When the Lamb broke the second seal on the scroll, John heard the second living creature order the second horseman forward. [source][source][source]
Beale believed the disasters represented by the opening of each seal are simultaneous throughout the church age, not sequential occurrences, for either the purification of believers or for the punishment of believers" persecutors. [1] They began, he believed, after Christ"s death, resurrection, and ascension, and they will end at His second coming. Conquest, both literal and spiritual, has led and will lead to civil unrest, which has led and will lead to famine, which has led and will lead to death. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Revelation 6:1-8 - The Riders On The Four Horses
The seals signify those events which prepare the way for the coming of the Kingdom. The breaking of the first seals is accompanied by the summons of one of the living creatures to the glorified Lord to hasten His advent. Come, glorious Redeemer, and bring about the wondrous consummation for which thy bride is waiting. The white horse signifies the victorious progress of the gospel; the red, war with its bloodshed; the black, scarcity and want; the pale, or livid, pestilence and death. Compare with Ezekiel 14:21 and Matthew 24:6-14. "Thus good and bad their several warnings give of his approach, whom none can see and live. Faith's ear, with awful, still delight, counts them as minute bells at night."
Three lines of interpretation have been adopted for these and the following mysterious utterances of this book. We shall not go into these questions, but present the main spiritual lessons which are generally accepted. That treasure is buried here none can deny; and the perpetual turning over of these sods to discover it, has greatly enriched the Church. [source]
Chapter Summary: Revelation 6
1The First Seal: Rider on White Horse 3The Second Seal: War 5The Third Seal: Famine 7The Fourth Seal: Death 9The Fifth Seal: Martyrs 12The Sixth Seal: Terror
Greek Commentary for Revelation 6:3
The second seal [την σπραγιδα την δευτεραν] “The seal the second.” The white horse with his rider vanished from the scene bent on his conquering career. [source]
Had opened [ἤνοιξεν] Rev., rendering the aorist mow literally, opened. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 6:3
Revelation 5:1A book [βιβλιον] Diminutive of βιβλος biblos but no longer so used, βιβλαριδιον biblaridion occurring instead (Revelation 10:2).Written (γεγραμμενον gegrammenon). Perfect passive predicate participle of γραπω graphō and on the back (εσωτεν και οπιστεν esōthen kai opisthen). “Within and behind.” Description of a roll like that in Luke 4:17, not a codex as some scholars think. Usually these papyrus rolls were written only on the inside, but this one was so full of matter that it was written also on the back side (οπιστεν opisthen), and so was an οπιστογραπον opisthographon like that in Ezekiel 2:10. There are many allegorical interpretations of this fact which are all beside the point.Sealed Perfect passive predicate participle of κατασπραγιζω katasphragizō old compound (perfective use of κατα kata), to seal up (down), here only in N.T.With seven seals (σπραγισιν επτα sphragisin hepta). Instrumental case of σπραγις sphragis old word used in various senses, proof or authentication (1 Corinthians 9:2; Romans 4:11), signet-ring (Revelation 7:2), impression made by the seal (Revelation 9:4; 2 Timothy 2:19), the seal on books closing the book (Revelation 5:1,Revelation 5:2,Revelation 5:5,Revelation 5:9; Revelation 6:1,Revelation 6:3,Revelation 6:5,Revelation 6:7,Revelation 6:9,Revelation 6:12; Revelation 8:1). “A will in Roman law bore the seven seals of the seven witnesses” (Charles). But this sealed book of doom calls for no witnesses beyond God‘s own will. Alford sees in the number seven merely the completeness of God‘s purposes. [source]
Revelation 6:1When the Lamb opened [οτε ηνοιχεν το αρνιον] First aorist active indicative of ανοιγω anoigō This same phrase recurs in rhythmical order at the opening of each seal (Revelation 6:1,Revelation 6:3,Revelation 6:5,Revelation 6:7,Revelation 6:9,Revelation 6:12) till the last (Revelation 8:1), where we have οταν ηνοιχεν hotan ēnoixen Probably used here as an ordinal (the first) as in Matthew 28:1. See Robertson, Grammar, p. 671f.Of This use of εκ ek with the ablative in the partitive sense is common in the Apocalypse, as twice in this verse So ενος εκ των henos ek tōn (one of the four living creatures) is “the first of,” etc.In a voice of thunder (εν πωνηι βροντης en phōnēi brontēs). Old word used of John and James (Mark 3:17) and elsewhere in N.T. only John 12:29 and a dozen times in the Apocalypse.Come Present middle imperative of ερχομαι erchomai but with exclamatory force (not strictly linear). The command is not addressed to the Lamb nor to John (the correct text omits και ιδε kai ide “and see”) as in Revelation 17:1; Revelation 21:9, but to one of the four horsemen each time. Swete takes it as a call to Christ because ερχου erchou is so used in Revelation 22:17,Revelation 22:20, but that is not conclusive. [source]
What do the individual words in Revelation 6:3 mean?
Greek Commentary for Revelation 6:3
“The seal the second.” The white horse with his rider vanished from the scene bent on his conquering career. [source]
Omit. [source]
Rev., rendering the aorist mow literally, opened. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 6:3
Diminutive of βιβλος biblos but no longer so used, βιβλαριδιον biblaridion occurring instead (Revelation 10:2).Written (γεγραμμενον gegrammenon). Perfect passive predicate participle of γραπω graphō and on the back (εσωτεν και οπιστεν esōthen kai opisthen). “Within and behind.” Description of a roll like that in Luke 4:17, not a codex as some scholars think. Usually these papyrus rolls were written only on the inside, but this one was so full of matter that it was written also on the back side (οπιστεν opisthen), and so was an οπιστογραπον opisthographon like that in Ezekiel 2:10. There are many allegorical interpretations of this fact which are all beside the point.Sealed Perfect passive predicate participle of κατασπραγιζω katasphragizō old compound (perfective use of κατα kata), to seal up (down), here only in N.T.With seven seals (σπραγισιν επτα sphragisin hepta). Instrumental case of σπραγις sphragis old word used in various senses, proof or authentication (1 Corinthians 9:2; Romans 4:11), signet-ring (Revelation 7:2), impression made by the seal (Revelation 9:4; 2 Timothy 2:19), the seal on books closing the book (Revelation 5:1, Revelation 5:2, Revelation 5:5, Revelation 5:9; Revelation 6:1, Revelation 6:3, Revelation 6:5, Revelation 6:7, Revelation 6:9, Revelation 6:12; Revelation 8:1). “A will in Roman law bore the seven seals of the seven witnesses” (Charles). But this sealed book of doom calls for no witnesses beyond God‘s own will. Alford sees in the number seven merely the completeness of God‘s purposes. [source]
Perfect passive predicate participle of κατασπραγιζω katasphragizō old compound (perfective use of κατα kata), to seal up (down), here only in N.T.With seven seals (σπραγισιν επτα sphragisin hepta). Instrumental case of σπραγις sphragis old word used in various senses, proof or authentication (1 Corinthians 9:2; Romans 4:11), signet-ring (Revelation 7:2), impression made by the seal (Revelation 9:4; 2 Timothy 2:19), the seal on books closing the book (Revelation 5:1, Revelation 5:2, Revelation 5:5, Revelation 5:9; Revelation 6:1, Revelation 6:3, Revelation 6:5, Revelation 6:7, Revelation 6:9, Revelation 6:12; Revelation 8:1). “A will in Roman law bore the seven seals of the seven witnesses” (Charles). But this sealed book of doom calls for no witnesses beyond God‘s own will. Alford sees in the number seven merely the completeness of God‘s purposes. [source]
Instrumental case of σπραγις sphragis old word used in various senses, proof or authentication (1 Corinthians 9:2; Romans 4:11), signet-ring (Revelation 7:2), impression made by the seal (Revelation 9:4; 2 Timothy 2:19), the seal on books closing the book (Revelation 5:1, Revelation 5:2, Revelation 5:5, Revelation 5:9; Revelation 6:1, Revelation 6:3, Revelation 6:5, Revelation 6:7, Revelation 6:9, Revelation 6:12; Revelation 8:1). “A will in Roman law bore the seven seals of the seven witnesses” (Charles). But this sealed book of doom calls for no witnesses beyond God‘s own will. Alford sees in the number seven merely the completeness of God‘s purposes. [source]
First aorist active indicative of ανοιγω anoigō This same phrase recurs in rhythmical order at the opening of each seal (Revelation 6:1, Revelation 6:3, Revelation 6:5, Revelation 6:7, Revelation 6:9, Revelation 6:12) till the last (Revelation 8:1), where we have οταν ηνοιχεν hotan ēnoixen Probably used here as an ordinal (the first) as in Matthew 28:1. See Robertson, Grammar, p. 671f.Of This use of εκ ek with the ablative in the partitive sense is common in the Apocalypse, as twice in this verse So ενος εκ των henos ek tōn (one of the four living creatures) is “the first of,” etc.In a voice of thunder (εν πωνηι βροντης en phōnēi brontēs). Old word used of John and James (Mark 3:17) and elsewhere in N.T. only John 12:29 and a dozen times in the Apocalypse.Come Present middle imperative of ερχομαι erchomai but with exclamatory force (not strictly linear). The command is not addressed to the Lamb nor to John (the correct text omits και ιδε kai ide “and see”) as in Revelation 17:1; Revelation 21:9, but to one of the four horsemen each time. Swete takes it as a call to Christ because ερχου erchou is so used in Revelation 22:17, Revelation 22:20, but that is not conclusive. [source]