“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except the one who receives it.
INSTRUCTION, PROMISE, ENCOURAGEMENT:
2:17 — Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone written a new name, which no one knows except the one who receives it — He who… who overcomes — See 2:7, comments. — hidden manna — Refers to the manna of Exo 16:12-35; Hebrews 9:4. In Joh 6:31-58 we read Jesus’ discourse on the bread of life. The manna represents Christ, who gives eternal life to those who obey him. The “hidden manna”, then, means eternal life in Christ Jesus, that is, the joys of heaven will satisfy our eternal needs as bread satisfies the hunger of the body in this life. — white stone — which has “a new name written on it”. White symbolizes purity; the stone, quality of the durable; the new name, the individual character of the person receiving it. As the twelve stones represented the twelve tribes of Israel (Exo 28:15-21; Josh 4:1-10), thus it means the person who overcomes and is thus recognized or received by God at last. This is his own personal experience; so it is that “no one knows (it) but him.”
Source: Commentary on the New Testament by Partain
he who has an ear Rev 2:7, Rev 2:11; Rev 3:6, Rev 3:13, Rev 3:22.
I will give to eat of the hidden manna. Ps 25:14; Ps 36:8; Pro 3:32; Pro 14:10; Isaiah 65:13; Matt 13:11; Joh 4:32; Joh 6:48-58; Col 3:3.
a new name. Rev 3:12; Rev 19:12, Rev 19:13; Isaiah 56:4; Isaiah 65:15.
but the one who receives it. 1Co 2:14.
Source: The Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
The person that overcome by faith in dire circumstances (vv. Rev 2:13-15) will receive the hidden manna. the hidden manna, the white pebbleand the new name are all possible rewards for faithfulness to God. The hidden manna reminds us of the food from heaven that kept Israel alive in the desert (Exo 16:4, Exo 16:14, Exo 16:15, Exo 16:31), of which a portion was placed in the ark as a commemoration (Exo 16:32, Exo 16:33; Hebrews 9:4). The believers in Pergamum were involved in pagan festivals, where they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality (v. Rev 2:14). The promise, then, is for those who refused to compromise and share the feasts. For them, there will be a better banquet in heaven. The hidden manna suggests a special intimacy with Christ (Luke 14:7-11; Luke 22:28-30). Those who overcome are promised supernatural sustenance in the resurrection state that will enable them to function effectively as rulers in the Kingdom of Christ. In the days of John, the white pebble could mean acquittal of legal charges. But it seems better to relate it to the custom of athletic games in Greece where a white stone was given to the victor in a test, or to the gladiators in Roman games who won the admiration of the public and were allowed to retire from the competition. future fights. This symbol of victory over the enemies of God cannot be separated from the new namethe one that identifies the obedient believer based on his distinctive character.
Source: New Illustrated Caribbean Bible Commentary
HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS. We must listen to the warnings of the Holy Spirit in these times. He constantly speaks the same words of Christ to the seven churches of Asia, commanding believers today to overcome sin in the world and not tolerate immorality. If they fail to win in this important area, they will lose the presence of God and the power of the Spirit and will become enemies of the kingdom of God. Instead, if they win, they will receive the hidden manna of spiritual life and “a little white stone,” signifying the triumph of faith over all that tries to destroy devotion to Christ.
Source: Full Life Study Bible
win. See note on v. Rev 2:7. hidden mana. Just as Israel received manna, God promises to give the true believer the spiritual bread that the unbelieving world cannot see: Jesus Christ (cf. Joh 6:51). white pebble Athletes who won in the Greek games were given, as part of their award, a white stone that was the entry slogan to the celebration that was held later in honor of the winners. This may represent the moment when the Christian victor will receive their “entrance ticket” to the eternal victory celebration in heaven. a new name. It is a personal message from Christ to those he loves, serving as his gate to eternal glory. It is so personal that only the person who receives it will know what it is.
Source: MacArthur Study Bible
INSTRUCTION, PROMISE, ENCOURAGEMENT:
2:17 — He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except him who receives it —
— He who… overcomes — See 2:7, comments.
— hidden manna — Refers to the manna of Exo 16:12-35; Hebrews 9:4. In Joh 6:31-58 we read Jesus’ discourse on the bread of life. The manna represents Christ, who gives eternal life to those who obey him. The “hidden manna”, then, means eternal life in Christ Jesus, that is, the joys of heaven will satisfy our eternal needs as bread satisfies the hunger of the body in this life.
— white stone — which has “a new name written on it”. White symbolizes purity; the stone, quality of the durable; the new name, the individual character of the person receiving it. As the twelve stones represented the twelve tribes of Israel (Exo 28:15-21; Jos 4:1-10), so it means the person who overcomes and is thus recognized or received by God at last. This is his own personal experience; so it is that “no one knows (it) but him.”
Source: Reeves-Partain Notes
Rev 3:12; (watch Phil 2:9); Isaiah 62:2; Isaiah 65:15.
Source: Hispano-American Interdenominational Translation
— a white stone: The symbol of the white stone is still somewhat mysterious. It suggests participation in the victory of the risen Christ and can be understood as a kind of “pass” with the corresponding password to make it possible to enter the banquet of the Kingdom.
Source: Hispano-American Interdenominational Translation
GRADES
(1) Or, “from stored manna.”
(2) Lit., “little stone”. Gr.: pse phon. See Acts 26:10, n.
CROSS-REFERENCES
t 118 Rev 2:7
u 119 1Jn 5:5; Rev 3:12
v 120 Exo 16:15; Exo 16:31; Ps 78:24; Joh 6:51; Hebrews 9:4
w121 Pro 22:1; Rev 3:12
x122 Rev 19:12
Source: New World Translation
hidden mana. It probably refers to Christ who gives eternal life (Jn 6:31–33, 35, 48–51).
a white pebble. White stones were sometimes used as entrance tickets to public celebrations. Here the stone would give entrance to the messianic banquet.
a new name. The engraved name can be that of Christ or the name that Christ will have given to the person who has the stone.
Source: The Bible of the Americas
17 (1) Here overcoming specifically means overcoming the union of the church with the world, the teaching of idolatry and fornication, and the teaching of hierarchy.
17 (two) The manna is a type of Christ as the heavenly food that enables God’s people to follow His way. A portion of manna was preserved in a golden pot hidden in the ark (Exo_16:32-34; Heb_9:4). The visible manna was given for public enjoyment by God’s people; the hidden manna, which represents the hidden Christ, is a special portion reserved for those who seek Him and overcome the degradation of the worldly church. As the church goes the way of the world, these overcomers come into God’s presence in the Holy of Holies and remain there, where they enjoy the hidden Christ, who is a special portion of their daily provision. This promise is fulfilled today in the proper church life and will be fully fulfilled in the coming kingdom. If we seek the Lord, overcome the degradation of the worldly church, and enjoy a special portion of the Lord now, He as the hidden manna will be a reward for us in the coming kingdom. If we do not have Him as our special portion today in the church life, we will undoubtedly miss the opportunity to enjoy Him as a reward in the coming kingdom.
17 (3) In the Bible a stone symbolizes the material used in God’s building ( Mat_16:18 ; 1Pe_2:5 ; 1Co_3:12). In our natural being we are not stones but clay. Through regeneration we receive divine life with its divine nature, and thus we can be changed into stones, even precious stones, by enjoying Christ as our life supply (2Co_3:18). If we enjoy the Lord in the proper church life instead of following the worldly church, we will be turned into stones for God’s building. The Lord will justify and approve these stones, as indicated by the color white, while he will condemn and reject the worldly church. God’s work of building the church depends on our transformation, and this comes from our enjoyment of Christ as our life supply.
17 (4) A name designates a person; a new name refers to a transformed person. Each transformed believer, like a white stone, has “a new name, he which; no one knows but he who receives it.” The new name is the interpretation of the experience of the one who has been transformed. Therefore, only he knows the meaning of that name.
Source: New Testament Commentary Recovery Version
of the hidden manna. It refers to Christ’s sufficiency for the believer’s needs, as manna was for the Hebrews on their wilderness wanderings. The white stone may refer to the custom of voting for the acquittal of a prisoner (indicating that the believer can be sure of his acquittal before God, cp. Romans 8:1); or it could refer to the sufficiency of Christ, deriving it from the custom of wearing amulets around the neck. It has also been suggested that it is a reference to the banquet of the kingdom, deriving it from the “tessera hospitalis”, a white stone that served as an invitation to a banquet, which was broken in two halves by hand, leaving the host with the half that he was carrying. the name of the guest, and the guest with the other half bearing the name of the host.
Source: Ryrie Annotated Study Bible
mana… → Exo 16:14-15; pebble… Gr. pséfos → Ac 26:10. They shed light on the new name Isaiah 62:2 Y Isaiah 65:15.
Source: Textual Bible IV Edition
R519 Τοῦ μάννα means: some of the mana.
Source: Grammar Help for the Study of the Greek New Testament
Or, to the one who overcomes
Source: The Bible of the Americas
g Exo_16:14-15.
2.17 gr. psu234?fon g Ac 26:10, Isaiah 62:2 Y Isaiah 65:15…