I. NAME OF THE BOOK

 

A. Named after its preacher.

 

B. His name means "Festival" (BDB 291). The yod or "I" at the end may be an abbreviation for YHWH; if so it could mean "festival of YHWH" (BDB 291, cf. I Chr. 6:30) or the pronoun "my," which would also refer to YHWH.

 

II. CANONIZATION

 

A. This book is part of the "latter prophets" (Ecclesiasticus 49:10).

 

B. It is part of "the Twelve," a grouping of minor prophets (Baba Bathra 14b):

1. like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, they fit on one scroll

2. they represent the twelve tribes or the symbolic number of organization

3. they reflect traditional view of the books chronology

 

C. The order of "the Twelve," or Minor Prophets, has been linked by many scholars to a chronological sequence. It is obvious that Haggai and Zechariah are paired historically.

 

III. GENRE

 

A. This is a series of four sermons (1:13).

 

B. It is not poetic. It is summarized sermons.

 

IV. AUTHORSHIP

 

A. Haggai is mentioned in Ezra 5:1; 6:14 and Zech. 8:9, where he is linked with Zechariah. He was probably a returnee from exile.

 

B. He is also mentioned in two non-canonical books, I Esdras 6:1; 7:3; II Esdras 1:40; and quoted in another, Ecclesiasticus 49:11 (cf. Haggai 2:23).

 

C. Jerome (4th century a.d.) says that he was a priest, but this is a misunderstanding derived from 2:10-19.

 

D. The Modern commentators Ewald and Pusey suggest that 2:3 implies that he saw Solomon's Temple, which would make him 70 or 80 years old at the time of writing (i.e. 520 b.c.).

 

E. Cyril of Alexandria (5th century a.d.) mentions a general opinion in his day that he was an angel. This is from a misunderstanding of the Hebrew term "messenger" in 1:13.

 

F. The Septuagint attributes several Psalms (cf. 112, 126, 127, 137, 146-149) to Haggai and Zechariah.

 

G. All of Haggai's four sermons are recorded in the third person which implies

1. a common literary technique

2. a scribe or editor

 

V. DATE

 

A. Haggai was a post-exilic prophet along with Zechariah, his contemporary.

 

B. The book is dated from the first day of the sixth month (1:1) until the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (2:10,20) of the second year of Darius I Hystaspes (521-486 b.c.). Therefore, the date is 520 b.c. This was four years before the second Temple was finished in 516 b.c., and fulfills the prophecy of Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 25:11-13; 29:10) regarding the seventy years of exile which began in 586 b.c.

 

VI. CHRONOLOGY OF THE PERIOD (taken from The Minor Prophets by Dr. Theo Laetsch, published by Concordia, p. 385.)

Darius' Regnal Year	Year b.c.	Month	Day	Text	Content
2	520	6 Aug/Sept/Oct	1	Hag. 1:1-11	Haggai rouses the people into activity
			24	Hag. 1:12-15	The people begin to build
		7 Oct/Nov	1	Hag. 2:1-9	The latter glory of God's temple
		8 Nov/Dec	?	Zech. 1:1-6	Zechariah begins to prophesy
		9 Dec/Jan	24	Hag. 2:10-19	God will begin to bless
				Hag. 2:20-23	Messiah's kingdom established after overthrow of world powers
	519	11 Feb/Mar	24	Zech. 1:7-6:8	Zechariah's night vision
				Zech. 6:9-15	The crowning of Joshua pre-figuring the Messiah's priesthood
4	518	9 Dec/Jan	4	Zech. 7, 8	Repentance urged; blessing promised
6	516	12 Mar/Apr	3	Ezra 6:15	Dedication of Temple
		?		Zech. 9-14	After dedication of Temple

VII. LITERARY UNITS — They can be outlined by the prophet's sermons.

 

A. First Sermon, 1:1-11: Rebuild the Temple!

 

B. The leaders and people respond: 1:12-15

 

C. Second Sermon, 2:1-9: The Temple size is not the issue!

 

D. Third Sermon, 2:10-19: God's blessings will flow if the people obey and rebuild the Temple

 

E. Fourth Sermon, 2:20-23: The Universal Reign of the Messiah foreshadowed in Zerubbabel.

 

VIII. MAIN TRUTHS

 

A. The book focuses on the rebuilding of the Second Temple which had been neglected for several years

1. cf. Ezra 5:16 (1st year - under Sheshbazzar)

2. Ezra 3:8-13 (2nd year - under Zerubbabel)

 

B. God's promises of immediate physical blessings and future Messianic blessings are linked to the rebuilding of the Temple (i.e., restoration of Mosaic Covenant, which Haggai alludes to several times, cf. 1:6; 2:17).

 

C. The size and majesty of the Temple was not the issue. God's presence (a theme started in Genesis, Exodus and emphasized in Joshua and Judges) which it symbolized was the true glory!

 

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

 

I. NAME OF THE BOOK

 

A. Named after the prophet/author.

 

B. His name (BDB 222) is a combination of two names for God:

1. YHWH - the Covenant name for God

a. Any Hebrew name that began with "J" plus a vowel was usually an abbreviation for YHWH.

b. Any Hebrew name that ends in "iah" is also an abbreviation for YHWH (Isaiah).

2. El - the general name for God in the ancient Near East.

3. Between these two Hebrew names a verb must be inferred YHWH (is) El.

 

C. This was a very common Hebrew name. There are at least thirteen mentioned in the historical books:

1.  Samuel's firstborn son, I Sam. 8:2

2.  person from the tribe of Simeon, I Chr. 4:35

3.  person from the tribe of Reuben, I Chr. 5:4,8

4.  person from the tribe of Gad, I Chr. 5:12

5-7.  Levites from the sons of Kohath

a. I Chr. 6:33; 15:17

b. I Chr. 6:36

c. II Chr. 29:12

8.  person of the tribe of Issachar, I Chr. 7:3

9.  one of David's mighty men, I Chr. 11:38

10-11. Levites from the sons of Gershon

a. I Chr. 15:7,11; 23:8

b. I Chr. 26:22

12.  prince of the tribe of Manasseh, I Chr. 27:20

13-14. persons involved in the return from Babylonian exile

a. Ezra 10:43

b. Neh. 11:9

15.  the prophet Joel of unknown family and unknown date

 

II. CANONIZATION

 

A. This book is part of the divisions of the Hebrew canon called "the latter Prophets."

 

B. It was part of a scroll called "the Twelve." These are known as the minor prophets because of the length of their writings.

 

C. See fuller note in Introduction to Obadiah

 

III. GENRE

 

A. This book is half prose and half classical Hebrew poetry.

 

B. Joel seems to allude to several other prophets (partial list):

1. Joel 1:15c -  Amos 4:9; Isa. 13:6 

2. Joel 2:3 -  Isa. 51:3 or Ezek. 36:35 

3. Joel 2:10 -  Isa. 13:10 

4. Joel 2:32 -  Obad. v. 17

5. Joel 3:10 -  Isa. 2:4; Micah 4:3

6. Joel 3:16 -  Isa. 13:13; Amos 1:2

7. Joel 3:18 -  Amos 9:13

 

C. Joel's end time imagery is expressed in the apocalyptic term, "the day of the Lord" (cf. Acts 2).

 

D. Theories of how to interpret the locust plague, 1:4; 2:25.

 

1. symbolic/allegorical

a. Jewish Targum at 2:25

(1) peoples

(2) languages

(3) rulers

(4) kingdoms

b. Marginal note in 6^th century a.d. Greek MSS

(1) Egyptians

(2) Babylonians

(3) Assyrians

(4) Greece

(5) Romans

c. Christian Commentators (18^th century a.d.)

(1) Assyrian

(2) Chaldea

(3) Macedonia

(4) Rome

2. past historical

a. the prophet uses the past tense of the Hebrew verb

b. this was a characteristic prophetic technique to take events in the life of the prophet and project them into a future setting. Israel's future was dependent on her faith-repentant choices in the present

3. future historical

a. there is a coming literal invasion because of Israel's sins

b. the locusts are used because of the military metaphors used to describe them:

(1) look like horses

(2) sound like chariots

(3) march in order

4. apocalyptic

a. the mention of "the day of the Lord" signals this type of genre

b. the use of colors and animals is characteristic of this genre

c. Joel possibly relates to Revelation 9:3-11

 

IV. AUTHORSHIP

 

A. Nothing is known about this prophet except his name and that of his father, "Joel, son of Pethuel," 1:1.

 

B. There have been two later traditions about the prophet:

 

1. from the tribe of Reuben (Pseudo-Epiphanius)

2. from Judah because of his knowledge of the Temple routine

 

V. DATE

 

A. There is no way to exactly date the book (G. Campbell Morgan said it was one of the earliest or one of the latest of the prophets):

1. from internal evidence two dates have been suggested:

a. a post-exilic date

(1) it must be related to a threatened invasion of Judah in the metaphor of a locust plague.

(2) 3:2 implies that Israel has already been exiled. The name "Israel" is now used for Judah, 2:27; 3:1-2,16.

(3) 3:6 speaks of a Greek slave trade, which implies a post-exilic date.

(4) 3:1,17 implies that Judah has already been exiled and is in danger of being invaded again if her sin continued.

(5) there is no mention of a king, which implies a post-exilic setting. Joel addressed his message to the elders and priests.

(6) the invaders are called "northerners," which implies a Mesopotamian (Assyria, Babylon, Persia) invasion, 2:20.

(7) Baal worship characteristic of the pre-exilic period is not mentioned.

b. a pre-exilic date

(1) there seems to be a reference to the Temple, 1:9, 13-14; 2:17.

(2) the enemies mentioned in 3:4,6,8 (Phoenicia, Philistia, Edom, Sabeans) are pre-exilic, not post-exilic.

2. from external evidence

a. The location of the book in the Hebrew canon implies a pre-exilic date.

b.It may have been placed next to Amos because they both speak of the "day of YHWH" and use locust invasions as symbols of judgment. Also, the book alludes to a positive visitation for blessing, not judgment. This fits the post-exilic setting.

3. I think an early post-exilic date fits the evidence best (B., 4).

 

B. Theories as to the date based on an invasion of Palestine:

1. during the reign of Joash (837-800 b.c.)

2. during the reign of Uzziah (783-742 b.c.)

3. during the reign of Zedekiah (598-586 b.c.)

4. during the time of Zerubbabel (during reign of Darius I, 522-486 b.c.)

5. during the time of Malachi (430 b.c.)

6. a futuristic eschatological invasion of God's people

 

C. There is a literary relationship between

1. Joel 2:32 and Obadiah 17. They are both early post-exilic.

2. Joel 3:16 and Amos 1:2. Joel quotes so many prophets; Joel probably quotes Amos.

 

D. John Calvin made a good point about the date of Joel: "As there is no certainty it is better to leave the time in which he taught undecided; and as we shall see, this is of no great importance. Not to know the time of Hosea would be to readers a great loss, for there are many parts which could not be explained without a knowledge of history; but as to Joel there is less need of this, for the import of his doctrine is evident, though his time be obscure and uncertain."

 

VI. HISTORICAL SETTING — The National Geographic Magazine of December, 1915 (XXVIII, No. 6) records a locust plague in Palestine. This article is very helpful in understanding the prophet's allusions.

 

VII. LITERARY UNITS

 

A. A vision of a devastating locust plague as a symbolic representation of an invading army, 1:1-2:27

 

B. The day of the Lord as a blessing not a curse to a repentant people of God, 2:28-3:21 (Zephaniah is just the opposite.)

 

VIII. MAIN TRUTHS

 

A. The prophet sees the events of his day as a foreshadowing of future events.

 

B. Joel calls for a national day of repentance (1:13-14; 2:12-17)

 

C. If God's people repent, God will bring a new day of prosperity, both physically and spiritually (Deuteronomy 27-28).

 

D. God will judge the surrounding nations! (3:1-17)

 

E. This new day of spiritual renewal (cf. 2:28-29) will affect

1. men and women

2. old and young

3. slave and free (cf. Acts 2; Gal. 3:28)

 

F. "The day of the Lord" is a characteristic phrase of Amos, Joel and Zephaniah. How we respond to God now, determines if it is a day of blessing or judgment.

 

G. God's character is described in 2:13 (cf. Exod. 34:6; Ps. 103:8-13 and Neh. 9:17).

 

H. The pouring out of the Spirit in 2:28-32 reflects the New Covenant Age (cf. Jer. 31:31-34 and Ezek. 36:26-27).

 

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

 

OPENING STATEMENTS

A. Most of my adult academic/theological life I have had the presupposition that those who believe the Bible take it "literally" (and that is surely true for historical narrative). However, it has become more and more obvious to me that to take prophecy, poetry, parables, and apocalyptic literature literally is to miss the point of the inspired text. The author's intent, not literalness, is the key to a proper understanding of the Bible. To make the Bible say more (doctrinal specificity) is as dangerous and misleading as to interpret it in such a way as to make it say less than was intended by the original, inspired writer. The focus must be the larger context, the historical setting, and the intention the author expressed in the text itself and in his choice of genre. Genre is a literary contract between the author and the reader. To miss this clue is surely to lead to misinterpretation!

The book of Revelation is surely true, but not historical narrative, not meant to be taken literally. The genre itself is screaming this point to us if we will only hear it. This does not mean that it is not inspired, or not true; it is just figurative, cryptic, symbolic, metaphorical, and imaginative. The first century Jews and Christians were familiar with this type of literature, but we are not! The Christian symbolism in The Lord of the Rings or the Chronicles of Narnia might possibly be modern parallels.

B. Revelation is a uniquely Jewish literary genre, apocalyptic. It was often used in tension-filled times (i.e., Israel dominated by Gentile powers) to express the conviction that God was in control of history and would bring deliverance to His people. This type of literature is characterized by

1. a strong sense of the universal sovereignty of God (monotheism and determinism)

2. a struggle between good and evil, this evil age and the age of righteousness to come (dualism)

3. use of secret code words (usually from the OT or intertestamental Jewish apocalyptic literature)

4. use of colors, animals, sometimes animals/humans

5. use of symbolic numbers (i.e. 4, 6, 7, 10, 12)

6. use of angelic mediation by means of visions and dreams, but usually through angelic interpretation

7. primarily focuses on the soon-coming, climatic events of the end-time (new age)

8. use of a fixed set of symbols, not reality, to communicate the end-time message from God

9. Some examples of this type of genre are:

a. Old Testament

(1) Isaiah 13-14; 24-27; 56-66

(2) Ezekiel 1; 26-28; 33-48

(3) Daniel 7-12

(4) Joel 2:28-3:21

(5) Zechariah 1-6, 12-14

b. New Testament

(1) Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, and I Corinthians 15 (in some ways)

(2) II Thessalonians 2 (in most ways)

(3) Revelation (chapters 4-22)

c. Daniel 7-12 and Rev. 4-22 are the classic examples of this genre in the Bible

10. non-canonical (taken from D. S. Russell, The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic, pp. 37-38)

a. I Enoch, II Enoch (the Secrets of Enoch)

b. The Book of Jubilees

c. The Sibylline Oracles III, IV, V

d. The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs

e. The Psalms of Solomon

f. The Assumption of Moses

g. The Martyrdom of Isaiah

h. The Apocalypse of Moses (Life of Adam and Eve)

i. The Apocalypse of Abraham

j. The Testament of Abraham

k. II Esdras (IV Esdras)

l. II & III Baruch

11. There is a sense of duality in this genre. It sees reality as a series of dualisms, contrasts, or tensions (so common in John's writings) between:

a. heaven - earth

b. evil age (evil humans and evil angels) - new age of righteousness (godly humans and godly angels)

c. current existence - future existence

All of these are moving toward a consummation brought about by God. This is not the world God intended it to be, but He is continuing to plan, work, and project His will for a restoration of the intimate fellowship begun in the Garden of Eden. The Christ event is the watershed of God's plan, but the two comings have brought about the current dualisms.

C. These apocalyptic works were never presented orally; they were always written. They are highly structured, literary works. The structure is crucial to a proper interpretation. A major part of the planned structure of the book of Revelation is seven literary units, which parallel each other to some extent (e.g., the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls). With each cycle the judgment increases: seals, 1/4 destruction; trumpets, 1/3 destruction; bowls, total destruction. Within each literary unit the Second Coming of Christ or some eschatological event occurs: (1) sixth seal, 6:12-17; (2) seventh trumpet, 11:15-18; an end-time angel judgment in 14:14-20; (3) seventh bowl, 16:17-21 and again in 19:11-21 and still again in 22:6-16 (also note the three-fold title for God in 1:4,8 and Christ in 1:17,18, "who is, who was, and who is to come," notice the future aspect is left out in 11:17 and 16:5 which means the future has come [i.e. second coming]). This shows that the book is not chronologically sequential, but a drama in several acts which foresees the same period of time in progressively violent OT judgment motifs (cf. James Blevins, Revelation as Drama and "The Genre of Revelation" in Review and Expositor, Sept. 1980, pp. 393-408).

There are seven literary sections plus a prologue and an epilogue

1. prologue, 1:1-8

2. chapters 1:9-3 (Christ and the seven churches)

3. chapters 4-8:1 (heaven and the seven seals [2:1-17 interlude between 6th and 7th seals])

4. chapters 8:2-11 (seven angels with trumpets [10:1-11:13 interlude between 6th and 7th trumpets])

5. chapters 12-14 (the two communities and their leaders)

6. chapters15-16 (seven angels with bowls)

7. chapters 17-19 (Babylon and its judgment)

8. chapters 20-22:5 (judgment and the new heaven and earth)

9. epilogue, 22:6-21

Another author who believed in the recapitulation theory is William Hendriksen. In his book, More Than Conquerors, he outlines the book this way:

1. chapters 1-3 (Christ in the midst of the Seven Lampstands)

2. chapters 4-7 (The Book with Seven Seals)

3. chapters 8-11 (the Seven Trumpets of Judgment)

4. chapters 12-14 (the woman and the man-child persecuted by the Dragon and His Helpers [the Beast and the Harlot])

5. chapters 15-16 (the Seven Bowls of Wrath)

6. chapters 17-19 (the fall of the Great Harlot and of the Beasts)

7. chapters 20-22 (the judgment upon the Dragon (Satan) followed by the New Heaven and Earth, New Jerusalem), p. 28

In More Than Conquerors, William Hendriksen says that Revelation has seven sections: 1-3; 4-7; 8-11; 12-14; 15-16; 20-22 and that each of these is parallel and covers the period between Christ's first coming and His second coming. Each ends with some aspect related to judgment and the Second Coming (pp. 22-31).

Although I surely agree in the dramatic parallelism of the seals, trumpets, and bowls and I also am very attracted to 17-19 being parallel to 20-22 (there is the second coming in 19:11-21 and another second coming in 22:6-16), I cannot see where each of his seven sections ends in the Parousia, especially chapters 1-3, unless there is an aspect of judgment seen as an eschatological event (cf. 2:5,7,11,16-17,25-26; 3:5,10,12,18-21). However, for me, this seven-fold recapitulation is becoming more and more a possibility for understanding the parallel structure of the whole book.

D. It is obvious that the number "seven" plays a large part in the structure of the book as can be seen from the seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls. Some other examples of "seven" are:

1. 7 blessings, 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7,14

2. 7 lampstands, 1:12

3. 7 spirits of God, 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6

4. 7 stars, 1:16,20; 2:1

5. 7 lamps of fire, 4:5

6. 7 seals on the scroll, 5:1

7. 7 horns, 7 eyes of the lamb, 5:6

8. 7 attributes of Jesus praised, 5:12

9. 7 signs in nature, 6:12-14

10. 7 types of men, 6:15

11. 7 attributes of God praised, 7:12

12. 7 angels before God, 8:2,6

13. 7 trumpets held by the seven angels, 8:6 (15:1,6,7,8; 17:1; 21:9)

14. 7 signs, 12:1,3; 13:13,14; 15:1; 16:14; 19:20

15. 7 heads, 7 diadems of the red dragon, 12:3

16. 7 heads of the sea beast, 13:1; 17:3,7

17. 7 angels, 14:6-20

18. 7 plagues, 15:1; 21:9

19. 7 hills, 17:9

20. 7 kings 17:10

21. 7 things that are no more in chapters 21-22 (21:1,4[four times]; 21:25; 22:3)

 

E. The interpretation of this book is most susceptible to theological bias. One's presuppositions drive the interpretation of the ambiguous details. These theological presuppositions function on several levels

1. the origin of the symbols

a. Old Testament allusions

(1) the OT themes like creation, the fall, the flood, the exodus, restored Jerusalem

(2) hundreds of allusions (not direct quotes) from the OT prophets

b. intertestamental Jewish literature (I Enoch, II Baruch, Sibylline Oracles, II Esdras)

c. first century Greco-Roman world

d. ancient Near Eastern cosmological-creation accounts (especially Rev. 12)

2. the time frame of the book

a. first century

b. every century

c. last generation

3. systematic theological grids (see definitions on p. 14, "Historical Theories of Interpretation," C; a good summary, Four Views on the Book of Revelation, ed. C. Marvin Pate)

a. preterist

b. historicist

c. futurist

d. idealist

4. theological positions on chapter 20 (see chart on p. 193; good summaries: (1) The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views, ed. Robert G. Clouse and Three Views of the Millennium and Beyond, ed. Darrell L. Bock)

a. a millennial

b. post millennial

c. pre millennial

d. dispensational pre-millennial

In light of hermeneutical divergence (the different approaches to interpretation) and inappropriate dogmatism (the know-it-all attitude), how should an interpreter proceed?

1. let us admit that modern western Christians do not understand the genre and do not recognize the historical allusions that first century Christians would have immediately understood.

2. let us admit that every generation of Christians has forced the Revelation into its personal historical setting and all have been wrong so far.

3. Let us read the Bible before we read the theological systems. Look for the literary context of each vision/oracle and state the central truth in one declarative sentence. The central truth will be the same for every generation of believers while the specificity of the details may be relevant for only the first and/or last generation of believers. The details may be relevant, but history, not theology, will reveal their fulfillment.

4. Let us remember that this book is primarily a word of comfort and encouragement to faithfulness amidst the persecution of believers by unbelievers. This book is not meant to answer the curiosity of every generation of believers, nor outline a detailed plan of end-time events.

5. It is safe to affirm that fallen human society is on a collision course with the kingdom of God. It will appear at first that the world has won (like Calvary), but wait; God is sovereign, He is in control of history, of life and death. His people are victorious in Him!

 

F. Despite the difficulty and ambiguity of interpretation, this book has a message and is an inspired word from God to His people in every age. It is worth the extra effort necessary to study this unique book. Its strategic position in the NT canon speaks of its capstone message. Alan Johnson, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 12, says

"Indeed, it may well be that, with the exception of the Gospels, the Apocalypse contains the most profound and moving teaching on Christian doctrine and discipleship found anywhere in Holy Scripture. Neither the fanaticism of some who have fixed their attention on prophecy rather than on Christ, nor the diversity of interpretive view-points should discourage us from pursuing Christian truth in this marvelous book" (p. 399).

Remember, these are truly the last words of Jesus to His church! The modern Church dares not ignore or minimize them! They are to prepare believers for persecution and conflict in light of God's sovereignty (monotheism), the reality of the evil one (limited dualism), the ongoing results of the fall (human rebellion), and God's promises to redeem mankind (unconditional covenant, cf. Gen. 3:15; 12:1-3; Exod. 19:5-6; John 3:16; II Cor. 5:21).

 

AUTHOR

A. Internal evidence of John the Apostle's authorship

1. Author named himself four times as John (cf. 1:1,4,9; 22:8)

2. He also called himself

a. a bond servant (cf.1:1; 22:6)

b. a brother and fellow-partaker in tribulation (cf. 1:9)

c. a prophet (cf. 22:9), and called his book a prophecy (cf. 1:3; 22:7,10,18,19)

3. He knows the OT (does not use LXX, but Targums) as well as the wilderness wandering period, the Tabernacle and contemporary Synagogue procedures.

 

B. External evidence of John the Apostle's authorship from early Christian authors

1. John the Apostle, son of Zebedee

a. Justin Martyr (Rome A.D. 110-165) in Dialogue with Trypho 81.4

b. Irenaeus (Lyons A.D. 120-202) in Against Heresies IV.14.2; 17.6; 21.3; V.16.1; 28.2; 30.3; 34.6; 35.2

c. Tertullian (North Africa A.D. 145-220) in Against Praxeas 27

d. Origen (Alexandria A.D. 181-252) in

(1) On the Soul, L:8:1

(2) Against Marcion, II:5

(3) Against Heretics, III:14, 25

(4) Against Celsus, VI:6, 32; VIII:17

e. The Muratorian Canon (Rome A.D. 180-200)

2. Other Candidates

a. John Mark – This was first mentioned by Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria (a.d. 247-264), who denied the authorship of John the Apostle but still held the work as canonical. He based his rejection on vocabulary and style as well as the anonymous nature of John's other writings. He convinced Eusebius of Caesarea.

b. John the elder – This comes from a quote in Eusebius from Papias (Eccl. His. 3.39.1-7). However, Papias' quote probably used this title for John the Apostle rather than its asserting another author.

c. John the Baptist – (with later editorial additions) has been suggested by J. Massyngberde Ford in the Anchor Bible commentary, based primarily on John the Baptist's use of "lamb" for Jesus. The only other occurrence of this title is in Revelation.

 

C. Dionysius, the bishop of Alexandria (A.D. 247-264) and student of Origen, was the first to express doubts (his book has been lost, but he is quoted by Eusebius of Caesara, who agreed with him) about John the Apostle's authorship, based on

1. John the Apostle does not refer to himself as John in the Gospel nor his letters, but Revelation is from "John"

2. the structure of Revelation is different from the Gospel and the letters

3. the vocabulary of Revelation is different from the Gospel and the letters

4. the grammatical style of Revelation is of inferior quality to the Gospel and the letters

 

D. Probably the most serious modern challenge to John the Apostle's authorship comes from R. H. Charles in Saint John, Vol. I p. xxxixff.

 

E. The majority of modern scholarship has rejected the traditional authorship of many of the NT books. A good example of this trend related to the authorship of Revelation might be Raymond E. Brown, a renowned Catholic Johannine scholar. The introductory volume of the Anchor Bible Commentary series says, "written by a Jewish Christian prophet named John who was neither John, son of Zebedee, nor the writer of the Johannine Gospel or of the Epistles" (p. 774).

F. In many ways authorship is uncertain. There are striking parallels with the Apostle John's other writings and also striking differences. The key to understanding this book is not in its human author, but in its Divine author! The author believed himself to be an inspired prophet (cf. 1:3; 22:7,10,18,19).

 

DATE

A. This is certainly integrally linked to authorship and interpretive perspective (cf. Historical Theories C.)

 

B. Some possible dates

1. The traditional date is during Domitian's reign (A.D. 81-96) because it fits internal evidence of persecution

a. Irenaeus (quoted by Eusebius) in Against Heresies, 5.30.3. "It (this persecution) was seen not very long ago, almost in our generation, at the close of the reign of Domitian"

b. Clement of Alexandria

c. Origin of Alexandria

d. Eusebius of Caesarea, Church History, iii.23.1

e. Victorinus, Apocalypse x.11

f. Jerome

2. Epiphanius, a third century writer, in Haer, 51.12, 32, says that John wrote it after his release from Patmos which was during Claudius' reign (A.D. 41-54).

3. Others supposed it to be during Nero's reign (A.D. 54-68) because of:

a. the obvious background of Emperor cult persecution

b. Caesar Nero, written in Hebrew, equals the number of the beast, 666

c. If preterists are correct that John's Revelation refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, then for the book to be prophecy, it must have been written before a.d. 70

 

RECIPIENTS

A. From 1:4 it is obvious that the original recipients were seven churches in the Roman Province of Asia. These churches are addressed in such a way as to imply the travel route of the bearer of the letter.

 

B. The message of Revelation uniquely relates to all churches and believers who are experiencing persecution from a fallen world system.

 

C. As the canonical conclusion to the NT this book is a message of consummation to all believers of all ages.

 

OCCASION

A. The setting was persecution caused by the separation of the local churches from the legal protection Rome accorded to Judaism. This division occurred officially in the A.D. 70's when the rabbis from Jamnia instituted an oath formula which demanded the members of the local synagogues to curse Jesus of Nazareth.

 

B. Roman documents indicate that Emperor worship became a major conflict with the church from the reigns of Nero (A.D. 54-68) to Domitian (a.d. 81-96). However, there is no documentation of an official empire-wide persecution. Apparently Revelation reflected the exuberance of local Emperor worship cults in the Eastern Provinces of the Roman Empire (cf. "Biblical Archaeology Review," May/June 1993 p. 29-37).

 

THE SYNTAX

A. There are many grammatical problems in the Greek text.

 

B. Some possible reasons for these problems

1. John's Aramaic thought patterns.

2. He had no scribe on Patmos to write for him.

3. The excitement of the visions was overwhelming.

4. They are purposeful for the effect.

5. The genre (apocalyptic) was highly figurative.

 

C. Similar grammatical idiosyncrasies are found in other Jewish apocalyptic writings. Therefore, Revelation is not written in a poor grammatical style, but in a genre with grammatical distinctives.

 

CANONICITY

A. It was rejected early by the Eastern Church; the book does not appear in the Peshitta (fifth century Syriac version).

B. In the early fourth century Eusebius, following Dionysius of Alexandria in the late third century, said Revelation was not written by the Apostle John. He listed it as one of the "disputed" books but included it in his canonical list (cf. Ecclesiastical History, III.24.18; III.25.4; and III.39.6).

C. The Council of Laodicea (about A.D. 360) omitted it from the list of canonical books. Jerome rejected it as canonical, but the Council of Carthage (a.d. 397) included it. Revelation was admitted by means of a compromise between the eastern and western churches by which both Hebrews and Revelation were accepted into the NT canon.

D. We should acknowledge that it is a faith presupposition of believers that the Holy Spirit guided the historical process of developing a Christian canon.

E. The two major theologians of the Protestant Reformation rejected its place in Christian doctrine

1. Martin Luther called it neither prophetic or apostolic, in essence rejecting its inspiration.

2. John Calvin, who wrote a commentary on every book of the NT except Revelation, in essence is rejecting its relevance.

 

HISTORICAL THEORIES OF INTERPRETATION

A. It has been notoriously difficult to interpret; therefore, dogmatism is inappropriate!

 

B. The symbols are drawn from

1.  Old Testament apocalyptic passages in

a. Daniel

b. Ezekiel

c. Zechariah

d. Isaiah

2. intertestamental Jewish apocalyptic literature

3. the first century Greco-Roman historical setting (especially Revelation 17)

4. ancient Near Eastern mythological creation accounts (especially Revelation 12)

 

C. In general there are four interpretive grids or presuppositions

1. PRETERIST – this group sees the book as primarily or exclusively related to the first century churches in the Roman Province of Asia. All the details and prophecies were fulfilled in the first century (see John L Bray, Matthew 24 Fulfilled).

2. HISTORICIST – this group sees the book as an overview of history, primarily of Western civilization and in some sense the Roman Catholic Church. Often the letters to the seven churches of chapters 2 and 3 are used as a description of certain periods of time. Some see these as temporally synchronous and others as chronologically sequential.

3. FUTURIST – this group sees the book as referring to the events immediately preceding and following the Parousia (Second Coming of Christ) which will be literally and historically fulfilled (see Progressive Dispensationalim,by Craig A. Blaising and Darrell L Bock).

4. IDEALIST – this group sees the book as totally symbolic of the struggle between good and evil which has no historical references (see Ray Summers, Worthy Is the Lamb; William Hendriksen, More Than Conquerors).

All of these have some validity, but they miss the intentional ambiguity of John's choice of genre and imagery. The problem is balance, not which one is correct.

 

PURPOSE OF THE BOOK

A. The purpose of Revelation is to show God's sovereignty in history and the promise of the culmination of all things in Him. The faithful are to remain in faith and hope amidst the persecution and aggression of this fallen world system. The focus of the book is the persecution (Emperor worship in the eastern provinces) and faithfulness (false teachers and cultural compromise) of believers in the first century and in every century (cf. 2:10). Remember, prophets spoke of the future in an effort to reform the present. Revelation is not only about how it will end, but how it is going. In his article in The Expositors Bible Commentary, Vol. I entitled, "The Eschatology of the Bible," Robert L. Sancy said,

"the biblical prophets were not concerned primarily with the time and chronological arrangement of future events. For them the spiritual state of their contemporaries was the point of importance and the great eschatological visitation of God for the judgment of unrighteousness and the blessing of the pious was interjected for its ethical impact in the present" (p. 104).

B. The general purpose is summed up well in the brief introduction to the TEV and NJB translations

1. TEV, p. 1122, "The Revelation to John was written at a time when Christians were being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. The writer's main concern is to give his readers hope and encouragement, and to urge them to remain faithful during times of suffering and persecution."

2. NJB, p. 1416, "The Bible is summed up in the message of hope and the rich symbolism of this book. It is a vision of rescue from the trials which beset God's people, and a promise of a glorious future. The message is expressed by means of imagery which draws on the whole of the Bible, so that every feature, animals, colors, numbers, is evocative and full of overtones to a reader familiar with the OT. In this way it is a secret and allusive revelation of what is to come, though the natural symbolism of the great acts of worship and the final vision of the messianic splendor of the new Holy City are clear enough. There was a tradition of such writing in Judaism from Daniel onwards, to strengthen God's people in persecution with assurance of eventual deliverance and triumph."

 

C. It is crucial that the interpreter give the redemptive theme priority.

1. God has brought individual, corporate, and cosmic salvation through Christ.

2. God's redemption is both spiritual and physical. The Church is saved, but not safe! One day She will be!

3. God still loves fallen, rebellious, self-centered humanity. The wrath of God in the seals and trumpets is for redemption (cf. 9:20-21; 14:6-7; 16:9,11; 21:6b-7; 22:17).

4. God not only restores fallen mankind, but also fallen creation (cf. Rom. 8:18-25). Evil at every level will be purged!

The recurrent attempt by God to reach lost humanity with the gospel magnifies the gracious character of God. The bowl judgments are the result of recalcitrant evil, not an unloving God. God only judges and isolates evil when it refuses again and again to repent. In many ways the book justifies the judgment of God on fallen, irreconcilable humanity! The book ends in a gospel invitation (cf. 22:17).

D. This book must not be seen as a chronological chart of the events, times, and manner of the Second Coming. It has often been interpreted as the "secret" to western history (the seven churches seen as ages). Every generation has forced its histories into the apocalyptic symbols; every one has been wrong so far.

The details of these prophecies will be much more obvious to the last generation of believers suffering under the Anti-Christ. A literal interpretation has caused this book to be ignored by some (Calvin), depreciated by others (Luther, "neither apostolic nor prophetic"), and overemphasized by others (millennialists).

BOB'S KEYS TO INTERPRETATION

A. We need to take into account the OT aspect

1. OT apocalyptic genre is a highly symbolic literary type.

2. Numerous allusions are drawn from the OT (some estimate that of 404 verses 275 include allusions to OT texts); the meaning of these symbols have been reinterpreted in light of the first-century Roman situation.

3. Prophetic foreshadowing takes current events to foreshadow eschatological events. Often these first- century historical fulfillments point to ultimate end-time historical fulfillments.

 

B. The overall structure of the book helps us to see the author's purpose

1. The seals, trumpets, and bowls cover basically the same period of time (chapters 6-16). Revelation is a drama in sequential acts.

2. It is possible that chapters 17-19 are parallel to 20-22. Parts of chapter 19 (i.e.,19:11-21) are recapitulated in 20:7-10.

3. See the seven literary units at Opening Statements, C.

 

C. The historical context must be taken into account in any interpretation of the book

1. The presence of Emperor worship

2. Local persecution in the Eastern Provinces

3. The Bible cannot mean what it never meant. The interpretation of Revelation must be related to John's day first. It may have multiple fulfillments or applications, but they must be grounded in the first century.

 

D. The meaning of some of the cryptic terms has been lost to us due to our cultural, linguistic and existential setting. Possibly the end-time events themselves will shed light on the proper interpretation of these symbols. Be careful not to push all of the details of this apocalyptic drama. Modern interpreters must seek the major truth in each of these visions.

 

E. Let me summarize some of the key interpretive elements

1. The historical origins of the symbolism

a. OT themes, OT allusions

b. Ancient Near Eastern mythology

c. Intertestamental apocalyptic literature

d. Greco-Roman first century setting

2. The author's ways of defining his symbolism

a. Conversations with angelic guides

b. The hymn of heavenly choirs

c. Author himself states the meaning

3. The structure of the book (dramatic parallelism)

 

F. Further help

1. My two favorite commentators on Revelation are George Eldon Ladd and Alan F. Johnson. They do not agree. There is so much disagreement among godly, educated, sincere scholars that a word of caution is appropriate. Let me quote Alan Johnson in his Commentary on Revelation published by Zondervan:

"In view of the elaborate use of imagery and visions from 4:1 through the end of Revelation and the question how this material relates to chapters 1-3, it is not surprising that commentators differ widely in their treatment of these chapters. One problem is that of interpretation: What do the imagery and visions mean? Another problem involves chronology: When do these things take place? Furthermore, does John interpret his frequent Old Testament images in exact accordance with their Old Testament sources, or does he freely reinterpret these images? What is symbolic and what is literal? Answers to such questions will determine the interpreter's approach. Since few of these questions are capable of dogmatic answers, there is a need for tolerance of divergent approaches in the hope that the Spirit may use open-minded discussion to lead us further into the meaning of the Apocalypse" (p. 69).

2. For a general introduction to Revelation's relationship to the OT, I recommend John P. Milton's Prophecy Interpreted and John Bright's The Authority of the Old Testament. For a good discussion of Revelation's relationship to Paul, I recommend James S. Stewart's A Man In Christ.

 

READING CYCLE ONE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Therefore, read the entire biblical book at one sitting. State the central theme of the entire book in your own words.

1. Theme of entire book

2. Type of literature (genre)

 

READING CYCLE TWO (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Therefore, read the entire biblical book a second time at one sitting. Outline the main subjects and express the subject in a single sentence.

1. Subject of first literary unit

2. Subject of second literary unit

3. Subject of third literary unit

4. Subject of fourth literary unit

5. Etc.

 

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

 

OPENING STATEMENTS

A. Jude is a frightening book about the recurrent danger of error, rebellion, and judgment. Believers must always be on guard. Their protection is

1. the Father's call

2. love

3. keeping power

4. knowledge of the Scriptures

5. godly living

6. mercy toward wounded fellow believers

 

B. Yet, even amidst the warnings, the conclusion of Jude (cf. vv. 24-25) is one of the strongest prayers of the keeping- power of God.

 

C. The relationship between Jude and II Peter is uncertain as to:

1. which one was written first

2. why they are so similar yet different

3. how one describes a coming heresy (cf. II Peter 2) and the other a present heresy (Jude)

4. whether there was an early church document from which both authors drew

5. whether any of the examples of rebellion involved believers

 

D. This book illustrates the theological balance between

1. the keeping power of God (vv. 1,24)

2. believers keeping themselves (v. 20-23)

 

AUTHOR

A. Jude (Hebrew, Judah, or Greek, Judas) characterizes himself by two designations

1. "a bond-servant of Jesus Christ" – This is not exactly the same as Paul's usual designation, although they look the same in English. Paul always puts the noun "slave" first, followed by the genitive descriptive phrase. This is also true of II Peter. However, the word order in Jude is the same as the word order in James (descriptive genitive phrase first).

2. "a brother of James" – There are many persons in the NT named James (Jacob), but the name by itself, without any description, reminds one of James 1:1. James, the half-brother of Jesus, was the leader of the Jerusalem church during Paul's missionary journeys (cf. Acts 15). It has been speculated that both half-brothers chose, out of humility, not to identify themselves as biologically related to Jesus.

 

B. The simple opening reflects someone who was well-known and active (cf. I Cor. 9:5) in the early church, but about whom no information has survived. If someone writing at a later period wanted to write in the name of a famous person from the past (pseudography), Jude would not be a good candidate.

 

C. The ancient tradition that Jude was a Hebrew Christian and half-brother of Jesus (cf. Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) rests on several assumptions

1. a family relationship to James (cf. James 1:1)

2. the extensive use of the OT

3. the characteristic Hebrew literary use of threes

a. three OT events of apostasy

b. three OT characters

c. opening greeting

(1) three verbs: "called," "beloved," "kept"

(2) three prayer requests: "mercy," "peace," "love"

 

D. The Greek style and form of Jude is an artificial Koine Greek (cf. The Cambridge History of the Bible, vol., 1, p. 336), possibly denoting that Greek was his second language.

 

E. As far as personality, he is much like James; he uses a no-nonsense, straight-forward approach to the mandate for godly living in this world of sin and rebellion.

 

DATE

A. There is no certainty, only speculation.

 

B. Let us list some of the parameters

1. during Jude's lifetime if he was the younger brother of James and half-brother of Jesus

2. the book of Jude's literary relationship to II Peter. Of the twenty-five verses in Jude, sixteen (vv. 3-18) have some association with II Pet. 2:1-18. If Peter is the author of II Peter, then the date is close to his lifetime (he died in a.d. 64). It is, however, uncertain who quotes who:

a. II Peter quotes Jude

b. Jude quotes II Peter

c. both use early catechistic documents or church tradition

 

C. The contents of the book imply a mid-first century date. Enough time had elapsed for heresy to develop. The physical presence of the Apostles had just passed (v. 17). However, a uniform doctrine had not developed. Jude mentions the moral problems of the false teachers, but does not discuss the doctrinal errors. He uses OT examples, not Jesus' teachings (quotes or stories).

 

D. In Historical Ecclesiasticus III:19:1-20:6, Eusebius mentions a tradition.

1. that Jude's grandsons were taken to Rome to face Domitian (reigned from a.d. 81-96) on charges of treason

2. that they were descendants of Jewish royalty

3. that they were relatives of Jesus of Nazareth

 

E. A date from the 60's to the 80's is possible.

 

RECIPIENTS AND OCCASION

A. The early church was not theologically monolithic; even the Apostles emphasized different aspects of the gospel. As the Apostles began to die (or at least were too few and too far away to be consulted) and the Second Coming continued to be delayed, the early church faced the challenge of "standardizing" acceptable parameters for gospel teachings. The OT, the words and stories of Jesus, and the preaching of the Apostles became the standards.

 

B. Jude was written in a day of flux and disruption of clear authority. The believers (whether a local church or geographical area is uncertain) were facing massive invasion of error through speculative theology/philosophy. What is known of the heresy:

1. the heretics were part of the church meetings ("love feasts" cf. v. 12)

2. the heretics were immoral, manipulative teachers who were causing divisions among God's people (cf. v. 19)

3. the heretics seem to have used or discussed "angels" in their theology

4. the heretics seem to have emphasized "knowledge" (gnosis)

If one is familiar with the Greco-Roman world of the first and second centuries, these characteristics imply the philosophical/theological movement known as "Gnosticism." We know the specific doctrines of Gnosticism from their second century writings, but aspects of their theological system were a common element of much Near Eastern thought. Elements of the dualism so characteristic of Gnosticism is present in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Many of the NT books (the Gospel of John, Ephesians, Colossians, I Timothy, Titus, II Timothy, I John, II John, III John) were written to combat a similar type of false teaching/teachers.

PURPOSE

A. The author desired to write about their common salvation (cf. v. 3).

 

B. The invasion of false teachings and teachers into the inner fellowship of the church (cf. v. 12) caused the author to address the burning issue of "the faith once and for all given to the church" (cf. vv. 3,20). His goal was orthodoxy, but he approached the subject through godly living (orthopraxy), not doctrine (very similar to James 2:14-24). How people lived was a clear window into their theology (cf. Matt. 7:15-23; 13:1-9,19-23; I John).

 

C. The author wants to encourage believers to

1. contend earnestly for the faith (cf. vv. 3,20)

2. be prepared for mockers and false teachers (cf. vv. 18-19)

3. build yourselves up on your most holy faith (cf. v. 20)

4. pray in the Holy Spirit (v. 20)

5. keep yourselves in the love of God (v. 21)

6. wait anxiously for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life (v. 21)

7. have mercy on some of those who are doubting (vv. 22-23)

8. be assured of your salvation (vv. 24-25)

 

CANONIZATION

A. This book was initially accepted (cf. quote by Clement of Rome about a.d. 94), then later disputed and finally fully accepted (Council of Nicea, a.d. 325 and Carthage, a.d. 397).

 

B. Its major problem in acquiring canonical status was Jude's quote of non-canonical books (I Enoch and the Assumption of Moses). These books, especially I Enoch, circulated widely among the believers of the first century and were theologically influential.

1. Why is this a problem? Does it imply that the non-canonical books are authoritative?

a. the OT quotes non-inspired writing (cf. Num. 21:14-15,26-30 [Balaam's prophecies in Num. 22-23]; Josh. 10:13; II Sam. 1:18ff; I Kgs. 11:41; 14:19,29; 15:7,23,31)

b. Jesus used non-canonical sources as illustrative material (cf. Matt. 23:35)

c. Stephen used non-canonical sources (cf. Acts 7:4,14-16)

d. Paul often used non-canonical sources

(1) Rabbinic Midrash concerning Christ as a rock that followed the children of Israel during the wilderness wandering period (cf. I Cor. 10:4)

(2) the names of Pharaoh's magicians from Exod. 7:11,22; 8:7 (cf. II Tim. 3:8) were taken from some intertestamental Jewish writings

(3) Greek writers

a) the poet Aratus (Acts 17:28)

b) the poet Menander (I Cor. 15:33)

c) the poet Epimenides or Euripes (Titus 1:12)

e. James used rabbinical tradition in James 5:17

f. John used the mythology of near eastern cosmologies in Rev. 12:3

2. Why did Jude use these non-canonical sources?

a. possibly they were freely used by the false teachers

b. possibly they were respected and read by the recipients

 

C. Support for Jude's canonicity is supported by

1. quoted or alluded to by

a. Clement of Rome (a.d. 94-97)

b. Polycarp (a.d. 110-50)

c. Irenaeus (a.d. 130-202)

d. Tertullian (a.d. 150-220)

e. Athenagoras (a.d. 177)

f. Origen (a.d. 185-254)

(These are taken from International Critical Commentary, pp. 305-308)

2. named in

a. Clement of Alexandria (a.d. 150-215)

b. Cyril of Jerusalem (a.d. 315-386)

c. Jerome (a.d. 340-420)

d. Augustine (a.d. 400)

3. listed in the canonical lists of

a. Muratorian fragment (a.d. 200)

b. Barococcio (a.d. 206)

c. Athanasius (a.d. 367)

4. affirmed by Councils

a. Nicea (a.d. 325)

b. Hippo (a.d. 393)

c. Carthage (a.d. 397 and 419)

5. present in the translations of

a. Old Latin (a.d. 150-170)

b. Syriac Revision, the Peshitta (5^th Century A.D.)

 

D. The later church was unsure of Jude's canonical (inspired) status. Eusebius listed it among the disputed books (Hist. Eccl. III.25). Both Chrysostom and Jerome mention Jude's quoting from non-canonical sources as the reason it is disputed by some as canonical. It was rejected by the early Syrian church along with II Peter, II and III John. This is probably because it was this area of the Empire which was affected by Gnostic use of Jewish angelology. Therefore, Jude and II Peter added fuel to the false teachers' arguments.

 

E. Just a word about I Enoch. It was originally written in Hebrew (but is now lost except for fragments in Aramaic among the Dead Sea Scrolls), translated into Greek (only fragments survive) and by a.d. 600 copied into Ethiopian (one copy survives). The book was written in the inter-biblical period, but was edited many times, as the Ethiopian copy shows. It was very influential in the early church; Tertullian quotes it as Scripture. It was cited in the Epistle of Barnabas (as Scripture) and by Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria. It had lost favor in the early church by the fourth century.

 

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International