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2008-02-09T01:40:00.000+01:00

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Konrad Huber, Einer gleich einem Menschensohn

2008-02-07T11:55:00.000+01:00

Huber, Konrad. Einer gleich einem Menschensohn: Die Christusvisionen in Offb 1,9-20 und Offb 14,14-20 und die Christologie der Johannesoffenbarung. Neutestamentliche Abhandlungen, N.S., 51. Münster: Aschendorff, 2007. viii + 361 pp.

Dr. Konrad Huber (b. 1965), extraordinary professor of NT, University of Innsbruck, argues that the explicit visions of Christ functions as a key and guidelines for the understanding of the intention and text pragmatics of the entire work (by the way, my own research confirms that, but my overall interpretation is different from that of Konrad Huber).

Accordingly, Huber analyses Rev 1:9-20 and 14:14-20, employing a broad range of methods. On the basis of this results, Huber examines the structural and thematic correspondences between these two texts and the other visions of Christ in Revelation 5 and Revelation 19 in order determine the specific contributions of the Son of Man-visions.

Huber concludes that the Christology of Revelation is a separate and not less important voice among the other NT Christological emphases. Huber's understanding of the purpose of this presentation of Jesus Christ is quite traditional: to encourage and urge the Christians to persevere steadily and without compromise in their faith in a situation of troubles and peril.

As I cannot link directly to the author's German abstract (Synopsis) on the publisher's website, I include it here for:

"Die Offenbarung des Johannes vermittelt ihre Botschaft hauptsächlich in Form von Bildern Metaphern und Symbolen und sie tut das vorwiegend im Rahmen von Visionsschilderungen. Die expliziten Christusvisionen erweisen sich dabei geradezu als Schlüssel- und Leitbilder für das Verständnis von Aussageintention und Textpragmatik des gesamten Werkes.

"Auf diesem Hintergrund unternimmt die vorliegende Arbeit zunächst eine eingehende Textanalyse jener beiden Christusvisionen in Offb 1,9-20 und Offb 14,14-20, in denen Christus in der Figur des Menschensohngleichen geschaut wird. Mit Hilfe eines möglichst breit angelegten methodischen Vorgehens wird das darin entworfene, in sich vielschichtige Christusbild in seinem literarischen und motiv- bzw. traditionsgeschichtlichen Umfeld erhellt und profiliert erarbeitet. Im Anschluss daran fragt die Arbeit nach den Bezugsmomenten zwischen den beiden Texten sowie nach ihren strukturellen Entsprechungen und thematisch-inhaltlichen Übereinstimmungen mit den übrigen beiden Christusvisionen in Offb 5 (Lamm) und Offb 19 (Reiter auf weißem Pferd). Die besondere Stellung und der je spezifische Beitrag dieser Christusbilder im Rahmen des christologischen Gesamtkonzepts der Johannesoffenbarung treten damit deutlich in den Blick. Zugleich zeigt sich darin erneut, dass dem Werk des Sehers Johannes eine durchaus eigenständige, keineswegs minder wichtige Stimme im Konzert der vielfältigen christologischen Ansätze innerhalb des Neuen Testaments zukommt.

"Funktion einer derart visionär vermittelten Präsentation Jesu Christi ist es, die Christen in ihrer konkreten, von Bedrängnissen und Gefährdungen gekennzeichneten Situation zu standhaftem, kompromisslosem Durchhalten im Glauben zu ermuntern und aufzufordern."

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Remarks on scholarly commentaries

2008-02-07T10:40:00.000+01:00

The commentaries included in the category Scholarly commentaries are either scholarly (i.e., written for scholars and serious students) or written by scholars and with a specific, valuable view on Revelation or one of the topics discussed on Revelation Resources.

Although it is hardly possible to rank commentaries objectively, I would suggest that some commentaries should be consulted more unhesitatingly than others. Comments are welcome!

Of the most recent commentaries I would mention:

David E. Aune, Revelation (3 volumes) (1997-1998)
Gregory K. Beale, The Book of Revelation (1999)
Robert H. Mounce, Revelation (1998)
Leonard L. Thompson, Revelation (1998)
Louis A. Brighton, Revelation (presentation forthcoming) (1999)

Two commentaries with a focus on the history of interpretation are recommended (in chronological order):

Weinrich, Revelation (2006)
Kovacs and Rowland, Revelation: The Apocalypse of Jesus Christ (2004)

I would also suggest the following commentaries (in chronological order):

Peder Madsen, Johannes' Aabenbaring
(1894-1896)
Henry Barclay Swete, The Apocalypse (1906)
Wilhelm, Bousset, Die Offenbarung Johannis (1906)
I. T. Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John (1919)
R. H. Charles, Revelation (1920)
Theodor Zahn, Die Offenbarung des Johannes (1924-1926)
Ernst Lohmeyer, Die Offenbarung des Johannes (1926)
William Hendriksen, More Than Conquerors (1940)
Holger Mosbech, Johannes' Aabenbaring (see also his history of interpretation) (1943; 1934)
G. B. Caird, The Revelation of St. John the Divine (1966; 1983)
Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7; Revelation 8-22 (1992; 1995)
Heinz Giesen, Die Offenbarung des Johannes (1997)
Grant R. Osborne, Revelation (2002)

Many - especially German - scholars were and are Lutherans. Some seem to be more distinctively Lutheran than others. I would mention the following:

R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. John's Revelation (1935; repr. 2001)
Eduard Lohse, Die Offenbarung des Johannes (1960; 8th ed. 1993)
Martin H. Franzmann, The Revelation to John (1968; 2nd. 1978; repr. 1986)
Siegbert W. Becker, Revelation: The Distant Triumph Song (1985)
Gerhard A. Krodel, Revelation (1989)
Louis A. Brighton, Revelation (1999)

Any comments?

George Eldon Ladd, A Commentary on the Revelation of John

2008-02-07T09:10:00.000+01:00

Ladd, George Eldon. A Commentary on the Revelation of John. 1972. Repr. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1995 or later. 308 pp.

The commentary
Ladd is a proponent of classic premillennialism rather than dispensationalism (see Clouse, Four Views). In his brief introduction (p. 7-17), Ladd asserts that the author was the apostle or a prophet well-known at that time, but unknown to us. He accepts the Domitianic dating and argues that "The prophecy of the Revelation goes far beyond any known historical situation in the first century" (p. 9).

Ladd states that "the correct method of interpreting the Revelation is a blending of the preterist and futurist methods. The beast is both Rome and the eschatological Antichrist — and, we might add, any demonic power which the church must face in her entire history" (p. 14).

The author
George Eldon Ladd (1911-1982) earned his Ph.D. in classics from Harvard under H. J. Cadbury (1949). He also studied in Heidelberg. Ladd was professor of NT exegesis and theology at Fuller Theological Seminary 1950-1980.

"From a survey taken in the 1980s, Ladd has been acknowledged as the most influential evangelical scholar in North America" (L. M. McDonald in: McKim, Historical Handbook of Major Biblical Interpreters. 1988, p. 589). He wrote seven books and thirty-one articles on eschatology (McKim, p. 590f). He emphasised the presentness of the kingdom of God and argued that "the church is the true Israel made up of Jews and Gentiles alike and that the new covenant for the church is the same for the Jews and the Gentiles" (p. 591).

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Beckwith, Apocalypse

2008-02-07T01:25:00.000+01:00

Beckwith, I. T.: The Apocalypse of John. Studies in Introduction with a Critical and Exegetical Commentary. The Macmillan Company: New York 1919. Reprint. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock publishers, 2001. xv + 794 pp.

Also reprinted 1992 and by Baker Book House in 1967.

This commentary with more than 800 pages is divided in two parts: the introduction and the commentary. It is well argued on both linguistic, historical and theological issues and is - in my view - one of the more valuable English commentaries.

Isbon T. (Thaddeus) Beckwith (1843-1936), Ph.D. and D.D., was professor of Greek language and literature at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut (see a photo).

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Eduard Lohse, Die Offenbarung des Johannes

2008-02-06T16:25:00.000+01:00

Lohse, Eduard. Die Offenbarung des Johannes: Übersetzt und erklärt. 8nd ed. Das Neue Testament Deutsch, 11. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1993. 126 pp.

The author is a renowned scholar, pastor and bishop. Eduard Lohse was professor of NT in Kiel (1956-1964) and Göttingen (1964-1971). From 1971 until his retirement in 1988 Lohse was bishop in Evangelisch-Lutherischen Landeskirche Hannovers.

This commentary is the fifteenth edition of the NTD-volume on Revelation (the very first edition was written by Johannes Behm). It is the 8th edition that Eduard Lohse has seen to the press, the first being published in 1960. The publisher have printed 74,000 copies of the NTD-volumes on Revelation. At least one half of this number probably pertains to Lohse's commentary. Due to this number, the modest size and the high readability level of this commentary, and, naturally, his general influence as professor and Lutheran bishop, Lohse must be considered as one of the very influential German commentators.

In his introduction (pp. 1-11), Lohse outlines Jewish apocalyptic, Revelation as as a Christian apocalypse, the problem of authorship (the author is a prophet) and dating (Domitianic). Lohse argues that one must combine a contemporary-historical, an eschatological, and a traditio-historical approach (see, e.g., the excursus on the birth of the child, pp. 72f). A one page very densely written bibliography concludes the introduction.

The back matters include an Index of Names and Subjects (pp. 123-126), a Table of Contents and a list of thematic excursuses (p. 127).

One of the problems that the seven messages address is Gnosis. Repentance and deeds are necessary, which, Lohse asserts, reveals the difference between Paul and John (p. 36f; cf. also p. 117). The coming parousia which is near necessitates the call for watchfulness and perseverance (pp. 36f).

Noteworthy is also Lohse's cautious discussion of the number of the beast (pp. 82f). Lohse argues that the millennium is intelligible only in the light of its Jewish background, but he also endorses the Lutheran Confessions that warn Christians not to make use of the "speculations" of Revelation 20. These "speculations" cannot be doctrinally binding, Lohse states (p. 107).

In his summary of the message of Revelation, Lohse follows Luther's critique as well as his suggestions as to how one can usefully read Revelation as a Christian. A scholarly approach is useful. He summarises the doctrine, emphasising that the church is living under the cross, which means that we need both consolation and warning (pp. 117-122).

One disadvantage is difficult to fail to see: The layout, especially the size of the font used, is not very reader-friendly in my opinion (cf. also here). It is too dense, in my view.

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Swete, Apocalypse

2008-02-06T09:50:00.000+01:00

Swete, Henry Barclay: The Apocalypse of St. John. London: Macmillan, 1906. Reprint. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock publishers, 1999.

The second edition was published in 1907 or perhaps already in 1906. The third was published in 1908 and reprinted several times at least until 1917. The commentary was also reprinted by Eerdmans in Grand Rapids, 1954, and by Kregel in Grand Rapids in 1977 and 1978 under the title Commentary on Revelation.

This is one of the major commentaries ever written - and a good one that should be regularly consulted despite its age.

The commentary
The commentary proper, which comprises more than 300 pages, consists of the text, text-critical notes and "notes" to the text.

The introductory chapters - about 200 pages - deals with:

Prophecy in the Apostolic Church
Apocalypses, Jewish and Christian
Contents and plan of the Apocalypse of John
Unity of the Apocalypse
Destination
Christianity in the Province of Asia
Antichrist in the Province of Asia
Purpose of the Apocalypse
Date
Circulation and reception
Vocabulary, Grammar, and Style
Symbolism
Use of the Old Testament and other literature (parallels are listed)
Doctrine
Authorship
Text
Commentaries
History and methods of Interpretation

The back matters include an Index of Greek words used in the Apocalypse and an Index to the introduction and notes. Illustrations include Coins of the Apocalyptic cities.

The list of commentaries includes the important commentaries from the entire history of interpretation (pp. cxcii-ccii).

In his summary of the doctrine of Revelation, Swete discusses monotheism, Christology, pneumatology, ecclesiology, soteriology - apparently, Swete finds a synergistic notion of salvation, repentance and faith (p. clxiii-clxiv) - angelology, and eschatology "in the widest sense." The purpose of Revelation is "to inspire Christian hope. But incidentally, it instructs, and the teaching, so far as it goes, is fresh, strenuous, and suggestive" (p. clxviii).

Swete was inclined to the traditional view that the author was the apostle, but desired "to keep an open mind upon the question" (p. clxxxi).

As to his own approach, Swete states that he is convinced that John was "what he claimed to be, an inspired prophet" (p. ccxii). Due to the special character of Revelation, one must compare Revelation to the apocalyptic portions of the OT, especially to Daniel, and to the non-canonical Jewish apocalypses (p. ccxiii). Revelation is not "directly prophetical," but one must recognise that "[a]nother important landmark for the guidance of the interpreter is to be found in the purpose of the book and the historical surroundings of its origin" (ibid.). "The prophecy arose out of local and contemporary circumstances; it is, in the first instance at least, the answer of the Spirit to the fears and perils of the Asian Christians toward the end of the first century" (p. ccxiv). Accordingly, Swete explicitly rejects the world- and church-historical approach (ibid.). An interpretation based on these principles "will have points of contact with each of the chief systems of Apocalyptic exegesis" (p. ccxiv).

Swete concludes his introduction with a word of caution: "No attempt to solve the problems of this most enigmatic of canonical books can be more than provisional ..." (p. ccxv).

Swete's purpose was "simply to contribute whatever a personal study, conducted in the light shed upon the Apocalypse by many explorers, may be able to offer towards a true appreciation of this great Christian prophecy" (p. xxcv).

The author
Henry Barclay Swete (1835-1917), was educated in London and at Cambridge. He succeeded Brooke Foss Westcott as Regius Professor at Cambridge where he served 1890-1915. Swete was an Anglican clergyman and a textual critic, famous for his The Old Testament in Greek.

See much more at The Life and Works of Henry Barclay Swete (1835-1917) website, which include on-line editions of biographies as well as bibliographies and many on-line texts.

The Apocalypse of St. John is also available electronically as part of Classic Commentaries on the Greek New Testament and as a separate volume.

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Ernst Lohmeyer, Die Offenbarung des Johannes

2008-02-05T20:15:00.000+01:00

Lohmeyer, Ernst. Die Offenbarung des Johannes. Handbuch Zum Neuen Testament, 16. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1926. 203 pp. –: 2nd. expanded ed. 1953, 208 pp. Reprinted 1970.

About the book
In his commentary, Ernst Lohmeyer (1890-1946), the successor of Bultmann, interprets Revelation as a thoroughly eschatological book.

Apart from the commentary proper, Lohmeyer provides some concluding summaries (pp. 181-203 in the 1st ed.). In part 1, Lohmeyer describes (his understanding of) the form or structure of Revelation. Part 2 deals with the content. In part 3, Lohmeyer takes a look at the sources or the traditions employed, while part 4 is devoted to the language of Revelation. Part 5 discusses the character of the seer and his work. The last part discusses the relations between Revelation and the Gospel of John. Rare quotations from ancient literature are included in an appendix (pp. 200-203). A list of excursuses concludes the book (p. 203).

Lohmeyer's commentary is almost unparallelled in that he repeatedly emphasises the present or rather timeless character of the content of the visions. For example, Lohmeyer rejects that Babylon is Rome (p. 189). Although he does refer to the coming of Christ as a future event, his manifestation will not reveal anything new at all, it will not add anything to his dignity and nature. Nor will Christ's coming give anything to the individual that he has not already experienced through faith; it can only reveal to the world what is already present and determined in the faith (see p. 186).

Lohmeyer's view challenges not only a contemporary-historical interpretation, but also a futuristic approach that sees no or almost no present relevance of what Christ did and is. Lohmeyer's career and death is also an interesting story in itself.

About Lohmeyer
As rector of the University of Breslau (now Wroclaw, Poland), Lohmeyer, who was a principled man and an original scholar, stood up for his Jewish colleagues in the nineteen thirties. As a result, the Nazi regime banished him to Greifswald. Having just been elected rector for the university, he was unjustly killed in 1946 and first rehabilitated by the Russian government in 1996 (see a German summary here and a longer English article here).

See also Köhn, Andreas. Der Neutestamentler Ernst Lohmeyer: Studien zu Biographie und Theologie. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament, 180. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2004 (xvi + 366 pp.).

Wilhelm Hadorn, Die Offenbarung des Johannes

2008-02-05T12:19:00.000+01:00

Hadorn, Wilhelm. Die Offenbarung des Johannes. Theologischer Handkommentar Zum Neuen Testament, 18. Leipzig: A. Deichertsche Verlagsbuchhandlung; Werner Scholl, 1928. 243 pp. Bibliography pp. 22-23.

Wilhelm Hadorn (1869-1929), Privatdozent in 1900 and later a professor of NT (1912; 1922) and Swiss Church history (1925), wrote a 40 page essay on the millennium in 1915 and the commentary on Revelation the year before he died. Earlier he had published a small volume on Revelation (Die letzten Buch der Bibel. 1918; 2n ed. 1919) as well as a monograph on eschatology (Zukunft und Hoffnung. 1914).

This volume seems to be a quite influential premillennial commentary. E.g., professor Moe followed Hadorn's structural analysis in his commentary. The Swedish commentator, Åke V. Ström, followed Hadorn quite closely.

Danish writings on Revelation

2008-02-04T23:20:00.000+01:00

Here is an overview of the Danish writings on Revelation; I have described most of them in separate entries.

Nineteenth century
Professor Peder Madsen (d. 1911) who studied with, among others, professor Hofmann, in Erlangen, was professor of systematic theology, but he also lectured extensively in New Testament. In 1885-1887 (2nd ed. 1894-1896), he wrote an almost 750 page Revelation commentary, including a lengthy history of interpretation and research.

The Grundtvigian theologian and pastor Otto Møller published a 348 page church-historical commentary on Revelation in 1889.

A 160 page critical commentary was published by A. C. Larsen in 1899.

A very small, premillennial commentary by Adam Bülow, a pastor associated with the Inner Mission, was published posthumously in 1906, but very likely written in the nineteenth century.

The first half of the twentieth century
Just after the First World War, another small commentary, by Johannes Loft, was published in Copenhagen (Synerne fra Patmos [The Patmos Visions], 1919), but the lectures were delivered during the early years of the war. This was also the case with another book that consists of six talks on the main visions of Revelation (Hovedsynerne i Johannes' Aabenbaring. 1919). The author was a (Grundtvigian) rural dean and a doctor of theology, his speciality being exegesis: Anders Andersen (1846-1919 [?]). Erik Thaning, an author, also published a popular reading of Revelation, Rytteren paa den hvide Hest [The Rider on the White Horse] which he originally delivered in Messiaskirken in Copenhagen in the early 1919. Thaning mostly follows the commentary by Peder Madsen.

Also during the war, in 1917, another author associated with the Inner Mission, L. Bostrup, issued a small commentary (Johannes's Aabenbaring) that argued that the narrative of Revelation is historically progressive and that the current time was described in Revelation 8-9. Bostrup suggested that the millennium was obscure and future, but its actual length symbolic (cf. 2 Pet 3,8). Bostrup refers to the signs of the recent times (p. 3), i.e. the war.

In another minor commentary, Johannes' Aabenbaring from 1918, pastor Peter Ivertsen of the Danish folk church, interpreted Revelation church-historically. He rejects that Revelation is chronologically progressive (p. 9f) and prefers the recapitulationist view (p. 10).

In 1934, the Danish Bible Society of Copenhagen published a small commentary by Harald Wellejus (Johannes’s Åbenbaring). Wellejus preferred the eschatological approach (p. 13f).

Professor Holger Mosbech (d. 1953), who studied with professor Bousset in Tübingen, wrote three volumes on Revelation. Like Peder Madsen, he wrote about the history of interpretation and research (1934), undoubtedly as a preparation for the commentary proper (1943). A linguistic commentary completed his "trilogy" (1944).

During the Second World War, professor Frederik Torm published a popular commentary that was, in part, based on his academic own lectures on Revelation. Pastor Aage Krohn based his commentary, The Fifth Gospel, on others' research, but was much more direct in his application of the message of Revelation to his own time and church. Bishop Carl Skovgaard-Petersen of Copenhagen also published a popular commentary in 1942.

The second half of the twentieth century
Popular, minor commentaries were published by pastor Christian Bartholdy, the chairman of the Danish Inner Mission (1955), and by pastor Flemming Frøkjær-Jensen, a long-time board member of the Inner Mission (1993). Both commentaries were part of a series published by the Inner Mission.

Harald Rich (d. 1983), the founder of the present Danish Pentecostal Bible College, published a small dispensational commentary in 1978.

An entry level commentary by the former pastor Andreas Davidsen was published in 1988.

Although other Danish theologians have also made contributions to the study of Revelation, lecturer Geert Hallbäck (b. 1948), University of Copenhagen, is the one that must be mentioned. Hallbäck has published several articles on Revelation and "apocalyptic" since 1984 (e.g., this one and the dictionary entry on Revelation, "Johannes' Åbenbaring," in the 1998-edition of Gads Bibel Leksikon [vol. 1, pp. 384-385]), but as yet no major work or commentary.

Professor ("docent," i.e. Reader) Anna Marie Aagaard (b. 1935) is a systematic theologian. Unlike Peder Madsen she did not lecture in New Testament. She has published several articles on eschatology and apocalyptic theology. Aagaard's commentary from 1999 has a liberation-theological emphasis.

The late professor Ebbe Thestrup Pedersen's commentary was published posthumously. One gets the impression that it was written perhaps even decades ago. It is, however, a decent introduction for lay people and, e.g., students of education.

The twenty-first century
Dr.theol. Georg S. Adamsen (b. 1963) seems to be the first Danish exegete who wrote a doctoral thesis on Revelation. His thesis (in English) provides the first full-scale analysis of the parousia motif in the Book of Revelation as a whole. His 300 page commentary in the series Credo Kommentaren is forthcoming.

In 1998 Adamsen wrote an essay in which he argues that the millennium is future, but truly a-millennial, i.e. atemporal. He contributed a new 12 page article on Revelation to Lohses Store Bibelleksikon, a Danish translation and revision of The New Bible Dictionary, 3rd ed.

See here for a comprehensive list of Adamsen's Danish and English writings.

Inspired by Frøkjær-Jensen, another author, Gunni Bjørsted, pastor in Det danske Missionsforbund, adapted a primarily symbolic approach to Revelation. Bjørsted's volume is not a traditional commentary, but verbal "images and messages from the Book of Revelation." More on this volume later.

Johannes Loft, Synerne fra Patmos

2008-02-04T23:15:00.000+01:00

Loft, Johannes. Synerne fra Patmos: En gennemgang af Johannes Aabenbaring. Aarhus: De Unges Forlag, 1919. 112 pp.

Immediately after the war, Johannes Loft, theologian, translator, author and lecturer (at a teacher-training college?) published The Patmos Visions (Synerne fra Patmos) at the publishing company of the Danish YMCA and YWCA (1919). The commentary is brief, but communicates contemporary scholarship. Loft emphasises that Revelation proclaims Christ's coming, not in grace, but for judgment (pp. 9f). He rejects the church-historical approach. He prefers to interpret chs. 6-19 symbolically about "principles and forces," while chs. 20-22 depicts the Second Advent of Christ.

Loft exercises restraint throughout the commentary, not least in his interpretation of Rev 20:1-10: "here it is God and the Devil that meet in the last conflict. It must be enough for us to know that the conflict ends in the judgement and eternal punishment of the Devil" (p. 106). Unlike those of Revelation 11-18, the principles of the millennium are unknown to us (ibid.).

Loft gives a series of short retrospects, dealing with geography, people, the dead, nature, and demonic forces (pp. 89-96).

Loft's commentary is not interesting for the history of interpretation, but if Loft was a lecturer at a teacher-training college, then it may perhaps inform us as to what the future teachers of his time had learned.

Olaf Moe, Bibelens siste bok

2008-02-02T22:15:00.000+01:00

Moe, Olaf. Bibelens siste bok: En utlegning av Johannes’ åpenbaring [The Last Book of the Bible: An Interpretation of the Revelation of John]. Oslo: Forlaget Land og kirke, 1960. 276 pp.

—: Johannes Uppenbarelse: Bibelns sista bok. Translated by Frithiof Dahlby. Stockholm: Diakonistyrelsens bokförlag, 1963 (reprinted by Verbum, 1968 & 1978). The Swedish translation is available as an audio book.

Olaf Moe (1876-1963) was a reader/associate professor at the University of Oslo (1906-1916) and from 1916 professor of NT at what is now The Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology in Oslo (Det teologiske Menighetsfakultetet). Some of Moe's theological views were discussed when he was appointed as professor (see here).

Professor Moe was a specialist on Paul, but he also wrote extensively on the Johannine writings. In 1937, professor Moe published a 630 page commentary on the Gospel of John. His commentary on Revelation - the last but one of the many he wrote - was published in 1960, while his 115 page exposition of the Johannine letters was published in 1961. He lectured until the year after, although 86 years old.

According to Moe, his commentary was the first since J. H. H. Brochmann's 85 page commentary from 1917. Frederik Torm's popular commentary from 1941, however, was translated into Norwegian and published in 1942. One must also bear in mind that Norwegian theologians and pastors were able to read Danish and Swedish as well as German and probably English.

Professor Moe's introduction discusses Revelation and prophecy/apocalyptic (pp. 9-23), interpretive principles (pp. 24-33) and the structure of Revelation (pp. 34-40). He also describes briefly the history of interpretation and various interpretive approaches (pp. 41-59). Questions about authorship (pp. 51-59), the recipients and the dating are considered as well (pp. 60-64). The last introductory chapter outlines the form and the content of Revelation (pp. 65-70).

Apart from the commentary proper, Moe gives a short retrospect of the book (pp. 273-275) and a list of commentaries (p. 276). He often refers to Peder Madsen and Holger Mosbech.

Although John's use of the Old Testament is now a research field of its own, this area was not neglected earlier. Moe focuses very much on it throughout the commentary, and he spent some pages on the use of Daniel in the introduction (pp. 14-18). He also discusses the relations between Revelation and "the New Testament prophecy" (pp. 18-23).

Moe discusses how to understand the visions. He concludes that it is often a matter of opinion whether one should interpret Revelation "symbolically" or "realistically" (p. 26). As regards Israel, Moe is more favourable towards a "realistic" interpretation than was usually the case, especially among Lutheran interpreters (cf. pp. 28-31).

Although Moe is very cautious, he does prefer the premillennial position (pp. 30f; pp. 252f). Accordingly, he also rejects the recapitulationist theory and argues for the progressive or chronological point of view (p. 38-40). Moe prefers the eschatological approach, but emphasises that Revelation has a message for the interval between John's time and the end time (pp. 48f). Thus he also interprets the references to Christ's comings in Revelation 2-3 as "temporary" (ad loc.).

Moe argues that the author is the apostle John (p. 59), and he dates Revelation to the nineties (p. 64). As to the structure, Moe follows the proposal of Hadorn (p. 66).

Keith A. Mathison (ed.), When Shall These Things Be?

2008-02-02T14:40:00.000+01:00

Mathison, Keith A., ed. When Shall These Things Be? A Reformed Response to Hyper-Preterism. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P & R Publishing, 2004. xxii + 376 pp.

This volume critiques "hyper-preterism," the view that all prophecy in Scripture has already been fulfilled.

For more on this volume, visit Riddleblog's "Eschatology Q & A -- Are There Any Exegetical Resources Refuting Hyper-Preterism?"

Table of Contents

The historical problem with hyper-preterism, by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr. (pp. 1-62)
Eschatology in the wake of Jerusalem's fall, by Charles E. Hill (pp. 63-120)
Hyper-preterism and unfolding Biblical eschatology, by Richard L. Pratt, Jr. (pp. 121-154)
The eschatological time texts of the New Testament, by Keith A. Mathison (pp. 155-214)
Hyper-preterism and revelation, by Simon J. Kistemaker (pp. 215-254)
Sola scriptura, creeds, and ecclesiastical authority, by Douglas Wilson (pp. 255-286)
Hyper-preterism on the resurrection of the body, by Robert B. Strimple (pp. 287-352)
Editor's conclusion (pp. 353-354)
Contributors (pp. 355-358)
Index of Scripture and Ancient Texts (pp. 359-370)
Index of Subjects and Names (pp. 371-376)

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Remarks on writings in the Scandinavian languages

2008-02-02T10:05:00.000+01:00

This topic includes references to on-line material or written contributions in the Scandinavian languages (Danish, Norwegian and Swedish) that are either scholarly of nature or written by scholars.

Full-scale exegetical commentaries
Major scholarly commentaries are few: Peder Madsen, Johannes' Aabenbaring and Holger Mosbech, Johannes' Aabenbaring with the two accompanying volumes: Mosbech, Fortolkningen (history of interpretation) and Mosbech, Sproglig Fortolkning (a linguistic commentary).

Other commentaries etc.
In Danish
Danish commentaries written by scholars include (apart from Madsen and Mosbech mentioned above): Torm, Johannes' Åbenbaring, Anna Marie Aagaard's Danish commentary on Revelation and Thestrup Pedersen, Johannes' Åbenbaring.

See also Adamsen, Parousia and Paraenesis.

See my separate entry with an overview of a number of Danish writings on Revelation.

In Norwegian
Torm's commentary from 1941 was mentioned above. Important is professor Olaf Moe's commentary from 1960 and Martin Synnes's commentary on Revelation 2-3. Martin Synnes has also published two articles on the millennium (see Synnes, Tusenårsrike). Moe and Synnes were professors at the present Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology.

In his thesis, Christ the Conqueror: Ideas of Conflict and Victory in the New Testament (London: SPCK, 1954), Professor of NT Ragnar Leivestad (1916-2002), University of Oslo, included a detailed discussion of Revelation.

Although written in English, one should notice the doctoral dissertation on Gog and Magog by Sverre Bøe. Like Bøe, Adamsen, a Dane, wrote and defended his as yet unpublished thesis on Parousia and Paraenesis at the Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology in Oslo.

See also Professor Jarl Henning Ulrichsen's unpublished doctoral thesis "Das eschatologische Zeitschema der Offenbarung des Johannes", submitted to University of Tronheim. Oslo, 1988.

Separate entry with an overview of a number of Norwegian publications will follow.

In Swedish
Otto Ferdinand Myrberg (1888) and David Hedegård (1944) [description to follow].

Bullinger's commentary (2nd ed., 1909) was translated into Swedish and published in 1927.

In 2007, teol.dr. Leif Carlsson published a 272 page commentary on Revelation. Carlsson is the author of Round Trips to Heaven: Otherworldly Travelers in Early Judaism and Christianity. Lund University, 2004 (description to follow).

Although written in English, one should also notice the doctoral dissertation on Revelation 7:9-17 and the Feast of Tabernacles by Håkan Ulfgard. Ulfgard's thesis was accepted by the University of Lund.

Separate entry with an overview of a number of Swedish publications will follow later.

In Finnish
Finnish does not belong to the Scandinavian languages, but see Simojoki, Apocalypse Interpreted.

Johannes Munck, Petrus und Paulus

2008-02-01T16:53:00.000+01:00

Munck, Johannes. Petrus und Paulus in der Offenbarung des Johannes: Ein Beitrag zur Auslegung der Apokalypse. Teologiske Skrifter, 1. København: Rosenkilde & Bagger, 1950. 125 pp.

Johannes Munck (1904-1965) was professor of New Testament at Aarhus University from the very beginning.

The Danish professors Peder Madsen and Holger Mosbech had both written on the history of interpretation of Revelation. With this volume professor Munck added his name to this list.

More to follow later.

Ulfgard, Feast and Future

2008-02-01T15:20:00.000+01:00

Ulfgard, Håkan. Feast and Future: Revelation 7:9-17 and the Feast of Tabernacles. Coniectanea Biblica, New Testament Series, 22. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International, 1989. viii + 186 pp.

The author is currently assoc. professor at Linköping University, Sweden (see more in Swedish).

The author's conclusion is that "the connection with the Feast of Tabernacles is not the primary theme in Rev 7:9-17, but that it is dependent on the Exodus pattern. The reference to God's protection of Israel during the wandering in the wilderness is a most suitable expression of Rev's characteristic dual concept of Christian existence in the age of salvation inaugurated by Christ" (from the author's abstract).

Leif Carlsson, Tröst och trots

2008-02-01T14:45:00.000+01:00

Carlsson, Leif. Tröst och trots: Uppenbarelseboken. Nya Testamentets Budskap, 2. Örebro: Libris, 2007. 272 pp.

Leif Carlsson is TD and professor (universitetslektor) at Jönköping University. He is also the author of Round Trips to Heaven: Otherworldly Travelers in Early Judaism and Christianity. Translated by Judy Breneman. Lund Studies in History of Religions, 19. Lund: Department of History and Anthropology of Religions, Lund University; Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International, 2004.

See the Swedish presentation at the publisher's webpage.

Thestrup Pedersen, Johannes' Åbenbaring

2008-02-01T11:15:00.000+01:00

Thestrup Pedersen, Ebbe. Johannes' Åbenbaring: Kommenteret og fortolket [The Book of Revelation: Commentary and Interpretation]. Valby: Forlaget Aros, 1999. 183 pp.

Professor Ebbe Thestrup Pedersen (1914-1998) was a Danish theologian and professor of education. This volume was published posthumously. Pedersen asserts that serious readers of Revelation must learn from the scholarly, historical-critical interpretation (p. 9).

Pedersen provides a synopsis of Revelation (pp. 11-15), a summary (pp. 154-159), a discussion of its message for us (pp. 159-166), and a short history of the reception of Revelation (pp. 166-173). He also offers a brief overview of the use and abuse of Revelation (pp. 15-17), and he outlines six unsolved problems: order and unity of composition, authorship, visionary genuineness, the interpretive approaches, and a lot of concrete passages (p. 17-19).

Revelation is a prophetic-apocalyptic book with genuine visions (pp. 19-22). The author was not the apostle John, but another John, unknown to us (pp. 22-25). Pedersen rejects Irenaeus' testimony as to the authorship, but not as to dating (p. 26).

The main purpose of Revelation was "a blazing protest against the imperial cult in the Roman empire," expressed in obscure imagery (p. 25f).

Pedersen discusses the various scholarly approaches, described by Holger Mosbech in his monograph on the history of intepretation. He emphasises the views of Luther (p. 30f), Grundtvig (p. 63-67) and criticises Holger Mosbech for his one-sided contemporary-historical approach. Pedersen airs some sympathy with Ernst Lohmeyer's idealistic approach (pp. 27f). Pedersen seems to favour a combination of the eschatological and the contemporary-historical approaches.

One cannot avoid the impression that Pedersen's introduction ignores what has happened by and large since the Second World War. In the commentary proper, Pedersen often quotes Eduard Lohse's commentary from 1971.

In his commentary proper, Pedersen states that "All the chapters of the book deal with the sole, great theme of the coming of the Lord in order to strengthen the perseverance of the congregations in the coming events of distress before the fulfilment of the promise," i.e. of Christ's parousia (p. 34f). However, Pedersen also quotes Mommsen with approval: "The entire Apocalypse is a polemical treatise against the worship of the Roman Emperor as God" (p. 36; perhaps cited from Bousset's commentary p. 386; see p. 114). Pedersen also mentions that the visions of the Apocalypse are mighty images illustrating the prayers and the Amen of the Lord's Prayer (p. 130; cf. pp. 151f and 155f).

The "angels" are probably bishops, and the many texts in Revelation 2-3 that use words for 'coming,' are interpreted sometimes about the parousia (e.g., 3:3, 20), sometimes about immediately preceding events (e.g., 3:10), sometimes about other events (e.g., 2:5).

Pedersen prefers the recapitulationist view on the structure of Revelation (p. 78), and he asserts that the plagues are warnings of the coming Last Judgement and calls for repentance (p. 79).

This volume is a decent communication of the problems involved in the interpretation of Revelation. Pedersen's emphasis on its lasting eschatological message is valuable.

Students of education will benefit from this work.

Dansk
Ebbe Thestrup Pedersens kommentar blev hans sidste bog. Kommentaren rummer mange gode observationer og tolkninger, og den fører ind i mange af problemstillingerne, som man må forholde sig til i tolkningen. En del steder er Pedersen noget tilbageholdende med at konkludere, hvordan et afsnit skal forstås.

Særligt i indledningen kan det ikke nægtes, at kommentaren virker til at være blevet til for mange år siden. Mange af de vigtigste samtalepartnere i kommentaren var mere fremtrædende under og efter Anden Verdenskrig, hvor Pedersen holdt nogle forelæsninger om Åb, end de er nu om dage. Pedersen har tilsyneladende kun i begrænset omfang konsulteret nyere forskning. Stort set citerer Pedersen af nyere litteratur kun Lohses kommentar fra 1971.

Der er i øvrigt alt for mange trykfejl og brydningsfejl.

Ovenstående kritik skal bestemt ikke afholde f.eks. lærerstuderende og "interesserede læsere" fra at bruge Thestrup Pedersens kommentar. Der er meget at hente.

Davidsen, Johannes' Åbenbaring

2008-01-31T16:00:00.000+01:00

Davidsen, Andreas. Johannes’ Åbenbaring: Kommentar med tillæg [Revelation: a Commentary with appendices]. København: Gyldendal, 1988. 170 pp.

The Danish theologian, pastor and former lecturer at a college of education, Andreas Davidsen (b. 1928) has published an entry level commentary. In his introduction (pp. 11-41), Davidsen describes "apocalyptic" and discusses the common introductory questions, including its relation to the rest of the New Testament, the three standard approaches as well as some newer ones. Davidsen's understanding of the outline of Revelation is rendered artistically by Vibeke Fonnesberg (see the front cover). A similar chart and an accompanying synopsis of Revelation concludes the introduction.

Apart from a general index, this volumes also features a number of appendices with study questions on themes such as "apocalyptic," persecutions, the question of authorship and a number of illustrations and and texts that may throw light on various parts of Revelation (pp. 121-148).

The appendices also include a collection of illustrations with a brief introduction to "Revelation in the history of art" (pp. 149-161) and a collection of modern texts (pp. 162-1686).

The last appendix presents a proposal for a service in which the reading of most of Revelation alternates with the singing of hymns from the Danish Hymnal (Den Danske Salmebog) (pp. 167-169).

Aage Krohn, Det femte Evangelium

2008-01-31T13:45:00.000+01:00

Krohn, Aage. Det femte Evangelium: Johannes’ Aabenbaring udlagt for vor Tid [The Fifth Gospel. The Book of Revelation Interpreted for Our Time]. København: Schønbergske Forlag, 1942. 222 pp.

This Danish commentary was one of several written in times of war (see more on Torm, Johannes' Åbenbaring). Drawing on scholarly research, Krohn interprets Revelation as a writing highly relevant to the crisis, warfare, totalitarianism, and cultural breakdown of his own time. This commentary is especially interesting from a historical and cultural point of view rather.

Krohn, a Lutheran pastor in the Danish folk church, applies the message of the Book of Revelation to his time. He asserts that Revelation is relevant to churches and congregations that are in a situation similar to that of the first-century church. Thus, he uses Revelation not only as a religious writing of hope and consolation, but probably also as a tool of opposition to the Nazi occupation and totalitarianism.

According to Krohn, the visions are genuine, like the visionary material in other Biblical Scriptures (p. 22). Although Krohn accepts Irenaeus' s Domitianic dating, he does not seem to accept apostolic authorship. Krohn only says that John is a "prophet" (p. 21).

Revelation is written for the church of God as a book of consolation in difficult times. To understand the meaning of life and history one must know the outcome of life and history. John saw the triumph of evil, but also the victory of good, Christ's victory (pp. 20f). Krohn, however, emphasises the resurrection of Christ and the Christians (p. 16), which is relevant to all who live in a time of persecution and martyrdom (cf. p. 26f).

Hermeneutically, Revelation must be interpreted according to the proclamation of Christ and the other apostles (p. 22f) and from the perspective of the first Christians: persecution and martyrdom because of the Christians' refusal to worship the emperor (pp. 23-25) and the risk of syncretism (p. 26) . "The state was no longer God's servant, but wanted to be God itself" (p. 25). The people needs a religion, so the state invents a religion suitable for itself. The creed of this religion reads: "There is only one God, and the emperor is his prophet." Christianity and Anti-Christianity is in confrontation with each other (p. 25). In his memoirs from 1938, the Danish Orientalist Johannes Østrup had also criticised the domineering position of the Nazis at the German universities: "It sounds quite Mohammedan: There is only one Hitler, and all of us are his prophets" (cited from K. Møller, Vejen til Damaskus, 2008, p. 109).

Commenting on the fall of Babylon, Krohn laments the contemporary culture. It is godless and morally disintegrating, and it will perish because God will destroy it. The only way to escape humanity from such judgement of God is to submit to the will of (the triune) God and worship Him alone (p. 194).

Krohn is pessimistic and rejects the idea of progress. The only hope for humanity is the coming of Christ (p. 195). He does, however, emphasise that God will not destroy the earth for good. The earth will be renewed and purified (pp. 206f).

Krohn rejects any premillennial interpretation, "belief in a Mohammedan Paradise," and asserts that only the martyrs will enjoy the millennium, "a long period of time, appointed by God," here on the earth (pp. 203-206).

Torm, Johannes' Åbenbaring

2008-01-30T11:40:00.000+01:00

Torm, Frederik. Johannes' Aabenbaring: En populær fortolkning [The Book of Revelation: A Popular Commentary]. København: G. E. C. Gads Forlag, 1941. 162 pp.

Norwegian translation (Johannes' åpenbaring: En populær fortolkning) published by Lutherstiftelsens forlag, Oslo, 1942. 160 pp.

English
Frederik Torm (1870-1953), professor of New Testament at the University of Copenhagen (1909-1940), was a conservative, anti-liberal theologian. He was also a sharp critic of the anti-Semitism of the German Nazism.

The wars and the unrest during the inter-war period and the Second World War gave rise to a renewed interest in the Book of Revelation. Torm was one of at least four theologians who published on Revelation at that time (cf. Skovgaard-Petersen; Torm's younger colleague, Holger Mosbech, and Aage Krohn, Det femte Evangelium). Torm's commentary was reprinted already in the year of publication.

Professor Torm's popular commentary was based on several academic courses and a series of popular lectures. He referred the readers to his introduction to the NT (Indledning til Det Nye Testamente. 3rd ed. 1940, 498 pp.) for more technical discussions.

According to Torm, Revelation is a prophetic rather than a apocalyptic book in the form of a letter and a book of revelation. The author was probably the apostle John who wrote from Patmos against the imperial cult and persecutions. The content was genuine visions that accurately describe both the heaven of God and the situation of the churches in Asia.

Torm rejected the church-historical approach and argues that one must combine the contemporary-historical and the eschatological approaches. However, Revelation is relevant for all times and places. John is not really interested in "time."

The key theme is the announcement of the Second Advent of Christ and the emphasis on the eternity and omnipotence of God that will be revealed through the coming of Christ (p. 33). Torm seems to accept a premillennial interpretation of Rev 20:1-10, but refrains from giving details (p. 153).

Dansk
Under indtryk af krigstilstandene og uroen i mellemkrigstiden og under 2. verdenskrig blussede interessen for Johannes' Åbenbaring op, således hos professor i NT ved Københavns Universitet, Frederik Torm. Torm var en konservativ, lærd og anti-liberal teolog og i øvrigt i stærk opposition til nazismen og dens antisemitisme.

Kalms, Der Sturz des Gottesfeindes

2008-01-25T20:20:00.000+01:00

Kalms, Jürgen U. Der Sturz des Gottesfeindes: Traditionsgeschichtliche Studien zu Apokalypse 12. Wissenschaftliche Monographien zum Alten und Neuen Testament, 93. Neukirchen-Vluyen: Neukirchener Verlag, 2001. xii + 300 pp.

This volume is a slightly revised and abbreviated edition of the author's doctoral thesis, accepted by the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster in 2000, the late professor Jens-Wilhelm Taeger being the first reader (and supervisor?).

Chapter 1 is an exegetical analysis of Revelation 12: its place in the composition of Revelation; exegesis with a special emphasis on the dragon's threat to the heavenly woman and her child; interpretive models; a traditio-historical survey of the woman and child-motif (pp. 11-132).

Chapter 2 is a religio- and traditio-historical analysis of the dragon-motif: the dragon and its designations, the fall of the enemy of God in Isaiah 14; the tradition of the fall of the enemy of God, including rabbinical traditions; the use of Isaiah 14 motifs in the parallel texts examined (pp. 133-206).

Chapter 3 and 4 set out the-fall-of-the-enemy-of-God motif in Luke 10:18 (in its context in Luke 10:17-20) and in John 12:31f (in its context in John 12:27-33) (pp. 207-234 and pp. 235-273).

This volume concludes with a 6 page summary and a 20 page bibliography, but, unfortunately, no indices at all.

It goes without saying that a recent volume on Revelation 12 is a welcome contribution.

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Peder Madsen, Johannes' Aabenbaring

2008-01-25T16:35:00.000+01:00

Madsen, Peder. Johannes’ Aabenbaring: Indledet og fortolket [The Book of Revelation: Introduction and Commentary]. 1st ed. København: G. E. C. Gad, 1887. 2nd ed. 1896.

Both editions were published in two parts, the two first volumes in 1885 and 1894. The libraries disagree as to the number of pages. The first edition consists of either x + 730 pages or viii + 727/728 pages (the first 286 pages were published in 1885); the second of x + 731 pages (the first part being published in 1894).

Peder Madsen (1843-1911), a Danish theologian, was professor of systematic theology at the University of Copenhagen (1875-1909) and the Bishop of Zealand (1909-1911). As a postgraduate theologian, Professor Madsen studied with the professors Gottfried Thomasius, Johann Christian Konrad von Hofmann, Franz Hermann Reinhold Frank, and Gerhard von Zezschwitz in Erlangen, but he was no pupil of any theologian.

According to Frederik Torm, who as professor of New Testament was Peder Madsen's colleague and later his biographer, Peder Madsen has written more thoroughly on the history of interpretation than any other (Biskop Peder Madsen [1936], p. 100f). Fifteen years later, Torm published his own - popular - commentary on Revelation.

Peder Madsen himself singled Th. Kliefoth out as the one he had learned very much from, although he was from time to time very critical of him. As the first interpreter (so Torm), Madsen discusses the fundamental interpretive questions of Revelation as a prerequisite for the interpretation of the many details.

More about this commentary later ...

Dr. Ian Paul

2008-01-23T12:15:00.000+01:00

Metaphors and Revelation 12-13
Alan Brady over at Café Apocalypsis has a nice summary of parts of Dr. Ian Paul's article "" in Studies in the Book of Revelation, ed. S. Moyse (see here) and some methodological reflections on the interpretation of metaphors.

Ian Paul's essay is based on his Ph.D.-dissertation, "The Value of Paul Ricoeur’s Hermeneutic of Metaphor in the Interpretation of the Symbolism of Revelation 12 and 13". According to Paul's web pages (here and, especially, here), he is preparing a revised edition for publication by Paternoster.

See also:

Paul, Ian. "The Use of the Old Testament in Rev 12." In: The Old Testament in the New Testament: Essays in Honour of J.L. North. Edited by Steve Moyise. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 2000.
Paul, Ian. The Interpretation of Metaphor and Symbol

S. J. Davis, Introducing an Arabic Commentary on the Apocalypse

2008-01-22T13:45:00.000+01:00

Davis, Stephen J. "Introducing an Arabic Commentary on the Apocalypse: Ibn Katib Qaysar on Revelation." Harvard Theological Review 101 (2008): 77-96.

Here is the abstract from the publisher's website:
"Ibn Katib Qaysar's long-neglected Commentary on the Apocalypse of John is a veritable treasure trove for those interested not only in the early transmission of the biblical text and its history of interpretation, but also in the way ancient definitions of prophecy and vision were reconceived in Arabic Christian theology.

"Written in Cairo by a thirteenth-century Egyptian author, it is one of only two large-scale medieval commentaries on Revelation produced in the Arabic language. The other such commentary was composed by a fellow Copt, Bulus al-Bushi, who was a near contemporary of Ibn Katib Qaysar. Together, these two works provide a compelling witness to the currency of this apocalyptic biblical text among Christians living in Islamic Egypt."

If you want to see the names with Unicode fonts, go to the publisher's website.

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