kind whatever. Thus when we read in the Apocalypse of 'the sea' as an emblem of the troubled and sinful nations of the earth, we are bound, unless forbidden by the context, to carry that interpretation through, and to understand the sea of the troubled and sinful world."

Hell (o aons). Rev., Hades. See on Matt. xvi. 18.

14. This is the second death. Add even the lake of fire.

15. And whosoever (el Tus). Lit., if any. So Rev.

CHAPTER XXI.

1. New (xaivòv). See on Matt. xxvi. 29. Compare Isa.

lxv. 17.

There was no more sea (ý Jáλaσσα OvK ěσTIV ĚTI). Lit., as Rev., the sea is no more. Here as in xx. 13. Some explain the sea as the ungodly world. I cannot help thinking this interpretation forced. According to this explanation, the passage is in the highest degree tautological. The first earth was passed away, and the ungodly world was no more.

2. I John. Omit John.

New Jerusalem. Others join new with coming down, and render coming down new out of heaven.

A bride. Compare Isa. lxi. 10; lxii. 5.

3. With men. Men at large. No longer with an isolated people like Israel.

He shall dwell (σnvσe). Lit., tabernacle. Only in the Apocalypse and John i. 14. The word "denotes much more than the mere general notion of dwelling. There lies in it one of the particulars of that identification of Christ and His people

which is fundamental to the seer." See on John i. 14. Compare Ezek. xxxvii. 27, 28.

People (λaoi). Notice the plural, peoples (so Rev.), because many nations shall partake of the fulfilment of the promise. Compare ver. 24.

And God Himself shall be with them and be their God. And be is inserted. The Greek is shall be with them their God.

4. And God shall wipe away. Omit God. Read, as Rev., and He shall wipe away.

All tears (av Sáκρvov). Lit., every tear. xxv. 8.

Compare Isa.

There shall be no more death (ὁ θάνατος οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι). Render, as Rev., death shall be no more.

Sorrow (πévos). Better, as Rev., mourning, since the word signifies manifested grief. See on Matt. v. 4; Jas. iv. 9. Compare Isa. lxv. 19. "That soul I say," observes Socrates, "herself invisible, departs to the invisible world-to the divine and immortal and rational: thither arriving, she is secure of bliss, and is released from the error and folly of men, their fears and wild passions, and all other human ills, and forever dwells, as they say of the initiated, in company with the gods" (Plato, Phædo," 81). So Sophocles:

"Sorrow touches not the dead."

"Edipus Coloneus," 955.

"How thrice happy those of mortals, who, having had these ends in view, depart to Hades; for to them alone is it given there to live; but to others, all things there are evil” (“ Fragment"). And Euripides:

"The dead, tearless, forgets his pains."

"Troades," 606.

5. True and faithful (andvol Kal TOTOί). The proper order of the Greek is the reverse, as Rev., faithful and true.

6. It is done (yéyovev). The correct reading is yéyovav they are come to pass; i.e., these words.

Alpha and Omega.

etc. See on ch. i. 8.

Both have the article, "the alpha,”

Unto him that is athirst. Compare Isa. lv. 1.

Fountain (ms). See on John iv. 6.

Of the water of life. See John iv. 10, 14. Compare Isa. xii. 3.

7. All things (Távτa). The correct reading is raûra these things. So Rev.

His God (avτ eòs). Lit., God unto him.

My Son (μo o viós). Lit., the Son to me. See on John i. 12. This is the only place in John's writings where viós son is used of the relation of man to God.

8. The fearful (detλois). The dative case. Hence, as Rev., for the fearful. Only here, Matt. viii. 26, and Mark iv. 40.

Abominable (ẻßdeλvyμévois). See on abomination, Matt. xxiv. 15. Properly, defiled with abominations.

Whoremongers (πόρνοις).

cators.

Much better, as Rev., forni

Sorcerers. See on sorceries, ch. ix. 21.

Shall have their part (τò μépos avτŵv). sage reads to the fearful, etc., their part.

Lit., the whole pas-
Shall be is supplied.

Vials. Properly bowls. See on ch. v. 8.

10. In the Spirit. See on ch. i. 10.

Mountain. Compare Ezek. xl. 2.

Omit great.

That great city, the holy Jerusalem. Render the article as usual, and not as a demonstrative pronoun, and construe holy with city. So Rev., the holy city Jerusalem.

11. Glory of God. Not merely divine brightness, but the presence of the God of glory Himself. Compare Exod. xl. 34.

Light (pwornp). Strictly, luminary; that with which the city is illumined, the heavenly Lamb. See ver. 23. The word occurs only here and Philip. ii. 15.

tal.

Jasper. See on ch. iv. 3.

Clear as crystal (pvσтaλλíčovтi). Lit., shining like crys

(κρυσταλλίζοντι).

12. And had (exovσáv Te). Rev., more simply and literally, having.

Gates (Tuλŵvas). Properly large gates. See on Luke xvi. 20; Acts xii. 13. Compare Ezek. xlviii. 30 sqq.

13. East (ávaToλns). See on Matt. ii. 2, and on day-spring, Luke i. 78. See the tribes arranged by gates in Ezek. xlviii. 31-34.

West (Svoμwv). Lit., the goings down or settings.

14. Foundations (Jeμelous). See on the kindred verb Jeperiwσer shall settle, 1 Pet. v. 10.

In them the names (èv avтoîs óvóμara). The correct reading is éπ' aurav Súdeка óvóμатa, on them twelve names.

15. A golden reed. Add μéтpov as a measure. See ch. xi. 1. Compare Ezek. xl. 5.

16. Four square (τετράγωνος). From τέτρα four and γωνία an angle. Only here in the New Testament. Compare Ezek. xlviii. 16, 20.

Twelve-thousand furlongs (ἐπὶ σταδίων δώδεκα χιλιάδων). Strictly, to the length of (eri) twelve, etc. For the collective term xiiádes thousands, see on ch. v. 11. For furlongs see on ch. xv. 20. The twelve-thousand furlongs would be 1378.97 English miles. Interpretations vary hopelessly. The description seems to be that of a vast cube, which may have been suggested by the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle, which was of that shape. But opinions differ as to whether the twelvethousand furlongs are the measure of the four sides of the city taken together, in which case each side will measure threethousand furlongs; or whether the twelve-thousand furlongs are intended to represent the length of each side. The former explanation is prompted by the desire to reduce the vast dimensions of the city. Another difficulty is raised about the height. Düsterdieck, for example, maintains that the houses were three-thousand stadia in height. The question arises whether the vertical surface of the cube includes the hill or rock on which the city was placed, a view to which Alford inclines. These are enough to show how utterly futile are attempts to reduce these symbolic visions to mathematical statement. Professor Milligan aptly remarks: "Nor is it of the smallest moment to reduce the enormous dimensions spoken of. No re

* This cubical plan, applied not only to the Tabernacle, but to the Ark of the Flood, the Temple of Solomon and the "King's House," is minutely worked out in "The Holy Houses" by Dr. Timothy Otis Paine; a book full of curious erudition, in which the Tabernacle, the Ark of Noah, the Temple, and the Capitol or King's House, are treated as developments from a common type; but which proceeds on the utterly untenable hypothesis that the temple of Ezekiel's vision was Solomon's; and that, accordingly, from the two books of Kings and the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel all the data are furnished for a complete restoration of the Temple; the prophetic vision of Ezekiel supplying the details omitted in the historic record of Kings.