The Revelation to John: A Commentary on the Greek Text of the Apocalypse

by Smalley, Stephen S.

• ISBN13: 9780830828005
• ISBN10: 0830828001
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-09-30
• Publisher: Intervarsity Pr

Summary

The Revelation to Johnby Stephen Smalley is a magisterial interpretation of John's Apocalypse as a grand drama, which can only be properly understood in light of John's Gospel and letters and in the context of the Johannine community. As such, it offers the reader a significantly different approach to this enigmatic text than that offered by most contemporary commentaries. Working directly from the Greek text, Smalley offers a masterful analysis of the critical and literary dimensions of the Apocalypse for students and scholars alike.Contents includean in-depth, critical analysis of the Greek text of Revelationa wealth of scholarly interaction with other commentaries and interpretations of Revelationa canonical assessment of Revelation in light of other Johannine textsa historical understanding of Revelation in the context of the Johannine communityan interpretation of Revelation as cosmic dramaHere is a fresh contribution to the scholarly study of this captivating but often perplexing book of the Bible. Smalley demonstrates that the Apocalypse speaks directly to any situation in any age and offers a portrait of God's loving justice that is relevant to our own society.

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
Abbreviations	xi
1 General	xi
2 Ancient Writers	xv
3 Dead Sea Scrolls	xvi
Introduction	1	(24)
The Text	1	(15)
1 The Approach	2	(1)
2 The Origin	2	(1)
3 The Situation.	3	(1)
4 The Johannine Community and Its Literature	4	(2)
A Further Aim	5	(1)
5 The Character	6	(2)
Revelation as Prophecy	7	(1)
6 The Use of the Old Testament	8	(2)
7 The Testimony	10	(3)
Balance in John's Testimony	11	(2)
8 The Symbolism	13	(2)
9 The Interpretation	15	(1)
10 The Relevance	16	(3)
Christ	16	(1)
Time	16	(1)
Church	17	(1)
World	17	(1)
Power	18	(1)
Resurrection	18	(1)
11 The Structure	19	(2)
12 The Drama	21	(4)
Prologue: The Oracle Is Disclosed (1.1-8)	25	(18)
Translation	25	(1)
Text	25	(1)
Literary Setting	26	(1)
Comment	27	(11)
Superscription: The Revelation to John (1.1-3)	27	(4)
Excursus: Angels in Revelation	28	(3)
Salutation and Doxology (1.4-8)	31	(7)
Theology	38	(5)
Act 1 CREATION, AND SALVATION THROUGH JUDGEMENT (1.9-11.19)
Scene 1: Seven Oracles (1.9-3.22)	43	(63)
Translation	43	(2)
Text	45	(1)
Literary Setting	46	(3)
The Oracles to the Seven Churches	47	(2)
Comment	49	(55)
Vision of the Son of Man (1.9-18)	49	(7)
The Commission to Write (1.19-20)	56	(3)
Letters to the Seven Churches (2.1-3.22)	59	(1)
Ephesus (2.1-7)	59	(1)
The Nicolaitans	62	(2)
Smyrna (2.8-11)	64	(3)
Pergamum (2.12-17)	67	(4)
Thyatira (2.18-29)	71	(9)
Sardis (3.1-6)	80	(6)
Philadelphia (3.7-13)	86	(9)
Laodicea (3.14-22)	95	(9)
Theology	104	(2)
Interval: Adoration in Heaven's Court: God and His Christ (4.1-5.14)	106	(37)
Translation	106	(1)
Text	107	(2)
Literary Setting	109	(4)
Excursus: Graeco-Roman Drama and Revelation	109	(4)
Comment	113	(28)
Theology	141	(2)
Scene 2: Seven Seals (6.1-17)	143	(31)
Translation	143	(1)
Text	143	(2)
Literary Setting	145	(1)
Comment	146	(27)
Seals 1-4: The Four Horsemen (6.1-8)	146	(1)
The Four Riders	151	(5)
Seal 5: The Cry of the Martyrs (6.9-11)	156	(1)
Excursus: Vengeance in the Apocalypse	160	(6)
Seal 6: The Great Earthquake (6.12-17)	166	(7)
Theology	173	(1)
Interval: The Church Protected (7.1-17)	174	(29)
Translation	174	(1)
Text	175	(2)
Literary Setting	177	(1)
Comment	178	(23)
Excursus: The Identity of the 144,000 (7.4-8)	184	(10)
Excursus: The Theology of Power in Revelation	194	(7)
Theology	201	(2)
Scene 3: Seven Trumpets (8.1-9.21)	203	(43)
Translation	203	(1)
Text	204	(5)
Literary Setting	209	(2)
Comment	211	(33)
Seal 7: Silence in Heaven (8.1)	211	(2)
Prelude: Censing of the Saints (8.2-6)	213	(5)
Trumpets 1-4: Portents of the End (8.7-12)	218	(6)
The Eagle's Warning (8.13)	224	(1)
Trumpet 5 (First Woe): Locusts (9.1-12)	225	(10)
Trumpet 6 (Second Woe): Fiendish Cavalry (9.13-21)	235	(9)
Theology	244	(2)
Interval: God's Sovereignty (10.1-11.19)	246	(53)
Translation	246	(1)
Text	247	(6)
Literary Setting	253	(3)
(A) Revelation 10.1-11	254	(1)
(B) Revelation 11.1-13	254	(1)
(C) Revelation 11.14	255	(1)
(D) Revelation 11.15-19	255	(1)
Comment	256	(39)
The Angel from Heaven (10.1-11)	256	(13)
Measuring the Temple (11.1-2)	269	(6)
The Two Witnesses (11.3-14)	275	(13)
Trumpet 7 (Third Woe): Redemption through Conflict (11.15-19)	288	(7)
Theology	295	(4)
Act 2 SALVATION THROUGH JUDGEMENT, AND NEW CREATION (12.1-22.17)
Scene 4: Seven Signs (12.1-14.20)	299	(81)
Translation	299	(2)
Text	301	(9)
Literary Setting	310	(2)
Comment	312	(66)
Sign 1: The Woman (12.1-2)	312	(1)
The Sources beneath Revelation 12	312	(4)
Sign 2: The Huge Dragon (12.3-6)	316	(5)
Sign 3: War in Heaven (12.7-9)	321	(5)
A Song of Praise in Heaven (12.10-12)	326	(3)
Sign 4: War on Earth (12.13-18)	329	(6)
Sign 5: The Beast from the Sea (13.1-10)	335	(9)
Sign 6: The Beast from the Earth (13.11-18)	344	(9)
A Vision of the Redeemed (14.1-5)	353	(7)
Sign 7: Angelic Judgement (14.6-20)	360	(18)
Theology	378	(2)
Interval: A New Exodus (15.1-8)	380	(15)
Translation	380	(1)
Text	380	(2)
Literary Setting	382	(1)
Comment	382	(11)
Prologue (15.1)	382	(1)
An Exodus Hymn (15.2-4)	383	(6)
The Angelic Commission (15.5-8)	389	(4)
Theology	393	(2)
Scene 5: Seven Bowls (16.1-21)	395	(23)
Translation	395	(1)
Text	396	(2)
Literary Setting	398	(1)
Comment	399	(17)
Prelude: The Angelic Mission (16.1)	399	(1)
Bowls 1-3: Natural Disasters of Judgement (16.2-4)	400	(2)
Judgement Doxologies (16.5-7)	402	(2)
Bowls 4-7: The Final Battle Heralded (16.8-21)	404	(12)
Theology	416	(2)
Interval: The Fall of Babylon (17.1-18.24)	418	(50)
Translation	418	(2)
Text	420	(4)
Literary Setting	424	(2)
Comment	426	(40)
Introduction (17.1-2)	426	(2)
Vision of the Woman and the Scarlet Beast (17.3-6)	428	(5)
The Interpretation of the Vision (17.7-18)	433	(9)
Lament over Babylon and a Call to Rejoice (18.1-20)	442	(19)
Babylon Destroyed (18.21-24)	461	(5)
Theology	466	(2)
Scene 6: Seven Visions (19.1-20.15)	468	(54)
Translation	468	(1)
Text	469	(5)
Literary Setting	474	(2)
Comment	476	(44)
Introduction: Rejoicing in Heaven (19.1-5)	476	(4)
Vision 1: The Marriage Feast of the Lamb (19.6-10)	480	(7)
Vision 2: The Warrior-Messiah (19.11-16)	487	(9)
Vision 3: Antichrist Destroyed (19.17-21)	496	(4)
Vision 4: Satan Bound (20.1-3)	500	(1)
Excursus: The Millennium in Revelation	502	(3)
Vision 5: A Millennial Reign (20.4-6)	505	(6)
Vision 6: Satan Destroyed (20.7-10)	511	(4)
Vision 7: Final Judgement (20.11-15)	515	(5)
Theology	520	(2)
Interval: Prelude to the Final Scene (21.1)	522	(4)
Translation	522	(1)
Text	522	(1)
Literary Setting	522	(1)
Comment	523	(2)
The New Creation	523	(2)
Theology	525	(1)
Scene 7: Seven Prophecies (21.2-22.17)	526	(55)
Translation	526	(1)
Text	527	(5)
Literary Setting	532	(2)
Revelation 21.2-8	533	(1)
Revelation 22.6-9	534	(1)
Revelation 22.10-17	534	(1)
Comment	534	(44)
Prophecy 1: New Covenant (21.2-4)	534	(5)
Prophecy 2: New Life (21.5-8)	539	(5)
Prophecy 3: New Jerusalem (21.9-21)	544	(12)
Prophecy 4: New Temple (21.22-27)	556	(5)
Prophecy 5: New Relationship (22.1-5)	561	(5)
Prophecy 6: New Advent (22.6-9)	566	(4)
Prophecy 7: New Testimony (22.10-17)	570	(8)
Theology	578	(3)
Epilogue: The Oracle Is Complete (22.18-21)	581	(8)
Translation	581	(1)
Text	581	(1)
Literary Setting	582	(1)
Comment	582	(4)
Theology	586	(3)
Bibliography	589	(9)
Indexes
Greek Terms	598	(2)
Scriptural References and Ancient Sources	600	(21)
Subjects	621	(10)
Modern Authors	631