Wahyu 6:2

6:2 So ¹  I looked, ²  and here came ³  a white horse! The ⁴  one who rode it ⁵  had a bow, and he was given a crown, ⁶  and as a conqueror ⁷  he rode out to conquer.

Wahyu 19:11

The Son of God Goes to War

19:11 Then ⁸  I saw heaven opened and here came ⁹  a white horse! The ¹⁰  one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice ¹¹  he judges and goes to war.

Wahyu 20:11

The Great White Throne

20:11 Then ¹²  I saw a large ¹³  white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven ¹⁴  fled ¹⁵  from his presence, and no place was found for them.

[6:2]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of hearing the voice summon the first rider.

[6:2]  ² tc The reading “and I looked” (καὶ εἶδον, kai eidon) or some slight variation (e.g., ἶδον, idon) has excellent ms support ({א A C P 1611}) and its omission seems to come through the mss that have already placed “and look” (καὶ ἴδε or καὶ βλέπε [kai ide or kai blepe]) after the verb “come” (ἔρχου, ercou) as mentioned in the text-critical note on 6:1. Thus, for these copyists it was redundant to add “and I looked” again.

[6:2]  ³ tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).

[6:2]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[6:2]  ⁵ tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”

[6:2]  sn The one who rode it. The identity of the first rider on the white horse has been discussed at great length by interpreters. Several answers are given: (1) A number understand the rider on the white horse to be Christ himself, identifying this horse and rider with the one mentioned in 19:11, where the identification is clear (cf. 19:13, 16). It must be noted, though, that there is little in common between the two riders beyond the white horse. The word for “crown” is different, the armament is different, and the context here is different (conquest vs. retribution), with three other horsemen bringing catastrophe following. (2) Others see the rider on the white horse representing a spirit of military conquest that dominates human history and leads to the catastrophes that follow. (3) Another possibility is that the white horse rider represents the Antichrist, who appears later in Rev 11:7; 13:17, and whose similarity to Christ explains the similarity with the rider in 19:11. This interpretation has been discussed at length by M. Rissi, “The Rider on the White Horse: A Study of Revelation 6:1-8,” Int 18 (1964): 407-18. This interpretation is the most probable one.

[6:2]  ⁶ sn See the note on the word crown in Rev 3:11.

[6:2]  ⁷ tn The participle νικῶν (nikwn) has been translated as substantival, the subject of the verb ἐξῆλθεν (exhlqen). Otherwise, as an adverbial participle of manner, it is somewhat redundant: “he rode out conquering and to conquer.”

[19:11]  ⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[19:11]  ⁹ tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).

[19:11]  ¹⁰ tn A new sentence was started in the translation at this point and καί (kai) was not translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[19:11]  ¹¹ tn Or “in righteousness,” but since the context here involves the punishment of the wicked and the vindication of the saints, “justice” was preferred.

[20:11]  ¹² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[20:11]  ¹³ tn Traditionally, “great,” but μέγας (megas) here refers to size rather than importance.

[20:11]  ¹⁴ tn Or “and the sky.” The same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky,” and context usually determines which is meant. In this apocalyptic scene, however, it is difficult to be sure what referent to assign the term.

[20:11]  ¹⁵ tn Or “vanished.”

[20:11]  sn The phrase the earth and the heaven fled from his presence can be understood (1) as visual imagery representing the fear of corruptible matter in the presence of God, but (2) it can also be understood more literally as the dissolution of the universe as we know it in preparation for the appearance of the new heaven and new earth (Rev 21:1).