Studies in Revelation: Epithets of Jesus

What bynames or descriptions would you give of Jesus? Revelation has several.

Firstborn from the Dead

Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. (Revelation 1:5, NIV)

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (Revelation 1:17,18, NIV)

The firstborn of a family was the privileged one to whom the majority inheritance of the family would come. Jesus is the privileged firstborn from the dead, the most important one to experience resurrection (not just resuscitation but an incorruptible body). And as Paul makes clear, Jesus’ resurrection is the promise of resurrection for all his followers, the firstfruits of resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20,21). As the only one to be raised from the dead, and because he is God the Son, Jesus now possesses the keys of death and Hades, which as one commentator has said, gives “assurance of his power to rescue his own people from the grim prison of the underworld.”

The Ruler of the Kings of the Earth

Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. (Revelation 1:5, NIV)

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords. (Revelation 19:16, NIV)

John’s identification of Jesus as the ruler of the kings of the earth, the “King of kings” and “Lord of lords,” is in line with his identification of Jesus as the son of man in Daniel 7, alluded to in Revelation 1:7 (“Look, he is coming with the clouds”). The son of man is given dominion over all the kingdoms of earth (Daniel 7:14). As Isaiah declared, “Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:7).

The Davidic Messiah

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:5, NIV)

 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:16 , NIV)

From Jacob’s prophecy that the scepter would not depart from Judah (Genesis 49:10), to Yahweh’s promise to David that his house and kingdom would endure forever (2 Samuel 7:16), it has been clear that the Messiah would be David’s offspring, who nevertheless was David’s Lord (Psalm 110:1). By way of Jesus’ human nature he is the offspring of David. By way of his deity, he is David’s Lord.

Bright and Morning Star

…and the bright Morning Star. (Revelation 22:16 , NIV)

As “bright and morning star,” Jesus wears “a glory exceeding that of the most brilliant and celestial luminary,” and  puts “an end to the night of ignorance, sin, and sorrow,” ushering “in an eternal day of light, purity, and joy.” (Ellicott)

There are some other epithets that we will deal with as we explore Revelation’s testimony to the deity of Jesus Christ.