Notes: Introduction and Background
Video lecture by David Matthewson
Notes by David Feddes
Two misguided approaches to Revelation
1. Obsession: Claiming that events in our time provide the key to understanding Revelation. For example, the Left Behind series correlates visions of Revelation with events of our own time. The idea is that John was a time traveler predicting what would happen in the 21st century. The original readers could not have understood Revelation, but contemporary events show what John was really talking about.
2. Neglect: Ignore Revelation mostly, and focus on other Bible books. For example, in reading a vision that combines insect, animal, and human features, we may be so bewildered that we give up. Another reason for neglect is wanting avoid the speculations of those who are obsessed with Revelation. John Calvin wrote a commentary on every book of the New Testament except Revelation. People outside the church consider Revelation too vindictive and violent. (Nietzsche, George Bernard Shaw). Still, some movies refer to “apocalypse” and borrow from Revelation.
Don’t ignore the book, and don’t immediately jump to events in our own day, assuming that John was predicting today’s events.
The Greek word for revelation is "apocalypse," means “unveiling, uncovering, revealing.” It’s not meant to obscure but to reveal.
Many errors arise from not considering what kind of book Revelation is.
Dr. Matthewson wants to address two major questions in these first two lectures:
1. Why was the book of Revelation written in the first place? What were the circumstances?
2. What kind of book is this? What is the literary genre?
Why was Revelation written? Consider original situation.
In chapters 2 and 3, Revelation addresses seven actual churches in their historical situation. They were situated in the heart of the Roman Empire, the dominant political, religious, economic, and military powerhouse of the day. Its borders extended beyond any other empire before it. The empire was divided into provinces. The seven churches were all situated in one Roman province.
“Pax Romana” (Roman Peace): This was a phrase used by Rome to say that Rome had brought peace and prosperity to the entire empire. Despite some complaints, Rome saw itself as benefactor to the entire world. Its military conquered rebels. It prided itself on bringing justice and righteousness to the land.
"Emperor cult" Rome thought it had been chosen by the gods, and its emperor was the Savior of the world, the agent of the will of the gods. Even a living emperor could be worshiped as “lord and god.” Emperor cult fostered allegiance to Rome and devotion to its emperor, emphasizing people’s debt of gratitude to Rome and its emperor for all the blessings they provided to the people of the province. All of the seven churches were in cities that took part in the emperor cult: festivals, celebrations, statues. This was integrated into social gatherings, trade guilds, economic ties. Business gatherings often included honoring Rome’s gods and emperor. Refusing to honor Rome would be ingratitude and rebellion, especially with Rome’s culture of patronage and honor/shame.
Date: Revelation was most likely written in 95 or 96 during the reign of Domitian. Most scholars think this is the most likely date, though some think it was in the mid-60s during the reign of Nero.
Christians, living in the Roman Empire amid the emperor cult, were faced with a dilemma. Two possible responses:
1. Resist: Christians could refuse to participate in the emperor cult, refuse to be part of celebrations honoring the emperor. Caesar was claiming to be lord and god. Christians faced social ostracism and persecution, though not yet an empire-wide hunting of Christians by the Roman army. That happened in the second century and later, but when Revelation was written, the persecution was usually more local and sporadic. John only mentions one man, Antipas (2:13), as dying for his faith, though John expects more will be martyred. John himself is in exile.
2. Compromise: Only two of the seven churches (Smyrna and Philadelphia) were suffering persecution. The other five church got a very negative evaluation from Jesus because they were so compromised with the Empire that they weren’t facing opposition. The compromisers were complacent. Some may have been trying to avoid ostracism, losing a job, getting killed. They may have figured they could worship Caesar and also worship Jesus. Some may not have realized how much they had compromised, how much they had been sucked into their environment.
For the two persecuted church, and any churches like them, Revelation brings comfort, consolation, and encouragement to persevere. But for complacent, compromised churches, Revelation brings warning, shock, a wakeup call. Revelation shows the extent of compromise, and calls the people of the churches to full obedience to Jesus Christ.
A major purpose of Revelation is to expose the true nature of the Roman Empire. Contrary to Rome’s propaganda and view of itself, Revelation reveals Rome as a godless, corrupt, idolatrous, violent system that is utterly contrary to God. Rome is not all that it claims to be. Revelation is a call for the churches to see Rome in its true colors. Therefore, Revelation is a call to exclusive worship and obedience to God and Jesus Christ no matter what the cost. It encourages persecuted believers to persevere in faithful witness. For compromising churches, Revelation is a call to repent, wake up, and resist Rome’s ways, lest they meet the same fate as the evil Empire. Jesus, not Rome, brings peace and righteousness.
Some people say they know what Revelation means: “God wins.” Therefore, they think they don’t need to read it carefully. While it's true that "God wins," that statement is too limited. Revelation is about HOW God wins, by sending his Son as a slaughtered lamb bearing sacrificial, suffering witness. Revelation is about HOW the church wins: through its faithful witness, to the point of death, if necessary. It’s not just that God wins, but that God’s people must respond! The call is to follow the Lamb wherever he goes. Revelation forces us to face the question: who is worthy of our exclusive obedience and worship? Only God and the Lamb, Jesus Christ.
2. What kind of book is this? What is the literary genre? What kind of literature are we reading?
The Bible has various genres (kinds of literature), and we need to recognize this. For example, we shouldn’t read poetry the way we read historical narratives.
Problems:
a. We don’t have many good examples of how to understand Revelation. Rarely is the whole book preached on. It’s not included in the Eastern Orthodox lectionary for public reading in churches.
b. We don’t have apocalyptic literature as part of our common reading patterns today. It’s hard for us to grasp the meaning of a kind of literature that is strange to us, that we’re not familiar with.
Knowing the literary genre of Revelation won’t solve every difficulty or eliminate all disagreements about its meaning, but knowing the genre at least helps us get off to a good start in understanding Revelation.
When reading a newspaper, we know there are different genres. We don’t treat the front page news the same way we treat the comics. We don’t treat comics like classified ads. We intuitively sense the different genres in a newspaper without formally defining the genres.
John must have been writing something that the first readers could understand to some degree.
Revelation blends at least three genres (literary types):
- Apocalypse
- Prophecy
- Epistle/letter
First-century readers would have been familiar with all three types of writing.
The word “apocalypse” is often taken to mean a cataclysmic disaster that brings the world to an end. But the first-century readers would not have seen it this way. The next lecture will explain more.