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THE WORD 'TESTIMONY"

Harold Kupp(Quote:)
In Revelation 12:17, the word, "Testimony" (Greek marturia) comes from a root word which, in its various Greek forms, means "testifying," "testimony," "witness," and "martyr."...

...Notice how the apostle John understood the meaning of the word "testimony" (marturia):

This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony [marturia] is true. John 21:24

What John is telling us in this verse is that his gospel is a testimony about Jesus. Therefore, John's gospel is the "testimony [witness] of Jesus."

Now, notice how John uses marturia to describe the testimony of the believer concerning Jesus:

...for this is the witness [marturia] of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness [marturia] in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record [marturia] that God gave of his Son. And this is the record [marturia], that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5:9-11

In these important verses we find that those who believe on Jesus have the marturia, the witness or testimony of Jesus, in them! [ALL who believe have the testimony of Jesus - not just Mrs White.]

How is the "testimony of Jesus" used in Revelation?

[John] Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony [marturia] of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Rev. 1:2

In this verse John says he bore witness of three things:

The Word of God
The Testimony of Jesus Christ
The things that he saw (in vision)

John goes on to say in verse 9:

I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony [marturia] of Jesus Christ.

Notice the two reasons that John gives for being imprisoned on the isle of Patmos:

The Word of God
The Testimony of Jesus

Clearly it was John's testimony about Jesus that resulted in his being imprisoned....

....Conclusion
Throughout the New Testament we find a pattern of the "testimony of Jesus" referring to the believer's personal witness about Jesus Christ. Rather than being the prophetic utterances received from Jesus, the testimony of Jesus is the believer's personal testimony about Jesus. The "testimony of Jesus" is found in the writings of the New Testament, whose writers personally knew Christ and bore witness to Him. Furthermore, John tells us that the testimony of Jesus is found in the heart of all those who accept and believe in Jesus as the Son of God:

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness [marturia] in himself (1 John 5:10)

Therefore, the "testimony of Jesus" cannot be used to uniquely identify the SDA Church as the remnant church of Bible prophecy. Revelation clearly teaches that John had the "testimony of Jesus" (Rev. 1:9), the martyrs had it (Rev. 6:9), and John's brethren had it (Rev. 19:10)." (Unquote)

 

Yes - the testimony (witness) of Jesus is in every believer as the Spirit of Christ is the Spirit that was prophesied to be given to the New Testament Saints. Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Joh 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, ** which they that believe on him should receive: ** for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) The brethren had the "... and of thy brethren that have..." Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and ** of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus:** worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Not just one person had the testimony of Jesus Read - " thy brethren (plural) that have -> the testimony of Jesus. HK


Creation date: Jun 11, 2015 11:59pm     Last modified date: Jul 15, 2017 6:02pm   Last visit date: Mar 25, 2024 11:41am
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