Rev. 1:1 - "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,"
The first verse, ironically enough, contains the primary key to the proper interpretation of the whole book, and this key statement is repeated again and again throughout the book (especially in the opening in closing passages). John informs his audience that the vision he is about to share is concerning "Things which must shortly take place." This same restrictive time stamp is repeated in verse three.
1:3 - "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is at hand."
"The time is at hand." The greek words behind these terms cannot be stretched to mean anything else. Shortly is Tachos in Greek (Strongs 5034) and at hand is Eggys (1451). There is no mincing words here. The seer wants to communicate the definite and undisputable eminence of the events he is about to detail.
The book of Revelation was penned in the first century to a first century set of persecuted churches; and, if the writer declares that the book is concerning things which must "shortly" take place, and were then "at hand," then we need not look to the future, but to the distant past to pinpoint the events which mark their fulfillment! The events signified in Revelation had to have taken place in or shortly after the first century to stay true to the plain and consistent time declarations of the prophet (this eminence is repeated again and again throughout the book, especially in the final chapter - 22).
NEXT TIME we will peer closer at other clues in verses 1-10...
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I think the most important part of not only verse one but also the book is the statement, 'The Revelation of Jesus Christ...'. This is letting anyone who reads the book know that all you are about to read will reveal to you Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the use of 'shortly', not only in verse 1:1 but also 22:6 of the book of Revelation, it is the greek word transliteration 'en' meaning an un-specified period of time or innumerable other (Strongs Concordance). The definition of this word is not the same as the use of the word 'shortly' in III John 1:14 when John says, "I trust I shall shortly see thee..." The greek word in this instance is 'eutheos' meaning at once or soon, or as soon as.
John's use of the greek word 'en' is not indicating that the revelation of Jesus Christ is coming shortly in a literal sense. Would he have wanted to indicate a short time frame he would have used the same word Peter used in II Peter 1:14 'tachinos' meaning events soon to come or just impending. The word shortly is used 12 times in the New Testament with 9 of them using either 'eutheos' or 'tachinos' or 'tachion' or 'tachos' meaning a literal short time frame. Only in Revelation 1:1, 22:6 and Romans 16:20 is the word 'en' used when shortly is not referring to the literal sense. This is further seen of the use of shortly in Acts 25;4 where Luke uses both 'en' and 'tachos' in referring to Festus's departure time. By using them both it would appear the Luke knew that Festus was leaving and it could be very soon, or it could take a while. Since the possibility existed of him leaving very shortly he used 'tachos' but since he was not sure when it would happen he also used 'en'.
Most people agree that verse 19 serves as a better introduction to the theme and layout of the book. There are three parts: the things which you have seen, the things which are, and the things which are hereafter. Clearly a portion of this book intends to be predictive of the future and apocalyptic in nature. Indeed it is true that the real theme of the book is the "Revealing of Jesus Christ."
ReplyDeleteHowever, your explanation of tachos and engus as being strictly limited in meaning to indicate that something is soon to begin occurring is not in comport with the uses of those words in the rest of the NT or in contemporary Greek writings. (See BADG.)
Indeed the usage of those words are used both to indicate soon to begin occurring or to mean to occur rapidly once it does begin.
I'm sure you'd like to overlook that given what is likely soon to come in your blog. However, there is no reason for us to get off on the wrong foot so soon in this process.
The problem is not with "stretching" the words but your seeming desire to limit those words when the context in the NT does not so indicate.
Later.
I have just a few more follow up comments on this.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, regarding the use of tachos in the NT; I wish you would give us the usage in other places in the NT to substantiate your claim that tachos can only mean “to begin within a short period of time from the pronouncement.” So, I think I will.
I would assert that the word is as ambiguous in Greek as the word quick or quickly is in English. Of course, we have the word in the NT in the Adjective, Adverb, and Noun forms. (Revelation 1:1 uses the noun as the object of the preposition “en”.) There are places where the word(s) is(are) used when it could be interpreted either as “soon to start” or “quickly to take place.” Allow me to give some examples.
The word is used in Matthew 28:7-8, Mark 16:8, and John 20:4 to describe the manner in which the disciples spread word of the resurrection. In both Matthew and John the word is linked to the word “run.” Clearly, the context indicates; therefore, that the word is indicating “rapidness.”
Matthew 5:25 “agree quickly” is another example of this ambiguity. In Luke 16:6, the parable instructs the steward to sit down and write a bill “quickly.” The context of the parable certainly lends itself to the meaning of rapidly. It is as if the order is to “Hurry!” Luke 18:8 “avenge them speedily” is another example. In Acts 22:18, the phrase (with the use of “en”) is clearly linked to the word “speudo” from which we get the English speed; translated “make haste.” The meaning is obvious, Paul is to hurry on his journey to leave Jerusalem.
And actually there is a host of other scriptures (about 41) total where the word is used (including 2 Peter 2:1 “swift destruction”). In all but very few cases, the word can take on either meaning. Given time, I would have liked to examine the usage in the Septuagint and the Early Fathers. I can assure you; however, that the same principle holds true in those places as well.
Nate is right in that “eutheos” is the word which unequivocally means “immediately” as in to begin immediately or as the KJV often translates “straightway.”
Regarding the use of “engus,” about half of the time in the NT the word means “near” in a geographical sense or in some cases “near” in a spiritual or relationship sense. The other half of the time it means near in time. I think it is obvious, in the Revelation usages that time sense is indicated. However, in the other uses in the NT where “near” in time is clearly indicated the word always means in a few days, not months or even years. I could not find a single time it was used to indicate several years. This brings up the point that you haven’t addressed (and here is good place to do it).
Are we (here in Revelation) to use God’s timing or ours?
Anyway, I really am looking forward to your comments on 1:7 “every eye will see him.”
Later…
Given more time to write I would love to have inserted more uses of 'tachos' as well as 'eugenos'. Given I am not paid for my thoughts, they must be short and sweet. My main point of all was to assert the meaning of shortly in Revelation, and the other uses found in the NT. Seems to be a clear difference with John's use of the word and the other writers uses given the context, which is always most important.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to this!
Thanks for the comments!
ReplyDeleteThe phrase "En Tachos" is used 7 times in the New Testament (Lk 18:8,Acts 12:7,22:18,25:4,Rom 16:20,Rev 1:1&22:6). All 7 times the phrase is used regarding the NEARNESS of an event, not just the rapidity of it. Read them for yourself. No sound argument can be made against this simple textual fact. The events which are signified in Revelation took place very shortly after the book was penned. John promised his first century audience that they would - numerous times throughout this book - and I am crazy enough to believe it.
PS - Gods timing or ours? This is a straw man argument: God has always communicated to humanity on humanity's level. When I speak to my five year old I use simple words & phrases that I know he will understand. God is not the author of confusion (To prove this, can you find anywhere else in the Bible where God clearly spoke to man using his own timeclock?).
Thanks again for joining me here, I look forward to your thoughts as we proceed!
I used Strong's Concordance for the greek word "en" in the verses we have discussed in Revelation. I can find no concordance that uses "en tachos" in those verses.
ReplyDeleteAlso, God is completely on His own time not ours (See II Peter 3:8). Peter says that as much as we want to put God into a human understanding of time, we cannot, "for with the Lord a thousand years is as a day and a day is as a thousand years." This is no secret formula to figuring out God's timetable, but rather that our human timeframe is practically the opposite from God's.