John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And he that sat upon the throne said , etc.] By whom is meant, either God the Father, who is often represented in this book as sitting on the throne, and as distinguished from Christ the Lamb; (see Revelation 4:2) ( Revelation 5:13 6:16 7:10) and who may seem the more to be intended, since he is by adopting grace the God and Father of his people, and they are his sons and daughters; or rather Christ, who not only is set down on the same throne with his Father, but has a throne of his own, called the throne of the Lamb, and was seen upon one by John in the preceding vision, ( Revelation 20:11) which though in order of time will be after this, yet in the order of the visions was seen before; and especially since the person on the throne speaking, calls himself the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, as Christ does in ( Revelation 1:8) and seeing he it is that gives to thirsty souls of the water of life, ( John 7:37,38) and makes promises to the overcomer so largely and frequently in ( Revelation 2:7,11,17,26 3:5,12,21). He addresses John, and delivers the following things to him, behold, I make all things new ; which is to be understood not of the renovation of persons at conversion, when a new heart and spirit are given, and men are made wholly new creatures; for this is the work of the Spirit, and which is done daily, and is not peculiar to any particular period of time; nor of the renewing of the church state at the beginning of the Gospel, when the Jewish church state and ordinances waxed old, and vanished away, and a new covenant took place, a new and living way was opened, and new ordinances appointed, since all this was before John had this vision; nor was there any need of it to represent it to him; but of the making of the new heaven, and the new earth, which Christ ascribes to himself and of his forming his church anew, making it a new Jerusalem, bestowing new glories upon his people, both in soul and body, and so presenting them to himself a glorious church; and of the new administration of his kingdom in a very singular and glorious manner; so that it respects a new people, a new habitation, and a new manner of ruling over them; all which is his own doing, and is marvellous; and because it is a matter of great importance, and is wonderful and certain, therefore a behold is prefixed to it; (see Isaiah 43:19). The Jews say f458 , that the holy blessed God will make ten things new in the future state, or world to come; the first is, he will enlighten the world; ((see Revelation 21:11,23)) the second is, he will bring living water out of Jerusalem; ((see Revelation 21:6)) the third is, he will make trees to bring forth their fruit every month; ((see Revelation 22:2)) and the fourth is, all the waste places shall be built, even Sodom and Gomorrha; the fifth is, Jerusalem shall be built with sapphire stone; ((see Revelation 21:19)) the sixth is, the cow and the bear shall feed; the seventh is, a covenant shall be made between Israel, and the beasts, fowls, and creeping things; the eighth is, there shall be no more weeping and howling in the world; the ninth is, there shall be no more death in the world; the tenth is, there shall no more be sighing, and groaning, and sorrow in the world; (see Revelation 21:4). And he said unto me, write ; what John had seen, and Christ had said, and was about to say; and particularly what concerned the renewing of all things, the whole being a matter of moment, and worth noting and taking down in writing, that it might be on record for saints to read, and receive comfort and advantage from; and to denote the certainty of it, as well as to show that it was a clear point, and to be known, whereas, when it was otherwise, he was bid not to write; (see Revelation 1:11,19 14:13 19:9 10:4). for these words are true and faithful ; both what he had said, and was about to say; they were true, because they came from God, who cannot lie, and faithful, because they would be punctually and exactly fulfilled; (see Revelation 19:9). The Syriac version adds, they are God's, and so the Arabic version.
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 ειπεν 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM καθημενος 2521 5740 V-PNP-NSM επι 1909 PREP του 3588 T-GSM θρονου 2362 N-GSM ιδου 2400 5628 V-2AAM-2S καινα 2537 A-APN παντα 3956 A-APN ποιω 4160 5719 V-PAI-1S και 2532 CONJ λεγει 3004 5719 V-PAI-3S μοι 3427 P-1DS γραψον 1125 5657 V-AAM-2S οτι 3754 CONJ ουτοι 3778 D-NPM οι 3588 T-NPM λογοι 3056 N-NPM αληθινοι 228 A-NPM και 2532 CONJ πιστοι 4103 A-NPF εισιν 1526 5748 V-PXI-3P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. True and faithful (alhqinoi kai pistoi). The proper order of the Greek is the reverse, as Rev., faithful and true.
