Charles Ellicott Commentary Revelation 5

And I saw in the right hand . . .—Better, And I saw on (not “in; ” the roll lay on the open palm of the hand) the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne a book written within and on the back, securely sealed with seven seals.

The book is, of course, in the form of a roll; it lies on the open hand of the Throned One. It was not His will that the book should be kept from anyone. It is written, not on the inside only, as was the usual way, but, like the roll of the book that Ezekiel saw (Ezekiel 2:9–10), it was written within and without. Some have thought that there are two divisions of predictions—those written within the roll, and those written on the outer side.

This is merely fanciful; the passage in Ezekiel, which provides guidance to the meaning, might have shown the error of this thought. Clearly, the “lamentation and mourning and woe” inscribed all over Ezekiel’s roll indicate it was filled with sorrows. Here, the same overflowing writing indicates the completeness of the contents; there was no room for addition to what was written in it.

But what is meant by the book? Countless interpretations have been offered: it is the Old Testament; it is the whole Bible; it is the title-deed of humanity’s inheritance; it is the book containing the sentence of judgment on the enemies of the faith; it is the Apocalypse; it is part of the Apocalypse; it is the book of God’s purposes and providence.

There is a truth underlying most of these interpretations, but most of them limit the force of the vision. If we say it is the book that unfolds the principles of God’s government—in a wide sense, the book of salvation , the interpretation of life, which Christ alone can bestow ()—we will likely include the practical truths that underlie each of these interpretations.

For everything—Old Testament and New, humanity’s heritage and destiny, God’s purposes and providence—remains obscure until He who is the Light unfolds those truths that illuminate everything. Such a book becomes one “which contains and interprets human history” and claims the kingdoms of the earth for God.

The aim of all literature, as a distinguished critic has said, is little more than the criticism of life; the book that Christ unfolds is the key to the true meaning of life. The roll is not the Apocalypse so much as the book of those truths that are exemplified in the Apocalypse, as in a vast chamber of imagery. The roll was securely sealed, so that even those who were wise and learned enough to read it, had it been unrolled, could not do so . There are things that are hidden from the wise and prudent but revealed to babes.

And I saw a strong (better, mighty) angel proclaiming with (or, in) a loud voice, Who is worthy...—We must not let the word “worthy” pass as though it were simply equivalent to “strong enough.” It seems to imply moral fitness , which is the true strength in the heavenly world. It was not lack of intellectual capacity so much as the taint of moral unworthiness which hindered the reading of the book.

This is in harmony with what we have noticed before. “To commune with God, there is need of no subtle thought, no foreign tongue, no newest philosophy: ‘the pure in heart shall see Him:’ and Fox and Bunyan can more truly make Him known than ‘masters of sentences’ and ‘angelic doctors.’” Those who are willing to do God’s will know of God’s doctrine.

This thought corresponds, too, with the stress which is laid (Revelation 5:5) on the victory of Christ. It is not simply as divine Son of God, but also as victorious Saviour and King of His people, that He opens the book: His worthiness has been established in conflict and temptation (John 14:30; Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 4:15).

And no man . . . .—Or, better, no one (for it is of more than mankind that the Apostle speaks) was able, in heaven, nor on earth, nor under the earth, nor even (still less?) to look on it.

The looking on the book is usually understood as the gaze cast upon the book by one who would read its contents. If so, the thought is that no one could open, still less read, the scroll.

It may, however, be that all who attempted to take the book were unable to face the glory in which it lay. When Christ revealed Himself to Saul, he could not see because of the glory of that light.

And I wept much, because no man (better, no one) was found worthy to open ... the book (omit, “and to read”).—The Apostle is not ashamed to call attention to his tears. I, indeed, for my part (the “I” is emphatic) wept much. It was not a failure of faith; it was the outburst of an earnest heart, to which the knowledge of God and the destinies of his fellow human beings were very dear.

Those who have longed to see the end of oppression, fraud, and sorrow on the earth, to know something of the laws which govern the present, and of their outcome in the future, will understand these tears. “The words, ‘I wept much,’ can only be understood by those who have lived in great catastrophes of the Church, and entered with the fullest sympathy into her sufferings. Without tears the Revelation was not written, neither can it without tears be understood.”

And one of the elders . . .—Better, And one from among the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion, which is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, conquered (so as) to open the scroll, and the seven seals thereof. The position of the word conquered is emphatic and should receive greater prominence.

The verse has been translated, “Behold, one conquered, (even) the Lion . . .” The right to open the scroll is thus made to turn, as we noticed before, not merely on the divine Sonship of our Lord, but upon His victory: He conquered, and so opens the secret purposes of God to His Church.

The thought is exactly parallel with other scriptures which give emphasis to the work of redemption. It is for the suffering of death that Christ is clothed with glory and honour (Hebrews 2:9). Similarly Saint Paul traces the exaltation of Christ as the outcome of His humiliation: wherefore (that is, in consequence of His humiliation) God also hath highly exalted Him (Philippians 2:9).

Thus Christ, who in conquest is seen to be the power of God, in revealing the true philosophy of history is seen to be the wisdom of God.

The Lion of the tribe of Judah—The lion was the ancient symbol of the tribe of Judah. Jacob described his son as a lion’s whelp (Genesis 49:9); the standard of Judah in the Israelite encampment is said to have been a lion. It was the symbol of strength, courage, and sovereignty.

The Root of David.—The Lion is also the representative of the royal house of David. Christ cometh of the seed of David (Compare Mark 12:35 with John 8:42); the prophets have described Him as the Branch, who would spring from the ancient stock (Isaiah 11:1; Zechariah 6:12). But there also seems to be a reference to the deeper thought that He who is the Branch is also the Root ; He is the one who was David’s Lord (Matthew 22:41–45), and “the true source and ground of all power” to David and David’s tribe, and of all who looked to Him, and not to themselves, for strength.