. . Something was at hand that has to do with kairos time. All translation loses meaning. [emphasis added]4, Translators have to ask themselves, What am I going to do with ambiguity? If the Greek or Hebrew isnt clear, when it can mean several different things, what am I going to do? Many things largely described by the prophets are here summarily repeated; and frequently in the same words.To them we may then usefully have recourse. The general sense is, that they were to be regarded as highly favored who became acquainted in any way with what is here communicated. Copyright © 2020, Bible Study Tools. The writer does not say that they were blessed who understood it, or that they who read or heard it would fully understand it; but it is clearly implied, that there would be so far an understanding of its meaning as to make it a felicitous condition to have been made acquainted with it. In this book our Lord has comprised what was wanting in thoseprophecies touching the time which followed his ascension and the end of the Jewish polity. The word "prophecy" is used here in its more strict sense as denoting the disclosure of future events - a large portion of the book being of this nature. All rights reserved. The blessing which results from having in possession the revealed truth of God is not merely in reading it, or in hearing it: it results from the fact that the truth is properly regarded, and exerts a suitable influence over our lives. . John testifies that what he saw was a message from and about Jesus Christ. 2 Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of Messiah, rev ed. The next great era of Gods redemptive history is near.12, This creates a contradiction within [moderate] preterism. Rev. Compare Psalm 19:11; "And in keeping of them there is great reward. [and concerns] the Lords return., Some interval, however, is presupposed between the vision and its fulfillment, otherwise it would be futile to write the visions down, and to arrange for their circulation throughout the churches. But over the long haul it is problematic to rely on a dynamic equivalency translation for studyyou simply do not know when you are looking at a detail which is not there in the original. It may be inferred from this verse, that it is possible so to "understand" this book, as that it may convey useful instruction. Blessed is he that readeth - This is to be understood of the happiness or security of the persons who, reading and hearing the prophecies of those things which were to come to pass shortly, took proper measures to escape from the impending evils.The time is at hand - Either in which they shall be all fulfilled, or begin to be fulfilled. Of consequence, it contains many particulars not revealed in any other part of scripture. 4 William D. Mounce, Greek for the Rest of Us (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003), 30. The book itself is written in the most accurate manner possible. So Robinson (Lexicon) understands it. and at the same time hold that Rev. . Christ came at just the right moment. All rights reserved. We use a concordance or computer search to find all the occurrences of the word Israel in the NT. The KJV, NASB, RSV, and ESV generally answer that question, Leave it alone. 15 Kenneth L. Gentry and Thomas Ice, The Great Tribulation: Past or Future? Luthers comments underscore the need for a consistently literal interpretation of this … They have therefore little gratitude to God for such a revelation, reserved for the exaltation of Christ, who boldly reject whatever they find here which was not revealed, or not so clearly, in other parts of scripture. An author could not be supposed to say that one should regard his condition as a favored one who merely heard words that he could not understand, or who had placed before him magnificent symbols that had to him no meaning. A blessing be on the reader, and on those who give ear to the prophet's words, and keep the things which he has put in the book: for the time is near. Many things, likewise, his Spirit foretold in the writings of the apostles, so far as the necessities of those times required: now he comprises them all in one short book; therein presupposing all the other prophecies, and at the same time explaining, continuing, and perfecting them in one thread. Yet in the Greek below this verse, the word Israel (Ισραηλ [Israēl] ) never appears! Blessed is he that readeth - That is, it is to be regarded as a privilege attended with many blessings, to be permitted to mark the disclosures to be made in this book; the important revelations respecting future times. Commendation of the book, which, to those who receive and keep it, may be a source of blessedness in the near impending and decisive time. Yet the Revelation suffices for the explaining itself, even if we do not yet understand those prophecies; yea, it casts much light upon them.Frequently, likewise, where there is a resemblance between them, there is a difference also; the Revelation, as it were, taking a stock from one of the old prophets, and inserting a new graft into it.