And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Both here and in Revelation 19:9-10, the apostle's falling at the angel's feet is preceded by a glorious promise to the Church, and the assurance, 'These are the true sayings of God,' and that those are "blessed" who keep them. Rapturous gratitude and adoration, at the prospect of the Church's glory, transport him out of himself, to fall into an unjustifiable act. Contrast his opposite feeling at the Church's deep fall (Auberlen) (Revelation 17:6, note; Revelation 19:9-10).
Saw ... and heard. So 'Aleph ('); but A B, Vulgate, Syriac, transpose, 'I John (was he) who heard and saw these things.' In Revelation 19:10, it is, "I fell before his feet to worship him;" here, "I fell down to worship (God?) before the feet of the angel." It seems unlikely that John, once reproved, would fall into the same error again. Probably John intended to worship х proskuneesai (G4352), a lower worship than latreia (G2999)] the angel (Revelation 19:10), but now only at his feet intends to worship (God). The angel does not even permit this.