Customer Reviews

Revelation and the End of All Things

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I've never read anything before that helped me understand the book of Revelation like this book does. Not only is it elegantly written in attention getting prose, but Craig Koester's interpretations are characterized by careful theological reflection. It is also happily free from many of the sensational and erroneous reflections that are heard coming from many of the apocalyptic television pulpits of America. I also like the way Koester understands the 7 cycles of visions in Revelation and how how one blends into the next one. He points out that every vision ends with a triumphant vision of Christ, which is something I hadn't quite noticed before, but won't soon forget.

A previous reviewer pointed out that this book has no study questions, and for this reason I would hesitate to use it as a textbook for a Sunday school class. This is the kind of book you would give to the well read member of your parish or your family. And if you happen to be in some kind of ministry, then this is would be one of the books I would want with me if I were preparing to teach a class on Revelation or if I was preparing a sermon. It is easy to read, hard to put down at times, and always thought provoking.

One of the world's leading experts on the apocalypse (I believe he is presently writing a replacement for Ford's commentary on Revelation in the Anchor Bible series), Koester has poured biblical scholarship, historical knowledge, cultural critique and pastoral care into this book. What emerges, however, is no inaccessible tome, but a delightful, sometimes humorous, piercingly relevant, remarkably brief read in engaging prose.

This book clears away the cobwebs surrounding the final book of the New Testament. The first 5th of the book (40 pages) is an enlightening synopsis of the history of interpretations and where they came from, as well as the impact they have had on world history. The rest of the book engages section by section with the text and is packed with deep insights simply expressed. Reading this book is like putting on the spectacles you always needed for the first time. For anyone wanting to understand John's revelation, I know of no better place to start.

Thoroughgoing, balanced, compelling, and most importantly, Christ-centered, Craig Koester's book on Revelation is top-notch.

Recognizing that Revelation was originally a letter to seven specific churches in ancient Turkey, Koester takes the historical context of Revelation seriously and, by careful research, helps his readers to understand what the book's complicated symbolism would have meant to its original readers. Koester has written a previous book on symbolism in the Gospel of John, and he shows his literary expertise again here.

But Revelation is not only a book for people who lived 2000 years ago. Koester also brings home the function of Revelation as it shapes our lives today. Although most famous as one of today's best New Testament scholars, Craig Koester's heart as a church pastor shines through as he shows how Revelation call us over and over again to have faith in the God who in Christ was and is saving the world.

As a Christian and a Ph.D. student in New Testament, I appreciate this wonderful new book on Revelation. Without the sensationalism that has characterized much recent work with Revelation, Koester offers a reading of the book that is both compelling and responsible, well suited for both first-time reader and seasoned expert.

This book is as good, interesting, and thought provoking as the cover. If you are looking for a great commentary on the Book of Revelation that does not get bogged down in technical language and that is not dispensational hyper sensationalism then this is probably the best place to start.

Koester has a great grasp on the history of Christian thought that he displays in the Introduction by going over how Revelation has been interpreted throughout history. He does avoid getting too bogged down in Introductory matters and brings out a very readable commentary that makes sense. You may not agree with all of the opinions of Koester, but he does not have any blatant inconsistancies. His reads Revelation in its historical Jewish and Roman world (which the Preterist will like) and at the same time allows for the timeless truth of the test to apply to all times (which makes the Apocalypse relevant for today). The future is still in view in Koester's interpretation, because he sees the book as timeless truth.
This is not to say that a Christian Zionist or someone who thinks that Hal Lindsey, Schofield, Dake, or Tim LeHay hold the keys of interpretation will embrace the book, but anyone with an open mind on the subject will come away with a greater understanding.

Koester has done a masterful job of studying Revelation, one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted books in all of religious scripture. He clearly describes the message of the book and its multilayered vignette pattern; this effectively puts to rest the millennial dispensationalism which is behind such fiction as the Left Behind series. The message of Revelation is faithful endurance in the Christian life in the face of all challenges in any time. He is able to show us that the book is timeless rather than time predicting.

simply outstanding! this book deals with the book of revelation and "end times" stuff related therein, with sobriety, sanity and a truly God honoring, Christ honoring manner and message. The author recognizes the need to understand revelation according to it's literary type and according to it's first century context as well, while yet recognizing that it is meant for all christians at all times. The author has truly done his homework for this book and handles the scripture with integrity and care. In this book, you will get background information on the book of revelation, differing interpretive methods, and a section by section running commentary/exposition. This book aims to help the reader make sense out of revelation by exploring what it most likely would have meant in the context of when and where revelation was written originally, and then at the same time showing how this meaning transposes to christians of all times and places. If you are steeped in the left behind series type of belief, please consider this book by Craig Koester as an alternative viewpoint. Thanks to the author for giving laypeople a solid, sane and scripturally honoring book on revelation! Also very helpful and sane treatments of the book of revelation are: Breaking The Code by Bruce Metzger: The Throne, The Lamb and The Dragon by Paul Spilsbury and: Return of The King by Vern Poythress.

The introductory material was interesting, but I did not find the actual commentary particularly insightful. The author tends to repeat himself a lot, making the same comment or point numerous times in a chapter and during the book. He also ignores/misses much of the recapitulatory nature of the book. After criticizing dispensational premillenial views (and justly so) in the introduction, he fails to recognize that chapter 20 of Revelation begins a new cycle, taking us back to the first advent of Christ and the binding of Satan. He therefore tacks on the binding of Satan and the start of the millenial period AFTER the return of Christ and the end of history in chapter 19...i.e. he takes a premillenial view. The "great supper of God" in 19:17 is an image of hell. Notice the reference to "the wine press of the fierce wrath of God" in 19:15, which forms a parallel to the reference to hell in 14:19-20. Hence, chapter 20 begins a new cycle and goes back to cover the entire church age. Koester misses this and ends up not offering a particularly coherent or insightful perspective on the millenium, among other things.

Instead of Koester's book, I would recommend More Than Conquerors by William Hendriksen and The Returning King by Vern Poythress as superior short commentaries/guidebooks on Revelation. Both are idealist/amillenial in perspective, they get the structure of Revelation right, and they are more insightful in my opinion. Also excellent is the mid-sized commentary Triumph of the Lamb by Dennis Johnson.

Koester's book is dead on. It is onee of the few commentaries that makes the book of Revelation easy to understand. Most importantly he hold's a high regard for the biblical text while at the same time respecting the people, culture, and time that the book was written. He shows that Revelation is not a book to be afraid of but a timeless message that has meaning in the first century as well as today.

. . . But it will. This book by Craig R. Koester will make it a whole lot easier to teach my Sunday school class on Revelation without having to go to some modernist debunker to do it. This book clearly honors Christ in its writing while making it clear that Revelation's gift to the church is hope and not calamity. If you're a serious Christian who wants a Revelation that will inspire you through trials that may befall you because of your faith, through out all of your "Left Behind" crap and read "Revelation and the End of All Things" instead. Then pass it on to someone else who needs it.

This book was very (VERY) well researched - but not in such a way where you are feeling you are reading a college text book. It's not such as reading from passages of "The Gospel of Mary" (i.e. long, informative, but very boring). The author does not downplay other interpreters ways except in such ways which are obviouse (i.e. How some interpretors of the Revelation have proactively chosen what they wish to see, some things literal and others symbolic - this is not my view but the author's). He does an incredible job telling the reader where other ideas regarding specific passges have come from (i.e. theories of other interpretations). Get used to reading the book with footnotes and citations - which is good if you want to read Revaltions for yourself. Not only does he give citations but in more than one version of the Bible (KJV is used alot due to more plausible Greek interpretations) which makes more research able in the readers hands. It is built like a rollercoaster: steps upon steps, then goes to the climax for one section, and soon and so forth - then a recap and how you got there and just in case you're dizy from the ride is gives his thesis again. His thesis, so you know what your getting into, is "Revelation is symbolic and was written for christians of all times going through the same thing," trying to find strength not to go into the secular world (a little harsh but you get the point). HE DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF BREAKING DOWN THE BOOK (REVELATION) INTO AN ALMOST SUCH A WAY THAT MAKES YOU THINK: "NOW WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?" Yes I rate it a buy, no it's not too much information and research to google your head with, well written - you won't have any questions left at the end of the book. On what i learned from the book to sum it up - it's symbolism - I'm not one of those people that argue my point to death on these damn postings so just read the book and if it's not symbolism, rather a dragon with several heads (a form of symbolism but not the kind I'm talking about) then post it.