1Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One seated on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals.
2And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”
3But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look inside it.
4And I began to weep bitterly, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.
5Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
7And He came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One seated on the throne.
8When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”
11Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels encircling the throne, and the living creatures and the elders. And their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands.
12In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
13And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!”
14And the four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation 5 Verse Notes
Rev 5:1
Yahweh's Material Body in Scripture
Contrary to the idea that Yahweh was always understood as a 'pneuma' (spirit), the Bible frequently depicts God with a material body. For instance, in Genesis, Yahweh appears to Abraham with two angels and to Moses at the burning bush. Even in the New Testament, the Book of Revelation describes John seeing God sitting on a throne, holding a scroll, indicating a physical form. This suggests that the concept of a spiritual, non-anthropomorphic God was not universally held or an evolutionary development, but rather one of several understandings of the Divine.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Decoding Gnosticism: Secrets of a Heretical Christian Belief · watch the clip
The Lamb of God as a Lion
Some scholars argue that Christ in Revelation is non-violent, focusing on the image of the 'Lamb who has been slain' in Revelation 5. However, this interpretation overlooks that this 'Lamb' is the one who breaks the Seven Seals, initiating widespread disasters on Earth. The speaker contends that the Lamb transforms into a Lion, actively bringing about destruction, which contradicts the pacifist portrayal of Jesus in the Gospels.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Is the Christ of Revelation Out for Blood? · watch the clip
Rev 5:6
Jesus as a Vengeful Divine Warrior in Revelation
In Revelation, Jesus is depicted through various images, including the glorious resurrected Son of Man, a slain Lamb, and a Divine Warrior on horseback. The overarching portrayal is of Christ returning in vengeance to make his enemies pay for his death. This Lamb, who was slain, is the one who orchestrates calamities, plagues, wars, famines, and slaughter upon the Earth.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Does John of Patmos Accept the Gospel of Jesus? · watch the clip
