Catholic Commentary on Revelation 1

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)

The Apocalypse

The Revelation of Jesus Christ is the last and most complex book of the Bible, a prophetic vision given to John the Apostle on the island of Patmos during a period of Roman persecution, probably under the Emperor Domitian around 95 AD. The word Apocalypse means unveiling: this is not primarily a book of predictions about the distant future but an unveiling of the spiritual reality that underlies the visible present. It tears back the curtain between heaven and earth and shows the Church, suffering and afraid, what is actually happening: the Lamb who was slain is enthroned, the powers of the world are already defeated, and history is moving under divine sovereignty toward a definitive consummation. The Catechism calls Revelation the liturgical book of the New Testament, suffused with the imagery of heavenly worship that interprets and sustains earthly struggle (CCC 1137).

John is in the Spirit on the Lord's Day when he hears a loud voice like a trumpet telling him to write what he sees. He turns to see the source of the voice and sees one like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching to his feet with a golden sash around his chest, his head and hair white like wool, his eyes like blazing fire, his feet like bronze glowing in a furnace, his voice like the sound of rushing waters, holding seven stars, with a sharp double-edged sword coming from his mouth, his face like the sun shining in all its brilliance. John falls at his feet as though dead. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, the Revelation begins with a vision of the glorified Christ that no one can see and remain casual about. The one who walks among the lampstands is the same one who ate with sinners and wept at Lazarus's tomb, now revealed in the fullness of his divine glory. The book that follows is his word to his Church. Read it on your knees.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Alpha and Omega, who is and who was and who is to come: we fall at your feet as John fell. You hold the seven stars and walk among the lampstands of your Church. Open the eyes of our hearts to see you as you are. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Revelation
1
Prologue
(Daniel 12:1–13)
1 This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon * 1:1 Or suddenly or quickly come to pass. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw. This is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
 
3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near.
John Greets the Seven Churches
 
4 John,
 
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:† 1:4 Literally in Asia; Asia was a Roman province in what is now western Turkey.
 
Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits ‡ 1:4 Or the sevenfold Spirit before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
 
To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood, 6 who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
 
7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
 
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,§ 1:8 TR the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
John’s Vision on Patmos
 
9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 saying,* 1:11 TR saying, “I am Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
 
12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man,† 1:13 Or one like a son of man; see Daniel 7:13. dressed in a long robe, with a golden sash around His chest. 14 The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire. 15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
 
17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, 18 the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
 
19 Therefore write down the things you have seen, and the things that are, and the things that will happen after this. 20 This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

*1:1 1:1 Or suddenly or quickly

†1:4 1:4 Literally in Asia; Asia was a Roman province in what is now western Turkey.

‡1:4 1:4 Or the sevenfold Spirit

§1:8 1:8 TR the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End

*1:11 1:11 TR saying, “I am Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and,

†1:13 1:13 Or one like a son of man; see Daniel 7:13.

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