In the scene represented in this chapter, there is some imagery which
would be suggested by the arrangements in the temple at Jerusalem, and
it has been supposed (Elliott, i., 72,73) that the vision was laid
there, and that Christ is represented as walking among the seven lamps
"habited as the ancient high priest." But the vision is not such an
one as would have been presented in I the holy place in the temple. In
that place there was but one lampstand, with seven sconces; here,
there were seven separate lampstands; there were there no "stars," and
the vestments of the Jewish high priest were not those in which the
Saviour is represented as appearing. He had no mitre, no ephod, no
breastplate, and no censer. The object was not to represent Christ as
a priest, or as superseding the Jewish high priest, but to represent
him with costume appropriate to the Son of God - as having been raised
from the dead, and received to the glory of heaven.
His vestments are neither those of a prophet, a king, nor a priest;
not with such garments as the ancient prophets wore, nor with crown
and scepter such as monarchs bear, nor yet with the usual habiliments
of a priest. He appears as the Son of God, irrespective of the offices
that he bears, and comes as the glorified Head of the Church to
declare his will in regard to the seven churches of Asia, and to
disclose the future for the guidance and comfort of his church at
large. The scene appears to be laid at Patmos, and the apostle in the
vision of the Saviour does not appear to have regarded himself as
transferred to any other place. The view which is to be kept before
the mind in the description of "the things that are" Revelation 23, is
that of seven burning lamps, and the Son of God standing among them.
Thus, amidst these lamps, representing the churches, he dictates to
the apostle what he shall write to the churches; thus, with seven
stars in his hand, representing the angels of the churches, he
dictates what shall be said to them. Is it unnatural to suppose that
the position of those lamps might have been arranged in the vision in
a manner resembling the geographical position of the churches
themselves? If so, the scene would be more significant, and more
sublime.
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