Exodus 31:18

31:18 He gave Moses two tablets of testimony when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, tablets of stone written by the finger of God. ¹ 

Revelation 2:1

To the Church in Ephesus

2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, ²  write the following: ³ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ⁴  the one who has a firm grasp on ⁵  the seven stars in his right hand ⁶  – the one who walks among the seven golden ⁷  lampstands:

Revelation 2:8

To the Church in Smyrna

2:8 “To ⁸  the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following: ⁹ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ¹⁰  the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but ¹¹  came to life:

Revelation 2:12

To the Church in Pergamum

2:12 “To ¹²  the angel of the church in Pergamum write the following: ¹³ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ¹⁴  the one who has the sharp double-edged sword: ¹⁵ 

Revelation 2:18

To the Church in Thyatira

2:18 “To ¹⁶  the angel of the church in Thyatira write the following: ¹⁷ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ¹⁸  the Son of God, the one who has eyes like a fiery flame ¹⁹  and whose feet are like polished bronze: ²⁰ 

Revelation 3:1

To the Church in Sardis

3:1 “To ²¹  the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: ²² 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ²³  the one who holds ²⁴  the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation ²⁵  that you are alive, but ²⁶  in reality ²⁷  you are dead.

Revelation 3:7

To the Church in Philadelphia

3:7 “To ²⁸  the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following: ²⁹ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ³⁰  the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors ³¹  no one can shut, and shuts doors ³²  no one can open:

Revelation 3:14

To the Church in Laodicea

3:14 “To ³³  the angel of the church in Laodicea write the following: ³⁴ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ³⁵  the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator ³⁶  of God’s creation:

Revelation 3:22

3:22 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

[31:18]  ¹ sn The expression “the finger of God” has come up before in the book, in the plagues (Exod 8:15) to express that it was a demonstration of the power and authority of God. So here too the commandments given to Moses on stone tablets came from God. It too is a bold anthropomorphism; to attribute such a material action to Yahweh would have been thought provoking to say the least. But by using “God” and by stating it in an obviously figurative way, balance is maintained. Since no one writes with one finger, the expression simply says that the Law came directly from God.

[2:1]  ² map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[2:1]  ³ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[2:1]  ⁴ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” The expression τάδε λέγει (tade legei) occurs eight times in the NT, seven of which are in Rev 2-3. “The pronoun is used to add solemnity to the prophetic utterance that follows. …In classical drama, it was used to introduce a new actor to the scene (Smyth, Greek Grammar, 307 [§1241]). But the τάδε λέγει formula in the NT derives from the OT, where it was used to introduce a prophetic utterance (BAGD, s.v. ὅδε, 1)” (ExSyn 328). Thus, the translation “this is the solemn pronouncement of” for τάδε λέγει is very much in keeping with the OT connotations of this expression.

[2:1]  ⁵ tn Grk “holds,” but the term (i.e., κρατῶν, kratwn) with an accusative object, along with the context, argues for a sense of firmness. (Cf. ExSyn 132.)

[2:1]  ⁶ sn On seven stars in his right hand see 1:16.

[2:1]  ⁷ tn Grk “lampstands of gold” with the genitive τῶν χρυσῶν (twn cruswn) translated as an attributive genitive.

[2:8]  ⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[2:8]  ⁹ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[2:8]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[2:8]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present between these two phrases.

[2:12]  ¹² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[2:12]  ¹³ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[2:12]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[2:12]  ¹⁵ sn On the sharp double-edged sword see 1:16.

[2:18]  ¹⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[2:18]  ¹⁷ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[2:18]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[2:18]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “a flame of fire.” The Greek term πυρός (puros) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[2:18]  ²⁰ tn The precise meaning of the term translated “polished bronze” (χαλκολιβάνῳ, calkolibanw), which appears no where else in Greek literature outside of the book of Revelation (see 1:15), is uncertain. Without question it is some sort of metal. BDAG 1076 s.v. χαλκολίβανον suggests “fine brass/bronze.” L&N 2.57 takes the word to refer to particularly valuable or fine bronze, but notes that the emphasis here and in Rev 1:15 is more on the lustrous quality of the metal.

[3:1]  ²¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:1]  ²² tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[3:1]  ²³ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:1]  ²⁴ tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).

[3:1]  ²⁵ tn Grk “a name.”

[3:1]  ²⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[3:1]  ²⁷ tn The prepositional phrase “in reality” is supplied in the translation to make explicit the idea that their being alive was only an illusion.

[3:7]  ²⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:7]  ²⁹ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[3:7]  ³⁰ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:7]  ³¹ tn The word “door” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied in the translation. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context. Since the following verse does contain the word “door” (θύραν, quran), that word has been supplied as the direct object here.

[3:7]  ³² tn See the note on the word “door” earlier in this verse.

[3:14]  ³³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:14]  ³⁴ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[3:14]  ³⁵ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:14]  ³⁶ tn Or “the beginning of God’s creation”; or “the ruler of God’s creation.” From a linguistic standpoint all three meanings for ἀρχή (arch) are possible. The term is well attested in both LXX (Gen 40:13, 21; 41:13) and intertestamental Jewish literature (2 Macc 4:10, 50) as meaning “ruler, authority” (BDAG 138 s.v. 6). Some have connected this passage to Paul’s statements in Col 1:15, 18 which describe Christ as ἀρχή and πρωτότοκος (prwtotoko"; e.g., see R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 124) but the term ἀρχή has been understood as either “beginning” or “ruler” in that passage as well. The most compelling connection is to be found in the prologue to John’s Gospel (1:2-4) where the λόγος (logos) is said to be “in the beginning (ἀρχή) with God,” a temporal reference connected with creation, and then v. 3 states that “all things were made through him.” The connection with the original creation suggests the meaning “originator” for ἀρχή here. BDAG 138 s.v. 3 gives the meaning “the first cause” for the word in Rev 3:14, a term that is too philosophical for the general reader, so the translation “originator” was used instead. BDAG also notes, “but the mng. beginning = ‘first created’ is linguistically probable (s. above 1b and Job 40:19; also CBurney, Christ as the ᾿Αρχή of Creation: JTS 27, 1926, 160-77).” Such a meaning is unlikely here, however, since the connections described above are much more probable.