Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation or The Apocalypse of John ({{IPA2|??p?k?l?ps}}, from Greek {{polytonic|??????????}} "revelation"), is the last book of the New Testament in the Bible. It is the only biblical book that is wholly composed of apocalyptic literature. Some Protestant evangelicals refer to the book as The Revelation of Jesus Christ (as the first verse states verbatim), arguing John may have recorded the revelation, but was not the originator. The book is frequently called by the incorrect name "Revelations". However the actual title of the book is Revelation, or the Revelation to John, as it is rendered at the beginning of the book.

Related Topics:
Greek - Book - New Testament - Bible - Apocalyptic literature - Protestant - Evangelical

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After a short introduction (ch. 1:1?10) it contains an account of the author, who identifies himself as John, traditionally thought to be John the Evangelist, of two visions that he received on the isle of Patmos. The first vision (ch. 1:11 ? 3:22), related by "one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle", speaking with "a great voice, as of a trumpet", are statements addressed to the seven churches of Asia. The second vision comprises the rest of the book (ch. 4 ? 22) begins with "a door ? opened in heaven" and describes the end of the world—involving the final rebellion by Satan at Armageddon, God's final defeat of Satan, and the restoration of peace to the world.

Related Topics:
John the Evangelist - Patmos - Seven churches of Asia - End of the world - Satan - Armageddon - God's - Peace

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Revelation is considered one of the most controversial, (see Jonadabs) and hardest to understand books of the Bible, with many diverse interpretations of the meanings of the various names and events in the account. The identity of the author is also not clear. The traditional view is that the author of this book was John the Apostle, the same as the author of the Gospel of John and 1, 2 and 3 John, but other scholars doubt that. However, given the book's futurist eschatology (e.g. chs. 21-22), this view is very difficult to maintain when compared to the realised eschatology of the Johannine corpus, especially the Gospel of John itself.

Related Topics:
Jonadabs - John the Apostle - Gospel of John - 1 - 2 - 3 John - Eschatology

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In the 4th century, St. John Chrysostom and other bishops argued against including this book in the New Testament canon, chiefly because of the difficulties of interpreting it and the danger for abuse. Christians in Syria also reject it because of the Montanists' heavy reliance on it. In the 9th century it was included, with the Apocalypse of Peter among "disputed" books in the Stichometry of St. Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople. In the end, it was included in the accepted canon, although it remains the only book of the New Testament that is not read within the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Related Topics:
4th century - St. John Chrysostom - Bishops - Canon - Syria - Montanists - 9th century - Apocalypse of Peter - St. Nicephorus - Patriarch of Constantinople - Divine Liturgy - Eastern Orthodox Church

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Traditionally the date of the writing of this book has generally been fixed at the year A.D. 96, in the reign of Domitian. Others contend for an earlier date, A.D. 68 or 69, in the reign of Nero or shortly hereafter. Those who are in favour of the later date appeal to the external testimony of the Christian father Irenaeus (died A.D. 185), who received information relative to this book from those who had seen John face to face. He says that the Apocalypse "was seen no very long time since, but almost in our day, towards the end of Domitian's reign" (A.H. 5.30.3). Also internal evidence has been used to place it under Domitian, who according to Eusebius had started the persecution referred to in the book. However, recent scholars dispute that the book is situated in a time of on-going persecution and have also doubted the reality of a large-scale Domitian persecution, as there is no reference to such a persecution before Eusebius.

Related Topics:
A.D. - 96 - Domitian - 68 - 69 - Nero - Irenaeus - 185 - Eusebius - Persecution

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