• Key
Verses
|-1-
|-2-
|-3-
|-4-
|-5-
|-6-
|-7-
|-8-
|-9-
|-10-
|-11-
|-12-
|-13-
|-14-
|-15-
|-16-
|-17-
|-18-
|-19-
|-20-
|-21-|
- Jamieson, Fausset, Brown -
Revelation
22:1-21.
THE RIVER
OF LIFE:
THE
TREE OF LIFE:
THE OTHER BLESSEDNESSES OF THE REDEEMED.
JOHN FORBIDDEN TO WORSHIP THE
ANGEL.
NEARNESS OF
CHRIST'S COMING TO
FIX MAN'S ETERNAL STATE.
TESTIMONY OF JESUS,
HIS SPIRIT,
AND THE BRIDE,
ANY ADDITION TO WHICH, OR SUBTRACTION FROM WHICH,
SHALL BE ETERNALLY PUNISHED.
CLOSING BENEDICTION.
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 1. pure--A, B, Vulgate,
and HILARY 22, omit.
water of life--infinitely superior to the
typical waters in the first Paradise (Ge
2:10-14); and even superior to those figurative ones in
the millennial Jerusalem (Eze
47:1, 12; Zec 14:8), as the matured fruit is superior to
the flower. The millennial waters represent full Gospel grace;
these waters of new Jerusalem represent Gospel glory
perfected. Their continuous flow from God, the Fountain of
life, symbolizes the uninterrupted continuance of life derived
by the saints, ever fresh, from Him: life in fulness of joy,
as well as perpetual vitality. Like pure crystal, it is free
from every taint: compare Re
4:6, "before the throne a sea of glass, like crystal."
clear--Greek,
"bright."
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 2. The harmonious unity of
Scripture is herein exhibited. The Fathers compared it to a
ring, an unbroken circle, returning into itself. Between the
events of Genesis and those at the close of the Apocalypse, at
least six thousand or seven thousand years intervene; and
between Moses the first writer and John the last about one
thousand five hundred years. How striking it is that, as in
the beginning we found Adam and Eve, his bride, in innocence m
Paradise, then tempted by the serpent, and driven from the
tree of life, and from the pleasant waters of Eden, yet not
without a promise of a Redeemer who should crush the serpent;
so at the close, the old serpent cast out for ever by the
second Adam, the Lord from heaven, who appears with His Bride,
the Church, in a better Paradise, and amidst better waters (Re
22:1): the tree of life also is there with all its
healing properties, not guarded with a flaming sword,
but open to all who overcome (Re
2:7), and there is no more curse.
street of it--that is, of the city.
on either side of the river--ALFORD translates, "In the midst of the street of
it (the city) and of the river, on one side and on the other"
(for the second Greek, "enteuthen," A, B, and
Syriac read, ekeithen: the sense is the same;
compare Greek, Joh
19:18); thus the trees were on each side in the middle of
the space between the street and the river. But from Eze
47:7, I prefer English Version. The antitype
exceeds the type: in the first Paradise was only one
tree of life; now there are "very many trees at the
bank of the river, on the one side and on the other." To
make good sense, supposing there to be but one tree, we
should either, as MEDE, suppose that the
Greek for street is a plain washed on
both sides by the river (as the first Paradise was washed on
one side by the Tigris, on the other by the Euphrates), and
that in the midst of the plain, which itself is in the midst
of the river's branches, stood the tree: in which case we may
translate, "In the midst of the street (plain) itself,
and of the river (having two branches flowing) on this and on
that side, was there the tree of life." Or else with DURHAM suppose, the tree was in the midst
of the river, and extending its branches to both banks. But
compare Eze
47:12, the millennial type of the final Paradise; which
shows that there are several trees of the one kind, all termed
"the tree of life." Death reigns now because of sin; even in
the millennial earth sin, and therefore death, though much
limited, shall not altogether cease. But in the final and
heavenly city on earth, sin and death shall utterly cease.
yielded her fruit every
month--Greek, "according to each month"; each month
had its own proper fruit, just as different seasons are now
marked by their own productions; only that then, unlike now,
there shall be no season without its fruit, and there
shall be an endless variety, answering to twelve, the
number symbolical of the world-wide Church (compare
Note, see on Re
12:1; Re
21:14). ARCHBISHOP WHATLEY thinks that the tree of life was among
the trees of which Adam freely ate (Ge
2:9, 16, 17), and that his continuance in immortality was
dependent on his continuing to eat of this tree; having
forfeited it, he became liable to death; but still the effects
of having eaten of it for a time showed themselves in the
longevity of the patriarchs. God could undoubtedly endue a
tree with special medicinal powers. But Ge
3:22 seems to imply, man had not yet taken of the
tree, and that if he had, he would have lived for ever,
which in his then fallen state would have been the greatest
curse.
leaves . . . for
. . . healing-- (Eze
47:9, 12). The leaves shall be the
health-giving preventive securing the redeemed against,
not healing them of, sicknesses, while "the fruit shall be for
meat." In the millennium described in Eze
47:1-23 and Re 20:1-15, the Church shall give the
Gospel-tree to the nations outside Israel and the Church, and
so shall heal their spiritual malady; but in the final
and perfect new Jerusalem here described, the state of
all is eternally fixed, and no saving process goes on any
longer (compare Re
22:11). ALFORD utterly mistakes in
speaking of "nations outside," and "dwelling on the renewed
earth, organized under kings, and saved by the influences of
the heavenly city" (!) Compare Re
21:2, 10-27; the "nations" mentioned (Re
21:24) are those which have long before, namely, in the
millennium (Re
11:15), become the Lord's and His Christ's.
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 3. no more curse--of which the
earnest shall be given in the millennium (Zec
14:11). God can only dwell where the curse and its cause,
the cursed thing sin (Jos
7:12), are removed. So there follows rightly, "But the
throne of God and of the Lamb (who redeemed us from the curse,
Ga
3:10, 13) shall be in it." Compare in the millennium, Eze
48:35.
serve him--with
worship (Re
7:15).
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 4. see his face--revealed in
divine glory, in Christ Jesus. They shall see and know
Him with intuitive knowledge of Him, even as they are known
by Him (1Co
13:9-12), and face to face. Compare 1Ti
6:16, with Joh 14:9. God the Father can only be seen in
Christ.
in--Greek,
"on their foreheads." Not only shall they personally
and in secret (Re
3:17) know their sonship, but they shall be known as sons
of God to all the citizens of the new Jerusalem, so that the
free flow of mutual love among the members of Christ's family
will not be checked by suspicion as here.
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 5. there--so ANDREAS. But A, B, Vulgate, and
Syriac read, "(there shall be no night) any longer";
Greek, "eti," for "ekei."
they need--A, Vulgate, and
Coptic read the future, "they shall not have
need." B reads, "(and there shall be) no need."
candle--Greek, "lamp." A,
Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic insert "light (of
a candle, or lamp)." B Omits it.
of the sun--so A. But B omits it.
giveth . . .
light--"illumines." So Vulgate and Syriac.
But A reads, "shall give light."
them--so B and ANDREAS. But
A reads, "upon them."
reign--with a glory probably transcending that of their
reign in heaven with Christ over the millennial nations in the
flesh described in Re
20:4, 6; that reign was but for a limited time, "a
thousand years"; this final reign is "unto the ages of the
ages."
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 6. These sayings are
true--thrice repeated (Re
19:9; 21:5). For we are slow to believe that God is as
good as He is. The news seems to us, habituated as we are to
the misery of this fallen world, too good to be true [NANGLE]. They are no dreams of a visionary, but
the realities of God's sure word.
holy--so ANDREAS. But A, B,
Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic read, "(the Lord God
of the) spirits (of the prophets)." The Lord God who
with His Spirit inspired their spirits so as to be able to
prophesy. There is but one Spirit, but individual prophets,
according to the measure given them (1Co
12:4-11), had their own spirits [BENGEL] (1Pe
1:11; 2Pe 1:21).
be
done--Greek, "come to pass."
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 7. "And" is omitted in
Coptic and ANDREAS with English
Version, but is inserted by A, B, Vulgate and
Syriac.
blessed-- (Re
1:3).
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 8. Both here and in Re
19:9, 10, the apostle's falling at the feet of the angel
is preceded by a glorious promise to the Church, accompanied
with the assurance, that "These are the true sayings of God,"
and that those are "blessed" who keep them. Rapturous emotion,
gratitude, and adoration, at the prospect of the Church's
future glory transport him out of himself, so as all but to
fall into an unjustifiable act; contrast his opposite feeling
at the prospect of the Church's deep fall [AUBERLEN], see on Re
17:6; Re
19:9, 10.
saw . . .
and heard--A, B, Vulgate, and Syriac
transpose these verbs. Translate literally, "I John (was he)
who heard and saw these things." It is observable that in Re
19:10, the language is, "I fell before his feet to worship
him"; but here, "I fell down to worship (God?) before the
feet of the angel." It seems unlikely that John, when once
reproved, would fall into the very same error again. BENGEL'S view, therefore, is probable; John had
first intended to worship the angel (Re
19:10), but now only at his feet intends to worship
(God). The angel does not even permit this.
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 9. Literally, "See not"; the
abruptness of the phrase marking the angel's abhorrence of the
thought of his being worshipped however indirectly.
Contrast the fallen angel's temptation to Jesus, "Fall down
and worship me" (Mt
4:9).
for--A, B,
Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, ANDREAS,
and CYPRIAN omit "for"; which accords with
the abrupt earnestness of the angel's prohibition of an act
derogatory to God.
and
of--"and (the fellow servant) of thy brethren."
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 10. Seal not--But in Da
12:4, 9 (compare Da
8:26), the command is, "Seal the book," for the vision
shall be "for many days." The fulfilment of Daniel's prophecy
was distant, that of John's prophecy is near. The New
Testament is the time of the end and fulfilment. The Gentile
Church, for which John wrote his Revelation, needs more to be
impressed with the shortness of the period, as it is inclined,
owing to its Gentile origin, to conform to the world and
forget the coming of the Lord. The Revelation points, on the
one hand, to Christ's coming as distant, for it shows the
succession of the seven seals, trumpets, and vials; on the
other hand, it proclaims, "Behold, I come quickly." So Christ
marked many events as about to intervene before His coming,
and yet He also says "Behold, I come quickly," because our
right attitude is that of continual prayerful watching for His
coming (Mt
25:6, 13, 19; Mr 13:32-37 [AUBERLEN];
compare Re
1:3).
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 11. unjust--"unrighteous"; in
relation to one's fellow men; opposed to "righteous," or
"just" (as the Greek may be translated) below. More
literally, "he that doeth unjustly, let him do
unjustly still."
filthy--in relation to one's own soul as unclean before
God; opposed to holy," consecrated to God as pure. A omits the
clause, "He which is filthy let him be filthy still." But B
supports it. In the letter of the Vienne and Lyons Martyrs (in
EUSEBIUS) in the second century, the
reading is, "He that is lawless (Greek,
'anomos') let him be lawless; and he that is righteous
let him be righteous (literally, 'be justified') still." No
manuscript is so old. A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic,
ANDREAS, and CYPRIAN
read, "let him do righteousness" (1Jo
2:29; 3:7). The punishment of sin is sin, the reward of
holiness is holiness. Eternal punishment is not so much an
arbitrary law, as a result necessarily following in the very
nature of things, as the fruit results from the bud. No worse
punishment can God lay on ungodly men than to give them up to
themselves. The solemn lesson derivable from this verse is, Be
converted now in the short time left (Re
22:10, end) before "I come" (Re
22:7, 12), or else you must remain unconverted for ever;
sin in the eternal world will be left to its own natural
consequences; holiness in germ will there develop itself into
perfect holiness, which is happiness.
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 12. And--in none of our
manuscripts. But A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and
CYPRIAN omit it.
behold, I come quickly--(Compare Re
22:7).
my reward is with
me-- (Isa
40:10; 62:11).
to
give--Greek, "to render."
every man--Greek, "to each."
shall be--so B in MAI. But B in TISCHENDORF,
and A, Syriac, read, "is."
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 13. I am Alpha--Greek,
". . . the Alpha and the Omega." A, B,
Vulgate, Syriac, ORIGEN, and CYPRIAN transpose thus, "the First and the Last,
the Beginning and the End." ANDREAS
supports English Version. Compare with these divine
titles assumed here by the Lord Jesus, Re
1:8, 17; 21:6. At the winding up of the whole scheme of
revelation He announces Himself as the One before whom and
after whom there is no God.
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 14. do his commandments--so B,
Syriac, Coptic, and CYPRIAN. But A,
Aleph, and Vulgate read, "(Blessed are they
that) wash their robes," namely, in the blood of the
Lamb (compare Re
7:14). This reading takes away the pretext for the notion
of salvation by works. But even English Version reading
is quite compatible with salvation by grace; for God's first
and grand Gospel "commandment" is to believe on Jesus. Thus
our "right" to (Greek, "privilege" or "lawful authority
over") the tree of life is due not to our doings, but to what
He has done for us. The right, or privilege, is
founded, not on our merits, but on God's grace.
through--Greek, "by the
gates."
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 15. But--so Coptic. But
A, B, HIPPOLYTUS, ANDREAS, and CYPRIAN omit.
dogs--Greek, "the
dogs"; the impure, filthy (Re
22:11; compare Php
3:2).
maketh--including
also "whosoever practiceth a lie" [W. KELLY].
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 16. mine angel--for Jesus is
Lord of the angels.
unto
you--ministers and people in the seven representative
churches, and, through you, to testify to Christians of all
times and places.
root
. . . offspring of David--appropriate title here
where assuring His Church of "the sure mercies of David,"
secured to Israel first, and through Israel to the Gentiles.
Root of David, as being Jehovah; the offspring of David
as man. David's Lord, yet David's son (Mt
22:42-45).
the morning
star--that ushered in the day of grace in the beginning of
this dispensation and that shall usher in the everlasting day
of glory at its close.
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 17. Reply of the spiritual
Church and John to Christ's words (Re
22:7, 12, 16).
the
Spirit--in the churches and in the prophets.
the bride--not here called "wife," as
that title applies to her only when the full number
constituting the Church shall have been completed. The
invitation, "Come," only holds good while the Church is still
but an affianced Bride, and not the actually wedded
wife. However, "Come" may rather be the prayer of the
Spirit in the Church and in believers in reply to Christ's "I
come quickly," crying, Even so, "Come" (Re
22:7, 12); Re
22:20 confirms this view. The whole question of your
salvation hinges on this, that you be able to hear with joy
Christ's announcement, "I come," and to reply, "Come" [BENGEL]. Come to fully glorify Thy Bride.
let him that heareth--that is,
let him that heareth the Spirit and Bride saying to the Lord
Jesus, "Come," join the Bride as a true believer, become part
of her, and so say with her to Jesus, "Come." On "heareth"
means "obeyeth"; for until one has obeyed the Gospel
call, he cannot pray to Jesus "Come"; so "hear" is used, Re
1:3; Joh 10:16. Let him that hears and obeys Jesus' voice
(Re
22:16; Re 1:3) join in praying "Come." Compare Re 6:1,
10; see on Re
6:1. In the other view, which makes "Come" an invitation
to sinners, this clause urges those who themselves hear
savingly the invitation to address the same to others, as did
Andrew and Philip after they themselves had heard and obeyed
Jesus' invitation, "Come."
let him
that is athirst come--As the Bride, the Church, prays to
Jesus, "Come," so she urges all whosoever thirst for
participation in the full manifestation of redemption-glory at
His coming to us, to COME in the
meantime and drink of the living waters, which are the earnest
of "the water of life pure as crystal . . . out of
the throne of God of the Lamb" (Re
22:1) in the regenerated heaven and earth.
And--so Syriac. But A, B,
Vulgate, and Coptic omit "and."
whosoever will--that is, is willing and
desirous. There is a descending climax; Let him that
heareth effectually and savingly Christ's voice, pray
individually, as the Bride, the Church, does collectively,
"Come, Lord Jesus" (Re
22:20). Let him who, though not yet having actually
heard unto salvation, and so not yet able to join in
the prayer, "Lord Jesus, come, "still thirsts for it,
come to Christ. Whosoever is even willing,
though his desires do not yet amount to positive
thirsting, let him take the water of life freely, that
is, gratuitously.
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 18. For I testify--None of our
manuscripts have this. A, B, Vulgate, and ANDREAS read, "I" emphatic in the Greek.
"I testify."
unto these
things--A, B, and ANDREAS read, "unto
them."
add . . .
add--just retribution in kind.
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 19. book--None of our
manuscripts read this. A, B, Aleph, Vulgate,
Syriac, and Coptic read, "(take away his part, that
is, portion) from the tree of life," that is, shall
deprive him of participation in the tree of life.
and from the things--so Vulgate.
But A, B, Aleph, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS omit "and"; then "which are written in
this book" will refer to "the holy city and the tree of life."
As in the beginning of this book (Re
1:3) a blessing was promised to the devout, obedient
student of it, so now at its close a curse is denounced
against those who add to, or take from, it.
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 20. Amen. Even so, come--The
Song of Solomon (So
8:14) closes with the same yearning prayer for Christ's
coming. A, B, and Aleph omit "Even so," Greek,
"nai": then translate for Amen, "So be
it, come, Lord Jesus"; joining the "Amen," or "So be it,"
not with Christ's saying (for He calls Himself the "Amen" at
the beginning of sentences, rather than puts it as a
confirmation at the end), but with John's reply. Christ's "I
come," and John's "Come," are almost coincident in time; so
truly does the believer reflect the mind of his Lord.
• JFB Top â € ¢
AC
SRB
OU
OU Index
Verse 21. our--so Vulgate,
Syriac, and Coptic. But A, B, and Aleph
omit.
Christ--so B,
Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS. But A and Aleph omit.
with you all--so none of our manuscripts.
B has, "with all the saints." A and Vulgate have, "with
all." Aleph has, "with the saints." This closing
benediction, Paul's mark in his Epistles, was after Paul's
death taken up by John. The Old Testament ended with a "curse"
in connection with the law; the New Testament ends with
a blessing in union with the Lord Jesus.
Amen--so B, Aleph, and ANDREAS. A and Vulgate Fuldensis omit
it.
May the Blessed Lord who has caused
all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, bless this
humble effort to make Scripture expound itself, and make it an
instrument towards the conversion of sinners and the
edification of saints, to the glory of His great name and the
hastening of His kingdom!
Amen.
• Key
NOTE: If your reference search placed you here it is indication that there are no Outline References for your search on this page. To return . . . click the link on the Key above ~ Or
CLICK 
- Revelation 22.
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic
edition prepared from text scanned by Woodside Bible
Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-Brown
Commentary is in the public domain and may be freely
used and distributed.
Bibliography
Information
Jamieson, Robert,
D.D. "Commentary on Revelation 22". "Commentary Critical
and Explanatory
on the Whole Bible".
<http://www.studylight.org/com/jfb/view.cgi?book=re&chapter=022>.
1871.
|
