136.32L Special Studies in New Testament: Revelation Providence University College Instructor: E. Neufeld Fall 2012 SYLLABUS

Transcription

1 ONLINE - NT5311L New Testament Apocalyptic: Revelation SYLLABUS COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is biblical-theological exposition of the book of Revelation. We are interested particularly in the nature of apocalyptic thought and writing, the original audience of this writing, the life setting of that audience, and how this writing was intended to address those people in that setting. As with the rest of Scripture, in that message of Revelation to its original audience there is also a call from God to all his people. This course is designed for seminary students, but is available also to upper level college students. College student prerequisites: BINT and BINT and one set of either /23 - BNT or /23 - BNT. Seminary and college students will complete exactly the same assignments, but college students will be graded more generously than seminary students. COURSE OBJECTIVES Students will gain familiarity with the interpretive options facing the reader of Revelation, and with apocalyptic as a literary genre. Students will gain and demonstrate awareness of the issues facing the church in the Roman province of Asia, late in the first century of the present era. Students will gain and demonstrate familiarity with the text of Revelation. Students will gain ability to interpret and understand Revelation, from their familiarity with apocalyptic and with the text of Revelation. Students will reflect on Revelation's implications and message for followers of Jesus at the present time. Students are welcome to me about pastoral concerns. The greater task is to make disciples of Jesus the Christ, which involves the whole person. I will listen and help as I am able. E. N.

2 COURSE TEXT: REQUIRED Note: these texts are available at the Providence Bookstore, or ; Wilcock, M. The Message of Revelation. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, COURSE TEXT: RECOMMENDED Beale, G. The Book of Revelation. Eerdmans: Grand Rapids: MI, COURSE REQUIREMENTS Due Dates and General Guidelines: Due dates are on the Course Schedule below. Late assignments are penalized 30%, beginning midnight of the due date, and are not accepted after two weeks late. Exceptions are rare - get it done. Papers submitted as electronic files should be set up just as a hard-copy paper essay would be set up. That is, I should be able to print your electronic file and get paper copy in complete format. This includes a title page of some kind, page numbers, and so on. Do not send the title page as a separate document file. If the problem is not having a page number on the title page, solve it this way with MS Word: open the "insert page numbers" window, click on "format," and set page numbering to "start at" 0 (zero). Then hide the page number on the first page, which will be your title page, and the first page of text will be page 1. All submissions should follow Kate L. Turabian's A Manual for Writers, 7th ed., 2007, the standard guide for. Students should use the web site drop box. They should be in MS Word format, or RTF (rich text format). In keeping with Turabian, use #12 Times New Roman font, and do not justify the right margin. Do not expand margins or increase font size if your paper is too short, or reduce margins and font size if it is too long. Stick to the standards, and let the paper be too short or too long. Proof read all your work. Note that single-spaced writing places an extra space between paragraphs. Doublespaced writing, however, does not put any extra space between paragraphs, only the same double-space as occurs between all the other lines. 2

3 Weekly Discussion. There will be ten weekly audio lectures. The lecture each week will include a few discussion questions, based on lecture content. Weekly responses to these lectures will count toward the final grade. I am not looking for long response, but for thoughtful response. Respond both (1) to the original question, and also (2) to one or more or the other students (two separate entries). 20% Reading Revelation. Read Revelation through ten times in the translation of your choice. As much as possible read it through in one sitting, or at least all in one day. Do not read it through more than once in a single day, and not more than twice a week. After each reading, type a one page (double-spaced) response to your reading. Simply write out the impression you gained from that reading. If possible, respond to the whole writing rather than one sentence that caught your attention. Date each response. First five due September 21 (as a single document, not five documents), and the other five by November 9. Each set of five = 10%. Apocalyptic Reading. Read Leon Morris's Apocalyptic (Eerdmans, 1972; 2nd ed IVP, 1973). This small book has about 100 pages of text, and is a fine introduction to apocalyptic. The entire book is available online as a pdf file, and can be downloaded free of charge. E. Neufeld can send it as an attachment if it is no longer available. Apocalyptic is divided into short sections, beginning with the introduction. Write an eight to ten page summary of Morris's Apocalyptic, organized and labeled as one or two paragraphs summarizing each of Morris's sections. In your conclusion evaluate the usefulness of the book, and note what parts of the reading were most helpful to you. Due Friday September % Wilcock Summaries. Wilcock's 1975 book on Revelation is old but still a classic of clear and simple method. Treasure it. (Beale, your recommended text, writing 24 years later, says the approach of his respected commentary fits "above all" with Wilcock's approach [49].) Read the following ten sections of Wilcock, and write a one-page summary on each of the ten sections, describing the main points: Introduction (pp19-25), the relevance of the book (27-31), the repeat of patterns (37-39), the meaning of numbers (59-64), the sequence of events (85-89), the analysis of the drama (110-15), the unity of the drama (139-41), the identifying of symbols (151-57), the millennium (175-82), and the book we could do without (220-22). Submit as one paper, which should have an introductory and concluding paragraph. Due Friday Oct % Ten Background Studies. Do either these studies, or the research paper below, not both. Write ten one-page background studies for a sermon or Bible Study on Revelation Assume you are given the task of presenting the message and flavour of Revelation to some group, and you had ten sessions. 3

4 Do not try to cover all these chapters, but rather pick ten texts, and work from those. Try to represent Rev 4-21 fairly - do not select your texts from just one part of chs You should be working on this as you do your Revelation Reading. Make sure you get the whole study on one page - do not go over one page. (1) Indicate the text (chapter and verse) you selected at the top of each page. (2) In one sentence, tell me the main truth or call of God you would convey. (3) In one paragraph, describe your text. Do not preach at all, or even explain, just report. Report what is in your text to as if to someone without a Bible. Observe carefully - what kind of writing, what kind of mood, what kind of conversation or events occur, etc. (4) In a paragraph, describe the message of the text to Revelation's first readers, and indicate what parts of your text particularly you are building this on. (5) In another paragraph, indicate what application you would make to your church or audience. How does Revelation speak to us now? These can be single-spaced or double-spaced. At the end of this syllabus there is a sample background study from Mark's Gospel. Due Friday November % Exegetical Research Paper. Do either this paper, or the ten studies above, not both. Pick a text from Revelation, research enough to find out what commentators agree on in your text, and what the problems are. This is a good paper in which to explore some debated aspect of Revelation, or a section you have grappled with for some reason. Explain the passage as you understand it. It is appropriate to suggest an application of your text, but not before the last paragraph or two. Write ten to twelve pages of double-spaced text, in Turabian 7th edition format (which permits both the notes-bibliographic style of citation, and parenthetical-reference list style citations). Do not take more than one page to get to the core of your text or issue. Imagine that you are writing to a fellow student, one who is taking the course with you, but knows little about the matter you are researching. Due Friday November % CLASS SCHEDULE Sept 12 Unit 1 Revelation 1 -- Prologue and Opening Vision Sept 17 Unit 2 Rev Messages to the Seven Churches - Apocalyptic Reading due Friday Sept 21. Sept 24 Unit 3 Rev Throne Room Vision Oct 1 Unit 4 Rev Seven Seals - First Revelation Readings Journal due Friday Oct 5. 4

5 Oct 8 Unit 5 Rev 8:1-11:18 -- Seven Trumpets Oct 15 Unit 6 Rev 11:19-14:5 -- The Deeper Conflict Oct 22 Unit 7 Rev 14:6-16:21 -- Conflict Ends; Bowl Judgments - Wilcock Summaries due Friday Oct 26. Oct 29 Unit 8 Rev 'Symbols', the Harlot, and the Beast Nov 5 Unit 9 Rev 18:1-20:6 -- The Harlot and the Beast (Conclusion) - Second Revelation Readings Journal due Friday Nov 9. Nov 12 No class Nov 19 Unit 10 Rev 20: New Heaven and Earth; Epilogue - Ten Studies or Research Paper due Friday Nov 23. BIBLIOGRAPHY Aune, David E. Revelation 1-5. Word Biblical Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Revelation Word Biblical Commentary. Nashville, Thomas Nelson, Revelation Word Biblical Commentary. Nashville, Thomas Nelson, Bauckham, Richard. The Fate of the Dead: Studies on the Jewish and Christian Apocalypses. NovTSup 3. Leiden: Brill, The Theology of the Book of Revelation. New Testament Theology. Cambridge: CUP, Beale, G. K. The Book of Revelation. The New International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, Beasley-Murray, G. R. Revelation. NCBC. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,

6 . Revelation. In Dictionary of the Later New Testament and its Developments. Ed. Ralph P. Martin and Peter H. Davids Downers Grove: IVP, Buchanan, George Wesley. The Book of Revelation: Its Introduction and Prophecy. Mellen Commentary Series 22. Lewiston: Mellen, Caird, G. B. The Revelation of St. John the Divine. Harper s New Testament Commentaries Reprint: Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, Charles, R. H. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Revelation of St. John, 2 volumes. International Critical Commentary. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, Collins, Adela Yarbro. Crisis and Catharsis: The Power of the Apocalypses. Philadelphia: Fortress, Collins, John J. The Apocalyptic Imagination. New York: Crossroad, Cullmann, Oscar. Christ and Time, rev. ed. Trans. Floyd V. Filson. Philadelphia: Westminster, Ford, J. Massyngberde. Revelation. The Anchor Bible. New York: Doubleday, Gilmour, Michael J. An Outsider s Notes on the Jehovah s Witnesses Revelation: Its Grand Climax at Hand!. Journal of Religion and Society 8 (2006): [ Delighting in the Sufferings of Others: Early Christian Schadenfreude and the Function of the Apocalypse of Peter. Bulletin for Biblical Research 16.1 (2006): Hanson, Paul D. The Dawn of Apocalyptic: The Historical and Sociological Roots of Jewish Apocalyptic Eschatology. Rev. ed. Philadelphia: Fortress, "Apocalypse, Genre" and "Apocalypticism." Pages in Supplementary Volume of The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible. Edited by Keith Crim. Nashville: Abingdon, Hanson, Grayson, Collins, and Collins. "Apocalypses and Apocalypticism." Pages in vol. 1 of The Anchor Bible Dictionary. Edited by Noel Freedman. 6 vols. New York: Doubleday,

7 Harrington, Wilfrid J. Revelation. Sacra Pagina 16. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, Himmelfarb, Martha. Tours of Hell: An Apocalyptic Form in Jewish and Christian Literature. Philadelphia: Fortress, Keener, Craig S. Revelation. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Kiddle, Martin. The Revelation of St. John. Moffat New Testament Commentary. London: Hodder and Stoughton, Kirsch, Jonathan. A History of the End of the World: How the Most Controversial Book in the Bible Changed the Course of Western Civilization. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, Ladd, George Eldon. A Commentary on the Revelation of John. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, "Apocalyptic Literature." Pages in vol. 1 of The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Edited by Geoffrey Bromiley. 4 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, Lupieri, Edmondo F. A Commentary on the Apocalypse of John. Trans. Maria Poggi Johnson and Adam Kamesar. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, MacKenzie, Robert K. The Author of the Apocalypse: A Review of the Prevailing Hypothesis of Jewish-Christian Authorship. Mellen Biblical Press Series 51. Lewiston: Mellen, Metzger, Bruce M. Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation. Nashville: Abingdon, Michaels, J. Ramsey. Interpreting the Book of Revelation. Guides to New Testament Exegesis. Grand Rapids: Baker, Minear, Paul S. New Testament Apocalyptic. Nashville: Abingdon, Morris, Leon. Apocalyptic. Eerdmans,

8 Mounce, Robert H. The Book of Revelation. Rev. ed. NICNT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Pippin, Tina. Death and Desire: The Rhetoric of Gender in the Apocalypse of John. Louisville: Westminster, The Revelation of John. In Search the Scriptures: A Feminist Commentary, ed. Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza New York: Crossroad, Rowland, Christopher C. The Open Heaven: A Study of Apocalyptic in Judaism and Early Christianity I. London: SPCK, Revelation. Epworth Commentaries. London: Epworth, Rowley, H. H. The Relevance of Apocalyptic: A Study of Jewish and Christian Apocalypses from Daniel to the Revelation, rev. ed. London: Lutterworth, Russell, D. S. Divine Disclosure: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic. Minneapolis: Fortress, The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic. Philadelphia: Westminster, Schüssler Fiorenza, Elisabeth. Revelation: Vision of a Just World. Proclamation. Philadelphia: Fortress, Swete, Henry Barclay. Commentary on Revelation. London: Macmillan, 1911; Kregel reprint: Walvoord, John F. The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Chicago: Moody Press, Wilcock, Michael. The Message of Revelation. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity,

9 Sample Background Study Text Mark 12:28-34: Jesus gives the Two Great Commands One sentence summary: Jesus taught that not one command but two commands are over all the others: love God without reservation, and love people as ourselves. Observations: This paragraph records a conversation between Jesus and a law teacher. Before this paragraph, different Jewish leaders in the Jerusalem temple (11:27) asked Jesus questions to trick him, or get him in trouble. At first it seems this will be the same, but it is not. The law teacher asked a short question: which is the most important commandment? Jesus answered the man's question, saying that the most important command is to love God will all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength. But Jesus was not satisfied to just to answer that question. The one question with its answer apparently seemed incomplete to Jesus. He added another like it, to love ones neighbour as ones self. The law teacher agreed completely, and then he restated what Jesus had said, adding to what Jesus had said, but he does not seem to change anything important. Mark records his entire answer, so it must be important that the two commands each get stated again. The section ends with Jesus saying that the man was not far from the kingdom, and Mark s comment that no one dared ask Jesus questions after this. Audience: The audience in the Temple were all Jews. I assume that "which command is the most important" was something Jews debated. The disciples and the Jews would have heard which part of Moses' Law was most important. I think they would have been surprised that the greatest command was really two commands, not just one. Maybe they would also have been surprised that two "love" commands were the center of Moses' law, but maybe not. Mark's Gospel was probably written to Gentiles, and Gentile believers would get something different from this. They were not asking which of Moses' commands were most important. They wanted to know what Jesus thought was most important. From this section, Gentile readers would learn what Jesus thought was most important, and they would also learn that by loving God and loving people they were obeying the most important parts of Moses' law. My Church: Preachers call believers to do many different things. There are many voices out there, too many. It is good to hear what is the most important. These two commands of Jesus tell all believers what is most important. We all know that loving God is important, but we hear all kinds of ways to do that. The most important way to love God is to love ones neighbour. How we treat the person next to us is the center of loving God with all we have. But don t get rid of the first command, which is to love God with all we have. These two summarize what Moses Law commanded, and they also summarize what Jesus commanded. These two are the center. It is always safe to come back to these two, and hold them up. These are the ruling pair.