The book of Revelation tends to both fascinate and confuse us with its vivid and strange imagery. When we turn to trusted scholars for help, the widely divergent interpretations of the book can sometimes cause us to throw our hands in the air and stop reading. Are the visions to be taken literally or symbolically? Do they depict events from the first century or are they future, just before Jesus’ return?
In Revelation Verse by Verse, Grant R. Osborne cuts through the confusion and offers a clear exposition of the book, explaining what it meant in its first-century setting and what it means today. Instead of being a frightening or befuddling book, Osborne urges us to see Revelation as highly devotional, causing readers to focus on the sovereignty of God, the futility of Satan, and the ultimate victory of the Lamb and his saints.
A well-known writer of New Testament commentaries tackles a well-known New Testament book. The result is an instructive reading of this often-discussed text. Read Osborne’s Commentary on Revelation and learn.
—Darrell L. Bock, senior research professor of New Testament studies, Dallas Theological Seminary
Many people avoid the book of Revelation because it seems strange and its interpretation is controversial. Grant Osborne brings his many years of intense and intelligent study of Revelation to bear in this compelling reading of this book’s powerful vision of Christ’s second coming. I recommend it to all readers and especially pastors.
—Tremper Longman III, Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College
Lexham Press is proud to announce a New Testament commentary series from respected biblical scholar Grant R. Osborne. His seminal work, The Hermeneutical Spiral, has become a standard for biblical interpretation, and as a culmination of his life’s ministry, he's bringing his academic acumen to an accessible, application-focused commentary.
The Osborne New Testament Commentaries interpret Scripture verse by verse, bridging the gap between scholarship and the Church. This set of commentaries is for people seeking a straightforward explanation of the text in its context, avoiding either oversimplification or technical complexity. Osborne brings out the riches of the New Testament, making each book accessible for pastors and all who consider themselves students of Scripture.
Learn more about the other titles in this series.
With this new series, readers will have before them what we—his students—experienced in all of Professor Osborne's classes: patient regard for every word in the text, exegetical finesse, a preference for an eclectic resolution to the options facing the interpreter, a sensitivity to theological questions, and most of all a reverence for God's word.
—Scot McKnight, Julius R. Mantey Professor in New Testament, Northern Seminary
The Osborne New Testament Commentaries draw from the deep well of a lifetime of serious study and teaching. They present significant interpretive insights in a highly accessible, spiritually nurturing format. This is a tremendous resource that will serve a new generation of Bible readers well for years to come. Highly recommended!
—Andreas J. Kӧstenberger, Founder of Biblical Foundations™, senior research professor of New Testament & biblical theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
“We must understand Revelation as John wrote it, and he understood all the symbols through his first-century Jewish perspective.” (Page 4)
“In short, by far the most likely hypothesis is that the author of Revelation is John the apostle and disciple of Jesus.” (Page 7)
“The book of Revelation uses the entire Old Testament as its playground. It has nearly as many allusions to the Old Testament as the rest of the New Testament put together. In order of frequency, John uses material from Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, the Psalms, and finally Genesis, Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, Joel, and Zechariah. Amazingly, there are only two word-for-word quotations (Rev 1:7; 2:28–29) but anywhere from 400 to 700 references, depending on whether one counts them as allusions or echoes. Allusions consist of near equivalence, and echoes are characterized by approximate parallels.” (Page 11)
“This is the only place in all of Scripture where the actual process of revelation is explained. It is a four-stage movement: God gave it to Jesus, who had the angels mediate it to John, who then wrote it down for the churches.” (Page 20)
“Apocalyptic designates both a type of literature and a mindset. As a type of literature, it describes a book that presents the revealing of hidden secrets by heavenly beings who communicate through a seer to God’s people. Esoteric symbols are at the heart of apocalyptic writings, for they both hide and reveal the truths the work intends to convey.” (Page 2)
Grant R. Osborne (1942–2018) was professor emeritus of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of numerous books, including The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, and commentaries on Revelation (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), Romans (IVP New Testament Commentary), Matthew (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), and John, James, 1-2 Peter, and Jude (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary). He has also taught at Winnipeg Theological Seminary and the University of Aberdeen, and has pastored churches in Ohio and Illinois.
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