Revelation 22:18

{9} For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: (9) The supplication of John (which is the third part of the confirmation) joined with a curse of abhorrence, to preserve the truth of this book entire and uncorrupted in two verses.

Revelation 22:18-19 . For I testify — Here the Lord Jesus adds a solemn admonition, not only to the churches of Asia, but to all who should ever hear or read this book. To him that adds to the things contained in it, shall all the plagues mentioned in it be added; and from him that takes away from the words of this prophecy shall the blessings spoken of in it be taken. And doubtless this guilt is incurred by all those who lay hinderances in the way of the faithful, in order to prevent them from hearing their Lord’s words, I come, and answering, Come, Lord Jesus. This may likewise be considered as an awful sanction given to the whole New Testament; in like manner, as Moses guarded the law, ( Deuteronomy 4:2 ; Deuteronomy 12:32 ,) and as God himself did, ( Malachi 4:4 ,) in closing the canon of the Old Testament. It is true, however, that this solemn caution particularly refers to this book of the Revelation. But, as Doddridge observes, “God forbid we should imagine every honestly mistaken criticism, where there is a question respecting receiving or excluding any particular verse, should affect a man’s salvation, in consequence of what is here said.

Such a passage, however, should make men very cautious, that they may not rashly incur any censure on this account; though, undoubtedly, the terror of the threatening is planted against any designed erasement or addition.” It may be observed further on this verse, that since God threatens the plagues written in this book, and the loss of a part in the holy city, as what might be the portion of those who should presume to corrupt it, and such corruption might happen in any age of the church, — it is very evident that the holy city spoken of in the preceding chapter is a representation of the heavenly state to be enjoyed by all good men; how applicable soever it may seem to any glorious scene preceding the final judgment: and that Revelation 20:11-12 , refers to the universal judgment.

The final Testimony of the Seer and his Benediction, Revelation 22:18-21 18 . For I testify ] Omit “for.” If any man shall add &c.] Deuteronomy 4:2 ; Deuteronomy 12:32 . The parallel of those passages proves, that the curse denounced is on those who interpolate unauthorised doctrines in the prophecy, or who neglect essential ones; not on transcribers who might unadvisedly interpolate or omit something in the true text. The curse, if understood in the latter sense, has been remarkably ineffective, for the common text of this book is more corrupt, and the true text oftener doubtful, than in any other part of the N. T. But it may be feared that additions and omissions in the more serious sense have also been frequently made by rash interpreters. It is certain that the curse is designed to guard the integrity of this Book of the Revelation, not to close the N. T. canon. It is not even certain that this was the last written of the canonical books. unto these things] Better simply unto them : an unemphatic pronoun being used. Though it cannot grammatically refer to “the words of the prophecy,” i.e. it no doubt does so refer ungrammatically.

Revelation 22:18 . [249] ΜΑΡΤΥΡῶ ἘΓῺ ) See Appar. on this passage.[250] In Revelation 22:18-19 , there is a most severe testimony, a most weighty admonition to all hearers of the Apocalypse. If any man shall add , there shall be added upon him plagues: if any man shall take away , from him shall be taken away blessings. Repayment in kind [talio]. It is more grievous, as it appears from the annexed threatenings, to add, than to take away: though many critics actually show that they entertain a contrary opinion, being more timid in the erasure than in the admission of glosses. To change, is at once both to add and to take away. First, any hearer may offend in this matter, when he endeavours to pass off as Apocalyptic writings which are not such, or suppresses those which are truly Apocalyptic. An unskilful expounder , who is blind and rash, offends, and especially if he deems himself to be endowed with a singular prophetical gift and faculty. An unfaithful translator and copyist , who writes out the text incorrectly, exceedingly offends: for while the text is uncorrupted, especially at the foundation, the offence of the expounder and of the hearer may be corrected; but when the text is corrupted, the injury is much greater.

Yet in all these modes the offence may be committed in a greater or less degree, the faithful being hindered, so that they cannot learn to hear the Lord’s I come , and to answer Come , and thus to enjoy the truth and fruit of the whole book or of the separate parts and portions, and to recognise the glory of Jesus Christ: Revelation 22:17 ; Revelation 22:20 . Nor is theirs a slight fault, who perversely, unfairly, and unseasonably bring forward mysteries, and produce in the world and its princes envy and suspicion towards the kingdom of God. It is not the modest endeavour, joined with the desire of progress, and not blocking up the way to the truth arising from other sources, which is here condemned; it is profane boldness, arising from carnal sense, which is condemned. And John especially forewarned Cerinthus, who afterwards incurred this censure. This clause applies to the case of all the books of Holy Scripture: comp. Deuteronomy 4:2 ; Proverbs 30:6 ; but it especially applies to the Apocalypse, the crowning point of prophecy, which was exposed to peculiar danger, and the minute and admirable connection of which might be disturbed or obscured by the change of even a single word. The separate parts of this book, guarded as it is by so severe an interdict, are of great moment.

Luther strongly objected to the extravagant threat of this editorial note. The curse is certainly not only an anti-climax like the editorial postscript in John 21:24-25 (both indicating that either when published or when admitted to the canon, these two scriptures needed special authentication) but “an unfortunate ending to a book whose value consists in the spirit that breathes in it, the bold faith and confident hope which it inspires, rather than in the literalness and finality of its disclosures” (Porter). But the words are really a stereotyped and vehement form of claiming a canonicity equal to that of the O.T. ( cf. Jos. Ant. xx. 11. 2, τοσούτου γὰρ αἰῶνος ἤδη παρῳχηκότος οὔτε προσθεῖναί τις οὔτε ἀφελεῖν ἀπʼ αὐτῶν οὔτε μεταθεῖναι τετόλμηκεν ). They are adapted from Enoch cvi. 10 f. where the author expects his book to be a comfort and joy to the righteous, but exposed to perversion and alteration: “Many sinners will pervert and alter the words of uprightness” instead of refusing to “change or minish aught from my words”. Similar threats to careless or wilful copyists especially in frenaeus (Eus. H. E. Revelation 22:20 ), and Rufin. pref. to Origen’s περὶ ἀρχῶν ( cf. Nestle’s Einführung , 161 f.). This nervous eagerness to safeguard Christian teaching was part and parcel of the contemporary tendency to regard apostolic tradition ( cf. Revelation 18:20 , Revelation 21:14 , etc.) as a body of authoritative doctrine, which must not be tampered with.

An almost equally severe threat occurs in Slav. En. xlviii. 7–9, 56. (also Revelation 3:3 ), so that the writer, in this jealousy for the letter rather than for the spirit, was following a recognised precedent ( R. J. 125 f.), which was bound up with a conservative view of tradition and a juristic conception of scripture (Titius, pp. 206 f., Deissm, 113 f.). Rabbinic librarii got a similar warning in that age ( cf. Bacher’s Agada d. Tann , i. 254), and Christian copyists, if not editors, required it in the case of the Apocalypse, although apparently they paid little heed to it, for as early as the time of Irenæus there were serious discrepancies in the copies circulated throughout the churches. John had himself omitted a contemporary piece of prophecy ( cf. on Revelation 10:4 ). But he explains that he was inspired to do so; this verse refuses to let others deal similarly with his book. The prayer of Revelation 22:17 is answered in Revelation 22:20 , which repeats the assurance of the messiah’s speedy advent. This μαρτυρία Ἰησοῦ , in the prophetic consciousness ( Revelation 19:10 ), is specifically eschatological. The close and sudden aspect of the end loomed out before Judaism ( cf. 4 Esd. 4:26, 44 50, Apoc. Bar. xxiii. 7, lxxxiii. 1) as before the Christian church at this period, bat it was held together with calculations which anticipated a certain process and progress of history.

(18-19) I testify unto every man that heareth. —Omit “For,” and read, I testify to every one that hears . . . The “I” is emphatic; it introduces the final warning; the revelation must not be tampered with. If any one shall have added to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if any one shall have taken away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his portion from the tree of life, and out of the holy city which are written (or printed) in this book. We may compare Deuteronomy 4:2 ; Deuteronomy 12:32 . The words are a solemn protest against the spirit which handles rashly or deceitfully the word of God; which adds its own thoughts, or makes its wishes the parent of its interpretations; which dilutes the force of its warnings, or impoverishes the fulness of its promises. The right of continual access to the tree of life was the promise of Revelation 22:14 ; this right or freedom is forfeited by those who deal falsely or faithlessly by the words of Christ here. In a minor degree, it is true that those who leave this book unstudied and unprayed over, lose much spiritual sustenance and comfort. How much more do they lose who trifle with it, ignore its spiritual teachings, and sin against the laws of that kingdom whose progress it so vividly portrays.