Revelation 1:1-8
Prologe
“Revelation” (apokalypsis, GK 637) means to expose in full view what was formerly hidden, veiled, or secret
A comparison of the prologue (1:1–3) with the epilogue (22:7–21) shows that John has followed a deliberate literary pattern throughout Revelation. This should alert us to the possibility that the entire book was designed to be heard as a single unit in the public worship service. Minear, 5, observes, “The student should not be content with his interpretation of any passage unless and until it fits into the message of the book as a whole.” This should not in any way detract from the fact that John claims to have seen real visions (“saw,” v. 2), which we may assume were arranged by John in their particular literary form for purposes of communication.