1UndG2532 ich sahG1492 einen neuenG2537 HimmelG3772 undG2532 eine neueG2537 ErdeG1093; dennG1063 der ersteG4413 HimmelG3772 undG2532 die ersteG4413 ErdeG1093 waren vergangenG3928, undG2532 das MeerG2281 istG2076 nichtG3756 mehrG2089. 2UndG2532 ichG1473 sahG1492 die heiligeG40 StadtG4172, das neueG2537 JerusalemG2419, ausG1537 dem HimmelG3772 herniederkommenG2597 vonG575 GottG2316, bereitetG2090 wieG5613 eine für ihrenG846 MannG435 geschmückteG2885 BrautG3565. 3UndG2532 ich hörteG191 eine lauteG3173 StimmeG5456 ausG1537 dem HimmelG3772 sagenG3004: SieheG2400, die HütteG4633 GottesG2316 beiG3326 den MenschenG444! UndG2532 er wirdG4637 beiG3326 ihnenG846 wohnenG4637, undG2532 sie werdenG2071 seinG846 VolkG2992 seinG2071, undG2532 GottG2316 selbstG846 wirdG2071 beiG3326 ihnenG846 seinG2071, ihrG846 GottG2316. 4UndG2532 erG2316 wirdG1813 jedeG3956 TräneG1144 vonG575 ihrenG846 AugenG3788 abwischenG1813, undG2532 der TodG2288 wirdG2071 nichtG3756 mehrG2089 seinG2071, nochG3777 TrauerG3997, nochG3777 GeschreiG2906, nochG3777 G3756 SchmerzG4192 wirdG2071 mehrG2089 seinG2071; dennG3754 das ErsteG4413 ist vergangenG565. 5UndG2532 der aufG1909 dem ThroneG2362 saßG2521 sprachG2036: SieheG2400, ich macheG4160 allesG3956 neuG2537. UndG2532 er sprichtG3004 [zu mir]G3427: SchreibeG1125, dennG3754 dieseG3778 WorteG3056 sindG1526 gewißG4103 undG2532 wahrhaftigG228. 6UndG2532 er sprachG2036 zu mirG3427: Es ist geschehenG1096. IchG1473 binG1510 das AlphaG1 undG2532 das OmegaG5598, der AnfangG746 undG2532 das EndeG5056. IchG1473 willG1325 dem DürstendenG1372 ausG1537 der QuelleG4077 des WassersG5204 des LebensG2222 gebenG1325 umsonstG1432. 7Wer überwindetG3528, wirdG2816 diesesG3956 ererbenG2816, undG2532 ich werdeG2071 ihmG846 GottG2316 seinG2071, undG2532 er wirdG2071 mirG3427 SohnG5207 seinG2071. 8Den FeigenG1169 aberG1161 undG2532 UngläubigenG571 undG2532 mit Greueln BeflecktenG948 undG2532 MördernG5406 undG2532 HurernG4205 undG2532 ZauberernG5332 undG2532 GötzendienernG1496 undG2532 allenG3956 LügnernG5571 - ihrG846 TeilG3313 ist inG1722 dem SeeG3041, derG3739 mit FeuerG4442 undG2532 SchwefelG2303 brenntG2545, welchesG3588 der zweiteG1208 TodG2288 istG2076. 9UndG2532 es kamG2064 einerG1520 von den siebenG2033 EngelnG32, welcheG3588 die siebenG2033 SchalenG5357 hattenG2192, vollG1073 der siebenG2033 letztenG2078 PlagenG4127, undG2532 redeteG2980 mitG3326 mirG1700 und sprachG3004: Komm herG1204, ich willG1166 dirG4671 die BrautG3565, das WeibG1135 des LammesG721 zeigenG1166. 10UndG2532 er führteG667 michG3165 imG1722 GeisteG4151 hinwegG667 aufG1909 einen großenG3173 undG2532 hohenG5308 BergG3735 undG2532 zeigteG1166 mirG3427 die heiligeG40 StadtG4172, JerusalemG2419, herniederkommendG2597 ausG1537 dem HimmelG3772 vonG575 GottG2316; 11und sie hatteG2192 die HerrlichkeitG1391 GottesG2316. IhrG846 LichtglanzG5458 war gleichG3664 einem sehr kostbaren EdelsteinG5093 G3037, wieG5613 ein krystallhellerG2929 JaspissteinG2393 G3037; 12undG5037 sie hatteG2192 eine großeG3173 undG2532 hoheG5308 MauerG5038 und hatteG2192 zwölfG1427 ToreG4440, undG2532 anG1909 den TorenG4440 zwölfG1427 EngelG32, undG2532 NamenG3686 darauf geschriebenG1924, welcheG3739 die der zwölfG1427 StämmeG5443 der SöhneG5207 IsraelsG2474 sindG2076. 13NachG575 OstenG395 dreiG5140 ToreG4440, und nachG575 NordenG1005 dreiG5140 ToreG4440, und nachG575 SüdenG3558 dreiG5140 ToreG4440, undG2532 nachG575 WestenG1424 dreiG5140 ToreG4440. 14UndG2532 die MauerG5038 der StadtG4172 hatteG2192 zwölfG1427 GrundlagenG2310, undG2532 aufG1722 denselbenG846 zwölf NamenG3686 der zwölfG1427 ApostelG652 des LammesG721. 15UndG2532 der mitG3326 mirG1700 redeteG2980 hatteG2192 ein Maß, ein goldenesG5552 RohrG2563, auf daßG2443 er die StadtG4172 messeG3354 undG2532 ihreG846 ToreG4440 undG2532 ihreG846 MauernG5038. 16UndG2532 die StadtG4172 liegtG2749 viereckigG5068, undG2532 ihreG846 LängeG3372 istG2076 so großG5118 wieG3745 G2532 die BreiteG4114. UndG2532 er maßG3354 die StadtG4172 mitG1909 dem RohreG2563 - 12000G1427 G5505 StadienG4712; die LängeG3372 undG2532 die BreiteG4114 undG2532 die HöheG5311 derselbenG846 sindG2076 gleichG2470. 17UndG2532 er maßG3354 ihreG846 MauerG5038, 144G1540 G5062 G5064 EllenG4083, eines MenschenG444 MaßG3358, dasG3739 istG2076 G3603 des EngelsG32. 18UndG2532 der BauG1739 ihrerG846 MauerG5038 warG2258 JaspisG2393, undG2532 die StadtG4172 reinesG2513 GoldG5553, gleichG3664 reinemG2513 GlaseG5194. 19Die GrundlagenG2310 der MauerG5038 der StadtG4172 waren geschmücktG2885 mit jedemG3956 EdelsteinG5093 G3037: die ersteG4413 GrundlageG2310, JaspisG2393; die zweiteG1208 SaphirG4552; die dritteG5154 ChalcedonG5472; die vierteG5067, SmaragdG4665; 20die fünfteG3991, SardonixG4557; die sechsteG1623, SardisG4556; die siebteG1442, ChrysolithG5555; die achteG3590, BeryllG969; die neunteG1766, TopasG5116; die zehnteG1182, ChrysoprasG5556; die elfteG1734, HyacinthG5192; die zwölfteG1428, AmethystG271. 21UndG2532 die zwölfG1427 ToreG4440 waren zwölfG1427 PerlenG3135, jeG1538 G303 einesG1520 der ToreG4440 warG2258 ausG1537 einerG1520 PerleG3135, undG2532 die StraßeG4113 der StadtG4172 reinesG2513 GoldG5553, wieG5613 durchsichtigesG1307 GlasG5194. 22UndG2532 ich sahG1492 keinenG3756 TempelG3485 inG1722 ihrG846, dennG1063 der HerrG2962, GottG2316, der AllmächtigeG3841, istG2076 ihrG846 TempelG3485, undG2532 das LammG721. 23UndG2532 die StadtG4172 bedarfG2192 G5532 nichtG3756 der SonneG2246, nochG3761 des MondesG4582, auf daßG2443 sie ihrG1722 G846 scheinenG5316; dennG1063 die HerrlichkeitG1391 GottesG2316 hatG5461 sieG846 erleuchtetG5461, undG2532 ihreG846 LampeG3088 ist das LammG721. 24UndG2532 die NationenG1484 werdenG4043 durchG1722 ihrG846 LichtG5457 wandelnG4043, undG2532 die KönigeG935 der ErdeG1093 bringenG5342 ihreG846 HerrlichkeitG1391 zuG1519 ihrG846. 25UndG2532 ihreG846 ToreG4440 sollenG2808 bei TageG2250 nichtG3364 geschlossenG2808 werden, dennG1063 NachtG3571 wirdG2071 daselbstG1563 nichtG3756 seinG2071. 26UndG2532 man wirdG5342 die HerrlichkeitG1391 undG2532 die EhreG5092 der NationenG1484 zuG1519 ihrG846 bringenG5342. 27UndG2532 nichtG3364 wirdG1525 inG1519 sieG846 eingehenG1525 irgend etwasG3956 GemeinesG2840 undG2532 was GreuelG946 undG2532 LügeG5579 tutG4160, sondernG1508 nur die geschriebenG1125 sind inG1722 dem BucheG975 des LebensG2222 des LammesG721.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH: NEW JERUSALEM OUT OF HEAVEN. (Rev. 21:1-27)
the first--that is the former.
passed away--Greek, in A and B is "were departed" (Greek, "apeelthon," not as in English Version, "pareelthe").
was--Greek, "is," which graphically sets the thing before our eyes as present.
no more sea--The sea is the type of perpetual unrest. Hence our Lord rebukes it as an unruly hostile troubler of His people. It symbolized the political tumults out of which "the beast" arose,
Rev 13:1. As the physical corresponds to the spiritual and moral world, so the absence of sea, after the metamorphosis of the earth by fire, answers to the unruffled state of solid peace which shall then prevail. The sea, though severing lands from one another, is now, by God's eliciting of good from evil, made the medium of communication between countries through navigation. Then man shall possess inherent powers which shall make the sea no longer necessary, but an element which would detract from a perfect state. A "river" and "water" are spoken of in
Rev 22:1-
Rev 22:2, probably literal (that is, with such changes of the natural properties of water, as correspond analogically to man's own transfigured body), as well as symbolical. The sea was once the element of the world's destruction, and is still the source of death to thousands, whence after the millennium, at the general judgment, it is specially said, "The sea gave up the dead . . . in it." Then it shall cease to destroy, or disturb, being removed altogether on account of its past destructions.
2 And I John--"John" is omitted in A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS; also the "I" in the Greek of these authorities is not emphatic. The insertion of "I John" in the Greek would somewhat interfere with the close connection which subsists between "the new heaven and earth,"
Rev 21:1, and the "new Jerusalem" in this verse.
Jerusalem . . . out of heaven-- (
Rev 3:12;
Gal 4:26, "Jerusalem which is above";
Heb 11:10;
Heb 12:22;
Heb 13:14). The descent of the new Jerusalem out of heaven is plainly distinct from the earthly Jerusalem in which Israel in the flesh shall dwell during the millennium, and follows on the creation of the new heaven and earth. John in his Gospel always writes [Greek] Hierosoluma of the old city; in the Apocalypse always Hierousaleem of the heavenly city (
Rev 3:12). Hierousaleem is a Hebrew name, the original and holy appellation. Hierosoluma is the common Greek term, used in a political sense. Paul observes the same distinction when refuting Judaism (
Gal 4:26; compare
Gal 1:17-
Gal 1:18;
Gal 2:1;
Heb 12:22), though not so in the Epistles to Romans and Corinthians [BENGEL].
bride--made up of the blessed citizens of "the holy city." There is no longer merely a Paradise as in Eden (though there is that also,
Rev 2:7), no longer a mere garden, but now the city of God on earth, costlier, statelier, and more glorious, but at the same time the result of labor and pains such as had not to be expended by man in dressing the primitive garden of Eden. "The lively stones" were severally in time laboriously chiselled into shape, after the pattern of "the Chief corner-stone," to prepare them for the place which they shall everlastingly fill in the heavenly Jerusalem.
3 out of heaven--so ANDREAS. But A and Vulgate read, "out of the throne."
the tabernacle--alluding to the tabernacle of God in the wilderness (wherein many signs of His presence were given): of which this is the antitype, having previously been in heaven:
Rev 11:19;
Rev 15:5, "the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven"; also
Rev 13:6. Compare the contrast in
Heb 9:23,
Heb 9:14, between "the patterns" and "the heavenly things themselves," between "the figures" and "the true." The earnest of the true and heavenly tabernacle was afforded in the Jerusalem temple described in Eze. 40:1-42:20, as about to be, namely, during the millennium.
dwell with them--literally, "tabernacle with them"; the same Greek word as is used of the divine Son "tabernacling among us." Then He was in the weakness of the flesh: but at the new creation of heaven and earth He shall tabernacle among us in the glory of His manifested Godhead (
Rev 22:4).
they--in Greek emphatic, "they" (in particular).
his people--Greek, "His peoples": "the nations of the saved" being all peculiarly His, as Israel was designed to be. So A reads. But B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic read, "His people": singular.
God himself . . . with them--realizing fully His name Immanuel.
4 all tears--Greek, "every tear."
no more death--Greek, "death shall be no more." Therefore it is not the millennium, for in the latter there is death (
Isa 65:20;
1Cor 15:26,
1Cor 15:54, "the last enemy . . . destroyed is death,"
Rev 20:14, after the millennium).
sorrow--Greek, "mourning."
passed away--Greek, "departed," as in
Rev 21:1.
5 sat--Greek, "sitteth."
all things new--not recent, but changed from the old (Greek, "kaina," not "nea"). An earnest of this regeneration and transfiguration of nature is given already in the regenerate soul.
unto me--so Coptic and ANDREAS. But A, B, Vulgate, and Syriac omit.
true and faithful--so ANDREAS. But A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic transpose, "faithful and true" (literally, "genuine").
6 It is done--the same Greek as in
Rev 16:17. "It is come to pass." So Vulgate reads with English Version. But A reads, "They ('these words,'
Rev 21:5) are come to pass." All is as sure as if it actually had been fulfilled for it rests on the word of the unchanging God. When the consummation shall be, God shall rejoice over the work of His own hands, as at the completion of the first creation God saw everything that He had made, and behold it was very good (
Gen 1:31).
Alpha . . . Omega--Greek in A and B, "the Alpha . . . the Omega" (
Rev 1:18).
give unto . . . athirst . . . water of life-- (
Rev 22:17;
Isa 12:3;
Isa 55:1;
John 4:13-
John 4:14;
John 7:37-
John 7:38). This is added lest any should despair of attaining to this exceeding weight of glory. In our present state we may drink of the stream, then we shall drink at the Fountain.
freely--Greek, "gratuitously": the same Greek as is translated, "(They hated Me) without a cause,"
John 15:25. As gratuitous as was man's hatred of God, so gratuitous is God's love to man: there was every cause in Christ why man should love Him, yet man hated Him; there was every cause in man why (humanly speaking) God should have hated man, yet God loved man: the very reverse of what might be expected took place in both cases. Even in heaven our drinking at the Fountain shall be God's gratuitous gift.
7 He that overcometh--another aspect of the believer's life: a conflict with sin, Satan, and the world is needed. Thirsting for salvation is the first beginning of, and continues for ever (in the sense of an appetite and relish for divine joys) a characteristic of the believer. In a different sense, the believer "shall never thirst."
inherit all things--A, B, Vulgate, and CYPRIAN read, "these things," namely, the blessings described in this whole passage. With "all things," compare
1Cor 3:21-23.
I will be his God--Greek, "I will be to him a God," that is, all that is implied of blessing in the name "God."
he shall be my son--"He" is emphatic: He in particular and in a peculiar sense, above others: Greek, "shall be to me a son," in fullest realization of the promise made in type to Solomon, son of David, and antitypically to the divine Son of David.
8 the fearful--Greek, "the cowardly," who do not quit themselves like men so as to "overcome" in the good fight; who have the spirit of slavish "fear," not love, towards God; and who through fear of man are not bold for God, or "draw back." Compare
Rev 21:27;
Rev 22:15.
unbelieving--Greek, "faithless."
abominable--who have drank of the harlot's "cup of abominations."
sorcerers--one of the characteristics of Antichrist's time.
all liars--Greek, "all the liars": or else "all who are liars"; compare
1Tim 4:1-2, where similarly lying and dealings with spirits and demons, are joined together as features of "the latter times."
second death--
Rev 20:14 : "everlasting destruction,"
2Thess 1:9;
Mark 9:44,
Mark 9:46,
Mark 9:48, "Where THEIR worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
9 The same angel who had shown John Babylon the harlot, is appropriately employed to show him in contrast new Jerusalem, the Bride (
Rev 17:1-
Rev 17:5). The angel so employed is the one that had the last seven plagues, to show that the ultimate blessedness of the Church is one end of the divine judgments on her foes.
unto me--A, B, and Vulgate omit.
the Lamb's wife--in contrast to her who sat on many waters (
Rev 17:1), (that is, intrigued with many peoples and nations of the world, instead of giving her undivided affections, as the Bride does, to the Lamb.
10 The words correspond to
Rev 17:3, to heighten the contrast of the bride and harlot.
mountain--Compare
Ezek 40:2, where a similar vision is given from a high mountain.
that great--omitted in A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and CYPRIAN. Translate then, "the holy city Jerusalem."
descending--Even in the millennium the earth will not be a suitable abode for transfigured saints, who therefore shall then reign in heaven over the earth. But after the renewal of the earth at the close of the millennium and judgment, they shall descend from heaven to dwell on an earth assimilated to heaven itself. "From God" implies that "we (the city) are God's workmanship."
11 Having the glory of God--not merely the Shekinah-cloud, but God Himself as her glory dwelling in the midst of her. Compare the type, the earthly Jerusalem in the millennium (
Zech 2:5; compare
Rev 21:23, below).
her light--Greek, "light-giver": properly applied to the heavenly luminaries which diffuse light. Compare Note, see on
Phil 2:15, the only other passage where it occurs. The "and" before "her light' is omitted in A, B, and Vulgate.
even like--Greek, "as it were."
jasper--representing watery crystalline brightness.
12 And--A and B omit.
Ezek 48:30-
Ezek 48:35, has a similar description, which implies that the millennial Jerusalem shall have its exact antitype in the heavenly Jerusalem which shall descend on the finally regenerated earth.
wall great and high--setting forth the security of the Church. Also, the exclusion of the ungodly.
twelve angels--guards of the twelve gates: an additional emblem of perfect security, while the gates being never shut (
Rev 21:25) imply perfect liberty and peace. Also, angels shall be the brethren of the heavenly citizens.
names of . . . twelve tribes--The inscription of the names on the gates implies that none but the spiritual Israel, God's elect, shall enter the heavenly city. As the millennium wherein literal Israel in the flesh shall be the mother Church, is the antitype to the Old Testament earthly theocracy in the Holy Land, so the heavenly new Jerusalem is the consummation antitypical to the spiritual Israel, the elect Church of Jews and Gentiles being now gathered out: as the spiritual Israel now is an advance upon the previous literal and carnal Israel, so the heavenly Jerusalem shall be much in advance of the millennial Jerusalem.
13 On the north . . . on the south--A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic read, "And on the north and on the south." In Ezekiel, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan (for which Manasseh is substituted in
Rev 7:6), are on the east (
Ezek 48:32); Reuben, Judah, Levi, are on the north (
Ezek 48:31); Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, on the south (
Ezek 48:33); Gad, Asher, Naphtali, on the west (
Ezek 48:34). In Numbers, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun are on the east (
Num 2:3,
Num 2:5,
Num 2:7). Reuben, Simeon, Gad, on the south (
Num 2:10,
Num 2:12,
Num 2:14). Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin, on the west (
Num 2:18,
Num 2:20,
Num 2:22). Dan, Asher, Naphtali, on the north (
Num 2:25,
Num 2:27,
Num 2:29).
14 twelve foundations--Joshua, the type of Jesus, chose twelve men out of the people, to carry twelve stones over the Jordan with them, as Jesus chose twelve apostles to be the twelve foundations of the heavenly city, of which He is Himself the Chief corner-stone. Peter is not the only apostolic rock on whose preaching Christ builds His Church. Christ Himself is the true foundation: the twelve are foundations only in regard to their apostolic testimony concerning Him. Though Paul was an apostle besides the twelve, yet the mystical number is retained, twelve representing the Church, namely thirty the divine number, multiplied by four, the world number.
in them the names, &c.--As architects often have their names inscribed on their great works, so the names of the apostles shall be held in everlasting remembrance. Vulgate reads, "in them." But A, B, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS read, "upon them." These authorities also insert "twelve" before "names."
15 had a golden reed--so Coptic. But A, B, Vulgate, and Syriac read, "had (as) a measure, a golden reed." In
Rev 11:2 the non-measuring of the outer courts of the temple implied its being given up to secular and heathen desecration. So here, on the contrary, the city being measured implies the entire consecration of every part, all things being brought up to the most exact standard of God's holy requirements, and also God's accurate guardianship henceforth of even the most minute parts of His holy city from all evil.
16 twelve thousand furlongs--literally, "to twelve thousand stadii": one thousand furlongs being the space between the several twelve gates. BENGEL makes the length of each side of the city to be twelve thousand stadii. The stupendous height, length, and breadth being exactly alike, imply its faultless symmetry, transcending in glory all our most glowing conceptions.
17 hundred . . . forty . . . four cubits--twelve times twelve: the Church-number squared. The wall is far beneath the height of the city.
measure of a man, that is, of the angel--The ordinary measure used by men is the measure here used by the angel, distinct from "the measure of the sanctuary." Men shall then be equal to the angels.
18 the building--"the structure" [TREGELLES], Greek, "endomeesis."
gold, like . . . clear glass--Ideal gold, transparent as no gold here is [ALFORD]. Excellencies will be combined in the heavenly city which now seem incompatible.
19 And--so Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS. But A, B, and Vulgate omit. Compare
Rev 21:14 with this verse; also
Isa 54:11.
all manner of precious stones--Contrast
Rev 18:12 as to the harlot, Babylon. These precious stones constituted the "foundations."
chalcedony--agate from Chalcedon: semi-opaque, sky-blue, with stripes of other colors [ALFORD].
20 sardonyx--a gem having the redness of the cornelian, and the whiteness of the onyx.
sardius--(See on
Rev 4:3).
chrysolite--described by PLINY as transparent and of a golden brightness, like our topaz: different from our pale green crystallized chrysolite.
beryl--of a sea-green color.
topaz--PLINY [37.32], makes it green and transparent, like our chrysolite.
chrysoprasus--somewhat pale, and having the purple color of the amethyst [PLINY, 37, 20, 21].
jacinth--The flashing violet brightness in the amethyst is diluted in the jacinth [PLINY, 37.41].
21 every several--Greek, "each one severally."
22 no temple . . . God . . . the temple--As God now dwells in the spiritual Church, His "temple" (Greek, "naos," "shrine";
1Cor 3:17;
1Cor 6:19), so the Church when perfected shall dwell in Him as her "temple" (naos: the same Greek). As the Church was "His sanctuary," so He is to be their sanctuary. Means of grace shall cease when the end of grace is come. Church ordinances shall give place to the God of ordinances. Uninterrupted, immediate, direct, communion with Him and the Lamb (compare
John 4:23), shall supersede intervening ordinances.
23 in it--so Vulgate. But A, B, and ANDREAS read, "(shine) on it," or literally, "for her."
the light--Greek, "the lamp" (
Isa 60:19-
Isa 60:20). The direct light of God and the Lamb shall make the saints independent of God's creatures, the sun and moon, for light.
24 of them which are saved . . . in--A, B, Vulgate, Coptic, and ANDREAS read "(the nations shall walk) by means of her light": omitting "of them which are saved." Her brightness shall supply them with light.
the kings of the earth--who once had regard only to their glory, having been converted, now in the new Jerusalem do bring their glory into it, to lay it down at the feet of their God and Lord.
and honour--so B, Vulgate, and Syriac. But A omits the clause.
25 not be shut . . . by day--therefore shall never be shut: for it shall always be day. Gates are usually shut by night: but in it shall be no night. There shall be continual free ingress into it, so as that all which is blessed and glorious may continually be brought into it. So in the millennial type.
26 All that was truly glorious and excellent in the earth and its converted nations shall be gathered into it; and while all shall form one Bride, there shall be various orders among the redeemed, analogous to the divisions of nations on earth constituting the one great human family, and to the various orders of angels.
27 anything that defileth--Greek, "koinoun." A and B read [koinon,] "anything unclean."
in the Lamb's book of life--(See on
Rev 20:12;
Rev 20:15). As all the filth of the old Jerusalem was carried outside the walls and burnt there, so nothing defiled shall enter the heavenly city, but be burnt outside (compare
Rev 22:15). It is striking that the apostle of love, who shows us the glories of the heavenly city, is he also who speaks most plainly of the terrors of hell. On
Rev 21:26-
Rev 21:27, ALFORD writes a Note, rash in speculation, about the heathen nations, above what is written, and not at all required by the sacred text: compare Note, see on
Rev 21:26.
