And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loves us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
All Commentaries on Revelation 1:5 Go To Revelation 1
Oecumenius
AD 990
The structure of these words goes from the end to the beginning. He means that it was to Him who hath loved us that glory and empire are owed.
For how did He not love "who gave Himself as a ransom"(1Tim. 2:6) on behalf of the life of the world.
and washed us from our sins in his own blood: For He Himself removed the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the 'wood of His' cross,(Col. 2:14) paying for our sins by His own death, and with His own blood he freed us from the error of our transgressions. He did this by becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross,(Phil. 2:8) and so healing our disobedience.
And hath made us a kingdom: And what does it profit of our becoming , as he says, priests to God and his prophets? That man should be thought worthy of these things proves to us the kingdom to come and the assurance of the unspeakable glory in the present. For this is even greater and more miraculous than washing away our sins in His own blood, and is worthy to be called the gift of God, there has not been another kind of offering beforehand such as our empowering to be priests and prophets of God, this is a valuable gift.
