Robertson Word Pictures - Revelation 21:23 - 21:23

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Robertson Word Pictures - Revelation 21:23 - 21:23


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

To shine upon it (hina phainōsin autēi). Purpose clause with hina and the present active subjunctive of phainō, to keep on shining. Light is always a problem in our cities. See Isa 60:19.

Did lighten it (ephōtisen autēn). First aorist active indicative of phōtizō, to illumine, old verb from phōs (Luk 11:36). If the sun and moon did shine, they would give no added light in the presence of the Shekinah Glory of God. See Rev 21:11 for “the glory of God.” Cf. Rev 18:1; Rev 21:3. “Their splendour is simply put to shame by the glory of God Himself” (Charles).

And the lamp thereof is the Lamb (kai ho luchnos autēs to arnion). Charles takes ho luchnos as predicate, “and the Lamb is the lamp thereof.” Bousset thinks that John means to compare Christ to the moon the lesser light (Gen 1:16), but that contrast is not necessary. Swete sees Christ as the one lamp for all in contrast with the many luchniai of the churches on earth (Rev 1:12, Rev 1:20). “No words could more clearly demonstrate the purely spiritual character of St. John’s conception of the New Jerusalem” (Swete).