A. Introduction (1:1-3)
A. INTRODUCTION (1:1-3)
1. The very first word of this book, apocalypsis (translated The revelation), sets the stage. The word means the uncovering of something hidden, the making known of what we could not find out for ourselves. It makes plain that the book it introduces is not a book of human wisdom, nor for that matter a discussion of philosophical or theological problems. It is revelation. It is a setting forth of what God has made known. This revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which could mean either that the revelation was made by Jesus Christ or that it was made about him or that it belongs to him. In one way or another all three are true. But in view of the following which God gave him we should probably understand it to mean possession. It is his revelation and that of no-one else that we are to read. And it came from God the Father. It is not a human, or even an angelic production.
This revelation is concerned with prediction. It is expressly said that it is to show God’s servants things that must happen soon. Soon is not defined. The exact expression occurs again in 22:6, and a similar one in 2:16; 3:11; 22:7,12,20. This could mean that the fulfilment is expected in the very near future. But we must also bear in mind that in the prophetic perspective the future is sometimes foreshortened. In other words the term may refer to the certainty of the events in question. The Lord God has determined them and he will speedily bring them to pass. But this refers to his time, not ours, to the quality of the time rather than the quantity. With him one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day (2 Pet. 3:8). It is also possible that we should see the meaning as ‘suddenly’, i.e. ‘without delay when the time comes’. The revelation was not made directly by God to John. God ‘sent’ it through his angel and made it known, ’signified’ it, where the verb is cognate with ‘sign’. We must not press the point, but it is natural to associate this with the many ‘signs’ narrated in the book. John calls himself God’s servant, i.e. ’slave’, a designation Paul uses quite often (Rom. 1:1; etc .).
2. John bore witness to the word of God. This may be a reference to some past occasion (the aorist indicates a specific occasion and not the general practice), but it is more likely to be something akin to an epistolary aorist and refer to this book. John is saying then that this book is his testimony to the word of God. With this he links the testimony of Jesus Christ (testimony, martyria, is cognate with testifies, emartyr
sen). This could mean ‘the testimony about Jesus Christ’, or, more probably, ‘the testimony borne by Jesus Christ’. Revelation is the record of what God has said to John through his angel and of what Jesus Christ has said to him. John saw the word and the testimony, a most appropriate way of putting it in a book like this where there are so many visions.
sen). This could mean ‘the testimony about Jesus Christ’, or, more probably, ‘the testimony borne by Jesus Christ’. Revelation is the record of what God has said to John through his angel and of what Jesus Christ has said to him. John saw the word and the testimony, a most appropriate way of putting it in a book like this where there are so many visions.3. This is the first of seven beatitudes scattered through the book (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7,14). Reads here means ‘reads aloud’, and in view of the context there is no real doubt but that reading in church is meant. This implies that John regards his book as holy Scripture. This is all the more likely in that he proceeds to call it a prophecy (even if we omit this, with some good MSS there is no doubt that it is this book to which he is referring). This will also be the significance of the warning against meddling with its contents which he places at the end (22:18-19). It is for this reason that a blessing can be called down on those who read and who hear the book. If it were a merely human product this would be incongruous. As a divine revelation it is most natural.
We should not understand prophecy to mean ‘prediction’. The word does allow for prediction (and there is certainly a liberal element of prediction in this book), but basically it points to divine origin. The prophet was a man who could say, ‘Thus says the Lord.’ This book is from God. John proceeds to call not only for a hearing of it but for an observing of what is written in it. He does not wish merely to stimulate interest but to influence action. Scripture is a guide to conduct as well as the source of doctrine. For near cf. 22:10 and the note on verse 1.