dieck (1887), B. Weiss (2nd ed. 1902), J. Weiss (die Schriften des N. T., 1907), Bousset, and H. J. Holtzmann (Hand-Commentar, 3rd. ed., 1908). Schmiedel’s Volksbuch (1906) is included in the English edition of his Fohannine Writings (1908). There is a competent Dutch commentary by J. M. S. Baljon (Utrecht, 1908); besides French works by Havet (Le Christ. et ses origines, iv. 314-344), Reuss (Paris, 1878), A. Crampon (Tournai, 1904), and Th. Calmes (Paris, 1905), with the last-named scholar’s pamphlet, L’Apoc. devant la .tradition et devant la critique® (1907). Baljon’s critical introduction is given in his Geschiedenis van de Boeken des nicuwen Verbonds (1901), 241-265.
Of the commentaries which preceded Alford, almost the only English works which retain any critical value are those of Moses Stuart (Andover, 1845: on the lines of Liicke) and Trench (Com- .mentary on the Epp. to the Seven Churches, 1861, sixth edition, 1897).
Since the present commentary was drafted, six years ago, a ‘number of monographs, including some of those just mentioned, have been issued. I have occasionally inserted references to them in the ‘text, for the sake of convenience and completeness, but, for the -sake of independence, the notes have otherwise been left untouched.
πα. i ius hss δν ον.
2 } i);
ο.
if
1. I. "᾽ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΙΣ ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἣν ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς α Sc. Hoe . A bi ο sins σ *Seigar τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ,” ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι ἐν τάχει, καὶ ἐσήμανεν (article absent as from
Matt. i. 1, cf. Win. § το, 10). For eschat. connotation, cf. Rom. ii. 5, viii. το. b John xii. 49,
xiv. 10: constr. John vi. 52. c John v. 20, x. 32.
10m. with 8Ο, etc. (edd.), from the title the του θεολογσυ of Q and (with ex- pansions) many cursives, which was a description of the apostle John in the fourth century as the author of the fourth gospel, and applied to him here as the exponent of divine oracles (θεολογος = προφητης, Philo, de Vit. Mos., ii. τι; Luc., Alex., 19, 22) or as the herald of God (cf. Chrys., Ovat., 36). Inscriptions show that θεολογοι were sacred officials in Pergamum, Ephesus, Smyrna, etc. (Deissm., 231-232, Licht
vom Osten, 252 f.), who were frequently υµνωδοι as well.
2 Punctuate Geos δειξαι τ. 8. αντου, with WH, Ws., Bs., Hort.
On the aiterna-
tive form Iwaver (39), c/. Win. § 5, 266, Schmiedel (EZ. Bi., 2504-2505), Thumb 2of.,
Helbing 29-30.
CuHaPTER I.—Vv. 1-3. The superscrip- tion. Απ. Ἰωάννου is the ecclesiastical title (distinguishing it from the apocalypse of Peter, or of Paul, etc.) of what professes in reality to be an ἀπ. ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (subjective genitive), z.e., a disclosure of the divine μυστήρια (Dan. ii. 19, 22, 28, Theod.) in the immediate future (ἃ δεῖ γ. ἐν τάχει) which has been communi- cated (ἔδωκεν, cf. on iii. 9) by God to Jesus (cf. v. 7) and which in turn is trans- mitted by Jesus (Gal. i. 12) to John asa member of the prophetic order.
Ver. 1. δούλοις, in specific sense of x. 7, xi. 18, after Dan. ix. 6, το; Zech. i. 6, and Amos iii. 7 (ἀποκαλύψῃ παιδείαν πρὸς τοὺς δούλους αὐτοῦ τοὺς προφήτας). Fesus Christ is used only in i. I-5 (xxii. 21 ?), Lord Fesus only in xxii. 20, Lord (i.e., Jesus) only in xi. 8 and xiv. 13; elsewhere either 6 Χριστός (xx. 4, 6) αὐτοῦ (xi. 15, xii. 10) or (as in Hebrews) the simple ¥esus. & δεῖ κ.τ.λ. (from Dan. ii. 28-29), either object of δεῖξαι (Vit. ii. 229) or more probably in opposition to qv. ἐν τάχει--''5οοπ” (as in Clem. Rom. xxiii. 5 and the in- structive logion of Luke xviii. 8). This is the hinge and staple of the book. When the advent of Jesus is hailed as a relief, it is no consolation to say that the relief will come suddenly; sudden
Or not, it must come soon (x. 7), if it is to be of any service. The keynote of the Apocalypse is the cheering assurance that upon God’s part there is no re. luctance or delay; His people have not long to wait now. καὶ ἐσήμανεν (so of what is future and momentous, Ezek. Xxxili. 3, Acts xi. 26, etc.: Heracleitus on the Delphic oracle, οὔτε λέγει οὔτε κρύπτει ἀλλὰ σηµαίνει) ἀποστείλας (from seventh heaven, in Asc. Isa. vi. 13), a loose Heb. idiom for ‘he ({.ε., Jesus here and in xxii. 16, God in xxii. 6) sent and signified it”. διὰ (as in Asc. Isa. xi. 30, etc.) τοῦ ἀγγέλου αὐτοῦ (cf. Test. Jos. vi. 6). Jesus is the medium of all revelation, but ἀποκάλυψις is fur- then conceived of as transmitted through the angelus interpres, a familiar and im- portant figure in rabbinic (cf. E. F. i. 592, 593) and apocalyptic tradition (see reff. and on Acts vii. 30), who stands here between Jesus and the prophet as a sort of double of the former. Like Hermas (Mand. xi. g), the post-exilic tradition required the executive function of this angel, in order to (a) satisfy the yearning for some means of divine com- munication, and (5) at the same time to maintain reverence for the divine glory (Baldensperger, 48 f.). But John’s Chris- tian consciousness here and elsewhere 1°