This article will conclude our series titled who wrote the new testament. The author of revelation is the apostle john, or as he called himself the disciple whom jesus loved. The apostle john wrote the book of revelation around the year ad 95 from his exile on the island of patmos. Mar 07, 2012 the book of ezra, for example, is another revelation written by a jewish prophet not a follower of jesus but very similar to johns in many ways and very grieved about the roman empire and. The book of revelation was written sometime around 96 ce in asia minor. The book of revelation, a prophecy of warning and hope.
Dionysius 248 ad, bishop of alexandria and disciple of origen, wrote that the book of revelation could have been written by cerinthus although he himself did not adopt the view that cerinthus was the writer. 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. John is the author of five books in the new testament. John found expression in the book of revelation, also called. In our study of the book of revelation, we must start out with the clear understanding thataside from changes and errors of translationit is as. Jun 04, 2014 the above gives us good reason to say that john the apostle wrote revelation. As with acts, revelation shows how the lord works with and through his servants.
So john, who wrote the book of revelation, was a secondgeneration disciple of jesus. Victorinus victorinus late third century, author of the earliest commentary on the book of revelation, wrote. The book of revelation up to the 2nd coming of christ, was written to warn the jewschristians in israel and throughout the middle east what was going to happen to them during the last days age which started at the resurrection of jesus christ, and really starts ramping up in 70 ad when rome levels jerusalem, as jesus speaking about the jews. Nov, 20 about the place where the author john writes there is little debate. The lord spoke, his servant heard, the word was written, and we now have the written record for our profit and blessing. The greek name of the bible book of revelation, apoka. He is also the author of the gospel of john, in which he identifies himself only in the third person, such the. He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches revelation 2. The question of the dating is trickier and impacts our understanding of the book a bit more. Book of revelation apocalypse written on patmos island. While its the only official biblical apocalypse book, revelation does have some apocryphal competition. Karlo broussard gives the reasons for why the most reasonable answer to the question who wrote the book of revelation. Book of revelation mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs.
The majority of scholars think that the book of revelation was written during the reign of domitian who claimed to be a god, and that would have just exacerbated the problems in asia minor where, in many of the cities that are addressed in the book of revelation, there were temples for the worship of the emperor. Who is johns audience in the book of revelation which he. John found expression in the book of revelation, also called the apocalypse, the last of the 27 canonical books. The book of revelation explained key facts and issues.
Those churches were in ephesus, smyrna, pergamum, thyatira, sardis, philadephia, and laodicea. The elder, the seer, and the apostle bible odyssey. 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. Revelation the book complete study of the book of revelation. 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. When john said these things, he was in the island of patmos, condemned to the mines by caesar domitian. The book of revelation lions leopards and bears oh my. Revelation to john appears to be a collection of separate units composed by unknown authors who lived during the last quarter of the 1st century, though it purports to have been written by an individual named johnwho calls himself the servant of jesusat patmos, in the aegean sea. This tradition is attested to by irenaeus against heresies, v, 30 and eusebius church history, iv. In the 11th chapter of the book of revelation john predicts the mission of two prophets who. 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.
The gospel of john this is where he identifies himself as the disciple whom jesus loved 1 john. This name indicates the meaning of revelation it uncovers matters that had been hidden and discloses events that would happen long after it was written. He begins by saying that god sent the visions he is going to relate to his servant john rev. While most modern scholars think the book of revelation was written by a christian prophet named john and not the apostle, the view that it was written by the. Book of revelation overview insight for living ministries. This book is filled with mysteries about things to come. Who wrote the book of revelation, and why are the letters to. How john wrote the book of revelation is a behindthescenes look at the literary process used to create the book of revelation. 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 the revelation of the lord jesus christ. But, who was it that penned the word of revelation. What are your thoughts on when the book was written since the preterists position rises and falls on when the book was written. Some scholars therefore refer to the author of revelation as john the seer or john of.
So it is extremely unlikely that the same person wrote all of these books. Aug 02, 2001 we conclude the series with a look at archaeological and historical evidence relating to the last book of the bible, revelation. Patmos was a quarry mine for the roman empire, and was home to. Nov 14, 2017 while revelation holds mysterious and frightening images of the endtimes, the book of revelation was written to be an encouragement to christians of all times.
The only other clue to the authors identity is that he states he received his visions while on the island of patmos rev. Jul 01, 2007 also, they both attack ireneaus for dating the book of revelation erroneously at 95 ad. The book of revelation was likely written between a. Tradition has considered this person to be john the apostle, the son of zebedee. The apostle john is the author of the book of revelation. Even though the book of revelation was finally included in the new testament canon because christian leaders came to think it had been written by jesus disciple, john the son of zebedee, there were outspoken dissenters against its inclusion. 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. It is common for people to say that john wrote the book in 9095 ad thus the revelation is still prophecy to a rapture in the future though if he was born around the time jesus was he would have been 90100 years old when he wrote it. Who wrote the book of revelation, and why are the letters. At almost the exact same time john was dictating his vision on patmos, someone was writing iv ezra. He begins the body of his book by saying that it is from john to the seven churches in asia rev. Some modern scholars characterize revelations author as a putative figure whom they call john of patmos. 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. However, a minority of senior clerics and scholars, such as eusebius, re.
The book of revelation was written by the apostle john. Jan 24, 2012 a good portion of the book of revelation is a prophecy of heavenly messengers coming to earth at a time beyond johns day. Christian tradition has considered the book of revelations writer to be john the evangelist, supposed author of the gospel of john. The apostle john, who wrote it under the inspiration of jesus christ revelation 1. The book of revelation is addressed to believers, his servants, of the churches in seven cities of the roman province of asia. Dating the composition of revelation is complicated, but nero a.
Early church and book of revelation church history 101. The author was probably a christian from ephesus known as john the elder. For whom was the book of revelation written and why. Information about the book of revelation apocalypse that was written by saint john in patmos island, dodecanese, greece. Prior to him writing the book, there was a time of. The two basic assumptions are that he either wrote it in the 60s during the reign of nero or the 90s during the reign of domitian. Oct 04, 2018 ive been asked about who wrote the book of revelation. John of patmos could be the author named as john in the book of revelation. Views revelation as describing events stretching from the time revelation was given to john up to the present, fulfilling the events of christian history with the final coming historicist views revelation as describing purely future time, the entire book will unfold as described sometime in the future. Most modern interpreters believe that revelation was written sometime during the reign of the roman emperor domitian 8196 ce. Book of revelation apocalypse written on patmos island greeka. John was banished to patmos matches what we find about the author of revelation 1.
Thus, revelation was not just for john and the saints of the seven churches but for other saints then and now. Feb, 2007 the tradition is that john wrote the book of revelation. The majority of scholars think that the book of revelation was written during the reign of domitian who claimed to be a god, and that would have just exacerbated the problems in asia minor where, in many of the cities that are addressed in the book of revelation. The text of revelation states that john was on patmos, a greek island where, by most biblical historians, he is considered to have been exiled as a result of antichristian persecution under the roman emperor domitian. The letters to the churches commend the churches but also warn the churches. The author of the book of revelation calls himself john rev. Here are some musings on it, the first part taken from my textbook on the new testament. The bulk of traditional sources date the book to the. However, the view that the book was written later in the firstcentury, most likely in the late 80s or early 90s holds greater strength. The island of patmos has been celebrated for almost the last 2,000 years as the place where the divine and godinspired book of revelation was written by saint john, one of the twelve apostles of jesus christ. The revelation of jesus christ was given to john by god to show his servants what must soon take place.
Pastors today would do well to take up a serious study of these with their congregations. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, revelation was not given to scare us. Those holding an older view for the dating of revelation promote the late 60s as the time the book was written. Indeed, as we will see, the book speaks to our period even more than that of the seven churches. The book is also written to all believers everywhere. The book of revelation presents itself as a prophetic, pastoral message that the church has come to recognize as an inspired word of god. 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.
When such messengers come and a written record is made of the visit and their message, automatically new scripture is formed. He regarded the apocalypse as the work of an inspired man but not of an apostle eusebius, church history vii. However, the true author of revelation is god and jesus christ is the one who have the revelation to an angel to. Patmos was a quarry mine for the roman empire, and was home to many political and religious prisoners or slaves.
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