Rev 1:1-3 (Summary 3)– We have seen earlier that the testimony of Jesus is a debated concept. Some have suggested that the testimony of Jesus is the book of Revelation itself. These often point to the definite article in Revelation 19:10: “the spirit of the (this) prophecy.” But the chain of revelation in 1:1-3 suggests otherwise. In this chain of revelation, the testimony of Jesus is what John saw (1:2) rather than what he wrote (1:3). It concerns the transmission from Jesus to John. The book of Revelation transmits that “testimony” in written form so it can be passed on to the churches, whether or not John would be physically present. The book of Revelation, therefore, is the product of John’s prophetic gift, not the gift itself. The testimony of Jesus is not the book of Revelation, it is the prophetic spirit. New Testament prophets were the bearers of Gods revelation. Some of them wrote books that were placed into the scriptural canon, others did not. John was not the only biblical writer that could be called a prophet, Paul also counted himself as one who was a bearer of the revelation of God (2 Cor 12:7-10).
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 03:50:47 +0000
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