Notes on the New Testament, Explanatory and Practical: RevelationBarnes, Albert
Religion
Notes on the New Testament, Explanatory and Practical: Revelation
Barnes, Albert
Bible. New Testament -- Commentaries; Bible. Revelation -- Commentaries
APOLLONIUS.――Lardner, ii. 391‒393. He flourished about A.D. 192.
Eusebius says of him, “He makes use of testimonies out of the
Revelation of John.” The value of this testimony is, (a) that he
quotes the book as of authority; and (b) that he ascribes it to John,
evidently meaning the apostle John.
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA.――Lardner, ii. 222‒259. He flourished about
A.D. 192‒220. Many of his writings are extant. Lardner (p. 245) says of
him, “The book of Revelation is several times quoted by him, and once
in this manner: ‘Such an one, though here on earth he be not honoured
with the first seat, shall sit upon the four and twenty thrones judging
the people, as John says in the Revelation.’” Comp. Rev. iv. 4; xi. 16.
Lardner adds, “And that he supposed this writer to be John the apostle
appears from another place, where he refers to Rev. xxi. 21, as the
words of the apostle.” Professor Stuart says (i. 317), “There is no
good ground for doubt, from anything which is found in the work, that
he received and admitted the Apocalypse as a work of John the apostle.”
The known character of Clement makes this testimony of great value.
TERTULLIAN.――He was the contemporary of Clement, and was the most
ancient, and one of the most learned, of the Latin fathers (Lardner,
ii. 267‒306). He was born at Carthage about the middle of the second
century, and died about A.D. 220. He was reared in the study of
the Greek and Latin languages, of philosophy and the Roman law, and
possessed extensive information. “His testimony to the Apocalypse is
most full and ample. He quotes, or refers to it in more than seventy
passages in his writings, appealing to it expressly as the work of the
apostle John” (Elliott, i. 27). “The declarations of Tertullian are so
frequent and plain, that no doubt can possibly remain as to his belief”
(Prof. Stuart, i. 318). “The Revelation of John is often quoted. I put
together two or three passages, which show his full persuasion that
it was written by the apostle and evangelist of that name” (Lardner,
ii. 295). One of the passages referred to by Lardner is the following:
“The apostle John, in the Apocalypse, describes a sharp two-edged sword
coming out of the mouth of God.” Another is, “Though Marcion rejects
his revelation, the succession of bishops traced to the original will
assure us that John is the author.” There can be no doubt, therefore,
that Tertullian regarded the apostle John as the author of the book of
Revelation; and his confident assertion may be considered as expressive
of the prevailing opinion of his time.
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