Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 2:11

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." — Revelation 2:11 (ASV)

He that has an ear, etc. (See Barnes on Revelation 2:7).

He that overcomes. (See Barnes on Revelation 2:7).

The particular promise here is made to him who would "overcome;" that is, who would gain the victory in the persecutions that were to come upon them. The reference is to him who would show the sustaining power of religion in times of persecution; who would not yield his principles when opposed and persecuted; who would be triumphant when so many efforts were made to induce him to apostatize and abandon the cause.

Shall not be hurt of the second death. By a second death. That is, he will have nothing to fear in the future world. The punishment of hell is often called death, not in the sense that the soul will cease to exist, but:

1. because death is the most fearful thing that we know, and

2. because there is a striking similarity, in many respects, between death and future punishment. Death cuts off from life—and so the second death cuts off from eternal life; death puts an end to all our hopes here, and the second death to all our hopes forever; death is attended with terrors and alarms—the faint and feeble emblem of the terrors and alarms in the world of woe. The phrase, "the second death," is used three other times by John in this book (Revelation 20:6, 14; 21:8) but does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. The words death and to die, however, are often used to denote the future punishment of the wicked.

The promise made here would be all that was necessary to sustain them in their trials. Nothing more is needed to make the burdens of life tolerable than an assurance that, when we reach the end of our earthly journey, we have arrived at the end of suffering, and that beyond the grave there is no power that can harm us.

Religion, indeed, does not promise its friends exemption from death in one form. To none of the human race has such a promise ever been made, and to only two has the favor been granted to pass to heaven without tasting death. It could have been granted to all the redeemed, but there were good reasons why it should not be; that is, why it would be better that even those who are to dwell in heaven should return to the dust and sleep in the tomb, than that they should be removed by a perpetual miracle, translating them to heaven.

Religion, therefore, does not come to us with any promise that we shall not die. But it comes with the assurance that we will be sustained in the dying hour; that the Redeemer will accompany us through the dark valley; that death to us will be a calm and quiet slumber, in the hope of awaking in the morning of the resurrection; that we will be raised up again with bodies incorruptible and undecaying; and that beyond the grave we will never fear death in any form. What more is necessary to enable us to bear with patience the trials of this life, and to look upon death when it does come, disarmed as it is of its sting (1 Corinthians 15:55–57), with calmness and peace?