Revelation 20:11
Καὶ εἶδον θρόνον μέγαν λευκὸν καὶ τὸν καθήμενον ἐπ’ αὐτῷ, οὗ ἀπὸ προσώπου ἔφυγεν ἡ γῆ καὶ ὁ οὐρανός, καὶ τόπος οὐχ εὑρέθη αὐτοῖς.
And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it; from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
The Vision of the Throne
- εἶδον – aorist active of ὁράω, “I saw.” Typical of apocalyptic narrative, introducing a new visionary scene.
- θρόνον μέγαν λευκόν – “a great white throne.” μέγας (great) refers to majesty and authority; λευκός (white) symbolizes purity, righteousness, or holiness.
καὶ τὸν καθήμενον ἐπ’ αὐτῷ – “and the one sitting on it.”
- καθήμενον – present participle of κάθημαι, “to sit.” The singular article τὸν implies a definite, exalted figure—God or Christ as Judge.
- ἐπ’ αὐτῷ – “upon it,” referring back to the throne. The participle phrase marks divine enthronement.
The Collapse of Creation
οὗ ἀπὸ προσώπου ἔφυγεν ἡ γῆ καὶ ὁ οὐρανός – “from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.”
- οὗ – genitive relative pronoun referring to the enthroned One. “From whose face” suggests overwhelming glory or judgment.
- ἀπὸ προσώπου – “from the face/presence.” This is Hebrew idiom rendered into Greek; πρόσωπον = presence.
- ἔφυγεν – aorist of φεύγω, “to flee.” Depicts cosmic dissolution before divine presence.
The Absence of Place
καὶ τόπος οὐχ εὑρέθη αὐτοῖς – “and no place was found for them.”
- τόπος – “place.” Not just location, but existential space or realm.
- οὐχ εὑρέθη – aorist passive of εὑρίσκω, “was not found.” No refuge or continuance remains for the old creation.
- αὐτοῖς – dative plural, referring to ἡ γῆ καὶ ὁ οὐρανός. The old world is erased from God’s presence and cosmic registry.
Summary Table
| Greek Phrase | Translation | Form | Function / Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| θρόνον μέγαν λευκόν | a great white throne | Noun + adjectives | Symbol of divine majesty and judgment |
| τὸν καθήμενον ἐπ’ αὐτῷ | the one sitting on it | Substantival participle | Depicts the enthroned Judge |
| οὗ ἀπὸ προσώπου ἔφυγεν | from whose face… fled | Relative clause + aorist | The old cosmos vanishes before God |
| τόπος οὐχ εὑρέθη αὐτοῖς | no place was found for them | Noun + passive verb | Signals the annihilation of the old order |
Closing Insight
In Revelation 20:11, the Greek text builds a scene of cosmic unmaking. The majesty of the “great white throne” causes heaven and earth to flee—an image of divine presence so pure and powerful that nothing of the old creation can stand before it. The grammar flows with visionary rhythm, using passive verbs and participial construction to convey awe, finality, and eschatological weight.
