Until recent years I had gone along with the usual interpretation of Revelation 5:10 that [the Christian faithful when raised from the dead] should be “kings and priests and rule on the earth.” Then I saw the margin rendition as “kingdom of priests” which prompted me to go to the Diaglott which reads, “…thou didst make them to our God a Royalty and a Priesthood, and they shall reign on the earth.” However, the actual translation seems to be “kings and priests,…” The “them” seems to refer to “every tribe, and kindred, and tongue, and people and nation” which would include the immortalized Gentiles (adopted Jews) as well as the chosen people who recognize and accept the Messiah. If this is correct, why are the apostles told they would sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel in Matthew 19:28. If they are but judges, who should be elevated above them as king, except Jeshua [Jesus] himself? Am I getting this interpreted correctly? If I am, why do brethren continue saying that we...shall be kings and priests in the kingdom?
Susanne Abernathy, Lakewood, CO
The passage from Revelation you mention is, like almost every verse of the book, a citation or allusion to the Old Testament. Missing the key principle of “interpreting Scripture with Scripture” has led to many eye-popping interpretations of verses from the book of Revelation, such as the Beast being identified with Henry Kissinger because his name can be valued at 666, or that the locusts of Revelation 9 depict American Apache military helicopters. It is my opinion that [one of the] interpretations of Revelation 5:10 [often presented by others] (along with 1:6 which uses similar terminology) is incorrect for the same reason—it fails to recognize that the terminology of the verse is based on Old Testament teaching.
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Author: Paul Pursell
Keywords: Kings priests, Kingdom of priests, Kingly priesthood, Royal priesthood, Spiritual priest
Bible reference(s): Exo 19:6, Matthew 19:28, Matthew 25:21, Mat 25:23, 1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 20:4
Source: “Letters to the Editor,” Shofar (Poncha Springs, Co.: Shofar Publications), Issue 4, pp. 108-9.
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