Notes on Revelation 1
Revelation 1
The Prologue (1:1-20)
Introduction (Rev 1:1-3)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
revelation (apokalupsis): a revelation, disclosure of truth
God gave the revelation to Christ to give to His servants
All 3 Persons of the Godhead are involved in the Process of Inspiration
To show His servants
To make known
Often used to introduce visions Rev 4:1; 17:1; 21:9; 22:1, 6, 8; Zech 3:1
Must shortly come to pass
ἐν τάχει in a short time
Sometimes the expression has to do with something being done quickly (Rev 2:5; Acts 12:7)
He sent and signified it
sign-ify (σημαίνω): to communicate, report
The OT use of this word means to give a sign
Communicating through signs
Very similar to Daniel 2:28-30, 45-47
Reveal 5x
what must come to pass--3x
signify--2x
To his servant John
Bare record of Jesus, the Word, and all that He saw
Writing about the things he saw
First beatitude of Revelation (Rev 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14)
Blessed = transcendent, divine happiness, one on whom God smiles
One who reads, those who hear, and keep the Word will be blessed
Revelation read to the congregation and expectation was to obey it
Not a book of endless curiosity
Came with the obligation to obey it
Blessing to obey; curse on the disobedient (Rev 22:18-19)
“Therefore, προφητεία (“prophecy”) in v 3 is primarily a reference not to predictive revelation but to divine disclosure demanding an ethical response, in line with OT “prophecy,” which primarily addresses present situations and only secondarily foretells.” (Beale 184-85)
The time is at hand
time (kairos):
time, season
a time of special crisis (BDAG)
at hand (engus): near
close in point of time (Mt 26:45; Mk 1:15)--within 3 or 4 years the kingdom was established
Obedience demanded for what was imminently on the horizon
Salutation (Rev 1:4-8)
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