Revelation 1:1-3

I. The Superscription.

Revelation 1:1. An introductory paragraph describing the purpose and contents of the book.

Revelation 1:1. Revelation, i.e. unveiling of the future. God gave him: the Son receives the revelation from the Father (cf. John 7:16). shortly come to pass: the writer expected a speedy fulfilment of the prophecies (cf. Revelation 22:6). angel: the source of the prophecies in this book is God, who speaks through Christ, who speaks through the angel to His servant John (cf. Revelation 1:4).

Revelation 1:2. testimony of Jesus: i.e. that to which Jesus bore testimony.

Revelation 1:3. he that readeth: not the ordinary reader of the book, but the man whose duty it was to read it aloud in public to the church. [On the office of the Reader, see Harnack, Sources of the Apostolic Canons. There is no evidence that the office had been developed by this time. A. S. P.]