Revelation rarely quotes directly from the Old Testament, yet almost every verse alludes to or echoes ideas of older scriptures. The predominant view is that Revelation alludes to the Old Testament, although it is difficult among scholars to agree on the exact number of allusions or the allusions themselves. While the dominant genre is apocalyptic, the author sees himself as a Christian prophet: Revelation uses the word in various forms 21 times, more than any other New Testament book. The entire book constitutes the prophecy-the letters to the seven individual churches are introductions to the rest of the book, which is addressed to all seven. The term apocalypse means the revealing of divine mysteries John is to write down what is revealed (what he sees in his vision) and send it to the seven churches. Revelation is an apocalyptic prophecy with an epistolary introduction addressed to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia. The beast with seven heads and the number 666 seem to allude directly to the emperor Nero (reigned AD 54–68), but this does not require that Revelation was written in the 60s, as there was a widespread belief in later decades that Nero would return. The book is commonly dated to about AD 95, as suggested by clues in the visions pointing to the reign of the emperor Domitian. 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. The author names himself as "John", but modern scholars consider it unlikely that the author of Revelation also wrote the Gospel of John. The name Revelation comes from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: ἀποκάλυψις ( apokalypsis), which means 'unveiling' or 'revelation'. Main articles: Authorship of the Johannine works and John of Patmos 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. Historicist interpretations see Revelation as containing a broad view of history while preterist interpretations treat Revelation as mostly referring to the events of the Apostolic Age (1st century), or, at the latest, the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. The obscure and extravagant imagery has led to a wide variety of Christian interpretations. He then describes a series of prophetic visions, including figures such as the Seven-Headed Dragon, the Serpent, and the Beast, which culminate in the Second Coming of Jesus. It begins with John, on the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea, addressing letters to the " Seven Churches of Asia". The book spans three literary genres: the epistolary, the apocalyptic, and the prophetic. The bulk of traditional sources date the book to the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian (AD 81–96), which evidence tends to confirm. Modern theological scholars characterize the Book of Revelation's author as " John of Patmos". Modern scholarship generally takes a different view, with many considering that nothing can be known about the author except that he was a Christian prophet. 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. The author names himself as simply "John" in the text, but his precise identity remains a point of academic debate. It occupies a central place in Christian eschatology. The Book of Revelation is the only apocalyptic book in the New Testament canon. Its title is derived from the first word of the Koine Greek text: apokalypsis, meaning 'unveiling' or 'revelation'. The Book of Revelation, also erroneously called the Book of Revelations, is the final book of the New Testament (and therefore the final book of the Christian Bible).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |