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Protestant Apologetics

Revelation 5:12

NT Prophecy
Revelation 5:12
12In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
Read in NWT ↗
JW Usage

Watchtower commentary takes as a heightened honour scene: the slain Lamb receives "the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing" from every angel and creature in heaven. On the JW reading, this sevenfold ascription is kingly honour appropriate to Jesus's exalted role as Jehovah's Messiah — but stops short of the worship reserved for Jehovah alone. The honour ultimately passes through Jesus to the Father.

Protestant Usage

Compare with word for word. The same sevenfold ascription — blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honour, power, strength — is directed in 7:12 "to our God forever and ever." If the sevenfold doxology in 7:12 is worship of God, the sevenfold doxology in 5:12 is worship of the Lamb. The two passages are functionally identical. And v13 will join them: "to the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb." Identical praise, identical recipients, identical duration. Either the Lamb shares the Father's worship-receiving identity or every creature in heaven commits idolatry by acclaiming a creature with the doxology reserved for God.