SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:21
Y las doce puertas son doce perlas, en cada una, una; cada puerta era de una perla. Y la plaza de la Ciudad era de oro puro como vidrio muy resplandeciente.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Revelation 21:21
Verse 21. The twelve gates were twelve pearls] This must be merely figurative, for it is out of all the order of nature to produce a pearl large enough to make a gate to such an immense city. But St. John may refer to some relations of this nature among his countrymen, who talk much of most prodigious pearls. I shall give an example: "When Rabbi Juchanan (John) once taught that God would provide jewels and pearls, thirty cubits every way, ten of which should exceed in height twenty cubits, and would place them in the gates of Jerusalem, according to what is said Isaiah liv. 12, I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, one of his disciples ridiculed him, saying, Where can such be found, since at present there is none so large as a pigeon's egg? Afterwards, being at sea in a ship, he saw the ministering angels cutting gems and pearls; and he asked them for what purpose they were preparing those. They answered, to place them in the gates of Jerusalem. On his return he found Rabbi Juchanan teaching as usual; to whom he said, Explain, master, what I have seen. He answered, Thou knave, unless thou hadst seen, thou wouldst not have believed; wilt thou not receive the saying of the wise men? At that moment he fixed his eyes upon him, and he was reduced into a heap of bones." - Bava bathra, fol. 77, 1, and Sanhedrim, fol. 100, 1, page 393. Edit. Cocceii. See Schoettgen.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 21. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls , etc.] Denoting the purity and preciousness of Christ, by whom the saints enter, and of the saints who enter in thereat, as well as of the place into which they enter. Every several gate was of one pearl ; the pearl of great price, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only gate, door, and way into this happy state: this shows that this account cannot be taken literally, but mystically, for no such pearl was ever known, large enough to make a gate of. A pearl is a hard, white, shining body, usually roundish, found in a shell fish resembling an oyster, but is three or four times the size of the common oyster; and which ordinarily yields ten or twelve pearls, and sometimes more. Those of the largest size that have been known are that of Cleopatra, valued by Pliny at centies H S, or at 80,000 pound sterling; and that brought in 1574 to Philip the Second, of the size of a pigeon's egg, worth 14,400 ducats; and that of the Emperor Rudolph, mentioned by Boetius, called la peregrina, or the incomparable, of the size of a muscade pear, and weighing 30 carats; and that mentioned by Tavernier, in the hands of the emperor of Persia in 1633, bought of an Arab for 32,000 tomans, which, at three pounds nine shillings the toman, amounts to 110,400 pounds sterling f473 . But what is one of these pearls to make a gate of, for a wall which was an hundred and forty four cubits high? ( Revelation 21:17). The Jews say f474 , that the holy blessed God will bring precious stones and pearls of thirty cubits by thirty, etc. and place them in the gates of Jerusalem, as it is said, ( Isaiah 54:12) which must be understood also not in a literal but mystical sense: and L'Empereur makes mention of an ancient commentary on ( Psalm 87:1) which says, that the holy blessed God will make a gate at the east (of the temple), and in it two doors, each of one pearl. So R. Joshua ben Levi says f476 , that there are in paradise two gates of agates or diamonds; some render the word rubies. And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass ; denoting the preciousness and delightfulness of the saints' conversation one with another; and the purity and cleanness of it, there being no mire and filth of sin in these streets; and the sincerity and openness of it, each one walking in his uprightness; which will be seen and known of all, as clearly as anything can be beheld in a transparent glass. So the Jews say of paradise, that the ground is paved with precious stones, the lustre of which may be compared to the light of burning torches.
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 οι 3588 δωδεκα 1427 πυλωνες 4440 δωδεκα 1427 μαργαριται 3135 ανα 303 εις 1520 εκαστος 1538 των 3588 πυλωνων 4440 ην 2258 5713 εξ 1537 ενος 1520 μαργαριτου 3135 και 2532 η 3588 πλατεια 4113 της 3588 πολεως 4172 χρυσιον 5553 καθαρον 2513 ως 5613 υαλος 5194 διαφανης 1307
Vincent's NT Word Studies
21. Pearls (margaritai). The pearl seems to have been known from the earliest times to the Asiatic Greeks, in consequence of their intercourse with the Persians. Among the motives which impelled Caesar to attempt the conquest of Britain, was the fame of its pearl-fisheries. Pearls held the highest rank among precious stones. The Latin term unio (unity) was applied to the pearl because no two were found exactly alike; but the word became in time restricted to the fine, spherical pearls, while the generic name was margarita. Shakespeare uses union for pearl in Hamlet, Act v., Sc. 2.
"The king shall drink to Hamlet's better health: And in the cup an union shall he throw Richer than that which four successive kings In Denmark's crown have worn."
And again: "Drink of this potion: is thy union here?" Every several gate (ana eis ekastov twn pulwnwn). Rev., each one of the several gates, thus bringing out the force of the genitive pulwnwn of gates. The idea several is conveyed by ajna, as Luke ix. 3, ajna duo citwnav "two coats apiece:" John ii. 6, ajna metrhtax duo h treiv "two or three firkins apiece."
Street (plateia). See on Luke adv. 21. From platuv broad. Hence the broadway.
