The Oxford Handbook of the Book of Revelation

Cover\nThe Oxford Handbook of The Book of Revelation\nCopyright\nContents\nPreface\nList of Contributors\nAbbreviations\nChapter 1: Introduction to Revelation’s Social Setting, Theological Perspective, and Literary Design\n	1. The Writer’s Identity and Social Setting\n		The Writer’s Social Setting and Time Frame\n	2. Social Patterns and the Readers of Revelation\n		Conflict with Those Outside the Community\n		Internal Disputes over Accommodation of Greco-Roman Religious Practices\n		Wealth and Complacency\n	3. Revelation’s Theological Perspectives and Imagery\n		God, the Lamb, the Witnesses, and New Jerusalem\n		Satan, the Beast, the False Prophet, and Babylon\n	4. The Literary Structure and Movement of Revelation\n		The First Three Cycles (Rev 1:9–11:18)\n		The Last Three Cycles (11:19–22:5)\n	5. Conclusion\n	Notes\nPart I: Literary Features of the book of Revelation\n	Chapter 2: The Genre of the Book of Revelation\n		Revelation as an Apocalypse\n		Revelation as a Letter\n		Revelation as a Prophecy\n		Conclusion\n		References\n	Chapter 3: Narrative Features of the Book of Revelation\n		Revelation’s Masterplot\n		Characters and Characterization\n		Architectural and Topographical Settings\n		Numerical Symbolism\n		Conclusion\n		Notes\n		References\n	Chapter 4: Imagery in the Book of Revelation\n		Different Types of Figurative Speech\n		From Word Pictures to a Symphony of Images\n		The Multifaceted Background of the Images\n		Function and Effect of the Imagery\n		Impacts on the History of Reception\n		Conclusion\n		References\n	Chapter 5: Rhetorical Features of the Book of Revelation\n		Introduction: Revelation as a “Rhetorical” Text\n		John’s Principal Rhetorical Goals\n		John’s Construction of Authority (Ethos)\n		John’s Appeals to the Emotions (Pathos)\n		Appeals to Rational Argument (Logos) in Revelation\n		Conclusion\n		Notes\n		References\n	Chapter 6: The Old Testament in the Book of Revelation\n		The Language of John’s Allusions\n		John’s Use of Particular Old Testament Books\n			Ezekiel\n			Ezekiel’s Throne Vision and Call Narrative\n			Lament over Tyre (Ezek 26–27)\n			Establishment of the New Jerusalem\n		Daniel\n			Isaiah\n		Selected Passages\n			The Inaugural Vision (Rev 1:12–16)\n			The Lion and the Lamb (Rev 5:5–6)\n			War in Heaven (Rev 12:7–12)\n		The Song of Moses and the Lamb (Rev 15:3–5)\n		Common Themes\n			Worship God Alone\n			New Exodus\n			God’s Abiding Presence\n		Conclusion\n		References\n	Chapter 7: Revelation’s Use of the Greek Language\n		Introduction\n			Revelation’s “Unique” Grammar\n			The Relationship of Revelation’s Greek to First-Century Culture\n		Revelation’s Grammatical Incongruities and Interpretation of Their Significance\n			Overview of Apparent Grammatical Incongruities\n			Theories about the Cultural Location of Revelation’s Greek\n		The Coherence of Revelation’s Greek\n			Developments in Method\n			From Grammatical Incongruities to Common Linguistic Forms\n		Revelation’s Language as Common First-Century Greek\n		References\n	Chapter 8: The Hymns in Revelation\n		Hymnic Genre\n		Connections with Hymnic Forms in Early Judaism/Christianity\n		Contents of Hymns\n		Functions of Hymns\n			Structural Value\n			Sovereignty of God\n			Vice-Regency of the Lamb\n			Anti-imperial Theology and Christology\n		Casting the Surrounding Visions into a Theological and/or Christological Context\n		Notes\n		References\n		Further Reading\nPart II: Social Setting\n	Chapter 9: Revelation and Roman Rule in First-Century Asia Minor\n		Approaches Focused on Emperors, Persecution, and Imperial Cult\n			Persecution\n			Imperial Cult\n		Broadening the Focus to More Complex Modes of Interaction: Cultural Accommodation and Socioeconomic Participation\n			Gender Presentations: Imitating Rome to Condemn Rome\n			Ecological Readings\n		References\n	Chapter 10: Relationships among Christ-Believers and Jewish Communities in First-Century Asia Minor\n		Introduction\n		Tensions and Conflicts between Jews and Christ-Believers in First-Century Asia Minor\n		Relationships among Jews and Christ-Believers in the Book of Revelation\n		Identity Formation in the Book of Revelation: Redefining the People of God\n		References\n	Chapter 11: Greco-Roman Religions and the Context of the Book of Revelation\n		Religio and the Ties That Bind\n		Cult, Commerce, and Culture in the Temple\n		Imperial Cult\n		Feasting, Fornicating, and Fighting\n		Conclusion\n		References\n	Chapter 12: John’s Apocalypse in Relation to Johannine, Pauline, and Other Forms of Christianity in Asia Minor\n		Christianity in Asia Minor\n		Revelation and the Seven Congregations\n			Differing Viewpoints within the Seven Congregations\n			The Nicolaitans\n		Pauline and Johannine Christianity\n			Pauline Churches in Asia Minor and Revelation\n			Johannine Christianity and Revelation\n			The Spectrum of Christian Readers Envisioned by Revelation\n		Acculturation, Assimilation, Accommodation\n			Disputed Questions\n			Whether It Was Acceptable to Eat Food Sacrificed to Idols\n			Attitudes toward Imperial Rule\n		Community Life\n			Material Possessions\n			Leadership and Authority\n		Conclusions\n		References\nPart III: Theologt and Ethics\n	Chapter 13: God in the Book of Revelation\n		I. Who Is God? The Variety of Perspectives\n		II. The Name of God: Tetragrammaton and Kyrios\n		III. Designations of God: He who is, the Creator, Iaō and AŌ, Father, and Pantokratōr\n		IV. God in the Narrative: The Enthroned One, Unique Against the Foreign Gods, Saving and Judging\n		V. Conclusions\n		Note\n		References\n	Chapter 14: Jesus in the Book of Revelation\n		Variety of Descriptors for Jesus\n		Anti-imperial Christology in Revelation\n		Jesus as Lamb (Arnion)\n		The Import of the Lamb’s Execution\n		Is the Characterization of Jesus as Lamb Ethical?\n		Conclusion\n		Notes\n		References\n	Chapter 15: The Spirit in the Book of Revelation\n		“The Seven Spirits” (of God)\n			The Seven Spirits as Angelic Beings\n			The Seven Spirits as the Singular Spirit of God\n		“I Was in the Spirit”\n			“In the Spirit” as a Literary/Structural Marker\n			“In the Spirit” and John’s Experience of the Spirit\n		“In the Spirit” and Writing in the Spirit: Literary Fiction or Expression of the Church’s Spiritual Experience\n		The Spirit of Prophecy\n			The “Spirit of Prophecy” and the Question of Genre\n			“The Witness of Jesus and the Spirit of Prophecy”\n			The “Spirit of Prophecy” and the Phenomenon of Prophecy in the Church\n			The “Spirit of Prophecy” and Pneumatic Witness\n			The “Spirit of Prophecy” and Pneumatic Discernment\n		The Spirit and Jesus\n		References\n	Chapter 16: Creation and New Creation in the Book of Revelation\n		New Creation in Jewish Context\n			Creation and New Creation in the Hebrew Bible\n			Creation and New Creation in Second Temple Apocalyptic Literature\n		Creation and New Creation in Rhetorical Context\n		Creation and New Creation in the Book of Revelation\n			The Language of Creation\n			Creation and New Creation in Chapters 1–20\n				Creation as a Testimony to the Glory of God\n				The Suffering of Creation\n				The Transference of Sovereignty over the Earth\n				Conclusion\n			New Creation in Chapters 21–22\n				The Initial Vision of the New Creation: Revelation 21:1–8\n				The New Jerusalem and the New Creation: Revelation 21:9–22:5\n		Conclusion\n		References\n	Chapter 17: Perspectives on Evil in the Book of Revelation\n		The War of Good versus Evil in Revelation\n		Evil and the Social Context of Revelation\n		Clarifying Evil in Revelation\n		Blurring Evil in Revelation\n		Defeating Evil in Revelation\n		Concluding Reflections\n		Note\n		References\n	Chapter 18: Violence in the Apocalypse of John\n		The Scope of Violence\n		The Kinds of Violence\n		The Subjects and Objects of Violence\n		The Ethics of Violence\n			Coercion\n			Immoral Actions\n			Sadism\n			Procrastination\n		The Explanations of Violence\n			Real Violence\n			Metaphoric Violence\n		References\n	Chapter 19: The City-Women Babylon and New Jerusalem in Revelation\n		Reading Revelation’s City-Women with Scholars\n		The Ancient Personification of Cities and Nations as Women\n		The City-Women of Revelation\n		Babylon, the Great Whore and City\n		New Jerusalem, the Wife and Bride\n		Notes\n		References\n	Chapter 20: The People of God in the Book of Revelation\n		Audiences\n		Assemblies\n		Slaves of God\n		Saints\n		Those Clothed in White\n		Witnesses\n		Conclusions\n		Notes\n		References\nPart IV: History of Reception and Influence\n	Chapter 21: The Greek Text of Revelation\n		The Extant Manuscript Tradition\n		Mapping the Textual Tradition\n			The Textus Receptus: A Late Text of Revelation\n			Karl Lachmann: A New Foundation for the Text of Revelation—Codex Alexandrinus\n			Constantin von Tischendorf: The Recovery of Key Manuscripts for the Text of Revelation\n			Westcott and Hort: The Original Text of Revelation\n			Bernhard Weiss: Mapping an Early and Late Textual Tradition for Revelation\n			Wilhelm Bousset: The Reconstruction of the Andreas Textual Tradition of Revelation\n			Hermann von Soden: A Theory of Three Recensions for the Text of Revelation\n			Herman C. Hoskier: Comprehensive Collations, a Polyglot Theory, and New Textual Groupings for Revelation\n			Josef Schmid: The Four Major Text Forms of Revelation\n		Twenty-First Century Developments\n			Text und Textwert: A Re-examination of the Textual Tradition of Revelation\n			TuT and Schmid’s Studien: A Comparison of Apples and Oranges?\n		Conclusions\n		References\n		Further Reading\n	Chapter 22: Revelation and the New Testament Canon\n		Revelation’s Way into the Canon\n		Different Paradigms of Understanding and Revelation’s Role within the Canon\n		Revelation’s Continuing Significance within the Canon\n		References\n	Chapter 23: Reception History and the Interpretation of Revelation\n		Introduction\n		What Is Reception History?\n		Scope, Purpose, and Method\n		Describing the Big Picture\n		Textual Criticism and Materiality as Reception History\n		Revelation’s Visual Reception\n		Usefulness and Future Prospects\n		References\n	Chapter 24: The Interpretation of the Book of Revelation in Early Christianity\n		Revelation in the West before Tyconius\n			Justin\n			Irenaeus\n			Hippolytus\n			Tertullian\n			Victorinus\n		Revelation in the East\n			Clement of Alexandria\n			Origen\n			Dionysius\n		Tyconius\n		Concluding Remarks\n		Note\n		References\n		Further Reading\n	Chapter 25: The Interpretation of John’s Apocalypse in the Medieval Period\n		The Foundations: The First Latin Commentaries on the Apocalypse and Their Reception\n		Revelation in the Early Middle Ages: Commentaries from the Edges to the Center of Latin Christianity\n		Ancient Tradition, New Methods: From the End of the Tyconian Tradition to the Glossa ordinaria\n		The “Historical Turn” of the Twelfth Century and the So-Called German Symbolism\n		Joachim of Fiore: The Abbot Who Saw Tomorrow\n		The Explosion of Apocalyptic Thought and Commentaries on Revelation in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries\n		References\n	Chapter 26: The Book of Revelation in Music and Liturgy\n		The Book of Revelation and Its Soundscape\n		Liturgy\n		The Lamb of God\n		Hymnic Influences\n		Oratorios\n		Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du Temps\n		Implications\n		Notes\n	Chapter 27: Forms of Futuristic Interpretation of Revelation in the Modern Period\n		Introduction: Revelation and the Shaping of the Modern World\n		Revelation: A Bittersweet Commentary on the Future\n		Hermeneutical Horizons of Futuristic Interpretation\n		Premillennial Dispensationalism: Darby, Scofield, and Rapture Fiction\n		Futuristic Interpretations and Current Geopolitics: Revelation and Israel\n		Conclusion: The Future of Futurism\n		Notes\n		References\nPart V: Currents in Interpretation\n	Chapter 28: Feminist Interpretation of Revelation\n		Major Passages and Interpretive Issues\n		A Central Question: Can Revelation Be Liberating for Women Readers?\n		Rhetorical Function of Images in Ancient versus Modern Contexts\n		Reimagining the Categories\n			Multiple Meanings\n			Destabilizing Gender\n		Conclusion\n		References\n	Chapter 29: Interpreting Revelation through African American Cultural Studies\n		Revelation in Congregational Life\n		The Influence of Black Liberation Theology\n			The Apocalypse and Civil Disobedience\n			Revelation as Subversive Literature\n			Revelation as Resistance Literature\n		The Impact of Womanist Perspectives\n			Revelation as Protest Literature\n			Postcolonial Hermeneutics and Womanist Critique\n			Postcolonial Theory and “Scripturalizing” Revelation\n			Responses to Oppression in Revelation and African American Experience\n		Conclusion\n		References\n	Chapter 30: Post-Colonial Interpretation of the Book of Revelation\n		The Book of Revelation and Colonialism\n		Revelation’s Colonial Entanglements\n		Catachresis, Mimicry, and Hybridity\n		Notes\n		References\nIndex