InterVarsity Press. He is the author ofThe Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. This perspective (closely related to liberation theology) draws on the approach of Bible scholars such as Ched Myers, William Stringfellow, Richard Horsley, Daniel Berrigan, Wes Howard-Brook,[86] and Joerg Rieger. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. In this interpretation the primary agenda of the book is to expose as impostors the worldly powers that seek to oppose the ways of God and God's Kingdom. The stars of heaven fall to the earth and the sky recedes like a scroll being rolled up (6:1314). The Book of Revelation,[a] also erroneously called the Book of Revelations,[b][4] is the final book of the New Testament (and therefore the final book of the Christian Bible). Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. This implies in his introduction that he is no longer on the island! Justin Martyr (A.D. 100 -166) wrote in Dialogue With Trypho chap 81 that the author of Revelation was John, an apostle of the Lord. [e] Patience is the closest to perfection the human condition allows. For example, Irenaeus (A.D. 115 202) wrote in his book Against Heresies. These then belong among the accepted writings [Homologoumena]. He thought this was a point often lost sight of because most English bibles render everything in prose. Then, again, the Church in Ephesus, founded by Paul, and having John remaining among them permanently until the times of Trajan, is a true witness of the tradition of the apostles.[10]. The expression "in the bosom of the Father" speaks of His enjoying the affection of the Father and this was ever the case with the Lord Jesus. He began his work, "The purpose of this book is to show that the Apocalypse is a manual of spiritual development and not, as conventionally interpreted, a cryptic history or prophecy. John was persecuted because he was fulfilling his mission, preaching the gospel and making disciples. The "locusts" are described as having a human appearance (faces and hair) but with lion's teeth, and wearing "breastplates of iron"; the sound of their wings resembles "the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle" (9:79). Christ tells John to "write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.". Literary writers and theorists have contributed to a wide range of theories about the origins and purpose of the Book of Revelation. Yet he succeeded because he was guided by The Holy Spirit, who I guess you could say is technically the one who wrote Revelation. John was one of the twelve disciples, but he was also part of the inner circle along with Peter and James. 159-161. [8] The term apocalypse means the revealing of divine mysteries;[16] John is to write down what is revealed (what he sees in his vision) and send it to the seven churches. Ian Boxall[119] writes that Revelation "is no montage of biblical quotations (that is not John's way) but a wealth of allusions and evocations rewoven into something new and creative." And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. (6:56), Fourth Seal: A pale horse appears, whose rider is, Fifth Seal: "Under the altar", appeared the souls of martyrs for the "word of God", who cry out for vengeance. (14:613), One like the Son of Man reaps the earth. Eusebius. [103], Professor Schssler Fiorenza believes that Revelation has particular relevance today as a liberating message to disadvantaged groups. [20] Revelation may instead have been composed in the context of a conflict within the Christian community of Asia Minor over whether to engage with, or withdraw from, the far larger non-Christian community: Revelation chastises those Christians who wanted to reach an accommodation with the Roman cult of empire. Many other early fathers can be cited in similar fashion, such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen. 1. "[107] Lawrence did not consider how these two types of Christianity (good and bad in his view) might be related other than as opposites. Early-date advocates hold that Revelation was written by John prior to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. Hendrickson. [112], Scholar Barbara Whitlock pointed out a similarity between the consistent destruction of thirds depicted in the Book of Revelation (a third of mankind by plagues of fire, smoke, and brimstone, a third of the trees and green grass, a third of the sea creatures and a third of the ships at sea, etc.) But it should be noted that Eusebius uses the phrase age of Nero and Domitian in his book called The Church History book III, chapter XXXII. Clement of Alexandria. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. The message is that everything in Revelation will happen in its previously appointed time. "[68] The three angels of Revelation 14 represent the people who accept the light of God's messages and go forth as his agents to sound the warning throughout the length and breadth of the earth. Lets look at this encounter: I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. He also states that Domitian reigned after Nero. He saw Revelation as comprising two discordant halves. Who is this John? (20:13), The resurrected martyrs live and reign with Christ for a thousand years. The Middle Persian sources prophesy that at the end of the world, Dahg will at last burst his bonds and ravage the world, consuming one in three humans and livestock, until the ancient hero Kirssp returns to life to kill Dahg. Portuguese products available Online we mail to all lower 48 states. Ante-Nicene Fathers. Later writers, such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Victorinus (who wrote one of the earliest commentaries on Revelation), Eusebius and Jerome affirm the Domitian date. [115] An anonymous Scottish commentary of 1871[116] prefaces Revelation 4 with the Little Apocalypse of Mark 13, places Malachi 4:5 ("Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord") within Revelation 11 and writes Revelation 12:7 side by side with the role of "the Satan" in the Book of Job. [citation needed]. Lawrence coined the term "Patmossers" to describe those Christians who could only be happy in paradise if they knew their enemies were suffering in hell. 2. 17K views, 727 likes, 654 loves, 3.7K comments, 237 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from EWTN: Starting at 8 a.m. "That winter which will be the death of Time has no promise of termination. For John also, while he writes to seven churches in the Apocalypse, yet speaks to all. The Book of Revelation was written sometime around 96 CE in Asia Minor. He directs people to make an image of the Beast of the Sea who was wounded yet lives, breathing life into it, and forcing all people to bear ", The proclamations of three angels. Revelation has a wide variety of interpretations, ranging from the simple historical interpretation, to a prophetic view on what will happen in the future by way of God's will and the Woman's (traditionally believed to be the Virgin Mary) victory over Satan ("symbolic interpretation"), to different end time scenarios ("futurist interpretation"),[55][56] to the views of critics who deny any spiritual value to Revelation at all,[57] ascribing it to a human-inherited archetype. . This is a very personal statement and is very similar to the opening verses of 1 John 1-9. Prophecy was viewed by the Romans as belonging to the same category, whether Pagan, Jewish, or Christian. and the Iranian mythology evil character Zahhak or Dahg, depicted in the Avesta, the earliest religious texts of Zoroastrianism. Moody Press. John, on this theory, rearranges Ezekiel to suit his own purposes. [71][72] The 1,260 days spoken of in the forms: one thousand two hundred and sixty days,[73] forty-two months,[74] refers to the 1,260 years in the Islamic Calendar (AH 1260 or AD 1844). This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. This provides conclusive evidence that the DomitianEusebius refers to is the Domitian who reigned from A.D. 81 to A.D. 96. It is just a reminder that your circumstances dont limit God from using you or revealing truth to you. John is given a measuring rod to measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. There is no more suffering or death. The goal today is not to give you a deep dive into the entire book, even though I will give you a brief synopsis. That is the testimony of both the internal and external evidence. Moreover [Paul writes] one [letter] to Philemon, one to Titus and two to Timothy in love and affection; but they have been hallowed for the honor of the catholic church in the regulation of ecclesiastical discipline. (20:1115), A "new heaven" and "new earth" replace the old heaven and old earth. Second-century Christian writers such as Papias of Hierapolis, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Melito of Sardis, Clement of Alexandria, and the author of the Muratorian fragment identify John the Apostle as the "John" of Revelation. 9. [15][9], Revelation is an apocalyptic prophecy with an epistolary introduction addressed to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia. Early tradition says that John was banished to Patmos by the Roman authorities. Final admonitions. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that the warning contained in Revelation 22:1819[80][non-primary source needed] does not refer to the biblical canon as a whole. St. John receives his Revelation, Saint-Sever Beatus, 11th century Main articles: Authorship of the Johannine works and John of Patmos The name Revelation comes from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: ( apokalypsis ), which means "unveiling" or "revelation". (22:621), The Lamb, with seven horns and seven eyes (, The souls of them that were slain for the word of God, Four angels holding the four winds of the Earth, The mighty angel with little book open and when he cried of seven thunders uttered their voices, The Dragon, fiery red with seven heads and ten horns (, The Beast, with seven heads and ten horns (, The angelic reapers and the grapes of wrath, Seven plague angels (Seven bowls of wrath), Angel binding Satan for one thousand years, This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 13:19. 1995. vol. Notice that in the following quote Eusebius states that to do the same thing that the latter did refers to Nero. But say he did at least see a vision of the heavenly tabernacle first before writing the Gospel whether he wrote Revelation later or not. Consequently, the work is viewed as a warning to not conform to contemporary Greco-Roman society which John "unveils" as beastly, demonic, and subject to divine judgment.[109]. Instead, he wanted to champion a public-spirited individualism (which he identified with the historical Jesus supplemented by an ill-defined cosmic consciousness) against its two natural enemies. The testimony of the early church fathers strongly supports the view that the apostle John is the author of the book of Revelation. I often wonder with many of the things he saw, how much his mind must have been blown. Doctrine and Covenants, section 77, postulates answers to specific questions regarding the symbolism contained in the Book of Revelation. "The universal church is composed of all who truly believe in Christ, but in the last days, a time of widespread apostasy, a remnant has been called out to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. "[100] Her conclusion is that Christians should see John as "representative of all his brethren" so they should "hope as he hoped, love as he loved. When did John the Baptist write Revelation? Praised for being "rich" while impoverished and in tribulation. [94] Other dramatic moments in Revelation, such as 6:16 where the terrified people cry out to be hidden, behave in a similar way. An attack by them on the authorship of John intended to weaken the force of the prophecy . Interesting enough, even though John was an eyewitness to this event he chose not to write about it in his own gospel. "A few are charged to do judgment; everyone without exception is charged to show mercy. The purpose of the book was to strengthen the faith of the members of these churches by giving to them the assurance that deliverance from the evil powers arrayed against them was close at hand. [79][non-primary source needed] Topics include: the sea of glass, the four beasts and their appearance, the 24 elders, the book with seven seals, certain angels, the sealing of the 144,000, the little book eaten by John, and the two witnesses in Chapter 11. Praised for holding "fast to My name", not denying "My faith" even in the days of, Admonished to repent for having held the doctrine of. The tradition of John's exile was started by Augustine about 200 years after John lived. This is a story that truly ends well for those in Christ. (21:28), Description of the New Jerusalem. The evidence agrees with Revelation 1:9. Updates? Early in chapter 1 of the book we discover the way John wrote the book. "Silence in heaven for about half an hour" (8:1). It was at this time that the apostle John returned from his banishment in the island and took up his abode at Ephesus, according to an ancient Christian tradition.[9]. Jeremiah 9:23-24. Irenaeus. They are given white robes and told to rest until the martyrdom of their brothers is completed. After that, Lawrence thought, the book became preoccupied with the birth of the baby messiah and "flamboyant hate and simple lust for the end of the world." The Apostle John is the author of five New Testament books: the gospel of John, the three short epistles that also bear his name (1, 2, and 3 John) and the book of Revelation. John is the author of five books in the New Testament: - The Gospel of John (this is where he identifies himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved)- 1 John- 2 John- 3 John- Revelation. Then in chapters two and three of the book of Revelation, the names of the seven churches are given and a message is given to them. Those who hold this view say that the Temple's destruction (AD 70) had a profound effect on the Jewish people, not only in Jerusalem but among the Greek-speaking Jews of the Mediterranean. This "star" is given "the key to the bottomless pit" (9:1). [12] He was a Jewish Christian prophet, probably belonging to a group of such prophets, and was accepted by the congregations to whom he addresses his letter. Prior to him writing the book, there was a time of tremendous persecution in the church. Revelation was written in the last decade of the first century (ca. 1:9). Because such a view presents current problems in an eschatological context, the message of Revelation also becomes relevant to future generations of Christians who, Christ forewarned, would likewise suffer persecution. [60], In the Coptic Orthodox Church the whole Book of Revelation is read during Apocalypse Night or Good Friday.[61]. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. The tradition of John's exile was started by Augustine about 200 years after John lived. There is some speculation that Emperor Domitian was the one that sent John to Patmos, but some evidences say otherwise. 1 Answer. (20:46), The Dragon is released and goes out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the Earth, The Dragon is cast into the Lake of Fire with the Beast and the False Prophet. [89], Charles Cutler Torrey taught Semitic languages at Yale University. However, sometime after the child is born, he is caught up to God's throne while the Woman flees into the wilderness into her place prepared of God that they should feed her there for 1,260 days (, A Beast (with seven heads, ten horns, and ten crowns on his horns and on his heads names of blasphemy) emerges from the Sea, having one mortally wounded head that is then healed. The victory of God over Satan and his Antichrist (in this case, the perseverance of Christians in the face of Roman persecution) typifies similar victories over evil in ages still to come and Gods final victory at the end of time. He saw him in his natural form as a human; he also saw him transfigured and in all his glory. That John died in Ephesus is also stated by St. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyon circa 180 ce, who says John wrote his Gospel and letters at Ephesus and Revelation at Ptmos. Some of these writers have no connection with established Christian faiths but, nevertheless, found in Revelation a source of inspiration. The external evidences can only support what is internal. What language would you use to describe that? The "two witnesses" spoken of are Muhammad and Ali. The author names himself as simply "John" in the text, but his precise identity remains a point of academic debate. [59], Accordingly, they argue, the Book of Revelation should not be read as an enigmatic warning, but as an encouraging vision of Christ's definitive victory over evil. Unbeknownst to him, he was writing about things that would happen thousands of years into the future. Further, in the following quoteEusebius refers to Nerva as Domitians successor. It kills a third of the sea creatures and destroys a third of the ships at sea. This tradition is credible because banishment was a common punishment used during the Imperial period for a number of offenses. I mentioned earlier that the book of Revelation can be scary, depending on whose side you are on. [8] The entire book constitutes the letterthe letters to the seven individual churches are introductions to the rest of the book, which is addressed to all seven. . Traditionally, this was often believed to be the same person as John the Apostle (John, son of Zebedee), one of the apostles of Jesus, to whom the Gospel of John was also attributed. These armies kill a third of mankind by plagues of fire, smoke, and brimstone. The survivors call upon the mountains and the rocks to fall on them, so as to hide them from the "wrath of the Lamb" (6:16). (8:1213). A simple outline for the book of Revelation is found in Revelation 1:19. Most Christian interpretations fall into one or more of the following categories: Additionally, there are significant differences in interpretation of the thousand years (the "millennium") mentioned in Revelation 20:2. Ante-Nicene Fathers. It seems clear that the early church attributed the book to John the Apostle. 10. (Events leading into the Third Woe), A Woman "clothed with a white robe, with the sun at her back, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" is in pregnancy with a male child. . He remained there until Trajan began his rule. [citation needed] The chief temptation for Christians in the 1st century, and today, is to fail to hold fast to the non-violent teachings and example of Jesus and instead be lured into unquestioning adoption and assimilation of worldly, national or cultural values imperialism, nationalism, and civil religion being the most dangerous and insidious. Reminded to hold fast what they have, that no one may take their crown. While notable scholars can be cited in support of divergent views, the proof dissipates upon examination. The author of the book of Revelation calls himself John (Rev. Rossetti remarks that patience is a word which does not occur in the Bible until the New Testament, as if the usage first came from Christ's own lips. It may be that John wrote his gospel with the help of another person named . THE AUTHOR OF THE REVELATION. [108], Modern biblical scholarship attempts to understand Revelation in its 1st-century historical context within the genre of Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature. 1. He states that he is there for the Gospel. In the second part (chapters 422:5), visions, allegories, and symbols (to a great extent unexplained) so pervade the text that exegetes necessarily differ in their interpretations. John wrote in this way not merely because the Lord Jesus had ascended and gone back to the glory. of The brief time between Pauls ministry there and the end of Neros reign was too short for such a decline to have occurred. It states that John, "bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.". Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll (Revelation 22:6-7). It will be worth it all in the end. What an incredible challenge. prematurely. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks . A non-profit, 501(c)3 corporation. He begins the body of his book by saying that it is from John to the Seven Churches in Asia (Rev. In light of this truth, the question that remains, that only you can answer, is how will you live your life? The book gives a picture of what will happen as we close the doors on human history as we know it and we look forward with anticipation to Jesus second coming. The first commentary on the book of Revelation to be preserved, written by Victorinus, regards John the Apostle as the author. And that you may be still more confident, that repenting this truly there remains for you a sure hope of salvation, listen to a tale, which is not a tale but a narrative, handed down and committed to the custody of memory, about the Apostle John. That person was John. A.D. 94-96), near the end of Emperor Domitians reign (A.D. 81-96). Christina Rossetti was a Victorian poet who believed the sensual excitement of the natural world found its meaningful purpose in death and in God. He refers to this in the first chapter of Revelation: I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 1:9). The idea of the Eucharist as a foretaste of the heavenly banquet is also explored by British Methodist Geoffrey Wainwright in his book Eucharist and Eschatology (Oxford University Press, 1980). 4.20.11. "[66] "Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. I, p. 416. (16:89), Fifth Bowl: There is total darkness and great pain in the Beast's kingdom. [98] Her book, which is largely written in prose, frequently breaks into poetry or jubilation, much like Revelation itself. New Testament narrative criticism also places Revelation in its first century historical context but approaches the book from a literary perspective. The author names himself as "John", but modern scholars consider it unlikely that the author of Revelation also wrote the Gospel of John. It appears that Revelation was written between A.D. 43-47. John also, the Lords disciple, when beholding the sacerdotal and glorious advent of His kingdom, says in the Apocalypse: I turned to see the voice that spake with me. The sun and sky [are] darkened by the smoke from the Abyss" (9:2). This interpretation, which has found expression among both Catholic and Protestant theologians, considers the liturgical worship, particularly the Easter rites, of early Christianity as background and context for understanding the Book of Revelation's structure and significance. As for the letters of Paul, they themselves show those who wish to understand from which place and for which cause they were directed. Now the question before us is when was Revelation written and where was it written? [5][6] Modern scholarship generally takes a different view,[7] with many considering that nothing can be known about the author except that he was a Christian prophet. Did the Apostle John write the Book of Revelations? Torrey argued that until AD 80, when Christians were expelled from the synagogues,[92] the Christian message was always first heard in the synagogue and, for cultural reasons, the evangelist would have spoken in Aramaic, else "he would have had no hearing. Those churches were strong and spiritually healthy in the mid-60s, when Paul last ministered in Asia Minor. 1, p. 491. [122], According to James Stuart Russell, the book is an exposition of Olivet Discourse found in the Synoptic Gospels in Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Consequently when the author speaks of Jesus as the One who loves us, it is a clue that this is the apostle John. 4. The Church does not have an official stance on who the author is. 'Vision' lends the wrong emphasis as Rossetti sought to minimise the distinction between John's experience and that of others. 1, p.240. [58], They believe the Book of Revelation provides insight into the early Eucharist, saying that it is the new Temple worship in the New Heaven and Earth. 1, p. 479, 484, 486, 493, 557, 564. [110] For example, narrative critics examine characters and characterization, literary devices, settings, plot, themes, point of view, implied reader, implied author, and other constitutive features of narratives in their analysis of the book. [78][non-primary source needed]. Futurists, meanwhile, believe that Revelation describes future events with the seven churches growing into the body of believers throughout the age, and a reemergence or continuous rule of a Greco-Roman system with modern capabilities described by John in ways familiar to him; and idealist or symbolic interpretations consider that Revelation does not refer to actual people or events but is an allegory of the spiritual path and the ongoing struggle between good and evil. (16:47), Fourth Bowl: The Sun scorches the Earth with intense heat and even burns some people with fire. John describes in detail a period of tribulation that will come upon the earth, that will be unmatched when compared to any other time in human history. The author of Revelation is the apostle John, or as he called himself the disciple whom Jesus loved. 1973. pp. In the words of professor Adela Collins, "What ought to be was experienced as a present reality. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. This clearly reveals that the person identified as John is the author of the book. "It is very nice if you are poor and not humble to bring your enemies down to utter destruction, while you yourself rise up to grandeur. Winter that returns not to spring who can bear it? He begins by saying that God sent the visions he is going to relate to his servant John (Rev. [23], Revelation was among the last books accepted into the Christian biblical canon, and to the present day some churches that derive from the Church of the East reject it. (i) The Revelation was written by a man called John. Since the early church fathers had already concluded that 1) the Apostle John was the author of Revelation, 2) the book of Revelation was written near the end of Domitians reign, and 3) that the book was written while John was on the Island of Patmos, we can conclude that Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354 430) had no influence on the authorship, dating, or Johns location while writing the book. [75] The red Dragon spoken of in Revelation 12:3 "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads"[76] are interpreted as symbolic of the seven provinces dominated by the Umayyads: Damascus, Persia, Arabia, Egypt, Africa, Andalusia, and Transoxania. The internal evidence states that John is the author of the entire book of Revelation. Achtemeir et al. God is greater than your circumstances. The verse that he quotes is Revelation 1:12. It rejects attempts to determine, before the fact, if the events of Revelation are occurring by mapping them onto present-day events, taking to heart the Scriptural warning against those who proclaim "He is here!" (16:1011), Sixth Bowl: The Great River Euphrates is dried up and preparations are made for the kings of the East and the final battle at, Seventh Bowl: A great earthquake and heavy hailstorm: "every island fled away and the mountains were not found." The place where the apostle John wrote the book of Revelation is actually stated within the book itself. Subsequently, this John was banished by Nero and died on Patmos after writing Revelation. Although Christ is clearly the central figure of Revelation, an understanding of the text presupposes familiarity with Old Testament language and concepts, especially those taken from the books of Daniel and Ezekiel.