John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. These are they which were not defiled with women , etc.] With the whore of Rome, and her harlots, she is the mother of; while the kings and inhabitants of the earth were drunk with the wine of their fornication, or committed idolatry with them, which is spiritual fornication, and is here meant by being defiled with them, these were free from such pollutions, or idolatrous practices: for they are virgins ; for their beauty and comeliness in Christ, chastity, sincerity of their love, uncorruptness in doctrine and worship, and for the uprightness of conversation; (see Gill on Matthew 25:1); these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth ; as the sheep follow the shepherd of the flock, and which is a character of Christ's sheep, ( John 10:4,5,27). These follow Christ in the exercise of the graces of humility, patience, and love; and in the performance of the several duties of religion, and subjection to ordinances, and in the path of sufferings; and in every way in which Christ the Lamb has gone before them, or in his word and providence leads and directs them to, whether it be grateful to the flesh or not; particularly they follow where he is preached, and his Word and ordinances are faithfully administered; and they follow him to heaven, where he is: it was part of the oath taken by the Roman soldiers, toiv strathgoiv akolouyein opoi pot' ai agwsi , to follow the generals wherever they should lead f350 , to which it is thought there is an allusion here; (see 2 Samuel 15:21); these were redeemed from among men ; by Jesus, as the Syriac and Arabic versions add, and so the Complutensian edition; by the blood of Christ, for all men are not redeemed by it; and in consequence of this they were called, and delivered from this present evil world, and the men of it, and from a vain, wicked, and idolatrous conversation with it: [being] the firstfruits unto God, and to the Lamb ; in allusion to the firstfruits under the law, which represented and sanctified the lump, and showed that harvest was coming; so these persons are called the firstfruits to God, and to the Lamb, being called by grace, and consecrated to their worship and service, with reference to the harvest of souls, or that large number of them which will be gathered in during the spiritual reign of Christ, which these persons will be at the beginning of; and as those who are first called and converted in a country or nation are said to be the firstfruits of it, ( Romans 16:5 1 Corinthians 16:15); so these being the first, in the period of time to which respect is had, bear this name; and as the converted Jews received the firstfruits of the Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, and at other times, so these will receive the firstfruits of the far greater pouring forth of the Spirit in the latter day, which will begin, and usher in the kingdom of Christ; (see Romans 8:23).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Mount Sion is the gospel church. Christ is with his church, and in the midst of her in all her troubles, therefore she is not consumed. Hi presence secures perseverance. His people appear honourably. They have the name of God written in their foreheads; they make a bold and ope profession of their faith in God and Christ, and this is followed by suitable actings. There were persons in the darkest times, who venture and laid down their lives for the worship and truth of the gospel of Christ. They kept themselves clean from the wicked abominations of the followers of antichrist. Their hearts were right with God; and the were freely pardoned in Christ; he is glorified in them, and they in him. May it be our prayer, our endeavour, our ambition, to be found in this honourable company. Those who are really sanctified and justifie are meant here, for no hypocrite, however plausible, can be accounte to be without fault before God. (Rev 14:6-13)
Greek Textus Receptus
ουτοι 3778 D-NPM εισιν 1526 5748 V-PXI-3P οι 3739 R-NPM μετα 3326 PREP γυναικων 1135 N-GPF ουκ 3756 PRT-N εμολυνθησαν 3435 5681 V-API-3P παρθενοι 3933 N-NPF γαρ 1063 CONJ εισιν 1526 5748 V-PXI-3P ουτοι 3778 D-NPM εισιν 1526 5748 V-PXI-3P οι 3588 T-NPM ακολουθουντες 190 5723 V-PAP-NPM τω 3588 T-DSN αρνιω 721 N-DSN οπου 3699 ADV αν 302 PRT υπαγη 5217 5725 V-PAS-3S ουτοι 3778 D-NPM ηγορασθησαν 59 5681 V-API-3P απο 575 PREP των 3588 T-GPM ανθρωπων 444 N-GPM απαρχη 536 N-NSF τω 3588 T-DSM θεω 2316 N-DSM και 2532 CONJ τω 3588 T-DSN αρνιω 721 N-DSN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. Were not defiled (ouk emolunqhsan). The verb means properly to besmear or besmirch, and is never used in a good sense, as miainein (John xviii. 28; Jude 8), which in classical Greek is sometimes applied to staining with color. See on 1 Pet. i. 4.Virgins (parqenoi). Either celibate or living in chastity whether in married or single life. See 1 Cor. vii. 1-7, 29; 2 Cor. xi. 2.
First-fruits (aparch). See on Jas. i. 18.
