Twenty-four Elders

The Twenty-Four Elders are figures from the Book of Revelation who appear in the ''Revelations'' 4, 5, 7, 11 and 19 of the Christian Bible; in white robes and golden crowns they on sit with musical instruments on thrones before God during the Apocalypse and praise and worship him.

Religious scholars have pointed out the thrones indicate that these are beings of power and authority in Heaven, the crowns indicate that their faith has been tested and the white robes indicate that they are clothed in righteousness.

They are described in the King James Bible, Book of Revelation 4 as:
:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
:10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

From Revelation 5:
:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

From Revelation 11:
:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
:16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Depiction in artwork

:See Revelation's four living beings''

The Elders are often depicted in medieval and Renaissance artwork with musical instruments.

The same medieval and Renaissance artwork draws from Revelation 4, showing the Elders with Christ. That artwork also depicts the "four beasts" who surround Christ.

:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
:7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
:9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever

The eagle, lion, calf and man may be the symbols of the Four Evangelists or their Gospels.Alternatively they may be the four cherubim from Ezekiel 1 and Ezekiel 10.

Morgan Beatus, Vision of the Lamb Metro.jpg, Circa 925-968 A.D., Spain. Illumination from Commentary on the Apocalypse, showing the Vision of the Lamb, the four cherubim and some of the 24 elders. Morgan Beatus, Ms. 644
File:Vision of the Lamb perspective, cropped.jpg, Circa 1175 A.D., Spain. Illumination from Commentary on the Apocalypse, Rylands Beatus. Elders with musical instruments and bowls, next to the Four Beasts (Revelations 4). The Lamb of God (center) beneath God the Father. Angel talking to John (bottom). Four Cherubim (or seraphim) on the corners.
File:Elders with rebecs, Santo Domingo de Soria.jpg, Elders of the apocalypse with rebecs (substitute for harps) and vials. Santo Domingo de Soria

File:Santiago 21II2007 4.jpg, 1188 A.D., Spain. Portico of Glory from the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, featuring Christ surrounded by the Four Evangelists, the 24 Elders of the Apocalypse overhead.
File:Tímpano de la Portada del Sarmental, Catedral de Burgos.jpg, 1230-1240 A.D., Spain. Tympanum of the Sarmental Portal, Burgos Cathedral, with Christ, the Four Evangelists, the 24 Elders of the Apocalypse (with musical instruments), angels, and others.
File:York Minster - Elders.jpg, 1405-1408 England. York Minster, Great East Window showing 24 Elders of the Apocalypse.
File:Dome of Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence).jpg, Circa 1430, Florence, Italy. Image of heaven with the Twenty-Four Elders looking down from vaulted center.
File:Apocalypse figurée des ducs de Savoie - Escorial E Vit.5 - Vision of God.jpg, 15th century A.D. ''Vision of God''. 24 Elders of the Apocalypse gather around Christ. From the ''Figurative Apocalypse of the Dukes of Savoy''.
File:Dionysiou monastery - Apocalypse. 24 elders.jpg, 16th century A.D., Mount Athos, Greece. Apocalypse scente at the Dionysiou Monastery. The 24 Elders cast their crowns before God.
File:Houghton Typ Inc 2121A - Dürer, Apocalypse, 21.jpg, 1498, Germany. Saint John kneeling before Christ and the Twenty-Four Elders. Engraving by
Albrecht Dürer.
File:The Four and Twenty Elders (William Blake).jpg, ''The Four and Twenty Elders Casting their Crowns before the Divine Throne'', c. 1803–5. William Blake, Tate. 354 x 293 mm.

Non-Christian allegorical interpretation

Champat Rai Jain, a 20th-century Jain writer claimed that the "Four and Twenty Elders" mentioned in the Christian Bible are "Twenty-four Jain ''Tirthankaras''". In his book, Jainism Christianity and Science, he wrote:

However, this is a view which comes out of Jainism. It doesn't come from the Bible or Christian tradition.

References

Sources

*

External links

* John P. Burke
''The Identity of the Twenty-Four Elders: A Critical Monograph on Revelation 4:4''

{{Book of Revelation, state=collapsed

Biblical exegesis
Book of Revelation
Christian apocalyptic writings