John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. And I saw one of his heads , etc.] Not the Capitoline mountain, or the Capitol, the temple of Jupiter, built on that hill, which was burnt by lightning in the times of Titus, and magnificently rebuilt by Domitian, which was a thing past, and of no such moment as to be taken notice of here; nor anyone of the Roman emperors particularly, as Julius Caesar, at whose death the empire received a wound, upon its first erection in him, but was healed by the settlement of Augustus in it; nor Nero, at whose death the family of the Caesars ceased, when the empire was threatened with ruin in the following reigns, but was restored and reestablished in Vespasian, for these were before the times of John: but this is to be understood of the sixth head, or form of government, which obtained in the empire; namely, that of emperors, and of the destruction of Rome itself, the head of the empire, and which was built on seven mountains, designed by the seven heads of this beast: and this head was as it were wounded to death ; when the Roman empire was like a burning mountain cast into the sea; when Rome itself was taken, sacked, and burnt, more than once, particularly by Totilas; when Augustulus, the last of the emperors, was obliged to abdicate the throne; when Odoacer called himself, not emperor of Rome, but king of Italy, and retired from Rome to Ravenna; and when Adolphus, another Gothic king, thought to have changed the name of Rome, and given it that of Gothia: this seemed to be a deadly wound to Rome, to the empire and emperors. And his deadly wound was healed ; by the setting up of ten kingdoms in it, the kings of which gave them to the beast, to antichrist, the pope of Rome, and so the empire came to have an head again, a governor, though of another kind: some choose to understand this of the wound which antichrist received at the Reformation, by Luther, Calvin, and others, which has since been healing, Popery recovering itself again in some countries where it was driven out, and which, it is thought, will be entirely healed before his destruction: and all the world wondered after the beast ; which expresses the large extent of antichrist's dominion, which reached to all the Roman empire, ( Luke 2:1); yea, to all kindreds, tongues, and nations, ( Revelation 13:7); so that the universality the Papists boast of, as a note of the true church, is manifestly a mark of the beast, or of antichrist; and also the great esteem he is had in by his followers, who admire his power and authority, his grandeur, pomp, and riches, his signs and lying wonders, his pretended infallibility and holiness, his stock of merits and unwritten traditions, his skill to interpret Scripture, and his power to forgive sins, and the like: they went after him, obeyed him, embraced his doctrines, attended his religion and worship with wonder and amazement.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - The apostle, standing on the shore, saw a savage beast rise out of the sea; a tyrannical, idolatrous, persecuting power, springing up out of the troubles which took place. It was a frightful monster! It appear to mean that worldly, oppressing dominion, which for many ages, eve from the times of the Babylonish captivity, had been hostile to the church. The first beast then began to oppress and persecute the righteous for righteousness' sake, but they suffered most under the fourth beast of Daniel, (the Roman empire,) which has afflicted the saints with many cruel persecutions. The source of its power was the dragon. It was set up by the devil, and supported by him. The woundin the head may be the abolishing pagan idolatry; and the healing of the wound, introducing popish idolatry, the same in substance, only in new dress, but which as effectually answers the devil's design. The world admired its power, policy and success. They paid honour an subjection to the devil and his instruments. It exercised inferna power and policy, requiring men to render that honour to creature which belongs to God alone. Yet the devil's power and success ar limited. Christ has a chosen remnant, redeemed by his blood, recorde in his book, sealed by his Spirit; and though the devil and antichris may overcome the body, and take away the natural life, they cannot conquer the soul, nor prevail with true believers to forsake their Saviour, and join his enemies. Perseverance in the faith of the gospe and true worship of God, in this great hour of trial and temptation which would deceive all but the elect, is the character of thos registered in the book of life. This powerful motive and encouragemen to constancy, is the great design of the whole Revelation.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ειδον 1492 5627 V-2AAI-1S μιαν 1520 A-ASF των 3588 T-GPF κεφαλων 2776 N-GPF αυτου 846 P-GSN ως 5613 ADV εσφαγμενην 4969 5772 V-RPP-ASF εις 1519 PREP θανατον 2288 N-ASM και 2532 CONJ η 3588 T-NSF πληγη 4127 N-NSF του 3588 T-GSM θανατου 2288 N-GSM αυτου 846 P-GSN εθεραπευθη 2323 5681 V-API-3S και 2532 CONJ {VAR1: εθαυμασθη 2296 5681 V-API-3S εν 1722 PREP ολη 3650 A-DSF τη 3588 T-DSF γη 1093 N-DSF } {VAR2: εθαυμασεν 2296 5656 V-AAI-3S ολη 3650 A-NSF η 3588 T-NSF γη 1093 N-NSF } οπισω 3694 ADV του 3588 T-GSN θηριου 2342 N-GSN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. I saw (eidon). Omitted in the best texts.Wounded (efagmenhn). Lit., slain. See on ch. v. 6. The Rev. smitten is questionable. The word occurs eight times in Revelation, and in seven of these it must be rendered slain or slaughtered. Professor Milligan rightly observes that the statement is the counterpart of that in ver. 6, where we read of the lamb as though it had been slaughtered. In both cases there had been actual death, and in both revival. The one is a mocking counterpart of the other.
Deadly wound (plhgh tou qanatou). Lit., stroke of death. Rev., death-stroke.
After the beast (opisw tou qhriou). A pregnant construction for wondered at and followed after.
