Chapter One

Heading of the book which determines its content (1–2). The purpose of its writing; the doxology of Jesus Christ and the book’s authorization (3–9). A vision of one like the Son of Man (10–16); concluding explanations regarding the vision (17–20).

Revelation 1:1. The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him, to show to His servants what must soon take place. And He made it known, sending it through His angel to His servant John, Revelation, with which word the evangelist John begins his prophetic book, here serves as the title expressing the essence of its content. The following words: “which God gave to Him,” must designate that in this communication of revelation to John was fulfilled the divine, eternal predestination. This is indicated also by the following words: “to show to His servants what things must happen soon.” The Revelation of the Apocalypse is like a continuation of the revelation already communicated by Jesus Christ to His disciples during His earthly life. According to the interpretation of the holy Andrew of Caesarea, “soon” is used here in application to God’s eternity, for whom “a thousand years is like a day that has passed” (2 Pet 3:8). The verb “revealed” presupposes here as the directly acting person Jesus Christ Himself – this on the one hand; and on the other – it indicates that the form of communicating revelation is not the form of prophecy, but the form of visions and symbols, accessible first of all to sensory sight. The designation Angel – a general name for God’s servant, God’s messenger. The Angel, as a messenger and servant of God’s will, must communicate this revelation to John, God’s servant, as a certain intermediary, since not all people are capable and worthy of receiving divine revelation directly from an Angel.

Revelation 1:2. who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, all that he saw. The 2nd verse explains why John can be this worthy intermediary – because he testified to the word of God. He, John, testified, that is, transmitted and communicated that teaching of Jesus Christ, which in His mouth was testimony, proof of His divine mission, and those great miracles and deeds of Jesus Christ, which, according to His own word, should serve in the eyes of people as confirmation of the same mission. So on account of his former closeness to Jesus Christ, John now puts himself forth as worthy and authorized to transmit divine revelation – as a Christ apostle.

Revelation 1:3. Blessed is the one who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it; for the time is near. The word “blessed” – in application to Rev 22:18-19 can mean both freedom from the plagues of the last time and joyful entrance into the future new Jerusalem. Calling the readers and listeners of his Apocalypse blessed, John clarifies what he expects and desires from them. He presents a requirement to them that they be those who keep what is written. This is confirmed also by the end of the third verse: “for the time is near.” The Christian must keep in view the revelations of the Apocalypse about the approaching end of the world, about the blessedness of the righteous and the torments of sinners, since it may happen that this end catches him completely unexpectedly and therefore unprepared.

Revelation 1:4. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: grace to you and peace from Him who is and was and is coming, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, John – this is the one who was called the servant of Jesus Christ in the first verse. He addresses the revelation he received to the seven churches of Asia – that front part of the Asia Minor peninsula which was the place of the preaching activity of the Apostle Paul and John, and where several Christian communities – churches – were founded. He addresses only these seven churches as a type of the catholic church and also because it was precisely these seven churches that Jesus Christ chose as the vessel for receiving the mysteries of the future. To these churches John addresses with the customary apostolic greeting, which the apostles were taught by Jesus Christ Himself. This grace and peace are bestowed not from him, John, but from “the One who is, and was, and is coming.” This last expression is repeated in the Apocalypse two more times: Rev 1:8 and Rev 4:8. In both cases this name is applied to God the Father, to the first Person of the Holy Trinity – so also here. As for the bestowing of peace and grace from other persons of the Holy Trinity, John speaks further in his discourse. Namely, about grace and peace from the Holy Spirit it is said in the words: “and from the seven spirits who are before His throne.” These are not powers or virtues of God, not the highest Angels – for Angels themselves are never called bestowers of grace and peace as created beings, though the highest. The majority of interpreters understand the seven spirits to mean the Holy Spirit. The justification for such an interpretation is provided by analogies that we find in other places of sacred Scripture (Isa 11:2-3; Zech 4:6). The single Person of the Holy Spirit is symbolically depicted by a sevenfold spirit (no more, no less) because the number seven is like the seal of the Spirit and expresses the fullness of the graces of God bestowed by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:4-11).

Revelation 1:5. and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him, who loved us and washed us from our sins by His blood, The third source of grace and peace, on equal footing with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, is Jesus Christ. The mystical visionary characterizes Him: 1) as a witness. Jesus Christ witnessed, taught about God’s divine love for people and the calling of all people to divinity – like the ancient prophets, and like the confessors and martyrs, who were given this designation – martyrs; 2) Jesus Christ is characterized as a faithful witness – in the sense that He sealed His teaching, His preaching about salvation with His sufferings; 3) the characterization of Jesus Christ lies in the words “firstborn of the dead” (compare Col 1:18). The designation of Jesus Christ as the firstborn of the dead must be understood as indicating His perfection and superiority before all born of mortals. He is the first, the only one among all mortals, for only He alone rose by His own power and authority. This is also an indication of His God-man nature. 4) The characterization of Jesus Christ is the indication of His kingly dignity: He is the “ruler of the kings of the earth.” Here the earthly kings are obviously taken as representatives of all humanity, all its power and strength. Immediately following the characterization of Jesus Christ as the bestower of grace and peace, the holy John appends praise. In this praise one’s attention is drawn to the peculiarity of the construction of the discourse. This peculiarity happened as a result of the seer’s extreme excitement and the extreme rapidity of the flow of representations in his mind: this is new testimony to the special character of the Apocalypse as a book different from other prophetic books and written in a state of the highest prophetic ecstasy.

Revelation 1:6. and made us kings and priests to God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, amen. The meaning of the expression in the 6th verse can be clarified by analogy with the expression of the Apostle Peter: “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood” (1 Pet 2:9). Christians begin to constitute the Kingdom of Christ, insofar as they rule with the help of God’s grace over their human passions and desires, insofar as they follow Jesus Christ, denying themselves and bearing their cross. In a corresponding sense Christians can also be called priests. They are priests to God and His Father, that is, they serve Him, offering a bloodless sacrifice, offering Him their prayers and hearts, contrite and humble. In this priestly ministry every Christian must serve. To Him (Jesus Christ) be glory, that is, glorification, praise of gratitude, and dominion, that is, submission to His power.

Revelation 1:7. Behold, He comes with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Yes, amen. Verse 7, though it also speaks of Jesus Christ, it does so with respect to the future, with respect to His second coming. The depiction of this second coming, which must be impressed on the memory of Christians, is partly the same as that which we find in other places of sacred Scripture (Matt 24:30; compare Matt 26:64; Dan 7:13). John could have derived this expression from his memory as a hearer of Jesus Christ’s discourse or from the prophecy of Zechariah: they will look at Him whom they pierced and will mourn over Him (Zech 12:10). It is worthy of note that the holy John brings this prophecy also in his Gospel, as apparently being very familiar to him. Under the expression: “and those who pierced Him,” we must understand not only the descendants of Judea by flesh, but people of other nationalities, who by their sinful life, their rejection of the Gospel will again pierce the Savior (Gal 2:17).

Revelation 1:8. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is and was and is coming, the Almighty. In verse 8, God the Father is spoken of – the first cause of divine knowledge, who according to verse 1 gave the revelation to Christ for communicating it to believers. So this verse, like the previous one, aims to further strengthen the authority of what is communicated in the Apocalypse. – “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.” The meaning of this expression is that God, as the Almighty, is the real beginning and first cause of all being. At the same time, He is also the end (alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, omega is the last), the final purpose of all being; all, as created by Him, must also strive toward Him, with His help strive toward perfection and ask from Him for bliss (Col 1:17). Usually interpreters end the introduction to the Apocalypse at verse 8 and refer verse 9 already to the first part. But one can apply verse 9 both to the introduction and begin the first part only at verse 10. Only this latter stands in direct connection with what follows, while verse 9 can be understood both as a preliminary explanation of what follows and as an ending of what precedes.

Revelation 1:9. I, John, your brother and fellow participant in the tribulation and in the kingdom and in the endurance of Jesus Christ, was on the island called Patmos, on account of the word of God and on account of the testimony of Jesus Christ. The mystical visionary calls himself by name – this is in accord with Old and New Testament apocalyptic (Dan 7:15). – In addition to what was said in Rev 1, the visionary in verse 9 speaks of himself as a brother. The designation of brother, here and in other places in the Apocalypse (Rev 6:11), is used not with the purpose of specially distinguishing himself from other believers, but with the purpose of indicating greater kinship and closeness. The following words: “and fellow-participant in the tribulation” are a further development of the same idea. John is not only a brother by nature, but is like them in other conditions of life. He too was subjected to persecution for the name of Christ; not alone, but together with others he participates both in the Kingdom of Christ and in patient hope in Jesus Christ. After indicating his closeness to all Christians, the holy John in the words: “was on the island called Patmos” determines the place from which he sends his Apocalypse. There he was exiled during the reign of Domitian because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. He was exiled because his preaching of the word of God too much incited the pagan people and pagan Roman authorities against him. They sent him to hard labor in the mines of the island of Patmos, as they did with other Christians. So the holy John concludes his introduction to the Apocalypse. Now the readers already know who they are dealing with, who will speak to them, about what and in whose name.

Revelation 1:10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last; The seer begins his communication of revelation to the seven churches of Asia Minor by depicting his own internal state at the time he received this revelation. “I,” he writes, “was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” It is evident this was the day of the week which the holy John, together with other Christians, was accustomed to devote to the service of the Lord. He completely separated himself from the body, from the earth, and from earthly interests and was, as he expresses it, in the Spirit (a state of ecstasy). John heard a loud voice, it is clear, with spiritual hearing (2 Cor 12:2), and the strength of the sound was expressed in the strength of the impression which all that he saw and heard produced on the seer.

Revelation 1:11. saying, What you see, write in a book and send to the seven churches that are in Asia: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamum, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. This voice warned John that he sees and hears not only for himself, but for others, and therefore must write down so as to be able to transmit not only to those near, but also to those far away. Immediately this revelation must be transmitted to seven churches – Christian communities: in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

Revelation 1:12. I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me; and turning, I saw seven golden lamp stands, The vision of seven golden lampstands points to the property of divine nature, by which God is light (1 John 1:5). But to be worthy of contemplating this light, there is required what John expresses with the word “turn,” that is, to separate oneself from worldly concerns, it is necessary to raise the spiritual eyes upward.

Revelation 1:13. and in the midst of the seven lamp stands, one like the Son of Man, clothed in a long robe and girded across the chest with a golden sash: Being in the Spirit, the evangelist John saw the One communicating the revelation to him in the midst of the seven lampstands like the Son of Man, clothed in a long robe (the long white garment worn by high priests and kings). This garment calls to mind the kingly splendid garment, and therefore the golden sash was worn not around the hips, but around the chest, which in turn gave special majesty to the entire appearance of the one who appeared.

Revelation 1:14. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire; Rev 1:15. and His feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. Rev 1:16. He held in His right hand seven stars, and from His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face shone like the sun in its full strength. The following verses 14–16 communicate other distinctive features of the external appearance of Christ. He appeared as sitting at the right hand of the Father. The hair on His head was like white wool and white snow. Whiteness speaks of His eternal generation as the Son of God and of His divine omniscience (Dan 7:9). In keeping with this John also noticed a change in the glance of Jesus Christ. – The fiery brightness of the eyes of the Savior is an indication of His property as almighty, all-knowing, and righteous Judge. The feet of the Lord who appeared to John seemed to him to send forth such a brightness as is produced by molten chalcopyrite (Lebanus copper). By such an appearance and property of the feet of Jesus Christ before John was clarified the efficacy of the Gospel preaching through Christ’s apostles, for which feet of solid brass are needed, passion must be as intense as molten copper is hot. The voice resounded with special power and aimed to lend by the force of its sound greater solemnity to the revelation and give it a greater degree of impact. – What such stars in the hands of the Lord are, Jesus Christ Himself explains in Rev 1:20; as for the sword coming from His mouth, it is clearly the very revelation which Jesus Christ intends to communicate through John in the Apocalypse. In the vision the face (appearance) of Jesus Christ is depicted like the sun – an indication of the warmth and light of God’s word.

Revelation 1:17. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He placed His right hand on me and said to me, Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last, Revelation 1:18. and the living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever, amen; and I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Revelation 1:19. Therefore write what you saw, and what is, and what will come to pass after these things. Revelation 1:20. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and of the seven golden lamp stands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches; and the seven lamp stands which you saw are the seven churches. Verses 17–20 contain the concluding explanations regarding the vision. When the holy John saw the Lord, he fell at His feet, thereby showing his own insignificance and his reverent fear before the one who appeared, but he heard reassuring words: “do not fear.” This meant: I am your all-powerful and eternal Creator and wise Provider. I am eternal in My divinity. I have experienced the fate common to all people – death. But I rose by My divine power. On account of My voluntary sufferings I have the keys of Hades and Death, that is, I have power over both, for I defeated the Devil. – The Lord commands John to write down all that he has seen – write 1) the setting in which he received his Apocalypse (what you saw), 2) what he learned about the condition of the Asia Minor churches (the things which are) and 3) what according to God’s revelation should be accomplished in the future. The seven churches are named instead of the one universal church, instead of all Christians, for all of them (Rev 1:1) the divine revelation is intended. The bishops of each church, as its representatives and bearers of its ideals, represent something more than simple lampstands. It is of them that it is said that stars are the angels of the churches. Ancient interpreters understand these angels to be incorporeal spirits – guardian angels; modern ones wish to see symbolic angels. But it is best to stop at the interpretation in which by angels are understood the bishops as representatives of the churches. Thus, according to the depiction in the Apocalypse, Christian leaders are always in God’s hand, and God is for them a constant protector, guide, and judge. * * * Andrew of Caesarea, Victorinus, Ebrard, Zhdanov Andrew of Caesarea, Arethas, Ioumenius. Ebrard. Justin the Philosopher, the blessed Augustine, Hengstenberg, Lutardt, Kliefoth and others.