And immediately I was in the spirit. And behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting.
και OMIT και ευθεως εγενομην εν πνευματι και ιδου θρονος εκειτο εν τω ουρανω και επι τον θρονον του θρονου καθημενος
7 Church Fathers comment on this verse
It is clear that the standing throne is the place of judgment and of the King. John says that on this throne he saw One like jasper and sardius. Since jasper is the color of water, and sardius the color of fire, these two covenants were soon afterward shown to be established above the throne of God until the end of the world. One of these two judgments was accomplished in the flood through water. The other will be accomplished through fire.
Having heard the voice filled with the Spirit, I saw a throne. This signifies God's rest in the saints, for He rests upon them as upon a throne.
Perception in the Spirit. Who could think that one who describes himself as being in the Spirit speaks anything according to the flesh? A man most fully tested by his God perceives nothing bodily and nothing earthly. He was in the Spirit, so that he could see the Lord of glory. He sees Him in the Spirit, but does not behold Him in the flesh. Thus he fulfills what the Apostle said: "Even though we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer" (2 Cor. 5:16).
The ascent was neither bodily nor sensory.
John says: I see a throne, and God, and the Spirit upon it. In appearance He was like jasper and carnelian.
God is not like these things. By no means. Nor is He like anything sensible or bodily at all.
He is invisible and bodiless and has no outline.
When His unseen nature is presented to the seraphim, they cover their faces with their wings.
Speaking to Moses, God said: "No one can see Me and remain alive" (Ex 33:20).
The Evangelist himself, as though denying the verse now under discussion, says: "No one has ever seen God" (Jn 1:18).
Therefore God was not seen in any likeness. Rather, His visible image was depicted in the book of Revelation according to His energies.
Jasper is a precious green stone, resembling emerald in appearance. It recalls the patina on a shield, from which it received its name.
Carnelian is another precious stone, fiery in brilliance and blood-red in hue.
Thus jasper signifies for us that God gives life and provides for all.
For all nourishment for men, and also for four-footed creatures, birds, and creeping things, begins and comes from green growth.
The prophet says: "You cause grass to grow for cattle, and green plants for the service of man, to bring forth food from the earth.
And wine that gladdens the heart of man, and oil that makes his face shine" (Ps 103:14-15).
Again, at the creation of the world the Lord said: "Let the earth bring forth green plants, grass bearing seed according to its kind" (Gen 1:11).
This, then, is what the jasper reveals.
Carnelian depicts the dreadfulness of God. Moses, who saw God, says: "The Lord your God is a consuming fire" (Deut 4:24).
The prophet also cries to Him: "You are terrible, and who can stand before Your face?" (Ps 75:8).
In agreement with him, the wise Apostle writes: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb 10:31).
Truly, the blameless goodness of God is unacceptable to lovers of sin and to the proud in spirit.
It does not bring them to repentance, but gives them the freedom to fall into error.
Thus it is quite fitting that, together with goodness and benefactions, dreadfulness should also be depicted in God.
But carnelian does not hold first place with God. In describing Him, jasper must certainly come first.
For His nature is self-existing goodness, love for mankind, and providential care. He wishes to be our Father more than our Master.
Yet we, if one may say so, compel Him to dreadfulness and punishments.
Often, setting aside the compassion proper to His nature, He acts in a way contrary to His nature by showing severity.
The reference is evidently to a copper shield, which as it oxidizes seems to grow over with a green patina.
After the Lord Jesus desired that we open the doors of our heart, He at the same time opens the doors of heaven.
By this He shows that He will always open heaven to the one who opens his heart to Him.
He also shows that a time will later come when the human heart will be opened, and all will hear the voice of God calling to judgment.
The throne of God seen by the holy Apostle John is God's repose in His saints. For He rests in His saints as upon a throne.
He compares the appearance of the One sitting with precious stones, jasper and sardius, most beautiful in color and worth.
By their earthly perfections he wishes to express the heavenly perfections of the Lord: His immutability, eternity, might, and glory.
The rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance, recalls God's covenant with man and depicts His reconciliation with him.
"Behold, a throne stood in heaven, and One sat on the throne." What was once revealed to Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel is now revealed to the prophet of the New Testament, John. He sees not only the throne, but also the One seated upon it. The Apostle John does not name Him, but only mentions the throne of God in heaven and describes His glory.
The description of the outward form in which God the Father appeared to the seer exposes the self-confidence with which the Shtundists deny every possibility of depicting and representing the Godhead in visible form. It is true that we must not think that the Godhead in itself, according to His essence, is like gold, silver, or stone (Acts 17:29). Yet when the invisible God was pleased to appear to John, He assumed a visible form. He appeared like a man seated upon a throne, and His appearance was like jasper and sardius, precious stones; compare Ezek. ch. 1 and Dan. ch. 7.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 16 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS