Revelation 5:5

“And one of the elders said unto me, etc.] The Ethiopic version reads, “one of these elders”; that is, one of the four and twenty elders that were round about the throne; not the first of the four and twenty books of the Old Testament; nor the patriarch Jacob, because of the prophecy concerning Shiloh, Judah's son, which stands in (<014910>Genesis 49:10), nor Moses, who spoke of the Messiah as the great prophet of the church; nor John the Baptist, who pointed out the Lamb of God; these are all fancies and conjectures. It was one of the members of the Christian church, who was near the throne of God, had communion with him, and knowledge of his will, who in this visionary way is represented as…”

“one of--Greek, "one from among." The "elder" meant is, according to some (in LYRA), Matthew. With this accords the description here given of Christ, "the Lion, which is (so the Greek) of the tribe of Juda, the root of David"; the royal, David-descended, lion-aspect of Christ being that prominent in Matthew, whence the lion among the fourfold cherubim is commonly assigned to him. GERHARD in BENGEL thought Jacob to be meant, being, doubtless, one of those who rose with Christ and ascended to heaven (Mat 27:52-53). The elders in heaven round God's throne know better than John, still in the flesh, the far-reaching power of Christ. Root of David-- (Isa 11:1, Isa 11:10). Not merely "a sucker come…”

“And one of the elders saith unto me - See the notes on Revelation 4:4. No particular reason is assigned why this message was delivered by one of the elders rather than by an angel. If the elders were, however (see the notes on Revelation 4:4), the representatives of the church, there was a propriety that they should address John in his trouble. Though they were in heaven, they were deeply interested in all that pertained to the welfare of the church, and they had been permitted to understand what as yet was unknown to him, that the power of opening the mysterious volume which contained the revelation of the future was entrusted particularly to the Messiah. Having this knowledge, they were…”

“And one of the elders - Probably one of those who rose with Christ, and afterwards ascended into heaven. Perhaps one of the patriarchs. Some think it was Jacob, from whose prophecy the name of Lion is given him, Gen 49:9. The Lion of the tribe of Judah - The victorious prince who is, like a lion, able to tear all his enemies in pieces. The root of David - As God, the root and source of David's family, Isa 11:1, Isa 11:10. Hath prevailed to open the book - Hath overcome all obstructions, and obtained the honour to disclose the divine counsels. Revelation 5:6”

“5:5 Designations for Jesus as the Lion of . . . Judah (see Gen 49:9-10) and the heir to David’s throne (see Isa 11:10) are Old Testament metaphors for the Messiah (see Jer 23:5; 30:9; John 7:42). • Because Jesus won the victory at the cross (John 16:33), he is the only one worthy to open the scroll and reveal God’s purposes (Rev 4:11; 5:2, 12). God’s plan for history centers around Jesus and what he has done. His relationship to the scroll indicates his control of history.”

“one: Rev 4:4, Rev 4:10, Rev 7:13 Weep: Jer 31:16; Luk 7:13, Luk 8:52, Luk 23:28; Joh 20:13 the Lion: Gen 49:9, Gen 49:10; Num 24:9; Heb 7:14 the Root: Rev 22:16; Isa 11:1, Isa 11:10; Jer 23:5, Jer 23:6; Rom 1:3, Rom 15:12 hath: Rev 1:1, Rev 6:1 Revelation 5:6”