Revelation 17
DOYLY— MYSTERY.] This mystery is what St. Paul calls the mystery of iniquity, the setting up of a religion pretending to be a mighty mystery, as if it were the only mystery of godliness, the true mystery of God. As if it were thus, She pretends to have a mystery, but she is indeed the mother of whoreforms and abominations of the earth. Daubus.
Her name “mystery” can imply no less than that she deaieth in mysteries, her religion is a mystery of iniquity, and she herself is mystically and spiritually “Babylon the Great;” and it is indeed a mystery that a Christian city, professing and boasting herself to be the city of God, should prove another Babylon in idolatry and cruelty to the people of God. Bp. Newton.
— THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS] That is, polluting herself with the grossest idolatry, and corrupting the nations with the same profane worship. Bp. Hurd.
This part of the description can with no propriety be accommodated to Rome before it had embraced the faith of Christ; because, however addicted to the worship of idols that city may have been during its unconverted state, it cannot justly be charged with labouring to spread the same infection to others. But it cannot be denied, that Papal or Christian Rome has been sedulously bent on nothing more, than on extending its religion with the same zeal the ancient Romans did their arms, and by the same methods too, even those of violence and persecution towards all opposers. Bp. Halifax.
Revelation 17:6
- — drunken with the blood &c.] This might indeed be applied both to Pagan and 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 has far exceeded the former both in the degree and duration of her persecutions. Bp. Newton.
— I wondered &c.] It is a very just observation of the learned Vitrians, that St. John by this woman could not possibly mean the heathen Rome, because he was no stranger to the heathen persecution of Christians; he himself had lived to see them, and he could not be surprised at them. But, to find a power professedly Christian drunk with the blood of the saints, might well astonish him. Pyle.
Revelation 17:8
- The beast that thou sawest &c.] The mystery of the beast is first explained; and the beast is considered first in general, under a threefold state or succession, as existing, and then ceasing to be, and then reviving again,
so as to become another and the same. “He was, and is not, and shall ascend,” &c. A beast in the prophetic style is a tyrannical idolatrous empire, and the Roman empire was idolatrous under the heathen emperours, and then ceased to be so for some time under the Christian emperours, and then became idolatrous again under the Roman pontiffs, and so has continued ever since. It is the same idolatrous power revived again, but only in another form; and all the corrupt part of mankind, whose names are not enrolled as good citizens in the registers of heaven, are pleased at the revival of it; but, in this last form, it “shall go into perdition,” it shall not, as it did before, cease for a time and revive again, but shall be destroyed for ever. Bp. Newton.
Revelation 17:9
- — here is the mind which hath wisdom.] This is a proclamation to require attention to a thing which must not barely be heard and heeded, but also seriously considered and studied. Here is a secret to be revealed and explained; so that he that hears it, must have wisdom, and employ it, to consider attentively what is proposed. Daubus.
— seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.] This interpretation of the angel leaves no doubt that the persecuting power, of which this is the prophecy, was to be some empire of which the city of Rome was to be the capital or seat. Rome was as well known by its situation on seven hills, as by its name of Rome itself. ‘The city on seven hills’ was never mistaken for any other city; Roman authors have so fully determined the sense of it. Lowman.
‘The city on seven hills’ is so characteristic of Rome, that the name itself could not have pointed it out more plainly. Bp. Hurd.
Revelation 17:10
10, 11. — there are seven kings: &c.] In the style of prophecy, kings mean kingdoms, or forms and states of government. Daniel interprets the beasts in his prophecy to mean kings, that is, kingdoms, empires, or distinct governments, Dan. vii. 17, 23. Lowman.
Of these forms of government, “five are fallen,” are already past, “and one is,” the sixth is now subsisting. The five fallen are kings, consuls, dictators, decemvirs, and military tribunes; as they are enumerated and distinguished by the two greatest Roman historians, Livy and Tacitus. The sixth is the power of the Cesars or emperours, which was subsisting at the time of this vision. Although an end was put to the imperial name by the Ostrogoths, yet a new form of government was not erected till Rome fell under the power of the Eastern emperor, and the emperor’s lieutenant, the exarch of Ravenna, dissolved all the former magistracies, and constituted a duke of Rome, to govern the people,
The interpretation of the beast, and of the woman. Anno DOMINI 94.
Revelation 17:12
- And the ten horns which thou sawest &c.] The ten horns signify the ten kingdoms of Europe, into which this western empire shall be broken, by the wars and devastations brought on it by the barbarous nations. This, the angel says to St. John, shall happen long after your time. And, about the very same period in which these European princes shall be rending each his kingdom from the empire, and setting up an independent power of his own, this idolatrous church power, this eighth beast, will be, by subtle degrees, raising itself to a height that will domineer over them all, and bring them into the old heathen idolatries under a Christian dress. Pyle.
— one hour] What we translate “one hour,” should rather have been rendered ‘at the same hour or point of time,’ as several learned interpreters have observed. Lowman.
Ten, in prophetick language, does not always mean a precise number, but is used as a certain number for an uncertain, to express in general several or many; so that there seems no necessity of finding a precise number of ten different kingdoms erected on the ruins of the Roman empire. Still several interpreters have reckoned up precisely the number ten. The following are
Revelation 17:13
13, 14. These have one mind, &c.] These kings of the European nations will be seduced and persuaded into so high an opinion, and thence into such dread of this apostolical church government, that they will lend all their arms and join their civil powers in support of it, and force the consciences of Christians to comply with it, and implicitly submit to it. But Christ, by the ministry and steady obedience of His faithful servants, will at length totally subdue this persecuting power. For He is that King of saints, to whom shall be given the “dominium and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens,” as Daniel hath foretold, Dan. ii. 44; vii. 13, 24—27. Pyle.
Revelation 17:15
- — are peoples, and multitudes, &c.] See note at ver. 1. So many words in the plural number fitly denote the great extent of the power and jurisdiction of Rome; and it is a remarkable peculiarity of this government, different from all others, that its authority is not limited to its own immediate subjects, and confined within the bounds of its own dominions, but extends over all countries and kingdoms professing the same religion. Bp. Newton.
Revelation 17:16
- And the ten horns &c.] For the comfort of the faithful it is revealed that these very nations, who will thus support the idolatry and persecution of the beast for a time, will at length grow sensible of her extravagant claims and grievous oppressions, and will not only withdraw their protection from her, but use their power against her, will strip her of her ornaments and riches, expose her to shame, and bring her to destruction by fire and sword, and all the calamities of war. Lowman.
Revelation 17:17
- For God hath put in their hearts &c.] For God hath permitted the kings of the earth to support the idolatry and persecution of the beast for a limited time: but, when the word of prophecy shall be finished, then He will put it in their hearts to fulfil His farther will, in the destruction of that power which they before supported. Lowman.
— until the words &c.] Alluding perhaps particularly to the words of Daniel, at chap. vii. 25, 26. Bp. Newton.
Revelation 17:18
- And the woman which thou sawest &c.] Although little doubt can remain what idolatrous church is meant
Anno DOMINI 94.