Matthew Henry's Complete Bible Commentary

Revelation 13

We have, in this chapter, a further discovery and description of the church’s enemies: not other enemies than are mentioned before, but described after another manner, that the methods of their enmity may more fully appear. They are represented as two beasts; the first you have an account of (Revelation 13:1-13:10) the second, Revelation 13:11-13:18 By the first some understand Rome pagan, and by the second Rome papal; but others understand Rome papal to be represented by both these beasts, by the first in its secular power, by the second in its ecclesiastical. MHBCC 1181.1