Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,

“But after the renewal of the earth at the close of the millennium and judgment, they shall descend from heaven to dwell on an earth assimilated to heaven itself. "From God" implies that "we (the city) are God's workmanship."”

shining with the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious jewel, like a jasper, as clear as crystal.

“Having the glory of God--not merely the Shekinah-cloud, but God Himself as her glory dwelling in the midst of her. Compare the type, the earthly Jerusalem in the millennium (Zec 2:5; compare Re 21:23, below).”

The city had a great and high wall with twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve angels at the gates.

“Eze 48:30-35, has a similar description, which implies that the millennial Jerusalem shall have its exact antitype in the heavenly Jerusalem which shall descend on the finally regenerated earth. wall great and high--setting forth the security of the Church.”

There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west.

“On the north . . . on the south--A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic read, "And on the north and on the south."”

The wall of the city had twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

“Peter is not the only apostolic rock on whose preaching Christ builds His Church. Christ Himself is the true foundation: the twelve are foundations only in regard to their apostolic testimony concerning Him.”

The angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and walls.

“So here, on the contrary, the city being measured implies the entire consecration of every part, all things being brought up to the most exact standard of God's holy requirements, and also God's accurate guardianship henceforth of even the most minute parts of His holy…”

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.

“But A, B, and ANDREAS read, "(shine) on it," or literally, "for her." the light--Greek, "the lamp" (Isa 60:19, 20). The direct light of God and the Lamb shall make the saints independent of God's creatures, the sun and moon, for light.”

Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day, because there will be no night there.

“Gates are usually shut by night: but in it shall be no night. There shall be continual free ingress into it, so as that all which is blessed and glorious may continually be brought into it. So in the millennial type.”

And into the city will be brought the glory and honor of the nations.

“All that was truly glorious and excellent in the earth and its converted nations shall be gathered into it; and while all shall form one Bride, there shall be various orders among the redeemed, analogous to the divisions of nations on earth constituting the one…”

down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh…

“But compare Eze 47:12, the millennial type of the final Paradise; which shows that there are several trees of the one kind, all termed "the tree of life."”

No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants will worship Him.

“God can only dwell where the curse and its cause, the cursed thing sin (Jos 7:12), are removed. So there follows rightly, "But the throne of God and of the Lamb (who redeemed us from the curse, Ga 3:10, 13) shall be in it."”

They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.

“God the Father can only be seen in Christ. in--Greek, "on their foreheads." Not only shall they personally and in secret (Re 3:17) know their sonship, but they shall be known as sons of God to all the citizens of the new Jerusalem, so that…”

There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun.

“But A reads, "shall give light." them--so B and ANDREAS. But A reads, "upon them." reign--with a glory probably transcending that of their reign in heaven with Christ over the millennial nations in the flesh described in Re 20:4, 6; that reign was but for…”

Then the angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true.

“But A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic read, "(the Lord God of the) spirits (of the prophets)." The Lord God who with His Spirit inspired their spirits so as to be able to prophesy.”

And I am John, who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who…

“Both here and in Re 19:9, 10, the apostle's falling at the feet of the angel is preceded by a glorious promise to the Church, accompanied with the assurance, that "These are the true sayings of God," and that those are "blessed" who keep them.”

But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this…

“Contrast the fallen angel's temptation to Jesus, "Fall down and worship me" (Mt 4:9). for--A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, ANDREAS, and CYPRIAN omit "for"; which accords with the abrupt earnestness of the angel's prohibition of an act derogatory to God.”

Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of prophecy in this book, because the time is near.

“Seal not--But in Da 12:4, 9 (compare Da 8:26), the command is, "Seal the book," for the vision shall be "for many days." The fulfilment of Daniel's prophecy was distant, that of John's prophecy is near.”

“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.

“But A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and CYPRIAN omit it. behold, I come quickly--(Compare Re 22:7). my reward is with me-- (Isa 40:10; 62:11). to give--Greek, "to render." every man--Greek, "to each." shall be--so B in MAI.”

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

“I am Alpha--Greek, ". . . the Alpha and the Omega." A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, ORIGEN, and CYPRIAN transpose thus, "the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." ANDREAS supports English Version.”

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates.

“This reading takes away the pretext for the notion of salvation by works. But even English Version reading is quite compatible with salvation by grace; for God's first and grand Gospel "commandment" is to believe on Jesus.”

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!”

“There is a descending climax; Let him that heareth effectually and savingly Christ's voice, pray individually, as the Bride, the Church, does collectively, "Come, Lord Jesus" (Re 22:20).”

I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.

“For I testify--None of our manuscripts have this. A, B, Vulgate, and ANDREAS read, "I" emphatic in the Greek. "I testify." unto these things--A, B, and ANDREAS read, "unto them." add . . . add--just retribution in kind.”

And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are…

“But A, B, Aleph, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS omit "and"; then "which are written in this book" will refer to "the holy city and the tree of life."”

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

“A, B, and Aleph omit "Even so," Greek, "nai": then translate for Amen, "So be it, come, Lord Jesus"; joining the "Amen," or "So be it," not with Christ's saying (for He calls Himself the "Amen" at the beginning of sentences, rather than puts it…”

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.

“Amen--so B, Aleph, and ANDREAS. A and Vulgate Fuldensis omit it. May the Blessed Lord who has caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, bless this humble effort to make Scripture expound itself, and make it an instrument towards the conversion of…”