Revelation 20 - In Depth Bible Commentaries

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20.11 And I saw a throne, a great white one, and the One sitting upon it, from
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will compass the complete defeat of everything which is contrary to His Own purpose of good."
(Pp. 606-07)
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For other passages in biblical literature that deal with a divine throne of judgment,
see Daniel 7:9-12 (see the quotation of this chapter in footnote 2289); also, Matthew 25:31-
46, "When the Son of the Person comes in His glorious radiance, and all the messengers /
angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered
before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the
sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on His left. Then the
King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance,
the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you
gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger
and you invited Me in. I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after
Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me..."
John 5:28-29, "...For a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His
voice and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil
will rise to be condemned."
2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Christ,
that each one may receive what is due him for the things done in the body, whether good or
bad."
See also 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; Romans 2:5, 16, and in extra-biblical materials, see 1
Enoch 90:20-38; Testament of Abraham A, 12.
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Aune notes that the phrase “and I saw” introduces a new vision report (p. 1100).
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Aune comments that “This judgment scene begins by focusing on a throne that differs
from other references to thrones in Revelation in that this throne is both ‘great’ and ‘white’
...Though there are no exact parallels to the white throne mentioned here, white is, of course,
the color appropriate for heaven and is associated with purity.” (P. 1106) No, there are no
stains, no defiling wickedness or unfairness there!
Hough comments that "There is the throne in blazing whiteness. There sits the mighty
Ruler, truly imperial [‘having sovereign rights’] when Rome has ceased to be." (P. 607)
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The phrase ð áôüí, ep’ auton, “upon it,” is read by Uncial Manuscript 051 and
the “Majority Text.” It is changed to read ep’ (evpa,nw, epano, “above” is read by Sinaiticus)
auvtou/, ep’ autou, “upon it,” i.e., a genitive phrase is substituted for the accusative phrase, by
Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Minuscules 1006, 1611, 1841, 2053, 2062, 2329 and a few other
Greek manuscripts. It is changed to read ðauvtw|/, ep’ auto, “upon it,” i.e., the genitive or
accusative phrase is changed to the dative phrase, with the same meaning, by Minuscule
1854 and a few other Greek manuscripts. The variant readings do not change the meaning of
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