Appropriate here as indicating the quickened spiritual discern- ment engendered by the Lord’s appearing, in those who have rejected Him, and who now mourn for their folly and sin.
They which (oftwes). The compound relative describes a class. See on Matt. xiii. 52; xxi. 41; Mark xii. 18.
Pierced (efexévrncav). See on John xix. 34, and compare Zech. xii. 10; John xix. 36. The expression here refers not to the Jews only, but to all who reject the Son of Man; those who “in any age have identified themselves with the Spirit of the Saviour’s murderers” (Milligan). The passage is justly cited as a strong evidence that the author of the Gospel is also the author of the Apocalypse.
Kindreds (duvdal). More correctly, tribes. The word used of the true Israel in ch. v. 5; vii. 4-8; xxi. 12. As the tribes of Israel are the figure by which the people of God, Jew or Gentile, are represented, so unbelievers are here represented as tribes, “the mocking counterpart of the true Israel of God.” Compare Matt. xxiv. 30, 31.
Shall wail because of Him (xéwovras én’ aitov). Rev., better, shall mourn over Him. Lit., shall beat their breasts. See on Matt. xi. 17.
8. Alpha and Omega (70 4 xai70 2). Rev., rightly, gives the article, “the Alpha,” ete. The words are explained by the gloss, properly omitted from the text, the beginning and the ending. The Rabbinical writers used the phrase from Aleph to Ta, to signify completely, from beginning to end. Thus one says, ‘“ Adam transgressed the whole law from Aleph even to Tay.” Compare Isa. xli. 4; xliii. 10; xliv. 6.
The Lord (6 Kupios). See on Matt. xxi. 3. The best texts read Kupuos 6 Oeds, the Lord the God. Rev., the Lord God.
Which is, etc. See on ver. 4. ‘God, as the old tradition declares, holding in His hand the beginning, middle, and end of all that is” (Plato, ‘ Laws,” 715).