Marko Jauhiainen, «The Measuring of the Sanctuary Reconsidered (Rev 11,1-2)», Vol. 83 (2002) 507-526
The act of measuring in Rev 11,1-2 does not portray the Church as spiritually protected but physically vulnerable, as normally thought. Not only are there lexical and interpretive difficulties with the traditional view, it is also not supported by the OT and extra-biblical evidence commonly adduced. Reading two kai/j differently and recognizing an allusion to Ezek 8:16 LXX addresses both the lexical and interpretive issues. The act of measuring is used to communicate the fact that contrary to Ezek 8–9, this time God will not abandon his earthly sanctuary, though idolatry among his people will still be judged.
adversative force45, but the question is, which one? The traditional view assigns this function to kai/3, but that is not the only possibility. Instead of taking kai/1 and kai/2 as copulative, and kai/3 as adversative, we can interpret kai/1 as adversative, kai/2 as copulative, and kai/3 as epexegetical46. The text would then read as follows47:
e!geire | Get up | ||||||||
kai_ | and | ||||||||
me/trhson to_n nao_n | measure the sanctuary | ||||||||
tou= qeou= | of God | ||||||||
kai_1 | but | ||||||||
to_ qusiasth/rion | the altar | ||||||||
kai_2 | and | ||||||||
tou_j proskunou=ntaj | those worshiping | ||||||||
e)n au)tw|= | near it, | ||||||||
kai_3 | that is, | ||||||||
th_n au)lh_n th_n e!cwqen | the court outside | ||||||||
tou= naou= | of the temple, | ||||||||
e!kbale e!cwqen | cast out outside | ||||||||
kai_ | and | ||||||||
[ metrh/sh|j ] mh_ au)th_n | do not measure it |
This arrangement yields several interesting results. First, it does not violate the Greek syntax — if we can indeed use such an argument in Revelation. Second, it preserves the symmetry of the four commands. Third, it better connects the accusatives with verbs that more naturally go with them. That is, only the sanctuary and the "outer court" function as objects of the verb "to measure"; there is no need to "count" the worshipers. While the phrase "cast outside" remains grammatically connected to the "outer court", at least it now includes a reference to the "worshipers". Fourth, taking e)n au)tw|= to refer to its nearest grammatically possible antecedent to_ qusiasth/rion, and taking kai/3 as epexegetical, present no problems. Alternatively,