Commentaries:
People's Commentary (NT)
Revelation 11:1
The Two Witnesses
SUMMARY OF REVELATION 11: The Temple Measured. The Holy City Trodden
Down by the Gentiles. The Two Witnesses. Prophesying in Sackcloth.
The Forty-two Months. The Witness Slain. The Witness Exalted. The
Fall of the Wicked World. The Seventh Trumpet Blown. The Final
Triumph.
There was given me a reed like a rod. There are several points
that must be noticed: 1. Who measures? 2. The measure used? 3. What is
measured? (1) A reed is given to John to be used as a measure. It is
not an angel who measures, but an apostle, the sole "representative" of
the apostles then living. The apostle is a representative of the
apostolic body. It is the apostles who are to measure, or (2) the
measure is not a human one. John did not make it, nor did any other
apostle, nor any man, or body of men. The reed "was given to him". It
is a divine measure. Whatever is measured is to be compared with a
divine standard. There is a divine standard for measurement which was
given by our Lord to the apostles. This is the New Testament of Jesus
Christ.
Measure the temple of God. (3) This cannot mean the literal temple.
It was not in the part of the world where John was, if it had been
standing; nor was it then standing. What is meant is that of which the
temple was a symbol; viz., "the Church". See PNT "1Co 3:17".
And the altar. In the Jewish temple the altar was the place where
the worship centered. Without the altar worship was impossible, and the
altar is taken as a symbol of the worship. The sacrifices of the altar
were all typical of Christ's atonement. Hence, the measurement has a
relation to the death of Christ.
And them that worship therein. The measure shall be applied to
those who profess to be Christians. It will be seen whether they come
up to the standard.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Revelation 11:3
Revelation 11:4
Revelation 11:9
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