Revelation was written during reign of the Roman emperor Domitian (A.D. 81-96). Domitian promoted emperor worship and persecuted those who refused to worship him.

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1:1 The revelation [Gr. apokalypsis: unveiling of something previously hidden] of Jesus Christ [central theme of the revelation], which God [the source of the revelation] gave Him [Jesus] to show His servants [John] what must [divinely ordained necessity of things to come (revealed to John through series of visions)] soon [message intended primarily for John’s first readers] take place. He made it known by sending his angel [Jesus’ messenger] to His servant John [who was in exile on island of Patmos],

1:2 who testifies to everything [left nothing out; included every detail] he saw [in the form of visions] – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

1:3 Blessed [first of seven beatitudes in book] is the one who [1] reads [public reading to Christians assembled for worship] the words of this prophecy [declaration of God’s will], and blessed are those who [2] hear it and [3] take to heart [obey] what is written in it, because the time [season] is near [end time or time of fulfillment of book’s prophecies].

1:4 John [recorded the message from Christ], To the seven churches [see v. 11] in the [Roman] province of Asia [geographically formed a rough circle in the province of Asia; included all churches in province]: Grace [God’s unmerited favor] and peace [results from grace] to you from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come [phrase refers to God], and from the seven [number represents completeness/perfection] spirits [refers to the Holy Spirit in His perfection] before His [God’s] throne,

1:5 and from Jesus Christ, who is [1] the faithful [credible; reliable] witness , [2] the firstborn [His resurrection guarantees ours; see 1 Cor. 15:20] from the dead [resurrection of Jesus; cf. Col. 1:18], and [3] the ruler [sovereignty over all rulers] of the kings of the earth [cf. Rev. 19:16]. [begins doxology; praise directed to Jesus] To Him who [continually] loves us and has freed [liberated or loosed] us from our sins by His blood [the cost of our liberation; see Eph. 1:7; 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:18-19],

1:6 and has made us to be a kingdom [made up of those who submit to God’s rule in their lives; cf. Col. 1:13] and priests [priests represents God to people and people to God; priesthood of believers] to serve [a function of priests] His God and Father – to Him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

1:7 Look, He [Jesus] is [certainty] coming [this hope should stir believers to faithfulness] with the clouds [phrase is symbolic of Christ’s deity; cf. Mk. 14:62; He will come from heaven], and every eye [whole human race] will see Him, even [including] those who pierced Him [enemies]; and all [believers/unbelievers] the peoples of the earth will mourn [unbelievers because of judgment] because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.

1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega [first and last letters of Greek alphabet; affirm eternal character],” says the Lord God, “[earthly time dimensions] who is, and who was, and who is to come [cf. 1:4], the Almighty.”

1:9 I, John [a personal, eyewitness introduction; now older, he speaks with humility and authority], your brother [relational language; though an apostle, John identifies with believers as family in Christ] and companion [fellow partaker, co-sharer; not a distant observer but one who shares in the same trials and endurance] in the suffering [from the Greek thlipsis—pressure, tribulation, affliction; suffering is an expected component of faithful Christian living] and kingdom [believers belong to Christ’s kingdom even under hostile earthly systems; exile cannot remove a man from Christ’s reign] and patient endurance [steadfast perseverance under prolonged trial] that are ours in Jesus [linking suffering and endurance to union with Christ], was on the island of Patmos [a literal place of exile in the Aegean Sea; isolation, restriction, and removal from normal ministry life] because of the word of God [the faithful proclamation of truth] and the testimony of Jesus [the witness concerning Christ’s person and lordship; clarifying the cause of exile: faithfulness, not failure].

1:10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet

1:11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches [read the specific message to each of the seven churches in Revelation 2-3; these churches were located in the western portion of Asia Minor-what is modern-day Turkey; content of letters reveals a time of persecution]: to Ephesus [Paul spent much time in Ephesus on third missionary journey (Acts 19; 20:16-17)], Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira [hometown of Lydia (Acts 16:14)], Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea [Epaphras spent time there (Col. 2:1; 4:12-16)].”

1:12 I turned around to see the voice [cf. vv. 9-11] that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw [this first vision extends to ch. 3] seven golden lampstands [refers to the seven churches as per 1:20 and named in 1:11; a church, like a lampstand, is to be a light-bearer in the world],

1:13 and among [in the midst of] the lampstands [churches] was someone [begins description of the glorified Christ through v. 16] “like a son of man [cf. Dan. 7:13; designation for the Messiah; Jesus preferred this title for Himself],” dressed in [priest’s apparel] a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash [girdle] around His chest.

1:14 [description of the (symbolic) features of the Son of man] His head and hair were white [sign of wisdom] like wool [cf. Dan. 7:9], as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire [fierce judgment or penetrating scrutiny].

1:15 His feet were like bronze [symbolized strength/stability] glowing in a furnace [capability of treading victoriously on enemies], and His voice was like the sound of rushing [powerful] waters [conveys idea of majesty and authority].

1:16 In His right hand [position of power] He held [protectively] seven stars [“angels of the seven churches” (1:20); some think a reference to pastors], and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword [signifies victorious power of His word]. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance [glory and victory].

1:17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead [cf. Isaiah 6:1-8, Ezekiel 1:28, and Daniel 10:9 concerning similar responses to visions of God]. Then He placed [reassuringly] His right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am [cf. Ex. 3:14; Jn. 14:6] the First and the Last [eternal in nature; cf. Isa. 44:6; 48:12].

1:18 I am the Living One [eternal and uncreated]; I was dead, and behold I am alive [Christ conquered death] for ever and ever! And I hold [our destiny is in His hands] the keys [power to hold/release] of death and Hades [someone observed that the Devil doesn’t even have the keys to his own house].

1:19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

1:20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.