is nothing else than to keep (Tηpeiv) the commandments of God (xii. 17, xiv. 12), which is identical with keeping the works of Christ (ii. 26), or of His word (iii. 8, 10), as the readers had received that word from others (iii. 3), or as they read it in this book (i. 3, xxii. 7, 9). There can by this be no thought, therefore, of the works of the Mosaic law, the indiscriminate fulfilment of which had besides become impossible with the fall of the temple, but only of the law proclaimed by Christ (comp. § 52, a). According to v. 8, viii. 3, 4, the prayers of the saints are the real sacrifice of incense, as they are themselves the real first sheaf (xiv. 4).* (b) The fulfilment of the will of God made known by Christ presupposes, as § 52, d, faith in Jesus (xiv. 12), i.e. the confident persuasion that Jesus is the Messiah, and as such has made known God's will. And therefore the keeping of His word goes hand in hand with the confession of His name (iii. 8). Here also, therefore, is faith the fundamental condition for obtaining salvation; and that as such it is not in the literal sense, nor with Gebhardt, p. 267 [E. T. 254], of moral spotlessness in a general sense) and in stainless truth (xiv. 4, 5), or as in hearing His voice, by which one lays oneself out for His activity (iii. 20). It follows then, doubtless, from this, that the author of the Apocalypse cannot have demanded from believers drawn from all nations (§ 130, c) acceptance of the law, if they would be incorporated into the true Israel. This he could do only if he set himself in sharpest opposition to the whole life, already quite freed from the law, of those Gentile-Christian churches of Lesser Asia (comp. § 105, d) to whom he wrote. But he now contends with a definite tendency among them (the Nicolaitans, ii. 6, 15), which is made known to us as the heathenizing libertinism made known to us by the Second Epistle of Peter (§ 128, d). This tendency would be spread by false apostles (ii. 2), and especially by a prophetess (ver. 20), who already supported it, as was there feared, on false doctrine giving itself out for a deeper wisdom (ver. 24 ; comp. § 131, b). To behold in this a Paulinism (comp. Baur, p. 244), which was no one single isolated tendency in Lesser Asia, but a universal one, is even on that account quite impossible, because essentially the matter here treated of is fornication and the eating of flesh offered in sacrifice to idols (ii. 14, 20). Just so had Paul opposed the former (§ 95, a); and the latter, although he looked upon it as in itself a thing indifferent (§ 93, c), yet had he forbidden in the most explicit terms, when it was connected with lax participation in heathen life dangerous to the soul, as in fellowship in idolatrous sacrificial feasts. The author of the Apocalypse stands on the ground of the apostolic council (§ 43, c), which entirely forbade such indulgence, no doubt, in the first place, for the sake of the synagogue, when with the early Church, as also the weak in the Pauline churches (§ 93, c), he might regard this indulgence as in itself dangerous; but he expressly says that Christ laid on the churches no other legal burden than beyond the points there required (ii. 24). oftener enforced lies in this, that the exhortation of our book is dominated by the idea that the whole impending development is a conflict with Satan and his instruments against the Church (§ 133, d). Conformably with this, the chief task of the saints is to conquer in this conflict (ii. 7, 11, 17, iii. 5, 12, 21, xv. 2, xxi. 7); while, on the one hand, they keep the works of Christ in spite of temptation to sin (ii. 26), or hold fast to the former fulfilling His word (ii. 25, iii. 11); and while, on the other hand, they keep their faith in Christ in spite of the temptation to fall away (from faith) (xiv. 12), and do not deny (ii. 13) or hold fast His name (ii. 13), ever anew witness (xii. 11) and do not deny (iii. 8). This twofold verification of faith is in the situation of our book the specific condition of the completion of salvation. But faith in particular is verified in patience (§ 30, a), if Satan's instruments threaten with persecution and death (xiii. 10, xiv. 12; comp. ii. 19) the true witnesses, who confess Jesus as the Messiah (xvii. 6; comp. ii. 13, xi. 3); since it is important patiently to bear what one has to suffer for Christ's name's sake (ii. 3), and not even to fear death (ii. 10, xii. 11) for the sake of the witness of Jesus which one possesses (vi. 9, xx. 4). This patience is expressly reckoned as works (ii. 2, iii. 19), which the word of Jesus demands; nay, this word is essentially a word of patience (iii. 10), as Jesus Himself seems to be regarded as its pattern, i. 9. (c) If humanity is delivered from the guilt of sin and the power of Satan by the voluntary death of Christ and His " Inasmuch as faith in the Messiahship of Jesus includes, according to § 134, b, faith in His second coming, as the testimony of Jesus made in this book to the prophet proclaims it (xix. 10), this faith may be designated as the possession of the paprupía 'Incoũ (xii. 17; comp. vi. 9); when that is lost, one at once begins to doubt its truth. On the ground entirely of considerations which prove nothing, Gebhardt, p. 158 f. [E. T. 150], following Baur, p. 224, wishes to translate iris throughout as "fidelity." The parallel to keep fast Jesus' name (ii. 13) can be only the not denying the faith, because even this latter is a faith in the Messiahship of Jesus, which one confesses by keeping fast His name of honour (§ 40, c). But in ii. 19 love stands opposed to its verification in diaxovía, as faith to its verification in patience; and, just as here, from love, xiii. 10, from patience, xiv. 12, from keeping the commandments of God, one advances to faith, in which all these have their ultimate root. 6 According to the connection of xiv. 13 with ver. 12, àwobvńoxe‹v iv xvpíw, as in the Epistles to the Thessalonians (§ 62, c, footnote 4), appears to designate quite generally dying in faith on the Lord. exaltation by God (§ 134, a), then those who stand as conquerors before the throne of God must confess that they are indebted for the Messianic salvation (owτnpía) to God, who has shown Himself gracious to them as their God (vii. 10, 12, iv. 11, xix. 6; comp. xxi. 3, 7; comp. § 83, a; 124, a), and to the Lamb (vii. 10; comp. ver. 14), so that their salvation is a work of God (xii. 10, xix. 1). Even the blessed martyrs know that they have become clean only in the blood of the Lamb (vii. 14). While the author appropriates the Pauline introductory and concluding blessings (§ 75, d), he acknowledges that grace and salvation come from God, from the seven spirits of God, and from Christ (i. 4, 5), and wishes for the readers the accompaniment of Christ's grace (xx. 21). It is Christ, who keeps them from the severest trials (iii. 10), who remedies their spiritual poverty of whatever sort it may be (ver. 18), who shows them the right way, and educates them if they need repentance (ver. 19), who goes with those who hear His voice and open to His activity, into the innermost personal fellowship (ver. 20). It cannot be more clearly expressed, that the obtaining of what is connected with salvation is entirely a work of Christ. Therefore, finally, eternal life also, which the Christian wins at the end (§ 132, d), is a gift of God, which is given quite freely (xxi. 6, xxii. 17). Nay, it seems as though this gift were given by an eternal divine predestination, since the recording in the book of life (xxi. 27) is the result even before the foundation of the world (xiii. 8, xvii. 8). But as the name of any one may again be blotted out of the book of life (iii. 5), and at the judgment examination is only made what names remain there (xx. 12, 15), that destination implies no irrevocable divine purpose ruling the individual, but only traces the election of Christians back to the eternal purpose of salvation.7 (d) To strengthen the saints in patience and fidelity, the word of prophecy is given them. While prophecy announces to them what is to happen to them in the near future, it 7 If Christians are called xλnroì xaì ixdsxroí (xvii. 14), it follows even from the idea of calling (§ 128, b, footnote 3) that both ideas are to be understood as by Peter (§ 45, b, footnote 2), and xix. 9 shows that the calling is here also regarded as a destination to perfected salvation. Comp., on the other hand, the utterly futile objections of Gebhardt, p. 153 f. [E. T. 145 f.]. strengthens their conviction, that He whose coming is at hand is the Messiah, and comforts them under the sorrows of the present, while it puts the near end of these sufferings in view by the judgment over the enemies of God (x. 11). But while it hands over to the churches the requirements of Jesus, and adds promises to the faithful as well as threatenings to the apostate, it stirs up zeal to preserve faith in obedience to the word of Christ.8 The ultimate source of prophecy can naturally be but God Himself. It is the secret of His purpose which He has revealed to the prophets His servants. (ver. 7 : cỷnyyéλioev); and the ever-fresh exhortation to repentance, with its background of promises, is called an everlasting gospel (xiv. 6). But God has given the revelation of future things to Christ, and from Him the prophecy of this book comes (i. 1). And He can only show to the prophet what He has Himself seen; the opening of the book of the future is but the figurative representation of the truth, that the Messiah, who has completed the work of salvation, has Himself looked into the mystery of the divine purpose (i. 5, iii. 14; comp. xxii. 20). The contents, therefore, of revelation are called the testimony of Jesus ( μapтupía 'Inσoû; i. 2, 9, xii. 17, xix. 10, xx. 4, and with it footnote 5; comp. vi. 9). But, according to the passage xix. 10, the testimony of Jesus, which the prophets have, is the spirit of prophecy, i.e. it is given them by the prophetic spirit. While the prophet testifies what Jesus gives him in vision to say to the churches (ii. 3), this spirit speaks to the churches (ii. 7, 11, 17, 29, iii. 6, 13, 22); and elsewhere also 8 Hence the words of the prophecy of this book are to be heard (i. 3), and to be kept (xxii. 7, 9; comp. note a) in view of the nearness of the time, when it must be decided whether its promises to its readers are to be kept or not. The words of the prophet testify to the word of God (i. 2, 9; comp. vi. 9); they are even true and trustworthy words of God (xix. 9, xxi. 5, xxii. 6), which as such must be fulfilled (xvii. 17; comp. x. 7), and God threatens to punish all those who add to or take anything away from them (xxii. 18, 19). 9 The slain Lamb, i.e. the Messiah, inasmuch as He, in consequence of His victory (v. 5), has become the instrument for the fulfilment of the divine promises, was alone worthy to loose the seals of the book of the future in which God's purposes stand recorded (ver. 9), and He has done this even in His eschatological prophecies (§ 33, b; comp. § 130, b), and He now reveals them to the prophet, His servant, in visions (i. 1), by which the latter witnesses to the churches what he saw (xxii. 16, i. 2), similarly to the two prophetic witnesses (xi. 3, 7). when the prophet utters for the churches prophecy for exhortation and comfort, the spirit speaks by him (xiv. 13, xxii. 17), and not in any way as an independent being in contrast to Christ, as Gebhardt, p. 139 [E. T. 131], will have it. The prophet is ev πνeúμaтi; when he beholds the images of the future (i. 10, iv. 2, xvii. 3, xxi. 10), God Himself is called, xxii. 6, the God of the Spirit of the prophets; but here, to be sure, it is looked at but as the one spirit of prophecy in His manifold manifestations, as though these proceeded from Him, as, according to Zech. iii. 9, iv. 10, the one Spirit of God is looked at objectively in a sevenfold way in the seven spirits, which stand before the throne like burning torches (iv. 5), i.e. as organs of enlightenment and revelation." 10 SECTION IV. THE HISTORICAL BOOKS. CHAPTER VIII. THE MESSIAH OF THE JEWS AND THE SALVATION OF THE § 136. The Jewish-Christian Gospels. The Gospel of Mark presents to us the Messiahship of Jesus, with evident reference to the very great difficulties felt 10 If, i. 4, all grace and all salvation are derived along with God from His spirits (from which Gess, p. 569; Gebhardt, p. 139 [E. T. 131], conclude the personality of the Spirit), then it is clear from this activity of the Spirit in prophecy, an activity which helps the saints to fulfil the conditions for a perfect salvation, how this is meant. In v. 6, to be sure, the sevenfold Spirit of God, which Christ also has, iii. 1 (§ 134, c), is regarded as the divine Omniscience, that works throughout the world; but in the region of redemption He has His special significance as the medium of revelation, and He appears in men exclusively as the source of prophecy. On the other hand, for the assumption that He is here and elsewhere the source of supernatural life generally, and of Christian life in particular, there is no trace of proof adduced by Gebhardt, pp. 136, 142 [E. T. 129, 135], and also the introduction of an activity of the Spirit inwardly judging and |