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Revelation

Revelation Rev`e*la"tion, n. [F. r[ e]v[ e]lation, L. revelatio. See Reveal.] 1. The act of revealing, disclosing, or discovering to others what was before unknown to them. [1913 Webster]

2. That which is revealed. [1913 Webster]

3. (Theol.) (a) The act of revealing divine truth. (b) That which is revealed by God to man; esp., the Bible. [1913 Webster]

By revelation he made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words. --Eph. iii. 3. [1913 Webster]

4. Specifically, the last book of the sacred canon, containing the prophecies of St. John; the Apocalypse or {Book of Revelation} or {The Revelation of Saint John}. [1913 Webster]

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Bible Dictionary

Revelation
the last book of the New Testament. It is often called theApocalypse, which is its title in Greek, signifying"Revelation,"

Canonical authority and authorship

The inquiry as to thecanonical authority of the Revelation resolves itself into aquestion of authorship. Was St. John the apostle andevangelist the writer of the Revelation? The evidence adducedin support of his being the author consists of (1) theassertions of the author and (2) historical tradition. (1)The author s description of himself in the 1st and 22dchapters is certainly equivalent to an assertion that he isthe apostle. He names himself simply John, without prefix oraddition. is also described as a servant of Christ, one whohad borne testimony as an eye-witness of the word of God andof the testimony of Christ. He is in Patmos for the word ofGod and the testimony of Jesus Christ. He is also a fellowsufferer with those whom he addresses, and the authorizedchannel of the most direct and important communication thatwas ever made to the Seven Churches of Asia, of whichchurches John the apostle was at that time the spiritualgovernor and teacher. Lastly, the writer was a fellow servantof angels and a brother of prophets. All these marks arefound united in the apostle John, and in him alone of allhistorical persons. (2) A long series of writers testify toSt. John s authorship: Justin Martyr (cir. 150 a.d.),Eusebius, Irenaeus (a.d. 195), Clement of Alexandria (about200), Tertullian (207), Origen (233). All the foregoingwriters, testifying that the book came from an apostle,believed that it was a part of Holy Scripture. The book wasadmitted into the list of the Third Council of Carthage, A.D.397.

Time and place of writing

The date of the Revelation isgiven by the great majority of critics as A.D. 95-97.Irenaeus says: "It (i.e. the revelation) was seen no verylong time ago, but almost in our own generation, at the closeof Domitian s reign. Eusebius also records that, in thepersecution under Domitian, John the apostle and evangelistwas banished to the Island Patmos for his testimony of thedivine word. There is no mention in any writer of the firstthree centuries of any other time or place, and the style inwhich the messages to the Seven Churches are delivered rathersuggests the notion that the book was written in Patmos.

Interpretation

Modern interpreters are generally placed inthree great divisions: (a) The Historical or Continuousexposition, in whose opinion the Revelation is a progressivehistory of the fortunes of the Church from the first centuryto the end of time. (b) The Praeterist expositors, who are ofopinion that the Revelation has been almost or altogetherfulfilled in the time which has passed since it was written;that it refers principally to the triumph of Christianityover Judaism and Paganism, signalized in the downfall ofJerusalem and of Rome. (c) The Futurist expositors, whoseviews show a strong reaction against some extravagances ofthe two preceding schools. They believe that the whole book,excepting perhaps the first three chapters, refersprincipally, if not exclusively, to events which are yet-tocome. Dr.Arnold in his sermons "On the Interpretation ofProphecy" suggests that we should bear in mind thatpredictions have a lower historical sense as well as a higherspiritual sense; that there may be one or more than onetypical, imperfect, historical fulfillment of the prophecy,in each of which the higher spiritual fulfillment is shadowedforth more or less distinctly.