An apocalyptic letter, it relies on visions, symbols, and old testament references to reveal the ultimate fulfillment. Having spoken of the apostle john as the author of revelation, lets turn to john s location and experience when he wrote the book. John s book, however, shows him working not only through the holy spirit but also and more directly through inspiration to the church leaders whom he symbolically lovingly cups in his hands. How john wrote the book of revelation is a behindthescenes look at the literary process used to create the book of revelation. 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. He wrote the gospel according to john, first, second and third john, and he was the penman of the book of the revelation of jesus christ. Since the roman era, christians and historians have considered the book of revelations writer to be the apostle john, author of the gospel of joh.
Although it encompasses much of prophecy, revelation is a very personal book the apostle john wrote to the seven churches regarding the vision he received from christ. When was the book of revelation written by the apostle john. The very fact that the author of the apocalypse simply calls himself john is a dead giveaway that he was well known throughout the churches in asia minor. The book of revelation is signed by a person named john, so. Book of revelation read, study bible verses online. This confirms the internal evidence of the book of revelation regarding the place where john wrote revelation. As a teenager, i remember being a bit frightened of the book of revelation. May 27, 2011 you should not confine your search for book of revelation source material to the old testament. So, the divine author of revelation is jesus christ and the human author is the apostle john. Patmos was a quarry mine for the roman empire, and was home to many political and religious prisoners or slaves. As a writer, the theory presented for how john wrote revelation taught me invaluable lessons about literary craft, and i began to think of things from a brand new.
The author names himself as john, but modern scholars consider it unlikely that the author of revelation also wrote the gospel of john. Someone recently asked me if the same author could have written both the book of revelation and the gospel of john. Traditionally, both books have been identified as coming from the same person, john the son. According to new world encyclopedia, the traditional view is that the john who wrote the book of john and the john who wrote revelation are the same guy. The apostle john, who wrote it under the inspiration of jesus christ revelation 1. Obviously, god is the ultimate author of the book of revelation. The book of revelation was written to seven churches as both encouragement and challenge. He begins the body of his book by saying that it is from john to the seven churches in asia rev. But say he did at least see a vision of the heavenly tabernacle first before writing. John was allegedly banished by the roman authorities to the greek island of patmos, where, according to tradition, he wrote the book of revelation. Aug 14, 2018 the writer of revelation identifies himself as john. All of his books were written later in life and after all the other books in the bible were recorded.
It seems that john received his visions and wrote his apocalypse while he was in exile on the island of patmos. This book cracks the mystery of the elaborate, and highly formulaic procedure john used, and gives readers the opportunity to observe how the book of revelation was written, line by line, as though they were peering over johns shoulder during the creation of it. Revelation introduction commentary peoples new testament. Most people know what i mean when i say john is the author of the book of revelation. And of course, the same god inspired both old testament prophecy and the book of. While there were skeptics, even early on, about the authorship of the text most. John the baptist was the son of elizabeth, marys cousin. Nov 14, 2017 this article will conclude our series titled who wrote the new testament. This book cracks the mystery of the elaborate, and highly formulaic procedure john used, and gives readers the opportunity to observe how the book of revelation was written, line by line, as though they were peering. The smell of acne face cleanser filled the room as i dove into mysterious depictions of fourfaced angels, beasts from the sea and land, of massive angels, and 100pound hailstones being hurled to the earth. The evidence against john the apostle being the author is minimal, and largely based on grammatical and writing style differences with the.
When was the book of revelation written by the apostle. How john wrote the book of revelation is a behind the scenes look at the literary process used to create the book of revelation. The apostle john is the author of the book of revelation. Apostle john was supposedly exiled to the greek island. It is john, who states, salvation is from the jews john 4.
The book of revelation also called the revelation of john or the revelation of st. For he doesnt call himself the disciple whom the lord lovedas happens often in the gospelnor does he say that he was the one who leaned on jesus breast or that he was the brother of. Is john the baptist different from john of the book of. The book of revelation was likely written between a. Johns book, however, shows him working not only through the holy spirit but also and more directly through inspiration to the church leaders whom he symbolically lovingly cups in his hands.
To agree with bill, revelation shows that john was given a vision of the heavenly tabernacle. 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. If so, john penned much of the new testament, with only paul and luke writing more than him. Apr 24, 2016 karlo broussard gives the reasons for why the most reasonable answer to the question who wrote the book of revelation. 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. It is claimed that revelation must have been penned before a. The other john was also a cousin of jesus, through marys sister salome and so was als.
The text of revelation states that john was on patmos, a greek island where. His literary style is quite different to the writer of johns gospel, as is his image of god. Is the book of john, john 1,2,3 and revelation all. You should not confine your search for book of revelation source material to the old testament. It appears that the book of revelation was written by someone called john, while on the island of patmos revelation 1. John of patmos could be the author named as john in the book of revelation, the apocalyptic text forming the final book of the new testament. While i didnt always think so, the evidence now forces me to conclude that john wrote revelation around 90 a. Four times the author identifies himself as john 1. The author or revelation wrote in order to resolve this. The book of revelation, a prophecy of warning and hope.
The theory in this book is solidly and expertly proven, and presented in an approachable way. For john, alone and desolate on patmos, the last supper could have been the last normal moment in his life. Who did john write to in the book of revelation answers. Karlo broussard gives the reasons for why the most reasonable answer to the question who wrote the book of revelation. To this it may be replied that no new testament writer shows a stronger jewish feeling than is found in johns gospel. Yes, they are two different people who shared a very common name. Apr, 2011 finally, while there is little to commend the notion that a shadowy figure named john the elder wrote the book of revelation, there is ample evidence that it was written by john the apostle. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant john.
The book of revelation was written sometime around 96 ce in asia minor. Some writers, however, have advanced the preterist from a latin word meaning that which is past view, contending that the apocalypse was penned around a. Three angels broadcasting network 3abn 2,115,778 views 58. The vision or its account may or may not have been symbolic imagery. John of patmos also called john the revelator, john the divine, john the theologian, and possibly john the apostle. I believe that the mortal wound to the head of the beast is an allusion to this event in josephus wars of the jews, book 5, chapter, paragraph 3. It was written neither by paul nor by the apostle john. Is this the same john who wrote the gospel account and three letters. There are writings in the apocrypha midtestament books, not included in the noncatholic bible which refer to john the apostle and the exile to patmos. John, writer of the book of revelation revelation was written by someone called john, but it is not the same man as wrote johns gospel. Then that would make john the apostle around 90 years old when the revelation to john was written in a era when most people didnt reach 60. This summary of the book of revelation provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of revelation. The john of revelation was very knowledgeable of the old testament, the activities of christ, and the mid books sometimes called the apocrypha. Johns visions reveal that jesus has overcome evil by his death and resurrection, and will return one day as the true king of the world.
This is a fascinating book and im grateful that i got the opportunity to read it. The revelation of the lord in chapter one also teaches us much about the nature and qualifications of the one who heads the church and drives history. Having spoken of the apostle john as the author of revelation, lets turn to johns location and experience when he wrote the book. The revelation of jesus christ was given to john by god to show his servants what must soon take place. The text of revelation states that john was on patmos, a greek island where, by most biblical historians, he is considered to be exiled as a result of antichristian persecution under the roman emperor domitian.
It may not matter to you who wrote the book of revelation, but you cant say that it doesnt matter. The apocalyptic book of revelation is a symbolic glimpse. Tradition has long held that john the apostle, whom we have seen penned the fourth gospel and the three letters attributed to him, wrote the last book of scripture. Traditionally, the book of revelation has been dated near the end of the first century, around a. The apocalyptic book of revelation is a symbolic glimpse into. Speaking of the apocalypse from the previous post giving that odd video. Apr 16, 2011 obviously, god is the ultimate author of the book of revelation.
How similar is the book of revelation to old testament prophetic literature. He wrote it when he was about 92 years old, while a prisoner of rome on the remote desert penal colony of patmos, an island in the aegean sea. Revelation to john, also called book of revelation or apocalypse of john, last book of the new testament. John, the writer of the book of revelation, sets out to tell his readers something vital about the paradox of the days and years ahead. He begins by saying that god sent the visions he is going to relate to his servant john rev. We conclude the series with a look at archaeological and historical evidence relating to the last book of the bible, revelation. John the divine is an example of apocalyptic writing a form that delivers a message using symbols, images and numbers.
Finally, while there is little to commend the notion that a shadowy figure named john the elder wrote the book of revelation, there is ample evidence that it was written by john the apostle. When john wrote the book of revelation, he drew heavily from the old testament prophets, and quoted them frequently. The seven churches of revelation were real, physical congregations when the apostle john wrote this bewildering last book of the bible around 95 ad, but many scholars believe the passages have a second, hidden meaning. Parts of the old testament, particularly in the book of daniel, are also written in the apocalyptic genre. It is the only book of the new testament classified as apocalyptic literature rather than didactic or historical, indicating thereby its extensive use of visions, symbols, and allegory, especially in connection with future events. Mar 19, 2019 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. The writer of revelation identifies himself as john. From as early as justin martyr in the second century a.
While church tradition has attributed the gospel of john, the letters of john, and the book of revelation to the same authorjohn the apostle and son of zebedeeinternal and external evidence may require us to attribute them to other individuals who may or may not have also been named john. The name revelation comes from the first word of the book in koine greek. For whom was the book of revelation written and why. Some of the church fathers, late in the second century believed that this john was probably the apostle john, and for that reason sought to have the book considered as canonical. Symbolic language, however, is one of the chief characteristics of apocalyptic literature, of which this book is an. The book of revelation is signed by a person called john, writing from the island of patmos, near greece. This obviously lent a lot of weight to the final book of the bible, if someone as important as one of the original 12 disciples wrote it. Since the apostle john wrote it, the whole book could be taken, not just as an apocalypse conveying a message of comfort and exhortation in extreme times, but as an expression of vindicated grief.
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