was john blind when he wrote revelation
Blind Willie Johnson recorded "John the Revelator" during his fifth and final recording session for Columbia Records in Atlanta, Georgia on April 20, 1930. 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.. In the second part (chapters 422:5), visions, allegories, and symbols (to a great extent unexplained) so pervade the text that exegetes necessarily differ in their interpretations. As for Johns mother, Salome, a cousin of the Mother of God, we learn from the Gospels that she served Christ. First, there are no known bones or other relics of St. John. Author: Revelation 1:1,4,9 and 22:8 specifically identify the author of the Book of Revelation as the apostle John. John the apostle died on the island of Patmos, as he was kept a It enabled them to maintain a Christian profession while countenancing and even engaging in immoral heathen revels" (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, 1975, p. 71). There is no historical evidence that he travelled to Ephesus where he took care of Virgin Mary or that he lived there until the end of his life. 8 Is the Book of Revelation written by John? An imperial road passed through it from Rome to the east, so it became known as "the gateway to the East.". American King James Version). It was there that Paul had warned the "elders of the church" (Acts 20:17 Acts 20:17And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.American King James Version): "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. John, the Lords most beloved disciple, leaned on Jesus chest at the Last Supper. Is the Book of Revelation written by John? St. John the Apostle, on Patmos, writing the book of Revelation, detail of a 14th-century painting; in the Stdelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt, Germany. And Jesus. John the Baptist did not write any books that we know of -and he had his own disciples. The Evangelist Mark tells us that John and Peter prepared the Last Supper before the Saviors capture. Lastly, Christ warns them not to put their trust in their physical wealth but in Him, who can develop the true gold that comes from overcoming trials and building righteous spiritual character. 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. Instead, He advised them to use His true spiritual eye salve so they can clearly see and repent of their compromising attitudes. 2 Did the Apostle John write revelations? John the Baptist is a completely different person. The book comprises two main parts, the first of which (chapters 23) contains moral admonitions (but no visions or symbolism) in individual letters addressed to the seven Christian churches of Asia Minor. The Acts of the Apostles shows the disciple and Apostle John with Peter both in the healing and in the imprisonment of the two in the dungeon, which speaks of Johns role in the early Christian community in Jerusalem. 27Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! He was visiting the surrounding area, setting up bishops. At John's advanced age it would have been a harrowing ordeal. If "Scholarly research" is equivalent to the emporer's new clothes, then any old blog can certainly trump it. 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. Some historians trace it to the collapse of the Babylonian Empire, when some Chaldean priests established their religious center in Pergamos. He also wrote three other Sovereign Epistles, addressed to the whole of Christendom, which is also included in the canon of the New Testament. "From all over the world," adds William Barclay, "people flocked to Pergamos for relief of their sicknesses. Irenaeus makes the claim that John wrote the Gospel and his letters at Ephesus and the Revelation when he was on Patmos. This provides the reader, for the first time, with the experience of observing how a Biblical book was written, and does this from an intimate perspective, as though they were looking over John's shoulders as he crafted it. (Matthew 16:28) It's not definitive but is definitely intriguing to wonder if John is still with us, living privately somewhere. Thank you. In Ephesus was much evil to avoid within and without the congregation. 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. Before the Saviour called him to discipleship and made him a fisher of men, John the Theologian was a fisher of the sea. John was the Lords most beloved disciple. Patmos. Incredibly, several centuries later the same sequence of events occurred when a Greek general besieged the city. Internal Evidence #1: No warnings to flee the destruction of Jerusalem which was only 4-8 years away when John supposedly wrote the book before AD 70: 1. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days" (verse 10). [8] The book containing these descriptions was published in 1852 in Munich, Germany. Evangelist John was the youngest disciple of Christ. We know that Paul died and Peter died but we don't know that John died. A:Simply because the Book of Revelation was signed by a person called John, it was decided late in the second century that this must have been the apostle John. Changing water into wine at Cana in John 2:1-11 the first of the signs. Although Christ is clearly the central figure of Revelation, an understanding of the text presupposes familiarity with Old Testament language and concepts, especially those taken from the books of Daniel and Ezekiel. The tradition of John's exile was started by Augustine about 200 years after John lived. Throughout this series we have confirmed what Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 2 Timothy 3:16-17 [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: . It was decided that the emperor had him boiled in oil, but that this did not harm him, so he was exiled to Patmos. Christians are consequently exhorted to remain steadfast in their faith and to hold firmly to the hope that God will ultimately be victorious over his (and their) enemies. Bacon, Martin Hengel and Henry Barclay Swete, maintain that these references to Papias are credible. 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. [49] According to tradition, after the Assumption of Mary, John went to Ephesus. . Since Christians confessed they had only one Lord, Jesus Christ, they were mercilessly hounded. If you enjoyed our article, check out our Bible Trivia section for a Quiz about John the Apostle. So unless there is proof that he was forcibly restrained, it should be assumed that John of Patmos could leave the island whenever he chose, and return at any time he chose. "From Ephesus he was ordered to be sent to Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. It only takes a minute to sign up. Christ uses this lesson to drive home a powerful spiritual point to His Church: "Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you" (verse 3). One of Emmerich's accounts was a description of the house the Apostle John had built in Ephesus for Mary, the mother of Jesus, where she had lived to the end of her life. 3 Did John Write Revelation before the Gospel of John? 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. Many profound theological themes and images inspired the Churchs life. How can this new ban on drag possibly be considered constitutional? Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves" (verses 29-30). He exhorts them: "He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death" (verse 11). Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Knowing this, Christ gives the brethren the hope that if they persevere in the faith they will receive something that all the temple worship of Diana could never give themthe gift of eternal life. Jesus was taking on disciples at Bethabara and we suppose John was there looking for a teacher. Do not seek another woman. The Roman historian Tacitus (A.D. 56-120), in his book Annals, mentions the policy of banishing political prisoners to small islands (Sections 3:68; 4:30; 15:71). Irenaeus writes of "the church of Ephesus, founded by Paul, with John continuing with them until the times of Trajan." wall.org/~aron/blog/the-gospels-arent-anonymous, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerinthus#Works_attributed_to_Cerinthus, from your pastor, priest, or other trustworthy counselor, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup, Acceptable comments policy for Christianity Stack Exchange. First, there are no known bones or other relics of St. John. Only he remained by the cross of Christ when all the others had left Him. It Continue Reading 1 Lawrence C. Again, this prophecy had a literal fulfillment as well as serving as a description of a future time for the Church. The Book of Revelation by John the Apostle Introduction - Book of Revelation The Apostle John is the author of the Book of Revelation. What did Peter, James and John see on the Mount of Transfiguration? Hence part of the message of Revelation would apply to John's time, and part would be for future generations. It was proud that it had been declared a "free city," which meant its residents had the right to govern their own affairs. On the one hand, Johns Gospel is written in simple and fluent Greek, whereas the We do know that someone called John wrote the Book of Revelation because he actually signed the book. So, we are here because we want to offer all the answers to all of your questions about us. He did not know any books or was a sage man at the beginning, like the other Apostles, but was from a wealthy family. Mary's dwelling was on a hill to the left of the road from Jerusalem, some three and half hours from Ephesus. who said that he was writing from Patmos. John is regarded as the youngest of the apostles and the Gospels give us a clue of his young age when Jesus had him resting on his chest at the Last Supper. . Thus, pagan religion had its center in Pergamos. What is the point of Thrower's Bandolier? The city's famous library, with 200,000 parchment rolls, was rivaled only by the library in Alexandria, Egypt. If he did not conform he was out of a job . biblical literature: The Revelation to John, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Revelation-to-John, McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia - Book of Revelation, PBS Frontline - Understanding The Book of Revelation, Book of Revelation - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). 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. How can I check before my flight that the cloud separation requirements in VFR flight rules are met? Zebedees father was a fisherman with several employees, including his two sons, James and John. Alternate titles: Apocalypse of John, Book of Revelation. The Sardian brethren could readily identify with a warning to be watchful. 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. Why did Ukraine abstain from the UNHRC vote on China? The apostle John is best known and honored for his Gospel, one of the most beautiful biblical writings. The next city on the ancient postal circuit was Smyrna, about 40 miles north of Ephesus. . Salome was Mary's younger sister making John Mary's nephew and Jesus' cousin. Gal. One of the New Testament gospels now bears his name as author, although it was anonymous until later in the second century, in which case he not only preached the gospel but wrote an account of the mission of Jesus. With a UCG.org account you will be able to save items to read and study later! Another big clue that John did not have his own house, or wife, or kids, or estate is when he and James followed Jesus and asked him where he stayed. With three main roads crossing it, the city was one of the richest commercial centers in the world. Tradition reports many beautiful traits of the last years of his life: that he refused to remain under the same roof with Cerinthus (Irenaeus "Ad. If John wrote about Christ's coming as future from A.D. 90-100, it is said to combat preterists, then Christ did not come back in A.D. 70 (John's writing would be pointless). Was it customary in the Roman Empire for convicts to be exiled to an island? Whats the difference between John and John the Baptist? John was allegedly banished by the Roman authorities to the Greek island of Patmos, where, according to tradition, he wrote the Book of Revelation. Perhaps further to this issue, you could comment on the perspective on the matter taken here: @bruisedreed It wasn't until later in the second century that we have a positive assertion of John's authorship. cit., II, xxii, 5). Why do many companies reject expired SSL certificates as bugs in bug bounties? 1 Which John wrote the Book of Revelation? What was a Christian to do? Mr. Seiglie was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States when he was a child. The Apostle and Evangelist John were from Bethsaida Galilee. "The water either came from the nearby hot springs and was cooled to lukewarm or came from a cooler source and warmed up in the aqueduct on the way" (notes on Revelation 3, Zondervan software). John's traditional tomb is thought to be located at Seluk, a small town in the vicinity of Ephesus. After his return from exile, Clement the Alexandrian tells us that John continued his apostolic ministry. He serves as the pastor of the Garden Grove, CA UCG congregation and serves in the Spanish speaking areas of South America. This is two stages removed from the apostle John, first by the assumption of common authorship with the Gospel in spite of very different theology and style, second by the assumption that the apostle John wrote the fourth gospel. 22:10-11, John brings to a close his description of his interaction with the angel who helped convey this revelation from God. . The only eminently prophetic book of the New Testament, the Apocalypse, is traditionally also attributed to St John the Evangelist. He went to Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas, and in Pasadena, California, graduating with degrees in theology and Spanish. Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 275 339) reports the tradition that James the Just was the son of Josephs brother Clopas and therefore was of the brothers (which he interprets as cousin) of Jesus described in the New Testament. Archaeologists have found at Ephesus the ruins of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the temple of Diana, or Artemis, also mentioned in the Bible (Acts 19:27 Acts 19:27So 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.American King James Version). On the other hand the stories told in the apocryphal Acts of John, which appeared as early as the second century, are unhistorical invention. In fact, to this day, a community of disciples of John the Baptist still exists in the Middle East. The victory of God over Satan and his Antichrist (in this case, the perseverance of Christians in the face of Roman persecution) typifies similar victories over evil in ages still to come and Gods final victory at the end of time. Zebedees father was a fisherman with several employees, including his two sons, James and John. It appears that Revelation was written between A.D. 43-47. It is never explained how it was possible to exile John anywhere, if his enemies were unable to harm him. John the Apostle was never married. Sardis's inhabitants had forgotten their lesson, and their city fell again. [17] That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works. 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.