A Very Interesting Passage

The words of the risen Jesus at Revelation 22:12-13 are very interesting due to the context.

The Context

Basic Reading Comprehension

8 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. 9 But 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.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy. 12 Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

The angel is speaking to John. Twice we are told that the angel was speaking to John ("he said to me"). Basic reading comprehension tells us that it was the angel who said, "Behold I am coming quickly and my reward is with me to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

Did Jesus instruct John not to worship him in verse 9?

Judgment for Human Conduct

Compare the contents of verse 11 with the contents of verse 12:

8 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. 9 But 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.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy. 12 Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

In verse 12, the speaker is obviously Jesus since we already know that Jesus is the man God appointed to judge the world. Notice how he is referring to what various people have done in verse 11. In the next breath, he says he will render to each person according to what he has done. What is stated in verse 12 is obviously based on what was stated in verse 11. This tells us that verse 11 and 12 coherently flow together and the same speaker is in view.

Who showed these things to John?

Compare verses 22:8-9 with verse 22:16 and 22:20.

8 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. 9 But 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.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy. 12 Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

I, Jesus, have sent (lit.) the angel of me to testify to you these things for the churches. 22:16

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 22:20

Who appeared to John?

Now concerning these things which were shown to John, compare verse 1:1 with what actually happened to John later in the chapter. In verse 1, we are told that the revelation of Jesus Christ was given to Jesus by God and communicated by an angel to John. So one might expect an unidentified angel to be the one appearing to John to shown him these things. But who appeared to John and began to show him these things?

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.

9 I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, 11 saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands 13 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across his chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and his hair were white like white wool, like snow and his eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and his face was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And he placed his right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last, and the living one; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. See also 4:1.

It was Jesus himself who was speaking to John.

Who did John fall down before?

8 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. 9 But 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.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy. 12 Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 22:20

So who said this to John?

8 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. 9 But 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.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy. 12 Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

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Created: May 8, 2018
Last Revision/Update: May 8, 2018

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