The book of Revelation is the most developed example of a scriptural writer wrestling with the ideological implications of the gospel, and engaging with an opposing system in the light of what God has done in Jesus. It is an apocalypse, a letter and a prophecy. Ian Paul gives disciplined attention to the text, examines how John draws on the Old Testament, indicates how his message would have communicated and been understood in its first-century context, and makes connections with our contemporary world.

Ian Paul

GENERAL PREFACE

AUTHOR’S PREFACE

CHIEF ABBREVIATIONS

Bible versions

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Commentaries on Revelation

Other works

INTRODUCTION

1. Approaching Revelation

2. Who was John?

3. The date of Revelation

4. The social and historical context

5. Did John actually have a vision?

6. What kind of text is Revelation?

7. Reading Revelation's imagery

8. Revelation's use of numbers

9. Revelation's use of the Old Testament

10. The structure of Revelation

11. Revelation's main theological themes

12. Approaches to its interpretation

ANALYSIS

COMMENTARY

1. EPISTOLARY PROLOGUE (1:1–8)

A. Prologue (1:1–3)

B. Epistolary introduction (1:4–8)

2. JESUS THE ANGELIC SON OF MAN SPEAKS TO THE ASSEMBLIES (1:9 – 3:22)

A. John's commission (1:9–11)

B. The vision of Jesus (1:12–20)

C. The messages to the seven assemblies (2:1 – 3:22)

3. JOHN IN THE HEAVENLY THRONE ROOM (4:1 – 5:14)

A. John's encounter with the heavenly throne (4:1–6a)

B. John's encounter with the heavenly worship (4:6b–11)

C. John sees the scroll and the lamb (5:1–7)

D. The worship of the lamb (5:8–14)

4. THE OPENING OF THE SEVEN SEALS (6:1–17)

A. The first four seals are broken: the four horsemen (6:1–8)

B. The fifth and sixth seals: the martyrs and the wrath of the lamb (6:9–17)

5. INTERLUDE: THE VISION OF GOD’S PEOPLE, AND THE FINAL SEAL (7:1 – 8:1)

A. The sealing of the 144,000 (7:1–8)

B. The great multitude in praise and the seventh seal (7:9 – 8:1)

6. THE SOUNDING OF THE SEVEN TRUMPETS (8:2 – 9:21)

A. The seven angels and the prayer of the saints (8:2–5)

B. The first four trumpets are sounded (8:6–13)

C. The fifth trumpet (9:1–12)

D. The sixth trumpet (9:13–21)

7. INTERLUDE: THE PROPHETIC TASK OF TESTIMONY OF JOHN AND GOD’S PEOPLE (10:1 – 11:19)

A. John's (re)commissioning to prophesy (10:1–11)

B. The people of God as the two prophetic witnesses (11:1–14)

C. The seventh angel sounds his trumpet (11:15–19)

8. THE WOMAN CLOTHED WITH THE SUN, THE CHILD AND THE DRAGON (12:1–17)

A. The woman, the dragon and the child (12:1–6)

B. War in heaven (12:7–9)

C. The hymn of praise (12:10–12)

D. The dragon pursues the woman (12:13–17)

9. THE BEASTS FROM THE SEA AND THE LAND (13:1–18)

A. The beast from the sea (13:1–10)

B. The beast from the land (13:11–15)

C. The mark of the beast (13:16–18)

10. THE 144,000 ON MOUNT ZION AND THE HARVEST OF THE SON OF MAN (14:1–20)

A. The vision of the lamb and the 144,000 on Mount Zion (14:1–5)

B. Three angels announcing the gospel and judgment (14:6–13)

C. The harvest of the Son of Man (14:14–20)

11. THE POURING OUT OF THE SEVEN BOWLS (15:1 – 16:21)

A. Introductory vision and the song of Moses (15:1–8)

B. The first five bowls (16:1–11)

C. The sixth and seventh bowls (16:12–21)

12. THE GREAT PROSTITUTE AND THE SCARLET BEAST (17:1 – 19:10)

A. The vision in the wilderness (17:1–6)

B. The interpretation of the beast (17:7–11)

C. The interpretation of the horns and the woman (17:12–18)

D. The judgment of Babylon (18:1–8)

E. The mourning of the kings, merchants and seafarers (18:9–20)

F. The declaration of the mighty angel (18:21–24)

G. Celebration in heaven (19:1–10)

13. SEVEN UNNUMBERED VISIONS OF THE END (19:11 – 20:15)

A. The rider on the white horse (19:11–16)

B. The beast and the kings of the earth, and the last battle (19:17–21)

C. Satan chained for a thousand years (20:1–3)

D. The reign of the martyrs and the destruction of Satan (20:4–10)

E. The final judgment before the great white throne (20:11–15)

14. THE NEW JERUSALEM (21:1 – 22:5)

A. The appearance of the holy city (21:1–8)

B. The description of the holy city (21:9–21)

C. The glory of the holy city (21:22–27)

D. The river of the water of life and the tree of life (22:1–5)

15. EPILOGUE TO THE VISION REPORT AND THE LETTER (22:6–21)

NOTES

__The book of Revelation is the most developed example of a scriptural writer wrestling with the ideological implications of the gospel, and engaging with an opposing system in the light of what God has done in Jesus.__

A fascinating piece of Scripture as well as an extraordinary piece of literature, its interpretation has affected our theology, art and worship, and even international politics.

It is an apocalypse, a letter and a prophecy. Ian Paul gives disciplined attention to the text, examines how John draws on the Old Testament, indicates how his message would have communicated and been understood in its first-century context, and makes connections with our contemporary world.

__Tyndale Commentaries__ are designed to help the reader of the Bible understand what the text says and what it means. The Introduction to each book gives a concise but thorough treatment of its authorship, date, original setting, and purpose. Following a structural Analysis, the Commentary takes the book section by section, drawing out its main themes, and also comments on individual verses and problems of interpretation. Additional Notes provide fuller discussion of particular difficulties.

Revelation

Navigation Bar

Header Default

Download the Christian360 App to read eBooks and listen to Audiobooks bought at Christian360

Download the App

Revelation

Description

Need support?

Customer reviews

Download the App

Download the App