1:4-8 Describes the glorious coming and reign of the Messiah.
1:13 son of man refers to
Dan 7.13. The Messiah is described in symbolic terms.
2:10 ten days: Not literally. It means the persecution will be short.
2:20-21 immorality here seems to mean idolatry rather than sexual excess.
2:24 deep things of Satan: The doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
They called them the “deep things of God.”
2:28 morning star: Probably Christ himself.
3:12 new name: cf.
Is 62.2. Perhaps it was “the Word,” or perhaps it is not to be revealed till the last day.
4:3 John describes God in symbolic terms.
4:4 elders: They perform a priestly and royal task, since they praise God and share in the government of the world.
4:6 four living creatures: cf.
Ezek 1.4-25: the four angels who preside over the government of the world. But in Christian tradition these symbols are used for the four evangelists.
4:8 Holy, holy, holy: Quoted in the Sanctus at Mass.
5:1 a scroll: This contained God’s designs, kept secret till now; being written on both sides, nothing could be added.
5:6 The seven horns and seven eyes symbolize Christ’s full power and knowledge.
6:1 Begins the account of the destruction of the Roman Empire (chapters 6–9).
6:5 balance: Symbol of famine. The balance was to measure rations.
6:6 The denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
6:6 The denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
7:4 a hundred and forty-four thousand: A symbolic number, i.e., twelve (the sacred number) squared and multiplied by 1,000 to denote a multitude. It is the church, the spiritual Israel, that is meant.
7:14 the great tribulation: The Neronian persecution?
8:5 Coals from the altar of burnt offering were brought to the altar of incense.
9:1 star: A fallen angel.
9:11 Or
Destroyer
9:14 Euphrates: The region of the Parthians.
9:17 Greek
hyacinth
9:21 immorality: See note on 2.20-21.
10:7 mystery of God: i.e., the establishment of the kingdom of God following on the destruction of Israel’s enemies.
10:9 bitter ... sweet: The scroll related both the sufferings and the victories of Christ’s church.
11:1-19 The Jerusalem here described stands for the church, that is to be persecuted by the Romans.
11:2 The three and a half years’ persecution of the Jews by Antiochus Epiphanes, 168–165 B.C, had become the standard time of a persecution. Three and a half years equals 42 months equals 1,260 days (verse 3).
11:3 two witnesses: As they have yet to die, possibly they are Elijah and Enoch.
11:8 the great city: i.e., Rome.
11:8 Greek
spiritually
12:1-6 The
child brought forth is the Messiah; the
dragon is the devil; the
woman who gave birth to the Messiah is Israel, and then becomes the Christian church, which continually gives birth to the faithful.
12:14 a time, and times, and half a time: This is the three and a half years of 11.2.
12:17 Mary, the mother of the Messiah, must also be included in the meaning.
12:17 Other ancient authorities read
And I stood, connecting the sentence with 13.1
13:1 a beast: This symbolizes the material forces of evil, arrayed against the church.
13:7 Other ancient authorities omit this sentence
13:11 another beast: i.e., the false prophets.
13:18 six hundred and sixty-six: The letters of Nero’s name plus the title of Caesar, given their numerical meaning in Hebrew and added together, makes 666.
13:18 Other ancient authorities read
six hundred and sixteen
14:4 Although tradition tends to take this literally, the context and Old Testament metaphor suggest that it means they have kept free from idolatry.
14:4 Greek
virgins
14:8 Babylon: i.e., Rome.
14:20 About two hundred miles
15:3-4 The song of Moses in
Ex 15.1-18 celebrated victory over Pharaoh. This is seen as foreshadowing the triumph of the Lamb.
15:3 Other ancient authorities read
the nations
16:14 the great day: On which all the Gentile armies shall be gathered to give battle.
16:16 Armageddon: i.e., Megiddo where Josiah was defeated by the king of Egypt, cf.
2 Kings 23.29.
17:1 great harlot: i.e., Rome.
17:2 fornication: i.e., idolatry.
18:3 Other ancient authorities read
fallen by
18:11-20 The description abruptly assumes the language of Ezekiel’s prophecy of the destruction of Tyre, another city notorious for its sins (
Ezek 27.1–28.19).
19:7 marriage of the Lamb: i.e., final establishment of the kingdom of God. The spouse is the church.
19:9 Greek
he said
19:13 Other ancient authorities read
sprinkled with
20:3 The destruction of the dragon must coincide in time with that of the beast (
19.20), so that the first resurrection with the reign of the martyrs refers to the revival and expansion of the church after the years of persecution.
20:9 Other ancient authorities read
from God, out of heaven, or
out of heaven from God
21:1 Creation will be renewed one day, freed from corruption and illumined by God’s glory.
21:3 Other ancient authorities read
peoples
21:3 Other ancient authorities add
and be their God
21:8 second death: i.e., eternal damnation.
21:16 About fifteen hundred miles
22:2 Or
the Lamb. In the midst of the street of the city, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, etc.
22:14 Other ancient authorities read
do his commandments
22:21 Other ancient authorities omit
all; others omit
the saints