Sacra Pagina Series

Volume 16

Revelation

Wilfrid J. Harrington, O.P.

Daniel J. Harrington, S.J.

Editor

A Michael Glazier Book

LITURGICAL PRESS

Collegeville, Minnesota

www.litpress.org

A Michael Glazier Book published by Liturgical Press

Cover design by Ann Blattner. Illustration reproduced with the permission of the Universitätsbibliothek Graz, Austria, Cod. 143, fol. 501b (13th c. Breviarium Benedictinum), from a microfilm in the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, Collegeville, Minnesota.

© 1993, © 2008 with updated bibliography by Order of Saint Benedict, Collegeville, Minnesota. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, microfilm, microfiche, mechanical recording, photocopying, translation, or by any other means, known or yet unknown, for any purpose except brief quotations in reviews, without the previous written permission of Liturgical Press, Saint John’s Abbey, P.O. Box 7500, Collegeville, Minnesota 56321-7500.

ISBN 13: 978-0-8146-5977-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Harrington, Wilfrid J.

Revelation / Wilfrid J. Harrington.

p. cm.—(Sacra pagina series; v. 16)

“A Michael Glazier book.”

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 0-8146-5818-0

1. Bible. N.T. Revelaion—Commentaries. I. Bible. N.T. Revelation. English. Harrington. 1993. II. Title. III. Series: Sacra pagina series; 16.

BS2825.3.H335 1993

228ʹ.077—dc20

93-15197

CIP

FOR

JOAN AND MICHAEL GLAZIER

Níl malairt chuí le fáil ar chara dílis

ní féidir a luach a mheas.

Sláníoc na beatha is ea cara dílis.

(Síorach 6:15–16).

CONTENTS

Editor’s Preface

Preface

Abbreviations

Introduction

I. Literary Form

II. Authorship and Date

III. Background

IV. Purpose

V. Lines of Interpretation

VI. An Outline

VII. Theological Perspectives

General Bibliography

Translation, Notes, Interpretation

I. Prologue, Address, and Inaugural Vision

1. Prologue (1:1–3)

2. The Address (1:4–8)

3. Vision of One Like a Son of Man (1:9–20)

II. The Messages to the Seven Churches

4. Message to Ephesus (2:1–7)

5. Message to Smyrna (2:8–11)

6. Message to Pergamum (2:12–17)

7. Message to Thyatira (2:18–29)

8. Message to Sardis (3:1–6)

9. Message to Philadelphia (3:7–13)

10. Message to Laodicea (3:14–22)

III. The Scroll Vision

11. The Heavenly Temple (Ch. 4)

12. The Lamb and the Scroll (Ch. 5)

IV. The Seven Seals

13. The First Four Seals (6:1–8)

14. The Fifth Seal (6:9–11)

15. The Sixth Seal (6:12–17)

16. The Sealing of the Faithful (7:1–8)

17. Song of Victory (7:9–17)

18. The Seventh Seal (8:1–5)

V. The Seven Trumpets

19. The First Four Trumpets (8:6–13)

20. The Fifth Trumpet (First Woe) (9:1–12)

21. The Sixth Trumpet (Second Woe) (9:13–21)

22. The Open Scroll (Ch. 10)

23. The Temple Measured (11:1–2)

24. The Two Witnesses (11:3–14)

25. The Seventh Trumpet (11:15–19)

VI. The Woman and the Dragon

26. The Woman and the Dragon (12:1–6)

27. Victory in Heaven (12:7–12)

28. Dragon and Woman (12:13–18)

VII. The Two Beasts

29. The First Beast ...