John's Writing Sabbatical on Patmos! - Revelation 1:9-20

John uses this phrase in chapter 1, twice: "the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ."   In the first instance, he writes in Revelation 1:2 (NIV), "² who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ;" and the second in Revelation 1:9 (NIV), "⁹ I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus."

In verse 2 we understand the phrase to mean that what John is claiming to write is "the Word of God" and the testimony of Jesus."  This is the same thing stated differently for emphasis.  You could call these two subtitles of the Book of Revelation.[1]   In verse 9 John has not changed the concept.  It is the same. Notice, he did not say he was on the Island because of the edict of the Emperor.  He said that he was suffering because of this Book of Revelation -- this Word of God, the testimony of Jesus.  What is he saying?

"John is saying that God allowed him to go to Patmos in order to receive the content of the Book of Revelation. From a human point of view, John’s difficult personal situation was the springboard to bring to the churches the message of Revelation. (In the same way, Paul would never have written his Prison Epistles—Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon—without the “tragedy” of a Roman imprisonment.)" [2] John saw his suffering as serving a greater purpose.


In verse 10 John says that he was "in the Spirit".  This means he was in a state brought on by the Holy Spirit where he was seeing a vision.  This marks the first of four of these statements in the Book.  This provides for us an internal organization to the Book, i.e., the Book is divided into 4 Visions (4:2; 17:3; 21:10).  The first is a vision of Jesus Christ:  What do we "see" in Jesus?  Jesus is:

• With His Church (v13a)
• The Jesus from Palestine, the Son of Man (v13b)
• Our High Priest (v13c)
• ancient One full of wisdom (v14a)
• seeing everything (v14b)
• trampling on His enemies (v15a)
• constantly speaking (v15b)
• holding the Church in His hands (v16a)
• speaking with power and discernment (v16b)
• shining with the glory of God (v17)

To know Christ accurately and savingly is to know Him in all His glory, fully Man and fully God. The default response to knowing Christ is to worship Him. It is to be comforted by the knowledge that He is intimately present with His Church.

How quickly Father, John recognized that his situation was not ultimately brought to pass by human order but by Your sovereign will.  He was on Patmos to write.  And Father You gave to us through John such a comforting picture of our Lord.  Father help me worship Him in truth today.  Help me to recognize how amazingly glorious He is.  He is the very Presence of His Church and He is the mighty God making nothing of His enemies.  Father, no weapon formed against me will stand because of Jesus.  Father, all things will work together for my good and Your glory.



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1.  Easley, K. H. (1998). Vol. 12: Revelation. Holman New Testament Commentary (12–13). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
2. Ibid, (17).