15 Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp, double-edged sword, that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He treads the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword - See the notes on Revelation 1:16. In that place the sword seems to be an emblem of his words or doctrines, as penetrating the hearts of people; here it is the emblem of a work of destruction worked on his foes.
That with it he should smite the nations - The nations that were opposed to him; to wit, those especially who were represented by the beast and the false prophet, Revelation 19:18-20.
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron - See the notes on Revelation 2:27; Revelation 12:5.
And he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God - This language is probably derived from Isaiah 63:1-4. See it explained in the notes on that place, and on Revelation 14:19-20. It means here that his enemies would be certainly crushed before him - as grapes are crushed under the feet of him that treads in the winevat.
Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword - See on Revelation 1:16 (note). This appears to mean the word of the Gospel, by which his enemies are confounded, and his friends supported and comforted.
With a rod of iron - He shall execute the severest judgment on the opposers of his truth.
He treaded the winepress - As the grapes are trodden to express the juice, so his enemies shall be bruised and beaten, so that their life's blood shall be poured out.
(15) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
(15) The effects of Christ prepared to fight, that with his mouth he strikes the Gentiles, rules and destroys.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword,.... The Complutensian edition, and all the Oriental versions, with the Vulture Latin, read, "a sharp twoedged sword". The word of God, or the judiciary sentence of Christ according to it, and which he will fully execute, to the utter destruction of all his enemies; See Gill on Revelation 1:16 that with it he should smite the nations; the Gentiles, the Papists, the antichristian states, those that have adhered to Babylon, and have drunk of the wine of her fornication. This is predicted in Numbers 24:17 and on account of this the nations will be angry under the sounding of the seventh trumpet, with which this vision is contemporary, Revelation 11:18.
And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; use them with the utmost severity; the phrase is taken out of Psalm 2:9 a prophecy of Christ, and mentioned twice before in this book; see Gill on Revelation 2:27, Revelation 12:5,
and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God; the fierce wrath of God against sinners is compared to a winepress; and the wicked antichristian party are likened to clusters of grapes; who being ripe for destruction, are cast into it, and pressed, squeezed, and trodden down by the mighty power of Christ, the Word of God, whose vesture is therefore before said to be dipped in blood; the same metaphor is used in Revelation 14:19 the allusion seems to be to Isaiah 63:3.
out of his mouth . . . sword-- (Revelation 1:16; Revelation 2:12, Revelation 2:16). Here in its avenging power, 2-Thessalonians 2:8, "consume with the Spirit of His mouth" (Isaiah 11:4, to which there is allusion here); not in its convicting and converting efficacy (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12-13, where also the judicial keenness of the sword-like word is included). The Father commits the judgment to the Son.
he shall rule--The HE is emphatic, He and none other, in contrast to the usurpers who have misruled on earth. "Rule," literally, "tend as a shepherd"; but here in a punitive sense. He, who would have shepherded them with pastoral rod and with the golden scepter of His love, shall dash them in pieces, as refractory rebels, with "a rod of iron."
treadeth . . . wine-press-- (Isaiah 63:3).
of the fierceness and wrath--So ANDREAS reads. But A, B, Vulgate, Coptic, and ORIGEN read, "of the fierceness (or boiling indignation) of the wrath," omitting "and."
Almighty--The fierceness of Christ's wrath against His foes will be executed with the resources of omnipotence.
And he shall rule them - Who are not slain by his sword. With a rod of iron - That is, if they will not submit to his golden sceptre. And he treadeth the wine press of the wrath of God - That is, he executes his judgments on the ungodly. This ruler of the nations was born (or appeared as such) immediately after the seventh angel began to sound. He now appears, not as a child, but as a victorious warrior. The nations have long ago felt his "iron rod," partly while the heathen Romans, after their savage persecution of the Christians, themselves groaned under numberless plagues and calamities, by his righteous vengeance; partly, while other heathens have been broken in pieces by those who bore the Christian name. For although the cruelty, for example, of the Spaniards in America, was unrighteous and detestable, yet did God therein execute his righteous judgment on the unbelieving nations; but they shall experience his iron rod as they never did yet, and then will they all return to their rightful Lord.
*More commentary available at chapter level.