NT-GOSPEL.filter - rwp Zechariah:4:2:

rwp@Revelation:1:4 @{To the seven churches which are in Asia} (\tais hepta ekklsiais tais en ti Asii\). Dative case as in a letter (Galatians:1:1|). John is writing, but the revelation is from God and Christ through an angel. It is the Roman province of Asia which included the western part of Phrygia. There were churches also at Troas (Acts:20:5ff.|) and at Colossal and Hierapolis (Colossians:1:1; strkjv@2:1; strkjv@4:13|) and possibly at Magnesia and Tralles. But these seven were the best points of communication with seven districts (Ramsay) and, besides, seven is a favorite number of completion (like the full week) in the book (1:4,12,16; strkjv@4:5; strkjv@5:1,6; strkjv@8:2; strkjv@10:3; strkjv@11:13; strkjv@12:3; strkjv@13:1; strkjv@14:6f.|). {From him which is} (\apo ho n\). This use of the articular nominative participle of \eimi\ after \apo\ instead of the ablative is not due to ignorance or a mere slip (\lapsus pennae\), for in the next line we have the regular idiom with \apo tn hepta pneumatn\. It is evidently on purpose to call attention to the eternity and unchangeableness of God. Used of God in strkjv@Exodus:3:14|. {And which was} (\kai ho n\). Here again there is a deliberate change from the articular participle to the relative use of \ho\ (used in place of \hos\ to preserve identity of form in the three instances like Ionic relative and since no aorist participle of \eimi\ existed). The oracle in Pausanias X. 12 has it: \Zeus n, Zeus esti, Zeus essetai\ (Zeus was, Zeus is, Zeus will be). {Which is to come} (\ho erchomenos\). "The Coming One," futuristic use of the present participle instead of \ho esomenos\. See the same idiom in verse 8; strkjv@4:8| and (without \ho erchomenos\) in strkjv@11:17; strkjv@16:5|. {From the seven spirits} (\apo tn hepta pneumatn\). A difficult symbolic representation of the Holy Spirit here on a par with God and Christ, a conclusion borne out by the symbolic use of the seven spirits in strkjv@3:1; strkjv@4:5; strkjv@5:6| (from strkjv@Zechariah:4:2-10|). There is the one Holy Spirit with seven manifestations here to the seven churches (Swete, _The Holy Spirit in the N.T._, p. 374), unity in diversity (1Corinthians:12:4|). {Which are} (\tn\ article Aleph A, \ha\ relative P). {Before his throne} (\enpion tou thronou autou\). As in strkjv@4:5f|.

rwp@Revelation:11:4 @{The two olive trees} (\hai duo elaiai\). The article seems to point to what is known. For this original use of \elaia\ see strkjv@Romans:11:17,24|. In strkjv@Zechariah:4:2,3,14| the lampstand or candlestick (\luchnia\) is Israel, and the two olive trees apparently Joshua and Zerubbabel, but John makes his own use of this symbolism. Here the two olive trees and the candlesticks are identical. {Standing} (\hesttes\). Masculine perfect active participle agreeing with \houtoi\ instead of \hestsai\ (read by P and cursives) agreeing with \elaiai kai luchniai\, even though \hai\ (feminine plural article) be accepted before \enpion tou kuriou\ (before the Lord).