John and His Bible

Barnhart, Philip Gregory

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John and His Bible:

Exegetical Worksheets for the Johannine Literature

MBShepherd

Instructions: Look up and read all Scripture references. Search for similar word usage, verbal linkage, intertextuality, etc. Respond to each item, whether or not there is an explicit question. Make your own observations and raise your own questions. Feel free to add notes from class as long as you distinguish them from your own work.

Johannine Literature within the NT Canon

1. What, if any, significance is there to the distribution and placement of the literature associated with John among the other documents of the NT: Synoptics-John-Acts-Paul-Hebrews-James-1–2 Peter-1–3 John-Jude-Revelation? (LOOK at NT 4 notes on google docs)

The Beloved Disciple (Read John 21:20–25)

1. Who is the beloved disciple (John 21:20–25; see John 13:23, 25; 19:26, 27; 20:2; cf., 2 John 1; 3 John 1; Rev 1:1)?

2. Note the third-person reference to the disciple in John 21:24 (cf., John 19:35). Who is “we” in John 21:24 (cf., John 3:11; 1 John 1:1–4; 5:18–21; 3 John 12)? Who is “I” in John 21:25?

The Purpose Statement of John’s Gospel

1. Why is it important for the reader to understand that John has selected signs from a much larger number that Jesus performed (John 20:30; see John 21:25)?

2. What is John’s purpose in writing the signs found within his book (John 20:31)? For Greek students, what difference is there between the aorist subjunctive and the present subjunctive of the verb translated “believe”? In the content clause, is “Jesus” or “the Christ” the grammatical subject? How do you know? What difference does it make? Read D. A. Carson, “Syntactical and Text-Critical Observations on John 20:30–31: One More Round on the Purpose of the Fourth Gospel,” JBL 124 (2005): 693–714 (Canvas).

The Prologue of John’s Gospel (Read John 1:1–18)

1. To what text of the Hebrew Bible does the opening phrase (“In [the] beginning”) allude (John 1:1; cf., John 17:5, 24; 1 John 1:1–2)? See Prov 8:22–31; Sir 24 (see also Tg. Neof. Gen 1:1). Why does John use “the Word” (cf., John 1:14; Rev 19:13; see Ps. 33:6)? See Tg. Neof. Gen 1:3 (“And the word [memra] of the Lord said . . .”). Compare and contrast the following two translations of the last clause of John 1:1: (1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (RSV); (2) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god” (NWT). For Greek students, what is Colwell’s Rule and how does it apply here?

1 Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος,

καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν,

καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.

2 οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν.

3 πάντα διʼ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο,

αὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν

ὃ γέγονεν 4 ἐν1 αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν

καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων·

5 καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει,

καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν.

Answer: (Check out Gen. 1:1 Gen 4:1; Dt. 32:6; Jer. 10:12; 51:15; Prov. 1:20-33; 3:13-20; 8:22-31)

The Word here is both Christ personified (Matthew 11:19; 1 Cor. 1:24, 30; Col. 1:15-20) and also referring to the wisdom that is the Torah (Dt. 4:6). They are not mutually exclusive.

Definite predicate nominatives, when preceding a linking verb, is without the article 87% of the time. This helps us because it affirms that Christ Jesus is a deity and not just “Divine”. He is God just as much as the Father and the Spirit.

Look at page 6-7 in the RED COMMENTARY

The correct interpretation is the fact that the gift of eternal life is now coming through him.

2. Compare and contrast the following two translations of John 1:3b–4a: (1) “and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life” (RSV); (2) “and without him was not anything made. That which has been made was life in him” (RSV margin). For John 1:3a, see 1 Cor 8:6; Col 1:16–17; Heb 1:2. For John 1:4b–5a, see Isa 2:5; 9:2; 42:6–7, 16; 49:6, 9; 50:10; 60:1-3; Pss. 36:9; 119:105; John 5:26; 8:12; 12:46; 1 John 5:11–12, 20. For John 1:5b, see John 12:35 (see also John 1:10, 11; 3:11, 19, 32; 17:25).

Answer: Jesus declares himself to be the light of the world, he is saying that the light comes through him, similarly that was prophesied back in Isaiah. Just as life comes through him, for eternal life comes through faith in the Son of God.

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3. For John 1:6–8, see John 1:15, 19ff; 5:33. Compare and contrast the following two translations of John 1:9: (1) “The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world” (RSV); (2) “He was the true light that enlightens everyone coming into the world” (NRSV margin). See John 6:14; 11:27. See also 1 John 2:8.

Answer: John 6:14 makes it clear that it is specifically the Christ that is coming into the world. Also in John 11:27 the message about him and his acts is now permeating the fact that he is coming into the world. The true light of Christ is already shining as John wrote in his letter. He made it clear that the light that was prophesied about back in Isaiah, has now come and is to be accepted by faith to get out of the darkness and receive eternal life.

4. For John 1:12, see Hos 1:10; 2:23; Rom 9:25–26, 32; Gal 3:26. For John 1:13, see John 3:3, 5, 6; Rom 9:16; Tit 3:5; 1 Pet 1:23; 1 John 3:9; 4:7, 10; 5:18.

Answer: Hosea 1:10 is a direct correlation to the Gentiles being called the children of God here in verse 12. We see in Amos 9:12 (Hos. 3:5), the simple fact that all nations will be welcomed as children of God, as is one of the themes of the book of Hosea, and also rehearsed before the Jerusalem council by James in Acts 15:17. Additionally, we see in Joel 2:28-29 the same idea and also mentioned in Galatians 3:26-28.

When he says “not of bloods” he is saying not by birth are they called children of God. This points back to Leviticus 12 when it refers to dayim that is spilt in birth.

5. For John 1:14, see Gen 9:27; Exod 29:45–46; 40:34; Zeph 3:14–15; Zech 2:10-11; 9:9; Luke 9:32; John 2:11; Rev 21:3, 22. See also Exod 33:17–34:7. Note how some translations (e.g., KJV, ASV) have “only begotten,” while others (e.g., ESV, NET) have “only.” Why? Check commentaries.[1]

Answer: Christ himself coming in the flesh, tenting or tabernacling among us, as God did in the OT with the people of Israel. God has a desire to dwell among his people as all of the above verses make note of. God is now among the people, just as it was prophesied back in Zephaniah and Zechariah. At the end of Zephaniah we see it drawing in messianic prophecies from Genesis 49 and Psalm 72. We see that a king is coming to them that is perfect, and yet afflicted and he will speak peace to the nations. This is the Messiah, and he is here in John 1:14. One day we will dwell with God forever, there is still a lot more of the prophecy from the Hebrew Bible to be fulfilled for Christ has yet to come back and create the new heavens and new earth where we will dwell with God without sin and death forever. There will be no temple for the Lord God almighty, and there Christ will dwell bodily (Rev. 21:3,22).

Some have “only-begotten” and some have just have “only” because either (1) grammar, (2) usage, and (3) theology. Some argue that the monogenes only has one nun and the verb for beget has 2 nuns. However, they are cognate terms. Gen is the root of all of these. So, we ought to say that because “gen” is the root, then we ought to recognize this as “only-begotten”.

6. Explain John’s statement in John 1:15: “The one who is coming after me is before me, because he was prior to me.” Cf., Luke 1–2.

7. For John 1:16, see Eph 1:23; Col 2:10. Note the different translations of the last phrase: “grace for grace” (KJV, ASV); “one blessing after another” (TEV, NIV); “one gracious gift after another” (NET); “grace upon grace” (NRSV, ESV). How does John 1:17 explain this phrase? Is John 1:17 a contrast in your translation? What is “the law”? See John 5:46–47. For John 1:18, see Exod 33:20; John 6:46; 12:45; 14:9; 1 John 4:12. See also Luke 16:22; John 13:23. There are four different readings for John 1:18: (1) “only (or, only begotten) God”; (2) “the only (or, only begotten) Son”; (3) “only (or, only begotten) Son of God”; or (4) “the only (or, only begotten).” Can you decide? What does it mean that this only or only begotten one has “exegeted” God (John 12:44–45; 14:9)?

The Book of Signs (John 1:19–12:50)

The Prophet like Elijah (Read John 1:19–34)

1. For John 1:19, see Matt 3:1–12; Mark 1:2–8; Luke 3:15–17. For John 1:20, see John 3:22–30. Why does it say that John did not deny?

2. Why do the priests and Levites ask John in John 1:21 if he is Elijah (see Mal 3:1; 4:5; Matt 11:14; 17:11–13; Mark 9:13)? Why does John deny this? Who is “the prophet” (see Deut 18:15, 18; 34:10; John 6:14; 7:40; Acts 3:22; 7:37)?

3. John identifies himself as the voice in Isa 40:3 (John 1:23). The wording of the citation here comes from the LXX. How does this differ from the MT (your English translation of Isa 40:3 is a translation of the MT)?

4. Note the clarification of John 1:19 in John 1:24. What does the question in John 1:25 reveal about the Jewish leaders’ understanding of the Christ, Elijah, and the prophet? Is this consistent with the NT authors’ understanding (see John 3:22; 4:1–2)?

5. Why does John point out Jesus as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, 36; see Gen 22:8, 13; 44:33; Exod 12; Lev 1–7; Isa 53:5, 7, 10; Ps 22; John 19:5, 24, 36)?

The First Disciples (Read John 1:35–51)

1. How do John 1:41 and John 1:45 relate to the purpose statement in John 20:30–31?

2. Why does Jesus refer to Nathaniel as an Israelite in whom there is no deceit (John 1:47; cf., Isa 53:9; Ps 32:2)?

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3. Compare John 1:48 to 1 Kgs 4:25; Mic 4:4; Zech 3:10.

4. See if you can work out the relationships among these three texts: Gen 28:12; John 1:51; 1 Pet 1:12.

The First Two Signs (Read John 2)?

1. What is the purpose of signs in John (John 2:11; 4:54; see also John 5:1–18; 6:1–15, 16–21; 9; 11)? See John 20:30–31 (cf., Exod 4:1, 8, 9, 30, 31; 7:3–5; Num 14:11; John 2:23–25). How does the sign in John 2:1–12 fulfill that purpose (see Gen 49:8–12; Amos 9:11–15)?

2. Do you think that John 2:13–22 is one of the signs? Why or why not? Could this be similar to a prophetic sign act (cf., Ezek 4–5; 12; 21; 24)? Compare the placement of this account to Matt 21:12–13; Mark 11:15–17; Luke 19:45–46. Is this an event that occurred twice in Jesus’ life, or has John placed it up front for literary purposes (cf., Luke 4:16–30 [Matt 13:53–58; Mark 6:1–6])? What does the reference to John 2:19 in Matt 26:61; 27:40; Mark 14:58; 15:29; Acts 6:14 suggest about the historicity of the story?

3. What does John 2:23–25 suggest about the different uses of faith language in the Gospel?

Wordplay: Nicodemus and the Samaritan Woman (Read John 3:1–4:42)

1. How does Nicodemus understand Jesus’ response in John 3:3 (John 3:4)? How does Jesus correct him (John 3:5–8; see Ezek 36:25–27)?

2. Explain the reference to Num 21:9 in John 3:14 (see 2 Kgs 18:4).

3. Are verses 16–21 of chapter 3 part of Jesus’ words, or are they John’s comment (cf., vv. 22–30 and vv. 31–36)? Note the difference between the following two translations of John 3:16: (1) “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son . . .” (TEV); (2) “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son . . .” (HCSB). See Rom 5:8; 1 John 4:9–10. See also 1 John 2:2. Read and comment upon R. H. Gundry and R. W. Howell, “The Sense and Syntax of John 3:14–17 with Special Reference to the Use of ὅυτως . . . ὥστε in John 3:16,” NovT (1999): 24–39 (on Canvas).

4. Did Jesus baptize (John 3:22; see John 4:1–2)? What is happening in John 3:25–26?

5. Is John 3:31–36 another comment section (cf., John 3:16–21)?

6. For Samaria in John 4, see 2 Kgs 17; Luke 9:51–56.

7. How does the Samaritan woman understand Jesus’ words in John 4:10 (John 4:11–12)? How does Jesus correct her (John 4:13–14; cf., John 7:37–39)?

8. What is the woman referencing in John 4:20 (see the tenth commandment in the Samaritan Pentateuch and Deut 27:4)?

9. What is meant by the phrase “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23–24)?

10. Why does John depict Jesus saying, “I am” (see John 4:26; 6:20, 35, 41, 48, 51; 8:12, 58; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5; 18:5, 6, 8; see also Rev 1:4; etc.; cf., John 9:9)? Some of these have predicates, and some do not. For some that do not, it has been suggested that the meaning is, “I am who I claim to be.” What is the meaning of “I am who I am” in Exod 3:14 (see LXX; see also Exod 3:12)?

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Signs Three and Four (Read John 4:43–5:47)?

1. Is the sign in John 4:43–54 the second sign of the book or simply the second sign that took place in Cana (cf., John 2:1–12)? How does this sign and the one in John 5:1–18 help to fulfill the book’s purpose (John 20:30–31)?

2. Does your chapter 5 have a verse 4 (cf., [N]KJV)? What is happening here?

3. What sort of claim does Jesus make in John 5:17, and what is the nature of the response to it in John 5:18?

4. If Jesus is fully God and equal to the Father (John 5:17–18; 10:30), why does he make statements like the ones in John 5:19, 30; 6:38; 7:16; 8:28, 38; 14:10; 15:15 (see Isa 50:4)? See also John 16:13; 17:18

5. What are the witnesses to Jesus in John 5:31–47? How does John 5:39, 46 fit with John 20:31?

Signs Five and Six (Read John 6)?

1. Note how the sequencing of the feeding of the five thousand and the walking on the water in John 6:1–21 is the same as that found in Matt 14:13–27 and Mark 6:30–52. Read and comment upon James D. Dvorak, “The Relationship between John and the Synoptic Gospels,” JETS 41 (1998): 201–213 (on Canvas).

2. Do you think the walking on the water is one of the signs? Why or why not?

3. Note the connection between the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus’ claim to be the bread of life (John 6:22–51). What does it mean to eat Jesus’ flesh and drink his blood (John 6:52–59; see John 6:29, 40)?

4. Compare what Jesus says in John 6:33 with what he says in John 6:63. See the reference to the Spirit in Neh 9:20.

5. See also John 14:12, 15–31; 15:26–27; 16:4b–15.

The Feast of Tabernacles (Read John 7)

1. Read John 7.

2. What prompts Jesus to say what he says in John 7:37?

3. From whose belly does the living water flow in John 7:38, the believer’s (Isa 58:11; John 4:14) or Christ’s (1 Cor 10:4)?

4. Compare John 7:39 to Ezek 36:25–27 and John 3:5.

5. Does your translation for John 7:52 say “a prophet” or “the prophet”? What difference would this make?

6. Does your translation include John 7:53–8:11? Check the commentaries for discussion of this text-critical issue.

The Light of the World (Read John 8:12–59)

1. Read John 8:12–38.

2. For John 8:39, see Isa 63:16. What are the works of Abraham (see Gen 15:6; 26:5; John 6:29)?

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3. Why do the Jews respond to Jesus they way do in John 8:41 (see Matt 1:18–19)?

4. For John 8:44, see Gen 3:4; 1 John 3:8, 15.

5. What is the exegetical basis for Jesus’ statement in John 8:56 (see Gen 15:1–6)?

Sign 7 (Read John 9)?

1. In what way is the healing of the man born blind a sign that the Christ of the Hebrew Scriptures is the historical Jesus of Nazareth (John 20:30)?

2. Note the parallels between this chapter and John 5:1–18.

The Good Shepherd (Read John 10)

1. See 2 Sam 7; Jer 3:14–18; 23:1–6; Ezek 34; Mic 5; Zech 11; Ps 23.

2. What does Jesus mean when he says, “I have come that they might have life and might have it abundantly”? See John 3:16; 5:24; 10:28–29.

3. Who are the “other sheep” in John 10:16?

4. How would you describe Jesus’ argument from Ps 82:6 in John 10:34–36? Who are the people called “gods” in Psalm 82 (cf., Exod 21:6; 22:8)? Does he have good exegetical warrant for his response? How would you answer someone who might charge Jesus with illegitimate use of the psalm?

The Final Sign (Read John 11)

1. Elijah (1 Kgs 17), Elisha (2 Kgs 4), and Peter (Acts 9:36–43) brought people back to life. See Mark 5:35–43. What makes the raising of Lazarus a unique foreshadowing of Jesus’ resurrection? What is the difference between being brought back to life and being resurrected?

2. Note how this results in increasing opposition (John 11:45–57). Explain John’s understanding of Caiaphas’ words in John 11:49–51.

The “Triumphal” Entry (Read John 12)

1. Cmpare John’s account of the Triumphal Entry to the accounts in the Synoptic Gospels (Matt 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40).

2. Explain the citation of Ps 118 in John 12:13.

3. Explain the citation of Zech 9:9 in John 12:15 (see also Zeph 3:14; Zech. 2:10).

4. Does John 12:16 mean that texts like Ps 118 and Zech 9:9 could only be understood this way after Jesus’ resurrection (see Luke 24:25–27; John 1:45)?

5. What can the reader learn about first-century messianic beliefs from the crowd’s question in John 12:34? Specifically, what view of the son of man from Dan 7:13 does their question reflect?

6. Explain the citations from Isaiah in John 12:38, 40.

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The Book of Glory (John 13:1–20:31)

New Command (Read John 13)

1. Read John 13:1–20. How does John 13:15 explain Jesus’ action? Explain the citation in John 13:18.

2. Compare John 13:21–30 to the Synoptic parallels in Matt 26:20–25; Mark 14:17–21; Luke 22:21–23.

3. What is the context for the new command in John 13:31–35? How does this help the reader with 1 John 2:7–11? See 1 John 3:16. See also 1 Cor 14:22–25.

4. What follows the foretelling of Peter’s denial (John 13:36–38) in the Synoptics? Why do you think John does not have this? John later includes material related to Peter’s denial (John 21:15–19) that the Synoptics do not have.

The Farewell Discourse (Read John 14–16)

1. What does Jesus mean in John 14:1–4 when he says that he goes to prepare a place (see John 14:23)?

2. How does the exchange between Jesus and Thomas in John 14:5–14 relate to John 1:18 (see also John 20:24–29)?

3. What does John 14:12 mean?

4. Why does Jesus refer to the Spirit as “another” paraclete (John 14:16; see 1 John 2:1)?

5. What does Jesus mean when he says that the Spirit “will teach you all things and remind you of all things that I said to you” (John 14:26; cf., Jubilees32:24–25)?

6. John 15:1–17 depends upon several texts in the Hebrew Bible that use vine or vineyard imagery. Spend some time with the following texts, and then read John 15 in light of them: Isa 5:1–7; 27:2–6; Ezek 15; Hos 10:1; Ps 80:8; Matt 21:33–46. See also Isa 61:3.

7. For John 15:6, see Heb 6:8.

8. Read John 15:18–27. Note the context of the cited text in John 15:25.

9. What is the work of the Spirit according to John 16:8–15?

10. Read John 16:16–33.

The Prayer of Jesus (Read John 17)

1. Outline Jesus’ prayer.

Read John 18–19

1. What details does John provide in John 18:1–11 not found in the Synoptic parallels?

2. For John 19:5, see LXX Num 24:7, 17; 2 Sam 23:1; LXX Isa 19:20; Zech 6:12–13; Dan 7:13.[2]

3. Explain the citation of Ps 22:18 in John 19:24. How does John’s citation of this psalm differ from its citation in the Synoptic Gospels?

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4. Explain the reference to the Passover instruction from Exod 12:46 in John 19:36.

5. How does John’s citation of Zech 12:10 in John 19:37 differ from what your translation has for Zech 12:10? Does John’s wording reflect deliberate exegesis of what you have in Zech 12:10?

The Resurrection (Read John 20)

1. Recall Jesus’s claim in John 11:25. See also Isa 53:12.

The Epilogue (Read John 21)

1. The appearance of Jesus to the disciples in John 21:1–14 is unique to John’s Gospel. In what ways does this account resemble the prophetic picture of life in the messianic kingdom (e.g., Amos 9:11–15)?

2. Compare the restoration of Peter in John 21:15–19 to the restoration of David in 2 Samuel 24.

The Prologue to 1 John (Read 1 John 1:1–4)

1. Note the similarity between this prologue and the prologue to John’s Gospel. Do you think that this is simply because of common authorship, or do you think there is a literary relationship between the two?

2. Who is “we”? Why does John stress the senses—hearing, seeing, and touching (see John 3:11; 1 John 4:2, 14)?

3. For 1 John 1:2, see 1 John 2:25; 5:11–12, 20. For 1 John 1:3, see 1 John 1:6–7. For 1 John 1:4, see John 3:29; 15:11; 16:24; 2 John 12.

The Purpose of 1 John

1. What is the purpose of 1 John according to 1 John 5:13 (cf., 1 John 1:4)?

Read 1 John 1:5–3:10; 3:11–5:21

1. What is the basis for walking in the light (1 John 1:5–3:10)?

2. What is the basis for loving one another (1 John 3:11–5:21)?

3. What have the false teachers claimed (1 John 4:1–6)? How might an understanding of this help with 1 John 5:21?

Read 2 and 3 John

1. Summarize these two letters in one or two sentences per letter.

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Read Revelation 1:1–8

1. Does the phrase “The revelation of Jesus Christ” mean: (1) “The revelation from Jesus Christ”; (2) “The revelation about Jesus Christ”; or (3) both (Rev 1:1)? Who are “his servants” (see 2 Kgs 17:13; Jer 25:4; Dan 9:10; Ezra 9:11; Rom 1:1; Eph 2:20; Jas 1:1; 2 Pet 3:2; Rev 7:3; 10:7; 11:18; 19:2, 5, 10; 21:14; 22:3)? For “the things necessary to come quickly,” see Rev 1:19; 4:1; 22:6. Note the order: God à Jesus Christ à his servants à his angel à his servant John (see Rev 1:10; 4:1; 17:1; 21:9; 22:8, 16).

2. What are “the word of God” and “the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:2, 9; 6:9; cf., Rev 12:11, 17; 19:10, 13; 20:4; 22:6)? Compare Rev 1:3 to Psalm 1 (see Rev 14:13; 19:9). See also Rev 22:7, 10. Why does it say that the time is near?

3. What literary form does the expression “grace to you and peace” in Rev 1:4 signal to the reader (cf., Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; etc.)? What does this say about the churches in Revelation 2–3? Who is “the one who is and who was and who is coming” (see Exod 3:14; Rev 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:5; 17:8)? Who are “the seven spirits who are before his throne” (see Isa 11:2; Rev 3:1; 4:5; 5:6)?

4. For the description of Jesus in Rev 1:5a, see Prov 8:22–31; Col 1:18; Rev 3:14; 19:11, 16. Compare the doxology in Rev 1:5b–6 to the one in Gal 1:4–5 (see also Rev 5:9). For Rev 1:6, see Exod 19:6; Isa 61:6; 1 Pet 2:5, 9; Rev 5:10; 20:6.

5. Revelation 1:7 is programmatic for the book of Revelation. It is a citation of two texts: Dan 7:13 and Zech 12:10. These two texts are also cited together in Matt 24:30 (cf., Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27). Read Daniel 7 and Zechariah 12. How and why does John cite these texts? See also Rev 1:13; 14:14.

6. For Rev 1:8, see Isa 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rev 1:17; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13. The Greek word translated “the Almighty” at the end of Rev 1:8 most often translates “hosts” in the phrase “the LORD of hosts” in the LXX. It also sometimes translates Shaddai in El Shaddai. Who is speaking in this verse?

Read Revelation 1:9–3:22

1. Compare the vision of Christ in Rev 1:14 to the Old Greek of Dan 7:13 and to 2 Thess 1:7–8.

2. Can you discern a recurring pattern in the messages to the churches (Rev 2–3)? What is it?

Read Revelation 4–16

1. What genre of literature is this? How do you know? What difference does it make?

2. What is the role of Rev 4–5 (cf., Ezek 1)?

3. The seven seals (Rev 6), the seven trumpets (Rev 8–9), and the seven bowls (Rev 16) appear in the vision as three separate sequences with the seventh seal beginning the seven trumpets (Rev 8:1–6) and the seventh trumpet beginning the seven bowls (Rev 11:14–15).[3]But the overlap among the three sevens has suggested to interpreters that these are three different representations of one actual sequence of judgment or that the number of judgments is equal to the number of separate and distinct judgments among the three sevens. What do you think? Can you think of where this sort of thing happens elsewhere in the prophetic literature (e.g., Ezek 37; 40–48; Zech 1–6; Dan 2; 7; 8; 10–12)? How might this inform interpretation of the following two similar sequences: (1) The Battle of Armageddon (Rev 16:16) and the Millennium (Rev 20:1–6), and (2) The Battle of Gog and Magog (Rev 20:8) and the New Creation (Rev 21:1–8)? See, e.g., Isa 11:1–10; 65:17–25. Read and comment upon Dave Mathewson, “A Re-examination of the Millennium in Rev 20:1–6: Consummation and Recapitulation,” JETS 44 (2001): 237–51 (on Canvas).

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4. What is the relationship between the tribes in Rev 7:5–8 and the nations in Rev 7:9–17?

5. For Revelation 10, see Jer 15:16; Ezek 2:8–3:3.

6. Who are the two witnesses based upon in their description in Revelation 11?

7. Who are the woman, the dragon, and the son in Revelation 12 (see Gen 3:14; Isa 11:6–8; 27:1; 65:25)?

8. Who are the two beasts in Revelation 13 (see Rev 16:13; 19:20; cf., Ezek 1; Dan 7)? Can you calculate the number in Rev 13:18?

9. Why the reference to the fall of Babylon in Rev 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2, 10, 21 (see Isa 21:9; Jer 51:8; cf., Ezek 26–28)? Gen 11 à The Prophets à Daniel

10. For the song of Moses in Rev 15:3, see Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 32. Can you find where these texts are cited?

11. What does “Armageddon” (Rev 16:16) mean in Hebrew (see Zech 12:11; 2 Chr 35:22)?

Read Revelation 17:1–21:8

1. From where does the image of the marriage supper come (Rev 19:7)?

2. For the image of Rev 19:13, 15 (cf., Rev 14), see Gen 49:11; Isa 63:1–3. See also Ezek 39:17–20 for Rev 19:17–18.

3. How many different groups are in Rev 20:4? What is the first resurrection (Rev 20:5)? Is there a second one? See Dan 12:2; Isa 66:24; Rev 20:11–15.

4. For the new creation (Rev 21:1–8), see Isa 65:17; 2 Pet 3. Note how the description of the new creation in Rev 21:4 draws from the description of the messianic kingdom in Isa 25:6–8 (cf., Isa 2:1–5).

Read Revelation 21:9–22:5

1. For the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:9ff), see Isa 65:18; Gal 4:26. See also Isa 2:1–5; Mic 4:1–5.[4]

2. What is the relationship of Rev 21:22 to Ezekiel’s vision of an eschatological temple (Ezek 40–48)? See also 2 Sam 7:13; Hag 1–2; Zech 6:12–13. Garden of Eden à Tabernacle àSolomon’s Temple à [Second Temple] à New Temple[5]

3. For Rev 21:23; 22:5, see Isa 60:19–20; Zech 14:7.

4. Explain the imagery of Rev 22:1–2 in light of Gen 2:8–14; Ezek 47:8–12; Zech 14:8; Ps 46:4. Why was the tree of life in the Garden of Eden? Why was access to it blocked (Gen 3:22–24)? Why does it return? Is there any access to it in the meantime (Prov 3:18)?

[1] See Charles Lee Irons, “A Lexical Defense of the Johannine ‘Only Begotten,’” in Retrieving Eternal Generation, ed. Fred Sanders and Scott R. Swain (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2017). See also the Nicene Creed. [2] You can read the LXX in English in the NETS (New English Translation of the Septuagint). It is available for free online. [3] Can you find the texts that John draws upon to describe what he sees in the vision? [4] See the LXX of Isa 65:20. How would you explain this verse? [5] Note also John 2:19; 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19.