The only way it makes sense is if john is very old, like 100 years old, having outlived all the other apostles. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, revelation was not given to scare us. 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. Which of the following is a unique feature of the book of revelation. Irenaes, eusebius and still others, again according to the catholic encyclopedia, all agree that john left the isle of patmos where he was banished for preaching the gospel see revelation 1. The beginning of the bible genesis 111 is a prologue describing the downfall of mankind and his separation from god.
So, the divine author of revelation is jesus christ and the human author is the apostle john. Irenaeus seems to be unaware of any other view for the date of the book of revelation. John exiled to patmos amazing bible timeline with world. The fact is the book of revelation was written before before jerusalem fell as hyper creedalist ken gentry shows in his book. The john of revelation was very knowledgeable of the old testament, the activities of christ, and the mid books sometimes called the apocrypha. This is known as the quick fix of 96 for if revelation was written under domitians reign then the preterist view has a problem. The seven named churches of asia, and the entire church of christ.
The person who wrote the gospel according to john and the book of revelation was beheaded. They are believers who died as martyrs during the tribulation. The apostle john was later freed, possibly due to old age, and he returned to what is now turkey. Tradition says that this was after john had been sentenced to death by martyrdom. So part of revelation was written between ad 64 and ad 68 when john would have been released on the death of the emperor. 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. The book of revelation mentions the temple still standing in chapter 11. The last living original disciple then spent his remaining days in ephesus until he died somewhere around the close of the first century. John of patmos also called john the revelator, john the divine or john the theologian. Those holding an older view for the dating of revelation promote the late 60s as the time the book was written. Did the same person write the gospel of john and the book. Many have considered the book of revelation to be a sealed book and unable to be understood.
He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant john. Here, at the end of the book of revelation, john recorded the exact same message that he did in chapter 1. The book of the revelation was written about the vision that john saw while banished to the greek island of patmos on the aegean sea. The book of revelation was written sometime around 96 ce in asia minor. John and the book of revelation a bible study in easy. This is not indeed absolute proof, but it furnishes strong presumptive evidence in favor of the opinion that the book of revelation was written by the apostle john. 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. John was known to the people as john the baptist, and on the lords day, april 20, 33 ad, john the baptist was in spirit, dead. However, the view that the book was written later in the firstcentury, most likely in the late 80s or early 90s holds greater strength.
According to one commentary on papiass writings, john was killed by a. In john s letters to the seven churches this is the category that describes the phrase he who has an earhear. Contextually, since the subject is him who saw the apocalypse, the likelihood of this being a reference to john still living is actually greater than that of it being a reference to 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. No warnings to flee the destruction of jerusalem which was only 48 years away when john supposedly wrote the book before ad 70. It opens with a promise of blessing for those who read it. Eusebius asserted papias referred to two johns and the second wrote revelation.
How did john the author of the book of revelation in the. We may never know when the book of revelation was written, but it does seem to have been written. The text of revelation states that john was on patmos. Remember, as we saw above, this is the main episode of revelation. Most definitely the gospel of john was written before the destruction of jerusalem ad 70 as references are made within the book to structures existing before that siege of jerusalem. The apostle john was the author of the gospel with his name on it as well as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd john and then what might have been his last book, the book of revelation. Who was the emperor of rome when john wrote the book of revelation.
When john was very old, his disciples carried him about. However, the word revelation comes from the greek name apokalypsis, which means a disclosure, a revelation or manifestation and to be revealed. For 1,700 years scholars have struggled with a quotation of papias given by eusebius. The book of revelation dates from the first century ad. Here is where john introduces the main character of the book.
The book of revelation is rooted in the old testament. No mention of future destruction of jerusalem, which for fullpreterists is odd, since john writes the entire book of revelation about it and the topic would be front and center. May 17, 20 erika grey the book of revelation comments off on why god chose john to write the revelation advertisement john was the youngest apostle and the only one to live to old age becoming the oldest living apostle in the bible. It contains more than 500 allusions to the old testament, and 278 of the 404 verses in revelation that is almost 70% make some reference to the old testament. He places the book near the end of domitians reign, and that ruler died in a. John s visions reveal that jesus has overcome evil by his death and resurrection, and will return one day as the true king of the world. The book of revelation was written to seven churches as both encouragement and challenge. As revelation was clearly written no earlier than the end of the first century, it became necessary to explain how the apostle john survived to such a great age. The whole history of polycarp, and his testimony to the books of the new testament, may. Many today conclude this second john also wrote john s gospel. The gospel of john appears to have been written during the early part of the second century. If so, john penned much of the new testament, with only paul and luke writing more than him. Advocates of a late date take it as proof of the book being written around 91ad but iraneaus never explicitly says so. Another theory concerning johns death is associated with a secondcentury bishop named papias of hierapolis.
An apocalyptic letter, it relies on visions, symbols, and old testament references to reveal the ultimate fulfillment. Karlo broussard gives the reasons for why the most reasonable answer to the question who wrote the book of revelation. Book of revelation written in 96ad, proves the gentile. For example, 1 john is probably some of the easiest greek in the new testament its often said to students of biblical greek that its a good book to practise your reading on, while revelation looks like it was written by someone who was still learning the language and having great difficulties with it its a real headache to translate. Dating the book of revelation church of christ articles. Revelation, apocalypse, john, patmos, nero, domitian. Kim mark lewis presents a fascinating theory of how john wrote the book of revelation. John mark is an unlikely candidate, for no early christian writer believed he wrote revelation, and his book is identified by his surname rather than by the name john. When rome had exiled john to patmos, he was the last remaining member of the twelve disciples of jesus christ. An apocalyptic book describing the revelation jesus christ gave to john. The apocalyptic book of revelation is a symbolic glimpse. They point out incorrectly that revelation was written in 95 or 96 a. John, the disciple of jesus, was banished to patmos during the latter years of his life. Who wrote gospel of john, epistles of john and the.
Revelation was written before the temple was destroyed, before the events in the gospels happened. Again and again, he told christians to love one another. John, the apostle, while in exile on the isle of patmos, 1. The evidence against john the apostle being the author is minimal, and largely based on grammatical and writing style differences with the. The book of revelation, often called the book of revelations, revelation to john, the apocalypse of john, the revelation, or simply revelation, the revelation of jesus christ from its opening words or the apocalypse, is the final book of the new testament, and therefore also the final book of the christian bible. Was john the writer of revelation boiled in oil before.
Dating the book of revelation january 9, 2012 by steve hamilton the date when the book of revelation was written has been a controversial subject for centuries. His life appears on the bible timeline chart between then and 100 ad. Was the book of john written first or the book of revelation. Even if you disagree with his conclusions, you will find this book an incredible read. The book of revelation, a prophecy of warning and hope. It is this bible students belief that revelation was written by john after the destruction of jerusalem, during the reign of emperor vespasian and that it refers chiefly to the great roman persecution of the church which occurred after the destruction of jerusalem. The aegean island of patmos off the west coast of asia minor.
John court, myth and history in the book of revelation. There was also a john who was a relative of annas the high priest acts 4. Why god chose john to write the revelation prophecy talk. The testimony of irenaeus, not far removed from the apostolic age, is first rate. His insight brings a sense of order to a book that has mystified scholar and lay reader for centuries.
65 1146 655 1064 424 1082 377 968 732 1346 756 638 860 921 514 1091 1098 424 266 279 952 344 1266 50 670 216 234 1025 914 1123 1217 1419 105 1177 981 1238 82 788 1445 920 256