Why is Revelation 19:11-16 interpreted by some to refer to Jesus Christ?

Question

I observe that a lot of people interpret that the rider on the white horse is Jesus Christ.

I used to hold to this view, but when I study the rider in more detail, I am not convinced that the rider is Jesus Christ. I think he could be a representative of Christ.

My reasoning for my view that he may be a representative of Christ is because of the name that he is called, which is the "Word of God" (Rev 19;13). I take the view that the "Word of God" could also mean "The Sword of the Spirit" as recorded in Ephesians 6:17, a chapter which is partly about spiritual warfare.

Ephesians 6:17 (Niv).

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Also, the rider has a "Sharp sword", coming out of his mouth which could also be interpreted as "The Word of God".

Rev 19:11-16

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron sceptre. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

king of kings and lord of lords.

Why do some people believe that the rider on the white horse is Jesus Christ?

And, if you know: when did this interpretation arise, and to what extent has the interpretation flourished throughout Christian church history?

Answer 1

The Rider on the white horse of Rev 19 is clearly Jesus Christ for the reasons listed in the appendix below. The sticking point is the title/name, "The Word of God". This title in the Greek is Ὁ Λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ.

Such a phrase occurs about 42 times in the NT an usually means the Scriptures or the Gospel, etc. However, as a Title of a person such a title only occurs in Rev 19:13 and John 1:1, 14, 1 John 1:1, etc, and clearly indicates, "the independent personified expression of God, the Logos" (BDAG) Jesus Christ.

Apart from the English translation, there is no verbal connection between:

• Eph 6:17 "sword of the Spirit" τὴν μάχαιραν τοῦ Πνεύματος
• Rev 19:15 from His "mouth a sharp sword" στόματος αὐτοῦ ἐκπορεύεται ῥομφαία ὀξεῖα

Note that the nouns for "sword" in each case are different.

Thus, there can be little doubt that the description in Rev 19, as with more than a dozen other description in the book of Revelation is of Jesus, consistent with it being, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ", Rev 1:1.

Origin

The interpretation of Jesus Christ as the Rider on the white horse of Rev 19 is consistent with the writings of the following:

• Cyprian: Treatise XII, Book 2, section 2, 3 and 4 [about 250 AD?]
• Cyprian: Treatise XII, Book 2, section 30 [about 250 AD?]
• Novatian: Treatise Concerning the Trinity Chapter XIII [about 250 AD]
• Irenaeus: Against Heresies, chapter XX section 7 [about 180 AD]

Thus, this interpretation is very old and consistent with the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers.

APPENDIX - Identification of the Rider on the white horse of Rev 19

The Rider is Jesus for the following reasons:

• It is Christ who is Judge, Rev 19:11 compare John 5:22, 9:39, 2 Tim 4:1, Heb 10:30, James 4:12
• It is Christ who has sword from His mouth, Rev 1:16
• He has eyes like blazing fire as per Jesus in Rev 1:14
• The "crowns" are royal crowns, "diadema" as distinct from the victory crowns, "stephanoi".
• He has a robe dipped in blood signifying the bleeding lamb.
• He leads the armies of heaven who are the righteous who have their white robes (Rev 19:8)
• He is "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" compare Rev 17:14, Acts 10:36, Rom 10:12, Col 1:15.
• He rules with an iron scepter - a clear reference to the Messiah in Ps 2:9

This can only be Jesus Christ, Lord Messiah, the Risen Lamb.

Answer 2

I’m not saying that your postulate is an impossibility but it seems unlikely that this passage refers to a representative of Christ instead of Christ himself for the following reasons:

1. The theme of the book from Rev 1:1 is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Why introduce a new Jesus-like representative here?

2. The description of the rider is similar to the description of Jesus by John in Rev 1:14-16: “his eyes were as a flame of fire”…” out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword:”

3. Robe dipped in blood implies that this is the sacrificial lamb who shed his blood. And yes it could be someone else who dipped his robe in the blood of the lamb but why introduce this potential confusion without any lead in or follow up?

4. The crowns imply Kingship. Yes they could be the crowns of the saints mentioned for faithful servants but who would leading this charge? Not one of the angels for sure. They were the mediators of the Old Covenant. Peter? Paul? It is much simpler to understand the rider leading the armies of heaven as the Lord Jesus Christ whom God has exalted. Eph 1:20-23 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 ¶ And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

5. The allusion to having a name which no man knows but himself is reminiscent of Philippians 2:9 where it says: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:“

Finally I would ask myself two simple questions:

• What evidence is there that John is introducing a new cosmically positive character in the middle of a book whose theme is dedicated to the appearing or presence or revealing of our Lord Jesus?

• What motivation do you find for seeking out a less obvious, more obscured, if you will, explanation to an event that has a very simple, clear exegesis?

Answer 3

“Why do some people believe that the rider on the white horse is Jesus Christ?“

Great question!

To make matters of exegesis in Revelation 19 more clear, looking at certain titles found elsewhere in Scripture for Jesus is the key.

Scripture must interpret scripture here.

We read:

I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:13-16

We note a few titles that Jesus Christ has:

• Lord
• Blessed
• Potentate
• King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Within 1 Timothy 6:14 & 15 Jesus has these titles, also with the obvious grammar it’s apparent that these titles don’t necessarily refer to His Father in this immediate context.

Now cross reference 1 Timothy 6:15 to Revelation 19:16. The connection is obvious, The King of Kings & Lord of lords is Jesus Christ.

His name is also called the “Word of God”, let’s bring the text back again:

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. Revelation 19:13

How do we identify this name in Scripture?

By reading John’s gospel:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-5,14

Others have noted John’s gospel as well, and nobody else in Scripture is identified as “The Word of God” except for Jesus.

As far as Ephesians 6:17 goes, that is talking about the written word of God or the spoken words of God(through preaching) see (Titus 1:3)

We see Paul use this in his letters elsewhere:

“for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.” 2 Timothy 2:9

“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13

As we read in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 especially, we note that Paul said the Thessalonians “heard” the word of God… this is in reference to them learning the word of God through preaching & speaking from Paul.

Paul isn’t directly talking about Jesus here, as he does in the other parts of this epistle.

I hope you’re blessed in your studies Bagpipes!

Answer 4

He cannot be anybody else than the Lord Jesus Christ. It is an allusion to Exodus 23:21 about the Angel who can judge and in whom is the Name of God*, for this Angel has not His angelic name but only God's Name, thus is God, and that's why can judge, for no angel has this prerogative, and this nameless Angel is equated to Christ in His pre-incarnate state by Paul (1 Cor. 10:4).

Here also, in Apocalypse, if this Rider can judge, then He cannot be a creature, but possessing divine authority, like the Angel/Christ in Exodus 23:21. Furthermore, if only this rider knows His Name, then He cannot be any angel or any creaturely envoy of God, for God will definitely know his name as that of a creature; but since He is God, then nobody can know but Himself, together with co-eternal Father and the co-eternal Spirit, the Name which is in Him, for this is the name of God, and all Three - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - have one and the same divine name of God, as Matthew also affirms: "Baptize in the Name (singular "name" not plural "names") of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).

*Septuagint translator, evidently to mitigate the divinity-status of this nameless Angel consciously writes not as to make mirror translation from Hebrew, which would be ἐν αὐτῷ ("in Him"), but ἐπ᾽αὐτὸν ("upon Him"))