This section is the formal conclusion to the whole book. It is closely related to the introduction (1:1-3) in that both identify the book as a communication from God (using the language of Dan. 2:28-29, 45), both highlight John as a “witness” to the revelation which he received, and both underscore the revelation as a “prophecy” communicated to “hearers,” though the introduction pronounces a blessing on all who obey it, whereas the conclusion issues an emphatic curse on all who disobey it. The epilogue shows clearly that the purpose of the book is to induce holy obedience among God’s people in order that they receive the reward of salvation. No less than eight of the final sixteen verses underscore this intention either through exhortations to obedience, through promised blessings for holy living, or through warnings of judgment for unholy living (vv. 7, 9, 11-12, 14-15, 18-19). This is in keeping with 1:1-3, where the main point was blessing for obedience. Such blessing is one of the main goals of the revelation (1:1) and of John’s witness to it (1:2).
For both introduction and epilogue, promises and warnings alike are based on events which are yet to unfold (cf. 1:3b with 22:7a-b, 11b-12, 18-20). On the basis of the repeated conclusions containing references to Christ’s coming or the nearness of the end, the epilogue can perhaps be broken down into five sections containing exhortations: vv. 6-7, 8-10, 11-12, 13-17, and 18-20. The five repeated exhortations to holiness are the main point of the epilogue, since they are supported by the exclamations about Christ’s coming. V. 21 is a typical epistolary closing, not only for vv. 6-20 but for the entire book.
6And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must shortly take place. 7“And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.”
6 This verse serves as a concluding statement for both the vision of 21:1–22:5 and the whole book. As such, it also introduces vv. 7-21, the formal conclusion to the entire book. The voice John hears (Jesus or an angel speaking on His behalf) declares that these words are faithful and true. The phrase, a verbal repetition of the phrase in 21:5, is based on Isa. 65:16, which expresses confidence in God’s forthcoming act of new creation (see further on 21:5). The verbal repetition shows that v. 6 summarizes the preceding vision of the new Jerusalem.
This echoes Dan. 2:45, “the dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy,” which is the conclusion to a prophetic vision about the victorious establishment of God’s kingdom. It inspires certainty that the prophetic vision has divine authority and hence that its contents are true and reliable. The allusion has the same meaning here. Whereas Dan. 2:45 (OG; and Dan. 2:28 MT, OG, Theod.; 2:29 OG) prophesied that the kingdom would come “in the latter days,” the heavenly voice now says that the Lord … God … sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must shortly (literally “quickly”) take place. The language of God revealing what must happen in the last days introduces and concludes the vision in both Daniel 2 and the entire book of Revelation. This Daniel 2 allusion, or part of it, is used four times in Revelation to introduce and conclude major sections, so that it forms the broad outline of the entire book (see on 1:1, 19; 4:1). In particular, 22:6 reproduces the exact wording of 1:1, so that it should be viewed as the formal conclusion to the whole book, and as showing the reader that Revelation, like Daniel 2, is primarily about the establishment of God’s kingdom throughout the earth and the judgment of evil world kingdoms. The Danielic formula refers not only to prophesied future events, but includes inaugurated fulfillment of the latter-day prophecy of Daniel 2. As in Rev. 1:1, so here in 22:6 the change from Daniel’s “after these things” to shortly (or “quickly”) hints not merely at imminence, but also at inauguration.
The phrase the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets uses what is probably a Greek objective genitive and so means “the God who rules over or inspires the spirits of the prophets.” As in 10:7, the reference may be to a special class of prophets, probably the OT and NT prophets, through whom God left an inscripturated record inspired by the Holy Spirit, as He rules over the spirits of these prophets. Of the prophets may be a second objective genitive (the Spirit inspires the prophets), or it might also be a simple genitive of possession. The prophets possess a spirit which receives inspiration from God. The mention of John’s “brothers” as “prophets” in v. 9, without mention of the divine Spirit, lends weight to this option, as does the similar phrase in 19:10, “the spirit of prophecy,” which is best understood as an adjectival genitive (“the prophetic spirit”). Furthermore, it seems strange to refer to the Holy Spirit in the plural, though the plural does occur for the Holy Spirit three times earlier in the book (see “the seven Spirits” in 1:4; 4:5; 5:6).
Mention of John’s “brothers” as “prophets” in v. 9, combined with the similar mention of John’s brothers, for whom “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” in 19:10 could suggest that the phrase refers to the human spirits of all Christians as prophetic people. However, since the phrase the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets is bracketed in this verse by allusions to Daniel 2, it is probable that the word “prophets” here is restricted to the OT and NT prophets. In support of the spirits of the prophets referring to those holding special prophetic office may be the echo of Num. 27:16 (“the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh”), where it refers to God replacing Moses with Joshua as the prophetic spokesman for God’s people (cf. Num. 27:12-21). There, an apparent distinction exists between God’s prophetic leaders and the rest of humanity (in this case all Israel).
The chain of the book’s revelatory communication is from God to Jesus to an angel to John and finally to Christians (so 1:1; cf. 22:8), which implies that John held a specific prophetic office, which is confirmed by the Dan. 2:28-29, 45 allusion here and in 1:1, 19 and 4:1 (on which see for evidence of John’s prophetic office; see also on 4:2; 10:9-11).
In 1:1 and here, Christians are called His bond-servants. This refers here and throughout the book (except probably in 10:7, on which see) to Christians in general. The meaning of bond-servants as all saints means that the visions of the book were shown not only to John but in some sense to all believers, who were considered bond-servants along with him (see on 1:1). The wording does not mean that the churches saw the visions in the same manner as John, but that they experienced (and continue to experience) the visions vicariously through John’s record of them.
7 Included in the things “which must shortly take place” is Christ’s own coming: And behold, I am coming quickly. This refers to His final appearance, but includes His earlier comings throughout the church’s existence, all of which are imminent for every generation of the church. The repeated declarations of Christ’s comings in chs. 1–3 points to this conclusion (see on 1:7; 2:5; 3:3, 11), as does our analysis of the inaugurated use of the Dan. 2:28-29, 45 allusion in 1:1, 19 and 4:1. He who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book will be blessed, a repetition of the similar statement in 1:3, so that “blessing” roughly brackets the book. This suggests that the goal of the book is that God’s true people obey its revelation and be blessed with salvation. The words referred to in vv. 6 and 7b form a bracket around blessed to underscore it as the book’s goal. The blessing is the bestowal of salvation itself, as is evident from the use of “blessed” (Greek makarios) in 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; and 22:14.
8And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9And he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book; worship God.” 10And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.”
8 John implicitly identifies himself as a witness to the book’s revelation, and thus is a crucial instrument for the “blessing” of v. 7 to be received: And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. He makes explicit his identification as a prophetic witness in v. 18 (“I testify …”). He is in a long line of prophets who witnessed to Israel about God’s covenantal stipulations, her disobedience to them, and the consequent impending judgment, especially for idolatry (e.g., 2 Kgs. 17:7-23; 2 Chron. 24:18-19; Neh. 9:26-27a). The notion of “seeing and hearing” is the basis for a legal witness, as in 1 John 1:1-2: “what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes … we … bear witness.” As with the OT prophets, so John’s witness is also directed to the covenant community. The believing remnant will be blessed for their obedience, but the rest will be judged for their disobedience. The repeated use of “he who has an ear, let him hear” in the letters to the seven churches (see on 2:7) shows that John follows Jesus and the OT prophets in bringing to the faithful not only the promise of blessing, but also the warning of judgment.
As in 19:10, so again John begins to worship the angel who communicated Christ’s revelation to him.
9 And again the angel responds by forbidding John to worship him, since he also is merely a divine servant like John, the prophets, and the rest of those who obey God: And he said to me, Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book. The angel’s words could be taken to identify two distinct groups, prophets and other believers, or the second phrase could be a description of the prophets. On the other hand, elsewhere in Revelation (1:1; 22:6), “servants” are understood as all Christians, which might suggest that the prophets here are all believers, understood as a prophetic people who also heed the words of this book. On this question, see further on v. 6 above.
Instead, the angel exhorts John to worship God. John may have mistaken the angel for the divine, heavenly Christ of 1:13ff. and 10:1ff., who deserves worship. Since this is the second time that John substitutes a false object of worship for the true, v. 10 underscores the subtle problem even for faithful Christians. What this shows is how easy it can be to worship and wrongly revere a human messenger of God when he powerfully preaches the word of Christ (1 Cor. 3:4-7; cf. also Acts 14:7-18). The angel’s command reminds us that the reward of blessing mentioned in v. 7 is secondary. The ultimate goal of the book’s revelation is to inspire worship of God.
10 The angel commands John: Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. If the revelation is sealed, the churches cannot know its contents or respond in worship. The command do not seal up implies that writing down the vision is just as much under the aegis of divine authority as the revelation of the vision was. Elsewhere, the writing down of the vision or its parts is explicitly commanded, which suggests that divine authority extends to the writing (1:10-11, 19; 2:1ff.; 19:9; 21:5; cf. 22:6 with 22:10). Vv. 18-19 bears this out. John’s prophetic commission is on a par with the commissions of the OT prophets (in this respect, see on 1:10-11; 4:1-2; 17:3a; 21:9-10).
The prohibition against sealing is directly related to the opposite command given to Daniel: “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time” (Dan. 12:4; see also Dan. 8:26; 12:9). Daniel prophesied about the rise and fall of evil earthly kingdoms and the final victory of the kingdom of God, but he did not understand how or when all this would unfold, though he knew it was not for his own day (Dan. 12:13). Therefore, the “sealing” of Daniel’s book meant that its prophecies would be neither fully understood nor fulfilled until the end.
What Daniel prophesied can now be understood (the unsealing), because the prophecies have begun to be fulfilled, and the latter days have begun. Therefore, the language of unsealing what is written indicates also the revelation of greater insight into the prophecies, a greater insight kept from OT saints (so likewise Eph. 3:4-5, where insight is now given “which in other generations was not made known … as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit”; cf. also 1 Pet. 1:12). In particular, Christ’s death, resurrection, and reign over history and the saints’ tribulation are the inaugurated fulfillment of OT prophecies. Similarly, Christ unsealed the book in ch. 5 (on which see 5:1-2). Even if these two books are not identical, generally they both contain to a significant degree revelatory material pertaining to OT prophecies, some of which have been fulfilled and some of which await fulfillment.
The prophecy is not to be sealed, for the time is near. The same clause occurs in 1:3, where it explains an allusion to Dan. 2:28-29, 45 found in 1:1. There it indicated not merely a reference to imminent future events but also the very beginning of fulfillment of OT prophecy. The prophecies sealed up by Daniel have begun to be fulfilled, continue to be fulfilled in the present, and will do so until their consummation in the future.
The main point in vv. 8-10 is to “worship God” (v. 9), a worship motivated by His gracious revelation to John of the prophetic meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection for believers’ present lives and for the future.
11Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and let the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and let the one who is holy, still keep himself holy. 12Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.
11 Again the angel appeals to the conclusion of Daniel’s prophecy:
Both passages make two declarations about the destiny of the unrighteous and two about the destiny of the righteous and then state that both groups will remain in their present condition. The difference is that the passage from Daniel is a prophetic statement of fact whereas that of Revelation seems to constitute a command. But how could an angel order unbelievers to remain in their sin? Several responses have been suggested by commentators:
Both of the commands in v. 11 are better understood in view of the context of the whole book, especially against the OT background of the “hearing” formula in the letters (and 13:9) and of the “hardening” theme from the Exodus plague narratives behind the trumpets and bowls. The situation which the exhortations of v. 11 address is not unique to a last stage of history, but is one which has already occurred repeatedly in the OT, in the ministry of Jesus, and again at the time of writing in the Asia Minor churches. The repeated exhortation in the letters, “he who has an ear, let him hear,” is based on Isaiah’s exhortation to idolatrous Israel (Isa. 6:9-10). Unbelievers are not exhorted to “hear,” but believers are called on to “hear” and obey God’s word. The same exhortation from Isaiah is applied by Jesus (Matt. 13:9-17) to the unfaithful Israel of His day. When people failed to listen to ordinary teaching, Isaiah and Jesus resorted to prophetic declarations and actions, as well as the use of parables, which served to bring the judgment of God on the unrighteous by further hardening their hearts, while shocking wandering believers into repentance.
The visions of Revelation, with their unusual and even bizarre features, serve as prophetic statements through which the same process occurs. John, like Jesus and Isaiah before him, was addressing a diluted church and a rebellious world, as well as the community of faithful believers. Many in the covenant community had become apostate and insensitive to the prophetic word. To such communities God sent prophets whose words functioned to increase the blindness of the apostate to confirm their judged status, but served to shock the elect remnant out of the spiritual torpor characteristic of the majority. The impious were even exhorted not to understand, which was a punishment for their apostasy and idol worship (accordingly, idolatrous Israel is commanded to keep worshiping idols in Jer. 44:25 and Ezek. 20:39). The church, the present “Israel of God” (cf. Gal. 6:16), has become as spiritually lethargic as ethnic Israel of old, and God likewise reveals His double-edged word to them (1 John 2:4, 22; 4:20; 5:10). Of course, there is always a remnant of unbelievers who are given “ears to hear,” so that they are not ultimately intractably wicked and unrepentant. Accordingly, they are shocked into the faith by the visionary parables for the first time and thus join the covenant community. For full discussion of the Isaiah background to this theme, see on 2:7.
The question remains: How does the Dan. 12:9-10 allusion contribute to the theological background of dual exhortations here in v. 11? The Daniel text predicts that during the latter days pseudo-members of the covenant community will not understand the dawning fulfillment of prophecy (alluded to in Rev. 22:10) and consequently will continue to disobey God’s laws, whereas the godly will have insight and discern the beginning of fulfillment of prophecy occurring around them. They will respond by obeying God’s word. The change from prediction in Dan. 12:10 to imperatives here in Revelation expresses awareness that the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy is commencing in John’s own time and that genuine believers should discern this revelation and respond positively to it. Consequently, the revelation about OT fulfillment in v. 10 is the basis of and inspires the dual response of v. 11, following the prophetic pattern of Dan. 12:9-10. These events are determined or “predestined” to occur, since they are prophetic, and are not descriptions of mere future possibilities. Though this conclusion is theologically difficult, it correlates admirably with the prophetic nature of Daniel and with the notion that peoples’ identification with Christ or the beast has been determined by whether their name has been written in the Lamb’s book of life (see on 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; as well as on 3:5).
12a A further basis for the exhortations of v. 11 is found in v. 12: Behold, I am coming quickly. In chs. 1–3, Christ’s comings, as noted above, refer to His appearances throughout the church age as well as at its end (see on 1:7; 2:5; 3:3, 11; 22:7). The use of “quickly” or “soon” as part of the Dan. 2:28-29, 45 formula has been found already to indicate fulfillment in the near future, or indeed fulfillment as already beginning (see on 1:1). Here, however, the emphasis is on Christ’s future final return, as is shown by the promise, My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. The only other use of “reward” (Greek misthos), in 11:18, refers clearly to the recompense at the end of time. Does this mean, then, that John thought mistakenly that Christ would return imminently? A better possible solution is that “quickly” here (perhaps also in v. 7) suggests the suddenness of Christ’s return, whenever it does occur. This is supported from 16:15 (“I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake”). In fact, the Ethiopic version of 22:7 has “I come quickly as a thief,” which shows a possibly early identification of this passage with the thief metaphor of 16:15. The theme of unexpected, quick execution of judgment in the end time occurs already in the OT (see Isa. 47:11 and Mal. 3:1-5: “And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple…. But who can endure the day of His coming? … And He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver…. Then I will draw near to you for judgment”; cf. Jer. 6:26).
Another way of resolving the difficulty is to accept that the phrase does refer to temporal nearness (rather than suddenness), but to place the focus on “nearness” with respect to the next major event to occur in God’s redemptive-historical program. After Christ’s death and resurrection and Pentecost, the next significant event in God’s salvation scheme is the final coming of Christ, when reward and punishment are meted out. Whether this occurs in one year or five thousand, it could still be referred to as “near,” since it is the next major event in the decretive order of God’s redemptive plan.
Nevertheless, it is more probably a reference to a swift “unexpected” appearance, the latter with respect to the possibility that Jesus could come at any time, as in Matt. 24:36–25:13 (cf. Acts 1:7; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; 2 Tim. 4:8; Tit. 2:13). Matt. 24:36 and Acts 1:7 affirm the impossibility of knowing the time of Christ’s coming, yet express the need for alertness about it (cf. Matt. 24:36, 42, 44; 25:13; Luke 12:35-40). 2 Pet. 3:8-13 holds the following themes in tension with one another:
The same notions are likely inherent in Rev. 22:12.
12b Jesus’s second assertion in v. 12, My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done, is an allusion to Isa. 40:10, “Behold, the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him” (cf. similar language in Isa. 62:11). This refers to God’s work of bestowing blessings of salvation on His faithful people, though judgment of the unfaithful is likely implicit. That the “reward” and “recompense” focus on salvation is apparent in that Isa. 40:10 is the content of the good news of Isa. 40:9 and a result of God’s forgiveness of “iniquity” (40:2). In Revelation, however, the wording of Isaiah has been interpreted to refer to the works of righteous and unrighteous, for which they are either blessed or judged, which may also be implied in Isaiah.
The same promise in Isa. 62:11, like that in Rev. 22:12, is supplemented with the image of “going through gates” of a city (cf. Isa. 62:10 with Rev. 22:14). This verse does not mean that it is on the basis of good works that a person will be justified, for such works apart from Christ can save no one, since perfection is required for acceptance before God (Matt. 5:48; 1 Pet. 1:16; cf. Lev. 19:2). This is supported by Rev. 5:9-10, which says that Christ is the only One worthy to be accepted before God and that He was slain and redeemed by His blood people from their sins so that they also could be considered worthy. Indeed, this idea is not far away here since the idea connoted by “those who wash their robes” in 22:14 goes back to 7:14, “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” On the other hand, “works” are considered a necessary condition for salvation at the final judgment. But how? Works are a sign demonstrating that a person has already met the ultimate, causal, necessary condition for salvation, which is redemptive justification from sin by Christ’s death and resurrection (cf. also Eph. 2:6-10).
The main point of vv. 11-12 is the exhortation in v. 11, which is grounded in and inspired by the revelatory information in vv. 10 and 12. The unexpected time of Christ’s coming should motivate His genuine people to live godly lives in expectation of that event (cf. 2 Pet. 3:11-14). On the other hand, the ungodly are not spurred to repentance but only to further obduracy in the face of such revelation about Christ’s coming.
13“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. 16“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.” 17And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
13 At various points in the book, God has been referred to as “the Alpha and the Omega” (1:8; 21:6) and “the Beginning and the End” (21:6), and Christ has been called “the First and the Last” (1:17; 2:8). Now all these titles are combined and applied to Christ to highlight His deity. The ascriptions figuratively connote the totality of polarity: the fact that Christ is present at and sovereign over the beginning and end of creation is boldly stated to indicate that He is also present at and sovereign over all events in between.
14 Reminding the reader about Christ’s omnipresence and omnipotence throughout history inspires confidence in Him as a faithful rewarder and just judge and provides motivation for Christians’ continued perseverance in the midst of earthly trials. In light of this, the declaration in v. 14, Blessed are those who wash their robes, serves also as an exhortation for the saints to persevere through trial and suffering to receive their final reward, as spoken of in v. 12. The metaphor is a development of the similar thought in 7:14. The washing of robes speaks not of any righteousness the saints have earned themselves but of the standing of righteousness God has given them because of the blood (see 7:14) that Christ shed on the cross. This is clear from 19:7-8: “His bride has made herself ready” on the basis of the divine ability “given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (recall that this last phrase refers to the saints’ vindicated standing before God and their consequent righteous deeds, on which see 19:7-8).
The reward for such enduring faith is that the believers are blessed, which is then explained as their receiving of authority: that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. This is essentially the same blessing as that received by those washing their garments in 7:14-17, as the expansion of this blessing with the metaphor of water in v. 17 below shows. The image connotes the blessing of salvation, especially as it has been pictured in the vision of the new Jerusalem. The language of a tree of life and open gates picks up on the Isaiah 60 and Genesis 3 imagery of 21:24–22:3, where the worshiping nations file through the open gates of the holy city and have access to the tree of life, in contrast to the unholy, who are not able to enter (see on 21:24–22:3). Allusion is made here to Isa. 62:10, “Go through, go through the gates,” which action occurs in order for believers to receive the salvation promised in 62:11, “Behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him,” which has just been alluded to in Rev. 22:12. This reward is for all believers, not just a special class of martyrs, for v. 15 will make it clear that the division of groups in this context is that between all the wicked apostates and all the righteous of the redeemed community.
15 The image of unbelievers barricaded outside the city in 21:27 is paraphrased here. As in 21:8, 27, the kind of people excluded from the city is described. All three lists conclude with liars, which highlights the counterfeit nature of these people as pseudo-Christians (so that pagan liars are not the main focus). They say they are believers, but their sinful actions betray their confession. They may even deny their faith verbally when confronted with persecution (see further on 21:8). Such a person is not just a liar, but one who loves and practices lying. This is not duplicity in general but a desire to benefit both from the spiritual advantages of being a part of the church and from the economic security of being a part of the ungodly world. John uses the phrase elsewhere to refer to people whose claim to membership in the covenant community is contradicted either by their ungodly lifestyle or false doctrine (1 John 2:4, 22; 4:20; 5:10).
A new item in v. 15 not found in the “sin lists” of 21:8, 27 is dogs. Dogs are despised creatures throughout Scripture (so Matt. 7:6), concerned only about their physical well-being. Likewise, those referred to here have an insatiable craving to preserve their earthly security, which is a mark of the beast (13:15-18). “Dogs” in the OT can refer to covenant-violators (Ps. 59:6, 14) and unrighteous watchmen and shepherds whose focus (as with the liars) is economic gain (Isa. 56:10-11). It is also used of male cult prostitutes, whose wages are an “abomination” (cf. Rev. 21:27) that cannot be brought into the temple (Deut. 23:17-18). John’s use of “dog,” along with the description of those excluded from the temple-city in 21:27 as those who practice “abomination,” suggests that the Deuteronomy passage is echoed here, especially when it is recalled that the lists in ch. 21 and here catalog sins associated with idolatry. Paul applies the same canine metaphor to Jewish Christians who profess to be part of the Christian church in Philippi but whose idolatrous actions and beliefs show otherwise (Phil. 3:2-3, 18-19). Also likened to dogs are professing Christians in the readership of 2 Peter who apostatize (2:20-22) by all kinds of corruption, including engaging in false teaching (2:1-3, 13-14, 16).
As in 21:8, 27, the reference is to those being excluded from the final inheritance and consummate form of the city. That these reprobates are outside the city indicates that they will have no place in the new creation, since new creation and the city are probably synonymous concepts (see on 21:1–22:5). This “outside” location is the lake of fire, since the godless people listed in 21:8 are in the lake of fire. The punishment of being cast outside the garden, which was commenced in Gen. 3:23-24, continues for the reprobate into eternity on an escalated scale.
16 The statement I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches reiterates the first verse of the book (1:1-2), though here the angel testifies, whereas earlier John was the subject. As in 1:1-2, the object of the testimony is not merely part of the book, but its entirety. The forensic sense of testify is brought out clearly in vv. 18-19, where the penalty for disobeying the testimony is stated (for the legal sense of “testify” see also on 1:9; 11:3; 22:20). The threefold repetition of “testify” in vv. 16, 18, and 20 emphasizes this legal nuance.
There are a number of ways to identify the you and the churches:
This last option, where you and the churches are identified as the same group, is, on balance, the most viable, and it is not greatly different in substance from the first and second options. It is possible, however, that a separate group of prophets (as in the third option) could be in view in the you.
For the second time in the conclusion, Jesus identifies Himself. And, as in v. 13, the self-ascription combines names attributed to Jesus earlier in the book: I am the root and offspring of David (5:5), the bright morning star (2:28). The title combines two OT prophecies concerning the messianic King’s triumph over His enemies at the end of time, Num. 24:17 and Isa. 11:1, 10. That Jesus applies these names to Himself in the present shows that He has already begun to fulfill these prophecies. This is confirmed by the earlier application of both prophetic names to Jesus’ resurrection (see on 5:5 and 2:28). The point here is that the messianic victory has begun and will be consummated by Jesus. In 5:5, the title was only “root of David,” but now offspring is combined with the previous name. It is conceivable that, whereas the Isaiah 11 passage views the Messiah as descending from the Davidic line, Jesus could be seen here as the “root of David” in that He is Himself the source or origin of David, as well as His descendant. It is more likely, however, that root is explained by offspring, so that it is a metaphorical term for “descendant.” The metaphor is the same as in Isa. 11:10 (“the nations will resort to the root [= descendant] of Jesse”); a similar Hebrew use of “root” appears in Sirach 47:22. Furthermore, “root” also has the idea of “sprout” or “growth from” in Isa. 53:2, where, significantly, it refers to the Messiah. The main point of the title is to identify Jesus as the One who fulfills the prophecy that one of David’s descendants would be the Messiah. Therefore, the phrase in v. 16b should be rendered “the root and the offspring from David.”
That both inaugurated and future fulfillments are intended is apparent because the dawn of a new day or age was a metaphorical association of the bright morning star. Christ has begun a new redemptive day, which He will culminate at His final return. This is also pointed to by 2 Pet. 1:17-19, where “the morning star arises” is synonymous with “the day dawns,” both of which may be metaphors for the inauguration of the OT “prophetic word” in Christ’s first coming. Allusion may also be made to Isa. 60:1-3: “Arise, shine, for your light has come … and nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” This would again suggest that the star is already beginning to shed its light. This initial fulfillment suggests further that Jesus’ final “coming” as Messiah, referred to in 22:7, 12, 17, and 20, has in fact been inaugurated in the past through His many “comings” to the church (see on 1:7; 2:5; 3:3, 11 and on vv. 7, 12 above).
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” The Spirit is the Holy Spirit. The bride represents the true people of God (see on 19:7-8; 21:2, 9ff.), who says through the power of the Holy Spirit, “Come.” The symbol of “bride” has only been used previously for the church’s future, consummated marriage to Christ at His final return (19:7-9; 21:2ff., 9ff.). The application of it to the church in the present suggests that what has been prophesied in earlier chapters to be fulfilled in God’s people at the very end has begun already in their midst (as in 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25-27). Not all in the visible church can say “come,” but only those who have ears to hear the exhortation of the Spirit: And let the one who hears say, “Come.” This command is a paraphrase of the repeated exhortations in the seven letters: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (2:7, 17, etc.; likewise 13:9). The Spirit’s admonitions do not penetrate the spiritual ears of pseudo-members of the church, but such admonitions serve to shock genuine members out of the stupor from which a number in the visible church suffers (for full discussion of the formula see on 2:7). Recall, however, that even a remnant of pseudo-believers may be shocked into the true faith for the first time, if they have already been “written in the Lamb’s book of life” (cf. 21:27). Of course, this is true also of a remnant of unbelievers outside the church who hear and respond positively to the gospel. Whereas the true corporate church says “come” in the first line of v. 17, now the focus shifts to individual saints.
The “Come” spoken by the bride and by the one who hears could be addressed to Christ as an entreaty to return. That is, the church, first corporately and then individually, entreats Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. And let the one who is thirsty come. And let the one who is thirsty take the water of life without cost is then directed to people as exhortations to believe. But it is also possible, if not preferable, to take the three imperatives of “come” and the imperative “drink” as addressed to individuals. This is supported by the fact the latter part of the verse develops 21:6, “I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.” 21:6 (on which see for its OT background) draws on Isa. 55:1, but 22:17 draws even more explicitly on the Isaiah text: “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (cf. also John 7:37-38). The three repeated imperatives of “come” to people in Isaiah are likely the model for the three “come”s of Rev. 22:17. If so, they are not addressed to Christ. But how can the corporate church or individual believers command themselves to come? The awkwardness is resolved if the first command is viewed as issued by prophetic leaders through whom the Spirit speaks (cf. 19:10) and the second as issued by individual believers “who hear” to other believers who still are dull of hearing.
In contrast to 21:6, the focus of the water metaphor is now on the one who receives the water. Before Jesus can give the water, the thirsty one must “come” to Jesus. This “coming” must be an entire life of faith, by which one has “overcome” temptations to compromise (see 21:6-7). Therefore, the focus of the exhortations is not an open-ended “invitation” to the world in general, but rather commands to the people of God to persevere throughout the age and up until the final coming of Christ. Of course, the function of the true church is to issue this invitation, not only to its own community, but also to the world (cf. 11:3-13).
The section ends as it began. There is a reward for those “who wash their robes” in v. 14, as there is for those who “come” and desire the water in v. 17. Vv. 13 and 15-16 support v. 14, and vv. 15-16 also support v. 17: if believers are not like the sinners of v. 15, and if they listen to the testimony about Jesus as the sovereign God (v. 13) and the one who fulfills messianic prophecy (v. 16), then they will inherit the blessing with which they are exhorted in v. 14. And if saints are not like the wicked (v. 15) and they listen to the testimony about Jesus who fulfills messianic prophecy (v. 16), then they likewise will inherit the blessing of v. 17. Therefore, the main point of v. 14-17 lies with the two rewards promised in vv. 14 and 17.
18I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; 19and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. 20He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
18-19 Though vv. 18-19 could be viewed generally as an exhortation, they are better seen as a warning. These verses summarize the Apocalypse, viewing it as a new law code for a new Israel, modeled on the old law code to the nation of Israel in a series of passages throughout Deuteronomy:
Listen to the statutes … you shall not add to the word … nor take away from it. (Deut. 4:1-2; see also 12:32)
And it shall be when he hears the words … every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven. (Deut. 29:19-20)
I testify to everyone who hears the words … if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that have been written in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book … God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city … (Rev. 22:18-19)
Further similarities enhancing the link between Deuteronomy and Rev. 22:18-19 are:
To add to or take away from the words of God’s revelation, according to Deut. 4:2-4; 12:29-32, means to accept the false teaching that idolatry is compatible with worship of the one true God. From the incident of the golden calf (Exodus 32) to that of Baal of Peor (Num. 25:1-9, 14-18, referenced in Deut. 4:3), Israel faced the temptation to engage in idolatry, the worship of other gods. Such false teaching amounts to “adding to” God’s law. Furthermore, it is tantamount to “taking away from” God’s law, since it violates the positive laws against idolatry, consequently nullifying their validity. This is not mere general disobedience but false teaching about the inscripturated word and following such deceptive teaching. Belief in the abiding truth of God’s word is the presupposition for positive obedience to it. The ancient Near Eastern treaty documents, after which Deuteronomy 4 is modeled, were also protected against intentional alteration by means of inscriptional sanctions and curses. This Deuteronomic background is remarkably suitable to Rev. 22:18-19, since the descriptions in the three vice lists of 21:8, 27; 22:15 all conclude by emphasizing the deceptiveness of the ungodly in connection with idolatry.
This analysis also fits well with the situation of the churches portrayed in chs. 2–3, which depicts all the churches facing idolatry to one degree or another, and often not successful in their response. Strikingly, in the light of the above Deuteronomy background, some of the false teachers and their followers encouraging idolatry in the church of Pergamum are identified as those “who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality” (2:14). The same deceptive teaching was also prevalent in the church of Thyatira (see on 2:20-23). Such false prophets who distort the truth are either adding false theology or taking away from the revealed truth.
The rewards named in 22:12-19 are best understood against the background of the letters, since they correspond to the promises to the “overcomers” in chs. 2–3: rendering to each as his work deserves (2:23; 22:12), eating of or sharing in the tree of life (2:7; 22:14, 19), and identification with the city of God (3:12; 22:14, 19). Those who overcome the threat of idolatry will inherit these promises. Indeed, in this context, the “washing of the robes” in v. 14 must refer to keeping oneself undefiled by the pollution of idol worship, resulting in the same twofold reward being withheld from the transgressors according to v. 19 (see on 3:4-5 and 7:14 for the full meaning of the “washing” imagery). Consequently, the warnings of vv. 18-19 are directed, not primarily to pagans outside the church, but to all in the church community, as the warnings of Deuteronomy were addressed to all Israelites (pagans, of course, are not excluded from the warnings). The “plagues” referred to in v. 18 include not just punishment in the lake of fire but all inflictions incurred by the ungodly prior to that judgment (on which, e.g., see on 8:6-12; 9:18-20; 11:6; cf. also 16:9, 21). Therefore, the whole range of plagues recorded in the book will come on the apostate, which is supported by the Deut. 29:20 allusion: “every curse which is written in this book will rest on him” (likewise Deut. 29:21; 28:58-61; Jer. 25:13).
The punishment in 22:18-19 is formulated in ironic terms: those adding to the book will have added to them the plagues of the book; those taking away from the words of the book will have taken away from them the eternal blessings which are written in this book. The purpose of the ironic statement is to express figuratively the “eye for eye” nature of biblical judgment, where people are punished in proportion to their sin, and sometimes by the very means of their own sin (see on 11:5 for a similar ironic formulation). It is most likely that v. 19 refers not to loss of salvation but to denial of it for those who have claimed outwardly to be Christians but never had true faith. The characteristic highlighted repeatedly in the closing portion of the book is not that of genuine believers losing their redeemed status, but the counterfeit, double-dealing nature of people in the Christian community who will not receive the final reward (see above on 21:8, 27; 22:15). The earlier discussion of the promise in 3:5 (“I will not erase his name from the book of life”) confirms this conclusion, as does the prior study of the converse statements in 13:8 and 17:8. From the foundation of the world, the worshipers of the beast, some of whom are in the church, were destined to have no inheritance in the eternal city (13:8; 17:8). Nevertheless, for a time it may have seemed that some of these people were heading for such a reward. The phrase in v. 18a (to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy) is an almost exact repetition of 1:3a (“those who hear the words of the prophecy”), which confirms that it is those within the visible, professing community of faith who are being warned and who are in danger of judgment.
The punishment for disobedience is severe since, like the author of Deut. 4:2-4, John is writing not his own words but the very words of God. Of course, John’s words are not merely from the Father, but also from the Spirit and the Son (so 1:1; the conclusions of each letter in chs. 2–3; 19:9; 21:5; 22:6). Uppermost in John’s mind is that the book represents the words of Christ Himself, who has just been mentioned in v. 16.
20 Vv. 16 and 18 have said that the angel and John have testified by respectively revealing and writing down the vision as a whole. The Spirit should also be viewed as a third witness (cf. possibly 19:10, as well as the concluding verse of each of the seven letters; cf. also 22:17a). Now Jesus is affirmed as a fourth witness: He who testifies to these things says. The mounting up of witnesses emphasizes the legal nature of the book, for which people who hear it read are accountable. For the legal sense of “testify” in Revelation and Johannine literature see on 1:9; 11:3; 22:16. These things probably refer to the entire vision, since the same phrase is used three times in the preceding verses with that meaning (22:8, 16). Further, the warning in vv. 18-19 is against tampering with any part of the book. But the theme of Christ’s coming, reiterated three times in vv. 7-17 and an important part of the vision as a whole, is also included in the things testified to by Jesus.
Jesus’ reaffirmation throughout the Apocalypse about His “coming” is reaffirmed emphatically: Yes, I am coming quickly, though the focus here is on His final coming. This statement serves to confirm the validity of His testimony. That is, Jesus assures the churches about the truth of the complete vision by guaranteeing that His final advent, which He promised at His first coming, will soon occur and thus bring to completion what He has revealed throughout the book. It is conceivable that also in mind are Jesus’ future prior comings which culminate in the last coming (see on 1:7; 2:5; 3:3, 11; 22:7, 12). Within vv. 18-20, v. 20 serves as the basis of the dual warning about adding and taking away from the book. Jesus’ last coming is the reason for heeding the warning, because at that time He Himself will enforce the penalties for disobeying John’s warning.
John responds to Jesus’ reaffirmation with an Amen, an utterance of trust. On the basis of his faith in Jesus’ declaration, he declares his desire and hope that Jesus come (an imperative with the sense of “polite entreaty”).
21The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
21 The closing benediction The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all is a typical conclusion to NT letters (almost universally so in Paul). The point here, as in the other NT letters, is that the writer expresses his desire that God’s grace enable the addressees to understand and obey the contents of the letter. We are reminded here again, as in 1:1-4, that the writing is broadly conceived of as a letter, the contents of which are apocalyptic and prophetic in genre (see on 1:1-3). As in the introduction at 1:4, so at the end here, grace from Christ is pronounced over all the churches. The main purpose of NT letters is to address problems which have arisen in the various churches. The various writers appeal to the readers’ present and future participation in the blessings of Christ as the basis for their appeals to obedience. If the epistolary form of Revelation functions like that of the rest of the NT letters, then its purpose is to address contemporary problems among the seven churches by appealing to this reality of the hearers’ present and future share in Christ’s blessings.
That such an “already and not-yet” scope functions throughout the book is apparent also because the function of every other NT epistolary introduction is to set out the major themes of the letter, which deal with both present and future concerns. The precise boundaries of the formal introduction in ch. 1 are difficult to pinpoint. It could end at vv. 3, 6, 8, or 20. But, whichever is the case, each section of the introduction contains themes pertaining to beginning and future fulfillment of OT prophecy. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the entire book is likely permeated with the same dual “already and not yet” themes.
The call to obedience has been emphasized repeatedly here in each of the five concluding portions in vv. 6-20. Perseverance in obedience will result in God’s blessing now and in the consummative form of the end-time rewards mentioned in the conclusions of the letters. These rewards are also summarized in ch. 21 and repeated partially again in 22:12, 14, and 17b (and implied by contrast in 22:19). As noted in the introduction to vv. 6-21, the main pastoral point of the book is that faithful endurance to the end will result in eternal blessing. The primary theological point of the book, however, is that such faithful obedience leading to reward should have the ultimate result of worshiping and glorifying God and Christ (for the latter point see 1:6; 4:9-11; 5:12-14; 21:1–22:5).
On the significance of being a faithful witness. These verses portray John in his role of prophetic witness to the revelation he has received. It is his responsibility to pass it on faithfully. In fact, as v. 18 makes clear, through his testimony he acts as a legal witness for or against those who hear his words. How can we today assume the role of faithful witness to the truth of God’s word as we have received it? Do we realize that our words bring others into account, even though we do not speak as the direct bearers of revelation in the way John did? How important is it that our witness be worked out in deeds as well as words? Do we reflect on how serious it is when God’s people fail to bear witness? Across the world today, more are suffering for bearing faithful witness to Christ than ever before in history. Why is it that when others are giving their lives for the sake of Christ, many of us are reluctant even to risk mild embarrassment?
On the continuing threat of idolatry to the covenant community. The book ends with reminders that a significant part of its message deals with pseudo-believers in the visible covenant community. If such pseudo-belief is outwardly expressed in idolatrous practices, as the commentary suggests, what do those kind of practices look like in our social context? Do we understand that idolatry is a continuous threat through which the devil still seeks to undermine the church? We become like that to which we are most committed. Accordingly, we are reflecting either the character of the unspiritual world or the character of God. Why is it so serious when we who claim Christ’s name do not reflect His character but the world’s unspiritual character? The reason is that if Christians are to shine the light of God’s glorious presence throughout the earth, as this commentary has discussed, they must be reflectors of His character (i.e., images of Him in the temple of His presence) and not a part of the world’s darkness. If the bent of a professing Christian’s life is no different than those in the world, then that person must ask “do I really know the Lord?”
On the goal of the book and the goal of our lives. The commentary states that while the main pastoral point of the book is that faithful endurance to the end will result in eternal blessing, the primary theological point of the book is that such faithful obedience leading to reward should have the ultimate result of glorifying God and Christ. How often is this the measuring stick for our personal faith and for the way in which our church life is conducted? How seriously has the self-centered, self-fulfillment focus of our culture affected our ability to see our mission as a people created primarily to glorify their God?