Revelation 13:16-17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 13:11-18

Those who think the first beast signifies Rome pagan by this second beast would understand Rome papal, which promotes idolatry and tyranny, but in a more soft and lamb-like manner: those that understand the first beast of the secular power of the papacy take the second to intend its spiritual and ecclesiastical powers, which act under the disguise of religion and charity to the souls of men. Here observe, I. The form and shape of this second beast: He had two horns like a lamb, but a mouth... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 13:1-18

13:1-18 I saw a beast coming up from the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads; and it had ten royal crowns on its horns; and on its heads I saw blasphemous names. The beast which I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's feet; its mouth was like a lion's mouth; and to it the dragon delegated its power and its throne and its great authority. I saw that one of its heads looked as if it had been wounded to death; and its deadly wound had been healed. The... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 13:16

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor , free and bond ,.... Men of all ranks and degrees, states and conditions, within his jurisdiction; this refers to the beast, and not to the image: to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads ; or "that they might give themselves marks", as the Complutensian edition reads; which is an allusion either to the custom among the Romans of imprinting marks upon their servants and soldiers, by which they might be known... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 13:17

And that no man might buy or sell ,.... Either in an ecclesiastical sense, as to, be in any church office, or perform any such service, to say Mass, hear confession, give absolution, sell pardons and indulgences, &c.; or in a civil sense, as to trade, and exercise merchandise, and this was forbidden by several Popish councils and synods; the Lateran council, under Pope Alexander, decreed against the Waldenses and Albigenses, that no one should presume to retain or encourage them in their... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 13:16

And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark - To ascertain the meaning of the mark which the two-horned beast causes all orders and degrees of men in the Latin world to receive, we need only refer to Revelation 14:11 , where the mark imposed by the two-horned beast is called the mark of his name. The name of the beast is the Latin empire: the mark of his name must therefore be his Latin worship: for this very reason, that it is the two-horned... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 13:17

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark - " If any," observes Bishop Newton, "dissent from the stated and authorized forms; they are condemned and excommunicated as heretics; and in consequence of that they are no longer suffered to buy or sell; they are interdicted from traffic and commerce, and all the benefits of civil society. So Roger Hoveden relates of William the Conqueror, that he was so dutiful to the pope that he would not permit any one in his power to buy or... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 13:1-18

The foes of God and of his Church: the two beasts. The evil one is responsible for much of the mischief in the world, but his responsibility for it is not an unshared one. Two other enemies are here portrayed as the emissaries and agents of the first ( Revelation 13:2 ). The thought underlying the chapter is that of the predominance of brute force over moral power; or, in other words, of might over right. Here are two beasts. The first, described in Revelation 13:1-10 , is seen... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 13:1-18

The two wild beasts; or, the world and its wisdom. There are few chapters in the Bible which have been entirely passed over by. Christian preachers as containing nothing that would edify and instruct men living m circumstances like our own. But this chapter seems to have been so dealt with. We have searched the lists of thousands of printed sermons, and not one, or rather but one, have we found which seeks to show that this portion of God's Word has anything to do with us today. The vast... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 13:1-18

The domain of antichrist. "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy," etc. £ Fanciful interpretations of this chapter, as well as other portions of this book, are abundant. The last seems to us not less unfounded and absurd than those that have gone before. Most of such interpretations assume that the comparatively few people who lived in Rome... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 13:11-17

Subtle dangers. The Book of Revelation presents us with a view of the conflict between the varied kingdoms of this world and the undivided kingdom of our God and of his Christ, and it uniformly declares to us this one consolatory truth, that these kingdoms shall become submissive to his kingdom. These kingdoms present themselves in the great world drama as various powers standing more or less in active opposition to the dominion of Christ over the life of men—in opposition to truth, to... read more

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