Revelation 4:3

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 4:1-7

We have here an account of a second vision with which the apostle John was favoured: After this, that is, not only ?after I had seen the vision of Christ walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks,? but ?after I had taken his messages from his mouth, and written and sent them to the several churches, according to his command, after this I had another vision.? Those who well improve the discoveries they have had of God already are prepared thereby for more, and may expect them. Observe, I.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 4:2-3

4:2-3 Immediately, I fell under the influence of the Spirit; and, behold, a throne stood in heaven, and there was One seated on it. And he who was seated on the throne was like a jasper stone and a sardian to look at; and there was a rainbow circling round the throne, like an emerald to look at. When the seer entered the door into heaven, he fell into an ecstasy. In heaven he saw a throne and God on the throne. The throne of God is a common Old Testament picture. The prophet said: "I saw... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 4:3

And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper ,.... For the brightness, glory, and majesty of his countenance, and for his being light itself, clothed with it, and dwelling in it; see Revelation 21:11 ; and for the various perfections of his nature, as eternity, infinity, immutability, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, wisdom, power, goodness, truth, love, grace, and mercy; for the jasper, at least one sort of them, is of various colours, and spotted with divers spots; that which is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 4:3

And he that sat - There is here no description of the Divine Being, so as to point out any similitude, shape, or dimensions. The description rather aims to point out the surrounding glory and effulgence than the person of the almighty King. See a similar description Numbers 24:10 , etc., and the notes there. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 4:1-6

The Divine government symbolized. In the forms of earth the formless heavenly things are represented—the Divine government which in our thoughts is so often restricted to the conditions of human government. It is needful to remind ourselves that when we have conceived the most lofty notions of the Divine rule, we are infinitely below the real and actual. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." I. THE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 4:1-11

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 4:1-11

The high court of heaven. If the portions of this book hitherto considered have had their difficulties, those on which we now enter are far more beset therewith. But the solemn sanctions given to the reading and study of this book send us, in spite of its difficulties, to the earnest examination of its sayings, certain that in them, even in the most mysterious of them, there lies a message from God to our souls. May he be pleased to make that message clear to us. This fourth chapter gives... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 4:2-11

Man's higher sphere of being: (2) Spiritually entered. "And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne," etc. We need not suppose that the supermundane world appeared to John's bodily eye in the forms in which it is here presented. It was a mental vision and nothing more, and a mental vision is often more real, more significant, more impressive, than a material. Commentators of this book have treated these objects as those which... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 4:3

And he that sat was to look upon like , etc.; or, he that sat like in appearance ( δράσει ). The word ὅρασις is found in this verse and in two other places only in the New Testament, viz. in Acts 2:17 (where it is part of a quotation from Joel) and in Revelation 9:17 . In the latter place the expression is ἐν τῇ ὁράσει , and the presence of the preposition, together with the article, seems to justify the rendering "in the vision." In the Septuagint ὅρασις is... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 4:3

And he that sat was to look upon - Was in appearance; or, as I looked upon him, this seemed to be his appearance. He does not describe his form, but his splendor.Like a jasper - ἰάσπιδι iaspidi The jasper, properly, is “an opaque, impure variety of quartz, of red, yellow, and also of some dull colors, breaking with a smooth surface. It admits of a high polish, and is used for vases, seals, snuff-boxes, etc. When the colors are in stripes or bands, it is called striped jasper” (Dana, in... read more

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