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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 1:9-20

We have now come to that glorious vision which the apostle had of the Lord Jesus Christ, when he came to deliver this revelation to him, where observe, I. The account given of the person who was favoured with this vision. He describes himself, 1. By his present state and condition. He was the brother and companion of these churches in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Christ. He was, at their time, as the rest of true Christians were, a persecuted man, banished, and perhaps... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 1:12-13

1:12-13 And I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me; and, when I had turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, and, in the midst of the lampstands, one like a son of man, clothed in a robe that reached to his feet, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle. We now begin on the first of John's visions; and we shall see that his mind is so saturated with Scripture that element after element in the picture has an Old Testament background and counterpart. He says that he turned... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 1:12

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me ,.... The Complutensian edition reads, "and there I turned": and so the Arabic version; that is, to see who it was that spoke, from whom the voice came, and by whom it was uttered; see Exodus 20:18 , and being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks ; which represented the seven churches, Revelation 1:20 ; in allusion to the seven lamps in the candlestick of the sanctuary, Exodus 25:37 ; compared to "candlesticks", for the use of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 1:12

And I turned For he had heard the voice behind him. To see the voice; i.e., the person from whom the voice came. Seven golden candlesticks - Ἑπτα λυχνιας χρυσας· Seven golden lamps. It is absurd to say, a golden silver, or brazen candlestick. These seven lamps represented the seven Churches, in which the light of God was continually shining, and the love of God continually burning. And they are here represented as golden, to show how precious they were in the sight of God. This is a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:1-20

Revelation 3:1-22 THE INTRODUCTION . Most writers agree that the first three chapters are introductory. They may be thus subdivided: Revelation 1:1-3 , the superscription; Revelation 1:4-8 , the address and greeting; Revelation 1:9-20 , the introductory vision; Revelation 2:1-29 ; Revelation 3:1-22 , the epistles to the seven Churches of Asia. The earliest systematic commentator on the Apocalypse in the Greek Church, Andreas of Caesarea, in Cappadocia... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:9-19

The Saviour's revelation of himself. We may divide our Saviour's teaching about himself into three parts, in chronological order. There are As stage succeeded stage, the words became richer in glory. During the forty days after the Resurrection, the teachings concerning himself were in advance of those which preceded it (cf. Luke 24:46 , Luke 24:47 ). And those on "the Lord's day" to the exile were greater than all the rest. What a Lord's day that was for the prisoner! Many would... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:9-20

The introductory vision. This section is introductory, not merely to the epistles to the Churches, but to the whole book. In it the seer narrates how he received his commission; and with it should be compared Isaiah 6:1-13 ; Jeremiah 1:1-10 ; Ezekiel 1:1-3 ; Daniel 10:1-21 , especially Daniel 10:2 , Daniel 10:7 , where "I Daniel" is exactly parallel to "I John" here. The Revised Version is again much to be preferred to the Authorized Version. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:9-20

The vision of the Lord. That St. John should have been favoured with this glorious vision is but in keeping with what was often granted to the prophets of the Lord—to Moses, at the burning bush; to Isaiah, in the temple; to Jeremiah, at his consecration to his prophetic office, and likewise to Ezekiel; and to the three chief apostles, SS . Peter, James, and John, at the Transfiguration; St. John, at Patmos; and St. Paul, at Damascus and when caught up to heaven. All these visions were... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:9-20

The vision of the Son of man. The vision granted for the comfort of the suffering Church was made: 1 . To a "brother and partaker" in all "the tribulation and kingdom and patience," sharing at the very hour, "in the isle that is called Patmos," the consequences of faithfully proclaiming the Word of God and bearing his testimony to Jesus. 2 . He was in an exalted spiritual state: "in the Spirit"—under the control of the Spirit; sensitively alive to the teachings of the Spirit;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:10-17

Voices and visions from eternity. "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day," etc. Concerning this vision, and, indeed, nearly all the visions recorded in this Apocalypse, there are three facts to be predicated at the outset. 1 . It is mental. What is here reported as heard and seen by John was not seen by his bodily eye or heard by his bodily ear. It was, I consider, a purely mental vision. It is one of the characteristic attributes and distinctions of man that he can see and hear... read more

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