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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadHeinrich Meyer Commentary - Revelation 11:16 - 11:18
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Rev_11:16-18. Similar ascriptions of praise on the part of the twenty-four elders. ἔπεσαν ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτων , like all angels. For the deepest humiliation of adoring creatures is becoming when the highest revelation of the glory of God, as here the subduing of all enemies, stands before the eyes.[2978]
ΕὐΧΑΡΙΣΤΟῦΜΈΝ ΣΟΙ . They give thanks, not because they consider themselves partakers of the great power and government of God,[2979] which is as remote as in Rev_11:15, but because ( ὍΤΙ ΕἼΛΗΦΑς , Κ . Τ . Λ .) the assumption of dominion on God’s part has brought to the oppressors of the Church, whose representatives the elders are, retributory vengeance, but to the servants of God the complete reward.[2980] The ascription of adoration, ΚΎΡΙΕ Ὁ ΘΕῸς Ὁ ΠΑΝΤΟΚΡΆΤΩΡ , Κ . Τ . Λ ., in which the guaranty for the glorious result of God’s ways was previously indicated,[2981] appears now when that glorious end is beheld as already attained to be actually realized.[2982] But from the former significant designation of God, Ὁ ὪΝ ΚΑῚ Ὁ ἮΝ ΚΑῚ Ὁ ἘΡΧΌΜΕΝΟς ,[2983] this last point necessarily is omitted; for the ascription of praise, even though proleptical, applies even to that which has now come, and thus the fulfilment of his mystery has been attained.[2984] Luther improperly follows the bad revision of the text, in which the ΚΑῚ Ὁ ἘΡΧ . is interpolated from Rev_1:8, Rev_4:8.
ὍΤΙ ΕἼΛΗΦΑς Τ . ΔΎΝΑΜΊΝ ΣΟΥ Τ . ΜΕΓ . ΚΑῚ ἘΒΑΣΊΛΕΥΣΑς . The assumption of great powrer[2985] is the means for entrance upon the kingdom;[2986] but as the exclamation κύριε ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ properly conditions the mode of representation in the ἐβασίλευσας , the σου with the τ . δύναμ . marks also the presupposition that it was only, apparently, that the unconditioned power which he has now seized was not possessed by the eternal Ruler of all, while he allowed the antichristian powers to be exercised against himself and his Christ.
Rev_11:18. According to the fundamental thought of Rev_11:2,[2987] although the expression comes from Psa_99:1,[2988] there is a description of how the wrath of God has risen against the wrath of his enemies, to the destruction of the destroyers, in the final judgment which brings its reward to the servants of God.
The more minute description in the words ΤᾺ ἜΘΝΗ ὨΡΓΊΣΘΗΣΑΝ , Κ . Τ . Λ ., of the ΕἼΛΗΦΑς Τ . ΔΎΝ ., Κ . Τ . Λ ., Rev_11:17,[2989] which occurs in the final judgment described here in all its parts, is subjoined by the simple ΚΑῚ . But the entire ascription of adoration proves itself to be so clearly a prolepsis of that which is not represented in details until in the visions following that extend up to Rev_22:5, and comprise the actual end, that even the expressions mostly agree with those of the succeeding chapter. The explanation of the tenor of the subject is to be derived from what follows. How the enraged Gentiles, impelled by the anger of the devil,[2990] come forth against the Lord and his servants, is, of course, to be seen already from Rev_11:9 sqq.;[2991] but the complete representation of the Gentile antichrist is given first in what follows,[2992] and it properly pertains to this, that ἨΛΘΕΝ Ἡ ὈΡΓΉ ΣΟΥ is described as actually entering, first in chs. 16–18, and then Rev_19:1 sqq., is celebrated as actually occurring, just as in this passage proleptically. The expression ΤΟῪς ΔΙΑΦΘΕΊΡΟΝΤΑς Τ . ΓῆΝ is to be understood first from the entire description of Babylon, the antichristian secular power.[2993] The ΚΑΙΡῸς ΤῶΝ ΝΕΚΡῶΝ ΚΡΙΘῆΝΑΙ , which is celebrated in this passage proleptically as having already occurred ( ἨΛΘΕΝ ), occurs actually not until in Rev_20:11 sqq.; so also the time for giving the servants of God their reward occurs actually not until the Divine completion of the mystery of God (Rev_21:1 to Rev_22:5).
ΤΟῖς ΔΟΎΛΟΙς ΣΟΥ
ΜΕΓΆΛΟΙς . This circumstantial formula is intended to designate the entire number of all those who receive God’s reward in contrast with those condemned to judgment.[2994] The classification is not to be pressed,—against Beng. and Hengstenb., who refer the Τ . ΔΟΥΛ . Σ . to Τ . ΠΡΟΦ . and Κ . Τ . ἉΓΊΟΙς , and oppose to these servants of God, in an eminent sense, the entire mass of those who fear the name of the Lord ( Κ . Τ . ΦΟΒ ., Κ . Τ . Λ .), in connection with which Hengstenb. wants a special emphasis recognized as resting not only upon Τ . ἉΓΊΟΙς , but immediately afterwards also upon ΤΟῖς ΜΙΚΡΟῚς , as he understands small and great not in the simplest sense.[2995] But Τ . ΔΟΎΛ . ΣΟΥ belongs[2996] only to Τ . ΠΡΟΦΉΤΑΙς , whereby all those are designated who have served God by proclaiming the Divine mysteries. Beside them stand the ἍΓΙΟΙ , as believers in general are called.[2997] The final designation Κ . Τ . ΦΟΒΟΥΜ . Τ . ὈΝ . ΣΟΥ ΤΟῖς ΜΙΚΡΟῚς ΚΑῚ Τ . ΜΕΓ ., comprehends finally and summarily the entire mass of the godly, no matter whether prophets or saints absolutely,[2998] whether small or great.
[2978] Cf. Rev_4:10, Rev_5:8; Rev_5:14, Rev_19:4. Beng.
[2979] Hengstenb.
[2980] Rev_11:18. Cf. also Rev_6:9 sqq., Rev_7:14 sqq., Rev_19:1 sqq.
[2981] Rev_1:8, Rev_4:8. Cf. also Rev_10:6.
[2982] Cf. Rev_15:3, Rev_16:7; Rev_16:14, Rev_19:6; Rev_19:15, Rev_21:22.
[2983] Rev_1:8, Rev_4:8.
[2984] Cf. Rev_16:5. Beng., Hengstenb.
[2985] Cf. Zec_6:13; Psa_93:1.
[2986] Cf., on this application of the idea of βασιλεύειν , Psa_93:1; 2Sa_15:10; 2Sa_16:8, etc.
[2987] Cf. already Rev_11:15.
[2988] LXX.: ὁ κύριος ἐβασίλευσεν , ὀργιζέσθωσαν λαοί . Beng., De Wette, Hengstenb.
[2989] Cf. De Wette.
[2990] Rev_12:17. Cf. Rev_11:7.
[2991] Cf. Rev_6:10.
[2992] Cf. Rev_13:10 sqq., Rev_16:6, Rev_17:6, Rev_18:24.
[2993] Cf. Rev_19:2, where the ἔκρινε corresponds, with reference to the actually fulfilled judgment, to the διαφθεῖραι in this passage.
[2994] Cf. Rev_21:1 sqq., Rev_3:5; Rev_3:12; Rev_3:21.
[2995] Rev_13:16, Rev_19:18, Rev_20:12; Act_8:10; Act_26:22. Cf. Psa_115:13, where, of course, Hengstenb. interprets “the great” as priests.
[2996] Cf. Rev_10:7.
[2997] Rev_13:7; Rev_13:10, Rev_14:12, Rev_17:6, Rev_20:9, Rev_18:20.
[2998] Cf. Rev_22:9.