Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadHeinrich Meyer Commentary - Revelation 21:1 - 21:8
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Rev_21:1-8. John beholds a new heaven and a new earth, and the new Jerusalem when it descends from heaven. At this a mighty voice from heaven proclaims that this is the place where God will dwell with glorified men (Rev_21:1-4). The enthroned God himself testifies to this, by declaring at the same time the eternal ruin awarded to the godless; and, meanwhile, an angel commissions John to write down the present words of Divine revelation (Rev_21:5-8).
Οὐρανὸν καινὸν καὶ γὴν καινὴν , κ . τ . λ . Cf. Isa_65:17; Isa_66:22. The theological question as to whether the old world will pass away in such a manner, that from it, as a seed, the new will arise, or whether an absolutely new creation, after the entire annihilation of the old world, be referred to, is indeed to be decided least of all from the Apocalyptic description; yet this description[4255] is not opposed to the former view, which, according to Scripture,[4256] is more probable than the latter.[4257]
καὶ ἡ θάλασσα οὐκ ἔστιν ἔτι . If the question be raised, why in the new world there will be no sea, such answers result—even though no allusion to the sea of nations be made here[4258]—as that by Andreas, that the cessation of earthly separations renders also navigation, together with the sea, unnecessary; by Beda, that by the conflagration of the world the sea may be dried up; by De Wette and Luthardt, that the new world will be formed by fire, as the old world issued from the water; by Ewald: “This opinion seems to have been derived peculiarly from the horror of the deep sea which the Israelites, Egyptians, and ancient Indians had derived from love of the land, confined within which they lived;” by Zull., that also in paradise there would be no sea, in connection with which Ew. ii. and Volkm. besides remark that the sea and the abyss of hell belong together, and that, therefore, in the new world, the one can no more have a place than the other. But every combination of sea and hell is incorrect,[4259] and according to Rev_20:10; Rev_20:15, the writer of the Apocalypse actually refers to an abyss of hell eternally existing with the new heaven and the new earth.
The form of these answers of itself shows that the question is only put improperly. The text has the words referring to the sea in the place where the passing away of the entire old world is recalled; here that is expressly said which, Rev_20:11, was not expressly rendered prominent, that the sea also is no more, just as also the old earth and the old heaven. The tenor of the text, accordingly, does not forbid us thinking also of a new sea with the new earth.[4260] [See Note XCIV., p. 485.] Ἱερουσαλὴμ καινὴν . Also in Gal_4:26, there is a statement concerning the ἄνω Ἱερουσ ., but so that this idea, proceeding from the contrast to the νῦν Ἱερουσ ., only gives concretely the ideal view of the heavenly, spiritual, and free character of the Church of believers. But in John the matter is different in a twofold respect; since, in the first place, he regards the new Jerusalem only after the history of the world, when the heaven and earth also are made new, and then regards the new Jerusalem as descending from heaven to earth.[4261]
καταβ . ἐκ τ . οὐρ . ἀπὸ τ . θ . The several prepositions, as Rev_3:12, mark, first of all, what is purely local, then ( ἀπὸ ) the idea resulting to the personal τ . θ ., that the holy city descends “from God,” as God has prepared it and sent it down. The variation is different, e. g., in Joh_11:1. In the expression Rev_21:10, the local idea appears to prevail even in the ἐκ τ . θ .
ἡτοιμασμέν -g0- ην -g0-. “Prepared[4262] as a bride adorned for her husband.” Here already (cf. Rev_21:9) the idea, according to which the new Jerusalem is regarded as the dwelling-place (cf. Rev_21:3) of the Lamb’s bride, i.e., of the Church of glorified believers,[4263] passes over to that according to which the new Jerusalem itself—together with those dwelling therein—is regarded as the bride. While John sees the new Jerusalem descending from heaven, he hears a strong voice from heaven,[4264] which immediately interprets this introductory vision (cf. Rev_21:9 sqq.) to the effect that this city descending from heaven is “the tabernacle of God with men,” in which God himself shall dwell with men, and refresh them after all the sorrow they have experienced on earth, as this is henceforth no longer possible.[4265] From the very beginning, therefore, the blessed mystery of the new Jerusalem is so interpreted that here the fulfilment is manifest (Rev_10:7) of all that God had previously promised to his people through the prophets,[4266] as it is, in truth, the complete realization of the communion between God and his people existing already in time (cf. Rev_21:7).
ὁ θάνατος , κ . τ . λ . Cf. Rev_20:14.
πένθος . As in Rev_18:8, the special particular of lamentation for the dead is here presented, in connection with ὁ θάνατος .
κραυγὴ . The vehement cry, possibly, at the experience of such acts of violence as are indicated at Rev_13:10; Rev_13:17, Rev_2:10.[4267]
πόνος . As in the earthly life was endured with every form of θλιψις .
ὃτι πρῶτα ἀπῆλθαν . The reason conditioning all (cf. Rev_21:1; Rev_21:5).
What the heavenly voice interpreting the vision of John has announced, is now confirmed by the One himself who sits upon the throne,[4268] and that, too, in a double declaration ( κ . εἷπεν , Rev_21:5-6), since he proclaims as his work ( Ἰδού , καινὰ ποιῶ πάντα , Rev_21:5), what John beheld in Rev_21:1,[4269] and had understood in Rev_21:4 ( ὅτι τ . πρῶτα ἀπῆλθαν ) from the heavenly voice to be the presupposition of the blessedness of believers indicated in Rev_21:3-4, but then—after the angel, meanwhile,[4270] had expressly commanded John ( κ . λέγει , Rev_21:5 b) to write down these trustworthy words of God himself, which contain the highest pledge of the future hope[4271]—the promise mentioned already in Rev_21:3 sq. is expressed in the most definite manner ( Ἐγὼ τῷ διψῶντι , κ . τ . λ ., Rev_21:6 sqq.) The latter, however, occurs in such a way that, in this declaration of God himself, there is found, besides the promise to the victor,[4272] also the corresponding threatening of the unbelieving (Rev_21:8); and that this announcement, looking towards both sides, is introduced with an allusion to the majesty of the eternal God, because just upon this does the eternal end of all temporal development depend.[4273] The γέγοναν , however,[4274] which opens this entire declaration, puts it in immediate connection with the vision; for that which John had beheld, viz., the perishing of the old and the existence of the new world, is here proclaimed as having happened.
δειλοῖς . By this such Christians are meant as, in contrast with ὁ νικῶν , shun the sorrowful struggle with the world by denying the truth of the faith.[4275]
ἀπίστοις , κ . τ . λ . The unbelieving are not Christians who have fallen from faith,[4276] but the dwellers on earth hostilely disposed to the Christian faith,[4277] to whom also[4278] all the succeeding designations pertain.
ἐβδελυγμένοις , who have in themselves the βδελύγματα , Rev_17:4 sq.
τ . ψευδέσι . Cf. Rev_21:27; Rev_22:15.
τὸ μέρος αὐτὼν , κ . τ . λ . With the dat., possibly ἡ λίμνη , κ . τ . λ ., is to be expected; from this construction, however, there is a departure by the interposition[4279] of the formula τὸ μέρος (sc. ἕσται ), which then brings with it the genitive αὐτῶν .[4280]
[4255] Cf. also 2Pe_3:10 sqq.
[4256] 1Co_15:42 sqq.; Rom_8:21; Mat_19:28.
[4257] Cf. Andr.: κᾀνταῦθα οὐκ ἀνυπαρξιαν δηλοῖ τῆς κτίσεως , ἀλλʼ ἀνακαινιαμόν ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον [“And here he does not reveal a non-existence of the creation, but a renewal to what is better”].
[4258] Augustine, Hengstenb.
[4259] Cf. Rev_13:1 with Rev_13:11, Rev_11:7 with Rev_9:2.
[4260] Cf. also Beda.
[4261] Cf. Rev_3:12. Cf. Sohar, Gen., p. 69: “God will renew his world, and build up Jerusalem, so as to make it descend into his midst, that It may never be destroyed.” See Wetst. on Gal., l. c.; Schöttgen, Diss. de Hieros. coelest.; Hor. Hebr., I. 1205 sqq.
[4262] Cf. Rev_19:7.
[4263] Rev_19:7 sq.
[4264] Cf. Rev_14:13.
[4265] Cf. Rev_7:14-17.
[4266] Cf. Eze_37:27; Isa_25:8; Isa_45:19.
[4267] Bleek, Ew. Cf. Exo_3:7; Exo_3:9; Est_4:2.
[4268] Cf. Rev_20:11.
[4269] Cf. Rev_20:11.
[4270] Rev_19:9, Rev_22:6. Beng., Züll., Hengstenb.
[4271] Cf. also Rev_14:13.
[4272] The expression in itself marks already the parenetic intention.
[4273] Cf. Rev_1:8.
[4274] Cf. Rev_16:17.
[4275] Beng., De Wette, Hengstenb.
[4276] Ewald; cf. also Beng.
[4277] Cf. Rev_13:8, Rev_16:2; Rev_16:21.
[4278] Cf. Rev_9:21.
[4279] Cf. Rev_20:6.
[4280] Mat_24:51. De Wette.
XCIV. Rev_21:1. ἡ θύλασσα οὐκ ἔστιν ἔτι
“Only all of gloom and horror,
Idle wastes of endless brine,
Haunts of darkness, storm, and danger,—
These shall be no longer thine.
Backward ebbing, wave and ripple,
Wondrous scenes shall then disclose;
And, like earth’s, the wastes of ocean
Then shall blossom as the rose.”