The Book of Revelation was written to the Christian community, which was facing persecution from Rome. Many in the community were afraid, and their faith was wavering. The author aims to address the question as to how Christians are to live their faith in a society that has often been hostile to them. He wishes to help them understand that God's divine rule continues even in the face of opposition and hostility, and that, not Caesar, the emperor of Rome, but God is the ruler of the universe.

Jesus achieved the victory over sin and evil by his sacrifice on the cross, and the vision of the victorious enthronement of the Lamb testifies to this truth. The vision is filled with mysterious images and symbols, all of which provide signs of the divine sovereignty of God over the Roman Empire.

The gospel passage describes the story of a king who gives three servants different amounts of money. The parable is an attempt to answer a question that was often asked the early Christian community, that is, when will Jesus come and what should Christians do during his absence.

The answer is that Christians, as represented by the servants, are not to sit idle or simply preserve the status quo, but continue to work while Jesus is away. When one is open to God's actions in Jesus, he or she continues to intensify his or her share in the Kingdom.