And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne.
5. a man child ] Lit. a son, a male, the latter word being neuter.
who was to rule ] Lit. who is to rule. This designation of the Son proves beyond question who He is, see Rev 2:27 as proving, if there could be any doubt about it, how Psa 2:9 is understood in this book.
to God, and to his throne ] Cf. Rev 3:21. In the vision, “He that sat on the throne” is still present, and no doubt St John saw the translation of the child to His side.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And she brought forth a man child – Representing, according to the view above taken, the church in its increase and prosperity – as if a child were born that was to rule over all nations. See the notes on Rev 12:2.
Who was to rule all nations – That is, according to this view, the church thus represented was destined to reign in all the earth, or all the earth was to become subject to its laws. Compare the notes on Dan 7:13-14.
With a rod of iron – The language used here is derived from Psa 2:9; Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. The form of the expression here used, who was to rule – hos mellei poimainein – is derived from the Septuagint translation of the Psalm – poimaineis – thou shalt rule them; to wit, as a shepherd does his flock. The reference is to such control as a shepherd employs in relation to his flock – protecting, guarding, and defending them, with the idea that the flock is under his care; and, on the supposition that this refers to the church, it means that it would yet have the ascendency or the dominion over the earth. The meaning in the phrase, with a red of iron, is, that the dominion would be strong or irresistible – as an iron scepter is one that cannot be broken or resisted. The thoughts here expressed, therefore, are:
(a)That the church would become universal – or that the principles of truth and righteousness would prevail everywhere on the earth;
(b)That the ascendency of religion over the understandings and consciences of people would be irresistible – as firm as a government administered under a scepter of iron; yet,
(c)That it would be rather of a character of protection than of force or violence, like the sway which a shepherd wields over his flock.
I understand the man child here, therefore, to refer to the church in its increase under the Messiah, and the idea to be, that that church was, at the time referred to, about to be enlarged, and that, though its increase was opposed, yet it was destined ultimately to assert a mild sway over all the world. The time here referred to would seem to be some period in the early history of the church when religion was likely to be rapidly propagated, and when it was opposed and retarded by violent persecution – perhaps the last of the persecutions under the pagan Roman empire.
And her child was caught up unto God – This is evidently a symbolical representation. Some event was to occur, or some divine interposition was to take place, as if the child thus born were caught up from the earth to save it from death, and was rendered secure by being in the presence of God, and near his throne. It cannot be supposed that anything like this would literally occur. Any divine interposition to protect the church in its increase, or to save it from being destroyed by the dragon – the fierce pagan power – would be properly represented by this. Why may we not suppose the reference to be to the time of Constantine, when the church came under his protection; when it was effectually and finally saved from pagan persecution; when it was rendered safe from the enemy that waited to destroy it? On the supposition that this refers to an increasing but endangered church, in whose defense a civil power was raised up, exalting Christianity to the throne, and protecting it from danger, this would be well represented by the child caught up to heaven.
This view may derive confirmation from some well-known facts in history. The old pagan power was concentrated in Maximin, who was emperor from the Nile to the Bosphorus, and who raged against the gospel and the church with Satanic enmity. Infuriate at the now imminent prospect of the Christian body attaining establishment in the empire, Maximin renewed the persecution against Christians within the limits of his own dominion; prohibiting their assemblies, and degrading, and even killing their bishops. Compare Gibbon, 1:325, 326. The last struggle of pagan Rome to destroy the church by persecution, before the triumph of Constantine, and the public establishment of the Christian religion, might be well represented by the attempt of the dragon to destroy the child; and the safety of the church, and its complete deliverance from pagan persecution, by the symbol of a child caught up to heaven, and placed near the throne of God. The persecution under Maximin was the last struggle of paganism to retain the supremacy, and to crush Christianity in the empire. Before the decisive battle, says Milner, Maximin vowed to Jupiter that, if victorious, he would abolish the Christian name. The contest between Yahweh and Jupiter was now at its height, and drawing to a crisis.
The result was the defeat and death of Maximin, and the termination of the efforts of paganism to destroy Christianity by force. Respecting this event, Mr. Gibbon remarks, The defeat and death of Maximin soon delivered the church from the last and most implacable of her enemies, 1:326. Christianity was, after that, rendered safe from pagan persecution. Mr. Gibbon says, The gratitude of the church has exalted the virtues of the generous patron who seated Christianity on the throne of the Roman world. If, however, it should be regarded as a forced and fanciful interpretation to suppose that the passage before us refers to this specific event, yet the general circumstances of the times would furnish a fulfillment of what is here said:
- The church would be well represented by the beautiful woman.
- The prospect of its increase and universal dominion would be well represented by the birth of the child.
- The furious opposing pagan power would be well represented by the dragon in its attempts to destroy the child.
- The safety of the church would be well represented by the symbol of the child caught up to God, and placed near his throne.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Rev 12:5-6
She brought forth a man child.
The Church protected
1. The godly of the Christian Church brought forth by the pains of the apostles and their successors, are called but one man child: which teaches, that all the true members of Christs Church should be in a holy unity but as one man (Act 4:32); and of masculine courage for the truth (Jer 9:3) against all opposition.
2. Whereas that which is primely proper to Christ is in a secondary respect attributed to His Church, to rule all nations with a rod of iron; we learn the strict union that is between Christ and His Church (Act 9:4).
3. Whereas it is said that the man child was caught up to God and to His throne, we see–
(1) Satans disappointment in all his attempts against Christs Church (Psa 2:4).
(2) What happiness and high preferment abides Gods children at last, however they be troubled or despised here.
(3) How joyful may death be to them, who is justly called the king of terrors to others. (Wm. Guild, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 5. And her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.] In Yalcut Rubeni are these words: “Rachael, the niece of Methusala, was pregnant, and ready to be delivered in Egypt. They trod upon her, and the child came out of her bowels, and lay under the bed; Michael descended, and took him up to the throne of glory. On that same night the first born of Egypt were destroyed.”
NOTES ON CHAP. XII., BY J. E. C.
Ver. 5. And she brought forth a man child] The Christian Church, when her full time came, obtained a deliverer, who, in the course of the Divine providence, was destined:-
To rule all nations] The heathen Roman empire,
With a rod of iron] A strong figure to denote the very great restraint that should be put upon paganism, so that it should not be able longer to persecute the Christian Church. The man child mentioned in this verse is the dynasty of Christians emperors, beginning with Constantine’s public acknowledgment of his belief in the divinity of the Christian religion, which happened in the latter part of A.D. 312, after the defeat of the Emperor Maxentius.
And her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.] A succession of Christian emperors was raised up to the Church; for the Roman throne, as Bishop Newton observes, is here called the throne of God, because there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By this man-child some understand Constantine the Great; others understand Christ mystical, or many children brought forth unto God. As the Jews multiplied, do Pharaoh what he could to destroy them, so the church increased, notwithstanding all the malice and rage of her enemies. Interpreters accordingly are divided concerning the person or persons here spoken of, that should
rule all nations with a rod of iron. It was prophesied of Christ, Psa 2:9, that he should break the nations with a rod of iron. It is applied to the servants of Christ, who overcome, and keep Christs words to the end, Rev 2:27. So as it is here applicable to believers, whom the church should bring forth, who shall judge the world, as the apostle tells us; and I had rather thus interpret it, than concerning Constantine the Great.
And her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne: these words are something hard to be interpreted. To interpret it of Christs being taken up into heaven, is to turn a mysterious prophecy into a plain relation, or history of things past. To interpret it concerning Constantine the Great, seemeth very hard; for how was he, more than any other Christians, caught up unto God, and to his throne? If we say, when he died; so are they: if we say the imperial throne is here understood by Gods throne, it seemeth to me very hard; for although of magistrates God saith, I have said, Ye are gods, yet their thrones are never called Gods throne. I had rather give this phrase a more general interpretation, viz. God took this offspring of the woman into his royal protection, so as the dragon could not devour it, it was out of his reach.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. man-childGreek, “ason, a male.” On the deep significance of this term, see on Re12:1, 2.
ruleGreek,“poimainein,” “tend as a shepherd”; (seeon Re 2:27).
rod of ironA rod isfor long-continued obstinacy until they submit themselves toobedience [BENGEL]:Rev 2:27; Psa 2:9,which passages prove the Lord Jesus to be meant. Any interpretationwhich ignores this must be wrong. The male son’s birth cannotbe the origin of the Christian state (Christianity triumphing overheathenism under Constantine), which was not a divine child of thewoman, but had many impure worldly elements. In a secondary sense,the ascending of the witnesses up to heaven answers toChrist’s own ascension, “caught up unto God, and unto Histhrone”: as also His ruling the nations with a rod of iron is tobe shared in by believers (Re2:27). What took place primarily in the case of the divine Son ofthe woman, shall take place also in the case of those who are onewith Him, the sealed of Israel (Re7:1-8), and the elect of all nations, about to be translated andto reign with Him over the earth at His appearing.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And she brought forth a man child,…. Not Christ, literally and personally considered, or Christ in his human nature, as made of a woman, and born of a virgin, which was a fact that had been years ago; but Christ mystically, or Christ in his members, who are called by his name, because he is formed in them, and they are the seed of the woman, the church; and many of these were brought forth to Christ by the church in the primitive times, who were a manly birth, hale, strong, and robust Christians; or rather this manly birth may design a more glorious appearing and breaking forth of the kingdom of Christ in the Roman empire; for though Christ came as a King, yet his kingdom was not with observation in the days of his flesh; and though, upon his ascension to heaven, he was made and declared Lord and Christ, and had a kingdom and interest in the world, and even in the Roman empire, during the first three centuries, yet this was attended with the cross and persecution; but now, towards the close of that period, Constantine, a Christian emperor, was born, under whose influence and encouragement the Gospel was spread, and the kingdom of Christ set up and established in the empire; and this seems to be the thing intended here, he being of a generous, heroic, and manly disposition:
who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron; this has a manifest reference to Ps 2:9; which psalm, and the passage referred to in it, evidently belong to Christ; and as this is represented as something future, what should be hereafter, and not what would immediately take place, it may regard the kingdom of Christ in the last times, of which the present breaking forth of it in Constantine’s time was an emblem and pledge; and may denote the universality of it, it reaching to all the kingdoms of the world, and the manner which Christ will rule, especially over his enemies, antichrist and his followers, whom he will destroy with the breath of his mouth, and break in pieces with his rod of iron, and order all that would not have him to reign over them slain before him; and as this may be applied to Christ mystical, the seed of the church, and members of Christ, as it is in Re 2:26; it may relate to their reign with Christ on earth, when they shall sit on thrones, and judge the world, when the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to there; but since this is expressly said of the man child in the text, it may be expressive even of the temporal government of Constantine, who was an heroic and victorious prince, and extended his dominions to the several parts of the world; as far as Britain to the west, and all Scythia to the north, Ethiopia to the south, and the remote parts of India to the east, even to the ultimate parts of the whole world, as Eusebius h affirms, making his kingdom to be three times larger than that of Alexander the great: and more especially it may describe the kingdom of Christ in his times; which was spread throughout all the nations of the empire; when Paganism was demolished, both in the continent and in the isles of the sea, and the strong holds Satan were pulled down, not by carnal, but spiritual weapons; when multitudes of souls were converted by the word, the rod of Christ’s strength, and when the saints were guided, directed, fed, and comforted by it; for the allusion seems to be to the shepherd’s rod, with which he leads and feeds his sheep; the same word signifies both to rule and feed:
and her child caught up unto God, and [to] his throne; which is to be understood not of Christ’s ascent to heaven in human nature, when he was set down on the same throne with his Father; nor of Christ mystical, or of the saints being caught up into the air, to meet the Lord and be for ever with him, and sit down with him on the same throne; but rather of some glorious advance of the church and kingdom of Christ on earth; for as “to fall from heaven” is expressive of debasement and meanness, and of a low estate that a person is brought into, Isa 14:12; so an ascending up to heaven, as the two witnesses in the preceding chapter are said to do, denotes exaltation, or a rise to some more glorious state and condition, which was the case of the church in Constantine’s time: and this may also take in the accession of Constantine himself to the imperial throne, which was the throne of God; for king’s have their sceptres, thrones, and kingdoms from him, they his viceregents, and in some measure represent and are therefore called gods, and the children of the most high; yea, since Constantine, as advanced to the empire, was such an instrument in Christ’s hand for the setting up and establishing his kingdom in it, Christ himself may be here represented as reigning over the Roman empire, as a presage and prelude of his reigning over all the earth another day.
h De Vita Constantini, l. 1. c. 8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
She was delivered of a son ( ). Literally, “she bore a son” (second aorist active indicative of ).
A man child (). So A C with the neuter or in mind, as often in O.T. ( , Exod 1:16; Exod 2:2; Lev 12:2; Lev 12:7; Isa 66:7; Jer 20:15, etc.), but P and some cursives read (masculine accusative), as in verse 13 ( ), while Aleph Q have . The word is old (either or ), as in Mt 19:4, only in this chapter in the Apocalypse. It is really redundant after (son), as in Tob. 6:12 (Aleph).
Who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron ( ). See 2:27 for these words (from Ps 2:9) applied there to victorious Christians also, and in 19:15 to the triumphant Christian. His rule will go beyond the Jews (Mt 2:6). There is here, of course, direct reference to the birth of Jesus from Mary, who thus represented in her person this “ideal woman” (God’s people).
Was caught unto God (). First aorist passive indicative of , old verb for seizing or snatching away, as in Joh 10:12, here alone in the Apocalypse. Reference to the ascension of Christ, with omission of the ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ because he is here simply showing that “the Dragon’s vigilance was futile” (Swete). “The Messiah, so far from being destroyed, is caught up to a share in God’s throne” (Beckwith).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
A man – child [ ] . Lit., a son, a male. The correct reading is arsen, the neuter, not agreeing with the masculine individual [ ] but with the neuter of the genus. The object is to emphasize, not the sex, but the quality of Masculinity – power and vigor. Rev., a son, a man – child. Compare Joh 16:21; Jer 20:15.
To rule [] . Lit., to shepherd or tend. See on Mt 2:6. A rod of iron. Compare Psa 2:9, and see on ch. Rev 2:27.
Was caught up [] . See on Mt 12:12. Compare Act 23:10; Jude 1:23.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
C) (The Child Christ) v. 5, 6
1) “And she brought forth a man child,” (kai eteken huion arsen) “and she bore (gave birth to) a male son.” The “she” was Israel, of the tribe of Judah, of the family of David, of the city of Bethlehem, when the fullness of the time was come, Luk 1:26-35; Luk 2:1-11; Gal 4:4-5.
2) “Who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron,” (hos mellei poimainein panta ta ethne en hrabdo sidera) “who is about to shepherd (feed and care for) all the nations with an iron staff,” a strong hand of rulership and able provisions, as long promised, Psa 2:9; Isa 2:1-5; Rev 2:27; Rev 19:15; Isa 65:21-24.
3) “And her child was caught up,” (kai heerpasthe to teknon autes) “and her child was seized,” suddenly taken, raptured into heaven, Luk 24:51; Act 1:8-11; 1Ti 3:16.
4) “Unto God, and to this throne,” (pros ton theon kai pros ton thronon autou) “To God and to His central throne,” in heaven, Col 3:1; Heb 1:3; Heb 8:1; Heb 12:2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(5) And she brought forth . . .Translate, And she brought forth a man child, who is to shepherd all the nations with (it is, literally, in) a rod of iron. There can be no doubt that this man child is Christ. The combination of features is too distinct to admit of doubt, it is the one who will feed His flock like a shepherd (Isa. 40:12), who is to have, not His own people, but all nations as His inheritance (Psa. 2:7-9), and whose rule over them is to be supreme and irresistible. But the fact that this child is Christ must not cause us to limit the meaning of the vision to the efforts of the evil one to destroy the infant Jesus; for it is also the Christ in the Church which the wicked one hates: and wherever Christ dwells in any heart by faith, and wherever the preachers of the gospel in earnest travail for their Master, seek to lift up Christ, there will the foe be found, like the fowls of the air, ready to carry away the good seed. Though the basis of the vision is in the historical fact, the power of the vision reaches over a wider area, and forcibly reminds us that as there are irreconcilable principles at work in the world, so all these, when traced to their original forms, are the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of the devil.
And her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.The efforts of the evil one to destroy are thwarted; the child is snatched away and placed out of the range of the dragons power. The prince of this world might instigate Israel to take Jesus Christ and with wicked hands crucify and kill Him, but the eternal divine life of Him who had power to lay down His life and take it again, and whose years were for ever and ever, was beyond the reach of every hostile power; and after death and resurrection, Christ ascended up where He was before. But the vision is designed to assure us that, precisely because of this, so all life in Christ is beyond the power of the evil one, and that the forces hostile to good are powerless against that life which is hid with Christ in God. The Church may be as a weak, oppressed, and persecuted woman, but her faith rises up as a song from the lips of its members. God hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The contest is between the man child and the dragon; and those who in heart and mind ascend to where Christ is know that the contest is not one of mere ideas, but a conflict between the Christ, who is with them always, though He has ascended, and all the powers of evil, which will be smitten down by the rod of His power.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Rule iron A prediction taken from Psa 2:9, and vividly quoted as fulfilled in Rev 19:15.
Caught up throne The resurrection, as well as the birth, is given not as literal history, but as the basis of symbol. The infant Jesus is exalted to the divine throne to symbolize that infant Christianity is to triumph, not only over paganism, but over all other opposing powers. In his note on Act 1:1-2, Alford has beautifully shown (see our note there) that Christ’s ascension was an exaltation to rule as Head of the Church and Lord of the world. And the representative character herein of the man child is verified by Rev 2:26-27: “He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.” While it is extreme for Elliott or Newton to identify the man child as being Constantine, it is not too much to say that according to this promise the man child on the divine throne does represent the triumph of Christianity over Roman paganism, in which Constantine was a principal figure. And thus the symbolic exaltation of the man child, of the two witnesses, and of the emparadised “souls” of Rev 20:4, all signify the same thing namely, the victory of the cause by them represented.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Rev 12:5. And her child was caught up, &c. Grotius, with great probability, thinks that these expressions allude to the preservation of Joash, in the time of Athaliah’s usurpation, when she put to death all the rest of the royal family; 2 Kings 11.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Rev 12:5-6 . The child is born, but rescued; the woman also flees.
. The expression, without regard to its peculiar incorrectness, [3062] reminds us of the , Jer 20:15 , [3063] but is still more emphatic in the prominence given the male sex of the child, since the grammatical reason, rendering possible the harsh agreement of the masc. and the neut. , lies in the fact that the appears as a sort of apposition: “a son, a male.” The intention of this emphasis, which De Wette improperly denies, is not that of designating the child as victor over the dragon, [3064] but [3065] points to what is added concerning the child immediately afterwards; ., . . . These words taken from Psa 2:9 (LXX.), which are referred also to Christ in Rev 19:15 , make it indubitable that the child born of the woman is the Messiah; [3066] but the designation of Christ by these words of the Messianic Psalm is in this passage [3067] the most appropriate and significant, since the fact is made prominent that this child just born is the one who with irresistible power will visit in judgment the antichristian heathen. By the words of the Psalm, John, therefore, designates the Lord as the , who, as is especially kept in view by ch. 12, will also come with his iron rod upon the Gentile-Roman antichrist. As, therefore, John by the words of the Psalm designates the child in a way completely corresponding to the fundamental idea of the entire Apoc., and points to the ultimate end in the Messianic judgment, he at the same time discloses the reason why Satan lays snares chiefly for the child, and then also for the woman and believers; and why especially the Gentile-Roman empire whose insignia the dragon wears, and which is the means of his wrath persecutes believers in Christ in the manner depicted further in what follows. [3068] Thus the designation of the child shows the significance of the entire vision, ch. 12, in its relation to what follows. The result, however, is also that all the expositors who regard the child born of the woman as any thing else than the Messiah, and that, too, in his concrete personality, miss the surest standpoint for the exposition of the entire ch. 12, and with this the correct standpoint for the comprehension of ch. 13 sqq. This applies especially in opposition to all those who, however much they diverge in details, yet agree in the fundamental error that they regard the child as Christ, only in a certain metonymical sense, by understanding it properly, speaking of Christ living in believers, and thus of believers themselves. Thus Beda: “The Church is always, though the dragon opposes, bringing forth Christ.” “The Church daily gives birth to a church, ruling in Christ the world.” Cf. C. a Lap., Aret., Calov., who gives the more specific definition: “The bearing of the woman” refers to the “profession of the Nicene faith, and the sons born to God by the Church in the midst of the persecutions of the Gentiles,” Beng., Stern., etc. Grot., also: “The dispersed from Judaea, among whom were Aquila and Apollos, instruments of the catholic Church, brought forth many of the Roman people unto Christ.” Eichh., Heinr., Herd., etc., who regard the child as a symbol of the Christian Church, proceeding from the Jewish, belong here.
. The expression makes clear how, by a sudden withdrawal, [3069] the child is delivered from the immediately threatening danger. [3070]
. It is made emphatic not only that the child is drawn up to God for preservation, but also that this is the surest, and at the same time most exalted, place of refuge. The allegorical interpretation of the second half of Rev 12:5 , by those who do not acknowledge in the child the Messiah himself, must have an entirely reverse result. N. de Lyra [3071] contents himself with the idea of the “deliverance of the Church;” even to him Beda’s interpretation [3072] may have been too perplexing. The rationalistic expositors also, who share with these churchly expositors the fundamental error concerning the , uselessly amend one another. [3073] De Wette, Hengstenb., Ebrard, etc., have referred the , . . . , to the Lord’s ascension, and, according to this, understand by the persecution on the part of the dragon [3074] “all that was done on the part of the Jews against Christ until his death,” [3075] the entire state of humiliation, to which the state of exaltation even to God’s throne has succeeded. [3076] But the feeling concerning this, that this conception does not correspond with the character of the statement in the text, has asserted itself in Hengstenb. Before the , he says, it is to be remembered that the dragon continues his persecution, as, according to the gospel history, it has occurred from the temptation until the death on the cross. [3077] “This addition is urged by Rev 12:4 : for how was the one, who, already before the birth, stood before the woman, in order to devour her child as soon as it was born, not to incessantly continue his persecution? and it is required by the ‘and it was caught up.’ ” But neither this addition, nor the exposition based thereon, is allowable in accordance with the text; for the textual idea is that the child immediately after birth is caught up to God’s throne. This ideal representation is related to the actual history of Christ, just as the ideal allusion to the judgment impending upon Jerusalem, Rev 11:1 sqq., to the actually future fact; the fact as such is as little prophesied there, as in this passage the proper history of Christ and its precise epochs are mentioned, [3078] but in both cases the historical reality serves only for the firm concrete basis of the idea, which is the main point of consideration. No historical fact corresponds to the prophetical-ideal representation of the dragon, which watches for the birth of the Messiah, in order to immediately devour the child; but the snares on the part of Herod, and the murder of the infants at Bethlehem, may have given an occasion for the conception of the view, whereby John figuratively represents the mortal enmity of Satan to the Messiah. No fact in the history of Christ corresponds to the , . . .; but the fact of the Lord’s ascension offers, as it were, the colors with which to paint the ideas as to how inexpressibly glorious is the preservation of the child from Satan, and how completely the latter, with his persecutions, is confounded. Both subjects under consideration here, Satan’s mortal hatred to the Lord (and, therefore to his saints, Rev 12:17 , Rev 13:1 sqq.), and, in connection with this, Satan’s inability to touch the Lord (and, accordingly, the final judgment on every thing antichristian, and the glorification of believers), are here placed in view.
[3062] See Critical Notes.
[3063] LXX.: , without .
[3064] “Victor over the devil who had conquered the woman” (Beda).
[3065] Cf. Beng., Hengstenb., etc.
[3066] De Wette, Rinck, Hengstenb., Ebrard, etc.
[3067] As also Rev 19:15 .
[3068] Rev 12:17 , Rev 13:1 sqq.
[3069] Act 23:10 ; Jud 1:23 .
[3070] Vitr., Hengstenb.
[3071] Cf. Aret., C. a Lap., etc.
[3072] “Godlessness cannot apprehend Christ spiritually born in the mind of hearers, for the reason that the same one reigns with the Father in heaven, who also has raised us, and made us sit in heavenly places with Christ.”
[3073] Cf. Eichh.: “The Christian Church having proceeded from Judaism received, under God’s protection, its growth and increase;” with Grot.: “Simon seduced so many at Rome that a Christian people no longer appeared there. They who do not appear with men are said to be with God.”
[3074] Cf. Joh 14:30 .
[3075] De Wette.
[3076] Hengstenb., Ebrard.
[3077] Cf. Luk 4:13 : , and Joh 14:30 .
[3078] Against Auberlen, p. 277, etc.
What, after the withdrawal of the child, is further attempted on the part of the dragon, or what now possibly occurs with it itself (cf. Rev 12:7 . sqq.), cannot be properly stated (Rev 12:7 sqq.) without giving an account first of the fate of the woman. This occurs in Rev 12:6 , which briefly anticipates [3079] what is described more minutely in Rev 12:14 , and that too on the basis of Rev 12:7 sqq.; [3080] for not until the dragon, with his wrath directed above all things against the child itself, is completely confounded, does he turn against the woman, Rev 12:13 sqq., and when she flees, then against the rest of her seed, Rev 12:17 , in order to vent against them, as believers in Christ, that rage with which he could not reach the Lord himself and the woman. But what instruments the dragon employs, in order to attack believers with the hatred which is, in fact, directed against the Lord himself, is shown immediately afterwards in Rev 13:1 sqq.
[3079] Vitr., Ewald, De Wette, Hofm., Hengstenb., Auberlen.
[3080] Against Ebrard. See on Rev 12:14 .
. Cf. Rev 12:14 ; Rev 3:8 ; Rev 7:2 .
. ., “on the part of God,” divinely. Cf. Winer, p. 347 sqq.
, . . . The final clause depends upon the . . .; the refers, therefore, to the place in the wilderness; cf. the parallel words, Rev 12:14 ( . , , . . .), where also the personally fixed (sc. ) explains the meaning of the taken without a definite subject. [3081] See, in general, also in reference to the schematic determination of time, on Rev 12:14 .
[3081] Cf. Rev 10:11 ; Luk 12:20 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Ver. 5. And she brought forth a man child ] Constantine, the Christian Church’s first and chief champion.
Who was to rule all nations ] The whole Roman empire, but especially to overrule and subdue the Church’s many and mighty enemies, as Constantine did most notably.
Caught up to God and to his throne ] To rule in the Church next under God himself. And to this height of honour he was caught when the empire was cast upon him, not once thinking of it. Bonus Deus Constantinum magnum tantis terrenis implevit muneribus, quanta optare nullus auderet, saith Augustine. (De Civ. Dei, v. 25.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rev 12:5 . In accordance with the rabbinic notion which withdrew messiah for a time, the infant, like a second Moses, is caught up out of harm’s way. He has no career on earth at all. This is intelligible enough in a Jewish tradition; but while no Christian prophet could have spontaneously depicted his messiah in such terms, even under the exigencies of apocalyptic fantasy, the further problem is to understand how he could have adopted so incongruous and inadequate an idea except as a pictorial detail. The clue lies in the popular messianic interpretation of passages like Psa 2 . where messiah’s birth is really his inauguration and enthronement. The early application of this to Jesus, though not antagonistic to an interest in his historic personality, tallied with the widespread feeling ( cf. note on Rev 1:7 ) that his final value lay in his return as messiah. Natiuitas quaedam eius ascensio : “The heavens must receive him” (Act 3:21 ) till the divine purpose was ripe enough for his second advent. This tendency of primitive Jewish Christianity serves to explain how John could refer in passing to his messiah in terms which described a messiah, as Sabatier remarks, sans la croix et sans la mort , and which even represented his ascension as an escape rather than a triumph. The absence of any allusion to the Father is not due so much to any reluctance on the prophet’s part to call Jesus by the name of Son of God ( cf. Rev 2:18 ), which pagan usage had profaned not only in such mythical connexion but in the vocabulary of the Imperial cultus, as to the fact that the mythical substratum always gave special prominence to the mother; the goddess-mother almost invariably displaced the father in popular interest, and indeed bulked more largely than even the child.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
man child = a son (App-108.) a male (as Luk 2:23).
was = is about.
nations = the nations. Compare Psa 2:9.
rod. See Rev 2:27.
up = away.
unto. App-104.
God. App-98.
to. The texts add pros, as above. An interval of years occurs after this verse.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rev 12:5. , brought forth) The Christian Church brought forth a male child, Christ, considered not personally, but in His kingdom. Vitringa interprets it of Constantine, when he gained possession of the empire; D. Lange weightily refutes him, in his Comm. upon the Apocalypse, f. 137, 141. Nor, however, as the same writer supposes, is the conversion of Israel here signified; for that nation does not bring forth, at its conversion, but is born: and the crown of twelve stars prefigures the conversion of the twelve tribes: comp. Gen 37:9. The birth here described has already long ago taken place; that conversion [of the twelve tribes] has not yet taken place. The woman brought forth, when in the ninth century, more nations than before, together with their princes, were, under the name of Slavonians, added to the assembly of the Christian name. Therefore almost the whole of this chapter has been fulfilled, although D. Lange refers it to the future, in the same place (see above), and in Epicr. p. 408. The very war of the dragon with the rest of the seed of the woman, Rev 12:17, precedes the rising of the beast out of the sea; but this took place in the eleventh century, as will presently be shown.- ) Learned men have brought together to this place passages in Aristophanes and Alciphron, where a woman is said to have brought forth but the cases differ; for is generic, specific. Nor, however, does John write without reason. For thus also Jer 20:15, it is said , where in the Greek it is , or simply as in this passage. Primasius omitting the word son, says male, as Rev 12:13 has it.- , with a rod of iron) The rod is for long continued obstinacy, until they submit themselves to obedience.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
she: Rev 12:2, Isa 7:14, Jer 31:22, Mic 5:3, Mat 1:25
rule: Rev 2:26, Rev 2:27, Rev 19:15, Psa 2:9, Psa 2:10
caught: Rev 11:12, Mar 16:19
Reciprocal: Psa 22:9 – make me hope Act 7:19 – General 2Co 12:2 – caught 1Th 4:17 – caught Rev 4:2 – and one Rev 12:13 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 12:5. When the child was born it was a man child. In preceding chapters we have seen that the outstanding feature of Rome, as well as of other despotic governments, is the hatred of people who wish to have a voice in their own government. As long as the people can be kept in ignorance of their personal rights, they will meekly submit and be ruled over. But the Bible in its clear method of showing people their personal responsibility in determining their manner of conduct, has taught them the truth about it and led them to notify Rome to keep hands off. But the Bible is not a self-propagating document, hence the church was the Lord’s instrument for bringing that great truth into the world. In symbolizing that revolutionary event the Lord gave the vision to John of a woman nearing the time of delivery of a child so near in fact that the pains of the event had started. The child may conveniently and truly be called “self-determination” in the light of what has been just shown on the subject of personal responsibility and the right to discharge it without the interference of a dictatorial monarchy. The church as Christ and the apostles set it up, taught men not to call any man “father” upon earth (Mat 23:9). It taught that all men were to consult the word of God for their guidance (Jas 1:25). That the Lord’s servants are to speak as the oracles of God (1Pe 4:11), and that means that every man will be able to read and “interpret” the word for himself and not have to take dictation from some supreme authority independent of his own responsibility. When men learned these truths they rebelled at the idea of world monarchies. That is the reason Daniel predicted that the stone cut out of the mountain–the kingdom set up by the God of heaven–was to put an end to world power. Dan 2:44.) It is no wonder, then, that the dragon wanted to kill this man child. Rule with a rod of iron. This may sound severe but iron is not necessarily harsh or cruel, it means It is strong and durable. Child was caught up is another symbol. If a babe was born that was at once surrounded with dangerous conditions so that the mother would have to flee to some place for safety, some kind hearted friends would take care of the infant. Accordingly, when the church was driven into the wilderness, her child “self-determination,” was watched over by the kind Father in heaven to see that it would live through all those years of the apostasy.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 5.
3. And she brought forth a man child–Rev 12:5. The use of the word man child here is in neuter gender. And it is not singular number any more than the use of the word “mother” when used in a collective sense; and that is the sense in which man child was used here–collectively, denoting that portion of the church, or the woman’s seed, which was to be caught up to God in the martyrdom which followed. That the man child did not refer to Christ becomes evident in the following verses. The expression caught up to God from the face of the dragon would hardly be a fitting description of the ascension of Christ, but it was an appropriate symbol of the triumph of the martyrs who “overcame . . . by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” It further harmonizes with the scene of victory for the souls of the beheaded in Rev 20:4.
The man child was not a single person but a collective body. It was that part of the woman’s seed which was put in contrast with the remnant, or the rest of her seed, in verse 17. The woman’s seed compares with the firstborn ones of Heb 12:23, “which are written in heaven”; and “the firstfruits unto God” (Rev 14:4); and the “kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (Jas 1:18).
The man child that was caught up unto God was that part of the woman’s seed, or children, who were martyrs– “the souls of them that were slain for the word of God,” under the altar, in the suffering of death in Rev 6:9-11; and on thrones in the state of victory in Rev 20:4. The remnant, or rest of the woman’s seed, or children, remained on the earth to suffer persecution but not martyrdom. It compares also with the account of the two witnesses who ascended up to heaven in Rev 11:12, and the effect on the enemies who beheld them. (See comments on Rev 11:12)
It is not unusual in the symbolic imagery of scripture description to characterize members of the church as its children. Examples of this use are found in Rom 7:1-4; Gal 4:26; Heb 12:23; Heb 12:28; 2Jn 1:1; 2Jn 1:4; 2Jn 1:13.
4. Who was to rule all nations–Rev 12:5. The reason apparently for the interpretation that the man child refers to Christ is the statement of verse 5, that he “was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.” But this same phrase was used in the language of Christ to the members of the Thyatira church in Rev 2:26-27 : “He that overcometh . . . to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron.” The rod of iron was the symbol of the impact of the gospel on the pagan world through the victory of the church, resulting from their persecutions. It signified the inexorable character of the law of the gospel in retribution and reward. It was by teaching and practice that those who should overcome all oppression would rule with Christ, and thereby execute his unfailing law as with a rod of iron. (See comments on Rev 2:26-27 and in GOD’S PROPHETIC WORD, p. 192.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 12:5. The birth takes place. The woman is delivered of a son, of mans sex. The last expression is remarkable. In the Authorised Version we read simply of a man child, in the Revised of a son, a man child. We have given another rendering in the hope of thereby bringing out the force which in the original obviously belongs to the words. The object is not simply to tell us that the son is a male, which as a son he must be, but to impress upon us the thought of his manhood, power, and force. He is already more than a child; the properties of manhood belong to Him from His birth (comp. Joh 16:21 and note there).The function of this Son is as a shepherd to tend all the nations with a sceptre of iron. He is to subdue and rule the hostile world (chap. Rev 2:27); and He is caught up unto God and unto his throne not merely that He may be safe there, but that with Divine power He may destroy him who would have destroyed Himself (chap. Rev 3:21). It may be well to observe that this power is not said to be as yet actually exercised by the son. It belongs to Him, and it shall be exercised in due season.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
12:5 {10} And she brought forth a man {11} child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne.
(10) The second history of this Church delivered of child: in which first the consideration of the child born, and of the mother, is described in two verses Rev 12:6 : secondly the battle of the dragon against the young child, and the victory obtained against him in the three verses following Rev 12:7-9 : last of all is sung a song of victory, to Rev 12:10-12 . Now John in consideration of the child born, notes two things: for he describes him, and his station or place in this verse.
(11) That is Christ the head of the Church joined with his Church (the beginning root and foundation of which is the same Christ) endued with kingly power and taken up into heaven out of the jaws of Satan (who as a serpent did bite him on the cross) that sitting on the heavenly throne, he might reign over all.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The birth of Jesus and His ascension are the events in view here. Satan failed to destroy Jesus at His birth, and because he also failed to destroy Him during His life and in His death, Jesus Christ ascended victoriously into heaven. Satan cannot persecute Him there. Christ will yet rule the world with an iron shepherd’s rod (Psalms 2). The emphases in this whole review of Satan’s opposition to Jesus are Jesus’ victory and Satan’s continuing antagonism.