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

Robert H. Gundry

• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Year: 2011
• Print ISBN: 9781441237767
• eBook ISBN: 9781441237767
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Commentary

Delve Deeper into God's Word

In this verse-by-verse commentary, Robert Gundry offers a fresh, literal translation and a reliable exposition of Scripture for today's readers.

The apostle John states that the purpose of Revelation is to reveal the person and power of Jesus Christ as well as his plan for the future. Revelation also illuminates the true state of present affairs in the world and in certain churches being addressed.

Pastors, Sunday school teachers, small group leaders, and laypeople will welcome Gundry's nontechnical explanations and clarifications. And Bible students at all levels will appreciate his sparkling interpretations.

This selection is from Gundry's Commentary on the New Testament.

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 Symr...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Revelation
• Notes
• Back Cover