How Does John Describe Jesus at the Beginning of Revelation?
From Revelation 1:5-6.
As John begins the book of Revelation, he quickly turns his attention to Jesus Christ.
And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5-6)
How does John describe Jesus in these two verses near the beginning of Revelation?
The Faithful Witness
A witness is someone who testifies about something or someone they saw. Witnesses are used in court to provide “eye-witness testimony.”
Jesus is the faithful, or trustworthy, witness. He came to this earth to fully explain the Father to us.
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (John 1:18)
Jesus knows the way to the Father and testified that He is that way.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)
Jesus told His apostles of the place He was going to prepare for them.
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” (John 14:1-4)
Jesus is the trustworthy witness to those things which are above.
The Firstborn From the Dead
Jesus is the first one raised from the dead, never to die again.
And He [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)
Because Jesus has been raised from the dead, those in Christ have hope of being raised from death too.
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
The Ruler over Kings on Earth
After His resurrection, Jesus told His disciples that all authority had been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).
He is now the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).
There is no need for Christians to fear any ruler of this world - for they serve the King over all people.
We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29)
The One Who Loves Us
When we were the enemies of God, He demonstrated His love for us.
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
Even though we were the enemies of God, He has shown His great love for us by extending to us the opportunity to be His children.
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1)
The One Who Washed Us From Our Sins in His Own Blood
By the blood of Jesus Christ, sinners are justified. The blood of Jesus is what takes those who are God’s enemies and reconciles them back to Him.
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:9-11)
By being baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:26-27), you are buried with Him into His death and raised up to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-7). The importance of baptism is that it is where God has said we contact the blood of Jesus.
The One Who Made Us Kings and Priests
Those who have obeyed the Gospel are transferred into the kingdom of God.
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)
Christians are the people of God - they are a nation of priests, of those who serve the Lord God.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)