Historical Context of Revelation

Many people question who the author of the book of Revelation is and when it was written. The author simply calls himself John. In the New Testament we know of two Johns, John the Baptist and John the Apostle. Since the Baptist was long dead, does the author simply assume that we will know it is the Apostle John who writes? Some of the earliest preserved writings of Christian leaders agree. Justin Martyr of Rome (A.D. 150), for instance, wrote that John the Apostle, son of Zebedee, was the author.

Now we have understood that the expression used among these words, 'According to the days of the tree [of life ] shall be the days of my people; the works of their toil shall abound' obscurely predicts a thousand years. For as Adam was told that in the day he ate of the tree he would die, we know that he did not complete a thousand years. We have perceived, moreover, that the expression, 'The day of the Lord is as a thousand years,' is connected with this subject. And further, there was a certain man with us, whose name was John, one of the apostles of Christ, who prophesied, by a revelation that was made to him, that those who believed in our Christ would dwell a thousand years in Jerusalem; and that thereafter the general, and, in short, the eternal resurrection and judgment of all men would likewise take place. Just as our Lord also said, 'They shall neither marry nor be given in marriage, but shall be equal to the angels, the children of the God of the resurrection.' Luke 20:35f. (Dialogue 81)

The authorship of Revelation was debated back and forth in the Eastern branch of the church. Eusebius (A.D. 325) wavered, but at one point wrote this about the Apostle John and the Apocalypse:

Domitian, having shown great cruelty toward many, and having unjustly put to death no small number of well-born and notable men at Rome, and having without cause exiled and confiscated the property of a great many other illustrious men, finally became a successor of Nero in his hatred and enmity toward God. He was in fact the second that stirred up a persecution against us, although his father Vespasian had undertaken nothing prejudicial to us.
Chapter 18. The Apostle John and the Apocalypse.
1. It is said that in this persecution the apostle and evangelist John, who was still alive, was condemned to dwell on the island of Patmos in consequence of his testimony to the divine word.
2. Irenæus (A.D. 180), in the fifth book of his work Against Heresies, where he discusses the number of the name of Antichrist which is given in the so-called Apocalypse of John, speaks as follows concerning him:
3. If it were necessary for his name to be proclaimed openly at the present time, it would have been declared by him who saw the revelation. For it was seen not long ago, but almost in our own generation, at the end of the reign of Domitian.

These quotes from Justin Martyr and Eusebius do not settle the issue for Mike Blume (Rightly Dividing the Word). He claims that Revelation was written before AD 70 by the Apostle and is a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, among other things. To support this he quotes a number of the earliest Church Fathers and ancient writings, such as the Muratorian Canon.

I mention all this in order to put the book into its historical context. From my perspective it seems best to conclude that the book was written by the Apostle from the island of Patmos toward the end of Domitian's reign (A.D. 90-95). Besides Eusebius this date is confirmed by the testimony of other early church fathers such as  Clement of Alexandria (200) and Origen (254).

Following the lead of Bruce Metzger then, I look at Revelation as a book written in code for Christians under persecution by the Roman Emperor Domitian. The code, of course, is based upon the Old Testament.

Concluding Thoughts On The Letter To The Hebrews

I mean to conclude my comments on the Letter to the Hebrews with this post. As I do so, I can't help notice that the writer seems to be rubbing his chin in thought as he asks himself, "Now what did I forget to say? And what must I emphasize again before I'm done?" With that it mind, he looks at his notes and begins to write on the final pages.

Now whether that went through his mind I do not know. It just seems that way to me as he says

• Show hospitality to strangers
• Hold marriage in honor
• Avoid the love of money
• Remember your spiritual leaders
• Watch out for strange teachings
• Patiently put up with reproach as Christ our Lord did
• Remember, we seek a city that is to come
• And please do pray for us

He writes, apparently assuming his original readers know perfectly well who he is as he says, 

Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. - Hebrews 13:18-19 ESV

Restored to you? I'm quite at a loss to tell you what he means. Many, as earlier noted, assume this is the Apostle Paul writing and that he, Hebrew of the Hebrews that he was, looks forward to being among his readers soon. Perhaps he was in prison. We cannot say.

And then he mentions Timothy, our brother. Surely this is the great Paul. Who else would so write?  Draw your own conclusions. Could these words have been later inserted by some unknown scribe?

The canonicity of the book is not questioned by either the Eastern or the Western branches of the church. Early traditions did indeed suggest Paul as the author. Some even suggested Priscilla, a learned woman described in Acts 18:1-4; 1 Cor. 16:19 and 2 Tim. 4:19. However, the writer seems clearly to be a man. The participle for "tell" in Hebrews 11:32 is masculine. 

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-- - Hebrews 11:32 ESV

Note also that the Greek in which this letter was written is of a higher quality than that normally used by the Apostle Paul.

All in all, I must conclude—along with many others—that the authorship remains a mystery.  That said, I commend these fine words to you from his concluding remarks:

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. - Hebrews 13:20-21 ESV