Heinrich Meyer Commentary - Revelation 20:1 - 20:3

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Heinrich Meyer Commentary - Revelation 20:1 - 20:3


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Rev_20:1-3. An angel, descending from heaven, binds Satan with a great chain, and casts him into the abyss for one thousand years.

ἄγγελον . The comparison of Rev_1:18 cannot prove that the angel[4144] is Christ.[4145]

ΤῊΝ ΚΛΕῚΝ ΤῊς ἈΒΎΣΣΟΥ . The key of the abyss—which, according to the analogy of the in other respects not entirely conformable presentation, Rev_1:18, is to be regarded as being in the hands of Christ—was “given,” Rev_9:1, under particular circumstances, for a definite purpose to another; in this passage the angel, who likewise needed the key for a definite purpose (Rev_20:2 sq.), brought it from heaven, where he, therefore, had received it when he was sent. Ew. ii. is accordingly incorrect in identifying the angel in this passage with the one who is represented as being active in Rev_9:1-11. ἍΛΥΣΙΝ . Cf. Mar_5:3 sq.[4146]

ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ . Cf. Rev_5:1. “In” the hand,[4147] the chain could not be held because of its great weight; it lies “on” the hand, and hangs down on both sides.

ἘΚΡΆΤΗΣΕΝ . Vivid representation of the event. Cf. Rev_19:20.

Ὁ ὌΦΙς , Κ . Τ . Λ . The nominative of apposition, without construction, is like Rev_1:5. On the designation, cf. Rev_12:9; the complete harmony in this passage shows that now that original enemy was bound, who, after he had been cast from heaven to earth, became the proper originator of every thing antichristian in the world.[See Note LXXXVI., p. 472.] ΧΊΛΙΑ ἜΤΗ . The accus.[4148] designates the length of the time during which Satan is to be bound. Cf. in other respects on Rev_20:10.

ΕἸς ΤῊΝ ἌΒΥΣΣΟΝ . Cf. Rev_20:1; Rev_9:1; Rev_11:7; Rev_17:8. The abyss of hell is the place where Satan properly belongs, and whence he himself, like the demoniacal powers, has proceeded in order to work upon earth. But since for a thousand years he will be confined against his will to one place,[4149] so long is his agency on earth interrupted ( ἳνα μὴ πλαν ., κ . τ . λ .).

καὶ ἔκλεισεν καὶ ἐσφράγισεν ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ . With ἔκλεισεν the object τὴν ἄβυσσον is understood; but just because this is not expressly added, the limitation ἐπάνω αὐτοὺ can the more readily qualify the ἐσφράγισεν : “upon him,” i.e., Satan, who has been cast into the bottomless pit, the angel “set a seal,” in order to give the greater assurance of the secure guarding of the one imprisoned.[4150]

ἴνα μὴ πλανήσῃ ἔτι τὺ ἔθνη . As he had previously done,[4151] as long as unbound, he could exercise his wrath on earth.[4152] The subj. aor., with a future meaning,[4153] presupposes that during the one thousand years, and, therefore, after the act of judgment, Rev_19:21, there would still be nations who also, at the end of the one thousand years, would be actually led astray.[4154] This seeming difficulty would be avoided by the reading πλανᾷ , which depends upon the view customary in the Church fathers, but absolutely in violation of the context, that the worldly period of one thousand years began with the birth or death of Christ, and, therefore, is the present.[4155]

μετὰ ταῦτα ; viz., τὰ χίλια ἔτη . The definite numerical specification immediately precedes, and to it corresponds also the temporal statement: μικρὸν χρόνον .

δεῖ . Cf. Rev_1:1, Rev_4:1.

[4144] Beng., De Wette, etc.

[4145] Against Hengstenb., Alcas., Calov., Vitr. Cf. also Coccej., who again understands the Holy Ghost.

[4146] Etym., M.: ἅλυσις , ἡ ἔκ χαλκοῦ ἢ σιδήρου ἣ ἀργυρίουυ ἣ χρυσοῦ πεπληγμένη σειρά [ ἅλυσις is a chain forged either from brass, or iron, or silver, or gold].

[4147] Ew. ii. à reads even ἐν τ . χ .

[4148] Cf. Rev_9:5.

[4149] Cf. Rev_20:7 : φυλακή .

[4150] Cf. Mat_27:66.

[4151] Cf. Rev_13:14, Rev_16:13.

[4152] Rev_12:12.

[4153] Cf. Winer, p. 472.

[4154] Cf. Rev_20:8 sq.

[4155] See on Rev_20:10.

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

LXXXVII. Rev_20:4. κρίμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς

Gebhardt suggests, that, by αὐτοῖς , either no definite persons are intended, so that it was simply intended to express the idea, “here was a judgment;” or, as he thinks more probable, believers alive at the coming of Christ.

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

LXXXVIII. Rev_20:4. τὰς ψυχὰς τὼν πεπελισμένων , κ . τ . λ .

Gebhardt: “The seer had, in his eye, two classes of the dead: first, those who have, for the gospel, surrendered their lives,—the witnesses of Jesus in a special sense (Rev_17:6); not only those whose souls (Rev_6:9) are under the altar, but those also who come after (Rev_6:11; cf. Rev_13:7, Rev_10:5, Rev_16:5-6, Rev_17:6, Rev_18:24); the full number of those who, according to the will of God, should die; until the completion of which, those already killed must rest in heaven (Rev_6:9-11); then, all other believers who, notwithstanding affliction and threatened death, remain faithful, and have died in the Lord (Rev_14:13, Rev_13:15-16); in a word, all real Christians who have died either a violent or a natural death.” The second resurrection he regards as including not only the condemned, but also the godly of the O. T. The emphasis here is sometimes thrown on ψυχὰς , as though this were sufficient to prove that the first resurrection of this chapter is spiritual. But, in this sense, had the souls of the martyrs ever died? How could they be said to live again, for that is the clear implication of Rev_20:5, if nothing more than a continuance of their spiritual life were indicated? Alford: “If in a passage where two resurrections are mentioned, where certain ψυχαὶ ἕζησαν at the first, and the rest of the νεκροὶ ἕζησαν only at the end of a specified period after that first,—if, in such a passage, the first resurrection may be understood to mean spiritual rising with Christ, while the second means literal rising from the grave, then there is an end of all significance in language, and Scripture is wiped out as a definite testimony to any thing. If the first resurrection is spiritual, then so is the second, which, I suppose, none will be hardy enough to maintain; but, if the second is literal, so is the first.” On the other hand, the difficulty must not be ignored, which is stated by Carpenter: “There will be faithless people during the millennium,—the nations to be deceived (Rev_20:8). Are we then to picture saints with glorified bodies living on the earth, which, at the same time, is tenanted by men and women still in the natural body?”