Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible · 요한계시록 1장

Revelation 1:1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ,— The book opens with the title, or inscription, the scope and design of it; to foretel things, which should shortly begin to be fulfilled, andsucceed in their due season and order, till all were accomplished; and with the blessing pronounced on him who should read and explain it, and on them who shall hear and attend to it. The distinction is remarkable, of him that readeth, and of them that hear: for books being then in manuscripts, were in much fewer hands; and it was a much readier way to publish a prophecy, or any thing, by public reading, than by transcribing copies. It was the custom too of that age to read all the apostolic writings in the congregations of the faithful; but now this excellent book of the Revelation is seldom read, or only some few parts of it, in the congregations. Instead of and he sent and signified it, &c. the Greek might be better rendered which he signified, sending by his angel. In the stile of prophecy, whence the expressions of this book are chiefly taken, every thing is called an angel that notifies a message from God, or executes his will; a prophetic dream is an angel; the pillar of fire, which went before the Israelites, is called God's angel. The winds, and flames of fire, are angels to us, when used by God as voices to teach, or rods to punish us: so that God is properly said to reveal by his angel, what he makes known either by voice, by dream, by vision, or any other manner of true prophetic revelation. BishopBossuet has finely observed, in the preface to his Exposition of the Revelation, "that in the Gospel of St. John we read the life of Christ on earth as a man conversing with men, humble, poor, weak, and suffering; we behold a sacrifice ready to be offered, and one appointed to sorrows and death: but in the Revelation of St. John we have the gospel of Christ, who was now raised from the dead. He speaks and acts as having conquered the grave, and triumphed over death and hell; as entered into the place of his glory, angels, principalities, and powers being made subject unto him; and exercising the supreme universal power which he has received from the Father over all things in heaven and earth, as our Saviour, for the protection of his church, and for the sure happiness of his faithful servants in the end." All this he is as Mediator, being at the same time, in respect to Deity, "God over all, blessed for ever."

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Revelation 1:2. Who bare record— "Who, being honoured with so important a message, failed not faithfully to declare it, but testified the word of God, which, in those prophetic visions, came unto him; and the testimony of Jesus Christ, (whose messenger the angel was,) exactly reporting whatever he saw."

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Revelation 1:4. John to the seven churches— The apostle dedicates his book, Rev 1:4-6 to the seven churches of the Lydian or Proconsular Asia, wishing them grace and peace from God the Father, as the author and giver; from the seven spirits, the representatives of the Holy Ghost, as the instruments; and from Jesus Christ the Mediator,whoismentioned last, because the subsequent discourse more immediately relates to him. To the dedication he subjoins a short and solemn preface, Rev 1:7-8 to shew the great authority of the divinePerson who had commissioned him to write the Revelation. Grotius is of opinion, that the nominative case not being varied in the clause rendered from him which is, and which was, &c. into the genitive, as the common rules of grammar require, is designed to represent the everlasting veracity and invariableness of God, and the unchangeable majesty of Christ, in the testimony of his gospel, and the glory of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit, as is above hinted, is meant by the seven spirits which are before the throne. Seven, in the language of prophesy, often expresses perfection, and may better be understood of the most perfect Spirit of God, the Author of all spiritual blessings, than of seven angels, as a more natural interpretation of the expression in prophesy, as well as much more agreeable to the manner of the gospel blessing, from Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

This too is most consistent with the prohibition of prayer to the angels; and, if we do not take this for the true interpretation, it will be a great difficulty to account for the omission of the Spirit, whose dignity must be allowed infinitely superior to that of the highest created angel.

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Revelation 1:5. The faithful witness,— In the original the nominative case is again used by St. John, contrary to the analogy of grammar, to signify, that, as he had intimated the immortality of the Deity, so likewise Christ was no less immutable in his kingdom and in his testimony. Christ is called the Prince of the kings of the earth, to encourage them in the profession of Christianity, notwithstandingthe opposition made by kings, whom he could easily defeat and destroy in a moment. See John 13:34; John 15:9. 1 John 1:7.

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Revelation 1:7. Behold, he cometh with clouds, &c.— This verse contains the great moral which the whole book is designed to illustrate; namely, that, though there should be great opposition made against the cause and kingdom of Christ, yet it should be utterlyin vain, and his kingdom should triumph in the most illustrious manner; so that all who had opposed him, should have the greatest reason to mourn; to lament that fatal opposition, by which, instead of prevailing in the least against him, they have only effected their own destruction: and as this series of divine prophecy begins, so it ends with this sentiment, and with the joyful consent of his faithful servants to this glorious truth, which should fill the enemies of Christ with such terror and dismay. Comp. ch. Revelation 22:20. The last clause, Even so, Amen, may be thus interpreted, "Yea, Lord, we repeat our joyful assent; be it so; Come, Lord Jesus, in the clouds of heaven; take to thyself thy great power, and reign: thy faithful people shall lift up their heads with joy and triumph, being assured that their complete redemption is approaching."

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Revelation 1:8. I am Alpha and Omega,— "I was before all worlds, and shall continue the same, when all the revolutions of this world are over, and the final scenes relating to it shall be concluded." This verse affords us a glorious attestation to the Divinity of our great Lord and Saviour; and, though some have endeavoured to weaken its force by interpreting the words as spoken by the Father, every unprejudiced reader must discern that nothing can be more inconsistent with the context. Besides, most of the phrases which are here used, are afterwards applied to our Lord Jesus Christ. See Colossians 1:17. Hebrews 1:3.

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Revelation 1:9. I John,— The apostle, in this and the subsequent verses, mentions the place where the Revelation was given, and describes the manner and circumstances of the first vision: the place was Patmos. Ecclesiastical history tells us, that St. John was here employed in digging in a mine, being banished hither by Domitian the emperor, after he had come unhurt out of a cauldron of boiling oil; but the historical evidence produced for this latter event is very uncertain. Bishop Newton is of opinion, that St. John was banished by Nero.

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Revelation 1:10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day,— That is, the day which we in general call Sunday; denominated the Lord's day, in memory of his resurrection from the dead. That the primitive Christians set this day apart for religious worship, appears both from St. Paul's Epistles, and from Justin Martyr's Apology, Ignatius, Tertullian, &c. It should be observed, that this Revelation was given on the Lord's day, when the apostle's heart and affections, as we may reasonably suppose, were peculiarly sublimed by the meditations and devotions of the day, and rendered more capable of receiving divine inspiration. The heavenly visions were vouchsafed to St. John, as they were before to Daniel, (ch. Revelation 9:20.) after supplication and prayer; and there being two kinds of prophetic revelation, in a vision, and a dream, the Jews accounted a vision superior to a dream, as representing things more perfectly, and to the life; so that this book is represented as the highest degree of prophetic revelation.

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Revelation 1:11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega,— Dr. Doddridge's note here deserves to be particularly remarked: "That these titles (says he) should be repeated so soon, in a connection which demonstrates that they are given to Christ, will appear very remarkable, whatever sense be given to the 8th verse; and I cannot forbear recording it, that this text hath done more than anyother in the Bible toward preventing me from giving into that scheme, which would make our Lord Jesus Christ no more than a deified creature." Whether these seven were the only Asiatic churches, we do not presume to inquire; doubtless they were the principal. See on ch. Revelation 2:1. It is certain, the epistles to these churches contain many things of universal concern; and as there is plainly an intention to represent the regard of Christ to ministers and churches, by his walking among golden candlesticks, and holding stars in his right hand, the number seven may be mentioned as it seems best to harmonize with some other parts of this book; namely, with the seven spirits, seven seals, seven trumpets, &c. See on Revelation 1:4.

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Revelation 1:12. Seven golden candlesticks;— The original word here used for candlesticks, answers almost constantly to the Hebrew one used for the golden candlesticks, or chandeliers, in the tabernacle and temple.

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Revelation 1:13. One like unto the Son of man, clothed, &c.— The clothing here mentioned, is something like the Jewish high-priest's; and Christ is described much in the same manner as the divine appearance in Daniel's vision; Daniel 7:9. The girdles were a kind of sash, which went over the neck like a tippet, were crossed on the breast, and then went round the lower part of it two or three times, like a modern circingle, and from hence they fell down almost to the feet. They were sometimes embroidered, and at other times fringed with gold. The priests were required, for coolness and decency, to wear linen garments, and gird themselves higher than others; (see Ezekiel 44:17-18.) And this is one of the many allusions to the temple, and its forms and customs, with which we shall find this book so greatly to abound. See Exodus 39:5.

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Revelation 1:14. His head and his hairs were white like wool,— The hairs of his head, &c. The word Λευκος, which we translate white, properly signifies "of great lustre." Thus ch. Revelation 20:11. I saw a great white throne, that is, "a throne with glorious lustre." This being an appearance of the Shechinah, is to be considered, as that always was, a representation of the divine Presence, Majesty, and Glory. Therefore the glory in which the Shechinah appeared in ancient prophecy, is very properly applicable to it.

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Revelation 1:15. Unto fine brass,— The original word χαλκολιβανον, signifies some kind of fine copper or brass; the inferior kind of auri chalcum, in use among the Romans. See Dan 10:6 and Parkhurst on the word.

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Revelation 1:16. He had in his right hand seven stars:— The candlesticks, or churches, were round about him: he, in the midst of them, held in his right hand the stars; that is, the angels or bishops of the churches: stars are the hieroglyphics used to express both rulers and teachers. They may therefore, with great propriety, be used symbolically, for the bishops or pastors of the church. See on Jude, Revelation 1:13.

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Revelation 1:17. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet, &c.— "I have just been describing the appearance of Jesus Christ to me, with which I was favoured on the Lord's day, while I was engaged in such devout sentiments as were suitable to the time and occasion: and I now add, that when I saw him in this awful, this glorious and resplendent form, I was perfectly overwhelmed with the majesty of his appearance, so that I fell down at his feet dead; and he immediately condescended to raise me up, with great indulgence; for he laid his right hand upon me, and said to me, Fear not, John, for I appear to thee for purposes of mercy; I am, indeed, as I have proclaimed myself, the First and the Last, possessed of divine perfections and glories, from eternity to eternity the same."

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