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Text -- Revelation 17:6 (NET)

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Context
17:6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus. I was greatly astounded when I saw her.
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Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Vincent , Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Defender , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , PBC , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Rev 17:6 - -- Drunken with the blood of the saints ( methuousan ek tou haimatos toÌ„n hagioÌ„n ). Present active feminine accusative singular participle of methuoÌ...

Drunken with the blood of the saints ( methuousan ek tou haimatos tōn hagiōn ).

Present active feminine accusative singular participle of methuō , old verb, to be drunk (Mat 24:49).

Robertson: Rev 17:6 - -- Of the martyrs of Jesus ( tōn marturōn Iēsou ). "Witnesses"(Rev 2:13) for Jesus (objective genitive) unto blood (Rev 16:6; Rev 18:24) and so ma...

Of the martyrs of Jesus ( tōn marturōn Iēsou ).

"Witnesses"(Rev 2:13) for Jesus (objective genitive) unto blood (Rev 16:6; Rev 18:24) and so martyrs in the modern sense of the word. "Drunk with blood"is a common idea with the ancients (Euripides, Josephus, Philo, Cicero, Pliny).

Robertson: Rev 17:6 - -- With a great wonder ( thauma mega ). Cognate accusative with ethaumasa .

With a great wonder ( thauma mega ).

Cognate accusative with ethaumasa .

Vincent: Rev 17:6 - -- Saints - martyrs The saints include the martyrs or witnesses, but the latter word emphasizes the testimony of the saints which has been the cau...

Saints - martyrs

The saints include the martyrs or witnesses, but the latter word emphasizes the testimony of the saints which has been the cause of their death. For martyr ; see on 1Pe 5:1.

Wesley: Rev 17:6 - -- So that Rome may well be called, "The slaughter - house of the martyrs." She hath shed much Christian blood in every age; but at length she is even dr...

So that Rome may well be called, "The slaughter - house of the martyrs." She hath shed much Christian blood in every age; but at length she is even drunk with it, at the time to which this vision refers.

Wesley: Rev 17:6 - -- The preachers of his word.

The preachers of his word.

Wesley: Rev 17:6 - -- At her cruelty and the patience of God.

At her cruelty and the patience of God.

JFB: Rev 17:6 - -- Witnesses.

Witnesses.

JFB: Rev 17:6 - -- As the Greek is the same in the verb and the noun, translate the latter "wonder." John certainly did not admire her in the modern English sense. Elsew...

As the Greek is the same in the verb and the noun, translate the latter "wonder." John certainly did not admire her in the modern English sense. Elsewhere (Rev 17:8; Rev 13:3), all the earthly-minded ("they that dwell on the earth") wonder in admiration of the beast. Here only is John's wonder called forth; not the beast, but the woman sunken into the harlot, the Church become a world-loving apostate, moves his sorrowful astonishment at so awful a change. That the world should be beastly is natural, but that the faithful bride should become the whore is monstrous, and excites the same amazement in him as the same awful change in Israel excited in Isaiah and Jeremiah. "Horrible thing" in them answers to "abominations" here. "Corruptio optimi pessima"; when the Church falls, she sinks lower than the godless world, in proportion as her right place is higher than the world. It is striking that in Rev 17:3, "woman" has not the article, "the woman," as if she had been before mentioned: for though identical in one sense with the woman, Rev 12:1-6, in another sense she is not. The elect are never perverted into apostates, and still remain as the true woman invisibly contained in the harlot; yet Christendom regarded as the woman has apostatized from its first faith.

Clarke: Rev 17:6 - -- And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admir...

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration - How exactly the cruelties exercised by the Latin Church against all it has denominated heretics correspond with this description, the reader need not be informed.

Defender: Rev 17:6 - -- See Jer 51:7 and Isa 47:5. Like many Old Testament prophecies, these had both near and far fulfillments. They applied directly to the Babylon of their...

See Jer 51:7 and Isa 47:5. Like many Old Testament prophecies, these had both near and far fulfillments. They applied directly to the Babylon of their own day, with its conquest by Persia and Greece then ultimately to end-time Babylon, which will finally see the ancient prophecies completely fulfilled (Jer 51:63, Jer 51:64).

Defender: Rev 17:6 - -- "Admiration" should be understood in the sense of "amazement," rather than "approval.""

"Admiration" should be understood in the sense of "amazement," rather than "approval.""

TSK: Rev 17:6 - -- drunken : Rev 13:7, Rev 13:15, Rev 16:6, Rev 18:20-24; Dan 7:21, Dan 7:25 the martyrs : Rev 2:13, Rev 6:9, Rev 6:10, Rev 12:11; Act 22:20 I wondered :...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Rev 17:6 - -- And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints - A reeling, intoxicated harlot, for that is the image which is kept up all along. In ...

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints - A reeling, intoxicated harlot, for that is the image which is kept up all along. In regard to the phrase "drunken with blood,"compare Jer 46:10. "The phraseology is derived from the barbarous custom (still extant among many pagan nations) of drinking the blood of the enemies slain in the way of revenge. The effect of drinking blood is said to be to exasperate, and to intoxicate with passion and a desire of revenge"(Prof. Stuart, in loco). The meaning here is, that the persecuting power referred to had shed the blood of the saints; and that, in its fury, it had, as it were, drunk the blood of the slain, and had become, by drinking that blood, intoxicated and infuriated. No one need say how applicable this has been to the papacy. Compare, however, the Dan 7:21, Dan 7:25 notes; Rev 12:13-14; Rev 13:15 notes.

And with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus - Especially with their blood. The meaning is, that the warfare, in which so much blood was shed, was directed against the saints as such, and that, in fact, it terminated particularly on those who, amidst cruel sufferings, were faithful witnesses for the Lord Jesus, and deserved to be called, by way of eminence, "martyrs."Compare the notes on Rev 2:13; Rev 6:9; Rev 11:5, Rev 11:7. How applicable this is to the papacy, let the blood shed in the valleys of Piedmont; the blood shed in the Low Countries by the Duke of Alva; the blood shed on Bartholomew’ s day; and the blood shed in the Inquisition, testify.

And when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration - I was astonished at her appearance, at her apparel, and at the things which were so significantly symbolized by her.

Poole: Rev 17:6 - -- And I saw the woman the papacy, drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus filled with the blood of those holy...

And I saw the woman the papacy, drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus filled with the blood of those holy ones, which she caused to be slain for bearing testimony to Jesus Christ.

And when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration which he would not have done had it been a pagan Rome he had seen in this vision. But that any that owned Christ, and called themselves the holy church, should kill men for bearing testimony to Christ, and adherence to his rule of faith and life, this caused in John a just wonderment.

PBC: Rev 17:6 - -- Re 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with grea...

Re 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.[1]

In Jeremiah, Babylon had made all the earth drunken with the wine which represents her wickedness. Now we see the woman of Revelation drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. We again identify this last part with Jerusalem as Jesus said " That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar." {Mt 23:35} She is charged with that blood because of her demeanor. Ever more she became enthralled and drunken by taking the lives of those who were followers of Christ.

We know that Peter wrote of Babylon. Some who say that Babylon was Rome also declare that Peter wrote his epistles from Rome. Therefore, they deduct the theory that he was referring to Babylon as being Rome. We realize this is a very hard question to settle. We have no Biblical record that Peter was ever in Rome. However, he did receive great persecution in Judea. Again, let the Scriptures speak of this bloodthirsty area. " Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread)." {Ac 12:1-3} The phrase in parentheses gives us the clue to the location of this persecution. The time was the feast of Passover and the feast of unleavened bread. Exodus describes it as the feast of Unleavened Bread following immediately, and connected to the Passover. This was one of three feasts which the Mosaic Law enjoined to be attended by all male Jews who were physically able and ceremonially clean. Peter and the other apostles were in Jerusalem at that time.[2]  So Peter could rightly say " The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son." {1Pe 5:13} It would be fair and we believe truthful to say that Peter was speaking of Jerusalem. Since we are dealing with figurative terminologies, it is highly probable that Jerusalem, with her wickedness, was easily comparable with Babylon of Jeremiah’s time.— Eld. Charles Taylor

[1] theaomai, theh-ah’-om-ahee; a form of a primary. verb; to look closely at, i.e. (by implication) to perceive (literakky or figuratively); by extens. to visit—behold,

[2] God’s time calendar still prevailing to prove His truths! See Ex 23:17 and De 16:16.

Haydock: Rev 17:6 - -- Drunk with the blood of the saints. Such was pagan Rome, for innumerable were the martyrs she put to death, both throughout the extent of her vast...

Drunk with the blood of the saints. Such was pagan Rome, for innumerable were the martyrs she put to death, both throughout the extent of her vast dominions, and even in her own bosom, the city itself. These were the victims of the ten persecutions raised by Rome against the Christians. Such was the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. (Pastorini)

Gill: Rev 17:6 - -- And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints,.... To see a woman drunk is a shameful sight; but to see one drunk, not with wine, but with ...

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints,.... To see a woman drunk is a shameful sight; but to see one drunk, not with wine, but with blood, is monstrous, cruel, and shocking; the sword, when it devours, and is satiate, is said to be drunk with blood, Jer 46:10 but for a woman to be so is unexampled; and not with her own blood, as she will be, Isa 49:26 but with the blood of others; and not with the blood of wicked men, but with the blood of saints; such as God the Father has set apart from everlasting, and chosen to be holy; whom Christ has sanctified by his blood, or whose sins he has expiated, and to whom he is made sanctification; and who have principles of grace and holiness wrought in them by the Spirit of God, and live holy lives and conversations:

and of the martyrs of Jesus; the saints, whose blood is shed by antichrist, are martyrs also; but they seem to design the common people, and these the ministers of the Gospel, who are the martyrs of Jesus, both in life and death; they are his martyrs or witnesses, by their doctrine and ministry, bearing testimony to him as Jesus, a Saviour; testifying that he is the only Saviour, that there is salvation in no other, in opposition to the antichristian doctrines of merit, penance, purgatory, &c. for which they have been cruelly put to death, and in great numbers, and so have sealed their doctrine by their blood. Now the woman being drunk with their blood, denotes the blood thirstiness of the church of Rome, her greedy aud insatiable desire after the blood of the saints, and her delight in it, being exceeding mad against them; and the multitude of it shed by her, as the slaughters of the Waldenses and Albigenses, the butcheries of the duke d'Alva in the Low Countries, the massacres in France, Ireland, and other places, the burning of the martyrs in Queen Mary's days here, with numerous other instances, show.

And when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration; not at the sight of the beast, which he had seen before, but at the sight of the woman, as, upon the beast; he wondered that one of her sex, generally timorous and fearful, should ride on such a monstrous creature; he was amazed at her dress, and grand appearance, whereas the church in his time consisted of poor persons, meanly arrayed; it was astonishing to him that one bearing the name of a Christian church should rise to such grandeur; and he wondered at the name upon her forehead, what the whole of that inscription should mean; but, above all, at her drunkenness with the blood of the saints; at her inhumanity and cruelty, being as savage as the beast she rode on; and also at God's forbearance of her, that he, who is a pure and holy Being, a lover of his saints, an avenger of his elect, should suffer such a brutish, barbarous, and blood thirsty creature, to live upon earth; see Hab 1:13.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Rev 17:6 Grk “I marveled a great marvel” (an idiom for great astonishment).

Geneva Bible: Rev 17:6 ( 9 ) And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: ( 10 ) and when I saw her, I wondered with...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Rev 17:1-18 - --1 A woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, with a golden cup in her hand sits upon the beast;5 which is great Babylon, the mother of all abominations.9 ...

MHCC: Rev 17:1-6 - --Rome clearly appears to be meant in this chapter. Pagan Rome subdued and ruled with military power, not by art and flatteries. She left the nations in...

Matthew Henry: Rev 17:1-6 - -- Here we have a new vision, not as to the matter of it, for that is contemporary with what came under the three last vials; but as to the manner of d...

Barclay: Rev 17:6 - --As we have already pointed out in the general introduction to this chapter, the way in which John describes Roman persecution is very significant. H...

Constable: Rev 4:1--22:6 - --III. THE REVELATION OF THE FUTURE 4:1--22:5 John recorded the rest of this book to reveal those aspects of the f...

Constable: Rev 17:1--18:24 - --K. Supplementary revelation of the judgment of ungodly systems in the Great Tribulation chs. 17-18 Furth...

Constable: Rev 17:1-18 - --1. Religion in the Great Tribulation ch. 17 The Lord gave the revelation of the divine destructi...

Constable: Rev 17:3-6 - --The vision of the system 17:3-6 17:3 The angel carried John away in the Spirit to a wilderness area (cf. 1:10; 4:1; 21:10). This wilderness may refer ...

College: Rev 17:1-18 - --REVELATION 17 f. God's Final Judgment against Babylon (17:1-19:4) We now turn to John's vision of the final judgment against Babylon in Revelation 1...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: Revelation (Book Introduction) THE REVELATION OF JOHN ABOUT a.d. 95 By Way of Introduction Difficulty in the Problem Perhaps no single book in the New Testament presents so ...

JFB: Revelation (Book Introduction) AUTHENTICITY.--The author calls himself John (Rev 1:1, Rev 1:4, Rev 1:9; Rev 2:8). JUSTIN MARTYR [Dialogue with Trypho, p. 308] (A.D. 139-161) quotes ...

JFB: Revelation (Outline) TITLE: SOURCE AND OBJECT OF THIS REVELATION: BLESSING ON THE READER AND KEEPER OF IT, AS THE TIME IS NEAR: INSCRIPTION TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES: APOSTOL...

TSK: Revelation (Book Introduction) The obscurity of this prophecy, which has been urged against its genuineness, necessarily results from the highly figurative and symbolical language i...

TSK: Revelation 17 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Rev 17:1, A woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, with a golden cup in her hand sits upon the beast; Rev 17:5, which is great Babylon, the...

Poole: Revelation 17 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 17

MHCC: Revelation (Book Introduction) The Book of the Revelation of St. John consists of two principal divisions. 1. Relates to " the things which are," that is, the then present state of...

MHCC: Revelation 17 (Chapter Introduction) (Rev 17:1-6) One of the angels who had the vials, explains the meaning of the former vision of the antichristian beast that was to reign 1260 years, a...

Matthew Henry: Revelation (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Revelation of St. John the Divine It ought to be no prejudice to the credit and authority of this b...

Matthew Henry: Revelation 17 (Chapter Introduction) This chapter contains another representation of those things that had been revealed before concerning the wickedness and ruin of antichrist. This a...

Barclay: Revelation (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO THE REVELATION OF JOHN The Strange Book When a student of the New Testament embarks upon the study of the Revelation he feels him...

Barclay: Revelation 17 (Chapter Introduction) Nature At War (Rev_16:17-21) The Fall Of Rome (Rev_17:1-18) 17:1-18 1 One of the seven angels, who had the seven bowls, came and spoke with me. ...

Constable: Revelation (Book Introduction) Introduction Historical background The opening verses of the book state that "John" wr...

Constable: Revelation (Outline) Outline I. The preparation of the prophet ch. 1 A. The prologue of the book 1:1-8 ...

Constable: Revelation Revelation Bibliography Abbott-Smith, George. A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T. & ...

Haydock: Revelation (Book Introduction) THE APOCALYPSE OF ST. JOHN, THE APOSTLE. INTRODUCTION. Though some in the first ages [centuries] doubted whether this book was canonical, and ...

Gill: Revelation (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION That this book was written by the Apostle and Evangelist John, is clear not only from the express mention of his name, a...

Gill: Revelation 17 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 17 This chapter contains a vision of a beast, and a woman on it, and the interpretation of it; one of the seven angels t...

College: Revelation (Book Introduction) PREFACE This commentary on the Revelation of John has been prepared for general readers of the Bible who desire to deepen their understanding of God'...

College: Revelation (Outline) OUTLINE I. PROLOGUE - 1:1-20 A. Introduction to the Prophecy - 1:1-3 B. Sender - 1:4a C. Recipients - 1:4b D. Prescript - 1:4c-5a E. ...

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