Revelation 22

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."

2. The harmonious unity of Scripture is herein exhibited. The

Fathers compared it to a ring, an unbroken circle, returning into

itself. Between the events of Genesis and those at the close of the

Apocalypse, at least six thousand or seven thousand years intervene;

and between Moses the first writer and John the last about one thousand

five hundred years. How striking it is that, as in the beginning we

found Adam and Eve, his bride, in innocence m Paradise, then tempted by

the serpent, and driven from the tree of life, and from the pleasant

waters of Eden, yet not without a promise of a Redeemer who should

crush the serpent; so at the close, the old serpent cast out for ever

the Church, in a better Paradise, and amidst better waters

(Re 22:1):

the tree of life also is there with all its healing properties,

not guarded with a flaming sword, but open to all who overcome

(Re 2:7),

and there is no more curse.

street of it--that is, of the city.

on either side of the river--ALFORD

translates, "In the midst of the street of it (the city) and of the

river, on one side and on the other" (for the second Greek,

"enteuthen," A, B, and Syriac read, ekeithen: the

sense is the same; compare Greek,

Joh 19:18);

thus the trees were on each side in the middle of the space between the

street and the river. But from

Eze 47:7,

I prefer English Version. The antitype exceeds the type: in the

first Paradise was only one tree of life; now there are "very

many trees at the bank of the river, on the one side and on the

other." To make good sense, supposing there to be but one

tree, we should either, as MEDE, suppose that the

Greek for street is a plain washed on both sides

Tigris, on the other by the Euphrates), and that in the midst of the

plain, which itself is in the midst of the river's branches, stood the

tree: in which case we may translate, "In the midst of the street

(plain) itself, and of the river (having two branches flowing)

on this and on that side, was there the tree of life." Or else with

DURHAM suppose, the tree was in the midst

of the river, and extending its branches to both banks. But compare

Eze 47:12,

the millennial type of the final Paradise; which shows that there are

several trees of the one kind, all termed "the tree of life." Death

reigns now because of sin; even in the millennial earth sin, and

therefore death, though much limited, shall not altogether cease. But

in the final and heavenly city on earth, sin and death shall utterly

cease.

yielded her fruit every month--Greek, "according to each

month"; each month had its own proper fruit, just as different seasons

are now marked by their own productions; only that then, unlike now,

there shall be no season without its fruit, and there shall be

an endless variety, answering to twelve, the number symbolical

of the world-wide Church (compare Note, see on

Re 12:1;

Re 21:14).

ARCHBISHOP WHATLEY thinks

that the tree of life was among the trees of which Adam freely

ate

(Ge 2:9, 16, 17),

and that his continuance in immortality was dependent on his

continuing to eat of this tree; having forfeited it, he became

liable to death; but still the effects of having eaten of it for a time

showed themselves in the longevity of the patriarchs. God could

undoubtedly endue a tree with special medicinal powers. But

Ge 3:22

seems to imply, man had not yet taken of the tree, and that if

he had, he would have lived for ever, which in his then fallen state

would have been the greatest curse.

leaves . . . for . . . healing--

(Eze 47:9, 12).

The leaves shall be the health-giving preventive securing

the redeemed against, not healing them of, sicknesses, while "the fruit

shall be for meat." In the millennium described in

Eze 47:1-23

and Re 20:1-15,

the Church shall give the Gospel-tree to the nations outside Israel and

the Church, and so shall heal their spiritual malady; but in the

final and perfect new Jerusalem here described, the state

of all is eternally fixed, and no saving process goes on any longer

(compare

Re 22:11).

ALFORD utterly mistakes in speaking of "nations

outside," and "dwelling on the renewed earth, organized under kings,

and saved by the influences of the heavenly city" (!) Compare

Re 21:2, 10-27;

the "nations" mentioned

(Re 21:24)

are those which have long before, namely, in the millennium

(Re 11:15),

become the Lord's and His Christ's.

3. no more curse--of which the earnest shall be given in the

millennium

(Zec 14:11).

God can only dwell where the curse and its cause, the cursed thing sin

(Jos 7:12),

are removed. So there follows rightly, "But the throne of God and of

the Lamb (who redeemed us from the curse,

Ga 3:10, 13)

shall be in it." Compare in the millennium,

Eze 48:35.

serve him--with worship

(Re 7:15).

4. see his face--revealed in divine glory, in Christ

Jesus. They shall see and know Him with intuitive knowledge of Him,

even as they are known by Him

(1Co 13:9-12),

and face to face. Compare

1Ti 6:16,

with Joh 14:9.

God the Father can only be seen in Christ.

in--Greek, "on their foreheads." Not only shall

they personally and in secret

(Re 3:17)

know their sonship, but they shall be known as sons of God to all the

citizens of the new Jerusalem, so that the free flow of mutual love

among the members of Christ's family will not be checked by suspicion

as here.

5. there--so ANDREAS. But A, B,

Vulgate, and Syriac read, "(there shall be no night) any

longer"; Greek, "eti," for "ekei."

they need--A, Vulgate, and Coptic read the future,

"they shall not have need." B reads, "(and there shall be) no

need."

candle--Greek, "lamp." A, Vulgate, Syriac, and

Coptic insert "light (of a candle, or lamp)." B

Omits it.

of the sun--so A. But B omits it.

giveth . . . light--"illumines." So Vulgate and

Syriac. But A reads, "shall give light."

them--so B and ANDREAS. But A reads,

"upon them."

reign--with a glory probably transcending that of their reign in

heaven with Christ over the millennial nations in the flesh described

in

Re 20:4, 6;

that reign was but for a limited time, "a thousand years"; this final

reign is "unto the ages of the ages."

6. These sayings are true--thrice repeated

(Re 19:9; 21:5).

For we are slow to believe that God is as good as He is. The news seems

to us, habituated as we are to the misery of this fallen world, too

good to be true [NANGLE]. They are no dreams of a

visionary, but the realities of God's sure word.

holy--so ANDREAS. But A, B, Vulgate,

Syriac, and Coptic read, "(the Lord God of the)

spirits (of the prophets)." The Lord God who with His Spirit

inspired their spirits so as to be able to prophesy. There is but one

Spirit, but individual prophets, according to the measure given them

(1Co 12:4-11),

had their own spirits [BENGEL]

(1Pe 1:11;

2Pe 1:21).

be done--Greek, "come to pass."

7. "And" is omitted in Coptic and

ANDREAS with English Version, but is

inserted by A, B, Vulgate and Syriac.

blessed--

(Re 1:3).

8. Both here and in

Re 19:9, 10,

the apostle's falling at the feet of the angel is preceded by a

glorious promise to the Church, accompanied with the assurance, that

"These are the true sayings of God," and that those are "blessed" who

keep them. Rapturous emotion, gratitude, and adoration, at the prospect

of the Church's future glory transport him out of himself, so as all

but to fall into an unjustifiable act; contrast his opposite feeling at

the prospect of the Church's deep fall [AUBERLEN],

see on

Re 17:6;

Re 19:9, 10.

saw . . . and heard--A, B, Vulgate, and

Syriac transpose these verbs. Translate literally, "I John (was

he) who heard and saw these things." It is observable that in

Re 19:10,

the language is, "I fell before his feet to worship him"; but here, "I

fell down to worship (God?) before the feet of the angel." It

seems unlikely that John, when once reproved, would fall into the very

same error again. BENGEL'S view, therefore, is

probable; John had first intended to worship the angel

(Re 19:10),

but now only at his feet intends to worship (God). The angel

does not even permit this.

9. Literally, "See not"; the abruptness of the phrase marking

the angel's abhorrence of the thought of his being worshipped

however indirectly. Contrast the fallen angel's temptation to Jesus,

"Fall down and worship me"

(Mt 4:9).

for--A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic,

ANDREAS, and CYPRIAN omit

"for"; which accords with the abrupt earnestness of the angel's

prohibition of an act derogatory to God.

and of--"and (the fellow servant) of thy brethren."

10. Seal not--But in

Da 12:4, 9

(compare

Da 8:26),

the command is, "Seal the book," for the vision shall be "for many

days." The fulfilment of Daniel's prophecy was distant, that of John's

prophecy is near. The New Testament is the time of the end and

fulfilment. The Gentile Church, for which John wrote his Revelation,

needs more to be impressed with the shortness of the period, as it is

inclined, owing to its Gentile origin, to conform to the world and

forget the coming of the Lord. The Revelation points, on the one hand,

to Christ's coming as distant, for it shows the succession of the seven

seals, trumpets, and vials; on the other hand, it proclaims, "Behold, I

come quickly." So Christ marked many events as about to intervene

before His coming, and yet He also says "Behold, I come quickly,"

because our right attitude is that of continual prayerful watching for

His coming

(Mt 25:6, 13, 19;

Mr 13:32-37

[AUBERLEN]; compare

Re 1:3).

11. unjust--"unrighteous"; in relation to one's fellow men;

opposed to "righteous," or "just" (as the Greek may be

translated) below. More literally, "he that doeth unjustly, let

him do unjustly still."

filthy--in relation to one's own soul as unclean before God;

opposed to holy," consecrated to God as pure. A omits the clause, "He

which is filthy let him be filthy still." But B supports it. In the

letter of the Vienne and Lyons Martyrs (in

EUSEBIUS) in the second century, the reading is,

"He that is lawless (Greek, 'anomos') let him be

lawless; and he that is righteous let him be righteous (literally, 'be

justified') still." No manuscript is so old. A, B, Vulgate, Syriac,

Coptic, ANDREAS, and

CYPRIAN read, "let him do righteousness"

(1Jo 2:29; 3:7).

The punishment of sin is sin, the reward of holiness is holiness.

Eternal punishment is not so much an arbitrary law, as a result

necessarily following in the very nature of things, as the fruit

results from the bud. No worse punishment can God lay on ungodly men

than to give them up to themselves. The solemn lesson derivable from

this verse is, Be converted now in the short time left

(Re 22:10,

end) before "I come"

(Re 22:7, 12),

or else you must remain unconverted for ever; sin in the eternal world

will be left to its own natural consequences; holiness in germ will

there develop itself into perfect holiness, which is happiness.

12. And--in none of our manuscripts. But A, B, Vulgate,

Syriac, Coptic, and CYPRIAN omit it.

behold, I come quickly--(Compare

Re 22:7).

my reward is with me--

(Isa 40:10; 62:11).

to give--Greek, "to render."

every man--Greek, "to each."

shall be--so B in MAI. But B in

TISCHENDORF, and A, Syriac, read, "is."

13. I am Alpha--Greek, ". . . the Alpha

and the Omega." A, B, Vulgate, Syriac,

ORIGEN, and CYPRIAN transpose

thus, "the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

ANDREAS supports English Version. Compare

with these divine titles assumed here by the Lord Jesus,

Re 1:8, 17; 21:6.

At the winding up of the whole scheme of revelation He announces

Himself as the One before whom and after whom there is no

God.

14. do his commandments--so B, Syriac, Coptic, and

CYPRIAN. But A, Aleph, and Vulgate

read, "(Blessed are they that) wash their robes," namely, in

the blood of the Lamb (compare

Re 7:14).

This reading takes away the pretext for the notion of salvation by

works. But even English Version reading is quite compatible with

salvation by grace; for God's first and grand Gospel "commandment" is

to believe on Jesus. Thus our "right" to (Greek, "privilege" or

"lawful authority over") the tree of life is due not to our doings, but

to what He has done for us. The right, or privilege, is

founded, not on our merits, but on God's grace.

through--Greek, "by the gates."

15. But--so Coptic. But A, B,

HIPPOLYTUS, ANDREAS, and

CYPRIAN omit.

dogs--Greek, "the dogs"; the impure, filthy

(Re 22:11;

compare

Php 3:2).

maketh--including also "whosoever practiceth a lie"

[W. KELLY].

16. mine angel--for Jesus is Lord of the angels.

unto you--ministers and people in the seven representative

churches, and, through you, to testify to Christians of all times and

places.

root . . . offspring of David--appropriate title here

where assuring His Church of "the sure mercies of David," secured to

Israel first, and through Israel to the Gentiles. Root of David,

as being Jehovah; the offspring of David as man. David's Lord, yet

David's son

(Mt 22:42-45).

the morning star--that ushered in the day of grace in the

beginning of this dispensation and that shall usher in the everlasting

day of glory at its close.

17. Reply of the spiritual Church and John to Christ's words

(Re 22:7, 12, 16).

the Spirit--in the churches and in the prophets.

the bride--not here called "wife," as that title applies to her

only when the full number constituting the Church shall have been

completed. The invitation, "Come," only holds good while the Church is

still but an affianced Bride, and not the actually wedded

wife. However, "Come" may rather be the prayer of the Spirit in

the Church and in believers in reply to Christ's "I come quickly,"

crying, Even so, "Come"

(Re 22:7, 12);

Re 22:20

confirms this view. The whole question of your salvation hinges on

this, that you be able to hear with joy Christ's announcement, "I

come," and to reply, "Come" [BENGEL]. Come to

fully glorify Thy Bride.

let him that heareth--that is, let him that heareth the Spirit

and Bride saying to the Lord Jesus, "Come," join the Bride as a true

believer, become part of her, and so say with her to Jesus, "Come." On

"heareth" means "obeyeth"; for until one has obeyed the Gospel

call, he cannot pray to Jesus "Come"; so "hear" is used,

Re 1:3;

Joh 10:16.

Let him that hears and obeys Jesus' voice

(Re 22:16;

Re 1:3)

join in praying "Come." Compare

Re 6:1, 10;

see on

Re 6:1.

In the other view, which makes "Come" an invitation to sinners, this

clause urges those who themselves hear savingly the invitation to

address the same to others, as did Andrew and Philip after they

themselves had heard and obeyed Jesus' invitation, "Come."

let him that is athirst come--As the Bride, the Church, prays to

Jesus, "Come," so she urges all whosoever thirst for

participation in the full manifestation of redemption-glory at His

coming to us, to COME in the meantime and

drink of the living waters, which are the earnest of "the water of life

pure as crystal . . . out of the throne of God of the Lamb"

(Re 22:1)

in the regenerated heaven and earth.

And--so Syriac. But A, B, Vulgate, and

Coptic omit "and."

whosoever will--that is, is willing and desirous. There is a

descending climax; Let him that heareth effectually and savingly

Christ's voice, pray individually, as the Bride, the Church, does

collectively, "Come, Lord Jesus"

(Re 22:20).

Let him who, though not yet having actually heard unto

salvation, and so not yet able to join in the prayer, "Lord Jesus,

come, "still thirsts for it, come to Christ. Whosoever is

even willing, though his desires do not yet amount to positive

thirsting, let him take the water of life freely, that is,

gratuitously.

18. For I testify--None of our manuscripts have this. A, B,

Vulgate, and ANDREAS read, "I" emphatic in

the Greek. "I testify."

unto these things--A, B, and ANDREAS read,

"unto them."

add . . . add--just retribution in kind.

19. book--None of our manuscripts read this. A, B, Aleph,

Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic read, "(take away his part,

that is, portion) from the tree of life," that is, shall deprive

him of participation in the tree of life.

and from the things--so Vulgate. But A, B, Aleph,

Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS omit "and";

then "which are written in this book" will refer to "the holy city and

the tree of life." As in the beginning of this book

(Re 1:3)

a blessing was promised to the devout, obedient student of it, so now

at its close a curse is denounced against those who add to, or take

from, it.

20. Amen. Even so, come--The Song of Solomon

(So 8:14)

closes with the same yearning prayer for Christ's coming. A, B, and

Aleph omit "Even so," Greek, "nai": then translate

for Amen, "So be it, come, Lord Jesus"; joining the

"Amen," or "So be it," not with Christ's saying (for He calls Himself

the "Amen" at the beginning of sentences, rather than puts it as a

confirmation at the end), but with John's reply. Christ's "I come," and

John's "Come," are almost coincident in time; so truly does the

believer reflect the mind of his Lord.

21. our--so Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic. But A, B,

and Aleph omit.

Christ--so B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and

ANDREAS. But A and Aleph omit.

with you all--so none of our manuscripts. B has, "with all the

saints." A and Vulgate have, "with all." Aleph has, "with

the saints." This closing benediction, Paul's mark in his Epistles, was

after Paul's death taken up by John. The Old Testament ended with a

"curse" in connection with the law; the New Testament ends with

a blessing in union with the Lord Jesus.

Amen--so B, Aleph, and ANDREAS. A

and Vulgate Fuldensis omit it.

May the Blessed Lord who has caused all holy Scriptures to be written

for our learning, bless this humble effort to make Scripture expound

itself, and make it an instrument towards the conversion of sinners and

the edification of saints, to the glory of His great name and the

hastening of His kingdom! Amen.

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