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These excerpts are from
Natural, Grammatical Outlines in
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
by Dr. Richard Hughes

Which God Gave to Him
Revelation 1:1-3
Outline

The following outline is based on the compound prepositional phrases modifying record in v. 2.

TEXT:  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

NOTE:  This final book of the New Testament is a summary that the Father gave to his only begotten Son so that Jesus could, in turn, share with us the revelation of Jesus Christ: how and why he was made manifest and how he will bring all things unto an end, a conclusion: a final judgment. He will do this so that he might make for his Seed a new heaven and a new earth [Rev. 21:1].

That there is something only the Father knew does not cloud Christ`s deity:  Jesus himself, responding to the question of his returning, said "of that day and hour knoweth no man; no, not the angels of heaven; but my Father only" [Matt. 24:36].  Just as the Trinity held conversations in the past [Gen. 1:26], God the Father held a conversation with the Son after his ascension.  We know the contents of that conversation as the Revelation.  

  1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ
    1. Which God [the Father] gave
      1. Unto him
      2. To shew unto his servants things
        1. Things which must come to pass
        2. Things which must shortly come to pass
    2. And he [Jesus Christ] sent it
    3. And he signified it
      1. By his angel
      2. Unto his servant John
        1. Who bare record of the word of God
        2. And who bare record of the testimony of Jesus Christ
        3. And who bare record of all things that he saw
  2. Blessed is he that readeth this record
  3. And blessed are they
    1. That hear the words of this prophecy
    2. And that keep those things which are written therein
  4. They are blessed: for the time is at hand
    1. Both he that reads is blessed
    2. And they that hear and keep are blessed

Commentary

The Revelation consists of things that must shortly come to pass, as in 1:7; yet, we know that what is predicted in v. 7, has yet to take place.  Though men may mock the promise of his coming, the disciples did not want us ignorant of this one thing: "that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousands years as one day.  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" [II Peter 3:8,9].

Jesus Christ, after having received the revelation from the Father, "sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John."  This is the angel that asks John to "come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter" [4:1].  This is not unusual, for Jesus used angels for specific messages through the Bible [Heb. 2:2].  

There are three princes as angels: Michael, "one of the chief princes" [Dan. 10:13,21]; Lucifer, "the prince of the power of the air" [Eph. 2:2]; and Gabriel, of whom less is said than we find of the other two.  What we do find, however, is that Gabriel appears with enlightenment: revelation.  He appeared to Daniel concerning the end of Jacob`s Trouble and he appeared to Mary concerning the birth of Jesus Christ.  Most likely, Gabriel is the angel Jesus sent to John with the record of the revelation.  Michael is always warring or contending with Lucifer, though not in his own name [Jude 1:9].  He wins the battle that allows Gabriel to reach the prophet Daniel.  And he is seen defeating Lucifer again in Rev. 12.  We could term Michael, "the angel of the Lord," or Christ`s angel.  Gabriel, because of his link with prophesy, can be viewed as "the angel of God," or the Spirit`s angel, whom the Lord sends to John with the Revelation.

The first of many divisions in the opening chapter appears in v. 2: John bore record (1.) of the word of God, and (2.) of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and (3.) of all things that he saw.  The "word of God" reminds us that this revelation is what the Father told the Son.  Remember the words the Apostle wrote in his gospel concerning his familiarity with God`s word [John 14:26; 16:13-15].  And John has the testimony of the Son regarding these things, for it is the Son who testifies to him of the mystery [1:19 - 3:22].  He also gives us his eyewitness testimony, as in 5:1, "I saw."  

Regarding v. 3:  the scene is of one reading and many listening, as in a pastor reading the record to his flock.  There is a blessing given to those who not only hear, but also "keep" those things written herein.  Unlike the Pentateuch, there is no list of commandments.  The "keeping" is as Peter admonishes, to "have these things always in remembrance" [II Peter 1:15].

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