REVELATION IN

JEWISHCONTEXT

Reading Revelation as Jewish

Text

IN THIS LECTURE:

1. Revelation: Basic Facts

2. What is the Book of Revelation

3. Seven blessings of Revelation

Revelation: Basic Facts

1. Revelation is a traditional Jewish

Apocalypse. Like other books of the same

genre it inspires insiders using symbols,

heavenly visions and speaks in codes that

only the informed audience would

understand.

נ 50

ר 200

ו 6

נ 50

ק 100

ס 60

ר 200

666

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. (Rev 13:18)

6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus... I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns... 9 Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits..." (Rev. 17:6-9).

Photo: Vespasian’s coin c. 71 CE with goddess Roma seated on 7 hills

2. Revelation is anti-Roman. It enters into polemics

and war with the gods of pagan Rome.

3. Revelation is a Real Letter. It is a public message to seven physical and historical assemblies in Asia Minor connected by the system of Roman roads (Rev. 1:4). To understand its contemporary message the book first must speak to them and issues of their day.

"I know your tribulation and your poverty... Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life... He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death." (Rev 2:9-11).

4. Revelation is a call to Persevere. Experiencing persecution at the hands of Roman authorities 1st century believers were tempted to compromise. Some of them gave into this pressure and were in real spiritual danger. They struggled to find their social and religious identity in the pagan environment. Roman values clashed with the embrace of Israel’s God and exclusive loyalty to him.

“…you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith... But I have a few things against you... repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth." (Rev 2:13-16)

5. Revelation is about John’s day.

The author says his visions will happen

“very soon” (Rev. 1:1, 22:6). We must

take this declaration seriously. If our

modern interpretation would make no

sense to John’s audience then we should

rethink our interpretation. Revelation was

supposed to bring comfort to some 1st

century believers but also a stern warning

of judgment to others.

"Those whom I love, I reprove and

discipline; therefore be zealous and

repent. Behold, I stand at the door

and knock..." (Rev 3:19-20)

Photo: Artemis of Ephesus

6. Revelation is also about future. In

Jewish thinking time is cyclical and

prophetic fulfilments of the same promises

may reoccur throughout history. They may

be fulfilled multiple times on various levels

throughout various ages until the end of

all things comes to its close.

“... and the dead were judged from

the things which were written in the

books, according to their deeds…

and Hades gave up the dead which

were in them... then death and Hades

were thrown into the lake of fire.”

(Rev 20:12-14)

What is Revelation?

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, 2 who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. (Revelation 1:1-2 NASB)

The book itself explains what it is –“the revelation of Jesus Christ” and why it was given – “to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place”.

Revelation also tells us how it was given - “God sent it through His angel”. And the book itself even tells us who received this revelation – “his bond-servant, John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.”

This opening seems unremarkable to modern reader. If you wish to compare John’s book begins in a very similar way to other Jewish apocalyptic writings do. Revelation is a work of Jewish literature.

The word of the blessing of Enoch, how he blessed the elect and the righteous, who were to exist in the time of trouble; rejecting all the wicked and ungodly. Enoch, a righteous man, who was with God, answered and spoke, while his eyes were open, and while he saw a holy vision in the heavens…This the angels showed me. From them I heard all things, and understood what I saw; that which will not take place in this generation, but in a generation which is to succeed at a distant period, on account of the elect. (Enoch 1:1-2)

Photo: Greek Papyrus Manuscript of the Book of Enoch

The opening of the book of Enoch explains what it is (the word of the blessing of Enoch) to whom it was addressed (the elect and the righteous, who were to exist in the time of trouble) where these words came from (Enoch, a righteous man, who was with God… saw a holy vision in the heavens) how these words were received (this the angels showed me. From them I heard all things…)

We can see that the Book of Revelation and the Book of Enoch (among other Jewish apocalyptic books) have some strikingly similar features.

…I Baruch was weeping in my mind and sorrowing on account of the people, and that Nebuchadnezzar the king was permitted by God to destroy His city… and behold as I was weeping and saying such things, I saw an angel of the Lord coming and saying to me: Understand, O man, greatly beloved, and trouble not thyself so greatly concerning the salvation of Jerusalem…

Photo: Greek Papyrus Fragment from 2 Baruch

…for thus says the Lord God, the Almighty. For He sent me before thee, to make known and to show to thee all (things)… and the angel of the powers said to me, Come, and I will show thee the mysteries of God. (3 Baruch 1:1-8)

This book (also called the Apocalypse of Baruch), introduces itself in the same manner as does the book of Revelation and other Jewish books of the same genre.

Photo: Greek Papyrus Fragment from 2 Baruch

The above passages quoted for comparison clearly demonstrate that what we read in Revelation’s opening verses is similar to other Jewish apocalyptic accounts authored roughly around the same time.

In fact, the book reads so Jewishly that some scholars, who don’t see Jesus traditions as original, erroneously concluded that the current form of the Book of Revelation was edited by later Christians from a previously existing Jewish document.

7 Blessingsof Revelation

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)

Revelation has a very carefully nuanced literary structure, characteristic of Jewish apocalyptic tradition in particular, combining epistle and prophecy. In verse 3, for the first time, we are introduced to a carefully composed series of seven blessings that are interspersed throughout the book.

The number Seven is a crucial number throughout Revelation and constitutes the basic numeric structure of the book’s composition.

• The word Messiah (anointed one) or “Christ” is used seven times in Revelation (1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 11.15, 12.10, 20.4, 20.6)

• John announces Messiah’s coming seven times (2:5, 2:16, 3:21, 16:15, 22:6, 22:12, 22:20)

• Seven times the name “Lord God Almighty/Lord of Hosts” is used (1:8, 4:8, 11:17, 15:3, 16:7, 19:6, 21:22).

• There are seven “amens” in Revelation (1:6, 1:7, 3:14, 5:14, 7:12, 19:4, 22:20)

• The word “prophets” appears seven times in Revelation (10:7, 11:18, 16:6, 18:20, 18:24, 22:6, 22:9)

• The phrase “the one who sits on the throne” is also used seven times (4:9, 5:1, 5:7, 5:13, 6:16, 7:15, 21:5)

• The list goes on and on.

It becomes obvious to a careful reader that John was very fond of the number seven and uses it intentionally and symbolically in his book.

For the Jews of antiquity, seven was the number of perfection, a complete number tied to God. Sometimes it is literal and its actual numeric value is meant, but at other times it is used symbolically and its numeric value is not the intended meaning.

If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold. (Gen 4:24) “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matt 18:21-22)

There are several other ways that the number seven is used in Revelation, often in multiples like the 7 sevens of Daniel or the 7 weeks of Shavuot (Pentecost). Jesus’ name Ἰησοῦς(iesus) is used fourteen times and the title ἀρνίον (arnion) “Lamb” is mentioned twenty eight times.

To appreciate John’s overall literary structure, one has to be able to see the Seven Blessings and see how the first one (in Rev.1:3) is related to the other six blessings scattered throughout the book.

In biblical studies there is a particular literary structure that is often noticed. It is called “chiastic” after the Greek letterX (chi) that resembles the English X or the Hebrew א. Chiasm is the way parallel Semitic thought patterns came to be represented in literary studies.

Jewish poetry is based on parallelism, on repetition, on analogy. Typically, the second line or idea repeats the content of the first line, sometimes taking it further and sometimes elaborating or clarifying it.

In Chiastic structure, either some key words, terms or thoughts are repeated in the beginning and at the end of the literary unit in a parallel fashion. The author moves from statement A1 to B1, from B1 to C1, from C1 to D1.

Then he suddenly switches gears and moves backwards in the same order but reversed (D2, C2, B2, A2) creating a structural parallel.

The first blessing (Rev.1:3) stands outside of the chiastic structure that follows it. Its purpose is to summarize or set the stage for the rest of the 6 blessings that are in fact organized in parallel chiastic form.

Looking at the statements separately, nothing out of the ordinary can be seen. Once one looks at the entire set, the parallelism of meaning becomes pronounced and the deliberate sevenfold structure becomes obvious.

A1 ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them." (Rev. 14:13)

B1 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." (Rev. 14:13)

C1 Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb! (Rev. 16:15)

C2 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. (Rev. 20:6)

B2 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." (Rev. 22:7)

A2 ‘Blessed are those who obey His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. (Rev. 22:14)

The idea of being “blessed” sometimes gets lost in translation. The Greek word translated as “blessed” is μακάριος(makarios) which is an equivalent of the Hebrew word ֵרי ַאשְׁ (ashrey) that means “happy / joyful / blessed”, and “found in a favorable circumstance.”

This noun expresses a passive idea of being on the receiving end of favor and is most often found in the book of Psalms. In fact, the book opens with this word, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked (Ps. 1:1).

[Blessed is he who walks] with a pure heart and who doesn’t slander with his Tongue. Blessedare they who hold fast to her (wisdom) Laws and do not hold to the ways of Evil. Bless[ed] are they who rejoice in her and do not overflow with the ways of folly. Blessed are they who ask for her with clean hands and do not seek her with a deceitful [heart]. Blessed is the man who grasps hold of Wisdom and walks in the Torah of the Most High… (Qumran Beatitudes - 4Q525)

Photo: A portion of Qumran Scroll 4Q175

If this passage from Qumran sounds like something you have heard before there is a perfectly good reason for this. The scroll sounds a lot like famous “sermon on the mount” but predates by at least a hindered years.

The reason it sounds so similar is because the author uses Hebrew poetic style imitation the Psalm. And Jesus in Matthew uses the same style as he speaks to the people standing on the slopes in front of the Sea of Galilee.

Photo: A portion of Qumran Scroll 4Q175

The book of Revelation is very multifaceted. Without a doubt it is an exceptional example of Jewish Apocalyptic literature. It combines the genre of a letter with prophetic utterances. It uses poetry and utilizes artistic devices of Jewish literature in its message, structure and even Greek form.

If we seek to read it through Jewish eyes, the book of Revelation should be read against the background of other Jewish literary works of that era.

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