Revelation 20:4

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An Exegetical Study of Revelation 20:4

This exegetical study of An Exegetical Study of Revelation 20:4 is based on a b-greek discussion from September 5, 1999. The initial post from that date raises questions concerning Desiderius Erasmus’s work, Novum Testamentum Annotationes. Specifically, it inquires about a purported confession by Erasmus regarding the addition of Latin words to his Greek text where Greek exemplars were deficient, the identification of his “exemplar vetustissimum,” and its subsequent rediscovery by Franz Delitzsch in 1861 at Mayhingen in Bavaria, Germany, within the library of the Prince of Oettingen-Wallerstein.

The primary exegetical issue addressed in the subsequent discussion, and the focus of this study, centers on Revelation 20:4. Interpretive challenges arise concerning the identification of the figures “seated on thrones,” the precise meaning and scope of the “judgment” or “authority to judge” granted to them, and the temporal relationship between their martyrdom and their reign with Christ. Furthermore, the verbal aspect of ἔζησαν (ezēsan), whether denoting an ingressive aorist (“came to life”) or a constative aorist (“they lived”), bears significantly on the understanding of the first resurrection. The syntactical function of the repeated conjunction καί (kai) also requires careful analysis to determine the sequential or explanatory nature of the clauses.

Καὶ εἶδον θρόνους, καὶ ἐκάθισαν ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς, καὶ κρῖμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν πεπελεκισμένων διὰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰησοῦ καὶ διὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ οἵτινες οὐ προσεκύνησαν τὸ θηρίον οὐδὲ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἔλαβον τὸ χάραγμα ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτῶν. καὶ ἔζησαν καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν μετὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χίλια ἔτη.
(Nestle 1904)

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• There are no substantial textual variants in Revelation 20:4 between the Nestle 1904 and SBLGNT (2010) editions. Minor orthographical differences, such as the elision mark in ἐπʼ versus the apostrophe in ἐπ’, do not impact the meaning or interpretation of the text.

From a textual critical perspective, the NA28 edition largely concurs with the Nestle 1904 text for Revelation 20:4, indicating a stable textual tradition for this verse with no major variants that would significantly alter its interpretation.

Lexical notes informed by KITTEL (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament) and BDAG (Bauer, Danker, Arndt, Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature) offer further insight:

• ἔζησαν (ezēsan): This is an aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural, of the verb ζάω (zaō), “to live.” BDAG entry 3 explicitly notes its use “of dead persons who return to life, become alive again” (e.g., Matthew 9:18; Acts 9:41; 20:12; Revelation 20:4, 5). While a simple aorist can denote an action without specifying its internal temporal character, in the context of resurrection, an *ingressive* sense (“came to life”) is overwhelmingly supported, implying a transition from death to life.
• κρῖμα (krima): This noun can refer to “the decision which results from judging, verdict, sentence” (BDAG 2) or “action or function of a judge, judging, judgment; authority to judge” (BDAG 3). The dative pronoun αὐτοῖς (autois, “to them”) allows for ambiguity: either “judgment was given to them” (implying authority to judge) or “judgment was given for them” (implying a favorable verdict). The context of being seated on thrones often implies a judicial or ruling function.
• πεπελεκισμένων (pepelekismenōn): This is a perfect passive participle, genitive plural, of πελεκίζω (pelekizō), “to behead with an axe.” The perfect tense emphasizes a *state* resulting from a *prior action*. Thus, these are “those who *have been* beheaded,” highlighting their past martyrdom and current status as a result of that action.
• καί (kai): This common conjunction (“and, also, even, but, then”) requires careful attention in a paratactic passage like Revelation 20:4. Its repeated use can simply link successive observations or actions. However, it can also have an *epexegetical* force, where a subsequent clause explains or clarifies a preceding one. The debate in the discussion reflects this ambiguity, particularly regarding whether the “souls of the beheaded” are identical to “those seated on the thrones.”
• χίλια ἔτη (chilia etē): χίλια (chilia) is the neuter plural of the adjective χίλιοι (chilioi), meaning “a thousand.” It modifies the noun ἔτη (etē), the accusative plural of ἔτος (etos), “year.” Grammatically, “a thousand years” signifies a definite, singular duration, not an indefinite “thousands of years.” The adjectival nature of χίλια confirms this specific numerical quantity.

Translation Variants

The grammatical and rhetorical analysis of Revelation 20:4 reveals several points of interpretive divergence that influence translation. The primary challenge lies in establishing the identity of the enthroned figures and the precise nature of their judgment, alongside the temporal understanding of ἔζησαν and πεπελεκισμένων.

• Identity of the enthroned figures: The passage states, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them.” Immediately following, it mentions “the souls of those who had been beheaded…” A significant interpretive question is whether “they” (the implicit subject of ἐκάθισαν and ἐδόθη) refers to the 24 elders previously mentioned in Revelation 4:4 and 11:16, or if it refers specifically to “the souls of those who had been beheaded.” Some argue for the former, seeing the elders as the principal judges; others contend that the subsequent description of the beheaded martyrs is epexegetical, clarifying *who* is seated on these thrones. The absence of an explicit subject for ἐκάθισαν allows for either interpretation, though the immediate juxtaposition with the description of the martyrs often leads interpreters to connect the two.
• Meaning of κρῖμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς: The phrase “judgment was given to them” is open to two main interpretations. It could mean “the authority to judge was given to them,” implying a judicial role for the enthroned figures. This aligns with other New Testament passages where saints are said to judge (e.g., 1 Corinthians 6:2-3). Alternatively, it could mean “a favorable judgment was rendered for them,” signifying their vindication or acquittal. While BDAG supports both, the context of sitting on thrones typically points to an active role in governance or judgment.
• Temporal sequence and verbal aspect: The verb ἔζησαν and the participle πεπελεκισμένων present temporal considerations. The aorist ἔζησαν, in the context of dead martyrs, is best understood as an *ingressive* aorist, meaning “they *came to life*.” This marks the beginning of their new existence. The perfect passive participle πεπελεκισμένων (“those who *had been* beheaded”) signifies a completed action with ongoing results, establishing their identity by a past event. A key debate, acknowledged in the forum discussion, is whether the events of Revelation 20:4 (thrones, judgment, reign) are strictly sequential to the beheading or if apocalyptic narrative can invert or recapitulate temporal sequences. While the perfect participle indicates a prior event, the overall structure of Revelation sometimes presents events non-linearly. However, for the martyrs to reign *on the basis of* their martyrdom, the martyrdom must logically precede the reign.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

Synthesizing the grammatical and lexical analyses, a cohesive interpretation of Revelation 20:4 emerges that prioritizes the ingressive aspect of ἔζησαν, the authoritative sense of κρῖμα, and the identification of the enthroned figures with the martyred saints. The text describes a vision where authority is granted to those who have steadfastly resisted the Beast, culminating in their resurrection and co-reign with Christ for a millennium.

Based on this analysis, the following translation suggestions capture varying nuances:

1. And I saw thrones, and people sat on them, and authority to judge was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their witness for Jesus and because of the word of God—those who had not worshipped the beast or its image, nor had received its mark on their forehead or on their hand. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
   This translation emphasizes the granting of judicial authority and the ingressive nature of their resurrection, clearly identifying the enthroned figures with the martyred saints.
2. Then I saw thrones, and those who sat upon them received judgment, and also the souls of those beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and the word of God—those who had not worshipped the Beast or its image, and had not received its mark on their forehead or hand. They lived again and ruled with Christ for a thousand years.
   This version leans slightly more towards “received judgment” as a favorable verdict or vindication, but still links the enthroned figures with the martyrs, making the “living again” explicit.
3. And I saw thrones; upon them sat those to whom was given the power to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been executed by axe for their witness to Jesus and for God’s word, even those who had not worshipped the beast or its image, nor had taken its mark on their forehead or hand. They then came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
   This translation clarifies “judgment” as “power to judge” and uses a more vivid “executed by axe.” It also uses “even those who” to emphasize the appositional relationship between the enthroned figures and the martyrs, and “then came to life” to highlight sequence.

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