Revelation 19:12 - Exposition

His eyes were as a flame of fire; and his eyes [are] a flame of fire. Again as in Revelation 1:13 . "Fire" is the type of purity and judgment (see Psalms 97:3 ; Isaiah 47:14 ; Isaiah 66:15 ; Amos 5:6 ; 1 Corinthians 3:13 , etc.; Revelation 3:18 ). And on his head were many crowns; and upon his head [are] many diadems. διαδήματα , " kingly crowns " (cf. Revelation 12:3 ; Revelation 13:1 ), because he now comes as a King to judgment. The plurality of "crowns" points to his character as King of kings (see Revelation 17:14 ; cf. Revelation 13:1 ). And he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself; hath a name … no, one knoweth. Evidently the "new name" of Revelation 3:12 , the significance of which St. John is unable to comprehend (see on Revelation 2:7 ; Revelation 3:12 ). From the connection with the preceding clause, we naturally infer that this name was written upon his forehead (cf Revelation 7:3 ); John 16:1 ); but the writer does not explicitly state this. In B, twenty-five cursives, and Syriac, the words, "names written and," are inserted before "name."