Poole on Revelation 5:4: John's Weeping over the Sealed Book

Verse 4:[1] And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

[I wept much, etc.] Thinking that certain great things are here contained and altogether worthy of close consideration (Ribera, Menochius, similarly Pareus), and that the Church was to be deprived of such a benefit (Forbes, similarly Cluverus), and that her calling to the knowledge of future things was going to be frustrated (Cluverus). This weeping shows a vehement desire for the knowledge of this book (Durham, similarly Pareus); and at the same time, a despairing of it, in which he also reveals his infirmity, for he was not looking unto Christ, etc. (Durham, similarly Forbes). John had learned that among the Hebrews the decrees of God are said to be sealed, which were certainly going to happen, if not in the case of individual men, certainly in the case of the races of men. Now, here are signified the decrees of God pertaining to the Jews, which Christ predicted summarily, Matthew 24; Luke 21; but here at much greater length (Grotius).

And I wept, etc.:As it is the nature of man to desire to know secret and hidden things, especially such as we apprehend of concernment to ourselves, or those whom we love, or are interested in it; and to be troubled, if we know they may be known, and are at a loss for due means whereby to come to the knowledge of them.

[1] Greek: καὶ ἐγὼ ἔκλαιον πολλά, ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἄξιος εὑρέθη ἀνοῖξαι καὶ ἀναγνῶναι τὸ βιβλίον, οὔτε βλέπειν αὐτό.