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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 11:3-13

In this time of treading down, God has reserved to himself his faithful witnesses, who will not fail to attest the truth of his word and worship, and the excellency of his ways. Here observe, I. The number of these witnesses: it is but a small number and yet it is sufficient. 1. It is but small. Many will own and acknowledge Christ in times of prosperity who will desert and deny him in times of persecution; one witness, when the cause is upon trial, is worth many at other times. 2. It is a... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 11:1-19

In the passages of the Revelation which we are now about to approach we will on many occasions meet the figure of Antichrist. This figure has exercised a strange fascination over the minds of men and many have been the speculations and theories about him. It will, therefore, be convenient to collect the material about Antichrist at this stage and to try to piece it into a connected whole. We may lay it down as a general principle that Antichrist stands for the power in the universe which is... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 11:1-19

11:1-19 A measuring rod like a stall was given to me, with the instructions: "Rise and measure the Temple of God, and the altar and those who worship there. But leave out of the reckoning the outer Court which is outside the Temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will trample on the Holy City for forty-two months. And I will give the task of prophesying to my two witnesses and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 11:3

And I will give power unto my two witnesses ,.... By whom are meant, not Enoch and Elias, as some of the ancient fathers thought, who, they supposed, would come before the appearance of Christ, and oppose antichrist, and be slain by him, which sense the Papists greedily catch at; nor are the Scriptures, the two Testaments, Old and New, designed, though their name and number agree, and also their office, which is to testify of Christ; but then to be clothed in sackcloth, to be killed, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 11:4

These are the two olive trees ,.... Or represented by the two olive trees in Zechariah 4:3 , which there design Joshua and Zerubbabel; and who in laying out themselves, their gifts and wealth, in rebuilding and finishing the temple, were types of these witnesses, the ministers of the Gospel, in the successive ages of the apostasy; who may be compared to olive trees, because of the oil of grace, and the truth of it in them; and because of the gifts of the Spirit of God bestowed on them, or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 11:5

And if any man will hurt them ,.... Do any injury to their persons, or properties, oppose their writings, blaspheme their doctrines, and hinder their ministrations; whoever; they be, whether they be any that live among them, or in other parts; whether they be secret or open enemies; or whether they be of the outward court, or be really Gentiles or Papists; and especially if they do them any injustice, if they wrong, oppress, afflict, and distress them knowingly and willingly: fire... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 11:6

These have power to shut heaven ,.... For these have the keys of the kingdom of heaven given them, and whatever they bind or loose on earth is bound or loosed in heaven; or in other words, having the true key of knowledge in matters, both of doctrine and discipline, given them, whatever they declare, according to the word of God, to be doctrines fit to be received or rejected, and to be the ordinances of God, and matters of worship to be attended to, and what are not, should be so: and in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 11:7

And when they shall have finished their testimony ,.... For Christ, his truths and ordinances; when they are about to finish it, and almost concluded it, even towards the close of the 1260 days or years, in which they must prophesy in sackcloth: or else their testimony and their prophesying may be considered as two distinct things, and the one be finished before the other; their open public testimony, as witnesses, so as to be heard, attended to, and received, will be finished before the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 11:8

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city ,.... Not Jerusalem, which was destroyed when John had this vision, and which will; not be rebuilt at the time it refers to; nor is it ever called the great city, though the city of the great King; however, not in this book, though the new Jerusalem is so called, Revelation 21:10 ; but that can never be designed here; but the city of Rome, or the Roman jurisdiction, the whole empire of the Romish antichrist, which is often... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 11:9

And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations ,.... These are either the enemies of the witnesses, who consisted of the people, kindred, tongues, and nations, out from among whom they were chosen, redeemed, and called; and before or against whom John, representing these witnesses, prophesied; and over whom the Romish antichrist sits and rules, Revelation 5:9 ; or else their friends, either real or pretended; since it is not said "the people", nor "all the people, kindred,... read more

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