A.T. Robertson Commentary


A.T. Robertson Commentary
"And the nations were wroth, and thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and [the time] to give their reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them that destroy the earth." — Revelation 11:18 (ASV)
Were wroth (ωργισθησαν). Ingressive first aorist active indicative of οργιζομα, "became angry." The culmination of wrath against God (16:13ff.; 20:8f.). Cf. Psalms 2:1,5,12; 99:1; Acts 4:25f.. John sees the hostility of the world against Christ.
Thy wrath came (ηλθεν η οργη σου). Second aorist active indicative of ερχομα, the prophetic aorist again. The Dies Irae is conceived as already come.
The time of the dead to be judged (ο καιρος των νεκρων κριθηνα). For this use of καιρος see Mr 11:13; Luke 21:24. By "the dead" John apparently means both good and bad (John 5:25; Acts 24:21), coincident with the resurrection and judgment (Revelation 14:15ff.; 20:1-15). The infinitive κριθηνα is the first aorist passive of κρινω, epexegetic use with the preceding clause, as is true also of δουνα (second aorist active infinitive of διδωμ), to give.
Their reward (τον μισθον). This will come in the end of the day (Matthew 20:8), from God (Matthew 6:1), at the Lord's return (Revelation 22:12), according to each one's work (1 Corinthians 3:8).
The small and the great (τους μικρους κα τους μεγαλους). The accusative here is an anacoluthon and fails to agree in case with the preceding datives after δουνα τον μισθον, though some MSS. have the dative τοις μικροις, etc. John is fond of this phrase "the small and the great" (13:16; 19:5,18; 20:12).
To destroy (διαφθειρα). First aorist active infinitive of διαφθειρω, carrying on the construction with καιρος. Note τους διαφθειροντας, "those destroying" the earth (corrupting the earth). There is a double sense in διαφθειρω that justifies this play on the word. See 19:2. In 1 Timothy 6:5 we have those "corrupted in mind" (διαφθαρμενο τον νουν). God will destroy the destroyers (1 Corinthians 3:16f.).