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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Revelation 1:9–20. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have now come to that glorious vision which the apostle had of the Lord Jesus Christ, when he came to deliver this revelation to him, where observe,
I.The account given of the person who was favoured with this vision. He describes himself,
1.By his present state and condition. He was the brother and companion of these churches in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Christ. He was, at their time, as the rest of true Christians were, a persecuted man, banished, and perhaps imprisoned, for his adherence to Christ. He was their brother, though an apostle; he seems to value himself upon his relation to the church, rather than his authority in it: Judas Iscariot may be an apostle, but not a brother in the family of God. He was their companion: the children of God should choose communion and society with each other. He was their companion in tribulation: the persecuted servants of God did not suffer alone, the same trials are accomplished in others. He was their companion in patience, not only a sharer with them in suffering circumstances, but in suffering graces: if we have the patience of the saints, we should not grudge to meet with their trials. He was their brother and companion in the patience of the kingdom of Christ, a sufferer for Christ's cause, for asserting his kingly power over the church and the world, and for adhering to it against all who would usurp upon it. By this account he gives of his present state, he acknowledges his engagements to sympathize with them, and to endeavour to give them counsel and comfort, and bespeaks their more careful attention to what he had to say to them from Christ their common Lord.
2.By the place where he was when he was favoured with this vision: he was in the isle Patmos. He does not say who banished him thither. It becomes Christians to speak sparingly and modestly of their own sufferings. Patmos is said to be an island in the Aegean Sea, One of those called Cyclades, and was about thirty-five miles in compass; but under this confinement it was the apostle's comfort that he did not suffer as an evil-doer, but that it was for the testimony of Jesus, for bearing witness to Christ as the Immanuel, the Saviour. This was a cause worth suffering for; and the Spirit of glory and of God rested upon this persecuted apostle.
3.The day and time in which he had this vision: it was the Lord's day, the day which Christ had separated and set apart for himself, as the eucharist is called the Lord's supper. Surely this can be no other than the Christian sabbath, the first day of the week, to be observed in remembrance of the resurrection of Christ. Let us who call him our Lord honour him on his own day, the day which the Lord hath made and in which we ought to rejoice.
4.The frame that his soul was in at this time: He was in the Spirit. He was not only in a rapture when he received the vision, but before he received it; he was in a serious, heavenly, spiritual frame, under the blessed gracious influences of the Spirit of God. God usually prepares the souls of his people for uncommon manifestations of himself, by the quickening sanctifying influences of his good Spirit. Those who would enjoy communion with God on the Lord's day must endeavour to abstract their thoughts and affections from flesh and fleshly things, and be wholly taken up with things of a spiritual nature.
II.The apostle gives an account of what he heard when thus in the Spirit.
An alarm was given as with the sound of a trumpet, and then he heard a voice, the voice of Christ applying to himself the character before given, the first and the last, and commanding the apostle to commit to writing the things that were now to be revealed to him, and to send it immediately to the seven Asian churches, whose names are mentioned. Thus our Lord Jesus, the captain of our salvation, gave the apostle notice of his glorious appearance, as with the sound of a trumpet.
III.We have also an account of what he saw.
He turned to see the voice, whose it was and whence it came; and then a wonderful scene of vision opened itself to him.
1.He saw a representation of the church under the emblem of seven golden candlesticks, as it is explained in the last verse of the chapter. The churches are compared to candlesticks, because they hold forth the light of the gospel to advantage. The churches are not candles: Christ only is our light, and his gospel our lamp; but they receive their light from Christ and the gospel, and hold it forth to others. They are golden candlesticks, for they should be precious and pure, comparable to fine gold; not only the ministers, but the members of the churches ought to be such; their light should so shine before men as to engage others to give glory to God.
2.He saw a representation of the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of the golden candlesticks; for he has promised to be with his churches always to the end of the world, filling them with light, and life, and love, for he is the very animating informing soul of the church. And here we observe,
(1.)The glorious form in which Christ appeared in several particulars.
[1.]He was clothed with a garment down to the foot, a princely and priestly robe, denoting righteousness and honour.
[2.]He was girt about with a golden girdle, the breast-plate of the high priest, on which the names of his people are engraven; he was ready girt to do all the work of a Redeemer.
[3.]His head and hairs were white like wool or snow. He was the Ancient of days; his hoary head was no sign of decay, but was indeed a crown of glory.
[4.]His eyes were as a flame of fire, piercing and penetrating into the very hearts and reins of men, scattering terrors among his adversaries.
[5.]His feet were like unto fine burning brass, strong and stedfast, supporting his own interest, subduing his enemies, treading them to powder.
[6.]His voice was as the sound of many waters, of many rivers falling in together. He can and will make himself heard to those who are afar off as well as to those who are near. His gospel is a profluent and mighty stream, fed by the upper springs of infinite wisdom and knowledge.
[7.]He had in his right hand seven stars, that is, the ministers of the seven churches, who are under his direction, have all their light and influence from him, and are secured and preserved by him.
[8.]Out of his mouth went a two-edged sword, his word, which both wounds and heals, strikes at sin on the right hand and on the left,
[9.]His countenance was as the sun shining, its strength too bright and dazzling for mortal eyes to behold.
(2.)The impression this appearance of Christ made upon the apostle John (Rev 1:17): He fell at the feet of Christ as dead; he was overpowered with the greatness of the lustre and glory in which Christ appeared, though he had been so familiar with him before. How well is it for us that God speaks to us by men like ourselves, whose terrors shall not make us afraid, for none can see the face of God and live!
(3.)The condescending goodness of the Lord Jesus to his disciple: He laid his hand upon him, Rev 1:17. He raised him up; he did not plead against him with his great power, but he put strength into him, he spoke kind words to him.
[1.]Words of comfort and encouragement: Fear not. He commanded away the slavish fears of his disciple.
[2.]Words of instruction, telling him particularly who he was that thus appeared to him. And here he acquaints him, First, with his divine nature: The first and the last. Secondly, With his former sufferings: I was dead; the very same that his disciples saw upon the cross dying for the sins of men. Thirdly, With his resurrection and life: "I live, and am alive for evermore, have conquered death and opened the grave, and am partaker of an endless life." Fourthly, With his office and authority: I have the keys of hell and of death, a sovereign dominion in and over the invisible world, opening and none can shut, shutting so that none can open, opening the gates of death when he pleases and the gates of the eternal world, of happiness or misery, as the Judge of all, from whose sentence there lies no appeal. Fifthly, With his will and pleasure: Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and which shall be hereafter. Sixthly, With the meaning of the seven stars, that they are the ministers of the churches; and of the seven candlesticks, that they are the seven churches, to whom Christ would now send by him particular and proper messages.
Historical interpretation
Three Centuries of Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
And I have the keys of death and Hades. He says, not only have I conquered death by resurrection; but I also have dominion over death itself. He also granted this to the Church by breathing the Holy Spirit upon it, saying, "Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven," and so forth.
And when I had seen him, I fell at his feet as dead. In this passage John signifies Christ's limbs, and the angel signifies Christ specifically. Therefore John falls as dead at the angel's feet because the Church follows Christ's footprints to die to the world. It is appropriate to say that he is as dead, because even if the Church dies to the world and to vices, it still lives to God. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying: Fear not. The right hand of the angel in this place represents the preachers. Hence it is said by Moses, In his right hand a fiery law, [Deut. 33:2] that is, in the holy preachers the teaching of the Holy Spirit. It is not mentioned at all what the angel did with his hand laid upon him, but we deduce with a certain reasoning that he lifted up from the ground either John or the Church in him. Now, can it be that the Church was put away from the imitation of the sufferings of Christ? No. Therefore the angel laying his hand upon John who lay at his feet as dead and raising him from the ground, is the Redeemer Lord lifting up the Church which imitates his sufferings from sorrow of the heart to the hope of future glory by encouraging it through the holy preachers, as in The sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us. [Rom. 8:18] He fittingly says Fear not, as if the Lord were saying to the Church, “Receive confidence from above, and drive human fear away.” I am the First and the Last, and I was alive, and dead, and behold I am living for ever and ever. Here it is made clear that this angel specifically bore the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom all this corresponds to. And have the keys of death and of hell. By the keys is represented the divine judgment’s power, which no one can escape, but it shuts everyone in like a key, according to this: He shutteth, and no man openeth; [Rev. 3:7] by death is meant the one about whom it is written, By the envy of the devil, death came into the world; [Wis. 2:24] and by hell are represented those who belong to him. So with one set of keys the Devil is released to tempt the Church, and with the other he is bound; whence it is written, God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able. [1 Cor. 10:13]
It is customary for the holy prophets to see a vision and be struck with awe, revealing human weakness; and how much the divine surpasses the human and excels it with incomparable differences. This we also know from Joshua the son of Nave, when he saw the chief commander of the Lord's army (Jos. 1:9), and Daniel the man of desires in the visions that appeared to him. (Dan. 10:11; 8:17)
"I," therefore, "fell at his feet as though dead," says the evangelist, struck with awe at the vision.
"And he placed his right hand upon me, saying, 'Do not be afraid.'" The holy John could not have survived the terror if he had not leaned upon the saving right hand of the Son of God, which alone worked the greatest wonders by touch; and he says to me,
"I am the first and the last." Thus he spoke: "I am the one who, at the end of the ages, came to dwell with you in the flesh for the salvation of all of you, I am the first and the firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15). How then could it be possible for you to suffer any harm from my presence?" For if, being alive and the source of life, I became dead for your sake and again came to life after having trampled down death, how is it possible for you, who are alive through me and through my vision, to become dead?
If "I" too "hold the keys to death and Hades," so that I may kill or bring to life whomever I wish, leading them down to Hades and raising them up according to what is written about me, and as the prophet says, the pathways of death belong to me (Prov. 12:28), I would not send my worshippers and disciples prematurely to death. Since he will not die, he says:
"Write, then, what you have seen and what is, and what will happen afterward." In speaking of what is, he reveals both what has passed and what is present; and in speaking of what is about to happen, he reveals the future. For among the things seen in the holy vision, some were already accomplished, although they had reached their limit, they had not ceased to exist; therefore, concerning these things, he spoke of "what is," meaning what was present. As for "what will happen," the word would show it as it unfolded.
In the time before the Messiah came, the expectation of the godly was to die and go to Sheol. Jonah (most likely) actually died and cried out to God from the depths of Sheol (Jon. 2:1). The psalmist expected that Sheol would swallow him up (Ps. 18:5; 86:13; 116:3).
In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, they both died and went down to Hades. In that parable, Hades was divided in two by a vast chasm. The side where Lazarus was had the name of Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:23), while the rich man was in torment in Hades. Nevertheless, it was possible for communication to occur across the chasm.
In our text [Matt. 12:40], Jesus said that He was going to be three days and nights in the heart of the earth. But He also told the thief on the cross that He would be with him in Paradise that same day (Luke 23:43). So then, Abraham’s bosom was also known as Paradise. To the Greeks, this went by the name of Elysium. This is where Jesus went, and preached across the chasm.
The Greek word for the lowest pit of Hades, the worst part, was Tartarus. This word is used once in the New Testament (without any redefinition, mind). Peter tells us this: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [Tartarus], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment” (2 Peter 2:4).
While in Hades, the Lord preached. But the preaching was not “second chance” preaching. Rather the word used is one used for heralding or announcing, not the word for preaching the gospel. “By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water” (1 Pet. 3:19–20). The Lord was announcing their final defeat to the “sons of God” and Nephilim both. And this, incidentally, tells us how momentous the rebellion at the time of the Flood actually was. Thousands of years after their definitive defeat, Jesus went to them to announce their final defeat.
The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the king of all things. The devil is not the ruler of Gehenna—Jesus is. The lake of fire was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25:41). It is a place of torment for the devil. Furthermore, Jesus holds the keys to Hades as well. “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell [Hades] and of death.” (Rev. 1:18). Jesus, not the devil, is the King of Hell. Jesus, not the devil, is the Lord of Hades.
When the Lord rose from the dead, He led captivity captive (Eph. 4:8)—all the saints in the Old Testament who had died and gone to Abraham’s bosom were transferred when Paradise was moved (Matt. 27:52). And by the time of Paul, Paradise was up (2 Cor. 12:4). So if you had lived in the Old Testament, you would have died and gone down to Sheol/Hades. But the part of Hades that contained the saints of God has been emptied out, and now when God’s people die, what happens? To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6, 8). We still go to Paradise, but Paradise itself has been moved into the heavens.
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Summary
Revelation 1:18 presents a profound self-declaration by the glorified Jesus Christ to the Apostle John, anchoring the entire apocalyptic vision in the reality of His absolute sovereignty. This verse powerfully asserts Christ's identity as the eternally living one who conquered death, now possessing supreme authority over the realms of death and the grave, thereby establishing the divine foundation for the messages and prophecies that follow in the Book of Revelation.
Context
Literary Context
This declaration is uttered by the awe-inspiring figure John encounters in his initial vision on Patmos, described vividly in Revelation 1:12-16. The majestic appearance—with eyes like a flame of fire, feet like fine brass, and a voice like many waters—culminates in this definitive statement of identity. It immediately follows the comforting assurance in Revelation 1:17 where the figure, having laid His right hand on John, commands him not to fear. This self-identification as the one who "liveth, and was dead" serves as the irrefutable proof that the glorious being is none other than the resurrected Christ, providing both comfort and authority for the subsequent commands to write to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 and the grand prophetic unveiling that follows.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the Greco-Roman world of John's time, death was a formidable and often terrifying unknown. Various mystery religions offered promises of overcoming death, but none provided a definitive victor. The concept of "Hades" (translated "hell" in KJV) was widely understood as the shadowy realm of the dead, a place from which there was no return. Keys, in ancient cultures, were potent symbols of authority, ownership, and access, signifying control over a house, city gates, or a treasury. For Jesus to declare possession of the "keys of hell and of death" would have been a staggering claim, asserting an authority far beyond any earthly ruler or deity. This declaration directly challenged the prevailing fears and philosophical uncertainties surrounding mortality, offering a unique and powerful hope rooted in a historical event—the resurrection—that was utterly unparalleled.
Key Themes
Revelation 1:18 consolidates several critical themes pervasive throughout the book and the broader New Testament. Firstly, it emphatically establishes the resurrection and eternal life of Christ as the bedrock of Christian faith. His triumph over death is not merely a past event but an ongoing reality, ensuring His perpetual reign and intercession. Secondly, the verse underscores Christ's supreme authority and sovereignty over all creation, particularly over the ultimate enemies of humanity: death and the grave. This theme resonates with passages like Matthew 28:18, where Jesus declares, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Thirdly, it introduces the theme of divine comfort and assurance for believers. Knowing that Christ holds the keys to death and Hades provides immense solace in the face of persecution, suffering, and mortality, assuring them that their ultimate destiny is secure in His hands, as echoed in John 14:19.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb signifies to live, to be alive, or to have life, both literally and figuratively. In the context of Christ, it emphasizes His inherent, continuous, and eternal life, contrasting sharply with the state of having "was dead." It speaks to His divine nature as the source of life and His present, active existence.
Derived from a word for a corpse, nekrós refers to being dead, lifeless, or deceased. Its use here acknowledges the historical reality of Christ's physical death on the cross, a crucial point for the veracity of His subsequent resurrection. This word highlights the depth of His condescension and sacrifice.
This noun denotes a key, literally or figuratively. As a symbol, it represents authority, control, access, and power. Christ's possession of the keys signifies His absolute dominion and power to open and close, to permit or deny entry, and to release or retain. This is not merely symbolic but a declaration of His actual power over the realms described.
This term refers to the unseen realm of the dead, the underworld, or the grave. Unlike "Gehenna," which denotes the place of eternal punishment, Hades is the general abode of departed spirits awaiting judgment or resurrection. Christ's authority over Hades means He controls the fate of all who die, including their resurrection.
Verse Breakdown
"I am he that liveth, and was dead;"
This opening clause is a profound self-identification, echoing the divine "I AM" statements of God in the Old Testament. It declares the speaker's eternal, living nature, immediately followed by the astonishing claim of having experienced death. This paradox—the living one who died—is the essence of the gospel: the incarnate Son of God, truly human, truly divine, who entered into the human experience of mortality.
"and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;"
The conjunction "and, behold" (Greek: kai idou) draws immediate attention to the miraculous and ongoing reality of Christ's resurrection. The phrase "alive for evermore" emphasizes the permanence and eternality of His resurrected state, signifying His complete and irreversible victory over death. The concluding "Amen" (Greek: amḗn) functions as an affirmation of truth and certainty, declaring the absolute veracity and trustworthiness of this entire statement.
"and have the keys of hell and of death."
This final clause asserts Christ's supreme and sovereign authority. "Keys" symbolize absolute control and power. "Hell" (Hades) refers to the realm of departed spirits, and "death" refers to the physical cessation of life. By possessing the keys to both, Jesus declares His dominion over the entire process and state of mortality, from the moment of physical death to the ultimate destiny of souls in the afterlife. He has the power to open the grave, to release the dead, and to determine the ultimate fate of all humanity.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices. Paradox is central, as the speaker declares "I am he that liveth, and was dead," a seemingly contradictory statement that resolves in the reality of the Incarnation, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. The phrase "behold, I am alive for evermore" functions as a dramatic announcement or exclamation, drawing the reader's immediate attention to the astonishing truth of Christ's eternal life. Symbolism is profoundly used with "the keys of hell and of death," where keys represent absolute authority and dominion. This metonymy allows the abstract concept of power to be concretely visualized through the image of keys. The repetitive use of "and" (Greek: kai) creates a sense of cumulative emphasis, building one powerful truth upon another, from His living state to His death, His eternal life, and finally, His ultimate authority.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Revelation 1:18 is a monumental theological statement, affirming the core tenets of Christian faith: the deity of Christ, the reality of His atoning death, and the power of His resurrection. It establishes Jesus as the ultimate victor over humanity's greatest enemies—sin, death, and the grave—and the sovereign Lord of all creation. This declaration underpins the hope of resurrection for all believers and assures them that their eternal destiny rests in the hands of one who has personally conquered death. It transforms the fear of mortality into an anticipation of ultimate victory and reunion with the living Christ.
Reflection and Application
Revelation 1:18 offers profound comfort and calls for unwavering trust in the face of life's deepest fears. In a world constantly confronting mortality, suffering, and the unknown, this verse reminds us that our Savior is not a distant, historical figure, but a living, reigning Lord who has personally triumphed over death. This truth empowers believers to face their own mortality, the loss of loved ones, and the uncertainties of life with an unshakeable hope. It means that death is not the final word, but merely a doorway through which Christ, who holds the keys, guides His own. Our response should be one of worship, unreserved trust, and a life lived in light of His eternal sovereignty, knowing that the one who conquered the grave holds our future securely in His hands.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean that Jesus has "the keys of hell and of death"?
This powerful statement signifies Jesus' absolute and sovereign authority over the realms of death and the grave. In biblical and ancient cultures, keys were potent symbols of control, ownership, and access. By possessing these keys, Jesus declares that He has ultimate power over when and how life ends, and over the destiny of all souls after death. "Hell" here translates the Greek word Hades (G86), which refers to the general unseen realm of the dead, not necessarily the place of eternal punishment (which is often denoted by Gehenna). Therefore, Jesus' possession of these keys means He has the power to open the grave, to release the dead, and to determine who enters into eternal life or judgment. This authority is a direct consequence of His resurrection, proving His victory over death itself, as foreshadowed in passages like Acts 2:24.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Revelation 1:18 stands as a resounding declaration of Christ's ultimate victory and His central role in God's redemptive plan. The "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore" is the very heart of the gospel, affirming the historical reality of Jesus' crucifixion and His glorious resurrection, which is the cornerstone of Christian faith (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). His death was not a defeat but a purposeful act to atone for sin, and His resurrection demonstrates His power over sin and death, making Him the "firstfruits of them that slept" (1 Corinthians 15:20). Furthermore, His possession of "the keys of hell and of death" reveals His divine authority as the one who holds the power of life and death, a power uniquely belonging to God (Deuteronomy 32:39). This authority is not merely symbolic but active, assuring believers that because He lives, they too shall live (John 14:19), and that He will ultimately abolish death forever (Revelation 21:4). Thus, Revelation 1:18 points directly to Christ as the sovereign Lord, the resurrected King, and the ultimate source of eternal life and hope for all who believe in His name.