Revelation 22:17

Strauss-' Comments
SECTION 74

Text Revelation 22:17

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely.

Initial Questions Revelation 22:17

1.

How does the Spirit call men - Revelation 22:17?

2.

Who is the Bride - Revelation 22:17?

3.

How does the Bride call me - Revelation 22:17?

4.

Is the individual Christian responsible to invite those outside of Christ to accept Him as Lord - Revelation 22:17?

Revelation 22:17

The great invitation is extendedCome (erchon - the command is sounded). The Spirit and the Bride give the invitation by co-witness. Both, the Holy Spirit and the Church of Jesus Christ bear the same testimony. And the one hearing (this is singular and means that every single Christian is to issue the invitation) let him say, Come. The personal responsibility of each Christian to bear testimony to the Lordship of Christ is here asserted. The contemporary Church is snarled up in the clergy - system. Congregations hire a minister to do the work that God gave the entire Church to do (see Ephesians 4:11-16). (Compare Paul and John's metaphors for the Church of Christ. See the brilliant work by L. Cerfaux, The Church in The Theology of Paul, Herder and Herder, New York, 1959; Excellent, by Roman Catholic Biblical Theologian). And the thirsting one let him come. The one wishing (wanting to) let him take the water of life freely.

Discussion Questions

See Revelation 22:20-21.