1. Revelation 5:5 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What is the significance of the verb “has conquered”?

Revelation 5:5 (ESV)

5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

In the Greek, this word begins what the elder says (Behold, conquered has the lion…, the root…) and so this verb receives the emphasis. The emphasis is very significant given that each of the letters to the seven churches had challenged the readers to “conquer” (Revelation 2:7, Revelation 2:11, Revelation 2:17, Revelation 2:26; Revelation 3:5, Revelation 3:12, Revelation 3:21), and in the churches' weaknesses that was a challenge. The fact that this one has already triumphed makes him worthy to open the scroll.