Word Pictures in the New Testament: the marriage of the Lamb (ho gamos tou arniou). In the OT God is the Bridegroom of Israel (Hos 2:16; Isa 54:6; Ezek 16:7ff). In the NT Christ is the Bridegroom of the Kingdom (the universal spiritual church as seen by Paul, 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25ff, and by John in Rev 3:20; 19:7, 9; 21:2, 9; 22:17). In the Gospels Christ appears as the Bridegroom (Mark 2:19f; Matt 9:15; Luke 5:34f; John 3:29). Made herself ready (heôtoimasen heauteôn). First aorist active indicative of hetoimazoô and the reflexive pronoun. See 22:2 for heôtoimasmeneôn hoôs numpheôn (prepared as a bride). There is something for her to do (1 John 3:3; Jude 1:21; 2 Cor 7:1), but the chief preparation is the act of Christ (Eph 5:25ff).

Barnes Notes on the New Testament: Having the glory of God--a glory or splendor such as became the dwelling place of God. The nature of that splendor is described in the following verses. And her light--in Rev 21:23 it is said that "the glory of God did lighten it." The word here rendered "light," phoôsteôr, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament except in Phil 2:15. It means, properly, a light, a lightgiver. It is used here to denote the brightness or shining of the divine glory, as supplying the place of the sun, or of a window.

Word Pictures in the New Testament: 22) I saw no temple therein (naon ouk eidon en auteôi). "Temple I did not see in it." The whole city is a temple in one sense (verse 16), but it is something more than a temple even with its sanctuary and Shekinah Glory in the Holy of Holies. For the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are the temple thereof (ho gar Kurios ho theos ho pantokratoôr, naos auteôs estin kai to arnion). "For the Lord God, the Almighty, is the sanctuary of it and the Lamb." The Eternal Presence is the Shekinah Glory of God (verse 3). In 2 Cor 6:16 we are the sanctuary of God here, but now God is our Sanctuary, and so is the Lamb as in chapters Rev 4:5. See 1:8 and often for the description of God here. Cf Isaiah 60:19-20.

Barnes Notes on the New Testament: And the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it--al that they consider as constituting their glory, treasures, crowns, scepters, robes. The idea is that all these will be devoted to God in the future days of the church in its glory and will be, as it were, brought and laid down at the feet of the Savior in heaven. The language is derived, doubtless, from the description in Isa 60:3-14. Compare Isa 49:23.

Queen Victoria hoped that Christ would return during her reign. She said as she lay dying, "I so much wanted to lay my crown at His feet."

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the New Testament: The unmixed purity of all who belong to the new Jerusalem, v27. [1.] There the saints shall have no impure thing remaining in them. In the article of death they shall be cleansed from every thing that is of a defiling nature. Now they feel a sad mixture of corruption with their graces, which hinders them in the service of God, interrupts their communion with him, and intercepts the light of his countenance; but, at their entrance into the holy of holies, they are washed in the laver of Christ’s blood, and presented to the Father without spot. [2.] There the saints shall have no impure persons admitted among them. In the earthly Jerusalem there will be a mixed communion, after all the care that can be taken. Some roots of bitterness will spring up to trouble and defile Christian societies; but in the new Jerusalem there is a society perfectly pure. First, free from such as are openly profane. There are none admitted into heaven who work abominations. In the churches on earth sometimes abominable things are done, solemn ordinances profaned and prostituted to men openly vicious, for worldly ends; but no such abominations can have place in heaven. Secondly, Free from hypocrites, such as make lies, say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie. These will creep into the churches of Christ on earth, and may lie concealed there a long time, perhaps all their days; but they cannot intrude into the new Jerusalem, which is wholly reserved for those that are called and chosen and faithful, who are all written, not only in the register if the visible church, but in the Lamb’s book of life.