{I Jesus} (Eg(9320)I(8873)ous). The last and most solemn
attestation to the book that from Jesus (the historic Jesus known
to the churches), in harmony with 1:1f . {Have sent}
(epempsa). First aorist active indicative of pemp(935c), used here
in the same sense as aposteilas in 1:1 as his personal
messenger. It is the Jesus of history here speaking, who is also
the Christ of theology and the Lamb of God. {For the churches}
(epi tais ekkl(8873)iais). For this use of epi see 10:11 Joh
12:16 . It is not just for the seven churches ( 1:4 ), but for
all the churches in the world then and now. {I am the root and
the offspring of David} (Eg(9320)eimi h(8820)riza kai to genos Daueid).
See 5:5 for "the root of David," to which John now adds o
genos in the sense of "offspring" ( Ac 17:28f. ), not of family
or race ( Ac 4:6 7:13 ). Cf. Mt 22:42-45 . {The bright, the
morning star} (ho ast(8872) ho lampros ho pr(9369)nos). The Davidic
King is called a star in Nu 24:17 Lu 1:78 . This "day-star"
(ph(9373)phoros) is interpreted as Christ ( 2Pe 1:19 ). In Re
2:28 the phrase "the morning star" occurs in Christ's words,
which is here interpreted. Christ is the Light that was coming
into the world ( Joh 1:9 8:12 ).
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