John's vision of the Son of Man is described in the scriptural Revelation 1:9-20. John sees a vision of the risen, ascended and glorified Jesus Christ, whom he describes as one "like the Son of Man" (verse 12). Jesus is portrayed in this vision as having a robe with a golden sash, white hair, eyes like blazing fire, feet like bronze and a voice like rushing waters. He holds seven stars in his right hand and has a double-edged sword coming out of his mouth.
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John, the author of Revelation, was exiled to the island of Patmos,[1] possibly during the reign of the emperor Domitian.[2] He says that on the Lord's Day he was "in the Spirit", and heard a loud voice "like a trumpet" (1:10). When he turned around, he saw this Son of Man figure. In 1:18, the figure whom John sees identifies himself as "the First and the Last," who "was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever" — a reference to Jesus' resurrection.
Some of the language used in Revelation 1 is also used in Revelation 19 to describe the Rider on the White Horse. In both places he has a sword coming out of his mouth (1:16 and 19:15) and has "eyes like blazing fire" (1:14 and 19:12).
The Son of Man in this passage is portrayed as walking (2:1) among seven lampstands, which represent seven churches (1:20). Chapters 2 and 3 report letters written to the seven churches by this Son of Man. In 1:11, he says, "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches," while throughout the letters he is identified in terms of the vision, such as "him who has the sharp, double-edged sword" (2:12).
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| Johannine literature |
| Gospel of John · First Epistle of John · Second Epistle of John · Third Epistle of John · Revelation · Authorship |
| John the Apostle · John the Evangelist · John of Patmos · John the Presbyter · Disciple whom Jesus loved |
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| Apocryphon of John · Acts of John · Logos · Signs Gospel |
William Hendriksen suggests that the whole of the vision "is symbolical of Christ, the Holy One, coming to purge His churches," and to "punish those who are persecuting His elect."[3]
| Element | Suggested meaning |
|---|---|
| Robe and golden sash | "Reminders of the official dress of the High Priest"[4] |
| White hair | Like that of the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7[5] "Wisdom and the dignity of age"[5] |
| Eyes like blazing fire | They "read every heart and penetrate every hidden corner"[3] |
| Feet like bronze | Strength and stability[6] |
| Voice like rushing waters | "The awe-inspiring power of a great waterfall"[6] |
| Holding seven stars in his right hand | Pleiades[4] Supreme political authority[4] "The right hand can be interpreted as a source of power and protection"[7] Astrological imagery: "The stars may be thought of as controlling human fate, but Jesus controls the stars"[8] |
| Double-edged sword coming out of his mouth | "His Word that works to save and to destroy"[4] |
One aspect of the vision is the portrayal of Jesus holding seven stars in his right hand. Such a motif is also found on coins of the emperor Domitian. Sometime between 77 and 81, Domitian's infant son died.[9] He was subsequently deified, and is portrayed on coins of Domitian, with seven stars. Ernest Janzen argues that the globe on which the infant stands represents world dominion and power, while the stars indicate his divine nature; he is depicted as "the son of (a) god" and "conqueror of the world."[10]
Although Domitian's son cannot be said to be holding the stars, some scholars have drawn parallels between the numismatic and biblical evidences. Frederick Murphy notes that "Revelation's image of Jesus with seven stars in his hand may be an allusion to that coin and an implicit critique of it. It is not the Roman imperial family that has cosmic significance, but Jesus."[8] Gordon Franz suggests that John may even have had this coin in front of him when he penned the words of Revelation 1.[11]