<1tuururbtu
UJqrnlngtrul :tInut~l!J
Continuing
Lehre und Wehre (Vol. LXXVI)
Magazin fuer Ev.-Luth. Homiletik (Vol. LIV)
Theol. Quarterly (1897-1920) -Tbeol. Monthly (Vol. X)
Vol. I July, 1930 No.7
CONTENTS
Page
PIEPER, F.: Die Wiederholung einer falschen Anklage
gegen die Missourisynode.............................. 481
DALLMANN, W.: How Peter Became Pope............... 486
ENGELDER, TH.: Der Sieg ueber den Unionismus ....... 498
KRETZMANN, P. E.: The Spirit of the Lutheran Chorale 508
ELLWANGER, W. H.: The Christology of the Apocalypse 512
POLACK, W. G.: Sermon for the Golden JUbilee of a Con-
gregation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 529
Dispositionen ueber die Eisenacher Evangelienreihe....... 534
Theological Observer. - Kirchlich-Zeitgeschichtliches. . . . .. 542
Vermischtes und zeitgeschichtliche Notizen ................ 551
Book Review. - Literatur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 552
Ein Predfger mu.s nicht aliein weiden,
also dass er die Schafe unterweise, wie
• fe rechte Christen eolien Bein, sondem
auch daneben den Woelfen wellre .. , da.s
SiB die Schafe nicht angreifen und mit
falscher Lehre verfuebren und Irrtwn ein-
fuehren. - Lutller.
Es ist kein Ding, da. die Leute mebr
bei der Kirche bebeelt, denn die cute
Predigt. - A.pololJie, A.rf. I~ .
If tbe trumpet give an uncertain sound,
who shall prepare him.elf to tbe battle f
1 Cor.~."
Published for the
Ev. Luth. Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States~
CONCORDIA. PUBLISHING HOUSE, St. Louis, Mo. \
: ~ ... '
. , ,
ARCHIVES
512 The Christology of the Apocalypse.
This spirit may be further analyzed as a spirit .of humility, of the
knowledge of sin. Who can remain unmoved when the throbbing
notes of "Out of the Depths I Ory to Thee" sound forth or of the
hymn "0 God, Thou Righteous, Faithful Lord, I have Not Kept Thy
Holy Word"? To a Lutheran Ohristian, sin is not an empty sound,
but a dreadful reality, and the hymns of our Ohurch express this fact
time and again.
But to this we add the spirit which holds to the .objective cer-
tainty .of salvatian. It is this feature that characterized some of the
very first hymns in the field of Lutheran hymnody, such as "Salva-
tion unto Us has Oome," by Speratus, and Luther's "Dear Ohristians,
One and .All Rejoice." Thousands of other Lutheran hymns have
since sung of the vicarious redemption through the merits of Ohrist,
but they have hardly risen above the fervor of these first psalms of
salvation with which these leaders of the Reformation heralded the
Gospel freedom.
Nor is the meditatian .on the marvels .of Gad's grace absent from
Lutheran hymnody. On the c-ontrary, one of the earliest meditations
of this kind was written by Gramann in 1525, namely, "My Soul,
Now Bless Thy Maker." Then we have Schmolck's "Open Now Thy
Gates of Beauty," with its prayerful application to the blessings of
the Gospel, and in particular the many hymns for the great festivals,
Ohristmas, Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, and Trinity.
No wonder, then, that the spirit of the Lutheran charale is also
found in praise and thanksgiving. What was said by Luther in his
translation of the Te Deum Laudamus, what was expressed by Decius
in his popular version of the angelic hymn "All Glory Be to God on
High" and by another pupil of Luther in his "All Glory Be to God
Alone," that is the thought which dominates hundreds of Lutheran
charales, thereby affording a preparation for the glories of heaven,
when we shall join in the chorus of the ransomed before the throne of
the Lamb and bless our Redeemer forever and ever.
P. E. KRETZ MANN.
The Christology of the Apocalypse.
More curious notions arise in the minds of many Bible students
regarding St. John's Apocalypse than regarding any other book of
the Bible. Usually Bible classes are found to be more eager to. study
this book than any other portion of the Holy Scriptures, and pastors
are often asked bewildering and perplexing questions concerning it.
Shall we hold ourselves aloof from this 1ITiting with an air of "touch
not, taste not, handle not," or shall we diligently apply ourselves to
laying hold of the divine truths here. recorded in their richness and
fulness?
The Christology of the Apocalypse. 513
The warning which Luther gave four centuries ago still needs
to be heeded by us to-day: uEs haben wahl viel sich daran versucht,
aber bis auf den heutigen Tag nichts Gewisses aufgebracht, etliche
viel ungeschicktes Dinges aus ihrem K opf hineingebraeuet." 1) On
account of its symbolisms, mysteries, and the many difficulties con-
nected with the nature of any apocalyptic writing we cannot per-
fectly understand all things here revealed any more than we can
understand how "God so loved the world that He gave His only-
begotten Son." "How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways
past finding out!" Yet this fact does not give us sufficient reason
for closing our eyes to the simple and beautiful truths we can grasp
through the Spirit; for ''blessed is he that readeth, and they that
hear, the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are
written therein," 1,3. On the other hand, the study of Revelation
needs to be undertaken with special prayer and care, lest we either
"add unto these things" or "take away from the words of the book of
this prophecy," 22,18. 19.
The question might be raised at the outset: Oan this writing be
used as an authoritative basis for theology~ The Apocalypse of
St. John has been used sparingly in the support of doctrinal teachings.
While it was not intended to be a doctrinal treatise, it abounds in
sound doctrine and is especially valuable to us in this age because of
its unmistakable teaching concerning the person and work of Ohrist.
The long-prevailing uncertainty as to its authorship and authenticity
no doubt accounts for the reluctancy with which it has been used.
On this point we may say, however, that it has been shown with in-
creasing clearness that our ''brother and companion in tribulation,"
1,9, "who bore record of the Word of God and of the testimony of
Jesus Ohrist and of all things that he saw," 1,2, was none other than
John, the ''beloved disciple," from whose hand also came the fourth
Gospel and the J ohannean epistles.2) An apostle of Jesus Ohrist
being the inspired writer, its true value in doctrine ranks equally
authoritative with the Gospels, the epistles, and the other books of
the Bible.
Further objection is made to the use of the Apocalypse as a basis
of Ohristian theology on the ground that it is distinctly an apocalyptic
writing. This kind of work, most certainly, must be interpreted in
accordance with its nature, its purpose, and the circumstances under
which it is written; but its apocalyptic nature does not in itself make
it worthless in the teaching of Ohristian fundamentals. If this
were true, important portions of the Old Testament would have to
be ruled out for the same reason; for the works of Daniel and of
1) Vol. XIV, 130, St. Louis Ed.
2) Cf. Zahn, Th., Eimleitung in das Neue Testament, pp. 624 fi.
33
514 The Christology of the Apocalypse.
Ezekiel are chiefly apocalyptic. Though primarily in the form of
visions and of symbols, these spiritual truths were none the less "the
revelation of Jesus Ohrist," 1, 1, "sent and signified by his angel unto
his servant John," and they properly serve their purpose also in a doc-
trinal treatise.
The symbolism of this book is not used in order to make it
mystical and more difficult for the reader, thus leading him into many
bewilderments and doubts, but it is meant to enlarge the mental con-
ception of that which is spiritual, just as an increased vocabulary
enables us to express a greater number of ideas with a finer sense of
distinction and shade of meaning. The fact that our Lord so often
resorted to the use of parables demonstrates man's great difficulty in
grasping heavenly truths. "God's Word is truth from the beginning,"
Ps. 119, 160, whether we receive it in visions, in parables, or in simple,
expository discourse. The method of the revelation does not deter-
mine the degree of the truth revealed. Let us therefore more studiously
and diligently apply ourselves to the Apocalypse of St. John that
here also the Word of Ohrist may dwell in us richly in all wisdom.
In this treatise we confine ourselves to the "Doctrine of Ohrist";
1) His person, 2) His work.
I. The Person of Christ.
In his gospel, St. John writes: "In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . .. Andthe
Word was made flesh and dwelt among us; and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and
truth." This cardinal truth of the deity of Ohrist has always been
confessed by true Ohristians, and we Lutherans are singularly thank-
ful that our forefathers confessed it so plainly and so assuredly four
hundred years ago at Augsburg, declaring that "the Word, that is,
the Son of God, did assume the human nature in the womb of the
blessed Virgin Mary, so that there are two natures, the divine and
the human, inseparably conjoined in one Person, one Ohrist, true
God and true man." (Art. III, Augsb.Oonf.) This will always be
the confession of the true Ohristian Ohurch, and it is also the teach-
ing of the Apocalypse of St. John. This thesis, that Jesus Ohrist of
the Apocalypse is true God, is maintained because He A) receives
the titles of God, B) possesses the attributes of God, 0) has the
prerogatives of God, D) receives the honor and worship due only to
God, E) is associated with the person of God the Father upon the
footing of equality.
A) It is often alleged that Jesus is not called God outright any-
where in Scripture, but that such titles as admit a position of sub-
ordination are predicated of Him. This cannot be said of 21, 7,
where the heavenly Jerusalem is described, and the "Alpha and
The Christology of the Apocalypse. 515
Omega," who sits on the throne, says: "I will give unto him that is
athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that over-
cometh shall inherit all things; and I will be His God (EaOflat a{n;cp
{Jeo.), and he shall be My son." Who is the antecedent of the pro-
noun I in this statement? It is the "Alpha and Omega," "the Son
of Man," identified in 1,11 ft. It is "I, Jesus," who gives of the water
of life freely, 22, 16. 17; cf. John 4, 14. There can be no dissension
concerning the word used for God in this passage; it is the Greek
-8>60., which means a deity. Here Jesus is indisputably called God.
The deity of Jesus is furthermore substantiated in the use of
the title Lord for him. Sometimes this word is used in the New
Testament in the sense of a master, a ruler, or one who has power and
authority, Matt. 25, 1~30. It is also the New Testament transla-
tion of the Hebrew illil' and in that sense is used interchangeably
with I:l\i!i~~. The Lord i~ the one, true God, who alone is to be served,
Matt. 4, 1(i: This is the intended meaning of this word in the
Apocalypse wherever used, without exception: 1, 8; 4, 8. 11; 11,
8. 15. 17; 14, 13; 15, 3. 4; 16, 5. 7; 17, 14;18, 8; 19, 1. 6. 16;
21, 22; 22, 5. 6. 20. 21. It is the "Lord God Omnipotent" who reigns,
19, 6, and the "Lord God Almighty, which was and is and is to come,"
who is worshiped, 4,8; and His person is not to be confused with
that of the Lamb; for "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are
the temple of the New Jerusalem," 21, 22; but He, Jesus, is also
"Lord" and «God," "Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the
Ending, . . . which is and which was and which is to come, the
Almighty," 1,8.11. It is "the Lord Jesus Ohrist," 22,21, who comes
as Judge of the world, 22,20. He is "Lord of lords and King of
kings," 17, 14; 19, 16 (for the Scriptural meaning of this phrase see
Deut. 10, 17). His identity cannot be mistaken; for He is the
"Orucified" One, 11, 8; 17, 14. The study of the above passages shows
that the title "Lord" is used both of God the Father and of Jesus
Ohrist, and always in the sense of Deity.
B) Another proof, so familiar to the catechist, that Jesus is
true God is the fact that attributes are ascribed to Him that can be
ascribed only to God. In this respect we have a preponderance of
evidence in the Apocalypse.
Jesus is called the Almighty (navroxllct-rroll) , 1,8. With the ex-
ception of this passage this epithet occurs only with the word "God":
4, 8; 11, 17; 15, 3; 16, 7. 14; 19, 6. 15; 21, 22. It is the "Lord God
Omnipotent" who reigns, 19,6. "The Lord God Almighty and the
Lamb are the temple" of the New Jerusalem, 21, 22. It is the "Lord
God Almighty, which art and wast and art to come," who "destroys
them which destroy the earth," 11, 17. 18. If it is remembered that
Jesus Ohrist is the Revealer, 1,1, in this prophecy, there should be
no difficulty in identifying Him to be the One who says, "I am Alpha
516 The Christology of the Apocalypse.
and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, ... the Almighty," 1,8.
The description of 1, 11 removes all doubt. Jesus therefore is also
called the Almighty. Furthermore, the promise "I will give" at the
close of each letter discloses One who has all power and who is
omnipotent, the Almighty. He is honored as such a One in the
exalted language of 5,11 ff.: "And I beheld, and I heard the voice
of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders;
and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and
thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb
that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength,
and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in
heaven and on the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are
in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power
be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for-
ever and ever." "I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, ...
saith the Lord, the Almighty," 1,8.11.
Jesus Christ of the Apocalypse is omniscient. This follows from
1,1; for only He who is infinite in knowledge and in wisdom could
set himself forth as the Revealer of this prophecy. It is "the Revela-
tion of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him [John]," 1,1. God
reveals Himself in and through the Son, John 1, 18. In each of His
messages to the churches the formula appears: "I know thy works."
This statement is not made by one who purports to have only human
knowledge of the works of the churches, but by Him who is the
"Beginning and the Ending" of knowledge, "who holds the seven
stars in His right hand," "whose countenance was as the sun that
shincth in his strength," 1, 16, "who searches the reins and hearts,"
2,24, "who knows the thoughts," and "whom nothing escapes." He
is omniscient.
He is the Eternal One. "I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning
and the End, the First and the Last, the Root and the Offspring of
David, and the bright and Morning Star," 1,8.17; 2,8; 22,13.16.
He is the "Beginning of the creation of God," 3,14; He "was dead,"
but now lives and "is alive forevermore," 1,18. Only the "Lord God
Almighty, which art and wast and art to come," 11,17, is eternal,
Is. 41, 4; 43, 10; 44, 6; 48,12. Jesus therefore, the Eternal One,
is God.
Man changes. "All flesh is as grass"; but God is "the same
yesterday and to-day and forever," Heb. 13,8. "With Him there is
no variableness neither shadow of turning," Jas.l, 17. He is God and
"changes not," Mal. 3, 6. The Unchangeable and Invariable One of
the Apocalypse is He "which is and which was and which is to come,"
1, 4. 8; 4, 8; 11, 17; 16, 5. This description denotes the Absolute
One, who resists all change, and does not appear with the name of
Christ anywhere in the Apocalypse, but occurs several times, yet with
The Christology of the Apocalypse. 517
the title "Lord God Almighty," and is always used as a distinctive
attribute of God. Is this attribute of immutability, then, also meant
to be ascribed to Ohrist? The answer in the affirmative is given
1,8. 11 ff., where He "which is and which was and which is to come"
is the "Alpha and Omega," the "Son of Man." There is no trace of
ditheism in this writing. Jesus Ohrist and the Father are one in
essence, John 10, 30.
He is the Holy One, 3,7, the One in whom the eternal sanctities
reside, in whom there is absolute purity, and who alone is to be
worshiped. "He, then, that claims to be 'the Holy One,' - a name
which Jehovah in the Old Testament continually claims for His own,
Is. 6,3; 40,25; 53, 15, - implicitly claims to be God, 15,4, takes to
Himself a title which is God's alone, which it would be blasphemy for
any other to appropriate, and, unless we are prepared for the alterna-
tive that He is guilty of this, can only be accepted as Himself God."3)
He is the Living One, 1, 18; 2,8, in the sense that He is the
Source of life itself. He "will give unto Him that is athirst of the
fountain of the water of life freely," 21,6. They alone "who are
written in the Lamb's Book of Life shall enter into the New J erusa-
lem," 21,27. In this city there is a "pure river of the water of life,
clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the
Lamb," 22, 1.
This list of inherent characteristics which can be ascribed alone
to God could be increased from the Apocalypse to include quite
a number of others, such as truth, 3,7.14; 19,11; 21,5; righteous-
ne88 and justice, 19,11; 22,12; 2,5.12.22; 3,3; faithfulne88, 3,14;
19,11; 21,5; love, grace, and mercy, 1,5; 3,20; 5,9; 7,14; 22,17.
The One who possesses these attributes described in the Apoca-
lypse is truly God.
0) In the industrial, political, educational, and corresponding
activities of life we rank men according to their rights, authority,
duties, etc., and similarly, on the basis of certain preeminent rights or
prerogatives, we also distinguish between God and man. Throughout
the Apocalypse, Jesus is given the preeminent right of the Deity. The
prerogatives of a Oreator, of Judge and Supreme Ruler of the
universe, and of a Redeemer are ascribed to Him.
He is "the Beginning of the creation of God," 3, 14. Oreation
is usually considered as the act of God the Father, and this seems
to be the intended meaning of 4, 11, where the Lord God Almighty is
worshiped as the One who has "created all things." For this reason
the Arians explained 3,14 in the passive sense, saying that Ohrist was
the first and most excellent creature of God's hands. According to
the context, however, in which we know Ohrist to be the "Alpha and
3) Trench, OommentlJlTY on the Epistles to the Seven Ohurohes, p. 176.
518 The Christology of the Apocalypse.
Omega," the Omniscient One, the Omnipotent and Infinite One, this
passage must be interpreted in the active sense, that is, He is the
Principium principians, the Fountain-source of all the creation of
God. This is in perfect accord with 19,11-13, where He that is
called Faithful and True (the epithet which occurs with the above
descriptive title in 3,14) is named "The Word of God." Concern-
ing the Word we read in John's gospel: "In the beginning was the
Word," and that "all things were made by Him, and without Him was
not anything made that was made," John 1, 3. This is also the mean-
ing of 3,14. Jesus is the "Amen, the faithful and true Witness
[the Word], the Beginning of the creation of God." He is Alpha
and Omega, the Author of creation.
He is the Supreme Ruler of the universe. He is "the Prince of
the kings of the earth," 1, 5, and "hath made us kings and priests
unto God and His Father." His dominion is universal; He is "Lord
of lords and King of kings," 7,14; 19,16. He shall overcome
"Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the
earth," 17,5-14. He "has the sharp, two-edged sword," 1,16; 2,12.
"He holds the seven stars in His right hand; He walks in the midst
of the seven golden candlesticks," 2, 1. "His eyes are as a :£lame of
fire, and on his head are many crowns; . • . He is clothed with
a vesture dipped in blood; ... the armies which are in heaven follow
Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean; out
of His. mouth goes a sharp word, that with it He shall smite the
nations; and He shall rule them with a rod of iron; He treadeth the
wine-press of the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God; and He
hath on his vesture and on His thigh a name written KING OF
KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS," 19,12-16. His kingdom is
eternal, 1, 6; 5, 12. 13. They who have "part in the first resurrection
... shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him
a thousand years," 20, 6 (the millennium here spoken of is a multiple
of ten, the symbol for completion and perfection, and is not to be
taken literally). He is "the Root and Offspring of David, the bright
and Morning Star," 22,16; 5,5. He "hath the key of David; He
openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man
openeth," 3, 7.
He is the Supreme Judge and judges all kindreds, peoples,
tongues, and nations. "Behold, He cometh with clouds. Every eye
shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him; and all kindreds of
the earth shall wail because of Him," 1,7. He comes "as a thief."
"Thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee," 3, 3. "He
cometh quickly," 2, 5. 16; 3,11; 22, 7. 12.20. He "searches the reins
and hearts," 2,23, and "has the keys of hell and of death," 1,18. The
sea, death, and the grave will deliver up their dead to be judged by
Him, 20, 12. 13. Only they "which are written in the Lamb's Book
The Christology of the Apocalypse. 519
of Life" shall enter into the New Jerusalem, 21,27; and "whosoever
is not found in the Book of Life is to be cast into the lake of fire,"
20,15. "To him that overcometh," He has said, "will I give to eat
of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God,"
2,7; "he shall be clothed in white raiment, ... and I will confess
his name· before My Father and before His angels," 3, 5; and "'to
him I will grant to sit with Me in My throne," 3,20. "Behold, I come
quickly, and My reward is with Me," 22, 12. He is the Supreme
Judge.
Furthermore, He is the Redeemer of fallen man. He is the
sacrificial Lamb. By the shedding of His blood He has atoned for
the sins of the world, 1,5; 7,14; 21,27. To this, the central teach-
ing of Ohristianity, the second division of this study will be given.
Such prerogatives as these, namely, the creation, supreme
sovereignty, and redemption, belong to God alone.
D) The act of worshiping is given prominent place in this book.
God alone is to be worshiped, 19,10; 14,7; 22,9. They that worship
the beast "shall go into captivity with him," 13,10. "They shall
drink of the wine of the wrath of God ... and shall be tormented with
fire and brimstone in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of
their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest
day nor night who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever
receiveth the mark of his name," 14, 10 ff. This most striking judg-
ment is in accord with Matt. 4, 10, where Jesus said: "It is written,
Thou shalt worship the Lord, thy God, and Him only shalt thou
serve."
The worship, therefore, which the Lamb receives is accorded
to Him as true God. A distinction is made in persons worshiped, but
not in degree of worship or rank of persons. In 5, 11 ff. the heavenly
hosts are described in the act of worship, saying: "Blessing, and
honor, and glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne
and unto the Lamb forever and ever." Again, in 7,9 ff., "a great
multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds,
and people, and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes and palms in their hands, and cried with
a loud voice, saying, 'Salvation unto our God, which sitteth upon the
throne, and unto the Lamb.''' Truly, all those who are members of
that "vast, unnumbered throng" worship the Lamb as well as the
Father.
In 7,11, where we read: "All angels stood round about the
throne . . . and fell before the throne on their faces and worshiped
God," no mention is made of the Lamb, nor in the following verse,
where the act of worshiping is described, nor in 5,14; and on the
basis of this discrimination it is maintained by some that the Lamb
is accorded an inferior position in being worshiped. All possibility
520 The Christology of the Apocalypse.
.of c.ontentiQn .on this questi.on sh.ould be remQved, hQwever, when we
read further in 7,17: "The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne
shall feed them and shall lead them untQ living f.ountains .of waters."
When "all the angels fell befQre the thr.one .on their faces and WQr-
shiped God," they alsQ wDrshiped Him whQ is in the midst of the
throne. Again we have a striking resemblance tQ St. J Dhn's gDspel,
where we read .of the Lamb as "the Dnly-begQtten S.on, which is in the
bosom of the Father."
When the redeemed "serve Him day and night in His temple,"
nD distincti.on will be made in the degree .of w.orship accDrded the
Father and the Lamb.
E) Jesus Christ is true GQd in unity with the Father and ac-
cording tD His perSDn is assQciated with the Father on the basis of
equality.
The d.octrine .of the Trinity is .offensive to many whQ make
a superficial study .of the Scriptures. As we speak .of this CQncep-
tiQn .of the GQdhead accQrding to the ApQcalypse, let us not think in
terms .of the mathematical absurdity that three is one, but in terms
of the Scriptural revelation of the unity in essence of the three per-
SQns of the Godhead, Father, SQn, and Holy Ghost.
The concepti.on of the Son as a distinct person of the Godhead,
coequal with the Father and one with Him and the Holy Ghost, is
bQrne .out by the Father-SQnship relation clearly in evidence in the
Apocalypse. Twice the appellation "SQn of Man" appears in this
wQrk, 1,13; 14,14. This is the title which rings true to the Master's
.own designatiQn of Himself. It is used mQre than fifty times in the
New Testament, and always by Jesus Himself, with three exceptiQns.
When two of these .occur in this b.ook, we are immediately impressed
with the striking identificatiQn of the Jesus of the ApQcalypse with
the Jesus .of the g.ospels. Jesus Christ of 1, 1 is the same as He whQ
dwelt amQng us in the flesh and who said: "I and My Father are
.one," John 10, 30, and that "all men should hQnor the Son even as
they honQr the Father," John 5, 23. (For uses of the name Father in
the Apocalypse see 1,6; 2,27; 3,5. 21; 14,1.)
That this relationship .of the Father and S.on is .one of equality
is bQrne .out by such passages as these: "They whQ have part in the
first resurrection . . . shall be priests .of God and .of Christ," 20, 6.
The virgins who are redeemed from among men are "the first-fruits
untQ God and tQ the Lamb," 14, 4. The New Jerusalem has no
temple in it; "for the LQrd God Almighty and the Lamb are the
temple of it," 21,22; "the glory of God lightens it, and the Lamb
is the light thereof," 21,23. "A pure river .of water of life, clear
as crystal, prQceeds out of the thrQne .of God and .of the Lamb," 22, 1.
''He that sitteth on the throne" and the Lamb are equally wQrshiped,
as previQusly proved.
The Christology of the Apocalypse. 521
Father and Son are coequal in power, in majesty, and in glory.
It has been shown that Jesus Ohrist according to the Apocalypse
is called God, that He has the attributes and prerogatives of God, that
He is worshiped as God, and that His person is held in the same honor
as that of the Father. A single one of these contentions proves His
deity. All of them make the evidence more conclusive and persuasive.
There are Bible students, however, who reject our conclusion in regard
to the deity of Ohrist. Bousset writes: 4) "We have in it [the
Apocalypse] the faith of a layman unaffected by any theological
reflection, which with heedless naivete simply identifies Ohrist in His
predicates and attributes with God." If thc "beloved disciple" was
a naive "layman, unaffected by any theological reflection," we also
despair of all the theology and of all the wisdom that twenty cen-
turies have brought us. Neither is Frank O. Porter5) ready to admit
that absolute identification of Ohrist as God exists, stating: "Close
as the association is, closer and more abiding than in 1 Oor. 15,20-28,
subordination remains and is expressed in simple and unreserved
fashion." This conclusion is based on such passages as 1,1, where we
read: "God gave unto him" the revelation; 2,27, where "he that over-
cometh will be given power over the nations, ... even as I received
of My Father"; 3,12, where the Revealer speaks of "My God"; and
others: 2, 7; 3, 2. 14. 21; 11, 15; 22, 18. In the light of everything
the Bible says about the person of Ohrist these passages present no
difficulty. According to divine revelation, Jesus is not only God, but
man as well, and as a true human being He is subordinate to God,
received power from the Father, etc.
Let it here be remembered that the acceptance of Jesus Christ
as our Lord and true God in unity with the Father and the Holy
Ghost is of such supreme importance that the denial of this cardinal
truth reduces the Ohristian religion to a system of ethics and leaves
us without a Savior, without hope, and without salvation in His
kingdom.
II. The Work of Christ.
In the ever-surging waves of humanity, tossed about on the time-
beaten rocks of temptation and of sin's own deceptions, there is also
always to be found one safe haven of peace, rest, and hope. Even
though there be wars, plagues, woes, pestilences, pits of destruction,
pains of distress, and powers of darkness, there is ever One who is
victorious over this thraldom of Satan. Nowhere are the destructive
forces of "the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan,"
20,2, so vividly and powerfully described as in the Apocalypse; and
in contrast, how comforting it is to have the victory of the Redeemer
4) Meyer's Commentary, Apocalypse.
5) Hastings, Bible Dictionary, IV, p.262.
522 The Christology of the Apocalypse.
again told in these closing messages of the Scripture! In this study
of the work of Ohrist according to the Apocalypse let us hold fast to
the time-honored division of His office, namely, the prophetic, the
sacerdotal, and the royal.
A) The mission of Jesus to teach was not entirely fulfilled at
the time of His ascension; for in His state of exaltation He appeared
to John, His servant, and committed to Him the messages to the
seven churches (chaps. 1-3) and the prophecy of the Ohurch to the
end of time (chaps. 4-22). This revelation comes direct from the
Teacher of teachers and Prophet of prophets, who says: "I am Alpha
and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, ... He that liveth and
was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore," 1, 8. 18. The per-
sonal pronoun I is used fifty-three times in the letters to the churches
alone; and as we read and study them, let it be with emphasis on the
Person of these capital 1's. Here, then, we find Him not only called
a teacher, but actively engaged in the exercise of this function.
In the seven letters to the churches "we behold the Ohurch of
Ohrist in her graces and failings, in her strength and weakness, in
her joys and sorrows, in her falling under the influence of temptation
and return to the path of duty" (Ylvisaker). Each letter begins with
a striking description, in which the Speaker is identified by His
attributes, set forth as the Ruler of His Ohurch. Then comes with-
out exception the statement of His omniscience, "I know thy works.'~
Following this, come the special messages to each of the churches in
particular, yet for His Ohurch Universal. For two churches, Smyrna
and Philadelphia, there are only words of praise; for one church~
Laodicea, there is only reproof; and for the other churches both praise
and rebuke are found in varying degree.
In the first group of three, love to the Redeemer is praised; yet
this love is pointed out as beginning to grow cold; the followers of
Ohrist must endure persecutions and trials; the Ohurch is preserved
by His grace. In the second group of four, yielding on the part of
the majority to sins associated with unchristian doctrine is reproved;
formalism in religion is condemned; warning is given against luke-
warmness and weakness in the midst of trials. Thus the living
Ohurch in the midst of the vicissitudes of man is presented to us as
the object of the Lord's care and watchfulness.
In 4,1 we are introduced to "the things which shall be here-
after," 1,19, with the words: "After this I looked, and, behold, a door
was opened in heaven." The visions of the remainder of the writing
make it characteristically apocalyptic and eschatological. On account
of its symbolic nature it is often misunderstood or, for fear of mis-
interpretation, is left untouched. While we need not expect to under-
stand this symbolism perfectly any more than we expect to reach
perfect sanctification in the flesh, yet there is no reason why we should
The Christology of the Apocalypse. 523
not strive in the Spirit to make these· divine revelations more in-
telligible.
There are, for exemple, symbolic numbers, colors, creatures, acts,
phenomena in nature, etc. The number seven occurs fifty-four times
in Revelation. There are the seven churches, the seven seals, the seven
trumpets, the seven vials, the seven spirits, the seven stars, the seven
candlesticks, the seven lamps of fire, the seven horns, the seven eyes
of the Lamb, the seven heads of the dragon, the seven heads of the
beast, the seven diadems, the seven names of blasphemy, the seven
plagues, the seven angels, the seven thunders, the seven hills of mystic
Babylon, and the seven kings. There are seven descriptive statements
of the Christophany (clothing, girdle, head, hair, eyes, feet, and
voice), seven different sayings of the Living One, and seven beatitudes
(1, 3; 14, 13; 16, 15; 19, 9; 20, 6; 22, 7. 14). There is a sevenfold
division in the introduction; the inscription, 1-3; the address, 4-6;
the parousia, 7; the attestor, 8; the conditions of composition, 9;
the vision, 10--16; the voice and command, 17-20. Some authors
find a sevenfold division of the entire book and seven distinct visions
in the body of the book. (See Hayes, John and His Writings,
p. 296 ff.)
This use of seven is not accidental. What is its significance ~ To
the ordinary reader seven means a definite number of units, nothing
more and nothing less. In the Apocalypse, however, seven is a sacred
number. Its sacredness had already been established in the Old
Testament (the Sabbath, system of feasts, Gen. 2, 2.3; Lev. 4, 6-17;
8,33; 26,21-28; Num. 19,12; Josh. 6,3; 1 Sam. 2,5; 2 Kings 5, 10).
It signifies completion and perfection. The seven churches, for
example, are realities, each having its distinct geographical location;
yet they represent the one, true invisible Church. They are symbolic
of the complete number of visible churches throughout history and
also of the perfect unity of the Church invisible. Upon this basis,
Milligan declares that "the seven Spirits of God are His one Spirit;
the seven horns and the seven eyes of the Lamb are His one powerful
might and His one penetrating glance; the seven seals, the seven
trumpets, and the seven bowls embody the thought of many judg-
ments, which are yet in reality one." (Expositor's Bible, p. 28.) This
example of the use of the number seven as a symbol is given that the
reader may understand better how the entire book is to be inter-
preted.
He who can apprehend spiritual truths in the symbols, visions,
imagery, prophetic utterances, and figurative language of this book
has the key to its correct interpretation. We have here revealed to
us the Church Militant, a heart-stirring picture of the ceaseless con-
flict in this world between good and the forces of evil. The reader,
thrust into the midst of this conflict, begins to realize as never before
524 The Christology of the Apocalypse.
the horrible, hideous, dreadful, and unfathomable nature of sin, that
taxes the highest energies of the universe to bring it under control.
There is no truce; for "there can be no peace nor compromise in
earth or in heaven, in time or in eternity, between righteousness and
unrighteousness, light and darkness,Ohrist and Belial." This
"Revelation of Jesus Ohrist, which God gave unto Him to show unto
His servants the things which must shortly come to pass," 1,1, we
receive in accordance with His prophetic office.
B) Who is the overcomer in this warfare with the foe and his
allies, who bring the abominations upon the earth ~ "The Lamb shall
overcome them; for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and they
that are with Him are called and chosen and faithful," 17,14. He
is the triumphant Victor, whom the angels and saints worship, say-
ing: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches,
and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing," 5,12.
How is the victory won? This question is of supreme importance.
It involves the central teaching of Ohristianity. Whether or not we
are numbered with the "called and chosen and faithful" is determined
by our answer to this question. What is the answer according to
the Apocalypse?
As we are carried with these visions into the midst of wars,
plagues, woes, pestilences, famines, earthquakes, fire, brimstone,
dragons, whoredoms, pains, perils, sufferings, and almost every con-
ceivable destructive force of the universe, it would be expected that
in the end God would lead forth a mighty army of His hosts for
a pitched battle of decisive importance with Satan and his allies,
in which both sides would be arrayed in great battle glory and in all
available strength and that in this final conflict, Satan and his forces
would be conquered and "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone ...
and tormented day and night forever and ever," 20,10. But this is
not the case. The victory has already been won before this revela-
tion takes place, 1, 5. It is sounded as the key-note of the conflict at
the very beginning. The victory has been won by the blood of
the Lamb.
He "loved us and washe,d us from our sins in His own blood,"
1, 5. The victory consists in the redemption of mankind by the blood
of the atonement. They who "serve Him day and night in His
temple" are they "who have washed their robes and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb," 7,14. 15. These statements and others of
this writing quite clearly teach the vicarious atonement. To be
washed from our sins in His own blood is to have forgiveness of our
sins in the blood of the atonement. The original text comes to our
assistance in establishing this fact of the substitutionary death of
Ohrist as the propitiation for our sins. The best texts have the
aorist active participle Avoavu, for "wash." This form is from AVC