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Rev_5:6. ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ θρονοῦ
καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων . Incorrectly, Ebrard: “The Lamb appears in the midst of the throne, so as at the same time to sit in the centre of the four living beings, and in the centre of the twenty-four elders sitting around without, forming a more remote concentric circle,”—a truly monstrous idea,—the Lamb sitting[1892] in the midst of the throne. The double ἘΝ ΜΈΣῼ designates, in the Heb. way,[1893] the two limits between which the Lamb stands,[1894] viz., in the space whose centre, the throne, is beside the four beings, and which is bounded externally by the circle[1895] of the elders. Yet we must not necessarily understand that the Lamb stood on the crystal sea,[1896] as De Wette does, who, in accordance with his explanation of Rev_4:6, finds a parallel in Heb_9:24. Of the sea of glass, and the position of the Lamb with regard to it, there is nothing at all to be said here; as for the rest, we may point to Rev_7:17, Rev_22:1, as against De Wette.
ἀρνίον ἑστηκὸς ὡς ἐσφαγμένον . The diminutive form, which is in general peculiar to the Apoc.,[1897] serves here to strengthen the contrast between the announced “Lion,” and the form of “a little lamb” which is now presented. Entirely remote is the reference to the brief life of the Lord in comparison with the extreme age of the elders.[1898] Incorrect also is the remark that ἀρνίον , from the masc. ἀρήν , is used with respect to the flock that is to follow;[1899] for the diminutive, which is not at all from ἀμνός , is entirely without this exclusive designation of sex,[1900] and the context itself ( ὡς ἐσφαγμ .) bars the reference to the leading of a flock.
Great as in other respects is the contrast between the “Lion” and “the little Lamb,” yet there is also a deep harmony of the two views; for as the struggles of the Lion presupposed in Rev_5:5, i.e., his patient suffering and death, concur with the slaying of the Lamb, so also the victory of the Lion gained in conflict, which becomes manifest in the resurrection, is appropriated by the little Lamb, since it “stands as one slain.” The ἐστηκός clearly declares that it is living,[1901] while it at the same time ( ὡς ἐσφαγμένον ) appears as one that had (previously) been led to the shambles and slain. The word σφάζειν , properly “to open the throat with a knife, so that the blood flows out,” designates pre-eminently the slaying in making a sacrifice,[1902] but also any other slaying,[1903] and any form of putting to death.[1904] By ὡς the ἐσφαγμένον is not “especially emphasized as significantly presented,”[1905] as though equivalent to ώς in passages like Rev_17:12; Mat_7:29; Joh_1:14; Rom_15:15, where the reality of a relation in its normative or fundamental significance is marked,—for in this way, in the present passage, the absurd and actually false idea would result, that the Lamb stood as one slain, i.e., at that time dead; but the ῶς [1906] serves rather to reconcile the opposition between the ἑστηκός and ἐσφαγμένον , as the Lamb standing (and therefore living) is represented as “one slain,” i.e., as such an one whose still-visible scars show that it has once been slain.[1907] John, therefore, applies to the Lamb the very same that the Lord, in Rev_1:18, says of himself. There is in this view no violation whatever of the laws of the plastic art.[1908]
The Lamb had a twofold emblem: κέρατα ἑπτὰ , the symbol of perfect power,[1909] and ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπτά , which is expressly interpreted οἵ εἰσι τὰ πνεύματα τοῦ θεοῦ ἀπεσταλμένα εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν . The reference of the spirits of God, symbolized by the seven eyes,[1910] to the omniscience of the Lord,[1911] is too limited. The correct interpretation is determined by the context itself ( ἀπεσταλμένα ). The (seven) spirits of God are also, here,[1912] the potencies which in their independent reality are present with God, and by means of which he works on and in the world. That Christ has[1913] these spirits (this Spirit) of God, is symbolized here by the seven eyes of the Lamb, just as before the throne of God (the Father) the same Spirit appears as seven lamps.[1914] This, moreover, in no way compels the conception, that the vision has changed after the manner of a dream, and now where the seven eyes of the Lamb are represented, the seven lamps have vanished,[1915] as indeed the belonging of the Spirit to the Enthroned One, as also to the Lamb, is intended to be symbolically represented.
Erroneous is the explanation of Beda: “The septiform spirit in Christ is because of the eminence of its power compared to horns, and because of the illumination of grace to eyes.”[1916] But if even grammatically it is not impossible for the οἵ , which introduces the explanatory sentence, to refer to ὀφθαλμούς and κέρατα , the annexed interpretation, οἵ εἰστ τὰ πνεύμ ., κ . τ . λ ., applies only to the ὀφθαλμούς , and not at the same time to the κέρατα . It would, of course, be in itself inconceivable,[1917] if one and the same thing were represented by two symbols, perhaps in two different connections: but here are two symbols, which throughout do not designate the same thing; for while by the “horns,” a symbol known already from the O. T., and therefore applied by John without any particular hint, the attribute of power is symbolized, the eyes, according to the express interpretation of the text, designate in no way an attribute of the Lamb, but the Spirit really present with God and the Lamb together (the Father and the Son), and belonging in like manner to them both, who is here indeed to be regarded according to the standard of the symbol ( ὀφθαλμ .) pre-eminently as the One seeing through all things.[1918] Because Christ has the Spirit, he knows every thing, even things upon earth, whither the Spirit is sent,—the doings of his enemies, the state of his own people, etc.
[1892] ἑστηκός ; which Alcas., just as correctly, translates by “lying.”
[1893] Cf. Lev_27:12; Lev_27:14 : åÌáÌÇéï — áÅéï . LXX.: ἀναμέσον
καὶ ἀναμέσον .
[1894] Ew., De Wette, Hengstenb.
[1895] Cf. Rev_4:4.
[1896] Rev_4:6.
[1897] Rev_5:8; Rev_5:12-13, Rev_6:1; Rev_6:16, Rev_7:9; Rev_7:14, Rev_12:11, Rev_13:8, Rev_17:14. Cf., on the other hand, Joh_1:29; Joh_1:36; 1Pe_1:19; Act_8:32 : ὁ ἀμνός . The expression τὰ ἀρνία μου , Joh_21:5, whereby Christ designates his believers—cf. Meyer on the passage—does not belong here, because used here in an especial way, upon the basis of Isa_53:7, to designate Christ himself. Against Hengstenb.
[1898] Against Bengel and Hengstenb.
[1899] Beng.
[1900] Cf. Psa_114:4; Psa_114:6; Jer_11:19; Joh_21:15.
[1901] Grot., etc.
[1902] Cf. Exo_12:6.
[1903] Isa_53:7.
[1904] Rev_13:3; Rev_13:8; 1Jn_3:12; cf. my commentary on the latter passage.
[1905] Ebrard.
[1906] N. de Lyra refers the “tanquam occisum” to the daily bloodless sacrifice in the mass.
[1907] Cf. Rev_13:3. Andr., C. a Lap., Grot., Vitr., Beng., Herd., Ew., De Wette, Stern, Hengstenb.
[1908] De Wette.
[1909] Cf. Rev_17:3 sqq.; Psa_112:9; Psa_148:14; 1Sa_2:10; Dan_7:20 sqq., Rev_8:3 sqq.
[1910] Cf. Rev_1:4, Rev_3:1, Rev_4:5.
[1911] Cf., especially, Vitr., who refers the power to the opening, and the knowledge to the reading and understanding, of the book.
[1912] Cf. Rev_1:4, Rev_4:5.
[1913] Rev_3:1.
[1914] Rev_4:5.
[1915] Ebrard.
[1916] So also Beng., De Wette, etc.; only that these expositors, with less error, regarded the eyes as a symbol of knowledge.
[1917] Against Ebrard.
[1918] Cf. 1Co_2:10.