Chronological

Footnotes

1. Revelation 1:1 Christians are living in the last period of history. They are facing difficult times, and God’s plan is questioned. More than ever, faithfulness to his plan is required. Here then is a vision of faith concerning what is happening. The one who attests to it, in the Name of Christ, is prepared to give testimony for it even by shedding his blood.
2. Revelation 1:3 Blessed: this is the first of seven beatitudes that appear in the book (see Rev 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14). The word “blessed” is more all-encompassing than “happy”; it indicates the favorable conditions in which God has placed a person (see Ps 1:1; Mt 5:3). Prophecy: i.e., any word from God, whether it foretells the future, commands, instructs, or sets forth history.
3. Revelation 1:4 The greeting and the address introduce the work as a letter. [He] who is: this is how God revealed himself to Moses at the burning bush (Ex 3:14); this time, the divine name embraces the past, present, and future of humankind and is turned to the future, to the immediate fulfillment of all things: God, he who is to come. God is also described with the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, Alpha and . . . Omega; he is the Beginning and the End, the origin and the completion (a proper name of God according to Isa 44:6; 48:12). In addition, he is the master of all historical events, including the present ones, which, according to the author, are decisive. And Christ will appear in all the glory of his Resurrection and in the grandeur of the work accomplished to save humankind, comprising the body of the Church (see 1 Pet 2:5, 9), in the imminence of his coming to judge the world.
   In order to speak of him, the author here multiplies Biblical reminiscences (Ex 19:6; Ps 89:28, 38; Isa 55:3). The seven spirits before the throne (v. 4) represent the Holy Spirit in the many ways that the Spirit manifests himself in the world (e.g., Isa 11:2, 5).
4. Revelation 1:4 Seven Churches: the Churches (named in v. 11) formed a circle in the province of Asia and were separated from one another by some fifty miles.
5. Revelation 1:5 Faithful witness: the Messiah is the witness to the promise the Lord made to David (2 Sam 7:1; Ps 89; Isa 55:3-4; Zec 12:8) in his person as well as in his work. He also fulfills this promise and is thus the efficacious Word, God’s Yes (see Rev 3:14; 19:11, 13; 2 Cor 1:20). He is the heir of David (see Rev 5:5; 22:16) but also the firstborn from the dead because of his Resurrection (see Col 1:18) who will rule the universe after his enemies have been overcome (see Rev 19:6; Dan 7:14).
6. Revelation 1:6 Those who follow Christ will be part of a kingdom, because they will rule over all the nations (see Isa 54:11-17; Dan 7:22, 27; Zec 12:1-3; see Rev 2:26; 5:10; 20:6; 22:5). They will also be priests because like Jesus the Priest they offer up the sacrifice of their own lives as a burnt offering of love.
7. Revelation 1:9 The author describes himself as a Christian who has been exiled to a little island that lay off the coast of Miletus and Ephesus and was known as a prison island. Before his eyes the risen Christ appears. The majestic description derives its images from the portrait of the Son of Man in chs. 7 and 10 of the Book of Daniel. The description of his stance and clothing suggests majesty and power; this being who is master of life possesses the secret of all things and holds even the realm of death subject to him (v. 18).
   The netherworld, or the lower world (Hebrew: Sheol; not to be confused with hell, the place of eternal damnation), is a localization of the realm of death, where, it is imagined, the dead dwell, deprived of the ability to perform any existential act. Another term for it is Hades. Christ has the power to release souls from the netherworld (see Jn 5:26-28).
   The very figure of Christ shows the judgment to be imminent. But he is also present in the life of the Churches, and the author lists seven of them (seven is the number symbolizing universality).
   The text speaks of the angels of the Churches; according to the religious vision of the world at that time, some heavenly representatives presided over the destinies of cities, peoples, and Churches. The seer might be speaking of the earthly persons in charge of the Churches. However, the Churches are also in the power of Christ and under his protection.
   What is happening now, and what will take place afterward (v. 19): these words anticipate the two main parts of the work.
8. Revelation 1:9 Patmos: a small island in the Aegean Sea about 50 miles from Ephesus. According to the third-century Church historian Eusebius, John the Apostle was released from Patmos under the emperor Nerva (A.D. 96–98).
9. Revelation 1:10 In the spirit: i.e., in a state of spiritual ecstasy (see also Rev 4:2; 17:3; and 21:10). The Lord’s day: Sunday. In the Old Testament the expression “Day of the Lord” signifies some special intervention of God in history. For Christians, the eschatological age is the last times that have begun with the Resurrection of Christ; to celebrate the Lord’s day means therefore to commemorate his Paschal victory and to hasten his return (see Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 11:26; 2 Pet 3:12; see also the present-day liturgical acclamations after the consecration of the Eucharist).
10. Revelation 1:11 Scroll: pieces of papyrus or parchment sewn together and rolled up. The book form came into use some time in the second century.
11. Revelation 1:13 Jesus appears in garments that are priestly (the habit or long tunic) and royal (the golden breastplate). The white hair is a symbol of eternity; the flaming eyes signify omniscience, and the bronze feet, immutability. He is also a Judge, prepared to sentence those who are unfaithful (see Rev 2:16; 19:15; Isa 49:2; Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12). One or other of his attributes as Judge is used by the author at the beginning of each of the seven letters to indicate the circumstances of the Church addressed.
12. Revelation 1:13 Son of man: see note on Mt 8:20.
13. Revelation 2:1 Christian communities at the end of the first century found themselves faced with difficulties that were substantially the same as those faced by the Church in every age, from the Passover of Christ to the end of history. The real struggle was and would be that of fidelity in the midst of constant renewal. The letters here are addressed to seven Churches of Asia Minor; the number seven is symbolic, in the sense that these communities represent all the Churches with their difficulties and problems, their efforts to be faithful, and their undertakings.
    Each letter follows the same pattern: Christ comes on the scene bearing one of the symbols listed in the great vision of Rev 1:9-20; he judges the communities according to their deficiencies, their fidelity, and their constancy; then he concludes with the promise of final victory.
    In every age each community and each believer will read these letters in order to submit to the Lord’s judgment and to hear once again his call. Addressed as they are to angels who, according to the religious thinking of the time, were regarded as presiding over the destiny of a community, they envisage first of all the leaders of the communities.
14. Revelation 2:1 Under the pretext of Christian spirituality and freedom, a sect that, certainly without justification, claims reliance on one of the first deacons, Nicholas (see Acts 6:5), allows itself the most serious moral deviations and takes part very freely in pagan worship. (A similar group at Pergamum holds the teaching of Balaam [vv. 14-15], and a third at Thyatira follows the woman Jezebel [v. 20]. All three groups are usually termed Nicolaitans.)
    The community of Ephesus does resist the danger that threatens it, but unfortunately in its effort to be faithful it has become judgmental. It has lost its charity. The time has come for it to be renewed. Otherwise, the community will lose its place. What a perspective is thus opened for fidelity! A new access to the tree of life militates against succumbing to sin (see Gen 2:9; 3:22-24); expressed in Jewish language, it is the hope of an unending life.
15. Revelation 2:1 Ephesus: see introduction to the Letter to the Ephesians.
16. Revelation 2:7 Whoever has ears should listen to what the Spirit says . . .: this formula concludes each of the seven letters and stresses the role of the Spirit in Christ’s relation with his Church. Anyone who is victorious: i.e., anyone who clings to the faith in the face of persecution. Right to eat from the tree of life: a right lost by our first parents but now restored by Christ who abrogated the decree that excluded human beings from the tree of life. God and humans are restored to the perfect fellowship that existed before the advent of sin.
17. Revelation 2:8 Those Jews who did not acknowledge Christ as the one who fulfilled their hope, nor the Church as the true Israel, slandered the Christian community. They were regarded as partisans of the forces of opposition represented by Satan. However, the Christians must take courage, for the trial will last only for ten days, i.e., it will be of short duration—the reward for a life in God is near. Believers will escape the second death, i.e., defeat and definitive perdition at the judgment of God.
18. Revelation 2:8 Smyrna: a city closely aligned with Rome that housed a large Jewish population hostile to Christians (see Acts 14:2, 19; 17:5, 13). One of the most famous early martyrs, Polycarp, was bishop of Smyrna.
19. Revelation 2:12 In this city, a main center of emperor worship, the presence of Satan is visible. Deviant heresies, like that of the Nicolaitans, glorify participation in pagan forms of worship and in the moral disorders they represent, which in the eyes of the Old Testament is tantamount to prostitution. The episode of Balaam is evoked to stigmatize these wanderings of the conscience of believers (see Num 25:3; 31:16). The reward is illustrated by two symbols: the manna, i.e., the food of life (see Ps 78:24f), evokes all the blessings God bestows on those who remain faithful to him, blessings of which the Eucharist is the sign (see Ex 16:32-34; 2 Mac 2:4-8; Heb 9:4); the white stone probably recalls the stones upon which Greeks wrote the names of the candidates for whom they were voting in elections. God chooses us.
20. Revelation 2:12 Pergamum: the ancient capital of Asia, built on a hill. Its name means “citadel” in Greek and is the origin of the word “parchment.” It was the center of emperor worship in Asia.
21. Revelation 2:13 Antipas: the first martyr of Asia, who was put to death under the emperor Domitian.
22. Revelation 2:14 Teaching of Balaam: Balaam counseled the Midianite women on how to lead the Israelites astray (see Num 25:1-2; 31:16; see also Jude 11); thus he is the exemplar of teachers who lead the faithful into becoming completely worldly-minded.
23. Revelation 2:18 A prophetess, who is compared to Jezebel of sad memory in the Books of the Kings of Israel (see 1 Ki 16:31; 2 Ki 9:22), is inciting Christians to take part in idolatrous worship. Some, who are doubtless Nicolaitans, believed that they could obtain a deeper religious knowledge through a mysterious initiation. Believers cling to Christ. He will be at their side on the Day of Judgment, according to the classic images of Psalm 2. The morning star is the symbol of the Resurrection and its power—for Jesus rose from the dead just before dawn, the time when the morning star is visible.
24. Revelation 2:18 Thyatira: a military outpost noted for its trade guilds.
25. Revelation 2:24 The deep secrets of Satan: perhaps the esoteric teaching of the Nicolaitans.
26. Revelation 3:1 This community seems to be dead! Hence, it is urged to change and become spiritually alive. From now on people must align themselves with Christ (see Mt 10:32). Those who truly follow Jesus will one day be clad in a white garment, which recalls the white garment worn by Jesus at the Transfiguration and Resurrection. It was the garment already being given at Baptism.
27. Revelation 3:1 Sardis: capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, it was a wealthy and famous city.
28. Revelation 3:5 Those who are victorious are promised three things: (1) they will receive white garments like those Christ will give to the faithful Sardinians; (2) their names will never be blotted out of the book of life; and (3) their names will be acknowledged by Christ in the presence of the Father and his angels.
    White garments symbolize God’s righteousness, victory, and glory (see Rev 3:18; 6:11; 7:9, 13f; 19:14). The book of life is a reference to the divine register in which the names of the redeemed are written (see Rev 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; Dan 12:1; Phil 4:3). Christians who were loyal to Christ were continually threatened with being stripped of their citizenship in cities they inhabited, i.e., having their names blotted out of the city’s register. Christ’s acknowledgment of them in heaven offers an eternal, safe citizenship in his eternal Kingdom (see Mt 10:32; Lk 12:8).
29. Revelation 3:7 The Messiah, Son of David—who holds all power over the lot of the People of God, according to the image of Isa 22:22—addresses himself to the community of Philadelphia. Like the Church of Smyrna, it was suffering persecution, but it remained faithful. The reward of those who are faithful is evoked in symbolic terms: they will live in God’s dwelling and meet God; they will be members of Christ’s Body, bearing his name and sharing his lot.
30. Revelation 3:7 Philadelphia: the gateway to the central plateau in the province of Asia. The holy one, the true one: see Rev 6:10 and Isa 40:25; Hab 3:2-3; Mk 1:24. Key of David: Christ is the Davidic Messiah empowered to control entrance into the Kingdom (see Isa 22:22; Mt 16:19).
31. Revelation 3:8 The open door may refer to the missionary apostolate.
32. Revelation 3:12 Inscribe on him . . . my own new name: this may be a name that characterizes his redemptive work and will not be known until the Second Coming or the name “the Word” (see Rev 19:13).
33. Revelation 3:14 Christ cannot bear lukewarmness, since he is the “Amen,” the one who commits himself completely (see 2 Cor 1:19-20). By his love he urges people to change their lives. He stands at the door and knocks, i.e., his coming is imminent (see Mk 13:29; Lk 12:35; 22:16). This may seem to be a threat, but it is above all a wonderful invitation—the invitation to share the most lovable intimacy with Christ, of which the Eucharistic Banquet is the inauguration. He invites us to be at his side when the Judgment and the destiny of the world are fulfilled.
34. Revelation 3:14 Laodicea: a very wealthy city known for its banks, medical school, and textile industry as well as its lack of sufficient water, to each of which the letter alludes. Amen: a divine title (see Isa 65:16) applied to Christ (see 2 Cor 1:20). Source of God’s creation: a concept that is found in Jn 1:3; Col 1:16f; Heb 1:2; see also Prov 8:22-31; Wis 9:1f.
35. Revelation 3:16 Lukewarm, neither cold nor hot: i.e., complacent, self-satisfied, and indifferent to the real issues of faith in Christ—hence, lacking in zeal and useless.
36. Revelation 3:17 Never realizing that you are . . . naked: the spiritual wretchedness of the community of Laodicea in contrast to its material prosperity. The Laodiceans may have interpreted their material wealth as a blessing from God and were thus deceived into thinking that their spiritual state was better than it truly was.
37. Revelation 3:19 I . . . discipline all those whom I love: see Job 5:17; Ps 94:12; Prov 3:11f; 1 Cor 11:32; Heb 12:5-11.
38. Revelation 4:1 In antiquity, books took the form of large scrolls. Thus, the most important and difficult part of the Book of Revelation is presented to us as a well-sealed scroll; the seals must be broken and, as they are, the visions unfold one after the other. In their main lines these visions intersect according to the classic plan of an apocalypse. After a grandiose inaugural vision (chs. 4 and 5), there is the prelude of events to come (Rev 6:1—11:9): it is the history of Israel, whose fall under the blows of the Roman armies is regarded as a judgment of God on his people. Then follow the trials and confrontations of the decisive moment (Rev 12:1—20:15): the nations come before us, slaves to the powers of evil that oppose the plan of God, who wants to save human beings. The Roman empire is certainly in the forefront. The Judgment will be even more terrible than that of Jerusalem if they remain hostile to Christ the Lord, to his Gospel, and to his Church. In any case, the great battle between God and the wicked powers will end with the extermination of these powers. Then, the drama can be resolved in the final accomplishment (Rev 21:1—22:15): God creates a new world reserved for his Elect.
    But must we read, in this succession of numberless visions, the sketches of a mysterious calendar, a succession of events to come? The whole would then appears terribly supercharged, badly ordered, and—in a nutshell—incoherent. Doubtless, one can imagine that the elements of two different apocalypses—each redacted according to a similar movement—have been poorly coordinated, in a single book. But the author multiplies images and explanations to such an extent as to disconcert and baffle us. Yet, these events are described in such an ambiguous manner that they could be applied to all times. These things are always happening; we should always be ready for the end.
39. Revelation 4:1 This is a view of history imparted by faith. The Book suggests it by immediately transporting us to the throne of God where the destinies of the universe are decided. Images are multiplied to suggest in advance and to represent the hidden meaning of history. This inaugural vision places the readers in the worship of God; it confirms the role of Christ as Master of the history of the world.
40. Revelation 4:1 Emperors are entertained like gods and are thought to have power over the world’s destiny. The truth is far different. Who indeed can open the door of the true God’s dwelling and express the greatness of his life and plan? Here are innumerable symbols orchestrated like a brilliant symphony. Everything is inaccessible greatness: the peace of the light, the dread of the All-powerful, the power that dominates the universe, the perfect knowledge of all things. All this is what is proclaimed in these images.
    Already present around God are the fathers, those great ancestors whose sacred history faith proclaims (see Sir 44–50; Heb 10–12); for He is the God of the living and not of the dead, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as Jesus attests in the Gospel (see Mk 12:26-27). The great manifestations (or epiphanies) of God depicted in the Old Testament are an invitation to adore God, and the author was inspired by them. We recognize the themes of Isaiah in the temple (see Isa 6) and especially the images of Ezekiel (see Ezek 1 and 10). In this way, the Jews were wont to express God’s domination over the universe.
    Thus, the sea, always felt to be a savage and hostile power, was itself tamed by the all-powerful God. All the forces of heaven that can be imagined—for example, those to which are attributed the government of the seasons and the rhythm of time, the four living creatures that represent the best of creation—are at the service of God. All these symbols form a great hymn to the Creator.
41. Revelation 4:2 In the spirit: see note on Rev 1:10.
42. Revelation 4:4 The elders exercise a priestly and royal role: they praise and adore God, offer him the prayers of the faithful, assist him in governing the world, and share in his power. The number twenty-four corresponds perhaps to the twenty-four classes or divisions of priests in 1 Chr 24:1-9, or to the twelve patriarchs plus the twelve apostles. They thus represent salvation history.
43. Revelation 4:6 The four living creatures represent the created world that reveals God’s goodness and power. Their many eyes symbolize the universal knowledge and providence of God. They continue to give glory to God through their work in creation. Their forms (lion, ox, human, eagle) represent what is noblest, strongest, wisest, and most agile in the created world. Ever since St. Irenaeus, Christian tradition had seen in them symbols of the evangelists Mark, Luke, Matthew, and John, respectively.
44. Revelation 5:1 As we have seen, the whole universe sings of the limitless power of the Creator. But he is also the Master of the universe, and the book he holds in his hand represents the destiny of the world. The book is held closed by seven seals, i.e., it contains the totality of the events of history, though in a hidden fashion, which no one can unveil.
    However, a mediator of the Revelation does exist. He is the Messiah, who is designated here by the titles foretold of him in the Old Testament: the lion of Judah (see Gen 49:9) to whom victory is promised (see Isa 11:1, 10; see also 2 Sam 7), the Messiah King, shoot of the stock from which David was descended.
    It is Christ in the power of his Resurrection who receives the mastery over the destinies of the entire universe. He is represented in his glory after the manner of a Lamb slain but standing (the figure of the Paschal Lamb is the main title for Christ in this Book, used twenty-eight times). This unusual expression is intended to recall Passover, the passover lamb, and the sacrificial Death of Christ for the redemption of the human race, but also to assert that he is ever living and the conqueror of death. The seven horns symbolize an infinite power.
    The one with infinite power is the Redeemer who has acquired the people by his Blood. The Creator ratifies this and places in Christ’s hands the succession of events until their fulfillment. Then the angels, the elders, and all the great figures in heaven that can be imagined will each come in turn to render the worship due to the Master of time, and the entire universe unites to acclaim the risen one. Indeed, the coming of Christ is a capital turning point, and a new song is required to celebrate it (see Phil 2).
45. Revelation 5:9 New song: a song that celebrates a new act of divine deliverance (see Rev 14:3; Pss 33:3; 96:1; 144:9; Isa 42:10). With your blood you purchased for God people: the theme of Christ’s sacrificial Death (see Mk 10:45; 1 Cor 6:20).