PREVIOUS | UP | CONTENTS | NEXT |
"The dogs" . . . is a metaphor for the morally impure as it is throughout Scripture. They represent male prostitutes (Deu. [[23:18|bible.5.23.18]]), Gentiles (Mtt. [[15:26|bible.61.15.26]]), and Judaizers (Php. [[3:2-3|bible.71.3.2-71.3.3]]), among other things (cf. 2K. [[8:13|bible.12.8.13]]; Ps. [[22:16|bible.19.22.16]], [[20|bible.19.22.20]]; Isa. [[56:10|bible.23.56.10]]; Mtt. [[7:6|bible.61.7.6]]; Mark [[7:27|bible.62.7.27]]). In the Orient dogs are scavengers and are objects of great contempt.2
sorcerers . . . sexually immoral . . . murderers . . . idolaters . . . whoever loves and practices a lieThe verse does not intend to teach that in the eternal state all manner of wicked men will be living just outside the heavenly city. It simply describes the future with the imagery of the present. The contrast is between the blessedness of the faithful and the fate of the wicked.3
Notes
1 Frederick William Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 461.
2 Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1995), Rev. 22:15.
3 Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977), Rev. 22:15.
PREVIOUS | UP | CONTENTS | NEXT |