John describes the Father as the “I am” but gives that Hebrew name a twist (Revelation 1:3). God is not the timelessly present One, but the one who is now and always, but who also was and who will be. In John’s rendering, “Yahweh” encompasses and identifies Himself . . . . Continue Reading »
In a revealing article tracing the Domitianic date of Revelation back to JB Lightfoot (who, ironically, agreed with the 19th-century consensus that the book was written before 70), Christian Wilson notes that confidence in a date in the 90s increased after the first generation of English . . . . Continue Reading »
Adela Yabro Collins ( Biblical Research , 1981) notes that the identification of Rome as “Babylon” was not the only or the most obvious identification available to John. It appears in Jewish writing in 4 Ezra, the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch, and the fifth book of the Sibylline Oracles. . . . . Continue Reading »
In a 2000 article in CBQ , Francois Bovon applies French literary critical studies of autobiography to the self-presentation of John in Revealtion. He points out that John’s self-identification in Revelation 1:9-10 tells us nothing about John’s distant past, age, education, or future. . . . . Continue Reading »
In an older article in CBQ , Elisabeth Fiorenza argues from Revelation 1:5f and 5:9f that “the author of the Apoc conceives of redemption and salvation in political-social categories and that he underlines the significance of the eschatological reservation for the sake of preventing salvation . . . . Continue Reading »
James Jordan points out that John gives seven titles to God in Revelation 1:4. There is a Trinitarian structure: “He who . . . Jesus Christ . . . seven Spirits.” That Trinitarian structure, though, unfolds in seven names, three for the Father, one for the Spirit, three for Jesus: 1. He . . . . Continue Reading »
In a 2003 article in Biblica , Thomas Slater gives reasons for re-thinking the common assignment of Revelation to the reign of Domitian. He begins with questions about Irenaeus’ accuracy. Irenaeus claims to have known Polycarp who knew John, but Slater argues that Polycarp would have been too . . . . Continue Reading »
Revelation 20:4: And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. In our sermon today, we’ve heard about how Moses set up a system of courts in Israel. This doesn’t surprise us. Israel, after all, was a nation, we might even think a “nation-state,” . . . . Continue Reading »
Joseph Mangina ( Revelation (Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible) ) makes this shrewd comment on the “visuality” of Revelation: “the Apocalypse is equally a book of auditions . . . . Revelation is a very loud book, situating us in the midst of an extraordinarily aural . . . . Continue Reading »
John’s gospel begins with a “book of signs,” the word semeion used sixteen times in the first 12 chapters and only once after (20:30). The last use of the noun in the book of signs occurs in 12:37, which speaks of the “signs” that Jesus performs to unbelieving Jews. . . . . Continue Reading »
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