The description in Revelation 1:15 concerning the feet of the Son of Man is: "His feet were like fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace" (translated from the original Koine Greek: kai hoi podes autou homoioi chalkolibano hos en kaminō pepyrōmenēs).
To understand the imagery and its implication, we must examine the terms used in the textual language.
The Greek word used here is Chalkolibanon (chalkolibanon), which is an extremely rare term, possibly a compound coined by the author, John, appearing nowhere else in Greek literature outside of Revelation (1:15 and 2:18).
Chalkos means brass or bronze.
Libanos means frankincense.
While the literal composition is debated, the consensus is that the compound refers to a highly refined, shining, precious metal alloy, distinct from common bronze. It evokes the image of a metal that is brilliant, glowing, and purified—something far superior to standard brass or copper.
The metal is described "as if they burned in a furnace" (hos en kaminō pepyrōmenēs). The participle indicates a state of having been completely fired, suggesting a metal brought to incandescent heat.
When metal is purified in a furnace, the visual effect is one of fiery light and purity—it glows with an incandescent white or red-hot brilliance. The process of burning in a furnace is a biblical metaphor for purification, judgment, and testing (Malachi 3:2-3).
This description is part of a series of majestic prophetic images (e.g., Daniel 7 and 10) used to portray the resurrected Christ in His divine, powerful, and judging capacity.
Feet as Authority: The feet often symbolize presence, power, and movement, particularly in the context of conquering or crushing enemies.
Fiery Feet: The glowing, purified feet signify divine judgment and unstoppable authority. This image asserts the dynamic, active God's ability to execute His purposes with perfect, fiery holiness. It indicates that the Son of Man is ready to intervene and walk among the lampstands (churches) to judge and purify them.
The interpretation that this verse refers to Jesus having a dark or black complexion is based on equating the color of "burned brass" with a specific skin tone.
However, the language focuses on the quality of the metal—its radiance, purity, and incandescent glow resulting from extreme heat—rather than its final, cooled-down color.
The primary purpose of the imagery within Revelation is symbolic (as is "his eyes were as a flame of fire"), conveying holiness, authority, and judgment through the metaphor of purified, glowing metal. The description relates to the divine nature and function of the Son of Man, not a physical description intended to settle a human racial characteristic.
Within the dynamic, prophetic framework, the verse primarily conveys the dynamic authority of the judging Christ.