Chapter 1:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Jude Genesis
Revelation 1
Concise Complete
The Divine origin, the design, and the importance of
this book. (1-3) The apostle John salutes the seven churches of Asia. (4-8)
Declares when, where, and how, the revelation was made to him. (9-11) His
vision, in which he saw Christ appear. (12-20)
Verses 1-3 This
book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ; the whole Bible is so; for all
revelation comes through Christ, and all relates to him. Its principal subject
is to discover the purposes of God concerning the affairs of the church, and of
the nations as connected therewith, to the end of the world. These events would
surely come to pass; and they would begin to come to pass very shortly. Though
Christ is himself God, and has light and life in himself, yet, as Mediator
between God and man, he receives instructions from the Father. To him we owe the
knowledge of what we are to expect from God, and what he expects from us. The
subject of this revelation was, the things that must shortly come to pass. On
all who read or hear the words of the prophecy, a blessing is pronounced. Those
are well employed who search the Bible. It is not enough that we read and hear,
but we must keep the things that are written, in our memories, in our minds, in
our affections, and in practice, and we shall be blessed in the deed. Even the
mysteries and difficulties of this book are united with discoveries of God,
suited to impress the mind with awe, and to purify the soul of the reader,
though he may not discern the prophetic meaning. No part of Scripture more fully
states the gospel, and warns against the evil of sin.
Verses 4-8
There can be no true peace, where there is not true grace; and where grace goeth
before, peace will follow. This blessing is in the name of God, of the Holy
Trinity, it is an act of adoration. The Father is first named; he is described
as the Jehovah who is, and who was, and who is to come, eternal, unchangeable.
The Holy Spirit is called the seven spirits, the perfect Spirit of God, in whom
there is a diversity of gifts and operations. The Lord Jesus Christ was from
eternity, a Witness to all the counsels of God. He is the First-born from the
dead, who will by his own power raise up his people. He is the Prince of the
kings of the earth; by him their counsels are overruled, and to him they are
accountable. Sin leaves a stain of guilt and pollution upon the soul. Nothing
can fetch out this stain but the blood of Christ; and Christ shed his own blood
to satisfy Divine justice, and purchase pardon and purity for his people. Christ
has made believers kings and priests to God and his Father. As such they
overcome the world, mortify sin, govern their own spirits, resist Satan, prevail
with God in prayer, and shall judge the world. He has made them priests, given
them access to God, enabled them to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices,
and for these favours they are bound to ascribe to him dominion and glory for
ever. He will judge the world. Attention is called to that great day when all
will see the wisdom and happiness of the friends of Christ, and the madness and
misery of his enemies. Let us think frequently upon the second coming of Christ.
He shall come, to the terror of those who wound and crucify him by apostacy: he
shall come, to the astonishment of the whole world of the ungodly. He is the
Beginning and the End; all things are from him and for him; he is the Almighty;
the same eternal and unchanged One. And if we would be numbered with his saints
in glory everlasting, we must now willing submit to him receive him, and honour
him as a saviour, who we believe will come to be our Judge. Alas, that there
should be many, who would wish never to die, and that there should not be a day
of judgment!
Verses 9-11 It
was the apostle's comfort that he did not suffer as an evil-doer, but for the
testimony of Jesus, for bearing witness to Christ as the Immanuel, the Saviour;
and the Spirit of glory and of God rested upon this persecuted apostle. The day
and time when he had this vision was the Lord's day, the Christian sabbath, the
first day of the week, observed in remembrance of the resurrection of Christ.
Let us who call him "Our Lord," honour him on his own day. The name shows how
this sacred day should be observed; the Lord's day should be wholly devoted to
the Lord, and none of its hours employed in a sensual, worldly manner, or in
amusements. He was in a serious, heavenly, spiritual frame, under the gracious
influences of the Spirit of God. Those who would enjoy communion with God on the
Lord's day, must seek to draw their thoughts and affections from earthly things.
And if believers are kept on the Lord's holy day, from public ordinances and the
communion of saints, by necessity and not by choice, they may look for comfort
in meditation and secret duties, from the influences of the Spirit; and by
hearing the voice and contemplating the glory of their beloved Saviour, from
whose gracious words and power no confinement or outward circumstances can
separate them. An alarm was given as with the sound of the trumpet, and then the
apostle heard the voice of Christ.
Verses 12-20
The churches receive their light from Christ and the gospel, and hold it forth
to others. They are golden candlesticks; they should be precious and pure; not
only the ministers, but the members of the churches; their light should so shine
before men, as to engage others to give glory to God. And the apostle saw as
though of the Lord Jesus Christ appeared in the midst of the golden
candlesticks. He is with his churches always, to the end of the world, filling
them with light, and life, and love. He was clothed with a robe down to the
feet, perhaps representing his righteousness and priesthood, as Mediator. This
vest was girt with a golden girdle, which may denote how precious are his love
and affection for his people. His head and hairs white like wool and as snow,
may signify his majesty, purity, and eternity. His eyes as a flame of fire, may
represent his knowledge of the secrets of all hearts, and of the most distant
events. His feet like fine brass burning in a furnace, may denote the firmness
of his appointments, and the excellence of his proceedings. His voice as the
sound of many waters, may represent the power of his word, to remove or to
destroy. The seven stars were emblems of the ministers of the seven churches to
which the apostle was ordered to write, and whom Christ upheld and directed. The
sword represented his justice, and his word, piercing to the dividing asunder of
soul and spirit,
hebrews
4:12 . His countenance was like the sun, when it shines clearly and
powerfully; its strength too bright and dazzling for mortal eyes to behold. The
apostle was overpowered with the greatness of the lustre and glory in which
Christ appeared. We may well be contented to walk by faith, while here upon
earth. The Lord Jesus spake words of comfort; Fear not. Words of instruction;
telling who thus appeared. And his Divine nature; the First and the Last. His
former sufferings; I was dead: the very same whom his disciples saw upon the
cross. His resurrection and life; I have conquered death, and am partaker of
endless life. His office and authority; sovereign dominion in and over the
invisible world, as the Judge of all, from whose sentence there is no appeal.
Let us listen to the voice of Christ, and receive the tokens of his love, for
what can he withhold from those for whose sins he has died? May we then obey his
word, and give up ourselves wholly to him who directs all things aright.
Chapter 1:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Jude Genesis
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
