Preacher S Complete Homiletical Commentary Revelation (Various Authors)

《Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary – Revelation》(Various Authors)

Commentator

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary, by Joseph Exell, William Jones, George Barlow, W. Frank Scott, and others, was published in 37 volumes as a sermon preparation and study resource. It is a commentary "written by preachers for preachers" and offers thousands of pages of:

·  Detailed illustrations suitable for devotional study and preaching

·  Extensive helps in application of Scripture for the listener and reader

·  Suggestive and explanatory comments on verses

·  Theological outlines of passages

·  Expository notes

·  Sketches and relevant quotes

·  Brief critical notes on chapters

Although originally purposed as a minister's preparation tool, the Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary is also a fine personal study supplement.

00 Introduction

The Preacher's Complete Homiletic

COMMENTARY

ON THE GENERAL EPISTLES

I-II Peter, I-II-III John, Jude

AND THE

Revelation

OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE

By the REV. ROBERT TUCK, B.A.

Author of the Commentaries on Hebrews and James

New York

FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY

LONDON AND TORONTO

1892

THE PREACHER'S

COMPLETE HOMILETIC

COMMENTARY

ON THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

WITH CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES,

INDEXES, ETC., BY VARIOUS AUTHORS

THE

PREACHER'S HOMILETICAL COMMENTARY

HOMILIES FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Church Seasons: Advent, 1Pe ; 2Pe 3:1-7; Rev 1:9; Rev 22:20-21. St. Thomas's Day, 1Pe 1:8. Christmas, 1Jn 4:9; 1Jn 5:20. Lent, 1Jn 3:3; Rev 2:7. Good Friday, 1Pe 3:18; 1Pe 4:1; 1Jn 2:2; 1Jn 4:10; Rev 1:5; Rev 5:12. Easter, Rev 1:17-18. Ascension Day, 1Pe 1:3. Whit Sunday, 1Jn 2:20. All Saints' Day, Rev 7:9-10.

Holy Communion: 2Pe ; 2Pe 3:18; 1Jn 1:3; 1Jn 3:1; 1Jn 3:13-17; 1Jn 3:24; Jude 1:21.

Missions to Heathen: Rev ; Rev 14:6-7; Rev 22:17. Bible Society, 2Pe 1:16-21; Rev 1:1-3; Rev 14:6-7.

Special: Ordination, 1Pe . Workers, 1Pe 2:12; 1Pe 4:1-2. Baptism, 1Pe 3:21. Confirmation, Rev 2:4. Marriage, 1Pe 3:1-6. Women, 1Pe 3:1-6. Harvest, Rev 14:13-16; Revelation 15; Revelation 17 -

20. Death, 2Pe ; 2Pe 1:14-15; Rev 14:13; Rev 21:7. Close of year, Rev 21:5.

THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE

INTRODUCTION

ONE consideration is persistently kept in view in this Commentary, which is to be regarded as supplemental to Commentaries of the ordinary kind. The author and editor has not been required to discuss theories of interpretation, or even, in any elaborate way, the significance and meaning of symbols, or the fulfilment of prophecy in history. One question alone has to be answered: How can the book of Revelation be used, wisely, skilfully, and suggestively, for pulpit purposes. The question of authorship need not be discussed. For the preacher it is enough to say that no name has ever been submitted, and no suggestion of authorship has ever been made, that do not involve far more serious difficulties than are associated with the traditional view. And the chief objections to the Johannine authorship rest upon a very imperfect estimate of John's character, which was at once more intense, and more intensely mystical, than is usually recognised. The supreme interest that both his gospel and his epistles reveal in the personal Christ, and in the living relations of Christ with His people, should satisfy us that he must be the author of the other work, whose supreme subject is the present relation of the living, personal Christ to His Church. John's gospel is the preparation for the book of Revelation.

The date of the book is much disputed, but the trend of modern opinion is decidedly in favour of an early date, before the destruction of Jerusalem, and if that date be accepted, we may gain great help towards the apprehension of the symbols and the historical allusions, by fixing attention upon the unusually alarming, and even mysterious, incidents and circumstances of that particular time. It has not been sufficiently considered that the author clearly expected the things which were represented to him in visions to come to pass shortly. He never gives the slightest indication that his eye swept over long centuries of Christian conflict. In the opening words of the book the Revelation is most distinctly declared to be of "things which will shortly come to pass." And when the entire series of visions is passed, lest there should be any possible misconception, the assurance is renewed in the closing words, "Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand." "He which testifieth these things saith, Yea, I come quickly." If we expect to find anticipative Church history in this book, such expressions are inexplicable. If we expect to find principles illustrated in the life and relations of individuals, the Church, and Society, in the Johannine age, which gain illustration in every recurring age, then we satisfy such expressions, and at the same time understand how the book becomes one of age-long interest and helpfulness to Christ's Church.

Dr. Schaff says: "The early date is now accepted by the majority of scholars. In its favour may be urged the allusion to the Temple at Jerusalem (Rev seqq.) in language which implies that it yet existed, but would speedily be destroyed; and, further, that the nature and object of the Revelation are best suited by the earlier date, while its historical understanding is greatly facilitated. With the great conflagration at Rome, and the Neronian persecution, fresh in mind, with the horrors of the Jewish war then going on, and in view of the destruction of Jerusalem as an impending fact, John received the visions of the conflicts and final victories of the Christian Church. His book came, therefore, as a comforter to hearts distracted by calamities without a parallel in history."

Warfield notes the chief arguments in favour of the early date, thus:

1. The whole tradition of the Domitian origin of the Apocalypse rests on Irenus.

2. There is not even an obscure reference in the book to the destruction of Jerusalem as a past event.

3. Jerusalem is, instead, spoken of as still standing, and the Temple as still undestroyed (Rev , seqq., and even Rev 1:7, Rev 2:9, Rev 3:9, Rev 6:12; Rev 6:16).

4. The time of writing is exactly fixed by the description of the then reigning emperor, in Rev , Rev 17:7 to Rev 12:5. The chief argument with evangelical men, however, is that derived from the literary differences between the Apocalypse and the gospel of John, which are thought by many to be too great to be explained, except on the supposition that a long period of time intervened between the writing of the two books.

Warfield argues against the early date, and so does Principal David Brown, D.D., who says: "Two dates are given:

1. Reign of Nero, about 68 A.D.

2. Reign of Domitian, about 95 or 96. For 1, there is no external evidence; for 2, Irenæus, it is claimed, was speaking from knowledge when he declared that the Revelation was seen not long since, but almost in his generation, near the close of Domitian's reign. Concerning the internal evidence for 1, it may be noted (1) that the use of the term ‘Lord's day' as the common term for the first day of the week shows that the book was written long after Nero's reign.

(2) The difference between the Greek of this book and of the gospel is explained by the ecstasy of the writer, and by the difference of the subject-matter in the case of the Apocalypse. It is prophetic, full of strange details, Old-Testament phrases.

(3) Instead of the Apocalypse being the connecting link between the Synoptists and the fourth gospel, the same truths are expressed in each, and the Apocalypse has a more developed form of the same truths than the gospel, though, doubtless, the gospels and epistles of John were written later. Is it natural that such lofty developments of truth as the Revelation exhibits should belong to the earliest apostolic age? Note other specific characteristics of the book, arguing for the later date:

1. The conception of the Church as divided into sections—‘seven golden candlesticks.'

2. The degenerate state of the Churches.

3. Use of the Lamb as a proper name.

4. The phrase, the books of life, which is used in a highly developed sense.

5. Other unique and peculiar words and phrases denoting an advanced state of doctrinal conception. All this constrains us to reject the early date."

Probably the key to a satisfactory explanation of the book of Revelation lies in a decision as to its date, and the contents of St. John's field of vision at the earlier or at the later date.

Another question of grave importance concerns the unity of the contents of the book. The modern mania for finding a composite character in all the Bible books has produced a theory of this kind in relation to the book of Revelation. It can best be met and answered by showing how systematic and regular the construction of it is, and that the apparent breaks upon the continuity of the writer's scheme are no marks of distinct authorship, but only indications of an independent individuality. Side-issues are treated in a similar way both by St. Paul in his epistles, and by St. John in his gospel and epistles.

The unity of the book will be seen at once if we set before ourselves its ground-plan. St. John always begins his work by stating his thesis. The beginning both of his gospel, and of his first epistle, is a summary of what the gospel and epistle are written to unfold and illustrate; and precisely in the same way the first three chapters of the book of Revelation present a summary of what the rest of the book unfolds and illustrates. Briefly stated, his thesis is something like this: the glorified and living Christ is actually now with His Church, for the completion of that redemptive work which He has begun. That Church, in its unity of principles, spirit, and experience, can be represented by the seven Churches of Asia. That Church is left in the world, and cannot fail to be influenced, both for good and evil, by surrounding circumstances of distress, persecution, etc. But the living Lord is using all these circumstances for the carrying on of His sanctifying work, making them to be discipline, and even judgment, as need be. Moreover, that same living Lord who is using all the schemes of men, and calamities of nature, for the fulfilling of His purpose in His Church, is also controlling and overruling all these schemes of worldly men and nations. And this double control of the Church and the world must move towards a final issue. What that will be can only now be suggested by symbol, but of these two things we can be absolutely assured: it will be the triumph of Christ and righteousness, and it will involve the infinite glory, purity, and blessedness of Christ's Church.

That being the introductory thesis, it is worked out under the figure of seven seals, which are affixed on the book which contains the record of the various ways in which the living Christ will discipline His Church, and govern and judge the world in the interests of His Church. The seals are not successive in order of time, nor do they represent anything occurring in order of time. They indicate the seven kinds of things that Christ will use for the work He is doing in His Church.

But here we come upon a peculiarity in St. John's treatment of his theme. It reminds us of the construction of the Book of Job. The test of Job, by material loss and by bodily suffering, is briefly and lightly passed over, and the strength of the work is given to the testing of Job by doubts, questions, and false faiths, presented to his mind. So in the book of Revelation, the six seals which mainly represent the influence of nature-forces and physical calamities on the Church are lightly dealt with, and the strength of the work is put into the elaboration of the seventh seal, which concerns the more subtle and perilous testings of intellectual and moral evils within the Church.

The seventh seal is elaborated under seven trumpets; and the seventh trumpet is elaborated under seven vials and bowls.

When the entire circle of possible earthly influences is completed, and the Church, in one or other of its sections, has been fully subjected to all possible earthly influences that can imperil or discipline it, then the triumph of Christ will have come, and that will prove the glory hour for His Church.

There is one marked peculiarity of the work which has hardly received sufficient attention. There are throughout interposed visions, all of a similar character, being either visions of some from the Church who have gained their triumph, or anticipative worship and praise of the finally triumphant Christ. In these interposed visions are to be found the practical applications of the book. It was written with a most distinct purpose. It was not intended to furnish precise information as to what would come to pass, but to comfort, strengthen, and cheer persecuted, strained, tempted, anxious Christians in what did come to pass. Its message was really this: Whatever happens to you, you will be safe. Through whatever happens you will be moving to a final victory; because the living Christ is with you, controlling all, and making all "work together for good."

It must be borne in mind that, from St. John's point of view, there were four classes of persons in his day, and that each class bore distinctive relations to the outward and inward, the physical and moral, evils of the times. Their various liability to influence is indicated in this book, and we have to find which class was dominant in St. John's mind when we seek for the precise reference of particular prophecies. They were: