In 2 the middle of the throne 3 and around the throne were four living creatures 4 full of eyes in front and in back.
4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, 5 and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
1:29 On the next day John 11 saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God 12 who takes away the sin of the world!
1 tn This could refer to rock crystal, but it is possible this refers to ice (an older meaning). See BDAG 571 s.v. κρύσταλλος.
2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
3 tn Perhaps, “in the middle of the throne area” (see L&N 83.10).
4 tn On the meaning of ζῴον (zwon) BDAG 431 s.v. 2 states, “Of the four peculiar beings at God’s throne, whose description Rv 4:6-9 reminds one of the ζῷα in Ezk 1:5ff, the cherubim. S. also Rv 5:6, 8, 11, 14; 6:1, 3, 5-7; 7:11; 14:3; 15:7; 19:4.”
5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
6 tn Or “be anything accursed” (L&N 33.474).
7 tn Grk “in it”; the referent (the city, the new Jerusalem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Grk “city, and his.” Although this is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek, a new sentence was started here in the translation because of the introduction of the Lamb’s followers.
9 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
10 tn Or “will serve.”
11 tn Grk “he”; the referent (John) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
12 sn Gen 22:8 is an important passage in the background of the title Lamb of God as applied to Jesus. In Jewish thought this was held to be a supremely important sacrifice. G. Vermès stated: “For the Palestinian Jew, all lamb sacrifice, and especially the Passover lamb and the Tamid offering, was a memorial of the Akedah with its effects of deliverance, forgiveness of sin and messianic salvation” (Scripture and Tradition in Judaism [StPB], 225).
13 sn This section (1:35-51) is joined to the preceding by the literary expedient of repeating the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus being the Lamb of God (1:36, cf. 1:29). This repeated testimony (1:36) no longer has revelatory value in itself, since it has been given before; its purpose, instead, is to institute a chain reaction which will bring John the Baptist’s disciples to Jesus and make them Jesus’ own disciples.