J.J.L. Ratton’s Commentary on Revelation 1:1-5

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to make known to his servants the things which must shortly come to pass: and signified, sending by his angel to his servant John.

ἀποκάλυψις (apokalupsis) is a Greek word which means a revelation of the future.  It is used in this sense by St Paul in 2 Cor 12:1, and eschatologically, in Rom 2:5.

This reading is confirmed by Rev 1:3 and 12:10, in which the Revelation is referred to as “the words of this prophecy.”  At Rev 12:9, an angel says I am “…of them who keep the words of the prophecy of this book.”  And at Rev 12:18-19, a solemn warning is issued against tampering with “the prophecy of this book” and “the book of this prophecy.”  The Apocalypse, or “Revelation,” is a prophecy, in the sense of a prediction of Jesus Christ,  That is its first note.

Which God gave to him to make known to his servants,” follows the teaching of St John in which the Son derives revelation from the Father (Jn 5:20; 7:16; 8:28).  “To make known to his servants,” raises the question who were the Servants of God.  Much light is thrown on this point by the Revelation, and especially by the concluding words of this passage, “His servant John.”  St John is given to us as an example of the individuals meant by “servants.”  The Apostles commonly used this title.  The Second Epistle of St Peter begins, “Simon, Servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ.”  St Paul’s Epistle to Titus begins, “Paul a servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ.”  These two great Apostles make “servant” their first title.  See also Philippians and Romans (1:1).  The Catholic Epistle of St James begins, “James the Servant of God and of our Lord, Jesus Christ.”  That of St Jude begins, “Jude the Servant of Jesus Christ.”  In Rev 10:7, there is reference to “His Servants, the prophets,” a very common phrase in the O.T.  At Rev 19:10 an “Angel,” who is also a prophet (22:9) declares himself to be a fellow servant of John.  The dignity of the expression survives in the title of the Popes, who style themselves officially, “The Servant of the servant of God” (see Jn 15:20).

The Revelation was not sent to everybody in the Church, in the year 67.  It was, for grave reasons, confined to the safe hands of the Servants of God, who were men of Apostolic character, leaders of the Church.  The denunciation of Caesar worship, and the political forecasts of the Roman Empire required this precaution.  The immediate object of the book was to reveal the fate of Jerusalem and Rome to the servants of God.  “The things which must shortly come to pass,” were the fall of Nero in A.D. 68, and the fall of Jerusalem and the out-standing of the Kingdom of Christ in A.D. 70.  It does not mean that everything foretold in the Book must shortly happen.  Though it does mean that the chief predictions of the Book would begin to come to pass quickly.  The death of Nero was followed by Civil wars of opposing Imperators, which led to the crumbling of the Empire.

“And signified sending by his Angel to his Servant John.”  Prof. M. Stuart points out that σημαίνω (semaino), “signified,” is derived from σῆμα (sēma), a “sign” or “symbol” indicating symbolic representation.  An angel appears and interprets the symbolic visions at Rev 17:1 and 19:10).

This angel seems to have been St John the Baptist.  We read in the Gospel of St John, “There was a man sent from God whose name was John.  This man came for a witness to give testimony of the light” (Jn 1:6-7).  He preached the gospel of penance “for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Mt 3:1).  “Behold, I send my angel before thy face” (Mk 1:2).  He is referred to at Rev 22:16, I, Jesus, have sent my angel.”  And he declares himself to be a fellow servant of St John, and one of his brethren the prophets (Rev 19:10; 22:9).  St John recognizes him apparently as his old teacher, the Baptist, and falls down before him.  When Epiphanius wrote “The disciples of Christ being warned by an angel, fled to Pella,” he seems to have had Rev 1:1 in view.  That would explain his reference to Claudius.

These opening lines for the title page of the Book.  We might appreciate them better perhaps if they were displayed in accordance with modern custom, as thus:

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST
which
GOD GAVE UNTO HIM
To make known to his servants the things which must shortly come to pass, and signified
SENDING BY HIS ANGEL
To
HIS SERVANT JOHN.

Here we see at once the title of the Book, its source, its Author, its object, its subject, the Intermediary, and the Writer-John.

The real title of the Book, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ,” commands our attention.

Rev 1:2  Who hath given testimony to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, what things soever he hath seen.

μαρτυρία (marturia)-’to bear witness’-and  μαρτυρέω (martureō)-”evidence” are words frequently found in the Apocalypse.  St John says of himself, “Who hath given testimony,”-εμαρτυρησεν-using the aorist tense of martureo, referring to the past.  He gave testimony in the past “to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ,” by preaching and example, and by his Epistles, one or two of which were written before this time.  “What things soever he hath seen” would seem to limit this testimony, to his knowledge of “the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus.”  But martyr-”a witness”-in the early Church connoted suffering for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.  Hence the word “martyr” in English.  St John had suffered many things at the hands his countrymen for the testimony of Jesus.  He as scourged and imprisoned in common with the other Apostles.  Writing to his intimate followers at Ephesus, St John takes it for granted that no one will question the testimony of John.  The brethren knew he was at Patmos, whence this Revelation came.  Possibly they knew that he went there to receive it (see Rev1:9 notes).

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecy: and keepeth those things which are written in it. For the time is at hand.

There are many correspondences between the beginning and the end of Revelation. We have in the last chapter “Blessed is he that heareth and keepeth the words of the prophecy of this Book” (Rev 22:7). αναγινωσκων means “to recognize,” “to distinguish,” “to discern.” It does not mean ordinary reading. Our Lord addressing His Apostles with reference to the destruction of the Temple, said, “When you shall see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not, he that readeth let him understand” (Mark 13:14). Where the Greek for “he that readeth” is αναγινωσκων, precisely as above, meaning the interpretation of the signs of the coming fall of Jerusalem and the Empire. The fact that the angel sent to John, declared himself John’s fellow servant, “and of those who keep the words of the prophecy of this Book (Rev 22:9), would seem to indicate that those “who kept the words,” were limited and exalted class.

The Book is to a great extent a cryptograph, requiring labor and intelligence to discern its meaning. Hence, blessed are they who labor patiently to solve the mystery.  “He that heareth” has an esoteric meaning, and refers to one who, by the exercise of reason, gets to know things recondite.  “He that heareth,” is again referred to at Rev 22:17-18. And at the end of each of the Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia, we find, “He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches” (Rev 2:7, with notes).

The Book claims to be a Revelation of future events. Blessed are they who understand and keep this revelation in mind. Why? For the time is at hand. What time? The fall of the Temple of Jerusalem, the symbol of the Old Law, and the establishment of the Kingdom of Chirst. This warning appears to have been addressed particularly to the leaders of the Nazarene’s Church, which was in danger. St John uses the verb τηρέω, “to give heed to,” “to watch narrowly,” in his Gospel several times (Jn 8:51, Jn 14:23), e.g., “Remember my word that I said to you…if they have kept my word they would keep your also” (Jn15:20).

Rev 1:4  John to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace be unto you and peace, from him that is and that was and that is to come: and from the seven spirits which are before his throne:

St John opens his address to the Seven Churches in the Apostolic Style. Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ…to the Church of God that is at Corinth (2 Cor 1:1, cf., Gal 1:1; 1 Thess 1:1). We have considered the meaning of the Seven Churches elsewhere. Seven is a mystic number and these are mystic Churches. In the NT Asia means Mysia, Lydia, Caria, Lycia, and Phrygia, which constituted Roman or Proconsular Asia, see Map, pg. 102.

“From him that is and that was,” is from God the Father. In Exodus 3:14 Moses enquiring by what name he should announce God to His people, is told, “I am, who am.”

“That is to come,”  ο ερχομενος is a Hebraic usage.   It refers to Jesus Christ. We have ερχομαι ταχυ–”I come quickly” (Rev 3:11; Rev 22:7), and  ιδου ερχεται–”Behold he cometh” (Rev 1:7), and  ιδου ερχομαι–”Behold I come (Rev 16:15). At the close of the Book, a kind of recapitulation occurs in which we find ιδου ερχομαι ταχυ at Rev 22:7, and again at Rev 22:12 and Rev 22:20.

St John invokes a blessing on the Church from the Father, Son, and from the Seven Spirits, where the Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Isa 11:2), are put for the Holy Spirit. St John here affirms the doctrine of the Trinity. He lays stress on the coming of the Holy Spirit in his Gospel. “But the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things” (Jn 14:26). See also Jn 14:16-17, and Jn 15:26. The Seven Spirits are again referred to at Rev 4:5 and Rev 5:6.

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth, who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood

We must suppose a full stop at the end of the last verse. και-”and”-begins a new thought frequently in the Revelation; which use of και shows a Hebrew writer steeped in the OT Scriptures. It goes back to continue and unfold “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:1).

“Jesus Christ.” “Thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt 1:21). “Christ,” is–”the anointed.”

“The faithful witness.”  ο μαρτυς ο πιστος, the faithful witness, where μαρτυς connotes witnessing for the faith by martyrdom. Accordingly we read, “who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” He washed away the stain of original sin, and opened the gates of heaven to the waiting saints of old. He descended into Limbo, and was the first to arise therefore. Therefore is He, “the first begotten of the dead.” “Prince of the Kings of the earth” –αρχων–”chief over all.” “Lord of lords and King of kings” (see Rev 17:14). This lead to the consideration of His Kingdom (Rev 1:6-8).