by orthodox Christians in (proconsular) Asia. For the churches of Asia were engaged at this time in a vigorous struggle against the heretical deniers of the resurrection and judgment. Only, a mere anonymous prophecy from Palestine could not obtain any authoritative currency in Asia. To be accepted, even among the orthodox, some name of apostolic weight must be attached to it, as we see in the case of the two Epistles of Peter and those of James and Jude. The Epistles of the Spirit to the churches are, then, as truly "letters of commendation" as though they introduced a living prophet and not merely a written prophecy. The John whom they present is not called an apostle for the very simple reason that the visions themselves everywhere refer to their recipient as a 'prophet.' The author of the prologue and epilogue does not disregard the language of his material. As we have seen, he carefully weaves its phraseology into the 'letters.' So with his insertion of the name "John." It occurs nowhere but in i. 1 f., 4, 9 and xxii. 8 f. All these passages, but especially xxii. 8 f., are based upon xix. 9_b_, 10, adding nothing to the representation but the name "John" and the location "Patmos." In fact, xxii. 6-9 reproduces xix. 9 f., for the most part verbatim, although it is clearly insupposable that the seer of the former passage should represent himself as offering a _second_ time to worship the angel, and as receiving _again_ exactly the same rebuke he had received so shortly before. He who calls himself "John" in xxii. 8 is, therefore, _not_ the prophet of xix. 10. The epilogue itself has apparently received successive supplements, and the prologue its prefix; but he who inserts the name John has done so with caution. He may not have intended to leave open the ambiguity found by Dionysius and Eusebius between the Apostle and the Elder, as a refuge in case of accusation, but he has at least been careful not to transgress the limits of the text he reproduces. The seer spoke of himself as a "_prophet_" writing from the midst of great _tribulation_, about the _kingdom_ to follow to those that _endured_. He had said that he received "true _words of God_" from an _angel_ who declared "I am a fellow _servant_ with thee and with thy _brethren_ that hold _the testimony of Jesus_" (_i. e._ the confession of martyrdom). The prologue, accordingly, describes "John" as a _servant_ of Jesus, who received from an _angel_ the _word of God_ and _the testimony of Jesus_ (i. 1 f.). He is a _brother_ and partaker in the _tribulation_ and _kingdom_ and _endurance_ which are in Jesus. When he comes to Asia it is "for the _word of God_ and _the testimony of Jesus_." The spot whence he issues his prophetic message is not located in Ephesus, or in any city where the residents could say, "But the Apostle John was never among us." He resides temporarily (as a prisoner in the quarries?) in the unfrequented island of Patmos. Thence he could be supposed to see