Revelation 14:5 Komentář

After an account of the great trials and sufferings which the servants of God had endured, we have now a more pleasant scene opening; the day begins now to dawn, and here we have represented, I. The Lord Jesus at the head of his faithful followers (Rev 14:1-5). II. Three angels sent successively to proclaim the fall of Babylon and the things antecedent and consequent to so great an event (Rev 14:6-13). III. The vision of the harvest (Rev 14:14, etc.).

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 14 This chapter contains three visions; one of the Lamb on Mount Zion, another of the three angels preaching against Babylon, and the third of the harvest and vintage. The vision of the Lamb is in Rev 14:1, which is no other than Christ, described by his similitude, as a Lamb; by the place where he was, Mount Zion; by his position there, standing, and by the company that were with him, whose number were 144,000, and their character, his Father's name written on their foreheads; at the same time a voice was heard from heaven, comparable to the sound of many waters, of thunders, and of harps: and a song sung which none learn but the above number with the Lamb, Rev 14:2, who are described by their purity, chastity, and strict adherence to Christ; by their redemption through him; by their being the firstfruits of God and of the Lamb, and by their integrity and unblemished character, Rev 14:4; next follows the account of the three angels; the first comes with the everlasting Gospel, to preach it to all men, loudly calling upon all to fear and worship God, and give glory to him, since he is the Creator of all, and the hour of his judgment is come, Rev 14:6; the second proclaims the fall of Babylon, with the reason of it, Rev 14:8; and the third denounces the wrath of God upon the worshippers of the beast in the most public manner, and that for ever, Rev 14:9; and this vision is closed with some expressions, showing that, till this was done, the patience of the saints would be tried, and the true worshippers of the Lamb be discovered, and comforting them with an assurance of that rest that remains after death for the faithful followers of Christ, Rev 14:12; after this is the vision of the harvest and vintage of the earth. The reaper is described by his form, like the son of man; by his seat, a white cloud; by a golden crown on his head, and by a sharp sickle in his hand, Rev 14:14; who is called upon by an angel out of the temple to make use of his sickle, and reap, because the time of reaping was come, the harvest being ripe, Rev 14:15, upon which he thrusts in his sickle, and reaps the earth, Rev 14:16; after this, another angel appears out of the temple, with a sharp sickle, to whom another angel from the altar, that had power over fire, calls to make use of his sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine, since the grapes were fully ripe, Rev 14:17; upon which he thrusts in his sickle, and gathers them, and casts them into the winepress of divine wrath, which being trodden, blood comes out of it to the horses' bridles for the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs, Rev 14:19.

And in their mouth was found no guile,.... Or "a lie", as the Complutensian edition, the Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions read; by which may be meant idolatry, for idols and idolatrous practices are often called lies, and lying vanities; see Jer 16:19; and the sense is, that the superstition and idolatry of the church of Rome were not among them: or it may design false doctrine, and the meaning be, that they did not speak lies in hypocrisy, as the followers of antichrist do; nor were they given up to believe a lie, as they are: the generality of copies read, "no guile"; which is expressive of the sincerity of their words; there was no deceit nor hypocrisy in them; they did not speak with flattering lips to men, nor did they draw nigh to God with their mouths, when their hearts were far from him; they were Israelites indeed, like Nathanael, in whom was no guile; though not in so strict a sense, in which this phrase is used of Christ, Pe1 1:22; for they are without fault before the throne of God; not as considered in themselves, as if they were entirely free from sin, and never committed any; though it might be true of them, that in general they were of unblemished lives and conversations, that is, not guilty of any notorious and scandalous crimes; but rather the sense is, that they were without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, as being washed in the blood of Christ, and so cleansed from all sin, and as being justified by his righteousness from all iniquity; and so were before the throne of God, and in the sight of divine justice, unblamable and unreproveable; see , Col 1:22; the phrase, "before the throne of God", is left out in the Alexandrian copy, and in the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, and in the Complutensian edition.

Truly, dearest brothers, of what profit is it for a man or woman, whether cleric or monk or religious, if bodily virginity is preserved, as long as purity of the heart is violated by evil desires? Of what benefit is it to show chastity in one member and to keep corruption in all the rest? For if you notice carefully, those virgins who follow the Lamb do not do so merely because of the fact that they have preserved only bodily virginity. Finally, when he had said, “These are they who did not defile themselves with women,” he continued and added, “and in their mouth there was found no lie; they are without blemish.” Listen carefully that if anyone boasts about bodily virginity alone, as long as he loves deceit he will not be able to follow Christ along with those holy virgins. For this reason let no virgin presume only upon her physical virginity, because if she is disobedient or gossiping she knows that she will have to be excluded from the bedchamber of her heavenly Spouse. Although a virgin possesses a hundredfold and a married woman the thirtyfold, still a chaste and humble married woman is better than a proud virgin.

It does not say “there was no [lie in their mouth],” but “no lie was found in their mouth.” For whatever the Lord finds when he calls forth from here, that is what he judges. For whether through baptism or through penance we are able to be made both virgins and without falsehood in the interior person.

These are, he says, the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were purchased from among men, a first fruits to God and to the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found. They are blameless, as the discourse of contemplation testifies to those who are in Christ, being far superior to and beyond the human nature.

The elect are doubtless imbued with one true faith, even if their merits differ in rank; for they will come to one light of eternal truth in heaven, even though the ones who endeavor to cleave to Christ higher up in this life will enjoy a closer vision of him in that life. Accordingly, it is said of certain ones on account of the merit of their great virtue, “These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes”; just before, it is said of others, as if of the nearby branches on the lampstand, “And they were singing a new song, as it were, before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders.” By this it is shown that all the saints throughout the streets of that heavenly city sing a new song of gladness to God, but those who in this life transcended the common life of the faithful by the special privilege of sacred virginity are there raised up into a special position above the others in the joy of song.

And in their mouth was found no lie. It is not by the merit of chastity alone that virgins are joined to the divine company, unless they have also led an immaculate life free from all contagion of sin. Tychonius interprets this vision not specifically of virgins, but generally of the whole Church, which the Apostle espoused to one husband to present as a chaste virgin to Christ (2 Cor. 11), concluding thus: He did not say, "No lie was in their mouth," but "was not found." As the Apostle says: "And such were some of you, but you were washed" (1 Cor. 6). And the iniquity of the wicked shall not harm him on the day he turns from his iniquity (Ezek. 33), and he can be a virgin, and deceit not be found in his mouth. For he calls virgins those who are chaste and modest.

The Lamb on mount Sion, and his company and their character, Rev 14:1-5. The angel flying in the midst of heaven, with the everlasting Gospel, Rev 14:6, Rev 14:7. Another angel proclaims the fall of Babylon, Rev 14:8. A third angel denounces God's judgments against those who worship the beast or his image, Rev 14:9-11. The patience of the saints, and the blessedness of them who die in the Lord, Rev 14:12, Rev 14:13. The man on the white cloud, with a sickle, reaping the earth, Rev 14:14-16. The angel with the sickle commanded by another angel, who had power over fire, to gather the clusters of the vines of the earth, Rev 14:17, Rev 14:18. They are gathered and thrown into the great winepress of God's wrath, which is trodden without the city, and the blood comes out 1600 furlongs, Rev 14:19, Rev 14:20.

In their mouth was found no guile - When brought before kings and rulers they did not dissemble, but boldly confessed the Lord Jesus.

THE LAMB SEEN ON ZION WITH THE 144,000. THEIR SONG. THE GOSPEL PROCLAIMED BEFORE THE END BY ONE ANGEL: THE FALL OF BABYLON, BY ANOTHER: THE DOOM OF THE BEAST WORSHIPPERS, BY A THIRD. THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE DEAD IN THE LORD. THE HARVEST. THE VINTAGE. (Rev. 14:1-20) a--A, B, C, Coptic, and ORIGEN read, "the." Lamb . . . on . . . Sion--having left His position "in the midst of the throne," and now taking His stand on Sion. his Father's name--A, B, and C read, "His name and His Father's name." in--Greek, "upon." God's and Christ's name here answers to the seal "upon their foreheads" in Rev 7:3. As the 144,000 of Israel are "the first-fruits" (Rev 14:4), so "the harvest" (Rev 14:15) is the general assembly of Gentile saints to be translated by Christ as His first act in assuming His kingdom, prior to His judgment (Rev 16:17-21, the last seven vials) on the Antichristian world, in executing which His saints shall share. As Noah and Lot were taken seasonably out of the judgment, but exposed to the trial to the last moment [DE BURGH], so those who shall reign with Christ shall first suffer with Him, being delivered out of the judgments, but not out of the trials. The Jews are meant by "the saints of the Most High": against them Antichrist makes war, changing their times and laws; for true Israelites cannot join in the idolatry of the beast, any more than true Christians. The common affliction will draw closely together, in opposing the beast's worship, the Old Testament and New Testament people of God. Thus the way is paved for Israel's conversion. This last utter scattering of the holy people's power leads them, under the Spirit, to seek Messiah, and to cry at His approach, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord."

guile--So ANDREAS in one copy. But A, B, C, ORIGEN, and ANDREAS in other copies read, "falsehood." Compare with English Version reading Psa 32:2; Isa 53:9; Joh 1:47. for--So B, Syriac, Coptic, ORIGEN, and ANDREAS read. But A and C omit. without fault--Greek, "blameless": in respect to the sincerity of their fidelity to Him. Not absolutely, and in themselves blameless; but regarded as such on the ground of His righteousness in whom alone they trusted, and whom they faithfully served by His Spirit in them. The allusion seems to be to Psa 15:1-2. Compare Rev 14:1, "stood on Mount Sion." before the throne of God--A, B, C, Syriac, Coptic, ORIGEN, and ANDREAS omit these words. The oldest Vulgate manuscript supports them.