Revelation 1:1 - Exposition

The Revelation of Jesus Christ . This phrase occurs elsewhere in the New Testament only in 1 Peter 1:7 , 1 Peter 1:13 . It means the revelation which Jesus Christ makes, not that which reveals him. John is the writer, Jesus Christ the Author, of the book. Revelation ( απόκαλυψις ) is a word reserved for the gospel; no Old Testament prophecy is called a revelation (contrast 1 Samuel 20:30 ). It means the unveiling of Divine mysteries ( Ephesians 3:3 ), and from this it easily slips into meaning the mystery unveiled. Christ is both the Mystery and the Revealer of it. He comes to reveal himself, and in himself the Father, whose Image he is. Thus in its opening words the book takes us beyond itself. What is revealed is not secrets about the future, but a Person. And the Revealer is not man, but God; not John, but the Divine Son, commissioned by the Father. For even the unincarnate Word receives from the Father that which he reveals. Which God gave unto him . This is remarkably in harmony with the Christology of the Fourth Gospel. The simple infinitive to express a purpose after "give" is common to Gospel and Apocalypse ( Revelation 3:21 ; Revelation 7:2 ; Revelation 13:14 ; John 4:7 , John 4:10 ; John 6:52 ). His servants. All Christians, not exclusively seers like St. John. " Even the things which" (Revised Version) makes "things which" in apposition with "the Revelation," which is probably right. Must ( δεῖ ); because God has so decreed. This Divine "must" is frequent in the Gospel ( John 3:14 , John 3:30 ; John 9:4 ; John 10:16 ; John 12:34 ; John 20:9 ). Shortly . The meaning of ἐν τάχει is much disputed. But, like "firstborn" in the question about the brethren of the Lord, "shortly" ought not to be pressed in determining the scope of the Apocalypse. Calling Jesus the firstborn Son of Mary tells us nothing as to her having other children. Saying that the Apocalypse shows things which must shortly come to pass tells us nothing as to its referring to events near St. John's own day. Probably it refers to them and to much else in the Christian dispensation. In the language of the seer, past, present, and future are interwoven together as seen by God, and more truth is contained than the seer himself knows. "The whole book ought to be received as a single word uttered in a single moment" (Bengel). It does not follow, because St. John had events near to his own day in his mind, that his words are limited to those events for us. Signified . Jesus Christ signified, i.e. made known by symbol and figure, the things which must come to pass. "Signify" ( σημαίνειν ) is characteristic of St. John, to whom wonders are "signs" ( σημεῖα ) of Divine truths. "This he said, signifying [by means of an allegory] by what manner of death he should die" ( John 12:33 ; comp. John 18:32 ; John 21:19 ). By his angel ; literally, by means of his angel ( διὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου ) . "Angel" here probably has its, common meaning of a spiritual messenger from the unseen world; but it is the fact of his being Christ's messenger, rather than his heavenly character, that is specially indicated. Whether one and the same angel is employed throughout the Revelation is not clear. He does not come into the foreground of the narrative until Revelation 17:1 , Revelation 17:7 , Revelation 17:15 (comp. Revelation 19:9 ; Revelation 21:9 ; Revelation 22:1 , Revelation 22:6 , Revelation 22:9 ). The Revelation is begun (verses 17-20) and ended ( Revelation 22:16 ) by Christ himself; but the main portion is conducted "by means of his angel." Thus St. Paul says of the Law that it was "administered by means of angels in the hand of a mediator," i.e. Moses ( Galatians 3:19 ). In this case the mediator is John, a "servant" specially selected for this work ( Isaiah 49:5 ; Amos 3:7 ). Thus we have four gradations—the primary Agent, the Father; the secondary Agent, Jesus Christ; the instrument, his angel; the recipient, John.