Apocalipse 1
Adam Clarke · Citado em PreceptAustin
Apocalipse 1
Clarke - “A lamp is not light in itself, it is only the instrument of dispensing light, and it must receive both oil and fire before it can dispense any; so no Church has in itself either grace or glory, it must receive all from Christ its head, else it can dispense neither light nor life.” Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Philippians 2:14- 15 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast (OR HOLDING OUT) the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain Lampstands (3087)(luchnia from luchnos a portable lamp fed with oil and not to a candle usually placed on a stand) is the ordinary word for the stand upon which a “lamp” (luchnos) was placed. Such a lampstand was elevated and thus helped to extend the light. The translation of luchnia as “candlestick” is highly unlikely since there is no evidence of a lamp that did not use oil in either the Old or New Testaments. The vital function of lamps and lampstands in the ancient world was taken for granted. It was in such a context that Jesus illustrated the role of His disciples in the world (Mt 5:15; Mk 4:21; Lk 8:16; 11:33). “The disciples are to have an illuminating effect upon their environment,” even as the lamp set on its stand lights up the darkness (Hahn, “light,” Colin Brown, 2:487). In Revelation (Rev 1:12,13,20; 2:1,5) the seven churches are spoken of as seven golden luchnia. Friberg - as a place for setting a lamp, other than a candlestick lampstand (Mt 5.15); metaphorically; (1) of a church as a place where people can learn things about God as they really are (Rev 1.20); (2) of a witness who tells things as they really are (Rev 11.4) (Borrow Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament) TDNT - The luchnos is a lamp, originally an open bowl, then a closed lamp in various forms, usually put on a stand to give better light, the lychnía being the stand. Both words are common in the LXX (cf. the seven-branched candelabra, a luchnía with seven luchnoi). The lamp is a common metaphor in the OT. It denotes length of life (2 Sam. 21:17), the source of divine help (Job 29:3), and the law (Ps. 119:105). The lamp of the wicked will be put out (Job 18:6). In the NT Jesus makes figurative use of the fact that to give its light a lamp must be put on a stand. In Matt. 5:15 this seems to suggest that the disciples must give open witness, although a reference to Jesus’ own ministry is not excluded. In Luke 11:34 Jesus calls the eye the lamp of the body; we must be open to the light of the gospel if we are to know full health. The exhortation in Luke 12:35 presents the burning lamp as a symbol of readiness. The woman in Luke 15:8 lights a lamp in her search for the lost coin, a token of her great anxiety to find it. In Jn. 5:35 Jesus honors the Baptist by calling him a burning and shining lamp; he cannot be called the light itself (cf. 1:8) but he has given faithful witness to it. Rev. 11:4 describes the two witnesses as lychníai (cf. Zech. 4:2, 11), while the seven churches are seven golden lychníai in 1:12-13 etc. (cf. Zech. 4 and Matt. 5:15), and the Lamb himself is the lamp of the heavenly city in Rev 21:23. Heb. 9:2 refers to the temple lampstand, and 2Pet. 1:19 calls the prophetic word a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns. (Borrow Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament : abridged in one volume) Luchnia - 11v - Matt. 5:15; Mk. 4:21; Lk. 8:16; Lk. 11:33; Heb. 9:2; Rev. 1:12; Rev. 1:13; Rev. 1:20; Rev. 2:1; Rev. 2:5; Rev. 11:4 Luchnia in the Septuagint - Exod. 25:31; Exod. 25:32; Exod. 25:33; Exod. 25:34; Exod. 25:35; Exod. 26:35; Exod. 30:27; Exod. 31:8; Exod. 35:14; Exod. 37:17; Exod. 39:37; Exod. 40:4; Exod. 40:24; Lev. 24:4; Num. 3:31; Num. 4:9; Num. 8:2; Num. 8:3; Num. 8:4; 1 Ki. 7:49; 2 Ki. 4:10; 1 Chr. 28:15; 2 Chr. 4:7; 2 Chr. 4:20; 2 Chr. 13:11; Jer. 52:19; Zech. 4:2; Zech. 4:11; QUESTION - What are the seven candlesticks / lampstands of Revelation? ANSWER - In Revelation 1:12–13, the apostle John experiences a vision of Jesus Christ standing amid seven candlesticks: “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle” (KJV). Most modern translations refer to the “seven candlesticks” as “seven golden lampstands.” Jesus spoke to John in the vision and explained what the seven candlesticks were: “The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches” (Revelation 1:20). The seven churches, represented by the seven candlesticks, were actual churches that existed at the time John experienced the vision. The churches were located in seven cities of western Asia Minor: in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. In Revelation 2 — 3, Jesus Christ addresses a letter to each of these churches, a letter that included words of commendation, criticism, and consolation. This part of Revelation comprises the “what is now” section of Revelation (see Revelation 1:19). Most scholars agree that the seven candlesticks carry a meaning beyond those seven Asiatic churches in John’s day, representing in some way the entire church of Jesus Christ. Because the number seven often represents wholeness or completion in Scripture, many conclude that the seven churches represent all churches, or the church universal. Still others see the seven individual churches as symbols of the local church. Some commentators view these seven candlesticks as representatives of the church in every age. Others see them as predictive of the church in different stages throughout history, with the first, Ephesus, symbolic of the apostolic church and the last, Laodicea, symbolic of the present-day, postmodern church. Another interesting parallel points to the lampstands being made of gold, a metal that shines brilliantly. As such, the candlesticks could represent the churches not as they were then but as all of them ought to be. As mentioned, these candlesticks were made of gold, the most precious and valuable of all metals. In this sense, the golden lampstands symbolize the preciousness of the church as God’s most valued possession (see John 3:16). The gold of the lampstands may also be symbolic of purity and holiness. The church is called to be an example of God’s holiness to the world (1 Peter 1:15–16). And of course candlesticks are designed to bring light to dark places. God’s purpose for the church is to hold forth the light. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16). In Jesus’ letter to the church of Ephesus, a church that had left its first love, the Lord warns that they must repent or He will come to them and “remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:5). In other words, the church was in danger of losing its opportunity to testify of Christ in their community. In John’s vision, Jesus Christ stands in the center of the seven candlesticks, in the midst of His people. Christ is always present with His church. A candlestick is not the light itself but the bearer of the light. Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), and, as candlesticks, the church’s mission is to hold that light up for the world to see: “So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life” (Philippians 2:15–16).GotQuestions.org Revelation 1:13 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. NET Revelation 1:13 and in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man. He was dressed in a robe extending down to his feet and he wore a wide golden belt around his chest. NLT Revelation 1:13 And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. ESV Revelation 1:13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. NIV Revelation 1:13 and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. GNT Revelation 1:13 καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τῶν λυχνιῶν ὅμοιον υἱὸν ἀνθρώπου ἐνδεδυμένον ποδήρη καὶ περιεζωσμένον πρὸς τοῖς μαστοῖς ζώνην χρυσᾶν. KJV Revelation 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. ASV Revelation 1:13 and in the midst of the candlesticks one like unto a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle. CSB Revelation 1:13 and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe and with a gold sash wrapped around His chest. NKJ Revelation 1:13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. NRS Revelation 1:13 and in the midst of the lampstands I saw one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash across his chest. YLT Revelation 1:13 and in the midst of the seven lamp-stands, one like to a son of man, clothed to the foot, and girt round at the breast with a golden girdle, like: Rev 14:14 Eze 1:26-28 Da 7:9-13 10:5,6,16 Php 2:7,8 Heb 2:14-17 Heb 4:15 clothed: Da 10:5 and girded: Rev 15:6 Ex 28:6-8 Ex 39:5 Lev 8:7 Isa 11:5 Related Passages: Ezekiel 1:26-28 Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. 27 Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. 28 As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. Daniel 7:9-13+ “I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire. 10 “A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, And the books were opened. 11 “Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn (ANTICHRIST) was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. 12 “As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. 13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, (RECALL THE JEWS REFERRED TO THE MESSIAH AS THE COMING ONE OR EXPECTED ONE - CF Mt 11:2-3) And He came up to the Ancient of Days (GOD THE FATHER) And was presented before Him. CLOTHING OF ONE LIKE THE SON OF MAN I love what James McConkey said about John's inspired description of the glorified Christ - The Spirit ransacks the realm of nature for symbols that might convey some faint conception to our dull and finite minds of the glory, splendor, and majesty of this coming One, who is the Christ of Revelation. (The Book of Revelation: A Series of Outline Studies in the Apocalypse) And in the middle of the lampstands (luchnia) - Note the strategic location of the glorified Christ -- in the middle of the lampstands, indicating He is the middle of these seven churches. His location in the middle indicates He has contact with all seven churches and that they should have contact with Him. He is the Light of the churches. One is reminded of Paul's description of Christ in Colossians 2:19 "and not holding fast to the head (CHRIST), from Whom the entire body (CHURCH), being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God." In Eph 4:15-16 we read "but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body (THE CHURCH), being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body (THE CHURCH) for the building up of itself in love." Jesus in the middle of the lampstands (churches) recalls a parting promise In Matthew 28:20 that “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The lampstands picture the church as the “light of the world”(Phil. 2:15; Eph. 5:8; Matt. 5:16). 🙏 THOUGHT - Christ is in the middle of the churches! Is Christ in the middle of your life or is He off to the side, left or right of the middle? He is always be in the middle, seated on the throne of our heart. Do you daily present yourself on the altar to Him as a living and holy sacrifice which is your spiritual service of worship (Ro 12:1+)? Remember that Paul states that "Christ is our life" (Col 3:4+)! Our life is best and most abundant when He is in the middle of our life and our heart! I saw one like a son of man - This is a clear reference to Daniel's description "I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him." (Da 7:13+) It is no accident that John would use the term "son of man" because he had heard Jesus use it many times - in fact Son of Man was Jesus' favorite Name to refer to Himself (84x/80v in Mt-Jn). But now in His glorified state Jesus appeared quite different but John's use of this term clearly indicates that despite not seeing him for 60 years, he still recognized the this One as "like" the One he had followed for 3 years, the One Who changed his life. Stephen also called the risen Christ, the "Son of Man" in Acts 7:56+. The point is that even in His glorified state He is a man. As Adrian Rogers says "Jesus is forevermore a man—Jesus is forevermore a man. Jesus was not a man before His incarnation. Jesus became a man at Bethlehem. Jesus took upon Him human flesh. But, learn this, and learn it well: Jesus did not take that human flesh upon Him to say, "I will wear it for awhile, and then discard it and go back to Heaven." Jesus will keep His humanity for all eternity. There's a man in Glory—don't forget it....And, I believe with all of the unction, function, and emotion of my soul you'll see the nail prints in His hands. The only man-made thing in Heaven will be the print of the nails in His hands and in His feet. I turned and saw—He's the resurrected Christ. He was raised as a man, ascended as a man. He's coming back again as a man."
Apocalipse 1
Clarke - “This was not only an emblem of in antiquity, but it was evidence of his glory; for the whiteness of splendour of his head and hair doubtless proceeded from the rays of light and glory which encircled his head, and darted from it in all directions.”