Revelation:13
Seeker Overlay ON
rwp @
Revelation:13:1 @{
He stood } (\
estath \).
First aorist passive indicative of \
hist
mi \ (
intransitive ),
as in strkjv @
8:3 |. "
He stopped "
on his way to war with the rest of the woman '
s seed .
P Q read here \
estath
n \ (
I stood )
when it has to be connected with chapter strkjv @
Revelation:13 |. {
Upon the sand } (\
epi t
n ammon \).
The accusative case as in strkjv @
7:1 ;
strkjv @
8:3 |,
etc . \
Ammos \
is an old word for sand ,
for innumerable multitude in strkjv @
20:8 |.
rwp @
Revelation:13:1 @{
Out of the sea } (\
ek t
s thalass
s \).
See strkjv @
11:7 |
for "
the beast coming up out of the abyss ."
The imagery comes from strkjv @
Daniel:7:3 |.
See also strkjv @
Revelation:17:8 |.
This "
wild beast from the sea ,"
as in strkjv @
Daniel:7:17 ,
23 |,
is a vast empire used in the interest of brute force .
This beast ,
like the dragon (
12:3 |),
has ten horns and seven heads ,
but the horns are crowned ,
not the heads .
The Roman Empire seems to be meant here (
17:9 ,
12 |).
On "
diadems " (\
diad
mata \)
see strkjv @
12:3 |,
only ten here ,
not seven as there . {
Names of blasphemy } (\
onomata blasph
mias \).
See strkjv @
17:3 |
for this same phrase .
The meaning is made plain by the blasphemous titles assumed by the Roman emperors in the first and second centuries ,
as shown by the inscriptions in Ephesus ,
which have \
theos \
constantly applied to them .
rwp @
Revelation:13:2 @{
Like unto a leopard } (\
homoion pardalei \).
Associative-instrumental case of \
pardalis \,
old word for panther ,
leopard ,
here only in N .
T .
The leopard (\
leo ,
pard \)
was considered a cross between a panther and a lioness . {
As the feet of a bear } (\
h
s arkou \).
Old word ,
also spelled \
arktos \,
here only in N .
T .
From strkjv @
Daniel:7:4 |.
No word in the Greek for "
feet "
before "
bear ." {
As the mouth of a lion } (\
h
s stoma leontos \).
From strkjv @
Daniel:7:4 |.
This beast combines features of the first three beasts in strkjv @
Daniel:7:2ff |.
The strength and brutality of the Babylonian ,
Median ,
and Persian empires appeared in the Roman Empire .
The catlike vigilance of the leopard ,
the slow and crushing power of the bear ,
and the roar of the lion were all familiar features to the shepherds in Palestine (
Swete ). {
The dragon gave him } (\
ed
ken aut
i ho drak
n \).
First aorist active indicative of \
did
mi \ (
to give )
and dative case \
aut
i \ (
the beast ).
The dragon works through this beast .
The beast is simply Satan '
s agent .
Satan claimed this power to Christ (
Matthew:4:9 ;
strkjv @
Luke:4:6 |)
and Christ called Satan the prince of this world (
John:12:31 ;
strkjv @
14:30 ;
strkjv @
16:11 |).
Songs:the war is on .
rwp @
Revelation:13:3 @{
And I saw } (\
kai \).
No verb (\
eidon \)
in the old MSS .,
but clearly understood from verse 2 |. {
As though it had been smitten } (\
h
s esphagmen
n \).
Perfect passive participle of \
sphaz \,
as in strkjv @
5:6 |,
accusative singular agreeing with \
mian \ (
one of the heads ),
object of \
eidon \
understood , "
as though slain " (
so the word means in seven other instances in the book ).
There is a reference to the death and new life of the Lamb in strkjv @
5:6 |. {
And his death-stroke was healed } (\
kai h
pl
g
autou etherapeuth \).
First aorist passive indicative of \
therapeu \. "
The stroke of death " (
that led to death ).
Apparently refers to the death of Nero in June 68 A .
D .
by his own hand .
But after his death pretenders arose claiming to be Nero _redivivus_
even as late as 89 (
Tacitus ,
_Hist_
.
i .
78 ,
ii .
8 ,
etc .).
John seems to regard Domitian as Nero over again in the persecutions carried on by him .
The distinction is not always preserved between the beast (
Roman Empire )
and the seven heads (
emperors ),
but in strkjv @
17:10 |
the beast survives the loss of five heads .
Here it is the death-stroke of one head ,
while in verses 12 ,
14 |
the beast himself receives a mortal wound . {
Wondered after the beast } (\
ethaumasth
opis
tou th
riou \).
First aorist passive (
deponent )
indicative of \
thaumaz \,
to wonder at ,
to admire ,
as in strkjv @
17:8 |.
For this pregnant use of \
opis \
see strkjv @
John:12:9 ;
strkjv @
Acts:5:37 ;
strkjv @
20:30 ;
strkjv @
1Timothy:5:15 |. "
All the earth wondered at and followed after the beast ,"
that is Antichrist as represented by Domitian as Nero _redivivus_
.
But Charles champions the view that Caligula ,
not Nero ,
is the head that received the death-stroke and recovered and set up statues of himself for worship ,
even trying to do it in Jerusalem .
rwp @
Revelation:13:4 @{
They worshipped the dragon } (\
prosekun
san t
i drakonti \).
First aorist active indicative of \
proskune \,
with dative case \
drakonti \ (
from \
drak
n \).
They really worshipped Satan (
the dragon )
when "
they worshipped the beast " (\
prosekun
san t
i th
ri
i \)
or any one of the heads (
like Caligula ,
Nero ,
Domitian )
of the beast .
The beast is merely the tool of the devil for worship .
Recall the fact that the devil even proposed that Jesus worship him .
Emperor-worship ,
like all idolatry ,
was devil-worship .
The same thing is true today about self-worship (
humanism or any other form of it ). {
Who is like unto the beast ?} (\
tis homoios t
i th
ri
i ;\).
Associative-instrumental case after \
homoios \.
An echo ,
perhaps parody ,
of like language about God in strkjv @
Exodus:15:11 ;
strkjv @
Psalms:35:10 ;
strkjv @
113:5 |. "
The worship of such a monster as Nero was indeed a travesty of the worship of God " (
Swete ). {
And who is able to war with him ?} (\
kai tis dunatai polem
sai met '
autou ;\).
Worship of the devil and the devil '
s agent is justified purely on the ground of brute force .
It is the doctrine of Nietzsche that might makes right .
rwp @
Revelation:13:5 @{
There was given to him } (\
edoth
aut
i \).
First aorist passive indicative of \
did
mi \,
to give ,
as in next line and verse 7 |.
Perhaps a reference to \
ed
ken \ (
he gave )
in verse 4 |,
where the dragon (
Satan )
gave the beast his power .
The ultimate source of power is God ,
but the reference seems to be Satan here . {
Speaking great things and blasphemies } (\
laloun megala kai blasph
mias \).
Present active participle of \
lale \,
agreeing with \
stoma \ (
nominative neuter singular and subject of \
edoth \).
The words are like Daniel '
s description of the Little Horn (
7:8 ,
20 ,
25 |)
and like the description of Antiochus Epiphanes (
I Macc .
strkjv @
1:24 ).
Cf .
strkjv @
2Peter:2:11 |. {
To continue } (\
poi
sai \).
First aorist active infinitive (
epexegetic use )
of \
poie \,
either in the sense of working (
signs ),
as in strkjv @
Daniel:8:12-14 |,
with the accusative of duration of time (\
m
nas \
months ),
or more likely in the sense of doing time ,
with \
m
nas \
as the direct object as in strkjv @
Matthew:20:12 ;
strkjv @
Acts:20:3 ;
strkjv @
James:4:13 |.
rwp @
Revelation:13:6 @{
For blasphemies } (\
eis blasph
mias \). "
For the purpose of blasphemies ." {
Against God } (\
pros ton theon \). "
Face to face with God "
in sheer defiance ,
like Milton '
s picture of Satan in _Paradise
Lost_
.
See strkjv @
Daniel:7:25 ;
strkjv @
8:10 |.
The aorist \
noixen \
is probably constative ,
for he repeated the blasphemies ,
though the phrase (\
anoig \
to stoma ,
to open the mouth )
is normally ingressive of the beginning of an utterance (
Matthew:5:2 ;
strkjv @
Acts:8:35 |).
This verse explains verse 5 |.
The Roman emperors blasphemously assumed divine names in public documents .
They directed their blasphemy against heaven itself ("
his tabernacle ," \
t
n sk
n
n autou \,
strkjv @
7:15 ;
strkjv @
12:12 ;
strkjv @
21:3 |)
and against "
them that dwell in the heaven " (\
tous en t
i ouran
i sk
nountas \),
the same phrase of strkjv @
12:12 | (
either angels or the redeemed or both ).
rwp @
Revelation:13:7 @{
To make war with the saints and to overcome them } (\
poi
sai polemon meta t
n hagi
n kai nik
sai autous \).
This clause with two epexegetical first aorist active infinitives (\
polem
sai \
and \
nik
sai \)
is omitted in A C P ,
but probably by \
homoeoteleuton \ (
like ending )
because of the repetition of \
edoth \.
The words seem to come from strkjv @
Daniel:7:21 ,
23 |.
There was no escape from the beast '
s rule in the Mediterranean world .
See strkjv @
5:9 |
for the phrases here used ,
there for praise to the Lamb .
rwp @
Revelation:13:8 @{
Shall worship him } (\
proskun
sousin auton \).
Future active of \
proskune \
with the accusative here as some MSS .
in strkjv @
13:4 | (\
to th
rion \),
both constructions in this book . {
Whose } (\
hou--autou \).
Redundant use of genitive \
autou \ (
his )
with \
hou \ (
whose )
as common in this book ,
and singular instead of plural \
h
n \
with antecedent \
pantes \ (
all ,
plural ),
thus calling attention to the responsibility of the individual in emperor-worship . {
Hath not been written } (\
ou gegraptai \).
Perfect passive indicative of \
graph \,
permanent state ,
stands written . {
In the book of life of the Lamb } (\
en t
i bibli
i t
s z
s tou arniou \).
See strkjv @
3:5 |
for this phrase and the O .
T .
references .
It occurs again in strkjv @
17:8 ;
strkjv @
20:12 ,
15 ;
strkjv @
21:27 |. "
Here and in strkjv @
21:27 |,
the Divine Register is represented as belonging to '
the Lamb that was slain '" (
Swete ). {
That hath been slain from the foundation of the world } (\
tou esphagmenou \ (
for which see strkjv @
5:6 |) \
apo katabol
s kosmou \).
For the phrase \
apo katabol
s kosmou \ (
not in the LXX )
there are six other N .
T .
uses (
Matthew:13:35 |
without \
kosmou \;
strkjv @
25:34 ;
strkjv @
Luke:11:50 ;
strkjv @
Hebrews:4:3 ;
strkjv @
9:26 ;
strkjv @
Revelation:17:8 |),
and for \
pro katabol
s kosmou \
three (
John:17:24 ;
strkjv @
Ephesians:1:4 ;
strkjv @
1Peter:1:20 |).
It is doubtful here whether it is to be taken with \
tou esphagmenou \ (
cf .
strkjv @
1Peter:1:20 |)
or with \
gegraptai \
as in strkjv @
Revelation:17:8 |.
Either makes sense ,
and here the most natural use is with \
esphagmenou \.
At any rate the death of Christ lies in the purpose of God ,
as in strkjv @
John:3:16 |.
rwp @
Revelation:13:9 @{
If any one hath an ear } (\
ei tis echei ous \).
Condition of first class ,
repetition of the saying in strkjv @
2:7 ,
11 ,
17 ,
29 |,
etc .
rwp @
Revelation:13:10 @{
If any man is for captivity } (\
ei tis eis aichmal
sian \).
Condition of first class ,
but with no copula (\
estin \)
expressed .
For \
aichmal
sian \ (
from \
aichmal
tos \
captive )
see strkjv @
Ephesians:4:8 |,
only other N .
T .
example .
Apparently John means this as a warning to the Christians not to resist force with force ,
but to accept captivity as he had done as a means of grace .
Cf .
strkjv @
Jeremiah:15:2 |.
The text is not certain ,
however . {
If any man shall kill with the sword } (\
ei tis en machair
i apoktenei \).
First-class condition with future active of \
apoktein \,
not future passive ,
for it is a picture of the persecutor drawn here like that by Jesus in strkjv @
Matthew:26:52 |. {
Must he be killed } (\
dei auton en machair
i apoktanth
nai \).
First aorist passive infinitive of \
apoktein \.
The inevitable conclusion (\
dei \)
of such conduct .
The killer is killed . {
Here } (\
h
de \).
In this attitude of submission to the inevitable .
For \
h
de \
see strkjv @
13:18 ;
strkjv @
14:12 ;
strkjv @
17:9 |. "
Faith " (\
pistis \)
here is more like faithfulness ,
fidelity .
rwp @
Revelation:13:11 @{
Another beast } (\
allo th
rion \).
Like the first beast (
verse 1 |),
not a \
heteron th
rion \ (
a different beast ). {
Out of the earth } (\
ek t
s g
s \).
Not "
out of the sea "
as the first (
verse 1 |),
perhaps locating him in Asia Minor without world-wide scope ,
but plainly the agent of the first beast and so of the dragon . {
He had } (\
eichen \).
Imperfect active of \
ech \.
Only two horns (
not ten like the first ,
verse 1 |). {
Like unto a lamb } (\
homoia arni
i \).
Usual construction .
Only the two horns of a young lamb and without the ferocity of the other beast ,
but "
he spake as a dragon " (\
elalei h
s drak
n \).
Gunkel and Charles confess their inability to make anything out of this item .
But Swete thinks that he had the roar of a dragon with all the looks of a lamb (
weakness and innocence ).
Cf .
the wolves in sheep '
s clothing (
Matthew:7:15 |).
rwp @
Revelation:13:12 @{
He exerciseth } (\
poiei \).
Present active dramatic present of \
poie \.
In his sight (\
en
pion autou \).
In the eye of the first beast who gets his authority from the dragon (
13:2 |).
The second beast carries on the succession of authority from the dragon and the first beast .
It has been a common Protestant interpretation since the Reformation of Luther to see in the first beast Pagan Rome and in the second beast Papal Rome .
There is undoubted verisimilitude in this interpretation ,
but it is more than doubtful if any such view comes within the horizon of the imagery here .
Ramsay takes the first beast to be the power of imperial Rome and the second beast to be the provincial power which imitated Rome in the persecutions . {
To worship the first beast } (\
hina proskun
sousin to th
rion to pr
ton \).
Sub-final clause with \
hina \
after \
poiei \
seen in strkjv @
John:11:37 ;
strkjv @
Colossians:4:16 ;
strkjv @
Revelation:3:9 |,
usually with the subjunctive ,
but here with the future indicative as in strkjv @
3:9 |.
Note the accusative after \
proskune \
as in verse 8 |.
Here the death-stroke of one of the heads (
verse 3 |)
is ascribed to the beast .
Clearly the delegated authority of the provincial priests of the emperor-worship is rigorously enforced ,
if this is the correct interpretation .
rwp @
Revelation:13:13 @{
That he should even make fire come down out of heaven } (\
hina kai pur poi
i ek tou ouranou katabainein \).
Purpose clause again with \
hina \
and the present active subjunctive of \
poie \
and the object infinitive of \
katabain \
after \
poiei \.
Christ promised great signs to the disciples (
John:14:12 |),
but he also warned them against false prophets and false christs with their signs and wonders (
Mark:13:22 |).
Songs:also Paul had pictured the power of the man of sin (
2Thessalonians:2:9 |).
Elijah had called down fire from heaven (
1Kings:18:38 ;
strkjv @
2Kings:1:10 |)
and James and John had once even urged Jesus to do this miracle (
Luke:9:54 |).
rwp @
Revelation:13:14 @{
And he deceiveth } (\
kai plan
i \).
Present active (
dramatic )
indicative of \
plana \,
the very thing that Jesus had said would happen (
Matthew:24:24 |, "
Songs:as to lead astray " \
h
ste plan
sthai \,
the word used here ,
if possible the very elect ).
It is a constant cause for wonder ,
the gullibility of the public at the hands of new charlatans who continually bob up with their pipe-dreams . {
That they should make an image to the beast } (\
poi
sai eikona t
i th
ri
i \).
Indirect command (
this first aorist active infinitive of \
poie \)
after \
leg
n \
as in strkjv @
Acts:21:21 |,
not indirect assertion .
This "
image " (\
eik
n \,
for which word see strkjv @
Matthew:22:20 ;
strkjv @
Colossians:1:15 |)
of the emperor could be his head upon a coin (
Mark:12:16 |),
an _imago_
painted or woven upon a standard ,
a bust in metal or stone ,
a statue ,
anything that people could be asked to bow down before and worship .
This test the priests in the provinces pressed as it was done in Rome itself .
The phrase "
the image of the beast ,"
occurs ten times in this book (
13:14 ,
15 |
_ter_
;
strkjv @
14:9 ,
11 ;
strkjv @
15:2 ;
strkjv @
16:2 ;
strkjv @
19:20 ;
strkjv @
20:4 |).
Emperor-worship is the issue and that involves worship of the devil . {
The stroke of the sword } (\
t
n pl
g
n t
s machair
s \).
This language can refer to the death of Nero by his own sword . {
And lived } (\
kai ez
sen \). "
And he came to life " (
ingressive first aorist active indicative of \
za \).
Perhaps a reference to Domitian as a second Nero in his persecution of Christians .
rwp @
Revelation:13:15 @{
To give breath to it } (\
dounai pneuma aut
i \).
This second beast ,
probably a system like the first (
not a mere person ),
was endowed with the power to work magical tricks ,
as was true of Simon Magus and Apollonius of Tyana and many workers of legerdemain since . \
Pneuma \
here has its original meaning of breath or wind like \
pneuma z
s \ (
breath of life )
in strkjv @
11:11 |. {
Even to the image } (\
t
i eikoni \).
No "
even "
in the Greek ,
just apposition with \
aut
i \ (
her ). {
That should both speak and cause } (\
hina kai lal
s
i kai poi
s
i \).
Final clause with \
hina \
and the first aorist active subjunctive of \
lale \
and \
poie \.
Ventriloquism like that in strkjv @
Acts:16:16 |. {
That should be killed } (\
hina apoktanth
sin \).
Sub-final clause with \
hina \
and the first aorist passive subjunctive of \
apoktein \,
after \
poi
s
i \,
as in verse 12 | (
future indicative ). {
As many as should not worship } (\
hosoi ean m
proskun
s
sin \).
Indefinite relative clause with modal \
ean \ (= \
an \)
and the first aorist active subjunctive of \
proskune \
with the accusative \
t
n eikona \ (
some MSS .
the dative ).
Note the triple use of "
the image of the beast "
in this sentence . "
That refusal to worship the image of the emperor carried with it capital punishment in Trajan '
s time is clear from Pliny '
s letter to Trajan (
X .
96 )" (
Charles ).
rwp @
Revelation:13:16 @{
He causeth all } (
same use of \
poie \
as in 12 ,
15 |).
Note article here with each class (
the small and the great ,
etc .). {
That there be given them } (\
hina d
sin autois \).
Same use of \
hina \
after \
poie \
as in 12 ,
15 |,
only here with indefinite plural \
d
sin \ (
second aorist active subjunctive ), "
that they give themselves ,"
as in strkjv @
10:11 ;
strkjv @
12:6 ;
strkjv @
16:15 |. {
A mark } (\
charagma \).
Old word from \
charass \,
to engrave ,
in strkjv @
Acts:17:29 |
of idolatrous images ,
but in Rev . (
Revelation:13:16 ,
17 ;
strkjv @
14:9 ,
11 ;
strkjv @
16:2 ;
strkjv @
19:20 ;
strkjv @
20:4 |)
of the brand of the beast on the right hand or on the forehead or on both .
Deissmann (
_Bible
Studies_
,
pp .
240ff .)
shows that in the papyri official business documents often have the name and image of the emperor ,
with the date as the official stamp or seal and with \
charagma \
as the name of this seal .
Animals and slaves were often branded with the owner '
s name ,
as Paul (
Galatians:6:17 |)
bore the stigmata of Christ .
Ptolemy Philadelphus compelled some Alexandrian Jews to receive the mark of Dionysus as his devotees (
III Macc .
strkjv @
3:29 ).
The servants of God receive on their foreheads the stamp of the divine seal (
Revelation:7:3 |).
Charles is certain that John gets his metaphor from the \
tephillin \ (
phylacteries )
which the Jew wore on his left hand and on his forehead .
At any rate ,
this "
mark of the beast "
was necessary for life and all social and business relations .
On the right hand ,
that is in plain sight . {
Upon their forehead } (\
epi to met
pon aut
n \).
Accusative with \
epi \,
though genitive just before with \
cheiros \ (
hand ).
See already strkjv @
7:3 ;
strkjv @
9:4 | (
genitive \
epi t
n met
p
n \).
Only in the Apocalypse in N .
T .
rwp @
Revelation:13:17 @{
That no man should be able to buy or to sell } (\
hina m
tis dun
tai agorasai
p
l
sai \).
Final clause with \
hina \
and present middle subjunctive of \
dunamai \
with aorist active infinitives .
This is a regular boycott (
Ramsay ,
_Seven
Letters_
,
p .
106f .)
against all not worshippers of the emperor . {
Save } (\
ei m \). "
If not ," "
except ." {
Even the name } (\
to onoma \).
No "
even ,"
just apposition with \
charagma \ (
the mark ). {
Or the number } (\
ton arithmon \).
The stamp (
the mark )
may bear either the name or the number of the beast .
The name and the number are one and the same .
They could write the name in numerals ,
for numbers were given by letters .
Swete suggests that it was "
according to a sort of \
gematria \
known to the Apocalyptist and his Asian readers ,
but not generally intelligible ."
rwp @
Revelation:13:18 @{
Here is wisdom } (\
h
de h
sophia \).
The puzzle that follows as in strkjv @
17:9 |.
See strkjv @
Ephesians:1:17 |
for "
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding ." {
He that understands } (\
ho ech
n noun \). "
The one having intelligence "
in such matters .
Cf .
the adverb \
nounech
s \ (
discreetly )
in strkjv @
Mark:12:34 |. {
Let him count } (\
ps
phisat \).
First active imperative of \
ps
phiz \,
old verb (
from \
ps
phos \
pebble ),
to count ,
in N .
T .
only here and strkjv @
Luke:14:28 |. {
The number of a man } (\
arithmos anthr
pou \). "
A man '
s number ."
But what man and what name ? {
Six hundred and sixty-six } (\
hexakosioi hex
konta hex \).
Unfortunately some MSS .
here read 616 instead of 666 .
All sorts of solutions are offered for this conundrum .
Charles is satisfied with the Hebrew letters for Nero Caesar ,
which give 666 ,
and with the Latin form of Nero (
without the final n ),
which makes 616 .
Surely this is ingenious and it may be correct .
But who can really tell ?