And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
6. having ] We should probably read “which had”: we see in Rev 15:7 that they did not come out having them.
white ] More accurately, bright.
linen ] R. V. “arrayed with precious stone, pure and bright” following a strange reading “stone” (the Greek word differs only by one letter), which is very strongly attested. If it be right, the nearest parallel is Eze 28:13 where, comparing the next two verses, it seems as though the human “king of Tyrus” were identified with a fallen Angel, perhaps the patron of the city. Therefore these holy Angels may be here described as clothed in glory like his before his fall.
their breasts ] As in Rev 1:13, where see note.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the seven angels – See the notes on Rev 15:1.
Came out of the temple – Were seen to come from the temple; that is, from the immediate presence of God.
Having the seven plagues – See the notes on Rev 15:1. Each one entrusted with a single plague to be executed upon the earth. The meaning here is, that they were designated or appointed to execute those plagues in judgments. The symbols of their office – the golden vials – were given to them afterward, Rev 15:7.
Clothed in pure and white linen – The emblem of holiness – the common representation in regard to the heavenly inhabitants. See the notes on Rev 3:4; Rev 7:13. Compare Mat 17:2; Luk 9:29; Mar 16:5.
And having their breasts girded with golden girdles – See the notes on Rev 1:13. The meaning is, that they were attired in a manner befitting their rank and condition.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. The seven angels came out of the temple] To show that they were sent from God himself.
Clothed in pure and white linen] Habited as priests. For these habits see Ex 28:6; Ex 28:8; and See Clarke on Re 1:13.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And the seven angels; the seven ministers of Gods vengeance on antichrist, to whom the vials were given.
Came out of the temple; that is, out of the tabernacle of the testimony; for in Mosess tabernacle there was only this inward court for the priests, the people worshipped without. They came (as the high priest was wont) out of the oracle to bring Gods answer to all his saints prayers.
Having the seven plagues: the answer was seven plagues, that is, that God had employed them to bring seven plagues successively upon the antichristian party, and all the enemies of his church, till by them they should be consumed.
Clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles; these angels came in the habit of high priests, when they went in to inquire of God, or came out with an answer from God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. havingSo B reads. But Aand C, read “who have”: not that they had them yet (compareRe 15:7), but they are byanticipation described according to their office.
linenSo B reads. ButA, C, and Vulgate, “a stone.” On the principle thatthe harder reading is the one least likely to be an interpolation, weshould read, “a stone pure (‘and’ is omitted in A, B, C, andANDREAS), brilliant”(so the Greek): probably the diamond. With English Version,compare Act 1:10; Act 10:30.
golden girdlesresemblingthe Lord in this respect (Re 1:13).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the seven angels came out of the temple,…. By which it appears, that they are such who are of, or belong to the church of Christ; and are either ministers, or members of churches, who will be the executioners of God’s wrath upon the beast, and his followers; some copies, and the Complutensian edition, read, “out of heaven”:
having the seven plagues; that is, they were appointed to inflict them, and were preparing and furnishing for it, and quickly had orders to do it:
clothed in pure and white linen; in which habit angels have been used to appear, as at our Lord’s resurrection and ascension, and is by some thought to be expressive of the purity and holiness of angels; but rather saints are meant, who appear in the habit of priests, being all made kings and priests; and denotes their being clothed with the pure and spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness, which is fine linen, clean and white, and the righteousness of the saints, Re 19:8 and also their spiritual joy in their present situation, and in the view of the destruction of antichrist, their sackcloth being put off, in which they, the witnesses, before appeared. So the linen garment of the high priest was, as Philo the Jew says n, made of “fine linen”, , “most pure”. The Alexandrian copy, and some copies of the Vulgate Latin version, and some exemplars mentioned by Andreas Caesariensis, an ancient commentator on this book, read, “clothed with a stone, pure and white”; as if they were arrayed in garments of stone, which is not likely; unless reference is had to the stone asbestos, of an iron colour, found, as Pliny says o, in the mountains of Arcadia, of which linen was made, called “asbestinum”, and of that garments; which were so far from being consumed by fire, that they became clean and brighter by it; or to the Carystian stone, which the inhabitants of Carystus used to comb, spin, and weave, and make carpets of p.
And having their breasts girded with golden girdles; such an one as Christ himself was girded with, Re 1:13 and this some understand of the love, which the breasts of angels are filled with towards the saints, and their readiness to perform all good offices to them, and to execute the judgments of God upon their enemies, whenever they have orders: but since these angels come out of the temple, and members of Gospel churches seem designed, rather this is to be understood either of the grace of faith, which is much more precious than of gold that perisheth, which receives the righteousness of Christ, puts it on, and girds it about the believer; or of love, the love of God and Christ, which encompass the saints about, and constrain them, and engage them in fervent love to them, and one another: or of the girdle of truth, Eph 6:14 which is near and close to them, and which keeps them close to Christ; nor can they depart totally and finally from him, or that; or in general, this may denote their strength and readiness for what service they shall be called to; see Lu 12:35.
n De Somniis, p. 597. o Nat. Hist. l. 37. c. 10. p Pancirol, rer. memorab. par. 1. tit. 4. & Salmuth in ib. Plin. l. 19. c. 1. Turueb. Adversar. l. 23. c. 1. Schotti Thaumaturg, l. 2. sect. 10. p. 118.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
There came out (). Second aorist active indicative of with – rather than –. Proleptic and prophetic aorist.
The seven angels ( ). Those in verse 1.
The seven plagues ( ). The bowls are not given them till verse 7.
Arrayed (). Perfect passive participle of .
With precious stone pure and bright ( ). Accusative case retained with verb of clothing as so often, literally “with a stone pure bright.” For both adjectives together see Rev 19:8; Rev 19:14. Some MSS. read (linen). For see Rev 17:4; Rev 18:16; Ezek 28:13.
Girt (). Perfect passive participle of . See 1:13 for both participles. For (breast) see Lu 18:13.
With golden girdles ( ). Accusative case after the perfect passive participle as in 1:13.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Linen [] . The Rev. follows the reading liqon stone, after the analogy of Eze 28:13, “Every precious stone was thy covering.” The idea is that of raiment studded with precious stones. See on ch. Rev 2:17.
White [] . Mostly applied in the New Testament to clothing, as Luk 23:11; Act 10:30; Jas 2:2. Also to the water of life (ch. 22 1), and the morning – star (ch. 22 16). Rev., bright.
Girt round their breasts. As the Lord in the vision of Rev 1:13; where, however, mastoiv paps is used instead of sthqh breasts.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And the seven angels came out of the temple,” (kai eksethon hoi hepta angeloi ek tou naou) “And the seven angels came forth out of the shrine, (worship center) of heaven,” those having or holding in readiness the seven last plagues of the wrath of God, Rev 15:1.
2) “Having the seven plagues,” (hoi echontes tas hepta plegas), “Those (the ones) having, holding, or possessing the seven plagues.”
3) “Clothed in pure and white linen,” (endeumenoi linon katharon lampron) “Having been clothed in linen, bright or clean and white.”
The clothing of the priesthood service denoted cleanliness, purity, and holiness of the cause for which the worship and sacrifices were made to God, on behalf of sins of the people, Eze 44:17-18: Rev 19:8; Rev 19:14.
4) “And having their breasts girded with golden girdles,” (kai periezosmenoi peri ta stethe zonas chrusas) “And having golden girdles round and round their breasts,” Exo 28:6; Exo 28:8; Exo 39:1-7; Rev 1:13.
The priestly dress denotes a priestly office in heaven where Jesus as High Priest now intercedes for his own, Heb 7:25; 1Jn 2:1-2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(6) And the seven angels . . .Better, And there came out the seven angels who had the seven plagues from the temple, clothed in linen, pure, glistening, and girt about their breasts with golden girdles. The temple is the inner shrine, or sanctuary; it was this which was measured (Rev. 11:1); it was out of this that the angel with the sharp sickle came for the vintage of the earth (Rev. 14:7); out of this now came the seven angels with the seven plagues. It is well to remember this, for these plagues are not, like the judgments of the trumpet, calls to repentance; they are plagues on those who have refused to return, who have rejected the sanctuary, the tabernacle of witness, which the Lord pitched among men, and who have refused, like obstinate builders, the stone which has become the head of the corner. Out of the rejected temple the angels of wrath come; it is ever true that out of rejected mercies the heaviest of plagues are forged. The angels are clad in a garb resembling that of Christ (Rev. 1:13); they are come forth to do His bidding; they are clothed in raiment which indicates their righteous errand. (Comp. Rev. 19:8; Act. 1:10; Act. 10:30.) Instead of linen, some MSS. have a stone: the angels, according to this, were clad in a stone, pure, brilliant. There is a parallel thought in Ezekiel, who describes the splendour of the King of Tyre: Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, &c. (Eze. 28:13).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. Seven angels The number, sacredly assigned, of the divine ministers of judgment on Babylon.
The temple The very citadel of Christ’s capital: the inmost residence of the hostile forces against the antichristic citadel.
Having the seven plagues Said here to designate their assigned ministries, though the seven vials are not given them until the next verse.
Clothed Arrayed in the priestly vestments, for theirs is a holy office, the bloody sacrifice of the enemies of God.
Pure and white linen The sacred antithesis of the “scarlet” of the harlot. The rendering here then would be, Decked with a clear and brilliant stone.
Golden girdles Girdles, to signify preparedness for their ministry; golden, to show its rich and royal nature. Note on Rev 1:13.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
Ver. 6. Clothed in pure ] Habited as holy priests.
With golden girdles ] Here an interpreter gives this note, that they which are lewd and vicious, though never so wise, political, rich, and valiant, shall not be God’s instruments to plague Antichrist and his kingdom. (Mr Bernard.) This their priestly apparel showeth also how that these angels come forth in the Church’s cause, and for her sake, without any by and sinister respect. They are all of them sincere professors of the truth of Christ, their breasts girded with the golden girdles of truth.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rev 15:6 . These heavenly beings are magnificent creatures, robed in gold and light (a Hellenic conception, Dieterich, 38 f.) and linen (to denote their honourable and sacred office: so the scribe of judgment, Eze 9:2 , and the angel in Dan 10:5 ; Dan 12:6 ). Plutarch ( de Iside , 3, 4) explains that the linen surplice was affected by Egyptian votaries of Isis for religious reasons; e.g. , the bright smiling colour of flax, its freedom from lice, and the smooth, cleanly material it yielded.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
out of. App-104.
in . . . linen. The texts read “with precious stone pure and bright”.
having, &c. = girt about (Greek. peri. App-104) the breasts.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
angels
(See Scofield “Heb 1:4”)
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
the seven angels: Rev 15:1
clothed: Rev 1:13, Exo 28:5-8, Eze 44:17, Eze 44:18, Luk 24:4
Reciprocal: 2Ch 5:12 – arrayed Pro 14:3 – the mouth Eze 9:2 – and one Dan 10:5 – loins Dan 12:6 – man Mar 13:27 – shall he Rev 14:17 – came Rev 16:1 – the seven Rev 16:17 – there Rev 17:1 – one
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 15:6. Much of what is said and is to happen in many of the chapters to come has been considered before. It will pertain to God’s judgments against the corruptions of Rome and for her mistreatment of the faithful servants of Christ. Seven angels were clothed in white linen which means purity and the golden girdles signify the splendor of the place.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 6.
2. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles–Rev 15:6. The attire of the seven angels for the execution of the plagues of judgment was described, as “clothed in pure and white linen” and as having “golden girdles.” This linen was not ordinary cloth, but was represented in another figure as “arrayed with precious stone, pure and bright”–they were garments with the composition of solid precious jewels. The golden girdle was like that of the son of man in chapter one. It is the symbolism of the glory and power of the Lord himself, and it signified the unlimited exercise of power to exeaute the will of the Lamb and the judgments of God.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 15:6. The seven angels that have the seven plagues now issue from the temple, that is, from the innermost shrine of the heavenly sanctuary. Their clothing, according to the later and more correct reading of the Greek, has seemed to many to be absurd: they are clothed with a stone pure and lustrous. But the same idea meets us in Eze 28:13 (every precious stone was thy covering), and we have already seen with how much freedom the Apocalyptic Seer employs the figures of his book (comp. on the white stone of chap. Rev 2:17). Probably, too, it is not necessary to think of a clothing with actual stones however beaten out. The conditions may be sufficiently fulfilled by the thought of a garment covered and sparkling with precious stones (comp. chap. Rev 17:4). The girding is that of chap. Rev 1:13, so that we can hardly be wrong in supposing that priestly garments are alluded to, and that the precious stones worn by the high priest are thought of as multiplied till they constituted a garment for the whole body. The seven angels thus issue from the temple to be priests of destruction instead of salvation (comp. chap. Rev 14:6).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
The seven angels of vers one now step out of the temple, obviously coming from the presence of God. They are dressed in white, and, like the Lord ( Rev 1:13 ), have the breasts girt with a golden girdle.
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the {10} seven plagues, clothed in {11} pure and white linen, and having their breasts {12} girded with golden girdles.
(10) That is, commandments to inflict those seven plagues, by way of metonymy.
(11) Which was in old time a sign of the kingly or princely dignity.
(12) This girding was a sign of diligence, and the girdle of gold was a sign of sincerity and trustworthiness in taking in charge the commandments of God.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The seven angels now came out from God’s presence (cf. Rev 15:1). Each of them had received a plague (judgment) from God. Beale regarded these seven judgments as figurative of complete, severe judgment and not seven literal woes. [Note: Beale, pp. 803 and 812.] The angels’ clean linen garments represent holiness and righteousness (cf. Rev 19:8; Rev 19:14), and their golden sashes mark them as on a punitive mission (cf. Rev 1:18). Their clothing befits their purpose, which is to purify the earth. [Note: Thomas, Revelation 8-22, pp. 242-43.]