SOURCE: Boring, M. Eugene. Introduction to Revelation: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, pp. 1-62. Louisville, Ky.: John Knox Press, 1989.

In the following excerpt, Boring presents an overview of some textual, language, and interpretative issues concerning Revelation.

Authorship

Unlike other writers of apocalyptic books, John gives his own name and writes in his own person, rather than under the assumed name of some figure of the past (cf. discussion of apocalyptic literature below). Such an assumption of another name was not necessary, for John and his churches no longer believed that the prophetic gift of the Holy Spirit was only a remembered aspect of the revered past. It was a matter of their own experience that the Spirit spoke again to the churches through Christian prophets (see 1:10; 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; 4:2; 22:17). While John claims to be a prophet, he makes no claim to being an apostle, and in fact distinguishes...