"the corner," described in Is. xxviii. 16. 1 Pet. ii. 6, 7. Luke xx. 17. Acts iv. 11. and therefore, being applied to Christ, appear to have reference to this description *. Ver. 8. Fell prostrate.] The majesty of the Son of God appeared clouded under the covering of the Lamb. So was it in the flesh, when he appeared as the son of Mary and of the carpenter. But his splendour breaks forth with astonishing effect, when he receives the book at the right hand of the Father; and all the powers of Heaven, "thrones and dominions, principalities and powers †," fall prostrate before him. Like this, probably, was the disclosure of the divine mysteries in Christ, to "the principa"lities and powers in heavenly places," of which Saint Paul speaks in Eph. iii. 10. Ib. Harps.] The harps, as well as the vials of incense, seem to belong to the elders only, not to the cherubim, to whose form they cannot accommodate, and whose figures were not seen distinctly. Besides, the masculine exaσlos directs this interpretation. The cherubim were seen in such effulgent brightness, flashing before the throne, as not to admit an exact account of the place of their position, much less a minute inspection of them, as bearing harps and vials. Ib. Vials.] The Qian, vial, of the Old Testament appears to have been a sort of patera, or bason, in which were deposited, before the altar, the offerings of meal, or of incense. It was distinct from the censer, on which the offering was presented, and which is called λιβανωτος ᾖ, πυρειον, θυμιατήριον, but never See Archbishop Newcome on Ezekiel. † Col. i. 16. See note, iv. 6. § Rev. viii. Φιαλη. Qay. Therefore, they who bear these vials, are not necessarily priests who offer incense; these rather bear the incense, ministering, like the Levites under the old covenant, to the great high priest of the Christian covenant, by whom, and through whom alone, prayers are to be offered up to God *. Ib. Full of incense.] Ovμipal being in the plural number, our translators may seem to have rendered it not improperly odours; but this word does not express that particular compound, which by divine appointment was used in offering, and which we call incense. I have therefore employed this expression, incense, which, being of itself a compound of various sweets †, has a plural signification. And by the use of this word we avoid an equivocation, which is to be seen in the common translation, wherein the prayers of the saints," may be referred to the odours only, whereas, in the original, they refer clearly to "the vials full of incense." The incense of itself does not so fitly represent "the prayers of the saints," as when placed upon the vial or patera, and brought up to the altar, there to be offered. Ib. Which are the prayers of the saints.] Prayer is fitly represented under the symbol of incense, according to the comparison of the Psalmist, "let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense;" and according to the custom of holy worship with the Jews, who accompanied the offering of incense with their prayers, (see Luke i. 10.) Hence Origen, in his treatise against Celsus, alludes to this passage of the Reve 1 Tim. ii. 5. Heb. vii. 24, 25.-For a more particular account of the word pan, see Parkhurst's Lexicon, and Daubuz, in loc. † Exod. xxx. 34. xxxvii. 29. Lev. xvi. 12. Ps, cxli. 2. lation, lation, observing that "the minds of Christians serve "as altars, whence incense is truly and intelligibly "wafted to heaven, namely, prayers from a pure con"science;" which are the prayers of the saints. But as prayers, under the old covenant, could be offered only by the priests*; so, under the new dispensation, they are accepted only through the intercession of the great High Priest and Mediator, for whose mediatorial presentation they seem deposited with the elders of the church, these prayers and praises, (for the word pоTEUX implies both,) ascend to God, as incense, in the following hymns. προσευχή Ver. 9. A new song.] The covenant through Christ, and every thing appertaining to it, is called new in Scripture; of which, innumerable instances may be scen in the concordances, under the word new. In the passage now before us, is disclosed the mystery of the Son of God appearing to suffer as a victim; a mystery ordained before the foundation of the world, yet revealed only in the latter times; which patriarchs and prophets saw but imperfectly, and angels themselves "desired to look into §." It was wonder-. ful and new, and the surprising benefits of it were extended beyond earth, "to things in heaven ||]." It is therefore celebrated in heaven, before its progress on earth is foreshewn; and by "a new song." This song is a hymn to the Redeemer, in which all creation joins. The cherubim, as before, begin the Numb. xvi. 40. ↑ At the dedication of the tabernacle, the twelve elders or princes of Israel offered each of them a golden spoon, full of incense. Numb. vii. 10. 14. Daubuz. Matt. xiii. 35. 1 Pet. i. 20. § 1 Pet. i. 12. 1 Tim. iii. 16. 1 Cor. iv. 9. Eph. i. 10. song; song; the elders unite their voices, their harps, and their incense. Such praises we now sing to Christ, in the ancient hymn called Te Deum. Such were sung in the early ages of the church, in the times immediately following those of this vision; whereof the younger Pliny gives testimony in his famous letter to Trajan. Such were sung in the succeeding times of Origent. Such also in the days of Eusebius, who deduces the worship of Christ from the Hymns and Psalms of the Old Testament, through all the venerable fathers of the church, to his own times ‡. Ver. 10. Kings and priests.] See note, chap. i. 6. ET TVs is not over the earth, but upon the earth, in which sense it is used continually. This promise is fulfilled in chap. xx. 6. xxii. 5. Ver. 11. Myriads.] So, an "innumerable company of angels," in Heb. xii. 22; and in chap. i. 6. all the angels of God are commanded to worship him. The appearance of this innumerable company, in addition to the heavenly band, is sudden, as described also in Luke ii. 14. Ver. 13. Every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, aud under the earth, and on the sea, &c.] That is, the whole creation; for it is frequently enumerated, under this fourfold division by the sacred writers §. Ib. THE praise and THE honour.] The common translation leaving out the article, which is expressed in the Greek, in this and other passages, has not attained the sense of the original, which implies not only that praise, honour, power, should be ascribed Plinii Epist. lib. x. 17. + Cont. Cels. p. 422. Eccl. Hist. lib. v. cxxviii. His expression is grand: 70v Aoyo, tu Θε8, τον Χρισίον, ὑμνᾶσι θεολογωνίες. § Exod. xx. 4. 11. Ps. xxxv. 6. Phil. ii. 10. to to God, and to the Redemer, in a general sense, but the particular and supreme praise, and the honour, and the power, which have been claimed by other gods "which are no gods," (Isai. xvii. 19.) and by men, (like Herod in Acts xii. 22, 23.) but which belong solely to the God of Heaven. PART II. SECTION III. The opening of the first Seal. 1 Καὶ εἶδον, ὅτε ἤνοιξε τὸ ἀρνίον μίαν ἐκ τῶν ἐπία σφραγί δων, καὶ ἤκεσα ἑνὸς ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων Zwwv, alan, s. Qwin Reorins "Eg2 χε καὶ βλέπε. Καὶ Zidov, x ide ITTO λευκός, καὶ ὁ και θήμενα. ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἔχων τόξον· καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ τέφανο, ἐξῆλθε νικῶν, καὶ ἵνα οικήση. CHAP. VI. VER. 1-2. 1 And I saw when the and lo! a white horse; 1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts, saying, 2 Come, and see. And I saw, and behold, a white horse; and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. Ver. 1. As a voice of thunder.] The voice of the Lord from heaven is frequently spoken of as "a great, "a terrible, a glorious voice; even a voice of thun "der." |