Literally, “cut themselves,” in reference to the ancient custom of gashing or smiting one’s own body as a sign of grief. In a figurative sense, as here, the word comes to a focus on the grief rather than on the physical act of striking the body. Here it reflects the remorse of the ungodly (see on Jer. 8:20).

 Gr. ekkenteō, the same word John uses in his Gospel (ch. 19:37) when quoting from Zech. 12:10. Translators of the LXX apparently misread the Hebrew word daqaru, “they ... pierced,” in Zech. 12:10, as raqadu, “they danced in triumph,” and so rendered it in Greek. The Fourth Gospel alone records the incident of the piercing of the side of Jesus (John 19:31-37). This point of similarity between the two books is indirect evidence that the Revelation came from the same hand as the Gospel of John. Though writing in Greek, he apparently ignores the LXX in both instances, and gives a correct translation of the Hebrew. The statement of Rev. 1:7 clearly implies that those responsible for the death of Christ will from the dead to witness His coming (see on Dan. 12:2). During the course of His trial Jesus had warned the Jewish leaders of this dread event (Matt. 26:64).

 See on Acts 1:9-11.

 The salutation having been concluded with v. 6, John announces the theme of the Revelation. The second coming of Christ is the goal toward which all else moves forward. Significantly, he uses the present tense, “he cometh,” thereby stressing the certainty of the event, perhaps also with a sense of its imminence (see on v. 1).