THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST

Now, this may mean the testimony concerning Him (the Gen. of the object or relation); or, the testimony which comes from Him (the Gen. of the subject or origin), i.e., which he bore.

If we take it as the former, it then agrees with the whole prophetic word, which is concerning Him as "the coming One."

If we take it in the latter meaning, then it refers to the nature of the testimony which the Lord Jesus bore when on earth; and does not go outside it. That testimony related to the kingdom and not to the Church.

The word for "testimony" is worthy of note. It is (...), marturia (fem.), and not (...), marturion (neuter). Now, when there are two nouns from the same root, one feminine and the other neuter, there is an unmistakable difference, which has to be carefully noted and observed: i.e., if we believe that we are dealing with "the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth," as we most certainly do.

The difference here is clear and decided, and a few illustrations will be convincing.

The neuter noun, ending in (...)(-ion), denotes something definite and substantial, while the feminine noun, ending in (...)(ia), denotes the matter referred to or contained in or relating to the neuter noun.

For example: Emporia is merchandise; while Emporion is the place or building where the merchandise (emporia) is stored (the Emporium).

Apostasia are the matters concerning which there is defection, falling away, forsaking or revolt (Acts xxi. 21, 2 Thess. ii. 3); while Apostasion is the act of falling away, or the document, etc., which contains it. Hence it is the technical term for a bill of divorcement (Matt. v. 31; xix. 7; Mark x. 4).

Georgia is tillage; georgion is the field where the tillage is carried on. (1 Cor. iii. 9 only).

Gymnasia denotes the exercises (1 Tim. iv. 8); gymnasium, the place or building where the exercises are done.

Dokimee is the examination or proof (Rom. v. 4; 2 Cor. ii. 9; viii. 2, ix. 13, xiii. 3; Phil. ii. 22); while dokimion is the trial, at which the examination is made and the proofs given (Jas. i. 3; 1 Pet. i. 7 only).

Mneia is remembrance or mention (Rom. i. 9; Eph. i. 16; Phil. i. 3; 1 Thess. i. 2, iii. 6; 2 Tim. i. 3; Philem. 4); mneion is the tombstone or sepulchre where the mention or remembrance is made.

Soteria is a saving or delivering (and is the general word for salvation in N.T.); while soterion is the act of saving, and almost the person who delivers. See Luke ii. 30 (where it is "seen") and iii. 6. Acts xxviii. 28; Eph. v. 17.²⁹²⁹   In some cases these references support these facts; in other they must be re-interpreted by them.
   It will be noted that the accentuation of these words in -ion intimates that they are all properly adjectives: hence the actual noun to be supplied in each case will vary with the nature of the noun from which the adjective is formed. The general distinction, however, holds good: that the words in -ia represent a process, or habit, and that, too, under its feminine, not masculine, aspect; while the neuters represent some special act, or instance of this habit or process, or some material or instrument by which, or place in which, the habit is carried out, or the process carried on.

Now, in the Apocalypse, we have maturion (the neuter), testimony, only once (Rev. xv. 5), where it is used of a thing, "the tabernacle of the testimony," i.e., the tent and tables of stone which were placed therein. In every other place (nine times) we have marturia, i.e., the testimony given or witness borne (i. 2,9; vi. 9; xi. 7; xii. 11,17; xix. 10, twice; xx. 4). In all these cases therefore, it is testimony or witness borne, as a reference to them will show.

It seems, then, quite clear that, where we read in this prophecy of "the testimony of Jesus" (i. 2,9; xii. 17; xix. 10, twice³⁰³⁰    In xx. 4 it is doubtless the testimony concerning Jesus for which those who gave it were beheaded. (The Gen. of relation.) ), it means the testimony which the Lord Jesus bore or gave on earth as "Jesus" in the days of His humiliation (not as the Christ as raised from the dead).

The testimony was, as we have already said, concerning His kingdom and concerning Israel (see Rom. xv. 8); and it is the same testimony which the same Jesus gives in the book of this prophecy.