An Isagogical Treatment of the Revelation of St. John the Divine

Abstract

Siegbert W. Becker presents a thorough isagogical study of the Book of Revelation, addressing its disputed canonicity, authorship, and interpretive approaches. He defends the apostolic origin of Revelation against historical skepticism, citing internal evidence and early church testimony. Becker critiques preterist and futurist interpretations, advocating instead for an idealistic or church-historical reading that views Revelation’s symbols as timeless representations of spiritual truths and tribulations throughout church history. He emphasizes the book’s rich Christology and its pastoral message of hope amid suffering. Becker argues that Revelation must be interpreted using the grammatical-historical method, respecting its symbolic language without resorting to literalistic distortions. He concludes with a structured outline of the book’s sevenfold visions, portraying the church’s struggle and ultimate triumph through Christ. The essay affirms Revelation’s clarity, relevance, and theological depth when read with reverence and doctrinal fidelity. Abstract prepared by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).