Hi Adam,

I don't see the problem or the connection in the second question.

As to the first question, there is no one Catholic view, although some views have been ruled out, such as Millenarianism — the idea that there is a literal thousand year reign on earth of Christ and His saints.

• Some commentators see it as referring to the Roman persecution and to all such events in the life of Christianity.
  
  
• Others see it as primarily a work describing the Heavenly liturgy and the place of history within that.
  
  
• All see it as a depiction of the events of the end of the world. In that respect, many see the various sections as a sort of a revolving view.
  
  Each section may be another way of reflecting or looking at the same reality, from a wider or different perspective. Even then, it is an ascending spiral, with a progression in each event.
  
  
• Others see the book as chronological.

Some criticize much of the commentary based on bad translations.

In short, you can see it:

• symbolically
• historically
• prophetically , or
• as a combination of all.

It gives enduring lessons and it presents God's mysterious plan, at least, some of which, we won't know until we get there. Jesus said:

"I have told you this so that when it happens you may remember."

(John 16:4)

Mary Ann

Hi Adam,

I highly recommend Scott Hahn's audio CD on the subject.

• The End
  • [CD Set]
  • [The End : a Study of the Book of Revelation, Audio Cassette]

I don't agree with everything Hahn says, but it has a lot of good insights.

Also note that the three synoptic Gospels all have a mini-Apocalypse in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 but John has no such text. Nevertheless, John is traditionally considered the author of Revelation. It's as if John omitted such text from his Gospel, in order to do a whole separate account.

Now based on that and considering that in the three synoptic's Jesus is predicting the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., it seems to me that John would be dealing with the same subject matter.

While most scholars today believe Revelation was written in 90 A.D., many still hold to the more traditional opinion that it was written prior to 70 A.D. While Revelation may have some future fulfillment, I personally think that it was dealing with the destruction of Jerusalem.

While some believe it's talking about the Roman Empire, there is much internal evidence that points to Jerusalem and it's destruction and Yes, there are obvious references to a Heavenly Liturgy in chapters 4 and 5.

As for Romans 10-11 and Israel, I believe we need to look to Ephesians 3 to get a better understanding of the Pauline thought.

In Ephesians, the theology goes beyond being grafted into Israel, rather Paul talks about the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile being torn down and one New Man, the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church being formed together.

John D.