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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadHeinrich Meyer Commentary - Revelation 13
Verse Commentaries:
Chapter Level Commentary:
Ch. 13 Rev_13:1. κέρατα δέκα καὶ κεφαλὰς ἑπτὰ . So, properly already, Griesb. The reverse order (Elz.), as Rev_12:3, appears more natural.
ὄνομα βλασφημίας . The singular (Elz., Wetst., Beng.) sufficiently supported by C, à , and other witnesses, which, besides, Andreas has in his text and commentary, is properly maintained by Züll. and De Wette. The strongly indorsed plural ὀνόματα (A, B, Verss., Lach., Tisch. [W. and H.]), received already by Griesb., is suspicious as an interpretation.
Rev_13:5. Whether καὶ βλασφημίας (C, à , Elz., Tisch. IX. [W. and H.]), or κ . βλασφημίαν (B, al., Beng., Tisch.), or, finally, κ . βλάσφημα (A, Lach.), is to be written, is not to be decided from the witnesses contradicting one another. The reading βλάσφημα does not commend itself, because of its conformity with the preceding μεγάλα . The sing. might merit preference to the plur. (cf. Rev_13:6, where είς βλασφημίας is correctly read, Lach., Tisch.), as a less easy reading.
Rev_13:7. The first member of the verse, καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ πόλεμον ποιῆσαι (Elz., Beng., Griesb.; ποιῆσαι πόλεμον , à , Tisch.) μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ νικῆσαι αὑτούς , is lacking in important witnesses (A, C, 12, 14, 92), and is erased by Lach. But the words which occur in B, à , Verss., and whose erroneous omission is easily explained, because the second half of the verse also begins with καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ , are retained with greater propriety by Tisch.
Rev_13:8. Instead of the Rec. ὡν ού γέγραπται τὰ ὀνόματα ἐυ τῇ βίβλῳ τ . ζ ., it is undoubtedly more correct to read: τὸ ὀνομα (A, B, C, al.) and ἑν τῷ βιβλίῳ τ . ζ . (Beng., Griesb., Lach., Tisch. [W. and H.]). But the rest of the words also are, with Lach., Tisch.[W. and H.], to be changed to οὖ οὐ γέγπ . τὸ ὄνομα αὐτου ἐν τ . β . τ . ζ . The οὖ occurs in C, Iren.; the αὐτου in A, C. Also the particularly erroneous reading οὐαὶ , which A has written before γέγρ ., appears to point back to the reading οὖ οὐ γέγρ . à appears uncertain.
The τοῦ before ἐσφαγμ ., which is lacking in the Rec., is properly (A, B, C, à ) restored by Beng., Griesb., Lach., Tisch. [W. and H.].
Rev_13:10. The Rec., εἴ τις αἰχμαλωσίαν συνάγει , εἰς ἀιχμαλωσίαν ὑπάγει , which in this form is almost without support, expresses most readily, and, for this reason, in a suspicious way, the meaning which numerous variations in many ways describe (“If any one shall have led captivity, he shall go into captivity”(Iren.). εἵ τις αἰχμαλωτίζει , εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ὑπάγει . 7. αἰχμαλωτιεῖ , αἰμαλωτισθήσεται , 18), and which A gives thus: εἴ τις εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν , εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ὑπάγει (Lach., large ed., Tisch. [W. and H.]). To this last reading the defective form of the text also points, which occurs in B, C, à , 28, 38: εἴ τις εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ὑπάγει , for this is manifestly only a mistake which has once omitted the twice-written words εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν . The corrupt reading in Andr., εἴ τις ἔχει αἰχμαλωσίαν , ὑπάγει , is manifestly only the remnant of an interpretation. According to the witnesses, therefore, the text given by Lach. and Tisch. is the best. But it is not improbable (cf. De Wette) that the ὑπάγει also is an interpretation; for the entire sentence, elliptical also in the second clause, would read: εἴ τις εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν , εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν .
Rev_13:12. καὶ ποιεῖ τ . γ . The pres. (A, C, à , Elz., Lach., Tisch. IX. [W. and H.]), which is certain in Rev_13:12 a and Rev_13:13, would be unchanged not only in the imperf. (B, Tisch.), but also in the fut. (cf. Griesb., Tisch.).
Rev_13:14. Instead of the neuter ὃ ἔχ . ( à ), the extremely remarkable masc. ὃς occurs not only in A, 28, 33 (Griesb.), but also (cf. Tisch.) in B, C. Lach. and Tisch. [W. and H.] have, therefore, written ὃς . But since the writer of the Apoc. could have written the masc. neither by a grammatical error (cf. Rev_13:2; Rev_13:11), nor possibly because of the reference to a masc. subject, which would be represented by the θηρίον (against Hofm., Schriftbew . II. 2, p. 635; Volkmar. See exposition), the grammatically correct form is to be maintained, although the appearance of the ὃς in the most important MSS. is inexplicable. Perhaps the masc. (cf. Rev_17:16; also Rev_14:1, var. lect.) is an attempt at interpretation in the sense of Volkmar. But the interpretation thus indicated is refuted by the context. The reference also to ὁ δράκων (cf. Rev_13:8) is here impossible. The neut. necessary for correct exegesis has in its favor also the critical authority of à .
Rev_13:15. The ἱνα , which must be expected with ἀποκτανθῶσιν after the ποίησῃ , occurs in A (Lach.) before ὅσοι , in minusc. directly before ἀποκτ . (Elz.). That the particle is missing in B, à (so also Tisch.), is occasioned indeed by the uncertainty of the passage.
Rev_13:17. A, B, à 1, Vulg., al., favor the καὶ at the beginning of the verse. The omission (C, Lach., Tisch. IX.) is easily explained, since, as the catena (in Tisch.) expressly says, it is regarded as superfluous.
After the dragon, in order to inflict his wrath upon believers (Rev_12:17), has come to the seashore (Rev_13:18), John sees a beast rise out of the sea, which, like the dragon himself (Rev_12:3), is furnished with ten horns, seven heads, and ten diadems, and already by these insignia immediately makes known that it is an instrument to be employed by him in his war (Rev_12:17). To this beast the dragon also gives great power and dominion (Rev_13:2), and it is permitted to make war against the saints (Rev_13:7); yet the description of this mighty instrument in the hand of Satan does not remain without the definite encouragement of sure consolation (Rev_13:10).
Besides the first beast, still another, which rises from the earth, is presented to the eye of the seer (Rev_13:11 sqq.). This second beast appears, not as co-ordinate with the first, which is absolutely the beast (Rev_13:14-15; Rev_13:17-18), but[3209] subordinate to it, an accomplice by means of seductive speeches, and other means of deception, to promote the activity of the first beast, and thus, likewise, to serve the wrath of the dragon.
[3209] Cf. Hengstenb.