The jesus of chapter 19 of revelation kills his enemies with a twoedged sword coming. The book of revelation as an apocalypse the bart ehrman blog. While this book was released several decades ago at this point ellul remains one of the key voices in the conversation around the modernday relevance of revelation particularly without the premillennial dispensationalist, aka left behind, manner of reading revelation which is so prevalent today. It is dated in the middle of the last half of the first century.
In order for people to be properly prepared for the end times, they must have a vivid concept of what will be taking place. It discloses the full character and identity of jesus of nazareth by lifting the veil. Mar 07, 2012 the book of revelation, the final book of the new testament, has some of the most dramatic and frightening language in the bible. Ranging over the entire system of his thought on god and man, on religion, art, psychology and politics, this book is lawrences final attempt to. Did he write to a persecuted minority or to christians enjoying the social and material benefits of the. The greek name of the bible book of revelation, apoka. James tabor suggests that in the same way the basic apocalyptic texts of the dead sea scrolls have as their historical reference points the parties and politics of the mid1st century bce, the urtext of revelation is most likely composed against the backdrop of local events in judea in the 40s and 50s ceand has little to do with rome and its emperors. An interlude in which the mystery of god is revealed and a special little book held by a strong angel as described by the apostle john in the bible at revelation chapter 10. The book of revelation often called the revelation to john, apocalypse of john, the revelation from jesus christ from its opening words, the apocalypse, the revelation, or simply revelation is the final book of the new testament, and consequently is also the final book of the christian bible. The word apocalypse comes from the greek word apocalupsis which means revealing, disclosure, to take off the cover. So this book is a revelation of jesus christ, not in the sense that matthew, mark, luke and john revealed him, but rather than the humiliated christ, we have. This was johns purpose for writing the book of revelation, as well as my purpose in presenting it in a readable and understandable form for all people, religious and nonreligious. The orthodox faith volume i doctrine and scripture new.
Revelation niv bible the dragon stood on the shore. Biblical scenes portrayed revelation 1, jesus among the candlesticks revelation 4, the throne scene revelation 5, the crisis of sealed scroll revelation 6, the seals opened and related events revelation 7, the great multitude. The contrast in literary form between the direct address of the letters and the symbolic drama of the remainder of the book is startling, but no more so than the fact that an apocalyptic. The book of revelation as a whole has the external form of a letter in that it begins with an opening salutation 1. But the good news is this will be a temporary period of time. The book of revelation had its origin in a time of crisis, but it remains valid and meaningful for christians of all time. Apocalypse in the book of revelation revelation, which appears as the last book in the christian bible, is one of the most famous pieces of apocalyptic writing.
That happens to a lot of people who read the book of revelationeven socalled scholarsand it is from a scholarly point of view specifically that of a literary and social historian of. Kuruvachira jose eobib210 3 revelation can be described as a kind of pastoral letter meant to be read publically in a liturgical setting in the churches of asia minor. The orthodox faith volume i doctrine and scripture. These messages would eventually become part of the new testament canon, as the book of revelation. Why is the book of revelation called the apocalypse.
Lawrences last book, written during the winter of 192930 when he was dying. Revelation 3 niv bible to the angelof the church in. The book of revelation starts with this is a revelation from jesus christ, which god gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. According to, it means revelation, disclosure, uncover, reveal. The book of revelation was written sometime around 96 ce in asia minor. Montague starts off by emphasizing the centrality of christ in all scripture, and the very real quality of this being a message of not only love but hope from christ.
Seiss, jesus of the apocalypse by barbara thiering. Nov 19, 2012 this is the holy book of revelation, known as the revelation of st. Jan 02, 2010 the book of revelation, from the bible, john sees the events. White is professor of classics and christian origins at the university of texas at austin, and acted as historical consultant for apocalypse.
The purpose for the book of revelation in order for people to be properly prepared for the end times, they must have a vivid concept of what will be taking place. Or in todays vernacular, an account the lord jesus christ gave of himself to the church and events that will occur at. For further information and visuals of the throne of god, angels, cherubim, four living creatures, new jerusalem, tabernacle, temple, jesus christ, song of moses, song of. A book like revelation can grip people in different ways, and it is not easy to explain just how the scholarly grip differs from, for example, coovers brunists who use the book of revelation to illumine an unfinished note of a preacherminer killed in a mining explosion. Dec 21, 2012 the book of revelation and the 2012 apocalypse. I found the title page to my mothers 1982, holman bible publishers, king james version, it reads. The book of revelation was written sometime around 96. Revelation niv bible the dragon stood on the shore of. Revelation 1, english standard version 2016 esv the.
The book of revelation provides some of the keenest insights in scripture concerning the big picture of work. Book of revelation apocalypse written on patmos island greeka. The meaning of apocalypse in the bible learn religions. The book of revelation, from the bible, john sees the events.
The revelation of jesus christ, which god gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. Originally published in three volumes from 1870 to 1884, j. John the divine, although the godgiven title is at the very beginning of the text, the revelation of. The revelation of jesus christ the revelation of jesus christ, which god gave him to show to his bondservants, the things which must soon take place. The book of revelation apocalypse 1 introduction revelation1 or apocalypse2 is a unique, complex and remarkable biblical text full of heavenly mysteries. And there were open books, and one of them was the book of life. It isnt a book full of doom and gloom like so many people tend to believe. Who, where, what is involved with the book of revelation and why was it written. Considered by modern evangelical scholars to be among the most influential, the collected lectures have been called a monumental work, thoroughly scholarly.
Revelation is a book which presents the great revealing. About seventy years after the death of jesus, john of patmos sent visionary messages to christians in seven cities of western asia minor. It is a radical criticism of our civilisation and a statement of lawrences unwavering belief in mans power to create a new heaven and a new earth. Apr 25, 2014 this study examines the many names of jesus christ in the book of revelation. The book of revelation is sometimes referred to as the apocalypse of john because it. It does belong to a tradition of apocalyptic writing, which began in judaism in the second temple period. The portrait of jesus in the book of revelation is at the center of much of the debate about violence in the christian bible. Not your summary but the book of so called revelation there is a very serious side to this message and that is real people were being tortured and killed because they fell for the spin of writers like this by saying dont worry, just keep the faith and be torn to pieces by lions and whatever you do, dont. The book of revelation in the new testament has the literal title in greek, the apocalypse of john.
Apocalypse in the book of revelation 27 words 123 help me. In the face of apparently insuperable evil, either from within or from without, all christians are called to trust in jesus promise, behold, i am with you always, until the end of the age mt 28. This is the holy book of revelation, known as the revelation of st. Outside the canonical books of the bible there are many other extant apocalyptic works. Revelation is a long epistle addressed to seven christian communities of the roman province of asia minor, modern turkey, wherein the author recounts what he has seen. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant john nlt. Bill warner the preterist insists that the point of the passage in acts 1 is that jesus went back to heaven in the clouds. Visions, prophecy, and politics in the book of revelation by elaine pagels viking her central point is that this most famous story about the end is a window on the beginnings. Relates to the things which are, that is, the then present state of the church, and contains the epistle of john to the seven churches, and his account of the appearance of the lord jesus, and his direction to the apostle to write what he beheld, ch. Book 27 the book of revelation part 1 of 2, chapters 111 click here for brief introduction to revelation. The revelation of jesus christ is a book of prophecy on the end times and comprises the final book of the new testament and of the bible. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The book of revelation, the final book of the new testament, has some of the most dramatic and frightening language in the bible.
John records the prophetic vision, in written text, and is instructed to send the document to the seven churches of asia. So the book of the apocalypse is all about the revelation of christ jesus. These are the words of him who holds the seven spiritsof god and the seven stars. The book of the revelation pastor david legge 4 reign of righteousness. Even some of the churchs greatest and most philosophically sophisticated saints stated that some passages were difficult for them. With that interpretation, he then says that the return of christ will be with the clouds and not. The version of the book of revelation given here is that of the authorised king james version of the bible, begun in 1604 and completed in 1611. The apocalypse, or revelation to john, the last book of the bible, is one of the most difficult to understand because it abounds in unfamiliar and extravagant symbolism, which at best appears unusual to the modern reader. Finally, i have encountered a book that approaches the revelation of st. In robert coovers the origin of the brunists 1971 justin miller, editor of the local newspaper, reflects on the fact that he had read revelations at the age of thirteen and never quite got over it.
Can a prechristian version of the book of revelation be. A classical dispensationalist view of revelation, in four views on the book of revelation, gen. These include earthquakes such as the giant indonesia earthquake and tidal wave in dec. The book of revelation s prophecies about the seven last plagues are terrifying and show there will be massive suffering and destruction around the world in the end times. Revelation enforces the importance of faith and obedience to the concept of christianity by describing gods plan for the world and his final judgment of the people.
John of patmos in a calm, systematic, meticulously logical, historically literate, yet reverent way. This will be necessary for god to deal with a sinful and rebellious world. The book of revelation in the arts over two millennia 9780199689019. The revelation of jesus christ or the apocalypse the revelation of jesus christ is a book of prophecy on the end times and comprises the final book of the new testament and of the bible.
The king james bible is generally regarded as a literary master work, and its version of the book of revelation is reproduced here without change or comment as the authorized version of the church of. Information about the book of revelation apocalypse that was written by saint john in patmos island, dodecanese, greece. Book of revelation passages description this web site includes a discussion of the book of revelation, the last chapter of the bible, which includes a description of a catastrophic sequence of events that some people believe are occurring now, and may occur in 2020 2025. Thompson basically contends that john did not write his revelation in a time of crisis, that is, in the midst of intense persecution at the instigation of domitian and covering the whole of the roman empire, and that it was directed and limited to those. Oct 24, 20 james tabor suggests that in the same way the basic apocalyptic texts of the dead sea scrolls have as their historical reference points the parties and politics of the mid1st century bce, the urtext of revelation is most likely composed against the backdrop of local events in judea in the 40s and 50s ceand has little to do with rome and its emperors. Framed as the visions of the apostle john, it is packed with symbolism in images and numbers to. This genre of literature received its name from the first word of the book of revelation, apocalypsis.
So, the divine author of revelation is jesus christ and the human author is the apostle john. The movie depicts scenes from the book of revelation and links them to events happening to the church in asia. John the divine, although the godgiven title is at the very beginning of the text, the revelation of jesus christ, which god. Symbolic language, however, is one of the chief characteristics of apocalyptic literature, of which. Revelation always implies the unveiling of something previously hidden, in this case, future events.
Jan 02, 2020 the book of revelation is sometimes referred to as the apocalypse of john because it is gods revealing of the end times to the apostle john. The author was probably a christian from ephesus known as john the elder. Its title is derived from the first word of the koine greek text. The beast i saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of. This was johns purpose for writing the book of revelation, as well as my purpose in presenting it in a readable and understandable. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. Jesus is the main character in revelation, but the problem is that revelation portrays jesus in different, even conflicting, ways. As the author states, his interest in the book of revelation is limited to the situation in which it was first read and written p. Seisss lectures on the apocalypse were among the first popular works based upon the futurist interpretation of revelation. This study examines the many names of jesus christ in the book of revelation. The revelation of jesus christ is communicated by an angel to a man named john when he was on the island of patmos. The book of revelation and work bible commentary theology. The book of revelation, written by john, is the last book in the new testament and perhaps the most important book of the bible. John, or the book of revelation, is the last book of the bible, and in most traditions is believed to cover those events which surround the end of the world, and the last judgement.