And they also which pierced Him.—“And I will pour upon the House of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem [the Jewish people], the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son.”—Zech. 12:10.
And all kindreds of the earth shall [wail because of] BEWAIL Him.—“At the time of our Lord's Second Advent the world will be far from converted to God; for ‘all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.’ Christ comes before the conversion of the world and for the very purpose of converting all mankind.”—Z. '16-344.
Even so, Amen.—We cannot stop the clouds of the Time of Trouble, or the tears of disappointment, and later, of repentance; and we would not if we could. The trouble and the tears are a necessary preparation for the blessings which follow.
1:8. I am THE Alpha and I AM ALSO THE Omega.—Alpha is the first letter, and Omega the last letter, of the Greek alphabet.
The Beginning and the Ending.—“Our Lord's great honor is shown in that He was not only the first of God's creation, but the last. From this we are to understand that the great Jehovah did not directly employ His own power in creating either men or angels; but that He delegated His power to His Only-begotten Son.”—Z. '93-115.
Saith the Lord GOD.—But not the clergy; they will have none of this doctrine.
Which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.—“It is since His resurrection that the message has gone forth—‘All power in Heaven and in earth is given unto Me.’ (Matt 28:18.) Consequently it is only since then that He could be called the Almighty.”—Z. '93-115; Rev. 1:4; 16:5-7.
1:9. I John, who [also] am your brother.—“Instead of adding titles to his name, as Reverend, Bishop, Overseer of all the Churches in Asia Minor, we find John introducing himself as ‘your brother.’ ”—Z. '01-187.
And companion in tribulation.—“He was sharer with Christ, as a member of His Body, in His afflictions, in His endurance; and the brother of all fellow-disciples, sharers of the same sufferings, and prospectively of the same glory.”—Z. '01-187: Matt. 20:23.
And [In] the kingdom.—Now, while “the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence;” and later, when “the Kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.”—Matt 11:12; Dan. 7:27.