Revelation 1:18 Commentary and Bible Study

Amazingly, this one who speaks, although he is now alive, was dead. He was nailed to the cross and truly suffered death, experiencing its horrors and its agony. He who cursed man for his disobedience to the law, now felt that curse himself, for he voluntarily placed himself under the law as the surety for those who had broken the law. He allowed this great enemy, death, to have power over him. No wonder the disciples were overwhelmed with grief. No wonder they fasted and mourned and believed all was lost. But death did not prevail over him any longer than was necessary. It was written that he would be three days and nights in the belly of the earth, and after that death was forced to release him. Furthermore, death suffered a mortal wound, for Christ arose from the dead and in doing so he became the death of death itself. His escape from death was not due to a lack of vigilance on the part of death in keeping him. Rather, Christ told death to summon all its powers to try to prevent his escape and then comprehensively shattered its power. As he escaped he broke the power of death over him forever. He can never die again. He wrecked death so that never again would it be able to claim him as its own. ‘Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him’ (Romans 6:9). What held him in death was the sin of his people, but once that sin had been paid for, death could no longer hold him. He therefore rose from the dead to live forevermore. Amen. Let it be so, truly, verily.And ‘have the keys of hell and of death.’ That is not quite correct the translation. ‘The keys of hell and death’ should be ‘The keys of Hades and death’. That is the place of disembodied souls. He says, I am the Lord. I have authority over death, I have the keys of death, I am the one who decides where disembodied spirits go after death, awaiting the final resurrection. I am the one who decides whether they go to that temporary place of Hades – which is the prison house of the lost before people who are finally judged and sent body and soul to hell in the last day – or whether on their death they go to the paradise of Christ, reserved as disembodied spirits in his glorious presence until his return when they receive their resurrection bodies. Yes, says Christ, quake when you see me in a sense, but then comfort your hearts and your minds that I am the one who has the power to determine that as a disembodied soul, should you die before my return, you are with me in my paradise. I have the keys of Hades and of death.