Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 20:5

"The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first resurrection." — Revelation 20:5 (ASV)

But the rest of the dead. This is in contrast to the beheaded martyrs and those who had kept themselves pure in times of great temptation. The phrase "rest of the dead" here would most naturally refer to the same general class previously mentioned—the pious dead.

The meaning is that the martyrs would be honored as if they were raised up and the others were not; that is, special respect would be shown to their principles, their memory, and their character. In other words, special honor would be shown to a spirit of eminent piety during that period, above the common and ordinary piety that has been manifested in the church.

The "rest of the dead"—the pious dead—would indeed be raised up and rewarded, but they would occupy comparatively humble places, as if they did not partake in the exalted triumphs when the world should be subdued to the Savior. Their places in honor, in rank, and in reward would be beneath that of those who in fiery times had maintained unshaken fidelity to the cause of truth.

Lived not. On the word lived, see the notes on Revelation 20:4.

That is, they did not live during that period in the peculiar sense in which it is said (Revelation 20:4) that the eminent saints and martyrs lived. They did not come into remembrance; their principles were not what then characterized the church; they did not see, as the martyrs did, their principles and mode of life in the ascendancy, and consequently they did not have the augmented happiness and honor that the more eminent saints and martyrs had.

Until the thousand years were finished. Then all who were truly the children of God, though some might have been less eminent than others, would come into remembrance and would have their proper place in the rewards of heaven. The language here is not necessarily to be interpreted as meaning that they would be raised up then, or would live then, whatever may be true on that point. It is merely an emphatic mode of affirming that up to that period they would not live in the sense in which it is affirmed that the others would.

But it is not affirmed that they would even then "live" immediately. A long interval might elapse before that would occur in the general resurrection of the dead.

This is the first resurrection. The resurrection of the saints and martyrs, as specified in Revelation 20:4. It is called the first resurrection in distinction from the second and last—the general resurrection—when all the dead will be literally raised up from their graves and assembled for the judgment (Revelation 20:12).

It is not necessary to suppose that what is called here the "first resurrection" will resemble the real and literal resurrection in every respect. All that is meant is that there will be such a resemblance as to make it proper to call it a resurrection—a coming to life again. This will be, as explained in the notes on Revelation 20:4, in the honor done to the martyrs, in the restoration of their principles as the great actuating principles of the church, and perhaps in the increased happiness conferred on them in heaven and in their being employed in promoting the cause of truth in the world.