He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
To eat. Omitted in 'Aleph (') A B C, Vulgate Coptic.
The hidden manna - Israel's heavenly food, in contrast to the idol meats (Revelation 2:14). A pot of manna was laid up in the Holy Place 'before the testimony.' The allusion is to this: also to the Lord's discourse (John 6:31-35). 'The manna which is hidden.' As the manna hidden in the sanctuary was by divine power preserved uncorrupt, so Christ, in His incorruptible body, is hidden in heaven until His appearing (Acts 3:21). Christ is the manna "hidden" from the world, but revealed to the believer, who has already a foretaste of His preciousness. Compare Christ's own hidden food on earth (Job 23:12; John 4:32; John 4:34). The full manifestation shall be at His coming. Believers are now hidden, even as their meat is (Psalms 83:3; Colossians 3:3). Like the incorruptible manna in the sanctuary, the spiritual feast, offered to all who reject the world's dainties for Christ, is everlasting: an incorruptible body and life in Christ at the resurrection.
White stone ... new name ... no man knoweth saving he ... Trench, White is the livery of heaven. "New" х kainon (G2537)] implies something altogether renewed. The white stone is a glistering diamond, the Urim borne by the high priest within the choshen (H2833) or breastplate of judgment, with the twelve tribes' names on the twelve precious stones, next the heart. The word Urim means light, answering to white. None but the high priest knew the name written upon it: probably the incommunicable name, "Yahweh." The high priest consulted it in some divinely-appointed way for direction from God when needful. The priest-judges of Egypt wore suspended an image of Truth or Justice. Thmei or Themis, answering to the Thummim [aleetheia in Septuagint]: the closed eyes of Thmei answer to Deuteronomy 33:9. So answering to the Urim, the Egyptian priest wore in his breastplate the Scarabaeus of precious stone, symbol of light.
The high priest gazing on the gems symbolizing Light and Truth, and on the holy name Yahweh, became entranced, and so was enabled to give responses to those consulting God (cf. 1 Samuel 14:19). Psalms 43:3 is a worshipper's echo of the high priests prayer. Now, the priest's special treasure, consultation of God's light and truth, belongs to all believers, as spiritual priests (Smith, 'Dictionary of the Bible'). The "new name" is Christ's (cf. Revelation 3:12): some new revelation of Himself hereafter to be imparted to His people, which they alone are capable of receiving. The connection with the "hidden manna" is thus clear, as the high priest alone had access to the 'manna hidden in the sanctuary. What believers had to contend against at Pergamon was idol meats and fornication, put in their way by Balaamites. As Phinehas was rewarded with 'an everlasting priesthood' for his zeal against these sins to which the Old Testament Balaam seduced Israel, so the heavenly high priesthood is the reward promised to those zealous against the New Testament Balaamites tempting Christ's people.
Receiveth it - namely, "the stone:" not the "new name:" which is Christ's new character as the glorified Son of man; not the believer's own new name. See above. The 'name that no man knew but Christ Himself' (cf. Revelation 3:12, end, with Revelation 19:12), He shall hereafter reveal to His people.