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Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:8-9

A transcendent Being, and a remarkable character. "I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending," etc. Hero we have two objects arresting our attention and demanding thought. I. A BEING WHOSE EXISTENCE IS TRANSCENDENT . "I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come." Although these words are considered of doubtful authority, and probably an interpolation, they are a representation of the Infinite One.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:9

In the tribulation and kingdom and patience. The order of the words is surprising; we should have expected "kingdom" to have come first or last. But "and patience" seems to be added epexegetically, to show how the tribulation leads to the kingdom (comp. Revelation 2:2 , Revelation 2:3 , Revelation 2:19 ; Revelation 3:10 ; Revelation 13:10 ; Revelation 14:12 ). "In your patience ye shall win your souls" ( Luke 21:19 ). "Tribulation worketh patience" ( Romans 5:3 ); and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:9-19

The Saviour's revelation of himself. We may divide our Saviour's teaching about himself into three parts, in chronological order. There are As stage succeeded stage, the words became richer in glory. During the forty days after the Resurrection, the teachings concerning himself were in advance of those which preceded it (cf. Luke 24:46 , Luke 24:47 ). And those on "the Lord's day" to the exile were greater than all the rest. What a Lord's day that was for the prisoner! Many would... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:9-20

The introductory vision. This section is introductory, not merely to the epistles to the Churches, but to the whole book. In it the seer narrates how he received his commission; and with it should be compared Isaiah 6:1-13 ; Jeremiah 1:1-10 ; Ezekiel 1:1-3 ; Daniel 10:1-21 , especially Daniel 10:2 , Daniel 10:7 , where "I Daniel" is exactly parallel to "I John" here. The Revised Version is again much to be preferred to the Authorized Version. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:9-20

The vision of the Lord. That St. John should have been favoured with this glorious vision is but in keeping with what was often granted to the prophets of the Lord—to Moses, at the burning bush; to Isaiah, in the temple; to Jeremiah, at his consecration to his prophetic office, and likewise to Ezekiel; and to the three chief apostles, SS . Peter, James, and John, at the Transfiguration; St. John, at Patmos; and St. Paul, at Damascus and when caught up to heaven. All these visions were... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:9-20

The vision of the Son of man. The vision granted for the comfort of the suffering Church was made: 1 . To a "brother and partaker" in all "the tribulation and kingdom and patience," sharing at the very hour, "in the isle that is called Patmos," the consequences of faithfully proclaiming the Word of God and bearing his testimony to Jesus. 2 . He was in an exalted spiritual state: "in the Spirit"—under the control of the Spirit; sensitively alive to the teachings of the Spirit;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:10

I was in the Spirit . I came to be (see on Revelation 1:9 ) in a state of ecstasy capable of receiving revelations; like γενέσθαι με ἐν ἐκστάσει ( Acts 22:17 ; comp. Acts 10:10 ; 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 ). On the Lord's day. The expression occurs here only in the New Testament, and beyond all reasonable doubt it means "on Sunday." This is, therefore, the earliest use of the phrase in this sense. That it means Easter Day or Pentecost is baseless conjecture. The phrase had not... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:10-17

Voices and visions from eternity. "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day," etc. Concerning this vision, and, indeed, nearly all the visions recorded in this Apocalypse, there are three facts to be predicated at the outset. 1 . It is mental. What is here reported as heard and seen by John was not seen by his bodily eye or heard by his bodily ear. It was, I consider, a purely mental vision. It is one of the characteristic attributes and distinctions of man that he can see and hear... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:11

On ample evidence ( א , A, C, and all versions), "I am Alpha … the Last; and" must be omitted; also "which are in Asia." Write in a book ; literally, into a book ( εἰς βιβλίον ) . Over and over again, twelve times in all, St. John reminds us that he writes this book by Divine command (verse 19; Revelation 2:1 , Revelation 2:8 , Revelation 2:12 , Revelation 2:18 ; Revelation 3:1 , Revelation 3:7 , Revelation 3:14 ; Revelation 14:13 ; Revelation 19:9 ; Revelation... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 1:11

The eternity and unchangeableness of Christ. "I am Alpha and … Last." The vision St. John had just seen showed him indisputably that all the low and inadequate ideas which, during his Lord's life on earth, and during the times of trial, he and others had cherished concerning his Person were altogether wrong. And, though we cannot but believe that in the apostles' mind there must have been a great advance in their thoughts concerning their Lord, even yet it was needful, and now and in the... read more

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