Annotations Upon the New Testament, Revelation · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Vers. 1. ANd there was given me a reed like unto a rod, and the Angell stood, saying, Rise and measure the Temple of God] The reed here is the Word of God which is the most perfect rule of faith, and Ecclesiasticall Discipline. The measuring of the Temple signifieth the measuring of the Church,Pareus. This setteth forth the Primitive state of the Christian Church exactly conformable to the rule of Gods Word. Mr Mede. as it appeares by comparing this Prophecie with that Ezek. 40.41. to which he alludes.
Vers. 2. For it is given unto the Gentiles] That is, men of Gentile-like prophaneness, and iniquity, who had the keeping of the Church-Courts.
And the holy City shall they tread under foot] Tread down, or tread it under foot. The originall word may be rendred somewhat more mildly,Cottons bloudy Tenet Walshed. foreign Calcabunt, id est, conculcabunt, proterent affligendo scilicet & contemptui habendo. Alii malunt frequentabunt quia foreign saepe idem est quod foreign. Alsted. Vide Down Diatrib. de Antichristo part. 2da p. 608, 609, 638, &c. it may expresse their walking upon it.
Vers. 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses] They are called witnesses, because they beare witnesse to truth and holinesse, against all the errours and unholinesse of Antichrist; so is Christ severall times called the faithfull witnesse by way of eminence, ch. 1. v. 5. and 3.14. because he beares witnesse to all truth, against all errours and impieties whatsoever. Two they are, partly for their paucity,Duos testes indefinitè successionem aliquorum assertorum doctrinae Evangelii adversus Antichristum intelligamus. Definitè tamen dicuntur duo, tum quia pauci erant, respectu locustarum qui orbem Christianum replebunt: tum quia duo ad firmandum testimonium in quovis judicio sufficiunt. Pareus. and in allusion unto the Prophecie, Zach. 4.11. from whence the expression is taken. Some interpret these two of two men, and of the time of Antichrist, but who those two men were there is a threefold difference amongst them:*Dr Prid orat. de duobus testibus. Vide Pareum. By two witnesses is meant a few faithfull Ministers which God will raise up here and there amidst the power of darknesse in greatest strength of the Antichristian reigne, the Apostle used the number of two, because the Law of God requireth so many witnesses for necessary triall of a matter in controversie. 2. He evidently alludeth unto Zach. 11.14. Cartw. on Rhem Test.
1. Victorinus, interprets it of Jeremy and Elisha.
2. Hilary, Catharinus, Gagnaeus with Jansenius, and Maldonate on Mat. 17. would have Moses and Eliah here meant.
3. Ribera, Zuarez, Vegas, Pererius Bellarmine, Barradius, Malvenda, interpret it of Enoch and Eliah. Secondly, others would not have it restrained to Antichrists times of which some interpret it of Christ, and John the Baptist, some of Saint Francis, and Dominick. Thirdly, Others interpret it of all the Defenders of the truth, as Pannonius, or the faithfull in all Ages, as Arius Montanus, and Zegerus.
By the two witnesses, whether we understand the Scriptures in the two Testaments (as Austen) which are overcome in Popery, and their own traditions made equall, or rather set above them, or else the zealous and sincere professors of the Word of God, who both by their Doctrine and Conversation give witness unto the truth of it, it cometh all to one, for Antichrist is an enemy both to Scripture and Scripture men. Dr. Taylor. See him on 12. of Rev. p. 216.There are two more famous opinions of the Orthodox concerning this matter, the first holds that the witnesses are the Old and New Testament, according to that John 5.39.2. That this notes the Preachers of the Word, for those are more fitly said to oppose themselves against the Beast, to be killed, not to be buried, to revive in their successors, to ascend by themselves to heaven. But those two opinions do fitly agree in one, since the testimony of these and the Testament is but one. Dr Prid. de duobus testibus.
And they shall prophesie] That is, instruct the people in the good way.
A thousand, two hundred, and threescore dayes] In their severall times and ages successively.
Cloathed in sackcloth] They mourne and sigh to see Antichristianisme so spread. 2. King. 6.30. Amos 8.10. Sackcloth is opposed to the splendour and luxury of Antichrist and his Followers.
Vers. 4. These are the two olive trees] 1. The olive tree keepes its greenesse, withers not in winter. 2. Is fertile.
And the two Candlesticks] Hold out the light of it to others. See Zach. 11.14. and Exod. 25.31.
Vers. 5. Fire proceedeth out of their mouth] 1. By their prayers. 2. By their prophecying. See Gerhard.
Vers. 6. These have power to shut heaven that it raine not in the daies of their prophecie, and have power over waters to turne them to bloud] This is spoken in allusion to Elias and Moses; whereof the one by his prayer shut the heavens, the other by his rod turned the waters into bloud. The faithfull Ministers of the Gospell should not worke such outward miracles as they did,…ent. but they should be furnished with spirituall power, which is far greater.
Mede. Cocceius in 2 Tim. 2.23. Qui exponit duos Testes Dei (verbum vet. & Novi Testamenti) dicit hoc nihil aliud esse, quam ver bum Dei in magno illo regno gentium ostentui quidem esse publicè, sed abnegata & non percepta illius vi ratque vitute pro cadavere ipsis esse; neque enim vivum & efficax esse in istit spiritualiter mortuis.Vers. 7. And when they have finished their testimony] Cum finituri sint, when they shall be about to finish their testimony, for so foreign is to be translated.
Whether you understand it physicè, killing them as men, or Metaphoricè killing them as witnesses.And kill them] Not a reall, but a mysticall killing; the Resurrection, ver. 11. is mysticall, for of no resurrection, properly so called, do we read before the 20.5. of this Prophecie, therefore the killing is a throwing them from place out of Office, some civill death. Mr Mede.
Vers. 8. And their dead bodies shall lye in the streets of the great City] That is, Rome so called, not so much for the quantitie, as because she had been Queen of all other, as 17.18. Mede.
Which spiritually is called Sodome, and Aegypt] Rome is here for her pride and filthinesse called Sodome, and for her Idolatry and cruelty Aegypt, and also in this Book Babylon, because of its sorcery and witchcraft, as if the wickednesse of them all were concentred in her.
Where our Lord also was crucified] In respect of the place our Lord Jesus was crucified at Jerusalem, Deut:but if we respect the power and authority that put him to death, he was crucified at Rome: For Christ was put to death by a Romane Judge, by Romane Laws, by Romane Authority, by a kind of death proper only to the Romans, and in a place which then was within the Romane Empire.
Even in Rome it selfe Christ hath been crucified in his members, and hee was not crucified within Jerusalem,Down. of Ant. l. 1. c: 2: Heb. 13.12.
Vers. 13. And the same houre was there a great Earthquake] A mysticall (not a naturall) Earth-quake, when there are great stirrs and commotions in Kingdomes and States, and by these the formes of government changed. Such earth-quakes are those mentioned at the 8. ch. v. 5. & 16.18. and all along in this booke.
Vers. 15. The kingdomes of this world] That is, the principall State, power and persons governing in all the parts of the world, the maine ruling power of States. World here is taken in opposition to some particular climate or Region, so it notes the whole universe. Some referre this to heaven, but it must have accomplishment on earth.
Are become] That is, manifested to be the kingdomes of our Lord] Lord properly notes God the Father in the primitive acception of it,Mr Hues. Domininostri & Christi] Kaì exegericum est, pro Domini nostri, qui est Christus, sicut passim Apostolus, Deus & Pater, pro Deus, qui est Pater. Pareus. so here. and of his Christ] Christ the name of God manifested in the flesh, signifies Annointed; That is, set apart to be the peculiar King, Priest, and Prophet of his people; here recorded emphatically, as Luke 2.29.
And he shall reigne for ever and ever] Greeke, unto ages of ages, according to the Hebrew, unto generation and generation.
Vers. 16. And the foure and twenty Elders] That is, the Church, See 19.4. Which sat before God on their seates] Their sitting on seates notes two things, 1. Their rest. 2. Their quiet and peaceable estate. Bish. Cowper.
Vers. 19. The arke] That is, the secret mysteries of God He persists in the allegory of the old Temple, in whose secret place was the Arke of the Covenant of God, seene by none but the High Priest once a yeare.