Albert Barnes on Revelation 21:11
Notes on the New Testament. Browse this work.
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Revelation21:11
Having the glory of God. A glory or splendour such as became the dwelling-place of God. The nature of that splendour is described in the following verses.
And her light. In Rev 21:23 it is said that "the glory of God did lighten it." That is, it was made light by the visible symbol of the Deity--the Shekinah. Lk 2:9; Acts 9:3. The word here rendered light--φωστηρ--occurs nowhere else in the New Testament except in Php 2:15. It means, properly, a light, a light-giver, and, in profane writers, means commonly a window. It is used here to denote the brightness or shining of the Divine glory, as supplying the place of the sun, or of a window.
Like unto a stone most precious. A stone of the richest or most costly nature.
Even like a jasper stone. On the jasper, Rev 4:3. It is used there for the same purpose as here, to illustrate the majesty and glory of God.
Clear as crystal. Pellucid or resplendent like crystal. There are various kinds of jasper--as red, yellow, and brown, brownish yellow, etc. The stone is essentially a quartz, and the word crystal here is used to show that the form of it referred to by John was clear and bright.
(m) "glory of God" Isa 60:1,2
Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament, Revelation 21:11. Public domain.
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