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Rev_3:12. As in all the epistles, so here, the concluding promise to the “victor” (cf. Rev_3:11) proceeds to the time of eternal glory after the coming of the Lord. This is, besides, especially indicated here by the expression τ . καιν . Ἰερους ., κ . τ . λ . The incorrect reference to “the Church militant,”[1501] or “the Church militant and triumphant,”[1502] causes the most perverted interpretations of individual points. Thus N. de Lyra interprets, by understanding ἘΝ Τ . ΝΑῷ Τ . Θ . Μ . and Τ . ΠΌΛΕΩς Τ . Θ . Μ . of the Church militant, and the ΠΟΙΉΣΩ ΑὐΤ . ΣΤΎΛΟΝ , recalling Gal_2:9 : “Brave and powerful in faith, not only for himself, but also for comforting and sustaining others;” and remarks on ἜΞΩ Οὐ ΜῊ ἘΞΈΛΘῌ ἜΤΙ , “by apostasy, not by excommunication;” on ΓΡ . ΈΠʼ ΑὐΤ . Τ . ὌΝ Τ . Θ . Μ ., “for they [viz., bishops] represent in the Church the person of God;” on ΚΑΤΑΒ . ἙΚ Τ . ΟὐΡ .: “For the Church militant is ruled and directed by the Holy Spirit;” and on Τ . ὌΝ , Μ . ΤῸ ΚΑΙΝΌΝ : “As the Lord himself at the circumcision was called Jesus, and afterwards Christ, so believers are first called disciples of Jesus, and then[1503] Christians.[1504] Similar distortions occur in Grot.,[1505] Wetst.,[1506] etc. The correct reference to the future glory[1507] is not in any way, as with Beng., to be so limited that the first promise ποιήσω αὐτ . στύλον ἐν τ . ναῷ τ . θ . μ . is fulfilled already at the time of Rev_7:15, and before that of ch. 19, on the ground that there will be no temple in the new Jerusalem.[1508] For if it be said that in the new Jerusalem there will be no special place for the worship and revelation of God, as God himself will be immediately near all the blessed, this does not prevent, that, according to an idea of an entirely different kind, but of essentially the same meaning, the entire community of perfected believers is contemplated as the temple of God, in which individuals may appear as pillars. This is only a transfer of the figure of the temporal to that of the heavenly communion of saints;[1509] while the figure contains a significant feature, founded neither upon Isa_22:23,[1510] nor 1Ki_7:15 sqq.,[1511] in that[1512] by being compared not to foundation-stones, but to the pillars of the temple,[1513] they are represented in their immutable firmness ( κ . ἔξω , κ . τ . λ .) and glorious adornment. Incorrectly, Eichh.:[1514] “The friends of the King, having more intimate access to him, who are admitted to his counsels, maybe called columns.”
καὶ ἔξω οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃ ἔτι . The subject is not ὁ στύλος ,[1515] but ὁ νικῶν .[1516] Therefore the remark on ἐξέλθῃ is in no wise necessary, that the verb as intransitive expresses the[1517] sense of a passive.[1518] He who once, in the sense above indicated, is made a victor in the temple of God, henceforth shall no more go forth, either voluntarily (viz., by a fall), or under constraint.
ΚΑῚ ΓΡΆΨΩ ἘΠʼ ΑΥΤῸΝ ΤῸ ὌΝΟΜΑ ΤΟῦ ΘΕΟῦ ΜΟΥ . Cf. in general Tr. Bara bathra, p. 75, Revelation 2 :[1519] “R. Samuel … says that R. Jochanan said that three are called by the name of God; e.g., the righteous,[1520] the Messiah,[1521] and Jerusalem.[1522]
ἘΠʼ ΑὐΤΌΝ , viz., upon the victor,[1523] not upon the pillar.[1524] Areth. says more accurately: ἘΠῚ ΤῸΝ ΝΟΗΤῸΝ ΣΤΎΛΟΝ [on the mental pillar]; yet here the ΑὐΤΌΝ is entirely identical with the preceding object ( ΠΟΙΉΣΩ ) ΑὐΤΌΝ . If the question be asked as to where the inscription is to be regarded as written, the answer is to be given otherwise than Rev_2:17, and according to Rev_14:1, Rev_22:4 (cf. Rev_17:5, Rev_7:3): “upon the forehead.” Since the ΝΑΌς is mentioned, the thought is closely connected therewith of the inscription upon the high priest’s[1525] diadem, ÷øù ìéäåä ;[1526] and that, too, the more as by ΤῸ ὌΝΟΜΑ Τ . Θ . Μ . ft. the holy name éäåä [1527] is meant.[1528] At all events,[1529] the holy and blessed state of belonging to God is expressed.
So, too, the name of the city of God—which is arbitrarily traced to a breast-shield of the wearer, instead of the names of the twelve tribes[1530]—designates the right of citizenship in the new Jerusalem.[1531] The name “city” need not, however, be derived from Eze_48:35,[1532]—although the description (Rev_21:3 sqq.) is applicable as an exposition of that significant designation,—but John himself calls the city of God Ἡ ΚΑΙΝῊ ἹΕΡΟΥΣΑΛΉΜ .
Ἡ ΚΑΤΑΒΑΊΝΟΥΣΑ , Κ . Τ . Λ . The construction as Rev_1:5. The meaning of the expression is elucidated by ch. 21. Falsely rationalizing, not only Grot.: “It has been procured by the wonderful kindness of God,” but even Calov.:[1533] “It has God as its author.”
Κ . Τ . ὌΝΟΜΆ ΜΟΥ ΤῸ ΚΑΙΝῸΝ . Not the name mentioned in Rev_19:16,[1534] but that meant in Rev_19:12.[1535] But he who bears the new name of the Lord is thereby designated as eternally belonging to the Lord as though with the Lord’s own signature. If, however, the name of the Lord in this sense and significance can be placed alongside of that of God and the new Jerusalem, the Lord must verily be the one that in Rev_3:7 he professes to be; in that also he says of himself ΠΟΙΉΣΩ , ΓΡΆΨΩ , he proclaims himself as one who is to be recognized as the eternal King of the kingdom of heaven.
[1501] N. de Lyra, Areth., Grot., Wetst., Schöttg., etc.
[1502] Vitr., C. a Lap., Stern, etc.
[1503] Acts 11.
[1504] The Jesuit C. a Lap. (cf. the brethren of his order, Rib. Vieg.) thinks that, according to “the new name” which the Lord received at his circumcision, the victors will be called “Jesuani” or “Jesuits.”
[1505] οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃ : “Will not be compelled again to flee as under Nero.” τ . ὄν . τ . πολ . τ . θεμ .: “This name is the Catholic Church, viz., as it was free and flourishing under the Christian emperors.”
[1506] στυλ ., in opposition to the earthquakes which were frequent at Philadelphia. Cf. Rev_3:1.
[1507] Calov., Beng., Eichh., Heinr., Ew., De Wette, Hengstenb., Ebrard, Klief.
[1508] Rev_21:22.
[1509] Cf. 1Co_3:16 sqq.; Eph_2:19 sqq.; 1Pe_2:5 sqq.
[1510] Eichh., Ew.
[1511] Grot., Vitr., Züll.
[1512] Cf. De Wette, etc.
[1513] Gal_2:9.
[1514] Cf. Rev_3:8.
[1515] Eich., Ebr.
[1516] Ew., De Wette, Hengstenb., Klief.
[1517] Vitr., Eichh., Ew.
[1518] Possibly ἐκβάλλεσθαι . Cf. Mar_4:21; Gen_43:18; Mat_8:12; Mat_9:33. Syr.
[1519] In Wetst.
[1520] Isa_43:7.
[1521] Jer_23:6.
[1522] Eze_48:35.
[1523] Vitr., Calov., Schöttg., Eichh., Heinr., Ewald, Züll., Hengstenb., Ebrard.
[1524] Grot., De Wette.
[1525] Cf. Rev_1:6.
[1526] Schöttg., Eichh., Ewald.
[1527] Cf. Rev_1:8.
[1528] Grot., Vitr., etc.
[1529] Calov., Hengstenb., Ebrard.
[1530] Schöttg.
[1531] Cf. Rev_21:3 sqq.
[1532] Vitr., Ewald, etc.
[1533] Cf. Luk_20:4; Jam_3:15.
[1534] Grot., Calov., Vitr., Hengstenb.
[1535] Eichh., De Wette, Stern, Ebiard, etc.