(1) The early Church Fathers,
(2) The condition of the church,
(3) Emporer worship,
(4) Citations and allusions to the New Testament.
Early Church Fathers
The early church fathers provide some important information. Irenæus is the most important in considering the date of Revelation; he was a disciple of Polycarp, who in turn was a disciple of John the Apostle. Irenæus' statements via Eusebius points to John’s exile to Patmos, the time John saw the Apocalypse, to be during the reign of Domitian (81 – 96 AD).
2. Irenæus, in the fifth book of his work Against Heresies, where he discusses the number of the name of Antichrist which is given in the so-called Apocalypse of John, speaks as follows concerning him:
3. “If it were necessary for his name to be proclaimed openly at the present time, it would have been declared by him who saw the revelation. For it was seen not long ago, but almost in our own generation, at the end of the reign of Domitian.” (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 3.18.2-3, also statement 3 is found exactly the same in 5.8.6).
Beale writes the following:
A few commentators have suggested that "it was seen" should be translated "he [John] was seen." so that the phrase does not mean that the Apocalypse was written during Domitian's time but only that John was seen during Domitian's time. But "the Apocalypse" is the closest antecedent, and the Latin translation of Irenæus supports this understanding of the clause. The majority of the patristic writers and subsequent commentators up to the present understand Irenaeus's words as referring to the time when the Apocalypse"was seen."2
It should also be noted that Irenæus does not identify Nero as the "beast" (666) -- or even entertain the possibility. He rejects that any Roman emperor was the beast. This is remarkable because Nero was well known as a persecuting tyrant, even during the time of Irenæus.
R.C. Sproul, in his book, The Last Days According to Jesus, page 144, cites Gentry about an incident in John’s life when he had to chase a young apostate who had previously been under his care. This happened after John returned from exile to Patmos. Sproul, Gentry, and others say such a rigorous adventure would be highly unlikely for John to do in his nineties.
We’ll look at the account from the Christian Classics Etherial Library, Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History (3.18.1-18).
1. At that time the apostle and evangelist John, the one whom Jesus loved, was still living in Asia, and governing the churches of that region, having returned after the death of Domitian from his exile on the island.
...
5. Clement likewise in his book entitled What Rich Man can be saved? indicates the time, and subjoins a narrative which is most attractive to those that enjoy hearing what is beautiful and profitable. Take and read the account which runs as follows:
6. “Listen to a tale, which is not a mere tale, but a narrative concerning John the apostle, which has been handed down and treasured up in memory. For when, after the tyrant’s death, he returned from the isle of Patmos to Ephesus, he went away upon their invitation to the neighboring territories of the Gentiles, to appoint bishops in some places, in other places to set in order whole churches, elsewhere to choose to the ministry some one of those that were pointed out by the Spirit.
7. When he had come to one of the cities not far away (the name of which is given by some), and had consoled the brethren in other matters, he finally turned to the bishop that had been appointed, and seeing a youth of powerful physique, of pleasing appearance, and of ardent temperament, he said, ‘This one I commit to thee in all earnestness in the presence of the Church and with Christ as witness.’ And when the bishop had accepted the charge and had promised all, he repeated the same injunction with an appeal to the same witnesses, and then departed for Ephesus.
... [the youth had fallen into a band of criminals, and was corrupted by them. He became their leader. John heard about this.]
14. But the Apostle rent his clothes, and beating his head with great lamentation, he said, ‘A fine guard I left for a brother’s soul! But let a horse be brought me, and let some one show me the way.’ He rode away from the church just as he was, and coming to the place, he was taken prisoner by the robbers’ outpost.
15. He, however, neither fled nor made entreaty, but cried out, ‘For this did I come; lead me to your captain.’
16. The latter, meanwhile, was waiting, armed as he was. But when he recognized John approaching, he turned in shame to flee.
17. But John, forgetting his age, pursued him with all his might, crying out, ‘Why, my son, dost thou flee from me, thine own father, unarmed, aged? Pity me, my son; fear not; thou hast still hope of life. I will give account to Christ for thee. If need be, I will willingly endure thy death as the Lord suffered death for us. For thee will I give up my life. Stand, believe; Christ hath sent me.’
18. And he, when he heard, first stopped and looked down; then he threw away his arms, and then trembled and wept bitterly. And when the old man approached, he embraced him, making confession with lamentations as he was able, baptizing himself a second time with tears, and concealing only his right hand.
The narration does not describe the how the chase went. The assumption is that John could not have done any kind of horse chase in his nineties. But Irenæus seems to pinpoint the time of the John’s vision to be during Domitian. Since Irenæus was a lot closer to the events, and got his information from people such as Polycarp, who was a disciple of John, our doubts about John’s ability to ride a horse at such an advanced age must be tempered with such an early tradition that puts Johns vision during the time of Domitian.
Emperor Worship
The book of Revelation indicates there was emporer worship. There were three emporers who insisted on worship during their lifetimes: Caligula (37-41 AD), Nero (54-68 AD), and Domitian (81-96 AD).
The Condition of the Churches
Dr. Daniel Doriani of Convenant Seminary notes:
"... the church has to be old enough or mature enough to have the problems that are described. The church at Ephesus, by the time Revelation is written, has stagnated and lost its first love. The church at Ephesus was planted by Paul and also visited by Peter, Apollos, Priscilla, and Aquila repeatedly in the 50s and 60s. It takes a little time, at least a few decades, to go from being the centerpiece of Christianity in the region of Asian Minor with all these apostolic visits to having the problem of coldness. You could also look at the church at Laodicea, which is chastised for pride over its riches. Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 60 or 61, and it would take some time to rebuild and achieve economic stability, let alone wealth."3
References to the New Testament
Dr. Dan Doriani tells us:
"most of the New Testament has to have been written by the time the book of Revelation is written, because Revelation is steeped in the New Testament. ... Revelation shows itself to be grounded throughout in the words of Christ, the words of the Apostle Paul, and the teaching of the apostolic body. Revelation draws on all of the Scriptures to see how this crisis in the life of the church, this time of challenge from Domitian, shall be met."4
Footnotes:
1 The New Testament Introduction (1970, InterVarsity Press) Donald Gutherie,p 934.
2 The Book of Revelation, a Commentary on the Greek Text (1999, Eerdmans), by G. K. Beale, pages 19, 20.
3 © Summer 2006, Daniel Doriani & Covenant Theological Seminary, http://www.covenantseminary.edu/worldwide/en/NT250/NT250_T_21.html
4 ibid.
1 comment:
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