Brown, R. E. An Introduction to the New Testament. The Anchor Bible Reference Literature. New York: Doubleday, 1997.
The late Professor Brown’s introduction, about 45 pages long, is well-written.
“Rev is widely popular for the wrong reasons,” Brown states and gives some examples.
As usual, Brown’s results are summarised in a box: “Summary of Basic Information” (p. 774).
Brown favours a late, Domitianic date (between AD 92 and 96). He defines in the western sector of Asia Minor as the recipients, and concludes that the author is not the John who wrote the Gospel or the Johannine Epistles.
Revelation may have included earlier, Christian apocalyptic material, but overall the work is entirely his own.
Brown divides Revelation in five parts: Prologue (1:1-3), Letters to the Seven Churches (1:4-3:22), Part I nad Part II of the Visionary Experience (4:1-11:19; 12:1-22:5), and Epilogue with Concluding Blessing (22:6-21).
Apart from the topics normally treated in an introduction, Brown devotes separate sections for “The Role of Liturgy,” “Millenarianism” and “Issues and Problems for Reflection.”
A 2 page bibliography concludes the chapter on Revelation.
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