EXEGETICAL NOTES
ON REVELATION 1:9-20
02/20/2014
Vs 9: I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and
kingdom and perseverance, which are in
Jesus, was on the island called Patmos, because of the word of God and the
testimony of Jesus.
This verse
indicates that John is the author of Revelation. By these words, “brother and
fellow partaker in the tribulation,” John identifies himself as the member of
God’s family and also fellow partaker in the tribulation.
Osborne notes “John
uses words such as “fellow sharers or partners” in order to emphasize the
Koinonia concept which is found throughout NT literature. Everywhere the word
group appears it connotes the idea of community, togetherness and mutual
participation in the family of God and Christ.”[1]. We are not certain
on what exactly brought John to the Island of Patmos. Different views on how
John got to Patmos: “Some have argued that John isolated himself there as part
of his visionary quest, others contend that John was banished there. Eusebius
said, John was banished to Patmos during the reign of Domitian (A.D 95)”[2]
However by reading into the text we can draw to a conclusion, that he was there
because of the preaching of the Word of God or as directed by God.
Vs
10-20: John’s first vision and its explanation:
Vs 10 “I was in the Spirit on the
Lord’s Day and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet.” John had a vision of the exalted Lord on the
Lord’s Day which is also known as ‘the first day of the week (Acts 20:7, 1Cor
16:2). Several arguments on the phrase (the Lord’s Day).
According to Beale, “some argue that ‘On the Lord’s Day refers to the
eschatological Day of the Lord prophesied in the OT therefore they allude that
(Chs 4-22) is an explanation of how this latter-day expectation will be
fulfilled. However the Lord’s is never used as the Day of the Lord in the LXX,
NT, or early church fathers. The phrase is clearly and consistently used of
Sunday from the second half of the second century.”[3] Osborne
notes, “The commission to “write” in Ch1:11 is the first of twelve such
commands in the book, the normal tense for such a command, it has its basic
simple force, ‘write this down.”[4]
The metaphor of the “trumpet” has great significance, for in almost every
NT occurrence it has eschatological significance. Here are a few
scriptures: Matt 24:31“And he will send his
angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from
the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” I Cor 15:52, “In a
flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will
sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” I Thess 4:16, “For the Lord himself will come
down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the
archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ
will rise first.”
Vs 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it
to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and
Laodicea.” The order of the cities is
significant, for they form the circular route of a letter carrier. Why these
seven were chosen though there were other cities of prominence at that time?
Firstly, these seven cities formed a natural center of communication for the
rest of the province. Secondly, during Paul’s time they had become
organizational and distributive centers. Thirdly, their relationship to the
imperial cult. Fourthly, they also represented the problems of the other
churches in the area.
Description
of the Glorified Christ: (1:13b-16):
Vs 13 “and among the lamp stands was someone like a son of man,
dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around
his chest.” When John says he saw Christ in the middle of the lamp stands, he
wants to let us know that Christ is not an absentee land lord. On the contrary,
he is in the midst of his churches supporting them during trials and
persecutions. Osborn in his commentary notes eight images that are drawn from
the OT, which describes a metaphorical image of Jesus Christ.
A. Long
Robe and Golden Sash: They refer
to the robe and sash of the high priest (Ex 28:4, 39:29)
B. White
head and Hair: Referring to the
ancient of days in the OT (Dan 7:9)
C. Blazing
Eyes: This image comes from Dan 10:6 “his eyes like
flaming torches”
D. Bronze
feet: This image is closely to
Christ’s blazing eyes in both, Dan 10: 6 and Rev 2:18. This image of ‘polished
bronze’ emphasized the glory and strength of Christ.
E.
Powerful Voice: John draws on OT descriptions of Yawheh to show Christ in his divine
glory and power.( Ezek 1:24)
F. Stars in
His Right Hand: The right hand
throughout Scripture symbolizes power and authority (PS 110:1; Matt 26:64)
G. Sword
from His mouth: Sword of
judgment and the mouth of the messiah from which the sword comes forth portray
the proclamation of the judgment with the act of Judgment.
H. Radiant
Face: It recalls Moses when he
came down from Sinai and “his face was radiant because he had spoken with
Yahewh”[5]
We will learn about the message to the
first church Ephesus next week.
