Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
She was delivered of a son (eteken uion). Literally, "she bore a son" (second aorist active indicative of tiktw).
A man child (arsen). So A C with the neuter teknon or paidion in mind, as often in O.T. (eteken arsen, Exodus 1:16 ff.; Exodus 2:2; Leviticus 12:2, Leviticus 12:7; Isaiah 66:7; Jeremiah 20:15, etc.), but P and some cursives read arsena (masculine accusative), as in verse Revelation 12:13 (ton arsena), while Aleph Q have arrena. The word is old (either arshn or arrhn), as in Matthew 19:4, only in this chapter in the Apocalypse. It is really redundant after uion (son), as in Tobit 6:12 (Aleph).
Who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron (ov mellei poimainein panta ta eqnh en rabdw sidhrai). See Revelation 2:27 for these words (from Psalms 2:9) applied there to victorious Christians also, and in Revelation 19:15 to the triumphant Christian. His rule will go beyond the Jews (Matthew 2:6). There is here, of course, direct reference to the birth of Jesus from Mary, who thus represented in her person this "ideal woman" (God's people).
Was caught unto God (hrpasqh). First aorist passive indicative of arpazw, old verb for seizing or snatching away, as in John 10:12, here alone in the Apocalypse. Reference to the ascension of Christ, with omission of the ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ because he is here simply showing that "the Dragon's vigilance was futile" (Swete). "The Messiah, so far from being destroyed, is caught up to a share in God's throne" (Beckwith).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Revelation 12:5:
Revelation 2:26
Revelation 2:27
Revelation 7:17
Revelation 12:13
Revelation 19:15
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