Complexity and Creativity: John's Presentation of Jesus in the Book of Revelation (Gorgias Biblical Studies)

Within the book of Revelation, John provides a unique and fascinating portrait of Jesus. This monograph examines John's interaction with imagery from his cultural context (Roman emperor worship), from the key writings of his apparent religious heritage (the Old Testament), and from convictions shared within the wider early Christian community. In the sections devoted to each of these three sources (Roman emperor worship, the Old Testament writings, and early Christianity), Naylor provides an assessment of the way that John utilizes images, phrases, and motifs from each in his depiction of Jesus. The interaction with this material represents, Naylor argues, not a haphazard conglomeration of material from divergent sources, but rather a complex, well-developed set of religious convictions concerning Jesus, creatively expressed in this early Christian writing.

Jewish Writings from the Hellenistic-Roman Period is a collection of apocrypha and Old Testament pseudoepigrapha along with other ancient Jewish writings of importance for the understanding of the cultural realities in the epoch of ancient Judaism and early Christianity. The texts are made accessible in academically precise translations with brief introductions and comments. The series is intended for teachers and students of Bible studies, Jewish studies, Ancient Near Eastern studies (and related disciplines), Egyptology, the History of Religion and Culture, and for the general reader interested in cultural and religious history.

TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABBREVIATIONS CHAPTER ONE. INTRODUCTION CHAPTER TWO. JOHN, JESUS, AND THE ROMAN IMPERIAL CULT CHAPTER THREE. JOHN, JESUS, AND THE OLD TESTAMENT CHAPTER FOUR. JOHN, JESUS, AND THE CONTEXT OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY CHAPTER FIVE. JOHN’S PRESENTATION OF JESUS CHAPTER SIX. CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX This monograph assesses John's creative interaction with imagery from his cultural context (Roman emperor worship), from the key writings of his apparent religious heritage (the Old Testament), and from convictions shared within the wider early Christian community in his depiction of Jesus in Revelation.