Revelation 2:17 - Exposition

He that hath an ear (see notes on Revelation 2:7 ). To him that overcometh . Again it is made clear that the individual can free himself from the corruption and condemnation of his Church. He may live in the very abode of Satan, and within hearing of damnable doctrines; yet if he overcomes the wiles of Satan, and listens to the Spirit rather than to the seducers, "he shall eat of the hidden manna which restores the spirit that the flesh pots of Egypt have weakened. He shall have the white stone of absolution, the true spiritual emancipation, which the Balaamite and Nicolaitan emancipation has counterfeited" (F.D. Maurice). "The manna, the hidden manna" (see notes on Revelation 2:13 ), is differently explained: by the repetition of the article, the epithet "hidden" is made very distinct. There is probably some allusion to the manna stored up in the ark in the holy of holies ( Exodus 16:33 ), and also to the true Bread from heaven, whose presence is now hidden from us; or the reference may be to the loss of the ark, with its contents, when Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem (2 Esdr. 10:22). There was a tradition that Jeremiah had hidden the manna, and that it would be brought to light again in the Messianic kingdom. A share in those things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, and to the heart of man never occurred ( 1 Corinthians 2:9 ), will be granted to the conqueror—a foretaste of them here, and a full participation hereafter (comp. Revelation 22:4 and 1 John 3:2 ). "To eat" ( φαγεῖν ) is an insertion into the true text borrowed from verse 7. I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone ( ἐπὶ τὴν ψῆφον ) a new name written . "White" and "new," as Trench points out, are keywords in the Apocalypse; and it is natural that they should be so. White is "the livery of heaven," where white robes, white clouds, white horses, and white thrones abound ( Revelation 1:14 ; Revelation 3:4 , Revelation 3:5 , Revelation 3:18 ; Revelation 4:4 ; Revelation 6:2 , Revelation 6:11 ; Revelation 7:9 , Revelation 7:13 ; Revelation 14:14 ; Revelation 19:11 , Revelation 19:14 ; Revelation 20:11 ). And "new" is almost as frequent as "white" in the book which tells of a new heaven and a new earth, in which is the new Jerusalem; where the inhabitants have a new name, and sing a new song, and where all things are made new ( Revelation 3:12 ; Revelation 5:9 ; Revelation 14:3 ; Revelation 21:1 , Revelation 21:2 , Revelation 21:5 ). But in spite of the familiarity and appropriateness of the two epithets, "white" and "new," a sure interpretation of the white stone with the new name upon it cannot be found. Trench's dictum, that "this book moves exclusively within the circle of sacred, that is, of Jewish imagery and symbols," and that an allusion to heathen or profane customs is inadmissible, is arbitrary and cannot be proved. As already shown, there may be references to the rites of Dionysus, to the games, and to the crown placed on the corpse of a victor. Here there may be an allusion to the white pebble of acquittal used in courts of justice, or to the lot used in elections; and the word ψῆφος favours these views. Or again, the reference may be to the tossers, or ticket, which the victor in the games received to admit him to the tables where he was fed at the public expense. Among Jewish symbols a reference to the "stone with seven eyes" ( Zechariah 3:9 ) seems to be quite out of place. Nevertheless, Trench's explanation of the "white stone" as an allusion to the Urim and Thummim, which the high priest wore behind the square breastplate of judgment has much that is very attractive. This precious thing may well have been a diamond, for there was no diamond among the twelve stones of the breastplate. On each of these stones was written the name of a tribe; but what was written on the Urim none but the high priest knew. The usual supposition is that it was the sacred Tetragrammaton—the ineffable name of God. All this seems to fit in singularly well with the present passage. But if this explanation is to hold, "he that receiveth it" must mean he that receiveth the white stone, rather than he that receiveth the new name. The "new name" is not a fresh name for himself ( Isaiah 62:2 ; Isaiah 65:15 ), but a fresh revelation of God's Name and nature, which only those who have received it can comprehend (comp. Revelation 14:1 ; Revelation 19:12 ). A variety of other explanations will be found in the 'Speaker's Commentary,' Smith's 'Dictionary of the Bible,' art. "Stones," in Alford, and elsewhere. Whatever the allusion maybe, the general sense is clear. He that overcometh shall be admitted to the heavenly holy of holies, and to a glory and knowledge incomprehensible to those who have not experienced it ( 1 Corinthians 2:9 ). He shall be made a priest unto God.