Final admonitions. A minority of senior clerics and scholars, such as Eusebius (d. 339/340), recognize at least one further John as a companion of Jesus, John the Presbyter. Christians are consequently exhorted to remain steadfast in their faith and to hold firmly to the hope that God will ultimately be victorious over his (and their) enemies. The relevance of John's visions[f] belongs to Christians of all times as a continuous present meditation. Ecclesiastical History. [109] This approach considers the text as an address to seven historical communities in Asia Minor. The temple of the tabernacle, in Heaven, is opened (15:15), beginning the "Seven Bowls" revelation. [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. Russell suggests there are parallels between the prophecy told by Jesus to the disciples and the prophecy recorded in the Book of Revelation, such as wars, famines, pestilence, earthquakes, false prophets, the darkening of the sun and moon, and stars falling from heaven.[123]. "[118] Perhaps significantly, Revelation chooses different sources than other New Testament books. Achtemeir et al. [117], Steve Moyise uses the index of the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament to show that "Revelation contains more Old Testament allusions than any other New Testament book, but it does not record a single quotation. 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. 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. 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. Revelation has been approached from Hindu philosophy and Jewish Midrash. I believe that when John saw this vision of Jesus, his mind went back to that mountaintop experience. 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. (6:911). His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. If John wrote about Christ's coming as future from A.D. 90-100, it is said to combat preterists, then Christ did not come back in A.D. 70 (John's writing would be pointless). [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. One of the greatest of these happened when they were with Jesus on the mountain and saw his transfiguration. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. Irenaeus. Perhaps church tradition dated John's writings (particularly the Revelation) to be A.D. 90-100 in order to disprove the preterists' view. In addition, there are numerous papyri, especially 47 and 115 (both 3rd century); minuscules (8th to 10th century); and fragmentary quotations in the Church fathers of the 2nd to 5th centuries and the 6th-century Greek commentary on Revelation by Andreas.[51]. First, lets examine what the book of Revelation says about its author. John is given a measuring rod to measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. He thought this was a point often lost sight of because most English bibles render everything in prose. The Revelation of Jesus Christ. [11] He clearly refers to two separate individuals in the phrase. Lake translation: "Recognized") and disputed, which has caused some confusion over what exactly Eusebius meant by doing so. (21:18), God comes to dwell with humanity in the New Jerusalem. I am the First and the Last. Under these conditions, a Christian named John wrote Revelation, addressing it to the seven churches that were in Asia Minor. Many other early fathers can be cited in similar fashion, such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen. He states that he is there for the Gospel. [90] Poetry was also the reason John never directly quoted the older prophets. Historical records indicate that Nerva reigned from A.D. 96 to A.D. 98. John is instructed to eat the little scroll that happens to be sweet in his mouth, but bitter in his stomach, and to prophesy. Since Revelation was at least part letter, it was meant to be read in the churches ( Colossians 4:16 ). 'Vision' lends the wrong emphasis as Rossetti sought to minimise the distinction between John's experience and that of others. [24][25] Eastern Christians became skeptical of the book as doubts concerning its authorship and unusual style[26] were reinforced by aversion to its acceptance by Montanists and other groups considered to be heretical. "[93] Torrey showed how the three major songs in Revelation (the new song, the song of Moses and the Lamb and the chorus at 19: 68) each fall naturally into four regular metrical lines plus a coda. The apostle John was later freed, possibly due to old age, and he returned to what is now Turkey. The verse that he quotes is Revelation 1:12. Is the Gospel of John John the Baptist? [54] The following is therefore an outline of the book's contents rather than of its structure. Patmos had a long history of being a Roman prison. 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. (16:1721), Aftermath: Vision of John given by "an angel who had the seven bowls", The great Harlot who sits on a scarlet Beast (with seven heads and ten horns and names of blasphemy all over its body) and by many waters: Babylon the Great. 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!" Knowing that the Romans used the Island of Patmos as a prison strongly suggests that is why John was there. 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. Many scholars, however, agree that Revelation is not simply an abstract spiritual allegory divorced from historical events, nor merely a prophecy concerning the final upheaval at the end of the world, couched in obscure language. (16:3), Third Bowl: All fresh water turns to blood. There is some speculation that Emperor Domitian was the one that sent John to Patmos, but some evidences say otherwise. The book of Revelation was written around AD 95. The author seems to be using his sources in a completely different way to the originals. Although some date it during Neros reign (A.D. 54-68), their arguments are unconvincing and conflict with the view of the early church. The Seven Spiritual Figures. The author of Revelation is the apostle John, or as he called himself the disciple whom Jesus loved. 81. These then belong among the accepted writings [Homologoumena]. Resurrection Accounts Resurrection of Christ, Thus says the LORD, Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me . She quoted 1 John 3:24, "He abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us" to show that when John says, "I was in the Spirit" it is not exceptional. 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. Revelation to John appears to be a collection of separate units composed by unknown authors who lived during the last quarter of the 1st century, though it purports to have been written by an individual named Johnwho calls himself the servant of Jesusat Patmos, in the Aegean Sea. Prophecy was viewed by the Romans as belonging to the same category, whether Pagan, Jewish, or Christian. [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. At this time, the ruling Roman emperor was Domitian. (19:1121), The Dragon is imprisoned in the Bottomless Pit for a thousand years. It is necessary for us to give an argued account of all these, since the blessed apostle Paul himself, following the order of his predecessor John, but not naming him, writes to seven churches in the following order: first to the Corinthians, second to the Ephesians, third to the Philippians, fourth to the Colossians, fifth to the Galatians, sixth to the Thessalonians, seventh to the Romans. The other enemy he styled "vulgarity"[106] and that was what he found in Revelation. All Rights Reserved. John 1:29, 35-36. . Interlude: The 144,000 Hebrews are sealed. This points to a John that had a significant place in the early church. The external can never override the internal truth. [citation needed], Some commentators argue that it is these purposes and not the structure that really matter. In these letters (Rev 2,. The author uses the number seven, for example, in a symbolic sense to signify totality or perfection. References to a thousand years (chapter 20) have led some to expect that the final victory over evil will come after the completion of some millennium (see Millennialism). Did Jesus' Second Coming occur in 70 A.D.. . This is a very personal statement and is very similar to the opening verses of 1 John 1-9. Though the question of authorship has been much discussed, the language . The "two witnesses" spoken of are Muhammad and Ali. In the words of professor Adela Collins, "What ought to be was experienced as a present reality. I was in the Spirit on the Lords day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, Rev. [111] The eventual exclusion of other contemporary apocalyptic literature from the canon may throw light on the unfolding historical processes of what was officially considered orthodox, what was heterodox, and what was even heretical. Nevertheless, this inner circle apostle is the same John who wrote Revelation. In trying to identify this "something new", Boxall argues that Ezekiel provides the 'backbone' for Revelation. The Book of Revelation was written around 68-69 AD by the Apostle John on the Island of Patmos after the Emperor Nero exiled him for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus is coming soon. [27] This distrust of the Book of Revelation persisted in the East through the 15th century. [81] Rather, an open and ongoing dialogue between God and the modern-day Prophet and Apostles of the LDS faith constitute an open canon of scripture. You can read about it in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9. The obscure and extravagant imagery has led to a wide variety of Christian interpretations. mourn New Babylon's destruction. I believe the combination of being caught up in the spirit and this encounter with Jesus gave John the confidence to write, and more importantly gives us the confidence to believe what he wrote. In the New Testament, you just cant say John wrote the book because there were a few important people named John in that time. Although the acceptance of Revelation into the canon has, from the beginning, been controversial, it has been essentially similar to the career of other texts. John wrote down what he saw in Jesus' Revelation whilst he was on Patmos. The Dragon waits for the birth of the child so he can devour it. As for the letters of Paul, they themselves show those who wish to understand from which place and for which cause they were directed. She says humanity is to look behind the symbols rather than make a fetish out of them. The message is that everything in Revelation will happen in its previously appointed time. Letters of John, abbreviation John, three New Testament writings, all composed sometime around 100 ce and traditionally attributed to St. John the Apostle, son of Zebedee and disciple of Jesus. It is important to recall that he was the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 13:23; 20:2; 21:7, 20). Some scholars suggest that the influence of this event is not captured in one instance in Johns gospel account. Those who claim that Nero and Domitian were interchangeable names for the same person have ignored the obvious. Praised for their works, love, service, faith, and patience. 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). The interesting point is that the order is not the same. John the Baptist did not write any books that we know of -and he had his own disciples. Besides being prophecy and revelation, John's work is grounded in current history. . We will start with Revelation 1:4. 1, p.240. John is writing in two spaces: what was happening then and what would happen in the future. An angel appears, with one foot on the sea and one foot on the land, having an opened little book in his hand. 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). This clearly reveals that the person identified as John is the author of the book. [89], Charles Cutler Torrey taught Semitic languages at Yale University. The MacArthur Bible Handbook. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com. Robert J. Karris (ed.) Then he placed his right hand on me and said: Do not be afraid. (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." 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. 1:1). "[66] "Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. THE AUTHOR OF THE REVELATION. 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." Against Heresies. 3. The Dragon grants him power and authority for forty-two months. "Apocalypse of John" redirects here. 1:9). 159-161. (13:610), Then, a Beast emerges from the Earth having two horns like a lamb, speaking like a dragon. [] it is proper to sum up the writings of the New Testament which have been already mentioned After them is to be placed, if it really seem proper, the Apocalypse of John, concerning which we shall give the different opinions at the proper time. John was part of Jesus' "inner circle" and, along with Peter and James, John was given the privilege of witnessing Jesus' conversation with Moses and . of 4.14.2; 4.17.6; 4.18.6; 4.21.3; 5.28.2; 5.34.2. [65], Seventh-day Adventists believe the Book of Revelation is especially relevant to believers in the days preceding the second coming of Jesus Christ. (14:1416), A second angel reaps "the vine of the Earth" and throws it into "the great winepress of the wrath of God and blood came out of the winepress up to one thousand six hundred. Do We See Any Gospel Connections in the Book of Numbers? God is greater than your circumstances. Bible Answer: The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. . [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 angel showing John the vision of the Harlot and the scarlet Beast reveals their identities and fates (17:118), The people of the Earth (the kings, merchants, sailors, etc.) Christ tells John to "write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.". The testimony of the early church fathers strongly supports the view that the apostle John is the author of the book of Revelation. 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. I mentioned earlier that the book of Revelation can be scary, depending on whose side you are on. We can also conclude that John was imprisoned on the Island of Patmos. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Then in the ninth and tenth verses, that is, Revelation 1:9-10, John refers to himself as I., I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Internal Evidence #1: No warnings to flee the destruction of Jerusalem which was only 4-8 years away when John supposedly wrote the book before AD 70: 1. Her view that Revelation's message is not gender-based has caused dissent. The temple of God opens in heaven, where the ark of his covenant can be seen. This provides conclusive evidence that the DomitianEusebius refers to is the Domitian who reigned from A.D. 81 to A.D. 96. According to Torrey, "The Fourth Gospel was brought to Ephesus by a Christian fugitive from Palestine soon after the middle of the first century. 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. Christian Gnostics "believed in the Forgiveness of Sins, but in no vicarious sacrifice for sin they accepted Christ in the full realisation of the word; his life, not his death, was the keynote of their doctrine and their practice. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. This means the discrepancy in writing styles between the Gospel and the Revelation could be due to any number of factors. The message is about what is to come. Salem Media Group. Martin Luther called Revelation "neither apostolic nor prophetic" in the 1522 preface to his translation of the New Testament (he revised his position with a much more favorable assessment in 1530),[46] Huldrych Zwingli labelled it "not a book of the Bible",[47] and it was the only New Testament book on which John Calvin did not write a commentary. What Does Colossians 2:6-7 Teach Us about Our Faith Walk? You have nothing to fear. This would have been shortly after the apostle John died. Prior to him writing the book, there was a time of tremendous persecution in the church. Why Does God Compare Our Relationship with Him to That of a Bride and Groom? For example, the author borrows the 'new temple' imagery of Ezekiel 4048 but uses it to describe a New Jerusalem which, quite pointedly, no longer needs a temple because it is God's dwelling. In the first, there was a scheme of cosmic renewal in "great Chaldean sky-spaces", which he quite liked. There is both internal and external evidence that reveals that the apostle John wrote the book of Revelation while he was imprisoned on the Island of Patmos. A.D. 94-96), near the end of Emperor Domitians reign (A.D. 81-96). I hold that Revelation was produced prior to the death of Nero in June, A.D. 68, and even before the formal engagement of the Jewish War by Vespasian in Spring, A.D. 67. 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. [28], Dionysius (AD 248), bishop of Alexandria and disciple of Origen, wrote that the Book of Revelation could have been written by Cerinthus although he himself did not adopt the view that Cerinthus was the writer. The text includes no indication that John of Patmos and St. John the Apostle are the same person. [citation needed]. 2. Hippolytus quotes extensively from chapters 17 and 18, attributing them to John the Apostle. Omissions? It seems clear that the early church attributed the book to John the Apostle. Further, in the following quoteEusebius refers to Nerva as Domitians successor. Elisabeth Schssler Fiorenza wrote Revelation: Vision of a Just World from the viewpoint of rhetoric. Similar to the early Protestants, Adventists maintain a historicist interpretation of the Bible's predictions of the apocalypse. Whats interesting to note is that in this place of exile and banishment, God gave him this great revelation. Finally, dating Revelation during Neros reign does not allow time for Johns ministry in Asia Minor to reach the point at which the authorities would have felt the need to exile him.[12]. Ante-Nicene Fathers. Seven angels are each given trumpets (8:2). Justin Martyr quotes Johns view that Christ would dwell a thousand years in Jerusalem. Every mountain and island is moved out of place (6:14). The internal evidence states that John is the author of the entire book of Revelation. [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. 1973. pp. [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. They say it is a recurring theme that flows throughout his entire book. Second,internal and external data is provided for the location where the book was written and the date of its writing. A non-profit, 501(c)3 corporation. 1:9 (NASB). His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. I pray that we would all labor for the cause of Christ until he comes. However, Christopher Rowland argues: "there are always going to be loose threads which refuse to be woven into the fabric as a whole. On this island in the southern part of the Aegean Sea, John had a vision of Jesus Christ and wrote the prophetic book of Revelation.
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