From concept to publication is itself a revelation. Indeed, as we will see, the book speaks to our period even more than that of the seven churches. The author names himself as john, but modern scholars consider it unlikely that the author of revelation also wrote the gospel of john. We conclude the series with a look at archaeological and historical evidence relating to the last book of the bible, revelation. All of his books were written later in life and after all the other books in the bible were recorded. Although john literally wrote revelation, the book makes it clear that the source of the revelations is jesus revelation 1. Traditionally, the book of revelation has been dated near the end of the first century, around a. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant john. Someone recently asked me if the same author could have written both the book of revelation and the gospel of john. 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. Book of revelation overview insight for living ministries. John wrote revelation while a prisoner on the island of patmos, approximately 8595 a.
It was on patmos that john wrote down in a scroll all. This obviously lent a lot of weight to the final book of the bible, if someone as important as one of the original 12 disciples wrote it. 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. In fact, there are some striking parallels between revelation and john s other works. Christians throughout history have given almost unanimous affirmation to the identity of the book s author as john the apostle, who had been exiled to the island of patmos by the authorities for preaching the gospel in asia.
The book of revelation is written primarily in symbolic language. Apart from the book of revelation, john has written other bible books which are. Thus, revelation was not just for john and the saints of the seven churches but for other saints then and now. There are many details in the visions that might confuse us. Book of revelation explained scripture by scripture. 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. They made him live far away from family and friends on the island of patmos. John, the favorite disciple of jesus christ and the author of the fourth gospel. We know of a john mark, who penned the second gospel, and a possible john the elder although it is possible that john the apostle was also. The apostle john is the author of the book of revelation.
Kim mark lewiss book how john wrote the book of revelation. Patmos was a quarry mine for the roman empire, and was home to. In this article well explore the arguments in favor of st john being the author and also talk about why some experts believe there was another john behind this famous book. Who wrote the book of revelation and the fourth gospel. When is st john believed to have written the book of revelation. Yes, revelation is physically the last book in the holy bible, but not the last book written in the bible. This book is filled with mysteries about things to come. Yet only onethe gospel of john claims to be an eyewitness account, the testimony of the unnamed disciple whom jesus loved. That is the internal evidence of the book and the external testimony of early church fathers. He wrote the gospel according to john, first, second and third john, and he was the penman of the book of the revelation of jesus christ. Nero was the first persecutor of christians when h.
On patmos, john was thrown in with violent criminals, but simply won many of the criminals to faith in jesus. So, the divine author of revelation is jesus christ and the human author is the apostle john. The book of revelation was likely written between a. The author of the book of revelation identifies himself only as john. Book of revelation overview church of jesus christ. Joseph smith said, the book of revelation is one of the plainest books god ever caused to be written. Ive been asked about who wrote the book of revelation. Speaking of the apocalypse from the previous post giving that odd video. The gospels, the first four books of the new testament, tell the story of the life of jesus. Why was john chosen to write the book of revelation. The discipleapostle john, who followed jesus christ and witnessed his crucifixion, authored it.
The book of revelation is the final book of the new testament, and consequently is also the. John wrote revelation when the seemingly allpowerful roman empire with its cult of emperorworship was persecuting the followers of jesus christ. He wrote five books against marcion hippolytus 170235 a. Book of revelation mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. How did john the author of the book of revelation in the. How john wrote the book of revelation is a behindthescenes look at the literary process used to create the book of revelation. Here are some musings on it, the first part taken from my textbook on the new testament.
When you read revelation, nowhere in the book does it state that john is in exile or imprisoned. John and the book of revelation a bible study in easy. This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true john 21. When was the book of revelation written by the apostle john. The revelation of jesus christ was given to john by god to show his servants what must soon take place. Can the differences between john s gospel and revelation be reconciled. This article will conclude our series titled who wrote the new testament. Even though the book of revelation was finally included in the new testament canon because christian leaders came to think it had been. 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 author of revelation mentioned his name, john, four times throughout the book revelation 1. John of patmos could be the author named as john in the book of.
As with acts, revelation shows how the lord works with and through his servants. The apostle john, who wrote it under the inspiration of jesus christ revelation 1. The book of revelation is signed by a person called john but which john. The book of revelation by john the apostle bible probe. The new testament books of john, 1 john, 2 john, 3 john and revelation are sometimes called the johannine literature and are traditionally assigned to john the son of zebedee, one of the twelve disciples of jesus. The tradition of john s exile was started by augustine about 200 years after john lived. 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. For whom was the book of revelation written and why. Paul wrote many letters, john wrote a gospel, a letter and the book of revelation and luke wrote. It would perhaps be best to first establish the case that the same author is responsible for all the books associated with john. The book of revelation was written sometime around 96 ce in asia minor. The author was probably a christian from ephesus known as john the elder. Thus, the most blessed and beautiful description we have of any disciple is that john was the one whom jesus loved. Book of revelation apocalypse written on patmos island greeka.
So it is extremely unlikely that the same person wrote all of these books. Yet the book of revelation need not remain closed, at least for latterday saints who accept modern revelation. According to new world encyclopedia, the traditional view is that the john who wrote the book of john and the john who wrote revelation are the same guy. The book of revelation was written by the apostle john revelation 1. The elder, the seer, and the apostle bible odyssey. Was the book of revelation written before the gospel of john. The gospel of john appears to have been written during the early. Only john s gospel and revelation refer to jesus christ as the word 19. When was the book of revelation written by the apostle. John wrote revelation when he was a prisoner on the isle of patmos for preaching about. Thank you very much for your recent post about whether the apostle john was the author of the gospel of john. The early church fathers, after disputing who this john really was, finally decided to include revelation in case the author was the apostle john, son of zebedee. Paul, luke and john all wrote a fair bit of the new testament.
Traditionally, this was often believed to be the same person as. The book of revelation, a prophecy of warning and hope. 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. 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. It was also widely expected that the dead emperor nero would come back to. The literary genres of the book of revelation are an apocalypse, a prophecy, and an epistle or letter. John occupied a chief place in the heart of christ. 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. If you were a religious or political prisoner because the roman emperor disagreed with you, you were released when the emperor died. But, who was it that penned the word of revelation. Traditionally, both books have been identified as coming from the same person, john the son. The book of revelation is the last book he wrote around 96 ad. This has been a question at the back of my mind for some time and its great to hear your reasons for believing john to be the author.
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