Revelation 1:2 Kommentar

This chapter is a general preface to the whole book, and contains, I. An inscription, declaring the original and the design of it (Rev 1:1, Rev 1:2). II. The apostolic benediction pronounced on all those who shall pay a due regard to the contents of this book (Rev 1:3-8). III. A glorious vision or appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to the apostle John, when he delivered to him this revelation (Rev 1:9 to the end).

This chapter contains the preface and introduction to the book, and the first vision in it. The preface begins with the title of the book, in which the subject matter of it is pointed at, a Revelation; the author of it, Jesus Christ, who had it from his Father; the minister of it, an angel: the person to whom it was made known, described by his name, office, and the testimony he bore to Christ, his Gospel, and to whatever he saw; and for encouragement to persons to read, hear, and observe it, happiness is pronounced to them Rev 1:1; the inscription of the book follows, in which are the name of the writer, and the place where the churches to whom it is inscribed were, with a salutation of them; in which grace and peace are wished for them, from God the Father, from the Holy Spirit, and from Jesus Christ; who is described by characters expressing his prophetic, priestly, and kingly offices, and by the benefits, favours, and honours bestowed by him on his people, to whom a doxology or ascription of glory is made, Rev 1:4; who is further described, first by his future visible coming in the clouds, which will greatly affect the inhabitants of the earth, and then by himself, as the eternal and almighty God, Rev 1:7; and in order to introduce the vision, hereafter related in this chapter, he that saw it gives an account of himself, by his name, by his relation to the churches, and by his partnership with them in affliction, and of the place he was in; and for what, and of the time when he had the vision, and the frame he was in, and what awakened his attention to it, Rev 1:9; and how, that adverting to it he saw seven golden candlesticks, and in the midst of them one like the son of man, who is described by his clothes and girdle, by his head, hair, and eyes, by his feet and voice, by what he had in his right hand, and by what went out of his mouth, and by his face shining like the sun in its strength, Rev 1:12, next is related the effect this vision had on. John, who upon it fell down as one dead, but was comforted by Christ, laying his right hand on him, and telling him who he was, and bidding him write what he had seen, or should see, Rev 1:17; and the chapter is concluded with an interpretation of the mystery of the seven stars, and the seven candlesticks, Rev 1:20.

Who bore record of the word of God,.... Of the essential and eternal Word of God, his only begotten Son; as John the apostle did in his Gospel, and in his epistles, and also in this book; and which is a clear evidence of his being the writer of it, And of the testimony of Jesus Christ; that is, the Gospel, which testifies of the person of Christ, of the truth of his divinity, and reality of his human nature; of the union of the two natures, divine and human, his person: of his several offices, of prophet, priest and King; of what he did and suffered for his people; and of the blessings of grace which they receive by him: and of all things that he saw; with his bodily eyes, as the human body of Christ, the miracles he wrought in it, the transfiguration of it on the mount, the crucifixion of it, and the piercing of it with a spear, and the resurrection of it from the dead; and also the visions recorded in this book; and such a faithful witness serves greatly to confirm the authority of this book, and to recommend the perusal of it. The Complutensian edition and the Arabic version read, "which are, and which shall", or "must be hereafter", as in Rev 1:19.

In the opening words, it is fitting to point out that in all his writings, the divine John, having dwelt upon the God-inspired words of our Savior Jesus Christ, in the present work dwells rather on his human aspects, so that he might not only be recognized from the more divine qualities, but also from the human ones. For it is a sample of pure theology, just as to believe that the divine Word is from God and the Father, begotten before all ages and times, uncreated and consubstantial with the Father and the Spirit, and coexistent with the ages, and of all creation both spiritual and perceptible, according to what is said by the wisest Paul in the Epistle to the Colossians, that "in Him all things in heaven and on earth were created, the invisible and the visible, whether thrones, dominions, principalities, or authorities; all things were created through Him and for Him, and He is the head of the body and the church." (Co. 1:18) "Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might be first in all things," (Co. 1:16,18) therefore we must believe in Him for the last things and for our salvation. And having become man, not by a change of divinity, but by the assumption of human flesh, endowed with a rational soul, so that Emmanuel is understood as united from two natures, both divinity and humanity, each fully possessing according to its own nature and proper quality and distinction, neither confused in the union into one, nor divided after the indescribable and invisible union. For both Nestorius and Eutyches are equally detestable; their positions are opposed and totally evil. Therefore, in order that the teaching of our Savior might be precise and true to Him, having engaged in the other divine matters, as the Lord has said, here John employed words and thoughts suited to human beings; yet neither in those divine matters did he separate the divine from the human, nor here did he separate the human from the divine. Moreover, he used the writings to a greater or lesser extent. From this point on, the revelation is given to him to speak; it is given from the Father to the Son, and it is given from the Son to us, his servants. Calling the saints the servants of Christ, He preserved for Him what is fitting for God. For whose servants would humans be, except for the Maker and Creator of humans? And who is the Creator of humans and all creation? No one except the only-begotten Word and Son of God. For he who is present as the author says in the Gospels, "all things were made through him." (Jn. 1:3) What, then, does John wish to add what must soon take place? And yet, of the things that are to come, not yet accomplished, already a considerable amount of time has already passed since these things were spoken, more than five hundred years. That all ages are regarded as nothing in the eyes of the eternal and everlasting God; "for a thousand years," the prophet says, "are in Your sight, O Lord, as the day that has just passed, or as a watch in the night." (Ps. 89:4) Therefore, the swift passage of time is not measured by the completion of the years that have come to be, but rather by the power and eternity of God. For in truth, every extension of time, even if it is the greatest and longest, is considered small compared to the infinite. Jesus Christ therefore made it known to me what must take place. Jesus did not appear Himself and speak, but through His angel He initiated me into the mysteries. You see the reverent love of this divine one, who confessed that it was revealed to him through an angel and that he did not hear it from the Lord's own mouth. John says that he testifies to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. In this form, he also used it in the Gospels, preserving for himself the credibility of his teaching. He said, "This is the one who testifies about these things," (Jn. 21:24) and having written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. And now he says he is a witness of the divine Word that was revealed to him. John speaks of the present Revelation and the testimony given by Christ; that is, through testimony, I am both a witness and an author.

Who bore witness to the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus, etc. Lest you doubt the person of John, it is he who bore witness to the eternal Word of God and the same incarnate, as he saw, saying: We have seen his glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father (John 1).

Who hath given testimony to the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, what things soever he hath seen. John gave testimony then, and now the Church does, whose symbol he was bearing when he saw this Apocalypse. He makes a distinction between the Word and Jesus Christ because of the two substances of Christ — he who gave testimony to both, saying, in the beginning was the Word, [John 1:1] as well as the Word was made flesh. [Ibid. 14] Saw refers to both: for he saw the Word with his spiritual eyes, and with his physical eyes he saw everything that is told about his humanity.

Who has given testimony to the word of God In the beginning of his gospel about his eternal Godhead saying, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God (Jn. 1:1)”; that is about to his incarnation, saying, “And the Word was made flesh, etc.(Jn. 1:14)” Therefore, he adds: And the testimony of Jesus Christ, That is, concerning Jesus Christ. he has seen In His way of life, in His miracles, in His death and resurrection, as he clearly shows in the words his Gospel.

The preface to this book, and the promise to them who read it, Rev 1:1-3. John's address to the seven Churches of Asia, whose high calling he particularly mentions; and shows the speedy coming of Christ, Rev 1:4-8. Mentions his exile to Patmos, and the appearance of the Lord Jesus to him, Rev 1:9-11. Of whom he gives a most glorious description, Rev 1:12-18. The command to write what he saw, and the explanation of the seven stars and seven golden candlesticks, Rev 1:19, Rev 1:20. The Revelation of St. John the divine. To this book the inscriptions are various. " - The Revelation. - The Revelation of John. - Of John the divine. - Of John the divine and evangelist. - The Revelation of John the apostle and evangelist. - The Revelation of the holy and glorious apostle and evangelist, the beloved virgin John the divine, which he saw in the island of Patmos. - The Revelation of Jesus Christ, given to John the divine." These several inscriptions are worthy of little regard; the first verse contains the title of the book.

Who bare record of the word of God - Is there a reference here to the first chapter of John's gospel, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, etc.? Of this Word John did bear record. Or, does the writer mean the fidelity with which he noted and related the word - doctrines or prophecies, which he received at this time by revelation from God? This seems more consistent with the latter part of the verse.

1TITLE: SOURCE AND OBJECT OF THIS REVELATION: BLESSING ON THE READER AND KEEPER OF IT, AS THE TIME IS NEAR: INSCRIPTION TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES: APOSTOLIC GREETING: KEYNOTE, "BEHOLD HE COMETH" (Compare at the close, Rev 22:20, "Surely I come quickly"): INTRODUCTORY VISION OF THE SON OF MAN IN GLORY, AMIDST THE SEVEN CANDLESTICKS, WITH SEVEN STARS IN HIS RIGHT HAND. (Rev. 1:1-20) Revelation--an apocalypse or unveiling of those things which had been veiled. A manifesto of the kingdom of Christ. The travelling manual of the Church for the Gentile Christian times. Not a detailed history of the future, but a representation of the great epochs and chief powers in developing the kingdom of God in relation to the world. The "Church-historical" view goes counter to the great principle that Scripture interprets itself. Revelation is to teach us to understand the times, not the times to interpret to us the Apocalypse, although it is in the nature of the case that a reflex influence is exerted here and is understood by the prudent [AUBERLEN]. The book is in a series of parallel groups, not in chronological succession. Still there is an organic historical development of the kingdom of God. In this book all the other books of the Bible end and meet: in it is the consummation of all previous prophecy. Daniel foretells as to Christ and the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, and the last Antichrist. But John's Revelation fills up the intermediate period, and describes the millennium and final state beyond Antichrist. Daniel, as a godly statesman, views the history of God's people in relation to the four world kingdoms. John, as an apostle, views history from the Christian Church aspect. The term Apocalypse is applied to no Old Testament book. Daniel is the nearest approach to it; but what Daniel was told to seal and shut up till the time of the end, John, now that the time is at hand (Rev 1:3), is directed to reveal. of Jesus Christ--coming from Him. Jesus Christ, not John the writer, is the Author of the Apocalypse. Christ taught many things before His departure; but those which were unsuitable for announcement at that time He brought together into the Apocalypse [BENGEL]. Compare His promise, Joh 15:15, "All things that I have heard of My Father, I have made known unto you"; also, Joh 16:13, "The Spirit of truth will show you things to come." The Gospels and Acts are the books, respectively, of His first advent, in the flesh, and in the Spirit; the Epistles are the inspired comment on them. The Apocalypse is the book of His second advent and the events preliminary to it. which God gave unto him--The Father reveals Himself and His will in, and by, His Son. to show--The word recurs in Rev 22:6 : so entirely have the parts of Revelation reference to one another. It is its peculiar excellence that it comprises in a perfect compendium future things, and these widely differing: things close at hand, far off, and between the two; great and little; destroying and saving; repeated from old prophecies and new; long and short, and these interwoven with one another, opposed and mutually agreeing; mutually involving and evolving one another; so that in no book more than in this would the addition, or taking away, of a single word or clause (Rev 22:18-19), have the effect of marring the sense of the context and the comparison of passages together [BENGEL]. his servants--not merely to "His servant John," but to all His servants (compare Rev 22:3). shortly--Greek, "speedily"; literally, "in," or "with speed." Compare "the time is at hand," Rev 1:3; Rev 22:6, "shortly"; Rev 22:7, "Behold, I come quickly." Not that the things prophesied were according to man's computation near; but this word "shortly" implies a corrective of our estimate of worldly events and periods. Though a "thousand years" (Rev 20:1-15) at least are included, the time is declared to be at hand. Luk 18:8, "speedily." The Israelite Church hastened eagerly to the predicted end, which premature eagerness prophecy restrains (compare Dan. 9:1-27). The Gentile Church needs to be reminded of the transitoriness of the world (which it is apt to make its home) and the nearness of Christ's advent. On the one hand Revelation says, "the time is at hand"; on the other, the succession of seals, &c., show that many intermediate events must first elapse. he sent--Jesus Christ sent. by his angel--joined with "sent." The angel does not come forward to "signify" things to John until Rev 17:1; Rev 19:9-10. Previous to that John receives information from others. Jesus Christ opens the Revelation, Rev 1:10-11; Rev 4:1; in Rev 6:1 one of the four living creatures acts as his informant; in Rev 7:13, one of the elders; in Rev 10:8-9, the Lord and His angel who stood on the sea and earth. Only at the end (Rev 17:1) does the one angel stand by Him (compare Dan 8:16; Dan 9:21; Zac 1:19).

bare record of--"testified the word of God" in this book. Where we would say "testifies," the ancients in epistolary communications use the past tense. The word of God constitutes his testimony; Rev 1:3, "the words of this prophecy." the testimony of Jesus--"the Spirit of prophecy" (Rev 19:10). and of all things that, &c.--The oldest manuscripts omit "and." Translate, "whatsoever things he saw," in apposition with "the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ."