(6) And I beheld, and lo . . .--Better, And I saw (omit "and lo") in the midst of the throne and of the four living beings, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb (or, a little Lamb), standing as if having been slain. The position of the Lamb is described from the seer's point of view: the Lamb is not on the throne, but in the middle front of it, and so apparently between the living creatures, and in the midst of the circle formed by the twenty-four elders. The passage is most striking. The Evangelist is told of the Lion which will open the seals: he looks, and lo, it is a Lamb! yes, a little Lamb--for the word is diminutive. There is deep significance in this. When we read of the Lion, we think of power and majesty, and we are right; all power in heaven and earth is Christ's, but it is power manifested in seeming weakness. The waters of Shiloah are mightier than the Euphrates (Isaiah 8:6-8); righteousness and purity, meekness and gentleness, are greater than carnal weapons (comp. 2Corinthians 6:6-7; Ephesians 6:11, el al.); the Lamb mightier than the roaring lion which goeth about seeking whom he may devour (1Peter 5:8). But it is a Lamb as if it had been slain. The wound-marks are there, butit is not dead; it is standing, for it represents Him who though He died is alive for evermore; but the signs of suffering and death are visible, for it is not the Lamb, but the suffering Lamb, which is exalted; it is not the Christ, but the Christ crucified, which is the power of God; the Christ lifted up from the earth draws all men unto Him (John 12:32; 1Corinthians 1:23-24); the corn of wheat which dies brings forth fruit (John 12:24). As such He is the worship of the Church and the world which He has redeemed. (See Revelation 5:8-9; comp. Revelation 7:14.) The reference to earlier Scriptures (Exodus 12:46; Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29; John 1:36; 1Corinthians 5:7-8) is not to be overlooked. From the tokens of suffering the seer passes to the tokens of strength and wisdom which he saw in the Lamb. He describes it as "having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth (or, which are being sent forth) into all the earth." The horn is the strength of the animal which carries it. It is so used in the blessing of Joseph: "His horns are like the horns of a wild bull" ("unicorns" in Authorised version); "with them shall he push the people together," &c. (Deuteronomy 33:17; comp. Psalm 89:24; Psalm 148:14). The seven horns denote completeness or fulness of strength. The seven eyes, like the seven lamps (Revelation 4:5), represent the Holy Spirit in H's manifold girts of grace; but as they are described as eyes of the Lamb, they betoken His omniscience who is in heaven and yet, by His Spirit, everywhere (Matthew 28:20); whose eye is on all events, great and small; whose eyes behold the children of men. Note, also, that the seven spirits are ascribed to the Son as well as to the Father. (Comp. John 14:26; John 15:26.) The seven spirits are said to be "sent"; the word is from the same root as the word "apostle." There is an apostolate of the Spirit as well as an apostolate of the Church; and, if we adopt the version here which gives the present participle, this spiritual apostolate is being continually exerted; the seven spirits are in process of being sent out by Him who says to this one "Go," and he goeth; to the twelve, "Go ye into all the world," .and sends His Spirit to confer on His people grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. . . . Verse 6. - And I beheld. Again a new feature of the vision is indicated (see on ver. 1). And, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders. For a description of the position of the throne and the living beings and the elders, see Revelation 4:6. The passage would, perhaps, be more plainly rendered, "Between the throne and the four living creatures on the one hand, and the elders on the other, stood," etc. The repetition of "in the midst" is a Hebraism (cf. Genesis 1:4, 6, 7, LXX.). The Lamb would thus occupy a central position, where he would be visible to all. Stood a Lamb. The Greek word ἀρνίον, which is here employed, and which is constantly used throughout the Apocalypse, occurs elsewhere in the New Testament only in John 21:15. The Lamb of John 1:29 is ἀμνός. This word has therefore been brought forward as an evidence that the writer of the Gospel was not also the writer of the Apocalypse, since, when the word is applied as a title of our Lord, the term differs. But the passage John 1:29 is a quotation from Isaiah, and the writer naturally adheres to the form found in the LXX. version in that place. But on other occasions, when he is free to employ his own diction, as in John 21:15 and in the Apocalypse, he invariably employs the term ἀρνίον. Some have found in the fact that ἀρνίον (avalon) is originally a diminutive form of ἀμνός (amnos), a reference to, the lowliness and meekness of our Lord; and they see a contrast in the power indicated by the seven horns. But such interpretations, however helpful and suggestive, are not warranted by anything in the grammar of the word; since, although no doubt originally a diminutive, the word had lost all such force in St. John's time; so much so, that the varying cases were formed from both words. As it had been Main. We are here confronted with what Stuart calls an "aesthetical difficulty." How could the Lamb, which was alive, standing, and active, exhibit any appearance which would give St. John the idea that it had been slain? Similarly, in the following verses, how could the Lamb take the book, or the four living beings handle harps and bowls, or the elders play on harps while also holding bowls? In the first place, it is perfectly immaterial to inquire. St. John is not giving a circumstantial narrative of certain historical facts which occurred in the material, sensible world; but he is reproducing ideas conveyed to him in some way (certainly not through the senses), which ideas are symbolical of events occurring in the natural and spiritual worlds, and of the condition of men or bodies of men. Therefore, if we can ascertain what these mental pictures are intended to portray to us, it matters not in what way the ideas were conveyed to the mind of the seer. In the second place, it must be remembered that the whole is a vision; and that although St. John says, "I saw," in point of fact none of the mental impressions which he obtained were conveyed through the senses. Just as a person relating a dream says, "I saw," when in reality his eyes had been shut and his senses asleep, so the writer here says, "I saw;" and just as in a dream we receive distinct ideas concerning an object without knowing how or why we know the particular fact, and that, too, when such qualities seem contradictory to others with which the object is invested, and yet no incongruity is apparent to us, so St. John realized that these objects possessed qualities which, in the sensible world, would have been impossible. Having seven horns. Throughout the Bible an emblem of power. Moses blessed the tribe of Joseph in the words, "His horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth" (Deuteronomy 33:17). Hannah sang, "Mine horn is exalted" (1 Samuel 2:1). The seven denotes perfection (see on Revelation 1:4; 5:1, etc.). The symbol, therefore, attributes to the Lamb complete power (cf. the words of Christ in Matthew 28:18, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth"). And seven eyes. The seven eyes symbolize perfect knowledge - omniscience (cf. Zechariah 4:10, "They shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth;" and 2 Chronicles 16:9, "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him"). Which are the seven Spirits of God. "Which" refers to the seven eyes (cf. Revelation 1:4, "The seven Spirits which are before his throne;" and Revelation 3:1, "He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars;" and Revelation 4:5, "Seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God"). The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, with his sevenfold gifts, is indicated by these symbols of illumination. For he illuminates and makes brighter those in whom he dwells, and renders clearer to them those things outside themselves, and enables them more fully to appreciate the manifold wisdom of God. Sent forth into all the earth. That is, the seven Spirits are sent forth (ἀπεσταλμένα; though, as πνεύματα, "the spirits," are also ὀφθαλμοί, "the eyes," A reads ἀπεσταλμένοι).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Then
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

I saw
εἶδον (eidon)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear.

a Lamb
Ἀρνίον (Arnion)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 721: (originally: a little lamb, but diminutive force was lost), a lamb. Diminutive from aren; a lambkin.

who appeared
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

to have been slain,
ἐσφαγμένον (esphagmenon)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4969: To slay, kill by violence, slaughter, wound mortally. A primary verb; to butcher or to slaughter, or, to maim.

standing
ἑστηκὸς (hestēkos)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2476: A prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o; to stand, used in various applications.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[the] center
μέσῳ (mesō)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3319: Middle, in the middle, between, in the midst of. From meta; middle (neuter) noun).

of the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

throne,
θρόνου (thronou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2362: From thrao; a stately seat; by implication, power or a potentate.

[encircled by] the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

four
τεσσάρων (tessarōn)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 5064: Four. Or neuter tessara a plural number; four.

living creatures
ζῴων (zōōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 2226: An animal, living creature. Neuter of a derivative of zao; a live thing, i.e. An animal.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

elders.
πρεσβυτέρων (presbyterōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4245: Comparative of presbus; older; as noun, a senior; specially, an Israelite Sanhedrist or Christian 'presbyter'.

[The lamb] had
ἔχων (echōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

seven
ἑπτὰ (hepta)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2033: Seven. A primary number; seven.

horns
κέρατα (kerata)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2768: From a primary kar; a horn.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

seven
ἑπτά (hepta)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2033: Seven. A primary number; seven.

eyes,
ὀφθαλμοὺς (ophthalmous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3788: The eye; fig: the mind's eye. From optanomai; the eye; by implication, vision; figuratively, envy.

which
οἵ (hoi)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

represent
εἰσιν (eisin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

the
τὰ (ta)
Article - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

sevenfold
ἑπτὰ (hepta)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2033: Seven. A primary number; seven.

Spirit
Πνεύματα (Pneumata)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

of God
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

sent out
ἀπεσταλμένοι (apestalmenoi)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 649: From apo and stello; set apart, i.e. to send out literally or figuratively.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

all
πᾶσαν (pasan)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

earth.
γῆν (gēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.


Revelation 5:6 NIV
Revelation 5:6 NLT
Revelation 5:6 ESV
Revelation 5:6 NASB
Revelation 5:6 KJV

Revelation 5:6 BibleApps.com
Revelation 5:6 Biblia Paralela
Revelation 5:6 Chinese Bible
Revelation 5:6 French Bible
Revelation 5:6 Catholic Bible

NT Prophecy: Revelation 5:6 I saw in the midst (Rev. Re Apocalypse)