Revelation 11:2

2. The court The enclosure, or yard, in which the holy temple stands.

Measure it not For, though formerly the true Church, it is not now the pure Church, but the apostate. Revelation 11:2.

Is given By divine judgment on account of apostasy.

Unto the Gentiles For in the apocalypse Israel is the Christic Church, and the Gentiles are antichristic.

The holy city Same as the beloved city of Revelation 20:9, of which the holy city of Matthew 27:53 is typical.

And here we may notice the futility of the argument drawn from this phrase to prove that the literal Jerusalem was still standing. It might just as well be argued that the great city of Revelation 11:8 that is, the literal old Babylon, the type of antichrist’s capital was still standing. It might even be argued, just as reasonably, that the beloved city of Revelation 20:9 was standing at the time of John’s vision.

Tread under foot In ancient times cities were often built at the base around some high, steep hill, on the summit of which a citadel or strong fort was built. So Athens was built upon the plain surrounding the Acropolis. When the city was attacked in war this citadel furnished the last stronghold for the defenders. The lower city might be trodden under foot by the besiegers, while the citizen soldier firmly held the summit. See note on Revelation 20:9. So here, they that worship held the temple, while the Gentiles trod the city under foot. Few, but faithful, the heroes of the holy Church held the fort during the siege.

Forty and two months A tolerably long siege for a literal citadel to endure. It is typical of the period when the powers of antichrist tread down the capital of Christ’s kingdom. The symbol appears to be based upon our Lord’s words in Luke 21:24. For the forty-two months see our Introduction on numbers of the apocalypse, and note on Revelation 13:5.

We have now (3-12) the typical picture of heroic Christian martyrdom during the period of apostasy. Even in the midst of the gentilized city there are two unterrified yet dying witnesses. Their number, two, is based on the duality of ministry and church. Yet they are miniatured, or diminished, as two, to signalize their faithfulness and to centralize our sympathy on their heroic loneliness in the midst of apostate surroundings. Deep and glorious is the lesson for the faithful witnesses of the truth amid ages of darkness.