And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
27. shall rule them ] Lit., shall be their shepherd. So the LXX. read the word in Psa 2:9 which, according to the pronunciation now adopted in the received Hebrew text, will mean “bruise” or “break them.” St John, we have seen, does not follow the LXX. blindly in their deviations from the Hebrew text (see on Rev 1:6-7): so from this passage and Rev 12:5, Rev 19:15 we see that he accepted “rule” as the right reading. Apart from this, shepherd is used in the Old Testament of human and superhuman rulers often enough to suggest its use here. The same metaphor is found in Classical Greek.
shall they be broken ] Read, are broken: he is to rule the nations with as absolute a mastery as is expressed in crushing a potsherd.
even as I ] Rather, as I also. Of course the meaning is, that Psa 2:9 is assumed to be the promise of the Father to the Son; as is plain from the eighth verse.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron – There is an allusion here to Psa 2:9; Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel. There is a slight change in the passage, he shall rule, instead of thou shalt break, in order to adapt the language to the purpose of the speaker here. The allusion in the Psalm is to the Messiah as reigning triumphant over the nations, or subduing them under him; and the idea here, as in the previous verse, is, that his redeemed people will be associated with him in this dominion. To rule with a scepter of iron, is not to rule with a harsh and tyrannical sway, but with power that is firm and invincible. It denotes a government of strength, or one that cannot be successfully opposed; one in which the subjects are effectually subdued.
As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers – The ironic here is that of the vessel of a potter – a fragile vessel of clay – struck with a rod of iron and broken into fragments. That is, as applied to the nations, there would be no power to oppose His rule; the enemies of his government would be destroyed. Instead of remaining firm and compacted together, they would be broken like the clay vessel of a potter when struck with a rod of iron. The speaker does not intimate when this would be; but all that is said here would be applicable to that time when the Son of God will come to judge the world, and when His saints will be associated with him in his triumphs. As, in respect to all the others of the seven epistles to the churches, the rewards promised refer to heaven, and to the happy state of that blessed world, it would seem also that this should have a similar reference, for there is no reason why to him that overcame in Thyatira a temporal reward and triumph should be promised more than in the cases of the others. If so, then this passage should not be adduced as having any reference to an imaginary personal reign of the Saviour and of the saints on the earth.
Even as I received of my Father – As he has appointed me, Psa 2:6-9.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 27. He shall rule them with a rod of iron] He shall restrain vice by the strictest administration of justice; and those who finally despise the word and rebel shall be broken and destroyed, so as never more to be able to make head against the truth. This seems to refer to the heathen world; and perhaps Constantine the Great may be intended, who, when he overcame Licinius, became the instrument in God’s hand of destroying idolatry over the whole Roman empire; and it was so effectually broken as to be ever after like the fragments of an earthen vessel, of no use in themselves, and incapable of being ever united to any good purpose.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron: an iron rod either signifies a right rod, that will not be easily bent and made crooked; or a severe rod, which is most probably the sense: see Psa 2:9; Psa 12:5. The words by the psalmist are applied to Christ, and to the church, Rev 12:5; to particular saints here, who rule the nations either in Christ their Head, or with Christ as their Chieftain, with the word of God powerfully convincing the world of sin and righteousness.
As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers; and all paganism and heathen idolatries shall be broken in pieces. Or, in the day of judgment, the saints that persevere shall sit with Christ, and judge and condemn the world severely; and then they shall be broken in pieces, never again to be sodered or cemented.
Even as I received of my Father; for such a power and authority my Father hath given me, and I will give it to all them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27. From Psa 2:8;Psa 2:9.
ruleliterally, “ruleas a shepherd.” In Ps 2:9it is, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron.”The Septuagint, pointing the Hebrew word differently,read as Revelation here. The English Version of Ps2:9 is doubtless right, as the parallel word, “dash inpieces,” proves. But the Spirit in this case sanctions theadditional thought as true, that the Lord shall mingle mercyto some, with judgment on others; beginning by destroying HisAntichristian foes, He shall reign in love over the rest. “Christshall rule them with a scepter of iron, to make them capableof being ruled with a scepter of gold; severity first, that grace maycome after” (TRENCH,who thinks we ought to translate “SCEPTER”for “rod,” as in Heb 1:8).”Shepherd” is used in Jer6:3, of hostile rulers; so also in Zec11:16. As severity here is the primary thought, “rule as ashepherd” seems to me to be used thus: He who would haveshepherded them with a pastoral rod, shall, because of their hardenedunbelief, shepherd them with a rod of iron.
shall they be brokenSoone oldest manuscript, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic Versionsread. But two oldest manuscripts, read, “as the vessels of apotter are broken to shivers.” A potter’s vesseldashed to pieces, because of its failing to answer the design ofthe maker, is the image to depict God’s sovereign power to givereprobates to destruction, not by caprice, but in the exercise of Hisrighteous judgment. The saints shall be in Christ’s victorious”armies” when He shall inflict the last decisive blow, andafterwards shall reign with Him. Having by faith “overcome theworld,” they shall also rule the world.
even as I“as Ialso have received of (from) My Father,” namely, in Ps2:7-9. Jesus had refused to receive the kingdom without the crossat Satan’s hands; He would receive it from none but the Father, whohad appointed the cross as the path to the crown. As the Father hasgiven the authority to Me over the heathen and uttermost parts of theearth, so I impart a share of it to My victorious disciple.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron,…. Either with the Gospel, which is the rod of Christ’s strength, and is the power of God unto salvation, and by which the kingdom of Christ is enlarged, and the power of the church of Christ over the antichristian party is increased; or it may design great strictness and severity, with which the man of sin will be used by the saints of the most High, when they shall take away his dominion from him:
as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers; which may be expressive either of the breaking of rocky hearts in pieces at conversion, and of making souls humble and contrite; or of the irreparable ruin and destruction of antichrist, when the saints shall consume and destroy him:
even as I received of my Father; Christ, as God, has an underived power and government; but, as Mediator, his rule and power over the nations are asked by him, given to him, and received by him, Ps 2:8. This “as” does not intend equality, but similitude; and denotes the participation the saints will have with Christ in the judgment and destruction of antichrist, and in his kingdom and power.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He shall rule (). Future active of , to shepherd (from , shepherd), also from Ps 2:8f. See again Rev 7:17; Rev 12:5; Rev 19:15.
With a rod of iron ( ). Continuing the quotation. Instrumental use of . (feminine) is the royal sceptre and indicates rigorous rule.
The vessels of the potter ( ). Old adjective, belonging to a potter (, ), here only in N.T.
Are broken to shivers (). Present passive indicative of , old verb, to rub together, to break in pieces (Mr 14:3).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And he shall rule them with a rod of iron,” (kai poimanei autous en hrabdo sidera)”And he will shepherd or pastor them with an iron staff,” a firm hand of rule with impartial, infallible, and unbending justice, Psa 2:8-9; Dan 7:22; Heb 1:8-12.
2) “As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers,” (hos ta skeve ta keramika suntribetai) “As the clay vessels are cracked or broken,” of the potter. He (Christ) is to rule the earth (the nations) with absolute mastery, in righteousness, as expressed in the crushed potsherd, Isa 30:14; 1Co 15:24-26; Luk 1:33.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
27. Rule them with a rod of iron In the Hebrew (Psa 2:9) the promise is, “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron.” But the Septuagint translators render the Hebrew word for “break,” by a word signifying to superintend them as a shepherd, or briefly, for want of better English, to shepherd them. This was a mistake founded on the sameness of the consonants of the two different Hebrew words. That graceful mistake the heavenly speaker here accepts, and, in accordance with the milder spirit of the gospel dispensation, authorizes it. His sceptre (for so the word rod here imports) is a shepherd’s crook, and yet its iron power, its absolute authority, still remains. What the nature of this power over the nations is, and what the overcomer’s share in it, may be learned from our notes on Mat 19:28; 1Co 6:2; Rev 19:11-21; Rev 20:4.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Rev 2:27. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; “Obtain an absolute dominion over them, either by conversion, or else by destruction.” See Psa 2:9. Lam 4:2.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Ver. 27. And he shall rule them ] q.d. I will communicate myself wholly to him. See Psa 139:6-9 Mat 19:28 ; 1Co 6:2-3 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
rule. Literally “shepherd”, as Mat 2:6. See Psa 2:7-9.
rod = sceptre, as Heb 1:8. Greek. rhabdos.
as the, &c. See Psa 2:9.
even as I = as I also.
received = have received.
of. Greek. para. App-104.
Father. App-98.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rev 2:27. ) In the Hebrew it is , Thou shalt break them in pieces, Psa 2:9, from he broke in pieces, the verb of cognate meaning following, Thou shalt scatter them, . The Septuagint, as though they had read in the former passage from he fed, have rendered it (Thou shalt feed). The Apocalypse, not through imitation of the Septuagint translators, but on its own authority, uses that word, which is peculiarly appropriate. And in other places, when it refers to ancient prophecy, it most befittingly preserves the peculiarity of the Hebrew text: ch. Rev 6:16, Rev 7:17, Rev 11:4.[44]
[44] , from My Father) Jesus, when He was living on the earth, somewhat more frequently said, My Father which is in heaven; but now, simply, My Father; for He Himself is set in the heaven with His Father-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
he shall: Rev 12:5, Rev 19:15, Psa 2:8, Psa 2:9, Psa 49:14, Psa 149:5-9, Dan 7:22
even: Mat 11:27, Luk 22:29, Joh 17:24
Reciprocal: Exo 15:6 – dashed Lev 25:44 – General Jos 10:24 – put your feet Jdg 5:13 – he made Psa 31:12 – a broken vessel Isa 30:14 – he shall break Isa 40:10 – his arm Isa 60:12 – General Jer 19:11 – Even Jer 48:38 – broken Eze 21:10 – General Dan 2:44 – break Dan 7:18 – the saints Mic 4:13 – thou shalt Mat 2:6 – a Governor Mat 7:21 – my Mat 19:28 – ye also Luk 22:30 – and sit 1Co 6:2 – the saints Rev 3:21 – to sit
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 2:27. And as a shepherd he shall tend them with a sceptre of iron. The figure has nothing to do, as so often supposed, with the Homeric title, Shepherd of the people. Jesus as King is Shepherd of His own; but He is also Shepherd of His enemies, though in a different way. Hence the iron sceptre, for the instrument alluded to is not a rod or shepherds crook, but a kings sceptre (comp. chaps. Rev 12:5, Rev 19:15).
The fact that it is of iron brings out the judgment involved.
As vessels of the potter are they broken to shivers, words which cannot be interpreted as expressing a judgment behind which purposes of grace are concealed, a threat of love. Whether grace may one day be revealed even for those upon whom the judgments spoken of descend, we are not told. Actual facts proved that behind the words, in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, such purposes of grace lay: but they were not contained in the words; nor are they here.
As I received of my Father. Again we have the privileges of Christs people closely identified with those which He Himself enjoys. He receives of the Father, and what He receives He makes theirs.
It must be noticed that, like all the promises of these Epistles, this promise belongs to the future, not to the present life. The reader, too, will not fail to mark the correspondence between it and the description of the Lord in Rev 2:18, as well as that between it and the particular trials of this church. A heathen element in Thyatira was threatening to destroy the life of Gods people there. They have given them the assurance of the coming of a time when that element shall be crushed beneath their feet.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 27
This language closely corresponds with the passage, Psalms 2:8,9. Considered in its connection here, it seems to imply that the tried and faithful servants of God were to become, in some sense, the instruments of executing judgment upon his enemies.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
2:27 {22} And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
(22) The brightness of greatest glory and honour nearest approaching to the light of Christ, who is the Son of righteousness, and our head; Mat 4:14; Mat 4:16 .