Notes, explanatory and practical, on the handbook of Revelation

Preface

When I began the preparation of these ' Notes ' on the New Testeinent, now more than twenty years ago, I did not design to extend the work beyond the Gospels, and contemplated only simple and brief explanations of that portion of the New Testament, for the nse of Sunday-school teachers and Bible classes. The work originated in the belief that Notes of that character were greatly needed, and that the older commentaries, having been written for a different purpose, and being, on account of their size and expense, beyond the reach of most teachers of Sunday-schools, did not meet the demand which had grown up from the establishment of such schools. These Notes, contrary to my original plan and expectation, have been extended to eleven \ les, and embrace the whole of the New Testament, ring, at the time when these Notes were commenced, as I have had since, the charge of a large congregation, I had no leisure that old properly devote to these . studies, except the early hours of the morning, and I adopted the resolution — a resolution which has since been invariably adhered to — to cease writing precisely at nine o'clock in the morning. The habit of writing in this manner, once formed, was easily continued, and having been thus continued, I find myself at the end of the New Testament. Perhaps this personal allusion would not be proper, except to show that I have not intended, in these literary labors, to infriu^e on tbe proper duties of the pastoral office, or to take time for these parsuiis on which there was a claim for other purposes. This allusion may perhaps also be of use to my younger brethren in the ministry, by showing them that much may be accomplished by the habit of early rising, and by a diligent use of the early morning hours. In my own case, these Notes on the New Testament, and also the Notes on the books of Isaiah, Job, and Daniel, extending in all to sixteen volumes, have all been written before nine o'clock in the morning, and wre the fruit of the habit of rising between four and five o'clock. T do

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not know that by this practice I have neglected any duty which I should otherwise have performed, and on the score of health, and, I may add, of profit in the contemplation of a portion of divine truth at the beginning of each day, the habit has been of inestimable advantage to me.

It was not my original intention to prepare Notes on the book of Revelation, nor did I entertain the design of doing it until I came up to it in the regular course of my studies. Having written on all the other portions of the New Testament, there remained only this book to complete an entire commentary on this part of the Bible. That I have endeavored to explain the book at all is to be traced to the habit which [ had formed of spending the early hours of the day in the study of fue Sacred Scriptuies. That habit, continued, has carried me forward until I have reached the end of the New Testament.

It may be of some use to those who peruse this volume, and it is proper in itself, that I should make a brief statement of the manner in which I have prepared these Notes, and of the method of interpretation on which I have proceeded ; — fur the result which has been reached has not been the effect of any preconceived theory or plan, and if in the result I coincide in any degree with the common method of interpreting the volume, the fact may be regarded as the testimony of another witness — however ur. Important the testimony may be in itself — to the correctness of that method of interpretation.

Up to the time of commencing the exposition of this book, I had tio theory in my own mind as to its meaning. I may add, that I had a prevailing belief that it could not be explained, and that all attempts to explain it must be visionary and futile. With the exception of the work of the Rev. George Croly,* which I read more than twenty years ago, and which I had never desired to read again, I had perused no commentary on this book until that of Professor Stuart was published, in 1845. In my regular reading of the Bible in the family and in private, I had perused the book often. I read it, as I suppose most others do, from a sense of duty, yet admiring the beauty of its imagery, the sublimity of its descriptions, and its high poetic character ; and though to me wholly unintelligible in the main, finding so many striking detached passages that were intelligible and practical in their nature, as to make

* The Apocalypse of St. John, or prophecy of the rise, progress, and fall of the itmrch of Rome ; the inquisition ; the revolution in France ; a universal war, and the final triumph of Christianity ; being a new interpretation, by the Rev. George Croly, A. M. H. R. S. L.

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V it on the whole attractive and profitable, but with no definitely-formed idea as to its meaning as a whole, and with a vague general feeling that all the interpretations which had been proposed were wild, fanciful, and visionary.

In this state of things, the utmost that I contemplated when I began to write on it, was, to explain, as well as I could, the meaning of the language and the symbols, without attempting to apply the explanation to the events of past history, or to inquire what is to occur hereafter. I supposed that I might venture to do this without encountering the danger of adding another vain attempt to explain a book so full of mysteries, or of propounding a theory of interpretation to be set aside, perhaps, by the next person that should prepare a commentary on the book. ♦ Beginning with this aim, I found myself soon insensibly inquiring whether, in the events which succeeded the time when the book was written, there were not historical facts of which the emblems employed would be natural and proper symbols on the supposition that it was the divine intention in disclosing these visions to refer to them, and whether, therefore, there might not be a natural and proper application of the symbols to these events. In this way, I examined the language used in reference to the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth seals, with no anticipation or plan in examining one as to what would be disclosed under the next seal, and in this way also I examined ultimately the whole book: proceeding step by step in ascertaining the meaning of each word and symbol as it occurred, but with no theoretic anticipation as to what was to follow. To my own surprise, I found, chiefly in Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Koman Empire, a series of events recorded such as seemed to me to correspond to a great extent with the series of symbols found in the Apocalypse. The symbols were such as it might be supposed would be used, on the supposition that they were intended to refer to these events, and the language of Mr. Gibbon was often such as he would have used, on the supposition that he had designed to prepare a commentary on the symbols employed by J ohn. It was such, in fact, that, if it had been found in a Chris tian writer, professedly writing a commentary on the book of Kevelation, it would have been regarded by infidels as a designed attempt to force history to utter a language that should conform to a predetermined theory in expounding a book full of symbols. So remarkable have these coincidences appeared to me in the course of this exposition, that it has almost seemed as if he had designed to write a com mentary on some portion of this book, and I have found it difficult to vi

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doubt that that distinguished historian was raised up by an ov jrruling Providence tu make a record of those events which would ever afterwards be regarded as an impartial and unprejudiced statement of the evidences of the fulfilment of prophecy. The Historian of the ' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' had no belief in the divine origin of Christianity, but he brought to the performance of his work learning and talent such as few Christian scholars have possessed. He is always patient in his investigations ; learned and scholarlike in his references ; comprehensive in his groupings, and sufficiently minute in his details ; unbiassed in his statements of facts, and usually cool and candid in his estimates of the causes of the events which he records ; and, excepting his philosophical speculations, and his sneers at every thing, he has probably written the most candid and impartial history of the times .Jiat succeeded the introduction of Christianity, that the world possesses, and even after all that has been written since his time, his work contains the best ecclesiastical history that is to be found. Whatever use of it can be made in explaining and confirming the prophecies, will be regarded by the world as impartial and fair ; for it was a result which he least of all contemplated, that he would ever be regarded as an expounder of the prophecies in the Bible, o^ be referred to as vindicating their truth.

It was in this manner that these Notes on the book of Revelatior assumed the form in which they are now given to the world ; and it surprises me, and, under this view of the matter, may occasion some surprise to my readers, to find how nearly the views coincide with those taken by the great body of Protestant interpreters. And perhaps this fact may be regarded as furnishing some evidence that, after all the obscurity attending it, there is a natural and obvious interpretation of which the book is susceptible. Whatever may be the value or the correctness of the views expressed in this volume, the work is the result of no previously-formed theory. That it will be satisfactory to all, I have no reason to expect ; that it may be useful to some, I would hope ; that it may be regarded by many as only adding another vain and futile effort to explain a book which defies all attempts to elucidate its meaning, I have too much reason, judging from the labors of those who have gone before me, to fear. But, as it is, I commit it to the judgment of a candid Christian public, and to the blessing of Him who alone can make any attempt to explain his word a means of diffusing the knowledge of truth.

I cannot conceal the fact that I dismiss it, and send it forth to tho

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V1X world, as the last volume on the New Testament, with deep emotion. After more than twenty years of study on the New Testament, I am reminded that I am no longer a young man ; and that, as I close this work, so all my work on earth must at no distant period be ended. I am sensible that he incurs no slight responsibility who publishes a commentary on the Bible ; and I especially feel this now in view of the fact — so unexpected to me when I began these labors — that I have been permitted in our own country to send forth more than two hundred and fifty thousand volumes of commentary on the New Testament, and that probably a greater number has been published abroad. That there are many imperfections in these Notes, no one can feel more sensibly than I do ; but the views which I have expressed are those which seem to me to be in accordance with the Bible, and I send the last volume forth with the deep conviction that these volumes contain the truth as God has revealed it, and as he will bless it to the extension of his church in the world. I have no apprehension that the sentiments which I have expressed will corrupt the morals, or destroy the peace, or ruin the souls of those who may read these volumes ; and I trust that they may do something to diffuse abroad a correct knowledge of that blessed gospel on which the interests of the church, the welfare of our country, and the happiness of the world, depend. In language which I substantially used in publishing the revised edition of the volumes on the Gospels, (Preface to the Seventeenth Edition, 1840,) I can now say, * I cannot be insensible to the fact that, in the form in which these volumes now go forth to the public, I may continue, though dead, to speak to the living ; and that the work may be exerting an influence on immortal minds when I am in the eternal world. I need not say that, while I am sensitive to this consideration, I earnestly desire it. There are no sentiments in these volumes which I wish to alter; none that I do not believe to be truths that will abide the investigations of the great day; none of which I am ashamed. That I may be in error, I know ; that a better work than this might be prepared by a more gifted mind, and a purer heart, I know. But the truths here set forth are, I am persuaded, those which are destined to abide, and to be the means of saving millions of souls, and ultimately of converting this whole world to God. That these volumes may have a part in this great work is my earnest prayer; and with many thanks to the public for their favors, and to God, the great source of all blessing, I send them forth, committing them to His care, and leaving them to live or die, to be remembered or forgotten, to be used by the present generation and the vid

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next, or to be superseded by other works, as shall be in accordance with his will, and as he shall see to be for his glory/

ALBERT BARNES.

Washington Square, Philadelphia, March 26, 1851.

The works which I have had most constantly before me, and from which I have derived most aid in the preparation of these Notes, are the following. They are enumerated here, as some of them are frequently quoted, to save the necessity of a frequent reference to the Editions in the Notes.

A Commentary on the Apocalypse, by Moses Stuart, Professor of Sacred Literature in the Theological Seminary at Andover, Mass. Andover, 1845.

Horae Apocalypticse ; or, a Commentary on the Apocalypse, Critical and Historical. By the Rev. E. B. Elliott, A. M. Late Vicar of Tuxford, and Fellow of Trinity College. Third Edition. London, 1847.

The works of Nathaniel Lardner, D. D. In ten volumes. London, 1829.

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. By Edward Gibbon, Esq. Fifth American, from the last London edition. Complete in four volumes. New York, J. and J. Harper, 1829.

History of Europe. By Archibald Alison, F. R. S. E. New York, Harper & Brothers, 1843.

An Exposition of the Apocalypse. By David N. Lord. Harper & Brothers, 1847.

Hyponoia; or, Thoughts on a Spiritual understanding of the Apocalypse, a Book of Revelation. New York, Leavitt, Trow & Co., 1844.

The Family Expositor. By Philip Doddridge, D. D. London, 1831.

Kurtzgefasstes exegetisches Handbuch zum Neuen Testament. Von Dr. W. M. L. De Wette. Leipzig, 1847.

Dissertations on the Opening of the Sealed Book. Montreal, 1848.

Two New Arguments in vindication of the Genuineness and Authenticity of the Revelation of St. John. By John Colly er, Knight. Lon« don, 1842.

PREFACE.

The Seventh Yial, being an Exposition of the Apocalypse, and in particular of the pouring out of the Seventh Vial, with special reference to the present Kevolution in Europe. London, 1848.

Die Offenbarung des Heiligen Joannes. Yon G. W. Hengstenberg. Berlin, 1850.

The Works of the Kev. Andrew Fuller. New Haven, 1825. Novum Testamentum. Editio Koppiana, 1821. Dissertation on the Prophecies. By Thomas Newton, D. D. London, 1832.

The Apocalypse of St. John. By the Rev. George Croly, A. M. Philadelphia, 1827.

The Signs of the Times, as denoted by the fulfilment of Historical Predictions, from the Babylonian Captivity to the present time. By Alexander Keith, D. D. Eighth edition. Edinburgh, 1847.

Christ's Second Coming : will it be pre-millennial? By the Rev. David Brown, A. M., St. James' Free church, Glascow. New York, 1851.

Apocalyptical Key. An extraordinary discourse on the Rise and Fall of the Papacy. By Robert Fleming, V. D. M. New York, American Protestant Society.

A Treatise on the Millennium. By George Bush, A. M. New York, 1832.

A Key to the Book of Revelation. By James McDonald, Minister of the Presbyterian Church, Jamaica, L. I. Second Edition. New London, 1848.

Das alte und neue Morgenland. Rosenmiiller. Leipzig, 1820.

The Season and Time; or, an exposition of the Prophecies whicl relate to the two periods subsequent to the 1200 years now recently expired, being the time of the Seventh Trumpet, &c. By W. Ettrick, A. M. London, 1816.

For a very full view of the History of the interpretation of the Apocalypse, and of the works that have been written on it, the reader is referred to Elliott's Horse Apocalypticae, vol. iv., pp. 307-487, Prof. Stuart, vol. i., pp. 450-475.

Introduction

§ 1. The Writer of the Booh of Revelation.

Much has been written on the question who was the author of this book. To enter into an extended investigation of this, would greatly exceed the limits which I have, and would not comport with my design in these Notes. For a full examination of the question, I must refer to others, and would mention particularly, Prof. Stuart, Com. i. 283-427; Lardner, Works, vi. 318-327; Hug. Intro, to the New Testament, pp. 650-673, Andover, 1836; Michaelis' Introduction to the New Testament, iv. 457-544; and the article Revelation, in Kitto's Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature. I propose to exhibit, briefly, the evidence that the apostle John was the author, according to the opinion which has been commonly entertained in the church ; — the proof of which seems to me to be satisfactory. This may be considered under these divisions : — the direct historical evidence ; and the insufficiency of the reason for doubting it.

I. The direct historical evidence. The sum of all that is to be said on this point is, that to the latter half of the third century, it was not doubted that the apostle John was the author. "Why it was ever afterwards doubted, and what is the force and value of the doubt, will be considered in another part of this Introduction.

There may be some convenience in dividing the early historical testimony into three periods of half a century each, extending from the death of John, about A. D. 98, to the middle of the third century.

(a) From the death of John, about A. D. 98 to A. D. 150. This period embraces the last of those men who conversed, or who might have conversed with the apostles ; that is, who were, for a part of their lives, the contemporaries of John. The testimony of the writers who lived then would, of course, be very important. Those embraced in this period are Hermas, Ignatius, Polycarp, and Papias. The evidence of this period is not indeed very direct, but it is such as it would be on the supposition that John was the author, and there is nothing contradictory to that supposition.

Hernias, about A. D. 100. In the "Shepherd," or "Pastor" ascribed to this writer, there are several allusions which are supposed to refer to this book, and which resemble it so much as to make it probable that the author was acquainted with it. Dr. Lardner thus expresses the result of his examination of this point: u lt is proballe that Hermas had read the book of Revelation, and imitated it.

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He has many things resembling it." Vol. ii., p. 69-72. There is no direct testimony, however, in this writer that is of importance.

Ignatius. He was bishop of Antioch, and flourished A. D. 70-107. In the latter year he suffered martyrdom, in the time of Trajan. Little, however, can be derived from him in regard to the Apocalypse. He was a contemporary of John, and it is not a little remarkable that he has not more directly alluded to him. In the course of a forced and hurried journey to Rome, the scene of his martyrdom, he wrote several epistles to the Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Romans, Philadelphians, Smyrneans, and to Polycarp. There has been much controversy respecting the authenticity of these epistles, and it is generally admitted that those which we now possess have been greatly corrupted. There is no direct mention of the Apocalypse in these epistles, and Michaelis makes this one of the strong grounds of his disbelief of its genuineness. His argument is, that the silence of Ignatius shows, either that he did not know of the existence of this book, or did not recognise it as a part of the Sacred Scriptures. Little, however, can be ever inferred from the mere silence of an author, for there may have been many reasons why, though the book may have been in existence, and recognised as the writing of John, Ignatius did not refer to it. The whole matter of the residence of John at Ephesus, of his banishment to Patmos, and of his death, is unnoticed by him. There are, however, two or three allusions in the epistles of Ignatius which have been supposed to refer to the Apocalypse, or to prove that he was familiar with that work — though it must be admitted that the language is so general, that it furnishes no certain proof that he designed to quote it. They are these, Epis. to the Romans: — "In the patience of Jesus Christ," comp. Rev. i. 9; and Epis. to the Ephesians: — "Stones of the temple of the Father prepared for the building of God," comp. Rev. xxi. 2-19. To these Mr. John Collyer Knight, of the British Museum, in a recent publication (Two new Arguments in vindication of the genuiness and authenticity of the Revelation of St. John, London, 1842), has added a third: Epis. to the Philadelphians: — "If they do not speak concerning Jesus Christ, they are but sepulchral pillars, and upon them are written only the names of men/' Comp. Rev. iii. 12, " Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God." It must be admitted, however, that this coincidence of language does not furnish any certain proof that Ignatius had seen the Apocalypse, though this is such language as he might have used if he had seen it. There was no known necessity, however, for his referring to this book if he was acquainted with it, and nothing can be inferred from his silence.

Polycarp. He was bishop of Smyrna, and suffered martyrdom, though at what time is not certain. The Chronicou Paschal e names A. D. 163 j Eusebius, 167 j Usher, 169; and Pearson, 148. He died at the age of eighty-six, and conse quently was cotemporary with John, who died about A. D. 98. There is but one relic of his writings extant — his epistle to the Philippians. There is in Eusebiu? (iv. 15), an epistle from the church in Smyrna to the churches in Pontus, giving an account of the martyrdom of Polycarp. It is admitted that in neither of these h there any express mention, or any certain allusion to the book of Revelation

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But from this circumstance, notning can be inferred respecting the Apocalypse; aither for or against it, since there may have been no occasion for Polycarp or his friends, in the writings now extant, to speak of this book; and from their silence nothing more should be inferred against this book than against the ex">istle of Paul, or the gospel by John. There is, however, what may, without impropriety; be regarded as an important testimony of Polycarp in regard to this book. Polycarp was, as there is every reason to suppose, the personal friend of John, and Irenaeus was the personal friend of Polycarp. Lardner, ii. 94-96. Now Irenaeus, as we shall see, on all occasions, and in the most positive manner, gives his clear testimony that the Apocalypse was written by the apostle John. It is impossible to suppose that he would do this if Polycarp had not believed it to be true, and certainly he would not have been likely to hold this opinion, if one who was his own friend, and the friend of John, had doubted or denied it. This is not indeed absolute proof, but it furnishes strong presumptive evidence in favor of the opinion that the book of Revelation was written by the apostle John. The whole history of Polycarp, and his testimony to the books of the New Testament, may be seen in Lardner, ii. 94^114.

Papias. Papias was bishop of Hierapolis, near Colosse, and flourished, according to Cave, about A. D. 110; according to others, about the year 115, or 110. How long he lived is uncertain. Irenasus asserts that he was the intimate friend — iraipos — of Polycarp, and this is also admitted by Eusebius. Eccl. Hist. iii. 39. He was the contemporary of John, and was probably acquainted with him. Eusebius expressly says that he was "a hearer of John." Lardner, ii. 117. Of his writings there remain only a few fragments preserved by Eusebius, by J erome, and in the Commentary of Andrew, bishop of Cesarea, in Cappadocia. He was a warm defender of the Millennarian doctrines. In his writings preserved to us (see Lardner, ii. 120-125), there is no express mention of the Apocalypse, or direct reference to it; but the commentator Andrew of Cesarea reckons him among the explicit witnesses in its favor. In the Preface to his commentary on the Apocalypse, Andrew says, "In regard now to the inspiration of the book, wo think it superfluous to extend our discourse, inasmuch as the blessed Gregory, and Cyril, and moreover the ancient [writers] Papias, Irenceus, Methodius, and Hippolytus bear testimony to its credibility See the passage in Hug. Intro, p. 652 ; and Prof. Stuart, i. 305. And in nearly the same words does Arethas, the successor of Andrew, bear the like testimony. The evidence, therefore, in this case U the same as in the case of Polycarp, and it cannot be supposed that Papias would have been thus referred to, unless it was uniformly understood that he regarded the book as the production of the apostle John.

These are all the testimonies that properly belong to the first half century after the death of John, and though not absolutely positive and conclusive in themselves, yet the following points may be regarded as established : — (a) The book was known; (6) so far as the testimony goes, it is in favor of its having been composed by John; (c) the fact that he was the author is not called in question or doubted; (d) it was generally ascribed to him; (e) it was probably the foundation of the Millennarian views entertained by Papias: — that is, it is more 2

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easy to account for his holding these views, by supposing that the book was known, and that he founded them on this book, than in any other way. See Prof. Stuart, i. 304.

(b) The second half century after the death of John, from A. D. 150 to A. D. 200. This will include the names of Justin Martyr, the Narrator of the Martyrs of Lyons, Irengeus, Melito, Theophilus, Apollonius, Clement of Alexandria, and Tertullian.

Justin Martyr, He was a Christian philosopher, born at Flavia Neapolis, anciently called Sichem, a city of Samaria, it is supposed about A. D. 103 ; was converted to Christianity about A. D. 133, and suffered martyrdom about A. D. 165. Lardner, ii. 125-140. He was partly cotemporary with Polycarp and Papias. He travelled in Egypt, Italy, and Asia Minor, and resided sometime at Ephesus. He was endowed with a bold and enquiring mind, and was a man eminent for integrity and virtue. Tatian calls him an " admirable man." Methodius says, that he was a man "not far removed from the apostles in time or in virtue," Photius says, that he was " well acquainted with the Christian philosophy, and especially with the Heathen; rich in the knowledge of history, and all other parts of learning. Lardner, He was, therefore, well qualified to ascertain the truth about the origin of the book of Revelation, and his testimony must bo of great value. He was an advocate of the doctrine of Chiliasm — or, the doctrine that Christ would reign a thousand years on the earth, and in defence of this he uses the following language: — "And a man from among us, by name John, one of the apostles of Christ, in a Revelation made to him — h 'AiroKaXtyu yevo/xivr] avry — has prophesied that the believers in one Christ shall live a thousand years in Jerusalem; and after that shall be the general, and in a word, the eternal resurrection and judgment of all men together." There can be no doubt whatever that there is an allusion here to the Book of Revelation — for the very name Revelation — AnoKaXixpis — is used; that Justin believed that it was written by the apostle. John; and that there is express reference to what is now chapter xx. of that book. The book was, therefore, in existence in the time of Justin— that is, in about fifty years after the death of John ; was believed to be the work of the apostle John ; was quoted as such, and by one who had lived in the very region where John lived, and by a man whose character is unimpeached, and who, in a point like this, could not have been mistaken. The testimony of Justin Martyr, therefore, is very important. It is positive ; it is given where there was every opportunity for knowing the truth, and where there was no motive for a false testimony ; and it is the testimony of one whose character for truthfulness is unimpeached.