Revelation 1:5

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, THE FAITHFUL WITNESS - of the truth concerning Himself and His mission as Prophet, Priest, and King Saviour. 'All things that He heard of the Father, he faithfully made known to His disciples. Also, He taught the way of God in truth, and cared not for man, nor regarded the persons of men. Also, the truth which He taught in words He confirmed by miracles. Also, the Father's testimony to Himself He denied not even in death. Lastly, He will give true testimony of the works of good and bad at the judgment day.' (Richard of Victor). The Greek nominative, "the faithful Witness," stands majestically prominent, in apposition to the genitive, "Jesus Christ." The first-begotten of the dead...

4-8 There can be no true peace, where there is not true grace; and where grace goeth before, peace will follow. This blessing is in the name of God, of the Holy Trinity, it is an act of adoration. The Father is first named; he is described as the Jehovah who is, and who was, and who is to come, eternal, unchangeable. The Holy Spirit is called the seven spirits, the perfect Spirit of God, in whom there is a diversity of gifts and operations. The Lord Jesus Christ was from eternity, a Witness to all the counsels of God. He is the First-born from the dead, who will by his own power raise up his people. He is the Prince of the kings of the earth; by him their counsels are overruled, and to him they are accountable. Sin leaves a stain of guilt and pollution upon the soul. Nothing can fetch out this stain but the blood of Christ; and Christ shed his own blood to satisfy Divine justice, and pu...

Verse Revelation 1:5. _THE FAITHFUL WITNESS_] The true teacher, whose testimony is infallible, and whose sayings must all come to pass. _THE FIRST-BEGOTTEN OF THE DEAD_] Colossians 1:18. _THE PRINCE OF THE KINGS_] ο αρχων, The _chief_ or _head_, of all earthly potentates; who has them all under his dominion and control, and can dispose of them as he will. _UNTO HIM THAT LOVED US_] This should begin a new verse, as it is the commencement of a new subject. Our salvation is attributed to the love of God, who gave his Son; and to the love of Christ, who died for us. See John 3:16. Washed us from our sin

AND FROM JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS THE FAITHFUL WITNESS - See the notes on Revelation 1:2. He is faithful in the sense that he is one on whose testimony there may be entire reliance, or who is entirely worthy to be believed. From him “grace and peace” are appropriately sought, as one who hears such a testimony, and as the first-begotten from the dead, and as reigning over the kings of the earth. Thus, grace and peace are invoked from the infinite God in all his relations and operations: as the Father, the Source of all existence; as the Sacred Spirit, going forth in manifold operations upon the hearts of people; and as the Son of God, the one appointed to bear faithful testimony to the truth respecting God and future events. AND THE FIRST-BEGOTTEN OF THE DEAD - The same Greek expression -...

EXPOSITION THE TITLE. The simplest form of this, as of other books of the New Testament, is the oldest: 'The Revelation of John' (Αποκάλυψις Ιωάννου). Other forms worth noting are: 'The Revelation of John the Apostle and Evangelist;' 'The Revelation of the holy and most glorious Apostle and Evangelist, the virgin, the beloved, that leaned on the breast, John the Divine.' 'The divine' as a title for St. John, which is retained here in both the Authorized Version and the Revised Version, is certainly as old as Eusebius ('Praep. Evan.,' 11.18). Recent discoveries at Ephesus have shown that "divines" (θεολόγοι) was a title of the chief priests in the temple of Artemis at Ephesus. It is possible, but hardly probable, that this suggested the title for St. John. It probably points to his witness to the Divinity of the Logos or Word. Eusebius ('Hist. Eccl.,' III. 24.13) remarks that John omit...

AND FROM JESUS CHRIST,.... Who, though the second Person in the Trinity, is mentioned last, because many things were to be said of him; and who is described in all his offices: in his prophetic office, THE FAITHFUL WITNESS; as he is of his Father, of his mind and will, with respect to doctrine and worship; of his truth and faithfulness in his promises; and of his love, grace, and mercy, to his chosen; and of himself, of his true deity, proper sonship, and perfect equality with the Father; of his Messiahship, and of salvation through his obedience, sufferings, and death; and of all truth in general, to which he has bore a faithful testimony several ways, in his ministry, by his miracles, at his death, and by the shedding of his blood to seal it; by his Spirit since, and by the ministers of his word: he is described in his priestly office by THE FIRST BEGOTTEN OF THE DEAD: being the firs...

Revelation 1:1. _The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw._ John was one who was of the same spirit as his Master. He lived in very intimate communion with his Lord, and, therefore, to him the choicest revelations were made. The Lord does not reveal his secret to uncongenial minds. He that will do his will shall know of the doctrine, and he shall know all secret things. Oh! if we lived nearer to God, if we walked more in the love of Christ, how much more we might know and see; or, if we saw not visions, yet there are inward perceptions to the heart which God would grant us if we lived more in the light of his countenance....

SINS SIN (_ See Scofield) - (Romans 3:23). _...

REVELATION 1:5 lu,santi h`ma/j evk {A} Instead of lu,santi the Textus Receptus, following the later uncials (P 046), most of the minuscules, and several early versions (itgig vg copbo eth), reads lou,santi. The reading lu,santi is to be preferred because it has superior manuscript support (î18 a A C 1611 ith syrph, h arm _al_); because it is in accord with Old Testament imagery (e.g. Isaiah 40:2 LXX); and because it suits better the idea expressed in ver....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE PATMOS VISION OF THE GLORIFIED SON OF MAN CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The introduction (Revelation 1:1)_ 2. Greeting and benediction (Revelation 1:4) 3. The praise (Revelation 1:6) 4. The testimony of the Almighty (Revelation 1:8) 5. John in Patmos (Revelation 1:9) 6. The vision of Christ in glory (Revelation 1:12) 7. The commission ...