11Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 12His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. 13He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. 15From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. 16On his robe at his thigh was written this title: KING of all kings and LORD of all lords.
Revelation 19:11-16
After the previous portion closes with John’s summary statement concerning the testimony of Jesus being the spirit of prophecy, it is like we are left on the brink of the announcement of something startling: A coming event of great significance and magnitude. It is often hard to know in John’s revelation whether the action is set in heaven or on earth. At this point John makes it clear to us he saw heaven opened once more. The last time we were told that was in Revelation 4:1. We have caught glimpses of what John saw in heaven along the way. The gathered multitude of the redeemed from every tribe , the focus on the martyrs, the opening of the seven seals, the blowing of seven trumpets, the seven bowls poured out. Each building the tension of the revelation to come.
After all that we have been through previously, John tells us now at the end of Revelation 19 what he saw at this moment when heaven was opened again. Oh not the Lamb slain since the foundation of the world but at this moment the King of the Universe. He is not using Old Testament quotes to explain what he saw. Rather he is using words and phrases he has told us before. We have been primed for the moment of the Final Battle, the moment that brings it all to a conclusion. But at the very moment we are waiting for, we are given these six verses before us as an opening statement. Can’t you just feel the Majesty of it all as the Major Player in this Heavenly Drama is announced? It ought to give us goose bumps, but so often we read words like these without emotion and the true impact of the moment passes us by.
John is deliberately selecting descriptive words and phrases he has used before in this Revelation to describe the Lamb turned King.
- a white horse (6:2)
- Faithful and True (1:5, 3:14)
- eyes like blazing fire (1:14)
- treads the winepress of the fury of his wrath (14:19-20)
- King of kings and Lord of lords (17:14 – note the order is reversed)
To the Romans, a leader riding on a white horse symbolised supreme authority, divine favour and irresistible military might. The Coming King has ultimate authority, He wears many crowns and has many names. There has to be a link between the Faithful and True phrase and the reference to the ‘Word of God’ in verse 13. Remember also the reference to ‘Word of God’ in this verse carries with it the statement made in 19:9 – “These are true words that come from God.” and 21:5 “What I tell you is trustworthy and true.” These are indeed true words that come from God, the Word of God. His eyes see everything and purify like fire. Nothing escapes His burning look. With it comes judgement on those who wilfully reject what He declares to be true. He will indeed release the wrath of God on all whose names are not written in the Book of Life.
John includes a curious statement about His robe being dipped in blood. I think most Christians will assume that is a reference to Christ’s atoning work through His sacrifice. I think that is one possibility, but I can’t help think that it is a reference to the warrior nature of this King. I wonder too about the likelihood of it being a reference to the bloodshed coming for those who are yet to be martyred. It is highly likely that it has multiple meanings, knowing John and the nature of apocalyptic writing. More on that in a subsequent Gem.
Most of what is written about this Coming King is clear to all who read it as we interpret what is being said. But there are two statements which are puzzling. Both concerning the name of this Coming King. The first is that there is a name written on Him which no one knows / sees / understands but He alone. The second concerns the statement that on his robe, on his thigh is written KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS. Well that is clearly a name with which we are familiar. Is that the name referred to as that which no one sees or knows? Hardly! It is a Name we are familiar with; but do we really understand it? Is the name known to Him alone the one written on his robe / thigh or is there another? Oh there is much conjecture about this. These two statements are easy to read but hard to see how they go together. Are they referring to one and same name? Or is John talking about two different names?
These are two matters which “create difficulties for the later reader. First what is lacking in this description is the location of the name, which is usually placed variously in the translations as on him in some way. . . and even more puzzling, is the note that “no one knows” his name, since in fact he is named in this passage, first as the one who “is called Faithful and True”, second as “the word of God” and then finally as “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”. In the end, therefore, this remains one of the truly puzzling moments in the book; it is intentionally cryptic, and without an adequate explanation or discernible reason, unless it is a Johannine way of keeping alive the contemporary Jewish refusal to name God at all, lest the name be taken in vain.”
Gordon Fee, Revelation p 275
The name is written on two places. That on the clothing will mean that this is the name for all to see, but it is difficult to see a reason for its being on the thigh.
Leon Morris, Revelation p 231-232
I think the overall sense of this passage is an introduction of Christ as the Warrior King. The focus of the passage is only on the nature or character of the One Coming and not the battle. Neither is the focus on exactly what this Warrior King is going to do. While saying that, I have to wonder about the fact that KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS is written on both His Robe and on His thigh. The thigh is indicative of where the sword was hung, although more on the hip than the thigh as such. However I wonder if the title/name was in place of the Sword. Jesus Christ, the Coming King does not need a sword. In fact, He told His disciples, “Enough of that talk!” (See Gem 1227) Why would Jesus, the One who spoke the universe into existence need a sword on His thigh or hip or anywhere?
There is one other possibility as an explanation as to why the name written on Him was only known to Him Himself. The belief in the first century was that to know a name gave power over the one whose name it was. Hence the hesitancy of demons to name themselves. John may well have intended the meaning conveyed by this expression to be that no one had power over Christ. He is supreme because He has a name that is known only to Himself.
However, bottom line, I defer to the great Gordon Fee. I find it curious to say the least that in this one paragraph which contains the sentence that Jesus had a name written on Him that only He knew there are in fact three names. The last name is literally written in two places: on his robe AND on his thigh.
ἐπὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν μηρὸν αὐτοῦ
on the garment and on the thigh {of him}
I have given you above the Greek equivalent of the text for those of you who are intent on knowing all the detail. Thirty seven translations have the equivalent of “on the clothing and on the thigh”. For some reason there are two translations which stick to one named location rather than two:
- [CEV] On the part of the robe that covered his thigh was written, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
- (NLT) On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
I have given you all of the necessary information to draw your own conclusion. I would be interested to know if you came up with a different opinion on the subtleties of this passage. If you give me permission I will share with everyone and spread your insights abroad. Or we accept the Gordon Fee and Leon Morris statements ” this is too deep for us and who can know it.” I accept wholeheartedly the Psalmist’s statement along with Paul’s and John’s when they say:
Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty; the LORD, invincible in battle.
Psalm 24:8
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honour and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11 [See Gem 1947]
And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
John 19:19 [See Gem 112]
John ought to know: he is the same John who wrote much about The Word becoming flesh and the Word of God in Revelation, along with Revelation 19:9 and 21:5.
Ian