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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev_20:4-6
4Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
Rev_20:4 "Then I saw thrones" This is an allusion to Dan_7:9. Numerous thrones are mentioned in Revelation: (1) God's throne (cf. Rev. 5:1,1,17; Rev_6:16; Rev_7:10; Rev_7:15; Rev_19:4; Rev_21:5); (2) Satan's throne (cf. Rev_2:13); and (3) the beast's throne (cf. Rev_13:2; Rev_16:10). It is a metaphor of authority and power.
▣ "and they sat on them" This is an allusion to Dan_7:22. The question is, to whom does "they" refer? In Daniel it could be the angelic host or the saints. There has been much discussion among commentators about how many groups are mentioned in this verse.
1. some see three groups (those on the thrones, martyred Christians, and other Christians who did not worship the beast)
2. some see two groups
3. some see one group.
If it is one group, it refers to the Christian martyrs. However, there is no other Scriptural parallel to a limited reign of the martyrs. The Bible promises a reign to all saints (cf. Rev_3:21; Rev_5:10; Rev_22:5; Mat_19:28; Luk_22:29-30; 2Ti_2:12). See Special Topic at Rev_5:10.
Others base their view of two groups on the little phrase in the latter part of Rev_20:4, "who refuse to worship the wild beast." They see this as a second group of Christians, all believers who died a natural death but who refused to worship the beast. In light of the Second Coming in Revelation 19 and the great White Throne judgment of Rev_20:11, this may be the best interpretation. If this interpretation is true, then the great White Throne judgment of vv.11ff refers only to the lost and is not a direct parallel to Mat_25:31 ff.
NASB "and judgment was given to them"
NKJV "and judgment was committed to them"
NRSV "were given authority to judge"
TEV "were given the power to judge"
NJB "was conferred the power to give judgment"
This Greek phrase can refer to either (1) their reigning with Christ (cf. Rev_2:26-27; 1Co_6:2, see Special Topic at Rev_5:10) or (2) their receiving justice (cf. Rev_6:9-11; Dan_7:22).
▣ "the souls of those who had been beheaded" Some interpret this as disembodied spirits (cf. Rev_6:9). The term "beheaded" refers to the double-edged axe which was used for capital punishment in the Roman Republic (cf. Rom_13:4 and Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 14:9:4). This refers to Christian martyrs.
▣ "and those who had not worshiped the beast" If the above phrase refers to martyrs, then this phrase refers to others who died during this period of time (cf. Rev_13:15). Now if this is a picture of the period between Christ's two comings, then it refers to all believers. If it is just this end-time period, then only that generation.
▣ "had not received the mark" See note at Rev_13:16-17. The mark is parallel to "who had not worshiped the beast or his image."
▣ "they came to life" This term (zôç) often refers to physical resurrection (cf. Mat_9:18; Joh_4:25; Act_1:3; Act_1:9-11; Rom_14:9; Rev_1:18; Rev_2:8; Rev_13:14). Interpreters cannot interpret one use of the term in Rev_20:4 as spiritual resurrection and the second use in Rev_20:5 as physical resurrection. Do the martyrs who reign with Christ have resurrection bodies or physical bodies which decay? If they have resurrection bodies, then what about "the nations"?
▣ "and reigned with Christ for a thousand years" The concept of Jesus reigning is mentioned in Rev_12:5; Rev_19:5 and seems to be alluded to in Psa_2:8-9; the saints' reigning with Christ is mentioned in Mat_19:28; Luk_22:28-30; 2Ti_2:12; Rev_3:21; Rev_5:10; Rev_20:4; Rev_20:6; Rev_22:5. Is the reigning millennial or eternal (cf. Dan_7:14; Dan_7:18; Dan_7:27 and Rev_22:5)? Is the reigning earthly (cf. Rev_5:10) in a Palestinian context or a universal context? See Special Topic on Reigning in the Kingdom of God at Rev_5:10. See chart of the different millennial views in Appendix Five.
If the 1,000 years is symbolic of the church age (incarnation to Parousia), then this 1,000 years (10x10x10 – Hebrew superlative form of the number for completeness) refers to eternity.
However, this scenario does not fit Rev_20:5-6 very well. This is a good example of how one interpretive approach answers some texts well, but not all. These different interpretive schemes developed as different interpreters emphasized different texts and read the whole NT through certain chosen "key" texts. There is fluidity here, ambiguity here, mystery here. Let's not compound the problem with exclusivism and dogmatism!
Rev_20:5 The NRSV and the TEV translations make Rev_20:5 a parenthesis. Who is involved in this first resurrection will determine who is involved in the general judgment of Rev_20:11 ff. Here are the options for "the rest of the dead."
1. the lost (cf. Rev_20:6; Dan_12:2)
2. Christians from previous periods (cf. Rev_20:6; 2Ti_2:12)
3. Christians from this period, but who died natural deaths (cf. Rev_20:4 c)
▣ "the first resurrection" Throughout the NT there has been an emphasis on the resurrection of the dead (cf. Joh_5:28-29; Luk_14:14; Act_24:15; 1Co_15:52; Php_3:3; 1Th_4:16; 2Th_1:7-10). However, there is no parallel in the Bible for two separate resurrections for believers, unless it is an allusion to the dual resurrection of Dan_12:2 (the lost and saved), although George Ladd sees Joh_5:29 and 1Co_15:24-25 as possible parallels. All theological systems, even those which believe in a literal one thousand year reign, have major interpretive problems with this split resurrection. Are raptured Christians (cf. 1Th_4:13-18; Rev_4:11 or Rev_11:12) involved in the thousand year reign; are OT believers involved in the thousand year reign? Does this include OT martyrs, or only those who were martyred during the end-time tribulation?
▣ "they will be priests of God and of Christ" This is an allusion to Exo_19:5-6. This terminology, referring to Israel as God's instrument of Gentile revelation and redemption, has in the NT been widened to include all the church (cf. 1Pe_2:5; 1Pe_2:9 and Rev_1:6; Rev_5:10). In the letter to the church of Philadelphia, an allusion is made to the saints in relation to a temple (cf. Rev_3:12). The metaphor has changed from servants of God on behalf of this world to intimate fellowship with God.
Rev_20:6 This verse adds to the interpretive problem. Why would any believer be subject to the second death, which is a metaphor for hell (cf. Rev_20:6)? Are only the martyrs priests to God or are all saints (cf. Rev_1:6; Rev_5:10; 2 Pet. 2,5,9)? Will only first century martyrs reign or will OT martyrs be included, will the martyrs in every age be included or will all Christians who remained faithful be included?