And I said unto him, sir, thou knowest
John replies in a very humble, modest, and respectful manner, to
the elder, calling him "sir", according to the usage of the
eastern people; and it is observable, that this word is much used
in his Gospel, and more than in any other book; see ( John 4:11 John 4:15 John 4:19 John 4:49 ) ( 5:7 ) ( 12:21 ) ( 20:15 ) . Some copies,
and the Complutensian edition, read, "my Lord"; and so do the
Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions. John confesses his
ignorance, and ascribes knowledge to the elder, and desires
information of him; for the sense is, that the elder knew who
they were, and from whence they came, but he did not, and
therefore desires that he would inform him; and so the Arabic
version renders it, "and my Lord, thou art more learned"; that
is, than I am, and therefore instruct me, as he accordingly did;
and he said to me, these are they which came out of
great
tribulation:
seeing this company designs all the elect of God, that ever were,
are, or shall be in the world; "the great tribulation", out of
which they came, is not to be restrained to any particular time
of trouble, but includes all that has been, is, or shall be; as
all the afflictions of the saints under the Old Testament; from
righteous Abel to Zechariah; and all the troubles of the people
of God in the times of the Maccabees, ( Hebrews
11:35-38 ) ; all the persecutions of the Christians by the
Jews, at the first publication of the Gospel; and the
persecutions under the Roman emperors, both Pagan and Arian; and
the cruelties and barbarities of the Romish antichrist, during
the whole time of the apostasy; and particularly the last
struggle of the beast, which will be the hour of temptation, that
will come upon all the world; and in general all the afflictions,
reproaches, persecutions, and many tribulations of all the
saints, and every member of Christ in this world, who in the new
Jerusalem church state will be come out of them; which supposes
them to have been in them, and yet were not overwhelmed by them,
and lost in them; but, by divine support and assistance, waded
through them, and were now quite clear of them, and never more to
be annoyed with them; see ( Revelation
21:4 ) .
And have washed their robes, and made them white in the
blood of the
Lamb;
not in the blood of bulls and goats, which could not take away
sin; nor in their own blood, their sufferings for Christ, on
which they did not depend, knowing there is no comparison between
them, and the glory revealed in them; nor in any works of
righteousness done by them, which are imperfect and filthy, and
need washing; but in the blood of Christ, which cleanseth from
all sin. The "robes" which they washed in his blood may either
design themselves, their consciences, which this blood purges
from dead works; or their outward conversation garments, which
have their spots, and need continual washing; or else the robe of
righteousness, and garments of salvation, or their justification,
which is by the blood of Christ, ( Romans 5:9 ) . The act
of washing from sin, by the blood of Christ, is sometimes
ascribed to Christ himself, as in ( Revelation
1:5 ) ; but here to the saints, and designs the concern which
faith has in the blood of Christ, which deals with it for
justification, peace, and pardon, for the removing of sin from
the conscience, and for cleansing from all impurity, both of
flesh and Spirit: and the effect of this is, that their robes
were "made white"; that is, that they were freed from all sin,
were without fault before the throne, not having spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing. This shows that these persons had no
trust in themselves, or dependence on their own merits, and works
of righteousness, but wholly trusted to, and depended on the
blood and righteousness of Christ; which is the only way to come
out of tribulation, and enter the kingdom.