TREE OF LIFE: THE OTHER BLESSEDNESSES OF THE REDEEMED. JOHN FORBIDDEN TO WORSHIP THE ANGEL. NEARNESS OF CHRIST'S COMING TO FIX MAN'S ETERNAL STATE. TESTIMONY OF JESUS, HIS SPIRIT, AND THE BRIDE, ANY ADDITION TO WHICH, OR SUBTRACTION FROM WHICH, SHALL BE ETERNALLY PUNISHED. CLOSING BENEDICTION.

1. pure--A, B, Vulgate, and HILARY 22, omit.

water of life--infinitely superior to the typical waters in the first Paradise

(Ge 2:10-14);

and even superior to those figurative ones in the millennial Jerusalem

(Eze 47:1, 12; Zec 14:8),

as the matured fruit is superior to the flower. The millennial waters represent full Gospel grace; these waters of new Jerusalem represent Gospel glory perfected. Their continuous flow from God, the Fountain of life, symbolizes the uninterrupted continuance of life derived by the saints, ever fresh, from Him: life in fulness of joy, as well as perpetual vitality. Like pure crystal, it is free from every taint: compare

Re 4:6,

"before the throne a sea of glass, like crystal."

clear--Greek, "bright."