Apocalipsis 8 (Spanish RV 1909) - Bible Truth Library

• It is not the Lamb that takes the golden censer, but an angel. I do not deny that Christ is referred to, but it is in His angelic connection or at least in an angelic form. He is presented in a more distant way than ever the church or the Christian, as such, knows Him in. (article #56674)

• This scene is clearly in heaven, as marked by the golden altar and the throne. The angel therefore can be no less a personage than the great High Priest, the Mediator between God and His people. (article #56675)

• The judgments fall almost entirely upon the world, upon men in their circumstances and persons, and finally upon men in their responsible relationship to God. Outwardly the saints would seem to be mixed up with them. This accounts for the absence of the Lamb; for wherever He appears as such in the book of the Revelation, it is Christ in His character of the holy and earth—rejected sufferer. Accordingly, the Lamb is peculiarly brought out where there are sufferers mentioned. For that word remains always true, that "when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them." He never puts them in a path of which He has not tasted the bitterest sorrow before them. Here He retires, as it were, and is only seen in comparatively distant, angelic glory. (“Lectures on Revelation 8” by W. Kelly)

• Now it is exactly the same form of expression here, and means that He should give power to the prayers or render them efficacious. (“Lectures on Revelation 8” by W. Kelly)

• Another Angel: Christ. (“Revelation 8 Symbols” by A.H. Burton)

• Altar: The brazen altar; the first point of contact between God and man on earth. (“Revelation 8 Symbols” by A.H. Burton)

• Incense: The precious perfume of the graces of Christ. (“Revelation 8 Symbols” by A.H. Burton)

• Golden Altar: Effectual intercession of the great High Priest (Ex. 30). (“Revelation 8 Symbols” by A.H. Burton)

J. N. Darby Translation

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, that he might give efficacy to the prayers of all saints at the golden altar which was before the throne.

W. Kelly Translation

And another angel came and stood ata the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given him much incense, that he should giveb efficacy toc the prayers of all the saintsd upon the golden altar that was before the throne.

WK Translation Notes

The marginal "at" in the RV, and as in the text of the KJV, seems more suitable than "over" the altar.

Some MSS. read "he shall give."

There can be no doubt that the Rhemish version ("of the Prayers"), which agrees with the common editions of the Vulgate, is in flagrant error. Translators have contended for a dative of concomitance, of circumstance, or of advantage, and thus have leaned to "with," "to," or "for." But that which I believe to be the true one was published by a deeply taught servant of Christ more than twenty years ago. I adopted it in a version of Revelation which appeared in 1849, and I find it again in a very recent and exact German version of the New Testament (Elberfeld, 1855). Of course, the emendation, if well-founded, negatives the Romish idea of intrinsically meritorious prayers yet more than the ordinary renderings. Both the RV and KJV, miss the force of dōsei (to give) here. The KJV might have drawn it from their own rendering of chap. 11:3, though efficacy is perhaps better than power, especially here. See note to {vi 30876}{/vi}.

The supply of the ellipse before "saints" is erroneous; and "it" or nothing is too vague. "The saints" is correct.

WK Verse Note

(Note: Words in italics have been inserted from the J. N. Darby translation where the W. Kelly translation doesn’t exist.)