(g) 'l'he mlnletry of the angels in part of the machinery of the Apocalypse (see Moses Stu1ut, 'Angclology '). This needs no proof, hut it is not absent from the Gospel (eh. i. 61 ; xii. 29 ; cf. xx. 12, 13, where angels a.re described as facts of Mary Magda.lane's experience). (h) The dmmonology of the two books is closely allied. In all these writings 8111/30>.or occurs (eh. viil. 44; Rev. ii. 10; 1 John iii. 8). l,hiiv occurs in Rev. ii. 9 and eh. xiii. 27. And frequent references to "the prince of this world," in the Gospel, are balanced by the expectation that Satan is the great anti-logos, who wil1 deceive the whole world. He is in both Gospel and Apocalypse credited with being "the father of lies," the embodiment of the evil principle who "sinneth from the beginning." " For this cause was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." (i) The doctrine of man and of his condition apart from Divine grace. In the Gospel we find a twofold humanity-those who are or God, who are the Father's before they were given to Christ, those who have learned of the Father and have come to him, those who are "of the truth" and hear his voice, those who come to the light and are drawn by the Father; and, on the other hand, those who are represented as "darkness," as" children of the devil," those who will not receive him. The ungodly, rmregenerate mankind are often called " the world,'' "loving darkness rather than light;" their greatest condemnation is that those who hate Christ do so because he tells them "the truth," and apart from the gift of eternal life in himself they will "perish." They will "die in their sins." This great contrast does also pervade the Apocalypse. The condition of the unsaved is clearly one of darkness, from the great emphasis laid upon light. Apart from the gifts of the Lord Jesus, man's true know- ledge of himself ought to show him " that he is poor, and miserable, and blind, and wretched" (Rev. iii. 17, 18). Union to Christ, redemption by his grace, is that alone which saves either the hundred and forty-four thousand of the true Israel, or any indi- vidual of the multitudinous company of all lands, from the perdition awaiting them at the hands of the four mighty angels (Rev. vii.). O) 'l'he state of redemption or deliverance is described in the Gospel as "life," as "having eternal life in Christh" as being "united with Christ," "rejoicing in his companionship and abiding presence," finding satisfaction in him from the " thirst" and the "hunger " of the soul, and as being "washed" from all defilement by him. It is a state of willing "obedience," "keeping the commandments" of God," doing the will of the Fathar," "bringing forth fruit," loving Christ snpremely, and sent forth into the world to do there what he would do if in their place, and "overcoming the world." Now, the Apocalypse uses the same ideas in the imagery of poetry. Christ comes in to sup with those who have opened the door to him. In Rev. i. 3; ii. 26; iii. 8, 20; xii. 17 ; xvi. 15, adopting even the phraseology of the Gospel (TT/pei,, Tli "'fE"fpa.µµ.eva., Tov >.tf"'fo11, -rlis l11To>.cls). The idea of willing, gracious obedience is described, and, moreover, Christ satisfies the great cravings of "hunger" and "thirst" (Rev. vii 16; xxi. 6; xxii. 17) in the saved. (k) 'l'he work of Christ, the objective work done by Christ, to save men. In the Gospel and Epistles this is described as victory over the devil (see 1 John iii. 8, 20; cf. Rev. xii 5). He is also represented as "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (eh. i. 29), while the reference to the Paschal lamb can hardly be con- cealed (eh. xix. 14, 36). Now, the grand image of the Apocalypse, by which thE.' Lord is represented as securing the homage of the saved, is as "the Lamb that was slain" (Rev. v. 9, 10; xiv. 3, 4). We do not find" the slain Lamb" spoken of in the Gospel, but we find the virtue of his cruel death, the flesh which he would give for tho life of the world, referred to in eh. vi. 61; 1 John ii. 2; iv. 10; iii. 6, 16. There is abundant reference to the sacrificial significance of his death (of. eh. xi. 51, 52). In 1 John i. 7 we read that "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin;" and in Rev. vii. 14 that the saints" have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb;" and in Rev. xxii. 14 the true text reads those "that wash their robes," pointin~ back to vii. 14 (cf. also Rev. i. 5; xiii. 8). (1) The great prophecy of the last things, as described by the synoptic Gospels, had its first typical fulfilment in the fall of Jerusalem. '!'his teaching of our Lord i~ practically contained in the first portion of the Apocalypse, and its presence here may lxxxvi INTRODUCTION TO
be part of the ml\son wh~ch _induced the evangelist to omit it from the Gospel, the full tone _and key-not.e of which 1s the coming of t!1e Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit. ~ut Just as t.hat re~nrn of _the Lo~d, his cont_inual return, is ~he theme of the valedictory discourse, Rnd as his coming to Jndgmcnt 1s also affirmed m eh. v. 28, 29, so the con- tinuous return, prefacing, heralding the fiual manifestation of his might nnd glory, Is the grand theme o! the Apocalypse, In full anticipation of which he says," Even so, come, Lord ?esus. . Thus the Gospel and Apocalypse end on the same key-note. These various pomts of coincid<'nce in theological view and tone may be indefinitely augwented. See the development of the doctrine in both writings touching " the i;:ospel," "the call t-0 repentance,"" the future of Israel,"" the jud.,ment." "the resur- rection of believers," " the final state," amply discussed in Gebhart's • 'l'heology of the Apocalypse.'