book of Revelation 5:1–14 Catholic Bible study lesson 6

The Revelation of Jesus Christ:
The Faithful Witness

Lesson 6 Who Is Worthy to Open the Scroll?
the book of Revelation 5:1–14

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for the book of Revelation
cross references in the book of Revelation
chapter-by-chapter review page
next lesson: And Behold, a White Horse

This material coordinates with Lesson 6 on pages 36–41 in The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness.

“Great and wonderful are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways,
O King of the ages! Who shall not fear and glorify your name, O Lord? For you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship you, for your judgments have been revealed.”
—the book of Revelation 15:3–4

welcome to our in-depth study of the book of Revelation
We invite groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson and video from this 23-lesson Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. Our online pages link to the free lesson videos, a glossary, cross references in the biblical text, and a chapter-by-chapter review page—and they also include illustrations, maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness has been granted an imprimatur. The study may be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the book of Revelation 4:1–11
In Lesson 5 And Behold, in Heaven an Open Door! the key points to remember are John seeing an open door and being told to enter. When he does so, he finds himself in heaven, and it’s similar to the Old Testament prophets’ visions of heaven. John sees a throne at the center, and closest to it are 24 thrones with 24 elders. There is a sea of glass before the throne suggesting the connection between the sacrament of Baptism and the Exodus out of Egypt.

let’s think about this lamb
Lesson 6 asks the question: Who is worthy to open the scroll? Readers of the book of Revelation unfamiliar with the Gospel According to John might find the answer—a Lamb standing as though slain—seriously confusing. Those of us who’ve been brought up as Christians shouldn’t be too quick to gloss over the layers of meaning associated with this representation of Jesus. Click on the image (far right) to enlarge Turning to God’s Word co-founder Tami Palladino’s illustration, which also appears on page 37 in The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness. The smaller image of the map (right) also may be enlarged by clicking on it. It appears on page 39 and elsewhere in The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness. One of the keys to gaining deeper understanding of Scripture is to read the text with a fresh eye, temporarily setting aside everything we think we know. A special challenge in the book of Revelation is the large number of images used to represent Jesus. When confronted with multiple images for the same person or idea, it can be helpful to consider how each differs from the others.

? What characteristics of Jesus are highlighted by depicting Jesus as a Lamb standing as though slain?
? How might these characteristics be tied to what else is happening in the fifth chapter in the book of Revelation?

the stage is set & the author kicks off the action (01:06:03)
In the fifth chapter in the book of Revelation, the author describes the central character in heaven—the one seated on a throne. The scroll in his right hand is covered with writing and closed with seven seals. In the video for this lesson, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps explains that from now on throughout the book of Revelation, we’ll encounter a large number of sevens. That no one can open the scroll is a problem of worthiness rather than of power. The scroll represents the law of the Old Covenant. The book of Revelation is going back and fixing places where humanity made bad decisions in regard to relationship with God. Only a human person can open the scroll because only a human person can bring about fulfillment of the terms of the Old Covenant to unite humanity and divinity.

The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the Scripture ranges for the sets of questions in The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness. You can follow along with the video overview as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 6, “Who Is Worthy to Open the Scroll?” on pages 36–41 in the study book.

a lamb with a forceful presence
Because the book of Revelation contains so many descriptions of things that are visual, illustrations suggesting what some of these images might look like are included with each lesson. In some cases it was fairly challenging to create artistic representations that also reflect what’s in the biblical text. Our depiction of a Lamb standing as though slain appears in the illustration on page 37 of The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness. Turning to God’s Word co-founder Tami Palladino’s original lamb was cute and cuddly, but adding seven eyes and seven horns definitely gives him a more forceful presence—and remains true to the description in the book of Revelation. Additional information is provided in “Surprise! A Lamb Appears” on page 38 of The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness.

omniscient & omnipotent
The description of the Lamb with seven eyes and seven horns in the fifth chapter in the book of Revelation suggests that the Lamb is all-knowing and all-powerful. The biblical text explains that these seven eyes and seven horns are the seven spirits of God, indicating that the Lamb is divine. This image addresses two of three common descriptions of the deity—that God is omniscient and that God is omnipotent. The third descriptor is that God is omnipresent. Consider whether there’s any evidence in the fifth chapter in the book of Revelation to suggest that the Lamb is omnipresent.

WHAT DO YOU THINK opening the seals on the scroll represents?
Everything about the image of the scroll is designed to pique readers’ curiosity—from its location in the right hand of God, to the fact that it’s sealed seven times, to the idea that only one person in heaven or on the earth or under the earth is worthy of opening it.

? Why might it be significant that there are seven seals on the scroll?
? What might be expected to happen on earth when all of the seals have been opened?
? What might be expected to happen under the earth?
? What’s the nature of the change that already has occurred in heaven when the scroll passes from God the Father to the Lamb?
? Consider whether it’s likely that more changes will occur in heaven when all of the seals are broken.

right & left—you could look it up in our archives
The book of Revelation specifies that the scroll is in God’s right hand. To learn the meanings of the words “right” and “left” (and then decide whether God might be ambidextrous), read Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

about singing a new song
Some Christians are confused by the idea of a sacrifice of praise. The following reflection is by Rupert of Deutz, a Benedictine theologian who lived in the late 10th and early 11th centuries in Belgium. Based on the hymns in the book of Revelation, this meditation applies to all biblical references to singing a new song to the LORD.

In heaven the sacramental species of bread and wine, which constitute our present sacrifice, will find no place. None of us, however, ever will lack matter for sacrifice there. Our lips always will be able to offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, a hymn of rejoicing, and the proclamation of God’s mighty works. … To keep one’s mouth closed and to silence one’s tongue, instead of voicing one’s thanks in acknowledgement of a favor received, is a sure sign of ingratitude. Therefore when John intones this short hymn of praise and thanksgiving: “Glory and power to him forever and ever!” let us all reply: “Amen.” In the words of the Apostle Paul: “Let every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”

the popes inspire us—the role of Christ in salvation history
“Christ in History” on page 41 of The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness is an excerpt from a general audience with Pope St. John Paul II. The Holy Father focuses on the liturgical actions occurring in heaven as they’re recorded in the book of Revelation 5:9 to point out that the emphasis of the praise being offered in heaven at this stage in the book of Revelation shifts to Jesus Christ and to Jesus’ role in the history of salvation.

an intriguing Hebrew concept
It’s fairly apparent that the hymn in the book of Revelation 5:12 is equating the Lamb with God. That there are seven different terms used to describe things the Lamb now is considered worthy to receive emphasizes an earlier theme in the book of Revelation, which is that these seven things are being brought together in Jesus Christ. What’s less apparent is the reason that both God and the Lamb are worthy of receiving power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing. Our Christian concept of God derives from Hebrew thinking, which held that God not only is the most powerful being there is, God is power itself. God (the Father as well as the other two persons of the Blessed Trinity) is the complete and perfect manifestation of the qualities being praised in the heavenly liturgy.

This concept is somewhat easier to understand when we look at the Gospel According to John 14:6 in which Jesus announces: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” There Jesus doesn’t say that he knows the way anywhere, that he is the most truthful person we’ll ever encounter, or that he holds the secret of living a longer life. Instead, Jesus surprisingly claims that he himself is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus doesn’t simply know the way in which we should go, he is that way. No matter how much knowledge another person may have, it’s impossible for humanity to reach the same degree of knowledge as Jesus. Jesus is God, and God is all-knowing. No matter how truthful any other human may be, it’s impossible for humanity to reach the same degree of truthfulness as Jesus because Jesus is God, and God is truth. As humans, our lives are limited. Jesus is eternal, and his life is unlimited. Jesus is God, and God is life. For more information, see Lesson 17 I Am the Way, the Truth & the Life in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Gospel According to John: An Encounter with Grace & Truth.

The Lamb in the book of Revelation is worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing because the Lamb and God are one and the same—and they’re the original source of all possible power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing. Not only is the author of the book of Revelation making a statement equating the Lamb with God, he’s also making a theological statement about who God is. In addition, the author of the book of Revelation is describing how it is that God is to be worshiped.

Q&A—so why is does this praise of the Lamb change?
A reader has noticed that the praise of the Lamb changes between the book of Revelation 5:12, being voiced by all of those in heaven, and the book of Revelation 5:13, which includes all of those on earth, under the earth, and in the sea as well.

Q: Why do those in heaven praise the Lamb for seven attributes while all of those on earth, under the earth, and in the sea only praise the Lamb for four of these seven? It doesn’t seem as though that’s an unintentional change.

A: Correct you are. In the book of Revelation 5:12, the Lamb is praised by all of heaven and announced worthy to receive seven things—power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. In the book of Revelation 5:13, however, when all in heaven are joined by all of those on earth, under the earth, and in the sea, the words change and both the one seated on the throne and the Lamb are deemed worthy of four things—blessing and honor and glory and might. Power, wealth, and wisdom are notably missing (and the other four attributes are listed in a slightly different order with might coming last in the list).

The author of the book of Revelation is an intentional writer, so it’s highly unlikely that he accidentally just left out power, wealth, and wisdom when writing about all creatures in the universe praising God and the Lamb. One possible reason for the change might be that only the creatures in heaven have seen fit to surrender all of their own power, wealth, and wisdom to God. Those on earth and under the earth and in the sea have yet to do so—if they ever do this at all. It’s something of a surprise to see all creatures in existence acknowledging God and the Lamb.

The author of the book of Revelation has made a point of stressing that the 24 elders in heaven are constantly casting down their own crowns, that is, giving up their own power and wealth to God, and presumably acknowledging the superior wisdom of God as well. Giving up control in these three areas isn’t something that even the most devout Christians manage to fully accomplish while still on earth, and the vast majority of those under the earth and in the sea—areas that represent Sheol or Hades, the abode of the dead—can be expected not to comprehend such surrender. (When the fifth seal on the scroll is opened in the sixth chapter of the book of Revelation, the author will suggest that the earth is a type of altar with devout souls under it who are awaiting Final Judgment. The author appears to be distinguishing those under the earth from those in the sea, an area equated with death.)

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic Bible study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however.

the book of Revelation 5:6—paragraph 1137
the book of Revelation 5:9–10—paragraph 1546
the book of Revelation 5:9–14—paragraph 2642
the book of Revelation 5:13—paragraphs 449, 2855

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun in the primary biblical text for The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the cross references pertaining to it—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness.

review previous lessons
As we progress through the book of Revelation, the images become more complex, increasing the potential for confusion. To help participants in our study keep track of what’s happening in the Scripture, we’ve prepared a chapter-by-chapter review of key events and images in the book of Revelation. A link can be found at the top of every online study page that accompanies The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
You can find links to magisterial documents referred to in Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This page includes a listing of significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the book of Revelation 5:1–14 (NIV)

close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following short prayer based on this lesson’s text from the book of Revelation.

O Lord God Almighty, when you handed over the scroll with seven seals
all in heaven, on the earth, and in the sea
began praising the Lamb who was slain.
Grant that we may be counted among those
ransomed for God’s kingdom.
We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lesson 7 And Behold, a White Horse, the book of Revelation 6:1–17
Lesson 5 And Behold, in Heaven an Open Door! the book of Revelation 4:1–11

you also may like our study of the Gospel According to John
The Gospel According to John: An Encounter with Grace & Truth, a 25-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, examines the Fourth Gospel’s view of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, with special emphasis on the institution of the sacraments of the Church as the means by which Christians are purified and made holy. This recently revised study includes maps and additional commentary, and takes a closer look at the way in which Jesus relates to individual men and women. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness. Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions and offer support. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online pages of The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.