Revelation’s Polyonymous Jesus

By: Caleb

Though the themes of book are that of apocalyptic literature, prophecy, judgment, and encouragement to persevere in times of trail, the primary theme of the vision is also the title John presents in 1.1, ‘the revelation of Jesus Christ’. “It is a vision of Jesus the Messiah. John is seeing the profound depths of what God has done, is doing, and will ultimately consummate in and through Jesus.”[1] As such it is crucial to study how the work sees Jesus if the book is to be understood at all. This can be done by looking at how John presents Jesus with names, titles, and physical descriptions, and by studying the actions and role of Jesus in the book. This paper with focus on the former of the two. Revelation ascribes 55 names/titles to Jesus, many of which are reoccurring. Of these titles, several themes can be noted, and 5 categories start to emerge. From this vantage point one can discuss the Christological implications of John’s different titles for Jesus in Revelation. One will quickly learn that Revelation a wholistic depiction of Jesus drawing from numerus themes throughout the bible and presents a figure who is not only the archetypal witness, both of and to God, the Davidic king who conquers as a slain Lamb, but equal the God himself.

The Promised Davidic Ruler

In Revelation there are 5 direct titles ascribed to Jesus which are all build upon, and tie together, the Davidic and restored kingdom promises of the Old Testament. These titles are as follows: The Ruler of the kings on Earth (1.5), Ruler of God’s creation (3.14), Loin of Judah (5.5), Root of David (5.5 & 22.16), and King of kings and Lord of Lords, and vice versa, (17.14 & 19.16). All of these titles merge together and reference one another but looking at each before taking a step back is worth while. 1.5’s phraseology is reminiscent of Psalm 89.27, 2.2, and 2.6-7, the Davidic ruler is “the most exalted of the kings of the earth.”[2], [3] And just as the kings of the earth resist God and his anointed king in Psalm 2.2 yet are conquered and ruled with and iron rod all the same (Ps. 2.9) and, the same is said of the ten kings who Jesus, represented as a lamb, conquers in Revelation 17.14 (Rev. 2.27, 12.5, 19.15), because “he is the Lord of lords and King of kings.” The same title, only in reverse, is used in 19.16, where Jesus is depicted as the coming on a white horse, accompanied with the armies of heaven, to bring in judgment and the kingdom. “This Christological title likely alludes to Daniel 4.37 LXX, where the king of Babylon acknowledges and praises the Most High ‘because he is God of gods and Lord of lords and King of kings’.”[4] Explicit references to the Davidic lineage are also applied throughout to book making the Messianic connection seemingly foolproof. Jesus is twice referenced as the ‘root of David’ (5.5, 22.16), possessing the ‘key of David’ (3.7), and once referenced as the ‘Lion of Judah’ (5.5). Clearly, Revelation draws on the Davidic promises of everlasting throne (2 Sam. 7.13) and dominion over enemies (Ps. 110.1), which are echoed in Daniel 7.14, 18, 26, and 27 with the Son of Man figure (itself used in Rev. 1.13 and 14.14), and overtly applies them to Jesus, despite the claims of Victor Hamilton.[5] Finally, there is the title in 3.14 ‘ruler of God’s creation’, which the majority of translations render ‘originator/beginning of God’s creation’. Such a translation is justified as the word ‘arche’ means ruler or beginning, and such a rendering does fit within the ‘beginning and the end’ title/theme also presented in the book. However, the following three points make a rendering of ‘ruler’ more likely: (1) the similar phraseology to 1.5 “suggest that archōn and archē point to Christ’s rule over the world”, (2) “the message to Laodicea begins with Christ’s rule and concludes with his enthronement (3.14, 21)”, and (3) “all creation declares Christ’s rightful power to rule (5.12), and at his final coming he is “faithful and true” and is said to rule the nations (19.11).”[6] All of these titles and themes are balled up and boldly presented in Revelation. The book has no issue linking the promises of a Davidic king to Jesus, ascribing to him complete authority and rule over the earth, nor does it hold back tying the divine kingly title to him. In a simple concluding phrase, one could say: Revelation connects all the Davidic messianic promises to Jesus and then continues to rase the bar further by calling him by the same titles as Yahweh.

One Like a Son of Man

Revelation picks up Daniel 7’s ‘one like a son of man’ and links the identity of the figure with Jesus himself. Though the identity of Daniel’s son of man figure is still debated, there is still solid arguments for the traditional Davidic/messianic interpretation, and it appears to match John’s understanding and application. The title is first introduced in 1.13, where John describes this person with the garb of a high priest and the physical attributes of Daniel 7’s Ancient of Days and Daniel 10’s mysterious man.[7] The second occurrence of the title appears in 14.14, where the person is seated on a white cloud, wearing a golden crown, and carrying a sickle. This person is then told by ‘another angel’ to harvest the ripe earth. Much debate swirls around the identity on 14.14’s figure, as it is not definitively clear who it could be. 1.13 continues on to 1.17, where the figure identifies themself as the one who died but is now alive forevermore, which obvious links 1.13’s usage to Jesus. 14.14 is not as simple. The only other possible entity for 14.14 is an angelic being. Those who argue the previous do so for the following reasons: (1) An angel orders this figure to go forth and harvest (14.15), which would make the scene very odd if the figure is Jesus. (2) This angel who gives the order is introduced as ‘another angel’, hinting that the one prior was also an angel. (3) The figure in 14.14 “is said to be “sitting” instead of “coming” on the cloud as in Daniel 7.”[8] And, (4) the possession of a crown does not indicate heavenly royalty only a position of honour, as the elders are said to have crowns (4.4). Though the argument may seem compelling to some it remains unlikely for several reasons. Firstly, even if one makes a large issue with the figures ‘sitting’ or ‘coming’ on the cloud, which is a weak argument, the text also connects to Isaiah 19.1 where “Yahweh himself seated in heaven on his throne.”[9] As for why Jesus would appealingly take orders from a mere angel:

“The answer is found by noting that this angel came out of the temple in heaven, from the very presence of God. During the time of his earthly ministry, Jesus affirmed that he did not know the hour of his return: “No one knows about that day or hour, not it even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13.32). Now, at last, the heavenly Father declares from his heavenly temple, “It’s time!” The messenger angel then came out of the temple and spread the word, not only so that Christ heard, but the angelic couriers (and John) heard as well. It is ultimately from the Father that the command issues, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come.”[10]

Despite any other objections, the obvious connection to Daniel 7.13-14 and the previous depiction of Jesus as the one who ‘comes on the clouds’ in 1.7 make Jesus extremely likely be the son of man in 14.14. Like most of the other titles given to Jesus in Revelation, there are connections to Yahweh himself, however the main thrust in Revelation’s use of the title is the same as in Daniel 7. That just as in Daniel 7, the one like a son of man is coming to defeat the enemies of God, save the saints, and establish God’s kingdom, so in Revelation Jesus is presented as the one who is ‘coming’ to do the same (1.7, 3.3, 16.15, 22.7,12, 20). Therefore, Jesus is presented as the Son of Man of Daniel, the coming Davidic king, and judge (thus the sickle and harvest in 14.14-20), the eschatological hope of the Christian readers.

The True and Faithful Witness

Jesus is presented as the ‘true and faithful witness’, the ‘amen’, and the ‘word of God’; all of which layout a fundamental trustworthiness of his testimony. 1.5 calls Jesus the ‘faithful witness’, whereas 3.14 explains the saying to the ‘faithful and true witness’. Both of these have a similar Greek phraseology as Psalm 89.27 and 37 in the Septuagint (88.28, 38 in the LXX), where “the enduring reign of David’s offspring [is compared] to the moon’s faithful witness in the sky.”[11] Furthermore, the witness motif parallels what is found in Isaiah 40-50, where “Yahweh calls Israel as ‘my witnesses’ to testify among the nations that he alone is God, in contrast to the nations’ lifeless idols that cannot save.”[12] The terminology is used of those who remain faithful witnesses unto death in 2.10, 13 and of the conquering saints in 12.11. Jesus being the archetypal witness, as it was his faithful witness which lead him to his execution and his resurrection which conquered death itself. 3.14’s use of the title comes right after the title the ‘amen’, which “probably identifies Jesus with ‘the God of truth’ (Isa. 65.16) and underscores the authenticity of his testimony, over against the [Laodicean] church’s unfaithful witness.”[13] This framework then allows the title ‘Word of God’ in 19.13 to then further inform this theme, as of the seven times the ‘word(s) of God’ are mentioned in someway in Revelation the testimony of Jesus is closely associated (1.2, 1.9, 6.9, 20.4).[14] Not only does this have connections with the Gospel of John’s prologue, but also reveals the dual witnessing of Christ. Meaning that: “the word of God is both a word from God and a word about God.”[15] Therefore, Jesus’ collective titles withing the ‘true and faithful witness’ title/theme ties together the ideas presented in John’s prologue and Hebrews 1.1-3 with that of his remodeling faithfulness to his testimony even under threat of death.

The First and the Last & The Alpha and the Omega

Revelation uses the 3 merisms communicate the totality/fullness of an idea, ‘the Alpha and the Omega’, ‘the first and the last’, and ‘the beginning and the end’.[16] The title ‘the first and the last’ is the only of the three that has a background in the Old Testament and is the first of the three applied to Jesus in Revelation (1.17-18). Jesus’ second sentence in the book is his self designation as ‘the first and the last,’ which clearly comes from passages like “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god” (Isa. 44.6) and “I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he” (41.4). The same title is ascribed to Jesus is 2.8 and 22.13. Furthermore, the title which the Lord God applies to himself in 1.8 and 21.6-7, ‘the Alpha and the Omega’, Jesus also applies to himself in 22.13. This title has its roots in Greek and Roman magic cults and is meant to communicate eternality.[17] Therefore, when the Lord God ascribes it to himself the surrounding expressions also communicate the same point: 1.8 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega… who is and who was and who is to come”, and 21.6 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end”. It is also noteworthy, that when any of the three titles are introduced in Revelation it is with the phrase ‘I am’ (save for the instance in 2.8). Obviously, the phrase has connections with both the Gospel of John and the Old Testament; particularly Exodus 3.14 where God reveals himself to Moses in the phrase ‘I am who I am’ expressing his eternality and self-existence.[18] Therefore when all this history and titles are all brought up together when Jesus says in 22.13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end”, the Christological implications are evident. “By ascribing to himself titles reserved only for Yahweh, Jesus thus profoundly and unmistakably identifies himself with the sovereign Creator God, not as a second God but included ‘in the eternal being of the one God of Israel who is the only source and goal of all things’.”[19] Such a claim lays the fundamental groundwork for trinitarian thought and is one of, if not the most, overtly high Christological verses in the bible.

The Salvific and Risen Lamb

The most reoccurring title ascribed to Jesus in Revelation is that of ‘the Lamb’ as it appears 30 times in the book, 28 of which refer to Jesus directly.[20] There are two main views on how this title functions: (1) the lamb title/imagery is connected to the messianic conquering king theme of the book, and (2) is title is used in a salvific sense.[21] Although, as previously discussed, the Davidic and conquering themes are strong in the book, Revelation seems to knowingly subvert that very idea in 5.5-6. Those verses reveal that the conquering Loin of Judah is the slain and yet standing Lamb whose sacrificial death “archives redemption and prompts heavenly worship.”[22] The way Revelation portrays Jesus’ lamb title can be divided up into four main themes, from which the background can be determined: “(1) the Passover lamb (Exod. 12.3-6; cf. John 1.29), (2) the lamblike servant (Isa. 53.7; cf. Acts 8.23), (3) the suffering prophet (Jer. 11.19; cf. Luke 11.50) and (4) the warrior ram (1 En. 90.9-12; T. Jos. 19.8).”[23] Revelation brings all these themes together and presents Jesus as a Lamb whose actions have delivered, or provided a way of salvation to, the people of God, not all too different from the salvation God provided in Exodus account. The lamb not only provides the way of salvation to the saints, but also is their shepherd (7.17). The implications on Christology do not stop there, the description of the lamb in 5.6 with “seven horns and seven eyes” which are then directly identified with “the seven spirits of God” burst with Christological weight. The horns representing a level of authority, with the number 7 presenting the lamb with whole/complete authority.[24] The eyes, representing insight/knowledge, is also communicated in wholeness/perfect numerology; however, they are immediately identified with the “seven spirits of God” introduced in 1.4. Meaning, not only is the Lamb omniscient and able to judge (2.23), traits only the divine possesses (Jer. 17.10), but also shares in the “spirits of God”. This terminology likely comes from Zechariah 4.2-10 which compares lampstands with the eyes of God, with further possible connections to a Davidic ruler.[25] In either case, as Gordon Fee (who argues that the “seven spirits of God” is a representation of the Holy Spirit using Old Testament imagery) points out 5.5-6 is Highly trinitarian and reveals the authors “own understanding of the Spirit, as simultaneously the Spirit of God and of Christ.”[26] The impacts left on Christology from Revelation’s use of the lamb title is, as revealed above, quite varied but rich. Comparisons and connections to the Lord God are heavy handed, with the description of the lamb’s authority, insight, and provision of salvation akin to the Exodus, yet the lamb is also the conquering Davidic messiah. Only that his victory is not though conquest but by becoming the perfect sacrificed Passover lamb.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Revelation is perhaps the clearest and most obvious presentation of high Christology. The wide range of titles reveal John’s desire to tie many Old Testament themes together in the person of Jesus. Therefore, Jesus is the Davidic messiah who conquered by being the sacrificial Passover lamb, the perfect witness of and to God, and is even elevated to the titles and clothes of Yahweh. It would be wrong in a sense to say that Revelation teaches trinitary theology, though the groundwork is there and one need not look hard to start building the case. Rather it would be more accurate to simply follow John’s overtly presented theme: Jesus is all that the Old Testament pointed towards and more, for he shares in the Divine itself.

[1] M. Robert Mulholland Jr., “Revelation,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: James, 1–2 Peter, Jude, Revelation, ed. Philip W. Comfort, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2011), 412. [2] Buist M. Fanning, Revelation, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 82. [3] Gordon D. Fee, Revelation, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2011), 8. [4] Ian Paul, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2018), 59. [5] Brian J. Tabb, All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2019), 57-58. [6] Craig R. Koester, Revelation: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, ed. John J. Collins, vol. 38A, Anchor Yale Bible (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2014), 336. [7] Rev. 12-16’s description of the son of man with parallels: (1) ‘Clothed with a long robe and a golden sash around his chest’ closely resembles the garments of the chief priest as laid out in Exodus 28. (2) ‘Wight hair, like wool, like snow’ matches Daniel’s description of the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7.9. (3) ‘Eyes like blazing fire’ again matches the Daniel’s description of the man figure over the river in Daniel 10.6. (4) ‘Feet like bronze’ also match Daniel’s 10.6 description. (5) ‘Voice like a roar of waters’ is quite like the description of voice in Ezekiel 1.24. (6) ‘A two-edged sword from the mouth’ echoing Isaiah’s servant’s description in Isaiah 49.2. (7) ‘Face shining like a full sun’ resembling Daniel 10.6’s figure again. [8] Buist M. Fanning, Revelation, 397. [9] Brian J. Tabb, All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone, 52. [10] Kendell H. Easley, Revelation, vol. 12, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998), 253. [11] Brian J. Tabb, All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone, 53. [12] Brian J. Tabb, All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone, 53-54. [13] Brian J. Tabb, All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone, 55. [14] Ian Paul, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, 317. [15] Ian Paul, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, 317-318. [16] John D. Barry, David Bomar, et al., eds., “Alpha and Omega,” The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016). No Page Num. Source is Electronic. [17] Ian Paul, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, 64. [18] Ian Paul, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, 64. [19] Brian J. Tabb, All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone, 35. [20] Justin W. Bass, “Lamb of God,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary. [21] Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Lamb of God,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1300. [22] Brian J. Tabb, All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone, 60. [23] Brian J. Tabb, All Things New: Revelation as Canonical Capstone, 60. [24] Buist M. Fanning, Revelation, 219. [25] Craig R. Koester, Revelation: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, 377. [26] Gordon D. Fee, Revelation, 81.