Sárospataki Füzetek 15. (2011)

2011 / 4. szám - TANULMÁNYOK

Houwelingen, p. h. r. van

ship God forever. The throne of God and of the Lamb stands in the centre of the new Jerusalem (this is stated twice, with emphasis, in chapter 22:1 and 3). Around the throne there are the servants of God. In the verses 3b-5a, Mathewson sees them as priests, who are given a royal task as well. This combination, servants as priests and royal figures at the same time, makes us think of Exodus 19:6, where Israel is described as a ‘kingdom of priests’.24 But this worshipful reigning is not confined to Israel; throughout the book of Revelation Jerusalem is revealed as the world capital for all believers (cf. Isa. 61:6; 1 Peter 2:9-10).

“They will reign”. It seems as if they are promised an almost autonomous dominion; still, these are the servants of God, who serve him. The eternal duration of this royal position is already foreshadowed in Daniel 7. Here, too, we see something of the vindication of the people of the Most High, people who have so often been oppressed, “...the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him” (Dan. 7:27). This was already announced earlier in the book of Revelation: Those who had been purchased for God from every nation ‘will reign on the earth’ (Rev. 5:10). The seventh trumpet ushers in “the kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 11:15). The martyrs, raised to life, will reign for a thousand years together with the Messiah (Rev. 20:4,6).

This calls to mind the exalted Christ’s promise of victory to the church of Laodicea: “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Rev. 3:21). The underlying imagery here is from the bisellium or double seat, well known in antiquity, and sometimes used to depict two deities like Zeus and Hera or emperor Augustus together with Dea Roma, side by side sitting on the throne. In this way, the royal dominion was literally and figuratively shared. Christ shares the throne with his Father (‘on his throne’).25 He who overcomes will share the throne with Christ (‘on my throne’). The Father and Christ do not hand over their dominion; they allow those who share in their victory to share in their dominion as well.

Genesis 1 and 2 do not speak explicitly of royal dominion. Still, according to a broad stream of interpreters, with the mandate from Genesis 1:27-28 a kind of dominion is meant. The book of Revelation contains a latent allusion to this mandate. Man was appointed as custodian and labourer in the paradise garden of God (Gen. 2:15): he was to exercise authority over creation on God’s behalf. Adam and Eve failed in their exercise of this responsibility. And still there is hope for mankind. This world-encompassing dominion will return, but inseparably joined to the worship of God. Strictly speaking, Revelation does not specify the object of this domi24 Mathewson, A New Heaven and a New Harth, 212-213. Here, the reference is implied. In other places in Revelation, the priest-king conjunction is quite explicit (see Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6).

25 Hofius speaks about “Throngemeinschaft Christi mit dem Vater” (Otfried Hofius, “Das Zeugnis der Johannesoffenbarung von der Gottheit Jesu Christi.” In Neutestamentliche Studien [Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2000], 223-240 [233]). For the imagery, see: Christoph Markschies, ‘“Sessio ad Dexteram’: Bemerkungen zu einem altchristlichen Bekenntnismotiv in der christologischen Diskussion der altkirchlichen Theologen.” In Le Tróné de Dien, ed. Marc Philonenko (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1993), 252-317.

18 Sárospataki Füzetes 2011/4