How do the descriptions of these places compare with discoveries about them from history and archaeology? Have a good day and may God be with you! According to Revelation 1:11, on the Greek island of Patmos, Jesus Christ instructs John of Patmos to: Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamum, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. The churches in this context refers . Second, Our Lord did seem to say to the Apostles that there were some present who would not "taste death" before the second coming. Jesus was related to John in the flesh, or instead, he was his cousin. Alexandria, Egypt dating the gospel of John only support what is the regulations! But I give you my advice, as one who has been married by the Lord, that I may be credible. They went close to him and became his disciples. Salome was Mary's younger sister making John Mary's nephew and Jesus' cousin. Most Johannine scholars doubt the reliability of its ascription to Papias, but a minority, including B.W. Those who refused were branded as traitors and either sentenced to death or exiled. The Christian writers of the second and third centuries testify to us as a tradition universally recognized and doubted by no one that the Apostle and Evangelist John lived in Asia Minor in the last decades of the first century and from Ephesus had guided the Churches of that province. Acidity of alcohols and basicity of amines. Many profound theological themes and images inspired the Churchs life. There, in consequence, for many centuries was 'Satan's seat.'. He warns them that, if they do not rapidly improve their spiritual condition, He will reject them. American King James Version, Bible Explorer Software). How can I check before my flight that the cloud separation requirements in VFR flight rules are met? John was blind when he wrote the Revelation Book, but guided by the Holy Spirit, he finished writing it. It is noteworthy that Revelation 17:4-5 Revelation 17:4-5 [4] And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: John the Elder How can this new ban on drag possibly be considered constitutional? John the baptist was Jesus cousin. Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. cit., II, xxii, 5). John of the 12 disciples of Jesus wrote Revelation when he was imprisoned on the island of Patmos. . About 25 miles southeast of Sardis lay the city of Philadelphia, newest of the seven cities. A messianic community existed at Ephesus before Paul's first labors there (cf. The New Testament names James the Just, Joses, Simon, and Jude as the brothers (Greek adelphoi) of Jesus (Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55, John 7:3, Acts 1:13, 1 Corinthians 9:5). Babylon has been a golden cup in the LORD's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. Christ says to this church: "These things says He who is holy, He who is true . John was a logical choice because he was believed to have been a bit younger than the other apostles, and he was the Apostle of whom it was written "Jesus loved". 1.10). On the island of Patmos, he receives an eschatological revelation about the history of all humankind, summarized in the book that concludes the New Testament, suggestively entitled The Apocalypse. He returns to Ephesus in 97, during the reign of Emperor Nerva. Therefore, beloved, as you have always been obedient. ", III, iii, 4); his touching anxiety about a youth who had become a robber (Clemens Alex., "Quis dives salvetur", xiii); his constantly repeated words of exhortation at the end of his life, "Little children, love one another" (Jerome, "Comm. . John the Baptist did not write any books that we know of and he had his own disciples. . When John said these things says he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second ''. But if thou wilt marries, thou hast not erred. Similarly, Ignatius of Antioch was a student of John and later appointed by Saint Peter to be the Bishop of Antioch. John the Baptist did not write Revelation. Pls note I did not say that absence of evidence is evidence of absence; in fact my very next clause is "in which case he not only preached the gospel but wrote an account of the mission of Jesus." And they, leaving their father and former lives, followed the Savior. In the path of Jesus journey on Earth. 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. Without all these punishments, there is no reason to imagine John of Patmos as being blinded. John was the youngest and most handsome. Many of the Christians in Smyrna would die because of fierce persecutions. "the brethren"),[Acts 18:27] in addition to Priscilla and Aquila. Is a PhD visitor considered as a visiting scholar? Christians, Muslims, or even atheists who want to seek the truth. "For all its wealth, the city had poor water," says The Expositor's Bible Commentary. As a side note, there are a couple of points one could add here. . 14:1-12. It contains strong docetic themes, but is not considered in modern scholarship to be gnostic. Was John blind when he wrote Revelation? The Book of Revelation by John the Apostle Introduction - Book of Revelation The Apostle John is the author of the Book of Revelation. Hes the same John who wrote the Gospel of John and the Epistles of 1st John, 2nd John and 3rd John in the New Testament. It is never explained how it was possible to exile John anywhere, if his enemies were unable to harm him. At that time, Domitian, Emperor of Rome, raised a great persecution against the Christians, and John was slandered before him. Christ reminds the Thyatiran brethren they must come out of that worldly society, no matter how enticing it appeared, and not compromise with the truth. 9 How are the Gospels and revelation similar and different? This was important because Polycarp was able to carry John's message to future generations. What connection was between them? Incredibly, several centuries later the same sequence of events occurred when a Greek general besieged the city. The only way Church members could go about peacefully in this place was to carry a certificate showing they had offered incense to the emperor and proclaimed him lord. Behold, your mother! The apostle Paul had founded a large church in Ephesus, and now Jesus addressed the members there with a prophetic message that applied to them and was predictive of the Church's future. He wrote the Gospel, the three canonical epistles, and the Apocalypse by divine inspiration. 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. Christ tells the church at Pergamos: "I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is" (verse 13). Is the Gospel of John John the Baptist? He wrote the Gospel, the three canonical epistles, and the Apocalypse by divine inspiration. If you will check our articles, you may find some relevant answers to your questions. Among the ancient papyri letters that archaeologists have found is one with such a request and another with an accompanying certificate declaring: "We, the representatives of the Emperor, Serenos and Hermas, have seen you sacrificing.". American King James Version, 18 reveals that in the end time a powerful religious system from the ancient past will again reign over the nations and be identified as "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth.". And there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and John. Bacon, Martin Hengel and Henry Barclay Swete, maintain that these references to Papias are credible. Many of the coins discovered in Pergamos have the serpent as part of their design. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. St. Irenus speaks in very many places of the Apostle John and his residence in Asia and expressly declares that he wrote his Gospel at Ephesus (Against Heresies III.1.1), and that he had lived there until the reign of Trajan (loc. Centuries earlier Heracleitus, an Ephesian philosopher, described the inhabitants there as "fit only to be drowned[,] and the reason why [they] could never laugh or smile was because [they] lived amidst such terrible uncleanness." Are there tables of wastage rates for different fruit and veg? In our long-running series "The Bible and Archaeology," we have gone through the Scriptures from Genesis through the Epistles reviewing many of the surprising archaeological finds that confirm and illuminate the biblical record. 5 What is the main message of the book of Revelation? John was exiled to the island of Patmos under and by Emperor Domitians request. In Ephesus was much evil to avoid within and without the congregation. What happened to the apostle John after the Biblical account of his life ends? However, scholars say that he is most unlikely to have been the real author, and for this reason now refer to the uthor of Revelation as John of Patmos. He states that he is there for the Gospel. The next city on the ancient postal circuit was Smyrna, about 40 miles north of Ephesus. [14] Every year pilgrims made a pilgrimage to the site on August 15, the date on which most of the Christian world celebrated Mary's Dormition/Assumption. What is the basis for the belief that the Apostle John died around AD 100? "There, under favor of the deified kings of Pergamos, was his favorite abode and was the worship of Asklepios, under the form of the serpent . Therefore, this is good for the need of the hour: it is suitable for man to be so. Moreover, the Ephesian brethren had to resist the many temptations the immensely popular pagan temple worship offered them. John proved to be the most compassionate and obedient apostle. Such was the reputation of ancient Ephesus. 4 What are the 7 churches mentioned in Revelation? No one signed the gospel now known as Johns Gospel and it was not even attributed to the apostle John until later in the second century. Are there any traditional stories about that? The day after the Lords baptism, the forerunner showed them Jesus passing by and said, Behold, the Lamb of God! They followed Him for the rest of their days. The city appeared as a gigantic watchtower and was considered impregnable. Irenaeus writes of "the church of Ephesus, founded by Paul, with John continuing with them until the times of Trajan." The mention of Satan's throne in Pergamos likely refers to the famous worship of its most popular deity, the serpent god Asklepios Soter, whose Latin equivalent means "the man-instructing serpent and savior." According to Church tradition, Salome was one of the three daughters of the righteous Joseph, betrothed. "Long before Rome was undisputed mistress of the world," comments William Barclay, "Smyrna had cast in its lot with her, never to waver in its fidelity. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul. John in the book of Revelation is the author of the book. There is dispute who wrote the Book of Revelation. This despot declared himself a god and demanded the worship of his subjects with the exception of Jews. We know where St. Peter's bones are, and several other apostles, but not St. John. We know that Paul died and Peter died but we don't know that John died. . Perhaps church tradition dated John's writings (particularly the Revelation) to be A.D. 90-100 in order to disprove the preterists' view. Seek not to disfellowship. Varying fragments survived in Greek and Latin within monastic libraries. After the death of the Saviour, the Apostle John took the Blessed Mary just like he was his beloved son. Corrections? [20] Notwithstanding I have a few things against you, because you suffer that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. Even if only allegorically, John speaks of the things he 'sees' in heaven, as if being able to see was normal and. When John the Forerunner (You may also want to access our article called Who was John the Baptist?) A:We know nothing about John of Patmos apart from his authorship of the Book of Revelation, but presumably he was able to see, in order to be able. Is the Gospel of John written before the destruction of Jerusalem? We conclude the series with a look at archaeological and historical evidence relating to the last book of the Bible, Revelation. 1.10). The apostle who leaned on Jesus chest at the Last Supper. After a year's siege the Greeks appeared to lose all hope of conquering the city. Deleted a repeated paragraph. Fourth Bowl. February 27, 2023 By restaurants on the water in st clair shores By restaurants on the water in st clair shores "The defeated Chaldeans fled to Asia Minor, and fixed their central college at Pergamos," notes historian William Barker in his book Lares and Penates of Cilicia (1853, p. 232). After the death of the Saviour, the Apostle John took the Blessed Mary just like he was his beloved son. After Jesus died, John went to Ephesus to spread the good news of salvation. Revelation to John appears to be a collection of separate units composed by unknown authors who lived during the last quarter of the 1st century, though it purports to have been written by an individual named Johnwho calls himself "the servant" of Jesusat Patmos, in the Aegean Sea. Previous to this, according to Tertullian's testimony (De praescript., xxxvi), John had been thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil before the Porta Latina at Rome without suffering injury. Certainly, nobody with house, wife and kids will go stay with another person. How old was John when he wrote Revelation? How John Wrote the Book of Revelation is the first book that teaches the reader how to read Revelation the way it was written. Catholics have an ancient tradition of digging up of canonized saints and placing their bones under altars. who said that he was writing from Patmos. It is said that all in the audience of Colosseum were converted to Christianity upon witnessing this miracle. GN. Under these conditions, a Christian named John wrote Revelation, addressing it to the seven churches that were in Asia Minor. Therefore, beloved, as you have always been obedient, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, not only when I am present but much more now in my absence. Thus, we can not say that John, son of Zebedee, spent his latter years writing. There is no evidence that the apostle John was ever on the island of Patmos. The Western tradition attributes Revelation to the apostle John, and there is a tradition that he went blind working in the salt works on Patmos. But membership involved attendance at guild banquets, and this in turn meant eating meat which had first been sacrificed to an idol. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Did John the Baptist write any of the books of the Bible? Pergamos was so renowned for the worship of this god, who supposedly healed the sick, that this deity was called "the Pergamene god." This suffering consists mainly of the daily worries and various conflicts that can arise in the bosom of any couple. John, the Lords most beloved disciple, leaned on Jesus chest at the Last Supper. These words had not only a prophetic sense but a literal fulfillment in John's day as well. What is the true religion of God? 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. . John was on the Greek island Patmos when he wrote Revelation. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Changing water into wine at Cana in John 2:1-11 the first of the signs. A:We know nothing about John of Patmos apart from his authorship of the Book of Revelation, but presumably he was able to see, in order to be able. After the death of the mother of Jesus, St. John was eventually banished to Patmos where he wrote the Apocalypse. In his "Dialogue with Tryphon" (Chapter 81) St. Justin Martyr refers to "John, one of the Apostles of Christ" as a witness who had lived "with us", that is, at Ephesus. There was no perceived dissonance between science and religion in the ancient world" (McRay, pp. We have no reliable information as to where he went to preach, if at all. Second, our Lord did seem to say to the apostles that there were some present who would not "taste death" before the second coming. . Amid a wicked and corrupt nation. We do not know what happened to the apostle John after the biblical account of his life ended. John was the youngest and most handsome. 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. The serpent god was none other than Satan, whom Revelation describes as "that serpent of old, called the Devil" (Revelation 12:9 Revelation 12:9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.American King James Version). That doesn't mean Jesus didn't love them all, but John was a spiritual thinker which drew Jesus to him in a kindred way. What was a Christian to do? Continue Learning about Religious Studies. No mention of future destruction of Jerusalem, which for Full-Preterists is odd, since John writes the entire book of Revelation about it and the topic would be front and center on his mind that is . Where he was between ~50AD and 90AD (with 50 being a plausible time for Paul's early writings, and the original disciples/apostles to still be in Jerusalem), I don't believe we're ever told. Paul says: As for virginity/celibacy, I have no commandment from the Lord. Polycarp taught Irenaeus, passing on to him stories about John. The Book of Revelation was written sometime around 96 CE in Asia Minor. Thousands of priests and priestesses served the temple; many of the priestesses were dedicated to cultic prostitution. And they, leaving their father and former lives, followed the Savior. John wrote sublime epistles for the early Christians, If you enjoyed our article, check out our Bible Trivia section for a, about the End and the Second Coming of Christ, Resurrection of Jesus Scripture. Narrow paths lead southwards to a hill near the top of which is an uneven plateau, some half hour's journey. The water piped in from the south had so many minerals that the Roman engineers had covers installed so they could remove the mineral deposits before the pipes clogged. John was blind when he wrote the Revelation Book, but guided by the Holy Spirit, he finished writing it. The last city on the route was Laodicea, 45 miles southeast of Philadelphia. 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). The city was established by Attalus II (159138 B.C. The Laodiceans were famous for producing shiny, black wool clothing and boasted of an outstanding medical center that specialized in eye ointments. The Apostle John is also called John the Evangelist, John the Theologian, John the Apostle of Love, or the Son of Thunder. Browse other questions tagged, Like any library, Christianity Stack Exchange offers great information, but, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. In John 21:21 Jesus told John to tarry till I come and in Revelations 10 John was told that he must prophecy again before many peoples nations and tongues. Are there any other theories about the later life of apostle John? Christ says about this congregation: "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. "From all over the world," adds William Barclay, "people flocked to Pergamos for relief of their sicknesses. Was John Blind When He Wrote Revelation? It does not matter whether John the Apostle was literate or literate: he did not write the Book of Revelation. I hope you will enjoy these articles and you will learn something by reading them. haer. Since Thyatira was a religious center, and the home of powerful guilds demanding religious participation of their workers in their banquets, it was difficult for Christians to resist falling into idolatry. He escaped by miracle, without injury. He detests the Laodicean attitude of compromising with God's laws. [16] Repent; or else I will come to you quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Have you bound yourself to a woman? 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. It Continue Reading 1 Lawrence C. Is the Book of Revelation written by John? So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 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. The careless soldier climbed down a secret pathway to retrieve it, and that night the Persians led their troops up the same pathway and to the top. By contrast, He later describes those who are faithful to Him as "those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12 Revelation 14:12Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.American King James Version). 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. We learn from John that he wrote Revelation from the island of Patmos (verse 9), in the Aegean Sea 40 miles off the coast of Asia Minor (modern- day Turkey). [17] That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works. He believed it was the house described by Emmerich and where the Virgin Mary had lived the final years of her life. 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. John was not arrested at Golgotha giving us a clue also that he was young and harmless for Jews. After his return from exile, Clement the Alexandrian tells us that John continued his apostolic ministry. Is the God of a monotheism necessarily omnipotent? John the writer of Revelation is one of the Apostles. 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. Accompanying Johnson on vocal and guitar is Willie B. Harris (sometimes identified as his first wife), who sings the response parts of the song. At John's advanced age it would have been a harrowing ordeal. Gal. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. When the Apostle John wrote Revelation, he began with: "John, to the seven churches that are in Asia." (Rev 1:4). The city was named after the love the king who founded the city held for his brother. Send inquiries regarding the operation of this Web site to webmaster@ucg.org. The Evangelist John is the first of the saints to be called Theologian. Together with his brother James, sons of Zebedee and Salome, half-sister grandsons of Jesus.