The Sealed Scroll (5.1–4)

English

And I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one sitting on the throne, written on inside and back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, heralding in a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break it seals?’ And no one in heaven, nor on the earth, nor under the earth, was able to open the scroll, nor to look at it. And I lamented a lot, because no one worthy was found to open the scroll, nor to look at it.

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Interpretation

The scroll is opened in Chapter 6, and its contents are represented by the visions which accompany each of the seven seals.

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Parallels

Psalms

89.13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand.

Ezekiel

2.10 I looked, and a hand was stretched out to me, and a written scroll was in it. He spread it before me; it had writing on the front and on the back, and written on it were words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

Exodus

32.15 Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain, carrying the two tablets of the covenant in his hands, tablets that were written on both sides, written on the front and on the back.

Dead Sea Scrolls

4Q550 And among the scrolls there was a scroll, the mouth of which was sealed with seven seals by the signet-ring of his father Darius

Daniel

7.15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me.

Prayer of Jacob

11 You who give power over the chasm to those above and those below and those under the earth

Revelation of Zephaniah

7.1–2 Then I looked, and I saw him with a manuscript in his hand. He began to unroll it. Now after he spread it out, I read it in my language.

Philippians

2.10 at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth

4 Baruch

3.10 ‘Hear, O earth, the voice of him who created you […] who sealed you with seven seals in seven periods’

2 Enoch

1.2–3 I was in my house alone, weeping and grieving with my eyes.

Odes of Solomon

23.5–9, 18, 21 And his thought was like an epistle, and his will descended from on high. […] And many hands rushed to the epistle in order to catch it, then take and read it. But it escaped their fingers; and they were afraid of it and of the seal which was upon it. Because they were not allowed to loosen its seal; for the power which was over the seal was better than they. […] the Son of Truth from the Most High Father. […] And the epistle became a large volume, which was entirely written by the finger of God.

Gospel of Peter

8.5–6 And after they had rolled a great stone into place with the centurions and soldiers, everyone there stood at the entrance of the tomb. They put seven seals on it and set up a tent to keep watch.