We Shall Overcome
How Do I Overcome My Challenges
It can be said that they overcame him, where the emphatic pronoun puts stress on the fact that they did this and the aorist tense on the completeness of the victory. But the martyrs did not win their triumph themselves
The reason for the song of triumph is that Satan has been overthrown
The picture is one of implacable hostility on the part of Satan as well as of the complete triumph of God. Satan urged the sins of the brothers in the highest court. But now he has been overthrown and is completely powerless against them. Christians accordingly are not working towards victory, but from a victory already achieved
Each of the seven letters to the congregations of Asia promised blessings to the one “who overcomes” (2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). Those overcomers had to overcome the pressures of a hostile world.
Without the first, there is no basis for victory over Satan and the power that he exercises; without the second, there is no reality in it.
The first is the blood of the Lamb, which is a metonym for his death, and the second is the word of their testimony, that is, their faithful witness to the truth and transformative power of the death of the lamb.
By His Wounds
They overcame by the blood of the Lamb. What the Lamb has done avails for his followers
This reminds us of Revelation 7:14, the only other reference to the Lamb’s blood in Revelation, where a mighty multitude “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
They have a certain salvation, a sure redemption, secured by the Lamb’s death.
By the blood. Literally, “because of the blood,” or “on the basis of the blood.” The saints overcame because of the victory of Calvary. For the significance of the “blood” see on Rev. 1:5; cf. on Rom. 5:9.
QUESTION—What relationship is indicated by διά ‘by/because of’?
1. It indicates the means of their victory [BAGD, Be, BNTC, Hu, Ld, NTC, TH, TNTC, Wal, WBC; all versions except CEV, NLT]: they conquered him by the blood of the Lamb. It is by means of the blood of the Lamb that they conquered Satan; the effect of what the Lamb did also works for them [TNTC].
2. It indicates the reason for their victory [Alf, EC, ICC, Lns, NIC, NIGTC, Sw; CEV, NLT]: They conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb. It was because Christ’s blood was shed that they have victory over Satan [Alf, EC].
Although it is the Lamb who has triumphed, the victory belongs too to God’s people, since they now enjoy freedom from the fear of accusation and participate in the kingdom and power that have been made available to them.
By Our Words
With this is linked the word of their testimony, for the redeemed bear their witness to their Redeemer. To give way in the face of persecution is to fall away from Christ and to lose everything, but to stand firm means final victory over Satan.
This is the language of the witness stand.
In the face of pressure to turn away from faith in Christ, they did not give in. Such perseverance not only reveals the genuineness of their faith, it completely overcomes the devil
The believers’ legal “testimony” counts more before the throne than Satan’s accusations, and the object of their testimony is the finished work of Christ on their behalf
By the word. Literally, “on account of the word,” or “on the basis of the word.”
Their testimony. That is, their personal witness concerning Jesus and the gospel.
QUESTION—How are the nouns related in the genitive construction τὸν λόγον τῆς μαρτυρίας αὐτῶν ‘the word of their testimony’?
1. The word is in apposition to their testimony [Be, EC, ICC, Ld, NIC, NIGTC, Sw, TH, Wal, WBC]: the word, that is, their testimony. It is the testimony that they gave [NIC]. They gave a personal testimony about Jesus [ICC, Ld, NIGTC, Sw, Wal]. They testified about the fact that the blood of Christ could save men from death [Ld].
2. They testified about the word, where word is the Word of God [Be, EC, TH]. The word is the gospel that they announced [TH].
3. The word is the Word of God and their testimony is the testimony of Jesus Christ (see 1:2 and 1:9) It indicates the contents of the book of Revelation [Lns].