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Rev_10:1-2. An angel comes down from heaven with an open little book in his hand.
εἰδον
καταβαίνοντα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ . A difficulty has been found in that John, whose own standpoint from Rev_4:1 is in heaven, sees an angel descend from heaven. Eichh., therefore, explains very arbitrarily: “In the heavenly theatre wherein the whole drama is being represented, he descended from that part which expressed heaven, to that which imitated the earth.”[2689] Hengstenb. obliterates that precise presentation from a standpoint taken in the vision: “It is most natural that John, from the earth, saw the mighty angel descend from heaven.” Nevertheless he does not admit, with De Wette, that here, as in Rev_7:1 sqq., the seer has exchanged his standpoint in heaven[2690] for one on earth,—yet without understanding how the seer descended,—but Hengstenb. does not allow the application of any distinction between the one standpoint and the other: “That John is in heaven, is to be understood positively, and not exclusively.” As, according to Joh_3:13, Christ was “at the same time in heaven and on earth,” so, in a certain respect, such twofoldness of existence is peculiar to all believers, according to Php_3:20. But the question here is not concerning ethical citizenship in heaven, but concerning the locality fixed for ecstatic consciousness. Ewald properly maintains the heavenly standpoint of the seer, which is here as unobjectionable as in Rev_6:12 sqq., Rev_7:1 sqq., Rev_8:5; Rev_8:7-8; Rev_8:10, Rev_9:1 sqq., 13. sqq. Cf., concerning this, Introduction, sec. 1.
ἄλλον ἄγγελον ἰσχυρὸν . The angel distinguished from other angels by the ἄλλον is, as little as the one mentioned in Rev_7:2 or Rev_8:3, Christ himself.[2691] The very form of the oath, Rev_10:6, is not appropriate to Christ.[2692] When, on the other hand, Hengstenb. judges: “It would be presumption for a created angel to make such professions,” because only God himself “could grant the Church what is here granted it,” he mistakes the announcement by the angelic messengers for the granting, i.e., the accomplishment; and when Hengstenb. afterwards remarks that “the appearance of Christ as an angel is in the same line with his state of humiliation,” and he therefore swears by Him who had sent him, this neither agrees with the preceding judgment, nor is in itself correct, because we can in no respect think of the heavenly Christ as in the form of humiliation. More correctly, therefore, have the older expositors explained, who regarded the mighty angel as the Lord himself in so far as they found in his entire appearance, and his individual attributes, a glory which belonged to no mere angel.[2693]
The more accurate determination, however, of the angel, transcends the text:[2694] we can inquire only concerning the relation indicated by the ἄλλον . De Wette, Hengstenb., etc., propose a contrast with the trumpet-angels;[2695] but partly because of the designation ἄλλ . ἄγγ . ἰσχυρόν , and partly because of the parallel of the book with the sealed book, ch. 5, the reference to the ἄγγ . ἰσχυρόν (Rev_5:2) appears to be nearer.[2696] [See Note LXIII., p. 308.] περιβεβλημένον νεφέλην
πυρός . With correctness, Beng., Ew., etc., proceed to comprehend the four special points of the description in their unified significance. These are, however, emblematic attributes which must be understood in the concrete biblical sense. Thus the parallel of the Horatian Nube candentes humeros amictus augur Apollo[2697] appears purely accidental and inwardly remote; and as the entire description has as its intention something more definite than to represent in general the brilliancy of the angel’s form, so the clothing him in a cloud has not only the external purpose to subdue to a certain extent that brilliancy.[2698] The cloud characterizes the angel as a messenger of divine judgment.[2699] With this agree “the feet as pillars of fire,”[2700] while the rainbow, the sign of the covenant of grace,[2701] on the head of the angel, makes the angel appear as a messenger of peace, and the face shining like the sun[2702] is an expression of the heavenly δόξα belonging thereto. The apparently contradictory emblems perfectly agree with the message which the angel himself formally announces, Rev_10:7; for if the O. T. promise confirmed by him is directed to final joy and eternal peace, the fulfilment, nevertheless, does not occur without the dreadful development of a judgment which the seventh trumpet is yet to make known. Just as, therefore, in this μυστήριον τοῦ θεοῦ the terrors of the act of judgment precede its blessed fulfilment, so also the appearing of the heavenly messenger proclaims both at the same time.
The wrong interpretation of the emblematic attributes of the angel[2703] coincides in many expositors with the fact that they regarded the angel Christ; as Beda: “The face of the Lord shining, i.e., his knowledge manifested by the glory of the resurrection, and the feet of him about to preach the gospel, and to announce peace illumined with the fire of the Holy Spirit, and strengthened like a pillar.” Zeg., Aretius, etc., interpreted the clouds as Christ’s flesh.
καὶ ἔχων ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ βιβλαρίδιον ἠνεωγμένον . Concerning the relation of this little book to the book, ch. 5, what is said in Rev_10:8 sqq. first affords a judgment. From a comparison with Rev_10:5, the result is reached, that it was the left hand of the angel which held the book.[2704] But this is designated here a small book, by the diminutive form, not for the reason that only an inconsiderable volume is adapted for being eaten,[2705]—to such reflection, even a βιβλαρίδιον must appear too large,—also not in comparison with the large form of the angel,[2706] but corresponding with the contents, which constitute only one part of the βιβλίον , ch. 5[2707] This book is brought to the seer opened, in contrast with the sealed book, which could be opened only by the Lamb, because John is to understand its full contents, to take the book into himself (cf. Rev_10:9), and then to prophesy.
καὶ ἔθηκε
τῆς γῆς . By the angel’s placing his feet of fire upon the sea and the earth, he shows not only that “his intelligence belongs to the earth and the sea (the islands);”[2708] but more definitely according to the analogy presented in Psa_8:7; Psa_108:10; Psa_110:1, and corresponding to the entire meaning of the angelic form, he thus represents the power of God in judgment, whose messenger he is, as extending over the whole earth.[2709] The significant meaning, in this passage, of the angel in general, and of his course especially, is, however, to be understood only when the sea and the earth are interpreted no more allegorically than the angel himself. C. a Lap. thinks, in accord with Alcas., of heathen and Jews, to whom Christ preaches, i.e., causes the gospel to be preached. Hengstenb. abides by his interpretation of the sea as the sea of peoples, and the earth as the cultivated world, as Beng. by his interpretation of Europe and Asia. If the question be in general, concerning a particular sign that these allegorizing explanations do not belong to the text, it is answered in that they either do not at all[2710] explain the not indifferent course of the angel, who puts his right foot upon the sea and his left upon the earth, or that they do so with entire impropriety.[2711] John, as an inhabitant of Asia Minor, could not well, unless an entirely vague idea be entertained of him, regard the sea otherwise than in the definite form of the Mediterranean; while the place on earth on which the angel sets his foot is naturally the Asiatic main land. If the question be now concerning the idea lying in the setting-up of pillars of fire, as such, it is of course a matter of indifference as to what part of the sea and earth the seer could naturally have had in mind for his concrete contemplation; but it cannot be without more definite reference, if the region towards which the so significant form of the angel is directed be indicated by the accurately described posture. The angel stands with his right foot on the sea, with his left on the earth; and this is naturally to be concretely represented from the precise horizon of the seer, in the given way, if the angel look towards the south, towards the region of Jerusalem. But how well this agrees with his message (Rev_10:6 sqq.) and the contents of the book brought him, will be clear when the result is reached as to how the message of the angel refers especially to the judgment on Jerusalem. This applies also against Ew. ii., who explains: The angel put his right, i.e., his first (?), foot upon the Mediterranean, and then the left upon the land, i.e., Italy and Rome. Then only the more remote goal of the prophecy now beginning (ch. 13 sqq.) would be indicated, while the important reference to the nearest object of the prophecy, Jerusalem (Rev_11:1 sqq.), would in an incomprehensible way be lacking.
[2689] Cf., on the other hand, also Rev_10:2.
[2690] Rev_4:1 sqq.
[2691] Against Beda, Alcas., Zeg., Aret., Par., Calov., Hengstenb., etc. Cf. also Vitr., who is unwilling to distinguish between the Second and Third Persons of the Godhead. For the correct interpretation, see Andr., Rib., Vieg., C. a Lap., Stern, Beng., De Wette, etc.
[2692] Cf. Beng.
[2693] Cf. Beda, Zeg., Calov., etc.
[2694] Against Rinck, who means even the trumpet angels, Rev_17:1, Rev_21:9.
[2695] Perhaps with the eagle-angel, Rev_8:13 (De Wette).
[2696] Beng., Ebrard.
[2697] “The augur Apollo, with his shining shoulders clothed with a shining cloud” (Lib. I., Od. 2, 10:31).
[2698] Against Ewald; cf. also Heinr., etc.
[2699] Cf. Rev_1:7; Hengstenb., Ebrard.
[2700] Cf. Rev_1:15.
[2701] Cf. Rev_4:3; Gen_9:11 sqq.
[2702] Cf. Rev_1:16, Rev_18:1.
[2703] Concerning the allegorical explanation of the whole, see the close of the chapter.
[2704] Beng.
[2705] Eichh.
[2706] Beng.
[2707] Ew. See on Rev_10:8 sqq.
[2708] De Wette.
[2709] Cf. Ew., Hengstenb., Volkm.
[2710] Beng., Hengstenb.; also De Wette, etc.
[2711] Cf., e.g., Stern: The stronger right foot indicates the emphasis with which the world—the sea—is warned of the danger of Antichrist.
LXIII. Rev_10:1. ἄλλον ἄγγελον ἰσχυρὸν