Isbon T. Beckwith

The Apocalypse of John: Isbon T. Beckwith

For the understanding of the Revelation of John it is essential to put ones self, as far as is possible, into the world of its author and of those to whom it was first addressed. I ts meaning must be sought for in the light thrown upon it by the condition and circumstances of its readers, by the authors inspired purpose, and by those current beliefs and traditions that not only influenced the fashion which his visions themselves took, but also and especially determined the form of this literary composition in which he has given a record of his visions. These facts will explain what might seem the disproportionate space which I have given to some topics in the following Introductory Studies. The Apocalypse is the one book of the New Testament whose theme is the doctrines of the Last Things, the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God, that is, to use the common theological term, the doctrines of Eschatology. But these had a growth, running through the periods of biblical history; and the A pocalypse, springing from the heritage of these centuries, contains much, especially as regards form, which belongs to this eschatological development. The more fully, then, one comprehends the earlier eschatology, its history, and the prevalence of its principal conceptions, the better is one fitted to understand the Apocalypse in its leading aspects. I have therefore given a rather long chapter to the eschatology of the Old Testament and late Jewish writers, together with that of the different parts of the New Testament. Reference is frequently made to this to elucidate the A pocalypse. A second topic requiring somewhat extended notice is that of the late Jewish writings called by scholars A pocalyptic.
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)

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