Deleted a repeated paragraph. Theological significance of the Resurrection. John of Revelation was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus. The Christian writers of the second and third centuries testify to us as a tradition universally recognized and doubted by no one that the Apostle and Evangelist John lived in Asia Minor in the last decades of the first century and from Ephesus had guided the Churches of that province. "The defeated Chaldeans fled to Asia Minor, and fixed their central college at Pergamos," notes historian William Barker in his book Lares and Penates of Cilicia (1853, p. 232). Jesus next tells those brethren, who were blind to their true spiritual condition, that the "Phrygian powder" concocted in their medical center as an eye ointment was useless. Johns account of the Baptist is different from that of the synoptic gospels. But John was first a disciple of Saint John the Baptist (Just like Philip the Apostle, if you are curious about his life, you can click on his name and you will access the article), who instilled in their faith in the Lamb of God who was to take upon himself the sins of the world. 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. [5] And on her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nothing; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves" (verses 29-30). After his return from exile, Clement the Alexandrian tells us that John continued his apostolic ministry. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Patmos is a small island of only 24 square miles (62 square kilometers), with a coastline in the shape of a horseshoe. John was a fisherman, so he met Jesus on the sea of Galilee, where Jesus told him to follow His steps. How old was John when he wrote Revelation? Christians, Muslims, or even atheists who want to seek the truth. 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". The only eminently prophetic book of the New Testament, the Apocalypse, is traditionally also attributed to St John the Evangelist. It only takes a minute to sign up. When the city was excavated from 1968 to 1971, its architectural remains showed it had the typical Roman style of colonnades and public buildings and a temple to the goddess Artemis. Acidity of alcohols and basicity of amines. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the middle of the paradise of God. Blessed Catherine Emmerich adds this to the end of the life of the Virgin Mary: After Christ's Ascension Mary lived for three years on Mount Sion, for three years in Bethany, and for nine years in Ephesus, whither St. John took her soon after the Jews had set Lazarus and his sisters adrift upon the sea. The Apostle John is also called John the Evangelist, John the Theologian, John the Apostle of Love, or the Son of Thunder. Under these conditions, a Christian named John wrote Revelation, addressing it to the seven churches that were in Asia Minor. The Laodiceans were famous for producing shiny, black wool clothing and boasted of an outstanding medical center that specialized in eye ointments. He was visiting the surrounding area, setting up bishops, founding Christian communities, Drive-Thru, and reconciling the brethren. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul. "The strong trade guilds in this city," says Leon Morris, "would have made it very difficult for any Christian to earn his living without belonging to a guild. Revelation 1:9 - I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist did not write Revelation. The apostle John is best known and honored for his Gospel, one of the most beautiful biblical writings. To their surprise, the site was completely unguarded. 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. Christ uses the Laodiceans'lukewarm and distasteful water to point out that their poor spiritual state is equally offensive to Him. Christ recognizes the effort of the Ephesian brethren, in spite of many obstacles, to keep the faith and carry out the commission He had given them. The New Bible Dictionary comments: "As Philadelphus was renowned for his loyalty to his brother, so the church, the true Philadelphia, inherits and fulfills his character by its steadfast loyalty to Christ" (1982, "Philadelphia," p. 926). He recommends they focus instead on buying from Him the spiritual clothing of true righteousness that He later describes as "fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints" (Revelation 19:8 Revelation 19:8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.American King James Version). . The Apostle John lived 105 years, remaining the last apostle on Earth. Abb Gouyet's discovery was not taken seriously by most people, but ten years later, urged by Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey, DC, two Lazarist missionaries, Father Poulin and Father Jung, from Smyrna rediscovered the building on July 29, 1891, using the same source for a guide. And he did this because he had received the commandment from the Lord, telling them that its fulfillment was enough for their salvation. The Book of Revelation by John the Apostle Introduction - Book of Revelation The Apostle John is the author of the Book of Revelation. Such was the reverence of Smyrna for Rome that as far back as 195 B.C. How John Wrote the Book of Revelation is the first book that teaches the reader how to read Revelation the way it was . Zebedees father was a fisherman with several employees, including his two sons, James and John. Enjoy reading it; if you have questions, do not hesitate to ask. John the writer of Revelation is one of the Apostles. Although Saint Paul proposes to keep unmarried people celibate precisely so they can avoid these sufferings, he nowhere says they are useless or impossible to overcome. 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." Was John of Patmos blind when He was writing the Book Of Revelation? John, the Lords most beloved disciple, leaned on Jesus chest at the Last Supper. rev2023.3.3.43278. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing by his side, he said to the disciple. During his brother's lifetime Attalus II was his most loyal assistant. Rather, it deals with a contemporary crisis of faith, probably brought on by Roman persecutions. What was a Christian to do? Blind Willie Johnson recorded "John the Revelator" during his fifth and final recording session for Columbia Records in Atlanta, Georgia on April 20, 1930. Since Christians confessed they had only one Lord, Jesus Christ, they were mercilessly hounded. John was the Lords most beloved disciple. Alternate titles: Apocalypse of John, Book of Revelation. Paul says: As for virginity/celibacy, I have no commandment from the Lord. The remains of the shrine to Asklepios have been uncovered by archaeologists. [17] That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works. Alexandria, Egypt dating the gospel of John only support what is the regulations! Behold, I am coming quickly! Patients coming to the shrine believed that Asklepios would heal them. Revelation to John, also called Book of Revelation or Apocalypse of John, abbreviation Revelation, last biblical book of the New Testament. Jesus had told John: "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are [at the present time], and the things which will take place after this [in the future]" (verse 19, emphasis added throughout). They went close to him and became his disciples. The Philadelphian brethren could well identify with this admonition. Is the God of a monotheism necessarily omnipotent? Who Is John In The Book Of Revelation? John and Andrew were the first to follow the Saviour Christ. Sometime later a vigilant Persian soldier spied a defender who had accidentally dropped his helmet from above. If scholarly research is to be trumped by blogs, this discussion belongs on the chat room. February 27, 2023 By restaurants on the water in st clair shores By restaurants on the water in st clair shores What did Peter, James and John see on the Mount of Transfiguration? Are there any other theories about the later life of apostle John? John the Baptist is a completely different person. When John said these things says he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second ''. Therefore, this is good for the need of the hour: it is suitable for man to be so. 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. "From all over the world," adds William Barclay, "people flocked to Pergamos for relief of their sicknesses. Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of the Roman roads that stretched from Ephesus to Laodicea. Have a good day and may God be with you! Another excerpt from the same source: There are some similarities between John and Revelation but there are also some stylistic differences. Jesus was taking on disciples at Bethabara and we suppose John was there looking for a teacher. In the Gospel of John, the disciple the Lords beloved is not mentioned by name, but only twice, together with his brother, as sons of thunder.. What is the point of Thrower's Bandolier? To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Evangelist John was the youngest disciple of Christ. John is the author of five books in the New Testament: - The Gospel of John (this is where he identifies himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved) - 1 John - 2 John - 3 John - Revelation John was one of the twelve disciples, but he was also part of the "inner circle" along with Peter and James. If they persevere in His Word, He will give them a crown that they may rule with Him in His Kingdom. This city would never reach the commercial greatness of Ephesus or Smyrna, but it was the indisputable center of religious, medical and artistic culture of the region. John was the youngest and most handsome. The bishop of Assyria, seizing the saint, sent him bound to Caesar in Rome, where, for his confession of Christ, John first suffered blows and then had to drink a cup full of deadly poison. The Book of Revelation was written sometime around 96 CE in Asia Minor. "the brethren"),[Acts 18:27] in addition to Priscilla and Aquila. So I take it to mean, that John will be sent back to preach before the coming of Christ in our times. The purpose of the book was to strengthen the faith of the members of these churches by giving to them the assurance that deliverance from the evil powers arrayed against them was close at hand. 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. The Apostle John states. Whoever this John was, it clearly was not the author of John's Gospel, as the style and the theology are too different. The only way Church members could go about peacefully in this place was to carry a certificate showing they had offered incense to the emperor and proclaimed him lord. it was the first city in the world to erect a temple to the goddess Roma" (Letters to the Seven Churches, 1957, p. 29). Cicero [the Roman orator] called Smyrna 'one of our most faithful and most ancient allies' . That these meals all too readily degenerated into sexual looseness made matters worse. It is traditionally believed that John was the youngest of the apostles and survived them. For examples of the seven-vision approach, see Ernst Lohmeyer, Die Offenbarung des Johannes (Tiibingen, 1926); John Wick Bowman, That doesn't mean Jesus didn't love them all, but John was a spiritual thinker which drew Jesus to him in a kindred way. Sardis's inhabitants had forgotten their lesson, and their city fell again. And then he found his end suffering martyrdom. Moreover, the Ephesian brethren had to resist the many temptations the immensely popular pagan temple worship offered them. The city was especially famous for its fine woolen cloth, usually dyed in a shade that came to be called Thyatiran purple. Thus, the sons of this woman are mentioned among the Myrrhbearers. The difference between the phonemes /p/ and /b/ in Japanese, How to tell which packages are held back due to phased updates, Recovering from a blunder I made while emailing a professor. 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. After Jesus died, John went to Ephesus to spread the good news of salvation. He did not know any books or was a sage man at the beginning, like the other Apostles, but was from a wealthy family. Interestingly, Jesus used some of the characteristics of each city to spiritually evaluate its congregation and to prophesy the history of His Church up to His second coming. Was it customary in the Roman Empire for convicts to be exiled to an island? At that time, Domitian, Emperor of Rome, raised a great persecution against the Christians, and John was slandered before him. As a side note, there are a couple of points one could add here. There is no evidence that the apostle John was ever on the island of Patmos. But I can just spare you. And there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and John. Christ says about this congregation: "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. This despot declared himself a god and demanded the worship of his subjects with the exception of Jews. Accompanying Johnson on vocal and guitar is Willie B. Harris (sometimes identified as his first wife), who sings the response parts of the song. Yet it has a clear and definite historical background. . John the Apostle was never married. How did serpent worship begin in Pergamos? 6 What is the difference between John the Baptist and John the Apostle? Many of the Christians in Smyrna would die because of fierce persecutions. 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. He promises to those of Thyatira who remain faithful that they will be arrayed, not in Thyatiran purple, a cloth used mainly by Roman royalty, but at His coming with the spiritual mantle of rulership over the nations. Bible Answer: He escaped by miracle, without injury. Send inquiries regarding the operation of this Web site to webmaster@ucg.org. This concludes our archaeological review of the last book of the Bible. The careless soldier climbed down a secret pathway to retrieve it, and that night the Persians led their troops up the same pathway and to the top. You shine as lights in the world, holding up the Word of life. We hope this series has been a satisfying journey through the Bible and that it has strengthened your faith. He did not know any books or was a sage man at the beginning, like the other Apostles, but was from a wealthy family. During the time of John's exile, traditionally 94-96, history records violent persecution against Christians under the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian (81-96). He wrote the Gospel, the three canonical epistles, and the Apocalypse by divine inspiration. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Is a PhD visitor considered as a visiting scholar? Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. It was widely circulated by the second century CE but deemed heretical at the Second Council of Nicaea (787 CE). 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). Because the author of the Book of Revelation identified himself as 'John', the book was once attributed to the apostle John. how and why John went to Patmos, and gradually developed the John the Baptist did not write any books that we know of -and he had his own disciples. But membership involved attendance at guild banquets, and this in turn meant eating meat which had first been sacrificed to an idol. Also, Jesus' mother Mary would have been fairly old by then - she should have been at least mid 40s when Jesus began to preach (if she was ~15 when he was born). 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. Hi, we are David and Mirabela. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Apostle John spent a long time on the island of Patmos in exile. We conclude the series with a look at archaeological and historical evidence relating to the last book of the Bible, Revelation. John the Baptist was born about 6 months before Jesus and was His "forrunner". person must have been the apostle John, Christians began to wonder It was from Thyatira that Lydia, a seller of purple and convert to Christianity, had come (Acts 16:14 Acts 16:14And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul.American King James Version). Whats the difference between John and John the Baptist? Behold, your mother! Since this John was not the author, we do not need the oil, nor the exile. Most definitely the gospel of John was written before the destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70) as references are made within the book to structures existing before that siege of Jerusalem. He wrote the Gospel, the three canonical epistles, and the Apocalypse by divine inspiration. When he came to an end, the Apostle of Love no longer spoke with length/long words but only repeated these words over and over to his disciples and those who came to see him: My children, love one another. (John 5:2) Revelation is pushed a little further out to about AD 66 68. St. John the Apostle, on Patmos, writing the book of Revelation, detail of a 14th-century painting; in the Stdelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt, Germany. Many scholars, however, agree that Revelation is not simply an abstract spiritual allegory divorced from historical events, nor merely a prophecy concerning the final upheaval at the end of the world, couched in obscure language. John was not arrested at Golgotha giving us a clue also that he was young and harmless for Jews. Saint Paul calls him, along with Peter and James, one of the three pillars of the Church who extended his right hand as a sign of brotherhood and sharing in the apostolic ministry. Is the Book of Revelation written by John? These words had not only a prophetic sense but a literal fulfillment in John's day as well. He was visiting the surrounding area, setting up bishops. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things said he that is holy, he that is true, he that has the key of David, he that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens; Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.