And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
6. with the blood of the saints &c.] Rev 18:24.
martyrs ] See on Rev 2:13.
admiration ] Better, wonder, the substantive used being cognate to the verb. Of course “admiration” is not meant in the modern sense of the word.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints – A reeling, intoxicated harlot, for that is the image which is kept up all along. In regard to the phrase drunken with blood, compare Jer 46:10. The phraseology is derived from the barbarous custom (still extant among many pagan nations) of drinking the blood of the enemies slain in the way of revenge. The effect of drinking blood is said to be to exasperate, and to intoxicate with passion and a desire of revenge (Prof. Stuart, in loco). The meaning here is, that the persecuting power referred to had shed the blood of the saints; and that, in its fury, it had, as it were, drunk the blood of the slain, and had become, by drinking that blood, intoxicated and infuriated. No one need say how applicable this has been to the papacy. Compare, however, the Dan 7:21, Dan 7:25 notes; Rev 12:13-14; Rev 13:15 notes.
And with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus – Especially with their blood. The meaning is, that the warfare, in which so much blood was shed, was directed against the saints as such, and that, in fact, it terminated particularly on those who, amidst cruel sufferings, were faithful witnesses for the Lord Jesus, and deserved to be called, by way of eminence, martyrs. Compare the notes on Rev 2:13; Rev 6:9; Rev 11:5, Rev 11:7. How applicable this is to the papacy, let the blood shed in the valleys of Piedmont; the blood shed in the Low Countries by the Duke of Alva; the blood shed on Bartholomews day; and the blood shed in the Inquisition, testify.
And when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration – I was astonished at her appearance, at her apparel, and at the things which were so significantly symbolized by her.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.] How exactly the cruelties exercised by the Latin Church against all it has denominated heretics correspond with this description, the reader need not be informed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And I saw the woman, the papacy, drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; filled with the blood of those holy ones, which she caused to be slain for bearing testimony to Jesus Christ.
And when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration; which he would not have done had it been a pagan Rome he had seen in this vision. But that any that owned Christ, and called themselves the holy church, should kill men for bearing testimony to Christ, and adherence to his rule of faith and life, this caused in John a just wonderment.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. martyrswitnesses.
I wondered with greatadmirationAs the Greek is the same in the verb and thenoun, translate the latter “wonder.” John certainly did notadmire her in the modern English sense. Elsewhere (Rev 17:8;Rev 13:3), all the earthly-minded(“they that dwell on the earth”) wonder inadmiration of the beast. Here only is John’s wonder calledforth; not the beast, but the woman sunken into the harlot,the Church become a world-loving apostate, moves his sorrowfulastonishment at so awful a change. That the world should be beastlyis natural, but that the faithful bride should become the whore ismonstrous, and excites the same amazement in him as the same awfulchange in Israel excited in Isaiah and Jeremiah. “Horriblething” in them answers to “abominations” here.”Corruptio optimi pessima“; when the Church falls,she sinks lower than the godless world, in proportion as her rightplace is higher than the world. It is striking that in Re17:3, “woman” has not the article, “thewoman,” as if she had been before mentioned: for thoughidentical in one sense with the woman, Re12:1-6, in another sense she is not. The elect are neverperverted into apostates, and still remain as the true womaninvisibly contained in the harlot; yet Christendom regarded asthe woman has apostatized from its first faith.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints,…. To see a woman drunk is a shameful sight; but to see one drunk, not with wine, but with blood, is monstrous, cruel, and shocking; the sword, when it devours, and is satiate, is said to be drunk with blood, Jer 46:10 but for a woman to be so is unexampled; and not with her own blood, as she will be, Isa 49:26 but with the blood of others; and not with the blood of wicked men, but with the blood of saints; such as God the Father has set apart from everlasting, and chosen to be holy; whom Christ has sanctified by his blood, or whose sins he has expiated, and to whom he is made sanctification; and who have principles of grace and holiness wrought in them by the Spirit of God, and live holy lives and conversations:
and of the martyrs of Jesus; the saints, whose blood is shed by antichrist, are martyrs also; but they seem to design the common people, and these the ministers of the Gospel, who are the martyrs of Jesus, both in life and death; they are his martyrs or witnesses, by their doctrine and ministry, bearing testimony to him as Jesus, a Saviour; testifying that he is the only Saviour, that there is salvation in no other, in opposition to the antichristian doctrines of merit, penance, purgatory, c. for which they have been cruelly put to death, and in great numbers, and so have sealed their doctrine by their blood. Now the woman being drunk with their blood, denotes the blood thirstiness of the church of Rome, her greedy aud insatiable desire after the blood of the saints, and her delight in it, being exceeding mad against them and the multitude of it shed by her, as the slaughters of the Waldenses and Albigenses, the butcheries of the duke d’Alva in the Low Countries, the massacres in France, Ireland, and other places, the burning of the martyrs in Queen Mary’s days here, with numerous other instances, show.
And when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration; not at the sight of the beast, which he had seen before, but at the sight of the woman, as, upon the beast; he wondered that one of her sex, generally timorous and fearful, should ride on such a monstrous creature; he was amazed at her dress, and grand appearance, whereas the church in his time consisted of poor persons, meanly arrayed; it was astonishing to him that one bearing the name of a Christian church should rise to such grandeur; and he wondered at the name upon her forehead, what the whole of that inscription should mean; but, above all, at her drunkenness with the blood of the saints; at her inhumanity and cruelty, being as savage as the beast she rode on; and also at God’s forbearance of her, that he, who is a pure and holy Being, a lover of his saints, an avenger of his elect, should suffer such a brutish, barbarous, and blood thirsty creature, to live upon earth; see Hab 1:13.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Drunken with the blood of the saints ( ). Present active feminine accusative singular participle of , old verb, to be drunk (Mt 24:49).
Of the martyrs of Jesus ( ). “Witnesses” (2:13) for Jesus (objective genitive) unto blood (Rev 16:6; Rev 18:24) and so martyrs in the modern sense of the word. “Drunk with blood” is a common idea with the ancients (Euripides, Josephus, Philo, Cicero, Pliny).
With a great wonder ( ). Cognate accusative with .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Saints – martyrs. The saints include the martyrs or witnesses, but the latter word emphasizes the testimony of the saints which has been the cause of their death. For martyr; see on 1Pe 5:1.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And I saw the woman,” (kai eidon ten gunaika) “and I saw (or recognized) the woman,” the whore or harlot fornicating woman, who sat upon many waters or religiously ruled over many people, Rev 17:1; Rev 17:15.
2) “Drunken with the blood of the saints,” (methuiusan ek haimatos ton hagion) “who was drunk from the blood of the saints; This alludes to the heathen custom still extant among some nations to drink the blood of enemies slain in revenge. 1) The saints are the redeemed of Israel who had given their lives during the tribulation the great, and 2) who had opposed the church of Jesus Christ, slaying so many during the dark ages. Mere believers are not identified as saints, Rev 13:15; Rev 16:6; 2Ti 4:7-8.
3) “And with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus,” (kai ek tou haimatos ton marturon lesou) “and who was also drunk (imbalanced) from the blood of the witnesses of Jesus Christ; Rev 17:6; It was to the church Jesus commissioned “you all shall be witnesses unto me; neither Roman Catholicism nor the Devil seems to seek to slay any person who is not covenanted to a program of worship and service thru the true church or thru Israel’s worship, Mat 5:11-12; Joh 15:20-21; Rev 6:9-10; Rev 12:16.
4) “And when I saw her,” (kai idon auten) “and beholding her,” on the red beast, in desolation, in the desert, for a disclosure of what she was and who she was, a primary religious enemy of God, doomed for hell with her daughters, Mat 7:22-23; 2Co 11:13-16.
5) “I wondered with great admiration,” (ethaumasa thauma mega) “I marvelled (wondered) with a great wonder,” at the deceiver and what and how he works to doom and damn the souls and lives of men who try to climb up some other” way than by Jesus Christ, the way of the cross, that leads home, to glory, Joh 8:24; Joh 10:1; Joh 14:6; Act 4:12; Rom 1:16; Eph 2:8-10; Dan 11:32-35.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Strauss Comments
SECTION 58
Text Rev. 17:6-18
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with a great wonder. 7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come. 9 Here is the mind that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth: 10 and they are seven kings, the five are fallen, the one is, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a little while. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth, and is of the seven; and he goeth into perdition. 12 And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour. 13 These have one mind, and they give their power and authority unto the beast. 14 These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen and faithful. 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire. 17 For God did put in their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished. 18 And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Initial Questions Rev. 17:6-18
1.
John saw the drunken harlot and wondered with a great wonder. What did the angel ask him in Rev. 17:7?
2.
Who does John say shall wonder at the woman in Rev. 17:8?
3.
What city of the N.T. World is surrounded by 7 mountains Rev. 17:9?
4.
How can the beast of Rev. 17:11 be an eighth king, and yet be out of the seven mentioned in Rev. 17:10? Check a good commentary or Bible Dictionary on Nero (redivivus).
5.
Does the for one hour in Rev. 17:12 imply that the ten kings will reign only for a short time under the authority of the beast?
6.
Are the forces of evil unified Rev. 17:13?
7.
Who initiates the war in Rev. 17:14?
8.
Discuss the descriptive terms for Christians in Rev. 17:14 called and chosen and faithful.
9.
What does the symbol of the waters mean according to Rev. 17:15?
10.
Does Rev. 17:17 show that God uses evil and those who are enthralled in evil to do His will ultimately?
11.
What does until the words of God should be accomplished Rev. 17:17 mean?
12.
The woman is identified as what, in Rev. 17:18?
Rev. 17:6
The great harlot was drunk, not with wine, but with the blood of the saints (hagin those that are holy, set apart. Compare with biblical doctrine of the saint with the erroneous Roman Catholic doctrine of Sainthood. They stand in irreconcilable contradiction), and from the blood of the witnesses. (Marturn one who is martyred, because of his bearing public witness of Jesus Christ). And seeing her I wondered with a great wonder, What did John see that caused him to be amazed at the content of his vision?
Rev. 17:7
The angel asked JohnWhy did you wonder? Now the angel is going to explain and identify his imagery. John did not understand and the angel provides him with an inspired, revealed interpretation of the symbolism. How often in The Revelation does God see fit to give John an interpretation of his imagery? The imagery of the seven heads and ten horns are now to be interpreted (note that the imagery is taken from Daniel).
Rev. 17:8
The interpretation now follows. The beast which you saw was, and is not (or does not now exist); and is about to come up out of the abyss, and goes into destruction (apleian does not means annihilation, but rather being cut off from the presence of God. (See the note after this verse). The entire earth, with the exception of the redeemed will also wonder or marvel at the beast. There are many attempted explanations of the beast who was and is not and is about to come up out of the abyss,but a very plausible one is the Nero redivivus myth, which was very prevalent late in the first century. We shall give an explanation of this theory in our discussion of Rev. 17:9-12.
Note: Queber (Hebrew) always means Grave, but Sheol does not always mean grave (e.g., 2Sa. 22:6The sorrows of Sheol). Surely this reveals consciousness. The J.W.s doctrine book, Make Sure of All Things, p. 154, defines Hell as the grave. In the grave, the claim is made that man becomes extinct or annihilated. Space forbids any extensive examination of this claim, but we will consider two terms (olethros) and (apollumi). Lexicons provide no comfort to those who seek to find an annihilationist doctrine in the scriptures of the N.T. (for olethros see H. J. Thayer, Lexicon, p. 64; Liddell and Scott, new edition, p. 12121214; and Arndt and Gingrich, Lexicon of the New Testament and Early Christian Literature, p. 566). All of these lexicons are in agreement that the term means ruin, death, destruction, but they give no evidence that the term means annihilation. The standard text which receives most consideration is 2Th. 1:6-9 (the import is even clear in the N.W.T.)
. . . eternal destruction from the fact of the Lord. Here we clearly see that the wicked are separated from Gods presence (face of God always means His presence in the Scriptures). Paul uses a form of this same word in 1Co. 5:5 unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the Spirit may be saved. (R.V. 1901) The last statement is a purpose clause. The flesh was separated not annihilated, in order that the Spirit would be saved in the judgment.
The other important word we mentioned is (apollumi). The noun form means destruction and the verb form to destroy, etc. This is the word found in Luke 15 concerning the lost sheep (Luk. 15:3, a form of this word is translated lost, not annihilated) Luk. 15:9 contains a form of this term and plainly says the coin was lost, not annihilated (after all it would be difficult to find something that had been annihilated) vs. 62 says that the son was lost and found again; it must be very apparent that an annihilated son could not be found.
The Scripture makes inseparable the redemption obtainable only in Jesus Christ as God incarnate and the escape from Hell or the ever lasting separation from the presence of God.
For an excellent study of the term Sheol see the Bulletin of The Evangelical Theological Society. Dec. 1961 for the article by R. Laird Harris, The Meaning of The Word Sheol as shown by Parallels in Poetic Texts, p. 129.
Rev. 17:9
John states thatHere is (does not appear in the text) the mind (ho nous the faculty of understanding and judgment) having (present participle means that the mind constantly possesses) wisdom. Now we learn what the symbols mean. The seven heads are seven mountains (the city of Rome was built around the geographical terrain of seven mountains) where the woman sits (kath tai present indicative implying that she constantly occupies the territory) on them,(The last phrase in the Greek text of Rev. 17:9 is translated with Rev. 17:10 in our English Bibles).
There are other cities in the world who occupy seven hills (e.g. Constantinople, Jerusalem, etc.), but they are all inappropriate for Johns imagery.
Rev. 17:10
And there are seven kings; five fell (epesan 1st aor. ind. expresses the fact that five kings fell in a final, complete act. Expresses the complete over throw of these puppet kings. It is used in The Septuagint for violent overthrow of kings and nations Isa. 21:9; Jer. 1:15). One is (estin presently is king), the other not yet come (lthen 2nd aor. ind. shows the fact that the other king has not yet appeared on the scene of Roman history); and whenever he comes he must (dei expresses necessity) remain a little while (oligon means a short period of time).
Rev. 17:11
The beast who was and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of (ek out of) the seven, and goes into destruction. (See note after Rev. 17:8 on the word here translated destruction). Johns riddle needs clarification. There are seven kings. There is to be an eighth one, but he is out of the seven. How can he make plausible sense out of this riddle? The seven kings could have been the seven Roman Emperors (1) Tiberius (ruled from 14 37 A.D.; (2) Caligula ruled from 3741 A.D.; (3) Claudius, 4154 A.D.; (4) Nero, 5468 A.D.; (5) Vespasian, 6979 A.D.; (6) Titus, 7981 A.D.; (7) Domitian, 8196 A.D. Galba, Otho, and Vitellius were in power for a short period of time after Nero, but they were not seriously taken as emperors. The five are fallen. It is possible that Nero was omitted from the list because of the myth of his coming to life again. Domitian (8196 A.D.) is to be identified as the one is (Rev. 17:10). On the basis of the Nero redivivus myth, Nero could meet the requirements of Johns imagery in Rev. 17:11 even he is the eighth, and is out of the seven. . . . The eighth one was originally one of the seven.
Rev. 17:12
The ten horns are now identified as ten kings. These kings have not yet come to power. Gods omnipotent knowledge enables John to have this information revealed to him. These kings and their reign are short lived. They receive authority (same Greek word for power) as kings one hour (hran is more specifically a very limited period of time than is oligon a short period or a little while in Rev. 17:10) with the beast. God has control of the universe, even when it appears to man that evil powers dominate the cosmos.
Rev. 17:13
Do the powers of darkness have a unified loyalty to evil and error? (See Act. 20:3; 1Co. 1:10 for same expression applied to Christians.) John gives us a categorical answer. These have one mind, and they give (didoasin present tense active, indicative they continually give) their power (dunamin power which they exercise as rulers) and authority (exousian the authority which their kingly office carries to the beast. Here we see that earthly governments can and are used for the forces of evil. Individuals in a given society can be moral and yet, the society, as a whole, can be rotten to the core. From a Christian viewpoint how is the individual related to his environment? In what sense do individuals exist in our mass society? If men are brought to Christ as individuals who are responsible to our Lord, how can we reach that individual as he participates in our anti-individual social structure? No Man is an Island! In one real sense of the term, there are no such things as individuals in our technological oriented, depersonalized cultures-Read chapter Rev. 13:2. Here we are told that the dragon gave both his authority and power to the beast, so that they all have just one purpose; and all of their authority, etc., is dedicated to the ways of evil. (Read Gibbons Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire now available in paperback; for background details of Romes rise and fall.)
Rev. 17:14
The forces of evil gather to make war with the Lamb. Satan tempted Christ because he did not know the ultimate nature nor the power to overcome evil which our Lord possessed. Again, Satan puts the Lamb to the test, and calls Him to do battle. Johns imagery does not remind us of any species of Pacifism which is so dominate today under the auspices of the love of God. The Lamb will overcome them; because He is Lord of lords and King of kings (see Deu. 10:17; 1Ti. 6:15; Rev. 1:5)and the ones with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful. Here John is giving us three characteristics of a child of God. The first two reveal Gods approach to man; the third manifests mans response to Gods call through the Word, and being chosen in Christ. (See 2Pe. 1:10; Rom. 8:28 ff; Rev. 2:10; Rev. 2:13.) The passage found in 2Pe. 1:10 is crystal clear that the Christian man has something to do in order to make his calling and election sure. The entire passage from the pen of Peter implies that if we do not do the things listed there then our calling and election is not sure! We must not fail to see the significance of the third characteristic of the victorious Christian faithful!
Rev. 17:15
The Angel interprets the imagery of the waters in this verse. The waters are peoples and crowds, and nations, and tongues. (See Isa. 8:7; Psa. 18:4; Psa. 18:16 for the symbol of water.)
The greatest danger any conquering nation has is the people whom they have enslaved. The Roman empire was the melting pot of the heterogeneous population of the world.
Rev. 17:16
The ones who revelled in the immoral mire of the infamous Roman life are going to revolt. Even Romes closest associates were about to throw off allegiance to the empire. The worst possible enemies anyone can have are those who are formerly intimate friends. This is to be Romes fate. The ten horns (Rev. 17:12 are kings which have no kingdom yet) and the beast, these will hate the harlot, and will make her naked and having been desolated (rmomenn perfect passive participle meaning that she is completely desolated, and that her condition was brought upon her by outside force. This is the significance of the passive voice), and will eat her flesh (the text has a plural fleshes), and will consume (katakausousin this form gives the picture of completely burning to the ground. This is the force of kata the initial part of the word) with fire. The empire will be pillaged and sacked, and burned until the glory of her wealth and power is no longer to be seen. It is gone forever!
Rev. 17:17
Even in the midst of this severe persecution God had not abdicated His throne. God permitted men to be enthralled with evil. Paul makes this same claim in Romans chapter Rom. 1:24-32, when he declares that God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts. . . . Paul uses the phrase God gave them up three times in nine verses. The second chapter of Romans begins Wherefore thou art without excuse, O Man,. . . . Even though God gave them up unto their evil passions, they were responsible to Him, and would give an account of every word, deed, and thought on the great day of judgment. God permitted evil to persist, until the words of God should be accomplished. The Hebrew concept of word means both spoken and the produced effect. Gods word shall not return unto Him before it accomplishes His divine purpose. What is the relationship of human effort to the divine plan of the ages?
Rev. 17:18
Now the last image is identified by the angel. The woman, the great harlot is the great city having a reign (or a kingdom) over the kings of the earth. No other city could meet the requirements of this imagery other than Rome, the capital of the immoral Roman empire! Rome controlled all the small, satellite kingdoms in the civilized world. Gods wrath will always be poured out even upon so-called Christian nations. Is not this the plight of our contemporary, western, Christian civilization? We need revival immediately, if we are to survive.
Discussion Questions
Chapter Rev. 17:1-18
1.
In what passage in The Revelation has the judgment of Babylon already been announced Rev. 17:1?
2.
Name one O.T. prophet who uses the imagery of a harlot Rev. 17:1.
3.
Study Jer. 51:13 and discuss Johns description of Babylon Rev. 17:1.
4.
Study the Book of Hosea for background in considering the imagery of fornication as signifying spiritual apostasy see Hos. 2:5; Hos. 3:3; Hos. 4:14, etc. Rev. 17:2.
5.
According to the teaching of Rev. 17:2 can a saved person ever be lost?
6.
Does the wilderness play a great place in biblical literature? What significance might it have Rev. 17:3?
7.
Is there any necessary connection between sin, culture and wealth Rev. 17:4?
8.
What is the source of Johns imagery in Rev. 17:5?
9.
Is the biblical doctrine and the Roman Catholic teaching about sainthood compatible Rev. 17:6?
10.
Did John understand the vision of the great harlot Rev. 17:6-7?
11.
What is the myth of Nero redivivus Rev. 17:8?
12.
Does the word destruction mean annihilation according to the note after Rev. 17:8?
13.
What is a plausible explanation of Johns riddle in Rev. 17:11?
14.
How could John know about the ten kings who had not yet come to power in Rev. 17:12?
15.
What does John say in Rev. 17:12 which implies that the reign of evil is to last only a very short time?
16.
The Body of Christ is not united. What power does Satan have which enables the forces of darkness to be of one mind, which the forces of light do not possess Rev. 17:13?
17.
Discuss the statement found in the comment on Rev. 17:13 that no man is an island.
18.
What are the three characteristics of Gods children according to Rev. 17:14?
19.
What are the former friends of Rome going to do to her according to Rev. 17:16?
20.
According to Rev. 17:17how long is God going to wait until He avenges the faithful Christians?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
6. Saw the woman drunken She is plainly now drunken before his eyes. But he knows it is the drunkenness, not of wine, but of blood. She is like the warriors of savage tribes, who seek to inflame their courage by drinking the blood of their slain.
Wondered What so strange a phenomenon could mean; and the angel thereupon proceeds to explain.
The Rhemish note here says, (authorized by the pope:) “The Protestants foolishly expound it of Rome, for that there they put heretics to death, and allow of their punishment in other countries: but their blood is not called the blood of saints, no more than the blood of thieves, man-killers, and other malefactors: for the shedding of which, by order of justice, no commonwealth shall answer.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of God’s people (the saints) and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And when I saw her I wondered with a great wonder.’
The ancient empires from Babel onwards made war on the people of God, just as Rome was now doing and would do, and other great cities of the future would do as well. The people of God are always subject to special attack because of what the woman represents. Whether it was Babylon with its fiery furnaces (Dan 3:11), Darius the Mede with his den of lions (Dan 6:7) or Rome with its crucifixions and its amphitheatres, ‘Great Babylon’ was responsible for it all. Today large parts of the world are ruled by Babylon, with its commercialism, covetousness which is idolatry, and its anti-God behaviour.
The term saints probably has in mind the Old Testament saints (e.g. Psa 79:2; Psa 116:15; Dan 7:18; Dan 7:21-22; Dan 7:25; Dan 7:27), with the ‘witnesses of Jesus’ representing the New Testament saints. This again testifies to the breadth of the ideas. As John contemplates all the blood she has caused to be shed, blood that has made her drunk as with wine, he can only marvel.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Ver. 6. Drunken with the blood, &c. ] Bishop Bonner delivered Richard Woodman, with four more, requiring of them to be but honest men, members of the Church Catholic, and to speak good of him. And no doubt (saith Woodman) he was worthy to be praised, because he had been so faithful an aid in the devil his master’s business, for he had burned good Mr Philpot the same morning. In whose blood his heart was so drunk as I suppose he could not tell what he did, as it appeared to us both before and after. For but two days before, he promised us we should be condemned that same day that we were delivered; yea, and the morrow after he sought for some of us again, yea, and that earnestly. He waxed dry after his great drunkenness; wherefore he is like to have blood to drink in hell, as he is worthy, if he repent not, &c. It is wisdom (said a certain unknown good woman in a letter to Bonner), it is wisdom for me and all other simple sheep of the Lord, to keep us out of your butcherly stall as long as we can; especially seeing you have such store already, that you are not able to drink all their blood, lest you should break your belly, and therefore let them lie still and die for hunger, &c. Thus I kept the bandogs a at staves’ end (said Shetterden the martyr), not as thinking to escape them, but that I would see the foxes leap above the ground for my blood, if they can reach it.
I wondered with great admiration ] All things are portentous in the popedom; what monsters were Pope John XII, and Hildebrand, as Luitprandus (Lib. 6, de Reb. Gest. in Europ. in Vita Hildeb.) describes the one, and Cardinal Benno the other, both of their own side. Tertia classis continet Papas vel potius , saith Alstedius. After the thousandth year of Christ, there was nowhere less piety than in those that dwelt nearest to Rome, as Machiavel observeth.
a A dog tied or chained up, either to guard a house, or on account of its ferocity; hence gen. a mastiff, bloodhound. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rev 17:6 . Cf. Nahum’s “bloody city” (of Assyrian cruelty to prisoners, Rev 3:1 ), and for the metaphor Cic. Phil. ii. 24, 29, or Suet. Tiberius , 59, or Pliny, H. N. xiv. 28, “quo facile intelligatur ebrius jam sanguine ciuium, et tanto magis eum sitiens,” also Jos. Bell . Rev 17:8 ; Rev 17:2 . When a Jewish source is postulated, is bracketed ( e.g. , by Vischer, Spitta, S. Davidson, Briggs, Charles and others) as from the hand of the later Christian editor, who here, as in Rev 18:24 (Mommsen), is thinking of the condemnation of provincial prisoners to fight with gladiators or wild beasts in the arena of the capital. The of the source would thus be defined as, or supplemented by, Christian martyrs. They are not contaminated, like the rest of men, but their purity is won at the expense of their life. The Jewish martyrs would be those killed in the war of 66 70, primarily. The whole verse, however, might be ( cf. Rev 18:24 ) editorial; it is the contaminations, rather than the cruelties, of Rome which absorb the interest of this oracle.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
saints. See Act 9:13.
martyrs. See p. 1511.
Jesus. App-98.
admiration = wonder. In this phrase is the Figure of speech Polyptoton. App-6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rev 17:6. ) , I become intoxicated, or, I am intoxicated.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
drunken: Rev 13:7, Rev 13:15, Rev 16:6, Rev 18:20-24, Dan 7:21, Dan 7:25
the martyrs: Rev 2:13, Rev 6:9, Rev 6:10, Rev 12:11, Act 22:20
I wondered: Hab 1:13
Reciprocal: 2Ch 21:11 – compelled Psa 44:22 – killed Psa 72:14 – precious Psa 79:3 – Their Psa 94:5 – break Psa 94:21 – condemn Psa 137:8 – happy Pro 25:26 – General Ecc 5:8 – marvel Son 5:7 – they smote Isa 14:4 – How Isa 24:10 – of confusion Isa 29:9 – and wonder Isa 49:26 – drunken Isa 51:23 – I will Isa 59:7 – and they Jer 20:2 – smote Eze 22:25 – they have devoured Eze 24:6 – Woe Eze 34:4 – but with Dan 8:24 – shall destroy Dan 11:33 – yet Hos 4:2 – toucheth Hab 2:12 – him Hab 2:15 – unto Mat 2:16 – and slew Mat 7:15 – are Mat 14:11 – and given Mat 20:26 – it Mat 23:37 – thou Mat 24:49 – to smite Luk 12:45 – to beat Act 26:10 – the saints 1Co 4:9 – and to men 2Ti 3:3 – fierce Heb 12:4 – General 1Jo 3:12 – And Rev 6:4 – horse Rev 6:11 – until Rev 7:14 – came Rev 11:7 – the beast Rev 12:17 – to make Rev 13:3 – all Rev 13:11 – and he spake Rev 14:8 – wrath Rev 17:3 – a woman Rev 18:24 – in her
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 17:6. Saints and martyrs refer to the same people although the words have a different (but not conflicting) meaning. Saint means a holy or righteous person which applies to all Christians. Martyr means witness and all Christians are martyrs because they are faithful to the testimony of the Gospel regardless of what may be the result. The fact that both saints and martyrs had shed their blood in defence of the testimony of Jesus, shows the latter word is not applied to some on the simple ground that they died for Christ. Saw the woman drunken. To be drunk literally requires that a person be under the influence of alcohol. The term has come to be used figuratively, as when it is said that a man is “drunk with a craze for money; or for pleasure.” Rome had shed so much blood of righteous people she is said to be drunk with the desire to slay the Christians. Wondered with great admiration. The last word usually has the sense of approval, but it is not restricted to that meaning. The phrase means the vision John saw was so unusual and vast that he could only gaze at it.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 6.
The woman was envisioned as drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, in verse six. This not only referred to the fact that Jerusalem had slain the prophets as in Mat 23:29-39; and been “betrayers and murderers,” as charged by Stephen in Act 7:52; and was the city “where also our Lord was crucified,” as in Rev 11:8; but it was her apostasies that had caused the persecutions which had overwhelmed the land, and Jerusalem was therefore responsible for the blood of the saints and the martyrs symbolized throughout the apocalypse.
When John saw this adorned harlot sitting on the beast, he wondered with great admiration. The word wonder here means that the meaning had not yet been revealed, as it was done in the visions that followed. The word admiration has the meaning of astonishment–that is, John wondered with great amazement as he viewed the decked and jeweled Harlot seated on the beast whose power would bring her to destruction.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 17:6. The description of the ungovernable fierceness of the womans spirit is continued. She drinks, and makes herself drunk with the blood of the saints and of the martyrs of Jesus (comp, chap. Rev 18:24).Having finished his description the Seer adds, And when I saw her I wondered with a great wonder. He is overwhelmed with astonishment at the spectacle, yet not so much probably at the royal magnificence of the woman, as that, being a woman, she should exhibit such tokens of a cruel and bloodthirsty spirit, denying the nature that properly belonged to her.
At this point it might have been well to inquire into the meaning of Babylon in these verses, but so much has still to be said of that city that it seems better to delay the inquiry until we have finished the exposition of the whole passage. Upon this point, therefore, we refer to what is said at the end of chap. 18
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
St. John porceeds in the description of this woman; he declared her to be a filthy and common whore in the foregoing verse; in this he represents her as a cruel and bloody whore; she is said to be drunk, drunk with blood, drunk with holy blood, drunk with the blood of saints and marytrs. Behold the blood-thirstiness of the Roman church, and her insatiableness therein, even unto drunkenness.
Observe, 2. With what wonder and admiration St. John was filled, when he saw this woman drunk with blood, I wondered with great admiration; intimating, that so astonishing is the cruelty of that church, that it justly causes wonder and admiration to all that are not of her cruel and bloody disposition. I wonder that God should suffer so much of his dear servants’ blood to be shed by her, and at her insatiable cruelty in shedding it.
Observe, 3. How the Spirit of God was pleased to open this mystery, which indeed is the only vision of this nature expounded throughout the whole book. He begins first with a description of the beast, affirming that he was, and yet is; as if he had said, “The Roman empire was once Pagan, now is not Pagan, but Christian, and yet is as idolatrous now as it was of old; the same it was, only in another form.” Rome Papal is certainly as idolatrous, as cruel and bloody, as ever Rome Pagan was of old; yea, perhaps much more so beyond compare.
Observe next, the rise and original is declared from whence this idolatrous church should spring, namely out of the bottomless pit, because her working is after the working of Satan, with all deceivableness, with signs and lying wonders. And as its rise is declared, so is its ruin foretold; it shall go into perdition, that is, shall be finally destroyed, never to revive again: but before this destruction the world shall be under such an infatuation, that the generality of the inhabitants of the earth, some few excepted, shall wonder after the beast; that is, be wonderfully taken with him, and shall follow him with an implicit faith, paying homage and subjection to him. But these admirers and adorers of the beast are only such whose names were not written in the book of life; intimating to us, that in the times of greatest apostasy, and most universal defection from the truth, the Lord wants not his own true church: he ever had, and has, yea, ever will have, a number to stand up for his name, and bear witness to his truth.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
She had thirsted after the blood of the faithful and was drunk on the blood of those whe had martyred. John stood in wonder looking at such a sight.
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Rev 17:6-7. I saw the woman, &c. Infamous as the woman is for her idolatry, she is no less detestable for her cruelty, which are the two principal characters of the antichristian empire. She is drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs Or witnesses; of Jesus So that Rome may well be called, the slaughter-house of the martyrs. This may indeed be applied both to pagan and to Christian Rome, for both have in their turns cruelly persecuted the saints and martyrs of Jesus; but the latter is more deserving of the character, as she hath far exceeded the former both in the degree and duration of her persecutions. It is very true, as it was hinted before, that if Rome pagan hath slain her thousands of innocent Christians, Rome Christian hath slain her ten thousands. For not to mention other outrageous slaughters and barbarities, the croisades against the Waldenses and Albigenses, the murders committed by the duke of Alva in the Netherlands, the massacres in France and Ireland, will probably amount to above ten times the number of all the Christians slain in all the ten persecutions of the Roman emperors put together. St. Johns admiration also plainly evinces that Christian Rome was intended: for it could be no matter of surprise to him that a heathen city should persecute the Christians, when he himself had seen and suffered the persecution under Nero: but that a city, professedly Christian, should wanton and riot in the blood of Christians, was a subject of astonishment indeed; and well might he, as it is emphatically expressed, wonder with great wonder. And the angel said. Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery It was not thought sufficient to represent these things only in vision, and therefore the angel, like the , nuntius, or messenger, in the ancient drama, undertakes to explain the mystery, the mystic scene or secret meaning, of the woman, and of the beast that carries her: and the angels interpretation is indeed, as Bishop Newton observes, the best key to the Revelation, the best clew to direct and conduct us through this intricate labyrinth.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
17:6 {9} And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: {10} and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
(9) In manner of deeds: She is red with blood, and sheds it most licentiously, and therefore is coloured with the blood of the saints, as on the contrary part, Christ is set forth imbued with the blood of her enemies; Isa 63:1 .
(10) A passage to the second part of this chapter, by occasion given of John, as the words of the angel do show in the next verse.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
She had drunk the blood of believers, the saints generally and witnesses to Jesus Christ specifically (cf. Rev 11:10; Rev 13:7; Rev 13:15). This system had destroyed true believers and rejoiced in their deaths. This revelation amazed John. A system purporting to honor God was killing His faithful followers! Alternatively John may have wondered why God allowed her to live, or because he did not understand the meaning of what he saw, or because he saw a splendidly attired woman instead of a ruined city. In his day the Roman Empire was the greatest manifestation of Babylonianism.