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Rev_4:3. ὁράσει . Dative of manner:[1686] “in appearance,” cf. Ἡ ὌΨΙς , Κ . Τ . Λ ., Rev_1:16, and the Ὡς ὍΡΑΣΙς with the following gen. of the object compared in the LXX. Eze_1:4; Eze_1:26 sqq., Rev_8:2.
ΛΊΘῼ ἸΆΣΠΙΔΙ ΚΑῚ ΣΑΡΔΊΩ . The ΣΆΡΔΙΟς [1687] is, as the Heb. name indicates, a red,[1688] particularly flesh-colored gem, our carnelian. Ebrard understands by it the dazzling ruby.
More difficult is the determination of the ἴασπις . The LXX. thus render the Heb. éÈÍùÑÀôÆä ;[1689] yet in this passage, as well as also in Rev_21:11, where the ἴασπις is designated as λίθος τιμιώτατος , and κρυσταλλίζων , it is scarcely possible to think of the not very costly and not transparent, sometimes greenish, sometimes reddish gem, which the Romans called, as we also call it, jasper. Cf. Pliny:[1690] “A gem, which, although surpassed by many, yet retains the glory of antiquity.” Nevertheless, the most of the expositors adhere firmly to the simple expression. Andr., Areth., N. de Lyra, Aretius, etc., think of the green jasper, and understand it, just as the emerald mentioned immediately afterwards, as a symbol of divine consolation, since green is agreeable to the eye.[1691] A symbolical reference has been discovered even to baptism,[1692] and the judgment of the flood;[1693] for the red sardius denotes the final judgment in fire. Others think of the red jasper, as they either regard it, like the sardius, a symbol of the divine anger,[1694] or, without any such significance,[1695] as only a description of the dazzling appearance of God. Beng., Stern., Hengstenb.,[1696] presuppose a white, crystal-clear species of jasper, and find in this color the image of the divine holiness and unclouded glory. This sense of the brightness of color is indicated partly by emblematic descriptions, as Eze_1:4; Eze_8:2; Dan_7:9 sq.; and partly by parallels, as Rev_1:14 sqq., Rev_10:1.[1697] The brilliancy of light and fire is, in Ezekiel; the appearance of God. In Daniel, also, the bright white raiment and the dazzling white hair of the Ancient of days belong with the fire of his throne; for both the holy glory and the consuming anger of God[1698] must be represented. Upon the same view depends the description of the Lord,[1699] and of the angel, who in Rev_10:1 appears invested with divine attributes, while, e.g., Rev_4:4, Rev_7:9, the heavenly beings, because they have attained to a holiness and glory like that of God, appear indeed in white garments, yet not also with the fiery signs of divine judgment, but with crowns and palms. If now the red appearance of the σάρδιος recalls the ardor of the divine wrathful judgment, we expect the ἴασπις to represent the bright light, which elsewhere is displayed along with the divine glimmering of fire, in a different way. But now the very bright or crystal-clear jasper, stated by Beng. and Hengstenb., does not actually exist. Hence we must believe, either that John imagined an ideal kind of jasper,[1700] or, as is more probable, because of Rev_21:11, that by the ἴασπις he wished to designate the diamond.[1701] The LXX., in whose vocabulary John was instructed, do not have the term ἀδάμας .[1702] The Heb. ùÑÈîÄéø , which probably designates the diamond, is not accurately translated by the LXX. in Zec_7:12; Eze_3:9.[1703] It is, besides, to be observed, that the LXX. render not only éÈÍùÒÀôÅä , but also ëÇãÀëÌÉã , Isa_54:12,[1704] by ἼΑΣΠΙς . But if the description (Rev_4:3) depends upon Eze_8:2 and similar passages, it yet in no way follows that here, as there,[1705] the brilliancy of the two gems is to be regarded as different parts of the form of God,—the bright light of the jasper above, the red appearance of the sardius beneath:[1706] rather, the double brilliancy of the two stones shining through one another[1707] is to be regarded a profound designation of the essential unity of the holiness and righteousness of God. The free treatment of the ancient prophetic view expresses, as to the subject itself portrayed, a deepening of the thought; while the beauty of the likeness gains rather than loses, as the divine appearance to John maintains a pictorial unity. The entire form of the enthroned one appears in the twofold, yet united, brilliancy of the jasper and the sardius, just as the entire form of the Lord was in appearance like intense light of the sun.[1708]
ΚΑῚ ἾΡΙς ΚΥΚΛΌΘΕΝ ΤΟῦ ΘΡΌΝΟΥ ὍΜΟΙΟς ὈΡΆΣΕΙ ΣΜΑΡΑΓΔΊΝῼ . Concerning ὍΜΟΙΟς as an adjective of two terminations, cf. Winer, p. 66.
Against the wording ( ΚΥΚΛ . Τ . ΘΡΌΝΟΥ ) is the idea of Vitr., that the ἸΡΙς surrounded the head of the one enthroned like a crown;[1709] Beng. and Hengstenb. unnaturally and unfairly regard the ἿΡΙς as surrounding the throne in breadth horizontally.
Hengstenb. infers, besides, from the formula ΚΥΚΛ . Τ . ΘΡ . recurring from Rev_4:4, that also the thrones of the elders appear within the ἹΡΙς ; but it is the only natural and, in a pictorial respect, conceivable way, to regard the ἾΡΙς as surrounding the shining form upon the throne on high.[1710]
Without any basis is the controversy as to whether the ἾΡΙς were a “rainbow,”[1711] or a “bow;”[1712] nor does it in any way correspond to the poetical character of the description, if, in order to explain the rainbow, mention is made of God’s appearing, Psa_18:12; Psa_104:3, surrounded by darkness of rain and thick clouds,[1713] or that the green color here named is only the principal color,[1714] as the hues of the jasper and sardius are regarded as combined with the brilliancy of the emerald, attributed to the ἸΡΙς , in order to bring out the three chief colors of one common rainbow. What John saw about the throne had the form of a rainbow,—hence he says ἸΡΙς ,—although not the seven colors of an actual rainbow are represented, but only the emerald green. Yet this ἿΡΙς in itself, and the emerald appearance especially,[1715] are not without symbolical significance, possibly in a mere optical contrast with the blending brilliancy of the jasper and sardius;[1716] but in symmetry with the symbolical significance of this twofold brilliancy, the mild emerald-green of the bow, which is already in itself the clear sign of divine grace,[1717] notes the gentle and quickening nature of this grace.[1718] But it follows neither from the gen., nor from the pragmatism of this passage, that the grace recurring after the divine punishments[1719] is described; it would be more correctly interpreted with Grot.: “God in his judgments is always mindful of his covenant.” Yet we dare not precipitately limit the description here presented, in its particular connections, to the judgments of God in their relation to divine grace which are to be beheld only later: it is sufficient that here where the eternal and personal foundation of all that follows is portrayed, the holy glory and righteousness of God appear in most intimate union with his immutable and kind grace, so that thus the entire impending development of the kingdom of God and the world unto its last end, as it is determined by that wonderful, indivisible nature of the holy, just, and gracious God, as well in its course as in its goal, must correspond to this threefold glory of the living God. Consequently this fundamental vision contains every thing that serves the terror of enemies, and the consolation of friends, of the one enthroned.
[1686] Erasm.
[1687] Rev_21:20. Cf. Eze_28:17; Eze_39:10; LXX. for àãÆñ .
[1688] πυρωπὸς τῷ εἴδει καὶ αἰματοειδής (“fiery in appearance, and blood-red”), Epiphanius in Vitr.
[1689] Exo_28:20; Exo_39:13; Eze_28:13.
[1690] N. H., xxxvii. 37.
[1691] N. de Lyra, etc.
[1692] Aret.
[1693] Victorin, Ticon., Primas, Beda.
[1694] Vitr.
[1695] Ew., De Wette, Ebrard.
[1696] Cf. also Ew. ii.
[1697] Cf. Hengstenb.
[1698] Cf. also Deu_4:24.
[1699] Rev_1:14 sqq.
[1700] Cf. Rev_21:21.
[1701] Ebrard.
[1702] Yet, at the time of John, the ἀδάμας was not unknown. Cf. Plin., H. N., xxxvii. Revelation 15 : “Among human things, not only among gems, the adamas, known only to kings, and these very few, had the greatest value.—Now six kinds of it are known: That of India, of a resemblance to crystal, since, also, it does not differ in translucency; the Cyprian, verging to the color of brass.”
[1703] Jer_17:1 is lacking in the LXX.
[1704] i.e., the probable ruby,
[1705] Cf. also Rev_10:1.
[1706] Züll., Hengstenb.
[1707] Ebrard.
[1708] Rev_1:16.
[1709] Cf. Rev_10:1.
[1710] Ebrard, and my exp.
[1711] So translated by most.
[1712] Ebrard.
[1713] De Wette.
[1714] Grot., Eichh., Stern, Hengstenb., etc.
[1715] Cf. Plin., N. H., xxxvii. Revelation 5 : “Nay, even from another intention, the dimmed sight is refreshed by the sight of the emerald; and, to those cutting gems, there is no more grateful treat to the eyes, than thus to soothe their weariness by its green mildness.”
[1716] Ebrard. Cf. Ew., De Wette.
[1717] Gen_9:12 sqq.
[1718] Cf. N. de Lyra, Aret., Grot., Calov., Beng., Herd., Hengstenb., etc. [On the spiritual significance of the rainbow, see the beautiful poem of Carl Gerock, In his Die Symphonie der Farben of his Der letzte Strauss, 1885.]
[1719] Stern, Hengstenb.