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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadHeinrich Meyer Commentary - Revelation 17
Verse Commentaries:
Chapter Level Commentary:
Rev_17:4. The καὶ before κεχρυσ . (A, à , Vulg., Elz., Lach., Tisch. IX. [W. and H.]), which is lacking in B (Tisch.), may be interpolated, τὰ ἀκάθαρτα . So A, B, à , 2, 4, 6, al., Compl., Genev., Beng., Griesb., Lach., Tisch. [W. and H.]. The rec. ἀκαθάρτητος is an interpretation, as the τῶν ἀκαθάρτων in Areth.
Rev_17:8. Instead of ὑπάγειν (B, à , Elz., Tisch. IX.), read ὑπάγει (A, 12, Andr., Areth., Lach., Tisch. [W. and H.]).
καὶ πάρεσται . So A, B, 2, 3, 4, al., Compl., Plant., Genev., Beng., Griesb., Lach., Tisch. [W. and H.]. Incorrectly, Elz.: καίπερ ἐστίν . à 1 has καὶ πάλιν πάρεστε (corr.: καὶ πάρεστιν ). The πάλιν is an effort at interpretation; the πάρεστε , however, points to the correct reading.
Rev_17:11. καὶ αὐτος ὅγδ . So A, al., edd., interpretations are: κ . οὐτος ὀγδ . (B), οὐτος ὁ ὄγδ . ( à ), etc.
After the last plagues[3792] have been inflicted, the final judgment itself follows, and that, too, in various chief acts whereby the individual chief enemies are judged successively. From ch. 12 on, as such, there are represented, first, the dragon himself, as the proper old enemy; then the beast out of the sea, i.e., the heathen-Roman secular power; finally, the beast out of the earth, serving this beast, or the false prophet. But while the description of the enemies of the Lord and his believers properly took this course, which proceeds from the original author of all antichristian hostility, from Satan himself, to the hostile powers manifesting themselves in the reality of experience by the shedding of blood and other persecutions of believers,[3793] by the seduction of the inhabitants of the earth, and by blasphemy of God;[3794] the reverse order follows for the description of the judgment. Satan himself—even apart from that which lies beyond Rev_20:3—is at last judged,[3795] and, before him, his instruments, who serve him unto the end; viz., the beast and the false prophet.[3796]
But the description of the judgment is not limited to this chief feature; but just that part of the Apocalyptic picture is portrayed in a more detailed way, which refers to the antichristian secular power as in manifest reality arrayed against believers. This is now brought to view under the two forms (Rev_17:3) belonging together, as they stand there in their entire opposition to God, and incur the Divine judgment. Besides the Roman Empire (Weltreiche) as a whole, the beast, there is a particular description of the metropolis of the world (Weltstadt), the harlot who sits upon the beast, the concrete focus of the power of the world with all its abominations. This harlot upon the beast is now shown to the prophet[3797] as the immediate object of the final judgment that now enters; and, indeed, not only what John himself beholds (Rev_17:1-6), but also that which the angel says to him in interpretation of what is beheld (Rev_17:7-14, Rev_17:15-18), serves besides to represent the harlot as the completely worthy object of the judgment. To the judgment itself, then, the section Rev_18:1 sqq. refers.
[3792] Cf. Rev_15:1.
[3793] Cf. Rev_13:7; Rev_13:10; Rev_13:15, Rev_16:6.
[3794] Cf. Rev_13:4 sqq., Rev_13:12 sqq., Rev_14:8, Rev_16:21.
[3795] Rev_20:1 sqq.
[3796] Rev_19:19 sqq.
[3797] Rev_17:1 sqq.