book of revelation

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Hi,
I am new to Catholic Answers but am very excited to be here. I am currently taking my religion specialist course, which is a course for Catholic school teachers, here in Ontario Canada. I am researching and putting together a presentation on the Book of Revelation. With the info. I am reading, I am getting more and more confused. Can anyone help?
 
The Sacra Pagina series of New Testament commentary is quite readable, but does go into some depth. It is edited by Daniel Harrington, SJ, and is written from a Catholic point of view. Paperback copies are around $18USD, and the hardbacks around $50USD. The books are good enough that I get the hardbacks. Besides, the margins are bigger if I take notes.
 
Always keep in mind the Church’s approach to Scripture. It is always to be taken as a whole, with the literal and spiritual senses, cultural context of the time, language of the time, as it was used, the Church’s constant teaching of the faith in mind, and the same Spirit that guided the writers guiding you.

Revelation is full of imagery. It also has allegory. But they all illustrate important points. For example, when it talks about a “lamb with seven horns and seven eyes” it’s really talking about Jesus (the Lamb) Who is all powerful (seven is the number of heavenly perfection and “horns” refer to powerful, therefore Jesus, Who is God, is powerful in a perfect way - we say “all powerful”). The seven eyes refer to God’s all seeing, all knowing.

When you see the term “lamp stand” it refers to the Chruch, or local churches within the Church.

Also, keep in mind that many of these truths which are so presented apply, not just to the era when they are written. They are transcendent and apply to today, too. 🙂
 
COPLAND_3 said:
I have written a commentary on Revelation and I am in the process of putting together a second volume that explains the book of Revelation in chronological order. My commentary is freely online and I am willing to help you in any way I can if you like. here is my commentary litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Commentary+on+Revelation+by+John+Litteral

You can contact me anytime here litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Contact+me
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Thanks for the link. Good Catholic commentaries are sometimes difficult to come by without spending a king’s ransom.
 
My thanks, to all of you who replied to “the book of revelation”. You have given me helpful information as to where to go from here.

Have a great day,
mnab
 
mnab said:
Hi,
I am new to Catholic Answers but am very excited to be here. I am currently taking my religion specialist course, which is a course for Catholic school teachers, here in Ontario Canada. I am researching and putting together a presentation on the Book of Revelation. With the info. I am reading, I am getting more and more confused. Can anyone help?
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I don’t think the book of Revelation is for us to read or understand, its for the Pope and other higher up people. You should leave it and read the gospel of John.
 
as something you can read in a week, reading prayerfully and slowly, my best first choice would be the Lamb’s Supper by Scott Hahn which gets at the heart of Revelation of John as a description of the heavenly banquet. With that as your starting point for one very important and relevant aspect on which to base your presentation you should be very well off. there are two more good deeper studies, but I am packed up to move and can’t dig them out at the moment.
 
Cashue said:
I don’t think the book of Revelation is for us to read or understand, its for the Pope and other higher up people. You should leave it and read the gospel of John.
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No, that sounds like something like one of the errors that I hear from many of the last generation Catholics who discouraged reading Scripture. The book of Revelation itself says, “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” Rev. 1:3
 
mnab said:
Hi,
I am new to Catholic Answers but am very excited to be here. I am currently taking my religion specialist course, which is a course for Catholic school teachers, here in Ontario Canada. I am researching and putting together a presentation on the Book of Revelation. With the info. I am reading, I am getting more and more confused. Can anyone help?
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Personally; I wouldn’t dare presume that making a presentation on the Book of the Apocalypse/Revelation is an easy one at best.

Is it enough just to interpret the literal translation of Holy Scriptures we see inked on the pages of the Holy Bible? I certainly don’t believe it’s all that simple and self-explanatory.

Hidden inside holy scripture beyond literal translation is a mystical meaning, particularly if one hones in on the words spoken by Jesus Christ we see inked in red in some Catholic bibles. The Holy Spirit moves and teaches the human heart and soul as it wills when it sees a humble human soul open to receive more profound interpretation.

Biblical scholars and the great Saints and Doctors of the Catholic Church know this. When I read from the Holy Bible I try to place my heart in a humble disposition like a little child.

When trying to understand the Book of the Apocalypse/Revelation with the humble mind of a child we have to chew on pablum before we can digest more profound understanding.

Saint John of the Cross wrote a beautiful paradox about the human souls understanding and knowledge about all matters concerning God.
If you want to possess all knowledge, You must first go by the way whereby you possess NO knowledge at all.
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I think this captures the right humble disposition concerning understanding and possessing knowledge about God even in mystical matters which often takes a human soul in love with God beyond literal comprehension.

And because I’m just a kindergarten student when it comes to learning about the beauty and understanding of Holy Scripture, one has to start in kindergarten.

This online Catholic Biblical Concordance is one of my favorite.
New Testament: haydock1859.tripod.com/
Old Testament: haydock1859.tripod.com/id330.html
 
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