Revelation 1-11

Description

The Book of Revelation is the last book in the canon of the New Testament, and its only apocalyptic document, though there are short apocalyptic passages in various places in the gospels and the epistles. This first of two volumes on Revelation offers systematic and thorough interpretation of the book of Revelation. Revelation brings together the worlds of heaven, earth and hell in a final confrontation between the forces of good and evil. Its characters and images are both real and symbolic, spiritual and material, and it is frequently difficult to know the difference between them. Revelation's cryptic nature has ensured that it would always be a source of controversy. This commentary focuses on the theological content, gleaning the best from both the classical and modern commentary traditions and showing the doctrinal development of Scriptural truths. Scholarship on the book of Revelation has nonetheless not only endured, but even captured the imagination of generations of Bible students, both professionals and laypeople alike. Through its focus on the message of the book through scholarly analysis, this International Theological Commentary reconnects to the ecclesial tradition of biblical commentary as an effort in ressourcement, though not slavish repetition.

Peter J. Leithart is President of the Theopolis Institute, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

Long anticipated, Leithart's typological commentary on Revelation is finally here! In line with the Song of Songs, the Apocalypse turns out to be a love song of sorts. Very much tethered to the first century, it also speaks into today's political, liturgical, cultural, and theological world. One need not be a prophet to see that we will look back on this commentary as a theological and exegetical milestone. * HANS BOERSMA, REGENT COLLEGE, CANADA * A landmark volume: Peter Leithart opens the Book of Revelation like no other, showing how it, more than any other book of the New Testament, paints a picture of Christ from the full palette of the Old Testament. Exegetically rich, theologically profound, and spiritually uplifting, this is a commentary that will continue to nourish scholars and lay alike. * JOHN BEHR, VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT, THE NETHERLANDS * Many commentaries are exhaustive and, frankly, exhausting. Leithart's twovolume masterwork is exhaustive and tremendously invigorating. His seemingly unmatched knowledge of the whole of Scripture here joins with his thorough probing of the existing scholarship, his expertly constructive theological creativity, and -above all -his wonderful ability to make words sing the Gospel. * MATTHEW LEVERING, MUNDELEIN SEMINARY, USA *