Revelation

Description

This book is the first of its kind: an innovative socio-rhetorical commentary on the Book of Revelation. Without sacrificing scholarly perspective or academic rigor, it is written to be accessible for a wide audience--including pastors, scholars, teachers, seminarians, and interested lay people. A "Suggested Reading List"--a feature of all volumes in the New Cambridge Bible Commentary--will serve as point of entry for the new serious student of Revelation and as a helpful annotated bibliography for all readers. Frequent "Closer-Look" sections examine key elements of the Roman-Greco world that bear on the text's meaning while "Bridging the Horizons" sub-chapters connect this world with the cultural, political, and religious environments of today. The entire NRSV translation is provided throughout the text as a convenience to the reader. Award-winning author Ben Witherington III brings a New Testament scholar's insight to the often opaque passages of the last book of the New Testament. Revelation (New Cambridge Bible Commentary) / Ben Witherington, III Contents Preface A Word about Citations Map of Western Asia Minor and the Island of Patmos Roman Emperors Abbreviations I. Introduction The authorship, date, and audience of the Apocalypse The resources, rhetoric, and restructuring of Revelation Revelation in its social setting in Western Asia Minor The Christology of Revelation The genre of Revelation A brief tour of the Book of Revelation II. Suggested Reading on Revelation The genre of Revelation Commentaries Rhetorical studies Sociological and anthropological approaches Classical and archaeological resources History of interpretation Theology Important monographs Articles of interest III. Commentary 1.1–1.3 – VISIONARY MATERIAL: HANDLE CAREFULLY 1.4–1.20 – THE HEAVENLY SON OF MAN 2–3 – POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE 4–5 – THE THRONE ROOM VISION 6.1–8.5 – THE SEVEN SEALS 8.5–11.19 – THE SEVEN TRUMPETS 12 – THE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON 13.1–14.5 – 666 AND HIS SPOKESMAN 14.6–14.20 – THREE ANGELIC MESSENGERS 15.1–16.21 – THE SEVEN ESCHATOLOGICAL PLAGUES 17.1–19.10 – BABYLON THE HARLOT 19.11–21.8 – THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE, REDEMPTIVE-JUDGMENT, AND THE MESSIANIC MILLENNIUM 21.9–22.5 – THE TOUR OF THE NEW JERUSALEM 22.6–22.21 – THE EPILOGUE IV. Appendix: A Millennial Problem Author Index Extra-Biblical Texts Index Scriptural Index Subject Index