Patmos
John was exiled to Patmos for his testimony – A “fellow participant” in the Tribulation and Perseverance “in Jesus” - Revelation 1:9.
The island was not a penal colony. It had a population large
enough to support a gymnasium, acropolis, and shrines to the Greek gods Artemis and Apollo. But its physical isolation made it an excellent place
to banish political undesirables.
Political offenders were exiled under the regulation of in
insulam, which included the confiscation of property and loss of civil
rights. The purpose was banishment, not necessarily forced labor. Only the
Emperor could impose this penalty.
- (Revelation 1:9) – “I, John, your brother, and fellow participant in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in Jesus, came to be in the isle that is called Patmos, because of the word of God, and the witness of Jesus.”
JOHN’S EXILE
Later tradition claimed John was forced to labor in the
mines on Patmos. However, there is no evidence that mines ever existed on the
island during or prior to the Roman period (William Ramsay, The Letters
to the Seven Churches).
Another regulation under which an individual could be
exiled was the sentence of relegatio in insulam. This did
not mean the loss of property or civil rights, and often was imposed by a
provincial governor if he exiled the offender to a location within his
jurisdiction, and Patmos belonged to the province of Asia.
According to the church father Tertullian, John was exiled under this law - (De
Praescript. Haer. 36). Probability supports this last option. It
is unlikely the emperor would take any interest in the case of a minor
provincial.
ACCUSATIONS
The letter from Jesus to Smyrna describes the “slander of them who say they are Jews
and are not,” and uses the Greek noun blasphémia.(Strong's #G988). While the term can
mean “blasphemy,” it commonly meant “slander” as in false
accusations.
At Smyrna, some saints were being accused to local magistrates
by their opponents for activities offensive to Roman sensibilities, accusations
that were “slander” in the eyes of Jesus - (Revelation 2:9-10).
John found himself on Patmos “on account of the word
of God and the testimony of Jesus.” The preposition dia rendered
here as “on account of” could indicate either that he went to Patmos to
proclaim the gospel or was banished there because of his activities elsewhere.
The second alternative is the more probable. First, John was
a “fellow participant” in the “tribulation.” Second, in Revelation,
saints were persecuted for the “testimony of Jesus.” Third, an
almost identical clause is found in the fifth seal opening where the martyrs
were presented as individuals slain “on behalf of (dia)
of the word of God and their testimony (martyria).” And fourth, the term “testimony”
or martyria has judicial overtones - (Revelation 6:9,
11:7, 12:11, 12:17, 20:4).
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| [Patmos Outcropping Photo by Daniël van der Kolk on Unsplash] |
Thus, John found himself banished to this small island, and therefore, he identified himself with the suffering churches of Asia. He was their “fellow participant.” In his book, he does not call himself an “apostle” or indicate his status or authority. He is simply “John.” This suggests a figure well-known among the churches of Asia. More relevant, he identifies himself with the plight of his churches.
FELLOW SUFFERER
Therefore, John was a “brother and fellow participant
in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in Jesus.” “Fellow participant”
or sugkoinōnos denotes joint participation (Strong’s - #G4791). The term is related to the Greek noun used elsewhere in
the New Testament for “fellowship” - (1 Corinthians 9:23, Romans
11:17, Philippians 1:7).
In the Greek sentence, one single definite article or “the”
modifies all three nouns (tribulation, kingdom, endurance). They are
grammatically linked, and each noun is part of the whole. To be “in Jesus”
means tribulation, kingdom, and endurance, for all three
terms characterize what it means to follow him.
“Tribulation” translates the Greek noun thlipsis,
a “pressing together,” hence “pressure, distress, trouble, tribulation,
affliction” (Strong’s - #G2347). This was something the church had experienced already at
Smyrna. Later, in his vision of the innumerable multitude, John saw a group “coming out of the great
tribulation” - (Revelation 2:9-10, 7:9-14).
Thus, “tribulation” occurs “in Jesus.” It is not something that God inflicts on the ungodly, but instead, it is what faithful Christians endure on account of their testimony. In contrast, the ungodly undergo “wrath” – (Revelation 6:16, 11:18, 19:15).
The churches participate in the “kingdom.” The
kingdom or reign of Christ is a present reality and believers participate in it.
The churches are members of his “kingdom and priests” - (Revelation
1:6, 5:10-12, 20:4-6).
The “endurance” also occurs “in Jesus.”
The call to endure through tribulation
and persecution is a theme threaded throughout John’svisions. For
example, the assault against believers by the “Beast
from the Sea” is called the “endurance and the
faith of the saints” - (Revelation 13:10, 14:12).
- (Revelation 3:10) - “Because you kept my word of endurance, I also will keep you out of the hour of trial, which is about to come upon the whole habitable earth to try them that dwell upon the earth.”
Tribulation, endurance,
and kingdom all take place “in Jesus.” They typify church
life because believers are identified with him, and he is the “faithful
witness.” He inaugurated the kingdom by his death and resurrection, and his
disciples now reign with him as “priests.” But they do so in and despite
opposition and persecution from a hostile society and the machinations of the Devil
who manipulates deceived humanity to execute his plans.
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