--- title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation" author: "Adam Clarke" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 767 of 769 url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/767/ cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation, section 767. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/767/" --- # Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation *Adam Clarke* Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 2 of 2. ## 767. Revelation · 35 of 37 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/767/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/767/#p-N [¶0] 1. A bluish white; this is the most common sort. [¶1] 2. The dull milky veined; this is of little worth. [¶2] 3. The brownish black; the least beautiful of all. [¶3] 4. The yellow and red; the most beautiful, as it is the most valuable of all. Hitherto this has been found only in the East Indies. [¶4] The fourth, an emerald - This is of a bright green color without any mixture, and is one of the most beautiful of all the gems, The true oriental emerald as very scarce, and said to be found only in the kingdom of Cambay. ### Verse 20 [¶6] The fifth, sardonyx - The onyx is an accidental variety of the agate kind; it is of a dark horny color, in which is a plate of a bluish white, and sometimes of red. When on one or both sides of the white there happens to lie also a plate of a reddish color, the jewelers call the stone a sardonyx. [¶7] The sixth, sardius - The sardius, sardel, or sardine stone, is a precious stone of a blood-red color. [¶8] The seventh, chrysolite - The gold stone. It is of a dusky green with a cast of yellow. It is a species of the topaz. [¶9] The eighth, beryl - This is a pellucid gem of a bluish green color. [¶10] The ninth, a topaz - A pale dead green, with a mixture of yellow. It is considered by the mineralogists as a variety of the sapphire. [¶11] The tenth, a chrysoprasus - A variety of the chrysolite, called by some the yellowish green and cloudy topaz. It differs from the chrysolite only in having a bluish hue. [¶12] The eleventh, a jacinth - A precious stone of a dead red color, with a mixture of yellow. It is the same as the hyacenet or cinnamon stone. [¶13] The twelfth, an amethyst - A gem generally of a purple or violet color, composed of a strong blue and deep red. [¶14] These stones are nearly the same with those on the breastplate of the high priest, [Exo 28:17], etc., and probably were intended to express the meaning of the Hebrew words there used. See the notes on [Exo 28:17], etc. where these gems are particularly explained. ### Verse 21 [¶16] The twelve gates were twelve pearls - This must be merely figurative, for it is out of all the order of nature to produce a pearl large enough to make a gate to such an immense city. But St. John may refer to some relations of this nature among his countrymen, who talk much of most prodigious pearls. I shall give an example: "When Rabbi Juchanan (John) once taught that God would provide jewels and pearls, thirty cubits every way, ten of which should exceed in height twenty cubits, and would place them in the gates of Jerusalem, according to what is said [Isa 54:12], I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, one of his disciples ridiculed him, saying, Where can such be found, since at present there is none so large as a pigeon's egg? Afterwards, being at sea in a ship, he saw the ministering angels cutting gems and pearls; and he asked them for what purpose they were preparing those. They answered, to place them in the gates of Jerusalem. On his return he found Rabbi Juchanan teaching as usual; to whom he said, Explain, master, what I have seen. He answered, Thou knave, unless thou hadst seen, thou wouldst not have believed; wilt thou not receive the saying of the wise men? At that moment he fixed his eyes upon him, and he was reduced into a heap of bones." - Bava bathra, fol. 77, 1, and Sanhedrim, fol. 100, 1, page 393. Edit. Cocceii. See Schoettgen. ### Verse 22 [¶18] I saw no temple - There was no need of a temple where God and the Lamb were manifestly present. ### Verse 23 [¶20] No need of the sun - This is also one of the traditions of the ancient Jews, that "in the world to come the Israelites shall have no need of the sun by day, nor the moon by night." - Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 7, 3. God's light shines in this city, and in the Lamb that light is concentrated, and from him everywhere diffused. ### Verse 24 [¶22] The nations of them which are saved - This is an illusion to the promise that the Gentiles should bring their riches, glory, and excellence, to the temple at Jerusalem, after it should be rebuilt. See [Rev 21:26]. ### Verse 25 [¶24] The gates of it shall not be shut at all - The Christian Church shall ever stand open to receive sinners of all sorts, degrees, and nations. [¶25] There shall be no night there - No more idolatry, no intellectual darkness; the Scriptures shall be everywhere read, the pure word everywhere preached, and the Spirit of God shall shine and work in every heart. ### Verse 26 [¶27] The glory and honor of the nations into it - Still alluding to the declarations of the prophets, (see the passages in the margin, [Rev 21:24], etc.), that the Gentiles would be led to contribute to the riches and glory of the temple by their gifts, etc. ### Verse 27 [¶29] There shall in nowise enter into it any thing that defileth - See [Isa 35:8]; [Isa 52:1]. Neither an impure person - he who turns the grace of God into lasciviousness, nor a liar - he that holds and propagates false doctrines. [¶30] But they which are written - The acknowledged persevering members of the true Church of Christ shall enter into heaven, and only those who are saved from their sins shall have a place in the Church militant. [¶31] All Christians are bound by their baptism to renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh; to keep God's holy word and commandments; and to walk in the same all the days of their life. This is the generation of them that seek thy face, O God of Jacob! Reader, art thou of this number? Or art thou expecting an eternal glory while living in sin? If so, thou wilt be fearfully disappointed. Presuming on the mercy of God is as ruinous as despairing of his grace. Where God gives power both to will and to do, the individual should work out his salvation with fear and trembling. ### Introduction [¶33] The river of the water of life, [Rev 22:1]. The tree of life, [Rev 22:2]. There is no curse nor darkness in the city of God, [Rev 22:3-5]. The angel assures John of the truth of what he has heard, and states that the time of the fulfillment is at hand, [Rev 22:6], [Rev 22:7]. He forbids John to worship him, [Rev 22:8], [Rev 22:9]. Again he states that the time of the fulfillment of the prophecies of this book is at hand, [Rev 22:10-12]. Christ is Alpha and Omega, [Rev 22:13]. The blessedness of those who keep his commandments; they enter through the gates into the city, [Rev 22:14]. All the unholy are excluded, [Rev 22:15]. Christ sent his angel to testify of those things in the Churches, [Rev 22:16]. The invitation of the Spirit and the bride, [Rev 22:17]. A curse denounced against those who shall either add to or take away front the prophecies of this book, [Rev 22:18], [Rev 22:19]. Christ cometh quickly, [Rev 22:20]. The apostolical benediction, [Rev 22:21]. ### Verse 1 [¶35] Pure river of water of life - This is evidently a reference to the garden of paradise, and the river by which it was watered; and there is also a reference to the account, [Eze 47:7-12]. Water of life, as we have seen before, generally signifies spring or running water; here it may signify incessant communications of happiness proceeding from God. ### Verse 2 [¶37] In the midst of the street of it - That is, of the city which was described in the preceding chapter. [¶38] The tree of life - An allusion to [Gen 2:9]. As this tree of life is stated to be in the streets of the city, and on each side of the river, tree must here be an enallage of the singular for the plural number, trees of life, or trees which yielded fruit by which life was preserved. The account in Ezekiel is this: "And by the river, upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade - it shall bring forth new fruit, according to his months - and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine;" [Eze 47:12]. [¶39] Twelve manner of fruits - Καρπους δωδεκα· Twelve fruits; that is, fruit twelve times in the year, as is immediately explained, yielded her fruit every month. As this was a great and spacious city, one fountain was not sufficient to provide water for it, therefore a river is mentioned; a great river, by which it was sufficiently watered. Some think that by this tree of life the Gospel is indicated; the twelve fruits are the twelve apostles; and the leaves are Gospel doctrines by which the nations - the Gentiles, are healed of the disease of sin. But this seems to be a fanciful interpretation. ### Verse 3 [¶41] No more curse - Instead of καταναθεμα, curse, the best MSS., versions, etc., read καταθεμα cursed person. As there shall be no more sinning against God, so there shall be no more curse of God upon the people; for they shall be all his servants, and serve him. Our first parents came under the curse by sinning against their Maker in paradise; these shall never apostatize, therefore neither they nor the earth shall be cursed. ### Verse 4 [¶43] See his face - Enjoy what is called the beatific vision; and they shall exhibit the fullest evidence that they belong entirely to him, for his name shall be written on their foreheads.