Reading the Book of Revelation

213 Pages·2003·0.96 MB·English

Reading the Book of Revelation
Society of Biblical Literature
Resources for Biblical Study
W.Ross Wagner, Editor
Number 44
READING THE BOOK OF REVELATION
A Resource for Students
Volume Editor
DavidL. Barr
Reading the Book of Revelation
A RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS
David L. Barr, editor
Society of Biblical Literature
Atlanta
READING THE BOOK OF REVELATION
A Resource for Students
Copyright © 2003 by the Society of Biblical Literature.
All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, elec-
tronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by means of any informa-
tion storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright
Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed in writ-
ing to the Rights and Permissions Office, Society of Biblical Literature, 825 Houston Mill
Road, Suite 350, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Reading the book of Revelation : a resource for students / edited by DavidL.
Barr.
p. cm. — (Resources for biblical study ; no. 44)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-58983-056-3 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1.Bible. N.T. Revelation—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 2.Bible. N.T.
Revelation—Textbooks. I.Barr, DavidL., 1942– II.Series.
BS2825.52.R43 2003
228'.06—dc21 2003004535
03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 5 4 3 2 1
The book is printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper.
Contents
List of Abbreviations vii
Introduction
Reading Revelation Today: Consensus and Innovations
David L. Barr 1
1. The Story John Told:
Reading Revelation for Its Plot
David L. Barr 11
2. Ordinary Lives:
John and His First Readers
Leonard L. Thompson 25
3. The Beast from the Land:
Revelation 13:11–18 and Social Setting
Steven J. Friesen 49
4. Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing:
Literary Opposition and Social Tension in the Revelation of John
Paul B. Duff 65
5. A Tale of Two Cities and (At Least) Three Women:
Transformation, Continuity, and Contrast in the Apocalypse
Edith M. Humphrey 81
6. Doing Violence:
Moral Issues in Reading John’s Apocalypse
David L. Barr 97
v
vi CONTENTS
7. Undercurrents and Paradoxes:
The Apocalypse to John in Process Hermeneutic
Ronald L. Farmer 109
8. Taking a Stand on the Sand of the Seashore:
A Postcolonial Exploration of Revelation 13
Jean-Pierre Ruiz 119
9. Spirit Possession:
Revelation in Religious Studies
Leonard L. Thompson 137
10. The Lion/Lamb King:
Reading the Apocalypse from Popular Culture
Jon Paulien 151
Conclusion
Choosing between Readings: Questions and Criteria
David L. Barr 163
Bibliography 173
Contributors 181
Index of Ancient Sources 183
Index of Modern Authors 191
Subject Index 195
Abbreviations
Bibliographical (see the bibliography for further details)
ACNT Augsburg Commentaries on the New Testament
ANF Ante-Nicene Fathers
AUSS Andrews University Seminary Studies
BDAG Bauer, W., F. W. Danker, W. F. Arndt, and F. W.
Gingrich. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testa-
ment and Other Early Christian Literature.3d ed.
Chicago, 1999
BR Biblical Research
CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly
CC Continental Commentaries
CNT Commentaire du Nouveau Testament
GRBS Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies
HNT Handbuch zum Neuen Testament
HTR Harvard Theological Review
HTS Harvard Theological Studies
IBC Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teach-
ing and Preaching
ICC International Critical Commentary
IGR Inscriptiones graecae.Editio minor. Berlin, 1924–
Int Interpretation
IvE Die Inschriften von Ephesos
JBL Journal of Biblical Literature
JSNTSup Journal for the Study of the New Testament:
Supplement Series
KEK Kritisch-exegetischer Kommentar über das
Neue Testament (Meyer-Kommentar)
NCB New Century Bible
NHL Nag Hammadi Library in English.Edited by J. M.
Robinson. 4th rev. ed. Leiden, 1996
vii
viii ABBREVIATIONS
NICNT New International Commentary on the New
Testament
NTS New Testament Studies
OTP Old Testament Pseudepigrapha.Edited by J. H.
Charlesworth. 2 vols. New York, 1983
PGM Papyri graecae magicae: Die griechischen Zauberpa-
pyri.Edited by K. Preisendanz. Berlin, 1928
QR Quarterly Review
RB Revue biblique
SBLDS Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series
SIG Sylloge inscriptionum graecarum.Edited by W.
Dittenberger. 4 vols. 3d ed. Leipzig, 1915–1924
TJ Trinity Journal
WBC Word Biblical Commentary
For a comprehensive listing of abbreviations to journals, reference works,
and series, see Patrick H. Alexander, The SBL Handbook of Style for Ancient
Near Eastern, Biblical, and Early Christian Studies (Peabody, Mass.: Hen-
drickson, 1999), 89–152.
Ancient Writings
The following abbreviations are used in the notes. See also the index to
ancient authors.
1QS Rule of the Community, Dead Sea Scrolls
4Q403 Song of the Sabbath Sacrifice, Dead Sea Scrolls
2 Bar. 2 Baruch
Adv. Haer. Against Heresies
Agr. Agricola
Ann. Annals
Ant. Antiquities of the Jews
Apoc. Ab. Apocalypse of Abraham
Apol. Apology
Ascen. Isa Ascension of Isaiah
Barn. Barnabas
Contempl On the Contemplative Life
Dial. Dialogue with Trypho
Did Didache
Ep. Epistle
Gos. Pet. Gospel of Peter
Hist. History
Hist. Eccl Ecclesiastical History
Ign Phld. Ignatius Philadelphians
Ign Rom. Ignatius Romans
ABBREVIATIONS ix
Ign. Magn. Ignatius Magnesians
Jub. Jubilees
Mand Mandate
Mor. Moralia
Nat. Natural History
Peregr Peregrinus
Praescr Prescription against Heretics
Pyth. Orac. De Pythiae Oraculis
Quis div. Salvation of the Rich
Sib. Or. Sibylline Oracles
Sim. Similitude
Tob. Tobit
General
B.C.E. Before the Common Era (same dates as BC)
C.E. Common Era (same dates as AD)
c. about, approximately
cf. compare
d. died
e.g. for example
f. following verse
ff. following verses (to end of paragraph)
fl. flourished