John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. And prevailed not , etc.] That is, the dragon, or the devil, and his angels, prevailed not against Michael and his angels; but, on the other hand, were conquered by them, as the above tyrants were by Constantine and Theodosius: some copies read in the singular number, and he prevailed not, as the Alexandrian copy, the Complutensian edition the Arabic and Ethiopic versions; and other copies in the plural number, they prevailed not: and as the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions: neither was their place found any more in heaven ; in the Roman empire; or his place, as some copies and versions: this was the time of the judgment of the world, or of the empire as Pagan; Satan the prince of the world, who had long governed in it, was now cast out of all power and authority in it, and all the idol gods in whom he was worshipped, with all the idolatrous priests; nor were there any more any Heathen emperors, for after Constantine's time there was only Julian the apostate, and who reigned but a little while; and after Theodosius, who cleared the empire of Paganism, there never was any, and there is reason to believe there never will be.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-11 - The attempts of the dragon proved unsuccessful against the church, an fatal to his own interests. The seat of this war was in heaven; in the church of Christ, the kingdom of heaven on earth. The parties wer Christ, the great Angel of the covenant, and his faithful followers and Satan and his instruments. The strength of the church is in havin the Lord Jesus for the Captain of their salvation. Pagan idolatry which was the worship of devils, was cast out of the empire by the spreading of Christianity. The salvation and strength of the church are only to be ascribed to the King and Head of the church. The conquered enemy hates the presence of God, yet he is willing to appea there, to accuse the people of God. Let us take heed that we give his no cause to accuse us; and that, when we have sinned, we go before the Lord, condemn ourselves, and commit our cause to Christ as ou Advocate. The servants of God overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb as the cause. By the word of their testimony: the powerful preaching of the gospel is mighty, through God, to pull down strong holds. By their courage and patience in sufferings: they loved not their lives so wel but they could lay them down in Christ's cause. These were the warrior and the weapons by which Christianity overthrew the power of paga idolatry; and if Christians had continued to fight with these weapons and such as these, their victories would have been more numerous an glorious, and the effects more lasting. The redeemed overcame by simple reliance on the blood of Christ, as the only ground of their hopes. In this we must be like them. We must not blend any thing els with this.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ουκ 3756 PRT-N ισχυσαν 2480 5656 V-AAI-3P ουτε 3777 CONJ τοπος 5117 N-NSM ευρεθη 2147 5681 V-API-3S αυτων 846 P-GPM ετι 2089 ADV εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSM ουρανω 3772 N-DSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
8. Prevailed (iscusan). See on Luke xiv. 30; xvi. 3; Jas. v. 16.
