a critical and exegetical commentary on the revelation of st john chapter 4

8/13/2019 A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Revelation of St John CHAPTER 4

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CHAPTER 4 1. The Contents and Authorship of this Chapter

With chap. 4 there is an entire change of scene and subject. The dramatic contrast

coud not be greater. Hitherto the scene of the !eer"s #isions had been earth$ no% it is

hea#en. &n the one hand' in ()* %e ha#e had a #i#id description of the Christian

Churches of Asia +inor',%hich is to be ta-en as tpica of the Church at arge',theideas the cherished' their faut achie#ements and not infre/uent disoaties' and their

outoo- dar-ened in e#er instance %ith the apprehension of uni#ersa persecution and

martrdom. 0ut the moment %e ea#e the restessness' the troubes' the imperfectness'

and apprehensions per#ading ()*' %e pass at once in 4 into an atmosphere of perfect

assurance and peace. ot e#en the faintest echo is heard here of the aarms and fears of

the faithfu' nor do the unmeasured caims and %rongdoings of the supreme and

imperia po%er on earth %a-e e#en a moment"s misgi#ing in the trust and adoration of

the hea#en hosts. An infinite harmon of righteousness and po%er pre#ais' %hie the

greatest angeic orders procaim before the throne the hoiness of Him %ho sits thereon'

%ho is Amight and from e#erasting to e#erasting' and to %hose so#ereign %i the

%ord and a that is therein o%es and has o%ed its being.!uch is the genera import of this chapter. As regards its source' there can be no

doubt. 2t comes %ho from the hand of our author 3see (' but it %as most probab

not %ritten a at the same time. &ur author appears here to ha#e incorporated one of his

earier #isions' consisting of four stan5as of four ines each' (b)*' 6a' 7)8. 2n this #ision

the !eer behed 3as in 2sa. 4. a throne in hea#en and Him that sat thereon' and the four

Cherubim that stood round about the throne' %ho sang unceasing$

9Ho' ho' ho is the :ord Amight'

Which %as and %hich is and %hich is to come.;

2n the notes on 4$4 a #ariet of reasons are gi#en for regarding this #erse as not

origina beonging to this #ision< but' as inserted b our author %hen he edited his%or- as a %hoe' to ser#e as an introduction 4$=)11 3see aso *. 4$1' (a 3in prose %as

at the same time prefi>ed to in- up the preceding #isions on earth %ith the #isions that

foo% in hea#en in 4)=.

(. This entire Chapter is indisputably from our Authors hand, as the diction and

idioms testify

3aDiction.

1. . !ee note in loc. . !o a%as in thesing. in our author e>cept in 1($1(. cf. 1$1' 1?$1' (1$=' 1@' (($1' 7' 8. .Cf. 1$1' (($7.

2. ! .Cf. [email protected]. !""# $% & % #$% .Cf. *$6. 2n ?$=' 1*' 1@$1' 1=$8' 1*' the

noun foo%s in the acc. instead of in the dat.

5. '! ( ". Cf. 11$1=' 17$18' but in 8$6 in a differentorder.

6. )% *# +#.Cf. 16$( 3bis. , $*##-$ cf. (($1' !./0% )% ##.

8. '*!$ 12$ #. recurs in 14$11. % , %.This di#ine titeoccurs 1@ times ese%here in our author 3cf. 1$8' 4$11' 11$1?' 16$*' 17$?' etc.' and on

t%ice in the rest of the .T. 3i.e. in !t. :u-e e>cept in passage /uoted from the&.T.

N.T. New Testament.

O.T. Old Testament.


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% , %3 , !*.Cf. 1$8' 11$1?' 16$*' 17$?' 1=$7' (1$((. ,!* , 4 , 5 , 2 %.Cf. 1$8' 11$1?' 17$6.9. 6$ .Cf. 14$?' 17$=' 1=$? 311$1*. Cf. 4th Bospe =$(4' 1?$((. /7 % 8 7% 8 6$ cf. 1@' 1$18' 1@$7' 16$? 3cf. ?$(.11. #" 9 .Cf. 6$1(' 11$1?.3bIdiom.1. : (9 *#!% ##% #.!ee note in loc.on this Hebraism'

and cf. 1?$1' (1$=.

2. ! 8 ; %.&n the three definite et pecuiar forms of this phrasein our author see note on 4$(< it recurs in 4' =' 1@ in e>act harmon %ith our author"s

pecuiar use.

7. 12= 2$ cf. 8' 1($(' 1=$1(' (1$1(' 14.8. / #%.A fre/uent construction in our author.9. t' sincethe description proceeds from the throne out%ards' the :i#ing Creatures ought to ha#e

been mentioned before the Eders' since the stand nearest to the throne. or the

obser#ance of this order ese%here in our author see note on 4$4. When the description

begins from %ithout' %e natura find the re#erse order,anges' Eders' :i#ing

Creatures' as in ?$11' 1=$1)4.

Ho% then are %e to e>pain 4$4D T%o e>panations are possibe. 1. &ur author has

here used one of his earier #isions' but in order to adapt it to his present purposes has

prefi>ed to it an introduction' 4$1' (a' and ne>t' in order to prepare the %a for 4$=)11'

has inserted 4$4,possib in the margin of his +!. 0 an o#ersight the nouns 9thrones

eders; %ere put in the acc.' o%ing not improbab to in 4$1. !ince' accordingto the present %riter"s theor' our author had not the opportunit of re#ising his %or-'

this grammatica error %as not remo#ed. 2n such a re#ision the ne>t great objection to

4$4 coud ha#e been remo#ed b transposing it after 4$8b. Thus %e shoud ha#e been

had description of the throne and of Him that sat thereon 3(b)*' ne>t of the :i#ing

Creatures 37)8' and fina of the Eders 34. 2n that case 8c %oud ha#e read / '*!$ 12$ #. (. &ur author %rote the entire chapter at the sametime' but forgot to mention and describe the Eders' %hich omission the forth%ith

repaired b an insertion on the margin of his +!' since some account of these %as

rendered indispensabe b 4$=)11. The former e>panation seems preferabe. 2 add here

%hat 2 ta-e to be the origina form of the #ision in 1)8. The poem consists of four

stan5as of four ines each' the first beginning %ith the %ords $

Robertson, Robertson, Grammar of the Greek of the N.T., 1914.


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4:1. = 2. > % 1 , ! . ; %,3. , ; % < % ,* #- *! - , % $# $ < % ,* - .

22.5. $ ! '! ( " ' ?! # !*% !$.% 6! $,6. 6! $ )% *# +# , $*##- , #- $ / @(# 7 1 ! A!81

222.

7. . / . !7 < #, . / < 2-, . / 12 . !! )% '6!$ . / < ' ! -.2.

8. / B C B 7 12 ' !$% D , '*!$ 12$ : % $.% #%,E% E% E% % , .% , !* ,, 4 , 5 , 2 %.1. .The cause %ith or %ithout the alays

introduces a ne and important visionin our Apocapse.1Compare ?$1 3 '=' 16$6' 18$1' 1=$1 3 F$. !ometimes the same note of emphasis andune>pectedness is con#eed b the cause $ cf. 7$(' 6' 8' 14$1' 14' or

b F$. 8$1*. Benerasimilar and closely relatedsections'paragraphs' and causes are introduced b ' as in 6$1' 6$(' 7' 11' 7$1' (' 1(' etc.'and in fact in a the subse/uent chapters e>cept 11 and ((. These formuae are

characteristic of apocaptic iterature' and imp an ecstatic condition. The are not'

ho%e#er' so carefu distinguished in other authors as in our Apocapse.

Thus ' or its inguistic e/ui#aent' is found in 1 Enoch 86$1' 8=$1='*@' 64' ?(' =@$(< T. Foseph 1=$6< ( 0ar. *?$1' 6*$8' 11. ' or its e/ui#aent in Hebre%' Aramaic or Ethiopic is found in Gan. ?$4' ='11' (1' 8$(' 4' ?< 1 Enoch 1?$*' 7' ?' 8' 18$1' (' *' 4' 6' =' 1@' 1(' 1*' 1=$*' (1$(' 86$?'

8=$4?' ?@' =@$1' 4' 6' =' etc.< T. :e#i 8$1< T. Foseph 1=$1' *' ?' 8. We find fre/uent

%ith the same connotation the cause' 9And again 2 sa%'; in 2 Enoch 87$1' *' 8?$1' 8=$*'

?' 61.

0ut the fuer form in our te>t fre/uent appears in this iterature' . !ee ?$=' or its inguistic e/ui#aent' Gan. ?$7' ? 3 '


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2n a the abo#e passages in E5e-ie' echariah' Ganie' 1 Enoch' Testaments I22

Patriarchs' ( 0aruch' 4 E5ra' the ecstatic condition is designed b the e>pressions just

enumerated. 2t is important to note this fact' o%ing to the presence of the cause

!in the ne>t #erse. 2f the !eer is aread in a spiritua trance' %hatis to be made of the %ords !in (D

> G- .As %e sha see ater' > !is an addition of our author %hereb he connects the preceding #isions onearth' 1$1@)*' %ith those that foo% in 4)6' %hich are in hea#en. The phraseoog is

apocaptic. Cf. 1 Enoch 14$16' > H## '-. 2t is possibe toe>pain this e>pression in t%o %as. 1. The !eer ma be concei#ed as being aread in

hea#en. 2n that case the door here mentioned %oud ead to a hoier part of the hea#en

than that in %hich the !eer had hitherto been. This is the #ie% undering 1 Enoch 14.

There Enoch is transated into hea#en' 14$8. When Enoch had once entered' he sa% a

great %a buit of crsta' and tongues of fire %hich encirced a great house 314$=. 2nto

this house he entered' /ua-ing and trembing' and then behed H## '-o#er against him eading to a sti greater house in %hich Bod manifestedHis presence. The idea here %oud be practica the same as that of different di#isions

of the Tempe differing in degrees of hoiness. (. The !eer ma be concei#ed as not et

in hea#en' but as entering b this door.1This is the #ie% undering T. :e#i 6$1' F , H#% % !#% . These gates admit :e#i from the second to thethird hea#en. !ince' ho%e#er' there is no reason to beie#e that our Apocapse teaches

of more than one hea#en 3see ater' the door referred to in the te>t admits the !eer from

earth to hea#en. Cf. * +acc. 7$18' , #% .% G- % $%!#%3 I ("% H# ". This seems to be theright e>panation. That the door' moreo#er' is not on a e#e %ith the !eer' as in 1 Enoch

14' is cear from the %ords that foo% '*" I.

With the e>pression 9a door opened in hea#en; for the admission of the singe !eer'%e might contrast the %ords in 1=$11' 92 sa% the hea#en opened'; %here the %hoe

hea#en is opened' as it %ere' that the armies of hea#en might go forth in the train of the

!on of Bod. Jet in T. :e#i ($7 the hea#ens open to admit :e#i. .Throughout the entire Apocapse %occurs in the singuare>cept in 1($1(' %hich is deri#ed from an independent !emitic source 3see Chapter 1('

2ntrod. ?. This fact in itsef %oud not suffice to pro#e that our !eer beie#ed in on

one hea#en< for in the Test. I22 Partriarchs' %here the doctrine of a purait of the

hea#ens is distinct enforced' %e find sometimes %' T. Reub. 1$7' 6$?' 7$=


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&n the impossibiit of getting a consistent #ie% of the scenes portraed in hea#en

b our boo- see note on % in (.0ut the passage' > : (9 !' is as %e sha see

present' an addition inserted b the %riter %ith a #ie% to in-ing together this #ision

%ith that %ith precedes$ : (9 : !6 J F$ )% *#!% ##% C

3 #. Render' 9and the former #oice.; : (;depends on . This #oiceappears to be that referred to in 1$1@' F$ (9 *# )% *#!%#%. Christ' therefore' seems to be the spea-er. 0ut' as it has been obser#ed bischer' ??' and 0ousset' (4*' it is strange that the 0eing %ho ater in the #ision is

recogni5ed as the :amb 36$7' and the object of the #ision' shoud here appear as the

spea-er and guide' the an#elus interpres' as it %ere. 2f %e ha#e in 4$1)8 and in 6 t%o

#ision %hich the !eer had e>perienced on different occasions and under different

circumstances' and in %hich no mention %as made of the agent through %hom these

#ision %ere gi#en' then %e sha no difficut in recogni5ing the phrase : (9#as an addition on the !eer"s part' %hen editing his %or- as a %hoe' since this

addition represents Christ as the re#eaing subject of 4)6 as He is of 1)*. 2n this firstedition of his #isions the abo#e inconsistent escaped him. 2f' ho%e#er' %e coud' %ith

some schoars' ta-e the #oice 1$1@ to be that of an un-no%n ange' there %oud be no

such inconsistenc.: (; )% *#!% ##% C #.Here : (;isdependent on no ess than : . There are t%o e>panations possibe of #.Either #is to be construed %ith (;and hence to be ta-en as K#$',for simiar constructions cf. 11$16' 1=$14. Cf. Ben. 3:II 16$1' ,or the

phrase ##% C #is to be ta-en as a Hebraism 3 .' as in 1?$1' (1$=. Cf. 1@$8'*"3K '*"$ cf. *"' +att. 1?$(@. !ee Robertson' Gram. *(8.I3K9hither; $ cf. Fohn 7$(6' 1@$(?. !ee0ass' Gram. p. 68. Cf. 1 Enoch 14$(4.2n the preceding #isions' 1$1@ s//.' the !eer %as on earth. 2n this #erse he is

spiritua transated to hea#en' and remains in hea#en ti the cose of =. This

transation is impied in the %ords' 9Come up hither' and 2 %i sho% thee the things

%hich must come to pass hereafter.; His continued presence in hea#en is attested b

6$4' 6' 7$=' ?$1*' 14' 8$1. rom hea#en he can behod %hat ta-es pace on earth$ cf. 7$1('

16 s//.' ?$1' (. Thence on%ards there is a fre/uent shifting of the scene of the !eer"s

#isions. 2n 1@ he has again returned to earth$ cf. 1@$4' 8' and remains on earth ti the

cose of 11$1*< but in 11$16)1= the scene of his #ision is again in hea#en. 2n 1( the

scene seems to be again on earth< for 1($14)17 imp it' and the birth of the +essiah is

on earth' 1($6< for He is thence rapt to hea#en. Jet there are difficuties as regards the#arious sections of 1(. 2n 1*)14$1* the scene of his #isions is sti on the earth' but

14$14' 18)(@ imp his presence in hea#en' as %e as 16$(' 6 s//.' 17$1. Hence 16$1

3see note in loc. is an interpoation. 2n 1?)18 the scene is again changed' and the !eer

is on earth again$ cf. 1?$*' 18$1' 4' (1. 2n 1=$1)1@ the !eer is again in hea#en. rom

1=$11 to the cose of the description of the hea#en Ferusaem he is again on earth. At

the ad#ent of the fina judgment the former hea#en and earth fee a%a.

!ome of these changes of scene ma be e>pained b the use of sources on the part

of the %riter$ others b his incorporation into his te>t of earier #isions of his o%n' some

of %hich presuppose hea#en' others earth' as the scene of their reception.

2e%t!a$int.

-lass, -lass, Grammar of N.T. Greektransl. by Thaeray7, 1)9).


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.This #erb has aread occurred in the same connection on 1$1' %here theHierophant is Christ.

Here aso' in this editoria addition to the origina #ision' Christ is simiar

represented' though a certain inconsistenc is thereb introduced. !ee note abo#e 3p.

1@8. The %ord recurs in 1?$1' (1$=' 1@' (($1' 7' 8 %here the guide is an ange of

the #ision of the 0o%s. E . As in 1)* the present 3E ' 1$1= hasbeen deat %ith' in the chapters that foo% the future destinies of the Church and the

%ord are to be manifested to the !eer. This %as promised in 1$1' 1=. The phrase E 3aread in 1$1 is found in the :II and Theodotion of Gan. ($(8' (=' %hie in($(=' 46 the entire cause' ' occurs in Theodotion"s rendering

of .2. % ! .These %ords create a great difficut in the

te>t. According to 1$1@' %here the e>pression has aread' occurred' the !eer is in a

state of spiritua trance. That the !eer is sti in the ecstatic state is sho%n b the

introductor %ords of 4$1 3see note. +an schoars 3Ge Wette' Ebrard' GLsterdiec-'Higenfed' 0. Weiss' !%ete assert that a higher degree of spiritua e>atation is here

necessar. 2t has been urged b Ge Wette and others that the same difficut ies in

E5e-. 11$1' 6. 0ut the parae does not hod. or' %hereas in E5e-. 11$1 one office of

the !pirit is mentioned %hen E5e-ie is carried off to %itness certain e#is in Ferusaem

39the !pirit ifted me up;' another is mentioned in 11$6' %here the !pirit of the :ord is

said 9to fa on E5e-ie; in order to enabe him to prophes against these e#is. o%

there is no such distinction of phrase in 1$1@ and 4$( in our te>t. The e>pression is

identica in both. +oreo#er' the po%er conferred b the state therein described embraces

at once the po%er of spiritua #ision and of utterance or e>pression. Cf. 1$11. F. Weiss

3p. 64 n. has therefore right urged that there is an inconsistenc bet%een 4$1 and 4$('

but he goes needess far in maintaining that %hoe#er introduced the e>pression in 4$(no onger fet that in 4$1 described the #isionar state. The !eer is aread in theecstatic state. 2t %as not ti he %as in this state that Christ addressed him in 1$1@. That

he is sti in this state in 4$1 is pro#ed both b the diction 3 and the fact that hehears the hea#en #oice %hich addresses him ane%. 2n 1$1@ the !eer is not addressed

b Christ ti he has faen into a trance' that is' the %ords !precede the address of Christ to the !eer' %hereas in 4$( the foo% the address of the

hea#en #oice. The te>t' therefore' is pecuiar. 0ut the difficut can' 2 thin-' be

ade/uate e>pained b the hpothesis that the !eer is here combining #isions recei#ed

on different occasions. The poetica structure of 4$1)8 is bro-en up b the insertion of

certain prose additions in 4$1' (' 4' 6' as %e sha see ater 3see 2ntrod. to Chapter 4 *'

and this fact points to 4$1)8 as recording an independent #ision of the !eer' %hich he

connects %ith an earier #ision 1)*' b four causes' 4$1bcd' (a' three of %hich' 1cd'

4$(a' ha#e aread occurred in 1)*. !ome such insertion %as necessar< for %hereas 1)*

imp that the !eer %as on earth' 4)= imp that he is in hea#en. Hence the t%o causes'

4$1b > G- ' and 4$1d '*" I' are' indispensabe'the former cause that the #oice ma issue from hea#en 3cf. +att. *$1?< Acts 1@$11 and

the !eer be spiritua transated into hea#en through this open door' and the atter as

gi#ing him the command to ascend to hea#en. We therefore regard the %ords > !as added here b the !eer in order to connect 1)*' and 4)=. 2t must beconfessed that the e>pression !is not %hat %e e>pect here' since it

e>presses nothing more than %hat is aread definite impied in ' i.e.that the !eer %as in the ecstatic state$ cf. 1$1@. !ince' as in 1?$*' (1$1@' there is here an


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actua transation of the spirit of the !eer' %e shoud here e>pect '!2 !' or '!; !3or '#" #.' 0 #.. Cf. 1?$*'

'!; !and (1$1@' and E5e-. *$1( 3 '38$*'11$1'(4'4*$6 '314 . 2n 1 Mings 18$1(' ( Mings ($17' the sameHebre% #erb is used of an actua bodi transation' and K!*/in Acts 8$*=. orother instances1of bodi transation see Hebre% Bospe 3&rig.In $oan' tom. ii. 7. 1. 4. or the same idea of a transation of the spirit

see 1 Enoch 14$8' =' ?1$6)7. Whether a bodi or on a spiritua transation too- pace

in his case !t. Pau -ne% not$ ( Cor. 1($()4. > % 1 #8Here the origina #ision of the !eer rea begins.%.The throne of Bod in hea#en is fre/uent referred to in the &.T. and aterFe%ish iterature$ cf. 1 Mings (($1=< 2sa. 7$1< E5e-. 1$(7< Ps. 4?$8< Gan. ?$=< Enoch

14$18' 1=' 34@< T. :e#i 6$1< Ass. +oses i#. (< ( Enoch (($( 3A . !ee aso Weber('$'d.

Theol. 174 s/. A throne of Bod on earth is described or mentioned in 1 Enoch 18$8'

(4$*' (6$*' =@$(@.

2n e#er chapter in our Apocapse the throne of Bod is referred to e>cept in (' =)1@' %here there is no occasion for its mention' and in 16$6)8' %here the #ision is that of

the Tempe in hea#en. The phrase '!. $' %hich is added asndetica in17$1? after '!. ' has been interpreted as an attempt to harmoni5e the #ision ofthe throne of Bod and that of the Tempe. 0ut the t%o ideas are aread combined in the

T. :e#i 6$1' 18$7' and possib aso in the &.T.(

1Evang. sec. Hebr., L M#" : ; $ . E ! N 7 27

$3 '!; % . A% . "6. &f. -el 36.

8 8 #7 ondon. 2d. 4.

(2ome sholars wo!ld diso#er this ombination already in s. 11"4, :ahweh

is in ;is holy %alae or tem%le, 7+ :ahweh, ;is throne is in hea#en< -!tthe holy %alae is here aordin$ to the %arallel sim%ly hea#en itself. Others

trae its e=istene already in Isa. 6"1 s//., b!t elsewhere the earthly tem%le is

the sene and s!b>et of %ro%heti #isions" f. 8mos. 9"1+ 0ze. )"3, 1?"4 s/.+

8ts (("1*. The hea#enly %alae or tem%le is 'od@s abode and referred to ins. 1)"6+ Ai. 1"(+ ;ab. ("(?.

(2ome sholars wo!ld diso#er this ombination already in s. 11"4, :ahweh

is in ;is holy %alae or tem%le, 7+ :ahweh, ;is throne is in hea#en< -!tthe holy %alae is here aordin$ to the %arrallel sim%ly hea#en itself. Others

trae its e=istene already in Isa. 6"1 s//., b!t elsewhere the earthly tem%le is

the sene and s!b>et of %ro%heti #isions" f. 8mos. 9"1+ 0ze. )"3, 1?"4 s/.+

8ts (("1*. The hea#enly %alae or tem%le is 'od@s abode and referred to in

s. 1)"6+ Ai. 1"(+ ;ab. ("(?.


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References to the Tempe occur' of course' ese%here in the Apocapse. 2n *$1(

there is a reference to the Tempe' but in a spiritua sense. The ideas of the throne and

the Tempe are combined in ?$16' %here the %orship of the martrs*before the fina

judgment is mentioned. After the fina judgment there is to be no Tempe in hea#en'

(1$((. The hea#en Tempe is again referred to in 11$1=. Together %ith the hea#en

Tempe there is mentioned the atar' $$' 7$= 3see note' under %hich arethe sous of the martrs. This has been ta-en to be the hea#en atar of burntNoffering

b a commentators' %ho ha#e' as a rue' aso found references to the atar of burntN

offering and the atar of incense in 8$*. 0ut in the note on that #erse 2 ha#e sought to

pro#e that both according to Fe%ish and ear Christian ideas there %as on one atar in

hea#en combining the characteristics of the earth atar of incense and part those of

the atar of burntNoffering. urthermore' this atar is %ithin the hea#en Tempe' ?$16!d$ment. 2ee %%. (??1.


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Thus $ !is foo%ed b the#en.,4$1@' 6$1' ?' 7$17' 1?$1' 1=$183PO min fere omn.$ acc. A 717=$ dat.

.' 1=$1=' (1 - !%ith dat4$= 3 A' 6$1*. 3AO' ?$1@ 3 ACP' 1=$4 3 AC O.

E>ception$ %ith acc. 7$4' ! . 2n 14$16 %ith gen. ! 0% (#%' but 14$16)1?

is not from the hand of our author., ; % !and . ; !' %ith acc. , ;%' c. acc. in 4$( 3PAn %ith gen.' 7$(' 6' 11$17 3AP' 1=$11. E>ceptions,%ith gen. ?$16 3dat. O min p.'

14$17 3A but not from our author"s hand' %ith dat (1$6 3but this is due to editor. .3>% . %ith acc. in 4$4' 14$14' 1?$*. E>ceptions %ith gen. =$1?' !C 73but due

probab to interpoation of =$1?ab' 14$7 3%here' ho%e#er' see note' (@$11' but this is

due to editor. Thus' in short' the participe in the nom. and acc. is foo%ed b !andthe acc.' and the participe in the gen. and dat. b the gen and dat. respecti#e.

3. , ; %


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(ncyc. )ib. i#. 48@7' %hence these facts are deri#ed. &f the abo#e #arieties the green

%as #er rare and most pri5ed in ancient times. This ma e>pain the epithet 6%attached to it in (1$11. 0ut o%ing to this epithet Ebrard thin-s that the diamond is meant

here. The sardius 3 K ' E>. (8$1?' *=$1@< E5e-. (8$1* is a red stone as the namesignifies' the opa/ue boodNred jasper %e -no%n in Egpt' 0abonia' and Assria. Cf.

Epiphan.De Gemmis' !$!.% P &;%3/uoted b itringa. 9Themateria 3transucent /uart5 stained %ith iron is /uite common' and merges in the

cearer and ighterNtinted carneian and red agate; 3(ncyc. )ib. i#. 48@*. !ee aso

Hastings D.).i#. 7(@ s/. % $# $ < % ,* - .This idea of arainbo% round about the throne is deri#ed from E5e-. 1$(8' )% .' 186=. 2t is caimed to be of 0abonian

origin b immern' .A.T.*' p. *6*' %ho cites Ps. 1@4$( 39He cothes Himsef %ith ight

as %ith a garment;< Gan. ?$=< 1 Enoch 14$18< Fas. 1$1?< Apoc. Fohn 4$*< 1 Tim. 7$17'

etc.2n fa#our of the abo#e %e might cite(ncyc. )ib. i#. 48@4$ 9As ear as

Theophrastus a #er arge number of stones' a briiant and of a shades of green' from

a/uamarine to dioptase 32#6' %ere incuded genera under *%.;2n an case the object of the bo% is to concea Him that sat on the throne. Thus

anthropomorphic detais are a#oided sti more than in E5e-ie.

4. $# $ $% P %'1 ! % P% $% !"$$% $% !""# $% & %.B. ;astin$s@ Dictionary of the Bible.

E.A.T. 2hrader@s Die Keilinschriften un asalte Testament, edited and

rewritten by ;. Fimmern and ;. Ginler, 19?3.


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#$%3 ! % (#% 7 (*$% 2$%.The occurrence of this#erse in its present conte>t creates great difficut. This has aread been pointed out b

F. Weiss 3Die Offenbarun#,p. 64 s/.. He obser#es' first' that it interrupts a description

of the throne' %hich is resumed in 6$ in the ne>t pace' that' as the representation

proceeds from the throne out%ards' the narro%er circe of the four :i#ing Creatures

ought to be mentioned before the arger concentric circe of the four and t%ent Eders.The :i#ing Creatures stand nearer the throne' and in 4$=' 1@' the Eders do not fa do%n

and %orship ti the :i#ing Creatures gi#e the signa. &n these grounds' Weiss %oud

reject this #erse as an addition of the fina editor of the Apocapse' %ho put together

t%o independent apocapses %ith arge additions of his o%n. Though Weiss"s theor as

a %hoe is untenabe' there are good grounds for regarding 4$4 as a ater addition' but

not' as Weiss urges' from another hand. The e#idence points to its being a ater addition'

but an addition from our author"s hand' since the diction is %ho his o%n' and the

#erse ser#es to prepare the %a for =)11. or' since the (4 Eders are subordinate in

ran- to the :i#ing Creatures' the shoud not be mentioned before them uness the !eer

began his description %ith the outer ran-s of hea#en beings that surrounded the

throne. o% in ?$=)11 %e find such a description. irst %e ha#e a great mutitude of thesa#ed %hich no man coud number< then the #arious concentric ran-s of hea#en

beings round about the throne,first the anges' then the Eders' and fina the four

:i#ing Creatures. Probab in the same %a %e are to e>pain the order in 1=$1)4,first

the great mutitude of the angeic orders in hea#en 9saing Haeujah; 31=$1)*' and its

repetition b the Eders and :i#ing Creatures in 1=$4 3see note in loc.. Ese%here'

%here these t%o orders are simp mentioned together' the :i#ing Creatures are a%as

mentioned first$ cf. 4$=)1@' 6$7' 8' 14' 14$*. The e>pression 7 / 7!"$seems to be a goss in 6$11 3see note in loc... A singe Eder is mentionedin 6$6' ?$1*' and the bod of Eders aone in 11$17.

0ut as %e e>amine the te>t more cose %e see %h the addition %as made b our

author after * and not ese%here in 4$1)8. or' %hereas it %oud ha#e been natura to

ma-e this addition immediate after the four :i#ing Creatures in 7b' %e disco#er that

the description of the atter and their than-sgi#ings are so cose -nit together from 7b

to the cose of 8 that the addition of a singe phrase aien to the subject of the :i#ing

Creatures %as practica impossibe. Hence the insertion %as made in the midst of the

description of the throne. ina' the snta> is defecti#e in this #erse. We ha#e three

accusati#es' $%3 !"$$%3 (*$%' but no #erb to go#ern them. or isthere an such #erb in * nor in (' %here the #erbs are intransiti#e. To e>pain these

abnorma accusati#es' %e must har- bac- to 1 and borro% . This is %hounsatisfactor. &n the possibe origin of the conception of the t%entNfour Eders see

[email protected]. $ ! '! ( ".The

three nouns recur in the same order in 11$1=' 17$18' but in 8$6 in a different order'

" 8 ( 8 '!. (K in Hebre%' and denote the 9#oices; ofthe thunder< "K ' and denote simp 9thunderings.; To us moderns' %hoindentif thunder and the 9#oice; of the thunder' it is difficut to ma-e a distinction

10lsewhere in o!r a!thor P %stands before its no!n e=e%t in 19"4.

Ge sho!ld obser#e that % is !sed not !nfre/!ently as an a. &f.

Ao!lton, Gram. 46+ -lass, Gram. (?. On the ortho$ra%hy of %in the N.T.,A22, and the ;, see Robertson, Gram. 1)3.


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bet%een them. 2n Fub. ($(' ho%e#er' %e ha#e the #er same e>pression as in our te>t,

H# (73 "7 '!7. We might aso compare E>. 1=$17' ( '!$ E5e-. 1$1*' !$.% ! '!;. 0oth nouns are

combined in Ps ?7 3??$18' (9 0% "0% $3 < Fob. *?$4' 9Hethundereth %ith the #oice of His majest; 3 ! . Cf. aso *?$(' *' 6. ?! # !*% !$.% 6! $ UE ?!! V. We might compare ( 0ar. (1$7' 9the ho beings of fame andfire' %hich stand around Th throne.; Cf. 8$1@ of our te>t.

The cause E has been recogni5ed as a goss b !pitta' F. Weiss' andWehausen. 2t is a goss' ho%e#er' %hich probab gi#es a right interpretation$ cf. 1$4'

1(' ($1' *$1. The se#en amps are se#en spirits. The se#en amps stand in some origina

reation to the se#en panets' of %hich' ho%e#er' the !eer ma ha#e been /uite

unconscious. !ee note on 1$4. 0ut this cause aso' ?! #!*% $' mabe a ater addition of our author or of a ater hand. 2ts structure appears to be against the

former hpothesis. 2n the description of the throne the phrase reating to the throne

a%as begins the #erse. Thus 4$6a' $$ 7a' 6! .$ 7b' #- . This hods aso in 4$(c and in the addition 4$4a. 2n 4$*b there is a sightdeparture from this structure' but not the compete departure %e find in 4$6b. Here'

further' %e ha#e the a%-%ardness of 6! $coming amost at the cose ofone #erse and recurring immediate at the beginning of the ne>t' and that in a most

carefu eaborated stan5a. ot%ithstanding 2 ha#e ao%ed 6b' minus the e>panator

goss' to remain in the te>t. !ee 2ntrod. to Chapter' *.

6. 6! $ )% *# +# , $*##-.2t is to beobser#ed that our author does not sa that there %as 9a sea of gass; here' but 9as it

%ere 3)% a sea of gass; 3cf. 16$(. There is nothing i-e it on earth or in human

e>perience' so that a he can do is to use a figure of speech in order to suggest in somefaint measure %hat he sa% in the #ision. This is cear the present meaning of this

phrase in our te>t. 0ut ha#ing thus suggested the character of the conception' he can

then drop the apocaptic character of the phrase and use simp the definite e>pression

9 *# 9 +#316$(. 0ut this has #er itte to do %ith the origina formof this idea. 0efore the disco#er of ( Enoch' schoars %ere at a oss to trace its source.

2n that boo- 3*$* %e find$ 9The sho%ed me 3in the first hea#en a #er great sea'

greater than the earth sea.; This sea' according to T. :e#i ($? 3' %as in the firsthea#en 9hanging'; or according to ($? 3"' 9hanging bet%een the first and second

hea#en.; The strange %ord 9hanging; K *K ' %hich appears to becorrupt for ,therefore 9on the firmament.; Thus this sea is rea the %atersabo#e the firmament referred to in Ben. 1$?< Ps. 148$4. According to Fub. ($4 these %ere separated from the %aters beo% the firmament 3 W R $X T3 . Y$ 7 '" !* 6%,the Bree- #ersion preser#ed inEpiphan.aer. >#. 4. These %aters %ere mascuine' according to 1 Enoch 64$8' and

the %aters on the earth %ere feminine. rom their union' according to Assrian mths'

the gods %ere produced. &f this mth there seems to be an echo in ( Enoch (8$(' (=$1'

*' 9&ut of the %a#es 2 created roc- and from the roc- 2 cut off a great fire' and from

the fire 2 created the orders of the incorporea ten troops of anges.;

0ut to return to the sea of gass' %hich utimate goes bac-' as %e ha#e seen' to the

%aters abo#e the firmament. These %aters rest on the firmament' and o#er them

apparent Bod"s throne %as ori#inallyconcei#ed as estabished' Ps. 1@4$*' 9Whoaeth in the %aters the beams of His chambers.; &f this hea#en ocean a portion on


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is #isibe in the foreground' 9as it %ere a sea of gass i-e unto crsta'; in our te>t.

When the Apocapse %as %ritten it is more than probabe that the origina meaning of

the sea %as %ho forgotten. !ee 0ousset in loc.' and Bun-e'/um %erst0ndnis. d.

.T.' 44' n. 6. U - $ V #- $ / @(# 7 1 ! A!.

The :i#ing Creatures are not bearers of the throne 3 - 8 . cannot mean9under the throne;' as in E5e-. 1$((' (7' but the stand round the throne and prostrate

themse#es in the act of %orship' 6$8' 1=$4 3in ( Enoch (1$1 the 9o#ershado%; it' and

are free to mo#e independent and sing$ cf. 16$?. 2f the te>t is right' %e must

suppose' %ith Lig' Ge Wette' GLsterdiec-' 0ousset' !%ete' that the :i#ing Creatures

stood round about 3#- the throne' one in the midde of each side of the throne 3-. rom the Bree- %ords it seems impossibe to %rest such a meaning. or can the

passage be interpreted %ith Eichhorn' E%ad' and Bun-e 3/um reli#ions#esch. %erst,

44' %ho concei#e the four :i#ing Creatures as ing %ith the o%er part of their bod

supporting the throne and %ith the upper part of their bod projecting beond it.

Eichhorn %as mised b foo%ing E5e-ie and b faiing to foo% the te>t before him'

and aso b the passage %hich he /uotes from the +idrash Tehiim ciii. 1=' to the effect

that the :i#ing Creatures %ere paced under the throne that the might 9-no% that the

-ingdom of Bod rued o#er a.; 2n fact' the te>t is uninteigibe as it stands. Hence - $ is to be ta-en as 31 a goss' or as 3( a mistransation of theHebre%. 1. 2t is not impossibe that - $%as added here from E5e-. 1$6' - )% , * /3%here -refers to the fier coud%hich en#eops the throne of Bod' just as some cursi#es and #ersions of the :II add

#- $after -in E5e-. 1$6' probab from the Apocapse.Ese%here throughout the Apocapse the :i#ing Creatures are said to be 9round the

throne' ; but ne#er 9in the midst of it'; as here. That pri#iege is reser#ed for the 9!onof +an; or 9the :amb'; 1$1*' ($1' 6$7' ?$1?. Mnnec-e has aso proposed the e>cision

of this cause. (. 0ruston 3/uoted b +offatt thin-s that the cause is a mistransation of

" ' %hich shoud ha#e been rendered' 9And in the midst %as the throne;cised as an interpoation'

as %e as the %ord 9cherub; in ?. These are omitted b the :II. 2n E5e-. 41$18 s/.

each had t%o faces,those of a man and a ion< but this ma be due to the fact that the

are here represented on the %a of the Tempe. 0et%een each pair of Cherubim there%as a pam tree.

According to Bun-e' Genesis*' p. (6' the simper conception of Re#. 4$7 is oder

than the #er compicated one of E5e-. 1$1@< indeed Winc-er 3Altor. 5orsch. ii. *4?

s//.' as immern notes'.A.T.' p. 7*1' see-s to pro#e that the four i#ing creatures in

the origina te>t of E5e-ie had on one face each. 2n an case' the form of the

Cherubim in our Apocapse' so far as regards their head' differs from e#er definite

description of them in the &.T.

(. 2n E5e-. 1$7' 1@ each Cherub had four %ings. 2n !oomon"s tempe there %ere

t%o coossa Cherubim' each %ith t%o %ings' 1 Mings 7$(4 s//.' and standing on their

feet' ( Chron. *$1*. The %as of his tempe %ere aso car#ed %ith figures of Cherubim'

1 Mings 7$(=' and pam trees' ( Chron. *$?' as aso on the hanging screen' %hichseparated the Ho pace from the Ho of Hoies in the Tabernace' E>. (7$*1.

Thus the number of %ings assigned to the Cherubim in our Apocapse' %hie

agreeing %ith ater apocaptic iterature' differs from the number assigned in the &.T.

*. The Cherubim in E5e-. 1$((' (7' 1@$1' support a firmament' %hereon is set the

throne of Bod. The throne is not stationar' but is borne in an one of four directions b

the Cherubim. The description of the base of the throne recas E>. (4$1@' though there

is no mention there of the Cherubim. 2n E>. (6$18)(1' on the other hand' the figures of

the Cherubim are represented on the mercNseat of the ar-' facing each other' but

oo-ing do%n on the ar-.

Possib connected %ith the conception in E5e-ie is that in ( Mings 1=$16< Ps.

18$1@' 8@$1' ==$1< 2sa. *?$17' %here the Cherubim are concei#ed as bearing Bod.

2n Ben. *$(4 the guard Paradise. 2n 1 Enoch ?1$? the the are said to guard the

throne of Bod.

Thus the conception in Re#. 4$7' etc.' stands apart in this respect aso from an in

the &.T.

4. The Cherubim are sient in E5e-. 1$6 s//.' 1@$(' and in a passages reating to

them in the &.T. as opposed to the function assigned them in ate apocaptic iterature.

222. !ome of the abo#e conceptions in the &.T. can %ith great probabiit be traced

to an earier stage' a stage %ith %hich our author %as %ho unac/uainted' and of

%hich e#en the &.T. %riters had bare the faintest idea. or research in this direction

%e are indebted to immern and Bun-e. The former 3.A.T. 7*1 s/. hods that in aprobabiit the four Cherubim in E5e-. 1' 1@$( are to be traced to the four chief

consteations in the 5odiac'1and go bac- fundamenta to 0abonian ideas' though

this has not et been estabished. The 1st' 4th' ?th' and 1@th signs of the 5odiac are

especia significant as corresponding in spaceto the di#iding imits of the four

/uarters of the hea#ens' and in timeto the di#iding imits of the four seasons. These four

consteations are the &>' the :ion' the !corpion' and A/uarius. urther' the four %inds

1'!nel ass!mes this hy%othesis as an ass!red res!lt in !um religionsgesch.

"erst#nniss es NT, %. 4*, and s!$$ests that the mo#ement of their win$s,

%ere%tible by no ordinary earthly ear, is referred to in s. 19 and is the m!si

of the s%heres.


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%ere probab brought into reation %ith the four chief signs of the 5odiac< for in

0abonianNAssrian scupture %e find on either side of the ho tree t%o %inged

forms' genera %ith a human bod and an eage head' and occasiona %ith a human

head and a ion"s bod. &f cose affinit %ith these are the coossa %inged o> and ion

figures at the entrance of Assrian tempes and paaces' %hich ha#e human heads and

the bodies of the o> or ion. Hence immern infers that the o>' ion' man' and eage%ere -no%n in 0abon as smbos of the %inds' and that in the 0ibica Cherubim the

forms of these four creatures %ere deri#ed from the four consteations in the four

/uarters' corresponding to the four directions of the %ind. The reation of the ion and

the o> to the consteations of the ion and o> is ob#ious. The man corresponds to the

scorpionNman' %hie the eage is ta-en not from A/uarius' but from the consteation of

the eage in its neighbourhood' probab because the former had no particuar bright

stars.

o% in confirmation of immern"s identification of the four %inds and the four

consteations' it is to be obser#ed that origina the throne of Bod %as the hea#en

itsef$ 2sa. 77$1' 9The hea#en is + throne' the earth is + footstoo.; 2n E5e-. 1$(( the

throne rests on a firmament 3 ' i.e. the hea#en #aut' %hich is i-e crsta'borne' as %e ha#e seen' b the four :i#ing Creatures. A #er probabe emendation of 1

Enoch 18$( ma support immern"s identification of 9the four %inds; and the four

consteations$ this passage reads' 92 sa% the four %inds %hich bear the firmament of

hea#en. o% these stand bet%een earth and hea#en.; !ee m edition in loc.

2t is ob#ious that the idea of the :i#ing Creatures and the %hees supporting the

throne are sncretistic. 2t rested origina either on the i#ing creatures or on the

%hees. 0oth ideas %ere pre#aent in the ancient %ord 3Bun-e' op. cit.' p. 47. or our

present purpose %e ma ea#e 9the %hees;1out of consideration' especia as the do

not appear in the .T. Apocapse.

Again' as confirming the identification of the :i#ing Creatures and the fourconsteations' it is to be obser#ed that the former are 9i-e burning coas of fire' i-e the

appearance of amps; 3E5e-. 1$1*. o%' since in apocaptic anguage the 9amps;

signif stars,see ech. 4$(' 1@ and our te>t' 1$4 3note' 1(' 4$6,the :i#ing Creatures

%ho are i-e amps are reasonab to be identified %ith stars. And this is further

confirmed b the fact that the %hees %hich accompan the :i#ing Creatures are 9fu of

ees'; i.e. are bodies of stars or consteations. 2n the eda 3 &.).(.>ii. (1( the sunNgod

!ura is himsef an ee. 2n the ne>t stage +itra and aruna ha#e the !un as an ee

3&.).(.>>#i. *4*' >i. 4@8. And the se#en panets are the se#en ees of Jah%eh in

ech. 4$1@' and of the :amb in our Apocapse$ see 6$7' aso note on 1$1(. @(# 7 1 ! A!. These %ords go bac- to E5e-.1$18' 1@$1(. There the e>pression is appied to 9the %hees'; %hich are said to be 9fuof ees round about; 3!#;% @(#7 $#' "# . When'ho%e#er' our author transferred the idea from the %hees to the :i#ing Creatures

themse#es' he not unreasonab modified it. The ees %ere on the feoes of the %hees'

and therefore the ees presented the appearance of a circe. Hence the are described as

1In an. *"9, 1 0noh 14"13, the wheels< are merely a literary reminisene or

s!r#i#al. The throne is onei#ed as stationary in both %assa$esHertainly in

the latter. In the ne=t sta$e of de#elo%ment the wheels< are transformed into an

order of an$les 2ee abo#e, %. 1(?.7

2.B.E. $acre Books of the Eastedited by Aa= Aller7, O=ford.


17/24

9round about.; 0ut such an e>pression coud not easi be used of a i#ing creature

%hich had a definite face as a man' or o>' or ion' or eage' %ith their ees in front. 2n

such a case natura the e>pression is modified to 9fu of ees before and behind';

though e#en here there is some difficut attaching to the conception of a creature %ith a

face i-e a man and et fu of ees in front.

The discussion of this /uestion is important' since %e sha find ater that the %ords$# 1 $ @(#7in 8 are a meaningess interpoation.

2n E5e-. 1@$1( the te>t is recogni5ed b critics as origina apping only to the

heels. 2n its present form' %hich is #er corrupt' it runs$ 9And their %hoe bod' and

their bac-s' and their hands' and their %ings' and the %hees' %ere fu of ees round

about' e#en the %hees that the four had.; !ee 0erthoet in loc.' %ho proposes !&% $ ' 9and a their na#es' and their feoes' and their a>etrees %ere round about fu of ees.;

7. . / . !7 < #' . / < 2-' . / 12 . !! )% '6!$ ' . / < ' ! - .

The order in E5e-. 1$1@ is man' ion' o>' eage. The te>t in 1@$14 is corrupt' as %e ha#e

aread pointed out. 2renaeus 3*$11$8 seems to ha#e been the eariest %riter %ho

identified the our E#angeists %ith the four :i#ing Creatures,+atthe% %ith the man'

+ar- %ith the eage' :u-e %ith the o>' and Fohn %ith the ion. ictorinus' on the other

hand' understood the man as smboi5ing +atthe%' the ion +ar-' the o> :u-e' the

eage Fohn. !t. Augustine 3De Cons. (van#. i. 7 attributes the ion to +atthe%' the man

to +ar-' the o> to :u-e' and the eage to Fohn. !uch identifications though popuar in

the ear Church' and indeed in ater times' are %ho fancifu. !ee Aford and

GLsterdiec- in loc. < !%ete(' &t. 6ar"' p. >>>#i s//.< ahn'5orschun#en' ii. (6? s//.

2%is here' as it is o#er 4@ times in the :II' the e/ui#aent of .-%,cf. E5e1$1@' and therefore means an o>. 2n the :II it is more fre/uent a rendering of ' a

bu' and occasiona of and .!2n ine * 12stands here as in 8 for a finite #erb in accordance %ith a Hebre%' or a

sti more fre/uent Aramaic idiom. This idiom is found aso in the Z;. !ee note on1($(' %here it recurs.

8. /3 B C B 7 12 ' !$% D. &n the formof the Cherubim in this passage see abo#e' p. 11= s/. or B C Dand '*useddistributi#e see .T. Brammars.

$# 1 $ @(# 7.U Wehausen 3Analysed.Offenbarun# $oh.' p. = right regards this cause as an interpoation' though 2 can on

in part accept his reasons $ 9$#steht bei E5e-. 1$18 fLr 1! A!5usammen. Genn 1bedeutet nach 6$1 ebenso #ie as 1!< innen ist #ornand aussen ist hinten.; 2 ha#e aread sho%n 3see p. 1(1 s/. that our author has

modified #er considerab the characteristics of the Cherubim as gi#en in E5e-ie' and

has transferred to his description of the Cherubim the ees %hich in E5e-ie"s account

beong on to the %hees. The grounds on %hich 2 regard this ine as an intrusion are$ 1.

The sentence or ine begins %ithout a copua though it contains a finite #erb. This is

contrar to the %riter"s custom throughout the preceding #erses 4$(' *' 6' 7' ?. We

shoud e>pect $#. (. $# 1is in reait a meaningess phrase.2t has pro#ed a hopeess cru7to interpreters. 2f in an form it is origina' it must becorrupt' and %e shoud ha#e to fa bac- on the te>t presupposed b Primasius $


18/24

9habebant singua aas senas per circuitum. Et erant pena ocuis ante se et retro'; or sti

earier ictorinus $ 9habentes aas senas in circuitu et ocuos intus et foris; 3Hauseiter'

8ateinische Apocalypse' p. =4. These renderings presuppose' as 0ousset points out' the

te>t $# 1 1' %hich is actua that of O and a fe% cursi#es.Thus %e shoud ha#e' 9the had each si> %ings round about' and the %ere fu of ees

%ithout and %ithin.; :uther %as aso in fa#our of connecting $#%ith %hatprecedes. 0ut this te>t is #er bad attested. 2t is on an attempt to smooth a%a the

difficuties of an uninteigibe goss. *. The %ords' if the had an inteigibe meaning'

%oud be a needess repetition of the ast cause of 7. 4. The te>t of 2sa. 7' %hich our

author had undoubted before him' describes the !eraphim in ( as ha#ing si> %ings'

and then immediate in * their ascription of praise' 9Ho' ho' ho.; This fact is in

fa#our of the e>cision of this cause' especia as it has occurred before.

0ut ho% is the goss to be e>painedD The gosser possib dre% the uninteigibe

phrase $# 1from the :II of E5e-. 1$(?' . &trom. #.

11' ??.

With the trisagion in our te>t %e might compare that in 1 Enoch *=$1(' 9Ho' ho'

ho is the :ord of !pirits$ He fieth the earth %ith spirits.; Here as in our te>t 3see note

abo#e the %riter has modified the trisagion to suit the main purpose of his Apocapse.We ha#e aread sho%n that the tas- of the Cherubim together %ith the !eraphim

and &phannim is to sing the praises of Bod 3see abo#e' p. 1(@ s/. in ater Apocaptic

iterature as in our te>t. Ge Wette' GLsterdiec-' 0. Weiss' and Aford regard the

Cherubim as representing the %hoe animate creation. GLsterdiec- and Aford /uote the

!hemoth rabba' (*' fo. 1((' 4b' as aread gi#ing the right point of #ie%$ 9Ouattuor

sunt' /ui principatum in hoc mundo tenent. 2nter creaturas homo' intera#es a/uia' inter

pecora bos' inter bestias eo.; 9Gass diese ier die gesammte ebendige !chpfung

reprVsentiren soen' ist durch die bedeutungs#oe ier5ah sebst ange5eigt;

3GLsterdiec-' 0enge. !%ete 3(nd ed.' p. ?1' foo%ing GLsterdiec-' %rites that 9the

/represent Creation and the Gi#ine immanence in nature'; and /uotes Andreas to the

same effect. And again 3p. ?( $ 9This ceaseess acti#it of ature under the Hand ofBod is a ceaseess tribute of praise.; 0ut this meaning of the Cherubim cannot' so far as

2 see' be maintained. 2n the 0oo- of Fubiees the anges are' spea-ing genera' di#ided

into t%o casses$ those %hich -eep the !abbath %ith Bod and 2srae' and those %hich do

not. The former incude on the anges of the presence and the anges of sanctification.

This atter cass are those %hich sing the praises of Bod 3see m notes on ($(' 18' 16$(?'

*1$14' and embrace' no doubt' the Cherubim and !eraphim. o% as for the anges %ho

do not -eep the !abbath' these are natura 9the anges of ser#ice; %ho are set o#er the

%or-s of nature. These are inferior in ran- and -no%edge not on to the t%o higher

orders' but aso to righteous men' according to the Tamud 3see m commentar on

Fubiees' p. 1(. E#en a -no%edge of the a% is %ithhed from them 3op cit.' p. 111.

!ince' therefore' the anges' that %ere intimate connected %ith nature according toFe%ish #ie%s' hed so subordinate a position' it can hard be right to identif %ith them


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the Cherubim' %ho are immediate round the throne of Bod and continua sing His

praises' and are the highest order of anges in the .T. Apocapse.

The idea of nature as itsef praising Bod is found in Ps. 1=$( s//.' 1@*$((' 148< but

the Cherubim are not regarded as #ehices of this praise in our te>t' but the t%entNfour

eders 3see 11' p. 1** s/..

The trisagion in our te>t differs from 2sa. 7$* in that it does not #oice the praise ofcreation' but omits the %ords' 9the %hoe earth is fu of His gor'; and confines itsef

to the hoiness' omnipotence' and e#erastingness of Bod.

&n the essentia nature of Bod' our author bases his assurance of the utimate

triumph of righteousness.[% E% E% %3 , %3 , !* ', 4 , 5 , 2 %.Cf. 1$8' 11$1?. The trisagion is borro%ed here %ith modifications from 2sa. 7$*' E%E% E% % "6. &ur author has not foo%ed the :II< for in e#er instance'is rendered b the transator of the :II in 2saiah b "6. &n the otherhand' , !*is the rendering of this Hebre% %ord in the rest of the prophets.urthermore' our author has inserted % , %K ,a phrase #erfre/uent in E5e-ie 37$*' 11' ?$(' 6' 8$1' etc.. or the second ine' cf. 1$4' 8' 11$1?. or

other do>oogies' see note on 11.

&n , 4 , 5 #.see note on 1$4.9. % 7% 7 6.Commentators are

practica agreed that t are found in 1 Enoch 71$1@' 11%here the Cherubim and other anges are said to 9bess and gorif and e>to; 3 K

# */ +O Bod. or simiar statements cf. *=$1@' 1(' 4?$('71$1(' etc. 3 K *$ 2;$. We might aso compare Gan. 4$*4. /7 % >% 7%.This phrase recurs in 1@' 1@$7' 16$?< see aso ?$(. Cf.Gan. 4$*1 3Theod.' /7 % . 73 F < aso1 Bor other e=am%les of


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Geut. *($4@ < Gan. 1($? 3 < !ir. 18$1?< 1 Enoch 6$1. This phrase repeats theidea in the second ine of the trisagion. !ee 0ousset' 9el. d. $udentums' (=*. This di#ine

attribute is appied to our :ord in 1$18.

10. & P % !".This conception of a hea#en di#ancomposed of four and t%ent Eders is not found in e>isting Fe%ish iterature. There are

indeed echoes of such a conception in 1 Mings (($1= s//.' Fob 1$7' ($1' %hich representBod as ta-ing counse %ith His anges< and in Gan. 4$1?' ?$=' %here a certain order of

anges is regarded as assessors of Bod and issuers of the di#ine decrees. 0ut a sti

coser parae is found in 2sa. (4$(*$"# Z% \] % ^$#; ' 6! 7 !"$ ;.This passage has been' it is true' assigned b Guhm and +arti to the atter haf of the

(nd centur 0.C.' and the !"3 are interpreted as the heads of theFe%ish communit,an interpretation that is aread propounded in the Targum on

2saiah. 0ut %hether this be so or not' the passage coud easi ha#e assumed a different

meaning in the 1st centur of the Christian era' and formed a startingNpoint for thede#eopment of the conception in our te>t. 2n our te>t the Eders are cro%ned as -ings'

and seated on thrones round the throne of Bod$ the are thus the hea#en $.Who then are these EdersD that is' %hom does the author of our boo- concei#e them

to beD for their origina meaning and their meaning in the te>t ha#e no necessar

connection.

irst et us in/uire %hat %e -no% from our te>t of these Eders. i. The sit on

t%entNfour thrones round the throne of Bod' 4$4' 11$17. ii. The %ear cro%ns of god'

and are cothed in %hite garments' 4$4' iii. The are caed !"3. i#.The are four and t%ent in number. #. The occup these thrones not at the ina

Fudgment or the consummation of the %ord' but in the present and apparent in thepast 3since the creation D. #i. The !eer addresses one of them' ?$1*' as . #ii. Theact as an#eli interpretes' ?$1*. #iii. The discharge a priest function in presenting the

praers of the faithfu to Bod in goden bo%s' 6$8. i>. The encourage the !eer %hen in

the spirit he behods the inhabitants of hea#en' 6$6. >. The discharge the office of

praising Bod b singing and paing onNthe harp' 6$8' 14' 11$17' 1=$4.

o% these Eders ha#e been #arious ta-en as

2. Glorified men.

22. A Colle#e of an#els : earlier an#elic assessors:ori#inally )abylonian star+#ods.

222a. An#elic representatives of the tenty+four priestly orders.

222b. And in their present conte7t An#elic representatives of the hole body of the faithful.

2. Glorified men., Thus 31 0ee-' 1=8 s/.< Ge Wette*

' ?(< Wei5sVc-er(

' 71?' ta-ethem to be representati#es of the Fe%ish and heathen communities. 3( ictorinus'

Andreas' Arethas' 0ousset' !tern' Hengstenberg' Ebrard' GLsterdiec-' ((1 < 0. Weiss'

4*8' hod them to be representati#es of the &.T. and .T. communities' t%e#e of them

being the &.T. patriarchs from %hom the nation of 2srae arose' and t%e#e the .T.

apostes b %hom the Christian Church %as founded. 2t is true' indeed' that the name

!"suggests in itsef representati#es of the communit$ cf. 2sa. (4$(*' /uotedabo#e' and E>. (4$11. As representati#es of the entire communit of beie#ers there

%oud beong to them the -ing dignit< for since faithfu beie#ers share the throne of

their :ord' and reign' *$(1' 1$7' (@$4' 7' (($6 3( Tim. ($1(' and %ear cro%ns' *$11' it is

preNeminent fitting that their representati#es shoud enjo such -ing pri#ieges. 2n

the Ascension of 2saiah ?$((' 8$(7' =$1@)1*' 18' (4' (6' 11$4@' the idea of cro%ns3(not ; and thrones as the re%ards of the righteous is repeated


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d%et upon. !uch #ie%s' therefore' must ha#e been %ide current in ear Christendom.

+oreo#er' the idea of cro%ns as the re%ard of righteousness is preNChristian< see T.

0enj. 4$1. urther' it might be urged that there are some grounds for the identification of

these Eders %ith the t%e#e Patriarchs and the t%e#e Apostes< for the are cose

brought together in the description of the e% Ferusaem. Thus the names of the t%e#e

Patriarchs are %ritten on the t%e#e gates' (1$1(' and those of the t%e#e Apostes onthe t%e#e foundations of its %a' (1$14. urthermore' the homogeneit of the Fe%ish

and Christian Churches emerges from the fact that the redeemed sing the song of +oses

and the :amb' 16$* 3D.

0ut it has been rejoined' there is no true coNordination of Fe%ish and Christian

Churches in (1$1(' 14' ese there %oud be t%entNfour gates or t%entNfour

foundations. +oreo#er' there is not a hint in the te>t that the Eders refer to definite

persons such as the Patriarchs and Apostes.

0ut the rea difficut does not ie here' but in the fact that the (lders cannot be men

but must be an#els. This foo%s from the characteristics mentioned in 6' 7' ?' 8' =

abo#e. These %e must no% treat more in detai. The !eer addresses one of the Eders as

' ?$1*' a fact %hich' though not concusi#e' is in fa#our of the angeic nature of theEders. That the act' ho%e#er' as an#eli interpretes' ?$1* 3cf. 1?$*' (($7' is concusi#e

against their being of human origin. !uch duties beong to anges on< cf. Gan. =$((

s//. < 1 Enoch 1?$1' 1=$1' (1$6' (($7' etc. < ( Enoch' 4 E5ra' ( 0ar.passim. o more is

the function of offering encouragement to the !eer' 6$6' reconciabe %ith their being

men$ cf. Gan. 1@$11.

urthermore' it is anges and not men that offer the praers of the faithfu in goden

bo%s' T. :e#i *$?< Chag. 1(b< !ebach' 7(a< +enachoth' 11@a' and so in our te>t' 6$8< it

is anges that sing hmns' ( Enoch 18$=' 1=$*' (@$4' etc.' and so in our te>t' 6$=' 14$*% C :% % % *2 (3 >%


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W ,$% 7 /6 3 >% C '(% % #$! /$3 _% % 7% !st %ossible that the i#in$ &reat!res also >oin in that hymn.


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praers of the faithfu a boodess offering$ cf. T. :e#i *$7 s/. 2f' then' this order of

anges sat on thrones' it is to be e>pected aso that the shoud %ear cro%ns. !pitta

might further ha#e added that there %ere aso t%entNfour orders of :e#ites' 1 Chron.

(6$=)*1' %hose dut %as to 9prophes %ith harps' %ith psateries' and %ith cmbas; 31

Chron. (6$1. This dut is discharged b the Eders in our te>t$ cf. 6$8. 2n fa#our of this

interpretation it ma be obser#ed that' since the archetpes of the tempe and itsaccessories' as the atar and the ar-' are represented b the !eer as aread e>isting in

hea#en' it is natura to find the archetpes of the t%entNfour priest orders there aso.

These anges !pitta identifies %ith the mentioned in T. :e#. *$8' %here theirdut' as in se#era passages in our te>t' is to offer praise to Bod 3 ' T !(%.

That the sat on thrones is cear from the Ascension of 2saiah ?$14' 16' (1' (?' (='

*1' **' *6' 11$(6.

ina' this #ie% of the Eders is preser#ed in the %riting' & & Z#;%3:agarde'$uris ecclesiastici anti!uissima' 1867' ?4 s//.$ P % !"3 6 7 6 & W 7 2 '!. 7 '2# % (*#% !($ !S3 & W '7 !2$ !#; 7 '#3/uoted b Harnac-'8ehre der 41 Ap,1t. 2t sti preser#es the priest

eement in the conception.

222b.And in their present conte7t the (lders may be theheavenly representatives of

the faithful in their tofold aspect as priests and "in#s.

2t is' of course' possibe that the Fe%ish character of the Eders ma persist in our

te>t$ but it is not improbabe that for our author the Eders ha#e become the hea#en

representati#es of the faithfu' a of %hom are priests' 1$7. The risen martrs are both

priests and -ings' (@$7. This conception presents no difficut' seeing that e#er man

had his guardian ange' Acts 1($16< Tob. 6< Targ. Fer. on Ben. **$1@< Chag. 17a< 0er.7@b' and particuar 9the itte ones'; +att. 18$1@. This phrase has in +atthe% a

secondar meaning' 9the %ea-er brethren in the faith.; The Eders' therefore' ma be

the hea#en representati#es of the %hoe bod of the faithfu.

10. "# >% (*$% 7 6! $ .or this act ofhomage famiiar in the East' Wetstein compares Tacitus'Ann. >#. (=' 9Pacuit Tiridaten

ponere apud effigiem Csaris insigne regium ad /uam 3sc. effigiem eronis

progressus Tiridates subatum capiti diadema imagini subjecit'; and Eichhorn'

Putarch'8ucull. p. 6((' `*% . * 0% (0% '(#% 1 !. 7!7$ and in the Fa-ut !himoni' i. fo. 66b' 9omnes reges orientis et occidentis#enerunt ad Pharaonem. Cum #ero +osen et Aaronem in coeesti spendore #iderent'

tremor ipsorum in eos incidit,et sumserunt coronas de capitibus suis eos/ueadora#erunt.; Cicero'=ro =. &estio' (?$ 9Hunc Cn. Pompeius' /uum in suis castris

suppicem abjectum/ue #idisset ere>it' at/ue insigne regium' /uod ie de suo capiti

abjecerat reposuit.

11. H% 3 , % , .% : 7,#" 9 9 9 9 , 1% !*, . # * $ 4 U V .H% , % , .% : 7 .The nominati#e is used here as the #ocati#e$see 0ass' Gram. p. 8?< +outon(' ?1. 2t is possibe that the !eer has chosen this tite in

reference to Bod in contrast to Gomitian"s basphemous caim to be caed Gominus etGeus noster 3!uet.Domitian' 1*.


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The phrase H% #"recurs in 6$=' 1(. 2n 1 Enoch such do>oogies arefre/uent' and ha#e' as a rue' a cose connection %ith their respecti#e conte>ts$ cf. =$4'

6' (($14' (6$?' *7$4' *=$=)1*' 48$1@' 81$*' 8*$11' 84' =@$4@. The same rue can be traced

in the do>oogies of our te>t$ cf. 6$1(' 1*' ?$1(.

As the do>oog of the Cherubim in 8 has for its theme the hoiness' omnipotence'

and e#erastingness of Bod',i.e. the essential nature of God' ,so the do>oog of thefour and t%ent Eders has for its theme the #lory of God in is or"s< for that a

things %ere created b Him.9 9 9 9 . Cf. 1 Chron. 17$(?)(8. . # * $ 4 U V . Cf. Ps. 148$6' 9He commanded' andthe %ere created.; 1 Enoch 81$*' 92 bessed the great :ord' the Ming of gor for e#er'

in that He hath made a the %or-s of the %ord.; &ur te>t is certain difficut. We

shoud natura e>pect 4. The #arious corrections in the criticafootnotes sho% ho% deep this difficut %as fet. 0ut none of them is hepfu. 2f an

change of the te>t %ere admissibe' it %oud be best to read 4' or toomit %ith A as an e>panator goss added b a scribe %homisunderstood 4. Then %e shoud ha#e

9or Thou didst create a things'

And because of Th %i the had their being;,

i.e. to Th %i the o%ed their e>istence.

0ut' if the te>t is correct' there are t%o possibe interpretations. 1. 0ecause of Th

%i the had their being 3i.e. e>isted in contrast to their pre#ious nonNe>istence and

%ere created. !o GLsterdiec-. 0ut this in#o#es an a%-%ard in#ersion of thought. (.

90ecause of Th %i the e>isted 3in the %ord of thought and %ere 3then b one

definite act created.; !o aso practica !%ete' %ho %rites$ 9The Gi#ine Wi had

made the uni#erse a fact in the scheme of things before the Gi#ine Po%er ga#e materia

e>pression to the fact.;0ut 2 confess that the te>t of A seems best' and from it a the other #ariations can be

e>pained.

With the idea in our te>t %e might contrast contemporar Fe%ish specuation.

According to ( 0ar. 14$18' E5ra 8$1' 44' the %ord %as created on account of man< but

this %as on a oose %a of putting the idea %hich is definite e>pressed ese%here' to

the effect that the %ord %as created on account of 2srae' 4 E5ra 7$66' 6=' ?$11< Ass.

+os. 1$1(' or rather on account of the righteous in 2srae' ( 0ar. 14$1=' 16$?' (1$(4.

!uch %as the beief of the Rabbis$ see Weber' $ud. Theol.((@8s/.

a critical and exegetical commentary on the revelation of st john chapter 4

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