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Rev_22:18-21. The close of the book in which the prophet has communicated to the churches the revelation given to him. Instead of the commendation, accompanied by rich promises, of the prophetical book, which stood in the beginning,[4438] there appears here likewise a threatening corresponding to its Divine authority against all who corrupt it (Rev_22:18 sq.). The prophet then once more declares, as a word of the Lord himself, the chief sum of the entire revelation, by, on his part, meeting this promise of the Lord with the believing prayer for its fulfilment (Rev_22:20), and then concludes with the Christian farewell greeting, corresponding to the address to the churches (Rev_1:4).
The threatening (Rev_22:18 sq.) has developed from the allusion in Deu_4:2,[4439] but has been shaped ( ἘΠΙΘΉΣΕΙ Ὁ Θ . ἘΠʼ ΑὐΤ . ΤᾺς ΠΛΗΓᾺς , Κ . Τ . Λ ., Rev_22:18; ἈΦΕΛΕῖ Ὁ Θ . ΤῸ ΜΈΡΟς ΑὐΤ . ἈΠῸ Τ . ΞΎΛΟΥ , Κ . Τ . Λ ., Rev_22:19), according to the standard of the preceding descriptions,—the threatened “plagues” being not only those described in ch. 16, which indeed in Rev_15:1; Rev_15:8, are co-ordinated as the last described in the former visions,[4440]—and is marked in its righteousness by the paronomastic mode of expression ( ἐάν τις ἐπιθῇ
ἐπιθήσει ὁ θεός ἀφέλῃ
ἀφελεῖ ).[4441] The threatening is presented in the most formal way, παντὶ τῲ ἀκούοντι τοὺς λόγους , κ . τ . λ ., i.e., to every one who, through the reading in the church, hears the prophetic discourses written in the present book.[4442] From this personal designation it results, at all events, that the threatening with the curse is not directed against inconsiderate transcribers;[4443] but on the other hand, Ew. i. and De Wette improperly press the expression τ . ἀκούοντι , when they refer the threat to the danger that what is received only with the ear in oral communication is easily falsified, and thus a distraction of Christian hope could be produced. Then the threatening must by its injustice create offence.[4444] But the ἀκούοντες come into consideration, not as mediators of the literary tradition, but as those who are to appropriate “the contents” of the prophetical book, revealed to them by God,—notice that ἐάν τις ἐπιθῇ ἐπʼ αὐτά , is first said,—for their own wrarning and encouragement, and are to maintain it in its purity, and to act accordingly. These fall under the curse when they arbitrarily falsify the revelation of God that has been given, because they will not approve the righteous ways of God, which are here described,[4445] and consequently call down upon themselves the wrathful judgments of God, which impend over unbelievers.
ὁ μαρτυρῶν ταῦτα , Christ. Cf. Rev_1:2, Rev_19:10. With a word of the coming Lord himself, which contains the very marrow of the entire revealed testimony given to the prophet,[4446] he concludes his book, not, however, without sealing with his Ἀμήν his believing acceptance of the Lord’s promise,[4447] and expressing his own longing for the Lord’s coming, in the sense of Rev_22:17.
[4438] Rev_1:3.
[4439] LXX.: οὑ προσθήσετε
καὶ οὐκ ἀφελεῖτε , κ . τ . λ .
[4440] On τ . μέρος αὐτ ., κ . τ . λ ., cf. Rev_21:8. Ewald: “Shall withdraw fellowship.”
[4441] Cf. Rev_11:18.
[4442] Cf. Rev_1:3. Ew., Dc Wette.
[4443] Vitr., Züll., Bleek, etc.
[4444] De Wette. Cf. also Luther, Introduction of 1522: “Besides, I think that it is entirely too much that he severely commends and threatens with respect to such a book of his own, more than other holy books, as though it were of much more Importance.”
[4445] Cf. Rev_15:3 sq., Rev_11:17 sqq.
[4446] Cf. Introduction, p. 28.
[4447] Cf. Rev_5:14, Rev_19:4.
The epistolary closing wish (Rev_22:21) corresponds to the dedication (Rev_1:4 sqq.) whence also the πάντων obtains its limitation. This is expressed incorrectly in the addition τῶν ἁλίων , but correctly in the ὑγῶν . Rec., Luth.