Holman New Testament Commentary - Revelation

Kendell H. Easley, Max Anders

• Publisher: Holman Reference
• Year: 1999
• ISBN:
  9781433674204
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Commentary

One in a series of twelve New Testament verse-by-verse commentary books edited by Max Anders. Includes discussion starters, teaching plan, and more. Great for lay teachers and pastors alike.

Revelation 1

Jesus Among His Churches

I. INTRODUCTION

J. R. R. Tolkien's Fantasy Fiction

II. COMMENTARY

A verse-by-verse explanation of the chapter.

III. CONCLUSION

Portraits of Jesus

An overview of the principles and applications from the chapter.

IV. LIFE APPLICATION

What Does Jesus Look Like?

Melding the chapter to life.

V. PRAYER

Tying the chapter to life with God.

VI. DEEPER DISCOVERIES

Historical, geographical, and grammatical enrichment of the commentary.

VII. TEACHING OUTLINE

Suggested step-by-step group study of the chapter.

VIII. ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION

Zeroing the chapter in on daily life.

“When Aragorn arose all that beheld him gazed
in silence, for it seemed to them that he was
revealed to them now for the first time. Tall as the
sea-kings of old, he stood above all that were near;
ancient of days he seemed and yet in the flower of
manhood; and wisdom sat upon his brow, and
strength and healing were in his hands, and a light
was about him. And then Faramir cried: “Behold the
King!”

J.R.R.Tolkien,

The Lord of the Rings

Revelation begins with a formal prologue that introduces the author and theme. Then John launches into a description of his first vision: “I heard a loud voice telling me to write. Next, I saw that the speaker was a glorious figure almost beyond my ability to describe. It was the exalted Jesus, so I fell down and worshiped him.”

Jesus Among His Churches

I. INTRODUCTION

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J. R. R. Tolkien's Fantasy Fiction

Back in the 1970s when I was in my early twenties, I discovered J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. It became my favorite literary fantasy. I've returned to it again and again, even reading it aloud to my ten-year-old son, a project that took a year.

The marvelous land of Middle Earth, threatened by the power of a vile overlord, can only be saved by the daring deeds of a few noble hobbits. If you do not know what hobbits are, you are missing out on the most delightful fictional creatures in all literature. Unknown to the hobbits, they are helped on their quest by the true king of Middle Earth working undercover. The hobbits think of him as Strider, the humble Ranger, who roves the land homeless and seemingly friendless.

In the great climactic battle at the end of the age, good is engulfed by evil until the last hair-raising moment. Frodo the hobbit performs a heroic deed. Darkness turns to light. Finally, Aragorn the King is revealed in all his splendor. This excerpt suggests that Tolkien knew the true King of kings. He knew that human history is all about a real battle between good and evil. He knew that the true King has not yet been revealed in his splendor, but will one day.

Tolkien's fiction works because it is based on a true understanding of God's power and the ultimate victory of God and good. The Book of Revelation is the divinely inspired portrait of good engulfed by evil until good prevails at the end. Finally, the real King, Jesus, is revealed. What Tolkien presented in fiction, John presents in reality. Only when we understand the message of the Book of Revelation do the earlier parts of the New Testament—which emphasize the King incognito—fit into proper perspective.

II. COMMENTARY

MAIN IDEA: The exalted Lord Jesus, who walks spiritually among his churches, gave John a revelation of himself that focuses on his certain glorious return.

The first eight verses of Revelation are a formal literary prologue. They introduce the author and the theme. These verses, along with 22:6–21, are the most epistle-like parts of the book. Read 1:1–8 and then go immediately to 22:6–21 to get the effect. The rest of the book is a series of four great visions that John received. Vision one begins in Revelation 1:9 with an opening scene showing Jesus in wonderfully symbolic appearance. The rest of the first vision takes up chapters 2–3 which comprise seven short notes that Christ dictated to John addressed to each of seven congregations in the Roman province of Asia.

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Prologue

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Introduction (1:1–3)

SUPPORTING IDEA: This book is prophecy that Jesus reveals to John for him to record. God will bless all who obey its teachings.

These verses are the “title page” for Revelation. Like the title page for modern books, the name of the work (The Revelation of Jesus Christ) and the author's name (John) appear. What is unusual for any book, ancient or modern, is the promise of blessing for those who read and obey the work.

1:1. The phrase of Jesus Christ can be translated “from Jesus Christ” (source), or “about Jesus Christ” (content), or “belonging to Jesus Christ” (possession). Although all are true of the book as a whole, possession fits best, especially in light of the words that follow: which God gave him. Nobody else owns this revelation. It uniquely belongs to Jesus, not to angels or other human beings, and he is pleased to reveal matters to his servants. This word means “slaves” or “bond-servants,” those owned by another, a common New Testament word applied to Christians. Jesus owns his people just as surely as he owns his revelation.

What must soon take place must be understood from the perspective of heaven rather than earth. With God, a thousand years is only a day (2 Pet. 3:8). This means that the events described in Revelation were written down less than two days ago! If they do not come to pass for another two or three days, that will still be “soon.” Jesus used a revealing angel to communicate part of the revelation to his servant John (for example, see Rev. 19:9), who describes himself, too, as a “slave” or “bondservant.” The line of communication may be simply illustrated:

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God→ Jesus → angel→ John→ servants

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1:2. This verse shows the authority and inspiration of Revelation in the strongest terms. John uses the language of a legal witness called to appear in a courtroom. His role is simply one who reliably testifies to everything he saw. This is John's way of affirming that the book is “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” Here also he gives two subtitles to his book: the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Christians call the entire Bible the Word of God; the Book of Revelation self-consciously claims this for itself. The noun testimony is closely related to the verb testifies. We are to think of two courtroom witnesses to the truth of the message: Jesus himself and John. In modern title-page format, then, we have the following:

Figure 1.1—“Title Page” for Revelation

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THE REVELATION
BELONGING TO JESUS CHRIST
the Word of God and
the Testimony from Jesus Christ
written by his Slave John
written for Jesus' Slaves

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1:3. The initiative for the book is not found in earth, but in heaven. The risen Jesus granted John four spectacular visions that he was instructed to record and send to the persecuted Christians of Asia. John was certainly aware of the importance and authority of what he wrote. He promises divine blessings for faithful obedience to the book's teachings. These blessings apply to every generation of Jesus' followers who read and heed. This is the first of seven times blessed is proclaimed in the book (see also 14:13; 16:15; 19:9, 20:6; 22:7,14). It means “how fortunate” or “oh, the joy of.” Jesus used it repeatedly in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:3–10). Three activities are recommended: to read, to hear, and to take to heart. The setting implied is a local congregation. In a time of little literacy, one oral reader (he who reads) addressed many listeners (those who hear it). Both reader and hearers are to obey (take to heart what is written). This verb can also be translated “keep” or “observe.” Jesus used the same verb in John 14–15 in reference to keeping the commands of the Father (for example, John 14:15; 15:10). The time is near because these events “must soon take place.”

The message of Revelation is called a prophecy, which means we should think of it as a “forth telling” of God's will (direction) as well as a “fore telling” (prediction). In Revelation 22, John calls his book a prophecy four more times: 22:7,10,18,19. See “Deeper Discoveries” for a further discussion of this word and the word revelation (apocalypsis in Greek).

Greetings and Praise to Jesus (1:4–8)

SUPPORTING IDEA: Jesus is worthy of all praise because of who he is and what he has done, and his Second Coming will be glorious and public, because the Lord God Almighty will make it happen.

1:4. This verse reminds us of Paul's and Peter's epistles by following the ancient letter-writing customs. First the authors name themselves; then they mention the addressees; then they give a greeting. This is more efficient than modern conventions that require writers to wait until the end of the letter to name themselves. Because the seven churches in the province of Asia are individually mentioned in chapters 2 and 3, we will discuss the individual cities there.

Grace and peace to you had become a standard Christian greeting by the time John wrote. Grace (“unconditional and undeserved kindness”) is the great privilege of the Christian age. The Book of Revelation begins and ends with grace (see 22:21), as do all thirteen letters of Paul, but the word grace occurs nowhere else in Revelation. Peace (wholeness and well-being) was the great privilege of the Old Testament age (Num. 6:26), in Hebrew, shalom. Christians share in all the blessings God has to offer.

The source of these blessings is the Father, the Spirit, and the Son. Here is striking early...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Full Title
• Copyright
• Table of Contents
• Editor Preface
• Holman Old Testament Commentary Contributor
• Holman New Testament Commentary
• Author Preface
• Introduction
• Revelation 1
• Revelation 2
• Revelation 3
• Revelation 4
• Revelation 5
• Revelation 6
• Revelation 7
• Revelation 8
• Revelation 9
• Revelation 10
• Revelation 11
• Revelation 12
• Revelation 13
• Revelation 14
• Revelation 15
• Revelation 16
• Revelation 17
• Revelation 18
• Revelation 19
• Revelation 20
• Revelation 21
• Revelation 22
• Glossary
• For Further Study
• Detailed Outline The Revelation of Jesus Christ