John describes his state at the beginning of the revelation and of his encounter with the Risen One with the words...
John describes his state at the beginning of the revelation and of his encounter with the Risen One with the words, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day" (v. 10; in the Synodal translation, "on the day of resurrection"). It is hard to say exactly whether this refers to the Sabbath day, or to Sunday, as the Synodal translation interprets it, or to one of the feast days traditional in the Judeo-Christian tradition. The only thing that is clear is that it was not an ordinary weekday.
The expression "to be in the Spirit" is traditionally used (from the time of the early prophets) to designate a special kind of ecstatic state, when God's nearness is experienced directly, when a person senses His presence like a gust of wind rushing in from outside, or like a mighty breath entering within and merging with his own breathing. At the same time John, as we see, hears the voice of the Risen One, who calls Himself "the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and commands him to write down what he has seen and send it (clearly for reading and study) to the churches of Asia Minor, with which the apostle's ministry was chiefly connected (vv. 10-11).
Turning around, John sees the risen Savior and recognizes Him, though He looks nothing like He did during those forty days after the resurrection, when He associated with the disciples and when John had to see Him for the last time. Now His appearance recalls not the first days after the Resurrection, but the Transfiguration: this is how Peter, James, and John saw Him on Mount Tabor, shining with the light of transfigured humanity (vv. 12-15; cf. Matt 17:1-2). Such a transformation is clearly not accidental: immediately after the Resurrection the history of the Kingdom had not yet begun, and the Savior Himself had not yet taken His place in it. But now, after the Ascension and Pentecost, the Kingdom has entered the world, and Jesus appears before His apostle already as its head, set by His heavenly Father in the place that He prepared for His Son before the creation of the world. As for the Church, its task in our world, which is being transfigured but has not yet been transfigured to the end, is to sanctify this world just as, before the coming of Christ, it was sanctified by that presence of God with which God blessed His people. Now this role has been given to the Church, which, according to God's design carried out by the Messiah He sent, is to become the living expression and embodiment of the Kingdom opened to the world so that everyone who seeks may share in it.
That is why John sees Jesus dressed in a long priestly robe, against the background of the menorah (the sacred seven-branched lampstand that stood in the Temple, after whose pattern the special lamps still used in synagogues are made). And just as the light of the menorah symbolizes the radiance of God's presence, in John's vision the light of the menorah, against which Jesus appears before the apostle, symbolizes the light of the new life with which the Risen One shines and with which the life of the Church, sanctifying the world, must be permeated. But, as we see, things are not so simple with specific church communities, and through His apostle Jesus conveys to them something important for their spiritual life and witness (vv. 17-20).
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1:9 I John - The instruction and preparation of the apostle for the work are described from the ninth to the twentieth verse. Rev 1:9-20 Your brother - In the common faith. And companion in the affliction - For the same persecution which carried him to Patmos drove them into Asia. This book peculiarly belongs to those who are under the cross. It was given to a banished man; and men in affliction understand and relish it most. Accordingly, it was little esteemed by the Asiatic church, after the time of Constantine; but highly valued by all the African churches, as it has been since by all the persecuted children of God. In the affliction, and kingdom and patience of Jesus - The kingdom stands in the midst. It is chiefly under various afflictions that faith obtains its part in the kingdom; and whosoever is a partaker of this kingdom is not afraid to suffer for Jesus, Ti2 2:12.I was in the island Patmos - In the reign of Domitian and of Nerva. And there he saw and wrote all that follows. It was a place peculiarly proper for these visions. He had over against him, at a small distance, Asia and the seven churches; going on eastward, Jerusalem and the land of Canaan; and beyond this, Antioch, yea, the whole continent of Asia. To the west, he had Rome, Italy, and all Europe, swimming, as it were, in the sea; to the south, Alexandria and the Nile with its outlets, Egypt, and all Africa; and to the north, what was afterwards called Constantinople, on the straits between Europe and Asia. So he had all the three parts of the world which were then known, with all Christendom, as it were, before his eyes; a large theatre for all the various scenes which were to pass before him: as if this island had been made principally for this end, to serve as an observatory for the apostle. For preaching the word of God he was banished thither, and for the testimony of Jesus - For testifying that he is the Christ.
1:10 I was in the Spirit - That is, in a trance, a prophetic vision; so overwhelmed with the power, and filled with the light, of the Holy Spirit, as to be insensible of outward things, and wholly taken up with spiritual and divine. What follows is one single, connected vision, which St. John saw in one day; and therefore he that would understand it should carry his thought straight on through the whole, without interruption.The other prophetic books are collections of distinct prophecies, given upon various occasions: but here is one single treatise, whereof all the parts exactly depend on each other. Rev 4:1 is connected with Rev 1:19 and what is delivered in the fourth chapter goes on directly to the twenty - second. On the Lord's day - On this ourLord rose from the dead: on this the ancients believed he will come to judgment. It was, therefore, with the utmost propriety that St. John on this day both saw and described his coming.And I heard behind me - St. John had his face to the east: our Lord, likewise, in this appearance looked eastward toward Asia, whither the apostle was to write. A great voice, as of a trumpet - Which was peculiarly proper to proclaim the coming of the greatKing, and his victory over all his enemies.
1:11 Saying, What thou seest - And hearest. He both saw and heard. This command extends to the whole book. All the books of the New Testament were written by the will of God; but none were so expressly commanded to be written. In a book - So all the Revelation is but one book: nor did the letter to the angel of each church belong to him or his church only; but the whole book was sent to them all. To the churches - Hereafter named; and through them to all churches, in all ages and nations. To Ephesus - Mr. Thomas Smith, who in the year 1671 travelled through all these cities, observes, that from Ephesus to Smyrna is forty - six English miles; from Smyrna to Pergamos, sixty - four; from Pergamos to Thyatira, forty - eight; from Thyatira to Sardis, thirty - three; from Sardis to Philadelphia, twenty - seven; from Philadelphia to Laodicea, about forty - two miles.
1:12 And I turned to see the voice - That is, to see him whose voice it was. And being turned, I saw - It seems, the vision presented itself gradually. First he heard a voice; and, upon looking behind, he saw the golden candlesticks, and then, in the midst of the candlesticks, which were placed in a circle, he saw one like a son of man - That is, in an human form.As a man likewise our Lord doubtless appears in heaven: though not exactly in this symbolical manner, wherein he presents himself as the head of his church. He next observed that our Lord was clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt with a golden girdle - Such the Jewish high priests wore. But both of them are here marks of royal dignity likewise. Girt about at the breast - he that is on a journey girds his loins. Girding the breast was an emblem of solemn rest. It seems that the apostle having seen all this, looked up to behold the face of our Lord: but was beat back by the appearance of his flaming eyes, which occasioned his more particularly observing his feet. Receiving strength to raise his eyes again, he saw the stars in his right hand, and the sword coming out of his mouth: but upon beholding the brightness of his glorious countenance, which probably was much increased since the first glance the apostle had of it, he "fell at his feet as dead." During the time that St. John wasdiscovering these several particulars, our Lord seems to have been speaking. And doubtless even his voice, at the very first, bespoke the God: though not so insupportably as his glorious appearance.
1:12 And I turned to see the voice - That is, to see him whose voice it was. And being turned, I saw - It seems, the vision presented itself gradually. First he heard a voice; and, upon looking behind, he saw the golden candlesticks, and then, in the midst of the candlesticks, which were placed in a circle, he saw one like a son of man - That is, in an human form.As a man likewise our Lord doubtless appears in heaven: though not exactly in this symbolical manner, wherein he presents himself as the head of his church. He next observed that our Lord was clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt with a golden girdle - Such the Jewish high priests wore. But both of them are here marks of royal dignity likewise. Girt about at the breast - he that is on a journey girds his loins. Girding the breast was an emblem of solemn rest. It seems that the apostle having seen all this, looked up to behold the face of our Lord: but was beat back by the appearance of his flaming eyes, which occasioned his more particularly observing his feet. Receiving strength to raise his eyes again, he saw the stars in his right hand, and the sword coming out of his mouth: but upon beholding the brightness of his glorious countenance, which probably was much increased since the first glance the apostle had of it, he "fell at his feet as dead." During the time that St. John wasdiscovering these several particulars, our Lord seems to have been speaking. And doubtless even his voice, at the very first, bespoke the God: though not so insupportably as his glorious appearance.
1:14 His head and his hair - That is, the hair of his head, not his whole head. Were white as white wool - Like the Ancient of Days, represented in Daniel's vision, Dan 7:9. Wool is commonly supposed to be an emblem of eternity. As snow - Betokening his spotless purity. And his eyes as a flame offire - Piercing through all things; a token of his omniscience.
1:15 And his feet like fine brass - Denoting his stability and strength. As if they burned in a furnace - As if having been melted and refined, they were still red hot. And his voice - To the comfort of his friends, and the terror of his enemies. As the voice of many waters - Roaring aloud, and bearing down all before them.
1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars - In token of his favour and powerful protection. And out of his mouth went a sharp two - edged sword - Signifying his justice and righteous anger, continually pointed against his enemies as a sword; sharp, to stab; two - edged, to hew. And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength - Without any mist or cloud.
1:17 And I fell at his feet as dead - Human nature not being able to sustain so glorious an appearance. Thus was he prepared (like Daniel of old, whom he peculiarly resembles) for receivingso weighty a prophecy. A great sinking of nature usually precedes a large communication of heavenly things. St. John, before our Lord suffered, was so intimate with him, as to lean on his breast, to lie in his bosom. Yet now, near seventy years after, the aged apostle is by one glance struck to the ground.What a glory must this be! Ye sinners, be afraid cleanse your hands: purify your hearts. Ye saints, be humble, prepare: rejoice.But rejoice unto him with reverence: an increase of reverence towards this awful majesty can be no prejudice to your faith.Let all petulancy, with all vain curiosity, be far away, while you are thinking or reading of these things. And he laid his right hand upon me - The same wherein he held the seven stars.What did St. John then feel in himself? Saying, Fear not - His look terrifies, his speech strengthens. He does not call John by his name, (as the angels did Zechariah and others,) but speaks as his well known master. What follows is also spoken to strengthen and encourage him. I am - When in his state of humiliation he spoke of his glory, he frequently spoke in the third person, as Mat 26:64. But he now speaks of his own glory, without any veil, in plain and direct terms. The first and the last - That is, the one, eternal God, who is from everlasting to everlasting, Isa 41:4.
1:18 And he that liveth - Another peculiar title of God.And I have the keys of death and of hades - That is, the invisible world. In the intermediate state, the body abides in death, the soul in hades. Christ hath the keys of, that is, the power over, both; killing or quickening of the body, and disposing of the soul, as it pleaseth him. He gave St.Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven; but not the keys of death or of hades. How comes then his supposed successor at Rome by the keys of purgatory?From the preceding description, mostly, are taken the titles given to Christ in the following letters, particularly the four first.
1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen - This day: which accordingly are written, Rev 1:11-18. And which are - The instructions relating to the present state of the seven churches. These are written, Rev 1:20-3:22. And which shall be hereafter - To the end of the world; written, Rev 4:1, etc
1:20 Write first the mystery - The mysterious meaning of the seven stars - St. John knew better than we do, in how many respects these stars were a proper emblem of those angels: how nearly they resembled each other, and how far they differed in magnitude, brightness, and other circumstances. The seven stars are angels of the seven churches - Mentioned in the eleventh verse. Rev 1:11 In each church there was one pastor or ruling minister, to whom all the rest were subordinate. This pastor,bishop, or overseer, had the peculiar care over that flock: on him the prosperity of that congregation in a great measure depended, and he was to answer for all those souls at the judgment seat of Christ. And the seven candlesticks are seven churches - How significant an emblem is this! For a candlestick, though ofgold, has no light of itself; neither has any church, or child of man. But they receive from Christ the light of truth, holiness, comfort, that it may shine to all around them. As soon as this was spoken St. John wrote it down, even all that is contained in this first chapter. Afterwards what was contained in the second and third chapters was dictated to him in like manner.