SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:15
He aquí, yo vengo como ladrn: Bienaventurado el que vela, y guarda sus vestiduras, para que no ande desnudo, y vean su fealdad.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:15
Verse 15. Behold, I come as a thief.] Here is a sudden but timely warning to put every man on his guard, when this sudden and generally unexpected tribulation should take place. Keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked] Here is a plain allusion to the office of him who was called the prefect or overseer, of the mountain of the temple. His custom was to go his rounds during the watches of the night; and if he found any of the Levites sleeping on his watch, he had authority to beat him with a stick, and burn his vestments. See Middoth, fol. 34, 1, and Tamid. fol. 27, 2; 28, 1. Such a person being found on his return home naked, it was at once known that he had been found asleep at his post, had been beaten, and his clothes burnt; thus his shame was seen-he was reproached for his infidelity and irreligion.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. Behold I come as a thief , etc.] These are the words of Christ, inserted in a parenthesis in this account, before it is concluded, to acquaint his people with his near and sudden approach, and to give them a word of caution and exhortation in these times of difficulty; for he is the Lord God Almighty, who sent forth these angels to pour out their vials, and whose judgments are applauded as righteous, ( Revelation 16:1,5,7,14) and who so often in ( Revelation 22:7,12,20) says I come quickly; and which is to be understood not of his spiritual coming, which will be already at this time, but of his personal coming: and which will be as a thief: as it is often expressed, ( 1 Thessalonians 5:2 2 Peter 3:10 Revelation 3:3) not in the bad sense, to steal and kill, and to destroy, though Christ's coming will issue in the everlasting destruction of the wicked; but the phrase is designed to express the suddenness of his coming, and the surprise of it: blessed is he that watcheth ; against sin, the lusts of the flesh, and the cares of this life, lest they bring a sleepiness upon him, and so the day of the Lord come upon him at an unawares; and against Satan and his temptations, who goes about seeking whom he may devour; and against his emissaries and false teachers, who lie in wait to deceive; and blessed is he also who is wishing and waiting for the coming of Christ, and so, being ready, will enter with him into the marriage chamber, and partake of the supper of the Lamb: and keepeth his garments : either his conversation garments, unspotted from the world, and whenever defiled washes them, and makes them white in the blood of the Lamb; and keeps them from being stripped of them, by those who would lead them into sinful ways; or that keeps and holds fast the robe of Christ's righteousness, and garments of his salvation, which are the righteousness of the saints, that fine linen clean and white, that white raiment which only can cover their nakedness, that the shame thereof does not appear, ( Revelation 19:8 3:18) lest he walk naked ; twxmh m wr[ f387 , naked of the commandments, or good works, according to the Jewish phrase; having lost, or dropped his conversation garments: and they see his shame ; or lest, being naked, he be exposed to shame and confusion, yea, to everlasting ruin and destruction; (see Matthew 22:12,13) the allusion is to the burning of the garments of those priests who were found asleep when upon their watch in the temple: the account that is given is this f388 ; the man of the mountain of the house (the governor of the temple) goes round all the wards (every night) with burning torches before him; and in every ward where the person does not stand upon his feet, the man of the mountain of the house says to him, peace be to thee; if he finds he is asleep, he strikes him with his staff, and he has power to burn his clothes; and they say (in Jerusalem) what voice is that in the court? (it is answered) the voice of a Levite beaten, and his clothes burnt, because he slept in the time of his watch; R.
Eliezer ben Jacob says, once they found my mother's brother asleep, and they burnt his clothes: now imagine with what shame the poor Levite so served must appear the next morning among his brethren, with his clothes burnt, and he naked; and with greater shame and confusions must he appear at the last day that is destitute of the righteousness of Christ.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-16 - This probably shows the destruction of the Turkish power, and of idolatry, and that a way will be made for the return of the Jews. Or take it for Rome, as mystical Babylon, the name of Babylon being pu for Rome, which was meant, but was not then to be directly named. When Rome is destroyed, her river and merchandise must suffer with her. An perhaps a way will be opened for the eastern nations to come into the church of Christ. The great dragon will collect all his forces, to make one desperate struggle before all be lost. God warns of this grea trial, to engage his people to prepare for it. These will be times of great temptation; therefore Christ, by his apostle, calls on his professed servants to expect his sudden coming, and to watch that the might not be put to shame, as apostates or hypocrites. Howeve Christians differ, as to their views of the times and seasons of event yet to be brought to pass, on this one point all are agreed, Jesu Christ, the Lord of glory, will suddenly come again to judge the world To those living near to Christ, it is an object of joyful hope an expectation, and delay is not desired by them.
Greek Textus Receptus
ιδου 2400 5628 ερχομαι 2064 5736 ως 5613 κλεπτης 2812 μακαριος 3107 ο 3588 γρηγορων 1127 5723 και 2532 τηρων 5083 5723 τα 3588 ιματια 2440 αυτου 846 ινα 2443 μη 3361 γυμνος 1131 περιπατη 4043 5725 και 2532 βλεπωσιν 991 5725 την 3588 ασχημοσυνην 808 αυτου 846
Vincent's NT Word Studies
15. Behold - shame. These words are parenthetical.
As a thief. Compare Matt. xxiv. 43; Luke xii. 39; 1 Thess. v. 2, 4; 2 Pet. iii. 10.
Watcheth (grhrorwn). See on Mark xiii. 35; 1 Pet. v. 8 Keepeth his garments. "During the night the captain of the Temple made his rounds. On his approach the guards had to rise and salute him in a particular manner. Any guard found asleep when on duty was beaten, or his garments were set on fire. The confession of one of the Rabbins is on record that, on a certain occasion, his own maternal uncle had actually undergone the punishment of having his clothes set on fire by the captain of the Temple" (Edersheim, "The Temple," etc.).
Shame ( aschmosunhn). Only here and Rom. i. 27. From aj not and schma fashion. Deformity, unseemliness; nearly answering to the phrase not in good form.
