Further, the saints’ “endurance” or “resistance” is defined as “keep[ing] the commandments of God and hold[ing] fast to the faith of Jesus” (14:12). David Aune argues that in Revelation “the commandments of God” serves as a summary of the Law’s ethical requirements (i.e., the second table). If he is right, as he probably is, then in these two texts, as well as in chapter 2, John describes covenant faithfulness as the inseparable vertical and horizontal practices of bearing faithful witness to and like Jesus (the vertical) and fulfilling obligations of the Law to others (the horizontal).198 If
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