The Book of Revelation - When Written (Part 2)

This is the continuation of a piece written by Wayne Jackson. It appeared in the November 1989 edition of the "Christian Courier" published by the Church of Christ in Stockton, CA.

Internal Evidence

The contents of the book of Revelation also suggest a late date, as the following observations indicate.

(1) The spiritual condition of the churches described in Revelation 2-3 more readily harmonize with the late date. "The church in Ephesus, for instance, was not founded by Paul until the latter part of Claudian's reign and when he wrote to them from Rome, A.D. 61, instead of reproving them for any want of love, he commends their love and faith" (Ephesians 1:15). Yet, when Revelation was written, in spite of the fact that the Ephesians had been patient (2:2), they had also left their first love (2:4) and this would seem to require a greater length of time than seven or eight years, as suggested by the early date.

(2) This book was penned while John was banished to Patmos (1:9). It is well known that Domitian had a fondness for this type of persecution. If, however, this persecution is dated in the time of Nero, how does one account for the fact that Peter and Paul are murdered, yet John is only exiled to an island?

(3) The church at Laodicea is represented as existing under conditions of great wealth. She was rich and had need of nothing (3:17). In A.D. 60 though, Laodicea had been almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake. Surely it would have required more than eight or nine years for that city to have risen again to the state of affluence described in Revelation.

(4) The doctrinal departures described in Revelation would appear to better fit the later writing. For example, the Nicolaitans (2:6, 15) were a full-fledged sect at the time of John's writing, whereas they had only been hinted at in general terms in II Peter and Jude, which were written possibly around A.D. 65-66.

(5) Persecution for professing the Christian faith is evidenced in those early letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor. For instance, Antipas had been killed in Pergamum (2:13). It is generally agreed among scholars, however, that Nero's persecution was mostly confined to Rome; further, it was not for religious reasons.