Revelation 1:16

16 ¹In his right hand he held seven stars, ²from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and ³his face was like the sun shining ⁴in full strength.

Revelation 1:16 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 1:16

And he had in his right hand seven stars
The angels or pastors of the seven churches, ( Revelation 1:20 ) . The ministers of the Gospel are compared to stars, because of their efficient cause, God, who has made them, and fixed them in their proper place, and for his glory; and because of the matter of them, being the same with the heavens, so ministers are of the same nature with the churches; and because of their form, light, which they receive from the sun, so preachers of the Gospel receive their light from Christ; and because of their multitude and variety, so the ministers of the Gospel are many, and their gifts different; and chiefly for their usefulness, to give light to others, to direct to Christ, and point out the way of salvation, and to rule over the churches: nor was it unusual with the Jews to compare good men to stars, and to the seven stars. The Targumist ^F18 says, the seven lamps in the candlestick answer to the seven stars to which the righteous are like. These are led and held in Christ's right hand; which shows that they are dear unto him, and highly valued by him; that they are his, in his possession, at his dispose, whom he uses as his instruments to do his work; and whom he upholds and sustains, that they shall not sink under their burdens; and whom he preserves from failing, and so holds them that they shall stand fast in the faith, and not be carried away with the error of the wicked:

and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword;
which designs the word of God; see ( Ephesians 6:17 ) ( Hebrews 4:12 ) ; This comes out of the mouth of Christ, it is the word of God, and not of man; and is a sharp sword, contains sharp reproofs for sin, severe threatenings against it, and gives cutting convictions of it, and is a twoedged one; and by its two edges may be meant law and Gospel; the law lays open the sins of men, fills with grief and anguish for them, yea, not only wounds, but kills; and the Gospel cuts down the best in man, his wisdom, holiness, righteousness, and carnal privileges, in which he trusts; and the worst in man, teaching him to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts: or the word of God may be so called, because it is a means both of saving and of destroying; it is the savour of life unto life to some, and the savour of death unto death to others; and is both an offensive and defensive weapon; it is for the defence of the saints, against Satan, false teachers, and every other enemy; and an offensive one to them, which cuts them down, and destroys them and their principles: or this may mean the judiciary sentence of Christ upon the wicked, which will be a fighting against them, and a smiting of the nations of the world; see ( Revelation 2:16 ) ( 19:15 ) ( Psalms 149:6 ) ; which the Jews interpret of the law ^F19:

and his countenance [was] as the sun shineth in his strength;
at noonday; such was the countenance of Christ at his transfiguration, ( Matthew 17:2 ) ; and designs here the manifestation of himself in the glories of his person, and in the riches of his grace; who is the sun of righteousness that arises upon his people with light, heat, joy, and comfort; see the phrase in ( Judges 5:31 ) , which the Jewish writers understand of the strength of the sun both in the summer solstice, and in the middle of the day, or at noon, at which time its heat is strongest, and it usually shines brightest; the design of the metaphor is to set forth the glory and majesty of Christ.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Jonathan ben Uzziel in Exod. xl. 4.
F19 Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 95. 4. & 131. 1.

Revelation 1:16 In-Context

14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire,

15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.

16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last,

18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Cross References

• 1. ver. 20; Revelation 2:1; Revelation 3:1
• 2. Revelation 19:15; [Revelation 2:12, 16; Isaiah 49:2; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12]
• 3. Matthew 17:2
• 4. Judges 5:31