The Meaning of Revelation 22:8 Explained

Revelation 22:8

KJV: And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

YLT: And I, John, am he who is seeing these things and hearing, and when I heard and beheld, I fell down to bow before the feet of the messenger who is shewing me these things;

Darby: And I, John, was he who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to do homage before the feet of the angel who shewed me these things.

ASV: And I John am he that heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that showed me these things.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  I  John  saw  these things,  and  heard  [them]. And  when  I had heard  and  seen,  I fell down  to worship  before  the feet  of the angel  which  shewed  me  these things. 

What does Revelation 22:8 Mean?

Study Notes

angel
.
angels
Angel, Summary: Angel, "messenger," is used of God, of men, and of an order of created spiritual beings whose chief attributes are strength and wisdom. 2 Samuel 14:20 ; Psalms 103:20 ; Psalms 104:4 . In the O.T. the expression "the angel of the Lord" (sometimes "of God") usually implies the presence of Deity in angelic form.; Genesis 16:1-13 ; Genesis 21:17-19 ; Genesis 22:11-16 ; Genesis 31:11-13 ; Exodus 3:2-4 ; Judges 2:1 ; Judges 6:12-16 ; Judges 13:3-22 (See Scofield " Malachi 3:1 ") . The word "angel" is used of men in; Luke 7:24 ; James 2:25 ; Revelation 1:20 ; Revelation 2:1 ; Revelation 2:8 ; Revelation 2:12 ; Revelation 2:18 ; Revelation 3:1 ; Revelation 3:7 ; Revelation 3:14 In Revelation 8:3-5 . Christ is evidently meant. Sometimes angel is used of the spirit of man.; Matthew 18:10 ; Acts 12:15 . Though angels are spirits; Psalms 104:4 ; Hebrews 1:14 power is given them to become visible in the semblance of human form. Genesis 19:1 cf; Genesis 19:5 ; Exodus 3:2 ; Numbers 22:22-31 ; Judges 2:1 ; Judges 6:11 ; Judges 6:22 ; Judges 13:3 ; Judges 13:6 ; 1 Chronicles 21:16 ; 1 Chronicles 21:20 ; Matthew 1:20 ; Luke 1:26 ; John 20:12 ; Acts 7:30 ; Acts 12:7 ; Acts 12:8 etc.). The word is always used in the masculine gender, though sex, in the human sense, is never ascribed to angels.; Matthew 22:30 ; Mark 12:25 . They are exceedingly numerous.; Matthew 26:53 ; Hebrews 12:22 ; Revelation 5:11 ; Psalms 68:17 . The power is inconceivable. 2 Kings 19:35 . Their place is about the throne of God.; Revelation 5:11 ; Revelation 7:11 . Their relation to the believer is that of "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation," and this ministry has reference largely to the physical safety and well-being of believers.; 1 Kings 19:5 ; Psalms 34:7 ; Psalms 91:11 ; Daniel 6:22 ; Matthew 2:13 ; Matthew 2:19 ; Matthew 4:11 ; Luke 22:43 ; Acts 5:19 ; Acts 12:7-10 . From; Hebrews 1:14 ; Matthew 18:10 ; Psalms 91:11 it would seem that this care for the heirs of salvation begins in infancy and continues through life. The angels observe us; 1 Corinthians 4:9 ; Ephesians 3:10 ; Ecclesiastes 5:6 a fact which should influence conduct. They receive departing saints. Luke 16:22 . Man is made "a little lower than the angels," and in incarnation Christ took "for a little "time" this lower place.; Psalms 8:4 ; Psalms 8:5 ; Hebrews 2:6 ; Hebrews 2:9 that He might lift the believer into His own sphere above angels. Hebrews 2:9 ; Hebrews 2:10 . The angels are to accompany Christ in His second advent. Matthew 25:31 . To them will be committed the preparation of the judgment of the nations. Matthew 13:30 ; Matthew 13:39 ; Matthew 13:41 ; Matthew 13:42 . See Scofield " Matthew 25:32 ". The kingdom-age is not to be subject to angels, but to Christ and those for whom He was made a little lower than the angels. Hebrews 2:5 An archangel, Michael, is mentioned as having a particular relation to Israel and to the resurrections.; Daniel 10:13 ; Daniel 10:21 ; Daniel 12:1 ; Daniel 12:2 ; Judges 1:9 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:16 . The only other angel whose name is revealed Gabriel, was employed in the most distinguished services.; Daniel 8:16 ; Daniel 9:21 ; Luke 1:19 ; Luke 1:26 .
Fallen angels. Two classes of these are mentioned:
(1) "The angels which kept not their first estate place, but left their own habitation," are "chained under darkness," awaiting judgment. 2 Peter 2:4 ; Judges 1:6 ; 1 Corinthians 6:3 ; John 5:22 .
(See Scofield " Genesis 6:4 ")
(2) The angels who have Satan Genesis 3:1 as leader.
(See Scofield " Revelation 20:10 ") .
The origin of these is nowhere explicitly revealed. They may be identical with the demons.
(See Scofield " Matthew 7:22 ") . For Satan and his angels everlasting fire is prepared. Matthew 25:41 ; Revelation 20:10 .

Verse Meaning

John resumed addressing the reader, which he had not done since Revelation 1:1; Revelation 1:4; Revelation 1:9. He affirmed the angel"s words that the prophecy was genuine. He himself had heard and had seen the things that he had recorded (cf. Daniel 8:15; Daniel 12:5). He was an eyewitness of these things (cf. John 1:14; John 19:35; John 21:14; 1 John 1:1-3; 1 John 4:14).
John confessed that when he had heard and seen these things he reacted by worshipping the angel who revealed them to him (cf. Revelation 19:10). It was the revelation of the new creation that evidently moved John to respond this way a second time. John"s strong reaction further attests the genuineness of the amazing revelations that he had received.

Context Summary

Revelation 22:1-9 - "the River Of Water Of Life"
The first five verses of this chapter obviously belong to the preceding one, from which they should not be severed. The ever-flowing river of life proves that the whole life of the blessed depends on the life of God, resident in the enthroned Lamb and communicated through the Holy Spirit. In Eden there was one tree of life; in the New Jerusalem there is a grove with perennial fruit, not protected by a flaming sword, but standing freely in the main thoroughfare, that all who will may take. Observe the threefold description of the saints-they serve, they behold, and they resemble Revelation 22:3-4. No night with its shadow; no rest is needed in the delightful service; no artificial, but un-derived and original light; no cessation of regnant power, for they shall reign forever and ever.
When the visions end, John is assured of the reality and truth of all that he has heard and seen. It appears that the Master Himself broke in with the assurance of His speedy advent; and who shall say that that assurance has failed, when we measure the flight of time with the years of the right hand of the Most High? We should remember also that the fall of Jerusalem and the sack of Jerusalem marked stages in the Advent. [source]

Chapter Summary: Revelation 22

1  The river of the water of life
2  The tree of life
5  The light of the city of God is himself
7  Jesus Is Coming
9  The angel will not be worshipped
18  Nothing may be added to the word of God, nor taken away

Greek Commentary for Revelation 22:8

And 1 John [Καγω Ιωαννης]
Here John the Seer is the speaker. He had already given his name (Revelation 1:1, Revelation 1:4, Revelation 1:9). Here he claims to be the “one who hears and sees these things” (ο ακουων και βλεπων ταυτα — ho akouōn kai blepōn tauta). [source]
I fell down to worship [επεσα προσκυνησαι]
Second aorist active indicative of πιπτω — piptō (with α — ̇a form) and the first aorist active infinitive of purpose of προσκυνεω — proskuneō It was a natural, though a wrong, thing to do, especially after Christ‘s own voice followed that of the angel “which shewed me these things” Genitive singular of the articular present active participle of δεικνυω — deiknuō Cf. Revelation 1:1; Revelation 4:1; Revelation 17:1; Revelation 21:9.; Revelation 22:1, Revelation 22:6. [source]
I John saw [ἐγὼ Ἱωάννης ὁ βλέπων]
The A.V. overlooks the article with the participle - the one seeing. Hence Rev., correctly, I John am he that heard and saw. [source]
Had heard and seen [ἤκουσα καὶ ἔβλεψα]
Aorist tense. There is no need of rendering it as a pluperfect. Rev., rightly, I heard and saw. The appeal to hearing and seeing is common to all John's writings. See John 1:14; John 19:35; John 21:14; 1 John 1:1, 1 John 1:2; 1 John 4:14. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 22:8

Revelation 1:9 1 John [Εγω Ιωανης]
So Revelation 22:8. In apocalyptic literature the personality of the writer is always prominent to guarantee the visions (Daniel 8:1; Daniel 10:2). [source]
Revelation 7:11 Round about [κυκλωι]
Preposition (in a circle) with genitive as in Revelation 4:6; Revelation 5:11. The angels here rejoice in the salvation of men (Luke 15:7, Luke 15:10; 1 Peter 1:12).Upon their faces (επι τα προσωπα αυτων — epi ta prosōpa autōn). In reverential worship of God as in Revelation 11:16. For this worship (fell and worshipped) see also Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:14; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 19:4, Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8. The dative τωι τεωι — tōi theōi (God) with προσκυνεω — proskuneō (to worship) is the usual construction for that meaning. When it means merely to do homage the accusative case is usual in this book (Charles). But in the Fourth Gospel the reverse order is true as to the cases with προσκυνεω — proskuneō (Abbott, Joh. Vocab. pp. 138-142). [source]
Revelation 7:11 Upon their faces [επι τα προσωπα αυτων]
In reverential worship of God as in Revelation 11:16. For this worship (fell and worshipped) see also Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:14; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 19:4, Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8. The dative τωι τεωι — tōi theōi (God) with προσκυνεω — proskuneō (to worship) is the usual construction for that meaning. When it means merely to do homage the accusative case is usual in this book (Charles). But in the Fourth Gospel the reverse order is true as to the cases with προσκυνεω — proskuneō (Abbott, Joh. Vocab. pp. 138-142). [source]

What do the individual words in Revelation 22:8 mean?

And I John [am] the [one] hearing and seeing these things when I heard saw I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel - showing me
Κἀγὼ Ἰωάννης ἀκούων καὶ βλέπων ταῦτα ὅτε ἤκουσα ἔβλεψα ἔπεσα προσκυνῆσαι ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ποδῶν τοῦ ἀγγέλου τοῦ δεικνύοντός μοι

Κἀγὼ  And  I 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative 1st Person Singular
Root: κἀγώ  
Sense: and I.
Ἰωάννης  John 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωάννης 
Sense: John the Baptist was the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the forerunner of Christ.
  [am]  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀκούων  hearing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
βλέπων  seeing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: βλέπω  
Sense: to see, discern, of the bodily eye.
ταῦτα  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ἤκουσα  I  heard 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
ἔβλεψα  saw 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: βλέπω  
Sense: to see, discern, of the bodily eye.
ἔπεσα  I  fell  down 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: πίπτω 
Sense: to descend from a higher place to a lower.
προσκυνῆσαι  to  worship 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: προσκυνέω  
Sense: to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence.
ἔμπροσθεν  before 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἔμπροσθεν  
Sense: in front, before.
ποδῶν  feet 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: πούς  
Sense: a foot, both of men or beast.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀγγέλου  angel 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἄγγελος  
Sense: a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δεικνύοντός  showing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: δείκνυμι 
Sense: to show, expose to the eyes.
μοι  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.

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