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Apokaluciw or revelation is the Greek word from which is derived the other name by which this book is frequently known, the Apocalypse. This is in contrast to the book of Daniel where the instruction is given to "seal up the vision, for it pertains to many days hence" (Dan. 8.26). The reason given for this being revealed is stated as being that it is "about to happen quickly." For this reason, if for no other, the events described herein must be sought near to the time of its writing. The book is described as a revelation which comes from Jesus Christ and which was given to Him by God. Compare the description of the transmission of the account of the martyrdom of Polycarp, These things Caius transcribed from the copy of Irenaeus (who was a disciple of Polycarp), having himself been intimate with Irenaeus. And I Socrates transcribed them at Corinth from the copy of Caius. Grace be with you all. And I again, Pionius, wrote them from the previously written copy, having carefully searched into them, and the blessed Polycarp having manifested them to me through a revelation, even as I shall show in what follows. I have collected these things, when they had almost faded away through the lapse of time, that the Lord Jesus Christ may also gather me along with His elect into His heavenly kingdom, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory for ever and ever. Amen. [Ante-Nicene Fathers I, "Encyclical Epistle of the Church at Smyrnam", chapter xxii (Edinburgh: Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, ed.)] This establishes the pedigree of the writing by a chain of transmission from God to Jesus Christ through the messenger (angel) to John who wrote it.
The term here translated as Messenger can refer to an angel or to a human messenger. God has his angels who do his bidding And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the
presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this
good news. So also does the devil have his angels Then he will say to those at his left hand, Depart from me,
you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;
But compare
and When Johns messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the
crowds about John:"What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A
reed shaken by the wind? where a human messenger is referenced. The term will be translated as messenger unless there is indisputable evidence that an angelic being is intended. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| This recalls the opening of the fourth
gospel which speaks of the Word as the Son of God who dwelt among
us. Together with the naming of the recipient of the revelation in
the preceding verse as John, the claim that he was a witness to the Word
and beheld his martyrdom (i.e., the crucifixion) serves to make the
claim that the author of the Apocalypse is none other than the Apostle
John. As with other apocalyptic works, however, this claim is
not to be accepted at face value. R.H Charles, The
Revelation of St. John, vol. i, p xxi, states
regarding the author of the Apocalypse,
John the Seer, to whom we owe the Apocalypse, was a Jewish Christian Who had in all probability spent the greater part of his life in Galilee before he emigrated to Asia Minor and settled in Ephesus, the chief centre of Greek civilization in that province. This conclusion is in part to be drawn not only from his defective knowledge of Greek and the unparalleled liberties he takes with its syntax, but also from the fact that to a certain extent he creates a Greek grammar of his own. Charles cites seven categories of linguistic evidence that the gospel and the three epistles belong together, but that the Apocalypse does not. These are (1) The
former are free of the Apocalypticist's ungrammatical forms. (a) Words lhyw, lhyw,, lyeia, mezvn, mnein, felein, xar(4) Words frequent in John and epistles but exceptional in the Apocalypse. mw, mterow, mterow, sw(5) Parallel expressions
(6) There are no quotations in the
epistles and few in John. In the Apocalypse quotations abound. From this and other considerations, Charles concludes that while the author of the Apocalypse was not the same as the author of the gospel and the epistles this work was not a pseudonymous work, but was the work of a John the Seer. We shall see that there is good reason to call this conclusion into question. One of the characteristics of apocalyptic literature is to ascribe it to a famous figure of a preceding period. Thus the book of Daniel which was written in the time of the Maccabees is ascribed to a Daniel who is said to have lived during a period extending from Nebuchadnezzar to Cyrus of Persia and purports to describe events which are to occur at a future date. The future time which it purports to describe is actually the events of the time in which it was written -- the persecution of the Jews under Antiochus Epiphanes. This is a technique which was no doubt used due to the fact that apocalypses tend to be written during times of severe trial when it might not be safe to reveal the name of the true author.
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The reference here to the "one who
reads aloud" the prophecy is the first indication of the liturgical
interest of the writer. We shall see others in the course of the
book. Accordingly, a liturgical term is used in translation.
While literally meaning "near", the translation as "upon us" recommends itself since it frequently seems to indicate almost immediate presence. This is not something which is to take place outside the scope of the life of most of the author's readers / hearers. It is of immediate concern to them. This is why interpretations of the Apocalypse which try to refer its pronouncements to a period much later than the author, even up to and perhaps past our own time, are obviously false. We must look for the events which are described within this book to the period contemporaneous with the author. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| The "Seven Churches" are enumerated in
v. 11. The
number seven is of significance in Judaism. It is the number of
completion since the week consisted of seven days. God is spoken of
observing the Sabbath or seventh day even in creation for He created His
work in six days and rested on the seventh day (Gen
2.1-4a).
"Asia" refers to the Roman Province of Asia. R.H Charles, op. cit., p..xxii, notes, "We gather from the Apocalypse that John the Seer exercised an unquestioned authority over the Churches of the Province of Asia." An example of such an authority is found in the account of the Martyrdom of Polycarp [Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. i, "The Encyclical Epistle of the Church at Smyrnam", cap. XII.] While he spoke these and many other like things, he was filled with confidence and joy, and his countenance was full of grace, so that not merely did it not fall as if troubled by the things said to him, but, on the contrary, the proconsul was astonished, and sent his herald to proclaim in the midst of the stadium thrice, "Polycarp has confessed that he is a Christian." This proclamation having been made by the herald, the whole multitude both of the heathen and Jews, who dwelt at Smyrna, cried out with uncontrollable fury, and in a loud voice, "This is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, and the overthrower of our gods, he who has been teaching many not to sacrifice, or to worship the gods." Indeed, it was to St. Polycarp that St. Ignatius wrote while on his way to be thrown to the beasts in the Coliseum at Rome [ANF, vol. i, "The Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp", cap. VIII"]. Inasmuch as I have not been able to write to all the Churches, because I must suddenly sail from Troas to Neapolis, as the will [of the emperor] enjoins, [I beg that] thou, as being acquainted with the purpose of God, wilt write to the adjacent Churches, that they also may act in like manner, such as are able to do so sending messengers, and the others transmitting letters through those persons who are sent by thee, that thou mayest be glorified by a work which shall be remembered for ever, as indeed thou art worthy to be.
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R.H. Charles, op. cit., p. 9, categorically assigns the phrase "and from the seven spirits which are before his throne" to an interpolation on the grounds that In the passages just cited [Rev. 12.8-9 and 19.9-10] the worship of angels (see note on xxii,8) is denounced in most forcible terms, and from the class of subordinate beings co-ordinate with the seven archangels we cannot exclude "the seven spirits." The Seer cannot therefore have accorded divine honours to these seven spirits at the very opening of his Book. However, James D.G. Dunn, The Anchor Bible Dictionary, s.v, "Christology (NT)", Freedman, David Noel, 1922- / David Noel Freedman, editor-in-chief.(New York : Doubleday, 1996, c1992. states, In Revelation the seven spirits of God (= the Holy Spirit) are depicted as the eyes of the Lamb (Rev 5:6). Charles' other argument for this phrase being an interpolation appear at first blush to be more convincing. He states, Moreover, when this interpolation is removed, we have three stanzas of three lines each beginning with xriw 4b, and ending 7c a fula tw gw. Thus in 4b-5a as in 5c-6a only God and Christ are mentioned. Nevertheless, this is not totally convincing since even with this phrase retained, the passage can still be recognized as having a threefold structure:
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is yet to come, the Almighty.
The structure of the passage would then be I. Pronouncement of benediction vv. 4b-5
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