The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (309 page)

20:1 the bottomless pit:
Or, "the abyss".
See note on Rev 9:1
. 
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20:2 that ancient serpent:
The devil as disguised in Gen 3:1-14 and exposed in 12:9. 
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20:4 I saw thrones:
A heavenly court, or possibly the thrones of apostolic government in the Church, as in Mt 19:28 and Lk 22:28-30. • The scene recalls Dan 7:9-11, where the beast from the sea is condemned and thrown into the fire, and Dan 7:26-27, where the kingdom of the Son of man is given to the saints.
beheaded for their testimony:
Martyrs such as John the Baptist (Mk 6:27) and the apostles James (Acts 12:1-2) and Paul (Christian tradition). These and others killed for their faith reign with Christ in a special way (Rev 20:6), even though all believers share in the royal-priestly reign of Christ, whether in heaven (Rev 2:26-27) or on earth (Rev 5:10). 
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20:5 the first resurrection:
The meaning of the two resurrections is uncertain. The first may refer to a spiritual resurrection to new life through faith and Baptism (Jn 5:25; Rom 6:3-4), followed by a bodily resurrection at the return of Christ (Jn 5:28-29; 1 Thess 4:15-16). Or perhaps both resurrections are bodily, the first being that of Christ and the saints of the OT (Mt 27:52-53) and the second involving the rest of humanity Rev (20:12-13; 1 Cor 15:22). 
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20:6 Blessed:
The fifth of seven beatitudes in Revelation.
See note on Rev 1:3
.
the second death:
The spiritual death of hell (20:14). The first death is bodily death (20:5). 
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20:8 Gog and Magog:
Names that symbolize the coalition of evil nations summoned by Satan to besiege the Church of the last days. This will be the final explosion of the devil's fury before his consignment to hell (20:10). • The two names come from the apocalyptic war vision of Ezek 3839, where Gog and the land of Magog assemble an international army to plunder the beloved People of God. Their plans are foiled, however, when fire and brimstone rain down from the Lord and destroy them (Rev 20:9). 
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20:9 camp of the saints:
Like the Exodus generation of Israel, the pilgrim Church on earth is still journeying toward the rest of the Promised Land.
the beloved city:
Another image for the Church, this time pictured as the heavenly Jerusalem (21:2). 
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20:10 the lake of fire:
Hell, where the devil joins his former agents, burning since 19:20.
tormented:
The damned are not annihilated or disintegrated, but kept alive to be tortured for eternity (Mt 25:46; Mk 9:47-48). 
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20:11-15
The Last Judgment, when the souls of the dead are rejoined to their bodies (the second resurrection) to stand before Christ the Judge. Their secrets will be revealed, and every thought, word, and deed catalogued in the heavenly books will be reviewed. This is the Last Day, when both the righteous and the wicked will be raised (Acts 24:15) and sent their separate ways (Dan 12:2; Mt 25:31-46; Jn 5:29) (CCC 677, 103841). 
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20:11 great white throne:
The judgment seat of Christ (2Cor 5:10), the description of which recalls the ivory throne of Solomon (1 Kings 10:18). Elsewhere in Revelation, Jesus appears with white hair (1:14), wears a white garment (3:5), moves on a white cloud (14:14), and rides a white horse (19:11). The angels and saints are also robed in white (4:4; 6:11; 7:9; 15:6; 19:14). 
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20:12 the book of life:
A listing of all the saints destined for glory (3:5). It will be opened for the final roll call of the righteous at the Last Judgment, with the names of the saved read aloud (21:27) and the names of damned nowhere to be found (20:15). • The book of life is a metaphor based on a comparison with human affairs. For it is common practice among men to inscribe in a book those who are chosen for an office. Now, since all the predestined are chosen by God for eternal life, the enrollment of the predestined is called the book of life (St. Thomas Aquinas,
Summa Theologiae,
I, 24, 1). 
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20:13 Death and Hades:
See notes on Rev 6:8 and 9:1. 
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20:14 the second death:
The state of spiritual death and damnation (20:6). 
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21:1-22:5
The final vision of the book unveils the Bride of the Lamb, the heavenly city of Jerusalem, which awaits the saints. It depicts the state of glory in terms of a marital union (21:2), a holy city (21:10), a divine temple (21:22), and a garden of paradise (22:2). 
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21:1 new heaven
 . . .
new earth:
Not entirely new, but entirely renewed (21:5). John sees all creation transformed and made radiant with the glory of God. It is no longer a world subject to death and decay and suffering the damaging effects of human sin (Gen 3:17-18; Rom 8:20-22). The process of cosmic regeneration has begun in the New Covenant as believers are made part of the new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), but John is presented with heaven and earth once this process is complete (CCC 1042-48). • The imagery comes from Isaiah, who prophesies a new beginning for Israel and the world in terms of a new creation (Is 65:17). He envisions this in connection with the universal worship of the Lord by all flesh (Is 66:22-23).
the sea was no more:
The abode of death and evil will be drained away (13:1; 20:13; 21:4). In apocalyptic and poetic texts, the sea often represents chaos and the habitation of all things dreadful and demonic (Job 7:12; Ps 74:13; Is 27:1; Dan 7:3). 
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21:2 new Jerusalem:
The heavenly city, whose builder and maker is God (Heb 11:10). It touches down to earth so that the worshiping Church can join in the heavenly liturgy of the angels and saints, who never cease to praise the Lord and the Lamb (Heb 12:22-25). Visions of this eternal liturgy punctuate the Book of Revelation (4:1-5:14; 7:9-8:5; 11:15-19; 14:1-5; 15:1-8) (CCC 757). Also, there are several antithetical parallels between the new Jerusalem and the harlot city stricken with judgment in chaps. 17-18.
(1)
In 17:1, John is invited by an angel to "come" and see the harlot; in 21:9, he is invited by an angel to "come" and see the heavenly city.
(2)
In 17:3, John is carried by the Spirit to see the wicked city in the wilderness; in 21:10, he is carried by the Spirit to see the holy city from a high mountain.
(3)
In 17:4, the woman city is dressed like a prostitute, wearing gold, jewels, and pearls; in 21:11, 18, and 21, the woman city is adorned like a virgin bride, bedecked with gold, jewels, and gates made of pearl.
(4)
In 18:2, Babylon appears as a dwelling place of demons; in 21:3, the new Jerusalem appears as the dwelling place of God.
(5)
In 18:7, Babylon is accused of glorifying herself; in 21:23, the new city is wrapped in the glory of God.
(6)
In 18:23, the harlot city deceives the nations with her sorcery; in 21:24, the holy city leads the nations by her light.
prepared as a bride:
The Church is made ready for her everlasting union with Christ the Bridegroom.
See note on Rev 19:7-9
. 
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21:3-4
The saints look forward to a joyous and painless existence with God. • The hope that God will
dwell
with
his people
restates the promise of the New Covenant in Ezek 37:27. The wiping away of
every tear
and the elimination of
death
recall the vision of the messianic banquet in Is 25:8. 
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21:3 the dwelling:
Or, "the Tabernacle" (15:5). 
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21:6 the Alpha
 . . .
the Omega:
God created all things in the beginning, and he calls them back to himself in the end.
See note on Rev 1:8
.
the water of life:
The supernatural life of the Spirit (Jn 4:14; 7:37-39; 1 Cor 12:13). Note the contrast with Rev 21:8—here the saints are refreshed with living water; there the wicked are scorched with deadly fire (CCC 694). 
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21:7 he shall be my son:
The words of 2 Sam 7:14. • The promise of divine sonship was made to David's royal heirs and is ultimately fulfilled in Christ as the Davidic Messiah (Rom 1:3-4; Heb 1:5). Believers become sons and daughters of God by grace (Rom 8:15-16), but the full blessing of divine sonship awaits the resurrection of the saints and the glorification of their bodies, an event that coincides with the renewal of the cosmos (Rom 8:21-23). 
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