Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Revelation 1:9b; Commentary, Introduction

Estimated reading time:5 minutes.
Continued from previous...

1:9 I John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.  

 Patience
The third theme of the book referenced here is “patience.” The word translated “patience” is hupomonē, and speaks of: endurance with a cheerful constancy grounded in a sure hope. John has spoken of his companionship with the churches in tribulation, and also in the Kingdom of the Messiah; here he reminds them that he, too, is enduring each day with a cheerful heart—because of their common hope.

Their “hope” consists of the promises, from the God that cannot lie (Heb 6:18), of the ultimate triumph of the Kingdom of the Lamb over the kingdom of the Beast. Let us take a moment and look over the shoulder of the two principal prophets involved in this apocalyptic matter, and follow their quills as they move across their parchment with a holy scratching whisper:

Daniel (NKJV)
7:21-22  “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.”

7:26:27  “‘But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever. 27 Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’”

7:18 “But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’”

7:9, 11 “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; ... I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.”

John (Apocalypse) (NKJV)
2:7  “ ... To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.’”

2:11  “ ... He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.’”

2:17  “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat.”

2:26-27  “And he who overcomes,... to him I will give power over the nations—27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;”

3:5 “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, ... I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

3:12  “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, ...”

3:21  “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,”

11:15  “... And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

17:14  “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

19:20  “Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet ... These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

Having their confidence in such hope, there is no wonder hupomonē describes the patiences with which they faced martyrdom. Their patience was not whimsical—it was consistent, it was not melancholy—but cheerful, it was not doubtful—it was hopeful. Thus, their flesh embraced the crosses, their necks shrank not from the blade, the living persons soaked with tar lighted Nero’s circuses, while chanting Jesus’ words, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matt 5:14), all the while encouraging and admonishing “one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” They sang with grace in their hearts to the backbeat of Roman drums, and to the bass-line noises of the Lion’s roar. 

To this company John wrote “I am your companion!”

John was a charter member of this exclusive company for it was he, alone, who accompanied Jesus before Caiaphas; he, alone, stayed by His side (risking His same fate) until the bitter end; and he, alone, was the first apostle to the empty tomb. He could speak with austere conviction of his comradeship with the churches in their tribulation, for he writes these words from the island of Patmos where he had been banished because of the witness he bore for Christ. According to Tertullian, he had been brought to Patmos from Rome where he had been “plunged, unhurt, into boiling oil, and thence remitted to his island exile” (i.e. Patmos).

Arial view of Patmos
“Was in the island that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” ～ Patmos is one of the Sporades Islands in the Aegean Sea, some 50 miles southwest of Ephesus (where tradition has John spending time in exile in his later life) and about 37 miles west southwest of Miletus. The island is about 10 miles long from north to south, and at its greatest  width, at the north end, is about 6 miles. It consists of rocky volcanic hills. Such small islands of the Aegean Sea were used by the Romans as penal colonies for political types (Tacitus Annals 3.68; 4.30; 15.71). Thus, we have the historical setting of Patmos in the time of John. When he says that he was on Patmos “for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” we do not suppose that he was in such a lonely place to preach the gospel, nor do we surmise that he took himself there in retreat to receive the Revelation. No. He was communicating with the persecuted churches in the “tribulation, and in the kingdom and patiences of Jesus Christ.” Compare 6:9; with 20:4, where “word of God,” “witness,” and “testimony” are used in reference to persecution situations. 

While an ancient tradition has John banished to Patmos by Emperor Domitian in A.D. 95, and released 18 months later when Nerva became emperor,  an earlier date is not only possible but much more likely during the reign of Nero (54-68).

The earlier date is preferred by this writer because of the internal evidence for it. And also because the external witnesses for the later date have not proven themselves to be totally trustworthy. (See Vital Data, Concerning the Date).

The crime against the state, for which John was vanquished  to Patmos, was (without much doubt at all) his stand against emperor worship. This cult required all subjects of Rome to sacrifice to the emperor. The Jewish religion was exempt from this law, but the Christians soon lacked the protection of the Jewish synagogue (when the Christian separation from Judaism became complete), and was, therefore, required to sacrifice on penalty of death; the true believers chose death. Just how John escaped martyrdom we are not told, unless the account of Tertullian and the boiling oil is an indication. (It must be stated here that it is quite possible, if not likely, that John was later martyred—as George the Sinner and Philip of Side testifies; and as Jesus indicated would indeed happen (Mark 10:39). 

It was customary for the Roman senate to consecrate an emperor to godhood only after his death, but Caligula, Nero, Domitian, and Commodus proclaimed themselves gods while living. In A.D. 40 a temple with a priesthood was established in Rome to Caligula; Nero had himself portrayed as the god Apollo; but, it was Domitian who brought the worship of the emperor into its own. During his reign (81-96) there were ten years of severe persecution of the Church. Jesus warned the church at Smyrna (2:10) of this coming trial,
“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (NKJV) (We will look closer at this passage in its proper place.)

Concerning emperor worship, it must be stated, here, that Christians were persecuted and very often killed, not because they worshiped Jesus, but because they worshiped “Jesus only.”

Apostolically Speaking,
☩ Jerry L Hayes




After spending over forty years in the dispensational doctrine, and having raise my children in that theological framework, I became a convinced adherent to a "kingdom" theology that recognizes the Church as the Israel of God, and that the first century actually saw the fulfillment of most of Matthew chapter 24. "Letters to My Children on Apostolic Kingdom Theology" is a compilation of twenty four letters written to my children explaining my journey. These "Letters" provide a systematic approach to Apostolic Eschatological study of Scripture. It is sure to interest all students of Scriptures

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The Apocalypse, is the introduction to the biblical book of Revelation. Here Bishop Hayes also gives a verse by verse commentary of the first three chapters of the Apostle John's Revelation of Jesus Christ, covering the letters addressed to the seven churches of Asia Minor. The Bible student will thrill at the Bishop's easy evangelistic style of presenting deep and unique truths never before published. In this study a wealth of information will be shared with the disciples of Christ on each verse of this great manuscript.

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