The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 416

Bis promises made good. His precepts owned as just. Whoever disput1111 a verdict he bas given? Who does not feel that, when he bas spoken, the last word, be the BUbjeet what it may, has been said, and that there is nothing more to he said? II. 'l'ml UNKNOWN NAHE. {Ver, 12, "And he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.") It was a written name, but illegible, incomprehensible, to all but himself. The names a,d'\1111,nce in majesty. "Faithful and True"-that is an august name, but it cannot be said to be incomprehensible, and known to :QOne but himself. Glory be to him that we do know him by that name, and that the name is rightly his, But now the ineffable nature of the Son of God seems to be suggested.· "Who by searching can find out God? " Christ is more than all our thought, than all we have understood or have imagined, In him are "nnRearchable riches." Who knows what is the relation between him and the Father, and what the nature of the union in him of humanity and God? Who --'IBn understand the profound philosophy of the atonement, the Incarnation, the Resurrection ? " No man knoweth the Son but the Father"-so said our Lord; and this unknown name, written, though not rt:ad, endorses that sublime saying. And do we wonder that we cannot understand? Why, this we fail to do even with our fellow-men if they be of higher nature than our own. Let us be glad and grateful that, whatever riches of grace and glory we have already known, there is an inexhaustible fountain and an unsearchable store yet remaining, And now a name more majestic still is given. III. "Ta:m WoRD OF Goo." (Ver. 13.) This name refers to tha~ "Word of God which is ... sharper than," etc. (Heb. iv. 12). Also it points back to his name as given in John i. 1, "'fhe Word, which in the beginning was with God, and was God." For the Word is the expression of the inner thought. And so Christ declares the minl of God; he is "the heart of God revealed." Hence" he who bath seen the Son bath seen the Father." Now, all this is true, or else he is what we would not even say. Si non Deus, non bonm-so of old was it argued, and so it must be still. The doctrine declared by this name is, therefore, of infinite importance. All our conceptions of Christ, all our hope, all our salvation, depend on it. If he be not the very Word of God, then we have no Saviour and no hope. The last of these names ia-- IV. "KING OF KINGS, AND LoRD OF LORDS." (Ver. 16.) It is the battle of the ten kings against him to which he is on his way when St:-John beholds him (vers. 18, 19). And now on his vesture and on the scabbard of his sword-" on his thigh "-are emblazoned these majestic words, this title prophetic of victory for himself and those with him, but of utter defeat to those who dared to oppose him. But how blesst'<l to humanity at large is this name and the fact that it declares I Vast is the power that monarchs wield, and-alas, that it should be so !-bad is the use that most of them have made of it. And so the days of kingship are-it is said-numbered. But there may be worse depositaries of power even than kings, seeing that others called by lowlier names have used it not much better. But it is blessed to know that, let kings and rulers do and be what they may, our Lord is "King of kings, and," etc. Mean- while (1) aee that he rules in us; (2) take the rich comfort there is in these names. --s. o. Ver.12,-The eoronatitm of th, 8CW1,01Jf'. "On hi.a bead were many crowns." We know whose head is meant. It was "the head that once was crowned with thorns;" the head that was once pillowed on a human mother's breast; the head that "bad not where," during the days of his earthly ministry, "to lay" itself down to rest; the head that once and again was a fountain of tears because of man's sorrow and man's sin; the bead that was bt-aten and Bpit upon by bis enemies ; the bead that was bound about by the linen wrappings of the tomb ; the head that was "bowed" when on the cross "he gave up the ghost; "-on that bead St. John saw in Yision "many crowns." To see desert rewarded, especially when the deserving has been conspicuous, marked 1,y great toil, great self-sacrifice, great suffering, great purity, great lov~, and great good gained for those for whom all this was borne-to see such deserving duly recompensed is ever a real joy. ,vhat, then, must be the believer's joy to see on his Lord's head the many crowns whioh t ..n of his reward I The figure is taken from the ancient diadem, which consisted of many circlets, or bands, the whole forming one crown, though con- Biating of many diadems. Now, it is given to us nolonly to rejoice in, but to add to. 462 THE REVELATION OF ST. JORN. THE DIVINE. [mr. n:x.1-21.