Reading the Apocalyptic, the Book of Revelation: A Commentary
Contents: Foreword. Preface. Part – I: Introduction. 1. Historical Background, Origin and Development of Apocalyptic Literature. 2. Characteristics of the Apocalyptic Literature. 3. The Apocalypse - A Critical Introduction on Authorship, Date, Context and Purpose. 4. Various Ways of Interpretation of the Book of Revelation. 5. The Book of Revelation as a Mixed Genre: Apocalypse, Prophecy, Epistle, Liturgy and Drama. 6. Christology of the Book of Revelation. 7. The Church in the Book of Revelation. 8. Liturgy in the Book of Revelation. 9. Conflict, Violence and Resistance in the Book of Revelation. 10. The Political Rhetoric of the Book in the Age of the Empire. 11. Cultural Studies, Gender Dualism and the Book of Revelation. 12. The Future Coming of Christ. 13. A Deconstructive Interpretation of the Book of Revelation. 14. Apocalyptic Imagination of a New Heaven and a New Earth. Conclusion. Part – II. Commentary. 15. A Summary of the Contents and Structure of the Apocalypse. Prologue 1:1-8 78. The First Vision 1:9-3:22 79. 16. The Prophet’s Call. 17. The Letters to the Churches - Chapters 2-3. The Second Vision 4:1-16:21 114. 18. The Heavenly Council – Chapters 4-5. 19. The Seven Seals 6:1-7:17. 20. The Seventh Seal and the Seven Trumpets 8:1-14:20. 21. The Great Ordeal: Interlude 12:1-14:20. 22. The Seven Bowls 15:1-16:21 The Third Vision 17:1-21:8. 23. The Last Days of Babylon. 24. The Reign of God. 25. The New Heaven and the New Earth 21:1-8. The Fourth Vision: The Heavenly Jerusalem 21:9-22:5. Epilogue and Benediction. Selected Bibliography.
This book will be an asset and a great text for theological students, pastors and all scholars who want to understand the last book of the Bible. The author of this book himself went through different stages of his life with different experiences as a student, pastor, research scholar, professor and mentor. His vivid outlook and experience shine through the pages of the book. This should inspire a great number of people today to criticize, research and publish more.
Dr Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan
This book has been written amidst the COVID 19 pandemic when the world has been undergoing an unprecedented crisis. The war in Ukraine also looms large over the world as a great threat to the peace of the world. Whenever the world has undergone similar crises situations, the apocalyptic literature, especially the Book of Revelation has provided hope amidst hopelessness to the suffering people. Moreover, as this book has been written with the course in Biblical Cluster namely the apocalyptic Literature in mind, theological students will find it very helpful in their studies.
