Apocalipse 1:9

THE GREAT INTRODUCTORY VISION

I John, your brother and partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patience which are in Jesus, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

I John ... See introduction for comment on the authorship of Revelation. Although an apostle, and possibly the last surviving apostle, he here identified himself with his readers as their brother and a fellow-member of Christ's kingdom. All of the sacred writers hesitated to flaunt their authority; and even Paul, who, in a sense, was compelled to do so by circumstances, proclaimed himself the chief of sinners and the least of saints.

Partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patience ... "These are a present experience and possession"[24] of John and his readers. As Lenski put it: "We (Christians) are the kingdom, in it, partakers of it, lifted to royalty in it!"[25] All theories that deny the present existence of the kingdom of Christ are contrary to the New Testament.

Which are in Jesus ... It is surprising that Moffatt would perceive this as primarily "A Pauline concept."[26] While true enough that Paul did stress this conception, it surely antedates him. All of the New Testament authors wrote of it, and it goes right back to Christ himself who gave the analogy of the true vine in John 15. This corporate conception of Christ's kingdom as being composed of those who have been baptized into Christ dominates the New Testament. The kingdom itself, as stated in this verse is "in Jesus." Those who are "in Jesus" are the kingdom. The New Testament knows nothing of some far-off time when the kingdom will come. It is a present reality. The thousand years' reign with Christ is going on right now, and has been going on, since the first Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ is reigning and will continue to reign until all enemies are vanquished. His holy apostles are reigning with him (Matthew 19:28). This reign is identified in Matthew as occurring during the times of "the regeneration," that is, the times of the new birth, meaning that it is going on right now. As for the saints reigning with Christ, John includes his readers in this very passage as being fellow-partakers with himself in the kingdom of Christ. The trouble with many is that they have lost a sense of exaltation through being 'tin Christ" and have started longing for something different from the glorious salvation already available "in Christ," that is, in Christ's precious kingdom.

Was in the isle that is called Patmos ... This is a small island, only about half the size of Manhattan Island, ten miles long, with a maximum width of six miles, and with an area of only 13 square miles. "It is an island of the Dodecanese group, Greece, in the Aegean sea about 28 miles south-southwest of Samos (37 degrees 20 minutes north latitude and 26 degrees 35 minutes east longitude). It is volcanic, bare and rocky, rising to an altitude of 800 feet with a deeply indented coast."[27] The 1951 population of Patmos is given as 2,613; but in John's day it is said to have been principally a rock quarry and used as a place of banishment for certain types of offenders.

Regarding the tradition that the apostle John was banished to Patmos, living in exile there when he received the Revelation, both the event of his banishment and the date of it are uncertain. The usual tradition that he was banished to Patmos by Domitian (circa 95 A.D.) and released 18 months later by Nerva[28] is incapable of any dogmatic proof. Even if accepted, the question of the date would still be in doubt.

The complicating factor is that Domitian was the de facto emperor for a year or so in 69-70, following his father Vespasian's elevation as Emperor, July 69 A.D. He was hailed by the army in Rome as Caesar and continued to administer the affairs of Italy until his father's return.[29] Vespasian was not pleased by the high-handed behavior of his son. Josephus stated that he was ruler until his father returned.[30] He moved into the royal residence, signed all edicts and proclamations in his own name, being in every sense, during that period, Emperor. Vespasian returned to Rome, however, in the latter part of 70, and promptly appointed Nerva as one of his chief administrators, who moved at once to quash some of the measures taken by Domitian. Thus we have the strange fact that Nerva, in a sense, succeeded Domitian in authority both in 70 A.D. and in 96 A.D. For this reason, the tradition that John was banished by Domitian and released by Nerva does not even touch the problem of WHEN such events occurred. The events might have taken place either in 70-71 or in 95-96! Robinson preferred the early date, writing: "So, he was banished by Domitian and restored by Nerva, as the tradition says, but in 70-71 A.D.!"[31]

Regarding the theory of John's having been banished to Patmos, the New Testament gives no hint of any such thing, but the mention of tribulation in the same verse certainly seems not opposed to the tradition. If indeed John was an exile, it would be in keeping with the experience of some of God's other great prophets. When Jacob saw God at Bethel, when Moses saw God in the burning bush, when Elijah heard the still small voice, when Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord by the river Chebar, and when Daniel saw the ancient of days in Babylon, all of them were exiles. Wallace, however, was of the opinion that John was not an exile, but that, "His reason for being in Patmos was no other than to receive the Revelation."[32] Certainty in the matter is impossible.

For the word of God and the testimony of Jesus ... The language here could mean either (1) that John was in Patmos to preach the gospel or for the express purpose of receiving the Revelation or (2) that he had been banished to Patmos as punishment for his loyalty in proclaiming the word of the Lord. There is no way to tell exactly which understanding of the words is correct.

[24] G. R. Beasley-Murray, op. cit., p. 1282.

[25] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 55.

[26] James Moffatt, op. cit., p. 341.

[27] Encyclopedia Britannica (Chicago: William Benton, Publisher, 1961), Vol. 17, p. 383.

[28] Ibid.

[29] Ibid., Vol 7, p. 521.

[30] Flavius Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book IV, Chapter 11,4.

[31] John A. T. Robinson, Redating the New Testament (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 250.

[32] Foy E. Wallace, Jr., op. cit., p. 74.