John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes , etc.] Occasioned by sin, Satan, the hidings of God's face, and afflictive dispensations of Providence; for these will be no more: and there shall be no more death ; natural or violent; there will be no more putting of the saints to death, or persecution of them unto death, as in former times; nor will they die a natural death any more; these children of the resurrection, and inhabitants of the new heaven and earth, will be like the angels, who die not; there will be no more deadness as to spiritual things among the saints; and as for the second death, that will have no power over them. So the Jews say f455 , abl dyt[l htym ya , there is no death in the world to come; good is laid up for the righteous in the world to come, and with them is no death f456 ; and after the resurrection the body is perfect, and shall never after taste the taste of death f457 . Neither sorrow, nor crying ; on account of sin, or because of oppression and persecution, or through the loss of near relations and friends; sorrow and sighing will flee away, all occasions thereof being gone: neither shall there be any more pain; either of body or mind; there will be nothing to afflict the mind, and make that uneasy, but all the reverse; nor will there be any sickness or diseases of body, for the body will be raised glorious, powerful, incorruptible, and spiritual. For the former things are passed away ; not only the first heaven and earth, the world, its fashion, and its lusts; but the former grievous times under Rome Pagan and Papal, and everything which in this present life gives uneasiness and distress.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - The new heaven and the new earth will not be separate from each other the earth of the saints, their glorified, bodies, will be heavenly. The old world, with all its troubles and tumults, will have passed away There will be no sea; this aptly represents freedom from conflictin passions, temptations, troubles, changes, and alarms; from whatever can divide or interrupt the communion of saints. This new Jerusalem is the church of God in its new and perfect state, the church triumphant. It blessedness came wholly from God, and depends on him. The presence of God with his people in heaven, will not be interrupt as it is on earth he will dwell with them continually. All effects of former troubl shall be done away. They have often been in tears, by reason of sin, or affliction, of the calamities of the church; but no signs, n remembrance of former sorrows shall remain. Christ makes all thing new. If we are willing and desirous that the gracious Redeemer shoul make all things new in order hearts and nature, he will make all thing new in respect of our situation, till he has brought us to enjo complete happiness. See the certainty of the promise. God gives his titles, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, as a pledge for the full performance. Sensual and sinful pleasures are muddy and poisone waters; and the best earthly comforts are like the scanty supplies of cistern; when idolized, they become broken cisterns, and yield onl vexation. But the joys which Christ imparts are like waters springin from a fountain, pure, refreshing, abundant, and eternal. The sanctifying consolations of the Holy Spirit prepare for heavenl happiness; they are streams which flow for us in the wilderness. The fearful durst not meet the difficulties of religion, their slavish fea came from their unbelief; but those who were so dastardly as not to dare to take up the cross of Christ, were yet so desperate as to ru into abominable wickedness. The agonies and terrors of the first deat will lead to the far greater terrors and agonies of eternal death.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ εξαλειψει 1813 5692 V-FAI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM θεος 2316 N-NSM παν 3956 A-ASN δακρυον 1144 N-ASN απο 575 PREP των 3588 T-GPM οφθαλμων 3788 N-GPM αυτων 846 P-GPM και 2532 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM θανατος 2288 N-NSM ουκ 3756 PRT-N εσται 2071 5704 V-FXI-3S ετι 2089 ADV ουτε 3777 CONJ πενθος 3997 N-NSN ουτε 3777 CONJ κραυγη 2906 N-NSF ουτε 3777 CONJ πονος 4192 N-NSM ουκ 3756 PRT-N εσται 2071 5704 V-FXI-3S ετι 2089 ADV οτι 3754 CONJ τα 3588 T-NPN πρωτα 4413 A-NPN απηλθον 565 5627 V-2AAI-3P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. And God shall wipe away. Omit God. Read, as Rev., and He shall wipe away.All tears (pan dakruon). Lit., every tear. Compare Isa. xxv. 8. There shall be no more death (o qanatov ouk estai eti). Render, as Rev., death shall be no more.
Sorrow ( penqov). 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, "Phaedo," 81). So Sophocles:
"Sorrow touches not the dead." "Oedipus Coloneus," 966
"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
