"This series reflects current interpretive ferment marked by growing resistance to the historical-critical project. It holds the promise of asking interpretive questions that are deeply grounded in the primal claims of faith." Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary. This commentary, like each in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible, is designed to serve the church through aid in preaching, teaching, study groups, and so forth and demonstrate the continuing intellectual and practical viability of theological interpretation of Scripture. In this addition to the series, Joseph Mangina offers a constructive ecclesiology for the role and mission of the church in the twenty-first century formed by a close examination of Revelation. The general editor for the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible is R. R. Reno (Creighton University). Series editors include Robert W. Jenson (Center of Theological Inquiry); Robert Louis Wilken (University of Virginia); Ephraim Radner (Wycliffe College, University of Toronto); Michael Root (Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary); and George Sumner (Wycliffe College, University of Toronto).

This is a revision of Robert Mounce's original entry on the book of Revelation and reflects more than twenty additional years of mature thought and the latest in scholarship.
When first published, this volume on Revelation by Robert H. Mounce was widely praised as a standard commentary on the Apocalypse. In this new edition, now based on the text of the NIV and Nestle-Aland, Mounce has revised and expanded his work to reflect more than twenty additional years of mature thought on Revelation and to bring his work up to date with the latest scholarship. As in the original edition, Mounce here engages seriously with the various approaches to interpretation and with the conventions common to apocalyptic literature. In affirming more directly his own reading of the Apocalypse, Mounce steers a middle course between an extreme literalism and a highly imaginative subjectivism, believing this to be the way the ancient text spoke to the first-century churches to whom it was addressed - and the way it still speaks to us today.

The Book of Revelation is a work of profound theology. But its literary form makes it impenetrable to many modern readers and open to all kinds of misinterpretations.
Richard Bauckham explains how the book's imagery conveyed meaning in its original context and how the book's theology is inseparable from its literary structure and composition. Revelation is seen to offer not an esoteric and encoded forecast of historical events but rather a theocentric vision of the coming of God's universal kingdom, contextualised in the late first-century world dominated by Roman power and ideology. It calls on Christians to confront the political idolatries of the time and to participate in God's purpose of gathering all the nations into his kingdom. Once Revelation is properly grounded in its original context it is seen to transcend that context and speak to the contemporary church. This study concludes by highlighting Revelation's continuing relevance for today.

Revelation is probably the most read, but least understood book of the Bible. History is replete with examples of how not to interpret it, and books featuring end-of-world prophecy claims based on Revelation consistently top the bestseller lists. But how can the message of such an enigmatic book be applied to our lives today? In Discipleship on the Edge, Darrell W. Johnson drives home the challenging and practical message of Revelation in thirty carefully crafted sermons. Paying careful attention to the original context of Revelation and the circumstances surrounding its composition, Johnson shows that the book is not a "crystal ball" but rather a "discipleship manual." Thoroughly researched and yet accessible, this collection of sermons is a helpful resource for pastors and small group leaders who are looking for models to help them preach and teach the message of Revelation in a time when there is much confusion about the end times. Darrell W. Johnson is Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A popular conference and retreat speaker, he has also served as the preaching pastor for a number of congregations in North America and the Philippines, as well as serving as Adjunct Professor of Preaching for the Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. His other books include Experiencing the Trinity and Spurgeon on Preaching.

From the Preface: There are indeed few books in the Bible where the modern student does not need deft guidance if reading is to prove profitable. In the case of the Book of Revelation that need becomes absolutely essential. When the average student takes up this book, almost without exception the going is tough, the language baffling, the sense of profit minimal. This situation represents a curious reversal, for in earlier centuries no other part of Scripture so greatly intrigued the imagination of Christendom or so greatly fascinated its painters and musicians .... The book at hand is designed to restore the Apocalypse to its rightful place in Christian thinking. The title asserts a continuing conviction: John as a prophet actually saw a new earth. The ordinary ways of perceiving reality had been radically altered by his faith in Christ.... Even moderns., in their traffic with the earth, have accessible a greater diversity of visions than they suppose. The ancient prophet may still have power to enable us to see a new earth. Such at least is the premise that prompted the publication of this book.