Kregel continues to build up the series Through Old Testament Eyes. This time, a well-known Old Testament scholar (Tremper Longman III), deals with such a difficult yet fascinating New Testament book: Revelation.
Though there is no consensus on the exact references to the Old Testament found in the book of Revelation, scholars conclude that allusions to the Old Testament are persistent throughout the book of Revelation. And because of that, a deep knowledge on the Old Testament literature becomes imperative when it comes to study the book of Revelation. But with Longman writing, everything is under control.
First things first, Longman begins by presenting an Introduction and Main Theme of the Book of Revelation. Our author does not endorses the idea that the Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation. Longman alludes to linguistic differences between the Gospel of John and the book of Revelation to rule out the Apostle John as the author of the last book of the Bible. In fact, he concludes that “No one knows for sure” (p.15) who wrote this book. Longman dates the book of Revelation at the end of the first century, and states that the main theme of the book is this: “despite present trouble, God is in control, and he will have the final victory” (p. 19).
The book is structured in four different sections:
- Running commentary, which contains the commentary verse by verse.
- Through Old Testament Eyes, providing additional information from the Old Testament perspective on certain verses in the book of Revelation.
- What the Structure Means, in which the author deals with structural issues in the book of Revelation.
- Going deeper, providing insightful explanation on certain sections in the book of Revelation.
This commentary is not a technical one, which is a point in its favor because it makes it accessible not only to scholars but also to reader with zero knowledge of Greek, meaning the rest of us. With that being said, this book is highly recommended for pastors and church leaders in charge of Bible study groups or ministries, seminary students, lay individuals, and anyone desiring to grow more about the relationship between the book of Revelation and the Old Testament.
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I received a copy of this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255I received a copy of this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255