Jesus was the faithful witness

JESUS WAS THE FAITHFUL WITNESS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Revelation1:5 5and from Jesus Christ, who is the
faithful witness, the firstbornfrom the dead, and the
ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us
and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
Jesus:The Faithful Witness?
Ray Pritchard
“Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness” (Revelation1:5).
The men and women of this generationhave heard the name of Jesus many
times. What they want to know is very simple: "Can I trust him?” In a world
of religious charlatans, this is where we must begin. This verse calls Jesus “the
faithful witness.” A witness tells what he has seenor heard. A faithful witness
is one whose testimony is reliable every time.
John means that Jesus Christ can be relied upon to tell the truth. When he
speaks, he speaks onlythe truth. His words are absolutely true and
authoritative. 1 Timothy 6:13 speaks of“Christ Jesus, who while testifying
before Pontius Pilate, made the goodconfession.”Whatdid he say when he
stoodbefore Pilate? “I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone on
the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:37). Jesus Christ is the supreme truth-
teller, and those who want to find the truth must listen to him.
I love this statement by John Watson:

“No one has yet discoveredthe word Jesus ought to have said, none suggested
the better word he might have said. No actionof his has shockedourmoral
sense. None has fallen short of the ideal. He is full of surprises, but they are all
the surprises of perfection.”
Every person has to deal with this fundamental issue about Jesus–CanI trust
him? Some people will answeryes, others will sayno. Until this issue is settled,
there is no point in talking about anything else.
Let’s suppose you don’t want to take my word for it. Readthe record for
yourself. Take 30 days to read the Gospelaccount. Readthe story for yourself
and come to your own conclusions. I will tell you what I believe will happen. If
you read with an open mind and an open heart, you will come to the inevitable
conclusionthat what Jesus saidis true, that he is the truth, and that his word
can be eternally trusted.
I am not saying anything to try to prove it to you. I simply challenge you to
read it for yourself. Make up your own mind. When you do, you will find that
he is entirely trustworthy.
Takenfrom “Faithful Witness” by Keep Believing Ministries (used by
permission)
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
The faithful witness - The true teacher, whose testimonyis infallible, and
whose sayings must all come to pass.

The first-begottenof the dead - See the note on Colossians 1:18.
The prince of the kings - Ὁ αρχων, The chief or head, of all earthly potentates;
who has them all under his dominion and control, and can dispose of them as
he will.
Unto him that loved us - This should begin a new verse, as it is the
commencementof a new subject. Our salvation is attributed to the love of
God, who gave his Son; and to the love of Christ, who died for us. See John
3:16.
Washedus from our sins - The redemption of the soul, with the remission of
sins, and purification from unrighteousness, is here, as in all the New
Testament, attributed to the blood of Christ shed on the cross forman.
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness - See the notes on
Revelation1:2. He is faithful in the sense that he is one on whose testimony
there may be entire reliance, or who is entirely worthy to be believed. From
him “grace andpeace” are appropriately sought, as one who hears such a
testimony, and as the first-begottenfrom the dead, and as reigning over the
kings of the earth. Thus, grace and peace are invoked from the infinite God in
all his relations and operations:as the Father, the Source of all existence;as
the SacredSpirit, going forth in manifold operations upon the hearts of
people; and as the Son of God, the one appointed to bear faithful testimony to
the truth respecting Godand future events.
And the first-begotten of the dead - The same Greek expression - πρωτότοκος
prōtotokos-occurs in Colossians 1:18. See it explained in the notes on that
passage. Compare the notes at 1 Corinthians 15:20.
And the prince of the kings of the earth - Who has over all the kings of the
earth the pre-eminence which kings have over their subjects. He is the Ruler
of rulers; King of kings. In Revelation17:14; Revelation19:16, the same
thought is expressedby saying that he is the “King of kings.” No language

could more sublimely denote his exalted character, orhis supremacy. Kings
and princes swaya scepteroverthe million of the earth, and the exaltationof
the Saviouris here expressedby supposing that all those kings and princes
constitute a community over which he is the head. The exaltation of the
Redeemeris elsewhereexpressedin different language, but the idea is one that
everywhere prevails in regard to him in the Scriptures. Compare Matthew
28:18;Matthew 11:27;John 17:2; Ephesians 1:20-22;Philemon 2:9-11;
Colossians 1:15-18. The word“prince” - ὁ ἄρχων ho archōn- means properly,
“ruler, leader, the first in rank.” We often apply the word “prince” to an heir
to a throne who is not invested with absolute sovereignty. The word here,
however, denotes that he actually exercisesdominion over the rulers of the
earth. As this is an authority which is claimed by God (compare Isaiah10:5 ff;
Isaiah45:1 ff; Psalm47:2; Psalm 99:1; Psalm103:9; Daniel4:34), and which
can only pertain to God, it is clearthat in ascribing this to the Lord Jesus it is
implied that he is possessedofdivine attributes. As much of the revelations of
this book pertained to the assertionof powerover the princes and rulers of
this world, there was a propriety that, in the commencement, it should be
assertedthat he who was to exert that powerwas invested with the
prerogative of a ruler of the nations, and that he had this right of control.
Unto him that loved us - This refers undoubtedly to the Lord Jesus, whose
love for people was so strong that nothing more was necessaryto characterize
him than to speak of him as the one “who loved us.” It is manifest that the
division in the verses should have been made here, for this commences a new
subject, not having any specialconnectionwith what precedes. In Revelation
1:4, and the first part of this verse, the writer had invoked grace from the
Father, the Spirit, and the Saviour. In the latter clause of the verse there
commences anascription of praise to the Redeemer;an ascription to him
particularly, because the whole book is regardedas a revelation from him
Revelation1:1; because he was the one who especiallyappearedto John in the
visions of Patmos;and because he was to be the greatagentin carrying into
executionthe purposes revealedin this book.
And washedus from our sins in his own blood - He has removed the pollution
of sin from our souls by his blood; that is, his blood has been applied to
cleanse us from sin. Blood canbe representedas having a cleansing power

only as it makes an expiation for sin, for consideredliterally its effectwould
be the reverse. The language is such as would be used only on the supposition
that he had made an atonement, and that it was by the atonement that we are
cleansed;for in what sense could it be said of a martyr that he “had washedus
from our sins in his blood?” How could this language be used of Paul or
Polycarp;of Ridley or Cranmer? The doctrine that the blood of Christ
cleansesus from sin, or purifies us, is one that is common in the Scriptures.
Compare 1 John 1:7; Hebrews 9:14. The specific idea of washing, however -
representing that blood as washing sin away - is one which does not elsewhere
occur. It is evidently used in the sense of “cleansing”or“purifying,” as we do
this by “washing,” andas the blood of Christ accomplishes in respectto our
souls, what washing with waterdoes in respectto the body.
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead,
and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosedus
from our sins by his blood.
Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness ... There is a powerful New Testament
emphasis upon the faith of Jesus Christ, as in Paul's writings, especiallyin
Galatians 2:16,20;3:22; Romans 3:22,26;Ephesians 3:12;Philippians 3:9; etc.
There is a false impressionthat since Christ was deity incarnate he did not
need to have faith; but in our Lord's humiliation as a man, faith in the Father
was his predominate characteristic. All hope of salvationrests ultimately in
the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was the faithful witness in the
sense ofdelivering accuratelyto mankind the word and the commandment
which the Father gave him on behalf of humanity.
The firstborn from the dead ... The New Testamentrecords the resurrection
of Dorcas, the daughter of Jairus, Eutychus, the widow's son at Nain, and that
of Lazarus in addition to the resurrection of Christ. In addition, there were
"many of the saints" who came out of their graves following the resurrection
of Christ (sevenresurrections). In what sense, then, is Christ the firstborn
from the dead? He alone came back from death never to die again; and

besides this, there is the inherent significance ofhis being the first of many to
triumph over death. As Beckwithput it: "The language implies the future
resurrectionof the saints."[15]
The ruler of the kings of the earth ... Christ is here spokenof as the possessor
of all powerand authority, fully in keeping with the Saviour's words, "All
authority in heavenand upon earth has been given unto me" (Matthew
28:18). It should be noted that this authority belongs to Christ in the present
time and perpetually. He is not planning to start ruling at some future time;
he rules now! A greatdeal of the misunderstanding of this prophecy, as well
as of the whole New Testament, derives from a failure to take accountof this
tremendous truth. Many have difficulty believing that Christ rules now;
because, as they say, the world is in such a dreadful mess. However, the world
was in a dreadful condition in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, who had to eat
grass with the beasts ofthe field for seven years to learn that "The MostHigh
rules in the kingdom of men" (Daniel4:25). As for the reasonwhy God's rule
permits such atrocious wickednessonearth, it is clearenoughthat God
permits it because it is in keeping with his purpose. The reign of Christ now in
this present time will be more extensivelytreated under the "thousand years"
interpretation (Revelation20:2). There is no way in which this student of the
Lord's word canacceptsuch a declarationas that of Hal Lindsey, who wrote:
"Even though Christ has the right to rule the earth, he isn't exercising this
authority over kings and kingdoms at this time."[16] If Christ is not
exercising his authority, how can the church receive his promise that Christ
will be with us "even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:18-20)? Yes,
despite the inability of some to see and recognize it, Christ is ruling now and
will continue to rule until the lastenemy is destroyed(1 Corinthians 15:25).
Unto him that loveth us, and loosedus from our sins by his blood ... Of
significance are the present tense (loveth) and past tense (loosed), showing
that Christ's love is continuous, and that the redemption mentioned is a past
accomplishment. Since it is an undeniable truth that Christ keeps on saving
the saveduntil at last they are saved eternally in heaven, it is evident that the
initial salvation in conversionis the redemption that John had in view here;
therefore, the KJV rendition of this as "washedus" is likewise correct. On
what the scholars considersufficienttextual evidence, this was changedto

"loosedus" in subsequent versions. The Greek words for these two
expressions are almostidentical in appearance;and, furthermore, it is
immaterial exactlywhich is the original reading. As Hinds said:
Both words state true facts. That Christ washes us, cleanses us, through the
merits of his blood is unquestionably true, as statedin Revelation7:14. But by
Christ's blood we are loosedfrom our sins also.[17]
The passagein Revelation7:14, as wellas the overtones of the whole context,
incline us to acceptthe opinion of Carpenter: "The generaltone of thought
would lead us to prefer "washed" as the true reading."[18]The slavish
following of certainpreferred manuscripts is not necessarilyan infallible
method of determining accuracy.
[15] Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 428.
[16] Hal Lindsey, There's a New World Coming (California: Vision House,
Publishers, 1973), p. 26.
[17] John T. Hinds, op. cit., p. 22.
[18] W. Boyd Carpenter, Ellicott's Bible Commentary, Vol. VIII (Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1939), p. 535.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And from Jesus Christ,.... Who, though the secondPersonin the Trinity, is
mentioned last, because many things were to be said of him; and who is
describedin all his offices:in his prophetic office,
the faithful witness;as he is of his Father, of his mind and will, with respectto
doctrine and worship; of his truth and faithfulness in his promises;and of his
love, grace, and mercy, to his chosen;and of himself, of his true deity, proper
sonship, and perfect equality with the Father;of his Messiahship, and of

salvationthrough his obedience, sufferings, and death; and of all truth in
general, to which he has bore a faithful testimony severalways, in his
ministry, by his miracles, at his death, and by the shedding of his blood to seal
it; by his Spirit since, and by the ministers of his word: he is describedin his
priestly office be
the first begotten of the dead: being the first that rose from the dead by his
own power, and to an immortal life; for though some few were raisedbefore
him, yet not by themselves, nor to live for ever, but to die again. Moreover, he
is the firstfruits of the resurrection, the pledge and earnestof it, as wellas the
efficient cause and exemplar of it. This charactersupposes that he died, as he
did, for the sins of his people; and that he rose againfrom the dead, as he did,
for their justification; and that he rose first as their head and representative,
and opened the way of life for them. And he is described in his kingly office,
for it follows,
and the Prince of the kings of the earth: which is not to be understood
figuratively of the saints, who have powerover sin, Satan, and the world,
through the efficacious graceofChrist, and of whom he is Prince or King; but
literally of the kings and princes of this world, over whom Christ is King and
Lord, who receive their crowns and kingdoms from him, and rule by him, and
are accountable to him, as they one day must be. Next follows a doxology, or
an ascription of glory to him,
unto him that hath loved us; his own, his people, his church, his chosen, and
who are given him by his Father; these he has loved with an everlasting and
unchangeable love, with a love of complacencyand delight, which passes
knowledge, andwill never end: and which he has shown in espousing their
persons, undertaking their cause, assuming their nature, and in nothing more
than in giving himself for them as a propitiatory sacrifice, orin dying and
shedding his precious blood for them, as is next expressed:
and washedus from our sins in his own blood; which shows that these persons
were loved before washed;they were not first washed, and then loved, but
first loved, and then washed. Love was the cause of washing, and not washing
the cause oflove; hence it appears that they were in themselves filthy, and

unclean through sin; and that they could not cleanse themselves by anything
they could do; and that such was the love of Christ to them, that he shed his
precious blood for them, which is a fountain opened, to washin for sin, and
which cleanses fromall sin. This is to be understood, not of the sanctification
of their natures, which is the work of the Spirit, but of atonementfor their
sins, and justification from them by the blood of Christ, whereby they are so
removed, that they are all fair, and without spot. It is afterwards said, that
these same persons are made priests; and it may be observed, that the priests
were always washed, before they performed their service, as suchF14. The
Alexandrian copy and the Syriac and Arabic versions read, "and hath loosed
us from our sins in", or "by his blood"; that is, from the guilt of them, which
was bound upon them,
Geneva Study Bible
And from Jesus Christ, 5 [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten
of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us,
and washedus from our sins in his own blood,
(5) A most ample and honourable commendation of Christ, first from his
offices of the priesthood and kingdom: secondlyfrom his benefits, as his love
toward us, and washing us with his blood, in this verse, and communication of
his kingdom and priesthoodwith us: thirdly, from his eternalglory and
power, which is always to be celebratedby us; (Revelation1:6) Finally, from
the accomplishmentof all things once to be effectedby him, at his second
coming, at which time he shall openly destroy the wicked, and comfort the
godly in the truth; (Revelation1:7).
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
the faithful witness — of the truth concerning Himself and His mission as
Prophet, Priest, and King Savior. “He was the faithful witness, becauseall

things that He heard of the Father He faithfully made knownto His disciples.
Also, because He taught the way of God in truth, and carednot for man, nor
regardedthe persons of men. Also, because the truth which He taught in
words He confirmed by miracles. Also, because the testimony to Himself on
the part of the Father He denied not even in death. Lastly, because He will
give true testimony of the works of goodand bad at the day of judgment”
[Richard of St. Victor in Trench]. The nominative in Greek standing in
apposition to the genitive, “Jesus Christ,” gives majestic prominence to “the
faithful witness.”
the first-begottenof the dead — (Colossians 1:18). Lazarus rose, to die again.
Christ rose to die no more. The image is not as if the grave was the womb of
His resurrection-birth [Alford]; but as Acts 13:33;Romans 1:4, treat Christ‘s
resurrectionas the epochand event which fulfilled the Scripture, Psalm 2:7,
“This day (at the resurrection)have I begotten Thee.” It was then that His
divine Sonship as the God-man was manifestedand openly attestedby the
Father. So our resurrection and our manifested sonship, or generation, are
connected. Hence “regeneration” is used of the resurrection-state atthe
restitution of all things (Matthew 19:28).
the prince — or Ruler. The kingship of the world which the tempter offeredto
Jesus on condition of doing homage to him, and so shunning the cross, He has
obtained by the cross. “The kings of the earth” conspiredagainstthe Lord‘s
Anointed (Psalm 2:2): these He shall break in pieces (Psalm2:9). Those who
are wise in time and kiss the Son shall bring their glory unto Him at His
manifestation as King of kings, after He has destroyed His foes.
Unto him that loved us — The oldest manuscripts read the present, “ …
loveth us.” It is His ever-continuing character, He loveth us, and ever shall
love us. His love rests evermore on His people.
washedus — The two oldestmanuscripts read, “freed (loosedas from a bond)
us”: so Andreas and Primasius. One very old manuscript, Vulgate, and Coptic
read as English Version, perhaps drawn from Revelation7:4. “Loosedus in
(virtue of) His blood,” being the harder reading to understand, is less likely to
have come from the transcribers. The reference is thus to Greek, “{lutron},”

the ransompaid for our release (Matthew 20:28). In favor of EnglishVersion
reading is the usage wherebythe priests, before putting on the holy garments
and ministering, washedthemselves:so spiritually believers, as priests unto
God, must first be washedin Christ‘s blood from every stain before they can
serve God aright now, or hereafter minister as dispensers of blessing to the
subject nations in the millennial kingdom, or minister before God in heaven.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
Who is the faithful witness (ο μαρτυς ο πιστος — ho martus ho pistos). “The
witness the faithful,” nominative in apposition like πρωτοτοκος — prōtotokos
and αρχων— archōn with the preceding ablative Ιησου Χριστου — Iēsou
Christou with απο — apo a habit of John in this book (apparently on purpose)
as in Revelation2:13, Revelation2:20; Revelation3:12, etc. See this same
phrase in Revelation2:13; Revelation3:14. The use of μαρτυς — martus of
Jesus here is probably to the witness (Revelation1:1) in this book (Revelation
22:16.), not to the witness of Jesus before Pilate (1 Timothy 6:13).
The first-born of the dead (ο πρωτοτοκος τωννεκρων — ho prōtotokos tōn
nekrōn). A JewishMessianic title (Psalm89:27) and as in Colossians1:18
refers to priority in the resurrectionto be followedby others. See Luke 2:7 for
the word.
The ruler of the kings of the earth (ο αρχων των βασιλεων της γης — ho
archōn tōn basileōntēs gēs). Jesus by his resurrection wonlordship overthe
kings of earth (Revelation17:14;Revelation19:16), what the devil offeredhim
by surrender (Matthew 4:8.).
Unto him that loveth us (τωι αγαπωντι ημας — tōi agapōntihēmās). Dative of
the articular present (not aorist αγαπησαντι — agapēsanti)active participle of
αγαπαω — agapaō in a doxologyto Christ, the first of many others to God

and to Christ (Revelation1:6; Revelation4:11; Revelation5:9, Revelation
5:12.; Revelation7:10, Revelation7:12, etc.). For the thought see John3:16.
Loosed(λυσαντι — lusanti). First aoristactive participle of λυω — luō (Aleph
A C), though some MSS. (P Q) read λουσαντι — lousanti (washed), a manifest
correction. Note the change of tense. Christ loosedus once for all, but loves us
always.
By his blood (εν τωι αιματι αυτου — en tōi haimati autou). As in Revelation
5:9. John here as in the Gospeland Epistles states plainly and repeatedly the
place of the blood of Christ in the work of redemption.
Vincent's Word Studies
Jesus Christ
The Son. Placedafter the Spirit because whatis to follow in Revelation1:5-
8relates to Him. This is according to John's manner of arranging his thoughts
so that a new sentence shallspring out of the final thought of the preceding
sentence. Compare the Prologue ofthe Gospel, and Revelation1:1, Revelation
1:2, of this chapter.
The faithful witness ( ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστὸς )
For the phraseologysee on1 John 4:9. Forwitness, see on John 1:7; see on 1
Peter5:1. As applied to the Messiah, see Psalm89:37; Isaiah55:4. The
constructionagain departs from the grammaticalrule. The words witness,
first-born, ruler, are in the nominative case, insteadof being in the genitive, in
apposition with Jesus Christ. This construction, though irregular, nevertheless
gives dignity and emphasis to these titles of the Lord. See on Revelation1:4.
The word πιστὸς , faithful is used (1), of one who shows Himself faithful in the
discharge of a duty or the administration of a trust (Matthew 24:45; Luke

12:42). Hence, trustworthy (1 Corinthians 7:25; 2 Timothy 2:2). Of things that
can be relied upon (1 Timothy 3:1; 2 Timothy 2:11). (2), Confiding; trusting; a
believer (Galatians 3:9; Acts 16:1; 2 Corinthians 6:15; 1 Timothy 5:16). See on
1 John 1:9. The word is combined with ἀληθινός , true, genuine in Revelation
3:14; Revelation19:11;Revelation21:5; Revelation22:6. Richard of St.
Victor (cited by Trench) says:“A faithful witness, becauseHe gave faithful
testimony concerning all things which were to be testified to by Him in the
world. A faithful witness, because whateverHe heard from the Father, He
faithfully made knownto His disciples. A faithful witness, because He taught
the wayof God in truth, neither did He care for any one nor regard the
person of men. A faithful witness, because He announced condemnation to the
reprobate and salvation to the elect. A faithful witness, because He confirmed
by miracles the truth which He taught in words. A faithful witness, because
He denied not, even in death, the Father's testimony to Himself. A faithful
witness, because He will give testimony in the day of judgment concerning the
works of the goodand of the evil.”
The first-begottenof the dead ( ὁ πρωτότοκοςἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν )
Rev., the first-born. The besttexts omit ἐκ fromCompare Colossians1:18. The
risen Christ regardedin His relation to the dead in Christ. He was not the
first who rose from the dead, but the first who so rose that death was
thenceforth impossible for Him (Romans 6:9); rose with that resurrection-life
in which He will finally bring with Him those who sleepin Him (1
Thessalonians 4:14). Some interpreters, rendering first-born, find in the
phrase the metaphor of death as the womb which bare Him (see on Acts 2:24).
Others, holding by the rendering first-begotten, connectthe passage with
Psalm2:7, which by Paul is connectedwith the resurrectionof Christ (Acts
13:32, Acts 13:33). Paul also says that Jesus “was declaredto be the Son of
God with powerby the resurrectionfrom the dead” (Romans 1:4). The verb
τίκτω which is one of the components of πρωτότοκοςfirst-begottenorborn, is
everywhere in the New Testamentusedin the sense of to bear or to bring
forth, and has nowhere the meaning beget, unless James 1:15be an exception,
on which see note. In classicalGreek the meaning beget is common.
The Ruler of the kings of the earth ( ὁ ἄρχων τῶν βασιλέων τῆς γῆς )

Through resurrectionHe passes to glory and dominion (Philemon 2:9). The
comparisonwith the kings of the earth is suggestedby Psalm2:2. Compare
Psalm89:27; Isaiah52:15; 1 Timothy 6:16; and see Revelation6:15;
Revelation17:4; Revelation19:16.
Unto Him that loved ( τῳ ἀγαπήσαντι )
The true reading is ἀγαπῶντι thatloveth. So Rev. Christ's love is everpresent
See John 13:1.
Washed( λούσαντι )
Readλύσαντι loosedTrenchremarks onthe variation of readings as having
grown out of a play on the words λουτρόν, a bathing, and λύτρονaransom,
both of which express the central benefits which redound to us through the
sacrifice and death of Christ. He refers to this play upon words as involved in
the etymologyof the name Apollo as given by Plato;viz., the washer( ὁ
ἀπολούων) and the absolver( ὁ ἀπολύων ) from all impurities. Either reading
falls in with a beautiful circle of imagery. If washed, compare Psalm51:2;
Isaiah1:16, Isaiah1:18; Ezekiel36:25;Acts 22:16;Ephesians 5:26; Titus 3:5.
If loosed, compare Matthew 20:28;1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Peter1:18; Hebrews
9:12; Galatians 3:13; Galatians 4:5; Revelation5:9; Revelation 14:3,
Revelation14:4.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of
the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and
washedus from our sins in his own blood,
And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first begottenfrom the dead,
and the prince of the kings of the earth — Three glorious appellations are
here given him, and in their proper order. He was the faithful witness of the
whole will of God before his death, and in death, and remains such in glory.
He rose from the dead, as "the first fruits of them that slept;" and now hath
all power both in heaven and earth. He is here styled a prince: but by and by

he hears his title of king; yea, King of kings, and Lord of lords." This phrase,
the kings of the earth, signifies their power and multitude, and also the nature
of their kingdom. It became the Divine Majestyto call them kings with a
limitation; especiallyin this manifesto from his heavenly kingdom; for no
creature, much less a sinful man, canbear the title of king in an absolute sense
before the eyes of God.
Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
The first-begottenof the dead. Those persons who had been raisedfrom the
dead before the resurrectionof the Savior, were only restoredto mortal life;
they were to die again, Jesus was the first who rose to immortality. Hence
such expressions as this, and others similar to it, as in 1 Corinthians 15:20, are
applied to him.
Scofield's ReferenceNotes
sins
Sin. (See Scofield"Romans 3:23").
John Trapp Complete Commentary
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of
Ver. 5. And from Jesus Christ] Who is here set lastof the three persons,
because more is to be said of him; both as touching his threefold office, and a
threefold benefit therehence redounding unto us.

That hath loved us] See Ezekiel16:6-9. Christ, that heavenly pelican, revived
his dead young ones with his own heart-blood. (Pierii Hieroglyph.) He saw the
wrath of God burning about them, and casthimself into the midst thereof,
that he might quench it. Judah offeredto be bound that Benjamin might go
free. Jonathan riskedhis life and quitted his kingdom for love of David.
Arsinoe interposed her own body betweenthe murderer’s weapons and her
children. But what was all this to this incomparable love of the Lord Jesus?
When the Jews saw him weeping for Lazarus, "Behold," they say, "how he
loved him." When we see him weeping, bleeding, dying for us, shall not we
much more say so?
Sermon Bible Commentary
Revelation1:5
Christ's PresentLove and its GreatAct.
I. Considerthe ever-present, timeless love of Jesus Christ. John is writing
these words of our text nearly half a century after Jesus Christ was buried He
is speaking to Asiatic Christians, Greeks andforeigners, mostof whom had
not been born when Jesus Christ died, none of whom had probably ever seen
Him in this world. To these people he proclaims, not a past love, not a Christ
that loved long ago, but a Christ that loves now, a Christ that loved these
Asiatic Greeks atthe moment when John Was writing, a Christ that loves us
nineteenth-century Englishmen at the moment when we read. (1) This one
word is the revelationto us of Christ's love as unaffected by time. (2) Then,
further, that love is not disturbed or absorbedby multitudes. (3) Another
thought may be suggested, too, ofhow this present, timeless love of Christ is
unexhausted by exercise. (4)Again, it is a love unchilled by the sovereignty
and glory of His exaltation.
II. Notice the greatact in time which is the outcome and proof of this endless
love. The one actin time which is the proof and outcome of His love is the
deliverance from sin by His blood. What a pathos that thought gives to His

death! It was the willing tokenof His love. He gave Himself up to the cross of
shame because He held us in His heart. There was no reasonfor His death but
only that "He loveth us." And with what solemn power that thought invests
His death! Even His love could not reachits end by any other means—notby
mere goodwill, nor by any small sacrifice. Nothing short of the bitter cross
could accomplishHis heart's desire for men. We have no proof of Christ's
love to us and no reasonfor loving Him except His death for our sins.
III. One final word as to the praise which should be our answerto this great
love. Our praise of Christ is but the expressionof our recognitionof Him for
what He is and our delight in, and love towards, Him. Such love, which is but
our love speaking, is all which He asks. Love canonly be paid by love. Any
other recompense offeredto it is coinage ofanother currency. The only
recompense that satisfies love is its own image reflectedin another heart. That
is what Jesus Christ wants of you.
A. Maclaren, A Year's Ministry, 2nd series, p. 305.
Look at the text—
I. As a statementof a fact. "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleansethus
from all sin." The reasons forthis arrangementare not with the theological
reasoners,but they are among the secretthings which belong to God. But just
as the body is washedby pure water, so are we washedfrom our sins in
Christ's own blood.
II. As the most perfect illustration of Jesus's love. (1)Dying for us was grief,
sorrow, self-denial, trouble, a cup of gall to Jesus Christ, just as His
temptations were fiery trials. (2) Nothing can be so precious as love thus
proved.
III. As a matter of consciousness. "Lookingunto Jesus," we beginto hate evil,
to be weanedfrom the love of sin, to love righteousness;we "ceaseto do evil
and learn to do well."

IV. As an incentive to praise and as a theme of praise. Praise is the expression
of holy, happy, devout feeling;and such expressionmust be acceptable to
God. Divine revelation is Divine expression. Creationis expressionby the
absolute and infinite God. "He that offereth praise glorifieth Me."
S. Martin, Comfort in Trouble, p. 232.
References:Revelation1:5.—W. J. Knox-Little, Christian World Pulpit, vol.
xiii., p. 248;Preacher's Monthly, vol. iii., p. 321;vol. viii., p. 240. Revelation
1:5, Revelation1:6.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxix., No. 1737;W.
Cunningham, Sermons, p. 146;Homiletic Quarterly, vol. iii., p. 87.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Revelation1:5. The faithful witness,— In the original the nominative case is
againused by St. John, contrary to the analogyof grammar, to signify, that,
as he had intimated the immortality of the Deity, so likewise Christ was no less
immutable in his kingdom and in his testimony. Christ is calledthe Prince of
the kings of the earth, to encourage themin the professionof Christianity,
notwithstandingthe opposition made by kings, whom he could easilydefeat
and destroy in a moment. See John13:34; John 15:9. 1 John 1:7.
Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament
In the former verse our Saviour was consideredin the excellencyofhis
person, and with respectto what he is in himself; in this verse he is considered
in the executionof his office, or with respectto what he is unto his church.
And here observe, 1. His affectionin generaltowards us, he hath loved us; our
blessedRedeemerhath given ample and full demonstration of his greatand
wonderful love unto his church and people, and none doth so properly and
passionatelylove the church as Christ himself; before conversionhe loves his

people with a love of commiserationand compassion;after conversion, he
loves them with a love of complacencyand delight.
Observe, 2. The discovery and manifestation which Christ has made of this his
love particularly towards us, He hath washedus from our sins in his own
blood; that is, he hath given himself a sacrifice for our sins, and by the merit
of his blood freed us from the guilt of sin in our justification, and also by the
efficacyof that blood cleansedus from the filth of sin in our sanctification:the
blood of Christ hath both a pacifying and a purifying influence; it pacifies
God's wrath, and purges the sinner's conscience;the blood of Christ merited
the Spirit of God for our sanctification, and so reconciledus to God, as wellas
obtained pardon for us, in a way of meritorious satisfaction, andso reconciled
God to us: He washedus from our sins in his ownblood.
Where note, A greatemphasis in the double word of property.
1. Our sins; that is, every one of our own sins, without any imitation or
exceptionwhatsoever, as to the number or heinous nature of them: the sin
againstthe Holy Ghost is indeed excepted; and this proceeds from the
incapacity of the sinner, not from the inefficacyor insufficiency of Christ's
sacrifice for sin.
2. There is also an emphasis in the word of property with respectto Christ,
when it is called his own blood: the Levitical priests sprinkled the people with
blood, but it was not their own blood, but the blood of bulls and goats;but
Christ sparednot his own blood, and he did not barely sprinkle us with it, but
washedus with it: it was not the blood of his finger, but the blood of his heart:
his very life went with it; He washedus from our sins in his own blood.
Observe, 3. The consequenteffectand happy result of all this love of Christ
towards us, and undertaken for us, He hath made us kings and priests unto
God.
1. Kings, not in a temporal but a spiritual sense;they reign as kings over their
unruly lusts and corruptions, over Satan, over the world, over death the king
of terrors; they begin their reign upon earth, without which it were impossible
to perfect and complete it in heaven.

2. Priests, consecrating themselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto
God, and offering up, not expiatory, but gratulatory sacrificesunto him,
namely, prayer and praise, supplication and thanksgiving. Ye are an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1 Peter2:5
Observe, 4. After this description of Christ, follows an ascriptionof all that
glory and honour, dominion and power, which is his due, and our duty to
ascribe unto him: To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Where note, That the same honour and glory, dominion and power, being
here attributed and given to Christ, which Christ teaches us to ascribe and
render unto God, Matthew 6:1 it is a sure testimony that Christ is God, and as
such to be acknowledgedand adored by us: To whom be glory, &c.
Heinrich Meyer's Critical and ExegeticalCommentaryon the New Testament
Revelation1:5. As from the sevenspirits of God, as the Spirit of God and of
the Lamb beheld in living concretion, comforting, warning, strengthening
believers, but judging the world, grace and peace are wished; so also, finally
(Revelation1:5-6), from Jesus Christ, since he is ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστὸς, κ. τ. λ.
The constructionwith the genitive is not abandoned in order to indicate “the
immutability of the testimony,”(589)neither is it aided by supplying ὅς
ἐστίν:(590) but the importance of the ideas breaks through the limitations of
regular form; the abrupt mode of speechmakes prominent the intense
independence of all three predicates. Compare the energetic change of
constructionin the sentences immediately following. All three predicates of
Jesus Christ stand in pragmatic connectionwith the contents of the entire
ἀποκάλυψις communicatedthrough him, but not(591)in correspondence with
the three themes of the ascription of praise, τ. ἀγαπῶντι, λύσαντι, and
ἐποίησεν ἡμ. βασιλ., κ. τ. λ. Inconsistentwith the conceptionand reference of
the three predicates, is also the opinion that in them Christ “is characterized
according to the consecutive series ofhis works, and therefore according to his
threefold office.”(592)

Christ exaltedto his majesty is first ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστός, i.e., the
trustworthy(593) witness, and not because in his earthly life he testified, in
general, to the divine truth,(594) and maintained it even unto death;(595) nor
because whathe has threatened and promised in the flesh(596)he will
execute:but also, not alone because ofthe attestationto apocalyptic
truth,(597) which reference, ofcourse, must not be omitted, but absolutely as
the very one through whom eachand every divine revelation occurs, who
communicates predictions not only to the prophets in general,(598)as at
present to the writer of the Apoc.,(599)but also testifies to the truth(600) by
reproving, admonishing, and comforting the churches. That, just on this
account, Christ was the faithful witness in the flesh, is self-evident, but lies
here beyond the sphere of the visions.
ὁ πρωτότοκος τῶννεκρῶν. This figurative expression(601)agrees,as to its
essentialmeaning, with the figure, ἀπαρχη τῶν κεκοι΄η΄ένων, 1 Corinthians
15:20.(602)The figure is obliteratedif πρωτότοκος,(603)without any thing
further, be receivedlike ἀρχή, the first.(604)Grot. already justly remarks,
“The resurrectionis a birth.”(605) Yet the view according to which the
resurrectionto a new life(606)appears as a birth is to be maintained in its
simplicity, and not, as with Ebrard, to be further portrayed.(607)But, since
Christ is the πρωτότ. τ. νεκρ., he may representhimself as in Revelation1:18;
Revelation2:8; and that applies to him as returning, which Revelation1:7
represents as the fundamental thought of the book. [See Note XX., p. 123.]καὶ
ὁ ἄρχων τῶν βασιλέων τῆς γῆς. This, Christ—to whom, as the Messiah, and
that too as one dead and risen again, the dominion over all things
belongs(608)—willprove himself to be, in the judgment, at his advent.(609)
If the three predicates of Christ just mentioned are presented without formal
opposition, because in this way the unconditional objectivity of the ideas is the
more forcibly marked, the subjective references in the following expressions,
τ. ἀγαπ. ἡμᾶς, λυσ. ἡμας ἐκ τ. ἁμαρτ. ἡμῶν, ἐποιησ. ἡμῶν βασιλ., require that
they be made in the form of a doxology. The new clause, τῷ ἀγαπῶντι ἡμ.,
looks from the very beginning to the close ( ἀυτῷ)ἡ δόξα, κ. τ. λ.; the ἀυτῷ
restoring the original form of the sentence afterit had been interrupted, after
a Hebraistic manner, by the finite tense, καὶ ἐποίησεν.(610)

The present, τ. ἀγαπῶντι, is neither to be accountedfor by the false reading
ἀγαπήσαντι, nor to be explained in the sense ofan imperfect participle; but,
on the contrary, the certainty that Christ continues to love his people is just as
significant in the connectionof the book as that of his being the faithful
witness.(611)The bride is comforted, and rejoices in the coining of Him whom
she loves.(612)
καὶ λύσαντι ἡ΄ᾶς ἐκ τῶν ἁ΄αρτ. ἡ΄., κ. τ. λ. The loosing which Christ has
accomplished(613)by means of his blood(614)[see Note XXI., p. 124]
represents our sins as a power enchaining us.(615)Forthe thought, cf. the
similar conceptionof ἀγοράζειν, Revelation5:9.(616)The reading
λούσαντι(617)yields, according to another figure,(618)essentiallythe same
idea, in both of which(619)the forgiveness of sins and liberation from their
power(620)are comprised. Yet, even in an exegeticalrespect, the reading
λύσαντι is preferable. As in Revelation5:9 the allied idea of the ἀγοράζειν, so
also here the λύσαντι ἡμ. is followedby the declarationwhich, in most forcible
opposition to the bondage of the sins from which we are delivered, ascribes to
us a royal dominion and holy priesthoodwith God.
NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR
XX. Revelation1:5. ὁ πρωτότοκος
Cf. Meyer on 1 Corinthians 15:20; Colossians 1:18. Others, indeed, were
raisedfrom the dead before Christ’s resurrection, e.g., the daughter of Jairus,
and Lazarus; yet they were not raised to immortal life, but their souls were re-
invested with mortal bodies. See the contrastdrawn by Romans 6:9; also, in
this chapter, Revelation5:13.
NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR
XXI. Revelation1:5. καὶ λὐσαντι
Beck, who, however, prefers the reading λούσαντι, adds on the ἑν τῷ αἵματι:
“Forit is not the material, lifeless blood of one dead, but the spiritually
quickened blood of the risen One, i.e., of one born anew by the resurrection, of
the spiritually glorified Son of man. The sin-cleansing efficacyofthe blood of
Christ is, therefore, one that works inwardly, cleansing the heart and mind,

towards God (Hebrews 9:14; cf. Hebrews 7:16; Hebrews 10:19-21). λούεινis,
therefore, not merely judicial liberation from sin as a debt, nor moral
liberation from the bondage of sin (as two parties of exegeteshere try to
maintain), but one divine actaccomplishedin the person, whereby the
habitual, sinful nature of the human heart and mind, discontent with God,
and hostility towards him, are removed, and changed into a communion of
peace and love with God, into a new habit, whence, at last, the personal
freedom from sin, and sanctificationin God, result.” Tait: “Tellus not, then,
that the death of Christ was merely that of a martyr, a spectacle before men
and angels ofthe dignity of self-sacrifice,—thatit was intended to reconcile
man to God by preaching to us, through a mortal, the evil of sin and the
majesty of sorrow.”
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
Revelation1:5. ἀπὸ ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ, ὁ μάρτυς, κ. τ. λ.) In this book appositionis
frequently used betweenan oblique case and a nominative. We have collected
examples in the App. p. 778 [Edit. ii. p. 488]. In this manner the Hebrews
decline a nomenclature consisting of many words by only prefixing Mem, for
instance:and in like manner the French, by the use of the preposition de, etc.
MoreoverLuke also has, ἐν τῷ αἵματί μου, τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐκχυνόμενον, ch.
Revelation22:20.— τῶν νεκρῶν) The editions read, ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν.(8) It is
only in the Apocalypse that my text shows a reading sometimes different from
the printed editions. I have statedthe reasonat full length in the App. p. 788
[Ed. ii. p. 498 and following], and in either Defence [App. Crit. Ed. ii. P. iv. N.
iv. and bx.]— ἀγαπῶντι(9))This is the reading of the most ancient Alex. and
of six others, not to be despised, and probably of a greaternumber, who have
been overlookedby ancient collators. Others read ἀγαπήσαντι, on accountof
the following words, λούσαντι and ἐποίησεν: and it is preferred by Wolf. But
the presentparticiple includes the force of the præter-imperfect also. οἱ
μισοῦντες, οἱ ̔ ἀγαπῶντες, οἱ φιλοῦντες, οἱ δοξάζοντες, theywho hated, who
esteemed, who loved, who honoured: 2 Samuel 19:6; Lamentations 1:2;
Lamentations 1:8. Thus Matthew 2:20, οἱ ζητοῦντες, they who were seeking;2
Peter1:19, φαίνοντι denotes a light which WAS SHINING, for it is followed

by Aorist 1st, διαυγάσῃ and ἀνατείλῃ. Thus θεωροῦντες and ὤν the imperfect,
John 9:8; John 9:25, and repeatedly. And the use of the word ἀγαπῶντι in the
present with the force of a præterite was so much easier, because two aorists
follow. And so the present is used for the præterite, when the præterite
follows, ch. Revelation13:12. But ἀγαπῶντι is strictly a present, and denotes
perpetual love, as John 3:35, ὁ πατὴραι απα τὸν υἱὸν, καὶ πάντα δεδωκεν ἐν
τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, The Fatherloveth the Son, and hath given all things into His
hand: where the present and præterite are joined together. In the German
translation of the Apocalypse I have designedlytranslated it, who loves us.
And such passages, as I understand, displease many. But the style of John and
the taste of the present day are as widely apart as the eastand the west. In
translating, I do not seek to gratify fastidious ears, but I scrupulously follow
John, who wrote altogetherin accordancewith the sense of the Hebrew. This
is a part of the reproachof Christ.(10)— αὐτοῦ)I have everywhere written
αὐτοῦ, with a soft breathing,(11)even where it has a reflexive sense, following
the example of Erasmus, who indeed, in his editions, almost indiscriminately
edits αὐτοῦ, by wayof concessionto prejudices, as I imagine, and αὐτοῦ, even
in a reflexive sense, from MSS. The reasonhas been mentioned once for all in
the Appar. p. 453 [Ed. ii. p 93], (Buttigius agreeing with me in his preface to
the New Testament);and it must be supposedto have been mentioned in each
particular passage.Compare therefore on this passagealso Appar. Crit. Ed.
ii. p. 504. As with the Hebrews ‫ך‬ and other suffixes have both the relative and
reciprocalforce of the third person:so the writers of the new Testamentuse
αὐτοῦ in either sense indiscriminately. And so in this passage,ch. Revelation
1:5, αὐτοῦ altogetherrefers to Jesus Christ, who hath washedus in His own
blood.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness:here is an express mention
of Jesus Christ, because he was the procurer of our redemption, and our
Mediator, to whom the Father committed all poweras to the church. He is
calledthe faithful and true witness;1 Timothy 6:13, he witnesseda good

confessionbefore Pontius Plate;he bare recordof himself, John 8:13,14:see
also Isaiah43:10 55:4 John 18:37.
And the first begottenof the dead; that is, who first rose from the dead, viz. by
his ownpower, John 10:18, and to die no more: see Acts 13:34 1 Corinthians
15:20.
And the prince of the kings of the earth: the King of kings, Revelation17:14
19:16 1 Timothy 6:15. The first name here given to Christ speakethhis
prophetical office, the secondhis priestly office, this last his kingly office.
Unto him that loved us, and washedus from our sins in his own blood: here
begins a doxology, or giving glory to Christ, (such forms are frequent in the
Epistles), first, as he that washedus from our sins, both from the guilt and
from the powerand dominion of our sins, with his blood, paying a price, and
satisfying God’s justice for, and meriting our sanctification:see Hebrews 9:14
1 John 1:7.
Alexander MacLaren's Expositions ofHoly Scripture
Revelation
CHRIST’S PRESENTLOVE AND PAST LOOSING FROM SINS
Revelation1:5
The RevisedVersion rightly makes two slight but important changes in this
verse, both of which are sustainedby preponderating authority. For ‘ loved’ it
reads ‘loveth,’ and for ‘ washed’it reads ‘loosed’;the whole standing ‘Unto
Him that loveth us, loosedus from our sins by His blood.’ Now the first of
these changes obviously adds much to the force and richness of the
representation, for it substitutes for a past a present and timeless love. The
secondof them, though it seems greater, is really smaller, for it makes no
change in the meaning, but only in the figure under which the meaning is
represented. If we read ‘washed,’the metaphor would be of sin as a stain; if
we read ‘loosed,’the metaphor is of sin as a ‘chain.’ Possiblythe context may
somewhatfavour the alteration, inasmuch as there would then be the striking

contrastbetweenthe condition of captives or bondsmen, and the dignity of
‘kings and priests unto God,’ into which Jesus brings those whom He has
freed from the bondage. Taking, then, these changes, andnoting the fact that
our text is the beginning of a doxology, we have here three points, the present
love of Christ, the greatpast actwhich is its outcome and proof, and the
praise which should answerthat greatlove.
I. We have here that greatthought of the present love of Christ.
The words seemto me to become especiallybeautiful, if we remember that
they come from the lips of him whose distinction it was that he was ‘the
disciple whom Jesus loved.’ It is as if he had said, ‘I share my privilege with
you all. I was no nearerHim than you may be. Every head may rest on the
breastwhere mine rested. Having the sweetremembrance of that early love,
these things write I unto you that ye also may have fellowship with me in that
which was my greatdistinction. I, the disciple whom Jesus loved, speak to you
as the disciples whom Jesus loves.’
Mark that he is speaking ofOne who had been dead for half a century, and
that he is speaking to people, none of whom had probably ever seenJesus in
His lifetime, and most of whom had’ not been born when He died. Yet to them
all he turns with that profound and mighty presenttense, and says, ‘He loveth
us.’ He was speaking to all generations, and telling all the tribes of men of a
love which is in active operationtowards eachof them, not only at the moment
when John spoke to Asiatic Greeks,but at the moment when we Englishmen
read his words, ‘Christ that loveth us.’
Now that greatthought suggeststwo things, one as to the permanence, and
one as to the sweepofChrist’s love. With regard to the permanence, we have
here the revelation of One whose relationto life and death is altogether
unique. For though we must believe that the dead do still cherishthe love that
lighted earth for them, we cannotsuppose that their love embraces those
whom on earth they did not know, or that for those who are still held in its
graspit can be a potence in active operationto bless them and to do them
good. But here is a Man, to the exercise ofwhose love, to the clearnessof
whose apprehensionand knowledge, to the outgoing of whose warm affection,

the active energyof that affectionlife or death make no difference. The cold
which stays the flow of all other human love, like frost laid upon the running
streams which it binds in fetters, has no power overthe flow of Christ’s love,
which rolls on, unfrozen and unaffected by it. But not only docs Christ’s
present love require that He should be lifted above death as it affects the rest
of us, but it also demands for its explanation that we shall see in Him true
Divinity. Forthis ‘loveth’ is the timeless presentof that Divine nature, of
which we cannotproperly sayeither that it was or that it will be, but only that
it for everis, and the outgoings ofHis love are like the outgoings ofthat Divine
energy of which we cannotproperly say that it did or that it will do, but only
that it ever does. His love, if I might use such a phrase, is lifted above all
tenses, and transcends even the bounds of grammar. He did love. He does
love. He will love. All three forms of speechmust be combined in setting forth
the everpresent, because timeless and eternal, love of the Incarnate Word.
Then let me remind you too that this presentlove of Christ is undiminished by
the glory to which Ho is exalted. We find clearand greatdifferences between
the picture of Jesus Christin the four gospels andthe picture of Him drawn in
that magnificent vision of this chapter. But the differences are surface, and
the identity is deep-lying. The differences affectposition much rather than
nature, and as we look upon that revelationwhich was given to the seerin his
rockyPatmos, and with him ‘in the Spirit’ behold ‘the things that are,’we
carry into all the glory the thought ‘He loveth us’; and the breastgirded with
the goldengirdle is as loving as that upon which John’s happy head lay, and
the hand that holds the seven stars is as tender as when it was laid on little
children in blessing or on lepers in cleansing;or as when it held up the sinking
Apostle, or lifted the sick from their couches, oras when it was stretchedon
the Cross and piercedwith the nails; and the face,’which is as the sun shineth
in his strength,’ is as gracious as when it beamed in pity upon wanderers and
sorrowfulones, and drew by its beauty and its sweetnessthe harlots and
publicans to His pity. The exaltedChrist loves as did the lowly Christ on
earth.
How different this prosaic, worriedpresent would be if we could carry with
us, as we may if we will, into all its trivialities, into all its monotony, into all its
commonplace routine, into all its little annoyances andgreat sorrows,that one

lambent thought as a source of light and strength and blessing, ‘He loveth us.’
Ah! brethren, we lose tremendously of what we might all possess, because we
think so of ‘He loved,’ and travel back to the Cross forits proof, and think so
comparatively seldom‘He loveth,’ and feel the touch of His hand on our
hearts for its token.
But here we have not only the present and permanent love, but we have the
sweepand extent of it. ‘He loveth us.’ And though John was speaking
primarily about a little handful of people scatteredthrough some of the
seaboardtowns of Asia Minor, the principle upon which he could make the
assertionin regard to them warrants us in extending the assertionnot only to
men that respond to the love, and believe in it, but right awayover all the
generations and all the successive files ofthe greatarmy of humanity, down to
the very ends of time, ‘He loveth us.’
That universality, wonderful as it is, and requiring for its basis the same belief
in Christ’s Divine nature which the present energy of His love requires, has to
be translated by eachof us into an individualizing love which is poured upon
eachsingle soul, as if it were the sole recipient of the fullness of the heart of
Christ. When we extend our thoughts or our sympathies to a crowd, we lose
the individual. We generalize, as logicians say, by neglecting the particular
instances. Thatis to say, when we look at the forestwe do not see the trees.
But Jesus Christsees eachtree, eachstem, eachbranch, eachleaf, just as
when the crowdthronged Him and pressedHim, He knew when the
tremulous finger, wastedand shrunken to skin and bone, was timidly laid on
the hem of His garment; as there was room for all the five thousand on the
grass, and no man’s plenty was securedat the expense of another man’s
penury, so eachof us has a place in that heart; and my abundance will not
starve you, nor your feeding full diminish the supplies for me. Christ loves all,
not with the vague generalphilanthropy with which men love the mass, but
with the individualizing knowledge andspecialdirection of affectiontowards
the individual which demands for its fullness a Divine nature to exercise it.
And so eachof us may have our own rainbow, to eachof us the sunbeam may
come straight from the sun and strike upon our eye in a direct line, to eachof
us the whole warmth of the orb may be conveyed, and eachof us may say, ‘He

loved me, and gave Himself for me.’ Is that your conceptionof your relation
to Jesus Christ and of Christ’s to you?
II. Notice the greatproof and outcome of this present love.
Becauseit is timeless love, and has nothing to do with the distinction of past,
present, and future, John lays hold of a past act as the manifestationof a
present love. If we would understand what that love is which is offeredto each
of us in the present, we must understand what is meant and what is involved
in that past actto which John points: ‘He loosedus from our sins by His own
blood.’ Christ is the Emancipator, and the instrument by which He makes us
free is ‘His own blood.’
Now there underlies that thought the sadmetaphor that sin is captivity. There
may be some kind of allusion in the Apostle’s mind to the deliverance from
Egyptian bondage; and that is made the more probable if we observe that the
next clause, ‘hath made us kings and priests unto God,’ points back to the
greatcharter of Israel’s national existence which was given immediately after
the Exodus. But, be that as it may, the notion of bondage underlies this
metaphor of loosing a fetter. If we would be honestwith ourselves, in our
accountof our own inward experiences, that bondage we all know. There is
the bondage of sin as guilt, the sense ofresponsibility, the feeling that we have
to answerfor what we have done, and to answer -as I believe and as I think
men’s consciences forthe most part force them to believe-not only here but
hereafter, when we appearbefore the judgment-seat of Christ. Guilt is a
chain. And there is the bondage of habit, which ties and holds us with the
cords of our sins, so as that, slight as the fetter may seemat first, it has an
awful power of thickening and becoming heavier and more pressing, till at last
it holds a man in a grip that he cannotget awayfrom. I know of nothing in
human life more mystically awful than the possible influence of habit. And
you cannotbreak these fetters yourselves, brethren, any more than a man in a
dungeon, shackledto the wall, can file through his handcuffs and anklets with
a pin or a broken penknife. You can do a greatdeal, but you cannotdeal with
the pastfact of guilt, and you canonly very partially deal with the presentfact
of tyranny which the evil habit exercises onyou.

‘He loosedus from our sins by His own blood.’ This is not the place to enter
upon theologicalspeculations, but I, for my part, believe that, although I may
not getto the bottom of the bottomless, nor speak aboutthe Divine nature
with full knowledge ofall that it is, Scripture is pledged to the fact that the
death of Jesus Christis the Sacrifice for the world’s sin. I admit that a full
theory is not within reach, but I do not admit that therefore we are to falter in
declaring that Christ’s death is indispensable in order that a man’s sin may be
forgiven, and the fetters broken, in so far as guilt and condemnation and
Divine disapprobation are concerned.
But that is only one side of the truth. The other, and in some aspects a far
more important one, is that that same blood which shed delivers them that
trust in Jesus Christ from the guilt of their sin, imparted to men, delivers
them from the powerof their sin. ‘The blood is the life,’ according to the
simple physiologyof the Old and of the New Testament. When we read in
Scripture that the blood of Jesus Christ cleansesfrom all sin, as I believe we
are intended to understand that word, the impartation of Christ’s life to us
purifies our nature, and makes us, too, in our degree, and on condition of our
own activity, and gradually and successivelyfree from all evil. So as regards
both aspects ofthe thralldom of sin, as guilt and as habit: ‘He has loosedus
from our sins in His own blood.’
That is the greattokenand manifestation of His love. If we do not believe that,
how else canwe have any real conviction and proof of anything worth calling
love as being in the heart of Jesus Christto any of us? To me it seems that
unless a man accepts that greatthought, ‘He loved me, and gave Himself for
me,’ and is daily working in my nature to make it and me more like Himself,
he has no real proof that Jesus Christ cares a jot for him, or knows anything
about him. But I, for my part, venture to saythat looking on Christ and His
past as this text does, we canlook up to Christ in the present as the seerdid,
and, behold, enthroned by the side of the glory, the Man, the Incarnate Word,
who loves with timeless love every single soul of man.
III. So, lastly, let me point you to the praise which should answerthis present
love and emancipation.

‘Unto Him,’ says John, ‘be’-or is-’glory and dominion for ever and ever.’ That
present love, and that greatpast actwhich is its vindication and
manifestation, are the true glory of God. For His glory lies, not in attributes,
as we callthem, that distinguish Him from the limitations of humanity, such
as Omniscience and Omnipresence and Eternal Being and the like; all these
are great, but they are not the greatest. The divinest thing in God is His love,
and the true glory is the glory that rays out from Him whom we behold ‘full of
grace and truth,’ full of love, and dying on the Cross. When we look at that
weak man there yielding to the last infirmity of humanity, and yet in yielding
to it manifesting His dominion over it, there we see Godas we do not see Him
anywhere besides. To Him is the glory for His love, and His ‘loosing’manifest
the glory, and from His love and His loosing accrue to Him glory beyond all
other revenue of praise which comes to Him from creative and sustaining acts.
‘Unto Him be dominion,’ for His rule rests on His sacrifice and on His love.
The crownof thorns prepared for the ‘many crowns’of heaven, the sceptre of
reed was the prophecy of the sceptre of the universe. The Cross was the
footstoolofHis Throne. He is King of men because He has loved us perfectly,
and given everything for us.
And so, brethren, the question of questions for eachof us is, Is Jesus Christ
my Emancipator? Do I see in Him He that loosesme from my sins, and makes
me free indeed, because the Son has made me free and a son? Do I render to
Him the love which such a love requires? Do I find in Him my ever-present
Lover and Friend, and is His love to me as a stimulus for all service, an amulet
againstevery temptation, a breakwaterin all storms, a light in every
darkness, the pledge of a future heaven, and the beginning of a heaven even
upon earth? I beseechyou, recognize your fetters, and do not say ‘ we were
never in bondage to any man.’ Recognize your Liberator, put your trust in
Him; and then you will be able to join, even here on earth, and more perfectly
hereafter, in that greatstorm and chorus of praise which is in heaven and on
the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in
them, saying, ‘Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto Him that
sitteth on the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever.’

Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
The First-begottenof the dead; the first who rose to die no more, and the
leaderand head of all who shall be by his divine powerraisedfrom the dead
to eternal life.
Him; Jesus Christ.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
5. ἀπὸ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ μάρτυς. The anacoluthon is probably an intentional
parallel to that in the previous verse, though here the threefold title might
have been declined if the writer had pleased. There is a tendency throughout
the book, where one clause stands in appositionto another, to put the nouns in
the secondclause in the nominative regardless ofthe rules of ordinary Greek.
ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστός. See 1 Timothy 6:13 : Jesus Christ was in His Death much
more than a martyr, but He was also the perfecttype and example of
martyrdom. Observe His own words in John 18:37—to which perhaps St Paul
l.c. is referring. It may be doubted whether μάρτυς is used in the N.T. in the
later sense of“martyr.” The distinction betweenmartyrs and confessors was
not fixed in the days of the Martyrs of Vienne and Lyons: whoeverconfessed
Christ before men was still said to “bear witness” to Him.
ὁ πρωτότοκος τῶννεκρῶν. “Firstborn” rather than “firstbegotten;” cf. τὰς
ὠδῖνας τοῦ θανάτου, Acts 2:24, where the metaphor is hardly pressedso far as
in 2 Esdras 4:42. The genitive is explained by St Paul, Colossians1:18 ὁ πρωτ.
ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν. The sense is that He is “first to enter life.” The thought in
Romans 1:4 is similar.
ὁ ἄρχων τῶν βασιλέων τῆς γῆς. A reminiscence (hardly to be called a
quotation) of Psalms 89:27, “I will make Him My First-born, higher than the
kings of the earth.”
τῷ ἀγαπῶντι. “It is His ever-abiding character, that He loveth His own,” John
13:1.—Alford. The contrastof tense betweenthis clause and the next is quite
correct, though it struck the later copyists as harsh.

λύσαντι. The balance of evidence is in favour of this reading. The preposition
ἐν in a Hebraistic book like this would be used of an instrument, where we
should say“by” or “with”:while to later readers the idea of “washing in”
would seem more natural. So we should probably render “releasedus from
our sins by His ownBlood”—the Bloodof Christ being conceivedas the price
of our redemption, as in 1 Peter1:18-19—not, as in Revelation7:14,
Revelation22:14 (according to the preferable reading), and perhaps in St
John’s Ep. I. Revelation1:7, as the cleansing fountain foretold in Zechariah
13:1. If therefore we ask “when Christ thus freed us,” the answermust be, at
His Passion, not at our conversionor baptism.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
5. The faithful witness—Throughwhom, and attestedby whom, all revelation
comes from God to man, especiallythis apocalypse, whose seals are openedby
his conquering power. This witness is faithful to give us truth alone. The word
witness is a favourite term both in the Apocalypse and John’s Gospeland
Epistles. It implies, not merely revelation, narrative, but—as in a permanent
contrastwith unbelief—a testimony, a strong, sure, reliable attestation.
First begottenof the dead—As the firstborn was the chief among his brethren,
so this might mean that Christ was chief of all risen from the dead, and leader
of the resurrection. So Romans 8:29, “firstborn” or chief “among many
brethren.” It implies, also, priority of time; for though Lazarus was raised
from the dead, yet he died again, and his rising was no part of the one great
organic resurrectionto immortal life. So that he was truly “the firstfruits of
them that slept,” in order of time.
The conceptionthat the grave is the earth’s womb, (as Alford,) from which
the dead are born into life, is in the very dim background, as in all such
expressions as usedby the Hebrews. Note on Ephesians 2:2-3. On the
difference betweenthe phrases “from the dead,” and of the dead, see note on
Luke 20:35.
Prince—Leaderor ruler.

Of the kings—Lordof the resurrectionin the world to come;Lord of all
authority in the present world.
Unto him—To this double Lord of both worlds, who, supremely King himself,
has made us to be a kingdom.
That loved us—True reading, and more expressive, that loveth us; for his love
is an everpresent and perpetual thing; whereas the washedwas a past and
transient deed. For λουσαντι, washed, anotherreading is λυσαντι, released,
redeemed. The former is both the better supported and the more expressive
term; and corresponds moststrikingly with blood. The powerful image of
washing the soulin blood, gives a vivid idea of the powerof the atonement as
working both our justification immediately, and our sanctificationmediately,
by the Spirit purchased for us at the price of the blood.
Expository Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable
John described Jesus Christas the "faithful witness" (cf. Revelation3:14;
Psalm89:37; Isaiah43:10-13). This is the third and last time in the book that
the double name "Jesus Christ" appears.
"Jesus Christis of the seedof David and will sit on the Davidic throne that
will endure forever as the sun ( Psalm89:36)." [Note:Thomas, Revelation1-7
, p69.]
"Faithful witness" is Jesus Christ"s presentministry of revealing what
follows. Johnalso called Him the "first-born from the dead" (cf. Psalm 89:27;
Acts 2:29-32;Acts 4:2; Acts 26:23;Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:23). This
title looks atthe culmination of His past ministry when God raisedHim to
new life at His resurrection.

"The Resurrectioncarriedwith it a potential lordship over all humanity
(Rom. xiv9), not only over the Church (Col. l.c. [i.e, Revelation1:18])." [Note:
Swete, p7.]
John also referred to Jesus as the "ruler of the kings of the earth" ( Psalm
89:27). That is His future ministry following His secondcoming ( Matthew
2:6). The New Testamentspeaks much of believers entering into their rights
as first-born sons of God and ruling with Jesus Christ in His millennial
kingdom. This will be the privilege of faithful, obedient Christians (cf. 2
Timothy 2:12).
". . . the origination of all three expressions from Psalm89 reflects a major
authorial intent to direct attention to the fulfillment of the promises made to
David regarding an eternal kingdom in2Samuel7." [Note:Thomas, Revelation
1-7 , p70.]
John ascribedeternal glory and dominion to Jesus Christ who is the subject
and objectof this revelation. He describedHim as the One who always loves
us and who loosedus from the bondage of our sins by His death. Some ancient
Greek manuscripts have, He washedus from the stain of our sins.
In these notes I will use the term "Christian" in its strict technical sense to
refer only to believers who come to faith betweenPentecostand the Rapture.
There will be believers who are savedduring the Tribulation, but these will be
Tribulation saints, not "Christians," as I am using the term.
Foy E. Wallace'sCommentaryon the Book of Revelation
3. "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness" --1:5.

It was Jesus Christ who had borne witness to the truth of his Sonship before
Pontius Pilate, as mentioned in 1 Timothy 6:13. And he was associatedwith
God in the salutatations to his servants who were on the brink of that hour of
trial, which would bring death to them, for the same confessionbefore men
that Jesus had made before Pilate.
4. "The first begottenof the dead"--1:5.
The language here does not affirm that Jesus was the first person to be raised
from the dead, for severalnames can be mentioned who were miraculously
raisedup out of their graves, by the prophets of the Old Testament, and by
Jesus and Peterin the New Testament, all of which were for the purposes of
divine demonstration. They were not resurrectedto die no more, but returned
to corruption -therefore they were not begottenof the dead. To him alone,
who conquered death by a resurrectionto die no more, belongs the title, the
first begottenof the dead.
5. "The prince of the kings of the earth"--1:5.
The four appellations togetheraccentuate first, who he was, and second, what
he was, from whom this messagecame.
6. "Unto him that loved us, and washedus from our sins in his own blood"--
1:5.
The release fromsins as the result of the shedding of his own blood,
representedhere as the element in which the sins of man are washedaway, is
the heart of the remedial plan.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
Revelation1:5. ἀπὸ, κ. τ. λ., another grammaticalanomaly; as usual the
writer puts the secondof two nouns in apposition, in the nominative.— ὁ μ. ὁ
π. Jesus notmerely the reliable witness to God but the loyal martyr: an aspect
of his careerwhich naturally came to the front in “the killing times”. ὁ

πρωτότοκος (a Jewishmessianic title by itself, Balden-sperger, 88)τ. ν., his
resurrectionis the pledge that death cannotseparate the faithful from his
company. The thought of this and of the following trait (cf. Matthew 4:8 f.) is
takenfröm Ps. 88:28, κἀγὼ πρωτότοκονθήσομαι αὐτόν, ὑψηλὸνπαρὰ τοῖς
βασιλεῦσιν τῆς γῆς. On the two allied functions of ruling and witnessing
(Isaiah 55:4) cf. the different view of John 18:37. At the inspiring thought of
Christ’s lordship the prophet breaks into adoration— ἀγαπῶντι κ. τ. λ. The
eternal love (cf. Revelation3:19)which Christ bears to his people is proved by
his death, as a revelationof (a) what he has done for them by his sacrifice, and
(b) what he has made of them (so Ephesians 5:25-26 = Revelation19:7-8). The
negative deliverance from sins (cf. Psalms 129:8)at the costof his own life ( ἐν
instrumental) is a religious emancipationwhich issues in (6) a positive
relationship of glorious religious privilege.— βασιλείαν, ἱερεῖς, a literal (cf.
Charles on Jub. xvi. 18) and inaccurate rendering of ‫תכלממ‬ ‫םינחכ‬ (Exodus
19:6) to emphasise the royal standing of the Christian community in
connexion with their Christ as ἄρχων, κ. τ. λ., and also (Titus 2:3) their
individual privilege of intimate accessto God as the result of Christ’s
sacrificialdeath. καὶ ἐποίησεν, the harsh anacolouthonbreaks up the
participial construction, ἡμᾶς, emphatic. “We Christians are now the chosen
people. In us the Danielic prophecy of a reign of the saints is fulfilled and is to
be fulfilled.” This is a characteristicallyanti-Jewishnote. Persecution(cf. 1
Peter2:5) deepenedthe sense ofcontinuity in the early Christians, who felt
driven back on the truth of electionand divine protection; they were the true
successors ofall noble sufferers in Israelwho had gone before (cf. the
argument of Hebrews 11:32 to Hebrews 12:2). In the Apocalypse the
Christian church is invariably the true Israel, including all who believe in
Christ, irrespective of birth and nationality. God reigns over them, and they
reign, or will reign, over the world. In fact, Christians now and here are what
Israelhoped to become, viz., priest-princes of God, and this position has been
won for them by a messiahwhom the Jews had rejected, and whom all non-
Christians will have to acknowledgeas sovereign. According to rabbinic
tradition, the messianic age would restore to Israelthe priestly standing which
it had lost by its worship of the golden calf; and by the first commandment
(Mechilta on Exodus 20:2), “slaves became kings”. There mayalso be an
implicit anti-Roman allusion. We Christians, harried and despised, are a

community with a greathistory and a greaterhope. Our connectionwith
Christ makes us truly imperial. The adorationof Christ, which vibrates in this
doxology(cf. Expos. ver. 302–307), is one of the most impressive features of
the book. The prophet feels that the one hope for the loyalists of God in this
period of trial is to be conscious that they owe everything to the redeeming
love of Jesus. Faithfulness depends on faith, and faith is rallied by the grasp
not of itself but of its object. Mysterious explanations of history follow, but it
is passionate devotionto Jesus, and not any skill in exploring prophecy, which
proves the source of moral heroism in the churches. Jesus sacrificedhimself
for us; αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα. From this inward trust and wonder, which leap up at the
sight of Jesus and his grace, the loyalty of Christians flows.
This enthusiasm for Jesus naturally carries the prophet’s mind forward
(Revelation1:7-8) to the time when the Lord’s majesty will flash out on
mankind. He resumes the line of thought interrupted by the doxologyof 5b–6.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
faithful. App-150. Compare Isaiah55:4.
Witness. Greek. martus. See Revelation3:14 and p. 1511.
First Begotten. See Romans 8:29. Hebrews 1:6. Compare Psalms 2:7. Acts
13:33. 1 Corinthians 15:20. Colossians 1:18.
of the dead. App-139. The texts omit ek.
Prince = Ruler. See John 12:31.
kings, &c. See Revelation6:16 and Psalms 89:27, Psalms 89:37.
earth. App-129.
loved. The texts read "loveth". App-135.
washed. The texts read "loosed".App-95.:1; note 2, p 138.
from. Greek. ek. App-104.

sins. App-128. Elsewhere in Revelation18:4, Revelation18:5.
in = by. Greek. en. App-104.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
The faithful Witness - of the truth concerning Himself and His missionas
Prophet, Priest, and King Saviour. 'All things that He heard of the Father, he
faithfully made knownto His disciples. Also, He taught the way of God in
truth, and carednot for man, nor regarded the persons of men. Also, the truth
which He taught in words He confirmed by miracles. Also, the Father's
testimony to Himself He denied not even in death. Lastly, He will give true
testimony of the works of goodand bad at the judgment day.' (Richard of
Victor). The Greek nominative, "the faithful Witness," stands majestically
prominent, in appositionto the genitive, "Jesus Christ."
The first-begottenof the dead - (Colossians1:18.)Lazarus rose, to die again;
Christ, to die no more. The image is not that the grave was the womb of His
resurrection-birth (Alford), but as Acts 13:33; Romans 1:4, Christ's
resurrectionis the event which fulfilled Psalms 2:7, "This day (at the
resurrection)have I begotten thee." Then His divine Sonship as the God-man
was openly attestedby the Father. So our resurrection, and our manifested
sonship, are connected. Hence, "regeneration" is used of our resurrection-
state at the restitution of all things (Matthew 19:28;Luke 20:36;1 John 3:2;
Romans 8:11; Romans 8:19; Romans 8:23).
The Prince , [ Archon (Greek #756)] - ruler. The kingship of the world which
the Tempter offeredto Jesus oncondition of doing homage, and so shunning
the Cross, He has obtained by the Cross. "The kings ofthe earth" conspired
againstthe Lord's Anointed; these He shall break in pieces (Psalms 2:2;
Psalms 2:9). Those wise in time, who kiss the Son, shall bring their glory unto
Him at His manifestationas King of kings, after having destroyedHis foes.

Unto him that loved us. 'Aleph (') A C read [ agapoonti(Greek #25)], 'loveth
us.' His ever-continuing characteris, He loveth, and evershall love, us. His
love rests evermore on His people.
Washedus. 'Aleph (') A C read [ lusanti (Greek #3089)], 'loosed(as from a
bond) us:' so Andreas and Primasius. B, the Vulgate, and Coptic, read
"washed," perhaps from Revelation7:14. 'Loosedus in (virtue of) His blood,'
being the harder reading, is less likely to come from the transcribers. The
reference is to [ lutron (Greek #3083)]the 'ransom' paid for our release
(Matthew 20:28). "Washed" refers to the priests, before putting on the holy
garments and ministering, washing themselves:so believers, as 'priests unto
God,' must be washedin Christ's blood from every stain before they can serve
God now, or minister as dispensers of blessing to the subject nations in the
millennial kingdom, or minister before God in heaven.
The Bible Study New Testament
And from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness (John 8:14); the firstborn
Son (Colossians 1:18);the ruler (Ephesians 1:21). He loves us. Continuous
love! Death. . . freed us. Our sin-offering (see 1 Peter1:18-19).
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(5) From Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten(or,
firstborn) of the dead, and the prince (or, ruler) of the kings of the earth.—
The triple title applied to Christ corresponds to the three ideas of this book.
Christ the Revealing Prophet, the Life-giving High Priest, and the real Ruler
of mankind.
The faithful witness.—There maybe a reference here, it has been suggested
by Prof. Plumptre, to the bow in the cloud, which is describedin Psalms 89:37
as the faithful witness. The coincidence ofexpressionis remarkable:“I will
make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth; he shall stand fast
as the sun before me, and as the faithful witness in heaven.” The idea of

testimony and witness is a favourite one with St. John, who records its use by
our Lord Himself. (Comp. John 3:32; John 5:36; John 18:37. See also
Revelation19:10;Revelation22:18. Comp. also the work of the Only Begotten
as stated in John 1:18.)
The prince (or ruler) of the kings of the earth.—The messagedoes notcome
from One who will be, but who is the true ruler of all earthly potentates. The
disposition to dwell on the future and more visibly recognisedreignof Christ
hereafterhas tended to obscure the truth of His present reign. It is instructive
to notice that this book, which describes so vividly the manifestations of
Christ’s kingdom (Revelation11:15; Revelation12:10), claims for Him at the
outsetthe place of the real King of kings. Such was the Apostle’s faith. “Above
all emperors and kings, above all armies and multitudes, he thought of the
Crucified as ruling and directing the course ofhistory, and certainin His own
due time to manifest His sovereignty” (Prof. Plumptre). “What are we to see
in the simple Anno Domini of our dates and superscriptions, but that for some
reasonthe greatworld-history has been bending itself to the lowly personof
Jesus” (Bushnell). “A handful read the philosophers;myriads would die for
Christ; they in their popularity could barely found a school;Christ from His
cross rules the world” (Farrar, Witness of History). Such is a real kingship.
Unto him that loved us, and washedus.—Insteadof “washedus,” some MSS.
read, “loosedus.” There is only one letter’s difference in the two words in
Greek. The generaltone of thought would lead us to prefer “washed” as the
true reading. On a solemn occasion, whichSt. John remembered clearly, our
Lord had said, “If I washthee not, thou hast no part with Me.” The thought of
the “cleansing blood,” intensifiedby the recollectionofthe waterand blood
which he had seenflowing from Christ’s pierced side, often recurred to his
mind (Revelation7:13-14;1 John 1:7; 1 John 5:6-8).
Treasuryof Scripture Knowledge

who is
3:14; Psalms 89:36,37;Isaiah55:4; John 3:11,32;8:14-16;18:37;1 Timothy
6:13; 1 John 5:7-10
and the first
Acts 26:23;1 Corinthians 15:20-23;Colossians 1:18
and the prince
11:15;17:14; 19:16;Psalms 72:11; 89:27;Proverbs 8:15,16;Daniel2:2; 7:14;
Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20-22;1 Timothy 6:15
him
Deuteronomy 7:8; 23:5; John 13:1,34;15:9; Romans 8:37; Galatians 2:20;
Ephesians 2:4; 5:2,25-27;1 John 4:10
washed
7:14; Zechariah 13:1; John 13:8-10;Acts 20:28;1 Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews
9:14; 1 Peter1:19; 1 John 1:7
E.M. Zerr's Commentary on SelectedBooksofthe New Testament
The faithful witness does not imply there are no other witnesseswho tell the
truth since we know there are many. We therefore must take this to mean that
Jesus was the bearerof testimony for God in a preeminent degree. First
begottenof the dead to die no more ( Romans 6:9). Prince of the kings of the
earth. All power in heaven and in earth was given to Christ ( Matthew 28:18)
thus making Him a prince above all. Jesus showedhis love for men by giving
his blood for their cleansing.

Hanserd Knollys' Commentary on Revelation
Revelation1:5
Revelation1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first
begottenof the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that
loved us, and washedus from our sins in his own blood,
"And from Jesus Christ"
who is here describedby his prophetical office,
"who is the faithful witness"
{ Revelation3:14} God gave Christ for a witness unto the people. { Isaiah
55:4} Christ was that great Prophet, { Acts 3:21; Acts 7:37} who did faithful
testify the whole will of God. { John 15:15;John 17:6; John 17:8; John 17:26}
"And the first-begottenof the dead"
the descriptionof the priestly office. There are two parts of his priestly office.
Satisfaction{ 1 Timothy 2:5-6} and intercession;{ Hebrews 7:24-25}Christ is
calledGod's first-born from the dead.
"And the Prince of the kings of the Earth"

These words are a description of Christ's kingly office. There are two sorts of
persons calledkings of the earth; first, the greatpotentates and powers of this
world, { Revelation9:19} who give their power, strength and kingdom to the
beast. { Revelation17:12-13;Revelation17:17}Christ is the Prince of these
kings, therefore called the only potentate, the King of kings, the Lord of lords.
{ 1 Timothy 6:15} Secondly, Christ's redeemed ones out of all nations, are
made unto God, kings and priests, who shall reign on earth; { Revelation5:9-
10} Christ is King of saints;{ Revelation15:3} King of Sion; { Psalm149:1-2}
and King of nations. { Jeremiah10:7; Jeremiah10:10; Zechariah 14:9;
Revelation11:15}
"Who hath loved us"
The love of Christ to his redeemed ones, is the same wherewith the Father
loved him; { John 17:10; John 17:23;John 17:26}everlasting love. { Jeremiah
31:3; John 13:1}
"And washedus from our Sins in his own blood"
This blood of Jesus Christcleansethus from all sin; { 1 John 1:7; 1 John 1:9}
purgeth our conscience fromdead works;{ Hebrews 9:14} sanctifiethus; {
Hebrews 13:12} justifieth us. { Romans 5:9} Thereby we are redeemed. {
Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:15}
Verse5.
Jesus is described as "HIM THAT LOVED US" in the A.V. that is grand. "He
loved us." But the R.S.V. is a better translation and is grander "HE LOVES
US" Not only HAS Jesus lovedus in the past, but His love is PRESENTstill.
"He loves us" now, and to the end. And not only does He love us but the verse
says "He loosedus" (A.V.) "He freed us from our sins" (R.S.V.). Notonly has

Jesus WASHED awaythe GUILT of our sins, but grander still He has
FREED US from the power of sin. Do we readers know this full redemption of
verse5? Do we know that Jesus loves us today? And have we found His
POWER keeping us free from the domination of sin in our daily life? If we
find only this one glorious truth in the book of Revelation, and fail to
understand anything else in this difficult book, then we will indeed have found
already a greatblessing from reading this wonderful book.
END OF STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Jesus Is
The Faithful Witness
By Glenn Davis
"...andfrom Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the
dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth." Rev. 1:5, NIV
0
Save
and from Jesus Christ - In the beginning of the Book ofRevelationJohn
introduces the letter as from the Father, the Holy Spirit and from Jesus
Christ. Jesus is the Centernot only of the Book ofRevelation, but also of life
itself. The entire universe revolves around Jesus. He is the Creator, Sustainer
and Redeemer. Johnhere gives us three attributes.

who is the faithful witness - Jesus is the faithful witness. A witness is someone
who sees anevent and testifies about it. As God, Jesus seeseverything that
happens. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows what goes onin the world,
in our lives, and even in our hearts and minds. In Rev. 2:23, He reminds His
churches that He searcheshearts and minds. He is not a passive witness, but
active one. He searchesforthe Truth. In the Bible, of course, a witness was
more than just one who testifies to what he has seen. In a capital case, the
witnesses hadto lead in the executionupon conviction. And so Jesus not only
testifies to the Truth, but also carries out the sentence. While we as Christians
know Him as the Lamb Who died for our sins, the ungodly will meet Him as
the Lion Who punishes every act of rebellion.
Jesus is faithful. He cannot overlook any offence, He cannot be bribed. For
Jesus to overlook anything would be a denial of His Character, something He
cannot do. The only way to avoid the just penalty of our sins is to come to
Him as Lord and Saviour.
Note:If you purchase this book from this link I will make a commission.
Disclosure Policy
the firstborn from the dead - Jesus is the firstborn of the dead. While there
were a few resurrections before Jesus, Jesus is the first One to be raisedfrom
the dead never to die again. Beliefin the resurrection is one of the
cornerstones of the Christian faith. Not only do we believe in the resurrection
of Jesus, but also we know that because He has been raised from the dead, we
will be too. He is the firstborn, but we follow after. We have eternallife,
thanks to Jesus.
and the ruler of the kings of the earth - The devil would like us to think that
Jesus only rules in the Church. No, He is King of kings and Lord of lords.
Every ruler of every nation is under orders to rule in the nation that Jesus has
allowedthem to govern according to His Law and ways. One day they will be

judged for every rebellion againstKing Jesus. If they have walkedin their
own ways and led their nations astray, there will be a fearful reckoning on the
Day of Judgment. Jesus sometimes gives us goodrulers as a reward for the
righteous in a nation, and sometimes He gives us evil rulers as a judgment for
a nation's rebellion. There is more truth in the saying that people get the
rulers they deserve than we want to acknowledge. Bythe way, a democracy
doesn't overrule Christ's Kingship. He is the Ultimate giver of nations no
matter what form of government they have. https://www.free-bible-study-
lessons.com/faithful-witness.html
INTERNATIONALHOUSE OF PRAYER UNIVERSITY – MIKE BICKLE
JESUS, OUR MAGNIFICENT OBSESSIONCLASS (PART 2)
IHOP–KC Missions Base www.IHOP.orgFree Teaching Library
www.MikeBickle.org
Session05 Jesus:Faithful Witness, Firstborn, and Ruler (Rev. 1:5) I.
REVIEW: JESUS AS THE FIRST AND THE LAST A. In Revelation1-3,
John shares a vision highlighting 30 descriptions of Jesus and 18 eternal
rewards. Eachcommunicates a specific insight about Jesus that is necessaryin
equipping the Church to overcome compromise, endure persecution, and
engage in partnership with Him.
B. The First and the Last is the title that Jesus usedmost often in Revelation.
He spoke of it four times (Rev. 1:11, 17; 2:8; 22:13). This title refers to Jesus’
destiny, power, and exaltation as a Man. He used this title in the contextof His
suffering, death, and resurrection(Rev. 1:17; 2:8). 8These things says the
First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life…10“Donotfear any of
those things which you are about to suffer…Be faithful until death, and I will
give you the crown of life…11He who overcomes shallnot be hurt by the
seconddeath.” (Rev. 2:8-11) C. Jesus, the First and the Last, emphasizes His
sovereigntyand preeminence over all as a man. He is the ultimate purpose for
all things. Our highest purpose is to love and partner with Him as His eternal

companion. This title connects Him to giving rewards to the faithful. He
endured all that we go through, including death and the receiving back of all
that we “lose” by obeying Him.
D. Jesus the Man has the first place of authority and honor over all things—
He is preeminent. He is the first source of all things related to our salvation
and destiny. He is the source of our money, ministry, and honor. He can give
anything to us and return all that we lose through obedience. 18He is the
head of the body…that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Col. 1:18)
II. THREE TITLES CONNECTEDWITH JESUS, THE FIRST AND THE
LAST (REV. 1:5) A. Revelation1:5 summarizes Jesus’preeminence in His
human destiny as the First and the Last. He is the First and Last in the realm
of truth, the resurrection, and the government of the earth. This verse brings
togetherHis earthly ministry (faithful witness, in the past), His heavenly
ministry (firstborn, in the present), and His millennial ministry (ruler, in the
future). We see the preeminence of Jesus in truth, in the resurrection, and in
government (v. 5) in making a way for the destiny of the redeemed(priests
and kings)and the dominion of the Fatheron earth (v. 6). 5JesusChrist, the
faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of
the earth. To Him who loved us and washedus from our sins in His own
blood, 6and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be
glory and dominion… (Rev. 1:5-6) B. John referred to Jesus by three
messianic titles in Psalm89 (faithful witness, firstborn, and ruler of kings).
These titles point to Jesus’messianic roles as prophet (witness), priest
(firstborn), and king, in His mediatorial office. His reign as a faithful witness
before God will continue forever like the sun. These roles will all be fully
expressedon the earth in Jesus’millennial reign. 27I will make him My
firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth…35Ihave sworn…37Itshall be
establishedforever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky. (Ps.
89:27-37)
JESUS, OUR MAGNIFICENT OBSESSIONCLASS (PART 2) – MIKE
BICKLE Session05 Jesus:Faithful Witness, Firstborn, and Ruler (Rev. 1:5)
Page 2

www.MikeBickle.org
III. PREEMINENCEOF JESUS:THE FAITHFUL WITNESS (REV. 1:5) A.
Jesus, the First and Last, is the faithful witness in the realm of all truth. He is
completely true in all that He is, says, and does. Jesus does nothold back
negative truths (rebukes or judgments) nor exaggerate positive truths
(affirmations and promises); He never flatters, nor rebukes in bitterness. This
is one of the most challenging aspects ofJesus’leadershipto obey. Often, we
only say positive things to please people so that we do not lose position, honor,
or financial opportunity. 5Jesus Christ, the faithful witness… (Rev. 1:5) B.
He was a faithful witness in His ministry—He stood for the truth regardless of
the cost(Jn 3:11; 5:31-32;8:13-14;8:18, 23;18:37). A faithful witness speaks
what they have seenfirsthand. 37Forthis cause I have come into the world,
that I should bear witness to the truth. (Jn. 18:37) IV. PREEMINENCEOF
JESUS:THE FIRSTBORNFROM THE DEAD (REV. 1:5) A. Jesus, the First
and Last, is the firstborn from the dead in the realm of the resurrection. He is
the leaderover all that pertains to the resurrection, including the destiny of
glorified humanity and the New Jerusalem. He is God’s firstborn, the
preeminent heir of the promises that God gave to David. John expanded the
promise in Psalm 89:27 by calling Jesus the firstborn “from the dead.” 5Jesus
Christ…the firstborn from the dead… (Rev. 1:5)
27Iwill make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth… (Ps.
89:27) B. Jesus occupies the first place of authority and honor as the firstborn
of creation(Eph. 1:20-22). As the firstborn, Jesus is the heir of all creation
(not the first one created);He is the first cause and has the first place of
authority over creation. The powerover all creation“begins” with Him. 15He
is…the firstborn over all creation. 16ByHim all things were created...18Heis
the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the
preeminence. (Col. 1:15-18) C. Jesus is the firstborn from the dead and the
firstfruits of those who have died physically. He was the first man to receive a
resurrectedbody as the first human to conquer all the enemies of the human
race, including death (1 Cor. 15:24-28). As the firstfruits, Jesus belongs

especiallyto God and is the pledge (1 Cor. 15:20) and source (1 Cor. 15:21)for
those who receive a body like His. 20Christis risen from the dead, and has
become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep[died physically]…21For
since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the
dead…26The lastenemy that will be destroyedis death. (1 Cor. 15:20-26) D.
Jesus is the firstfruits—the pledge and guarantee that all believers will receive
a resurrectedbody like His (Phil. 3:21). Jesus has a resurrectedphysical body
that consists of“supernatural” flesh and bones. Natural flesh with its blood
will not inherit the eternalkingdom (1 Cor. 15:50). 21…who will transform
our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to
the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Phil.
3:21)
39Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I
have. (Lk. 24:39)
JESUS, OUR MAGNIFICENT OBSESSIONCLASS (PART 2) – MIKE
BICKLE Session05 Jesus:Faithful Witness, Firstborn, and Ruler (Rev. 1:5)
Page 3
www.MikeBickle.org
E. As the firstborn from the dead, Jesus is the source of the resurrectionfor
all who will receive a resurrectedbody (1 Cor. 15:21). 21Sinceby man came
death, by Man also came the resurrectionof the dead… (1 Cor. 15:21)
28All who are in the graves will hear His voice 29and come forth—those who
have done good, to the resurrectionof life, and those who have done evil, to
the resurrectionof condemnation. (Jn. 5:28-29) F. All three Persons ofthe
Godheadparticipated in Jesus’resurrectionfrom the dead. Jesus had the
powerto take up His life or to raise Himself from the dead (Jn. 10:18). The
Father raisedJesus from the dead (Acts 2:24; Eph. 1:20) in full partnership
with the Spirit and the Son (Rom. 8:11). Jesus is equal to the Father with

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