For chiltons view to make sense, it is vital that the book of revelation must have been written before ad70. That obstacle is the date when book of revelation was written or more appropriately when the vision was seen by john. The writing of the new testament john and revelation. The muratorian fragment, an early document listing most of the books belonging to the new testament, states that the apostle john wrote the apocalypse or revelation. John found expression in the book of revelation, also called the apocalypse, the last of the 27 canonical books of the new testament.
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. 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 on his mind that is only 24 year away. The theory in this book is solidly and expertly proven, and presented in an approachable way. The gospel of john appears to have been written during the early part of the second century. If you were a religious or political prisoner because the roman emperor disagreed with you, you were released when the emperor died. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant john. Aug 28, 2017 john the apostle wrote revelation about 95 ad. He begins the body of his book by saying that it is from john to the seven churches in asia rev. Was the book of revelation written before the gospel of john. Four times the author identifies himself as john 1. When was the book of revelation written by the apostle john. Religious studies center, brigham young university, forthcoming. One gospel, three letters, and the book of revelation are all attributed to john. The apostle john, who wrote it under the inspiration of jesus christ revelation 1.
Perhaps more than any other new testament book, the date for the writing of revelation is important for interpreting the book. Revelation to john, also called book of revelation or apocalypse of john, last book of the new testament. 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. Speaking of the apocalypse from the previous post giving that odd video. The next thing that we need to look at is the woman found in chapters 17 and 18. Note that each of them required some additional designation to distinguish them from others with the same name. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, revelation was not given to scare us. Book of revelation apocalypse written on patmos island greeka. 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. This work offered an explanation for the holocaust of 70 c. Traditionally, the book of revelation has been dated near the end of the first century, around a. Who wrote revelations john the disciple or john the. He wrote it when he was about 92 years old, while a prisoner of rome on the remote desert penal.
John taylors revelations are outlined in this essay. Was the book of john written first or the book of revelation. Therefore, the book of revelation must have been written before that event. 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 descipled all four regularly, although neither mark nor luke were one of the first 12 apostles named by jesus. So, the divine author of revelation is jesus christ and the human author is the apostle john. 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. 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 jewish original version of revelation or apocalypse of john, much more coherent than the final one, was written very likely in greek late 70 or 71 c. Some translations title the book the revelation of st. This is a fascinating book and im grateful that i got the opportunity to read it. If it could be demonstrated that revelation were written 25 years after the fall of jerusalem, chiltons entire work would go up in smoke. It is well known that domitian had a fondness for this type of persecution. The book of revelation was written by the apostle john revelation 1. Feb 22, 2014 the book of revelation dramatized version and written kjv praise and worship.
The book of revelation is the final book of the new testament, and consequently is also the. Book of revelation read, study bible verses online. Traditionally, the book of revelation has been dated near the end of the first. However, the view that the book was written later in the firstcentury, most likely in the late 80s or early 90s holds greater strength. Some scholars therefore refer to the author of revelation as john the seer or john of. Did the same person write the gospel of john and the book of. It is said that jesus claimed john would live to be an old man, and as an old man he would see jesus return to earth or at least john would see a glimpse of jesus second coming, a supposed reference to johns visions recorded in the book of the 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. The book of revelation, a prophecy of warning and hope. The book of revelation was written sometime around 96 ce in asia minor.
The book of revelation dramatized version and written kjv praise and worship. John was writing to much the same audience as with his gospel. If so, john penned much of the new testament, with only paul and luke writing more than him. John of patmos also called john the revelator, john the divine, john the theologian, and possibly john the apostle. Revelation 1 niv prologue the revelation from jesus. 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. 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.
Was revelation written before or after the destruction of. Book of revelation apocalypse written on patmos island. So it is extremely unlikely that the same person wrote all of these books. 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. Matthew, mark, luke, and john, all 4 thrived during jesus life, ministry, death, resurrection and beyond. Bible question when you read revelation, nowhere in the book does it state that john is in exile or imprisoned. Someone recently asked me if the same author could have written both the book of revelation and the gospel of john. John of patmos could be the author named as john in the book of revelation, the apocalyptic text forming the final book of. We may never know when the book of revelation was written, but. This summary of the book of 1 john provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of 1 john. This john was probably a jew writing in greek but thinking in hebrew or aramaic. If, however, this persecution is dated in the time of nero, how does one account for the fact that peter and paul are murdered.
Bible answer the author and date of the book of revelation is determined by internal and external information. Today most scholars date the book of revelation to late in the first. The apostle john is the author of the book of revelation. The book of revelation dramatized and written kjv the book of revelationdramatized kjv. Another internal evidence of a late date is that this book was penned while john was banished to patmos 1. 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. Oct 23, 2017 for chiltons view to make sense, it is vital that the book of revelation must have been written before ad70. 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. For whom was the book of revelation written and why. Revelation to john, last book of the new testament. One of his fellow postmillennialists, kenneth gentry, writes. The book of revelation by john the apostle bible probe. The author of the book of revelation identifies himself as john, and the book has been traditionally credited to john the apostle.
We read about several johns in the new testament, including john the baptist and john the apostle, the son of zebedee. The greek name of the bible book of revelation, apoka. From as early as justin martyr in the second century a. We may never know when the book of revelation was written, but it does seem to have been written in. Who wrote revelations john the disciple or john the baptist. 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 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. This yields our basic outline of the work, as follows. When was the book of revelation written by the apostle. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant john, 2 who testifies to everything he sawthat is, the word of god and the testimony of jesus christ. Early church history states that during one of the many persecutions the romans tried to boil john is oil but he.
A complete annotated transcription of these revelations will be published in richard neitzel holzapfel, christopher c. That is the internal evidence of the book and the external testimony of early church fathers. First, he was writing again for the churches of asia i. Note that this could have been in reference to the book of revelation being circulated widely seen by many, in reference to john still being alive last seen, or a reference to the dating of the book itself being written. Aug 02, 2001 the apostle john, who wrote it under the inspiration of jesus christ revelation 1. If the book was written in the 90s, then the immediate background for the book is persecution of christians under domitian. John found expression in the book of revelation, also called the apocalypse, the last of the 27. The book of revelation dramatized version and written kjv. It is important to take this into consideration when studying the last days. The first commentary on the book of revelation to be preserved, written by victorinus, regards john the apostle as the author. The gospel of john, the letters of 1, 2 and 3 john, and revelation saint john the evangelist on patmos by hans burgkmair the writings of john are often assigned the latest dates of all new testament literature, with some secular scholars placing them well into the second century a. The book of revelation was written before ad 70 2015 although the revelation is the last book in the bible, it does not mean it was the last book written. 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. Further evidences presented within the gospel book address the issue that some appeared to be worshiping john the baptist as the messiah, where the apostle john had to correct that misunderstanding john 1.
The author was probably a christian from ephesus known as john the elder. John, the favorite disciple of jesus christ and the author of the fourth gospel. Was revelation written before or after the destruction of the. If you study that passage closely in john, however, it reads so that we know there. Most scholars today think that the book of revelation was written around the year a. Nero was the first persecutor of christians when h. John wrote that he saw a woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of jesus 17. With john writing his gospel, the book of revelation and his three epistles and he was the one who put together the final collection of books to form the new testament, the reading of these documents by people in various parts of the world or in future ages of time would be accounted by god in common custom with the early christians as.
Patmos was a quarry mine for the roman empire, and was home to many political and religious prisoners or slaves. The book of revelation dramatized version and written. Finally, new testament documentsincluding the book of revelation speak of jerusalem and the jewish temple intact at the time they were written. He begins by saying that god sent the visions he is going to relate to his servant john rev. Apr, 2011 additionally, if john is writing in ad 95, it is incredible to suppose he would not mention the fulfillment of christs most improbable and apocalyptic vision. Additionally, if john is writing in ad 95, it is incredible to suppose he would not mention the fulfillment of christs most improbable and apocalyptic vision. The book of revelation has been traditionally dated by scholars to have been written in or about 96 ad. Traditionally, both books have been identified as coming from the same person, john the son. Obviously this date would completely prevent anyone from accepting the preterist theory that the events described in. Reference to the apostles authorship is found as early as justin martyr, in his dialogue with trypho.
Revelation 1 new international version niv prologue. The elder, the seer, and the apostle bible odyssey. Did the same person write the gospel of john and the book. 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. Those holding an older view for the dating of revelation promote the late 60s as the time the book was written. Advocates of a late date take it as proof of the book being written around 91ad but iraneaus never explicitly says so.