The Book of Revelation by John the Apostle Where the Book of "Revelation" was received by John Patmos, Greece - where the Apostle John was exiled John's love for Jesus was so strong, that he continued to defy the Roman magistrate's order to no longer proclaim Jesus as Messiah, Savior and Lord; even while a prisoner. On Patmos, John was thrown in with violent criminals, but simply won many of the criminals to faith in Jesus. It was on Patmos that John wrote down in a scroll all that "he saw and heard". John's sworn testimony about how he received the messages is given in the first chapter. According to Greek Orthodox Tradition John's vision came to him on a Sunday after saying Mass and preaching the Gospel. Saint John, to escape the heat of the day, remained in the cave where he said Mass. It was here that one day the Lord came to Saint John in a vision. When Saint John awoke, he dictated his revelation to his scribe.

It begins with this assurance: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. Revelation 1:1-3 (KJV) Cave of John the Apostle The Book of Revelation, what God revealed to the Apostle John, is a great prophecy mystery. It's a riddle wrapped in an enigma. It has drawn the attention of numerous scholars throughout the ages, all trying to interpret the meaning of it. The stakes are worth the challenge to would-be code breakers, because the book of Revelation describes the end of one world and the beginning of the next. A key to understanding most Old Testament prophecies is to think Israel, the Jews, and Jerusalem in particular.

Just as Jesus' mission was to save the Jews - it was the mission of the prophets to pass God's Word and His warnings on to them. Parallel Prophecies Revelation has been noted in some cases to "parallel" what God revealed to the Prophet Daniel, some 600 years earlier. For instance, speaking about Jerusalem being in control of the gentiles for "42 months", it appears that God is also telling us that the Gentiles will do something in an area of the temple mount which God was aware of beforehand -- so He marked it off. It also tells us that someone would control Jerusalem for 42 months. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. Revelation 11:2 According to Bible scholar Ellis Skolfield, Daniel 12 describes what will be put into this area God marked out, and it tells us when it would be built and agrees with John's "revelation" that Jerusalem would be being under foot of the Gentiles for 42 months. The Gentiles are anyone who is not a Jew. In this case the Muslims.

A by-product of this is that if God thinks the Muslim shrine to the pagan god Allah and the false prophet Muhammad is a pagan "abomination", then He is also telling us that Islam is false - and it disgusts Him. Also, of interest are the two prior verses in Daniel (9-10), which tell as when this prophecy will be "cracked" we will be in "the time of the end". It also tells us of scoffers (wicked that will always refuse to accept), who will most likely be atheists, pagans, and pagan Muslims. Daniel 12:11 "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. 13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days." It appears Skolfield's teaching that the "abomination of desolation" already happened exactly on schedule (Daniel's 1290 day prophecy) is correct.

When the pagan Islamic Dome of the Rock and the al-Aksa Mosque were built on the temple mount, it made the temple mount "desolated" or contaminated. This was built during the 685 to 705 AD period. During Daniel's day, we know that Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the First Temple in 586 BC. We also know from Jeremiah that sacrifices occurred on the temple mount for a year or so after it was destroyed. Jeremiah 41:5: That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD. So what happened 1290 old testament years in a period of a year or so surrounding 586 BC? The Muslim Dome of the Rock was built on the Temple Mount! This abomination was built during the 685 to 705 AD period. It took that long to build. During Daniel's day, we know that Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the First Temple in 586 BC.

We also know from Jeremiah 41:5 that sacrifices occurred on the temple mount for a year or so after The first Jewish Temple it was destroyed. The formula for this is converting Old Testament years (360 days a year) into what we are on (solar years-or 365.24 days) is this: OT prophetic years of 1290 times .9857 = 1271 solar years. Take 705 AD as the year for the Dome of the Rock and add 586 and you get 1291. That's Exactly as Daniel said when you add the short time Jews visited the mount to make sacrifices after it was destroyed. 1335 - the "double check" number: It gets even better than this. The Prophet Daniel gave us another number that when added with the same formula, takes us exactly to 1948 --when the Jews were restored to the land. Remember 1948 was their Independence Day when they officially became a nation again after 2500 years. 1335 times .9857 = 1316.

1948 (when Israel became a nation) minus 1316, brings us back to another date the God of prophecy wants us to be mindful of. That equals 632 AD, the date that Muhammad of Islam died. A little after midday of 8 June, 632, the 62 year old Muhammad died in the house of his wife A'isha who he married when she was 6 (or 7) years old. Muslim historians back to the early 800's A.D. tell us that Muhammad consummated his marriage with A'isha when she was only 9 - when he was in his 50's. See the Muslim references for this: here But what about the 42 weeks of Revelation, you may be asking? Old Testament calculations: 42 x 30.44 = 1278.48 years A solar year (which we are on) is 365.24 days.

Divide 365.24 by 12 months in the year = 30.44 days In 688 AD the Dome of the Rock was largely built and the Muslims were in control of Jerusalem. In 1967 the Israeli's finally regained control of Jerusalem after 2500 years. So the Gentiles (Muslims) controlled Jerusalem and the Holy Mount for 1278.48 years as this prophecy predicted. 1967 - 1278.48 = 688.52 1967 Jews finally in control of Jerusalem again The Muslims probably thought they were building their monstrosity to their false prophet Muhammad and their false pagan god on the spot where the Holy of Holies was. When actually they built it about 300 feet south of the House of The Lord. God had already measured out a place for it (to keep it away from Him), which is called the Court of the Gentiles. Because of the extraordinary vision and prophecy revealed to John many of the descriptions appear vague and somewhat confusing to many! John was commanded to write about the things to which he was an eye witness!

It must be remembered that John was writing down what he was seeing and His 1st Century understanding was probably not compatible and adequate to describe things that he saw and now exist in the 21st century. We have found it very helpful to pray to God for understanding before reading Revelation. Bring yourself back to the Apostle John's time Put yourself in John's place for a moment. You are miraculously transported from the primitive, non-technical age of the 1st century into the 21st century. You witness the most horrific war of all times, fought with machines completely beyond your comprehension. John is trying to describe things such as: -supersonic jet aircraft -laser weapons -space stations and satellites Some of the above is taken from the excellent book by Hal Lindsey, entitled " Apocalypse Code " I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lamp stands, and among the lamp stands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.

His feet were like bronze glowing In a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. I am the living one; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Revelation 1 :12-18 The Greek word for Revelation is apokalupsis which literally means, "unveiling" or " to remove from covering", or to ï¿½open and unloose (unseal) the detailï¿½. Old Testament Prophet Daniel was informed to ï¿½seal upï¿½ the prophecy concerning these things until ï¿½the time of the endï¿½. The book of Revelation however unseals that epic volume, and is in fact the unveiling of Jesus Christ.

It is the unveiling of Jesus Christ because only he is worthy to open, or unveil, and remove the covering from the previously sealed book of prophecy. The book unveils his relationship to the church throughout the long drama of the Church Age, his judgments of this world, and the nations of the world, and it conveys to the present world things that shall come to pass in the near future. The purpose of the Revelation is also to reveal to Christ's watchful servants, all the details concerning the things that must shortly take place, in the interim leading directly to our Lord's grand return to the world stage. He will return as a conquering King, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, which is the exact reversal of his first advent when he came as a meek, humble sacrificial Lamb, a lamb slain even before the very foundation of the world. The Book of Revelation - Patmos Island / Greece Book of Revelation The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John or Apocalypse of John, (literally, apocalypse of John; is the last canonical book of the New Testament in the Bible. It is the only biblical book that is wholly composed of apocalyptic literature.

Other apocalypses popular in the early Christian era did not achieve canonical status, except for the 2 Esdras (Apocalypse of Ezra), which is canonical in the Russian Orthodox and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches. The book is frequently called "Revelation"; however, the title found on some of the earliest manuscripts is "The Apocalypse/Revelation of John" and the most common title found on later manuscripts is "The Apocalypse/Revelation of the theologian". Many people call The Book of Revelation "Revelations" due to the long series of events which unfold throughout the manuscript. However, the events are part of only one revelation (that of the End Times) - the first sentence of the book, The Revelation of Jesus Christ... unto his servant John, is also sometimes used as a title. After a short introduction (ch. 1:1-10), it contains an account of the author, who identifies himself as John, and of two visions that he received on the isle of Patmos. The first vision (chs.

1:11-3:22), related by "one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle", speaking with "a great voice, as of a trumpet", are statements addressed to the seven churches of Asia. The second vision comprising the rest of the book (chs. 4-22) begins with "a door... opened in the sky" and describes the end of the world-involving the final rebellion by Satan at Armageddon, God's final defeat of Satan, and the restoration of peace to the world. Revelation is considered one of the most controversial and difficult books of the Bible, with many diverse interpretations of the meanings of the various names and events in the account. Protestant founder Martin Luther at first considered Revelation to be "neither apostolic nor prophetic" and stated that "Christ is neither taught nor known in it" and placed it in his Antilegomena. However, he later changed his mind, believing the book to be divinely inspired. John Calvin believed the book to be canonical, yet it was the only New Testament book on which he did not write a commentary.

In the 4th century, St. John Chrysostom and other bishops argued against including this book in the New Testament canon, chiefly because of the difficulties of interpreting it and the danger for abuse. Christians in Syria also reject it because of the Montanists' heavy reliance on it. In the 9th century, it was included with the Apocalypse of Peter among "disputed" books in the Stichometry of St. Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople. In the end it was included in the accepted canon, although it remains the only book of the New Testament that is not read within the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox Church. See Biblical canon for details. Religious skeptics have typically been highly critical of Revelation, often considering it the work of a mentally ill author. Typical in this vein is nineteenth-century agnostic Robert G. Ingersoll, who famously branded Revelation "the insanest of all books". The author of Revelation identifies himself several times as "John" (1:1, 4, 9; 22:8). The author also states that he was in exile on the island of Patmos when he received his first vision (1:9; 4:1-2).

As a result, the author of Revelation is referred to as John of Patmos. John explicitly addresses Revelation to seven churches of Asia Minor: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:4, 11). All of these sites are located in what is now Turkey. The traditional view holds that John the Apostle - considered to have written the Gospel and epistles by the same name - was exiled on Patmos in the Aegean archipelago during the reign of Emperor Domitian, and wrote the Revelation there. Those in favor of a single common author point to similarities between the Gospel and Revelation. For example, both works are soteriological (e.g. referring to Jesus as a lamb) and possess a high Christology, stressing Jesus' divine side as opposed to the human side stressed by the Synoptic Gospels. In the Gospel of John and in Revelation, Jesus is referred to as "the Word of God".

Explanations of the differences among John's work by proponents of the single-author view include factoring in underlying motifs and purposes, authorial target audience, the author's collaboration with or utilization of different scribes and the advanced age of John the Apostle when he wrote Revelation. A natural reading of the text would reveal that John is writing literally as he sees the vision (Rev 1:11; 10:4; 14:3; 19:9; 21:5) and that he is warned by an angel not to alter the text through a subsequent edit (Rev 22:18-19), in order to maintain the textual integrity of the book. A number of Church Fathers weighed in on the authorship of Revelation. Justin Martyr avows his belief in its apostolic origin. Irenaeus (178) assumes it as a conceded point. At the end of the 2nd century, we find it accepted at Antioch, by Theophilus, and in Africa by Tertullian.

At the beginning of the 3rd century, it is adopted by Clement of Alexandria and by Origen, later by Methodius, Cyprian, and Lactantius. Dionysius of Alexandria (247) rejected it, upon doctrinal rather than critical grounds. Eusebius (315) suspended his judgment, hesitating between the external and internal evidence. Some canons, especially in the Eastern Church, rejected the book, while most others included it. Although the traditional view still has many adherents, many modern scholars believe that John the Apostle, John the Evangelist, and John of Patmos refer to three separate individuals. Certain lines of evidence suggest that John of Patmos wrote only Revelation, not the Gospel of John nor the Epistles of John. For one, the author of Revelation identifies himself as "John" several times, but the author of the Gospel of John never identifies himself directly. While both works liken Jesus to a lamb, they consistently use different words for lamb when referring to him - the Gospel uses amnos, Revelation uses arnion.

Lastly, the Gospel is written in nearly flawless Greek, but Revelation contains grammatical errors and stylistic abnormalities which indicate its author may not have been as familiar with the Greek language as the Gospel's author. According to early tradition, the writing of this book took place near the very end of Domitian's reign, around 95 or 96. Others contend for an earlier date, 68 or 69, in the reign of Nero or shortly thereafter. The majority of modern scholars also use these dates. Those who are in favor of the later date appeal to the external testimony of the Christian father Irenaeus (d. 185), who stated that he had received information relative to this book from those who had seen John face to face. He says that the Apocalypse "was seen no very long time since, but almost in our day, towards the end of Domitian's reign" (A.H. 5.30.3), who according to Eusebius had started the persecution referred to in the book. However, recent scholars dispute that the book is situated in a time of ongoing persecution and have also doubted the reality of a large-scale Domitian persecution.

Some exegetes (Paul Touilleux, Albert Gelin, Andre Feuillet) distinguish two dates: publication (under Domitian) and date of the visions (under Vespasian). Various editors would have a hand in the formation of the document, according to these theories. The dating of the work is still widely debated in the scholarly community. Revelation is divided into seven cycles of events, with the number seven also appearing frequently as a symbol within the Book of Revelation. The chapters of Revelation present a series of events, full of imagery and metaphor, which detail the chronology of God's judgment on the world. How did the apostle John DIE? How did the apostle John die? QUESTION: How did John, one of the twelve apostles , die? ANSWER: There is no sure answer to this question because the Bible does not give us the exact details of John's death. Information regarding his last days comes to us primarily from tradition. The 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia states concerning John that writers in the second and third centuries A.D. recognized and accepted a widely held tradition that the apostle spent his last days in Ephesus .

According to the Catholics , Justin Martyr also referred to John as one of Jesus' apostles who lived in Ephesus. St. Irenaes, Eusebius and still others, again according to the Encyclopedia, all agree that after leaving the isle of Patmos (where John was banished to - see Revelation 1:9) John spent his remaining days in Ephesus until he died somewhere around 100 A.D. The well-known reference book Foxe's Book of Martyrs says that the apostle John, as punishment for being a believer in Christ, was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil. The Emperor Domitian then (as if that were not enough) sent John to the island of Patmos (which is near the coast of Asia Minor and the city of Ephesus). It was during his time on the island that John, likely around 95 A.D., wrote the book of Revelation. When Emperor Nerva came to power he released John from his island imprisonment. John seems to have been the only one of Jesus' original twelve apostles who escape a violent death. Lastly, Easton's Bible Dictionary writes that John 'retired' to Ephesus after writing Revelation .

The aged apostle likely, according to Easton's, outlived just about all his friends and his many acquaintances made over the years. Book of Revelation (Apocalypse) written on Patmos island - Greeka.com About Patmos Book of Revelation The Book of Revelation written on Patmos Greece, Dodecanese: The Island of Patmos has been celebrated for almost the last 2,000 years as the place where the Divine and god-inspired Book of Revelation was written by Saint John, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. The mystical experience of St. John found expression in the Book of Revelation, also called the Apocalypse, the last of the 27 canonical books of the New Testament. Many secular scholars have expressed their doubts on the authorship of the Book of Revelation. Nevertheless, most Christian Churches maintain that the Revelation was written by St. John, the favorite disciple of Jesus Christ and the author of the Fourth Gospel. As he himself says in Revelation 1: 9, St. John was exiled to the Island of Patmos in 95 A.D., during the persecution of the Christians by the Roman Emperor Domitian, between 81 and 96 A.D.

There various apocalyptic visions occurred to him which is said to have been the allegorical depiction of the many persecutions and evils faced by the Early Christian Church and the prediction of ultimate triumph of Christ's Church and its martyrs. In the beginning of his account, St John affirms the omnipresence and omnipotence of God in the famous verse: I am the Alpha and the Omega, said the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. [Rev 1: 8] Then the Apostle heard behind him a great voice, as of a trumpet asking him to write the visions he was about to see in a book and send it to the seven churches of Asia Minor [Rev 1: 10,11]. When he turned to see where the voice was coming from, the awesome sight he beheld frightened him so much that he became as one dead. And having turned I saw... one like unto a Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a golden girdle. And his head and his hair were white as white wool... his eyes were as a flame of fire... his feet like unto burnished brass...

and his voice as the voice of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. [Rev 1:13-16] The number seven is used in the Book of Revelation in a symbolic sense, to indicate "totality" or "perfection". The Apostle is ordered by the apparition (Son of Man) to write seven letters respectively to the seven churches of Asia Minor, commending their steadfastness in spite of persecutions, exhorting them to forbear until the final deliverance and warning them against apostasy. The further visions of St John include the opening of the seven seals of the scrolls in the hands of the Son of Man; the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; the angels blowing the seven trumpets before the throne of God; and the seven visions including the vision of Satan as the seven-headed dragon. The vicious persecution of the Christians after the great fire of 64 A.D. by the Roman Emperor Nero is allegorically represented by the rising of the Beast out of the sea.

The occult number for Satan mentioned in the Revelation, 666, is the numerical equivalent of Nero's name. The other visions of the Book of Revelation include the seven-headed Whore of Babylon (said to represent licentious Rome); the final defeat of Satan at Armageddon; the Last Judgment and the Millennial reign of Christ; and the founding of New Jerusalem. The Book of Revelation has the distinction of being the only book of the Bible whose literary character is apocalyptic in its entirety. It also contains numerous allusions to the prophecies in the various Old Testament books, such as Isaiah, Daniel and Ezekiel. One of the most controversial and difficult books in the Bible, the Book of Revelation, has been highly criticized by many secular and skeptical scholars, with Robert G. Ingersoll, the famous 19th century American lawyer and freethinker, even calling it the most insane of all books. However, to most Christians, the Book of Revelation will always remain one of the profoundest books in existence. Share it! Who wrote the Revelation? Who wrote the Revelation? Many Christians believe that the Revelation was written by Apostle John. What is the prevailing opinion among the biblical scholars? There is no concensus.

The majority of early church leaders such as Melito, bishop of Sardis, Ireneus, Tertullian, Clement, Eusebius and Papias, bishop of Hierapolis believed that the Revelation was written by John, the son of Zebedee, who wrote the Gospel of John. On the other hand, Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria and a disciple of Origen, asserts that it is written by Cerinthus. St. Jerome also expressed doubts of Johannine authorship. Who is right? Both camps are right and wrong partly. Both schools are erroneous in that they both believe the Revelation was written by a single author. Both are right partly because some parts were written by Apostle John but more than 90% of the Revelation was written by another person, perhaps long after the Gospel of John was written (about 100 AD). It was also the tradition for a disciple to attribute his own writing to his teacher. The seer states that the Revelation (at least some verses in Chapter 1) was written while he was banished on the island of Patmos, probably toward the end of Domitian’s reign (81 – 96 AD).

Those who believe in Johannine authorship asserts that "logos" or "Word" appears in both the Revelation and the Gospel of John. John was the only apostle who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus. John's priority was NOT in recording his complex visions or revelations, but in preserving the teachings of Jesus and the life Jesus lived. Which part was not written by John? Most of the Revelation, except some verses in Chapter 1, was written by another, who may also have been called John. Words like “life,” “grace,” “light” and “truth” do not appear in the Apocalypse. Hades or “hell” does not appear in John’s Gospel, because Jesus did not teach the doctrine of hell to his apostles, at least according to John. Revelation 14: 4 states that only 144,000 Jewish men who have not defiled themselves with women were redeemed. Thus, the latter part of the Revelation was written by a Jew. “Dragon” never appears in the four Gospels, never in Jesus teachings, but appears numerous times in the Revelation. John never heard the word “dragon” from Jesus’ teachings.

Jesus never taught “the wrath of God” throughout his life. So it does not appear in Apostle John’s vocabulary. But the writer of the Revelation mentions “wrath of God” six times, and even “the wrath of Lamb” once. John and the Revelator are two different personalities. Old Testament authors and even John the Baptist mention the wrath of God. John never mentioned hades or hell in his Gospel. Hell is an important concept in the Revelation. Untitled John, son of Zebedee John, the Elder John the Baptist is known by all and is not known to have associated with any writings. John, the priest was a relative of Annas, the high priest (Acts 4:6) and was not associated with any of the Biblical writings. John, the son of Zebedee, is the Apostle John. John was also the brother of James who was also an Apostle. The brothers were given the surname Boanerges, "sons of thunder". The Gospel of John does not mention James or John by name but just refers to the sons of Zebedee.

Traditionally, the five books of the New Testament (Gospel according to John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation) have been attributed to John the Apostle. This a very difficult tradition to trace. John does not claim to be an Apostle although he speaks of the Apostles. It doesn't appear John would speak OF Apostles without including himself. Most likely, he was not an Apostle. John claims Jesus decreed he must be a prophet. Some of the scholars claim the John of Revelation is associated with Patmos and Ephesus. He fits the character of the apostle called "Boanerges" which we know was the surname for James and John. Much of the weight of this tradition comes from the writings of Irenaeus, bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul who lived 130-200 A.D. Irenaeus was a pupil of Polycarp, the pastor of Smyrna, who was also a prot�g� and convert of John. Polycarp often spoke of John as the author of Revelation during the reign of Domitian.

Even though the style of the Revelation is different than the style of the Gospel, this is not enough evidence for some scholars to state they were different Johns. Scholars used to advance the theory that John's Gospel was written in the middle of the second century (therefore, not written by the Apostle). This was upheld until as late as the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This theory was disproved by the discovery of a papyrus fragment dated 115-125 A.D. containing a portion of John's Gospel (John 18:31-33, 37-38). The papyrus is known as the Ryland Papyrus. It appears the Apostle John may have been the youngest of the Apostles. Christ had a high regard and trust in this young John. There is an unnamed Apostle (John 18:15-16).

This may have been a reference to the Beloved Disciple, who reclined with Jesus during the last supper (John 13:23-26), stood at the cross with Jesus' mother (John 19:25-27), ran with Peter to the empty tomb (John 20:2-10), and recognized the risen Lord after the great catch of fish (John 21:7). Note: A Disciple does not have to be an Apostle. A Disciple is a believer and follower of Christ (actually, a follower of anyone) and a person that spreads the doctrine of Christ. In other words, there are disciples of evil, like Satan, as well as good, like Christ Some scholars feel the John and the three epistles were written by a John, the Elder, who is not the Apostle. However, most scholars feel every bit of evidence points to John the Elder being the same as John the Apostle and the John author. It is accepted John the Apostle was an uneducated man (Acts 4:13). It is argued an uneducated man could not have written such a profound Gospel. A fisherman's son would not have known the high priest as did John the Apostle.

Also, an Apostle would not have called himself an Elder. However, uneducated does not mean illiterate, just formally uneducated in rabbinic schools. Some fishermen were well-to-do; therefore, they could have known the high priest. Also, Peter, an Apostle, called himself an Elder (1 Peter 5:1). The author of the three epistles identifies himself as "the Elder" (2 John 1, 3 John 1) but not as an apostle or a person having authority to command the church (as the Apostles). It is proposed John the Apostle was also an Elder in the church of Ephesus. Most scholars feel the similarities between the Gospel and the epistles are so remarkable, there is no question the four of them were written by the same person. The John of Revelation was very knowledgeable of the old testament, the activities of Christ, and the mid books sometimes called the apocrypha. There are writings in the Apocrypha (13 mid-testament books, not included in the non-Catholic Bible) which refer to John the Apostle and the exile to Patmos. Those who accept truth in the Apocrypha have the evidence required to accept John the Apostle as the writer of Revelation.

This John was probably a Jew writing in Greek but thinking in Hebrew or Aramaic. John speaks in the "language of appearance" -- i.e. an analysis is not run what is seen; only appears as John describes. Some translations title the book The Revelation of St. John the Divine. Some translations remove "the Divine" because it is not in the majority of original Greek manuscripts. The Greek "theologos" means John was referred to as John the Theologian (not Saintly). The comparison of Greek between the fourth Gospel and Revelation is very different. The writer of the Gospel wrote simple but correct Greek. Revelation Greek is rough and sometimes incorrect. The thoughts and ideals are very different by the two writings. Since John was "brother and companion in tribulation" in Ephesus, he was in exile on the desolate island of Patmos (same as Paul). Either Domitian the Emperor sent John there (the generally more acceptable) or John fled to Patmos to prevent being martyred at that time. Most scholars believe Revelation was written approximately 90 AD. He returned to Ephesus after Domitian's death. The writer was very familiar with the churches. He could have written the letters himself because of his knowledge.

Therefore, the only major controversy is whether John wrote the letters himself or whether he was truly inspired as he explains in Revelation. Periodically, evidence comes out questioning the authorship of all five books. There are even discussions stating there was a fifth, yet unknown person, who may have been associated with the epistles and Revelation. There is one thing that can be said about the John who wrote Revelation. John knew the OT. Over and over again there are heavy references and fulfillments noted in Revelation from many books of the OT. Be prepared for extensive cross references. John On The Island Of Patmos - The Gospel Faith Messenger John On The Island Of Patmos John On The Island Of Patmos By Rodney W. Francis The Book of Revelation was revealed to the Apostle John on an island called Patmos. He was banished there for his testimony of Jesus. This study is mainly to do with Verses 9-11 of Revelation 1 , and is bringing together the different Bible translations and descriptions of Patmos and of John being in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.

PATMOS (mentioned only once in Scripture): Patmos is “A sterile island about 30 miles in circumference, in the Aegean Sea, South West of Samos and 45 miles West of Miletus; now called Patino, or Patimo, or Patmosa, and reckoned among the Sporades (“two groups of Greek islands in the Aegean . . . which lie off the South West coast of Turkey” ~ Collins Dictionary), with an excellent harbour” (Young’s). “Patmos” means “my killing” (Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names by J.B. Jackson). It was a sterile island. “Sterile” meaning “1. unable to produce offspring; infertile. 2. free from living . . . 3. (of plants or their parts) not producing or bearing seeds, fruit, spores, stamens, or pistils. 4. lacking inspiration or vitality; fruitless” ~ Collins). How interesting that God would use such a place to bring to John the Revelation of Jesus Christ! (God sure works in an “opposite spirit” to what man does)! Patmos is “An island off the West coast of Asia Minor . . .

an islet in the Mediterranean” (Strong’s). “A small, rocky island belonging to the group called “Sporades,” in that part of the Aegean known as the Icarian Sea. On account of its rocky, barren and desolate nature the Roman government used the island as a place of banishment (“banish” means “to expel from a place, especially by an official decree as a punishment. To drive away” - Collins) for criminals. The prisoners were compelled to work the mines of the island. The Emperor Domitian banished the revelator St. John to this island ( Revelation 1:9-10 ), A.D. 95. Patmos was the locale for the far-reaching apocalyptic visions of the Book of Revelation. The 30-mile square Aegean island has magnificent scenery and the white crags of the shore line and the beauty of the open ocean furnish an example of a geographical background which aids the Biblical interpreter to expound the events and experiences of the revelator who was banished to its shores” (Unger’s Bible Dictionary). “A Greek island in the Aegean, in the North West Dodecanese: St.

John’s place of exile (about 95 A.D.), where he wrote the Apocalypse. Population: 2486 (1971). Area: 34 square kilometres (13 square miles)” (Collins). While the comments of the island are given as “magnificent scenery,” we must not forget it was a place of banishment, punishment. John was not there because of any desire of his own; he was there because he was being persecuted for proclaiming the powerful message of Jesus Christ! Let’s look now at some Bible translations: BIBLE TRANSLATIONS OF REVELATION 1:9-11 The following is a list of several Bible Translations to help us see how these verses are presented to us. They give us a wonderful picture of triumph over adversity, of God coming through for us, in spite of the negative circumstances or the evil desires of those in worldly positions of authority. Let the Word of God speak to your heart today and inspire you to seek to be caught up in the Spirit of God. He holds the answers for all your circumstances, struggles and problems. He has your future firmly in His hand. Trust Him!

KING JAMES VERSION: “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation(“pressure, compression, straitness; hence, pressure from evils, affliction, distress” - Bullinger’s Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament), and in the kingdom and patience (“a remaining under, a bearing-up under; hence, patient endurance, holding out, enduring” - Bullinger’s) of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and for the testimony(Greek word is “marturia” from “martus” meaning “a witness, martyr” - Strong’s) of Jesus Christ.” John was suffering. He was living in the patience of Jesus Christ ~ not his own! (That is something far beyond what we can muster up of ourselves.) Patmos was no picnic! He was subject to the wicked taunts of evil, Christ-rejecting men! Men in authority had banished him to that island, to make him suffer for his pricking their consciences through the preaching of the mighty Word of God!

KING JAMES VERSION (Continued): “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia . . . ” NEW KING JAMES VERSION: “I, John, both your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,’ and, ‘What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia . . .

’” AMPLIFIED BIBLE: “I, John, your brother and companion ~ sharer and participator ~ with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patient endurance [which are] in Jesus Christ, was on the isle called Patmos, [banished] on account of [my witnessing to] the Word of God and the testimony ~ the proof, the evidence ~ for Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit ~ rapt in His power ~ on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice like the calling of a war trumpet, Saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. Write promptly what you see (your vision) in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia . . .” THE LIVING BIBLE: “It is I, your brother John, a fellow sufferer for the Lord’s sake, who is writing this letter to you. I, too, have shared the patience Jesus gives, and we shall share His kingdom! I was on the island of Patmos, exiled there for preaching the Word of God, and for telling what I knew about Jesus Christ.

It was the Lord’s Day and I was worshipping, when suddenly I heard a loud voice behind me, a voice that sounded like a trumpet blast, saying, ‘I am A and Z, the First and Last!’ And then I heard him say, ‘Write down everything you see, and send your letter to the seven churches in Turkey . . .’ ” NEW AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION: I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos, because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches . . .” NEW ENGLISH BIBLE: I, John, your brother, who share with you in the suffering and the sovereignty and the endurance which is ours in Jesus ~ I was on the island called Patmos because I had preached God’s word and borne my testimony to Jesus.

It was on the Lord’s day, and I was caught up by the Spirit; and behind me I heard a loud voice, like the sound of a trumpet, which said to me, “Write down what you see on a scroll and send it to the seven churches . . .” GOOD NEWS BIBLE: I am John, your brother, and as a follower of Jesus I am your partner in patiently enduring the suffering that comes to those who belong to His Kingdom. I was put on the island of Patmos because I had proclaimed God’s word and the truth that Jesus revealed. On the Lord’s day the Spirit took control of me, and I heard a loud voice, that sounded like a trumpet, speaking behind me. It said, “Write down what you see, and send the book to the churches in these seven cities . . .” JERUSALEM BIBLE: My name is John, and through our union in Jesus I am your brother and share your sufferings, your kingdom, and all you endure.

I was on the island of Patmos(used by the Romans as a penal colony) for having preached God’s word and witnessed for Jesus; it was the Lord’s day and the Spirit possessed me, and I heard a voice behind me, shouting like a trumpet, “Write down all that you see in a book, and send it to the seven churches . . .” THE NEW TESTAMENT IN MODERN ENGLISH ~ J. B. PHILLIPS: I, John, who am your brother and your companion in the distress (“1. to cause mental pain to; upset badly. 2. to subject to financial or other trouble. 5. mental pain; anguish. 6. the act of distressing or the state of being distressed. 7. physical or financial trouble” - Collins), the kingdom and the faithful endurance to which Jesus calls us, was on the island called Patmos because I had spoken God’s message and borne witness to Jesus. On the Lord’s day I knew myself inspired by the Spirit, and I heard from behind me a voice loud as a trumpet-call, saying, “Write down in a book what you see, and send it to the seven Churches . . . ” THE MESSAGE ~ Eugene H.

Peterson: I, John, with you all the way in the trial and the Kingdom and the passion of patience in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of God’s Word, the witness of Jesus. It was Sunday and I was in the Spirit, praying. I heard a loud voice behind me, trumpet-clear and piercing: “Write what you see into a book. Send it to the seven churches . . .” EVEN IN ADVERSITY WE CAN BE IN THE SPIRIT What a tremendous lesson there is in these verses for us. John would have been shipped out to Patmos ~ against his will ~ as a result of a decision made by unbelieving Governmental authorities. They sent him there “to get him out of the way” and to “teach him a lesson as to who has the last say.”Their authority did not bargain on the higher, greater authority of God in a Christian believer’s life! John turned the negative into a positive. Instead of life becoming somewhat one of despair, to the point of overwhelming him, he used those negative circumstances and that foreign place to continue his relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

So much so that we read he was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.” What man had designed to break (and then destroy) John’s heart and faith, was turned by God into a tremendous victory. John received revelation of Jesus Christ that has impacted an unbelieving world ever since! The Book of Revelation lives on today, speaking to and challenging the lives of millions. YIELD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT The true way for a Christian to rise above the trials and testing of life is to continually seek to yield to the Holy Spirit. He is living within us and He is far greater than any obstacle man or the devil can bring against us! We need to keep reminding ourselves that THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE SAME HOLY SPIRIT THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD!! ( Romans 8:11 ). AND HE LIVES INSIDE OF YOU AND ME FOR EVER!! NOW! TOMORROW! and ALWAYS!! Praise the Lord! Let us learn from the statements of the afore-mentioned Bible translations. “the Spirit took control of me . . . ” (GNB). “I was caught up by the Spirit . . .” (NEB).

“I was in the Spirit - rapt in His power - on the Lord’s day . . .” (AMP.). “The Spirit possessed me . . .” (Jerusalem Bible). “On the Lord’s day I knew myself inspired by the Spirit . . .” (J. B. Phillips). If John could rise to such great heights in the Spirit in the midst of tribulation, suffering and despair, then surely we can too. When we are in the Spirit we are able to see, hear and know things. John received a revelation of Jesus Christ that was awesome. It was so clear and real that he was able to write it down so others could benefit from his experience (I wonder if John realized way back there the size of the impact that experience on Patmos would have had on Christians for generations to come?) It seems to me that Patmos was a place where many did not survive. It was a sterile place; crops could not produce. Food would have been scarce; maybe people like John would have been left to starve to death? But he didn’t! He survived. How do we know? We would not have had the Book of Revelation if God did not somehow work a way to get John off that desolate prison colony.

What a testimony of the deliverance of our God! These few verses set the scene for the Book of Revelation. May we not under-estimate the cost that was paid (by John) to bring to us the inspired Word of God. What about us? Is our relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit real enough that we have something worthwhile to write down? Do we see that the things we go through in life can be turned around positively so others can benefit from our example? Have we discovered for ourselves that JESUS is all His Word declares He is? Can we trust Him with our life? . . . our circumstances? . . . our difficulties? . . . our needs? . . . our doubts? What about our yielding to the Holy Spirit’s power? Have we proved His power is available to meet every challenge life throws at us? . . . both negative and positive? May you be caught up in the Holy Spirit today! "The Gospel Faith Messenger" Ministry. PO Box 57, Paraparaumu 5254, New Zealand. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. St. John - Patmos Island / Greece St. John St.

John Knowledge of the life of St. John of Patmos (also known as the 'Theologian' or the 'Divine'), the author of the Book of Revelation , which includes the letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor, mostly comes from apocryphal stories recorded after his death. Christian tradition identifies him with Other New Testament figures of the same name, St. John the Evangelist, the traditional author of the Fourth Gospel who is also claimed to be St. John the Apostle. The accounts of the Gospels agree that the latter is the son of Zebedee; together with his brother James (the Greater), he decided to follow Christ while fishing in the lake Galilee. He became one of Christ's closest disciples and is said to have been with him on various significant occasions such as the Transfiguration and the Crucifixion. According to the Fourth Gospel, also known as the Gospel of John (In 19:26-27), on the cross: When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son'. Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother'. And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

The disciple whom he loved is thought to have been St. John . He is said to have been martyred like his brother St. James and buried in Jerusalem. Another tradition holds that taking the Virgin with him, St. John traveled to Ephesus in Asia Minor, was exiled to the island of Patmos , wrote the Fourth Gospel and the Book of Revelation there and finally returned to Ephesus where he died and was buried. The second half of the first century was full of disasters for the early Christians. The Romans at first regarded Christianity as a new Jewish movement. Like the others it 'was expected to disappear or survive as a sect after the crucifixion of Christ. When this did not happen and Christians began to challenge (probably not in quantity but in essence) the accepted doctrine of the Synagogue and Rome, its leaders were caught and eliminated. St. Stephen and St. James the less (the traditional brother of Christ) were stoned to death and St. James the Greater put to the sword. St. Peter and St. Paul were taken to Rome and executed. Many believers had to leave Palestine and seek shelter in other countries.

It is during this period, probably during the Jewish Revolt (66-70) which ended with the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem that St. John , taking the Virgin with him, traveled to Ephesus . At that time Ephesus probably had a population of over hundred and fifty thousand, which must have included a large number of Jews, and about a thousand or more Jewish and Gentile Christians. Following the Jewish Revolt, Jews and Jewish Christians of the diaspora began to lose their favorable position in Roman eyes and fall into disgrace. To the discontent of the Jews, the Gentile Christians, since they had not participated in the revolt, were treated better. However by this time the solid Christian communities established during the first missionary wave had been weakened by dissensions and declining numbers. On arriving in Ephesus , St. John was shocked to see how some Christians had compromised with pagan practices, a situation which he refers to in his first letter of the Revelation. This is addressed to the Christians in Ephesus . The first part of the major ancient source which is thought to have narrated the arrival and first stay of St. John in Ephesus is lost.

What survives relates mostly to his return from Patmos exile; how he began proclaiming the Gospel in Ephesus , his contests with both pagans and heretics among his own community, his miracles and his death there. In the Book of Revelation St. John does not give any detailed information about the cause of his exile. He merely says that he was exiled to Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Christ (Rv1 :9). Preaching was not a capital crime which would lead to banishment. As long as they did not cause disturbances the Roman administration allowed the people under their rule to worship whatever god or cult they chose. Christians were not regarded as criminals in Roman eyes but members of an illicit religion. When he was serving as the governor of the province of Bithynia, the younger Pliny wrote to Trajan asking the emperor's advice on what to do with the Christians whose numbers kept on increasing. The governor admitted that although he executed Christians as his predecessors had done, he did not know the exact nature of their crime. Pliny's letter is the first documented account of Christian presence in Anatolia.

Trajan, although in the course of time he changed his opinion, did not regard the Christians as dangerous. In Ephesus it is probable that St. John was accused of being an agitator. Being the most prominent figure of his group he might have been chosen to serve as an example. The worst punishment reserved for criminals not sentenced to death, was to strip them of their civil rights and material possessions and banish them to a remote corner of the empire or to an isolated spot. If St. John had been accused of refusing to sacrifice to the imperial cult, especially the cult of Domitian (81-96) which was then established in Ephesus , this would have been a capital crime punishable by death. The huge edifice to the south of the state agora in Ephesus was the first temple of the imperial cult erected in Anatolia and its impact must have been on the Christians in this city. A late Greek tradition has it that after arriving in Ephesus the story of St. John 's miracles reached the ears of Domitian and he was called to Rome.

Here his power was tested in front of the emperor by making him drink a cup of poison which killed a criminal but did not harm him, and by asking him to raise a girl who had supposedly been slain by an evil spirit. Domitian, impressed by what he had witnessed, decided only to banish him to Patmos . His banishment lasted until the death of the emperor. A tradition popular only among Latin authors, relates that St. John was first taken to Rome as prisoner upon the order of the emperor and cast into a cauldron of hot oil at the Latin Gate (the origin of the feast of St. John ' Port Latin' or at the 'Latin Gate,' May 6), but he came out unscathed. The place chosen to banish St. John was one of the volcanic islands scattered in the Aegean about eighty kilometers south of Ephesus , and was used as a penal colony. A later Byzantine chronicle refers to the island as being 'deserted and uncultivated, covered with and made impassable by thorns and shrubs, and by reason of its aridity completely barren', St.

John was exiled to Patmos together with his young disciple Prochorus, one of the deacons of the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:5). On the way to Patmos he rescued a boy who fell from the ship into the sea. The length of his exile is claimed to have been one and half, or five or fifteen years. During his stay there he did not stop preaching the Gospel and converting the inhabitants. A tradition has it that when his activity was heard at the Temple of Apollo, the priests asked help from a famous magician called Kynops whose most popular trick was to jump into the sea and come out after a while, unharmed. In front of the witnesses challenging St. John, he did the same. St. John extended his arms in the form of a cross and prayed '0 Thou, who didst grant to Moses by this similitude to overthrow the Amalek, 0 Lord Jesus Christ, bring down Kynops to the deep of the sea; let him never more behold this sun, nor converse with living men', After a short while the petrified body of the magician surfaced as a rock on the water a short distance away.

The local fishermen claim that to this day the bad taste of the shellfish caught around the rock derives from this magician. On Patmos St. John was unchained and free to go wherever he wished. It was in a grotto on Patmos that he wrote the Fourth Gospel and received the visions of the last book of the New Testament known as the Book of Revelation . Some of the imagery, for instance: Then the sky was divided like a torn scroll curling up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place (Rv 6:14) When Was the Book of Revelation Written? : Christian Courier When Was the Book of Revelation Written? by Wayne Jackson Traditionally, the book of Revelation has been dated near the end of the first century, around A.D. 96. 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.D. 68 or 69, and thus the thrust of the book is supposed to relate to the impending destruction of Jerusalem (A.D. 70).

A few prominent names have been associated with this position (e.g., Stuart, Schaff, Lightfoot, Foy E. Wallace Jr.), and for a brief time it was popular with certain scholars. James Orr has observed, however, that recent criticism has reverted to the traditional date of near A.D. 96 (1939, 2584). In fact, the evidence for the later date is extremely strong. In view of some of the bizarre theories that have surfaced in recent times (e.g., the notion that all end-time prophecies were fulfilled with the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70), which are dependent upon the preterist interpretation, we offer the following. External Evidence The external evidence for the late dating of Revelation is of the highest quality. Irenaeus Irenaeus (A.D. 180), a student of Polycarp (who was a disciple of the apostle John), wrote that the apocalyptic vision “was seen not very long ago, almost in our own generation, at the close of the reign of Domitian” (Against Heresies 30). The testimony of Irenaeus, not far removed from the apostolic age, is first rate.

He places the book near the end of Domitian’s reign, and that ruler died in A.D. 96. Irenaeus seems to be unaware of any other view for the date of the book of Revelation. Clement of Alexandria Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 155-215) says that John returned from the isle of Patmos “after the tyrant was dead” (Who Is the Rich Man? 42), and Eusebius, known as the “Father of Church History,” identifies the “tyrant” as Domitian (Ecclesiastical History III.23). Even Moses Stuart, America’s most prominent preterist, admitted that the “tyrant here meant is probably Domitian.” Within this narrative, Clement further speaks of John as an “old man.” If Revelation was written prior to A.D. 70, it would scarcely seem appropriate to refer to John as an old man, since he would only have been in his early sixties at this time.

Victorinus Victorinus (late third century), author of the earliest commentary on the book of Revelation, wrote: When John said these things, he was in the island of Patmos, condemned to the mines by Caesar Domitian. There he saw the Apocalypse; and when at length grown old, he thought that he should receive his release by suffering; but Domitian being killed, he was liberated (Commentary on Revelation 10:11). Jerome Jerome (A.D. 340-420) said, In the fourteenth then after Nero, Domitian having raised up a second persecution, he [John] was banished to the island of Patmos, and wrote the Apocalypse (Lives of Illustrious Men 9). To all of this may be added the comment of Eusebius, who contends that the historical tradition of his time (A.D. 324) placed the writing of the Apocalypse at the close of Domitian’s reign (III.18). McClintock and Strong, in contending for the later date, declare that “there is no mention in any writer of the first three centuries of any other time or place” (1969, 1064).

Upon the basis of external evidence, therefore, there is little contest between the earlier and later dates. Internal Evidence The contents of the book of Revelation also suggest a late date, as the following observations indicate. The spiritual conditions of the churches described in Revelation chapters two and three more readily harmonize with the late date. The church in Ephesus, for instance, was not founded by Paul until the latter part of Claudius’s reign: and when he wrote to them from Rome, A.D. 61, instead of reproving them for any want of love, he commends their love and faith (Eph. 1:15) (Horne 1841, 382). Yet, when Revelation was written, in spite of the fact that the Ephesians had been patient (2:2), they had also left their first love (v. 4), and this would seem to require a greater length of time than seven or eight years, as suggested by the early date. Another internal evidence of a late date is that this book was penned while John was banished to Patmos (1:9). It is well known that Domitian had a fondness for this type of persecution.

If, however, this persecution is dated in the time of Nero, how does one account for the fact that Peter and Paul are murdered, yet John is only exiled to an island? (Eusebius III.18; II.25). Then consider this fact. The church at Laodicea is represented as existing under conditions of great wealth. She was rich and had need of nothing (3:17). In A.D. 60, though, Laodicea had been almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake. Surely it would have required more than eight or nine years for that city to have risen again to the state of affluence described in Revelation. The doctrinal departures described in Revelation would appear to better fit the later dating. For example, the Nicolaitans (2:6, 15) were a full-fledged sect at the time of John’s writing, whereas they had only been hinted at in general terms in 2 Peter and Jude, which were written possibly around A.D. 65-66. Persecution for professing the Christian faith is evidenced in those early letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor.

For instance, Antipas had been killed in Pergamum (2:13). It is generally agreed among scholars, however, that Nero’s persecution was mostly confined to Rome; further, it was not for religious reasons (Harrison 1964, 446). Arguments for the Early Date Answered In the absence of external evidence in support of an early date for Revelation, preterists generally rely on what they perceive as internal support for their view. Writing Style Differences It is contended that the Gospel of John has a much smoother style of Greek than does the Apocalypse. Thus, the latter must have been written many years prior to the fourth Gospel—when the apostle was not so experienced in the literary employment of Greek. In answer to this argument, we cite R. H. Gundry: Archaeological discoveries and literary studies have recently demonstrated that along with Aramaic and Hebrew, Greek was commonly spoken among first century Palestinians. Thus John must have known and used Greek since his youth (1970, 365). B. B.

Warfield contends that: the Apocalypse betrays no lack of knowledge of, or command over, Greek syntax or vocabulary; the difference lies, rather, in the manner in which a language well in hand is used, in style, properly so called; and the solution of it must turn on psychological, not chronological, considerations (Schaff and Herzog 1891, 2036). R. H. Charles, author of the commentary on Revelation in the International Critical Commentary series, and perhaps the greatest expert on apocalyptic literature, regarded the so-called bad grammar as deliberate, for purposes of emphasis, and consistent with the citation of numerous Old Testament passages (Gundry, 365). It might be noted that in the 404 verses of Revelation, Westcott and Hort’s Greek New Testament gives over five hundred references and allusions to the Old Testament. Finally, as McClintock and Strong point out: It may be admitted that the Revelation has many surprising grammatical peculiarities.

But much of this is accounted for by the fact that it was probably written down, as it was seen, “in the Spirit,” while the ideas, in all their novelty and vastness, filled the apostle’s mind, and rendered him less capable of attending to forms of speech. His Gospel and Epistles, on the other hand, were composed equally under divine influence, but an influence of a gentler, more ordinary kind, with much care, after long deliberation, after frequent recollection and recital of the facts, and deep pondering of the doctrinal truths which they involve (1064). No Mention of Jerusalem’s Destruction It is claimed that Revelation must have been penned before A.D. 70 since it has no allusion to the destruction of Jerusalem; rather, it is alleged, it represents both the city and the temple as still standing. In response we note the following points. First, if John wrote this work near A.D. 96, there would be little need to focus upon the destruction of Jerusalem since the lessons of that catastrophe would have been well learned in the preceding quarter of a century.

However, it must be noted that some scholars see a veiled reference to Jerusalem’s destruction in 11:8, where “the great city,” in which the Savior was crucified (Jerusalem), is called Sodom—not merely because of wickedness, but due to the fact that it was a destroyed city of evil (Zahn 1973, 306). Second, the contention that the literal city and temple were still standing, based upon chapter eleven, ignores the express symbolic nature of the narrative. Salmon says that it is: difficult to understand how anyone could have imagined that the vision represents the temple as still standing. For the whole scene is laid in heaven, and the temple that is measured is the heavenly temple (11:19; 15:5). We have only to compare this vision with the parallel vision of a measuring-reed seen by Ezekiel (ch. 40), in which the prophet is commanded to measure—surely not the city which it is stated had been demolished fourteen years previously, but the city of the future seen by the prophet in vision (1904, 238).

Nero Associated with 666 Some argue for an early date of the Apocalypse by asserting that the enigmatic 666 (13:18) is a reference to Nero. This is possible only by pursuing the most irresponsible form of exegesis. To come up with such an interpretation one must: add the title “Caesar” to Nero’s name; compute the letter-number arrangement on the basis of Hebrew, whereas the book was written in Greek; and alter the spelling of “Caesar” by dropping the yodh in the Hebrew. All of this reveals a truly desperate attempt to find a reference to Nero in the text. Additionally, Leon Morris has pointed out that Irenaeus discussed a number of possibilities for deciphering the 666, but he did not even include Nero in his list, let alone regard this as a likely conjecture (1980, 38). Noted critic Theodor Zahn observed that Nero was not even suggested as a possibility until the year 1831 (447). In view of the foregoing evidence, a very strong case can be made for dating Revelation at about A.D. 96.

Accordingly, the theory of realized eschatology, which is grounded upon the necessity of the Apocalypse having been written prior to A.D. 70, is shown to be without the necessary foundation for its successful defense, to say nothing of the scores of other scriptural difficulties that plague it. References Gundry, R. H. 1970. Survey of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Harrison, Everett. 1964. Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. Horne, Thomas H. 1841. Critical Introduction to the Holy Scriptures. Vol. 2. Philadelphia, PA: J. Whetham & Son. McClintock, John and James Strong. 1969. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker. Morris, Leon. 1980. The Revelation of St. John. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. Orr, James, ed. 1939. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Vol 4. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. Salmon, George. 1904.

Introduction to the New Testament. London, England: John Murray. Schaff, Philip and Johann Herzog. 1891. Schaff-Herzog Encyclopaedia of Religious Knowledge. Vol. 3. New York, NY: Funk & Wagnalls. Zahn, Theodor. 1973. Introduction to the New Testament. Vol. 3. Minneapolis, MN: Klock and Klock. Scripture References Ephesians 1:15; 1 Thessalonians 5 Cite this article

Question: On which island did St John write Revelations?
Answer: Patmos