25-CHAPTER XXV THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
CHAPTER XXV THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE The Author.
Like the First Epistle of St. John, the Revelation has particularly strong external evidence in its favour. About A.D. 150 Justin Martyr speaks of it as the work of "John, one of the apostles of Christ," in his dialogue held with Trypho, a Jew, at Ephesus, where St. John had lived. Still earlier, Papias looked upon the book as "inspired," and "bore testimony to its genuineness." Irenaeus, the pupil of Polycarp, the disciple of St. John, quotes it as written by "John, the disciple of the Lord." About A.D. 170 Melito of Sardis, one of the places to which part of the book was specially addressed, wrote a commentary upon it. It was accepted by the Churches of Vienne and Lyons in Gaul in A.D. 177, for they wrote of it as "Scripture" in their letter to the Christians of Asia Minor. Near the same date the Muratorian Fragment mentions it twice. It will be observed that this evidence is not only good, but it is also mostly drawn from sources which were most closely connected with St. John. The evidence of the Churches of Vienne and Lyons would be important, even if it stood alone. For these Greek-speaking Churches were allied with the Church of Ephesus, and were not likely to be mistaken about this question. And the evidence of Irenaeus and Melito is still more weighty.
Strange to say, the belief in the authenticity of the Revelation began to waver as time went on. We need pay little heed to the sect known as the Alogi, who attributed both St. John’s Gospel and the Revelation to Cerinthus, because they disliked the doctrine of the Logos contained in these two books. They were too ignorant to have been influenced by any real critical knowledge. But it is an important fact that about A.D. 248 Dionysius of Alexandria stated that it was probably written by John the Presbyter, and that the great Eusebius seems at one time to have been inclined to accept the opinion of Dionysius.[1] So far as we can discover, Dionysius founded his opinion solely on the difference of style which can be observed as separating the Revelation from the Gospel. He does not seem to have been in possession of any facts which gave historical support to his theory. Nevertheless, we can legitimately think that there was another reason which induced orthodox Christians to regard the Revelation with less confidence. The Montanist sect, which arose in the latter half of the 2nd century and became powerful in Asia Minor and North Africa, taught an extravagant doctrine about the millennium when Christ would return to reign on earth. This doctrine was partly founded on Rev. 20, and was supported by pretended prophecies. It caused orthodox Christians to be more suspicious about the statements of Christian prophets, and probably made them less anxious to translate and circulate the Revelation. This hesitation was soon overruled, and Eusebius, in spite of his own slight doubts, reckons it as received among the undisputed books of the Canon. This was c. A.D. 320. In modern times the controversy about the authorship has been revived. About one hundred years ago a school of critics took up the argument of Dionysius. They urged that the Gospel and the Revelation must have been written by two different authors, the Revelation being much more Hebrew in style than the Gospel. The argument was elaborated by F. C. Baur and the Tübingen School. As they were determined to deny the genuineness of the Gospel which so clearly teaches that Jesus is God, they tried to discredit the Gospel by insisting upon the authenticity of the Revelation. The successors of these critics soon found themselves on the horns of a dilemma. A closer examination of the Revelation made it clearer that on many important points the theology of the Revelation is the same as that of the Gospel. If they admit that St. John wrote both the books or one of them, they will be forced to admit that the apostle taught definite orthodox Christian theology.[2] If, on the other hand, they affirm that both the books were written by John the Presbyter, they will shatter the old argument that diversity of style proves diversity of authorship. It will therefore surprise no one to learn that they are now engaged in continuous disputes with regard to the identity of the author, and the materials, Jewish or otherwise, which he is supposed to have used in compiling his book. At the present time the writers who hold the Revelation to have been written by various authors, are divided into no less than four camps, while the rationalists who hold that it was written by one author cannot agree who that author was. It is extremely significant that, in spite of his conviction that the book was not all written at the same date, the critic who is now by far the ablest opponent of orthodox Christianity, holds that the Revelation was (i.) published in the time of Domitian, as the tradition of the Church affirms; (ii.) published by the author of the fourth Gospel, though not by the real St. John.[3]
It must be admitted that the style of the book is more Hebrew and less Greek than that of the Gospel. But some arguments may be reasonably alleged against the theory that this proves the Revelation to be by a different author. The difference in the scope and origin of the two books account in a large measure for the differences of vocabulary and style. No book in the New Testament is so steeped as the Revelation in the imagery of the Old Testament; Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah are constantly used. The thoroughness with which their spirit has been assimilated, and their ideas combined by the writer, would create a Hebrew tendency in his language. Whether St. John made use of the material furnished by non-canonical apocalypses is uncertain. If he did, their style would also influence him in the same way. We must also beware of exaggerating the contrast in style which does exist between the Gospel and the Revelation. The Gospel is not always in correct Greek, and never shows a thorough mastery of that language. But the Revelation is certainly in much rougher Greek. The writer uses the nominative case for the accusative (Revelation 7:9; Revelation 14:6); similar instances are in Revelation 3:12; Revelation 14:12. This rugged usage is introduced with magnificent, and perhaps intentional, effect in Revelation 1:4, where the author emphasizes the eternity of God by using an entirely ungrammatical construction.[4] Apart from the question of grammar, the language of the Apocalypse shows a remarkable affinity with St. John’s Gospel. We may observe the use of such words as "witness," "true," "tabernacle," "have part," "keep the word," and "overcome." The theology of the two books is in close agreement. This can easily be shown in the case of the doctrine of Christ’s Person. He is called the "Lamb" [5] in the Gospel (John 1:29, John 1:36) and in the Revelation (Revelation 5:6, Revelation 5:8, Revelation 5:12, etc.). He is called the "Word" in the Gospel (John 1:1, etc.) and in the Revelation (Revelation 19:13). He is taught to be eternal and divine. He is "the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last" (Revelation 22:13; cf. Isaiah 44:6). He shares the throne of God (Revelation 22:1-3); He determines who shall be released from the realm of death (Revelation 1:18); He joins in the judgment (Revelation 6:16); He is worshipped by the elders and the angels (Revelation 5:8, Revelation 5:11). He is the Bridegroom of the Church (Revelation 19:7; Revelation 21:2, cf. John 3:29). The attitude towards Judaism is the same as that in the Gospel. The Jews who oppose Jesus are strongly denounced (Revelation 3:9), and though the Church is a new Jerusalem, it is composed of people gathered out of every nation (Revelation 7:9). The necessity of good works is strenuously upheld (Revelation 2:5, Revelation 2:19); but they are not works of rabbinical righteousness, but works of Jesus (Revelation 2:26), and the "righteous acts of the saints" (Revelation 19:8) are based on "the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). Salvation is the free gift of Christ (Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:17). The saints who overcome, conquer not by relying upon their own righteousness, but "because of the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 12:11). In the Revelation (Revelation 2:17) Jesus promises to believers "the hidden manna;" in the Gospel, referring also to the manna, He promises "the true bread from heaven" (John 6:32). In the Revelation (Revelation 22:17) Jesus says, "Let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely;" in the Gospel He says, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink" (John 7:37). If, then, the Revelation is full of Hebrew expressions, it is essentially and profoundly Christian, and linked with the other Johannine books by the closest kinship. The theology and the style of the Revelation are the same throughout.[6] We can therefore reject without hesitation the recent hypothesis that it is one large Jewish work with numerous Christian interpolations. The difficulty of supposing that the book was ever a purely Jewish Apocalypse can quickly be realized by any one who undertakes to strike out all the Christian allusions in the book. The author states that he is John, in the strongest fashion both in the beginning and end (Revelation 1:4, Revelation 1:9; Revelation 22:8), and his attitude towards the seven Churches is inexplicable unless the writer held a position of the highest ecclesiastical importance. For whom written.
Plainly for the whole Church, as represented by "the seven Churches which are in Asia" (Revelation 1:4).
Date. From Revelation 1:9 we learn that the revelation was made to John when he "was in the isle that is called Patmos" (in the Aegean Sea) "for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus." Irenaeus expressly says that the date of this banishment was at the end of the reign of Domitian (Emperor 81-96 A.D.), and therefore he says it was almost within his own generation. On the other hand, some modern writers have assigned part or the whole of the book to the time of Nero (54-68), or a little later. But though some parts of it seem earlier than Domitian, the final form of the book is unquestionably late. A late date is indicated by the corruptions existing in some of the Churches addressed, by the expression "the Lord’s day" (Revelation 1:10) instead of the older expression "first day of the week," by the strong opposition to Judaism which is called the "synagogue of Satan" (Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9), and above all by the attitude of the writer towards Rome. The imperial rule is no longer regarded with the tolerance which we find in Acts and in St. Paul’s Epistles. It is no longer the "restraining" and protecting power. It is denounced as cruel and aggressive, and not only is the worship offered to the Roman emperor mentioned as widespread, but also the worship offered to Rome. The city is called the Great Harlot, because in prophetical language idolatry is described as an act of fornication, being a violation of the pure love which should be felt by man towards his Creator. The worship of Rome does not seem to have become common in Asia until late in the 1st century, and it is not even mentioned once in Acts. The destruction of Jerusalem is definitely mentioned in Revelation 11:2, where the earthly Jerusalem is symbolized as the "court which is without the temple," the temple which the prophet measures being the heavenly temple only (Revelation 11:19). This chapter seems to imply that Jerusalem is already destroyed, and is founded on Ezekiel 40, when the prophet measures the ideal city, not the city which had been destroyed previously. We are therefore pointed to a date later than A.D. 70. The same seems to be suggested by Revelation 13:1 and Revelation 17:10. For the beast in Revelation 13:1 is the pagan Roman State as typified by Nero, and so is the number 666 in Revelation 13:18; for if the words Nero Caesar are written in Hebrew letters, and the numerical values of the letters are added together, the result is 666. In Revelation 17:8 Nero is described as dead, and in Revelation 17:10 Vespasian is the sixth emperor, Titus the seventh, and the eighth, in Revelation 17:11, is Domitian, who plays the Satanic part of Nero. The sixth emperor is described as still living, and we therefore seem compelled to assign part of this passage to Vespasian’s reign. Nevertheless, there is abundant internal evidence for thinking that the book was not completed until the time of Domitian. It is worth noting that Domitian exacted a more extravagant worship of his own person than any previous emperor, and that his policy therefore made the publication of the book doubly appropriate.
Character and Contents.
There were a number of Jewish books called by the name of Revelation or Apocalypse (i.e. revelation or unveiling). In the Old Testament an Apocalypse is to be found in the second part of Daniel, and there is a fine short Apocalypse in Isaiah 24-27, where we find striking passages relating to the resurrection and eternal life. The Book of Enoch and the Apocalypse of Baruch are later examples of this class of literature. These books were generally written with the special purpose of giving encouragement to the servants of God in times of distress and persecution. The Revelation of St. John was written under similar circumstances, but is by far the most sublime of these writings. The interpretation of the Revelation appears to have always been a standing difficulty, in spite of the fact that there has been no age of the Christian Church which has not been able to draw consolation and vigour from its beautiful pages, all illuminated as they are with glowing pictures. The question as to whether different portions of the book were written at different dates, and afterwards edited in one volume by the writer, does not necessarily interfere with the interpretation. For the book is one work, the materials have been fitted into one structure. The connection between the different parts is organic and internal. Not only is the doctrinal standpoint the same throughout, but the whole book has an immense number of connecting thoughts and words. The letters to the seven Churches contain statements which are taken up in the visions which follow. Among such we may compare Revelation 2:7 with Revelation 22:2; Revelation 2:11 with Revelation 20:6; Revelation 2:26 with Revelation 12:5, Revelation 2:28 with Revelation 22:16; Revelation 3:5 with Revelation 19:8; Revelation 3:12 with Revelation 21:2. The description of the glorified Redeemer in Revelation 1:10-18 is reflected in numerous passages, and the strong assertion of the author’s personality in Revelation 1:9 is again presented in Revelation 22:8. And the meaning of the book rapidly becomes clearer to the reader if he sees (a) that the notices of contemporary history in each of the seven parts of the book are arranged chronologically in reference to what is contained in that part; (b) that these seven parts are not related to one another in the order of temporal succession: each part is complete in itself, and is a full presentation of one aspect of the whole subject. This is exactly what we find in Isaiah, Amos, and Zechariah. This leads us to another fact. Some writers have held that the Revelation is to be interpreted simply on historical lines, as though it contained a list of events occurring through the whole of history since the time of St. John. Other writers have held that little or no historical meaning can be found in the book, and that it is to be interpreted on ideal lines, as teaching certain principles of religion. The truth seems to be that these two methods of interpretation are both partly true. Certain historical facts, such as the Ascension of our Lord, the destruction of Jerusalem, the persecution of the Church, the struggle between the Church and the Roman empire, are taken as a basis. Certain great principles of God’s dealings with the world, and of the continued conflict between good and evil, are then illustrated in connection with these facts, and the whole is knit together by the fixed expectation that Christ will come again to vanquish the wicked and rescue the good. While each division of the book thus possesses a real meaning, it seems hardly possible to attach a significance to each detail in the imagery which is employed. Many items and even numbers appear to be introduced in order to make the scenes clear to the mind’s eye rather than impart a knowledge of independent events. In after-ages Dante, like St. John, showed this care for minute imagery in the midst of verses of mystic vision. The book is the highest example of Christian imagination led and inspired by the Holy Spirit, and although at is written in prose it is of the nature of a poem. The book contains seven revelations, which are preceded by a prologue concerning the divine Son of Man and the seven Churches of Asia. Of these seven revelations, the fourth is central both in place and meaning. It represents the kingdom of the world becoming the kingdom of Christ as the result of the coming of the Messiah, born of that glorious mother, the woman whose seed wars against the serpent (Genesis 3:15), and the maiden who bears Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14), and who also represents the Church banished to the wilderness. On each side are three revelations, which correspond with one another like the petals of a mystical rose. The third, which deals with the divine judgment upon Jerusalem, corresponds with the fifth, which contains God’s judgment upon Rome. Here we see the triumph of God over corrupt religion and corrupt imperialism. The second, which describes the powers of divine judgment kept in check, and the seal of God imprinted on the saints of the new Israel, corresponds with the sixth, which describes the war of the Word of God with the Beast, and events which end with the universal judgment. The first, which describes the Lamb that was slain and the book of destiny which He alone could open, corresponds with the seventh, which describes the Bride of the Lamb, the New Jerusalem in heaven. Thus the final glory of the Church corresponds with the glory which the ascended Jesus already receives in heaven. The whole closes with a short epilogue.
It will be observed that the book contains seven choric songs. The first revelation contains two such songs, one after each division. The second, third, and fifth revelation, each close with a song. The fourth and central revelation contains two songs; one is sung by the bodyguard of the Lamb before they go to war, the other is sung after the victory is gained. The seventh and last chorus celebrates the fall of Babylon (Rome), and ushers in the marriage of the Lamb. It comes at the end of the fifth revelation. Its form is double, and it sums up the remaining action of the book. Two more facts must be mentioned in this connection. The first is that the words of the song of the bodyguard of the Lamb (Revelation 14:3) are not told; it can only be learned by the redeemed. It begins with the voice of Christ, the voice "of many waters," and it is taken up by the "thunder" of the cherubim and the harps of the elders. The second is that there is no song between the sixth and seventh revelation. It is simply the voice out of the throne itself, the voice of the cherubim who uphold the throne of God (see Revelation 4:6), which proclaims that the tabernacle of God is now with men, and that He shall wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4). The exquisite art of this arrangement of the songs is manifest.
ANALYSIS
Title and description (Revelation 1:1-3).
Prologue (Revelation 1:4 - Revelation 3:22).
The vision of the Son of Man (Revelation 1:4-20).
The message to each of the seven Churches of Asia (Revelation 2, 3). A general idea of conflict is present in this introduction. The Churches of Asia have special temptations against which they must fight, e.g. coldness at Ephesus, false prophecy at Thyatira, emperor worship at Pergamum.
I. Revelation of the Book of Destiny: (Revelation 4-5).
The throne of God is manifested, surrounded by the elders and by the four living creatures who represent the created universe, chorus of creation (Revelation 4.).
The sealed book which none can open but the Lamb, chorus of redemption (Revelation 5).
II. Revelation of the Seals: (Revelation 6 - Revelation 8:1).
The first four seals of the book are opened. Christ appears riding on a white horse, and is followed by four symbolic powers of evil:
(a) Apollyon, who rides on a red horse;
(b) the Steward, who rides on a black horse, and dispenses corn at a dear price, representing a perverted ministry of the Word, which nevertheless cannot hurt the unction given to the Christian nor the wine of Christ’s Passion;
(c) Death on a pale horse; and
(d) his companion Hell.
When the fifth scene is opened, the martyrs who are under the altar which is before the throne cry in expectancy. With the sixth seal there is a warning of prophetic horrors. The day of God’s wrath all but comes. But judgment is restrained for a season (Revelation 6).
Chastisement is suspended until 144,000 of Israelites are sealed, then a multitude of all nations, chorus of salvation (Revelation 7).
The seventh seal, which discloses a war against God, can now be opened; silence (Revelation 8:1).
III. Revelation of the Trumpets: (Revelation 8:2 - Revelation 11:18).
Seven angels receive trumpets, incense offered. With the sounding of each of the first four trumpets a chastisement is sent from above to rouse repentance (Revelation 8).
With the fifth, chastisement ascends from the pit; with the sixth, angels and terrific horsemen come from the Euphrates; but men repent not (Revelation 9).
Before the seventh trumpet sounds, an angel tells the seer that when it has sounded the mystery of God as declared to the prophets will be finished (Revelation 10.
Two prophets resembling Elijah and Moses appear as the symbols of Christian prophecy; they are slain in Jerusalem where our Lord was crucified, they ascend like Christ amid the wreck of a tenth of the city. The city confesses God. Then the seventh trumpet proclaims the subject of the next revelation: the kingdoms of the world becoming the kingdoms of Christ, chorus of God reigning (Revelation 11:1-18).
IV. Revelation of the Lamb’s Redemption: (Revelation 11:19 - Revelation 15:4).
The ark itself is revealed to show that the coming revelation manifests what is most sacred and most profound. The conflict between Christ and evil is shown first as the conflict of the Child of the Woman against the dragon, then as the conflict of Michael and his angels against the dragon, then as the conflict of the dragon against the woman’s seed (Revelation 12).
Next come the allies of the dragon, the beast out of the sea, which is imperial pagan Rome; and the beast out of the earth, which is the priesthood of Asia appointed to promote the worship of the emperor (Revelation 13).
Then there is seen on Mount Zion the Lamb with His bodyguard of 144,000, singing the incommunicable chorus. An angel proclaims the eternal gospel; another tells that Babylon, i.e. pagan Rome, has fallen; another proclaims the eternal punishment of those who worship the beast. Then a voice from heaven announces the blessedness of the dead in Christ. The Son of Man is seen with a sickle; then comes the harvest of the good, and the vintage of those who are to suffer in the winepress of God’s wrath (Revelation 14).
Seven angels appear, and the victors over the beast sing the chorus Of Moses and the Lamb (Revelation 15:1-4).
V. Revelation of the Bowls: (Revelation 15:5 - Revelation 19:10).
The heavenly temple opens, and the seven angels come to pour out the seven last punishments from the golden bowls (Revelation 15:6-8).
There is a plague, and the turning of the sea, and then of the rivers, into blood, then the sun’s heat is intensified, then darkness is poured over Rome. Then, in conformity with Revelation 3, we are shown the Euphrates. It is dried up that the kings of the East, probably conceived of as Parthians, may march to destroy Babylon. Other kings come to aid the beast. They muster at Har-Magedon. The seventh bowl is poured on the air. Babylon breaks into three parts. Storms (Revelation 16).
Then an angel shows John Babylon riding triumphantly upon a beast as the mother of harlots, drunken with the blood of the martyrs, and he explains how she shall be destroyed by her subject kings (Revelation 17).
There follows a solemn dirge on Babylon (Revelation 18).
Then comes a triumphant chorus for the judgment of the city (Revelation 19:1-8).
John is forbidden to worship his angel-guide (Revelation 19:10).
VI. Revelation of the Word of God and the universal Judgment: (Revelation 19:11 - Revelation 20:15).
It is now shown that judgment is the work of the Word of God Himself. As in Revelation II., He appears upon a white horse. Brief sections display the complete overthrow of the great enemies of Christ, the beast, the false prophet, and the dragon. Then comes the millennium, when the martyrs of Jesus reign with Christ while Satan is bound. Satan is then loosed, and with Gog and Magog, who are leaders of nations hostile to God’s people, he is finally vanquished. The final judgment takes place, and Death and Hell are cast into fire.
VII. Revelation of the New Jerusalem: (Revelation 21:1 - Revelation 22:5).
From a mountain-top is seen the Church, the holy city, New Jerusalem, the Bride prepared for Jesus. Its luminary and structure are described. It rises on a vast rock of jewels. The throne of God is no longer remote from man, but in the midst of the city. From the throne pours the river of life through the very heart of the city. The river is shaded on both sides by the "tree" or wood of life, with its perpetual variety of fruit. This is in contrast with the one tree and its forbidden fruit which was the means of the Fall.
Epilogue (Revelation 22:6-21).
The attestation of the angel, the watchword of Jesus, John again forbidden to worship the angel. The book to remain unclosed. The watchword repeated. The attestation of Jesus to Himself and the angel, to His Bride, to the book, to His advent.
The response of John to the Lord Jesus.
Salutation.
### [1] H. E. 3: 25, 39; 7: 25.
[2] The determination to deny that St. John could have believed in the Divinity of Christ made Zeller maintain that in the Revelation Christ is called the Word of God as a mere honorary title. Davidson interpreted it as meaning "the highest creature." Renan tried to extricate himself from the difficulty by saying that St. John did not write the Revelation, but, "having approved of it, saw it circulate under his name without displeasure" (L’Antichrist, p. 41:).
[3] Harnack, Chronologie, vol. 1: pp. 245, 246, 679.
[4] Many of the supposed wrong constructions in the Revelation are capable of justification (Dr. Benson, The Apocalypse, p. 131 ff.).
[5] It is true that a different Greek word for Lamb is used in the Revelation from that in the Gospel, but the variation can be accounted for by the author’s desire to use a word similar in form to the word used for the Beast, who is contrasted with the Lamb.
[6] The attempt to divide a supposed Judaizing element in the book from a more Catholic element has led to the assertion that Revelation 7:1-8 is inconsistent with Revelation 7:9-17. There is no more incongruity between these two passages than in the statement of St. Paul in Romans 1:16, that the gospel is a power unto salvation "to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."