The Book of Revelation

[Holly3278]

How does one interpret The Book of Revelation? It contains a lot of imagery and I think that most of it, if not all of it, is symbolic. Is the Book of Revelation about the end times or what?

 

[JRKH]

Frankly - I don’t interpret the book of Revelation…

Like many - I tried to many years ago…Looked into some of it…but it did not last long…

I figure that most of it has probably already come to pass, and what hasn’t - oh well …It doesn’t change how I am to live my life…

Peace
James

 

[COPLAND_3]

The book can be interpreted in more than one way, but it does have an application for end times. Like the old saying, history repeats itself. That is true about many prophecies, that can be taken as multiple fulfillments. Throughout the book of Revelation you will see symbols paralleling things that have already happened in history, but those same things will ultimately be fulfilled during the time of the Antichrist.

Below is a link to the Aquinas Study Bible in which are some wonderful commentaries on Revelation, ancient commentaries as well as some more modern. You will find that commentators on Revelation have been able to apply various interpretations, such as taking a Christological, Eucharistic, Ecclesiatical, Futuristic, and Historical aproaches. It is good to enjoy these different approaches rather than limit yourself to one approach alone because there is much to be gleaned from them as long as it is within the frame of a sound Catholic school of thought.

 

[JonathonofOhio]

How does one interpret The Book of Revelation? It contains a lot of imagery and I think that most of it, if not all of it, is symbolic. Is the Book of Revelation about the end times or what?

It is an exposition of the faith written in the apocalyptic literary style. It is almost all imagery and symbolism, and it is written with the intention of actually painting a series of images in the readers mind. If you have ever heard of the saying, “a picture paints a thousand words” then you will know that any given image can have multiple meanings, and they can all be correct.

A person can only properly interpret the Book of Revelation if they first learn and research what the meaning is behind the symbols, numbers (Jewish numerology), and imagery. In some cases, where the reader might not understand, the author, John, indicates what the meaning is. Unfortunately for us, some of the symbolism and imagery used is difficult to understand since the meaning of those have been lost to history. However, we can understand quite a large portion of it.

The book deals with past events, present events (during the time the author lived), what the Church believes and teaches, and some prophecy (future events) pertaining to the 2nd coming of Christ. Believe it or not, the book almost didn’t make it into the bible.

 

[TimothyH]

How does one interpret The Book of Revelation? It contains a lot of imagery and I think that most of it, if not all of it, is symbolic. Is the Book of Revelation about the end times or what?

You have to have read and understand everything that comes before it. It’s at the end of the Bible for a reason.

The Bible is a story. When you read and understand the story, you will undersand the end. A good overview study of the Bible helps, like Jeff Cavins’ “Bible Timeline”.

-Tim-

 

[M-Dent]

How does one interpret The Book of Revelation? It contains a lot of imagery and I think that most of it, if not all of it, is symbolic. Is the Book of Revelation about the end times or what?

I thought I’d add a few links that are well worth the read.

Here are two of Pope Benedict XVI’s simple yet rich reflections on the Book of Revelation - General Audience found here and Homily found here

THE HOLY SPIRIT, INTERPRETER OF SCRIPTURE

109 In Sacred Scripture, God speaks to man in a human way. To interpret Scripture correctly, the reader must be attentive to what the human authors truly wanted to affirm, and to what God wanted to reveal to us by their words.

110 In order to discover the sacred authors’ intention, the reader must take into account the conditions of their time and culture, the literary genres in use at that time, and the modes of feeling, speaking and narrating then current. “For the fact is that truth is differently presented and expressed in the various types of historical writing, in prophetical and poetical texts, and in other forms of literary expression.”

111 But since Sacred Scripture is inspired, there is another and no less important principle of correct interpretation, without which Scripture would remain a dead letter. “Sacred Scripture must be read and interpreted in the light of the same Spirit by whom it was written.”

Catechism
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p1s1c2a3.htm

 

[tabycat]

From what I’ve read and studied (which isn’t much) the Book of Revelation is both history and prophicy. Much, if not most, of it has come to pass by the end of the first century AD. I mainly gave up studing it because I was getting to confused with it. :bowdown::banghead:

 

[nagyszakall]

First of all, read it. The best way to do that is reading from beginning to end. (It is essential that you are familiar with the Old Testament [as well as the rest of the NT], as Revelation is loaded with OT allusions.)

Among the commentaries I read on Revelation, Eugenio Corsini’s “Apocalisse prima e dopo”, (in English “The Apocalypse: The Perennial Revelation of Jesus Christ” ISBN-10: 089453310X ISBN-13: 978-0894533105) has been the most helpful to me.

There is a book by Scott Hahn, titled “The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth” (ISBN-10: 0385496591 ISBN-13: 978-0385496599), which is also helpful in getting an insight into the imagery of the Book of Revelation.

To me it seems that Revelation in Scripture is like Eastern Iconography in Art. Instead of you looking at it, it looks at you. That is why the tenses are confusing and you always wonder whether it is talking about past present or future. Remember, that time is a limitation we have here on earth, but God is not limited by anything.