An Introduction to Revelation

(no “s”)

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition Chapter 1

1.1 Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ

Hermeneutics and Exegesis

Survey of the History of Interpretation

Dispensationalism Defined

Herme-whatics?

Definition - from the Greek word for interpretation, Hermeneutics is the practice of interpretation.

We all do hermeneutics. Watch…

We all apply it to the Bible. Watch…

Exe-who?

Definition - from the Greek word for explanation, this is a another word for interpretation.

Hermeneutics and Exegesis

We will use hermeneutics here to refer to the concept and philosophy of interpretation.

We will use exegesis here to refer to the practice of gathering the biblical data when interpreting.

How do we do Exegesis?

Things to Know:

You always bring presuppositions to the text from your experiences.

The bible is Completely Inspired, but given to us in many ways.

Humility is necessary. After all, we are finite and God is not. We go to scripture seeking the Lord, Not telling him what he said.

Let’s Try It

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 3

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His conly begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 1

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 1

1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things aaccomplished among us,

2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and cservants of the word,

3 it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;

4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been ataught.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change

And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;

3 Though its waters roar and foam,

Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.

Questions to ask:

who

what

when

where

why

Genre

Epistle, Gospel, Narative, Poetry, Prophecy, Parable, Wisdom, Apocalypse

Which genre(s) is(are) Revelation?

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 1

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,

2 who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Message to the Seven Churches

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

Does it Matter?

History of Interpretation

The Patristic Period

Definition: those who wrote between the end of the 1st cent., after the writing of most of the works that now comprise the NT, and the close of the 8th cent. (ODCC)

This includes:

Ignatius of Antioch

Irenaeus

Justin Martyr

Origen

Augustine

How did they read Revelation?

Chiliastic Apocalyptic (c. 130)

Chiliasm - traditionally found in Judaism. it is hyperliteralistic and materialistic view of eschatology. Fueled Jewish revolts that were oppressed by Rome.

One future advent of Christ with a tribulation before or after the Millennium.

Roughly, the idea is that Christ would come and establish a literal kingdom.

Note: the tribulation is not in a specific place in the time line and there is no rapture.

Montanus Apocalyptic (c. 172)

The Lexham Bible Dictionary History

Montanus claimed to receive utterances at his baptism (around AD 156/7 or 179), which he believed were from the Holy Spirit (Trevette, Montanism, 77–78). Montanus apparently claimed to be the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit in John 14:26. He is reported to have said, “I am God Almighty dwelling in man … I am neither angel nor envoy; I am the Lord God and Father, and have come to myself.”

Heretic

announced the imminent arrival of the New Jerusalem in Pepuza (ancient city in Asia Minor)

Interpreted a plague of his time as a sign of the end.

one of the first to interpret Revelation by the times.

Constantinian Apocalyptic (d. 337)

Successor to Roman Emperor Diocletian.

One the battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 and attributed it to the sign of the cross.

He converted and made Christian legal in the Edict of Milan in 313.

Rome is no longer seen as the beast of Revelation.

Different ways of handling the Apocalypse of John:

Greek Orthodox - ignored revelation.

Roman Catholic - Deferred Timing and Symbolic Timing

Deferred Timing

strategy that understood the millennium as literal and earthly, just later. the timing is deferred.

with some math counting from creation, some believed that AD 500 would be the day.

When 500 came, recalculations by English Monk Bede set the new time at 800.

800 came and went with a new millennial date, 1000.

Symbolic Timing

as opposed to Deferred Timing, Symbolic Timing saw the events of Revelation as non-literal.

Augustine (d. 430) was a scholar of the Western Church who pioneered this hermeneutical strategy.

Rome became a protector and hero of the church.

Augustine understood the images of Revelation to reflect the Christian Life

example: Revelation 20:5, he understood as a symbol for baptism.

Rome was understood as the Eternal City, New Jerusalem.

BUT, Rome was sacked in by the Visigoths in 410.

Millennium Apocalyptic (A.D. 1000)

While Augustine understood Revelation against the inner life of a christian, the general populace did not adopt this view. Instead the interpreted against the times.

Art interpreted Revelation against the current events.

The Bubonic Plague 541-543 influenced this by killing a third of the human population.

Bede (d. 735) calculated by biblical generations and some contortion of time that the second advent of Christ would come at AD. 1000.

Development of the Antichrist (ἀντίχριστος) Legend

1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7

1 John 2:18 NASB95

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.

1 John 2:22 NASB95

Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:3 NASB95

and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

2 John 7 NASB95

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Crusade Apocalyptic (AD 1095)

Muslims had taken much of the, then, Christian World.

in 1071, Seljuq Turks controlled the area around Jerusalem

Pope Urban II called for crusades to take the Holy Land.

Antichrist Legend Develops more

Periodizing begins to take place against the backdrop of the “Signs of the Times.

The Reformation (1400’s)

The Taborites

Offshoot of a group of reformers called the Hussites in Bohemia.

they were radical and used millennial rhetoric to for their war on all non-taborites

They declared the imminent coming of the Millennium

John Wycliffe (d. 1384)

Declared the papacy the Antichrist.

The Reformation (1500’s)

Martin Luther

Revived the historical periodizing of Revelation

Luther used Antichrist Slander Heavily against the Papacy (printing press)

Showed how apocalyptic rhetoric could unleash violent tendencies.

Fueled radical rhetoric

Thomas Muntzer (d. 1525)

member of the clergy attracted to Luther’s ideas.

Led the Peasant’s Revolt in Thuringia (1524-25).

He promised God’s intervention but instead 5,000 peasants were slaughtered.

there were others like Muntzer (Radical Anabaptists)

Catholic Response

Futurism - interpretation that the prophecies have not yet been fulfilled.

Preterism - the prophecies have been fulfilled in history.

Colonial Apologetic (1700’s)

Puritans would separate from the Church of England.

They sought to purify the church of lingering “popery.”

a civic millenialism began developing - Post-millennial Eschatology.

Understanding Theology in 15 Minutes a Day Postmillennialism

postmillennialism denies any physical future reign of Christ on earth. Rather the millennium, or “kingdom,” will be a very long era that is brought about as God works through the evangelistic efforts of believers on earth