Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
And I was dead (kai egenomhn nekrov). "And I be came dead" (aorist middle participle of ginomai as in Revelation 1:9-10, definite reference to the Cross).
I am alive (zwn eimi). Periphrastic present active indicative, "I am living," as the words o zwn just used mean.
Forevermore (eiv touv aiwnav twn aiwnwn). "Unto the ages of the ages," a stronger expression of eternity even than in Revelation 1:6.
The keys (tav kleiv). One of the forms for the accusative plural along with kleidav, the usual one (Matthew 16:19).
Of death and of Hades (tou qanatou kai tou aidou). Conceived as in Matthew 16:18 as a prison house or walled city. The keys are the symbol of authority, as we speak of honouring one by giving him the keys of the city. Hades here means the unseen world to which death is the portal. Jesus has the keys because of his victory over death. See this same graphic picture in Revelation 6:8; Revelation 20:13 f. For the key of David see Revelation 3:7, for the key of the abyss see Revelation 9:1; Revelation 20:1.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Revelation 1:18:
Matthew 16:19
Revelation 1:6
Revelation 1:19
Revelation 1:19
Revelation 2:1
Revelation 2:8
Revelation 3:7
Revelation 3:14
Revelation 6:8
Revelation 7:2
Revelation 10:6
Revelation 14:14
Revelation 20:10
Revelation 20:13
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