Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Revelation 1:3
Blessed [is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time [is] at hand.
3. he that readeth, and they that hear ] Plainly the author of the Book, or of this endorsement of it, contemplates its being read publicly in the Church. The apostolic Epistles were thus read, first by the Churches to which they were addressed, then by others in the neighbourhood (Col 4:16): even the sub-apostolic Epistles of Clement and Polycarp, and the decidedly post-apostolic one of Soter, Bishop of Rome, were in like manner read in the churches that originally received them, or to which their authors belonged. In the course of the second century, both the Gospels and the apostolic Epistles came to be read in churches generally, as the Law and the Prophets had been read in the synagogues. In the time of Justin Martyr (Apol. I. 67), not to insist on 1Ti 5:18, 2Pe 3:16, it is plain that the New Testament Scriptures were thus recognised as sharing the authority and sanctity of the Old.
and keep those things ] Attend to them, mind them. He who reads and they who hear are only blessed if they do this; Joh 13:17; Mat 7:25 sq. The word is constantly used of ‘keeping’ the Law, the Commandments, &c., throughout the N. T.: but is commoner in all St John’s writings than in any other.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Blessed is he that readeth – That is, it is to be regarded as a privilege attended with many blessings, to be permitted to mark the disclosures to be made in this book; the important revelations respecting future times. Prof. Stuart supposes that this refers to a public reading, and that the phrase those who hear the words of this prophecy, refers to those who listened to the public reader, and that both the reader and hearer should regard themselves as highly favored. It is, however, more in accordance with the usual meaning of the word rendered read, to suppose that it refers to the act of ones reading for himself; to learn by reading. So Robinson (Lexicon) understands it. The Greek word, indeed, would bear the other interpretation (see Luk 4:16; Act 13:27; Act 15:21; 2Co 3:15); but as this book was sent abroad to be read by Christians, and not merely to be in the hands of the ministers of religion to be read by them to others, it is more natural to interpret the word in the usual sense.
And hear the words of this prophecy – As they shall be declared or repeated by others; or perhaps the word hear is used in a sense that is not uncommon, that of giving attention to; taking heed to. The general sense is, that they were to be regarded as highly favored who became acquainted in any way with what is here communicated. The writer does not say that they were blessed who understood it, or that they who read or heard it would fully understand it; but it is clearly implied, that there would be so far an understanding of its meaning as to make it a felicitous condition to have been made acquainted with it. An author could not be supposed to say that one should regard his condition as a favored one who merely heard words that he could not understand, or who had placed before him magnificent symbols that had to him no meaning. The word prophecy is used here in its more strict sense as denoting the disclosure of future events – a large portion of the book being of this nature. It is here synonymous with Revelation in Rev 1:1.
And keep those things which are written therein – Keep in mind those things which relate to the future; and obey those things which arc required as truth and duty. The blessing which results from having in possession the revealed truth of God is not merely in reading it, or in hearing it: it results from the fact that the truth is properly regarded, and exerts a suitable influence over our lives. Compare Psa 19:11; And in keeping of them there is great reward.
For the time is at hand – See Rev 1:1. The word used here – engus – has the same signification substantially as the word shortly in Rev 1:1. It would apply to any event whose beginning was soon to occur, though the end might be remote, for the series of events might stretch far into the future. It cannot be doubted, however, that the writer meant to press upon them the importance of attending to these things, from the fact that either entirely or in part these things were soon to happen. It may be inferred from this verse, that it is possible so to understand this book, as that it may convey useful instruction. This is the only book in the Bible of which a special blessing is pronounced on him who reads it; but assuredly a blessing would not be pronounced on the perusal of a book which is entirely unintelligible. While, therefore, there may be many obscurities in this book, it is also to be assumed that it may be so far understood as to be useful to Christians, in supporting their faith, and giving them elevated views of the final triumph of religion, and of the glory of the world to come. Anything is a blessing which enables us with well-founded hope and joy to look forward to the heavenly world.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. Blessed is he that readeth] This is to be understood of the happiness or security of the persons who, reading and hearing the prophecies of those things which were to come to pass shortly, took proper measures to escape from the impending evils.
The time is at hand.] Either in which they shall be all fulfilled, or begin to be fulfilled. See Clarke on Re 1:1.
These three verses contain the introduction; now the dedication to the seven Churches commences.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy: from hence is well concluded, that this is a portion of holy writ to be read publicly and privately, otherwise no blessing would have been pronounced to the readers or the hearers of it. It is also well from hence concluded, that this book is no history of things done, but a prediction of things to come to pass; for though prophecy in some scriptures signifieth more largely the revelation of the Divine will, yet here it must signify strictly.
And keep those things which are written therein; that keep it in memory, and live in view of it, and as persons that believe it; they are blessed, as they will from it be comforted, concerning all the sufferings of the church, and people of God.
For the time is at hand; the season for the accomplishment of these things is nigh, not past, but the time when they shall begin to happen is not very far off.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. he that readeth, and they thathearnamely, the public reader in Church assemblies, andhis hearers. In the first instance, he by whom John sent thebook from Patmos to the seven churches, read it publicly: a usagemost scriptural and profitable. A special blessing attends himwho reads or hears the apocalyptic “prophecy”with a view to keeping the things therein (as there is but onearticle to “they that hear and keep those things,” not twoclasses, but only one is meant: “they who not only hear, butalso keep those things,” Ro2:13); even though he find not the key to its interpretation, hefinds a stimulus to faith, hope, and patient waiting for Christ.Note: the term “prophecy” has relation to the human mediumor prophet inspired, here John: “Revelation” to theDivine Being who reveals His will, here Jesus Christ. God gave therevelation to Jesus: He by His angel revealed it to John, who was tomake it known to the Church.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Blessed [is] he that readeth,…. This book the Revelation, privately, in his closet or family, carefully and diligently, with a desire of understanding it; or publicly in the church of God, and endeavours open and explain it to others; and may allude to the reading of the law and the prophets in the synagogues, which were not barely read, but expounded; see Ac 13:15; and the rather this may be thought to be the sense of the words, since there is a change of number in the next clause,
and they that hear the words of this prophecy; that listen attentively to the reading and exposition of this book, and have ears to hear, so as to understand the prophecies contained in it: for the whole, when delivered to John, was a prophecy of things to come: but some versions read the number alike in both clauses; as either, “blessed is he that readeth, and he that heareth”, as the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions; or “blessed are they that read, and they that hear”, as the Arabic version:
and keep those things which are written therein; the last version adds, “concerning this frail world”; who not only read, and hear, but put in practice what they read and hear; for there are some things in this book which are of a practical nature, especially in the epistles to the seven churches; or the sense is, happy are those persons that observe, and take notice of what is written herein, and meditate upon them, and well weigh them in their minds, and retain them in their memories. Now, though eternal happiness does not depend upon, nor is procured by any of these means, as reading, hearing, and observing; yet there is a real happiness, a true pleasure, that does attend these things, which may stir up to a regard unto them; and for which purpose the following words are added:
for the time [is] at hand; when thee things should begin to be fulfilled.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Apostolic Benediction. | A. D. 95. |
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
We have here an apostolic benediction on those who should give a due regard to this divine revelation; and this benediction is given more generally and more especially.
I. More generally, to all who either read or hear the words of the prophecy. This blessing seems to be pronounced with a design to encourage us to study this book, and not be weary of looking into it upon account of the obscurity of many things in it; it will repay the labour of the careful and attentive reader. Observe, 1. It is a blessed privilege to enjoy the oracles of God. This was one of the principal advantages the Jews had above the Gentiles. 2. It is a blessed thing to study the scriptures; those are well employed who search the scriptures. 3. It is a privilege not only to read the scriptures ourselves, but to hear them read by others, who are qualified to give us the sense of what they read and to lead us into an understanding of them. 4. It is not sufficient to our blessedness that we read and hear the scriptures, but we must keep the things that are written; we must keep them in our memories, in our minds, in our affections, and in practice, and we shall be blessed in the deed. 5. The nearer we come to the accomplishment of the scriptures, the greater regard we shall give to them. The time is at hand, and we should be so much the more attentive as we see the day approaching.
II. The apostolic benediction is pronounced more especially and particularly to the seven Asian churches, v. 4. These seven churches are named in v. 11, and distinct messages sent to each of them respectively in the chapters following. The apostolic blessing is more expressly directed to these because they were nearest to him, who was now in the isle of Patmos, and perhaps he had the peculiar care of them, and superintendency over them, not excluding any of the rest of the apostles, if any of them were now living. Here observe,
1. What the blessing is which he pronounces on all the faithful in these churches: Grace and peace, holiness and comfort. Grace, that is, the good-will of God towards us and his good work in us; and peace, that is, the sweet evidence and assurance of this grace. There can be no true peace where there is not true grace; and, where grace goes before, peace will follow.
2. Whence this blessing is to come. In whose name does the apostle bless the churches? In the name of God, of the whole Trinity; for this is an act of adoration, and God only is the proper object of it; his ministers must bless the people in no name but his alone. And here, (1.) The Father is first named: God the Father, which may be taken either essentially, for God as God, or personally, for the first person in the ever-blessed Trinity, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and he is described as the Jehovah who is, and who was, and who is to come, eternal, unchangeable, the same to the Old-Testament church which was, and to the New-Testament church which is, and who will be the same to the church triumphant which is to come. (2.) The Holy Spirit, called the seven spirits, not seven in number, nor in nature, but the infinite perfect Spirit of God, in whom there is a diversity of gifts and operations. He is before the throne; for, as God made, so he governs, all things by his Spirit. (3.) The Lord Jesus Christ. He mentions him after the Spirit, because he intended to enlarge more upon the person of Christ, as God manifested in the flesh, whom he had seen dwelling on earth before, and now saw again in a glorious form. Observe the particular account we have here of Christ, v. 5. [1.] He is the faithful witness; he was from eternity a witness to all the counsels of God (John i. 18), and he was in time a faithful witness to the revealed will of God, who has now spoken to us by his Son; upon his testimony we may safely depend, for he is a faithful witness, cannot be deceived and cannot deceive us. [2.] He is the first-begotten or first-born from the dead, or the first parent and head of the resurrection, the only one who raised himself by his own power, and who will by the same power raise up his people from their graves to everlasting honour; for he has begotten them again to a lively hope by his resurrection from the dead. [3.] He is the prince of the kings of the earth; from him they have their authority; by him their power is limited and their wrath restrained; by him their counsels are over-ruled, and to him they are accountable. This is good news to the church, and it is good evidence of the Godhead of Christ, who is King of kings and Lord of lords. [4.] He is the great friend of his church and people, one who has done great things for them, and this out of pure disinterested affection. He has loved them, and, in pursuance of that everlasting love, he has, First, Washed them from their sins in his own blood. Sins leave a stain upon the soul, a stain of guilt and of pollution. Nothing can fetch out this stain but the blood of Christ; and, rather than it should not be washed out, Christ was willing to shed his own blood, to purchase pardon and purity for them. Secondly, He has made them kings and priests to God and his Father. Having justified and sanctified them, he makes them kings to his Father; that is, in his Father’s account, with his approbation, and for his glory. As kings, they govern their own spirits, conquer Satan, have power and prevalency with God in prayer, and shall judge the world. He hath made them priests, given them access to God, enabled them to enter into the holiest and to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices, and has given them an unction suitable to this character; and for these high honours and favours they are bound to ascribe to him dominion and glory for ever. [5.] He will be the Judge of the world: Behold, he cometh, and every eye shall see him, v. 7. This book, the Revelation, begins and ends with a prediction of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We should set ourselves to meditate frequently upon the second coming of Christ, and keep it in the eye of our faith and expectation. John speaks as if he saw that day: “Behold, he cometh, as sure as if you beheld him with your eyes. He cometh with clouds, which are his chariot and pavilion. He will come publicly: Every eye shall see him, the eye of his people, the eye of his enemies, every eye, yours and mine.” He shall come, to the terror of those who have pierced him and have not repented and of all who have wounded and crucified him afresh by their apostasy from him, and to the astonishment of the pagan world. For he comes to take vengeance on those who know not God, as well as on those that obey not the gospel of Christ. [6.] This account of Christ is ratified and confirmed by himself, v. 8. Here our Lord Jesus justly challenges the same honour and power that is ascribed to the Father, v. 4. He is the beginning and the end; all things are from him and for him; he is the Almighty; he is the same eternal and unchangeable one. And surely whoever presumes to blot out one character of this name of Christ deserves to have his name blotted out of the book of life. Those that honour him he will honour; but those who despise him shall be lightly esteemed.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Blessed (). As in Mt 5:3ff. This endorses the book as a whole.
He that readeth ( ). Present active singular articular participle of (as in Lu 4:16). Christians in their public worship followed the Jewish custom of public reading of the Scriptures (2Co 3:14f.). The church reader (, lector) gradually acquired an official position. John expects this book to be read in each of the seven churches mentioned (1:4) and elsewhere. Today the public reading of the Bible is an important part of worship that is often poorly done.
They that hear ( ). Present active plural articular participle of (the audience).
And keep ( ). Present active participle of , a common Johannine word (1Jo 2:4, etc.). Cf. Mt 7:24. “The content of the Apocalypse is not merely prediction; moral counsel and religious instruction are the primary burdens of its pages” (Moffatt).
Written (). Perfect passive participle of .
For the time is at hand ( ). Reason for listening and keeping. On see Mt 12:1, time of crisis as in 1Co 7:29. How near (at hand) is we do not know any more than we do about (shortly) in 1:1.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Blessed [] . See on Mt 5:3.
He that readeth [ ] . See on Luk 4:16. The Reader in the Church. See 2Co 3:14. They that hear, the congregation. The words imply a public, official reading, in full religious assembly for worship. The passage is of some weight in determining the date of this book. The stated reading of the Apostolical writings did not exist as a received form before the destruction of Jerusalem, A. D. 70.
And keep [ ] . The absence of the article from thrountev keeping (compare oiJ ajkountev they that hear), shows that the hearers and the keepers form one class. Threin to keep, is a peculiarly Johannine word, and is characteristic of Revelation as of the other writings in its own peculiar sense of “keeping” in the exercise of active and strenuous care, rather than of watching over to preserve. See on reserved, 1Pe 1:4.
Prophecy. See on prophet, Luk 7:26.
Which are written [ ] . Perfect participle, have been written, and therefore stand written.
The time [ ] . See on Mt 12:1.
At hand [] . Lit., near. See on shortly, verse. 1.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
Comment:
1) “Blessed is he that readeth,” (makarios ho anaginoskon) “Blessed or spiritually prosperous is the one who reads,” or the one reading; Reading tends to make a knowledgeable person, and knowledge is the seedbed of wisdom from God, Deu 17:19; Isa 34:16; Luk 4:16; 1Ti 4:13.
2) “And they that hear the words of this prophecy,” (kai hoi akouontes tous logous tes prophetess) “And those hearing or (giving heed to) the words of the prophecy”; For “faith cometh by hearing,” by hearing the word of God, Rom 10:17; Luk 14:35; Deu 18:15; Deu 18:19; Act 3:22-23; Heb 4:7. Men must take heed “what” and “how” they hear, Mar 4:34; Luk 8:18. For the one who hears obediently, responsively shall be blessed.
3) “And keep those things that are written therein,” (kai terountes ta en aute gegrammena) “And (spiritually prosperous) are those keeping, guarding, or paying attention to, the things having been written in it,” in the prophecy of this book. For, like the Old Testament, they are written to be reverenced, for our admonition, 1Co 10:11; Rev 22:14; Rev 22:16; Rev 22:18-19.
4) “For the time is at hand,” (ho gar kairos engus) “Because the time-season is near, or at hand,” applicable at this time or season; This is a time, a season of responsibility and accountability; for with the Revelation of Jesus Christ man is rendered without excuse, and perfectly, thoroughly furnished to every good work, Rom 2:1; 2Ti 3:16-17; 2Co 5:10-11.
Blessed is everyone who claims or lays hold on these trinitarian blessings – blessings available to – 1) the reader, 2) the header, and 3)the keeper or guarding one of these prophetic matters.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(3) Blessed is he that readeth. . . . prophecy.Any declaration of the principles of the divine government, with indications of their exemplification in coming history, is a prophecy. Sometimes the history which exemplifies these principles is immediate, sometimes more remote; in other cases (as, I venture to believe, is the case with the predictions of this book) the events are both immediate and remote. The prophecy gives us the rule, with some typical application illustrative of its method of working; after-history affords us the working out of various examples. We, then, as living actors in the world, have not only to read and hear, but to keepkeep in mind and action those principles which preside over the development of all human history (Jas. 1:22). The word keep is in itself a proof to me that the whole fulfilment of the Apocalypse could not have been exhausted in the earliest times, nor reserved to the latest times of the Churchs history, but that its predictions are applicable in all eras.
The time is at hand.In the apostolic mind this was always true, though the restless idleness of the Thessalonians was blamed (2Th. 2:2; 2Th. 3:11-12). The spirit of vigilance and of ever readiness for both the providential advents and the final advent of the Christ was enjoined. (Comp. Rom. 13:12; Jas. 5:9; 2Pe. 3:8-9.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Blessed A beautiful and solemn warning to his readers, both of his own and subsequent ages. At the same time, it expresses his own solemn reverence for his own work. Blessing and woe are dependent on the spirit in which the truths of this book are read and reduced to practice. [See malediction at Rev 22:18, with note.] Similar benedictions, with a blessed, recur in our Apocalypse, Rev 19:9; Rev 20:6; Rev 22:14. The nature of that blessedness to the apocalyptic conqueror appears by anticipation in Rev 2:7; Rev 2:11; Rev 2:17; Rev 3:5; Rev 3:12; Rev 3:21.
He that readeth they that hear One public reader and a congregation of hearers. See our vol. iii, p. 5. For beyond question our John expected that his apocalypsis would be received as a divine authority by his sevenfold circle of Churches, would be publicly read in the public congregation, would be deposited in their archives, and would be a thing of perpetuity until the great white throne of chap. 20 should appear. And so these seven Churches did receive it. They received it as the work of no other John in existence would be received.
Keep those things Square their lives according to their requirements. Awful is the weight with which our Seer presses his work upon the spirit and heart of his audience. No woe is, indeed, here announced; but the blessed is pronounced with a solemn implication that acceptance before the white throne is fearfully conditioned upon a deep obedience to the requisitions of the book that predicts its future appearance.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Blessed is he who reads, and they who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things which are written in it, for the time is at hand.’
The book was intended to be read to churches and a special blessing is promised to the one who does the reading and to those who receive its message and respond to it. Books to be read in church were those which were seen as the inspired word of God (later a clear distinction would certainly be made between books to be read in the churches because they were accepted as the word of God and those which could be read as spiritually useful but not the word of God). Thus John is claiming that this is the inspired word of God.
‘For the time is at hand.’ It is not a book just about the distant future. It is writing about something of imminent concern for the churches. It has present relevance for them, and its events will apply to their times and their lives.
John begins by describing the source of his revelation.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Rev 1:3 . Commendation of the book, which, to those who receive and keep it, may be a source of blessedness in the near impending and decisive time.
refers alone [529] to the participation in the kingdom of glory, which follows the conflict and tribulation of the preceding judgments, but not at the same time, [530] that the godly are to be preserved amid these judgments.
, . . . These are not, in spite of the change of singular and plural, to be regarded the same subject; [531] but by the . the public reader, and by the the hearing congregations, are designated. [532] This exposition is not “more tasteless,” but is far more natural, than that according to which [533] means, not simply “to hear,” but “to lend the ear of understanding.”
. . . . By this John names this book, [534] because what he is to publish in the same in writing ( . ) is a divine revelation, of which he as a prophet is the interpreter. [535]
By the mere hearing, of course, nothing is accomplished: hence John adds to what is said elsewhere only in Rev 22:7 : , . . . The is properly explained in conformity with its meaning by supplying mentally, “in their hearts;” [536] only, still further, that so far as what is written in the book contains, directly or indirectly, the commandments of fidelity, patience, etc., the additional relation which prevails in the combination . [537] results. [538]
. Foundation for the commendation of the book which has just been expressed: the time [539] which will bring blessedness to the faithful is at hand; [540] blessed, therefore, he who takes to heart the instruction here offered. [541] Notice here how in Rev 11:18 , Rev 22:10 , cf. Rev 12:12 ; Rev 12:14 , the expression is used, i.e., the fixed, expected point of time; while , on the other hand, is time in general, according to the conception of duration, and is otherwise more external and chronological. [542]
[529] According to Rev 19:9 , Rev 20:6 , Rev 22:14 . Cf. with Rev 2:7 ; Rev 2:11 ; Rev 2:17 ; Rev 2:26 , Rev 3:5 ; Rev 3:12 ; Rev 3:21 (Rev 14:15 ).
[530] Hengstb., Ebrard.
[531] Wolf, Ebrard. The comparison of Rev 1:7 , . and , is inapplicable, since in the very conception a plurality is presupposed.
[532] Beng., Ew., De Wette, Hengstb., Bleek, Stern [Beck].
[533] Cf. Rev 22:13 .
[534] Idem .
[535] Cf. Introduction, sec. 2.
[536] Pricus, Grot., Ewald, De Wette, etc.
[537] Cf. Rev 14:12 .
[538] Cf. in general my commentary on 1Jn 2:3 .
[539] Rev 11:18 .
[540] Cf. Rev 1:1 , .
[541] Cf. 1Pe 4:7 ; 1Pe 4:17 ; Rom 13:11 .
[542] Rev 6:11 , Rev 10:6 , Rev 20:3 . Cf. Lnemann on 1Th 5:1 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Ver. 3. Blessed is he that readeth ] sc. With attention, affection, application, and practice; as knowing that this book hath tot sacramenta, quot verba, so many words, so many mysteries (Jerome epist, ad Paulin.); and that these words are vivenda non legenda, not more to be read than to be lived, as one said once of the 119th Psalm. (Aegid. Abbas Norimberg.) Neither must we only live up to the words of this prophecy, but die for it also, and be content to be burned with it, if called thereto; as that holy martyr, who when he saw the Revelation cast into the fire with him, cried out, O beata Apocalypsis, quam bene mecum agitur qui tecum comburar! O blessed Revelation, how happy am I to be burned in thy company!
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3 .] Blessed is (or be , in the ordinary meaning of : not necessarily referring on to eternal blessedness, as Hengst.) he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy and observe the things written in it; for the time is near (it can hardly be reasonably denied that in the and the , the Apostle had in his mind the one public reader and the many hearers. Ebrard attempts to deny this, but it seems to me unsuccessfully. His instance of St. John’s passing from a singular to a plural, , , Rev 1:7 , would be applicable only if we had here . Considering that no such transition is elsewhere found, we can hardly escape the inference that it was intended. And so the great majority of Commentators: so Andreas (“plures uno legente possunt audire,” Gloss. ord.), Bed [2] (“doctores et auditores”), Lyra (“ qui legit , quantum ad doctores: qui audiunt , quantum ad discipulos”), &c.: Bengel (“unus, ille primum, per quem Johannes librum ex Patmo in Asiam misit, legebat publice in ecclesiis, et multi audiebant”), Ewald, Hengst., De Wette, Stern, Grber, &c. Others have explained the change of number variously: e. g., Beza, ex Hebraismo; Cotter (in Pool), “quia soli legimus, audimus conjuncti:” Ribera, “quoniam multo plures audiunt, quam legunt:” &c. If the words are to be understood as above, they form at least a solemn rebuke to the practice of the Church of England, which omits with one or two exceptions the whole of this book from her public readings. Not one word of the precious messages of the Spirit to the Churches is ever heard in the public services of a Church never weary of appealing to her Scriptural liturgies. Surely it is high time, that such an omission should be supplied. Notice that not three classes of persons, but two only, are here indicated: he that reads, and they that hear and do. Had there been an article before , these latter would have formed a separate class from the .
[2] Bede, the Venerable , 731; Bedegr, a Greek MS. cited by Bede, nearly identical with Cod. “E,” mentioned in this edn only when it differs from E.
The E. V. is right in the sense, in rendering ., ‘ this prophecy :’ it = . , ch. Rev 22:7 . are the several exhortations to repentance, faith, patience, obedience, prayer, watchfulness, stedfastness, which are scattered up and down in the prophecy. The time being near makes the book of the more importance, and the blessedness of reading and observing it greater. The nearness spoken of is to be understood as the , Rev 1:1 , which see. We know little now of relative nearness and distance in point of time: when the day of the Lord shall have opened our eyes to the true measure, we shall see, how near it always was).
CH. Rev 1:4 to Rev 3:22 .] INTRODUCTION TO THE PROPHECY, in the form of a sevenfold Epistle to the seven churches of Asia. And herein, Rev 1:4-6 , address and greeting , ending with doxology . (Ebrard, who seems to love singularity for its own sake, objects to the above arrangement, because the sevenfold epistle has not yet begun, and prefers calling this a dedicatory title to the whole book. But the other view is far simpler and better. The sevenfold Epistle is clearly before St. John’s mind, and, full of the images of the vision which he had seen, he only interrupts it by solemn ejaculatory references to the glories of that vision and the sublime announcement of the Lord’s coming, and then hastens on to introduce it by a prefatory account of his own circumstances when the Epistles were entrusted to him and of the appearance of the Lord who thus entrusted them.) John to the seven churches which are in Asia (the form of address is exactly that in the Epistles of St. Paul: see Rom 1:1 ff., 1Co 1:1 ff., &c. That St. Paul in Rom. and elsewhere is careful to designate himself and his office, and St. John introduces himself without any such designation, belongs doubtless in part to the individual character of the two Apostles, but is besides a strong testimony that the John who here writes needed no such designation in the eyes of those to whom he was writing. See this, and other evidence as to the authorship, urged in the prolegomena. See on the seven churches prolegg. iii. 7 ff. , as always in the N. T., is the proconsular province so called. “Constabat, ut a Cicerone alicubi dicitur illa proconsularis Asia, qu inter prcipuas Romani orbis provincias olim habita, ex Phrygia, Mysia, Caria, Lydia; sub quibus insuper, sub Mysia nempe et Lydia, intelligi debent Ionia et olis, ac addi prterea vicin maris gi insul. Qui amplissimus terrarum tractus, pr aliis Romani orbis provinciis, ingenti imprimis urbium, et multarum ex iis insignium et magnarum, numero gaudebat. Dicebatur Proconsularis, quod eadem a viro consulari sub Proconsulis nomine regebatur.” Spanheim de usu numismatum, p. 610 (from Hengstenb.)); grace be to you and peace (so St. Paul in all his Epistles except the two to Timothy) from Him who is and who was and who is to come (a paraphrase of the unspeakable name , resembling the paraphrase in Exo 3:14 , for which the Jerusalem Targum has, as here, qui fuit, est, et erit : as has the Targum of Jonathan in Deu 32:39 , Schemoth R. 3. f. 105. 2: “Dixit Deus S. B. ad Mosen: Ego fui et adhuc sum, et ero in posterum.” Schttg., Wetst., De Wette. “ , instants , i. e., futurus : ut Marc. 10:30. Caret lingua Hebra participio quale est .” Ewald. Each of the appellations by itself is to be regarded as a proper name , (not : the imperf. or aor. being used in the lack of a past participle of ), and : and it follows from what is remarked above that the meaning of is not here to be pressed as referring to any future coming , any more than in its English representative, “He that is to come .” By doing so we should confuse the meaning of the compound appellation which evidently is all to be applied to the Father, , as the second alternative in the Catena. In the first (Arethas?) is supposed to mean the Father ( , as said to Moses), the Son ( ), and the Spirit, as ever proceeding forth and descending on the Church. Hengstenb., who presses the literal sense of , avoids this confusion, but falls into that of making the covenant Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit, come to judge the world and the Church. At least so it would seem: for when he comes to this the weak part of his exegesis, he obscures his meaning by raising a cloud of rhetorical description of what shall take place at that coming. He connects with . below, in spite of the intervening. It is needless to say, that that is to be referred to the last subject only, viz. to . And wherever the , with which he also connects it, occurs, it is distinctly said of the glorified Saviour), and from the seven spirits which ( are ) before His throne (Andreas, in catena, takes these for the seven principal angels (ch. Rev 8:2 ): so Clem.-Alex [3] , Beza, Lyra, Ribera, Hammond, Bossuet, Wetst., al. But this is highly improbable, as these angels are never called , and as surely mere creatures, however exalted, would not be equalized with the Father and the Son as fountains of grace. The common view is doubtless right, which regards the seven as (so in catena: Andr [4] , Victorin [5] , Primas [6] , al.): “Thou the anointing Spirit art, Who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart:” but rather perhaps to be regarded as expressing His plenitude and perfection, than to be separately assigned as (but qu.?) in the following lines of the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus. The key to this expression, which is an anticipation of the visions afterwards to be related, is ch. Rev 5:6 , where see notes: as also on ch. Rev 4:5 . The can hardly be entirely without allusion to the , and to the sevenfold imagery throughout. The number seven denotes completeness, and, as Schttgen shews h. 1., was much noted by the Jewish Commentators as occurring in the O. T. The seven spirits betoken the completeness and universality of working of God’s Holy Spirit, as the seven churches typify and indicate the whole church. The reference to Isa 11:2 is but lamely made out, there being there but six energies of the Spirit mentioned. That to Zec 4:2 ; Zec 4:10 is more to the point: see notes as above.
[3]-Alex. Clement of Alexandria, fl. 194
[4] Andreas, Bp. of Csarea in Cappadocia, Cent y . VI.
[5]
[6] Primas ius , Cent y . VI.
The , without its verb, is solcistic), and from Jesus Christ (as we have before had the Father and the Holy Spirit mentioned as the sources of grace and peace; so now the Son, coming last, on account of that which is to follow respecting Him: “quia de illo continuanda erat oratio,” Vitr., who also notices that what follows has respect to His threefold office of Prophet, King, and Priest: see however below), the faithful witness (see Joh 18:37 , , . It is to the general mission of the Redeemer to bear witness to the truth, and not merely to the apocalyptic portion of His testimony which is to follow (De W.), that this title must be referred. This book ( Rev 1:2 ) is .: but the title reaches far wider. Embracing as it does that before Pontius Pilate, and indeed that of His whole life of witnessing to the truth, we can perhaps hardly say that it marks out his prophetic office with sufficient distinctness for us to believe it indicated here), the first-born of the dead (death is regarded as the womb of the earth, from which the resurrection is the birth: see note on ref. Col.: and Act 2:24 note. must not with Hengst. be diluted into . The , 1Co 15:20 , is quite a different figure), and the Ruler of the kings of the earth (this kingly office of Christ is reached through his death and resurrection. In Ps. 88:27, the combination of titles is much as here, , . See also Isa 55:4 , , . “That which the Tempter held forth to Jesus, Mat 4:8 , on condition of worshipping him, He has now attained by the way of his humiliation unto death: viz. victory over the world, Joh 16:33 .” De Wette). Now follows, consequent upon the glorious titles of Christ which have been enumerated, an ascription of praise to Him for His inestimable love to us. Unto Him that loveth us ( , present part., not imperf. as Bengel, includes in itself , which is the feebler, as it is the more obvious reading. It is His ever-abiding character, that He loveth His own, Joh 13:1 ; out of that love sprang the mighty act of love which follows: but it did not exhaust its infinite depth: it endures now, as then. The waiting till He become, in the unfolding of the Father’s purposes, the acknowledged Head over his Church, is in reality as great a proof of that love now, as the Cross was then) and washed ( or, loosed ) us from our sins in His blood (the aor. points to a definite event, viz. his sacrifice of Himself. In such an image as this, which occurs again ch. Rev 7:14 we have enwrapped together the double virtue of the atoning blood of Christ in justification, the deliverance from the guilt of sin, and sanctification, the deliverance from the power of sin: the forensic and the inherent purity, of both which it is the efficient medium: of the former by its application in faith, of the latter by such faith, in its power, uniting us to Him who is filled with the Spirit of holiness. See 1Jn 1:7 and note),
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Rev 1:3 . The first of the seven beatitudes in the Apocalypse (Rev 14:13 , Rev 16:15 , Rev 19:9 , Rev 20:6 , Rev 22:7 ; Rev 22:14 ), endorsing the book as a whole. In the worship of the Christian communities one member read aloud, originally from the O.T. as in the synagogues, and afterwards from Christian literature as well (apostolic epistles, Col 4:16 , and sub-apostolic epistles), while the rest of the audience listened (Eus. H. E. iv. 23). In its present form the Apocalypse was composed with this object in view. Cf. Justin’s description of the Christinn assemblies on Sunday, when, as the first business, (Apol. i. 67). The art of reading was not a general accomplishment in the circles from which the Christian societies were for the most part recruited, and this office of reader ( ), as distinct from that of the president, soon became one of the regular minor positions in the worship of the church. Here the reader’s function resembles that of Baruch ( cf. Jer 22:5-6 ). , . . ., carefully heeding the warnings of the book, observing its injunctions, and expecting the fulfilment of its predictions, instead of losing heart and faith (Luk 18:8 ). Cf. Hipp. De Antich. 2 and En. civ. 12, “books will be given to the righteous and the wise to become a cause of joy and uprightness and much wisdom”. The content of the Apocalypse is not merely prediction; moral counsel and religious instruction are the primary burden of its pages. The bliss of the obedient and attentive, however, is bound up with the certainty that the crisis at which the predictions of the book are to be realised is imminent; they have not to wait long for the fulfilment of their hopes. This, with the assurance of God’s interest and intervention, represented the ethical content of early Christian prediction, which would have been otherwise a mere satisfaction of curiosity; see on Rev 1:19 .
[ Note on Rev 1:1-3 . If this inscription (absent from no MS.) is due to the author, it must have been added (so Bruston, Jlicher, Hirscht, Holtzm., Bs.), like the of Thucydides, after he had finished the book as a whole. But possibly it was inserted by the later hand of an editor or redactor (Vlter, Erbes, Briggs, Hilg., Forbes, Wellhausen, J. Weiss, Simcox = elders of Ephesus, Joh 21:24 ) rather than of a copyist (Spitta, Sabatier, Schn), who reproduced the Johannine style of the Apocalypse proper. At the same time, the change from the third to the first person (Rev 1:9 ) is not unexampled ( cf. Jer 1:1-4 f.; Eze 1:1-4 ; Enoch repeatedly), and forms no sure proof of an original text overlaid with editorial touches; nor is a certain sententious objectivity ( cf. Herod, Rev 1:1 , Rev 2:23 , etc.) unnatural at the commencement of a book, when the writer has occasion to introduce himself. The real introduction begins at Rev 1:4 ( cf. Rev 22:21 ).]
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Blessed = Happy. Greek. makarios, by which the Septuagint renders the Hebrew ‘ashrey. See App-63. First of seven occurance in Rev. (fifty in N.T.)
this = the.
prophecy. Occurs seven times (App-10) in Rev.
keep. See Luk 2:19, Luk 2:51. Occurs eleven times in Rev.
those = the.
therein = in (Greek. en) it.
time. Greek. kairos. Compare App-195.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
3.] Blessed is (or be, in the ordinary meaning of : not necessarily referring on to eternal blessedness, as Hengst.) he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy and observe the things written in it; for the time is near (it can hardly be reasonably denied that in the and the , the Apostle had in his mind the one public reader and the many hearers. Ebrard attempts to deny this, but it seems to me unsuccessfully. His instance of St. Johns passing from a singular to a plural, , , Rev 1:7, would be applicable only if we had here . Considering that no such transition is elsewhere found, we can hardly escape the inference that it was intended. And so the great majority of Commentators: so Andreas (plures uno legente possunt audire, Gloss. ord.), Bed[2] (doctores et auditores), Lyra (qui legit, quantum ad doctores: qui audiunt, quantum ad discipulos), &c.: Bengel (unus, ille primum, per quem Johannes librum ex Patmo in Asiam misit, legebat publice in ecclesiis, et multi audiebant), Ewald, Hengst., De Wette, Stern, Grber, &c. Others have explained the change of number variously: e. g., Beza, ex Hebraismo; Cotter (in Pool), quia soli legimus, audimus conjuncti: Ribera, quoniam multo plures audiunt, quam legunt: &c. If the words are to be understood as above, they form at least a solemn rebuke to the practice of the Church of England, which omits with one or two exceptions the whole of this book from her public readings. Not one word of the precious messages of the Spirit to the Churches is ever heard in the public services of a Church never weary of appealing to her Scriptural liturgies. Surely it is high time, that such an omission should be supplied. Notice that not three classes of persons, but two only, are here indicated: he that reads, and they that hear and do. Had there been an article before , these latter would have formed a separate class from the .
[2] Bede, the Venerable, 731; Bedegr, a Greek MS. cited by Bede, nearly identical with Cod. E, mentioned in this edn only when it differs from E.
The E. V. is right in the sense, in rendering ., this prophecy: it = . , ch. Rev 22:7. are the several exhortations to repentance, faith, patience, obedience, prayer, watchfulness, stedfastness, which are scattered up and down in the prophecy. The time being near makes the book of the more importance, and the blessedness of reading and observing it greater. The nearness spoken of is to be understood as the , Rev 1:1, which see. We know little now of relative nearness and distance in point of time: when the day of the Lord shall have opened our eyes to the true measure, we shall see, how near it always was).
CH. Rev 1:4 to Rev 3:22.] INTRODUCTION TO THE PROPHECY, in the form of a sevenfold Epistle to the seven churches of Asia. And herein, Rev 1:4-6, address and greeting, ending with doxology. (Ebrard, who seems to love singularity for its own sake, objects to the above arrangement, because the sevenfold epistle has not yet begun, and prefers calling this a dedicatory title to the whole book. But the other view is far simpler and better. The sevenfold Epistle is clearly before St. Johns mind, and, full of the images of the vision which he had seen, he only interrupts it by solemn ejaculatory references to the glories of that vision and the sublime announcement of the Lords coming, and then hastens on to introduce it by a prefatory account of his own circumstances when the Epistles were entrusted to him and of the appearance of the Lord who thus entrusted them.) John to the seven churches which are in Asia (the form of address is exactly that in the Epistles of St. Paul: see Rom 1:1 ff., 1Co 1:1 ff., &c. That St. Paul in Rom. and elsewhere is careful to designate himself and his office, and St. John introduces himself without any such designation, belongs doubtless in part to the individual character of the two Apostles, but is besides a strong testimony that the John who here writes needed no such designation in the eyes of those to whom he was writing. See this, and other evidence as to the authorship, urged in the prolegomena. See on the seven churches prolegg. iii. 7 ff. , as always in the N. T., is the proconsular province so called. Constabat,-ut a Cicerone alicubi dicitur illa proconsularis Asia, qu inter prcipuas Romani orbis provincias olim habita,-ex Phrygia, Mysia, Caria, Lydia; sub quibus insuper, sub Mysia nempe et Lydia, intelligi debent Ionia et olis, ac addi prterea vicin maris gi insul. Qui amplissimus terrarum tractus, pr aliis Romani orbis provinciis, ingenti imprimis urbium, et multarum ex iis insignium et magnarum, numero gaudebat. Dicebatur Proconsularis, quod eadem a viro consulari sub Proconsulis nomine regebatur. Spanheim de usu numismatum, p. 610 (from Hengstenb.)); grace be to you and peace (so St. Paul in all his Epistles except the two to Timothy) from Him who is and who was and who is to come (a paraphrase of the unspeakable name , resembling the paraphrase in Exo 3:14, for which the Jerusalem Targum has, as here, qui fuit, est, et erit: as has the Targum of Jonathan in Deu 32:39, Schemoth R. 3. f. 105. 2: Dixit Deus S. B. ad Mosen: Ego fui et adhuc sum, et ero in posterum. Schttg., Wetst., De Wette. , instants, i. e., futurus: ut Marc. 10:30. Caret lingua Hebra participio quale est . Ewald. Each of the appellations by itself is to be regarded as a proper name- ,- (not : the imperf.-or aor.-being used in the lack of a past participle of ), and : and it follows from what is remarked above that the meaning of is not here to be pressed as referring to any future coming, any more than in its English representative, He that is to come. By doing so we should confuse the meaning of the compound appellation which evidently is all to be applied to the Father, , as the second alternative in the Catena. In the first (Arethas?) is supposed to mean the Father ( , as said to Moses), the Son ( ), and the Spirit, as ever proceeding forth and descending on the Church. Hengstenb., who presses the literal sense of , avoids this confusion, but falls into that of making the covenant Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit, come to judge the world and the Church. At least so it would seem: for when he comes to this the weak part of his exegesis, he obscures his meaning by raising a cloud of rhetorical description of what shall take place at that coming. He connects with . below, in spite of the intervening. It is needless to say, that that is to be referred to the last subject only, viz. to . And wherever the , with which he also connects it, occurs, it is distinctly said of the glorified Saviour), and from the seven spirits which (are) before His throne (Andreas, in catena, takes these for the seven principal angels (ch. Rev 8:2): so Clem.-Alex[3], Beza, Lyra, Ribera, Hammond, Bossuet, Wetst., al. But this is highly improbable, as these angels are never called , and as surely mere creatures, however exalted, would not be equalized with the Father and the Son as fountains of grace. The common view is doubtless right, which regards the seven as (so in catena: Andr[4], Victorin[5], Primas[6], al.):-Thou the anointing Spirit art, Who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart: but rather perhaps to be regarded as expressing His plenitude and perfection, than to be separately assigned as (but qu.?) in the following lines of the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus. The key to this expression, which is an anticipation of the visions afterwards to be related, is ch. Rev 5:6, where see notes: as also on ch. Rev 4:5. The can hardly be entirely without allusion to the , and to the sevenfold imagery throughout. The number seven denotes completeness, and, as Schttgen shews h. 1., was much noted by the Jewish Commentators as occurring in the O. T. The seven spirits betoken the completeness and universality of working of Gods Holy Spirit, as the seven churches typify and indicate the whole church. The reference to Isa 11:2 is but lamely made out, there being there but six energies of the Spirit mentioned. That to Zec 4:2; Zec 4:10 is more to the point: see notes as above.
[3]-Alex. Clement of Alexandria, fl. 194
[4] Andreas, Bp. of Csarea in Cappadocia, Centy. VI.
[5] Victorinus, 380
[6] Primasius, Centy. VI.
The , without its verb, is solcistic), and from Jesus Christ (as we have before had the Father and the Holy Spirit mentioned as the sources of grace and peace; so now the Son, coming last, on account of that which is to follow respecting Him: quia de illo continuanda erat oratio, Vitr., who also notices that what follows has respect to His threefold office of Prophet, King, and Priest: see however below), the faithful witness (see Joh 18:37, , . It is to the general mission of the Redeemer to bear witness to the truth, and not merely to the apocalyptic portion of His testimony which is to follow (De W.), that this title must be referred. This book (Rev 1:2) is .: but the title reaches far wider. Embracing as it does that before Pontius Pilate, and indeed that of His whole life of witnessing to the truth, we can perhaps hardly say that it marks out his prophetic office with sufficient distinctness for us to believe it indicated here), the first-born of the dead (death is regarded as the womb of the earth, from which the resurrection is the birth: see note on ref. Col.: and Act 2:24 note. must not with Hengst. be diluted into . The , 1Co 15:20, is quite a different figure), and the Ruler of the kings of the earth (this kingly office of Christ is reached through his death and resurrection. In Ps. 88:27, the combination of titles is much as here, , . See also Isa 55:4, , . That which the Tempter held forth to Jesus, Mat 4:8, on condition of worshipping him, He has now attained by the way of his humiliation unto death: viz. victory over the world, Joh 16:33. De Wette). Now follows, consequent upon the glorious titles of Christ which have been enumerated, an ascription of praise to Him for His inestimable love to us. Unto Him that loveth us (,-present part., not imperf. as Bengel,-includes in itself , which is the feebler, as it is the more obvious reading. It is His ever-abiding character, that He loveth His own, Joh 13:1; out of that love sprang the mighty act of love which follows: but it did not exhaust its infinite depth: it endures now, as then. The waiting till He become, in the unfolding of the Fathers purposes, the acknowledged Head over his Church, is in reality as great a proof of that love now, as the Cross was then) and washed (or, loosed) us from our sins in His blood (the aor. points to a definite event, viz. his sacrifice of Himself. In such an image as this, which occurs again ch. Rev 7:14 we have enwrapped together the double virtue of the atoning blood of Christ in justification, the deliverance from the guilt of sin, and sanctification, the deliverance from the power of sin: the forensic and the inherent purity, of both which it is the efficient medium: of the former by its application in faith, of the latter by such faith, in its power, uniting us to Him who is filled with the Spirit of holiness. See 1Jn 1:7 and note),
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Rev 1:3. , blessed) There are some who wretchedly handle this most sacred book with restless curiosity. And from this it comes to pass that others, running into the contrary extreme, are unwilling to hear even the name of the Apocalypse, by which they ought to be stirred up: and on account of the singular multitude of unfortunate interpretations and conjectures which are without accomplishment, they distrust the book itself. Thence, whereas they wish to know all things, they reject the only method of knowing those things which the Lord shews as about to happen. Hence they esteem the endeavour to investigate the truth in this book as useless labour; they consider sloth as moderation, silence as prudence, and they regard and inquire about anything in preference to this, just as though it had been written: Blessed is he who does not read, and they who do not hear, etc. Let them see that they do not, in devising every pretext for refusing the heavenly gift, show weariness towards God (Isa 7:12-13), and that they be not found UNGRATEFUL towards Christ. But rather, Blessed is he who reads, and they who hear and keep; especially in our times, which are not far distant from a great change of affairs, as we shall see. It is better, in inquiring into the times, if only faith, hope, and love have the chief place in our heart, to attempt as much as possible, and to incur ridicule (Gen 37:19), than, with the brave spirits of the world, to despise admonitions which appear paradoxical, and to be crushed with the accomplishment of the events, Dan 2:34; Dan 2:45, compared with Mat 22:44, at the end; or, after the manner of the Jews, to be repeatedly expecting events already long accomplished. The Jews curse those who reckon the times of the Messiah: the Apocalypse blesses the good hearers of prophecy, which comprises the near approach of the time and the calculation of the intermediate times. The mournful variety of interpretations, it is true, increases daily: whence it happens that a kind of cloud is spread over the eyes of many, so that, although the truth is clearly placed before them, they admit it either less, or certainly not more, than they do specious inventions. And yet there are not wanting aids to understanding, in the case of all who rightly employ them, without throwing away the hope of understanding them.
I. The foundation of all is a pure text, restored from the best copies.
II. This book is most closely jointed: it arranges a multiplicity of subjects by means of seven epistles, seals, trumpets, and vials; it divides each of these sets of seven into a set of four, and of three; it interprets many things of itself, and declares what are the seven stars; the seven candlesticks; the Lamb, and His seven horns and seven eyes; the incense; the dragon; the three spirits, like frogs; the heads and horns of the beast; the waters, where the whore sits; the fine linen; the testimony of Jesus; the second death; the Lambs wife. It supplies us with most convenient formul: the first woe is past, etc.; the number of a man, the measure of a man, which is that of an angel, etc.
III. The comparing of the ancient prophets is of service; and the evidence of the predictions of Jesus and the Apostles in the other books of the New Testament, and especially the evidence of the letter of the Apocalypse itself, and its own peculiar character, attempered with prophetic tropes. We will explain this particular point somewhat more fully.
1) The Lord Jesus has comprised in the Apocalypse the Remainder [Supplement] of the old prophecy, which belongs to the times subsequent to His Ascension and the coming of the Comforter, and the end of the Jewish system. And thus the book reaches from the old Jerusalem to the new Jerusalem, all things being reduced to one sum and to harmonious order; and it has great similarity to the ancient prophets. The beginning and the conclusion agree with Daniel; the description of the male child, and the promises given to Sion, agree with Isaiah; the judgment of Babylon, with Jeremiah; the fixing of the times, again, with Daniel, who followed Jeremiah; the architecture of the holy city, with Ezekiel, who followed Isaiah; the emblems of horses, of candlesticks, etc., with Zechariah. From these prophets many things more fully described by them are now repeated in a summary manner, and often in the same words. Therefore reference must be had to them. Nevertheless the Apocalypse has a kind of (self-completeness), and is of itself sufficient for its own interpretation, although you may not yet understand the old prophets, where they speak of the same things: in fact, this often supplies a clue for the understanding of those. Often also, under the agreement which there is between the Apocalypse and the old prophets, there lies concealed a certain difference; and the Apocalypse derives its stock from some ancient prophet, on which it inserts a new scion. Thus, for instance, Zechariah mentions two olive trees; John also has the same, but in a different meaning. Daniel has a beast with ten horns; John also has the same, but not altogether in the same sense. Here the difference in the words, the emblems, the circumstances, the times, ought studiously to be observed. But the plan of the Tabernacle erected and described by Moses is also of great value. For those heavenly things, unto the example and shadow of which the Levitical priests served, are accurately exhibited in the Apocalypse: Heb 8:5.
2) The Lord foretold many things before His passion; for instance, Mat 13:22, and those which follow; Joh 14:15; but He did not foretell all things: for it was not yet the befitting time. Many things predicted by the Spirit of Christ are contained, in a scattered form, in the Epistles of John and the other apostles; namely, according as the necessity of those primitive times required. Now the Lord comprises all in one short book, having reference to the earlier ones, presupposing them, explaining, continuing, and interweaving them. It is altogether right, therefore, that we should compare them; but not to bring into comparison the fulness of these with the brevity of those.
In the Evangelists Christ predicted the things which were about to happen before the dictation of the Apocalypse to John, and added a description of the Last things: in the Apocalypse he also mentioned intermediate events. From both, one whole as it were is made up.
3) In this book there is set forth to view, not only a summary and key of prophecy, both that which has long preceded and that which is recent, but also a supplement, the seals having been before closed. Therefore it cannot but contain many things now for the first time revealed, and not found in the remaining books of Scripture, as Gomarus and Cluverus admit. They therefore show little gratitude towards a revelation of such dignity as this, and reserved too for Christs exalted state, who, if anything is for the first time revealed in it, or is described in more exact and definite terms, are on that account more slow to value it, and more cautious in receiving, or more bold in rejecting it. The importance of the argument, and the shortness of the book, prove that every word is of the greatest significance.
– , he who reads and they who hear) One person, and, in the first instance, he, by whom John sent the book from Patmos into Asia, used to read publicly in the churches and many used to hear. Scripture highly commends the public reading of itself: Deu 31:11; Neh 8:8; Jer 36:6; Luk 4:16; Act 15:21; Col 4:16; 1Th 5:27; 1Ti 4:13. There would be more edification, if teachers would speak less of themselves, or, at any rate, if Scripture were more fully read to the multitude who are unlearned.- , of the prophecy) In relation to Jesus Christ, it is a revelation; it is a prophecy in relation to John; and it is not until he is mentioned that the word prophecy is introduced. Prophecies support their claims by their own, and therefore by Divine authority; this is especially the case with the Apocalypse, which, on this account, does not quote the old prophecies, unless in a summary way, and that once only: ch. Rev 10:7. In the other books of the New Testament the prophecies of the Old Testament are quoted, and for this reason, that their fulfilment may be proved; in the Apocalypse they are not quoted. Hence it came to pass, that when Surenhusius, for instance, had deduced quotations from the Old Testament, through each of the Evangelists, through the Acts of the Apostles, through the Pauline and General Epistles, he had nothing to bring forward as a quotation in the Apocalypse. In like manner Franc. Junius brought his Parallels to an end, thus writing at the conclusion: There are indeed innumerable words, many sentiments, and not a few arguments throughout the whole book of the Apocalypse, which, with the greatest dignity, savour of the Old Testament; but their interpretation does not appear to belong to the present subject; both because the passages of Scripture ARE NOT ADDUCED BY NAME (expressly), or is any particular authority alleged, from which they are drawn, but, for the most part, two, three, or more passages are most skilfully and elegantly joined together; and also because, if any one should attempt this, he must of necessity undertake the interpretation of the whole book of the Apocalypse.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Blessed: Rev 22:7, Pro 8:34, Dan 12:12, Dan 12:13, Luk 11:28
for: Rev 22:6, Rev 22:10, Rev 22:12, Rev 22:20, Rom 13:11, Jam 5:8, Jam 5:9, 1Pe 4:7, 2Pe 3:8
Reciprocal: Pro 7:1 – keep Jer 9:12 – the wise Jer 51:61 – read Dan 9:2 – understood Mat 24:15 – whoso Mar 13:14 – let him Luk 21:8 – and the time Rev 1:1 – which must Rev 3:11 – I come Rev 7:2 – to whom Rev 13:18 – Here Rev 22:18 – heareth Rev 22:19 – and from
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 1:3. Blessed means happy and it is said of those who read the words of this prophecy or book. But the blessing is not on those who read it only, but they also must hear it which means to give heed to it. The writer does not stop there but adds the condition that they shall keep ( “observe”–Thayer) them. These three significant terms certainly do not agree with the notion that the book of Revelation is one to be ignored by Bible students. Time is at hand. That is, the general program that was to extend down through the centuries was soon to begin.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
(5) The admonitions of the visions.
1. “Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear–Rev 1:3.
This is, first, a reference to the person whose task it was to explain the visions, designated as he that readeth; and second, to the auditors assembled to receive it, as they that hear. As previously mentioned, there were specially endowed teachers, spiritually gifted men, in all of the churches (1Co 12:1-31), who could read and decode the revelation that was signified. The language of verse 3 indicates the need of the explanatory reading.
2. “The words of this prophecy”–Rev 1:3.
These words were prophetic in the sense of being visional. In this use of the word prophecy, it was apocalyptic only of things already beginning to occur. It was not the foretelling of far future events not connected with the experiences of his servants to whom and for whom the apocalypse was delivered.
3. “And keep those things which are written therein” –Rev 1:3.
The manifest meaning of this phrase is that his servants should remember the signified portents, and the monitory exhortations of the visions, for they would come within the experiences of their own time.
4. “For the time is at hand”–Rev 1:3.
There can be no reason to assign any other meaning to this phrase at hand than that which it had in the announcement of John the Baptist that the kingdom of heaven was at hand (Mat 3:2), or of Jesus that the kingdom of God was at hand (Mar 1:14-15). The language and the context of it can mean only one thing–that these events were imminent. The sole reason for the admonition to read and hear and keep the things signified is stated in the clause of this verse: for the time is at hand. If the things written therein pertained to the remote future rather than to the immediate future, there was no application for such a warning.
Rev 1:3 —Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear–In that early time copies of the sacred writings were scarce and doubtless much truth was imparted through public readings. Many think the language here refers to that custom, because he that readeth and they that hear imply that one read while many listened. This did not exclude individual and private reading ; but, since the other was probably more common, the blessing was pronounced on both reader and hearers. No special blessing is mentioned, but there are always benefits to come to those who are obedient. Nothing is more conducive to hearty obedience than a faithful hearing of God’s word.
the words of the prophecy,–The word “prophecy” here is synonymous with “Revelation” in verse 1 and the “things saw” in verse 2. It is ‘used in its narrow sense of disclosing future events, for the main part of the book is devoted to such matters. John did not say that all who read the book would understand it, for that is not true of any part of the Bible written in literal language. But there would be no point in saying a blessing would come to those who heard it unless some degree of understanding were possible; at least enough to make the study profitable.
and keep the things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.–To keep things written meant that they should not forget what related to the future as a matter of encouragement and warning, and they should obey any duty that the book required. Present-day Christians should maintain the same attitude toward the teachings of this divine volume. It came from God through Christ and was delivered through an inspired apostle. No book of the Bible has stronger claims for its authority. Disobedience is inexcusable when God speaks. Since the visions presented to John unquestionably cover a long period of time, the expression “at hand” cannot mean that the completion of all the events was near. The thought must be then that the things that were to come to pass would begin to transpire in a relatively short time. “At hand” should be understood in the same sense as “shortly,” verse 1.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 1:3. The mention of the source of the revelation, and of the perfect faithfulness with which it has been recorded, are now fitly followed by a blessing pronounced upon such as receive and keep it. The allusion in he that readeth is to the public reading of books of Scripture in the congregation or in any assembly of Christians. One read, many heard; hence the change of number when we pass from the former to the latter. But the book must not only be heard, it must be kept; that is, not simply must it be obeyed, it must be preserved or treasured in the heart, that there it may become the spirit and the rule of life. Thus, also, it follows that the things written therein are not to be limited to those exhortations to repentance, faith, patience, etc., which accompany the visions; they include all the words of the prophecy. The visions, indeed, are the main foundation and purport of the whole book. They reveal that future upon the knowledge of which the practical exhortations rest. Finally, the blessedness of thus keeping the revelation is enforced by the thought that the time, the distinct and definite season, when all shall be accomplished, is at hand (comp. Rev 1:1). And it was at hand, though 1800 years have passed since the words were spoken. We shall see, as we proceed, that the book deals with principles which have been exhibiting themselves throughout the whole period of the Churchs history. Thus the things written in it were at hand in the days of the Apostle; they have always been at hand to cheer the saints of God in the midst of their pilgrimage and warfare; they are at hand now; for the words have never ceased to be fulfilled, Lo, I am with you alway; In the world ye have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, that great encouragement which the spirit of God gives to all Christians to read and regard, to consider and meditate upon the things contained in this divine book, that is, the necessary parts of Christianity, which are here mixed with darker passages; all must read, study, and practise these, that hope for blessedness: Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.
Hence note, That although the book of the Revelation be in itself a very abstruse and mysterious part of holy scripture, yet Christians ought not to be debarred, much less to debar themselves, from reading of it, and consulting with it: blessed is he that readeth, that is, attentively, understandingly, and affectionately; and blessed is he that keepeth the things that are written, that is, in his mind and memory, in his affection and practice, so as to adhere to the truth, whatever trials and temptations it may expose him to.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verse 3
He that readeth, and they that hear. In ancient times, very few could read, and of those who could read, very few could have direct access to such a book as this. Comparatively few copies of such a work could be made, and of course the multitude must depend for their knowledge of its contents upon hearing it read in public assemblies–And keep; keep in mind.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Those who read, hear, and obey this prophecy will receive a special blessing from God. John put himself on a par with the Old Testament prophets (cf. Rev 10:8-11) and distinguished this book from Jewish apocalyptic literature. [Note: See Hall W. Harris, "A Theology of John’s Writings," in A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, p. 174; and David Hill, "Prophecy and Prophets in the Revelation of St. John," New Testament Studies 18 (1971-72):401-18.] This is the first of seven blessings that John mentioned in Revelation (Rev 14:13; Rev 16:15; Rev 19:9; Rev 20:6; Rev 22:7; Rev 22:14; cf. Luk 11:28). John used the number seven, which commonly signified completeness and a work of God, 54 times. The Greek word translated "time" (kairos) describes a period of time rather than a point in time. The time when God will fulfill these prophecies was "near" when John wrote this book. "Near" is the translation of the Greek word eggus meaning at hand, imminent. The fulfillment could begin at any time. [Note: Mounce, p. 65; Johnson, pp. 416-17; Ladd, p. 22.]
". . . the Apocalyptist claims for his book that it shall take rank with the prophetic books of the O.T. . . ." [Note: Swete, p. 3.]
"A ’revelation’ of the end of history is given not for the satisfaction of curiosity, but to inspire living in accordance with the reality unveiled." [Note: G. R. Beasley-Murray, The Book of Revelation, p. 52.]