The Apostle John

Revelation 1:9-11 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou see, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 

John the beloved disciple (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7,20,24). An apostle and brother of James (Matt. 4:21). He was present with James and Peter on several occasions (Mk. 5:37; 9:2; 14:33). He was a pillar in the church (Gal. 2:9). He wrote the gospel of John, 1John, 2John, 3John, and Revelation. He is believed to have died a natural death at the age of 100.

‘Your brother’ the term brother and brethren are widely use to illustrate Christians’ relationship status towards one another in the New Testament.  We were called to represent the body of Christ which is male and are therefore called ‘brothers’ or ‘brethren’ as clearly stated in Hebrew 2:11: “he is not ashamed to call them brethren,” and in 1Peter 2:17: “Love the brotherhood.” (Rom. 12:5; 1Cor. 12:12, 27; Eph. 2:15; 4:13; 1Pet. 5:8-9)  In the Old Testament the nation of Israel was called the ‘wife’ of God thus referred to by feminine pronouns (Isa. 54:1-6; Jer. 3:1-25; Hos. 1:1-11; 2:1-23; Mal. 2:14-16) and after the Millennium we will again return to the female pronoun as the bride of Christ which will include Old and New Testament saints who will be living in the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2, 9-10).

‘Companion in tribulation’ which means a partaker of persecution from the Greek words sungkoinonos and thlipsis. ‘Kingdom’ – the kingdom of or from heaven that Christ will establish on earth at the second coming (1:6, 9; 5:10; 11:15; 12:10; 20:4-6; 22:5).

‘Patience’ the Greek word hupomone for patience or endurance; used seven times in Revelation of the endurance of Christians in sufferings (1:9; 2:2-3, 19; 3:10; 13:10; 14:12).

Patmos was a volcanic, treeless, rocky island about 9, 6 x 16 kilometres, 48 kilometres southwest of Samos. It was made a place of exile by the Romans for the lowest of criminals.

‘For the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ’ the two reasons for John’s exile (1:2, 1:9): Preaching the Word of God and testifying of Jesus Christ. The right reasons for which all Christians should and will be suffering persecution for (6:9; 12:17; 20:4).

‘In the Spirit’ a term used of being wholly in union with the Holy Spirit and yielded to Him in mind and will.

‘The Lord’s day’ a term used by early Christians of the first day of the week, the day of the Lord’s resurrection. Romans set aside certain days for emperor worship and called them “the Augustean day,” etc., so the first Christians set aside Sunday as the day to worship God and Christ, calling it the Lord’s day. This is however not a commandment from God but a human preference (Rom. 14:5). All observances of days, months, times, seasons, years, etc. tend to make men feel religious and justified because they are doing religion and not necessarily living godly. Such is a substitute for the gospel and in vain (Gal. 4:10-11).

‘As of a trumpet’ the loudness and clarity of God’s voice as well as other heavenly beings are that of a trumpet, thunder or of many waters (1:15; 4:1; 6:1; 14:2; 19:6).

‘What thou see, write in a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia’ here John was told to write in a book what he was about to see and send it to the seven congregations of Asia Minor. All prophets and apostles (authors of the Old and New Testament books) got a command directly from God the Father or Jesus Christ to write what was said or showed to them. They never wrote of their own accord what they wanted or fancied to, but what was inspired by God. Inspiration’s Greek word is theopneustos which means God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16).