That this book was written by the Apostle and Evangelist John, is clear not only from the express mention of his name, and from his office, a servant of Jesus Christ, Rev. 1:1; but also from the character this writer gives of himself, Rev.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ Either of which he is the author: for it was he that sent and showed it by his angel to John; it was he, the lion of the tribe of Judah, that took the book, and opened the seals of it, and which is a very considerable proof of his deity; since none but God could…

Who bore record of the word of God Of the essential and eternal Word of God, his only begotten Son; as John the apostle did in his Gospel, and in his epistles, and also in this book; and which is a clear evidence of his being the writer of it.

Blessed is he that readeth This book the Revelation, privately, in his closet or family, carefully and diligently, with a desire of understanding it; or publicly in the church of God, and endeavours open and explain it to others; and may allude to the reading of the law and the prophets in the…

John to the seven churches which are in Asia In lesser Asia; their names are mentioned in ; grace be unto you, and peace; which is the common salutation of the apostles in all their epistles, and includes all blessings of grace, and all prosperity, inward and outward: (See Gill on Rom. 1:7).

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…

And hath made us kings and priests The Alexandrian copy, and Complutensian edition, read, “a kingdom, priests”; and the Vulgate Latin version, “a kingdom and priests”; and the Arabic version, “a kingdom of priesthood”; reference seems to be had to : “and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests”;…

Behold he cometh with clouds John carries on the account of Christ in his kingly office, one branch of which is to execute judgment; and describes him by a future coming of his, which cannot be understood of his coming to take vengeance on the Jews, at the time of Jerusalem’s destruction, though…

I am Alpha and Omega These are the words of Christ himself, appearing at once, and confirming what John had said of him, concerning his person, offices, and future coming: Alpha is the first letter, and Omega the last in the Greek alphabet, and signifies that Christ is the first and the last, as it…

I, John, who also am your brother Here begins the narrative of the visions and prophecies of this book, the former verses containing a general preface to the whole; and this, and the two following verses, are the introduction to the first vision, which John saw; who describes himself by his name,…

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day Not on the Jewish sabbath, which was now abolished, nor was that ever called the Lord’s day, and had John meant that, he would have said on the sabbath day; much less the Jewish passover, but the first day of the week is designed; so the Ethiopic version…

Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last These characters, which are repeated here, (See Gill on Rev. 1:8); are left out in the Alexandrian copy, the Complutensian edition, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions; but are very fitly retained, to point out the person that…

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me The Complutensian edition reads, “and there I turned”: and so the Arabic version; that is, to see who it was that spoke, from whom the voice came, and by whom it was uttered; see ; and being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; which represented…

And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the son of man By whom is meant not an angel, for he speaks of himself as a divine Person, as the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, phrases not applicable to any created beings; and of himself also as having been dead, which angels are…

His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow In allusion to the white head and hairs of old men, said to be hoary, or like the hoar frost, and compared to an almond tree in bloom, ; and here to wool and snow for whiteness; see ; and according to the Jews [[14]], (צמר לבן) , “white…

And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace By which is meant, not his human nature in a suffering state; or his people, the meaner and lower parts of his mystical body, in a like state; or his apostles and ministers, who are supporters of his church, and run to and fro with…

And he had in his right hand seven stars The angels or pastors of the seven churches, . The ministers of the Gospel are compared to stars, because of their efficient cause, God, who has made them, and fixed them in their proper place, and for his glory; and because of the matter of them, being the…

And when I saw him The glorious person here described, who was just behind him, and of whom he had a full view, being so near him: I fell at his feet as dead; through consternation and fear, the sight was so amazing and terrible; the appearance of a divine person in any degree of majesty and glory,…

I am he that liveth As the eternal God, who has life in himself, originally, essentially, and inderivatively, and is the fountain and author of life to others; and who ever lived as the Mediator and Redeemer, and still does, and ever will, yea, even when he was dead as man: and was dead; he died…

Write the things which thou hast seen The Alexandrian copy and some others, and the Complutensian edition, read, “write therefore the things” meaning what he had now seen, the vision of one like to the son of man, amidst the golden candlesticks, with seven stars in his right hand, and as above…

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand The sense is, that John was to write the mystery of these stars, or the mystical sense of them: and the seven golden candlesticks; the mystery, or mysterious sense of them also; for the words are in a continued connection with , and…