Revelation 5:1-9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 5:4

And I wept much ,.... Not so much on his own account, because he feared his curiosity would not be gratified, and that strong desire answered, which were raised in him upon sight of the book, and increased by the angel's proclamation; but for the sake of the church of God, whose representative he was, and to whom the knowledge of this book, and the things contained in it, he judged must be very useful and profitable. The Ethiopic version reads, "and many wept"; many of those that were about... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 5:5

And one of the elders said unto me ,.... The Ethiopic version reads, "one of these elders"; that is, one of the four and twenty elders that were round about the throne; not the first of the four and twenty books of the Old Testament; nor the patriarch Jacob, because of the prophecy concerning Shiloh, Judah's son, which stands in Genesis 49:10 , nor Moses, who spoke of the Messiah as the great prophet of the church; nor John the Baptist, who pointed out the Lamb of God; these are all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 5:6

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts ,.... These words, "in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts", are left out in the Syriac version: and in the midst of the elders stood a Lamb ; John, upon the intimation given him by the elder, lift up his eyes, and with great earnestness looked about, and saw the person he pointed at, though not in the form of a lion, but in the appearance of a lamb, to which Christ, both in the Old and New Testament, is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 5:7

And he came ,.... He drew nigh to the throne of God, he engaged his heart to approach unto him, and came up even to his seat, which a mere creature, without a Mediator, cannot do: and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne ; See Gill on Revelation 5:1 ; it being given unto him, as in Revelation 1:1 ; and a commission and authority to open it, and make it manifest to others, and to accomplish the several events, in the several periods of time, it points... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 5:8

And when he had taken the book ,.... The Vulgate Latin version reads, "when he had opened the book", very wrongly; for the opening of it by unloosing the seals, one after another, is hereafter mentioned, in Revelation 6:1 , but when it was observed, that the Lamb took the book, and his commission to open, unseal, and fulfil it, the four beasts, and four and twenty elders, fell down before the Lamb ; by way of religious worship and adoration of him; which shows that he was not a mere... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 5:9

And they sung a new song ,.... Upon a new occasion and subject, redemption by the blood of the Lamb, and his worthiness to open the sealed book; and in distinction from the old song of Moses and the children of Israel at the Red sea; and this was a most famous and excellent song, an unheard of one, and which none could learn, or sing, but the redeemed of the Lamb: saying, thou art worthy to take the book, and open the seals thereof . The Arabic version reads, "thou, O Lamb"; the reasons... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 5:1

A book written within and on the back side - That is, the book was full of solemn contents within, but it was sealed; and on the back side was a superscription indicating its contents. It was a labelled book, or one written on each side of the skin, which was not usual. Sealed with seven seals - As seven is a number of perfection, it may mean that the book was so sealed that the seals could neither be counterfeited nor broken; i.e., the matter of the book was so obscure and enigmatical... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 5:2

A strong angel - One of the chief of the angelic host. Proclaiming - As the herald of God. To open the book, and to loose the seals - To loose the seals that he may open the book. Who can tell what this book contains? Who can open its mysteries? The book may mean the purposes and designs of God relative to his government of the world and the Church; but we, whose habitation is in the dust, know nothing of such things. We are, however, determined to guess. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 5:3

And no man - Ουδεις· No person or being. In heaven - Among all the angels of God. Nor in the earth - No human being. Neither under the earth - No disembodied spirit, nor any demon. Neither angels, men, nor devils, can fathom the decrees of God. Neither to look thereon - None can look into it unless it be opened, and none can open it unless the seals be unloosed. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 5:4

I wept much - Because the world and the Church were likely to be deprived of the knowledge of the contents of the book. read more

Group of Brands