The Revelation
to John, also known as the Apocalypse (from the Greek, "revelation")
was written about 95 AD by an otherwise unknown Christian named John.
Revelation is a puzzling book, because the meanings of many of its
ancient literary symbols are unknown to us. Bizarre, simplistic interpretations
continue to be offered by perennial zealots obsessed with Satan and the end of
the world. More credibly, biblical scholars inform us that conditions for
Christians in the Roman Empire of the late first century were worsening; the
book was written to prepare and encourage Christians of that time, who were
experiencing persecution, for an impending, final intervention by God in human
history. The expected intervention did not occur, and not all early Christians
accepted Revelation as Holy Scripture. Nonetheless, the concluding book
of the New Testament continues to be of value, because of its extraordinary
allegorical qualities, for its portrayal of a historical Christian crisis, for
its inspired dramatization of the struggle against evil, and for its visions of
God and his ultimate embrace of righteous people.