There may have been a single author for the gospel and the three epistles. With the book of revelation, the reason for the identification was simple. The gospel of john appears to have been written during the early. The apocalypse, or revelation to john, the last book of the bible, is one of the most difficult to understand because it abounds in unfamiliar and extravagant symbolism, which at best appears unusual to the modern reader. The main debate centers on who authored the writings, and which of the writings, if any, can be ascribed to a common author.
Is the book of john, john 1,2,3 and revelation all. Most definitely the gospel of john was written before the destruction of jerusalem ad 70 as references are made within the book to structures existing before that siege of jerusalem. Only johns gospel and revelation refer to jesus christ as the word 19. So there is no doubt that he was a different man with the same name.
Patmos was a quarry mine for the roman empire, and was home to many political and religious prisoners or slaves. The apostle john is the author of the book of revelation. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant john, 2 who testifies to everything he saw. This very powerful and dynamic teachingtool on the book of revelation shines a light on the symbolism and the mysteries of god revealed to mankind in this great book. The gospel of john tells many of the stories of jesus life that are in the other three gospels, but also contains a lot of different information. Others have highlighted what they see as differences in the text between the book of revelation and john s gospel, but there are many similarities as well. It has drawn the attention of numerous scholars throughout the ages, all trying to interpret the meaning of it. Revelation has long been attributed to the author of john s gospel, in spite of the differences in style of writing. Four times the author identifies himself as john 1. Polycarp, a secondcentury christian martyr who knew john personally, told irenaeus that john had written the book during the apostles time serving the church in ephesus. The book of revelation explained by pastor allen nolan is a teaching series on how to unravel the mysteries of the book of the revelation. Revelation to john, last book of the new testament. It would perhaps be best to first establish the case that the same author is responsible for all the books associated with john. Traditionally, the book of revelation has been dated near the end of the first century, around a.
The book of revelation is signed by a person called john, writing from the island of patmos, near greece. He also wrote the last book of the new testament, called the book of revelation. In fact, there are some striking parallels between revelation and johns other works. Revelation was written, but it does seem to have been written in. John of patmos could be the author named as john in the book of revelation, the apocalyptic text forming the final book of. The apocryphon of john collection the secret revelation of john the secret book of john. Some have suggested that the differences in style might reflect the aging of john between the writing of his gospel and the book of revelation, but this seems unlikely. Written by a christian named john, the contents of the book indicate quite clearly that the author was not the john who was one of the twelve disciples of jesus, for it contains no direct personal references of the type that one would expect from an intimate. One gospel, three letters, and the book of revelation are all attributed to john. Style of writing commentary a testimony of jesus christ. Jan 18, 2019 the gospel of john was written to prove that jesus christ is the son of god. Who wrote the book of revelation and the fourth gospel. Traditionally, both books have been identified as coming from the same person, john the son. Oct 21, 2016 you will love this video it will help you understand better itt is very good and a little long i encourage all of you to watch this kick back and relax.
The ethics of johns gospel, letters, and revelation. He wrote it when he was about 92 years old, while a prisoner of rome on the remote desert penal colony of patmos, an island in the aegean sea. Dating revelation to ad 66 and gospel of john to 98 ad bible. In fact, there are some striking parallels between revelation and john s other works. There are differences in style between revelation and johns other writings, but they are insignificant and do not preclude one man from writing both. No one signed the gospel now known as john s gospel and it was not even attributed to the apostle john until later in the second century. The book of revelation is the final book of the new testament, and consequently is also the. The revelation of john is the one book in the new testament that claims john as its author. Above image of the gospel of thomas courtesy of the institute for antiquity and christianity, claremont graduate university the secret book of john by stevan davies. This would push the date for the gospel of john out to ad 64 or 65. It is also noteworthy that like the gospel of john, revelation is a.
By the time the writings that are now included in the new testament were assembled in their present form, three letters and one gospel were also attributed to john. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of bible. The gospel of john is very different indeed from the book of revelation. It is often called the apocalypse, which is its title in greek, signifying revelation, canonical authority and authorship. After so many have tried to explain the locusts described by john, it would be presumptuous for us to give a more rational explanation. And the witness of the muratorian canon 150 ad 180 ad clearly states the gospel of john is authenticly written by the apostle john and edited. John sees heavenly messengers sent to restore the gospel, signaling the beginning of the end of satans dominion. John of patmos also called john the revelator, john the divine or john the theologian. Those who do evil are thrown into the furnace of fire. The book of revelation and the gospel of john are very different texts. The gospel of john appears to have been written during the early part of the second century.
Some writers, however, have advanced the preterist from a latin word meaning that which is past view, contending that the apocalypse was penned around a. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. The elder, the seer, and the apostle bible odyssey. I have been arguing that the author of the fourth gospel and the author of the book of revelation could not have been the same person, and in. Both books talk about god and light or fire together. Book of john overview insight for living ministries. Book of revelation explained scripture by scripture. Only john s gospel and revelation refer to jesus christ as the word 19. Was the book of revelation written before the gospel of john. There is no need to study revelation as our pastor believes it is symbolic description of the destruction of jerusalem in ad 70.
Did the same john write the gospels and revelation. Traditionally, this was often believed to be the same person as john, son of zebedee, one of the apostles of jesus, to whom the gospel of john was also attributed. Traditionally, the five books of the new testament gospel according to john, 1 john, 2 john, 3 john, and revelation have been attributed to john the apostle. Aug 28, 2017 that john, like james and peter, were fully convinced that jesus was simply an addition to old testament law, can be clearly seen in the 7 letters to the 7 churches in revelation, in which, the divide between paul and the other 3 becomes even clearer. The new testament books of john, 1 john, 2 john, 3 john and revelation are sometimes called the johannine literature and are traditionally assigned to john the son of zebedee, one of the twelve disciples of jesus. Today,we turn our attention tothe gospel of john and the johannine letters and i include hays chapter on revelation, since i consider that book to also come from the pen of john.
Traditionally, both books have been identified as coming from the same person, john the son of zebedee, the fisherman who was one of jesus. Study scripture verses with commentary, concordances, and use highlighting, underlining, take notes in the bible. Did the same person write the gospel of john and the book. It is the only book of the new testament classified as apocalyptic literature rather than didactic or historical. The book of revelation compared with the gospel of john. Compare the writing styles the gospel of john and the revelation to john are written in two completely different writing styles. The author of the book of revelation christopher l. Similarities between the book of revelation and the gospel of. Tradition has long held that john the apostle, whom we have seen penned the fourth gospel and the three. It does not seem to have been the lords purpose to arrange every aspect of the book of revelation in strict chronological order. He shows us that jesus, though fully god, came in the flesh to distinctly and accurately reveal god, and that christ is the source of eternal life to all who believe in him.
In revelation, johns visions reveal that jesus has overcome evil by. Revelation talks about the future and the gospel of john talks about the past. The authorship of the johannine worksthe gospel of john, epistles of john, and the book of revelationhas been debated by scholars since at least the 2nd century ad. Only the older dispensational teaching churches believe that revelation is about a future great tribulation. In christian tradition, johns gospel has always been referred to as the fourth gospel, meaning it was composed after the other three. The author names himself as john, but modern scholars consider it unlikely that the author of revelation also wrote the gospel of john. The early church fathers, after disputing who this john really was, finally decided to include revelation in case the author was the apostle john, son of zebedee. In a nutshell, john shows jesus as the one from god who brings life. John lived a long life and was imprisoned on the island of patmos in his old age. The text of revelation states that john was on patmos. John macarthur explains the book of revelation john macarthur on. We read about several johns in the new testament, including john the baptist.
The gospel of john is the latestwritten of the four biographies of jesus that have been preserved in the new testament. Watch our overview video on the book of revelation, which breaks down. Speaking of the apocalypse from the previous post giving that odd video. Each link here takes you to the beginning of that chapter in john s gospel in the movie. We may never know when the book of revelation was written, but it does seem to have been written in. Notice please, that in the socalled letters to the 7 churches, we learn the following. The gospel of john was written to prove that jesus christ is the son of god. No warnings to flee the destruction of jerusalem which was only 48 years away when john supposedly wrote the book before ad 70. John of patmos could be the author named as john in the book of revelation, the apocalyptic text forming the final book. Jul 04, 2016 most evidence that supports another author other than john is based on the differences between johns gospel and the book of revelation.
And in this way the books of john, revelation and the synoptic gospel s are all in complete agreement relative to end times. Similarities between the book of revelation and the gospel. The book of john tells us that as believers and followers of jesus we are in the kingdom of god now. There are differences in style between revelation and john s other writings, but they are insignificant and do not preclude one man from writing both. As an eyewitness to the love and power displayed in the miracles of jesus, john gives us an upclose and personal look at christs identity.
Also, as early as the third century it was determined by the before mentioned dionysius of alexandria that due to language, style, and thought, revelation could not have been written by the same john who authored the gospel of john or the epistles of john, which dionysius did believe was the apostle. If pressed, the pastor would say that revelation and john were written by the same apostle before ad 70 john. I believe the modern evangelical church reconciles matthew 24, luke 21, and mark book of john by claiming that jesus is talking about the destruction of jerusalem in 70 a. The gospel of john does not mention james or john by name but just refers to the sons of zebedee. Today, we turn our attention to the gospel of john and the johannine letters and i include hays chapter on revelation, since i consider that book to also come from the pen of john. The author of the book of revelation identifies himself only as john. The reason for this difference in style could possibly be that, the book of revelation was revealed to john the apostle at his old age and was possibly penned with the help of someone who was not good in greek language. John the evangelists vocabulary, his style, his themes, his theological ideas are all very different from those of revelation. In sharp contrast, the book of revelation provides ample internal evidence. Sep 04, 2014 today, we turn our attention to the gospel of john and the johannine letters and i include hays chapter on revelation, since i consider that book to also come from the pen of john. We do know that someone called john wrote the book of revelation because he actually signed the book. The authorship of the johannine worksthe gospel of john, epistles of john, and the book of revelation has been debated by scholars since at least the 2nd century ad.
While church tradition has attributed the gospel of john, the letters of john, and the book of revelation to the same authorjohn the apostle and son of zebedeeinternal and external evidence may require us to attribute them to other individuals who may or may not have also been named john. They certainly could not have failed to mention its destruction. Oct 29, 2014 the book of revelation and the gospel of john are very different texts. This is the word of god and the testimony of jesus christ. The secret book of john the secret revelation of john. This summary of the book of revelation provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of revelation. Was the book of john written first or the book of revelation. Eusebius also records that, in the persecution under domitian, john the apostle and evangelist was banished to the island patmos for his testimony of the divine word. The book of revelation often called the revelation to john, apocalypse of john, the revelation from jesus christ from its opening words, the apocalypse, the revelation, or simply revelation is the final book of the new testament, and consequently is also the final book of the christian bible.
In the book of revelation the return of christ at the end of the seven last plagues, as described in the book of revelation. One gospel, three letters, and the book of revelation. The book of revelation, what god revealed to the apostle john, is a great prophecy mystery. Some of the church fathers, late in the second century believed that this john was. Jul 31, 2018 the book of revelation is signed by a person called john but which john. The end of time in revelation and the gospel of john bart ehrman. Every book in the bible is the divinely inspired word of god though, so it makes sense that these two books would also have similarities. John has built the unique application of the gospel he provides in revelation into the very structure of the book. The end of the age his people who sleep in the dust will awake to everlasting life. Most evidence that supports another author other than john is based on the differences between john s gospel and the book of revelation. Apr 29, 2019 john has built the unique application of the gospel he provides in revelation into the very structure of the book. From the latter part of the second century it was assumed that the fourth gospel, the letters of john and the book of revelation were all written by john the son of zebedee.
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