SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:18
Y el material de su muro era de jaspe; mas la Ciudad era de oro puro, semejante al vidrio limpio.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Revelation 21:18
Verse 18. The building of the wall of it was of jasper] The oriental jasper is exceedingly hard, and almost indestructible. Pillars made of this stone have lasted some thousands of years, and appear to have suffered scarcely any thing from the tooth of time. Pure gold, like unto clear glass.] Does not this imply that the walls were made of some beautifully bright yellow stone, very highly polished? This description has been most injudiciously applied to heaven; and in some public discourses, for the comfort and edification of the pious, we hear of heaven with its golden walls, golden pavements, gates of pearl, &c., &c., not considering that nothing of this description was ever intended to be literally understood; and that gold and jewels can have no place in the spiritual and eternal world. But do not such descriptions as these tend to keep up a fondness for gold and ornaments? In symbols they are proper; but construed into realities, they are very improper.
The ancient Jews teach that "when Jerusalem and the temple shall be built, they will be all of precious stones, and pearls, and sapphire, and with every species of jewels." - Sepher Rasiel Haggadol, fol. 24, 1.
The same authors divide paradise into seven parts or houses; the third they describe thus: "The third house is built of gold and pure silver, and all kinds of jewels and pearls. It is very spacious, and in it all kinds of the good things, either in heaven or earth, are to be found. All kinds of precious things, perfumes, and spiritual virtues, are there planted. In the midst of it is the tree of life, the height of which is five hundred years; (i.e., it is equal in height to the journey which a man might perform in five hundred years,) and under it dwell Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, and all that came out of Egypt, and died in the wilderness. Over these Moses and Aaron preside, and teach them the law," &c. - Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 13, 4. In the same tract, fol. 182, 1, we find these words: "Know that we have a tradition, that when the Messiah, with the collected captivity, shall come to the land of Israel, in that day the dead in Israel shall rise again; and in that day the fiery walls of the city of Jerusalem shall descend from heaven, and in that day the temple shall be builded of jewels and pearls."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper , etc.] Which is expressive of the impregnableness, duration, brightness, and glory of salvation by Christ, the jasper being a very hard, durable, and bright stone; and salvation can never be made void, and of none effect; it will last for ever, and in this state will come forth as light, and as a lamp that burneth; it is represented by the same precious stone as God and Christ themselves are; (see Revelation 4:2 21:11). And the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass; it was made or built of gold; its parts, buildings, houses, and palaces, were all of gold, and that the best; and it was like to transparent glass; that is, either the city, as most copies read, or the gold; for the Alexandrian copy reads, omoion , and so the Vulgate Latin version; the gold of which it was is different from common gold; and as this city, the new Jerusalem, designs the saints, the precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, the inhabitants of the new earth; this denotes the solidity, excellency, and preciousness of them, the rich and happy state they will be in, as well as their purity and freedom from all sin and corruption, and the clear knowledge of things they themselves will have, and others will have of them; their hearts and actions will be open to all; nor will this gold have any rust upon it any more, or ever be changed, and become dim.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-21 - God has various employments for his holy angels. Sometimes they soun the trumpet of Divine Providence, and warn a careless world; sometime they discover things of a heavenly nature of the heirs of salvation Those who would have clear views of heaven, must get as near to heave as they can, on the mount of meditation and faith. The subject of the vision is the church of God in a perfect, triumphant state, shining in its lustre; glorious in relation to Christ; which shows that the happiness of heaven consists in intercourse with God, and in conformit to him. The change of emblems from a bride to a city, shows that we ar only to take general ideas from this description. The wall is for security. Heaven is a safe state; those who are there, are separate and secured from all evils and enemies. This city is vast; here is roo for all the people of God. The foundation of the wall; the promise an power of God, and the purchase of Christ, are the strong foundations of the safety and happiness of the church. These foundations are set fort by twelve sorts of precious stones, denoting the variety and excellenc of the doctrines of the gospel, or of the graces of the Holy Spirit, or the personal excellences of the Lord Jesus Christ. Heaven has gates there is a free admission to all that are sanctified; they shall no find themselves shut out. These gates were all of pearls. Christ is the Pearl of great price, and he is our Way to God. The street of the cit was pure gold, like transparent glass. The saints in heaven tread gol under foot. The saints are there at rest, yet it is not a state of sleep and idleness; they have communion, not only with God, but with one another. All these glories but faintly represent heaven.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 ην 2258 5713 η 3588 ενδομησις 1739 του 3588 τειχους 5038 αυτης 846 ιασπις 2393 και 2532 η 3588 πολις 4172 χρυσιον 5553 καθαρον 2513 ομοια 3664 υαλω 5194 καθαρω 2513
Vincent's NT Word Studies
18. The building (endomhsiv). Only here in the New Testament. From ejn in and dwmaw to build. Lit., that which is built in. Hence the building of the wall is the material built into the wall; of which the wall was composed.Glass (ualw). Only here and ver. 21. For the kindred adjective uJalinov of glass, see on ch. iv. 6.
