Comparison of Revelation Commentators views.
Books linked to
Michael Flowers also added
some contributions to the table
| Commentary | First seal ........................... |
144,000........................... | Two witnesses ........................... |
Woman of Ch. 12........................... | Babylon |
Millennium |
| Irresistible Conquest | The people of God to be built upon the 12 Tribes of Israel & the 12 Apostles Whereas 7:9 is an intentional contrast, a fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham - " ... from every nation" | Symbolic witness of the people of God in a godless world who, as their Lord, triumph over evil | The Church & her persecuted offspring as Christians; from an earlier Jewish perspective, she is Israel, the persecuted people of God | Rome & her fall | An exclusive, earthly premillennial reign of the martyrs raised in the first resurrection, a resurrection for martyrs alone following RH Charles | |
| Militarism and conquest |
Church |
Elijah and Moses |
OT and NT people of God |
Rome |
? |
|
|
Tales of the End |
A possible combination of images: Roman general, Parthian King & the mystery God Mithras, the prime god of the Roman Army - all speaking of conquest - p. 82 | A symbolic representation of God's true Israel being the same as the innumerable multitude made up of all nations. God's new community is Jew & Gentile, thus shaping the way John tells the rest of the story. p. 74 | The Church at work in the world, the final prophets long expected. p. 92 | Eve, Israel, queen of heaven, a city, the new Jerusalem, marrying a Lamb, the great antithesis of the great whore, Babylon. She encompasses both Israel (12 tribes) and the new people of God (12 Apostles) pp. 112-13 | Rome | The reign of martyrs, the faithful witnesses who refused the mark of the beast. "This thousand years is a remarkable and paradoxical symbol, for as a multiple of ten it suggests a complete & total victory. but as a period that comes to an end it symbolizes the temporariness of the victory over evil." p. 138-39 |
| Barton et al | Conquest | Church | Elijah and Moses or the church | Faithful Israel | Rome or any state system hostile to God | Premill |
|
Climax of Prophecy |
The rider of the first seal opening stands in antithetical parallelism to the rider of 19:11 Therefore, not Christ. p. 179 Climax of Prophecy | A symbolic military census for a messianic army, gathered for holy war not engaged with force but with martyrdom, extended in v.9 to depict an international army celebrating victory after battle w/ the Roman Empire via faithful witness unto death pp. 215 - 237 Climax of Prophecy | Two prophets symbolizing the universal Church's prophetic witness to the world as well & a witness of Christ's Lordship over the world. p. 165 Climax of Prophecy | A reference pointing back to Eden, but "not only Eve, but also Zion, from whom the Messiah is born ... p. 89 The Theology of Revelation | Rome pp. 338f. Climax of Prophecy | Amillennial A theological image of vindication of the martyrs. The theological intent conveys the way of God's rule - faithfulness to Christ unto death ensures victory pp. 106-108 The Theology of Revelation |
| G K Beale | Satanic force | A remnant from the visible church | Whole community of faith | the faithful community (OT and NT) | Prevailing economi-religious system in alliance with the state | Amillennial (church age) |
| Conquest |
Sons of Israel |
Church |
Zion |
Babylon, Rome |
Premillennial |
|
| Isbon T. Beckwith | Conquest | Whole church of God | Elijah and Moses | Ideal church of God OT & NT | Rome | Premillennial |
| Eugene M. Boring, | Parthians | Church | End-time Church | Israel/Church | Rome | Amillennial |
| Ian Boxall | False Christ's | Church | Church | Heavenly counterpart of the community of the faithful | Latest incarnation of the oppressive and idolatrous city (Rome is an example) | Amillennial? |
| Louis A. Brighton | Military, tyrannical dominance | Church militant on earth | Churches prophetic witness to Jesus Christ | Israel and the church | False church | Amillennial |
| FF Bruce |
Invasion from eastern frontier of Roman Empire |
Total sum of the true followers of Christ |
The church in its royal and priestly functions |
True Israel from which Messiah was born |
Rome |
Premillennial but could be in heaven |
| Paul T Butler | conquest | complete covenant people of God | church and bible | OT and NT church | Rome | Amillennial |
| Invasion |
Whole body of martyrs |
Church: royal and priestly function |
Messianic community - Church |
Rome |
? |
|
| Parthian Empire (that was to overthrow Rome) | Christians, spiritual Israel (a symbol, not a definite number); no contrast with the 144,000 is intended. The innumerable multitude are martyrs who would experience the horrors of the last tribulation in John's own generation |
Moses & Elijah Representing Law and Prophecy | The Church depicted as a sun goddess who gives birth to a sun god - pagan mythic material fulfilled in Christ & the Church. See p. 299 | Rome | An exclusive, earthly premillennial reign of the martyrs raised in the first resurrection, a resurrection for martyrs alone | |
| David Chilton | Christ | Ideal Israel | OT witnesses culminating in John the Baptist | the Church in the form of OT Israel | Jerusalem | Postmillennial |
| Kendell H. Easley | Military conquest | End-time Christians | Church prophetic | God's people | civilization apart from God | promillennialism (sic) reward of the martyrs |
| A. Farrer | Victory, Victorious Conquest | Both are identical, contrasted to represent Jewish roots and Abraham's Covenant of innumerable multitudes as the stars (p. 109-110). Fulfillment of the martyr's prayer |
A new, representative Moses & Elijah (a type of priest-kings - Jer 33:14f, the Church | Typological Eve, daughters of Zion, Mother Israel, all Seed bearing wombs culminating in the Virgin Mary | Rome | Premillennial earthly reign of martyrs |
| Elisabeth Fiorenza | Parthians who defeated Rome | Christians alive at the "Day of the Lord" | Christian prophets and witnesses | Israel-Zion, messianic community | Babylon/Rome | Amillennial? |
| War | Jewish converts of the Elijah of Chapter 11, one of the two witnesses. The innumerable multitude are Gentile converts from every nation p. 53 | Elijah & Moses | Israel, the people of God | Rome | An exclusive, earthly premillennial reign of the martyrs raised in the first resurrection, a resurrection for martyrs alone | |
| Victorious Christ conquering with the gospel |
Total number of redeemed on the earth, spiritual Israel |
Holy Spirit and apostles or the saints |
Spiritual remnant of God's faithful, collective spiritual body of God's people |
Pagan Rome represents the world of lust, seductive, enticing, appealing to the desires of the flesh and mind |
Period from Constantine until shortly before the Lord returns |
|
| Parthian Invasion p. 89 | Symbolic Israel, The Church, equivalent to the great multitude p. 98 | The Church p. 121 | The Bride, the heavenly Jerusalem, depicted as the woman of Gen. 3:15f p. 128-30 | Rome p. 150 | Amillennial | |
| Christ |
Church |
Church |
Church |
World |
Amillennial |
|
| Conquest |
Believing Jews sealed for service |
Two Spirit filled leaders |
Faithful Israel |
Entire world system |
Premillennial, dispensational |
|
| Conquest |
Complete company of the redeemed |
Churches witness |
Church |
Ungodly civilisation of the world in its fallenness |
Amillennial |
|
| Antichrist and the forces of evil |
Church |
Those in the church called to give a prophetic witness |
Jews and Gentiles - the Church |
Total culture of the world apart from God, Rome being only one example |
Premillennial |
|
| Dennis Johnson | Conquest | Church | Church in its witness | OT Israel | Rome and idolatry that worships economic properity and cultural achievement | Amill |
| Craig S. Keener | Parthians | All true believers in Jesus | church | righteous Israel | Rome | Premillennial |
| A host of invaders possibly suggesting Parthians but more likely "a continuous wave of invasion which encroaches on the civilized world until finally it is submerged e.g., | A symbolic number representing the Church. They are Christian prophets ... the future martyrs from among the churches ... known as conquerors. The innumerable multitude are the heavenly depiction of the martyrs, showing the reward from heaven's perspective | The conquerors of the seven churches representing bodies of Christians who diffused the light of Christ in this world p. 194 | The faithful remnant of Israel | Rome | An exclusive, earthly premillennial reign of the martyrs raised in the first resurrection, a resurrection for martyrs alone. This earthly reign is a special distinction of martyrs as promised in Thyatira 2:26-27 and Laodicea 3:21 | |
| Simon J Kistemaker | gospel | Church | Church | Covenant community of both OT and NT | anti-christian world | Amillennial |
| Craig R Koester | Parthians | Christ's followers | Community of faithful Christians | People of God | adversaries of God | Amillennial |
| Gerhard A Krodel | antichrist or Parthians | church militant | Spirit empowered christian community | true Israel and the faithful church | Rome | Premillennial |
| A. Kuyper | Christ | 7:3 From among the children of Israel; 14:1 martyrs in heavenly Zion contrasting with innumerable Gentile |
Two individuals of importance who sound a last call of grace to the world following the 6th Trumpet | No mention | "... the earthly power which has established itself among men and has set its face against God" p 106 | Amillennial / Futurist "thousand has symbolic significance ... the secret doings of God between the two parts of the parousia" against the present time between the 1st & 2nd Advents |
| Gospel |
Church |
Two eschatological prophets |
Church |
Babylon symbol of human civilisationorganized in opposition to God |
Premillennial although not a literal thousand years |
|
| Antichrist and his kingdom, little horn |
Literal 144,000 Jews |
Moses and Elijah |
Nation of Israel |
Religious harlot of Babylonian idolatry |
Premillennial, dispensational |
|
| Word of God |
Church militant |
The true church shall witness and prophecy the gospel in its public ministry |
OT and NT church |
Antichristian empire, antichristian seductiveness |
Amillennial |
|
| Martyn Lloyd-Jones | Jesus Christ | saints of OT and NT | law & gospel | Israel | seductive power of the world and sin | Amillennial |
| Edmondo
Lupieri 2006 |
Christological Figure p. 142 | 144,000, the Army of the Lamb, the Church, symbolically, half of which come from the circumcision, and those who come from paganism, innumerable. This is inferred from dividing 144,000 by 2 linked to David's army of 288,000 (I Chr. 27:1-15). The innumerable multitude are the innumerable "half" of the 144,000, the fulfilled promise of Abraham's innumerable descendents. p. 150 | "corporate personalities" figures who appear to be individuals but actually represent more complex human groups, such as kingdoms or peoples, in which case they would represent the two parts of militant Christianity p. 176 | A heavenly representation of Israel, of that faithful Israel which is also true Christianity p. 189 | Jerusalem 224-225; 248-251 | Symbolically representing completeness rather than a partial period p. 312 |
| John F. MacArthur Ch 1-11 | False peace | literal 144,000 descendands of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob | Moses and Elijah | na | -na | dispensational |
| Christ as king | Church | All the prophets of the church | she is the concept that bore Christ and his seed and the ecclesia | the whore seduces and the mystical city Babylon endices | Amillennial | |
| Parthian invasion | A symbol of completeness representing the new Israel, the Church. The innumerable multitude are the same people from a heavenly perspective, an encouragement for faithfulness under persecution | Symbolic of the Church, though appointed to suffer in this world, continue to bear faithful witness to the truth. Their death and resurrection point to what seems to be defeat is, in fact, victory | Personification of the ideal community of God's people, from Jewish roots to fulfillment in the redeemed community, persecuted by political powers behind which the dragon | Rome | Martyr's reign wherein the local is not mentioned. The martyrs are the highlight and their status with Christ for faithfulness unto death; thus, it could be a heavenly or an earthly reign | |
| J Ramsey Michaels | antichrist | messianic or distinctly Christian list | church in its prophetic ministry | Jerusalem? | Rome | Premillennial |
W Milligan 1889 |
Christ in Judgment | Church | Church | Church OT and NT | degenerate church or religion | Amillennial |
| Warlike conqueror |
Church |
Witnessing church (Smyrna and Philadelphia) |
Israel and then the church |
Civilised man apart from God |
Amillennial |
|
| Military conquest in general |
Faithful believers about to enter a period of testing |
Witnessing church |
Faithful Israel/The church |
Rome |
Earthly reign of martyrs |
|
| Frederick J. Murphy | A Parthian warrior celebrating triumph in a victory parade (205) | The 144,000 are a subset of all Christians (223) and the innumerable multitude, the victorious church in God's presence (224) | ". . . the two witnesses are generalized images . . . they stand for the prophetic function of the church." (264) | ". . . The messianic community, the community from which the messiah comes." (282) | Rome | A literal, earthly messianic reign with the martyrs . . . 1000 is symbolic (402) |
| Myself | Conquest | The Church (could include Israel) | The Church | Israel and the church | Rome and the world system | Amillennial |
| Christ and the heavenly host |
Elect Israelites |
Two prophets |
Israel |
Romanism |
Premillennial, dispensational |
|
| Gospel |
Church: Jews and Gentiles |
Those in the church called to bear prophetic witness/martyr in the last days |
Covenant community giving birth to Christ - the Church |
Archetype of all entreched worldly resistance to God. Total culture of the world apart from God |
Historical premillennial |
|
Lust for conquest |
Church |
Elijah & Moses |
Israel & the Church |
Rome and empire of the beast |
Premillennial |
|
Specter of tyranny and the conquering threat of power p.176 |
The number represents completeness yet preserves the mystery of God's intention for His original people founded in Abraham & Abraham's children. The innumerable multitude depicts the fulfillment of Israel within the universal church p. 181 |
The Church in faithfulness & authority - lampstand imagery in the seven letters refers to the churches and olive tree imagery refers to the people of God (Ro 11). p. 194 |
Mary, the mother of Jesus p. 200 |
Rome |
A heavenly "... priestly reign of those who had died as martyrs and who had not worshiped the beast" Emphasizing "the tremendous importance of the Christian and their lives ..." pp. 236-237 |
|
| V. Poythress | Conquest | Both are identical: the fullness of God's people, New Covenant people of God | Symbolic representation of Christian witness | Old & New Covenant saints, including Mary as an outstanding part of God's people | The center for false worship | Amillennial |
| POSB | antichrist | Jewish believers | two men | Israel | False religion, politics | Premillennial, dispensational |
| James B Ramsey Ch 1-11 | Christ in His goespel conquering | Does not write on this | Church | na | na | na |
| Parthian Invasion p. 125-26 | A symbolic number that represents the martyred saints In contrast to the great multitude which is a fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant p. 145-49 | The Church in its prophetic mission to the world, resulting in martyrdom p. 211 | From 'combat myth' to Eve to Israel to Mary to the Church, the Woman symbolizes the faithful people of God of all time p. 238-39 | Rome p. 277-78 | An interim period of time, not to be taken literally but as "a lengthy yet limited period of time" reserved exclusively for martyrs. p. 382-85 | |
|
2009 |
Demonic parody of Christ p. 127 |
The complete number of God's Israel, the inward, theological reality; John views the same event from two different points of view. The international multitude envisions the outward reality, the Israel of God includes all those who follow the Lamb - international in scope. pp. 137-138 |
Represent a paradox of a vulnerable yet protected community of believers. The faithful church in its specific role as witness for God. p. 161-163 |
An image of the Church, persecuted by the dragon and subject to the distress and travail of the messianic age yet protected by God. p. 171 |
Though Rome "fits the bill" as do many other places, it is "more than Rome ... It is the symbolic city of this world that represents oppression, captivity, and exile." Babylon is the anticity to the new Jerusalem, a Satanic parody of God's city ... any place & every place that defies itself and sets itself up as supreme." pp. 198-199 |
Amillennial The Millennium presents two perspectives (ala Bauckham) - from an earthly view, "the beast appears to be victorious. But from an above view of God's ways are vindicated and the martyrs are victorious. This above view is preceded by the first resurrection, an exclusive, bodily resurrection of those beheaded due to their testimony for Jesus ... countering Smalley's (510) spiritualized first resurrection pp. 245-247 |
| Stephen S Smalley | lust for power | Church on earth | Witnessing church | True Israel and the Church | Worldly, idolatrous, oppressive powers | Amillennial |
| Lehman Strauss |
Antichrist |
144,000 Israelites |
Elijah and Enoch |
Israel |
Apostate church, all religious faiths |
Premillennial, dispensational |
| Antichrist |
Church |
Church |
Faithful Israel and the church |
Contrasted with the woman of 12 and the New Jerusalem, based on Babylon |
Premill |
|
| Triumphant militarism |
Church |
Church in her function of witness bearing |
Church of the OT and the Christian society |
Rome |
Amillennial |
|
| Counterfeit Christ |
A group of Israel specially charged with witnessing for Christ during the darkest hour |
Moses and Elijah |
National Israel |
False religion |
Premillennial, dispensational |
|
| L. Thompson | Victory in War | The two contrast, 144,000 on earth, the innumerable multitude in heaven | Archetypal of both Christ and the prophetic destiny | Celestial goddess imagery understood as Mary in later Christianity p. 132 | Ungodliness (Rome), in contrast to Mt. Zion & the 144,000 | Premillennial earthly reign of martyrs |
| Robert W Wall | Military strife | Remnant of martyrs | Churches ongoing witness | the faithful people of God (OT and NT) | wealth and power | Premillennial |
| Antichrist ie beast out of the sea of Ch 13 |
Godly remnant of Israel during great trib |
Two prophets |
Jewish, nation of Israel |
Ecclesiastical and political entity. Papal Rome |
Premillennial, dispensational |
|
| M. Wilcock | Conquest | Church | Church in the world | Israel (old & new) | World System | Amillennial |
| Ben Witherington | Parthians | Total number of believers | Whole church or two of the seven churches | People of God | Rome | Premillennial |
See also Annotated bibliography
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Authors cited in 7 recent commentarties (1997-2005)