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Rev_19:19-21. The Lord’s judgment and war are accomplished. This act of judgment John beholds, as it proceeds not only from the καὶ εἰδον (Rev_19:19), but also from the mode of representation itself ( ἐπιάσθη , Rev_19:20; ἐχορτάσθησαν , Rev_19:21). Cf., on the other hand, ch. 18
τὸ θηρίον καὶ τούς βασιλεῖς , κ . τ . λ . With the beast, representing the secular power,[4127] his confederates appear, the kings of the earth,[4128] and their armies, consisting of the entire number of the dwellers on earth,[4129] who now carry into effect the conflict proclaimed already in Rev_16:14;[4130] its result, however, is described in Rev_19:20 sq., in such a way as to correspond to the significant name of Rev_16:16. For the conflict which is to be described is not one that is painful, or as to its issue possibly doubtful, but the result of an unconditional victory over enemies, won by the justice and omnipotence of the Lord.
Κ . ΜΕΤᾺ ΤΟῦ ΣΤΡΑΤΕΎΜΑΤΟς ΑὐΤΟῦ . The sing. is chosen here,[4131] in order to mark the holy unity of the entire army of Christ, in contrast with the rent body of his enemies.[4132] ΚΑῚ Ὁ ΜΕΤʼ ΑὐΤΟῦ ΨΕΥΔΟΠΡΟΦΉΤΗς . The position of the false prophet as the auxiliary of the beast is designated in harmony with the description (Rev_13:11 sqq.). The allusion also to the peculiar function of the false prophet ( Ὁ ΠΟΙΉΣΑς , Κ . Τ . Λ .) points back to Rev_13:13 sqq.
The manner in which the judgment is fulfilled is in conformity with the nature of the enemies:[4133] the beast, together with the false prophet, “was taken, and both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.” Who does this, is not said; but the act dare not be referred to Christ, for the reason that he does not execute his various acts of judgment by his own hand.[4134] It is evident that the victorious result of the war of judgment[4135] is determined by Christ’s power; but according to the analogy of Rev_12:7 sqq., we must regard the ΣΤΡΑΤΕΎΜΑΤΑ of the Lord, as the executors of the judgment.[4136]
ΖῶΝΤΕς . For only human enemies could suffer bodily death (Rev_19:21) before the eternally condemning judgment of the world.[4137]
ΤῊΝ ΛΊΜΝΗΝ , Κ . Τ . Λ . Cf. Rev_20:10; Rev_20:14 sq., Rev_21:8.
ΟἹ ΛΟΙΠΟῚ . See on Rev_19:17 sq.
ἈΠΕΚΤΆΝΘΗΣΑΝ ἘΝ Τῇ ΡΟΜΦΑΊᾼ , Κ . Τ . Λ . To seize the enemies, and thus to cast them into hell (Rev_19:20), is not befitting the Lord himself; but it is something else, when the sword which proceeds from his mouth slays the enemies. This gives the idea of the victory entirely without laborious effort, and presupposing no proper conflict of Him who, according to the prediction of the ancient prophets, destroys his enemies with the breath of his lips.[4138]
Κ . ΠΆΝΤΑ ΤᾺ ὌΡΝΕΑ , Κ . Τ . Λ . Cf. Rev_19:17 sq.
[4127] Rev_13:1 sqq.
[4128] Rev_16:12 sqq., Rev_17:12 sqq.
[4129] Rev_13:4; Rev_13:8; Rev_13:16.
[4130] Notice the art. τὸν πόλεμ .; also the συνηγμένα here repeated.
[4131] Cf., on the other hand, Rev_19:14.
[4132] Beng., Hengstenb.
[4133] Cf. Beng., De Wette, Hengstenb.
[4134] Cf. Rev_20:2.
[4135] Cf. Rev_19:11.
[4136] Cf. Rev_20:9 sqq., 14 sq.
[4137] Rev_20:14 sqq.
[4138] Cf. Isa_11:4.
The allegorical exposition, when applied with consistency to ch. 19, must be regarded untenable in the degree that it arrays itself against the context. The fowls (Rev_19:17 sq., 21) are, according to Hammond, the Goths and Vandals, who desolated the Roman Empire; according to Coccejus, the Turks, who, after the capture of Constantinople, afflicted the Catholic West; according to Hengstenb., the Huns, who prepared grievous calamities for the Germanic nations, the destroyers of the Roman Empire. Wetst. found the prophecy fulfilled in the assassination of Domitian, the last of the Flavians,[4139] and in the conquest of his soldiers (Rev_19:21). Grot. understands by the ΒΑΣΙΛΕῖς (Rev_19:19), “Julian with his nobles,” and remarks on Rev_19:20 : “Theodosius the Great abolished the public sacrifices of the heathen,” and on Rev_19:21 : “By the decree of Christ, who used Justinian for this purpose, to punish idolaters with death.” Others, as C. a Lap., have thought that the fulfiment of the prophecy could be shown by the horrible death and burial of many heretics. So C. a Lap. cites authors who report of Luther that he committed suicide, and that at his burial not only a multitude of ravens, but also the Devil, who had come from Holland, appeared.
Luther, gloss on Rev_19:11 : “The word of God is opposed to the defenders of the Pope, and none of their defence is of any avail.”
[4139] Rev_19:20.