Note ver. 11 — Footnotes.
Reading edition
11 Having the 657glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
11. Having the glory of God. A glory or splendour such as became the dwelling place of God. The nature of that splendour is described in the following verses. ¶ And her light. In ver. 23 it is said that “the glory of God did lighten it.” That is, it was made light by the visible symbol of the Deity—the Shekinah. See Notes on Lu. ii. 9; Ac. ix. 3. The word here rendered light—φωστὴρ—occurs nowhere else in the New Testament except in Phi. ii. 15. It means, properly, a light, a light-giver, and, in profane writers, means commonly a window. It is used here to denote the brightness or shining of the divine glory, as supplying the place of the sun, or of a window. ¶ Like unto a stone most precious. A stone of the richest or most costly nature. ¶ Even like a jasper stone. On the jasper, see Notes on ch. iv. 3. It is used there for the same purpose as here, to illustrate the majesty and glory of God. ¶ Clear as crystal. Pellucid or resplendent like crystal. There are various kinds of jasper—as red, yellow, and brown, brownish yellow, &c. The stone is essentially a quartz, and the word crystal here is used to show that the form of it referred to by John was clear and bright.