Commentary on Revelation (Commentary on the New Testament Book #19)

California

Introduction

Dear reader,

Here you have part of a commentary on the whole New Testament, published by Baker Academic both in hardback and as an ebook. The electronic version has been broken into segments for your convenience and affordability, though if you like what you find here you may want to consider the whole at a proportionately lower cost. Whether in whole or in part, the e-version puts my comments at your fingertips on your easily portable Kindle, iPad, smartphone, or similar device.

I’ve written this commentary especially for busy people like you—lay people with jobs and families that take up a lot of time, Bible study leaders, pastors, and all who take the New Testament seriously—that is, people who time-wise and perhaps money-wise can’t afford the luxury of numerous heavyweight, technical commentaries on the individual books making up the section of the Bible we call the New Testament. So technical questions are avoided almost entirely, and the commentary concentrates on what will prove useful for understanding the scriptural text as a basis for your personal life as a Christian, for discussion with others, and for teaching and preaching.

Group discussion, teaching, and preaching all involve speaking aloud, of course, and when the New Testament was written, even private reading was done aloud. Moreover, most authors dictated their material to a writing secretary, and books were ordinarily read aloud to an audience. In this commentary, then, I’ve avoided almost all abbreviations (which don’t come through as such in oral speech) and have freely used contractions that characterize speaking (we’ll, you’re, they’ve, and so on). To indicate emphasis in oral speech, italics also occur fairly often.

You’ll mostly have to make your own practical and devotional applications of the scriptural text. But such applications shouldn’t disregard or violate the meanings intended by the Scripture’s divinely inspired authors and should draw on the richness of those meanings. So I’ve interpreted them in detail. Bold print indicates the text being interpreted. Translations of the original Greek are my own. Because of the interpretations’ close attention to detail, my translations usually, though not always, gravitate to the literal and sometimes produce run-on sentences and other nonstandard, convoluted, and even highly unnatural English. Square brackets enclose intervening clarifications, however, plus words in English that don’t correspond to words in the Greek text but do need supplying to make good sense. (As a language, Greek has a much greater tendency than English does to omit words meant to be supplied mentally.) Seemingly odd word-choices in a translation get justified in the following comments. It needs to be said as well that the very awkwardness of a literal translation often highlights features of the scriptural text obscured, eclipsed, or even contradicted by loose translations and paraphrases.

Literal translation also produces some politically incorrect English. Though brothers often includes sisters, for example, sisters doesn’t include brothers. Similarly, masculine pronouns may include females as well as males, but not vice versa. These pronouns, brothers, and other masculine expressions that on occasion are gender-inclusive correspond to the original, however, and help give a linguistic feel for the male-dominated culture in which the New Testament originated and which its language reflects. Preachers, Bible study leaders, and others should make whatever adjustments they think necessary for contemporary audiences but should not garble the text’s intended meaning.

Out of respect for your abilities so far as English is concerned, I’ve not dumbed down the vocabulary used in translations and interpretations. Like the translations, interpretations are my own. Rather than reading straight through, many of you may consult the interpretation of an individual passage now and then. So I’ve had to engage in a certain amount of repetition. To offset the repetition and keep the material in bounds, I rarely discuss others’ interpretations. But I’ve not neglected to canvass them in my research.

On the theological front, the commentary is unabashedly evangelical, so that my prayers accompany this volume in support of all you who strive for faithfulness to the New Testament as the word of God.

Robert Gundry

Revelation

This book is also called the Apocalypse (Greek for uncovering). It reveals, or uncovers, things otherwise hidden from human beings—namely, the true state of present affairs in the world and in certain churches that are addressed, and also what’s going to happen to them and the world in the future. The predictive element has the purpose, not of satisfying idle curiosity, but of encouraging Christians to resist worldly allurements and antagonism, including persecution to the point of martyrdom. The extravagant figures of speech used throughout Revelation typify apocalyptic style and may sound strange to modern ears, but they convey the cosmic proportions of described events far more effectively than prosaic language could ever do (compare the exaggerated figures in current cartoons, which moderns readily accept and understand). Early church tradition identifies John, the author according to 1:4, with the apostle of that name. Though John records multiple visions that he had, his book is called Revelation (singular), not Revelations (plural).

INTRODUCTION

Revelation 1:1–8

The introduction to Revelation contains a superscription (1:1–2), a blessing on the public reader and his audience (1:3), a greeting (1:4–5a), a doxology (1:5b–6), and a statement of theme (1:7–8).

1:1–2: The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his slaves the things that must happen with speed. Since Jesus will say in 22:16 that he sent his angel to testify these things to you [plural, for the audience], Jesus Christ passed on the revelation that God gave him (but see the comments on 22:16 for Jesus’ angel as his alter ego, as the angel of Lord is to the Lord in the Old Testament). To his slaves describes the Christian audience as belonging to God and as bound to obey his messages conveyed through Jesus Christ. (The translation servants softens too much the sense of divine possession and mastery.) Which God gave him to show . . . is reminiscent of God’s giving Jesus a variety of gifts throughout John’s Gospel (with a special concentration in chapter 17). The things which must happen echoes Daniel 2:28 and indicates that God is in control of the future, however bleak it may presently look. In view of 1:3 (For the time is near), with speed means soon. And he [God] signified [this revelation] by sending [it] through his angel to his slave John, ²who testified the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, [that is,] as many things as he saw [in visions that John will recount throughout this book]. John uses signified because it’s a verbal form of sign, which appears repeatedly in his Gospel and fits the symbolic language that characterizes Revelation. Through his angel is usually taken as a heavenly intermediary between Jesus and John, so that the revelation originated from God and was transmitted by Jesus through an angel to John. But the word for angel means messenger and often refers to a human rather than angelic messenger. Especially in chapter 10 Jesus will be portrayed as an angel-like messenger (compare the comments on John 1:51). Moreover, it’s Jesus, not some other kind of messenger, through whom God first sends a revelation to John (see 1:9–3:22; also the comments on 4:1); and no angel shows John anything till 17:1. It seems, then, that Jesus is God’s messenger through whom God signified Revelation. As God’s slave, John performed the duty of testifying God’s word. But since Jesus is the Word of God (see 1:9; 19:13; John 1:1, 18; 10:35 with comments), John testified to Jesus’ being that Word: the word of God is the Word who is God speaking. Similarly, "the testimony of Jesus Christ" is the testimony who is Jesus Christ testifying, the testimony being in synonymous parallelism with the Word, and of Jesus Christ being in synonymous parallelism with of God (compare 1 John 5:20 for John’s equating Jesus Christ with God). In this book, then, John testifies to the testimony whom he saw. "To as many things as he saw" gives assurance that he left nothing out.

1:3: Fortunate [is] the person who reads [this book aloud to a congregation of Christians] and [fortunate are] those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep [= heed] the things written in it, for the time is near! The Word of God (1:2) will speak words; and these words will constitute a prophecy, which consists in preaching and predicting. The preaching will concentrate in chapters 2–3, the predicting in the remaining chapters. To read, hear, and keep the words is to be fortunate because the time of their fulfillment is near; and to be informed ahead of time gives opportunity and reason to prepare.

1:4–5a: John to the seven churches in Asia [a Roman province in western Asia Minor]. Grace [will be] to you and peace from he who is and he who was and he who is coming, and from the seven Spirits that are within sight of his throne, ⁵aand from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness [= testifier], the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. The address makes Revelation a kind of long letter to churches in Asia. Though the churches are local, their being seven in number—seven being a number of completeness, as in the seven days of creation (Genesis 1:1–2:3)—makes these churches representative of churches everywhere. For the meanings of grace and peace and for supplying a confident will be rather than a wishful be, see the comments on 2 John 3. John writes "from he who is instead of a grammatically correct from him who is. The bad grammar produces a divine title (he who is) that alludes to the divine title I AM in Exodus 3:14 (compare John 8:58). Similarly, from . . . he who was produces a divine title referring to God’s existence throughout eternity past. But instead of an expected from . . . he who will be, John writes from . . . he who is coming for a reference to the second coming as an introduction to the eternal future. But the second coming, described at length in 19:11–16, will feature Jesus, whereas the present part of John’s greeting features God. Jesus is the Word who is God, however (see the comments on 1:2), so that their oneness with each other (John 10:30; 17:11, 21–22) means that God comes when Jesus comes (compare John 14:23). Is coming" portrays this future event as so sure to take place that it might as well be happening right now.

Ancient Greek manuscripts don’t distinguish between capital and small letters of the alphabet. So the distinction in English translation is a matter of interpretation. Because the spirits are seven in number, other translations leave spirits uncapitalized. As a whole, though, the greeting in 1:4–5a looks Trinitarian, with Jesus Christ put third to allow for a number of additions relating to him. So we should capitalize Spirits and understand John to mean the Holy Spirit distributed in his wholeness to each of the seven churches in Asia and hence representatively to all churches. Within sight of his throne underlines the intimate association of the seven Spirits with God, who sits on the throne.

Completing the Trinity is Jesus Christ. The faithful witness anticipates 3:14 and alludes to 1:2: the testimony of Jesus Christ, which meant not only the testimony that he gave but also the testimony that he is, just as the word of God meant not only the word that God speaks but also the Word that God is (see the comments on 1:2). In speaking the words of God as God’s Word, Jesus testified throughout John’s Gospel (see John 8:14 for an example). And in his testimony he was faithful to the point of death (see John 18:37 in the context of his trial and crucifixion; compare Revelation 2:10 and especially 2:13). The faithfulness of Jesus’ past testimony makes believable what he’ll now testify according to the book of Revelation. The firstborn of the dead means that he was the first to resurrect from the dead never to die again (compare 1 John 5:20). But since firstborn sons traditionally got the lion’s share of an inheritance, firstborn of the dead also means first in rank over those who have yet to be resurrected. The ruler of the kings of the earth assures Christians that despite past, current, and coming persecution at the hands of those kings, Jesus Christ maintains sovereignty over them and will someday subdue them. (Nero’s brutal persecution of Christians in Rome loomed in memory, for example.) Though Jesus’ kingdom isn’t from this world (John 18:36), he’ll impose it on the earth (Revelation 19:11–22:5).

1:5b–6: To him who loves us and released us from our sins by his blood—⁶and he made us [into] a kingdom, [into] priests for his God and Father—to him [belong] the glory and the might [= sovereignty] forever and ever [literally, unto the ages of the ages, that is, for an unending succession of ages]. Amen! Us refers to John and his audience of fellow Christian believers. For Jesus’ loving believers in him, see especially 3:9; John 13:1, 34; 15:9, 12. But there Jesus refers to his loving believers by dying for their salvation. Here John refers to Jesus’ ongoing love for believers, which will lead him to deliver them from their persecutions. Released us from our sins implies that our sins had hold of us, as though we were their slaves. By his blood tells the price of our release (compare 5:9; 7:14; 12:11; John 6:53–56; 19:34; 1 John 1:7; 5:6–8). Blood points up the sacrificial character of Jesus’ death (see Hebrews 9:22 with comments). And he made us [into] a kingdom alludes to Exodus 19:6 but doesn’t mean he rules over us (though that may be true in other contexts). It means, rather, that we share his rule with him, as will become apparent upon his return (1:9; 5:10; 20:4–6; 22:5). And he made us . . . [into] priests for God continues the allusion to Exodus 19:6 and adds to the privilege of ruling with Jesus the privilege of leading in the worship of God. There’s a contrast with worldly kingdoms and priests who lead in the worship of divinized but earthly kings, such as the emperor, as well as of pagan gods. Priesthoods of this sort were eagerly sought and bought. Jesus’ blood has bought our priesthood for us. His God and Father confirms the Trinitarian cast of 1:4–6 and implies Jesus’ divine sonship over against the claim of Caesars to be divinized sons of God. (The coins of a Caesar were stamped with divi filius, Latin for God’s son.) But only to Jesus, the ruler of the kings of the earth (1:5a), belong the glory and the sovereignty claimed by Caesars and promoted by priests in charge of emperor worship. Unlike the Caesars’ supposed glory and sovereignty, that of Jesus will last throughout eternity. Amen adds an exclamation point to this truth, assuring as it is to the people of God.

1:7: Behold, he’s coming with the clouds [compare Daniel 7:13]; and every eye will see him, even those who as such pierced him [compare John 19:34, 37]; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves [on the chest] over him [compare Zechariah 12:10]. Yes! Amen! Behold calls special attention to the second coming, a climactic event. As the reference to piercing dictates, he who is coming is Jesus Christ, the dominant figure in 1:5–6. But who is coming described God the Father in 1:4. So because of their oneness, what is true of him is true also of Jesus (see the comments on 1:4). The present tense of is coming makes this future event as certain as a current event. Clouds accompany manifestations of deity (see the comments on Mark 13:26, for example), so that Jesus’ coming with the clouds signals his deity in union with God the Father. Up in the sky with the clouds as he comes, he’ll be visible to every eye (compare Matthew 24:23–30). Even those . . . who pierced him pluralizes the single soldier who pierced Jesus’ side in John 19:34. But since that solider was acting on behalf of the Jewish authorities to whom Pilate gave Jesus over for crucifixion (John 19:12–16), those . . . who pierced him refers to these Jews. Even and as such underscore Jesus’ victory over the ones most directly responsible for his death. All the tribes of the earth corresponds to every eye and includes many more than those who pierced Jesus. The tribes will beat themselves [on the chest] to lament his having been pierced (compare 18:9 for a similar lament over the fall of Babylon). John isn’t concerned to say whether the tribes lament in repentance (probably not, since only certain Jews had him pierced) or in despair over their coming judgment. The focus rests on lament as such to emphasize the injustice done to Jesus. This injustice parallels the injustices perpetrated on his followers, but his coming with the clouds forecasts a vindication for them like his vindication. Yes! is Greek. Amen! is Hebrew. Together they provide a twofold affirmation of the truth that Jesus is indeed coming with the clouds.

1:8: I am the alpha and the omega, says the Lord God, he who is and he who was and he who is coming, the Almighty. Since alpha and omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet, saying I am the alpha and the omega is like saying in English I am the A and the Z. In other words, the Lord God spans the alphabet from beginning to end (compare 21:6; 22:13)—a figurative way of saying what follows in prosaic language: he who is and he who was and he who is coming (for which see the comments on 1:4). This language described God the Father in 1:4 and therefore identifies the Lord God with him here too (as clearly also in 4:8; 21:22). Addition of the Almighty gives John’s audience assurance that despite their persecutions, the Lord God will prevail over the persecutors. He’s not only eternally existent. He’s also eternally powerful. So not to fear the Caesars or other worldly authorities—or Hekate, a goddess who was worshiped in Asia Minor (as well as elsewhere) and about whom remarkably similar things were said.

CHRIST THE ROYAL PRIEST TENDING SEVEN LAMPSTANDS AND HOLDING SEVEN STARS

Revelation 1:9–20

1:9: I John, your brother and fellow sharer in the affliction and kingdom and perseverance in Jesus, came to be in the island called Patmos [in the Aegean Sea thirty-seven miles southwest of Miletus, a port on the west coast of Asia Minor] because of the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus. Your brother means your fellow Christian. This self-designation and your . . . fellow sharer are designed to win from the audience a favorable hearing. At the same time, though, they reflect the close partnership Christians have with one another. (This use of brother appears often in John’s writings.) Literally, the affliction means the pressure and refers here to the pressure of persecution, as exemplified in John’s having come to be on the island called Patmos because of the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus, which means because of John’s preaching about the Word who is God and testifying about the Testimony who is Jesus (see the comments on 1:2). The association with the affliction . . . and perseverance points to Patmos as a place of exile because of John’s preaching. Furthermore, the affliction comes because Christians constitute a kingdom not of this world and opposed by the kingdom of the beast (1:6; 5:10; 11:15; 16:10; 17:12–18). But through sharing, true Christians persevere under the affliction because of the kingdom. In Jesus doesn’t tell the location of the affliction and kingdom and perseverance so much as it tells the location of John as a brother and fellow sharer. And this location in Jesus takes precedence over John’s location in the island called Patmos (compare believers’ abiding in Jesus though they’re in the world [John 15:1–7; 17:11; also 14:1–3, 20]).

1:10–11: I came to be in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day and heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet ¹¹saying, "Write in a scroll what you’re seeing and send [the scroll] to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Symrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." Whereas John had a continuous location in Jesus (1:9), he "came to be in the Spirit. That is to say, the Holy Spirit engulfed him so that he could see prophetic visions (compare being baptized in the Holy Spirit and worshiping God the Father in the Spirit [John 1:33; 4:23–24]). See also 19:10, which identifies the Testimony of Jesus with the Spirit of prophecy much as John 1:1 identifies the Word with God, so that taken together, these statements spell the Trinity. The Lord’s Day means Sunday, when Christians celebrated the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:20), and stands over against the Emperor’s Day, celebrated monthly in honor of the Caesar. (Lord’s and Emperor’s translate the same Greek word, but Lord’s fits a reference to Jesus whereas Emperor’s fits a reference to Caesar.) A loud voice connotes authority and calls for attention. As of a trumpet reinforces the loudness. Saying relates to the trumpet, as though it’s speaking, rather than to the voice and therefore adds further reinforcement. The command to write in a scroll" presses the point that Revelation comes from God through Jesus to John—and therefore through John, not just from John to the churches. So they’d better take heed. Their locations are listed, beginning with Ephesus (closest to Patmos) and then circling north and finally southeast.