Revelation Chapter One, Christ's Witness

Revelation 1:5a and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,

In verse 4 we have mention of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Now, in verse 5, we have mention of God the Son. Yes, the word Trinity does not directly appear in Scripture. But the concept and contextual argument for the Trinity abounds in Scripture. 

Charles Taze Russell, the founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, rejected the teaching of the Trinity because when he applied fallen human logic to it, it made no sense to him. Three persons comprising one being we call God? Preposterous! But even if God were a single entity, would He be any easier to explain? No. To comprehend Him in such a manner would demand that we be His peers and equals, which we clearly are not. The first mention of the Trinity is found in Genesis 1:26. The word, “Us,” is not a reference to angels. It is a reference to God. When He says, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness,” we read shortly thereafter, “So God created man in His own image,” Genesis 1:27. Even the English word, “God,” in the original Hebrew means “Gods,” plural. The word “El,” would be applied if the vernacular was meant to imply a singular being. Instead, the Hebrew prophets chose the word, “Elohim,” a term that denotes multiple deities, yet always employed in the singular.

Leaping ahead to Isaiah 48:16 we read, “Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God and His Spirit have sent Me.” My NKJV footnote informs me that the English “have” is actually rendered “has” in the original text. In short, the Hebrew again ascribes singularity of essence to distinct persons; in this instance the Lord God and His Spirit, who sent forth the Jewish Messiah and the world’s Savior who Himself existed eternally before creation.

Paul, writing in 2 Corinthians, gives the church this farewell benediction, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen,” 2 Corinthians 13:14. Here we find the Godhead, the Trinity, overseeing the church He bought with His own blood. Jesus Christ our Lord commanded believers, when baptizing, to baptize in the (singular) name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19. That was why our Lord could say so easily, “My Father and I are one,” John 10:30. Or the writer of Hebrews could express that Jesus was, “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person,” Hebrews 1:3. For in Christ the fullness of the Godhead bodily dwelt, Colossians 2:9. As mentioned previously, when Paul was explaining spiritual gifts, he makes plain mention of the Trinity, stating, “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all,” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6. The Holy Spirit, Christ the Lord, and God the Father are all spoken of in virtually the same breath, given equal authority over the church.

Of Christ, John writes that He is the faithful witness. He witnessed to the truth of the resurrection and of faith in Him that brought eternal life to those who trusted. The Greek word for witness in this verse is, “martus.”

Martus is a Greek term that denotes a judicial witness or martyr. It can mean one who bears witness by his death. It also means one who can or does aver what he has seen or heard or knows.

This was our Lord’s constant testimony on earth; so much so that the people were constantly attempting to silence Him through death. In fact His own triumphant death on the cross was the ultimate witness that His words were true, and He was validating their veracity by being killed on behalf of those who hated Him. This testimony became the unified voice of those who followed Him during His ministry, and were sent out after His death to proclaim peace and reconciliation by His blood. As history attests, beginning in the book of Acts with Stephen (Acts 6:60) and continuing with James, Acts 12:2. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs details the deaths of every apostle save for John himself, whose witness led them to a violent end, but whose ministry raised up competent, spirit-filled men and women who took up their mantle and proclaimed the efficacy and glory of Jesus Christ.