Revelation 1:3

Blessed. Gr. makarios, “happy” (see on Matt. 5:3). Some suggest that there may be an allusion here to Luke 11:28.

He that readeth. Doubtless a reference primarily to the one appointed by the ancient church to read the sacred scrolls in public. John anticipates the public reading of the epistle he now addresses to “the seven churches which are in Asia” (v. 4), in the presence of the assembled members of each congregation (cf. Col. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:27). This Christian practice reflects the ancient Jewish custom of reading “the law and the prophets” in the synagogue each Sabbath (Acts 13:15, 27; Acts 15:21; etc.; see Vol. V, pp. 57, 58). The implied command that the Revelation be read in the churches of Asia suggests that its messages began to be applicable to the church right in John’s day (see on Rev. 1:11).

They that hear. That is, the members of each church. Note that there is but one reader—in each church—while there are many who “hear” what is read. The blessing that attended the reading of the Revelation in the “seven churches” of the Roman province of Asia belongs to all Christians who read the book of Revelation desiring a more perfect understanding of the truths therein recorded.

The words. Textual evidence may be cited (cf. p. 10) for reading simply “the word.” This would refer to the message of the book as a whole rather than to the individual “words” in which the message was to find expression.

This prophecy. Textual evidence favors (cf. p. 10) the reading “the prophecy.” Some suggest that John here specifically claims equality for the Revelation with the prophetic books of the OT, which were read in the synagogue each Sabbath. Though the word “prophecy,” as used in the Bible, refers to any message from God, whatever its nature (see on Rom. 12:6), the book of Revelation may properly be called a “prophecy” also in the stricter sense of a forecast of future events.

Keep. The form of the verb in Greek implies the habitual keeping, or observance, of the admonitions of this book as a norm of life. See on Matt. 7:21–24.

Are written. Literally, “have been written,” in the sense of “stand written.”

Time. Gr. kairos, “time,” in the sense of a particular moment of time, an auspicious season, a time designated in advance for some particular event (see on Mark 1:15). The “time” here referred to as being “at hand” is the time for the fulfillment of “those things which are written,” the “things which must shortly come to pass,” of Rev. 1:1 (see comment there). It is the imminence of these events that provides motivation for observing closely “the words of this prophecy.” Accordingly, the Revelation is of particular moment for those who believe that “the time” of Christ’s coming “is at hand.” Compare Additional Note on Rom. 13.

At hand. Since we are living in the last moments of time, the prophecies of the Revelation are of particular import to us. “Especially should Daniel and the Revelation have attention as never before in the history of our work”. “The solemn messages that have been given in their order in the Revelation are to occupy the first place in the minds of God’s people”.

“The book of Daniel is unsealed in the revelation to John”. Whereas the book of Daniel speaks in broad outline of last-day events, the book of Revelation gives vivid details concerning these events, which are now declared to be “at hand.”