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The Book of Revelation
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About seventy years after the death of Jesus, John of Patmos sent visionary messages to Christians in seven cities of western Asia Minor. These messages would eventually become part of the New Testament canon, as The Book of Revelation. What was John's message? What was its literary form?Did he write to a persecuted minority or to Christians enjoying the social and material benefits of the Roman Empire? In search of answers to these penetrating questions, Thompson critically examines the language, literature, history, and social setting of the Book of the Apocalypse. Following adiscussion of the importance of the genre apocalypse, he closely analyzes the form and structure of the Revelation, its narrative and metaphoric unity, the world created through John's visions, and the social conditions of the empire in which John wrote. He offers an unprecedented interpretation ofthe role of boundaries in Revelation, a reassessment of the reign of the Emperor Domitian, and a view of tribulation that integrates the literary vision of Revelation with the reality of the lives of ordinary people in a Roman province. Throughout his study, Thompson argues that the language ofRevelation joins the ordinary to the extra-ordinary, earth to heaven, and local conditions to supra-human processes.
John's Use of the Old Testament in Revelation
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This book explores the variety of ways John contextually uses the Old Testament in the Apocalypse. The introduction surveys and evaluates recent studies, which have been divided over the issue of whether or not John uses the Old Testament with sensitivity to its original literary context (Beale, Fekkes and Bauckham argue in the affirmative, while Ruiz and Moyise contend that this was not John's focus and see implications for'reader-response criticism'). The remainder of the book looks at various ways in which John uses the Old Testament and argues that there is a reciprocal interpretative relationship between the Old Testament and the Apocalypse. Studies of special interest concern the bearing of the Old Testament on Revelation's eschatology, on the issue of the millennium, and on the thorny problem of the grammatical solecisms.
Making Sense of the Book of Revelation
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As the author of this study remarks, the Book of Revelation stirs powerful emotions. It can fascinate, inspire and mystify, while it can also repel the reader with its images of violence. Competing voices today cry out for us to accept their interpretation. Some claim that the book is a road map for future events, others that it is a plea for justice for the oppressed. The author sets out to provide a guide for the perplexed, setting the book in the context of its time and showing that it remains an encouragement for Christians facing opposition and hostility in any age. In a straightforward way the author explores the colorful and often puzzling imagery of the book, tracing its origins in the Old Testament and other literature, and highlighting the message that Christ is the Lord of the world who will overcome all evil. In an exceptionally clear style, the author roots the book in history, finds its message for today, and opens up its assurance of hope for the future.
A New Heaven and a New Earth
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In this book the author attempts to move beyond merely identifying and substantiating OT allusions in Revelation to considering how the presence of OT allusions and echoes affects reading Rev. 21.1-22.5 and how the OT functions within the context of the entire work. The author concludes that a variety of semantic effects are evoked by the author's continuous intertextual appeal to the OT: new creation, new exodus, new Jerusalem, new covenant, bridge, new temple-priesthood, paradise restored and renewed, inclusion of the nations, prophetic legitimization. The numerous allusions function to shape the reader's perception of eschatological hope.
The Old Testament in the Book of Revelation
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This book explores the relationship between the new context that John provides for his allusions and their context in the Old Testament. For example, did John choose texts to meet the needs of the recipients or did his meditation on the scriptures give him a unique insight into their situation? Ramsay held that local knowledge led to John's choice of texts whereas Beale believed that Revelation is a midrash on Daniel. Both are one-sided, as a study of John's use of Ezekiel shows. John based a number of his incidents on Ezekiel, in much the same order. Nevertheless, there are also major discontinuities, such as his denial of the very thing-the temple-that Ezekiel 40-48 is all about. To do justice to John's use of the Old Testament requires an interactive model, which involves the use of scripture at Qumran and the concept of intertextuality. Moyise shows John to be a master of combining and juxtaposing images.
Reading the Book of Revelation
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The Apocalypse lends itself to multivalent readings, and this volume fills a gap for students and scholars by discussing how different methods apply to readings. Using historical, literary, and social analysis in combination with strategies such as social-conflict theory, philosophy, women's studies, ethics, history of religions, postcolonial studies, and popular culture, the essays in this volume focus on specific texts and show not only how each helps interpret the text but also how diverse methods produce divergent readings of a text. Developed as a classroom resource for undergraduates, this work will also prove useful to graduate students, religious leaders, and others who wish to explore how methods shape our understandings of various texts, including Revelation.
Revelation 21-22 in Light of Jewish and Greco-Roman Utopianism
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In Revelation 21-22 in Light of Jewish and Greco-Roman Utopianism, Eric J. Gilchrest offers a creative and compelling reading of Revelation 21-22 as understood through the lenses of ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish utopianism.
The War Between the Two Beasts and the Two Witnesses
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Siew seeks to examine the events that will unfold within the three and a half years before the dawn of the kingdom of God on earth. He argues that John composed the textual unit of Rev 11:1--14:5 as a coherent and unified literary unit structured in a macro-chiasm. He pays special attention to the fusion of form and content and seeks to elucidate how the concentric and chiastic pattern informs the meaning of the literary units within 11:1--14:5, and proposes that the text of 11:1--14:5 is best analyzed using Hebraic literary conventions, devices, and compositional techniques such as chiasm, parallelism, parataxis, and structural parallelism. The macro-chiastic pattern provides the literary-structural framework for John to portray that the events of the last three and a half years unfold on earth as a result of what transpires in heaven. Specifically, the war in heaven between Michael and the dragon has earthly ramifications. The outcome of the heavenly war where Satan is defeated and thrown out of heaven to earth results in the war on earth between the two beasts of Rev 13 and the two witnesses of Rev 11. The narrative of the war in heaven (12:7-12) is seen as the pivot of the macro-chiastic structure. Siew pays close attention to the time-period of the three-and-a-half years as a temporal and structural marker which functions to unite the various units in 11:1--14:5 into a coherent and integral whole. The events of the last days will be centred in Jerusalem.
The Book of Revelation
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Summary: The key to understanding the message of Revelation is found in this intricate relationship between the seven "letters" and the rest of the book, with the visions of Revelation 4-22 building on, fleshing out, and driving home the messages to the seven churches in Revelations 2-3. In the end, revelation proves to be not primarily a guide to how things are going to unfold at the end of the age, but rather a profound call to a life of radical devotion to Jesus regardless of one's circumstances.
The Book of Revelation
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John Paul Heil presents an original analysis of the theme of worship in the book of Revelation guided by a new illustration of its comprehensive chiastic structure. The worship that Revelation exhorts and enables is in the divine Spirit of prophetic witness against all forms of idolatrous worship on earth in favor of a true, heavenly, and universal worship of the Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb, for an eternal and heavenly life. The audience begins this worship in the eucharistic supper into which Revelation leads them by inviting them to respond to the promise of Jesus, "Yes, I am coming soon" with "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus" They thereby affirm and welcome the coming of the Lord Jesus, the exalted sacrificial Lamb, to the eucharistic supper that anticipates his final coming and the divine grace, the gift of eternal life, of the Lord Jesus that is intended to be the destiny of all -"The grace of the Lord Jesus with all"
The Heart of Revelation
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Summary: "In this thematic approach to Revelation, Duvall reveals its ten most important themes, allowing readers to focus on the vision of hope Revelation provides. Rather than discussing different views of the end times, Duvall points us toward the major biblical themes of God, worship, the people of God, the Holy Spirit, our mission, the Lamb of God, judgment, perseverance, and more, allowing readers to understand and apply the message of Revelation here and now."-- Amazon.com.
The Identities of the Beast from the Sea and the Beast from the Land in Revelation 13
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This book aims to identify the beast from the sea and the beast from the land in Revelation 13 by studying their unique link together with the dragon in Revelation 12: the land beast is subordinate to the sea beast, which in turn is subordinate to the dragon. The early sections of the book provide a review of previous scholarship, the influence of Daniel 7 in understanding Revelation 13, and the Leviathan-Behemoth motif in several apocalyptic writings. The core of the book, however, seeks to demonstrate that the relationship of the two beasts and the dragon fits well with the tripartite hierarchy that Georges Dumezil has discovered as one of the dominant structures of relationships in Indo-European mythological traditions. In congruence with the criteria of the three hierarchical levels in Dumezil's system, the dragon concerns the ultimate sovereignty in a supernatural sphere, while the sea beast and land beast are found, respectively, as a warlike figure in a war context and as a figure relating to the economic theme. Based on this finding, the book concludes that the two beasts represent the imperial power and the imperial cult, as most commentators believe. ""Joseph Poon shows how complex notions of empire can be when we think about the structures of thought involved with ancient imperialism and how they are negotiated in Revelation. But this book also shows how interdisciplinary interests can benefit conventional exegesis in his close reading of Revelation 13. Anyone working on empire and Revelation, as well as understanding of the beasts in Revelation, ought to think carefully about the arguments presented here."" --James Crossley, Professor, St. Mary's University London ""The underlying structure of Revelation 12-13 is often seen as a puzzle that biblical and extrabiblical literature cannot adequately explain. In this refreshing monograph, Poon examines the tripartite ideologies of Indo-European traditions to locate the two beasts and the dragon of these chapters within this same tripartite structure. In so doing, Poon offers a fresh and insightful work that should be required reading for all working on the book of Revelation. Highly recommended."" --Mark T. Finney, Program Director for Religion, Theology and the Bible, Department of History, University of Sheffield Joseph Poon earned his master's of divinity degree from McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, in 2007, and his PhD in biblical studies from the University of Sheffield in 2012. He is currently pursuing further research training in ancient history and classics.
Interpreting Revelation and Other Apocalyptic Literature
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With historic events seeming to burgeon with signs of the last days, the study of apocalyptic literature--that which is concerned with the end of history as we know it and the coming kingdom of God--has become increasingly relevant. C. Marvin Pate provides a guide to the distinctive content, form, and function of apocalyptic books for those who are interested in exegesis of biblical apocalyptic materials and related literature outside of the Bible. Pate considers the background of Old Testament apocalyptic literature, such as Daniel, demonstrating its foundational role for properly understanding the New Testament discussions. He also elucidates the tie that binds all apocalyptic writing together--the coming restoration of Israel--before delving into his main emphasis on Revelation and other New Testament writings. Key principles of interpretation specific to this genre are provided for the reader, as well as steps to communicate the theological messages of biblical apocalyptic literature to a modern audience often anxious about the implications of the end times. Beyond a basic grounding in the field, Pate's in-depth explanations also include new insights into the texts, such as viewing the Roman triumphal entry as the key background to the book of Revelation. Designed for pastors, students, and informed laity, Interpreting Revelation and Other Apocalyptic Literature ensures that readers will gain a foundational understanding of the material, thereby sidestepping the pitfalls of interpreting this literature by the standards of other biblical genres or avoiding the genre altogether due to its complexity.
Magical Motifs in the Book of Revelation
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Rodney Thomas addresses the question of whether the book of Revelation was written as an 'anti-magical' polemic and explores the concept and definition of 'magic' from both modern and first-century standpoints. Thomas presents the first century as a time dominated by belief in spiritual forces and magical activity which the author of Revelation sought to put into proper perspective. This aim was achieved through a variety of highly creative literary techniques which Thomas examines in this book. At times it is possible to argue that unacceptable magical practices are condemned by being labelled as farmakeia. At other times such practices are carefully placed within the context of Israel's ancient enemies. In addition standard polemical material against magical practices Thomas asserts that it is also possible to identify instances where the author of Revelation wholly appropriates imagery commonly associated with 'magic' and recasts it into a new Christian context. As a result it is possible to view the magical motifs within Revelation as weighty polemic aimed against certain practices and beliefs in the first century.
Reading Revelation in Context
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Summary: "Reading Revelation in Context brings together short, accessible essays by a team of over 20 top scholars that compare and contrast the visions and apocalyptic imagery of the book of Revelation with various texts from Second Temple Jewish literature"-- Provided by publisher.
Revelation
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This three-part study covers the history of interpretation, theological foundations, and exegesis. Copious illustrations from the author's worldwide travels enhance discussion of Rome's emperors, empire, and ideology as the premier horizon for understanding John's immediate context and meaning. Distinctive contributions include Stevens' effort to re-canonize Revelation by insisting on gospel concord, methodically interpreting all of Revelation through the lens of the seven churches and showing how Revelation's imagery consistently relates more to the incarnation than the Parousia. Stevens bypasses traditional millennial options to argue that Revelation is "passion-millennial"-the passion of Jesus predicates the passion of the church. Under Stevens' hands, Revelation becomes eminently sensible to the original audience and powerfully pertinent for today's church.
Revelation and the Politics of Apocalyptic Interpretation
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Summary: John's apocalyptic revelation tends to be read either as an esoteric mystery or a breathless blueprint for the future. Missing, though, is how Revelation is the most visually stunning and politically salient text in the canon. Revelation and the Politics of Apocalyptic Interpretation explores the ways in which Revelation, when read as the last book in the Christian Bible, is in actuality a crafted and contentious word. Senior scholars, including N.T. Wright, Richard Hays, Marianne Meye Thompson, and Stephan Alkier, reveal the intricate intertextual interplay between this apocalyptically charged book, its resonances with the Old Testament, and its political implications. In so doing, the authors show how the church today can read Revelation as both promise and critique.
Revelations
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Summary: A world-renowned scholar of religion and bestselling author of "The Gnostic Gospels, Beyond Belief," and" Reading Judas" explores the strangest and most controversial book in the Bible: the Book of Revelation.
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Revelation
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Summary: The book of Revelation is perhaps the most theologically complex and literarily sophisticated document in the New Testament. In this commentary John Christopher Thomas's literary and exegetical analysis makes the challenging text of Revelation more accessible and easier to understand. Frank Macchia follows up with sustained theological essays on the book's most significant themes and issues, accenting especially the underappreciated place of the Holy Spirit in the theology of Revelation. - Amazon.
For more ecommentaries go to the Ecommentaries page or click here.
The Book of Revelation
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G. K. Beale’s monumental New International Greek Testament Commentary volume on Revelation has been highly praised since its publication in 1999. This shorter commentary distills the superb grammatical analysis and exegesis from that tome (over 1,300 pages) into a book more accessible and pertinent to preachers, students, and general Christian readers. As in the original commentary, Beale views Revelation as an integrated whole, as a conscious continuation of the Old Testament prophetic books, and shows that recognizing Revelation’s nearly constant use of Old Testament allusions is key to unlocking its meaning. Interspersed throughout the volume are more than sixty sets of “Suggestions for Reflection” to help readers better grasp the relevance of Revelation to their lives and our world today.
Revelation
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The Book of Revelation is a remarkable text. A fascinating piece of Scripture as well as an extraordinary piece of literature, its interpretation has affected our theology, art and worship, and even international politics. Yet it is widely neglected in the church and almost entirely avoided from the pulpit. In this Tyndale Commentary, Ian Paul takes a disciplined approach to the text, paying careful attention to the ways that John draws from the Old Testament. Additionally, Paul examines how the original audience would have heard this message from John, and then draws helpful comments for contemporary reflection. The Tyndale Commentaries are designed to help the reader of the Bible understand what the text says and what it means. The Introduction to each book gives a concise but thorough treatment of its authorship, date, original setting, and purpose. Following a structural Analysis, the Commentary takes the book section by section, drawing out its main themes, and also comments on individual verses and problems of interpretation. Additional Notes provide fuller discussion of particular difficulties. In the new Old Testament volumes, the commentary on each section of the text is structured under three headings: Context, Comment, and Meaning. The goal is to explain the true meaning of the Bible and make its message plain.
