But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Are come, х proseleeluthate (G4334)] - 'have come near unto' (cf. Deuteronomy 4:11). Not merely ye shall, but ye have already come.
Mount Sion - antitypical Sion, of which the spiritual church (whose first foundation was laid in literal Zion, John 12:15; 1 Peter 2:6) is the earnest, and of which the restored literal Jerusalem shall be the earthly representative, to be succeeded by the everlasting "new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven" (Revelation 21:2-27: cf. Hebrews 11:10). To an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church. After the city of God, mention of its citizens follows. Believers being like the angels (Job 1:6; Job 38:7), "sons of God," adopted into God's great and blessed family, are their 'equals' (Luke 20:36). For the full manifestation of this we pray (Matthew 6:10). The English version is opposed:
(1) By "and" beginning each new member of the whole sentence;
(2) "General assembly and church" form a tautology;
(3) "General assembly," or 'festal (jubilant) full assembly' (such as the celebrated Olympic games, with joyous singing, etc.), applies better to the angels, ever hymning God's praises, than to the Church, of which a considerable part is militant on earth.
Translate, 'To myriads (ten thousands, cf. Deuteronomy 33:2; Psalms 68:17; Daniel 7:10; Jude 1:14; namely), the festal assembly of angels, and the church of the first-born.' Angels and saints together constitute the ten thousands. Compare "all angels," "all nations" (Matthew 25:31-32). Messiah is pre-eminently "the First-born," or "First-begotten" (Hebrews 1:6): all believers become so by adoption. Compare the type, Numbers 3:12; Numbers 3:45; Numbers 3:50. As the kingly and priestly succession was in the first-born, and Israel was God's "first-born" (Exodus 4:22: cf. Exodus 13:2; Exodus 19:6), a "kingdom of priests" to God (Exodus 19:6), so believers (Revelation 1:6).