Description
Christology of the Revelation
ναί, ἔρχομαι ταχύ. Ἀμήν, ἔρχου κύριε Ἰησοῦ
“Yes! I am Coming quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20)
Μένων ὃ ἦν ἔλαβεν ὃ οὐκ ἦν
“Continuing to be What He was He became What He was not” (Theophylact)
There are 1000 years between the 7 words written in Revelation 22:20 by the Apostle John on the Island of Patmos in c. 96 A.D. and the 7 words written by Theophylact, Archbishop of Ohrid North Macedonia (1050-1112 A.D.) in c. 1110 A.D. Theophylact was educated at Constantinople and served in the Greek Church during the East-West (Greek-Roman Catholic) schism of 1054 A.D.
The 7 words recorded by John are a summary of the Book of Revelation (I am coming quickly) and a prayer (Amen. Come, Lord Jesus). The 7 words written by Theophylact are a summary answer of centuries of thinking about the Biblical question: What think ye of Christ, whose Son is He? Theophylact’s 7 words,Μένων ὃ ἦν ἔλαβεν ὃ οὐκ ἦν, are the repository of centuries of thought and the answer to the question concerning the Sonship of Jesus.
Revelation: The Book of Blessing, Volume 9, Christology of the Revelation, is a study of the 12th Post-Resurrection appearance of Jesus, and one of the pinnacles of New Testament revelation. Theophylact summarized 1000 years of studies concerning the Sonship of Messiah in the words, continuing to be What He was, He became What He was not. The fundamental question in all 9 volumes in this series is What think ye of Christ, Whose Son is He? The answer from the study of the Scriptures represented in all 9 volumes is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Logos Incarnate, Truly God and Truly Man.
1. Μένων ὃ ἦν ἔλαβεν ὃ οὐκ ἦν (Continuing to be what He was, He became what He was not) is used as a summary of Biblical Christology.
2. The Apocalypse is constructed upon the syntax of the 180, 2-kai-configurations.
3. Jesus’ answer under oath to Caiaphas summarizes the Apocalypse: Matthew 26:64 Jesus said to him [Caiaphas], you have said it yourself: nevertheless, I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the Right Hand of Power and Coming on the clouds of heaven.
4. The context of Biblical Christology is always Trinitarian, and the Christology of the Revelation is summarized Revelation 1:1-8.
5. The prophetic foundations of Biblical Christology are in Psalm 2:7 Thou art My Son, this day have I brought Thee forth; Psalm 110:1 Sit at my Right Hand until I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet. And Psalm 132:11 The LORD
has sworn to David, A truth from which He will not turn back; Of the fruit of your body, I will set upon your throne.
6. The Coming of the Holy Spirit is the greatest witness to the truthfulness of the Christological claims of Jesus – Rev. 19:10 ἡ γὰρ μαρτυρία Ἰησοῦ ἐστιν τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς προφητείας. For The Witness to Jesus is the Spirit of the Prophecy (of The Apocalypse).
7. The Book of Revelation is from Jesus Christ, about Jesus Christ and the 7-fold blessedness belonging to those who put their trust for salvation in Him. No other theme or consideration is more dominant in Revelation: The Book of Blessing.
