Heinrich Meyer Commentary - Revelation 4:6 - 4:6

Online Resource Library

Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | Download

Heinrich Meyer Commentary - Revelation 4:6 - 4:6


(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)

This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Rev_4:6. ὡς θάλασσα ὑαλίνη , ὁμοία κρυστάλλῳ . The ὡς —which[1759] belongs to the entire idea, and not chiefly to the ὑαλίνη [1760]—stands here just as in Rev_8:8. What John further beheld before the throne of God appeared as a sea of glass like crystal. This is regarded as signifying baptism,[1761] the Holy Scriptures,[1762] repentance,[1763] the present transitory world,[1764] etc.,—all purely arbitrary. Without ground, further, is the allusion to the “brazen sea” in the temple,[1765] or to the bright inlaid floor, having, therefore, the appearance of a sea.[1766] It is in general a conception not justified by the text, to regard the “sea of glass “the basis of the throne, as C. a Lap., Vitr., Eichh., Heinr., Herder, De Wette, etc., presuppose, who from this same idea reach interpretations that are very different. With an appeal to Exo_24:10, Eze_1:26, De Wette[1767] regards “the sea of glass” in our passage, as well as also in Rev_15:2, as a designation of “the atmosphere,” an explanation to which, in its pure naturalness, Exodus and Ezekiel do not apply,—where, however, in reality the pure ether is the natural substratum for the idea of the standing or enthronement of God in heavenly glory,—while in this passage the sea of glass is not beneath, but before, the throne of God, and the entire presentation is altogether foreign to “the atmosphere.” On the other hand, Vitr., Herder, etc., with a reference to Psa_89:15, and similar passages, interpret the sea of glass as the basis of righteousness and grace, whereon the throne of God is founded.[1768] Following Beng., Hengstenb. has understood the sea of glass, since it appears in Rev_15:2 mingled with fire, as the “product of the seven lamps of fire,” since and because of the expression “sea” referring to Psa_36:7, as a designation of “the great and wonderful works of God, of his just and holy ways, of his acts of righteousness that have become manifest.” But already the parallelism of Rev_5:6, where these seven lamps appear as seven eyes, in itself renders this artificial interpretation impossible.

Aret., Grot., and Ebrard proceed upon the fact that the sea, viz., as stormy and irregularly heaving (Rev_13:1), represents the mass of the nations in their ungodly state; and then, that the sea of glass, clear as crystal, and therefore firm as well as pure, designates “the creature in its pure relation to the Creator.”[1769] But this interpretation is wrecked on Rev_15:2. According to that passage,[1770] the sea, whose complete, heavenly purity is marked by the double designation, ὑαλ . and ὁμ . κρυστ .,[1771] is to be regarded identical with the stream of the water of life, which[1772] proceeds from the throne of God.[1773] The point thus designated belongs in fact essentially to the perfection of the view of the enthroned God; and according to the living relation in which the vision, ch. 4 [and 5], stands to all that follows, it is to be expected, that, as the succeeding judgments appear as the work of the holy and just omnipotence of the heavenly King here described, so also a definite point of the present fundamental description corresponds to the final glorious and blessed completion of the kingdom of God. Since in the presence of God there is fulness of joy,[1774] since God is the Blessed One,[1775] since before him and from him issues the river of eternal life, he himself, and communion with him, is the blessed goal for the development of his kingdom, and he himself is the leader thereto. [See Note XLIII., p. 203.] καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ κύκλῳ τοῦ θρόνου τέσσαρα ζῶα , κ . τ . λ . The four beings[1776] appear not as supporting the throne, for ἐν μέσῳ τ . θρ . is by no means “under the throne;”[1777] also not as stated by Eichh., Ew. 1., and Hengstenb., that the four ζῶα are stationed with the back under the throne, but with the upper part projecting therefrom so raised above the same that they could appear as being “round about” the throne—an idea which because of its absolute deformity ought not to have been forced upon John. In like manner impossible is Ebrard’s opinion, that[1778] the four ζῶα are in the midst of the (transparent!) throne, but that at the same time they had moved themselves with the rapidity of lightning from the same, so that they appeared also around about the throne. Incorrect also is Vitr., who makes of ἐν μέσ . and κυκλ . a strange hendiadys: “In the midst of the semicircular area which was before the throne.” According to the wording of the text, the position of the four beings is not to be regarded else than as is most natural in connection with their fourfold number, viz., one on each side of the throne, and besides each in the midst of its respective side.[1779] They stand so free as to be able to move;[1780] and because they have manifestly turned with their faces towards the throne, John can see that they are “full of eyes before and behind.”[1781] There is no occasion whatever for the conjecture that the words καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων might have belonged in the text.[1782]

[1759] Cf. also Rev_15:2.

[1760] Beng.

[1761] Victorin., Tichon., Primas, Beda, N. de Lyra, Hoë, Calov.

[1762] Joachim.

[1763] Alcas.

[1764] Par., Bull., Rib.

[1765] Alcas., Alsted.

[1766] Ew., with a comparison of the Koran, Sur. 27, 44.

[1767] Cf. Eichh., etc.

[1768] Vitr.: “A will of God, sure and perpetual, whereby he determined to have, among men, a kingdom of grace; a right sure and clear to erect such a kingdom of grace, in the righteousness and obedience of the mediator; this very right founded in the righteousness of Christ is the basis of the throne.”

[1769] Ebrard; Aretius: “The assembly of the triumphing Church.” Grot., in his way: “The people of Jerusalem.” The ὑαλίνη and ὁμ . κρυστ .: “Because God perceives the actions and thoughts of the people;” but also “because of the purity of the people of Jerusalem.” Klief.: “The multitude of the blessed conquerors from all times and nations on earth, preserved in heaven with God unto the end, who are represented by the twenty-four elders.” And this with an appeal to Rev_15:2.

[1770] Cf. also Rev_22:1.

[1771] Id.

[1772] Id.

[1773] Cf. Rinck.

[1774] Cf. Psa_16:11.

[1775] Cf. 1Ti_1:11.

[1776] Cf., concerning their meaning, Rev_4:8.

[1777] Hengstenb.

[1778] Cf. Eze_1:4-5; Eze_1:14.

[1779] Züll. Cf. De Wette.

[1780] Rev_15:7.

[1781] See on Rev_4:8.

[1782] Ew. ii.: “Between the chief seat and the elders.”

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

XLIII. Rev_4:6. θάλασσα ὑαλίνη

Alford objects to our author’s identification of the “sea of glass” with the “river of water of life;” for “the whole vision there [Rev_22:1] is quite distinct from this, and each one has its own propriety in detail. To identify the two is to confound them, nor does ch. Rev_15:2 at all justify this interpretation. There, as here, it is the purity, calmness, and majesty of God’s rule which are signified by the figure.” Luthardt, on the other hand, in substantial agreement with Düst.: “The fulness of the divine life (cf. Rev_22:1), which is nothing but peace and calm, in contrast with the stormy disquietude of the life of the world (Rev_13:1; Dan_7:2).”

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

XLIV. Rev_4:6-8. τέσσερα ζῷα

Cf. Cremer (Lexicon): “Properly, a living creature, which also occurs elsewhere also in profane Greek, where ζῶον , a post-Homeric word, generally signifies living creature, and only in special instances a beast; θηρίον = animal, as embracing all living beings, must be retained in the Revelation, where four ζῶα are represented as being between God’s throne and those of the elders which surround it, the description given of which (Rev_4:6-8) resembles that of the äÇéåÉú in Eze_1:5 sqq.; the cherubim in Ezekiel 10 (cf. Psa_18:1; Psa_99:1; Psa_80:2; 1Sa_4:4; 2Sa_6:2; 2Ki_19:15). They are named living creatures here and in Ezekiel 1, on account of the life which is their main feature. They are usually the signs and tokens of majesty, of the sublime majesty of God, both in his covenant relation, and in his relation to the world (for the latter, see Psa_99:1); and therefore it is that they are assigned so prominent a place, though no active part in the final scenes of sacred history (Rev_6:1-7). The appearance of four represents the concentration of all created life in this world, the original abode of which, Paradise, when life had fallen to sin and death, was given over to the cherubim. They do not, like the angels, fulfil the purposes of God in relation to men; they are distinct from the angels (Rev_5:11). We are thus led to conclude that they materially represent the ideal pattern of the true relation of creation to its God.” Oehler (O. T. Theology, p. 260): “It is the cherubim, as Schultz well expresses it, ‘which at one and the same time proclaim and veil his presence.’ The lion and the bull are, as is well known, symbols of power and strength; man and the eagle are symbols of wisdom and omniscience; the latter attribute is expressed also in the later form of the symbol by the multitude of eyes. The continual mobility of the ζῶα (Rev_4:8) signifies the never-resting quickness of the Divine operations; this is probably symbolized also by the wheels in Ezekiel 1. The number four is the signature of all-sidedness (towards the four quarters of heaven). Thus Jehovah is acknowledged as the God who rules the world on all sides in power, wisdom, and omniscience. Instead of natural powers working unconsciously, is placed the all-embracing, conscious activity of the living God.”