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Ellen G. White and Her Critics

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The Testimony of Jesus Himself

4. The form of the expression in Revelation is “testimony of Jesus.” It is not testimony to Jesus or concerning Jesus, but the testimony of Him. This is in the genitive case; and another way of rendering this, as we have already seen, is “Jesus’ testimony.” EGWC 551.4

5. Whenever the expression is used in the book of Revelation it is in this form in the original Greek; never any other. Note the occasions of its use: Revelation 1:2: “Testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 1:9: “Testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17: “Testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 19:10: “Testimony of Jesus.” Revelation 20:4: “Witness of Jesus.” EGWC 551.5

Most translations reproduce this genitive by an of construction in Revelation 19:10 also, as can be seen by consulting the following: Authorized, Revised, Weymouth, The Greek English New Testament (interlinear), Emphatic Diaglott, Murdock’s translation from the Syriac, Douay, Moulton, Goodspeed, Montgomery, Verkuyl, Tyndale, Cranmer, Geneva, Rheims, Cunnington, Rotherham, Wycliffe, and Fenton. EGWC 551.6

There is but one of these translations of the New Testament to which we have access that uses the word to in Revelation 19:10, and that is the Twentieth Century New Testament. One not listed above, but which uses neither the word of nor to, is the translation by Moffatt, and it is very definite. His rendering is, “The testimony borne by Jesus.” EGWC 551.7

6. Referring to the list of texts given under section 5, we would call attention again to the fact that in each instance the genitive form is indicated. This is either by the genitive form of the Greek words Jesus and Christ, or as it is in most instances, by the possessive form of the article the. There is no preposition in the Greek text to indicate our English word of. We supply that word merely to indicate the genitive. EGWC 552.1

Perhaps the matter will be clearer if we give the wording of the Greek and English in the first form of the phrase in Revelation 19:10: Tēn marturian tou Iesou (“The testimony [of] Jesus”). EGWC 552.2

It will be observed that the expression “tou Iesou” is in the genitive form; this naturally calls for the preposition of in English. Furthermore, the Greek article before a proper noun is not usually translated into English. Hence, we have the expression “testimony of Jesus” with the word of supplied to indicate the genitive form. EGWC 552.3

Some would urge that in order to understand John’s expression in the Apocalypse, we should observe his use of similar expressions in his Gospel, such as: “the scriptures ... testify of me“: “the Comforter ... shall testify of me.” These, they contend, are certainly objective, and being so, indicate what John means when he uses the expression “testimony of Jesus” in the last book of the Bible. This might sound plausible, but on investigation the argument will be found to be without foundation. Whatever similarity there is in these terms as they appear in our English Bible, the similarity of form is not found in the Greek New Testament. EGWC 552.4

We shall notice certain of the expressions in the Gospel of John similar to the two cited above. EGWC 552.5

John 5:39—The Scriptures “testify of me.” EGWC 552.6

John 15:26—The Comforter will “testify of me.” EGWC 552.7

John 1:7, 8, 15—John bears “witness of” Him. EGWC 552.8

John 5:31—Jesus says “I bear witness of myself.” EGWC 552.9

John 8:13, 14—Jesus is said to “bear record of” Himself. EGWC 552.10

Acts 23:11—“Thou hast testified of me.” EGWC 552.11

1 Corinthians 15:15—“We have testified of God.” EGWC 552.12

In none of these instances is the word of indicated as part of the genitive, but is the translation of the preposition, meaning, “concerning” found in the Greek text. EGWC 552.13

Furthermore, the comparison in this instance with John’s Gospel is in any case irrelevant, because it so happens that in the texts referred to we have the verb followed by a preposition and its noun object; whereas in the book of Revelation we have an altogether different construction: a noun followed by another noun in the genitive case. EGWC 552.14

There are a few instances in other books of the New Testament where a form is found similar to that used in the book of Revelation, as well as those in which we find the preposition, that refer in the main to the testimony borne by others concerning Christ rather than the testimony of Jesus Himself (Acts 4:33, 2 2 Timothy 1:8, 1 1 Corinthians 2:1); but this is indicated by the context. EGWC 553.1