This page is incomplete at this time. I am starting an in-depth study of Revelation and will complete it later.
Taylor Marshall’s Commentary on Chapter Chapter 21: The New Jerusalem
In chapter 21 we are introduced to the New Jerusalem which is God’s holy city (1:00:01 minutes).
Taylor notes that the “new” in New Jerusalem means renewed rather than brand new. He gives a good discussion of the behaviours that exclude us from Heaven. The reader should fully understand them.
He calls the city the Catholic Church without discussion. For me this requires prayer and meditation to evaluate. Marshall also refers to the new city as the new covenant.
Otherwise, he provides a wealth of reference and connections to the rest of the Book which you can get by listening to the video.
My Comments
As usual, I read the biblical verse first. As I listened to it (through text to speech), it came to me that this is a description of Heaven that as believers we will come to inhabit. The description is of a place that is most pure and perfect. Notably, there is no temple or alter to worship at because God and the Son are fully present there.
The old heaven and earth I take as a reference to the world that we live in. The unrighteous are going to hell. The description of hell should not be taken literally but as a metaphor for a really bad place that is beyond our senses’ and mind’s ability to grasp and understand in actuality.
The 12 gates for the 12 tribes tell us that the tribes of Israel are expected to return to God in their dedication. However, since Christ is also present, the Jews must necessarily come to recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
Taylor Marshall’s Commentary on Chapter 22: The Tree of Life and Holy Water
Chapter 22 deals (1:02:49 minutes).
Pastor Paul LeBoutillier’s Commentary on Chapters 21 & 22
Here is another video covering chapters 21 and 22 that I include for additional insight: (52:43 minutes).
Paul like Taylor takes this chapter to mean that heaven and earth in the natural realm will be remade in the natural realm. It begs the question of why God would leave the heavenly realm to reside on earth.
Matthew Henry describes the new Jerusalem as the church of God in its new and perfect state, similar to Taylor except not exclusively Catholic. He sees the new heaven and the new earth as coexistent.
Additional Commentaries on Chapter 21
- Matthew Henry’s Commentary
- Gill’s Exposition
- Pulpit Commentary
- Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
Additional Commentaries on Chapter 223
- Matthew Henry’s Commentary
- Gill’s Exposition
- Pulpit Commentary
- Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
Articles in This Series
Refer to the series index in A New Direction.
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