Charles Ellicott Commentary Revelation 1:16

"And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." — Revelation 1:16 (ASV)

And he had (or, having) in his right hand seven stars.—The stars are explained later on (Revelation 1:20) to be the emblems of the angels of the seven churches. They are described as stars in His right hand. They, perhaps, appeared as a wreath, or as a royal and star-adorned diadem in His hand. (See Isaiah 62:3.) This expresses their preciousness in Christ’s sight, and the care He takes of them. A similar emblem is used of Coniah (Jeremiah 22:24), where he is compared to the signet upon God’s right hand.

And out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.—There is no need for doubt about the meaning here. The imagery of the Bible elsewhere is too explicit to be mistaken. It is the sword of the Spirit, even the word of God, which is here described. It is that word which is sharper than any two-edged sword and which lays bare the thoughts and intents of the soul (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12. Compare to Isaiah 49:2).

This is the weapon with which Christ will subdue His enemies; no carnal weapon is needed (2 Corinthians 10:4). Those who take any other sword in hand than this to advance His kingdom will perish with the weapon to which they have appealed (Revelation 13:10; Matthew 26:52), but those who arm themselves with this will find it mighty through God. With this weapon of His word He Himself fights against His adversaries (Revelation 2:12; Revelation 2:16; Revelation 19:15; Revelation 19:21); with this He lays bare the hidden hypocrisies of men, cuts off the diseased members, and wounds that He may heal.

“The sword with which You command,
Is in Your mouth and not Your hand.”

It is a two-edged sword; it has the double edge of the Old Testament and the New; “the Old Testament, cutting externally our carnal; the New Testament, internally our spiritual sins” (Richard of St. Victor). It has the double edge of its power to rebuke sin and self-righteousness. It rebukes the evil of wrong-doing and the evil motives that accompany right-doing. These two edges will cut off sin from man, or else cut off man in his sin (Compare to Isaiah 11:4 and 2 Thessalonians 2:8). The Greek word here rendered “sword” is used six times in this book, and only once (Luke 2:35) elsewhere in the New Testament.

His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.—It is the spiritual truth that gives the splendor to such descriptions as these. The dazzling glory of Him who is the Sun of Righteousness is intolerable to human eyes. There is no wonder in this when we remember that He is the brightness of His Father’s glory, and that the Father dwells in that light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see (1 Timothy 6:16). It is the luster of holiness and righteousness that is signified here. This is a luster “the eye of sinful man may not see,” but of which saints and angel messengers may catch a faint reflection. Thus, the angel’s face may look like lightning (Matthew 28:3), and the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matthew 13:43). Compare to the shining of Moses’ face (Exodus 34:29).