Sermon Tone Analysis

5. Jesus Christ.

See on v. 1.

The other members of the Godhead have already been mentioned in v. 4

(NKJV)

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

Jesus Christ.

See on v. 1.

The other members of the Godhead have already been mentioned in v. 4.

Christ is the “faithful witness” in that He is the perfect representative of God’s character, mind, and will to mankind (see on John 1:1, 14).

His sinless life among men and His sacrificial death testify of the Father’s holiness and love

(NKJV)

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

First begotten.

Gr. prōtotokos, “firstborn” (see on Matt.

1:25; Rom.

8:29; cf. on John 1:14).

Though Jesus was not the first to rise from the dead in point of time, He may be regarded as first in the sense that all others resurrected before and after Him gained their freedom from the bonds of death only by virtue of His triumph over the grave.

His power to lay down His life and to take it again (John 10:18) sets Him apart from all other men ever to come forth from the grave, and characterizes Him as the source of all life

(NKJV)

9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

(NKJV)

12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.

14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.

16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.

17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

(NKJV)

12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.

14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.

16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.

17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.

(NKJV)

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

(NKJV)

15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

(NKJV)

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

Washed.

Textual evidence favors (cf.

p. 10) the reading “loosed.”

This difference doubtless arose from the similarity between the Greek words louō, “to wash,” and luō, “to loose.”

To be “loosed” from sins is to be set free from the penalty and power of sin

(NKJV)

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

The first element in the title assigned to Jesus indicates that he is “the faithful witness.”

This designation applies in the first place to his role in mediating the revelation he received from God (Rev 1:1; the “testimony for the churches” referred to in 22:16).

But it also refers to the larger purpose of his life as the one who bore witness to the truth from God (John 3:32–33; 18:37) with special emphasis on his death that followed as a result.

The Greek word for witness (martys) has come over into English as “martyr,” one who suffers death for allegiance to a cause.

Throughout Revelation the word is associated with the penalty of death that results from a firm and constant witness (cf.

2:13; 11:3; 17:6).

To the Asian Christians about to enter into a time of persecution, Jesus is presented as the faithful witness.

He is the model of how to stand firm and never compromise the truth of God (cf. 1 Tim 6:13).

(NKJV)

13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is.

And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

(NKJV)

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

Jesus is “the firstborn from the dead.”

This title is also found in Col 1:18, where Christ is declared sovereign over the church by virtue of his resurrection from the dead.

Lightfoot points out that the two main ideas in the designation are priority and sovereignty and that in messianic contexts the latter predominates.

The messianic interpretation stems from Ps 89:27, which says of David (and extends to his descendants culminating in Jesus the Messiah), “I will also appoint him my firstborn.”

(NKJV)

18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

King David as firstborn

(NKJV)

27 Also I will make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth.

28 My mercy I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall stand firm with him.

29 His seed also I will make to endure forever, And his throne as the days of heaven.

Israel as firstborn

even as Israel is the “firstborn” of the Lord (Exod 4:22; cf.

Jer 31:9; Rev 1:5).

(NKJV)

22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.

(NKJV)

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

Ps 89:27 is the source of the third element in the title as well.