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Dear Father Angelo,

reading Revelation 22, it seems that Jesus tells John not to adore him because only God is to be adored. It is true that John says he worshiped the Angel, but then he says the angel added something…. and a speech by Jesus follows… I am confused….

“and when I heard and saw them I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me.

But he said to me, “Don’t! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers the prophets and of those who keep the message of this book. Worship God.”

Then he said to me, “Do not seal up the prophetic words of this book, for the appointed time is near.

Let the wicked still act wickedly, and the filthy still be filthy. The righteous must still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

“Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each according to his deeds.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Blessed are they who wash their robes so as to have the right to the tree of life and enter the city through its gates.

Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the unchaste, the murderers, the idol-worshipers, and all who love and practice deceit.

“I, Jesus, sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star.”

Priest’s answer

Dearest,

1. yes, it is true. One is left a little confused because the initial speaking subject is the angel.

That it is the angel also emerges unambiguously from the fact that John is admonished and told not to worship him.

The Jerusalem Bible, in an earlier similar passage (Rev. 19,10) notes: “I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t! I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers who bear witness to Jesus. Worship God. Witness to Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” This is perhaps a warning against the worship of the heavenly powers.

2. What you observe is also true: at a certain moment it seems to no longer be the angel speaking, but Jesus, as is the case in verse 7 and from verse 12 onward.

So that one rightly wonders whether it is the angel who continues to speak or whether it is Jesus.

3. Biblical scholar Angelo Lancellotti in his commentary on Revelation writes: “The change of subject is explained by taking into account the fact that the angel of Revelation (Revelation), like the angel of Jawhé (God) in the Old Testament, can clothe himself with the same person he represents.

So sometimes it is the angel speaking as God’s minister and sometimes it is God speaking.

4. It is necessary to keep in mind what the Jerusalem Bible notes at Genesis 16,7: “In the ancient texts the angel of Jawhé (God) or the angel of God is not a created angel distinct from God, as it will be in Exodus 23,20. But he is God himself, in the visible form in which he appears to men.”

5. Hence the interpretation to Rev 22,7 given by another biblical scholar, Mark Sales, is correct: “The angel speaks on behalf of Jesus Christ, and his words sum up the whole purpose of Revelation, which is to prepare men for the coming of the divine judge.”

6. The same point is reiterated in the Jerusalem Bible, which notes, “It is a kind of conversation between the angel (or Jesus) and the seer, a commentary on the visions reported in the book and the use to be made of them. Most of the expressions are already found scattered throughout the book. 

The epilogue (verses 16-20) is clearly attributed to Jesus.”

I applaud you for reading Revelation so carefully.

I bless you and remember you in prayer.

Father Angelo