by Lane Rogers,


The Book of Revelation, Chapter One ________________


The Revelation of Jesus Christ


Lord of the Truth___1:1-8


1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,2who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.3Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.


A. Verse 1___The word "revelation."

ἀπο-κάλυψις (apo-kalupsis, 602), -εως, ἡ, (ἀποκαλύπω, q. V.), an uncovering;
1. prop. a laying bare, making naked (1 S. xx. 30).
2. tropically, in Ν. Τ. and eccl. language [see end],
a. a disclosure of truth, instruction, concerning divine things before unknown — esp. those relating to the Christian salvation — given to the soul by God himself, or by the ascended Christ, esp. through the operation of the Holy Spirit (1 Co. ii. 10), and so to be distinguished from other methods of instruction; hence, κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν γνωρίζεσθαι, Eph. iii. 3. πνεῦμα ἀποκαλύψεως, a spirit received from God disclosing what and how great are the benefits of salvation, Eph. i. 17, cf. 18. with gen. of the obj., τοῦ μυστηρίου, Ro. xvi. 25. with gen. of the subj., κυρίου, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, 2 Co. xii. 1 (revelations by ecstasies and visions, [so 7]); Gal. i. 12; Rev. i. 1 (revelation of future things relating to the consummation of the divine kingdom); κατ᾽ ἀποκάλυψιν, Gal. ii. 2; λαλεῖν ἐν ἀποκ. to speak on the ground of [al. in the form of] a revelation, agreeably to a revelation received, 1 Co. xiv. 6; equiv. to ἀποκεκαλυμμένον, in the phrase ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχειν, 1 Co. xiv. 26.
b. equiv. to τὸ ἀποκαλύπτεσθαι as used of events by which things or states or persons hitherto withdrawn from view are made visible to all, manifestation, appearance, cf. ἀποκαλύπτω, 2. d. and e.: φῶς εἰς ἀποκάλ. ἐθνῶν a light to appear to the Gentiles [al. render “a light for a revelation (of divine truth) to the Gentiles,” and so refer the use to a. above], Lk. ii. 32; ἀποκ. δικαιοκρισίας θεοῦ, Ro. ii. 5; τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ θεοῦ, the event in which it will appear who and what the sons of God are, by the glory received from God at the last day, Ro. viii. 19; τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ, of the glory clothed with which he will return from heaven, 1 Pet. iv. 13; of this return itself the phrase is used ἀποκάλυψις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰ. Χριστοῦ: 2 Th. i. 7; 1 Co. i. 7; 1 Pet. i. 7, 13. (Among Grk. writ. Plut. uses the word once, Cat. maj. c. 20, of the denudation of the body, [also in Paul. Aemil. 14 ἀ. ὑδάτων; in Quomodo adul. ab amic. 32 ἀ. ἁμαρτίας; cf. Sir. xi. 27; xxii. 22 etc. See Trench § xciv. and reff. s. v. ἀποκαλύπτω, fin.])*

If we notice the word above, ἀποκαλύπω is a cognate, meaning it is one word made of two. The preposition "apo" is from or away from. kalupsis is to cover, but in this case combined with apo, it is to remove the cover, in order that  what was once covered up has now been uncovered or the cover taken away. To some extent the translation of the word "revelation" has done an injustice since it does not exactly carry the meaning of the word apocalypsis.  The earliest use of the term "revelation" as opposed to "apocalypsis" was in 1303 by R. Brunno.

The Revelation is concerned with unveiling the will and purpose of the living God. How was the unveiling accomplished? John's next phrase tells us how! It was given by none other than "Jesus Christ." If we keep on reading, the ultimate source of the revelation was "God the Father."

In light of modern culture, the next phrase is important. The things written in this book " must soon take place."

mτάχος (tachos 5034)
quickly
quickness, swiftness, speed (here, Dative).Reference(s)

In phrases:
ἐν τάχει (en 1722 tachei) quickly; with speed.
ἐν (en 1722) in
τάχει (tachei) swiftnessust soon take place

The things that John was writing in this letter were to take place "quickly" and with speed. We are 2000 years from the original penning of this letter. No modern interpretation fits the grammar ( see below). Particularly "must shortly come to pass." Notice all the aorist tense verbs.

The Revelation (αποκαλυψις). Late and rare word outside of N.T. (once in Plutarch and so in the vernacular Koine), only once in the Gospels (Lu 2:32 ), but in LXX and common in the Epistles (2 Th 1:7 ), though only here in this book besides the title, from αποκαλυπτω, old verb, to uncover, to unveil. In the Epistles αποκαλυψις is used for insight into truth (Eph 1:17 ) or for the revelation of God or Christ at the second coming of Christ (2 Th 1:7; 1 Pe 1:7 ). It is interesting to compare αποκαλυψις with επιφανεια (2 Th 2:8 ) and φανερωσις (1 Co 12:7 ). The precise meaning here turns on the genitive following.

Of Jesus Christ (Ιησου Χριστου). Hort takes it as objective genitive (revelation about Jesus Christ), but Swete rightly argues for the subjective genitive because of the next clause.

Gave him (εδωκεν αυτο). It is the Son who received the revelation from the Father, as is usual ( Joh 5:20f.,26 , etc.).

To show (δειξα). First aorist active infinitive of δεικνυμ, purpose of God in giving the revelation to Christ.

Unto his servants (τοις δουλοις αυτου). To believers in general, and not just to officials. Dative case. God's servants (or Christ's).

Must shortly come to pass (δε γενεσθα εν ταχε). Second aorist middle infinitive of γινομα with δε. See this same adjunct (εν ταχε) in  Lu 18:8; Ro 16:20; Re 22:6 . It is a relative term to be judged in the light of  2 Pe 3:8  according to God's clock, not ours. And yet undoubtedly the hopes of the early Christians looked for a speedy return of the Lord Jesus. This vivid panorama must be read in the light of that glorious hope and of the blazing fires of persecution from Rome since that is the context.

Sent and signified (εσημανεν αποστειλας). "Having sent (first aorist active participle of αποστελλω,  Mt 10:16  and again in  Re 22:6  of God sending his angel) signified" (first aorist active indicative of σημαινω, from σημα, sign or token, for which see  Joh 12:33; Ac 11:28 ). See  12:1  for σημειον, though σημαινω (only here in the Apocalypse) We are told "up front" that this is a book of symbols and is not to be read completely literally.

By his angel (δια του αγγελου αυτου). Christ's angel as Christ is the subject of the verb εσημανεν, as in 22:16 Christ sends his angel, though in  22:6  God sends.

Unto his servant John (τω δουλω αυτου Ιωανε). Dative case. John gives his name here, though not in Gospel or Epistles, because "prophecy requires the guarantee of the individual who is inspired to utter it" (Milligan). "The genesis of the Apocalypse has now been traced from its origin in the Mind of God to the moment when it reached its human interpreter" (Swete). "Jesus is the medium of all revelation" (Moffatt).

1. This communication was by an angel.

2. John is a "bond servant."

B. Verse 2___John actually "saw" the things of Christ.

C. Verse 3___These writings are "prophecy."

προφητεία (prophēteia 4394)
1. prophecy [noun] -ies
a speaking forth, prophetic declarations, exhortations, warnings, uttered by the prophets while under divine influence, and referring either to the past, present, or future

2. prophesying [noun]

3. prophecy (the gift of)
a prophecy, that which is uttered forth by the prophet; also, the prophetic rank or work, the office or gift of a prophet.

To read more about prophecy see (Here)


This is the "first of seven beatitudes in the book of Revelation.

1. Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things which are written therein; for the time is "at hand." (1:3)

2. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from hence forth; yes says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them. (14:13)

3. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. (16:15)

4. 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb '" And he said to me, "These are true words of God."(19:9)

5. 'Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.(20:6)

6. 'Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book." (22:7)

7. 'Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. (22:14)

D. John declared that "the one who reads these things is blessed. Not only the one who reads but the one who hears." This is the backdrop of the Jewish Synagogue and this "reading and hearing" was later retained in the Christian Assembly.

E. John said " the time is near" or 2000 years ago the time was near. So many people today read their Bibles and skip the entire history of the world and make every passage apply directly to themselves as if it never had a meaning to the original recipients. In verse 1, John said the time is "at hand," then he tells us the time was "near . " Near to John was over 2000 years ago.


JOHN'S GREETINGS TO THE CONGREGATIONS OF ASIA 1:4-8


4John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood--6and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father--to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 7BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.8"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."


A. Verse 4__The Revelation has now left heaven and is on earth. This is written to 7 historical congregations in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). It is from the "Living God, in Christ." These congregations were probably selected to symbolize "all the congregations" in general. Notice the centrality of their locations.





This salutation is from the Godhead:

A. From the Almighty Father. (4-8)
B. From the Holy Spirit.  (4)
C. From Jesus Christ. (5-7).

I think that the term "seven Spirits", (realizing the meaning of the number is hardly ever literal), is just another way of say the "Holy Spirit."

B. Verse 5___This is a Messianic title for Jesus (Ps. 89:37) Christ is a faithful witness because He was the medium of the revelation.

1. Jesus is the "first born from the dead" and this is also used by Paul in Col. 1:18. The implications are that others to be born from the dead will follow.

2. Jesus is the person who rules over all the kings of the earth. (See Daniel chapter 2.) If you remember, YHWH makes that claim. 

3. Jesus loves us and (2000 years ago) released us from our sins." Better translated, "the one loving us and having loosed us out of our sins by His blood." This is aorist tense participle.( A one time action of the past.)  We were "loosed" from our sins.

C. Verse 6___Here are some of the results of being "loosed from our sins. "

1. He (Jesus) Made us a kingdom. This may be a really hard concept for some but the kingdom was 2000 years ago. Those to whom this letter was written were part of the kingdom.(Read Here about the Kingdom)

2. He made us priests. In the OT, the office of the priest was a limited position held by only the selected. In the NT, all members of the kingdom are priest. We do not need the OT priesthood or the Roman Catholic priesthood. The distinction between clergy and laity is abolished.

D. Verse 7___Jesus will return and when He does all things will end. This is the judgment language of Matthew 24:30 and Daniel 7:13. "Jesus is coming in the clouds" is judgment. While the literal reading is that "those who pierced Him" will be the primary recipients of His wrath, the rest of the verse tells us it is "all" the tribes of the earth being address since they will all be sorry. This picture represents men beating on their chests and wailing in sorrow when the Lord returns.

E. Verse 8___The alpha and omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet. Jesus is the absolute first and last.


A Review Vs. 1-8

Verse 1. The revelation is from Jesus Christ as Lord of the Truth.

Lord of Church, Lord of Creation, Lord of History, and Lord of the Future.

Verse 2. John was an eye-witness to the life events of Jesus.

Verse 3. The biblical doctrine of hearing needs a great deal of attention. HEARING in both the OT and the NT means obedience (as in heed) and not some intellectual enterprise.

Verse 4. The 7 churches were real historical congregations.

Verse 5. The Jesus of history is here related to the Christ of faith by John's memory (faithful witness), to the resurrection (firstborn of the dead), to Lordship (ruler of kings of the earth), to love, to atonement for sin by His blood.

Verse 6. The use of "basileia" or kingdom tells us that the kingdom is people and not a building.

Verse 7. "He Comes with Clouds" tells us that there will be judgment.

Verse 8. "I am the Alpah and Omega" implies God's lordship over creation.




The Patmos Vision

9I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.10I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,11saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."12Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;13and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.14His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.15His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.16In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.17When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,18and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.19"Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.20"As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.


A. Verse 9___ There is a sense of love and friendship in this address. John relates to himself as their:

1. "brother" and a

2."partner"

3. "in the tribulation"

4."and kingdom"

5." and the perseverance"

John was on the Island of Patmos when he penned this letter. That is about 28 miles south, southwest of Samos. We do not know if John was put there by the Roman authorities or if John imposed a "self banishment." What we do know is that the Christians were under persecution, and John states that that he was included in the persecution. He was a partner in the "tribulation." Further, John was in the kingdom with his partners. Once again, the kingdom existed 2000 years ago. John is also a partner in perseverance. John is determined to survive.

B. Verse 10__ John writes in the "Spirit of the Lord's Day." The Lord's Day only is mentioned 3 times in the Bible. This is not the "Lord's Day" or judgment as some claim. II Thess. 2:2 is "The Day of the Lord" and not "The Lord's Day." This is the standard phrase in the NT for the "first day of the week." (mia ton sabbaton.) This same term is found in 1st Cor. 11:20 concerning the Lord's Supper. The word "Spirit" in most versions is capitalized since the Holy Spirit is active in this revelation.

C. Verse 11___The voice spoke directly to John and commanded him to "write" ___the things he saw on a scroll___(biblion, not a book).

D. Verse 12___John now turns to the speaker or source who had entered into a conversation with him. After he turns, he sees in a single veiw seven golden lamp stands___the imagery is taken from the OT and the Tabernacle, (Ex.25:31).

E. Verse 13___John declares that he saw one standing in the middle of the lampstands, and this "royal person" was like "the son of man." Bible students recognize this term from the book of Daniel (Dan. 7:13). This is one of the Messianic titles for Jesus and no other. With beautiful language John describes the Messiah.

1. The garments which clothe Him reach from head to foot.

2. This is a robe of honor and symbolizes a person of the highest standing.

3. The phrase perizosmenon--mastos, means a priestly garment.

4. The priest was bound at the breasts with a golden girdle.

5. There can be no doubt that we are speaking about the priestly functions of Christ.

F. Verse 14___The verse continues with the descriptions of "one like the son of man." (Daniel 10:16). John is describing Daniel's Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:9). He uses terms suggesting the pre-existing Christ of John 1:1. The symbols of purity dance on the stage of this drama. The Ancient of Days is set upon the human drama of sin and salvation. The next phrase was used over 700 years before it was uttered on the Island of Patmos. Daniel said " His eyes were lamps of fire" (Daniel 10:6). The imagery probably relates to the eternal purity of "the Son of man."


G. Verse 15___ The source of the imagery is still Daniel. It is unknown what the term "burnished bronzed" means exactly, but this still fits the imagery of Daniel. For the next imagery, John reaches back to the Spirit inspired Scroll of Ezekiel 1:24, 43:2. Here the voice of many waters flows to the Island of Patmos and to John as it did the prophet from "beyond the Chebar (Ezekiel).


H. Verse 16___The one "Like the Son of Man" holds seven stars in His hand. Out of His mouth proceeds a two edged sword." This comes from Hebrews 4:12 and Rev. 19:15. The Two edged sword is the "Word of
God." This "Son of Man" is glorious. We are taken into the presence of God.


I. Verse 17-18___ Seeing "the Son of Man" was awe-inspiring. John "fell" as one dead. The one who held the "seven stars" now stretches forth to show mercy. "Fear not. I was dead, and now am alive eternally." This is Jesus Christ. Further, we are told that Jesus alone controls the realm of the dead. It is Jesus who controls death and Hades.


J. Verse 19___Once again, John is told to "write." But what was he to write? He was to record "instantly" the things which he saw and the things which were present and the things of the future.


K. Verse 20__We are told what the mystery of the seven stars and the seven golden lampstands means. Christ identifies the "seven stars" as the angels of the seven churches, and the lampstands are the seven churches. While the Roman Catholic church "claims" that the seven angels are the "bishops" of the congregations, that is impossible form a biblical point of view. In the Bible, congregations always have a plurality of bishops and never a single bishop.

The lampstands are specifically identified as the congregations.