We do not know what happened to the apostle John after the biblical account of his life ended. Zebedees father was a fisherman with several employees, including his two sons, James and John. How John Wrote the Book of Revelation is the first book that teaches the reader how to read Revelation the way it was written. Revelation to John appears to be a collection of separate units composed by unknown authors who lived during the last quarter of the 1st century, though it purports to have been written by an individual named Johnwho calls himself the servant of Jesusat Patmos, in the Aegean Sea. It would have been difficult to live as a Christian in the midst of such an immoral city. There was the worship of Asklepios, bringing sick people from far and near, and above all there were the demands of Caesar worship, hanging forever like a poised sword above the heads of the Christians" (The Daily Study Bible, notes on Revelation 2:12-17 Revelation 2:12-17 [12] And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things said he which has the sharp sword with two edges; Originally Answered: So are John the Apostle, John the Evangelist, and John the Baptist all the same person? He warns them that, if they do not rapidly improve their spiritual condition, He will reject them. Babylon has been a golden cup in the LORD's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. He was blessed with the power from above to write what he saw in the prophecies God revealed to him through His glory. This is why in his Gospel, John calls himself the disciple whom Jesus loved.For this great love, God blessed John with long life, well into old age. Where he was between ~50AD and 90AD (with 50 being a plausible time for Paul's early writings, and the original disciples/apostles to still be in Jerusalem), I don't believe we're ever told. Burton L. Mack says in Who Wrote the New Testament, page 215, that before what is now known as John's Gospel was attributed to John, it had already become popular in gnostic circles where it was said that Cerinthus, the founder of a gnostic school, had written it. The purpose of the . The text includes no indication that John of Patmos and St. John the Apostle are the same person. Remember that years later at about 25 years old John was still in Jerusalem not Ephesus or somewhere else. How accurate are the descriptions of these seven cities mentioned in the book of Revelation according to archaeology and history? There is dispute who wrote the Book of Revelation. Irenaeus makes the claim that John wrote the Gospel and his letters at Ephesus and the Revelation when he was on Patmos. Alternate titles: Apocalypse of John, Book of Revelation. Browse other questions tagged, Like any library, Christianity Stack Exchange offers great information, but, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. One of the New Testament gospels now bears his name as author, although it was anonymous until later in the second century, in which case he not only preached the gospel but wrote an account of the mission of Jesus. significant number symbol in Revelation-occurring, for instance, in four explicit septets: the churches, seals, trumpets, and bowls-there is also supposed to be a total of seven basic visions. The Gospels states that John took Mary to "His own house" but the Gospel also give us a clue that John and his older brother James were very young by the way they behave. Cicero [the Roman orator] called Smyrna 'one of our most faithful and most ancient allies' . how and why John went to Patmos, and gradually developed the The Apostle John spent a long time on the island of Patmos in exile. What is the point of Thrower's Bandolier? Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Christians, Muslims, or even atheists who want to seek the truth. This meant that once a year each head of household had to appear before authorities, burn incense to the emperor and declare, "Caesar is lord." Could you please clarify your point regarding "it was anonymous until later in the second century"? Mack says (ibid, page 197) at some point, the Revelation to John of Patmos was associated with the writings of the Johannine school solely because of the common name. This would make its religious successor, Pergamos, the temporary new "Satan's seat" of the Babylonian mystery religion. That night the Greeks led some men up the steep cliff. Originally Answered: Was John the Apostle the one who was responsible for writing the Book of Revelations, and how was he able to since it is said he was illiterate? (John 5:2) Revelation is pushed a little further out to about AD 66 68. Jesus was taking on disciples at Bethabara and we suppose John was there looking for a teacher. One reason it is hard to determine the answer is that people frequently had someone help them when they wrote. A:Simply because the Book of Revelation was signed by a person called John, it was decided late in the second century that this must have been the apostle John. And they, leaving their father and former lives, followed the Savior. After the Teacher of Nazareth calls Andrew and his older brother Peter to the apostolate, it is the turn of John and James, his close relatives. According to Catholic Church the main tradition is that St. John took the Virgin Mary to Ephesus after the Crucifixion of Christ. This site is owned and operated by CAPILNA MIRABELA - DENISA PFA, and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The other person is John the Baptist, the predecessor of Jesus, who baptised him in the river Jordan and prepared the way for him. There was the worship of Athene and Zeus, with its magnificent altar dominating the city [now partially reconstructed in the Pergamum Museum in Berlin]. Christians are consequently exhorted to remain steadfast in their faith and to hold firmly to the hope that God will ultimately be victorious over his (and their) enemies. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. John the Baptist was born about 6 months before Jesus and was His "forrunner". Thousands of priests and priestesses served the temple; many of the priestesses were dedicated to cultic prostitution. But I give you my advice, as one who has been married by the Lord, that I may be credible. In Against Heresies, Irenaeus relates how Polycarp told a story of, John, the disciple of the Lord, going to bathe at Ephesus, and perceiving Cerinthus within, rushed out of the bath-house without bathing, exclaiming, "Let us fly, lest even the bath-house fall down, because Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within.". Is the Book of Revelation written by John? If "Scholarly research" is equivalent to the emporer's new clothes, then any old blog can certainly trump it. In this gospel, John is not called the Baptist. The Baptists ministry overlaps with that of Jesus; his baptism of Jesus is not explicitly mentioned, but his witness to Jesus is unambiguous. These words had not only a prophetic sense but a literal fulfillment in John's day as well. Previous to this, according to Tertullian's testimony (De praescript., xxxvi), John had been thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil before the Porta Latina at Rome without suffering injury. This despot declared himself a god and demanded the worship of his subjects with the exception of Jews. No. [49] According to tradition, after the Assumption of Mary, John went to Ephesus. Have a good day and may God be with you! There is no evidence that the apostle John was ever on the island of Patmos. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. . When the Apostle John wrote Revelation, he began with: "John, to the seven churches that are in Asia." (Rev 1:4). 5 What is the main message of the book of Revelation? Christian tradition says that the Apostle John was exiled to Relation between transaction data and transaction id. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?. John was a logical choice because he was believed to have been a bit younger than the other apostles, and he was the Apostle of whom it was written "Jesus loved". Beginning with Ephesus, the roads follow a geographic semicircle, extending northward, turning to the east, and continuing southward to Laodiceathus connecting the cities on what must have functioned as an ancient postal route" (Archaeology and the New Testament, 1997, p. 242). Even if only allegorically, John speaks of the things he 'sees' in heaven, as if being able to see was normal and. He is said to have lived to an old age, dying at Ephesus sometime after AD 98. Although Christ is clearly the central figure of Revelation, an understanding of the text presupposes familiarity with Old Testament language and concepts, especially those taken from the books of Daniel and Ezekiel. The author was probably a Christian from Ephesus known as John the Elder. According to the Book, this John was on the island of Patmos, not far from the coast of Asia Minor, because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (Rev. It is noteworthy that Revelation 17:4-5 Revelation 17:4-5 [4] And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: John wrote sublime epistles for the early Christians, If you enjoyed our article, check out our Bible Trivia section for a, about the End and the Second Coming of Christ, Resurrection of Jesus Scripture. It is here, in a cave on the island. [8] The book containing these descriptions was published in 1852 in Munich, Germany. person must have been the apostle John, Christians began to wonder Pergamos itself became part and parcel of the Roman Empire, when Attalus III, the last of its kings, at his death, left by will all his dominions to the Roman people in 133 BC" (The Two Babylons, 1959, p. 240). But if thou wilt marries, thou hast not erred. (Matthew 16:28) It's not definitive but is definitely intriguing to wonder if John is still with us, living privately somewhere. 8 Is the Book of Revelation written by John? Blind Willie Johnson recorded "John the Revelator" during his fifth and final recording session for Columbia Records in Atlanta, Georgia on April 20, 1930. What is the true religion of God? Saint John was one of the first close disciples of the Saviour Christ. Theological significance of the Resurrection. If John wrote about Christ's coming as future from A.D. 90-100, it is said to combat preterists, then Christ did not come back in A.D. 70 (John's writing would be pointless). Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves" (verses 29-30). The Laodiceans were famous for producing shiny, black wool clothing and boasted of an outstanding medical center that specialized in eye ointments. United Church of Godis a501(c)3organization. "A 450-foot segment of the widest section was excavated and reconstructed so visitors to the site can experience a beautiful approach to the Asklepieion," notes John McRay. It contains strong docetic themes, but is not considered in modern scholarship to be gnostic. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing by his side, he said to the disciple. American King James Version: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Alexandria, Egypt dating the gospel of John only support what is the regulations! Pls note I did not say that absence of evidence is evidence of absence; in fact my very next clause is "in which case he not only preached the gospel but wrote an account of the mission of Jesus." If the former, can you change your wording as it is currently misleading (absence of evidence is not evidence of absence); if the latter as it seems from the reference to Cerinthus, what is the source of the claim please? Because such a view presents current problems in an eschatological context, the message of Revelation also becomes relevant to future generations of Christians who, Christ forewarned, would likewise suffer persecution. I hope you will enjoy these articles and you will learn something by reading them. "For all its wealth, the city had poor water," says The Expositor's Bible Commentary. Since Christians confessed they had only one Lord, Jesus Christ, they were mercilessly hounded. How can I check before my flight that the cloud separation requirements in VFR flight rules are met? He also writes for the Beyond Today magazine and currently serves on the UCG Council of Elders. The mention of Satan's throne in Pergamos likely refers to the famous worship of its most popular deity, the serpent god Asklepios Soter, whose Latin equivalent means "the man-instructing serpent and savior." Numerous treatment rooms, sleeping rooms (for incubation and autosuggestion in psychiatric treatment), meeting rooms, and temples were located here . It appears that Revelation was written between A.D. 43-47. Yet he mentions it as an honor to participate "in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ" (verse 9). And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Patmos, a rocky, volcanic and sparsely populated isle, was an appropriate place to send captives. On the island of Patmos, he receives an eschatological revelation about the history of all humankind, summarized in the book that concludes the New Testament, suggestively entitled The Apocalypse. He returns to Ephesus in 97, during the reign of Emperor Nerva.
