The formula here is probably based on Deut. 4:2
("Do not add to what I command you, and do not subtract from it, but keep
the commands of the LORD your God that I give you") and perhaps 12:32
("See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from
it"). There the formula indicated that the Torah came directly from Yahweh
and must not be "supplemented or reduced" (Craigie 1976: 130). In
other words, it must be accepted and obeyed in its entirety. This is the key to
the meaning of επιθή/αφέλη (epithē/aphelē, adds/takes away) here. As in
Deuteronomy, Christ is warning against false teachers who distort the meaning
of the prophecies by adding their own teaching to it or removing the meaning
that God intended. As Beale (1999: 1151) points out, Deut. 4:3 alludes to the
Balaam incident (used of false teachers in Rev. 2:14), and Deut. 12:32 in the
MT and Targums is actually the first verse of Deut. 13 that discusses false
prophets. Beale applies this verse specifically against idolatry, and certainly
John would have that in mind due to the Nicolaitan heresy described in chapter
2, but it should be expanded to include other types of false teaching like the
libertine proclivities of that same group (see 2:14b, 20-21). The difficulty
for us is how to apply this ban. It can hardly restrict differing
interpretations regarding the meaning of the book. The key is to apply
carefully the meaning of a "false teacher" or heretic. That is not
just someone who differs from one's own understanding (such as pretribulation
or posttribulation views, premillennial or amillennial interpretations) or even
someone who tries to compute the return of Christ via a "Bible code"
or mathematical equation derived from the book. It refers to someone who uses
Revelation to restructure the Christian faith, like some of the cults (on the
question of heresy, see also Osborne 1991: 311-14) as well as the Nicolaitans
in John's day. At the same time, the use of παντί τω ακούοντι (panti to akouonti,
everyone who hears-similar language to 1:3) demonstrates that it is directed to
every reader. In John's day it was especially meant for the seven churches for
whom the visions were intended. For our day it must be directed to every person
in the church who "hears" this message. It is an awesome
responsibility to write a commentary on this book or to preach or teach a Bible
study on it. But this warning is meant not just for official church teaching
but for every person who reads or hears this message (see Michaels 1997: 259).
We are all responsible to make certain we interpret the book in accordance with
the message God intended. (Grant R. Osborne, Revelation An Exegetical
Commentary; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2002], 795-96)
