Texts in Conversation
Revelation’s image of a divine figure wielding a sharp sword echoes the Wisdom of Solomon, which describes God's word descending from heaven like a warrior with a sword during Egypt's judgment. In Wisdom, this poetic retelling of the Exodus story personifies the divine command as an active force or agent.
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Wisdom of Solomon 18:15
Deuterocanon
12 So they all together had innumerable dead with one kind of death; neither were the living sufficient to bury them: for in one moment the noblest offspring of them was destroyed. 13 For whereas they would not believe any thing by reason of the enchantments; upon the destruction of the firstborn, they acknowledged this people to be the sons of God. 14 For while all things were in quiet silence, and that night was in the midst of her swift course, 15 Thine Almighty word leaped down from heaven out of thy royal throne, as a fierce man of war into the midst of a land of destruction, 16 And brought thine unfeigned commandment as a sharp sword, and standing up filled all things with death; and it touched the heaven, but it stood upon the earth. 17 Then suddenly visions of horrible dreams troubled them sore, and terrors came upon them unlooked for. 18 And one thrown here, and another there, half dead, shewed the cause of his death.
Date: 100-50 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Revelation 2:12
New Testament
10 Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison so you may be tested, and you will experience suffering for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself. 11 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will in no way be harmed by the second death.’ 12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write the following: “This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who has the sharp double-edged sword: 13 ‘I know where you live—where Satan’s throne is. Yet you continue to cling to my name, and you have not denied your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed in your city where Satan lives. 14 But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.
Date: 92-96 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... The title the “Word of God” may suggest to readers a connection with the Gospel of John, which also speaks of Jesus being “the word” (John 1:1). For this reason, this title could be a reference to Jesus’s close association with the Father. Jesus is the Logos because he is the Father’s agent; the Father expresses his will that an action be brought to pass, and the Logos is the one who fulfills the Father’s “words.” However, based upon the context, this title is likely describing Jesus’s role as judge, since “the rider will judge by means of God’s word.” (Compare Wisdom of Solomon 18:15-16) ..."
Frederick, Nicholas J.
"The Paradoxical Lamb and the Christology of John's Apocalypse" in Huntsman, Eric D., Lincoln H. Blumell, and Tyler J. Griffin (ed.) Thou Art the Christ: The Son of the Living God, The Person and Work of Jesus in the New Testament
(pp. 244-259) Brigham Young University, 2018
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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