An Exegetical Examination of Revelation 4:8: The Grammatical Status of ΚΥΡΙΟΣ Ὁ ΘΕΟΣ Ὁ ΠΑΝΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡ
This exegetical study of An Exegetical Examination of Revelation 4:8: The Grammatical Status of ΚΥΡΙΟΣ Ὁ ΘΕΟΣ Ὁ ΠΑΝΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡ is based on a b-greek discussion from December 27, 2004.
The initial query on the forum concerned a scholar’s need for specific commentary pages on Revelation 4:8 to aid a study on the Trisagion hymn’s usage in various ancient artifacts. This request for exegetical introductory comments highlights an ongoing scholarly engagement with the passage, particularly its liturgical and historical context.
The main exegetical issue under consideration is the precise grammatical function of the phrase Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Παντοκράτωρ within Revelation 4:8, especially following the triple acclamation “Holy, holy, holy.” Specifically, the discussion revolves around whether Κύριος functions as an attributive adjective or noun within an extended nominal phrase, thereby forming a composite title, or if it serves as a predicate nominative, implying an omitted copulative verb. This distinction significantly impacts the translation and theological understanding of the acclamation.
Greek text (Nestle 1904)
καὶ τὰ τέσσαρα ζῷα, ἓν καθ’ ἓν αὐτῶν ἔχον ἀνὰ πτέρυγας ἕξ, κυκλόθεν καὶ ἔσωθεν γέμουσιν ὀφθαλμῶν. καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς λέγοντες· Ἅγιος ἅγιος ἅγιος Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ, ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος.
- Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):
- SBLGNT capitalizes Παντοκράτωρ, rendering it Παντοκράτωρ, while Nestle 1904 maintains lowercase παντοκράτωρ. Other capitalizations (Κύριος, Θεὸς) are consistent between the two editions for this verse.
Textual Criticism (NA28) and Lexical Notes
The phrase Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Παντοκράτωρ in Revelation 4:8 exhibits remarkable textual stability across major manuscript traditions. A review of the apparatus criticus in NA28 reveals no significant variants that would alter the meaning or grammatical structure of this specific phrase. Minor orthographic variations or differences in the presence of the article in a few late or secondary manuscripts do not bear on the central exegetical question regarding the attributive or predicative function of Κύριος.
Lexical considerations for the key terms are crucial:
- Κύριος (BDAG 576-578): This noun primarily means “lord, master, owner.” In the New Testament, it is frequently used of God and Christ. Its usage in the Septuagint (LXX) to translate the Hebrew Tetragrammaton (YHWH) and Adonai is highly significant, indicating its role as a divine title. Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT) dedicates extensive discussion to κύριος, highlighting its theological weight as designating sovereign authority and its continuity from Old Testament usage.
- Θεός (BDAG 445-447): Meaning “God” or “a god.” In the New Testament, it almost exclusively refers to the one true God. TDNT emphasizes its central theological role in both pagan and biblical contexts, culminating in its specific application to the God of Israel and, later, the Father of Jesus Christ.
- Παντοκράτωρ (BDAG 753): This term denotes “all-ruling, all-powerful, Almighty.” Its etymology (πᾶς “all” + κράτος “power, might”) suggests comprehensive dominion. In the LXX, παντοκράτωρ frequently translates Hebrew terms like Yahweh Sebaoth (Lord of Hosts) and El Shaddai (God Almighty), particularly in Job and the prophetic books. H.B. Swete (1907) notes its meaning as “the All-Ruler” rather than merely “the Almighty” (cf. παντοδύναμος). This nuance is vital for understanding its application in Revelation, where God’s ultimate sovereignty is emphasized. It is observed that παντοκράτωρ is not found in Greek literature before the LXX, indicating its specialized usage in biblical contexts.
Translation Variants
The grammatical structure Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Παντοκράτωρ presents a challenge for translation due to the absence of a copulative verb (e.g., ἐστιν “is”). The debate centers on whether Κύριος acts as a predicate or is part of an extended nominal title.
One perspective argues for a predicative reading of Κύριος. This interpretation suggests that the phrase should be understood as a statement of attribution, where “Lord” is predicated of “God the Almighty.” Proponents of this view look to constructions such as 1 Kings 18:39 (LXX: Ἀληθῶς Κύριός ἐστιν ὁ Θεός, “Truly the Lord is God”) or John 1:1 (Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος, “The Word was God”), where a copulative verb explicitly links the subject and predicate. In the absence of such a verb, this interpretation posits an implied “is.” The argument suggests that a Koine Greek speaker, divorced from Old Testament or liturgical tradition, might intuitively hear a predication: “God the All-Powerful is Lord!”
Conversely, a strong argument is made for interpreting the entire phrase as an attributive nominal unit, functioning as an extended title. This view emphasizes that in Koine Greek, a sequence of articles and nouns can form an appositive chain or a compound title, especially when referring to divine appellations. For instance, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Παντοκράτωρ is clearly “God, the Almighty” (an appositive construction). The absence of an article before Κύριος at the beginning of the phrase, followed by two articular nouns, lends itself to a titular interpretation. Several participants highlight that John in Revelation consistently uses Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Παντοκράτωρ as a fixed title (e.g., Rev 11:17, 15:3, 16:7, 14, 21:22). This usage aligns with its function in the LXX (e.g., Hosea 12:6; Amos 3:13), where it translates various forms of the divine name, solidifying its identity as a recognized appellation rather than a descriptive statement requiring a copulative verb. The historical and liturgical context, particularly the tradition of the Trisagion and other acclamations, further reinforces its understanding as a direct address or title.
The discussion regarding the translation of YHWH in the LXX and early Greek manuscripts, though deemed a secondary point by some, underlines the deep theological and linguistic roots of Κύριος as a primary designation for God. The fact that παντοκράτωρ itself is a Greek rendering of Hebrew divine epithets (Sabaoth, Shaddai) reinforces the idea that the entire phrase functions as a composite divine title originating from Old Testament theological vocabulary, not as a novel grammatical construction making a predicative statement about God’s lordship.
Conclusions and Translation Suggestions
Based on the grammatical structures of Koine Greek, the consistent usage in the book of Revelation, and the historical context of its Old Testament allusions in the Septuagint, the most grammatically robust and semantically appropriate interpretation is to understand Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Παντοκράτωρ as an extended, composite title of God. The presence of the articles with Θεὸς and Παντοκράτωρ, juxtaposed with the anarthrous Κύριος at the beginning of the phrase, points strongly to a series of appositives forming a singular, emphatic appellation of the divine being. The argument for an implied copula, while grammatically possible in certain contexts, is less compelling here given the established titular usage in the broader biblical tradition and the rhetorical force of the acclamation.
- “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!”
This translation prioritizes the direct acclamation and captures the titular nature, employing “is” for natural English flow while maintaining the compound name. - “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!”
This rendering emphasizes the vocative or exclamatory nature of the acclamation, treating the phrase as a direct address and a unified title, often found in liturgical contexts. - “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord, the God, the All-Ruler!”
This more literal translation highlights each component of the title and the nuance of παντοκράτωρ as “All-Ruler,” underscoring divine sovereignty and avoiding potential ambiguities of “Almighty” as solely referring to power.