THEOSISAndrew of Caesarea
"The twenty-four elders fell down." These words mean that the elders mentioned are fellow participants in the hymnody of the heavenly powers. They confess that they received from God the strength for victory over the evil spirits.
Revelation 4:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
The four and twenty ancients fell down before him that sitteth on the throne and adored him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
πεσουνται οι εικοσι τεσσαρες κδ πρεσβυτεροι ενωπιον του καθημενου επι του θρονου και προσκυνησουσιν τω ζωντι εις τους αιωνας των αιωνων και βαλουσιν τους στεφανους αυτων ενωπιον του θρονου λεγοντες
The Church Fathers on this verse
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Borodin P.M.
They lay down their crowns to show that the Lord was the cause of their glory, and not they themselves. Powerless and infirm, they can accomplish nothing without Him. To Him alone thanksgiving is due from all creatures for all things, as the Creator of all. He alone can accomplish everything in them, for them, and through them.
Kochomski S.W.
The example of the twenty-four elders, who fall down and worship the eternal Lord and place their crowns before His throne, exposes the false teaching that denies the necessity and propriety of bodily worship of God.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Rev 5:8And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
- Ps 95 (94):6
- Rev 19:4And the four and twenty ancients and the four living creatures fell down and adored God that sitteth upon the throne, saying: Amen. Alleluia.
- Rev 11:16And the four and twenty ancients who sit on their seats in the sight of God, fell on their faces and adored God, saying:
- Rev 4:4And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats, four and twenty ancients sitting, clothed in white garments. And on their heads were crowns of gold.
- Rev 5:14And the four living creatures said: Amen. And the four and twenty ancients fell down on their faces and adored him that liveth for ever and ever.
- Rev 7:11And all the angels stood round about the throne and the ancients and the four living creatures. And they fell down before the throne upon their faces and adored God,
- 1 Chr 29:11Thine, O Lord, is magnificence, and power, and glory, and victory: and to thee is praise: for all that is in heaven, and in earth, is thine: thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art above all princes.
The original text
Greek text, 29 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
- πεσοῦνταιpesountaiI fallG4098 · πίπτω
- οἱhoitheG3588 · ὁ
- εἴκοσιeikositwentyG1501 · εἴκοσι
- τέσσαρεςtessaresfourG5064 · τέσσαρες
- πρεσβύτεροιpresbyteroielderG4245 · πρεσβύτερος
- ἐνώπιονenōpionbefore the face ofG1799 · ἐνώπιον
- τοῦtoutheG3588 · ὁ
- καθημένουkathēmenouI sitG2521 · κάθημαι
- ἐπὶepionG1909 · ἐπί
- τοῦtoutheG3588 · ὁ
- θρόνουthronoua throneG2362 · θρόνος
- καὶkaiandG2532 · καί
- προσκυνήσουσινproskynēsousinI worshipG4352 · προσκυνέω
- τῷtōtheG3588 · ὁ
- ζῶντιzōntiI liveG2198 · ζάω
- εἰςeisintoG1519 · εἰς
- τοὺςtoustheG3588 · ὁ
- αἰῶναςaiōnasan ageG165 · αἰών
- τῶνtōntheG3588 · ὁ
- αἰώνωνaiōnōnan ageG165 · αἰών
- καὶkaiandG2532 · καί
- βαλοῦσινbalousinI castG906 · βάλλω
- τοὺςtoustheG3588 · ὁ
- στεφάνουςstephanousa crownG4735 · στέφανος
- αὐτῶνautōnheG846 · αὐτός
- ἐνώπιονenōpionbefore the face ofG1799 · ἐνώπιον
- τοῦtoutheG3588 · ὁ
- θρόνουthronoua throneG2362 · θρόνος
- λέγοντεςlegontesI sayG3004 · λέγω