SEV Biblia, Chapter 13:3
Y vi una de sus cabezas como herida de muerte, y la llaga de su muerte fue curada; y toda la tierra maravillada, sigui a la bestia.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Revelation 13:3
Verse 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death] This is the second and last place where the heads of the beast are mentioned with any description; and therefore the meaning here must be forms of government, as these were noticed last in the angel's double explanation. The head that was wounded to death can be no other than the seventh draconic head, which was the sixth head of the beast, viz,, the imperial power; for "this head," as Bishop Newton observes, "was, as it were, wounded to death when the Roman empire was overturned by the northern nations, and an end was put to the very name of emperor in Momyllus Augustulus." It was so wounded that it was wholly improbable that it could ever rise again to considerable power, for the western empire came into the possession of several barbarous nations of independent interests.
And his deadly wound was healed] This was effected by Charlemagne, who with his successors assumed all the marks of the ancient emperors of the west, with the titles of Semper Augustus, Sacred Majesty, First Prince of the Christian World, Temporal Chief of the Christian People, and Rector or Temporal Chief of the Faithful in Germany; Mod. Universal History, vol. xxxii., p. 79. But it is said in ver. 2 that the dragon gave the beast his power, dunamin, his armies or military strength; i.e., he employed all his imperial power in defense of the Latin empire, which supported the Latin Church. He also gave his seat, qronon, literally his throne, to him: that is, his whole empire formed an integral part of the Latin empire, by its conversion to the Roman Catholic faith. He also gave him great authority. This is literally true of the Roman empire of Germany, which, by its great power and influence in the politics of Europe, extended the religion of the empire over the various states and monarchies of Europe, thus incorporating them as it were in one vast empire, by uniting them in one common faith.
And all the world wondered after the beast.] olh h gh? All the earth. As the original word signifies earth, and not world as in our translation, the Latin world, which is the earth of the beast, is here intended; and the meaning of the passage consequently is, that the whole body of the Roman Catholics were affected with great astonishment at the mighty sway of the Latin empire, considering it as a great and holy power.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. And I saw one of his heads , etc.] Not the Capitoline mountain, or the Capitol, the temple of Jupiter, built on that hill, which was burnt by lightning in the times of Titus, and magnificently rebuilt by Domitian, which was a thing past, and of no such moment as to be taken notice of here; nor anyone of the Roman emperors particularly, as Julius Caesar, at whose death the empire received a wound, upon its first erection in him, but was healed by the settlement of Augustus in it; nor Nero, at whose death the family of the Caesars ceased, when the empire was threatened with ruin in the following reigns, but was restored and reestablished in Vespasian, for these were before the times of John: but this is to be understood of the sixth head, or form of government, which obtained in the empire; namely, that of emperors, and of the destruction of Rome itself, the head of the empire, and which was built on seven mountains, designed by the seven heads of this beast: and this head was as it were wounded to death ; when the Roman empire was like a burning mountain cast into the sea; when Rome itself was taken, sacked, and burnt, more than once, particularly by Totilas; when Augustulus, the last of the emperors, was obliged to abdicate the throne; when Odoacer called himself, not emperor of Rome, but king of Italy, and retired from Rome to Ravenna; and when Adolphus, another Gothic king, thought to have changed the name of Rome, and given it that of Gothia: this seemed to be a deadly wound to Rome, to the empire and emperors. And his deadly wound was healed ; by the setting up of ten kingdoms in it, the kings of which gave them to the beast, to antichrist, the pope of Rome, and so the empire came to have an head again, a governor, though of another kind: some choose to understand this of the wound which antichrist received at the Reformation, by Luther, Calvin, and others, which has since been healing, Popery recovering itself again in some countries where it was driven out, and which, it is thought, will be entirely healed before his destruction: and all the world wondered after the beast ; which expresses the large extent of antichrist's dominion, which reached to all the Roman empire, ( Luke 2:1); yea, to all kindreds, tongues, and nations, ( Revelation 13:7); so that the universality the Papists boast of, as a note of the true church, is manifestly a mark of the beast, or of antichrist; and also the great esteem he is had in by his followers, who admire his power and authority, his grandeur, pomp, and riches, his signs and lying wonders, his pretended infallibility and holiness, his stock of merits and unwritten traditions, his skill to interpret Scripture, and his power to forgive sins, and the like: they went after him, obeyed him, embraced his doctrines, attended his religion and worship with wonder and amazement.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - The apostle, standing on the shore, saw a savage beast rise out of the sea; a tyrannical, idolatrous, persecuting power, springing up out of the troubles which took place. It was a frightful monster! It appear to mean that worldly, oppressing dominion, which for many ages, eve from the times of the Babylonish captivity, had been hostile to the church. The first beast then began to oppress and persecute the righteous for righteousness' sake, but they suffered most under the fourth beast of Daniel, (the Roman empire,) which has afflicted the saints with many cruel persecutions. The source of its power was the dragon. It was set up by the devil, and supported by him. The woundin the head may be the abolishing pagan idolatry; and the healing of the wound, introducing popish idolatry, the same in substance, only in new dress, but which as effectually answers the devil's design. The world admired its power, policy and success. They paid honour an subjection to the devil and his instruments. It exercised inferna power and policy, requiring men to render that honour to creature which belongs to God alone. Yet the devil's power and success ar limited. Christ has a chosen remnant, redeemed by his blood, recorde in his book, sealed by his Spirit; and though the devil and antichris may overcome the body, and take away the natural life, they cannot conquer the soul, nor prevail with true believers to forsake their Saviour, and join his enemies. Perseverance in the faith of the gospe and true worship of God, in this great hour of trial and temptation which would deceive all but the elect, is the character of thos registered in the book of life. This powerful motive and encouragemen to constancy, is the great design of the whole Revelation.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 ειδον 1492 5627 μιαν 1520 των 3588 κεφαλων 2776 αυτου 846 ως 5613 εσφαγμενην 4969 5772 εις 1519 θανατον 2288 και 2532 η 3588 πληγη 4127 του 3588 θανατου 2288 αυτου 846 εθεραπευθη 2323 5681 και 2532 {1: εθαυμασθη 2296 5681 εν 1722 ολη 3650 τη 3588 γη 1093 } {2: εθαυμασεν 2296 5656 ολη 3650 η 3588 γη 1093 } οπισω 3694 του 3588 θηριου 2342
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. I saw (eidon). Omitted in the best texts.
Wounded (efagmenhn). Lit., slain. See on ch. v. 6. The Rev. smitten is questionable. The word occurs eight times in Revelation, and in seven of these it must be rendered slain or slaughtered. Professor Milligan rightly observes that the statement is the counterpart of that in ver. 6, where we read of the lamb as though it had been slaughtered. In both cases there had been actual death, and in both revival. The one is a mocking counterpart of the other.
Deadly wound (plhgh tou qanatou). Lit., stroke of death. Rev., death-stroke.
After the beast (opisw tou qhriou). A pregnant construction for wondered at and followed after.
