21:1 And 1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first
heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was
no more sea.
(1) Now follows the second part of the history prophetic of
the future estate of the Church in heaven after the last
judgment, to (Re 21:2-27,Re 22:1-5). In this are two
things briefly declared. The station, seat, or place of
it, (Re 21:1). Then her state and condition, in the
verses following. Before the state of the Church
described, is set down the state of the whole world, that
there shall be a new heaven, and a new earth;
(Isa 65:17,66:22,2Pe 3:13) and this is the seat or
place of the Church, in which righteousness shall dwell.
21:22 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming
down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband.
(2) The state of this glorious Church is first described
generally to (Re 21:3-8), and then specially and by
parts, in the verses following. The general description
consists in a vision shown afar off, (Re 21:2) and in
speech spoken from heaven. In the general these things are
common, that the Church is holy, new, the workmanship of
God, heavenly, most glorious, the spouse of Christ, and
partaker of his glory in this verse.
21:33 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold,
the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with
them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall
be with them, [and be] their God.
(3) The Church is described by the speech, first of an angel,
in two verses, then by God himself, in four verses. The
angel's speech describes the glory of the Church, by the
most intimate communion with God, by giving of all manner
of good things according to the covenant, in this verse:
and by removing or putting away of all evil things, in the
verse following (Re 21:4).
21:54 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make
all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words
are true and faithful.
(4) In the speech of God himself describing the Church, is
first an introduction, or entrance. Then follows a
magnificent description of the Church, by the present and
future good things of the same, in three verses following
(Re 21:6-8). In the introduction God challenges to
himself the restoring of all the creatures, (Re 21:1)
and witnesses the calling of John to the writing of these
things, in this verse.
21:6 And he said unto me, 5 It is done. I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is
athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
(5) The description of the Church is in three parts, by the
abolishing of old things, by the being of present things in
God, that is, of things eternal: and by the giving of all
good things with the godly. If so be they shall contend
manfully; (Re 21:7). But the reprobate are excluded
from there; (Re 21:8).
21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and
murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters,
and all liars, shall have their a part in the lake which
burneth with fire and
(a) Their lot, and inheritance as it were.
21:96 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which
had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and
talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the
bride, the Lamb's wife.
(6) A transition to the describing of the heavenly Church, by
the express calling of John in this verse, and his
enrapturing by the Spirit, in confirmation of the truth of
God in the verse following.
21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and 7
high mountain, and shewed me 8 that great city, the holy
Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
(7) He means the place and stately seat of the Church,
foreshadowed in a mountain.
(8) A type of that Church which is one, ample, or catholic,
holy celestial, built by God, in this verse: and glorious
in the verse following (Re 21:11). This type propounded
generally, is particularly declared; (Re 21:12).
21:129 And had a wall great and high, [and] had 10 twelve
gates, and at the gates 11 twelve angels, and names
written thereon, which are [the names] of the twelve
tribes of the children of Israel:
(9) A particular description of the celestial Church, first,
by its essential parts, compared to a city down to verse
22, (Re 21:12-22). Secondly, from the outside, to the
end of the chapter (Re 21:23-27). Thirdly, by the
effects, in the beginning of the next chapter, the
essential parts are noted the matter and the form in the
whole work: of these the superstructure and foundation of
the wall are entire parts (as they use to be called) which
parts are first described in figure, to the 14th verse
afterwards more exactly.
(10) According to the number of the tribes. For here the
outward part is attributed to the Old Testament, and the
foundation of the New Testament.
(11) He means the prophets, who are the messengers of God, and
watchmen of the Church.
21:14 And the wall of the city had 12 twelve foundations, and
in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
(12) That is, foundation stones, according to the number of the
gates, as is shown in (Re 21:19).
21:1513 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to
measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall
thereof.
(13) A transition to a more exquisite description of the parts
of the Church, by finding out its size, by the angel that
measured them.
21:1614 And the city lieth b foursquare, and the length is
as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the
reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth
and the height of it are equal.
(14) The measure and form most equal, in two verses.
(b) A foursquare figure has equal sides, and outright
corners, and therefore the Greeks call by this name
those things that are steady, and of continuance and
perfect.
21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred [and] forty
[and] four cubits, [according to] the measure of a man,
that is, of the c angel.
(c) He adds this, because the angel had the shape of a
man.
21:1815 And the building of the wall of it was [of] jasper:
and the city [was] pure gold, like unto clear glass.
(15) The matter most precious and glittering, which the
presence of God makes most glorious.
21:21 And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls; every several
gate was of one pearl: and the d street of the city
[was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
(d) By street, he means the broadest place of the city.
21:2316 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the
moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it,
and the Lamb [is] the light thereof.
(16) The second form of particular description (as I said)
(see Geneva "Re 21:12") from exterior and outward actions
which are these, light from God himself, to this verse
glory from men, (Re 21:24). Finally such truth and
incorruption of glory (Re 21:26) as can bear and
abide with it, nothing that is inglorious, (Re 21:27).
