12 "Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
And behold, I come quickly - See the notes on Revelation 1:1, Revelation 1:3. These are undoubtedly the words of the Redeemer; and the meaning is, that the period when the unchanging sentence would be passed on each individual - on the unjust, the filthy, the righteous, and the holy - would not be remote. The design of this seems to be to impress on the mind the solemnity of the truth that the condition hereafter will soon be fixed, and to lead people to prepare for it. In reference to each individual, the period is near when it is to be determined whether he will be holy or sinful to all eternity. What thought could there be more adapted to impress on the mind the importance of giving immediate attention to the concerns of the soul?
And my reward is with me - I bring it with me to give to every man: either life or death; heaven or hell; the crown or the curse. He will be prepared immediately to execute the sentence. Compare Matthew. 25:31-46.
To give every man according as his work shall be - See the Matthew 16:27 note; Romans 2:6 note; 2-Corinthians 5:10 note.
Behold, I come quickly - I come to establish nay cause, comfort and support my followers, and punish the wicked.
(6) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
(6) The second part belonging to the use of this book, as I said See Revelation 22:10. Also (says God by the angel) though there should be no use of this book to men: yet it shall be of this use to me, that it is a witness of my truth to my glory, who will come shortly, to give and execute just judgment, in this verse; who have taught that all these things have their being in me, (Revelation 22:13), and have pronounced blessedness to my servants in the Church, (Revelation 22:14) and reprobation to the ungodly (Revelation 22:15).
And, behold, I come quickly,..... This is repeated, to confirm the truth of Christ's second coming, and the speediness of it, and to point at the time when the above shall be, and to add what follows.
And my reward is with me: which words are taken out of Isaiah 40:10 and which being compared together, furnish out a clear proof of Christ being the true Jehovah, the eternal God. There is a reward of debt, or a due reward, a reward of punishment, which is the just recompense of reward, which, shall be righteously given to wicked men for their sin, Hebrews 2:2 and there is a reward of grace, which is also called the recompence of reward, the reward of the inheritance, which is no other than the gift of eternal life, which God of his free grace bestows upon his people, Hebrews 11:26 and both these are with Christ; they are in his hands, he has authority from God, as Mediator, to inflict vengeance on the wicked, and to give eternal life to his people; both which he will do, for this is with him:
to give every man according as his work shall be; if his work is evil, and he is an unjust and filthy man, and the course of his conversation has been vicious, the reward of debt, or just punishment, will be rendered to him; but if his work is the fruit of grace, and he has had his conversation in the world by the grace of God, and he is a righteous person, justified by the righteousness of Christ, and a holy, good man, sanctified by the Spirit of God, the reward of grace, the crown of righteousness, will be given to him.
And--in none of our manuscripts. But A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and CYPRIAN omit it.
behold, I come quickly--(Compare Revelation 22:7).
my reward is with me-- (Isaiah 40:10; Isaiah 62:11).
to give--Greek, "to render."
every man--Greek, "to each."
shall be--so B in MAI. But B in TISCHENDORF, and A, Syriac, read, "is."
I - Jesus Christ. Come quickly - To judge the world. And my reward is with me - The rewards which I assign both to the righteous and the wicked are given at my coming. To give to every man according as his work - His whole inward and outward behaviour shall be.
*More commentary available at chapter level.