Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
To shine upon it (ina fainwsin auth). Purpose clause with ina and the present active subjunctive of fainw, to keep on shining. Light is always a problem in our cities. See Isaiah 60:19 ff.
Did lighten it (efwtisen authn). First aorist active indicative of fwtizw, to illumine, old verb from fwv (Luke 11:36). If the sun and moon did shine, they would give no added light in the presence of the Shekinah Glory of God. See verse Revelation 21:11 for "the glory of God." Cf. Revelation 18:1; Revelation 21:3. "Their splendour is simply put to shame by the glory of God Himself" (Charles).
And the lamp thereof is the Lamb (kai o luxnov authv to arnion). Charles takes o luxnov as predicate, "and the Lamb is the lamp thereof." Bousset thinks that John means to compare Christ to the moon the lesser light (Genesis 1:16), but that contrast is not necessary. Swete sees Christ as the one lamp for all in contrast with the many luxniai of the churches on earth (Revelation 1:12, Revelation 1:20). "No words could more clearly demonstrate the purely spiritual character of St. John's conception of the New Jerusalem" (Swete).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Revelation 21:23:
John 5:35
Revelation 18:1
Revelation 22:5
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.