Sunday School Notes: Revelation 21:18-21
18 And the material of its wall is jasper and the city [is] pure gold, like pure crystal. 19 The foundations of the city’s wall have been adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation [with] jasper, the second [with] sapphire, the third chalcedony [or agate], the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite [or yellow topaz], the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase [or green quartz], the eleventh jacinth [or hyacinth], the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates [are] twelve pearls, each one of the gates was from one pearl, and the street of the city [is] pure gold like clear crystal.
The Adornment of the Bride
Continuing on from the description of the new Jerusalem from last time, we move from the city’s measurements to the materials it contains. Verse 19 speaks of the foundations being “adorned” with various precious stones. Some argue that the way this is written makes it sound as if the foundations are actually made from these gems. One argument in favor of this understanding is the relationship between this passage and Isaiah 54:11-12 which speaks of God laying the foundations of Jerusalem (or Zion) with sapphires, making their pinnacle of agate, and gates of carbuncle (or crystal), and all their wall of precious stones.
If you look at the Greek behind Revelation 21:19, however, you’ll see it says these stones adorn the foundations, which I believe connects this passage to the adornment of the Bride in 21:2 (that is, the new Jerusalem is adorned like a Bride for her husband). It also contrasts the adornment of the Prostitute who, we are told, was adorned with gold and jewels and pearls (17:4). It also underscores the link between the new Jerusalem, God’s people, and the jewels in the High Priest’s breastplate in Exodus 28:17-20; 39:8-14. That’s not to say there isn’t a connection between this passage and Isaiah 54. Indeed, I do think this is a fulfillment of Isaiah 54. However, I think the main idea here is that of the Bride’s adornment and the contrast with the Prostitute.
Jumping back to verse 18, the mention of jasper, or pure gold, and pure glass, or crystal, serves at least two purposes. First, it links back to 4:3, where, in the heavenly throne room vision, John says the appearance of God is like jasper. Recall also in 21:11, he uses jasper as a simile for the radiance of God’s glory. Second, it suggests that the city reflects perfectly the glory of God in its brilliance and clarity. Consider this for a moment. In this vision, the Lord is telling John that the new Jerusalem, the holy city, which is the redeemed, purified, and glorified people of God reflects God’s glory. Also consider the fact that this is us, now. Even in our current state, God can use us to reflect His glory, albeit veiled due to sin. Do we think about that as we go about our daily lives? Might it change our perception of who we are and how we conduct ourselves while we’re here?
The Stones in the Foundations
Verses 19 and 20 list the twelve stones that adorn the foundations of the city wall. John says the foundations are adorned with “every precious stone,” but he only lists twelve. Should we take “every” here literally? I don’t think he means there are only twelve precious stones in existence. There is a limiting scope to his “every,” perhaps those stones known to him and his audience, or every precious stone of significance. I think that latter sense may be the intention, especially when we compare this list against Exodus 28:15-20.
Exodus 28:15-30 describes the breastpiece of judgment that Aaron, the Hight Priest, was to wear when he entered the Holy of Holies. The first part of the passage lists the stones that were to be set into the breastpiece in four rows of three: sardius, topaz, carbuncle, emerald, sapphire, diamond, jacinth, agate, amethyst, beryl, onyx, and jasper (17-20, ESV).
It’s always difficult translating ancient names of plants, animals, and gemstones into English, or any other modern language, especially if these names don’t appear in the literature within a context that makes it clear what they are, or if those names aren’t obviously connected to similar names in English (e.g., the Greek names topazion, or bērullos). There is always the possibility that a gem may be known by different names in different contexts, cultures, and times.
When comparing the Greek names of the twelve gems in Revelation 21:19-20 with the list of gems in the LXX (the Greek translation of the Old Testament, as used by the early church), I can match nine out of the twelves stones by name exactly. Remember, the LXX translators were translating the Hebrew text into Greek using their best understanding of what these gemstones in Hebrew may refer to in their culture and context. Under the circumstances, I think an nine-out-of-twelve match is very good. In fact, I think it suggests that the Lord is intending us to see the connection between these precious stones and the gems in Aaron’s breastpiece.
How is this significant? If you read the entire description of Aaron’s priestly garments, you’ll see they are a scaled-down version of the tabernacle, taking into account the colors of the cords, the cloths used, and the ornamentation. The breastpiece itself is a scaled-down version of the Holy of Holies. It’s made of the same material, and it’s even the same shape. Aaron would carry the names of God’s people into the Holy of Holies with him when he wore this breastpiece, since the names of the twelve tribes were inscribed on the stones (Exodus 28:21).
We, God’s people, are a holy temple (Ephesians 2:19-22). The jewels in Exodus 28 are now applied to the twelve foundations of the city, which are the apostles upon whom the whole city rests. Their witness is the foundation of the church, with the twelve gates representing all of God’s people. You may have noticed that there is no temple in the new Jerusalem. This fact will be made explicit in the next section. It looks as if the temple has become one with the city. The Holy of Holies is part of the new Jerusalem. God is with His people. More on this later.
The Gates of Pearl
In verse 21, John says that the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each gate made from a single pearl. This must be symbolic given the dimensions of the walls, otherwise, that’s one huge oyster that made those pearls! Some point to later Jewish commentaries and works that make reference to mountains of pearl. There’s also a Jewish targum (commentary on Scripture) that includes the words “I will make your wood as pearls” in Isaiah 54:11. My question is, would John’s audience have known these Jewish sources? He’s writing primarily to churches in Ephesus, Philadelphia, Laodicea, Pergamum–mainly Greek-speaking regions. Of course, it’s possible they may have known some of these sources, but it’s unlikely. So what’s with the pearls?
In the New Testament, we read of pearls as precious pieces of jewelry, and as symbols of grandeur and wealth. In Matthew 13:45, Jesus tells the parable of the valuable pearl buried in a field that a man would pay a huge sum for just to dig up that pearl. The point of the parable is to express to his followers how precious and important is the kingdom of God and the gospel. In Revelation 17:4, we’re told the Prostitute is adorned with pearls, and then in 18:12, the merchants watching the fall of opulent Babylon mourn because no one will be able to buy their pearls anymore.
The significance of the pearl gates in the new Jerusalem could, therefore, have a couple of layers. First, the pearl indicates how precious and important is the city. Second, it could complete the picture of the Bride of Christ, God’s people, as the opposite of the Prostitute of the Beast. Both the Prostitute and the Bride are adorned with jewels and pearls, but whereas the Prostitute’s adornment draws attention to herself and serves only to glorify herself, the Bride’s jewels and pearls reflect the glory of God and serve to magnify Him. Notice that we’re not told that the Bride’s pearls are better than the Prostitute’s pearls. What makes the difference between them is not what they are intrinsically, but their purpose. The Prostitute seeks to glorify herself, the Bride seeks only the glory of the Bridegroom.
The Streets are Redeemed
Finally in this section, John says the streets are pure gold, like clear glass or crystal. The last time we saw a street in Revelation was in chapter 11, where the bodies of the two witnesses were left for dead on the streets of the great city. We noted how this signified the humiliation of the church, and this preceded the glorification of God’s people when Christ returns. Here we see in chapter 21, not streets of humility but streets that also reflect God’s glory. Even the shameful streets have been redeemed! It’s a further sign of the Lord’s full redemption of His people.
