Revelation of John 5:5

one of--Greek, "one from among." The "elder" meant is, according to some (in LYRA), Matthew. With this accords the description here given of Christ, "the Lion, which is (so the Greek) of the tribe of Juda, the root of David"; the royal, David-descended, lion-aspect of Christ being that prominent in Matthew, whence the lion among the fourfold cherubim is commonly assigned to him. GERHARD in BENGEL thought Jacob to be meant, being, doubtless, one of those who rose with Christ and ascended to heaven (Mat 27:52-53). The elders in heaven round God's throne know better than John, still in the flesh, the far-reaching power of Christ. Root of David-- (Isa 11:1, Isa 11:10). Not merely "a sucker come up from David's ancient root" (as ALFORD limits it), but also including the idea of His being Himself the root and origin of David: compare these two truths brought together, Mat 22:42-45. Hence He is called not merely Son of David, but also David. He is at once "the branch" of David, and "the root" of David, David's Son and David's Lord, the Lamb slain and therefore the Lion of Juda: about to reign over Israel, and thence over the whole earth. prevailed--Greek, "conquered": absolutely, as elsewhere (Rev 3:21): gained the victory: His past victory over all the powers of darkness entitles Him now to open the book. to open--that is, so as to open. One oldest manuscript, B, reads, "He that openeth," that is, whose office it is to open, but the weight of oldest authorities is with English Version reading, namely, A, Vulgate, Coptic, and ORIGEN.

In the foregoing chapter the prophetical scene was opened, in the sight and hearing of the apostle, and he had a sight of God the Creator and ruler of the world, and the great King of the church. He saw God on the throne of glory and government, surrounded with his holy ones, and receiving their adorations. Now the counsels and decrees of God are set before the apostle, as in a book, which God held in his right hand; and this book is represented, I. As sealed in the hand of God (Rev 5:1-9). II. As taken into the hand of Christ the Redeemer, to be unsealed and opened (Rev 5:6 to the end).

5:5 Designations for Jesus as the Lion of . . . Judah (see Gen 49:9-10) and the heir to David’s throne (see Isa 11:10) are Old Testament metaphors for the Messiah (see Jer 23:5; 30:9; John 7:42). • Because Jesus won the victory at the cross (John 16:33), he is the only one worthy to open the scroll and reveal God’s purposes (Rev 4:11; 5:2, 12). God’s plan for history centers around Jesus and what he has done. His relationship to the scroll indicates his control of history.