Revelation 1:1-8

The Revelation [ἀποκάλυψις apokalupsis – to reveal, uncover, expose, make known] of Jesus Christ, which God [the Father] gave Him [Jesus] to show to His bond-servants [for their benefit], the things which must shortly take place [ἐν τάχει en tachei – speed, swiftness, quickness]; and He [Jesus] sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John [revelation came several times by means of an angel; see Rev. 17:1; 19:9-10], 2 who bore witness [μαρτυρέω martureo – to testify, bear witness] to the word of God [Scripture] and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is he [singular] who reads and those [plural] who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it [cf. Rev. 22:7]; for the time is near. 4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia [modern Turkey]: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come [Jesus Christ]; and from the seven Spirits [perhaps the Holy Spirit, Isa. 11:2; cf. Rev. 3:1; 4:5; 5:6] who are before His throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead [i.e. the first to be resurrected from the dead; see 1 Cor. 15:20-23], and the ruler of the kings of the earth [emphasizing His sovereignty over human rulers]. To Him who loves us [ἀγαπάω agapao – present tense = keeps on loving us], and released us [λύω luo – to release, untie, set free = image of freeing a slave] from our sins by His blood [His blood = the payment for our sins], 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests [spiritual representatives] to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever; amen. 7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds [Dan. 7:13], and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him [perhaps mourning because He disrupts their lives]; even so; amen [the coming of Jesus is the theme of the book].  8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega [merism = the eternal One; similar to the term I Am],” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty [παντοκράτωρ pantokrator – almighty, all-powerful – used 9 times: Rev. 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22].”

Summary:

1. The Central Idea of the Text is that John is given a revelation from Jesus, about Jesus, to the seven churches in Asia.

• "John’s prophecy is primarily the revelation of Jesus Christ, not the revelation of future events. You must not divorce the Person from the prophecy, for without the Person there could be no fulfillment of the prophecy. “He is not incidental to its action,” wrote Dr. Merrill Tenney. “He is its chief Subject.” In Revelation 1–3, Christ is seen as the exalted Priest-King ministering to the churches. In Revelation 4–5, He is seen in heaven as the glorified Lamb of God, reigning on the throne. In Revelation 6–18, Christ is the Judge of all the earth; and in Revelation 19, He returns to earth as the conquering King of kings. The book closes with the heavenly Bridegroom ushering His bride, the church, in