Heinrich Meyer Commentary - Revelation 1:10 - 1:10

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Heinrich Meyer Commentary - Revelation 1:10 - 1:10


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Rev_1:10. With ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι we dare not immediately combine ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ , in the sense: “I saw in the Spirit the day of judgment;” i.e., “I foresaw it represented.”[702] In contradiction with this[703] are, the fact that the presentation of ΓΊΝΕΣΘΑΙ ἘΝ ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΙ is in itself complete, the expression Ἡ ΚΥΡΙΑΚῊ ἩΜΈΡΑ , and the circumstance that the contents of the book are not limited to the day of judgment. The ἘΝ ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΙ [704] designates essentially nothing else than the ἘΝ ἘΚΣΤΆΣΕΙ of Act_22:18; Act_11:5. Yet by ΠΝΕῦΜΑ ,[705] the Divine Spirit, in his objectivity,[706] cannot be understood,[707] but the πνεῦμα must by all means be interpreted subjectively.[708] The antithesis is γιν . ἐν ἑαυτῷ ,[709] or, according to 1Co_14:14 sqq., ἐν τῷ νοί .[710] The ἐν πνεύματι is understood in one way, Rom_8:9, and in another also in Mat_22:43; Mar_12:36, where the subjective πνεῦμα is designated as sanctified or prophetically illumined by the objective Spirit of God; while in the present passage, as well as in Rev_4:2, and especially Rev_21:10, the reference to the efficacy of the Holy Ghost is in no way removed, but by πνεῦμα is understood only the higher, spiritual nature of man,[711] in virtue of which he is capable of receiving a revelation, having visions, and being ἐν ἐκστάσει .

The κυριακὴ ἡμέρα [712] is the first day of the week, the Sunday, which was celebrated as the day of the Lord’s resurrection.[713] On the holy day, John was especially well prepared to receive the divine revelation. [See Note XXV., p. 125.] But there is no foundation for understanding the κυριακὴ ἡμ . of an Easter Day,[714] or for assigning to that Sunday[715] the fulfilment of the expectation, attested by Jerome, that Christ will return on Easter Day.[716]

ὁπίσω μου refers not to the fact that a revelation of the invisible God is presented,[717] nor that John must first be prepared by hearing for the impending sight, as no one can see God without dying.[718] Against both these views, is the fact that John not only actually sees Christ, but also experiences the complete effect thereof.[719] It is also not to be said that “here clearly the awakening to ecstatic consciousness is described,” as though John at first had seen nothing, “at least, nothing remarkable,” but only first heard;[720] for “the awakening to ecstatic consciousness,”[721] which is not everywhere represented, has already occurred, since John hears or sees,[722] viz., in the Spirit. It is only the unexpected, surprising utterance of the divine voice that is here stated.[723] A comparison may, at all events, be made with Eze_3:12, where, however, the presentation seems to be conditioned by the development of the scene itself.

The mighty, loud[724] voice is like the sound of a trumpet. In connection with the use of the ὡς σάλπιγγος [725] purely as a comparison, the remark is not applicable that the assembling of congregations, and the appearances or revelations of God and Christ, are announced with the sound of a trumpet.[726]

The voice which imparts the command, Rev_1:11,[727] belongs not to “an angel speaking in the person of Christ,”[728] nor to the angel mentioned in Rev_1:1,[729] nor to God speaking in distinction from Christ, who speaks in Rev_1:15.[730] It has been thought that the voice proceeds from him whom John, Rev_1:12 sqq., sees, and therefore from Christ himself;[731] but on account of Rev_4:1, this cannot be admitted. It is therefore, as in Rev_4:1, Rev_10:4; Rev_10:8, entirely undecided as to whom this voice belongs. This also agrees very well with the ὁπίσω μου .

[702] Wetst.; cf., also, V. d. Honert, Dissert. Apocalypt, p. 77 sqq.; Winer, p. 173; Züll.

[703] Cf., also, De Wette, Hengstenb.

[704] Cf. Rev_4:2, Rev_21:10.

[705] Cf., especially, Rev_21:10.

[706] Cf. LXX., Jdg_11:29 : ἐγένετο ἐπὶ Ἰεφθάε πνεῦμα κυρ . (Num_24:2).

[707] As Grotius, who compares Mar_1:23; Mar_5:5; and Ebrard, who compares Act_4:8 sqq.; and also Klief.,—say more clearly than many other expositors who appear to be of the same opinion.

[708] Cf. 1Co_14:2; 1Co_14:14; 1Co_14:31.

[709] Act_12:11.

[710] Cf., also, 2Co_12:2 sqq.

[711] Cf. Rom_8:16.

[712] Cf. 1Co_11:20.

[713] 1Co_16:2; Act_20:7; cf. Dionys. Cor. in Euseb., H. E., iv. 23: τήν

κυριακὴν ἁγίαν ἡμέραν διάγομεν (“We keep the holy Lord’s day”). Barnabas, Ep., c. Revelation 15 : ἄγομεν τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ὀγδόην εἰς εὐφροσύνην , ἐν ᾖ καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν , κ . τ . λ . (“We devote the eighth day to gladness, on which also Jesus rose from the dead”), etc.

[714] Eichh.

[715] Beng.

[716] On Mat_25:24, “The apostolic tradition that, at the time of the Easter vigils, it will not be allowed to dismiss the people before midnight, expecting the coming of Christ” (“Traditionem apostolicum—ut in die vigiliarum paschae ante noctis dimidium populos dimittere non liceat, expectantes adventum Christi”).

[717] C. a Lap.

[718] Exo_33:20 sqq.; Isa_6:5; Ewald, Hengstenb.

[719] As in Isa_6:5.

[720] Ebrard.

[721] On ch. 4. (p. 215) Ebrard interprets the ὁπίσω μου very preposterously as “standing upon earth.” Volkmar: As the external world lies extended before man’s face, so what is concealed is back of the world’s view.

[722] Rev_4:1.

[723] Cf., also, Stern, but who incorrectly refers to Isa_30:21. See Knobel on this passage.

[724] μεγάλη , Rev_5:2; cf. Mat_24:31; Mat_27:46; Mat_27:50.

[725] Cf. Rev_5:14.

[726] Num_10:2; Num_10:10; Joe_2:1; Joe_2:15; Exo_19:19; Mat_24:31; 1Th_4:16; De Wette, Hengstenb., etc.

[727] λεγούσης is to be construed with σαλπ . by attraction.

[728] N. de Lyra.

[729] Ebrard; cf. on Rev_5:1.

[730] C. a Lap.

[731] Alcas., Ew., Hengstenb.

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

XXV. Rev_1:10. ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ

Trench: “Some have assumed, from this passage, that ἡμέρα κυριακή was a designation of Sunday already familiar among Christians. This, however, seems a mistake. The name had, probably, its origin here. A little later, we find ἡμέρα κυριακή familiar to Ignatius, as Dominica solemnia to Tertullian (De Anima, c. 9; cf. Dionysius of Corinth, quoted by Eusebius, H. E., iv. 23, 8; Clement of Alexandria, Strom., vii. 12; Origen, Con. Cels., viii. 22). But, though the name ‘the Lord’s Day’ will very probably have had here its rise (the actual form of the phrase may have been suggested by κυριακὸν δεῖπνον , 1Co_11:20), the thing, the celebration of the first day of the week as that on which the Lord brake the bands of death, and became the head of a new creation, called therefore sometimes ἀναστάσιμος ἡμέρα ,—this was as old as Christianity itself (Joh_20:24-29; 1Co_16:2; Act_20:7; Epistle of Barnabas, c. 17).” A refutation of the interpretation as “the day of the Lord’s coming” is given in Alford.

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

XXV. Rev_1:10. ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ

Trench: “Some have assumed, from this passage, that ἡμέρα κυριακή was a designation of Sunday already familiar among Christians. This, however, seems a mistake. The name had, probably, its origin here. A little later, we find ἡμέρα κυριακή familiar to Ignatius, as Dominica solemnia to Tertullian (De Anima, c. 9; cf. Dionysius of Corinth, quoted by Eusebius, H. E., iv. 23, 8; Clement of Alexandria, Strom., vii. 12; Origen, Con. Cels., viii. 22). But, though the name ‘the Lord’s Day’ will very probably have had here its rise (the actual form of the phrase may have been suggested by κυριακὸν δεῖπνον , 1Co_11:20), the thing, the celebration of the first day of the week as that on which the Lord brake the bands of death, and became the head of a new creation, called therefore sometimes ἀναστάσιμος ἡμέρα ,—this was as old as Christianity itself (Joh_20:24-29; 1Co_16:2; Act_20:7; Epistle of Barnabas, c. 17).” A refutation of the interpretation as “the day of the Lord’s coming” is given in Alford.