The Christology which is suggested rather than defined in the Epistle is lacking in several of the details which appear even in that of the primitive community, most notably perhaps in all reference to the Holy Spirit ; but it is wholly consistent with it, and the inadequacy of its expression is probably due rather to the character of the docu- ment than to any defect in the writer's views as comjjared with those, e.c/., of St. Peter.
2. The Apocalypse of John. — It is best to con- sider the Apocalypse of John at this point, be- cause its Christology also represents the Chris- tology of the primitive community, not developed by intellectual analysis, or even through the interpretation of Christian experience, but ex- panded through the emotional magnification of the heavenly Christ. In no book in the NT do devo- tion to, and adoration of, Christ, and recognition of His participation in the glory and authority of the Father, find such copious, such exalted, ex- pression. Yet the forms in which this expression is cast are for the most part not original. On a much larger scale than by the primitive community, so far as our records show, the OT has been laid under contribution ; so also has the literature of the Interval. Attributes and functions, descrip- tions and imagery which had played their part in setting forth the majesty and the Almighty power of God, are gathered from all available sources and attached to the Person of the heavenly Christ.
Characteristic of the whole book is the repre- sentation of Christ in the opening vision (l^**-). where He appears as the ' one like unto a son of man ' of the Danielle vision, but the details of His appearance are some of those which in that earlier scene are attributed to the ' Ancient of Days.' Divine titles are ascribed to Him, as • Lord of lords, and King of kings' (17^* 19"), and Divine functions, in the searching of heart and reins (2-^ ; cf. Ps 7^), and a share both in the throne of God (22' 'the throne of God and of the Lamb') and in the worship paid to God, even the worship paid by angels (5"). He holds the keys of Hades and of
death {V^), which according to Jewish tradition was one of the prerogatives of the Almighty. It is before His wrath that men are to tremble in the Day of Judgment (6^*- "), and He is to come again in power and glory to judge the world and to save His people (P 14^**- 222"). The throne on which He has taken His place is His Father's throne (S^i), and to Him He stands in a relation of unique son- ship (P), M'hile at the same time it is from His Father that He receives His power (2^), and He is made to speak of Him as ' my God ' (3- ^^).
This antithetical emphasis upon the Divine honour and dignity assigned to Christ and the ideas of humility, submission, and sutiering which are also connected with Him are vividly brought out by the fact that it is under the title of 'the Lamb' that many of the highest prerogatives are assigned to Him. This is indeed the most characteristic appellation in the book, and occurs some 28 times. He is ' the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world' (13^), and even now appears as one 'that has been slain' (5®- '^) ; but it is also as Lamb that He receives the worship of Heaven (5"- "), that He takes His place by the side of God, and opens the seals of the Book of Destiny. It is ' in the blood of the Lamb' that the saints have 'washed their robes and made them clean' (7^* 22"), or, by another figure, it is with His blood that He has purchased unto God {dyopdt^eiv ; cf. Gal 3'^) ' men of every tribe' and nation (5*; cf. 14^-'*). On the other hand, the name ' which no one knoweth but he himself,' 'Word of God' (6 X670S toO dead, 19^^^), is not further applied or expanded, and, though it may mark a line of connexion between the Apoca- lypse and the Fourth Gospel, it cannot be said to tlirow any clear light on the Christology of this book.
There is a class of passages which appears to claim for Christ a life co-eternal with that of God. ' I am the first and the last and the living One' — 6 fwj' (!'■'• 1^) ; 'I am the Alpha and Omega, tlie first and the last, the beginning and the end ' (22^^ ; cf. 21'') ; with which must be compared Is 44^, where Jahweh says, ' I am the first and the last, and beside me there is no God,' and Rev 1^, where the same majestic self-description is ascribed to the Almighty. Such language may well seem to imply the pre-existence of Christ ; yet the predicate in that form is probably to be regarded rather as a necessary inference from the language of the writer, who carries the equating of Christ with God to the furthest point short of making Them eternally equal. Christ is still ' the beginning of the creation of God ' (t; dpxTj ttjs Kricrecji rov dead, 3''*), by which is probably to be understood (cf. Col 1^" dpxVi TrpurdroKot rCiv veKpCiv ; also Col 1^^) that He Himself was part of the ktLois.